Slayer: A Demon Hunter's Tale

by Nick Cranford

“Hey, John.” Aerin suddenly spoke. John could barely see her in the darkness, but he could tell she wasn’t looking at him.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” He asked. “I’m sorry.” She said, apologizing. “You’re sorry, what for?” The apology was so sudden, and he couldn’t think of anything that she had been at fault for; other than the obvious that was.

  “I brought you up here for nothing.” She said. In the dim light of the moon John could see her shoulders drop. “We couldn’t even get you fixed. This whole trip was a waste of time.”

  “Oh come on, don’t be like that.” John sighed and patted her on her shoulder. “They told us who to go to.” He reassured her. “We’re not leaving here empty handed. It wasn’t a waste at all.”

  “I… I guess you’re right.” Aerin finally looked back up at him and agreed.

  “Yeah, don’t be so hard on yourself.” John told her. “We’re in this thing together now, right?” He smiled.

  “Yeah, we are.” Aerin agreed with him again. “Thanks.”

  “Don’t mention it.” John said as he walked over and sat down on one of the stone benches. “So, this Dragon person they were talking about.” He started. “Who is she?”

  “Her name is Meredith, and she’s like family to me.” Aerin answered as she walked over and sat down next to him. “She’s a Mage, like me, but much better. Probably the best.”

  “Alright then, she sounds powerful.” John observed as he idly moved his bag back and forth on the floor below him. “So, where is she?”

  “Last time I saw her, she was in Los Angeles. That’s where she should be.” Aerin said.

  “Okay.” John stood up and shouldered the bag. “First thing tomorrow when we get back, we’ll jump on the first plane to LA.” He said.

  “You… You mean it?” Aerin asked with excitement in her voice. She jumped up from the stone bench and looked up at John with wide eyes.

  “Yeah, of course I do.” John answered. “Besides, the faster I get fixed the faster we can get to work, right?”

  “Yes!” Aerin answered.

  “So…” John spoke up in an attempt to wrangle in Aerin’s excitement. “Where are we supposed to sleep?”

  “Follow me.” Aerin said as she took hold of his hand. “This place doubles as a safe house for Angels and Slayers, so there’s a room in the back.” She explained.

  Aerin led John down a dark hallway that he hadn’t noticed before. It was situated off to the side of the main room and it seemed to stretch on forever. He didn’t know how in the world Aerin was seeing in the darkness, as she hadn’t cast her glowing orb as she had before. He could only assume that she navigated the halls on pure instinct from having stayed at this place so many times before; it was as good a theory as any. Finally, she opened an old wooden door. Inside was a small room with a single candle strangely burning on a nightstand. Next to it was a small bed with an old mattress and pillow.

  “You can take the bed.” John said as they walked inside. “I’ll sleep on the floor over here.”

  “Are… are you sure?” Aerin questioned as she shut the door behind her.

  “Yeah, don’t worry about it.”

  John took out a small blanket and spread it out for Aerin to use before moving his bag to the floor. The ground was cold and hard, but luckily was made of wood instead of stone like the rest of the building. John buried his head into the bag, which was the only thing soft about the floor. He could hear the springs of the old bed next to him squeak as Aerin moved around on it. His eyes closed and he attempted to drift off to sleep, but unfortunately for him that sleep wouldn’t come. He rolled over onto his left side and then over onto his right. No matter what position he lay on, it never got more comfortable. This procedure continued on for what felt like an eternity, finally John returned to his back and sighed.

  “Hey, John.” Aerin spoke softly from the bed.

  He could hear the sound of the springs squeaking on the bed as Aerin moved over to one side. He looked over in time to see her pat the side of the bed that was now free. He thought for a moment on whether or not he should stick it out and play out the role of the tough guy, but sleep was something that he actually desired. With another sigh he picked up his bag and joined Aerin on the bed. He continued to use the bag as a makeshift pillow as he lay down. Aerin turned away from him and offered as much of the blanket as she could muster.

  “Thanks.” John said, snuggling down into the bed. “Don’t mention it.” Aerin answered back.

  “Night, Aerin.”

  “Goodnight.”

  Chapter Six

  The train slowly rolled into the atrium beneath the airport. The room was massive, big enough to fit multiple trains side by side that were coming to a stop within it. The ceiling above arched high into the air and screens that displayed flight times were suspended from its height. As the brakes made a high pitched squeal, John impatiently pulled out his phone again to check the time. The bright display read 10:03, and their flight was due in two minutes. Once they came to a stop and the doors slid open, John made his move.

  “Come on!” He urged.

  He shouldered his duffle bag and took hold of Aerin’s hand. They pushed and shoved their way through a sea of travelers as John led them up a series of escalators and down a long corridor that opened up into the main entrance lobby. The room was large and full of arched windows that showed an impressive display of the runways that sat before it. Dozens of planes touched down and lifted off in the distance as people crowded around the ticket booths ahead.

  John bobbed and weaved in between dozens of people as he pulled Aerin along behind him. He had been moving nonstop since he had left the train, and his legs were beginning to feel the burn. Finally, after moving for what felt like forever, John reached the terminal desk. He dropped the bag beside him and fished in his pockets for the two tickets. Aerin dropped her bag next to John and leaned against him to keep from falling over. She was breathing heavily, and had John not been concerned for himself he would have worried that she would pass out. He slid the tickets across the desk to the receptionist that wore a big smile on her face.

  “You’re just in time.” The receptionist said as she scanned the two tickets. “One-zero-four to Los Angeles is boarding right now.” She smiled and slid the tickets back across the desk.

  “Th-thanks.” John replied.

  He quickly propped Aerin back up on her feet and picked up both bags before they made their way over to the scanners. John sat both his and Aerin’s bag up on a conveyor belt that lead to an x-ray scanner. As the bags were scanned, he and Aerin were quickly patted down to ensure no weapons were brought aboard. After this was done, their bags were returned to them and the way to the gate was clear. John couldn’t help but snicker at the fact that he would indeed be carrying a weapon on board, a weapon that no scanner would be able to detect.

  The plane they were boarding was one of a few massive craft that were constructed just outside Station. It was called the Skyline, and it was the pride of Station’s air fleet. The plane was massive, capable of carrying nearly one thousand passengers and a belly full of cargo to boot. John and Aerin both marveled at the sheer size of the structure through the small windows that lined the boarding arm they walked across. The walk was a good fifty feet from the terminal to the side of the plane, then they had to navigate the insides of the beast.

  The Skyline was rather roomy inside. There were three large rows of seats on either level, two along the sides and one larger one in the middle. John glanced down at the tickets in order to find their seat. He followed the instructions written on the tickets and carefully led Aerin down to the bottom level of the craft, just above the cargo hold. From there they moved to the right side of the plane and found their seats in the fourth row from the back. Aerin quickly jumped in and secured her spot next to the window as they had been lucky enough to get window seats.

  John simply shook his head at her childish action. He opened the hold above and began to stow t
heir bags. The small compartment was barely large enough to fit them both, and he had to really work to get them in. John looked around as he stuffed the bags into the hold; the level they were on wasn’t nearly as crowded as the ones above. This came as a relief, as he wasn’t a big fan of tight spaces and a relatively empty cabin would make for a peaceful flight. His thoughts were abruptly cut off as he was suddenly broadsided from the right.

  “Hey, careful!” John scolded as he stumbled sideways.

  The person who had collided with him was an older man. He mumbled something under his breath before quickly moving around John. The man’s oversized coat fluttered as he moved quickly to his seat just a few rows ahead. John hadn’t gotten a good look at his face, only his backside and the brown trench coat that ran below his knees. As he made his way over to his seat, John could see him fidget in place, and it left an odd feeling in the back of his head. He disregarded the thought and took his seat, simply chalking it up to a nervous flyer.

  After a short while, the boarding arm retracted from the side of the plane and it began to taxi over onto the open runway. The captain spoke over the plane’s PA system and instructed everyone on what would take place shortly. As he did the engines could be heard spinning up outside. Both John and Aerin fastened their seatbelts and awaited takeoff. Once the captain had finished his speech, the engines spun up loudly and the plane coasted down the runway. John gripped his armrests tight as the plane lurched backwards. He looked over to see how Aerin was fairing, and was surprised to find that she was gripping her armrests as well while holding her eyes shut. It struck him as odd that an Angel wouldn’t be accustomed to flight, but he quickly shook the notion. In a matter of minutes they were airborne and well on their way to Los Angeles.

  John reached down and pressed a button on his armrest to pause his movie. The man in the trench coat was passing by him again. He watched carefully as the man made his way to the bathroom, looking around nervously before entering. This was the sixth time that this had happened, and John’s suspicion was getting the better of him. The first few times he had paid the man no mind, but by the third his concern had grown. He stood suddenly and started to walk away before Aerin called out to him.

  “Is something wrong?” She asked as she leaned over his seat and out into the aisle, still holding onto the shopping catalogue she had been reading.

  “It’s nothing.” John quickly answered. “Just heading to the bathroom.”

  “Oh, okay.” Aerin leaned back in her seat and continued to flip through the large magazine.

  John made his way toward the back of the plane. The area around the bathrooms was generally unoccupied, giving him an opportunity to wait around for the man to leave without seeming too suspicious. There were a few doors leading to bathroom stalls along the back wall and John kept his eye on the one that the man had entered. The man stayed in the stall for what felt like forever, and John was growing impatient. He walked over to the door and made a motion to knock, but as he did it flew open.

  There he was, face to face with him. He had finally gotten a good look at the man’s face; it was wrinkled and worn as if he was very tired. The man’s eyes were a dark black that seemed to gaze through one’s self. His hair was messy and his beard was unkempt. Quickly the man averted his gaze down and away from John’s. He nervously backed up into the bathroom for a moment before quickly pushing past him. As his hand connected with John’s arm, something happened.

  It was different than the first time he had shoved him out of the way. There was something there that John hadn’t seen before. He wasn’t quite sure what was happening; it was as if a new sense was opening up to him for the first time. He saw things he didn’t understand and felt things he couldn’t comprehend. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he could feel that something was wrong with this man. As the man rushed back to his seat, John stumbled into the bathroom and shut the door. He stared at himself in the mirror and looked into his own deep green eyes. He had seen something back there, something that left an unsettling feeling within him.

  He splashed some cold water on his face from the sink and thought on what he’d seen; something looked familiar, almost like he had seen it before. It was spherical in shape, and hummed with a soft blue glow. In a moment of clarity he knew exactly what it was. He had seen the man’s soul, somehow. It was just as he had pictured his own, only something was terribly off with this one. There was something else there, something that hadn’t been in John’s. It had coiled itself around the sphere like a snake. John knew that he needed to talk to Aerin about this, so he quickly moved back to his seat and explained the situation.

  “And that’s what I saw.” John said as he finished his explanation. “At least, it’s what I think I saw.”

  “No, I don’t think you imagined that.” Aerin pressed her chin up against her hand as she rested her arm on the seat. “It’s just…” She looked over toward the window. “Not here.”

  “What is it?” John asked.

  “From what you described, it sounds like the man is possessed.” Aerin stated. “The way you said it was coiled around his soul… it’s definitely a demon...” She stated. “But, why here?” She thought aloud.

  “Set up a barrier.” John’s disposition suddenly changed to something more serious. “Do that and I’ll take care of it.”

  “I would, but…” She shook her head with a sigh. “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” John questioned.

  “A barrier can only be tethered to a static object. Since we’re moving through the air so fast, it would shatter the moment I set it up.” Aerin explained.

  “Well, damn.” John muttered as he thought. “I guess we’ll just have to play this slow.” He said as he leaned back into his chair. “Nothing else we can do.”

  Aerin nodded in approval of his statement and they began the waiting game. The minutes seemed to drag on for an eternity as they watched the man ahead of them. Finally, after half an hour had passed by, he made his move. John watched, careful as to not stare too intently, as the man passed by; he could feel it within him this time. John watched as he once again walked to the back of the cabin, but this time he didn’t enter the bathrooms. The man made his way over to a staircase that was designated for “Flight Attendants Only”; he moved the small chain blocking the way and proceeded down the stairs.

  John quickly stood from his chair and beckoned for Aerin to follow. They made their way to the back of the cabin and down the staircase quickly. The lower level seemed to be some maintenance area of sorts. It was cramped and only lit by dim floor lights situated along the walkway that bathed the hall in a harsh red glow. There were wires exposed in excess that hung from hooks along the walls. Up ahead was a hatch that was left open, it seemed to lead down into an even lower level, which John only assumed was the cargo bay. Before he could progress any farther, he suddenly felt a presence behind him other than Aerin’s.

  “Hold it right there, buddy.” A voice called out from behind them. It was strong and commanding and resounded with authority, though there was a hint of overcompensation to it just slightly.

  John slowly turned around to face the man behind him. His torso was covered by a tan sports coat with a white button up shirt underneath. His slacks matched his jacket and his shoes were dark grey. On his hip was a small holster of sorts that his right hand was rested on, John could only assume there was a pistol or a Taser inside. The man gave off no sinister impulses and appeared to be completely human in nature, thus the only logical conclusion was that he was the plane’s Flight Marshall.

  Coming to this understanding, a new avenue opened up within John’s mind. He needed to think quickly on his feet to resolve the situation. Were he to fight this man here and now, it could severely hinder the rest of the flight and cause problems for them later on. John glanced over to Aerin, who looked up at him; she waited for him to make his move. Suddenly, inspiration struck. He nodded to Aerin, and she nodded back in understanding as she was ready and willi
ng to follow his lead.

  “You must be the Marshall.” John spoke nonchalantly, much to the man’s surprise.

  “Y-Yeah.” He responded, completely thrown off guard by John’s expression. “What do you think you’re doing down here?” He demanded.

  “They said you’d be the one to cut us off, right?” John looked down at Aerin, to which she nodded in reply. “His description is spot on, don’t you think?” He asked, once again looking toward Aerin. “Yeah, all the way down to his clothes.” Aerin answered, following John’s lead flawlessly.

  “What are you talking about?” The man asked. “Who told you about me?!”

  This was playing out exactly as John had hoped for. The years he had spent in theatre back in high school were finally paying off. He had gotten into the man’s head; he could see it in his face and hear it in his voice. He would need to choose his words carefully from this point on in order to make the ruse believable.

  “I’m afraid that’s classified.” John answered. It was the perfect copout, though a bit cliché. He needed to get the Marshall to believe he was some high level authority figure, if he could do that then the man would play right into his hands. “What I can tell you.” John began. “Is that there is a very dangerous man on board right now.”

  “Oh is that so?” The Marshall tightened his grip on the handle that hung from the holster on his side. “Why should I believe a word you’re saying? What proof do you have?” He demanded.

  “Partner.” John glanced over to Aerin. “Show our friend here the only proof he’ll ever need.”

  Once again, without even being given explicit instructions, Aerin followed his lead to the letter. She raised her hand toward the man, which caused him to flip open the strap on the holster that held the weapon in place. She smiled and a small Cypher suddenly sprung forth in front of her palm. The sudden motion prompted the man to draw his weapon, and he stared shakily down the barrel at her. The Cypher rotated in place, and John got a decent look at it from the corner of his eye. It was circular, as all Cyphers were, and there was an odd symbol in the middle that he had never seen before. It appeared to be a sword and shield of some sort, and then he realized it. Aerin had followed along with his plan more than he had ever imagined. She had made a crest on the Cypher that appeared to be a badge of some sort. The way she held it toward him in gave off the exact air of authority John had hoped for.