Our Journey

The Path Ahead - Part 2

All fell silent, and Eon glanced over his shoulder in concern...But it was only to see that Max had simply conked out, which relieved him. Heaven’s knew he needed the rest...But this also left Eon to his thoughts as he pressed forward, recent events swirling about in his mind.

There were so many strange occurrences, and all of which revolved around Max himself. Eon just happened to be there, swept up in circumstances he knew nothing about. Clueless, helpless. He hadn’t been able to do anything for Max, while it felt as though Max had done everything for him. He didn’t understand anything, questions burning at the back of his throat, yet unable to receive any answers.

The man with the golden eyes...Eon had been helpless in that entire situation, unable to intervene, but from what he overheard, that man was very acquainted with Max….Who seemed to have been quite shaken by whatever had transpired between the two. There was also the man with those rusty, red eyes...Who were those people? Moreover, why were they after Max to begin with?? And if they were...Why did that man let Max go in the first place??? For the sake of entertainment?

There was just too little that Eon knew, and he felt frustration towards himself. Surely he seemed like a fool, standing around so uselessly.

If push came to shove, was there even anything Eon could do? These threats from Max’s homeland...And the Society. Eon felt as though there was trouble lurking around the corner, waiting for them.

What transpired within his apartment...Surely it couldn’t be kept under wraps forever...And when it came to light...What would happen then? If there came a point where the Society deemed Max as a threat...What would Eon do then?

The Society or Max. Which would he choose?

He was shaken out of his thoughts as a familiar scent brushed past his nose, lifting his gaze and inhaling deeply.

The scent of Humans...Perhaps a small village? Eon was hesitant to go towards it, if that were the case. They likely wouldn’t take kindly to Demons, but Eon needed to find a suitable place to rest. For Max’s sake.

So...Sucking in a small breath, he made up his mind.

Hopefully this little village was in a receptive mood for two, stray Demons.

He pressed forward, the dense trees and undergrowth steadily thinning out before light was visible ahead of him. He could faintly make out the vague shadows of buildings in the distance.

Already at a glance, the village was run down. Not surprising, given it’s location. No doubt it was a victim of frequent Demon attacks. The moment Eon stepped through the threshold, walking along the uneven, dirt paths winding through the little village...All eyes fixated onto him.

...He was wearing his badge right? He felt as though he might have been jumped at any given moment.

Still, Eon continued, undeterred in his search for an inn, eventually finding one in the distance. Run down as it was, anything would do at this point, so he walked inside, making his way over to the reception desk. With a flash of his badge, he ignored the blatant look of disgust shot his way. He couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Your kind ain’t welcome here.” The old man behind the counter spat, a foul odor permeating from him as he gave Eon a toothy scowl.

“But I’m with the Society-”

“So?” The man leaned back in his chair, a noisy creak echoing throughout the tiny room. “What they gonna do? I ain’t gonna let any Demon vermin stay n my inn.” The man made a gesture at Eon with his hand, shooing him away. “Now scram.”

Eon was taken aback by this behavior, but before he knew it, he was already shoved outside, the door slamming behind him.

What...Just happened?? Eon was utterly stunned, but some movement from Max snapped him out of it.

He was awake, emerald eyes, feverish, meeting with Eon’s.

“Are you alright?’ He questioned, giving Max his full attention in an attempt to ground himself.

“Did something...Happen?” Max’s hoarse voice reached his ears, sounding incredibly pitiful.

“Nothing at all. Don’t you worry.” Eon hastily reassured him. “Do you need anything?”

There was a long pause before Max finally replied, as though taking several moments to comprehend Eon’s words.

“...Water.”

“Water??” Eon echoed, glancing around. “Right. Water…” He looked between passerby, but he was either disregarded entirely, or harshly rejected.

Again and again, he tried to reach out to someone, but not a single one of them reciprocated. Doors shut, people shoved past him, or shouted at him.

Water...He just needed some water for Max. That was all.

“Don’t worry...I’ll get you some.” Eon spoke up again, though it felt as though he was trying to reassure himself more than Max.

Setting Max down and resting his back against a tree, he pulled out his flask, he gave it a little shake, a slight sloshing sounding off from within. There was hardly any water remaining in it’s contents, but Eon gave every last drop to Max, reaching out to press his palm against Max’s forehead.

He was hot to the touch. Burning actually.

Hoisting Max back up, he frantically glanced around.

Was there truly no one who would lend them their assistance??

Not even one??

Eon gave his everything to protect Humans...His time, his energy. He dedicated his very life to them, and yet...Why was this how he was treated in return? What had he done wrong to deserve this treatment?? This wasn’t even for him, it was for Max, and Max had certainly done nothing wrong at all.

Frustration burned at the back of his throat, feeling lost.

What was he even fighting for…?

Certainly not to be treated like this.

Helpless, exasperated frustration boiled, but no sooner than it did, Eon realized they weren’t alone.

He had long since stepped away from the little village, and he highly doubted any of the villagers would have gone out of their way to follow him. Quite the opposite side of the spectrum, they seemed as though they’d have rather pretended he didn’t exist whatsoever.

Hand resting on the holster at his hip, Eon grasped his pistol, his tail going tense.

“Whose there?” He demanded, for certain, aware of the nearby presence. “Come out where I can see you. Now. I’m not in the mood to play games.” He hissed, tail thudding noisily against the dirt in agitation.

Strained silence ensued...Until finally, someone crept out from the nearby shrubbery.

Like many Raoulian’s, this fellow boasted dark skin and layered, jet black hair, which reached just past his chin...But curiously, he also sported a pair of nicked, black ears, and a dog-like tail. A bizarre sight, to say the least, especially given his scent. Neither Human, nor Demon. Eon couldn’t discern which scent might have been stronger, but this man was clearly not Human.

“Alright, alright, you caught me-” A somewhat, deep voice called out before cutting off halfway, transitioning into a startled shriek as Eon fired a shot just before his feet. “-Hey!” The man’s fur bristled in outrage, royal blue eyes staring Eon down. “I came out like you wanted, so why-”

“Because I’ve decided you’re not Human, and there’s nothing in my rule book saying I can’t pump your hide full of bullets.” Eon shot back, on edge, finger resting on the trigger. “Any particular reason you were lurking behind that bush, other than to take a leak like the pup you are?”

The blue-eyed man narrowed his eyes, ears flattening against his head.

“...Well aren’t you friendly?” He frowned, throwing his arms up into the air to show he was unarmed. “Your friend over there. He’s not looking too good.”

“Ya think?” Eon snapped, feeling as though he might lash out at any moment, his nerves shot.

“Easy now.” The man said, flashing a metallic cylinder of sorts attached to his waist. Upon closer observation, it appeared to be a flask. “...You need water, right? I saw you asking around the village.”

Eon fell silent, clearly skeptical until Max’s shallow breathing once again reached his ears from behind him.

“...Don’t try anything funny now.” Was his only response, gesturing for the stranger to come closer with a single flick of his tail, watching his every step.

“...How do I know you’re not going to pump me full of bullets after I give it to you?”

“How do you know I’m not going to if you don’t?” Eon fired back sharply.

The man looked clearly exasperated, his ears flicking back again as he eventually made his way over, albeit reluctantly.

Eon didn’t take his eyes off of the man the entire time, finally being given the flask before giving it a cautious sniff.

“What, do you think it’s poisoned or something?” The man rose an eyebrow.

“I’m not naïve enough to assume anything when a stalking stranger pops out of nowhere lending a convenient, helping hand.”

“Fair.”

Eon disregarded the shady man for the time being, checking the contents of the flask, and feeling relief.

Just ordinary water. Finally, he made his way over to Max to give him the flask’s contents, and immediately, there was a visible difference. His complexion seemed to improve, settling back down into a presumable deep sleep.

Would he be alright now? One less thing to fret about for Eon, but now he had this sudden stranger to deal with, and exhaustion set in alongside his relief. He had been on the move for what felt like ages now. Had he even slept since leaving Sahrim? He couldn’t recall. He wondered how long he would be able to keep going on like this before he collapsed.

“You need a place to rest?”

The sudden offer reached Eon’s ears, this man’s generosity seeming more and more suspect...But Eon wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth at this point. He would simply count his blessings, even if he remained cautious.

“...If you have one to offer.” He replied, too tired to question anything any further. He simply plucked Max up once again, following after this man towards his supposed resting place.

Their journey would lead them to a run down, raggedy shack along the village outskirts. The structure was barely holding itself together, but stepping through the door threshold, it was a clear different in temperature. Any kind of shelter would have been suitable at this point, and it was obvious that the home was inhabited. It was anyone’s guess as to what might have happened to whoever lived here, but Eon could come up with a few assumptions.

Either way, if there was a bed, this was suitable for him. He simply wanted some place to let Max rest.

The unsurprisingly interior matched the exterior. Dusty, dilapidated, but acceptable. There was also a worn out bed, which was exactly what Eon needed.

Like a fretting parent, Eon buried all of his worry and skepticism under his need to keep watch over Max. He allowed his mind to be dominated by that need.

And slowly...The light gradually faded from the sky overhead.

As if pulled up from underwater, Max’s consciousness flickered back on almost violently, a brown, rickety ceiling reflecting within his vision. If he were to push himself up to sit, he realized he felt significantly better in comparison to when he last recalled.

Looking to the side by chance, he was surprised by what he saw.

His body half propped up by his arms as they rested on the bedside, Eon was in a deep sleep, his exhaustion reflecting heavily in his complexion...It didn’t take an incredibly vivid imagination for Max to guess that Eon had been taking care of him this entire time. Probably excessively.

Guilt prickled at his chest at this thought, and Max carefully slipped out of the bed, draping some of the dusty covers over Eon’s shoulders.

He was dragging Eon into his problems far too much. It wasn’t right...If things continued like this...Max feared whatever the outcome may have been later down the road. Truthfully, Max wanted to quietly slip away, but something stopped him as soon as he stepped outside the threshold of the front door.

He was hesitant to simply disappear, glancing over his shoulder.

“So you slip away without a word, and then what?” A deep voice stopped Max in his tracks.

...But more than the sudden voice, was the familiarity of that voice. Familiar enough to make his heart stop within his very chest.

A figure seemingly clad in black was just beside the doorway, leaning against the shaggy wall.

Royal blue eyes. Jet black hair. A face he never thought he’d ever see again. Max couldn’t help himself from staring at the man, stunned.

“...A...aron?” The name escaped him in a hushed whisper, almost afraid to say it, believing this seeming apparition might vanish the moment he did.

But those royal blue eyes didn’t reflect the same familiarity, instead colored with confusion at the name, and Max soon realized the pair of ears atop his head. No, upon a closer glance, he sported a tail as well.

The man that came to Max’s mind was not like this, and although the resemblance was uncanny, Max knew it couldn’t be so.

A feeling not unlike despair settled vaguely within his chest, but he buried it within.

“...I thought you were someone else for a moment. You’ll have to pardon me.” He corrected himself, casting the man a curious glance. “Who are you?” He questioned, taking note of his unique features...A Lupine Demon? That appeared to be the case, but this man had a different smell...Human, or Demon? “You smell...Artificial.”

Max recognized that scent in the back of his mind somehow. As though he were a jumble of creatures mashed together into something indiscernible.

“...No, I suppose the correct question would be; what are you?”

“...Sharp, aren’t you?” The wolf rose an eyebrow, seemingly impressed as he pushed himself off from the wall. “But let’s forget about me for a moment...Do you really plan to just hustle on off like that?” He questioned, glancing off towards the doorway. “That acquaintance of yours seems to be the type who would rush right on after you, without giving any regards to his own safety. Can’t say it’d be wise running around with the Society or the Order watching.”

That would be just like Eon to rush on off after Max, but his interest was piqued at the wolf’s words. Or rather, the mention of specific ones.

“...The Order??” This wasn’t referring to the Society. The man had said the two separately, so this ‘Order’ was something else entirely.

“I’m surprised you don’t know about them...No, then again, it would be more surprising if the Society openly talked about their past...Collaboration, I suppose you could say.” The wolf shrugged, tail swishing gently behind him as he spoke. “The two used to be one organization in the past. Supposedly your anti-demon weapons were just one of the many outcomes of said collaboration. Or so I’ve been told.”

Max couldn’t say he knew much about the Society to begin with, and rather than continuing to be interested in the subject, he began to feel more suspicious of this man himself.

“And that has to do with your warning, how?”

“Well…” The wolf-man paced around Max, circling him as though a predator would while fixating on it’s prey. “Just as it’s the Society’s creed to end Demonic kind, the Order’s creed is quite the opposite. They believe the Demon’s themselves hold all of the information to ending the feud between Human and Demonic kind. Studying them, modifying them...That sort of thing. You can imagine how enticing two oddballs such as yourselves would be.”

Max felt as though he were being provoked somehow, ears flicking back as he stared the wolf-man down.

“And what does that make an ‘oddball’ such as yourself, pray tell?”

“...Who knows??” The wolf-man shrugged with a clearly provocative smile, enthused. “Instead of suspecting me, I think you should be thanking me, don’t you?” He questioned, daring to lift Max’s chin after grabbing ahold of it.

That just about topped the cake for Max, flexing his claws and swiping at the wolf-man moments after, who stepped back with a smug grin.

He was a fool to have thought this man was anything like Aaron. He wasn’t nearly this obnoxious or boorish. To assume they were even remotely alike would have been disgraceful towards him, actually.

“Wow, you’re just as temperamental as a cat.”

“And you’re as ignorant as a dog. Ever head or personal space?” Max hissed, tail lashing behind him in irritation. “Can’t expect you to. Dogs are always so quick to be slobbering over practically anyone.”

“Temper, temper.” The wolf-man shook his finger from side to side, disappointed.

Perhaps because of the slight commotion, it was right about then, that Eon came rushing out of the run down house.

He seemed to be in a bit of a panic, perhaps thinking something had happened, but as he spotted Max, he clearly relaxed...Or well, before casting the wolf-man a sharp glance.

“The hell are you doing to him?” He scowled, checking Max over fretfully.

“Just having a casual conversation, is all. I wouldn’t dare touch such a doting parent’s child.”

“A what-I’m not-” Eon frowned, clearly displeased, but...He was fretting an awful lot. Couldn’t deny that. “...Enough. What are you up to? What do you want??” He decided to question, knowing that this man had to have been expecting something in return for his assistance. Eon refused to believe he would have lent all this help without there being some sort of catch. There had to be an ulterior motive.

“Well since you’re going out of your way to ask…”

Eon called it, but he still let the man finish speaking. He owed him that much, at the very least, if nothing else.

Uninterrupted, the man continued.

“I’ve heard that some Hunter’s accompanied by a big shot from the Society have been lurking around lately...Perhaps searching for something?? Or maybe *someone*?” The man added in that last bit suggestively. “Either way, I want you to accompany me to one of the Societies nearby branches, and safely. Simple, right?”

Somehow, this answer was anticlimactic, and extremely worrisome, in a lot of ways.

Putting his request aside, Eon felt concerned at the mention of Hunter’s being on the move, accompanied by a big wig, at that...Eon couldn’t recall of a single time that any of the Lumin accompanied a patrol or mission personally...This gave Eon a sense of foreboding.

“...The Society isn’t exactly the listening type, y’know.” He answered after a drawn out pause, pushing his sense of worry aside for the time being.

“And that’s precisely why I want you with me. You work for them, right? You’ve got that badge, after all. Consider it as an insurance policy.”

Eon looked more and more skeptical, but he couldn’t exactly find a plausible reason to deny the man’s request aside from that very skepticism. He just wanted to be escorted to the closest Society branch, and nothing more...The request was simple enough, but it was because it was so simple, that Eon felt suspicious.

...But perhaps returning to one of the branches might have been a good idea, given Max’s condition. Maybe they could do something about it.

“...Fine. I’ll escort you there, and that’s it.” He frowned, flicking the tip of his tail slightly. “Got it?”

“Sounds perfect to me. I think we’ve got ourselves a deal.” The man hummed, clearly pleased as he extended a hand out towards the two. “I’ll be looking forward to our temporary union then. You can call me Kaede.”

Eon didn’t return the gesture, crossing his arms and eyeing the man from the corner of his eye. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about this, and a small sigh escaped his lips. He didn’t bother himself to stifle it.

His gaze lifted to the sky, not a single fleck of blue visible past the darkened gray...Perhaps it would snow again soon.

Like the sky, Eon felt as though the path ahead of him was uncertain, clouded. He had no way of knowing where this path ahead of him would lead, but as his gaze fell back down to Max, he felt a small sense of ease. Max’s presence gave him a strange, uplifting comfort. He felt more grounded.

For now, he would simply continue walking down this path just ahead of him...Wherever it may take him.