A Demon's Tale

The journey through the darkness filled castle had continued. Much like the very shade that surrounded it, the castle itself had almost felt like a void, as none of the guards had appeared following the sounds of wood clattering against the chiseled floor below. Those sounds had now been replaced however, as the one responsible was out of commission for the time being. Instead, the sounds of bare feet slapping against the ground replaced it. Before that sound came two other noises. The sounds of heels and boots clicking, along with the noise that followed in quick pursuit after, a metal clinking of spurs.

Those who were moving had one goal in mind. They would reach the other side of the castle where their friends had likely been. Once they reached that area, they could not only provide support to their allies, but also heal the girl who had been injured.

Yoro: [We’re lucky we haven’t run into anyone. I hate to say it, but I have to give credit to the sleepyhead over there for scaring off the guards.]

Kōkatsu: [Heh…..Fuck ya too…]

Barely able to speak, and without enough energy to muster up her enthusiastic accent, Kōkatsu quietly replied to the red headed girl who had both praised her and taken a jab at her with words alone.

Kiyomi: [May I ask, how much farther ahead will the Kaoru girl possibly be?]

Nero: [In our best case scenario, we’ll be able to catch up to her in the next room ahead.]

Kiyomi: [And…the worst?]

Yoro: [...She’ll be where Shiro is.]

Nero turned to his captivating partner who ran beside him. Her statement had rattled his brain in confusion.

Nero: [Where Shiro is? I haven’t been checking myself unfortunately, but Yoyo, are you saying…]

Yoro: [Yeah. We’re not in a great position right now. She’s already there.]

Receiving their words, Kiyomi changed her gaze between the two at a rapid rate. She was unsure of what the answer had been regarding Kaoru’s location.

Kiyomi: [I’m out of the loop, what does all of this mean?!]

Nero: [It is a problematic scenario, Miss…Kiyomi, was it? An agreement was made beforehand in order to protect both our friend Shiro and the girl you are looking for, Kaoru. The two of them would be forced to stick together.]

Yoro: [Shiro’s presence isn’t ahead, it’s at the end of the castle. She hasn’t moved very far from that spot since arriving at it. Which only means one of two things. But if I had to take a guess, one is more likely than the other.]

Kiyomi: [Wait, if she’s at the throne room, then that means–]

Before anyone could reply, a faint laugh that almost resembled that of a cough was produced next to Kiyomi.

Kōkatsu: [I see…So she already made it to him, huh….]

Yoro: [Honestly, just how crazy is that girl? I’m happy to have her as my closest friend!]

Kōkatsu: [If I had enough energy…I’d kick yer ass for sayin’ that…]

Yoro: [We can have the same best friend! It’s not an exclusive thing you know!]

As the two continued to bicker against each other, Nero began to focus on the facts that were now displayed.

If Shiro was now in the same area as Daroma, then there was one final question to answer.

Using his own skills to detect what stood beyond them, Nero was able to arrive at his conclusion.

Nero: [...I see. I suppose that was certainly part of our plan. After all, we performed such an action ourselves.]

Yoro: [Huh? What’s up, Nene?]

Nero: [It’s nothing, really. I just wanted to get an understanding of what would happen next. It feels rather obvious now to look back on, but seeing as all of us had split up, this was an option as well.]

Yoro: [An optio–Oh. I see now.]

Kiyomi: [You guys just keep saying stuff without answering! What is it?!]

Yoro: [There’s someone ahead.]

Hearing those words, the already panic filled girl received another dosage of it.

Kiyomi: [Ah! One of the higher guards?!]

Nero: [There is a presence that feels like that, but there’s one more. One of our own.]

Uttering those words, the visualization of who had begun to battle in the next room over filled the brains of those running.

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While a battle between a pair of duos exploded in the room behind them, three girls stood in the path of an enemy. There stood a man plastered in armor, gloating over and over about how powerful he was, along with how invincible his armor had been. Ignoring his comments, the girls began to speak to decide what would happen next.

Shiro: [...I know what you’re gonna say…but–]

Silvia: [I will handle it.]

Shiro: [Sil. I don’t doubt your capabilities, if anything, I think you might be a little bit more skilled in battle than I am. But this guy might be too much! You have a lot of techniques that work great on a regular body, but armor wouldn’t budge against them, right?!]

Silvia’s determined gaze clashed against Shiro’s concerned eyes. She looked at the dread that filled Shiro’s face, and focused her attention back towards the man ahead.

Silvia: [It issss fine. A fight like thissss will end quickly. I am glad you would like to help, Sssshiro. However, I am alright.]

Shiro: [Silvia! Please!]

Hearing the trembling words that left Shiro’s mouth, Silvia closed her eyes before speaking to her once more.

Silvia: [I will allow you to do sssso on one condition. I am not good with detecting a pressssensssse, sssso I musssst assssk. The nexsssst room over, issss it Daroma?]

Hesitating to answer the question, Shiro already knew what would happen as soon as she spoke. She could tell who it was without a doubt. Her own ability to sense signatures was far above the others, only competing with Yoro. Yoro herself had found her skills magnificent, as Shiro was able to perform the skill at such a high level in a short amount of time compared to how long it had taken Yoro.

Dreading what would come next, Shiro gave her answer to the paused snake.

Shiro: [...He is.]

The answer was finally spoken, and Silvia opened her eyes to face the enemy like she had before.

Silvia: [Then you sssshall go. If there had been anyone elsssse, I would have allowed you to help. But if it issss Daroma, then you musssst not hessssitate, Sssshiro.]

Shiro looked back to Kaoru, who nodded to her while tightening the grip she had on Shiro’s hand. She turned her attention back to Silvia, and provided her with one last statement.

Shiro: [You better not get hurt. Otherwise, you’d better be ready to hear an earful from me!]

Silvia smiled as she looked back at Shiro, her eyes now filled with the same determination that Silvia had.

Silvia: [You are making me dessssire the idea of being hurt. Sssspeaking with you issss quite fun for me.]

Sivlia quickly pulled Shiro in for a hug, surprising her with the sudden action. She enjoyed this moment however, and gently put her arms around her friend to complete it. They nodded to each other, and Shiro ran towards the next door with Kaoru following beside. The enemy on the other side of the room continued to gloat, and failed to pay attention to the two running past them. As Shiro continued to run, before she could even reach the door, Silvia yelled out to her.

Silvia: [Sssshiro!]

Continuing her sprint, Shiro looked back to face Silvia once more.

Silvia: [You ssssaid it to me before, sssso now I would like to ssssay it to you thissss time! Only with a sssslight differensssse in wording!]

Taking a large inhale of the air around her, Silvia shouted the words that meant the most to her, that she would now convey to Shiro.

Silvia: [I BELIEVE IN YOU!]

Smiling back to her, Shiro gave a shout of her own in reply.

Shiro: [Yeah!]

The doors creaked open as Shiro pushed against them, and now, only two remained in the current room.

???: [--Now if I am being quite honest, I am rather powerful. Of course, I have already mentioned this, but I would like to note the specific details regarding this that I–-]

Just how long had he spoken to himself? He was speaking to the two of them, but neither had noticed before. He was constantly flaunting his entire body as he spoke. Did it really matter to him all that much? Was this really an elite guard for Daroma the Dark’s castle?

Silently, Silvia thought to herself as the man continued to speak.

Honestly, this is why I can’t understand men.

Nero is different, I guess I’m okay with him, but I haven’t thought much of him. He’s a friend.

No, is he? I haven’t really spoken to him that often…

An acquaintance perhaps? That might be more correct. We spoke on occasion, but are we really friends?

What even defines a friend?

Kōkatsu is likely a friend. At least I feel that way.

When I started to set up our poker game, she asked if I wanted to become a “trio” with her and Shiro.

That made me rather happy. I haven’t even spoken to her that often, but she already wanted to bring our relationship further.

Kaoru, I’m not so sure. She is Kōkatsu’s child now. Would you really say that you’re a friend of a friend’s child? That seems rather odd.

Shiro is a friend. I know that for a fact.

We spoke often when she came to the library at school. It was nice. She would tell me about the things she enjoyed, or sometimes just the chats she had with her roommate, who I guess I now know.

She’s nice to me. Regardless of what I did or said, she laughed along or spoke in tandem with me. I feel like I can understand her.

She believes in me. She understands me.

Are there really that many people who can?

I rarely spoke to people as a child. I could only beg for money.

I was insulted, sometimes assaulted, all because of my voice.

My race is like a curse to others.

But why?

We haven’t done anything wrong.

There’s lies that are spread about us, saying that we ourselves lie with every word we speak.

But I don’t!

I told Shiro that she’s someone I want to be close with!

I said that without a shred of a lie!

I don’t care if a single person in my race lied, why does it have to spread to all of us?

We don’t deceive people!

My father never deceived anyone!

Neither did my mother!

…

…Come to think of it.

I was considering all of the things and people I understand.

Do I understand love?

I mean, I get the love for friends.

It’s thanks to those two in our “trio” that I understand it.

I understand the love towards family.

I love my mother. I love my father.

There isn’t a single doubt about that.

But what about other types of love?

The way Yoro loves Nero.

I don’t really get it.

She fell for someone that quickly? What did it take? Was there really nothing to it?

Come to think of it, I guess I’m not all that close to Yoro.

I don’t distrust her.

But I don’t understand why she became so attached to Nero.

Was it due to his strength?

His skills?

Men like to show off what they’re capable of, so was that something that attracted her?

???: [--Now if I’m being completely honest, I have a lot of faith in my legs. They’re built incredibly well, on top of the armor that is custom built for battles that take a heavy toll–]

Seriously, is he still going?

It’s getting annoying.

This is exactly what I mean.

All they do is show off.

I saw it in my village as well.

Their wealth, power, fame.

They purposefully made us look like nothing.

I truly can’t understand them.

As her thoughts built up, Silvia’s mouth began to unhinge and widen as she took out the sword that was crafted for her. She moved the sword between her massive gaping mouth before shutting it altogether, with the hilt of the blade sticking out of her lips.

Can’t they just act nice?

Can’t they just be considerate?

I guess Nero is, but he’s too clean.

It feels like there’s a lot he’d just accept without questioning.

Thinking on your own is what makes you who you are.

That’s what I need if I had to choose!

Someone who can be nice, but they can still understand if something isn’t right.

Someone who is considerate, but is still prepared to stand up for what’s wrong.

Someone who in my eyes is proper.

Perhaps I’m too selfish with my desires. Perhaps I’m far too greedy.

It does not matter.

Either I will be able to find such an impossible goal, or I will move past it like I always have.

I was part of a poor family.

But soon, after Shiro wins…

My family, my people, none shall be discriminated ever again!

I will allow my family to move past hardships with my own duties!

I will allow those who have suffered to receive the compensation they deserve!

I will make it happen, no matter what!

Pulling out the sword from her mouth, Silvia quickly moved in front of the man in a mere second. A thrust of her hand in its spear-like shape crashing through his armor and firmly into his abdomen. Sounds of his internal organs moving in position screeched out from within. He stuttered in response, but quickly got up following the surprise attack.

???: [Not a bad display! However, you should know that my fist–]

Silvia: [Too sssslow.]

Before he could even send his punch down towards her, Silvia cut the man diagonally across the chest, producing a spray of blood as he fell to his knees. A loud hiss roared as it continued to spray. This did not stop his speech, which continued to endlessly echo through his armor.

???: [Once again, not a bad display! But I must state that-PLEH!...HAK!]

His words were interrupted by his own throat. Blood was unexpectedly being coughed up from within. The wound from earlier started to burn. No, not just the wound. His entire body felt like it was burning. The pain was immense. Was this pain produced from just a single slash?

Silvia: [I’ll tell you what issss happening, ssssince you sssseem far to focussssed on your own ability to even be bothered in gauging your enemy. While you let me move my blade into my mouth, that allowed me to add ssssome venom that I am able to produsssse onto it.]

The man looked up at her, his entire body being held up by all four limbs, trembling in both fear and pain.

Silvia: [...You’ll be dead within ssssecondssss.]

A monstrous roar of coughs continued as more and more blood was spat out. After a few moments, the man fell to the floor, with his body still coughing up more blood as he laid there. Eventually, the blood had stopped. But it was obvious why it had done so. There was no longer a living being within the armor.

As Silvia looked down at her opponent, the doors behind her opened up to reveal three people she had known, and a newly discovered face. Given how they were holding her friend however, she had an idea of what had happened.

Silvia: [I ssssee. Sssso Kōkatssssu hassss gained another child.]

Kiyomi nodded to Silvia, as the other two looked past her. Yoro shifted her eyes slowly back to meet the tired purple eyes that focused on her own.

Yoro: [Silvia…]

Silvia: [What? Issss there ssssomething I do not undersssstand?]

Nero: [May I ask why?]

A response was not produced by Yoro, but instead the dignified boy who stood beside her.

Silvia: [Why? What issss wrong here?]

Nero: [...Was it necessary to kill them?]

Silvia: [I provided a quick method of dealing with the obsssstacle at hand. Issss that not good enough?]

Nero: [Do you believe that was the right choice?]

Silvia: [Pardon?]

The once tired eyes now grew annoyed as Nero questioned what had occurred.

Nero: [There likely was not a good reason to kill them, was there? There could certainly be other methods provided for dealing with a threat.]

Yoro: [Nene. It’s alright. Let’s not continue or–]

Silvia: [Oh, I am ssssorry. Should I perhapssss have given them a chansssse? Would that have been better? They were an enemy. Thissss was the right choisssse.]

Yoro: [Silvia, please-]

Nero: [That isn’t the right choice in the slightest! There are plenty of ways to handle a foe! Surely you know this!]

Silvia: [I DO KNOW THISSSS! WHAT DO YOU EVEN KNOW?! YOU HAVEN’T SSSSEEN WHAT I HAVE! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW PEOPLE WHO ACT HIGH AND MIGHTY LIVE! YOU HAVEN’T SSSSPENT EVERY DAY THAT YOU DRAW BREATH SSSSITTING AT THE SSSSIDE OF A SSSSHOP IN A BAZSSSSAAR WITNESSSSING THESSSSE PEOPLE! SSSSO WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!]

Nero: [I KNOW THAT KILLING OTHERS WITHOUT A SINGLE THOUGHT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY WOULD DO, ISN’T IT?!]

After she unleashed the anger that rested within her, Silvia received a single statement that stung deeply into her heart. She stared back at Nero with her eyes in shock, before turning back the body on the floor. She did not think much about taking the life of another being. She felt it was rare that she ever did, even if she had not killed anyone before. In that moment however, she had slithered up to him, and taken his life with the very venom she produced using the sword she held.

She did not respond to Nero, her hair merely hid her eyes as she looked down at the husk that was beneath her.

Yoro: [...Let’s move to where Shiro is.]

While the group started to move, Nero turned to Silvia and quietly spoke to her.

Nero: [I’m sorry for my outburst, Silvia. I just felt that this wasn’t right.]

Silvia: [No…I acted without thinking…I’m no better than them…I wassss sssstupid assss ussssual…]

Nero: [That’s not true, Sil–]

Silvia: [Pleasssse. Allow me ssssome peasssse.]

His hand struggled to tap her shoulder. He wanted to say more to her, but he knew it might only make things worse.

They continued to walk, Nero lowering his hand, hesitantly following behind.

They all kept moving.

Except for two people.

Silvia herself, and Yoro.

Yoro slowly approached her, before speaking in a much softer voice.

Yoro: [Silvia. I know that I myself might not know you that well…but it’s alright. I don’t want to play something like this off as no big deal, but you made a mistake. It’s okay. It happens to all of us. I guess I’ve kinda become desensitized to killing others myself, but I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing by any means. I’m not sure that I’m conveying what I mean to you correctly or in a way you might like hearing, but I’ll tell you something that I was told by someone recently. I was told that the most important thing is always moving forward, without living in the past that you might have hated.]

Silvia did not respond. Given the silence that continued to linger, Yoro had assumed that this meant she was no longer being welcomed in the slightest. Her wording had likely angered Silvia even further. With a saddened appearance now resting on Yoro’s face, she began to head towards the door ahead.

Before she could reach it however, a voice called out to her.

Silvia: [Yoro.]

She turned to see the origin of this voice. The beautiful purple snake girl that she had just spoken to.

Silvia: [...May I assssk, who taught you that lessssson?]

Yoro: [You might not like hearing it, but it was Nero himself.]

Silvia smiled before producing her next reply. The air of silence in between had made Yoro worry for what she might hear next.

Silvia: [...Perhapssss, even with all of my sssstudying and knowledge, he knowssss more than I do…]

Yoro: [Silvia…]

She turned to face the same direction that Yoro had been in, her eyes still covered by her hair. She slithered her way to the door, and turned to Yoro with her covered gaze.

Silvia: [Let ussss move, sssshall we? Our friend issss waiting for ussss.]

Yoro: [R-Right…]

They pushed past the doors in front of them without another word uttered.

In Silvia’s mind however, a new thought began to form. It was not something easy to digest, but much like a snake eating, it slowly took its time to move into her mind. She had often given others the impression that she was not very understanding of their thoughts or feelings, but she had focused on these things far longer than any other had done. Thinking back to the words given, Silvia digested what Yoro and Nero had provided to her.

Even if you have a problem with what you may have done, it’s always important to move past it, huh?

I’ve always been doing that with my goals, and yet I never even applied it to every other thought.

Every time I made a mistake when I was a child, I just apologized and accepted that I wasn’t that smart.

Making an error, trying harder from there, doing better.

…

If this is something that I need to move past, then there’s something else I should move past as well.

I was a fool for doubting it, but now I understand.

Shiro. Kōkatsu. Nero. Yoro.

Even if I have spoken to you often. Even if I have not. Even if we have disagreed. Even if I could not understand you before. Even if you could not understand me, or even if you still cannot. None of that matters.

I understand all of you now.

In my heart, all of you are my friends.

Because I know that even if I fail, I will always have all of you there to guide me.

Because I know that even if I cannot see the correct path for myself, I will always have the four of you to hold my hand and bring me to where I must go next.

Because I know that even if I were to fall, my aspirations will be carried by all of you.

With hidden tears in her eyes, Silvia let her words silently burst within her head. Her path was now beaming with light, her friends provided a warm fire within her, she understood much more than with any book she had read.

The third battle within Daroma’s castle had ended in a flash.

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Shiro: [Let’s keep moving quickly, Kaoru.]

In a dimly lit room, Shiro continued to give words of encouragement towards Kaoru. The girl holding her hand however was focused on something else entirely.

Kaoru: [...Miss Shiro.]

Shiro: [Yeah?]

Kaoru: [I don’t believe that we need to keep moving anymore.]

The two looked across the extensive room to see a floating blue flame. One after another, the candles that once had no light to them began to produce similar blue flames atop them. As they went further down the room, the area around the floating entity became more and more visible. The final two candles were lit, and it could now be seen. An impressive display of white metallic armor that sat on a throne. The headpiece resting on one of its clenched fists. Within the headpiece, the fire remained, only now it was clear that it had also been pushing outward above the open top of it.

Shiro: [So, you must be Daroma, right?]

In response to Shiro’s question, a deep voice echoed through the room, originating from the armor on the other side.

Daroma: [...Indeed. However, to battle against you is not my concern at this moment.]

His words confused Shiro and Kaoru. They had entered this room to challenge him, so why was there not a single ounce of care produced towards them?

Daroma: [There is a matter within your party that I must handle. Rather, an individual I must remove at all costs.]

With the cold, threatening words filling the room, Daroma the Dark gave his reasoning to the two girls who waited in front of him.

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