The Icy Hand of Death
Blaze’s voice echoed throughout Demon Hunter’s mind, his last words what did they mean? “I remember” What did he remember Demon Hunter wondered as stood by Blaze’s body his eyes transfixed on him. “I remember it all now!” Demon Hunter didn’t move until sounds people started to run through the streets. Demon Hunter slowly raised his head as the black smog above him broke and the sun’s powerful light beamed down upon Blaze’s body. Ripples resonated in the pool of blood forming tiny waves they spread to the edges of the pool.
Through the light that beamed from the sky a person could be seen floating down on the beam towards the earth below. Demon Hunter looked back down towards the ground, he smiled softly “rest in peace old friend” Demon Hunter turned around and started to walk towards the rubble that was behind him as the people drew every closer but before he reached the rubble the strange figure arrived floating softly above Blaze’s restful body. Demon Hunter continued to walk seeming to be unaware of what was behind him. The figure was dripping in blood that ran down to the bottom of a elegant blue dress. Although it was hard to see through the light it appeared by several pieces were missing from the figures bodies.
“You have done well my love!” the figure said softly, Demon Hunter stopped dead in his tracks. He gritted his teeth and clenched tightly on to the handle of his katana. “God is pleased with your action my love” the figure spoke with a gentle tone, “Hmm I care not anymore!” Demon Hunter replied through gritted teeth. “I remember and I shall never forget! Now return where you belong in my memories!” Demon Hunter shouted with rage, Demon Hunter quickly turned and slashed through the air, the attack shot forward slicing straight through the ray of light. Demon Hunter slowly panted as he poured his energy in to the attack. The attack carried on down the street cutting in to the walls of the building.
”hmm Honey, you can’t hurt me any more. Your weapon has no effect. I can not die again” The figure spoke softly still un-phased by Demon Hunter reaction. Demon Hunter collapsed to floor resting on his hands and knees in front of the figure. A small tear ran down his cheek, it ran all the way to the bottom of his chin before falling to the ground with a splash. “There, there honey. There aren’t many left now; kill the rest and the gates of heaven shall open before you.” The figure’s hand reached out of the beam of light. As the hand got closer to Demon Hunter he could see that the hand had pieces missing yet Demon Hunter reached forward with his left hand. As soon as they touched, an explosion of light filled the streets and surrounding areas. The warmth of the light surrounded Demon Hunter as the tears on his cheeks disappeared completely.
Then the light receded completely, Demon Hunter looked around the beam of light and Blaze’s body had disappeared completely. All that remained was a large pool of blood where Blaze’s body had been. Shouting could be heard from further up the street followed by the sound of gun fire. “Gunfire? What’s going on?” Demon Hunter quickly turned around to jump over the rubble but a large man was standing in front of him. The man was wearing green combat trousers, and a mesh top. He was standing tall in front of Demon Hunter with a cigarette in his mouth. Demon Hunter grabbed his katana tightly and pointed it at the man that stood in his path.
“Move now, or I shall make you” Demon Hunter yelled at the man. The man seemed to ignore the warning as removed his hands from his pockets. The man was wearing a type of metal gauntlets he removed the cigarette from his mouth and blew out the smoke. “Hmm, it seems you don’t know who I am” The man said in a confident tone, “I really don’t care Demon!” Demon Hunter shouted as he slashed through the air with his katana as a warning. “Ah so you know that I am a Demon do you, you a perspective one aren’t you” The man said. “No more warning!” Demon Hunter said quickly as the footsteps of the people got louder behind him.
“My name is Sarge, the leader of the elite Demon Squad. I report now directly to the king him self. And I will kill you to do his bidding!” Sarge shouted at the top of his voice. Demon Hunter’s sword became bathed in an intense white light full of pure energy. The energy quickly shot to the tip of the blade as Demon Hunter slashed through the air. The slash shot forward towards Sarge, Sarge grinned he raised his fist and smashed straight in to it with his gauntlet. The slash shattered causing the energy to shatter in to a million different pieces. They softly hit the ground and disappeared “Ha I have been watching your battle with Blaze. I know all of your moves, and a bet after a battle like that your pretty tired now aren’t you now. Why don’t you give up and let me kill you hmm! Ha” Sarge boasted as the attack shattered around him.
“I don’t have time for this; if they soldier make it round the corner I will have to fight them. I don’t want to fight defenceless soldiers” Demon Hunter thought to him self. Then it happened wave after wave of soldier’s started to appear around the corner at the end of the street. Demon Hunter dashed to the right of Sarge but Sarge quickly appeared in front of Demon Hunter blocking his route. As Demon Hunter looked up at Sarge he could see the smile on his face. Demon Hunter slashed again at Sarge but he easily jumped over the attack with little effort. “What’s the matter outmatched? HA HA!”
All of sudden as Demon Hunter looked behind himself he saw a blue line of ice run down the side of the building and shot across the ground in front of the soldier’s as they skidded to a halt. Then in an instant a solid wall of ice shot upwards from the blue line that run along the floor across the entire street. “The soldier’s their cut off, but not for long I better make this quick” Demon Hunter thought to himself. “Ice you traitor! I will get you for this!” Sarge shouted at the top of his lungs. Demon Hunter noticing that Sarge wasn’t paying attention attacked. “Destructive Slash!” Demon Hunter yelled with all his might. Sarge looked down stunned as Demon Hunter’s katana heading straight for him as it glowed white. Sarge quickly blocked the attack with his left gauntlet but before Sarge could react Demon Hunter came at him again slashing furiously at Sarge who was being pushed backwards as he kept blocking his attacks with his gauntlet. Then when Sarge had his back against the rubble behind him Demon Hunter stopped back.
“I thought you said you were watching my fight with Blaze” Demon Hunter asked with a smirk on his face “I did!” Sarge quickly replied furious that he was been made a fun of. “Well it doesn’t appear that you were watching closely enough then it seems!” Demon Hunter said with a confident tone in his voice. The light in his katana formed at the end of the blade and then shattered in to pieces. Then all of a sudden what seemed like hundreds of white lines appeared on Sarge’s gauntlets. “Oh no” Sarge said to himself as pieces of metal went flying in to the air. Sarge looked down at his gauntlets, they barely hung on to his hands as several cracks appeared over them and large pieces of metal were missing exposing his fists.
“It’s time to finish this, Radiant Slash!” Demon Hunter poured the energy in to his sword and slashed a vertical line through the air leaving a trail of white energy behind it. Then the energy shot forward this Sarge in what seemed like a split second. Sarge quickly cross his arms in front of himself. The attack hit the gauntlets head on, Sarge felt the energy shake through his entire body. He quickly pushed back and uncrossed his arms the attack shattered around Sarge once again. As Sarge’s arms swung around behind himself he heard a crack as he could feel the gauntlets fall apart around his hands and hit the floor with a thump. “How do you like that, it seems I broke something of yours. I am sorry” Demon Hunter boasted with a smile on his face.
Sarge grinned back and stood him self up properly, he reached in to his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He flicked the lid with his thumb and removed his last cigarette from the pack. He gently placed it in between his lips, and patted his pockets to find his lighter “hmm shame you had to kill flame boy, I could of done with his special talents about now, ah there it is” Sarge said as he removed a lighter from one of the front pockets of his combat trouser. He raised it too his mouth and lit the cigarette. He slowly placed the lighter back in to his pocket. He raised his right hand and removed the cigarette blowing out a puff of smoke from his mouth. Demon Hunter stood there gritting his teeth at this. “Hey, Demon Hunter, right?” Sarge asked knowingly Demon Hunter just gently nodded in response. “I have a favour to ask you” Sarge said to Demon Hunter “Why should I grant you a favour?” Demon Hunter replied curious of the answer. “For honour and pride of course, throw down your weapon and fight me hand to hand in a fair fight. What do you say?” Sarge asked.
Demon Hunter swung his sword through the air and placed it back in to the sheath. “Thank you Demon Hunter, I shall make your death quick!” Sarge gently bowed to show his gratitude at Demon Hunter’s actions. Then ground beneath Sarge’s feet began to crack and shatter around him. Demon Hunter could feel the entire ground shake beneath his feet. Demon Hunter instantly knew the cause as Demon Hunter stared straight at Sarge. His top and trousers started to tear as his muscles bulked up, blood spurted from his temples as something tore up through the skin. His nails started to extend and become like claws. Then horns burst forward through the temples and shot outwards like a bulls. The blood dripped from them on to the floor below. Sarge was panting heavily but had a smile on his face.
“See now Demon Hunter, my true form. Do you see now how you have no chance in a match of strength? I am the strength demon ha ha ha. After years of training I was finally able to utilise the beast that laid dormant inside of me. I managed to uncover the secret of the Demon’s ha ha ha. With in every demon lays a dormant beast that is a mixture of the process and the persons psyche. This is where a Demon gains his strength. My desire for absolute power and strength gave me the power ability and this form is a result of that. Do you understand Demon Hunter? In this form I am unbeatable. I am like a god! Ha ha ha!” Sarge shouted as loud as he could to Demon Hunter.
“hmm is that true then, so within every Demon lies a dormant beast that grants the Demon it’s power. And the beast depends on the process and the psyche hmm. Thanks for the information so tell me how you managed to release this form then” Demon Hunter asked trying to get all the information he could. “I suppose I might as well tell you. You yourself are not a Demon of sorts so you shouldn’t be to do it. First of all we must reach down deep within yourself and in the black void beyond the past, present and future lies the beast.”
“Well then shall we? I gained everything that I can from you now” Demon Hunter asked in a confident attitude. “Allow me to wipe that smile off your face!” Sarge quickly replied. Sarge shot forward breaking the ground beneath his feet he charged at Demon Hunter with his horns forward. Demon Hunter smirked as Sarge reached him, Demon Hunter easily sidestepped the attack and swung at Sarge feet. Sarge went skidding along the floor before coming to a stop. “ha your just like a bull” Demon Hunter gloated as Sarge rose to his feet. “I AM NOT A BULL!” Sarge yelled as he started to charge towards Demon Hunter again. Demon Hunter jumped in to the air and stamped his feet down on to Sarge’s head causing him to go skidding a long the floor again. “So what are you then?” Demon Hunter asked as he landed on the ground behind Sarge. “I am a minotaur!” Sarge yelled as he flipped back up to his feet. He quickly turned around and started to run towards Demon Hunter normally.
Sarge leapt up in to the air and as he came down slammed his fist downwards towards Demon Hunter. Demon Hunter blocked the attack with his fist, but the attack pushed Demon Hunter down in to the ground as it crack beneath him with the force of the attack. Sarge landed in front of Demon Hunter with a smile on his face, he quickly threw another punch as the attack hit Demon Hunter straight in the face. Demon Hunter broke free of the ground and skidded down the street. His clothes became torn, as the ground tore through them. Blood started to run down his back and from his mouth as he came to a halt near the wall of ice. Sarge just stood there laughing as Demon Hunter wiped the blood away from his mouth. He rose back to his feet, he touched his back and could feel that his jacket was ruined and there were several small holes in his shirt. Demon Hunter shrugged his jacket of his shoulders and threw it away. The jacket waved and flew in the air flying over the wall of Ice.
The energy started to gather in Demon Hunter’s fist, he clenched his fist loosely as the energy started to gather in to a ball in side of it. Seeing this Sarge charged again, he quickly swung a punch but Demon Hunter dodged underneath it. Demon Hunter slammed his knee in to his stomach. Sarge bent over instantly holding it in pain, then Demon Hunter smacked the back his neck with his elbow. Sarge staggered forward towards the wall. Demon Hunter swung his leg round hitting the back of Sarge’s head with his foot. Sarge staggered forward again and his horns slammed in the Ice, they slowly pushed forward in to the wall of ice. The ice then quickly solidified around them. Sarge struggled to get free but the he couldn’t push himself free. Demon Hunter jumped high in to the air and twirled to face the wall.
Demon Hunter opened his fist and a ball of energy appeared in the palm of Demon Hunter’s hand. He swung his hand round and the ball of energy shot forward towards Sarge. Demon Hunter landed on top of the rubble, and the ball of energy quickly expanded pushing Sarge straight through the wall of ice. The wall quickly toppled due to the hole and a cloud of dust filled the air. Demon Hunter turned around and jumped of the rubble and ran down the street.
20 minutes earlier
Blaze hit the floor with a thump as his blood spread around him. Demon Hunter stood there transfixed on the body. High above them on the roof tops of the apartment buildings a figure ran through the black smog to hid his presence from the two below. The figure leapt down from the top of the roof to the one below. As the figure exited the black smog he quickly rolled and hid behind a container as not to be seen by Demon Hunter. The figure was wearing wooden sandals on his feet, they were held to his feet by black pieces of string which weaved in between his toes. His trousers were very baggy on him, they tattered and torn as if they had been worn for long periods of time. They had become a dull brown colour through out the years as mud and dirt had seeped in to the fabric on the jeans changing the colours. The man was wearing a sleeveless brown jacket which swayed in the wind. The buttons had all fallen off the jacket leaving open,
The man was pale white in colour but ordained across his entire body were ice blue coloured tattoos. His head was completely bald, but the tattoos covered his head in a wavy tribal fashion. Attached to the man’s belt was two katanas, lavish gold could be seen decorating the handles of the swords. The handles were made out vanished oak with navy blue leather wrapped around the handle in order for more grip on the blades.
The man breathed deeply as he breathed out the warmth of his breath warm his icy face. As the man leaned around the container he could see Demon Hunter standing in front of Blaze’s dead body. Then Demon Hunter turned around as the man could hear voices and footsteps coming from down the street. The man quickly turned his attention back to Blaze as the blood around him started to ripple. The man watched curiously as he began to wonder what was happening down on the streets below. All of a sudden he seemed as if the heavens themselves opened up as a piecing light broke through the black smog that covered the streets and shone down on Blaze body. As the man watched the light, he could see something falling down it as if it was floating down to earth.
The man saw that Demon Hunter hadn’t stopped walking away. “I wonder if he has noticed” The man wondered as object in the beam of light stopped, floating just above Blaze’s dead body. “You have done well my love!” “It’s a person!” the man said quietly to himself. It couldn’t believe it as quickly hid behind the container again, he started to breath quickly shocked by what he had seen and heard. “It can’t be, it is a person” the man thought to himself. Suddenly he heard the sound of fighting and then as listened from the shadows he could just about hear a conversation between the person and Demon Hunter.
“So he is after the Demon’s, well I guess that makes him an ally of sorts, but I better not show my self to him just yet. I doubt he will understand or listen to what I have to say.” The man thought to himself, then just as he turned around to have another look he saw the figure in the light stretch out their hand. The man felt sick as he saw the decaying hand, then he realised that Blaze was there as well. “I have to save his body. He deserves a proper burial. I owe that to him” The man thought to himself, suddenly he held out his arm, the tattoos on the top part seemed ripple slightly as the wind blew against his arm.
Suddenly a shard of ice shot forward out of the man’s hand, the shard became longer and longer. It reached down the street, when all of a sudden a flash of light filled the street. The shard of ice quickly reached the floor, and wrapped around Blaze’s body, the ice quickly retracted and Blaze body flew up on to the roof tops. The ice disappeared back in to the man arm. He quickly caught Blaze with his arms and the light in the street started to die out. The man gently put Blaze’s body down on the floor. As the man looked back down on to the streets below he could see that the soldiers were heading towards Demon Hunter’s location. They were shooting anyone found in the streets as several civilians tried to flee they were shot. As the man looked back towards Demon Hunter, he could see a man smoking in front of him blocking Demon Hunter’s path.
“Sarge!” the man thought to him self, he saw Demon Hunter dash to try and get past him as the soldiers ran round the corner at the end of the street but Sarge quickly blocked his path. “I have to buy him some more time so he can escape” the man quickly thought to himself. He placed his hand on the rooftop ledge. His tattoos began to ripple again as the air whipped past them. From the tattoo under the palm of his hand a line of ice began to spread down the building and quickly went across to the other side of the street. The man quickly hid so not be seen by either Demon Hunter or Sarge, when the line of ice shot upwards creating a solid wall of ice on the street below. The soldiers came to a screeching halt as the wall quickly blocked their path.
The commanding officer walked up to the wall of ice and tapped it gently. He quickly gestured to several soldiers to approach, several soldiers ran up to the wall carrying explosives. “Shit, he needs more time. I have no choice!” the man thought to himself as he quickly jumped from the roof top. He placed his hand on the handle of one of his katana. “Ittouryuu! (single sword style)” he yelled as he pulled the sword out of the sheath. He landed on the floor with his knees bent and with one hand holding himself on the floor in front of him and the other holding his sword in the air behind him. The soldier stood there shocked as the man landed there in front of them. “Ice Blade!” The man yelled as the sword instantly became coated in ice. The man pounced forward an appeared behind the line of men that were carrying the explosives. The man slowly stood upright, as the ice on his blade shattered
“I will not allow you to destroy the wall!” the man shouted as the explosive fell apart in the soldiers arms. “Fire, kill him now!” the officer yelled. All of the soldier aimed their guns straight at the man. “This is your only warning, leave now or you will all be judged as sinners against god!” The man warned as the soldier’s prepared to fire their weapons. The man slowly removed his other sword “Nitouryuu (two sword style)” the man spoke softly. “Fire, fire now!” the officer yelled at his troops. The man instantly crossed his swords, suddenly a wall of ice appeared around the swords. Gunfire hit the wall but fell to the ground as the wall seemed to be impervious to attacks. The gunfire continued though as the soldiers desperately tried anything to kill the man
The man knelt down and placed his hand on the floor, spreading out his palms. The tattoos on each body began to ripple and sway like water in the wind. Several line lines of ice spread out from his palm and shot out around the wall. Several hundred lines spread out across the street, each of the lines stopped under a soldier. The soldier’s continued to fire at the wall completely unaware of what was happening beneath their feet. “My name is Ice; I am the angel of destruction! I have judged you all. Death shall be your release from a life of sin!” The gunfire instantly stopped as the words echoed through the street. “You will be judged by god himself, the icy hand of death is upon you!” Ice yelled as he thrust his palm further in to the ground causing the ground to slightly cave in around it. Suddenly underneath each of the soldier a spear of ice shot upwards beneath them.
Ice covered his ears as the soldier’s screamed for their lives, “I’m so sorry, you left me no choice. May god have mercy on your souls” Ice spoke softly as a tear ran down his cheek. He slowly stood up and stuck his hands in to the wall of ice as if it was water. He grasped on to the handles of his blades and pulled them out from the wall of ice. With the swords removed the ice, started to crack and shattered on to a pile of rubble on the floor. Ice instantly closed his eyes upon seeing the bloody aftermath of the battle field. He jumped across the battlefield and landed on the other side of the street. He placed his hand on the top of his forehead and brought it down to his chest and then from side to side. As he looked up in to the sky, he saw Demon Hunter’s jacket fly over the wall of ice. “I better get out of here, before he sees me” Ice thought to himself, he turned around to face the building. His fingernail and toenails quickly became in cased in ice. He pounced up the side of the building and began to run on all fours. His nails of ice dug in to the walls of the building as he pulled himself up. He quickly reached the roof of the building; he flipped over and landed on his feet. The ice around his fingernails and toenails crumbled and fell to the ground.
All of a sudden an explosion happened behind him; a shockwave hit him in the back throwing him forward across the roof, besides Blaze’s body. Ice clambered to his feet and wiped the dust of his jacket. Ice looked down at Blaze’s body and knelt down beside it. “It time we went” he said quietly to himself. He reached his hands under Blaze’s body and slowly started to lift him up. He slowly walked to the other side of the roof. Blaze’s body was now icy cold, Ice jumped off the roof of the building and landed gently on the street below. He walked up to a car and opened the door; He gently placed Blaze’s body in the back street. Ice closed the door behind him and got in to the drivers seat. He rummaged around in his pocket and finally pulled out some keys. He slotted the key in the ignition and started the car up, after several attempts the car finally started. Ice released the hand brake and slotted the car in to first gear. “I’m taking you home” Ice said speaking to Blaze’s body in the back seat, and is pulled out and drove away down the street.
END OF CHAPTER 5
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