Shackles of a Demon

Chpater Five

Chapter Five: Nightshade

~ Raphael ~

  His hand was drenched in warm blood, but that didn't stop me from holding onto him tighter. I laced my fingers in with his and started down the passage. As we came up to the first cell door that was before Marias', our pace slowed and I peered inside.

 "Hello?" I whispered.

 "Who's there?" A male voice hissed in sudden terror.

 "Don't worry, We're from the cell just beyond this one."

 "What happened to Xeno?" The voice sounded suddenly a bit more confident.

 "Xeno is dead..."

 "You expect me to believe you killed that monstrosity?"

 "No, Zakaru did." I pulled Zakaru over to me. His bat wings had slowly repressed back into feathers and most of his tattoos had disappeared.

 "Zakaru? Such a strong name for such a young demon," He murmured looking Zakaru up and down.

 "My name has meaning?" Zakaru piped up with curiosity. The man stepped forward. His tired red eyes looked up and met Zakaru's stare.

 "How long have you been down here, boy?"

 "Seventeen-years..."

 "You poor thing, Have you ever laid eyes on the outside world?" Zakaru slowly shook his head.

 "What does Zakaru's name mean?"

 "It means 'In darkness'." In darkness? Is it because of the black tattoos that form around him? "Well, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to let me out?"

 "Oh, right. Of course." Zakaru stepped closer to the over sized lock and his cell of jammed his long claw-like nail into the key hole. The door made a loud clanging sound and slowly creaked open.

 "Are you chained down, sir?" Zakaru asked softly.

 "No." He stood and his body entered the dimmed hallway lighting. He was tall with broad shoulders and tan skin. His tired red eyes stared down at me with a neutral expression. His back is marked down in claw-like scar tissue and his back hair ran down to the arch of his back.

 "What's your name?" Zakaru asked. I looked over at him slightly dumbfounded. He didn't look at all afraid of him, Zakaru stood up tall and stared him right in the face, waiting for an answer. He was like was of those little dogs that thought they were bigger then the bog dogs.

 "Alvax, Call me Al." He projected a warm respectful smile at Zakaru and he turned to me. His eyes traveled down my arm to Zakaru's and mine intertwined hands. "And you are?" He asked softly snapping his gaze but up to me.

 "Raphael," I muttered in a small voice. He clapped his hand on my shoulder.

 "Nice to meet you," He grinned at my slightly shocked face. "I have a friend in the cell just beyond this one..."

 "Everyone is getting out." Zakaru grinned answering his not yet asked question. His smile is so cute... I squeezed my hand around Zakaru's and looked further down the passage. For some strange reason...this shouldn't be this easy... My gut told me.

~ Zakaru ~

 I'd never met another Demon face to face before. Al was intriguing to me. I watched the way he moved and spoke. He seemed very

cautious around Raphael. I wondered why.

"Suroshi, Hey, Suro? You ok?" As we came up to the next cell door I watched Al peer inside and wait for his friend to answer.