Our Journey

Prologue

A deafening scream in the dead of night. The cut off cry of terror, the bestial noises, and the sound of rending flesh was all that sounded off in the eerie silence.

Not a soul walked the dirt paths, yet they all knew. They knew what had transpired just beyond the bare minimal safety of their homes.

They held their breath, not daring to step beyond those boundaries, waiting for the momentary danger to vanish back into the black night...It was only then, that they began to gather among themselves, speaking in urgent, anxiety filled whispers.

“Another dead…” One began, barely hidden hysteria laced within his voice.

“How long will this go on?” Another questioned, the anxious murmuring peaking all the more with each passing moment.

“I don’t want to die!!” A shrill voice joined the chorus of terror.

“Everyone calm down! Cool your heads!!” A more level headed voice bellowed over the rest, worn with age. “Do you intend to draw it’s attention back to us?!” He urged, pressing his wrinkled hands together in an almost silent prayer.

Yet...Despite his words, he felt the same fear and hysteria as his fellow villagers...What was he to do? Day by day, the endless slaughter continued.

Who would be next? When would the creature strike again? Tonight?? Tomorrow??? Neither he, nor any of the others could possibly know if and when their lives would be cut unexpectedly short.

The only thing he could do was pray.

Pray that they would survive yet another darkened night.

………….

Morning.Bright light filtered in through a partly opened window, hitting the face of an individual who had been sleeping soundly.

Eventually, his eyes would open, one a deep, blood red, and the other a dazzling, icy silver. His vibrant, violet hair falling down just past his chin as he sat up and glanced out the window absently.

“…” A small sigh escaped his lips before he pulled himself out of the comfort of his bed, not even bothering to remake it.

His home was small, minimalistic at best. He only kept what was absolutely necessary within his living space. Aside from those basic furnishings, there was nothing. The home lacked anything that gave a sense of a person living within it, but that was fine. He just didn’t need anything more than that.

He wasted no more time than what it took to get ready for the day, slipping a single pistol into a holster at his waist, and heading out the door.

Outside was surprisingly quiet, despite being the city, but that was only short lived as he would eventually turn off onto the main streets.

Life there was the complete opposite of the quieter residential district. No matter where you looked, people cluttered the cobblestone walkways, large buildings towering over everything.

...But the moment they would lay their eyes on him, he was given a wide berth.

As though parting the sea of people merely by walking the path ahead of him, he was actively avoided, a clear look of distrust shot his way by any who passed by.

Whispers, murmurs, and those looks of disgust practically fired his way...What with his strangely colored hair and eyes, he might have looked anything but Human...And that was because he simply wasn’t.

The thick and smooth, dark colored tail that swayed behind him only further attested to that fact.

Given such bizarre looks, it was no wonder they gave him such looks, even if he hadn’t done a single thing to any one of them...But that’s just the way things were. The way Humans were.

Judging one based on appearances alone, their differences, and their strangeness...That’s what Humans based their impressions off of, but he paid it no mind. He simply disregarded them all, and continued onward towards his destination.

A massive building towered over all in the center most part of the city, away from the noisy hustle and bustle.

Given it’s grandeur and size, it almost resembled a more modernized castle of sorts, as one might say. Maybe even a mansion, a very, very large one. With it’s large, ascending staircase, one might even think they were walking up to the gateway of another world entirely. Perhaps even be overwhelmed.

A giant set of doors sat atop the stairs, a large banner with a peculiar symbol boasting a spiral in the center displayed proudly above.

Once inside, a large foyer like area spread out as the entry point. Smooth, marbled floors glistened brightly against the sunlight that filtered in from the dome like windows just above.

Rather, the inside really was impressive, even by his own standards, and it would seemed his arrival was within good timing.

“Eon.” A voice called out from the bottom of one of the two, large staircases that led to the second floor.

The voice belonged to a young man with slightly darkened, blackish hair. Perhaps closer to a dark gray. His brown eyes locked onto him with an all too familiar animosity that was almost disappointingly predictable.

“...What?” Eon finally responded after a drawn out silence, expressing his disinterest without restraint.

His complacent response in turn, only further fueled that aggravated expression painted across the other man’s face. Of course, this was by some part intentional on Eon’s part.

“The Chief’s calling for you.” He replied tartly, withholding his urge to spit at him. “You best hurry on off to him like the lapdog you are.” He added in mockingly.

In response, Eon’s brow gave the slightest twitch, but he refused to give the man any sense of satisfaction from his crude remarks.

“Jealous?” Eon smoothly shot back in retort before taking off towards the second floor with a flick of his tail.

He felt as though he heard the man mutter something else in return, but Eon didn’t bother with trying to make any sense of it. He felt satisfied with getting the last word in anyhow.

The second floor was a series of hallways beyond one point, lined with doors on one side that were mostly living spaces for those who worked here. However, these were not the destination that Eon was heading for, going in the opposite direction until he reached a particular door, pausing for only a moment before he gave the wood a small knock.

“Enter.” A voice called out softly from beyond the door, and Eon didn’t waste a beat in entering the room upon being given permission.

The room inside was filled to the brim with a disarray of paperwork and books. Obviously, this gave it an extremely unkempt feel, and yet, somehow, there was an inexplicable sense of organization as well.

At the center of the room was a large desk, and sitting at it, a man with ashen colored hair, and hazel eyes bore down at Eon.

However, unlike the man before, while this man’s gaze held a keen glint, there was no sense of hostility. There was only that sharp look. As though he were able to see right through Eon entirely, like he were as transparent as glass.

“You needed to see me?” Eon spoke up, holding the man’s gaze in an almost stubborn manner.

“Indeed. There was something I had in mind for you to tend to.” He spoke up on the dime, roaming his mess of a desk with his eyes until he plucked up a single stack of papers. He flipped through them quietly for a moment as though ascertaining something before speaking up again. “We’ve just gotten a plea from the farming village to the East.” He explained, the dry sound of him flipping through another page echoing in the quiet room. “It would appear they’re suffering from more frequent attacks than mentioned before.”

“I thought the Society initially turned down their request.” Eon interrupted him.

“Ah yes, I suppose their concern had risen upon the fact that this one might be a Glutton.”

This alone, piqued Eon’s interest, the tip of his tail giving a slight flick.

“A Glutton?” He echoed, turning his gaze off to the side a bit before a dry laugh escaped his lips. “...And let me guess, that’s why they’re having you send me.” He added in, his gaze locking back onto his superiors. “...Am I wrong?”

After all, what better way to deal with a monster than with another monster, as some would say? They wouldn’t waste their precious ‘Human’ resources on something so dangerous, after all.

“Precisely.” The response was without delay. “Of course, it may simply just be your average kind, but either way, be careful.” The man continued, beckoning Eon over so he could give him the paperwork containing the details.

Eon skimmed those papers over without missing a beat.

“I trust you’ll be able to handle it?’ The question reached his ears, in which Eon gave the man a slight grin in response.

“Of course. What do you take me for? I’ll have it taken care of.” He answered before taking his leave after being briefed on the details.

The particular village he was meant to head to was quite far away. Close to the forest that separated the more central part of the country from the shorelines….But this honestly didn’t bother Eon. Rather, he’d be more than happy to get away from the city for a little while, even if it was only until he would inevitably arrive at the village in question.

From the city, to the village was about a two week travel on foot. More than enough time for Eon to get a breather from the Humans that he was so keen on having.

Of course, that would end all too soon once he finally arrived at his destination.

It was quite a contrast in comparison to the city he came from, surrounded on one side by a vast field and the forest beyond it. From the side Eon came from, there wasn’t another city or village for miles upon miles...Honestly, it came as no surprise that such a helplessly situated village was frequently attacked by Demons. Practically dinner already served on a silver platter.

As he closed the distance, an earthy scent tickled at his nose, being somewhat dry, even though there was a forest not too far away. He had to resist the urge to sneeze.

Sucking in a small breath to accustom himself to the odd scent, he made his way past the broken, run down gates of the little village.

Once he was inside, the village could have been likened to a ghost town upon first glance. Hardly a soul walked the dirt laden roads, and if it weren’t for his somewhat acute sense of smell, he wouldn’t have thought this place was inhabited at all.

He could detect them, and he could feel them. Holed up within the ‘safety’ of their little, wooden homes. He could feel their stares as they peered out at him. Their unease and fear. Hell, he could practically smell it. The stench was heavy in the air, making it stagnant.

It certainly didn’t get any better when they actually saw Eon up close and personal. The air went ice cold, tension igniting the air. He half expected to get attacked right here on the streets with the way the air was just charged with aggression and anxiety.

He gave the report he was given another quick once over, glancing around until he spotted a particular home in the distance. According to the report, it would have been the elders house, the source of this request.

Eon didn’t even bother to knock before entering the home, greeted by a variety of weapons pointed at him...Or...Rather than calling them ‘weapons’, they were more of a variety of farm tools, and anything else they could get their hands on, it seemed.

Despite the obvious aggression directed at him, however, Eon did little more than heave a sigh as he scanned the room, spotting an elderly man smack dab in the center of the circle of aggressors.

“Are you the elder?” He questioned, flashing his hefty stack of papers before simply thrusting them out in front of him. “I represent the Society. If you’d prefer to turn me away, I have no qualms with leaving. Considering you’ve got all these guard dogs hounding me, I can’t imagine how I’d get close enough to discuss any real business with you.”

“No, wait! Please!!” The elder hastily interjected before Eon could take his leave, albeit he had no real intention to. “You’re who they sent?” He questioned, giving Eon once over, his complexion pale.

Eon could practically hear him saying ‘But you’re a Demon.’

The man’s expression said it all.

“Well, I don’t think you can afford to be choosy at the moment, now can you?” Eon spoke up on the dime with a somewhat smug grin. “Would you care to give me the details of what you know? Or are you gonna stand around and gawk all day? I’m sure you know most Demon’s are more active at night, but hey, I don’t mind waiting.”

“...Ah, yes!” The man straightened his back, hastily taking a seat after dismissing the other men.

There was a long stretch of strained silence before the man finally heaved a sigh.

“...For the past several months now, a Demon has been devouring people every night.” He began, folding his arms and pressing his clenched fists against his wrinkled forehead. Perhaps because of the constant stress, he looked much older than he actually was. “The corpses gather up. Night after night...I fear if things continue like this, the beast will continue gorging itself until there’s nothing left…”

“...Are you sure it’s just one?” Eon questioned after hearing him out, feeling like the details about the actual Demon seemed to be lacking throughout the report.

“That’s...Well…” The elder’s voice trailed off, looking unsure. “...None of us have actually seen the beast. We all try to remain indoors at night to reduce the chances of being attacked.”

“…” Eon struggled to restrain his sense of annoyance and exasperation at these words. “...So you’re telling me while one of your own gets eaten every night, you just coop yourself inside the entire time while thinking you’re somehow safer than being out in the open?” He questioned, his tail trembling a bit.

Indoors or outdoors were all the same. In terms of eyesight, sense of smell, strength...Literally everything was far superior to that of Humans. If a Demon wanted to get inside someone’s home, it would be as simple as the thought alone. Eon would essentially be going in blindly on this one. He only hoped that he was dealing with just one. One with a big appetite. He couldn’t imagine the trouble of having to take out a group of them.

“...Well either way, I’ll take care of it.” He finally replied, pushing his worries aside for the time being.

“A-Ah! Thank you!! As for lodgings, I could-”

“I don’t need any.” Eon interrupted him. “With any luck, I’ll have this problem taken care of by tonight.” He added in, leaving without another word.

By the time he left the elders house, the sun was already high in the sky. It was surprising to see how much time he had already wasted, but Eon was still certain he’d be able to wrap this up fairly quickly.

At this point, some of the people who had been previously cooped up indoors were steadily coming out of their homes and into the open...And it went without saying that Eon was the center of attention, albeit not in a good way.

No. Those all too familiar stares fixated on him relentlessly. The fear. The distrust. The barely hidden hatred. Their whispers and murmurs rung out, reaching his ears.

“A Demon?”

“What’s it doing here??”

He couldn’t block them out, being so close to him as he passed by, each giving him a wide berth. Women held their children close, and the men close by, gripping their working tools as they looked ready to pounce any moment…As though Eon himself might lash out at any moment.

“It can’t be...Is that the one from the Society?? The elder mentioned something about it…”

“...But he’s a Demon, so why…?”

“No, it makes sense...After all, it takes a monster to kill a monster.”

Those words alone made Eon halt in his tracks, throwing a glance over his shoulder.

Even if they were his own thoughts back at the Society, they still made him wince.

He wondered if there would ever be a day when their words would no longer strike at his heart like this.

After all, they were just that...Words.

Yes. That’s all they were. He simply had to block them out. They were nothing new, after all.

He focused on the task at hand. Somewhere within, or near this village, a Demon was lurking. Waiting for the next chance it could steal a Human away for an easy meal. Perhaps it was even walking among these people, disguised as a Human, looking no different from any other. Even now, Eon could detect the faintest traces of it’s scent. There was no doubt that it was nearby. He thought so as his gaze trailed over the passing people.

Surely it would make it’s presence known once it was in the dead of night. He decided it would be best to set up a small place to sleep among the village outskirts and wait. Being further away from Humans would help him feel calmer after all, and like that, the hours ticked by, the sky growing ever darker.

All would eventually go silent, the distant noises of the village going quiet.

Once the sky had gone completely dark, Eon lost sense of how much time had ticked by, but there came a point where he was suddenly hit with the sensation that he was not alone.

The presence was faint, but he could still sense it, catching the faintest whiff of the Demon’s scent.

He wasn’t sure if this was intentional, or this Demon simply wasn’t that intelligent. Regardless, he was poised and alert, his fingers just barely brushing the handle of his pistol, still resting within it’s holster at his hip.

It was coming closer, stirring within the shadows.

Perhaps it had been trying to get the jump on him, but Eon had already pinpointed the creature before that assumption could be proven to have any merit.

“If you’re trying to sneak up on me, you’re doing a piss poor job at it.”

He hissed, his eyes narrowing in a particular direction that seemingly had nothing hidden within it...But soon enough, something crept out from the shadows.

A lithe, muscular body, black as night, only silhouetted by the bright moon overhead. The creature stood on all fours, large, razor sharp claws glistening in the moonlight. If one looked closely, you could see the long, whip like tail swishing in the air behind the beast.

Touch scales covered it’s body, yet it’s underbelly was smooth and soft. It’s glowing, bright red eyes glinted along it’s narrow face, reflecting a raw, animalistic hunger.

“I was wondering where you were hiding, and then you come right out on your own? Got a death wish or something?” Eon spat, his gaze fixating on the creature without flinching. He wasn’t the least bit intimidated, despite the obvious difference in size between the two of them.

The creature simply regarded Eon with a chilling, blood red stare before letting out an amused cackle.

“I thought I smelled another nearby, but aren’t you a curious sort?” It bellowed, it’s voice bestial and deep, holding no definitive sense of what it’s gender could have been. The creature seemed intrigued with Eon’s presence, circling him slowly in a predatory manner. “Whatever could you be doing here? Surely not to devour the Humans nearby? I’m afraid I’m not so generous that I’d be willing to share.” It added in, a large grin creeping upon it’s face, it’s fangs glinting brightly.

Eon narrowed his eyes, somewhat surprised, if he had to be honest. There weren’t too many occurrences where he stumbled across one of these that had been capable of speech. Most were more beast-like in behavior, unintelligent, but this one seemed on the opposite side of the spectrum. These types were different from Eon. They were rarely intelligent.

“I can’t say I share your foul tastes.” He frowned, not bothering to hide his clear disdain. “I couldn’t even dream of ingesting something so foul. I’d get indigestion for sure.” He shrugged, his gaze not once leaving the beast as it paced about. “My only objective is to put an end to your feeding spree.”

The Demon bared it’s fangs, a low growl trembling from it’s throat.

“Why should I? What’s so different from how they eat fowl or cattle? Humans are no different to us. Food is food.” It hissed, throwing it’s head back as it inched closer to Eon, getting a whiff of his scent. “...You reek of them.” It’s voice rung low. “...So you’re their pet, are you?” It laughed, the noise echoing loudly throughout the air as the creature seemed to find this terribly amusing. “Come now, a little thing like you couldn’t possibly-”

But Eon didn’t give the creature another moment to ramble on, the sound of a click resounding as he pressed the barrel of his pistol against the creatures head.

“...Are you done?”

The beast let out a deafening cry of defiance, but not an instant passed before it was cut off abruptly by the loud bang of a gunshot.

The beast writhed, a practical scream of agony ripping from it’s throat in it’s last moments before it collapsed onto the dirt with a sickening shudder.

The scent of blood began to fill the air, making his stomach churn a bit, and he cast his gaze off to the side for a moment before glancing back at the now lifeless corpse. The once blood red eyes were now clouded and glazed over with death.

Even looking down at his own kind like this, Eon felt nothing. He felt no anger, nor disgust, nor sympathy. He’d long since shut these emotions away.

He felt no regret or sorrow.

With a flick of his tail, he simply left the corpse behind, his job done.