Retaliation: the beginning

Chapter 22:"The man with principles"

Elias Harper scarcely believed the bad luck that had befallen him. It was as if the fate itself was mocking him with this encounter. He, Helpless Elias, was to face the great huntsman, father of the three very intolerable hunters. There was nothing right about this, and Ely cursed his misfortune under his breath

"Hello, Elias." Clay greeted softly, startling the other who looked to him with frightened optics, preparing to make a run for it.

"How did you do that?" he asked with a slight panic in his voice. His hands were ice cold and shaking, but no one would know it from looking at him.

"Did what?" Clay passed up.

"Disappear...like poof! And then reappeared." he stumbled over his words.

"You're quit a nosy one." The huntsman declared, pivoting and marching away from him. "There will be a day when you'll regret your inquisitiveness."

"Was that a threat?" Elias face was unmoving, frozen rather than calm. It didn't take a genius to recognize how unhappy he was about the whole issue.

"Are you threatening me?" He waited a second until Clay stopped walking away then continued rambling. "Because Aaron can find me alright? As my demon-companion-thingy he knows my scent. It's pungent, more like a stench. He could find me even if I was buried at the bottom of a sewer covered in fecal matter and-"

"You have a knack for creating a vivid picture Mr. Harper." Clay glanced up his glasses "But you haven't seen my picture," he said starting to walk back toward him. "Blake finds his 'friend' dead or doesn't find him at all. How does that sound now?" He was in Elias' face now.

"I think I might prefer more of a still life, you know o-or a landscape," Ely responded sardonically looking directly into his eyes; he was so calm, aloof, and emotionless.

Clay sighed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You don't seem dangerous to me." He said rather talking to himself.

"Ah! I could be," he exclaimed. He, however, stayed well out of arm's reach. If he made Clay mad with his sass, he wanted the chance to run.

"I'm sorry but I have no time to this childlike matter as you probably know there has been a murder," He stated "You should not stroll around unsupervised."

Ely nodded gulping loudly in fear to emphasis his understanding. "I'm just here to get my frien-"

"watch out!" Elias heard a bark from behind still he didn't get too much time to react, unlike Clay; he was a quick as the lightning grabbing him and throwing himself backwards. Both of them fell into the grass with a thump.

"Ely!"

Elias head jerked up; there was a giant tree where he was standing. Clay moved away giving him space to get on his feet, glancing by his shoulders he saw Aaron running toward him followed by the elder member of the Tomsons, who was looking around, trying to understand what's going on, how to step in, how to help.

"Are you okay?"

"Em I guess," he shook his head, one thing he knew for sure was that he hated the light. The first thing he saw once he was finally able to open his eyes clearly was a bright white light, and his first noise was a frustrated hiss as he slammed his eyes shut once again. He lifted his arms up to shield his eyes. "I was looking for you"

Aaron tore his eyes away from Shane's face with difficulty; he wanted to strangle him so badly but sadly Elias' hands where gripping tightly around his arm he felt tied down. "Well someone decided to play so I gave him exactly what he wanted."

"Vermin demon."

"Apparently, he didn't get ENOUGH!""

"Quiet!" Clay shouted so loud the sound echoed through the trees. But his face kept cool like nothing happened, he turned to the tree and asked "Who did that?"

Shane dropped his head avoiding eye contact while Aaron lost no time and directly pointed fingers.

"Ask your lunatic son he attacked me for no reason what so ever!"

"Then why is he the one injured?" Elias wondered out loud.

"What side are you on?!" he hissed eyes growing wide with horror.

Elias took a few steps back crossing his arms in his chest "The truth." Aaron's lower lip quivered "Okay" he started clearing his throat "I might have beaten him up a little," he admitted holding up a finger "But he started it!"

"That gives you no right to hit him, you could've run away." Clay cleared his throat and turned to his son "Anything you have to say for yourself?"

Shane's shoulders slumped and he bowed his head slightly, blushing a little. "Sorry."

"Sorry? You almost cut of my head!" Aaron broke up.

"And you cut of a tree, at least he apologized." Elias countered. Aaron's face turned ashen. His lips move but he seemed unable to form words. Clay snorted at the display; he found demons to be disgusting creatures, calling them a variety of derogatory names such as devilish fiend and hound. However, he was a very decorous, dignified man, and these characteristics ultimately outweigh his hatred for demons. He was willing to display an ample amount of courtesy to demons no matter how much he despised to do so.

"Apologizing won't put the tree back to its place," he said pulling up his glasses "You will come back here in the morning and fix what you have done. For now get back to work and let them be, we do not want to break the accords. " he reminded and without waiting for an answer, he turned to leave.

Elias gazed at him with admiration, even if Clay was strict and followed the rules precisely. He put his duties above all else and did not take kindly to his children who caused problems or created more work for him, particularly if he forced them to apologize for their actions.

He bit the inside of his cheek, dropping his gaze guiltily; a part of him knew he should've just been there with Aaron to prevent him from HIS stupid actions.