Friend or Fiend

Caretaker or Heartbreaker

Nigh on two days after Mikaela's confession, Yuichiro was visited once again by his blond friend.

Mikaela entered the small, candlelit room and stirred Yuichiro from his sleep.

"Yu, Yu!" He spoke as he shook the sable haired lout to wakefulness.

"Wh-what?" Yuichiro sat up with a start.

"We need to go now if thou art to escape from this place." Mikaela wasted no time in driving Yuichiro out of his bed.

"Put thy boots on." Mikaela handed Yuichiro a boot and slipped the other on for him.

Soon the pair were hurrying down the left corridor, Mikaela leading Yuichiro by his hand.

Now past a turn and through a door, into another, darker, and draftier hall; Yuichiro tripped along behind Mikaela. Though his ribs had begun to heal through the past few days, his stomach now hurt with all the speed walking.

"Where art thou taking me?" Yuichiro asked in a hushed tone, barely keeping his breath.

"We need to get thee out of here now, this might be our only chance."

At last the two arrived at a sturdy oaken door, where they stopped. Yuichiro was secretly relieved and he held a discrete hand to his aching side.

"Art thou alright?" Mikaela questioned, "thou dost tremble."

"Y-yes... I am fine." Now given a chance to rest, Yuichiro was regaining his breath; though he had developed a slight quivering.

Mikaela cracked the oaken door and took a careful glance out before opening it fully. The stench that flooded fourth was revolting. He then lead Yuichiro out into a dark, moist hall; which smelled as if there'd been a horde of devils living inside it.

Mikaela and Yuichiro passed through the massive, dingy hall. At last the two reached a large, stone archway and exited into the presently dark, outside world.

Mikaela stopped in his tracks. He stood silent and motionless for one instant before turning to Yuichiro.

"Leave now!" He commanded, pointing into the dense forest.

"Why?"

"Leave!" Mikaela yelled and pushed the black haired boy in the direction previously stated.

Before Yuichiro could take five steps he was knocked off his feet. His hands and elbows doing little to break his fall, as a sudden weight pinned him down. He was rendered nearly senseless with the collision.

"Mika, what art thou about to?" A voice echoed from the hall. It was Krul.

"Ferid... remove thy hand from him..." Mikaela ignored Krul, opting to speak to the beast atop Yuichiro. Said beast only cackled, his laugh reaching Yuichiro's ears as a soft growl.

Before Mikaela could react in wrath, Krul spoke again.

"Stop! Mika, what dost thou do so late at night with this human boy?"

"I merely saw him leaving and followed."

"Why wouldst thou follow him? Dost thou care for him?"

"I do not care particularly for him..." Mikaela stated coldly and glanced in any direction away from Yuichiro.

"Very well then. Be patient while I deal with the boy." Krul shrugged.

"Wilt thou let me eat him, my lady." Ferid turned his nose down to the sprawling human in question.

"Yes." Krul answered coldly.

Mikaela shot his hard gaze in Krul's direction, stunned that his dissemblance had been perceived. Verily, she could only be allowing this in order that she might harrow him, for she would ordinarily keep such a specimen for later use.

Mikaela started in Yuichiro's direction, but was abruptly stayed in his tracks at Krul's words.

"Stay thyself Mika, come wait by my side." Mikaela stood rigid in place at the woman's words. He watched Yuichiro in vexation, soon sinking to his knees and collapsing on the floor in his struggle to overcome his mistress's will.

Ferid nudged Yuichiro with his long slender snout, sniffing his anticipated meal.

Mikaela grunted in frustration as he watched the silver beast take his sable haired friend carefully between his teeth, as one might handle a fragile pasty.

"His mewls of pain are all but too enticing. Verily, he is already broken; what use hast thou for this damaged, insignificant, tender, little creature." Ferid spoke past the body lodged between his jaws.

"Stop!" Mikaela cried, his voice cracking with his desperation.

Ferid ignored Mikaela's threat and compressed his slobbery teeth around Yuichiro, impelling him to let out a moan of pain.

Krul stepped forward and stood beside Mikaela, the troubled blond now groveling at her feet; not capable of doing anything more in his conflicted mental state.

"Make him stop." Mikaela groaned, but to no avail.

"Please! I lied, I do care for him."

Ferid! Stay thyself." Krul finally responded to Mikaela's pleas.

"See? That was not so hard. But from now on thou must tell me things, or I will not be able to give thee what thou needest." The pink haired woman stepped past Mikaela and went to retrieve Yuichiro from the silver beast's jaws.

Ferid growled as Krul took Yuichiro in her hands and made to pull him free. Then the silver beast snapped at her, mauling her arm.

"Ferid!" She yelled at him in both anger and shock.

Mikaela wasted no time in taking this chance. He bounded over to the scene and took Yuichiro in his arms while Ferid and Krul were occupied. Not a moment later he'd disappeared into the trees.

After Mikaela's escape Ferid let go Krul's arm and guiltily licked his chops, flattening his ears on his head.

"I am sorry my lady." He apologized, "I was so caught up in the moment that I lost it for an instant, please forgive me..."

"Mindless beast! If thou wishest to redeem thyself then make haste and retrieve them." Krul yelled and Ferid loped after Mikaela.