The Past Bites

So many things had been happening of late. A demon in the city of Mare-Maris caused quite a stir and the military was on edge even after the demon had vanished. Six women had been killed by their own lusts, or by Belmont's sword. But those were things best left never said.

The day had dawned like any other day, with red rays of sunlight kissing the heavens like a new bridegroom. Clouds lazily road by on winds of chance and change. The wind blew cold air into the city since winter was fast approaching. The temperature this morning was roughly around 40F a slight frost in the air. It would warm up as the day wore on but for now it was chilly on the practice fields. Kitsume was currently doing as she had been ordered and the day was a bit colder without her presence.


A little girl, of about age 10, completely human. Sat on the edge of a lower stone wall that was more for dividing houses like a fence than for protection. Her green eyes watched the crowd. In her hands she held a white stuffed rabbit. Her brown hair was done up in two pigtails with pink ribbons curling around them. She wore a light pink dress that spoke of higher class living. Indeed her hair looked like it was delicately put that way. She was clean and well kept. She wore little white stockings, garters, and petticoats and little pink glossy shoes. People that passed thought she looked so cute sitting up there swinging her legs and watching the people of Mare-Maris go by on their business.

Three years ago today, something had happened to connect two very different people. And she was here to finally see him. Three years ago she had survived that horrible night only to be abandoned to the elements. Three years it took her to find him. She swung her feet and waited for that person to come by. He might not even remember her. But she would make him remember.

-371-

The Hunt had been going on for a little while now and Belmont had taken his fresh kills of those who neded to die. Those who had given themselves willingly to the demon. He disliked such a task. But his own hatred for those woman overcame it all. If anything, his hate for those that had taken them willingly into their embrace were more despised than the demons themselves. These creatures were like animals. Following their instints. The humans however should have known better than to partake in such filth. But thats just the way it happened. And for their lusts, each had met an end at his sword's edge. But still, even whilst that hate burned away most of the feeling for ending these peoples lifves, even in the dead man there remained a pang of guilt at ending them. Some had accepted judgement silently. Others had begged for their lives before the end. But regardless he had struck them down without need of mercy. Such were the ways of the Remnants. Today he spent his time on the practice fields as Kitsume continued to hunt for leads. Did he trust the girl on her own?

Enough was the answer he determined.

He had already completed his days cycle run around the walls of the city and was now simply practicing with his sword blade to ensure maxmium damage with each strike. His fighting style required such things. A quick counter strike once the block had been implimented, he needed something however to get around Kitsume's range. She had a two handed weapon, that needed to count for something out here. Two handed meant additional damage but it also meant less protection. The pole was a singlular item and if he could knock it or her off balance then recovery into a battling position would be slightly harder than it would have been other wise, and dpeending on the distance between the two at this point in time then it could be used in that case to close it and get in a winning blow. ( Or a fatal hit, really depends doesn't it?). A dark thought. He stabbed his sword into the ground and moved over to a fountain taking a cool drink of water. Refreshing himself of fatigue and of these thoughts.

He returned to his sword blade. To look at the sun as it cllimbed higher into the skies.

EXP: 445

The little girl hugged the bunny tightly as she waited on the wall. From her perch she couldn't see much more than people rambling about on their daily business. And what she wanted was him. He was a soldier, had been that night as well. Today was her tenth birthday and it was another sad day. Always alone, thanks to that fateful night. But she had come for a reason, Azrael would not be around today, he had too much to do. That man was wherever a multitude of death occurred. But that was his nature. He was her tutor and if there was going to be a lesson he would find her. With that in mind, she stood up on the wall and walked up the sloping portion to the top of the outer wall of this divided enclosure.

It was about six feet from the ground, but she walked, perfectly balanced, her shoes making little sound as she walked. On one side of the dividing wall was the street where all the people, carts and horses were going about their day. The other side was the Mare-Maris military compound. Well their training grounds. Her little pink dress whipped around her ankles as she stood there looking over the soldiers. She took a seat again, her legs hanging off the side and swinging gently. It was cold but the temperature didn't seem to affect the little girl as she looked down at the fountain just below her. A man, larger than life was down there and the moment he rose from the fountain, her green eyes alighted on his face and she knew him. He was the one. Softly she called, "Belmont"

-300-

Its always strangely ironic about how things like this tend to work, Belmont had been going about doing the same job that he had done on that day. Andd now a fragment of it appeared to be coming to haunt him. Not that he would be aware of this. Not yet. When he looked up from the fountain he saw that little girl and honestly didn't know what to think. The first thing that he thought when moving back over. Eyes on her as he pulled the sword out of the ground. Quizical. Confused. Was probably. " How did she get past the guards?". For a split second his grave senses flared. Nothing. Human. At least that he knew. It was perfectly possible that she could actually be this demon he was hunting in disguise. Demons were like that. Tricky. So he would keep an eye on her as he moved closer. Right before he heard his name. It was quiet. But. Unmistakeble. And he didn't think that Demon knew his name. Perfectly possible that it did. But he didn't think so. Not yet anyways.

" That is my name....Who are you and what is it that you wish from me?".

He spoke it in a neutral tone. Not threatening, but at the same time not overly friendly. The kind of tone one would use when they hadn't decided if someone was an ally or an enemy yet. Precisely the situation that the dead man found himself in at this very second.

EXP: 265

She watched him draw his sword from the ground and blinked innocently at him. She was human, purely human. But there was a sadness in those bright green eyes. He didn't know her. He didn't remember. Liquid pooled in her eyes, threatening to spill over. She reached up and wiped her eyes to keep the tears away. Then tried for a smile, albeit a very watery smile. "You don't remember me?" The voice was still sfot but this time full of emotion. "My name is Maya, today is my birthday. I'm ten" She watched him and that smile turned into a suspicious frown. She watched him approaching, the sword still not sheathed. "Three years ago today, my mother begged you to kill her." She reached up and hugged the bunny tighter watching him with suspicion as she continued to swing her feet back forth. "I didn't listen. I ran inside the house and hid under the bed." Now this, to anyone else, might appear to be so very wrong. Especially if they didn't know the story.

She ignored the last part of the question in that child way. And instead she looked about the rest of the training field. A few of the guards, who had been on duty and talking to buddies, all of a sudden caught sight of Belmont and the child. Drawing their weapons, they begin to approach "Hey. Get down from there Kid."
"You're going to be in so much trouble"
"What are you doing up there."

The three men were looking like they might actually be a little angry at the little girl sneaking into the training field. One was never sure who they would use for spies these days.

-307-

Belmont's heart sunk when she began to speak. It was all flooding back now The woman had been raped by a demon, she had a child. And Belmont didn't really know. Nor did he care whether she would be pregnant again this time with a filthy half breed. She had however, been raped. And she had begged for death. but the person Belmont had felt for the most was the young daughter. Perhaps he should have done something more, but he had only told her to run, thinking that like him someone out there might have taken her in. Adoption,it was common among those who had awakened after the dawn, very few families were actually related by blood. Belmont had given the mother her wish. He had given her a quick death. It was strange the ways that Remnants gave deaths to those who had through no will of their own been tainted. There had to be a kindness to it. Yet how could one be kind and cruel at the same time? To give her the quickest death would have been decapitation. But to do so would leave the body sullied. Unfit for mourning. And people that were forcefully tainted deserved to be mourned.

So the next best thing they could do was to rupture vitals. Belmont himself went for a direct knife to the heart. It didn't take long for a person to die from a ruptured heart. Five, ten seconds at most. In that time they would feel little pain. It would be like going to sleep. Albiet a very uncomfortable sleep. And this girl, she had hid under the bed and had likely heard everything. He looked up at those approaching. " Leave, she has my permission to be here". His eyes went back down to hers. For a moment a glimmer of remorse. Had she come seeking revenge for her mother? He wouldn't be too surprised. But she was young. Far to young to make a reasonable effort.

" I remember now. I know your mothers death could not have been easy for you".

He looked at the ground. " For that I am sorry"

EXP:381

The guards stopped for a second and blinked a bit stupidly. Looking to each other they shrugged and sheathed their swords. "But sir, she's a child?" But then one of the others nudged him and he looked between the child and a commander of the Remnants. He was more interested in the kind of gossip this would make than getting rid of the child. The guard was refusing to move at the moment and since he was staying so were his two friends.

The girl didn't pay them much notice, but instead glanced back to Belmont and offered him that watery smile. "I forgive you I forgave you then. It was..." she choked on these words with emotion. The tiny body holding tight to the bunny. Her legs stopped swinging. "Necessary." She hid her head in the bunny and sobbed a bit. The emotional waves just pouring off her. So pretty and cute in her sadness that half of the grown men that were there would have been heart broken. But she sniffled and looked up wiping her eyes. "But you promised... her before you... before she... you killed her. You promised to make sure I was alright." Her eyes narrowed as she watched him. "You promised and you left. The demons were still there. You went after them and you left. Never came back. They came back, they were there in the house hiding." She hiccuped and sniffled again. Tears sliding down her cheeks. So helpless and alone as she held the only thing left from that night. "I tried to go after you, but they caught me. Hiding in the house. They hurt me. Not like mommy, but they hurt me. You didn't come back."

-309-

If there was one thing that Belmont could stand less than demons then it was going to be soldiers who didn't follow orders the moment that he gave right to the letter, or right away. But that was just the way some of these men were, so he had to keep his paitnece in check with some of them They were simple guards, even so though the Remnants by technicality wern't any better or worse than any one else in the Mare Maris goverments military side. But they were more respected. He didn't know if these soldiers were just fishing for rumours to tell about the commander looking to speak to children as if he was some sort of monster like that who had an interest in those who had no yet reached maturity. He looked up at them and with a simple glare merely dismissed whatever they were thinking with a " Shes my niece, and she has a private message for me". Now not many people knew that Belmont hadn't any family. He wasn't really the type to speak. So the fact that he may wouldn't come as any kind of real surprise. That should take care of the men. But it wouldn't take care of the girl.

" i.."

The deead man didn't quite know what to say to that one. She had been there the entire time, heard everything that had went on, but worse. The demons had been there the entire time. Hee never had found the culprits for that one, he remembered as much now. And it seemed that whatever this girl had suggered had been on his head. But then. Back then he had told the girl to run for that very reason. He had thought that perhaps someone would have looked after her, if not then she would have come to the barracks. Nobody had came so he had sasumed that the former had occured. And it was better that she be with normal people than be around dead men. " I see, well there is not much I can do but apologise....I am orry for whatever wrongs these beasts suffered upon you, and am thankful they did not corrupt you as they did your mother..". He didn't at this point quite know what to do with her however.

" Have you someone who looks after you?"

EXP:411

The men, all three of them began to back off at Belmont's glare and after he says 'niece' they dispersed really quick. And that left him and the child alone. She watched them leave and sniffled. "they hurt me Belmont. They still try to hurt me at times. But I learned how to get away. I learned how to be free. They work with humans. There are a bunch of us. But they do bad things. Really bad things."

She sat there on that wall, and watched him. "You wont hurt me, will you Belmont?" After his answer she would nod and continue. "I kinda have someone to look after me. But they are the people who are in charge of us. They say we are nothing more than property. That no one likes us, that we are freaks. They use sharp things to punish us when we don't do what they want." The look on her face was so haunted that it might have been that this child had seen much more than any child should have seen. "They killed Danny yesterday. Because she wouldn't lick the lollipop. They killed her and served her leg for dinner. I didn't eat it, I couldn't. The others didn't know. No one listens to us. The truth is lies and Lies are the truth."

The next few sentences were said with a far away look in her eyes as if she was remembering the horror and repeating what she had been told, "Bad girl for telling lies. You need to be punished. Such a bad girl for making up stories. You should be ashamed."

-280-

A pang of guilt throughout the dead man. By the sounds of things indeed there were people who looked after her, but they also seemed to look after other children. And not in a way that was any good. Death seemed to be the result of disobeidience. And there was that little phrase. Lick the lollypop. Hee knew all too well what that likely meant. The girl was talking about little children performing sexual acts upon adults. Some humans were more monsterous than even spirits. He shook his head and bent down. She asked him if he would hurt her. The dead man shook his head. " It is not within my interests to harm a child". He said plainly. Well that wasn't totally true, his mind went back to the first tests for him. The test that had involved killing a hybrid child and its mother. He had not hesitated then.

" Tell me Maya"

He said to her, keeping his voice from showing anger. Although even as he repeated the mantra of the Remnants to himself again and again the dead man found himself begining to lose the grip of that emotionlessness he required to continue his work. " You must tell me where these people are, so that I may free your fellows from their grasp...there aare other places for them to stay, I will not have this be bound as a stain upon the honour of the city for much longer".

EXP: 261

Maya looked down at the bunny and then back up to Belmont. "I don't know. We are north of this city. On the coast. I can hear the ocean at night after the lights go out. It a small house with bars on the windows and a big tree out front. There is a dragon statue at the front." Her feet continued to swing back and forth as she watched him. Then she sigh and looked up into his eyes. Her eyes had gone from childlike sorrow, to haunted sadness, and now they showed an ancientness that no child should have. The forced aging of a child who had seen far too much for her young life. "You will come get us? You will come help? Please Belmont. This takes a lot of energy to hold this spell. But you can't just rush in. They will kill us all if they see soldiers." She watched him and nodded, "Yes, I am just a figment, a fragment of myself. You can touch me and I will feel real, but I don't feel. I told you I had found a way to be free. They give us drinks and food that make us sleepy or do strange things. During these times, I can be free. Please Belmont. Help me."

-213-

The girl didn’t quite know where the place was, but it seemed that something else had came out of her at this point. The one standing in front of him, wasn’t the real girl Maya. Just a part of her. A fragment she called it. This was clearly some kind of magic. Some magic that allowed her to, how was it that the mages put it. Astral project? He placed a hand on her shoulder and indeed the girl did feel real. “ Worry not, I shall give you your birthday present this year. You shall be free and I shall make sure that no one hurts you again”. He placed his sword on his back and began to think about what she had said, somewhere in the north. And a dragon statue. A dragon statue. Interesting. There were not many places in the city with those beasts. Dragons were mystical monsters, but usually attributed to demons. Particularly Pride. In a city ruled by kami a dragon statue had to be rare. He knew the city enough, but he thought that perhaps someone within the army would know more about tht area than he would. It was just a shame that Kitsume had already taken off to hunt that demon down. But then this did come after hunting down a spirit.

This wasn’t his duty as a Remnant rather something for the regular guard to deal with. No he was dealing with this as Belmont the man as opposed to Belmont the Remnant. Whilst he was a dead man. He still had a sense of protection. Particularly over children. And he was bound by that promise to the mother. A promise that he had failed to upkeep till now. He turned to her. “ Await me child. I am on my way now”With that, Belmont turned and made his way towards the barracks to find someone who would have an idea of this place.

EXP:340
PWC:326