~Chapter 4~ Hunted

After ten minutes I slip through the gate leaving the city and continue down the highway. I turn around and look at the massive stone walls that surround the city and see tiny pinpricks of light dancing along the interior were torches have been lit for the night watch.

As the night grows and the sky turns dark, I've already walked 3 miles away from the city and found myself standing next to what I assume is the river that I had woken up near 2 days ago.

I continue down the bank for a little while and find a small outlet that leads to a cave sinking inwards. I try to look into the cave from the entrance but only see a wall of darkness. I mutter under my breath and a small orb of light no bigger than a small bird's egg.

Using the light I slowly walk into the cave and hear no sounds besides the sounds of water trickling along the stone floor. I run my hand along the wall as I try to find the back wall of the cave. I find myself walking for what feels like an eternity before I finally find the back wall of the cave.

I study the back wall for a moment and am about to turn around when a glint of something catches my eye. I crouch down and try to locate the glimmering object. Underneath a thin layer of cobble and sand, I find an intricate pair of daggers, the blades themselves have a sight crescent shape and have a golden pattern engraved across the surface of the blades. Holding them feels incredibly natural and each seems to fit perfectly in my hands and I feel a sense of nostalgia.

I look around the area for a while trying to find anything else or at least a trace of the owner's whereabouts but find nothing. I shrug and decide to keep the knives and slide them into my boots. After doing a bit of arranging I find a perfect place to hold both of the blades so I don't cut myself, but they also don't fall out and I can move freely.

I'm walking around the cave collecting rocks to build a small fire pit when I hear the sounds of whispered speaking echoing throughout the cave. I feel my body freeze and tense up as I dash to hide behind a large boulder not far from my campsite. I crouch down and feel myself reaching for my newly found blades. I close my eyes and focus on the whispers.

"Do you really think that thing came in here?" a woman whispers in disgust.

"According to the information submitted to the guild, around this area was where the Fallen One was first found so it would be very likely if it was hiding in a place like this," a man replies calmly.

"So what are we supposed to do if we find it!?" the woman exclaims while still trying to maintain a whisper, "according to the info we were given aren't these "Fallen Ones" supposed to be equal to at least 100 trained soldiers in combat not even mentioning their magical capabilities..."

"Diane... you shouldn't believe everything you hear even from clients, to tell the truth, this "Fallen One" probably isn't any more powerful than the both of us... I mean it didn't even hide the traces of its magic."

"Hmmph... I guess you're right..."

I peaked out from behind the rock to see the duo standing not far away from the passage that leads into the cave that I'm currently hiding. I tighten my grip on the knives and slowly edge my way out from my cover and creep slowly to them.

"If I can manage to at least capture one of them and use [Divine Confession] I should be able to learn a lot from them and figure out what's going on in the city... and more about these "Fallen Ones" they keep mentioning," I think to myself as I take cover in the shadows quickly approaching Diane and her companion.

All of a sudden I feel tensions rise in the air as both Diane and the man turn wildly in my direction and grab for their weapons.

"Shawn... do you feel it?"

The man, Shawn just nods his head in a sharp motion and draws his broad sword fully. "We know you're there now, or we'll kill you and drag you out ourselves!" Shawn bellows.

I exhale slowly and step out of the shadows holding my knives tightly. I walk toward them slowly and confidently, as if I'm the one in control as if I am the predator and they are the prey.

"Hello, mortals...." I say sneering, "you think you mere ants with your little swords and magic can capture and detain me?! I was once an arc-angel! I could easily kill both of you where you stand without batting an eye in the old days... but now that I'm here in your realm... Well I don't know, let's find out, shall we? Well, don't worry too much I will let one of you live, I need some information."

I look at Diane, who surprisingly is an incredibly attractive woman with long silky jet black hair and emerald green eyes and a body that would cause any normal man to have a nose bleed.

I feel the temperature drop as Shawn's eyes drill into me, "YOU BASTARD! Don't you dare look at Diane with you sick perverted eyes, I'll fucking kill you where you stand right now!"

I look at Shawn lazily and frown, this causes Shawn to get even angrier to the point where literal blood-lust can be felt.

"This is good... I honestly wouldn't do anything to the girl... I mean seriously, for one thing, I don't find her attractive in any sense of the word, also once being an angel I am still devoid of any sexual thoughts or emotions. But, I need him to go into a rage so I can dispatch him quickly and figure out as much as possible..."

I eye Diane one more time to make sure Shawn stays angry then I turn back to him laughing maniacally, "What could you do? Do you honestly think you could stop me from doing anything to her?? Don't make me laugh!"

"Like hell!" Shawn growls and charges at me bringing his sword into an arcing motion aiming to take off my head.

I look at the sword for a second and cover my mouth as I yawn. "Pay attention, you bastard! Or do you not care if you're about to die!?" Shawn yells, bringing the sword down on me.

"Too slow... I told you, didn't I mortal?" I sneer as I dodge the strike and slice at Shawn's open throat. A look of surprise and fear overcomes his face as blood spews from the large cut now across his throat, "D-Diane....run...." he mutters as he drops dead to the floor forming a large pool of crimson blood.

I look toward his body with disgust as if it's nothing more than a rotting animal carcass on the side of the road and slowly walk towards Diane. Fear, sadness, and pain... all of these emotions were visible on her face as she turned and ran from her dead companion tears flowing down her face.

"So are we playing a game of tag? How annoying..." I shout as I begin slowly following after Diane.