Middleground

"Tch ... Stupid demon ..."

The night that surrounded him was listening in and watching him from every angle, though of this much he was unaware. He walked without a care, kicking up leaves and dirt, soiling his already worse-for-wear pair of shoes. He was annoyed, the downward curvature of the scar etched into his face made that much apparent. It was a rare sight to see the young man frown, and it was rather disheartening. But that much can't be helped, there are urgent matters afoot.

"Sending me to do his shit like I'm one of his errand-boys," he laughed, arrogantly as if he was his safety was guaranteed in these woods. "HA! As if! Once I'm through with this, I'll be done with that asshole!" He turned to the direction he was heading from and flipped two impolite fingers to the air. "YOU HEAR ME? I'LL NEVER JOIN YOUR LITTLE CLUB OF FUCKIN' FREAKS YOU BASTARD!"

His voice was like nails on a chalkboard as he screamed into the night, and the darkness became uneasy with annoyance. It calmed as he walked further away, uttering remarks and kicking up more of the forest floor as he went.

The darkness was relieved of it's watchful eyes as my power retracted back into its respective body. I unlaced my fingers and used my knuckle to knead my temple. "That boy ... " I sighed again, "No. I can't quite call him that anymore. He's grown since our first encounter ..." I recalled the night fondly; with all the blood and tears came a cause that would put him right at home in the family that I've assembled. Though, he refuses to surrender himself to any sort of family ever again.

"S-sir, I think it better of you-you send me t-t-to retrieve-"

"No, Tobias," I begin, "Though I'm sure you'd more than willingly give your life to me," I approached in two large strides from my desk to the door where my most responsible son stood and placed my hand upon his shoulder, "I'm sure that Jeffery can handle this task alone."

"But!-"

"He needs us. He just doesn't realize how desperately yet. This task should put things into perspective for Jeffery."

I can feel the disappointment in Tobias's little body. His posture never falters under my hand and his face doesn't change, but his pupils dilate behind his goggles.

"Rest assured, my son, you have proven your worth time and time again and I am proud of you," I can sense his mood brighten at this. "But we need Jeffery as much as he needs us." I begin to retreat back into my office to leave Toby to his duties. "There are forces that wish to take our family. In order to stop this we need to become stronger, and we need to protect our own."

"Jef-ff i-isn't one of us, s-sir. He wan-wants-s noth-thing to do-do with us-mm... " His stuttering worsens as a result of his emotions taking over, though I notice how much he's managed to improve his speech since staying here, of which I am glad.

"War ... " I remind him, "is knocking on these mansion doors. Jeffery is more than capable of retrieving the link that will either save us all or spell our demise. He is stubborn, he his crass, and he wants nothing to do with us, yes. But he will soon discover, as the battle draws nearer and as he witnesses that of which we've sent him to see, that he needs us as well ... wether he likes it or not ..."