High up in the sky an HDA surveillance jet was flying over a villa where monsters were known to be located and under watch. The airborne craft used sophisticated cameras and sensors to sweep by from high above while imaging the entire compound, with trained soldiers observing the state of the area and watching for anything suspicious.
"This is ETR-1, initial sweep shows no strange activity or movement from site, will resume patrol route through surrounding areas then return for another pass in 15 minutes," the pilot called out.
"Roger ETR-1, no sign of personal leaving or entering site, will continue to monitor the zone until further orders from HQ," a voice called out on the radio.
"Copy that," the pilot said before the plane banked off and headed towards the nearby human city that had a recent monster attack take place. As the craft flew high near the clouds its equipment scanned the forests and roads below, checking for any sign of monster or suspicious activity. However, as advanced as its detection technology was, it failed to pick up another nearby signature, something that was located above the craft rather than below it. As the plane flew by along its patrol route it actually passed right underneath something else that was floating above the earth, something that was not manmade.
Hidden by a powerful monster barrier something floated above the world below while moving slowly like a cloud. To the naked eye and even finely tuned human technology there appeared to be nothing at all in the sky, however for those who knew where to fly into and pass by the concealing barrier they would find what looked to be a small floating island. On the isle which had no visible means of propulsion beneath it, appeared to be an ancient town resembling that of the human commune Mont Saint-Michel.
Deep within the monastery located in the center of the island a large darkened hall had multiple video screens showing several news networks from the humans as well as video feeds that were being censored and withheld from the public by the HDA. The videos that were public showed the uneasiness and growing concern about monsters having attacked their world again while HDA officials were holding off on making any statements regarding the matter. The feeds that were being kept from public view however showed monster attacks taking place throughout human cities, with HDA and local law enforcement trying to subdue and capture the rogue scourges while people around the area were being held off and detained to keep word of the outbreaks from spreading.
"Look at that, and monsters actually believed that peace could be made with these pathetic creatures?" a male's voice mocked with a hint of amusement. The bloom from the video monitors lit up the hall from the side they were on, with the boy's figure and top hat being seen from his silhouette against the other wall. From the shape of the shadow he appeared to be slightly taller than Tsukune, however other details couldn't be determined.
"It's no surprise, humans are such barbaric and arrogant things, always thinking they're the top of the food chain with their little toys," another male's voice spoke with great arrogance from next to the other boy. His silhouette showed him to be a very tall and muscular man with long hair that wasn't combed.
"This cycle of bloodshed will never end as long as humans exist in the world, they will never understand their place below us and accept that as their lot in life," another male's voice said, sounding rather hollow and distant yet still close by. For his shadow however he appeared a little different, what with the samurai armor and helmet being visible along with his flowing cape, but no legs were seen under the body as it just seemed to hover in midair.
"Our poor brothers and sisters, having been deceived by these little insects and now hunted down again like animals because they wouldn't bow to those who are inferior to us, such a shame," the boy's voice said again with a tone of sympathy.
"This has turned into a wretched mess, all because of Kiria's incompetence and foolishness. He should have been executed by our own hands for deviating from our plans, not given a mercy killing by some rogue monsters," the arrogant man's voice snapped with anger.
"That stupid boy read too much of those ridiculous human books, I believe his naïve imagination is what drove him into death's arms," the hollow male's voice said with ridicule.
"At any rate, our foothold in the world has suffered a serious blow because of his actions, and now the element of surprise is no longer with us to strike mankind. What should our next move be?" the boy's voice asked curiously.
"We don't need the element of surprise to rid the world of this plague," a woman's voice said, with the three other figures looking ahead as the sound of footsteps was heard in the hall. A figure walked in front of them while looking at the monitors, the details of her being obscured as she looked to be a shadow standing in front of the screens' bloom. She was fairly tall with short hair held back in a clip; however the rest of her couldn't be made out.
"It seems we have growing support against the humans, monsters that need someone to guide them towards a better tomorrow, wayward souls that need a purpose in their pathetic lives," she said, her voice being calm yet arrogant at the same time. She chuckled then glanced back to the three others behind her, a glimmer of her crimson eyes being seen against the bloom of the screens.
"It's time for the next chapter of our Fairy Tale to begin."
The distant roar of the HDA surveillance jet was heard as the craft flew off into the sky away from the villa. Down in the courtyard three figures were watching the jet while out of sight from the taller building's roof. Dark and Ceal were looking up at the distant craft while Fang Fang glanced around at the work being down to his home. Workers of his family were busy cleaning up the damaged wall and courtyard from yesterday's events, with guards patrolling the top of the surrounding barrier while others inside the compound were keeping a sharp eye out for any other unwanted visitors.
"Oh dear, I do hope they can get this place all cleaned up before father returns home," Fang Fang said worriedly.
"Looks like their eye in the sky is gone for now, this would be our chance to slip out of here," Dark said looking back to the others, his earbuds playing music for him again.
"They will likely have others stationed in the surrounding forests to watch out for anyone entering or leaving this place, I hope your camouflage will be enough to get by them," Ceal questioned with a glance to the demon, the mage putting his black glove over his reptilian hand again.
"Provided they don't have thermal equipment we should be fine," Dark reasoned with a shrug.
"And if they do have thermal equipment?" Ceal asked.
"Then we won't be fine," Dark answered. Ceal just gave him a dull stare for a moment then looked towards the open gateway out of the compound.
"Fantastic. And what about the noise from the motorcycle, can you hide that too" he asked dryly. Dark showed some slight annoyance at that then glanced away.
"No, we'll have to blend in to other sources of noise. There are HDA helicopters that circle the forests around the villa every so often, we'll have to drive under one to hide our engine," he speculated.
From nearby a guard drove over on a motorcycle and stopped in front of the boys. It was a sleek dark blue painted ride, with a low humming engine and shiny chrome wheels and spokes.
"Here you are master Fang Fang, our fastest motorcycle, all fueled up and ready to go," the man said as he propped it up on the kickstand and stood next to it. Fang Fang nodded and looked to the mage and demon.
"Please hurry. How long do you think it will take to return with the spell?" he asked.
"Provided we're not shot to death outside of these walls, a few hours at best," Ceal said simply.
"Just tell me where to go and I'll get us there in no time," Dark said as he walked over to the bike. Before he could get on Ceal grabbed him by the shoulder and stopped him, the mage then walking past and mounting the ride.
"Who said you were driving?" Ceal asked glancing to the demon.
"I did, since I'm the better driver here," Dark said with annoyance.
"I doubt that, not to mention you don't know where to go. I'm driving, you're just doing your job and hiding us from sight," Ceal said shaking his head. Dark narrowed his eyes at the mage, with Ceal just staring back at him with a cold expression.
"I don't ride second to anyone," Dark said coldly.
"You do now," Ceal replied. Fang Fang looked back and forth between them as the two were locked into a deep glare against each other.
"Um, might I suggest not caring who is driving and who isn't? We have a siren in need of that unique spell to save her life, remember?" he said with a nervous smile. Ceal glanced to him then back to Dark.
"Your choice, my way or no way, you want that girl to live or don't you?" he stated. Dark held in his growl then walked over and sat behind the mage, holding him from behind as the slayer revved the engine. Ceal smirked and glanced back to Dark as he flipped up the kickstand.
"Just relax and enjoy your music, leave the rest to me," he mocked before looking forward. Dark growled quietly as the two drove off, with the demon then focusing his power around them. Fang Fang watched them circle around and head towards the front gate only to suddenly screech to a top while wavering slightly off-balance for a moment. Ceal growled and looked back to Dark with a narrowed glance.
"Not so tight idiot," he snapped with a cough. Dark smirked and loosened his strong grip around the mage's waist.
"Sorry, didn't mean to be so rough with you," he quipped.
"Don't test me demon or else your snow angel will be grieving over your corpse," Ceal threatened.
"I don't take threats from anyone either," Dark said with narrowed eyes.
"Hey!" Fang Fang called out. The two boys looked to see him with his hands at his hips and tapping his foot impatiently.
"If you two are going to get into a fight then I must insist that you do so after you saved Sun's life, now get going, they're counting on you two!" he called out with annoyance. Dark and Ceal just stared at him for a moment, with the gentle humming of the motorcycle's engine being heard, while Fang Fang forced a stern expression. Ceal and Dark exchanged glances then looked ahead as the mage revved the bike.
"I hate being the nice guy," Ceal muttered before driving off. Fang Fang watched them go, the two vanishing into a black wisp before they got to the front gate.
"I hope those two can work together long enough to bring back that spell," he said worriedly.
Outside the compound Ceal was driving down the road with Dark holding onto him, the two covered in a darker shadow along with the motorcycle as they drove along the pavement unseen to the naked eye. Before they got to the forest they came to a slow halt, both of them looking ahead with cautious eyes at seeing HDA armored trucks and SUVs parked among the trees. Looking around the boys could make out other vehicles that were stationed along the forest's edge, with HDA soldiers standing on guard with their weapons as they kept a watch on the compound from all sides. The boys looked over towards where the road would take them through the woods, with two armored trucks parked on either side of the path with soldiers and tracking equipment stationed around them. A slow turning camera panned to the right with a quiet whine near one of the trucks, the boys remaining perfectly still as the device turned to face them. Both of them prepared to run for their lives as the camera continued to turn with its sweep, with nearby soldiers remaining quiet with little radio chatter.
"Looks like they can't see us," Dark said quietly. Ceal nodded and looked over to the side, seeing a helicopter in the distance that was flying over the forest on patrol.
"And here comes our noise shadow," he said carefully. The mage readied the bike while Dark watched the chopper getting closer with a careful eye, the thumping of its blades and rotors growing louder while a few soldiers started walking across the road to the other side of their blockade. Dark held on as Ceal braced to floor it, with the helicopter getting closer and louder with its engine. As it started to fly over the road Ceal hit the gas and raced towards the blockade while Dark watched the airborne craft moving overhead. A few trees rustled and swayed about as the helicopter flew over the blockade near the street, with soldiers walking across it feeling a gust of wind from above, and a very small one blowing by briefly. The chopper continued on with its patrol, flying over to another side of the forest as its engine and rotors grew quieter. As it did nobody heard a motorcycle speeding off through the forest away from the HDA blockade.
Inside the villa's infirmary silence had befallen the group. It wasn't because everybody was quiet with worry over Sun's critical condition, it wasn't because they were all silently praying for Dark and Ceal to return quickly with the spell to hopefully heal Sun's fractured mind, it wasn't because Gin had undone the chains holding Kokoa down and everybody was on high alert in case the vampire decided to attack Sun again.
It was because everybody was looking at Gin as the wolf was smiling nervously while rubbing the back of his head. Those that had been in the city the previous day had met with a very unique fighter that helped them fend off the evil monsters from the other world, somebody who those that had remained in the villa during that event were surprised to hear about.
"What?" Kurumu said with shock.
"Did you just say…" Yukari said with wonder.
"Akasha? Akasha Bloodriver?" Rason said with disbelief. Kokoa just stared at Gin with wide eyes as she was rendered speechless at hearing who had been in the city yesterday with them.
"Um, who's Akasha Bloodriver?" Kyouko asked, feeling like she was the only one who wasn't following any of what was going on.
"That was going to be my question," Ran mentioned, making Kyouko feel a little less stupid about the matter.
"Big sis's mother? You mean you saw her mother yesterday?" Kokoa cried out. Gin jumped a bit then nodded with a weak smile as Kokoa stammered something incoherently.
"Yeah, she showed up to help us out there and save Luna, or at least the fake Luna," Felucia said with a shrug. Luna stared at her with wonder while Complica looked at the demon curiously.
"That's who that woman was?" Gabriel asked. The group looked to him as he showed a curious expression. Felucia nodded with a bold smile.
"Yeah, she saved me and Luna from that big demon when it had us in its grip, not to mention she fought off several of those other flying ones that came after us all by herself, you should have seen it," she said proudly. Ruby blinked then jumped with surprise.
"Wait a minute, that other woman we saw you with on the news, the one wearing armor and holding a sword, that was Akasha?" she asked with wonder.
"You bet, she sure knows how to fight too. Never seen a woman use a sword with such strength and speed before," Render said with a shrug, with Apoch glancing to him worriedly at that.
"She literally jumped off and ran down along a building to join the others in their fight, from at least forty stories high above the city, it was unreal," Astreal commented.
"She did what?" Rason said with surprise. Render nodded and waved to the air.
"So there I was, right? Just fighting this big nasty brute with a sword the size of a truck, I mean it's a BIG blade! He's got me back against a wall, I know things are going to get dicey, but that's what makes the fight fun, you know?" he started, with the group looking to him with wonder. He then turned to Complica and Arial with a menacing grin, the two girls backing up towards Sun's bed worriedly as he approached them.
"I mean the thing had to be at least 30 feet high! Maybe more!" he exclaimed.
"Thought he looked to about 20 feet tall or less," Leon said scratching his nose.
"Who's telling the story here?" Render shot back at him with annoyance, then looked to the two young angels while holding his hands up in the air like claws.
"So there we are; he swings at me, I dodge and swing with my swords right back at him. He's big, he's tough, he's not going down without a serious fight, he wants to smash me into the ground along with everybody else," he said, with Complica grabbing onto Arial fearfully while the snow angel tried to force a brave expression.
"It's looking grim, he's not tiring or going down at all, if anything he's just getting madder and madder at me. Then he prepared to charge, to swing that gigantic blade at me with all his strength," Render continued, then stopped and looked up with a distant gaze.
"And then out of nowhere she came, running down along the towering building with a powerful monster aura. With a mighty leap she lunged off the building and swung her sword at the beast, knocking him clear across the street with a bang. BOOM!" he yelled out, with the two young girls jumping at that while watching him with interest. He chuckled and nodded with a smile.
"It was like a meteor struck the earth, that evil monster went down hard from a single swing by this woman," he said coolly, with the two angels watching him with wonder now.
"Wearing armor forged from awesomeness, wielding a blade of perfection, standing tall and proud without fear of anything, a true badass amongst badasses, it was like a Valkyrie from Valhalla itself had descended to wage war against the evil monsters that crept out from the darkness," he said seriously.
"Wow…" Complica breathed out.
"She wasn't… that impressive," Apoch said quietly while glancing away with concern.
"She jumped off a skyscraper and survived without taking a scratch, she's unbelievable," Astreal reasoned. Apoch gave her a dull glance then looked to Render timidly as the boy shrugged with a casual smile.
"I mean I totally had that fight no prob, but she just walked in and wasted those things like it was nothing, not too bad at all," he boasted. The group looked at him with wonder before Leon spoke up.
"I could have sworn you were having some trouble dealing with that thing," Leon pointed out.
"Again, who's telling the story here?" Render shot back.
"The story is over," Leon said simply.
"Then just shut up," Render snapped before crossing his arms and looking away. Leon rolled his eyes while the others looked to each other curiously.
"But wait, isn't Akasha dead? How is she here now?" Yukari asked shaking her head.
"Dead?" Kyouko asked. Ruby nodded and looked to her.
"She was the one who originally sealed away Alucard long ago Kyouko, she sacrificed herself to seal the destroyer away before it could kill all life on earth," she explained. Kyouko looked at her with awe while Falla nodded with a curious expression.
"Yeah, I remember hearing that, when I was… my old self. She was the one who died to seal that destroyer away," she mentioned.
"She looked pretty alive to me," Render mentioned with a shrug. Felucia shook her head and looked down.
"She's not alive, she's a disembodied soul like me," she said, with the group looking to her as she turned to Luna with a bold smile.
"The Lord of Hell tasked me with finding and keeping you safe Luna, but Akasha was sent by the Almighty himself to guard you," she said, with Luna jumping from that.
"What?" she asked with wonder.
"It's true, Akasha was on a mission to find and protect you, that's why she was at the city in the first place, she was looking for you just like we were," Felucia explained.
"The Almighty sent Akasha Bloodriver to guard Luna?" Rason asked with wonder. Felucia nodded and smirked at Luna.
"Who better to guard her than the one who sealed away the great Alucard, right?" she reasoned with a shrug. Luna stared at her with awe then looked down.
"Oh my word. Well, that certainly makes me feel special," she reasoned with a slight smile.
"Hold on a second here!" Kokoa shouted out. The group looked to her as she was staring at Gin with disbelief and frustration.
"You mean to tell me that big sis's mother has been here since yesterday and you never thought to tell me about it?" she yelled out. Gin jumped a bit then waved his hands in front of him nervously.
"I'm sorry, we sort of got sidetracked, I mean it was one thing after another after another… you know how it goes for us, right?" he reasoned shakily.
"For crying out loud Gin, her mother was there in the city with me, she came back from the dead and helped save our lives, and you didn't think to tell me any of this until now?" Kokoa cried out.
"I'm sorry Kokoa, really, but I told you now, that's what matters, right?" Gin defended with nervously.
"I can't believe this, why didn't anybody else tell me about her mother being here?" Kokoa demanded while looking around at everybody.
"How come you keep calling Akasha 'Moka's mother', isn't she your mother too?" Kyouko asked, starting to feel stupid again for being the one to ask all the questions. Kokoa shook her head and looked down.
"No, she's just her mother. Akua, Kahlua, and myself have a different mother," she explained. Kyouko nodded slowly then showed a curious expression.
"Wait, aren't you the youngest of your sisters? That would mean that Moka was born when you weren't around yet," she reasoned. Kokoa closed her eyes and nodded.
"Her mother… wasn't the only 'wife' to my father," she said softly. The group looked at her curiously before Yukari jumped a bit with the realization.
"Akasha was Issa's… mistress?" she asked. Kokoa nodded and glanced to her.
"Dang, your dad was cheating on your own mother with another woman?" Felucia said shaking her head. Kokoa rolled her eyes then looked away with a huff.
"He didn't 'cheat' on anyone. My father is a dark lord, he can have any woman he wants, however many he wants. Someone of his stature can have as many mates as he so desires, he is the head of all vampires after all," she said arrogantly.
"He was a pimp, sounds like somebody we all know," Rason mentioned while glancing to Kurumu, the girl giggling to that. Kokoa twitched at that then looked to Rason with a glare.
"My father was no pimp, he's a noble dark lord of the monster world and head of all vampires, if he wants a woman then it's his right to have her, end of story!" she yelled out. Rason backed up while holding his hands up defensively.
"Ok, we get it, nothing wrong with that at all," he said with a few nods. Kokoa glared at him for a moment then looked back to Gin again.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" she demanded. Gin stammered something then rubbed the back of his head nervously.
"I'm sorry Kokoa, I mean you were unconscious after the fight, and when we got back we had Arial to deal with-"
"Hey!" Arial yelled out.
"And then there was Luna and Hex showing up, then Falla and Kyouko coming here after Yokai Academy blew up, then Gabriel losing his wings in that bet before Ceal made new ones for him-"
"He is a noble dragon slayer after all," Falla quipped with a glance to Arial, the snow angel merely looking at her with annoyance before back to Gin.
"And then we had dinner with Ceal healing Luna's mind during that, then we all retired for the night afterwards, and you weren't in a 'talking mood' so much as something else last night, so it didn't really come to mind then either," Gin finished with a nervous smile. Kokoa jumped with a blush then looked down while the others looked to her curiously.
"O la la, were you barking like a dog for him then too?" Kurumu asked coyly.
"I'd like to point out that Kokoa gave someone brain damage from being ridiculed earlier today," Ran mentioned with a nervous smile. Kurumu looked to her then to Kokoa as the vampire was glaring at her.
"Um… never mind," Kurumu said with a nervous smile. Kokoa looked back to Gin with timid eyes as the boy looked down while rubbing the back of his head.
"I'm sorry Kokoa, we just kind of… forgot about it until now," he said softly.
"Then that was her we saw going with Moka to talk to the HDA, she's with her right now isn't she?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, hopefully she and Moka have made good progress with speaking to the humans on our behalf," Mizore said looking down in thought. Kokoa looked to her with wonder then down.
"I can't believe it, she's back, she's actually here again," she said softly.
"Did you ever meet her before?" Ahakon asked. Kokoa shook her head.
"No, I only heard stories of her from Kou," she said looking to her bat, the familiar who remained perched on Gin's shoulder. He squeaked and nodded as Kokoa showed a gentle expression.
"I only heard that it was someone my father loved, and who brought big sis into this world. Everything about Alucard though, about her being a great warrior who sealed the destroyer away, I didn't know any of that back then, I only knew that big sis had a different mother, one who wasn't with us anymore," she said softly.
"So your mother raised all four of you at home?" Ran asked. Kokoa shook her head and looked down with a distant gaze.
"No, I never met my own mother either; she was gone when I was born, so father raised us all at home himself. I don't even know what she looked like, father would never tell me anything about her other than…" she said before looking to Kou.
"That she was no longer part of our family," Kou said wisely. The group remained quiet for a moment before Kyouko trembled and pointed to Kou.
"Holy shit, did that bat just speak?" she asked shakily. The group looked to her as she looked around at everybody nervously.
"Oh c'mon, don't look at me like that, you're all used to stuff like this, I'm not. I mean seriously, magical spells, talking bats, souls coming back from the dead. Maybe monsters deal with this kind of stuff every day but it's a bit strange for humans, ok?" she whined. Kokoa gave a slightly amused smile at the human then looked down with wonder.
"Still, I hope I can meet Akasha while she's here, I never thought I'd get a chance to do so," she said softly.
"I still need to get her autograph too, maybe have her sign one of my swords, that would be awesome," Render said looking up thoughtfully. Apoch looked to him worriedly then down.
"She's not… that awesome," she said quietly.
"I'm sure you'll get your chance to meet her again once she and Moka return, however for now we have another matter to focus on," Ruby said looking to Sun. Kokoa sighed and looked to the siren then slowly walked over towards her while Arial watched her with a mean glare.
"Don't get too close!" Arial yelled out as she jumped between them. Kokoa looked to her with remorse then to Sun.
"I'm sorry Arial, I didn't mean to hurt her so badly," she said softly.
"Well you did, so back off!" Arial yelled out as she formed an ice claw and held it out towards the vampire. Kokoa stepped back and looked away with regret while Gin watched Sun remaining motionless on the bed.
From the doorway Fang Fang walked in while Arial kept her defensive stance up against Kokoa.
"Well, they're off on their way, all we can do now is wait until they return," he said with a shrug.
"I hope they're quick with getting that spell," Yukari said looking to Sun with worried eyes. Falla glanced to Mizore with a shrug.
"With our boyfriends on the job what could go wrong?" she questioned, with Mizore looking to her then to the doorway while hoping for the speedy return of her beloved.
Driving through a tunnel the roar of a motorcycle echoed out, the lights above passing by in blurs as the vehicle drove along the pavement at high speed. Ceal was looking ahead with a focused expression, his cold blue eyes watching as the tunnel raced by while Dark was holding onto him from behind. They weaved around a few cars as they traveled along in the passageway that led through a hill near the seaside. Coming out of the other side a gush of wind blew by as they continued on the road with the blue sea to their right. Ceal glanced around then back to Dark who was looking ahead with a blank expression on his face.
"I thought you were going to conceal us with your power, why are you doing nothing when we could be making better time if we weren't seen speeding through here?" he asked sharply.
"If this is going to be a lengthy trip then it would be a large drain for me to keep us cloaked the entire way. I'll hide us if there's a need to," Dark reasoned.
"Had I known you would have been deadweight I would have dropped you off after we passed by the HDA watchdogs surrounding the villa, I could have made better time without you hanging on me the whole way," Ceal scoffed before looking ahead again. Dark narrowed his eyes before he tightened his grip around the mage's waist, with Ceal coughing and swerving for a moment before regaining control.
"I get that you don't like to play with others, but you'll need me if you run into trouble and also to get back into the villa where Sun is, so quit acting like you can handle this yourself," Dark retorted. Ceal screeched the bike to a halt while moving over onto the shoulder of the road, coming to a stop next to a small overlook and cliffside with a few benches and parking spaces set for travelers. A black tentacle whipped out from the ground as the mage broke free from Dark's grasp, the limb grabbing hold of Dark's leg while another ensnared his arm, with both then throwing the demon off to the side. Dark tumbled over onto the ground as his earbuds and player bounced away from him while Ceal dismounted the bike and propped the kickstand up.
"Don't assume I need anyone shadow demon, and I can damn well handle this better without you slowing me down and giving me your attitude," Ceal snapped as he glared at the demon. Dark got back onto his feet and glared back at the mage while a few dark tentacles flailed around from the ground around them.
"You're one to talk about attitude, being so damn arrogant just because you're a dragon slayer, treating those around you like dirt. It's hard to believe you're one of them given how you don't care at all about those the dragons would destroy," Dark shot back. Ceal started walking towards him with a cold glare, with Xarai's tentacles slowly shifting up around and behind him as the necro demon groaned from below.
"I've done so much for you people, I've put aside my own lifelong quest to slay Fafnir to help save your worthless hides, I've done more than what was needed to keep Falla content and safe from danger; you should learn to treat your better with greater respect shadow demon, if it wasn't for me you would have died along with many of your little friends," he said coldly. He walked up and stopped in front of Dark as the shadow demon clenched his fists with annoyance.
"My profession is to slay dragons in the world so the weaker ones such as yourself can live your life, that's what I've been trained to do since I was able to walk. I don't need to give my thanks to you nor receive your kindness for anything; it is I who should be given thanks for what I am doing for you. I am the warrior you have against a great evil. What you see isn't arrogance but pride, pride of doing something that you cannot," Ceal said sternly. Dark held in his growl as he bared his teeth slightly.
"I think you could stand to be knocked down a few notches, your ego seems a little too big for your skull," he said with discontent. He then jabbed Ceal back with one hand, the mage growling as he stumbled back a step.
"And don't assume that I'm as weak as you would like to believe. As for you killing dragons, anyone can use an enchanted sword; all you do to rely on intimidating others is threatening them with your necro demon. To me you're nothing but an arrogant coward," he argued firmly. Ceal tilted his head slightly while glaring at the demon with his cold blue eyes.
"You believe that Xarai is my only weapon in battle? That I'm powerless without him?" he questioned.
"It's crossed my mind," Dark said with a shrug. Ceal slowly showed a bitter smile and snapped his fingers, with Xarai's tentacles flailing around before vanishing into the ground.
"I defeated the monstrosities that came from Pandora's Box without my sword or Xarai, but perhaps a demonstration of my skill would help you realize where you stand in comparison to me. Just don't count on me healing you this time after you've been taught your place," he challenged. Dark narrowed his eyes at the mage as they turned pitch black.
"Like I said before, I don't take threats from anyone," he said coldly. Ceal shook his head slowly then stepped on the mp3 player with his foot, crushing it into the pavement before twisting his foot slightly.
"You do now," he said as he grinded the device into pieces.
Dark dashed towards him with a fierce punch, the catalyst mage ducking under it and swinging a punch of his own at the demon's chest, hitting hard and knocking Dark back a step before he countered with a strike across the mage's jaw. Ceal jerked back then swung a punch at Dark's head, the demon blocking it with his arm before knocking it away and punching Ceal in the chest hard, the boy jumping back slightly before he swung a punch again at the demon. The two started exchanging blows, each one blocking the other then countering with speed and precision. As they did Dark noticed that Ceal was fighting with more speed and agility than he expected, the mage appearing to have more physical strength than one would believe. Ceal threw a punch towards the demon, the attack being blocked before he quickly sent a jabbing punch to the demon's side. In a flash he followed through with another punch, this one being stopped by Dark who used his arm as a shield before darting forward and bashing his knee into the mage's chest. Ceal grunted from the hit and stumbled back a step before moving forward again with a powerful right hook. Dark blocked it then kicked towards Ceal's leg, the mage dodging it then spinning around with a kick to the demon's chest. Dark took the hit then grabbed the mage's leg, spinning him around before slamming him into the pavement with a powerful swing. Ceal coughed out as he hit the ground, with Dark then twisting the boy's foot and snapping it instantly.
"So, at what point do you teach me my place?" Dark taunted with a smirk. Ceal growled then yanked his leg back along with the demon, then shoved the boy away with a powerful kick. Dark stumbled back as Ceal slowly started to sit up, his chest shifting around slightly with a crackling sound while he wiped the blood from his mouth.
"You'll need to do more than that to take me down," he said coldly as he reached down and turned his foot back into place, the bones snapping and shifting around as he glared at the shadow demon. Dark looked to his chest then to Ceal as the mage took a steady breath before he turned his foot a bit to show it was back in place.
"Not bad, I'll give you that, most would be at least showing more signs of discomfort from that," Dark said carefully as Ceal got back onto his feet. He watched the mage carefully as the boy's cold eyes kept glaring at him.
'He's stronger than I thought, something isn't right about him.'
In a flash Ceal dashed towards the demon, with Dark tensing up before darting forward with a powerful kick. Ceal ducked under it, grabbed the demon's leg, and then swung him around before slamming him into the ground with great force. He then grabbed the boy's leg tightly as Dark looked up to him with caution.
"Discomfort like this?" Ceal taunted, with Dark then feeling intense pain shooting throughout his leg. His foot felt like it was dipped in acid as it twitched and trembled. The demon kicked Ceal in the face, the mage jerking back but still holding onto Dark's leg. Dark watched as Ceal growled and showed a frustrated expression with bared teeth before a bitter smile formed on his face.
"Ha, was that all? Mere pain won't be enough to beat me with alone, you need to be prepared to fight to the death to win in a fight, to go for the kill at all times," he threatened, with Dark's leg then feeling like it was breaking apart along with a horrible painful sensation burning across it. Dark yanked the mage towards him then shoved the boy off with both legs, sending Ceal flying back and tumbling through a bench while the demon stumbled back onto his feet. He lifted his jeans up to see his leg had cuts and sears across his skin while it was bleeding.
"What the hell?" Dark said, seeing his leg looking like it had been threshed by something. He blinked then looked to Ceal carefully as he remembered what the catalyst mage did to the flying demon that attacked the villa the other day. How he used his magic to cripple the monster and literally remove flesh and organic matter from the beast before causing it to just appear off to the side out of thin air. Ceal got back onto his feet and smirked at the demon while stretching out his arms, a crackling sound coming from his chest where a few ribs bent back into place from the shadow demon's punch.
"Want to know the secret to me beating Pandora's monsters?" he taunted, slowly walking towards Dark as the demon tensed up.
"The other three hunters that were with me were weak; they were dispatched moments after opening the box. Pathetic fighters actually, Pandora's pets had no trouble devouring them like the meat they were, but still I needed the extra hands to open the box so it was worth their loss. I had to fight all alone then, without the use of my sword or having Xarai with me," Ceal continued, with Dark watching him carefully as the mage wasn't showing signs of hurting at all.
"So you know what I did?" Ceal said slyly as he walked up in front of Dark. The demon growled then sent a fast punch to the mage's gut, with Ceal taking the hit and keeling over with a cough as Dark held his fist into him. Ceal coughed then chuckled weakly before looking to Dark with a cold smile.
"I let them come at me," he said, before Dark yelled out as he felt his hand and arm searing with pain. He looked to seeing Ceal actually holding onto his arm, not pushing it away but rather keeping it close to him.
"I let them give their flesh and bone to me," Ceal said coldly. Dark tried to pull his arm away while Ceal held on with increasing strength. The demon felt a few bones in his fingers breaking while slices and cuts ripped open along his skin.
"I crippled them, took all I wanted from them, and then killed them with the very strength they threw at me. I didn't need anyone's help to do so, I only need three others to turn the keys for me, that's it, I can defeat Pandora's monsters all on my own. Call it arrogance if you want shadow demon, but whatever you do call it just know one thing…" Ceal said before he punched Dark in the face, the demon stumbling back from the powerful strike.
"Between the two of us, I'm the better fighter," Ceal taunted. He dashed towards Dark and punched him in the gut, the demon coughing and stumbling back towards the edge of the overlook. Ceal followed through with another hit to the demon's head, with Dark grabbing the boy's arm then snapping it downward. The catalyst mage flinched then smiled bitterly as he wrapped his other arm around Dark's back, the demon yelling out as searing pain ran along his shoulders and back. Ceal spun around then flung the demon towards the edge of the overlook, the boy smacking into the guardrail and hanging onto it as he tried to fight off the pain searing along his back. A quick screech was heard, with Dark looking down to something as he leaned on the steel beam that was the railing. Ceal held his broken arm back into place, with the bones and broken tissues fusing back together as the mage watched Dark with a cold stare.
"Like I said, either you're prepared to fight to the death, or you set yourself up for defeat," Ceal said with a smirk. Dark growled and glanced back to him as he held onto the guardrail.
"If I wanted to kill you I would have cloaked myself and snapped your neck," he argued.
"Perhaps you should have at least tried, not like it would have helped anyway. Cowards who hide to kill anything never get far in life," Ceal said shaking his head as he walked towards the demon.
"I'm still alive, I'm not down yet," Dark replied.
"Oh yes, you're doing so well with standing against me," Ceal said with a slight laugh. Dark turned to face him while leaning back against the guardrail, watching the mage with narrowed eyes.
"I don't need to hide myself from you to win, you're not worth using my power with, you're beneath me," he taunted. Ceal scoffed then dashed towards him, with Dark then darting to the side, holding onto the guardrail and yanking it over where it had split apart from him hitting it. The demon dodged Ceal's punch then grabbed the mage's neck, ramming him forward and impaling the boy with the metal beam that struck clear through his stomach and out his back. Ceal coughed out blood as Dark stepped back and glared at the mage.
"I'm willing to bet you can heal from that if I let you, still, it would be so easy to snap your neck now, and in broad daylight too," Dark said as he walked over and grabbed hold of the mage's head. Ceal growled as he struggled with the metal beam going through him, the boy glancing to Dark with a glare as the demon shook his head.
"However, I don't kill senselessly, and I don't let my anger get the best of me," he said, then grabbed Ceal by the shoulders and yanked him back, sliding him off of the beam and holding him upright as the mage held his hands over the open wound in his stomach.
"This fight is over, don't have me make Complica and Falla cry by killing you just to prove my point," Dark ordered. Ceal growled at him while blood dripped from his mouth, his hands clenching his bloodied wound. A soft glow came from his hands as his injury started to close up, the boy focusing his magic to reconstruct his body while Dark backed up a step and watched him carefully.
"Actually, it's not over just yet," Dark corrected, and then punched Ceal across the jaw, the mage recoiling back with a grunt as demon glared at him.
"That's for breaking my player," Dark scorned. Ceal slowly looked back to him with a cold glare while his wound slowly closed up. Dark glanced to the bike nearby then to Ceal.
"Now the fight's over," he said before walking over towards the ride. Ceal's eyes followed the demon while the mage growled quietly with anger. Dark stopped next to the motorcycle and glanced back to him while holding his hand that had the broken fingers.
"Well? We have an injured siren waiting for us back at the villa. Are we done here, or did you want a second round?" he asked. Ceal waited for a moment then lowered his hands, showing his stomach healed and closed up, then walked towards the demon with a cold glare. He walked up to the demon and stopped, just staring at him while remaining silent. He then glanced to Dark's hand that had the broken fingers, the demon masking his pain well as he didn't flinch or show signs of discomfort. He wasn't even limping while his pant leg had blood stains from his injury. Before Dark could speak again Ceal reached out and grabbed the demon's wounded hand, holding it firmly while looking back to the boy with a cold expression still.
"Not bad, I'll give you that," he said reluctantly, with a soft glow coming from his hand. Dark looked to seeing his fingers shifting and snapping back into place as the mage used his magic to restore them.
"Don't assume this changes anything between us however," Ceal said, with Dark looking to him with a raised eyebrow. Ceal then let go of the demon's hand, revealing it to be healed and able to move about again. Ceal hesitated then walked past him and over to the bike, mounting it while looking ahead with a dull expression.
"You won the round, not the match," he stated. Dark cleared his throat, with Ceal glancing over to seeing the demon pointing down to his leg which had blood on it.
"You going to fix what you did?" Dark asked flatly.
"You can still walk, I merely healed your hand so you can hold onto me again," Ceal said simply. Dark drummed his fingers at his hip as the mage looked back ahead again.
"You're a tough guy, aren't you?" Ceal mocked with a shrug.
"You're an asshole, aren't you," Dark replied dryly. Ceal looked to him with a dull glare then waved him over.
"Get on the damn bike before I leave you here," he said before looking ahead with annoyance. Dark shook his head and walked over, getting on the bike and holding onto Ceal as the mage flipped the kickstand up.
"When we get back, we'll have our round two," Ceal said glancing back to the demon. Dark smirked a bit and nodded.
"Anytime," he challenged. Ceal just looked at him for a moment then revved the motorcycle, the two then speeding off along the road again.
"If I may ask a question, your eyes and hand aren't the only things you've altered in yourself, are they?" Dark asked as they drove towards a human city in the distance. Ceal just kept looking ahead with a dull expression while Dark watched him carefully.
"You're stronger than you look, I take it you've done more than just work out to get that strength," Dark said expectantly.
"I told you before, I let Pandora's pets come at me so as to take their flesh and bone, to take their strength and add it to my own," Ceal said simply. Dark looked at him cautiously as the catalyst mage glanced back to him.
"I never said I gave it back," Ceal said before looking ahead again. Dark looked at him for a moment then ahead as well.
"You really are a monster inside, aren't you?" he said, wondering what all Ceal had changed in his own body to become stronger.
"We're all monsters shadow demon, some of us are just more so than others," Ceal said while keeping his eyes forward.
Under a cloudy sky a monastery stood amongst a rotting forest, the stone and brick building having a large steeple with a bell tower while around it were ruins of houses and cobblestone roads. Inside the building light was coming through the large window at the end of the interior hall, through the stein glass portrait of a red skinned demon in black robes was barely still visible. Kneeling down at the alter before the broken window four figures were seen with their hands held together in prayer. They looked to be humans with long black hair, each wearing a dark robe with a strange red symbol on their back.
"Please, hear our words, oh great Skeelendor, we humbly ask you for guidance," one of the men said aloud.
"We've followed the cult's teachings and ways, dedicating our lives and magic to your name, but now only we four remain," another said solemnly.
"We beg of you, show us the path to enlightenment, so that we may better control the dark magics under your rule," the third requested. The fourth hesitated then glanced to the others.
"I do fear, were the others right?" he asked.
"Silence, don't you start speaking blasphemy too," one of the men snapped. The fourth looked to the stein glass mural of the demon with worried eyes.
"All the others have given up hope, believing that praying to this demon is falling on deaf ears. We've kept our faith, praying to him every day, sacrificing many lives in his name, and still he has yet to answer us or give us a sign. What if he is not real, what if we truly are fools for following in this belief?" he questioned. The man next to him grabbed him by the collar and yanked him closer.
"Skeelendor is our only true god; you know this as well as we do. If we are to truly ascend in this life and better grasp the dark magics of the world then we need to seek his guidance and wisdom, he is the true lord of all that is dark and powerful. Do not waver in your faith dear brother, if you fall from his grace then you are damned for all time," the man snapped. The fourth cultist nodded worriedly and looked to the mural.
"I'm sorry, I do believe, I do," he begged. The men stood up and looked up to the stein glass mural.
"We shall not waver in our goal, true power shall be ours, we can still change the world as we originally sought out to do before with Fairy Tale," one of them declared. The men nodded then looked towards the grand doors as they opened. They watched as two figures walked down the hall side by side, their footsteps almost sounding in unison as they passed the empty pews of the monastery. The four cultists then slowly stepped aside as they saw Jovian and Jacqueline approaching the alter, both girls then kneeling down and looking up to the mural with worried eyes.
"Forgive us, for we have sinned," they said together. The men looked to each other then to the girls as they lowered their heads with closed eyes.
"Who are you girls?" one of the men asked.
"We are souls that seek redemption," Jovian said softly.
"We are souls that wish to do the right thing with our lives," Jacqueline said softly.
"I see, and what was your sin?" another man asked curiously. Jovian breathed out then looked up to the mural.
"I ate the whore out of my sister last night," she said, with the men jumping and staring at her with wide eyes. Jacqueline blushed and looked away timidly with a hand to her cheek while Jovian shook her head.
"I tied her down, and gobbled her up like a glutton, I'm such a perverted sister," Jovian said gently.
"It's true, and then I did the same to her, I violated her with my mouth like no other, oh the way she screamed for me," Jacqueline said looking up to the mural with longing eyes. The men stared at them with stunned expressions and slight nosebleeds as the sisters lowered their heads.
"I couldn't help myself, she tasted so good," Jovian admitted.
"No, you tasted better, I'm getting wet just thinking about it again," Jacqueline said with a blush. The men stared at them with larger nosebleeds as the girls looked to each other timidly.
"I want you," Jovian said softly.
"Right now," Jacqueline begged with a purr.
"Wait, what? What is this?" a man exclaimed.
"Wow, that's… wow," another said as he eyed the girls over.
"Is this a reward from our lord? Two little playmates to have as our new pets?" one of the men asked with wonder.
"Who are these girls anyway?" another asked as he pointed between the two girls. Jovian and Jacqueline looked to them with gentle eyes, both slowly standing up and holding onto each other timidly.
"Don't you recognize us?" they asked together. The men shook their heads before the doors to the hall closed with a bang, the cultists then looking over to seeing another figure walking towards them.
"You created us," Jovian said, the men watching with surprise as Talon came into view, the hybrid having his wings and blades extended out while his dark green eyes were glaring at the four cultists.
"You used us," Jacqueline said as the girls showed anger towards the men. The four looked to them as they held their hands out towards them, multicolored glows trailing from their shoulders to their palms as they built up their magic.
"You made us as weapons of war, as pawns, as slaves!" the sisters yelled out together.
"What the hell is this?" one of the men asked shakily.
"It can't be, that's Talon! The Fairy Tale killer!" another yelled out. Talon approached the group then glanced to the mural.
"Praying to any god, no matter should they actually exist or not, will not help you atone for your sins," he said coldly before looking back to the men.
"You can't be alive, you're dead," one of the cultists accused with anger. Talon looked at them with a cold glare as he stood next to his witches.
"Ryuo Humara, Saro Takachi, Durboron Erron, and Heyate Omomora, researchers and casters of Fairy Tale's magical division, your quest for greater power in this world now comes to an end," he said coldly.
"Never!" one of the men yelled as he swung his hand down towards the ground, casting out a dark cloud of smoke and blue flames, the spell striking the floor and erupting into a powerful explosion of flames and smoke that blasted up like a wall before them. Jovian and Jacqueline fired their shots through the flames and haze, parting the fires and smoke as the attacks struck through one of the ex-Fairy Tale agents. As the dead man tumbled back with a burning hole through his chest two others aimed their hands towards the hybrid and witches while the fourth backed up fearfully.
"Long live Skeelendor!" one of them yelled out as the two fired out their magic, with one being a dark stream of lightning and sparking bubbles around it while the other launched a torrent of flame. The attacks flew through the blue flames and smoke before colliding into a multicolored barrier from Jovian, the witch glaring at the casters while Jacqueline formed her magical scythe. The agents' attacks exploded into dark flashes of flame and sparks against the powerful barrier before Talon grabbed hold of Jacqueline and shot into the air with his wings. The casters aimed up at them and fired out their magical attacks again, with Talon spiraling around them as he held the witch in his arms. He banked around near the wall of the church then swooped down towards the agents, flying by with Jacqueline cleaving one of them in two with her blade. The hybrid flew back up into the air and let go of the witch, the girl gracefully spinning around before she dropped down and landed next to her sister. The other agent fired his necro attack up at Talon again, the hybrid spinning around and using his wing to block the attack before he raced down towards the man with his blade. He struck down and slammed the agent into the ground, his blade piercing the man's heart. The caster screamed out in agony before Talon whipped his blade up, slicing through the body and head of the man with a slick crunch. The witch sisters smiled at their master then looked to seeing the last agent pulling out a handgun and aiming it at them.
"You bastards!" he yelled as he fired, the bullets striking off the colorful barrier that faded into view before the sisters. The girls giggled at him with cold smiles while Talon stood back up while watching the agent with a glare. The man looked at them with shock then screamed while running towards the doors.
"Help me Skeelendor, help me please!" he screamed out. He stopped suddenly as another figure walked through the doors. The group saw Rin, with her wings retracted slightly behind her, walking towards the agent with a cold glare in her eyes. She had her music playing for her like she always preferred, her hair swaying gently behind her with each step as she walked towards the agent. The man looked at her carefully before she started to sing a lovely song, with Talon then covering his ears while the witch sisters watched the siren with curious smiles.
"Who are you? Get out of my way!" the agent yelled out as he aimed the gun at Rin. The siren kept singing her song, watching the man with a dull glare as she walked towards him. The agent stared at her with frustration then slowly relaxed, looking at the siren with wonder as her words filled his head. After a moment he smiled lovingly at her as she stopped singing, with Talon then lowering his hands while the witch sisters walked with him towards the man.
"I'm just another weapon in this world, like that gun you're holding," Rin said softly.
"You're so beautiful, I love you," the man said gently. Jovian and Jacqueline held hands over their mouths to stifle their laughter while Talon watched Rin curiously. The siren smirked and walked up to the agent.
"Tell me, are there any others from Fairy Tale here with you?" she asked.
"No, they're all dead now," the man said, not seeming to care about his friends' deaths anymore. Rin looked around and nodded, then turned back to him and lifted one finger to the barrel of his gun, gently drawing it up to under his chin.
"Not quite, there's still one here," she said softly with an innocent expression.
"You mean me?" the man asked while his gun was being held up under his chin. Rin nodded and gently placed her hands on the gun, with one finger resting on the trigger.
"Yeah, you," she said softly.
"What should I do then?" the man asked. Rin tilted her head with an innocent smile.
"Die."
BANG!
The gun discharged from her pulling the trigger, with the bullet tearing through the man's skull and blasting out the top. The agent dropped dead while Rin held the gun in her hands, her eyes looking down at the man with a dull glare.
"Just die," she said simply.
"Bravo Rin, that was impressive," Jovian said with a smile at her. Jacqueline giggled and nodded while looking down at the dead agent.
"Yeah, you're such a naughty vixen," she said looking back to the siren with a coy smile. Rin smirked then looked to Talon as he nodded once at her before looking around the area carefully.
"If that is all of them, then we're done here," he said looking back to the girls.
"Where to next then?" Jovian asked. Jacqueline glanced to Rin then looked at her curiously.
"Rin?" she asked. The group looked to her as she was staring at the gun in her hands. She tilted it around slowly, her eyes examining the weapon that she had just used to execute the agent. After a moment she looked to the stein glass mural of the demon lord and aimed the gun at it.
"What are you doing?" Jovian asked, looking from the siren to the mural then back to the girl again. Rin kept her eyes fixated on aiming the gun at the head of the demon.
"Like you said, my music's magic is dangerous, to everyone including you. Master had to cover his ears just now otherwise I would have charmed him as well," Rin reasoned, her aim wavering slightly as she tried to keep it steady. She looked to the gun then to the mural with a sharp eye.
"I need to be able to fight without my singing," she said as she focused her aim. She remembered back to the school festival, when Dark was showing her how to shoot a larger rifle with better accuracy.
"Relax your mind Rin, and breathe calmly. It will help you aim."
Rin breathed out slowly, her eyes focusing on her target while she listened to her music.
"It's ok Rin, tune out the world around you, and only focus on your target."
She envisioned Falla where the demon's mural was, her gun aimed right at the chronofly that was smiling at her.
"When I find her," she said softly, and then pulled the trigger, firing the gun with a bang. The bullet streaked through the head of the mural, shattering it and the rest of the broken window with a loud crash. The shards fell to the ground and broke apart as Rin kept her aim and glare focused where she had fired at.
"She will die, like the monster she is," she said coldly. Jovian and Jacqueline looked at her curiously then to Talon, the boy merely watching Rin with a blank expression. After a moment Talon looked down to the dead agent then kneeled down and reaching into the man's robe. The girls watched as the boy shifted his hands around then took out a gun holster and black leather belt from the body. He stood up then walked over to Rin, the siren watching him with wonder as he started to put the belt on around her. She blushed a bit as he tightened it to match her waistline, the boy then stepping back as the siren had a gun holster at her right hip now.
"If you're going to take that with you, try not to hurt yourself," Talon said simply. Rin looked to her holster then slowly slid the gun into it, a small smile forming on her face as she looked back to the boy.
"Yes master," she said softly.
"Now you look extra hot Rin," Jacqueline said looking at the siren with a firearm at her hip.
"Very, don't you think so master?" Jovian said glancing to the boy with a hopeful smile. Rin looked at him timidly then smiled with a shrug as the boy didn't show any further reaction. The siren looked down to her outfit and let her outer shirt drop just over the top of her gun as she straightened out her belt. She then blinked and felt her pocket, patting it down then quickly looking around herself with puzzlement.
"Rin? What's wrong?" Jacqueline asked.
"Wait, where… where is it?" Rin asked as she patted down her pockets. She looked around quickly then back to the others.
"Where's the key?" she asked.
"Key?" Jovian asked.
"The place was unlocked Rin, we didn't need a key to get in here," Jacqueline said shaking her head.
"No, my key, the key I had when-" Rin said before freezing in place, her hand slowly drawing to her pocket where she was sure she had the key in before they left Issa's castle. She blinked then looked to the nearby doors with surprise; the image of Ling Ling's disembodied hand crawling around her body flashing before her eyes.
"No, no! That stupid zombie took it!" she yelled out.
"What are you talking about Rin?" Jovian asked. Rin looked back to them with frustration.
"My key, the one Falla would be coming after, that stupid zombie took it with her creepy wandering hand!" she cried out. She screamed out with anger and looked the doors.
"Dammit, that thing was going to bring her right to me, I need that!" she yelled out. She started to run towards the doors before Talon grabbed her by the shoulder, stopping her in place.
"Hold it Rin," he said, the girl looking back to him with nervous eyes.
"Please master, I need that key, Falla will be looking for it, it's my ticket to finding her again," she pleaded.
"Calm down Rin, we'll go back and search for that zombie with you, but odds are she's long gone from those grounds by now," Talon reasoned. Rin looked down with a whine while grabbing her hair in frustration before Talon lifted her gaze back up to his with one hand.
"However, we do know that she is working for those vampires, Akua and Kahlua Shuzen. If we find them, we may find your missing key as well," he pointed out. Rin took a shaky breath and nodded while looking into his eyes.
"Don't worry Rin, we'll help you find Falla again, you shall have your revenge," Jovian reassured.
"Yeah, then you can put a bullet right between her eyes," Jacqueline said, holding out her hand and fingers like a gun and mimicking a recoil with a gunshot. Rin nodded and held onto Talon's hand with pleading eyes.
"Please help me find her master, that key is my best chance at finding Falla again," she said softly. He nodded and looked to the witches.
"We'll go back and sweep the remains of that estate for that walking corpse; if she's not there she's likely gone to find those vampires. One way or another, we'll meet her again," he stated.
"If we do find her we'll chop her into even smaller pieces this time," Jovian said with discontent.
"She won't be putting herself back together again," Jacqueline added with a stern expression. Talon nodded and looked to Rin, the siren watching him with a deep gaze.
"Key or no key, you will find the one who wronged you, I promise you that," he said. Rin nodded slowly then smiled gently at him.
"Yes master," she said softly. Talon looked at the girl for a moment then walked by her, with the siren and witch sisters following him out of the building. The hybrid and siren extended out their wings, each taking hold of a witch before flying into the air again. As they flew off towards the remains of Issa's castle Rin kept her eyes forward with a determined expression.
'Falla, it's just a matter of time until I find you again, just a matter of time.'