Valgarv sat on the Temple steps, gazing solemnly up at the full moon that brightly lit the star-dotted sky. The cool breeze touched his scarred face, brushing through the short, scruffy hair, whipping at his short cape. He sighed, an exhale that was lost in the whispers of the wind, tossed to the far ends of the land.
Inside the vestiges of the Temple of the Goddess Above and the Guardian of All another explosion roared, rocking the foundations of the holy sanctuary. Valgarv astutely scooted over to the rail as a literally flaming figure rushed frantically out of the Temple and away from the furious keeper.
"AND DON'T YOU DARE SHOW YOUR UGLY MAZOKU BUTT HERE AGAIN, YOU LOUSY GOOD OR NOTHING, OR I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'LL FEEL PAIN THAT YOU WON'T ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Valgarv wisely covered his ears from the screeching of Ruaki, his sea-green hair stirring from the effect of the caps. The flaming figure jumped around several times before uttering a spell that made a small raincloud appear above him, lightly drizzling water.
Xellos snapped his fingers, dismissing the cloud, and smiled at Valgarv, his dripping form quite well-done. "Did the illustrious High Prophet of the Goddess toss you out too?" The Nazo no Priest glanced back at the Temple entrance. "For a pacifist, Ruaki-san sure has a quick hand at throwing Minute-Meteors."
Valgarv narrowed his eyes at Xellos, briefly toying the idea of attacking him. Finally he smirked at the Mazoku priest that had been his enemy for so many years and replied, "Of course not, kisama. I am Ruaki's current 'Harem boy'. Ya, on the other hand, are last week's trash." His smirk deepened, exotic amber eyes roving over Xellos's charred clothing. "Even incinerated like a piece of crap."
Xellos bowed deeply, sweeping an imaginary cap off his head and extending a leg. "I am honored, Ryuzoku, for such kind and complimentary words. Truly."
Valgarv once again pushed down the urge to attack the Mazoku.
Xellos snapped his fingers once more and disappeared in a flash of purple light and smoke. The Ryuzoku blinked and then smirked, glad that the annoying priest was gone, and turned his thoughts inward once more, back to times he would better forget.
How long had it been since his Garv-sama left him? Valgarv rubbed his eyes, unable to remember... It hurt not being able to remember. But then the loneliness often did this to him, as it did before he met his Garv-sama. The memories of his family, of his friends, all had blurred together so that they seemed to be nothing more than a faceless blur of souls that haunted the deep vaults of his memory.
But he knew it had been a while. Valgarv smiled bitterly. And still the guilt rode upon him. The guilt from the deed that he had never mentioned, but only harbored within his mind, reminiscing the sweetness yet shuddering from the betrayal.
How ironic that Valgarv had betrayed his Garv-sama for someone who was now one of his greatest enemies...
It was the first assignment Garv-sama ever gave me. I was still learning to master my newfound powers back then, trying to adhere to the rules that Garv-sama had set for me. He called me reckless and impetuous, and therefore was in need of "training".
Training. Ha. It seemed more of a test, a test of my present abilities and of my loyalty. Of course, at the time I did not realize just what my Garv-sama was testing for, yet I knew I could not afford to screw up the mission he had assigned me.
Ninmu ryokai, my Garv-sama.
Stalking through the high corn fields that surrounded the tiny village that was my first destination, I constantly repeated my instructions to myself, reciting each word my Garv-sama had said to me, determined to prove that I was a worthy find to him.
You see, I am afraid of being alone.
My Garv-sama had taken away the desolate anguish that had gnawed at my soul ever since I was young. That day, when I had been reborn as a part Mazoku... I had been reborn as a new being with a set purpose in life. No longer would the loneliness bother me.
I slowed my silent steps at the perimeter of the cornfield, pushing the long stalks out of my face and peering at the lights shining brightly in the cold darkness of night. Garv-sama had said my contact would be met here, disguised as a traveller. He had refused to elaborate about the contact, mentioning that others were also after the prize he sought. That is why it was so important for me to succeed. I had to succeed. For him, my savior, my master.
I suppose I loved him. But back then, I was so messed up in the head.....
Pulling the cowl of a black cloak up so as to hide the conspicuous horn protruding from my head---a testiment to the Mazoku blood that now course through my veins---I left the cornfield and approached the village.
The villagers only stared briefly at me as I prowled through the muddy, cobble-stoned street, slicked wet from the recent rain. I must have been quite a foreigner to them--I was not tall or broad, but I possessed an otherworldly grace that could only be testified as that of a Ryuzoku. I was proud as well as haughty, carrying myself like a strutting peacock. My confidence must have been what shook them most---these humans lived in poverty and hard labor, broken by the land and by the world.
Eyes that blazed like the sun glared at any of those who were brave enough to meet my challenging gaze, and each, in turn, tore away their stares toward something that suddenly seemed more interesting. A smirk crossed my lips; I had no respect for humans then, whose hearts were so cowardly and weak.
I do not like the weak. Yet, I am one of them......
Finally I met one who did not turn away from my fierce look. In fact, he had the gall to smile at me, a charming smile that seemed to hide dark secrets behind those quirking lips. As I approached him, wondering if this was my contact, the blazing touch of his aura slammed into my head, immediately alerting me of his power... and his race.
Mazoku.
This had to be my contact. Mazoku do not just "hang" around a village without destroying it. Assuming a lazy smirk, I approached the Mazoku, meticulously inspecting every detail about him, from the gleaming violet hair to the self-assuming way he held himself. His smile widened as I stopped before him, peering down at me through smiling eyes. For some odd reason I felt uncomfortable at the unseen gaze and suppressed a shudder threatening to run through my body.
And he continued to merely smile at me.
Scowling, I opened my mouth angrily to demand if he had found the information that my Garv-sama had wanted when he suddenly laid a white-gloved finger upon my lips and said, "So, you are Maryuu-oh's new recruit."
I jerked away from his touch, fury whipping through me for such insubordination.
And the Mazoku continued to grin at me, one of his smiling eyes opening to reveal an orb of such intense amethyst, gleaming coldly as the stone it resembled.
"I am Xellos."
I regret now the day I had ever heard that name. So eager was I to finish this job, so eager was I to return to my Garv-sama with news of success, so eager was I just to return to my master, that I never considered that this was not the contact I was to meet. I never considered the other enemies that my Garv-sama had.
And I never considered that this Xellos might have worked for one of them.
The Mazoku was extremely amicable and easy-going, and although he had this annoying tendency to tease me, I actually found him to be quite companionable. That night he had led me to the local pub, chattering along like a squirrel, smiling. His attitude shocked me at first---I've had some experience with Mazoku, and Xellos seemed utterly opposite the norm. Yet that brief glance I had of his eyes warned me that this act of his was merely a show put on by a skilled performer.
Still, I found myself drawn into his cordiality. My first mistake.
Smiling still, he bought me many drinks that night, realizing my fondness for drink after the first five mugs of mead I had downed without batting an eye. Watching me carefully over a glass of mulled wine, he proceeded to casually tell me what I needed to know to complete the mission my Garv-sama had sent me for.
"Beyond the Astra Mountains?" I raised my brows, twirling a finger in a tankard of the local moonshine.
Xellos nodded, his glossy hair catching the dim light from the flickering fire. I must have been a bit wasted by then, for I found myself captivated by those gleaming strands, my hands twitching to discover if they were as soft as they looked. "Within the mountains, beyond the city of Nethar, lies an ancient pass only magic can reveal." He smiled, a dark grin, and suddenly I felt like a trapped canary within the cat's paws. "That's why I'm here. Maryuu-oh sent me to open the pass for you."
Worry began to cloud my mind. I was half-afraid my Garv-sama thought me too weak or too incapable of doing this mission myself. I knew that the contact would be passing information along to me; I did not expect the contact to come with me.
Xellos must have noticed my worry, for he dropped the dark smile and sipped his wine. "It's an extremely well-hidden pass, Val-kun. Very few know the ancient spells to open it."
Val-kun. He'd known my name before I even gave it. And he'd taken to calling me that. The first time I had heard it I nearly ripped off his head. However, he had teleported out of my range and laughed in my face. Again I had caught a brief glimpse of those glittering Mazoku eyes as he'd then knocked me into the ground with a nonchalant wave of his staff. Then he had wagged his finger at me, smiling pleasantly, offhandedly warning me that I should be careful to not reveal my powers before the humans. Reluctantly, I had allowed him to keep the diminutive at the end of my name.
After a while, I began to enjoy it.
Glowering, I lifted my finger out of the tankard and sucked at the drops of alcohol clinging to it. "So after this pass is the ruin?" I asked around my finger.
The Mazoku flashed me an odd look that faded as quickly as it came. "Yes. And therein lies the prize that all covet."
Another hint I missed about his true intentions.
Picking up the leather tankard I drained half its contents. "Well, we'll get there first."
A smile was my only reply.
We set out for the Astra Mountains in the same night, a destination nearly thirty leagues away, looming across the shadowed horizon. Xellos floated along beside me while I ran without effort, not wanting to reveal my Ryuzoku blood to my obviously untrustworthy Mazoku ally. Surprisingly, he said little during the course of the journey, but I could feel his eyes upon my form and it sent a shiver through me.
We arrived at the foot of the mountains at daybreak, the sun's light cracking through the nooks of the rocky formations. Xellos suggested a break, saying that the sun should rise a bit more before we headed into the mountains themselves.
Sitting there in the grassy field by the Astra Mountains, I got my first good look of the Mazoku in true light. And he was beautiful.
It shames me to say so. The Mazoku, who later became my enemy, nearly stole my breath when the dawn's light hit him, illuminating his form. I became captivated by the one before me, and he noticed, for the jewel eyes opened and a dark smile slowly, hungrily crossed his lips.
His amicabilty drew me in. His beauty cinched my doom. The Tempter, my greatest enemy... and my greatest desire.
When I noticed the smirk, I scowled at myself, jerking my eyes off of him, berating myself for the sinful thoughts I had entertained. I could not betray my Garv-sama, the one who had saved me, brought me back from the abyss of despair. Certainly not for a Mazoku with a fondness for the color purple.
His soft rolling laughter reached my ears, and sometimes I wonder to this day if he had planned to stand in that spot, in the spot where the light had illuminated him to best of his advantage. Soft steps then followed the laughter and I could smell his scent, full of spice and mystery, driving out all thought and reason. Slowly, I lifted my eyes up to him and suddenly his lips were upon mine, trailing down my chin and throat ... so desirable ... so ...
Anger filled me. I jerked away and struck him, knocking him back. His eyes were wide with surprise for a moment, flashing then to a great fury, and finally settling on a smirk that could have rivalled one of my own. He laughed again, richly, rubbing his cheek where my fist had connected with his flesh.
"We've waited long enough," he remarked, glancing at the sun finally cresting the mountains. "The journey to the pass will take the better part of the day, but we shouldn't have any problems." He smiled sweetly at me, as if the previous event had never occurred.
I, on the other hand, was still fighting-mad. Jumping to my feet, I nearly tackled the Mazoku for daring to seduce me when he opened one of his eyes, mocking me.
"Are you going to strike me once more, Val-kun?" His voice was low, rippling with anticipated pleasure.
Scowling, I clenched my fists in frustration, my nails digging into my palms and drawing blood. He enjoyed my blow!! What kind of sick freak---??
So I simply turned toward the Astra Mountains, up the trail that led into the heart of the foreboding landscape. Behind, I heard my companion follow, humming in amusement.
For several hours we travelled through the steep, unused path to Nethar, the Hidden City of the Astra Mountains. I certainly ignored the Mazoku strolling merrily along behind me, focusing just on the towering, rocky landscape, my mind still seething with anger over the event that had transpired before.
Scowling, I berated myself for letting down my guard around the "friendly" Mazoku. He obviously should not be trusted, yet I had let myself be pulled in by his charm. Why I had done so, I don't know. Perhaps it was the alcohol fuzzing my mind a tad, clouding my judgement and my better sense. Even so, the implications of the hold he had over me demonstrated the need for me to be wary of his tricks.
Suddenly, it dawned on how much I missed my Garv-sama.
I had been gone far too long for my taste---about several weeks had passed since I last exchanged words with him. Sighing silently, my brain shifted through all my memories of him, meticulously fussing over every detail, every quirk of my Garv-sama. My heart began to ache, and I felt alone and even a bit ... yes ... afraid.
I hate cowards....
Suddenly the Mazoku spoke up, his voice sheepish. "Ano..... I think maybe I led us to the wrong path."
I halted suddenly, and he crashed into me, rebounding. "Nani?" I asked flatly, not turning around, not wanting to see the silly smile I knew would be plastered on his face. If I did, I would have lost all self-control.
"I don't think this is the path that will lead us to Nethar. Silly me!!" His voice lowered, darkly playful. "My mind must have been distracted with more pressing thoughts."
I didn't bother to reply. I just simply resumed walking up the path. "Che. Then I'll continue till I've reached the damn other side or a dead end. I've orders."
"My, my, my, the perfect soldier, aren't we?" He floated up beside me, tossing a grin my way. "I can see why Maryuu-oh likes you so much... other than the obvious reasons." A wink, another glance at those hidden eyes of his.
"What the hell do ya mean by that, kisama?" I snapped, jerking my head around to him, glaring. He whistled, smiling knowingly.
Unconsciously, the blood rushed to my cheeks and I looked away, furious. How dare he even suggest ... !!! Although it probably was true ... I never considered myself attractive or pretty, but my Garv-sama would sometimes lay for hours on end after our nightly "sessions", staring at me with those long-lashed eyes of his. Sometimes, I wonder at what he thought as he studied me ...
Of course, unless the Mazoku meant ... I blushed even more as I thought about it till he laughed at me, his thrumming, sing-song voice echoing through the empty mountains around us.
Suddenly, he blurred out and phased in right in front of me, his eyes gleaming, staring unblinkingly at me. I halted immediately, nearly nose to nose with the blasted Mazoku. I was reflected in those cold, glittering amethyst orbs, my face a testiment of surprise and something else I did not enjoy---fear.
Scowling, I resisted the urge to jerk back, realizing that was exactly what Xellos wanted.
He chuckled low in his throat, knowing how uncomfortable the proximity of his person made me feel. His eyes held me frozen as he reached forth, lightly touching the scars upon my cheeks. I hissed, jerking back, grabbing the Mazoku by his outstretched hand and flinging him at the rock wall to the right of me.
Xellos didn't blur out this time like I expected him to. His form slammed into the wall with a resounding boom, the hard stone cracking beneath the force of his flight. A normal being would have died ...
The damn Mazoku merely pulled himself from the slight impression in the rock, laughing darkly, his voice rippling with underlying ecstasy. "Yes, Val-chan, just like that ..." I turned my head away, disgusted, angry, half-wild with desire. I was unable to appease any of my whirling emotions.
He scored another point in our never-ending battle. It seemed that he was always ahead ...
I turned again to the path, ready to leave him and his antics behind.
That's when a slimy, slippery appendage wrapped itself around my ankle. My body smacked hard into the stone path, the breath whooshing out of my lungs. Quickly, I rolled over onto my back, spluttering a string of epithets, thinking that the Mazoku was again toying with me.
A second appendage shot out from the huge, rubbery, many-tentacled sphere before me, wrapping itself around my throat, cutting my swearing short.
Xellos phased in behind me, extending his crimson-tipped staff at the monster, a red beam of energy slamming into the spherical beast. It writhed in pain, the tentacles sliding off me, shifting back upon the path as if recalculating our strength.
"Get up, boy," the Mazoku hissed, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light as he watched the creature. "One does not toy around with a Deepspawn." I didn't argue, scrambling up to my feet by Xellos, rubbing my bruised throat.
"Deepspawn? What in hell--?!?"
The Mazoku smirked darkly. "At least this one is young. I doubt it can replicate other monsters yet." The Deepspawn shifted again, it's huge rubbery body sliding along the rocks, the three tentacles projecting from the spherical form flopping in agitation. Three more tentacles suddenly exploded from the mottled demon, these jaw-arms, the maws flashing wildly in the light.
"So, it's old enough to have teeth," Xellos commented in black amusement. "Well, Val-kun, this will certainly be fun for you." And with that, his form dissipated into nothingness.
My eyes nearly clean popped from my head. "NAAAAAANNN---" The angry cry was cut short as the Deepspawn's flailing appendages shot forth again, engulfing me within their putrid grip. Again I was slammed hard into the ground, a jaw-arm flying toward my face. Snarling, I managed to shift myself enough to the right to narrowly avoid the gaping rows of teeth, which instead collided with a sickening splat into the rock path. Unperturbed, the jaw-arm simply lifted, snapping its teeth at my face.
"To hell with this shit," I growled through clenched teeth. Concentrating, I took my partial Ryuzoku form into my mind, forcing my magic into it, visualizing myself changing into it. With a painful, teeth-jarring crack, my arms elongated, growing, extending, twisting, armored ridges the color of indigo-midnight tearing from my shoulders, wings flaring out of my back in an explosion of black feathers ... With a roar, I ripped myself free from the Deepspawn's grip, a claw shooting out to grab the jaw-arm and yanking hard, snapping it clean off the Deepspawn. The other five arms flopped and writhed in reaction, curling in upon themselves.
An eyestalk lifted from the rubbery sphere, regarding me unblinkingly with a single, round orb. I smirked darkly. "Yer playthin' isn't as friggin' helpless as ya thought, eh?" I taunted. I was cocky, sure I would win with my Ryuzoku and Mazoku abilities. I had the best of both worlds.
The eye continued to stare at me as it withdrew all its tentacles, reassessing. Impatient at this interupption, I immediately charged it, my speed faster than any normal being or creature, grabbing two of the tentacles and tugging hard. A jaw-arm shot for me and I twisted one of the tentacles to block. The jaw-arm could not slow quick enough with its velocity and had sunk its razor teeth deep into the mottled flesh of the tentacle, tearing off a huge chunk of grey meat.
Too easy. I really didn't see the big fuss Xellos made over this creature. But then I never listened to his wisdom anyway.
Laughing, I dropped the dying tentacle and yanked again at the squirming other, digging my claws into the skin and crushing it into a pulpy mass. The two remaining appendages nearly twisted themselves into knots from the pain, several more eyestalks lifting up to join the first, staring at me with no emotion.
"Oi oi," I smirked at it, dropping the crushed tentacle with a splat, stepping on it and approaching the creature. "Did ya really think ya could stop me?? I dunno how bloody intelligent ya might be, but get yer ugly ass outta here and ya will see a few more years of life."
Only a listless stare from the eyestalks. A jaw-arm snapped its teeth, waving menacingly before the round body. It hurtled toward me, yet adruptly interrupted its flight, whipping around to smack me with its shaft. I raised my arms to block, and yet it smashed into me, shoving, lifting me to a rocky wall behind. Snapping open my wings to slow my flight, I reached out with my extended grip, grabbing the jaw-arm by its elongated body, halting my body before being embedded within the wall.
The maw gnashed its teeth and jerked toward me. Smirking, I lifted my other hand lazily. "Sayonara." A blast of power shot from my claw and slammed into the jaw-arm's head, neatly frying it off. The smell of burnt rubber was bitterly acrid to my heightened senses.
I landed lightly back on the ground, tossing the headless jaw-arm back at the Deepspawn. The remaining appendage seemed to cower in fear,withdrawing far behind the spherical body, which shifted slightly on the path.
"Go away," I snapped, losing my enjoyment in this kill due to growing impatience. I reverted back to my purely human guise, folding my arms over my chest and scowling.
It shifted again and the eyestalks began to wave in the air, unblinking, unfeeling.
Too cocky. Too smug. Too confident. I never saw the warning signs.
I raised one hand threateningly, as if to cast a spell.
The air suddenly thrummed with power, magic wrapping itself around me, sinking into my skin. Angry, I chanted the spell that would blow this monster to hell and back.
Only I was unable to make my mouth form the words to the spell.
My heart raced in panic as I realized that the creature had placed a hold spell upon me. I was unable to move away from it, unable to attack it, unable to cast a spell upon it...... As I detachedly watched the remaining jaw-arm racing toward me, teeth gleaming, I silently called to my Garv-sama, begging forgiveness for failing.
The jaw-arm sank its fangs deep into my abdomen, ripping away the flesh as it retracted.
Time slowed. The pain was slow in coming. My reaction was slow in coming. The Deepspawn's second attack was slow in coming.
Again, the maw tore at my body, burying its mouth within the wound in my torso, devouring chunks of meat.
The pain finally hit my brain, sending a shock throughout my system. Yellow and white lines swirled across my vision as I experienced the torture of being eaten alive. My mind screamed, for I was not able to, and the echoes within the vaults of my consciousness were followed by more cries of pain.
One never feels truly alone till the moment before death.
Spots rang before my vision when, above the sound of the jaw-arm's feast, came the sound of a murmured chant. Suddenly the world flashed white, so brilliantly bright that it seemed darker than the blackest pitch, and the Deepspawn exploded into nothingness, chunks of mottled grey and brown splattering onto the ground and cave walls.
I barely noticed. With the hold spell released, I opened my mouth to cry out my master's name in apology, before my vision faded and I was falling, falling into that empty sweetness that embraces us all someday ...