Denzyl drew his gun as the screen lit up to reveal Ryiak standing before the door with ten demons waiting behind him. A low growl resonated from the demon's throat as his eyes narrowed while Devyn's heart pounded as he saw the face of the man from the hold. Denzyl let out a breath before holstering his gun and turning to face Devyn. "There is a door in the back that leads to the underground garage. The hovercycle is there. Take it and go to the dendrums' landing. There is *lorne in the bag. It will buy you passage and food," the demon explained quickly.

"But...what about you?"

"I'll keep them from following you. Now, go," Denzyl said as he took his bag off and handed it to the human. "Please, Devyn," Denzyl pleaded as Devyn continued to look at him.

A few moments passed as Devyn continued to look at the demon standing before him, ready to defend him at any cost. Devyn's grip around Denzyl's bag tightened as he slowly took a step back. Denzyl watched as Devyn silently turned around and walked to the back of the house. Once Denzyl heard the door to the garage close, he opened the door before him, revealing Ryiak's smirking face.

"Hello, Denzyl," the blue-haired demon greeted with a sneer.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

Devyn's heart felt heavy as he stepped into the underground garage. Two black hovercycles sat stationed next to a black, single-person hovercraft. The human set the two bags into the containers on the side of one of the hovercycles. Devyn reluctantly closed the containers and set his hand on the seat to mount the cycle. The human put pressure on the seat, but he could not mount. Instead, Devyn's hand went to the gun holstered by his side.

The human took a deep breath and turned around. He could not leave the man who risked his life time and time again to saved him. Nor could he leave the lone person who gave him comfort, safety, and warmth. Devyn's resolve strengthened as he took his first step towards the door leading back into the residence. However, a sound quickly approaching grabbed the human's attention. Devyn stopped in his tracks as the sound entered the tunnel leading into the garage.

The human turned around as a light entered the garage and three hovercycles spun to a dramatic stop before him. Devyn drew his gun as the demons dismounted and bared their claws. The human did not miss a beat in shooting the first demon who lunged. But instead of falling, the demon stood back straight after catching his balance. Realizing one cannot kill a demon with a mere bullet to the chest, Devyn resolved to lead the intruders away from Denzyl, hoping to keep the crimson-haired demon from being punished for saving a human slave.

Holstering his gun, the human quickly mounted the hovercycle. The cycle woke with the pressure from his body, allowing the human to nearly immediately speed past the three demons and into the tunnel leading to the surface.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

"You didn't think I wouldn't guard every entrance, did you?" Ryiak taunted as a single gunshot sounded from the garage.

"Devyn," Denzyl turned instantly from the demons at his door only to be blocked by four of Ryiak's men. "Move," the demon commanded with a growl.

"Forgive us, *Avex. This order came from *Emyr Klein," one of the demons addressed Denzyl.

"Then there's nothing I can do about it. Prepare yourselves," Denzyl warned.

The four demons bowed their heads respectfully as they prepared to fight their avex.

"Do not stop until he is bloody," Ryiak threatened his men.

The four bared their claws in response, and their eyes turned red.

"You will need more than your claws if you want to beat me," Denzyl said deeply as he bared his own claws and his eyes turned red. "That's all you are going to do? No *dyre?" The four shifted uneasily as they contemplated shifting into their dyre forms. "Very well," Denzyl smirked when the four continued to stand before him with just their claws. "Don't say I didn't warn you," the crimson-haired demon concluded his warning and charged.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

The cold wind harassed Devyn's unprotected face as he sped over the dark surface of Sendrum. The human glanced behind him to see the three cycles still on his tail. Unfamiliar with the planet, Devyn continued to turn in various, random directions in hopes of shaking the demons off his tail. A bullet infused with electricity scraping the side of the hovercycle caused Devyn to swerve from his wild course and turn towards a set of rising cliffs. Two of the three hovercycles veered to the side and began to close in on the human.

Devyn cursed under his breath as he realized the demons' plan. As if on que, all three of the demons began firing rapidly towards the human. Devyn swerved as best he could to avoid the bullets, but two found their marks in his cycle. At that moment, Devyn leapt from the hovercycle as the electricity from the bullets made the energy core malfunction. The human rolled fiercely on the hard rock as the hovercycle ran into the cliffs and exploded.

The three demons were quick to surround Devyn as the human tried to stand to his feet. Bruised and scraped from the fall, Devyn stood limply as he drew his second pistol and shot at the approaching demons. Though injured, Devyn's aim remained quite precise, and he was able to land three bullets into the closest demon. The leading demon fell to the ground as the remaining two reached Devyn. The gun was jerked from the human's hand as the butt of another pistol was hit against the human's head. Devyn fell unconscious as the third demon stood to his feet.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

Blood spewed from the four demons as Denzyl slashed his claws through their flesh. He drew the gun that was holstered to his thigh and shot the four in the chest to keep them down but not to kill them. Turning, Denzyl aimed the gun at Ryiak who remained standing with a smug expression.

Ryiak lifted his left hand and signaled, "Next two. Go."

Denzyl shot the two stepping forward in the chest before they could even bare their claws. "What are you doing, Ryiak? Stop fucking with me."

Ryiak chuckled as the door to the back of the house was opened. "Perfect timing!" The demon applauded as three demons entered dragging an unconscious Devyn. "Stay where you are," Ryiak growled as Denzyl moved towards the human. With a signal from Ryiak, the demon holding Devyn bared his claws and set them against the human's throat.

"What did you do to him?" Denzyl snarled at the three demons as he saw the bruises and blood covering Devyn's face and body.

"Don't worry. We won't kill him...not yet, at least," Ryiak snickered. "The elders want to see him...and you. Your father ordered us to bring you both to the hold and restrain you until we can meet with the elders," Ryiak explained to the avex. "Now, are you going to come nicely, or are we going to add a little more red to the human?"

Denzyl released a low growl before surrendering his weapon and lifting his hands. The three dragged Devyn out of the residence as another demon tied Denzyl's hands.

"Which route do we take?" One of the demons holding Devyn inquired of Ryiak.

"The shortest one, obviously," Ryiak answered with a roll of his eyes.

The demon nodded in response before continuing on his way. Denzyl clenched his fist when he heard their route. They would be going through town and past his family's house where his father resides. Recalling his father's threat, Denzyl determined to do everything he could to focus his father's hate and anger on himself.

"What's wrong? Got cold feet?" Ryiak sneered at the crimson-haired demon.

Denzyl ignored Ryiak's taunt and began following the demons carrying Devyn. "Hold him properly," Denzyl growled to Devyn's carriers who were merely dragging the human limply between them. The demons bowed their heads quickly before shifting Devyn onto one of their backs and making sure his feet did not drag on the ground.

Denzyl watched the demon carrying Devyn all the while Ryiak led the group through town. Word spread like fire that the avex was in chains and was being brought to the hold. It did not take long for faces to poke out of the homes and businesses to peer at the disgraced avex. Being the avex, Denzyl was used to being looked at and whispered about, but this was the first time he was glared at with hate and talked about with disdain. However, the viscous looks and sharp words did not faze the avex. He continued to walk with his gaze on the human in front of him.

"Hear that, Denzyl? There's no one here who wouldn't kill you to restore the clan's pride," Ryiak said to Denzyl as the whispers and glares increased with every second. Ryiak scoffed with annoyance when Denzyl yet again ignored his taunt and kept his eyes on Devyn.

The hate towards the avex only strengthened as the group traversed through the town. Eyes would fall on Denzyl before trailing to the unconscious human, and the people would mutter and shake their heads. The thoughts "Why would the avex hide a human slave? And a sacrificial one at that! How shameful!" ran rampant in everyone's mind. Denzyl heard every curse uttered at him and felt every piercing gaze as he walked through his people's village.

The crimson-haired demon let out a breath as the group reached the edge of the town and approached the base of the mountain.

"Open up!" Ryiak called as the group reached the hold. The door to the hold in the spike opened upon his command, and the group entered.

Denzyl looked around in shock as the door closed behind him. Nearly every cell was full of human males. Several eyes looked up to see the newcomers before hopelessly looking back down.

"Why are there so many?" Denzyl inquired of the guard stationed at the front.

"It is the centennial mark, sir," the guard answered respectfully as Denzyl was his mentor.

"Already?" Denzyl's eyes widened.

"You've been gone for fifty years, remember?" Ryiak commented as he overheard the two's conversation. "Put them in 17," Ryiak ordered to his men.

The men nodded their heads before escorting Denzyl and Devyn to cell 17. Devyn was taken off the back of the demon holding him and gently set on the ground per Denzyl's warning which was in the form of a low growl and a flash of his red eyes. Once Devyn was on the ground, Denzyl's hands were unbound, and he stepped into the cell. The three human males who occupied the cell before the addition of Denzyl and Devyn looked up at the crimson-haired demon in horror.

Denzyl ignored their terrified gazes and sat down next to Devyn after making sure the human was as comfortable as he could be in this situation. He then set his hand on Devyn's forehead and channeled some warmth into the human's chilled body. The other three humans shivered from Sendrum's cold. Their lips were blue, and their arms and bare chests were covered with goosebumps. Denzyl slowly reached out his hand to the humans who looked at him with caution.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," Denzyl said softly.

The human to the very right studied the demon for a moment before cautiously stretching out his arm and touching Denzyl's hand. His tense face immediately relaxed, and he stopped shivering as his cold body hungrily absorbed the warmth from the demon. The other two followed in taking Denzyl's hand once the first had warmed up.

"Th-thank you," the first human said quietly.

Denzyl nodded in response before returning to tending to his unconscious human.

*Lorne - Intergalactic currency.

*Avex - Inheritor of the clan's leader, the next in line to lead the clan.

*Emyr - Leader and protector of the clan. Mediates between the elders and the people.

*Dyre - Dark demon state. When activated, a demon's eyes morph into those of a serpent's, their veins turn black, fangs emerge, and a black smoke-like shadows surrounds them. A demon's strength, agility, and power are greatly enhanced in this state. Demons on Sendrum do not have wings in this state as they were stripped when the clan was banished. Dyre is nearly impossible to activate by will alone. Only the thoroughly trained and experienced demons can activate their dyre on a whim.

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