See No Evil

As the youth walked along the bridge, their head craned up, eyes on the darkening sky. The sun was setting? Or rising, whatever the case, less sun stretched over the world and their eyes rest, steps taken without much care, quick ones as they attempt to cross miles on a few day travel to Nysea.

But, it seems something else made its way in the opposite direction. Jianyu's head dropped just in time to notice a rather large serpent.

They tense, too large to be normal, too twisted in nature. Jianyu crouched down.

"Why hello there. You're a new face."
(Jianyu Xi)

Wounded.

Albeit, with mostly superficial wounds; something that the demonic regeneration could already take care of. The shards of ice embedded into its skin, the scorches of starlight that seems to permeate its body - yet, despite the evident signs of defeat, it seems.

Content. Satisfied, even.

Where the prowling snake slithers by, the voice calling out causes it to stop in the place; steadily, it turns- a silent hiss produced on basis of habit, and the forked tongue that extends in and out, taking in the scents.

Her.

If the Demons of such stage could genuinely smile, it would do so now- but with the curl around its maw... isn't it doing that right now? Something seems terribly amusing to it about encountering this young woman.

"The piece of a puzzle.."

A meaning only the creature could know. Yet, despite that, the posture seems to straighten- while it's nowhere near as large as some of its kin, when the length of the Serpent is made to stand straight upward, it certainly seems to match human height.

"Why, hello there."

"And you certainly aren't a new face..."

To him, at least.

"Surprised I do not attack you yet?"
(Fidi)

Dainty hands reach out for Fidi as it stands up a bit straight. How large. They've never seen such a snake before. It could easily make attempts to harm them but, even when holding back they bested a morphed, eight foot serpent like demon with relative ease.

"No, I'm not surprised." They shook their head, narrow icy hues upon the serpent. "I've never seen a snake before. Can your venom kill a human?"

Fangs that inject a foul substance. It paralyzed and made eating prey much, much easier. They are no snake nor spider, not even a scorpion but, such creatures do fascinate them.

"Do you have a name?" Digits are eager to slide along smooth, alabaster colored scales, even if ice stuck into it and it seemed to be a bit burnt.
(Jianyu Xi)

Strange one.

To near a Demon like this and not only interact with it in such manner, but also attempt to learn more of what it does- although, the touch upon the alabaster scales only warrant the fine slits of snake-eyes to dilate and then narrow again, pondering of purpose behind such gesture.

"Hssss..."

A silent, contemplating hiss. As for its fangs, the venom it has? It could, most definitely, cause a lot of harm. And kill?

"Non-magi, with ease... but magi tend to be more challenging in dealing with, even if I get to bite them."

Is that crimson hue on its fangs? A keen eye and close inspection could, perhaps, detect the slightest hints of the dried blood. Considering the fact that it bears the marks of battle upon its body, and the leftovers of the crimson remain...

Someone was bit previously.

"Fidi is my name."

"I am surprised you seem so curious... especially after seeing you try and dispatch of an Occultist earlier."

The body of a Serpent coils around a single spot, perhaps to establish better means for it to reside on the same place for extended period of time.

"Do you study me to learn my weaknesses?"

"Are you a madwoman like the one I met, who wishes to experiment on demons? Or is it the endless curiosity of humans that guides you?"

The yellow eyes peer at her, narrow slits staring.
(Fidi)

It hissed lightly, allowing itself to be touched by rather delicate digits. They've never seen one up close or had the luxury to touch it. But, this is no snake by a long shot.

By the look of it, this one is lesser and young. Icy hues peer down at it, spying crimson on exposed fangs. Someone was unfortunate, very. To be bit by such a thing, they likely walk around in a daze, stiff, limp.

"They are, aren't they. And Fidi?" Lips curl gently into a smile. "Well, Fidi, it isn't safe to speak here." They attempt now to lift the snake even though it was likely as long as they are tall.

"Not safe for the either of us." Narrow hues look around before spotting a cave. "That should work."

They don't yet answer any questions.
(Jianyu Xi)

It's almost ironic.

A woman that he views as a piece of a puzzle, being a puzzle herself. The Serpent has been learning to abandon any fear or anxiety when it comes to fighting- and even in its exhausted state, it was more than ready for Jianyu to attack him. In return, he would defend himself.

But that just hasn't happened.
Or at least, not yet...

"Yes. Very challenging."

But what follows is the attempt of a young woman to lift it. At first, the entirety of body of the Serpent tenses up visibly, but soon relaxes after seeing the only intend she had is to carry it.

"..?"

"Sure. Why not..."

And instead, it lightly coils around her upper frame. It saves the Serpent a trouble to have to slither on their own, and it doesn't seem like they mind the lift.

But when they arrive elsewhere, to the brilliance of an underground lake, of the darkness that permeatesthrough caves..

The snake-eyes stare at her. Waiting, contemplating.

Curious of what she had to say.
(Fidi)

How compliant. The snake didn't resist being carried by a rather strange Shengese individual. They don't attack, there's no hostility. It's merely carried, and soon coiling around their torso, deeper into this cave.

Patches of grass lined trailed into a dark area with a tiny lake.

Jianyu eased down, placing Fidi onto the grass before sitting themself. Hands placed behind them and they leaned back, quiet relaxed despite sitting beside a Helspawn.

"Mister Occultist? It was because Avlainn wanted to fight him so, I went to support him. I'm trying out thinking of him as 'family'." It had nothing to do with the man's rather adept occultism. "But, weaknesses?" Jianyu shook their head. "Experiments and that of the like? No. I'm not curious in that sense."

"I like spiders and snakes. Like Xelaria." The youth then fell to theirback, eyes up to the cave's ceiling. "My name is Jianyu Xi."
(Jianyu Xi)

Even if it wanted to resist...

Did it have much of a choice? The injuries upon its body certainly do not bode well to contending against magi of any kind, especially seeing that it hasn't grow to the next stages- to the stages that could make the Demon a formidable, fearsome beast. Besides..

It doesn't hurt to take a break.

When the Serpent is eased down, he coils around a single spot in a ring-like manner, the tip of a tail extending upward to support his chin, much like one would use their hand to support it.

"Family..."

"Strange concept. To discard many people around you as someone insignificant, but to bear a special place for those you care about. I believe I've even experienced such feeling once, strangely enough."

"When one of my kin, another serpent, has fallen at hands of particular magi."

Can Demons even feel affection, or such bonds, or ties of any sort? A debatable subject, because even their own perceptions, while similar, could still be different. At the end of a day, as much as they have grown to be creatures of their own design...

They were still created by the First Supreme Witch, back in the bygone eras.

"Jianyu..."

"It does not sound Essharan." A brief remark on her origins. "What is it that draws you to snakes and spiders..?"
(Fidi)

The Serpent didn't flee or attack. Those injuries likely prevent it from doing so. At any moment could it be struck down by the rather strange youth but it never occurs. As it coils and rests, they lie on their back.

"Everyone is insignificant save for one or two people. Only stupid people care about everyone. Like Knights and those who wish to be hero."

A light hum left their lips. "Demons care? That's something new. And for one of your kin, too? I'd imagine you all would go for one another's throats at times but, with so many being doing so already..."

"I'd guess that would be saved for when you're much bigger and stronger."

Strength is strength and the weak fall. Demons went for all creatures, their kin included. Helish nightmare spawns with no sympathy.

"It isn't. My father and mother came from Sheng. I can read, write, and speak quite a bit of it. We spoke ittogether before he left me." Digits slide along the blades of grass.

"I like to learn about poisons. Often did I eat mushrooms that could be poisonous to see how it effects me so I could alter my own magic. Ingestion and touch... But injection is what spiders and snakes do." Narrow hues close.

"I'm like a spider or snake myself."
(Jianyu Xi)

Everyone is insignificant.

These words were almost... amusing to the Demon. Not because there's something particularly funny about the words themselves, but it's the source that says them.

"You sound like a demon saying that. Had I not known any better, I would assume you to be one."

Humanity and Demonkind are vastly different- yet, they share similarities all the same. Was it considered to be care, the very feeling that Fidi experienced when he saw one of his kin fall?

"Do they?"

"I felt anger when I saw my kin fall. I felt the urge to lash out at the magi that has done it - not out of hunger, or to feast, but because I wanted to hurt them for doing that."

"Then, I carried away the fallen Serpent. Took him to someone who could have him treated."

"Is that care?"

This could be twisted in many ways. The Demonkind only taking one of their own back in such manner, simply because of the fact that they have so many enemies - and the less kin they have, the more people they'd have to oppose alone.

But despite saying such things, Fidi claims none of such facts. While he listens in to the tale of her own, there seems to be an interest taken in the poisons that she speaks of.

"Just like a snake or spider yourself.."

"An interesting selection. Why exactly that?"
(Fidi)

It's not the first time someone made a comparison with them and a demon. There are differences, but if humanity lost restraint then they're no better than demons.

Jianyu lacked restraint in most cases.

"It sounds like care. To carry away someone wounded when you could have very well been on your way. Is it because they're also a Serpent? Similarities can pull those who share them together."

Tied together with likeness made it easier to see oneself in another.

"Or, maybe somewhere you thought that the action could be used to your advantage later. Help them, they help you. We're all creatures of gain, humans and demons. If you aren't the one with an advantage then you're losing."

"Numbers dwindle and you make yourself the target when you have no strong allies in your corner because you didn't have their back. The world hates you."

Jianyu turned to their side, narrow hues opening to look at the coiled snake.

"Nobody really likes them and they're poisonous. Yet, despite that, a lot of people have some sort of fascination for them. I've always felt drawn to them, too."

"A substance that can make a body go through Hel when they get too close. Touch a snake and face the consequences."
(Jianyu Xi)

It sounded like care.

This caused the Demon to contemplate on what it actually cares for, and whether it was for advantage or any personal gain. Most of its mind was divided on that matter - and while some of the reasons could be selfish, the others could be classified as selfless.

"Hsss..." A quiet hiss in contemplation, much like a 'hmmm' of an ordinary person.

"Difficult to decide."

"I do not wish to be left all alone against the entirety of the world. Ever since I awakened to the world, and was even much smaller than I am now, powerful magi already tried to exterminate me. Only by luck I escaped."

"I did not wish for him to die, because I enjoy his presence - but I also do not want to be left all alone."

Isn't friendship all about enjoying someone's presence, and simply liking to be with someone? The young Demon had no answers for that. It is here,in the dark of caverns, the Serpent learns what those terms are.

And what it is that he experienced back then.

But in the end, it is a creature born of humanity's nightmares. It feasts, it has a different mindset than humans do.. and while similarities exist, in the end, they're different species.

"It is expected my presence would not be enjoyed. Or that of a spider."

"Much like I do not enjoy presence of most humans. A lot of them are repugnant, obnoxious.." There seems to be parts of cold anger still hidden within- one that does not manifest as boiling rage, but instead, deep-seated dislike for somebody.

"Like that child who challenged me first - and then brought her father to injure me and my kin, because she failed to beat me."

"Or that drakanite, Thryne, who boasts about defeating our lesser kin... yet, runs away against anybody powerful." Examples are made, but surely, if the Serpent listed them all, they wouldn't have enough time.

"Disgusting creatures. Cowardly, conniving, deceptive apes..."

Whether it speaks about humanity as a whole, or those specific individuals.. that's another tale.
(Fidi)

"I can imagine what it feels like. That ostracizing feeling. But, you come from the first witch, nightmares given form, hate given form. Beings of destruction and rot. It's a given why people would want to kill you but they do so in..."

"Mmhh," They hum. "Like a hivemind. They see a demon and wish to kill it immediately when they fail to realize." The youth sat up, ivory locks a bit messy and with few blades of grass stuck in it.

"The potential."

Jianyu turned, legs crossing and dainty hands resting on their lap. How similar they feel to this serpent. Enjoying the presence of another yet lacking that understanding of connection. His is by nature, theirs a taught mindset that's grown difficult to shake.

"I don't like people." It's a share sentiment and further elaborated on by Fidi. A child challenged the him then brought her father. They're reminded of Tonak's advice.

Kofe and his children? They weren't above even that, were they? Beaten that she ran for her father. "Untrustworthy and cowards. In the face of something that's a threat they run or gather droves to bring it down."

Their hand left their lap, reaching out for the coiled Serpent once more. This time, digits met the top of its head and slid down.

"Will you allow yourself to grow with me, Fidi? Place even a drop of trust in me?" There's reason to and not to. A human he knew nothing of but also a human who didn't attack him.
(Jianyu Xi)

Nightmares given form.

It only caused the Serpent to cackle- the brooding laughter that seems to be so ever gentle and silent, almost as if he's heard an excellent jets. How amusing..

"People need fantasy.."

Of nightmares roaming around Esshar, of beings born of rot and destruction spawned here to haunt them. The Serpent was a contemplating one, often questioning not only the existence of humanity, but his own.

"Humans need fantasy.."
"To be humans."

"They learn to believe the little lies.."
"So they can believe the big ones.."

The slits remain staring up ahead. The thoughtful gaze contemplates all that it has experienced so far- all the pain, all the abuse and harassment that it already had gotten through.

"Take the universe."

"And grind it down into finest powder, and seep it through the finest filter. Then, show me one molecule of justice, one molecule of mercy, one molecule of purpose.."

"Yet, they act as if there's some divine order. Some rightness in the universe, by which it may be judged..."

Pitiful. The humanity, down to their core, is chaos and change. It is funny each time that he hears about it.. that they cannot see how much they distance themselves from the beasts - yet they remain all the same.

"Humans need fantasy, they need to believe such lies.."
"How else can they be?"

"They are their own greatest nightmare. They create their own monsters they intend to fight - and after aeons of history.."

"They never learned that."

Is it to say that Demons are perfect? Of course not. Their purpose is here to be the very nightmare of humanity - so they claim. Their agenda is to pursue something of their own. And yet...

Fidi questions that. All too often.

Whatseems to catch his attention, however, is the offer that she makes. The slits of the Serpent turn towards her, pondering.

"Are you not afraid of what I will become one day?"

"Of the strength I will eventually attain?"
(Fidi)

People need fantasy? That's a first they've heard something like that. But, was it wrong? Big and small with them written as the big to defeat the small. Without their fantasies of playing hero then what are they?

Sad creatures is what, void of purpose or guidance. Pitiful things that claim and boast so much yet lack it. Mercy, purpose, justice. Where is it? Who has it because humanity is fickle.

"Your kind stem from human nightmares, yes? From the worst of them, manifesting what they claim to be the worst of magic. They fight amongst each other constantly and behave, quite frankly, worst than I've seen any demon."

"Hypocrisy. It's almost vile."

"You were there then. When a man of faith wished to chop of another's tongue. Then threaten a boy younger than me to chop off his hands for daring to draw his blade-"

"When he played a partin his father's death." Their head cants. "Or men who threaten the tongues of children. Men who lie to children. Men who kill their allies and men who cannot remove themself from the past. Men with a modicum of power but they behave worst than whining babies."

"Humanity is flawed in every regard."

Jianyu drew a deep breath.

"I'm excited for the heights you'll reach. Will you be perfect? What does it mean to be a perfect demon? A powerful, feared demon? I don't fear your kind like others do."
(Jianyu Xi)

Was it ever a surprise? With how lost humanity is whenever they pull upon the countless strings, each to a different direction, each vying for a change that could, perhaps, break the spell of the fantasy that they remain locked in. Even now, it is a manifestation of something terrible to them..

And Demons? They often serve as a nightmarish aspect of that fantasy.

"We were born of nightmares."

"We were made out of it. In this dark, we contemplate... we think, we make our decisions after our experiences - some cruel, some not so much. Some intending to destroy in their path, and some like me."

"But demonkind was born in darkness."
"Humanity chooses to walk into it."

All that Fidi faults humanity for is willingly choosing this path. The Demonkind isn't perfect.. and the Serpent knows that much as well- all too many times it confronted some of the other kin on his own, going as far as fighting them over certain disagreements. Yet, despite such similarities, there are differences.

"I witnessed it all. The display you speak of."

"The man of faith speaking, doing such things... the angry crowds, the hopeless peacemakers, and the boiling rage that could explode any moment."

There's a quiet, brooding laughter. It was all too fun to witness.

"All because of anxieties and fears they hold.."

"Here I thought that humanity is meant to master their fears. Or perhaps, they're yet to do that.." A contemplating gaze shifts elsewhere.

"Had there been divine order.. had they wanted humanity to never confront its fears.."

"Then us, demons, would never be here. If gods wanted to spare humanity from punishment, then we would never be created."

An interesting thought. If angels, if gods, if all of them were all so powerful, and if demonkind hold nopurpose - how could they even exist?

Perhaps, Demonkind is here to teach humanity a lesson.
One that extends to a lifetime.

"I dream of the days when I will break this shell."

"But if that is what you wish, to grow alongside with me? Then very well, Jianyu."

"I will accept that."
(Fidi)

How strange.

They spoke to the King, of Angels with blackened wings. This came up, too. The line between humanity and demonkind was a thin one. Humans have a choice and when choosing not to control their urges, not to face their fears, to reject morality then they're like demons.

Treading a dark path was oft by choice- Or forced upon another. Humans have no excuse. Darkness is wanted and sought by them, accepted opposed to reject when it is the means of a demon's very existence.

"It's ironic. I was nearly horrified to see it. The man claims Stellus, the head of his Church. It may as well be a cult with what he does. Driven more by emotion than a kid is."

"Everyone is a powder keg ready to explode. No master but a novice when it comes to those things. Word your sentences a certain way and they're ready to maim you. Threaten them and they'll attempt your life."

"There is no control or mastery. It's merely a part of the fantasy..."

Weak things trying to play hero only to be guided by a shoddy moral compass or none at all. Demons only make it ever clear of the true nature of humanity. "I'm sure the Gods don't care. Or the Angels or the Stars."

He accepts growing with them.

"But, He cares. They'll soon see what He has to offer, will they not?" They're vague, purposefully, and make no effort to further elaborate. "This has been a pleasant talk, Fidi. Your wounds do seem bothersome."

Jianyu turned towards their bag and retrieved a small, unlabeled container. They untwisted the top and stuck two digits in, scooping up an unscented cream. Easing closer to the coiled snake, they reached out and began to smear it along smooth scales.
(Jianyu Xi)

Kings, leaders, Angels, Gods and Stars.

Do any of them truly care beyond what they're destined to care for? Do any of them look out for what surrounds them, other than their direct purpose? Perhaps, there's such a being out there- perhaps, there is someone who could prove themselves to be that way.

But Fidi doesn't know any.

"The world seems to be often... asinine."

"It is why there's no point to carry through it with fear in your heart. After all, everybody dies eventually - but not everybody truly lives."

"And it is fear that cows these mongrel pups to commit such atrocities. It is their anxieties that drive them to do something so utterly despicable.."

".. that not even demons would look at them."

A statement full of irony, spoken at his own expense; it is carried with an odd curl around the maw, one that resembles a smile. If he hadtruly defined features, it would be easy to tell just how much he smiles right now.

"We'll see how this goes."

The Serpent had many other plans as well, after all. However, seeing that Jianyu chooses to smear the lax essence across its body, there seems to be a quiet hiss- one filled with promise of respite, perhaps. Only then does he remark, with a more serene tone.

"It has been pleasant."

"And thank you."
(Fidi)