The sun yowled in defeat and scuttled away from the horizon, leaving the throne for the moon to rise up to. Faint moonlight enlightened the land with eerie ambiance. The star glinted in the sky, guiding the night creatures lurking in the shadows. A heavy blizzard loomed overhead as the wind howled eerily, sending shivers down Dusk's spine.
Dusk gritted her teeth and crossed her arms. "What is this horrendous weather?" She grumbled as she moved her slender fingers to adjust her winter jacket over her shoulder.
She glanced around while shivering in the cold. A time where the land was verdure with thick foliage. A season where heat should be skin-searing and forest burst into a pile of flames as people seek for shelter. Now, the land was an ocean of snow, a wintry environment that shouldn't arrive and a brumal season capable of freezing people into delicately carved ice sculptures.
She sighed and embarked on the journey to stop this atrocious blizzard. Perhaps she could avoid tragedy happening? She tried lighting up her mood with illogical words, but that didn't seem to work at all.
A few days ago, she was summoned to the village at the foot of this mountain to help the people there regain their home. The mountain was now covered with thick layers of snow and blizzard howled all four seasons. The villagers claimed that they were once inhabitants of the mountain but one day, an immoral demon descended and hunted them down, forcing them to abandon their own homes and flee to the foot of the mountain to seek shelter.
As the benevolent angel, she decided to venture into the dead woods to seek the demon and save the people. The mountain-foot villagers bestowed her the title, 'Dusk Savior', in contrast with the name they gave the demon living in the mountain, 'Dawn Annihilator'.
-
A red eye gazed from afar in the wilted woods. He'd sense an unfamiliar presence within his territory, who knows it would be the so-called 'savior' of mankind. He had hit the jackpot. If he were to end this angel's life right here and right now, and send the body back to those who were waiting, that would present them with a perfect warning for going against his wishes.
"But then again, it has been so long since a living has stepped into this place..." He muttered. Perhaps he might prefer letting her live for a little longer and watch her struggle. Watching the shadow of the angel venturing farther, he smirked.
-
Another sneeze left Dusk's nose, she stopped and scowled, "What in the heaven is this temperature? I swear, do not let me catch the person behind all of this." She grumbled, scratching her head furiously before ending with a sigh.
She isn't here to murder the culprit of this atrocious blizzard, she's suppose to help the innocence involved. She inhaled a deep breath before ambling deeper to the forest. She glanced around, hoping the beautiful scenery would ease her mood yet the eerie ambiance of the tranquil forest gave her another shiver.
Far away, the vague vision of a large house is getting clearer and clearer. She paused near the entrance gate and scanned the surroundings. It was a large mansion, with crystal white walls and black roof, covered under heaps of snow. The windows are covered with a thick layer of curtains, she couldn't see if the lights were on inside. In front of her, stood a huge silver gate that looked like it will be very hard to break into.
"What is a lady doing here at this hour and this weather?" A voice spoke in a concerned tone.
Dusk flinched and covered herself instantly with her feathered wings that blends perfectly in the snow. As time slipped past, no one spoke a word. Slowly, her wings opened up a hole as she peeked through the gap.
It was a neat and tidy looking servant of a household, standing outside in the blizzard, wearing no warm clothes but a simple yet professional suit with a blue tie. His hand reached out to her, hanging halfway in mid air, with an expressionless face.
She unfolded her tense wings as she realized it was just a human. She glanced around, hoping to find more survivors, yet the plain was empty. It was odd a human to be alone in such a horrendous weather, and he was the only 'human' that she has ever seen on this mountain.
"I should be asking you." She forced a smile, yet her tensed body betrayed her.
Her reply caught the human male unguarded, he had never imagine that her reply would be as such. "Ah, pardon my rudeness." He bowed slightly, almost with no sense of apology. "I'm a mere butler of the household behind me." He said, gesturing at the giant gates behind him.
His black eyes gazed sharply under his black bangs at the angel before him. "Now, wouldn't it be polite if you answer my question now?" He smirked, closing his eyes. "What is an angel doing here in the middle of a snowstorm."
"Uh-" She was startled, clearly caught off guard by abrupt question. "Well-" She stuttered, adjusting her wings awkwardly.
Should I tell him? He seems too weird to be trusted...
She pondered, dipping her head lower so that her hair covers her expression. "Well. I'm not really an angel. I'm a cosplayer." She laughed awkwardly, scratching her head as she prayed to the gods that he believes the ridiculous lie. "This is a mechanical wing that moves as I please," She demonstrated her moving 'mechanical' wings as she explained. "As for why I am here, it's... I might've lost my way in the forest."
"Hmm...?" The human tilted his head for a slight moment, thinking. "...Pardon me but, what is a 'cosplayer'?"
It is clear that he has lived his whole life in the frosts of the everlasting snow to the point that he couldn't quite catch up to the newest trends of the mankind. His eyes shifted to a jet-black color as he raised his head to look the angel straight in the eye.
"You have a nice eye color, my lady." He smirked.
She rubbed her hands anxiously behind her wings and sighed as the butler's suspicion departed from his tone. As she sighed in relief silently in her mind, his compliment of her has got her flabbergasted, startled in place.
She smiled awkwardly at his compliment, "Ahh thanks I suppose."
Are my eyes that beautiful?
She quickly shook that thought away and cleared her throat, turning her head away in embarrassment, reminding herself to not let her guard down.
"One thing you should take note of." He suddenly spoke in a firm tone, "Everyone in the village knows that this mountain is infested by the likes of the 'demon king', and he was the one to start this snowstorm upon the plains."
"Wandering in the woods and getting lost, truthfully my lady, is a lame excuse." He scoffed, crossing his arms. "No one in the right mind would venture into this mountain at this time of the day."
She froze for a moment, unable to process as his voice returned back to solemn. However, she quickly regain her focus at the word 'demon king'.
A demon king summoning snow?
A giggle slipped out from her mouth as demons are only capable of manipulating fire. At least that's what she thought... She quickly covered her mouth.
Oops...
"Well. I'm not from here and I don't know anything about this mountain." She answered his other question, hoping that he will ignore her slipped giggle. Although the temperature was gelid, she felt hot as sweat dripped down from her cheek. As time slipped, she smiled awkwardly, hoping to not raise suspicion though her actions which apparently, already did.
"This household behind me, once belonged to the great Haxley family, who gave up their authority and went down the mountains to become regular people. And in the present, the one who has control over this mountain, is the 'demon king' we are talking about." The human butler paused for a moment, recalling any details he had missed.
"You can call me Ruth Haxley, pleasure to meet your acquaintance." His eyes looked straight at the angel. "Well then, last question, my lady, what is your objective?"
"Oh so you're the butler of the demon king?" Her head tilted slightly as she scanned him. "Greetings, Mr. Haxley," she bowed as she spoke with a solemn tone.
She froze for a moment at his question though she quickly refrain herself and answered, "Well. I was just having a walk in a mountain and I got lost. No objective really." She smiled awkwardly as the realisation hit her.
Crap! I just laughed the demon king summoning snow in front of his butler... He doesn't read minds right...? Please just let it slide!
"...You must have your reasons for keeping a secret, do not worry, I won't ask for more." Surprisingly, the butler smiled, placing a hand over his chest, in a reassuring tone.
"But aren't you curious?" He paused for a brief moment. "Why I, a Haxley, is serving a demon king?" His gaze pierced into the her.
She flinched at his stare and turned away as she spoke, "Perhaps you have your own reasons, but I don't bother to know." She shrugged.
The butler seemed to be satisfied with her answer, with he smile, he pushed open the giant silver gates in front of them. "It's getting late, my lady, would you like to stay for a night?" He asked politely, extending a hand, ready to lead Dusk into the mansion.
Dusk paused, caught off guard by what the butler had just suggested. "Wouldn't your master be angry?" She tossed the question back, "At you, for letting me in."
The butler maintained a smile, "That wouldn't happen, he is currently away from the house." He explained briefly.
Dusk folded her wings, wondering if she should accept the offer to stay overnight.
If she did, she could probably gather some information about the demon king, but on the other hand, would be a dangerous choice for walking into the tiger's den.
But then again, if she were to leave, when will it be the next time she get such a good opportunity?
~To be Continued~