"Yes, Diana, I know," Inera replied respectfully but hurriedly to the head maid. Diana eyed her with a hint of skepticism. She had just informed Inera that the Master and Mistress would be returning today after completing their final duties at the council meeting that had spanned for several weeks, where they assigned careers to the young citizens of Tarus. With their imminent return, Diana was ensuring everything in the mansion was perfect.
"Yesterday, you weren't in the entrance hall," Diana probed, her gaze sharp. "When I went there, I found Olivia handling your duties. She claimed you had swapped tasks, but it was her day to clean the toilets. What were you doing instead?"
Inera quickly offered her prepared response. "Olivia was struggling, and I wanted to help by taking the less pleasant task off her hands."
Diana regarded her with a doubtful look but eventually sighed and relaxed her posture. "You're hopeless, Inera. But go on. We meet at seven to prepare dinner. Be on time!" Her tone was stern, but Inera knew that beneath Diana's rigid exterior lay a kind heart.
"Yes, Diana," Inera said and promptly turned away, eager to avoid further interrogation. As she moved away from Diana, her steps quickened with excitement. It had been three weeks since her first encounter with Arthur, and she had visited his dark room every day since, sneaking in whenever she could.
To cover for her absences, she had even swapped duties with Olivia, as cleaning the toilets took less time and the last of them were conveniently close to Arthur's wing.
Her visits to Arthur had become the highlight of her days. Their conversations were always fascinating – he was intelligent, witty, and always polite. They discussed everything from the outside world to the smallest details of his extensive book collection.
One night, they even lost track of time talking about different demon species, costing Inera nearly all her sleep. But she didn't mind; she felt that something special was finally happening – a fulfilling friendship.
Now, standing before Arthur's room, she checked the hallway. By now, she had memorized the routes of every maid who passed by here. The hallway was empty, as expected. She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
"Inera?" Arthur's voice, stronger than at their first meeting, was filled with anticipation. He was clearly as excited to see her as she was to see her friend.
"It's me. Diana caught me on the way, but I managed to slip away," Inera replied, stepping closer to Arthur's bed.
"Did you show your horns and fangs?" Arthur joked.
"No," Inera laughed, "I told her I was going to see a ghost."
Arthur smirked. "Ha, ha, very funny."
Inera approached the bed to give Arthur a friendly hug. Their friendship had blossomed over the past weeks, and their interactions felt as natural as if they'd known each other for years. As she released him from the embrace, she observed, "You look better every day."
She meant it. Arthur genuinely seemed livelier since their first meeting. Inera was happy to see her friend improving.
"That's because I get a lot of energy from seeing you," Arthur replied, his smile tender.
Inera returned the smile, though hers had a hint of playfulness. "That's great. Just make sure to keep those books coming so I have a reason to return," she teased.
Arthur made a mock offended face. "Now you're just bullying me."
Inera shook her head and her imminent laughter brightening the atmosphere. "I'm only half-joking. These books, this knowledge – it's absolutely fascinating! Did you know that Tarus gets all its energy from a huge dam just a few miles from the city, guarded by its own fortress? And that this dam has actually existed longer than the city itself?"
Arthur nodded, his eyes reflecting a sense of pride. "Not only that. Have you read the continuation?"
Inera's eyes sparkled with excitement. "There's more?"
"Not just one," Arthur said proudly, "but three. Tarus is a marvel of engineering – like all the remaining cities. Except maybe Akrabis, they survive in other ways. But here in Tarus, everything is meticulously designed, even the transportation systems to other human cities are impressive."
"Tell me more!" Inera urged, sitting on the edge of the bed, completely captivated.
"Well, since flying is no longer safe, we've refocused on the land. And since only fortified facilities are secure these days, we basically built a moving fortress, the ZX-17, also known as 'Goliath.' It's essentially an armored train, but its weaponry surpasses even some sectors of our own walls."
Inera absorbed this information, her admiration for Tarus's engineering prowess growing. "That's brilliant. But why don't we go underground if the surface is so dangerous?"
Arthur continued, "That's… because… hm. Good question," he said, then laughed.
"But in any case, cooperation is key to survival, especially since there are only a few human cities like Tarus left."
Inera raised an eyebrow, recalling an earlier conversation. "I thought you viewed humanity as doomed?"
"That's true," Arthur admitted, "but that doesn't mean I don't know how we survive."
Inera smiled warmly. "Look at you, coming out of your shell!"
Arthur blushed, even in the dimly lit room, his cheeks tinged with red.
"And you've even brought some color back into your life," she teased.
"Well," Arthur added, "my parents are coming back today. Thanks to you, I feel more human again. I'll try talking to them like I do with you."
Inera took his hand encouragingly. "That's wonderful. I'm sure they'll be thrilled."
A silence fell between them, but it was peaceful rather than awkward. Arthur tightened his grip on Inera's hand, a silent expression of gratitude.
Even if Inera didn't show it, she knew that Arthur was trying to express more than just gratitude. But she tried to ignore these thoughts. She valued their friendship a lot and didn't want to ruin it by leading him astray. Arthur, meanwhile, took a deep breath and looked into Inera's deep green eyes.
"You know, Inera, I—" Arthur's words were cut short by the loud blaring of sirens through the sealed windows. Both immediately turned their attention to the noise.
"What is that?" Arthur asked, a hint of alarm in his voice.
Inera's heart sank as she recognized the sound – she had been taught its meaning while training to become a maid. It was a sound that every citizen of Tarus would hear at least once in their life, one way or another. A warning of imminent danger. "Demons..." she whispered, the word heavy with dread.
Arthur's grip on her hand tightened. "Demons? You mean Tarus is being attacked?"
Inera nodded, her body tensing with fear. "I'm not sure, but... those sirens only sound for a real threat. A breach in the wall."
Then came the unmistakable, thundering sound.
"That was the MAC gun," Arthur noted, his voice tense.
Inera could only nod in agreement, her body trembling slightly. The reality that they were being attacked by the very demons they had spoken of and discussed as if they were mere fantasies was almost unfathomable. It had been decades since the last breach in Tarus.
Her heart began pounding wildly in her chest.
Forcing herself to remain composed, Inera tried to calm herself. Truly threatening demon attacks were rare, but that was exactly why Tarus had its impressive walls and weapons. The city had withstood attacks in the past and would continue to do so. She hoped.
"The military will handle it," she said, trying to sound confident, but her voice betrayed her underlying fear.
"Maybe they will," Arthur responded, his tone reflecting a sense of unease.
Inera racked her brain, trying to recall the protocols for such a situation. The standard procedure was to remain calm and seek shelter. She turned to Arthur, whose pallor had become even more pronounced, his hand cold to the touch.
"We're going to be alright," she assured him, but her words felt hollow in the face of the uncertainty surrounding them.
The MAC guns fired again, the sound causing Arthur to flinch. Inera felt a pang of sorrow seeing her friend in such distress. She knew she couldn't leave him now, not when he was so vulnerable.
Through the windows, they suddenly heard an announcement.
"The wall has been breached in District Eight. Evacuate immediately. The wall has been breached."
Inera swallowed hard. District Eight. That was far from them. But a real breach had just happened, leaving no room for doubt. A breach by bloodthirsty, hateful demons.
Many people would die tonight.
"Inera..." Arthur whispered, his voice barely audible, "please stay."
Feeling a deep sense of empathy, Inera moved closer to him. "I'm here for you. Don't worry," she said softly. Arthur reached out and gently pulled her towards him.
Normally, Inera would have hesitated, not wanting to mislead him or complicate their friendship, but this was an extraordinary situation. He needed her comfort, and she was willing to provide it.
Allowing herself to be drawn into his embrace, Inera wrapped her arms around Arthur, offering him a gentle and reassuring hug. He lay his head in her lap, looking pale and frightened. In this moment of crisis, she stayed by his side, offering her presence as solace against the fear and uncertainty outside.
"Arthur looks so scared..." she thought.
The sirens wailed late into that fateful night. And as the demons attack continued to reap the souls of innocent citizens, she stayed by Arthur's side.
By the time the MAC guns finally ceased their relentless fire, both had already fallen asleep, together in their warm embrace.