Hey guys, here is the next update of this fanfiction. Hope you have been enjoying the story so far.

Anyway, enjoy the read.

Chapter Cover: Shinji and Aesyr standing back to back as they both looked at the camera with their fists aimed at it.

Chapter Nineteen

Forest Battle

Shinji was already moving seeing the blast that was sent toward Aesyr. He should have warned her that an Alpha Behemoth could do something like that, but the young woman had already moved forward so quickly that he had barely time to react at all.

His warning to her didn't really do much to help against the battle with the Behemoth, the massive beast letting out powerful roar after his attack had destroyed a part of the forest, they were in. Shinji gritted his teeth as he pulled out his sword from his waist, his attention now focused upon the Behemoth in front of him.

The creature didn't notice him yet, meaning that it was wide open for an attack from him.

"Sword Magic, Circle Swords."

Glowing blade of lights appeared all around the young man, drawing the beast's attention toward him but with a yell, he launched the attack forward, all of them hitting the Behemoth straight on its side. The Behemoth let out a powerful roar of pain as blood appeared from the wounds that appeared upon his body as it was pushed back from the numerous blasts of the glowing blades, however, it was still standing.

I want to go check on Aesyr…but if I do, that guy will follow me, Shinji though to himself, If I keep his attention upon me long enough for Aesyr to come back…

Shinji turned his attention toward the Behemoth who was now approaching toward where he was, growling at him, it's eyes fixed upon his form. With his sword in hand, the young man took his stance, his blade aimed forward straight toward the animal.

"I don't know how you ended up here so far from the Northern Mountains," Shinji spoke out looking at the Behemoth, "But, you don't belong in these parts. I will put an end to you."

The Behemoth's only response was to roar at him before leaping at his direction. It was fast, but Shinji was already anticipating the move, for he moved avoiding the strike by jumping away. The Behemoth crashed in the place he was in, but Shinji was already spinning through the air, landing down upon the ground in a crouch looking at it.

"Sword Magic, Sword Wave,"

He launched the attack straight at the animal again, hitting it straight into the face as the creature let out another roar. As it was doing so, it's jaw light up from the similar it had done before launching it straight at him. At the speed it came at him, Shinji didn't even have time to dodge the attack as it came at him.

The young man, knowing that, launched his own attack at the animal.

"Sword Magic, Pentagram Blades."

The two powerful blast of magic clashed against each other causing a massive explosion, shaking the ground around the two of them.

Shinji found himself blasted back from the pressure of the attack, yelling out in pain as he was slammed back into the ground, rolling for a few moments. Gasping in pain, Shinji pulled himself up into his knees, wincing at the throb of pain that ran across his form.

I knew that Behemoths were powerful…I didn't think it was this strong, he thought looking up at the creature that was across him.

The Behemoth was wounded in some places upon its form as the red blood that flew from his wounds was now mixed in with the fur that was all over his body. The Behemoth shook his head from the attack, his eyes fixing him from where he was.

I guess that's what it takes to be one of the most dangerous predators in the entire world…Shinji thought.

The Behemoth let out a powerful roar again before he started to charge straight toward him. Shinji moved to raise his sword yet again, but then, a familiar figure slammed against the animal's side glowing with silver flames around their body.

"Silver Dragon, Hard Fist,"

The powerful blast sends the animal to the side as Aesyr landed down upon the ground in a crouch, staring at the direction she had sent him. She had her hair flying behind her and an angry look upon her face. She had some wounds upon her form, but overall, she was okay.

"About time you showed up," he said looking at her.

Aesyr turned her eyes toward him.

"Why didn't you tell me that he could do a breath attack?" she accused pointing directly at him, "I thought I was seeing thing when his mouth started to light up like a rainbow sakura…"

"Hey you're the one who charged ahead," Shinji argued back, "I would have told you if something like that was happening."

Aesyr blinked, seemingly taking him in.

"Did a number on you did he?"

"It's strong," Shinji answered her approaching the woman, "Let's work together and take it down. That way, we'll be able to take it down."

Aesyr nodded at him as the two turned to face the Behemoth who had focused upon them again. His body was glowing with magic power causing Shinji to blink, surprised for a few moments before his eyes widened in shock.

"No way…it's taking on it's Second Form?"

"Second Form?" Aesyr repeated.

"It's a rare form," Shinji answered her, "People almost never see it for the Behemoth never encounter a threat level strong enough to make it change into a form like that…if its transforming right now…?"

"Does this mean he consider us a threat then?" Aesyr said looking at the enemy in front of them.

The Behemoth was growing larger as the magic upon it's form was causing it to stand upon it's back leg, his massive form taking on a more humanoid shape as the large creature let out another powerful roar. I''s yellow eyes stared down at them as it growled as a long glowing whip was suddenly there in it's hand, crackling with magic power.

Then the whip came at them.

Shinji and Aesyr both moved away at the same time to dodge the attack, letting it fall down upon the ground where they once stood. Then, the two of them moved forward Shinji's sword glowing with magic power as Aesyr's body was starting to shine with silver flames growing from her fist.

The Behemoth then spun it's whip straight toward Shinji's direction, drawing the young man's attention as the deadly object came straight at him. Shinji spun upon his feet, raising his blade as he parried the attack, causing him to grit his teeth at how powerful it was.

With a yell, Shinji pushed it away from him, turning to face the Behemoth.

Aesyr was right beside the creature launching a fist straight into its side causing the Behemoth to yell out in pain again before batting her away with his hand, sending her crashing away somewhere. Shinji turned toward the Behemoth with his sword glowing again.

"Sword Magic, Quick Blade Stab,"

His weapon glowed with power as he launched it forward aiming straight at the Behemoth stabbing him through his form causing blood to flow from the wound. The large animal let out another roar of pain as stepped back from the blow and then launched down it's fist straight toward Shinji's unprotected form.

But low and behold, Aesyr was there, her entire body bathed within the silver flames as she came and stood right in front of him to block the attack, causing the earth around her feet to crumble around with the weight of the attack that had launched at her.

"Aesyr," Shinji yelled in shock.

Silver scales had appeared upon Aesyr's arms and legs at the young woman stood there like an unmoving pillar against the Behemoth's attack and Shinji knew that Aesyr was using her power to fully stand against the enemy right now. The Behemoth, seeing that it had been blocked, used the whip to attack from the side but Shinji was there to parry with his blade.

"No, you don't," The young man yelled.

With a yell, Aesyr pushed the fist away from her with a powerful blast of magic from her hand causing the Behemoth to stumble backward. Aesyr then looked up at him, flames escaping from her lips.

"Have a taste of your own medicine," she growled, "Silver Dragon Infernal Roar."

A jet of fire exploded from Aesyr's lips as they completely overtake the Behemoth standing in front of her. Shinji had to shield his eyes from just how hot and bright the blast was, thought he can hear their opponent yelling out in pain from the powerful attack that had just been unleashed upon his form. The earth trembled beneath his feet, almost throwing him off his feet from the attack.

When it was all said and done, Shinji removed his hand, looking at the devastation that the attack had caused.

His eyes widened in shock.

Holy…

A massive crater had been burned into the ground in front of them. The ground seems to have been turned to glass from the heat of the breath attack and lying in the middle of it was the Behemoth but it wasn't moving at all, the body badly burned.

Shinji turned his gaze toward Aesyr, seeing the girl baring her teeth at the destruction in front of her. Her fanged canines were longer than normal humans and with the fierce expression upon her features, it was like she was rearing to go and battle some more…

No…she wields the power of a Dragon, he thought, I should have expected such power to be destructive given what she had done to Minotaur…

"Damn…I even held back some power so that I didn't destroy the entire forest and still made a mess," Aesyr said, "Damn bastard was tough."

Shinji stared at her shocked.

"Eh…you were holding back?"

Aesyr glanced at him, a confused look upon her face.

"Yeah," she said like it was obvious, "I am not going to use my full power when I am fighting some beast…thought I didn't think I even would need all of that power just to take it down. Behemoths sure are strong eh…?"

Shinji shook his head.

"Just when I think I couldn't be more surprised at you…and you went and do this," he said.

Aesyr frowned lightly.

"Can all of them go in that Second Form you're talking about?" she asked.

"Mostly the males if provoked enough," Shinji answered her, "The females will use it to protect their young after birthing some."

Aesyr couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her lips.

"Talk about protective mothers," she said.

Shinji smiled as well, sheathing his blade.

"Well then," he said, "Let's go back to Valdes and tell the Mayor that we've taken care of the Behemoth…"

"Wait," Aesyr suddenly said.

Shinji turned his gaze toward her, confusion seeping through him.

"Wait for what?"

She had been smelling it for a moment now.

She had felt them gazing at their battle against the Behemoth. She recognized the scent from earlier when she had first attacked the Behemoth and now that scent was back. Aesyr had turned her attention toward the trees behind them, a light frown upon her face.

"I can smell you," she continued, "So you don't need to hide any longer."

Shinji had a confused look upon his face.

"Who are you talking to?"

A sound of rustling caused the two to look into the direction of the trees and a small figure appeared there. It was of a young child dressed in fur like tribal clothing upon their form. They had red skin with long pink hair falling upon their shoulders and wide reddish-brown eyes. A tail was dancing behind the young child as it approached toward them, her movement cautious but still moved forward.

"It's that child from earlier," Shinji said surprised.

Aesyr looked down at the young child and the child stared back at her.

"You were the one who was attacking the animal of the farms weren't you?"

She heard Shinji let out a small hum and the small child gasped lightly.

"The mayor told us that they were experiencing lost of livestock long before the Behemoth first arrived," Aesyr spoke out, "That must have been you wasn't it?"

The child seems too nervous to answer. Aesyr approached her and then kneeled down in front of her, so that she was level height with her. Her eyes widened lightly as she stared back into Aesyr's eyes almost like she was surprised about what was happening.

"Don't worry you're not in trouble," Aesyr continued, her voice taking on a softer tone, "You are part of a Tribe right? Why are you here alone?"

The child looked away for a moment. Then, she pulled the sleeve of her shirt up revealing a mark that was burned into her skin. Aesyr can feel her eyes widening in shock at the sight of the scarred skin. It was shaped like a X.

A brand was burned into her skin…she thought.

"An exile brand," Shinji spoke out from beside her.

She glanced at him.

"Exile brand?"

"Those who were casted out of the Tribes," Shinji spoke out, "It's usually because that the exiled had done something that doesn't abide with the law of the Demon Tribes. They would bear this mark as the mark of their shame and their penance for the rest of their lives."

Aesyr couldn't help the shock that was shooting through her.

"But a child?" she questioned.

"It's their laws," Shinji said shrugging lightly.

Aesyr stayed silent for a moment, looking down on the ground for a few moments. She couldn't believe that someone would do something that cruel to a child. It may be a Demon or whatever but it was still a child.

Then, she made a decision.

Extending a hand toward the young child, she offered.

"How about you come to live with us?"

The child's eyes widened lightly in shock at the offer and even Shinji was shocked.

"Aesyr…what are you doing?"

"I don't know why the Demon Tribes casted a child out," Aesyr said, "But I am not a Demon…I am the Child of the Dragon. I am not one to abandon a child…not if I can't help it."

Images of a burning village flashed within her mind as she stood there looking at them, her body frozen in terror as Dragons danced above the village…

A figure extending a hand toward her…

Blue eyes…

Aesyr blinked herself out of her vision, looking toward the shocked face of the Demon child. A gentle smile appeared upon her lips.

"What do you say little one?" she asked.

The Demon child stared at her for a few moments before surely and slowly enough, she made her way forward and into Aesyr's form, hugging her. Her body was shaking from the light tears that were falling from her eyes.

"Shush…don't cry now little one," Aesyr said softly to the small child.

"Kaguya," the child said softly.

Aesyr blinked lightly.

"My name is Kaguya."

She smiled lightly at the child in her arms before standing up, holding her. Aesyr then turned toward Shinji.

"Let's head back to Valdes then," she said, "We have to report the complete success of our mission."

Shinji chuckled but he agreed.

"Very well," he said, "We might stay a night to get our wounds healed up before we can go back to Hyades."

The battle is over...and they have gained a new companion.

Achievement unlocked: Behemoth Trouble

Next Time: Demon Fall

Jacques0 out.

R&R