Demons and Humans

The wind that silently blew between us was teeming with ash and a dry smell of rain. It was screaming of emptiness, the most gray it had ever been.

I, on the other hand, had about had enough of real and fake. I was quick to turn Chopper's claim down. He claimed that this was different from before, but I was just about ready to up and leave if he went on with that any longer.

"This seems real enough to me", I answered in a low voice.

He looked about, concerned, perhaps seeking some thread to grab. I, seeing the opportunity at hand, went in for a jab right in his face. He managed to not just dodge it, but landed a clip round my ear instead. I almost saw heavens for a minute, but at least I remained standing.

"Doesn't seem like a dream, sir", I affirmed my theory.

Chopper then slapped me across the face, owing partly to my not taking him seriously when he was so certain of the impending danger, and partly, because--at least in my opinion--he was feeling violent today.

"Look up, kid", he finally decided to introduce me to his deductions.

I followed his instructions and looked at the sky. It was gray, clouds forming at the corner, perhaps a sign of rain.

"Just a change in weather", I figured he was getting to the sky not being crimson as it had been for such a long time, "Isn't it just a change in weather conditions? We did come quite a way out too, the skies are different in the country, anyway."

"Awfully convenient", he said, mockingly, "And those clouds too, awfully slow for such a windy day, wouldn't you say?"

He wasn't wrong, in fact, after a while it was apparent that the clouds weren't moving at all. He had been watching them since we got here so he had more reason to be sure. Still, I wondered if that was all he was basing his theory on. For sure, there could be many other factors in play instead of just the whole thing not being real. I posed the question but he seemed certain already. In any case, soon he relieved me of my confusions.

I hadn't had enough time to ponder on it when we were met with our adversary. It was high time too, neither of us wanted to stay there long.

"Have you finally made up your mind?", a smiling figure appeared beside us before we realized it.

I saw a wave of calm run over Chopper just then. I wondered why now, of all times, he should feel such a relief. I could only imagine he had figured something out.

As for the one that had appeared to greet us, it was someone that was far too familiar to me. That angelic face and long white hair, yet upon closer inspection a war-hardened man, standing tall with all the strength in the world. He was missing his bow this time. I figured he didn't need it anymore.

Chopper looked indifferent to his presence.

"You are still hanging about in his body...Azag?", Chopper said, derisively.

"Well, let's see", he was enjoying this, "A young one fits me better, it's always more tasteful you know."

Last we met Azag, he was using Fennerick's body. It was entirely different from Wolfe. I concluded that the demon's personality altered according to the one it was possessing. I wondered if that meant a part of the person still remained somewhere in there.

"But all that aside, shouldn't we actually talk about the more important things?", Azag chimed, "What brings you to my domain, dear ones?"

Azag was awfully talkative all the while we were there, on the other hand, Chopper really wasn't feeling it today. It was only a matter of minutes before Chopper was riled up. He unsheathed Ivory, then glared at me. I remembered that I was his replacement for Ebony. The idea didn't particularly bother me. And though I was unarmed, I wasn't particularly threatened.

Chopper launched the first attack, approaching him headfirst and struck him with Ivory. Azag made no attempt to move or avoid his attack. He was stabbed in the chest. Chopper looked calm, almost serene, although to me such a direct approach seemed unwise. Yet, Azag smiled at him before dispersing into thin air like foam on fire.

"Could you not ignore me when I'm trying to have such a peaceful conversation?", he emerged behind me, placing his arm around my shoulders, although he continued addressing Chopper.

I was frozen in place. Sorcery never did sit right with me anyway.

"And so you see, I'm trying to say...", he chippered as Chopper turned to glare at him, "Why are you antagonizing me?"

He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me from behind, caressing my face, which certainly made me uncomfortable. I was about to wring him away but decided to conserve my strength as the situation was still too uncertain.

"What have I done wrong...", he spoke in a low perversive tone, "...that this one hadn't?"

He seemed to be speaking about me. Although I remained unaware of the subject, Chopper seemed to understand perfectly.

"You've been running amuck, getting on my nerves whenever possible...what business do you have asking questions?", Chopper replied.

"Hmm, is that how you classify your good demons? You know, this one...", saying this Azag moved his hand towards my chest, through my collar, undoing the poor top buttons that eventually broke and fell to their doom.

He rested his hand on the scar I had gotten from Nasty II. There was quite a big burn mark on my chest, where he had died. I was reminded of an ordeal I'd rather not had been. I was agitated.

"There's a demon inside this one too...why don't you hunt him?"

I was taken aback. Whatever did he mean by that? I was looking at Chopper for answers. Now I understood what he was explaining just before Azag appeared.

"All demons seek one singular thing; blood. Except for higher demons, who already have enough on their hands, when they've found a human to possess. So when lower fiends find blood, they plant seeds. Until those seeds grow, the humans enjoy a demonic power."

Now I understood what he was intending to get at.

"Of course, demons aren't our friends, they do what they do only for themselves. But that ain't so different from humans either", Chopper seemed to be directing this at me, and the latter at Azag, "So what I'm saying is, Azag, this ain't about demon or human...I'm here for your life, there need not be any reason. I'm the reason."

Hearing those words, I immediately set myself free from Azag's bounds, grabbing him by his throat and throwing him with all the strength I had. He went flying quiet far away but I'm sure that was an illusion too. Azag hadn't liked Chopper's answer.