Chapter II: Reset

A wicked scoundrel. A worthless punk. A monster hidden in a humanoid shell. So many adjectives could be used to describe a single person, usually in a negative light. It was crystal clear that the reputation of this "poor" soul was anything, but good. His existence was often cursed by his victims, his aspect often repulsive to the normal human beings. Though many fell to his charm, given they allowed him to approach them, little would actually describe Nero as anything, but atrocious. Gladly, little survived a closer encounter with him. Not like the oppinion of peasants mattered to Nero; their words, aiming to hurt his non-existant feelings, were but a simple pain to listen to. Endless chatter about how horrid he was, and how monsters like him were not supposed to exist did nothing to Nero, except bother him and hurt his ears. Though at the same time, it was funny to listen to the last insults of your dinner, observe it as it thought it was somewhat important or supperior. Little did those poor souls know, Nero was much superior than them. And humans were nothing else, except his dinner.

Pacing through the silence of the night at a consistent rythm, Nero threw away his smoke, not interested where it could possibly land. The heavy rain agitated him, as it made it impossible for him to consume a fair share of nicotine whilst he increased the distance between himself, and his last murder scene. A barely visible grin drew on his lips as the image of his latest masterpiece reappeared in his mind. So many bodies... Dismembered... Several limbs dissapeared without a trace, bite marks all over the bodies. The authorities had been driven insane by the atrocities commited by the demon. They were confused, they did not understand how any human being could commit such a monstruous crime, and continue doing so for quite some time, without feeling any sort of redemption whatsoever. How petty were they. Nero could find so many mistakes in their acts, that it made it a rather funny spectacle. Their first error was to be so close-minded to think that the crime was commited by an actual human. Seeing the entire spectre of possibilities beyond that could clear out the image for them. Why would a monster, a demon, such as Nero himself, feel any guilt when he wasn't doing anything wrong? In his eyes, he was not commiting a crime...

... He was simply fighting to survive. Similar to how human beings killed animals to acquire the nutrients they needed to live, Nero did that with humans. Unluckily enough, the demonic lineage of the ebony-haired man had brought him into this world as no ordinary demon, but a ghoul. An entity that was doomed to hunt down humans forever, and consume their flesh, for that was the only thing that satisfied his hunger. Ordinary food, even animal flesh, did not satisfy him at all. In fact, it had a sickening taste to him, and could end up being the cause of his death. Not many members of Nero's race had survived. He was among one of the last representants of the ghouls, such a unique, yet doomed race. His homeland, Sin, was home to only more and more wicked souls, demonic entities, and, even though ghouls could feed off of them for a few, it was never enough. And a weakened ghoul was fairly easy to kill. Or go insane. Whatever came first. Though Nero had managed to escape that god forsaken place, thanks to his intellectual supperiority. And that had been what kept him alive for so long.

The storm did nothing else, but go from bad to worse. Thunder could be heard in the distance, lightning flashing on several ocassions. Though he was safe from the legal authorities hidden deep within the woods, Nero highly doubted he could stand any longer in such a fierce storm. Nor did he want to, honestly. His favorite attire was already soaking wet, his black hair, a mess of locks that couldn't seem to stand in their place in a semi-decent way. As much as he hated to admit it; he needed shelter. Perhaps just for one night, but he needed shelter. Then in the morning... He could return to his usual activities and slaughters. After all, he had a mission to pursue. A dream to make reality.

Though he was succumbed by his own thoughts, Nero's other senses worked perfectly fine, and thus permitted him to catch a rather peculiar scent as he paced. With an enhaced sense of scent, ghouls were permitted to actually catch and recognise the scent of different species, and track it down, thus helping them when they're hunting. Humans had a very peculiar scent... A pleasant one, to say at least. But the one he caught at the moment was absolutely undescriptable. It was eerie; it was not human for sure, but Nero could not actually put his finger on what it was either. He had never sensed something as that, something so... different from the rest, so new. What kind of beast hid within the woods alongside himself? He couldn't deny his curiosity, and if there was something that could make Nero move and do something, that was either curiosity, or benefit. And, needless to say, the creature he had just sensed, had caught his interest. He wanted to know what hid among the woods... What other creatures haunted those forsaken woods, what were their mysteries. And hopefully find a shelter.

Tracking down the smell was not difficult at all. It pretty much consisted in following the scent, and ocassionally change directions if the scent was stronger somewhere else. Not anything overly complicated, nor anything that needed a fair amount of intellect to do, but often came in handy. Upon a few minutes of walking, or perhaps half an hour, Nero found himself standing before someone's home, hidden behind a tall, soaked tree. The sound of a piano came from within the house, pleasant notes playing as time went by, giving away the fact that there was indeed someone in there. The scent was stronger than ever, so new and eerie that it was almost entrancing. With each second he spent nearby the home, Nero got more and more curious about what hid in there. What kind of beast was it? Was it another demon, like him? He highly doubted that, as he had spent his early life breathing in a land infested by demons, and it was nowhere similar to this smell. It was something completely new... And that attracted Nero. He could not wait any more.

At a steady pace, he approached the entrance of the peaceful home, rising his tattoo-covered hand towards the door, only to knock lightly several times as the music faded, leaving only silence and the muffled voices from within. A conversation was taking place, which meant Nero had interrupted something... Not like it mattered to him, really. His curiosity was far too strong for him to hold back, and the rain was starting to annoy him seriously.  

Jackpot.

As per usual, Nero's senses had not failed to satisfy him. He had indeed led himself into an interesting scene, in the company of two rather peculiar subjects. His desire to understand, to know what was going on there, was immense, reaching limits Nero had not reachd anytime before. The very second he set foot before the house, he had it crystal clear that perhaps whatever was inside the building wouldn't go easy on him, mostly due to his eyecatching defect, which pretty much gave away his lineage. However, nothing mattered to him, as long as he managed to unveil the story. What situation hid behind the walls of this place? It was hard to tell from the outside. But on the inside? That'd be easy. However, what happened next was perhaps... excessive.

Before Nero could even notice, before he could even react, what had been the door before him broke into pieces. Amidst the mess of splinters and wood, a human hand reached forward, its fingers wrapping around Nero's neck, lifting him from the ground and sending him towards the opposite wall. The speed at which everything happened was so incredible, that the only thing that made Nero realise what had just happened, connect the puzzle pieces, was the sharp pain in the back of his head, caused by the impact of his body against the wall. Gladly, he would heal any wounds this random encounter had caused him in little to no time, but it was crystal clear that every concussion on his body would hurt like hell until the healing process finished. As Nero cursed internally, though, his agressor didn't waste his time; before the demon could even try to get up, he found himself pinned against the wall, a blade against his throat. Now that's bothersome. Could it be? Perhaps Nero had finally found someone as psychotic as himself, someone as violent someone with his mindset... What his aggressor didn't know was, that Nero had no intention to hurt him.

In fact, while the entire scene took place, Nero kept his cool. A calm, collected face, eyes empty from all emotion, filled only with a cold, calculating stare, Nero refused to show weakness before the man. No man could permit himself to do that, for fear was the worst emotion someone could show during an encounter. His hands next to his body, Nero swallowed silently, the cold steel brushing his skin. Do not fret, sir. I do not plan to cause any harm to you, or the lady. Though it may seem weird for someone of my race to say this, but I don't seek to harm people. I enjoy peace. Nero spoke in a flat voice, not altering for a second, keeping his calm. He couldn't allow the man before him to see his emotions, mostly not in this situation. However, mere seconds after Nero had finished his speech, the beautiful blonde woman he had seen for a fragment of a second as he flew past her dashed towards the duo, her sword moving the man's away from Nero's neck. The momentary distraction gave Nero enough time to react in his own way. The room was covered in shadows, something that was rather benefitting for the demon. With a mischievous smirk on his face, one that was barely noticeable, the ebony-haired demon began blending with the shadows, making it seem as if he had dissapeared, though that was not the case. He had simply changed his location.

Free from his agressor and on his feet, Nero fixed his soaking wet hair, standing behind the male. As long as there were shadows in the room, he could escape, he could destroy everything if he wanted, though the only thing he wanted for the time being, was to be able to move around. Being pinned to the wall wasn't exactly his kind of thing. Thank you, mademoiselle. It is pleasant to see that people with such a noble heart live. Giving her a wide, charming smile, Nero moved his eyes to the man, his smile fading only to a shy grin. He had to get on his good side, or he'd have many problems with this man. The power that he sensed coming from the man was immense, it was scary how mighty this male was. What type of creature was he? The speed, the strength... It was too supperior to a human's. I believe this bad beginning is my fault entirely, perhaps my approach was incorrect. Anyhow; allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Nero, son of Ilytria, and I am indeed a demon. A ghoul, to specify. As he mentioned his mother's name, a flame of hatred shined in his eyes for a second before fading, as fast as it had appeared. In the meanwhile, the charming smile on his lips never faded, though on the inside, bad memories were invading him. He had to remind himself to focus on the situation at hand, because if not he risked too much.

I do not want to cause any harm to you, I promise. I was seeking shelter from the rain as, although I am used to the flames and heat of Sin, or what you know as Hell, I most certainly dislike rain. It leaves you soaking, and that's not pleasant. If my presence is bothersome, I can leave.  

This guy is most certainly beginning to piss me off.

Nero hated drama with a burning passion. And people who acted all dramatic? Even worse. Scarlet orbs staring at the man he had just met, Aegis, the demon could not help it, but drop the smile that had danced on his lips mere seconds ago. So, his sweet words could not fool this pair... That was most certainly a first, but, anything could happen in life, really. At any case, if the masks had fallen... Hence there was no reason to still try to keep the show up at this point. A click of his tongue, a demonstration of his annoyance, in a blink, Nero merged once more with the shadows, moving to a wall nearby Aegis and the woman who seemed to be called Artoria. Folding his hands before his chest, scarlet orbs glowing with mischief, the ghoul stood there and watched the scene unfold before him. What was this play? It seemed like there was a complex scenario, a difficult relationship between his hosts, one that Nero's simple mind could not understand, as hard as he tried. Though seconds ago, there seemed to be some sort of... harsh feelings between them, the man, Aegis, still swore to protect her. How foolish was he? If you were uncomfortable around someone, why bother to protect them? It seemed as such a stupid, knightly action. It brought painful memories back. Memories of her. The cheerful, scarlet haired girl, who had fought over and over with her parents, so they could accept the ghoul in their house. The little, noble knight who had sworn on her life, that Nero was no danger to the family.

The little, redhaired girl, who he had met once again after so many years... And whose life he had mercilessly taken.

Aegis repeated himself, asking once again what business Nero had here. Exhaling slowly, the ebony-haired male tried to keep his cool, taking his hair out of the ponytail it was usually kept in, playing with his soaked locks absentmindedly. That man... He was wrong if he thought Nero was going to reveal his intentions to a complete stranger; though it was true that he wasn't going to do any harm to the pair. While he could still consume it, the flesh and blood of supernatural beings had a wicked, sickening taste. Like human food. I appreciate the speech, Cyanide, nobody has entertained me so well in quite a few. Nero's voice resonated between inside the cabin, its tone and nature changing completely. The calm, quiet voice he had a few ago, the charming words had dissapeared, letting out a mocking voice, soaked in the purest arrogance to exist on this world. Though his voice was husky and appealing as ever, there was a note in it, the smallest note, the change in the tone and the arrogance, that made his voice seem... Menacing, as if it wasn't a calm man speaking, but a ruthless assassin, which, honestly, wasn't far from the truth. Honestly, I'm sorry to have to rain on your parade, but I have came here to seek shelter... And investigate. I sensed supernatural, powerful beings... And it caught my interest. Satisfied? Oh, and about me eating people...

Nero stopped in his tracks, a look of pure surprise drawing on his face for a second. His senses were probably going insane. Impossible... What was this feeling? He could feel someone else approaching... It was still extremely faint, as if he, or she, was still far away, but at the same time, it came from above, from the sky above the hut, as if the creature, whatever it was, was soaring through the night sky. It was most certainly human, but it had the ability to induce a feeling of dread inside Nero. Only one type of creatures could do that to him... And demons weren't on good terms with them. Shaking the feeling off, hoping that, whatever was approaching would pass by, Nero turned back to his hosts, the same arrogant expression occupying his face once more, erasing all sign of dread or surprise that had momentarily appeared on his face. My source of nutrients isn't your business, Cyanide. My curse is not something you're allowed to judge. I cannot consume human food, since it would have horrid effects on me. Imagine a foolish human consuming Hydrochloric acid or any superacid. It would burn me to death, corrode me. And I want to live. Plus, supernatural flesh disg-.

Before Nero could finish his sentence, a bright light flashed and, before he could react, do anything to stop it, the small hut was in pieces. The brightness blinded the demon, causing him to take his hand to his face, hiding from the light. He hated brightness. A hundred obscenities and curses ran through his head, some so creative that people would be surprised. He had no cursed idea about what was going on, everything seemed to have succumbed into chaos. The only thing he knew was, that he could hear a familiar voice. The flashing light began to fade, allowing shadows to creep back into the hut, making a feeling of safety take over Nero. He was in his territory. Separating from the wall, the demon looked up, only to see Aegis facing whatever creature had just attacked them. His eyes scanning the scenery, the scarlet orbs of the demon landed upon Artoria, the woman who had saved his poor existance a few minutes ago. Although Nero had the feeling that she could protect herself, he felt like returning the favor. Blending with the shadows, until his body became one with his surrounding, literally, the ghoul dashed at astonishing speed, reaching the female in a fraction of a second. Stepping out of the realm of the shadows, his eyes focused on the woman in the sky, Nero glanced at Artoria, his voice giving up his hesitation as he spoke.

I'm... pretty sure you can defend yourself and are an actually amazing warrior, mademoiselle, but you saved me earlier, and I believe its my turn to return the favor. If things get too heated here, I'm taking you out, got it? You seem to mean a lot to Cyanide... Nero acting as a hero was weird. And pathetic. And insanely stupid. Why was he making an effort in protecting someone who wasn't related to him in any way? Why was he doing something that he had always hated? At the same time, though... The girl had protected him. She had not judged him too quick for being who he was, though her friend had done so. She had done nothing wrong. She did have a noble heart, and due to it being so unusual, mostly for Nero, it was appreciated.

Very appreciated.