A little girl was screaming in terror, clinging to her obviously dead mother lying on the ground as one of those black demons bore down on her. He didn’t hesitate a second, which was a second too long. He ran as fast as he could to try to intercept the creature, but knew he couldn’t make it in time. He cocked his arm back to throw his sword and hoped by some miracle he could slay it from this distance before it got her. The miracle came in a different form as Jacob leaped from nowhere to cut off the creature’s path.
The demon’s tail snapped wildly at Jacob as his staff twirled around him, easily chipping the invading blows and sending them off course. He parried once, twice, three times, then exploded into an offensive barrage of varied strikes. Jacob hit the creature’s knees three consecutive times, more as a diversion for the single high shot that landed on the side of its cheek. The creature howled as it stumbled to the ground. Jacob pounced before the thing could even begin to look up, driving the end of his staff hard into devil’s throat, crushing its windpipe. It made a sickly gurgle as air seeped from its lifeless body.
By the time Eric had closed the distance the battle was already over and the little girl was nowhere to be seen. No doubt she had run off when she had the chance, leaving her dead mother. Even with the distraction of death all around him, he could not help but think about that young girl. Her whole life had just changed in a flash. How many children had lost their families today? How many years would pass by before this black day was forgotten? What is going on?
The two of them pressed back-to-back, breathing heavily as they watched the chaos erupt in every direction. Folk were being dragged down the street, screaming for help that would never arrive. Women, children; it didn’t seem to matter. No bias was shown as to who would die next. It seemed the demise of their victims was still not enough. The demons gruesomely tore them to shreds, as if to continue the amusement long after they were dead. Perhaps it was the joy of the means and not the end itself. Death was just a byproduct of going through the motions of tearing and ripping things, the only instincts they seemed to have.
Neither one of the friends could speak a word as they stood there, backs pressed against one another, ready to strike anything that came near. Impossibly, a strong hand grabbed Eric’s shoulder and spun him around. There stood the only man that could have gotten that close undetected. “Common, let’s go!” his father yelled as he pulled him roughly down the street. He held Eric by the collar in a vice-like grip, seeming as if he had no intention to ever let go.
Even as Eric ran with him stride for stride, his father’s death grip was relentless. He knew Eric; knew he would give his own life to save others, and that was not an option! Every time Eric even glanced at one of the many confrontations taking place throughout the streets, his father shook him violently, as if to say don’t even think about it!
He flung open the door and heaved Eric to the floor, but the younger man jumped back up and turned angrily towards his father. “What are you doing!? Our friends and neighbors are dying! We abandoned Jacob! They need our help!” Slam! An open backhand smashed across his face, sending him back to the ground.
Aena rushed down to his side to comfort him. That was the first time he noticed she was in the room. She put her hand to his burning cheek as it began to swell. Henry’s eyes were smoldering fire. “Stupid boy!” he yelled while pointing a finger threateningly close to his son’s forehead. “You don’t understand! You are more important than you realize! And you are out there risking your life to save a few—” his voice trailed off as he began pacing back and forth with both hands clenching the top of his head.
“By the Gods, what you talking about?” Eric exclaimed as he sprung back to his feet. Henry said nothing as he darted from the room and into his bedroom. Rustling could be heard; it sounded like furniture was being dragged from one spot to another. He marched back into the room holding a small black box. Trembling fingers fumbled around the latch before finally opening it, and a jewel-encrusted necklace fell to the floor.
It was a gold chain with a large gold hoop attached to it. The circle contained a sizable green emerald in the shape of an eye. Red and yellow jewels surrounded the green eye as it sparkled like glitter. It looked as though it would fetch enough money to buy a town! Eric had never seen anything like it.
“Here, take it,” Eric’s father said as shaking hands clumsily tried to fasten it around his son’s neck. Eric had no idea what was happening here. The only thing he was now sure of was that his father knew this attack had been coming. He had been preparing for it! His head spun like a top as he tried desperately to find some kind of logic in this madness.