The Balance Core, Niyol Version

A head popped through the bed, Mao displaced from the realm and yet still visible as things quasi returned to normal. Ears twitched as she both calmed down and tried to figure what all happened whilst sleeping, suffering a rather rude awakening on multiple fronts. ’And why does my tail hurt?’ She ran out of time to bother pondering this, following the tail end of the group as they headed out after the short nap. Outside Nocshanks awaited them and joined Mao at the rear as they followed their test taking leader.

Patiently the trio waited as Niyol placed a hand to the door and…watched as nothing happened. Usually something grandiose or simple should’ve occurred, but for whatever reason the door decided to ignore whatever it was he tried and Kasmeer briefly contemplated sarcastically asking if he thought about knocking. Mao meanwhile briefly thought about offering to let Nocshanks try and barrel through it but…unfortunately out of the group the most destructive was easily Niyol. Neither he nor Altsoba could do anything to this door, intriguing both Cheshire Cats.

The silver-haired woman almost burst into uncontrollable laughter, a few giggles managing to break through her hand as the intimidating “man” took on the form of a ridiculously adorable creature. The disconnect between his exterior and disposition only further tickled her, though the ancient jaguar managed to regain some control even as a hand remained hiding her smile. Kasmeer’s descendent proved to have less control, Mao squealing as she all but snatched Niyol from the demoness’ hand and proceeded to hug and cuddle the adorable critter…all throughout his explanation. Quickly enough he returned to the palm of Altsoba’s hand when Kasmeer lightly smacked the back of Mao’s head, bringing the girl back to the present since he currently explained their next series of tasks.

’Well, not like she’d be fully useful here.’ Killing wasn’t the other woman’s strong suit in an odd way despite her predator potential. She raised an eyebrow at the “party” waiting on the other side of the door for them, oddly reminded of a game some race played that Mao studied before their eventual extinction.

As the door opened Kasmeer met Nocshanks’ golden eyes, nodding as the beast charged, rolling up and raced towards the group waiting beyond the braziers. A spell darted off his hide, striking part of the ceiling as the mage and warrior each ducked to a different side and allowed the wrecking ball beast to slam into the wall and create an indent. Kasmeer was already upon the mage even as Mao’s feline roar caught the attention of the axe wielder, hands clamping around the magic user’s head and giving a quick and decisive twist as her arms flared away. The snap might’ve echoed if not for the other two now going at it, tendrils sending the axe flying near the archer as the two petal-shaped ones defending Mao swung out and sent the man off balance with a bellowing yell.

Slit eyes veered up towards the bow user, the person hiding a gulp as they fired another arrow towards her. In the span of a blink she disappeared, his hand having gone for another arrow and yet the target stood before him, the arrow clattering on the ground down below. ”Panther, you are not,” she coldly stated before swatting him in the face, the back of her hand stringing a little as he reared back. One of her hands grabbed his wrist as the other took hold of his throat, choking him for a second as she twisted the limb behind him and then pushed the pair off the ledge. In the end he became her landing pad, feet feeling the crunching of bones through her boots even as the arm almost broke off, easily dislocated from the landing and twisting horribly.

”You didn’t have to kill them,” a distressed voice caused her more round ears to flicker, attention turning to her dark haired descendent. The woman stood above the warrior in a similar fashion, though where bones and blood now pooled around the archer the bulkier man struggled as tendrils kept his arms pinned behind his back and legs locked.

”Better now than later,” she coldly stated, ”as they could’ve just as easily come after us in a more dire situation like the girl earlier. Besides they can double as food for you now.”

She watched as Mao tensed up, the man beneath her vanishing in a portal as she vainly tried to save at least one of the trio. Defiant eyes watched Kasmeer as she determinedly marched over to Mao and shoved a hand through her stomach though no blood spilled. Eyes widened and Mao’s lips mouthed “no” as she felt something appear in that other dimension and slice the man’s head off. ”You are connected to both Sorrow and myself: do not assume you can protect anything from us. Not in your current state. Besides you assume them human and want to save their lives…for what?”

”It’s not about being human,” she mumbled, teeth gritting and fists clenching as she couldn’t resist surrounding the other two bodies with fang-rimmed portals, devouring the tantalizing smell, ”It’s about protecting life in general. I could’ve just as easily locked them there and they couldn’t have caused problems. Only the lazy and weak resort to such easy methods…”

Mao flinched as Kasmeer scoffed, leaving mental words rather than spoken ones in her wake. Frustration welled up until Mao released it in the form of yet another, larger, mouthy portal as it locked around the door they’d just walked through. Teeth punctured rock and even as it resisted she persisted, treating it more like a chew toy until finally it tore and vanished into that otherworldly stomach.

The fingers phased through both their foreheads, neither particularly fond of the notion of being touched right then and there. Close to hissing, Mao harrumphed even as Kasmeer snorted, taking a few steps away to avoid another attempt by the meddlesome woman – though it did force them to stop and consider her words. She may’ve been a bit strong in her ideals and habits, but Kasmeer admitted internally that killing came simpler to her as she’d been a warrior while Mao…had been raised as little more than a lifeless tool for their people, or at least that’d been the intention. She’d have to make allowances, though the role of teacher proved a new one for her. ’Annoying as it may be, there is truth in her words…’

Mao slightly jumped, eyes widening as the lecture turned to her, though she couldn’t help glowering at Altsoba. Luckily she didn’t have to receive the full berating speech as the adorable form of Niyol halted her train. Her question proved curious enough for the two arguing women to turn their attention and wonder the same thing, Kasmeer hiding a snort of laughter behind a hand at both the explanation and subsequent plopping of Foxyol onto Mao’s head. The girl’s ears naturally lowered, eyes peering upwards to see the dangling paws in front of her bangs. Both found it entertaining however that not even Niyol could ignore the wonderful sensation that was head scratches.

Unsure that he’d stay in place – and wanting to feel the softness of his fur a bit more – Mao grabbed her shortened friend and brought him into a secure hug with one arm, the other scratching the top of his head as they left through the newly opened door. For the second time Mao shot a sour glance at Altsoba, though this time towards the back of her head as the woman lead the way. She’d been sure that the woman referred to her people for a moment, not entirely pleased and yet not wholly caring about the insult either – Mao simply disliked lumping entire groups for the crimes of some – but hearing her insult the guild caused her to do something not normally seen in the woman.

Mao stuck her tongue out at her.

In the safety of behind the woman.

Niyol wouldn’t care after all.

Besides Mao didn’t dislike the demoness any less, understanding that her circumstances were…rather unique she surmised amongst most demons. However it was also still a new experience to feel emotions so…so strongly compared to before. Some compulsions became harder to ignore in lieu of it. ”Why does everyone want me to suddenly become a ravenous beast? Predator's don't kill needlessly...” she grumbled beneath her breath, only Niyol likely to hear her if he even paid attention with the wondrous allure of head scratching. Even the way Altsoba spoke lead Mao to believe she should just devour the entirety of the island and be done with it. This wasn’t her trial though so doing so might deny Niyol the success of his trial so she’d avoid it. Besides with the inhibitors around them it might take a bit longer until she found and consumed the source and…well really the whole thing sounded more like a temper tantrum thing to do anyways.

A little unwillingly Mao opened her arms, letting the little Foxyol free himself from the confines of her arms and return to the adult, male figure. ’Shame…’ She wouldn’t share the thought aloud though, not wanting a precious friend to know she thought them adorable in an animal form. She didn’t want to accidentally insult him.

This girl possessed an amazing amount of hutzpah to her, the gumption in her propelling the girl to continuously bang her head against a brick wall so to speak with copious amounts of determination. The trio didn’t doubt for a moment that she believed by banging her head against that wall this “heir” or what not believed she could break the whole thing down. That wall just claimed her prized weapon. The comfy and cozy life she once lived just slipped right out from under the girl’s feet in that moment with the loss of her title.

”A good reason not to rely on toys and trinkets,” came Kasmeer’s murmured advice as they left the fallen girl, ”use them to boost your potential, but to rely purely on them is to soften your fangs.”

’Well…at least she won’t have to suffer harm for a bit…and we needn’t fear further interruptions more than likely. Unless she starts hucking coconuts or something, but I think Niyol can avoid those….probably.’ This wasn’t the temple after all so he wouldn’t be setting off every trap. ’Then again he wasn’t really avoiding the flames, but I suppose he didn’t need too. Would he have to dodge a coconut?’ Probably if it went for the family jewels, Mao wincing as she recalled the clown skeleton that fell on him after that incident.

As long as she remained physically fine – just out for the count for the moment – Mao held little qualm leaving her. The girl would likely require a moment upon awakening given what just happened and how she’d essentially failed in her mission – why she felt the need to attack mystified her though. ”What reason does she have for attacking Niyol though? It just doesn’t feel like there was any real reason for all of this unless she felt she had something to prove…” She supposed it amounted to some sort of rivalry between the tribes or something else, maybe something they couldn’t really piece together if not something comprised of a multitude of reasons.

Ahead they ran into a pair of tigers, the size almost imposing if Nocshanks didn’t prove larger, bulkier, and cuter. ’Well…if they want a predator…’ A part of Mao remained miffed, though perhaps it related to being hungry? The thought of eating did sound appealing as the legs of the lunging of the two disappeared, a tendril appearing above to force the thing face-first into the ground and partially submerged its head into the sands. Only one leg became devoured, the other shot out of another portal like a cannonball and delivered quite the kick…slap? It was hard to tell with animal appendages. It slammed into the head of the other one, mushing its cheek and sending the beast into a sideways roll from the force. As the hunger built and the temptation slithered deeper multiple portals manifested around the bodies, descending like ravenous packs to rip and rend the beasts in twain. A small burp escaped towards the end, ”Sorry….excuse me.”

No signs of a threat by the next landmark, Mao could only tilt her head a bit as one of Kasmeer’s eyebrows rose. The comment sounded a bit sarcastic to the older feline’s ears, but only time would tell what she truly meant as a drum beat reverberated in the air. Out of the trio witnessed so far both pair of feline eyes lit up at this one, Mao’s mouth falling open a little and Kasmeer smirking a bit – she could appreciate a good show after all. At the first mention of song though she could only wonder…even her descendent pondering actually hearing Niyol sing.

Compared to that first impression long ago of a rather stoic man…well…Niyol had both changed and not in some regards. Mao figured some time ago that he didn’t bare himself to just anybody and he sat more on the “closed book” side of the shelf. Knowing the things she did however the girl found his wariness and sense of caution understandable to say the least. She accepted the bits and pieces he revealed and showed her, able to decipher the man better though the tailed mage would never be egotistical enough to declare herself an expert or claim a near impervious sense of accuracy. To date however, singing had not been something he’d done. Many incredible feats to be sure and told her many things through voice and other means…but not sing. Though a part of her, the one that wanted to protect a member of her “family” couldn’t help pouting at the bird, unable to fully bring herself to glare at the being. “False duties” or not…they were important to Niyol. He may have been the last – or near the last – of his clansmen, but he chose to continue their heritage.

”Multiple perspectives, multiple opinions,” Kasmeer reminded the young mixed-blood. It calmed Mao a tiny bit, though she couldn’t help holding a minor seed of annoyance for the words all the same.

Teeth bit into Mao’s lip, the girl worrying it a bit. Though beautiful in some respects there remained something a little heartbreaking in its purpose, its use and the fact that it stood as the only one Niyol could remember. Perhaps in ways it could even be insulting to sing it to the bird…but he’d requested a song. ’He won’t be punished…will he?’ The worry gnawed at her even as she enjoyed the melody, a sadness permeating it as the multiple Niyols pushed through the song, accompanied by a mysterious piano.

Her attention snapped back into place as he turned to address them, multiple questions swimming to the forefront of her mind. As a dragon that meant this next one would be quite imposing…yet did Niyol mean he would kill them for the atrocity committed before: the decimation of most of his tribe. Would the dragon see him taking this trial as some sort of insult or try to bring retribution for his actions before? The whys and reasons behind it might elude her, but determination stayed strong inside: she wouldn’t let Niyol die. Not easily. Not when he’d been there for her, not when she considered him family.

Sleep started to ebb away and the woman groaned from both the loss of that pleasant peace and the aching in limbs. Hazy eyes opened to blink at the ceiling above her shared room with her mate, belatedly realizing she’d somehow returned to the home of Pharaoh’s Call. ’When? How…?’

A chuckle resounded through her mind, ’Truly forgotten already?’

Part of the tailed woman expected to see her ancestor nearby, head whipping about to find the silver-haired woman to no avail. Instead she became more conscious of her ancestor’s presence inside, the famed “Cheshire Cat” of her people no longer inhabiting the strange body provided by Niyol. Kasmeer’s disappointment remained like a fading candle light, the woman undoubtedly enjoying her earlier freedom to interact with the solid realm and yet accepting this loss.

’I suppose it’s only natural, you did suffer quite a blow to the head at one point after all. Still your determination was impressive so I’ll let it go this time. Next time…you should work on avoiding unnecessary damage such as that. It’s been far too long since someone of our family matched up to my skills and I do wish to see something close to an equal someday…’

Despite the words the tone remained light, a bit teasing, and perhaps…motherly? They reminded Mao of some of Chesha’s mannerisms, but where her sister coddled Kasmeer sought to teach her. She could only guess that it was like a motherly relationship as she focused her mind and swept away the last of the sleepy fog.

The dragon’s form alone proved intimidating and yet Niyol’s determination kept her strong. Despite knowing the beast’s strength the knowledge he had to succeed and push on seemed to keep him stable, the man a hard rock to shake. While the words from it escaped her, she’d recalled a brief conversation before the two flew at each other without a moment’s hesitation. It’d been all she could do to keep up and try to chip away at the thing as its hide proved harder to simply bite or spirit away like some of the previous creatures. Eventually other critters crafted similar to the other island dwellers arrived, forcing Mao and even Kasmeer away to avoid any fatal interruptions. They’d kept them at bay, allowing Altsoba to remain as Niyol’s support and once they’d brought the outside forces down Kasmeer even sent Mao back to his side with assurances that she could handle it. Things turned fuzzy though as she recalled taking a blow for Niyol despite some protests – at least she could vaguely recall some sort of shouting behind her – and…

’You did continue fighting, quite valiantly and it would’ve been praiseworthy had you been properly conscious of it. Unfortunately I can’t give you pretty words for something almost purely instinctual like that. Such a state leaves us too prone, too open in its own right. But you faded quite quickly once the fighting ended I’m afraid. We were victorious…but we had to cart you back and he was a little regretful. However…’ she paused, her voice softening with a bit of affection for her descendant, ’I don’t believe he wasn’t ungrateful either. Take it as you will, as you have done well this time.’

Relief washed through Mao, the rest remaining a pure haze she couldn’t decipher. If they’d won the day though she could accept that with a smile. ’Hopefully he won’t be too mad at me. I know I’ve worried him enough over other things. I…look forward to a day when I don’t have to worry any of my family anymore…’ Such might be a while yet, but Mao felt safe enough to dream. Slowly she let herself fall back into the bed, not quite ready to remove herself from the comfort of it and smell of her mate. Later she could unbox the present from the draconic guardian.

For now she’d dream of a peaceful world.