Unforeseen Circumstance
Enter the Demon Lord
(Prologue)
By: Little Ucchan
If anyone, on the night of October 24th, took the time to gaze up into the sky, they may or may not have seen a dark figure gliding above the city. Whether or not they would have seen it long enough to identify it or be even slightly alarmed by its unfamiliar movements is uncertain. But, not one of those humans who might have seen it flying overhead that one Sunday evening would not have believed that it was a demon. A dragon, maybe… if they believed in such creatures. For it had long webbed wings, a powerful reptilian-like tail, and the claws, feet, and facial features of a black dragon.
But a demon? No, no one would think of it unless granted a longer glimpse. But no one saw it for that long. If they did, they would have noted that it was bipedal, with a finely chiseled muscular body almost resembling that of a human… or rather, one of the demons the Ronins had fought. But remember!! This is all speculation. For no one saw it. It was too fast to be seen.
The lone hunter of the night landed atop the roof of a tall high-rise building, unknown to any midnight watcher. He arched his back, stretching out his muscles in a warm up fashion for the flight home. He didn't want to be sore when he arrived at the castle.
Taking a deep breath, the demon changed.
Bones cracked and realigned. Muscles tore and shifted. Skin stretched to encompass the growing form in the shadows of the rooftop as the demon dropped on all fours, body transforming into his preferred flight method home. A real dragon.
He gave out a low growl when his skull snapped upwards, readjusting its placement to align vertically with his spinal cord. He always hated that feeling. It made his neck feel stiff. He moved his new body around a bit, trying to get used to his line of vision being only three feet off the floor. He never really liked being a dragon, not being used to walking on all fours or the inability to speak verbally. Plus, shifting was always a pain in the neck, literally. But it was the only way he could get back home with little difficulty. Flying back as a demon would be much too tiresome.
Stretching out his considerably larger wings and flapping them experimentally, the demon-dragon lowered them to his sides, silence filling the night sky.
Do you need a ride? he asked, pointedly looking at the vague silhouette standing barely ten feet away.
The newcomer stepped out of the shadows, the pale moonlight shining off of his large muscular body, and glistening off the long pole-ax he carried by his side. "I doubt," he spoke with a deep middle-aged voice, "that would be comfortable for either of us."
I suppose you have a point there. With that, he started to beat his wings in preparation for flight. I'll see you back at the castle.
"My Lord."
The dragon hovered for a moment, waiting for him to speak.
Crossing his right arm over his chest, he bowed slightly. "One moment of your time, please."
When the young lord had settled back down on the rooftop, elder demon began to talk.
"My Lord, we could have easily sent out someone else to search for the rune bearer. There was no need for you to come to this realm yourself."
And who was I to trust with this task? he countered. Of the four I had sent, only one came back. And still, we have nothing.
"If the people were to find out of your solo flights, they'd think that you don't trust your own men."
And if I had sent more demons to certain death, I'd lose their faith regardless.
"My Lord," Kayeda began sternly. "Please put some faith in us. Our loyalty is not so flimsy that we'd fall apart at the loss of a few soldiers. We will sacrifice ourselves for you and your cause, all for the glory of our people. A few casualties are trivial when compared to what we are to accomplish."
I'm sorry that I do not share the same opinion as you. A life is a life.
"So you take matters into your own hands so that you can save those lives?" he demanded. "My Lord, you have yet to realize just how important you are to the people as their leader. Your life, whether you accept it as the truth or not, is more valuable than the entire demon race itself!!"
Do NOT raise your voice at me, Kayeda.
"…Forgive me," he bowed. "But I am in charge of the BlackGuard, the strongest fighters under your command, whose sole purpose is to serve and protect you. It is my duty to know where you are and who you are with at all times. And you, Lord Tajhinn, as the new ruler of the demon race, must understand that you are no longer free to act as you please. Your actions, no matter how great or small, impact the rest of us in such ways that you may not even be aware of."
Kayeda, do you normally reprimand your superiors like this?
The general was caught off guard for a moment. "My Lord, if I was in any way offensive, you must understand that---"
Don't worry so much, he chuckled softly. I was merely curious. There's no harm done.
"Yes, My Lord."
Now, I'd like to continue this conversation back at the castle. So if you will…
He nodded obediently, although he did not salute Tajhinn with his normal bow, a sure sign that something else was weighing on his mind.
Speak up, Kayeda. I may be able to communicate with you telepathically, but I cannot read minds.
"Yes, My Lord… It's about the rune bearer." Lord Tajhinn nodded, urging him to continue. "You did not attack her, tonight. Why? Isn't it essential to our mission that we capture her?"
The dragon smirked. I thought you were against me getting personally involved.
"My Lord…"
I said not to worry. Besides, maybe it's time for someone else to be in the spotlight. His grin was wider now, if dragons could grin. Place my faith in you, huh? Well, you're lucky Kayeda. It looks like I'm going to follow your advice from now on.
He's avoiding the subject. That much was certain. But Kayeda decided to let it slide… for now. "Yes, My Lord. Do you have anyone particular in mind?"
Tajhinn thought about it for a moment. …Yes, perhaps I do.
***
A soft humming sound echoed through the trees, the tune drifting in the surreal way that it usually did. The notes swayed in perfect synchronization with the small ripples gliding across the water. Yume sat down on one of the flat rocks near the shallow end of the lake, quietly kicking up water with her feet as she hummed her song. Seeing Ryo again had made her day, but after such an intense episode like the one she witnessed… she didn't know if she were either happy or sad at the moment. Ryo…
Yume had felt his heart lighten a few minutes before she had left; a very good sign. But she wasn't sure how long he'd stay like that. The demon-girl would have stayed longer to make sure he was okay, but she was aware that Ryo needed to resolve that issue with his other friend soon. So it was best that she left when she did. But now Yume would have to wait until she ran into him again before she knew what happened. The wait was going to kill her. She needed something to do.
She suddenly screamed when a set of hands roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her forward.
SPLASH!! In mere seconds, Yume was underwater, looking up at the surface for a confused moment before she swam up and resurfaced in the middle of the lake. Right where she was once sitting was a young man, about 19 or so, watching her with laughter glistening in his eyes and a wide smile splitting his handsome face.
Yume was absolutely furious.
"MAKI!!! NO FAIR!!!"
The man only laughed, crouching down on the rock as the girl swam up to him. "Your fault," he commented lightly. "You should have been paying attention."
As a response, Yume shot her hand forward, sending a wave of water crashing direction into Maki's face. He jerked back, but the water came too fast, and soon enough, a good portion of his body was dripping wet, courtesy of a very happy demon-girl.
"How… refreshing," he replied dryly, shaking off the excess water from his clothes.
Yume giggled, falling on her back and letting the water pull her towards the center of the lake. "Should have been paying attention," she mocked him openly.
He smirked, getting up onto his feet and straightening out his clothes.
"How can you wear that?" Yume asked, eyeing the boy's baggy shorts that fell barely below his knees and open denim vest that he wore over a white muscle shirt. Not to mention the excessively long pure silver chain he had hooked to one of his belt straps, the other end clipped onto God knows whatever he keeps in his back pocket. "You look ridiculous."
"Hey! This happens to be the latest fashion, okay?" Maki defended himself, retying his bandana over his forehead.
"Says who?"
"Teen Magazine."
Yume rolled her eyes. "Oh, and I suppose they also mentioned something about black knee pads and fingerless gloves, right?"
"Naw," he replied absently, using the reflective surface of the water as a mirror to straighten out his hair, making sure the unruly brown spikes stood up the way he wanted them to. "I just like 'em. They add to my personal style."
"You are faaaar too vain for your own good."
Maki looked up just for a moment to give his 'sister' a charming smile. "Just trying to protect the merchandise."
The girl pretended to gag at the egotistical comment. "Oh please, spare me!"
He chuckled softly, placing his hands on his hips when he saw Yume fall underwater in a mock attempt to get away from him. "So," he began casually, knowing very well that the girl could hear him underwater. "Find any cute guys during your trip to the Mortal realm?"
She resurfaced for a moment, an embarrassed sort of smile on her face. "Well there is this one boy…" And then she caught herself. "That is none of your business!!" Another thought came to her mind when Maki was happily laughing to himself. "And how did you know I left? Were you spying on me?!"
" 'Now that…' " He put on one of his best smiles, waving his index finger at her tauntingly. " '…is a secret.' "
Great. He's been watching that show again. [1] Yume sighed in frustration. She could never get a straight answer out of him. It was so annoying!!
"So… when do I get to meet him?"
"Never," she answered flatly. The whole idea had 'disaster' written all over it.
"Now that's harsh, Yume." Maki placed his hand over his heart, giving her his best offended look… which was quickly shot down by Yume's irritated glare.
"I know how that little endeavor would end up. One embarrassing question after another. Besides, I don't need you screening every person I might like."
"C'mon now. I'm not that bad. And that last guy you had a thing for was a real jerk."
"I didn't even meet him!!" Yume cried out. "Not once!"
"Well it's a good thing too!" He suddenly smiled at a thought. "I sure gave him a scare. Man, that boy could run…"
"Maki…" she growled in a rather vicious tone.
Uh oh. Maybe he had teased her a bit too much this time, recognizing Yume's battle aura pulsing around her body, the energy creating ripples on the surface of the once quiet lake. "Um… Yume?" He did his best to ward off the evil look shot in his direction. "I was just playing, you know… I didn't really drive him away. And you said it yourself that you didn't even meet him. So there's no real harm done… right?"
Apparently, Yume didn't agree with his little analogy.
"C'mon!! Calm down already!" Maki pleaded, taking a cautious step back when he felt her aura serge more wildly. Truth be told, he really shouldn't be afraid of Yume's power, him being much more skilled than her. But then again, that little fact was irrelevant since he could never bring himself to hit a girl. So, pleading was his only option right now. "I didn't mean it! Honest Yume!!"
Suddenly, her power resided back, the girl giving out a large sigh, hopefully in resignation. Maki watched her for an uncertain moment, debating whether or not he should be patting himself on the back just yet. But just as suddenly as she had stopped, Yume dropped back into the lake, her shadow on the water's surface growing smaller and smaller until she was nowhere in sight.
"Now what?" he asked aloud, noticing how the air seemed to change, a foggy mist settling over the lake. He looked around as the fog thickened, unable to see barely an inch ahead of him. But before he could figure anything out, a sound that mimicked the vibrations of splitting earth began to rapidly approach him. Whatever it was struck the rock he was standing on, making it shake underneath his feet. Maki still held his ground, and as the fog cleared he knew exactly what that sound meant.
"Oh boy," he sweatdropped, eyeing the now frozen lake with a wry look. "She didn't have to go that far."
"You really shouldn't meddle so much in her affairs then."
Maki turned to face the newcomer, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not that bad, am I?"
He smirked, motioning his head to the lake. "I think that answers your question."
"It does, doesn't it." The boy glanced back at the spotless white ice that covered only the water's surface, seeing if he could spot the movement of a petite demon-girl underneath. At least she can breathe underwater. That fact put his conscious at ease.
Turning his attention back at the hovering demon-dragon, Maki took the moment to salute his lord. "So, what can I do for ya, Boss?"
"Actually, I came here to speak with Yume."
"Eh?" he blinked twice, looking back at the floor of ice before laughing a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry. Guess that's my fault. I'll go get her for ya."
He nodded his thanks as Maki jumped onto the ice, walking around to see if he could find the girl. Damn it, Yume! Of all the times to give me the cold-shoulder.
"Oh, and Maki…"
"Hm?" He turned around to look at his lord, missing the sound of cracking ice beneath him.
"…Be careful." But, of course, by the time that little warning had reached the boy's ears, Maki had already fallen through the ice, plunging right into the freezing water.
Lord Tajhinn chuckled to himself, counting off the seconds before he was to resurface. 3… 2… 1…
Crash! A few yards away, the ice broke upwards, falling away as a fist emerged from the frozen ground followed by a very waterlogged teenager. Maki gasped, pulling at least half of his body out of the water before hugging himself shakily. "C-c-cold."
An instant later, Yume jumped out of the hole that Maki had first fallen into, landing on her feet softly on the ice. She brushed back her wet hair, smiling triumphantly and the shivering boy. "Got ya!"
"Sh-sh-shut up-p-p," he tried to threaten through clattering teeth. "I-I'll get y-y-you-u."
"Yeah right," she scoffed. "Let's see you try!"
"I'm so glad that your powers are being put to 'good' use."
"T-Tajhinn-sama!!" Yume cried out in surprise. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that---"
"It's alright," he waved his hand, dismissing the subject. "At least this way, I got a free demonstration of your skills. Now I know you're up to this task."
"Up… to task?" Yume asked, not paying attention to Maki's slow climb out of the water. "Tajhinn-sama…"
He smiled inwardly at her confused expression. "How about it Yume? Do you think you're ready to serve me?"
"Of course!!! I mean---" She bowed politely to him, as a sign of her gratitude and readiness. "I'd be honored to."
"That's good," he nodded. "Kayeda has all the details. Meet with him before you leave."
"Right!" Yume saluted him, placing her right fist over her heart and bowing. "I won't let you down. I promise, Tajhinn-sama!"
She left before another word could be said.
Lord Tajhinn sighed, lowering himself down to the rock that Maki, and previously Yume, was sitting on. And that's where he waited. Waited for Maki to say something. But the boy didn't, settling instead for staring at the Demon Lord with a bit of a disapproving look.
"…You don't think she's ready, do you?"
Silence.
The demon-dragon crossed his arms over his chest, looking up at the sky. "If you needed more time to train her, then you should have told me."
"Actually, there's nothing more that I can teach her."
"Then what is it?"
Maki remained quiet for a moment, looking at the floor of ice that Yume herself had created with her powers. "Her mind's not ready, Tajh. I've only done mock fighting with her, but she's never actually fought in a real battle. She doesn't know what it's like."
"Well, it's about time she learned."
The boy turned away, disappointed in what he said. He was hoping that Lord Tajhinn would understand what he was trying to get at and pull Yume back before anything happened. But that possibility was far from his reach. Yes, Maki knew that this was the only way she'd learn but… Does it have to be now? He was worried… He was really worried about her.
"Maki."
He looked back at Lord Tajhinn, surprised at the compassionate look he saw in his leader's eyes.
"Make sure she comes back safely," he ordered, turning his head back to the shimmering lake, completely missing the knowing smile on Maki's face.
With great enthusiasm, he saluted the demon-dragon lord. "You got it, Boss."
And with that, Maki departed as well, leaving the leader of the demon race alone with his thoughts.
[1] The show that Yume refers to is the anime The Slayers. She makes this comment because Maki quotes the words 'That is a secret' as his response to her, this being the trademark phrase of the character Xellos in the TV series. (^_^ Sorry. I've been on a Slayers high as of recently.)
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
-_- I'm tired. ^^;; Okay. Not exactly my most 'enthusiastic' welcoming for my kick off of the second installment of RW Universe. Gomen, but school just started. -_- In all honestly, I'm not sure when my next update will be. I know not as quickly as this one (again, my apologies) but I'm hoping to get to it. ^_^ So what do you guys think? I know, none of the guys or Laura or Rika were in this one. Just purely my 'baddies.' ^.^ Oooooh!! I'm ecstatic!! I've been wanting to introduce them for a very loooong time now!! ^-^
Here we meet the Demon Lord Tajhinn, the ringleader 'so to speak.' But he's got a bit of an interesting twist on him that sets him off from the traditional roles of proper villains… He actually seems… NOT evil. A demon nonetheless, but… nice? ::shudder:: Freaky. And then there's Kayeda, his right hand man, who has the old military type of feel around his persona. Very loyal, rigid, but passionate as well. And Maki… ^^;; well if any of you guys has watched Slayers Next and got into Xellos's character… well you may or may not know where I'm going with him. Maki's more of the typical teenaged miscreant though. Or is he? ^_^ Well that's all for now. Ja ne people!!!