Pain and Darkness: Time of Reckoning

Cities in Minstrel on the borders of Midi had never been the most opulent places; their neighbourdhood country, was little more than a pastoral peninsula, filled with forest, small villages and ruled by a modest monarchy. Closed by cliffs to the rich hand of the sea, Midi used to offer nothing in terms of riches than cattles and a quite landscapes. That until the entire peninsula was smothered by blankets of lava of metal, two monsterous masses of molten minerals had coalesced over Midi, covering almost each square inch of terrain in a everlasting prison. Midi was a place so barren that even plants struggled to find a place to rise, truly a land of dead: a yet, despite (or maybe because of that reason) that Sa'luk al-Tair was heading there to slay.

The man was resting in a inn two days of travel close to the borders, a two-store building squalid on the outside and rather empty of the inside. The innkeeper, an old, porty man, was showering the Devil Slayer with all the praises he could get, singing the qualities of his food, as costumers were commodity rarer and rarer to find in those days. Sa'luk had been already satisfied with a first meal, but ordered a second on the insistence of the patron. He found the food good, but he knew he was not the best person to evaluate the quality of aside: aside of his guildmaster stellar delicacies, he always to tried to keep his diet as frugal as possible, since he didn't want to be pray on the demon of gluttony: his job, no his crusade required him to work always at the best of his power, regardless of the taste of what he consumes in his everyday day.

But the years he passed with Dawn Horizon, in the end, still smoothed the assassin's rough edge: he grew shaver, cleaner, his face looking slightly pale and his eyes less sloven. Finding no reason to wear as a beggar, Sa'luk wore a turquoise tank-top, showing off his lithe yet strong arms, brown light pants; he still kept his typical open sandals, as an assassin must be ready anchor his bare on the ground when to strike. Always blending in his environment, Sa'luk looked practically identically to a Minstrel citizen from the southern reasons, if he weren't from the dreadlocks. His allegiance to Dawn Horizon may have soften his look, but he within he felt sharp as ever. Ready to bite, to strike, to come on the wicked like a scourge from the above and dragging them in the shadow, where their fate was only Hell and Darkness.

"You forget also that you've beocme a bona-ifde bishonen, my dear boy. As that beauty of Lindsay may attest, since she can't quite take off her plump, round golden eyes from your chiseled muscles...."

And there went Cursan, Sa'luk most loyal companion, sealed in arm blade's, always read to devour wicked souls, cast the power of demonic shadows, read minds inappropriately or spew juvenile comments from his mental mouth. The mentioning of the readhead made him blush slightly though.

The ring of the entrance bell captured his attention, distracting him from any witty return he had for his foul-mouthed demon caretaker. The few male patrons all turned their heads almost turned their heads as they were owls as young woman entered in the Inn and demanded something to drink or eat. The innkeeper gave the woman his most displayed reverences before taking orders, leaving her alone on the table.

"My, my, Think of Attractive Women and they doth appear! Would kindly give your boss fianceé your greetings? I don't want her think I haven't taught you good manners, Sa'luk." Suggested Cursan in a rather amused, if not jokingly paternal tone. Sa'luk did not enjoy to socialize a the moment, to busy at thinking of the ways to kill his target, but he surely found the coincidence interesting to say the least. He move close to the woman as waited for her meals, ignoring all the most lustful glances and the comments on the candor of her hair.

"Hi Mizuki . May I ask you why you are here?"

She continued thinking. It seemed like all of this had taken place so long ago. The revelry, the fun times, the madness; such a complicated yet simple story that it was difficult to decide what was the dominant half of the narrative. Regardless, Mizuki had taken the time to clear her head for a bit. Now that she was engaged, the woman had decided to reevaluate some of her past exploits, as monstrous and carnage filled as they were.

Midi was one of them. A joint excursion that resulted in an entire nation mummified, preserved for all eternity in a special mold that she and an acquaintance cooked up. Part of her wondered if she should check up on this old friend. Surely if the years had changed Mizuki they would have changed one of her favorite people. She sighed, wondering if that country remained undisturbed. While it only shared a border with the nation of Minstrel, that didn't mean that adventurous people wouldn't attempt to cross.

Mizu placed her glass down for a bit, her emerald gaze searching the establishment as she pondered how these people would react to such a sight. Sure, they saw as a beautiful, silver-haired woman with dazzling green eyes, but what would their reaction be when that same woman showed gave them a tour of her destruction? She decided their response would be both amusing and worthwhile. For the time being though, she would meditate for the sake of finding balance. Mizuki still hadn't decided how she would break the news of the engagement to her mother. A fact further complicated by the goddess's absence.

It was then that she heard a familiar voice. Cordial enough, but the tension was there. She turned, confirming her suspicions. "Sa'luk," she said as way of greeting, "I could ask the same of you. You don't strike me as the type to indulge in a traveler's whim yet here you are." Mizuki shifted in her seat, sitting for a bit while deciding what to do. Her food was on its way so that would stall conversation for a bit.

Yet she wondered why he was in this exact location, an inn near the border between Minstrel and Midi, grabbing a bite to eat and a place to rest. Did he plan on visiting Midi? She pondered how he would react. The woman knew that he has spent most of his time as a vigilante, killing corrupt politicians and officials while slaughtering criminals and mobsters. Perhaps even doing away with a serial killer or two. Mass-murderers and people with genocidal tendencies could be a problem as well; that is where she came in. She lounged in her chair while waiting for an answer.

In deepest recess of the mindscape, a chamber of thoughts unknown even to his host and pupil, Cursan sighed. How come the girlfriend of Tetsuya, one of the most sociable person he had ever known in his long life, is drier than a plum left in the desert? Maybe because opposite tends to attract; afterall, he has got to live the last decade in the body of that stick in the mud of Sa'luk. Maybe being brooding does score some points in terms of charm.

Sa'luk placed a newspaper on the table. He had no love for Mizuki, but also little reason to dislike her. She was the woman his best friend loved, for that reason alone she deserved his respect as a guildmate. He remembered, the first time he met the woman, the feeling of a terrible and dreaded strength, a fury boiling silent behind her pale surface yet ready to deflagrate at the slightest provocation. He voiced his concerns both with Tetsuya and Sabrina, both they were ready to reassure him on the loyalty of the girl. Cursan reached the same conclusion, and he never found another reason to be suspicious of Mizuki. Plus, he had an excellent detector in his demon companion, one that can trace the most subtle dangers.

"Look at this girl". He pointed his finger on a photo in the paper. The subject was a woman of Mizuki's age, clad in the robes typical of the high ranking members of Zentopia. Her face was fresh, her eyes pure a golden nugget... to a less experienced eyes. To Sa'luk she was nothing but a sly lioness, feigning harmlessness just to trick her preys.

"Katerina Tenenbaum." He gave his answer. "According to the pious, God-fearing and law-abiding people of Caelum she known to be the honorable cadet daughter of the prestigious Tenenbaum family and the venerable protector of His Eminence Eugene, Cardinal of Caelum. To the non law-abiding people, however, she renowned to be a crazy sadist, a serial killer and torturer, and more, importantly, one of the top brasses in the Dark Guild Black Soul, one of the worst of the country. According to our sources, she heading to the country of Midi, bringing some really potent staff there."

"Yes, I sense a source of energy pouring through like an entire cabal of dark witches on crack during a Sabbath." Cursan participated in the conversation with his unique brand of humor. "Forgive my, Mizuki, If I do not talk with you by assuming a physical form, but I'd rather cause all these nice costumer unnecessary panic attacks and fits of insanity."

Drier than a plum. It was an amusing way to describe her nowadays. Then again, she had toned down on her condescending sarcasm quite a bit and was now almost reasonable. Almost. Maybe it was time to bring back some of that flavor of yesteryear. Mizuki shrugged, reclining just a bit as the buzz of the world faded away for a second. Sa'luk was neither a friend nor a foe, but simply an acquaintance, one that she had spent little time with until now. Yet here they were sitting at a table in an inn.

She peered down at the paper placed in front of her. A slow, deadly smile creeped to her lips as Mizu began memorizing every detail. There was something dishonorable about this honorable daughter. Eyes of innocent, harmonious gold? How many times had Mizuki feigned the harmless, innocent act during her travels in faraway places? Shining emeralds and silver locks, and a slender girl figure. It was like taking candy from a baby, letting villages and guys see what they wanted to see. Something told her this was going to be good. Really good.

"That's her name? Sounds like she's a peach and my type of girl," Mizuki responded. That bubbling, ominous fury that Sa'luk had felt so long ago began building within her once more. Could he fault her for being excited? Probably, but she didn't care. Mizu had spent a fair amount of time in a dark guild before it collapsed from mismanagement. Finding another sadist to confront was something that provoked a list of long lost memories in her mind. Tales of woe, narratives filled with screams and burning agony, stories that would make the Grimm Brothers cringe.

Mizuki found some calm. Now wasn't the time to return to a nuclear existence. She could wait just a bit longer; once she reached Midi then and only then could she truly cut loose. The woman felt an internal itch, something that could only be scratched with the soothing sounds of mayhem. "She's visiting Midi as well? What a coincidence," Mizu noted before adding, "there's nothing to forgive, I assume the other patrons would sincerely appreciate avoiding heart failure. I suppose you're headed there to stop her?"

Sa'luk gave his answer: "Exactly. We do not know why she is there and what is the nature of the dark energy she carries with, but we can be quite sure is not some kind of charitable work. We must stop any bad seed from blossoming. Now that I've answered you, I would like to have you tell me the truth about: why have you come to land forsaken by gods and men and alive. Aren't you supposed to stay with the boss?"

Straight on point and blunt like a mace. Sa'luk could not help but roll his immaterial eyes: if Mizuki was drier than a plump, then dear Sa'luk was a bonafide raisin.

"Please, Sa'luk couldn't you be a bit less direct? An engaged woman has a right for private businesses just like everybody else,you dummy."

Mizuki nodded. "Of course she isn't there for charity. You expect me to believe she is going to Midi out of the kindness of her heart? Let's not be dense now." A grin appeared as she contemplated telling them. "Well we are currently in Minstrel, so I wouldn't call this a land forsaken by gods and men alive. There a decent, god-fearing folk here. Shame about where the dark mage brats are headed though."

With a sigh, her food finally arrived. Thanking the waiter, she began to eat, savoring the flavors that greeted her tongue. Having her fill for a bit, she decided to speak again. "Don't worry your poor little heart child, I'm only there to rest and meditate before returning home to my beloved. Though perhaps you two could use a hand. It would be a terrible shame if her little pussy did you in." There was that snark of yesteryear, one that Tetsuya had sparred with before he grew fond of it.

Sa'luk barely contained a knee-jerk reaction: two asses with a dark sense of humor were too much for him to handle at once. Cursan answered on his place. "Do not worry, my sweet princess. We have been taking of care pussies like that far before Tetsuya took care of yours." If a duel of snark was what she wanted, a duel of snark would have got: the ancient demon had too many powerful women in the guild treating like a stool. He was once revered and feared as living calamity, goddammit! "Maybe it is you should not itch closer to places like Midi; after all, things can be though for a lovely and lonely maiden daring alone in the belly of the beast..."

“Cursan, Mizuki is an S-Class Mage, our direct superior, and she is the one whom Tetsuya everyday praises as a woman capable of kicking his ass. She wouldn’t have much trouble in defending herself.” The assassin stated as a matter of fact, recalling the things his friend used to tell when the two sparred. Cursan was almost foaming: “Sa’luk you have managed to screw yours, Tetsuya, and I's reputation and dignity in one single shot! That’s a Guinness World Record! I’m baffled!”

The sass was exceptional. Mizuki's grin darkened as she indulged some more of food to fill a protesting stomach. "He does a decent job I suppose, but you may need a bit of help in protecting yourself. I'm pretty sure someone saw fit to put a cute little shadow like yourself in a jar for centuries on end. Perhaps you want to revisit that cozy location?" she commented innocently, "Then again, the belly of the beast might remind you of your quaint little home. Surely you aren't terrified of such a quiet landscape with only your own thoughts for company?" She decided to move on as she begin finishing her meal. "So, when are you planning on greeting this group? Surely they'll appreciate a welcoming party after such a long time traveling and we wouldn't want them falling to unexplained circumstances."

Sa'luk’s smile got wider and wider; if snark and quips was the language she and Cursan shared, planning deaths was his bread and butter. "It would depend on the terrain they decide to party. We will make them comfortable for a while, then strike them down when they need excitement the most. It is gonna be a terrific show, a shame that no one would come and see the spectacle."

Sa'luk got closer to Mizuki, seeing in the woman's eye emerald eyes an excitement like his own. Whatever her past was, she truly shared with him and Tetsuya a passion for risky jobs. That woman was one of the very few which expressed genuine interest in his brand of justice: truly something worthy of picking his interest. “I do not know much about the extent of your abilities, but Tetsuya-san speaks nothing but praises about you, so I suppose you are quite the deal. Now, if you want to give me a hand, are you willing to follow my methods to the letter? Trust me, this affair won’t be for the faint of heart.”

Mizuki grin broadened in tandem. "Sounds like dinner and a show. If you keep this up I'm sure you'll find the one," she punched his shoulder playfully while finding a darkened enthusiasm lurking underneath the light-hearted one. A reason to tear someone limb from limb and not have to worry about repercussions? It sounded fantastic, almost too good to be true. What mattered to her was that it was in fact happening, and she was going to enjoy every second of it. "He flatters me. I think you'll learn quickly that the faint of heart is the last thing I am." Her smile was seemingly pure, but for a second, just for a second there was a sign of the furious, foaming monster lying within. Clamoring to free itself. The most beautiful things guard the ugliest secrets.

Darkness and Lava. Force and Finesse. Truly a match made in Heaven, if God does approve of unbelievably brutal prosecutors with a disturbing penchant for violence. But those two young lasses still had to deal with the old host Cursan, who was not pleased a bit from the chemistry between them.

“Don’t count your gross fish babies before having hatched them, you two! I am the eldest one in team, and I can’t stomach the idea of someone less than a hundred times my age and fame dare to even question my power like I was a second fiddle Etherious spawned from some tome stained with snots and chewing gum! Little miss, I am the Cursan, Sultan of Darkness, the Dark Djinn, true bane of the civilizations. I have sunk cities in blackest abysses, brought years of night in the desert of Ishgar! Many of the mightiest mages of old have wasted their lives in their useless struggles against my might! And I should lower myself to work and even take order by a rude little amateur who still wet behind her ears? Never, never, never, never, never, never. Never!”

“You have said ’never’ at least five many times too many, come on!” Salu’k corrected Cursan. Wasn’t he the one who always told the assassin the need of socializing more? Now not only he has met someone in the guild willing to fight for his personal crusade, but was thoroughly enthusiastic to do so. Tetsuya’s woman was becoming more and more interesting as time went on.

Cursan groaned, realizing that his pupil was even more a pain in the ass when was sarcastic. But he had more urgent matters to take care. His mental concentration tuned entirely with Mizuki, so that any communication between the Lava God Slayer would be heard just by the two of them, Sa’luk none the wiser. Years after years of practicing telepathy- there was little to do so when sealed in little more than a bar of metal less than one meter long- has made the old demon a pro in juggling between many canals and conversation. It was something he liked to do: utter and mutual honesty was the basis of healthy relationship with his disciple. But, for the lasses’ sake, he had to step down. “Mizuki, I am asking a very private and important question, and I would be glad if you answer me truthfully.” The wisecrack had vanished like shadow; Cursan words assumed a weighty totally unusual to his tone of conversation. “Do not worry, Sa’luk won’t hear a single thought. Tell me, were you the one who who entombed Midi in divine lava? Please, the matter is urgent.”

Mizuki was unperturbed nor surprised when the line opened up. She sat back as she decided how she would respond to the question. “Surely the matter isn’t that urgent. We are sitting in an inn only a couple minutes removed from the border. You’ll have an answer to your question soon enough. Besides, a little suspense is good for the soul,” she responded telepathically before sipping on her drink.

The woman continued outloud, “I am looking forward to meeting this adversary though, she seems to be a pro at playing a people for a fool. Won’t it be fun to see her expression when she realizes that isn’t the case with us. Oh well. Besides Cursan, you can list hundreds of titles if it makes you happy, none of them will do you any good in a fight. Last time I checked you can’t fight with words in a physical confrontation, unless you’ve learned script magic during these years of freedom.

“Mizuki, there is a tiny difference between using sarcasm and acting like a goddam idiot.” Cursan telepathic ‘voice’, or better, his state of mind was another world from what he was before. His physical body was forever to be locked in a sword, but his mind and eldritch magic from the years he was known as a calamity and a destroyer. “Tendrils” of pure rage flowed from the demon to the woman, an infusion of power capable of sending most mages in an abyss of despair, chopping their minds and then scattering in an everlasting dark.

"What do you know about Sa'luk history? Why is he doing the thing he does) And to whom? He is not like us: he does not enjoy killing people because it provides some moment of fun or to satiate his hunger. He is not psychopath, but a man driven solely by a purpose: and that is to send beasts like you in hell. Don't you get it? How do you think things will be going for you or him once he discovers that you've buried alive thousands and thousands of innocent people just for shit and jiggles? I know him better than the dirty angles of the Sword of Fog: he'll fly in rage, and do everything in his power to murder the hell out of you. The outcome will be one: you or him will suffer a death horrible beyond belief. And I promise you it won't be my boy."

His tendrils slammed into a wall. A wall of madness, carnage, screams and hopelessness. A movie composed of every single massacre or genocide she propagated. Her mental smile was terrifying to behold. “You don’t know me that well either Cursan. If you expect me to die than you will find yourself gravely disappointed. I like living here thank you very much, and it is part of my pastime to destroy complacency. I’m very very dangerous when I’m bored. As Midi found out when my acquaintance and I came calling. Do not make empty threats that will only die on your tongue.” She stretched lazily. “Murder is only murder when you intend to kill. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Besides, he’ll find out sooner or later. I do wonder how the little monster ministry girl will react. Or maybe she’ll be too dead to find out.” The woman shrugged.

Cursan almost felt himself laughing. Genocide, carnage, destruction? The most she ever destroyed was a bunch of villages made of sheep, as weak as children: it took immense magical power merely to contain him. But perhaps he could not blame entirely on the girl: with a haughty fury Pele as mother, very few people would have turned right. Sa’luk himself was teetering on the edge of the abyss. Cursan he is not sure if he manages to save him, or himself. “’Murder is only murder when you intend to kill. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time’ This nonsense which Pele has nurtured to you will kill someday. There is always someone higher then you on the pecking order, and, if there isn’t any, you will be still left with yourself, wandering in the void you have created with your own hand. The path of destruction you are widening every day of your life will be your only home, and it will be filled with nothing but lava. No one will ever be there to love you.

And, to anticipate your retort: “but at least Sabrina is my friend, and I and Tetsuya love each other from the bottom of our hearts.” Well, tell me, what a person with a mind and a soul like an active volcano- always ticking, always itching before the big deflagration- does know about love? Love is the most boring thing ever! It means sticking around with people that sooner or later will be driving you mad, hearing them every damned time they need some help, give them nurture, protection, warmth, not blaze. It is about making the menial, tedious job of staying with them every day of life knowing that there will be moments when you won’t be able to stand even yourself. The strong passion you have for Tetsuya, and that Tetsuya has for you, will slowly but surely falter: every fire sooner or later dies. And when that moment will come, I assure, you will come to despise Tetsuya, Sabrina and the beloved friends you don’t even deserve. You will hate the life in your guild, calling it ‘routine’ and ‘chit chat’. Maybe you’ll leave them; maybe they’ll drive you so mental you’ll try to kill them. Or maybe they will dump you first: everyone desires fiery types always willing to explode, but no one would ever live with them. You can't make the sacrifice of putting some fetters on your temper. After all, that was exactly what you mother was not able to do for you."

Mizuki sensed some amusement on his part. Apparently wiping out hundreds of thousands of residents in a country didn't count as a genocide. She tucked away that note for later. However, when he made mention of her mother, a boiling fury enveloped her. "Leave her out of this!!" she roared telepathically. The woman who freed her from slavery, the one who took her in, taught her abilities and almost everything she knew. Yes, she knew something about love, for Mizuki adored the goddess who had done everything for her. Who could have left her to her fate but chose not to. The woman would be lying if she said that she didn't miss the goddess, who had resided within her for so long, only to finally relinquish the last bit, allowing her child to fly free.

Something clicked during that statement. "You forget something about volcanoes, they do not simply destroy, they create. New lands to be tended to, fertile locations from which various entities can rise. A massive eruption is not just an end, but also a beginning. Perhaps a volcano still destroys, but it's aim can change. Instead of destroying all it can destroy enemies. Instead of creating to ease its own boredom it can build to provide for loved ones. Nothing is constant or the same, fires rise and fall and waves flow and ebb. An active volcano can become dormant after finding its peace, creating a world ready to nurture those in its grasp. Do not assume that what is will always remain." her eyes glowed dangerously as a warning.

"That only if the vulcano knows how and when to stop." Cursan's retort came without fail, but the angry demon could not feel but a spark of amusement for this conversation. The last retort was undoubtedly a witty one: and, perhaps, a sign of change in Mizuki’s fickle and uncaring heart. "Don't you know that there many super-volcanoes, wonders of nature whose roars so powerful they can cover the entire atmosphere in ashes? If you can't put a leash, that' s how you are going turn your world: a cold desert of ashes, where nothing can grow from..."

But that philosophy debate had to conclude. The mental conversation between the demon and the God Slayer was fast, a tad more than time it takes for a man to blink his eyes twice. Yet Sa'luk noticed the rage arising from Mizuki eyes, and immediately asked Cursan what was the cause. The Black Djinn interrupted his encrypted conversation with Mizuki and revealed his thoughts to both Dawn Horizon members. "That is nothing. I just told Mizuki than her adoptive mother is a cunt. Something that is absolutely true, believe me."

Instead of waiting for a furious reaction from Mizuki or an even sharper and more gelid remark, it was Sa'luk who acted to stop this endless charade. "Cursan, we have got some monsters to wipe out from the face of earth. We can't waste our time any more in chatter and bickering like toddlers. I am, quite frankly, sick of your shit. So please, Cursan, shut up and let me be the one who talks and the one who takes decisions."

Then he talked to the young God Slayer. "Forgive him. That damned demon's pride too often gets over his head. Returning to us, I'll be glad to have you helping me in my mission. As long as you're willing to follow my lead." Sa'luk was not the type who apologizes often, but Cursan behavior was quite inexcusable. Sarcasm aside, Mizuki's was willing to give them a hand without asking nothing in return; if anything, Cursan and Sa'luk owed the woman gratitude.

Mizuki knew that all too well; her mother was likely the largest super-volcano there ever was. “Don’t decide for me how I should live my life, what happens happens and nothing more. Changes occur from the inside and the outside. It would behoove you to remember that.” Indeed, her fury was growing, starting to build into something tangible. Others in the establishment could see it, beginning to pay closer attention to the conversation that was taking place. Even if all words for the time being remained behind closed doors. So, it seemed due to cut the dialogue short. She stopped.

Prevailing calm was interrupted when he said those words to her. “What did you call her????” Mizu asked, each syllable bubbling and oozing with thinly veiled animosity. “I know you didn’t say that.”

Yet she paused again upon hearing Sa’luk’s immediate rebuke and even rarer apology. It was a stunning moment that caused her to lose just a bit of her sass.

“Fine. Think of me as an assistant on this endeavor. One that attempts to prevent your comrade from doing something stupid.”

"He won't."Sa'luk reassured her. When it comes to work, professionalism was his utmost tenet. "According to our sources, the targets are taking break. Meet us tomorrow at 6.00 o'clock. We'll follow the target and his acolytes until the night comes; at that time, they will stop to rest or to execute her plans. Just don't be late."

Mizuki stood, placing the required amount for the food on the table. She grinned while leaving. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Mizu responded before exiting.

A Silent Nightmare
The air was crisp, with a hint of autumn in its breath. The ground glistened with morning dew; a sense of melancholy had returned. Mizuki stood on the border of the two nations, noting the contrast in quiet. One land was filled with a natural serenity born of the changing seasons; the other contained a haunted silence. Even the landscape reflected these differences; the trees and grasses of a lively homeland, while the other contained a world frozen. A time capsule if you will. Mizuki could see her breath as she waited, emerald eyes peering at the land beyond. It remained untouched after all these years, displaying the handiwork of Mizu and her accomplice. Perhaps she would do something with this land one day. For now, she would make sure that it remained untouched, allowing nature to take its course in an effort to repair what had been taken. "Wait for me. I will give you something for what was lost," she murmured to herself as the woman heard the approach of her guildmates.

"Took you look enough, I was suspecting you all had elected to sleep in," she responded as way of greeting. While she knew Sa'luk was the type to be punctual if not early (hence her reasoning for arriving early), Cursan was less so. Centuries of arrogance could do that to a person. Though she thought being trapped in a sword would do something to dissuade such behavior; the woman supposed old habits die hard.

Cursan remained silent, his true feelings bottled in the Sword of Fog. No, he could have told Mizuki that he never sleeps, that he was, in fact, awake in every day of those bloody centuries spent alone in the artifact, with nothing but himself to keep him company. But it would start another endless quarrel, something he was a bit more than tired of. Better waiting instead, for the moment his disciple had realized the utter truth about the real extent of the psychosis of his teammate. Thereafter, he would have made Mizuki pay for her insults and sass hundredfold.

His boy himself was just getting in the right mood for a especially violent execution: before Sa’luk eyes a massacre without compare was stretching, devastation on every angle as far as the line of the horizon went on. No life was spared from the tomb of lava; every tree, every animal forever imprisoned by a malignant force, as there was no volcano in the land capable of such display of force, such magnitude in his eruption. Human hands were responsible for that- or better yet, the hands of a true monster. Should he ever met the one or even the group responsible for this utter devastation, Sa’luk vowed he would have them scream in terror and agony right down to their very cellular structure. Nonetheless, the demons far away were a distant concern: he had to think of those near him, dark mages who had abused of their strength for their own ends, trampling over the life of innocents. Sa’luk did not care at all about what the Magic Council’s law defined a crime or not: it was its negligence and corruption which made slavery possibly at Desierto, Bosco and many other countries in Isghar: but Black Soul actions repugnance to everything that was moral and just was beyond sickening. And in the very places the arms of law and police could not reach, he was the one to administer the due justice on the wicked.

“The targets are headed at seven o’clock. I am perceiving a total of ten people in Katerina mission, herself included.” Sa’luk explained to Mizuki. “However, Cursan clearly perceives the large pool of dark energy in addition to them. Nine life-forces are surrounding it, while one is at the epicenter of the pulse of energy, so we can assume that their moving on a convoy, walking on horses and escorting a large carriage all over. Given their speed of travel and ours, we will reach them when the night approaches. We must not squander our time any longer.”

From his travel bag, Sa’luk took what looked like a medical, buttoned capsule, a device which appeared to be clad in gold, probably made of a particularly shining type of brass. The most unusual thing about the button was as dragon shaped rune, the incision of sinuous serpent very reminiscent of Sabrina’s all-mighty form draconic form. The rune, close to Sa’luk itched has it was reacting the Devil Slayer’s own magical power; when it pushed the bottom, the rune emitted a strong. Sa’luk threw the capsule in an empty space, its luminescence engulfing it whole, so strong the two Slayers had to close their eyes. When the brilliance was over, one of the strangest the device the mage has ever seen appeared in the place of the capsule.

It looked like a carriage, but there was no well or horses. Instead, the device was shaped like the head of an eastern dragon, slender and elegant, big enough to swallow whole roughly four or five people. The dragon head, unlike the capsule it had contained him, truly looked as if it was made of solid, fine golden, a shimmer beauty of a design, with impossibly intricate ruins weaved all over its texture, all shining and responding to Sa’luk mental power. With a sign of the assassin right hand, the dragon opened his mouth; as a tongue it had two lines of sofas draped in red velvet, comfy as they were made for royalty rather than the beggar he always was. Sa’luk had objected many times to Sabrina that this machine was excessively luxurious for his much more spartan tastes, but she heard no argument: for her guildmates and her love of beauty, no expenses ever should be spared.

“This locomotion device was built by Sabrina. Thanks to the runes on its surface, it can capture solar energy to provide for its motion and the maintenance of his inner condition. We’ll use it to fly toward our targets in the inner parts of Midi without being noticed.” The side of the dragon mouth opened letting its passengers sitting comfortably. Sa’luk took the front seat.

“Take your place wherever you want, back and front.” Sa’luk said to Mizuki, inviting her to the comfort of the cabin.

She could feel Cursan's silence. It was almost oppressive; it wasn't that difficult to guess where his mind was. He was furious with her and was no doubt waiting for the grand reveal of this landscape. The whole notion of suffering and payback eluded her yet she found the dusty old shadow's angst amusing. That she could ruffle his feathers so easily was truly a record for her. Most ancient entities would carry on yet Mizu seemed particularly adept at striking nerves. Perhaps she should make a trade out of it sometime.

"So she brought a cohort with her. Whatever is being planned by them is significant if they need that many people. A nighttime arrival means a nighttime raid. One of my favorite types," Mizuki noted as she went as she stretched lazily. Part of her remained duly impressed that two people covered an entire country. Granted Midi was rather small, but it was still visible on a map. Despite the accomplishment, the time had come to make their move. "Shall we be off then?" Mizuki began before stopping. She watched Sa'luk fish something out of his bag. It was then she watched something appear from the small contraption. No longer a small rune of scales, they were instead greet by a large vehicle.

"I'm guessing Sabrina gave this to you. Only she would see fit to embellish something so thoroughly," the woman said while sighing. She made a mental note to not allow Sabrina to plan the wedding. While Mizu was partial to nice things, this felt as if it was a bit too opulent for her tastes. The shimmering gold matched the intensity of the sun, reflecting the rays of the solar disc in the sky with ease. It looked out of place among the gloom, a Pompeii world that was lacking in light and people. Sliding into the yawning mouth of the golden beast, she would be greeted by plush red seats. Taking the back, she would indulge herself by stretching out. "Please tell me this thing has a cloaking function. It's impossible to sneak up on anyone in such a conspicuously bright locomotive," Mizuki noted as she flicked her toes.

However, she would pause from further complaints as she took in the pictures placed around the interior. Accompanying the tasteful yet extravagant trappings were pictures of Sa'luk with various guildmates. Their placement served to give the spacious vehicle a ballroom feel with the finely worked metals and leather that comprised various surfaces. As for the photos, some were amusing as he had a legendary glower that would scare even the hardiest of men. He called it a smile but it promised the destruction of all that was evil. She couldn't help but suppress a giggle. She would likely be on that list soon enough. Peering across, the cabin, she would see even more placed on the dashboard. Some of them included incessant teasing from Sabrina, the flush in Sa'luk's face clear as day when confronted with the ditzy figure. Yet the blush humanized him; it removed the cold-blooded vigilante that would destroy everything in his way. Instead, he appears as a young man who was finally ready to find himself. She could only imagine the conversation that was taking place when those photos were taken. The blush that really caught her attention was when he was placed side by side with Lindsey. A young gunslinger who had recently come into her own appearance wise, it was clear that he had begun to notice. "She's all grown up," the woman murmured aloud, the intentions clear.

Sa'luk heard Mizuki's back pleasantly crawling through the sofa: she was enjoying herself like a cat on her turf, taking all the space she could for herself. He had already one of his hand on the control yoke, a large bone connected to the throat of beast, while his feet were well balanced on the pedal. Touching a button on the of the yoke made the dragons palate falling over the trio, creating the illusion they just had been swallowed by a mythical creature. The sight of wasteland replace with pure gold and all the photos which Sa'luk kept jealously in the cockpit. Sa'luk heard Mizuki's doubts about the functionality of the car, pointing out the impracticability of such fancy vehicles for stealthy missions. The assassin smiled, as he posed exactly the same question to Sabrina the moment he received the car. So, he quelled his teammate's thirst for knowledge with almost the same answer:

"Of course it has one: the runes on texture of the machine are not embroidered just for show. Giving you a technical explanation in detail is complicated, but they are an incredibly intricate spell of Light Magic which absorbs sunlight and generate the same light wavelength all over the car. Therefore, solar energy both makes this thing flying and invisible to the naked. The glyph on the dragon's left eye create a field of Sabrina 's energy which screw up with most magical sensors. Two sound lacrima absorb any noise of this machine while we fly. Essentially, this vehicle might be the only thing better in our guild at hiding than Cursan." The demon/horse remained silent to light jab: better let everything slide and vent off frustration went they land and kill the fuck off the dark mages.

With a light touch of his right hand, Sa'luk made a pentacle near the cockpit glowing gently, the prepared his game of precises pushes on the pedals and fine yoke movements. The machine flew off, but there was only the slightest to indicate that they have left and the ground and were moving free through the terse skies of Midi. The only things Sa'luk was perceiving from the outside world, apparently, was a radar encapsulated in the dragon's right eye socket, bleeping as the the locomotive was reaching closer and closer to them.

"Unfortunately for his machine, while we are invisible to the outside world, they are almost invisible to us as well. The only thing that can guide us to our targets is the radar installed by Sabrina. As such, Sabrina strongly recommended us not to use this vehicles for actual chases on air; it is more suited to close the gap with targets in open space while keeping a low profile." His mind came to photo he had stored in the glove compartment where no one could ever peek his eyes on: Sabrina, Tetsuya and Cursan all looking at Sa'luk with a large eyes worthy of puppies (Cursan's eyes were the largest of them all) and some scribbles below, stating the phrase: "When you drive, please, think about us. Don't run."

"So we ride for the time being. What is the likelihood of them expecting us? While I'm all for the unexpected offensive on our part, I generally hate surprises, unless they're the powerful and challenging kind. Either way, despite the bleak and stark emptiness of this landscape, I doubt they'd expect to run things without a hitch. At least, if they're as bad as you say they are they'd be smart enough to expect some foe could come calling. Just because we're invisible doesn't mean we should be complacent. Not if they're as strong as you believe them to be. Not that I don't love a good dark guild crushing. That they're powerful makes it that more satisfying when I pulverize them."

She stretched out after lapsing into silence once more. The woman watched the scenery pass by below, retaining the same bleakness with each mile. Only the figures frozen in time changed, captured so many years ago without being released. Mizuki couldn't help but ponder what they had been doing before the demise appeared on the horizon. Perhaps they were playing. Maybe they were running errands or going to pick up children. Perhaps they were simply enjoying the day as it passed by. Either way, they would remain as so indefinitely. Part of her was surprised that the land was still untouched after all this time. Perhaps no one had an interest in such emptiness. Maybe they believed the land was cursed by some vengeful god. Did she count in that regard? The woman did not know.

The travel continued for hours, the gilded machine soaring the sky above the cloud without any trouble of sort, but Sa'luk knew that his teammate was right: if the mages below were as powerful and competent as the rumors fancy them to be, it was but a matter of time before getting in some sort of trouble. Predictably, the radar on the cockpit emitted a pulsing noise stronger than ever: a circle of purple energy was almost bleeding from the target, bedecking the space between the Dawn Horizon hunters and their preys almost in their entirety. Sa'luk could almost feel the stench of black magic festering from below, even when shielded by cozy and warm solar magic in his vehicle.

"These bastards have created a powerful sensory field, stretching possibly a mile below us. They still won't be able to trace our machine, but will notice us in the moment we step out from our comfort zone. I suggest to land in a barren place just outside the field, then strike them on foot. Plus..." the light in the cabin changed color: from the comfy golden, he passed to a paler cerulean, a feebler illumination "night is near: the machine does not work well when sun is set."

Sa'luk touched the cockpit against: with another game of friction, the vehicle lowered his altitude with same speed and grace it soared upwards. A faint pop gave the trio the sign they had landed. The cabin opened up, revealing thousand skeletons of tree, darkened in the dusk. Once Mizuki and Sa'luk got out, the Devil Slayer mage raised his hand and pronounced a cryptic formula, words echoing of a different time. That was the instruction Sabrina gave him to shirk the vehicle back, to whom it responded by bursting in a cloud of dust, then turning back in the tiny golden capsule it came from.

Sa'luk turned out: he was lucky to be a Slayer, because the gap between the two group was too wide from human eyes to cover, particularly as night was blurring everything in a hue of blue. Stretching his pupils and making best use of Cursan sensorial powers, he made a quick assessment of the situation.

"The convoy is stopping an open field: there are but few trees or other natural obstacles we can use to conceal our presence even for a bit. Soldier with Zenopia's insignia are patrolling the area, giving their position a 360 degrees of coverage. There is no way we can successfully ambush them physically from this distance, not without being caught..."

Sa'luk sighed and mumbled: with the might of the three of them, going to toe with Katerina or much worse wouldn't be too much of problem; if, there were one (and the waves of dark power, reverberating through the mummified soil, surely seemed to indicate the latter), it was almost surely one they could not hope to strike down unnoticed, not in that terrain. There was, however, an important variable: the soldiers escorting the mysterious cargo. Considering the facade of piety Katerina had created to fool the world, he could not exclude they were oblivious to the true purpose of their master activities, mere pawns brought to keep the masquerade. Or maybe they were just a guilty as Katerina, willingly joining her guise. But...

"''But, you do not know how to differentiate between the two, Am I right?" ''Without any delay, Cursan had to remark the "paradox" of Sa'luk morality: always kill the wicked, always spare the innocent. Quite the difference between his pupil and that mad vixen near him, to whom inflict death was nothing but a fleeting satisfaction. Trumping lesser lives just for the sake of it. Admittedly, she was virtually identical to the who he was not many centuries before, a mad Djinn, a beast who lusted for misery and destruction. Years of solitude and the blessed encounter with Sa'luk have mellowed that edge of personality, but would have done the same for Mizuki? In their heated debate, he could see a dent in her armor of burning remarks, a remorse buried deeper that the layers of lava. But that was far below, too deep perhaps to resurface. Regardless, if the monster inside the girl would have awakened, an indiscriminate bloodbath would have ensued.

"''Precisely. I am thinking of something to get rid of them quickly, without hurting anyone more than necessary". ''Sal'uk entered in a deep and pensive mood. A thought crossed his mind: the perfect opportunity both to cut off the smaller branches in haste, while getting a taste of what made Mizuki an S Class mage of Dawn Horizon, a woman his friend and guildmaster considered even more dangerous than himself.

"Mizuki, listen to me. We have little means to hide; so, a direct struggle is almost inevitable. However, that does not mean we can't take them out by surprise, at least cleaning the table of the weaker ones. Tetsuya always remarked how strong your magic power is, and I can sense it too. So, I want you to create multiple sources of magical energy within their field of perception. If we cannot avoid to be traced, we will overload them with inputs. They'll be put in a state of unease, in the worst case scenario; in the best, they will split up to investigate. I and Cursan will take advantage of the confusion to get rid of the guards. Once Katerina and that sources of energy are left alone, we will dedicate our attention to them.

I do not know what kind of Magic you wield, but if you can localize and hurt Katerina from afar.. that would be a bonus. Only, we must not harm any of the guard, not now. We do not know how many of them are aware of the true nature of their master's activities, if they are. Until we are not sure they are rotten as the sly cat, they must not be killed. Do you understand me?"

Without anybody to hear him, as he had told Mizuki everything she needed to knwon, Cursan erupted in laughter. "The hell she will. She will giggle while the poor Templars's lungs are burning wild. it will be horrid and fun at the same time. A pity we are probably going to kill her before getting our hands to that other psychotic bitch..."

She raised an eyebrow. "A sensory field? So they are expecting company or at least interference. Pity, I was hoping to making a smashing impression. Oh well, there's always next time. Who knows? Maybe they're the complacent sort. They probably expect this field to dissuade people, assuming adversaries are smart enough to see that it is there."

With a casual stir she slinked out of the vehicle before rolling her neck. Her smile was malevolent as she loosened up, cracking her knuckles experimentally as she breathed in the night air. It was wonderful feeling, this silence. Bored, Mizuki listened to his analysis, using her own enhanced eyesight to confirm what he was saying. "360 degree coverage? Well it's their funeral." was her quippy response.

She crossed her arms, seemingly unperturbed by Sa'luk's indecision. For it was abundantly clear the soldiers were a part of this scheme. It was impossible to not sense the abundance and potency of that dark energy that was there. If they couldn't feel that, they were worse than foes; they were completely stupid. They would either die for their foolishness or for their treachery. It mattered not what motivated them to be here. This land belonged to her now and she would not tolerate their presence. She cracked her neck in anticipation.

"Localize and hurt Katerina from a distance? Say less, this land is my oyster," her smile darkened into something inhuman, monstrous in its conception. "A direct confrontation is certain. Nothing about this is the in and out job an assassin like you is used to." The woman patted Sa'luk's shoulder. "Don't worry, I specialize in direct confrontations. I really hate losing which means I have to make sure I know how to win no?"

Five figures emerged from the ground, two males and three females coalescing into solid shapes. Two were brunettes, one was a redhead, another with raven hair, while the last was a blonde. All shared her cunning, madness filled emerald eyes as well as her belittling, demonic smile. "Is it that time already? I was beginning to think you would never call on us, hogging all the fun for yourself," quipped the redhead, playfully poking Mizuki.

"Think of this as a new lease on life. Don't have too much fun though, you're responsible for keeping innocents relatively unharmed. Feeling free to punish the guilty any way you like though," Mizu responded.

"There are innocents in this equation? Who's stupid enough to believe that?" the blonde snapped.

"I bet it's him," the redhead said before jabbing a finger in the direction of Sa'luk.

Five sets of brilliant emerald orbs turned towards the devil slayer. "That is not a wise proposition young one. There is evil in everyone, just as there is good in everyone. What matters is which one they choose to feed. Do not delude yourself into thinking this is a black and white world. It truly exists in large slates of gray," the raven-head warned.

"Enough talking, let's get this underway," the female brunette stated plainly.

"Fine fine, we'll talk later dread-head, have fun on your little vigilante quest," the redhead winked, as all of them disappeared, their S-Class signatures setting up shop around the perimeter, intimidating in size and vicious in nature.

"Shall we start? The night is still young."

Five creatures made of lava; five beings, seemingly capable of sentience and complex thoughts. Creations of the caliber were a prerogative only of the strongest enchanters, or those mad mages utterly devoid to unveil the secrets of life and death. But neither Sa'luk and Cursan could feel any "unnatural" flavor in Mizuki's magic; quite the contrary, the life spread by Mizuki's magic was of the same quality of natural existence, the one who blooms and thrives from warmth and food. If anything, the woman had command over life itself, shaped in a semi molten cocoon. Otherworldly? Yes, but no contrary to the rules of nature. The only word Sa'luk had to describe was "divine". Yet it was no less off putting, if not terrifying: the figures were wise, but also savage. The drive of life they embodied was brute, almost animalistic, hungry for flesh and blood.

"Cursan." The Devil Slayer talked to his caretaker. "Is she..."

"Yep, a fancy Lava God Slayer. This explain the horrible temperament as well. Their mother is Pele, one of the top dogs in the heavenly hierarchy. Never seen a more fickle deity, let alone woman, in my life. Y'know, the kind of person that burns in love for you in one second, and the another wishes to burn you in utter agony. Just as passionate as you, but ultimately cares for nothing but herself".

Sa'luk shrunk in his shoulders: a being who believe in no greater cause than himself, being it a demon or god, was less than dirt in his eyes, worthy neither of his attention nor adoration. But the powers his comrade was displaying surely were worthy of interest, and not just for their sheer display. For using such level of Divine Enchantment, Mizuki was surely a God Slayer of an exceedingly high level. A being, or beings like that were the only ones who could have inflicted such devastation. He wondered if people of Midi had the foolish thought to anger that goddess Sa'luk talked about, and thus received an horrifically disproportionate retribution. Or maybe, some her children were responsible for Midi entombment, driven by a lust for destruction that transcended their mortal flesh.

Maybe Mizuki was the culprit. But that was impossible: how could his best introduce a beast of that caliber in their home? Accepting a bloodthirsty monster as his fiancee? That was ridiculous: the man he respected as his own guildmaster who have gladly died rather died, rather that putting in danger the strand of an hair of one of his friend. He was the one who promised to fight for Sa'luk's dreams, gave him a family. He and Sabrina were sometimes reckless, but were neither evil nor stupid. Plus, as far as he knew, the God Slayer had nothing but the slightest connection with Midi. There was no reason for Mizuki to vent her wrath in this poor land, except pure sadism.

"Whether someone is innocent or guilty, Mizuku, is not something that is actually that easy to assess. Many of the Legionnaires that the Zentopia church recruits are normal humans with no talent for magic, coming that only due to their zeal or need for shelter. Katerina could have brought theme as mere decoy. However, this is something I can verify with relative easy, without screwing up the mission."

Whatever was seething in Muziki's mind, her creation surely embodied part of her psyche. His shadow below stretched in nine direction, all pointing to the guards the Lava creations were baiting. Cursan was in charge of those tendrils, all aimed to take the guards down and draw in his world of darkness. There, he had all the time and means in the world to probe the innocence of their hearts. If the creatures made by Mizuki's magic had overstepped their life, he would have them dragged them too in the blackest abyss.

While Cursan was busy with crowd control, Sa'luk took a deep breath: his Contract invocation rarely involved any words. The power he had received from his Devil tutor erupted from the sword of fog: a fabric of thick darkness engulfed the whole figure of the assassin, his skins becoming an unholy mixture of black and purple, while his eyes were blanked by an hellish glimmer, shimmering even stronger in the depth of the night. Small tentacles of darkness, animated by the raw strength of his powers, kept flailing around his skin, as they shared their host anxiety to grab and squeeze human flesh in his hands until it breaks. He may not possess the power of a god, but devils are just as good to beget terror in mortal's heart.

"You have certainly proven your strength, Lava God Slayer; but now, lets prove your speed. Since we have to tackle them head on, we had the sure duty of presenting ourselves in the best of ceremonies. I want to send Katerina into hell while her pants are still dripping in soil. The swifter we are, the better our assault will work on them. Keep pace with me."

With shadows on his feet, granting each of his step haste, the Devil Slayer sprung forward, closing terrain between his enemies like a cheetah. Air slapped on his face as if he were running against a storm: but the wind around him was dead, immobile as the land itself. Sa'luk was the one hungry for fresh air, hungry for new preys. He was not a man for sitting in vehicles that make the chase for him: running from cliff to cliff, parkouring through every steps in sordid cities, that was the true way of his life. On his feet, he had perfect control over his motion. Perfect balance and blinding speed: the secret behind any great assassin.

Her expression revealed her amusement following Sa'luk's transformation. If anything, her grin twisted into something maleficent. "Are you sure you're a hero vigilante? You look quite a bit like a monster greeting more monsters. Perhaps you're putting it in a language they can understand," she cooed. The woman remained untransformed. After all, there was no need to change her appearance when she was already home. She laughed lightly when he called her by her magic. "Now you know little one."

She snickered when her challenged her to a game of chase. It was reminiscent of a certain guildmaster's wounded pride, having lost to a certain lava-spewing girl so long ago. "How quickly time passes" she thought to herself, feeling the earth shift under her feet. Ready to aid its mistress at a moment's notice, forming a path that would prove helpful to her need for speed. As soon as Sa'luk moved she moved with him, remaining stride for stride as they hurdled towards the barrier and the enemies that lie within. Mizuki could not help might remain duly impressed if unsurprised by his pace. Quickness was invaluable in the assassin's trade; it decided the line between success and discovery. So she continued to run beside him, teasing out a bit more speed with longer strides.

Meanwhile, the redhead waited at her chosen destination. Sure enough, her boiling presence drew guards like flies, as did her warm smile and disarming appearance. She heard their huffs of surprise at this turn of events. Yet her eagerness to play with their lives crawled underneath the surface of her skin. She wasn't a pretty little thing but a predator with prey in her crosshairs. Small traces of fire warmed her fingers and figure, yet she managed to stay her hand. Barely.

The others were more of the same, watching and waiting as they let their magic slink across the barrier and upwards, pulling needed guards in their direction. Springing traps as they watched and waited as the first mistake was committed. Each wore their own forms of disarmament, the females running the gamut from pretty to beautiful while the males were the ruggedly handsome and trustworthy types. Another layer of carefully woven lies.

A deathly grin contorted her expression of innocence. The honorable cadet daughter was no more; true colors shining through as she sensed the intruders. "Looks like we have some company after all. Honestly, I'm happy they came, everything going off without hitch means no one to kill." She drew a weapon that glowed faintly for a second, armed with a nasty surprise as the screams started. "Trouble, shall I go deal with what those putrid brats couldn't my lord?" Kat asked, spinning a second sword experimentally. She could feel even stronger presence bearing down as it pushed through. No, there were two of them, each massive in its conception. Both of them carried entrails of darkness however. One even warmed her heart with its prevailing madness and lust for carnage and bloodshed. "Maybe we've found a new recruit," Katerina thought as she ran to greet them.

"''Oh... I sense it..." ''A whisper echoed in the read headed woman. Buried inside the coach the Legionaries were so jealosuly guarding,locked a van blocked with steel locks and runes of poisonous power, lied the source of power which drew the assassins like bees toward honeys. It was no mere artifact; if that was the case, it should have been an enchanted monstrosity corrupted by unimaginably powerful and deranged mage, as waves of darkess and malice crept through the thick walls and curtain. They spread over the caravan. Whatever was inside the coach, it was alive, and thirsted for blood and carnage as much as its wicked protector, if not more so.

"Dear Katerina... I can smell the stench of one of my old friendsss. You'll recognize the target from a sword embroidered on his forearm... kill him, bring him away from me. But let the other come to me, the one blazing with lusst for desstruction. Her heart is just as rotten as yours, and her power is sstupendously destructive. I want to greet her... in person. She would make a wonderful assset for us."

The pulsing of power, was not unknown to Sa'luk, monitoring each reverberation of dark power. Even without Cursan direct assistance, he had a unique affinity for all that lurks in dark, mad thoughts above all. And he was prepared to match them blow for blow with his own inner demons, overpowering them in sheer power and terror. Maybe Mizuki was right to call him a "monster". But he knew that the people he was facing deserved one; in fact, certain monsters require their fellows to be slayed down.

He soon got to meet one of the two source. It was the smaller one in terms of power and lithe in figure, yet carried a massive shadow of wickedness. Katerina Tenenbaum was running toward him, her feet burning with friction: from the blur that engulfed their length, he deduced she was an Enchanter, boosting the natural abilities her body was already blessed with with the might of her magic. Already gone was any pretense on the Legionnaire part of maintaining a trace of decency: had she smiled a little more, her cheeks would have been split up from the sheer contraction of her facial expression, a visage that even an hungry cheetah would have found gluttonous and distasteful. A grin Sa'luk found all too similar to the face of Mizuki, a pretty face contorted in the visage of a demon, even if that of Katerina was far more unabashed.

If Katerina lusted so much for blood, he would have gladly granted her wish, simply by suffocating the Legionnaire in her own. Despite the extraordinary character of his assault, Sa'luk was an assassin first and foremost, one who mastered the ability of throwing enemies off balance in even the most unlikely predicament. Sa'luk dashed further against Katerina, so to let them run further in a physical brawl: her enire body was cracking with energy, gaining momentum as a rock tumbles down from the side on a mountain. But landslides are born because falling rock cannot stop themselves, ending in ruinous whacks. Sa'luk took his time, calculating the microseconds he would have sided behind the Dark Mage, toppling her down from below. As he was almost inches from Katerina's double weapons, one engulfed with flames, the other oozing a foul substance, he gave himself a mental command:

"Darkness Devil's Steps."

Entering in the ground below, becoming one with a depth with no light. Sa'luk moved no more one air, but crawled on the ground, one with the shadows, immaterial yet lethal. Dusk was making things easier for Sa'luk, as his own dark trail was blurred in the fading sun, becoming more difficult to trace without specific means. He was sure the Legionnaire had the means to locate him, if she really was an Enchant of even moderate caliber: however, magic like that requires time and concentration. He was too fast for enemy already too busy stumbling on her feet; his own shadow had fused with Katerina's own, anchored on the woman.

From the world below, where Sa'luk was master, he could perceive everything; he saw Katerina's feet crossing one another as she tried to put her charge back in rein, he heard her grunts as she just missed the prey she savored that much. To not be rude, he launched while in his contract on of his Scorpion Tails, a black tendril of unusual power, tailored to crush knights in their armors, thick enough to survive moderately powerful bursts of dark power. The Devil Slayer seized Katerina's right leg, just as her Enchantment was slightly weakening. Still in the world of darkness, still in her shadows, he twitched it, using her own rotula as a leverage. Was Katerina frail as she looked like, he would have snapped her knee in half; but even it probable eventuality of an high level of durability from the girl, the tug would have surely sufficed in throwing her on the ground.