Chapter Text
It was dark.
In the blink of an eye the once bright forest had turned into a land of shadows. As the boy continued to walk, the land turned on, as though alerted by his presence. Towering tall tress loomed high above, now illuminated by the wispy pale blue glow of small floating lights.
The boy shivered, although the air was damp and warm.
An eerie silence hung all round. Not a single animal moved, no life breathed.
All that moved were the blue flecks, begging the boy to follow to the gently glowing green bridge across the winding river.
Walking backwards slowly, the boy wanted nothing more than to run away. He wanted to find his younger sister, he wanted to go back to his older brother and sister, but he knew that he was here alone.
Shadows seemed to wrap and choke the boy, so he did what he wanted.
He ran.
Running across the creaky bridge, he noticed that the waters of the silent river seemed to sparkle, as though fireflies of aqua and turquois were trapped inside. The further the boy ran, the more he realized that this snake like wooden bridge was never ending.
The arms of the trees above were adorned with sleeves of inky vines that grew longer by each step the boy took. Soon, the male was running through the slimy vines, pushing them from his way frantically.
If he stopped running, the boy felt as though the forest would swallow him whole. The forest was waiting, with eyes everywhere, to take him away.
He really didn’t like the dark.
By now the vines were so thick that he had to use both his arms and legs to pry them away fast enough. Moving through a particularly thick set of vines, the boy quickly shielded his eyes. On the other side of the curtain, the glowing light was painfully bright.
Peering over his elbows, the boy tried to see what was causing the darkness to runaway.
The chaotic violet light dimmed, fading into a large tame circle of light. Alarmed, the boy almost fell when he realized that he was standing at the very edge of the bridge. Looking back to the deep purple light that hovered over the center of the lake, the boy saw that there was someone within that dark curious light.
As though the person, although it didn’t look like any person the boy had ever seen, could read his mind, the person turned around and looked at the boy.
The boy felt his heart sink. Was this the end?
“You,” the person’s voice was rich and smooth, “who are you and why are you here?”
“I…” the boy couldn’t find his voice, as though he had been placed under a curse. The forest had been weighing on him, heavier than a load of bricks. Now the force was so heavy that the boy was pushed down to his keens.
“I will ask again, who are you?”
Summoning all his strength, the boy answered, this was his only chance of getting out of this damned place where the trees hand arms that mocked you as you moved. “My name is Takumi.”
“Alright, Takumi,” the figure moved closer to Takumi, walking across the lake, his silhouette clearer now. “Why are you here? How did you get here?”
Now on the ground, Takumi instinctively moved his body back, away from the creature approaching him. “S-shouldn’t you tell me who you are first! It’s common courtesy.”
The creature stopped, surprised, but then his face shifted into something akin to amusement.
Takumi took the moment to regard the frightful, yet alluring creature further.
He looked to be male, around Takumi’s age. For the most part he looked like a normal, handsome, human. He had fair blond hair that had a feathery texture in the soft backlight. The human like creatures skin was pure ivory and his figure was tall and slender.
But Takumi knew, this was no human.
This creature’s eyes were a striking violet, a shade darker than the shades of purple aura that surrounded him. Atop his head were two sleek black horns that curled around his ear and ended in a sharp point. His ears were pointed, his canines long, and although he wore black gloves, Takumi could see he hand nails longer than any human.
The creature had a black shirt, ornamented with gold, and a long cape.
“Aren’t you afraid?” The creature smiled amusedly, “can’t you tell I’m a demon?”
Takumi’s blood ran cold, he wanted to scream, throw stones at the demon, but instead he balled his hands into a tight fist. “Ha! Like hell I’m scared!”
“Really now?” The demon walked forwards, ripples following the wake of his steps. The purple light condensed, growing darker and now simply outlining the demon.
The demon was now in front of Takumi; the human could feel the pressure and power radiating from the demon.
“How interesting,” the demon reached his hand forward, Takumi tensed and braced for whatever was going to happen. Instead, the demon picked up some silver strands from Takumi’s ponytail. “Grey, just like before…”
“Isn’t time you told me who you were,” Takumi forced the words out.
Letting his hair go, the demon crossed his arms. “Fine, I don’t know why it’s so important for you to know the name of a demon, but I am Leo.”
“Is there away for me to get out of here?” Takumi calmed himself, “tell me.”
“Yes there is away for you to return to your world, but you can’t do it on your own, unless you wish to die.” Leo answered flatly.
“Fine, then you help me get out,” Takumi felt his head growing dizzy from the pressure coming from Leo.
“Do you know what you are asking for,” Leo bent menacingly over Takumi.
“I’m asking you to get me out of here,” Takumi held his head and looked Leo in the eyes challengingly.
Leo took Takumi’s hand and suddenly, Takumi felt that he could stand again. Takumi stood up and looked at Leo pointedly.
“There is only one way for you to get out of here alive, and that is to make a contract with me.” Leo smirked.
“A contract,” Takumi’s brows furrowed, “what kind of contract.”
“The conditions are secret, but you don’t have much of a choice, do you?” Leo folded his hands, sat back and crossed one leg over the other. Floating in the air with whips of blue lights crossing all around him, Leo waited for Takumi’s answer.
Takumi didn’t like that the contract was going to be secret. Dealings with the devil did not sound like a good idea to Takumi in the slightest. Dying did not sound like a good idea either.
“I’m not going to make a contract unless I know the fee,” Takumi said adamantly.
Leo looked taken aback. “Do you have a death wish then?”
“No,” Takumi closed his eyes, “but if you have something you want that is so secret I think you need me too for whatever you have planned. I rather die then let demons plans go through. So, do you want to tell me what the contract is?”
Leo did something unexpected, he laughed. “Takumi, you are an insufferable human! I will tell you what I want, if you refuse then I’ll let you die and I’ll find another human to fill my desire. You see, we demons can’t walk into the human world as we please; we need to be tied to a human. I can get you out of this realm, but you will let me into yours.”
Takumi registered the words. “Why do you want to go to the human world?”
“Now that,” Leo put a finger to his lips, “is a secret. However, I will have you know that once I get to the human world, I will be tied to you. I will not be able to run free.”
Takumi didn’t understand why Leo would want to go to the mortal world if it meant that he would be leashed, but Takumi had a feeling that he wasn’t going to get any more information. Takumi hoped that what he had been told was the truth.
“Leo, I will make a contract with you,” Takumi decided. “You better not have lied to me.”
“The contract only works if it’s what you agreed to, and since you agreed to this, it is this,” Leo grabbed Takumi’s hand. “The contract is by blood.” Leo brought Takumi’s wrist to his mouth and bit him. Takumi feels a sharp sting and the warm wetness of Leo’s mouth before it fades away.
“You won’t be able to pierce my flesh and too much of my blood will kill you,” Leo informs Takumi as he grabs his chin. “The safest way of doing this is,” the demon leans down, centimeters away from Takumi’s lips, “is this.”
A shiver runs down Takumi’s spine as he feels the hot breath on his lips and his knees grow weak. “Then do it,” Takumi manages to say. From the corner of his eyes, Takumi can see Leo’s lips curling into a smirk and Takumi thinks that looking like that should be a sin in itself. Those smirking lips close the small gap between his and Takumi’s and lock in a kiss.
Takumi feels like electricity runs through him as Leo’s blood trickles into Takumi’s mouth. Piercing purple eyes glow and that was the last thing Takumi saw before a blanket of darkness veils over his eyes.
Takumi had just made a deal with the devil.