Ch4 - Pets & Prizes

Everyone keeps different trophies. Some keep people as trophies.

Purpura quietly moved along a stone corridor.

It was quiet, almost eerily so.

He came to stairs leading down, and followed them into darkness.

As he reached the bottom, there was torch light illuminating the hall.

Purpura paused, looking about.

He saw two guards, one standing with his back to the stairs.

The other leaning against a wall by a door.

Both had torches.

Purpura quietly came up behind the guard that was closer.

He covered his mouth, and grabbed the torch, throwing it at the other guard.

The other guard backed away, guarding himself from the flames.

Purpura quickly snapped the first guard's neck.

He couldn't let either give him away.

He let the guard drop, as the other pulled a sword.

"Purpura.

This is Princess Crudelis's wing.

You are not welcome." he warned.

Of course Purpura knew that, he wasn't stupid.

Plus he'd already killed the first guard.

"Surrender immediately." the guard stated.

Purpura instead threw a three blood needles at him.

The guard quickly tried to block, but got cut by one.

Purpura went low, and tackled the guard.

The force of the tackle causing the guard to drop both torch and sword.

The hall was suddenly dark.

Only the torches had kept the darkness at bay.

Purpura formed a dagger and quickly stabbed the guard a couple of times.

He then got up, and tried the door.

It opened with ease, and inside he could here a plethora of beasts.

He grabbed each guard, dragging them in.

If anyone came to investigate it'd buy him more time, before sounding any alarm.

He pushed both bodies against a wall, out of the door's immediate view.

Inside he looked at all the creatures.

They were locked in cages, most various species either rare or deadly.

Due to the nature of such creatures, most were both.

He wondered the best course of action.

To kill them all or release them?

He had no real way of releasing the creatures into the wild.

And even if he released them, most were likely to attack him or kill each other.

He began walking around, none of these were native to the area.

And likely wouldn't survive.

He paused looking at a water tank.

Inside a couple of creatures swam around.

Suddenly a mermaid smashed against the glass with a violent hiss.

Hands clawed, and eyes had a predatory gaze.

Purpura walked about more.
He was likely best killing most creatures.

Perhaps a few less violent ones could be spared.

One creature charged the bars, with a growl.

It was covered in fur, with the face and mane of a lion, but a humanoid body.

He sighed, a quick death would be best.

So he approached each cage, any beast that lunged violently...

He'd stop their heart.

He had time, guard change overs were every couple hours.

And the guards had barely been replaced in the last hour.

So, he took his time.

He came up to a glass cage, the resembled a jungle.

He knocked on the glass, and suddenly a humanoid attacked.

It looked like a neko, but was built larger, had fangs.

As well, as it's bare body was covered in markings like a tiger.

Purpura knew this species.

Commonly called feral nekos.

Though that was a misnomer.

For they were not wild house cats.

They were more closely related to big cats, like tigers, and panthers.

They were also an extremely violent bunch.

He ended the feral neko just as he had others.

He kept moving about.

It felt a waste to have to kill so many rather rare species.

Maybe Tynan should have kept pets.

If not for show, then for preservation of species.

Purpura walked over to another cage.

It was rather barren, seeming less prepared for the species within.

And within was simply a male.

Laying on stone, curled in a ball, seeming to shiver in his sleep.

Purpura examined him, trying to determine his species.

However, he knew not all pets were considered wild species.

Some were intelligent and simply trapped as a prize.

He knocked on the bars.

He needed to know what species the male was.

His list of ones alive was rather small so far.

Any he could save, would be nice.

The male didn't stir, so Purpura picked up a bag and gave it a small sniff.

It was food, or... what one could consider pet food.

He simply tossed the bag into the cage.

The food spilling a bit.

The male inside seemed to stir at the noise.

Before looking at the food, and hurrying over.

He shoveled food into his mouth, not seeming to even notice Purpura.

He had no demonic markings, or anything to hint at species.

Purpura knocked on the bars again, to catch the male's attention.

The male looked up, shoving a last handful of food in his mouth.

He then stood and walked over.

"Who-?" the male asked.

Purpura examined him, before taking out his notepad.

He wrote, "What are you?' on it, and showed the male.

The male shook his head, "can't read".

Purpura sighed, there went that idea.

He put the pad away, this one didn't seem violent.

He could likely be released with the others.

Purpura moved to the door, with the lock and forced blood inside to spring it.

The lock clicked, and Purpura pulled the door open.

The male approached cautiously, as Purpura moved and opened other cages.

Once they were released, Purpura moved to the prep room.

It was a large room, where pets were brought in and cleaned.

Before being moved into their cages.

Purpura opened the door, and various species followed.

Some slowly, most with enthusiasm.

Even low intelligence creatures understood the concept of freedom.

He opened the main door, to went directly into the forest.

A secret area, away from prying eyes.

Else the princess risked attacks from those trying to steal her pets.

The animals sprinted to their new found freedom.

Purpura then waited, watching them all leave.

He then turned about, slightly started to see the male standing there.

"Why free all?"

Purpura shrugged, he had no way of sharing the information with the male.

The male then hugged Purpura.

Purpura feeling mildly started, being hugged by a naked man.

The man then backed up with blood on him.

"Blood?" he asked.

Purpura nodded.

Suddenly the male formed the blood into a ball.

Purpura went wide-eyed, he'd never seen anyone else do such a thing.

With the exception of his sister.

Was this male another blood demon?
Perhaps pure-blooded?
It would explain why the princess was keeping him.

Purpura gently did the same.

Creating a ball of blood and moving it about, and the naked male gasped.

He looked completely excited.

"Come." the male said, beckoning Purpura to follow as he walked out.

Did he know the location of more blood demons?

Purpura followed, curious.

They moved quietly, yet didn't move away from the castle.

They were simply moving around it.

They came to a small sector, with a small door.

There was a well worn path, yet no guards.

It was oddly deserted.

The naked male moved cautiously, opening the door.

He went inside, and Purpura quietly followed.

The first area was a washing room, and there was a chest with raggedy clothes hanging out.

They went to a door, and the male hurried inside.

Purpura paused as he saw what was within.

There were large tubes.

Each with a person inside.

Their ages ranging.

Some as young as a babe, others near the naked male's age.

Purpura went over, they were not conscious.

The naked male touched the tube.

"Blood." he said again.

Purpura felt very confused.

Were these blood demons?

Being breed inside tubes?

Is so, then why?

And in the Heartless castle none the less.

"Ah, you've arrived." a woman's voice.

Purpura turned and looked up.

It was a woman, she had long dark green hair.

And she was wearing a green top.

She had a segmented reptilian tail, and in each hand a large scythe like daggers.

"Good pet." she cooed at the naked man.

The naked man coward, and hid behind a tube.

Purpura looked to him, then back to her.

"Princess Crudelis thought Prince Tynan would send you after her pets.

I insisted on setting this pet as a little trap.

See, I always had this theory about you.

Given your methods of assassination I was rather sure you were a blood demon.

I knew he'd insistently lead you here.

'Have to save the others'." she finished in a mocking tone.

Purpura rolled his shoulders back, staring at her.

She was his next target, though Kispy hadn't been able to pin down a location.

Seems it was fate.

"I bet you're kind of curious what this place it."

Purpura shrugged, he was, but he didn't intent to show it.

"This is the blood chamber.

See, when the royal family realized they'd nearly hunted blood demons to extinction they felt sad.

So, they captured the last few.

Then created a way to breed new blood demons to hunt for sport.

I don't know if you're simply an escaped blood demon.

Or perhaps one of the escaped demons found himself a breeding w***e."

she laughed a bit.

Purpura growled.

"Oh, did I hurt your feelings?" she laughed again.

"Come on, spill.

Most don't remember this place, until they return.

So, tell me. Which was is it?

You escape, or did your mommy get fucked by a test tube demon?"

Purpura quickly threw a barrage of needles at her.

She jumped away, in an effortless dodge.

"You'll have to do better than that."

Purpura smirked, as he threw another set and she dodged again.

"That's pointless-"

the machines and magic markers behind her sparked.

The place was half science, half magic.

And she was standing next to what looked like an electrical panel.

Suddenly the room went dark.

Yet the tubes glowed.

Either thru magic, or their own power.

It was hard to tell.

Purpura ducked down, to get out of view.

He had to get out, and get her.

Even if she knew, and had posed her theory to the princess.

His official species designation was that of a neko.

He couldn't let her spill that she had proof he was a blood demon.

Author's Note

two parter, sort of.