Fixed some mistakes, Re-Upload.
11
The most popular area of Acuna was still awake when Aaron and the rest arrived to it. The restaurants were open to the public until late those nights and there were some small bars offering dance shows while eating a nice dinner. A few huge shop places were open too, and Bea couldn't resist and dragged Ernest with her, leaving Kay with Aaron waiting in the indoor garden.
"How are you doing?", asked Kay when they found an empty sit. The lights hidden in the plants made irregular patterns on the dark ceiling.
"Good, but is quiet strange.", Aaron crossed his legs on the bench, leaning on him and watching the lights. "It's like I'm one of them but at the same time, I'm not."
"It happens.", answered with a smile on his face. Kay looked at the young one. "When I was younger, before I even thought of joining the Guild, I had problems in my town due to my canine appearance. Most of the children feared me, thinking me and my family were servants of the vampires, that we were pet-beasts, as they often called me.", he sighed, putting his arms behind his head. "I thought that vampires were the ones that made my family suffer when I was still with them. In a way, I started believing the things they were saying about the pet-beast, and once I confronted my dad, thinking he lied to me about that."
"You still think that?"
Kay laughed.
"For a long time, yes, I thought that. I was young and had another view of the things. But latter on, I noticed how stupid I was. When I wanted to return and apologize, my father... well...", he put his paws on his lap. "It didn't go that well..."
"You argued with him?"
"Not an arguing... he just opened the door, looked at me and said 'Who are you?'."
Aaron gasped.
"Wait! He didn't recognize you? How? You were his son!"
"Parents don't recognize their children when they turn against the family.", he pointed to himself. "My case, for example."
"What did you do then?"
"I was shocked. I couldn't believe it. When I told him who I was, he shocked his head and said he didn't have any son called 'Kay'. The one he knew died a few years back. And shut the door on my face.", Aaron stood still, not knowing what to say. "I cried for the next week, feeling lonely, with no home, no family because I did have nothing left besides myself. I learned how to survive in the streets before Trinity picked me up."
"How long you lived in the streets?"
"Let's see... I'm near my forties... I ran of home at age of seventeen... Almost ten years."
"That long?! How you managed to do it?", asked surprised Aaron.
"Oh, basic instinct, I guess.", said Kay with a sad smile. "It wasn't the best of the experiences in life, but I had to do it. Besides, not knowing how to work or having finished my studies, I couldn't get a proper job to work with. Although, I'm happy I didn't. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met your father."
"What did he say when he saw you?"
Kay started to laugh out loud, suddenly remembering that time.
"Oh, it was funny, at last for me.", answered with a smile on his face. "I learned to steal food to survive and I was about to steal some food from a greengrocer's shop when the owner spotted me. He started yelling to me and some gunslingers started to follow me on the road. I managed to lost them walking in the hallways I knew so well, but I grew over confident. When I wanted to notice, Trinity was standing in front of me and hit me, hard, with one of his guns."
"He hit you?", Aaron couldn't believe it.
"Well, after he dragged me into the Guild, he told me that he didn't hit me, it was Sartana."
"Wait, Lucian?", Kay nodded. "Oh, so, he was already in the Guild when you came."
"Along with Ernest. I was the last one of the four in get there.", he laughed again. "I can't believe that I'm still alive after the hit. The asshole hit me with the Witch. Damn, I cursed him for so long I can't remember."
"And what was your reaction?"
"That I wanted to kill him, of course!!", Aaron giggled. "I was tied up, and I growled at Sartana but he mocked me and made fun of me, but certainly, he knew I had some kind of... talent? He untied me, and I was about to launch at him when Trinity stopped him and proposed to work with them, because of my knowledge of the territory of the town. I refused several times, but Ernest was the one convincing me into getting in."
"What did he tell you?"
"I can't remember, but something about slaying vampires. I accepted and the one that trained me was no one else but Sartana, and I suffered that training so much, but it made me in the man I'm today, so I'm grateful for that.", he sighed. "He sure was a sadist."
Aaron laughed hard and loudly.
"Oh, geez! So much like Lucian today, uh?"
"In that aspect, he didn't change that much. He still likes pain.", Kay looked at the boy. "Enough of me. What about you? Is he treating you well?"
"Yes, he is. He is quiet sweet, actually. At least with me."
"It's natural, you are his mate now. Vampires and half vampires tend to do that."
"So it's also natural that they treat others, that is not me, in a more harsh manner?", Kay nodded. "He changed a bit his attitude, too...", Aaron put his hands on each leg. "He is more calm and patient, when Lucian usually goes straight forwards and kills anything that is on his way. Now, he thinks a way to beat them or... or... goes berserk, letting his true nature come out and kill..."
"I have this feeling that tells me you have seen how Lucian killed."
Aaron nodded.
"The north gunslingers. He slashed them all, with his spear and his sword. And after doing, after showing how fierce he can get, Lucian came to my side, hugged me and softly asked me if I was alright.", he sighed. "It's so weird for me that I fear I might not get used to it."
"Why? You are already used. You have been with him for about four years and you never complained about it. Are you scared that you might not be able to be... accepted into the circle of vampires or will live quietly?", the boy blushed but nodded. "Don't worry about that, we will help you out with this. You can count with Ernest, Bea and me."
"I know, but... I'm confused. I'm supposed to be a vampire slayer and I'm here, with a dhampir that is close to becoming a vampire. What should I do? If I keep this, then I feel like I'm killing Lucian somehow...", he sighed loudly. "I don't know. Fuck, I need to talk with Toasty even if he fucked up a lot of things in this situation."
Kay laughed again.
"Oh, I'm sure you need. We will try to talk with Lucian about it. I don't think he will want us to 'kidnap' you."
"It's the last thing he needs."
Ernest and Bea returned a few minutes later and the four of them proceeded to find a place were to eat something. They walked in the streets and a bar was opened with available tables for them. They sat and ordered, and Ernest talked with Aaron about what happened while he was with the vampires, details that they didn't say when they were in the mansion. Aarons listened carefully. He truly feared Oyan now, but was curious why the spy didn't know about him, since he sticks up with the vampires from the beginning. But since he was with them, he decided to not worry about that for the moment and enjoy their company and free time they have.
It was past three in the morning when they finished eating and chatting in the bar, and Aaron suggested walking a bit after the good food they have. They agreed. After they paid, they left the bar and went to the illuminated park for a walk. There were several people resting on the benches, reading, walking their pets or simple being in the park, the only quiet place to stay and enjoy the loneness. Aaron remembered times in where he and Toasty would rest on the benches, hearing the nothingness of the park early in the mornings, just after finishing a long mission. But there was another reason why Aaron didn't want to return to the mansion yet. The moon's phase. Lucian would be waiting for him to return and try to drink his blood to become a full vampire for once, but the young one is not going to let that happen. He still hoped for a way to neutralize the curse and bring the dark swordsman to his initial form. Although, a small part of him knew there was no cure for it and wanted him to finalize his transforming, but Aaron didn't pay attention to it.
He thought that, to buy more time, he could go and talk to Toasty for a while. He could return to the mansion, talk with Lucian and then leave again with Ernest and the others to the Guild or at the Inn in Acuna they rented, but didn't know how to 'disappear' for the next few days and not be at Lucian's side and prevent him to feed up. Well, since Toasty doesn't want him to stick with him in that phase, he could ask him for a good place to stay until the moon changed its phase again and was safe to be around. He could bring that old book with him to read and not get too bored while waiting. It was a good plan, but when they arrived to the mansion two hours later, Dumas grabbed Aaron by his hands and excused himself, dragging the boy to one of the rooms of the mansion. Locking it from the inside, the former Duke turned around, smiling to him.
"I'm sorry I dragged you like this, but I need to discuss a few things with you with no one to interrupt us.", said Dumas, sitting on a chair. Aaron picked one and sat in front of him.
"It's alright; I don't think they would mind."
"Good, good.", he nodded silently to himself. Then, he looked at Aaron. "Well, it's about Lucian.", the boy knew, and knew that the former Duke was going to ask him to be his food source and let him go to the final step. "As you might know and you might have guessed, I want you to share your blood with him.", Aaron tightened his fits. "I know you don't want to, but listen. Lucian has been trying to get out of here and hunt by himself, not being able to control his instincts anymore, as he told me before you left with the gunslingers, and I worry about him.", the boy sighed. "I know, but if he hunts alone or feeds up from anyone but you, it might be possible that he loses his memories of us, more special from you."
"Please, Dumas… I don't want to, I just don't want him to transform into a vampire. If he does, I don't know what I would do anymore."
"Don't be so extremist.", said the former Duke with a smile on his face. "If your father was alive, I guess that he would tell you to go on with your relationship with Lucian, vampire or not."
"How could you know if you killed him?", asked in a harsh tone. But Dumas wasn't offended nor sad or angry about it.
"Because I knew him better before you could even talk or walk.", answered instead. "Go, go and ask to the gunslingers if I'm wrong. They will tell you the same thing I did. If you need to go and talk with Toasty, then go ahead and do it if you think it will help of something. But keep in mind this; Nish and I will not oblige Lucian to stay in the mansion if he doesn't want to or if he becomes way too aggressive for us to handle."
"Why, thanks for your immense help with this.", said Aaron, a sarcasm tone in his voice.
"Don't get bitchy on me, brat!", Dumas raised his voice, starting to get pissed. "It's his decision too, to become a vampire or not. It's not only yours opinion what it counts in this. If you want to risk his memories for a stupid whim, then you are free to leave and return when you want. But I tell you, Lucian has high chances in losing them if you are not here. And if he does, I hope you don't get to me crying like a baby for it, because I will not console you for something I warned you."
Dumas stood up and unlocked the door, leaving Aaron alone in the room, to think about he said. The young one, angered, kicked the chair in front of him and hid his face into his arms. He started sobbing and then, started crying. He was so stressed, so scared. He didn't know what to do. Was the best letting Lucian drink his blood? Was the best to leave and return later? What if what Dumas told him happens? He didn't want Lucian to forget about him. He loved him and wanted to spend his life with him, but what about his duty as gunslinger? Would be able to work as a vampire slayer having one as a mate? It's like betraying Lucian, or Dumas or Nish, who were so kind to let them live by their sides and help them in wherever they could, or to those vampires that lived perfectly between humans and had befriended with them. He would have to quit, he would have to let his guns rest in their wood boxes, the very ones that Trinity received from the former leader of the Guild when he was chosen to be the next one.
But, what about all he did with him the past four years? Would affect his new decision of quitting? Would the others accept it? What about Ernest and the others? What will happen with them if he decides to stay with Lucian but renounce at his father's legacy? All was so hard for him to handle. Besides, there wasn't a single city or town that welcomed vampires or liked them enough to let them live there. They would be rejected wherever they go. The only place they would be safe was probably the vampire circle, but Aaron didn't know if he was going to be accepted there. He knew about small groups of vampires living in the underground in Acuna and Culiacan, they might help them, as well as not help them at all. If no one wanted to then, what will happen to them, to him and Lucian? Between his dying sobs, Aaron laughed. They would have to live in the streets, as Kay did for ten years.
"Hey…", the boy jumped on his seat at the sudden voice that he heard in the room. He turned around and smiled. Lucian walked to him and hugged Aaron, rubbing his back. "Dumas told me. If you want to leave then do it. I will be fine."
"It's not that…", his tears were now dry, but his eyes were still red from all his crying. "I just… don't know anymore.", Lucian laughed softly and made Aaron sit on the table, making him hug him by his neck, to hid his face on his neck, starting to cry again. "I don't know what to do. I want to stay with you, but I don't want you to become a vampire. What would I do then, as a gunslinger? I can't go out and keep killing them, now having Dumas and Nish as friends. And more precisely you, that you are my mate and so…"
"Perhaps you need time to think, to let your mind clarify, and then, make your decision.", he kissed his neck softly, smiling again. "I want to let you know that the decision you make will not affect the relationship you have with Toasty or those gunslingers that are your friends or your friends at all. They will understand and accept it."
Aaron sighed.
"You think so?"
"Of course. If they don't, they wouldn't be your friends, would they?", Lucian looked at his mate. Aaron shivered, once more, at the sight of the crimson eyes, but smiled afterwards. He will have to get used to them.
"So, is it ok with you if I leave for a day or two?", he nodded. "Will you be alright? I worry that you might end up in a fight with the north gunslingers while I'm away."
"I told you, I will be fine. I can handle myself one more day.", the dhampir kissed Aaron's lips. "Besides, it will be better if you are not here when the north gunslingers gets into the mansion. I can focus in killing them rather than killing them and protecting you at the same time."
Aaron giggled. They kissed again.
"I can by my own. I'm not a child anymore. In a few days I will be seventeen."
"You still act like a brat.", he laughed, but the boy pouted and hit his arm.
"That was mean! What I have to say about you, then?"
Lucian laughed softly, hugging Aaron tightly. He kissed him again and licked his lips.
"That you are the luckiest human on the planet to have such wonderful vampire as a mate…", the boy giggled. "That even if he is a bit bitchy, he loves you so deeply and will do anything to protect you."
"A bit bitchy?", said Aaron. "Don't you mean always?", Lucian gasped in purpose, like trying to look offended, but laughed afterwards, snuggling on him and kissing his neck softly.
"Mm, your scent makes me want to eat you…", whispered with husky voice, licking the boy's neck, hungrily.
"I-Is that so?", the boy tried to push Lucian off softly, but the dhampir didn't let him. "Ah, Lucian…!", he could feel the tender nibbles on his neck, as well as tentative bites, like trying to find the best place to sink those long fangs. "Ouch!", yelled in pain when Lucian made him lay on the table a bit roughly. "Stop it! Come on, Lucian! Stop!"
The dhampir purred, firmly grabbing the boy's legs with his owns, preventing Aaron to kick him and escape. His strong arms held him in place on the table. He didn't want the boy to suddenly move and hurt him with his fangs. Aaron could feel the sharp edges of them, shivering in fear when they cut his skin, teasing the flesh and letting small drops of blood pour from the tiny scratch. His hot tongue rolled over it, tasting the warm liquid, moaning in the back of his throat. Lucian could feel that Aaron managed to free one of his arms, but couldn't see what was his next move, because all what he felt was a shot of pain on his left side of his face.
Lucian groaned in pain, but successfully gaining his conscious again. He looked down at the scared expression of Aaron, at his chest rising rapidly and the tiny, bleeding cut he just did with his fangs. Lucian smiled sadly.
"Seems that I can't control myself as I thought.", he whispered, rubbing his left side of his face. He walked away from the boy, letting him sit on the edge of the table, calming down. "I'm sorry…", said before disappearing in the shadows.
"Wait, Lucian!", but he was gone. Aaron sighed and got down of the table. He knew that it was going to be hard not only for him, but also for the dhampir. "Don't be sorry…", he said to the air, but knowing that Lucian might have heard him. "It's not your fault."
The boy left and walked towards his room, finding Perrault curled up on their bed and Nero sitting by the window. The black cat turned around and smiled at him, saying he already knew what was going on after he heard their little chat. Aaron was amazed how good Nero's hearing was. So now that the cat knew everything, he simple asked him to accompany while he was away, if Perrault didn't mind. Nero accepted immediately, since he wanted to get as far as he could from her for a good while. He was starting to hate those grooming sessions.
Aaron, trying to make as little noise as possible, started to pack up his things in the bag, but left a few shirts for Lucian. Those cloths had his scent and it might help the dhampir while he was away, as his jacket did the same back in the Inn. The boy took said jacket and put it on, hanging the bag on his shoulder, taking the book on his left hand and Nero over his shoulder; he left the room and went to see the vampires and gunslingers, saying he was ready to leave. Nish and Dumas hugged him tightly, and Ezra did the same, petting him and trying to fix his wild hair. When she noticed that it was way too hard, she gave up, kissed both his cheeks and waved a good bye when he and the others left the mansion.
Some hounds escorted them to the gates and Aaron petted them, saying he was going to be out for a single day and ordered them to take care of the vampires. The hounds whined and turned back, walking to the forecourt. As they walked out, Aaron asked himself what would be the best place to stay without Lucian knowing about it. If the dhampir knew, then he probably would go there and try to drink his blood. It was going to be hard. He didn't want to return to the Inn, because it was going to be very obvious, the cottage was in bad shape after the blizzard, the Guild… The Guild could be a nice place, but with Oyan and his men going from here to there will be very uncomfortable for the boy, especially after what Ernest told him. Besides, he didn't want the spy to find out about him and his relationship with Lucian. They would use it against him, so it should be extremely closed to human contact and not be a frequented place. The mountains would be perfect. The vampires are not in heat anymore and it should be safe enough to stay alone in the wild, with Nero's and his Knight's company. But they would decide that after arriving to Acuna again, to the east side of it, near New Culiacan, to sit and examine their options.
Surprisingly, Toasty was there too, apparently waiting for them. He was so glad to find that Aaron was safe that almost broke into tears of happiness. After a long talk with him, Toasty accepted going with him and Nero until Lucian's feeding time was out. The light Terrennial was also desperate to talk with the young boy, wanting to know everything. They left right away. Nero and Aaron followed Toasty along, not asking where were they going, as they walked past a forest and went directly to the mountains, as the young expected. The completely silence was something new. Aaron remembered the nights of the mating and couldn't believe how quiet it was.
The cottage was all covered with snow; the ceiling had collapsed due to the snow on it and couldn't be used again. But Toasty kept floating forwards, going to the west side of the forest, where he found a big, robust tree. The leaves were still bright green and its branches were really thick, enough for Aaron to lay down on them and not worrying in falling from it. They helped the boy climb up, to the top, where he could admire the beautiful sight the tree gave him of the nearby cities such as Acuna, Old Culiacan and New Culiacan. The Dark Castle was barely seen because of how decayed it was and the sun setting was illuminating the lands over the mountains in the north, place from where the north gunslingers came.
Aaron never went there. Ernest often told him that the lands on the other side of the mountains were very dangerous, even his father would think it twice before going. But he never knew why. Every time he asked, the elders shrugged and whispered to his ears terrific stories about the Undead living there. After a while, he stopped doing questions about it, truly fearing those stories, not the truth. Aaron then thought if his fear for Oyan was created by those child stories. It could be, since after knowing he was from the north, he started to feel nervous at each move Ernest told him about Oyan. Just now, he noticed how childish he was behaving. Lucian was right at calling him brat. Aaron laughed softly, catching Toaty's and Nero's attention, who were resting on each shoulder of the boy. Aaron was resting against the trunk of the tree, very comfortable, feeling the soft breeze blowing up there.
"Why did you laugh?", asked the light Terrennial.
"I just remembered something that Lucian told me before leaving.", he sighed. "The elders often told me stories about the north lands, on the other side of the mountains, very terrific that made me really scared about the Undead living there. I was thinking that my fear for Oyan, perhaps, was only because of those stories.", he laughed again. "Yes, Lucian was right in calling me brat."
Nero chuckled under his breath, nodding in agreement.
"You should not worry about him. Ernest can deal with him perfectly.", assured moments later.
"I don't doubt of Ernest's techniques, but after seeing such weaponry from the north gunslingers, I know we don't stand a chance at all.", said Aaron, petting his head. The cat purred happily. "Not even the Witch or the Bomber, one of the most powerful guns in the Guild, can match that. Sheridan will have a very hard time trying to upgrade them."
"He could try.", added Toasty, smiling. "We will need those upgrades against the north gunslingers."
"Are you saying that there is going to be a fight with them and us?", asked the young boy.
"It's very feasible.", answered Toasty.
"What about the vampires living in the cities? In our cities?", whispered Aaron to them. "I know gunslingers are supposed to kill them, to make a… 'better place' for humans, but what if they also dislikes them? Could it be that the might help us in getting rid of them?"
"Not impossible, just very improbable.", said Nero. "We can try to convince them but I doubt it."
Aaron sighed.
"I so hate this."
"We do too.", said Toasty. "We will find a way, eventually. Everything finds a way.", he transformed into his human form and rested besides the boy, petting his head softly. "The important thing to us is, what do you want to do?"
"I want to protect you guys… Everyone, actually.", he smiled sadly. "More especial those who I care for."
"That's a nice beginning.", whispered Nero. "What will you do after all this ends?"
Aaron sighed again.
"I don't know. I want to stay here, because it's here where my home is, where my family lives, where my friends are. I can't think any other place to be. Because if I do, I will be lonely, even having Lucian's company.", the boy rested besides Toasty's chest, letting the Terrennial circle his right arm around his small body. "I'm starting to feel that the things I read in that book might be possible, seeing how many vampires are living in the cities. I don't say that there will never be another war, they will be always exist, but the idea that Dumas once thought, the idea of an utopia, it's not… so far if you think about it. Several years ago, perhaps even before Lucian's and my father's births, I could say even years ago, it could happen that vampires and humans lived in a small place where the war was not in their everyday life's, but before they could see it the war was all over them, and killed those who opposed to the will of the strongest."
"You have no idea, how right you are.", whispered Nero, looking at the sunset. "There was a time like that, but now is completely gone.", then, he looked at the faint moon appearing on the sky with its silver light. "There once was a couple of different bloodline that fell in love, and tried to live quietly."
"The Lunar and Solar children?", said Toasty. Nero nodded.
"It was so weird. How could the light and the life be in love with the darkness and death? Even then, both had sons, the two of them having their parent's bloodline very deep inside them."
"One of them, taken away of his loving family, to be trained and used as an experiment with Dark Matter, and used to fight his own brother in order to probe he was better than the light and life. His father died, and his mother was taken as hostage and later fused with her own sister, who wanted her powers to end the cycle of life, to prevent the world from collapse.", continued Toasty, with a sad tone in his voice. "The last heritage of the Solar Children ignored the existence of his brother and fought against him without knowing it, but was happy to see that even when his brother hated him for staying in the family that he never had, he still cared for him even if he didn't want to admit it.", he smiled, suddenly remembering. "Ratatosk… It seems so long…"
"What do you mean?", said Aaron. "Did you really know him after all?"
"Oh, more than you think.", Toasty laughed. "And I also knew that friend your father had before becoming the gunslinger he was. He wanted to honor him by putting his name to you, but I think his wife didn't let him."
"Who… he was?", Aaron grew interested. He didn't know that Toasty knew things like that.
"He was Solar Boy Django, the last Solar Child. His brother was the Dark Boy Sabata, older than him and the one that was captured and taken away from his family."
"How do you know them?", this time, Nero smiled and was the one who answered.
"He lost his previous form after he and Sabata sealed Vanargandr on Paradise, the Lunar Sanctuary on the Moon, but lived long enough to be at the boy's side for a long time."
"Wait, if he sealed Vanargandr in the Moon, how could Lord of Destruction manipulate him to control the world?"
"Dimension Traveling or Time Traveling. I can't know for sure how it went, but the thing is that even if Django managed to kill Ratatosk and free his brother from Vanargandr's hands, the future didn't have any changes at all, meaning that the thing that happened in the past was part of another timeline, that did not affected directly to our future.", answered Toasty, frowning his eyebrows. "I could be wrong, but either way, I'm still here."
"That's for sure.", said Nero with a smile.
"Wait!", Aaron yelled, suddenly. "Was it Django his name?", Toasty nodded and saw the boy grabbing the book. He opened it and went to the last pages of it, finding on one the author of the book. "It's him! He wrote this book!"
"Who? Django?", said Nero. Aaron nodded.
"Then…. Then… How did he manage to survive, if when my father went to the 'past' to change history it didn't change at all?"
Toasty couldn't believe it.
"I accompanied him in the Sealed Prison until he died there because I could not trespass the door and the dark barrier around it. I even disappeared not so long after he passed away."
"Unless he wasn't death when you disappeared from the Sealed Prison. But doesn't respond how he got out from it, unless he had dark powers…"
"The vampire blood!", yelled the light Terrennial. "He was bitten by his father, who was transformed into one by the Count of Bloodsoaking Ground. His Lunar Blood prevent him to turn into a full one… Oh Heavens! Maybe he managed to survive after all! As a dhampir like Lucian!", he stood up, walking on the branch, really nervous about the matter. "Vampires can not feed for years, surviving only of their immortality. Besides, Django can control dark power. He could have done a simple spell to retrieve the dark barrier of the prison… But, why didn't he try to do it by himself? He didn't needed me at all…", the last sentence faded off, when he finally sat on the branch, his right hand under his chin, thinking. "He could easily do all those things without problems… Why he didn't?"
"Unless he tried, but failed.", said Nero. "He tried to defeat Ratatosk and save his brother, but ended up too wounded or sealed in another dimension, and now that Ratatosk is dead, could return."
"It's possible. Ratatosk had this ability to send humans to other dimensions. Trinity returned from one of them thanks to his mother's poncho…", explained Toasty. "Yes, since Ratatosk is dead, the spell broke and Django could return. But it was eleven years ago, and the books are from times before that."
"Could he have done it by himself? Using his dark powers to break the spell and return?", suggested Aaron in a whisper.
"I see no other way.", said Toasty.
"Why didn't he helped my father and other gunslingers to defeat Ratatosk when he returned?", asked the boy, a bit angry now.
"His solar gun doesn't work like the ones you know. He needs pure sunlight to charge them and use them. It's not like you that using the Terrennial's power can charge and use them at the same time, and since Byron was blocking the Sun, Django could have done nothing.", answered the light Terrennial. "Besides, he didn't know anyone in this era and probably feared that Ratatosk founds and kills him for once, so he might have hid somewhere until now. If he couldn't beat Ratatosk before, now with Vanargandr's powers, could be impossible for him and in his health state."
"I understand…", whispered Aaron, petting Nero once again. "Would you like to find him, Toasty?"
"Eh?", he looked away. "I don't know, after what I have done… if he is still alive, of course. I will not know how to face him after I left him in the prison all by himself. Having to fight against Sabata again, without me to support Django…", he sighed with sadness. "For now, I don't want to. Perhaps after we get over with this situation."
Nero and Aaron agreed silently, staring now at the stared nigh sky. The moon was already out and the sun set long ago. The night creatures were slowly waking up and the gunslingers will probably get ready to do their usual nocturne patrol, and the vampires will try to hide from them, to not be killed or risk other's life.
But little did they know, that a figure was hiding in the shadows, a figure that followed them since they split at the gates of the mansion, a figure that now was smiling at the information he got and was now climbing off the tree to run at Oyan's side to tell him all he just discovered.
If what Toasty told was true, then he was still alive, under the disguise of the dark swordsman Lucian.