Kakyoin hadn't been alone in the woods since he was nine. His dad usually made all of the trips by himself. He had invited Kakyoin multiple times to come with him to the city since they moved, but he always refused, content staying at home reading. Sometimes he genuinely wanted to go, but a small part of him always held him back. Even now, that same part wanted him to promptly turn around and go home.
As much as Kakyoin liked that idea, he couldn't. His dad was potentially in trouble. No matter how scared he was, he had to keep going. If not for himself, for his dad.
He remembered a lot about the woods, it was difficult not to, but he forgot how pitch black it was at night. He should have asked Oingo for a flashlight. The trees and clouds were obscuring the moon and stars from view. Kakyoin couldn't see his hand in front of his face, let alone the dark path of the forest floor. At least it wasn't raining anymore.
Kakyoin kept going, even if he was flying blind, hoping to find some sign of his dad. Kakyoin had an idea of the normal route his dad typically took to get to the city. It was far from exact though. Kakyoin wanted to stay on the clearest path that was easy to follow back into the town if he got into trouble.
Kakyoin sighed and tried looking at his wristwatch. He could barely make out anything but estimated it was almost four. He wouldn't find his dad if he didn't go further into the woods. He was losing too much time. Hesitantly, Kakyoin encouraged Hierophant to go deeper into the woods, both to their dismay.
It was even darker now as the trees made a tighter knit above them. The path wasn't as smooth here like it had never been traveled, and the plants grew wilder, spilling out in every direction. There was no noise in this area. All of nature was disturbingly quiet.
"C'mon." Kakyoin pulled on Hierophant's reins to go forward, but he was saying it more to himself. As they continued onward, Kakyoin was getting more and more anxious, fearing he would never find his dad. He just wished he could see. Maybe Oingo was right.
Suddenly, something whizzed past his face, moving his hair. When Kakyoin lifted his head, he was blinded. He shielded his face, but after moving his arm, the weird object in question came into focus. An orb of light floated on the path in front of him.
Kakyoin was stunned. What is this? It couldn't be magic. That didn't exist, but this felt so real. Kakyoin took in its ethereal glow, noting the way it bobbed impatiently like it was waiting for him to do something. It moved farther down the path, but Kakyoin didn't move. He must have been hallucinating from his fear.
The tiny light glided back over to Kakyoin and pushed on his back forcing him onward. What did it want? Kakyoin had a brief thought.
"Do you know where my dad is?" He couldn't believe he was talking to this thing. The more surprising thing was that it seemingly understood him, giving him almost a nod. It went down the path, and Kakyoin reticently followed its lead.
The light strung him along the path, always waiting for him to catch up. Kakyoin was still wary of this thing, but if it would take him to his dad, it would be worth it. Kakyoin finally accepting what was occurring, swiftly followed, which seemed to excite the little ball. It went quicker like it was trying to race him to wherever they were going. Kakyoin trailed behind trying to keep up with its rapid tempo.
Kakyoin glanced up only to find the little light was gone, replaced by a colossal castle. The whole thing was in disarray, but that didn't take away any of its glory. It must've been magnificent in its prime. Kakyoin shook his head. He didn't have time to admire the grand architecture. He had to find his dad.
A few feet away was an equally impressive stable that would be able to house Hierophant. Kakyoin lowered himself from the saddle and guided Hierophant to the well-decorated building. As he opened the door, he spotted Emperor, asleep in the last stall. His dad was here!
Kakyoin excitedly took Hierophant to the stall next to Emperor. Hierophant, happy to see the older horse and to be out of the woods, sat down contently. Kakyoin, while he was getting Hierophant settled, noticed his dad's bags sitting beside Emperor. That proved to Kakyoin his father was probably safe. Perhaps he was waiting out the storm in the castle and fell asleep.
Kakyoin had a weight lifted off his shoulders and relaxed for the first time that night. Hierophant looked comfortable and already on the edge of sleep, so Kakyoin knew he could leave him be. He shut the stall door and headed back out to the yard where the grandiose castle waited for him.
He walked up to the sizable entrance and, after taking a deep breath, pulled hard on the rusted door handle of the heavy ornate doors. Kakyoin stumbled into the foyer after he let go and the doors closed behind him.
The castle was even more elegant on the inside. The ceiling looked as if it would go on forever and was painted with beautiful works of art. The floor was a checkerboard black and white marble that appeared cool to the touch. At the end of the massive room, there were two grand staircases that led to who knows where. There were many doors in the foyer, each one probably housing another luxurious room. The age showed, with the occasional crack in the floor, the dust on the staircase, and the fading of the paintings, but it didn't hinder any of its charm.
However, even with all its splendor, it didn't catch Kakyoin's eyes. They were fixed on the pedestal on display between the staircases, and the hat laying beside it. He immediately ran to his father's most cherished object, his eyes wide like saucers. His dad would never take this off if he didn't have to, so what was it doing abandoned on the floor. As Kakyoin picked it up, he saw something sickening; tiny specks of red on the perfect marble tile. Something happened here. He calmed himself too soon. His dad was still in trouble.
A muffled noise caught his attention, and in a moment of panic, he pressed himself against the large pedestal and covered his mouth to stay hidden.
"The prince needs to learn how to control his temper," a gentle voice murmured.
"What was he supposed to do, Momo? The man tried to steal the ring. He couldn't have just let him go with a stern warning," a different bolder voice whispered. Kakyoin's stomach somersaulted, the panic settling in its pit. Were they talking about Dad?
"Still, he could've been kinder, Jean. He's starting to become the thing he hates most." The first voice, Momo, commented.
"You're not wrong, but-" The second voice, Jean, stopped abruptly.
"Jean? Is everything alright?" Momo asked.
"I heard something." Kakyoin stiffened. "Is someone there?" Jean called out seemingly getting closer to the pedestal as the sound of shoes clicking against the tile became louder. Kakyoin didn't utter a word, he didn't even breathe.
"I guess it must have just been my imagination, but I swore I heard something," Jean declared.
"Perhaps you're just tired. I think we'd both benefit from some sleep." Kakyoin heard a second pair of footsteps coming to where the first pair stopped.
"You're probably right. It's been a long night." Kakyoin sighed in temporary relief after hearing the two walk out of the room and their voices fading away. He hadn't been caught, but that did little to comfort him. People were living in this place, and his dad had tried to steal something important from them. He was puzzled at the word prince. Was there actual royalty here? It would make sense because of the fancy castle, but wouldn't more people know about a royal family in the woods. Unless… no, that wasn't possible, or at least it shouldn't be.
Kakyoin slowly removed himself from his hiding place but stayed on the ground. He couldn't get distracted by what those men had discussed, after all his dad needed him. He stared back at the minuscule crimson droplets on the floor and discovered there was a trail leading to a small wooden door on the wall, that was concealed by the brilliant staircase above it. Kakyoin carefully approached the door, not daring to make a sound, and turned the decaying doorknob. He cringed at the deafening squeak as the door opened, and quickly went through to close it.
The door was an entrance to an extremely narrow and cramped staircase. He was grateful for the dim lanterns on the wall that seemed to be present everywhere in the castle. This area was darker than the main entrance and was in worse shape. Everywhere he turned there was a cobweb or a sizable crack in the old limestone. Though even more troubling was the continuous path of red up the stairs.
Kakyoin, not wanting to waste any more time, clutched onto the hat in his hands, and began running up the steps. The more he progressed, he felt the air get colder and more sinister, which made his sense of terror grow. It was almost as if something was watching him. When he finally reached the top, he was confronted by another wooden door but this one had bars on the top. He pushed it open without a second thought.
Waiting for him on the other side, were prison cells. The room smelled musty and mold climbed up the walls. There was also the sound of an occasional rat scurrying across the dingy floor. It would've been pitch black if it weren't for the petite window that allowed the moon to illuminate the last cell in the row, which contained a familiar face.
"Dad!" Kakyoin shouted and sprinted to where his dad was kneeling.
"Noriaki?" Hol Horse whispered. "What're y'doin' here?"
"I had to find you," Kakyoin answered. "C'mon, we're getting out of here."
Hol Horse came closer to the bars, and Kakyoin could now fully survey the damage. His dad was pale and had blood streaming down the side of his face. His hair and clothes were disheveled, and he looked frantic.
"Noriaki, listen, y'need to leave." Kakyoin was digging through his pockets trying to procure anything to pick the lock. Lucky for him, he had a single bobby pin.
"So do you," Kakyoin replied as he laid the hat down and started working on opening the cell. People did this in movies, and he'd read about it a few times, surely it was worth trying. "Dad, you're hurt. Besides, I'm not going to leave you here."
"Noriaki, please. It's dangerous." Hol Horse warned. "There's a…" Hol Horse's eyes shrunk with fear as he abruptly halted.
"A what?" Kakyoin didn't quit fiddling with the lock struggling to see it with just the moonlight. His large shadow didn't help either, but last time he checked it was smaller.
"A monster." Kakyoin's blood ran cold at the dark voice behind him. He dropped the pin and its clang as it hit the ground resonated throughout the room. Kakyoin couldn't move from his position, but for some reason his tongue betrayed him.
"W-who are you?" His voice trembled as he spoke.
"I could ask you the same question," the mysterious voice growled. It made Kakyoin's hair stand on end.
"Let my father go," Kakyoin demanded with a newly found sense of confidence.
"Why should I?" The voice snarled. "He's merely serving the punishment he deserves. Justice must be served."
"What is his punishment?" Kakyoin inquired.
"He must stay here until the day he dies." The voice was resolute in its judgment. Kakyoin was enraged and spun around to confront whoever it was he was talking to. Only they weren't there. Kakyoin searched the room, but couldn't detect any trace of the person. They couldn't have just vanished.
"How does he deserve a life sentence?" He asked the shadows trying to keep his voice steady. "What could he have possibly done to warrant that?"
"He trespassed on my land and tried to steal my great-great-grandfather's ring." The voice came from the corner of the room. Kakyoin twisted his head to get a glimpse of the person, but it was gone again.
"I'm sure he didn't mean any harm. Right?" Kakyoin looked over at his dad who had his head down. "Let him go, and we'll never bother you again. I think he's learned his lesson."
"No." Of all the things that had happened to Kakyoin that night, that was what pushed him over the edge. The last thing Kakyoin needed was a coward, who wouldn't even show their face, to tell him what his father's fate was. This bastard wanted to play that way. Fine. Kakyoin would face them at their own game.
"Alright, how about a trade." Kakyoin was desperate at this point. If only one of them had to leave, he knew which one was going to.
"What?" The voice was curious but still didn't show itself to Kakyoin.
"Come out and face me. Then I'll tell you." Without warning, the person was in front of Kakyoin. He still couldn't see them fully, but he could at least distinguish their outline in the darkness.
"What do you have to trade for his life?" The being hissed. Kakyoin took a shaky breath and his knees wobbled. He knew what he said next would change his life forever.
"Mine." Kakyoin could feel the hostility in the room rise after the word left his mouth. "If you promise to let him go," Kakyoin took another unstable breath. "I will stay and serve the punishment in his place."
"No!" Hol Horse screamed. "Kid jus' leave! Go live yer life, don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"Do you know what you're doing?" Kakyoin felt the person come deathly close but still concealed themself from view. "If I agree to this deal, you must promise to stay here until the end of your days. Are you still certain you want to go through with this?" The end of his days, huh. The person stated it so easily as if they had no problem keeping him there to rot for the rest of time.
"If I am to be a prisoner of this castle, I would like to see who I am going to give my life away to." The voice grunted in response but started to move into the pale moonlight that flooded into the dark dungeon. Kakyoin studied the man that came into view. He wore black trousers and boots, and his top was a deep purple button-up with accents of gold. He looked like someone out of the pictures he'd seen from the Victorian era in a history textbook. He was massive too, probably a good seven inches taller than Kakyoin, and was well-built. He still refused to show his face though.
"I want to see all of you," Kakyoin declared. After a long pause, the man brought his face to the light. He was handsome, but inhumanly so. He appeared to be the same age as Kakyoin. He was intimidating, to say the least, with his strong clenched jaw, furrowed brows, and wavy matted black hair, but what really caught Kakyoin's attention, were his piercing and impatient bright red eyes. They bored into Kakyoin's soul and reminded him of the same terrifying eyes that stared at him in the woods years ago.
"Well?" You could see pure white fangs glinting in the moonlight when he talked and retreated into the shadows again. Kakyoin reeled back and gasped, not believing what was before him. Nevertheless, he had already made his decision.
"If I stay, you'll set him free, right?" Kakyoin whispered, holding back tears.
"I give you my word," The creature assured, not suppressing the irritation in his voice.
"Then you have mine."
"Very well." The monster went over to the cell with his dad, and opened the door, creating a horrible grating noise as metal scraped against metal. He retreated to the corner of the room by the entrance and leaned on the wall. The scowl never left his face as he crossed his arms. "You have three minutes."
Hol Horse immediately rushed to Kakyoin's side and grasped him as tightly as he could. Kakyoin wanted to run, to scream, to cry, but couldn't will himself to. He just felt numb to it all, his mind not fully comprehending what was going on around him. They both shook as Kakyoin slowly returned the embrace.
"Kid," Hol Horse started. "Jus' leave me here and go. Y'deserve to live yer life, not stay trapped in this awful place because of my stupid actions." Kakyoin gave his dad a forlorn smile, tears glistening in his eyes.
"Dad, you know I wouldn't allow that to happen. If one of us has to stay, then I will be the one. You're wrong if you think I would just leave you here to die." Kakyoin tried his hardest not to break down. He needed to be strong for now, and he could let everything out later. The person eyeing him from the corner didn't help either. "Regardless, I promised. There's no taking it back now."
"I…" Hol Horse choked. "I jus' wanted t'give you something to cheer you up. I'm so sorry I'm such an idiot."
"You are not an idiot, Dad." Kakyoin looked straight into his father's eyes with a serious expression.
"Dammit, kid. Why?" Kakyoin caught a glimpse of a tear as it rolled down his dad's cheek.
"Because you saved me once. I figured it was time to return the favor." Hol Horse truly saw Kakyoin for the first time that night. Kakyoin really was an adult. He'd become so mature and confident. His little boy was all grown up. Hol Horse gave a tiny sad laugh.
"I'm so proud of you son, y'know that." Hol Horse pulled Kakyoin back into a hug.
"Thanks, Dad." Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.
"I love you so much, Noriaki." Hol Horse squeezed Kakyoin closer and Kakyoin squeezed back.
"I love you too." They remained in that position until the three minutes were up and Hol Horse was jerked out of Kakyoin's arms.
"Wait!" Kakyoin shouted, his cry blending in with Hol Horse's protests as he struggled to get out of the inhuman man's clutches. His plea was met with a death glare as the being dropped Hol Horse onto the floor and briskly marched towards Kakyoin. Scared for his life, Kakyoin backed into the grimy wall of the cell, not taking his eyes off the seething creature. Anything to escape the crimson daggers that implied death.
"I gave you time," the monster coldly threatened mere inches from Kakyoin's face. "Do not tread upon my kindness." As Kakyoin recoiled away, his anger increased. Kindness? Was he delusional or something? How is imprisoning him and threatening his father, kindness? Kakyoin held his tongue though fearing if he did speak his mind, he wouldn't be able to speak again.
The creature pivoted on his heel and slammed the cell shut with a clang, effectively locking Kakyoin in. He snatched Hol Horse by his shirt and dragged him away as the man begged for him to spare Kakyoin. Hol Horse's wishes fell on deaf ears and the huge wooden door closed with a thud. The dungeon was now eerily tranquil, not a sound could be heard.
Kakyoin gasped and crumpled to the cold ground, as his legs gave out from under him the weight of the situation finally hit him. As much as he tried to, he couldn't stop the large tears that now spilled out. Why did he agree to this? Was this his life now? Was it his fate to die here? His thoughts ran wild.
Kakyoin reclined against the wall and let sleep overtake him. Though before he could fully pass out from exhaustion he had two fleeting thoughts. The village had been right all along. The demon was real, and Kakyoin was now his prisoner.