forum Choking on Crimson Ash [OxO // mature 18+ // closed]

Started May 16, 2023 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

Nari held his hands up in surrender at the threat, but his grin was crooked and delighted, the absolute opposite reaction. It didn't matter much to him. He was more concerned about Ezekt and other demons going after him than he was about this haughty captain. If he was going to die, it would be on his terms—or it would be at the hands of a God who disliked him enough to pay attention to him. Which, in the grand scheme of things, was a way to go. The flourish of being targeted by the Death God, him flaunting his disobedience and happiness for it, the metaphorical "fuck you" by still living on with his curse. It would be beautiful, especially if he made it a bigger deal than it was. Nari wanted to be remembered at some point in the history books as more than what he once was. His existence wouldn't just be a recording of his past.

It was an inconvenience, though—the blindness. It limited his happiness, which was the entire point of the curse. It dragged down his mood in days he really needed that happiness, and pulled him through the gutter. But Nari also refused to let it get to him when he could help it. Ezekt didn't deserve the satisfaction of knowing the torture he occasionally put his former minion through.

So, he cracked his fingers and flashed Caeso a grin, guestimating where the man was based on the sound of his movements. Nari already knew just how to tilt his head to meet the other's eye, so he had no problem faking eye contact. It was something he was good at after all the years, and it helped that he was tall. He could get away with missing the mark because most people didn't notice when he wasn't focused entirely on them, unless he was really off. "Just have to stop at my den. Not too far off, just in the woods in the outskirts." Nari also didn't need much for the trip, used to being a nomad and traveling light. He could charm anyone into doing what he wanted and giving him what he needed, magically or naturally.

Caeso's footsteps helped, and Nari kept his attention on the sound to follow, but also gauge how close he was to keep a safe distance. Didn't need to be skewered for bumping into the man. He was also still listening for any bumps in the night, the slightest scrape of a demon or monster slinking into the library. "What's the likelihood of the entrance being swarmed?" The window he had slipped through was out of the way and empty when he used it.

At least Nari’s den wasn’t too far away. It would save them a lot of time when it came down to things. Caeso really didn’t want to waste energy gathering supplies when they could be heading into The Under, but it was a necessary considering they were heading into the most dangerous place to exist. Well, that might not be entirely true, but for the time being it was, because where else was there with demons running amok with no care whatsoever? The city was becoming a close second at the moment. No where was safe.

The captain looked over his shoulder to the spirit at his question, “At this point? It’s a high possibility.” The time they had spent in the archives of the library had cost them precious time when it came to getting a head start on the creatures above. They were already in every street corner, every shadow, they could easily be out in the open, looking for Fae that decided they wanted to attempt to attack. Even the guards at the castle had begun their retreat back to their families. No one was stupid enough to try and attack on their own, not without a heavy army, but they didn’t even have that anymore. Instead, they had Caeso, who, as much as he was the best of the best considering his title as Captain, was only one man. And then Nari. A spirit who gad a knack for getting on his nerves and now they were stuck together. A brilliant combination.

Up the stairs and to the main entrance, Caeso was quick to let the ball of light fade. They didn’t need any extra attention. The doors to the library were large and at one point would have been a grand entrance, but now? Now they were broken, with wood splintering from the sides, clear claw marks down the middle from where the demons had made an attempt to break the door down completely. They had got the thing open, but Caeso couldn’t hear anything from inside. Not necessarily a good sign. Far from a good sign, actually.

Fires burned from the outside. Flickering, great amber flames encompassing the buildings in front of the library. They didn’t need light when the fire was greater than anything else. And Caeso’s heart sunk at the sight. This was his home, and it was burning to the ground before his very eyes. It only fuelled him on more to get things sorted. He had to. There was no other choice. But, from what he could see, there weren’t any demons in front of the doors. At least for the time being. He didn’t need to tell Nari to be quiet considering the spirit was a silent as anything. Both annoying and brilliant especially right now. Caeso’s hand moved to his sword as he gently pushing the door more ajar to peak his head out and look at what was around them.

The palace was close, he could see it as clear as day. Even if it wasn’t shining like it should be, the domineering presence of the place never faded. Down the other side of the street, he could see the figures of demons hunched over, waiting, peering into buildings, lurking and moving down towards them. They would have to stick to the shadows, “We’ll have to hurry.”

With the confirmation that, yes, it was a high likelihood that they would be met with demons at the entrance, Nari was ready to suggest they crawl back through the window he had come from. But, he wasn't sure just how high up that window had been, or if Caeso would be able to reach it, even with Nari's help. There also wasn't a guarantee that the window would be empty anymore. A demon could've caught his scent and follow it to there, but been unable to track him further—or was waiting him out, expecting him to show up once more. Either way, they were here, and Caeso hadn't thought to suggest they turn around or find another exit despite being a worry-wart about everything else. If worse came to worse, they'd have to shove through a few demons.

He couldn't see the fires when Caeso opened the doors, but he could definitely hear them. They crackled and spat up whatever blood and flesh they consumed. Whoever hadn't been caught by the demons but didn't leave undoubtably got caught by the flames. Nari wasn't a resident, he wasn't Fae either, but he felt for the people of the city. He felt for Caeso, who had tasked himself with the impossible goal of restoring the order of the world and saving his people. The man was watching it burn right before him, destroyed and crumbling, the air tasting of ash on his tongue and scorched life seared his nose.

A part of Nari wanted to reach out, clasp the man's shoulder and let him know that they'd make it. Somehow, together, they would take down Ezekt one way or another. They would destroy the keys once and for all after locking the Death God away for good. Caeso could go back home once more. Nari didn't belong here, didn't belong among the Fae no matter how often he visited. It was obvious he was different, so he had no place here—but that didn't mean he didn't want to help them rebuild and have that safety they once had before the opening of the gates. These people didn't deserve to have their homes destroyed and their lives ruined. Ended, even. Ezekt didn't care if there were innocent people living their lives peacefully, not doing a single thing against him. All he wanted was the carnage. The death. The screams and blood and destruction.

But it wasn't Nari's place to comfort the captain. It wouldn't be well-received either way, so he didn't even try. So he stayed silent and off to the side, trusting Caeso to stay on task in the face of his home's destruction.

The spirit honed his attention on the slightest hint of demonic presence. Faint shuffling and huffing, getting closer. Nari held up two fingers before his lips and whispered in a quick, hushed tongue. Pay no mind. A symbol flashed on the edge of his fingers, then faded, and he reached over to tap Caeso to plant the charm without looking at him. Nari could travel lighter and quieter, or even change forms if the time came. He didn't bother with one for himself.

"We should go now," Nari whispered, his hearing trained on the demons advancing. They had a closing window of opportunity to bolt.

Caeso looked over when he was tapped and only saw the fading of the charm. He would have frowned, questioned it, but he took a gamble and guessed that Nari wouldn't have done so unless it was important. He hoped so, at least, and the man wasn't just pulling a trick that would have him caught by those demons with seconds. He could only hope and pray that wasn't the case.

It was difficult to look away from the burning of the city. He hadn't lived anywhere else, didn't know where else he would go if things didn't work out. This city was a safe haven for Fae. Even though there would be other places out there that would accept and take on his kind, he couldn't imagine leaving. Not when here was a beautiful, protective place for his kind. A place that had stood firm and untouched for generations at a time and hadn't come close to being destroyed. At least never like this before. It was a terrifying prospect that they could lose it all if they failed. They had already lost so many. Children and adults alike succumbing to the death and wrath of Ezekt that had them screaming, burning. Everything that he had done to protect his people had ultimately ended in nothing, a failure. Another to add to the list.

But then Nari was whispering and pulling him out of his thoughts and he didn't hesitate to move. The longer they stayed, the more at risk they were. Caeso didn't know what protective was put over him, if it was even protection at all, so he didn't want to waste any more time waiting for another opportunity. They probably wouldn't get another at this rate. So, the captain ran. His breathing was heavy and his steps were lighter than they used to be but still held that same thrumming whenever his foot met cobble.

All he could hope for was the demons looking the other way, and that Nari was still hot on his tail. He didn't look back because if he did Caeso knew he wouldn't get back to running. Would turn around and head right into those burning buildings to help whoever might still be alive in there. The stench of blood and death ripped through the streets, he could practically taste it with every breath he took. His ears burned at the noise of screams and fire crackling, of cries for help as people tried to escape only to be met with death instead. It was horrible. All of it.

The spirit half expected the captain to jump and demand to know what he had done to him, what demonic magic had touched him; but Caeso hardly flinched from what Nari could feel, and he heard nothing. Not even a hushed scolding. Nari took that as a win, then pocketed that feeling of triumph for later—when they didn't have the threat of demons bearing down on them. Then they were off in a sprint, Caeso less noisy due to the charm and Nari still utterly blind and silent. The fires raged on in their wake, more than happy to fill the silence of the night. The spirit brought his fingers back to his mouth and whispered another quick charm, this one quickly thrown at the furthest inferno he could reach. Ego's high.

The fire didn't change whatsoever, except it turned into more of a roar than before. Nari kept running, hoping the louder noise would keep the demons distracted and unable to hear them running. Then his two feet turned to four, and Caeso had a large and strange fox tailing him. The spirit could follow the man's scent better this way, and his agility and speed increased in this form. Plus, with it being his natural one, he was more in tune with his body and felt more relaxed in his sprint.

Further and further, they ran, twisting through burning buildings and hearing the screams of those being killed. Nari knew that it was wearing on Caeso. It didn't take a genius to guess that even just a resident of the city would be crushed to go through it in such a state, let alone a man who had dedicated his life to protecting these people. There wasn't anything he could do, but Nari's heart still went out to him.

Then—there. The fox skidded to a halt and twisted his ears around, searching for that sound again. His heart raced from the adrenaline coursing through him, and its echo was all he could hear until the faintest child's cry caught his attention. Nari wasted no time and ran towards it, into a building that was on the verge of catching fire but not quite consumed just yet—the heat hadn't reached this point. It took a bit of maneuvering and hopeful jumps, his claws digging into every surface he landed on to avoid falling, but he squeezed through the chimney after finding all the windows closed. Soot and smoke clung to his fur and dirtied it to the point of changing the color entirely, but he didn't care. Not when he clearly heard a little girl crying out for her mama, and Nari's paw hit a pool of what smelled like iron. Blood. A second later, his snout hit a body. Cold, dead for a while.

"It's okay," Nari said to the girl, avoiding her slaughtered mother to approach her with his head down in submission. Her cries hiccuped, but continued. He didn't imagine hearing voices in your head was very soothing. "It's okay, I'm here to help."

A tiny hand met his head, and the boards over a window splintered.

The palace came into view, and if Caeso hadn't been so worried about demons and death, he may have been relieved at the sight of the towering white building. But it only brought upon more worry. What was happening inside? He skidded to a halt in front of the gates, the large, overbearing metal gates. Usually a sense of safety, calm, but not anymore.

A fire had begun to weave its way through the lower levels of the palace. It could be seen through the bright orange that flickered behind those large glass windows, that had begin to creep into the gardens and turn the usual lush, green grass into nothing but black and ash. It didn't help that there was ash everywhere. The air was coated with the thick, blackness and it only had become worse as they had run through the streets. Caeso lifted his arm across his face to protect his nose and to stop himself from choking.

War wasn't an unusual concept nor something that he hadn't experienced before. Battle was apart of his life, whether small or large, between his own men or an enemy. Those training sessions that ended up a little too violent. But this was different. Death came quick when you were being stabbed or slashed to death on a battle field, not so much when you were being ripped to shreds by a demon. And Caeso could hear it. Could hear both the screaming from the city behind him, strangers, people he was supposed to protect, and then his own men. Men he was supposed to protect and look after even more so because they were his friends. On the field, as much as he lost men, lost friends, it was drowned out by a multitude of other things, other thoughts, especially when he was fighting, too. Now? Now he was just running and Caeso wasn't dealing with it well.

But when he turned around, Nari wasn't there. He hadn't realised the spirit had returned to his fox form, so he wasn't looking for a fox in the ash and the smoke, but either way, the humanoid wasn't there. He couldn't have died, right? No, he would have heard him, Nari had been right behind him. There was no way he would have gotten caught or snatched away without altering him first. There was nothing, no one to be found.

There wasn't time to think about it when there was a demon, slinking towards him. On all fours, bloodied, red and wet with something black that dripped down its bony body, those claws dragging on the cobble and ringing through his ears. Caeso drew his sword and lunged.

Nari flattened his ears and bore his teeth in a snapping snarl as he turned towards the demon. He could hear it huffing and growling as it crawled through the window it destroyed. Not a large one, but big enough to have weight to it, if he had to guess. The little girl cried some more and scrambled away, and Nari situated himself in between the two. He had to think fast, come up with some sort of plan. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that the wasn't letting the little girl die while on his watch. Not when he had gotten to her in a timely manner.

Unfortunately, the only plans he had for the moment involved getting close to the demon, and he could already feel the bruises that would come with that.

Bracing himself for it, Nari lunged at the demon before it had a chance to move first. Just as he predicted, it swatted him away with a brutal back-hand to his ribs, and he went tumbling into a wall. The spirit didn't stop and instead pushed off the wall to jump again, this time aiming for the shoulders of the demon. It grabbed at him, just barely reaching him, but managed to dig its claws into his side and swipe him away once more. Nari yelped and rolled, but pushed through the pain without a bat of an eye and lunched yet again. And again. The demon was getting frustrated, unable to move without getting attacked at some angle from the fox, but also not able to have Nari in range long enough to deal significant damage.

When it roared in frustration and slammed its unnaturally long arms on the ground, Nari took his chance. He bolted up its arm on pure luck alone and sunk his teeth into its neck. It tasted nasty, and it undoubtably spurted blood all over his fur, but his focus was narrowed in on pumping his magic into its veins. A torrent of air poured into the puncture wounds and scattered through the bloodstream. It didn't take long for the demon to collapse with a disgusting gurgle, and there were a few nasty mini bursts where the air escaped through the skin from the amount of pressure building.

Nari hopped off the body once he was sure the demon was dead, then turned to the girl. She was crying softly somewhere in the corner, so he slowly approached her until he felt her hand on his face again. This time he didn't speak to her, and she eventually moved to pull him into a tight hug and cry into his fur. This is what he had wanted to get away from. The pain Ezekt caused. Death was inevitable—there was no need to crave more or to make it painful. No one deserved to watch their mother die in a pool of blood, then fear for your own safety as a child. Nari nudged her with his nose, indicating that they had to go; the fire was burning hotter, crackling even louder, as it got closer to them. The girl sniffed and, instead of letting him go, picked him up as if he were a teddy bear and ran out the hole the demon had created in the wall.

He let her carry him, even if it was uncomfortable for him, until they reached someplace that had the girl running even faster and calling out, "Captain! Captain!" Then he scented Caeso—and demon—and turned in that direction.

If this was the calibre of demon that came from Aerroium, Caeso feared what was to come as they descended the layers of The Under. If the most basic level held demons that looked and fought as these did, then the ones on the seventh later were going to be brutal. He didn't even want to know whether or not he would even live to see what resided on those final layers, but right now he had to turn his focus to the demon in front of him.

As Caeso lunged, so did it and they collided in a crash of limbs and snarls that resulted in the thing practically trapping the captain to the ground beneath its body. He had never been more grateful for the sword in his hands, because he used the blade to block the mouth that threatened to bite down on his head and probably rip it from his body. With every bit of strength, he pushed the thing upwards, using his feet as leverage, too, and sent it flying off to the side, long enough for the captain to scramble to his feet. There was already a thrumming in the back of his head, a claw mark across the side of his stomach, and whatever black sludge had been exuded from the creature sliding down his face. The stench of it all was probably the worst part.

The demon regained its composure and took a running start at the captain, who readied his sword and swing when it got close enough. Steel met flesh and bone, and it sent a burst of blood pouring from the demon's side when the weapon collided with its ribs. At least he had a hit on the thing, but the triumph of the small win didn't last considering he was being pushed up against the wall of the palace by one of those claws.

Caeso nearly dropped his sword at the attack. His chest ached, and he was nearly frozen in time as he watched the demon raise one of those sharp, clawed hands to try and attack. But with a swing that was less than precise and did the job well enough, his sword swung up through the arm holding him to the wall. More blood covered him. More blood and stench and death coated every sense as he was dropped and the demon reeled backwards. But he didn't have time to react or process it when the captain was slicing its head off its body in one clean motion. The head rolled away, and Caeso was nearly ready to collapse on the spot.

There was blood on his face, and black sludge, too, and both had coated his once-white shirt until it was stained right through. It was almost more disgusting than the demon itself. Caeso attempted to wipe at his face with his arm, but it didn't do any good. And then there was a child. A child running and calling for him with… a fox. When they got close, he recognised those patterns. Nari. So the bastard wasn't dead and had helped the child.

He collapsed to his knees, sword dropping to one side as she drew near. And then Nari was placed to one side and the child was in his arms a moment later. A protective arm wrapped around her middle, another resting on the back of her head as she dug her face into his shoulder, "I've got you. You're okay. I've got you."

Nari nearly wiggled out of the girl's arms to get to Caeso and make sure the soldier was alright, not fond of the idea that he had already lost his extra help to the hands of a lower level demon based on the overwhelming stench of blood and sludge. They weren't anything to scoff at, though, no matter what level they came from, so the spirit had to give the captain props for standing his ground on his own after having to watch his entire life burn to the ground. But, he'd also be a bit miffed if the man collapsed right then and there from being reckless.

Thankfully, that didn't happen, and the girl set him down as she approached Caeso and threw herself into his arms. Nari shook off as much of the soot and ash sticking to his coat as he could, but most of it was thick and caked on with splatters of demon blood. Frustrated and sore, he sat off to the side with a huff and curled his tail around his paws, ears twisting to keep an ear out for any incoming threats while the two of them hugged and the girl was comforted.

She cried into the captain's chest, mumbling about her mama and the demons who had rampaged her house. She had been hiding in the floorboards, a small nook built by her mother for a time when they needed to hide, when the demons had gotten to her mother and tore her to pieces. Nari deflated at her muffled and blubbering recounting, and moved over to knock his head over her side in his own form of comfort. The girl peeked down at her fox friend and reached down to pet his head, wiggling his ears. "I'm scared," she whispered.

Nari nudged her wrist with his nose, ignoring how his ribs ached and both men reeked of demon. With a slight string of magic from him, a red beaded bracelet wrapped around her wrist, a symbol of a fox spirit. He hoped it would bring her enough luck and protection that she grew old enough to tell of this story. Of how the Captain had saved her and her people from the wrath of Ezekt. He hoped so many people made it out from underneath the demons' noses and lived to see them succeed.

Caeso hated seeing the little girl so scared. It was just another form of torture that he was suffering through. It was bad enough knowing adults were dying, but children? Kids like her were losing their parents before their eyes and not being able to do anything about it. And then there were the kids who weren't so lucky. The ones that didn't survive. It only made the captain hold onto her tighter. He had to get her to someone safe. Someone he could trust to protect her. He knew exactly the person, if they were still alive, that was. And the only way to find out was to get into the palace. But the little girl was too scared right now to do much, and Caeso knew he couldn't move her until she had calmed down at least a tad.

"I'm scared too," He said softly, running a hand through her hair, "Even us big people get scared. Why don't you tell me about your friend, hm? Did he help you?" Distraction was the best option. Once she was able to move he would take her at the first opportunity. But moving right now was only going to cause her more distress. And if Caeso was being honest with himself, he needed a moment to catch his breath.

The captain made a mental note to thank Nari for saving her life later. Even though he disliked the spirit, he wasn't going to fault that he had done something good. Had taken on a demon, a fire, and saved a child and come out relatively unscathed. A fighter, and a good one at that all things considered, and Caeso may have even considered himself lucky to have the man on his side if he wasn't such an ass. At least he wasn't dead like he had presumed when he had first turned around to see him missing.

Strange to see the man in his other form. It was clear who he was even from a distance, with the same markings and colourings, even the same trot in his step that he had when he was in his other form. Another stroke of luck that he had recognised him in the girls arms. If it had been a demon then well, things could have ended a lot worse for the two Fae.

The little girl sniffled and nodded, turning more to face Nari while still leaning into Caeso. The fox kept his eyes on her to provide that comfort of attention, and let her pet and ruffle his fur however she wanted, even if he wasn't the biggest fan of being treated like a pet. Given that he was bigger than a normal fox, obviously a spirit or at least supernatural, he sat nearly eye-to-eye with her, just a little shorter. His blonde and red coloring was the other massive indicator that he wasn't normal, and also an identification for him. It was a good thing that Caeso knew to identify him instead of immediately assuming him to be a demon. He might've told the man what he was, but it didn't mean he wouldn't automatically assume him to be part of the demon army in the midst of the city's massacre.

Blood—his own—steadily soaked through his coat from the scratch he got from being swatted. It was the most severe of his injuries, as the rest were mainly bruises and maybe a bruised rib or two, but he ignored it besides occasionally licking at the wound to try and get it to clot and clean up the blood. Nari's main concern lied with the little girl, and Caeso, and the city.

"He was amazing," she whispered. Nari's ears twitched towards her. The girl leaned into Caeso's chest and petted down between the fox's eyes and down his snout, which he tolerated by closing his eyes to avoid getting them poked. "Fell from the sky, and talked to me. Then this—this scary thing showed up, and he—he protected me. The thing kept hurting him, but he didn't give up." Her voice lowered to a gentle hush, almost in awe. "He saved me. He's my friend now."

Nari might've protected her and saved her from her inevitable death after getting there just in time, but he hadn't been able to get to her mother. He could've saved them both had he gotten to the city earlier. Maybe she wouldn't be an orphan if he hadn't fucked around and sat with his fear for as long as he did before deciding to do something about it. Ezekt had been a threat for long enough that he had the time to do something. But as much as he wanted to beat himself up about every could've and should've, it would do him no good. Nari was just a fox spirit, not some creature that messed with time itself, there would be no turning back time to go back and save them both. So he took what little solace that he could in knowing that he managed to get to the little girl, and comforted her by allowing whatever affection she wanted.

Hearing that awe in the child's voice had Caeso softening even further, and as much as he didn't want to admit or say out loud that Nari had done good, that he was glad that it had been the spirit and not him to save the child from that building, maybe later, if he remembered, he would. It was the least he could do. He could give Nari that much, even though he didn't like the man particularly. Although, he would admit, that it did make him dislike him a little less, seeing how he interacted with her. Another thought that he wasn't going to voice anytime soon. Charging into a burning building, defeating a demon and saving a kid was no small feat.

But now that they were close, that Caeso could focus on Nari, he could see his eyes. The soft blurriness that lay within them. It would have had him asking questions if the girl wasn't speaking again, but it was definitely something he would ask about when she was safe away from them. Was he blind? He hadn't been that way when they had met in the library. Or was Caeso just going crazy from smoke inhalation and nothing was going to be easy ever again? He hoped that wasn't the case. Maybe it was because of the light and the fire and the smoke? He didn't know, he didn't know if he wanted to know. The spirit was bleeding, too, and it didn't look good. At least he was alive, and if the wound had been terrible he was sure that he would know about it.

Turning his attention back to the girl, Caeso rested his chin atop her head now that she was resting against his chest, "No, he's a stubborn fox." The most that he could come to agree with her. Because if he said 'yes, he was amazing' he would never hear the end of it from the spirit and he would have to kill the man himself. He also wouldn't call them friends either. They were companions, travelling buddies, for the time being. Nothing more than that.

When he was more certain that the girl would withstand being held and moved, Caeso did just that. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up so she was tucked into her side. Time was running out, and there was only so much longer they could stay out here before more demons decided to make an appearance, "Come, I'll take you to someone who will look after you and take you somewhere far away from the scary creatures."

Nari wagged his tail some and perked his ears to show the girl that everything was okay when he heard her little gasp of surprise. He could only guess what Caeso had done, but he assumed it was pick her up from what he had said and how the air moved around her disappearance. The captain had been the right person to go to. Nari didn't know where to go from here, just that they had to get away. If Caeso knew where to go and who to give her to to keep her safe, then that was better than anything the spirit could do from this point on.

So as the girl wrapped her arms around the man's neck and hid into his shoulder, the fox pushed up onto his hind legs and leaned his front paws against Caeso's hip for balance. She giggled as he nudged her with his nose, his silent form of reassurance along with the gentle swaying of his tail. "It will be alright little one," he whispered to her, keeping his words soft and calming. "Go with him. I'll be right here with you."

"Okay," she whispered back, and relaxed into Caeso with her legs around his waist. Nari went back down on all fours, ignoring the twing in his side, and turned his face up to the captain's in silent instruction. They had to go. He could hear more demons closing in on them, still far off enough they were okay, but they would be surrounded soon if they didn't hurry.

Caeso's assessment went unnoticed by him. Nari was hiding his ailment, and ignoring the pain he was in, and it hadn't occurred to him that the man would care enough to inspect him closely enough to pick up on the subtle change within his eyes. Nari hadn't even known there was a change within his eyes when it happened, besides the obvious for him. If Caeso confronted him, he would just deny it out of reflex. It wasn't important enough to make a big deal out of, and he could function enough that it wouldn't be a hindrance that Caeso needed to know about. And, out of anything, he was more preparing himself to be scolded and hounded about abandoning him in a time and place like this. It's why he didn't bother wasting the effort to explain right then, or suck up to the man. If he was getting yelled at, it could wait until later.

Caeso held her secure with one hand while the other kept his sword steady in his grip as they moved. Even if he wouldn't be able to do much with a little girl in his arms in a fight, he could do his best. She was his first priority for the time being. Get her to safety. If he couldn't even do that? Then maybe he should give up hope of saving whatever remnants of the city would be left if he ever returned from The Under.

He led them through the arching gates of the palace, through the gardens that once had been laced with beautiful flowers and plants. No more. They had been trampled and destroyed, chewed up and spat out by the creatures of The Under. Just something else to add to the list of things causing his heart to ache and break. It couldn't end like this. For such a great city to be destroyed, to fall in an evening? The horror of it all? Caeso hoped things would heal in the end. For the remains of a once great Fae city to be all that would be left at the end of all things, the lasting structures that would eventually fall back into the earth in which they came, it was a horrible ending for a city so wonderful.

Through the gardens and through the broken and splintered main doors of the palace, the inside was just as wrecked. The east wing was burning, he could hear it. Could hear people running and screaming to get away, telling others to leave their things because it would only slow them down. From the roof, whatever creatures had ended up that high were slowly making their way down. Down the turrets and the spires, through the winding halls and ceilings. Not much time. But what was making an already heart-destroying event worse, was the fact that Caeso could hear the yelling of his men in the distance. From every corner they were trying to help the residents, the servants, make their escape, get them to safety, doing their job, but dying in the process.

The captain didn't remain still for too long because he had to get the girl to someone. They ran through the lower levels, down into the servant quarters, to the back of the palace. He just hoped the woman he was looking for was still around. Caeso figured she would be, she wouldn't leave until her staff were out. Just as much a soldier as he was.

And the door to the kitchens was already open when they arrived, and a tall woman with long ginger hair, with only a few lines on her face to indicate she was older than she looked, was ushering people away, "Kia!" Caeso called, and she looked towards him in an instant.

"Caeso! Oh dear," She scurried to him and didn't even notice Nari as she ended up at his side, "You're alive, thank the Eclipse, we thought you were dead."

The captain shook his head, "No, still breathing. And I've brought you someone to look after."

Nari stuck to Caeso's side, trotting along beside him with long strides. He couldn't see the state of the city, didn't know what Caeso was feeling or how bad it really was, but he could hear it, he could smell it. Death, decay, smoke, and ash hung in the air. The rot of demonic touch was heavy on his lungs and threatened to drag him down with them. He could hear it, too—their calls. They weren't truly calling for him, but subconsciously, they tugged at his mind and welcomed him into their arms, welcomed him to their destruction. The spirit struggled in his own way as they made their way into the palace.

Though he had separated himself from Ezekt, he wasn't detached. The Death God still had influence over him after grooming him since childhood to be his minion, his servant of misfortune and malevolence. Nari, under another name, another mask, had ruined the lives of many in the name of Ezekt. Climbed his way up the rung of the ladder with his achievements, and become a part of the very army that ripped apart the Fae city before them. The demons intrinsically reacted to his presence, and their very existence pulled at his subconscious and begged for him to join them in their mission—to play a role.

It was part of the reason he had become some nomadic. A lone spirit tied to Ezekt was easier to spot after a time than a wandering fox looking for some no-good mischief. Nari could hang around a spot for a day or so, then be on his way, and no one would be any wiser to his true identity. No one but his friends, and even they were limited to just two souls who also had their secrets to keep. Nari was careful to not hang around places that would draw the attention of Ezekt's demons and influence; unfortunately, though, the God had decided to push through his cage and make his way to the lands Nari loved. He was hurting the people that Nari loved. It didn't seem that way with how often he messed with them, but he loved watching them have fun and enjoying life. Ezekt was ruining that.

Either way, he flattened his ears as they went and ignored all the howls and calls begging him to join the chaos. Soon, his paws hit a different surface, and he could hear voices that weren't just screams and agony. A few times, his shoulder bumped into Caeso to check proximity, but for the most part his footing was steady and his pace unwavering. Nari only stopped when the captain did, and he slipped between the man's legs to avoid being trampled when he called to a woman.

The little girl looked at the new woman, arms still around Caeso, and that fear etched into her expression that would perhaps always be there from this. "Hi," she said. Her voice was soft and uncertain, but not untrustworthy. Even at her age, she knew it wasn't the time to question strangers.

Caeso looked from the woman to the little girl, "This is Kia," He said gently, running a hand through her hair, "She is like my second mother, and the best cook there is. Your new friend and I need to go and get rid of all those scary monsters so you can come back one day, so Kia is going to look after you. I don't trust anyone else. She is the best, and gives great hugs."

Kia tied her long hair back so she was able to see and manoeuvre better without it getting in her way. Even though she was worried about the state of the city, of her own friends, of Caeso, she softened her features into a gentle, welcoming smile, "Hi there," Her voice matched, with that same softness as she crouched down a little so she was at eye level with the girl, "I promise that I'll get you somewhere safe. And that you will be able to see the captain and your little foxy friend again."

It was then that Caeso registered that Nari was in between his legs. It was weird to know that if the fox transformed it would be the other way around. That it would be Caeso in between his legs due to that height difference. But for now, he was going to enjoy being taller, even though he wasn't going to comment on it.

They had to get moving, however. The longer they stuck around the higher the likelihood of them being caught or something terrible happening. Kai had been in a rush to hurt her staff out the side of the kitchen door, and this was only going to slow her down. They had to get out, that was their first priority. Caeso felt better knowing that the girl was going to be with someone safe, someone strong and capable of looking after her for the time being. If it had been any other situation he might have even looked after her himself for a time being, but it wasn't. This was no place for a child. No place for anyone, really. But there wasn't much he could do about it until Ezekt was back in those cages - locked away, shackled and the keys had been burned so he could never escape.

The little girl looked between Caeso and Kia, like she was assessing if he was telling the truth. Nari sensed her hesitation and let out an encouraging little yip, leaning into Caeso's leg to tilt his head up towards her, expression bright and excited as if everything was okay. It must have worked, because she nodded and said, "Okay, I believe you. I'm Meeri."

Meeri. Nari swore he'd remember the name for when—if—he came back. It could be years down the line, but he would remember the little girl for her sake, and to add to his goal of hunting down Ezekt. She was just one of the many people whose lives were being ruined and destroyed because of that God, and the spirit was determined to make the world right again, even if he went down with him while trying. Meeri wiggled away from Caeso and gave Nari a hug around his neck, and the fox lifted a paw to hug her in return. Then she let go and hugged Caeso around the waist, burying her face into his hip.

"Thank you," she whispered, then looked up at the captain. "Please stay safe."

The bracelet charm Nari had given her glowed on Meeri's wrist, and she played with it absently while moving to Kia. She knew that her new friends would have to go. The captain had promised to get rid of the scary monsters, and that she would be able to come back one day. The loss of her mother still tore her apart, and her heart wasn't likely to mend soon, but she at least had the hope that Caeso and Nari would make things better. The hope of a future. She smiled up at Caeso, and though her eyes watered from the toll everything was taking on her, it was clear she was trying to stay strong. Then she looked down to Nari and whispered as though no one else would be able to hear, "Protect him too."

Nari bowed his head in promise, then backed up to his previous spot once more to stay safely out of trampling zone. There were so many people walking around, and with the chaos of the world, he would rather risk Caeso booting him than getting lost in the desperate attempt at fleeing that Kia was leading. The man wouldn't want his protection, and he wasn't quite as keen on keeping Caeso safe as Meeri, but he would give her at least the reassurance that he would try. Then he bumped his head against the man's knee, signalling to him that they should hurry. These people didn't have time to delay, and neither did they.

When Meeri pulled away from Nari, Kia was quick to pick the little girl up in her arms to keep her safe, hugging her close to keep her safe and so she wouldn't get lost in the stamped of staff members currently rushing out of the kitchens. She gave them both a stern look, like a mother scolding her children. Not entirely untrue when it came to Caeso, and she had no clue about Nari, but she figured if the captain was sticking with the fox he would be some form of help, "You both better come back alive or I'll come down to The Under myself and bring you back by the ears."

In any other situation, Caeso probably would have laughed, but all he could do in response was give the woman a kiss on the cheek, "Stay safe. I'll see you later." Not goodbye, because if he said that then Caeso was scared he would jinx himself and he wouldn't come back at all. No. He would see her again. He might lose it if he didn't. He wasn't about to lose both his family and his second mother in the same evening. He would see them all again, he was making that promise to himself now. And if he didn't? Caeso didn't want to think about the consequences and the heartache that would ensue.

At Nari's nudge, he was careful to move as to avoid stepping on the fox's tail or paws no matter how tempting it may have been. But they did have to move. They had to get out of there and get his things and move. The captain led them out of the kitchens and back towards the main entrance. His quarter's weren't far away, but unfortunately he could hear the battling going on down towards it. His men who had attempted to help only to end up dead, or dying, or those who had come to collect something precious they couldn't afford to lose in the destruction. Stupid. Some of them were so stupid when they should just be running away. But it wasn't exactly their thing. Warriors didn't run, but yet that was exactly what Caeso felt as if he was doing.

Round the twisting hallways, avoiding the passageways that had creatures swarming the entranceways and trying to sniff out anyone that got too close. There was so many dead. So much blood and staining and the longer they moved the more he found. But just as they were about to close in on Caeso's chambers, that was when he heard it and saw it.

They were at a crossroads, where one direction led to his chambers, the other to the the west wing, one to the gardens and the other to his men's barracks, and that was where he was looking. Down that hall to one of his men who was currently being torn apart. What made it worse, was the fact that it was being done so slowly that the knight locked eyes with his captain and started screaming his name.

Nari flattened his ears at the threat, not quite as fond of the sentiment as Caeso might've been, but he understood it nevertheless. He had no plans of disappearing or dying, but he also had no promises. If he had to sacrifice himself for the sake of stopping Ezekt, he would. His friends would miss him, and Meeri too maybe, but they'd all be safe from the Death God; that's all that mattered to him in the long run. He'd hate to go back on his promises to make it out safe and to see the little girl again, but it was either him or Ezekt. The obvious choice was obvious.

Then they were leaving, and when they were safely out of the kitchens, Nari shook himself out and shifted back to his human form. His gait hardly changed during the shift, and he was just a step behind Caeso as they went through the palace.

All around them was death. The screams, they haunted Nari's ears from all corners. He couldn't stop himself from turning them again and again, listening to each one as they came and went. They weren't even his people, but the sounds gutted him. Soldiers. Innocent people who committed themselves to protecting their people, were dying all around them. The demons were on a rampage going through the building and taking what they wanted without mercy or order. And Caeso was walking right through everything. If Nari was getting affected by just the sounds, he could only imagine what Caeso was seeing and feeling.

Nari nearly ran into the man when he stopped, and instinct had him moving the second he heard that scream. The spirit hooked an arm around Caeso's waist to hold him back, and a hand slapped over the man's mouth. "Caeso," he warned, voice low to prevent provoking any nearby demons. The man, from the sounds of his screams and the brutal ripping of his body, was beyond saving. He was as good as dead, just tormented until his last breath. Caeso couldn't help him.

The only word that was ringing through Caeso's head was no. No, he couldn't let him die. No, he shouldn't be dying. No, he had to save and do something but Nari was holding him back with a grip that was stronger than the captain had expected to feel from the spirit. He couldn't just stand and watch but that was exactly what he was doing because he couldn't move. Couldn't bring himself to step away or turn his head and he couldn't even call out with that hand around his mouth.

"Captain!" The yell wrecked him, "Please." And the begging made it worse. What kind of a leader was he if he couldn't even protect his own. If he couldn't save his life how he was supposed to. It was his job. His entire life revolved around these people and he couldn't do anything to stop it. All he could do was watch and listen as blood sprayed out from the soldiers body. Stomach and arms and legs and limbs were being torn apart and he was screaming and Caeso could only struggle around Nari to try and attempt to get to him.

Logically, he knew that his friend was long gone. There was no way to help him but he could be there with him in his final moments. But no, he couldn't even do that. He couldn't even get to him and hold him and tell him that he would be okay and at peace after death. Eventually, the screaming stopped, and all that was left was the ripping and tearing of flesh and the crunching of bone that had Caeso shaking. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't supposed to happen.

He was supposed to save people. He wasn't supposed to watch them die. To hear them die. To hear his friends dying. The men that he had sworn his life to in order to protect. Had given his all and more to those men who had so heroically defeated enemy after enemy. Now? What was he? He wasn't a soldier, not if he couldn't save them. Would they even consider him a friend in death? Not after he hadn't done anything to try and help, he hadn't done shit. What would they think of him? Caeso knew what he thought of himself, and none of it was anything good.

Nari held Caeso back into his chest, holding him firm in rightful anticipation. The man was strong, but in his desperation he wasn't strong enough against the spirit's grasp. If he had more hands available, Nari would've held the man's ears as well to protect him from the cries of the man dying. It wasn't fair. Logically, he knew that the man was only calling out to his friend, his captain, because it was the only thing he knew to do in this situation. But it wasn't fair of him to put his death on Caeso's shoulders, that guilt that only piled on with each cry.

He didn't want to stick around until the end, but it was too late by the time he made a decision as to what direction he wanted to go in. The halls echoed, bouncing and ricocheting off the walls until they all blended together, but Nari managed to figure out roughly where the hallways were that they had stopped at. But when he hauled Caeso into one of those directions, the screams of that one man had died off, remembered by just the crunch and sickening tear of flesh and bone. They had to go.

Dragging Caeso along with him, Nari used his magic as feelers to avoid bumping into anything because both of his hands were occupied. The air warped around everything in their path and alerted the spirit as to where the objects were, so he managed to drag the soldier without incident into a room after forcing the door open. Once in, Nari kicked the door closed, locked it, and turned Caeso around in his arms to put his hands on the man's face to force him to look up at him. It didn't take anything to know what the man was thinking about. Nari didn't even need to see the vacant look in his eyes to understand it. Those were his men, presumably his friends, and they were dying all around him. And he was their captain.

Eiya, a former pirate, often lamented about the times he had to leave his men behind because they were just too far gone to save, or even the times where it was an instant death. As their leader, he felt every one of their loses as a personal blow, because to him, it was his responsibility to keep them alive and well. No matter how much he said he knew he couldn't always save them, that guilt never stopped plaguing him when he got too lost in the memories. And right now, Nari had no doubt that Caeso was feeling the same way. And if the spirit was falling victim to the cries of the dead all around him, even if he put it off to the side? The man was sure to be lost to it all.

"Caeso," he said, voice firm but gentle, "you couldn't have done anything. His death is not on you."

There were little thoughts running through the captain's mind. Very little, because he couldn't focus on much or anything at all that wasn't the death of his friend. Of multiple of his friends, because as Nari had dragged him away and down that hall to his quarters he had seen and heard others. Had heard them calling for him to help as they died and he did nothing but let Nari lead him away. Failure. That was what he was. A failure as a friend, as a captain, as a man for not being able to do his job. What kind of a captain was he when he was letting himself be dragged away from the action, when he was going to be running away and he was letting his friends die out there. They were everything to him, a large family, brothers and sisters and he was leaving them.

So many. So many of them had called out to him as Nari had dragged him to his quarters and shut and locked the door behind them. He wasn't in his right mind, not anymore. For someone who had been so stubborn and talkative and attentive back at the library all of it was gone in just an instant. Gone because he had done nothing to save his friends. Gone because he was a fucking terrible leader and couldn't muster up the courage to fight harder against the spirit holding him and attempt to help. No, he had done nothing.

And then Nari was holding his face in his hands and forcing him to look up at him and talking about how the death wasn't on him but the captain shook his head, "I need to go back. I have to help, have to do something-"

Logically, he knew there was nothing that he could do. There was nothing he could say or do to bring those men back, or help those that were so close to death. Not even his magic could help, none of it would. They would die by those demons and he would be in here and not doing anything to help them. The guilt washed in tidal waves. Wave after wave as the thoughts kept wracking through him, as he fumbled to try and reach for the lock, for the door handle. Get to them. Help. Do something. Coward. Failure. Your fault. Those words repeated and repeated in his mind and they only grew louder. And louder, until they were almost screaming just as his men were.

Nari held Caeso back, wrapping his arms around the man's waist again and pulling him away from the door so he couldn't get to it or try to escape. Due to not knowing his surroundings, Nari ended up pushing Caeso against a wall, but he decided it was the better option. This way the soldier couldn't slip away so easily, not when the spirit blocked him from the front and a wall blocked him from behind. Had it been a normal time and a fair fight, Nari knew that he'd stand no chance against the other man. But as it was, Caeso was battling the demons of his head, caused by the demons in the building. He didn't have the strength to fight the weaker spirit even if he really wanted to.

Again, Nari put a hand to Caeso's face, but kept the other firmly around his waist to keep him still and to prevent any sneaky attempts at slipping away. "Look at me," he commanded. Not that he could see if Caeso listened, but he made sure his voice was firm and left no room for argument or refusal. "Look. It's just you and me right now, okay? If you go back there, you will die. There is no other outcome, and you promised Kia you would see her again."

Though his voice was firm, Nari's expression was soft, sympathetic. He was visibly heartbroken for the man before him, even if he didn't acknowledge it for the sake of being something Caeso could lean on. "They're gone, Caeso. If you go back, you'll only find more death. I know you want to save them, and I'm sorry you can't. They deserve better than this fate, as so do you, and I know you want to go down with them if you can't help them. I'm sorry I can't let you do that."

There were so many things that Nari could say in that moment. He could slather on the false comfort, the reassurances that everything would be okay, or even go on about how Caeso was doing the right thing by staying alive so that he could stop Ezekt. But he wouldn't. Caeso was witnessing all of his friends and family die all around him—he didn't need Nari brushing that off by claiming he's better off forgetting that and focusing on being a future hero. No, he needed to have his feelings acknowledged and to be allowed to be feeling that way, because it was a shitty situation that was absolutely destroying him. He couldn't go back to help them, though, and Nari would do everything he could to keep him from sacrificing himself needlessly to dead men. That wasn't the way to go, and he was willing to bet that if they were true friends of the captain, they wouldn't want him dying that way.

Nari's voice, that tone that he used, dragged him out of his head just enough to do as he was told and look up at the man. With that arm around his waist, that back to the door and hand on his cheek, the sensations that came with them were enough of a distraction to keep his gaze there and let the hand fiddling for the lock drop. Not that he could reach very well now that he was being squished between the spirit and the wall. In any other circumstance, he would have pushed him away. Told Nari to fuck off out of his space and let him go, but he didn't, he couldn't, because he couldn't find words.

The only words he would be able to repeat or say were the ones whispering in his ear. The ones telling him to fight against the spirit and go die with his men out there. He wasn't acting much like a soldier, or a captain, if he was just letting them die. But logically, he knew that Nari was right. They were gone, and there was nothing he could do to stop them, to bring his friends and his family back now that they were lost to those demons. His fault. Your fault. Your fault. Your fault. They were so loud. Caeso didn't even acknowledge that Nari's eyes looked glassier than they had back in the archives. That they were different and he wondered what it was about but all those questions came second to the ringing and the screaming going on in his head and in the world outside.

Somewhere close by, close enough that Caeso could hear, down the hall on all accounts, he heard another scream and cry for him, followed by those awful crunching and ripping noises as whoever it was died. Not another. He couldn't listen to another death. The demons would move on soon, he figured, since they had already decimated half of the rooms throughout the wing, but until then they would keep searching for anyone that they found. Locked in Caeso's chambers, they wouldn't be, not unless they decided to rip down the door but from the sounds of things they were more focused on the people they could see, rather than the ones they couldn't.

And in response, Caeso wiggled enough to cover his ears with his hands and press his face into Nari's chest. He couldn't look at him any longer, couldn't bare to see how sympathetic the spirit looked in response to it all. He didn't deserve the sympathy, or the comfort, that the spirit was giving him. Gods, he couldn't even fathom that the man was helping him to begin with. It was strange, but not unwelcome, because Nari was more comforting than he would like to admit.

Nari made a small noise that could've been a soft 'oof', but he wouldn't have admitted to anything of the sort. Not when it was in response to something as simple as a man resting his head on his chest. Except the man was Caeso of all people, an uptight dolt that considered the spirit to be insufferable and the worst person to be around. Someone that Nari liked teasing and riling up, but wasn't particularly interested in cuddling with or being even remotely familiar with; not in this sense, anyway. The library was still meant as a tease with just a slight ulterior motive.

This was different. This was Caeso seeking comfort against something that was wounding him deeply and would undoubtably scar for a while. This was him seeking Nari out specifically, and only wiggling out of the spirit's grasp to hide away into his chest and cover his ears. And Nari admittedly froze for a moment, unsure of what to do or how to react. Instinct failed him in that split second to make a decision. Did he let him stay there, or did he push him away? Encourage or discourage? There was no harm in letting Caeso stay where he was, and the man clearly needed something if he was taking it from Nari. It would be cruel to discourage it completely.

Slowly, Nari wrapped his arms around Caeso in a hug and buried his face in his hair, ears flattening to protect himself from the screams as much as he could. They were muffled, but still ear-piercing, and he curled himself around Caeso in an effort to be a shield against the sounds. Bury the man in his chest to ward away the rest of the world. Nari doubted he was much comfort physically. He was well aware of how cool he was, not like a normal Fae's natural warmth and body heat, and he was slimmer than the captain was with just the slightest bit of padding that softened him up. He couldn't engulf the man in his body and heat, but this would have to do as long as he stayed there.

The spirit didn't move an inch, even if he had been initially hesitant and unsure, and held Caeso tight. The only times he moved were to hold him even closer when the screams got louder, and at the worst of times, he hummed soft melodies that were reminiscent of lullabied sea shanties. Anything to block out the screams for them both. He only prayed that the demons went quicker, moved through the building faster, so they could be gone soon and the people stopped suffering.