Concealment of Evil: Bane and Venom
Author's Notes: If I'd had known that the Veil of Darkness series would become more popular than my Pokemon stories, then I would've started these stories about two years ago. ^^ (Of course, then they would be as bad as Fate and Apothecary, a failure I'm still trying to shake off.) Now, I'm desperately itching for a scanner right about now. *has black-and-white pictures of various Veil of Darkness characters, including Freya, Bane, and Morphina* If anyone knows where I can get a scanner cheap, then notify me right away! :)
Someone I don't even know e-mailed me a little while back asking me what makes zombie-tamers and demon-slayers different. This is the simple answer. Demon-slayers can be anyone, with or without magic abilities, that kill run- of-the-mill demons (ie. ones that don't need magic to slay) for either bounty or the thrill of justice. Zombie-tamers, on the other hand, are a few and far in-between race of people who were given magic powers like the Tamer's Light to vanquish Morphina, the strongest demon of all. So far, there are only four known living on the planet. (That would be Ivy, Davis, Rosemary, and Jano. Ivy's father Pierce married a zombie-tamer, but never was one.)
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Davis was completely surrounded in pitch-black darkness. He shivered, feeling his spine crawl as he tried to see anything within Razoff's secret exit. Behind him, he could hear the powerless Count mutter under his breath as he messed with something Davis couldn't tell. Davis felt cold, both inside and outside. Burning hot tears slide down his face when he recalled the life he took, and the swiftness it took to do so. Davis played with his dagger in his hands carefully; the cursed blade still unsheathed in his rush to abandon the ferret corpse. "What have I been reduced to?" Davis muttered to himself. His sanity was slowly pulling itself apart. It won't be long before...
Suddenly, a flare lit up the tunnel. Almost immediately, Razoff handed Davis a lit lantern. The glowing light gave the Count an eerie presence. "Here you go, kid. Walking through this tunnel is extremely hard without a light to guide the way." The tall, lithe creature started to lead the way, holding the old-fashioned lantern in front of him like a lifeline. Like a zombie, Davis stumbled after him, his legs shuffling numbly under him. Why was Razoff so calm and collected when he saw the ferret so defenseless and ready to slay? Were the many prizes from successful hunting turned this skilled sharpshooter into a cold-blooded killer? Thoughts buzzed around Davis's head, and soon Davis backed a good distance away from Razoff, as if he was afraid Razoff would turn about-face and blow Davis's head clear off his shoulders.
"This mansion has survived a long time from attacks such as these." Razoff sparked a conversation between the two to shatter the silence. "My family avoided many attacks. Robot Pirates, Antitoons, Hoodlums; you name it. I kept this place free from Hoodlum attacks a while back, and I'm disappointed with myself for letting my guard down with Morphina." Davis shrugged, indifferent. "Morphina's a wise thinker. She can fly solo if she has to, and not to mention that she's a demon immune to most weapons." The Count nodded as he led Davis on. Razoff's gun was being carried carefully like it was a priceless treasure. And it was in a time like this. "I sensed that from her when she caught me off-guard. The only demon-killing weapons I can probably use are enchanted bullets, and six of those alone would cost everything but the clothes on my back."
Davis nodded in agreement. That was the main reason why Ivy and he weren't taught how to handle guns; enchanted bullets were impossible to find and even more impossible to buy. Also, the Tamer's Light had very little effect on a single bullet, much less enough ammo to take down a monster like Bane or Morphina. Also, guns were not as easy to find in a weapon arsenal as a sword or a dagger, the zombie-tamer's key weapons. Blade weapons were more effective with the Tamer's Light because they concentrate the magic into the sharp edges. Davis had to leap over a large bottomless crack running across the pathway. "This isn't the first time I've dealed with sieges like this, you know. Hoodlums are persistent creatures; they've tried to take advantage of this mansion over three times." Davis nodded monotonously, but he didn't bother to continue the discussion further. Instead, he was worried about the ending of the tunnel.
"How much further?" Davis complained. Now, all he was concentrated on was whether Morphina's army set up camp near the exit or not. He didn't want to kill another unsuspecting Commander, no matter how bloodthirsty they happened to be. As if to answer his question, the tunnel suddenly ended, revealing a large wall of fallen rocks. Davis stood in awe, afraid that the tunnels have been unused for too long. "Don't worry, Davis. They're only decoys to discourage any enemies using this tunnel." Razoff proved his point by moving a large decoy rock hanging on the right side of the tunnel, revealing an old-fashioned lever. He pulled it downwards, and the large fallen rocks slid into concealed gaps in the walls. When the dust cleared, it revealed the tunnel suddenly shifted upwards to the ground above. "Does that answer your question?" The two of them entered the now opened pathway, and the fake fallen rocks slid back into place behind them. The secret passageway had abruptly ended, leading to another decoy rock doorway that led to the surface. Davis nearly shouted for joy, relieved to finally see daylight again. Razoff got a good grip on the small boulder and shoved it out of the way like the other doors.
"Well, it looks like the coast is clear." The secret passageway had led to a small grove of swamp trees. Razoff climbed out of the tunnel and slightly pushed some drooping branches just enough to peek into the distance with one eye. He quickly pushed the branches back into place and informed Davis, who was now sitting casually on the ground at his feet. "Here's our position. We're currently in a large grove of trees that makes a boundary that separates my territory from the rest of the swamplands. Also, we're on a high kind of bluff that overlooks my entire property, making it easy to see everything that I own in these swamps. Apparently, Morphina has so many army-members that some of them had set up camp around my household. It would be extremely foolish to stray away from these trees without getting spotted, so we better keep to the bluff."
"And...?" Davis pressed. By now, Davis managed to push the rock back into place to keep Razoff's secret concealed. From its current position, it was hard to tell that it was actually a secret door. Razoff once again gazed at the sight below then turned to Davis. "We have no other choice. We'll have to flee and get help." The tone to his voice sounded final, so Davis didn't bother to object. As quietly as possible, the two dashed off into the underbrush, running as carefully and as swiftly as possible. "I know of some good fighters in Bluddweik. If we hurry, we could get back here in less than a week." Davis seemed appalled as he raced beside the Count, dodging low tree branches. "A week? You can't be serious!" Razoff quickly formed a counter-argument. "Yes, I'm serious! You can't run into good help these da-ooof!"
In an instant more ironic as the imprisonment in his own mansion, Razoff had run straight into Ivy Thorn while she happened to dashing in the opposite direction. The two laid on the ground in silence for a couple of instances, slightly dazed from the impact. Ivy was the first to recover. "Hey! What's the big idea?" Ivy shouted, her head still pounding from the blow. Soon afterwards, some shrubs were brushed aside as the rest of the traveling party rushed to Ivy's aide. They had abandoned their horses a long time ago, seeing as hooves would greatly sink in the soft swamp soil. "See? That's why we told you not to dash ahead of us Ivy! You run into...these things..." Freya commented, lacking any words to describe Razoff. In the midst of the confusion, the first person to notice Davis, who was standing completely oblivious to the whole scenario, was Ivy. "Davis? What are you doing here and why are you in league with this crazy swamp-lizard?" Razoff quickly got off from the ground from his awkward position, obviously insulted.
"Swamp-lizard? You indignant little marshdweller! I happen to be the great Razoff the hunter!" He dusted some swamp dirt off his clothes, almost as if to prove his point. Ivy shot him a glare, but said no more. "Well, it doesn't matter who you are at this time. It only matters if we know where Morphina happens to be." Rex insisted. Razoff was delighted to hear Morphina mentioned. "You want to get rid of Morphina too? Well, isn't this lucky that we ran into each other!" Ivy gave him another icy stare as she ate some of Donnia's herbs to get rid of her headache. "I didn't mean literally, of course. That demonic little witch threw me out of my mansion and set up camp there!"
Ivy's attitude towards Razoff greatly improved with that statement. "Really? Then you must show us the way!" Davis smiled at his sister's joy; it was glad to see Ivy acting like her usual peppy self. "I'd love to right now, just as long as you save some of her for me. I don't take kindly to strangers like her!" Ivy grinned, her teeth giving her a misguided sense of innocence. "It's a deal!" She held out her hand at full length. The two hunters shook hands, a sign of a sealed deal.
Ivy had just joined forces with the best sharpshooter on the face of the planet!
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While Ivy and Razoff were sealing their deal, Morphina had other things to do. She stood brooding in the elegant dining hall, a glass of aged wine in her hands. She drank delicately, staining her pale lips red. She heard a horde member rush up the stairs to meet her, and she showed indifference as she finished her glass. It was a large corsair human; the same one that was concerned about Striker's disappearance a day ago. He was tripping on his large feet as he ran to greet Morphina. He didn't even bother to catch his breath as he explained to Morphina about his news. "Morphina! The prisoner has escaped! He's murdered poor Ruby-Eyes; slit his throat like a cunning killer! What should we do?" Morphina suddenly shot the human a look of pure venom. The glass shattered in her hand as rage took control.
"How did Razoff escape? He was all alone in those catacombs!" The human cowered before her, not knowing what to say to the raging demon. Suddenly, they heard a nervous cough from behind them. Sure enough, Rayman the spellbound hero knew what had happened in the catacombs. "Exactly, he wasn't completely alone, your Grace." Morphina turned her attention to Rayman. She came closer to him, ignoring shards of glass sticking to her right hand. "What did you just say? Are you saying that Razoff had a prisoner in there before we took his status away?" Rayman nodded, a nervous sweat trickling down the back of his head. He was spellbound, yes, but in a form where he felt some emotions like fear and worry, just for Morphina's liking. He swallowed nervously as he explained.
"There was only one prisoner in there. It was a kid, about in his mid- teens. He had this thick brown hair, which was dirty with swamp dirt. I just thought he was an unarmed swamp hermit, so I let him be." Morphina seemed to glow with rage. Within her eyes, a deadly fire sparked. He picked up the limbless guardian with her left hand, bringing his face to eye- level. "You idiot! Do you realize who was down there?" She shook Rayman like an overgrown doll, trying to input every last word into his spellbound head. "That was Davis, you legless fool! Even without a weapon, a proper zombie-tamer can unlock chains by just using the Tamer's Light. Davis freed Razoff, and they killed one of my best Commanders because of it." Rayman shivered; some Commanders found it disturbingly amusing to see the world's Guardian being reduced to a shivering mess under Morphina's gaze.
"How was I to know? They had no exits out anyways!" Instantly, Morphina dropped Rayman to the floor as realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. Her bottom lip quivered as she considered the possibility. "A proper hunter like Count Razoff wouldn't have a manor without a secret exit in one of the rooms. He probably killed Ruby-Eyes to silence him, and used a hidden doorway to escape. Hmmm, he's a lot more cunning then I realized..." She turned back to Rayman, who was sitting on the ground awaiting his Master's next orders. She pointed a long pointed fingernail in his direction. "I want you to hunt Davis and Razoff down. Take your Globox friend with you. Also, it would be logical to take this." Morphina handed Rayman a large burlap bag that was sitting on a large oaken table. Rayman held it in his hands, weighing it expertly. It was large enough to hold a baby cow.
"Should I bring him back alive?" Rayman questioned. Morphina shook her head. "Before the War of the Souls, I had made a mistake when I requested that two of my Commanders would bring the brother of the heir to the zombie- tamers alive. I had him for a little while, but he soon escaped and revealed my latest plans to his sister and her friends. That cost me the war, and I won't make that same mistake. When you find Davis, do whatever you want with him. Drown him, beat him into a bloody mess, hang him; I don't care about his safety anymore! Use the burlap bag to bring any evidence of Davis's death, and maybe confirm Razoff's fate as well. A severed head or a foot would do just fine, just bring anything as proof!" She paused as she surveyed Rayman's expression. "Do you have all of that?"
Rayman saluted. It made some Commanders almost sick to their stomachs to see a kind-hearted fellow like Rayman be so happy about the death of a child. "Just leave it to me! I'll make sure that I bring Davis's body back before nightfall!"
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Ivy and her group of traveling heroes spent the last hour and a half planning a way to get to Rayman and Globox without her knowing in the best way possible. After all, everyone knew powerful Rayman was, and they needed a way of breaking Razoff's confirmed spellbound on him without excess bloodshed. (Davis seemed extremely happy on this part) Again and again, Razoff drew various maps of his mansion, each time pointing out important rooms and possible entrances. "We could use the secret entrance to get back in, but Morphina would've most likely learned about the ferret body. If we go to the entrance here, and use the window here, and then we could get into this room here, where I think Morphina would most likely keep the slaves." Razoff explained, slapping the stick on a certain part of the crudely drawn map with each 'here'. Freya shook her head. "The attic? I don't think Morphina would keep the spellbound slaves and the captives still not spellbound there. They could be in the marshes here!" She pointed to the circled area around the mansion sketch.
"I know how Morphina thinks. She would use the darkest, dampest places to seal her captives not yet spellbound. Nia and me could tell you that, having the pleasure for ourselves. That's why I think we should go into the catacombs that Razoff and Davis escaped earlier!" Ivy, who was just sitting back and listening to the suggestions of others for now, thought otherwise. "If Davis and Razoff killed a Commander down there, they'll sure to increase security down there! We should go with Freya's idea." The group argued and discussed among themselves, each on with an idea of their own. Amongst all the suggestions, Davis threw his arms up in desperation. "I give up! At the rate we're going, the Cave of Bad Dreams will be destroyed before we even come up with a plan!"
"Don't worry, Davis. You won't need a plan where you're going!" A sinister voice ran out amongst the trees. Instantly, blade weapons were revealed with a chorus of metallic rings and magic beings readied themselves to cast any spells on their unseen opponent. Suddenly, with grace not to be believed, Rayman fell from his original perch above them and landed on the ground. Following him, Globox fell to the ground as well, only instead of landing on his feet he awkwardly crashed onto his back. The two stood there, looking like the perfect bringers of death. Rayman smiled venomously, a look that Ivy knew she probably wouldn't forget. "Sorry I had to surprise you like that, but even an amateur could've pinpointed your very position. Besides, I didn't want Morphina's plans to be foiled by children like last time." He waved a skeptical finger towards Freya and Bad- Rayman's direction. "You two should've foreseen an ambush like this earlier! Have you been losing your touch?" Freya charged towards them, dagger ready, but was held back by Donnia and Rex.
"Don't lose your cool! Rayman and Globox are here just to make us lose our focus. We need to be smarter than to fall for their bragging." Ivy knew exactly what Donnia was telling Freya; when Morphina spellbound a creature as powerful as Ly or Rayman, she would do it a bit more loosely than a normal captive would. The looser binding would give the captives emotions, but only those that mirrored the spellbinding's creator. Rayman was acting just like Morphina when she was trying to get under your skin; haughty and insulting. Ivy drew her most treasured weapon; a long curved dagger that could pass as a short sword. "Don't even try, Ivy. We'll cover you." Freya whispered, covering her voice up while Rayman and his Bad counterpart were exchanging empty threats against each other. "Bad-Rayman and I are itching for a re-match with Morphina's scumbags, so Rayman and Globox will do just perfectly. Take Donnia, Razoff, and Rex and head towards Morphina's hideout. Bad-Rayman, Davis, and I will cover for you." Ivy didn't like the reckless look in Freya's eye.
"Freya, I don't want you to kill yourself! You don't deserve it!" Ivy protested. Freya smiled at her, flashing dazzling canines. "Don't fret over us. We know exactly what we're doing. Now go!" The decision was final. With a quick gesture towards Donnia, Rex, and Razoff, the four remaining heroes broke off from the rest of the group quietly as the overly confident Rayman kept trying to weather down his opponent's concentration. He was waiting for one of them to let their guard down. Globox pointed to the four companions leaving the scene. "Rayman! They're getting away!" Rayman turned to his friend. "Leave them! The only prize I'm after is Davis!" Rayman stepped closer to Davis, fists sparkling with charging magic.
"You've messed with Morphina for too long, so I'm going to mess with you!" Davis raised his dagger to his face, readying himself for the blow. A war cry filled the air, along with the sound of someone being hit full-force with a signature energy fist. Davis lowered his dagger, and saw Rayman and Bad-Rayman locked together in a choking death-grip. "You creep! The real Rayman would never pick on a harmless child. You're nothing more than a thug!" Rayman slipped out of his grasp. "Listen to yourself. Do you deny your very birth, spawn of the shadows?" Bad-Rayman flinched; being reminded of his past with Mister Dark was not a way to get on his good side. The Guardian seemed to enjoy seeing emotional pain inflicted on his enemy. Rayman took this as the perfect time to attack. Wrong choice. Rayman was sent flying a few feet, sending his back right into a tree. "A real hunter conceals his weapon until the last moment." Bad-Rayman turned to Davis. "Now! While he's still down!"
Davis quickly rushed to Rayman's aide. There was a sudden flash of light, the sure sign of a broken spellbinding, and Rayman quickly got off of his awkward position on the ground, rubbing his head. "Ow...my head. Thanks for snapping me out of that friend." Davis gave him a thumbs-up. "Don't mention it. You were starting to creep all of us out!" The conversation was cut off by sound of a war cry much like Bad-Rayman's, followed by a dull thump of someone falling to the ground. Everyone turned their attention to the previously forgotten Freya and saw her standing triumphantly above an unconscious Globox. "Now do you think that I'm losing my touch?" Freya asked retorically to the unconscious frog in annoyance. A few minutes later, Globox was returned to normal just like Rayman was. Freya and Davis filled Rayman in on the details of their plans, not sparing any details. As they explained, Rayman nodded in acknowledgement, his face stoic and showing indifference.
"So Ivy plans to burst through Morphina's front door?" He shook his head in doubt. "She won't survive back there! Doesn't she know that Bane is acting like Morphina's personal watchdog right now?" Davis quickly interrupted. "I know Ivy better than anybody and I can say correctly that she wouldn't act without thinking first. From what I heard, wasn't Bane's pack killed by demon-slayers? That's what Donnia and Rex are, not to mention that Razoff could be one as well. Ivy's okay." Rayman smiled; he always considered others weaker than they really were, a weakness he needed to sort out.
"True, but I've also heard some amazing information while I was Morphina's pet, so to speak. I've heard that Morphina is keeping a slave in the highest room in the mansion. She calls her Rosemary, and I thought she might be useful enough to remember later." Davis's eyes widened. "That's the name of my mother! We need to rescue her!" Bad-Rayman quickly butted in. "We can't rescue her without a plan. There's no telling how many Commanders are out there."
Rayman brushed some tree branches out of the way and looked down at the battle site that was once Razoff's home. He had a confident smile, the same one he would get whenever he comes up with a plan, on his face as he scanned the land below him. "Don't worry; I've got an idea!"
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"Great. If we hadn't dashed from the fight so recklessly, then we would have a plan to use!"
Donnia playfully kicked Ivy in the side, stopping her from complaining any further. Sure enough, Ivy's remaining group of travelers, Razoff, Donnia, Rex, and herself included, were laying low in a group of thick shrubs, hiding themselves from the Commanders. Thorns bit at Ivy's flesh as she wiggled to find some elbowroom. As much as she'd hate to admit it, they were badly outnumbered right now. The only person risking a peek was Razoff, while the others didn't want to chance it. After all, they did they would be in plain view for the Commanders to see. "Strange. Why aren't the Commander creatures moving much?" Donnia shifted her position in the thorny bush to get a closer look. "What do you mean, Razoff, and why are you blowing our cover? Don't you know what we're risking here?"
"Take a look for yourself!" Razoff parted the bushes, revealing a closer look. Everyone was extremely surprised. The Commanders were sprawled in outrageous positions as the lay on dry ground, sleeping or resting their fatigue off. The majority of the Commanders seen were human, and the rest of them were antromorphic animals like Freya. Mammals wrapped themselves with animal hide blankets, avians were curled-up balls of feathers, and reptilians were basking peacefully in the sun. The Commanders that were awake were either in the Mansion tending to Morphina's needs or sleepily preparing food or drink while they rested on the ground. Ivy smirked at this news. "This is too easy. It looks like Morphina forced her followers too far after Menhir Fort's defeat. We can just stroll into the mansion with all of the Commanders too sleepy to care."
"I don't know. I have a feeling that this could be a trap..." Rex stated. He let his line of sight wander across the plains. "If Morphina wants to protect her newest fortress, the least she could do is place a watch amongst the sleeping Commanders. We can't just waltz right in there!" Then, Ivy suddenly came up with a plan. A large grin spread across her face. "My friends, it's time to play a little game of deception!" She said comically. She told her friends about her plan, and they all went with it. Just a few feet away lay a pile of dirty Commander tunics, still soiled with dried blood and sweat. As quietly as possible, Ivy snatched the clothing and forced everyone to put on a Commander's tunic. Sure enough, with sheathed weapons, Commander's tunics, and imitated army accent and attitude, they were passed as members of the army. Confidently, the four heroes strode along towards the entrance of the manor, only greeted by the occasional tired hello and ahoy by a drowsy Commander.
"This is perfect. Why didn't I think of it sooner?" Razoff whispered as they passed the rows of groggy and sleeping horde members. Ivy shrugged. "Deception only affords to work when the conditions are just right. I'm sure we couldn't have done this if the army had been wide-awake and alert." Ivy explained with some indifference to her tone. It wasn't long before they were standing only a few yards away from the mansion, an awesome sight to behold. However, there was one obstacle wedged between the main gates still blocking the way...
Bane lay just a few feet away from them, a large curled mass of scales and claws. He was in an amusing position, his head resting on his front feet like a sleeping dog. His claws were pointed downward, the poisonous tips out of harm's way. His breaths were slow and steady, the sure signs of slumber. The four of them stood right in front of the large demon serpent creature, knowing that he was blocking the only way in the mansion without attracting attention from the Commanders near them. "Holy cow...Is that Bane?" Ivy hissed quietly to Donnia. Donnia nodded, her blue hair falling in curls around her shoulders. "That spellbinding he was imprisoned under is probably so strong that it made even a tireless monster like Bane groggy. We'll have to go around him if we want to go inside without causing any Commanders to wonder about our entrance." After all, wouldn't it seem a bit odd to see a fellow army member scale the side of the boss's mansion into an open window when the main entrance was sitting right in front of them? Ivy considered the possibility, but it was sure to cause trouble amongst the ranks.
Rex was the first to sneak around the monster. Cautiously, he crept around Bane's massive head, trying as best as he could to not brush his skin against the hardened demon scales. Rex was so close to Bane's mouth that he could feel the rancid breath against his stomach as he scooted around him. Success; Rex was on the other side without a problem. Donnia's trip was pretty much the same as Rex's, only she had to avoid getting smushed by Bane as he moved his right claw into a different position, making his dangerous claws face upward where somebody could hurt themselves on them. Ivy smiled when she saw her two friends safely on the other side of the large demon. For once, everything is going smoothly, Ivy reflected. Her thought was short lived though. When Razoff was moving over to Donnia and Rex's side of safety, he wasn't so successful. When he was right in between Bane's claws he stumbled slightly on a rock and fell, causing the tip of one of the sharp claws on Bane's right hand to rake across his back. Immediately the demon poison began to spread through his veins, and Razoff screeched wordlessly in pain.
"Dammit..." Ivy swore as she saw Bane's left eye open suddenly, revealing a slitted green eye. Bane lifted himself off the ground until he was his full height, assuming the pose of a very peeved monster. He lowered his head to Razoff's level, his mouth inches from his face. "Why did you wake me up? Didn't Morphina order you to stay outside unless if she ordered you to come inside?" Razoff said nothing; his face still twisted in agony as the poison scorched his blood like fire. Ivy hoped dearly that Bane's poison wasn't as lethal as Morphina's. Bane took a step closer, pressing himself closer to his awakener, so close that their faces touched. Everyone knew that Bane was strong enough to tear Razoff to pieces in this kind of a situation. It seemed like eons before Bane spoke again. "I guess there's no harm done young Commander. You only got the tip of my poison, so it isn't serious. You may pass." Bane moved out of the way. Razoff's breath let out in a painful whoosh. He started to limp away from the terrible scene, his back feeling almost paralyzed in pain.
Suddenly, Bane's tail came down in front of him. In confusion, Razoff turned to meet Bane's eyes, only to see that a raging fire glowed within them. "Wait a second! I know exactly what you are! You're a demon-slayer!" Each sentence was laced with venom. Neither Ivy nor Donnia or Rex could respond as the beautiful silver scales on Bane's body shook with contained anger. "That very day on the coast, I saw you there. You shot down two of my best friends with that damn gun of yours. You removed their heads and collected a bounty from the fairy creatures, right there on the beach that day." Razoff then remembered that he had inherited two demon skulls from his father when he was little, one of the many heirlooms that were passed down. In fact, he still had the skulls mounted above his fireplace; their ghastly mouths open to reveal rows upon rows of sharp teeth. For a fleeting instance in his cold-hearted life, Razoff experienced regret for killing things so shamelessly.
Bane then lifted his head and bellowed a monstrous call that seemed to echo within Ivy's soul. She stood paralyzed in both fear and confusion as she saw the monster mourn. If demons were soulless creatures, then why did Bane feel compassion for his two dead companions? If Morphina was in his shoes, then she would've shrugged off their deaths and said that they were too weak anyways. The roar of mourning woke any napping Commanders in the nearby area, and caused everyone wide awake to rush to the scene with weapons at hand. It wasn't long before a large confused crowd formed near the sea demon as he continued to sing his lament. After he was finished, he turned to Razoff. This time however, Razoff managed to summon enough courage to raise his gun until it was parallel to Bane's eye. If this is the last day of my miserable life than I'm not going down without a struggle, Razoff thought. This is going to be one tough fight, Ivy realized, a fight where one of them was sure to lose their life.
Bane bared his fangs, revealing rows of sharp predator teeth. "Today, I'm going show you the feeling of true misery!"
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Heh. Sorry to leave you at a cliffhanger. ^_^ My supreme creativity rush I got earlier on this story is running out, and now I'm running into the most terrifying thing in author history; writer's blocks. O_o I need some more inspiration.
Preview of Chapter 5: Concealed Illusions
Rayman, Davis, and the two ex-Commanders manage to find a way into Razoff's Mansion without attracting attention, but they find something that could very well change the course of the war; the mythical Concealment of Evil. Meanwhile, Bane and Razoff are locked into a fight that seems like it has no outcome except the death of both fighters. As for Ivy and her two remaining companions, they discover that Rosemary is being contained in Razoff's attic. Getting there is easy, but getting Rosemary out safely is the hard part, as the attic has a hidden danger waiting for its next victims...
Does anybody have any suggestions? Just as long as they aren't completely negative, then I'll take them. Review, my friends! ^_^
Author's Notes: If I'd had known that the Veil of Darkness series would become more popular than my Pokemon stories, then I would've started these stories about two years ago. ^^ (Of course, then they would be as bad as Fate and Apothecary, a failure I'm still trying to shake off.) Now, I'm desperately itching for a scanner right about now. *has black-and-white pictures of various Veil of Darkness characters, including Freya, Bane, and Morphina* If anyone knows where I can get a scanner cheap, then notify me right away! :)
Someone I don't even know e-mailed me a little while back asking me what makes zombie-tamers and demon-slayers different. This is the simple answer. Demon-slayers can be anyone, with or without magic abilities, that kill run- of-the-mill demons (ie. ones that don't need magic to slay) for either bounty or the thrill of justice. Zombie-tamers, on the other hand, are a few and far in-between race of people who were given magic powers like the Tamer's Light to vanquish Morphina, the strongest demon of all. So far, there are only four known living on the planet. (That would be Ivy, Davis, Rosemary, and Jano. Ivy's father Pierce married a zombie-tamer, but never was one.)
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Davis was completely surrounded in pitch-black darkness. He shivered, feeling his spine crawl as he tried to see anything within Razoff's secret exit. Behind him, he could hear the powerless Count mutter under his breath as he messed with something Davis couldn't tell. Davis felt cold, both inside and outside. Burning hot tears slide down his face when he recalled the life he took, and the swiftness it took to do so. Davis played with his dagger in his hands carefully; the cursed blade still unsheathed in his rush to abandon the ferret corpse. "What have I been reduced to?" Davis muttered to himself. His sanity was slowly pulling itself apart. It won't be long before...
Suddenly, a flare lit up the tunnel. Almost immediately, Razoff handed Davis a lit lantern. The glowing light gave the Count an eerie presence. "Here you go, kid. Walking through this tunnel is extremely hard without a light to guide the way." The tall, lithe creature started to lead the way, holding the old-fashioned lantern in front of him like a lifeline. Like a zombie, Davis stumbled after him, his legs shuffling numbly under him. Why was Razoff so calm and collected when he saw the ferret so defenseless and ready to slay? Were the many prizes from successful hunting turned this skilled sharpshooter into a cold-blooded killer? Thoughts buzzed around Davis's head, and soon Davis backed a good distance away from Razoff, as if he was afraid Razoff would turn about-face and blow Davis's head clear off his shoulders.
"This mansion has survived a long time from attacks such as these." Razoff sparked a conversation between the two to shatter the silence. "My family avoided many attacks. Robot Pirates, Antitoons, Hoodlums; you name it. I kept this place free from Hoodlum attacks a while back, and I'm disappointed with myself for letting my guard down with Morphina." Davis shrugged, indifferent. "Morphina's a wise thinker. She can fly solo if she has to, and not to mention that she's a demon immune to most weapons." The Count nodded as he led Davis on. Razoff's gun was being carried carefully like it was a priceless treasure. And it was in a time like this. "I sensed that from her when she caught me off-guard. The only demon-killing weapons I can probably use are enchanted bullets, and six of those alone would cost everything but the clothes on my back."
Davis nodded in agreement. That was the main reason why Ivy and he weren't taught how to handle guns; enchanted bullets were impossible to find and even more impossible to buy. Also, the Tamer's Light had very little effect on a single bullet, much less enough ammo to take down a monster like Bane or Morphina. Also, guns were not as easy to find in a weapon arsenal as a sword or a dagger, the zombie-tamer's key weapons. Blade weapons were more effective with the Tamer's Light because they concentrate the magic into the sharp edges. Davis had to leap over a large bottomless crack running across the pathway. "This isn't the first time I've dealed with sieges like this, you know. Hoodlums are persistent creatures; they've tried to take advantage of this mansion over three times." Davis nodded monotonously, but he didn't bother to continue the discussion further. Instead, he was worried about the ending of the tunnel.
"How much further?" Davis complained. Now, all he was concentrated on was whether Morphina's army set up camp near the exit or not. He didn't want to kill another unsuspecting Commander, no matter how bloodthirsty they happened to be. As if to answer his question, the tunnel suddenly ended, revealing a large wall of fallen rocks. Davis stood in awe, afraid that the tunnels have been unused for too long. "Don't worry, Davis. They're only decoys to discourage any enemies using this tunnel." Razoff proved his point by moving a large decoy rock hanging on the right side of the tunnel, revealing an old-fashioned lever. He pulled it downwards, and the large fallen rocks slid into concealed gaps in the walls. When the dust cleared, it revealed the tunnel suddenly shifted upwards to the ground above. "Does that answer your question?" The two of them entered the now opened pathway, and the fake fallen rocks slid back into place behind them. The secret passageway had abruptly ended, leading to another decoy rock doorway that led to the surface. Davis nearly shouted for joy, relieved to finally see daylight again. Razoff got a good grip on the small boulder and shoved it out of the way like the other doors.
"Well, it looks like the coast is clear." The secret passageway had led to a small grove of swamp trees. Razoff climbed out of the tunnel and slightly pushed some drooping branches just enough to peek into the distance with one eye. He quickly pushed the branches back into place and informed Davis, who was now sitting casually on the ground at his feet. "Here's our position. We're currently in a large grove of trees that makes a boundary that separates my territory from the rest of the swamplands. Also, we're on a high kind of bluff that overlooks my entire property, making it easy to see everything that I own in these swamps. Apparently, Morphina has so many army-members that some of them had set up camp around my household. It would be extremely foolish to stray away from these trees without getting spotted, so we better keep to the bluff."
"And...?" Davis pressed. By now, Davis managed to push the rock back into place to keep Razoff's secret concealed. From its current position, it was hard to tell that it was actually a secret door. Razoff once again gazed at the sight below then turned to Davis. "We have no other choice. We'll have to flee and get help." The tone to his voice sounded final, so Davis didn't bother to object. As quietly as possible, the two dashed off into the underbrush, running as carefully and as swiftly as possible. "I know of some good fighters in Bluddweik. If we hurry, we could get back here in less than a week." Davis seemed appalled as he raced beside the Count, dodging low tree branches. "A week? You can't be serious!" Razoff quickly formed a counter-argument. "Yes, I'm serious! You can't run into good help these da-ooof!"
In an instant more ironic as the imprisonment in his own mansion, Razoff had run straight into Ivy Thorn while she happened to dashing in the opposite direction. The two laid on the ground in silence for a couple of instances, slightly dazed from the impact. Ivy was the first to recover. "Hey! What's the big idea?" Ivy shouted, her head still pounding from the blow. Soon afterwards, some shrubs were brushed aside as the rest of the traveling party rushed to Ivy's aide. They had abandoned their horses a long time ago, seeing as hooves would greatly sink in the soft swamp soil. "See? That's why we told you not to dash ahead of us Ivy! You run into...these things..." Freya commented, lacking any words to describe Razoff. In the midst of the confusion, the first person to notice Davis, who was standing completely oblivious to the whole scenario, was Ivy. "Davis? What are you doing here and why are you in league with this crazy swamp-lizard?" Razoff quickly got off from the ground from his awkward position, obviously insulted.
"Swamp-lizard? You indignant little marshdweller! I happen to be the great Razoff the hunter!" He dusted some swamp dirt off his clothes, almost as if to prove his point. Ivy shot him a glare, but said no more. "Well, it doesn't matter who you are at this time. It only matters if we know where Morphina happens to be." Rex insisted. Razoff was delighted to hear Morphina mentioned. "You want to get rid of Morphina too? Well, isn't this lucky that we ran into each other!" Ivy gave him another icy stare as she ate some of Donnia's herbs to get rid of her headache. "I didn't mean literally, of course. That demonic little witch threw me out of my mansion and set up camp there!"
Ivy's attitude towards Razoff greatly improved with that statement. "Really? Then you must show us the way!" Davis smiled at his sister's joy; it was glad to see Ivy acting like her usual peppy self. "I'd love to right now, just as long as you save some of her for me. I don't take kindly to strangers like her!" Ivy grinned, her teeth giving her a misguided sense of innocence. "It's a deal!" She held out her hand at full length. The two hunters shook hands, a sign of a sealed deal.
Ivy had just joined forces with the best sharpshooter on the face of the planet!
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While Ivy and Razoff were sealing their deal, Morphina had other things to do. She stood brooding in the elegant dining hall, a glass of aged wine in her hands. She drank delicately, staining her pale lips red. She heard a horde member rush up the stairs to meet her, and she showed indifference as she finished her glass. It was a large corsair human; the same one that was concerned about Striker's disappearance a day ago. He was tripping on his large feet as he ran to greet Morphina. He didn't even bother to catch his breath as he explained to Morphina about his news. "Morphina! The prisoner has escaped! He's murdered poor Ruby-Eyes; slit his throat like a cunning killer! What should we do?" Morphina suddenly shot the human a look of pure venom. The glass shattered in her hand as rage took control.
"How did Razoff escape? He was all alone in those catacombs!" The human cowered before her, not knowing what to say to the raging demon. Suddenly, they heard a nervous cough from behind them. Sure enough, Rayman the spellbound hero knew what had happened in the catacombs. "Exactly, he wasn't completely alone, your Grace." Morphina turned her attention to Rayman. She came closer to him, ignoring shards of glass sticking to her right hand. "What did you just say? Are you saying that Razoff had a prisoner in there before we took his status away?" Rayman nodded, a nervous sweat trickling down the back of his head. He was spellbound, yes, but in a form where he felt some emotions like fear and worry, just for Morphina's liking. He swallowed nervously as he explained.
"There was only one prisoner in there. It was a kid, about in his mid- teens. He had this thick brown hair, which was dirty with swamp dirt. I just thought he was an unarmed swamp hermit, so I let him be." Morphina seemed to glow with rage. Within her eyes, a deadly fire sparked. He picked up the limbless guardian with her left hand, bringing his face to eye- level. "You idiot! Do you realize who was down there?" She shook Rayman like an overgrown doll, trying to input every last word into his spellbound head. "That was Davis, you legless fool! Even without a weapon, a proper zombie-tamer can unlock chains by just using the Tamer's Light. Davis freed Razoff, and they killed one of my best Commanders because of it." Rayman shivered; some Commanders found it disturbingly amusing to see the world's Guardian being reduced to a shivering mess under Morphina's gaze.
"How was I to know? They had no exits out anyways!" Instantly, Morphina dropped Rayman to the floor as realization hit her like a bucket of cold water. Her bottom lip quivered as she considered the possibility. "A proper hunter like Count Razoff wouldn't have a manor without a secret exit in one of the rooms. He probably killed Ruby-Eyes to silence him, and used a hidden doorway to escape. Hmmm, he's a lot more cunning then I realized..." She turned back to Rayman, who was sitting on the ground awaiting his Master's next orders. She pointed a long pointed fingernail in his direction. "I want you to hunt Davis and Razoff down. Take your Globox friend with you. Also, it would be logical to take this." Morphina handed Rayman a large burlap bag that was sitting on a large oaken table. Rayman held it in his hands, weighing it expertly. It was large enough to hold a baby cow.
"Should I bring him back alive?" Rayman questioned. Morphina shook her head. "Before the War of the Souls, I had made a mistake when I requested that two of my Commanders would bring the brother of the heir to the zombie- tamers alive. I had him for a little while, but he soon escaped and revealed my latest plans to his sister and her friends. That cost me the war, and I won't make that same mistake. When you find Davis, do whatever you want with him. Drown him, beat him into a bloody mess, hang him; I don't care about his safety anymore! Use the burlap bag to bring any evidence of Davis's death, and maybe confirm Razoff's fate as well. A severed head or a foot would do just fine, just bring anything as proof!" She paused as she surveyed Rayman's expression. "Do you have all of that?"
Rayman saluted. It made some Commanders almost sick to their stomachs to see a kind-hearted fellow like Rayman be so happy about the death of a child. "Just leave it to me! I'll make sure that I bring Davis's body back before nightfall!"
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Ivy and her group of traveling heroes spent the last hour and a half planning a way to get to Rayman and Globox without her knowing in the best way possible. After all, everyone knew powerful Rayman was, and they needed a way of breaking Razoff's confirmed spellbound on him without excess bloodshed. (Davis seemed extremely happy on this part) Again and again, Razoff drew various maps of his mansion, each time pointing out important rooms and possible entrances. "We could use the secret entrance to get back in, but Morphina would've most likely learned about the ferret body. If we go to the entrance here, and use the window here, and then we could get into this room here, where I think Morphina would most likely keep the slaves." Razoff explained, slapping the stick on a certain part of the crudely drawn map with each 'here'. Freya shook her head. "The attic? I don't think Morphina would keep the spellbound slaves and the captives still not spellbound there. They could be in the marshes here!" She pointed to the circled area around the mansion sketch.
"I know how Morphina thinks. She would use the darkest, dampest places to seal her captives not yet spellbound. Nia and me could tell you that, having the pleasure for ourselves. That's why I think we should go into the catacombs that Razoff and Davis escaped earlier!" Ivy, who was just sitting back and listening to the suggestions of others for now, thought otherwise. "If Davis and Razoff killed a Commander down there, they'll sure to increase security down there! We should go with Freya's idea." The group argued and discussed among themselves, each on with an idea of their own. Amongst all the suggestions, Davis threw his arms up in desperation. "I give up! At the rate we're going, the Cave of Bad Dreams will be destroyed before we even come up with a plan!"
"Don't worry, Davis. You won't need a plan where you're going!" A sinister voice ran out amongst the trees. Instantly, blade weapons were revealed with a chorus of metallic rings and magic beings readied themselves to cast any spells on their unseen opponent. Suddenly, with grace not to be believed, Rayman fell from his original perch above them and landed on the ground. Following him, Globox fell to the ground as well, only instead of landing on his feet he awkwardly crashed onto his back. The two stood there, looking like the perfect bringers of death. Rayman smiled venomously, a look that Ivy knew she probably wouldn't forget. "Sorry I had to surprise you like that, but even an amateur could've pinpointed your very position. Besides, I didn't want Morphina's plans to be foiled by children like last time." He waved a skeptical finger towards Freya and Bad- Rayman's direction. "You two should've foreseen an ambush like this earlier! Have you been losing your touch?" Freya charged towards them, dagger ready, but was held back by Donnia and Rex.
"Don't lose your cool! Rayman and Globox are here just to make us lose our focus. We need to be smarter than to fall for their bragging." Ivy knew exactly what Donnia was telling Freya; when Morphina spellbound a creature as powerful as Ly or Rayman, she would do it a bit more loosely than a normal captive would. The looser binding would give the captives emotions, but only those that mirrored the spellbinding's creator. Rayman was acting just like Morphina when she was trying to get under your skin; haughty and insulting. Ivy drew her most treasured weapon; a long curved dagger that could pass as a short sword. "Don't even try, Ivy. We'll cover you." Freya whispered, covering her voice up while Rayman and his Bad counterpart were exchanging empty threats against each other. "Bad-Rayman and I are itching for a re-match with Morphina's scumbags, so Rayman and Globox will do just perfectly. Take Donnia, Razoff, and Rex and head towards Morphina's hideout. Bad-Rayman, Davis, and I will cover for you." Ivy didn't like the reckless look in Freya's eye.
"Freya, I don't want you to kill yourself! You don't deserve it!" Ivy protested. Freya smiled at her, flashing dazzling canines. "Don't fret over us. We know exactly what we're doing. Now go!" The decision was final. With a quick gesture towards Donnia, Rex, and Razoff, the four remaining heroes broke off from the rest of the group quietly as the overly confident Rayman kept trying to weather down his opponent's concentration. He was waiting for one of them to let their guard down. Globox pointed to the four companions leaving the scene. "Rayman! They're getting away!" Rayman turned to his friend. "Leave them! The only prize I'm after is Davis!" Rayman stepped closer to Davis, fists sparkling with charging magic.
"You've messed with Morphina for too long, so I'm going to mess with you!" Davis raised his dagger to his face, readying himself for the blow. A war cry filled the air, along with the sound of someone being hit full-force with a signature energy fist. Davis lowered his dagger, and saw Rayman and Bad-Rayman locked together in a choking death-grip. "You creep! The real Rayman would never pick on a harmless child. You're nothing more than a thug!" Rayman slipped out of his grasp. "Listen to yourself. Do you deny your very birth, spawn of the shadows?" Bad-Rayman flinched; being reminded of his past with Mister Dark was not a way to get on his good side. The Guardian seemed to enjoy seeing emotional pain inflicted on his enemy. Rayman took this as the perfect time to attack. Wrong choice. Rayman was sent flying a few feet, sending his back right into a tree. "A real hunter conceals his weapon until the last moment." Bad-Rayman turned to Davis. "Now! While he's still down!"
Davis quickly rushed to Rayman's aide. There was a sudden flash of light, the sure sign of a broken spellbinding, and Rayman quickly got off of his awkward position on the ground, rubbing his head. "Ow...my head. Thanks for snapping me out of that friend." Davis gave him a thumbs-up. "Don't mention it. You were starting to creep all of us out!" The conversation was cut off by sound of a war cry much like Bad-Rayman's, followed by a dull thump of someone falling to the ground. Everyone turned their attention to the previously forgotten Freya and saw her standing triumphantly above an unconscious Globox. "Now do you think that I'm losing my touch?" Freya asked retorically to the unconscious frog in annoyance. A few minutes later, Globox was returned to normal just like Rayman was. Freya and Davis filled Rayman in on the details of their plans, not sparing any details. As they explained, Rayman nodded in acknowledgement, his face stoic and showing indifference.
"So Ivy plans to burst through Morphina's front door?" He shook his head in doubt. "She won't survive back there! Doesn't she know that Bane is acting like Morphina's personal watchdog right now?" Davis quickly interrupted. "I know Ivy better than anybody and I can say correctly that she wouldn't act without thinking first. From what I heard, wasn't Bane's pack killed by demon-slayers? That's what Donnia and Rex are, not to mention that Razoff could be one as well. Ivy's okay." Rayman smiled; he always considered others weaker than they really were, a weakness he needed to sort out.
"True, but I've also heard some amazing information while I was Morphina's pet, so to speak. I've heard that Morphina is keeping a slave in the highest room in the mansion. She calls her Rosemary, and I thought she might be useful enough to remember later." Davis's eyes widened. "That's the name of my mother! We need to rescue her!" Bad-Rayman quickly butted in. "We can't rescue her without a plan. There's no telling how many Commanders are out there."
Rayman brushed some tree branches out of the way and looked down at the battle site that was once Razoff's home. He had a confident smile, the same one he would get whenever he comes up with a plan, on his face as he scanned the land below him. "Don't worry; I've got an idea!"
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"Great. If we hadn't dashed from the fight so recklessly, then we would have a plan to use!"
Donnia playfully kicked Ivy in the side, stopping her from complaining any further. Sure enough, Ivy's remaining group of travelers, Razoff, Donnia, Rex, and herself included, were laying low in a group of thick shrubs, hiding themselves from the Commanders. Thorns bit at Ivy's flesh as she wiggled to find some elbowroom. As much as she'd hate to admit it, they were badly outnumbered right now. The only person risking a peek was Razoff, while the others didn't want to chance it. After all, they did they would be in plain view for the Commanders to see. "Strange. Why aren't the Commander creatures moving much?" Donnia shifted her position in the thorny bush to get a closer look. "What do you mean, Razoff, and why are you blowing our cover? Don't you know what we're risking here?"
"Take a look for yourself!" Razoff parted the bushes, revealing a closer look. Everyone was extremely surprised. The Commanders were sprawled in outrageous positions as the lay on dry ground, sleeping or resting their fatigue off. The majority of the Commanders seen were human, and the rest of them were antromorphic animals like Freya. Mammals wrapped themselves with animal hide blankets, avians were curled-up balls of feathers, and reptilians were basking peacefully in the sun. The Commanders that were awake were either in the Mansion tending to Morphina's needs or sleepily preparing food or drink while they rested on the ground. Ivy smirked at this news. "This is too easy. It looks like Morphina forced her followers too far after Menhir Fort's defeat. We can just stroll into the mansion with all of the Commanders too sleepy to care."
"I don't know. I have a feeling that this could be a trap..." Rex stated. He let his line of sight wander across the plains. "If Morphina wants to protect her newest fortress, the least she could do is place a watch amongst the sleeping Commanders. We can't just waltz right in there!" Then, Ivy suddenly came up with a plan. A large grin spread across her face. "My friends, it's time to play a little game of deception!" She said comically. She told her friends about her plan, and they all went with it. Just a few feet away lay a pile of dirty Commander tunics, still soiled with dried blood and sweat. As quietly as possible, Ivy snatched the clothing and forced everyone to put on a Commander's tunic. Sure enough, with sheathed weapons, Commander's tunics, and imitated army accent and attitude, they were passed as members of the army. Confidently, the four heroes strode along towards the entrance of the manor, only greeted by the occasional tired hello and ahoy by a drowsy Commander.
"This is perfect. Why didn't I think of it sooner?" Razoff whispered as they passed the rows of groggy and sleeping horde members. Ivy shrugged. "Deception only affords to work when the conditions are just right. I'm sure we couldn't have done this if the army had been wide-awake and alert." Ivy explained with some indifference to her tone. It wasn't long before they were standing only a few yards away from the mansion, an awesome sight to behold. However, there was one obstacle wedged between the main gates still blocking the way...
Bane lay just a few feet away from them, a large curled mass of scales and claws. He was in an amusing position, his head resting on his front feet like a sleeping dog. His claws were pointed downward, the poisonous tips out of harm's way. His breaths were slow and steady, the sure signs of slumber. The four of them stood right in front of the large demon serpent creature, knowing that he was blocking the only way in the mansion without attracting attention from the Commanders near them. "Holy cow...Is that Bane?" Ivy hissed quietly to Donnia. Donnia nodded, her blue hair falling in curls around her shoulders. "That spellbinding he was imprisoned under is probably so strong that it made even a tireless monster like Bane groggy. We'll have to go around him if we want to go inside without causing any Commanders to wonder about our entrance." After all, wouldn't it seem a bit odd to see a fellow army member scale the side of the boss's mansion into an open window when the main entrance was sitting right in front of them? Ivy considered the possibility, but it was sure to cause trouble amongst the ranks.
Rex was the first to sneak around the monster. Cautiously, he crept around Bane's massive head, trying as best as he could to not brush his skin against the hardened demon scales. Rex was so close to Bane's mouth that he could feel the rancid breath against his stomach as he scooted around him. Success; Rex was on the other side without a problem. Donnia's trip was pretty much the same as Rex's, only she had to avoid getting smushed by Bane as he moved his right claw into a different position, making his dangerous claws face upward where somebody could hurt themselves on them. Ivy smiled when she saw her two friends safely on the other side of the large demon. For once, everything is going smoothly, Ivy reflected. Her thought was short lived though. When Razoff was moving over to Donnia and Rex's side of safety, he wasn't so successful. When he was right in between Bane's claws he stumbled slightly on a rock and fell, causing the tip of one of the sharp claws on Bane's right hand to rake across his back. Immediately the demon poison began to spread through his veins, and Razoff screeched wordlessly in pain.
"Dammit..." Ivy swore as she saw Bane's left eye open suddenly, revealing a slitted green eye. Bane lifted himself off the ground until he was his full height, assuming the pose of a very peeved monster. He lowered his head to Razoff's level, his mouth inches from his face. "Why did you wake me up? Didn't Morphina order you to stay outside unless if she ordered you to come inside?" Razoff said nothing; his face still twisted in agony as the poison scorched his blood like fire. Ivy hoped dearly that Bane's poison wasn't as lethal as Morphina's. Bane took a step closer, pressing himself closer to his awakener, so close that their faces touched. Everyone knew that Bane was strong enough to tear Razoff to pieces in this kind of a situation. It seemed like eons before Bane spoke again. "I guess there's no harm done young Commander. You only got the tip of my poison, so it isn't serious. You may pass." Bane moved out of the way. Razoff's breath let out in a painful whoosh. He started to limp away from the terrible scene, his back feeling almost paralyzed in pain.
Suddenly, Bane's tail came down in front of him. In confusion, Razoff turned to meet Bane's eyes, only to see that a raging fire glowed within them. "Wait a second! I know exactly what you are! You're a demon-slayer!" Each sentence was laced with venom. Neither Ivy nor Donnia or Rex could respond as the beautiful silver scales on Bane's body shook with contained anger. "That very day on the coast, I saw you there. You shot down two of my best friends with that damn gun of yours. You removed their heads and collected a bounty from the fairy creatures, right there on the beach that day." Razoff then remembered that he had inherited two demon skulls from his father when he was little, one of the many heirlooms that were passed down. In fact, he still had the skulls mounted above his fireplace; their ghastly mouths open to reveal rows upon rows of sharp teeth. For a fleeting instance in his cold-hearted life, Razoff experienced regret for killing things so shamelessly.
Bane then lifted his head and bellowed a monstrous call that seemed to echo within Ivy's soul. She stood paralyzed in both fear and confusion as she saw the monster mourn. If demons were soulless creatures, then why did Bane feel compassion for his two dead companions? If Morphina was in his shoes, then she would've shrugged off their deaths and said that they were too weak anyways. The roar of mourning woke any napping Commanders in the nearby area, and caused everyone wide awake to rush to the scene with weapons at hand. It wasn't long before a large confused crowd formed near the sea demon as he continued to sing his lament. After he was finished, he turned to Razoff. This time however, Razoff managed to summon enough courage to raise his gun until it was parallel to Bane's eye. If this is the last day of my miserable life than I'm not going down without a struggle, Razoff thought. This is going to be one tough fight, Ivy realized, a fight where one of them was sure to lose their life.
Bane bared his fangs, revealing rows of sharp predator teeth. "Today, I'm going show you the feeling of true misery!"
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Heh. Sorry to leave you at a cliffhanger. ^_^ My supreme creativity rush I got earlier on this story is running out, and now I'm running into the most terrifying thing in author history; writer's blocks. O_o I need some more inspiration.
Preview of Chapter 5: Concealed Illusions
Rayman, Davis, and the two ex-Commanders manage to find a way into Razoff's Mansion without attracting attention, but they find something that could very well change the course of the war; the mythical Concealment of Evil. Meanwhile, Bane and Razoff are locked into a fight that seems like it has no outcome except the death of both fighters. As for Ivy and her two remaining companions, they discover that Rosemary is being contained in Razoff's attic. Getting there is easy, but getting Rosemary out safely is the hard part, as the attic has a hidden danger waiting for its next victims...
Does anybody have any suggestions? Just as long as they aren't completely negative, then I'll take them. Review, my friends! ^_^
