Torque

Torque sat down on the pier railings. His feet dangled above the short drop to the beach and the pristine waters of the ocean. He looked out to the horizon. The sun was setting and it had been a fairly quiet day. One daemon trying to live in a dumpster. He was fairly upset about being there and went back fairly willingly enough. Violet appeared on the rails next to him. He hadn't noticed her arrive.

"You alright?"

He nodded quietly.

"You don't seem it." She edged till she was against him.

"I'm alright, don't worry." He offered her a smile. They watched as the sunset went down over the horizon. He swung his legs back over the pier railings. "Come on. We can get some ice cream on the way back."

Violet yelped happily and ran after him. The ground suddenly shook. There was a ripping sound as a red portal opened up on the beach.

"What the hell is that?" Torque asked Violet, stopping to look at the rift that had opened maybe 100 metros away.

Violet drew her sword indicating that it was trouble whatever came out, that was assured. Torque copied and jumped the pier, landing on the wet sand and the water. The rift in front of them was about 10 metros high and 6 or 7 across. There were a few rumbles, something large obviously on it's way. Suddenly a huge creature, looking like it was made of ice, stepped out, ducking under the top of the rift. It wandered towards the pier, it's broadsword resting on it's shoulder.

"It has been a while since I have stepped on human land." Torque noticed that the ground it was stepping on was turning to ice beneath it. Torque and the daemon's path crossed, it not noticing him at all. Torque laid his sword's tip to the sand and swung, a gust of sand billowing at it's back. The thing turned to face him.

"Ah yes. A daemon slayer, I was warned of you Torque."

"Name, license and registration." Torque said, pulling out a pair of shades that he laid on his forehead.

"Daemon Torth. Do you mock me human?" Torth brought his sword from his muscular shoulders, slamming it into the sand, creating a fissure.

"No, no, no!" Torque said in an even more obvious mocking tone. "I'm just going to give you a ticket so you pay the fine and go back to the daemon plane. This fine must be done within oh, I don't know, 1 minute of issue."

The daemon snarled and swung at Torque. He blacked the huge blade with his own, stopping it maybe a foot from his body. The blade immediately felt icy. He put a foot to the back of the blade and kicked off, sending the daemon's blade away.

"In all the time that I was here, I never did have an interruption that had the guts of you." He roared a forced laugh. "You shall perish, and the Overlord shall thank me."

"Bring it on. You're all talk." Torque said, raising his left hand and doing an insulting chatting gesture.

The daemon raised his sword and stepped towards him, bring it down in a swipe, this time, when he caught it, he was sent to a sand dune. He picked himself up. "Better." He ran at the Torth and jumped up at him, embedding his sword in it's chest. The daemon just laughed as if it was nothing but a scratch before swatting the daemon slayer off him.

Torque landed in the ocean, his sword still in hand. He'd ripped a chunk out of the daemon's chest as his sword had twisted out of the wound. The Ice lay at the daemon's feet. Violet appeared beside him and picked him up. "Shall I help?"

"No, this is my fight." He said stubbornly, drawing his pistol and running at the daemon daemon, shooting it's face. Torth seemed to stumble at the shots. He kept firing until he was near the base of the daemon before holstering and jumping up, landing on the daemon's sword mid swing. He could feel his boots cooling and almost freezing to the sword. He ran up the sword, using his blade to hold on when the daemon swung the blade upside down. He continued up the arm, sliding down the arm as Torth raised his sword.

Torth roared and swiped a hand at Torque, only to lose a finger to the sword. He cried out in pain. The daemon slayer took this moment to jumped from the shoulder, round to the daemon's face and embed the sword, right to the hilt in the ice monster's forehead.

There was a loud screeching sound. The same one as the messenger had made in his house. Rogg had appeared next to Violet, several metres in front of the daemon and behind Torque. Torth fell the group, a stream of blue icor leaking from the stab wound in Torth's head. He dislodged his sword and dropped to the ground. He washed his sword in the ocean before walking over to the daemon messenger and Violet.

Rogg smiled. Violet had a scowl on her face.

"Overlord Beral Khaan sends his congrats. That's all I was sent to say I'm afraid."

"It's alright." Torque said. He yawned slightly. "Hey Rogg, are you off duty for a while?"

"I am for the next hour, why?"

"Wanna come with us?"

The daemon looked stunned and nodded. It wasn't often that a daemon slayer would be inviting to a daemon, regardless of being a messenger.

"Come on then." Torque said, signaling for him to walk with them. Violet pushed Rog on a bit, making it clear she wanted a private word with Torque. The daemon stepped a few yards ahead, enough to be out of range of a quiet conversation.

"Torque, why didn't you let me help?" She hissed.

"Because I wanted to do it on my own." He said plainly, trying to make sure she knew it was nothing personal.

"I'm your guardian, and if you die, so do I. Maybe I want to make sure we have the best odds of living."

"I know but I thought it best to save you the hassle." He recieved a slap at this, his cheek growing a slight red tint.

"Do you think that I'm incompetant or something?"

"I didn't sa..."

"You didn't say it but I bet you were thinking it."

"I wasn't!"

"It's because I was knocked out yesterday isn't it."

"No." He grabbed her wrist. "It's because I wanted to make sure that you had it easy today."

"You didn't have to though."

"I know I didn't have to. But I wanted to and that daemon was after me. Not you."

Violet looked away, tears growing in her eyes. "But I wanted to help." She found herself being embraced.

"I know but not this time." He rubbed her back and dried her tears before continuing after Rogg. They shortly arrived back at the mansion. The three helped themselves to ice cream.

"Oh this is a joke." Rogg said, finishing his ice cream, another message appearing at his belt. It quivered angrily. "I'm going to have to cut this short, sorry. Thanks for the food though." Rogg smiled and walked into a different room, quickly disappearing with the usual shriek.

Violet looked at Torque and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired," she said shortly.

Torque sat back in the seat. "Don't mind me, go to sleep if you wish." She already had and he smiled. He laid his head back and his smile faded. Aria appeared in the room from a portal on the wall. She saw Violet asleep.

"Am I disturbing anything?" She whispered.

Torque shook his head and offered her a seat which she took. "We may have to take you to The Keepers HQ tomorrow. A group of us will have to take your place for the day I think. The appearance of a large horde and a greater daemon is too much to miss."

"Violet's coming too I assume." Aria nodded.

"She's bound to you, she has to. Just call tomorrow when you're ready. I'll take you to the HQ."

Torque nodded. "I will. Does this mean I get a lie in?"

Aria smiled and nodded. "Its a perk of major incidents." She gave a giggle. "See you tomorrow then." She heaved herself up. "You two enjoy yourselves." Before Torque could say anything, she disappeared through the blue portal again. He shrugged and dragged Violet over and onto his lap. She stirred and buried her head on his chest. Torque smiled again and hugged her, falling asleep himself.