A/N: Chapter 3 of Rekindle. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own OC. Tales of Berseria belongs to the rightful owner.

Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.

Chapter 3: Setting Sail!

Underground chamber...

I pounced on the lance wielder first who was surprised by my approach. Usually in a fight the one who is able to heal others are attacked first, according to my past experience. It is tedious if the opponent I'm fighting is healed every single time so the quickest way is to kill the healer. No lie...I was practically salivating just by looking at the lancer which was why I attacked him. I did debate whether I wanted to attack Oscar himself but decided against it since he would be a formidable foe than the other two.

The lance wielder deflected my punch with his weapon, watching the metal staff bend just a bit before throwing me back. Twisting my body mid-air I performed a few more flips before landing in a crouch and cracked a grin. Bunching my muscles together I flew at him once more, striking his shoulder with a solid punch that he couldn't block in time. He stumbled, looking at his broken limb before yelling at the healer for help.

"Nuh uh~" I wiggled my finger, ensnaring the mage with one of my tails before he could heal his comrade. "Not this time!" Opening my mouth I revealed rows of sharp canines and drew the mage closer. He freaked out and began to struggle against my hold, I could see the whites in his eyes.

SSSHHHIIIIIIING~

"Ouch!" I yelped when an attack hit my side, releasing my hold on the mage who scrambled out of the way. Looking down I noticed blood running down my side and my gaze found Oscar's. While he was fighting against the other two he managed to direct an attack my way since I wasn't paying attention.

"Heh." A grin appeared on his face when he noticed my shocked expression. "You look speechless. Cat got your tongue?"

"Not bad...you actually managed to hurt me. No one's been able to do that in a long time" Drawing a finger across the wound I licked the blood off the finger and watched his grin turn into a thin line. A grin of my own stretched across my face. "Not bad at all!"

"You monster..."

"Yeah I've been called that multiple times, try to be a little more original." Coating my hand in saliva I dabbed it over the wound, smothering it until the cut healed and flicked the excess residue to the side. "There, much better."

"Huh...so you can self cure yourself. Kinda nifty." Oscar mused, back flipping as Velvet came in with a kick. Righting himself back up he released a huff, blowing a strand of hair that got in his face. "To be struggling a bit against you three is a feat not many have dared to accomplish. You are definitely skilled and worthy opponents."

"I guess we'll take that as a compliment." I mused while Velvet shrugged her shoulder. She could care less about what her opponent says unless she got out the of hell hole. She wanted nothing more than escaping and killing her main enemy.

"However everything must come to an end. I'll have to expend a malak or two for this." He cast the lance wielder a knowing glance and he nodded his head. Pressing his palms together he unleashed a dark energy that got my nose all wrinkled up. I dove to the side just as a wave of dark energy zoomed past, leaving a black mark on the tiles. Looking up I got into a hand-to-hand struggle against one of the mages who assumed that it would be an easy fight. It wasn't in his case.

"What are you doing?!" Seres yelled as I wrestled with the man, sinking my claws into his back and my teeth into his face. From over his shoulder I noticed the lance wielder letting out another dark energy attack our way so I kicked the mage, knocking him into the line of fire and watched him succumb into particles.

"Tch, and I lost my snack." I mused with disappointment. "What a wasted opportunity!"

"You have to control your feelings in order to control the tide of battle!" Oscar proclaimed, going toe-to-toe with Velvet. "That's why utilizing the 'tools' beside you to reach your goal is necessary!"

"More of your vaunted 'reason'?" She asked before engaging him in sword fight, baring her teeth in rage. However they didn't get far when the lance wielder– depending on too much dark power– let out a agonized cry. A dark pillar surrounded him and his transformed into a daemon, a dragon so to speak with lots of spikes and rusty red scales.

"Wow, a malak with daemonblight!" I smiled, eying the creature with interest while Velvet had the look of horror. "Now that's something I never thought possible!"

"Ungh! It's lost control!" Oscar growled as the newly formed dragon unleashed a roar, flapping his wings in intimidation. Of course the boy didn't even blink before he and one of his surviving mages were thrown to the opposite of the room, immediately rendered unable to fight.

"Grrrrr!" The winged beast turned his attention to the rest of us, his beady red eyes gleaming with interest. "Growr!"

"Velvet!" Seres yelled just as the dragon flew towards the raven-haired girl first, his right talon pulled back to strike position. Pouring all her energy into her legs, the red-haired malak threw her body in front and took the claw attack. She let out a pained cry when her back opened up but retaliated with a large fireball, sending the beast wheeling.

"Seres!" Velvet knelt down beside her, propping her up into her arms. "Seres! Answer me!" She looked at her hand to see that they were covered in blood.

"My wounds are fatal." Seres spoke weakly, gazing up into Velvet's eyes which were filled with concern. Throughout the journey, the little moment spent between them and managing to save the girl's life, Seres finally received an emotion that wasn't the cold-shoulder. "Please...consume me."

"But...!"

"Her healing trick will not heal what has been damaged. It's too late..." Seres shook her head, knowing what Velvet was trying to say. I knew it as well which was why I backed off, watching them from a distance while also keeping an eye on the dragon. The fire blast was really powerful to knock it out momentarily.

"I'm not about to—"

"My form is bound by an oath whose price is my life." said Seres, cutting Velvet off and almost pleaded for the girl to do what has to be done. "The time has come to pay. Feeding on my form will grant you strength, the strength to press forward. I ask only that you devour me."

"Why...?" Velvet asked, not wanting to do the deed unless she knows the reason behind it. "Why are you asking me of this?"

"A flame burns in my heart, too. A flame I cannot quench, no matter how hard I try. Just like you, Velvet." Reaching into a coat pocket she took out what looked to me like a comb. One of those ancient ones that no one carried around anymore.

"This...this was Laphi's!" Velvet gasped, holding the item with her hand. "Why did it fall into your possession?"

"This is why I cannot abide it...this frozen world...this frozen people..." Seres paused as her body was wrecked by coughing. "I'm just...that stubborn of a woman..."

"Seres..."

"Hurry!" The red-haired malak pleaded, pushing past Velvet's defenses in one last chance to push aside the doubts. "Before my life fades! Do it now!"

"Nnngh...!" Biting back any emotions that rise, Velvet forced her daemon arm to transform. She held Seres up into the air and said, "I offer no apology or thanks."

"I need neither. Our wishes." The mask broke, revealing a single red-colored eye. "...they are one...and the same..." She lifted both hands to hold onto Velvet's arm, gazing into the girl's widening eyes. "I treasure those days, when you and I..."

"Ggggnkkk." Velvet tightened her hold, trying to tune out Seres' voice but knew she couldn't.

"...and Arthur were...together." A single tear trickled down her cheek, down the hand and fell to the ground with a splash. With a scream Velvet ended her life and consumed the malak just as she wished. All of the memories flowed into her , she couldn't tell if they were real or not. Frankly she thought only she, Laphicet and Arthur were the only ones but really, Seres had been there all their lives.

The memories kept streaming and the more she watched the more she begun to believe in them. It brought back some painful memories of when she lost Laphicet but she gained insight of how Arthur had transformed. Through it all Seres had been there, watching in the background. Unable to listen to the Abbey's orders she finally differed and thus appeared by Velvet's side. As a last parting gift the flames of the malak came together to create a ring which Velvet held tightly in her hand.

"Ooooh, look at you obtaining something good." I walked up, hands folded behind my back. "That is a very useful object for someone like yourself."

"What...is it exactly?" She asked, slipping the ring over her finger and vowed to look at it when she had the time.

"That is the Sorcerer's Ring." I informed her, pulling up knowledge from when my caretaker came to have long chat sessions with me. It definitely helped with a caretaker was a bookworm, too bad I couldn't learn anything else from him before he decided to abandon me. "It enables the user to use Break Souls."

"Break Souls?"

"I guess it'd be better if you try it on that big boy instead of me trying to explain the mechanics." I gestured to the dragon who sensed a change in the air and rose to attack us. "Wouldn't hurt to get some revenge now will it!"

"Ungh...What is happening?" Oscar, regaining consciousness after being blown away, rose to his feet. Through his hazy vision he could see the massive wings of the beast and both Velvet and I preparing for battle. Just the...two of them? What happened to...Seres? Then his eyes drifted to the ring on her finger and it clicked. "She absorbed the malak's power to wield as her own?! I've never seen such a daemon!"

"Move...If you don't...I'll eat you!" Velvet roared angrily. Seres' death meant something to her, it may not have made as huge of an impact as Laphicet's death or Arthur's betrayal but it still triggered a whirlwind of emotions. "Errrraghhh! Consuming Claw!"

"Now you're dealing some serious damage! Of course you can't use your Break Soul without paying some price. This is why you collect Souls, they help you activate your abilities! That's all I got, you'll probably want to research some more yourself...in the meantime..." I cracked my knuckles loudly and snapped my fingers. Immediately I transformed into my much bigger state. The dragon didn't flinch but sent a fireball to my face. It exploded but I merely waved a paw to get rid of the smoke. "I'm like a tank. You'll have to do better than that."

"Grrrrowarrrrrrr!" The dragon roared before I knocked it to the ground with a punch, damaging both wings in the process, crippling it.

"Shut up." Turning around I used all nine of my tails to slap it further into the ground. Deeper and deeper and deeper the daemon's body went until it was as flat as it could go. "You're so noisy."

"That's my pray so scoot over and let me feed." Velvet stated calmly, almost expecting me to move so she could consume it.

"Are you serious?! You can't possibly tell me that when I was the one who killed it!" I shot back, giving her a shocked look before baring my teeth in anger. "How dare you say such thing to me!"

"It was a joint effort but I have no idea how to share it!"

"The last one who dealt the finishing blow gets to eat it! The last thing I want to do is share a kill!" I argued and before she could open her mouth to rebuttal my statement a green light zoomed in from the corner of my eye. It slammed into Velvet's side, knocking her back and it donned on me that there was still some unfinished business. "Well well, that wasn't a very nice way to interrupt two ladies now was it? Little boy."

"Apologies...but I can't let nasty daemons like you two roam freely, now." Oscar replied even though he wasn't at all sorry for what he did. "That'd look bad on my record."

"...Velvet. That's my name..." Velvet spoke as she got back on her feet, glaring at him. "You can give Artorius my regards." Lumbering towards the corpse, she quickly consumed it, in front of Oscar who could only watched with a horrified expression and in front of me but I was too slow to do anything about it. "My name is Velvet Crowe. And I will devour daemon, malak, and exorcist alike. I am a monster."

"What is she...?!" The praetor whispered.

"I am a THERION!" Conjuring a large fireball in the palm of her hand she sent it flying his way. He let out a pained cry as the flames began to consume him, covering his face with his hands in hoping of warding off the attack. He gave her one last look before the mage teleported them away.

"You know...I never got to eat anything today." I pouted as my stomach let out a loud range of noises. "Jesus isn't there anything I can snack on..."

"I hope this isn't a reoccurring thing." Velvet spoke.

"It wouldn't be if you'd just let me eat that daemon!" I barked back, wincing when the bracelet on my right wrist began to act up. I got out of my beast form and continued to scowl. "Really now! You get to feed on two things today and I got none!"

"Quit whining."

"Tch...fine! Whatever..." I ambled off, muttering under my breath. "I'll find something outside for sure...there's nothing in there worth breaking a tooth over..."

I was probably too hard on her...she didn't eat at all...I'll apologize when we meet again...Velvet took a deep breath before looking down at the comb still held within her fingers, the comb that belonged to Laphicet. She held it tightly against her almost as if her life depended on it. At least I got something back...and with it some painful memories I wish could go away...

"Oho! Finally someplace that might not be a death-trap!" A voice spoke up, getting our attention. Magilou and the man from before entered the chambers right after I left. "When we tumbled from the tower, I thought this is it, Magilou, this is the end!"

"It would've been less risky if you hadn't suddenly appeared and jumped on my back." The dark haired samurai stated hotly. He turned and noticed Velvet standing by herself and approached her. "Oh hey, it's you! Where's the other two ladies?"

"Funny I only saw one girl with her." Magilou said as she walked up as well. "Are you sure you aren't seeing things?"

"Can it you!" The man sighed, turning his attention back to Velvet. "It's thanks to you that Stormhowl is back in my care." He took a bow before introducing himself properly. "Rokurou Rangetsu at your service. This blade is my life and I owe you a great debt, one I vow to repay."

"Yes, yes, she's a peach and a model citizen. Can we get our move on?" Magilou interjected. "I think they're just about done massacring the rioters. Oh man do you wish you could see that blood show?"

"The docks are just ahead. Give me a hand." Velvet told them, turning on her heels and proceeding towards the double doors. "Also if you see the girl that was with me, get her to come with us. She's quite useful."

Outside...

The rain continued to fall once I stepped out, harder than the last time I was out. I noticed the multitude of lightning strikes over the horizon and rubbed my arms together for warmth. There was only one boat that was docked and no guards in sight.

"Ugh...hunger pains such as this is killing me." I rubbed my stomach and sniffed around for anything edible. Padding to the edge I couldn't see deep enough due to the choppiness of the waves. Dipping my tails in I waited and hoped for a bite or two. When nothing happened I gave up and boarded the ship without another thought.

"There is no way we'll make it out there, not with those choppy waves." Rokurou was saying as he, Velvet and Magilou approached the docks. He looked out towards the sea and gave a distinctive sniff of distaste. "I'm not a sailor by any means but I know the difference between a rudder and a sail. But do you see that pathetic excuse for a ship? That thing's not even gonna last that long."

"I'll take what I can get. Do what you can and be grateful we have such a thing."

"You're leaving with a proper crew?!" Magilou exclaimed, stopping Velvet in her tracks with a look of horror on her face. "Now that's just suicidal!"

"You don't have to come if you don't want to." was the sharp reply. "No one's forcing you to come along."

"But I don't wanna stay here in this dark and gloomy place~" Magilou muttered under her breath. "But ten minutes in this storm, and you'll lose all sense of direction."

"No, we won't. Ships have compasses for a reason." Velvet assured her, remembering the words Laphicet told her. He was very intrigued by compasses when he was younger and hoped to joining her on a voyage one day. That was his dream.

"So it's rot in a jail cell or rot in a fish-tummy." The sorceress stated no so cheerfully as she followed Velvet and Rokurou. "Welp, guess it's your lucky day, fishies!"

"By the way, did any of you keep your eyes pealed for my other companion?" Velvet asked as they prepared to set sail. "We didn't by any chance miss her on the way up here did we?"

"Ummm...do you mean her?" Magilou asked, pointing to me as I lay on the deck, face down and unresponsive when they got on. "She's already made herself comfortable."

"She doesn't look too good though...I've never seen such paler skill color..." Rokurou noted, flipping me over and checking my pulse. "At least she's still breathing..."

"Is she seasick or what?" Magilou knelt down when Rokurou had to leave to direct the ship, getting the sails to point in the right direction. "I know sometimes my tummy does those flips but..."

GRRRRRRRRRROWLLLLLLLLLL~

"Hun...hungry..." I gasped, holding up a shaking hand. I don't remember when I passed out but all I knew was that I was absolutely hungry and in need of some sustainable material. "F...Food..."

"So that's what it is." The sorceress disappeared to the level below before coming up empty. "Unfortunately this ship doesn't come with any food...what rotten luck!"

"Well we'll just have to brave the storm for now." Velvet said as she directed the course, feeling the vehicle get roughed about with the waves as it moved forward. The ship was so old that the compass that it should have was unreadable so she had to go with gut instinct. "Hopefully we'll land somewhere with a decent meal."