Duality

Chapter One

-Advent-

"Your Highness…I think you should look over the maidens once more…" a brunette sighed, following an annoyed redhead. He was a slender man with long, chocolate brown hair. His eyes were pale in color, almost as if he was blind, but that was not the case.

"All of them are worthless and simply stupid. If I am to have a queen, she will be beautiful and clever." The redhead snapped, glaring back at his knight.

Neji, the knight, sighed. "Gaara…please…you're almost in your twenty-fifth year. You should have a queen by now…"

Gaara stopped and gave his oldest friend a silencing glare. "I will get a queen when I am good and ready Neji. Enough said, so please, leave me to my chambers." He gestured, opening the double doors and slamming them behind him. The king let out an annoyed sigh, glaring at the wall as he began to strip from his daily clothing.

Once he was finally nude, he went into his bathroom and gazed at his reflection in the massive mirror on the wall. He met his own shadowed, light jade depths and frowned, since he could tell he was even more tired than usual. He walked up to the counter and examined his features. He was toned, pale, and tall, but he'd lost some of his luster from how much the council was riding him on finding a bride. It wasn't that he didn't want to get married. He just didn't want to marry some silly princess whose only use was to please him in the bedroom.

He wanted a woman with an attitude, as odd and hard as it was to find, who could hold her own. Someone he could talk to and not be bored or wouldn't agree with every word out of his mouth. He wanted a woman that would make him better, compliment him instead of just a beauty to hang on his arm.

He sighed. Alas it did not look as if he would get his wish. The king went to his hot bath and got in, washing the day's filth from his skin. Once he was clean and dry, he dressed in his night attire, which consisted of loose, black drawstring pants and a white, long sleeved night shirt. He went to his bed and blew out the candles. The room was dark, the only light being from the shining moon from the balcony.

Gaara pulled his sheets back and got into bed, staring up at the canopy overhead. He wished he could meet a woman who would be right to rule his kingdom. He let out a soft sigh and turned on his side, staring at a mirror on the other side of the room. And just as he was falling asleep, he could have sworn he saw beautiful, emerald depths staring back at him.

Gaara looked around the dark dungeon, confusion obvious on his face. When had he entered a dungeon? The walls were lined with burning candles that never seemed to melt. He started forward, realizing he was barefoot and in his pajamas, but that hardly mattered, because the floor was made from smooth cobblestone.

He shifted his gaze along the walls, finding nothing but the two directions he could go down. He spun around when he heard a dark laugh echo around him and something cold shiver down his spine. "Is someone there?" he demanded, his gaze shifting into a glare, since his body was now on alert.

He may not have a weapon, but that didn't mean he wasn't ready to take on anything that came after him. Gaara paused in his steps, looking down one of the halls before turning and looking down the other. They looked exactly the same, but he knew they both led to something dangerous. That was when he heard something low and primal in his head. A man's voice, smooth and velvety.

Come human…this way…

It called, and Gaara could do nothing but step towards the voice. It sounded so sure and alluring, which was odd considering it was a male's. He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard another, stronger voice.

No!

The soft voice called. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard, and it caused him to do an about face.

Come to me brave knight, come to me. I await someone with a heart as strong as yours. Not many can happen upon my domain…

Gaara stepped forward, but felt a tug on his heart, as well as a monstrous roar.

Come back! Free me, human! I will make your wildest dreams come true!

The male yelled, only making Gaara back away in fear.

Hurry! Find me!

The kinder voice called, and not one to run towards something cold and dreading, Gaara took off down the way the woman had told him to go. He heard nothing more after that and it seemed he'd been running forever, but never did he come to a turn. He simply ran forward, until finally he entered in a large circular room. But as he walked in and the torches took light, he found it to be a dead in.

He let out an annoyed growl. "What the hell? Where am I?" he demanded.

It seemed as if all of a sudden there was a mass of black in the back of the room and as it began to move and two large, black wings lifted revealing a man with jet black hair and crimson red eyes. Gaara stepped back and turned to run, but found that the hallway had vanished and the room was sealed. "My…my…" the dark being chuckled. "It's been awhile since a human stumbled into my nest."

Gaara whirled around and glared at the thing, noticing that the 'nest' he'd been lying in was a few crumpled bodies, naked female bodies that were splattered with blood. "You better stay right there." Gaara ordered. "I am the King of Kousou! A knight of Honor! I fear nothing, especially not a demon."

The dark haired demon seemed to quark an interested brow as he studied the redhead. "A King you say? It has been awhile since a male found his way in here. Women are much more in tuned with magic than men…and a king nonetheless..." he paused, craning his neck a bit as if he were listening to some voice Gaara could not hear. "It seems my Mistress is interested in the new prey of the dungeon."

"Your who?" Gaara blinked, going wide eyed when the demon took off and lunged at him. He dodged the first dive, but then felt himself being lifted from the ground by the shirt. Just as the hallway had vanished before, now the floor was a bottomless chasm. The demon dove down, gripping onto Gaara more fiercely until another floor came into view.

The redhead couldn't help but yell at their free fall, since he thought they were going to slam into the stone. But just as they were about to hit, his wings spread and stopped their fall, before dropping him to the floor. Gaara groaned from the shock he'd felt in his hands and knees and looked up, to see a much larger room than before. Though, this one was filled with demons of all sorts who were laughing and cackling at their new entertainment.

The dark demon landed gracefully beside him and bowed to the front of the room, where a massive throne was set up on a platform. On the steps beneath the throne were two women, both dressed in small loin clothes and only enough cloth to cover their breasts. One was blonde, with sharp blue eyes and the other was a brunette, with dark brown depths. Both had long hair that fell around them, but the brunette's fell in waves.

That was when Gaara's jade gaze finally fell on the one sitting in the throne and his eyes widened as his heart stopped for a moment. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. A pale beauty with pink locks the color of a cherry blossom petals that fell just to her shoulders. Her eyes were the sharpest emerald green he'd ever seen, and he had to keep himself from falling into a bow before her. She was clothed in a crimson red dress that was tight at the top and dipped between her breasts, revealing all of her cleavage and a bit of the smooth, pale skin there. At her waist it flared out a bit, stopping mid-thigh. Her arms were covered by long sleeves that went up to the middle of her upper arm, and flared out a bit around her wrists, covering her hands slightly. They were made of a cream material, with an intricate golden pattern sewn into them, and a red trim to match her dress. Her shoulders were bare, a golden necklace with a ruby in the canter hanging from her neck. Covering her feet was a pair of black boots that went up her legs, stopping just above her knees.

Finally, Gaara seemed to collect himself and hardened his expression as he stood slowly. "Where the hell is this place and why am I here?" he demanded, talking directly to the pink haired woman.

A smirk slowly made its way up her perfect features. "You say it as if I brought you here." She chuckled, rising from her seat and making everyone else in the room bow before her. "I am Sakura, Queen of the Demons, and the Realm of Kahouni."

"Realm of Kahouni?" he glared, looking around at the things that were slithering around. "How on earth did I get here. The last thing I remember was going to sleep." He said, jerking his arm from the grip of the demon who'd brought him there. He stepped forward, making the two girls in front of the demon queen hiss. "My name is Gaara. I am the King of Kousou, and I demand that you release me." he ordered.

Sakura arched a brow. "You're not in a position to make demands, human king." She said, her voice hardening slightly. "Nor should you speak to a lady so rudely when you want something from her." She slowly made her way down the steps, stopping before him and placing her hands on her hips. She took in his form, another smirk coming to her face. "Now," she said, running a finger along the underside of his jaw as she circled him. "Ask me nicely." She whispered in his ear, going behind his back and stopping before him once more.

Gaara grimaced, standing his ground, though he could practically taste her demonic aura it was so thick in the air. "If you did not summon me here witch, then who did?"

"A bad demon that wants to take advantage of you." the pink haired queen said, talking to him as if he were a child while she pinched his cheek. "You humans are so squishy." She giggled in delight, patting his cheek.

His glare intensified as he swatted her hand away. "Will you quit that, I am not a young one. Nor do I appreciate your behavior." He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Sexual aggression I would understand, but not this nonsense."

"Nonsense? I'm just playing with you. Don't be so stiff." She glanced down then. "Well, not that stiff." she snickered, returning her emerald gaze to his jade one as she trailed a hand down his chest towards his pelvis. "You're still kinda soft."

The redhead grabbed her wrist, pulling her against him and making the demons around them move closer, though Sakura raised her hand for them to stay back. Gaara stared down into her endless green depths, their lips almost touching as he sighed. "I wish to be in my own bedroom now. If it is in your power, I would be grateful for Your Majesty to send me there."

Sakura's gaze softened slightly, and she smiled. "Now that's better." She whispered. "Sasuke, take King Gaara back to his chambers." She ordered, glancing back at the dark haired demon. "In one piece."

Sasuke frowned. "I can't just take an arm or something to snack on?" he asked. "Maybe a foot?"

"No, he will need them." she said, returning her attention to the man she was pressed against. "Goodbye Gaara. Have sweet dreams." she smiled, before getting up on her tippy toes and pressing her mouth against his. His eyes widened in alarm, before they closed shut, and his world blacked out.

Gaara sat up, his breathing ragged as he looked around in alarm, only to find himself in his bedroom once more. His forehead creased in his confusion as he tossed the sheets back and got out of bed, feeling the cold stone beneath his feet. Despite the fact he had just woken from his sleep, it all felt like it was quickly slipping away.

He growled out, gripping his head and trying to remember everything that had happened, but all he seemed to be able to hold onto was that horrid demon queen. Sure, she was gorgeous beyond all reason, despite being small in the chest area, but he wasn't one to be smothered by breasts. The king let out a tired breath and went to his bathroom, turning on the sink and splashing his face with water.

Had all that been a dream? It had felt real enough, but he couldn't believe the whole adventure. He shook his head and grabbed a towel, burying his face in the cloth to dry it, and when he looked up to see his reflection he yelled out in shock, jerking back because his reflection had not been what he saw.

He blinked, leaning forward, now that he saw only himself. He lifted his hand and moved it, before touching the mirror and feeling nothing but cold glass. Gaara frowned. He could have sworn he'd seen a man with white hair and shining silver eyes. "What is going on with me?" he whispered, shaking his head before he left the wash room and then his bedroom.

He grabbed his robe on the way and hurried to one of the other towers, bursting into his psychic's room and calling out for her. "Hinata!" he yelled.

"Y-yes my l-lord?" a soft voice asked as a woman came out from behind a curtain that led to her personal quarters. She had soft lavender eyes like his knight's, and long, straight ebony hair that fell down to her waist.

"Sit." He ordered, pointing to her usual spot as he took his. "I had a dream, though I do not think it was a dream…" he sighed, telling her all about the place he could now hardly remember and the man he'd seen in his reflection. "I need to know what it means, and if I truly imagined it, or I am not as crazy as I think."

Her brow furrowed. "W-well, if it was a dream, it sure was a very lucid one." She told him, rising from her seat and going over to a shelf of books. She scanned it, before pulling one out and flipping through the pages as she came back to the table. "There are old legends…tales, if you rather, of creatures similar to what you described." She sat down and showed him the page she had turned to, which was a picture of mythical creatures that looked like the ones he had seen. "But none say anything about a realm of them…or how one would get there."

"Can't you tap into the spirits or something and see what they say? I mean, if there is an entire world of them they must be stopped!" he said, forming a fist and hitting the table with it.

Hinata blinked, startling slightly at his actions before nodding. "O-of course." She nodded, reaching out and placing her hands with her palms up on the wood, indicating for him to place his in hers. He did so, and she closed her eyes, beginning to chant to the spirits. Her eyes opened suddenly, and were covered in a white film, meaning she had made the connection.

"What is it you need of us, King of Kousou?" a jumble of voices asked, coming from the ebony haired woman's mouth.

"I need to know if there is a world of demons. How to get there and how to beat them." he said. "Also, of a man with white and black hair and silver eyes."

Air began to swirl around them then, making the woman's hair pick up slightly. "The world you seek does in fact exist. It cannot be found by those who are seeking it, however, they must be shown the way." the spirits told him. "The man you speak of is the one who brings humans there, through ancient magics."

"Well how do I get there!" Gaara demanded, his grip on Hinata's hands tightening.

"Wait for him to call you again, for he will do so." They said. "But beware, the man of silver and the woman of gold will bring this earth to its knees if given the chance. Stay away from them." The wind picked up then, before Hinata's eyes returned back to normal, meaning the spirits were done helping him.

Gaara stood, looking angry. "Well that was no help at all!" he snapped at her, turning on his heel and leaving the room. He let out an aggravated yell as he continued back to his room. All he knew now was the place did in fact exist, but he needed to find a way to reach it once more, because he needed to get rid of this threat.