DEMON HUNT

Chapter 33: Info hunting

It's cold and quiet, the moon lights up the area, the streets are empty, giving room for underworldly activities to take place. Charleston, stunningly donning his hunt suit, strolls into an isolated building, out in the fields. It seems to be an abandoned shed of some sort. He shuts the door behind him. There's a body strapped to a chair, with its hands tied behind its back. Its head is covered with a bag. It appears to be a demon. Jolt repeatedly attempts to free himself aggressively, but with no success. Charleston walks up to him and takes off the sack, revealing a very angry face. His blue eyes evidently wanting nothing more than to see Charleston's head off his body. Charleston addresses him in a somewhat childish manner, as is characteristic of him.

Charleston: Yoo-hoo! I'm so glad you agreed to meet with me tonight. Forgive my lateness.

Charleston moves his face closer, just inches away from Jolt's, his face beaming with a warm smile. Jolt's anger slowly shifts into confusion.

Jolt: Huh?

Jolt's expression of bewilderment slowly transitions into even greater anger.

Jolt: Are you delusional?! You kidnapped me and brought me here...wait...you knocked me out, you dimwit! I'll kill you. I'll freaking kill you!

Jolt begins to move more aggressively, in an attempt to untie himself, but still to no avail. Charleston shakes his head in dismay as he moves backwards.

Charleston: I apologized before doing it though. Don't waste your strength. As you may have noticed, that's not just any rope. It's a high level restrainer. How does it work, you ask? Well, it creates a balance by storing and reproducing the amount of energy you use on it. It does this so fast, it feels like it produces some energy of its own. See, this is why it always feels like you're succeeding at the start of things. It's a prototype and therefore isn't perfect. I wouldn't call it a design flaw, but there is a way to break free from it.

Charleston smiles wildly in excitement.

Charleston: To break free, you'd have to surpass your limits...realize your full potential, and...surpass that several times over. Which is something you're clearly incapable of.

The last few words of Charleston's sentence instantly lead to a tremendous boost in Jolt's anger level. Jolt begins to boil. He yells on the top of his voice.

Jolt: How dare you?! You cocky little brat! I'll get free from here, I'll kill you! I'll make sure I spill your brains all over the place. I'll make sure...

Charleston places his index finger vertically on Jolt's lips as if to say ''shush''. The sheer audacity of Charleston's actions made Jolt go quiet. He just stares at Charleston in disbelief.

Charleston: Say, friends like to talk to each other, is that not? I want to know more about you...and your people, of course. Tell me about yourself. Uhm...let's see...do you know where Bravestone is on a map? My great grandma asked me to come there to pick up groceries for my younger sister's funeral.

Jolt attempts to bite Charleston's finger off, but Charleston reacts faster, ensuring his finger's safety.

Jolt: I'm not going to tell you jack. The worst you can do is kill me. So, you best get on with it!

Charleston: Throwing away our hopes of getting free and spilling my brain matter all over, are we?

Charleston's composure changes. He speaks in a serious tone.

Charleston: You're wrong. That's not the worst I can do to you. I'll torture you, kill you and wed your wife or daughter on your funeral. No reason why it can't be both.

Jolt suddenly seems horrified by Charleston. Charleston reverts to his playful nature in a split second as he whines.

Charleston: Geez...I'm not cut out for this. This is so different from flirting with cute ladies. I wonder how Toro is faring...

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At another location, Toro walks into a room, all wrapped up like a mummy as usual. He has a demon tied to a chair, like Charleston, but without a sack on.

Toro: I need your help here. I only have ten minutes to spare, and I need to know what you lads are cooking.

The demon responds to Toro in slight.

Seidu: I refuse to entertain the likes of you.

Seidu spits on Toro's boot. Toro simply advances towards him slowly. On reaching him, he takes off his right glove and taps Seidu gently on the shoulder.

Toro: A shame really, but I suppose it can't be helped.

Toro takes some steps backwards as Seidu watches on in confusion. Suddenly, Seidu's right shoulder explodes, costing him the entire arm. He screams in agony. He begins to sweat, despite the cool weather. A few seconds later, his arm regenerates.

Toro: What a waste of sixty seconds. Now, I've only got nine minutes.

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Meanwhile, Omero and Malcolm are meeting with representatives from Ocean eyes, in order to negotiate a peace deal. Malcolm's hunt suit is basically the plain uniform with a balaclava, as opposed to a volto mask. Omero's hunt suit, however, is miles more memorable. Of all the members of the corp, Omero is the only one who wears a hunt suit of a different colour (one other than black). The 'saint of purity's' hunt suit, like most of his outfits, is an impeccable white robe, with a backside running as far down as his ankle. His outfit is intimidatingly glorious. His volto mask is quite contrastingly simple, a plain white mask, fitting like a glove. His shoulder-length pitch black hair is suspended as a ponytail.

Malcolm and Omero both seat in an open space, with a wide table positioned in front of them. To their surprise, only one demon is sent to represent Ocean eyes. This demon, however, seems to have a provocative aura around him. He takes his seat directly opposite both captains.

Malcolm: I must admit, you're quite brave coming here alone. Trying to impress?

Shaun: Nah. I came here alone to make it even more tempting for you to get violent, or try to, at least. Since that's all you hunters are good at.

Omero: Looks like you have no value for your life.

Shaun: Actually, I do. But it'd be a fair trade...no, I'd actually hit a jackpot. You're likely to lose more.

Malcolm sniggers, albeit briefly.

Malcolm: What in the world makes you think we stand to lose more in these negotiations?

Shaun: Trust me. You need this more than we do...,Malcolm.

Shaun altered the name slowly and dramatically, shocking Malcolm to the bone. Shaun smiles mischievously, taking pride in himself. Omero, however, remains calm and collected.

Shaun: You get it now, don't you? You don't know how much we know about you. I'd advise you to keep your mouths shut and just accept whatever we offer you.

Omero: I need a reminder of your terms...

Shaun rudely interrupts Omero.

Shaun: I didn't ask you to speak. I don't want to hear a word from you.

Omero exhales calmly. What follows is a boulder, which comes crashing down on Shaun, within a split second, smashing him, and spilling his interiors on the soil.

Omero: There are people you can be rude to. I, however, am not one of them. Don't be so sure that you'll leave this place with your life. You are very much replaceable in the eyes of ocean eyes, the way I see it.

Omero moves the boulder, allowing Shaun's body parts to slowly reintegrate.

Omero: Now, then. Shall I have a reminder of your terms, please?