Part IX (Zadei)
I gnash my teeth as I survey the destruction around me. Gerumu is talking to me, nervously muttering something about losses and numbers I really don't care to hear about. I glare at him and he wisely decides to shut up. Fuck that! I keep going, noticing and dismissing damage to buildings and people. Somebody is going to pay, of course. The audacity of it, the sheer nerve to walk in here and think they can get away with it! An insult. I am snarling now, not bothering to hide my anger. I never do these days. Well, fuck that.
Eyes narrowed with pleasure, I imagine the myriad of ways I am going to make them scream. I hear their women are very pretty. Frowning, I turn to Gerumu.
"Where is Tetei?"
And really, where is he?! He should be here, waiting for me, ready to be touched and looked at – ready for me. Gerumu is staring at the ground.
"I ... I am afraid Teteiyus is not able to see you at the moment. The attack – he has been hurt. But Zadei-sama, there is something else you need to-"
For a few seconds nothing makes sense. But I am running, running until I am standing in my suite and it is dark, empty. No Tetei. I growl. Gerumu has somehow managed to keep up with me and gestures down the corridor.
"This way, Zadei-sama."
I feel the sudden urge to tear into him. Always so calm, always so efficient – I hate it! But I follow him, feeling faintly sick as I realize that I don't even know where Tetei's room is. I should know.
It isn't even a room! It is a chamber, too small to hold anything but a bed, a desk and a tiny closet. Tetei – Tetei doesn't look hurt. He looks dead, pale and bloodless and so horribly still. I hardly dare to touch him, suddenly afraid that should I do so, he will be cold, brittle. But no, he is warm and breathing and alive, and I gather him into my arms. I call him, say his name over and over again, but he will not hear me, will not open those pretty eyes. I missed him. I didn't expect to miss him, but I did. I want him. Even now he is beautiful and I should have never left him behind. So beautiful.
I lift him up and cradle that broken body against my chest. It is almost like that first time, his weight, those pretty, white wings arching gracefully without ever touching the ground. Only now one of them is bent, bloodied, bones sticking out at odd angles and I have to lift him high to keep it from dragging across the floor. I am going to kill Gerumu. They left him there, hurt, broken, all alone in that tiny room.
Tetei doesn't make a sound as I lower him onto my bed, too far gone to feel any pain even as the movement must jar those bones. I growl. How could they leave him like that?! For a moment I just look at him, watch him breathe as I silently swear revenge. They are going to pay, anyone who had a hand in this. I touch his hair, his brow. This time there are no fantasies, no pictures of pain and gore. This time there is only raw fury. They will die. All of them will die.
Suddenly my body tenses. We are no longer alone. Familiar. I don't have to turn around to recognize that aura, that power. Him again?! The fury is back, hot and liquid, rising in my veins. I turn around with my teeth bared. Marion's bastard prince is standing in the doorway, looking well-groomed and coldly amused. One could think that he damned well owned the place.
I look at Gerumu, considering to kill him on the spot. Why didn't he tell me about ... about this?! How could he let him escape? Sensing the direction my thoughts are taking, Gerumu pales.
"The Azeel were storming the palace. Tetei, he-"
"Oh, enough!"
The bastard's voice slams into Gerumu, knocking him back and into the nearest wall. Fuck! I was going to do that! I guess I'll just have to make do.
"If we fight here, it will kill him."
My grin slips and for a moment I don't know what to think. I don't care. What made him think I'd care? Realizing that my fingers are still tangled into Tetei's hair, I hastily pull away. But for some reason I don't attack.
"What do you want?"
And what does he want? After his miraculous escape –how? when? – he should have run far and fast before I lock him into an even deeper shit-hole without his beloved's bones for comfort. The bastard just looks at me.
"Why, to talk to you, of course."
I gape. There is nothing else to do. Talk? Raising a delicate eyebrow, the bastard sighs.
"I shall have to be blunt, then. I don't want to fight you. Yet I cannot allow myself to be locked up again. I have ... things to do, you see."
He doesn't want to fight me?! I want to fight him! I want to maim, to kill to utterly destroy him. But I can't fight him without risking Tetei. And I can't force him to leave without fighting him. Fuck. I gnash my teeth. That's what he calls being blunt?! He still hasn't told me what the fuck he wants!
"I want a truce. I want the lesser demons banned from the ningenkai. In return, I recognize you as the ruler of the makai and he will live."
He's crazy. I don't need his recognition. All I need is for him to die! And what's that nonsense about the ningenkai? What does he care about lesser demons? And even if – if – I were inclined to agree to any such thing, how could I ever be sure of him? Of course he doesn't want to fight me now. He's weakened , exhausted – I'd kick his ass! Once he's fully recovered, he might think better of it.
Tetei whimpers and I flinch. I have to get someone to look at him before he wakes up. Those bones need setting – even I can see that. Suddenly inspired, I look at the bastard.
"Swear to it. Swear to it by her bones, by her soul, and get out of my sight."
Laures' eyes widen. Didn't expect that one, did he? It's not a big thing, not really. In fact it's not even a spell. Still, in the makai, this world of spite and magic, sometimes words are enough. Yes, words hold power here, shape reality, and as often as not their prize is very real. The makai likes to screw people over.
He hesitates. Then, with an air of calm resignation, he draws his cloak tighter around him.
"Yes."
I shake my head. Not good enough. He has to say it. Laures's voice is toneless as he repeats my exact words – all the pain is in his eyes. Without meaning to, I frown. He must realize that his oath doesn't bind me. If he leaves – when he leaves – I might still decide to hunt him down, might still decide to leave the ningenkai to my demon's tender mercy, although the idea of making it my personal playground is rather appealing. I'd have to shield it, though. No other way to keep the rubble out. But first comes the matter of revenge...
No, I am not going to hunt him down. Not now, at least. I hate to admit it but, human-born or not, he is powerful. I can't waste my strength on him so long as a single Azeel is left alive. Not that his every breath isn't an insult, but that will have to be borne. At least he is wholly demonic now. Disgusted, I turn away.
"Get lost."
And he does. I don't watch him disappear, but I can feel the sudden loss of his presence, the empty space he leaves behind. Looking down, I find that Tetei is awake and staring at the place Laures just occupied.
A/N: OK, thats basically the end of the first story arc. I have already started to write the second, which covers the time of the actual manga. I will not publish it on , however. Anyone who is interested can check out my LJ
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