In the present, Roabe & Jai trek through the foliage of the Serene. Now midday, three suns of different hues loomed over them as they walked the forest of the world between worlds. A yellow sun up above, violet to the east, and west of them lay a radiant black sun. Jai stops to glance at the shimmering celestial object in the distance.
Jai: I've been gone too long, Corona Black would look crazy from Unc's place...
Roabe: Aye kid! You never seen a black sun before?! There it is! Get moving!
Jai: Hehe. Yeah sorry about that. Quite the sight.
Roabe: Keep focused. How much longer we got? Been about an hour.
Jai: Yeah, just a little further, right past those tall bushes—
So, how long you been Hunting? This a full-time thing, or just a hobby when the wife lets ya out?
Roabe turned to Jai with his grimace in a full snarl.
Roabe: Marriage is blasphemy. To think, a man as beautiful as I be selfishly had by only one mere woman. TAH! Look at All-Father, such a God reduced to rubble by his nag of a wife every time he lay his golden seed. Unnatural. The balance is all off boy!
The hunter spoke with such conviction Jai thought maybe he had hit a trauma gate.
Jai: Hehe. I fell ya man [Scratching the back of his head].
Roabe: I've been a contractor for some time, actually one the first to start hunting down the Tainted. Nasty bunch. Not too much for me to handle of course. Just some degenerate mutts who belong on my mantle.
Tainted, was a name given to any Demi born after the Omen Era, whose birth was not 'sanctioned by the Gods'. After the Omen Era, which is marked by the end of the 3rd Uprise, a law was enacted prohibiting beings with celestial essence to intermingle with those without. Elite gods and families of power who supported the Post-Omen law often used the term in a derogatory manner. Irregulars, those whose births are approved, are looked at as second class, but render much more respect and humanity than their counterparts.
Jai: That good huh? So how many?
His front of enthusiasm was so good he almost startled Roabe.
Roabe: Rounded up about 12 husks myself, never count my contract hauls, I like it when it's just me and the mutts. Only the strong survive. Why I hate babysitting rookies. Hmph.
Jai: Twelve, huh?
Jai slowed his pace to a creep while still talking as the hunter pulled out in front of him once more. This time, as Roabe strode forward, he passed the tall bushes meeting a floating cloud of grey lotus pollen. He coughs twice and gasps for breathe only to inhale more spores.
Roabe: W-what is this? My eyes-COUGH COUGH-this burning in my chest-COUGH—gimme a hand rook—
Before he realized it, his vision had gone completely black just as Jai's had previously. He stumbled then fell to his knees, using his hands to hold himself up. As he sat gasping for air, beads of sweat dripped from his chin.
Jai: Nasty bit huh? Burns like Hera, pretty sure you can build a tolerance to it after the first dose though. Only made me sluggish the second time. Those are everywhere around here, they really flourish under a black sun ya know. The shrubs shake at pretty good intervals so you'll be there a bit. I should get going.
Roabe: You son of—
Roabe huffed swears at Jai as the boy changed course and dashed back into the direction of Syre and the other two hunters. Heading back through the forest for the fourth time, he reaches the halfway point.
Jai: I'm running pretty low, starting to catch up with me. Orion isn't gonna be--
Roabe: YOU SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON ME LIL ROOKIE!!!
Jai: How the hell-
Right on his tail, the once immobilized hunter, Roabe, was back up and in pursuit of Jai. But his exterior was a bit more animalistic now, he had c thick black hair, and his ears coated in the same fur, pointed upward. He was running towards Jai on all fours and protruding from his back ankles were...hooves?!
Jai: (Looking back at the charging animal) NICE NOSE!
The hybrid man now sported a hairy black snout with a tusk on each side. He was a boar. Motivated by the tradesman's cracks he increased the speed of his charge.
Jai: Must be pretty self-conscious about that one, no wonder no one wants to marry you.
Jai continued his volley of taunts as he darted through the trees of Serene, glancing back at his ever so often to check the distance between him and Roabe.
Jai: Well, change of plans. Definitely can't have him catch up to the others. At least my legs aren't as stiff...
Jai shifts his course away from the passageway towards the tall deep foliage. The silver trunks of the trees weren't very thick at all. But somehow they were as durable and sturdy as steel. Like the tall shrubs, they moved but not as frequently and fluidly. They moved according to the levels of sunlight to provide the most optimal shade. This kept the area around the trail darkened on even the brightest of days. The tiny foliage fell frequently, making the ground a magenta bed of leaves as its carnation-colored brethren descended from the sky like snow.
Jai: This'll do.
He leaps into the air grabbing a silver branch, perching himself on top of it.
Jai: Let's get started.
#Demi/Ep1
—----------------------------
YOU ARE READING
DEMI! (Battle Book)
AdventureIn a world where gods, mythical beings, and humans intermingle, bloodlines rule status and power. In the post of a war between the three major realms, the perception of peace prevails as Gods manipulate the stage. To maintain peace the precedent has...
