Middle Ground

Damien noticed that Matthew looked lost in thought.

Well, I bet he’s remembering what happened that day…

XXXXXXX

Damien had just driven his sword through a man’s gut. “Goodbye, Gregory Edwardsson.” As the man fell, Damien whispered, “Your Irina is the Irina of Prophecy. And guess what: I’m changing that prophecy.” When he yanked back his sword, he said to himself, “Well, now all I need to do is wait a few years for Irina to grow up. She’ll be a real looker, I tell you.”

Damien looked up to see an angel gaping at him. “Oi, angel! What’re you gawking at? Or would you like to lose your head?”

“I’d rather not. I’d rather you lose yours!” The angel lunged forward with his sword drawn, but Damien raced away.

X X X X X X X

Damien looked up. Irina had stopped walking. “I hear something. I believe there is a fight ahead.” She quietly took her hamaka from under her cloak and threaded the two blades into place.

They emerged upon a scene of three daikar repeatedly poking a downed man with his own sword. One of the daikar poked his neck, and the man died. Irina stepped forward to intervene, but Damien stepped in front of her and barked out a command in a tongue he knew Irina and Matthew could not understand. The daikar immediately snapped to attention and dropped the sword. Damien barked something else, and the daikar fled.

“What…in the world…?” Irina gasped.

“I guess being Satan’s son has its advantages,” he shrugged. “I can order the daikar around, and almost all demons obey me. You always get a few who won’t listen to anyone except for the boss himself.”

“I see.” She put her hamaka away. “Well, let us go.”

“Hold on just a bit. If I’m right, there should be a demon around here who ordered that. The daikar are born from lava, so their heads are, quite literally, filled with rocks. They can’t do anything without an order.”

Irina seemed to shrink a bit. “I…have never…fought a demon…in combat…to the death…before…”

“Well, here’s your chance.”

X X X X X X X

Damien poked about, and then he motioned for Irina and Matthew to come over quietly. A demon with hair that was a few shades darker then Damien was scolding the three daikar from before.

“I’ll talk to him, and if he tries to fight, you guys jump out.” Damien breathed, and then stepped into view and spoke normally. “Hey, Ciel! How’s it? What are you doing with those daikar?”

The daikar looked at Damien and hissed at him.

“It seems that you drove the daikar from their fun,” said Ciel. “Why?”

“I dunno,” Damien shrugged. “I guess I just wanted to. The guy was dead, anyways.”

“I don’t think that is a good enough reason.”

“Well, it’s the truth. Deal with it, pal.”

“Ugh. I knew you couldn’t go a time without exploiting your power and ordering those who are not under your command.” Ciel whistled at the daikar, who followed behind him as he started to walk away.

“Hold on.” Irina stepped out of hiding.

What is she doing?! Damien sent a glare at her, trying to tell her to go back.

But, she ignored him and went on to ask Ciel, “What do you know of Gregory Edwardsson?”

“I’ve never heard the name before. Ever.” Replied Ciel.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Ciel stepped up to Irina. “I know you.” He shoved the hood of her cloak back. “Irina! Irina Morgansdaughter! Irina of prophecy!”

“What in the world are you talking about?!” she stumbled backwards. “What prophecy?”

“You don’t know?! ‘She shall be tor—’”

Damien punched Ciel in the back of the head, stopping the lesser demon's words. “That’s enough out of you!” he shouted.

The daikar sprang up, but they did not know which to defend: Damien or Ciel. They just stood and watched as Ciel started trying to kill Irina and Damien until Matthew snuck up behind them and lopped off the daikar’s heads.

Irina spun her hamaka like a dervish, trying to catch one of the blades somewhere on Ciel’s body. Damien and Matthew attacked as well, but they mostly held back.

This was Irina’s fight.