..::Hᴀ, I ɢᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜ!::.. [Sɪɢʀ & Iʀᴏɴɪᴄ)

"I was. A few of the high ranking demons are" Eligos confirmed his heavenly origin. "The harder they fall, I guess" he sighed, citing the downfall of the once mighty. "I was banished because-" Eligos interrupted himself. What the hell was he doing? It was true that Scarlet had a way to seem sincere in her compassion, her youthful curiosity was genuine, both things making him talk too much. He had been alone for too long if he was now to tell that hunter his life, his deeds. There was a reason, maybe one she would approve of, even if the means were twisted, but Eligos had lost his way long ago. "It doesn't matter, I already said too much for this time of day" Eligos closed into himself. Maybe she could know it, maybe he could tell her. If he was to die, what difference would it make?

Leaving those thoughts aside, Eligos looked at Scarlet as he realized that the woman was a mystery to him as much as he was for her. "Maybe I'll tell you the whole thing one of these days, mouse" Eligos mocked, his last word sounding weaker, noticing something. "I just realized. I don't think I know your name, it hardly feels appropriate to keep calling you mouse after catching me" he paused. "That would make me the cheese, and even if I smell like one, I don't want to feel like it in the road to my demise" he argued, gallows humor. Accepting Scarlet's help to get up, he was feeling better step by step, but with the injuries, hunger and still getting accustomed to the cuffs, he was way weaker than a human of his physique would suggest.

"And judging by how your jacket smelled, I'm not the only one in need of a shower" Eligos couldn't help but add another barb, trying to mentally distance himself from his hunter, not wanting to be all chummy with her and yet knowing that she was the only one she cared for him. Even before getting caught, no other hunters really tried to stop Eligos, scared away by reputation alone. Sure, he did stumble upon the occasional knight, too honorable to run away once they knew who he was, or a couple armies that were sent by their king to die. But those were either encounters fueled by chance or men that were sent to face the fights one in power didn't want to fight himself. It was never out of the own volition of the one facing him, so he knew that Scarlet was no ordinary one.

Scarlet was grateful enough to be able to get as much information as she could from Eligos, not wanting to beg him for more as he gave plenty. She nodded, but grew surprised that he requested to know her name. “My name is Scarlet. Similar to the color of crimson.” She replied but didn’t reciprocate the question, already knowing his name, but wondering of his other name he mentioned about having in the gates of Heaven.

His comment left her subtly sniffing her underarms discreetly, smelling fine to her but self-conscious not that he mentioned her sent. “You probably never smelled a woman before, so I won’t take your comment to heart.” She spoke through clenched teeth, trying to hide the embarrassment through her own witty words of response. “Besides, look who’s talking.” Her eyes scanned him before raising a suggestive brow. “Look at you, you’re covered in your own blood and soil from the night before. You’re one to complain about how I smell?” Dismissing anymore comments he may say, she waved her hand as if an annoying fly was buzzing around her bubble.

“Come on.” She commanded as she walked into the bathroom. A large tub was fixated at the end of the room. It was cozy, but not too exquisite. “I’ll warm your bath water, okay? But that’s the most I’ll do for you.” Turning the knobs slightly, she would fiddle with the temperature until it was soothing to the touch, letting the liquid fill after placing a lid to seal to drain. Once it was a desirable volume, she would nod in approval. “Alright, unless there is an emergency, call for me. Let me know now before you undress if you need any tips or do not understand anything. Do not mess with the knobs, or the drain cover. Just wash your body, hair, and if you shave… well, do what you need to do.” A light pink hue coated her cheeks, trying her best to keep a sturdy composure.

“Any who, you’re on your own. I will be waiting in the other room for my turn.”

"Scarlet" Eligos voiced the name as he was tasting it. "Scarlet" he repeated, savoring it like wine. "I guess that it fits your... fiery disposition" Eligos commented, not wanting to be mean in the slightest. Scarlet's next comment caught him unaware, rendering Eligos speechless. How did she know? No, she couldn't. How would she? It was just a barb, a defensive comment. "I'm a demon, Scarlet" he said, her name taking a darker tone, blood instead of wine. "You chased me through the lands, following the destruction as I went" Eligos continued, covering his embarrassment with bravado and unnecessary cruelty. "Do you really think I don't know how your kind smells like? Tastes like?" he hissed, leaning closer. "I'll lead with the example, though, as you are right on my unbecoming state" he soon added, backing off her.

Following Scarlet to the bathroom, he saw that it was nothing to be scoffed at, the size was more than adequate and it didn't look bad for a place where one went to clean themselves. Without magic to make short notice of some things, Eligos marveled at the ingenuity that the mortals showed to make up for all their shortcomings, but soon discarded the positive idea away from his mind. "It's fine" Eligos said, touching the water with the tips of his fingers to check the temperature. He felt tempted to poke more fun with Scarlet, pretending to undress in front of her, or suggesting he would walk out naked while he dried, but the idea of starting such a tug of war with her after what she said about women and their smell made him back off. He didn't need any more humiliation, that was for sure.

"I hope I don't have to shave, I never did" Eligos said, touching his hairless face. "Is there some kind of mortal contraption to dry myself once I'm done?" he asked, barely aware of Scarlet's faint blushing but without thinking twice of it, at least not yet. Once she had answered that question, Eligos closed the door to the windowless room, aware that he couldn't escape like that. Removing his flimsy clothes, Eligos took a look at his naked body and the treated injuries. Even if he could slip away, where would he go in that form? How far could he run? Who would be able to remove those damned cuffs and at what price? No. He was done for, fallen from grace once more.

Letting himself sink in the warm water, Eligos rested his form on it, noticing something. If he was up to it, he could try and end his life now, rob Scarlet of her triumph, her trophy, but the horrible thought only lasted for a moment. He couldn't, he never would. Of all terrible things, Eligos wouldn't dare to do that, the coward. Taking his time to rest his sore body on water before cleaning himself, he noticed that he was quite better than the night before, even if it was still unconceivably weak compared to his usual self. Maybe walking to his demise wouldn't take as long as he thought. Once cleaned and dried, Eligos dressed back in his black attire before getting out, little more than just pants.

"Go ahead" he said once back at the room. "I guess that we'll eat something afterwards?" Eligos asked. "Feeling hungry is so weird..." he confessed, distracted by the notion.

Scarlet couldn’t help but smirk at the offense he took to her comment, shaking her head as she listened to him ramble. She wouldn’t comment furthermore on his words. “You dry yourself with a towel.” Reaching in the vanity, she pulled out a cotton towel, freshly cleaned and smelling of detergent. “Wrap it around you, and keep rubbing it against your body until you feel dry enough. Damn, I can’t believe you don’t even know how to do anything the old fashion way.” Her words hissed in his eardrum before taking her leave.

She would sit on the bed, back laying down as her eyes gazed at the empty ceiling. That demon was such a mystery. For being as powerful as he was, he’s clueless on how to live a normal life. She needed to understand that his world was just as foreign as hers to his. After all, he never felt like a human until now. In his eyes, she could read the helplessness in them, even if he mustered a show of courage. It was hard not to feel bad for him as he was slowly being stripped away from his pride. As she lost track of time, the rustle of the door brought her back to the world, sitting upright as she watched him exit.

“Looks as if you managed well without supervision.” She snickered before standing up to take her turn in the bathroom, taking her bag with her as she had her weapons in there as well as a new set of clothes. “Don’t try to do anything fishy when I’m in here. I’ve trained a lot since we’ve last encountered, and in your current state, I wouldn’t advise to wonder off.” And with that, she closed the door.

The water from his bath was filthy, but she was glad he washed himself. His skin was brighter, perhaps due to washing away the dirt and crimson. Draining the tainted water, she would fill the tub with new fluid before tipping her fingertips in, tiny ripples scattered evenly across the surface. The steam from the warmed water caressed her skin as she undressed, gradually sinking herself into the confines of the water. She felt motionless, the water carrying her without hesitation. Closing her eyes, she savored the sensation, unaware when she’ll get a chance to bathe once more.

Not wanting to take up a chunk of time, she hastily washed her locks and form, quick to drain the water before stepping out to pat herself dry. A new attire fitted her, the old one placed inside of a separate pocket in her baggage. Stepping out, hair still dripping slightly. “So, how about that breakfast?” She commented on his suggestion before gathering what little belongings they had before heading out of the room.

"If you wanted to supervise me you only had to ask it" Eligos returned the barb. "Ask it with education and a please and I'll leave the door open the next time, providing there is one" he said, the joke falling flat as it progressed. "Fishy like what? Spying on you as you bathe?" Eligos said, curious, just realizing that she meant escaping away. Turning around to hide a small, fleeting blush about the misunderstanding, he just waited for the door to close. "As if I could try to flee like this..." he whispered, his words remaining unheard.

Eligos sat on the bed as Scarlet bathed, reaching for a bit of water to drink, feeling eager to do so after the bath. The water helped a bit with the hunger, but not enough, his body eager to replenish his strength, now sapped of the magic that sustained him effortlessly. But even the hunger couldn't distract him from the present matter: Scarlet. Even thinking of her name felt somewhat weird, easier thinking about her when she was just the mouse that wasn't able to catch him, the cat that played with her at his leisure. Now she had reduced him to a mere husk of himself, as if it was some kind of divine plan to punish Eligos for his hubris, another downfall. What would happen to his soul once dead was a mystery even for him, but that didn't worry him, not yet.

What haunted Eligos were concerns of a more simple nature, almost puerile. He had been acting weird around Scarlet, and it wasn't like she was as he expected her to be. It sure had to be the cuffs, maybe they also made the wearer more pliable. Or perhaps his newfound mortal nature, his mundane body betraying his senses, his mind. Yeah, it had to be the cuffs, that was it. Hearing the door open, Eligos turned to face his captor, his caretaker, his doom. He had to flee, whatever the cost, as she had humbled him, embarrassed him, made Eligos feel inadequate, awkward, weak.

"Breakfast will help, I never had one" he said truthfully, perhaps playing his oblivious part too strongly, even if he was being honest.

"I don't understand how you've never felt hunger before!" Scarlet explained, almost face palming to his comment. "Have you ever consumed any food before? Enjoyed the savory taste of steak as it melted in your mouth? No?" Shaking her head, she would dismiss her questions. "Come on, let's get some grub." She headed out the door, opening it wide enough for Eligos to exit before closing it.

After dropping off the keys to the receptionist and thanking him graciously, they would enter Inside the lobby, food scattered around plentiful. Pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, eggs, crepes, apples, orange juice... any breakfast you could think of was on full display, the extravagant scent blowing into their awaiting nostrils, causing their stomach a to rumble.

"What looks good to you?" She asked, raising her brow to see what his first food would be. "I can make you a plate, just tell me what you want." She said as she grabbed two paper plates, readying them for his requested items.

Eligos listened to Scarlet's explanations, punctuating them with a heavy sigh. "I have consumed food before" he grunted, following her around. "It was just out curiosity at first, others just for pleasure" Eligos continued. "But never felt this weakening need, this craving..." he tried to explain, feeling weird and eager. Reaching the lobby, Eligos was rendered speechless. It wasn't the sight of the nice but crude preparations, nor the variety of food to pick from. He had interrupted a king's bridal banquet once, ending up mocking his royalty by using him as a leg rest while he feasted on the gastronomical menagerie he had readied at the expense of his peasants, so he was aware of what an excess of food looked like.

No, it was the smell.

There was no sensation caused by that banquet's delicate dishes that could compare to what Eligos was feeling at the moment. His mouth watered at the sweet aroma of the waffles and pancakes, the smell of the crispy looking bacon making his stomach growl and roar. That was primal, mortal, human. The hunger for food and the sight of a menagerie of it in his grasp. It wasn't just a matter survival, Eligos understood. Of course that he or any other mortal as he was at the time would die without nourishment, but the sensation he was starting to feel went beyond that. Defeating death was just part of the deal, but that display, that aroma... it was also about celebrating life itself. Being so weak to their own nature, it was no wonder that humans went to the extents they did, guided by their cravings. There was a beauty to it, but also a frailty that made them the scared and cruel creatures he despised.

But now he was one of them, for better or worse.

"Ba-bacon, eggs, sausages..." Eligos answered, "orange juice and waffles too..." he added, eager to stuff himself with that food that looked beyond tempting to him.

It was hard for Scarlet to try and keep her eyes off from him, amused to how his reaction was when the food was right before his eyes. It was worth it, but it would be more worth it once she would see his first bite.

“That’s a lot of food, sure you can handle all of that?” She teased before grabbing two plates. Fixing them both, she would ensure his plate was stacked, placing anything that looked appetizing, which was essentially everything, onto his plate. Harvesting a grand cup of orange juice to top it off, she would set their plates down on a vacant table, taking it upon herself to sit down before using her eyes to tell him to sit too.

The piece of bacon was her first victim, holding it within the striations of her teeth before chopping down, the oil causing the crispness to melt away on her tongue. It was delicious, and still warm as if it were just done cooking. A light sip of orange juice before she continued to consume her food, watching Eligos subtly to see what he would do, anxious to see him stuff himself.

Eligos promptly sat down, tempted to forgo cutlery and just sate that primal need with his own hands, but he still had control, he still had pride, as shattered as it could be. Even with fork and knife, his take on the food was beyond eager, ravenous. A piece of sausage and half a strip of bacon were his first victims, stabbed by the fork at the same time. Too much of a mouthful, part of the bacon dangled over his chin as he chewed and swallowed in delight, the savory goodness filling his mouth as the rest of the bacon disappeared, leaving no traces but the sheen of grease over his chin.

The next target of the hungry fallen angel was the eggs, a knife thrust soon cutting them without care, the yolk spreading all over the waffles, only making them all the more appeasing. A gulp of the wonderfully sweet and acid juice helped Eligos down half the waffles and eggs, soon returning to the bacon and sausages. Without even taking conversation into consideration, he just went over his plate over and over, helping himself with a bit of wonderfully spongy bread that was around. Eating more, drinking more.

Soon enough, given his pace, the hunger was gone, and with it Eligos wasn't as self absorbed into his own world, his own needs. He still had food on the plate that he intended to finish, as he didn't get anything but water since his defeat the day before, but now he wasn't governed by instinct and was aware of the show he just starred for Scarlet. "It seems that feeling hungry for the first time was too much for me" Eligos admitted. "I guess that now I understand you mortals a bit better" he soon added, "all those needs, that frailty..." he sighed. "It doesn't yet excuse the evil you cause upon each other with your wars, but at least it has a cause" he nodded.

Scarlet stared at the confused man, eyes widening in surprise as he shoveled food into his mouth, uncaring if it stuck to his face. It was rather amusing, and she couldn’t help but steal glances after taking a bite of her own meal. Conversation didn’t cross her mind, knowing he would have too much food in his mouth to say a word anyways. She finished her plate, already full and knowing her limit, where Eligos was still figuring out the human ways of this world.

“Oh, at least you have the decency to admit yet another defeat.” Crossing her arms against her chest she would lean backwards in her chair, giving him a smirk of enthusiasm. “I mean, once you’re human, it becomes instinct to survive. It’s something we kind of do.” She scoffed before taking her leave, grasping the dirty plates before disposing them properly.

“Alright, we’re all clean, stomachs are full, so now it’s time to get going. In the next few days we should be there, so we’ll use our time wisely. Make pit-stops, check in at the local Inns, that kind of stuff.” Scarlet spoke before leading the way outside, the faint smell of breakfast still lingering in the air until they paced away far enough.

"Instinct?" Eligos huffed, but held his tongue. It was true that he had not only been overcome by it when the hunger struck, but it also helped him understand them better, so he refrained from talking about how that made them no better than animals. He was one of them now, right? Even if it was a temporary measure in the last days of his life, he felt so terribly human that the mere notion had started to take a toll on him beyond his humiliating defeat. How humans behaved, how they felt. If things like true pain like the one he felt last night at the doctor, or true hunger like the one that chased him at the morning felt like that, how would other drives feel? After all, if humans were like animals, all they knew was fight, eat and...

Eligos shook his head, his cheeks flushing and followed Scarlet outside, welcoming the fresh air of the morning as the normal hue returned to his face. His attire of choice was still highly unpractical, and his mortal body, even if it would be uninjured, couldn't quite walk around from one place to another basically bare chested. Not only he would end up sick, but it was also something that could bring undesired attention, something that he didn't quite want, even if he could use a distraction to escape. How far could he go? He would still be wearing those things, damned to live like a mortal for the rest of his short, miserable life. Not to mention that if word of Eligos' downfall spread in certain circles of down below or high above, it could bring more trouble than the one Scarlet was able to handle, even if she had proven to be quite more capable than he gave credit.

"I saw you handle money with ease last night with the doctor" Eligos commented. "Do you think you can get me some less conspicuous clothes? As much as I like these, I'm afraid that I could end up catching a cold, and presenting a demon with a runny nose can't be good for your reputation" he mentioned. "I swear I'm not stalling, I'm just practical" Eligos added, looking a weird expression on Scarlet's face that he read as suspicion. "I'm guessing that you don't want to spend more time with me than I want to spend with you, even if I have to admit that it's being..." Eligos took pause, not wanting to seem too weak. "Interesting" he finished.

Eligos’s comment struck her, unaware that he found her interesting and somewhat enjoying the time that they spent together. A light blush left her cheeks, quickly shaking it off to display her leader-like position. “That’s a good idea, you do look rather chilly in that skimpy outfit of yours.” She snickered as she changed their course, heading towards the town they just were about to leave to find some clothing stores.

“I do not know your sense of style, or your favorable tastes, so I will allow you to pick what you want, but make sure it’s not too expensive.” She warned him. Despite having a good chunk of cash on her, she still needed plenty for paying for the Inns and food if needed. Scarlet couldn’t help herself but admit that she was having fun tagging along by his side, learning things she never knew existed about him.

Close by, a male clothing store was in sight, displaying some of the outfits that were behind a glass wall. “Hey, how about this place? It seems like your style.” She suggested, moving her hands to point at a nice long sweater and some jeans to accompany it, a scarf adorning for decoration on the headless mannequin.

"Yes, yes... I'll make sure to not burn through all of your cash" Eligos mumbled, unfamiliar with how much things could cost. "Although I guess you'll get paid handsomely by your last job, no?" he wondered. A prize of his standing had to be rewarded by riches without end, as it was a task far from easy, bordering on impossible. "I don't mean that you did it for money" he soon added, knowing Scarlet well enough by then that he suspected that she would bark at him if he insinuated so. "I was just saying that hunting for all kinds of... monsters requires money, so you should be plenty affluent in the near future" he finished, betting on not talking much more as a safe tactic. The smoother the trip was, the faster the indignity of being captured would end.

Eligos didn't want to die, but even if the experience of being mortal was something new, it was still an embarrassment that shattered his pride and the core of who he thought he was to pieces. Just the fact of being at Scarlet's mercy made him question his ways, at least in the moments of silence and peace, as scarce as those had been so far. "My style?" Eligos wondered, surprised. "I didn't know I had a style, even less something that could be replicated by mortal hands" he shrugged, meaning nothing bad with it, just baffled at the comment. Eligos took a bit of care of looking proper, even if he didn't think of himself as someone vain, but now without his magic he faced another interesting conundrum.

"So I have now to get clothes that aren't just good looking on me" he sighed. "But also practical?" Eligos added. Both things could be achieved at once, or so he thought as Scarlet seemed like a practical woman to him and yet looked good in her attire. Wait, she looked good to him? No, that was just silly, he was just appreciating her aesthetics, nothing more. "Yeah, lets go in and try something" he said, wanting to get his mind busy with something else. "I'll need your help to know what seems appropriate for the lands we'll be traveling, something that sits nice on me, its warm but also somewhat discreet?" he said, unsure if there were garments that could fit the description.

"It shouldn't be hard, though" Eligos smiled, wanting to poke some fun at her once more, making himself feel less insecure. "I know I'm attractive, so most clothes should look more than nice on me" he said with a smarmy smile. It was true that he was attractive, at least if you liked his kind, but he was saying it in a mostly comedic manner than flattering himself.

It was hard not to roll her eyes at his comments, crossing her arms halfheartedly before giving him a glaring gaze. "You're not as mighty and hot as you think you are." She had to break the news to him, annoyed of his arrogance. Opening the door to the clothing store she would allow him in first before following, eyes already scanning to see what would be fitting during their travels.

"What about this?" Scarlet held up a sweater, the material as soft as a cloud but warm enough for his pale skin. The shade was a navy blue, the scent of the material new and invigorating. If he would accept the sweater she would keep a hold on it as they browsed further.

"Do you need some shoes too? A coat?" She asked, already scanning those items before he would reply to her inquire.

"As I think I am..." Eligos couldn't help but laugh, as he had himself in a pretty low consideration since she had captured him. "Then that means that I am somewhat... what did you say? Hot and mighty?" he added with a smile, trying to rile Scarlet up a bit. He did start behaving a bit more considerately once they entered the store, not wanting to make much of a scene, even if in such a place it didn't matter much if they acted rowdy and noisy. "Oh, nice choice I must say" Eligos said when Scarlet picked the sweater. "So soft as well..." he admitted, reaching to touch it, usually accustomed to less amicable fabrics.

"My pants are fine, I think" he said, referring to the black, tight, leather pants he wore, the only garment that looked moderately normal on him. "So with that sweater and some dark shoes I should be fine" he commented, not wanting to keep pushing Scarlet budget, since she had gently avoided to make a discussion out of that. "I don't know if it will be cold enough for a coat, as I don't know where are we going, so your call..." he shrugged, leaving her to decide if he would need extra layers. Since his fate was to be executed and the time limited, there was no reason to shop for too many clothes, as they wouldn't receive much use.

"I can't help but feel weird" Eligos admitted while they looked to complete his outfit. "And it's not just about being human... or the humbling defeat, mind you..." he mumbled. "Maybe I will grow restless when the time comes but... I can't help but feel a bit peaceful? Like it was bound to happen?" he wondered, as he was quite calm about his fate. "Maybe I'm still dealing with the idea" he shrugged, his feelings conflicted, sad eyes looking down.

Scarlet felt it would be better to ignore his feisty comments and instead just go with the flow. She smiled softly at his approval of the sweater, neatly folding it against her arms to ensure that they would get it later. “The pants are fine, but we should get some new shoes for you to put on.” She commented as she looked through the shoes, finding a nice pair that would accustom his taste.

As for a coat, she believed it was needed for the night time, as it could get frigid in temperatures. “Here is a nice black one too, this seems to be your color.” She mocked, grabbing the wooly coat before chucking it to her arms, ready to cash out soon. His next words caught her off guard, not aware that he would spew such small talk.

“So, what you’re saying is, is that you think this was meant to be in some sort of way?” She requisitioned his wording, eyes searching before going to the cashier, checking out the items that would be his before they parted ways outside. “I think you’re just in it over your head.”

"Yeah, black suits me, glad you noticed" Eligos continued the joke, although the truth was that it kind of suited his hair and form, even if he wasn't at his best. "Hmm" Eligos mused about Scarlet's reflection on his words, starting to put on the recently bought clothes, feeling better with them. It wasn't only warmer, but also served to hide both the injuries as they healed and the scattered piercings he had. That way, it would be easier to pass as a nobody, or so he hoped.

"That I'm out of my depth it's obvious..." Eligos admitted. "Never been defeated, well, once. And never been human" he continued, adjusting the clothes and shoes. "Nice" he nodded, feeling better with the shoes, sweater and coat. "I didn't meant like you were destined to defeat me or anything alike, Scarlet" he tried to explain himself. "That's just the product of chance and even if I don't want to admit it, your own hard work and insistence and my stupid pride" Eligos sighed, taking a moment for himself. Should he really explain himself? To her? What for? It wasn't as she sounded interested and yet, he had no one else to talk with, nor many days to do so.

"I meant that it was going to happen, sooner or later" Eligos continued. "Maybe an angel that wanted to erase what he considers a traitor. Or a demon wanting to climb up in fame. An archwizard, an army... who knows" he shrugged. "But in the end it was a mortal who stopped me. I'm not glad that it happened, but I'd be even a bigger fool if I thought it wasn't going to ever happen" Eligos paused, staring at Scarlet. "About being you the one... I'm not sure how I feel about that yet" he admitted.

“I’m sure you would rather have someone like me to defeat you other than a high-ranking demon or angel.” She responded as they walked out, heading towards the forest to begin their long path back towards her home town. It would take a few days to get there, but time didn’t matter to them now as they talked amongst each other.

“I’m more than certain they would’ve killed you on the spot, don’t you think?” She questioned him so he would think about the idea, unknowing if he already painted that type of picture in his mind yet or not, but figured it would be good to point out that he was still alive and well despite his future execution. Execution… the word had a bitter taste to it, after she had spent some time with the fallen angel. Was she started to feel bad for her decision or was she not feeling well at the moment?

“What do you mean that you don’t know how you feel about me being the one to capture you?” She questioned him furthermore, wanting to pry as much information from him as she could, as long as he was willing to talk in this way and express his feelings then she would be able to get evidence from him.

"Hmm?" Eligos hummed questioningly, walking besides Scarlet at a leisurely pace with no hurry, hands on the pockets of his new coat. What did the woman had in mind? Why would he prefer to be beaten by who he considered an inferior rival? "Oh, you mean it like that..." he added once Scarlet explained that those kind of foes would have taken him down on the spot. "Probably, unless the angel wanted to use me as an example or the demon wanted to torture me for who knows what grudge, but yeah" he admitted. "What do you think I wouldn't preferred that? I asked you to do exactly that, kill me on the spot, and yet you refused" he remembered.

After a moment of consideration and hearing Scarlet's further questioning, he continued. "In that moment, anyone that ended me would have been better. The idea still lingers" Eligos admitted. "I'm going to end up dead anyways, so it would save me from the humiliation, the scorn" he sighed. "But then I wouldn't have the chance to have this talk" he raised his eyes from the ground to Scarlet, looking straight at her. "There are less interesting ways to spend one's last days, I guess. That's why I'm not sure. On one hand you are the mortal responsible for my downfall but..." Eligos paused. What the hell was he going to say? With his thoughts jumbled and messed by the experience of being defeated, his new status as a mortal, how many of his ideas weren't really distorted by the ordeal he had been enduring? He had been conflicted in the past, no doubt, he was accustomed to the thoughts of a restless mind, but this was something new, something different.

"On the other hand" he managed to continue, "you are interesting. Mysterious. Your actions seems sometimes at odds with each other, something I find curious and familiar at the same time" Eligos admired, sizing Scarlet up and trying to clear his own thoughts. "And yet there is so little I know about you..." he sighed.

“All you have to do is ask.” She chimed into his careful words, her body closing the distance between them as she paced right beside him, occasionally sharing a glance upwards to peer into his face before looking ahead into the direction in front of her. Her hands wrapped around her backside to fold elegantly, pondering on suitable words to say in a situation such as this.

He was just as interesting and mysterious to her as she was to him, and she wanted to know more. “So, can you tell me more about that nightmare you had?” Scarlet spiked the dream back into his memory, wanting to know more about the background of the nightmare and why it deemed itself a fitting title. It startled him, his body covered in sweat, as she remembered upon awakening, so it HAD to have a grave impact on him every day.

“If you do not feel comfortable telling me, I don’t blame you, but I figured I’d ask since you interest me too.” She peeled away her honesty, giving him more information about her own thoughts on him.

"Maybe I'll do that..." Eligos nodded, as Scarlet seemed open to answer the questions he may had. Or at least that's what she said, it remained to be seen how open and honest she allowed herself to be once the actual questions came, but for now she seemed to have more of her own, so Eligos decided that he could do the questioning later. "Honest interest, hmm?" he wondered, peeking into Scarlet's expression, but she seemed completely honest and the most open she had been with him since she got him, so Eligos opted to not peek fun at her and make her close back again.

"Fine" Eligos sighed. "It was more of a memory than something made up, although the details shifted a bit and I couldn't hear my own name. The old one I mean" he repeated himself, framing the situation for both Scarlet's and his own sake. "One of my tasks was to watch upon you, the mortals" Eligos sounded bitter. "You have all His love, God's precious creation, while we were almost cast aside. For all your imperfections, He loved you more" he waved one hand. "I know, I know, it's not jealousy. Or at least not just jealousy. Some of us argued that you were undeserving of His gift, that if you were to continue living you had to be... supervised, guided in the right way. Many discussions and debates were had about it, that's where the nightmare and the reality differ" Eligos recounted. "It wasn't something that happened overnight, The Lightbringer didn't guide us in a heated up rebellion. It was meditated, planned, reasoned. A last resort. A desperate move" he paused, walking a few steps in silence.

"And yet it failed. One of my best friends personally defeated me. Cast me out of His grace with my rebellious brothers" Eligos sounded heartbroken, somber. "You remind me a bit of him" he said, turning around. "So delicate and yet so decided" he added, reaching in and briefly touching Scarlet's hair. "Compassionate, yet righteous, my poor Gabriel..." Eligos' arms dangled from his sides, feeling spent. His story was far from over, but he couldn't keep going at that moment. "Please, talk to me about something else, anything else" he almost begged, turning around and hiding his face from Scarlet, his voice sounding broken.

Once he agreed to comply with her request she would stiffen her posture, eyes fixated on him to show him that she was paying attention to his every word. The story dripped from his mouth, soaking into her eager ears as she learned the truth behind the memory. Her heart ached for him, words seeping with sadness and sorrow, yet he tried to hide it through hand gestures and turning his face away from her. Out of habit she bit the side of her check in thought, understanding why he decided to go ahead with his actions, but more questions sparked.

As fast as the question came into her mind, Eligos shut them down. Scarlet didn’t want to make him anymore uncomfortable, already squeezing enough information until he was left dry. “Okay, I’m sorry for making you answer them.” She chimed in, soon clearing the mess she made with a crackle inside of her throat.

“Feel free to ask me something then, I’m not shy.” Her elbow poked at his side, edging him on to ask her what he had on his mind as well, that is, if there was anything he thought about. Perhaps she had to shift the pressure off from him and onto her.

"Don't be sorry, it's fine" Eligos shook his head, his white hair dancing under the light that filtered through the trees. He felt terrible remembering certain things, talking about them, but also felt a bit lighter, like a weight was removed from him. Maybe it was the human condition, bringing him down with their weakness, their sensitive selves. With a sigh he tried not to worry about things he couldn't control, and focused on Scarlet's somewhat clumsy attempt to lighten the mood bit a small elbow poke and her offer to share. Well, they had a journey ahead of them that felt long at that moment but would surely feel shorter as they approached his demise, so he was ready to fill it with anything, even if it was her captor's life.

"I noticed that the sum paid to the doctor last night made him react" Eligos commented. "And even if you were mindful of the cost of the clothes, the idea of camping outside and saving the inn money didn't seem to cross your mind" he continued, still no question. "Your clothes, even travel worn, aren't bad, not to mention the sword and... well, these" he paused after showing the cuffs on his wrists. "Are you from a rich family or did someone spared no expense to make sure you were properly geared?" Eligos wondered. "Because if it's the former it comes as a surprise" he said before Scarlet could answer. "I mean the idea of a wealthy lady such as you abandoning her home to go chasing a demon for months and months and months..." Eligos stopped, frowning for a moment.

"It can't be that you took this life due to lack of a suitor, a beautiful woman like you should have no trouble finding a husband" Eligos continued voicing his thoughts out loud without a second thought. "So perhaps you are fleeing from that? Or did you make some kind of vow?" he finished talking, avoiding to specifically mention the celibacy that was sometimes popular among the holy warriors that chased him to no avail.

The more time Scarlet spent with him, the more she realized how blunt he was with his questions and comments. It didn’t bother her, and she certainly should’ve expected it, but still yet she had never crossed paths with someone such and unique as him before. She giggled slightly before shaking her head at his words, thinking of a good way to respond to his pre-thought assumptions.

“My family has been hunting your kind of centuries. We’re one of the few families that get the job done, hence the wealthy aspect.” Scarlet admitted, not really one to talk about her family in such a way. “I also do side jobs, mostly capturing the requested for a large sum of money.” She stopped pacing, eyes focusing on his. “But you, I did it because you intrigued me.” Adjusting her footing she would step in front of him.

“You’re so different, yet very powerful. I have never witnessed anything like it before, and my family have been on your radar since the beginning.” She folded her arms, hands gripping tightly on her forearms the deeper she got into her story. “They didn’t try to catch you, though, deeming you too strong for their own good, but I would change that.” Raising her eyebrows, she would look at his cuffs, emphasizing her point. “But it’s not the money that I’m after, it’s just knowing that I got you.”

Eligos smiled at Scarlet's words when she said her family hunted 'his kind', as he had never felt as part of anything since the war, so it was weird feeling himself lumped up with the rest of the demons. Eligos had even distanced himself from the ones that fell with him, the exiled, the banished, finding comfort on being alone and his self imposed task. His face shifted to surprise once he heard that he intrigued Scarlet. It wasn't as he didn't know that there was something there, some kind of calling, as she had chased him over and over again. Part of that was his fault, since he had left her alive after each of their encounters, mocking her ability and taunting her, something that brought him defeat with time. Eligos said nothing, wanting to hear why did he cause such feeling on Scarlet.

"And they were right" Eligos nodded. "I am... I was too powerful for them. For you" he corrected. "And yet you got me, you have what you wanted" he continued, looking at Scarlet. "What now? I mean, not literally, I know what's next for me" he said, a dry laugh hiding the discomfort. "But what's next for you? Even if it was with smarts, courage and a bit of trickery, you managed to catch me" continued. "There is nothing left for you to do. There really are no more challenges than this one" he opened his arms. "After all, what could be harder than to catch a demon of my rank?" he wondered, as he couldn't think of anything.

"So yeah, my road my be ending at your town" Eligos admitted. "But so it's yours, at least as a hunter" he said. "After all, there is nothing bigger to hunt, and if yours is a family affair..." he paused. "It needs a family to continue it in the future" he finished, implying that she could now settle.