Fire And Ice: Demons of Circumstance
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“Find them and destroy them!” bellowed a gruff male, sending his dozen men scattering
through the woods. “The demons must be found. If Sandalphon lives he could, eventually, throw
the entire Realm of Ssussun into chaos. That boy...”
The male’s words were brought to a sudden halt, as was the beating of his heart. “A flash
of silver streaked through the browns and greens of the woods, terminating the mortal men’s
movements as it passed them. The silver froze the humans beating hearts and souls as thought it
were a frenzied virus.” I dictated my own movements from the shadows as I came upon the male
demon child, about 50 years my junior.
The boy spun about just in time to spot me coming out of the trees into his little clearing.
“And who are you? Who is the one who has destroyed those plaguing me, by creating a new
plague just for them?” The boy was obviously quite educated and despite his strong words I saw
his despair.
“This one? Caethes is the name, a tigon demon of Ice, descendent of a foolish, yet
powerful, female lioness. One who has found a forlorn male, not but a few yearss younger then
oneself, and realized the potential of him. Tell this one, would you care to accompany one, as a
friend, and discover your own potential?” I was aware that my speech was a spot odd, but that
was how I always spoke aloud.
“I am Sandalphon, future heir to the Realm of Ssussun, and pure blood Tiger demon, born
with the Red Jewel of power. I need the help of no one; however, your company would be greatly
appreciated.” He held himself high, obviously speaking truth about his bloodlines. That
explained the potential I sensed, as well as his beauty.
The boy stood at least six feet tall, he was slender and pale, and his violet streaked night
black hair was drawn back into a high ponytail which still fell to mid-back. The purple and black
eyes held too much depth for one so young as him. He was a marvelous youth; it was no wonder
the humans wanted him dead. I could see that, in time, he would surpass me.
“Well,” I commented, “accompany you this one shall. As well as oversee your training…
should you wish to continue to train” I realized mid sentence that it would be foolish to try and
force him along, his aristocratic nature would see it as condescension and I would have blown
my chance.
He glided right up and towered over me, who stood a mere five feet three inches. I looked
up at him, I had to, for he was declaring he was to be the dominant one if he were to join with
me. Lowering my head, I took a step back, pivoted so that I was on his left and fell a pace behind
him. I had just acknowledged his dominance; let him believe what he wishes for now the thoughts
echoed through my head as I awaited his reaction.
Sandalphon was pleased by my choice; he turned to face me, flashed a smile, and fell
even with me. It was the beginning of the most vibrant years of my life thus far. What a smile…
******
The next few centuries passed in a flash, we were the most feared demons to plague
Ssussun. I brought out all his powers, taught him how to move without being seen, to kill with
leaving a trace, many things that even the greatest of assassins could only dream of knowing.
Everything I taught him he took a step further, improved it in ways I’d never before considered,
and I learned the new ways from him. Our powers complimented each other, his of fire and mine
of ice. It was a total of four and a half centuries before his “noble” bloodline’s ego caught up
with him. Perhaps it was that his ego had swelled, or that he had found out my about family,
maybe both, but something drove him over the edge.
We had been bickering for a few years, on and off, about trite things. Even though we still
accompanied each other everywhere, He stopped talking to me entirely. Continually I tried to
speak to him, and continually he refused conversation. Of course, we knew each other so well we
had no need to speak when we came to a town.
The time of silence caused me to recall the few decades I’d spent with my brother, and
what Phon would do if he discovered the reason why I could train him so well. He was one with
a jewel of power from the family of demons to rule the Ssussun longer then any other family ever
has. In his mind I had no family and no jewel, but the truth was quite the opposite. I too, had a
Red Jewel of Power, something only three others had ever possessed, myself not among them,
and my family was the esteemed pride of lions that rivaled his. My brother was the one who over
through Phon’s father when Phon had fled. The snow lion prodigy of the Yukiko Clan, also
known as my brother, had ended Phon’s right to the throne and his family’s legacy. Of course, I
never let him learn this, and never would.
After six years of silence and glares we spoke. “So it was a six year vow of silence was
it?” I questioned.
He glared at me, the eyes he showed would have scared anyone other then me, who had
been receiving the glares for years. Eyes which were totally black except for a ring of deep
purple; it created a dark abyss that would foreshadow one’s death if not careful. “I saw no reason
to speak to you,” he hissed, “a weaker demon who doesn’t even have a jewel of power.”
His disposition irritated me, as did his snobbishness. When I trained him there was none
of this aristo crap. He knew he said stuck a poor note, though he did not truly understand why,
for that cruel smirk he showed his human prey crossed his flawless face.
“Is something wrong Caethes-san?” By accenting the suffix that would normally imply
respect he began his mind games. Mind games were something he loved, always playing with the
thoughts of his prey, never just ending it quickly, like a proper demon.
“Why, Phon, you truly are a child, still playing pointless games. You know full well that
they don’t work on this one.” I was putting up a wall that he had never before been able to pass; I
only hoped his solitude didn’t mature his mind.
“Tell me Blue, what does a half-breed know of the true potential that a pure blood holds?
To be perfectly blunt you’re a class-less half-blood, with no place in the caste system.”
Resorting to personal insults, his mind was still that of a puerile child, perfect. I still
wasn’t sure what he was planning though. “Why, dear child, how could you even think of
insulting one so? One who taught you everything you so pride yourself on. ‘Tis you who have no
place here, you, who live without honor.”
He was annoyed now; I might have pushed him too far. Honor was engraved into him,
although he refused to admit it, for he despised those with an ego. What bothered him was the
fact that I implied a “class-less half-blood” taught him all that he knows.
“Honor? Who cares about honor? All that matters is eliminating the disease called halfbloods that pollute this world which is rightfully mine.” What had been going on in his head
these past years I have no idea. He never cared for such hackneyed things in the past. Something
had been messing with his head, and winning.
I was taken aback and he could tell he threw me off balance, but something happened that
I did not predict. He took a step forward, still towering a foot or so above me. We were toe to toe,
yet I did not back down as I had done when we first met. This was something more serious. This
was not simply to see if we were equals or my intentions; it was to actually, truthfully, impose his
dominance. He, the egotistical student, was basically challenging me to a dual where the loser
would lose everything if one did not surrender to the other’s power.
If I back down here there will be no living with him. His mind is corrupt and his pureblood ego has come to full play. The red jewel of power is taking over, it’s too much for his mind to control. I must end this struggle for power before he seeks the Hell Jewel. I remained where I was, glaring up into a purple-black abyss with ice blue ones.
He saw my golden eyes change to their icy-blue and knew I accepted his challenge. He
was never able to figure out how I made a change that normally only pure-bloods with jewels of
the darker spectrum can make, and I had no intention to tell him.
He made his own change, his black hair grew longer, nails formed claws, fangs sharpened, a black tail grew, and the purple strips only his family possess formed on his face and
body. We were both ready, my long silver hair whipped about as his power caused the wind to
spin about us. He made the first move, his clawed hand dove into my gut, sending me flying into
a tree.
I landed on my feet as I slid down the trunk of the aching tree. I arched forward, preparing
to launch myself at him; he took the bait and charged. Leaping into the air, I flipped, and landed
behind him. I grabbed his right arm, twisted it, and drew him over to a low branch, onto which I
climbed. After giving him a moment to realize what I was doing I sprung from the branch, landed
behind him, and had now yanked his arm out of its socket.
A roar caused the nearby life forms to cringe and flee. Sandalphon clutched his right arm,
still roaring in agony. I didn’t give him time to regroup; I grabbed him by the neck and drew him
away from the tree. Before I could pick him up, only to fling him down on his spine, he smashed
his left clawed hand into my elbow, releasing himself from my grip.
“I should have known better then to attempt to fight you in such a setting.” He said with a
growl. Massaging his injured arm he paced in front of me, his mind was working furiously to
come up with and idea. Suddenly he flew at me again, grabbed me by the neck, and before I
could retaliate threw me onto my spine.
Even as I tried to stand he kept me down. We fought fang and claw, against each other on
the forest floor. Both of us had a reason to fight so hard, mine was life; his was his pride, ego,
and dominance. Finally I was forced to surrender; I was losing, my strength fleeting and my mind
weakening.
At first he made like he didn’t hear me, forced me to plea once more. The second time he
stood and towered over me, who beaten physically and mentally. He was fully aware that if I, one
with an adamant honor code, gave my word I could not betray him. Before letting me stand he
had me tell him that I would follow him, be loyal to him, and I said this.
He waited for me to regain my footing, and I then swung to his left. He was pleased by
this move of showing his supremacy. Now I followed him, I travel behind him; no longer would I
walk with or next to him. Days and months blurred, I could no longer tell one day from the next,
or night from day.
******
“It’s been a year you know…” I jumped, surprised by the sudden comment from
Sandalphon. I had been sitting in the upper branches of a maple tree, admiring the star-filled sky,
the clouds, and the beings that traveled there. At some point the flawless face had moved from
the ground to right beside me, staring at the sky.
“Has it really, Sandalphon? I’ve lost track.” The voice was foreign, distant and weaker
sounding then my own. I had fixed my speech issues of using “one” instead on “I” or “me”, for
Sandalphon demanded it. I had tilted my head to look at him, he looks like his old self, the one I
trained and traveled with for so many centuries.
“You don’t have to follow me any longer, I apologize for my treatment of you, I was
inconsiderate.” He looked to me now, and his eyes truly seemed to hold sorrow in them.
“It’s alright, I didn’t mind much. Lets grab something to eat and we’ll talk.” I slid from
the branch and descended to the ground, he followed right behind. He follows…
Something icy pierced my spine, bolted through my body and froze me where I stood. I
was barely ably to turn enough to see the black and purple eyes glaring at me and the fanged
mouth wearing that horrid smirk. A purple striped arm was wrapped around me, another hand’s
claws in my back. He ripped my back open horizontally, dragging his claws free of my spine and
flesh. I fell to my knees, and glance up into that evil face which loomed over me, clouded and red
though my surroundings were. The red began to fade, change to a black only the eyes of my
apprentice, my friend, my killer, could possess.
******
The golden tree tops and pink-blue sky greeted me when I awoke. It’s been two centuries
since my back, mind, and life was shredded to pieces. Crossing the hallway of my small cabin,
Itoshi, the one who saved me, handed me a cup of Red Chai Tea and some oatmeal peanut butter
cookies when I plopped down in my chair. “Morning Blue, did you sleep well?” Only two people
ever called me Blue, Itoshi and Sandalphon.
“Oh aye, ‘twas a marvelous sleep. I dreamt of the past, again.” I grumbled while taking
my first sip of tea. He raised an eyebrow and I grabbed a cookie. “Shall we start out early today?”
“Why not? He was two villages over last night, perhaps he spent the night.” He gulped
down his coffee and stood. I had been seeking revenge for the past century, the first one I spent
recovering. I’d had two chances to exact that revenge; however I simply couldn’t bring myself to
do so.
Why is it so hard to do unto him what has been done to me? Isn’t it supposed to be a
simple, normal thing to do? Following Itoshi’s example I stood, stretched, and moved to the open
door by which he waited. Well whatever the reason I’ll find out, or… “Hey Itoshi?”
“Hmm?”
“Why don’t we give him a one day head start and relax?” I glanced at the remaining
cookies.
Flashing a smile he closed the door. “Sounds like a great idea,” and with that we plopped
down on the couch across from the fireplace and put our feet up on the table. We spent the rest of
the day just “chillin’” and let the past finally rest, the future is a whole different story.
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