The Demon King And The Hero (Part One)

Chapter Twenty Two: The Demon King's Inkling

Chapter Twenty Two: The Demon King's Inkling

Shion watched as Nemis stared indifferently towards them. His posture suggested that he was annoyed and had nothing but terrible thoughts in his head. He growled sharply at Gaitis as the man accidentally bumped into him.

At least it's not just me. Shion softly mused as she pushed a strand of wet hair off of her cheek.

It had been raining for the better part of the day and they still had not found any shelter. All four of them were soaked to the bone, and all were on a thin ropes pertaining to their nerves. Especially Nemis, who did not glance at her once without scowling. Shion was better than most of them, a little more so than Gaitis, who was also used to trekking about in the rain, and much better than Felli. Felli, who was like a drenched cat. She positively hated the water and would constantly grumble about it. She was kind enough to only do so when none of the others were near enough to hear her, but Shion sometimes caught her words.

Poor, poor Felli. At least Nemis is kind with her. He treats her like a little sister or a pet, and never seems to be cross when she's around. For a brief second, Shion was jealous. Why is it me he acts so cold with?

The thought didn't last long. In the far distance, a body was crumpled up. Shion noticed it just as Gaitis did, and in the brief second it took to confirm, he was sprinting off.

What felt like mere seconds passed and they were upon him. Shion strained to see what it was that was in his arms. He was cradling it like a baby, and although it was small, it wasn't that small. Finally, when they were close enough to see through the pouring rain, they saw that it was a woman. Faint in his arms, unconscious.

She wore a strange garment of white and pale green, like it was when the sea foamed, and her light brown hair was braided in the most peculiar fashion. Her skin was pale and slightly gaunt, like she'd barely ate enough to survive.

Nemis was the first to figure out who the woman was.

"She's a priestess of Eldis." He spat angrily. "Leave her to her goddess , let's go." Shion stared at him in disbelief. Where was the gentle Nemis, the one that had helped Chris. Where was the apathetic demeanor he generally maintained? This cruel, mean hearted man was nothing like the Nemis she'd grown to know and ...

"What's wrong with you!" She answered hotly. "You're willing to leave a poor woman to die!?" She asked. Shion knew she sounded upset. She was upset. Not that she cared for Eldis, or her followers, but she wasn't as ice hearted as she pretended to be. She would never leave someone to die.

"Eldis will care for her own. There is no need for us to associate ourselves with-" He looked at the woman, eyes full of disdain. "-that."

Shion snapped. She was tired of his terrible attitude. She was angry at his coldness. And most of all, she was hurting. She didn't know why she was hurting, but she didn't like it.

Her hand went out before she even noticed what she was doing and it connected with his cheek. She was so stunned by her own action that she didn't even move her hand. An arctic look passed over his features and there was bitter smile on his face.

He reached up and touched her hand with his own, clasping tight as he moved it away. His hand was freezing, colder than anything she'd ever felt before. Unconsciously, she shivered.

"Please refrain from hitting me again. I'm not sure what I would be forced to do." He said darkly. Again, Shion shivered.

Never once in the past weeks and months had Nemis been so...cruel. She saw nothing that told her he was the same person he had been. His eyes were filled with a true darkness that made her want to sob. He looked darker, brutal, merciless.