• ~Soulless~

    Entwining if Futures



    Darkness filled the sky, the clouds engulfing the light of the stars and the moon which desperately tried to shine down onto the ominous city below. The wind softly howled over the roof tops of houses, gently pushing the clouds across the sky.
    The City below was quiet, almost devoid of life. The occasional barking of a dog could be heard echoing through the alley ways. Streets were silent and dark, only the weak glow of street lamps lit the way from corner to corner.

    Faint footsteps could be heard slowly making their way down a silent street. The footsteps belong to that of a young woman. Long, light brown hair touched just past her shoulders, Bright green eyes resonated as light from the street lamps came in to contact with her. She was a little on the short side, she wore a long sleeve jacket, black with white sleeves, a long black skirt with frills at the bottom, just reaching to her ankles.

    She occasionally looked behind her and began to speak quietly to herself as she walked. There was no doubt from her facial expressions that she was scared of the unknown in this city. Alone at a time like this, there were reports every now and then of young women being brutally murdered in this city by a criminal known only as ‘The Butcher’ by the locals and the royal guard has yet to apprehend. She shuddered as she took in a deep breath.

    “This was not a good idea; I should not have gone through with this. I should have left earlier…”

    She hurried her steps, her boots clapping against the hard stone streets. She turned a corner and slowed her pace as she saw a male figure standing under a street lamp, staring up into the sky. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as Goosebumps crawled through her skin. She lowered her head as she tried walking past him, averting eye contact from the stranger. The man took a step in front of her. She couldn’t help but look up at him.


    The Stranger was much larger up close, his eyes were dark and lifeless, strands of grey hair protruded from the underside of a top hat the man wore, complete with a long black coat almost touching the ground.

    She watched as the man opened his dark coat slowly, only to reveal a cleaver hidden within his clothing. The young woman’s eye widened, all the reports, all the conversations she had heard about the so called butcher had been coursing through her mind since she started to wander the streets tonight, now she was standing an arm’s length away from him.
    The man grinned, seemingly pleased with the horrified expression he had created on her face. He raised the meat cleaver to his mouth; his tongue slithered out from between his yellow stained teeth and gently licked the back side of his blade.

    “Butcher….”

    The only word that could escape her mouth. He raised his cleaver above his head and forcefully drove it down towards the young woman. By instinct, she jumped backwards, nearly falling. Immediately she turned her back and ran blindly.

    The Butcher cackled, his voice echoing through the streets, he charged after her with frightening speed, quickly gaining on her, his wicked smile never dissipating as he closed in.

    She turned left and cut into an alley way, through the lightless route she slammed into someone; she fell backwards onto the cold concrete as the other figure just stood there, unflinching. The young woman stared up at the new shadowy figure. The wind began to pick up and soon the eerie light of the moon shined down into the city. Standing before her was no human, but a demon. Slowly her eyes examined its body, a male demon and a tall one at that.

    The demon was very tall and thin, his clothing was old and ragged, crudely stitched back together where rips had formed. A long open jacket, sickly gray in colour, faded blue pants with patches all over hung loosely by a large rope belt around his waist, A dirty white shirt underneath the jacket, with countless holes and dried blood covering it. His arms were thin, as if devoid of actual muscle, linen bandages were wrapped tightly around his forearms and his withered hands ended in sharp, bone-like claws. His face was covered by a burlap mask that had been stitched into his skin, opening around the mouth had strands of stitching through his lips and his eyes had no pupils, just white and blank, his hair was a light grey and stiff as if made of straw. To complete this intimidatinting façade, the demon wore a high crowned, wide- brimmed hat. Behind the demon, in a holster over his back was a farmer’s scythe.

    No sooner had the young woman broke free from her trance did the Butcher make his way into the alley. The young woman stood to her feet fast as she looked behind her, now trapped between a murderer and a demon; her heart sank. Absolute silence between the three of them, she could feel the tears weld up behind her eyes as the Butcher ignored the new figure and slowly began to advance on his prey.

    “Garrick Remington…..Better known as the Butcher….”

    The demon said with a sinister voice, catching the attention of the murderer. The Butcher looked over to the demon with a surprised expression, as if broken from a trance. Slowly the butcher licked his lips lowering his cleaver.

    “How do you know me…..who are you….?”

    Garrick demanded an irritated look growing on his face. The demon grinned faintly as his eyes narrowed.

    “We Bounty Hunters learn a lot about our prey before we strike them down, you are no exception.”

    Garrick took a step back, withdrawn at what the demon was saying. It was well known that Bounty hunters were dangerous, intelligent and merciless people; never did Garrick think he would be in this position. Out of fear, Garrick lashed out at the demon; swinging his cleaver up into the air and charging towards his new target.

    The young woman ducked out of harm’s way as Garrick ran past her. The cleaver was swung down with all of Garrick’s strength; the demon quickly removed his weapon from its holster and blocked Garrick’s assault with the back of his Scythe.

    The Demon grinned as he overpowered Garrick, knocking the human back. Garrick stumbled, trying to regain his balance. Garrick growled under his breath, an arrogant grin plastered on his opponents face. The demon began to advance on Garrick.

    “I guess you know what I plan on doing. People around this city know you lurk in their alleyways and stalk the young women who live here…but you have been crafty in keeping your little killing shenanigans under wraps……I however have seen you before out in the night with little evidence; until now. You with a revealed cleaver….Chasing young women that are foolish enough to venture outside, oh yes….your head is mine little insect.”

    The young woman was backed to the wall, she looked over at Garrick and he had fear in his eyes. To think someone so cruel and violent would show such signs of cowardice. Though she was scared herself, she could not help but feel a little good inside; knowing that a dog such as this was about to be put down.

    Garrick exploded into a fit of rage as he charged the demon once more, his cleaver swinging violently in the air.

    “Not a chance demon, you will never take me! I refuse to die here. I will cut you to pieces like all the rest!”

    The demon was calm, a large grin swept across his face; the stitches in his lips stretched as the demon bared his needle-like teeth. Quickly, the demon swung his scythe forward with speed and power. The length of the scythe by-passed the cleaver and tore through Garrick’s right arm like a hot knife through butter.

    “Why do you criminals always want to do it the hard way?”

    The demon chuckled quietly. Garrick was in disbelief, the attack was so swift he could not even feel the pain, just a numbing sensation; as if this was not even real. Before Garrick could even react, the demon gripped his throat with his boney hands. Slowly, the demon lifted Garrick off his feet and raised him so their eyes would meet.

    “Don’t feel too bad Garrick……we must all die some time, some sooner than others.”


    The demon narrowed his eyes and gave Garrick a sadistic smile, his sharp claws began to dig into Garrick’s throat; tearing through his flesh. Garrick struggled helplessly as blood trickled down his neck. The demon’s claws digging deeper into his throat, Garrick throat was clogged with blood, his vision became hazy; the struggling of the Butcher began to fade.

    “No……”


    A desperate word escaped Garrick’s mouth before he fell silent. The demon grinned, releasing his hold on Garrick’s throat and letting the body drop to the ground. The young woman was shocked, just a few moments ago she was about to be just another nameless victim of the Butcher; then out of the darkness, like a guardian angel this stranger had given her a second chance at life.

    When she broke free of her trance, she noticed the demon staring at her. She knew she should be frightened by him, his sickly thin body, his tattered clothing and ruthlessness; a creature the elderly would make up in a horror story to scare the young. But for some reason she felt safe being near this mysterious creature.

    “Scared?”

    The demon said in a raspy voice. She looked at him with hollow eyes. The demon pried the cleaver from Garrick’s severed hand and with a flick of the wrist, jammed the weapon into Garrick’s head.

    “You gotta be one dumb woman….Coming out by yourself at a time like this. There are all kinds of creatures in the dark waiting for a young woman like you to come along. Then again……If it was not for the commotion you made while you ran down the streets, I may have never found this b*****d…”

    The demon swung Garrick’s lifeless body over his shoulder and turned his back to the young woman. Without anymore to say, the demon quickly made his way down the other end of the alley and faded into the dark. Taking in a deep breath, the young woman could barely believe what has just happened, she put her back up against the wall and stared into the darkness of the alley in which the demon disappeared into.