Timeless Hero Without a Goal

44th Tick: Immortal Episode 4

Episode was squatting by the river again, a week had passed since he met Eva. He was better at speaking a few words, but was still not comfortable with speaking in general. He squatted there, and was suddenly pushed into the water. He got back up, holding desperately onto the shore, a fish falling from his head. Eva stood there triumphantly, laughing at him. Episode snarled and grabbed her arm, pulling her down with him.

She screamed slightly from shock, floating in the water after. She knocked on his head softly and laughed. It had become normal for them not to speak. As long as they understood each other, there was no need for words. Actions speaks louder than words, and emotion shows through the face.

Episode got back onto the bank, shaking the water off him, his long, unkept hair covering his face. Eva was about to get up too when a particularly large wave swept her away. She screamed, alerting Episode. He instantly, without hesitation, jumped in, swimming towards Eva. He grabbed her hand with his left and the shore with his right, digging his skinny fingers as deep as he could. The wave passed and they were safe. Eva took a shaky breath and got up on shore. She shivered from the cold, and for the first time, Episode saw that side of Eva. She seemed weak, vulnerable even.

She apologised to him and walked off, hugging herself. Episode wanted to follow after her, but stopped himself. He returned to the river and stared at the river again, practicing speech. It was a few days since he saw Eva, he was already starting to feel lonely.

Finally, Eva appeared.

She sat next to him, not looking at Episode. It was oddly silent, Episode had stopped everything he was doing to listen to whatever Eva had to say. Eva stared into the distance, facing away from the shack. She said, “Sorry about the other day.”

Episode was able to understand what she was saying. He had gotten good enough to listen, but was not yet proficient in speaking it. He was quiet as Eva paused. She continued, “I used to have a brother who would play with me here. We were younger and it was fun. But one day I got swept up in the river, and my brother managed to save me.”

She hugged her knees. “He was such a nice person, he even scolded me for doing such a thing.”

She laughed lightly. “You know, I think I have the best older brother in the demon realm. He cared for the family despite being an i***t. His ambitions were too big for him, but he was on the path towards it. I wanted him to succeed and find true happiness.”

She leaned against Episode and whispered, “But he left the house. He went and joined the military, like most male demons. Filled with ambition and pride, he left the house. He left me alone to achieve his dreams. I thought it was okay, I thought I could cope with the loneliness. I come here to play often, but playing alone is meaningless.”

Episode looked at Eva, she was looking at him. “So thank you for being here, thank you for playing with me, it was really fun.”

They locked eyes, Eva getting closer to him. “You know, I heard news about my brother, it seems he died in the line of duty. I’m not sure if it is true, but I have yet to hear from him for awhile.”

Episode, who was too busy looking at Eva, felt a sharp pain. He pushed her away and rolled, stopping himself in a crouching position, snarling. He had never felt such pain before, like his flesh was screaming. On his stomach was a horizontal cut, quite deep and bleeding. Eva got up, a knife in her hands, blood dripping from the blade.

“You killed my brother, didn’t you?” Eva asked, an anger in her eyes. “Not only that, you ate him!”

That day, she witnessed something. Something that should have never been released to the world, something that sent shivers down her spine. She had spent the week with Episode, she wanted to catch him off guard by getting close to him, she wanted revenge. But she had also done something else, she made him a normal demon. A normal demon he was, until she stabbed him. He crouched on all fours, glaring at her like a feral beast. He scowled, bearing his teeth and digging his fingers into the ground. Around him was a darkness, so pitch black that light seemed to avoid it. With Ing that darkness, faces twisted with pain and agony floated. Eva shuffled back, wanting to get away.

She trembled, knife in her hand. She had never seen or heard of a demon like him. Sure, demons of higher ranking tend to have a natural ability of some kind, but there was something odd about Episode. The darkness that wrapped around him was not a normal darkness.

Eva ran and lunged into the river, wanting to run away at all costs. Episode hissed and followed after, plunging into the river and trashing. The darkness pushed the water aside, Eva falling onto the wet riverbed as water hung above them held by darkness. Episode jumped above her, his eyes wild and deranged. Eva threw the skinny demon off and struggled to her feet, clawing at the walls of the river, trying to get up. A darkness surrounded her and she simply disappeared.

Episode scratched his head, the water falling on him. He swam to the top and pulled himself out. He looked at his hands, the darkness sinking back into his skin. Episode walked back towards the shack he lived in, wanting to forget what had happened. Unfortunately for him, he had an extremely good memory.

He stopped and turned. There, across the river, stood a large demon wearing armour, a sword in hand. Behind him stood rows of archers and behind the archers stood rows upon rows of other demons. Episode glared at them, feeling the ill intent they had towards him. He crouched low again, ready to attack.

“Fire!” The large demon commanded.