Chapter 67

The creature smiled again, and then began to change. Where once a cross between slender man and nosferatu had stood, a form, much more human, appeared.

“Well,” JJ shrugged, “we’ve both been busy, yeah?”

The man, who appeared to be no more than 50, dressed in a black three-piece suit, laughed at that. A sound filled with life, a sound that completely contrasted what Henry had seen and heard previously.

“Indeed. It’s good to see you have been well though,” the figure continued. “But” he looked past JJ and pointed towards Henry. “I’m guessing this isn’t going to be a happy family reunion, eh?”

JJ sighed. “You couldn’t just stay away, could you?”

The old man laughed again. “You know how it is. I can’t help my hunger, and let me tell you,” the figured continued to focus its gaze on Henry, “he truly is going to be delicious.” He inhaled deeply, his eyes flashing black, literal fangs appearing in his mouth.

“You promised to stay away. You weren’t supposed to return. Ever.” JJ’s voice was tense. “You promised.”

“I promised your father.” The older man said coldly. “I promised him, in good faith, that I would isolate myself, best I could, and focus on the Exorcists elsewhere. I could sate my hunger there, and still work against our common enemy. However,” he smiled sadly. “We both know how that turned out.”

“Now then, Jeremiah. Must we turn this into a family quarrel? Have you forgotten the Exorcists are the ones who killed your father? Have you forgotten they kill your fellow Demon Hunters constantly? Or, have you sided with them now? Have you turned traitor?”

“Honestly, I could care less about the exorcists.” JJ stated. “But my friends. Those I care about. I’m doing this not to help the exorcists, but to keep my best friend safe. Furthermore, if I can try, in some way, to help keep my fellow Demon Hunters safe, by doing this task, I will. And we both know,” JJ’s voice hardened, “you’ve soiled your hands with both Exorcist and Demon Hunter blood.”

The old man shrugged. “Foods food. Even now, I have to constantly fight the monster within, in order to stay somewhat in control. Even now, I’m finding it hard to resist the urge to murder you both, here and now.” He sniffed the air, smiling. “My, what a feast that would be.”

Henry’s entire body went on high alert at that statement, as he felt a very palpable change in the energy around them. Best he could tell, JJ had been keeping a rather dark secret from him. But, that aside, he could at least deduce JJ was on his side. And, that meant, they were in this together against JJ’s grandfather. That being said, Henry couldn’t help but feel fear creeping through him. The man standing across from them, was a literal monster.

“Don’t make me do this.” JJ said, and Henry could tell his best friend was torn. Even though they were facing off against an actual monster, it was still JJ’s Grandfather. Whom, if Henry remembered correctly, JJ had claimed had passed when he was rather young. Apparently, that was not the case.

“I’m not making you do anything.” His grandfather said, his form beginning to swirl with dark energy. “You’re an adult. You’re making your own choices.” His voice turned to that wispy, dry voice previously. “Even though they’re the wrong choices, they’re still yours to make.”

“Henry,” JJ said, voice strained. “Your D.E.D.”

Henry flinched at that. He’d gotten so caught up in the situation, his D.E.D. were still out. Granted, it was easy to forget they were there, given the figure before them. That, and the fact they were all being uncharacteristically quiet, even the hot-headed Chimera seeming to be completely cowed by JJ’s grandfather. There was no doubt about it, the power level between them, and the creature that was coming after them, was terrifyingly large.

“Sorry.” Henry subconsciously began ordering them to return to him, their forms breaking apart into essence as they sought shelter within. None of them fought him. None of them struggled against his will. They all, in fact, went willingly, seemingly thankful of the command.

And, it didn’t come a second too soon, as the moment they’d completely faded, the entire football field went pitch black, the light from the moon completely fading away. Even JJ was gone, the world becoming so dark Henry couldn’t even see his hand in front of him. His phone, which was in his hand, he knew that much, showed no sign of light. It was as if Henry had gone blind.

Yet, in the darkness, his other senses heightened, and he could feel the very palpable, very serious, hunger of the creature they’d been talking to moments before. And every animal instinct within Henry told him, he needed to flee, now. Yet, at the same time, his body, his mind, screamed that if he were to move, he would die.

He’d thought he’d felt fear before. But this, this was on a whole different level. The feeling in that darkness, the impending, immediate doom that seemed to have flooded all around him, completely overcame him. All his mind could do, was cry. In that moment, all he could think of, was how powerless he was. How, even though he’d done everything he could, he was going to die in this instant.

And then, suddenly, the darkness was gone. As quickly as it had blinded him, it faded away. The absence of that absolute darkness completely caught him off guard, and the sudden return of the moonlight, was to his eyes like a brilliant sun. His world, which had previously been eclipsed, suddenly burst back into light.

He blinked, quickly, tears forming around his eyes as his pupils, which had dilated to their max in the darkness, tried to return to normal. His mind tried to process what was happening, even as he realized his entire body was soaked to the core with sweat, his clothes sticky, the slight wind in the air causing his already shaking body to shiver more.

Then, as his senses returned somewhat to normal, he blinked again. Was he hallucinating? Was all of this just a dream? That, made much more sense than what he was viewing before him. JJ was standing before him, or at least, he assumed it was JJ. It stood where JJ stood, and looked somewhat like him.

However, his best friend’s head had been replaced with that of a Falcon, and he was shirtless, dressed instead in some sort of Egyptian appearing lower garb. His body was adorned with various jewelry of blues and golds, and in his right hand, he held a strange staff like object. In his left, he held an Ankh, and Henry could tell, based off Egyptian Mythology, immediately what he was looking at. Apparently, JJ had been hiding quite the secret. Because if Henry’s mythology was correct, standing before him, was Horus.

Yet, there was a single thing Henry’s mind was still trying to process. The Chinese dragon tattoo on JJ’s back, which seemed to shimmer and shift about, was most definitely, out of place for this situation.

“Whatever happens,” JJ said, with a deep, powerful voice. Looking past JJ, Henry could see The Consumer, who was currently breaking free of some sort of powerful trap JJ had hit him with, the creature laughing with wizened joy as it did. “Do not move from that spot. If you do, you may die.”

Wind swirled around JJ’s form them, and the tattoo began to grow.