Chapter 11 - The Hooded Protester

"So what should I do about Aries?"

Axel looked at me, then at Aries.

"Seems like I don't need to worry about this one."

Aries snarled while pushing off my lap.

I pulled him back down while he continued to growl at Axel.

"Well, he seems more protective ever since he got stabbed."

Axel looked at me.

"How did he get stabbed?"

I paused, then said,

"He protected me in our battle against an undead hero."

Axel paused and stared at Aries.

"Protect her well, Luna Hare."

Aries growled.

"Aries."

Axel raised his hands as a sign of giving up.

"As you wish… Aries."

Exe heard a commotion coming from down the street, too far away to make out.

"Hey, Axel, can you tell what's happening?"

Axel opened the door, then hopped onto the roof.

He lifted his ear and started to laugh.

Exe asked him,

"What's so funny?"

Axel said,

"Well… it seems to be a bit of a protest happening."

He cleared his throat, then added,

"It's only one male demon that I don't even know."

As Exe steered the carriage, a crash of tables and food came from an intersection four blocks down.

We came to a complete stop.

"What's happening?" I asked Exe.

"It looks like we are about to find out."

A demon with purple skin came running from the intersection in a rough black hoodie that never came off, even while he moved.

Greaves covered his legs, and his build was lean and athletic, as if he were made more for running, climbing, and fighting than for standing still.

"Get back here!"

A few of Drago's soldiers chased him as he ran toward our carriage.

Axel snapped his fingers, and a portal opened.

"We will be in touch."

He hopped into the portal, then it closed behind him.

Exe stared at the purple demon as he ran, jumped into another carriage, then came out through the side door.

A demon soldier walked over to him.

"Stop right there!"

Before the soldier could grab the purple demon, the demon instantly grabbed his hand and pulled him into the carriage.

He slammed the door closed on the soldier's head three times.

The soldier passed out.

Then the purple demon kicked him out of the carriage.

The soldier fell flat on his back.

The demon bolted toward us as more soldiers gave chase.

I watched him running directly toward our carriage.

"Here he comes."

Exe didn't move.

A soldier tried to grab the purple demon's legs.

He slipped out of the soldier's grip, then jumped onto the roof of our carriage.

Aries jumped out of the carriage and climbed up to the roof.

The demon jumped onto another carriage passing by with three horses.

The drape on the carriage bore a message as it drove away.

Free Demon King Ash.

Exe sighed, then said,

"Where to next?"

I answered as Exe cracked the reins.

"Let's deal with my ex-fiancée."

In one of Drago's hideouts, Demon King Ash and his loyal demons were searching for clues.

Dante and his men carried some of Drago's soldiers into a room. They tossed each one inside, facing a table.

About fifty soldiers were held within the safe house.

A voice spoke from behind the desk.

"Where is my son?"

One of the soldiers spoke.

"Welcome back, my king."

Demon King Ash nodded.

Then he tossed his dagger into the soldier's chest.

The dagger let out an aura of fear.

The soldiers looked at their impaled comrade as the dagger started to feast on his Ichor.

"Let's not delay. Where is my son?"

He continued,

"My dagger is hungry."

Exe and I arrived at a blockade.

"What now?" I asked.

Exe stared at the blockade.

"Looks like we are walking from here."

I got out of the carriage with my moonblade, then charged at the wooden blockade with Crescent Moon Waltz.

The wood and barbed wire flew over the bridge.

I climbed back into the carriage quietly.

Aries closed the door behind me with his ear.

Exe cracked the reins and continued moving forward.

"I saw Dad in Hell," Exe said.

I held Aries and looked at him.

"Oh yeah? How is he?"

Exe took a breath.

Tenka came out of his jumper along with Ren and sat next to him.

"He's alive."

Aries' stomach started to growl.

He stared at me and said,

"Food."

I rubbed his belly.

"Exe, isn't your safe house around here?"

Exe looked around and saw the train tracks.

"Yeah. This is my neighborhood."

Exe steered the carriage to the right.

"We'll be arriving at my safe house soon."

Aries used his ears to play with my hair as I spoke.

"Why did Father want us to get these safe houses anyway?"

Exe answered as we started to slow down.

"Dad has always been like that."

He continued,

"He got control over the Demon Empire this way."

We came to a complete stop.

Exe stood up and looked at his house.

"Alright, we're here."

I saw the house.

It had one long fence line, and a whole lot of demon rabbits were lying down on the front lawn, the roof, and the patio.

I looked at Aries as he opened the door.

"They really acknowledge you, huh?"

Exe jumped out of the driver's seat.

"I'm their prince now. It comes with the territory."

Aries opened the gate, then ran inside.

Immediately, he began to assert dominance, since he was the only hare.

The rabbits stared at him, then flopped their ears at him.

Aries squeaked instead of speaking this time, as if he were talking to them.

I watched Aries get acknowledged and welcomed into their colony.

Exe walked in while holding Ren, Tenka, and Fubuki.

"Let's go inside already."

He continued,

"I'm hungry."

Aries hopped back toward me and grabbed my hand with his ear.

He pulled me inside while saying his words.

"Hungry… Food… Sleep…"

I followed Aries inside, then closed the door behind me.

The rabbits around Exe's house started to patrol the area.

Five rabbits were stationed on a big fence.

They noticed someone sneaking around the outer perimeter.

"Drago said they would be here," the demon whispered.

He continued speaking quietly.

"I just need to assassinate them, and I'll get paid."

One demon rabbit squeaked out loud.

The soldier looked up at the rabbit.

In a second, the demon was surrounded and ambushed by the others.

"Rabbits?!"

He started being dragged into a park with many trees.

He grabbed the edge of the sidewalk with his hand.

He couldn't scream because a few rabbits covered his mouth with their ears.

Five rabbits bit his fingers, forcing him to let go of the sidewalk.

They dragged him underground.

He started to mumble and scream as a few more rabbits pushed his head down.

Just like that, the demon was buried alive.

I sat on the sofa in the living room while Exe went into the kitchen.

Aries hopped onto the sofa, then lay down.

"Food."

Oh right.

I forgot we hadn't eaten yet.

I stood up and started walking to the kitchen.

"Exe, is there—"

He was already in the middle of cooking a feast.

He stood over the stove while Ren handed him seasoning. He used it, then gave it back.

Fubuki handed him a bowl of clean rice. He poured it into the pot, then put the bowl in the sink.

Tenka placed a few plates on the table while standing on top of it.

Exe tossed the food into the air, then caught it back in the pot.

"It will be done soon."

He continued,

"Go wash up."

I nodded, then turned around and walked back to Aries. I picked him up and carried him upstairs to the second floor.

"I'll be in the shower."

Exe answered from the kitchen,

"Yeah, the soap is in the cabinet."

Exe spoke freely as he added some chopped sausages.

"Tenka. Are we good?"

She plopped herself on his head. Her eyes glowed blue.

"What do you mean?"

Exe scooped some of the food onto a plate.

"Since I signed the contract."

Tenka paused for a moment, then wiggled her ears.

"I always knew you would be the right candidate."

Exe placed the plates of food on the table.

He made rice, beans, and a lot of meat. He also made a big bowl of salad for Aries.

"I was nervous to sign the contract at first."

He continued,

"But now, since my father is back to his young state and Drago is acting like a fool…"

Exe sat down, then lifted his fork.

"I think I can choose this path now."

Exe started to eat as I returned to the kitchen.

Aries hopped past me to get his food.

I put Aries' plate on the floor.

He started to chow down on lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes.

I took a moment from eating and asked Exe,

"How do you think Mom is doing?"

Exe took a sip of his water, then said,

"I don't know."

He continued,

"But I don't want to think of the worst-case scenario."

I continued eating my meal.

Throughout the night, in another castle, Drago sat in his study, staring out the window.

"The first battle is going to start soon."

He turned around, facing his desk.

"Prepare the carriages for tomorrow."

His two soldiers left the study.

Then Drago continued while staring at Derrek.

"Make sure we make it out of here alive."

A pause.

"Derrek."

Derrek had a mean look on his face, as if he had just failed his mission.