Third person POV
"If we connect these points here, the location of where we can find her might be in this area— Back in Hyoushou." Zen declared, finger pointing at a map.

"But again, the search party had given us the fact that there was no trace of life at the castle after the war. They had just returned last night. They stated to be analyzing the details and objects they found, so we won't have concrete information." Obi said, eyes scanning documents and a separate map.

"... Wait... Didn't Akuma once said something about a ritual? The day when Eugena encountered Akuma." Shirayuki commented, eyes wide from searching her memory.

"Ah! That's right! Maybe that is connected to the disappearance of Kiroyuki!" Mitsuhide exclaimed, finger pointed into the air.

"Would that mean that Kiroyuki would not be found unless we search further than the surface?" Kiki commented an expression, hand to her chin.

"Should we... Should we ask Akuma? She might know some answers to our questions..." Ryu quietly suggested, causing the others to consider the option.

"Hmm... It wouldn't be easy to ask her." Kiki sighed.

"Akuma is rather mysterious in a way. We don't exactly know how Akuma came to retrieve her um, body back. Our only clue to how she came back was a 'ritual'. And, her temper is kinda making me hesitant." Ryu stated as Obi eyed him while sighing internally.

"It's kinda getting late... We've been here for almost two hours. *Sigh*... We need answers though, so I guess with this last option, we'll need Akuma here." Zen breathed out, eyes closed and eyebrows knitted. "Obi, Shirayuki, and Mitsuhide, please go get Akuma. Tell her that it's important and that I ordered you three to retrieve her."

"Yes sir/ master/ of course." The three replied, exiting the room.

"..." Ryu was silent as he watched the three exit, wondering why Zen did not order for him to go with the three.

"Sorry Ryu. But I have a feeling that it wouldn't be right to have you there. Akuma to me from what I observed would seem hesitant if she knew that you'll be here too." Zen explained, noticing how confused the boy was.

"... It's fine. I understand Zen." Ryu responded, shrugging his shoulders.

"Zen. I'll be be going to retrieve the reports. It's about time the search party said that they'll be done with their inspection and analysis." Kiki said.

"Thank you Kiki." Zen sighed in relief, watching Kiki exit the room.

"... Zen... Do you think that Kiroyuki is alright right now? That Kiroyuki is actually really 'sleeping' inside of Akuma...?" Ryu asked, eyes focused at the sun setting from beyond the glass doors.

"... I don't know. I don't know whether to say or not if Kiroyuki's well-being is alright. But, we can't take much action if we don't know where her location is... I can only hope that the environment she is in isn't dangerous..." Zen sighed, mind in pain from a headache that plagued him.

"..." Ryu blankly stared at the map, staring at the country— Hyoushou.
—————

"Do you really think Akuma will open the door for us at all...?" Shirayuki asked the two males, deep in thought.

"Who knows. I just hope that she won't as violent as the last when we found out her hair turned pink." Mitsuhide commented.

"I still remember the sensation of getting hit by that pillow." Obi chuckled.

The three became silent as they neared a certain door, cautious of how they should word their statements.

*Knock knock*

"Akuma? It's Mitsuhide. Obi and Shirayuki are also here with me."

"...... W... What do you three need?" Akuma hesitantly asked, immediately regretting her choice to speak.

"We need your knowledge of a certain situation to help us. Answers. We need answers and you might help us find the answers." Obi stated.

"..." Akuma slowly walked over to the door, blankly staring at it. "... And what situation shall I guide answers to you?" Akuma's voice grew lower.

"It's about the disappearance of Kiroyuki. We've been trying to locate where Kiroyuki could possibly be, but we're at a lost since for sure, magic is involved." Obi seriously stated, prepared for any harsh remark from the girl behind the door.

"... You're right about magic covering up her trace... But... I... Can't help you..." Akuma's voice cracked as she raised her voice, head resting on her palms.

"Akuma! Please! We need your help! Kiroyuki needs your help!" Shirayuki exclaimed, hands intertwined, pleading.

"I just! You don't know at all!" Akuma shouted.

'I am trying to save her! I am! Stop making it harder for me to go!' Akuma cried in her mind, tears brimming the surface.

"Akuma..." Mitsuhide whispered, concerned.

"Akuma. We know that you hold the key to many of our questions. If we don't get answers from you, then we'll forever be stuck at a wall. We don't know anything of how your magic or magic in general works. Please..." Obi carefully said, eyes that did not fail to continue staring at the door, confident that Akuma's heart will change.

"......... Fine.... But I will only answer questions for one hour! One hour! Okay?!" Akuma shouted, voice forced to say words she was afraid of.

'Why the time limit...?' The three questioned in their minds, but did not speak their thoughts. For Akuma may grow more reluctant if they ask.

"Okay. One hour it is." Obi agreed to the compromise, shrugging his shoulders.

*Click*

Akuma exited the room, face extremely pale and eyes dead as ever. The beautifully colored purple shirt that she wore had colored her emotionless eyes to shame. The white knee length skirt she wore brought upon a comparison of her pale skin.

"... Are you—" Shirayuki began.

"Let's go. I assume Zen ordered you three to retrieve me, so we mustn't waste time. Let's hurry." Akuma began speed walking, surprising the others to join her in her speed.
—————

"*Bang* What is it that you need me for? Questions?" Akuma slammed the door to Zen's office, startling everyone.

"Thank you for coming Akuma. We have questions about the disappearance of Kiroyuki. We have just retrieved documents and items discovered from the war, given to us by the search party who returned last night." Zen said, giving Akuma the documents to look over.

"Apparently, in the dungeons, there seemed to have to suspicious works. Sand, remaining candles, blood, and foreign writings— A ritual. And we've heard you once saying something about a painful ritual." Zen states the first information, waiting for Akuma to explain.

"... You're absolutely right. That was the damn ritual I barley spoke of. She was basically whipped, cut, verbally abused, and tortured. They practically filled her with hate and despair to release me through...horrid summoning." Akuma grimly said, full of shame of herself.

"..." The gang was speechless. They were hearing the horrifying things that Kiroyuki went through alone and now, she still is alone and their only guess of right now is that Kiroyuki is hurting.

"And who was it that brought upon hatred and despair to Kiroyuki?" Ryu mustered to say out loud.

"I was trapped within the grasp of devils. I know I'm a demon and all, but I was never like that before.... N... He saved me, but at a price for her to feel despair...."

"And I suppose this guy is Neil. Correct...?" Obi said, voice monotone and eyes unseen.

"... So what... What if it was Neil?!" Akuma roared, arms crossed.

"So you're okay with knowing that Neil was the one who tortured Kiroyuki?! He's a traitor and-"

"Shut your f*cking mouth, Obi..." Akuma scoffed, glaring at everyone who questioned her belief.

"You guys are all just outsiders......" Akuma muttered, barely audible. "So. What now? What other questions do you guys have for me? I have one hour to be here..." Akuma sighed, eyes shut.

"Do you know where Kiroyuki is at?!" Ryu blurted out, cheeks red.

"Who knows..." Akuma said, facial expression blank.

"What kind of answer is that? Please elaborate." Zen pleaded, arms crossed.

"... She's not here. Not in Clarines and not in Hyoushou. She's far from your reach." Akuma answered.

"What do-" Mitsuhide began, but was immediately cut off.

"None of you are able or capable of finding her. You'll never last in such place if you knew." Akuma stated, eyes wide and emotionless, frightening the gang to their wild imaginations.

"... What kind of environment do you speak of?" Kiki questioned.

"A place where I was stuck at for over a decade. It's pure hell, but it became a home of torture for me." Akuma responded, head lowering to have her pink bangs covering her eyes.

"...... Obi..." Ryu whispered to the older male, eyes shaking. This caught Obi off guard, angering him.

"Tch! Look, we know nothing about you Akuma! We just know that you stated to be a demon who apparently has the ability to summon weapons as to what Kiroyuki can do too! What are you hiding from us?!" Obi exclaimed, startling everyone in the room.

"Gah! Obi!" Ryu nervously called out.

"No Ryu. I know you're also frustrated and you also want to know too... So Akuma, what exactly happened in the past? I'm not the only one who wants and needs to know. Plus, you said you have an hour and that should be plenty enough time to explain." Obi declared as Ryu nervously looked away, feeling guilty. After all, he was the one who had this conversation with Obi before— About not knowing Akuma at all and such.

"Geez... How annoying. What are you, my dead father?" Akuma scoffed, shocking everyone to how she can carelessly make some joke about her biological father.

"How can you say that?!" Zen growled.

"Oh please! I will never consider the ones who gave birth to me as Mother or Father! Ever since I was born, I was mistreated! Everyone hated and avoided me!" Tears pricked at the corner of her red eyes.

"I was so fed up by being looked down by everyone— My so called parents, castle staff, guards, soldiers, my people, guests from neighboring countries, and even relatives! Everyone hated me! Thinking that having pink hair and red eyes is a bad omen, everyone thought of me as a cursed princess! The only one who cared for me were the four warriors and Neil! The warriors were always busy, but they made sure that I was okay when they had time! Neil on the other hand, he was with me 24/7 and was the one who brought hope and light into my dark life as a child! I was barely four!" Akuma shouted, fists tightly formed, threatening everyone to not come close to her.

"I was extremely fed up with being known as a cursed child! Even the guards began harassing me! I was kidnapped for f*ck's sake! Hair being so rare—This stupid pink hair! They thought I was a gem that they could play with before selling me! As a child, I never knew how disgusting humans can be! Ugh! I was kidnapped and kept within my own castle for them to play with! It's stupid! Their disgusting hands, reaching out to me! It was then when I snapped and heard a voice within me!" Akuma's voice cracked, eyes wide and crazed as tears flooded around her boots.

"......." Everyone was dead silent, not knowing how such tragedy can compare to any other childhood.

"That voice still now sticks to me! That's where I get my temper from! I snapped and killed everyone! I created a massacre within the castle! Killed everyone who I saw in sight who has always looked down at me! Spoke horribly at me! A demon awoke within me! The only one who calmed and accepted me despite being covered in blood was Neil..." Akuma began hyperventilating, wiping away her tears fiercely.

"My parents ended up seizing me by using our best warriors. The four warriors who were chained by my 'parents'! They had no choice but to listen to my father since I was not old enough to hold power of he four, but I hated how my father placed a kinda and good king facade! HE MADE THE ONES WHO CARED FOR ME SUFFER! MY MOTHER JUST WENT ALONG WITH IT WITH A SMILE, COMING INTO MY ROOM TIME TO TIME TO VERBALLY AND PHYSICALLY HURT ME!" Akuma stomped her foot, causing a loud echo to sound the room with her cries.

"Neil and I later overheard my parents that they were planning to get rid of me as a sacrifice for a perfect daughter after I created that bloody mess... We planned to escape and run away from Hyoushou, but we never made it... I made a promise with Neil before we were separated. He told me that he would definitely save me no matter how long it would take him......"

'... Does Akuma have feelings for Neil too....? Will I lose her to him too....?' Ryu thought, tears brimming his eyes from this thought and from hearing the story of Akuma's past. But, he wasn't the only one crying. Everyone was crying, except for Obi and Kiki. They cried with their expressions being showed sorrowfully.

"And so... My own parents made me go through some horrifying ritual that still traumatizes me today! I was sent far away... I was a sacrifice to this place in order for them to get Kiroyuki... My soul was transported away as her soul went into my body. From there, I've been living in hell, awaiting for the day of my hateful vengeance which was the day of the war recently... Now, my head is wanted in hell..." Akuma hid her face immediately, stopping her story there.

"... I'm sorry for prying on your past Akuma." Obi genuinely apologized.

"I-I'm also sorry, Akuma..." Ryu apologized, fiddling with his fingers.

"It doesn't matter anymore... Anymore last minute questions...?"

"How can we find Kiroyuki?" Everyone asked in unison, eyes desperate.

"*Sigh*... You can't..." Akuma answered. "Any other questions?"

"Do you not mind Kiroyuki being gone?" Mitsuhide asked nervously.

".... I am not that cruel to think that way now... I... I am doing something in my own way." Akuma replied, arm hugging herself awkwardly.

"Why do you give yourself an hour time limit?" Ryu asked, eyes confused yet concerned.

"... No reason. I just have some work to do later." Akuma shrugged off the question, cheeks puffy from crying.

"Wait! What are you trying to do to save Kiroyuki? How can we help?" Shirayuki blurted out, putting herself in front of Akuma.

"... It's none of your business..." Akuma lowly replied.

"I'm curious to why it sounds like you truly want to save Kiroyuki. What is your reason to wanting to save Kiroyuki after your past?" Obi questioned, eyebrow raised.

"... I'm leaving! One hour is up!" Akuma shouted, bolting towards the door with a rushed expression.

"Huh?! We still have twenty minutes left!" Zen exclaimed.

"Wait!" Shirayuki called out, turning as Akuma ran past her.

*Thud*

Immediately, Obi, Kiki, and Mitsuhide blocked the door before Akuma could turn the doorknob. Mitsuhide grunted as Akuma couldn't stop herself from colliding into him.

"Kyah! W-what is this?! What are you guys doing?! Let me go!" Akuma screamed, trying to make the three move out of her way.

"F-forgive me Akuma! But, we need your h-help to save Kiroyuki!" Mitsuhide managed to say.

"Grrrr.... F*UCK OFF YOU GUYS!" Akuma shouted, backing away from the barricaded door, crumbling down to her knees, covering her ears.

"Akuma... Please-" Ryu walked towards Akuma, but was instantly cut off.

"STOP! AKUMA THIS AND AKUMA THAT! HELP! SAVE HER! PLEASE! STOP! STOP ASKING ME ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS! T-THIS ISN'T MAKING ANYTHING EASIER FOR ME!"

"!!!" Ryu immediately took a few steps back, taken aback from the volume of her voice that shook his body to tremble.

"Akuma... Please. We just want to help you." Zen tried to calmly say.

"Oh shut up... Help me...? I don't need help... I thought the one that needed help is Kiroyuki..." Akuma scoffed, body trembling in the center of the room, crouching.

"We've been searching for Kiroyuki ever since the war. In fact have prepared a search party even before the war, knowing that we'd need to find Kiroyuki regardless. And all of us here, we want to help you and her both!" Zen exclaimed softly, walking out from behind his desk and towards Akuma to kneel in format of her.

"... Don't come near me...."

"Huh!?" Everyone gasped as Akuma bolted up and ran past Zen and his desk.

"Crap! She's gonna jump!" Obi yelled.

"If you won't let me pass through the doors, then I'll jump the f*ck out of here! Don't you dare come looking for me afterwards! Don't make things harder for me, dumbasses!" Akuma declared loudly, jumping down from the high balcony, making everyone scream.

Akuma glared at the group as she fell with her back facing the ground. In a flash, she elegantly flipped around and landed gracefully.

"Gah!" Both Obi and Ryu ran to the fencing of the balcony first, they saw Akuma fall down gracefully as she immediately started running after landing.

"How did she jump from this height without gaining any injuries?!" Mitsuhide cried out, hands placed on his head in frustration and bewilderment.

"Should we go after her Zen?!" Kiki instantly turned around, shock written all over her face.

"... *Sigh* Lets give her some time. We'll check up on her during dinner time...." Zen covered the top half of his face with his hand, exhausted.

"Zen..." Shirayuki gently called out.

"...... Everyone... Did you.... Did you guys see that on Akuma?" Ryu's eyes were wide, not able to collect fragments of what is reality.

"Hm? What did you see Ryu?" Mitsuhide asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Just below her neck... There was this red mark. It was just for a quick second, but, it looked like the symbol we saw from the intruders.... It was all just a blur though..." Ryu breathed out, unable to believe of what he saw to be true since he didn't have concrete proof.

"Seriously?! Wouldn't it be better to search for her now then?!" Obi exclaimed, jaw dropping.

"... I think we should have a word with my lord big brother, Izana..." Zen seriously said in a loud tone, standing up.
—————

*Bam*

"*Pant*... *Pant*... Izana... Help me..." (<- All you dirty minded people ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))

"What happened to you!?" Izana said, running towards the shaking and unstable pink haired girl who barged into his office by jumping through one of his office windows.

"I... I need you to h-hide me while I leave to that d...dimension!" Akuma cried out loud, tears brimming her eyes once more.

"How can you go in such condition?!" Izana exclaimed, worried. "What happened to you?! I thought you were going to remain in your room?!"

"... They questioned me! About Kiroyuki! I had only agreed to go answer their questions for one hour, but things turned south... I wanted them to know some answers before I go... But now... I regret it! I just feel more attached!" Akuma breathed out, panting heavily with more sweat forming on her forehead.

"*Sigh* No one should bother you in my room, but are you alright with that?" Izana asked, supporting the girl to stand.

"... I trust you... Izana... You're an asshole, but y-you're a good guy... You're not like one of those bastards in the past." Akuma said, immediately falling to the ground after a couple of steps.

"Akuma! Shouldn't you wait until tomorrow? Until you've recovered?" Izana brought out, concerned for her wellbeing.

"There's no time! The mark has already begun to develop! There will be no more hope tomorrow if I don't leave now!" Akuma cried as Izana wrapped her arm around his neck, picking up her to hurriedly run to his chambers, careful to not let anyone see him and misjudge his actions.

Soon, they reached his chambers without anyone discovering this odd 'runaway'. Izana made his bed, making sure the pillows were comfortable and that the sheets were neat.

"... This symbol... I guess I can finally use the key now..." Akuma monotonously said as she stared out to the window and night sky, seeing the reflection of the mark on her chest.

Izana carefully placed and tucked Akuma into his bed, placing a cool and wet towel on her forehead.

"... Thank you I-izana... Thank you..." Akuma cried silently, regret and sorrow filled in her red eyes.

"I'm sorry... If only I had more within my power to help you..." Izana's eyes too held regret and sorrow, facial expression grim.

"No... You cared for her while she was in this body. It was foolish of me to have harvested hatred... And now, you are caring and have been caring for me.... T-thank you!" Izana wiped away her tears as she gave a crooked and bitter smile.

"There should be a stack of envelopes in the chambers I was staying in... There should be one for everyone.... *Sniff* Thank you... Good night... Izana..." Akuma closed her eyes after taking one last look at Izana, still carrying a bittersweet smile.

As the pale and beautiful princess' eyes closed, her limbs went limp. Her breathing became almost nonexistent and her body, cold as ice and still like calm waters that were never touched.

Light produced from her chest. Light of bright red illuminated the room that all came from a fully developed symbol on her chest.

"Good night... Akuma..." Izana grimly said. And for once, he shed tears of ice crystals that poured out from within his heart.

A/N
Oh dear~! That was one of the longest chapters yet!

I'm also sorry at how late the update is! I've been busy with track and field, homework, exams, testing, funeral, projects, and club activities. Geez... Things are just getting busier and busier T____T

But! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Please leave a comment because I love the feedback and please like/ vote this chapter!

And valentines is coming up very soon! Soooo, HAPPY EARLY VALENTINES! LET'S CELEBRATE VALENTINES DAY ON WATTPAD! (#singlepringlewattpadparty)

Have a great day/ night! Bai bai~!
2/11/18

(Edited)