The Raven Rites

Chapter 5:All Eyes on the Teeth

Deidre

Deidre caressed the long slender sword that hung on his hips, passing his fingers on each curved line that softly decorated the hiltless weapon "Are you sure I can keep it? It looks really expensive..."

Eclipse smiled dashingly at him "You can have any sword you want from me" he winked, causing Deidre's cheeks to blush as he pushed the Demon away "Stop it!"

If Haag understood something of what his master had said, he showed nothing of it as he tried to get their attention. Deidre sighed 'He's probably used to his master saying this things to people...He must be like this with everyone'

The small demon opened the entrance door for them and tried again to get his master's attention "My lord? My lord! The Eldritch Corpse seems have disappeared"

Deidre looked at the small demon, impressed "How do you even know that, we just..."

Eclipse chuckled "Haag is a special kind of demon, his kind is one of the only ones who can multiply themselves and give the clones sets of particular skills...like for example, an incredible speed. He was likely already multiplied for the task I had given him earlier"

"But how does he know that another has told us about the monster?"

"It doesn't matter in how many parts he shatters, his mind is one. What a piece learns, the others know as well" Eclipse put on a pair of leather gloves, his long black Vur tight on his body and the leather pants made themselves visible through the two slits of the Vur's skirt. "Shall we go?" he said casually while turning towards him. Deidre tried to hide the fact that he had been staring, and cleared his voice a few times "But if he disappeared..."

"He's likely gathering strength somewhere, he just came out of the rift so it must be weak still...if we can solve the matter now we'll have a much better chance at defeating him swiftly...plus, Malgrave at night is pretty"

Deidre laughed softly "And that is important for our mission because?..."

Eclipse shrugged "No reason, I just like it...and I think you'll like it too"

As they approached the garden's end, Deidre stole a few glances at him under the purple moon. The Demon flaunted his carefree crooked smile as his wavy black hair tried to escape the big long braid he had tied them in. Deidre's mind started to play tricks on him as the image of naked skin wrapped in vapor and incense smoke found its way in his thoughts. Eclipse laughed as he caught him staring "Thinking of something pleasant?"

"I...I was just casually looking around, the world doesn't spin around you!" he crossed his arms, a faint trace of red still visible under the lamps' light "So are we going on foot or..."

"I wouldn't wake the horses for such a small walk, Malgrave is nearer than you think"

As they started to walk down a narrow path, the trees seemed to almost retract, as if scared to touch Eclipse on his way. The city was indeed closer than what he had initially thought, after just a few minutes of walking the outlines of the streets lightened up by lanterns could already by seen clearly before them.

Eclipse looked at the streets "They're hunting him"

"And that is...good or bad?"

"Neither, I'd say...even if they do find him there's no way they'll be able to kill him, they're just looking for their death"

"Shouldn't we...stop them?"

Eclipse shrugged "Why?"

Deidre fell silent. It had always seemed natural for him to help as much as he could, he felt it as part of his duty, as a way to repay the opportunity he had been given and obtain his eternal youth...still, something inside him pushed after seeing the way they had treated Eclipse. After seeing his body, there was a little worm inside his mind that whispered nonstop words of doom. He glanced at the Demon once more, 'why do you feel so...familiar?' it was an alien sensation for him, as if a piece of his past was desperately trying to make it out of the haze that had covered everything after the ritual. There was only one thing certain, he had already met Eclipse somewhere...but for some reason, neither of them seemed to remember...right?