Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

"To what!" Alexander shouted holding his hands out to Zara, "What am I important to?!"

Zara frowned as she stared at Alexander, then at the worn uniform in her hands. Her tail slowly swayed side to side as her eyes narrowed upon the uniform. 

Alexander watched her with an irritated expression, he was frustrated from being knocked out and shoved in a crate, he was irritated by the nagging pain in his leg, and he was confused by Zara's vague words. 

All Alexander wanted at this point in time was to just go home and settle back into his life, was that too much to ask for?

Clearly. 

Zara sighed deeply as she looked back up to Alexander, "You… you know this symbol, yes?" She asked, her finger pointing to the symbol of house Nova.

Alexander nodded, "Yeah, that's the seal of house Nova or symbol or whatever you want to call it." He answered, "Why?"

Zara nodded, "Do you… know Nova?" She asked curiously, tilting her head as her six eyes blinked in unison.

Alexander again nodded, "Yeah, I guess, I live with them, if that's what you're asking."

A smile crept onto Zara's lips at Alexander's answer, revealing her sharp teeth. 

Ugh… 

Alexander shuddered as he took a step back.

He didn't think about it before, but he was literally talking to a demon…

"You know Nova?" Zara asked.

"Yeah," Alexander answered hesitantly.

Zara then took a step closer, "and… you live with Nova." She asked, her tone just barely bubbling with excitement, though still overwhelmingly monotonous. 

"Mhmm," Alexander said with a concerned smile.

Zara nodded as she grew even closer, "so, you are Nova. Right?" She asked.

Alexander raised both his hands to hide his face as Zara leaned closer to him, her horns just inches away from his hands. 

"In a basic sense, yeah?" Alexander answered, sweat beading down his forehead as his voice began to crack. 

Zara's expression grew softer as she straightened herself, now standing over Alexander with a satisfied grin and her tail swaying happily. 

"Nova blood, important blood, pale conquerors will respect Nova blood, listen to Zara's village chief," Zara explained with a nod, her expression now showing a cautious optimism. 

Alexander lowered his hands, letting out a sigh of relief. 

As his hands fell to his sides he began to ponder Zara's words. 

From what Alexander could gather, he was on the demon continent, where he and the other Hakshi people were referred to as pale conquerors.

The pale conquerors were mostly likely the Ambur forces and colonist that were settling onto the demon continent, and that Zara was a native demon…

So with that in mind, Zara must've taken him in hopes of getting on equal footing with the people from Ambur.

Would be an interesting strategy, if I was actually of Nova blood and not "adopted".

"So, let me get this straight," Alexander said as he took a step closer to Zara, glancing up at her six eyes. "You think I can help your village against my people?"

Zara nodded eagerly. "Pale conqueror of importance, if we have you, they will listen, not conquer the village, yes?"

Hmm, not quite.

Alexander inwardly debated if he should tell Zara that her hopes were founded on a shallow foundation.

While true there was a chance that Alexander's presence could curb any official involvement of the royal or noble families, unofficially he'd be nothing more than a speed bump. 

"So, hypothetically speaking, if I weren't as important as you hope, what uhm, what would happen to me?" Alexander asked nervously.

Zara paused briefly, before frowning. "Hmm, maybe the chief takes you, makes you concubine, or… maybe eat you, I… not sure."

"What!?" Alexander explained in shock, "A… a concubine, I'm a boy you know!" He stammered.

Zara nodded, "Indeed, I saw, but pale conquerors are pretty, look like… girls, you know?"

I look like a girl?!?!

Alexander gulped audibly, his cheeks flushed. "I think I rather be eaten, than… that." He murmured under his breath.

Zara giggled softly, and for the first time, a soft smile crossed her lips. "Funny boy, so strange, not like demon children."

Alexander nodded. "I'd imagine, the tail and horns made that much clear."

Zara continued to giggle, "does pale Conqueror have a name?" she asked curiously.

"Alexander." Alexander said with a sigh, "Or Alex, that's what my friend called me, before… well." Alexander shrugged, trying to push away what happened to Marcia.

"A-Alexander." Zara repeated, drawing out every letter, "Long name, very long."

Alexander nodded. "Yeah, I guess." He then paused, before looking towards Zara with a raised eyebrow. "Hey, how do you speak my language anyway?"

Zara smiled as she raised the uniform in her hands. "Man come, wear this, he taught me."

Alexander studied the uniform before it suddenly clicked that he didn't know how Zara got it, or where the previous owner was.

"And where is this man now?" Alexander asked curiously. 

Zara sighed, her expression falling. "Don't know, he stayed in the village for, a long time, teach… Zara and other kids, then left, leaving only clothes and… child."

Alexander's eyes widened. 

Did some dude really come here, teach a few kids, knock up a demon, then leave?

"What?" Alexander asked with a deadpan expression. 

Zara tilted her head. "What, what?" She asked.

"Where's the kid?" Alexander asked. 

"With chief, he takes child, pale conqueror, and chief friends, so he protects mother and half-breed."

Alexander stood there, completely dumbfounded and surprised. 

The longer he talked with Zara, the deeper the whirlpool of confusion grew. 

Taking a deep breath and collecting his thoughts, Alexander knew that in order to get the answers he needed, he would have to meet with this chief.

"Zara." Alexander began, "Where is this chief?"

"In the tree hall, where he lives," Zara answered.

"When can I see him?" Alexander asked.

"In the morning, when the chief is awake." Zara explained, "For now he rests, and so do you, tired, yes?" She asked. 

Alexander sighed, raising a hand to his temples. 

He was indeed tired, the weight of the day catching up to him, and with the addition of his overwhelming conversation with Zara, sleep didn't sound so bad. 

He looked up to Zara, her six eyes studiously looking him up and down. 

Alexander couldn't help but notice her beauty, despite her striking features, she was a 10 out of 10.

I can see why that guy slept with a demon, but as to how he got her pregnant, that's a mystery I really want to know.

"I guess… I guess I'm a little tired." Alexander answered, placing his hands on his hips, "But… can I ask you a question?"

Zara nodded. "Yes."

"Are… are half-breeds common amongst your people?" Alexander asked, curiously to know.

Zara smirked. "Yes, demons can have offspring with any people, beast men, pale conquerors, short ears, all people."

Alexander nodded, before poking out his bottom lip.

I mean, I gotta ask. 

"Even animals?" Alexander asked, taking a step back.

Zara paused for a moment, before blinking blankly. 

"That's… that's against nature." Zara said, a slight amount of panic in her usually calm voice, "very bad, very… bad."

Alexander chuckled nervously, he realized how stupid what he just asked was. "Uhm, right, that's a stupid question," Alexander said with a scratch to the back of his head. 

Zara looked at Alexander with an extremely uncomfortable expression. "Do… do you–"

"No!" Alexander exclaimed immediately, "I do not, never have, never will." 

Zara nodded, yet she still eyed him awkwardly, almost as if she didn't believe a word Alexander was saying.

Alexander took a step closer towards Zara, holding his hands out. "Hey, Zara I was just joking, it was just a really stupid question, okay?"

Zara hesitantly nodded as she took a step back from Alexander. "Ha, very funny." She said, forcing a laugh. Though her tone was filled with amusement, her eyes still held a lingering concern.

Alexander forced a smile as he inwardly cursed himself for such an awkward slip-up. 

Exhaustion had truly taken its toll on him and he knew he needed to rest as soon as possible, otherwise, he'd probably say something even dumber. 

"Alright Zara, I think I'll just go back to that room." He said with a point to the room he emerged from earlier, "I take that rest you suggested, and in the morning we'll visit your chief, alright?"

Zara nodded, her gaze softening, "Yes, sunrise, we greet  chief." She then gestured toward the room she emerged from, "If Alexander needs me, I… stay in that room, okay?"

Alexander nodded. "Got it." He said with a last glance to Zara, before heading into his room. 

As Alexander disappeared behind the cloth that hid his room, Zara sighed deeply. 

She said in her native language.

Inside his room, Alexander approached his makeshift bed and slowly lowered himself down onto it. 

His leg ached slightly, but the pain wasn't unbearable. 

As he settled into his makeshift bed, Alexander couldn't help but reflect on how bizarre his day was. 

From waking up in a crate to embarrassing himself in front of a demon. 

As Alexander's eyelids grew heavy and sleep came to claim its prize, Alexander could only hope tomorrow went better.