Kyle ran through the destroyed settlement with his little brother and mother beside him, his hand clutched tightly on his sedatives. He forgot the straw, unfortunately. Destroyed by the last Pencari he tried to fight against. So he will have to depend on getting close to rendering them unconscious. With a hand over his eyes, Kyle scanned the area, hoping to find signs of life. “Jailhouse, Jailhouse, Jailhouse,” he muttered frantically. Turning, he saw his mother, breathless, clutching onto his son. “We’re almost there.” He tried to console them.

As he got close to help her, a tremendous gust of wind came at them. Both of them let out surprised yelps as their bodies unwillingly darted to the closest wall. Temporarily immobilized, Kyle opened one eye to see the source of it all. Two Pencari appeared from the fire, adorned in their dark clothes & masks.

Kyle’s heart threatened to jump out of his chest, whipping his head to his mother and little brother, that laid there. “Oh, no,” he muttered, crawling over to them. He shook her awake, and the possibility of her being dead plagued his mind. Then he brought his finger underneath her nose to see she was still breathing. A sigh of relief. But he needed to get them to move.

“Well, well, I see a familiar beauty!”

He froze, recognizing the voice that came straight from his nightmares.

“Enough Egan,” an unfamiliar voice snapped, “You know what Commander Philon would do if you fool around?”

With a noticeable gulp, Kyle focused more on the two Pencari standing there. One of them walked forward. “Oh come now, we all should have a little fun with these pests, can we?” The Pencari, called ‘Egan’, slowly took off his mask.

Kyle felt his entire world disintegrate seeing that familiar, twisted expression on the Pencari’s face. The screams, the pain, and how his body bent to fulfill this sick man’s fetish. The remembrance of being penetrated, burning like a hot iron rod, overwhelmed him.

Egan’s eyes twinkled sickeningly. “Besides, I see a fair man who escaped from my clutches so long ago.”

His shaky hand searched his pockets, trying to find something of use. He had only one sedative, and he needed to use it well. As he stood up, he found himself in front of his family, his body rigid as Egan let out an unpleasant chuckle. “What’s the matter?” he said, mocking, “Last time we were together, you rather enjoyed yourself.”

Kyle bent down to grab a piece of rock. “S-stay away!” He shouted, before throwing the rock at Egan. Hoping for sufficient distraction, he jumped with the last sedative. The other unknown Pencari, who stayed back, zoomed past Egan to get to Kyle. Kyle screamed and dropped the sedative as he was tackled and pressed against the ground. He tried to bite the man’s hands off him, legs kicking in the air; anything to get off his grip.

Egan bent down and cupped Kyle’s chin. “You know, if you keep struggling, it’s only going to make it more painful.”

“Go to hell!” Kyle spat in his face.

The other Pencari got off as Egan held onto both of Kyle’s wrist with one hand, getting on top. Kyle kept fighting, trying to kick him off and even attempted to slam his head against Egan’s. The other Pencari stepped back, hand slipping behind. “I will not help you if Commander Philon gets pissed. Just try not to do anything stupid.” The other Pencari left with a huff.

Egan shook his head, “Joykiller.” Then he turned his attention to the boy beneath him, trying hard to get out of his grip still. Moistening his lips, he brought his face closer to Kyle’s. “Now, now, why don’t you be a good boy and let Daddy coddle you?” Forcibly, he locked his lips with Kyle’s. “Or else that old lady might end up a bit bloody.” He warned in between his violent kisses.

His strength waning, and his wrists bound by a firm hand, a stranger’s teeth and tongue against his own. He could feel hot tears threatening to come out, his mind slowly admitted defeat. That was when he noticed someone walking toward them. Two individuals; one of them masked.

“Get off.”

Kyle recognized the voice straight away.

Egan growled, mumbling curse words under his breath. Thinking it was his own blood, he turned to spit in response to their disturbance. But he then noticed the masked individual swung his pistol sword at him. He jumped off, skidding a good foot before getting up.

Nahele walked forward, and with a sigh, pulled his hood down. Positioned upright, Kyle’s mouth hung agape as it exposed a man with pointed ears and short black hair. A…A Pencari? He thought as he stared at Stungalm; who didn’t seem phased by the revelation? Egan scoffed, seeing his own kin opposing him, “Pest-lover,” he mocked.

Nahele glared back with his red eyes. “Immoral debaucher.”

“Immoral?” Egan laughed, “Pray tell why, when the young beauty was begging for it?”

Nahele didn’t hesitate and jumped at Egan. The two collided, a dark mist engulfing them, depriving Kyle of witnessing the struggle. He dragged his body away, wiping his mouth as he felt himself being picked up in the arm by Stungalm. Afterward, he helped up the waking little brother and mother. “You three, out.” He pointed his pistol sword toward their escape.

“Have you…always known he was—?”

“Go.” Stungalm growled, daring Kyle to keep pressing.

Kyle feebly nodded and helped his family out of harm’s way. Done, Stungalm looked toward the fighting. Suddenly, the mist hurled Nahele, and he landed right in front of them. Egan emerged from the mist, arms folded against his chest. “It’s a wonder you humans are still living!” Egan smiled wickedly, “Once I deal with this traitorous scoundrel, I’ll come for my darling.”

Stungalm pounced and swung the pistol sword again, catching Egan off guard with the force that a human shouldn’t possess. With a single swing, an explosive bullet was discharged, launching Egan into an abandoned building. Not giving him a chance to recoil, Stungalm continued his assault on his target. A swinging combo fed the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and the long awaited bloodlust towards the Pencari. Each swing met his mark each time, its target treated like a rag doll. But Egan was not to be deterred. Grimacing, he noticed his ‘lovely’ running from the scene and tried to chase after them. But Nahele intercepted and threw a punch to the face, but it was evaded. They had him flanked; both weapons unsheathed. Egan, clutching onto his chest from Stungalm's rage, noticed the weapon that Nahele brought out. He snickered bitterly, “why would you have an Eukasian weapon, eh?”

Nahele did not respond. Stungalm swung the pistol sword down, ready for another swing. Egan chuckled darkly, “No matter.” A swirl of dark power surrounded him, his red eye glowing with intensity. “Your heads will be on a pike, regardless!”

----------------------------------------

The smoke, which came out from the remnants of the settlement, meandered into the outside world. Fading into the overcast sky, amplifying the distress in the vicinity. As time went on, the blackened haze intensified while the fate of the residence unfolded. Armed solely with the essentials, the humans who had evaded their demons hurried through the secret tunnel, accompanied by their beloved ones. Guided by their torches, they ventured through the dark, wet caves where there was nothing but the sounds of their hushed breathing & footsteps. During the walk, Kyle was lost in thought. The sick, twisted longing that Pencari brought almost resurfaced against him. How he had to be rescued from an unlikely source; a renegade demon that held a resistance; held an ally with a man known for his barbarous demeanor. He held his mother close and chose not to speak about what happened when they were swept up in that confrontation. He preferred not to exacerbate the present circumstances.

His little brother whimpered in his mom’s shoulders, frightened to gaze at what’s in front of them. They felt disheartened as they exchanged no words, and the ground beneath them became rougher and uneven, bringing them closer to entering the gorge. A slim beam of light came through in one part of the ceiling, projecting down onto a single flower, the only life inside a dull, almost neglected land. It was their landmark, a sign of their exit. Arriving outside, they came to a jagged scar of the outer world. A deep cleft carved into the bedrock with an active stream of water overflowing the bed of rocks. As they exited, Kyle’s head was inclined to observe the towering rock walls that ascended from the forest floor. With no threats looming over them, some have sat down to catch their breaths while the ones who could fight stood guard; on the lookout for anything approaching.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Kyle’s mother and little brother sat down, huddled up as they found the time to sob at their losses. Kyle, being the man, had to hold his own feelings for their sakes. He thought, I have to stay strong, as they have robbed us of our future. And with his sedative gone, he had no way of protecting himself or his family. The remaining soldiers were armed for their protection against potential dangers. Admitting that he cannot do much, he sat down to be his family’s comfort blanket. He held his mother’s hand, gripping it as they could only wait for a signal; anything. They had to wait for River.... for Ronan... or even that haughty Huon that stayed behind to fight the monsters. But how would they react to the discovery of Stungalm’s ‘friend’ being a Pencari? He was unsure if they could afford another fight... if they all survived this.

Then an earth-shattering scream emitted from one of them. Before Kyle could even react to it, something grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and yanked him up from the ground. Flailing like a caught fish, he struggled in vain as the soldiers fired their arrows in his direction and that was when Kyle realized what was going on.

A group of Rakshasa; crawling on the walls like disfigured spiders, and one of them had a hold on him.

Kyle’s heart pounded as he desperately tried to find a means of escape. However, his actions were limited to kicking and flailing at the predator, which resulted in bringing the predator closer. He experienced a sensation of his head spinning and his chest numbing. The defeat was growing imminent; the heat growing from behind his eyelids increased as the torrid breath of the monster came upon his side. He had such a sense of helplessness within this time, pondering how he would be engulfed in front of his family and the people below. The panicked shouting as more Rakshasa came onto them pierced the space; their lives coming into an unhinged requiem.

Kyle

A familiar, friendly voice radiated in his head. A suspension of what was happening in that moment.

I am so sorry I was not there for you. I promise you; I promise you that you’ll never fight alone again. I’m right here! And we are going to fight together and grow old together. Ok?

Kyle’s internal temperature soared. With a curt nod, he whipped his arm out to where the eyes and jaws of Rakshasa were coming from. A promise goes both ways! Damned if I die not trying! His fingers dug into the Rakshasa’s eyes and pushed to the furthest limit. Upon reaching an adequate depth, he clung to the head and moved closer to further deepen his fingers. The creature squawked in agony as the two thrashed on the walls. The rapid back and forth between them threatened a whiplash on Kyle. With the abrupt movement, Kyle sensed the hand on him let go, with the only thing keeping hold of the creature being the eye sockets. Not enough to keep him suspended, he noticed himself falling backward. Aware of his situation, he anticipated either death or lifelong impairment. A sudden darkness loomed over him, making its way toward him. Believing it was the Rakshasa, he closed his eyes and awaited the impact.

Instead, he sensed a substantial arm enveloping him in a firm grasp. Brought closer to ‘it’, he experienced warmth; a pulsating heartbeat underneath what he believed was hide armor. Then, in mere moments, there was a mighty crash; a puff of rock dust giving off from under him and the individual next to him. Opening his eyes, he needed to identify the person holding onto him intimately. Upon taking in his rescuer, his heart throbbed at the sight of him.

A man with long black hair and green eyes; perhaps more so than the plant life outside. He didn’t note the black horns etched on his head, nor the forked tail that poked out from the other side. With a hard exhale, the man stood up, his towering height becoming known. Hairs rose from his arms and the nape of his neck as the man spoke, “That was a close one, you alright there?” The man asked, gazing down at Kyle. His boisterous smile and gleaming eyes distorted at that moment. His mouth became agape, his eyes blinking at the one he rescued. Failing to remember what he intended to do mid-action, the Rakshasa screeches disrupted their intense connection. “Oh, right.”

Growling, the man jumped back into where the rest huddled together. The massive man caused people to step back, their eyes wide as he slowly released Kyle. With his hands free, he brandished his great axe and resumed battling the monstrosities.

“Kyle!” the mother cried for her son; the one she almost lost as she ran to him. “Are you ok?”

“I-I’m fine.” Kyle stood up and could not stop staring at where the man was fighting the unnatural beasts. Despite being surrounded by them, the warrior remained unfazed as he began the grisly work. Black blood leaked from their gaping lesions, their path to the prey stopped by the human’s appointed guardian. The warrior smirked, “yeah, no. Not gonna waste energy on pests.” Then, with a rough inhale, fire spewed out of his mouth, causing everyone to gasp. The Rakshasa bodies disintegrated into black soot, forced to be dragged by the gentle wind that blew them away from the stage of their failed hunt.

As fast as the Rakshasa had appeared, so did their demise. It was an abrupt silence in the gorge, leaving a muffled crowd and the combatant that felled the horrors like an exterminator on troublesome vermin. After a few seconds of silence, the warrior turned to them, “any of you injured?”

“W-What are you-?” One man in the group exasperated, “you’re not human!”

“Yeah...?” The man raised a brow, not phased by the declaration. “So... are you going to answer my question or not?” Although adamant, his voice remained gentle, ensuring the group’s lack of fear. Uncertainty lingered as they gazed at each other; uncertain what decision to make. Kyle, indebted to the non-human man, stepped forward. He tried to ignore his pounding heart as he gave a firm nod. “Everyone seems to be fine. It’s thanks to you, sir.”

The intense link came upon them once more; the hulky man held a deep and prolonged eye contact as he approached. Kyle’s skin flushed as he got closer, leaning down so they wouldn’t bend their neck so much. Unforeseen by him, the man got close to his neck and took a whiff; like a dog engulfing the scent. Kyle felt a strange magnetism towards an animal, but was unsure how to proceed. Pulling away, the hulky man mumbled, “it’s you...”

“Me?” Kyle uttered, watching the half-lidded green eyes staring back.

“You’re the one that rescued Azim. I can tell by your scent.”

Azim? He thought, not knowing who that is, and what about the rescue. Above, the sound of heavy footsteps resonated, capturing the attention of everyone, including the duo. Two big black dogs glimpsed down at them, their facial expressions friendly, yet tough. “Aralt! We got the rest of this Rakshasa.” One of them spoke, causing a gasp from the group.

Aralt grinned, “Nice! Yeah, I got the ones here too. Almost ate up some humans here.”

The two dogs jumped down from up high and transformed during their fall. They landed on the ground with a thud; one did it with an acrobatic flourish, with the other was a bit heavier. Both of them were tall stature; but not as much as the one that Kyle couldn’t take his eyes off of.

Aralt motioned to Faizan and Malik, assuring them it was secure to come closer as he redirected his attention to the humans. “You are right about one thing; we are not like you. But we are not your enemies. I am Aralt; leader of the Hellhounds. One of your kind has saved my own, and thus we have to repay. We smelt the Elves and their monsters invading your homes, so it’s why we’re here. I need to ask, is this all of you?”

Kyle, being the only one brave to answer, continued his talk. “No... there’s more inside. They stayed so that we could flee.” He pointed to where they had come from. “It will lead you there.”

“Hun, are you sure this is a good idea?” His mother asked, concern etched in her face, “we don’t know who these... ‘men’ are.”

“Men who saved us. They cannot be that bad, mother.”

An amused smile played across Aralt’s lips, casting furtive glances at Kyle as they talked amongst themselves. I wonder... what secrets hide inside that soft, yielding flesh of yours? The man of interest remained oblivious, causing Faizan and Malik to exchange puzzled looks. After a brief pause, Malik walked over to the leader and poked him. “You should see if you can help. I and Faizan can lead them to our camp. It’ll be safer that way.”

Aralt jolted from his whimsical daydreaming and coughed, “y-yeah! ‘Course! You two do that. I’ll be right back.” He then darted out but then stopped, forgetting something. “Oh right! I’m Aralt, by the way, cutie, bye!” Then he was gone in an instant beyond the darkness. Faizan groaned in secondhand embarrassment as Malik chuckled in amusement. The exchange confused the humans; while Kyle was deep red.

“Well now, with that aside.” Malik kept his smile, “I know this is a lot to ask, but staying here might bring more danger to ourselves. We have camp a bit aways from here, and there you should be safe. Once you’re there, us two will see if we can find any remaining members of your clan. Can we ask for your trust in us?” He held a hand out to them, giving a charming smile to them to ease their worries. Kyle brushed his black hair back, trying to focus on the situation at hand as he nodded to everyone. “We should follow. Our leader and his son would want that for us. We need to be safe, for the ones who stayed behind... for the ones we lost.”

Malik walked past the group to get behind them, leaving Faizan to lead. “Follow us and stay quiet. While we believed we got rid of the Rakshasa, some might still be around.” He advised them as Malik went back to his hellhound form. The group hunkered together as they followed the two strangers into an unknown language. Kyle, having to be the one to speak for them, kept his posture rigid and calm.

Be careful, Aralt.... Ronan, River, Huon... I hope you will understand my reasonings for all this. And please.... please... come back alive.