Chapter 15: Riverbank
Oppressing silence ended the conversation right then and there.
No more questions were asked and no more words spoken.
Talking would have been a nice way to pass time, but Izaya wasn't foolish enough to bring up a different topic when he wasn't quite sure how exactly he had offended the demon.
And so it was just that- quiet.
It was a funny sensation because Izaya should have felt out of place. Awkward maybe, with a tinge of discomfort and alertness.
But somehow when he watched the demon chill by his fire he could take help but view him as a feral cat.
The large kind that you weren't supposed to feed.
A tiger maybe. Or panther.
Crimson flames danced in those golden demon eyes and Izaya let his own back lean against the stone surrounding their fireplace.
His head tilted upwards and Izaya looked at the tip of the crystals.
The freezing tips of ice that he had spotted earlier had started to grow. By now they reached halfway down the massiv borders.
It was when the faintest tint of purple grazed the horizon that Izaya realized what he had seen so far appeared to have been nighttime.
It was an idea that was both perplexing and intriguing at the same time.
Because a lot more than half a day had passed.
A whole at least. 24 hours so to say.
Yet the sun only rose now?
How did time move in hell? Was it slowed down compared to the surface?
Dozens of questions circled Izaya's mind and finally Shizuo moved.
Izaya had no idea what exactly the demon had been waiting for, but also hadn't really had the urge to ask.
Stretching his arms and stiffened shoulders he presented quite the accurate image of a jaguar spotting prey.
Without even wasting a glance towards Izaya the demon rose from the ground and Izaya followed the action.
It was only upon his elevated stance that Izaya suddenly noticed the changes that had occurred in the short time span spent.
Snow.
It was something Izaya expected in the middle of a city in winter- but certainly not something he thought he would see in hell.
Large crystals of the size of Izaya's head had gathered and covered the entire landscape-
The purple light streaming from the horizon was dispersed and suddenly Izaya found himself looking at a sparkling cherry blossom coloured landscape.
How?
There had been not a single cloud in the sky nor a hint of the cold necessary for such a change.
Even now the temperature mimicked that of spring at most and Izaya couldn't quite tear his eyes from the sight.
It were Shizuo's words only that managed to recapture his attention as his words cut through the refreshing cold.
"Come on."
Having halted not too far he stood and waited. The intention was clear, he wanted Izaya to follow him- but not out of sight.
"I thought I was meant to keep my distance?" Slight confusion edged Izaya into precaution as he reminded the demon of his earlier request, but Shizuo merely rolled his eyes.
"Do you know how annoying it is to keep checking who is causing commotions behind my back?"
Izaya frowned, a bit perplexed.
"Commotions?" He had given off not a single sound moved with utmost care. The way Shizuo made it sound as if he had been flailing around like a baby jabbed his pride in an unpleasant way.
"You have never been in this area before, have you?" Shizuo asked and Izaya answered cautiously.
"Yes?" Sounded more like a question, but so be it.
"Well, it shows." Shizuo mumbled and pointed towards a set of farn.
Apart from the crystals scattered around they were the only plant withstanding the rough climate and hard ground. "You don't touch these. They scream underground and inform every critter nearby of moving prey."
What the hell-
Turning on the spot Izaya looked towards the path they had come from. Those farn were almost everywhere, he had brushed past them with no second thought only to learn now that they were alive?
Automatic disgust slipped down Izaya's spine as he shuddered, but he didn't let it show as he redirected his gaze.
"I will make sure not to."
Golden eyes met his own, and with a short nod Shizuo turned to continue his walk.
Izaya did as asked and followed right up. The destination was clear, Shizuo was heading towards that mountain up ahead.
So, why?
Why did it not come any closer?
Recalculating the distance inside Izaya's head he tried to come up with a proper timeline.
Had he been that far off?
He had estimated a days walk, maybe two or three, maximum four- but from the looks of it and traveling for hours there was no sign of even remotely having come closer.
Why?
A slight hint of frustration made itself apparent and Izaya realized with annoyance that the gravitation of hell seemed to increase only further.
If he had felt like carrying four packs of milk then they were now six. Three on each leg- and he feared it showed in his tempo.
Casual side glances were directed at him from the demon in front and Izaya wasn't quite sure what to make of them.
Was he too slow?
Should he say anything?
Apologize?
No, the demon didn't seem like the kind to hold a grudge for nothing.
And he certainly didn't look like the kind of person to keep anything bottled up.
But he seemed like the kind of demon that was going to abandon him- and that would be bad.
Ignoring the slowly building exhaustion, Izaya sped his steps up.
He couldn't risk being found out.
He would rather sprint a marathon with weights on his entire body than to pass up this chance to find the demon lord and return to his old life.
Crystals passed, the floor grew broader and suddenly they arrived at a scenery that made Izaya's guts drop.
Broken and crushed various shards of shattered crystals decorated the path up front and before Izaya knew it they were standing at an abyss.
Steep ledges and a ground too far to even see the bottom opened up below.
Izaya hadn't seen it before, but it was there, cutting their way. It seemed like it wasn't natural but rather like someone or something had carved it in there.
Deep slashes had cut the landscape into an unrecognizable shape.
Almost as if it were the showcase of a fight between gods.
It gave Izaya a rough impression of what two powerful demons clashing might look like, and suddenly Shizuo's feats of killing those critters seemed incredibly negligible.
It explained Shizuo's attitude and way of handling himself at least and Izaya's eyes trailed to said demon.
Looking at the abyss he seemed to be in thoughts. What kind Izaya couldn't really tell.
But something about the way Shizuo looked at the abyss made him think he knew what had happened here.
A soft shrug followed and before Izaya knew it- he jumped.
Down there.
Into the abyss.
Eyes following after Izaya realized that moving down the largest cut of the landscape was the closest route to the mountain up front- and if Izaya couldn't follow-
Quick Izaya's eyes scanned his surroundings.
He had to make it down there on his own. There was no way in hell Shizuo was going to help him- and then he saw it.
One of the thistles.
A few small ledges.
And something in Izaya's body twitched at the sight.
He… could go down there, right?
Parkour- as if having just remembered something important Izaya realized that he was fit. That his balance was better than most and going down there an actual option.
Before he could second guess this vivid memory of him running through a city he moved towards the ledge.
It was now or never anyway. And so he jumped.
Having landed down below Shizuo found himself surrounded by the darkness of earth.
He knew jumping down from that high up was nothing a mediocre demon should be able to handle and so he tilted his head upwards.
What was his shadow going to do?
Look lost?
Ask for help?
Shizuo wasn't quite sure what to expect- but his follower joining him within under a hot minute certainly was none of the options.
Dust rose from the dry ground and Shizuo blinked at the mediocre
demon as he mindlessly brushed some off his knees.
"How did you-" fading out he shut up once Izaya lifted his gaze.
A mischievous smile spread across Izaya's face as he sneered.
"Got lost or something?"
The demon seemed quite lost for words as he looked up and down Izaya's body. He was probably searching for some kind of trick or hidden strength.
"Not really," he finally mumbled and turned.
Izaya couldn't help but snort.
This guy had actually been waiting for him to stand up there and look pitiful hadn't he? He was glad he proved him wrong.
But he didn't think Shizuo would hold this level of mischief.
It was a refreshing detail and offered room to fool around.
All earlier held grudges regarding the matter of possessing a heart seemed to have been let go.
It caused Izaya to wonder whether the demon was actually gracious or just forgetful.
Warm earth made up the vast majority of the ground as Izaya quickly followed the demon's lead.
How he knew about the warmth?
It was radiating off the walls.
Smooth and pleasant like a stone having been left in the open sun during the day it was casually warming up the space.
The abyss wasn't much broader than a couple meters at first, but expanded vastly as they moved on.
Before long Izaya realized the shimmer of blue he had thought zo see up front was no play of light.
The purple sky set in colors of beige and magenta and Izaya realized he was looking at a liquid.
At first he thought it was nothing but a puddle up ahead, but the closer they got the larger it grew.
Like a streak of nacre on top of a marble surface a small river had carved its way into the lowest depths of the abyss. For a second Izaya thought they would have to actually walk through the doubtful liquid, but then he saw a small riverbank.
Naturally formed over what appeared to have been decades it was sitting on the left and two meters broad at least.
It was more than enough room to fit both of them.
Stepping onto the more sand-like substance now below his feet Izaya did his best to follow the demon.
The option of having to go up the same way they had gone down the abyss came to mind for a second and Izaya cringed at the idea. Jumping downwards had been manageable, but up? He hoped this abyss was going to end with a steady increase instead of a mount to surpass.
High walls of earth blocked all further vision beyond the abyss and so Izaya was forced to look at the small river instead.
Both the color and consistency intrigued him more than he liked to admit. This was no simple water.
Waste maybe?
Did demons possess something like modern technology and the means to attain fuel and other resources? Pollution? Was that a thing down here?
If Izaya had to guess the liquid looked like fancy oil that someone had dumped inside the abyss. Although a fancy and better smelling kind.
It was when he looked towards Shizuo that he noticed something even stranger ahead.
Spheres.
Perfectly round and of the same consistency as the oily liquid it floated up ahead. Left, right, up, down- it seemed to have a will of its own rather than following a streak of wind.
A bit uneasy, Izaya slowed down. The spheres were glowing. And suddenly Izaya felt himself reminded of video games and how lava sometimes floated out of a pond of magma just in the same way.
The possibility of it being harmful crossed Izaya's mind as one suddenly darted right towards his face.
It was a reflex, really- Izaya lifted his arm with the intention to flick the potential creature or source of danger away.
But none of that happened, because within the blink of an eyelid Shizuo was suddenly over, catching his wrist midair.
"Good heavens would you not?" he cursed, and Izaya jerked away.
"What?"
Clicking his tongue, Shizuo let go of Izaya's wrist and nodded towards the floating spheres.
"Did your parents teach you nothing? Those are human souls," he hissed, and his golden eyes took on the form of annoyed slits. "If you touch them they die."
Okay. That was a lot to take in.
Demons apparently had parents. So the theory of a demon coming into existence by piling humans' evil deeds was void. Also. Humans. Hell was supposed to be a place to be tortured in, or at least that's what he had always been taught. These souls looked anything but tortured as they floated around wherever they pleased.
And last but not least-
"Why do you care?" Izaya couldn't quite hide the actual surprise nor the question itself as it slipped off his lips.
Almost immediately he regretted his words, as Shizuo's expression fell.
The anger he had held in his eyes suddenly dissipated and the golden slits returned to calmth as he blinked.
It seemed Izaya had not been the only one to mess up as the demon's palm found its way to his lips.
Quite as if Shizuo himself had revealed something he didn't intend to.
"I don't. Suit yourself."
It was the worst lie Izaya had ever seen spoken in front of him. Shizuo obviously did.
Why else would he keep Izaya from killing them?
It was as odd as it was … pleasant.
A demon caring for souls.
Izaya had thought humans were something like cattle to demons. But now? But didn't Shizuo ask about Izaya wearing the clothes of his last victim?
That meant there were demons that devoured humans on a daily basis. But- it was a choice to do so, and apparently Shizuo was not a fan of the idea.
… but if that was the case, then why hide his compassion?
Turning around Shizuo quickly continued his stride as the conversation appeared to be over in his mind.
Was it maybe something demons weren't supposed to do?
Feeling his lips curl into a smile Izaya couldn't help but feel his intrigue maximize.
He was still a bit confused as to why exactly there was a river of souls chilling around at the bottom of what appeared to be a demon's fighting ground, but Shizuo had asked for something and he wasn't stupid enough to ignore that.
Evading the spheres of nacre liquid Izaya quickly realized that there had been no need to even raise his hands.
They avoided him on purpose.
Flying up close, as if to look at Izaya properly, they dashed away almost as quickly once they were done.
Shizuo was still up front. Not having turned once he regretted his mistake. His shadow was now for sure going to smash the souls for fun. Who would not? They couldn't even defend themselves.
Feeling a soft hint of frustration, Shizuo turned.
His intention had been to scold the mediocre demon to hurry the fuck up.
Instead he was met with astonishment.
His shadow- he was actually avoiding the souls.
Focused on what laid ahead, both the path and the floating spheres, it took the demon a while to notice Shizuo's stare.
"What?"
Quickly turning again Shizuo hid a pleasant smile threatening to tug the corner of his lips upwards.
"Nothing."
to be continued~
Now isn't this cute as fuck xDDD Honeslty now that I think about it, this story might be the second fluffiest next to Impostor lmao Kinda funny considering it's taking place in hell xDDDDD
Ps.: I was sick half the week and couldn't quite concentrate enopugh to write, so, SnS, SD and Impostor sadly won't get an update C':