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༺𝐼𝓃𝒻𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑜𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒞𝓇𝒾𝓂𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝒞𝒶𝓁𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓉𝓎༻
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❖ ── ✦ ──『 』── ✦ ── ❖
The beads of sweat and blood dripped down his face while hands trembled. The adrenaline coursing through his veins dulled his senses and his obliviousness to where he escaped to bloomed to concerning heights. Then the petulant ear ringing squawks of metal carriages who were missing their draughts chastised him in a tongue he wasn’t acquainted with, and disoriented him for even trying to decipher. Infernos shakily stood up while squinting, his hands shielded his eyes from the intense radiance. Was he in heaven? No, he wouldn’t ever be welcomed there. The bright ball in the sky scorched him worse than the inside of a volcano. He looked around flabbergasted while his eyes adjusted and saw towers standing as high as he could soar in the sky and made him feel like an ant. He saw these monoliths as a prideful phallus for man to lay claim upon the sky and make the heavens a part of man’s world. The smaller buildings were unscathed and told a story of stone and glass; so ancient they couldn’t have ever had the misfortune to be blemished or destroyed by monsters.
Then came the curses from the mouths of insolent humans. Infernos turned and roared at the belligerent folks hiding inside of their carriages while he stood in the middle of the road and continued to block their path. But he froze right after hearing his voice, “W-what happened to my voice?” he thought while pressing his claws to his throat. Then he felt soft flesh instead of imperishable scales. His eyes widened and he hastily pointed his gaze down to find himself in a tattered four button coat, ripped khakis, and a worn out cloak. But most surprisingly in the body of a human.
“Woah! That guy is a beast! Look at his dedicated cosplay!” a blonde haired fellow wielding a wooden saber and dressed in armor pointed out to his party. Infernos held his breath and slowly back-peddled in shock, “Slayers? Of course they can still tell of my true nature even in this form,” he misinterpreted the situation with his racing thoughts while trying to make sense of this all. He briefly glanced around before hightailing it out of there. “I must regenerate my mana. I can’t fight Slayers now,” he thought while pressing his palm against his chest to stop the bleeding and hopefully dull the pain of his wound. As his shoulders brushed past the metal carriages his bare clawed feet stomped against the pavement, and his head swiveled all around in utter shock. He felt lost in this concrete jungle where humans walked without a care in the world, the air felt fresh and free of grime, and the sky beamed sunshine.
He only had one question, “Where the bloody hell am I?”
The faint scent of petrichor tickled his nose before the loamy smell of first rain began to pour and strike his head. The heavens were merciful and shielded him from the intense brightness and provided Infernos with some shade. It was as if Mother Earth wept tears of joy to have one of her children home again, or maybe more like mourned the paradise lost now that a monster, hailing from the Dark Dimension, made it to the modern world. The skies above began to dim before the distant howl of thunder stirred goosebumps up his spine. His crimson optics hastily gazed up at the sky and then down to the streets below as he checked to see if he was being followed. His legs kept moving. Dodging and weaving through traffic while his lungs burned as if he’d inhaled battery acid. He needed to stop, but only at a safe secluded location.
His slit pupils stared in utter shock, “How is this possible…?” he pondered the perplexing complexion staring right back at him. His white beard and hair added an air of wisdom behind him even if the rest of his features screamed a man in middle age. He studied his new face and combed his thick hair with his claws. At least he retained his horns, tail, and claws on his hands and feet. “All I need is to increase my mana and I’ll be back to normal,” he thought while staring at his reflection within the metallic surface. Infernos hiked up his hood and hid behind his cloak before exiting the alley. For now he’ll stay low and avoid interacting with anyone.
Then he froze.
The lingering scent of a heavenly lilac and a delicious full course meal fondled his nostrils teasing him to find the source. His mouth salivated and his stomach grumbled. He attempted to pacify this hunger by pressing his hand against his abdomen, but his efforts were fruitless since his stomach roared even louder. Even in the dark dimension he hadn’t fed upon something with such a sublime scent as this. He wanted it. He needed it. He was bewitched by it. That’s settled, he’ll devour it. He summoned the last of his magic and conjured rudimentary wings to fulfill the task of finding the source of this delightful disturbance. He took flight and soared into the shaded skies.
Infernos remained oblivious to the city he flew over while on the hunt. He missed a grand bell-tower with its etherial chimes signifying the march toward a new hour, a royal palace laced with prestige and antiquity, a gigantic ferris wheel with an intricate light display, and so much rich history and lore the city had to offer. If the stones making up the city could talk they might even be able to tell stories spanning far past the entire lifespan of even himself. But he paid no mind to the metropolis below and how it could’ve survived so long. He only obsessed over the drive to fuel the smoldering embers in his belly and turn them into a bright and raging inferno.
He landed in another alley behind a skyscraper. He could smell it. His prey was within sight. Her oblivious strut only made it easier for him to creep in and…pounce! The black cat cried out while scratching his hands. His focused gaze dropped the moment he realized he caught small game. The cat continued to try and weasel her way out but it was only when he relinquished his hold on her that the cat was able to hastily make her escape. His senses were beginning to dull. The more mana he used the less of his draconic abilities remain, “I must find them,” he said before raising his nose to the cloudy heavens and took another sniff. His crimson irises locked onto the massive building, “There you are,” he hummed before he mustered the remaining strength in his wings to scale the building with the speed of a falling star as he flew higher and higher.
At last he reached the climax of the skyscraper and landed. His knuckles pressed against the cement as he resembled a gargoyle acting as a vigilant sentinel for the large outdoor patio. He glanced towards the double glass doors and the inside of the home looked disheveled. The scent radiated the most from there, but he pin-pointed his target outside in the center of a group of men in suits. He growled with a furious undertone. Of course he wasn’t the only one after them. “There’s nowhere else to run, Ms. Quill. Mr. Williams hates waiting. He’ll eat you up when he meets you,” the suave man jeered knowing full well there was no escape.
Infernos leapt into action at the mention of his prey falling into the maw of someone else. His wings faded away like dark diamonds retreating back to the abyss. “Get away from her! She’s mine,” Infernos’s voice boomed loud enough to overtake the rain. The men suddenly turned towards the uninvited guest. “Oh yeah? You’re outnumbered, grandpa. Why don’t you go back to your retirement home and play bingo,” the cocky hothead mocked before the other henchmen snickered. Infernos’s crimson orbs flashed hot fire when lighting struck behind him hinting at his inhuman nature. “The only thing I’m surrounded by is fear and dead men,” Infernos retorted right when the wind revealed his horns as his hood fell.
The sight of his draconic features soured their mood and prompted hesitation. The clawed hands and swaying tail only added to the ever growing unease. “Oh yeah!” the suave man said before gesturing for the closest henchman, “Get em,” he said before the guy pulled out a knife and walked right up to Infernos. The man closed the final stretch of distance in a heart beat. “Should’ve pissed off, old man!” the leader said right before the henchman drove his blade deep into the stomach of Infernos. Er…or so they thought.
“What the?” the blade fell right onto the ground while the henchman still held the hilt. Infernos’s towering presence felt suffocating by just even being near him. He stoically glared at the insolent human for thinking such a flimsy blade could pierce his hide. “My turn,” he said before grabbing the man with one hand and easily tossing him over the railing. The henchman screamed bloody murder before he was suddenly brought back onto the patio by a harsh pull on his leg, “On second thought. It’s best to lay low without spilling blood below,” Infernos said before his tail tossed the henchman into a couple of goons sending them straight on their asses.
“What the fu-? Shoot! Shoot em!” the leader said before pulling out his pistol. Gun-fire and water-droplets rained upon Infernos. The bullets kissed his skin and left tiny bites behind only making him more annoyed. The bullets also shredded his clothes and revealed a chiseled body built from centuries of fighting to survive within the dark dimension. His broad shoulders easily carried the status of a well trained warrior. Infernos exhaled and curtained the men in a sea of crimson flames. Certain enough to burn into the memories of the men as easily as the flames ate away their firearms and clothing. The brawl was more like a massacre. Infernos swatted away anyone close or gave them a one way trip to the sandman. None could match him toe to toe let alone even look him at eye level. His superior strength and size made short work of these henchmen. Even when they tried to take his target he thwarted these efforts without mercy. “That’s right! Tremble before Infernos!”
“Die you son of a bitch!” the leader unloaded another clip into the back of Infernos. The dragon jerked and hissed as the sharp pain in his back felt as if he was stabbed with each impact. He spun around and grabbed onto the pistol. “She’s mine!” Infernos declared before the dragon effortlessly crushed the leader’s pistol along with the human’s hand as well. “Ahhh!” the leader cried out before Infernos uppercutted the man to shut him up. The leader fell into a fetal position while gingerly cradling his broken fingers.
Infernos chest rose and fell with each attempt to catch his breath while surveying the patio. No man was left standing, besides himself and his prey. Speaking of which. Infernos grabbed her by the wrist and pinned her to the ground before she could have the chance to say anything or escape. His grip was of iron and his overbearing body crippled any attempt at escape. The feeling of hopelessness settled in just as his razor sharp claws raked across the patio floor and permanently scraped the stone as if it were butter. His draconic eyes flashed hot crimson as he stared down at the unfortunuate soul he was about to make a meal of. “Nowhere to run now. You’re mine!,“ his sonorous tone would haunt her in her sleep. He opened his jaw full of sharp teeth.
Then he froze again, “Lumi?”
Infernos became bewitched with a petrified realization. “It’s you. It really is you,” he said almost flabbergasted. To devour someone he promised to lend his aid, all that time ago, if their paths were to ever cross again would mean he didn’t honor his word or the bond forged all those years ago. His stomach protested and urged him to finish the job, but the fire in his eyes dimmed as he looked at her pinned and frightened. He loosened his iron clad grip and got off of her as he regained his sense of self. “I can’t kill you,” he said with a heavy heart and solemn tone for his actions.
The men in suits gathered and quietly excused themselves by dragging their wounded away. “Where are you going?! We’re not done-gah!” Infernos said but failed to even stand. He pressed his hand to his source of discomfort on his back and his palm was completely covered in scarlet. “Bloody hell,” he cursed before using the bit of his strength to gaze at Lumi and give her a soft smile and nod, “Just like old times. You’re safe now. That’s what…matters,” he said as a reconciliation for his actions before he fell to the floor. Blood pooled around him as the rain showered him as if trying to clean the wounds which riddled his body. The minor draconic features began to fade into the abyss with black diamonds shedding off of him until what remained was a man sporting no inhuman features.
The inferno illuminating his circular pupils wilted away and his eyelids felt too heavy to resist any longer before he closed his eyes. He fell into hibernation to heal from his wounds.
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