Chapter 4

Haley did a back handspring and avoided the demon’s attack. She stopped and panted. So this was the demon that was following her? She did not care. Demons are always nocturnal. She clutched her samurai sword tightly. This demon was persistent.

She was wearing a midnight blue suit with a plunging neckline, showing some cleavage. She was breathing in and out. It was going to be a real tough night. She sighed and attacked the demon.

The demon went into defense stance. Its claws extended and curved into boomerang-like swords. It was sickening. As expected of it, the demon flung its newly grew weapons at Haley.

Haley jumped and avoided the claws narrowly. One got her at the leg and the other at her neck. She was bleeding. She charged at the demon using her sword she stroke the demon. The blow was terrifying, the ground the demon stood on cracked as it defended itself. Haley recovered from the attack, aimed another one at the demon’s waist. It jumped away.

Haley’s sword was tainted with purple blood. Without waiting she charged again this time her sword straight in front of her and she successfully plunged her sword into the demon’s stomach and plucked it out. She then swiped at its chest then stabbed its heart.

Her job was done. She cleaned her sword with a cloth and threw it at the demon. She turned around and walked away, leaving the lifeless body in the alley which will soon burst into flames.

‘You were slow.’ said a voice.

Haley caught by surprised, turned around hands around her sword. She looked around warily. How could a person escape her notice? It was a taboo for bounty hunters to let their enemies sneak up on them. The demon’s body was engulfed in flames and a figure leapt from the roofs above down.

Haley jumped back and prepared to fight.

‘Your moves were slow as expected of a rookie.’ the figure said. It was hard to identify was it a man or a woman’s voice. The figure stepped out from the shadows and revealed its face.

It was a her. The woman took a step closer to Haley. ‘Your moves were slow and your blows were feeble and look at yourself.’ said the woman.

‘Who are you?’ asked Haley. Actually it was more of an order than a question, it depended on how you see it.

‘Alison, bearer of Libra.’

Haley gaped like a guppy in water. She was stoned and petrified.

‘I’ve been watching you these past few weeks.’ said Alison. ‘The Council has shown interest in your unexcavated talent. Your records said that you have been killing demons since high school without the guidance of an Elder. How fascinating and rare.

‘You kind of remind me of my younger self.’

‘What brings you here then?’ asked Haley. She was wary and conscious of her surrounding. If this was one of another demon’s tricks she could at least prepare for an attack.

‘I’m here to take you in as my protégé.’

‘What!’ exclaimed Haley.

‘Oh yes, I was assigned to guide you onto your path of so called “true calling”, which is a bunch of bull crap to me.’

Haley was shocked. What did she a rookie do to end up with a legend like her? She could not unravel this mystery.

‘Starting from today, you will be put through lots of training to help toughen that weak and slow body of yours. Be prepared for the worse. Demons will come after you think they have found a way to me through you so, be on your guard.

‘And as we all can see you need a serious revamp on your killing skills. Your move as I said before, too slow. Tell me this, what will happen if you come up against a Greater Demon?’

‘Err-‘

‘Correct, you will perish and your life force will nourish its needs.’

‘I have a question.’ said Haley.

‘Yes what is it?’

‘Were you stalking me this morning?’ asked Haley, fitting her sword back into its sheath.

‘What do you think?’

‘You were-‘

‘I did not stalk you. Even if I did, I would do so with perfection and never left any traces of letting you have the feel of someone stalking you.’

‘Then-‘

‘I know you received the email. Big deal, I have received it too.’

‘But-‘

‘No buts, you are worrying about nothing. Tell me this, what chance is there for a demon to wipe out the entire of our race? It would be 99-99.9 for it to accomplish this feat. Either from the fact that the demon comes further back into the living from the Ninth Gate or its demon lord itself; it cannot wipe us all out. Understood?’

Haley was annoyed by Alison. She never liked people interrupting her while she speaks. She nodded her head to respond to Alison.

‘Good. Now you will follow me and see me as I kill a demon.’

Defying gravity, Alison kicked the wall and rebounded to the other side and climbed up wall with inhuman agility. She was fast no doubt about it. Haley not wanting to lose out joined Alison and together they jumped from roof to rood across the metropolis filled with gargantuan skyscrapers. The two dark and fast figures were oblivious to the people below.

It was obvious that Haley was losing out to Alison in all areas. She tried to keep up nonetheless. A gentle breeze brought on a pungent and acrid smell, which the humans are incognizant of. To bounty hunters, it was the smell that indicated their duties. Alison decelerated her speed so suddenly and Haley almost bumped into her. Away from them a few feet, an abandoned junkyard, filled with trash and unwanted waste was sealed loosely by iron fencing - no obstacle to bounty hunters and demons.

Alison jumped into the sky and landed silently on top of a rusted car. There were occasional creaks and rusted metal clanking but other than that there was heavy breathing and grunting. Alison on her toes crept silently along the fence and hid herself. She was careful not to give herself away and hid herself in the shadows.

Far away, Haley watched with fascination at her so called ‘guru’. Alison disappeared from view. Haley jumped onto the fence and it rattled.

‘Oh damn it!’ cursed Haley. ‘Crap!’

Haley scowled. She had alerted the demon. Taking drastic measures quickly, she leapt onto an abandoned bandwagon, slipped into it through a wounded down window and hid herself. She did so silently. She peeked out from the window and found the demon’s back facing her face. All she saw was pale flesh and its bluish-green vein protruded out from its flesh. As if it felt someone staring the demon turned around. Lucky for Haley, she dodged its sight and concealed herself within the bandwagon that was enwrapped by darkness.

The demon moved on. Haley inhaled sharply and exhaled. That was a close call if she was a fraction second later-

The wall of the bandwagon was shattered by a brute force. Caught by surprised, Haley screamed and scrambled to the opposite side of the bandwagon. The bandwagon loss its balance and tilted sideways and crashed to the ground. There was a hole next to Haley, caused by the demon. Without waiting, Haley exited the bandwagon through the window and sped away. The demon reacting to Haley’s panicky movements chased after her.

Trying to lose the demon, Haley jumped up onto heaps of contorted cars and leapt down to the piles upon piles of junk beyond. The demon was quick and agile. It followed Haley like a dog.

Haley concealed herself in a huge metal container and reached for her sword, panting. It was ridiculous, she and the demon was playing a game of cat and mouse, how professional of her. She peeked out from some punctured holes in the container. The demon was no where in sight. She let her guard down for a moment and took in a deep breath.

Her sword on her left and her katana on her right, she was prepared to unsheathe the two of them when the time comes. Her hands never left the hilt of her sword. It all came so suddenly. Something jumped down from above and sunk its teeth into Haley’s snow white flesh. Crimson blood trickled down her neck as Haley felt weaker as seconds passed. Her legs slowly losing its strength collapsed gently onto the floor as the demon supported Haley.

Her eyes slowly drew shut and all was black. Then it left her. The prickling sensation caused by the sharp canine teeth of the demon left. Haley opened her eyes at looked weakly as Alison battled out with the demon outside.

Alison’s dagger moved swiftly and fleetly in the air. Her movements were blurry. They were fast. Her feet moving to and fro, dodging the blows of her opponent. Sparks flared constantly as their weapons clashed together with an almighty clang, steel against steel. Realizing one was not enough, Alison equipped her other hand with another dagger.

The demon lashed out with its sword at Alison’s waist. She jumped and avoided it. She executed a gymnastic move forwards in mid air and pulled her dagger in a cross-like movement, slitting the demon’s throat as if it was nothing but fabric. She landed softly behind the demon and walked towards Haley. All happened accordingly to the professional demon exterminator.

special thanks to cheri my friend who helped me edited this story here and there.