Chapter 369: Hunting Ground-IV

Elise wondered how the text look on Ian's eyes, she had experienced this when they were with Redrick and the priest wasn't able to find the truth from the words written there, instead reading a wrong one. "Can you read it from the top?" Asked Elise, because she needed to see whether what she knew was right or false.

Ian helped her with a nod, "The Duke of Hell Lucifer, was born from an Angel and a Demon. Not much different than what we know," he remarked, "Due to his grace and holy white wings, he was taken to Heaven where holy beings spends their time at until one day, Lucifer deviated from the right path, going to Hell and started a rebellion. He was first punished by Heaven and later punished for the second time after killing Seraphim, the Archangel, causing him to stay in Hell throughout the punishment."

Hearing this, Elise turned confused, "But I saw him in Saltige," and she was sure she didn't know the man wrong and he was indeed Lucifer.

Ian briefly paused, humming through his parted lips, "What you have seen might be only his soul, meaning his body is indeed locked in Hell but his soul ventured outside in the mortal's world."

"Is that possible?" Elise questioned with a surprised look.

"It's not impossible but very difficult. Though I won't doubt the extent of Lucifer's power as we all know how strong he is." After being beside Ian, Elise can tell for sure he wasn't a man who would lightly praise people left and right unless they truly deserve the word. And heading to what he said, she could only measure the amount of power Lucifer has but still wasn't enough to have a clear view of it.

"How strong is he?" She asked.

"As strong as Satan, no some times, he was said to be equal to more than him," and Elise frowned. Until now, they were still unsure whether Lucifer were their enemy. But seeing how he had ordered Beelzebub to stab Ian, Elise would likely believe the man was inclining to the enemy side, although she cannot be sure because she sensed Lucifer had his own plan he had mapped. Whether that plan would involve her and Ian, she wasn't sure and that was the trouble Lucifer was a very dangerous person to make an enemy with.

"The rest just spoke about the amount of his power as I have explained to you," Ian said, reading the page. He wasn't very keen in knowing about Lucifer but it was said that learning an enemy is one way to be in their mind and predict their move. "What was the name of the Demon Redrick told you before?"

"Leviathan," Elise named, watching the page flipped toward the page where she earlier couldn't see the text. There was a large charcoal drawing on the side of the page, a drawing presenting a large snake-like dragon creating havoc and whirlpool on a large sea in the middle of a storm. A large ship was drawn circled by the water dragon's tail, causing it to look small even though Elise could tell the dragon must be large enough to cover the horizon. From the dragon's mouth a fire came forward.

"Leviathan, The Earl of Hell, destroyer of the living," Ian uttered the same word as she did, but what comes after was what she didn't know, "Leviathan gained his name after appearing in the banquet held in Hell. After dueling with Baal, the demon won and was granted his title as the Earl of Hell. Not much was told about him, except for how he was describe to never lift his finger when he fought as his enemy would stop on their feet and bow."

"Was this exaggerated?" Elise questioned because she cannot imagine Demons would bow in front of their enemy in moment of war. 

"I don't think so, the writer didn't exaggerate about Lucifer unless the writer is Leviathan himself, I doubt they would write bullshits here, ah sorry for my language," Ian whispered, putting a hand on his lips.

"I don't mind," Elise said receiving his smile and she then questioned. "What was written about his origin?"

"Nothing," Ian said, having the same knot on his forehead as Elise did. "Odd, I have read some of the Demons earlier and I'm sure you have noticed it. Even Diablo's was told in here and all about his origin, but it seemed our boy Leviathan wasn't keen on his origin," seeing that there was nothing else written about Leviathan other than the story of the war he lead, Ian closed the book, he begin to stare at Elise's deep blue eyes that was appearing trying to fill the questions she has in her mind, "I don't believe in coincidence, Elise. Demons always plan a step ahead, coincidence had never been there and it had always been people falling to the tune they play, do you believe this?"

"I don't know," Elise said, "But I think I understand, because Demons dislike doing things that don't benefit them."

"Correct, and I think Redrick had his purpose by telling you about Leviathan. I noticed how his name was similar to Levi, your father's name," Elise nodded her head.

"I also feel the same. I'm not sure but maybe it is him," her father thought Elise. After what happened today where the false memories about her mother had been unraveled, Elise didn't want to doubt her father. She recalled her mother's trust to him, believing he hadn't left her which mean something must have happened. "When do you think I can meet my sister."

"Soon, possibly after we visit the hunt tomorrow or once Austin came back, we can visit her," Ian gave his words to her. He was also curious of who Leviathan was, "Let's go to sleep," he whispered, catching Elise's eyes turning at him with a surprised look. The corner of his lips immediately curl at her behavior, "What is it?" He asked with a small intent to tease her.

"N-Nothing," Elise answered, pushing her body to lay on the ground. When Ian had proposed to sleep, it surprised Elise because usually by now, their body and hands would touch each other, thinking about it turn her ears bright red.

Elise might have not noticed it, but Ian could sense her eyes looking at him with a little speck of disappointment. Unable to handle the urge to tease her, he leaned forward, biting her ears to her her shudder instead of yelping. Surprised, Elise placed her hand to his chest out of reflex and that only helped Ian to pull her closer.

"Shush, I was holding back so you could console your emotions and the memories you had with your mother but look what you do?" Ian hummed, his velvet low voice vibrate next to her ears along with the touch on her waist, Elise curl her fingers, crumpling some fabric of his shirt.

"I didn't do anything," Elise said in her defense. She truly didn't. She only thought of how it went the last time in the carriage and Ian's expression in pleasure. 

"But you turn me on," Ian pushed her again, having Elise to bit her lips as his words also affected the lower region of her body. His thumb brushes over her bottom, very slowly did he move forward to brush her core. A shuddered breath left Elise's lips and Ian's red eyes flickered, causing the flame behind him to suddenly burn brighter. He closed his eyes, opening to calm himself, "Let's save this for tomorrow. I know you are sad and tired. Turn around."

Elise lifted her body and shifted it so her face could look at him better than before. He reached out his hand, placing it underneath of her head, "It had always been you who had been curious about my past. Now it's your turn."

"My turn?"

"Tell me about your memories about your mother," Ian coaxed, brushing his hand toward the side of her face. Elise thought she might have imagined it, but the warmth Ian sent to her body from his fingertips felt much warmer as time grow and she found herself getting used to his touch and her heart felt as if she had came back to the right place where she belongs. It was a wonderful feeling which she was sure she would never be able to feel if she was with someone else.

"Unlike the memories I had before, my mother, Adelaide was a person with a very gentle heart and a warm person," Elise said, her lashes lowering under Ian's gaze and he could see the hint of sadness, "Contrary to how the Angel who had tampered my memory, she never raised her hand to me, not even once. She posses heart like an Angel, maybe even better than that."

"I can tell if our mother met, they would be a great friend for each other," Ian chuckled when thinking of the possible future laid if his mother wasn't killed. Elise agreed with it, she never met Ian's mother but she had that feeling in her that they could be a good friend as both of them were similar, both having a lovely heart.

"Tomorrow," Elise said, her eyes slowly feeling heavy as the fatigue crawled over her body, "Next time, tell me more about your mother," she said, and when Ian tipped his chin to look down at the lovely girl sleeping on his arm his smile widened before it turn fainter. He could recall the word his mother told him during the day they both watched his father, Evan White holding a party for his second wife's birthday while his mother was told to stay in the room as his second wife wasn't keen on the idea of having the first wife around her birthday, wanting to feel like the lady of the house.

'He betrayed you, mother, you should be angry,' Ian said, since young he had a darkness in him that reflected on his deep black eyes. He looked at his mother who was sitting near the glassless window as he sat on the floor, leaning his head on his mother's knees. 

'Hatred doesn't bear anything good, my son. I know what you did yesterday to your brother,' came his mother's voice and her eyes which was very light in the color of brown looked down at him.

'He deserve falling from the horse for riding my horse on his own violation. I did told him my horse doesn't like others touching them,' Ian said rolling his eyes without an ounce of guilt as the person didn't deserve it, 'I would have been happier if he was stepped on by my horse. I did great holding myself after he had thrown that degrading sexual remark to you. Rather than scolding me, you should have praised me,' Ian said, moving from his position he leaned his arm and head on his mother's leg, his lips pouting in disappointment even though the corner of his lips curl.

'What to do with you,' his mother sighed, leaning forward to kiss Ian by his forehead that caused Ian to smile cheekily as he knew his mother won't scold him, 'But promise me not to do anything reckless, you wouldn't want your father to get angry, don't you?'

'Will you be sad if father got angry? I don't understand why you would still love him despite everything he did to you. That son of a bitc- doesn't deserve your faithfulness, mother,' Ian continued as if he hadn't curse outright in front of his mother. 'You know, if we are together we can live together in a small village. I can work,' Ian frowned when he saw his mother shaking her head in reply.

'Why?' was his one single question, 'You are an example of a person blinded by love.'

'It's not that, my dear son. I have promised,' his mother said as he run his hand through the back of his head.

Ian didn't understand what promise she meant, 'To whom?' He asked.

'God. I promise to God, our dear father in Heaven to stay by your father no matter what the future will bring,' his mother said and Ian pushed himself from her laps, looking at him with his brows faintly furrowed.

'If God is real, he won't let you suffer here,' he protested, clearly not liking whoever this God was even if he hadn't seen him before. His mother might be as kind and gentle as Angel yet God turn a blind eye to her.

'It's because he loves me,' chuckled his mother when she saw Ian looking at her confused. 'God always give their children gifts, Ian. Each people has their own gifts given by god.'

'I doubt he is your gift,' Ian said with a facetious smile, by him he meant his father. 

'Not him, but you,' said the woman with a warm smile, the smile that Ian always find as his warm in the hell-like house. 'You are here because of him and you are the gift god gave to me. I don't mind what comes in the future as long as you are alright. Which why if you want to leave...'

'I won't,' Ian answered quickly and he put his head on his mother's laps again, 'I want to be with you mother.'

Suddenly a knock came on the door of the room where they stayed at, a servant came and say, 'Lady Lucy, the Lord is calling for you.'

'I can go in your stead, we can say that you are ill,' Ian said because he felt a foreboding premonition in him and he was correct as after his mother was called, they were banished from the house. But the two still didn't know what was going to happen.

'Silly you, your name isn't Lucy, isn't it? I can walk, saying that we are ill means hoping we would get ill,' his mother then stood out from the seat despite his son's warning. Before leaving the room, his mother looked at Ian and placed her hand smoothly over his jaw, 'My handsome son, soon I believe the gracious God would give you a special gift. Believe your mother.'

Coming back to the present, Ian continue to brush his hand on her back, "I believed you mother," he whispered. Leaning forward to kiss Elise, the gift God gave which his mother had told him with his softest peck, Ian slid his hand from her neck, covering her with the duvet and stared at her peaceful sleeping expression before he left the room.

"Maroon," and in instance, Maroon came to his side. "I want you to search for Elbrus town in Runalia. Search about my mother."

Maroon caught on something but he didn't ask and obliged by the order before he was about to leave, Ian stopped him, saying, "I also want you to search more about Lucifer and Leviathan."

Ian knew his garbage of a father wasn't the one who had inherited this power in him that enchanted once he took over Diablo's position, which meant his mother was hiding something. Now he thought about it, his mother was much of a better liar than him. She could indeed lied about their origin for a reason he could tell to protect him.

"Right away," Maroon said before leaving the room. Ian reentered his bedroom, going next to the window and opened the glass to look down and notice the white bird that was looking upward toward his room. When their eyes met, the bird smiled faintly before flying away.

"What a fool," Ian muttered under his breaths, "Birds are blind in the night. He could have used something else instead of bird to peek into other's house. I'm doubting his credibility as the Duke of Hell now, tch."

*****

A/N: I'm sorry for the very late update. I am in very aching pain right now. I am not sure if I can write well, so you might see the drop in quality in my writings...Don't forget to show support by voting~