FINALLY, I HAVE RETURNED!
I've went from the laptop to the iPad, just like how I wrote my very first fan fictions.
It's pretty nostalgic, but typing this all out on a wobbly thin piece of metal, I remember why I was so happy to use a laptop like a normal person.
Now then, let us get on with it.
ONWARDS!
The rooftop hasn't changed much.
The floor was the same boring brown color, with the staircase being the only cover other than the wall that saved them from falling over the side. Off to the corner, Abraxas sat crouched over, looking over what they had.
"How far are they?" Kuro asked, setting her own sniper into a readied position before going over with him, looking over his shoulder.
"We have maybe ten minutes, five at the least." He replied, his breathing still a bit uneven.
Abraxas had always had his own way of doing things. He always had only 13 shots on his person, with one that he'd save in case shit really went down. He always kept the hood over his head. While sniping, he'd never use the scope, instead using a pair of yellow-tinted shades, to which Kuro couldn't help but comment on how he looked stupid.
She was quickly shut up when watching him shoot.
"What gang are we dealing with?" Kuro asked, grabbing a handful of shots, before going back over to her spot. Before her, it was Abraxas that would play target practice alone, she was also forced to do the same in his absence. But, with the two of them, Kuro would take to the left, Abraxas the right, near the ammo, "Is it Bloodbath? Skinner's group?"
Abraxas chuckled rather darkly, leaning back on the wall, finally taking off his sniper, holding it like a child their teddy bear, "I haven't heard those names in a while."
"That happens when you leave for so long." Kuro grumbled childishly.
She waited for him to laugh, shoot back a joke, maybe curse her name, only to have him sigh, "I won't lie to you, I really didn't want to be here. I'm sorry for using you as my substitute, I really am, but...I just couldn't be held in this place forever, you know?"
"You know that we're cool, right?" Kuro sighed. While she loved to hold a grudge (Honestly, what demon didn't), this wasn't how she wanted her first conversation in a while with the guy to go like this, "You got me what I wanted, and I don't break your skull."
"Either way, I want to officially apologize to you." Abraxas sighed, sounding like he was forcing the words out. While anyone else would have taken that as an offense, Kuro understood. It meant a lot that he was trying, especially when he wasn't one to admit he was wrong, "It was fucked up of me to do."
"Hey," Kuro said, holding her hand out, "We're good."
He grinned, slapping the hand, "We're good."
Kuro grinned right back, before looking through her scope. The area right in front of the bar was abandoned. That was never a good sign, like the calm before the storm, "Now, hurry up and tell me what we're up against. It better not be the Aurora Society; someone's got to tell them that their 'research' isn't gonna fly down here. Should try on the surface with that crap, who knows what they could do?"
"It's not them." Abraxas insisted, "It's the Frost."
At the name, Kuro both grinned and cringe. The Frost had been known for being a large group of elemental demons, all of which with power over ice. Kuro hated the cold. It was fine if she was bundled up, but hell was warm. So, in logic, demons who grew up in hell shouldn't like the chill.
The worse of the worse was the leader, Winter.
While she'd never seen him face to face, she's heard enough tales of the noble-turned-mafia lord. He'd done some nasty things, bad enough to be wiped of the nobility status. She could guess where he went from there, judging by the group that now followed him.
But, with that said, his name allowed for a joke she'd yet to use. A reference that had finally revealed itself.
"I guess you could say that Winter really is coming." Kuro grinned.
"Yeah...Sure…" Abraxas murmured, watching over the edge.
Kuro scowled, watching through the scope, "Whatever man, that was comedy gold right there," she muttered, just loud enough for Abraxas to hear, "You have no idea how long I've been waiting to use that one, but no, none of you ass hats get any of them, I swear, my comedic genius is wasted on all of you."
"Mumbling like that isn't ladylike." Abraxas chuckled.
"Bite me."
"That's even worse, now what would you do if your prince heard you say that?"
"Like you're any better." Kuro groaned, watching closely, before narrowing her eyes, "You see that, on the side of the old market building?"
"Yeah, yeah I see it." Abraxas sighed, wiping out his signature (stupid) glasses, throwing them on.
At the corner of a far-off building, there was a faint light blue color that began to spread across the side, slowly but surely spreading.
"Crap, they've grown in numbers." Kuro groaned, shivering. She swore she could feel a faint chill from where she stood, er, crouched.
"I don't suppose that you or Vale know a fire elemental?" Abraxas asked, hopeful.
"Wrong fanfiction, buddy." Kuro sighed, "I'll be sure to tell Erin you asked for her."
"That's only if we make it through." He sighed, before giving her a confused look, "Wait, who the fuck is Erin?"
He never got his answer, as Kuro looked through her scope. Abraxas always had first dibs, so when the first demon turned the corner, there was maybe only four seconds before he dropped, dark red dripping from his forehead.
"Boom. Headshot." Kuro chuckled lowly, taking aim, her finger ghosting over the trigger. The next one that made himself known had the signature light blue skin an ice elemental would have.
All she could hear was the sound of her heart beating, zeroing in. She could remember the first time she'd done this, and honestly, she couldn't help but be proud of how far she'd come. Pulling the trigger, she got him in the chest, a shot right through the heart.
"How many do you think they've got?" Kuro asked, reloading.
It was at that moment that lady luck decided to shit on them, as the screaming increased, the ground feeling like it was shaking, even from the top of the building.
"You just had to ask." Abraxas sighed, leaning on his gun, "You should know better than to ask."
Vale sighed when the sound of footsteps grew, "I was right." He murmured, feeling the air around them drop, before facing Zagan, "I won."
"Come on, I thought for sure that Neos would be mad at us," He scowled, pulling out a small pouch of gold, tossing it to Vale from the locked-down windows, the tiger demon seated at the bar, "I would attack anyone who decided to steal information from me."
"But, at the same time, he was recently put down." Vale murmured, looking over all his papers, the bar phone in one hand while a pen was in the other, "That was Kuro's last real mission. You'd remember if you weren't such a buffoon."
"Don't start with me." Zagan scowled, turning away to walk for the kitchen. Once there, he walked past the stove, knocking on the wall next to it, "The bar is held down, but Vale is saying that it's the Frost."
"Winter? Interesting." He heard Shax say from the other side, "I doubt that our defenses will be able to hold them if they get too close, even if they're aren't as many of them as there use to be."
"What do you want done?" Zagan asked, cracking his knuckles. Being a demon of Wrath did wonders when it came to hand to hand combat, especially when it came to crowds.
"...Go by Vale's orders until I come out." Shax insisted.
Zagan, not being one to question, nodded, "Will do." He said, before walking back, feeling the temperature drop once more.
Vanth looked around the shelter in wonder. It was such a big room for a bar! Not to mention that the walls were lined with scrolls of some sort. In the middle of the room, the fox demon, Shax she believed, stood. He just held a pair of reading glasses over his nose, looking down at one of the many scrolls he had, some of which scattered on the floor.
"Umm...Mr. S-Shax, sir?" She whispered, still a bit scared. From what Kuro had told her about him, he was not a force to be reckoned with.
"Is there something you need, child?" He asked, looking up from his reading.
"W-would you like me t-to clean this u-up for you?" Vanth asked, tugging at the purple ribbon in her hair. Maybe if she tried to help him, he wouldn't want to kill her!
"There is no need for that." Shax insisted, tossing the scroll over his shoulder, before grabbing a new one, looking it over, "Everything is in its rightful place."
"O-okay." She whispered, looking at one of the scrolls that lined the ground. Looking at the top, all she could read was the word "Fire", written in Latin, before hearing Shax chuckle darkly.
"You'll do well to remember what killed the cat." Shax sighed, giving her a knowing look. Knowing when to spot a threat, she nodded, looking off, before shuddering, a sudden chill going down her spine, "Umm...Mr. S-Shax?"
"Yes, child?"
"S-should we stay in h-here? M-maybe we should g-go outside with everyone."
"We will." Shax insisted, not giving her another look, "I just need a few more moments."
"Fuck, they're not giving in." Kuro sighed, shooting down another. The two weren't fast enough to drop them in hoards. The bodies were getting much too close to the doors, frost covering the ground where they fell, sending the temperature down.
"What's taking Shax so long?" Abraxas growled, reloading quickly, taking another down, "Is he having fun in his reading room? He does know that this is slowly turning to their side, right?"
"You know him," Kuro murmured, growling when she dropped the bullet on the ground, "Always waiting for a grand entrance."
Looking around, Kuro spotted it, her first ever weapon, "Hey, can you still shoot two snipers at once?"
"Wanna find out?" Abraxas grinned at her, holding his other hand out. Handing it to him, she could help but watch in awe as he shot them with both. She could see that maniacal grin that grew across his face, before going for her old weapon.
Seated in a corner, what looked like an upgraded metal bow sat, the quiver not too far from there. The metal had runes etched into the sides, the bowstring still looking as good as new. She gripped the bow, happy with the familiar weight. While the sniper wasn't bad, nothing beat the original.
Grabbing the quiver, she threw it over her back, drawing the arrow back. Her eyes narrowed, she let it fly, right between the eyes.
"You've gotten rusty." Abraxas noted, giving her a look.
"Don't start with me." She scowled, not looking back before shooting another. She'd always prefer a bow over a sniper, even if the sniper is better in the long run. It was a lot easier to travel with a bow rather than a large hunk of metal strapped to your back.
Pulling back another arrow, Kuro's eyes narrowed, as the frost on the ground began to spike up, "So big bad himself came out to play."
Turning the corner, she could see a rather tall demon, easily a towering eight feet. He had long ice white hair, with a fancy light blue coat that dragged onto the floor. The area around him grew icicles, the frost turning to hard ice as he went past. His dark blue boots seemed to blend in with the ground from this distance, but nothing could mask those deep and dark pools of crystal blue.
"Crap, what's Shax's plan!?" Abraxas growled, shooting down another.
"I don't know! You tell me, you're the brother!" Kuro shouted right back, lighting the next arrow tip, before aiming. She had a dead-on target locked to Winter's forehead, letting the arrow fly.
Winter scoffed, tossing his wrist to the side, causing a large icicle to shoot out from the ground, encasing the arrow.
"Forgot he could do that." Kuro muttered, ducking when an icicle was shot, just missing her cat ears, "Hey, I don't want a piercing!"
Abraxas cursed, also ducking, "I didn't think that he'd be here! Fuck!"
"I know, right?" Kuro scoffed, popping up to shoot down another one, only to be forced to duck once again, "How do you propose we take down Frosty the Snowman?"
Before Abraxas could say anything, the rooftop door was thrown open, Vale's head popping up, "Orders from Shax; we're going for Delta nine, blood."
"How long is he going to stick to those stupid code names?" Kuro groaned, before looking to Abraxas, "You heard your brother."
"We'll decide who gets the position once we get down there." Abraxas grinned, before looking to Vale, "What's the cue?"
"Zagan." Vale murmured, before ducking back into the building.
"I take it that you don't want to waste time running down the stairs." Kuro murmured, pulling back three arrows before letting go without looking.
Abraxas shared her grin, hefting the two snipers onto his shoulders, "Please, ladies first."
"Always the gentleman." Kuro sighed, giving him a look as he dug his nose, before leaping over the ledge. She tumbled to a stop, pulling back five arrows, before firing on one knee, shooting down five at once, "Stuck the landing, top that!" Kuro grinned, before rolling to the side, taking shelter behind a half-broken wall, leaning against it before throwing her bow over her shoulder, pulling the knife from her hoodie, tightening the chains that hung around her wrists.
Peeking over, she could hear Abraxas whooping, landing on one knee, guns blazing. He rolled to the side, narrowly missing an ice projectile, before jumping back Soldier 76 style, still shooting till he landed behind the safety of the wall. He then grinned, giving Kuro a look, "You know that mine was cooler."
"Keep dreaming." Kuro muttered, keeping her eye on the oncoming mob, before glancing to the door, "Come on, what's taking him so long!?"
"Probably taking a potty break," Abraxas joked, perching both guns over the broken wall, shooting without looking, "You know that guy, big muscle, big-."
"Shit!" Kuro shouted, tackling Abraxas to the side, his face mere inches away from what looked to be a sort of ice splatter.
"Fuck," Kuro growled, glaring at the door, before drawing back another arrow, "What is taking them so damn long!?"
"What if I wear this coat?"
Vale sighed, holding his head as he ignored the sound of shooting and the feeling of frost in the air, slowly growing colder, "I seriously doubt that your wardrobe design is of the utmost importance at the moment."
"Well it matters to me." Zagan muttered, looking over all the coats laid out on the tables, "Besides, it's not like I'm wasting time, this actually matters."
"Usually I'd say that lying is a sin, but that phrase is reserved for Kuro." Vale sighed, before turning around when the kitchen door opened, "Shax, are you ready?"
"Just about." Shax sighed, rolling his neck before tugging on a pair of white gloves, "These are my last set, so we've only got one shot at this."
"That's all we need." Zagan grinned, before looking back over all of his coats, "Hey, boss, which coat should I go with?"
Shax walked over to inspect, before tossing the giant a random one, "Here, this one matches your personality."
Vale scoffed as the overjoyed muscle grinned, throwing it on, "I don't know who's full of more shit."
"You shouldn't have to worry about that at the moment." Shax murmured, before watching Zagan throw the door open, rushing out to (finally) do his job, "What you should worry over are the other gangs."
"No one has stepped up to get in the way of Winter, not after what happened with Kroni." Vale sighed, "We're on our own."
"That was to be expected." Shax sighed, "In that case, I'll have to ask that you look after Kuro's little friend." Shax murmured, jutting his finger out to the kitchen, "I'm keeping her in the safe room."
"Your safe room?" Vale questioned, "Are you not worried that she'll read something that she really shouldn't?"
"Even if she does, I have little to nothing to worry about." Shax sighed, shaking his head, before pulling at his dress shirt, unbuttoning the top button, "Besides, that is an issue I'll worry about. You continue to find out what you can."
Vale nodded, walking off for the kitchen, before Shax reclined in a chair, "Now all I have to is wait."
Kuro let out a relieved sigh when Zagan nearly threw down the door, shutting it before jumping into the fray, knifes flashing, "Alright, there's the signal."
"Now the fun part." Abraxas grinned, holding out his fist, "Loser gets to play the Bloodborne."
"Fucking shit." She growled, holding her fist out.
"Rock, paper, scissors, shit!"
Kuro cursed, tightening the chains around her wrists, "Damn I hate you." She growled, ready to jump out.
"Maybe you should stop constantly using scissors, huh?" Abraxas grinned, looking like he'd just dodged a bullet.
"Just shut up and cover me." Kuro growled, peeking over the wall to see Zagan laughing like a maniac, smashing his fists into those who got to close, all the while Winter was taking his time, "Dude looks like prince Sub Zero." Kuro murmured, pulling her bow over her back, counting what she had. One knife and five arrows, great.
"Stop stalling." Abraxas chided, flicking her forehead.
Kuro cringed, before drawing a cross on her forehead, "Yo, Mary, fuck the cross. Please don't let me die of blood lost. Ramen."
When she got no answer, she grinned, "Thank Satan, God still isn't answering me!" She whooped, before jumping out from behind her cover.
"She's officially lost it." Abraxas muttered, before whipping around to shoot another frost demon down.
Meanwhile, Kuro made a mad dash, gripping the chains in one hand, the other holding a rather small knife. She was never much good at hand to hand combat, but it was pretty easy to do hit and runs.
She ducked under the hit of one ice elemental, throwing her chain out to wrap around his ankle, before rolling to the side, giving it a quick tug. Once he was on the ground, she gave a grunt of effort, spinning to fly him into his buddies, "Hey, Zagan, heads up!"
The brute turned at the right moment, grabbing the one that flew at him, before using said ice demon as a shield, "You never run out of ways out of a problem, do you?"
"It's called thinking fast." Kuro grinned, carrying on the casual conversation, roundhouse kicking one who got too close, "Now then, what's the plan?"
"Shax wants you on big and frozen over there." Zagan teased, looking over to Winter, "I'm going to assume that, since Abraxas is still behind that wall, you get to play Bloodborne."
"Yep," Kuro said with a forced grin, "I miss when Vale was the go-to-guy for this."
"That was before the fight at Ender's stadium." Zagan noted, easily grabbing an ice demon's face, flying them into the wall. Kuro wouldn't hesitate to bet money that, while not dead, said demon wouldn't be walking anytime soon, "Your friend over there is getting pretty close."
"I've noticed." Kuro groaned, tossing him her knife, "You can deal with the squishies?"
Zagan threw his head back, laughing, "What kind of question is that!?" He shouted, before happily going back to his happy little blood bath.
Kuro grinned, ducking under the arms of one enemy, before sidestepping yet another projectile, "I don't think we've officially met," Kuro grinned, giving him a small smile, shooting him with finger guns, "Name's Kuro."
"Winter." said the prestigious frozen one, "Introductions are unnecessary, you're not the one I'm after this time." At the last word, he threw his hands together, a long pole of ice forming.
Kuro scowled, grabbing a demon that threw a punch at her, before flipping him over, "All you'll find here is a stupid meathead, an information addict, the skinniest glutton you'll ever meet, and this piece of awesome right in front of you." Kuro went on casually, curb stomping the demon's head in. Times like these reminded her why she loved her boots so damn much.
She swung the chains around, using the momentum to shatter what ice was shot at her, the bigger chunks thrown off course, "You forgot the original traitor." Winter growled, giving Kuro a look, "I'd appreciate it if you'd kindly move to the side."
"Can't do that, sorry." Kuro shrugged, "That 'traitor' is kinda my boss, and he gave me word NOT to let you into the bar, so sorry, but rules are rules."
Winter grinned, slamming his staff into the ground. The ground around him shot up into icicles, nearly impaling Kuro's foot. She jumped back, lashing out the chains, before pulling herself forward, pulling the staff he leaned on out of his grip, forcing him forward into her double kick.
He stumbled back, an irritated look on his face, before glaring at the rather short cat demon as she swung both chains about like whips, "You always did think you were so clever," Winter scowled, his nice pretty boy persona long gone, "The both of you did. I wonder, did you get that trait from that prideful son of a bitch?"
"How would I ever know?" Kuro said casually, "He doesn't tell me much, but we both know that you are not the best...employer." Kuro growled, slowly getting closer, kicking the ice over and out of the way.
"That has nothing to do with you." Winter scowled, "Besides, you'll soon have your own problems, princess."
To this, Kuro stopped, giving him a rather cold look, "Where'd you get that information?"
"Word spreads quickly here." Winter grinned, Kuro not noticing the sheet of ice that slowly made its way for her, "It won't be long till the Rifters begin to dig deeper into it."
Before Kuro could ask, Winter's hand touched the ground. She had half a second to realize that the ground was oddly glossy, before it spiked up.
Eyes wide, Kuro jumped back, but not in time to avoid a rather painful cut into her right cheek. Off balance, she felt an ice-cold pole ram into her stomach like a bat, throwing her into the wall of a building, "Not too cocky now, are you?" Winter scowled, walking over slowly.
Kuro tried to rise, only to look up just in time to be batted away once again, flying and tumbling on the ground, groaning.
She pushed her upper body up, spitting blood out, before looking over to the main fight. Both Abraxas and Zagan were too busy with them to help, not to mention Zagan would be sporting a whole lot of new battle scars soon.
"It would be a lot easier for you if you just decided to call out Shax." Winter suggested, trying to bring the pole down on Kuro's head, only to have her roll away, pushing herself up on one knee.
"It would be even easier for you to give up and go home." Kuro coughed out, her breathing growing shakily, "Hell, that's what I'd do." Times like these, the only difference between demons and humans in that, in this situation, the human would give in much sooner than a demon.
Meant that she could suffer longer.
"That's something I never did understand about your kind," Winter muttered, watching as she slowly rose to her feet, staggering about a bit, "if you're so lazy, why not just give in?"
"Fuck, I don't know, I'm too tired to think." Kuro groaned, whipping out her knife, eyes narrowing, "You know, why don't you just quit it?"
Winter scoffed, a cocky grin on his face. With each passing second, she could see everything she hated about the Crow prince on Winter's face. She swore she'd get one good punch in, "Your boss and I have a little something to settle."
"It was a rhetorical question!" Kuro groaned, before throwing her chains back at him.
"You're running out of tricks." Winter grinned, moving to the side, before grabbing the metal. Kuro had a second to pretend to be saying her prayers, before Winter whipped her tiny body about, slamming her right into a toned wall of muscle.
"Kuro, stop sleeping on the job!" Zagan scowled, peeling her off of him, before blocking a hit, giving him enough time to backhand the demon, sending him flying, before scoffing, looking down at his arm, frost slowly creeping up to his shoulder, "Get back to your job, hold for a minute!" Zagan commanded, before tossing her back the way she'd come.
"Welcome back." Winter teased, kicking her right before she could land, tossing her to the side.
She coughed, spitting, "I swear to Satan, do I look like a fucking rag doll to you!?" She shouted, more irritated then angry.
Her only response was when a cold icy hand grabbed her around her throat, rising her from the ground. Kuro clawed at the hand, eyes narrowing, "Demons like you never know when to shut up." Winter grumbled.
"Demons like you never know when to give up." Kuro shot right back, her arm reaching out just enough to drag her bloodied hands down his coat.
Scowling, his grip around her neck tightened, "You've got your dirty blood all over my new coat." Winter growled, before slamming her into the ground. Slamming his staff into the ground, ice began to quickly creep up her body, to the point her she was frozen in place, the only thing moving being the blood from the open cuts all over her body, neck and face, "Now then, if you'd be so kind as to call out your fearless leader?"
Kuro managed a weak grin, a bit dizzy from the blood lost, before grinning, "No need."
Winter gave her a look, ready to question her, only to jump a bit when someone behind him cleared his throat, "Vale would have been able to do this in a much cleaner manner, Kuro."
"Then next time give him the job." Kuro grinned, watching as Winter turned to face Shax.
Said fox demon sighed, shaking his head as he tugged his gloves down, "Honestly, I'm sure that you have much more class then this, Winter. You couldn't have just asked for an appointment?"
"Be silent, you traitorous scum!" Winter growled, whipping around to crush his skull with the pole, only to have Shax jump back, his expression not changing.
To that, Kuro couldn't help but chuckle weakly, while his expression was the same, anyone who knew him could see the slight narrow in his eye, the small curve at the end of his mouth.
"In all honesty, I don't see why you'd bother." Shax sighed, ducking and dodging every attack, looking bored out of his mind. From where she was stuck, Kuro scowled, Shax was a bit like Corvus as well, "We could have settled this like real demons."
Winter scowled, "You should have offered that before you took everything from me!" He shouted, before throwing his arm out, "ATTACK!"
He scowled, turning around, "Do I pay you grunts for nothing!?" He shouted, only to have his jaw drop.
Zagan just stood there, dusting his hands off as if he gave Winter an emotionless look, "Hard to command an army that isn't there, isn't it!?" Abraxas shouted from behind the wall, finally jumping it when all the grunts were done with.
Winter growled, before Shax whistled, "Never divert your attention; you taught me that, remember?"
"Be SILENT YOU INSOLENT CHILD!" Winter shouted, swinging around, only to have Shax catch the staff, ripping it out of Winter's hands, before tossing it to the side.
Sighing, Shax ran a hand through his hair, giving Kuro a disappointed look, "Come on now, you could have done your job a bit cleaner."
"Said it once, I'll say it again." Kuro coughed, trying to flip him off despite the ice holding her in place, "Have Vale do it."
"Do you think that I'm blind!?" Winter scowled, shaking his head, "I thought that I taught you better."
"...Oh?"
"Using a decoy to try and weaken me?" Winter scoffed, a cocky grin on his face, "Vale did indeed do this job much better!"
"Is that so?" Shax drawled on, only to move his focus to Zagan, a hand raised, "You two may go back into the bar; I will take care of the rest of this."
"I'm glad to know that you've got pride left." Winter chided, leaning into his punch, only to have Shax leer away, almost looking bored.
"Don't waste my time, Winter." Shax sighed, rubbing his neck.
"You can't dodge forever!" Winter gloated, going in for a swing.
Kuro could spot Shax's intent at least from a mile away. Shax grabbed his arm, swinging it about until it was held behind Winter's back, "I'll give you one last chance. Leave."
"And what will you do to me?" Winter scowled, arrogant to the very end. Winter smirked, "While Vale lacked in conversation, at least he could get a few lashes in, unlike that brainless brat!"
"Oh?" Shax drew on, almost bored, tightening his hold, "And what makes you say that? I make sure she's paid handsomely for her work, I'd hate to find out now that it's all for naught."
"pay me well my ass, last week all I got was half a bottle of whiskey!"
"Hush now, Kuro, the adults are talking," Shax sighed, "But, while we're on the subject, Winter; she did her job fairly well."
"I've long since learned how you fight, Shax." Winter scoffed, still struggling only to remain trapped, unable to do much but boast, "You can't use blood magic when there is none!"
"Have you taken the time to look around you yet, Winter?"
Kuro laughed when Winter's expression fell, as well as his eyes. He stared at the blood that surrounded him, making a rather crappy circle, "B-but...I didn't..."
"No, but you took pleasure in watching someone else spill blood." Shax murmured, "She also managed to smear the right rune on you."
Slowly looking down, Winter's breathing hitched as he noticed that, where Kuro had once bloodied his coat, the rune for fire was drawn out.
"No…That can't be...No…No!" Winter screamed, finally mustering the strength to push Shax off of him, causing said fox demon to jump back, the ice elemental whipping around, "That's not possible, there is no way that such a brainless brat could manage-."
"I would question it if I were you." Shax murmured, touching the outer circle, "Ignis."
Flames trailed along the blood as if it were gasoline, trapping Winter in. Kuro could see the fear in the once cocky demon; after all, ice didn't like heat.
"This will be goodbye for good, Valence." Shax murmured, before holding his hand out, "Ignium."
Kuro had to look away, death by fire wasn't an ideal way to go. Nor was screaming till you were a burnt crisp.
Kuro's vision was beginning to give in, from both blood loss and exhaustion. She felt the ice holding her firm melt from the bonfire Shax had set up, before feeling said demon pick her up, "You overdid it again."
"I'd say burn in hell, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Kuro spat back, trying to walk on her own, only to flinch, looking down at her blood coated hands, "Damn...is all of this really mine?"
"Stop talking, you'll cause more damage." Shax murmured, throwing her onto the counter.
Kuro hadn't even had time to realize that they were in the bar, with each blink, someone else was standing over her, from a stoic Vale who looked slightly irritated, to Zagan who had this messed up smile on his face.
It took a while, but within what seemed to be at least 15 minutes, Kuro began to feel her body once more, more so the hand that gripped hers tightly.
Looking down, Kuro was met with Vanth's wide tears eyes, clutching her hands tightly. She was mumbling something, which began to get clearer and clearer by the second.
"Please d-don't leave me alone."
Kuro managed a grin, using her other hand, which had already been cleaned and bandaged, "No worries, kid; takes more than that to break me."
"That's enough medicine, Shax, she's fine." Kuro could hear Vale say off to the side in his usual dismissive tone.
"I've noticed." Shax sighed from behind the bar, looking down at Kuro, "Glad to know we didn't lose you to such a meager fight."
"Yep, just another normal day in the Rift." Kuro grinned, "Now, could you finish this quickly, Doctor Shax? Gotta make sure that I'm all pretty and perfect for my fucked fiancée."
"The fight has just ended, Lord Legion."
"Good."The entity spoke, currently in their office. It was a room of walls of bookshelves, the middle being a large desk that currently held a map of hell. He stood over it, chair in the corner, "If only Winter had decided to stay with us, hmm?"
"Of course, Lord Legion." The messenger stood stiffly, too scared to show fear, "...Do you have any orders, my lord?"
"No. I don't want anyone, from both the military or guard, to step in for clean-up and containment. If I catch wind that they do, they will be...retired of their duty."
"Of course, my lord." The demon bowed, "Also, our king is sending out a call for a meeting, within a month's time. He would like the attendance of all the Sins."
"Is there anyone else?"Legion finally asked after a few tense seconds,"Possibly...royal blood?"
"From what I've been told, there is no definitive answer. I'm sorry, Lord Legion."
"...You are excused."Legion said, "Send in Cresil on your way out."
Waiting for the door to close, before grabbing a red pen. "It's hard to keep a hold over a pawn when you don't know what they'll do,"the voices sighed in unison, circling a spot within the Rift.
"You called, boss man?"
"Please do refer to my title, even in privacy."Legion sighed, rubbing his forehead, "Is it safe to assume that you were the one to give Winter the information?"
Cresil grinned, "I couldn't help it, this game is taking a while."
"And yet you do nothing but watch the conflict from afar."Legion sighed, "You are hard to understand."
"Then it makes sense as to why you'd want me on your side." Cresil grinned, before his face suddenly turned to stone, "But that's not why you wanted me here, is it?"
"While you're odd, you manage to be far from dim."Legion noted, before beckoning Cresil over to the desk, "All of the green are spots that the guard has managed to take over."
"We don't have much green." Cresil noted.
"Which is why I'm going to have to ask you to begin taking more...subjects in."Legion murmured, "Our king is beginning to do anything to find out about these surface smuggling activities, not to mention that you'll have a lot more...playthings."
"I can't disagree to that." Cresil grinned, "But what's the catch?"
"Other than handing over surface smugglers? We request that, when you do find the demon you're looking for, we learn what you learn from them before you...take care of the mess."
"I can do that." Cresil grinned, before bowing, "My Lord Legion."
"Excellent."
That ended up being a lot longer then I thought it would be.
Just a quick author's note, I went ahead and got myself a black butler amino account. I'm under the name "JustAnotherSebastianFan". I'm that idiot that likes to upload stuff like stupid memes and even dumber yet entertaining blogs. Feel free to follow and share ideas!
Well, till next time, Bai Bai!