Loki clasped the jack in the box in one hand and grinned sharply back at Nino. “Now I’m gonna take your body heheheh,” he laughed. Nino stepped back sharply, but just as he did so, Loki opened the box. As the lid slid from the box, a giant spring with a hand attached to the end lunged out of the box and stretched out forwards. As it moved, the fingers of the hand extended even longer and made a sudden motion to reach out and seize the dark haired man before it. However, Nino backed up father trying to avoid. The hand elongated yet again, and the dark haired man backed up farther and farther down the hallway yet the hand only continued to expand outwards.
The feeling of blood pounding through Nino’s body was starting to affect him. His mind raced with ideas and attacks and defensive formats, and his eyes only continued to brighten in perspective. Soon enough, the once dark spheres were a perfect shade of red. A smile wrapped its way across the visage of the dark haired man, and suddenly, Nino slashed directly forwards at the hand as though he felt no more need to dodge it. The sound of metal on metal echoed outwards suddenly as Nino blocked the hand with the sword that had formed from his spirit energy. A laugh escaped Loki and was suddenly mimicked by Nino.
“You think that’s funny too?” Loki laughed darkly at Nino. “Well now it looks like we have something in common.” With a grin, the demon exchanged glances with the dark haired man.
“Hah,” Nino answered back, and with a side step, Nino forced his sword forwards once more forcing the hand that still reached outwards from the box back again. Loki let out yet another laugh, yet Nino continued to force the hand farther and farther away. However, the hand’s fingers stretched outwards from around the blade and pierced right through the dark haired man. Blood exploded like a bomb as it washed itself on the floor, and a laugh rang out through the area.
Loki stared somewhat in horror of what he saw standing in front of him. The laugh that had escaped into the air had not been his own, but the dark haired man’s, and now that the silence had returned, there was nothing to support the still death air. Nino smiled so sharply back at the demon that stared horrified back at him that Loki felt himself grimacing. Blood dripped from the side of the dark haired man from multiple wounds as the nails of the hand burrowed their way into his flesh, and yet that was not what caused the demon’s attention to freeze. Instead, Loki’s eyes were frozen directly on what was behind Nino. A large black hooded sprit stood somberly behind the dark haired man and appeared to be holding one hand on Nino’s shoulder. Raising the other hand, the sprit took off its hood and a black haired man with pointed canines smiled directly at the demon. The face that stared forwards was neither demon nor human, yet as Loki’s eyes moved towards Nino’s visage, he found the same look upon the face of the dark haired man.
“Wha- what are you….” Loki said as his eyes grew wider and wider. However, after another moment, the demon, out of a sudden sense of inner pride appeared to take on a more determined dark look.
“I’m what happens when people fail at bringing about things they don’t begin to understand,” the voice that spoke was not the dark haired Nino’s but rather worked its way from the spirit with one hand still clasped on Nino’s shoulder. “But you won’t live long enough to know any more.” The ghost laughed out for a moment and then moved to the side and almost took the form of Nino’s shadow.
Rising up his hand now bathed in the black aura of the ghost behind him, Nino smirked as his hand took the form of a large claw. “And I don’t appreciate this hand in my chest.” Seizing the wrist of the hand still projecting from within the box that Loki was now holding tentatively at best, Nino ripped the hand and fingers from his chest. Blood exploded and rained from Nino, yet the dark haired man didn’t appear to care in the least. The smile on his pale visage was so large now that it appeared to be consuming his visage.
“Now I think I’ll take your little toy,” Nino laughed sharply. As if on some unknown cue, the sprit aura began to run directly up the arm of the jack in the box. Loki’s hands failed him, and the sound of the box slamming on the floor rang out in a chorus effect that mingled with the sounds of the demon servant backing up and away as quickly as possible. The box was consumed sharply by the black aura, and the moment it was fully consumed, the box appeared to disintegrate into nothingness.
Nino’s eyes moved sharply toward the now fleeing demon servant. Loki had tuned and was already running down the hall as if to gain some distance between him and this unknown creature of hate. Nino’s smile seemed to falter for a moment and then grow wide again as the dark haired man took after the demon. “Let’s play that game then,” Nino answered this motion aloud.
“Nino!” a sharp voice yelled causing Nino’s red eyes to move down the other side of the hall. The white haired Matsu was all but sprinting to meet his dark haired partner. However, the moment the white haired man saw what was now encasing his partner, he froze. As yellow eyes found red ones, Matsu found the sudden feeling of sickness run straight through his body. “Nino…. You…..”
“Matsu,” Nino acknowledged, and yet his eyes were moving sharply back to where Loki was still running down the hall. “Bye.”
With a sudden movement, Nino was running once more as he chased Loki through the hallway.
~*~
Matsu stood frozen for a full second, and his yellow eyes were unable to focus on anything. “Nino….. Why….. Did…. You….” Matsu managed, and almost on cue, Matsu was able to move once more. The light haired man stepped and looked down the hall that Nino had run down as if almost for a moment tentatively. However, then and there, his body all but became a weight upon himself. Seizing a locker and forcing himself to the side, the white haired man leaned against the locker and heaved. Bile spattered the ground and left a bitter taste within the mouth of the white haired man as he tried desperately to seize his mouth and close it. As fingers finally found their marker upon the white haired man’s lips, he let out a breath. Why would he…. Let himself……. However, in that instant the light haired man had forced himself to rise once more. Not waiting for any other cues, Matsu ran after his friend.
~*~
Nino lunged forwards as he ran only half a second behind Loki now. He had managed to catch up with the demon easily, and as he continued to close the gap, Nino smiled. Loki, appearing to turn his head in a brief moment, stared back at the dark haired man and then tried desperately to increase his speed. However, as he did this, Loki felt himself hit something sharp and solid. Being forced back suddenly, the demon fell upon his back and was forced to stare up into the face of the Demon Lord of Darkness.
“M-master Noiren….” Loki began unsure of what to say or do in the presence of a demon lord other than his lord.
Nino stopped just a yard away, and as the sound of feet digging their way into the ground hit the Demon Lord’s ears, Noiren looked upwards and faced the dark haired man in front of him. One….Two…Three…Four…Five seconds past as red eyes met yellow. Loki tentatively looked from the Demon Lord to the dark haired man and then back to the Demon Lord.
“M-master Noiren….” Loki tried once more.
“Silence,” Noiren answered back so sharply that it caused Loki to even break into his own breathing.
Nino stared darkly at the Demon Lord before him, and both beings reflected the same look of caustic hate. The ghost that still remained behind Nino seemed to smile suddenly and reach up to pull his hood down once more. Nino let out a breath, and yet his eyes still reflected the intensity of death.
“Human,” Noiren began with a cold but commanding voice.
Nino did not reply but stared back. The dark aura that still consumed the dark haired man’s body was beginning to pour out into the rest of the hallway. Noiren said no more but just stared for a moment almost appearing to judge Nino. Nino’s eyes narrowed, and yet he still made no motion of attack or to flee.
“What an abomination you are,” Noiren finally concluded as he reached upwards and placed a pale finger upon his chin. He did not smile but appeared to take on an increasingly morose look. Loki continued to look from Noiren to Nino.
“M-master Noiren… I am Loki… your son’s most trusted servant and….” Loki tried, and yet he instantly fell silent with the death stare that the Demon Lord stared back at him with.
“I am,” Nino’s voice said causing both Demon Lord and servant to return their attention to the pressing matter. Noiren said nothing but began to stare at Nino once more. Suddenly, the sound of running hit Nino’s ears, and the white haired Matsu came running upwards.
“Nin-kun….” Matsu said suddenly breaking off as he saw the two demons standing in front of the dark haired man. In that sharp moment, Matsu found himself forced to his knees yet again. His stomach twitched, and yet he refused it. Seizing his mouth, the white haired man said nothing but held his mouth and his stomach.
The dark haired Nino turned his head slightly to one side, and his left eye seemed to address Matsu while his right continued to stare daggers into Noiren who appeared to neither care nor be affected by this. “Matsujun,” Nino said darkly as his red eyes continued to glow. “Go away.”
“Why did you let him out… why why why why why……” Matsu said forcing himself to look directly into the face of Nino.
“Human,” Noiren said causing Nino’s full attention to return to the Demon Lord before him.
“M-master Noiren….” Loki tried suddenly, and yet in that instant, the Demon Lord’s hand extended into a large black talon and seized the demon servant by the neck. Loki let out a sharp scream that echoed in the hallway and sent Matsu into a sudden fit of pain. Tears streamed down the face of the white haired man, and yet Nino remained unfeeling. The talon continued to close tighter and tighter around the demon servant’s neck, and Loki screamed out louder and louder.
“MASTER! PLEASE! PLEASE! Don’t kill me! I am loyal to Asa! Don’t kill me!” Loki screamed out in a voice that was no longer deep but rather more of a woman’s voice. Yet this did not faze the Demon Lord as he continued to tighten his grip upon the heck of the servant. Matsu was all but forcing himself to scream out. The fear that was running through Loki was washing out onto the white haired man so much that it was becoming its own torrent within Matsu.
“Don’t kill him!” Matsu screamed, and yet neither Nino nor Noiren appeared to take notice of him. Nino stared at Noiren and the Demon Lord returned the gaze of the dark haired man.
“Servants need to learn when to keep their mouths shut,” Noiren said in a cold melodic tone, and suddenly, the sound of a snap rang through the air. Loki’s body dropped to the floor and ceased to move. Matsu’s scream was so loud that it vibrated within the entire area. The white haired man had leaned backwards so quickly and allowed the scream to leave him, yet after it was done, he was left clinging to his shoulders and rocking back and forth. Nino stared with red eyes at Noiren but did not appear to be petered in the least.
“One is overly emotional and the other is the exact opposite,” Noiren commented more to himself than to those that viewed him. “You are both abominations of nature.”
“Says yet another abomination,” Nino commented as a smile seemed to form once more upon his visage. Noiren’s face appeared to take on a somewhat less dark look for a moment, and suddenly, Nino felt the yellow eyes of the demon pierce through him.
“Says your executor,” Noiren answered back. “Those humans with spiritual powers are being annoying again… I will see to them after I destroy you.”
Nino said nothing, and yet his eyes seemed to reflect a sharp look at the Demon Lord.
“Good bye,” Nino said suddenly, and with a sudden movement, his sword had formed, and the dark haired man was charging the Demon Lord. However, the Demon Lord had already backed up and was standing a few feet away now. Suddenly rushing forwards, Noiren kicked Nino directly in the face. The dark haired man had not even had time to react, and with the force of the kick propelling him, Nino smashed directly into a wall. Yet the Demon Lord was not finished, and instead, Noiren took another step forwards and was already standing within inches of Nino and pressing him into the lockers that the dark haired man had fallen into. Pushing Nino’s head back against the wall, Noiren stared into the face of Nino.
Nino was losing consciousness. The force of impact had already nearly obligated him internally, and the spirit around him was already starting to dissipate into dust as his red eyes slowly died to darkness again. The sound of breathing was the only thing that occurred in the hall for five seconds. “Stop! Please… please stop….” Matsu cried as he lay now on his side on the floor. His body trembled with the force of the pain that was running through him. “Death… no… no…. no more death…..” Nino stared defiantly with one last sharp gaze to try and defeat the look that Noiren was giving him, and yet it was of no use.
“Noiren,” a calm melodic voice said quietly. The Demon Lord of Darkness turned his head and viewed the woman now standing only a few yards from him. “He is useful. Do not kill him.”
Noiren stared back darkly at Hiawai. “You know what he is,” Noiren answered back. “And I will not have him in existence. Humans have done….”
“He has ties to our grandson’s emotions,” Hiawai answered back as she slowly dropped her blind gaze and have a slight inclined bow to Noiren.
“Children mean nothing,” Noiren answered back.
“And then yet why did you put on the façade before?” Hiawai challenged.
“For the same reason you did.”
“…… I see…..”
“You are blind.”
“Lord Noiren.”
Noiren said nothing but released Nino from the wall. The dark haired man slid down the wall and fell into a somewhat arched sitting position on the wall. Blood still seeped from the pours of Nino and drenched the floor in dark liquid. Noiren’s eyes moved to Matsu who appeared to be trying desperately to compose himself and failing. However, the moment the white haired man saw that Nino had been released, he had moved sharply over towards Nino and was already looking at him with worried yellow eyes. As the white haired man looked away from Nino and towards where the two great Demon Lords had been standing, he found they were gone.
_______________________________________________________________
Writer's notes:
I have to admit =U I really wanted to see Nino get his ass kicked for some reason lol. Anyways, anyone mind finding Nino and Matsu <.< I'd greatly appreciate it.
