All That Remains [EverlyxLunar]

[Ethys]

Ra'shiel had woken up to the sound of screaming. Instead of the peaceful singing that often filled the air of her village once the stars emerged, there were cries for help and twisted laughter. Flickering light was streaming in through her bedroom windows - fire. Before she could even fully sit up, her door burst open and in stepped a deformed creature that she had never seen before. It was tall and muscular, with crude weapons in both hands. The idea of clothing was nearly nonexistent, but the creature was so filthy that it hardly mattered. It had glowing yellow eyes and black teeth that glinted in the dim light once it laid eyes on her. Whatever it was, it was foul, and she knew that there had to be more outside. It stepped toward her, swinging a roughly forged blade, but she was prepared and jumped out of bed before it made contact. She used her natural grace and speed to duck around him and dart outside.

It was chaos.

The bodies of Elves lay everywhere. Some looked fresh out of bed while others were clutching weapons as though trying to defend themselves. She saw men, women, even children and Elders. There was no mercy being shown here. Blood colored the lush grasses and fire was tearing through the homes made in the trees. She ran, trying not to slip on the violent mess as she searched for survivors and avoided the creatures who seemed bent on destroying her home. They were laughing as they slaughtered all they found, even going so far as to tear apart the bodies of those already dead. It made her sick, but she knew that she could not fight them alone. For now, she would simply have to run.

She went around another home on fire and heard a cry. Somebody was alive! She paused and turned, seeing an Elf boy who was so small that he had hidden behind a cracked barrel. The tiny darling! She went over and scooped him up, holding him close as she ran. They had to get out of here. The trees would offer them cover if they could just get out of the village. She quickly moved that way, not seeing that a creature was lurking along the edge. When she moved to close, the creature lashed out hard. She yelped and fell to the side, the child yanked from her arms.

"No!" she yelled, but it was too late. The creature snapped the boy's neck as easily as one might break a twig. It was obvious that it was taking pleasure from Ra'shiel's pain, because it grinned at her before tossing the lifeless body aside. She stood and scowled at the creature, prepared to fight, but she was unarmed. It seemed almost disinterested as it swung again, catching her across the belly and throwing her into the woods. The blade had cut deeply, going from her left hip in a jagged line up to the center of her chest. She gasped to breathe, her hands pressing against her belly in a vain attempt to stop the gushing blood. Already her golden eyes were starting to dim.

"H-Help.. please.."she breathed, gazing up at the stars. Where were the gods when they needed them most?

 

[UnsightlyTEAstain]

Even with senses dulled and power limited Ciel was still able to make out the faint scent of death in the air. It intermingled with the smoke of burning wood and an odor so foul that it would have caused him to wretch had he any food in his stomach to heave in the first place. Nearing the source he could clearly see that the ravaged village was far from saving. Nothing but empty carcasses and fire were left of what appeared to be a eleven settlement. From a distance he could make out the origin of the putrid smell and wasn't surprised to find that it was one of the Blood Ogres. The product of tortured elven souls born from the swamp Illecies and the forbidden magic of necromancy. How one had traveled so far from its border was a mystery. One, that Ciel decided, was of no interest to him. He began to turn, ready to disappear once again into the forest when he heard it.

It was the unmistakably sweet and bitter weeping that only a desperate soul could incite. But judging from the weak and broken sobs, it did not have much time in this world until it would depart. This again was of really no concern to him. He could have left that very second without procuring any danger from the dark creature and would have saved himself far less trouble too. However Ciel could not help but analyze the advantages of this situation. If he played this right by the end of the night he would have acquired a fairly ripe soul to gradually leech the life off and finally begin to slowly recover his powers. The only obstacle he possibly need to face was the Org stomping away in a forest bush, looking as if in search of something. Ciel could only assume that it was the same soul bearer he was seeking.

There was however no time to contemplate further as he felt the beings life energy slip farther into oblivion. If he was going to move it would have to be now regardless of the monster sensing him. With a burst of inhuman speed, Ciel slipped into the sea of tree bark and blurred among the shadows as he allowed his sixth sense to lead him towards his destination. With the sound of a fallen feather he reappeared once again towards the northern edge of the village where the weeping soul and the disgusting scent of the Blood Org festered. Ignoring its grunts and rage filled shouts of frustration as it failed once again to locate its prey; Ciel proceeded to kneel down on one knee as he examined the mangled body before him.

The wound, under his magic, would be a cinch to repair and heal if he had any to offer. But his services had never been free in the first place. Unnaturally bright blue eyes gazed into the dull and nearly lifeless irises of the elf below him. In different circumstances he would have taken the time to admire the girls distinct beauty had it not for her soul still gradually slipping away.

"Help hmm?" He mummered, hearing the girls ragged gasps "Then tell me what I can do. Shall I end your suffering?"

Claws, sharp and deadly, elongated from his fingertips.

"Or do you wish to live?"

A dangerous glint flashed in the demon's eyes. Whatever her choice he would benefit either way. But he did admit that it would be a waste to let her die.

 

[Ethys]

The stars seemed to blur as she watched them, and she found herself wondering what dying was really like. No help was coming for them. The closest village that would be able to lend a hand was a full day's ride away and nobody had been sent to alert them. Before, it had seemed nice to be so cut off from everybody else, but now? Now she was laying on the ground, her arms shaking as she grew more pale. Her fingers were cold and she was doing a poor job of keeping herself from bleeding, simply because she did not have enough hands to do so. It was simply a matter of time. She could hear the fire continuing to topple homes, but there was no more screaming. Perhaps everybody else was dead already. Was she all that remained?

Tears traced down her cheeks and she struggled to breathe, realizing that time was running out. Time. All she wanted was time..

She heard a voice and flinched slightly, the movement weak. At first she thought it to be another one of those creatures, but this voice was different. Smoother. It was a struggle, but she managed to focus on his face as he spoke to her. She gazed at the claws, then looked back up at him. A demon. Demons did not simply wander around going good deeds and skipping through the flowers. He was offering to help her.. but at what cost? Did it matter what he wanted? She simply wanted to live, to avenge her village, to hunt for survivors and help them if she could..

"I want.. t-to live.." she managed, ignoring the warning bells in her mind. Never make a deal with a demon, Ra'shiel. They are horrid, selfish creatures who will only trap you with your own words and torment you for eternity. They are not to be trusted. Her father had told her that more than once - he had despised demons and assumed they were a race that was beyond saving. One had killed his wife, and he had never forgiven them, despite the fact that it was hundreds of years ago and they had never found out whether it was an accident or not.

Darkness was beginning to close in on her mind and it was becoming harder to think clearly. She felt no pain, only a spreading sensation of being numb. Her body stopped shivering from the cold and she relaxed. Perhaps dying was not so bad.. She closed her eyes, on the verge of passing out.

 

[UnsightlyTEAstain]

A smile, one of angelic appearance, spread across the demon's lips. He felt a certain degree of amusement towards the elf's will to live and a sense of satisfaction for having the privilege of benefiting from it. Who knew he would be making a contract with one of the purest races that lived in this world. If anything Ciel expected to have a human come running to him for aid. Although this was a far more interesting of course. His musings were interrupted by the sudden, final splutter of the maidens heart before him. As she exhaled her final breath a tiny, circular sphere of light filtered through her half open mouth.

"Death is as impatient as always" Ciel muttered as he gently grasped the soul above him.

It was by far the most untainted spirit he had laid eyes on, one expected of a creature such as she. His observations were short lived as the furious roar of the Blood Org seemed far closer than before. At this rate they would be found. Guiding the illuminated orb towards him, Ciel proceeded to bring it past his lips and into his awaiting mouth. The taste was exquisite but it was not yet time to reap his rewards. Placing a cold hand against the elf's still warm cheek the demon leaned down and kissed her blood coated lips.

After a second or two the faint and uneven beating of her heart returned as well as her soul back to its rightful place. She was still completely unconscious however though Ciel considered that it may be for the best when the contract begins its initiation. He licked the stray red liquid that lingered on his lips from their previous contact. Despite its complicated consequences a demonic contract was as simple as procuring a bit of blood from the contractor and a willing soul to complete the nearly unbreakable bond. Although it did take its time to complete. Time that apparently he didn't have.

The bushes and trees that had previously hidden them exploded in a flurry of splintering wood and mashed leaves. Amid the piles of broken vegetation stood the Blood Org, roaring and growling in triumph as it finally located its prey. A disinterested sigh passed between his lips as Ciel calmly rose to his feet and faced the raging beast. It towered over him by a high five feet and the muscle behind its thick, flabby skin could crush a man with one punch. A demon on the other hand, even a considerably weakened one, would be able to survive such an assault head on. Although in Ciel's case, not without injury. At this point he really had no choice but to engage the monster if he wanted the girl to remain unharmed. With or without the contracts development.

In one swift jump he soared above the org's head and landed a good four meters behind it. At the same time he managed to grab a chunk of badly burned wood and chucked it at the back side of its head. That certainly caught its attention and in a few short moments it had turned towards Ciel. A violent roar escaped through the org's ragged canines before charging at the unarmed demon. The first few attacks were easy to avoid but as the fight wore on so did Ciel's energy and ability to dodge. It didn't take long until he was finally hit with one of the monsters meaty paws straight across the chest. The strike had sent him flying into one of the burning buildings, straight through the charred wood, causing the weak foundation to collapse around him.

It didn't take a genius to see that he was badly injured and having used his remaining powers to heal the elf's injury, he wouldn't be able to recover if he wanted to. A harsh laugh fell from his cut and bloody lips. He wondered when was the last he had come so close to death. A brief vision resurfaced that nearly made him wish he hadn't. It was a memory. A brief little piece of scattered and broken visions that were the only things left of what his past had held. The whole reason why he was on this damn journey in the first place. One that he didn't intend to end anytime soon. From the rising dust of the collapsed building came a flash of intense blue light. Emerging from the wreckage was Ciel, eyes glowing like the moon as energy burst forth from his being in visible waves of miasma. His surroundings were coated in hues of blue as hell fire formed one by one from his outstretched fingertips.

"Contract complete"

_____________________________________
​

The moon shone brightly that night as it illuminated the worn forest path. In the demons arms was the unconsciousness form of the elf as it continued its peaceful sleep. The wound that had once cut deep into its flesh was just a fleeting scar now and even that would fade given some time. Ciel continued to walk through the dirt path as the trees began to open up, indicating a near-by settlement. Sure enough a village came into view minutes later. It was easy work to find an unoccupied room at a local inn and even easier to sneak into one via open second story window. Placing his new contractor gently down on the soft bed, Ciel watched the elf's slow and steady breathing. Deciding that nothing was wrong with her, health wise, he took his place on the opposite corner of the mattress. It wasn't as if his kind required sleep but it did help with the power rejuvenating process.

He had to admit that he had used a little too much power than necessary to take down that Blood Org. On the other hand the beast had flung him into a burning building. At the end of the day there was absolutely no regrets (and hopefully, none in the morning).​

 

[Ethys]

Ra'shiel woke in the morning when the soft rays of early sunlight hit her face through the inn room window. She rubbed her eyes slowly, still a bit tired and unwilling to let go of her dreams. They had been the most marvelous and confusing images she had ever seen, even in her sleep. Instead of nightmares like one may have expected after her night, she had gotten nothing but peace. She dropped her hand, her golden eyes gazing at the window. It took a few moments, but she gradually realized that the window she was looking at was not the window in her bedroom. She sat up quickly, glancing around the room before her eyes fell on the demon sleeping on the other side of the bed.

Demon?

She stared at him for a moment, then looked down at herself. Her hair, which was normally a soft white that occasionally seemed blonde in the sun, was now quite dirty and tangled as if she had been laying about on the ground. Her dress was torn down the front, though nothing inappropriate was showing. Confused and uneasy, she shifted a bit and moved the torn fabric to see the scar that ran down over her belly.

Slowly, things started coming back to her. She remembered the screaming and the fire, and the child she had been unable to save. Things got hazy after that, but she did remember the demon arriving and asking her if she wanted to live. That meant.. she had made a contract with a demon. She didn't even know what that entailed. Probably something horrifying, like a time limit on her life or her soul when she died. She frowned a little, but had no intention of pleading with him to revoke it. It had been her decision, and she knew why she made it in the first place.

To die was to give up on her people and accept that they had lost. That, she could not do.

So, she decided to simply accept it. She wasn't sure if he planned on sticking with her or not, but either way, she was going to go look for survivors and see if there were signs that any had run like she had. Perhaps others had made it too. She pondered that, sliding off the bed silently and walking over to the closet to peek inside. Ah, spare clothes. They were not Elvish, but she did find a tunic and leggings that seemed roughly her size. She wasn't terribly picky. Taking the clothes, she wandered into the washroom to get cleaned up and out of the ruined dress. Maybe afterward she would go see if she could find breakfast for them, so that she could thank him.