Chapter Three

Night was slowly descending upon the city of Kyoto, artificial light bathing much of the urban metropolis. On its outskirts though resided an ancient temple nestled amongst the native forest. As night came, only antiquated kerosene lamps lit the grounds as Nagi Springfield and his companion exited the Kyoto Magic Associations Administrative building and slowly made their way back towards his apartment.

"I thought the Japanese were really picky about punctuality." His companion remarked as they were out of earshot of their hosts.

Nagi, tall and lean, with a mop of crimson hair and the mischievous features that came only with youth looked at his companion who was a stark contrast to himself. Slightly shorter, with a far more muscular build, the man's long platinum white hair, crimson eyes and sagely appearance couldn't have been more different from Nagi's.

"Hey, accidents happen." Nagi remarked as he fished into his pocket and removed a small package of cherry-flavored candies he had picked up on their trip to visit the Kansai Association, and more specifically its Head Elder, Konoe Eishun. "Eishun'll be here by morning."

The other man grumbled a complaint, which forced a muffled chuckle out of Nagi. "I would have thought considering your advanced years you would have developed some patience?"

The man, originally born Maksym Leonitniev almost a millennia prior, but more infamously known as Mathis the Ala Ferrum looked over to his companion incredulously. "You know it's really bad when you're chastising me about patience." He remarked with a bitter sigh. "I had hoped to be on my way tonight."

"Ah, there's always tomorrow, one more night in Kyoto won't kill you." Nagi retorted, "Really though, you should think about just staying."

Mathias snorted, "Yeah, somehow I think that the Kansai Association would disagree with you."

"Come now, Eishun and you really have more in common than you think." You're both sticks in the mud, Nagi didn't add out loud.

The other man shrugged, "Eishun-dono isn't the problem." Mathias stated, "It's the Shinmei-ryu that I'm more concerned about."

"They don't mind you." Nagi said quickly.

"Yeah?" Mathias commented, "Then how do you explain that caricature that they had on their archery range the other day."

"Oh come on, that could have been any demon with white hair, white wings and…" He trailed off as he couldn't resist laughing at the expression on Mathias's face.

The older man just shook his head dubiously. "I swear Nagi…" he uttered exasperated. "I just think that a demon living in a city that is the headquarters for a society of demon slayers isn't exactly the best lifestyle for me, that's all."

"Ah, I think you're being stupid." Nagi said bluntly after he had regained his composure, "But that's just me."

"Yeah, I know."

"You could always visit your grandson and his family in the mountains." He remarked.

"I was thinking about doing that." Mathias said as he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and fished out the small picture that Sasonosuke had given him from his last visit. "Its amazing how quickly they grow." He replied as he handed it over for Nagi to inspect.

"Speaking of families," Mathias said as Nagi looked over the photo, "When are you and Arika going to finally settle down?"

A dark aura seemed to emanate from Nagi in that moment, forcing the other man to laugh loudly.

"That's not funny." He returned the photo.

"Oh, it's hysterical." Mathias said as he carefully placed the photo back in his pocket. "I remember so many of my grandchildren when they found out that they were going to be fathers or mothers, always wondering if they'll be good parents."

"I'd be a great parent!" Nagi stated instantly. "I just don't know if I'm ready for a kid yet, I mean I've seen how Eishun has changed with Konoka."

"A change for the better if I have to say." Mathias replied. It was hardly a secret that the Eishen and Mathias continued to snipe at each other even after all of these years since the end of the Great War. On almost any topic the two would take opposite sides. All except in one respect: children. The moment Eishun's daughter Konoka had been born, Mathias had been the first to congratulate the new father, something that had surprised the other man greatly.

Mathias had many faults, but it seemed that one thing that he held above all else was family and what it did for a man.

"Arika and I are still thinking about it." Nagi said to stifle the subject.

"Well, all I have to say is don't think to long and hard about it, children are wonderful things to experience in life. True, they're a handful, but the joy you get from seeing them grow up is…well almost magical, I guess."

Nagi was surprised to hear the other man speak like this. Mathias was a demon drenched in so much blood and horror that to hear him speak of something like children was almost surreal.

"How many kids have you had, Mathias?" He found himself asking.

Mathias expression was thoughtful for a moment, then he smiled, "Iryna and I had four," He smiled serenely in the memory of his first wife, "about a century later I married Anastasia and we had two children." He chuckled after a moment, "Then there was Noel, my last wife and we had six children." He sighed happily, "I remember every one of them."

He sighed heavily, a mixture of emotions between remorse and happiness flooding into his expression. "Still, it was my first child, a girl, we named her Natalia. Let me tell you, you think you were unprepared. Back when Natalia came into the world, I was just twenty years old, and trust me the world was a much different place."

"Please don't tell me you're going to start going off on how much better the world is now and how you have to travel three miles to school barefoot in the snow…" Nagi replied.

Mathias bared a toothy grin, "I swear, you youngsters." He grumbled but still managed to let a chuckle slip from her stern expression. "Actually though, Natalia was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. She was so beautiful." He shook his head, "She married a nice gentleman, and they lived a happy life."

That was one thing that Nagi hadn't realized as he looked over to his friend, for much of Mathias's life he had been condemned to eternal life, never allowed to die unless his creator so chose. To have so many children come and pass had to be heart wrenching. "I guess I never thought of how it must be to have outlived all of children."

"When I was human," Mathias said somberly, "I believed that a father should never outlive his children," he sighed, "But when I made my pact, and became what I am now, I soon had to change my outlook on life. It was hard to see my children pass, but with the bad came the good. I saw my children grow, create families and have children of their own, and those children had children of their own." He smiled, "For that, I cannot feel any sadness."

"So, Sasonosuke and his family?"

"They're the proudest thing that I could ever imagine." Mathias said, "and I have to say, I certainly enjoy Sasonosuke's choice in women. I always enjoy someone whom I can rile up as much as Tomoe." He finished with a toothy grin.

Nagi was about to retort when suddenly he felt a sensation wash over him, his eyes widened as he looked towards the east. Mathias was also looking there as well. Instinctively they began moving in that direction.

"Was that…" Nagi began.

"A demon penetrated the Kansai barrier." Mathias finished as they broke into a dead sprint.

All around the Association grounds alarms began sounding and soon the near vacant streets were filled with Kansai magi and shinmei-ryu swordsmen, many of whom were casting anxious glances towards Nagi, and more specifically Mathias.

They reached the clearing between the main buildings and the ancient wall that separated the compound from the forests, allowing them for the first time to look up to the heavens unimpeded. Still, with the looming night it made discerning where the demon was until he was nearly fifteen meters away from Nagi and Mathias.

The demon crashed heavily into the ground kicking up a cloud of loose earth. As Nagi and Mathias moved to investigate a contingent of Shinmei-ryu warriors were already intercepting.

Mathias gritted his teeth in anger as he saw two of the warriors break from their pack and intercept Mathias, their naginatas aimed at him as they brought him to a stop.

"Hey!" Mathias snapped angrily as he stared down at the two warriors, kids really. Still, despite their youth, their stern expressions in their eyes drove home the fact that they were deadly serious in their duties. A demon had just penetrated the magical barrier surrounding the association and the local demon had to be kept in check to make certain that he wasn't involved.

At least that was what Mathias thought, although he wasn't all that happy about it. Nagi on the other hand was allowed to move forward. He paused momentarily to look at Mathias, but the older man simply nodded to Nagi to check out what was going on.

The warriors surrounded the fallen demon, a combination of their naginata and nodachi trained on the demon but otherwise they merely worked at assessing the situation than act hastily. They acknowledged Nagi's presence with bows of their head, but otherwise did not hamper him as he approached the collapsed demon.

"Nagi-sama." A Shinmei guard captain attempted to warn, but Nagi ignored him as he knelt next to the demon.

It was a Crow Demon, but he was badly injured, Nagi quickly surmised as he looked at the extent of his injuries. It looked like he had just come out of a terrible battle, even now a number of arrows protruded from various parts of his body, and he could see numerous gashes from what looked like edged weapons slashed throughout his body.

"Mathias-sama…" The crow demon breathed heavily. "I…need to…speak with…Mathias…sama." His Japanese was heavily accented and the words were coarse and blistered in pain, but as the demon looked up and stared into Nagi's eyes, the urgency in them was overpowering.

Nagi spun from where he knelt over to the warriors watching over Mathias. "Mathias, you have to come here!"

Mathias attempted to step forward, but the two warriors held their guard, pressing the tips of their lances dangerously close to Mathias's neck. He looked over to the guard captain. "Captain, please." He requested.

The captain looked at the demon indignantly.

"Captain," Nagi pressured, "This demon is in bad shape, and he's here to speak with Mathias-san. Please." He pressed.

The tense outline of the captain's jaw revealed his consternation, but after a long moment he relented. The two warriors finally relented and Mathias rushed to Nagi's side.

Up close Mathias recognized the Crow Demon immediately. "Hajime-kun!" He balked in surprise at seeing one of his grandson's bodyguards in this shape, "What the hell happened?" he demanded instantly speaking in the Tongue of the Ancients, the demon's language.

"We were attacked at the hot springs to the east of here." He breathed heavily as he attempted to right him.

Mathias was sickened to see the pool of blood that had appeared under the demon's body, "Don't move, you seriously injured." His thoughts were racing, what had happened to Hajime? Why would he be here? More importantly, if he was in this shape, how were Sasonosuke and his family?

"It's fine." He wheezed, "Sasonosuke-sama…told me…to find you…said you'd be…here." He words were becoming strained, "We were…attacked by…the People…you have to…save them." The words came out with the last ounces of strength that the demon possessed.

The gears in Mathias's mind instantly went into overdrive, his heart raced as adrenaline was released into his system and he felt a sense of cold fear wash over him.

Upon finishing his last sentence, the demon's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he slumped forward. Mathias gripped him as he fell, quickly checking for a pulse. He gritted his teeth as he found none.

"What did he say?" Nagi pressed.

"Sasonosuke and his family are being attacked at the hot springs that they visit." Mathias said instantly, his mind racing, he looked in to the direction that Hajime had come from. "Its about thirty kilometers from here."

"I can teleport us there." Nagi offered, "but I have to know where it's at."

"If I can picture it, can you get us there?" Mathias said quickly, his decision made.

"Yes." Nagi said as he placed his palm on Mathias's forehead. There was a momentary pause before he nodded, "All right, got it." He said as he fished into his jacket pocket and removed his small spell book. "This will take a moment."

"That's all right." Mathias said as he stood and looked at the assembled shinmei-ryu warriors. He quickly approached the nearest one carrying a naginata.

"I need to borrow your weapon." He stated.

The warrior merely sneered at him.

Mathias smiled kindly, and then gripped the shaft of the naginata firmly, drawing it—and its wielder—close enough to him that Mathias could slam a punch directly into the kid's solar plexus. The warrior yielded the weapon as his eyes widened and the wind was knocked from his lungs.

Almost immediately the other warriors readied their weapons, but Mathias ignored them as he rushed back to Nagi.

"Ready?" He asked.

He nodded as he finished his incantation, "You certainly have a way with people, don't you?" Nagi said.

"I told you they didn't like me." Mathias commented as they were enveloped in a blinding white light.