Steel watched from far away as humans discussed their attack plan. He never participate in any type of planning as an active person. What's the point of meaningless arguing? He can just follow whatever they say or if he doesn't like what he is suppose to do. Then he can just not do it or lie.
He has tried but human thinking is incomprehensible to him. Why bother with these creatures. He just wants whatever is advantageous or makes him profit of some kind.
He also thinks that his words don't hold much value in a conversation between humans. He is a demon. Nobody else knows that but he is still aware of his own existence.
Perhaps that's why talking to River is much easier.
Jane is also in the discussion and she is the one explaining the plans. That is the reason he was called here. Jane must have been the one to tell that human to bring him here. Nobody else would be able to easily notice him.
Steel listens with interest as Jane speak.
"SV054 is the most closet of these devil spawns and most threatening one of them all. GL012 doesn't look threatening but it is better to be cautious of that devil. It is also much more far away from the human community. The last one that is as close the community as SV054 is the EI023."
Jane stops to breathe some air in her lunges.
He remember the time when she told him about her stage fright. Of course, he didn't under what that meant at the time and when he did. It kind of surprised him.
He never thought that Jane would be conscious about talking in front of people. Right now, if he didn't knew that fact then he couldn't have seen that little anxiety of hers.
'humans are so complicated…'
After a minute, she continues.
"EI023 is an unknown. We don't known much about it or about its abilities. It could come to life while the team is dealing with 054. it is just sad that the one who wrote these reports was efficient but didn't provide more vital information about the devil. It is fine though. i forgive her slopy work. buuuut If it were my assistant. He would never be slopy, he would have written an essay about the devil."
Jane mentioning her assistant, Steel, made few of the humans look at him with curiosity. With an awkward smile, he waves to make his existence known.
Steel is used to her antics. So it doesn't bother him much. But is it really necessary to say that about another human? He just hopes that he human doesn't take that to heart and come after him or something. It had happen before and can happen now.
"O23 is also much too far away to sent a whole cohort to just watch. So my assistant, Steel, would be watching over it while we deal with that bat. I've talked with my cohort so it's a well thought out decision."
There were equivalent of three cohort members in the room. Few of them veterans and other were new faces. The guy that brought him here was also present in the room. Which member did he belonged with?
Jane had discussed before what they were gonna do. Jane's cohort was gonna attack the devil bat while the other two cohorts will be protecting the boundaries of the boneyard.
And now he is also included in the watch duty of that devil bug.
He had no issues with the plan. So he just nodded to Jane and kept on listening to some minor details about the job.
***
[River you know what to do…]
Steel hears a sound that is equivalent of a nod in his head. River makes sounds…or does she stimulates his mind with which he feels like she is making noises in his head?
Telepathy is weird.
'I'm calling everything weird too. She has affected me…'
Steel has told her to warn him about everything that happen around him. It isn't like he needs her help as he is hidden enough. But it wouldn't hurt to get help of the demon that lives in his head rent free.
He also doesn't need her help that much. He can always relay on his elusive nature.
As long as he doesn't make his existence known. He can move through this place without much of any effort. It is like he doesn't exist.
It isn't like it matter if he exists or not. He is a demon so what is the point if he even exist? Perhaps, to find this own imperfection he would just need to finally leave these things that bind him to this world. But he doesn't want to do that.
Steel Has lied to Jane about his age. So he can get this government job to earn and get information. His real age, that he remembers is seventeen. But is that the real age of his?
Steel was never an infant. He was born with a teenager like body when he first came into existence. He doesn't wanna remember that. Birth of a demon is strange.
Demons are strange. He is strange himself. River herself calls him a weird demon.
But it never feels like it is a negative thing. He doesn't really feel anything about it. If he didn't have that Mother's curse. He wouldn't have tried anything in his life and in the end, he would stop existing.
This curse itself is the reason that he came to remember himself. Before that he doesn't remember anything. So who knows, how old could he be.
As these thoughts roam around his head. He finally reaches his destination. The barrack bug is just ten meters away from him.
Steel asks River about the Devil that if it can see him or not.
River didn't spoke for few minutes. While she is busy watching the Barrack bug. He make sure that the place is safe and there aren't anymore devil spawns around it.
His job is to keep an eye on the devil. He doesn't have to fight it and he had no issues with it.
He wouldn't be getting any soul weapons like that. But it is fine not risking his life for a little boost in his offense.
As he wandering about the world around him. River finally replies.
[it is dead]
Steel kind of shocked by what he had heard.
[Are you sure? Is something else is hiding in the huge shell of that devil?]
The devil spawn itself is just a huge beetle shell or something. There is no head, no limbs just a big head carapace. It is bigger than Steel's own apartment.
Even the devil spawns now making him jealous of their own living place.
[No. There is no life. It is dead.]
Steel gets a little closer to the devil spawn. He somewhat trust River but he wouldn't abandon his caution for that.
He doesn't notice no moment or any indication that the devil is even alive. If it is dead why is that human didn't wrote that in his report? Why are they employing such incompetent people in the government?
'I've chosen the wrong occupation…'
He sighs with relief and goes close enough to touch the devil spawn. And River is right. There is no life in this devil. It is just dead.
The shell of the Barrack bug sure is smooth like….steel. or a different metal. Could the devil had died cause of its own weight?
That sure would be funny to witness. Steel asks.
[any idea if there is a soul weapon inside?]
River replies by shaking his head left or right. No. Actually, he just felt like she shake her head. It is odd to explain in words when it is happening in his mind.
He sighs with disappointment.
"Well, guess I am free now…"
He was sent to watch the creature but if it is death then there is no need to keep watch on it. But he can still slack a little. So he climbs on top of the Barrack bug and sits on it with criss cross legs.
He climbed to keep an eye around the area. Or so he said to himself. It is nice to sit on top of a terrifying creature like these. He fills like a king. Maybe that's how human kid feel like after climbing on top of those weird bars…what are they called? Monkey bars?
What even is a monkey? He needs to research or something.
Steel looks in the direction of the that other devil spawn. He is going to call it the Singing bat or something.
He is curious about how that devil spawn is even looks like and how Jane and her cohort would even kill it.
He isn't particularly worried about Jane. He doesn't care if she dies in the battle against the devil. If she lives then great but if she dies then he would just have to find someone else to keep an anchor of his existence.
It would just a mild inconvenience and nothing else. But it would be better if he doesn't have to deal with that mild inconvenience. So let everyone else die except for Jane.
He asks River, jokingly, what is happening over there. He is not expecting her to see anything from this far away. The distance is more than five kilometers. But he was surprised again.
[it moves with blinding speed. Biting off one of the human's head. Five humans remain.]
Steel can only wonder why is she so good at looking through his peepers.