Part 3
Two years as past since the manor up in forest gotten burned down. There seems to be start what many would call demon invades, or wannabe one if all honesty. It was small and it was mostly weak demons. True, demon hunters come out every so often. Some demons were force into retirement since it wasn't much work or working as a mercenary as a 'part time job''.
But that all changed that night, demons seemed to nearly everywhere, and business have been picking up a lot more. Demon hunters say it's good thing.
However these demons were nasty as hell, many lost their lives or worse, leave them a state where they can't do anything for the rest of their lives. It almost didn't seem worth it. Till the right cash is shown to the right person.
A man walking side street, walking to nearby town of Alice Street, he come over due to a contract that was given to him by Enzo, fat bastard… The man thought
The man looked at the town and sighed, he remembered that it was very busy street filled with children ready to play with they're closest friends and family. But now it's nothing empty husk of its former self. It becomes demon territory. Many of them took over the place two days ago.
Like they were looking for something? The man kept walking, gun in hand. He turned to the corner of his eye, he's eye caught an image, he turned only to meet his image through window of a broken-down family shop. He sighed, he's been told there's a lot of money from this job and it was easy, the only problem it's in a demon raided area.
He looked his image, tall, tan and battle-hardened from his time in the army. He wore a leather brown trench coat and white shirt with armoured vest, the jeans he wore were damaged but still hold up. He needed to stay light, flexible and far away from demons as possible. His gun, a Smith and Wesson 629 classic 44. Magnum with a weighted barrel that he calls Duchess. A pet name that he loves deeply.
He looked at the blood stains, there were loads, he saw some bodies lying on floor with horror look on their face as he hid behind cars, demon must've just killed them, intended eaten them. He breathed, stress going to his nerves, but he kept himself cool.
He checked the ammo stock, twenty rounds. This is a search and retrieve. He reasoned, he didn't want to admit it, but a part of him wished he didn't give some of his ammo to the newbies that shares the gun as him, but deep down he wanted to help those youngsters to survive and lived to see this job Isn't for them.
He looked back up and in shock, he saw someone behind him in the other side of the building, he turned seeing a kid with white hair, wearing what he's looking for, red gem wrapped into a necklace. He looks dirty and haven't eaten in days.
"Hey kid, where did you from and where did you get that necklace from." The man hid his gun hoping to move closer to the kid. But he had his eyes at his necklace.
The child glared and started run into the building behind him. The man didn't yell but merely followed the child quietly and moved low. Hoping to avoid the demons. He couldn't afford to reveal himself.
"Whys there a kid here?" The man asked himself. He grabbed his phone and call a number from his recent. As it rings, he went into the building where the kid went.
"Hello? Duke is that you?" A high pitch tone come through the phone. "Shush, I'm still at the job. You need to explain to me, why there's a kid here with the necklace!" The man, Duke said low but rather aggressive tone.
He swapped his gun for a flashlight, leaning the light between his cheek and shoulder. He then pulled his trusty Smith and Wesson.
"Woah, woah! I didn't know there's a kid there… was he wearing the necklace!" Enzo asked, sounding he knew more than he let on.
"Enzo...I'm being serious right now! You either tell me right now or I'll cancel the job and come see you personally." Duke walked on, hoping to find the kid. "I'll count to three..."
He clicked his lips, as the water ran down his brown, boots. "One." He checked corners, nothing.
"Two..." Duke could hear Enzo half-truths and shakes he's giving off, just when Duke even spoke, Enzo replied rather quickly. "O-okay, Calm down. I mean, how could you not trust me enough to-"Duke cut him off. He wants answers
"Three!" Duke pulled the hammer of his Smith and Wesson by his phone.
"Wait! Wait The kid might be the target okay! Stop!" Enzo breathed over the phone.
"What the fuck did you say?! Enzo you piece of shit!" Duke growled, grinding his teeth together. "I told you. I hunt demons, I'm not your merc, I don't hurt kids, for fuck's sake."
Enzo waited for Duke to calm down before speaking, "Duke listens. That necklace is worth five thousand dollars." Enzo reasoned, "And-and he is a demon!" Enzo corrected, he looked over the contact and tax he will get over this job, twenty-five percent, isn't a bad deal.
Duke stopped and listened, feeling overwhelmed at the payment, Enzo only said it's big money, didn't expect that much. "Shit, that's a lot of money and he's a demon? Are you sure?" Duke questioned, feeling weird about demon disguised as a child.
"On my mother's soul! This kid isn't us! He can do stuff! Like break walls, healing abnormal quick." Enzo listed from the contact on the table.
Duke blinked, that didn't sound human but why a child? After some time he spoke "Who give you this contract?" Before he could get a response.
He heard a gunshot, coming outside. Duke hung up before Enzo could respond. He ran towards the shot, taking cover to cover.
He hid behind the rubble, having a clear view of what's happening. Duke shocked to see the kid, lying on the floor holding on to his arm where he gotten shot.
Duke turned his head to see a big, burly man with rifle in hand, "Slippery thing, aren't you? I've told you to stop, didn't want to listen, didn't ya?" Duke knew that guy, Erin. Cold but ruthless son of bitch, who isn't a demon hunter but rather a fixer.
"Of course, I'm not the only one here..." Duke didn't know what to do, Kid might be a demon but is he really? And the worst part is that gunshot pretty much told every demon, hey we're here come and eat us! Duke thought.
"You know, when I heard of a white hair child was here, I thought it was a ghost story but here you are..." He walked over to the child, rifle in hand. He towered the child, kneeling to look at him.
"Why on earth did a demon disguised as a child? C'mon tell me, did you kill the kid and copied him?" Erin asked, sticking his rifle into child wound, who in turned hiss through the pain. "I'm human...!" The child spoke through the pain.
The child grabbed the rifle and trying push it away. He glared at the man, "And if I was you. I would run." Erin grinned, "Oh I'm not going anyway, see that necklace you got there is worth a lot of money. He leaned closer, "And between us two…I don't care if you're human. Demons, humans? They're all the same especially when comes to money and power." Erin grabbed the gem, lifting the kid up with it.
"Got anything to say kid?" Erin admired the gem as his thumb played around with each shape and lines, trailing down the middle.
The kid grabbed Erin thumb, "Yeah. My name is Dante, and you make demons look dashing up closely." Just like that Dante, he snapped his thumb in one go.
Just liked Erin leaned in pain, Dante kicked him in the face, with enough power to knock him down
Erin crawled on the floor, feeling sick putting his warm face on the cold floor of the dead street. While Dante slowly gotten up, wounds now gone. But struggling to breath from the pain. He wobbled, shaking from what it looks like a lack of blood or food, maybe both.
Duke blinked at what he just saw, he managed to stop himself from firing at Dante as he got up. He felt sick, a sense of wrong for aiming at a child.
He steeled himself, reminded himself that the child in front of him is a demon, a demon who's taking a disguised as child to get the drop on people.
He aimed his gun, peeping at the iron sight, lying his arms on cover for support. He's got a clear shoot, right on the demon's head.
Just before he fires his shoot, he heard a growl, a wild primeval like noise, crackles with each echo.
Dante heard it, looking around seeing a hole big enough to hide. He grabbed the Erin a dragged him to hole near them.
Pushing him in, leaving little room for Dante to hide along side. He covered month, as well as Erin who's having trouble with the pain.
"Shut up! Or you want to alert them again." Dante said, grabbing Erin's face to make him face a crowed of demons, they wore masks, and rather lanky with sharp claws. One of them looked at the blood marks that was left from Dante's wound.
Dante, who seems to be struggling to breath and find the strength to sit still. Watched with readiness. His body had enough felt he was at his limit. But tried not to show it,
"Only eight of them, I'll ran, and you stay here. Don't leave till you're sure they're gone" He ordered. He's tired and hungry. But he's sure his short size can help him into one of the buildings. He had the street he can use.
He got up, walking bit more normal now than he did before. He grabbed the rebar club from the broken walls near him.
Cement strong enough, he thought, he whistled at the group of the demons, they turned. "Hey ugly! Wanna play, fetch the stick boy!" He mocked, He throw the rebar, sloppy but powerful enough to kill one of the demons in impact. "C'mon! Get the stick boys!" Dante grinned, slapping his knees as if they were dogs.
The demons roared, in angry. Running towards Dante. He smirked; he ran in the alleyway. Hoping to find a weapon or a place to hide. He saw a small hole to the family's shop.
He threw himself in the hole, just making it before they could reach him. They all slammed themselves against wall, making Dante laugh weakly.
He slowly stood up. He been running on adrenaline for a while. The town was a place he stayed from awhile, one of the people give him a place to stay. He's been wandering, keeping himself moving from town to town.
Surprisingly, thanks to his demonic side, he been very fast stealing food and water when he could. And if anyone were to corner him. He can push them very far.
He hated that his father's powers were helping him. However, that didn't mean he was happy with it. He would give anything to go back where he was. With his mother and brother. To have her smile at him, telling him he's going to be alright. To have his brother who's always proving he's better than him swordplay.
He sighed; what he would give to have that back… his hated for his father increased. A part of him thought he would come and find him. But nothing, everyday was a struggle, every demon seems to be interested in him. For payback probably.
He just remembered the guy, he left hiding. He hoped he got out here. And now that Dante was thinking about it, what happened to that blade runner look alike? He knows he lost him, but he must have heard the gunshot.
Dante shook his head; he's only here stay due to him collecting food from the abandoned shops and money they left before leaving. Having his rest, he decided to leave this small town and move on before the demons could get him.
He looked at the door, blocked but broken enough for him to squeeze through. As he saw the sunlight, he heard a deep growl.
Before he could react, the demon charged out of nowhere, pinning him down. Six of them jumped in and all started to cut and stabbing him on his body, not enough to kill him but to suffer long. He tried to scream but he felt the pain being too much to breath, he gasped for air but nothing. His view of the world was going dark.
His body slowly accepted he was done. But the fire inside his soul refuse to give up. He gripped himself, telling himself to hold on. Pushing himself to stay alive.
The pain stopped as he briefly heard a powerful gunshot, The demons stopped attacking him. As they turned to see one of them turn into dust.
They looked over, seeing Duke with duchess, smoke coming out of the barrel, he fired another shot. Killing one of them leaving five left.
The demons charged, five of them lined perfectly with each shoot. Duke fired, hitting one on the chest, making it the floor.
Duke stepped back and pulled a large knife, handle wrapped in number of dog tags. He dodged the blade, ducking and moving he use the demons to block themselves from attacking him.
He swinged his blade at the closest demon, and kicked the demon back, pushing them into each other.
He quickly aimed his revolver and fired at the farthest demon, using the demon he kicked to keep them down long enough for him to reload. Holding his blade with his mouth. Like a true soldier, he managed to reload three rounds before they could cut him.
Removing the blade out of his month, using it to block they're slashes. He pushed back, he knows he didn't have the strength to cut them, but he had Duchess to kill them, thankful.
The three-demon stood between each other as they seemed to understand Duke's tactics. Ready to bounce once he fires, as they understand the gun's recoil. Duke places his knife and gun back to their holster.
This confuses the demons, walked slowly towards him. Only to see him ready to grab his gun. The demons stopped, waiting for something to happen. But Duke stood there, eyeing them up like a hawk, ready for the kill.
The tension felt strong, the demons didn't understand but they knew if they didn't attack now, he will kill them. The demons had the same thought, attack all in once!
They all charged! But duke grabbed his piece and quick draw, slamming the hammer of his Duchess. With fast precision and speed. He hit them in head, having one demon nearly slash his head before turning into ashes.
Duke breathed, "Nearly lost some years there." He looked over Dante, surprised to be still alive and looking like he's done healing. As he was walking over to check on him. He felt a slash on his, making him fall on his knees, he turned his head to see one of the demons he shot in the chest, still alive.
The demon jumped, blades forward. Duke caught his arms, holding on for dear life. Both his arms shake from the strength of the demon. He looked over his left, seeing his gun not far from him. He tried to kick the demon; however, the demon closed the gap, leaving no room for his kick.
He sweated, blade getting closer to his face. He screamed in agony, as his arms burn as his cut on his back hurt like crazy.
Dante slowly gotten up. Shaking but pushing himself up. He breathed, sweat all over his body. He slowly ran at the two, launching a punch towards the demon's face as he collapses on the floor, half awake.
Duke blinked but quickly grab his gun and fired at the demon in head, leaving turned to dust.
The two breathed heavily, feeling relieved but pain in they're bodies. Dante finally glad it's over, let his body finally rest. The only thing he heard before sleep took him, was the sound of footsteps walking over to him.