Chapter 46: Guidance
Sighing softly, Izaya's body relaxed under Shizuo's grasp. There was no use trying to struggle against a demon lord's strength.
"I fucked up. I should have thought ahead."
But Shizuo only snorted and shook his head in sweet denial.
"It was just a few seconds you managed to get out of me, but that's more than enough time for me to come to your aid."
A doubting glance was cast towards the demon lord, but it seemed Shizuo was being honest.
True.
Izaya forgot.
The goal wasn't to win, the goal was to keep Shizuo away from him as long as possible. Looking at his palm Izaya recalled their previous encounters. The critters attacked them out of nowhere. The demon.
Shizuo had had no issue overtaking the speed of the arachnid monster, but the demon had been faster. A few seconds sounded like nothing worth mentioning, but considering just how fast Shizuo was capable of acting they might be what could save Izaya's life at some point.
Pride glittered in Shizuo's eyes as if to confirm Izaya's string of logic and he closed his eyes for a second.
As if having unlocked some kind of power spike draining his natural resources Izaya suddenly felt extremely tired. His body hurt, albeit not in a torturous way, but comparable to a muscle ache. Basically he felt as though he had run a marathon and only now stopped to take a break. Tiny spots of black started to invade his vision in a similar fashion to not having drunk enough water during his strenuous exercise and he wiped at them with mild annoyance.
He wondered when the drawback would hit after almost having passed out from casting one blade. The delay was funny, but the intensity was too weak to be considered the true cost.
"Are you okay?" Shizuo asked and for a second Izaya wondered whether the demon lord had won this quick in order to get him to stop using his newfound ability.
Sighing softly, Izaya focused on his own body.
He expected sudden heaps of pain, or random cuts tearing his body from inside out. In short, something gruesome and painful, but his muscle ache seemed to be the limit of his punishment.
"Better than I should be," he admitted with a confused frown as he opened his eyes again to face the demon lord. It was odd.
Considering the quantity of blades he had used compared to the single one from before he expected to pass out at the very least.
Or maybe he already did and this was some kind of dream?
But the way Shizuo's body seemed awfully relaxed and his expression read only minimal hints of worry, Izaya figured this was an expected result.
"There is a huge difference between using a spell the first time and repeating one." Shizuo started to explain and moved off Izaya in order to give him some room to breathe. Wrists rested on his bent knee as he sat on the ground next to Izaya. "Compared to before you used less of your own strength and more of that surrounding you."
Ah. So he used a different fuel to power his blades this time around. That was a concept Izaya could understand. But that didn't diminish the feeling of surprise.
"I was that efficient?" he repeated with a hint of doubt. But even while speaking he knew Shizuo wasn't the type to sugarcoat his actions.
"That and your body somehow seems to have adjusted extremely quickly," the demon explained and let his eyes trail Izaya's body from his head to his toes.
Heh.
So in other words, he had a knack for using magic in this world? By now Izaya was hardly impressed by the various new facettes of hell he seemed to encounter daily, but this was a benefit he hadn't quite seen coming. Looking at his palm as though he expected some kind of deity devoted to only him to emerge from his flesh, Izaya wondered whether there was an explanation for his ability to learn this quickly, or whether he had really just reincarnated as some kind of prodigy.
It seemed a bit too easy. Too good to be true.
A downside was what he expected for his fast improvement, but his body lost more and more of its fatigue by the second as he felt his energy replenish itself.
Stopping the doubtful voice inside his head Izaya smiled for a moment as he decided to not wreck his head over answers he was never going to get.
It was then, spreading his wings out in order to fold them back in, that Izaya's attention was brought to Shizuo's aids of flight.
The demon had unfolded them for a brief moment when Izaya tried to throw one of his blades into his direction while he was midair.
It wasn't like Izaya had actually seen the demon unfold them, but it made sense that he had needed them in order to change his direction midair.
The injury Shizuo had sustained when fighting the demon was still awfully present and Izaya's eyes narrowed with guilt as he watched the three cuts vanish along with the wing. "Sorry-" Izaya whispered, barely audible and Shizuo hesitated in short confusion. Only when he followed his gaze did he understand what he was feeling apologizing for and snorted.
"Don't tell me you feel guilty?" he joked, but didn't mean to hit the mark.
"I do," Izaya sighed.
Shizuo was a demon. The highest class too. His recovering ability exceeded that of any other and yet the cuts were still there.
Just remembering the fight caused a light set of goosebumps to travel down Izaya's spine. He still remembered the face of that demon. Its killing intent.
"Forget about it. It's fine," Shizuo quickly waved him off, and somehow Izaya couldn't help but think about the demon Shizuo was looking for.
The woman. The one he had almost killed on accident after losing his memories.
"That's easily said for someone that refuses to forget his own," Izaya argued, and it seemed he had hit a nerve.
Shizuo didn't need Izaya to point out who he was talking about and groaned softly before letting his back meet the ground as well.
"You are wrecking your head an awful lot about a problem that's mine to bear."
Only his problem, huh?
"It's not only yours if we really are connected as you say," Izaya argued and a mischievous smile grazed his lips. "But we will find out soon enough, no?"
Of course Shizuo had forgotten. It had been a long time ago and Shizuo had thought he was a demon still when he gave the promise.
"What do you mean?" the demon lord asked and Izaya shrugged.
"I still have a promise left to fulfill."
And suddenly Shizuo remembered.
Right.
Take him with him to face the demon he hurt. Izaya had promised something along those lines during their journey. A promise that he shouldn't keep. Quickly pushing his back off the ground his forehead folded into a frown as he realized the dangers such a promise included.
"That was a joke," he clarified, but Izaya seemed far from letting the topic end just like that.
Pushing himself up into a cross legged seat the human shook his head.
"Not for me," he clarified as he met the demon's gaze. "You brought me to Crysteria and even taught me how to defend myself, now it's my turn to uphold my end of the deal."
It wasn't like gratitude was the only reason Izaya wanted to help Shizuo, but it was most likely the most acceptable reason for the demon.
An exasperated sigh left Shizuo's lips and he groaned for a second.
"I don't even know where she is," he tried to reason, but Izaya wasn't this quick to give up.
"Maybe return to the place you fought her in," he suggested, but Shizuo shook his head quicker than he could finish his sentence.
"She is not there."
Frowning softly, Izaya irked an eyebrow as he doubted Shizuo's honesty for a second. It wasn't like he thought the demon was lying to him, but it was odd to assume her missing presence when they hadn't checked.
"How do you know?" he asked, and Shizuo sighed.
"We already passed it."
Passed it?
The location?
His expression must have looked overly confused as the demon quickly elaborated.
"Remember the canyon you descended so quickly?" he asked, and Izaya recalled one of the very first destinations he had visited inside hell.
The ashen ground. The trees holding the cute creatures of hell. And the abyss. The one Shizuo descended into, filled with lost souls traversing the cut in the landscape.
Its enormous size had somehow caused Izaya to think it was brought to life by some kind of natural catastrophe, but looking at Shizuo, at what the Serpent was capable of when it came to altering its surroundings and seeing how Shizuo had said he would win against it, he suddenly understood what it was he had seen.
"That was you?" It wasn't a chasm. It was a cut. Caused by Shizuo's power. "Apparently," the demon confirmed and his voice dropped to a quiet whisper. "As you might guess I have no memory of fighting here."
Rupturing noises traversed the cave from the side and before the two knew it a very familiar pair of eyes protruded from the rough wall.
"If it's a demon you are looking for I might be able to help," the guardian spoke confidently as he had obviously listened in to their conversation.
It was as unsettling as it was practical to know he had been present without showing his face.
"You know where she is?" Izaya asked, ignoring the creepy aspect of the creature as it's promise of help was a much greater aspect.
Even Shizuo seemed surprised about the guardian's statement and he blinked.
"Since when?"
"Forever. You just never asked," the crab laughed and Izaya couldn't quite hold back a snort. Considering the amount of time that Shizuo must have spent with the guardian in his presence it was hilarious to think he had never considered asking the crab for guidance.
"With Crysteria having passed there is no better time to leave than now," the guardian added, but Shizuo seemed not exactly approving of the crab's insinuation.
He was suggesting for them to leave.
Right now.
"No. Not yet," Shizuo complained almost instantly and a glance was cast towards Izaya with obvious intention. Izaya had only just learned to use magic at all. Sure, he was safer than before when it came to his self defense, but not trained enough.
"I can already use what you taught me," Izaya pointed out, but his arguments proved invalid as Shizuo merely agreed.
"Yeah and that's the issue," he argued, "No matter how quickly you learned to use it, there is a difference between studying and experience."
Of course.
Izaya wasn't dumb. He was well aware that a few more days or even weeks inside this cave were probably going to cement his newly learned ability. But in what way?
"So you want me to practise using it against these poor fellows?" Izaya pointed out and touched one of the waterflies on its way past Izaya's sight. A protesting squeak followed from the weak creature and even Shizuo seemed to understand Izaya's point.
"He is right, you know," the crab confirmed as well, backing Izaya's intention with profound experience and the demon lord groaned as he was obviously losing against both of his opponents.
"Not you too-"
Heavy laughter filled the cave as the eyes of the guardian protruded from the cave. Moving over they glances up and down Izaya's body as if to analyze his current state.
"I have watched this place for longer than time exists. Believe me when I tell you staying here any longer will not provide the strength and security you are hoping to find." A glance was cast towards Izaya. Doubtful. Worried. But at the same time persuaded. Shizuo was aware that the guardian was right and despite wishing to trap Izaya somewhere, where no harm could dare encroach, he knew his urge was faulty and not anything Izaya would wish to happen.
"As always you are wiser than me," Shizuo sighed in mild defeat and the guardian smiled as he claimed his victory in this small battle of words.
"It is my job to be with millenias wearing down my body," he laughed and the cave moved in time with his amusement.
"So?" Izaya asked and the demon lord sighed deeply with regret marking his expression even whilst he spoke. "Alright."
He had no other choice anyway when it came to these two and as if on cue Izaya turned towards the crab with gleeful curiosity.
"Where do we find her?" he asked the guardian and the giant body of the cave moved for a second as a feeler, longer than Izaya was tall, emerged from the wall.
"Do you have anything of her on your body?" the crab asked as the tip of it unfolded and showed something that crudely resembled a palm asking to be handed an object.
A glance was cast towards the human and Izaya looked at the crystal dangling from his neck.
"This one actually," Shizuo mumbled, "I mean, I think it belongs to me, but she was holding onto it for a long time if that helps."
Looking at the way Shizuo's name was inscribed onto the surface of the pretty crystal izaya was met with mild confusion.
"It's not yours?" he asked and Shizuo shook his head. "It is. Apparently when I disappeared I lost it and she looked for me while holding onto it."
Quickly pulling the necklace off his frame Izaya offered the object to the bulky palm.
"Let's see about that," the crab announced as Izaya put the object where it belonged.
Words of demon language traversed the cave, spoken by the guardian. They sounded powerful and threatening in the way they seemed to fill every single breath of air. Almost like walking into a bee's hive combined with a visit to a hot sauna.
Izaya held his breath, for what reason he wasn't quite sure, but somehow looking at the guardian cast his spell in this manner he felt as though he was witnessing the summoning of a god.
Light brighter than the sun suddenly gazed forth from the redness of the crystal and a line of gold spread above the object.
Shaped like a fang it rotated around its own axis before coming to a quick standstill, pointing towards Izaya.
"She seems to be still alive," the guardian suddenly declared and Izaya realized that the object wasn't in fact pointing at him, but at the landscape behind his back. "Follow the direction it points into," the crab announced and Izaya's head tilted upwards to glance at the ceiling.
This cave was nothing but an extension of the guardian's body. Once they left it they were inside hell's vegetation again.
"For how long?" Izaya asked since Shizuo failed to speak.
"That I can't tell you, but I trust you will make your way."
Trust, huh?
Izaya wasn't sure whether trust was going to get them far. Judging from this compass they might as well be travelling for years or just a couple days. It was a timespan Izaya disliked for its vagueness, but it was a hint at least.
The ceiling crumbled faster than Shizuo was able to muster another argument as to why it would be wiser to stay with the guardian. But somehow Izaya had a feeling his reluctance wasn't only tied to this safety.
"I doubt she is still blaming you for what you did," he whispered, and it seemed he had hit the nail on the head as Shizuo jerked in his stance. Insecure eyes laid upon Izaya and for a second the demon sighed. "You don't even know her, how would you know?"
How, huh?
Taking the necklace from the guardian's feeler, Izaya put it around his neck with a smile. "Someone who looked after a necklace for a decade in hope to find you doesn't strike me as someone unwilling to forgive." This demon. Whoever she was, was probably as gentle natured as Shizuo. And it seemed the demon lord understood that logic as a weak smile spread across his lips.
They were going to find her, and finally take that unnecessary weight off Shizuo's shoulders.
to be continued~
C: Time to dive back into hell's nature~! xD Yaaaay~ xDDDD
