Spiders Again?

Job Info:

Yona Hisamori waited in the tropical forest instead of the small village. She hoped to avoid the villagers and activists alike who had not taken too kindly to her, or rather to Kyran. He had revealed more of his demon power than he had wanted to, she thought, and Yona was afraid she might have tried to kill one if she had not stepped in. It helped also that there were no other people in the forest, or at least not usually. She didn't want to come face to face with again, especially considering Ketsueki. Ketsueki hadn't had the taste of blood in awhile, not since she trained with Johann and Mars had allowed him as much as he desired of his blood. The horror of that taste lingered still in her mind and so she had refused his demands for over a week now. Yona was not some folktale monster that went around drinking blood and slashing innocents to shreds in their homes at night. Ketsueki growled and grumbled but without anyone else present, it was easier to ignore him and harder for him to take control. She assumed for similar reasons that Kyran would prefer to meet in the forest.

She and he had been asked by the guild to continue investigating where the overabundance of arachnids stemmed from by going through the forest. Yona told him she would meet him here in order to avoid unnecessary conflict with Ketsueki. And so the green haired girl waited, leaning against a large ancient dead tree, branches like skeletal limbs stretching out and draped in vines like some long-dead woman in a shawl. Yona knew Kyran could find her, she was barely off the walking trail they had ridden up on horses last time. It was a good place to wait without literally being on the road. Yona patted the side of her horse, Doll and the grey mare snuffled in the chilly air. "He'll be here soon, you won't have to wait long," Yona crooned, easing Doll's concerns. Between being forced into being a spy against her friend and this new demon inside of her, Yona was exhausted and it showed on her face.

WC: 366

Kyran clung to the tree, upside down. Medea purred at his choice of transportation. He wasn't quite convinced. Jumping from tree to tree had seemed the best way to keep from being spotted. Now, he was doubting his sanity. It seemed like every day, his mind slipped away a little more. His demons were taking control, he was losing time. Nothing was what it was supposed to be. Medea clicked her tongue, eager to continue with their journey. Kyran rolled his eyes. His muscles bunched before he sprang to the next tree. The talons on his hands and feet sank into the tree without resistance. Now he was near... a scent on the wind had Kyran turning his head. Yona. And probably Doll from what he could tell. They were nearby. Erebos cackled delightedly as Kyran made his way stealthily to a tree above Yona.

When Kyran was hanging upside down above Yona, he spoke. "You don't look well, Yona. Perhaps it was something you ate." He pushed off the tree, flipping in mid air to land in front of Yona. His tail waved behind him, his golden cat eyes taking his friend in. Getting a clear look at her face, Kyran looked worried. There was something there he couldn't put his finger on which bothered him immensely. "Are you alright?" He asked drawing Yona into a hug. It was strange, caring for someone other than himself. It had been a long time since he'd last done so. Gaia was a special case, one that may turn out to be a beautiful flower Kyran couldn't have hoped to grasp. He stepped back from Yona, his hands on her arms. "Spiders again?"

WC: 282

Yona startled, pressing herself against the tree in surprise as a voice seemed to come from above her. When Kyran flipped down from the tree into view, she offered him a smile and relaxed. He was feeling playful today, that was a good sign at the least. She didn't know how she would be able to deal with another one of his grumpy moods while she was in a mood of her own. When he pulled her into a hug, before she could reply, she felt and heard his sincerity. It weakened her resolve somewhat and she leaned into the hug. More than anything, she just needed a friend right now, but with how the MindReaver was forcing her to betray him, his hug made her feel immense guilt inside. She replied tiredly, "No, no, the spiders aren't bothering me, well not yet anyway." She looked him in the face and pulled out her best facade.

Nothing she said was directly a lie, but she did skirt the truth, her tone worn down and her face wan, "Just lack of sleep and a lot on my mind lately. All these jobs and exams just wear you down sometimes, you know?" Yona exhaled and added, "Life can just be taxing at times but every job finished is another chance for a little free time right? What have you been up to lately?" The question sounded kind, dismissing her physical and mental struggles from the conversation in order to see how he was doing. But the question also felt like a lie, knowing that he might say something that she could use to keep the MindReaver at bay. It was always on her mind and she longed for the day when she could crush that slimy bastard. Yona would stand there with Kyran's hands on her arms and assuming that he would eventually let go, she would start to move towards Doll, grabbing up the reins and holding them in her hand. They would have to go into the forest this time, and her green eyes scoured the trees and the ground, still seeing no sign of spiders yet. She did see a small hidden rope hanging from the tree and secured on the ground, some sort of hunting trap it appeared.

Yona pointed it out to Key, "We should start moving, but be aware of those traps around. I guess the villagers come out here to hunt and don't pick up their traps regularly." She hoped Key would believe her and go on with the job, but Kyran was as intuitive and sometimes more intuitive than she was. It was possible that if he was so concerned that he might press farther, and for how long could she lie about Ketsueki, her demon, or the MindReaver?

WC: 366+465= 831

This one smells like us. Medea giggled pressing into Kyran's mind. He got the impression the cat was smiling smugly. What did that mean Yona smelling like them? Perhaps as he grew stronger magically, the demons were slowly losing their minds. That was the hope anyways. Then he would only have to deal with urges and not their damn voices in his head. That one issssss sssssuculent. I want to take a bite out of her. Malinda hissed, slithering around Kyran's mind to take a look at Yona. He sighed unhappily wishing they wouldn't interrupt this time he had with Yona. It would be short since he needed to get off Tolgalen as quickly as possible. There couldn't be much dilly dallying about.

Kyran's eyes narrowed at Yona's explanation and diversion to another topic. Clearly it wasn't only jobs that were getting her down. He'd let it go since Yona didn't seem willing to share. Kyran also wasn't sure what the right course of action was anyway. Yona was one of the first friends he'd ever had. If this was the wrong decision, he'd learn and do better next time. Nothing to it. "I've been keeping as busy as possible with jobs. Haven't really done much outside of that." Something his fans weren't exactly happy about. Cursed Dynasty was rapidly growing a following and Dark Phoenix fans were eagerly awaiting the final trilogies. He hadn't had nearly enough time to work on them. "I really need the money so I can afford a few things." Like an army to wipe out Gruen and Claudia or bounty hunters that could rescue his daughter. Kyran hated that she'd grown up under two of the worst human beings ever.

Kyran wrapped an arm around Yona's waist. With Medea enhancing his senses, he could smell something wafting off her body. Not a scent per say but rather pheromones released by emotion. It was too bad he couldn't identify emotions by pheromones yet. Still whatever the scent was it put him on edge. "I'll watch out for traps, don't worry. Yona... you can talk to me if you need to." He tapped his nose with a cat-like grin. "I can smell some kind of emotion coming off you that's putting me on edge. If you don't want to talk, lead the way to where this job is supposed to start. I won't be angry if you don't want to talk." He gave her a light squeeze. Then his arm slipped from around her waist. This was all strange for Kyran like he was a character in one of his books. Were you supposed to point something like that out? Or let the person wallow in their secret emotions? He had absolutely no path to follow here. It was all new terrain.

WC: 467
Total: 949

The plant mage was wearing comfortable riding pants covered in tiny grey hairs, evident against the black color of her clothing. She had clearly ridden Doll here. Yona patted Doll with her free hand, looking away from Kyran until she felt his hand against her skin, around her waist. She wore a cropped shirt as always, but this one had a wide neck and flared short sleeves. Yona widened her eyes and looked at Kyran, about to joke or scold him, knowing he had a girlfriend. She saw the look in his eyes, an expression of concern and her own words fell away. He was just being a friend, being nice, looking after her. He gave her a squeeze and offered himself up to talk to. Not only was he in higher spirits than the last time that they met, but Kyran was also truly trying to help. That just increased the tightness in her chest; guilt was painful and she knew she had to ignore it or face dire consequences. Yona let him release her and step away before speaking.

If she didn't give him something, he was going to keep prodding at her until she couldn't handle anymore and revealed herself and the mysterious MindReaver. Yona had to give him something, something real. Perhaps with his own demons, Key would understand. "L-let's at least walk while we talk. We still have the job to do and plenty of spider nests to look out for. I could see some thick grey ones deeper into the jungle-I'm telling you that doesn't bode well for us." The female had put him off for a moment and then started to lead the way down the path. It was hardly a path; the dirt path was perhaps used at one point but ever since the spiders began moving into the village below it had fallen into disuse. Nature had its way of taking back what man had thought they claimed. Yona guided Doll gently around the small rope hidden to the entrance of the little path and avoided it herself with some grace. As she plodded down the path, she sighed, addressing Key without looking at him. "Did you hear about Johann going down to Shadow Island to face off... his past, shall we say? He hasn't really been fully the same ever since."

Yona wasn't even sure if it was known who Johann had been after, why, or that he brought her along. She looked around and pointed towards a large fern around the height of her waistline. "There, a small nest. Do you want to get it, or shall I? I don't want to scare Doll if I can help it." Yona bit the inside of her cheek, reconsidering bringing Doll along at all. She hadn't really been thinking since it was more just a reflex to bring the mare, but she regretted it considering they didn't know where the hunting traps were or how big of an issue the spiders might end up being.

WC: 831+504= 1335

Kyran followed after Yona, feeling more than a little frustrated. His good mood had vanished. Yona was continuously ignoring him or brushing him off today. He'd been about to tell her that his return to the island should be coming soon. With his graduation to Onyx Moon, Kyran could see more lucrative deals coming his way. That would hopefully let him get ahead of his brother and get him a way to return to the island. Shame that. You were in such a good mood for once. Too much brooding lately.   Erebus snapped his fingers or at least made the snapping sound in Kyran's head. I know! Go tickle the girl. That cropped top makes her the perfect target. It was tempting. Maybe it would lighten Yona's mood. Then again they were on a job and hunting spiders. It'd have to wait until they were done.

"Johann? Who's that?" Kyran asked confused as to why she had brought up this stranger. "And no, I didn't hear anything about a trip to Shadow Island. Why did you bring it up?" It seemed like a strange topic change. She's totally hitting on you. Malinda hissed in his ear. Flirt back. Grab that butt. Give me power! Kyran turned away from Yona to mutter under his breath. "Eae, deal with her please" As you wish, my lord. There were the sounds of a struggle before everything went silent inside his head again.

His attention turned back to their current situation. Yona was worried about Doll. That wasn't surprising. Doll was a little out of place on this job where they needed to be agile. "Leave this one to me. Maybe tie Doll up and leave her here for now?" He raised his hand toward the nest. Cuts appeared across the majority of his palm. Magic swirled about the wounds, forming into blood thorns. After a moment, the thorns pierced the nest. The fern was shredded through. "Do you have an idea of how many nests we need to find and destroy?" Kyran asked as a few spiders burst through the brush. He dealt with them ruthlessly. Each was pinned to the ground by another blood thorn. "Or are we simply supposed to comb the entirety of this area and deal with every single nest?"

WC: 381
Total: 1,330

Yona led the grey horse back the way they came, about fifteen feet or so and then tied Doll up. She was given a bit of room to move in the widest point of the narrow dirt pathway and Yona thought it was the best place to leave her for the moment. When the green haired mage turned around and headed back she saw strange thorns of blood springing out to end the lives of the last few spiders. They weren't very big, but big enough to make her squirm inside her own head. Still, Kyran's question rang in her head as a surprise. Did he really not know Johann? It was going to be a challenge to explain this all to him already without having to explain who her mentor was.

Still, he had been avoiding the guild, between being busy and wanting to not even be in Tolgalen, it made a little bit of sense that he had not yet met Johann. She waited until the spiders were dead and then said, "Well I think we can do maybe five of the small ones, and a few of the bigger ones. They can't complain if we do that, right? Not to mention, we're trying to figure out where they are coming from and what is really going on out here." Yona chuckled a little bit, giving her first real smile so far, "And if we do it right, maybe this time we won't get sent back out here!" She inhaled deeply and let out a hearty sigh, running a hand through the back of her shortened green hair.

"Johann is the VP of our guild, well, one of them. He used to look like an old man. You know, wearing a suit, silver hair, oh but now he looks younger thanks to his uh, situation," Yona knew she needed to just spit it out but she had never been so nervous. Her bundle of nerves was giving her a frayed and weary look, the same look she wore when he had drawn her into a friendly hug. "I uh, well he is my mentor. He's the whole reason my hair is short and I was stuck in the hospital for awhile. I mean, that was a while ago now, I'm fine," She said hurriedly, lifting her hands. Yona was usually good with her words, good with her looks, and yet at this moment, she felt like a walking disaster. Maybe she ought to just say nothing and kill the damn spiders and leave. "Well, I mean I'm not fine, but I'm fine.. All right, so Johann's family was actually killed by a group of vile mud-sucking murderers," Her eyes flashed at the memory. "I went with them to help dispatch the Blood Seal group. We killed a lot of them, but the whole mountain on Shadow Island was cursed and practically, there were just so many enemies there. I helped kill a lot of them, you know they were just heinous. The way they killed all those people, the way they went after Johann--" Yona frowned at herself, her tone conveying remarkable loathing. This was going terribly. How did one explain all that had happened? How could she explain that her mentor and she had fought and she was there when his demon appeared, taking over his mind and body for the first time? When Johann's demon burst from him nearly killing her in a few easy moves, they had shared an incredible closeness that only deepened upon Cirven's interference.

Yona took a few steps back down the path looking around. She found another nest of spiders just around the bend ahead and sighed again. She exuded chemical hormones and the spiders marched out of the nest in a straight line and deeper into the wood. The nest would be abandoned and empty in less than a minute and it took no effort on Yona's part. Abruptly, without any real grace, Yona blurted, "Johann has a demon in him. The lord of war, Mars. They share the same body and sometimes Mars takes control of him. Johann has a decent handle of it, but its why he doesn't look like an old man anymore. "

WC: 707+1335= 2042

Kyran stood back and let Yona talk. His face was contemplative, his good mood falling into a rather serious one. Yona wasn't simply rambling. She didn't just ramble. Not from what he'd seen and Kyran had seen her flat out drunk. There was something she was trying to say to him. Something that had to do with this Blood Seal group or something that had happened while she faced them. Silently, he watched her send the spiders away from their nest. For good measure, Kyran filled that with blood thorns as well. That was when Yona finally got to the point. "Lord of War, eh? Seems more than a little precocious." Kyran said slowly, his mind working over what Yona had said. "I take it, if Johann, as powerful as the VPs are, got a demon, you were possessed by one as well." He patted Yona on the back. It seemed like the logical conclusion. The VPs were immensely powerful. If Yona had gone with Johann and Johann had received a demon, it stood to reason that Yona had received one as well.

Erebos seemed to be spitting at the mention of Mars. Pretentious asshole. 'Lord of War'? Who calls themselves that? Stupidest title I've ever heard. Mars should go drown himself. He takes the fun out of everything. The other demons had gathered around Erebos. Kyran tended to forget that Ahriman, Medea and Malinda had been born rather recently. Erebos, on the other hand, had stolen the opportunity to possess someone. The demon had been alive long before any of them. It stood to reason he might know or at least know of Mars. Kyran smiled at his demon's tone. He'd never heard Erebos get truly angry or irritated. It was good to know something got under his skin. Scales. Whatever the demon had.

Kyran wrapped his arms around Yona. "I don't care if you're possessed by a demon, made a deal with a demon or are actually a demon. I've got demon in my blood. If anything, any of those would make you almost related to me." His lips brushed against her neck in a sign of comfort. A wolf whistle from the back of his mind made Kyran jerk his head up. A blush came to his cheeks. "I'm sorry. That was more intimate then I meant it to be. I-I was only trying to comfort you and..." He felt flustered now, unsure of how to proceed. Kyran stepped back from Yona, clearing his throat a few times. There was a hope that Yona wouldn't take it the wrong way but he didn't have that kind of luck. He braced himself for getting in trouble, yet again, because of his lack of social skills.

WC: 458
Total: 1788

Yona felt Kyran patting her on the back before drawing her into another hug. He was awfully affectionate and kind today, a stark contrast to how he acted the last time they had come out here to deal with spiders. He wasn't exactly right about possession, in that with the demon being sealed inside of her, there was no real way to undo what had been done. Johann was a powerful sealer, enough to keep the demon from destroying Yona and being freed unto the world. Breaking the seal to remove the demon would undoubtedly result in Yona's demise. She was in no mood to make petty corrections, not with him hugging her and giving her so much encouragement. "I guess," She answered, "I just don't know how to live with it. I know it was necessary, what with the ritual and all. I was going to die unless the demon was sealed into place...but I still wish it weren't so." Yona sighed and leaned into the hug as he confirmed that he would stay her partner and that he considered her partially related. Family, she thought. The guild really was family.

As his lips brushed her neck, her eyes widened and she blushed. He stepped back and she bit her lip as he tried to explain himself. She touched where he kissed her, gingerly, and then shrugged, lifting a hand. "It was a bit weird, but well... I can't blame you. I am irresistibly beautiful." Yona laughed then and let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. Her smile faded slightly as she added, "Nobody else knows. I hope you will keep it that way," Yona said wistfully, though her tone suggested it was a question she wanted to be answered. Her periphery caught a small glint in the air, she minute shine upon a strand dangling before her with a small Oni spider at the other end. It pulled her eyes upwards until she found two more small nests in the branches above them. Like an elastic, her eyes and attention snapped back to her partner.

The green haired female stepped backward and extended her left arm to touch the tree behind her, her eyes still on Kyran waiting for a response. Meanwhile, the newly casted spell caused the branch above her to grow dozens of twigs, morphing and twisting until a thick knotted branch had grown completely around the two nests, sealing the spiders off from escape. Death by suffocation was distinctly unpleasant, but the spiders were small and would die quickly inside of the newly formed branch. Shiny fresh leaves sprouted and covered the sight, making it a thing of warped beauty instead of an effective arachnid shroud.


WC: 2042+454= 2496

4 Small Nests Destroyed

Kyran opened his mouth to reassure Yona or perhaps to laugh at her irresistible beauty comment when movement caught his eye. His mouth snapped shut. "Looks like we'll have to shelve this conversation for later." He said turning her around. High in the trees, about 100 to 200 meters away sat a large cluster of large spider nests. Surrounding the tree was a group of environmental activists. A dark haired woman stood in front of all of them. Kyran could clearly feel the magic about her. It wasn't strong but she definitely had magic. Given that she was standing in protection of spiders, Kyran was willing to bet she had something related to that. A grin curled about his face. Medea bounced happily about his mind. Ahriman sharpened his claws, his teeth bared. Kyran was going to enjoy this. "I'm taking out the leader. You take out the followers. No chances taken this time. They attacked us before. I'd rather strike preemptively then be stabbed in the back." Kyran said quickly.

The moment the last word was out, Kyran was off like a bullet. Calamity came off his back. Two shadow arrows sprung off the bow before he was even 15 meters from Yona. The arrows struck the nests, unleashing their swarms. The swarms went after the activists. Clearly, the spiders didn't care who actually struck the nests. Kyran laughed, putting Calamity back. Small cuts opened up as he began preparing a spell. The leader had a nasty scowl on her face. Perhaps she didn't like spiders being used against her. It wasn't something that bothered Kyran. Once the redhead was closer, she began lobbing something at him. Kyran chuckled, unleashing the spell he'd prepared. Mirrors formed around the woman, enclosing her in a dome. Kyran ran into the back of a mirror.

Inside the mirror dome, Kyran's reflections were all around the woman. "Before I take you apart and hand you into the village for protecting the spiders which endanger their village, may I ask your name?" Kyran said. His voice echoed around the small space. The woman hissed, spitting something out of her mouth. Webbing it turned out. It was too bad it was well away from where Kyran was hiding. "I was trying to be polite." He flashed across the small space, striking the woman with the flat of his palm. A resounding slap echoed around the dome. A hand print rapidly formed upon the woman's face. You naughty boy! I didn't think you were into that kind of thing. Here let me show you how to do it. Malinda slid into the driver's seat before Kyran realized what she was doing. His body flew across the area of the spell, striking the woman again and again. It took Kyran only two strikes to realize Malinda was spanking the woman. He flushed red and promptly tried to take back control of his body.

The woman panted in the center of the spell. She'd tried catching him several times leaving webs all about the mirrors. Kyran let a quick flash of blood fire created by his Blood Morph spell wipe the mirrors clean. "May I have your name now?" The woman spat on the ground. "Go to hell" She slammed a lacrima into the ground. It filled the small space with purple mist. The woman choked on it falling to the ground. Perhaps he'd let Malinda go a little too far. He was torn. if he left the mirrors, the strange mist would injure him. If he stayed in the mirrors, there was a good chance the woman would die. Kyran growled stepping into the mist. The poison filtered into his body with every step he took. As he gathered the woman into his arms and zipped back to his mirrors, Kyran hoped that Yona was dealing with everything outside the dome. He'd left her a big job but he was confident she could handle it.

WC: 659
Total: 2,447

"Stabbed in the back? Kyran, wait!" Yona tried, lifting up a hand to grab him. But he had already gone. They needed more information on why the spiders were behaving this way and 'taking out' the leader and the advocate group standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the tree seemed like a poor way to start the conversation. Two arrows speared through the air and split open two of the large nests, spilling out angry oni spiders upon the followers. Yona set her jaw and Ketsueki clenched his fists inside of her mind, "Now can I come out? I'll take care of them for you. Let me just.... show you..." Yona felt the demon pressing against the edges of her mind trying to take control. Her eyes flashed blue and then she drew out her blade of thorns from the trunk of the tree where her hand was still resting. "No, Ketsueki. No, this is my fight." She was honestly more afraid that if she let the demon out he might go after Kyran. That was the last thing she wanted right now.

Sensing her attachment, her fears, her hesitance only fueled Ketsueki to try harder. He had promised Johann's demon lord Mars to not risk Yona's life. But this wasn't life-risking, this was a matter of hunger and bloodlust. And these people weren't innocent friendlies in Ketsueki's eyes either. With blue flame hues, Yona gazed around, noting the details and then dashing forward. Whether or not she agreed this was the way to handle the situation, Kyran was counting on her and she wouldn't leave him to fight alone. She raced forward towards the swarms still draining from the large nests and attacking the people below. One of the followers fell over, unconscious or dead, something Yona could not tell. She released a great amount of hormones, trying to calm the emotions of the angered spiders, to which the followers used as an advantage moment, striking at the spiders with their heels and their clubs. The oni spiders were fleeing and dying still when Yona leaped forth and slashed her scimitar-like blade across the legs of one of the followers, a black haired man, severing tendons in both knees and causing the middle-aged man to fall down. He shouted in pain, "No! No!" Yona scoffed, "So much for protecting the spiders huh?"

To the other follower crawling away, Yona placed a well aimed kick for the back of his head. She had hoped it would knock him to the ground, dazed. Instead, the younger male collapsed, knocked out. Yona growled under her breath, "Trying to tone down the violence here isn't working as well as I had hoped." She glanced up and watched Kyran. Unfortunately, all she saw was mirrors and bits of webbing all around, coating the ground and splurting in between cracks under the mirrors. It was a serious mess in there, but Yona had to be able to handle her own side first. With his legs bleeding, Yona hadn't expected much more of a fight from the follower behind her, just underneath the tree. The plant mage had turned to check on the condition of the male she had kicked in the head, bending over and checking for a pulse on his neck. The dark haired man from behind had slammed his shoulders hard into the tree, stirring up a small nest of Oni spiders from within. Fiercely angry and confused by the death of their kin all around, the spiders pooled out of roots in the ground and holes in the tree's trunk. The black dots moved like a minute sea towards Yona and she was horrified when she turned to face them.

They seemed unaffected by her hormone release, the state of their tiny arachnid-minds in overdrive as they drove across the ground. Yona got to her feet, unsure of what to do for a moment. She took a few steps back and let out a loud cry of agony. A hidden bear-trap on the ground had been triggered by her footstep, its teeth digging into her leg like a predatory beast. The pain, the smell of blood, and her heart racing as she considered her next options gave Ketsueki just the moment he needed. Yona's body began to transform as he took control; large black brambles grew from her neck and shoulders, her blue-flamed eyes burned hotter and brighter, her skin darkened until it was the shade of African-blackwood, and Yona's presence was a thoroughly evil one. With long clawed hands, Ketsueki cackled and slapped at the ground, crunching and squishing dozens of spiders until there were none left. Sticky with the dead creatures, Ketsueki grinned up at the only conscious follower left. "Well, little man. I'm not quite sated yet. I suppose you will have to do."

With two powerful pulls, Ketsueki opened the bear trap and walked towards the dark haired man. The environmentalist quivered and said, "Now wait, I didn't sign up for this. I was just protecting- I mean the spiders are rare- they are finally reproducing and- please no, please," He begged incoherently as Ketsueki stepped forward, disiniterested by the man's pleas. Ketsueki's ankle still dripped blood from the trap but it didn't look like the demon was at all concerned with the condition of Yona's form. He was far more interested in the man on the ground. He drew back one clawed hand and slashed downward, cutting the man's neck and chest into ribbons. Yona howled from inside of her own mind, trying to take control back from Ketsueki. "Stop! Stop! Enough!" The green haired female was not yet strong enough to hold the demon back and having starved him from blood for the past week and a half, he paid no mind to her grasps for control. Ketsueki chuckled at her demands, speaking verbally even if they shared her mind and he didn't need to. "Oh come now, I was merciful. With my power renewed, you might as well get used to being in the back seat for a while. I have great plans, little girl." He ducked down into a crouch, unhinged his jaw, and sank his fanged mouth into the bloodied corpse, beginning to drink.

WC: 2496+1042= 3538


Enemies:
Weak: Small Oni Spider Swarm 5/5
Normal: Large Swarm 3/3
Strong: Environmental Advocates 3/3
Strong: Advocate Leader 0/1

Kyran stepped from the mirrors with the woman in hand. This time he was on the outside, away from the poison gas. The mirrors stayed in place for the time being. He didn't want the poison getting everywhere. Looking for Yona, Kyran nearly dropped the advocate leader. There was a near black wooden demon thing with branches growing from its shoulders. It was chewing on one of the advocates. Oh look its Ketsueki! That devil knows how to do the horizontal tango! Malinda said making a sound that was similar to a purr. Ew. The redhead carefully put the woman down. This demon could only be Yona. The things didn't randomly appear in the middle of the woods according to his research. Not to mention, Yona's body wasn't among those knocked unconscious. Kyran sank into a ready position.

"Demon! Give Yona back control. Now." There weren't many spells he could use against this beast. Not without potentially killing Yona. However, Kyran knew the helplessness of sitting in the back of the mind waiting for the chance to seize control. It only took a little fracture in the demon's concentration. Blood spurted from his wrists as Kyran opened up cuts on the back of them. One immediately transformed into a seal. The seal started at his wrist and wrapped around his arm in a line of spiky thorns. The number 1 shone brightly on the bulbous beginning of the seal. The other blood swirled, twisting into a wispy devilish form. Kyran directed his Diaboli into one of the bodies of the fallen. He had no sympathy for these people and the Diaboli was more effective in a body. The man rose slowly, leaking red energy. Then together, the Diaboli and Kyran sent Blood thorns streaking toward the demon.

Kyran darted one way while his summon darted the other. No rest for the wicked. He brought his hands together, sending a stream of blood fire at the demon. Yona was a plant person. Hopefully that meant the demon's weakness was fire. The Diaboli ran at Ketsueki, its fists a blur. Kyran wasn't sure what its plan was. However, there was nothing he could do about it. The summon had a mind of its own. He threw another few Blood Thorns at the demon, swaying slightly. He'd used a lot of blood fairly quickly. There was a good chance he'd used too much. Yona didn't have a long time before he collapsed from blood loss. "Come on, Yona!" He said through gritted teeth.

WC: 421
Total: 2,868

Yona could taste the blood, and again it reviled her. It was ghastly and she didn't think she could ever get used to it. It was fluid like at first, rich in iron, and progressively it got thicker as the blood tried to congeal. She felt her stomach turn and forced herself to fight the urge to let her stomach empty itself out. Above anything, she needed to regain control, hopefully before Kyran caught sight of the vampiric plant-demon himself. Ketsueki, on the other hand, was enjoying himself. He paid no attention to the gruesome wound Yona's ankle sustained from the bear trap or to Kyran either at first. The thrill of taking control and drinking the life from the human before him, reminded him of his glory days as a free demon of the night. The days where the people feared him, told stories of him, when he lived in infamy before his capture. Ketsueki had tried bargaining and making deals with his host, but Yona had proved to be far more controlling than he would have liked. Her biggest caveat was not drinking blood or attacking innocents, but he couldn't agree to that of course.

He lifted his head when Kyran called out to him and grinned; Yona's face splitting to show the sharp rows of teeth within. Ketsueki was happy for the attention but not enough that a single mage would stop his current escapade. "When I'm done, when I'm done," He replied in a sing-song voice. The voice was deep and yet playful, the words coming from Yona's lips made it fairly disorienting. He turned back to the man and lifted his eyes to Kyran, purposely taking a long luxurious lick of what remained of the corpse's neck. Yona fought harder, beating against the strength of the powerful demon, and for a moment the blue flames in her eyes flicked back to a wide-eyed and familiar green gaze. The moment passed when Ketsueki maintained control, mocking and taunting Yona and Kyran both with it.

When Kyran attacked him, he at first laughed, the thorns all landing and sticking into Yona's modified bark-flesh. But the second attack from the Diaboli caught him by surprise. As the fists started to fly and hit him, he lifted his arms to protect himself. He was about to return an attack when another barrage of thorns hit him. Sure, he could fight and end the male mage here, but instead, Ketsueki sighed. Something told him if he continued to cause problems at this point, that Yona might do something rash. People were unnaturally attached to each other and Ketsueki couldn't rely on her not jumping off of a cliff or something and giving him his own end with her's. Yona fought and struggled, hearing Kyran's voice. She regained control of her body, transforming back into her own feminine and beautiful form despite the injuries she sustained from the bear trap and Key. She groaned and lifted her hands in surrender, "Key, Key it's me!" She seemed breathless as she landed on her knees, "It's done. Not much of a chance of you still keeping this my secret is there?" It was what it was; the truth was perhaps this was the kick she needed to finally tell the guild leaders what was going on. Even if they locked her up, it would be better than having a repeat of today happen.


WC: 3538+570= 4108


Enemies:
Weak: Small Oni Spider Swarm 5/5
Normal: Large Swarm 3/3
Strong: Environmental Advocates 3/3
Strong: Advocate Leader 1/1

Kyran wrapped his arms around Yona, more than happy to see her. The demon hadn't thought much of him. That had been easy to see. The demon hadn't know just how much Kyran had been holding back. He knew better than most, injuries done to the controlling demon damaged the host. Yona's head was cradled in Kyran's shoulder. His arms kept the girl close even if she tried to pull away. Placing his hand in the blood all around them, Kyran used another spell. A tiny fairy formed from the blood, her wings bloodred. A light sparkled from her. It soothed the injuries they'd both sustained. Kyran made sure the light fell heavily on Yona's ankle. The entire time, Kyran didn't speak. He simply took care of Yona as best he could. Once the red head was sure she was better, he dismissed the fairy and sat back on his heels.

"You think that was bad? Malinda... I've woken up in more beds than I can count, next to strangers I don't know. I've no idea if she's raped anyone. Erebos has blown up more than one building using my body and I don't know if there were people inside or not. Medea has forced my body to participate in several duels to the death. Ahriman... well there's a long list against him." Kyran laughed bitterly. "Even Eae, the angel inside me, has done it. You killed one person." He tipped Yona's head up, a smile on his face. "This is your secret, sweet Yona. I'll not tell it even under torture. But take my advice. Tell someone else. Someone powerful. The leaders of WFTC..." Kyran grimaced. He wanted to tell Yona to turn to them. However, how could he advise it when he himself didn't trust them? "They don't need to know unless you think they're the best choice. Tell someone other than me though. A group that can keep it in check when you need the help, or a single person that's always around to pull you back from the edge. It doesn't matter which."

Kyran got to his feet, brushing off the dirt. "I think we're done here. How about I take you home? I've got a few more things to take care of off the island." He always would until he'd dealt with the Gruen issue. Until that was handled, Kyran wouldn't be on Tolgalen much. He couldn't be. To this point, he'd only given his brother old data that couldn't help him in any way. "If you need anything Yona, all you need to do is call." Kyran offered his hand to Yona, a smile on his face. "What do you say, little sister?"

WC: 450

The plant mage felt a whirlwind of emotion. For a twenty one year old, someone who had been in the guild for a little over a year, she had grown so much. And yet, when faced with the issues of her demon taking over her body and consuming the blood of another person, Yona felt truly horrified and helpless. It was unlike her to face her fear with anything but the utmost bravery and brashness. With Kyran holding her in a tight hug and healing her injuries, she had never felt more like a child. She wondered as a passing thought if she had lost any of her dignity in his eyes. When her friend released her and sat back, she sat straighter as well.

Yona listened as he confessed to a plethora of times that his body has been used against his will, the demons cavorting about at their own whims. She made an expression caught between sympathy and something else she could not quite identify. To have that many demons within, she realized in comparison she must have seemed lucky to only have to deal with one abomination. When he promised not to tell her secret, she let out a breath of relief. She had time then to figure it out before telling the guild. "You have a point, Key. I suppose I should tell those closest to me just in case." When Kyran got to his feet, she took his hand and let him help her back up. She frowned to herself, thinking of all the new information in her head. Things she could use to stave off the MindReaver. It was time then, to tell Kyran the truth. It had gone on long enough and the problems weren't getting any easier. Yona had no way of knowing what the consequences might be, but Kyran had trusted her and would keep her secret. She could not keep on with him, betraying him for his own good, without his knowledge.

"I'm going to use that now then. We need a quiet and private place to talk," Yona drew out a small wooden top, blood stained on the point at the bottom. "I have a confession to make and a great deal to tell you." If Kyran agreed, then she would have to tell him about the MindReaver and his powers. About the conversation in the dark basement from their last mission. And about the time she had to inform on Kyran just to make sure he would stay alive. She passed the top to Kyran, "Don't touch the bottom, please. It's not just a toy you hold in your hands."

WC: 4108+442= 4550

Kyran looked curiously at the toy that Yona produced. He could feel weak magical energy coming off it by focusing on it. Perhaps that was the point of the trinket. While on a sufficiently powerful mage, the thing couldn't be detected. Listening to Yona speak, Kyran's expression got darker and darker. He hadn't called Yona, little sister, for nothing. She was family. He didn't like that she had been threatened or that he had placed her in danger. Turning away from her, Kyran cut his finger on the bottom of the toy. "Listen here, you little shit. I'm coming after you. You'll never see me coming, never hear my footsteps. You'll scream for days as I slowly take you apart bit by bit. When I've wrung every bit of info and pain out of you, I'll let Yona finally finish you. Why am I going to do this, you might ask. Because you threatened her, caused her pain and made her afraid."

Whipping around, Kyran smashed the wooden top into a nearby tree. He hit it over and over until it was mangled. Blood ran through his fingers. He couldn't feel the damage he'd done to his own hands. Throwing the thing on the ground, Kyran pulled forth Calamity and proceeded to shoot the toy until it disintegrated. "He won't bother you again, Yona." Kyran said breathing heavily. His bow hung by his side. He looked at the plant mage with a hint of a smile. "Now the hunter has become the hunted."