Nathanael and the spirits were currently outside a café. "You think she's here?"
"Yes, Lady Lila has a fondness for overeating" Duusu shook her head sadly.
"And quite the addiction to blood orange soda…Not that she would admit it" Nooroo commented before phasing through the door with Duusu close behind.
As Nathanael did not possess the ability to phase through doors. He quietly opened it and walked into the place.
He walked up and saw the spirits hovering around Lila. She currently had her head on the table, rested on her arms as she stared up at them.
Nathanael stood behind them. Unsure if he should go up to them. Lila had yet to know he was there.
"Lady Lila, You must return at once, Lord Nathanael needs your help running the shrine!" Nooroo exclaimed
"Yes, It is wrong for you, a familiar to a God to sit here wallowing in your own pity" Duusu cried.
"I am doing no such thing!" Lila growled. She sat up Glaring at them "Anyway I'm not a familiar anymore! I'm free, Thank goodness, now I'll have nothing more to do with that stupid shrine and I most certainly won't be helping that idiot Tomato…he'll only last a week at the best!"
Nathanael stood behind Lila. His eyes narrowed in anger 'It appears I wasn't wrong…how can she be so nasty?'
"How can you say that?"
Lila turned around and saw Nathanael, Her eyes widened in shock "Why Did you come here" she asked.
"Doesn't matter why! It was a waste of time anyway…I can see there's no point talking to you after all you don't want anything more to with the stupid shrine" Venom laced Nathanael's voice as he glared at Lila. "You really are quite selfish," Nathanael said, He turned around in anger and stormed out of the place.
Lila turned on the spirits a vicious glare in her eyes "Why the hell would you bring him here!"
"Lord Nathanael insisted to see you," Duusu said ducking her head.
"I don't care what he said! He's a human it's far too dangerous for him here" Lila said
"But he's no ordinary human…he is a land God," Nooroo said, trying to calm Lila down.
"Which makes it even more dangerous for him! He doesn't know the first thing to protect himself…Why must I be surrounded by Idiots" Lila said putting her head in her hands.
Nathanael stormed down the street 'Who does she think she is…she acts so self-righteous and then goes around saying things like that!'"Well good riddance to her! It's not like I needed her help in the first place!" He muttered to himself. Then he walked into something, he stumbled back and glanced up and then noticed it was not a something it was a someone. A very tall, big and scary someone.
"Well, what do we have here" the yokai peered down at Nathanael with its one huge eye.
Two other yokai appeared gathering around. Nathanael gulped 'I really am dead this time'
"Isn't this the new human God everyone's been talking about?" the second yokai said. Nathanael took a cautious step back 'I've got to get out of here'
"Guy's we should eat him" the third yokai growled.
'Eat me! What is wrong with these guys?' Nathanael thought as he started walking backwards but the yokai stepped after him.
"Lord Nathanael this way quick!" Nathanael turned his head and saw Duusu and Nooroo beckoning from a dark alley.
Nathanael glanced back at the Yokai. 'It's now or never' he quickly made a run for it towards the alley.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going!" the third yokai roared as they all began to chase him.
Nathanael ran faster and dashed into the alley "this way" Nooroo said as him and Duusu showed the Nathanael the way out.
Before the three Yokai could follow Nathanael into the alley. Lila jumped down from the roof blocking their entrance.
"Well if it isn't Lady Lila," the yokai said, humbly.
Everyone knew in the Yokai world knew who Lila was and while she was young of age for a kitsune many still feared her. She did not bother being kind to those who had angered her and it was known she held great power. No one wished to get on her bad side.
"I don't suppose you'd mind if we ate that boy who ran down that alley" The yokai with the large eye asked wringing his hands nervously.
"We would appreciate it if you didn't get in our way," another yokai said.
"Why ask me?" Lila said as she glanced away, using one hand to slowly fan herself with her orange fan while she used the other to run a hand through her long hair. "You do not need my consent"
The Yokai's glanced between each other in surprised excitement "seriously you don't mind!" one yokai said
"Wow, thank you" the other two chorused.
Then she glanced back at them, her eyes blazed with anger. "Although I am in a terribly bad mood right now"
The yokai's stepped back nervously. Suddenly there was a burst of orange light and Lila held a katana in her hand where her fan used to be.
Before the yokai's could even plead. She sliced through them all.
They disappeared in a burst of green smoke, unlike human's yokai when killed are erased from existence, not a trace of them is left.
"Good riddance to trash" Lila snarled, her katana flashed orange and returned to a fan.
Lila glanced down the alley that Nathanael had run down "A human boy as the land god…what was Rose thinking!" Lila shook her head.
Then she sighed "He's a walking disaster…he'll be extremely lucky if he makes it back home alive…Not that I care" she said turning to walk in the opposite direction.
Nathanael collapsed on his knees onto the forest ground, breathing heavily, he felt like his lungs were on fire. 'Now I regret skipping all those gym classes'
"We should be safe now that we have come this far" Nooroo floated down to rest on Nathanael's shoulder.
Duusu came to rest on the ground and looked up at Nathanael with pleading eyes. "Please, Nathanael you must go back and convince Lady Lila to be your familiar"
Nathanael stood up and gently brushed Nooroo off his shoulder. He floated away from Nathanael.
"There's no way I'm going back to that arrogant fox, I'll be fine on my own!" he started walking on into the forest.
The spirits flew after him "Lord Nathanael" Nooroo exclaimed.
"If you seal the contract to make Lady Lila your familiar, she will have no choice but to obey you're every command" Duusu exclaimed.
Nathanael stopped suddenly, causing Nooroo and Duusu to run into his back. A smirk appeared across Nathanael's face 'obey my every command…she would hate that!' he snickered to himself.
He turned back around to the spirit's "obey my every command?" he repeated in question.
"Yes, that is one of the powers a land God possesses" Nooroo stated with a nod of his head.
Nathanael's smirk grew wider and his eye's sparkled mischievously "So what do I have to do to seal this contract"
"It is quite simple my lord, you must kiss her right on the mouth" Duusu smiled
Nathanael's eyes widened in shock "Kiss her" he muttered. The spirit's nodded.
"No way! I'd rather die!" he exclaimed turning back on his heel as he stormed off.
"Lord Nathanael" he heard their cries as he sped up and ran on through the forest
'How can they expect me to do that?' He slowed down when he felt he had run far enough away from them. He leaned against a tree out of sight "I am going back, just like I said I would" he said to himself.
"Excuse me sir, but you wouldn't mind helping an old lady"
Nathanael turned to see an old lady lying down beside a tree. 'She must have fallen'
"Nathanael, where have you gone?" he turned back around and saw Duusu and Nooroo glow's through the trees. 'Shit they're going to find me!'
He ran over to help the old lady up 'I can't waste time but it would be mean to leave her here'
"I fell over and I just couldn't get back up" the old lady supplied as Nathanael came closer to help her up.
"Don't worry, I'll help you" Nathanael said. He kindly offered out a hand to help her.
The old lady took it "Why thank you, Sir" then suddenly her grip tightened as her eyes turned red and an evil smirk widened over her face.
"She just had to be a demon" was Nathanael's only thought.
"Lord Nathanael!" the spirit's cried when they saw him and the demon. They let out a burst of light knocking the demon over and making her lose grip of Nathanael.
Nathanael made a run for it but the demon was soon back up on her feet and angry than ever.
"Come back here! If I eat your human flesh I'll live for another thousand years" the demon hag declared
Nathanael just ran even faster "Why is everyone obsessed with eating me!" he cried
Then the demon hag used a spell that launched a sticky spider-web like thread which caught Nathanael and the Spirit's in it. She began pulling them back towards her, laughing maniacally.
"Quick Nathanael, Take one of my feathers," Duusu said
"Why?" Nathanael said struggling against the magic thread.
"If you take one, you'll be able to wish us out of this thread!" Duusu explained
"Well okay," Nathanael muttered, plucking off a feather.
"My beautiful feathers" Duusu whimpered.
Then Nathanael wished to escape the magic threads.
Once they were out they kept running. "Nathanael where is Nooroo" Duusu cried as she flew alongside him.
Nathanael's eyes widened "Oh No, I forgot to wish him out"
"Well there is no time to go back, just keep running" Duusu instructed.
'Nooroo's got magic he'll be fine' Nathanael told himself trying to feel less guilty.
The Demon Hag cackled as she pulled the Net closer. Then she stopped short when she saw Nooroo was the only thing in the net.
Nooroo blinked up at her "I don't taste too good" he offered with an anxious smile.
The Demon Hag Screamed throwing Nooroo and the net away "Where is the boy?" She ran on down the forest after Nathanael.
"I need to get Lila, fast" Nooroo muttered freeing himself from the net and flying off down the forest.
"Lord Nathanael, please use these" Duusu said flying alongside Nathanael holding thin pieces of paper and a paintbrush dipped in black ink.
"What they?" he asked. He would also like to know where she got them but he decided there wasn't enough time for that.
"They are talismans, they are pieces of magic paper, once you write or draw down on them and attach them to the object you wish to change, they will make your desired wish come true" Duusu explained
"That's so cool!" Nathanael exclaimed with bright eyes as he took the talismans from Duusu. 'Here goes nothing!' he continued to run as he wrote down on one of the sheets.
He slapped the piece of paper on Duusu "Turn into a God soldier" he shouted.
Duusu stayed flying beside him, nothing happens. "Lord Nathanael, Please try and make them believable," she said dryly.
"Well, that's no fun…but fine!" he said just as the demon hag launched another net that caught him in it.
The demon hag jumped to land down on top of Nathanael, only to land on top of a tree trunk. She noticed the talisman and screamed "Curse you, Boy!"
Nathanael continued running, despite the fact, his body was beginning to burn, he panted for air "I only have one more talisman left!"
Nooroo flew through the town looking for Lila "where is she?" he mumbled stopping to scan the area. He couldn't see her anywhere. He flew on down the street.
"Has that Human been eaten already?"
Nooroo stopped and looked up onto the roof of a building.
"Lady Lila!" he shouted.
She smirked at him as she continued to lie on the roof. More like a cat than a fox.
Nooroo flew up to her "You must come at once, Nathanael is in great danger"
"So not yet then" she chuckled
Then a red light caught Lila's attention. She looked to see a talisman that was glowing red float down to her.
"Lila! Help me" The talisman spoke out in Nathanael's voice. It came to rest in Lila's outstretched hand before disappearing in a heap of red sparks.
Lila looked at her empty palm for a moment before a wide smirk appeared across her face "Oh yes, I shall go… then I can watch him cry"
"AH!" Nathanael cried as he gripped onto a branch as he tried to climb up the tree only to slip. "It's too high," Nathanael said, glancing down at the ground below them.
"Hurry, Lord Nathanael, You must keep climbing," Duusu said, she was sitting perched up three branches higher.
"That's easy for you to say! You can fly!" Nathanael shouted gripping onto the tree in fear.
"I found you! Now you won't escape this time!" the demon hag cackled as she began to climb the tree at a very fast pace, her long claws leave dents in the wood.
"Why does this have to happen to me?" Nathanael cried as he shakily let go of the branch and reached up to the next one.
The demon hag was right below Nathanael now. She reached out and grabbed Nathanael's leg in an iron grip.
"Lord Nathanael" Duusu cried.
"You seem to be having a tough time there"
Nathanael turned to the sound of the voice and saw Lila standing on a branch to his right.
"You came!" he exclaimed in relief.
"Well, of course, it's not every day you get to see such quality entertainment" Lila laughed. Sitting down on the branch with a smirk.
Nathanael glared "You-"
Lila cut in "Now, Nathanael, I would be careful what you say to me after all you do so desperately want me to save you"
Nathanael snarled 'who the hell does she think she is!' he tried to pull himself out of the demon's grip reaching up to the next branch.
"Now seeing as I have such a kind heart…" Lila started looking down at her long nails with a smirk, she was enjoying this too much.
"Like hell you do!" Nathanael said. He managed to get his ankle out of the demon's grip and kick her down a few branches.
Lila raised an eyebrow at his words and smiled before continuing on "I have a deal…" she stood up and slowly made her way closer to Nathanael. She stood on the branch above him with a smile.
"If you say please forgive this foolish boy oh great Lila, then I may just consider helping you"
"No, like hell I'd say that!" Nathanael shouted back. Then he slipped and fell through the branches. Lila gasped for the first time worry in her eyes. Fortunately, he managed to catch onto the branch below him before he plummeted to the ground.
"Lord Nathanael, Just say it" Duusu cried
"It's easy!" Nooroo said as he sat beside Duusu "repeat after us"
Both guardians began to say it "Please forgive this foolish boy oh great Lila…now you say it"
Lila watched him with a devilish smirk "Yeah, Nathanael just say it"
There was no way Nathanael was going to say that but there was one thing he could do and then Lila would have to save him 'Kiss her, that's what they said' Nathanael blushed in embarrassment. 'I really don't want to but what other choice do I have?'
"There's no way, I'd rather die than bow to her!" He climbed back up to the branch he was last on and then reached up and grabbed Lila's leg. Her eye's widened in shock as he pulled her down with him, they fell through the branches.
"What the hell! Now you're going to die because of your foolish pride" Lila exclaimed.
Nathanael glared at Lila as he grabbed her kimono "huh?" Lila said, looking at him in confusion.
Nathanael pulled her into a kiss, Lila's eye's widened in shock.
Nathanael quickly pulled away a determined glare in his eyes "Alright, Lila…help me right now jerk!"
"Damn you, Nathanael" Lila growled as beams of golden light surrounded her wrists forming clasps sealing the contract.
Nathanael fell on through the branches until Lila flew down catching him in her arms.
Then she gently lowered them to the ground, carrying Nathanael bridal style.
"Lord Nathanael, you have become a true land god now!" the spirits cheered from the treetop, Duusu started crying happy tears.
Lila dropped Nathanael on the ground with a glare. Turning to the demon hag who was still in the tree "Get down here you despicable, Hag" she snarled throwing a ball of orange fire at the demon.
Once Lila had the Hag down on the ground she began to hit and kick the demon hag. "Stupid hag! Because of you I am no longer free, now I have to do stuff, for a stupid tomato no less!" she punched the Hag in the face, Knocking her to the ground.
"Lila" Nathanael called out.
She looked at Nathanael with a glare "What!" she snarled.
He smiled "Let's go home"
Lila turned around and gave the demon hag one last kick in the gut. Then she turned and walked past Nathanael.
"You coming, tomato?" she asked.
Nathanael fell into step beside her as they made their way home, Nooroo and Duusu flew down beside them.
