Early morning greeted Nathan with sun light streaming through his window and on to his face, a comfortable weight of his blanket on him and the sound of running water. Confused at the latter he sat up, thinking that he may have left the tap running over night. The door to his bathroom opened at the same time as he sat up on his bed.
Hope looked at Nathan with a bit of surprise while Nathan looked at Hope with a bit of confusion at first and then a realization. And then his face burst bright red noticing what exactly she had been wearing.
"Morning roomie" Hope greeted, snorting when Nathan hid himself under with his blanket. "Sorry about this, I thought you'd be in bed longer."
"I'm an early bird" Nathan called out from under his blanket. He kept his eyes screwed shut under the blanket, on the off chance that the cover fell from him. He kept himself under there, hearing the sound of Hope going through her stuff, probably taking out clothes to wear. Nathan wondered where she got those to begin with. Had someone thrown her clothes out and she found them again after Malivore spit her out? Or did she go shopping and swiped em off the hangers and such.
He heard the door open and whoever came in had stopped right there. The shuffling from Hope stopped as well. He heard quickened footsteps and felt cold air hit him on one side. But his eyes remained shut. A weight settled beside him and he knew right away that it was Josie.
"Hi there" Nathan greeted and heard Josie huff.
"Hey you" the femme mumbled, her voice soft and Nathan almost missed what she said. He cracked an eye open and could make out her form beside him, but he couldn't see her face. He put a hand on where he assumed her face was, he touched the side of her boob. Hastily he brought it up and found her cheek.
"Your face is warm" Nathan frowned. "Are you sick?" he asked and Josie shook her head rapidly. "Wait, you're blushing!"
"She's in a towel" the femme hissed and Nathan held back a laugh.
"Gay panic much?" he teased, putting an arm around her and bringing her close. Josie huffed against him and nuzzled into his chest. "What are you doing here so early in the morning?"
"I came in to check up on you" she mumbled against his chest. "Wanted to see if you were doing alright or not."
"I'm fine, silly" he nuzzled her hair, planting a kiss to her head. "The dark magic did not harm me and I'm better than ever" he explained. Josie nodded her head against his chest slowly and Nathan had the feeling that maybe that was not why she had come in.
"You guys can look now!" Hope's voice had Nathan pushing the covers off the two, breathing in a breath of the fresh air. Hope was sat at the foot of his bed, wearing a black top and a pair of skinny jeans.
"How long are you going to be here?" Josie asked, her tone not as friendly as what Nathan is used to. Which surprised him.
"Until there's an opening in any of the girl's dormitories" Hope rolled her eyes with a sigh. "The headmaster thought since Nathan was the one pushing for me to join the school, he should play host for a while."
"And I'm happy to do it" Nathan said with a smile, "as long as we don't run into each other in our towels. Or worse."
"Yeah, no that's not happening again" Hope shook her head. "Excuse me while I go and check in on Landon."
"Still a little mad at you for not telling him?" Nathan asked.
"Pretty much" Hope sighed and walked out.
"Honestly, the dude needs to think on the why" Nathan shook his head. When his gaze turned to Josie, who was pouting more than normal. A mix of a frown and her natural pout. "Are you okay? You seem down."
"I'm fine" the brunette pulled herself away from him and Nathan's lips curled into a frown as well. His eyes went to her arm, where he could see some sort of mark. He gently grabbed the loose fabric of her dress and lifted it to reveal a nasty looking burn scar.
"That's anything but fine" the male's gaze shifted to the femme's face. "The dark magic?" he asked and Josie nodded her head. "Any way I can help you?"
"No" Josie shook her head. "The dark magic is out of my system. My body just needs time to heal" she explained. Nathan tentatively dragged a finger over it, receiving no signs from the girl that it hurt her.
"I could heal it for you" the boy said, "like I did with Ethan's arm."
"Thank you, but I'll just heal it normally. Let it be a reminder to not do dark magic again" the brunette mumbled. "And Ethan, was it the right choice?"
"To help him? Of course, its was" Nathan spoke with a slightly shocked tone.
"You know that's not what I meant" Josie pinned a glare at him and Nathan chuckled.
"I did have to explain somehow" he explained. "They promised to not tell. If they do tell, I'll just wipe theirs and those they tell memories of the incident. Secret saved."
"You're taking a risk here" the brunette shuffled off the bed and walked out of the room. Nathan watched her go with a frown on his face. There was something off about the girl, he could feel it the moment they were close. He had felt it ever since he had woken up. But it had gotten stronger after yesterday's events.
Shaking his head, he pushed himself off the bed and went straight for a shower, the thoughts put aside for the moment. After a nice cold shower, Nathan set out to find Josie. He instead found her twin and MG stood in front of the staircase of the great hall. Nathan descended the steps and stopped beside MG, putting an arm around his shoulder.
"Any of you seen Josie around?" he asked.
"Not since she went to look for you" the blonde informed him, in a friendly but aloof tone. "How's body?"
"Still kicking" Nathan shrugged. "What's going on here?"
"I am trying to get myself fully prepared for Sebastian!" the blonde's face broke into an excited smile at the topic. "But these guys don't know what I need from them" she finished with a glare at the theater club.
"Sebastian?" Nathan tilted his head. "Would he happen to be this guy wearing this very old timey clothes? Is he like a new student?"
"No" Lizzie shook her head excitedly while MG gave him a little shocked look. "He just appeared out of somewhere. He's a vampire! And he speaks in this hot accent. You'd love him!"
"I'm not sure I'd ever love him like you do" Nathan laughed. Lizzie gave him a friendly roll of her eyes before excusing herself. MG took that opportunity to pull Nathan to the side.
"You've seen Sebastian?" the vampire asked.
"Should I not have seen him?" Nathan asked with a chuckle. But seeing the serious expression on MG's face he sobered up. "During the match. He was watching from the sidelines, near the woods. Why are you asking?"
"Because until now, only Lizzie has been able to see him" the vampire spoke with all seriousness. "I've asked around and literally no one here even heard or seen the guy. And yesterday I saw Lizzie make out with nothing."
"Disregarding you probably stalking Lizzie, that does sound odd" Nathan frowned. "Look, I need to find Josie. Look after Lizzie okay? And if it is a vampire, then make sure she doesn't get bitten."
"It still doesn't explain the part where only you two can see him and nobody else" MG argued.
"Doesn't it?" Nathan questioned but MG still looked confused. "MG, think about what special thing I can do and what special thing Vampires can do."
"You can compel people?" Mg asked then his eyes widened in realization. "So, Sebastian could be communicating by sending his wind out to Lizzie?" he asked and Nathan nodded his head.
"Exactly" he gently punched the boy on the shoulder. "Now look out for her. If Sebastian is dangerous, then make sure he doesn't take a bite out of your girl."
"She's not my girl man" MG rolled his eyes, his voice suddenly a little higher than normal. Nathan just smiled and left him there. He walked around the school, looking for Josie when he ran into said girl and a samurai.
"Why is there a samurai with you?" he asked.
"Long story" the brunette muttered. She grabbed one of his hand and with the other she grabbed on to the Samurai's and dragged them off to her room, where Lizzie was absolutely living from the moment her eyes fell on her twin.
" Are you seriously using black magic again?" she hissed, one hand playing with the sleeve of her other one. "Allow me to remind you that whenever you do, whatever happens to you happens to me, too" she finished, now showing her arm full of burn marks. "You're lucky Sebastian appreciates the old-fashioned look. And who the hell is that" she asked, finally noticing the samurai in the room.
"Long story" the brunette muttered, "Short version, he's a Samurai/Demon hunter who lost his Oni and only to kill it is with his demon-banishing sword before it can carry Landon off to Malivore."
"Oni is like a demonic spirit from Japanese Mythology that can possess people and make them do demonic shit" Nathan explained. "Japanese mythology is fun to read."
"Can you come?" Josie added, looking intently at Lizzie.
"Well, I suppose if I reschedule my date, it would give this rash some time to clear up" the blonde muttered, hugging back when her brunette twin tackled her into a hug.
The samurai then began to speak, knocking on his head and speaking in fluent Japanese that only Josie understood. But the eye contact made Lizzie realize that the topic was about her.
"He's talking about me, isn't he?" the blonde moved away from her twin. "He's calling me crazy."
"No" Josie assured her. "No, he's talking about the Oni. It possess people, makes them act crazy."
"Then I retract my offer" Lizzie looked at her twin with an uptight expression. "My mental health is the most precious thing that I have, Jo. A rash I can deal with, but I cannot risk crazy. I'm sorry."
Josie opened her mouth to speak but the Samurai let out a shout and chased out the door after students that had gathered to see what the man was doing. Josie gave chase to him, shouting for him to wait.
"Give me your arm" Nathan reached his hand out. Lizzie gave him a look and held out her hand. "The other one" Nathan motioned to the scarred one.
"If this is some ploy to get me to help" she took the offered hand with the one Nathan wanted, "it's not gonna happen."
Nathan just smiled and focused on the injury. The burn glowed a gentle green before it slowly healed and soon Lizzie's scarred skin was replaced by her former smooth one.
"Since when do you know healing spells?" the blonde muttered, putting a hand over where her burn was. She found no illusions.
"Hecate's been teaching me things while I sleep" Nathan shrugged with a smile. "Now go and enjoy your date" he stepped back and exited the room. "Oh, and Lizzie?" he peeked his head back and the smiling blonde looked at him again. "Be careful, okay?"
"I will" she said with a smile and Nathan left. Asking for the location of the runaway Samurai and his girlfriend, Nathan found them both about to walk out of the gates of the school.
"You're here!" Josie smiled, hugging him close before stepping back. "We're gonna go and find Landon. I was able to tell Kurutta-san what the Oni is looking for, or who more specifically. He's agreed to help protect him."
"Then let's get going" Nathan said and the three walked out the door.
The road to Mystic falls High was uneventful. The Samurai kept on chirping in Japanese from time to time, telling the two about how he had found the Oni, about the family it killed, the little girl it possessed and how he had become the vessel before a mud man thing ate him up. The two understood the mud man to be Malivore. The dude really travelled around the world. Nathan wondered what had drawn him back to America.
The trio found Landon in the parking lot. He was there with Dr. Saltzman and Hope. Nathan felt Josie stiffen a little before she called out to her father.
"What the hell's going on?" the man asked.
"He said, we came to protect the bonsai-headed boy. I think" Josie translated for the Samurai who looked at Landon and matched the smile the bonsai-headed boy had on his face.
"Right" the former headmaster shook his head. "Can you tell your Samurai friend to elaborate on what exactly we are dealing with here? And how to destroy it. Every bit of information helps."
The Samurai went into his life story. He was dropped on his head as a baby, he was put into Samurai school to be taught discipline, where he learned to slay Oni. He explained that he was a hero and all the ladies wanted a specific part of him inside them. That part broke into an argument between Josie and Kurutta-san, something Nathan enjoyed.
He then told the story that he had told Josie and Nathan on the way there and how he had taken the demon over from a child and decided to never come into human contact ever again. But then Malivore happened.
"A portal?" Hope asked, "where?"
"I'm sorry but the ancient Samurai isn't exactly an expert of Mystic Falls geography" Josie answered with a hint of unfriendliness. Nathan frowned at that.
"How did he plan to kill the demon?" Landon asked.
"Uh, with the sword" Josie motioned to the Samurai's sword. "It's spelled with a special kind of magic, so if we can just find the Oni"
Josie was interrupted by a loud bang that made the car before her shake violently.
"Not a problem" Hope shook her head. The back door flew open and the Samurai drew his blade. He attacked but Rafael jumped over him. The Samurai charged again and Rafael dodged. Hope muttered a spell and the sword came flying out of his hand. The Samurai clicked his tongue in distaste and charged the wolf. Rafael simply turned on the spot and threw the man into the near by bus. He looked at the rest before rushing off.
Josie rushed over to the fallen Samurai and sighed at the words he spoke before fainting. "He said, that could have gone well."
"Well, at least we know that Raf is the demon host" Nathan clapped his hands. "Let's split up and look for him in the school before he transmits the thing to someone else."
"Hope and I'll check the gym" Alaric muttered and the two rushed off.
"Let's get this guy somewhere not in the middle of the public" Landon muttered and the two boys hoisted him to his feet and the four of them rushed into the school. With everyone at the gym, it was easy to sneak him into the principal's office. They put him in the principal's chair before Josie put up a barrier at the door.
"Guys, lets not be sitting ducks here!" Landon groaned, bringing attention of them both to him.
"What do you suggest?" Nathan asked.
"Let the Oni possess me and then you guys stab me with the almighty demon slayer sword" he picked the blade up. "I'm a phoenix! I can come back easily."
"We are not doing that" Josie cut him off. "We don't if it will work. And we are not going to just hand you over to a demon to find out!"
"Look" Landon sighed, "forcing everyone to put themselves in danger to stop whatever monster's coming after me next is an unsustainable solution. You guys used me as bait for the game!"
"Yeah because we knew what we were dealing with Lan" Nathan added his words. "This is an Oni and for all we know, this sword can kill you both" he grabbed the hilt of the blade and recoiled in pain immediately.
"Nathan?" Josie was at his side, worry clear in her tone and expression.
"That thing is spelled with dark magic" Nathan winced, his whole body protesting against the magic that made itself into his system. "We are not using it on you or anyone else."
The two backed out of the room and Landon went to follow, only to collide against an invisible wall. The two found Hope and Alaric not too far from the room and filled them in on the situation. Hope let out a frustrated sigh and rushed to the principal's office, Alaric following after him. Nathan though went to the bathroom, feeling his stomach churning dangerously.
The moment he entered the place, he let out a wave of black sludge that covered the tiled floor of the bathroom. He fell to his knees as he vomited the black goo. Josie came in after him and was immediately beside him.
"I'm okay" Nathan wheezed out, feeling the churning stop. He fell back and leaned against the bathroom wall.
"How strong was the magic? If it made you puke this much by just touching it" Josie asked, her face morphed into one of horror.
"Very" Nathan took a deep breath. "I'm guessing demon killing did not just happen for any kind of sword. It had to be specifically made and spelled" he mumbled. And suddenly his breath caught at a realization. "Josie, go to Landon!"
"What? Why?" the brunette asked.
"Raf touched Kurutta-san" Nathan struggled to his feet, Josie's eyes wide at the realization as well. The two rushed out, one a bit slower than the other. When they reached the room, they found Hope on the ground and Alaric tending to her.
"Don't tell me" Nathan groaned, falling on his ass.
"The Oni has Landon" Hope muttered. "What happened to you?"
"The sword is dark magic incarnate" he muttered and Hope nodded her head in reply. "We need to find him before he reaches the portal."
"We don't even know where the portal is" Josie muttered, crouched beside Nathan.
"Do you guys have anything to track Landon?" Alaric asked, walking over to Kurutta-san who they found to have his throat slit.
"No, but I might have something better" Nathan muttered. He held Josie's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Josie, siphon from me."
"What?" the brunette asked in confusion.
"I'm going to teach you a new tracking thing I learned from Hecate. I can't do it cause my body is killing me. Siphon from me and do as I say" Nathan explained. Josie gave a nod before doing as told. Nathan felt a sudden tug on his core, a sign that his magic was being siphoned.
"Now I want you to close your eyes and picture Landon. Picture him clearly and focus on him. Let your magic rush out of your body and spread out. Send it out as a pulse and let it go as far as you possibly can. Try to locate Landon."
"That isn't helpful much" Josie muttered in complain, but did as was asked. Minutes went by and the girl was having no success until her eyes suddenly flew open. "Found him! He's near the park."
The trio found Landon by the park and a combined effort from the three had sent Landon crashing far away from the pit near the tree. Landon wasted no time in getting up and the charged with the sword in hand. Josie muttered a spell and the sword flew out of his hand and into hers, making the girl scream and drop it.
"Oh my god" the brunette muttered, her eyes wide in shock. Hope twisted her hand and Landon fell to the ground, fast asleep.
"Let's secure him without touching" Nathan muttered and him and Hope floated him over to the tree and tied him up with chain the tribrid had summoned from somewhere.
"Now what? We can't just let the Oni live in him forever. And we can't touch him" Hope muttered, looking worriedly at the passed-out form of her boyfriend.
"Exorcism is pretty much the only thing that comes to mind" Nathan muttered in reply.
"Does that goddess of yours have any exorcism chants to teach you?" Hope asked, looking to the boy. Nathan shrugged before closing his eyes. But his eyes flew open when he felt a sudden build up of magic that made his skin crawl. He turned around and found Josie siphoning from the sword.
"Josie, stop!" Nathan shouted, turning to physically stop her.
"The sword is spelled with a magic that can kill the Oni" Josie told him as black veins built up around her eyes. She dropped the blade and with a scream launched a wave of dark magic that hit Landon. The boy let out a groan. A red vapor seemed to seep out of him before that vapor let out a hiss and vanished.
Hope rushed to Landon while Nathan rushed to Josie who was falling to her knees. "You idiot! You could have gotten seriously hurt!"
"I'm fine" Josie gave him a weak smile before being lifted bridal style off the ground.
"Hope, grab Landon" Nathan turned to Hope who was already picking the boy up over her shoulder. "We need to hurry back to the school, now!"
Back at the school Nathan rushed Josie to the infirmary, where the headmaster had come with an hourglass in hand. Hope had told him what happened and he told Josie to put her hands on the thing. She did as was asked and immediately relief washed over her as the dark magic was absorbed by the thing.
"This is a mora miserium" the headmaster explained. "a tool used by certain sects of witches to withhold the ill effects of using such magic."
"For how long?" Josie asked, her voice sounding a lot healthier than before.
"Indefinitely" the headmaster answered. "So long as it doesn't shatter."
Nathan and Josie both thanked the headmaster before they both left to go check on Landon. They found him fully awake now and with Hope, the both of them sharing an intense gazing moment.
"You guys alright?" Nathan asked, looking between the two. Landon was the one to turn to him, his face morphed into a sort of grim look.
"I remember everything about Hope."