"It's all about the presentation" Alister said as he stretched
"What?" Reskh glanced at him
"I've been told all deamons are bad guys, but that's because of the way they've been presented, they're being shown in a bad light, and i guess most of you aren't that bad" Alister said cheerfully
"I could say the same thing" Reskh shrugged
"If we could just show the world that deamons weren't all bloodthirsty warmongers" Alister said rubbing his chin
"We do thirst for blood" Reskh said glancing at Alister
"oh"
"Like you breathe air, we need blood to survive" Reskh said
"So, not warmongers then?" Alister arched an eyebrow
"…"
"Wait does that mean i should be scared?" Alister took two steps back
"We can survive off a small amount for long, you're safe" Reskh said
"That's great, wait - does that mean you…" Alister breathed a sigh of relief and then glanced at the deamon in shock
"I'd rather stomach animals, humans aren't exactly that good as food" The deamon said
"Phew"
"Why are you suddenly interested? At first you wanted me dead" Reskh glanced at the human boy
"Well - I used to know this girl who uh was raped and she hated to be touched, she thought all men were monsters, i tried to snap her out of it and after a while i gave up… She committed suicide, turns out it was her father who did it. He was - drunk"
"And?" Reskh looked disinterested
"You're kinda like she was" Alister said with a frown
"A rape victim?" Reskh scrunched up his face
"No no no. Hurt, you're hurt; and you don't want to show it, i may not like it but you're right, humans, we've taken everything from you, i had people to help me, friends, teammates; you probably had nobody, and if somebody pushes, you can be saved" Alister said
"If i needed a savior, don't you think i'd know" Reskh said calmly
"You've had it rough, living in a cave, off animals and plants, hunted, but i won't give up this time" Alister said with a look of determination
"So you'll help me for your selfish reasons?" Reskh raised an eyebrow
"Eh - How is… Oh i see it now. No, i'll help you because i want to prove everyone wrong" Alister said
"About what?"
"No one is beyond help" Alister said
"Your teammates?" Reskh raised his other eyebrow
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"Maybe them" The boy said
"How are you not upset?" Reskh asked
"Huh. About those guys?"
"Yeah"
"We're at war, my kingdom and some other kingdom, people die; sides i just got tossed into their team"
"You seem like the type to make friends quickly, a night would be more than enough"
"…"
"You're hurt too, aren't you?"
"A knight is supposed to help people in need, no matter how hurt they are" Alister countered
"How simple minded" Reskh sighed
"What?" Alister glanced at him surprised
"Don't you at least want revenge?" The deamon asked
"Death leads to hate and hate to vengeance and vengeance to sacrifice and sacrifice to death and from there it starts again, a cycle, i don't want to be part of it"
"But you are a knight. You kill for order, peace, and your cycle just kickstarts again" Reskh blinked
"I don't kill, it's against my principle" Alister said and sat
"You swore to kill me" Reskh reminded the boy
"I - " Alister started then paused
"Vengeance" Reskh said
"Hm?"
"Death to hate, hate to vengeance, vengeance to sacrifice and sacrifice to death" Reskh repeated
"Yeah" Alister said quietly
"A knight that doesn't kill is like a knife that doesn't cut. Useless" Reskh said
The storm raged outside the cave, snow flakes flew into the cave and across it, stopping in front of the human boy
"I guess that's one more thing to prove wrong" Alister grinned
"Hmpfh. And if your reagent commanded it, would you refuse? Even if it meant you'd be stripped of your knighthood" Reskh glanced towards the cave mouth
"If it ever comes to that, then i'd rather be a rogue than live a lie" Alister said serious
"Virtue over ambition. That's new" Reskh scoffed
"Don't you get company up here?" Alister asked
"In a cave, this far from civilization?" Reskh raised an eyebrow
"Well you know animals and sometimes bandits" Alister stated
"I scare them away" Reskh shrugged
"Surprisingly easy to do, i'd be scared of your stone faced look if we hadn't gotten to talking" Alister muttered to himself
"Hm?" The deamon glared from where he sat
"n-nothing" Alister stuttered wandering if the deamon heard him
"Let's start over, Alister, knight in training of the circle" Alister glanced at the deamon
"Reskh" Reskh said
"I'm interested in peace for all of mankind and beyond, and i'd like to join me"
"What?"
"I'd like you to stand with me, Reskh" Alister said rising
"A human and a deamon?"
"And much more, a common force, united towards a goal, what do you say?"
"Why would i want to leave the safety of my cave?" Reskh asked
"We'll travel the world and even go beyond it" Alister grinned
"That's not a reason" Reskh scowled
"Don't you want to prove everyone wrong? Don't you want to prove to me that you're not like they say you are" Alister said
"They?"
"Figure of speech"
"Why do i have to prove anything to anyone?" Reskh said calmly, he sat on the other side of the cave, his back against the cold wall, he stared into the fire that lit up his abode, cave; if we were being honest.
"And you say i'm simple minded" Alister grinned
"You are" Reskh said
"Come on, don't you want to see the world outside of here? Feel the wind toss your hair around, The sun on your skin?" Alister pouted
"Is that your best argument?" THe deamon asked unblinking
"It's a good one" The human boy protested
"I wouldn't make it to the next town, i'm… Adventurers, guards, even common people would try to kill me" Reskh sighed
"Eh - So you do want that" Alister blinked
"Do you think i like being holed up here like an animal?" The deamon glowered
"Have you ever thought - what about a disgiuse" Alister smiled
"A disguise?"
"Yeah, you're half human, the only problem - your horn; i suppose we could say you're half minatour and you got the tattoo for sport" Alister rattled
"You think that'll work?" Reskh arched his eyebrow
"probably" The human boy stroked his chin thoughtfully
"Only fools would fall for that" Reskh said scornfully
"You'd be surprised" Alister said serious
"At how stupid your kind is" Reskh raised his brows
"Okay, enough with the name calling, that's Racist" Alister scowled
"Hmpfh"
"I should head back to the keep, someone as important as me missing… Must be making them nervous" Alister said
"You hope?" Reskh glanced at him
"What do you mean i hope? I AM important, will be anyway!!!" Alister yelled
"Uh huh" Reskh nodded
"I'm serious, damn it" Alister protested
"You should wait till the storm calms down a bit" Reskh said
"Pffft… I know that" Alister said and sat back down
"What kind of idiot have i been cursed with?" Reskh mumbled
"Eh - Did you say something?" Alister glanced at his newly found acqiantance
"Nothing you should be concerned with" Reskh said bemused