"I have to go back," Hari protested.
Chisato shook her head patiently. "You must rest," she repeated. "You have done well, Granddaughter, but to pursue now when your body is in this state will do more harm than good. You slept peacefully through the night for the first time in weeks. Do not underestimate the good that it is doing for you."
Hari tried to show her grandmother that she was wrong, but it was difficult to do when her entire body had zero energy and could barely move.
It had been a day since she had made an initial connection with the fire spirit within her. When Hari had faced her for the first time, she had been so startled that she had unintentionally woken up. Despite Hari's pleas, Chisato refused to send her back until she had regained some strength.
"I'm finally making progress," Hari sighed as she forced herself to sit up with a groan. She leaned against the cool wall gratefully and closed her eyes to ward off the dizziness. "She tested me, and I think I passed."
Chisato smiled and reached around Hari to grab a roll of bread with a bite taken out of it. She handed it to Hari. "I think your new friend helped herself to this first, but it's still food," she said as she pushed it into Hari's hands. "Fear not, I've already checked to make sure it's safe." Her eyes glinted mischievously. "Now, eat, then call your girlfriend."
Hari smiled and bit into the stale roll. It wasn't much, but she did feel better when she started getting some food in her stomach. And to her delight, she was actually feeling her appetite return.
"Do you think I can use magic now?" Hari asked with her mouth full. "I could get us both out of here."
"No, don't do that," Chisato said immediately. "You proved to the Guardian of Fire that you're worthy, but you have not connected your souls yet. Until you do that, your magic will fight against hers and kill both of you."
Well, that didn't sound ideal.
Hari finished her meager meal and pulled her horn from her shirt. Now that she was forced to rest before returning to the spirit, she had been signaling Shan frequently.
I wonder how close she is, Hari thought as she blew into the horn.
While she signaled Shan, she looked down at her right arm. When she had woken up, she had been alarmed to see the same burn scars that she had received within her soul. She hadn't expected passing the test to leave a mark on her physical body. They didn't hurt her, but she could still sense the magic within them.
Chisato's head shot up. "She's coming," she said grimly. She transformed back into her old woman form and tossed Hari her cloak. "Cover up your witch marks," she ordered while she grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "If they notice something is amiss, they will make you Lost before you are safely awakened."
Hari tucked the horn away, sad that she was unable to connect with Shan this time, and quickly threw the dirty cloak over herself. She then wrapped her own blanket around her shoulders for good measure.
Soon after, the door to their cell opened and Ino entered.
Right away, Hari could tell she was continuing down the path of madness that led to becoming a Lost One. There was a wildness in her eyes and she grinned eagerly when her eyes settled on Hari.
"Good morning, Princess," she said cheerfully. "And how are you doing this lovely day?" She approached Hari and crouched in front of her before roughly grabbing her by the chin. "I know that my day gets better just by seeing how far you've fallen."
Hari glared. "Not as far as you," she said calmly.
She received a punch to the gut for her lip.
While Hari wheezed and tried to refill her lungs, Ino grabbed her by her dirty hair and pulled. Hari grunted in pain and was forced to stand. She exchanged a look with the stoic Chisato before she was forcibly pulled from the cell. Ino slammed the door behind them and dragged Hari to the bathroom before she shoved her inside.
"Be quick about it," Ino ordered before she shut the door and locked it.
Hari knelt on the floor and coughed a few times. She pressed a hand to her side and winced.
"I hope she didn't break anything," she said with a sigh.
After she used the bathroom, she did her best to clean herself using the tiny sink. Oh, how she longed for her bathroom. A hot bath sounded heavenly at the moment. She ducked her head in the sink and did her best to rinse off some of the grime in her hair before she used a few paper towels to wash her body. She hesitated for a moment before she lifted the cloak and her shirt off to give her better access to clean the rest of herself.
And stared at the white outline of a tiger pawprint that rested right over her heart.
"Okay, that definitely wasn't there before," Hari whispered. She pressed her hand up against it and immediately pulled back. "It's warm," she realized.
"Of course. I am the Guardian of Fire," a female voice responded sarcastically.
Hari flinched and looked around wildly. "H-How?" she stammered. "I'm not…I'm not in my soul."
She could feel amusement that wasn't hers trickle through the back of her mind. "You and I are connected," the spirit reminded her. "At least, we are a little bit."
"Great, so now I'll hear voices for the rest of my life?" Hari huffed in exasperation. She continued to clean herself. "Are you going to keep killing me?" she asked in curiosity.
Now she heard a growl of irritation. "You tried to kill me first," the spirit retorted. "Your magic hurt me, so I used mine to hurt you and make you stop."
"This doesn't sound like the start of a healthy partnership," Hari quipped. She began to wring her long hair out in the sink. "So, what do we do now to finish the connection? Your test was a little overkill, by the way."
"I don't know what to do next," the spirit admitted. "You're the first royal Asmodian to bond with the Guardian of Fire. And I like my test," she added defensively. "It keeps people away because most of them aren't crazy enough to press their palms against fire like you did."
Despite herself, Hari snorted in amusement.
"Are all spirits as sensitive as you?" she teased.
She felt a disgruntled rumble from deep within her soul. "Shut up before I roast you," the spirit growled.
After Hari was done, she hastily got dressed just in time for Ino to lose her patience and open the door.
"Move it," she ordered.
When Hari entered the cell, Chisato stood and stiffly followed Ino out for her own time in the restroom. Alone, Hari walked to the window and stared at the sky. She really wished for the feeling of the sun on her skin.
"You never told me your name," Hari realized. "What do you want me to call you?"
She felt the tiger chuff in annoyance. "My mortal name was stupid," she said. "Humans give stupid names."
Hari blinked. "You were from the human world?" she asked.
"All guardian spirits are," the spirit responded. "We start as animals and often faced a terrible demise. If a new guardian is needed, we are chosen to fill their spot." She snorted in dry humor. "Guess how I died."
Hari shuddered when she quickly inferred what happened.
"Why don't you pick your new name then?" Hari prompted. "Unless you want me to just call you Spirit," she added hurriedly.
"Hmm," the Guardian of Fire hummed thoughtfully. "I can't really think of anything," she said. She hesitated for a moment. "Perhaps, you can help," she said finally. "You passed my test and my flames didn't burn your soul away, so I guess you aren't a bad person."
Hari flinched and glared angrily at a tiger she couldn't see. "That was a risk?!" she snapped.
Now, the tiger was chortling in amusement. "My point is, if you are serious about becoming my witch, then you can help me with my name." She paused. "But if it's stupid, I will burn you," she threatened.
"Noted," Hari said with a shudder.
She began listing off random names. Ones that the spirit didn't like, she warmed the paw print above Hari's heart slightly. Ones that she really didn't like, she sent a flash of pain. Hari was beginning to get irritated as she gingerly rubbed her chest.
"You can help too, you know," she complained.
"Names are supposed to have meaning," the spirit objected. "My mortal one was the result of a human contest. It wasn't important." She hesitated. "Give me a name that holds significance to you," she requested.
For a few minutes, Hari remained silent. A name that was significant to her? The first name that appeared in her mind had her immediately shaking her head.
I don't want to build a new connection by constantly remembering my sins every time I talk to her, Hari thought sadly. But…maybe I could honor her? And maybe the spirit can help me to burn away my sins.
"Scarlet," she said softly. She wiped her eyes when they began to blur with tears. "My mother…her nickname was the Scarlet Queen."
When nothing was said, Hari was beginning to worry that she had overstepped. She braced herself for another burning pain in her chest. But instead, she felt a comforting rumbling. At first, she didn't know what it was. Then, Hari smiled.
The spirit was purring.
"It will be my pleasure to honor your mother," she said gently. "Scarlet it is."
Hari smiled. "Thank you," she whispered.
As soon as Chisato returned and they were left alone, Hari requested to be sent back. There was a knowing smile on Chisato's face and she nodded in agreement. Hari spent ten minutes signaling Shan (it was getting stronger!) before she lied on the pallet and waited for Chisato to send her back.
Expecting to return to a dark place lit aflame, Hari was rather surprised when she instead found herself sitting on a floating island in Middle Earth.
She sat up from the grass and looked around. There were no other floating islands to be seen. The sky was a stunning blue with the sun beaming down with its gentle rays. Hari closed her eyes and relished in the warmth, even though she knew it wasn't real.
"This is where I was when I was unconscious after my battle with Rikain," she realized. "I never knew that it was my soul." Hari smiled. "It's peaceful."
"Agreed."
Hari turned around and blinked in surprise before she smiled. "Scarlet," she greeted.
Out of the shadows of the trees stepped a familiar large tiger. Scarlet's body was red with a light-gray underbelly. Black stripes covered her body. Her fur was thicker around her neck and was a solid black which traveled from her larger than normal ears down to her face and covered her muzzle. Large fangs protruded from the top of her mouth and her paws were enormous. Her entire body was strong, and every muscle was clearly defined as she elegantly walked towards Hari. As the tiger grew closer, Hari gasped in surprise when she noticed something that she had missed before.
Scarlet's eyes. They were the same shade of red as hers.
Hari waited quietly as Scarlet joined her and sat down next to her. "Is this where you've been staying?" she asked curiously.
"No, this is new," Scarlet said as her red eyes took in the clouded view of the Middle World. "From the moment I was forced in your body, I only knew darkness. The flames were my doing." She turned and looked at Hari. "When you used your magic, the darkness would crush me. Try to extinguish me. I responded in kind to make you stop."
"Well, it worked," Hari chuckled. She hesitated for a moment before she set a hand on Scarlet's shoulder. The fur was soft and warm. "I'm sorry that I hurt you," she said sincerely. "And that my grandmother trapped you within that spell."
"Thank you," Scarlet purred. "I didn't make it easy for her though," she bragged. She stood and stretched. Then she prowled around Hari, looking closely as if searching for something. "The last Guardian of Fire was bonded to an Elyos turned witch," she began. "It wasn't a partnership though. The witch took more than she gave and the guardian's spirit was extinguished. Now, she is no longer a witch much to her dismay." Scarlet paused and leaned close. "Then I was chosen as the new guardian."
Hari blinked and instinctively leaned back. "I didn't know that spirits could die," she said.
"We are alive," Scarlet said with a shrug as she stepped back. "I feel just like you do, and I can die, just like you." She sat down and flicked her long tail. "I remember the other guardians. I knew their witches." She bared her teeth in a snarl. "I experienced the moments their bonded witches killed them."
Too stunned to speak, Hari regarded Scarlet sadly.
"Each spirit brings birth to a witch," Scarlet explained. "Without us, the witch loses all power. But we ourselves are not invincible." Her ears bent back uneasily. "It seems that it is mostly the Guardians of Fire who have a poor fate."
"Why?" Hari asked curiously.
"Because fire burns," Scarlet said sadly. "It can lose control. A witch who doesn't have the mental aptitude to stop herself will draw from her spirit until nothing remains."
Hari hugged herself. "Do you fear that I'll do that to you?"
For a moment, Scarlet hesitated. Then she slowly lied down and rested her head on a surprised Hari's lap. Hari froze for a moment, then tentatively began to scratch her behind her ears. A purr rumbled in Scarlet's chest and it made Hari smile.
"Actually, you might be the best fit to be my witch," Scarlet eventually said. "You have lived every day struggling with control and how to stop yourself." She rolled on her side and looked up at Hari. "Your demon is getting rather aggressive, by the way. That's why I've been lashing out. Not at you, but at your demon that's trying to break free."
Hari froze. "You have?" she asked in stunned disbelief. "I never felt my demon…I didn't realize…"
"She's been trying to overtake you while you rest," Scarlet explained. "But I've been keeping her under control as best I can."
"T-Thank you," Hari stammered.
Scarlet sat up and looked away, ears dipped sideways. "Well, I figured you becoming Lost wouldn't be a good end for me either," she said in embarrassment.
"How do you know about the Lost Ones?" Hari asked.
Scarlet raised an unimpressed brow.
"Right, sorry," Hari said, face flushed. "You know what the other fire spirits knew. Gotcha."
In response, Scarlet closed her eyes and let out an amused purr.
The two of them sat on the grassy part of the floating island for a long time. They talked about anything that came to mind. Hari explained her situation in the physical world and the danger she was in of becoming Lost. She also explained that her girlfriend was getting closer by the day, but she also worried that she was leading her into a trap. In turn, Scarlet confided that she didn't want to be a puppet like all of her predecessors. All former Guardians of Fire were kept contained within their witches' souls, only allowed to roam free when their witches wanted them to incinerate anything in their path.
"I will not bond to be a prisoner," Scarlet warned. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "I will only consent if I can roam free at my choosing."
Hari nodded in understanding. "I don't want to cage you," she insisted. "I wouldn't even know how."
"If we bind, then I become a part of your soul," Scarlet said. "You would have the power over me."
"Why did the other fire guardians end up binding themselves if their witches only mistreated them?" Hari asked curiously.
Scarlet looked at her for a few moments, ears dipping. "They didn't start out that way," she said sadly. "You know, Hari, better than anyone. Things that burn, they consume. Perhaps you will be consumed, too."
Several minutes of silence followed that. Finally, Hari reached out and gently gripped Scarlet's fur. "I just want to be able to protect the people I love and care about," Hari finally said. "I don't have to be a witch, I'm satisfied being a demon." She closed her eyes and gripped Scarlet tighter. "But, I need you, Scarlet, to keep me anchored." She opened her eyes and stared in Scarlet's surprised ones. "Can we bind without you being bound completely to my soul? But enough for you to help keep me from becoming Lost?"
This clearly surprised the tiger. Her ears shot up.
"You…don't want my power?" she clarified.
"Not without your consent," Hari insisted. "I would rather be partners. Fight alongside each other. Any magic you give me would be freely given."
The tiger hesitated. "It's…it's never been done," she said. "My body will be bound to your will, regardless of what I wish. My power yours to use." She paused then flicked her tail. "But then again, you are the first royal bloodline demon to potentially bind with the Guardian of Fire." Her eyes glinted. "I kind of like that," she admitted. "Walking my own path instead of following in the footsteps of those before me."
Scarlet got to her feet and padded so she was standing in front of a confused Hari.
"I don't know how long it will take," Scarlet warned. "Merging souls is not a quick business."
"Will I be able to use my magic again?" Hari asked. "Will you let me?"
"I'm not preventing you from doing it consciously," Scarlet hissed. "My magic clashes with yours now. Only when we are merged will you be able to use yours freely again."
Hari smiled hopefully. "So, this means you're going to do it?"
Scarlet huffed. "Well, my options are either you or death," she growled. Her tail flicked in amusement. "I suppose you are the better option." She lifted a massive paw and pressed it against Hari's chest. "This is going to hurt," she warned.
And then Hari's world engulfed in a haze of fire and anguish.