Intermission: 10,000 years ago Part 2

"Leave me alone, Finn," Scar said without looking at the man who spoke with her, her eyes were still red from crying as she used her sleeve to wipe away the tears. "So Matt was right," she said while clenching her fists with a regretful face, "Why did I have to argue with him? He told me you'd be here…"

'Matt?' Masaru glanced towards the girl wondering if the Matt she just spoke of was the same one he knew if it was. Then perhaps he could confirm whether their looks in this timeline is the same in his timeline, he could then increase the speed in finding the rest of the gatekeepers ahead of time.

"Who is Matt?" Jamie asked Scar, his eyes narrowed as he felt that the situation he and Masaruy was in. Was much more bizarre compared to his experience back in Silent Creek.

Masaru stood next to Jamie, placing his hands on his shoulder "I know you have a lot of questions, but for now it's best to wait at a safer location where we can safely ask our questions. Right now we are not yet out of danger"

Scar nodded while glancing at Masaru with a vigilant gaze, "I am more curious why one of the Generals of the Old One's army would be together with Sapling"

At her words, all the riders pulled out their bows, with a swift fluid movement all of them pointed their arrows directly at Masaru who had a wry smile on his face. "Believe it or not, I am in the same situation as him"

"Yes, his name is Masaru. He is with me" Jamie added,

She looked at Sapling, and at Masaru again and now there was puzzlement in her eyes. "Do you really not know who I am?"

"No." Jamie answered yet strangely he felt he had seen her before, it made no sense at all to him.

"Since you kept Sapling safe I will reluctantly allow you to join us, but I hope you understand that we will monitor you strictly," Scar said while glancing at Masaru, she still felt vigilant towards him despite Jamie's effort to explain that Masaru was with them.

'General of the Old Ones' Masaru thought while turning his gaze towards the crimson-haired voluptuous body demon wearing a tight skin battle gear, following after him. He did not want to ask this demon for answers as he was not certain if she would turn against him if she knew that he was not the same person.

What Masaru did not realize was that Vena already knew, it was just that she never told him that they had a soul connection. Similar to that of the Kissing Prayer, just different. Even Masaru himself did not realize his connection with her, it was due to a habit that he had a connection with all girls around him that he did not feel out of place with Vena.

The other two men had also dismounted. They were younger than Finn, fair-haired, obviously brothers. One of them seemed to be wearing a metal glove. But then he moved his arm Masaru noticed that the entire hand was missing and had been replaced with a steel replica.

"My actual name is Scarlett," Scar explained with a sad smile, feeling slightly depressed that Jamie could not remember her. 'I will ask Matt about this later' she thought before adding on, "But everyone calls me Scar. That's what you always call me."

"I'm sorry. I've just told you, I don't know you." Jamie said once more, feeling annoyed at this persistent girl who could not get what he said many times over.

"Of course you know me. You've just forgotten. After everything that's happened, I'm not surprised." Scar said while glancing at the distance where the Fortress was located at,

Finn who had been listening to this with growing impatience, after feeling that it was enough he took a step forward between them. "We can't talk here," he said while looking around him vigilantly.

"If there was one shape-changer, there'll be others. The fields are crawling with the enemy. We have to get back to the city before we lose daylight that protects us." He explained,

Scar nodded. "You're right, Finn, you're always right. That's what's so annoying about you."

"We have your horse." Scar said towards Jamie while glancing at Masaru, "But we don't have one for you"

"No worries," Masaru said while glancing at the floating grimoire, he instinctively understood that he had the power to summon demons from the underworld, but also it's creatures. Thus he gently flicked his finger allowing the door that was still materialized to burst with another ray of crimson light, followed by sounds of hoofs stepping on the hard ground.

"I can summon my ride" Masaru answered, but in reality, he was analyzing his abilities. Even now he could not figure out everything of his current body, and he was relying on his body memory to call out the abilities he had. ' I need to thoroughly inspect myself when we reach a safe location' He thought.

When the lights dimmed, a black horse with crimson tribal patterns drawn all over its body, it's mane and tail hair was silver colour and its eyes were amber. The hair and eyes were caused due to his mount having a contractual link between him and itself, which was why Masaru could sense the happiness from the horse who cheerfully neighed before standing before Masaru, pressing its head against his chest.

"It's been a while," Masaru said while gently caressing the horse as if responding to his wish a name emerged from within his mind and he called out. "Moonflash"

The horse neighed happily while gently biting Masaru's hair, Vena who glanced at this smiled brightly as if what happened right now confirmed her thoughts. 'He really is our master, just that... He should be from a different timeline than us' she thought while glancing at Masaru, feeling that the current him was much more likeable compared to the cold him from before.

Jamie glanced with envy towards the horse that was happily playing with Masaru's hair as if it was a long lost friend but after remembering what Scar just told him. He turned and looked past her, seeing a fifth horse that had been led behind the others who were leading the squad. It had no saddle, just a rough blanket folded in half.

"I can't ride," Jamie said.

The man with the metal hand had overheard him. "What madness is this?" he exclaimed out in frustration, he had been feeling annoyed at Jamie who had been arguing with Scar for a while now. "Is this the boy or isn't he? Maybe this is some sort of trick."

"Be quiet, Erin. Matt sent us here and he surely knew what he was doing. Let's all hope so. Anyway, we've been told what we have to do." Scar said with a solemn voice causing Erin to suddenly turn quiet, it was the rule that adults had to listen to any of the five children. It was made so for a reason, hench he could only turn silent.

Scar turned back to Jamie before saying with a smile. "We have to travel about ten leagues, and if you don't know how to ride now, all I can say is, you will certainly have learned by the time you arrive."

She stood beside the man called Finn, "And since you claim not to know me, you may not know the others either. This is Finn. He's saved my life so often he has little time for anything else. And the other two are Erin Silverhand and his brother, Corian."

The two brothers nodded but Erin still didn't look convinced. Meanwhile, Corian had led Jamie's grey horse forward.

"I'll come with you. It seems I don't have any choice. But there's something I want to know first. You seem to know who I am, so tell me this. Is Scott here?" Jamie asked he felt that since he was summoned here then it was possible his brother had been summoned as well.

The two younger men exchanged a look but said nothing, Finn kept silent and turned to Scar, once again waiting for her.

"Scott," Scar muttered while tilting her head in confusion. "Is that what you call your brother?"

"Yes." Jamie nodded,

"You are twins." Scar confirmed one more thing, glancing at Jamie with a sceptical gaze.

"Yes." Jamie nodded once more, he was feeling impatient at this girl ever since he started talking with her.

"Scott is here, but that is not our name for him. We call him Flint. Sapling and Flint. When I first saw you just now, I thought for a moment that you were him. I never was able to tell the two of you apart." Scar said while laughing softly, it has been everyone's experience when meeting the twins for the first time.

"Where is he?" Jamie asked with an anxious voice, he felt that he needed to meet his brother as soon as possible. Ever since he arrived in this world he felt danger lurking at each corner, he had not relaxed for an instant even with Masaru with him.

"Not too far. We will camp tonight in the City of Canals…" Scar said with a longing gaze,

"Move it" Masaru said as he picked up Jamie by the collar and threw him accurately on the horse, other than feeling the pain on his nuts and ass, Jamie landed safely on the horse. He glanced at Scar, "I believe we best get going, you two talking will simply keep us here till nightfall"

"Er..." Scar blushed a bit out of embarrassment as she could not stop talking with Jamie, she had been worried sick thinking that he died at the fortress and even argued with Matt who sent him there.

Scar sprang onto her own horse with a single movement, Finn, Erin and Corian all mounted equally easily. "To the city," She called at before spurring her horse to move ahead. With Scar in the lead and Finn right next to her in the front, Jamie and Masaru were in the middle with Erin and Corian at both sides.

"Fufu, I am happy that you did not undo your summoning Milord," Vena said with a sly smile as she firmly embraced Masaru's waist purposely pressing her large breast against his back.

"I know you know that I am not the same person whom you call master," Masaru said with a flat tone, his eyes flickering with thoughts wondering if he could kill her or not. To prevent a betrayal at a critical point.

"You are the same, it's just that you come from the future," Vena said nonchalantly, she could sense the killing intent from Masaru and felt proud that her master was not gullible but she did not want to die at his hands, hench she said it bluntly. "You should be able to sense my soul don't you?"

"This---" Masaru turned silent, his eyes narrowed. He could definitely sense her, and 71 other souls within his body. After a closer inspection, he realized that his body was a vessel as well as a doorway linked to the Underworld, it was no wonder that he a human could use a soul seal on the demons much stronger than him.

"Our Master, the past you. Told us that there will come a time that he will die, and you the future him would take his place" Vena said with a trace of sadness lingering in her voice, although her master was cold. He still looked after each and every one of them, ensuring they did not die and could grow stronger.

She still loved him and now he was gone, even if the future one replaced him. She knew that the current timeline, her master was dead. Taking a deep breath she continued, "So you don't have to worry Milord, we the 72 Pillars will support you with undying loyalty"

"Haah" Masaru sighed while looking ahead of him, his conjectures turned out to be real and he had even figured out what his current identity was. It was just that he felt that this man was supposed to be born much later in the future, or perhaps there had been two of the same people with the same powers in different timelines.

"What about the Gods?" Masaru asked,

"You mean the Biblical God?" Vena asked with a sceptical gaze,

"No, the other gods," Masaru said,

"There is only the Biblical God who calls himself a God" Vena said wondering what her master was trying to figure out, "He is currently hiding in the Dimension Pocket he calls Heaven, he dare not come out to face against Chaos and send you Milord to act as a Double Agent"

"So I was meant to spy on the Old Ones and destroy their army from within?" Masaru asked,

"Correct Milord, it's just that after you met that boy who calls himself Matt. You chose to change your plans, and informed us that you would die, well the previous you" Vena said while glancing at Masaru's face from the side, her chin rests on his shoulder.

"Why is he not making a move?" Masaru asked while glancing at Vena,

"Because he dares not face the Old Ones without the Divine grimoire" Vena explained while adding on, "But he can't utilize the Divine Grimoire as efficiently as you do Milord, which was why he gave it to you as a reward."

"I see," Masaru said while closing his eyes, from what he deduced that in this timeline that other mythologies did not exist yet. He had been silently probing the space in the surroundings and could not sense a faint presence of Valhalla, or Olympus. Even the Underworld was not linked to this world other than through is own body, which meant many things must have happened from this time up to his timeline.

"So who am I in this timeline?" Masaru asked Vena,

"Solomon" She said with a hint of pride, "The Apostle of God, Ruler of Demons and Angels"

"Oh yeah," Masaru turned to glance at Vena who closed her eyes with a smile on his shoulder, "How long is a league?"

"Fufu, very long" Vena said vaguely.

>\/<

They were moving steadily towards the hills that Masaru and Jamie thought to avoid since there were clear tracks of an army heading in that direction when they first set off.

The pass a few clumps of ancient-looking trees, and great chunks of granite, boulders that looks similar to that of a meteorite that had fallen there from outer space. Yet not a single normal living plant, tree nor animal could be spotted for miles. There were almost no features in the surroundings at all other than the odd trees and boulders.

The sky was getting darker, yet with the absense of the Sun. There was no way to tell when it was day or night, this setting reminded Masaru very much of the Underworld that was similar. Which was why his Teacher, Ajuka created the artificial sun for the world to determine the time. For the sake of the reincarnated devils.

"Fuuu" Masaru exhaled a breath that formed a mist as if he was smoking from the cold atmosphere, Jamie was given a jacket since he could not handle the cold. Yet strangely Masaru had no problem, and it was due to the Demonic woman who was embracing him happily, emitting a trace of demonic power that kept the temperature around Masaru regulated.

"Just what is going on here?" Jamie asked Masaru, he noticed that Masaru was oddly calm in this bizarre situation.

"It's difficult to explain it to you since you have only recently became aware of the supernatural world" Masaru said while glancing at Jamie briefly, "It would be best if you wait a bit, I'm certain you will get your answer from the one who summoned us"

"Tsk" Jamie clicked his tongue in annoyance feeling that he was left out of the loop, he did not continue to bother Masaru and instead turned his sight towards Scar, his throat feeling a bit dry. Scar…"

She twisted around on her horse, with a displeased tone of voice she spoke flatly. "What is it?"

"Can we stop for a drink?" Jamie asked,

"The water's poisoned." Scar said simply while continiuing to urge the horse to move forward.

Fin who saw this exchange felt pity towards Jamie and handed over a water bottle that was attached to his belt, it was made out of animal skin.

Jamie was just about to raise it to his lips when Finn froze, Masaru's eyes narrowed as he sensed something dreadful was approaching them in a past pace. He had sensed it's presence long before he heard the noise from the distance.

Jamie was still about to drink his water, but suddenly Masaru gripped the back of his neck and forced jamie off his horse without uttering a word. Moonflash gave Jamie's horse a single look and both horses obediently lowered themselves, even Vena followed Masaru and laid prone on the ground along with everyone else.

"Down!" Finn hissed with a soft yet audible voice, Scar was already sliding down the side of her horse. She had begun moving even before Finn had spoken, showing that she was as alert as him. Finn and the two brothers followed her, pulling the horses down with them.

The horses and men laid on the ground like corpses on the ground, not a single one dared to make movements, Jamie wondered what it was that had made them so afraid. He moved his gaze for a moment causing everyone to freeze in fear that this dumb boy would alert the approaching enemy.

And then Jamie saw it.

At first, he thought he was looking at a column of smoke that might have been rising from a particularly dense bonfire, except that there was no fire and the cloud wasn't moving up but down, twisting from the sky to the surface of the earth.

It was only when it was close did he realized what it was. A swarm. Insects of some sort. They were black and there must have been a million of them, pouring down as if tipped out of some giant glass container.

At the same time, he heard them buzzing as their tiny wings vibrated so fast that they were almost invisible. A minute later, with a sense of utter horror and disbelief, Jamie understood why Masaru forced him down and why everyone was hiding.

As the insects hit the ground, the column broke apart. For a few moments, it was just a black fog before it began to reform and solidified. Standing not that far from them was a group of ten warriors on horseback, but the warriors and the horses were made up entirely of flies. 'Beezlebub?' Masaru send a mental message to Vena.

'No... But Beezlebub did indeed get the inspiration of his powers from these ten horsemen' Vena responded, 'Many of our abilities come from the Old Ones, we are descendants of Old Ones who mated with Humans. And it was you who sealed us inside your body and turned us into Sentient beings, and given us a new race name... Demons'

'This---' Masaru felt shocked despite already having knowledge of this, he had already hypothise in the past while he was treating Misla, that the Devils must be descendants of the Old Ones. And it turned out to be true.

The leader of the cluster of flies soldiers held up a hand, signalling the others to wait as he glanced at his surroundings. It's head turned slowly in their direction, a pair of black eyes scanning the area. The other soldiers stayed where they were, shimmering a little but keeping their shape.

Jamie's horse shivered when the eyes scanned towards their direction, this alarmed Jamie and Masaru. The former was not certain if his powers would work on millions of insects, while the latter was concerned about not understanding his own abilities making his overall power weaker than he truly is.

Fight or not?

Time to choose