Ok, so originally, I wanted to give a decent amount of time between the end of arc 1 before starting arc 2, but I guess I just got really into everything and the words just came pouring out. There's no stopping these gears once they start.
To new readers, this is the second installment of an ongoing series by myself and my partner Dingo-Sniper. Though not required - because you can do whatever you want and such - I highly recommend reading arc 1 first before starting this story if you haven't done so already. A lot of stuff happens in arc 1 and if you don't want to be confused or left behind in the plot, I recommend reading it. Plus, if I get any questions asking something to which arc 1 answers (like "how did they beat Daolon Wong?" or "what did Lang Yan do to help the group?"), I will absolutely ignore them. Sorry if that's a bit harsh, but seriously, one should not read the second installment without reading the first. It's like skipping to Chamber of Secrets and not reading Philosopher's Stone.
"Ah, all right guys, it's a new school year! A time to start fresh and move on from the chaos of last term," Tim sighed.
"When you say 'chaos', do you mean the awesomeness that is us saving the world from a crazy old wizard?" Mavis asked.
"Do you have something else to call it?" Tim asked.
"Duh-doi! More like an awesome, butt kicking adventure! Starring yours truly, Callahan Thunder! And my gut's telling me it's just the beginning!" she smirked.
"Honestly, I hope not. I've had enough adventure this past year to last a lifetime. I just want a normal school term for once with my friends," said Mala.
"Aaaannnd?" Drago chimed in.
"And my boyfriend," she giggled, giving him a playful punch in the arm.
"Why are we going this way to school again?" Liam asked.
"We're meeting up with Remy, remember? It's his first day back to school and we thought it would be fun to all walk together. You know, help break the ice," said Tim.
"Yeah, I know how scary it can be going back to school after a while. I definitely would have liked someone to go with on my first day," said Mala.
"But then you met us!" Mavis exclaimed.
"And we nearly destroyed the entire school," Liam added.
"Ah, fond memories," Mavis sighed in content.
"Oh, morning," Remy greeted as he stepped out of his apartment building. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We thought we'd surprise you and walk to school together!" Mavis beamed.
"Uh, is that what you're wearing?" Mala asked, pointing to his hunter gear.
"Yeah, why? What's wrong with it?" Remy asked, confused.
"Well, it's not exactly inconspicuous," Drago commented.
"Don't you think it'll be a bit weird going to a public high school in full-body demon killing gear?" Tim asked.
"And I'm pretty sure schools have a very strict 'no weapons' policy," Liam added.
"You guys really think so? I haven't exactly spent a lot of time with other people or in public at all," Remy mentioned.
"Ok, come on. We've got a few minutes to spare," Mala said, pulling Remy back inside as Mavis followed. They emerged five minutes later and Remy was dressed in a black, unbuttoned shirt with green trimming and blue shirt underneath with his family crest in green, blue jeans and black and green sneakers.
"I'm surprised you had something other than your gear. It's been the only thing we see you wear," Liam commented.
"Are you kidding? It was hard enough to find something that didn't have his family crest on it!" Mavis exclaimed.
"Yeah we're pretty big on the family emblem. So, can we go now? It's bad to be late on your first day, right?" Remy asked.
"Wait," said Mala.
"What?"
"Weapons," she said. Remy sighed and pulled out his collapsible sword from behind his back. "What else?" Remy then proceeded to pull out several more weapons, his daggers, throwing knives and even a few stun grenades. "Remy! We said no weapons!"
"I'm sorry ok? I'm a hunter! I need to have my gear on me at all times in case of an emergency! I'm just… not comfortable without them," he admitted.
"Ok fine! Just make sure nobody can see them. There's no telling what the faculty will do if they find that many weapons on you," Mala cautioned.
"It's been a long time since I've done this, but I imagine school is still pretty much the same as it's always been?" Remy asked.
"Yup, boring study, gross lunch, dumb classmates," Mavis listed.
"Ah, how pleasant."
"Yeah, but it'll be less dull with all of us together. It's funny, after school we would always spend our time planning on finding the next Coin or how to fight you, but I guess now we've got nothing to do," Liam said.
"Except homework," Tim added.
"And just like that, the magic is gone," Mavis groaned.
When they arrived at school, they left Remy with the front reception so he could get settled in before they headed off to homeroom. A few minutes later, Remy came in and the teacher asked him to introduce himself, the same way she had done last term with Mala and Drago. Remy kept his introduction short and simple to the point where all he even said was his name. He didn't mention his family's occupation as demon hunters, of course. "Man we're getting a lot of new students this year," one of the classmates commented. After that, the teacher had him take the empty seat on Mala's right. When lunch time finally rolled around, they noticed several adults roaming through the halls with some of the students.
"What's going on?" asked Drago.
"Oh, the school does this every year at the start of the spring term. It's like a 'Parent's Day' where students' parents can come visit the school and, you know check out the facilities, make sure their kids are getting a good education. Most parents only bother to come the one time, like mine," said Tim.
"Yeah, but mine always insist on coming! It took me hours to convince them not to come this year!" Mavis exclaimed. "I'm guessing none of your guys' parents will be coming?"
"I doubt it. All of our parents," Liam began, gesturing to himself, Mala, Drago and Remy, "are either deceased or banished in the Demon Netherworld."
"So I won't be expecting a visit from any of them anytime soon," Mala added. After they got their lunches, they decided to eat inside the cafeteria rather than in their usual spot outside at the football bleachers. "Too god damned cold," as Mavis put it. They sat in one of the tables in the far corner of the cafeteria, hoping to get as far away from the central chatter as possible. They were in the middle of enjoying one of the few good cafeteria meals - pizza - when a woman with long blonde hair in a ponytail wearing a dark blue business suit made her way over to them.
"Is this seat taken?" she asked. Mala's eyes widened in shock and she dropped the slice of pizza she was about to take a bite from. She hesitantly turned her head to look upon the face of the newcomer and confirm her suspicions. It had been over a decade since she last saw that face, but there was no mistaking it. "I'll take that as a 'no'," she said pleasantly before taking a seat. "Oh, pizza, how delightful. I haven't had a decent meal in years!" she smiled, taking a bite from her slice.
"What are you doing here?" Mala whispered angrily, instantly becoming tense.
"Now, now, darling, you wouldn't want to cause a scene would you? Unless you want to make starting demon fights on the first day of school a tradition."
"How did you-" Liam started.
"Mala, do you know this lady?" Mavis asked, taking a sip of her juice.
"Everyone, you all remember my mother?" Mala asked as Mavis quickly spat out the sip she had taken, unfortunately all over Tim and Liam.
"Mavis!" Tim shouted, reaching for his napkins to dry himself off.
"Sorry, sorry, I've just always wanted to do that."
"Your mother? Lang Yan!" Drago realized.
"Demon Sorceress!" Remy quickly reached back for his Jian, but Lang Yan cut him off.
"Hold, demon hunter. The last thing you'd want to do is expose all of us. I suggest you sheath your blade, boy."
"And why should we trust you?" Mala asked.
"Because were it not for me, you would be still stuck in an illusion, your two human friends would probably have been eaten by Hsi Wu and your new boyfriend would still be in the Netherworld," Lang Yan counted on each of her fingers as she spoke. "You see? I have done nothing but help you."
"But why? Demon Sorcerers don't do anything without a reason. If you think this means I owe you three favours then think again!" Mala spat.
"Now is that any way to speak to your mother? And do my reasons truly matter? The point is I helped you all. Deny it all you want, but you would not be here were it not for me."
"The last time we saw you, you were still in the Netherworld, how did you escape Lang Yan?" Tim asked.
"When I am in this form, you will call me 'Mrs. Reid', is that understood? As for how I came here, your old enemy is to blame."
"Daolon Wong? But we beat him!" Drago exclaimed.
"Quite so. His defeat was so pathetic and humiliating he sought to exact revenge on the six of you. But in his arrogance, he did not see just where that would lead him."
"What did he do?" Liam asked.
"Not here. We will discuss the rest of this somewhere less… populated. How about your place, Mala? I'd love to see where you live."
"Not a chance! You don't think I know what you're up to?"
"And what do you think I'm up to, Mala? Do you think I'm here to ruin your life? Take over the world? Whether or not you choose to believe this is up to you, but I have waited years to come back to this life. I would rather live in this world as an anonymous commoner than risk losing it by exposing myself and attempting to rule. I don't want to rule this world; I just want to to live in it, something none of the other Demon Sorcerers have the guts to admit. I'll come around 4:30, is that suitable to you?" she asked, not expecting an answer as she sat up from the table.
"Excuse me, and who are you?" asked one of the teachers.
"Oh me? I'm Lana Reid, Mala's mother," Lang Yan said, putting on a smile and pleasant face.
"Oh? But Mala said her parents wouldn't be coming."
"Yes, you see nearly a decade ago, I was out hiking when I struck my head in an accident. I was left in a coma for some years and when I finally awoke I had lost all my memory. It was only recently that I regained it and I've been trying to pick up the pieces of my life since then," she explained as if it were a perfectly rehearsed speech.
"Oh my goodness! How tragic!" the teacher gasped. "You poor thing! But actually, now that you are here, would you mind accompanying me to the reception? Ms. Reid has no listed emergency or parental contact."
"Oh my, I certainly wouldn't want to leave my daughter without that," Lang Yan started, turning to look at Mala, "would I?" she finished as she left with the teacher.
As Lang Yan walked away, Mala tightly gripped her soda can, crushing it with ease as she seethed with anger. All of a sudden, her hand began turning blue as her fingers sharpened and blue crystal armor began forming over her hand. Drago noticed this and quickly grabbed her hand, which brought her out of her daze as her hand turned back to normal. "Thanks," she uttered. After school, they gathered at Mala's apartment as she paced back and forth, waiting for Lang Yan to show up. When they finally heard a knock on the door, Drago opened it and Lang Yan was on the other side, still in her human guise.
"Well, are you going to let me in or not?" she asked, prompting Drago to step aside. "Hm, a very nice place my dear," she complimented, walking around the apartment and examining it's contents.
"Thanks," Mala muttered with her arms crossed.
Lang Yan stopped at the bookshelf when she noticed a picture frame. She reached for it as her eyes glued to the photo inside. It was a picture of the three of them: herself, Mala as a child and… "Jasper," she whispered, lightly tracing her fingers over the photo before smiling to herself and getting lost in her memories only to be brought out by the sound of Mala clearing her throat.
"You came here to discuss something?" Mala asked, hoping her mother would get to the point.
"Hm, straight to business, how boring," she mused, placing the picture frame back on the shelf. "I thought we could chat a bit, you know, since it's been so long since we last saw each other." When her suggestion was met with silence and stern glares, she continued, "Hm, I guess not. It wouldn't make a difference anyway, I know everything that has and will happen to all of you," she said confidently, taking a seat in the single chair. "When you defeated Daolon Wong, the pathetic old man slithered away like the cowardly snake he is and prepared a means to exact his revenge on you."
"What did he do?" Drago asked.
"He opened a portal to the Netherworld and released four Demon Sorcerers, as well as myself."
"Four Demon Sorcerers on the loose? That cannot be good," Tim noted.
"It certainly can't. If there are Demon Sorcerers on the loose, we need to find them and take care of them fast," Remy added.
"'If'? Do you doubt me, demon hunter?"
"Was that not clear?"
"Hmph, very well. I care not whether you believe my words. I came here to inform you of Daolon Wong's actions and I have done so. What you do after is entirely up to you," Lang Yan said, climbing out of her seat and making her way to the door to leave.
"Wait," said Liam, causing Lang Yan to stop. She smirked before turning around to face the teens.
"Yes?"
"Who were the Demon Sorcerers Wong released?" Liam asked.
"Well, in case you," she started, looking at Drago, "were wondering, it is none of your kin."
"Good," Drago sighed.
"Then what other Demon Sorcerers are there?" Mavis asked.
"They are Tai Ci, Sen Qiang, Liao She and Dong Xin," she listed.
"D-Dong Xin? The Winter Heart?" he asked.
"The very same. You know him well enough, don't you?" she asked.
"So, what are these guys the Demon Sorcerers of?" Tim asked.
"I've heard of them," Mala spoke up. "Sun, wood, poison and ice."
"Good girl. You know your Demon Sorcerers," Lang Yan complimented.
"Don't patronize me," Mala muttered.
"I've heard of them too. My father's told me about them a lot. Tai Ci's the Sun Demon and he's always boasting about how much more powerful and important he is than everyone else," Drago explained.
"Sen and Liao are the twins," Mala spoke up next, "Dad taught me about all the Demon Sorcerers too. They're wood and poison and as deadly as they are separate, they're way more dangerous together. And then…"
"Dong Xin," Liam spoke, interrupting Mala.
"Mm, you know the Winter Heart well, don't you, boy?" Lang Yan asked, smiling in amusement.
"Yes, I do," he answered simply.
"Liam?" Mavis asked in concern.
"Wh-when I was a kid," he struggled to speak at first but managed to find his words, "I wandered off from my mother. I was so young, I-I didn't know where our territory ended and others' began. I ended up wandering straight into Dong Xin's territory and he doesn't take kindly to intruders. If you think your father," he said to Drago, "or your mother," he said to Mala, "is bad. Believe me, you don't know anything. They are nothing compared to him."
"I'm sensing some sort of exposition or backstory coming," Mavis commented.
"When Dong Xin discovered an intruder in his territory, he started hunting me. And that's not a figure of speech, I mean he literally began hunting me. I managed to stay hidden from him most of the time, but there were moments where I could feel his icy breath on me, where it would get so cold I couldn't feel my fingers; I couldn't even breath. I was so afraid, I was sure that I was going to die," Liam's voice nearly broke as he recounted his story. "It was like I could feel him standing over me and any second then, he could kill me, but he wouldn't at least not yet. It was like it was all a game to him and I was just his toy. Dong Xin is by far one of the most deadly and most powerful Demon Sorcerers in the world. He has no emotion, he is cold and empty; he has no heart!"
"There is ice where his heart should be," Lang Yan added.
"Exactly," Liam said.
"Liam, how come you never told us about that?" Tim asked.
"It's not exactly a part of my life that I'm fond of remembering," he responded.
"If what she says is true - if," Remy emphasized, "then we have a lot we need to do. Tracking spells, containment spells, combat spells, the works. Not to mention finding out the symbol of those who originally banished them so we can replicate their banishment spells."
"Well, I must say you six have got a lot to do, don't you?" Lang Yan mused.
"Wait, what are you going to do?" Mala asked.
"I have a whole life to put back together now don't I?"
"And what if Daolon Wong comes back? We can't deal with him if we're going to - as you say - fight Demon Sorcerers," said Drago.
"Oh, you won't have to worry about Daolon Wong. I took care of him after he let us out."
"You mean you…" Mavis began.
"Oh no, no, he's still very much alive. It's only if I break them when they die, as I did with your father," she said to Liam. "Daolon Wong will remain in his state so long as I wish it. I suppose I should wish the six of you luck."
"Wait, if you can see into the future, then you already know if we beat them… right?" Tim asked.
"Yeah, you can tell us if we already won, can't you?" Mavis asked next.
"Oh, I could, but I wouldn't want to ruin the story. Where's the fun in that?" she asked, leaving the apartment before anyone else could stop her.
Did Lang Yan just break the fourth wall? She and Mavis have a lot in common XD But in all seriousness, I just LOVE writing Lang Yan. She is so much fun :3 If any readers need a refresher on characters, here's a handy list:
Linos - alias "Liam", shadow-sound demon hybrid, son of Tzan Ren and Hsian Ji
Timothy Knight - intellectual genius, Chi Wizard apprentice to Mala
Mavis Callahan - team coordinator, resident pop culture referencer and fourth wall breaker, LI to Linos
Mala Reid - human-crystal demon hybrid, daughter of Lang Yan, LI to Drago
Drago - canon character, you should already know him lol
Remington Ryder - demon hunter, last of the Ryder clan
Also, to check out these four Demon Sorcerers, pop on over to my deviantart (link on my profile). Oh, and I just wanted to clear up that Daolon Wong is technically not dead. Many of you figured that he was when Lang Yan crystallized him, but crystallizing doesn't kill its more of a petrification. Now if she were to smash their crystallized forms like she did with Tzan Ren, then they would be dead.