Words to know:
Babo-Idiot
Sonsaeng-Teacher
By the way the big italic section is the kind of (or is) a flashback scene. These ' ' represent thoughts and double quotations " " are speech...I'm sorry if it's a hassle...
Oh. Eclipse was kind enough to give me regular hands again just so I could clear his name..(Like that's going to happen XD..)
"I think it's time that we test out how much you've truly learned..." Eclipse's comment seemed to have the desired effect. Raenef awoke from his daydream and the glaze over his eyes dissipitated for a moment. Two orbs of crystal-blue concentrated on the only source of sound from the previous three hours. Made uneasy by the questioning stare, Eclipse continued on, "Learning or memorizing the spells' names, strengths, casting directions, etc. is one thing but being able to utilize them during the course of battle is another. Master, you have already learned over a dozen..." He looked at the impish Demon Lord, only to find that the piercing pair of eyes had been averted and there was a slight blush of embarassment on the gentle face. 'That is what I had hoped wouldn't be the case...' "Allow me to rephrase, Lord Raenef..you should have learned over a dozen already. However since it seems that is not the case, I will only use a fraction of the power I had intended to use."
"Y-You mean we're to DUEL?!" Raenef's eyes snapped to attention as he fervently stared at the back that was turned to him once more. The back hidden by hundreds of fine, ebony strands of hair gently swaying from a breeze with an unknown source...(Chris was surprisingly out of breath after this episode..XD) 'So it seems he is trying to make me into the perfect Demon Lord...'
"How else will you develop the reactions and thought processes that you will need during a real battle. Simulation is one of the best known ways to prepare ones--"
"But I'm not ready!!" 'I don't think I'll ever be ready to face you Eclipse..'
"We will come to this point sooner or later, Master Raenef...best it be sooner so we may evaluate your weaknesses and cover them before they grow out of hand." 'So that nothing will ever be able to endanger you again. And besides, it's a perfect chance for me to prepare myself as well. I can't fail at my most important task again...'
"..." 'If that's the way it has to be...'
"Do not worry Master Raenef...no harm will befall upo-"
"Seven days."
Eclipse's eyes searched his master's face for the meaning of such a statement. It had sounded rather harsh and desolate...'Almost as if Master Raenef was setting an execution date...But that couldn't be the case...' "Master Raenef...?"
"It is quite simple, Sonsaeng. I simply request a total of seven days' worth of time in order to prepare myself for the duel...I wouldn't want to disappoint a demon of the Third Order." Raenef was surprised he had managed to say all that much. The dam inside was threatening to burst open and he could barely control his emotions, let alone his speech.
"Master Raen--," Eclipse started but never got the chance to finish as for the second time in 24 hours, a hushed "Go" was all he heard before the room was deprived of a sullen Raenef. Sighing with discontent, he collapsed wearily into the chair within his study. Closing his eyes, Eclipse tried to make sense of everything that had happened ever since the previous night. However, in his distraught state, he failed to catch the two small spots of liquid twinkling ever so slightly on his desk, abandoned by the hurried Demon Lord.
Raenef stepped out on to his balcony, basking in the silence that followed the turmoil. (Sigh..) 'Things seem to be spinning out of control. I could barely handle all of this before...now he expects me to face him...him...of all the ridiculous things...' "Hi Chris!"
"HEY RAAAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE," Chris shouted as he rocketed past the balcony. A small smile found its way onto Raenef's angelic visage. 'Those two are the only things that keep me sane...It used to be three...' Raenef shook himself free of those thoughts and instead took advantage of the view his balcony allowed. From here, he could see the garden he had worked so hard with Erutis to salvage. He could see her down there now, in fact, waiting for Chris to come plummeting down. Of all the plants in the vast garden, he loved the two weeping willows the most. The movement of their limbs and branches were so soothing and it seemed that nothing could bother him while he sat beneath them. They represented the calm and wistful side of himself that he had never known..until now. Raenef stole a glance towards Eclipse's balcony, not really knowing the reason why. The elder demon could be seen bent over his desk, reading a tome from the vast collection within his study. 'So it's as simple as that to him...Doesn't phase him at all...AAAARRRRGGHHHHH...Why am I acting this way?!...How could one single feeling mean so much to me...' He knew exactly why. Erutis had been rather blunt the previous night after she consoled him for the way Eclipse was acting.
"Raenef...we both know that you like him...But I think I know something that you don't...or at least you're not admitting to yourself..."
"And what would that be," Raenef tried to scream at her...but it was muted by the unrelenting torrent of sobs that had forced him on to his hands and knees.
"I hate to be the one to tell you...since it should be something that you figure out for yourself but...considering your situati--"
"Just spit it out already.." The tears were finally starting to relent...
"..." A few moments passed by as she waited for the Demon Lord to gather himself before presenting the facts...The silence almost became unbearable but was shattered by three simple words..."You love him..."
"I..I..l-love him??" He was aiming the question at himself, rather than the tense swordmaster...'That can't be the case...How can I love someone when I know he'll never return my feelings...How can I love someone who..who..would dump me if weren't for the Gods...'
"You know she's right..." Chris had his head poking in the door. "You've been showing all the symptons of being i-"
"BABO!!!!!!!!!!! Stop talking about it like it's a disease or something!" Before Raenef could stop her, Chris was already half-implanted into the column outside of Raenef's room. "He's lucky I don't make a Venus de Milo out of him," she grumbled. Raenef raised a confused eyebrow at her comment but before he could question her, "I'm sorry Rae...I'll let you rest now." 'You'll need it...'
As quickly as he had learned that he loved Eclipse, he was left alone again...'again...' The night had come and gone with fleeting dreams and intense nightmares. Raenef had never felt more alone within the soulless fortress of stone that was supposedly his. (Sigh..) And here he was now, his heart as dark and heavy as the sullen skies. His eyes wandered the landscape only to lock onto the horizon where he saw what seemed to be waves of shadowy clouds gathering. But he didn't take heed of such trivial things. Instead he was mulling over his current situation and where it left him. 'So there isn't anything I can do about this feeling...If I could, it would have been gone by now...But Eclipse...he's still expecting me to face him...I can't be angry...Why am I feeling angry?!...He's the one who took me off the streets. It's unfair...for both of us...but I can't...I can't disappoint him. Not after everything he's done to help me...even if it was only his job. So...(sigh)..So there's only one thing left to do...' And with that Raenef went on his way to the Garden...
"In order to do cast summoning spells, a circle of power must be drawn to act as a gateway for the being of power to come through. Like divine and dark spells, only beings of certain affinities can perform certain summons..." As hard as he tried to focus on the tomes he had relied on so much to calm him, Eclipse couldn't expel the image of his pained Master before Raenef teleported off. "I wouldn't want to disappoint a demon of the Third Order." Those words had stung far worse than any battle wound he had ever received. 'You're getting to be a softie. You were barely phased by a gash to the arm during the Hangma War. Now you're almost to tears over a word...a word!!...What would they all say now...(Sigh)..As if they mattered..there's only one person who matters now..and he hates you...'
"SO WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!?!" For all the knowledge his ancient tomes contained, Eclipse found himself deafened by the silent response. Defeated...by an angel-faced Demon Lord...'So what am I supposed to do...There is only one thing I can do...But will it be enough?" Eclipse pondered over this. He was almost tempted to call off the duel...until he realized that doing so would not only diminish whatever credibility he had but it would also delay the preparations needed for Lord Raenef to be self-capable. 'Even if he hates me for the rest of his life...I have to ensure his safety..at all costs...' Before his tears could sidetrack him, Eclipse transported himself to the kitchen...
Chris: What do you mean make a Venus de Milo out of me?! Like that's at all possible...
Erutis: (Leers at her sword) Wanna test me?
Chris: (Laughs skittishly) Maybe another time...(Runs off)
Eclipse: So now that you're done with this chapter...(Starts muttering...)
AH: (Laughs skittishly) Maybe another time...(Runs off)
Eclipse: Babo...(just as Raenef teleports in)
Raenef: So that's what you think of me huh?!?! (Teleports off..)
Eclipse: A.H.!! GET BACK HERE!!! REWRITE THIS CONVERSATION...RIGHT NOW!!!
Final Note: Due to technical difficulties (such as putting out the fires on myself) this chapter ends here. Thanks for reading XD!!