Darken Times - Answers

"Your name is Hound?" Maelys asks.

The boy who goes by 'Hound', nods at the question.

"Okay... no offense but... that's a strange name." the girl admitted.

He walks over next to her and sits. "I get that a lot." he said. "Now... what curious questions do you want to ask? I'll answer them."

The girl was a bit surprised about this. "... Just like that?" she wondered suspiciously.

"Hmm?"

"You're asking me to ask you questions that... you're just going to answer?" she added.

"Yes. Well... most questions." he answered.

"No... catch...? No tricks? No 'gonna take my soul if you know'-kind of thing? You'll answer them just like that?" 

Hound rolled his eyes and nodded.

Maelys couldn't help but smile at this and... scream internally. Something exciting was finally happening. She wanted to take advantage of all this. Before she begins her questions, she takes a deep breath. "Okay... first question... that thing that attacked me..."

Before she could finish, Hound quickly answers. "Was a spawn from the Abyss World. Demon, Hellion, or whatever you people label them." he said. "There is going to be plenty of exposition and such." he also added.

Maelys blinked a few times on how quickly he answered without any hesitation. "Um... okay... so you're... dead, right?" she asks.

Hound nods at this. "Technically." he added.

"Technically...?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Hound said before stretching his arms, popping them and his back. "I can still technically bleed and die but to only come back to life." he said before letting out a sigh. "It really is annoying..."

"So... what can actually 'kill' you?" she wondered since he was basically immortal.

Hound was a bit hesitant but soon answers, "To 'kill' me or others like me are to use the weapons which I wielded earlier."

"Your weapon?" she wondered before realizing the cross-spear that disappeared in Hound's hand. "Oh! You mean like that spear?" she said.

Hound nodded. "Yes. They may look like ordinary weapons but they have special enchantments equipped with them but... the Abyss also have them too. What happens when us or them get killed by the weapons we hold?" he said before pausing. "... We disappear from existence."

"What?" she asked, hoping she heard that right.

"Gone. Your spiritual form dissolves into nothing but energy. You no longer have a form, nor a voice. You can't speak, hear, nor taste. In other words, this is your second chance at living. Eternity too since you don't grow old but if you get killed, that's it." he grimly added.

Maelys couldn't help but take a gulp at this. At least there was an afterlife but if she gets killed by a hellion... would she only see an eternity of darkness? She quickly shakes her head to get rid of the thought. "Okay! Changing the subject! You said 'you can call me 'Sonata''. Where did that nickname come from?" she asks.

Hearing this question, the young man couldn't help but give a small smile. "Well... I love music. I can play any instrument given to me but my most favorite is the piano. Thus, the name 'Sonata' was given to me." he answered.

"Oh. I see." she smiled and giggled. Then, a thought quickly slapped her in the face. "How did you die and end up in Purgatory?" she asks bluntly, remembering the demon's words, 'Purgatory Rascal'.

This question wasn't answered right away. Hound, instead, stayed silent.

Maelys realized what she just asked and covered her mouth with both of her hands. "... I'm... so sorry..." she said shakily in her voice. "... I didn't mean to..." 

Hound shook his head. "It's okay. It's my fault. I did say I'd answer most of your questions." he said as he looks at the time. By the looks of it, it was very close to 11 pm. "I think it's about time we get out of here." he said as he gets up and helps Maelys back onto her feet.

Maelys couldn't help but feel bad at the question she asked. It felt disrespectful. 

Hound sees the damage around them. "I'll need to fix this up." he said. He helps Maelys to her feet. "Stand next to me."

She stands close to him, blushing a bit.

He closes his eyes, raises and sticks an arm out in front of him. He begins to chant something as his eyes begin to glow, still havin' his pupils visible. The shards of glass, the rubble, wall, desks, and other damaged property all begin to come together and fix itself up. No cracks, no dents... very spotless. Hound slowly puts his arm down.

"What... was that...?" she asks very curiously though amazed by what she has witnessed.

"It's an ability that us, Sentinels, have." he answered. "We fix up all the damages that's been done after our fight against the hellion spawns. It really comes in handy." 

"That's... interesting..." Maelys muttered, still amazed by what she saw.

The two begin walking through the dark hallway of the empty school. Along the way, more items and property were fully restored. They were now outside after Maelys gathered her stuff. 

"Good thing tomorrow is the weekend... or else my aunt would flip a table." Maelys said.

"You don't live with your parents?" Hound asks.

Maelys looked at him and shook her head. "Right now... my parents are overseas for their work. They asked me if I wanted to join them and as much as I wanted to go with them, I declined. I'd like to settle down and stay in one place, you know? My aunt is taking care of me for the time being. She owns an apartment complex and gave me a pretty sizable room. Kitchen, bath, living room, 2 bedrooms, patio, and dining room. I usually help her paying for the bills and organizing files and folders so you can sort of say that it's a part-time job." she smiled.

"I see." the young boy said as they begin to walk to the apartment complex.

During the walk, the two were quiet. Maelys wanted to ask more questions but she didn't want to feel like an annoyance to him. However, she was really fascinated with him. A spirit... a real spirit and she's talking to one. She didn't believe in these kinds of things. They were make-believe, folklore, legends, myths, and so on but now almost being attacked by a demon and rescued by a spirit, she wanted to know more. Though... after the rude question she asked, she didn't know if he would answer them.

Breaking the silence, Hound lets out a sigh. "Alright... a few more questions." he lets out.

Hearing that, Maelys was a bit surprised but then gave a small smile. She was happy that it didn't appear that he was upset with her. "Okay. So... what's this 'Gloaming Sentinels' thing? Is it like a military thing in the spirit world?" 

"You can sort of say that. It's mostly a volunteer kind of organization and an alliance between the Arcadia world and Purgatory. The ones from Arcadia are our superiors while those in Purgatory, like me, volunteer to go out in the field and our reward is a higher chance to redeem our misdeeds. We go out at night and rid the world of any hellion attackers and stragglers. However... like I mentioned, it is dangerous and most don't make it. " he said, grimly.

The young girl felt a chill from this. "So... what about you?" she asks, hoping that it wasn't personal.

Reluctantly, he answered. "At first, I was doing this as a way to redeem myself... but... I couldn't stand back and watch 'innocents' die." he said. "When a person's time is up, they die. I understand that with old age and disease but not when it's those that still have a life ahead of them and they perish young."

"What do you mean?" she wondered.

"We are not to interfere with those who are supposed to die whether it be accidents, shootings, or even... hellion attacks." Hound said as he looks at Maelys. "Like what happened to you today."

Maelys stopped in her tracks and widened her eyes. "I... was supposed to die...?" she asks with fear in her voice.

"To be honest, yes." Hound answered. "However, things will now play differently. I no longer sit back and watch things happen, even though both Arcadia and Purgatory go against my actions. My chances of reaching Arcadia has greatly dropped... then again, I'm liking the 'Purgatory Rascal' name."

After hearing this, the young girl couldn't help but feel bittersweet after hearing that come from him. "... He's sacrificing his redemption... to save others..." she thought. "I... can't help but feel bad for him..."

"We were just hunters before my actions. Because of this, now other volunteers are starting to do the same. Not because of orders but because they believe it's the right thing to do. The rules have been changed to help those in need but still not those who are going to die, which... I still continue to do." he said as he looks back to her. "Are you okay?"

Maelys snaps out from her thought, nodded, and smiled. "Yes. Sorry." she replied as they resumed their walk.

After a few minutes, they arrive at the apartment complex. "Well... we're here." she said.

"Yeah. Better go inside and tell your aunt about why you're out this late." Hound said.

"What are you going to do?" she asks, wondering.

Hound looks up at the night sky that was full of stars that lit up the dark sky. "Well... I have to return to Purgatory and give my reports. Not only that... most likely get lectured for my rogue actions again." he replied.

Maelys bit her lip but soon asks, "Will... I see you again...?"

The boy looks at her and gives a small nod. "More than likely."  he answered.

She gives a small smile at his answer. Maelys bows to him before she walks to the office door to meet her aunt. As she puts her hand on the handle of the glass door, she stops, looks back at her savior and said, "Thank you... for saving me today." She soon opens the door and walks inside.

Hound watches her go inside as he looks up at the night sky again. Suddenly, the watch around his wrist begins to blink. He knew who it was and what they wanted. He lets out a sigh, uses a spell to make his right middle and index finger glow, puts it up to his ear and begins to talk. "Yeah? What do you want?" he asks in annoyed fashion.

On the other end, there came a feminine voice. "Don't you give me that attitude, mister! Why am I not surprised that you'd do something like that?!" she said.

Hound replied with a snark comment, "I'm still surprise that you continue to think I wouldn't do something like this." He soon walks towards a wall and begins to lean on it. "So do you need something or what?"

The female voice sounded infuriated. "We are having another talk on this, Hound!" she yelled. "Get back here asap so I can file the report." the girl added before their interaction concluded.

Hound's fingers stopped glowing as he goes to scratch his head in annoyance. "Damn it... saw this coming anyway." he said as he goes to stand straight. Hound walks to a window and chants a spell. Then, a bright glow soon emitted from it and he jumps into it. The glow disappears and the window was back to its regular color and form.