Back and forth.

Again and again he paced. There wasn't any rhyme or reason to the motion. Only the nervous impatience of a man who was in desperate need of an intelligence update.

Iago was not in a good mood. He was about as far from a good mood as he imagined was possible. It had been three days since he first received news of the incident at Fort Dragonfall, and even now he knew precious little about what had happened. Well, minus one thing of course.

A Pixie was there. Iago thought bitterly. And not just any Pixie, but the right hand of the Demifiend himself. The very same Pixie that helped bring down Shijima the first time. Why here? Why now?

"Reporting in, my lord Iago."

The speaker had the shape of a young woman and wore a dress of grey. In addition, she wore a stiffer skirt around her legs, similar in concept to the carapace of an insect. Her blonde curls were kept neatly tied in buns with some being diverted from the rest to form a crown of braids. Green highlights accentuated the locks on either sides of her face, giving her a surreal appearance.

"Clotho. I hope for both our sakes that you have something of merit to report."

"Indeed I do." Clotho replied. Her voice was aristocratic in all ways, yet never as haughty as her sisters'. Hers was more of a youthful arrogance. "We have finished analyzing the remains of the wreckage."

"And?"

"There can be no mistake. The building was destroyed by an ability known as 'Deadly Fury'. It is an ability only one is known to possess."

"The Demifiend." It was a name Iago had only heard about from his teacher. The half fiend had been described to him as a harbinger of death. As a figure that would be able to annihilate their plans single handedly if he caught wind of them. He was a ghost story of sorts, one that he had assumed that he would never have had to actually face. That he was here now… "And why would such a being be here, dare I ask?"

The demoness sighed. "That is still unknown. What we do know is that a group of humans were here when the skill was used." Clotho looked around at the surrounding wreckage and visibly winced. "Or perhaps unleashed would be more accurate. Anyways, if those humans were to be located, they might be able to help us fill in the blanks."

"Really?" Iago's mouth curled into a sickening smile reminiscent of a hyena that just cornered its lunch. "In that case, summon Ose. Tell him I have some prey for him to hunt down."

"Why excuse me sir. I do believe you dropped this."

"Hmm?" Kaze turned towards the sound of the voice to find a well-dressed man offering him a small object. "Uh, thank you." He looked down at the item to find a small cylinder with indecipherable markings. "I think you've made a mistake. This isn't mi-"

But the man had already put some distance between the two. Turning back with a smile, he said, "Look here, Mr. Hoshidan, I'd love to stand around and help but- oh! There's my date now!" The man pointedly ignored Kaze's objections, instead making his way toward a sorceress with snow-white hair standing outside the entrance to the local inn. Leaning back the man smiled warmly. "How about you just hold onto that? Or find it's real owner yourself, why don't you? It's your choice."

"W-what, but I-"

"Kaze, what are you waiting for?" Lilith retreated from the food stall she had been scoping out and shot the ninja an annoyed glance. "We're on a bit of a tight schedule here."

"One moment Lilith, I just need to-" The ninja turned just in time to see the door to the inn close behind the nobleman and his date. For better or worse, he probably wouldn't be able to return the cylinder anymore.

"My apologies." Kaze answered hastily, pocketing the small artifact. Perhaps he could pawn it later on. Gods knew they could use the money after all. Living out of this town for a week had liberated them of most of their money due to the need for food and medical supplies.

Lilith sighed. "It's fine. Let's just keep moving. I want to get to the apothecary before lunch. We're almost out of salves and Felicia needs some more herbs for Corrin's painkillers."

Kaze winced. "Corrin's not going to like that. Last time it took both Mozu and I to hold him down so that Felicia could dope him."

"Ya, well he doesn't get a choice." Lilith replied, her hand curling into a fist. Corrin had not been an easy patient to deal with and it was beginning to grate on her. "Until he gets better, Felicia makes the final call on medical matters. And its doctor's orders that Corrin needs his sleep. Until he can sleep without them, he's just going to have to deal with it."

After hitting the apothecary, the pair began the trek back home in silence. Spider-like trees cast shadows in the dim Nohrian afternoon light. Even after a lifetime of living and working in the dark of night, Kaze still found himself squinting in the weird hybrid of dusk and shadow.

All around them dim lights flickered from the surrounding township. It wasn't a large settlement by any means but Kaze would have hesitated to call it small as well. There were the normal buildings of course; the inn was some ways back and the church to the Dusk Dragon was up further. But there were also a few luxury locations. There was a barracks and military recruiting center on the top of a nearby hill and near the church was a small schoolhouse for the local children. And finally there was a small café for the more affluent citizens.

In fact, that café was currently directly to their right. Like usual, it was almost completely empty, save only for the owner. Kaze had done his homework and knew that the regulars would be busy up at the military base or taxing the locals around this time. Bottom line, it would be empty for the next hour. Now was the time to strike.

"Lilith, one moment please."

"Huh?" The stable girl looked up in surprise as Kaze's request ripped her from her thoughts. Suspicion and caution crossed her face in equal parts before shifting to shock as Kaze grabbed her hand and began to lead her into the café. "W-what are you doing?!"

He didn't let up, though he did wince more than a bit on the inside. He wasn't going to hear the end of this any time soon. From either Lilith or Corrin for that matter. "Just trust me. Please."

Luckily she seemed to take him at his word, or at least enough such that she relented and followed him into the small restaurant. Walking up to the counter, Lilith's hand still in his, Kaze addressed the owner. "Hello sir, would it be possible to get a table?"

The man, probably in his early forties if his retreating hairline was any indication, looked at the ninja with a touch of repulsion. "Oy, a Hoshidan? And just what pray tell do you hope to find here? I damn well hope it's not hospitality."

"I'm here under my master's orders." Kaze lied easily. "I defected a while ago to the Nohrian military after my town was left to starve so the Hoshidan army could eat." Kaze shrugged and smirked. "But apparently my boss wants -"

"Ya, does it look like I give a wyvern's fart about that?" The man growled contemptuously. "Look here bud, we don't serve your kind here. So take your little whore girlfriend-"

Kaze's story died in his throat. "W-what?! You can't talk about her like that!"

The man sneered. "Like hell I can't. It just so happens I am great friends with the Captain up at the fort."

"Why you-"

"My goodness, just be quiet." Lilith groaned and pushed him aside. For a moment she stared down the cafe owner, watching silently as he raised an eyebrow expectantly. Sighing in resignation she produced a small coin from her pocket and placed it on the counter. One glance at it and the man's eyes went wide and all of sudden he was all smiles. "M-milady. I-I didn't know; I mean I was just-"

"Oh? So you do know what this is then. That makes this a lot easier." Lilith smiled brightly, but Kaze noticed the smile never reached her eyes. "Like my friend was saying, I was ordered to bring him here so he could get acclimated to Nohrian culture. However, he doesn't quite know when to shut up yet." She shook her head sadly. "So I would really appreciate it if you could grab us a table already. After all, I would hate to have to, you know…" Lilith trailed off as she gestured towards the obsidian coin on the table. For the first time Kaze noticed the royal insignia carved into it. She leaned in a little closer and whispered. "If you make it quick, I might just be able to forget that little whore comment.?"

"O-of course. You are too generous, milady. Please, follow me." The poor man was scrambling to grab two menus. In a moment the two servants were seated at a small but comfortable table near a window. Bowing and promising to be back soon with some coffee, the owner retreated to the safety of the kitchen.

For a moment there was silence, but then, "I really hope you have a good reason for this."

He nodded, only half paying attention as he finished sizing up the area. It wouldn't do for them to be overheard after all.

"You hardly need to do that." Lilith answered, slight agitation lacing her voice. "I showed him Corrin's insignia. This place will be closed for as long as we're here."

"I thought that was what it was. But I thought Corrin told us not to use it?"

"Hmm, either cause a disturbance because we're here on royal business or one because you're a Hoshidan spy? Wow, what a great choice. Truly you thought this all the way through."

She was right about that. Though it pained him to admit it, he had overlooked the racial divide between the two countries. He was so used to being able to go anywhere he had wanted in Hoshido that this was a new and annoying experience. Maybe it was the fatigue and paranoia that had prevented him from getting any sleep over the last three nights. "I'm sorry. I was a little preoccupied. It won't happen again."

Lilith sighed and started to fidget with her hair in annoyance. "I hope so. Now there's a reason for this? A good one maybe?"

"Yes." Kaze opened his bag and pulled out the scroll Lilith and Corrin had found at Fort Dragonfall.

Lilith's eyes flashed in surprised recognition. "You managed to decode it? I thought you said the cipher would take a week?"

"I lied." Kaze said. As his ally's eyes flared he hastily explained. "There wasn't a cipher at all but after you hear what was in here..." He stopped and tried to grasp the proper words. He had to make her understand. "If Corrin heard what was in here he would insist we get moving now. And he just isn't ready for that yet. Even though it might be dangerous, for the time being we have to keep this a secret."

There was a moment of silence as Lilith sized him up. Just when he thought he was about to get an earful, she relaxed. "You're probably right. Gods know he'd take any excuse to get out of that shack. I- I'm sorry for doubting you. Though…" Lilith looked around the building before raising an eyebrow at the ninja. "Was the café really necessary?"

"Why? This is the quietest place in town right now? Normally I'd go with the inn, but you never know who's in there." Kaze asked, confused.

"No no, it's just when you first were leading me into the café, you know, I thought- well it- it doesn't matter." For some reason her face was the same shade of crimson as the scarlet end of her ponytail. Looking away, she hurriedly continued, "Just- say what the damn scroll says already."

"O-of course." What was that about? Kaze thought, his mind struggling to keep up with her. No matter, she probably just wants to hear the report as quickly as possible. Well, I'd better oblige. "Alright, here are." Taking one last glance around to make sure no one was listening, Kaze began-

=It had been three days since the flash of light brought us here. We still have no idea how we came to be here but we have verified we are in Nohr. The men have finally finished repairs on the fortress and I'm starting to think we might actually have a chance. We've turned the bottom floor into a dungeon of sorts and are keeping the princess there. A lot of the men want to just kill her now and be done with it, but if we really are in Nohrian territory now, we might need to use her as a bargaining chip. As soon as we have a way home, we'll fulfill our orders and leave her body by the nearest town.

=My scouts have discovered a town to the east. So far we've only done light reconnaissance, but we think there's a small military presence there. We'll have to be careful going forward. I'll put out the order to hide all fires from now on. We're in no position to fight the scum right now.

=Found a new water source a few kilometers to the north. Thank the Dawn Dragon, our stores were almost completely dry. How do the Nohrians manage to live in this gods forsaken wasteland?

=We have captured a Nohrian Dark Mage. Her description matches that of the Academy's famous Nyx, but that can't be right. Nyx graduated fifty years ago. How could she still look like a small child? A pity. If we could be certain of her identity, we could kill the princess and use the mage as a hostage instead. We will keep interrogating her.

=This is Akio, Lord Akira is… He's dead. Everyone is dead. Damn there's so much blood… It all happened so fast. I guess I should start at the beginning. This morning, a diviner showed up at the gates to the fort. She said that she was from another troop that had been warped like us. She wanted to talk to our shrine maidens to set up a communication link of sorts. We let her in. Damn us, we let her in.

After talking to our own maidens she requested a trip down to the dungeons. We tried to stop her but… for some reason none of us could. I can't explain it, it's like I wanted to do everything she told me, it- it- Oh my gods…

She was in the room with the princess for five minutes. After that she was on her way out when she walked by ten troops escorting the Nohrian mage up to Lord Akira. I'll never forget the look on the girl's face when she saw her. It was white as a ghost. I've seen corpses that looked more alive. She stared at the diviner and in this real small voice said, "You… You're not human."

The diviner stopped and- well I don't really know what happened next. There was a flash of green light and my friend Hideaki, may he rest in peace, pushed me into the next room over. The Nohrian must have got her hands on a fire tome somehow cause there was this surge of hot air from the other hallway. It was hotter than anything I'd ever felt, and I'm from the fire tribe!

But then came the laughter. Gods above, I can still hear it. I've never heard anything as haunting, as downright evil. It's like it took a bite out of my very soul and was slowly chewing it to pieces, taking time to savor the feeling as it destroyed me.

I'm ashamed to say that I hid. I curled up into a ball and hunkered down underneath a bed. It was all I could do to get away from that damned laughter. I must have passed out sometime around there.

When I woke up, it was all silent. Whatever that diviner was, she was gone.

Eventually the scouting party of about twenty men came back. We're all that's left. We've moved all the corpses to the rec room. Some of them weren't fully dead yet; that monster had ripped them apart but left their organs intact. A couple of the guys wanted to see if they'd get better but we all knew at heart; they were dead men. We couldn't bring ourselves to put them out of their misery, but we did manage to make their last moments more comfortable.

There was nothing left of the Nohrian mage. We found a small scrap of bloody cloth we think is from her cape, but there's no way to know for sure.

We're going to try and increase our defenses as much as possible, but after today… I'm not sure how much good it'll do.

=Today one of the men reported seeing some sort of giant, silver bird flying above the fortress. I'm ordering all men on high alert for tonight's watch, all the good it'll do if that terror returns.

Kaze put the scroll back into his bag and took a slow sip of coffee. Lilith looked like she might puke.

"So that monster… the demon was…"

"Yes, in the shape of a human." Kaze said softly. "Now do you understand why I wanted to stay away from the tavern or the forest? If they can shapeshift-"

"Then they could be anyone." Lilith finished. "Gods, how can we fight something like that?" She stood up suddenly. "We need to move Corrin. Now."

"Lilith. Please sit down! You're making a scene." Kaze whispered, his eyes shooting toward the direction the store owner had walked. "Think about it for a second. If they could all do this, Ose wouldn't have shown his true form back in Hoshido."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?!" Lilith hissed, though she still sat down. "Only a few really powerful ones can do it, so it isn't so bad. Is that really what you're trying to say here?"

"What I'm trying to say is it isn't as bad as it could be. Is it terrifying? Undoubtedly. Is it shocking? Without a doubt. But we need to stay calm, at least until Corrin recovers. Until then, our hands are tied. But at the moment, we're alive and it doesn't seem like they know where we are."

"I- But-" Lilith stuttered a bit. For a moment, Kaze thought that he had made his point, but then the stable girl's jaw set into a line. "No. Our hands aren't tied. We can still take precautions."

"W-what?" Now it was Kaze's turn to stutter. What the hell could they do to prepare against a monster like that?!

"It's simple. We go home, we test all of the food to make sure it hasn't been tampered with, we set up whatever magical alarms we have access to, and we make sure everyone has a weapon on them twenty-four seven." With a final sip, she finished off her coffee and got up from her chair. "Oh, and we'll also need to start keeping watch. I'll take first shift tonight."

One glance at her told Kaze that it would be useless to argue. She had that look in her eyes again... He sighed in resignation. "Fine. I've been meaning to catch up on my reading anyway."

"Cool. Let's go." She dumped the bags of supplies on his side of the table. "Oh, and the owner is going to think you're my servant so… make yourself useful." She smiled. "Pretty please?"

"Corrin have you taken your medicine yet?" Felicia's voice wafted in from adjoining room.

"Yep." Corrin lied, drumming his fingers against the frame of the bed. Damn it I'm bored. When are Lilith and Kaze going to get back?

"That's a lie. He's hidden it under his pillow."

"Corrin!" Felicia yelled from the kitchen.

"Azura! What the hell?!" Corrin shouted.

The blue-haired princess didn't bat an eyelid at the betrayal, instead looking at him in concern. "Corrin, you're still sick. I'm not going to apologize for forcing you to take care of yourself."

"Azura… I am fine." Corrin said while trying not to grind his teeth in frustration.

"Is that why you've woken up screaming every night for the past week?" The princess asked while ignoring his irritation.

"That's not-"

"Then those eye bandages you're wearing is some form of a fashion statement? I can't say I like it all that much. I can't see both of your eyes." She never broke eye contact with him, her face betraying no emotion as she spoke.

"What I'm trying to say is that I am healthy enough to make my own decisions." Corrin responded defiantly. "I don't need you all constantly worrying about me." He puffed out his chest. "Besides. I'm fine."

The two stared each other down for a moment before Azura threw a nearby book at him, hitting him square in the chest. Corrin's vision went white and a shrill squeal of pain escaped from his lips. "Owwww…"

"Hmm. I stand corrected. You are in perfect health." Azura said dryly.

"Oh gods, Corrin? What happened? Are you okay?" Felicia asked from the doorway in alarm, almost dropping the tray she had been holding. The maid rushed over to her master and began to look him over. "Please look me in the eye, I need to see your pupils."

"Felicia, I'm fine." Corrin insisted as he waited for the stars clumped amongst his vision to disappear. "Just give me a moment."

"Yes, he needed to be taught a lesson so I loaned him a book." Azura added on, taking a sip of water as she coolly surveyed the scene.

Felicia looked at the princess in confusion before shrugging. Taking a small bottle off the tray she measured out Corrin's medicine. "Milord, please take this."

"I told you that I didn't-"

"Lord Corrin please." Felicia begged. "If not for yourself then for your siblings. What kind of an example are you setting for Elise right now?"

Corrin couldn't say no to that. Especially not with the look she was giving him alongside it. Those puppy dog eyes just weren't fair. Wordlessly the former prince gulped down the medicine, and after a moment's hesitation, returned the dose he had hidden under his pillow as well.

"Now was that so hard?" Azura shot at him from her chair in the corner.

"I don't know? Is it hard to keep giving this much attitude?" Corrin asked innocently.

Azura smiled at him. "Only as hard as it must be to keep your ego in check."

"Wow, that's incredible! Truly you are an inspiration to us all!"

"We're back!" Lilith's voice came from the front of the shack. "Corrin we grabbed you some paper and ink while we were out."

"Thanks Lilith!" Corrin answered happily as his retainers entered the room. "Anything interesting happen while you two were out?"

"Uhh-" The two stared at each other uneasily.

"Actually," Kaze began, glancing nervously at Lilith. "Some nobleman gave me this weird cylinder thing. I was thinking of maybe selling it when we get back to Windmire."

"Oh? Toss it here. Huh, it is kind of weird I guess." Oddly nostalgic as well now that I get a closer look at it.

"Hmm? Let me take a look." Azura said, getting out of her chair and walking over to Corrin's bedside.

The pair of the retainers made a quick exit from what had become the medical room of the shack. Lilith let out a nervous breath. "That was close."

Kaze shrugged. "You aren't wrong."

Lilith bit her lip and Kaze could practically see the worry eating away at her. Resting a hand on her shoulder he smiled. "Come on. It'll be fine. We have a plan don't we?"

"I mean yes but-"

"Then how about we concentrate on what we can do." He smiled and put down the groceries. "For one, I think it might be a good idea to check in on Mozu. From what I heard she has quite the stew planned for tonight."

"Where the hell did Kaze get that?!" A voice in Corrin's skull asked in alarm. "Drop it. Drop it now! Before it's too late!"

Managi? Corrin thought in confusion. How are you able to talk to me? I thought my dragonstone blocked you? And more importantly, I thought I made it perfectly clear I didn't want to talk to you.

"Stop being a child. And have you seen your dragonstone lately? It looks like you took a hammer to a stained glass window. I'm honestly shocked the thing even still works. But that's beside the point right now, just get rid of that damned cylinder! If you don't we'll all-"

"You are the ocean's grey waves,"

"Shit."

She felt it before she heard it. And at first she thought some invisible demon had punched her in the stomach. Shock and pain mixed and merged into a ravenous snake that felt like it was eating her from the inside out.

Lilith's hands shot to her head as the first notes of the song hit her ears and began to weigh her down like chains. Her eyes widened in recognition, but she found herself unable to speak.

"Lilith?! Lilith, what's wrong?! Felicia! Come quick! We need a doctor!" She heard Kaze's voice, but it sounded like it came from an eternity away.

Why? Lilith thought in resigned despair. Why are you singing that song now? Azura, have you betrayed us? After all this time, have you sided with your mother after all?

Corrin turned to the source of the sound. It was undeniably beautiful. With the serene grace of a mountain stream, the song continued to flow from the songstress's lips, each note pristine and perfectly placed. Azura was leaning over him, staring at the cylinder, seemingly transfixed. Normally, the concept of being so close to her would be enough to fluster the former-prince to no end, but that song… it was so relaxing, so beati-

His hand shot up to his eye as a sharp, brutal pain erupted from it. "OH GODS! This again?!"

Somehow the Demifiend's voice pierced through the painful haze. "Stop praying, and start moving, you idiot!"

"Shut up." Corrin's gaze shot up at Azura. Each word was a chore, each syllabus feeling like he was trudging through a lake of molasses "Azura, please you have to help me, I don't-"

"Destined to seek, Life beyond the shore just out of reach."

Another wave of agony caused most of the muscles in his back to spasm. Somehow he managed to speak. "What are you doing? Can't you see that- Azura, why is your amulet glowing? And floating?"

"I understand there is considerably less blood going to that tiny collection of cells you call a brain, but is now REALLY the time for that?!"

I told you to shut your mouth! "Lilith! Kaze! Come quick, I need you-" Corrin was interrupted as the cylinder in his hand began to crackle and its symbols began to glow.

"Why are you still holding that?! I told you to drop it!" By now his voice was thick with panic.

I'm trying, but I can't! Corrin thought desperately. My hand's stuck to it! True to his word, it was as though the cylinder was bound to his hand with glue. As hard as he tried he couldn't seem to remove it. And worse, he couldn't transform his hand to blast it away either. In fact, merely trying to call on his dragon form seemed to make the pain infinitely worse. After a few seconds he found himself unable to endure it and gave up.

"Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time"

"WHY ARE YOU USELESS?!"

Corrin tried to open his mouth to respond, but found that he could no longer manage to do even that. Whatever magic had been assaulting him had finally succeeded in completely binding his entire body. He was barely managing to breathe, and if the situation escalated much further, he feared even that would become impossible.

In fact, he could only watch in abstract horror as the cylinder in right hand seemed to take on a life of its own. Slowly, the blue crackling light began to coalesce into a sharp rotating cylinder of light.

Kaze sprinted toward the door to the medical room with Felicia staring horrified at Lilith's stiff, unmoving form. Were they already under attack? Was Lilith's prep work too little too late?

Rounding the corner, he already had two kunai drawn and thought he was prepared for anything. In less than a second he saw Azura leaning over Corrin, heard the music pouring forth from her mouth, and saw the pendant she wore floating and shining with an ethereal light.

"The path is yours to climb."

Those words… Kaze could feel the power behind them. Or at least he did for a moment. What followed was a hurricane of power that was so alien, so disgusting that he thought it would reduce him to something less than human, less than the smallest insect. It was everything that had been wrong with Ose's aura except infinitely worse.

And it seemed to be coming from Corrin.

A life time of training and battle-hardened instincts told Kaze the song was to blame. But as he took aim there was an explosion of blue light from Corrin's hand, the intensity of which blinded him. When his vision returned. Both his lord and the princess were gone.

Lilith continued to focus on breathing. It was all she could to keep herself together. Felicia had begun to put her through various tests, taking her pulse and checking her reactions and the like, but her mind was still jumbled and her mind couldn't be bothered to follow along yet. Mozu had come to see what had happened, offering the blunette some Hoshidan food and a glass of water. Lilith managed to nod in thanks, and as she forced herself to gulp down some water, she began stew over what had just happened.

She knew the song. Of course she knew it, that song had been created by her father with the express purpose of binding members of the silent dragon tribe. And even though she had done everything in her power to leave that part of her life behind, there were some things that just couldn't be changed. Biology was unfortunately one of them.

Footsteps. Lilith looked up to see Kaze walk back into the room, his face a porcelain mask of shame. "K-ka-ze." Talking still felt weird. The muscles in her throat were still lethargic from the binding. "Whe-re Corr-in?"

"He's… he's…" His voice trembled and Lilith felt her spirits take a nose dive. He looked like he was going to say more but before he could-

-CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK-

A sharp sound and a brief flash of light. And sitting in the center of the floor, about arm's length from Lilith where there had been nothing a second ago, was a green box tied with a white bow.

"What the hell?" Kaze asked. To his credit in the almost instantaneous flash, he had still managed to draw his weapons. "Felicia, drag Lilith into the other room. Mozu, give them cover. We need to-"

"Wait!" Mozu cut in. "There's a tag on the side!"

Kaze blinked. "I- I don't think a tag should justify touching the demon box. In fact, I barely think it justifies talking about touching the demon box."

"But it's a present." Mozu said, moping slightly. "Don't yall think it would be really impolite to just throw it out."

Knock. Knock. Knock. The sound of a fist hitting the door to the shack. But that what wasn't what drew Lilith's attention. No, she was focused on the writing on the side of the card. She could only see a single word, but that word was the name of a certain familiar, auburn haired demoness. It couldn't be…

"I'll get it." Mozu said, getting up and walking towards the door.

Lilith reached out to check the card, careful not to touch the box as she did. Flipping it open she was shocked to find, in hastily written gold lettering-

Open the box. Take what's inside. RUN NOW!

Pixie

Lilith's warning died in her throat as she and the others were hit by Mozu's scream.

Turning, Kaze and Lilith were faced with the monster that had been haunting their nightmares ever since that terrible day Queen Mikoto had been murdered. Leopard spots, it's long cloak hiding its feline features, it's swords glittering in the shack's candlelight.

One of its twin swords was skewered through the door and had completely pierced Mozu's right shoulder, pinning her to the door. It wasn't a fatal wound, but she could not escape, only watch in horror as the demon turned in their direction. As it stalked slowly toward them, its lip curled into a hideous smile as it recognized its prey.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this a surprise. I was sent to track down the humans responsible for Fort Dragonfall and I find the servants of the white haired prince." Ose said softly, ripping his sword free from the door, causing Mozu to slump down to the floor, gasping for breath. "I must admit; I was worried that today was going to be quite boring. But now…" The demon raised its blades, one silver and one stained crimson. "This chance… I relish it. So come humans, show me the might that was able to repel me before."

Author's Note-

Thank you very much for reading! If you have questions, critiques, or predictions, please leave a review and I'll do my best to get back to you!

Disclaimer- This is a nonprofit, fan-based work. All characters and settings belong to their respective owners.

Next Time- Escalation (1/28).