The thunderclouds seemed to loom over the castle with no name today...as if something (or someone) seemed to be holding them in place. The wind howled with a fierceness the residents of the castle had never known before...that is if they were watching. But instead they were busy with a banquet that Eclipse had prepared. You'd be surprised what five hundred years of taking care of a Demon Lord would require of a Demon of the Third Order. Although no hint of any irregularities could be detected by the eating habit of the four, the silence which hung heavily within the room spoke for itself. Tonight lacked the usual supergenious ranting of Chris, the next-in-line-to-be-High-Cleric possessor of Rased, the high-spirited insults and threats from Erutis the Swordmaster, the innocent question of where "the-place-where-the-sun-don't-shine" is from Raenef, and the...the...(sweatdrop)...well let's just say even Eclipse was a little more silent than usual. Four pair of eyes sullenly stared at their plates.
Well, not all things were out of the ordinary. Erutis had to try to salvage this dinner. Things had gone all wrong after their unfortunate trip into the realm of dreams with Eclipse and Raenef barely escaping Krayon's assault.
"So Raenef, want to go see how the garden is doing after this colossal rainstorm ends?"
"Sur--" Raenef was eager to comply but before he could even finish his reply...
"He has lessons to attend to human. These foolish games and whims will have to end if Master Raenef plans to become a true Demon Lord within the next millenia." Eclipse winced inwardly. That had sounded harsher than he had intended...but at least his intentions were clear. Of course, he didn't bother to tell them why he was so hell-bent (no pun intended XD) on whipping Lord Raenef into shape. He assumed that they assumed that it was his intention all along. It was after all the task assigned to him by the Gods...but that wasn't why he felt so desperate on training Master Raenef. During the previous encounter with Lord Krayon, he had almost failed at the task of protecting Lord Raenef. If it weren't for Krayon's somewhat reluctant whim to let them go, Eclipse's shield would have broken and..and..he didn't even want to imagine what would've happened. 'Master Raenef must complete his training if he is to be able ward off the other lords as well as defend himself. He must...If he doesn't..Stop thinking horrid thoughts, Eclipse.' He chided himself secretly.
"You can't lock him up inside this dreary castle forever!!! And besides," Erutis added snidely, "if he is your lord then shouldn't he be able to decide for himself?"
Chris, seeing the crushed expression of the silent Raenef, saw it fit to aid Erutis. "It has been a while Eclipse. And besides, it must depressing for Raenef to be cooped up inside all the time. Sunshine will do him go--"
"How would YOU know what's good for Master Raenef," Eclipse snapped. 'It was enough that he even allowed them to stay. Now they think they can advise me on what is or isn't good for him.' He continued on his rampage, "How dare you, a simple cleric, interfere in things you have NO earthly understanding about. Master Raenef was destined to become a Demon Lord. As for you sword wench, he is still in his youth and needs my guidance." Eclipse continued with Chris and Erutis cowering in fear of the onslaught they might receive. All the while, Raenef dejectedly used his spoon to play with his food, oblivious to the conversation going on around him. Eclipse all of sudden summoned a fireball within his hands, "Now leave us humans before there's nothing left of your pathetic bodies but ashy remn--"
"Don't threaten them, Eclipse.." Raenef didn't want harm to come to his friends despite...'Despite that Eclipse only protected me because of my destiny..that's why he tolerates with me..'
The room stared at Raenef in shock. Surprise registered on all of their faces as that was the first thing he had uttered the entire day. Also, he usually didn't defend them in such a way. Chibi-fying himself and throwing himself at Eclipse settled the matter just as well...But he didn't have the energy to do that today. Managing to conjure up a small, stiff smile he ended the conversation, "Why don't you guys head off to bed...you'll need it if we're going to save the garden tomorrow. Besides I need to talk to Eclipse-sensei." Erutis was the quickest to regain her composure, happy to see that finally some life was returning to the once ever-cheerful, lively Raenef.
"Whatever you say Rae...Come on baka!!" She half-dragged a still dazed Chris by his ear out of the room. After the door clicked shut behind them both immediately started to discuss Raenef's choice of words. Well almost right away.
"That smarts!!!" Chris complained.
"Well if you hadn't been your idiotic self and remembered how to walk, then I wouldn't have had to do that. But anyways forget about the pain in your empty, 'supergenious' head. Rae has nevered used 'Eclipse-sensei' before has he? Wonder what's going through his mind."
"It's probably nothing. I mean doesn't it make sense. Hey, HEY!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT SWORD?!?!"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S NORMAL? HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED HOW RAENEF LOOKS AT ECLIPSE NORMALLY," Erutis screamed as she chased the quailing cleric around the hallway. Huffing, "Haven't you seen (pant) the way (pant) Raenef blushes (pant pant) whenever Eclipse is around? It's OBVIOUS that he's in love!!!"
"Now that you mentioned it..."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOW THAT I'VE MENTIONED IT?!?! BAKA!!!!!!" Her face transformed into a rampaging-crazy-livid-about-to-kill-a-certain-stupid-cleric mask with waves crashing in the background and with one punch, she sent Chris crashing through the roof. As for herself, she quietly sneaked near the door and tried to catch bits and pieces of the discussion between the demons. 'If I don't do this and help those two out, they're going to fool themselves all over again.'
Meanwhile, back in the dining room...
Raenef had gone back to fiddling with the peas on his plate. Feeling apathetic wasn't programmed into his personality but..well he was too apathetic to even think about that. He was consumed with thoughts about Eclipse instead. He knew Erutis knew what he felt. In fact he was surprised that his stoic tutor hadn't said anything about it yet. Well at least he understood why. He was a bumbling ex-thief who didn't care about destroying humans, ravaging villages or taking bribes to appease his non-existant rage. 'I can't believe I almost lost Eclipse. I wish I could've helped him. I wish..' Images of Eclipse's bloody visage popped into his mind as his frustration with his frustration built up. All the while, his mind questioned if he should still be here. He was lucky that Eclipse had found him and brought him into the lap of luxury but he kept berating himself for, not only embarassing Eclipse, but for his lack of ability to learn anything..or even worse, his entire feeling of disinterest in what was supposed to be his fate. It was a vicious cycle that degraded his self-confidence and left him silent throughout the days.
Eclipse on the other hand was standing patiently at his end of the table. He assumed his master would start speaking soon as he had dismissed the two humans for that purpose. Slowly the hands on the grandfather clock moved by. Finally getting impatient, Eclipse walked around to Lord Raenef's side of the table, tapped his shoulder and cleared his throat. "Ahhhemm..." Broken from his trance, Raenef glanced up through half-lidded eyes only to realize that Eclipse was looming above him. Long locks of raven-colored hair gently swaying across sharp, piercing eyes from an unknown breeze (Erutis was mysteriously out of breath after this episode) His body's immediate reaction was to blush seven shades of crimson and his eyes shot open with surprise. (He had forgotten completely about what he had said before. Raenef sometimes has the attention span of a baby...well at least he is a kawaii baby..XD)
"You wished to speak to me about something?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Uhh.." Inwardly, Raenef chided himself for being so absent-minded. 'Sigh...might as well ask him now..' "Eclipse-sensei..." he trailed of.
"Yes, Master Raenef?" Eclipse cringed...
It was Raenef's turn to cringe...at that word, "Master," but Eclipse was too preoccupied with being curious to notice. Besides...staring at those golden locks hanging across that soft, pale face with those deep, sensual eyes...Eclipse shook himself free of those thoughts. 'They're improper... Period.'
"If you could change me so that I was the perfect Demon Lord immediately...would you?" The question came of out nowhere and was much more blunt than Raenef's usual inquiries. Of course, Eclipse couldn't exactly blame his master for such a question...
"I..." A battle was raging inside his mind. 'It's my job to make sure Master Raenef becomes a Demon Lord. That much I am sure of. I can't defy destiny and I can't defy the gods either. But,' There's always a but, '...could I live without those sparkling eyes and the aura of innocence. Do I want to see his hand dripping with blood or those eyes full of hate...Could I kill the Master Raenef I know now so my job can be completed?...I...' Eclipse hated himself with a vengeance at that moment. Being indecisive was never his style. He had always known what he had to do and he did it with a passion (for a demon). However, that was before Master Raenef V had come and thrown his world upside down.
"..."
"The gods commanded it to be so..." 'You baka, why did you say!!! That means yes!! Hurry up and say something before Master Raenef takes it the wrong way. Wait!! Does this mean you don't want him to change? Of course that's what it means..Now SAY SOMETHING!!!!' "However, I--"
"No, I understand." Raenef interrupted. It wasn't the answer he was hoping for but he couldn't blame anyone but himself but his inability to do anything right. "You don't need to explain yourself. It is your job after all..."
A hushed "Go" was all that Eclipse heard before the room was stripped of the only source of possible life. He walked over to the window with his head hanging in defeat. Glazed over eyes stared at the sky. They saw more storm clouds gathering across the horizon but it did not register to the mind that was far off somewhere, searching for its true feelings towards a certain blond, blue-eyed, adorable little demon...
That's all for now...Hope you liked it XD...
Eclipse: You didn't have to make me sound so mean...
AH: You are mean...aren't you?
Eclipse: That's beside the point...(conjures up fireball)...
AH: (laughs nervously).. I'll see what I can do
Raenef: (glomps on AH) Don't worry Mr. Author-person, I'll protect you from Eclipse-sensei.
Eclipse: (mutters incoherent curse)
Raenef: Hey, where did he go??? (looks around....sees a small toad..)
Eclipse: (smirks)
Final Note: Having trouble typing with webbed feet...XD..and slightly annoyed that asterisks don't appear..But what can I do..(if you know then please tell lol)