Post by Edward Church on May 29, 2016 20:03:58 GMT -6
These days, it seemed like Edward couldn't even enjoy a can of diet coke and a cigarette without something happening. Barely half of the drink had been drunk, and he hadn't even lit the cigarette by the time he heard the screams. Downtown New York, so really it could be anything. Which sadly meant it was probably his business. He groaned slightly as he got up, taking the can with him but putting the cigarette back in the packet. It wouldn't help calm anything down, and it'd just distract him in a fight. People were looking in the way of the screams, but nobody had gotten up to help or even check it out just yet. Typical.
Edward didn't run at full-pelt, because he knew that if it was something dangerous, running himself out of puff would be the worst possible thing to do, so it was at a fast jog he made his way towards the screams. Lupine hearing definitely made it easier to check out. So far, his claws were staying in. All in all, it took him maybe about five minutes to reach the source, and he definitely hadn't had enough time to ready himself for what he saw.
Demons in New York, the last thing he needed. Well, one demon. At least, he was assuming it was a demon. Sure, it could bee an alien or some mutant animal or something, but the warped flesh and spines had him fairly sure it was demonic in origin. Which meant it was precisely not what he was for, and definitely Celeste's territory. But as Edward watched, the demon extended a hand towards a running civilian and a spine shot out of it, spearing the fleeing man in the back. All around there were wounded people, people hiding, or people trying to flee. Just great. Had it just been a demon with no bystanders, he could have waited for backup. Now he could either let people die or try and tackle something like that on his own, and there was really only one choice he could make.
As he walked forwards, he slipped his phone out of his pocket, and selected Celeste's contact. The content of the message was short, just a mash of the keyboard. She'd know what it meant. After that, he threw his phone to one side, and the demon turned. There was a moment of absolute stillness, and then it began to advance towards him.
"Run!" He bellowed to the civilians still hiding, and then charged forwards. A spine shot out and, had he had any less than lupine reflexes, he'd have ended up speared. As it was, he barely darted out of the way. He was more prepared for the second one, dropping low and rolling to avoid it. Just like in training.
He managed to reach the demon unscathed, which surprised him, but now it was the hard part. He'd closed range, and now he had to either slow it down or hurt it enough for Celeste to arrive. His claws shot out from his knuckles, making his eyes blur from the pain, and he instinctively dropped low, the blow of the creature going over his head. From his position, he raked the demon's leg with his claws, making it draw back and roar in pain, but a flailing fist nearly took him in the chest. He rolled to one side, and back to his feet, and rolled to one side before trying to stab deep into the creature's flank.
Underestimation was dangerous, however, and he'd done precisely just that. The creature was faster than he'd thought, and it danced away from his strike. To his horror, Edward felt a hand close around his neck, faster than he had time to dodge, and his head was smashed into a lamppost. As blinding light exploded behind his eyes and pain flared inside him, he was only dimly aware of the demon doing it again. The second round of pain and light, however, he was very aware of. As the creature went for a second repetition, Edward desperately stabbed, and felt his claws enter flesh. There was another roar, and this time he was thrown backwards twenty, thirty feet, landing in a hump in the pavement and somewhat spattered in gore.
It was shaky going as he got to his feet. He was dizzy and unstable, and it felt like two of his ribs were cracked. He staggered over to another lamppost and leant against it. Round two wasn't going to go nearly so well for him. To his credit, his last stab had gouged out a large chunk from the demon's arm; Edward could see a whole chunk missing and off-coloured blood was pouring down it. Not that he was sure he hadn't just pissed it off. He really needed Celeste.
Edward didn't run at full-pelt, because he knew that if it was something dangerous, running himself out of puff would be the worst possible thing to do, so it was at a fast jog he made his way towards the screams. Lupine hearing definitely made it easier to check out. So far, his claws were staying in. All in all, it took him maybe about five minutes to reach the source, and he definitely hadn't had enough time to ready himself for what he saw.
Demons in New York, the last thing he needed. Well, one demon. At least, he was assuming it was a demon. Sure, it could bee an alien or some mutant animal or something, but the warped flesh and spines had him fairly sure it was demonic in origin. Which meant it was precisely not what he was for, and definitely Celeste's territory. But as Edward watched, the demon extended a hand towards a running civilian and a spine shot out of it, spearing the fleeing man in the back. All around there were wounded people, people hiding, or people trying to flee. Just great. Had it just been a demon with no bystanders, he could have waited for backup. Now he could either let people die or try and tackle something like that on his own, and there was really only one choice he could make.
As he walked forwards, he slipped his phone out of his pocket, and selected Celeste's contact. The content of the message was short, just a mash of the keyboard. She'd know what it meant. After that, he threw his phone to one side, and the demon turned. There was a moment of absolute stillness, and then it began to advance towards him.
"Run!" He bellowed to the civilians still hiding, and then charged forwards. A spine shot out and, had he had any less than lupine reflexes, he'd have ended up speared. As it was, he barely darted out of the way. He was more prepared for the second one, dropping low and rolling to avoid it. Just like in training.
He managed to reach the demon unscathed, which surprised him, but now it was the hard part. He'd closed range, and now he had to either slow it down or hurt it enough for Celeste to arrive. His claws shot out from his knuckles, making his eyes blur from the pain, and he instinctively dropped low, the blow of the creature going over his head. From his position, he raked the demon's leg with his claws, making it draw back and roar in pain, but a flailing fist nearly took him in the chest. He rolled to one side, and back to his feet, and rolled to one side before trying to stab deep into the creature's flank.
Underestimation was dangerous, however, and he'd done precisely just that. The creature was faster than he'd thought, and it danced away from his strike. To his horror, Edward felt a hand close around his neck, faster than he had time to dodge, and his head was smashed into a lamppost. As blinding light exploded behind his eyes and pain flared inside him, he was only dimly aware of the demon doing it again. The second round of pain and light, however, he was very aware of. As the creature went for a second repetition, Edward desperately stabbed, and felt his claws enter flesh. There was another roar, and this time he was thrown backwards twenty, thirty feet, landing in a hump in the pavement and somewhat spattered in gore.
It was shaky going as he got to his feet. He was dizzy and unstable, and it felt like two of his ribs were cracked. He staggered over to another lamppost and leant against it. Round two wasn't going to go nearly so well for him. To his credit, his last stab had gouged out a large chunk from the demon's arm; Edward could see a whole chunk missing and off-coloured blood was pouring down it. Not that he was sure he hadn't just pissed it off. He really needed Celeste.