The Iron Devil

The Iron Devil, Ch. 1

Cold night breeze was feeling the streets, as Fox-man run through the town, desperately clutching his wounded arm, as he saw a light of a Inn, possible place to hide, as he felt great pain in his calf, causing him to fall and into a shallow pond of rain water. As he looked at the source of the pain he saw a small, crossbow like bolt stuck into his calf, bleeding heavily with deep red blood. Then he saw him, slowly walking toward him, the monster, the iron fear, one that he was running away from, one that punctured his leg and wounded his arm, The Iron Devil.
Fox-man however, did not stopped to crawl away, with a glimpse of hope in his eyes, he tried to get into the Inn, where the monster wouldn't dare to set foot in. He could feel the looks of scared strangers on his back, as they peaked out of their houses, many probably friends of a Fox-man, but they wouldn't dare to stand against the action of The Iron Devil.
Blood painted stones of the streets red, as masked creature walked toward him, slowly getting closer, as he took out his notebook and a pencil, he kicked Fox-man, making him turn toward him.
-As all of your kind must go through this fate, tell me your name, wicked beast- his heavy voice resonated loudly out of his mask, like a roar almost.
-I am not a monster!- Fox-man yelled and growled, his fangs shining like a moons.
-Same was said by your brethren, but one to tell is I- mask roared back and took out his sword- any last word before I Cleanse world from your existence?
Fox-man took out a small cross out of his pocket and held it toward Mask.
-I curse you! You will suffer fate of your victims, loose one you love and care for, till your body doesn't end up dead and cold like glaciers!
But Fox-man didn't heard any response, as his head soon rolled down the drain, and his body spewing blood like a fountain of life.
The Iron Devil picked up Fox-man's cross and looked at it and said.
-I fear no curse- he said and crushed the cross with his hand.
Mask went back to walking though the town's streets, looking for "wicked", he still had some time, before day starts. His coat rubbing against the street as he walked, soaking blood, but soon The Iron Devil realized that this city was Cleansed, he could go back to his hideout now. As he walked back he saw a priest praying over the fresh body.
-You have shown no mercy to him, you are truly empty- priest said, still kneeling over the body- Do you at least know name of this poor man?
-He refused to tell me, he wanted to die as nameless abomination.
-Poor man, he was so young as well, do you feel no remorse?!- Priest got up and looked at the Mask, which was slowly walking away.
-I protected this town, sooner or later he would go feral and weaklings like you, so be thankful- he walked away, leaving the town.
-What a monster, the man with face of a devil and lack of heart...
As the Mask got into his hideout he felt weak, like in past days, his head felt heavy and bloated on the top, so he sat down to write down his day immediately.
"Another one dead" he simply wrote and felt pain in his back, causing him to fall onto the floor and losing consciousness, falling into a deep sleep.

He woke up in the middle of the day, typical for his lifestyle, but this time he felt weak, like someone had broke his bones, and pushed his mas onto his face harder then it should, whatever it was, he shrugged it off and took his coat off, reveling his dirty cotton shirt and canvas pants, however his mask stayed on, it wasn't part of his wardrobe, now, it was for him his true face. He got out and stopped by the closed room, he opened slowly.
-Wake up- he said, to the room, as something had fallen from the ceiling, creating a loud thud- still bound to wicked acts I see.
A thing slowly got up, stretching his honeycombed wings, his head crowned with shreds of flesh, which previously created his ears.
-I'm sorry, I get s-sick if my head isn't pointed down- winged creature said and twitched- please, forgive me.
-We will fix it later, Eris- Masked figure said and walked to his laboratory, where he made searched for cure for his disease.
-I feel like something isn't right about you lately- Eris said as he put on a faded shirt, covering his chest- your moves are slower, you wake up later and later each day- he handed large tray of bread with hams and pig fat to the Mask- perhaps you need to e-eat more?
He only glanced over it and pushed it to a side.
-I don't feel any hunger lately, and I quite enjoy it- he whispered, but mask only amplified the sound.
Eris took a deep breath and started to lick his wounded wings, colored red from all the blood, twitching lightly, before his head was pulled up, his neck chocked, to met with paralysing gaze of The Iron Devil.
-Do not lick them, it's the way of the wicked- the Mask slowly tightened his grip- unless you dislike my kindness?
But at that moment Mask felt, or rather smelt something, a faint smell of blood and sweat, but it wasn't from him, his body was unharmed. He took a look at Eris's body, lifting his shirt, and loosening grip on the neck, as he found a large scar going across Eris's side, bleeding slowly.
-You are injured...
-I-I understand, I will take care of it as soon as I can- he tried to cover himself with shirt, but masks hand stopped him.
-I will tend it, it looks rather serious-The Iron Devil said as a lukewarm cloth touched the scar, causing Eris to yell quietly and twitch more.
-If I may know, how did you knew?-Bat-man said.
-I smelled something, but it doesn't matter, go and put on a bandages- Eris silently agreed with light bow and walked away.
Then something had hit The Iron Devil again, as he stared at the cloth, soaked in blood to the point of it, dripping off his hands, more he stared, more he salivated, world became more and more blurry, leaving only cloth in his vision, his mind going blank, as he began to feel uneasy, to the point of fearing the cloth, but also being curious of it's taste.
-"Bite it, suck the blood off it"- he heard from the back of his head, but he knew that it wasn't anyone else then he himself, before he knew it, he was raising the cloth toward his mouth, which was slowly opening, his nose overflowing with smells of salty red liquid.
In a brief flash he felt a sharp pain cover his whole body, like billions of needles being pushed from inside of him.
-No!- he yelled and crawled into his room, slowly losing consciousness, after he collapsed onto the floor- Leave me alone!
And then his eyes shut down, he slept like dead.
Till another day, or night.