Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

There are two sides of the same coin. In darkness, there must be light. In life, there is death. There is good and bad, and every hero there is a villain. One cannot live without the other. To some people, there is a good outcome after bad times. There is evil in one person despite the good deeds they do. In between these, there can be a thin line of equality, such as the dawn and dusk between day and night.

A demon, known by his kin to be the bringer of death and apocalypse. He who leaves destruction in his wake with his sword always dripping with the blood of his opponents. His people believed that he would one day bring their army to conquer the mortal realm.

A simple elf, rumored to be the embodiment of life, who brought vitality and cheer with his presence. To travel the world is all he wished for and his magic served to heal the wounded. Despite the dangers of wildlife and the cruelty of the world, all he wished for is peace.

So different, with different beliefs, yet the fates decreed that these two have their souls intertwined. And indeed, on that fateful night, the demon and the elf met in a forest surrounded by softly glowing plants and insects fluttering about.

A romantic setting, the full moon shone in the dark sky above them. Yet…

“********-”

“A demon!” In his panic, the elf smacked the demon on the head with such force (and unrestrained power), it left the demon reeling back. “I’m sorry!”

“Sorry?! I’ll show you how sorry you should be-”

“NO, DON’T YOU DARE!”

And that is how one Ragna von Artwaltz and Idril Eryuel met, chasing under the light of the moon.

— * —

“I told you to stay still.”

“Who are you to order me around?”

It’s been a day since the two had started staying in one house together. During the night when the two of them first met, Ragna actually tried to kill the elf. After all, he had seen him, injured and weakened, and could possibly tell his enemies that he had been here even if he did manage to escape. But to his displeasure, the demon collapsed from exhaustion. He woke up in the early morning when the sun was just about to rise. The elf had put him in a bed and treated his wounds.

But it was an embarrassment, a shame, to be seen in a moment of weakness, so Ragna tried to get away, only to fall to the floor. Just when the elf entered the room.

“If I’m going to stay here, at least you should follow my every whims.” Ragna said with his arms crossed and brows furrowed. The elf raised a brow. “Are you going to leave your patient to suffer in silence and boredom? What a healer you are.”

“I gave you books.” Idril answered flatly.

“And? You know that’s not going to do anything.”

“You can’t do anything strenuous or you’ll make your condition even worse.” The elf said sternly and poked the demon on his bare chest. “A day! Give it a day before you can walk around and stretch your legs! It hasn’t been even two hours since you woke up!”

“I heal quickly, don’t you know that? I’m a demon!”

“Oho, is that why I see you sprawled on the floor this morning?”

Ragna growled, cheeks turning pink from embarrassment. “If I’m not in this state, I would have burned you down where you stand.”

Idril rolled his eyes. “Ooh, scary.” His voice is laced with sarcasm before taking his staff. “Tell me that again when you have the strength to back it up.” With that, the elf turned and left the room.

‘Fine, the elf wins this time’, Ragna thought as he laid back down on the bed Idril provided for him. ‘Tomorrow, I’ll show him that he should be fearing me.’

It turns out, tomorrow is not such a day. After an examination, Idril found a shard of crystal embedded in the demon’s core that suppressed his powers, making his regeneration slower than usual. This made Ragna swear under his breath and bury his face onto the sinfully soft pillows.

Idril sets aside his staff to reach for the tray he put on the table and sets it down at the empty spot on the bed. “You’re not really patient, are you?”

The demon turns his head to give Idril a glare. “I’m at the mercy of a mortal. Of course I’d rather be back in my realm.” He said with a huff.

He complained about it so much that Idril’s already used to it at this point. He just gave a shrug in reply.

“Why are you helping me, anyway? Don’t mortals tend to fear demons?” Ragna asked, turning this time to face the elf. “You’re supposed to be running for your life, not helping it get ended faster.”

Idril paused when he picked up a bowl of soup, still slightly hot but not enough to hurt when touching the bowl. Ragna saw the conflict in the elf’s eyes. Mortals, after all, feared demons. Some even resented them and would do anything to see their end. It’s not their fault the Creator made them with the purpose of Destruction. Ragna himself is one of those who stood at the top, and the mere mention of his names had mortals shaking in fear.

Demon King of Apocalypse.

Surely this bookworm elf would know that. From the way Idril looked at him, Ragna knew Idril knew this as well.

Idril opened his mouth and finally answered. “... I don’t know either.”

Ragna gave him a weird look. “You’re strange.”

“Plenty of people have already called me that. Come up with something else.” The demon huffed from that. “Now, are you going to eat or not?”

Ragna glared at him and didn’t make any move to take the bowl. That answers that.

“Fine. I’m going to study some plants, anyway. Get some sleep, I know you stayed up late last night.”

He put the bowl back on the tray and left it on the table before leaving the room.




“It’s been a while since I’ve had company.”

“... What brought this on, all of the sudden?”

Two months had passed since the two started staying in one house together, albeit unwillingly. Their relationship hadn’t improved much at all, but the two had started tolerating each other’s presence. From Idril’s constant nagging for him to rest and Ragna doing anything and everything to rile the usually calm and collected elf.

There are times where they are at peace, though. When all Idril wanted was some peace and quiet and Ragna wasn’t in the mood to be taunting the elf. Today is one of those days. Idril finally allowed Ragna to walk around but with a crystal weakening Ragna, the demon wouldn’t be able to open a portal back home yet. So the two stayed together for even longer.

The forest is starting to dim with the setting sun, but Idril made no move to go back inside the small house. Ragna for his part, just stayed to keep an eye on the elf. Idril surprisingly attracted danger. The elf is the only one who could heal him, so what if Ragna decided to let him live a little longer? Once he gets no more use of the mortal, he’ll get rid of him.

Part of him disliked the idea.

Idril chuckled. “Nothing did. I just wanted to say what I’m feeling right now.”

The demon huffed. “Don’t you mortals find more of your kind for company? You should get out of this s**t hole once in a while.”

“I can’t, actually.”

“Ha?”

“Maybe that’s why I took care of you instead of ending you.” Idril looked up at him, and Ragna nearly recoiled from the look in his blue eyes. Ragna knew elves are beautiful creatures. Idril is attractive, no doubt about that. But he never thought about that until now. “You’re not bad company, actually. Even if you’re a demon.”

Ragna blinked before smacking the elf on the head. “What does that mean?!”

“I was expecting you to kill me or something when you recovered enough. But instead, you just taunt and follow me around.” Idril rubbed his head, and the demon froze with realization that the elf’s words rang true. “The house had never been this lively before. I’m glad you’re finding it comfortable here to be the way you are.”

Badump!

Ragna stood up and turned away. “I don’t see the satisfaction in killing someone way weaker than me.”

Idril only chuckled, which infuriated the demon even more.

“Stop laughing, damn it.”

It only made the elf laugh harder.



‘Oh no’, Ragna thought in his head. ‘I’m getting used to this.’

He had recovered some of his magic. He can hunt and move around without pain or getting fatigued more easily. He could even spread his wings and do stunts that would have Idril yelling at him. It took months, he’s still not in top shape but Ragna has recovered enough to return to the demon realm.

Yet here he is, spending another night with the elf in the forest and listening to him explain about the local fauna and creatures of the night. An occasional glowing butterfly would flutter past the mage and give him an ethereal glow that added more to his beauty. And like a helpless butterfly getting caught in a spider’s web, Ragna found himself trapped with blooming admiration.

The arguments had lessened since that day, and Idril thought of showing him around the forest that is his home. It turns out that at night, certain plants and animals would start to glow. Idril showed him the stars that Ragna never saw in the demon realm, so used to the darkness and smoke, and the blood red moon and ugly skies.

This world- this life is filled with beauty. Is he supposed to destroy such a world?

“Destruction isn’t as bad as others may think,” Idril had told him once. “It’s a constant cycle. It’s ugly, it’s cruel, and would even bring a lot of sadness and tragedy. Humans do it a lot, I’ve seen them go to wars several times. But from it, there is a chance of rebirth and new beginnings. Don’t you think so?”

Despair and Hope, Destruction and Salvation, Death and Birth. Ragna had always wondered why the world seemed to flourish with this sheltered mortal until he realized what Idril truly is.

********. Avatar of Life.

If he killed him now, the world would come to an end. The demons could take over this beautiful world much easier. He could fulfill his Purpose and bring destruction into this world - and yet.

It felt wrong.

‘What is wrong with me?’ Ragna pressed his hands onto his head with a groan, unknowingly catching the attention of Idril. ‘My target is sitting right in front of me. I’ll just-’

“Ragna?”

Ragna’s head snapped up. Idril is looking at him with a brow raised but the worry is there, evident in his eyes. It’s the first time he had heard the elf call his name, and it’s doing things to him that he couldn’t place. This is getting dangerous, this is a threat-

Thud!

Leaves fluttered down to the ground around them from the force. It’s going to leave a bruise on the elf’s back for sure. Ragna found himself with his hands on Idril’s neck, pinning him onto a tree. Yet despite him towering over the smaller male, the ominous aura he’s letting out, his hold tightening on the elf’s neck, Idril didn’t look one bit scared.

Why is he not scared? He is holding his life in his hands!

“What have you done to me?” Ragna growled. His eyes glowed red like blood as he glared down at Idril. “What spell did you put on me, huh? Is this your plan from the start? Making me weak so you could toy me in the palm of your hand? You know what I’m supposed to do. You’re just stopping me from doing that, aren’t you?”

It hasn’t been long, but he had watched Idril everyday ever since his stay. Learned more about the elf, seeing his habits both healthy and unhealthy. He saw sometimes that the elf could be sneaky when he wanted to be. Who’s to say he could be as cunning?

Idril puts a hand on his, gentle, weak. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Bullshit.”

“Can’t you calm down and think for even a second?”

“Believe me, elf, I’ve done enough thinking.”

And Idril looked at him, that damn look of his like he could see through him. And then that look is replaced by another one as if to call him a dumbass and just /talk/. It’s strange how he could manage to tell what the elf is thinking with just a look now. Slowly, his hands loosened their hold and only did he realize that they were trembling, wrapped in the warmth of Idril’s small hands.

Talk. Yes. Maybe he should let out these confusing feelings to the elf. Idril is smart enough to make sense of it. Maybe he has the answers.

But this small moment of theirs is ruined when they feel the earth tremble. Idril gasped and fell to his knees, wheezing like he’s breathing in the poisoned air. At first, Ragna was confused, only to realize that the air might indeed be poison to this Avatar.

A portal to the demon realm opened.

In a way, it shattered Ragna’s little peace he had come to love and brought him back to reality. He still had his duties back in the demon realm. He still had wars to fight and enemies to crush. His mind went back to Idril’s words back then, a cycle of death and rebirth.

Is… Is that why the Creator made them?

Ragna pursed his lips. He wanted nothing more than to burn everything to the ground when he first entered this world, before those damn celestials pushed him back and injured him. Now, his opinions differ. This world is still too young for the end. There will come a time when they’ll truly be able to wreak havoc and end it all.

The demon carefully picked up Idril into his arms. He had decided.

Parts of the once beautiful forest were burned to the ground. The animals peacefully inhabiting them ran for their lives as lesser demons laughed and killed. It won’t be long until this whole forest is nothing but ashes. No, he wouldn’t allow that.

Everything else can burn but this place.