Inside The Fire

Never mind that, I know he wouldn"t just leave us. Not after the promise he made to Shannia.

I"ve been getting some menacing looks all over the tavern. Drunks, sellswords, thieves, you name it. Some stories here, boasts there, your typical tavern.

But I am keeping my eyes busy with a waitress here, to minimize the nervousness.

Red hair, pet.i.te build. And man that maid outfit is cute. If only I could ask her out on a date.

I have been wearing my hood as to keep my ident.i.ty a secret for now. Who knows how many changelings are in Talaran these days.

I grabbed the tankard on my table, and put two fingers in the air to signal a waitress. The girl I was busy laying my eyes on was the one who responded, with a tray full of mugs of ale. d.a.m.n her skirt was short.

"Here.", She grabbed a mug and slammed it on my table.

"Thanks.", I said, trying not to look at her legs.

"Hmmm.", She looked closer. Eyes squinting and staring at me. I really hope she didn"t notice.

"Let me guess. You"re a hunter?", She asked.

Yes.. but also no. But I can"t tell her what I am just yet. "Yeah. Bounty Hunter. What"s it to you?", I responded confidently.

She looked at me, with rage. Not to me, but about something. Her brows furrowed, and she put down the tray she held and gripped her fists."Nothing.. Just guessed. You look the type that"s looking for a job. Now that I know you"re a bounty hunter I might have a job for you.. ", She replied.

Intrigued, I leaned in closer and gestured for her to sit. "Oh? Do tell.. I might just do it if I have the time.",

"Wait a minute, let me just talk to my boss to have a quick break, then I can tell you.", She grabbed the tray then quickly stormed off to the tavern bar.

Meanwhile, I looked around to see if Neil was in.

Still nothing.

I sighed.. "Well he is known to be always late...", I grabbed the tankard and started drinking. It tasted bitter.. But a bit fizzy. I smacked my lips together to savor the taste. It tasted weird and bitter, but somehow it calms my nerves and makes me want to have another tankard.

"It"s beer..", The waitress said behind me.

Startled, I almost made the cup fall but luckily I had those Demon hunter reflexes.. But then again, I should"ve sensed her coming. Seems beer can make you lose concentration too.

"Oh fu-.. You almost made me spill the drink.", I responded.

She chuckled, then pulled out a chair and took a seat on the opposite side of the table. "You never tasted beer before?", She asked.

"Well. I tasted mead, but beer? It"s new right?",

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don"t know.. Boss said he just saw the recipe in an abandoned building back when he was still adventuring.. Anyway, about the job I mentioned.",

"I"m listening.",

She let out a deep sigh. She kept on fidgeting for a while, and I just sat there admiring her cuteness. Until she took a deep breath. "It"s about my family..",

Oh boy. Here it comes.

"Y"see.. I was living in Yakona village my whole life.. I just moved here after it was decimated.. The boss here"s an old friend of father"s so he let me live here as long as I work shift in this here tavern. ",

I nodded. "uhuh.. Was it a guy that decimated your village?",

She looked down, anger filling her face. "Yes... He was a demon hunter.",

s.h.i.t.

I slammed the table and stood up.

"What was he like? Did he have silver hair? Red eyes? What was his weapon? Was it a sword? A spear? Tell me everything!",

"W-what??",

"I"m asking you what did he look like?!", I shouted at her frantically, all the while slamming the table, spilling the remaining beer I had. All eyes were on me that moment. The drunks, the sobers.. Even the bartender. Trouble was brewing, and I held my bow at the ready. But then, the door was slammed open.

"Is there anyone here named Edgar Misabi?!!!", A little girl shouted.

I finally came to my senses. I knew that voice. Shannia? It couldn"t be. She was gone. I looked over at the door to see a little girl, clad in black frilly clothing, and looked just like an old friend.. Shannia Naro.

I raised my hand. "I"m Edgar.. ", She ran over toward me, but a couple of drunks blocked her way. Still clasping their beer. "Come here little missy, let"s have some fun...",

"f.u.c.king h.e.l.l. ", I muttered. I moved toward the drunks and put on my runed gloves. One of them turned towards me. He was a big chunk of muscle. With a beard that would make old Saint Nic a cry.

"huh??? Ya wanna try me ya b.a.s.t.a.r.d? .. hic!",

"Yeah.. I do..", And at that moment, I grabbed him by the head, bashed it with my bow I took out from under my cloak then slammed him on the floor. I could hear his skull crack a little I think.

"A b-bow? Where were you keeping that?", the waitress asked.

But I was unable to respond, as the other drunk grabbed a tankard and hit me in the face with it.

Staggered, I tumbled backwards and into a flop. That was a solid hit. My head was still spinning.

While I was lying down, the patrons gathered all the while chanting, "fight! Fight!",

"Let"s see what you"re hiding beneath that hood.", he said, smirking as he proceeded to remove my hood.

I just let him be. I was pretty sure the fighting would end if he knew, if they knew WHAT I am.

As my headgear was removed, the silence took over the entire tavern. Dead silence. I made sure my eyes were wide open, to make sure they see me for what I am.

"A d-demon hunter!", the drunk exclaimed.

Gasps, and whispers echoed through the tavern, while some left the tavern clambering over each other.

The drunk that removed my hood suddenly sobered up. He stumbled backwards, onto the floor.

Wailing and shivering, he cried. "PLEASE DON"T DEVOUR MY SOUL!!",

I leaned in closer. All the way until he could feel my breath on his face.

"Don"t make me.", I whispered.

He fainted.

I covered my mouth, acting surprised. "Oops... You better leave unless you want to follow in his footsteps.",

All the remaining patrons left the tavern in droves, all the while screaming in fear, with the exception of the little girl, the waitress, and the tavern owner.

Whoever invented the rumor that Demon hunter devours souls, I salute you.

When the last of the patrons left the establishment, I sat down in front of the bar. The owner was eyeballing me, all the while pouring me a drink.

The waitress, just stood at the same spot, staring onto the distance. While the little girl that looked like Shannia walked towards me.

"Here sir.", the owner said, sliding over a tankard of beer.

I nodded. Then felt a pinch at my back. It was the little girl.

"h.e.l.lo princess. You found me, where"s Neil at?", I asked.

She sniffled. Now that I look closer, she was crying.

"Oh no.. where is he?", I asked.

She sniffled again. "Please... He"s at my daddy"s manor.... He needs help."

"Dammit..", I turned to the owner, "I"m sorry about the ruckus, I"ll make it up to you when I get back.. Take care of the kid.. Also tell that waitress that I accept her job.",

"Hmph. Make sure you do... brother.",

"Wait a minute-",

The owner then grabbed something from his eyes. Lenses.. Revealing the eyes that make a demon hunter. A star in the middle.

"Of course you are..", I said.

If a demon hunter"s guarding Shannia"s look alike, then I had nothing to worry about. I then hurriedly ran to the don"s mansion.

When I arrived at the Don"s manor, the gates were already open. Signs of entry. I shuddered at the thought.

I went in anyway.

The manor was huge. I MEAN HUGE. The front door was already opened, someone could be waiting for me there, I circled around to see if there"s another opening inside.

The more I looked, the more I needed to find him. I could sense traces of holy magic. There were armor, but no bodies. It was like the one"s wearing them just disappeared.

And then I remembered. Page 69 of The book of Elements.

"Holy Magic is magic that exists in angelic beings. Mostly dealing in light magic, this type of magic specializes in the destruction of all things unholy ; undead, or demonic. When used on ordinary humans, some spells can disintegrate a target down to the last particle.",

The reason why there"s no corpses laying around, is because holy magic disintegrates. I"m sure Neil didn"t sense this.

What or who he"s facing right now will beat his a.s.s up and sideways.

Especially when we demon hunters have demonic blood in our veins.

I then followed the trail of "bodies" until it led me to a hedge wall.

"A hedge wall? In the middle of the manor that"s located in a city, that"s in a middle of the desert?!", I thought.

Focusing my senses to catch even the slightest trace of angelic beings, I caught 2 humanoid creatures in my radar.

I gulped. 2 angels?

I jumped over the wall, to see 2 armored people fighting against each other in a duel to the death, in a valley and forest so green and full of life, I thought I was dreaming. Neil always said that he misses these, but it was the first time I laid eyes on such a land.

Speechless and amazed, I just stood there for a whole second, before I was shoved back into reality. I dropped down, and observed from a distance.

I was quite far away, so I don"t think they"ve found me.

One man, was clad in full plate silver armor, with a large cross insignia on his chest, wearing a full helmet. I couldn"t see his face, meanwhile the other one was wearing an old full plate armor , but with an insignia of the resistance me and Neil used to fight for. An eagle wielding swords. I always told Neil it was stupid.I was certain, this man was the Don.

A bit of observing, these two have Holy presences in them, despite being mortal men. This can"t be. Last time I met Don was years ago. He was just a normal man then.

I was tempted to rush in, but if I do, I might as well jump in a sandstorm. I waited, for an opportune moment.

But then, I saw Neil come out of a hole just meters away from their fight.

"What the h.e.l.l are you doing?!", I almost shouted. I moved in closer.

I heard Neil provoking the enemy. He"s was always good with words. But when I stood up to rush in, a shockwave suddenly caught me off balance.

I shrugged it off and went in again, but still I was knocked off. Something was in place here.

I went in closer slowly, then sensed for any magical traps in place. Surely enough, there was a forcefield.

And also, oddly, I wasn"t even sensed yet. I attempted to disarm the barrier.

I heard Neil"s screams and yelps. I glanced a few times, and noticed that he wasn"t fighting using his Reactant. If he had it, this guy was a piece of cake. He"s supposed to have a weird curved shaped sword, but right now he"s using a machete of all things.

I frantically attempted to disarm the barrier again.

I must"ve failed a hundres times. This barrier seal is no joke. Casting forth rune after rune, but the f.u.c.king barrier always succeeds to destroy it.

I glanced one more time, to see Neil face down in the dirt, and the Don unconscious and wrapped in some sort of magical chains.

They needed help. Fast.

I was shaking. Everything I did , didn"t work.

"Aaaahh!!", a male voice screamed, followed by an intense flash of light.

It collided with the barrier, shattering it, and resulted in a sparkshow that could almost be pa.s.sed as a show in a circus.

I stared in disbelief. I turned to the man that destroyed the barrier.

Clad in a black cloak, he had the look of stern warrior. He was young, in his teens, and he looks very inexperienced. He went towards me to give me a helping hand.

"Thanks.", I said, while readying my bow.

The stranger nodded, and pulled out a sword from underneath his cloak.

"Let"s go!",

Drawing a frost enchanted arrow, I aimed at his chest, then let loose. The arrow wizzed through the air, little bits of ice trailing back from it.

Frost shards scattered around the impact point, his armor.

Man was it thick. But it was enough to get his attention.

For that one moment, the despair in Neil"s eyes began to fade.