In Another's Hell

Story

Give me strength, my goddess! Deryn prayed as he parried a pursuer's sword and stabbed through him. However, his pursuers outnumbered and outgunned him. They were trying to exhaust and kill him. 

He might die tonight to his treacherous colleagues. The Crimson King would laugh if he heard about this farce.

When he ran deeper into the forest, a blinding light entrapped and knocked him out.

Nox frowned as someone trespassed his magic barrier. He sent his undead soldiers to check it out.

Since Nox was known as the master necromancer, few people dared to enter his territory. People named him as "the Crimson King" and called where he lived "the Valley of Death". Parents warned their children that he would turn unruly children into mindless skeletons. It was a lie - most of them didn't pass his standard for whole skeletons. 

Then his dread knight dragged in someone unexpected.

The man carried over his knight's back was his nemesis, Deryn the famed paladin. Even with blood and dirt on his face and clothing, he still looked too handsome and distracting. His broken armour revealed glimpses of his perfect sculpted body. 

"Be careful!" He said. "Put him in my guest… no, my bedroom.." 

There were no guest rooms in his castle. It wasn't like necromancers were sociable. 

As his underling put Deryn on his bed, Nox started to wonder. Deryn's wounds were still fresh, and some of which were magical. Was he ambushed? How did he end up in Nox's domain? 

Nox fantasized that Deryn turned to him for help before dismissing it. He ordered his subordinate to investigate when he walked to Deryn. It was time to check up Deryn's injury. 

As a necromancer, Nox was no stranger to human bodies. He had rigorous training about human biology and anatomy as an apprentice. He has also dissected and stitched together numerous corpses. Many of them were attractive when alive. He also spent enough time on the run in younger days that he knew how to heal himself.

He still felt like a clumsy teenager when he put off Deryn's clothing to take care of his wounds. 

His rage soon superseded His desire upon Deryn's nakedness. Some of the nastiest ones were on Deryn's back or from close combat. The attackers must be someone or some people who could get close to him. 

The hypocrites in Deryon's cult must have betrayed his blind trust, Nox thought. 

I should convince him to join my side, he thought while bandaging his wounds. We'll be unstoppable. 

He took out a grand healing potion and fed Deryn with his mouth. His heart raced like a racehorse as their lips touched. Deryn's lips were dry but soft, and warm. It was better than Nox's imagination.

He wiped away Deryn's sweat on his blow with a soft handkerchief and stayed by his bedside to watch over him. 

A blow to his face startled Nox out of his sleep. Deryn held him by his throat and asked weakly, "Where am I? Who're you?"

Nox casted a spell to make Deryn drop him. He expected Deryn to strike back, but Deryn only looked confused. Then he realized that Deryn didn't recognize him. Nox was always masked in public, so no living souls knew what he looked like. Thinking fast, he spoke in a deeper voice. "Do you always hit your saviours?"

"I'm sorry. Are you all right?"

"I would be if I weren't attacked in my sleep." Good, Deryn now looked guilty. "What's happened to you? I need to know who will come after you."

Deryn hesitated. "My pursuers are dangerous. You should throw me out."

What a noble idiot. Did he expect me to abandon him? "Stop it. I have watched enough dramas to know this never works. Besides, I saw your sigil. No way would I enrage a goddess by throwing her servant out.

Deryn sighed. "You're very perceptive, but my colleagues may not welcome me back."

"Why?" Deryn's honesty surprised Nox. "Well, your story can wait now. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for saving me," Deryn said while trying to rise from the bed. 

Nox pressed him back with one hand. He felt strange seeing Deryn so vulnerable. "Don't move. Your wounds are still healing. 

Deryn sighed but lay back on the bed. Nox was thrilled at winning the debate. 

"You must be hungry. Let me bring you breakfast."

He ordered his servants to stay away so that Deryn wouldn't know where he was.

Nox wanted to keep Deryn to himself for longer, so he told Deryn he was a wizard living in a tower in the wilderness. It wasn't exactly a lie. He felt giddy that he could have a civil conversation with Deryn instead of fights.

Because he doesn't know who you are. 

Shut up.

With the help of the healing potions, Deryn was getting well enough to leave the bed. He had talked about leaving, but Nox stopped him. 

"You don't even have a sword nor a weapon. Do you want to kill yourself? "

His servants found Deryn's sword and were fixing his armour in the smithy. When he handed back Deryn his sword, he could see Deryn's eyes getting wet. 

"Why do you help me?" Deryn asked. 

"Because I want to."

Only he was allowed to defeat Deryn. The backstabbers didn't deserve to bring him down. 

Deryn was a polite and unobtrusive guest. He was still too obvious to ignore. Nox was getting used to the habit of regular meals with Deryn. He checked up his wounds and walked with him in the corridor. Deryn commented that his new clothings fit perfectly. Nox was glad that he never asked why. 

That night when they slept together, the sounds of moaning woke Nox. 

Deryn curled up in the fetal position. He breathed rapidly and sweated. He was moaning something like people's names. 

Nox held him gently and casted the peaceful sleep spell. Deryn relaxed and stopped moving. He looked more peaceful now. 

What did Deryn dream about? Was it caused by the incident that left him at his doorstep? Nox wondered about the answer. There were still so many things he didn't know about him.

It was lunchtime now. Nox ordered Deryn's favourite dishes that he knew from bribing his cook. His effort paid off. 

"I'm glad that our tastes are so similar," Deryn said. "They're all my favourite dishes and taste really good. Please thank the cook for me. "

Nox beamed. 

When Deryn looked more relaxed afterwards, Nox asked, "Do you want to tell me about your pursuers?"

"You have the right to know," Deryn said while tightening his fists. "I found that one of my leaders secretly ran a farm raising monsters, which should never happen."

"So they send their people to eradicate you as a witness."

"I sent a message to another leader. Then I was ambushed when nobody should know where I went."

Nox hugged him around his shoulders. He was never surprised by people's level of debauchery, but it had to be a shock to Deryn. 

"Do you want to read some books?" Nox asked while taking a novel from the shelf to him. 

Deryn widened his eyes. "I have never expected to see the first edition of 'Titan's Voyage'. May I read it?"

"Of course. It's just something on my shelf," Nox shrugged. He wouldn't admit his effort to collect Deryn's favourite books.

"Thank you! I'll be careful," Deryn held it as if it would break anytime. "Who's your favourite character?"

"Athina. She has the most interesting story."

"I'm surprised. Quite a lot of people hate her for betraying Myra."

"They are on opposite sides right at the beginning. Athina stays true to her principle despite opposition. She cared about Myra both because of and despite their difference. This makes her fascinating. Who're your favourite? Myra?"

"Don't tell anyone, but it's actually Theia. She is loyal to Athina and respects her a lot but is very clear about her fault. She's level headed and gets things done without recognition. I really respect that."

Deryn's answer surprised Nox. They had a lively discussion about the book and agreed to read it together. 

The next morning Nox woke up before Deryn, whose shirt riled up to show a glimpse of his stomach. With a racing heart, he put his hand on Deryn and covered it with Deryn's own hand 

Then he faked returning to sleep. 

He could feel the moment Deryn's breath hitched, but he didn't put Nox's hand away. Nox's heart was about to burst. 

Deryn's armour was now intact. Nox's agents told him that Deryn's cult was about to hold an official funeral for him. As much as he wanted Deryn to stay, he knew Deryn couldn't rest with those who betray him at large. 

This didn't prevent him from stacking Deryn with useful potions and magical items. 

"If you activate this necklace with your thoughts, you can send messages to me. "

"You shouldn't. You have already done so much for me."

"Promise me that you'll ask for help. I want to see you again."

Deryn hugged Nox, who lost himself in Deryn's scent. "I'll return to you."

"I'll hold you to it."

Nox hadn't heard from Deryn since he returned to his cult, but he had already prepared for the possibility. 

No one would notice a piece of bone on the road, so Nox could use them to collect information unnoticed. He had sent them after Deryn. They confirmed that he entered the headquarters. 

The magic necklace let him monitor Deryn's well-being. It was also a teleportation beacon when he was in danger. 

At the moment, his heart ached as the magical necklace alerted him. 

To be safe, he summoned his undead soldiers to appear in blinding dark to distract Deryn's captors. Then Nox teleported Deryn to his side.

"I don't save you so you'll get killed," Nox said while freeing him from the chains. 

Deryn said quietly, "I know it's you, Crimson King."

Nox's hands stopped. If Deryn attacked him, Nox would turn him into his death knight. Then at least he couldn't leave and betray him. 

"Why did you save me? We're enemies. My sect has forsaken me, so I'm useless to anyone."

"I want you by my side," Nox said, "If people don't see your worth, they're too stupid to live."

"I won't betray my goddess."

"It doesn't matter," Nox wasn't one to put his heart on his sleeves, but Deryn needed a boost of confidence. "Because I care for and treasure you very much."

"You're a romantic." Deryn's face softened. "If you still want a former paladin like me, I will give my everything to you."

Nox was so ecstatic that he kissed him.

"What happened after we separated?" Nox asked afterward. 

"The cult leaders are all corrupted. It'a rotten to the root."

"But you still care about the cult. Do you think a cleansing will purity their hearts? "

Several months later, a swarm of undead attacked the cult's headquarters. They killed those who led the defense. Everything seemed hopeless until Deryn returned and saved the day. 

With popular support, Deryn put those cult leaders who hid or ran away on trial. As the previous leadership disbanded, he became the new cult leader.

Deryn woke up cuddling Nox on the bed.

"I'm going to conquer the world!" Nox said between kisses. 

Deryn's work could wait. It was for a noble cause. "Do you want to stay in bed with me today?"

"Of course," Nox started to kiss downward, adding new bite marks on him.

Who would imagine that he was in love with the Crimson King? Deryn smiled and lost himself in pleasure.