The Reuinion

So it was decided, protecting just one man wouldn't be enough anymore. The Mayor of Hargeon could find someone else. The former bodyguard of the mayor would no longer follow him around. It's not that the respect was lost or the enjoyment of the job, it's simply that he wanted to do what he always did. Protect, help, create peace. The man who walked the streets of Hargeon couldn't do that from protecting just one man.

Naraca Breaker...The last of his own family...

The man stood at a large 7 feet tall, his powerful, muscular could only be described as a tower of compact strength and power. His long, shoulder length black hair danced lightly with each footstep, it's unkempt, wild style like that of a wild man was mildly cared for. Enough to be clean and not a greasy mess, yet still far from being properly styled. However his face was fully seen due to a red head band he wore that kept the hair away from his face. His once fully clean and smooth face now carried four scars that ran down his face and towards his neck. Stubble decorated his chin and jaw. Around his body was a black tank top that firmly fit around his body, showing the dark skin on his arms, as well as the many scars that were on them as well.
He wore dark blue shorts and a yellow sash around his waist that hung down. He went bare foot, as he often did, the scars showing on the tops of his rough feet and toned calves. Strapped on his back was the sheath to a massive great sword that looked more like it belonged to a giant statue then a man. Yet he carried it on his back like it was a feather.

Walking through Hargeon, his destination was a Wizards Guild. To hire them? No, to be one.

How? He didn't have any magic did he? The earth magic he once used was gone and replaced with...

No, no need to mention it.

He had something festering within his body. Something he kept locked away for years, yet now he knew he had to control it. His magic he never used, his new magic. So in order to use it, and still honor those that have fallen, he had to join a Guild.
He walked closer to it, his face with a look of uncertainty and grimness. Like he was about to do something he might regret, and thinking about his magic brought back memories he didn't care to remember.

He didn't let them run their course, however only small images snuck there way into his mind.
Blood on his hands...The smell of burning flesh...The feeling of...Blonde hair on his hand...

He pushed them as far away as he could.

Lamia Scale...

"There you are..." He mumbled, taking a breath shortly after.

He'd just walk in he thought, walk in, join, do missions, grow stronger and preserve peace, just like Mom, Dad, and Arashi woulda wanted.

Blood on his hands...

Naraca blinked and sharply turned his head to one side, his eye's closed.
"Stop..." He whispered to himself, the memories festering upon even thinking of his magic.
He'd continue walking towards it.
Eventually he walked right towards the doors. He wasn't afraid, no, no fear rested within his heart, for he was too hard, too strong for fear. He let himself be motivated however, he wouldn't be alone here after all, his family would be close with him every step of the way.

The smell of burning flesh...

He placed his hand on the door and pushed it open. Revealed a somewhat filled guild hall that looked more like a giant bar then an official HQ of mercenaries with wands. The sounds of conversation flooded his ears, the thuds of tankards filled with drink hitting the tables. The footsteps on the hard wood floors and the jingling of metal equipment on some of them. Naraca took his time as he slowly walked in, getting a feel for it all.

He certainly didn't know anyone here, however at least he, or at least thought, he found a place he could call home. At least upon further investigation of the place. A Nomad like him could use a home.

There was one girl however, who caught his eye...Yet he didn't quite understand what it was that made him look at her for longer then anyone else...

That long black hair...Those amber eye's and oddly enough, he recognized what became those tears. A tall Oak tree in a town filled with them. A 12 year old boy walking up a hill with the intention to climb it. The sounds of sobbing coming from the wood, yet around it was a girl. A little girl who had lost everything...

"K-Kariline?" His slowly pushed out in a shuddering, choked up throat that tightened from the emotion that began to grip him at the slow realization of who was before him. His hands trembled and his eye's grew wide, he almost was holding his breath with a single gasp of air. Yet she sped towards him.

The moment she got close his leaned towards her, bent down let her ram against him so when her arms tightly grasped his body, he wrapped both around her back and squeezed her against him. Her weight tightly pressed against his chest, once settled he raised one hand up and placed it on the back of her head while his other around stayed wrapped around her lower back as a way to almost protect her. As if he instantly felt the need to keep her warm and safe.
He exhaled her held breath.

"Oh god...It is you isn't?" He said through deep breaths that he emotional moaned quietly. The smell of her hair brought back memories. His uncertainty turned into a fierce happiness and relief. He had lost so much family...He had almost forgotten all about his little sister. Out of all the pain, he never thought he'd actually find something to be joyful about.
He placed both his hands on her shoulders.

"L-lemme get a look at ya" He stammered with a big smile on his face and he motioned her to take a small step back so he could make eye contact with her again, see who she was now.
He made sure to make direct eye contact with her first and then gave her a quick up down with his eye's.
"My god...You look gorgeous" He complimented before cupping her cheek with one of his hands and leaning in to kiss her forehead followed by replaced his lips with his own forehead to hold it against hers.

(^ This song felt better to me for this)

It really was amazing, she looked tough now, much tougher then before. Her body was fit, she looked like she had seen some battles now. Yet she couldn't seem to get rid of the softness and gentle touch of her skin as her fingers partially interlocked with his on her cheek.
She was crying, crying so much, his heart ached for her, despite them being tears of joy he could see that she might have gone through something similar to what he had gone through. His guilt build up and he couldn't help but have his eye water up as well.
He left her he thought...He left her when she needed him most. Logically he knew when he was 12 he couldn't exactly say no to his parents, but all he thought about was how he had to let her go. Her face when he left...Those tears...How he had to leave her in that house alone again...He never thought he'd see her again so he tried to forget. Yet here she was again, like no time passed at all they recognized each other almost instantly.

His hand on her cheek, once they touched foreheads, moved down more to the side of her neck, his hand rested more on her shoulder as his fingers caressed the side and back of her neck. With all her tears, he took his other hands away from her shoulder and wiped her tears away with his hand, lightly grazing both her cheeks as his own eye's watered and his throat tightened up uncomfortably.
So soft he thought...It's been so long since his hands weren't fighting, training, hunting, dealing death or destruction. So long since they could just simply comfort someone...

What was he doing here she asked him...

"I..." He pushed out underneath his clenching throat but then couldn't find the words. How could he explain 14 years? The answer would only lead to more question he realized, and...Well in here in front of everyone he'd rather not do this.
"Is there somewhere else we can go?" He asked as his eye's for a moment scanned the Guild hall.

Although Naraca for the most part zoned out the Guild members around him, there was an odd...Flapping. At first he thought it was maybe something in his ear, yet as it got louder he turned his gaze towards some sorta...

Suddenly whatever it was grew bigger, didn't get a look at it but he certainly got to see it as a full grown weird demon woman thing with wings and with a chest that must have given her some serious back problems.
She grabbed at Naraca's wrist and tore it away from Kariline, instantly Naraca ripped his hand out of her grip and placed it on the hilt of his sword. The demon wings made him think it was some kinda monster, asking him who he was.
He was about ready to pull out his great sword when Kariline, acting like this wasn't anything she hasn't seen before, pulled him away. The demon woman didn't seem to attack or do anything, did it just want his attention? Did Kariline know this thing?

The Guild members around seemed more spooked by what Naraca would do rather then the woman with the black wings. Maybe these people did know it...
He relaxed and turned around to follow Kariline, his face confused and slightly disturbed by the sudden appearance, yet feeling like he for some reason.

"Uhhh, alright I guess." He said in reply to when she had him follow her. They walked back outside to the sun that was still shining brightly today. She had him go around the guild to a tree that was on a small hill. He had flashbacks of the day he met her. The place looked much different, but the tree on a hill was no doubt just like before.

Sorry for her behavior Kariline explained, so she did know that thing then.
"What was that thing? " Naraca asked, still confused by it's appearance. He hadn't even put it together yet that she was apart of that Guild now.

No...Was she a Wizard? If so then, did she perhaps work with that creature? Naraca felt a hole in his stomach at the thought. Was she out there risking her life and doing these life threatening missions? It would make sense with how she was looking tougher now. Yet his protective instincts kicked in when the thought came, and he felt concern for her being out there and doing those kind of things.

With these thoughts, they sat down in front of the tree to face the water. The rushing of water was calming as Naraca sat down and let his back go on the trunk of the tree as he'd listen to Kariline. He still had to process all this, so it was good they were sitting down so they could talk.

With a giggle she replied, " That was Lillitha, a succubus that has been cursed to live on Earth for a while. She was.... a gift from my teacher." A pained looked in her face, Lillitha was a handful, and she was reminded of when Alex used her to summon that creature for revenge. " Just don't look her in the eyes, and don't worry. Most of the time she is the size of a beer mug."

Kariline went quiet after that, she wasn't sure what to say to him, after all these years. Her face flushed and she pushed her hair around her ear. It was nearly dry now, and she should probably braid it. Pulling it over her shoulder, she quickly braided her long hair. It was hot and this was a good way to keep it out of her face and off of her back. She couldn't count the times that she had the urge to cut it.

With her hair out of the way, her tattoos were now visible, the ones on her shoulders, and on her back. She had others on her wrists and on her ankles, these were the marks of the contracts made with her demons, and they were a blood color instead of black. Almost like they were burned into her skin.

" You must have lots of stories!" She said giving him a grin, " But start with why you are here at Lamia Scale?" Since he was older now, he was sure he had left his parents; but did he have other family, a wife, kids... and what about his brother!?

"Also how is your family, Arashi would be my age correct?" She said with a smile. She didn't know the horrors of that question, and soon she would regret asking.

Kariline and Naraca sat side by side resting on the big tree, looking out to the ocean, the sparkling blue water rushing softly as the sun shined brightly from behind some clouds so it wasn't blinding.

A...A Succubus? A demon? This was...Normal to her? Naraca's didn't know you could make contracts with them or do anything of the sort. His only experience with them wasn't very pleasant.
He wasn't really sure weather to be horrified or astonished. He did know that he was still worried about her now. Also the size of a beer mug? How was that even possible? What in the world had Kariline been up to?
All these questions he thought, too many.

She didn't talk for a while though, Naraca kept his eye's on her and saw her tattoos, at first he'd blame them on some punk or goth phase she might have gone through. Yet they didn't seem done by some tattoo artist, although they had somewhat of an intricate design that to him couldn't have been simply branded on.
Between this and the succubus, he felt like he just wanted to take her away from all this. To him she was still a little girl, a little girl that had gone through too much without him. Yet the Guild tattoo, the only normal looking one, was clear on her forearm, and he figured she might have done all this willingly.

Yet the question was driven to be about him, he turned his head away from her and to the water. He didn't want to talk about himself, not yet anyway.
Why was he at the Guild? He smiled with irony, here she was apart of the very guild he was planning on joining. He could answer that though right? Sure enough.

"Also how is your family-"
An uneasy feeling came, no, not that.
"I came here to join the Guild" He suddenly forced out with a weak smile, cutting her off from finishing what she was saying.
"I was a bodyguard to the mayor of Hargeon for a while, then decided I wanted to join up here" He explained somewhat quickly, not giving her any moment to step into what he was saying.

So stupid...Yet whatever it took, he didn't wanna bear such hard news on her so soon, and it had only been recently that these tragic events had befallen him. He wanted to change the subject.
"How bout you? Why'd you join this place?" He asked her, turning his head together looking very curious and very eager to listen. Certainly whatever it took to take her mind off thinking about him.

Kariline was unable to finish asking her question, as he had talked over her. Did he not hear her, or did he do it on purpose to avoid the subject. She just raised a brow and then it was followed by a grin. He was going to join her family, the people she now held so dear. Lamia Scale, she had been here for a few months less than a year, and all these people that come and go mean alot to her, you could almost say they replace the family she lost. Now the man she once looked up to as a brother has come back to her. Kari almost came to tears but just grinned as she picked at the grass.

She assumed that he didn't like being a bodyguard very much, seeing as how he is here. She had met the mayor a few times... a fat sexist pig who was rather pervy in his own ways. She shuddered at how many times that man had tried to bribe her to be with him and be his 'Secretary'... she just answered with a glare. Personally, Kari wasted to put a boot in his face, but she really didn't need to be arrested more than once..

Looking at Naraca she leaned back and smiled, " I was traveling for most of my life, that is... after  you left... I locked the doors to the house and went to fins a way to get stronger.." She looked at her feet and buckled up her knees like she did when she was small. It reminded her or a protection, and blocking herself inside. " After a while, i developed... contracts with Demons. A teaching from a traveling man named Alexander Zenneth. " She didn't really want to tell him that, seeing as how Demons are the ones that had ruined her life previously. But Demon summoning was a gift she possessed. Without a dominant will, she would end up just like her brother.

Closing her eyes, afraid of his reaction, she carried on, " I eventually made my way to Hargeon, where i heard a rumor of a guild. I knew guilds helped wizards get stronger and couldn't help myself. I found that there was only a few members, and the master, and i felt this..." She tightened her fists, and looked at Naraca, " determination... to help Zuo and the guild. They were new, and low on funds. " She shrugged, " I guess it blocked out alot of my memories and distracted me. Plus, i wasn't very good with people, and had no people skills what so ever before joining.... Im still a little rough honestly."

A...A contract with demons?

Everything before that Naraca listened to while looking at the ocean, yet he turned his head to her and his eye's bared down on her as she continued. An image flashed through his mind of black fog surrounding some large figure. He wiped it away as best he could. He didn't say anything, he simply continued to listen, yet his once peaceful face as he listened now looking more worried, as though he was being told he was about to lose a loved on in a hospital.

She talked about traveling, eventually finding Hargeon. How strange he thought, he was in Hargeon for a long time as well, how they never met each other was odd. Yet he continued to follow her on her recollection of her past, trying to keep an open mind despite the sinking feeling he had in his stomach.
Zuo was one name she uttered, was that the name of the Guild Master in Lamia? This guild was something joined in early on it's rise. She finally mentioned that they were low on fund when she arrived, and joining the place helped her forget her past, forget some of the pain, he could understand that. He knew all about harsh pasts by this point.

His eye's scanned her tattoos again just before she finished talking. So each one of these was for a demon? Why become stronger though? He could understand it to some degree, but to become a wizard and learn how to use magic that hurts people, why? He could understand doing it just to grow out of being a little girl, but somehow he didn't think that was possible. He didn't know if anything else tragic might have happened, however what Alakai did to her...What if she wanted to go after him? Or what she already had and has killed him? He couldn't but just think about how dark this path was...Yet how could he be sure it was even revenge? He had to ask.

"Why did you obtain these contracts? Why become a wizard or do any of this?" He asked her as he looked down at her as they both had there backs to the tree. He was concerned, however he made it a point in his head NOT to get angry. After all this time he couldn't see himself be angry anyway. No matter what he wouldn't lecture her, he wanted to understand what happened to his little sister.
After what he'd been through, what he saw...And his brother...

No...No stop thinking about that...

He just couldn't handle the thought of letting her go down the same road he did. Yet he would listen, keep an open mind, he wouldn't draw to conclusions. If he'd done something like that sooner...

Her eyes grew wide at his question. Was he angry? His facial expression was hard to read, like he was faking it. Kariline just bit her lip and wrapped her arms around her legs. " I was tired of being afraid. Tired of being weak. I always was afraid of him coming back for me.." She could remember how much she clung to Naraca at first, because with him she felt safe. " I was tired of leaning on people, of needing them to protect me and keep me out of danger." Hopefully he could understand that. She needed to show him that she was stronger, and he could believe in her.

She stood up in an instant and had a optimistic expression, " I know you might look bad on me for delving with Demons, seeing as how they had caused a bit of a problem for me...." She took a couple of steps away, " But this is different, I can control them.." With that her right wrist began to glow a bright red. It was the tattoo, and the Celtic design began to grow up her arms as well. From this red color, a black smoke surround her wrist and then faded out. Then suddenly a fire sparked within the smoke and blazed the area. It began to form into a hound like shape. One that was the size of her.

It roared and the face formed with teeth and eyes made of fire. " This is Ukobach," she smiled, my first contract...." Kariline ran her hand over the demon. At first, it seemed like it would burn, but actually his fire was cool to the touch. " I was caught in a forest fire when i was 15, i had no way out, till he appeared and saved me.... Not all demons are bad.." she said hanging her head. There was no way he would believe her. Not after what one particular demon had done to her. She made a fist in her right hand and Ukobach extinguished himself into a puff of smoke.

Tired of leaning, tired of being weak, Naraca could understand that. Yet he wondered what it was like, a part of him anyway. To have someone to lean on, to be weak near someone you trust.
One of the soldiers he worked with while a soldier himself told him that he was likely so big because not only was he physically pushed to the limit almost all the time, but he also carried the burdens, the weights of so many on his shoulders. It's what came naturally to him, being strong for others. Helping them carry there cross.

Once she stood up, talking about this situation being different, he stood up with her once her tattoo began to glow. He stayed calm, yet he felt his abdomen tense up a bit, as he had no idea what she was doing.
Black smoke surrounded her wrist before it created a spark which set off a torrent of flames near her. The large man flinched and took a step back from the flames. Was she really summoning some kind of monster? A part of him wanted to reach up and grab the hilt of his sheathed great sword, yet he remembered he had to trust her in this.

The flame dissipated and out formed a dog that was made of fire and brimstone, it's face a blaze of heat. It looked vicious, bearing it's teeth like a feral animal, yet it was controlled? Perhaps through the contract...
So was this like some different version of being a summoner? Using tattoo's instead of Gate Keys?
His eye's looked down upon the dog as she explained how it saved her from a forest fire. The words brought an unsettling feeling within him. His protective instinct was a little overwhelming sometimes.

A demon being controlled...A demon being a savior...How? It couldn't be, they all came from the same place. He couldn't think of any of them as good, not so long as he knew what he had to go through because of one.

"Kariline..." He mumbled before biting his bottom lip for a moment and looking away. So she just didn't want to be weak? Why do to this kinda route for power? He suspected something much darker.

"After what your brother did...Is this for revenge?" He asked her boldly.

He was quiet, and she didn't feel comfortable. What was he thinking, she never wanted him to look bad on her. The woman let her spirit drop and her fingers fell together in front of her, entwining themselves together. She looked away, his question.. what if he didn't like the truth.. Suddenly her mind felt so heavy, and images of her past flooded her.
Hiding in the corner of the room, the footsteps as he came to her door.. The sound of the doorknob turning and the door creaking open; His face, but more importantly his eyes. They were bright red and pierced through the dark. Her blood curdling scream as she closed her eyes.
Kariline was so sure she was going to die that night, but here she still stood.
She had stopped moving, her eyes wide open as she stared at the ground.
" Yes..." She had said quietly, before giving a smile, " He will atone for his crimes, And i will take his soul. His whole life... Just like he had stolen mine."
Kari just stood there, her fists clenched, and a smile spread across her face.

(( OCC: Sorry its short, tried my best to make it as long as possible, but couldn't do anymore..))

Kariline looked as though she was wearing a heavy backpack from her stance, looking as though she was heavy with grief. Her face was slightly covered by her hair as she looked down yet he could see her eye's. They were as open as they could be.

"Yes..." She finally pushed out.

The words, at first, brought only a deep breath in, and an exhale out. Pay for what he did right? He only saw pain in her words. Despite her smile that turned into a somewhat devilish grin, he at first wanted to feel anger. Yet he was able to stuff those feelings down rather quickly. He told himself he wouldn't give her a lecture. Practically speaking, she probably wasn't that strong compared to her brother, who if he was able to his parents at a young age, was probably much tougher then she was at this moment. So it could be safe so say she wasn't planning on committing this act any time soon. So he didn't exactly need to lecture her...Not yet anyway. Not so soon.

He gave Kariline a long look after her reply, his mouth closed, his eye's tender and his expression read as one feeling pity. Looking down at her, he thought about his brother, his family. He didn't push the thoughts away, not this time.
He remembered Ayame, his mother, how great and perfect she was as a mom. How he would have done anything to have her back again.
Naraca never let himself be vengeful, however he remembered that one brief moment where it did get to him. When that man killed his mom, and his instant reaction was killing the man without a second thought. It was a brief moment, and very much too quick to really think about but it showed Naraca that in his deepest heart, he had room for revenge, for hatred. He understood the feeling. That moment of raw anger, aggression and bloodlust he had in that moment, he couldn't image carrying that for any longer then minutes.
He also had Arashi flash through his mind, the man for years wanting to kill Naraca, blaming him for the death of there mom and dad.
Revenge he saw never lead to anything good, yet he understood how powerful it could be.

He blinked slowly, almost keeping his eye's closed for a moment before taking a slow step towards her. A wind came in as he did, his hair flying back, and hers would fly forward in her face. He reached his hand out to her and let his fingers graze her shoulder as he slowly let them trail behind her shoulder and along her back before pushing his palm on the center of her back and slowly pulling her into him.
His other hand also rose slowly as his arm wrapped around her upper back and his finger tips lightly moved up her skin on the back of neck until his fingers went into her hair to caress her head for a moment before letting her rest against him.

"I'm so sorry Kariline...My little sister, I'm sorry I let this happen to you." He spoke softly.
"I promise I won't leave you again, I'll always be here with you now"

Taking a step towards her, she could feel her heart almost skip a beat. Was he angry? Was he going to hit her. Her eyes wide as she felt a slight breeze carry strands of her bangs forward. His face held the expression of sadness, guilt and remorse. Kariline felt as he pulled her into him and let her rest her head against his sturdy chest. This was not what she was expecting, but as he spoke to her, she let her arms trail up to wrap around his torso.
She almost had tears come to her eyes, " I don't want to think about that.. I have you now.. That is all that matters." With that she tilted her head up to look at him. he had grown up so much, but their height difference never changed. She was tall for a woman her age, but still, he stood 1 foot at least taller than she did.
" Now that you are joining my family, do you want to go back inside and meet everyone?" With a smile she tugged on his hand slightly, trying to lead the way, just like she did when she was younger. Her face grew so bright, as she was optimistic and full of hope now. " Or at least grab a drink?!"

(( OCC: It's short, but i ran out of stuff... We can have a few people post, like Kihia, Zuo, maybe Tal. Then end it ^^ What do you think? ))

He held her in his arms like he had died, and come back again. As her arms hugged him, and her head rested on him, he felt strength in his legs, strength in his back. It was as if he had lived his whole life dry, and just now was he rehydrated. He felt stronger, stronger then any food or water could provide, stronger then any work out could make him feel, stronger then any spell could make him.
Ever since he became a man, he lived his whole life in pain, suffering, grief and sacrificing everything. Everyday was like an injury, like wearing a backpack your entire life and everyday someone stopped you, opened it, dropped more weight in, then zipped it up and pushed you forward. The memories of when he wasn't carrying something heavy were so far away.

Yet here...Here he was. Feeling stronger then ever now.

Kariline Kaido, it was like she gave him life, gave him reason.
With no family, no friends, no life left, just a goal and a promise. He had found his very first step, his first sign.
With all else lost, with everything gone, his scarred heart finally felt the blood rush through it as a connection was made to it once more.

She looked up at him, her moist amber eye's shining as they looked into his. Her body was strong, yet her face was still like porcelain, it had no flaws on it at all. He could see the little girl he knew before as well. He still was having a hard time grasping how much she had grown. Yet he couldn't imagine how she must have felt having to tilt her head so far.

She took his hand and motioned to him to follow her. Either go back inside and meet the "Family" or go out for a drink.

It was with that single action he thought to himself for a moment...Should he do it? Should he tell her what happened? It was going to come out eventually, however his story was heavy, and he had no idea how she might react. He didn't want to ruin this moment for her, he didn't want to break her joy.
Tell her! Some piece of him thought, it would be a weight you can share with her!
No...Is what dominated over that small piece. He wasn't going to do that to her, he couldn't hurt her with his story. Maybe it would be told eventually, but there was reason for destroying the mood now was there?

"Yeah...Lets go meet the family" He replied with a smile, walking forward with her, letting her pull him in.

She was so happy, he wanted to be a part of her lifestyle now, and she didn't have to fear him leaving ever again. As she took a couple of steps to head back around the building her eyes opened as she instantly had something come across her mind.
Oh yeah!
Kari turned around, " So since your joining a wizards guild... that means your a mage right?" She said as she poked his sturdy and large chest. With her eyes closed and a grin across her face she cupped her hands behind her back, " So what is your magic?" She asked flat out. She never expected to become a mage herself, since only like 20% of the populace could preform magic.

Thinking about it, her parent's weren't able to do magic, but her grandmother could. Her grandma was able to manipulate plants at will, and she always had the most beautiful gardens. It was sad she had to pass away so early in Kariline's life.
She waited for his answer and stepped back a little in case he wanted to show her what he could do. Was it elemental? Supportive? Looking at him and his body, he had to have something strong.

It brought him joy to see her this happy, he remembered how she acted back then when she was happy, she hadn't actually changed that much. Still with the joy of a child's heart. Naraca followed her to the guild until she stopped suddenly.

You must be a mage right...?

"Damn it" Naraca grit his teeth slightly as he mouthed the words, not actually vocalizing them. He hadn't made the connection until now. He did indeed join LS to hone his magic as one of his reasons, however that also would have to mean she would see his abilities as well...Before his new magic, he was an Earth mage like his father, yet she wasn't around long enough to him really use it.

"Yeah, I am" He replied, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
Of course she asked what it was.
How could he show her? If he did, she would no doubt see it was not something natural, something was not meant to be done. Magic was not meant to be used in this way.
Maybe he could tell her it was something else? Like some kinda steel magic or mist magic? He thought about this as he went over the spell he knew. Yet she would figure it out eventually any way wouldn't she...?

He didn't want to spoil the mood, he want to worry her but...His honor, and his heart prevented him from lying to her.
When she asked him, he didn't answer her, her simply avert his eye's from her and looked down as he lifted up his right arm.

"I'm sorry you have to see this..." He told her solemnly as from his chest, came a steel colored black wave that slowly washed over his arm. It was like water flowing over his arm as it slowly moved to cover his whole arm. His veins could be seen underneath as sliver lines on his skin.

Spoiler:

She might think it was some kind of steel or metal magic, yet the silver veins with the redness around the sections that were hardened would indicate this was was hardening within his body as well, not just covering over it. Upon touch it would feel like metal.
To further show his magic, he raised his other hand up, extended his fingers upwards. Then let a deep hole in each of his finger tips burrow into his fingers until emerging from them would be the bone of his actual finger tips. There was no blood, but they were no doubt the bones from his fingers, he'd let them continue to rise until they fell to the floor.
Finally, from his back a white smoke would begin to form around him. This was smoke coming from the pores of his skin.
As they would all be revealed to her, it would be seen more and more then he was not some metal mage, or a smoke mage. Because these were all coming from his body, his arm hardening to metal yet he's still able to curl his fingers and move his joints, his actual bones coming from his fingers and smoke coming from his skin rather then some spell based sign. This was all from his own body.
With all this, did one final thing, one thing that tended to happen when he used a lot of magic. His eye's started to glow a faint red, the iris in his eye ball slowly changing tint to a crimson tone. This was the magic of a demon...Something not meant to be within a man's body.

"I...Also don't feel pain" He added as he kept his eye's away from her. He hated showing her this, showing her what he had become. He felt like a monster. Everyone had this elegant, interesting, bright and awe inspiring magical power. Then there was Naraca...Using a very disgusting, very dark magic.

This was Karilines big brother now...A monster

When he hesitated, Kariline raised her eyebrow. Was he scared of showing her? Was it humiliating? No matter, she was still curious and eager as ever. But when his flesh darkened and changed over his entire arm. Kariline stepped back. Her eyes were wide and her jaw dropped a little. She had never seen anything like this before; and she stared in awe.
His eyes told her that he felt pain, regret, anger, and guilt. What was it about his magic he was so ashamed of?

With that, behind her, she heard the flapping of tiny wings. Lillitha.. just great. Before she could turn around to snap at her, Kariline found that she had already transformed into her Human Size. The demon was now a few inches taller than Kariline, and her green haired waved as she walked. Lillitha ignored Kari and eyed Naraca. " I knew there was more to you.. " She said softly, and gently ran her fingers across his chest and arm, and where her finger tips grazed him, it seemed to glow with Magical Power.
" Who would have guessed you would have been one of us..." She told Naraca directly, staring into his eyes.

Kariline gasped and placed her fingers over her mouth, Lillitha smiled and with a twirl vanished into thin air. Or what seemed like it, she just became fairy sized once again and flew over to Kari's shoulder ( which she thought was her private pedastool ) " How did this happen?" she said as she walked up to him and tried to touch his arm. She was careful about his feelings towards the matter, did he hate demons? The things she worked with for years...

Kariline's face could be seen through Naraca's peripherals, yet he did make eye contact with her. He was ashamed of this, of his magic, what he had become. He found it hard to be looked up to as a big brother, as a role model, yet there he was with something so vile within him.
He heard the flapping of wings, looking up he saw a voluptuous figure. It was that woman...Or rather, demon from before.
'I knew there was more to you' Lilitha commented.
That demon, she had to be a succubus of some type, against Naraca's will he felt a faint longing to her. It wasn't something he wanted, yet it something he knew a succubus had a natural effect with. She walked up to him, lifting her arm and her fingers touching his chest. The glow was warm, this effect she had, it had to be her ability.
Yet what she said next caused a spike of anger to make itself known.

"I'm not like you!" He growled as he jerked his arm away from her touch. His red eye's for a moment lit up just ever so slightly more intensely in the heat of the moment before they subsided to the more calming crimson color they were before. She turned back into her fairy like form and went on Kariline's shoulder.
"How did this happen?" She asked him before walking up to him to touch his arm. He'd let her touch it.
He looked to his arm when she asked the question. His fingers opening and closing in a wave like motion, he made a tight fist for a moment as the memories came back to him. She was asking to tell him to talk about 14 years of time if he were to explain it all. Perhaps he should just keep it simple...



He opened his mouth, yet no words came out...The pain of what happened still lingered. His throat felt a tightness as he recalled the events from before. All he could think about was the blood...So much blood and pain, numbness and a void within his body. How could process everything that happened not that long ago? How could anyone...?

"Uhhh...Our parents they..." He barely pushed out, his memory flashing with images of him and his father doing combat, fighting full force before Naraca just barely managed to beat him, striking a fatal blow.
"D...Died, they died. I...I...I killed..."
His father life hanging by a thread, still in Naraca's arms as he spoke his last words, all due to a wound he was forced to bring to his father.
He smiled for a moment at the irony and ridiculousness of his actions. How the hell was he gonna tell her the whole story if he couldn't even say a word about the beginning? Although Naraca was tough in all area's, mentally and spiritually most of all, it was this one thing that was hard to talk about, this one thing.
At this rate, was he gonna cry?

He had to push this out, he had to tell her.

"My...F-father, I was forced to...Kill my f-f...Father" His throat tensed, twitched, his jaw so tight as he spoke it felt like rust tried to hold his mouth shut.
"Then after that my..."
Oh no, now his mother, Ayame...The images of her death were even worse. His father was bad, he had to kill the man himself, but at least the man died on his own terms, his last words that he was sorry he couldn't protect them, then his final wish that Naraca protect his mom and little brother.
Yet right after his wish...That son of bitch went and made him watch...Made him and Arashi watch as he...Oh mom...

"My mother she also d-d-died...Killed in front of me and Arashi...Heheh" He suddenly let out slightly laughter, laughing more at his own pain and how difficult this was for him. He had idea it would be this hard.
His eye's began to water, shimmering in the sunlight. His magic slowly dissipated and the hardened steel black color on his arm receded to his normal dark skin. His normal amber eye's clearly showed they were moments away from leaking.
His lower lip began to quiver, forcing his lips to close tightly as he tried to control it.

"I'm sorry...I just I..." The words were just so hard to push out, his once steel colored arm lifting up, placing his hand over his eye's and simply tried to breath through the emotional pain that tried to overwhelm him.

Kariline's arms wrapped tightly around Naraca's body, the pressure of her chest against his stomach was soothing. The warmth resonated around him and gave him a distraction from his pain, something he could focus on. He kept his hand over his eye's, his throat tightened so much he was able to let how his quick, short breaths as the ball within his stomach grew tighter and his heart beat quickly.
No tears he thought, he didn't want to cry. Yet deep down he knew how badly he needed to, for the sake of his emotional well being.
As Kariline held onto him he slowly raised his arm up and put it around her upper back. He didn't pull her in, he tried to hold back his pain but he couldn't help but have his hand firmly grip her shoulder.

A single tear somehow managed to pushed it's way through his eye as he hung his head low. It ran down his cheek and fell, landing in Kariline's soft hair. He noticed the drop and placed his hand on her head, streaming his hand on her hair it a pet for a moment.
He was still new to his magic, he knew he could block pain, yet emotional pain like this it...Seemed out of his control for some reason. Even if it wasn't, he didn't want to become a robot.
It's okay to cry she says...
His arm went back around her. He focused on her touch for a moment, the warmth and the pressure of how tight she was able to grasp him.

"My little brother changed that day..." He finally pushed out darkly, his voice more calm and low.
"I don't how but...Something went inside him. Something dark and violent. After we buried our parents he left, went of to, ah...Join some gang which he eventually went to lead, The Ocelots they were called" He explained in his somber expression yet calm enough to not break down.
"I tried to stop him he left but...He blamed for what happened and...Heh, well I could really blame him" He said with a small, pained chuckle.
"It grew whatever it was, that demon...That thing. A dark demon was what took over him. He used that power to come back to Hargeon. He attacked the city, he and The Ocelots. I..." He stopped himself, another hesitation that came with the pain of trying to talk about this.
"I had stop him...Guy reached the mayor and almost killed him. I got in the way and he nearly killed me as well. He could have killed me, I didn't stand a chance but...He stopped and I heard him talking to himself, only later did I realize it was to that...Thing inside of him" He continued, trying to keep his feelings suppressed.
"I think...It told him it could mom and dad back. In his pain I guess he accepted it. But in that moment, when he could have finished me off he stopped, and I...I saw him again, my little brother, not the thing he became."

One more soul shredding sob for a brief moment plagued him as he grit his teeth together and remembered the look in Arashi's eye's, how much pain there was, how much grief and sorrow, and how much hatred there was. The regret he was feeling was practically thickening the air with a heavy weight like trying to walk while immersed in sand. He felt the pain Arashi did as well as his own.

"He healed my wounds and helped me on my feet. But then..." He stopped again, throat tightening up again.

Kill me please! You have to!

"It's going to come through, Naraca please! I'm so sorry!"

How Naraca wished so desperately he didn't have say this next part. The pain in his heart made him feel like he was going to have a heart attack over it.
The flashing image of his bloody hands statically flashed in his mind like a blurry image underneath the white noise of a static T.V. Not his own blood...But his little brothers.

"His eye's they...They changed and went black, like pits to hell...He attacked me. But it wasn't him moving his body, he spoke to me as he attacked and told me I had to...I had to...I...I had...To"

A deep breath was taken, followed by a long sigh.

"Kill him" He finally shoved out like pushing a boulder up hill.

"So I did...I held him in my arms as he gave me his last words. After that, the demon inside him, passed into me so...Now I'm cursed with it like a virus"
How ironic this truly was...One of the biggest men in world being held by someone so much smaller then he.

"I'm sorry, wasn't the quite the reunion you've been picturing was it?"

They stood there, in their tight embrace. Kariline just listened. That seemed to be what he needed, someone to listen to him. Kari just rested her face against his chest. But as he told his story, as he staggered through the words, Kari could hear the beat of his strong heart, it got faster and faster.
He sobbed between his sentences, and Kari tried her best to comfort him, but her eyebrows furrowed as he got farther and farther along. She sensed where this was going.
He killed him, he killed his parents. All by choice, and by force. There was no other option.
Kari felt her grip around him drop and she hung her head. Not in shame, but she felt grief and sorrow for her friend.

"Naraca," She wanted to open up to him, she wanted to tell him it was going to be okay. Not lie to him, but Assure him. She was glad he was home, where he belonged.
She bit her lip, " You know what i see when i look at you. Even after hearing that...?"
" I don't see a monster, I don't see a murderer."

" I see someone who is just starting his life, and is ready to fill it with happy memories. Don't dwell on the past, because you certainly can't change that. Think about your future and the people you want to be in it, cause that is one thing you can change." she said with a smile before stepping up and stroking his cheek, wiping away the moisture of this tear.

Not a monster...And not a murderer...

It was odd hearing those words for some reason. He had been away from anyone he really knew that was close to him for a long time now, he hadn't seen anyone that could say something like that about him and know it to be true. Yet here Kariline was, finally and after so long, telling him he was not a murderer, and he was not a monster.
She looked up at him and his looked away from he gaze and slightly to the side. He listened to her, to what she said.
Don't dwell on the past...Heh, he could almost laugh ironically at that. He'd of given that same advice himself had he been seeing someone else in his state. He understood all to well her advice, but under such a heavy trauma he had forgotten all about the wise words of not letting the past weigh you down.

Blood on his hands and dying little brother in his arms.

He held his father in his arms as he died...His mothers dead body was in his arms...His little brother in his arms as well...Everyone he loved he had felt the life leave there bodies. He knew so much of what it was like to hold death and the dying.

Kariline reached up and wiped his single tear off his cheek. He let her but his eye's away from her, he felt a bit embarrassed to be reduced to such a state in front of her. He probably didn't look like he had gotten very strong at all since they last met.
Think about the people you want in your future...

He looked up at Kariline and let his eye's met hers again. He smiled seeing her like this, giving him advice, being strong for him now instead of it being the other way around. He observed her and saw the little girl he remembered and tried to connect her with this new Kariline now...
"Look at you...Heh, so grown up now." He said quietly with a slight chuckle.
"I always knew you'd grow up strong some day" He added.
He took a step towards he lifted his hand up to her and he grazed one of his fingers on her forehead, removing some of her hair away from it.
He moved his hand around to the back of her head and gently pulled her in as he bent down and placed his forehead against hers.
"Thank you Kariline...I'm proud of you" He whispered as he closed his eye's and let her and himself feel each other here, like this for a moment more.