Rune Clan, a small merchant town with four open streets and tight alleys due to the closely built cottages and shacks.
The rainstorm in the town raged on as the wind wailed, keeping everyone locked inside their homes, the only light emitted in the town excluding the flashes of lightning, was from a tavern just before the harbour.
In the bar room Elroy was seated, having a drink with Lukas, Mira, Karin, Jake and Hector; a pale chubby fellow, having thin black hair - younger in looks than Jake even with the scanty beard on his chin.
All together they make team five of the Seekers squad as told Elroy by Mira, a squad dedicated to fight demons. There are ten teams in total, having five members each, but three were lost to a rank two demon, as classed by the Commander of the Seekers Squad.
"Alright Elroy, you have met every member of Team five," said Mira.
"A nice team indeed," Elroy replied.
"Mira will fill you in on other things once we board the ship to Ramenia," Lukas assured. "She did mention the fact that you want in on the team, we the members had to vote the idea out, only the founder of the Seekers squad, Mira's father can do that ."
Elroy squints at Mira, "how come Uncle Allas became such a bad ass."
"Long story." Mira replied.
"Back to the information," Lukas interrupted, "there are things you need know on what we hunt before fully considering joining." He made himself clear.
"Demons," Elroy spoke casually, "I Know."
"Five ranks of Demons roam this world as taught to us by Commander Allas. Rank five demons, the lowest of them all are called dark souls, eyes hallow as night - pale dead skin - they were once humans, but now taken over by dark spells wrath on them by sorcery from Ethan Roy."
"Who is he? Ethan Roy." Elroy was intrigued by such a man.
"A rank one demon, the only known one." Lukas replied, "remember this Elroy, dark souls are a torn in the flesh at times, when on the verge of death they set ablaze their surrounding with black vapors capable of eating your flesh up, they can be killed by wounding them gravely, but the safest way to kill them is by beheading."
"How can one escape the blast in the worst case possible?"
"Get a clean cut and pray it's deep enough or beheading becomes the only option."
"That's a rank five?"
Lukas smiled, "Rank four can be called a Succilin, no record of how they emerged, take note, they are all females."
"Intense beauties to be exact." Jake added.
"They don't seem all that bad." Said Elroy
"Yes, sure, not until they transform sucking your life force through kisses or bites to the neck." Lukas replied.
"Noted." Elroy slight rubbed his neck, bothered by Lukas words.
"Rank three are called summoners, they are selfish people as I put it, who offer their blood as sacrifice to the spirits of ancient sorceresses or forces of untold realms, in exchange for dark magic, thinking power is everything."
"Don't let them scare you though, they are not as tough as the forces or ancient spirits," Mira guaranteed.
"That's not even reassuring," Elroy spoke worriedly. "They are even in the rank three realm."
"Rank two demons is called a Behamolt, they come as children at first then transform into a mighty beast, body of a bull standing on two hind legs, head of a ram, teeth of a wolf and claws of a bear."
Elroy's smile dwindled on hearing the description, for it was the same creature that attacked him, bringing his current situation. He was lost in thought, his eyes fixed on his mind, they trembled greatly, he could remember the terrifying and evil presence of the beast.
"Elroy." Mira called out noticing his gloomy looks.
"Yes." Elroy snapped back to the discussion wearing a faint smile.
"Did the Behamolt scare you?" Karin teased.
"Not really," Elroy tried maintaining composure, "I was wondering, what if I said I crossed part with a Behamolt." He spoke with a straight face.
Elroy raised his gaze, everyone staring in shock and disapproval, Mira suddenly puffed out into a loud laughed, forcing everyone to laugh also.
"Seriously El, a Behamolt, really?" Mira chuckled.
"What's wrong?" Elroy covered up his uneasiness with a smile.
"Behamolts feed on animals only but kill humans for fun, it reaps them apart." Lukas assured. "So you'll be a dead man if you encountered one, according to the books of demons," Lukas began, "a Behamolt soul possesses an available weakened human vessel once it has been killed."
"Though it can only thrive in a child," Mira affirmed, "but in order to get back to a child form it performs a blood feast, an entire town may be massacred."
"I'm a victim of it," Lukas stared at his mug, "my town paid the ultimate price and that's why I joined the Seekers Squad."
Elroy's mind strayed away from the discussion again, he was more worried now, but he couldn't tell them about what happened, how can he tell them a Behamolt attacked him, how can he tell them he survived. It wasn't clear enough, there were missing memories to this and the remembrance of it will not come unscratched.
BEGINNING OF THE END
The Kingdom of Riana
It was a dull and cool morning, the atmosphere around the bridge leading out of the fifth district to the sixth district was misty and chilling in a numb way. With Tihon taking the lead, Prince Fredrick and Darren follow behind trotting their horses along the bridge; they went through the check point of four Riana Soldiers then into the west section of the sixth district. A group of Riana Soldiers moved around searching the houses and decaying farms, in the middle of the street stood a hay of ash arranged to display an unknown sign.
Prince Fredrick alongside Tihon and Darren halts their horses by a corner, dismounting. Approaching from a shack was Sri Ivan, a pale average-bodied man with an approachable gaze, having thin hair and beards, almost covered in gray.
"Your highness," Sri Ivan greeted Prince Fredrick with a bow.
"It's Prince Sri Ivan, my brother is now crown Prince."
"My apologies for the misunderstanding."
"No offence taken Sri Ivan."
"It's been long Ivan Sri," Darren spoke as he offers his hand to Sri Ivan, who gladly accepted his hand.
"I think the formalities have ended." Tihon interrupted.
Narrowing his eyes towards Tihon, Sri Ivan smiled, "No offence taken Master Rooks."
"What am I looking at Sri Ivan?" Prince Fredrick asked glaring at the ash.
"Please, walk with me," Sri Ivan insisted.
With gentle-light steps Prince Fredrick along with Darren and Tihon accompanied Sri Ivan.
"This ash is the only remains of every citizen in this west section."
"This is outrageous," Tihon complained.
"I'm sad to say only the body of Jerrod Rooks and his team were found, General Royce, his squad along with every citizen of the west section, not excluding the children from the western section of the fifth district are ashes now."
"This seems more of an occult ritual." Prince Fredrick suggested.
"Yes my Prince, the priest has purified every inch of this section." Sri Ivan assured.
"Nicely done Sri Ivan," Prince Fredrick praised, "leave the care of this section unto my brother's hand, him alone can make the decision."
"Yes my Prince."
"Any clue to this cult group or how they entered the kingdom?" Prince Fredrick asked curiously.
"We assume they may have demonic abilities, that's the only explanation to how the children were moved from the fifth to the sixth district without causing an uproar."
"Most likely, I presume the defense has been fully secured at the gates?"
"Yes my Prince, two of my spies have tracked down the survival that escaped."
"Elroy" Tihon spoke lightly, but enough for an ear to pick.
"Who?" Sri Ivan asked.
"Tihon came in contact with this survival, Elroy, before the massacre." Prince Fredrick guaranteed.
"Elroy, what troubles me is his escaping." Sri Ivan stroked his beards.
"What does your source say?" asked Prince Fredrick.
"Elroy and his partner were last seen on the route heading to the Southern Lands."
"The South Lands? So it is good to tag Southerners as an enemy zone then."
"So it seems my Prince."
"Very well, Tihon and Sri Ivan, you will be going to the Southern Lands with me, Darren, take charge of the sixth district exercise till my brother takes on."
"Yes my Prince." Darren and Sri Ivan agreed with a bow.
"Tihon will head back to the Castle with me, Darren get all necessary Intel from Sri Ivan and Sri Ivan prepare for departure by dusk in two days' time, our meeting point will by the Southern gates."
With Prince Fredrick's words Sri Ivan and Darren bowed as he walks away with Tihon.