Our Journey

Leaps and Bounds - Part 2

Heading to the mansion once more, Eon was hesitant to go inside, but he had no choice.

Back in that dark, narrow hallway. The deplorable, decrepit beasts watching him pass by with empty eyes. One by one, he looked them over, but not a single one seemed out of the ordinary.

“This is all you have?” He questioned, giving the papers Azuma had given him a careful once-over.

“Of course.” The shifty, avid collector replied, his snake-like eyes glinting as he brushed aside a loose strand of his strawberry blonde hair. “Unlike those tasteless fools who favor demons for their combative abilities, I only have an interest for those of beauty...The rest mean nothing to me. Their only use is to line my pockets.” He added in shamelessly, eyeing Eon out of the corner of his eyes. “...That fox that was with you the other day...He wasn’t Raoulian, was he?”

Eon was silent, annoyed as he simply tried to disregard the man’s question, but he felt a quiet pressure on him, urging him to answer.

“I’m not under any obligation to answer that. He’s not for sale.”

“...Ah, is he your Mate, perhaps?”

Eon’s brow twitched at the brazen question, glancing at the man as he lowered his papers.

“No, he’s not. But that isn’t really important. He’s not just another thing to add to your disgusting collection.”

A grin crept up to the man’s face as he shifted his gaze to the side.

“Ah, what a pity then.”

Eon could tell the gears were turning in his head, and he didn’t want to waste another moment here. He wanted to hurry back to the inn, that sense of anxiety over leaving Max alone returning to him with full force.

“Well, that’s all then. You can continue operating as normal. I’ll be leaving now.” Eon hastily concluded his report before taking his leave.

He prayed he would never have to step foot in this place again. They could send someone else next time. Surely that wasn’t unreasonable to ask, right?

For once, Eon embraced the frigid, winter air. It was a welcome change in comparison to that stifling mansion.

He was making a beeline towards the inn, focused so fiercely on returning, that he was startled when someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

Perhaps because he had just left that dreadful place, the first person that came to mind was that shifty man...But Eon was caught by surprise as he turned around to see a completely unfamiliar individual.

Vivid blue hair, well kept and slicked back, and rusty red eyes locked onto him with a strange intensity. Those eyes were sharp, yet lacked any particular emotion. It would have been difficult to guess what might have been going on in his mind based on his stoic expression alone.

“You there, Demon.” His voice, deep, rung out to Eon, but Eon didn’t answer straight away, which seemed to displease the man. “I believe I spoke to you.”

Eon’s eyes narrowed, the tip of his black tail twitching just slightly at the man’s demanding tone. He seemed uptight, garbed in intricately embroidered robes, and it was obvious at first glance that he wasn’t from around here. His accent was different, his scent seeming neither Human, nor Demon. He wasn’t Raoulian, either.

“And I don’t believe I’m under any obligation to answer to someone I don’t know. Ever heard of ‘stranger danger’?”

The man’s eyes narrowed, followed by a small snort of laughter from another just a ways behind him, presumably his companion.

This man was in utter contrast, his entire being seemingly steeped in an endless black. His robes, his hair, his aura. He somehow resembled a shadow, the only part of him standing out being his strikingly golden eyes, glinting with a mysterious, foreboding light.

Eon felt it in his gut at that moment.

That man. He didn’t like that man. That one was dangerous. Eon’s instincts screamed at him, and he knew better than to ignore them.

“I couldn’t seem to make out another Demon around this filthy city...Are there only Humans here?” Rusty red eyes stared Eon down sharply as he regarded the other man unnervingly.

“...Depends. You looking for one? I know a real nice creep who sells them for a living. Might I recommend you to look there? He seems to be about as sketchy as you are.”

“...I’d watch my mouth if I were you.” Red eyes narrowed fiercely, a sense of pressure emanating from the man.

“Now, now, Roan. You can’t just step into a city for the first time and start threatening random people. Wherever are your manners?” The shadow-like man chimed in with a strange, sing-song tune, his golden eyes glinting. “You’ll have to pardon my companion. His people skills are somewhat...Shall we say...Lacking?” He hummed, taking the glares Roan shot him in stride. “We’re simply searching for someone. Nothing more, nothing less, so on that note…” Golden eyes shone with an eerie light. “...You wouldn’t have happened to see anyone...Unusual as of late, would you? Perhaps a rather lovely fox? White as snow, with forest green eyes??”

It took all of Eon’s self restraint to not visibly stiffen at the man’s words, his heart beginning to race within his chest.

...They were looking for Max, and Eon was more than certain that it was not for good reasons. He had to come up with something swiftly, before his behavior became suspicious to them.

“A fox??” He echoed, pretending to give the subject some thought before shrugging nonchalantly. “Can’t say that I have. Demon’s don’t typically get buddy buddy with each other around here, y’know. Plus I’m sure I’d have remembered someone like that.”

Was he playing it off alright? He made sure to maintain eye contact, but he was scared of prolonging that contact to ascertain if his ploy was successful.

“I see...Are Demons unusual around these parts?” The golden eyed man questioned inquisitively, his thoughts difficult to discern from his expression alone.

“...Not really, but you won’t see a lot like me walking around freely, specially around here.”

“I suppose we’ll continue our search elsewhere then.”

Eon silently counted his blessings as it seemed the two would leave, but Eon dared not take a single step until they were well out of sight, and when they were...He sprinted back to the inn. He had to get Max out of this city as soon as possible. As quickly as he could, Eon dashed back before bursting through the door to their room, a startled Max nearly jumping out of his bed.

“Eon, what’s-?!”

“We need to leave. Now.” Eon urged him, striding over to Max and grabbing his arm, tugging him out of the bed carefully. “Earlier I was stopped by two foreigners, and they’re looking for you. I didn’t like the feel of them at all, specially the guy with the gold eyes...Now c’mon. If you can’t walk, I’ll carry you.”

“W-Wait a moment, slow down-” Max was having a hard time keeping up with Eon, but he froze the moment he heard about a golden eyed man. “...A golden…”

It could have only been one person, and Max felt a rising sense of alarm, reaching out and grabbing a-hold of Eon’s collar.

“Tell me he didn’t see you! You didn’t talk to him, did you?!”

“H-Huh? Well, yeah, I...I mean I didn’t say I knew you, but…” Eon answered, startled suddenly.

Max was pale, which was quite a statement, considering he was already rather pale skinned to begin with.

It was then his turn to grab a-hold of Eon’s arm, trying to tug him along.

They needed to get away from here. Far away.

“Ah-Hey, Max-!”

“I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to get go.” Max silenced Eon, hand on the doorknob as he swung it open.

“Well isn’t this a pleasant surprise?”

The familiar voice made Max’s heart feel as though it came to a complete stop, his gaze lifting slowly...Before being met by sharp, golden eyes.

Like a deer caught in a headlight, Max was helpless as he was forced to step back, the man entering the room and closing the door behind him.

“Who’d have thought you’d be right here to practically greet me?” The man hummed, seemingly enthused, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“...Xordin...As if I’d ever want to see your face. The hell are you doing here? It’s a long way from Farronia, you know?” Max hissed, ears flattening against his head as he shoved Eon further behind him, trying to put distance between the two.

“Oh my...I’m wounded. Even after I came all this way just to see you…And that’s all you have to say to me?” Xordin shook his head sadly, golden eyes fixating onto Eon with an eerie intensity. “Tsk. Tsk. Did you think you could fool me? Maybe Roan, but not I.” The man shook his finger from side to side, as if scolding Eon as he stared him down.

“...Like hell I’d be honest with a shifty guy like you.” Eon narrowed his eyes, tail lashing behind him as he stepped forward to try and defend Max, but…

“Eon, stay back.” Max’s sharp words stabbed at him, a look Eon had not yet seen crossing Max’s face as he urged Eon to silence himself.

“Oh? Did you make a new friend?” Xordin’s words held a ghostly, sing-song tone. “Is that...Wise?” A provocative spread across his face, the words stabbing at Max like a knife, his fur swelling.

The air suddenly went tense, frigid, silence ensuing for only an instant.

All Xordin took was a single step. That was all, and suddenly, he was right in front of Eon, that tension in the air exploding.

Eon didn’t even know how to react, he didn’t have the time to react, seeing a single hand reaching out towards him before he was suddenly pushed back further into the room.

But this act was nothing more than an affront. An instigation to pull a reaction from Max.

Max rushed in to defend Eon, even though Eon was never truly Xordin’s target. He had given Max that push before intercepting him immediately as a hand suddenly closed around Max’s neck, his back slamming against the wall.

There was never such a moment that flashed by in the blink of an eye, yet in slow motion.

The breath had been knocked right out of him, his throat restricted, pressure building up in his chest.

“This has always been your weakness.” Words rung closely next to Max’s ear, low, filled to the brim with poison. “Your attachment to others cripples you. It’s pathetic, a pity, really. You have so much strength, so much potential. Yet you waste every ounce of it on these petty, worldly attachments. On those things you call ‘precious.’” Each word stabbed at Max harshly, painfully, cutting deeply into him. “Tell me…” Golden eyes captured his own, making Max feel trapped, backed into a corner with no place to run. “How much more of those ‘precious’ things do you need to lose before you realize it…? That you’re so much better when you don’t feel. If you just let go of it all, maybe you could have done something...Perhaps nobody would have died. Maybe you would have even been able to protect your beloved, little city.” Again and again, they cut into Max with sharp ferocity, feeling as though he had been struck.

Xordin delighted in the look reflected within Max’s eyes. Shock, yet anger. Despair, yet defiance. As though shaken to his very core, but refusing to let it truly rattle him.

As always, he was an utter contradiction to himself.

“...So you’ll still cling to those useless attachments…” Xordin tightened his grip around Max’s neck. “...Shall I take it away again…? That ‘precious’ thing.”

Immediately, a fire lit within Max’s eyes, a look of sheer rage burning within.

“...S-Stay...Away from him.” A deep growl rumbled from within the depths of his throat, baring his fangs as his pupils narrowed fiercely. “...I’ll kill you if you hurt him.” He hissed, claws digging into the hand closed around his neck.

Xordin tilted his head to the side just so, eyes narrowing as a small chuckle escaped him.

“...Yes. That look right there. I like it. I can never tire of it.” The fingers digging into Max’s neck loosened ever so slightly. “It’s a pity all Roan wants is to slaughter you. I can only hope he learns how absolutely endearing you can be before then.” Xordin fell silent for a moment, contemplating. “...I believe I’ll hold my tongue about our premature meeting today. I’d hate to let you die so soon.”

Suddenly, a burning sensation spread across Max’s neck, a strained cry breaking free from him. He could feel it spanning further and further out, as though bubbling and branding his skin with an unfathomable heat.

Unseen to him, an ominous series of black markings wound around his neck as though they were alive, settling upon his pale skin before Xordin finally released him.

All Max could do was fall limply to the floor, clawing at his burning neck in agony.

“The hell did you do to him?!” Eon’s voice rang out, trapped behind an unseen force he couldn’t breach, no matter how hard he tried.

“Oh, nothing he won’t eventually sleep off.” Xordin responded, regarding Eon in amusement. He was a curious sort. “Do take care, yes? I’m sure as his new companion, you’ll have plenty to look forward to...Try not to die, yes?” He laughed, his form growing hazy, like a shadow, before dissipating into the air.

As though he were nothing more than an apparition, the man vanished into thin air, like smoke.

He was gone, and the strange ‘wall’ that had separated Eon from Max vanished along with him.

He...He didn’t know what had just transpired, but Eon gathered enough of his scattered thoughts together to set his legs into motion, rushing over to Max.

He was hunched forward, writhing on the ground in pain, his fingers clawing along his neck aggressively, vivid, black markings spread across his skin.

What...Was he supposed to do? Eon was completely out of the loop. He knew nothing about the situation, and he felt frustrated with his lack of knowledge.

“Damn it all!” He rose his voice in outrage, not knowing who he wished would hear those words.

All he could do...Was carefully pluck Max up before carrying him out of the inn, out of the city. He could worry about the details later, he just needed to get Max away from here. As far away as he could.

He could only pray that he would be able to keep him safe.