Different perspectives.

_Chapter 8_

Long after the beginning of time lived a being of great power and tenacity. Tenacious as they are in nature, they were also kind and caring. In the making of the endless foggy galaxies, they forged the earth from air and nothing to gravel and sand, with clear reflecting water that stretched far out into the far distance beyond what the eye could see, and crystal blue skies with a shining forever sun that later turns into the black-purple abyss found beyond the space of earth, decorated with little shining suns spiralling across the infinite skies. As beautiful and breathtaking their work was...It was 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 on the earth. No soul resided on it...and so came the birth of mortals! All creatures great and small... as tiny as an ameba then as large as a blue whale! Yes, humans, animals and many more were crafted. No one can understand it and neither should they bother, it is a waste of time trying to comprehend the incomprehensible, even though some are too stubborn to simply 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙜𝙤. It can't be helped. Can't be…

As minutes, hours, days, years….Ages ticked by, the world became more and more advanced. Nothing could stop it, even though nature can be so cruel as to destroy, it also provides, and no matter what, humans will always rebuild. It's a drive for innovation, for safety, for greed, for satisfaction...For Life. While the world was becoming superior in every sense of the word, deep seethed in the ground lies something... Strange. Something unlikely, but likely. You see, as technology became more complicated, so did the phenomenon known as "Magic". Now, what is magic? Well, It's an unknown energy that is both darkness and light, it consumes and destroys, but it also breathes life and transforms, just as technology does. The two go hand in hand, truly. As if they were in cahoots. Or rather, one single entity. Who knows, right?....But anyway, underground lies a deadly force, there is more than one world, the earth is a slave to both, the one unreachable and the one settled on its surface...Hell. Hell, people mistake it for many things, they don't really think about it much and others fear it to the point of not wanting to have anything to do with it. Mortals are silly. Very silly, and naive. We do not know of what we are dealing with.

As the years trudged by without a hitch, the gathering of dark energy was becoming unbearable, coming from humans and their simple minds, seeping like a deadly virus from above to the ground and poisoning the earth with each second it breaths it in, magic...It's everything and anything you could imagine. There are people who manage to get their hands on it and make it their own, others find other means to acquire something so great as Magic. And once they do, they always get 𝗱𝙚𝘃𝙤𝘂𝙧𝗲𝙙, eaten from the inside out to the point they perish and die.. What they hope to seek?...Why...Fame, fortune, power, justice, legends and to be remembered by the society they lived in as the greatest, The Greatest Of All Time.

….. It's not possible.

And because of this dark energy that has been slowly growing in strength and power, it eventually took on the likenesses of that of a being. A power entity that emerged from the earth's gravel out onto the surface. The light of the crystal skies hurt his eyes, so he took refuge for the earth once more, he was young and not yet strong….

However….

Concealed beneath the molten crust, sheathed between the gigantic fiery red scorching lava lakes that spreads far across the vast unknown, and laying just above the trenches of hell lies a fortress, a fortress worthy for a Titan, one that is guarded with treacherous flames and seething hot magma, beautifully mapped underground, far beyond the reach of man, so far that if man truly did make it there, they would be met with the blood curdling screams of souls who had died long before and so would be discouraged and forced to turn back due to fright.

Here lies a devil, a demon well known over the ages of his existence for his vast knowledge, wisdom and power. He is not only feared but respected amongst many, both his kind and mortals alike. Although, despite the fact that he has done numerous mortals favors with the natural exchange of their souls to him, he has grown bitter over time and has lost all patience with the mortals…

..."Hear me well, Human. If you dare to call on me ever again...I will destroy you where you stand, your soul amounts to nothing in my eyes. Peasant."....

Therefore cutting his ties with any and every mortal he ever made a contract with, in hopes to never see another mortal again. Or so he thought.

Currently, Runē was in his study. Known for his fondness for books and learning new facts, he had his nose buried rather deep in it. He was trying his hardest to focus, but it was proving impossible with a certain someone in his proximity…

"Master..What is this?"

Asked her as she held the bottle of mysterious contents in her small, delicate hands. Runē glanced up from his book and eyed her from across the room with a deadpan glare before grunting and waving his hand dismissively at her, signaling for her to keep quiet. She only stared at him blankly before pouting then gently placing the bottle back where she had taken it from, spreading her bat-like wings and gliding upwards, plopping the item on the very top shelf. She was also a demon, a succubus. A lower grade of demon, no doubt, however, Runē took a liking to her and in doing so made her his companion, a familiar. It was funny and strange at that, he was a very powerful Demon, very powerful. Naturally, anyone who came across them would think she was a slave, but Runē was kind enough to make her his familiar and give her at least half of equal standing. He himself didn't quite understand his outlandish actions, but eventually gave it no thought. He just assumed she would serve out her usefulness to him, and once he found her worthless, he would rebuke her existence with a simple snap of a finger, just like that.

The study was rather large, almost as if it were right out of a fantasy world. The room, spacious and decorated with large windows on each wall that brought light from the outside hellish scapes, every corner one would find bookshelves, and if not bookshelves, then shelves on the brick walls that contained books. Runē was seated on a large armchair...or at least that's what it appeared to be anyway, it seemed to be made out of strange things that can't be bothered to be described. Some meters away from him was the succubus, standing on a second level of the room, it was there were Runē kept magical artifacts, items and spell books as well as ingredients for making potions, he was a scientist, no doubt, he enjoyed indulging himself in such things as creating and crafting recipes, just to see the effects it would have on someone lower than him, since he wasn't really affected by the spells or potions, he was just too strong for it to do any real damage.

Walking down the steps, she skipped and kicked her legs in the air with a stride that reaked absolute content and freedom, she had not a single care in the universe, as long as she was with her Master. Vanishing from his sights, as if he was even watching her to begin with, she appeared from behind, resting on the armchair from above, leaning forward to lace her hands around his shoulders, then eventually around his neck, she pulled herself onto him, pressing her breasts that was barely covered onto his muscular back. Brushing her lips against his earlobe and sighing softly, she said suggestively, "Master…~ Won't you play with me?" Her long black finger nail pricked him softly on his shoulder, drawing and tracing little circles on the same spot, while her other hand just stayed wrapped around his shoulder, resting her head just by his neck and on her own arm. She hummed and whined, doing her best to get his attention, but alas, the man she was trying to seduce had no interest in entertaining her. It was clear by the bored look in his eyes from her ridiculous advances, his lips pursing into a tight lipped frown while those eyes of his narrowed into a firm golden glare. He could stare a literal hole into the book in his hands if he continued!

"Go to the human world and go find something to do. I don't have your time." Coldly, he dismissed her in a heartbeat, shrugging his shoulders and causing her to move off him. She shifted back, hovering over the ground before settling onto it and tucking away her wings. Truthfully, she wasn't surprised, infact, she anticipated that to be his reaction. He was the type of being to move to the beat of his own drum, and if it didn't interest him then he had no bussiness sparing his time for it. It was as simple as black and white, and she understood it clearly.

With a nod of the head, and a small huff, she replied leisurely, clicking her heels with each step as she walts around the chair into his presence, "Why? When I have something much more delicious before me." She then cackled and got to her knees, settling her chin in-between his legs and onto the soft cushion of the chair, her hands seated carefully on his knees, "Humans taste awful. Like shit. Let me eat from you, master...I beg you." She pleaded, her violet eyes staring up at him desperately but betraying the sincerity behind it with her devious black lipped smirk. Her words sounded like honey, as sweet as sugar but masking something horrid. She was a master of her craft after all.

Runē gave her a long hard stare, leaning his body back onto the comfort of his armchair with a grunt while moving the book aside so he could get a better view of the pain that had wormed it's way into his side. His demeanor screamed irritation, and she herself could tell he was becoming vexed with her, but she also knew that he wouldn't hurt her...at least not yet. First he flashed his pearly sharp whites, trying to form some sort of frown out of discomfort, but settled for a scowl, then his eyebrows furrowed, twitching every now and then for some unknown reason. Finally, he sighed, responding calmly but with cruelty, "Very well." He paused to place his book down by the small table stationed beside the chair, his eyes following the movements of his hand with bleakness before returning to the young succubus again. A goosebump inducing smile crawled its way onto his lips as he pointed in-between his legs, tilting his head to the side and nestling his molded chin onto his palm, staring her dead in the eyes, he ordered,

"From that position, you can get what you want...So therefore, suck it."

A gleeful grin immediately took its form on her plump black lips upon hearing this, curling upwards as her eyes narrowed with amusement. She nodded, very much pleased,

"Yes, of course Master. I'll suck as much as I can, hopefully I don't burst~"

Her giggles filled the room, followed by the sound of slurping, squiching and lips smacking together. Afterwards, she was done. Getting to her feet, she licked her lips with much gluttony, running her sharp nails softly against the lining of her lower lip, a gutural hum escaped her throat from delight. "Master~" She called out with a whine, twirling on the spot before falling forward and creeping her way into his laps, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his neck, "Why not let me do more?" She quizzed, her tail wagging excitedly behind her as she bounced up and down on his lap, she was aroused, as expected from a succubi. Like he predicted this would be the outcome, he held her by the chin and tilted her face upwards, causing her to let out a soft moan as she shuddered under his heated touch. His eyes reflecting disgust, his lips curled upwards as he shook his head slowly.

"Behave yourself."

It was absolute, leaving no room for arguments or quarrel, he hissed with a smile. And she? She became as calm as the sea, her tail slowing its pace. She nodded her head slowly, her long white hair bobbing and bouncing around in the process,

"Okay, Master. As you wish~"

This was their relationship, Master and Familiar. Together, they instilled fear and terror onto other demons, Runē most especially, he detested every other being, but what he found to be the most revolting species to ever come into existence were humans. They were the bane of his existence, and he made no effort to hide this fact, anyone who knew him knew that he wasn't fond of humans, not in the least. The only being he did not detest was of course, the King of all demons.. Now 𝙝𝙚 was a worthy adversary. He was the only one Runē would ever so much as to bow his head to, no one else. He wasn't prideful, oh no, he just didn't see them as worthy of his kindness nor humble nature, nor did he feel like they were worth attempting to serve or please when with a simple flick of his wrist they'd turn into cosmic dust. Everyone feared him, as much as they feared the King of all demons. It's like the two of them were on a whole different league compared to the other creatures of hell.

"Well, if it isn't Runē. Greetings." The demon bowed it's head in respect to the towering demon, he was a trader as well as a demon known for doing numerous contracts with numerous humans, even demons. Clothed in fine white robes, he had fair skin with bright green eyes and beautiful long locks of gold, which he tied up into a messy bun with some sort of ornamental pin. He didn't look like a demon, but he truly was, slim and elegant, he could pose as either gender in the human realm, he was just too androgynous. Runē glanced over his shoulder to eye the person who had just called on him, his eyes narrowing and scanning the individual with annoyance. After the bow, he acknowledged him and turned his attention to him. Currently they were outside Rune's home...Er...Castle?...Fortress, yes, Fortress.

Runē was gathering molten rocks for his latest experiment when this wandering demon made himself known to Runē. But, even if he hadn't, Runē had already sensed someone was within his barrier. The real question was; how he got in?

"May I come in?"

"No, I refuse. Go back from where you came from."

Runē growled aggressively, turning the blond down and facing his work without sparing him another glance. The demon was taken aback, sure, but he laughed off the shock and replied sweetly, "You're so handsome when you act tough. You're not gonna spend a few minutes with your own family? How cruel~" He ended with a teasing tone, reaching his hand to touch the tip of Runē's horn, but ended up retracting his hand and slipping it back into the large sleeves of his white garment. Runē didn't even respond. He only got to his feet, turning to face the intruder and letting his height alone intimidate him, but the blond was not at all concerned. Calmly, with half-lidded eyes, he glanced up to meet eyes with him, a small teasing smile playing on his face. It sickened Runē immensely.

"It's important." The blond said after a while of staring. Runē tilted his head, raising a single eyebrow in question but refraining from wording his thoughts. He sighed, slumping his shoulders and arching his back forward, "Fuck you. Whenever you come here, I always end up in a shitty contract with a shitty human." Runē lamented bitterly then turned away from the shorter male and waved his hand dismissively at him, "Go away, brother." He ended bluntly, advancing into his home but came to a swift halt as he saw the blond standing in front of him instead with his hands on his hips.

"Hold it, this one is different." His brother said, he would've explained more but was shortly cut off,

"Ah!? Oh yeah? As different as the other one? The last one was a fucking politician!"

Runē scuffed at his brother, finding his impudence and lack of understanding frustrating, he pushed past him and rolled his eyes, saying, "Go find another powerful Demon to pull one over, I'm done with you. Be grateful I'm even calling you my brother. Tsk." He clicked his tongue and disappeared inside, the large doors shutting violently and sending a message to the blond who stood on the other side. Nonetheless, that didn't stop him.

"Master!~" The succubus glided down the stairs, jumping then latching her clutches onto the back of her dearest, hugging him from behind as he trudged by without a care for her affection, easily acknowledging her with a simple lonely grunt as he worked into the inner chambers of the fortress. Inside was dim, the architecture and design of each area was exquisite as it was dark, it reflected Runē personality rather well. Making his way inside his potions room, he was amazed to find his brother seated on the table and reading a book. The ravenette stood there and ogled at his brother with a odd expression on his face while his brother flipped through the pages of the book in his hands as if he were blithe to the situation. Just as Runē was about to speak, the blond raised his hand and spoke first, "You can try, but I won't leave until you do this for me, little brother." The blond voiced with a devilish smirk, his emerald eyes glinting his desires. It was pointless, Runē had to go along with his demands. Yes, he could easily kill him were he stood, but, even he wasn't so heartless as to destroy his own blood, although he was nearing his tipping point, no less, he just had to put up with him, for now at least. There will come a time when he might actually smite this fool if he continues to be a pest.

"You're an asshole."

"Thank you~ I take pride in it, ya know?" He chuckled gleefully as he worked his way to Runē's side, ignoring the succubi on his back, "Besides, you love me." He added with a teasing tone in his voice, Runē rolled his eyes at the very thought and scoffed, pushing past him and setting the items he gathered onto the table before turning to his older brother, "Moika."

"Yes, Master?~"

Moika immediately perked up, lifting her head to look over Runē's shoulder at the mere mention of her name from his lips, "Get off me and go do something productive. Leave us, quick." He snapped, barely batting an eye in her direction as he asserted his command. She nodded in affirmation and swiftly hopped off, quickly flying out of the room. But, before she left, she gave him a small kiss on his cheek, leaving behind black lipstick residue on his dark skin. He cleaned it right off with his tail, displaying his disgust with a simple twitch of his eyebrow and lower lip. His brother watched the scene with amusement, but said not a word on it. The blond moved to stand before his raven haired brother, grasping the larger male's hand in his smaller hands, "Here, I'm going to draw a seal on the back of your hand."

"Huh!? What did you say?"

Instantly, Runē snatched away his hand, he did so with much speed, and in doing so, moved backwards and away from his brother as well, his face displaying his discontent concerning the matter, his brother sighed in response to this, rolling his eyes to the ceiling before landing his sights back on Runē, "Relax, it's for a good reason. This human is actually quite resourceful, I've been watching him for quite some time now." The blond explained slowly, advancing towards the ravenette and grasping his hands gently in his once again, his finger nail trailing and leaving behind glowing white lines as if drawing some sort of symbol on the back of Runē's hand.

"He seems lonely and wants someone to be his companion, and I think you'll find him most enjoyable, both emotionally, physically and mentally. He will be satisfying…" He then trailed off and glanced up from their hands to stare his brother clearly in the eyes, "I just want someone more worthy to be with you…" His facial expression was soft, gentle, filled with love, adoration and kindness towards his younger brother, but it swiftly twisted into a dark, sinister one, as his smile only widened, hissing out with much grossness, he then said, "And this way, you can get rid of that 𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝, Moika...What a infuriating species." He scoffed, his tone reeked of resentment concerning the young succubus. But Runē could care less about his brother's hate for Moika and her kind. When he thought about it, he had to agree, it would be refreshing to rid himself of the annoying succubi, her gluttonous appetite was starting to piss him off, but at the same time he wasn't completely finished with her, he still had uses for her.

With a scrutinizing look, he glared at his brother from above and spat out coldy, "And then how exactly would this human serve his purpose better than that wretched wench? I'm more than happy to replace her if he interests me."

Listening to his brother ask such a thing made the blond bubble up with joy, his smile growing larger by the second. He giggled and responded fiendishly, "Oh~ Sweet little Runē. Why not find out?.." As soon as the blond had said that, he had completed the seal on his brother's hand, letting it go right after. Before Runē could reply he was suddenly transported just within the blink of an eye. For a split second it was dark, then he found himself standing in the middle of some type of room, it appeared to be a bedroom of some sorts. The room looked nothing like anything he had seen in the underworld, so he knew right away he wasn't in hell anymore...Which meant….

"Son of a whore. That bastard, Noi, when I get my hands on you, Noi.."

He thought to himself as his teeth gritted and grinded from fury, his wrath boiling from within. However, his attention was caught by the sight of a figure hiding under the bed. Curious, Runē narrowed his eyes to see who it was or what it was and on further inspection he realized it was a young male 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 hiding under the bed, most likely for safety. He didn't know why, but it seriously amused him, to the point that he huffed out a short laugh, doing his best not to end up chuckling. It was all too tempting, the human looked like an ostrich, hiding its head but its ass out to the world. So to speak.

"𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣." He commanded with a loud boom of his voice, asserting his presence and making it loud and clear, but to his surprise, the human stayed where he was, not even bothering to glance over Runē's direction from underneath his pathetic hiding spot. It enraged Runē, but at the same time piqued his Interest. It was then Runē decided that maybe, just 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚, he might give this human the benefit of a doubt and humor him for a while.

Unfortunately though, Runē quickly learned that this human he had gotten himself contracted with was unlike any human he had ever experienced. For one, he was too smart for his own good, he was also cunning and oddly respectful, not to mention, just plain weird. Now Runē was fascinated with him.

It was only the beginning of the day and already I had found myself in quite the predicament. Seated naturally on Yuri's bed with my leg crossed over the other, I watched as she rummaged through her closet and tossed out all kinds of outfits my way and onto the floor and bed. I couldn't help but wonder to myself, "How can one chick have so many clothes? Is she a model? Even models don't have these many... right?" It was honestly ridiculous, but I could never say so to her face, hence I get punched or slapped, she's quite feisty. After much waiting, she finally turned to me with a dress in her hands, and immediately I made a cross with my fingers and spat out bluntly, "Hell no. I don't feel like wearing a dress today, give me something comfortable, damn."

"Oi, oi, I'm the one destroying my closet for you, be grateful!"

She huffed and shook her head at me, as if I just did something wrong. I sighed and looked up to the ceiling, as if hoping for some sort of ray of light to come save me, but of course, nothing came. I then returned my gaze back to her and said in a apologetic tone, "My apologies, please find me something else, Mistress." She looked at me suspiciously, trying to identify if I was being sincere or sarcastic, and when she seemed satisfied, she nodded and said, "That's right. I'll find something else, my love." Then turned to her closet again. It took her some minutes but she finally found something that I could wear, swerving around with a black T shirt with white imprints of japanese characters on it, she tossed it my way, along with a pair of jeans shorts that were white.

I was able to catch it in my hands and secure it, rising to my feet as if I had just received gold. With a satisfied smile, I posed and yelled excitedly, "Yeah, girl! Now you're talking!"

Quickly, I got dressed. Although I didn't really ask for it, she sat my down and did my make up, forcing me to put on earrings as well as put on some wrist and finger jewelry, but when it got to my neck I swiftly stopped her and said with a hint of nervousness, "Um...Maybe not the choker?...I mean, it goes with the outfit?..." If I remembered correctly, when ever I attempted to try and take off the accursed choker, it had serious consequences, hell knows what the fuck might happen if 𝘀𝗵𝗲 tries to take it off, I'm not tryna kill my best friend.

She seemed a bit skeptical about my perspective concerning the choker, but decided to allow it after giving it much thought, thank goodness. I sighed in relief and stood up, putting on shoes that matched the shorts and together we strode out of her dorm room with our arms laced together.

We made our way out of the dormitory area and walked towards the main building of campus, but as we approached closer we noticed a bit of commotion….It looks like there were a handful, no, a crowd of people gathered around something...or someone? We weren't really sure, it's not like we could see from the distance. Glancing at each other quizzically, we exchanged narrowed eyed glances before quietly agreeing to confront the scene, and what I saw shocked me to my very core, leaving me pale as a ghost….

"R-runē….?!"