The Swan Song

Eric walked back to the sitting room silently, with the priest's words burning into his mind. He couldn't accept his sister fate burning into hell. ''She doesn't deserve that...'' He kept repeating to himself... But that was useless, if he wanted to change his sister's fate, he needed to do something, and the best thing for now was memorizing the exorcism.
For the first time, those stupid latim lessons his parents obligated him to take served for something, and every time he read the spell it was easily for him to remember, and he started reading to himself, to help him with the pronunciation. Like always, he was so absorted reading the spell he didn't notice someone entering the room.

Thomas had remained in the room while the others left and was able to continue his latin studies.
He had left to use the bathroom and when he returned, he found Eric back again, whispering to himself, Thomas decided to leave him be until he heard him repeating the exorcism spell over and over to himself.
He's trying to memorize it, Thomas thought with a smile to himself, glad that someone else had the same idea as him.
"You must know some Latin," he said as he approached Eric. "Your pronunciation sounds right."
He remembered how Proteus spoke the language and wondered how he was doing.
It has been a long while since he last spoke to him and Cindy.

''Hmm, my parents are very religious, so they put me on latin classes when I was younger.'' He said to the boy, looking briefly to him. He was satisfied his pronunciation was still good, and he put the paper on the pocket of his jeans. Funny... He thought a bit startled. He was wearing the same clothes of the night he died. He shook his head, and turned to the boy.

''Have you seen one of the demons?'' Eric asked with curiosity. According to his parents demons were beasts with horns and red skin. Eric believed during all his childhood, but since he grew older he stopped believing on that, but never wondered of what they looked like, he didn't know they were real until this moment.

"Yeah, I've met a few. One particular demon waay more than I wanted to.."
Thomas frowned at the question.
He was glad Eric was finally believing but he wondered if he would really be prepared to meet one.
He also wondered how being dead would affect his ability to fight one.
He could feel that he was staring and decided to look away, moving to sit next to Eric.
"They take the form of humans and you won't believe how many times we've been tricked by them."
He looked at Eric with an apologetic smile.
"Which is one of the reasons why had tossed salt on you. They're pretty weak to Holy Water and Salt but make sure you pay close attention to their eyes. It's sort of creepy... You'll see what I mean, though."
Thomas shivered slightly at the memory of Azazel's yellow eyes and even more at the blacks of Adirel's.

''I see...'' Eric said nodding as Thomas explained how the demons looked like, and why he was tossed salt everytime one walked his way...
''Do they have snake eyes??'' Eric joked, and laughed slightly... ''I'm sorry about that, my mother told Odette and I silly tales about demons and hell... That's why I was so skeptical before.'' He sighed and leaned on the back's couch.
''You said about a particular demon... Do they have a hierarchy? We could pull them against each other...'' Eric wondered, his mind running faster on solutions to get away from that place. To run over the demon that possed Odette's soul.

"I'd rather look at snake eyes than theirs!"
Thomas laughed at Eric's comment and listened as he recalled a memory from his past.
This guy is alright. Maybe we would be able to get along.
"Well it's no secret that they all take orders from a woman demon called Lillith but the one that likes to pester me has some high ranking too.
I remember him saying something about only taking orders from Lillith... But he also has a terrifying power.. But your idea is brilliant."

''Lillith hmm... If we can get her against any of other hanked demons, I think it would cause a quit mess among them...'' Eric grinned. He always enjoyed playing and solving situations. And hell... They were in war, and against a powerful enemie.
''We must be careful, and be together...'' When he said that, he realized how hard would it be for him. Sinbad was here, and Eric would have to try his best to not confront him again... He looked around, searching for his sister, and sighed as he saw no signal of her around.

Thomas stared at Eric wondering if he really believed sticking together.
It hadn't really seemed to work for them so far.
He then looked at the clock and began thinking about Aurora.
Where was she?

The silence between them made Eric feel uncomfortable. He crossed his leg on his lap, and looked to the watch too.
He couldn't stand being quiet anymore, and asked to Thomas, looking to his buttons...
''Have you talked to my sister while you were trapped into here??'' Eric asked, letting show his protectiveness towards Odette.

Thomas was a little taken back by Eric's question.
He doesn't remember ever seeing her around the church and even when they were trapped, he never even noticed her much.
"Oh um... no." He bowed his head as he whispered, "While you two were talking... That was the first time I even saw her."
He was tempted to say she was beautiful but thought better of it.
He saw how Eric had acted toward Sinbad about Odette and wasn't sure he wanted the same reaction on him.
He seemed like the over-protective big brother type.

Eric discretely rose an eyebrow. The boy said he hasn't seen his sister, or talked to her, but Eric didn't believe him at first... Since hugh school he became awareness at the boys around her, trying to protect Odette from them.
He winked once, and his face turned into a calm again. ''Who else is trapped here? I've met you, Miriam, the priest, my sister and Sinbad...'' He said Sinbad's name with some hatred, but if the guy was sober, and far from his sister, Eric believed he could be useful in the war against the demons. If they wanted to get away alive they'll need every human force possible.

Thomas felt somehow foolish under Eric's disbelieving stare and felt the need to blurt out the next few words.
"Hey it's true man plus I already have a girlfriend!"
Thomas froze with embarrassment and then looked down as he whispered, "Well... she.. sort of.. is..."
He tried to compose himself as he answered Eric's question.
"Well, I remember meeting Proteus and Cindy but I haven't seen them in a long while so.. I hope they are somewhere in the rectory, safe."

Eric giggled softly seeing Thomas turning more and more embaressed. He liked the respect the boy was showing him, or perhaps that wasn't respect, perhaps it was fear, but Eric was enjoying it either way...
''Calm down, boy... Good for you!'' Eric congratuleted him. Thinking of girlfriend left Eric wondering of how his girlfriend was moving on with her life, and Eric realized he missed her. Had she missed him? Had she cried his death? Eric stopped wondering when he heard Thomas saying the name Proteus...

''Proteus Dimas?? Brown and long hair??'' Eric started speculating. If Sinbad was here, perhaps his friend Proteus was here too, and Eric got excited at meeting his old friend.

Thomas nodded at Eric.
He was quite glad to see Eric's excitement grow and relaxed some more as he asked, "Yeah, you know him too, I take it?"

Eric felt two distinct feelings knowing Proteus was here. He felt glad to see him again, but he felt sad too. It wasn't a good place or moment to meet his old friend after all this time...
''He's my friend since we were boys... We all used to hang out, but then things were going more complicated, and we kinda of split the group...'' Eric said remebering all those moment he spent with Odette, Sinbad and Proteus.

Thomas listened as Eric recalled a memory.
He noticed it wasn't so painful for him to remember anything now.
"Sinbad?" Thomas questioned quietly, guessing that only the town drunk could be the one who fucks up lives.

Eric clenched his fists hearing Sinbad's name, and looked down trying to control his anger. He took a deep breath and looked at the boy after a moment...
''Yes.. when he started his problems issues I turned away from him, and tried to turned Odette away as well since I saw how closer he was getting to her... My sister was attacked one night while she was following him, and he killed me when I warned him to get away for good from my family...'' He said with a weak smile.

He didn't know if it was wise to say such personal things to this boy he had never seen into his life, but sometime everyone into the cathedral would know why he was so unfriendly to Sinbad.

Thomas stared at Eric with respect now as he continued to listen to him.
Even though he didn't seem like it at first, Eric is a very self-composed man.
Had he been brought back from the dead and his killer was right in front of him, Thomas wasn't so sure he wouldn't have killed him.
But something struck him as odd and he had to ask.
"Odette doesn't know, does she? That Sinbad was responsible for your death?"

''I don't believe anyone knows he killed me... We fought at a pub, and he'd probably had ran after seeing what he had done...'' Eric explained... ''And it doesn't suit he telling my sister what he has done to me... to us'' Eric said quietly.

It would be probably the best if he was the one to told this to Odette, she wouldn't believe him, but she needed to know who Sinbad really is, a coward drunk that doens't deserve anything from her.

Thomas thought about the few times he had run into a pub on a dare.
He could never understand how anyone would want to hang around in a place so foul and full of sin.
He closed his eyes and sighed.
"Well now i get why she wanted you back so badly. The situation is a scary and dangerous one. It really is lucky for her that she ran into a crossroads demon and not the hasty, slash-your-throat types."
He sat back and sighed again.
He knew what he had just told Eric wasn't going make him feel anymore reassured about Odette's decision and the next piece of information he had was no more the better but he felt Eric should know it.
"Eric, I think Sinbad has been drinking since he's been trapped in this church. I smelled it on him earlier but then you probably did too... I think you should be careful around him. It won't do you any good to die a second time.."
He sat back and scratched his head with a frown. He could really use a shower right now.

Eric gulped once, and didn't dare to think of his sister dying in suffering, but if she had ran into a different kind of demon, perhaps they would be into the place he was... It looked like his grandparent's ranch, he felt like he was in Heaven.
''What she did was stupid, but now I can understand her, and I'm pleased to protect her from any danger...''

''What?? He wouldn't dare! Not after what he has done to me!!'' Eric bursted, and stood from the couch, walking in circles. He wouldn't calm down until he has Odette under his sight, and safe from that drunk. He walked towards where she left early, and turned to Thomas apologizing
''I need to find Odette... And don't worry, I wont make things easy for him this time... Be careful you too, Thomas.''
After that, Eric left the room.

Thomas nodded and watched as Eric left the room.
He was glad to have met the guy. He seemed like he wouldn't hold back on killing a demon. Unlike him...
Thomas sighed, stood up, and left the room to go take that shower he desperately needed.