Interlude III: The Forgotten Bride file 02

To call it awkward would be to cut it short. When Abram was in the middle of the hunter camp looking at Rush Collins, finally returning from the center again, he was given special leave to calm the situation down back in the town. Abram knew he was being followed and had worried for a moment that he may have tried to run for it, but true to his words, the man was back on the hunter's grounds, and there was no leaving the labyrinth if its owner didn't allow it. For a moment, Abram wished to just banish them altogether, but there was no evading his old friend if they were going to live in the same cramped little hideout.

''So there you are, you sneak. About time you showed your face.'' Collins stood in front of him with clear anger in his voice.

''I suppose we can't just let bygones be bygones, right?''

''You almost bled me to death, man. Don't expect me to just shrug that off.'' Abram felt he got beaten really badly too, but he honestly felt it was fair all around.

''I know, if someone else had gone after you, they would have just killed you. I just didn't want that to happen.'' Abram keeps his sight low under his cap.

''How generous of you, a real hero huh?'' Rush grabbed his shoulder and raised his cap with a finger, forcing him to look at his eyes.

''It was the same for you too right? You started working for them to not be killed. These people are some real monsters. "

''It was like that...at the beginning, but now, I don't think I'm against it anymore.'' He didn't seem that happy, with the answer, Rush stood back and crossed his arms.

"I should have guessed something bad happened to Nicolas. If you had the money for a drink, there was no way you two wouldn't have hit the bar together... is Aisha alright? You had a sister too if I remember.''

''She is here too, they gave her a home and a job.''Collins gritted his teeth.

''They sure have you by the neck. Well, I guess I'm stuck here too. You really drag me over to your hell. ''

''Sorry about that, I'm also sorry I wasn't able to take down that worm demon in time, is because I let it escape that so many of your men died.''

''Huh, well at the end you hunters finished the job, but hey I could have killed it off myself, don't you go forgetting that.'' Collins clapped his shoulder.

''About Nicholas...''

''No need to worry, he put Aisha in danger. He just got what was coming to him... all of us demon summoners get it eventually.'' Collins was visibly upset with his indifference.

''Maybe, but us demon summoners are still just humans. You know that right?''

''Are we really? Not that long ago we violently attacked each other and yet, it barely matters now.'' Collins got his point but Abram didn't seem convinced.

''Even though we are so numb to pain, that is just our bodies, and you know, living still hurts like hell.''Abram sighed, but it seemed that Collins didn't hate him at all. If that was an inhuman reaction, he could still only be thankful for it.

''So any place in this dump where we can get a drink?"

***

The closest thing to a bar you could find in the underground maze was nothing more than a food court. You weren't going to find alcohol that often, but if there was something that anxious soldiers were on the lookout for, it was a good drink and something the higher-ups delivered. There was only so much left, but it seemed the old lady wanted to please Rush and gave them permission to finish it off.

''Well, if I'm stuck here, I'm going to open a new bar myself, I won't be hunting demons every minute of the day after all. Besides, I'm going to have to close the bar on the surface. " The two of them sat down. There was barely anyone around at such an early time in the morning.

''I don't know if this place may look really cheap, but it should get the job done.''Abram said still unsure as he looked at the old dinty place.

''We may as well be drinking sewer water, but I'll take it, there is a ton of work ahead, the city guard and all the people that are starting to move to the labyrinth, I have to manage them both, at least the old crone in charge said I won't be going on any hunts for a long time.''

''I'm sure you will do better your first time than I did. They have worked me to the bone here.''

''I notice you aren't such a wimp anymore, not if you can take one of my punches that easily, demon or not.'' Collins smirked.

''Yeah, but I rather never do it again." Abram seemed to smile a little. They were both on the same side of the counter. It almost felt like the time Abram went for a drink without a care, but he knew it was but a pleasant mirage, Collins was angry and there was no telling if he would ever truly relax again. Abram looked down at his drink and only thought that at least the man was still alive.

''Abram, it is rare to see you at the mess hall this early.'' Abram became tense when he heard a woman speak to him; he had not expected to hear her voice on her free day and knew he had forgotten to tell Collins something important, something he was terrified of telling a soul.

''Even rarer to see you with a friend... wait, is that Mr.Collins?'' Aisha had entered the mess hall with some bags. She wasn't dressed for cooking, so she didn't come to work on her free day at all, Abram lowered his cap.

''Well isn't that Aisha I haven't seen you in years. Sorry about Nicholas. But I'm glad your brother and you are better off now. It really feels like forever since I saw you guys. " Abram was tense at hearing him mention Nicholas's name. He had done his best to evade it as much as possible. It did look like Aisha didn't know how to react either.

''Brother? I don't really have a brother other than...Nicholas. But never mind that, why are you here? This place is pretty secret.''

''I joined the hunters...wait what do you mean you don't have another brother? The numbskull is right here.''Collins put his arm over Abram's back. He seemed to want to disappear into his drink.

''I guess I made a mistake, Collins I'm going to need to explain something. Abram whispered to the other men, Aisha clearly looking at the two of them with suspicion. She stood there awkwardly looking at them, Rush Collins nodded with his arms crossed, looking very upset at Abram.

''So I'm not confused." I really thought something was messing with my memory on our fight, but you know, I think your plan was really dumb. You are just running away scared, Aisha you really don't remember? This moron here grew up with you and Nicholas. You three have been running on the low streets of Creek since I can remember, back then when I was still just a brat. "Abram tried to grab Collins by his shirt, but he stopped him by forcing his head back with his palm.

''Come on, he saved the two of you from the slavers, and you three spend every day looking for each other, if that isn't a family, I don't know what is.'' Abram was truly angry now, as he finally grabbed Collins by the neck.

''Stop it, she will never be able to remember. You are only going to make this hard for her, is better this way.''

''I don't see how any of that is your choice.''

''Come on, just throw me a bone here.'''

''I won't consider it payback for dragging me into hell.'' Abram sighed in defeat and looked back at Aisha. She seemed to be holding her face in pain, trying to remember it by force, it would never work. It was only going to hurt her.

''Is this some kind of joke? I never met Abram before, but he saved me from Nicholas...It makes no sense. Why is my head hurting so much.'' Her voice was twisting in agony and the two of them stood up to help her sit down. Abram knew there was no point in hiding anything anymore.

''That is what your demon does?''

''Yes, he makes the people around me forget any memories of me...I'm sorry, but I had to use the demon to stop Nicholas. I would never have been strong enough myself...No need to worry It will not affect you anymore as long as I keep my distance.'' They did the best they could to explain.

''Í'm sorry I can't just believe that... are you really sure we were like brothers, Mr.Collins.'''

''I'll never lie, about something like this.'''

''Íf this is true, demons are truly despicable...I need you both to stay away right now, I'm not feeling well at all.'' Abram looked down at the floor and stepped back before his fingers touched her arm.''

''You're right and that is why we will hunt all of them down. We are both demons, so whatever happens, we are going to hurt people.'' Aisha stood up.

''Wait...are you going to keep fighting then... do the two of you want to die out there?''

''You said that demons are unforgivable monsters and I won't disagree...We are going to make sure no one will be able to summon them again, and monsters are the best to take care of them. Don't worry, we will make the evil of this city disappear. '' After Abram and Collins left the mess hall, he looked back at her, but he knew she didn't want to speak to them for now. The only thing he knew for sure was that they would never go back to being who they used to be.

''I can't just wait here...does this mean he is doing this because of me because I said demons shouldn't exist...I hope that's not true, what I'm even going to do in here...'' Aisha left the kitchen very distressed. She had only come to pick up some bags she had forgotten, but she now felt unable to trust any of her memories. She had much to ponder now. Abram and Collins walked among the hunters. Abram felt that he needed to scream at Collins, but there was no point. All this meant was that he had hurt Aisha again. Hiding things really was just a way to run away from this moment, nothing more.

''Is it true you don't even know the name of the demon you have Abram? I thought all of the demons of the city were well-known. Did it simply make you forget it? Abram tried to recall that moment again.

''It told me its name, we just call it a bride for the strange veil of mist that covers it...I think, the person that made a contract with me before it was a woman, I think she was consumed by that fog and became not even a memory, but I remember just one thing.''

''The demon spoke to me back then and whispered a name...and I forgot it...by my own choice I wished to forget it, Im sure of it."

''Sounds like you may be dealing with a very strange demon. Even Sabnock said there was something wrong with that forgotten bride.''

"Í'm sure, there are things out there that are best forgotten. If I were to remember their name, I may never be able to go back.''

Abram recalled the ghostly figure floating above him. A woman had died and her skeleton had been raised shrouded in mist. He couldn't recall who the woman was, or how she looked, but the demon whispered kindly.

''I can make you a hero with no face. We will both be one in this abyss. If you agree, then listen, listen to my name just this once. I am... ''That was all he could remember of that memory shrouded in fog, he could only keep going now. What was done was done.