Our Journey

Changing Tides

Cold, Winter air permeated through a dense forest, deathly silent aside from the soft crunching of snow, echoing in the distance.

A group of three Demons traveled forward, the only, apparently living things anywhere within sight. Only the vast forest surrounded all, shadowed by the thick canopies and the gray sky overhead. Perhaps snow could start fluttering down at any, given moment, ready to once again blanket everything in nothing but white.

“This is ridiculous.” A single voice rung out, tinged with annoyance.

“The only ridiculous thing here is you. Do you really need so many layers?” Royal blues eyes met with a mix of silver and red.

Eon, who was bundled up so tightly, you could only just barely see face...And maybe just a tad bit of that purple from his hair poking out from beyond his hood.

Needless to say, he looked quite irritated with his black haired companion...Or perhaps it would have been safer to refer to him as their unfortunate tag-along. A reluctantly accepted nuisance. Forced upon, extra baggage. There was a multitude of labels that Eon could find to define this arrangement, and each was entirely accurate.

“Well since you’re so obviously well insulated, how about I shave off some of your fur for some nice gloves?” He shot back, gritting his teeth with a frown, his long, black tail flicking restlessly behind him before he curled it back up tightly.

What he wouldn’t give to have fur of his own right about now.

“I wouldn’t waste my fur on an ungrateful brat like you.” Kaede, the newest addition to their group, fired back on the dime.

Just a little ways behind his bickering companions, Max trailed after them, his own, fluffy white tail swishing in tune with each step, almost melding with the snow in terms of color.

Unlike Eon, Max didn’t necessarily mind the cold, or the unexpected, extra tag-along, even if he was still somewhat cautious of the fellow...But this was perhaps only because Max couldn’t really get a feel for the man. Much like Azuma, he somehow felt like an enigma. Difficult to read...The two were rather alike, he realized, if Max were to think on the subject more.

There was also Kaede’s physical appearance...Max already felt so familiar with it, sharing the same face, the same voice, as someone he once knew...But deep down, he was aware of the fact that they were not the same.

Even so...Maybe because of this, he felt oddly comfortable with the man.

...Didn't that make him naïve, in a sense? He wondered.

He was contemplating such things, before realizing at some point, that Eon’s eyes were quietly watching him, having been glancing over his shoulder. As if to reassure himself that Max was still there, or to simply keep tabs on him. Either way, Max tilted his head to the side just a bit, giving Eon a small smile.

“You feeling alright?” Eon questioned him, slowing his pace to match Max’s. His tone was incredibly soft, gentle...And for that brief moment, Max met Eon’s gaze before turning away with a subtle nod.

He felt strangely self conscious of him.

“Is it still bothering you?” Eon continued to worryingly question him. “The markings.” He elaborated upon Max’s, questioning look.

Max had actually nearly forgotten about them. Those markings staining his neck. He no longer felt any pain or fever from them, making him wonder if perhaps all of it had been a dream. A figment of his imagination.

...But he knew that wasn’t so. He felt it intuitively, even under his clothing, that black twining across his skin. He wondered if this relief would only be a temporary salvation.

“Not for the time being, no.” He finally answered, feeling his tail hang heavily behind him in worry and apprehension. He had no idea of knowing what may happen from here on out. No idea of knowing how these cursed markings would continue to affect his mind and body...And that uncertainty bore down on his chest like lead.

Eon could sense it too, the feeling of unease...But he was at a loss for words on how to reassure Max.

In the end, Eon knew nothing of the bigger picture, and he was beginning to wonder if he ever would.

Kaede, who had been listening in, one of his nicked ears angled back, eventually nosed his way right between the two, loosely handing one arm around Max’s shoulder.

“It’s awfully gloomy back here.” He hummed in a nonchalant tune, tail swaying slightly in the air as he gave Max a blatant once-over. “So...Max, was it? I think I heard something about a somewhat exotic Demon wandering around...But aren’t you a pleasant surprise?”

Max cast Kaede a flat glance before plucking the man’s arm from off of him.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree.” He replied, casting him a sharp look before snuffing him. “Besides, aren’t you particularly ‘exotic’ yourself?”

“Ehhh...Guess so?” Kaede shrugged with a bemused grin. “So are you two hitched, then?” He boldly questioned, giving Max a curious sniff without any regards to personal boundaries. “...Hmm...Doesn’t smell like you’ve been marked yet...So I guess that means you’re up for grabs? Fair game??”

Max was losing whatever ounce of self restraint that he had left. He had been holding back, as it seemed he owed Kaede for his assistance, but...He was definitely itching to sink his claws into the man’s mug, or maybe bite his ears or tail. Any of the above sounded just fine. Whichever came first...Or rather, whichever was within reach when and if he snapped.

“…Hey.” Eon’s voice rung out sharply as tanned fingers dug into Kaede’s arm, practically ripping it away from Max. “Back off.”

He bore his fangs, strangely agitated at Kaede’s lack of restraint as he touched Max. The sight of another man-no another Demon being so close to Max lit a fire in his gut.

The two locked gazes, the air going ice cold with animosity, but it was eventually Kaede himself who backed down.

“...So it’s like that, is it?” He said, not elaborating on his words as he threw his hands up in the air slightly. “My bad. No need to get your tail all up in a twist over it.” With that smug grin on his face, Kaede turned on his heel and walked on just a ways ahead. “Better be careful, then. In just a handful of months, it’ll be that time, after all. There’s not many females around, either.” He chimed in, throwing these, extra comments over his shoulder before going silent for the remainder of their day.

Eon stared daggers into the man’s back before simmering down, recollecting himself...And only then, did he comprehend that he seemingly worked himself up for no, given reason. He couldn’t find a plausible explanation as to why he had, either.

He was certain he could feel Max’s gaze lingering on his own back as well, but if he were to look back now, things would be awkward…Or so he felt.

“...Let’s keep going then. Make sure to speak up if something happens, okay?” The said, refusing to turn around to look at him...Eon couldn’t bring himself to. The tip of his tail curled anxiously before they simply continued forward for the time being.

As the time slipped by, the sky gradually darkened, until it was well into the night, and significantly colder, as well.

Snow once again began to dance down from the gray skies, piling atop what already existed from the previous day. If not for their little campfire they had set up, they would have been freezing by now.

That being said, Eon already felt as though he were, but it could have been worse, right?

Out of all three of them, it wasn’t surprising that Eon was the closest to the open fire, trying to suck in as much of it’s heat as he possibly could. If he got any closer, he might as well have been in the fire, honestly.

Not that he would have minded, at this point.

By this point, Kaede appeared to have already fallen asleep, nestled down by a nearby tree trunk, his back facing them.

All was quiet aside from the occasional, crackling of the fire, causing shadows to dance about in the background.

With nothing to preoccupy his mind, Eon turned his attention to Max, feeling it was about time to check in on him again. He had grown rather observant of him by now, but this had become a sort of natural behavior for Eon.

Max seemed haggard, albeit he wasn’t displaying that openly...Eon was just under the impression that he was in pain. He felt that instinctively.

“Let me see.” His voice echoed softly.

Max was undoubtedly caught by surprise, wondering how Eon had picked up on it, despite his efforts to mask his discomfort. Almost reflexively, he bunched up the fabric around the collar of his shirt, holding it closer to him...But Eon’s silence was indicative of the fact that he wouldn’t back down until Max conceded. He wouldn’t be able to talk his way out of this one.

In the end, Max had no choice, allowing Eon to roll back the collar of his shirt.

Exposed by the flickering firelight, a deep black contrasted against pale skin.

Like poison, the markings pulsated and glowed with ominous light, further searing itself upon Max’s skin. It was unsightly and pitiful...But no matter how long Eon observed it, he knew of nothing that he could do to alleviate Max’s pain...It was a strangely helpless sensation.

“...When did it start?” He questioned, covering the sight back up, as though refuting its existence.

“...Probably a little after we set up camp.” Max hesitantly answered. “It’s not nearly as bad as before...So I’m fine. Really.” He tried to reassure Eon, even if to no avail.

Biting at his thumbnail, Eon tried to think.

“...Do you have any idea what it is?”

For a long moment, silence answered him in return.

“...Probably...Some kind of spell or curse.” Max flicked his ears back slightly, seeing Eon’s worry and frustration. “Don’t feel bad. Even back home, I’d be hard pressed to find anyone who would be able to remove it.” He added in, pulling his knees up against his chest, then resting his chin on them. “Even if I were to go back and say something like that, people would be looking at me like I’ve got crazy in my eyes.” He finished with a small snort, hoping to lighten the somewhat gloomy mood hanging about.

“Yeah?” Eon replied with a little chuckle, leaning back and looking up as the snow fluttered down.

Somehow, that soft white dancing down from the blackened canopies was an ethereal sight.

“Y’know...In Raoul, there’s a legend behind why the snow falls.” He suddenly felt the need to speak up, looking back down at Max. “Wanna hear it?”

Emerald eyes met his own, somehow mystifying, before a little smile reached Max’s lips.

“Sure.”

Eon met Max’s smile before beginning his little story.

“In days of old, it was said Ethriam was ruled by three, sister Goddess’, who breathed life into a once dead world. The eldest was the first to emerge, dividing her power equally to her younger siblings, and with the power of life, those three created all living things onto the Mother Continent. Undivided and prosperous, they led an age of paradise.” Eon drew images into the snow as he told his little story. “...But not all were happy with this ‘Golden Age.’ One God looked upon the sisters with jealousy, envious of their gifts and those who were bestowed with them. He felt as though mortals were undeserving of the gifts they had received, and so, came up with a devious plan. He turned them against the eldest sister...Having been betrayed by those she had gifted, she slowly went mad, turning on her own kin, and creating a rift between herself, and her younger siblings. Soon, Ethriam shuddered, unity split, the Mother Continent broke apart. The two, younger siblings could not bear to see what their eldest sister had become, and thus, turned their eyes away, leaving her side. The youngest, disappearing into the sea, and the middle, returning to the red earth, which would later become Raoul.” Eon drew a line between what appeared to be two continents. “Feeling betrayed by her sisters, the eldest cast a curse upon them; ‘One, shall never return from the sea, forever swallowed by her depths. The other, bound to the earth, swallowed by frozen despair.’” Eon paused for a moment, trying to recall more before continuing. He was certain the actual tale sounded far more poetic, but...This was the best he could do, at least. “And so, the youngest became the sea, and the middle, bound to Raoul, trapped within an endless Winter…However, as the years passed, the eldest sister realized the desolation around her. Engulfed by her rage and despair, she eventually became empty, and finally...She realized her mistake, but even as she did, her curse could not be undone. The damage could not be healed, and so she wept…”

“...And her tears, wrought with regret and sorrow, melted away the Endless Winter.” Max suddenly interjected, relaying the next excerpt from the legend. “But even as she warmed the earth with her tears, unity was forever split, and Winter always returned.” He paused, glancing up at Eon quizzically. “...It was something like that, right?”

“...Yeah.” Eon nodded, a little stunned. “You know the story?”

“Mm...It’s an old tale I remember reading when I was a child.” Max nodded, adding to Eon’s little drawings in the snow. “They say the eldest was lost to her own insanity, and that we, the Demons, as her creations, were lost to that same insanity.”

“I never heard that part before.”

“Farronia was the heart of the Mother Continent. In fact, the legend comes from Farronian culture...I’d say it’s more surprising that you know of it, Eon. Where'd you hear it from?” Max pointed out, casting Eon a curious glance.

“...I dunno…?” Eon blinked, wondering where, in fact, that he heard of such a story...Had he read it somewhere?

Come to think of it, Eon really wasn’t sure...He just...Knew it somehow.

“Hmmm…” It was peculiar, but Max didn’t think there was much point in overthinking the subject. “Well, either way, it’s just a child’s fairy tale.” He nodded, wrapping his tail around himself a little, feeling some of the chill settling in.

“Guess so…” Eon agreed in a bit of wonder before noticing Max shiver a bit, as well as he tried hiding it...But it was difficult to not notice the pink making it’s way through the white fur along his ears. So, he fished out a blanket he snagged from the run down, little shack they holed up in previously. “It’s a little dusty, but it’s better than nothing, right?” He questioned after bundling Max up in it.

He looked like a little, fluffy burrito, but Eon decided not to say that out loud.

“What about you?” Max frowned, feeling as though Eon were thinking up something ridiculous. He just had that look about him.

“Eh, I’m alright. That’s too small for me anyhow.” Eon shrugged. He was quite obviously still cold, but in Eon’s mind, Max always came first.

And that’s why, it came as a surprise when the blanket was suddenly draped around his own shoulders, the feeling of another body shifting close.

He couldn’t suppress the reflex to stiffen a bit, daring to glance down just as he felt a warm, fluffy sensation rest against his shoulder.

Max didn’t meet his gaze, somewhat downcast, his ears flicked back meekly.

“...It’s a little cramped, but it’s better than nothing, right?” The words bounced off his ears, almost mirroring his own from just a few moments prior.

At first, he was startled, but soon, a gentle warmth began to permeate from where their bodies met, warming Eon’s heart.

“...Yeah.” He replied quietly, the base of his tail trembling all the way to it’s tip.

“...You’re happy, huh?” Max’s question shook him, and he couldn’t stop himself from meeting Max’s gaze as he looked up at him. “Your tail is trembling.”

Was it Eon’s imagination, or was there the faintest of smirks across Max’s face??

“...I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Eon pitifully denied, caught red handed or not.

“Mm-hmm.”

Somehow, Eon was hit by the sensation that he lost somehow. A strange sense of defeat.

The two sat there for some time, huddled together as the snow continued flitting down.

“...Eon?” Max’s voice carried softly throughout the air, breaking the silence between them once more. “Do you think...The Society being on the move...Has something to do with what happened in your apartment?”

Eon was in a dream-like languor, but these words spread over him like a wash of cold water.

What happened in his apartment...Truthfully, wondered too. That sense of foreboding returned to him as he recalled how insistent Azuma was about sending them away...He wanted to deny the possibility outright, but the harsh reality was that it was entirely plausible...Likely, even. Perhaps he should reconsider his decision to bring Max back to the Society.

As though reading Eon’s mind, Max spoke up again...But his next words were not ones Eon would have wanted to hear.

“...If it comes down to you having to choose between the Society and myself...I don’t want you to choose me.”

Those words struck out sharply, stabbing at Eon’s heart like thorns.

Only just the other day, Eon feared having to make that decision, and these words revived that fear vividly.

His loyalty to the Society...Or Max. The thought of having to choose between the two tore at him painfully.

Still, Max’s request did not falter.

“Promise me.” Max reiterated, unwilling to take no for an answer.

“That’s…” That’s impossible. Eon wanted to say, but the words stuck to the back of his throat, refusing to come out.

If the Society deemed Max as a threat...There wasn’t anywhere in Raoul that he could find salvation. Between the Society, the Humans, and the other Demons...The people hunting Max down from his homeland as they spoke this very instant...How could he possibly end up being okay? There was just no way.

“...Let’s not talk about something so depressing, okay?” Eon finally said, rejecting the topic adamantly, wrapping the blanket more tightly around Max’s body. “It’s late. Let’s just sleep.”

Almost protectively, he held Max closer, deciding the outcome they spoke of wouldn’t become a reality. He vehemently rejected such a possibility. He couldn’t even allow himself to even consider it as plausible.

No. He shoved the notion aside, as far back within his mind as possible.

For now...Just sleep. Everything would turn out alright. It had to.

And so, he cast aside his worries, soothed by Max’s presence as the night passed on.

Slowly, morning light would begin to filter through the dense tree canopies...And just as slowly, Eon began to awaken, the feeling of Max’s body heat still just beside him. If he were to look down, he would see Max’s face, still sleeping soundly...It was strange how much this sight relieved him. The sight honestly melted Eon’s heart a bit, too, before he sat up, careful to not wake Max, and glanced around.

The ground was still blanketed in snow, and would likely be this way for some time from here on out.

The fire had died out overnight as well...And Kaede appeared to be nowhere within sight. It would have been difficult to miss that jet black pelt against the white snow. He was entirely gone without a trace...Whether this relieved or concerned him, Eon wasn’t necessarily sure. He thought it best to leave this area and cover their tracks, just to be safe. With any luck, it would snow again.

“Max.” Eon called out the sleeping form just beside him, gently shaking Max to rouse him. “We need to go.”

With a slight twitch of those white ears, emerald eyes fluttered open.

For Max, aside from the blinding white all around him, Eon was the first thing he saw...Strangely, it was a somewhat pleasant feeling in which he could not define, but he soon realized Eon was urging him up.

“What’s wrong…?” He questioned, stretching his body out, his tail arching in the air slightly before he gave it a shake.

Morning stretches always felt the most satisfying.

“I just think we should get a move on. It’s not a good idea to stay in the same place for too long, right?” Eon explained, throwing a jacket over the sleepy Max as he packed up their few belongings...Somehow, he couldn’t seem to shake off this feeling of apprehension. That sense of foreboding lingered in the back of his mind, nagging at him almost aggressively.

The sooner they left, the better off they would be.

The duo left behind their little campsite, continuing on deeper into the forest, even as Kaede hadn’t yet returned. Perhaps that was a blessing, however, as it was once again just the two of them. Eon could worry about Max, and Max alone. He felt content with that thought, before a familiar scent tickled his nose.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent.

The scent of people. Another village was nearby. Eon was certain of it. However, given their treatment at the last village he stopped by, Eon was feeling somewhat hesitant to approach.

On the flip side, an opportunity to restock their necessities was tempting, and he weighed the pro’s and con’s...At the worst, they would simply be run out of the village, forced to leave empty handed. He figured something along those lines, worst case scenario, and felt a bit more reassured, gesturing for Max to follow after him with a subtle flick of his tail.

They inched their way closer, tall shadows of buildings visible just ahead...But what awaited them at the top of that tree scattered hill, would have been entirely different than what Eon had been expecting.

Slowly, it became apparent that something was wrong. Terribly wrong. There was no sounds ahead, even though there should have been...And then, came the smell.

A stale, iron laced scent. Blood, and a lot of it. The scent became stronger the closer they got, and with the shift in direction of the wind, he was sent into an olfactory overload.

Eon couldn’t stop himself from covering the bottom half of his face with his forearm, his stomach knotting. The smell was nauseating, still somewhat fresh. An overpowering mix of death, and lingering fear.

By then, they were already at the threshold of the village, the scattered, wooden homes dilapidated, as though they were broken into...And staining the ground, deep, pools of dried blood, marred, mangled corpses laying in pieces. It was a m******e. He didn’t think there was a single soul that survived.

“...Stay close.” He hissed to Max under his breath, glancing over his shoulder to check on him...But oddly enough, Max seemed surprisingly calm. He looked on at the scene without any given reaction other than caution.

Maybe Eon was overthinking that, however, and he returned his gaze ahead of him, pulling out his pistol, and walking forward.

This was the work of Demon’s, no doubt, and probably not just one. They downright gorged themselves, but...Perhaps if Eon looked hard enough, he might find someone who survived the feeding spree…? He was hopeful for that, but the likeliness was next to none.

All around them was nothing but an eerie silence. As though the world held it’s breath, tension building in the air.

Almost instantaneously, all that very tension suddenly exploded, a slight creaking echoing from a nearby building before the wood burst apart, splinters flying everywhere.

Colliding with Eon’s body was a thick, scaly hide, sending him off into the distance.

His vision shook, but he planted his feet firmly onto the ground, skidding some ways before the body bulldozing into his own finally slowed, red eyes flashing in his peripheral vision.

He was face to face with a massive, scaly snout, his arm firmly wrapping around the creature’s jaws before they opened wide on him. If he hadn’t, he was certain to have been missing a good chunk of himself by now.

The Demon writhed about, clearly not having expected to be practically muzzled, but Eon’s grip didn’t loosen as he looked up, trying to ascertain how far he had been pushed back. He couldn’t seem to see Max in the distance, but he wasn’t given a very long opportunity to look as a low growl sounded off from just a ways behind him.

The base of his tail went tense, only just barely catching sight of another, large mass crawling towards him from behind. His back exposed, he only had a moment to twist his body around, taking the muzzled Demon in his arms with him, before flinging it’s body towards the other.

The noisy clamor of collision sounded, screeches and growls of protests roaring throughout the air as the two Demon’s bit and clawed at each other in outrage. While they were in their moment, Eon reached for his pistol...Only to realize he no longer seemed to have it. Had he dropped it when the first Demon collided with him?? He didn’t know, frantically looking around before the screeching sound of the Demon’s brought his attention back up, just in time to see them lunging his way.

While these creature’s were fast, they weren’t exactly the most intelligent, nor graceful. Eon was able to sidestep the first, coiling his tail up tightly before swinging it upwards towards the Demon’s underbelly, where it wasn’t protected by it’s thick, scaly hide. Like a spring-loaded trap, he felt his tail thwap against soft flesh with gut-wrenching force.

The first went down immediately, it’s thorny tail whipping about in it’s agony, frothing at the mouth, blood red eyes wide with infuriation and shock.

The second was the same, lunging at it’s seeming prey without giving much regard to what happened to it’s counterpart just moments prior. Jaws agape, it bulleted it’s way towards Eon, but all too easily, it met with the same fate.

Both Demon’s were pitifully curled up on the dirt ground, incapacitated, and finally Eon was given a moment to try and spot Max, seeing the faintest glimpse of white in the distance, coming his way.

He could have sworn it looked as though Max was trying to say something to him.

The moments ticked by in slow motion, Eon only comprehending a giant, black blotch of something in the corner of his eye.

Black...And red.

And then...Everything went dark.