Demon's Advocate

Chapter 2: Thanks for the Memories

A/N: I decided to keep the chapters short. Sorry this took so long, kinda have my mind in a strange place right now.

p.s. I have to note that the marrying age here is 12, because people usually don't live past 50 or 60. People here age much faster then they do in our own world. So by 12, both women and men would be average height for an adult, and already have gone through puberty. That is also by the age for Advocates is set young at 16

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.

OOOOOO

Five year old Jamie smiled down at her baby brother with bright, wide eyes. Her smile grew when he cooed up at her and reached for her nose. She giggled and held his tiny hand in her own. “He’s so cute Ma!” Jamie exclaimed, looking up to her mother, who was standing by the crib with her, smiling at the two.

“Yes, he certainly is a darling little boy.” The woman agreed softly as she brushed back her bright crimson hair. “And so well behaved. When you were this age, you cried all the time! I never could get you to be quiet.” She teased, tapping her daughter on the nose.

Jamie gasped, “I would never!” She exclaimed with a pout. She then bent down and picked up her giggling baby brother, holding him tightly in her arms. “Nothing ever going to hurt you!” She whispered in a whimsical voice, “Not while I’m around to protect you.”

“Alright ladies,” Jamie’s father started, coming in from a long days work in the fields, “How about we sit down and have a nice dinner. Stop bothering your brother, let him sleep.”

The little girl put her brother down and bounded over to her father, giving him a great big hug, “Oh papa, we still have to name him!” She said, pulling back to look at him. “We can’t just call him baby.”

Her father picked her up and walked over to the crib. “Well then, I suppose we should give him a name, hm?” He asked, looking to his wife. “What do you think, darling?”

Jamie’s mother pondered names in her mind for a few minutes as a serious look dawned over her face. “Hm…How about Liam, after your father?” She asked her husband.

He nodded and looked down at the innocent baby laying in the crib. “Yes. Liam it is.”

OOOOOO

Lillian blinked the sleep from her eyes rapidly when she awoke from her memory filled dream. The sun still had yet to rise, but it was normal for her to be up this early. It was a habit of her that was a valuable trait for an Advocate. She lifted herself from her bed and stared at her surroundings. Seeing perfectly in the dark room, she smiled when her gaze came upon her companion sleeping in the other bed. He looked peaceful when he slept, and Lillian found a blush working it’s way onto her face. She yawned and sat up fully on the bed. Her dark red hair spilled around her, and she closed her eyes, leaning against the wall for a moment.

She jumped in shock when she felt a hand brush a lock of hair from her face and behind her ear. Quickly, she opened her eyes to stair into bright green orbs. Rowan had a smirk upon his face as he gazed down at her and the blush returned to her cheeks with full force. “I…” She stuttered out, not able to look away.

Instantly, he pulled away, and spoke as if nothing happened, “No time to waste. We have to get going as soon as possible.” He had a look about his face that Lillian couldn’t exactly place. His lips were curled into a smirk, and his eyes gleamed with hidden emotions.

The woman nodded and stood from her resting place gracefully. She pulled her hair up tight into a bun, and went through her bags for something clean to wear. She picked out a pair of baggy, low riding pants, and a tank top, then went to remove her shirt. Pausing, she turned to look behind her and saw Rowan glowering at her. “Um…I…”

Rowan slowly walked over to her - more like sashayed - and put his arms around her waist, holding his nose so close he could smell her hair, “Do I make you nervous?” His husky voice grumbled.

Lillian opened her mouth to reply, but just like earlier, he swiftly pulled away with a chuckled and headed out of the room. She stared for a few minutes at the door, flabbergasted. She couldn’t figure him out, and it drove her wild. Did he like her? Was he considering her as a mate? She could not tell. Sighing, she dressed in her clothing and backed her bag. Throwing it over her shoulder, she walked briskly out of the room. She found Rowan leaning against the check out desk, and wondered when he had gotten his stuff from the room. Deciding against asking him, she smiled brightly. “All ready to go then?” She asked, ignoring the curious stair from the inn keeper. She followed Rowan to the barn and her smile grew once she found her colt. “Riley!” She cooed, running over to him. She let him out of the stall and hugged him close to her.

The young horse made a happy sound in the back of his throat, and nipped at her shoulder. Laughing, she batted his nose gently before clambering onto his back. When she was atop him she felt atop the world. Only here did she feel the safest, like nothing could touch her. She looked down at Rowan with power in her eyes. “Come on, lets ride.” She said, her fingers itching in her horses mane.

Rowan frowned. “Won’t be taking the horses, I’m afraid. You didn’t give me a chance to tell you.”
He received a blank stare from her. “What?” She asked, her brow furrowed.

Sighing, he pet his own steed. “We will have to pass through the Black Range. I’m afraid there has been some people following us.” His voice lowered considerable, “It will not be safe to take a normal route. They would have to be daft to follow us through the Range.”

The Black Range was a mountain range to the north east of the town they were in. It led almost directly to the Wall, and was the fastest route from where they were. However, the Range held many deadly animals and beast, and was protected from entrance by creatures called Hitomis. Hitomi were nasty little creatures that stood 4 feet tall, walked on two legs, yet had purple skin and pale yellow eyes. They had claws on both their hands and feet, and two rows of teeth on the top and bottom that were all razor sharp. They lived in the Black Range and did not agree with anyone trying to get through their territory; because they live in packs of ten to fifteen, it was hard for even the strongest of Demon’s to beat them. They trolled around the entrance of the Range, deterring anyone from entering.

Beyond the entrance to the Black Range, inside the path, there were glowing stones and trees that lit the way for anyone who managed to make it that far. However, there were also Hell Hounds, beast like dogs with smooth red skin, and dark black eyes. They had a craving for flesh and blood and could easily rip you to the bone with their serrated teeth. They were rare, however, and usually seen in pairs of two or three only.

Lillian gave Rowan a blank stare once more, not fully understanding why he would want to travel through such a deadly area with a new recruit. “But… There are Hell Hounds, and Hitomis and…” She winced. “I mean,” Sighing, she hung her head, “What will happen to Riley?”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed playfully, “Afraid for your horse, hmm?” He teased her, then smiled gently, “I’ve already made arrangements for the squire to walk them to Junon.”

She nodded and pat her companions head once more. “Good bye, friend,” She whispered into his mane before climbing down from his back. She gave him one last, regretful look, before following Rowan once more, this time out of the stable. He lead the young woman weaving though the busy - yet still small - town, to it’s gates. They paused at the exit and he threw her a smirk over his shoulder, before heading out into the forest that surrounded it.

It was silent between the two - a think, heavy silence that suffocated Lillian. It drove her mad until she couldn’t stand it anymore, “Do you have a family?”

He gave her a side look for a moment, before his eyes slid back to the front, “No. I had a wife once, when I was younger.” He paused, his eyes flashing with hidden emotions once more, “She was killed. It was a Kijita’s fault.” Cold, demanding, Lillian had never head his voice like this before. It was like he was a different person - a deadly person, a person who could kill with a look or a word.

“I’m sorry,” She muttered looking to the ground, “I didn’t think…I mean…I really am sorry.” She felt her face hot in embarrassment. Never before had she felt this humiliated, this shameful.

“Now, now,” He said, his voice gentle once more, “It’s not your fault. I can tell you about her, if you’d like?” He looked to her, and she nodded, giving him an encouraging smile. “Her name was Marie, and I had known her all my life. We got married right after I was initiated, 21 years ago. She was an Advocate too, and older then me. I was 12, she was 15.”

“Wow, she must have been very powerful.” Lillian commented. The normal initiation age was 16, no one under age being admitted; however, there were some exceptions for people showing abilities on an extreme level. From how Master Zentu had talked to Rowan in front of her, she was guessing he was a very deadly Advocate - a True Demon. True Demons were advocates who have been initiated at a very young age, and can kill within the blink of an eye.

He nodded his head, “Yes. It was the day she was initiated too.” He looked up at the sky, water in his eyes. “Two years, we were together. It went so fast, like lightning. We were assigned to watch of the Kijita High Lord in a peace ceremony together. We were an unbeatable team.” He paused, his tears being replaced by an angry snarl, “A Kijita was fighting alongside us as assigns from the marsh continent attacked. He is the reason my wife died that day.”

Rult - also called the Marsh continent - was the smallest, and least civilized of all the continents. At only 3.6 million miles, and covered in marsh lands, not many inhabitants can be found. There are only 5 cities, one being the capitol - Yintog, and three being port cities. The beings living in the marsh lands are called Bantshi. Bantshi are characterized by their scaled, green skin, and pure black eyes. These eyes have a special film so they can hunt underwater with their eyes open, yet see clearly through the muck. They have a reptilian tail, and webbed hands and feet.

In the lone city of Gorgon, outside the capitol and away from the ports, there is a clan of assassins dedicated to war for the rise of power for Rult. They have tried to start many a war - and succeeded with the Great War. Not much has been heard of them since the latest assassination attempt - it is suspected that they are licking their wounds.

Lillian bowed her head, “I’m sorry.” She paused for a second, and bit her lip. “I…I lost my family too, as you know. I look just like my ma, she was tall, and graceful, with crimson hair just like me. The only thing I get from my pa is my eyes. He had yellow eyes, you know. He said they were from his other life, from before he met my ma.” She did let her tears fall, silently though. She found she often felt better after she cried, and he wasn’t looking at her anyway. “I also had a little brother. He was two when he died. I don’t remember it happening, though. I just remember my ma…she and my pa…they fought hard, and told me to take Liam and run. But there was a fire…I couldn’t reach him! I was so scared I just ran and ran and ran…until you saved me from their swords.”

Rowan held his hand out in front of her, his whole body rigid for a moment. Lillian noticed how the forest had thickened and darkened, growing wild and fear filled. The threes were ending and twisting inward, as if they would attack them. She looked down and noticed the black rocks that littered the path they were on - they were almost to the Black Range.

Rowan held a finger to his lip, “Sh, we don’t want the Hitomi to hear us.” He explained, though he did know that no matter what, they would run into the fiends. Hitomi had sharp eyes, sharp ears, and even sharper teeth. It was inevitable.

They tracked on a bit further, the forest soon became suffocatingly dense. Then, all of a sudden, the thicket disappeared, and they were in a dark clearing - though the trees still bended and covered the sky. Glowing stone were scattered on the barren, black ground, and an entrance to a cave lie before them. Thee was a little wooden sigh, half falling over, that read ‘Black Range - proceed at your own- ’ The rest of the sign was missing. It look as if an animal had taken a bite out of it. They walked forward cautiously, looking around for any sign of the little beasts. They only made it half way into the clearing before the realized they were surrounded.