#Kaine is ???? remarkably mild-mannered here???

[scarletspider2the2ndpower]

Chasm: Curse of Kaine (Vol. 1/2024), #1.

Writer: Steve Foxe; Penciler and Inker: Andrea Broccardo; Colorist: Brian Reber; Letterer: Joe Caramagna

[home-of-the-ascended]

Returning

The sky was dyed in a beautiful hue of reddish pink once they decided it was best to move. Life was...good, the past few days. No problems ever arose save for the occasional nightmare that tormented Jenos in the dead of night. They didn’t run into anymore demonspawn, and none seemed to be nearby. The city was just as barren as a desert: lifeless. When Zhin was having difficulties finding enough food to sustain them both, he decided it was best to look for a new place to hunker down.

That’s when he remembered an old friend of his. They had to leave fairly early in the morning to get there in a timely manner, much to Jenos’s disdain. The demon had no intentions of waking up early, having grown used to the feeling of passing out until he naturally awoke the next day. Still, Zhin had managed to coax him into an agreement; he would be carried if he didn’t feel like walking the whole time. Jenos, in the end, walked alongside the slayer.

By noon, the duo could see their final destination in the distance. It was a large building, regal in appearance. If Jenos didn’t know any better, he’d say there was a large stone wall surrounding the property. The white haired male nodded in response, as if anticipating the other’s pondering. They continued onward after admiring the scenery for a while longer, making short stops to hunt down something to eat or to take a quick break and get off their feet. By the time they reached the wall themselves, the sun was beginning to set.

Travelling down a stone path, the two reached a large door with a large emblem carved into the wood. It appeared to be a phoenix. The wall towarded over them, casting a hefty shadow over them. The former demon stared up in awe while the demon slayer approached the door. He reached up and grabbed hold of one of the knockers, then slammed it down against the wood four times. He stopped, stepped back until he was beside Jenos, and waited patiently. Blue eyes observed him skeptically, how could anyone have heard that? Someone would literally have to be outside with them.

The blond ate his word as the doors slowly creaked open. A heavily armored figure was seen on the other side, pushing both doors open with ease. Their helmet casted a thick shadow over their face, completely hiding their facial features except for the eyes, which were beady and nearly white in color. It was still for a minute or two as the stranger stared them down. Zhin grabbed a hold of Jenos’s arm and held onto him, a silent reminder to stay calm. As much as a refresher Jenos was, he was hard to manage when stressed. The silence lingured on while both parties stood their ground, neither backing down. After some time, the metal clacked as the figure loosened up. They approached Zhin with a welcoming chuckle.

“Well well! Long time, no see Master Zhin! I can still call you that, correct? It’s been decades since your last visit.”

Zhin smiled. The man was quick to eye Jenos, the warmth in his voice not showing in his eyes as he did so. The blond shirked away, pressing up against the white haired man’s arm. Zhin cleared his throat, catching both of their attention.

“Jenos, you don’t need to worry about him. This is Khan, he’s the Primus of House Aico, although he’s more like butler than an army leader.” He heard Khan scoff at the remark, “Khan, this is Jenos. He’s a...” They met gazes for a brief second, “He’s a survivor of the slaughter I found on my travels. He’s with me.” Khan backed off, if only to think it over. Zhin rubbed the former demon’s forearm with his thumb, hoping to keep him relaxed. The man before them smiled, or so they assumed with their limited few of his face. He turned to head back towards the doors and walked ahead, stopping to face the duo when neither followed him.

“Well? No need to waste time standing there in the open. Come in, come in! I will alert milady of your presense as you two get comfortable. And I will see to it that your companion gets some proper clothing, those rags wouldn’t even pass for commoners’ cloth.”

As Zhin hid a grin behind his free hand, and Jenos hid his face behind his hands to cover his humiliation, the two walked into the courtyard together. Once they walked in far enough, the doors automatically began to shut behind them, closing completely with a hallow kerchunk. Zhin, having grown up coming to this place every so often in his youth, was familiar with the place. However, for Jenos, it was like walking into a santuary for harmony.

It was beautifully decorated with colorful flora, lively small woodland animals and song birds that sang in harmonious chords; unlike the barren surroundings beyond the walls. A small pond with a few lilypads was protected by the branches of a Southern Oak, despite the occasional moss piles that fall from those branches. Another section had a walk way that led to what he could assume was a bon fire pit. There were 3 handcrafted stone benches sitting in a neat fashion around a scorched dip in the ground, presumably where the firewood goes. A canopy roofing rested neatly overhead to block out any rain should the weather turn bad. All in all, everything was gorgeous.

“Jenos, Jenos hey, focus. You can space out once we get settled in, alright?”

Zhin’s voice pierced him like a dagger, frightening him. Jenos recooperated from the scare shortly before meeting the other’s gaze. He sounded concerned as his protectiveness was easy to see. It made the blond uneasy.

“Shouldn’t you feel at home here? It sounds like you’ve spent a good amount of time here for Kaine, or what’s his name to recognize you decades later.”

“That isn’t, gah, just listen. I may be safe here, I may be comfortable, but I am more concerned about you. If you get even the slightest feeling of dread, we will pack up what we can and go. You come first before them. There’s a reason I didn’t come here after the stunt you pulled all those years ago. Do you understand?”

Jenos swallowed, his uneasiness making him slightly nauseous. The former demon begrudgingly agreed to Zhin’s demands, despite the lack of why. He figured it’d have something to do with whoever Khan refered to as “milady.” Seeing the mortal’s body untense, the blond figured he was probably under a lot of pressure himself. The duo kept to themselves until Khan returned, cheerily they noted. The man was no longer in his hulking body armor, but wore a slimmed down version of said armor. Only the helmet remained.

“Alright Master Zhin, and guest, follow me. Milady will be with you both shortly, she had just finished washing up when you arrived. Please stay in the main lobby until her arrival, I wish not to hunt you down around the manor should you get lost. Zhin, I expect you still remember the layout? If not, you may tag along with your guest for a refresher.”

“Thank you, Khan, I appriciate this.”

“Y-Yes, thank you. You may call me Jenos, there’s no need for formalities, honest.”

Khan said nothing before facing the blond, his eyes still lacking the heartwarming tone he used when addressing Zhin. The former demon shuddered underneath the icy stare. “Are you of royalty?”

“Wh...what?”

“Are you the son of a lord? Or perhaps a lord yourself? Do you have any noble lineage in your blood?”

“Not that I know of, no–“

The demon slayer wedged himself in between Jenos and Khan, his hand and arm outstretched defensively over the other’s chest. He stared up at the Primus defiantly, warding him to back down. Khan clicked his tongue as he leaned away, stepping back to give them additional space. He watched with mild disgust as Zhin checked on Jenos and made sure he was fine; the blond was simply a commoner, unworthy of even stepping foot within the walls of House Aico. Yet the man he nurtured and trained was practically treating this lowly dirt peasant like a king. It was insulting to him and the family name he served.

Nevertheless, he wished not to get on Zhin’s bad side. He abided to the other’s request, for the time being. Clearing his throat and filing their little argument away for later, Khan led the duo into the manor. The lobby alone was massive, with a large stairwell the split into 2 seperate wings of the house and a giant family portrait hanging just above the crossroad. The flooring was of pristine marble that shimmered and reflected even the briefest of light that shone onto it, and on top of that, a ruby-colored carpet acted as a pathway from the enterence to the staircase and beyond. The walls were a light shade of pink and very easy on the eyes, especially during the early morning hours. A beautiful chandelier hung overhead, lit with magic flames that refused to go out. There were a multitude of doors and hallways as well, each leading to a seperate part of the building.

It was a tad overwhelming for them both, with Zhin getting over the sheer size at a faster rate than his demonic partner. Once he got used to how spoiled he really was back then, the demon slayer checked to make sure Jenos was still with him. Seeing the once powerful entity reduced to a dazed mock mortal was somewhat amusing. Sticking close to his side, in case the other toppled over for any reason, Zhin redirected his attention to the hulking figure.

“I forgot how huge this place was.”

“When one doesn’t return to a place after so many years, it becomes possible to forget even the most grandest of sights, Master Zhin.”

Zhin huffs his nose, his eyes wandering around the open area. There were plenty of things to see, some vases resting on pedestals, neat indoor trees and flowers to add some color and variety; pointless rich things to show off to your not-so-rich guests. There were plenty of portraits and paintings on the walls, but many of them didn’t really catch his eye. It was quite underwhelming once he got used to everything.

“Even after all these years, I still remember how bland the decorations are. Nothing’s changed, not even the flowers in those flower pot beside the stairs-”

“If my favorite shops weren’t so rudely destroyed by those damned creatures, maybe I would have changed things around.”

Zhin sighed as he was interrupted by a female’s voice. He stared begrudgingly at the new figure coming down the stairs, her hair still damp from her bathing earlier. Her attire was rather revealing, just barely covering her chest as her left leg was revealed to the open world. Platinum blonde hair pooled down her back as a circlet wrapped around her forehead. She gave off a sense of pride that could sway anyone into joining her side, no matter the reason. The female finished her trek down the stairs and was quick to stride across the carpet path laid out below them, stopping just an arms’ length away from the duo.

She said nothing at first, her gaze invasive and determined. Zhin remained calm and collected whereas Jenos felt he shrank in size. Khan stood off to the side, his arms crossed. It was quite. Suddenly, a fist found itself flying into Zhin’s face, eliciting a surprised cry from him as Jenos acted quickly to catch him before he fell over. Her calm demeanor crumbled as tears filled her eyes as she stared at the white haired male.

“Why haven’t you visited, Zhin!? It’s been decades! I was so worried about you, goddamnit! When I heard what happened to you, I-I thought you died too! Why didn’t you say anything!? Even a damn letter would have been enough! I thought you cared about me!”

Zhin sucked in a breath as the woman ranted between wails, having begun pacing before him and throwing her hands up and about as she rambled on and on about his neglectful behavior. He gave Jenos a small grin to show this was normal, which only caused the former demon to worry more. With a cold palm placed against a newly formed bruise on his cheek, Zhin called out to the platinum blonde before she could continue with her scene.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking right when I left home. Heading to you to say I was leaving wasn’t exactly the first thing that came to mind when you discover your family had been killed in a fire caused by demonspawn. But I’m here now, that’s all that matters. It may have taken years, but I’m back as promised.”

“Lady Lian was very concerned for your wellbeing, Master Zhin. She had sent out scouts to try and learn of your whereabouts, contacted other royals to see if they’ve housed you, or searched nearby ruins in case you were around in the area. The least you could have done is informed your fiancée that you were alive and well.”

Zhin choked, supposedly on his own spit. Staring at the Scion, he was reminded of the wedding plan and arrangements made. They were to be wedded the week after the demons had attacked his home town. The demon slayer slowly brought a hand up to his forehead before sliding his palm down over his face. He had forgotten all about it when he started his journey to get revenge on Soul Eater. Zhin recovered from the shock in a timely manner, coming back just in time to hear Lian speak again, “And who is this? I don’t recall ever allowing lowlifes into the palace. Khan, please take out the filth before he dirties the lobby. Zhin and I have a lot of missing time to make up for.”

Jenos instinctively growled as Khan approached, his hands darting to cling onto Zhin’s clothing. The former demon was getting irritated; his hands were rapidly heating up. Just as Khan reached out to grab the blond, Zhin wedged himself between them once more. A quick glance behind him and he could see the fear-turned-anger brimming within blueish-orange eyes. Jenos’s true colored were beginning to show from the stress. Looking back at Lian, the man scowled at her.

“Excuse me, but this filth just so happens to be my guest. He’s a friend, and has a name. If you are eager to kick Jenos out, then do not expect me to stick around. He will die out there without my protection. Either show him some common decency, or we can leave.”

“But-But Zhin, I-“

“I will not hear your excuses. You have turned your nose up to so many people in need, I will not allow you to do so anymore. He stays, or we both leave.”

Zhin argued heatedly. Lian was always like this, even when they were kids. She would snuff her nose at the commonfolk simply because they weren’t “worth her time.” She was rude to them and often called them worthless. Her favorite term was lowlife, she used it more often than any other. Zhin wouldn’t say anything about it back then, thinking she’d learn to treat people of the lower classes better as she got older; he had only gotten his hopes up. She was even worse than before.

After contemplating for a noteable amount of time, the Scion eventually gave in with a lengthy sigh. She sank slightly as her knees bent and shoulders sank in defeat. Lian wasn’t going to argue with a long time friend she hasn’t seen in ages.

“Alright, fine. You win. Khan, ease off. God, you’re making me feel like the bad guy here. Jenos, was it? I’ll see it fit that one of the maids gets you some actual clothing. Those rags deserve to burn for having even been woven together.” She turned her sight onto Zhin, mild annoyance apparent in her body language, “I expect you will be sharing a bed with me? It has been some time since we were last together, surely you’ve been deprived yourself. I’ll see to it that Jenos gets a room that is suitable to her–“

“His. Jenos is a man.”

“...needs. Dinner is being prepared as we speak, so please wash up before then. You two reek. Anything you wish to add before Khan gives the tour?”

“Yes, I will be sharing a room with Jenos.”

Lian’s expression darkened. “Why is that? He’s perfectly capable of staying in his own room.”

“I only wish to make sure he is comfortable here for his first few days. When he is, then I will consider sharing your bed.”

The platinum blonde groaned, but complied with the demand. She muttered a few choice words under her breath before dismissing herself, heading outside to blow off some steam. The door slammed roughly behind her, causing them both to flinch. Seconds passed before Khan cleared his throat, the tension having gotten to them all. He spoke softly and gently this time, explaining to Jenos that he could speak up whenever he had a question. It was different than the usual tone of voice the former demon was used to, but it made him feel more at ease. More welcome within the home. Zhin was also by his side the whole time too, which was encouraging.

The tour was a simple one, to say the least. Khan showed the duo around, refreshing Zhin’s memory as he went over various things to Jenos. They passed through many hallways and peaked inside many doors, most of which were either storage, training, or guest rooms. With the demon slayer tagging along, the Primus was forced to be kind to the young man. Something about the blond was off putting and malevolent. Sinister. He couldn’t put his finger on it, however. Khan simply continued as this unknown issue buzzed around his head liek a fly.

The grand tour ended at the guest rooms they’ve pasted earlier. Jenos was given the option to pick his room for the duration of his stay, which was a fairly quick decision. The room he chose was one of the larger guest rooms with a king sized bed, extra blankets and pillows, a moderately sized drawer and was close to the nearest wash room. Zhin and Khan spoke out in the hallway for a short period as Jenos threw himself onto the bed, sinking onto the bedding as the velvety material cradled his body. The door opened after the discussions were done as Zhin walked in with a set of fine clothes. He shut the door behind him and soon joined Jenos on the bed, placing the clothes on top of the dressing drawer. The demon slayer pulled the blond close and curled around him, effectively spooning the smaller man.

“I talked Khan into giving you a few of his outgrown outfits, so you’ll have more clothes to wear.”

“Is that so?”

“Mm. Are you comfortable here?”

Jenos hummed in thought, submitting to the warmth surrounding him. “I’ll get used to it.”

Zhin sighed. “You know what they are, huh.”

“Demon slayers, such as yourself.”

“...”

“I’ll be fine, I trust you. If I feel threatened, I can defend myself.”

“Good to know.”

The two fell silent, finding comfort in one another. These next few days were going to be tough, for both of them. Lian and Khan weren’t fond of Jenos, Zhin had to keep his eyes peeled for any strange behavior; the had to look out for each other. They only had each other to completely trust. The possibility of something going wrong was high, but they knew that the moment they stepped foot inside. Everything would be fine, though.

It just had to be.