James Miller

I walked down the path that constricted around the mountain with my hunting rifle in hand. "I wonder what sort of beasts live around here? Probably bears and bobcats, if Earth is anything to go by. By the way… I wonder how everything is back on the old dirt ball. I hope things are getting better over there." As I entered the mountain's forest, I could hear a low growl from behind me. I slowly turned around to see a bear with rock-like protrusions coming from its joints. I aimed my rifle at its head. Strangely enough it didn't do much other than sniff around me. I lowered my rifle, petting him before he moved on. I watched him go.

I continued to walk along the trail, eventually finding a grazing boar. I took aim and fired at its neck, tearing its throat out as blood poured from the wound. I drained the rest of the blood from the boar, then dragged it back. Just as I crested over the mountain, reaching the house, I saw someone creeping around the cottage. He had a male figure and was holding two items in his hands, a book and a knife. I quietly dropped the boar and circled around the house behind the unknown intruder. I peered into the window to see, to my horror, both Bow and Dazu were already tied to chairs and with sort of handcuffs on them. There were three hooded people standing facing them with their backs to me. Dazu looked up, her face bruised and bloodied, and made eye contact with me. Her sad expression turned to that of surprise. It only took a few second for one of the figures to notice as it turned to face me. Whomever it was was wearing a white thespian mask and held in its hand a dagger. I ducked under the window and pulled out my revolver, pulling back the hammer and moving my trigger finger inside the trigger guard.

Then I heard a crash from the other side of the cottage as the initial intruder charged in screaming fir his life. I felt a bolt of heat explode nearest the window. I popped up and took aim at the masked foe only to be greeted by a scarring sight. The mask had fallen off of the woman who had almost spotted me and she was currently screaming silently as her entire body was being engulfed in flames. Her face was the exemplification of pain and agony. I aimed the revolver and put one between her eyes, not out of hate or spite, but rather pity. Her burning corpse hit the ground as the shattered glass fell around her. The two others began hurling ice spikes and balls of electricity at the cloaked stranger. He formed a fireball and threw it at the ice wielder. It incinerated him in seconds. I shot the last of the three firing the revolver, hitting his chest.

The sneaking man took his dagger and held the blade to Dazu's neck. "You there! Put whatever that thing you're holding down on the ground!" he shouted at me. I did as he asked, sliding it across the floor.

"Please let them go, I won't come after you, ok?" I pleaded.

"No," he stated as he put his grimoire away and pulled something out from his waistband. As I saw the grip I knew I had to act fast. I grabbed my rifle and took aim. My mind went blank as two shots rang out. The man dropped dead, dropping the dagger, and Bow lay limp in her restraints. Dazu screamed in fear as rushed over to her, shoving my chest into her face so she couldn't see the fate of her lover.

"Bow! Please talk to me! Please tell me you're still breathing!" Dazy pleaded, but there was no reply but the sound of blood dripping onto the floor. I carefully took Dazu over to the bedroom to calm her down. Despite my best efforts she wouldn't calm down, so I spent the night with her. I pinned her down on the bed, feeling her shaking and crying. "Please let me see her, I promise I won't do anything-"

"I can't let you do that," I replied as I tightened my grip on her.

"Why?!" She demanded, squirming under my grip.

I looked her right in the eyes as I gave my answer. "It'll break you," I whispered. She looked into my eyes with a mix of horror and sympathy. She stopped squirming and continued crying. She wrapped her arms around me and cried into me, eventually falling asleep,. I soon followed as I drifted off.

I awoke early in the morning to clean up the bodies. I made sure not to wake Dazu as I slowly covered her in heavy, warm blankets. I grabbed a bucket of water and cleaned up the blood that had seeped into floorboards. Next I dug graves for all five of the deceased. I gently dropped the bodies into their respective graves, putting the headstones at the head of each grave. I carved the name into the body whom I knew, Bow, and left the rest blank. I had finished covering the grave when Dazu walked outside, a solemn look on her face. She walked up to me and latched onto my arm. "Are these their graves?" she asked. I gave a silent nod. She didn't cry. Instead she tightly hugged me. "Thank you for burying Bow. I'm sure she'd appreciate that," Dazu said with a smile. She leaned against me as she closed her eyes.

"Dazu, I have a question for you," I said as I felt her go rigid.

"..." Dazu said nothing.

"I heard you and Bow talking about Devils… what I want to know is, are they real?" I asked.

"Yes… they're real."

"Devour her. Make her your subject. Make her yours," the serpent spoke within my mind.

"No," I stated.

"What?" Dazu asked, a bit confused.

"No, I wasn't talking to you, there was this voice in my head-" Dazu backed away from me.

"You're insane!"

"No I'm not! Look I know it seems crazy, but when I was dreaming this black serpent spoke to me. It was talking about a cycle, rebirth, and eternity."

Dazu hesitantly stepped forward. "Did it ask to be your… subject?"

"Something like that, why do you ask?"

"Because we, Bow, some other like-minded people and I tried to summon a devil and use it to bring justice to this world, however we were stopped. And so Bow and I decided to move to this mountain."

"And were the three who tied you up some of your compatriots?" I asked, holding her tight to me.

"Yes, they intended to torture and kill us, but then… you came," Dazu said with a wavery voice.

"And the lone man?"

"I… never knew him, but I have an idea of what he might've been after. My compatriots and I made enemies of the Magic Parlament before we disbanded and he might've been seeking revenge."

"I see. Well what do you intend to do?"

"I… don't know," Dazu replied, pondering her current situation.

"Well let's grab the records of Bow's research and knowledge, and head out of here. They'll know they didn't return and that's two groups that will be after us," I explained.

"And what about this devil?" Dazu asked.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." she nodded as we gathered up our things and the recorded knowledge. "Hey Dazu, do you know of any villages in the area we could find an inn to sleep in?" I asked as I grabbed a wagon that was left by her former compatriots, loading it up with supplies.

"Ah yes, the nearest village, other than the one at the base of the mountain is the common realm village of Hekylo. They have a church we could try and seek refuge in as well," Dazu answered.

"That sounds good, now let's get going!" I said as I waved Dazu over to the carriage and we set off to Hekylo Village.

Vanessa Enoteca

I seated myself on my broom as it rose above the treeline. It shot straight for the Forest of Witches as I poured mana into it to propel it faster. "James, when I find you, I'm going to give you a big slap… then a big hug," I thought as I flew off. "I just hope my dear mother has the ability to track him, because if not I'll be starting from square one." I needed to be quick. I doubt that James would just stay where he was, he seemed like the type to move around so I'd have to be quick.

It was only a few more hours when I arrived. I saw the borders of the Forest of Witches. The opulent palace rose just above the treeline as tens of thousands of witches whirled around the forest. I touched down at the doorsteps, seeing Samantha Kravitz and Elvira Aguirre talking to each other. They both waved happily at me as I reached the ground.

"Vanessa! What are you doing here?!" Elvira asked with a badly hidden smile.

"I'm here trying to find someone," I replied.

"Who are you looking to find?" Samantha asked sheepishly and with a hint of curiosity.

"A member of my magic knights squad," I answered. I knew that he wasn't technically a member of the Black Bulls, but I considered him as much.

"Oh, are they lost?" Samantha asked.

"Oh no! I'm just worried about him…" I said with a nervous giggle.

"Him? Oh Vanessa you never told us you had a boy toy!" Elvira teased, giving me a lecherous smirk.

"Ah! Not like that! I'm just worried for him is all! Honest!" I tried to convince them.

Elvira rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say Vanessa."

I walked into the throne room to find my mother sitting upon her throne. It took a few minutes to recognize I was there. "Vanessa, so odd to see you here so soon. What brings you here? You've never visited just to say hi…" she said with a glare.

"I was wondering if you had any one in the forest who is a good tracker. Maybe someone with a spell that excels in that sort of thing?" I asked.

My mother thought for a moment, never taking her eyes off me. She stood up from her throne. "I'm afraid I can't give you any of the resources you require… although…"

"What? I'll take anyone you can give me!"

"First answer me a question. Why do you wish to find this person?" The question was striking and direct, just my mother's style.

"Because I failed to protect him. I failed to even talk to him. I… need to make up for that mistake and bring him back to our base."

Then, my mother asked me a question I never thought to ask myself. "Do you think he wishes to return?"

"I… don't know. But I'll give him that choice when I find him," I insisted.

"Just make sure that your emotions don't overturn that decision," she warned.

"So how can you help me find him?" I asked.

"I'll lend you Samantha and Elvira. The three of you work well as a team and the two of them need to experience the dangers of the world outside of the forest," she explained.

"Thank you, mother," I said as I turned to leave. I grabbed the two witches and headed over to Dominante's stall.

"Ah! Vanessa! And some new friends too! Come to sample my wares?" she asked, nudging me playfully.

"Actually yes. I was wondering if you had a magical music box," I asked.

"Aaawe! Getting that special someone in your life a present! How sweet!" Dominante said with a lovey-dovey smile, handing me the box while I handed her the appropriate amount of Yul. The three of us set off for the nearest village.

So yea, a lot of crying for Dazu. I dunno I kinda liked her character which was why she wasn't killed. That and I really want to have a moment where the nobles and royalty see what the end result of their rule leads to, however that's far further down the road. As for Vanessa, yes she will eventually find James, but he will be a very changed man.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!

As for the village that James and Dazu are going to, it happens to be the hometown of a woman-loving amazon ;)