Chapter 8

"Jeznee!"

"Yes! That would be amazing! I would love too!"

"Oi, Jeznee!" Romeas tugged on her sleeve, but she snatched away from him and walked off, switching the phone to her other ear. "OK great! Call me when you're on your way." She smiled at her phone a bit as she said her goodbyes and hung up. "Jez!" Romeas cried.

"Jesus-! Romeas," she threw her phone down on the couch, "do you not understand that I was on the phone?! Sit down somewhere!" He looked up at her as his ears slowly lowered. She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes and sighed. Her mouth began to burn again. "For Christ sake man, why of all people me? Why did you choose to come to me?!" His eyes began to tear up, and he sniffled.

"Je veux Siopi..." (I want Siopi...) He mumbled through his tears. Jeznee looked at him, and sighed again even harder.

"Look kid, you need to learn English, but as far as... attention...? What do you want to do today? Anything you want we can do."

"Mais enfin!?" (Really!?)

"Yes... I think... Just so I can get you out my hair." Her phone rang again, and she quickly answered it. "Hello? Oh, Eric hi yes um, are you outside?" Romeas watched her as she quickly ran back and forth through the house, grabbing her purse, glossing her lips, looking outside, combing her hair, and shoving things she needs in the purse. She sprayed on her favorite perfume which made him sneeze a couple of times. He looked outside to see Eric, that same police officer, out front waiting on her. He too, was frantically playing with his face. "Are you serious?" He thought to himself. Jeznee hurried outside and shut the door. "Behave yourself!" She yelled and hopped in the car. Eric looked at her and smiled. "You look amazing."

"What? Are you crazy?!"

"No, but I am a cop, and we are under the law, so lying isn't the best option."

"I'm not the only good looking one here, ya' know." She replied, looking him up and down quickly. His smile grew and he straightened the wheel of his car. "Lying for you isn't the best choice either." He teased.

"No seriously, officer. I'd allow you to put me in handcuffs any time."

"Keep talking like that and you will be in more than just handcuffs."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that." He laughed a little bit at her and pulled off. Romeas watched the car drive off out of sight before sparking his power in the palm of his hands. After a few extra charges, he sent the electricity through his body and teleported himself out of the house. He looked around a bit at where he had landed, then slowly walked along the shadows of the sidewalk, his tail hanging low. "I need to find Siopi, fast... I can be back when Jeznee gets back so she won't know." He mumbled to himself. The air filled his little nose with scents from days back, to the very second. He searched for any signs or scents that could lead him in the right direction but found nothing. Tears involuntarily slid down his cheeks and he sniffled. The streets were filled with plenty of different people, but none of them saw him. They couldn't. "Siopi!" He decided to call out and looked around. "Siiooopiiii!" He tried once more. Nothing. A lot of thoughts ran through his head, and he looked for something high to jump up on. "He could be anywhere!" Romeas cried out. Flashbacks of fire and screams played in the back of his head, but he shook them away with a hard shiver. A small tin can fell from a trash can and bounced next to him. It scared large rats out from the darkness and into the alley ahead of him, where he, now curious, followed into. "Siopi...?" He mumbled into the dark path. Even if you were whispering, you could still hear echoes. More strange noises drew him further and further in until he found himself facing a brick wall. "Well how pointless was that." He groaned, placing a hand on the wall. Suddenly, he was grabbed by the back of his shirt and yanked up, he then was pushed into the brick wall, a hand over his mouth muffling his grunts and screams. His little legs thrashed violently, but it became obvious that his struggle was pointless. Blank, narrow eyes stared into his large, inverted ones. Romeas stared into them, looking for something to lock onto. They squinted at him, then closed and turned away with a sigh. It was a tall, muscular man, with thick, wavy black shoulder length hair, long dark eyelashes, short broken horns and a stubbled beard. He was quiet and sniffed Romeas' face. "H-Hey!" He giggled, for it tickled a bit, but stiffened when he looked down and saw the large sword held tightly in his right hand. The man put him down and began to walk off. "H-Hey...! Wait a minute!" Romeas yelled and chased after him. "Can you help me?! I'm looking for someone important." He looked up at him, but the man was scanning the area and looked to the left. "His name is Siopi and he's-" The strange man quickly grabbed Romeas and jumped back, dodging a harshly thrown sword that sliced its tip into the ground where Romeas stood. "Oh, I see! Protecting the little boy, huh? What is he to you?" A woman in a maroon cloak swiftly jumped down from a building above and smiled. Her eyes were hidden behind the cloak, but you can hear her chuckle gently. "Give him to me and live or try to run from me and die!" Her hand outstretched and the sword wiggled out of the ground and flew into her hands. She grabbed it and outstretched her other for Romeas. "Come here kid, I know what you are looking for."

"You do?" He asked. The man that held him gripped tightly on the back of his shirt and gripped the handle of his sword even tighter. "Oh? So, it's like that? Fine, I will have it MY way!" Pushing off from her foot, she charged at him, pointing her sword and using her superhuman speed to her advantage. He swiftly dodged her, but her turns were sharp and swift. She swung her sword with her body, and he blocked the aimed hit to his arm holding Romeas and pushed her sword back. Their swords clashed against each other for a while, the speed incredible, but her eagerness costed her. She forced too much power into another aimed hit, which threw her off balance as he again dodged it. He tripped her, kicked her down, and stabbed the sword down at her neck, the tip blocked by her blade. His eyes narrowed again, and he pushed more might into his sword. She grunted and pushed back as hard as she could. Her blood red eyes widened in fear, and she tried her hardest to avoid the blade. "Damn you!" She growled through her teeth and kicked him off. He slid back on his knees and scoffed. "Round two?" She wheezed. Before he could get back up, she charged him again. The man tucked Romeas into his arms and rolled to the side, then pushed off his foot and charged at her. The blade went straight through her stomach and a violet tint of color shot through the sword, shooting her soul out of her mouth. Her lifeless body dropped to the ground. He looked at it without saying a word and grabbed onto his shoulder. Romeas watched him. His shirt had slipped down a bit revealing a big bandage. There was black blood that began seeping through. He wiggled out the man's grasp, climbed up his chest grabbing the bottom of his shirt, and flipped off his back, stripping the man of his shirt. The man, taken by surprise, looked down at his torso, then at Romeas who stared immensely at his back. Symbols, shapes and many curved lines formed a tattoo that covered nearly his whole back, and stretched up to his neck, shoulders and sides. Snakes drawn in heavy black ink coiled around his arms, the heads places on his wrists. His whole entire back was covered in different shaped curved lines, and the large skull of a creature in the middle. He turned slowly and knelt in front of Romeas, then gently ruffled his hair. "What do they call you?" Romeas asked softly. The man stayed silent and looked at the scratch on his cheek. He ran his thumb over the little bit of blood that seeped through. "O-oh that will heal, I'm more worried about you. That wound seems a little old, let me help!" He began to take off the bandage. The man tried to move his little hands away, but he slapped them and placed the bandage next to him. His small, pale hands gently laid next to the large gash on his shoulder, and he sparked his electric blue powers into the man's skin. The stranger watched the wound quickly close and heal perfectly as if there was nothing there in the first place, then watched as the scratch faded into nothing on his cheeks. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Romeas had asked as he finished. With his other hand, he traced over some of the lines of the snake tattoo. "These are amazing... who did these?" The man shook his head and got up. After putting on his shirt, he picked up little Romeas and tossed him up on his neck. "Oh! Oh! Can you help me? His name is Siopi, and Mr. Zekke too! I can't find them anywhere and I really miss them." While scanning the area again, he raised his hand and his violet magic clouded around is his hand. It formed a small handheld map in the palm of his hand, and the little fly-away of the magic swirled around it. "I can kind of teleport but only certain distances, and I don't think I can teleport people very well-" The silent man took off. He pushed his superhuman strength to his legs and leaped from roof top to roof top on the different buildings surrounding them. Romeas gripped onto the man as hard as he could as he hopped even faster than any Demon he has met yet. The night began to approach, and the stars aligned to open a long night ahead.

"Aye, you're not getting it through that thick skull of yours!"

"That's because your dumbass ain't makin' no type of sense!"

"Listen! When they come we need a plan!"

"And the plan was to kill them all!"

"And locate the last few Antreodites! They got to be somewhere around here!"

"That's the problem. They don't exist."

"I swear! The Antreodites do exist! They are the last powers that hold everything! The Shield, The Blood, The Timekeeper, The Reaper, all of them!"

"The reaper maybe but everything else? I have never heard of them."

"Yes, you have, you're just dumb."

"Oh, wait a minute-"

"Yes!"

"Oh... well don't we already know where The Shield and The Blood are?"

"The Blood last time I checked was with either the Siek or Zepulo. It's literally almost right in our hands, just not yet."

"What do you think we will be rewarded with once we bring them to The Master?"

"Yeah, that's funny, we don't affiliate with that kind."

"He hasn't been awakened in thousands of years."

"Neither has any other. I'm pretty sure they are all dead." Romeas carefully listened to the conversation between a young woman and an older man. He hid out of sight in a large room next to them, behind the door. The two continued. "Saint already has a plan. I wish he would say something about it, it's all over his face. The biggest and most important ones in my opinion are The Blood and The Timer, or the See All." The girl whispered.

"What do those two do?" The man whispered back. She smiled.

"The See All is basically our key to looking into our future. I don't know how, but whoever it is knows all the details of the future of the ones who ask for it. It can be good or bad, and they know every little thing. Every detail."

"What if you change yourself?"

"They know, isn't that crazy?! And the Blood has the power to bring back the dead but refuses to revive evil souls. They fix everything that was wrong with you, any disease, death, anything! But they can't fix everyone. It must be for a good cause. I believe its name was Omorfia, but I don't think it's right."

"Like the species? Ugh I hate those things."

"Shhhhhhh there's one in here!"

"Is that what that thing was?! Why did he bring it in here?!" The man that was with Romeas slammed his glass on the table they sat at and growled hard, glaring at the other man. "I told you Quianle. Nobody listens to me!" Quianle, the other man talking to the girl, stood up to him. "He wouldn't touch me Em, his heart is too soft." A smirk crossed across his face. The man rolled up his sleeves quick and grabbed Quianle by his throat, slammed him down into the wooden floors, breaking them, then picked him up, twisted his arm behind his back and slammed him into a wall. "YOU WIN! YOU WIN YOU WIN YOU WIN!" Quianle screamed. The man looked over at Romeas who watched him and let go. He walked over to him and reached up to him to be picked up. "That's him? He's tiny. Cute." The girl smiled at him.

"Be careful Diablo, they attach fast."

"Diablo? Is that your name?" Romeas looked at him, now held up in his arms.

"No, but in this case, you can call him Saint if you want." She giggled as he glared at her. Romeas giggled as well.

"I like it! I will call you Saint!"

"Then it's settled!"

"What's your name?"

"Emily. You won't need to remember it though."

"Well why not?"

"Don't worry about it kid."

"Romeas..."

"Bless you. Are we ready? Quianle get up, let's go."

"Just leave me here to die... again." Quianle whined. Emily shrugged and walked out the door. "No ice cream for you then!"

"ICE CREAM?!" He yelled and sprung up. "Where are we going?" Romeas asked.

"To go find your friends! Isn't that what you wanted?" Emily led the way, her short cut black hair bounced behind her confident stride. Everyone followed. Crickets chirped loudly under the bright stars; the wind blew gently. The night was dark and cold. "I don't remember where I last saw them..." Romeas mumbled and looked around.

"What are they?"

"What do you mean?"

"Species."

"Oh, ah... uh-...! There!" He pointed up at a roof top to two figures. They walked along the roof tops, until spotted, then they stopped. "Whoa hold on shh!" Emily grabbed his hand and pulled it down. He snatched it away from her and studied her, his brows furrowed. "Why...?"

"You can't just go pointing your fingers at anything that moves, do you want to be killed?"

"What...?"

"This world is a dangerous place. Both Human and Hell you can't trust. Keep silent until you have a close view of-"

"Well well well! If it isn't the little trade-in group!" The two figures began walking over. Another two men, the one who spoke had a wide creepy smile with pointed teeth bearing through. "Emily, Quianle, and... wow! If it is true, then I know almost anything is true! Welcome back Santa Domingo!"

"What do you want, Heroshine." Emily tightened her hand around her sword handle that rested on her back. The man called Herosine smiled and Romeas slid slowly down Saint's back. A rough laugh from the tall, skinny man echoed the empty streets and his smile grew. "Why do I have to always need something? Hataki and I can't take a night stroll?"

"You never appear unless you're hunting for something. We aren't looking for a fight."

"Well, I want the highest ranking in the Siek kingdom, but that spot is occupied right now, so instead, I want the boy. Hand him to me."

"And what use do you have for him?" He hid deeper behind Saint's back as he reached his hand back for more security.

"That's where you start stepping out of line, miss Emily. Hand him to me and we will leave the blood in your bodies, untouched."

"You aren't the first who's been after me... I want to go home!" Romeas mumbled, holding tightly onto his security's arm. Heroshine looked at him and sighed deeply.

"Well little one that's because you are extremely special. And there is no more home for you. I destroyed it. Your mother and father have moved from that area, your sister is out looking for you." Romeas' eyes widened. "Y-you know my mama...? My papa? My sister?"

"Come," Heroshine opened his hand and reached for him, his lips parted into a sharp, toothy grin, his eyes squinting, "let's go find her together."

"Don't listen to him kid. He doesn't know anything he's just saying that to take you away!" Emily yelled. He stared into the scary man's ghost blue eyes and furrowed his brows. "But you-... destroyed my home...?"

"Well not completely, there's some land left here and there, but that doesn't matter. Family does, right?" She raised her sword and stood in front of him. "Leave us alone, Heroshine! Let the boy be and carry on about your business and we will do the same." His smile faded into an unpleasant frown. "Emily, first you trade on your people, then you turn the sharp end of my sword to me?"

"You take everything from everybody, you aren't going to take this kid's life!"

"You drag all your personal problems into situations that don't concern you. Move, out the way. Completely."

"You took my family. I know your tricks. Your mind games."

"You know I don't like repeating myself."

"BEAT IT!" Hataki, the second man partnered with Heroshine, raised his katana. In one quick movement, he drove it into Emily's shoulder. She screamed and grabbed the blade, trying to catch it and stop it from going deeper in. "Emily!" Romeas cried out. He pushed Saint's arm away, but he was grabbed him pulled back. "Son of a bitch, we said we didn't want to fight!" Quianle growled. He rushed Hataki, but Hataki snatched his katana from out of her skin, ducked his attack and roundhouse kicked Quianle down. He pulled out a second katana and aimed it dead center of Quianle's eyes and narrowed his. "LET GO OF ME!" Romeas screamed, kicking and squirming in Saint's tight grasp. Heroshine turned his attention back towards them, and his smirk returned. "Come now brother, you know me better than anyone else!" He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the same snake tattoos on his arms. "Hand over the boy, he's dangerous. Let me take care of him!" Romeas looked at the identical tattoos and looked back at Saint snatching his body away from being grabbed again, fear filling his eyes. "Y-you're part of them...?" He whimpered, heartbroken. Saint pulled down his sleeves and tried to grab him, but he backed up into the middle of the two. "DON'T!" He yelled as he ducked from Heroshine also triying to grab him. "Don't touch me..."

"Now, let's not be arrogant and irrational about this. Come here." Heroshine commanded. His eyes flicked pure black, and his frown turned into a snarl. "RUN! RUN AND JUST KEEP GOING!" Emily screamed.

"Don't you dare. Come. Here."

"RUN AND DON'T LOOK BACK!"

"It will be the worst mistake of your little life." Heroshine noticed that Romeas began leaning back, as if to turn away and make a run for it, so he ran to grab him by his shirt. Romeas slipped between his legs, and did as Emily commanded, running as fast as he could. "KEEP GOING!" Emily screamed and stood up slowly. Hataki tried grabbing her, but she jerked back, dodging his arm, and ran after Romeas. "KEEP THEM TIED!" Quianle kicked Hataki's legs from under him, but he swiftly back flipped back into his balance. They locked eyes and the battle began. Saint quickly took his escape route and ran after Romeas as well, but Hero grabbed him by his hair and threw him back. "You're not going anywhere, pretty boy!" The sound of dogs barked in Romeas' memory. He ran and ran; this was all too familiar. The dog attacking him, the guards chasing him, the deer escaping from its cage, the sound of blood splattering from the gunshot. Tears clouded his eyes, but he kept running. "Please...!" He cried. "Somebody! Please help me...!"

"Romeas!" A voice cried. He stopped hard and looked around. "S-Siopi...?!"

"Get over here right now!" It cried again. He sniffed and turned.

"I-Is that you?! Where are you?!"

"YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT." Heroshine yelled. Romeas turned back around hearing his voice. "COME HERE!"

"I SAID NOW!" Siopi yelled. Romeas turned around again and broke into tears. "Siopi!" He cried. Siopi growled and ran up to him, but Hero pulled out a gun and aimed it to Siopi's head as he had just landed from jumping off the roof top of a nearby building. "I will fucking blow your brains out right here right now if you don't back away from the kid-" his eyes grew wide and a small gasp escaped from his chest, "Siopi... Prince of Acreboah..." He mumbled. Siopi looked at him and furrowed his eyebrows. Hataki pressed his katana against the back of his head and threw Quianle's body to the side on the concrete ground. "Please, just leave us alone..." Romeas sat weakly on his knees in front of Heroshine. "I will go with you... just leave them alone... don't hurt them."

"Romeas ." Siopi looked at him. He hung his head and watched his tears hit the concrete. "They are all I have left. They deserve to live more than I do, I have nothing to live for." Heroshine stood silently for a second, then erupted in laughter again. "You really are pathetic! I thought you would be some use to me, but who wants a pitiful Antreodite?! You deserve to DIE!" He cocked his gun and pulled the trigger. A loud gunshot sounded through the rising sunlight and all eyes widened. Romeas froze and stared in front of him. "Emily...?" Emily fell forward on her knees, the gun in her hand and a hole through her stomach. "You will never... take another good life again... Heroshine."