Sigilborn: EVE's Echo

They stood in the snow, all of them shivering from the cold that was just waiting for them to collapse, but much to Julius' surprise, the two brothers stood silently, not even a complaint or grunt.

'These brats are really trying to prove themselves. Or, they're just stupid; a snowstorm is coming. The air is heavy, birds stopped chirping and there are big ass clouds coming here.'

Lukas's breath was heavy and uncontrolled, his eyes closed and opened constantly, it was if he was keeping himself from passing out. Jonah was in the same situation; he was even worse than Lukas. His stance was getting wobbly, and he was losing balance.

Suddenly, the direction of the wind changed and picked up speed. Going from North to East, the air felt light, Julius's ears opening up as air rushed in.

'Yep... Snowstorm. Seems like Plan B is the most likely. I can't live here, it'll prevent me from getting the resources I want.'

Heavy snow started falling as Father Gregory stood on the porch of the church, the wind was so strong that it was preventing him from even taking a step forward.

"Shit... How the hell did a snowstorm pick up so quickly? I can't even see the kids anymore!"

His veins glowed a faint blue, Mana coming in to help his weaker body move, and even then, he could only take a few steps before he was thrown back by a rather strong gust.

"Damn it... MOVE BODY!"

He tried to stand up, but thankfully, he spotted a figure walking towards him, a gigantic figure that could only belong to one man, Roy, and he was carrying Lukas and Jonah on his shoulder, completely unaffected by the winds and snow.

"Gregory. Where's the third? I suppose he's with you?"

He said nonchalantly, looking down at Gregory, his eyes gleaming a faint green that hid a bit of worry beneath his calm exterior.

"What do you mean, Roy?!" Gregory used the man as support to stand up, clutching at his shoulders, his eyes widening in horror.

"Johan was with them! Ask them."

Roy's expression hardened, with a bit of disappointment with the church father who took the children from Roy's shoulder as the latter turned around, his pointed ears twitching just a bit.

"I can't even hear his heartbeat. Let me circle around the area."

He didn't let Gregory talk or reply, he simply disappeared.

Searching for Julius, going to Kark, and then into the forest that surrounded the church, snow blowing behind him as he covered the whole area within a few seconds, arriving back in front of Gregory, his eyes narrowed.

"I couldn't find him. He's either buried under the snow or.."

He shook his head, his calm exterior returning as he gently gripped Gregory's shoulder reassuringly. Trying his best not to just yell at the old man since he could've noticed the snowstorm before it even came.

"Let me help you get inside."

Roy helped Father Gregory, who still carried the brothers on his arms, walk into the church.

The whole structure was shaking but thankfully, it wasn't the first or last storm this had gone through.

"How are you going to explain it to Maria that we just lost a 4-year-old? She'll freak out."

Guilt filled Gregory heart. How could he lose Julius? That was his only responsibility; he didn't even need to train them on his own with some random method he made on the spot. He definitely deserved any punishment that would come his way.

While these two were worried down to their bones, Julius was in the air, at least 20 feet above the ground, and the wind was strong enough to lift him off his feet when he jumped up while Lukas and Jonah were distracted.

"I'm a fucking genius... Now just gotta suffer for a bit.."

Almost on cue, like nature played a small prank on him, he fell down as soon as he finished the small mutter to himself, and not only was he falling, he was getting blown sideways as well due to him having opened up his jacket.

"AH! THE FUCK I DID NOT CALCULATE THIS! FUCK FUCK FUCK I WON'T DIE A VIRGIN AGAIN!"

He curled up into a fetal position as he collided with a tree, the oak wood like a brick wall, which he collided with beforefalling to the ground, the snowstorm raging on without a care in the world.

"Rather stupid man-child."

Black rocks spread across Julius' body, covering his unconscious or.. Dead. The body with a cocoon-like layer that glowed like magma was flowing beneath it.

Again. The demon that lived in his Sigil tilted her head, staring at Julius' body floating in front of her throne. She had planned to talk to him today, but. It seemed it wasn't in her luck today.

"I suppose healing him for now wouldn't be that bad. He's not the type to just be grateful; he'll know what I'm up to. My purpose is to make sure-"

She was cut off, a slit opening up in the void as something walked in. It was another demon, just like her. But it was not only handsome and a bit more human instead of rocks, it had crystals that emitted light from seemingly out of nowhere. This was the demon of Lukas's Sigil.

"What's up hottie? Still stuck? Same here."

Julius's demon ignored the demon, resting her head on her fist. The demon was annoying, and demons can't kill each other. So, she was stuck with him.

"Leave."

Lukas's demon blew a whistle, its blue eyes filled with amusement as it put a hand on top of her head. Teasing her with the inability to kill him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll leave, I was just surprised you actually helped your host for once, what's so special about the kid anyway?"

He trailed off, his hand getting detached from his body instantly, getting sliced up into nothing but air. Like it had just been deleted out of existence.

"I won't repeat myself twice. Leave."

The crystals on the demon's body glowed. But it was somewhat amused, and silently. Left, just like that. No drama, no anger. No nothing.

"I guess I'll have to see what 'Plan B' is.. This man-child made sure to cover up his memories using fake images. Smartass."

She leaned back on her throne, taking a deep breath as memories of her own came back.

The underworld, her being trapped in this Sigil, all of it. Strangely. Julius was the one chosen by the Sigil after a century of inactivity. Not because of her, but because Sigils had their own subconsciousness, choosing people that matched the original owner's personality the most.

Back in the real world? Snow had melted around Julius's cocoon, but the storm still raged on, winds growing even stronger, the 'egg' Julius was in stayed put.

The magma started growing hotter and hotter inside like a whole volcano had been fitted inside. And Julius? He was floating inside a liquid that healed him.

His eyes flickered open, and a small upturn of the corner of his lips occurred before he closed them once more.

'I knew it... It isn't all evil. That'll help later on.'