TODAY WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER DAY, but still Lucas's mind was too clouded to even pay attention to what his ageless retainer had been saying.
Lucas moved back and forth about his apartment, his mind deeply engraved into thoughts, never had he thought he would be so concerned about anything at all, but after looking into that cop lady's eyes that evening, he couldn't deny the possibility.
As he thought he stroke his umbrella, paying attention to the fact that it had sensed a powerful negative energy advancing from the church. But the demoniac he had faced wasn't in the least any powerful, maybe he was even weaker than the other ones he had had to exterminate. And even if it possessed an uncommon gift too shoot out poison from it's mouth, it still didn't make it any stronger.
However, his absorber wasn't wrong, because the negativity didn't seem to have been coming from the demoniac, except that it was coming from the female cop herself. Lucas confirmed that, because of the recognizable look her saw in her eyes.
This wasn't good, it couldn't be that his greatest threat had now respawned.
"Kai," he said, breaking the silence as he approached the table,
"Do you recall Asmodeus's final curse?"
Asmodeus was a very powerful demon that used to exist in Lucas's past, legends say he was the genesis of the demoniacs and one of the seven rulers of Hell. However, when he began interfering with the mortals and commiting impulsive crimes that no one in hell could question, Lucas took up the responsibility to fight against him for the humans.
That period was only when his life took a dark turn.
"Not really," Kai admitted,
"though he did bring up returning back to humanity."
Kai was Lucas's steward of many years, and their relationship went deep into history when Lucas was still an abandoned infant in the woods. Kai was a wind spirit, and he'd happened to have found Lucas during one of his vigilante duties, and somehow since then, the both of them had been inseperable.
"Well that isn't good," Lucas continued,
"I think he's back."
"What?!" Kai almost spat out his tea.
"I saw him… in a female police officer. Pretty picky for a demon if you'd ask me."
Kai was nothing but bewildered, "then why didn't you kill him immediately?"
Lucas paused for while, reminiscent of the police officer's naivety. She had a demon lurking in her, but she was still very agape when she saw a demoniac, even to a point that she thought the whole thing was a setup.
"She's innocent." Lucas replied, clenching his fists. Never had he used that excuse in a thousand years.
"For now she is, because once Asmodeus begins to torment her—"
"Relax now Kai," Lucas assured,
"She'll be fine as long as she doesn't know that she's possessed."
"And how long is that going to last?" Kai's questions betrayed worry,
"Sooner or later, Asmodeus would awaken in her, and by then you'll have to do it the hard way."
There was a pause for a moment as Lucas reflected over his thoughts, but for some reason he still was insistent.
"I'll figure something out."
Kai just kept quiet, studying him like a scientist would study a specimen.
"What?" Lucas asked, attempting to mask the awkwardness creeping over him.
"You've gotten touchy over humans, I haven't seen you like this eversince…" Kai couldn't complete his statement, as it was usually a sensitive topic for Lucas.
"I'm not touchy Kai, I'm not just the one to kill a innocent human just to protect myself. Because as far as I know it, Asmodeus is probably back for me."
Kai held his head up with palm,
"And he'll do anything to get to you, using the human as bait is most likely."
"There's no way that's happening," Lucas explained,
"I already wiped out all her memories of me."
♣‡‡♣
EMILY REMEMBERED IT ALL, the memories of all that had happened the previous evening played afresh in her head like an unforgettable dilemma. She wished she was back in elementary school, then would she have known what to write about The Day She'd Never Forget.
However, despite her daring knowledge about the situation, she hadn't said a thing to anyone. Of course, her statement would probably contain juicy conspiracies, like the confirmation of the existence of demoniacs and the fact that none of the cases they were dealing with was ordinary. But she'd rather discarded them, she only had a bigger fish to reel in.
Emily was able to convince her superiors that she wasn't aware of the situation at the point in time. According to her statement, she was knocked out from behind when she heard a strange sound of movement around the deceased's body. And when she finally regained consciousness, the body was gone.
Lying of course was part of her training too.
However, though she seemed to have fooled everybody, David wasn't buying it, as her personal colleague, he was skeptical about the fact that Emily couldn't have been knocked off so easily, he suspected she knew more about what had happened.
And so as she sat in the media room, going through the Police Computer, his susceptibility over her only made an expansion.
"What are you doing here?" He announced his presence as soon as he walked into the room.
Emily was engrossed with going through people's file record that she almost didn't notice when someone walked in.
"Oh, hey David," she greeted with a dainty smile, which David knew was unusual, because she ever rarely smiled.
"Just checking to see if I can find some lead on Abraham Joey's case."
David watched with intent as she paid keen attention to her business, she was definitely hiding something and he just needed to know.
"I read your report," he started and folded his arms,
"It was… interesting."
"Why do you think so?" Emily asked, her attention from the computer was still not fazed.
"Many reasons, many," he replied,
"But if there truly were any invaders, what do you reflect they'd want to do with the body?"
"I guess that's another mystery at our fingers David."
"But are you sure that's really what happened though?" David continued,
"Because you seemed like you just saw a monster when I appeared."
Emily delayed for a while as she turned to face her colleague.
"What are you proposing, that I'm a liar?" She confronted him, but she really was.
"No—!" David quickly exclaimed,
"Don't get me wrong, I was trying to accentuate on that, the whole thing seemed just too shady, how could anyone have invaded while the boys were standing guard outside?"
Emily rolled her eyes, even she herself needed these answers,
"This is a mysterious case unlike no other David," she clarified,
"Of course it'd be shady."
David watched in silence.
"But about that, I believe we're close to getting answers soon." Emily continued, her face now on the computer.
"How'd you know that?"
"Just a hunch."
Emily left clicked the mouse one more time after her unwavering determination to find the mysterious man she'd seen the other evening at the crime scene. And there he was, with black silk hair and deep red eyes she couldn't miss. Finally, she would be able to get to him and get her answers.
She picked to her feets, jabbing her coat and car keys, hurriedly heading out,
"I'm sorry David but I have to leave now, it's urgent."
"Uh?"David spoke, but before he could even say another word, she was gone.
♦‡‡♦
THE DEMONIAC MUST HAVE THOUGHT THE SPIKES WERE GIVING LUCAS A HARD TIME, because it shot at him impersistently. But Lucas had only been pushing it to its limit, as his absorber had sensed another powerful negative aura coming from this direction.
Apparently, it was supposed to be from the demoniac as he had confirmed, but it didn't seem like the creature was living up to it's reputation.
"C'mon buddy," Lucas grumbled at its weakness,
"I came all the way here for this."
Though he had only just possessed an unconscious person, the demoniac seemed to have understood that Lucas was looking down on him, and so he screamed in a loud shrill that could deafen anyone in the next street. His next wave of spike shot was even more vigorous, as he shot out spikes from it's body repulsively, draining itself up to the limits.
However, its moment of total flaring was a waste of time, because by the time he stopped and looked before him, Lucas was no longer there.
"You're strong, I'd give you that," Lucas spoke behind him as a smirk curled up his face.
The creature was left agape by how quickly he had reappeared behind him, but he knew better than to flinch, as his next moment could be his last.
"But you aren't good enough."
With that, Lucas hit it with the tip of his umbrella and absorbed it. This took a couple of minutes, as the demoniac tried resisting its fate, screeching and screaming in an unearthly manner. It was no doubt a strong one.
And then all that was left on the now quiet recessed area was an unconscious little boy who was few minutes ago, possessed. Lucas took another look at his absorber (*umbrella), from it, a faint dark aura released but still, it wasn't enough.
"This would do for now," he said, apparently to no one.
… .
The last thing Lucas wanted after another demoniac hunting escapades was to walk into his apartment to see the female cop whose memories he thought he had wiped.
But it didn't happen, and he even gasped when he saw that she was sitting comfortably on his recliner, eating some sumptuous meal that was probably made by Kai.
"Wha- what the hell are you doing here?!" He almost yelled, pointing his umbrella defensively at her.
"Your friend let me in," She explained.
"He's very nice, he even had this meal prepared for me insistently."
"You still haven't answered my question," Lucas replied as he looked around for Kai, but he wasn't anywhere around.
"And where's Kai?"
"Kai? Oh you mean your friend, he stepped out to go get something, said he'll be back in a flash."
As she spoke, Lucas was only left in awe by how courageous she was, that she even had the guts to eat in a stranger's home.
"You seem really comfortable." Lucas said with a hard stern.
"Why, should I be feeling less comfortable?"
Lucas wanted to ask her how she still remembered him, but that could've only raised her susceptibility over him, but like she was reading his mind, she said,
"By the way, that forgetting thingy you did on me didn't work, apparently I can't be hypnotized."
Of course, she couldn't be hypnotized because she was being possessed by a stronger demon. Now thanks to Asmodeus, she was able to figure out where he lived.
"Why are you here miss?" Lucas asked.
"Oh, it's Emily, Emily Harper." She corrected.
But Lucas wasn't joking around, "Guess how many f—ks I give to that."
"Rude," Emily said and stood up from where she sat, heading towards him.
"So let me get straight to the point."
"Great." Lucas maintained his expressionless gesture.
"I'm here to make a deal with you."
"Not interested." Lucas simply replied.
"Oh, I never said you had to be," Emily smirked.
"You see I know that you're not a normal person, let alone a human being."
"And I bet you intend using that to threaten me, you don't even have an evidence."
"I figured no one would believe me if I told them that I met a psycho who murders dead people with an umbrella," She explained,
"And so, I had it all planned."
Emily raised her cellphone to his face, revealing a video of his encounter with the spike-throwing demoniac that had happened about half an hour ago. It was very understandable that she'd bugged him the other day in the church when he'd caught her from falling.
"And this isn't even the original, I have other copies at several locations." Emily finished.
Lucas still had this expressionless look on his face, these were all goods evidences lined up against him, but she was still willing to make a deal for it, what was she really up to.
"What do you want?" He asked, succumbing to her threat.
"I'm glad you asked," Emily said and trotted away from his presence, towards a small flower bouquet.
"You see, I thought logically about this "demoniac" situation, and I came to the conclusion that these things couldn't just start appearing for no reason."
"They could, demoniacs aren't really the smartest creatures." Lucas assured.
"But you're right anyways, someone has been casting them."
"How did you know?" Asked Emily.
"For one thing, demoniac's features aren't naturally transmittable," Lucas explained,
"So the person who's doing this probably picked up one or two from myths and spell books."
Emily tried to understand it all, including the fact that the demoniacs are actually mythical creatures like David had elucidated.
"So, I need you to help me apprehend this person before he turns everyone in the city to canivorous monsters."
"Sorry, I'm not the one to be helping the police." Lucas replied.
"I thought we were both trying to achieve the same thing?" Emily asked.
But technically, Lucas wasn't hunting demoniacs to protect human interest, at least that could've been the reason about 500 years ago, but now he was only doing it to feed his absorber.
However, Emily noticed his sudden silence so she just continued,
"If we can stop the appearance of these things, the world would stop panicking again," she said.
"And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
… Silence. For some reason Lucas seemed to have considered that last part. However, he still wasn't about to trust a human.
"So, what do you say, Mr Lucas Ross?"