Chapter 3 Memories that keep you near
The kitsune made a fire in the woods of the forest. The roaring camp fire crackled and popped. Io sat leaning against a tree, Eldfell lay sleeping in the space between hi legs his head rested on his chest. Io arms lay wrapped around his lithe frame. The fire cast light shadows across the two boys. Io began to stroke Eldfell’s raven locks with his dark blue painted fingers. The kitsune yawned and kept stocking his hair. Eldfell lay asleep on his chest, his mouth was slightly parted, a rouge raven lock hung in his face.
The kitsune held him tightly still playing with his hair.
‘I remember how you got your name Eldfell, I also remember when and how you came into my life’
The kitsune walked to the river and saw a small raven haired boy standing by the river. His gray skin glowed in the moon light, his longish short raven hair framed his face, his red eyes gleamed and seemed to glow in the darkness. Black wings came from his back. He was wearing a tight sleeveless black tang top and black pants that molded to his lithe frame. Strange black marking came up his arms.
Io stood and watched the small demon stare into the pools of the river.
“Hey!” he called to him. The demon turned to him, his emotionless face was gray and forlorn. The kitsune walked up to the demon. The winged demon stared at him his eyes widened with fear, he then stepped back tripping and falling backwards on the ground. Io chuckled and held out his hand to the demon.
“For a demon your awful clumsy, hey will you come with me?” he asked with a smile. The demon’s eyes widened in shock, he then slowly reached out and grabbed his hand. The kitsune helped him stand up he then lead him back up the river path.
A group of bandits stood waiting for Io to return. The kitsune returned with the demon behind him. The group stared at him with wide eyes. The kitsune smiled and pulled the demon in front of him.
“This is a young demon I think he can help us with some of your goals don’t you think” the kitsune smiled patting the demon on the head. The demon gave him a small smile.
“Good job Io now we’ll be unstoppable with two demons on our side” on bandit cheered.
“We’ll be rolling in the riches soon” the other yelled happily. Suddenly the demon boy clutched his head and breath heavily. The man stopped cheering and looked at the demon. The dark demon fell to his knees clutching it’s head, it body suddenly stared to change it form. His hair hung in his face and his skin began to gin some color to it the black markings disappeared. His wings recoiled back into his back disappearing from sight. His skin turned pale white his eyes stopped glowing and turned a dull red.
He then looked back up at the bandits. His face and body was human. The bandits made a discussed face at him.
“A half breed!” one of the men yelled. Io stared at the now human boy with wide eyes.
“He’s no good” another said.
“He’s worthless!” another spat. One of the bandits drew his sword and walked towards the boy. The dark boy winced and put down his head to stare at the ground as if offering himself to be killed.
“Stop” Io said calmly. The bandit with the sword looked at him. The kitsune then walked around to kneel in front of the half breed.
“Were are you from little one?” he asked. The boy looked up at him.
“I-I can’t remember, I don’t know anything about myself or even were I am, I can only remember from moments ago when you came to me” he said with a small voice.
“Do you remember your name?” he questioned. The boy shook his head no. his face seemed distant and far away. The kitsune then smiled and wrapped his arms around the boy pulling him close.
“Eldfell, that will be you r name form now on sound good?” the boy then wrapped his arms around the kitsune’s frame. Feeling a sudden bliss wash over him.
Io then smiled and yawned, his finger still idly brushing through his hair. His eyes became heavy and fluttered closed.
The two slept for a while. Eldfell woke up a while later. His eyes eased open suddenly aware of his surroundings. He then sat up and looked up at the sleeping kitsune. Eldfell then brushed a lock of his dull golden hair form his eyes. Eldfell smiled and rested his chin on his caller bone staring up at the kitsune.
‘I owe you all of what I am, I will do anything for you because you saved me from myself, I will..’
Eldfell leaned his face closer to Io’s until his lips were inches away from Io’s.
‘..do anything for you’
Eldfell then closed the gap between them with a soft kiss. He then rested his head on Io’s chest and fell back asleep.
The kitsune awoke to the sound of footsteps in the brush. His eyes fluttered open, he then sleepily looked around him his arms still wrapped around Eldfell. Suddenly a the figure came into view, the kitsune then smiled and relaxed himself happy that the company was identified.
“I’ve finally found you Io” Arrow said as he walked to him. Io yawned and sat up some holding Eldfell tightly. The kitsune frowned at him and the group of bandits that stood behind him.
“We’re going now” he stated bitterly. Io smirked and cradled Eldfell in his arms as he climbed to his feet. He then fallowed the group through the thick forest.
* * *
The Akachi stood outside of a abandon large stone temple. There was a large wall that wrapped around the temple, the temple was called the Uggi temple it was said to have great treasures from the country of Seresu.
Arrow turned to Io and the other Akachi.
“The Uggi temple may have many treasures inside but there’s only on that we’re after, The seal of the fallen angel” he whispered. Io’s eyes narrowed on Arrow.
The seal of the fallen angel…..a legendry seal that posses great power. It was said to have been lost four years ago, it just vanished into thin air and was never heard of again. This temple was the last recorded resting place of the seal. Io glared at Arrow.
‘What could Kaski possibly want with that seal? If any thing, if it is here then I have to get it first’
Eldfell yawned and stood up next to Io. The kitsune looked to him and smiled. The half demon smirked and jumped up onto the top of the wall. The kitsune smirked and fallowed him.
* * *
The bandits ran around through the temple looking for the seal. They traveled down to the lower levels of the temple, they looked for hours not running into any trouble on their way. The group stopped to rest by the waterway, a dead end. The group grumbled about the seal not being here and some said that they should give up since they could not go further into the temple.
“Arrow lets go back it’s not here” a man complained. Arrow sighed then he looked to Io who was resting on a stone brick. The kitsune turned to him.
“Io can’t you smell around and find it?” Arrow asked. The kitsune sighed and crossed his arms on his chest.
“The scents are to old I can’t tell them apart” Arrow growled and looked around then he turned back to Io. Eldfell walked up to the edge of the waterway, fallowing the water flow. He came to the dead end were the water continued past the wall going through a barred hole in the wall. The half demons eye became dull as he began to hear voices in his head. The voices were muffled and hard to hear. Suddenly he began to see a group of robbed people appear by the waters edge.
An old man wore a dark cloak and carried a lantern in on hand. There was two young boy who stood by his side. The one was wearing a green sleeveless cloak with his hood up covering his brown hair that framed his face. The other was wearing a white and gold cloak , strangely the boys face was never shown to him. The man then hopped down into the water and helped the boys down as well. He then turned to the barred waterway reaching his hand out to touch it. Before he did he spoke to the boys.
“--------, Seluvia what I am about to show you is very important..” his voice became muffled after that.
“Eldfell!” the half demon snapped his head up, the people disappeared. Io was standing next to him with Arrow. “What are you looking at?” he asked. Eldfell looked back to the water way.
“That” he pointed to the barred hole were the water flowed through the wall. “We could probably continue if we crawl through there” Io smirked and hoped down into the flowing water, he then examined the barred hole. Arrow crossed his arms and watched as the kitsune busted through the bars. The bandits then moved into the water and ducked down through the hole. Io turned to Eldfell.
“You coming?” he asked with a smile. The half demon nodded and fallowed Io into the tunnel.
* * *
The group then reached a dead end were the water turned into a small waterfall. Io stood on the edge and looked around the chamber. The room was huge with a high ceiling and made of stone. The kitsune looked down at were the water plunged below into the darkness, he then looked to his left and saw a stone bridge in the middle of the chamber that reached the other side of the room, in the middle of the bridge it came out into a circle. The sound of water surrounded them from the hundreds of tiny waterfalls that poured into the darkness.
Eldfell looked over to the bridge. It was to far for anyone to jump to. Suddenly voices flooded his head again. All of the voices were form different people, the voices talked at the same time getting louder in his mind. He could barely make out what they said.
This place-
---You must listen carefully--
Never forget--
You must----
I will protect--
You can---
It is only you---
I wish it was---
I would never wish for you to---
I’m sorry---
I’ll wait-----you---
There coming---
I’ve seen----
----they will----
They can’t----
The voices hit Eldfell hard, his eyes zoned out his pupils enlarged, his lips parted slightly. The half demon then looked to Io who was looking at him with worried eyes. His lips were moving but he couldn’t hear him the voices drowned him out. Suddenly the voices just stopped snapping Eldfell back to his senses.
“Eldfell!” Io yelled shacking him.
“I’m fine” he finally said. “I was just spacing out” the kitsune then gave him a funny look, then he turned to the outside wall of the waterway.
“Look there’s a small ledge we can sidle across to the bridge” He said matter-of-factly. The group nodded and carefully climbed out onto the ledge and sidled across to the bridge.
The group then stood on the bridge facing the other side of the bridge. Io then walked up to the giant circle, Eldfell fallowed closely behind him. The kitsune stopped at the edge of the circle shape in the bridge, he then looked on the floor and saw engraved markings only in the circle. There was an outer in engraved circle fallowed by another inner in graved circle. In between the two circles edges were strange markings, the center then had a giant engraved feather in the center of the carving. Io crouched down and touched the floor with curiosity.
The bandits walked around the bridge looking for the treasure. Eldfell walked around the circle and stared at it, studying it intently. Suddenly Io’s head snapped up, he quickly looked around the room. Just as he did blood soaked the floor of the bridge. He jumped to his feet and quickly drew his sword, Eldfell looked up at him.
The bandits drew their weapons, a dead bandit lay dead on the floor in a sea of his own blood. Then standing at the other end of the bridge was a herd of demon bests, they snarled and growled at them but made no attempt to attack.
“My, my what do we have here?” a women’s voice called softly. Suddenly she appeared before the herd of demons. She was thin and beautiful with long flowing crimson hair. She had one a tight leather black mid-drift top and tight black pants and boots. Her purple eyes were narrow but beautiful. The women put a hand on her hip and brushed a lock of her crimson cascade from her face.
“A bunch of arrogant humans I see” she sneered. Her eyes then drifted to Io then she smirked.
“Oh, but your not a human now are you?” she asked drawing her sword. The sword was long and thin and made of silver. Io glared at her and readied his sword. Eldfell drew his and stood defensively. Io smirked at the women.
“A babe in the woods huh?” he joked. The women glared at him. “What brings you here?’ he questioned.
“The seal what else, now hand it over!” she yelled. Io’s eyes narrowed at her.
“It’s not here” he snapped at her. The women then frowned and sighed. Then she smirked at him. Suddenly Io turned and parried and attack from behind. The figure then shot away and landed soundlessly next to the women. He had longish blond hair that framed his face. His blue eyes gleamed. He was wearing an all black outfit with a sword in his hand. Eldfell then felt shivers come through his body, his hands became warmed then before. The half demon looked at his hand as it became warmer. Some of his demon powers were slipping out to him for the first time in years. He then clench his fist. He had no idea how long it would last or how much was getting to him, but at least he would have some help.
The blond male frowned and snapped his fingers. Just then the demons charged forward to attack them. The demons ripped apart the bandits in a bloody rampage. The two demons stood and watched the massacre with delight. Io defended himself and killed the demons that attacked him, his sword turned into a bladed whip and slashed through the demons. Eldfell found it easier to fight with his demon powers now that he could react faster then before.
Suddenly the crimson haired women grabbed the bladed whip and held it firmly in his fist. Io’s eyes widened as the blond haired man appeared before the kitsune. Suddenly the bladed whip shattered into thousands of red metal flowers. The flowers swirled around slicing the women’s and demons skin, the kitsune then quickly jumped back dodging the blond males attack.
A cloud of red shimmered around Io. The women held her wounded arm and growled. The blond male smirked and held out his weapon in front of him. Eldfell looked to Io and saw the could of red metal swirling beautifully around him. The half demon then clutched his sword.
‘Io said that you must put your demon energy into your sword to get it to change into a different form, the form depends on the demon energy that used, to control it you must also use your energy’
Eldfell then looked down at his sword, he then poured his demon energy into his weapon.
The blond male charged into the cloud of red, he then slashed at Io. The red flowers moved into a cloud in front of him and parried the attack. The kitsune stood in the middle of the cloud as the petals swirled around him. The blond male growled and continued to attack the petals. The women then poured her demon energy into her sword. It then took the form of lance, fire burned at the end of her blade. She then ran into the cloud of metal and swung her weapon at the cloud of red. Flames jumped form her blade and seeped through the red cloud towards Io. The kitsune then quickly jumped back as the red petals shot at her. She then swung her lance up creating a flaming wall to protect her.
The blond man’s weapon suddenly changed to, it formed into a giant red bladed sword. He then swung it at Io. The kitsune jumped back to dodge it, suddenly the blade extended enough to reach Io. His eyes widened as the sword came down on him. Suddenly two black swords crossed each other catching the red blade in the form of an x. Io looked up at the floating weapons that saved his life. The blades then twisted around pushing the sword away.
The women then dashed towards Io when another black sword was swung at her. She parried the attack with her lance when another sword came down at her, she quickly jumped away from the swords. Suddenly she saw a shadow cast over her as another came down over her. She parried the attack swinging around hitting the sword away from her. She then turned back to Kitsune as a sword pierced through her gut. She looked down and saw a black sword through her stomach. The crimson haired demon then looked up and saw who was commanding the swords. Eldfell stood near Io holding a black katana in his hand and twelve other different shaped swords circled around him.
Io smirked at him and attacked the two demons with the flowers again. Six swords then left Eldfell’s side and fallowed the flowers.
The two demons jumped back to the bridges edge. Suddenly a bloodcurdling screech was heard from the depths of the darkness. A large serpent looking demon rose from the darkness. It’s hide was covered in light blue scales, It’s great big emerald eyes flickered at the four. Eldfell’s weapon returned to it’s original form. His eyes widened. His demons powers had left him.
The demon hissed at the four barring it’s pearly fangs, it then swung it‘s head at the bridge. Red wings came from the blond males back, he then grabbed the women and flew up into the air. Part of the bridge collapsed and fell into the darkness. Io quickly cradled Eldfell in his arms and ran towards to other side of the bridge. The demon swung it’s head and hit Io into the wall, the kitsune shielded Eldfell with his body holding him close as he hit the wall. Io forced himself to stand up again leaning against the wall. He then looked at the wall and saw light streaming through the crakes in the wall. The demon roared and swung it’s head again at the bridge, another section collapsed.
The tiny red flowers shot towards the stone wall behind Io and Eldfell. The cloud of red divided into two groups, the flower hit the wall and exploded as the others shielded the kitsune and half demon.
There was now a hole in the wall leading to an underground tunnel. Io quickly climbed to his feet with Eldfell and ran into the earth tunnel, tree roots hug from the dirt walls and floor. Kitsune could see light at the end of the long tunnel, the kitsune ignored the pain his body from as he pressed on. The blond male looked at to tunnel and shot towards the entrance. The crimson haired women shot a burst of flames at the serpent. Io turned and saw the red angel boy flying towards him, his sword in hand. The kitsune jumped and turned his body to face the man, he held out his hand as roots from the trees quickly tangled between them. The roots kept tangling up forming a thick wall of roots, the blond stopped at the roots and cursed loudly. The kitsune ran out of the tunnel and stopped at the entrance. The tunnel led them into the depths a thick forest.
The crimson haired women sat on the head of the dead demon that laid on the bridge. The blond male walked out of the tunnel and floated to the women, his wings then recoiled into his back. The women frowned.
“They got away” she sighed. The blond man nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.
“It doesn’t matter they were just lowly bandits and a half breed” The man then looked to her wound. “How’s that wound Alexandra?” he asked. The women smirked.
“It’ll take time to heal” she answered simply. “Do you think they had the seal? Kaito?” Kaito looked over at the marking on the floor.
“---Don‘t be ridiculous”
* * *
