**** Warning: Slight mature content****
In many holy scriptures of the world, blood has a unique symbol between the relationships of the divine and mortal. It means life, and such a divine-mortal relationship has become the inspiration behind the blood oath.
It is an oath placed around one's heart, a deathly reminder of loyalty.
If someone who swears loyalty betrays their oath, their heart will turn to ashes. So, this oath is not widespread due to the awareness of one's faulty nature.
As time has passed, the oath has spread to the demon continent. One would think that the demons created the blood oath, but the churches are responsible. After all, everyone needs someone to trust, and the blood oath takes away the doubt.
The raven demon stands from his seat to get ready for this complicated spell, using his heart in exchange for wealth.
He stops once he sees Kyrie taking out something rolled inside his jacket.
At first, he thinks that Kyrie has taken out a stack of paper, but he is wrong. It is a single piece of scroll paper with multiple layers of thin microfibers.
"This is an inscribed version of the blood oath," Kyrie replies to the demon's puzzled face.
The raven demon has been in the informant industry for a long time, but this is the first time he sees the blood oath spell inscribed into runes. After all, the blood oath is a layered spell that only a handful of people can enchant.
'How come I have never seen this noble demon before?' The raven demon ponders.
After all, if there is such talent in the noble ranks, the news gets out in no time. The nobles have always flung the stories of their power for others to fear.
Kyrie lifts his gaze to the raven demon with a scar, "What is your name?"
The raven quickly answers, "Trigon, noble one."
Kyrie places his hand over the scrolled piece of paper, and as soon as he injects his mana, the rolled-up paper flattens out on the surface without a single wrinkle.
Then, layer by layer, numerous rune characters start to incinerate underneath Kyrie's hand. The snow-white textured rune turns dark as it gets in contact with the flames underneath Kyrie's hand.
Once the last layer is reached, the runes appear like they have been written in the darkest ink.
"Call those who are entering the tomb. They also need to be part of the blood oath."
Trigon lifts his eyebrows, "You can do a blood oath with multiple people?"
Kyrie is too lazy to respond, so he only waves his hand at the demon to get those people. When Trigon has left, Kyrie lets out his tired breath.
He reaches his dimension pouch and takes out two mana stones.
"Are you alright?" Ian asks while looking at Kyrie's paleness.
A silence stays between them for a few seconds as Kyrie carefully observes Ian. They have been so busy that they haven't spent enough time listening to each other's stories.
Kyrie smiles and whispers, "Then give me your energy."
A question mark raises on top of Ian's head, "H-how do I give you?"
Kyrie slides his cold hands into Ian's jacket and down to his back.
Ian slightly presses his brows together while his eyes shake, "... I should not have asked."
Kyrie chuckles darkly while lifting Ian's shirt from his back, invading into Ian's territory.
"Too bad you are stuck with me!"
Ian runs his thumb on Kyrie's cheek, "Don't say that…."
Kyrie's eyelashes twitch with surprise. He is only joking, but Ian has taken his joke seriously.
"There is no one else I want to be with."
Kyrie slowly breaks into a smile. A slight comfort spreads in his heart.
Kyrie seals their lips together. He hasn't been aware of how heavy his heart has become lately. Yet, when his yearning meets with Ian's lips, the rest of the world ceases to be difficult.
Everything can turn to sweetness as long as he is where he belongs.
They heave as they leave each other's lips, but Ian is still left with discontent. His body is flaring like his heart has gotten dipped into a melted pot of sugar.
He lifts Kyrie on the table and kisses the man until he is gasping for air. Even then, Ian has no intention to let Kyrie rest. He is left with a sweet addiction, and his desires blunt his guard.
Only when Kyrie squeezes Ian's chest, Ian lets go after tasting blood. His canines graze on Kyrie's bottom lip, making a slow drip of blood flow across his jaw to the tip of his chin.
Kyrie looks at Ian's exposed chest. His arms hung onto Ian's shoulder, and the shirt was lifting as they kissed.
Ian glides his thumb over Kyrie's chin, wiping the blood away. He leans in for another kiss, but Kyrie dodges it and whispers in his ear.
"They are coming back."
Ian's expression turns blank, and his frown deepens. Kyrie looks at Ian's pitiful expression, and when he stands up from the desk, Kyrie brushes against something hard with his thigh.
The doorknob hits the wall as the voices of others get into the room. Kyrie flings the sides of Ian's long jacket together like he is closing curtains to hide his guilt and darkest secrets.
Kyrie's blush lifts from his toes up to the tip of his head while Ian slightly blushes and turns his head to hide his expression.
[What should we do? What Should We Do?? WHAT SHOULD WE DO?!?!!?!?]
He would never guess that Ian would have such a strong reaction from just kissing.
[Is it because we haven't done it for so long?]
Kyrie almost slaps across his own face so that he can stop thinking about Ian's deep gaze while they are in bed.
He shouldn't wake up his little brother, or else he will experience a high-level disaster!
[…. The national anthem? The national anthem! But which one? Ah! It's not the time, Kyrie! You having multiple citizenships has nothing to do with this! Think of one…. Fast! What were the lyrics again?]
Trigon enters with four other raven demons but stops after seeing the messy room. The chairs and tables have been moved out of the place. Teacups are tilted, and the spilled tea is dripping off an edge of the table.
Kyrie and Ian's expressions look dark, and Kyrie's lip is bleeding. Looking at how Kyrie is holding onto Ian's jacket while Ian is steaming off killing intent, Trigon swallows hard.
'Don't tell me…." Trigon's heart contracts like he has already taken the blood oath, 'How can I tell them? This feels a bit inappropriate! But I have to say something unless it happens again!'
"Eh…. Noble one…"
Ian's killing intent turns denser, causing the raven demons' legs to soften.
Trigon sheds tears, "Violence is never the answer, noble ones! Please spare my humble property…. I still have to pay it off for one more year. This is my only home…."
[....]
Ian: "....."
The rest of the raven demons, "....."
What a thick face! How can you call yourself a demon? Violence is never the answer? What are you, Trigon? Are you sure you are not some priest in a demon suit?
The other raven demons are close to having jaw replantation surgery.
Money really rules the world.
Kyrie clears his throat, ignoring Trigon's tear dramatically running down his cheek in slow motion.
"Let's get started."
Kyrie uses his hands to fan some wind because his face will melt away from his excessive yang energy.
He looks at Ian's stone expression.
The man needs him to act quickly! The tent is rising higher!
"Let's put the table and the scroll to the center."
Kyrie takes the opportunity that the demons are getting busy to signal Ian to step further back. But he does not know that Ian has walked close to him, so instead, on the palm of his hand, he hits something that feels like the shape of an abnormal-sized mushroom.
Ian lets out a small groan as he breaks into an obscure smile.
Kyrie petrifies after a quick touch.
[Oh Canada…. Our home and native land! True patriot love in all of us command~]
"Noble one!" Trigon calls with his subordinates surrounding the table, "We are all ready!"
"Noble one?"
".... God keep our land glorious and free….." Kyrie chimes.
"Did the spell already start?" Trigon asks as Kyrie walks to them slightly more mechanically than usual.
"No, I was just conditioning myself."
"Conditioning yourself?"
"Yes," Kyrie gives out a blinding smile.
[Or else all the mana will flow downwards…]