Split Souls

One Step Behind

Humans had a very odd scent to them. Different kinds of over laying scents, but an over all earthly scent that he didn't really care for. This particular place smelled of the group he was searching for above the rest. This group he hated most because it was always getting away from him. Just one step, even with the help that he'd gotten to find them.

This Drake that led them had been a thorn in Astor's side for twenty two years now. He'd yet to find him and what he'd stolen from him. Savon. His living key and it was clear that they weren't going to kill Savon so Astor could start over. No, Astor needed him to complete the ritual and that little bastard had gotten away from him.

Always so difficult as a child. He'd excelled at everything that he was taught. Anything that he could be shown. Yet when it came to having him do what he was told, it was easier to just rip your own spine out.

Savon was half acolyte, half human. Just what he needed for him to open the pathway and bring his other brethren out. Astor had been alive for a very long time. He was old and powerful. With age came power for his race. He'd be in complete control of everything once he brought the rest over. His own race and he'd be their ruler. He'd have used another if it was plausible, but the number that had been needed to bring Astor over was huge, and it was better if he used one being over millions.

"There are none here." A tall dark skinned man said. His eyes a solid black. Astor already knew that but was disappointed to hear it anyways.

Astor looked at the warehouse that he stood in, he couldn't even get a feel for Savon. He knew that he'd been here. There was the barest scent of him in this place. He'd called to him, as an acolyte. He should have to respond instantly to his call and return to him. He was his elder, he would do as he was told. Yet he fought it, managed what no one else was able to do. Apparently being a mix meant he could skirt the rules.

"Which direction did they go?" He asked moving to look at the different shelving which had been cleared. He curled his lip at the scent of holy water and moved on.

"To the east, but there's nothing to follow." He looked at the demon next to him, a weaker race. He could drain and kill him easily.

"Bring me the humans you do have." He said and the demon nodded moving to get them. Astor stood at six four and was muscled. He had broad shoulders and chest. If he'd been human he'd have been imposing, with the added bonus of being acolyte he was terrifying to those he met. Power hung around him. His hair was jet black and his eyes were yellow green with a dark black ring around the iris.

He pulled air into his lungs, nothing. Nor was Savon responding mentally to his calls which was making him even more angry. He knew that he was close by. He should have more control over Savon as he was his own flesh and blood. His eyes grew a little more yellow as annoyance and anger became stronger.

"Please..." Someone said as the demon came back dragging a man with. Another demon with red eyes was there as well holding a man and woman. They looked pitiful, and Astor could just feel annoyance at this weaker race. How had they managed to get control of the planet when they could barely defend themselves? Humans were simply cattle. They provided him with substance and entertainment like they were supposed to.

"No one is here and our scouts are dead. Your information was wrong, and a few of yours got away." Astor said to the man that the dark skinned demon held.

"This is the only other place we knew about. They don't share their holdings with other groups." The man was bleeding and bruised from the multiple beatings that he'd taken.

"Where are your other holdings?" He asked the man where he knelt, the demon's hand on his shoulder holding him there.

"We only have three and you've been to all of them." He said. Astor looked to the other humans.

"I want to know about this group here. Where did they go?" Neither spoke, they were looking at the ground.

"We don't know." The original man said.

"Kill him, he's useless." Astor said. The man made a protest, but the demon holding him slit his throat. Blood rushed from the wound and he fell forward to the ground. Making an odd sound before he was dead on the floor. The other two made slight movements and sounds of distress. The woman had silent tears running down her face.

"Tell me about this group." He said.

"We don't know much." The man said with a bit of a stutter. "The man named Drake, he's really good, like not normal."

"Not normal how? Like the few in your group that you used to hide from us?" He asked him. The man nodded.

"Yes." He said. "But we don't know how, he's got this other man with him. No one knows who he is, he's just freakish." He said Astor looked at him.

"What's the man's name?" He asked though he was sure he knew already.

"I don't know." The man said. Astor looked at the woman. She glanced at him.

"His name."

"I don't know," she said. "it's like Sabin or something." He looked at them. There wasn't really anything he was going to get from these two that he didn't already know.

"Give him to the soldier demons. Do what you want with her." Astor said. The two there held smirks. The woman looked absolutely terrified with what he'd just said. The man struggled a bit but was dragged off.

"Should have let me have her. I need something new. Always have those looking for certain types." Astor looked at the man that came up to him. There was a woman there as well next to him. Blonde hair pulled into a severe bun with a form fitting blue dress that came to mid-thigh. He was dressed in a suit pants and white shirt.

"You can have your pick with the next group." Astor said. These two daemons were extremely skilled and strong. But they preferred to have others do their dirty work. They came when he asked because it was stupid of them not to. They catered to the needs of demon kind as their kind right now was nearly as many as humans. However they weren't really demon. They were a special case like him.

"Excellent. We believe that there is a group of humans hiding not far to the south of here. Not a rogue group that fights against us, but a valuable one if found. Wild humans tend to have the best life in them." Astor looked at him.

"Find them and bring them back to the city. I want to see all of them before you do as you wish to them." The man gave a bow, his name was Vincent, her name was Lust. She found it humorous, he could care less. But they were two very important figures that he had in bringing others from the other side.

He might not be able to bring the acolytes over but he could bring all sorts of demons through. The more powerful the demons you used to perform the rituals the more you could bring over. It was a huge blow that this group had managed to kill Topaz.

"As you wish." The man said.

"A few of those humans we use to infiltrate the groups says that there may be an attempt on Remis." Astor looked at the woman.

"Then I will arrange to see him. This group has more than simple luck working for them." Astor said turning to leave. Only a very select few knew that Savon existed and just what he was to Astor. These two knew, though they didn't know exactly everything. That was information that he kept to himself. There was only two others that knew, Remis and Garien, this group was aiming for those higher up. Astor had a feeling that Savon might have something to do with that. So he was going to beat him to it and set a trap if he could.