Chapter 52:- A demon's tears

Disclaimer:- all the characters form the game belong to moonton and this is not a commercial story but just the work of a diehard fan.

Claimer:- the other characters which are not in game of mentioned are mine

Just like as she had planned, Saya was in fact successfully able to infiltrate the restricted parts of the castle and reach her destination without alerting any suspicion. Even the two guards were easily taken cared by her and now, the only thing that remained was confronting Alice. However, this part was the exact part where Saya had no idea what to do next. Partially because in all honesty, Saya had doubted that she would reach this far and there was also this thick air of tension and awkwardness between them.

There was no denying that this was due to Alice's actions back in the desert, leaving a sort of soar strain in their relation. But that was not enough to overshadow their obvious concern for each other.

Another such evidence to this was when Alice tried to stand up to face Saya, her weak legs immediately gave way. But before she would have pummelled back to the hard ground, Saya immediately rushed forward and held her, preventing her fall.

Saya looked the Blood Demon Queen in her arms, The Elves had done a number on her and the condition Alice was in right now really angered her. But this was not the time to be vengeful, not when her most important concern was the woman in her arms.

The Sai'ore regretted not bringing her medical supplies. Although it would have been encumber some, she could have at least performed some first aids. Yet this didn't mean everything was hopeless. Saya had been studying this new world she was in ever since she had arrived, especially during their brief stays in various settlements from time to time. Thus unsurprisingly, she had come across information about the various known species of Land of Dawn, Blood Demons included. She remember how she rolled her eyes when upon reading through these books, she had noticed how these species were deemed 'Evil' and 'Unholy' by the Church of Light and had been thoroughly demonized with pointless and extreme exaggeration. But Saya did learn a few things however.

Blood Demons have the ability to heal and rejuvenate by consuming blood of any kind.

Knowing that this probably is the only way right now, Saya let out a sigh.

Alice was genuinely surprised when Saya exposed her neck to her and said, "Drink."

Considering how overly jumpy, defensive and downright hurt Saya feel when the Blood Demon Queen would try to drink her blood. This was because whenever she would, Saya would be hit with this depressing thought that all she was to the demoness was a food source, something that Alice understood without a word and had tried to refrain from doing so, but she couldn't resist for long. The warmth of the skin and the blood underneath it beckoned her, plus the musky scent that she could sense due to Saya being so close was driving her crazy.

Slowly, Alice inched closer to Saya, causing the other woman to turn bright red was the Blood Demoness's hot breath felt upon her exposed skin, making her bite her lip in anticipation. Alice gently nuzzled Saya's soft skin before sinking her fangs into her flesh.

Saya bit back a squeak as the bite drew blood, which Alice sucked greedily while savouring each and every drop. Her eyes widened as Saya's blood started having its effects on Alice. The same foreign power that she had tasted so many days before, only this time, it was potent, making Alice realize just how powerful it was. Like a very addictive drug, it took hold of her and Alice felt like as if she was literally seeing stars, the very realm that Saya belonged to.

Fearing what overdoes could do to her; Saya took hold of Alice and pried her away from herself, finally pulling the demoness out of her trench and the two starred at each other.

Slowly a smile graced on Alice's face. She gently reached out and touched Saya's face, "You came for me."

However, Saya didn't reply and turned the other way, refusing to face Alice. This made the silver haired beauty to frown as Saya seemingly looked upset out of the blue.

"Darling?" Alice voiced once more as she tried to face Saya, but the tall woman stubbornly refused to face her. Knowing that this isn't progressing anywhere, Alice moved in front of Saya and faced her directly. What she saw was unexpected.

Saya Mahira, the Great Saviour of Mossenia, The Slayer of the Lava Lord, was pouting angrily while trying to look away.

For a moment, Alice didn't know how to react. Eventually Alice returned to her senses and giggled softly, thoroughly amused that someone like Saya would behave like that and honestly the Blood Demoness found it to be very adorable. Offended even more by her laughter, Saya faced away with puffed cheeks, causing Alice to nearly have a heart attack. Still giggling, Alice hugged Saya, making the tall woman blush even more because of the overly forward and intimate gesture.

"Thank you." Alice says softly and genuinely, causing Saya to melt all over again, but determined to not give in so easily, she mumbles grumpily, "I am still mad at you."

Having a pretty good idea as it what Saya was referring to, Alice cringed. It was only natural that Saya would have been hurt by her actions. Knowing that she needed to explain herself properly, Alice took a hold of Saya's hands. "Forgive me, Darling. But I had no other choice, it was the only way I could protect you from the Abyss."

Having a vague idea of the reason behind Alice's actions really did soothe much of the anger and pain within Saya's heart. Knowing that all she did was out of concern made things better. Further evidence to this was when Saya noticed that Alice still had the scarf that Saya had left back in the desert, proving the genuine nature of Alice's words. However that didn't mean she had totally forgiven her, so Saya remarks flatly, "And how is that working out?"

The Demon Queen sulked at this and said in a tired voice, "Terrible, absolutely terrible. The Abyssal council is nothing but a bunch of over grown children and you have no idea how much I had to argue to make sure that they don't send forces after your arse. Then again…" Now Alice looked at Saya sharply with squinted eyes, "You had be a Miss Goodie-two-shoe and play hero, jumping right into the middle of the war from where I am trying to keep you away from…..Like seriously, again?"

Saya smiled nervously at this and replied, "In my defence, it was Hanabi's idea."

Alice glared at her for a good while, before it died down eventually. Even she knew that she could not be angry at her Xeno for too long. Especially when she noticed that even after all these while, Saya still held on to the Winter Truncheon amulet that she had gifted her. It made her heart flutter, thus she did the only thing that she could think of. Alice gave Saya a big hug, whilst mumbling, "Stupid Xeno, always meddling in our plans. You're so lucky that I like you. By the abyss, why are you so stubborn? What will I do if something happens to you…"And thus she kept rambling in frustration and Saya simply hugged her back with an awkward smile.

It was very peculiar, this relation that they shared, caring for one another when they were actually supposed to hate each other. Things would have been far simple if they had just stayed enemies. But now, they didn't know. This relation, they had no idea where this sort of relation would take them and they had already gone too far to able to turn back. Both knew in their mind that such thing was impossible and irrational. But then again, such small moments that they shared together time by time almost made it up for it. Perhaps, they both were outta their mind, yet still that didn't stop them.

The two stayed together like that in each other's arms for a good while, enjoying the closeness as much as they could considering that they might never get such opportunity ever again.

Slowly they parted form their embrace and looked in each other's eyes. Green met violet, as the two simply found themselves lost in the windows of each other's souls. No words formed in either's lips as they simply gazed on. All this, they both don't know how long could they keep this up, especially when there seemed to be no future for the two of them.

It made Saya sad. Cursing fate for putting into this situation in the first place, she lets out a sigh and speaks, "You should not have come here."

This Alice knows. She knows very well that she should not have when she had no obligations to do. She should have just stayed back as the soldiers marched forwards and decimated this city while Saya was still in it. Alas, she couldn't, not when first time in her long life, her un-beating cold heart was telling, no demanding her to make sure Saya was safe.

Remembering why she had come here in the first place, Alice says in a serious voice, "This place is not safe anymore. As we speak, the Abyssal forces are marching towards this place and will arrive at any moment. Please, Saya we need to leave now!"

True that Saya was expecting that the Abyssal forces would have come for them eventually, but she never imagined that they would have done it so fast. Seeing the urgency in Alice's eyes, it was also clear that she wasn't lying either, the forces were close and time was fleeting.

Yet, Saya knows that she cannot go. Not now when she still has her own goals, "I cannot. I cannot leave just now."

-X-

Miya had no idea what to feel right now. One moment she had been sleeping and the next she had woke up to get some water. She looked over all the refugees once to make sure everyone was okay and it was when she saw it.

There sitting over the the fire was a night-elf. The very notion shocked her, but the fact that Nana had been asleep on the night-elf's lap was terrifying.

Grabbing her bow, Miya rushed forward towards their direction. Fearing what that evil elf might have done to her little friend. To her surprise however, the night-elf merely turned back towards her and without any sort of hostility, shushed her while pointing at the sleeping form of Nana.

Gently taking a hold of her, the night-elf handed Nana over to Miya, who had been eyeing her with confusion the whole time. Soon the guards came over and put the night-elf in chains. However, she made no efforts to fight back and complied to cooperate without hesitation.

She did however, looked one last time towards Miya and said loud enough so that she could hear her, "Take care of her." These were her parting words as the guards took her away, leaving Miya with extremely conflicted feeling.

Night-elves and Moon-elves never got along. Their beliefs were just incompatible, yet Miya couldn't help but detect genuine concern for Nana's well being in the Night-elf's voice. Many questions rose within her mind, but those answers could only be given by Nana, who was still sleeping and Miya didn't had the heart to wake her up. Especially when she had no knowledge of how the cat-elf would react when she learns what happened to the Night-elf.

The Priestess sighed to herself and sat back heavily before the bonfire. Nana lay sleeping in a small bedroll beside her and Miya gently stroke her bubblegum pink hair.

'Poor girl.' She thinks. Although about nearly of the same age, Miya had matured considerably then the two of them. This meant that she could not spend as much time with her, yet still she misses those days when the two were both young together. Carefree and energetic, Miya misses those time since now; she had changed while Nana was still pretty much the same.

As she was just sitting by the fire, she couldn't help but over hear the guards talking to each other, "Did you hear that they caught a Blood Demon trying to snoop around the city?" Says a Guard, to which his friend replies, "Yes indeed. They were able to capture her in time, but this doesn't sound good. Even recently we caught a Night-elf by the refugee area. I can't help but sense that things will only get worse." His voice grim and serious.

"Well, this sucks…." The guard sulks, "At least we have the Slayer of Lava lord on our side. She was able to turn the tide of a lost battle in Mossenia from what I hear. Surely she can help us too."

However, to this his sceptical friend says back, "Are you sure that she would fight for us? From what I hear, she doesn't agree with the King."

"That's certainly true, but The King has found a way to….Bribe her. I mean, who would refuse immortality?" the guard laughed, making his friend and Miya to gasp in shock.

"Wait….. Is King Estes seriously gonna send her after 'THAT'?" the man says with absolute disbelief.

Miya didn't hear more than that but what she did know is that it wasn't good. "No one has ever been able to lay claim on 'THAT'. None have survived."

The priestess didn't like this, especially since she could sense that something was about to go horribly wrong.

-X-

Frankly, Alice had anticipated that Saya would be hard to convince, so she wasn't exactly surprised by that answer. Still it didn't mean that it didn't annoy her, so Alice sighed, "Okay, I understand that you don't want to leave that little human girl…"

"Her name is Hanabi." corrected Saya defensively while folding her arms, reminding Alice just how important that human meant for Saya. It really annoyed her and filled her with envy, another emotion that she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

Groaning in annoyance, Alice speaks tiredly, "Fine, your 'Hanabi'. You can bring her along as well. But quickly, the army will be here at any moment."

With that, Alice held Saya's hand and pulled her out of the cage but halted when she realized that Saya was not bulging from her place. Alice frowned at this and asked, "What's wrong, Darling?"

Saya looked at her with apologetic eyes and says lowly, "I am sorry. But I cannot."

Now this really surprised Alice. She looked at her in disbelief, "Don't tell me that you are seriously gonna risk your's and your 'Hanabi's' life for this city?" Alice yelled heatedly

The Sai'ore flinched at this because somewhere, Alice was right. She wasn't worried of her own well being, but jeopardizing Hanabi's safety was not something she wanted to do. But then again, the deal Estes had for her was too good to let go.

"No, but I cannot leave. This is my only chance…"

"Chance for what? To be a hero again? Are you really so selfish!" Alice roars, making Saya lower her head in shame.

Suddenly, the blood demoness held Saya's hands. Holding it firmly, Alice makes Saya look at her. "Please…" a chill went down Saya's body because right now, she was seeing tears being shed by Alice. With broken voice, she practically begs, "Please for your sake, for my sake, if not for the sake of that 'Hanabi'. Please, my love. Come with me."

Saya was considered a strong woman by countless people, but she was not brave enough to see people cry, especially those whom she cared for.

Alice reminded her of her blunder, her mistake. How foolish and selfish her action was, but thanks her, Saya understands. The wellbeing of her flock was her first priority and Saya intends to keep it that way. Reaching out, Saya tenderly wiped away Alice's tears and pecked her forehead affectionately. "Forgive me, Meha Kari. I was blinded. Let's go…"

However, just before Alice could celebrate her victory, a few guards came into the prison chamber, escorting a chained Night-elf that Saya immediately recognised as the one Nana had hexed.

The two parties looked at each other for a good while. Coming back to their senses, the guards reacted instantly and violently. Drawing their weapons, they charged head on without giving them a chance to reason.

Luckily, Alice, who was now in her top condition due to Saya's blood, was fast enough to react in time and cast a spell towards them. Probably Saya's blood had worked too well because Alice's powers had become much more potent and the guards were knocked out in a single hit of Alice's basic spell.

"We should leave." Suggests Alice, to which Saya agreed and unknown to them, Karina, who had been freed of the clutches of the guards, used the opportunity to flee.

"This way!" Saya yell as she led Alice through the way she had came into the dungeon. Their plan was to reach the palace exterior where Alice could utilize her wings to the fullest. However, they didn't go far because on their way a contingency of Guard led by Irithel was waiting for them.

The Guards gave way and King Estes emerged from the crowd as well and he didn't look happy. Things were getting better and better….