The two suns had long since set.
Two moons cast only a faint light over the palace gardens.
The pale glow fell across the weathered stones —
throwing ghostly silhouettes of tangled plants over the winding paths.
G.O.L.D. sentinels stood somewhere in the dark —
barely visible in their black robes, motionless as statues.
A wind carried the rustle of creaking branches across the courtyard —
as if the garden itself were whispering.
A thin mist crept along the ground,
shrouding everything in a hazy blur.
The hum of the sealed rune gates echoed through the air —
a distant, unending drone.
Behind the massive, intricately carvedfountain, the scattered streams of water danced.
They shimmered in the moonlight — breaking into tiny rainbows that left nothing more than a breath of color behind.
In the shallow stream, koi-like creatures drifted by.
Their iridescent fins glided ghostlike through the water.
Shuzo knelt at the edge,
half crouched, half folded in on himself.
"Damn…" he breathed.
The white shirt with its cuffs looked far too clean, far too innocent for the darkness surrounding him.
A strand of his black, braided hair had come loose — hanging across the bridge of his nose.
His breath fogged the cold stone wall of the fountain he was pressed against.
How long is he gonna take?
His toxic green eyes swept the shadows, restless — but nothing stirred.
The guards… remained still.
No sound.
Only the trickle of water.
The whisper of wind.
His fingers brushed against the silver band around his wrist.
It blinked faintly.
A sensory blocker — meant to conceal him.
"I don't know how long this thing's gonna hold…"he muttered under his breath.
His fingers circled nervously around the narrow ring of the band.
"Damn it, Don, hurry up… if they sense my aura again, I'm done for."
He was definitely exaggerating.
He peeked over the edge.
The surface of the water beside him rippled — right where his own reflection stared back.
A pale, boyish image.
Eyes.
Too big. Too alert.
A boy who wasn't allowed to sleep tonight.
"Where is he?" he whispered, barely audible — his voice trembling with nervous energy.
"If they notice— that I'm not in my bed… that it's just the hologram lying there—"
The thought tightened around his throat.
He wanted to look away from the water — but then he flinched, seeing it.
One of the koi in the pond.
It was… different.
Green.
Not just green —
glowing, biozelemtric.
Like a shard of living emerald.
Shuzo instinctively leaned closer.
"Whoa… that one looks awesome…"
His hand hovered cautiously above the water's surface.
Suddenly, his boot slipped on the gravel.
"No! Damn it!"
Pebbles crunched beneath his foot,
his hand slammed against the fountain's edge.
His heart thundered — as if it had felt the impact itself.
His eyes darted around in panic.
Had anyone heard him?
He gasped, pulling himself back against the wall, pressing his spine into the cold stone.
His fingers dug into the gravel while his gaze swept frantically through the drifting mist.
But nothing.
Only the fish, still gliding in their circles.
Strangely calm.
Too calm.
They didn't flee, didn't scatter —
no, they drew closer.
But something was wrong.
The glowing green one was gone.
As if it had neverexisted.
Goosebumps rose across Shuzo's skin.
His breathing turned shallow.
He waited.
Waited far too long.
His thoughts began to spiral.
Maybe Don had changed his mind?
Maybe it had all just been a game?
Maybe he'd never really cared about…
The word "friendship" burned in his head.
A dream
he was never meant to dream.
"Damn…"
He pulled his knees close, pressing his forehead almost against the cold stone.
"What if he's only here because it's his punishment… because he had to be my bodyguard?
What if he never really wanted to…"
He clenched his teeth —
feeling the panic in his chest like a fist crushing everything inside.
A bitter smile twitched across his face.
"Shuzo Vynesalic… the fool who actually thinks someone could ever—"
He stopped.
A voice sliced through the silence.
Rough. Deep. Almost mocking:
"Hey!
What are you doing there?"
Shuzo's heart pounded, ready to burst out of his chest.
The words were close.
Too close.
He froze.
His body refused to move.
He couldn't run,
couldn't speak,
couldn't breathe.
Everything inside him screamed — but no sound left his throat.
"No… please don't…"
The whisper was barely audible, like a plea meant only for himself.
Footsteps drew closer — dull against the gravel, heavy, unstoppable.
His small body seemed even frailer amid the vast garden,
lost between fountain and fog.
He forced himself to answer,
his lips trembling.
"I… I just wanted to look at the fish…"
His shoulders sank,
his gaze fixed on the water — even as he saw the steps in the corner of his eye.
A shadow fell over him.
The voice laughed softly — mocking, without warmth.
"So the demon was right after all."
Shuzo's head jerked up as if struck.
What?
His eyes widened,
his lips parted soundlessly.
"So this is where the little prince is hiding."
The words seeped into his ears like poison.
A demon.
Who? How?
But worse than the fear
was the realization that hit him like a blade.
Don.
Don had betrayed him.
He felt his knees give way, the cold of the stone seeping into his skin.
His fingers clenched around the edge of the fountain…
…but his thoughts were falling apart.
The disappointment cut deeper than any threat,
sharper than any blade.
Why…
why did it hurt so much?
His body suddenly grew heavier,
tears burned in his eyes — but he forced them back.
He wouldn't be weak.
Not now.
Not here.
Not in front of this stranger —
even if he had already lost everything.
Because it felt… exactly like that.
But the trembling gave him away —
the rigid posture,
the tightly pressed lips.
The fish in the water kept shimmering, indifferent —
as if they didn't belong to this world at all.
Only the reflection of a small boy remained,
one who still believed
he could ever trust someone.
Don…
please…
not you…
His lips quivered, and he couldn't hold it back any longer —
a quiet, childlike sniff escaped him.
And yet…
it was him.
He lowered his gaze,
trying to hide his face behind the strands of his hair.
Pathetic.
His shoulders trembled.
"You filthy traitor pig!"
The words burst out of him —
fragile as thin glass,
yet full of rage.
Toxic green eyes shot upward,
locking onto the guardian in the shadows.
Small fingers clenched tight;
his fists lifted, then fell again — hiccuping,
unable to fully hold back the tears.
Stop crying, Shuzo! Stop!
His thoughts pounded against his skull —
forcing himself to appear harder.
Colder.
Unshakable.
Serves you right! You know this!
Dad told you —
demons from the borderlands are lawbreakers,
always looking out for themselves, without honor.
They're unpredictable. Dangerous.
And you?
You're an idiot!
His chest tightened as he swallowed hard, breath hitching.
Only…
Only what?
Go on, little one.
He bit down on his lower lip — feeling the pain almost ground him again.
But when he opened his mouth,
his voice finally broke:
"I thought… he was…"
The words choked off.
A single tear slipped free,
rolling from his cheek, down his chin,
and dropped onto the gravel.
"My friend…"
The last word tore out of him —
hoarse, high-pitched.
Almost a scream.
The guardian stood there in silence.
Then he slowly lowered a hand, placing it heavily on Shuzo's head.
His voice was calm now,
almost… pitying.
"A demon, your friend?
You know what we have to do now, don't you?
Inform Kioto."
He paused briefly, then added:
"It was just his job, kid. Don't hold it against him."
Carefully, he crouched down — and the shadowed lines of his face drew dangerously close.
"That's the way it is."
"I DON'T CARE!"
Shuzo jerked his arm upward, knocking the hand away — the one that felt like a shackle.
His tears ran freely now,
hot against his pale cheeks.
"Enough! Stop it!"
He hissed the words through his teeth — defiant, childish rage
echoing through the garden.
But then — hefroze.
His pupils widened,
blinking in confusion — as if they had just caught a glitch in reality.
He stared at the face of the supposed guard.
It was changing before his eyes.
Asphalt-gray eyes glimmered faintly in the moonlight,
framed by deep shadows
that looked like sleepless rings.
A messy curl fell over the bridge of his nose —
shaped like a question mark.
The man's lips twisted into a shameless grin —
which quickly melted into a childish pout.
Shuzo's brows twitched, bewildered;
his breath caught mid-air.
"No…" he whispered, stunned.
"Cool, huh?"
The voice was rough — now tinged with a strange mix of amusement and lazy confidence.
The guard's body began to shift, to rise —
muscles tightening beneath the fabric,
as if a fallen tree were coming back to life.
Shuzo took a step back,
his heartbeat pounding like drumfire —
until he finally recognized the face.
"D-Don?"
The demon now stood before him,
in his true form.
Huge.
The outlines of his frame stood out sharply beneath the tight, moss-green wool sweater —
one that looked moments away from bursting at the seams.
His chest was broad like a shield,
his face rugged, dusted with coarse stubble.
"Ta-daaa!"
Don's voice boomed as he threw his arms up theatrically.
"Told you, didn't I?
We grow with every meal!"
Shuzo just stared at him, mouth slightly open,
his green eyes wide.
"No… you didn't,"
he whispered — caught somewhere between fear and fascination.
But slowly,
a smile crept onto his face.
Don raised his brows in surprise, mumbling:
"Oh — really not?"
He shrugged.
"Guess you do now."
A chuckle slipped from Shuzo — almost unwillingly —
but he couldn't stop staring at the giant before him.
"Wow…"
It was as if someone had suddenly brought his favorite toy to life — full size.
"Wait— look at this!"
Don struck an exaggerated pose, flexing his biceps.
The muscles rippled beneath his skin like living cords of power,
every movement grotesque and immense.
In a deep, dramatic voice, he declared:
"This is perfection! A sculpture of flesh and blood! I call it… ART!"
The fabric of his pants creaked dangerously — on the verge of exploding.
"Now I can finally beat you up properly in Danora!"
Oh man, Donovan…
"Pff—"
Shuzo snorted out air, mocking, amused.
"Try me!"
He challenged him —
even though his small frame was barely the size of Don's fist.
"Look at me instead! This is divinity in its purest form!"
The demon was now completely absorbed in an imaginary arm-wrestling match with himself.
But the way—
the corners of Shuzo's mouth twitched.
The way his eyes lit up — Don didn't miss it.
The giant was loving it — and oh, how he loved it.
"Huh!"
Shuzo stepped closer, whispering,
"This is incredible…"
The small one lifted his hands carefully,
as if to make sure the colossus was truly real.
"You've gotten so big…"
Donovan grinned and deliberately lowered his arm —
just enough for Shuzo to grab onto his bicep like it was a wall.
"Just from eating?" he asked in disbelief, pulling himself up.
"Just from eating!" Don confirmed with a deep, rough laugh.
Pride flashed in his gray eyes — but beneath it, something softer lingered. Something fragile.
"This is… SO COOL!"
Shuzo jumped down,
hopping like a chick — circling Don as if he were some grand monument.
"I wish I could grow like that too! You're like a giant!
Creepy, but… in a cool way!"
Don tilted his head, chuckling.
"Maybe someday, short stack."
But then, Shuzo stopped.
"Don?"
His green eyes grew serious —
an expression that gave his young face an unexpected weight.
He found the courage.
He really did it…
"You're actually…
my favorite friend."
The word cut deeper than any blade.
Favorite friend?
Donovan's broad grin froze.
For a moment — everything around him went silent.
Favorite friend.
How could the prince of the Vyneran's,
a Wächtervampir,
call him that?
Him.
A demon from the borderlands?
Don stood there, petrified.
Voices burned through his head — memories he'd never wanted to see:
"Once you're full-grown, nobody's gonna want you anyway!"
"We demons are trash, trash, trash!"
"And that flashback right there… gonna cost you extra!"
Don flinched violently.
"What?"
His breath caught.
Sweat broke across his forehead.
Before his mind's eye, a shabby demon appeared.
Gaunt — with a rusted hook for a hand.
The glass eye sat crooked in its socket,
rolling grotesquely as the figure grinned at him.
"But I don't even have any Vynesek coins…" Don gasped, startled.
The demon in his mind laughed — sharp and jagged, the sound like metal grinding.
"Too bad. Not my problem!"
"Ah?!"
Don's eyes flew open, his breath catching — as if something had just struck him.
"Hm?"
Shuzo blinked, puzzled.
His head tilted slightly, confused.
"What's wrong?"
Donovan ran a shaky hand through his hair and laughed.
Loud — far too loud —
before replying with a sweaty grin:
"Nothing… let's just… keep going with the story."
He exhaled — wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Oh man… debts.
Always those damn debts. You don't happen to know if we get paid for this, do you?"
Shuzo just stared at him, speechless.
He opened his mouth to reply — then closed it again.
His whole face turned into one giant question mark.
"Paid?"
Finally, he let out a quiet snort.
Typical Don.
But that familiar, mischievous sparkle had already returned to his green eyes as he pushed on:
"Alright, listen! You're huge now, right?"
He planted his hands on his hips,
his chin jutting forward defiantly.
"If we throw a cloak over you, no one will recognize you!
Then we can just sneak out!"
Don frowned.
"Out? Outside?"
His gray eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Shuzo… that's not a good idea."
"Yes it is!" The prince nodded eagerly.
"With the cloak, everyone will just think you're some kind of traveler or something."
He proudly raised his arm, showing off the bracelet.
"And I'll just hide! No one will notice. I still have the sensory blocker."
"But out there…" Don's voice faltered.
A shadow crept across his face —
his fingers unconsciously tightening around the fabric of his pants.
"It's dangerous out there."
"Exactly!" Shuzo grinned wide.
"That's why it's perfect that you're coming. No one would dare mess with you."
Don looked at him —
that little bundle of defiance and reckless pride.
His heart clenched painfully.
He wanted to say no,
to drag him back into the castle,
to stop him from walking straight into the dark.
But then Shuzo laughed softly — almost mischievously —
pressing a finger to his lips.
"Ssh! — Someone might hear us!"
The curly-haired demon forced a rough grin back onto his face.
"All right… buddy."
They set off.
Fog thickened along the stone paths,
curling like cold fingers around their ankles.
The hum of the rune gates throbbed in the distance — low, foreboding — like a heartbeat growing slower and heavier.
A branch cracked somewhere in the darkness — dull, wet.
Shuzo walked ahead, full of excitement — stepping into what he thought would be an adventure.
Don felt the hair on the back of his neck rise.
He knew they weren't alone.
»Sometimes, friendship means crossing boundaries.
But not the boundary between life and death.«
That night, he found something he'd never believed possible.
A friend.
Maybe even a best one.
And then he did
what any friend would do.
He swallowed.
His throat stayed dry.
In a strained voice, he muttered,
"Hey… Shuzo…?"
"Hm?"
"How much allowance do you actually get?"
"Huh…? Why?"
Don laughed — a rough sound that broke apart in the fog.
"Ah… no reason."
Don. Typical.