(Okay, let's see... I guess this chapter's number three, right?)
The Demon Lord, Haruko- Chapter Three
The rain continued to fall for the rest of the night, but by morning, the sun had regained composure.
The group set out at dawn, not wanting to waste any time.
"The rain might have been a sign of abnormal weather conditions. We don't want to be caught in a snowstorm, correct?" Clive asked. Gallows frowned. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to wake up the second the sun comes out." He turned to Virginia. "Besides, Ginny doesn't seem to have gotten much sleep."
Virginia rubbed her eyes. "I'm okay Gallows, really. I'm fine."
Clive turned forward. "I'm just in thought about where to go." Jet rubbed his nose. "We're heading east."
Todd raised his head. "Then that means I wasn't hallucinating. You really did hear that voice."
The other three members seemed confused. Clive looked at Jet. "What does he mean? What voice?"
Todd continued. "Last night, while I was asleep, I heard this voice. It was talking to Jet. It told him to go east, but didn't you guys hear it too?"
Gallows and Virginia shook their heads.
Clive seemed deep in thought. "For now, I suggest we disregard the voice and head for the east. Besides, it's the only lead we have."
The group continued eastward, neither of them bringing up the subject of the voice.
After about an hour of riding, they found a semi- large town. Figuring it as the town the voice had spoke of, they decided to stay for the night.
Upon entering the town, Virginia, Gallows, and Clive went to arrange for a room, as well as other trivial errands. Jet leaned against a building. Just as Todd was about to follow the others, he called him over.
"Todd, can we talk?" Jet asked as Todd turned. He nodded. "Something wrong?" he asked as he walked over to Jet.
Jet shook his head. "No, I just have to clear something up. Are you sure you heard that voice?"
Todd nodded. "Of course I did. I'd never lie to people who saved my life."
Jet folded his arms. "You also said you didn't have a family right? No recollection of memories until a few years ago?" Todd nodded once again.
"Is there a reason you're asking me these questions Mr. Jet? If there's something wrong, you can talk to me about it."
Jet shook his head, allowing Todd to continue. "I wonder, maybe I wasn't the only- he thought, being cut off by a sudden thought.
Jet began to follow Todd.
The saloon was dusty, seeming to have not been cleaned for awhile. Virginia looked around. There did not seem to be anyone at the desk.
"Well well well, if it isn't Virginia Maxwell and her band of Drifters." Virginia turned around to see Maya Schoedinger standing in the doorway. Alfred and Shady were sitting at a table, talking.
Virginia turned. "Maya! I didn't expect to see you guys here. Um, where's Todd?" Maya acquired an annoyed expression. "He said he had to take care of "personal matters", whatever it is he's doing."
Clive pushed his glasses up. "Well there must be a reason you and your comrades have come here. What might it be?"
Maya smirked. "We've heard rumors of ruins northwest of here. We decided to gain some more information before we go and check it out."
Virginia clapped her hands. "Great! I guess we'll head out there ourselves!"
Todd sat on a small bench. Jet caught up to him, slowing to a walk.
An elderly man approached Todd, taking notice of the mask in Todd's pack. "Excuse me young man, but where did you acquire that mask?"
Jet listened and got closer, curious of the mask himself, even though Todd had already answered the question, he was still curious.
Todd stood up. "I bought the mask actually, why?"
The man stroked his chin. "When I was a young boy, my father told me of a legend passed down in my family. The legend spoke of a terrible war between humans and demons. The war ravaged Filgaia, however, the demons had barely been defeated. Yet, one demon survived the onslaught, taking all of the deceased demon's souls. He absorbed them, gaining absolute power. The humans were successful in barely sealing him in a mask."
Jet walked up. "So, you think this is that mask?"
The man shook his head. "No, the mask only reminded me of that legend. Besides, the legend goes on to say the humans locked the mask in a great temple, beneath the sands. However, it also said that every century, the temple raises from the desert."
The man nodded and walked away. "Every century? Could this mask be the same one?" Jet thought as he turned to look at the man walking away.
The Demon Lord, Haruko- Chapter Three
The rain continued to fall for the rest of the night, but by morning, the sun had regained composure.
The group set out at dawn, not wanting to waste any time.
"The rain might have been a sign of abnormal weather conditions. We don't want to be caught in a snowstorm, correct?" Clive asked. Gallows frowned. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean we have to wake up the second the sun comes out." He turned to Virginia. "Besides, Ginny doesn't seem to have gotten much sleep."
Virginia rubbed her eyes. "I'm okay Gallows, really. I'm fine."
Clive turned forward. "I'm just in thought about where to go." Jet rubbed his nose. "We're heading east."
Todd raised his head. "Then that means I wasn't hallucinating. You really did hear that voice."
The other three members seemed confused. Clive looked at Jet. "What does he mean? What voice?"
Todd continued. "Last night, while I was asleep, I heard this voice. It was talking to Jet. It told him to go east, but didn't you guys hear it too?"
Gallows and Virginia shook their heads.
Clive seemed deep in thought. "For now, I suggest we disregard the voice and head for the east. Besides, it's the only lead we have."
The group continued eastward, neither of them bringing up the subject of the voice.
After about an hour of riding, they found a semi- large town. Figuring it as the town the voice had spoke of, they decided to stay for the night.
Upon entering the town, Virginia, Gallows, and Clive went to arrange for a room, as well as other trivial errands. Jet leaned against a building. Just as Todd was about to follow the others, he called him over.
"Todd, can we talk?" Jet asked as Todd turned. He nodded. "Something wrong?" he asked as he walked over to Jet.
Jet shook his head. "No, I just have to clear something up. Are you sure you heard that voice?"
Todd nodded. "Of course I did. I'd never lie to people who saved my life."
Jet folded his arms. "You also said you didn't have a family right? No recollection of memories until a few years ago?" Todd nodded once again.
"Is there a reason you're asking me these questions Mr. Jet? If there's something wrong, you can talk to me about it."
Jet shook his head, allowing Todd to continue. "I wonder, maybe I wasn't the only- he thought, being cut off by a sudden thought.
Jet began to follow Todd.
The saloon was dusty, seeming to have not been cleaned for awhile. Virginia looked around. There did not seem to be anyone at the desk.
"Well well well, if it isn't Virginia Maxwell and her band of Drifters." Virginia turned around to see Maya Schoedinger standing in the doorway. Alfred and Shady were sitting at a table, talking.
Virginia turned. "Maya! I didn't expect to see you guys here. Um, where's Todd?" Maya acquired an annoyed expression. "He said he had to take care of "personal matters", whatever it is he's doing."
Clive pushed his glasses up. "Well there must be a reason you and your comrades have come here. What might it be?"
Maya smirked. "We've heard rumors of ruins northwest of here. We decided to gain some more information before we go and check it out."
Virginia clapped her hands. "Great! I guess we'll head out there ourselves!"
Todd sat on a small bench. Jet caught up to him, slowing to a walk.
An elderly man approached Todd, taking notice of the mask in Todd's pack. "Excuse me young man, but where did you acquire that mask?"
Jet listened and got closer, curious of the mask himself, even though Todd had already answered the question, he was still curious.
Todd stood up. "I bought the mask actually, why?"
The man stroked his chin. "When I was a young boy, my father told me of a legend passed down in my family. The legend spoke of a terrible war between humans and demons. The war ravaged Filgaia, however, the demons had barely been defeated. Yet, one demon survived the onslaught, taking all of the deceased demon's souls. He absorbed them, gaining absolute power. The humans were successful in barely sealing him in a mask."
Jet walked up. "So, you think this is that mask?"
The man shook his head. "No, the mask only reminded me of that legend. Besides, the legend goes on to say the humans locked the mask in a great temple, beneath the sands. However, it also said that every century, the temple raises from the desert."
The man nodded and walked away. "Every century? Could this mask be the same one?" Jet thought as he turned to look at the man walking away.