"P-please! Wait a moment, kind sir!"
The woman that took care of his unconscious body tumbled, hurrying back into the wrecked remains of her humble, wooden abode. Sparda had intended to give chase to the unruly demon who had insulted his pride immediately, but saw that it did not do harm to let the human woman be heard.
'Keeping this farce would be most beneficial to me, I suppose.' The devil remarked his plans, letting his eyes settle on the obvious trail that the foolish demon haphazardly strewn about. The monster was desperate by the looks of it, though it was no wonder, for he had greatly underestimated the fallen noble, and placed his own authority and men in a much higher pedestal than what would be preferred. Confidence was one thing, but arrogant pride was the demise of many leaders, he noted.
The tracks the demon left where rather large and scattered about, letting Sparda deduct that he'd long abandoned his human guise and ran stumbling along the way into the depths of the forest. Clumsy as the monster was, it would take a large amount of effort for him to efficiently track him if he had to stay put for any longer.
Not only for his pride, but also for the woman's daughter.
A noble warrior leaves no debt unpaid, after all.
Sounds of moving rubble were enough to knock Sparda out of his stupor, finishing his contemplation as the woman once again appears in his vision, spying that the woman now held a long, rectangular wooden box, with a folded purple shirt sitting atop it on her person.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
She panted heavily as she quickly made her way to the white haired man, presenting the box she carried to him.
"I've bought one of my husband's shirt for you to wear- I do not believe that it would be good for you health to parade topless in this cold night."
Sparda raised his brows at the woman's suggestion, who was she to suggest that he deliberately wore this ridiculous getup? Still, he gently grabbed the faded purple shirt from the mother of the kidnapped girl, and then quickly wore it- while however leaving its buttons undone. It was then that a click from the wooden box garnered his attention, letting him partake on the sight of a rifle, weathered by its years, yet still holds polish from attending hands.
"..This was my husband's carbine."
She spoke with a voice not louder than a whisper, choking on the nostalgia of the man's presence. The devil figured that woman would have had a fond relationship with the man, but didn't give enough care to ask and delve deeper into her actions. If they were separated by death or simply distance, he supposes he would be fine without ever knowing.
"Are you sure you want to give it to me?"
However, that did not stop him asking the woman to confirm her decisions, it wouldn't be wise to lend such important belongings to strangers, it was a rude in his world, and he wouldn't believe that these humans would act differently.
Yet, the woman only smiled gently back at his question; as if knowing with confidence what her answer should be.
"If it's in your hands, I know it would be just fine."
'You're too trusting.' Was what he thought about said woman, before taking the gun then striding to follow the bumbling demon's tracks, quickly disappearing within the darkness present in the thick collection of vegetation.
The weakling of a demon tumbled around, stubbing his bony legs at whatever tree root passed by his way- the human body that anyone would've spotted him as had been discarded, hoping that returning to his former grotesque, reaper-like form would give him the mobility he needed to traverse the uneven grounds of the forest.
Sadly, the madness of his desperation took control of even his basest focus, shattering his sense of balance.
Whatever he had done, not even how far he travelled, it wasn't enough.
The Devil Traitor will reach him, it was the unacceptable truth.
Bang!
Gunshot erupted from behind him, whizzing past his face and scratching his pale, greenish skin. The shock of his discovery finally broke his final straw of fortitude, as he remembers how easily the fallen noble had decimated his underlings, and how the 'man' could possibly do the same to him, maybe even worse.
"No! Get- Get away from me!"
The demon tripped. There was no chance of standing to run away any further anymore.
"O-or I'll kill this kid!"
Scribbling what appeared to be random letters on the muddied ground, the beast summoned a cage of pure darkness- a black mist oozing out of its every bar, with an aura that felt like it tainted anything it could touch. The daughter of the indebted mother lay within it, unconscious from the previous shocking ordeal. A wave of a freakish hand then dispelled such disgusting sight, having the demon take matter upon his own hands, grabbing the innocent girl and pointing his newly summoned rusting scythe's blade at her neck.
However, the white devil stood unfazed- still sporting the same piercing gaze of authority that he saw during their earlier encounter.
"Do you think you are in the position to make demands? Give me the girl, or die."
His questions were not filled with any hint of curiosity.
Rather, his questions were not what could be classified as questions at all.
It was a command, plain and simple.
In the world of demons, the beings that gain the authority over the others had been deserving of their right. With an insurmountable wall that is their power that towered above all else, they held every weaker ones within the tips of their fingers.
And now, the white haired man before the demon, even if stripped of the title of a 'noble', and even most of his power..
..was still a devil that could potentially obliterate the demon's very being with a simple swipe.
That did not deter the demon from trying to survive, however, as Sparda's sudden command only caused him to tighten his grip on the girl, further dipping his weapon's dull blade into her neck- drawing the first few droplets of her blood.
"Fool."
Was Sparda's only reply to his actions.
-BangBangBangBang!
Thirteen shots in a succession quicker than any human can hope to replicate was released by the albino warrior. The blade that the being held close to the girl's neck was then shot away from the Hell Vanguard's grasp.
Suddenly, the demonic beast felt his right arm lighten. Well, after having an incredible amount of pain erupt from said arm, as the whole entirety of the limb has been wrecked with bullet holes, leaving the being with only a stump to try and hold the girl with.
A futile attempt made even clearer as the devil plants his boots squarely at the demon's chest, ripping the girl out of his hold and kicking him away with great momentum, having him stop only after crashing through multiple trees.
"What a weakling."
Sparda quipped as he subtly shakes his head. Truly, he had grown naïve with his expectations of his former peers. When had his subordinates become such pitiful sights?
"Thank.. you.. sir.."
The child that rested in his arms barely spoke the three words in a whisper, having been shocked and fatigued by the ordeal that happened to her in the span of a single evening. The devil albino had almost forgotten the presence of the little lady within his stupor, but now has him making the decision to return the young girl back in the hands of her parent.
With a spin, he turned his back around, heading into the opposite direction. The incapacitated demon behind him would not stay still for any longer, and if he was as cowardly as he seemed to be, would escape from Sparda's presence rather than attack from behind. Indeed, that's what he had done, opting to continue his desperate dash halted by the earlier encounter-
Only two have to throwing knives shoved through his eyeballs, finishing him off for good.
"Well, look at what we have here."
Familiar, and troublesome- that was the fallen noble's first impression of the voice that came above, from a figure that lay casually atop one of the forestry's many branches, with darkness tucking her away from sight.
"..What are you doing here, wench?"
He growled at the woman. Maybe it had been bad manners for him to insult the woman, but for what she had done to him, he knew full well that she deserved the treatment.
Sealing him within this frail, human body- such unspeakable disgrace was brought upon him by this foolish lady's actions.
"Did what I spy truly happen? Did the high and mighty Dark Knight, Sparda, save a human child? I thought I would never see such a moment!"
Yet the woman ignored his threatening question, further mocking him with her exaggerated gasp.
To be honest, the red head didn't anticipate the devil to show sympathy, or at least act in low profile in response to his sealing. Was there actually some good in him? If she wanted to, she could just kill him right there and now? It wouldn't be so hard for her to finish him off;
So, why can't she do it?
Well, he had saved a child. She supposes that it's reason enough to spare him… at the moment.
Sparda didn't take too kindly to the wench's humor, opting instead to glare at the redhead, and to go back to his former business.
"Leaving so soon? So I take it you'd partake in none of the reward I would give for your heroics? Such a shame."
This caused the man to turn his head around and raise a brow.
"What are you planning?"
Suspicious, Sparda hovered his finger above the rifle's trigger, ready to shoot the woman without a moment's notice.
"There would hardly be any entertainment, leaving you like a lost little lamb without a goal."
The wench swayed her head, to express the disappointment that would arrive if such a thing does happen to the noble, and then continued, twirling one of the many knives stashed on the pockets of her belt:
"There have been rumors of a wandering priest, able to undo any curse or spell. If he is truly as great as the people had described, you could release the seal that binds in that form."
"A human, giving his services to a devil such as I? Hah! You jest."
Scoffing once more at the lady's notions, Sparda dismissed such a proposal.
"Who knows? Do you see any other chances to regain your status?"
But ,unfortunately, what the woman said was right.
"Damn you.."
He felt his tense finger lighten, truly, there wasn't no sense to do anything to the wench, even if her existence does irk him to no end.
"So, where do you find this 'priest'?"
The sly lady gave a smirk in response.
"Oh thank you so very much, kind, kind sir! Thank you for saving my child!"
After the duo of devil and child had escaped the confines of the thick, luscious flora of the forest, they were greeted by the mother that ultimately sent Sparda on the little errand. Mother and Daughter exchanged a warm reunion, letting their tears flow with relief as they are finally able to be within each other's presence once more. Even if they were only separated for but a few moments, the steel-like bond of their relationship stretched this into an eternity.
The older of the two females, gabbing a hold of herself, then gave her thanks to the man who had given her daughter back to her arms once more.
"There's no need for gratitude. I was merely repaying a debt."
However, the white-haired noble dismissed her advances, he wasn't here to play around with humans, much less try to get attached to any one of them.
"But you've done much more than what we have given you, sir, you're entitled for your deed!"
'Such persistence… Very well', Sparda smiled inside, maybe he could use this to further his knowledge- the outrageous wench after their conversation had given him nothing to go by in his quest, just disappearing once more into the shadows, even her presence became diluted within the forest.
"If you insist paying back for your gratitude.. Are you aware of the existence of a wandering priest?"
There was a little shock etched on the woman's face- no doubt not expecting the question that was given her way. She frowned for a moment, trying to navigate through her memories to see if there was a person that matched Sparda's description. Immediately, her eyes shot back to him, but now with a little smile accompanying them. Like a light bulb suddenly turning on, she had remembered.
"Why yes, I do, what business do you have with men such as him?"
Not unlike every other human being, there was curiosity present as she confirmed Sparda's question. It would be bad to have her be interested even more.
"…Cursed-related problems. Can you still me where to find the man?"
Thankfully, the noble had atleast knack of letting people clearly know not to intrude in other's business- bluntly saying a vague statement to have the woman assume that it's generally a problem that she really couldn't do anything about. It worked well in his favor, as the mother now clasped her hands in understanding.
"Oh- Hmm, I see! Well, the last time I've heard that he was spotted was in…"
The conversation continued through the night, giving Sparda his first lead into the forthcoming chain of events that will change his life forever.
Author's Notes: He-ho! I'm sorry that there's not actually a new chapter after updating for so long, but rather, an ALT- these are what I call chapters that have been reworked from the start, and will most of the time replace the original chapter, unless for some special reason. I didn't like the original chapter three very much, but I'm not too fond of this either, but at least it's set up much better than the orig- at least, I think, ehe~