The room looked like a tornado had swept through it. Again.
My books, organized by topic and threat levels from all the different hunts and observations me and Kan did, were now scattered across the floor, their pages crumpled and spines cracked open. My knives were strewn across the table like toys. I have just sharpened them too, and I can already feel the need to resharpen them. And who was the culprit behind all of this? A little girl sitting in the middle of it all, while clutching one of my notebooks, her crimson hair sticking up in wild tufts.
"Nakumi," I said, my voice strained. "Put. It. Down."
She blinked up at me, her glowing red eyes wide and innocent. "Why?"
"Because it's mine," I snapped, striding over. I snatched the notebook from her hands. Putting it back onto the table. I am not about to let a little girl turn my life's work into a game. "You need to learn some manners..."
"Relax, Hiko," Kan drawled from the corner, where he was lounging in a chair like he owned the place. "It's just a notebook. Not like she's gonna bite it."
"Oh trust me, I will make her eat you next." I shot him a glare.
Nakumi, meanwhile, had already moved on to my collection of gadgets. She picked up a canister with a pins on them making a small grenade.
"Hey put that down!" I lunged forward, but it was too late. The device beeped, and a small puff of smoke erupted from one end. Nakumi squealed, dropping it onto the table, where it rolled dangerously close to the edge.
"What did I just say? Phew... At least it was the smoke one." I hissed, snatching the gadget before it could fall. "These things are dangerous. You can't just—"
"Play?" Nakumi interrupted, tilting her head.
"No, you will explode us." I said, exasperated.
Nakumi ran off to poking at a candle with far too much interest. "Listen," I said, crouching down to her level. "If you're going to live with us, you need to learn some basic rules. Rule number one: don't touch my stuff."
"But…" she said, poking the candle again.
Kan chuckled. "You would be a bad father, you know that?"
"Save me the talk, trashcan?" I shot back.
"Oh I will show you how to be a good father, hockeystick," he said, shrugging. "At least I wouldn't yell at her for being curious."
"Curious?" I repeated, gesturing to the chaos around us. "This isn't curiosity. This is annoying."
Nakumi, oblivious to my frustration, reached for another gadget—a small, black blood vile that contained my blood for emergencies. I moved to stop her, but Kan was faster. He scooped her up and plopped her onto his shoulders, earning a delighted giggle.
"See?" he said, grinning. "Problem solved."
"That's not solving the problem," I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. "That's enabling her."
"Eh, same thing," Kan said, spinning in a circle so Nakumi could "fly." Her laughter filled the room, and for a moment, I almost forgot why I was so annoyed. Almost.
Then the window burst open.
I spun around, my hand instinctively going to the knife at my thigh. Kan froze mid-spin, nearly dropping Nakumi, who let out a startled squeak.
Kimrol stood in the window frame, her green lizard mask glinting in the sunlight, her midnight scarf fluttering dramatically in the breeze. She had one foot on the sill and a smirk on her face, like she'd just pulled off the world's greatest entrance.
"Miss me?" she said, hopping down into the room.
"Not even a little," Kan muttered, setting Nakumi down and backing away like she was a live grenade, "so, you picked up my bad habits?"
I sighed, sheathing my knife. "Have you ever heard of a door?"
"Where's the fun in that?" Kimrol said, brushing dust off her jacket. She glanced around the room, taking in the mess. "Wow. You guys really know how to live in style."
"This is this idiot's doing," I said quickly, gesturing to the little demon girl, who was now hiding behind Kan's legs.
Kimrol crouched down, tilting her head to get a better look at Nakumi. "Hey there, kiddo. You causing trouble?"
Nakumi peeked out from behind Kan, her crimson eyes wide. "Trouble?" she repeated, as if testing the word.
"Yeah, trouble," Kimrol said, grinning. "You know, like breaking stuff, making a mess, driving this demon crazy."
Nakumi nodded enthusiastically. "Trouble!"
"Great," I muttered, facepalming. "Now she's proud of it."
Kimrol straightened up and tossed a folded piece of paper at me. I caught it midair, raising an eyebrow.
"What's this?" I asked.
"A job," she said, crossing her arms. "A merchant in Irn'Ajan has some information I need. But he's the skittish type, so I need backup. You in?"
I unfolded the paper and skimmed the contents. It was vague—just a time, a location, and a promise of payment.
"What's in it for us?" Kan asked, leaning against the wall.
"Besides the obvious reward?" Kimrol said, raising an eyebrow. "I'll hand you a coupon that tells dad to give you two hins extra."
Kan smirked. "I am in."
I sighed. "Fine. We'll do it. But Nakumi stays here, if anyone knocks on the door, don't open it. And if you're in trouble," I handed her a phone I bought the other day, "call us on this like this." I showed her how to navigate the buttons on the phone, and how to click on a contact and press call.
After we finished the quick demonstration Nakumi decided to try and jump off the windowsill.
"No," I said firmly, scooping her off the sill and setting her back on the floor. "You stay. We'll be back soon."
She pouted but nodded. "Stay."
"Good," I said, ruffling her hair. "And no touching anything."
She grinned. "Trouble!"
I sighed. This was going to be a long day.
Irn'Ajan wasn't a place on the map, and you can only wish to access it.
Carved deep into the earth by demon claws and human hands during the wartimes, it was a testament to desperation. The walls of the cavernous underground city were jagged and uneven, bearing the marks of hasty excavation. Massive pillars of stone, etched with runes and symbols from our demonic language, held up the high ceiling, which was lost in shadows. The air was damp and heavy, carrying the faint scent of mildew, smoke, and something metallic—like old blood or rusted iron.
Everyone in Irn'Ajan was wearing some kind of a cloak, and if you were an idiot to show your face, you might as well ask to be killed on the spot.
The city itself was a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys, winding through the cavern like veins through a body. Stalls and shops lined the pathways, their wares spilling out onto the uneven stone ground, this market was for demons and to demons. Humans aren't that welcomed here, and often turned into food. You could find almost anything a demon would need here: weapons forged from demon bones and bodies, rare herbs, and books. Books were the most important selling item in these shops.
The people of Irn'Ajan were as varied as the goods they sold. Demons whose grotesque forms twisted and shifted as they moved. And, Semi-humans—those with mixed blood—moved through the crowd with wary eyes, they were hard to tell from a human, their features looked humanoid, but they always had a little hidden demon element to them.
Kan adjusted his Wolf mask, his voice muffled as we walked through the jagged roads, "Remind me why we're here again?"
"Because Kimrol promised us extra hins, and I wanted to stay away from that brat" I said, keeping my voice low. My imperfect demon form was on full display, my clawed hands tucked into my jacket pockets and my right eye hidden under my hair.
"And because I'm charming," Kimrol added, her lizard mask glinting under the flickering streetlights. She led the way, her scarf trailing behind her like a shadow.
"Charming," Kan repeated, snorting. "That's one word for it."
Kimrol ignored him, weaving through the crowd with the ease of someone who knew every corner of this place. We followed, dodging elbows and the occasional stray limb—literally.
Kimrol stopped in front of a nondescript building tucked between a butcher shop and a stall selling what I hoped were fake potions. The sign above the door was faded, but I could just make out the words: "Information Trading. No Refunds."
"Charming," I said dryly.
Kimrol smirked. "Wait till you meet the owner. But don't speak a word when the exchange starts. Don't even wince."
She pushed the door open, and we stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of incense and something sweet that made my stomach turn. A demon sat behind a counter at the far end of the room, his too-many eyes blinking at us in unison. Great, just what I needed. A chmsin demon to get information from.
"Kimrol," he said, his voice like gravel. "You're late."
"Traffic," she said, shrugging.
The demon snorted, his gaze shifting to me and Kan. "And you brought… Enemies?"
"Bodyguards," Kimrol corrected, leaning casually against the counter. "You said you wanted discretion."
The demon's eyes narrowed—or at least, most of them did. "Discretion, yes. But I didn't expect you to bring The Wolf and…" He paused, squinting at me. "What are you supposed to be?"
"Annoyed," I said flatly.
Kan chuckled, but Kimrol cut in before things could escalate. "Let's skip the small talk, shall we? You said you had information." And the exchange started.
The demon leaned back, his chair creaking under his weight. "Information, yes. But it doesn't come cheap."
"We've got the hins," Kimrol said, pulling a small pouch from her pocket and tossing it onto the counter.
The demon didn't even glance at it. "Hins are good. But I prefer… gifts."
Kimrol sighed, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small, wrapped package. She set it on the counter, her expression unreadable.
The demon unwrapped it carefully, revealing a preserved human limb. It was smaller than the ones outside, but the craftsmanship was impeccable.
"A hand," he said, his voice tinged with approval. "Very thoughtful. I always enjoyed suckling on the five smaller limbs, before taking a bite. Imagine being able to do it five times fufufufu..."
The demon set the hand aside and leaned forward, his many eyes fixed on Kimrol. "Now, what do you want to know?"
Kimrol crossed her arms. "The weather's been unpredictable lately, and I smell winds from the east. Any idea why?"
The demon's eyes narrowed. "Ah, the weather. Yes, it's been… stormy. A gift was stolen. And the east is getting restless to find it."
"And the ocean?" Kimrol pressed.
The demon hesitated, his fingers drumming on the counter. "The ocean is… beautiful this season. But they speak of a great demon, they say it is capable of restarting the war."
I stiffened, my hand twitching toward my knife. Kan shot me a warning look, but I forced myself to stay calm.
Kimrol, to her credit, didn't react. "Interesting. Anything else?"
The demon leaned back, his expression unreadable. "There are rumors. the great demon is a crimson haired being. It is a race amongst us... Everyone's going for a hunt."
Kan shifted uncomfortably, but Kimrol just nodded. "Good to know. Thanks for the chat."
She turned to leave, but the demon's voice stopped her. "Be careful, Zekidian. We're looking at a major offset soon..."
Kimrol glanced back, her smirk returning. "Thanks for the warning. I'll keep it in mind."
We stepped back into the crowded streets, the tension slowly easing as we put distance between us and the demon's shop.
"Well, that was creepy," Kan said, breaking the silence as we stepped back into the crowded streets of Irn'Ajan.
"You get used to it," Kimrol said, though her tone was more serious than usual. She stopped walking and turned to face us, her lizard mask glinting under the flickering light of a nearby brazier. "But let's not pretend this was just a casual chat. That demon wasn't just talking about the weather for fun."
I stiffened, my hand twitching toward the knife at my thigh. "What are you getting at?"
Kimrol crossed her arms, her gaze shifting between me and Kan. "The crimson-haired entity he mentioned. That's not just some random rumor, is it?"
Kan froze, his Wolf mask tilting slightly as he glanced at me. I didn't say anything, but my silence was answer enough.
Kimrol sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I knew it. That little girl she's the one they're talking about, isn't she?"
My grip tightened on my knife. "What's it to you?"
"Hiko," Kan said, his voice low and warning.
Kimrol held up her hands, her tone softening. "Relax. I'm not here to sell her out. But if demons are looking for her, I need to know what I'm dealing with."
"Why?" I snapped, stepping closer. "So you can turn her in for a reward?"
Kimrol didn't flinch. "If I wanted to do that, I wouldn't be having this conversation with you. I'd have already handed her over to the highest bidder."
"She's just a kid," Kan said, stepping between us.
"I know that," Kimrol said, her voice firm. "But not everyone sees it that way. If demons are after her, it's only a matter of time before someone else figures out who she is."
I glared at her, my mind racing. Part of me wanted to shut her up—permanently. But Kan's hand on my shoulder stopped me before I could act.
"She's not the enemy," Kan said, his voice calm but firm. "If she wanted to hurt Nakumi, she wouldn't be warning us."
Kimrol nodded. "He's right. I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want to help."
"Why?" I asked, my voice tight. "What's in it for you?"
Kimrol hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. "Let's just say I've got my reasons."
When we got back to the house, the first thing I noticed was the open window.
My stomach dropped.
"Nakumi?" Kan called, stepping inside. The room was a mess—even more than usual. Books were scattered across the floor, and the table was overturned. My knives were missing, and the phone I'd given her lay shattered on the ground.
"Nakumi!" Kan shouted, rushing past me to check the other rooms.
Kimrol crouched by the window, her fingers brushing against the sill. "No signs of a struggle. She must have left on her own."
Kan reappeared, his Wolf mask askew. "She's not here. And neither are your knives."
"Damn it... I knew we shouldn't leave that idiot alone." I got up and at the door. "Come on, I'll kill her myself when we found it"