Rade's Demon Elimination Service

Chapter 39: And the Veil Has Finally Been Lifted

"AGAIN!" Lauri screamed and she pointed angrily at Rade.

Although Lauri's face was beaded with sweat, the anger on her own voice was due to her own incompetence. That anger wuickly melted and turned into a laughter. At Lauri's hand was a long broadsword and on the other was her magic. It was amazing that at such a young age, Lauri was already adept on controlling magic and she was even more skillful when it comes to hand to hand combat.

Rade flourished the Aíma on her hand and, with a swish, she let the holy weapon on her hand released a heavy blow. The sizzle of the air and of the ground where the weapon's blow hit could still be heard and, as the two girls looked down on the ground, there was also a fairly huge s***h that marked where the scimitar landed.

"Emma is really good," Lauri commented, a smile was still lingering on her lips. "It fits your hands right and that's why I can never win against you. Tsk, that's just annoying," she even added but with a tinge of teasing on her voice.

Lauri laughed and crossed swords with Rade again. While the holy weapon of Aíma was a heirloom of the Aldam bloodline, the broadsword Lauri was using wasn't anything like it. Due to the decline of the Haeven clan in terms of their political influence and ranking in thhe hunters'society, in order to survive and keep up with the extravagance within the elite community of the hunters' society, they have to pawn off and sell a lot of their heirlooms. But that only further decreased their standing. Rumors, of course, spread that Haeven clan was rapidly wasting away since holy weapons could only be pawn or sell to other hunters so it was inevitable for those rumors which were actually facts to spread.

Compared to the Aldeia clan, the currently most powerful and influential clan of the hunters' society, the Haeven clan's history was longer and more reputable but their steady decline caused them a lot of things. Power was one thing and respect was the other from the other hunter clans.

Both Lauri and Rade knew that Lauri was in disadvantage when it comes within the hunters' society. Although her reputation was already soaring and slowly rising the name of the Haevn clan from the mud it hahd fallen into. It was hard to build up one's reputation but it would be easy to ruin and taint it. So when Rade looked at her, she could not help but notice that there was a slight crease in the middle of her brows.

"I'm using Emma," Rade started, looking down at the hiltless scimitar on her which was insistently cutting Rade's palm. The blade was not being bathed in blood of her victims, only her own and it was not even flowing down to its blade's tip so one could see the silver steel of the scimitar.

One might think that the "cursed" weapon would always be dipped in blood but that was not actually true. It would not always be dipped in that kind of red stain, only when it was not too much.

Meanwhile, Lauri looked at Rade and her weapon that she was using, nodding her head in comprehension but the worry that Rade had seen immediately faded and was replaced with theh same jubilant smile like the usual Lauri would be wearing to flash to them.

Only the strong could bend the holy weapon of Aíma and if Rade wasn't strong enough to use the Aíma then the blade would only swallow her whole.

"Your sword..." Rade said and they both understood.

The broadsword wasn't compatible to Lauri, it only put her to a great disadvantage and was holding her back instead of helping her to defend herself and attack her opponent all at the same time. The incompatibility was hindering her and Rade knew that if Lauri only used magic then she would definitely win against her, but the fact that the head of the Haeven clan was forcing her to be knowledgeable about swords and other weapons that does not really interest Lauri. She was being dragged down by the broadsword and she was also dragging her own weight. Lauri's heart was not in it but she was forced to because it was an order from her own clan head.

If Rade was being honest, she could not distinguish the Lord Haeven as a father figure to both of the young children. Lauri would ceaselessly practice her combat skills if she didn't want her hands lashed with a whip, just like what her father do to the other animals in the compound, while Carys would do his best to stay invisible and out of his own father's vision.

"I know," Lauri only responded, the pathetic smile on her face was still on as though she was in some kind of a show.

"Um..." Carys said on the side of the training ground. He just set down a tray filled with beverages and some foods with two sets of utensil. Carys was still wearing a very cute blue apron with a smudge of flour still on the side of his face. "Snacks are ready."

Just like that, Rade stand down, withdrawing the Aíma weapon into her own skin. Rade gritted her teeth, feeling the searing pain as the blade materialized on her skin as a set of a markings. Lauri followed suit, discarding her heavy weapon on the side carefully. They both walk towards the fair looking beautiful boy, who waiting for them with towels and a smile on his face.

The years passed quite slowly for them.

The three of them were all children, still quite innocent about how things go about the world, their worry was only about waking up early in order to attend their classes and the exhaustion that they would feel on their training though it all decreased with the softness of the cakes and pastries that Carys would bake for them.

Living within the Haeven manor together with Lauri and Carys made Rade human again, devoid of the blood that she spilled years ago, her own parent's blood. Going to classes, complaining because the teachers were giving too much homeworks, and walking together back home.

Home has become the Haeven manor as amazing and as equally horrifying as that sounded and finding a home, it made Rade feel happy and content.

They still get punished every now and then (Rade thinks that was really something that they could not avoid), but with the help of each other, they could go through those brief flashes of pain. Lauri and Rade started attending Chantal's combat training and Carys started sewing Rade cardigans because he knew how Rade was so insecure about the markings.

"Why cardigans?" Rade asked Carys and he would only shrugged his delicate shoulders. Rade looked at the cardigan she was wearing then at the one being crocheted by Carys.

Everything was supposed to be sweet and kind. They were but fourteen and fifteen years old, just barely living in this world. The life of the three circled around the manor then at the occassional trips to their school. And everything should have stayed that way but, as all tales and story would tell an audience, life and the world did not stay the way the three of them wanted to.

It was the winter of Rade's fifteenth birthday. As usual, Carys knitted a beautiful cardigan for her and Lauri baked a cake for her, well as best as she could since she was ont exactly the best person when it comes to anything in regards with kitchen and cooking. On that day, the news that the Shadow Fantasm would make an appearance arrived. It was their combat tutor, Chantal, who told me them of the news after their training.

"What?" Lauri asked incredulously, her eyes were wide with shock and amazement much to Rade's horror. One does not react in that kind of manner when a possibly dangerous and the most powerful demon would come on their direction. "The Shadow Fantasm? As in the top one of the five greatest demons of the humanity?! How amazing is that! Rade, listen!" Lauri waved Rade over to where she was leaning to Chantal who chuckled lowly.

Rade never liked the instructor and that was evident when the instructor's eyes sharpened considerably, warning her off that she should not come any closer and should instead stay as far away as possible. Because Rade was an official hunter of the Haeven clan, though she was regarded as trash and only as a lowly servant of both the Haeven children, the instructor could not just outright mistreat her in any way. Lauri wasn't oblivious and she would always try to aggravate her in any way she could.

"The Shadow Fantasm will create a strong barrier around the area that will make the demons extra viscious," Chantal said, there was a threat on her tone and the same kind of sharpness that was on her eyes retained its place. "Every hunter in the city are not allowed to go out once the Shadow Fantasm finally enters the barriers of the town. Anyway, I'll be off! See you all at the next session."

Rade looked at Lauri, wanting to say something but was too hesitant to do so. There was an anxiety rising within Rade's chest that she does not want to acknowledge. There was already a certain glint on Lauri's blue eyes, it was clear and evident. On that moment, Rade knew that she couldn't do anything even when she used any terms of persuasion.

"What do you think?" Lauri asked.

There was that degree of certainty on her tone that made Rade fear of what was about to come and happen. It made the anxiety that Rade was feeling intensify in a way that restrain her from breathing properly.

"What do you mean by your question? What do I think?" Rade repeated the question.

Rade clenched her teeth, breathing through her nose. She pretended that it was because she was in pain by reabsorbing Emma back on her skin. In reality, she didn't want to speak to Lauri. The news about the Shadow Fantasm has been around for a while now, but there hasn't been any confirmation just yet on anybody.

Not until now.

It was their own instructor who confirmed of the news. The Haeven manor was a very secluded place, away from the scrutiny of the Huntsman Order and its head, the Order of Prince. News would only come if it was indeed big or if one would really intend to know of some news. This arrival of the Shadow Fantasm has become so widespread that even the children of the Haeven clan heard of it. The Shadow Fantasm was not something that one can just shrug off as a small time demon who can be vanquished so easily.

"If anybody could defeat the Shadow Fantasm, it might be me."

Rade clenched her teeth tighter, feeling as though she was about to ground them into fine powder. She knew that the girl will think of that, it was as inevitable as the current of a river. That glint of Lauri's face was determination and passion, if Lauri has already set her mind into doing anything then she could and she would without any trace of hesitation.

"The Shadow Fantasm hasn't been seen for over fifty years now," Rade said, "I have heard that even the Elite Cohort members would have a hard time finishing the job." Rade turned to look at Lauri, an extremely serious expression on her pale face. "Do not be complacent because people gave you incredulous titles and made your head bigger. You cannot even beat me in a combat."

Lauri snorted at that, scoffing as she turned her back, not taking any of Rade's words seriously.

"You think you can fight off the Shadow Fantasm just by yourself?" she asked Rade who shook her head. She turned around again, raising an eyebrow on Rade.

She shook her head.

"Not me, and I'm certain that even that Geneva Aldeia would have a hard time defeating the Shadow Fantasm. It isn't just any demon, and you know that, it's the greatest demon that has ever lived."

But that didn't deterred Lauri from fantasizing about the demon being defeated by her own hands. She kept on talking about it that even Carys became interested of a possible fight.

"But I thought that even the hunters who underwent the Blessing Ceremony could be possessed by the Shadow Fantasm?" Carys asked after Lauri told them.

They were all in front of the table, eating their dinner. Paulette was serving them, her old ears were barely listening to their conversation as she served them their dinner. It was usual for the kids to just idly speak of the gossips and matters within the hunters' society and the old woman does not really care much about it so she let them talk despite being severely told by the head of the Haeven clan that it was against tanle manners.

"Yes," Lauri answered, her head unconsciously nodding. On her nose was a trace of black charcoal smeared on the surface of her skin, an indicator that she made a quick sketch before heading out to the dining hall. "But I'm great with magic and my combat skills have improved. You two know what would happen if I defeat the Shadow Fantasm?"

"What?" Both Rade and Carys asked.

"The Huntsman Order might replace the old fart with me as the head," she finally said after she had seen them leaned towards her direction. "Father will be pleased first then he'll realized what just happened since he's too stupid to understand."

Almost immediately, Paulette scolded the lady with a not-so stern expression. There was a trace of laughter on the edge of her lips, but the old woman knew that walls have eyes and ears. She couldn't tell who might be listening or who might be watching their every move.

"My lady," she called at Lauri, "to say such a thing is extremely unbecoming of you! Quickly spit and take back what you just said."

But the statement was only half-hearted and Lauri only snickered while both Rade and Carys shook their heads at her.

"What?" Lauri then asked innocently. "I'm just saying. Anyhow—" the girl stood from where she sat, the feet of the chair was scraping on the ground "—I still need to finish my painting. I'll go ahead so I can rest early for today. Adieu!"

Within minutes, Lauri made a beeline towards the door. She didn't even look back at Rade and Carys, but Rade was aware that Lauri would be out for an extra hour of training.

She would strain herself, Rade thought anxiously, she would strain herself for that fight with the Shadow Fantasm that would not probably even happen at all just like what she had wanted.

"You seemed worried," Carys once told Rade when he remarked that there was anxiety with how Rade moved and acted around them. "Is it about Lauri and the Shadow Fantasm?"

Rade nodded her head. There was a certain desolation within her eyes that scared Carys and he had to get his chair close to her.

"She wanted to fight the Shadow Fantasm and I could feel it. There's nothing more that she wanted than defeating that demon manifestation. She thinks that she has a lot of expectations to meet."

Carys didn't know what to say, but knows he has to at least address what Rade had just said. For Rade to be so worried, he thought and patted Rade's back gently.

"Lauri is hard-headed," Carys agreed with what Rade waned to imply, then he looked down on his plate and smiled at it. "But she won't ever do an action as stupid as that."

She will, Rade wanted to tell Carys, she will if it meant having the chance to break free from the choking grasp of this family. Lauri will defeat the Shadow Fantasm for us both, Carys, so we can be free and lead the lives we both wanted for ourselves.

And that was something that both Carys and Rade couldn't do while they were still inside the Haeven clan's mansion.

"Do not worry too much, Rade," Carys told her, "Lauri is just Lauri."

And that was the primary problem we might have, Rade thought to herself.

Rade knew that Carys believed that with all of his heart, but he was right on that.

Lauri is Lauri, and, by the time that the Shadow Fantasm came, her death also came. Rade could still remember that day vividly, so vividly that it even visited her on sleep multiple of times before.

That day, the snow was falling down hard. It was close to the Christmas midnight and Rade even helped Carys wrapped up gifts for the servants and Lauri the night before. The Haeven clan's mansion was large and, sometimes, people don't see each other everyday but it was very unlikely that Rade wouldn't see Lauri all day.

When she entered the training room, Rade immediately found Chantal... all alone while prepping for their training session. Rade couldn't explain it t herself but there was a dread that kept on coming to her heart, knocking things over and making her senseless.

"Where is Lauri?" Chantal demanded as soon as Rade went inside of the training room.

"Aren't I suppose to ask you that?" Rade sneered at her. "You're her teacher."

"You're suppose to keep her, Miss Aldam," the instructor sneered back at her. "You two are always together and now that it's the most dangerous day of the year, of possibly the whole decade, you're not with the lady. I don't think everything that Lord Haeven provided you with is so worth it when you can't even keep an eye on her daughter."

Rade's brows knitted while her heart thundered within her loudly.

"What do you mean?" she asked coldly. "What day it is today?"

"You don't know?" the instructor snorted and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Today is the official arrival of the Shadow Fantasm in the region. So where is Lady Lauri, Aldam? We're already late for the training."

And, of course, Lauri Haeven went to fight the Shadow Fantasm.