Nis tried as he might to separate Ari from Kaval, but Ari did not budge. A part of him felt guilty for what he had done, but he felt freer than he ever had felt before. Back then, he did not know how much power a name held and gave it away freely along with his blood. He formed bonds with demons he knew nothing about nor their intentions. Now, Ari could start anew. Perhaps, he could start anew with Kaval as well.

Ari continued to play with Kaval's fingers before bringing them to his lips. Despite everything, Kaval had been with him through his many trials and errors. Maybe what Kaval did was in his best interests, Ari reasoned. Kaval would not do a thing to harm him, traitor or not. This was what he knew to be most true and what he was most sure of than anything in the world. He kissed his fingers and lingered some more, growing restless with each passing second his eyes did not open.

The pressure of someone's eyes burning into his back made Ari squeeze Kaval's hand tight in his. Ari knew who it was immediately even without him having to turn his head and see.

"When he wakes and I am gone, he will not like it," Ari said as he rose his head and looked at Nis.

Nis stood in the doorway watching Ari as he peeled away the skin from an orange. "So you worry for me now?"

"I would not say that," Ari mumbled.

"Mmm..." Nis shrugged his shoulders and tossed a piece of the orange in his mouth. "Do away with that. You are merely trying to find excuses. Pitiful, really."

Ari continued to run his thumbs across Kaval's warming skin. He was terribly anxious about leaving him, but he felt the same with Freir. When he left Freir behind, as guilty as it made him feel, a whole new world unfolded before him.

"I do not mind leaving. It is just leaving Kaval behind with you that worries me."

"And you are saying that as if you have choice in the matter." Nis loomed closer. "But you do not. I merely posed it as such. It is more digestible that way."

Nis dragged his thumb across Ari's lips before pulling down on his chin and placing a piece of orange inside. "Is it not?"

Ari chewed the orange bit by bit relishing in the sour taste mixed with the bitterness of his thoughts which was swallowed down with the rest of the orange.

"I am interested in what you will become when left on your own. No outside interferences to steer you in either or direction. Are you not curious as well?"

"I want to become stronger without them. If that is what you are implying then yes. I am curious."

"Tired of being used?" Nis teased.

"Manipulated and fooled, yes. It only makes me wonder why you would be so willing to help me."

Nis motioned to Kaval. "You do not to realize what a prize Valy truly is. What I am exchanging for him is quite menial in comparison."

Ari was not satisfied with that answer. Although he knew Nis was not lying, he was not being entirely honest either. Nis reminded him of Auovin in that moment. There had to be more to it. There always was, and Ari was in the dark of things as usual.

"Another piece?" Nis offered the rest of his orange and smiled. Ari went and grabbed a couple more pieces.

"I lost him once, you see... And now he is in a tangled mess of things. He has lost his way."

Lost his way? Kaval was anything but lost. He knew what he wanted. Ari asked him time and time again if what he wanted differed from being with him and if so he could leave. He would not think ill of him. Ari plastered on a smirk. Demons and men... what was the difference, really? Ari could no longer tell. One just lived longer than the other.

"And what way is that?" Ari asked. "Taking sides in a matter that has grown old and stale? So if he sided with humans in a long lost war. That was hundreds of years ago. Perhaps, he cares for it no longer and wishes for something different. Perhaps he wishes for me now. And you do not like that."

The air in the room grew sharp and acrid. He could not piss off this kind of demon now. If anything, he was trying to befriend him. He was kind and friendly towards him in any matter besides Kaval.

"However, I have come learn how there can be different kinds of love. And the love he has for me and the love I have for him is anything but romantic. I cherish him dearly and I want nothing more from him than to be happy," Ari stressed. "And I know I am diluting that with my problems. Entangling him in a mess of my own creation as you say..."

Ari ate the remaining pieces of the orange and wiped his mouth.

"Harun, Nolan... whatever it is you may call him." Nis flailed his arms, "is a dangerous demon, devil, beast. Leave him be until you can deal with him on your own. Do not involve others. It is selfish and unwise. That demon wears as many faces as he has names."

"I am not trying to," Ari emphasized.

"Then deal with those matters on your own."

"I plan to," Ari said.

"Good, then let me show you your way out."

Nis reached for his arm but Ari snatched it away. Why was he in such a rush to kick him out now? Ari felt a rush of courage swell inside him. He did not know if it came from his past self or not, but it manifested itself in the form of indignation.

"I am not going anywhere until Kaval wakes—"

"Do you think he will be okay with you leaving like this? Whether you would like to believe it or not, he has a job he must complete."

Ari shook his head. "He is no longer that way."

"Then why did you break your blood bond?" Nis tugged him closer tightening his grip all the while. Ari could see the specks of gold in his eyes he was so close. They were mesmerizing, despite everything.

"... I want to begin anew with him is all. I want to be by myself and learn everything myself and he would not sit idly by and not try to find me."

Nis withdrew his hand and threw his head back. "What a fine answer."

It was not just an answer. It was how he truly felt. Ari was afraid of being alone, but he had so many things to think about on his own and his plan on what to do next should be of his own making. Ari was once independent and capable of handling his own. Freir and Rein taught him the importance of it a long, long time ago.

After spending some time with Auovin and Cyrus... he became more engrossed in the notion of love and left many of those things that kept him alive for so long behind. They were stronger and older—much wiser, Ari reasoned back then. That was no longer a suitable reason now. He did not want their protection or flawed reasoning, for the matter. If he wanted to do anything to make change, he would have to do it on his own and with his own power not someone else's.

"This will be the last thing I ask of you... " Ari murmured.

Nis lowered his head and chuckled before running his hands through his hair. He strolled to the door and opened it.

"Trust me, I know."

His voice held a sense of calm but restlessness all at once. Although his words were even, holding a tinge of coldness, Ari did not feel an once of malice within them. Perhaps, what he wanted with Kaval was well-meaning. His intentions for him, however, was undoubtedly known. He wanted him away. To where? He did not know and Ari believed he wanted it that way.

Nis pointed to a familiar map Ari had grown used to reading and studying during his time at the Khaeo. "This is what you know... and here." He cleared away the other maps that sat on top of it. "Here is all that you do not."

Ari's eyes widened.

"Come let me show you." Nis strolled over to the door and opened it.

Ari looked back from Kaval to Nis to the door. He had an aching feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it and walked towards Nis.

"Let me show you what devils we can truly be."

Ari was already through the door before he had the chance to turn back around. When he faced forward again it was as if his whole world had changed. Snow fell from the sky. It crunched under his boots once he took a wary step forward. It was narrow and dark, the place he stood, but as soon as he stepped out into the blinding light an array of strange tall buildings stood before him.

Odd smells and unfamiliar sounds lingered in the air, confusing Ari. Perfumes, he thought. Ari never smelled them or at least up close. He flared his nostrils and wiped at his nose hoping to dispel it. As he took a breath and reassessed his surrounding he realized he was still in the city, just in a part he had never been in. Everything was still so new to him, after all.

Nis must have been angered by him and sent him away from him. Ari sucked in his cheeks relieved yet annoyed by the thought. Where was he to go to now? Now that Nis got what he wanted from him, Ari knew he would be of no help to him. He would send him away as he just did.

Ari grimaced at his situation. Nis gained Kaval and in return Ari gained a name. What good was it to know that demon's name when he was incapable of doing anything to him? Ari was at a terrible, insufferable loss. He hugged himself tight as he made his way into the busy streets. There was nothing he could do about it.

The people in their dreary rags spared him no glance and pushed past him or shooed him off to the side much like the snow falling in their way. Horse drawn carts speckled between the people carrying what seemed to be hay, but the scent spoke otherwise. It reeked of dead humans. Fresh. Ari's eyes lingered on the carts before moving on. It was not his concern. He needed to worry for himself now such as where he would stay and what he should do about his growing hunger.

As he wandered through the throng of people. He never had been in a place full of people so big. It was disorienting. The unfamiliar sounds and smells made it worse. Ari gazed at the sky, hoping to find some solace, some sense of sameness he was unable to find where he was. His thoughts jumped to Auovin wondering if he was looking at the same one and thinking of him. Ari pinched himself hard enough to draw blood, wanting his thoughts to transfer to the pain radiating from his arm instead. Anything but him. Thinking of him only made his heart ache.

Oh, how he longed for home and the warm comfort of Freir's disarming smile. It had not even been a day and he missed Kaval deeply. Being alone was not what he wanted, but it was what was needed. Cyrus would say those words. He knew he would. Ari so desperately wanted to cry at that moment. However, he bit his lip and mustered it down—swallowing it all down like acid.

Ari walked for hours going whichever way his feet carried him. He heeded his surroundings, but it made no difference to him. It was not as if he had a specific place in mind to go to. His legs grew heavy. His head ached from his hunger pains or tiredness, he could not tell. The cold continued to seep through his skin resting in his bones. The snow blanketed cobble stone streets were abandoned. All but him and a few stray vagrants lingered amongst the quietness.

A dreary wind blew lifting a few signs from the ground while the hanging ones creaked and groaned, catching Ari's attention. That was when he realized the familiar smell of bread. It was faint, but he knew it. Ari approached closer and peaked inside through a window. It was covered with curtains, so Ari skittered around back to look inside.

"So you have come back, eh? And a little worse for wear," a man chuckled. Ari knew who he was from his voice alone.

"Sascha," Ari murmured.

Sascha held his lantern at eye level and beckoned Ari closer. "Come inside. You know better than to linger out so late at night. Be lucky no fog was drawn here tonight." He ushered Ari inside with the back of his cold, calloused hands.

"You do not think we have demon problems here?" he asked as he sat the lantern down on the table along with a sword and bloodied demon heads. It took Ari by surprise, but he was too tired to register the expression on his face.

"Be more careful. There are Stalkers here. Prey on young ones such as yourself."

"I am tired," Ari admitted. He thought he would faint, he'd become so weary.

Sascha stalked back towards him and set a plate of bread, salted meat, and a small jar of honey near him.

"Then eat."

It had been so long since Ari had a taste for human food. However, he had lived off it well enough before. He could do it again. Ari scarfed down the meat, nearly choking on the bread causing Sascha to smack his back and laugh.

"Slowly, boy. Don't wanna wake the dead."

As soon as his choking settled, Ari grabbed the cup nearest to him and swallowed it all down. Ari's brows furrowed at the unfamiliar taste and looked to Sascha to answer his silent question.

"It is mead. Never had it before?" Sascha poured himself a cup and settled into his chair.

"A drink to take some of the discontentment off. You will see." He poured more into Ari's cup, smiling all the while.

"Sometimes bad things happen with no rhyme or reason. Other times you make a costly mistake. Regret. Remorse... " Sascha took a large gulp. "Enough of that to go around for centuries."

Ari guzzled it down relishing in the calming bitter feeling. Bitterness was a feeling he was becoming more and more acquainted with. It was the only familiar thing around— and he tended to find the most comfort in things he knew.

"Now, tell me, Ari, why is it that you smell of Sin?"

"Sin?" Ari said as if tasting the word. When he met Sascha's gaze it was hard and dark. Ari could hardly believe he was the same person just a moment ago.

"Tell me, or I will have your head."

Ari stared at the plate before him and let out a low chuckle. And so like before and the many, many other times before—he had been tricked. He balled his hands into fists and clenched them so tight they drew blood. Only this time his loss was not just his pride it was also his one, true friend.

❤️ ❤️