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Touch of Ice

"(How is he?)" asked Damos with worry on his face. "(Is he alright, doctor?)"

"(Oh, he's alright, young one. I've stitched his wounds up. He needs a couple days rest, however. Also...I didn't know he's a mute)."

"(Yeah. I'm his interpreter)."

"(Oh, that makes things easier, then. I need to know what he needs. So, if you please come this way)."

Damos walked into the room with Gehen inside while the rest of the group waited outside. The doctor then talked with the mute hound with Gehen interpreting his signs. He seemed to be arguing with the doctor before the ash hound sighed and walked away. He then met the group waiting outside the room.

"(So)," said the doctor. "(When do you want to travel?)"

"(As soon as Gehen's ready to travel, doc)," said Zardes.

"(Then I suggest you start planning your travel. Your Ashen Sorcerer friend suggested to me that in order to quickly heal his wounds, he would use the ashes around him to close his wounds. Does any of you know any form of medical care?)"

"(Does first aid count?)"

"(Better than nothing, I guess. Look, his idea is interesting, but he'll end up tearing open his wounds or worse, make new ones. I suggest you keep him out of fights for three days or more. I know he's one of your best fighters, but I know you value his life, too)."

"(We are not planning to let him fight. Still, Gehen won't like it)."

"(Like it or not, he'll have to rest. Where are you going, exactly?)"

"(Around two days from here, towards the Temple of the Ashes)," said Ammon.

"(Hmm. I've never traveled there. Still, keep your Sorcerer friend safe and out of fights. He'll need it)."

The rest of the group (including Belial) agreed. Gehen was an important part of the group, but it would be for naught if he ended up killing himself for overexerting his body's limit. The group did not want him to kick the bucket for doing something reckless.

Of course, this did not sit well with Gehen, but the mute hound knew his body better than anyone in the group, so he simply let Belial who (reluctantly) carried Gehen on his back.

"I know you're hurt, Gehen, but this is the first and the last time I'll ever carry you on my back," said Belial. "I'm not a fucking horse!"

Gehen did not understood what Belial said, and the rest of the group did not bother translating it for the mute hound. They thought it was amusing to see a demon prince carrying an ash hound on his back, which, with the added humiliation of having his powers sealed, made it even better.

They walked towards where Ammon was directing them, putting all their hopes towards the vampiric Fuzandre. He was sipping a blood bag bought from the doctor's medical cabinet. It tasted good and quite spicy, even if it tasted a little...ashy. He liked the taste of a freshly drawn blood of a hellhound...somehow.

It was hard for Ammon to not give in to his urge. He did draw blood many times, but knowing that it was not with consent, he did not want to do so. Thus, the group had an idea to buy several blood bags from any clinics they could find during the journey, to help Ammon fight the urge to drink a living being's blood.

Still, it wasn't enough for him. The vampiric Fuzandre wanted fresh, oxygenated blood pumping from the heart of a living being. It tasted like wine. This tasted like regular juice. Even so, he wasn't going to force his way to it. It wasn't right for him. Even if he could do it, he did not feel it was right.

Even then, Ammon was grateful that his friends were able to help him satiate this urge, and he was forever grateful for them. He had been sporadically drinking blood bags he bought from the money he had on him and was helped by his friends in that regard during his time with them. At least that weakness of him would not cause him anymore trouble.

What troubled him, however, was the bat symbol at the end of the note they retrieved from the mysterious dead ash hound. Ammon was sure he had seen the symbol before, but where? It did not seem to have come from anything up on the surface, and he was sure that no Fuzandres had that kind of symbol as the crest of their family (some Fuzandres were assigned as dukes during the monarchial era of the hellhounds). It was clearly not the symbol of the Temple of Ashes. Somehow, he had the memory of ever seeing the symbol. Was it just a glance, or did it have something to do with his vampiric tendencies?

Either way, the first thing he needed to do was to help the group go to the Temple of Ashes. Aside from it being the closest to where they were, it was also a safe area, at least for Ammon. He knew the temple like the back of his wing, and he used to play hide and seek with several Fuzandres who were ordained before him. It was simpler times, long before everything started.

Now that he had reminisced about this, he wondered if the Head Priest would want him back, after everything he had done? He was self-aware of the fact that he was already kicked out of the Temple, but he had never heard about this from anyone. He just knew that his time was over the moment he broke one of its rules: no killing. It was funny to think that a demonic Temple would have a rule of no killing, but there it was. Ammon did not think twice. He simply fled, leaving everything behind (he did not have much to begin with, anyway).

Now, after five years of running, he hoped that the Temple would accept the group, except him, of course. He might need to stay on the side in case he caused disruption.

Ammon felt that everything that led to this point of his life had been done, and no harm done. It was for his own life experience. The confines of the Temple's walls were simply too small for his little adventuring desires (or something closer to survival).

He then wondered if he did not sense the cold ashes beneath Zardes and Malkar's paws. Would he be in Wayfar, hiding his naked, furless body from the sun and the people hunting him? There might be a different kind of adventure, though he would bet that it wasn't as best as he was experiencing now.

He had found a mute Ashen Sorcerer who he could call an ally, and also, a sealed Infernal Hell Prince who looked attractive and hot. Ammon felt drawn to the goat demon ever since he saw his bound form in the cell under the mayor's house. Even then, he wondered if Belial would think the same of him? He knew demons were all very liberal about who they love and who they did not. They still had their preferences, though. Would Belial think of him the same as he thought of Belial?

He shook his head. Focus, Ammon! He thought. This is no time to get your imagination wild! He was their compass in the Ashen Lands, and he needed to focus.

They reached a small rest area, one that Ammon was not sure about since it wasn't there before. Still, he knew it was the right way as the landmark, a giant petrified tree modified to become a way sign, was still there in the middle of the rest area. The area might've been developed from the travelers frequently resting under the tree. It was the right call, for the group was tired.

As before, water was not required by these demonic races (except for Ammon, who craved blood). They could just eat balls of fire like they were water, and they did so, with a complementary fountain of fire in the rest area. They seemed to like the fact that it was not as silent as their travels. Many travelers from different parts of the Ashen Lands stopped there to take a break, and this made a big gathering place for many, including the odd group.

The fact that they had an Infernal with them attracted attention, several unwanted, especially one of them. Belial made a low growling voice as the person approached them. He seemed normal at first, at least until they realized who he was.

"Asmodel," said Belial.

"Yes, my little brother," said Asmodel with a smile. His feline body was unmistakable from up close. His wings were folded behind him, and from the angle the group view him, it was almost impossible to recognize him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" said Zardes. His hand was on the hilt of his knife.

"It seems that you do not heed my warning. Not that I care about it, since it's entirely your choice."

"I don't think your mind game's going to work this time, Asmodel," said Zardes. We will get the Texts, whether you like it or not."

"This is why I hate persistent idiots," said Asmodel with a sigh. "It's not cowardice if you're smart, hellhound. I am giving you a fair warning, and you simply chose to ignore it."

"Are you going to do something about it?"

"Like I said. You chose to ignore my warnings. It's not something I'm going to worry about, however."

"Then why the fuck are you here, then?" said Belial.

"Giving you yet another warning," said Asmodel. "Unlike some of our siblings, I am as patient as I can always be. I will keep warning you to stay away, and that is something I am good at."

Belial wanted to keep defying his brother, but Zardes knew something about it and said, "Are they here?"

"No, hellhound, they are not. But, I think you'll notice that one of them have gone to deliver the news."

"Why do you have to make things more complicated that it does?" said Belial.

"Complicated things are my forte, dear brother," said Asmodel with a hint of pride. "But, I can make it simpler if you want my help."

"No fucking way," said Belial with a growl. "I know your style, Asmodel. Our last mistake is trusting you."

"Well, suit yourself, then," said Asmodel. "Still, I am here to tell you this. We have a common enemy, and they have something to do with the Texts."

"Can't you tell us what it is, then?" asked Malkar.

"Really, hellhound. Do you understand the concept of games?" said Asmodel, disappointed. "You can't go around and tell everyone the answer. That's no game at all."

"So, you'll hold onto the information until its revelation. What if it's too late?"

"Then too late, it is, if that's the answer. Let me give you a free hint, though. The answer lies with the symbol of the bat."

"That doesn't give us anything."

"Oh, but it is." Asmodel then turned and walked away from the group. "It's always good to know your relations, Belial. It might save you the effort."

"All I'm giving an effort for is not punching you in the face for annoying me," said Belial with a growl.

"Also, try to learn how to control your anger, Belial," he said with a grin. "It helps."

"Fuck you."

Asmodel did not seemed insulted, which made Belial even angrier. The Prince of Wickedness was pretty much a mysterious demon who had a lot up his sleeves. It would be best for the group not to follow Asmodel too much. Everything he did was for his own sake.

They resumed their travel to the Temple of Ashes, and like before, nothing seemed to be happening at first glance. It was as if the group that threatened them stopped after thinking that Asmodel was their apparent ally.

They realized too late that they had fallen into a trap.

It seemed like they had been walking towards where Ammon was going, but discrepancies started to become more apparent as they walked. Ammon noticed several things, including the fact that the distant petrified forest did not come closer after hours of travel, similar-looking trees that lined the street, and similar occurrences happening in an interval. Ammon noticed the similar trees, while Gehen noticed the peculiar sensation of the ashes.

As an Ashen Sorcerer, Gehen could sense all types of ashes, especially after a considerable amount of training. He managed to notice several things with the shift of the ashes underneath his paws. Normally, after a person had walked over the ash-covered land, there would be a considerable depression in the area where the ash was, much like how footprints were made on muddy terrains or over sands. It would stay there for a moment before either wind or other factors caused it to disappear.

Gehen felt this and quickly realized the peculiarity when he saw Belial stepped on his own hoofprint in front of him. Even if the ashes made the hoofprint harder to see, Gehen could feel the same depression and shape of the ashes being consistent with Belial's hooves. This fact meant that they either walked in circles, or an outside influence forced them to.

He quickly signaled his suspicions to Damos, who said, "(Gehen felt something. He said we're walking in circles)."

"(So, you found out, too?)" said Ammon while making a fighting stance. "(I knew it wasn't just me)."

"(What?)" said Zardes, confused.

"(The trees. At first, I thought they looked similar, until I found out that they were actually the same tree repeated many times. It was as if we're walking in circles)."

"(I found out that we are treading over our footsteps from moments ago)," signed Gehen while preparing to fight, too.

"(We're trapped in an illusion)," said Ammon. "(Everyone, stay vigilant. We're being ambushed)."

Everyone became alert and started defending themselves. Even then, there was silence.

That was when they noticed the dropping of temperature. The regular temperature of the Ashen Lands was slowly replaced with something cold, and it became far colder than normal. Somehow, the coldness became even worse when they realized that it made the area became misty. The others seemed to be affected by the coldness of the area except Ammon, who only noticed the mist but did not notice the coldness despite of being furless.

This peculiarity also made him more aware to his surroundings, especially when the attack came. He was the first to react against the attack, stopping the attack before it hit Damos, surprising both.

"What the hell? You're a vampire, too?!" said the attacker. "Shit!"

The attacker and Damos was surprised by the attack being stopped, but Ammon was more surprised by the fact that he could move that fast, and the fact that he managed to stop his attacker with his wings.

"(You alright?)" was the first thing Ammon could say towards Damos.

"(I'm fine. You really got him)."

"(Even I don't know how I move like that)," said Ammon while covering his body with his leathery wings.

The vampire in front of him disappeared into the mist, causing the rest to become even more alert. It did not help the fact that the mist itself started attacking them with illusions that looked so real. It was a fast kill, but they only killed illusions. It was then when there was an attack that hit Malkar, along with the vampire himself showing his appearance towards the others.

The vampire was, surprisingly, humanoid in appearance. He did not seem fazed by the heat of the Underworld. But, even if he was humanoid, he wasn't human. His skin was pale like a dead human, and his eyes were red. His ears were clearly not human as they were long, resembling a bat, but not really. He was wearing a coat, and his claws were long and sharp.

Malkar was face to face with the vampire, and he realized that the vampire fitted the description of a surface world vampire that was fictionalized. He was like Ammon, but unlike the Fuzandre, did not really have an appearance of a bat, just resemble one.

The hellhound did not give the vampire time to react. He quickly pulled a gun and tried to shoot the vampire, but before that could happen, he felt a numbing pain on the hand that held the vampire's claws from cutting Malkar's throat. He growled in pain as he saw his hand had become frozen.

The vampire did not notice Damos pulling a rifle. The hellhound shot him in the head, but quickly realized that he was attacking a mist. The speed of this vampire's attack became apparent as the mist reformed in front of Damos and grabbed his throat, showing a surprising strength as Damos was lifted over his head. His throat started to freeze.

Ammon, who was beside the vampire, started to become agitated as he saw his friend was getting frozen. Ammon quickly pulled the vampire's cape and tried to kick him away, only to realize that he kicked another mist.

"You are very fast, child of the night, but you are no match for my mist," said the vampire's voice among the mist.

"Our enemy is a fucking mist," said Belial. "This is not fucking funny."

"Any ideas?"

"I can do it if the fucking suit's not sealing my powers," said Belial. "Open the suit."

"Open the...how?"

"Read the fucking manual!"

"I won't let you."

The vampire seemed to realize that Zardes was the one who was carrying the suit's controls. He attacked the hellhound first, throwing him away from the group into the chilling coldness of the mist, which was an impossibility in the Underworld. He started to freeze as he ran back to the group, unable to even draw his sword.

Belial, cursing the fact that he revealed their strategy, was also unable to react when the vampire targeted him and started to freeze him. He was protected by the suit, but the mist started to form ice around him that started to immobilize him. Even with his demonic strength, he felt his energy being sapped by the ice. He was still conscious and fighting, but he then also realized that the suit's auto-restraint system was not deactivated due to the sudden attack, and the one carrying the device was Zardes. He was, in many ways, useless. This infuriated him to many degrees.

The vampire did not have time to notice the ashes underneath him attacking him. Gehen's surprise attack was the first time an attack could hit the vampire. He was thrown up towards the sky, but as soon as he managed to notice the attacker, he started dissipating into mist...

Only to be surprised by a flying Ammon, who opened his wings and flew towards the vampire and kicked him down to earth with a downward somersault kick. The surprised vampire was not able to maintain his misty form and he crashed to earth, surprisingly with a speed that caused a considerable amount of ash being thrown away.

Gehen snatched this moment to control the ashes and subdue the vampire, but he was not fast enough. The injuries he sustained from the earlier fight did not permit him to move. The vampire turned to mist and specifically targeted Gehen. Somehow, he did not factor the fact that Ammon, who was agitated with this, was thinking about his capabilities when the vampire called him one.

In the seconds before Gehen was grabbed by the vampire and froze over, Ammon thought about the vampire's ability to turn to mist and lower the temperature around him. Could Ammon do it too, or was it exclusively for the vampire? His primary concern, however, was to get to Gehen as fast as he could like the two instances he managed to dash towards the vampire and attacked him with incredible strength. He needed to believe that he could at least do both abilities and protect the injured Gehen.

The determination to help Gehen, and the realization of what he was capable of, made him able to propel himself towards the vampire as he materialized. The combination of the dashing speed and the strength caused the vampire to be thrown away from Gehen, and once again landed on the ashes.

"Oh, you damn pest!" shouted the vampire. "I've had enough of you!"

He turned his attack towards Ammon, who got to try his newfound speed and strength to fight back. They both dashed like crazy and attacked each other viciously, with the vampire attacking with his claws and Ammon defending his body with his wings and kicking the vampire when he could. Ammon also made the fight even by kicking the vampire upward and flew towards him, thinking that he was helpless.

He was not, and Ammon did not realize the claws from the vampire scratched his torso. It wasn't life-threatening, but it was distracting enough for the vampire to turn into mist and wrapped around Ammon's wings. He could not move his arm-wings and fell to the ground head-first.

"You may be a child of the night, bat, but I am a vampire blessed by the Dark God himself," said the vampire. "Your speed and strength are nothing against my true powers. I know you are a Fuzandre, the bastard offspring of the Dark God. You are not blessed by him."

"Bastard offspring?" He turned towards Malkar. "(What's that mean?)"

"(You're an illegitimate child of a god, apparently)."

"(What? No! I was an orphan, but I am clearly not a child of god!)"

"(That is not important right now! You are going to get yourself killed!)"

Ammon did not want to die without a fight. He started struggling against the mist holding him, and he managed to blind the vampire with ashes around him. Unfortunately for him, his wing-arms were too wide for him to roll away, meaning that he stayed trapped under the vampire. But the best he could do was kicking the vampire away from him.

This was when Malkar remembered something about the vampire legend, and the only means to permanently kill them. He shouted, "(Ammon! Grab him and hold him down!)"

Ammon did so, then Malkar frantically made a couple of signs towards Gehen, who nodded and extended his hand towards the two struggling vampires.

"Unhand me, you damn monstrosity!" exclaimed the vampire.

"(I don't know what you're talking about, but I don't take insults from a fucking humanoid!)"

Either it was because of the heat of battle or because he was simply thirsty, Ammon sunk his fangs to the vampire's neck. It simply immobilized the vampire, but he was still fighting back. This small distraction was enough for Gehen, as he manipulated the ashes under the vampire to form a stake that impaled him.

This surprised the vampire. He could only said, "I-impossible" as his body started decaying. "I am...blessed by the Dark God himself," he said. "H-how could I...lose?"

"(Now, Gehen!)"

It was a moment, but the ashes near the vampire formed a sharp blade and cut his neck like a reverse guillotine, decapitating him. Right at that moment, he slowly crumbled into dust, and the freezing cold temperature of the area suddenly returned to normal, with Zardes and Belial unfrozen.

"(It worked)," said Damos. He turned towards Malkar. "(How?)"

"(I dismissed it as fiction at first, but there are several ways for a vampire to permanently die. First, they will burn under sunlight. When that's not possible, staking them in the heart and cutting off their heads will do nicely. I can't believe it's not a fiction)."

"(And it was a good call to use signs instead of shouting your orders)," said Damos. "(He might realize something. Good thing he's preoccupied, huh, Ammon?)"

"(Yeah)." He looked at his wings. "(Yeah, it is)."

Ammon looked at the remains of the vampire as it slowly blended with the ashes around the remains of his body, joining what once also the remains of the people of old. The death of the vampire left Ammon with so many questions. How did he manage to become faster and stronger just because he was desperate to save his friends, and why did the vampire call him as an illegitimate child? Did he know something about his past?

Ammon was raised in the Temple of Ashes since he was an orphan who never knew his parents. His only parent figures were the priests and older children who helped him during his youth, until they were ordained and left him in their journey to spread the beliefs of the Temple. His constant father figure, however, was an ash hound priest who taught him how to talk Hordo and was also the one who ordained him.

Reminiscing about all this only made him suspicious about the vampire and his past. He did not remember much of it, especially when he was supposed to remember the symbol of the bat on the note. Was there any significance in his past that he seemed to know what it stood for? Did it have any connection with his differences with other Fuzandres?

Maybe if he returned to his home, he would know. But, for the moment, he was glad that he and the others managed to defeat yet another foe sent by a mysterious faction.

They finally found their rest in an ash hound village, where they started talking about the previous encounter. Belial was still frustrated with the fact that he was unable to do anything. Of all the things he hated the most, he hated being the useless guy in the group, and also being the reason why he was incapacitated for most of the fight.

Zardes himself realized how carrying the control switch would pose a problem, especially with the fact that Belial could slip and talked with Common. Also, unlike Malkar, who had better understanding of the controls, Zardes could not trust himself to operate it, especially during fights.

Belial tried to vent his frustration any way he could without starting the restraint system of his suit. He wanted to punch something, though Zardes was still unsure if he did not end up causing collateral damage. He then consulted Malkar about this, and to voice his intention.

"(Are you telling me)," said Malkar after Zardes talked about his intentions. "(That you're going to release him?)"

"(I know it's a risk, but we can't put a leash around him all the time. You should've known that by this point he's trying to gain our trust)."

"(I don't feel I can trust him more than I trust someone pointing a gun at my head)," said Malkar. "(Also, aren't we supposed to be his parole officer?)

"(We're being hunted from all sides and we really need a strong fighter in our midst. Ammon had just discovered his capabilities, and Gehen was clearly not fit to fight at the moment. We need a brawler, one that can fight relentlessly and do most of the jobs for us)."

"(He's still dangerous without his Infernal powers, Zardes. I know you have been talking to him all this time to let him see the world like us, but he's still a demonic prince that represents violence. That's just his nature)."

"(And I'm willing to take this risk, Mal)."

Malkar seemed hesitant with this decision. Zardes wanted to deactivate the restraining system, but Malkar quickly stopped him.

"(Trust me on this, Mal)," reassured Zardes.

Reluctantly, his hellhound friend released his grip. "(If we end up getting butchered by that goat, it's on you)."

Zardes acknowledged the fact, and he tried to approach Belial, before he was stopped by Ammon.

"(Do you think we can go together?)" said Ammon. "(I want to talk with him)."

"(Aren't you scared?)"

"(Why do you assume so?)"

"(Because every time Belial looked at you, you looked away. I thought you don't want to associate with him too closely)."

"(I know...I was just embarassed)," he said, blushing. "(Belial. He...he's my type, you know)."

Zardes couldn't understand it at first, but then realized what Ammon was talking about.

"(You_liked_ him?)"

"(I-is that wrong?)"

"(Kinda)."

"(Oh...)"

"(But don't get discouraged)," said Zardes while patting his back. "(I'll talk to him about this issue, then you can talk. It won't take long)."

Ammon nodded and smiled. Somehow, despite of the fact that he looked frightening to some, he was quite a sweet young demon bat when he smiled, showing a sweet side to the bat. Zardes wondered if Fuzandres also lost their agitating look when they smiled sincerely.

Zardes told Belial about everything, though the Infernal was still frustrated with the fact that it wasn't done earlier. After calming down from a long rant, he grudgingly agreed to it, and swore that he would not betray the group. Zardes, still reserved with the decision but nevertheless agreed that it was the only way, deactivated the restraining system and gave Belial free reign of his movement.

Ammon then came and tried his best to look as if he wanted to talk. Belial had noticed Ammon from the side, and he also noticed that the Fuzandre did not seem interested to talk to him. Armed with this thought, he sighed and said, "(What do you want, Ammon?)"

"(I-I just...I'm...)." Ammon was still shy. Belial looked so hot with the black featureless and glossy suit! He wanted to just suddenly hug him, but he knew he couldn't do it. He couldn't even start a friendly conversation with someone who suddenly struck him as his type.

Surprisingly, even for Ammon, Belial sighed and said, "(Don't worry, batty. Take it slow. I know you're not very good at talking)."

"(N-no, it's just...)." Ammon did not seem to think that going directly to the point would be the best course of action, so he sighed, calmed himself down, and said, "(I just want to know you better)."

"(Guess what?)" said Belial while grinning. "(You and I both)."

Ammon slowly gained his composure. He smiled back and nodded. They then talked, at first slowly, before it became something friendlier. Zardes was glad that Belial could even talk like a normal person instead of being a true demon as he was. Maybe living in the surface did influence his personality a little.

Seems like Zardes could trust his instinct about Belial, after all.