**Edited**
Everyone left for the assigned tasks that following morning. I was left behind with Echo, she was going to help me communicate and possibly control the demon possessing me. Admittedly, I was shaking at the thought of contacting the unknown demon.
What was I going to say to it? How should I ask for its permission to take control? I kept these questions to myself as Echo proceeded with her plan.
She sat me down in the living room and asked me to meditate. I didn't last five minutes. At first it seemed like a pretty easy task, but that fantasy faded real quick after my legs, arms, and necks began randomly itching.
I barely hit the twenty minute mark as I continuously yawned, sneezed, and squinted my eyes open. Needless to say, Echo was not very pleased with my progress. She eventually gave up once the afternoon hit. We spent the rest of the day playing Elsword's video game. Unsurprisingly, I lost every round I played against Echo.
"Another victory!" Echo pumped her hand into the air. I groaned and dropped my controller on the ground.
"It's just a game," I huffed. "Who cares?"
"What was that? I can't hear you over my amazing victory!" She squealed. " I love video games!"
I left to play with Yang, who was still lingering on our patio, while Echo played with the game by herself. It as almost amusing to hear her rage as she lost nearly every match.
Twilight had take reign of the sky by the time Elsword and the others returned. Echo and I were in the middle of cooking dinner when the team stomped inside, clothes muddy and dripping wet.
"How was your-" I gagged at the putrid stench emitting from the group.
"Sorry, we went sewer hunting." Elsword grinned sheepishly. "We kinda fell in the water."
"Ugh, I need to take a ten hour shower." Aisha dashed up the stairs, I took quick notice of a brown blob clinging onto Aisha's hair. The dinner, that was currently cooking in the kitchen, didn't seem appetizing anymore.
"Sewer hunting?" Echo emerged from behind me. "Lowe never said anything about going down there."
"Aisha and I found some interesting information at the library, thus we decided to do some exploring." Eve explained, seemingly unaffected by the brown stains on her dress. "We met up with the others and exchanged information with them."
"We decided to go exploring as a group," Elsword continued. "But as we were exploring, demons ambushed us."
"I think I accidentally swallowed some of the water when they pushed us down," Raven was looking unusually pale.
"Gross," Echo shivered. "I can't help you if you accidentally swallowed dirty toilet water, but I can do something about your clothes. I have the perfect potion to wash away all that...waste."
"I am forever in your debt, Echo." Eve replied with the smallest of smiles.
"Let me run home and get the potion," Echo said, gingerly treading around the group, making sure to avoid touching them. "While I'm at it, I'll get Lowe to come over. He's gonna want to hear about this."
Lowe burst into laughter upon arriving. It was almost impossible to not laugh along with him as he was nearly out of breath from laughing, The team wasn't too happy with his response.
It took forever for everyone to finish cleaning up. I guess I can't blame them, considering how gross the sewer water may be—and how long Aisha's shower was.
Everyone was in their casual wear by the time they had all finished cleaning. Dinner was sitting on each of their plates, but no one had the appetite to eat, I can't blame them.
"So, what did you all find?" Lowe asked once realizing no one was in the mood to eat.
"We found a lot of books relating to Nasod Technology," Eve said, pushing her plate of beans away. "We also found a journal of his."
"Did you find anything interesting in his journal?" Lowe interrogated.
Aisha shook her head," he mainly wrote about the success of his growing city."
"But we did find a second journal in his library," Eve added. "It was disguised as an innocent cookbook, we only came across it by accident. It was all written in Nasod code."
"Wow," Echo whispered, eyes glistening at the information.
"As the Queen of Nasods, I was able to read the journal—"Eve grinned proudly"—According the journal, Wally had been constructing a Nasod in his lab. He stated that his Secret Laboratory was somewhere underground. The Nasod was said to be built with a strange orb as its source of energy. The orb was supposedly found during the construction of the sewers."
"Did he state where this laboratory is?" I asked.
Aisha frowned," He never stated the exact location of this laboratory, but Eve drew a hypothesis of its location." She gestures Eve to speak.
"Wally must have needed a simple route to his Secret Laboratory," Eve began flatly. "It would be safe to assume his lab was somewhere close to his home; in other words, his castle."
"So going under that assumption," Lowe commented incredulously. "You guys went running into the swears again?"
"We're positive that laboratory is under there," Aisha answered firmly. "There were so many demons scattered around that area. They beat us just from their sheer numbers."
Lowe snickered, earning him nasty glares from the team.
"It's strange though." Echo said, ignoring Lowe's response to the team's failure. "When the first two groups went there were barely any demons in there."
"M-maybe the demons are thinking the same thing as Eve." I suggested.
Nearly everyone's eyes bulged at my comment.
"We can't be sure…" Lowe began hesitantly. "The demons could just be searching as a bigger group."
"Searching by Wally's Castle? The place that crazy dictator could've hidden his lab?" Elsword challenged. "Lowe, I-I think we need to act now.
"Are you suggesting to fight them tonight?" Lowe asked with arms crossed. "Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
"Sir, if we let this El Shard fall into their hands they will most likely use its power to destroy the city." Elsword began desperately. "We can't take that chance and put our city in danger. Please...let us fight tonight."
All eyes land on Lowe. There was a low humming radiating through the room as Lowe pondered through his options.
After what felt like hours had passed, Lowe sighed," Echo, do you think you can give them a strengthening potion?" Elsword broke into a toothy grin.
"I think I can whip up something quick." She bounced away from the group to prepare the potion.
"Thanks Echo." The gang thanks in unison.
"Ara, I will ask that you stay behind on this mission." Lowe added before any of us could celebrate further.
"What?" I furrowed my brows. "W-why?"
"This mission is far too dangerous for a new Knight." He explained sternly. "I don't want anything bad happening to you."
"Lowe, I-I can protect myself." I explained, eyes burning with tears. "I-if something does happen-"
"You'll rely on that demonic spirit to protect you?" Lowe finished for me.
I snapped my mouth shut, cheeks flushing.
"Ara, you can't rely on that spirit alone. Yes, it has saved you in the past, but it won't always be able to win." Lowe elaborated. "You can help in similar missions when you have more experience."
"O-okay," I mumbled.
The smell of strawberries burst into the air, I could only imagine it was brewing from Echo's potion.
Lowe provided each person a waterproof flashlight and a small bag of smoke bombs; everyone but me of course. I grudgingly waved my friends goodbye on their way out.
Echo was kind enough to stay with me until the team returned. She insisted on spending the night watching TV while eating all the food from the fridge. While I knew I should relax and enjoy my night, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about my team.
Were they really going to find the Secret Lab tonight; or will the come home empty handed? A part of me wished they wouldn't find anything. It wasn't fair that I was stuck at home while they were out adventuring.
"Oh stop frowning already," Echo threw a hand full of popcorn at me. "Look on the bright side, you aren't cold and wet in some smelly sewer."
"But I want to be running through smelly cold sewer water." Okay that sounded much better in my head. "It feels so weird to sit here, and do nothing." I added, readjusting my hairpin.
Echo stuffs another hand full of popcorn into her mouth," you're crazy." She said jokingly, but I couldn't bring myself to laugh.
I sigh while hugging my knees," it's just hard to do nothing." I admit quietly. "I hope everyone is okay."
"They'll be fine, don't worry about it." Echo gives me a buttery thumbs up. "Now, let's find something funny to watch."
She grabbed the remote and clicked through the various channels. I sighed, plucking several pieces of popcorn off her bowl.
Her finger froze as the news channel popped onto the screen, I found myself choking at the report.
"Elder city is currently overrun with demons." The news anchor spoke in a robotic tone. A helicopter footage of the burning city played on the screen. "Red Knights have been called on the scene to aid in the fight, but it doesn't seem-"
The channel changed before the anchor could finished. I cursed, narrowing my eyes on Echo.
"They'll be fine," Echo said in an instant.
"Echo-"
"No, if you watch any further you'll want to help them." Echo avoided looking me in the eye.
"I-I wouldn't go running into Elder." I darted my eyes to the side.
"We both know you're lying."
A ding sounded from the kitchen, indicating the brownies were finally finished.
"I'm gonna go get the brownies," Echo shoved the bowl of popcorn in my hand and stood up. "I better not hear the news channel play in the background."
Echo stormed into the kitchen before I could reply. Huffing, I slumped into the couch and dug my hand into the buttery popcorn.
Possible scenarios of the fight flashed through my head. Each thought pointed to the possibility of my team dying, crying out for help. Yet here I was, stuffing my face with popcorn while my friends sacrificed their lives for the city.
Your captain does not believe in our power.
The voice whispering in my head made my blood go cold.
Was that my imagination? Maybe it was the demon—no, it can't be. It's probably due to my stress level, I'm slowly losing it.
Why do you deny me so quickly? All I have ever done is help you.
I dropped the bowl of popcorn, my heart now racing in my chest. I darted my head back and forth, searching for a possible source of the voice.
I have been with you since the day I saved you in Sander. You would not be standing here if you had not found me.
Something clicked at the back of my mind. That huge gap in my memory after Mother was murdered; all those demons that were dead when I woke up. It all made sense now.
I have been waiting for the perfect time to reveal the truth. Now is that time.
The world was starting to spin, my eyelids suddenly felt like weights. I struggled to keep them open, but the harder I struggled the heavier they became
It is time to meet me, face to face. The voice whispered as I allowed my eyes to shut.
I woke up to the star cluttered sky. Each tiny speck of light shone like diamonds. For a brief second I forgot about my whereabouts. All that mattered was the millions of twinkling dots glowing in the heavens,
"Ara," a voice snapped me out of my daze.
I yelped and scrambled onto my feet, every inch of my body froze at the white fox standing meters before me. The ground was as clear as glass, reflecting both the stars and the fox on its surface.
The fox bore its golden eyes onto mine, studying me like a piece of meat. The edges of its ears were crimson red, along with its claws. Nine slender tails waved behind the fox, like a flag on a windy day.
"W-who are you?" I doubled back, tripping on my own feet.
"My name," the fox spoke without moving its mouth. "Is Eun. I am the...demon that has protected you all these years."
"P-protected me?" I stammered.
"Yes, it was I who protected you from the demons in Sander." Eun took a step toward me. I held my breath, half-expecting it to pounce on me. "You were lucky, Child. Had you not found my vessel that day, you would not be alive today."
"Y-your vessel?" I repeated, shakily helping myself back on my feet.
"The fox hair pin," Eun explained. "My spirit was sealed by your family long ago. They feared my powers, yet they could not kill me. The only way to defeat me was to capture my soul."
"I-if my family trapped you…" I was already backing away. "T-then…"
"I am evil?" Eun chuckled dryly. "Child, do you truly believe I am evil?"
Eun trudged forward, every step it took sent ripples through the reflective ground. I wanted to run, scream; do anything to get away from the fox, but I couldn't move. My legs remained locked in place and my voice, mute.
"Ara, I have a favour to ask of you." Eun sat itself down. I didn't realize how big Eun was until it was merely inches away, its height nearly exceeding my own.
"W-what do you want?" I blinked.
"I want your help."
"My help?" I squinted my eyes. "What could I possibly do for you?"
A part of me wished I hadn't said that as several ideas popped in my head.
Eun tilted its head up to the stars," I was born in an era after the unspeakable war, my herd made sure I understood the events that transpired." Eun rolled its head down, eyes piercing into me once again.
"The conflict between humans and demons have always been an issue. However, one conflict dragged the world into such devastation, those who lived through it dared not to speak of it again. Though I was lucky to even hear of such events, my herd never elaborated the details of the conflict; however, they did tell me about the El Shards."
My heart leapt with excitement at Eun's mention of the Shards," y-you know about the Shards?" I couldn't keep myself from grinning.
"I do not know their role in the war," Eun explained. "But I was warned about the Shards' power."
Eun leaned closer, eyes flashing dangerously onto mine," one Shard can wipe out a city, two can destroy a valley, three has the power to snap mountains in half...I think you see my point."
"T-then Elder-" I choked up before I could finish my sentence.
Eun leaned back," yes, if an El Shard is in that city, all hope is lost for its citizens." Its tails ceased all movement. "On the day of your village's attack, I overheard the enemies speaking about the Shards. I feared that others may be seeking them out. The devastation they will leave behind...it is unimaginable."
"H-hold on," I held my hands up. "How do I know you aren't lying to me?"
Eun bared its teeth," how can i possibly prove my point? I cannot show you the destruction of a Shard."
Once again I found myself speechless before Eun, legs trembling under my weight.
"You wanted to control yourself when my powers were activated, did you not?" Its question caught my undivided attention. "Then allow me to earn your trust."
I gasped," are you saying…?"
"You will be able to control your body and mind when I lend you my powers." Eun's answer made me want to leap for joy. This was much easier than meditating. "However, I will only lend you my strength if you agree to help me seek out the remaining El Shards."
The world seemed to stop spinning. I bit my lip, eye staring at the starry ground. Having Eun's power would help me grow stronger, but I can't completely trust its story about the Shards. There was no evidence to back it up.
"What if I refuse to help you?" I asked.
"Then I will not come to your aid." Eun shot back.
What would Mother and Father do; what would Aren do? Would they risk their body and soul in exchange for a demon's help? Or would they turn down its offer and rely solely on their strength.
"I would decide quickly if I were you." Eun warned calmly. "Your friends i Elder cannot wait forever."
That comment alone finalized my decision. Mother and Father wouldn't leave anyone close to suffer, they'd risk everything to save them. I had to do the same.
"Fine," I rolled my shoulders back and looked up at Eun. "I'll help you."
Eun's eyes softened on me," good choice." Its nine tails continued to sway once again. "Then the contract to complete. From this day forth, you will aid me in my mission and I will lend you my power."