NegaDot

Mairimashita: Iruma-kun! - Shadows of the Past, part 63 Lied stretched deeply as he came to, one arm reaching high over his head. His loud yawn had caught everyone's attention. Looking around, he realized he wasn't alone. Vague memories of Jazz helping him to the medical tent shifted through his mind. "Welcome back", smirked Bachiko in approval. She knew her cousin would be relieved to see his pupil moving around again, but Lied was still a little confused, as expected. Glancing about, Clara was still in a deep sleep and the amount of blood on the towels nearby was rather worrying. Yet he had faith she would pull through. He knew Sullivan would only bring in the best healers, after all, and that eased his mind at least a little. Then, there was a stranger staring at him, a rather intimidating older woman with ebony skin and piercing, deep blue eyes. That disgruntled look on her face reminded him of someone…but who? Across the tent from him was Vincente. He looked pale and had clear bags under his eyes. He looked as if he was trying to hide how miserable he really was and mildly failing at it. Just what had Victoria done to him? Turning his attention back to himself, Shax gave his body a quick once over. He had some minor injuries, but overall, he felt much better than he thought he should. Maxing out his mana and pushing his bloodline like he did should have left him much weaker and way more sore. So why wasn't he? His thoughts broke as the unknown woman approached him. She performed a thorough inspection of him, checked his vitals, then grinned faintly. "Shax Lied, I am Akiyama Xui. I'm here in Nene's place. How do you feel? Do you think you can stand?", she asked. His wide eyes softened after the initial intrusion. This woman was another healer, apparently. Then he realized who she reminded him of - Lamya-sensei. Could this possibly be her master? "I guess I'm okay", he ventured, trying to clear his head. "Your pain?", she pressed. "Not that bad, actually", he uttered, still confused as to why, but thankful. "Good. On your feet, then. If you're ambulatory, then you can rejoin your classmates", she said, both stern yet kind. Slowly getting to his feet, Lied wobbled only briefly, then sat down again. He wasn't ready for any sort of marathon by any means, but he could likely walk with a liitle assistance. "You can thank Vincente for your vigor. He took on your exhaustion", she explained, barely hiding her disapproval. Lied looked back toward the haggard demon who waved weakly in response. "Thanks", he said, unsure of what else he could say.  How could he really express the proper amount of gratitude for something like that?! He was still wrapping his head around how it was even possible. His thoughts were interrupted once more, this time by Bachiko passing by and shouting outside from the tent's entrance, "Hey, Robbie!". Her cousin responded quickly, yet cheerfully. Her call wasn't any cause for alarm. Both her tone and expression said it was good news. Besides, he'd finally gotten Azz and Sabnock to settle down again. Hurriedly and excitedly sliding inside of the tent, Robin's eyes shone happily upon seeing his student awake. "Lied-kun! I'm so glad you're okay!", he shouted, promptly hugging the lad tightly. Shax smiled politely, then they both got smacked over the head by the annoyed healer. "Shh!", she hissed, motioning toward the unconscious Valac. Both demons grinned apologetically. "I'll leave him in your care, Bars. Get him out of here before you wake the girl…or possibly the dead...", grumbled Xui, averting her gaze. Robin was far too loud and energetic for her liking. At least she had built up a tolerance for Nene over the years, so he was tolerable in small doses. The archer sent his big sister a grateful grin before bowing formally to Xui. It was a polite motion that said, "Thank you for giving back my student." With a brief grin, she waved him off, knowing Barbatos would fill him in on all of the details later.  With help from his master, Shax also lowered his head politely to both Xui and Valiant. Holding onto Robin to steady himself, he glanced back at Clara one more time, hoping she would bounce back soon, too. Near the exit, Lied managed to finally catch his balance and assured Robin he could walk on his own. The lad clearly didn't want his friends to worry. The archer understood wanting to be strong in front of the others, so he didn't argue, but stayed close as they left.  Once they were gone, the tent grew quiet and Bachiko noticed a certain perplexed look take over Akiyama's face as she headed back to her seat; One that turned to suspicion that quickly faded into an accusatory glare directed at Valiant. "I thought I told you to turn off your ability", she scolded. Vincente blinked blankly, unsure of what she meant. "I did", he said meekly. The healer's doubt was palpable, but she held an even expression. "Then explain something to me - Why is no one breaking down into their evil cycle? Let alone these kids, there are dozens of demons out there involved in this high stress situation and even you, yourself, are showing no signs despite surviving literal torture." Bachiko stared at him in a questioning side glance. It didn't really make any sense. Yet, even if Valiant was draining the anxiety of the entire battalion, he'd be absorbing it, so why wasn't he snapping?  With all of the mayhem, she hadn't really thought about it, but now that Xui had pointed it out, it was rather strange. Valiant waved his hands with an innocent grin. "It's not me, I swear... Do I really look like I've taken on that much stress?", he replied. Stepping closer, Xui inspected his nervous face carefully. "As one of Omen's, you are a special case...But I suppose not", she conceded. That caught the archer's attention. Who in Hell was Omen? Then she saw that tattoo on Vincente's wrist again....Could they be the master of the Aviary? And what did Akiyama mean that Valiant was a special case? Did the shadowed spy ring have some sort of secret coping mechanism? "Hmm", uttered Xui, breaking Bachiko's thoughts. "Then it could only be that bald-headed goat my dear sister is so smitten with... What's he up to this time?", she mumbled, skeptically. Neither of the younger demons had the guts to say anything about how she referred to Sullivan at that moment, but her theory did make sense. Bachiko glanced over as Valiant let out a muffled chuckle in defeat. It seemed he was in on whatever was happening. "You're as swift-witted as I remember, my lady... Sullivan-sama, Mother, and Balam-san wanted a safety protocol in place for all of the kids... It seems to be working pretty well", he stated. Xui narrowed her eyes. She hadn't yet met Balam, but she had at least heard his name. Valiant sighed and explained, "Mother and Balam-sensei created a stress-suppressing drug and added it to her potions to minimize the onset of any wicked cycles amidst the battle. As a fail-safe, she and Lord Sullivan also weaved a bit of complex magic, draining the students' stress, with a touch of my bloodline's help....Every negative emotion those kids are feeling are currently being transmitted straight to our favorite ‘Great’ as we speak." Bachiko gaped, completely dumbfounded. How was any of that possible?! And when did they even have time to set all of that up?! Akiyama, however, grumbled as she rubbed her temples in frustration. "Those fools... Don't they realize how dangerous it would be if he snaps?! Even standing away at a distance, his magic could decimate everything in the area if he loses his cool!", she ranted, clearly flustered by her comrades’ decision. Bachiko swallowed hard, understanding every insinuated scenario. It was risky at best. Yet Valiant smiled faintly. "That's why my master is here. He can handle it", he said. Xui shot him a nasty look. She disagreed with the methods, but he wasn't wrong. "Your patron has a long history of dangerous gambles", she muttered. "He hasn't lost a bet yet", grinned Valiant. Bachiko glanced between them. His master? She hadn't seen anyone unusual, but that made perfect sense. The head of the Aviary would stay out of sight…but if they were here, why weren't they helping? There was so much she still didn't know about both the organization or the demons before her. It was irritating, yes, but, in a way, it almost hurt. Was she really not trusted enough to be let in on such secrets?  Maybe it was for the best. Just how many burdens did the others bear? Valiant watched her closely. He understood what she must have been feeling, but his job made it difficult to reach out to potential friends. "Akiyama-sama...A moment?", he ventured. Still annoyed, she replied, "Why bother? It's not like she's going to - ." Cutting her off, Valiant sharply said, "Please." It was a fervent request that couldn't be ignored. The look in his golden eyes said he wasn't going to back down. He needed this. Sensing his distress, Xui sighed in defeat, nodded, and stepped out of earshot. She knew why he pressed the issue. As a proverbial shadow, he had very few colleagues he could connect to outside of his organization. Still, it seemed pointless, knowing what she did. Once she had departed, it grew deathly quiet. Valiant stared into his hands as if their metaphorical bonds had become something physically visible. "Forgive me for not telling you sooner, Hime... The truth is - ....", he trailed. He sounded so broken just then. She couldn't help but stare again. She had told him before not to hide so much from her, to not be afraid of what she might think or say, but she was really starting to see the bruised spirit behind his polished facade. "When all of this is over and Ai has been defeated, everyone will forget me... It's part of my duty - a gift and a curse....The kids won't know who I am within minutes and the uncleared adults in a few hours", he stated with a solemn tone. She could tell by the look on his face just how hard he was trying to hold himself together. It seemed he'd gotten attached to the misfits. Now he had to let them go. "But that's not fair", she uttered, surprising him. He smiled sadly, a self-deprecating grin.  "It's alright, Hime. That's the price of my anonymity.... Besides, if everyone forgets me, then no one will have to miss me when I'm gone, right?", he replied, trying to convince both the archer and himself that it was a fair trade. Bachiko wasn't having it. "You moron! That isn't freedom from hurting people! It's just loneliness!", she blurted fervently. Valiant was taken aback by her outburst, but his eyes softened with gratitude. She really understood what he tried so hard to hide. "What about your team?! What about Iruma? What about - ", she said, catching herself on the last word. "What about the rest of us?", she quietly added, averting her gaze. He couldn't take the look on her pink face just then, so he turned his eyes back to his nearly trembling hands. He had to keep it together. If he let himself lose to his emotions now, all of his hard work would be for nothing and he'd only put everyone in danger. "Schneider and Kamui will likely forget me completely, but Soi will remember... He has to learn about the Aviary some time if he's going to lead his clan, so I guess you could consider me a stepping stone for that", he ventured. That last part made her mad. She fought off an eye twitch, but held her tongue, knowing he was already in pain. If she simply yelled at him like she wanted to, it wouldn't change anything, but might drive a bigger wedge between them and he already seemed so far away. It really wasn't fair. It was as if he carried all of the weight of a high rank with none of the credit. Just how much had he namelessly done for the netherworld? And how much had he given up? Valiant could tell she was holding back again and grinned somberly, knowing that even this brief breach of etiquette would never be enough to truly express or explain anything. "He's a great kid. I really hope I'm the one Omen-sama choses to teach him, but...", he trailed off, trying not to get his hopes up.  He knew it was not his place to question the being that had single-handedly created and led the spy group for thousands of years, but he was being sincere. He'd truly grown fond of the boy. "Iruma-kun might get approved for clearance as part of Lord Sullivan's household, but that's up to them... As for Lamya-sama, Akiyama-sama, and Kalego - they already have clearance. I'm sure Balam-sensei will get it, too... The higher ranks are less likely to slip secrets, you know?" That left the archer. What would her fate hold? Would Valiant be erased from her memory, too? Is that what Xui had meant before - That she wouldn't remember? For some strange reason, that terrified her. Shoving that thought and the feelings that came with it deep down, she asked a more obvious question. "But won't they recognize you?", she asked. She knew he would likely disappear for a while after the mission was over, but there was a slim chance he would come back if he was to teach Purson. Was he really to be completely scrubbed from existence in the minds of the others? The answer came from the direction of the exit as Xui reentered her domain. "That mark on his wrist is for far more than decoration, Barbatos. I know you've seen it; You keep looking... Odd that you can, though", she said. Valiant tilted his head in curiosity. In his exhaustion, he hadn't noticed the archer staring at it. Now he was curious. It hadn't really dawned on him before in his half-asleep state, but if she could see the tattoo, then just maybe... "Hime, what do you see when you look at me?... Besides an idiot, I mean", he asked with a playful grin. Bachiko blushed, put on the spot and having her answer stolen. Forcing the pink from her face, she replied, "Olive skin, dark hair, and golden eyes. Why?". Vincente and Akiyama exchanged inquisitive glances. "How strange. You can even see through the glamor", uttered the healer, lost in thought. Valiant was surprised, too, but grinned happily. Someone could actually see his real face for a change. Now he just had to explain away the archer's obvious confusion. "Among other things, my master's mark confers an illusion. Everyone who looks at me will see someone different... It's usually a mix of features that the individual finds either too common to notice or that they deem trustworthy. I'm a different face to everyone fighting out there, but my tattoo isn't usually visible to most demons, though..." He trailed off, wondering why or how the archer had bypassed such a powerful enchantment. "It is odd, but we have more important things to worry about right now. We can all put in a good word for this woman if she wants to be kept aware of you, but our focus needs to be on the mission currently at hand", said Xui. "Vincente-kun, you already have a plan to defeat Victoria, don't you?", she asked. He glanced at Bachiko who smirked with an approving nod in response. "I do", he grinned. Yet someone unnoticed was listening near the tent's entrance - a young spy with a strange feather in his hand. He hated Valiant's curse of being forgotten, but completely understood why such a gift was needed. It was almost reminiscent of his own abilities. Clutching the unusual feather from the masked stranger before, he made a silent promise not to forget his master, no matter what. He was both sad and angry, feelings he was used to repressing, but they boiled to the surface anyway.  He'd finally found someone else who understood him. Even if his father refused to let him train under Vincente, or said he was too young to be inducted into the Aviary, even if this 'Lord Omen' guy used some kind of forbidden magic, he wouldn't let himself forget. As if summoned by the mere thought of his pseudonym, a trace of Omen's magic activated. Purson watched in astonishment as the unusual plumage sank into his skin as if being absorbed into his flesh. It was jarring to see, but completely painless. A moment later, a circle of faintly glowing darkness formed around his wrist with the feather attached like some kind of charm bracelet. The strangest part was how it was both there yet absent at the same time. Soi knew it was Omen's calling card, just like Valiant's tattoo - the untrained would not be able to see it. But what did it mean? Trying to listen further was in vain. The demons within the tent had switched to an encoded, magically warded language. He couldn't understand a word, yet his frustration wouldn't last long. Lied had circled back around with Jazz after getting back on his feet and checking in with the rest of their friends. Seeing the look of muffled angst on Purson's face made him wonder and worry about what he'd missed. "Soisoi? You okay?" *** On the battlefield, Ai's hideous shadow snake was staring down those who dared oppose it with all three of its heads. It writhed, hissed, and flicked its tail menacingly. Then, with its eyes glowing a deep violet, it readied its ultimate attack. Sensing what was about to happen, Balam ordered for everyone to get back. He was steadfast in his duty to protect his students and putting himself between the danger and his young soldiers proved they had chosen a trustworthy general. "Sensei?", ventured Elizabetta with concern. Balam narrowed his gaze as Nigyul crawled along his hand to inspect its target. A dark purple haze was starting to drip from the cursed beast's mouth. "If that thing exhales those vapors, take Goemon and fly away as fast as you can", he said stiffly. "But - ", began Kerori. Without turning, he cut her off with a stern, "If that gas reaches your lungs, you're done for." The present misfits exchanged worried glances, but knew it was not the time to argue with an order. Even Agares swallowed his vengeance, knowing they wouldn't stand a chance. Gaap's life was already hanging by a thread and he wouldn't allow his friend to perish due to his own arrogance. The basilisk hissed one more time, then spewed out a huge cloud of noxious vapors from its middle head. Prepared to save the teens that were counting on him, Balam quickly unfurled his wings and beat them hard to force the gas away from his precious students as they fled. Yet not all of it was so easily dispersed. A particularly thick form of the fumes lingered along the ground near his feet. Taking physical shape once more, it became a smaller snake that raced up his body and firmly latched its fangs into his neck.  As it resumed its nebulous form, a thick, black vapor spread from its previous location and entered his eyes and nose. His mask may hide his scar, but it did little to protect his lungs. Balam's wide eyes trembled as the serpent's toxic entered his bloodstream. The attack had come faster than he had anticipated. His body had been completely immobilized and he wondered what hell was about to play out. If Victoria launched another sneak attack now, he'd be unable to protect his students. They had already used the last of their precious phoenix pinions and if another fell, it would be for good, and he'd never forgive himself. Hopefully they were far enough away by now. He shivered at the feeling of Ai's mana slithering invasively into his veins. While he had previously harbored one of her curses, he'd never dealt with Victoria on nearly the same level as Kalego. Her magic felt absolutely vile and made his skin crawl, leading him to wonder just how badly his best friend had suffered all those years. Then he was suddenly standing in black space. He tried to keep his mindscape blank, knowing he wasn't alone; Ai's voice rang loud and clear. "Shichiro, why such a grim face? Are you not happy to hear from me? What a shame considering I gave you the happiest moment of your pathetic life when I gave you the rat back", she taunted. He tensed, angry, but trying not to fall into her manipulative trap. He couldn't afford to lose control again like he had when fighting Ash. "Still a sore spot? How droll", she chuckled. "Pandora and Kalego-kun are greater demons than you'll ever be...and you took them both from me. What more could you possibly want?", he thought, knowing she would hear it. He could sense Victoria shrug, apparently getting bored, but why reach out if it wasn't to egg him on? She clearly anticipated his resistance, but he still needed to feel out her plans. "Let's not split hairs, Balam-kun. Bygones and all that... Now then, where is Sullivan's precious grandson?", she asked, changing the subject. Balam paused in surprise. Iruma? She wasn't looking for Kalego?... Surely she knew he was being freed, so why was she suddenly so interested in the boy? Was this another weakness she wanted to use against him? "Come on now. I gave you back your precious rat, so trade me your pet human in exchange. It's the least you can do after you betrayed me on our previous agreement", she teased. A deep shiver ran down Balam's spine. How had she learned Iruma's secret and what could she possibly have planned for him? Was she going to reveal him to the netherworld in an attempt to discredit Sullivan? Or maybe even eat him?! Victoria sighed, mildly irritated as his mind raced. "We both know all of this raucous is to reclaim my beloved Naberius and I suppose I might be willing to give back what's left if you cooperate...", she trailed, eager to entice him again. Balam stiffened. Just what had she done now? He thought he knew what she was capable of, but things were so much worse than even he imagined. Ai chuckled, an evil, mocking laugh that echoed loudly. "Should I show you? I was hoping for it to be a surprise later", she taunted. Shichiro held his breath as a vision of Victoria's newly perfected magic filled his brain. He helplessly watched as she sucked out a portion of Kalego's very soul, ultimately shortening his life span by a full year and inflicting more agony than he previously thought possible. His heart sank, knowing Ai was able to do such a thing, and his fury rose, knowing how much it must have hurt. The sheer look of pain on his friend's face and the primal, unhinged scream were almost too much to bear. "It's an art I've managed to perfect with some help from a mutual acquaintance over the years", stated Ai, insinuating what Balam feared. While she spared him the sight and screams, he knew she had meant that she had practiced the vile spell on Pandora countless times while captive. It was truly no wonder why his beloved was still so weak. Sensing his blood begin to boil, Victoria decided to redirect his rage to something more useful, lest she lose him completely. "To prove I harbor no ill will against you, I'll give you a gift....There's an angel down here with me", she stated, leaving him no time to ask questions. His eyes widened in shock. She was masterfully manipulating his emotions yet again. "A powerful priestess, no less. If you can find her before the Crowns do, you can dissect and study her to your heart's content", she said with an evil grin. Purposefully avoiding Baal's name was just a mere facet of her plans. She knew he'd come to silence her. She only had to play her cards right and pit the proper forces against one another. After all, in the end, she always got what she wanted. "Do we have a deal?", inquired Ai. Balam hesitated, knowing every thought was hers to see. He was still furious about Kalego and Pandora, and the suffering Ai had caused them. Now she dangled an angel in front of him as bait, and for what? "Don't be stupid, Shichiro. Iruma isn't special; He's just convenient. I could always get another human. There are billions of them, after all", she said. He could hardly breathe as his mind flooded with visions of the human world. Cities, countries, so much information hit him at once, he could barely process any of it. Yet one thing was irrefutable. Victoria was telling the truth. There really were billions of humans, a truth that rocked the very foundation of his being. "Don't waste my gracious offer like she did. If you do, you're just as pathetic as the rat", taunted Ai. Still reeling from the revelation of just how prolific mankind really was, Balam's mind was bombarded yet again. This time, it was visions of Pandora being given human flesh as her main food surce and how she chose to mostly starve instead, surviving on mere scraps.  "For someone so intelligent, you're awfully stupid", said Victoria coldly. "Life is merely a mix of loosely organized chemical reactions. It's not worth protecting a single human in our world... Just think, Shichiro. Kalego-kun turned me down once and look how that turned out." Tears formed as she showed him her memories of torturing both Pandora and Kalego once more, but they quickly turned to unbridled rage. She had pushed him too far. "GET OUT", resounded through his head and Ai was forced from his consciousness. Seconds later, Shichiro was back in reality. His muscles ached and trembled from the serpent's venom, but he was finally back in control. The dark mist slowly drained from his eyes as he slowly regained control of himself. Quickly removing his mask, he wretched as he fell to his knees. His entire body was shuddering. Not only had the venom affected him, but so much trauma had been funneled into his mind.  He was struggling to separate the shared memories from his own, let alone process them. An exceedingly dark look permeated his eyes as he glared at the massive hole in the earth where the basilisk had emerged. He thought he knew how deeply Ai's depravity ran, but it turned out that he knew nothing… At a safe distance, his students watched with worried faces. Ix looked ready to cry, but their sensei and general had returned to them. Now they could fight back. There was no telling what Ai was planning by telling him about her captive angel or what she wanted with Iruma, but he couldn't allow himself to be distracted by her madness. Wiping his face with the back of his gloved hand, Balam slowly got back on his feet. An eerie calm had spread over him as he replaced his mask. He knew what he had to do. Funneling his mana into Nigyul, he fixed his sights on the giant snake in front of him. As his dragon rapidly grew in size, he prepared himself to tear that vile serpent apart. He wouldn't let anyone suffer at the hands of Victoria Ai ever again. *** Below ground, Ai smiled evilly as she grasped a sturdy bronze lever. "Be free, my pets", she grinned. Then she released her hungry, anxious insect hoard upon the unsuspecting demons above. *** Elsewhere, Sullivan tensed as the basilisk caught his eye. He knew he was supposed to stay out of the fight lest his immense power inadvertently harm the teens, but that was a threat he couldn't ignore. As if on cue, a loud shudder emanated from the fallen mansion as a massive roof panel dislodged and what looked like shimmering smoke began to pour forth. In horror, he, Henri, and Balam all instantly recognized it. That was no smoke; It was a huge swarm of dangerous insects. The border patrol could only do much, spread as thin as they were. Thus, Sullivan spread his wings and prepared to take flight. Yet a familiar, fast-approaching presence kept him grounded. A flurry of dark feathers swooshed past him, leaving an unmistakable mark on his cheek - a lipstick print. Nene had arrived, and as much as she wanted to playfully tackle her old friend and flame, she was needed elsewhere. Sullivan watched in awe as she readily dove into the swarm, katana drawn, without regard for herself. Her adopted children and grandchildren naturally took priority. With a faint, thankful grin, he folded his wings away. He needn't worry anymore. Balam looked up briefly as the wind from her speed stirred the dust from earth. Nigyul had grown huge and was biting the basilisk's neck and clawing its faces. Yet, despite the cloud of debris, he knew exactly who had flown by and he trusted her with his student's lives. The misfits scattered on the battlefield watched the Great Purifier unleashed a flurry of perfect sword moves - death by a thousand cuts, tearing the intruding insect swarm to shreds. One teen, however, was frozen in absolute horror. That golden sheen was unmistakable. Those were the same type of insect that had bitten Iruma that awful day and Azz could recall the profuse amount of blood and gut-wrenching screams all too easily. Beside him, Sabro excitedly watched the feat overhead with awe, but was still well aware of the deep concern from his sparring partner beside him. He'd heard about the incident with Iruma's arm and that was only one bite. Imagining that dozens of demons could be taken down with a single move was certainly frightful, but the look on Azz's face was almost soul crushing. Thankfully, his inner fire reacted. Going from completely pale and immobile to having his wings spread and flames upon both hands took mere seconds. A wicked sort of enthusiasm crossed his face as he readied to annihilate the shimmering bugs. He would not allow history to repeat itself or worse. Yet he'd barely taken off the ground before Robin tackled him by his legs. The duo quickly crashed ungracefully to the ground. Azz turned with a nasty look of questioning irritation, thinking Sabnock had grabbed him. Seeing Robin's determined eyes staring back caught him off guard. "Let Nene-sama handle it. We'll only be in her way", he said sternly. Annoyingly, his teacher was right. Asmodeus begrudgingly put away his wings and dusted himself off, but stayed ready to smite any insect that strayed too close. Yet his concern was unnecessary. Behind them, Lied, Jazz, and Soi stared in awe. Impressively, in the matter of a mere minute, the swarm has been slashed to ribbons and Nene calmly sheathed her sword as she gracefully turned toward the next threat. Her reputation was well deserved indeed. *** Elsewhere, somewhere high in the sky, a strange tear in the clouds opened and two beings flew through. Both were ill prepared for the demon world. The color of the sky, the number of celestial objects, and even the scent of the air itself all bombarded the duo. Weaker angels would have been overwhelmed, but these two were of the Thurayya, an elite retinue of the royal guard, come to find their princess. They would stick to their mission no matter what. Zuhaila had studied demon lore extensively, but actually being in the netherworld boiled feelings of awe to the surface that she wasn't yet ready to name. Hala, however, quickly covered her nose and mouth with one of her long, oversized sleeves. "That smell...", she uttered, feigning disgust. To anyone who didn't know better, they would assume she was revolted by the scent of demonkind. In reality, she was putting on a calculated act.  She had been tasked with ensuring her comrade didn't eat anyone, but now that enchanting, ambient aroma was making her drool. Her pride simply wouldn't allow Zuhaila to see it. Both were skilled at hiding their emotions, so neither said anything about the other's eager eyes, but each was excited to be in this new world for their own reasons. *** Somewhere within the Victoria mansion, a familiar face graced her crumbling lab. Baal was sifting through the debris for anything that might incriminate him. Nothing had his name, his signature, or even his fingerprints. He'd been especially careful. The only things he particularly noticed missing were Ai's journal and the jar containing the head of Lady Levi's son. Surely Sullivan would have destroyed it had he found it, but, interestingly, there was no sign of intense magic. It was simply missing and that alone was troubling. The fact that Victoria had been working with angels made it even worse. She'd managed to keep that secret from him, but now that he knew, there was no telling what fallout would follow if they had taken the missing head. His thoughts were interrupted by a barely noticeable presence behind him. "Did you get him out?", he asked without turning. Uetoto bowed respectfully. "Kiriwo-sama has been safely recovered", he stated calmly. "What's the damage?", inquired Baal, inspecting a sealed test tube. "He had an encounter with Iruma and a few others of the misfits", replied Uet. Baal fought off a disgruntled sneer. Finally turning around, he simply said, "Take care of it", as he walked passed. "Of course", said Uetoto obediently. Baal then headed for the path that would lead underground. He was annoyed, but still needed to be careful. With any luck, Ai or her lackey would take care of the loose ends, but if they failed, he knew he could count on Uet. All that was left to do now is silence whoever remained. His master plan to usurp the Greats wasn't ready to come into fruition yet. He needed more time and no one would be allowed to ruin it. *** Meanwhile, the group below ground was finally getting ready to move. They had been stationary far too long already and besides that, they needed to rendezvous with the others. Both their stamina and their mana were low, and their healer was still out of commission. As Kalego and Opera held a brief argument over the details of their plan, Iruma heard footsteps approaching from the corridor. Not just any footsteps - They made a distinct scratching sound, the sound of talons on concrete. Sage sensed relief and excitement wash through Iruma as he thought of Balam coming to their rescue...But then a sense of fear took over. Even the older demons ceased their words at the tension. Those steps were far too light to be their colleague. In an instant, Sage’s adoptive big brother had protectively scooped her up and she saw Opera and Kalego take a defensive stance in front of them. A smug chuckle permeated the air as a lithe form stepped into the room. A demon with black, crow-like feet and short, dark, messy hair grinned as he amusedly crossed his arms. "Found you", he taunted. Everyone tensed. Just who was this intruder? "Iruma-sama, stay behind me", ordered Opera firmly. The boy knew the seriousness of the situation, so he obeyed as Sage buried her face into his shoulder and held onto her tightly.  "Right." Even with their eyes fixed firmly upon the intruder, Opera could sense Kalego's growing anger welling up beside them. Whoever this man was, he was definitely working for Victoria. "Malphas", grumbled Kalego, as if cursing under his breath. The strange, new demon grinned happily in response.  "Not happy to see me, Naberius-kun? And to think, I was nice enough to bring you food... It wasn't my fault that you refused to eat, now is it?", he smirked. Fighting off an eye twitch, Kalego mumbled to his senpai, " Be careful with this one. I don't know what his bloodline is, but he's dangerous." Opera flattened their feline ears, ready to defend the group. They had heard whispers of this demon, too, even if the details were hazy. "My reputation precedes me... Let's see - Victoria-sama's precious Naberius, Sullivan's trusted security devil and beloved grandson, and Dantalion's halfbreed brat. Who to play with first?", taunted Malphas. Kalego avoided looking toward the adjacent room. It seemed the intruder didn't know Persephone was with the group and he couldn't yet protect everyone.  His stiff posture made the crow demon mistakenly assume he was anxious about his unknown abilities, giving Malphas an opportunity to have some fun. "Curious?", teased Malphas with a smile. Standing up straight, he took a single step forward. Fixing his gaze on Iruma, he grinned wickedly.  "You'll do", he said, and snapped his fingers. Iruma clutched Sage close as he shut his eyes in anticipation. Then everything went black. The last thing he heard was a scream, “Iruma-nii!!!!”. To be continued…

Mairimashita: Iruma-kun! - Trapped, part 3 Dawn was still an hour away and his alarm had yet to sound, but Bars Robin shifted in his sleep. Deep in his dreams, he was seeing a familiar scene. It was the one he'd withheld from Bachiko. It was a strange place that didn't look like the demon world at all. Towering trees surrounded him on all sides. He was standing in a forest. This part had been seen before, but this time, a small strange bird approached him and hovered near his face. It had stunning, colorful feathers that shifted hue as it moved. He'd never seen a bird hover like that before, not even a familiar.  Its tiny wings were beating almost too fast to see as it tilted its long-beaked face at him in question. A quick, determined chirp and it darted off in the opposite direction. "Wait! Come back!", shouted Robin, reaching forward. Yet, before he could follow it, he was now awake in his bed. His alarm was blaring and his outstretched hand mirrored his dream. Just what was that? Maybe he could ask Balam-sensei later to help identify the odd creature. For now, it was time to get up and ready for the day. *** Later that morning, Opera stood across from Sullivan in his office, with their feline ears slightly flattened in annoyance. "Are you certain this is the best course of action?", they asked, skeptically. Sullivan dropped the previously serious look on his face and waved playfully in dismissal. "Opera, you worry too much. Everything will be fine! You'll see. Kalego-kun will handle things here on our end and Lord Omen will help with the rest. There's nothing to worry about", he assured. The security devil turned teacher wasn't fully sold on the idea, but it didn't really matter. They knew the principal had the school's best interest at heart. "Very well. Then I will return to my duties", they said with a bow and headed off. Turning in his chair, Sullivan sighed as he stared out the window. He knew both parties would handle things delicately, but he also knew that Robin would likely do his own investigating. All he could do now was wait and hope that everyone would arrive on time. *** In the faculty area, Kalego was fighting off another headache. He'd just received news that the exorcist was coming earlier than expected. He'd made it very clear that all investigations of the campus were to take place after the students had gone home for the day, but it seemed Orias's contact had other ideas. "It's the only time she can come. It'll be fine; I promise. She's very skilled at keeping a low profile and we have my luck on our side", offered Orias. Kalego sighed in annoyed defeat. "Fine, but I want her kept away from the students, especially my class", he said sternly. Orias nodded in agreement. After last year's fiasco with Victoria Ai, the last thing Kalego needed was getting the misfits involved in another outside problem, especially one involving a teacher. Orias tipped his hat in promise and each headed for their homerooms. Still, Kalego had his reservations. Something in the pit of his stomach said this specialist was going to be a distraction. *** Classes went off without a hitch and Dali kept his ears open for their guest's arrival. He'd been put in charge of meeting the exorcist and Sullivan's other, more secretive, guest could take care of himself. Half of the day went by and there was still no sign of the specialist. During lunch break, Orias and Dali met up. Orias apologized for the exorcist's late arrival. "I'm really sorry. She should be here by now. It's not like her to be late", he said, trying to call her one more time. Dali wasn't fretting, but his curiosity peaked when he found out who they were expecting.  "I wonder where she is...", he ventured. *** Elsewhere... The misfits had some time between classes and were chatting in various groups amid the halls. As students arrived to their classes and the crowd thinned, the boku squad was making plans to visit the arcade. Shax and Iruma stood across from Soi and started to pale as he spoke, prompting some confusion. "Should we, though? I've heard mixed reviews….What?" "Uh, Soisoi...", trailed Lied, pointing nervously behind him. A strange sort of mist was starting to form behind Purson. As it grew thicker, a set of polished, gold-trimmed, black nails appeared poised as if their owner was about to grab him. "Hmm?", he uttered as he slowly looked up at the now smiling mist. "That violet lipstick", he thought.  Iruma and Lied glanced at one another, wondering what they should do. A moment later, the mist solidified into a gorgeous woman who snatched Purson into a near crushing embrace. "Soi-kun! It's been so long! Look how tall you've gotten!", she beamed, mercilessly snuggling the lad. Lied gaped in jealousy, but Iruma was just glad that his friend was safe. Soi's expression showed some surprise, but he seemed otherwise calm. "Aunt Ophelia?", he ventured, his voice muffled by her crushing his face into her chest. "Aunt?!", spat Lied. At least that explained why such a hottie was interested in Purson, but his resentment only mildly simmered. Soi took a gasp of air as he managed to dislodge himself enough to breathe and blushed faintly embarrassed in front of his friends. "What are you doing here?", he asked, now being thoroughly snuggled from behind. "I'm working, but I couldn't resist stopping by to see you. Your dad's so mean, keeping my precious nephew all to himself", she replied with a playful huff. Soi grinned faintly. He did love his aunt. "So, this is your father's sister?", ventured Iruma. He'd never met Purson's dad, but this woman didn't resemble his mother at all. She had the palest shade of violet in her hair and eyes, and wore mostly black with gold highlights in an outfit that reminded Iruma of a stereotypical witch in the human world. She even had the oversized brim on her pointed hat. Soi nodded sheepishly, knowing Shax would give anything to be in his place. "It's nice to meet you", offered Iruma with a polite bow. Finally releasing her beloved nephew, the woman stepped forward to inspect the two boys. "Oh, I do love a young man with manners", she said with a smile. That naturally jolted Lied into a bow, as well. "We're - ", he began. Ophelia chuckled at his red face. "I'm guessing Shax Lied and Suzuki Iruma?", she ventured. "I've heard so much about you from my darling Soi", shesaud, dragging them both into a hug. Both boys reddened as they each got a faceful of their friend's buxom aunt, but she didn't cuddle them long. "Where's Aunt Tsuki?", asked Soi, before Lied could dig his own grave. Ophelia teared up immediately. "My wonderful waifu had to work, too, so she couldn't come. It's so sad... But oh well! More cuddles for me!", she said, transitioning into another crushing hug with her nephew.  Her swinging emotions were a bit confusing, but at least Iruma could breathe again. Lied still looked a little jealous, but Purson had his usual poker face, clearly used to his auntie's affection. He continued talking as if she wasn't even snuggling him. "Hashiguchi Ophelia, these are my friends", he stated calmly. Relaxing her hold on him, yet not letting go, she made an inquisitive expression at the term. "A pleasure… I know what you're thinking, but I gave up the Purson name when I left the clan", she explained. Planting a firm smooch on Soi's cheek, she said, "I have to work, but I'll stop by again before I leave." Then, poof, she was gone. All that remained was the faint sound of her voice, saying, "Don't tell your dad I'm here!". Soi's aunt had come and gone like a hurricane, leaving the trio ruffled, but unharmed. Iruma and Lied stared at their friend, clearly with a million questions, but there was no real time for that. The bell would ring again soon and their teacher would have their skins if they were late. Hurrying to class, Purson briefly explained that his aunt disagreed with their clan's rules and left the name and family behind when she got married.  Well, most of the family, anyway. She kept in regular contact with her darling nephew and sister-in-law. Dodging Lied's fervent inquiries, Soi couldn't help, but wonder what possible reason Ophelia had to be within the halls of Babylus. Yet, he knew that answer may never be answered. Just because Ophelia had become a Hashiguchi didn't mean she had lost all of the training she'd received as a Purson.  *** Somewhere, Robin was waiting for his students to finish seating before taking attendance. As if on cue, he sneezed, almost like someone was talking about him… To be continued…

Mairimashita: Iruma-kun! - Trapped, part 2 The following day went on as normal, everyone sticking to their routines and doing their duties. However, there were a few instances later in the week when someone swore they saw Robin flirting with or leaning toward a girl from the corner of their eye. Yet, when they turned to look, it was always just another student. Robin, himself, had yet to see such a phenomenon, but he had no reason to doubt his peers. Still, whispers were beginning to stir and groups of students would occasionally giggle or give him dirty looks as he passed. That meant that the visions were no longer isolated to the faculty. Thus the student council had to be brought in to silence the rumor whenever it reared its ugly head. Every measure was being taken for damage control. One afternoon, a few days later, Bachiko finally heard the whispers. Of course she never believed them for a second. She knew her cousin better than that. The trick was controlling her temper. If she protested too much, it may appear to the student body that she was simply covering for her relative. That evening, she had a long discussion with Robin, trying to figure out the rumor's source, but, inevitably, each report was always just a side glimpse. No one ever saw anything head on. Someone had even tried taking a photo at one point, but, same as looking directly at the students, the picture was of an average teen couple. The only somewhat odd thing that stuck out, aside from the entire absurd situation, was that Robin briefly mentioned that, sometimes, it felt like he was being watched. That would make sense, of course, being under investigation, so Bachiko didn't focus on it. Instead, she was more concerned with clearing his name and upholding the clan's spotless reputation. Thus they discussed how to handle everything. *** Several more days passed, then something seemed to change. At least once or twice a day, Robin was certain his sharp eyes and keen vision had picked up on a particular demonic energy in the crowds or even in class, but no one was ever there when he looked a second time. As the second week of oddities went on, the unusual entity took on a form. She appeared to be a sixth year student with hazy features. Sometimes her projected energy was incredibly sad, as if about to cry out, "Please help me!" Other times, she simply seemed glad anyone was aware of her at all. Yet her features were never in focus. Was she the one causing the strange visions? Desperate to find out who she was or how, or even if, she was related to the rumors, Robin turned to Kalego. His senpai had quickly and efficiently narrowed down a list of the entire student body to a single student during the previous year's bartra party - Amy Kiriwo. So he had complete faith Kalego could do it again. It would have been easier if they had more information to go on. Unfortunately, Robin couldn't even tell him what color her eyes and hair were. Whenever she appeared, it was almost like a ghost - see-through, a mere outline, at least at first. As the days rolled into the third week, her face slowly became clearer and her expression was always so sad, desperately trying to convey something. Stranger still, no one else ever saw her at all. Was she truly connected to the sightings of him with other students or a phantom all of her own? There were no records of anyone missing or of a student with a bloodline magic that could explain either mystery, not even in the deceased records. Despite his efforts, Kalego found nothing. Frustratingly, there were few demons he could turn to with extensive knowledge of the school's history and that irritatingly whimsical principal was simply out of the question. So he went to Dali to deepen the search. At first, neither gave the ghost theory any credit. There was simply no proof, though they could reach out to Paimon for her help if it was indeed a spirit. As the discussion went on, Balam joined and was cautiously opening his mind to alternative ideas. As a biology teacher, he tried to maintain a healthy distance from the paranormal, but as a comrade, he was willing to consider all options to clear Robin's name. Thus, he wore his old friend down. Begrudgingly, Kalego finally agreed to bring in a specialist. Thankfully, Orias had someone in mind - Someone who worked on the fringes of the demon world, someone with an unusual skillset and occupation...An exorcist. Paimon, lord of spirits, was still a viable option, of course, but it was best to handle the situation as quietly as possible. After all, the reputation of the staff and even the school itself were on the line. Of course, that also meant that the chair demon had to be notified of the situation. Thus a small meeting was held between Kalego, Dali, and Sullivan. The principal was surprised to hear such a rumor at first, especially involving Robin, but as Kalego spoke about what they knew and what they needed to find out, Sullivan kept a calm, introspective expression throughout the rest of their time together. At the end, he said, "I see... Thank you for handling this, Dali-kun, Kalego-kun. Please keep me updated." Then they were dismissed. His detached demeanor was strange for such a serious rumor and that didn't sit right with Kalego, but Dali played dumb to his kouhai's observations. Sullivan was a wealth of secrets, but what was Dali hiding? Did he know who the phantom was or why this was happening? Annoyed, Kalego once again sought counsel with the one demon he trusted most at the school - His oldest friend, Shichiro. After listening to everything about the meeting, Balam thought it all over. "Kalego-kun, I've been told there have been some troubling disturbances involving the second year tower. I haven't yet researched it as much as I'd have liked to, but it could be connected", he ventured. Kalego stared pensively at him. He had thought of that, too, yet it seemed almost too easy. Besides, the ghost theory was really starting to bug him. There was far too much magic in the netherworld and too many enemies of Babylus to simply dismiss it all as a rogue spirit. He had to protect his post. "Hmph. Check it out just in case", he grumbled, dismissively. Balam silently accepted his answer. It needed to be addressed anyway, but his best friend's sharp nose had obviously picked up a different scent. Either way, between the two of them, they'd soon have their answers. To be continued…

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 62 Deep underground, the air was tense while Kalego decided what to do next. Opera tried to appear unphased by their near death experience (and meeting with Aria), but Iruma fussed over them to rest anyway.  A lot of emotions that had been long locked away were fighting deep in their eyes and somehow their young master knew. That alone warmed the security demon's heart. Meanwhile, Sage rested hazily beside them. She had spent a large amount of mana over the last few hours for such a young child and it had left her drained, like the others. Opera wasn't really used to small children, but they made an exception for the tiny half-breed. Nearby, Kalego held his pensive silence as he thought everything over. He had no doubt that Victoria was well aware that Persephone was currently unable to defend herself after the strain of Garuda. It was the perfect time to make a move on one of Ai's many threats and there was no way he was going to let her anywhere near his beloved, let alone eat her heart.  The mere thought of Victoria harming anyone at this point was infuriating and Kalego refused to lose Persephone again. Beyond that, the very idea of Ai rewriting his memories to make him fall in love with her turned his stomach. It was enough to make him feel physically sick at the thought. Then there were the others... Sage could easily be carried, but did anyone have the strength or enough magic left to carry Persephone? Certainly Iruma could walk and Opera seemed relatively back to normal, but Kalego, himself, was still irritatingly shaky. Ai and her damned bloodline had really done a number on him. Perhaps 'fractal' would be enough to let him carry the fallen healer, but had he recovered enough mana yet for even such a simple spell? After all, Cerberus had had to manifest again and that alone was a troubling sign. Sighing in annoyance at being so weak, there was at least one thing he needed to take care of. Kalego beckoned Iruma away, leaving Opera and Sage to rest. Once out of earshot, the air turned serious again. Out of earshot, the duo stared at one another in strained silence. Neither was particularly looking forward to moving their battered group, but they had little choice. Thus Iruma nervously awaited his sensei's plan. "Iruma...Victoria has her eye on you", stated Kalego darkly. Iruma tensed. He already knew that, but being reminded by the target she'd chased for decades only deepened his understanding of what the mad woman was capable of when she truly wanted something.  The sight of his teacher's tortured remains still burned brightly in his mind and it sent a shiver down his spine. Swallowing hard, he nodded grimly as he stared into his lap.  "Yeah..." The dark look awaiting him when he finally looked back up was almost scary. It was obviously bad news even without the previous warning. "She's dangerous, especially to you... Why she hasn't eaten you yet is beyond me", grumbled Kalego as he glanced aside.  He knew better than anyone what lengths Ai might go to in order to break the boy, mind and spirit, but not for what purpose. "About that...", trailed Iruma, nervously.  His entire body had tensed as he spoke. After all he had already witnessed, he was taking this very seriously. Even his previously shattered arm ached and he held it close instinctively. The boy's unusually serious behavior spoke volumes and it set Kalego on edge. Just what had he missed in his absence? After a deep breath, Iruma told him everything - Ai's plans for the both of them, about the Forbidden Tomb, and even Cornelius. When he'd finished speaking, his sensei sat in an eerie, almost frozen silence, a look of moderate shock upon his face. "...Sensei?", ventured the boy. Kalego narrowed his gaze as he processed his thoughts. His only verbal response was, "So that's what she's after." The thought of a new immortal was certainly troubling, but the concept of Ai becoming a deity was simply too much to bear. There was no way that could be allowed to happen, even if it meant shaking the entire netherworld. Eventually, the tense quiet that followed broke. Kalego eyed the boy sharply, but he didn't seem angry just then. It was more as if he was actually starting to worry. "You've certainly learned a lot these past few weeks...Too much...", he uttered. Iruma steeled his nerves. Was he going to get a lecture about keeping his teacher's privacy? Or about burying forbidden secrets? Would Persephone or even Sullivan wipe his memory later? Though he was nervous, he held Kalego's stern gaze. Finally, the dour demon sighed dismissively. "I can't promise what will or won't happen to you after this. Whether or not you're returned to your world isn't my call... Whatever happens, though, you've been burdened with too many things better off forgotten", he said. Iruma was screaming inside of his mind.  "Don't make me forget! Don't make me go back! Please, I'll do anything! I want to remember all of you! I don't care about the cost! Please!!!", echoed as a deafening plea inside. He was so desperate to remain in the demon world that he would shoulder all of its terrible secrets so long as he could stay there with his loved ones. His thoughts must have been playing across his face again because Kalego smirked in moderate annoyance. A flick to the boy's forehead brought him back from his thoughts. "Ooowww! What was that for?!", he whined, plaintively holding the sore spot. "You're doing it again - planning to put yourself in danger. Don't forget you're not alone here, you fool. You don't have to save the world by yourself. You have dozens of demons you can rely on, so let us help you,...idiot", chided Kalego. Iruma grinned bashfully as he lowered his hand from his head. His sensei was right, of course, and had seen right through him as usual. "Right", he ceded.  He recalled being told such things before. He really did have a habit of needlessly endangering himself for the sake of others. The fact that he was in the compound was proof enough of that. Kalego smirked, glad he'd gotten his point across. Now they could start planning. "We're bound to run into either Victoria or her lackies as we head toward the surface. Having a special interest in you makes you a bigger target. That being said, watch out for her familiar… I know you've already seen it, but it's even more dangerous than you think. That fox has highly caustic saliva, the kind that can melt a demon's flesh in seconds... There's no telling what it could do to someone like you", warned Kalego.  Suddenly a few of his scars made sense. Still, it was a worrisome thought. Just what would such acid do to a mere human? Iruma gulped, clearly getting the message. Kalego was serious in his warnings and he could imagine how Iruma might perish while protecting Sage all too easily. The exhausted teacher had no intention of explaining such an outcome to Sullivan, nor did he really want the kid hurt. After everything Ai had put them through and learning the truth of his existence, the stern demon had already sworn to himself that they had come too far to simply let Iruma get devoured. Taking a deep breath, Kalego smirked faintly.  "It's powerful, but not unbeatable... You're lucky Barbatos took you under her wing; She gave you the perfect skill set to take that fox down a few pegs", he stated. That gave Iruma a glimmer of hope. Meeting his sensei's eyes, he resolutely waited for more information. After all, there was no point in despairing. It certainly wouldn't solve anything or get him out of the situation. Thus he had to take his fate into his own hands yet again. Seeing his resolve, Kalego had a growing feeling that the boy would pull through. He'd already survived several things that would crush the average human. Having been proven wrong so many times in the past, he was finally beginning to see a glimpse of the shine that drew so many to Iruma. "You'll have to hit multiple targets at once to take it down. The trick will be seeing them... That fox has three concentrations of energy orbiting around it.  Striking all six at once will make it revert to a less fearsome form.... Thus far, Cerberus is the only one who has accomplished that." "Energy?... Like orbs?", asked Iruma in wonder. He didn't recall seeing anything like that before, but then again, he was much more focused on the beast's fangs during their previous meeting. "Wait…Even if I can shatter all six at once, what will that even do?", he asked, curiously. His teacher smirked almost evilly. It seemed he wasn't going to tell him. "Hopefully it won't come to that, but if it does, you'll see", he said with a cryptic grin. Across the room, Opera twitched their keen ears. Ai's plans for Iruma? To make him immortal than devour his heart to claim it herself. How dreadful… It was true that only humans could achieve such a state, according to the lore, but can it be stolen?  Annoyed, Opera silently cursed their broken radio. If only they could use telepathic magic to communicate with the surface…but it was decided early on to be too risky. If Ai intercepted anything their plans to stop her could fall apart. Thus a more technical method had been adopted. Still, the vile demoness had countered their electronics with the help of Baal's stolen lightning. Pulling back from their thoughts, they noticed the small girl had awoken and was staring at them pointedly. "Are you okay, Kitty-san? Do you still feel weak?", she asked in earnest concern. Opera grinned fondly at her and assured her that they were fine. She didn't need to be burdened with Ai's crazy plans or to worry about her new big brother any more than she already was. *** Back at the surface, the medical tent had grown quiet again. Xui had made her rounds and all of her patients were resting while she made notes in the corner. Bachiko had ended up back in her seat beside Valiant again.  That idiot… How could he be using magic in his sleep? Didn't he know how fragile of a state he was in? Did he have a death wish or something??? Relaxing her tightened jaw, the archer sighed under her breath. At least he was able to rest despite the added pain he was taking on. Then a tiny sound from overhead caught her ear. Glancing up, a small creature peered down at her from one of the support beams. …..A mouse????....Wait…That was no ordinary rodent. She stared in mild shock as it jumped down, landing safely on Valiant's chest. She fought off an eye twitch as it straightened its tiny, feathered hat.  That kind of obnoxious flare… Was this his familiar?! The mouse made its way toward the sleeping demon's face, then tucked into his bloodsoaked hair before squeaking into his ear. Bachiko watched as Valiant hazily opened his eyes. "Pierre?....What?...Slow down….Ow, my head…", he muttered.  Slowly sitting up, he held onto his pounding skull as the small mouse tumbled down his shoulder and onto his stomach with an annoyed squeak and twitching its wings irritably. Bachiko smirked to herself, knowing how out of it Valiant was. "So, this must be one of your secret contacts", she teased, glad to see him awake.  Valiant slowly turned his head to face her. He seemed to have forgotten where he was at the moment. "Hime?", he uttered, but the theatrical rodent on his belly was waving its tiny arms and squeaking vehemently. Finally snapping back to reality, Vincente lifted the tiny creature in his palm and listened closely. "I understand….And what of Ettiene?...I see….I'm sorry I have no food for you right now, but thank you." The mouse nodded in understanding before turning to look at the archer beside them. As annoying as its master, it took off its hat and bowed to the lady before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Now Valiant looked at Bachiko in subdued wonder. "Hime, have you been here with me the whole time?", he uttered. Turning red, she quickly averted her face. "Like I have that kind of time!....So what did your familiar say?", she replied, changing the subject. Valiant grinned bashfully. Not many had ever seen one of his rodents. The fact that Pierre had appeared in front of her was a good sign that she was trustworthy. Still, he wondered how she would react to the others. Phillipe and Ettiene weren't quite so cute, after all, and not many ladies were fond of rodents and raptors. "My contacts rarely show themselves. Pierre must like you", he grinned. Fighting off the urge to smack some sense into him, Bachiko glared in mild irritation. Dropping his act, Valiant yawned deeply, and told her what the mouse had said - Kalego, Opera, and Iruma were currently exhausted, but safe.  That news put her mind at ease. "And the others?", inquired Xui without looking up from her journal.  Valiant swiveled his face toward the intruding voice. Staring for a moment, he realized who it belonged to. "Akiyama-sama?...Persephone-sama and Sage are with them….When did you get here?", he asked, still hazy. Finally closing her notebook, Xui approached him with skeptical eyes. "A while ago... The children will be fine, but you have a curse. Nene can take care of it once she gets here, then I can fix those teeth…How is your pain?" She inspected him carefully as she spoke. "Tolerable", he uttered, knowing what was coming next. "Good. Then - ", she began, followed by a prompt smack upside his pounding head.  "What kind of fool are you?! Turn off your bloodline immediately!", she spat. He held his head with an apologetic grin. He'd been caught, unsurprisingly. "Yes, ma'am", he ceded with a muffled sigh of relief. Bachiko watched agape. Just how well did Xui know Valiant? He bashfully averted his gaze. "I was only trying to help", he said under his breath. "I'm sure the kids will appreciate what you did, but the fact remains that you could have  easily pushed yourself into a coma, and for what?! If you die, then who is going to stop Ai?....Dumbass", grumbled Xui. "Yes, ma'am ", he repeated in defeat. Taking a calming breath, the healer tilted his chin to get a better look. "Open", she ordered. Obeying, he let her inspect his demolished teeth. "Clever bitch", she mumbled. As she let him go, she explained, "Victoria put a curse on the roof of his mouth preventing anyone from repairing his fangs until it's removed. It's a low blow for a fellow vampire, but I'm not surprised… It doesn't look too complicated, so I'm certain my dear sister can easily remove it. Until, try not to talk too much, lest you start bleeding again. Understood?". He nodded, grateful for her help. "Barbatos, watch him for me, won't you? I'll be right back", she said, walking away without waiting for an answer. "Sure", replied the archer, still mildly surprised.  She glanced back at her fallen comrade. She had no idea that he'd been cursed as well as tortured. Yet it made sense. That must be why he was recovering so slowly. She wondered what other curses he'd been hiding until he sent her a reassuring grin that he was okay. As they sat quietly, he occasionally stretched or flexed his sore fingers experimentally. That was when she first saw the mark on his wrist. His tattered sleeves must have made it visible this entire time, so why was she only now seeing it? A dark emblem clearly marked his skin - three bird claws spiraling out from a center point. She'd seen it once before in an old book of legends as a child…but that meant that the legend was real… Valiant tilted his head in question, aware she was staring at it. He was trying to follow Xui's orders not to talk, but there was so much to tell Bachiko if only he were allowed. With a defeated grin, he quietly grasped his marked wrist and uttered, "The Aviary…You could call it my home." Bachiko had a million questions, but knowing she wouldn't likely get any answers, she simply nodded as she glanced away as if to say, "I see." The Aviary was a shadow organization of legend. No one could prove its existence, but stories tell of a legion of loyal agents that served some kind of forgotten god to maintain balance in the world and beyond definitely made a good story. Did that mean he was no ordinary spy? Was his master really that scary? And did 'beyond' mean the human realm??? Too many questions flooded her mind, but they would have to wait. Someone else was stirring nearby. Shax yawned deeply as he slowly sat up. Somehow, he'd expected to feel way more sore. After all, he'd completely puppeted Kiriwo. How strange… *** Underground, on the eighth sublevel of the collapsing compound… Kalego had gone to check on Persephone after his talk with Iruma. He vividly remembered his meeting with her phoenix and the warning that Bennu had given him.  Could he really stop her from using Garuda again? Who was she willing to die for? That was an easy list. Thankfully he, Shichiro, and Opera could defend themselves under normal circumstances. Nene, too. That left Pandora. She'd recovered well since her rescue, but twenty years of abuse, neglect, and malnutrition won't fade away so easily. She needed to become stronger. Thankfully, she had a good support network and he knew Balam wouldn't let anything bad happen to her ever again. That meant Persephone was safe, didn't it?... Lost to his thoughts, his exhaustion slowly took over as he sat beside her and he drifted off, resting his head near her hand. Yet nothing was going to be easy until Victoria was defeated. Not even rest. Being in such close proximity, her nightmares found him all too easily.  *** In his mindscape, Kalego glared at Ai, back in his bonds against the wall of his torture chamber. She was grinning wickedly at him.  She had a nasty habit of plaguing him with nightmares, but the horrid visions he had just seen were definitely real.  Victoria had shown him every awful thing that Pandora had endured while captive. No detail was spared. Every tear, each drop of spilled blood, and every agonizing injury and insult were played out as if he'd been there, helplessly letting it all happen. Now, she was thoroughly enjoying the look of contempt on his face. "That's right. Everything that happened to that rat was your fault... It was bad enough you were kind to her, but to think you'd even consider something more. It makes me sick...Did you think I didn't know?" Ai really was twisted. Yet all Kalego could do in his wretched, chained state was glare at her and maintain an icy silence, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of a response while bound. Thinking back, he recalled his mixed feelings from the past. He hadn't been in love with Pandora in a romantic way. They were close and he had been confused briefly, perhaps no more than a week. Ultimately, he understood it was a sibling type bond he'd had with her and everything else that had been created by his confusion melted away. Besides, she really did belong with Shichiro. They were perfect together, and, in the end, Pandora had opened his heart to the idea of love, even leading him to the demon who had claimed it, Persephone. "Aww, why so angry? If you hadn't gotten close to her, your sweet little Pandora could have had a wonderful life…But no. You chose to like her and everything you saw was - All. Your. Fault." *** In reality, Kalego suddenly woke up with a jolt. How long had he been out? He hadn't meant to nod off, but being forcibly resurrected had taken its toll. That was also no ordinary dream. It was a memory from his confinement. Ai wouldn't let anything go and there was no doubt in Kalego's mind that whatever Victoria had planned for Persephone was even more horrific than what she had done to Pandora. Glancing at Persephone's sleeping form beside him, he grimaced. She was truly at her most vulnerable due to using Garuda and he could only blame himself.  Bennu's words rang loudly in his memory. If she ever used that spell again, she would die and no magic in the netherworld would be able to save her. The cost of such powerful magic was high indeed… Still, he'd have to argue the point with her later. For now, he needed to focus on getting everyone out alive. They'd all come and fought for him despite the danger. Now it was his turn.  Turning his attention, he got up and peered out the doorway toward his comrades. Watching Iruma calm Sage with a game in the next room, he made up his mind. He would restore pride on both a personal level and to the Naberius name. He'd never let Victoria touch a single one of them again.  As his anger boiled back to the surface, Opera smirked in pleased silence. The air was beginning to crackle around the dour demon, a sure sign his mana was coming back. Even the faint outline of a large beast shimmered just barely visible behind him.  Saying nothing, Opera hid their grin and turned their attention to their young master. They had no doubt that both Kalego and Cerberus would bare their fangs the moment Ai showed her face. *** In another part of the complex, Victoria sneered at the blood seeping from her broken horn. Opera would definitely pay dearly for such an insult. She'd make certain of that. Unlocking a door, the sound of hundreds of tiny, fluttering wings filled her ears. She smiled darkly at her collection of golden insects. After all, a single one had taken out both Robin and Iruma. The damage an entire swarm could do was so tempting, she nearly drooled at the imagined carnage. Best of all, no one would be expecting it. Her enemies would be so focused on her basilisk that the chaos of realizing they were done for would be absolutely delectable. Mesh cages lined the room with dozens of insects in each. Her research had made the breeding program a success. Now she only had to unleash them. In the center of the darkened chamber, a single demon was tied to his seat, thoroughly drained of way too much blood and barely clinging to life. She grinned as she gently stroked his face, waking him. "Hello, my pet. Your work is almost done. Once my darling swarm bites the fools destroying my property, your pain will end. I'll slice your throat and you can take all of those wretches with you… Won't that be lovely?" The poor wretch she'd held captive wanted to lash out or at least swear at her, but he was far too weak. He sincerely hoped that Ai's plan would fail, but either way, he'd finally find peace. *** Sullivan stared at the looming basilisk, lost in thought. His body was tense, wanting desperately to help, but knowing Balam could handle it. Glancing back toward the crumbling mansion. He sighed as he forcibly relaxed. He truly was worried for his beloved grandson, yet he was unable to move in to help. At least for now. His thoughts suddenly shattered at the sound of a deep voice he hadn't heard directly in decades. "How are you holding up, Sully-kun? It's been a while", said the masked figure beside him. Tensing in sheer surprise, he quickly regained his composure as he turned to face the voice's owner. "Lord Omen! Forgive me, I - ", he began while starting to bow. Yet the hooded figure raised his hand in dismissal. "There is no need to be so formal. No one else can see me right now and it would be strange, if not frightening, for one of the greats to suddenly appear so humble amidst the battlefield...Don't you agree, Sully-kun?", said the man. Sullivan was grateful for the reprieve in the rare lapse of manners. He really was in no mood to put on airs. Besides, Omen was right. He must keep his composure for the morale of those around them. Looking wistfully back toward the dilapidated mansion, he sighed faintly under his breath. "Your grandson is in no mortal peril at the moment. Be at ease", said Omen, clearly knowing far more than he let on. Sullivan offered a thankful grin.  "Thank you for that comfort...As well as for lending Vincente-kun to me again. His help has been invaluable", said the old demon. The being beside him seemed to smile faintly behind his plague mask, albeit briefly. "Be sure to look after Valiant and his protégé, the young heir", he said, alluding to Soi. "They are both valuable pieces in this horrid game we've all been forced to play. I would hate to see either of their lights snuffed out early." Sullivan slowly dropped his guard. Omen sounded despondent and exhausted, yet he nobly remained at his wretched post in the shadows. "How long has it been now?", asked the old demon in concern. He knew he wouldn't really get an answer. That was simply Omen's nature - a master of secrets, someone who pulled the strings unseen, and above all, a tired and lonely soul who longed for the one thing he could never have. Omen sighed, allowing his weakened state to shine through. "Far too many millennia...", he uttered, picturing a long-lost face he knew he'd never see again. Straightening his posture, his emotions seemed to evaporate as he resumed his duties. "Old friend, I trust you will stick to the plan until the end. I cannot lose this time. None of us can afford the luxury of letting the world end.... Once Victoria is detained, be sure to hold up your end of the bargain. Soi must follow the path to his destiny organically and Valiant must stay his course..." "I've lost many agents over the centuries; Such is the cost of my line of business, but those two must survive into the new era.... You do understand, do you not?" Omen's words were heavy with the weight of his duty and Sullivan felt every note deep in his soul. Blurring his own presence from the battlefield, he crossed his arm over his chest with a deep bow of total and utter respect. "Your faith has not been misplaced, Omen-sama. I swear to you that all will be done according to plan", he said, solemnly. A faint breeze blew between them as the strange being known only as "Lord Omen" accepted Sullivan's words. "Del-kun would certainly be proud of your dedication", he said, almost fondly. Then added, "I'm sure she appreciates your loyalty, as well." Sullivan froze briefly, both reminded of his lost king and unsure of which "she" he was referring to. Was it princess Shura or - ?.... The reflection on the pronoun was wistful, nostalgic, and soaked in pain. Surely it wasn't the princess. Of course. Omen's missing half. What a burden to carry in the name of a better world… As he rose and let himself be seen again to prevent his absence sparking panic amongst the fighting demons, Sullivan faintly lowered his head in respect for the unnamed. Meanwhile, Omen looked out over the slowing chaos surrounding them as if trying to pinpoint an individual. After a moment, he seemed to find them. "Do not fret, Parisa. Your child will be returned to you. Young Sage is also an important figure for the future. She will need guidance, but I know she will do great things for realigning the worlds", he uttered into the wind. Nearly amused, he added, "I look forward to the changes she and her big brother will make... May they shake reality back into its intended form." Then he was gone without a trace. Sullivan stared at the spot where he had stood. He knew Parisa was somewhere nearby, keeping her promise, but who in the celestial realm was Sage's brother? Parisa had no other children....Did she? To be continued…

Mairimashita: Iruma-kun! - Trapped, part 1 Babylus meeting room, after school, the misfits' second year... Most of the senior staff were present and deadly silent. At one end of the long table was Dali-sensei, the only demon present without an obvious grimace toward the other end of the seated teachers.  Everyone seemed to stare into their folded hands as they waited for the meeting to proceed. The air was thick with tension, almost like anxious fangs, and all pointed at the young teacher that sat across from Dali - Bars Robin. The normally high-spirited demon wasn't entirely certain why he was in the proverbial hot seat, but it was clear that he had done something terribly wrong. The door creaked open then closed as the final two participants entered the room. Kalego held an armful of papers and sent his kouhai a nasty look as Balam ushered him by. The duo took their seats and the papers were handed to Dali for inspection.  Kalego was in a foul mood to be sure. Even Momonoki-sensei was too nervous to look at him any longer than a passing glance. The rest of gathered staff sent sideways glares toward Robin as they waited for Dali to speak. As their leader read the reports he'd been given, his expression shifted to something rather grim, almost angry. Finally he sighed in disappointment as he set his papers down. Looking squarely at Robin, he seemed to be judging the younger teacher's every reaction. "Robin-sensei...", he uttered. Robin stiffened at the chilling, accusatory tone in his boss's voice. Nervously staring at his hands, balled up tightly upon his lap, he took a steady breath. Whatever this was about, he would face it head on. "I was pretty surprised when this ugly little rumor started, but with all of this evidence, I have to ask - What were you even thinking?", began Dali. All eyes sharpened as he spoke. Everyone, but Balam anyway. He looked more disappointed than anything. Did he believe the rumor, too, or was he holding out to judge Robin himself? Either way, his bloodline would put a spotlight on the truth. Still, poor Bars had no idea what this was even about. There had been no warnings, no call from angry parents, not even a word from their beloved principal, who was noticeably absent. So why was he here? Becoming even more serious, Dali slowly stood up. Leaning upon his hands on the table for emphasis, he reminded everyone of their duty. "We are teachers of Babylus and we are oath-bound to nurture and protect the greatest treasure the netherworld has to offer - our students. They always come first no matter how we feel about them on a personal level", he said pointedly. The students? That's what this was about? Robin's thoughts raced as he searched his memories, trying desperately to find a shred of anything he'd done wrong involving the youths under his care. Yet nothing came to mind, not even a disagreement over a grade. Still, whatever it was about, he was sure to face punishment from both the school and his clan regarding the dishonor should he be found guilty.  The thought of a livid Bachiko was enough to make him shiver, but the image of their angry president was even scarier. Just what had he supposedly done??? Then the muttering started… "Look at him. White as sheet. He's guilty." "We don't know that yet for certain." "I think he looks more frightened than guilty." "Of course he is! He got caught!" "Silence", demanded Kalego. His icy tone immediately ceased all chatter. Dali hid an exasperated grin, but at least he had the room again. "Robin-kun, I'm going to be honest with you. You're here because I've received multiple reports of you committing the heinous and vile act of having an illicit relationship with a student", stated Dali. Every ounce of color drained from Robin's face. It couldn't be... "I would never  - !", he blurted, actually angry for a change, surprising his colleagues. He'd been so adamant that he'd slammed his palms on the table in rage as his chair slid behind him from his abrupt shift to standing. Beside him, Momonoki sat startled. She'd never seen him angry before. Still, this was a very serious matter and it simply had to be resolved. "Who would even...?", uttered Robin, completely crushed that anyone would make such a wild accusation. He was so livid, tears started forming as he shook in anger.  He was angry alright, but his voice sounded terribly sad that his colleagues would even conjure up such a tale. "Sit down", ordered Kalego. He was the only demon who didn't glare daggers at him, which was unusual. Sure, he was irritated, but that was normal at least. Then it dawned on the younger teacher. Were his senpai and Balam-sensei actually there to defend him? Swallowing his emotions, Robin returned to his seat. Kalego and Balam were his only hope. After a moment of collective silence, Balam quietly leaned forward and stared into Robin's very soul. "Robin-kun, is this true? Are you having an inappropriate relationship with a student?", he asked calmly and clearly. He was using his buzzer ability. The truth would come out. Swallowing hard, Robin sent him a steely gaze. "No", he said, his voice defiant yet loud enough to be heard across the entire table. Furcas, Marbas, Orias, Momonoki and the others all stared with bated breath. What would Balam say? Shichiro narrowed his eyes as he looked upon his young, angry kouhai. Finally, he sent Dali a quiet nod. Bars was telling the truth. A collective sigh of relief passed through the room. Kalego, however, sat with a small, smug grin on his face. He'd known the rumor was false all along. Robin was dumb, but not that dumb. There was simply no way his kouhai would fraternize with a minor. Dali visibly relaxed as he sat back down. He was finally smiling again. "Now that that's out of the way, we can focus on finding the source of these rumors before they spread to the student body", he said, completely relieved. Thus, the investigation began to clear Robin's name. To be continued…

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 61 Approaching the medical tent, Robin stared up at the huge, ethereal rib cage surrounding the small structure. He didn't know who such impressive magic belonged to, but he was certain it was a sign of trouble. He'd already seen a few of Ai's shadow serpents along the way, which he quickly dispatched, but as he got closer, he was horrified to see a swarm consisting of thousands of them descending upon those already wounded.  The accursed snakes angrily attacked everything that moved, even each other.  Gritting his teeth, he wondered just how low Victoria could sink. Sending her curses after those who were already down…  It was despicable, yet as both a demon and an archer, he understood the appeal of an enemy's despair. Nonetheless, her sheer disgust for others was making him angry.  Fighting off a faint shudder of recalled sickness, he could almost still feel her sharp fingernails piercing his belly as they had during the infliction of his second curse.  He also remembered how she had somehow made his blood turn black and and even used it to harm his beloved relative, Bachiko, and prompting even more concern for the others. Yet his own unresolved trauma wasn't a priority right now.  They had both recovered well thanks to Nene and now it was his turn to help. Doing his best to clear his head, he pressed forward, but the focus on his mission was tainted by the fear of what was happening to Lied and the others; Students and allies needed his help. After all, there was no telling what one of Victoria's curses would make a mere student do to their friends. Knowing an archer didn't have the luxury of hesitating and grateful for the magical skeleton armoring the tent, he rushed to join the battle. He knew his big sis was just up ahead, defending the treasure of Babylus. There was no room for doubt. Approaching with resolve, he found a pair of misfits already dealing with the situation at hand. Sabnock and Asmodeus were working well together, slaying the snakes in swaths. With a grin, Robin's vision settled on an even more confident figure - Bachiko.  Thank goodness she was there… Her volleys were taking out hoards of the slithering shadows with each shot, giving the young demons a chance to stand their ground. It looked like the worst of the attack was already over, but panic set in as Robin realized she didn't seem to notice the serpent at her feet, poised to strike her ankle from behind.  Without shouting to distract her, or hesitation, he fired his own bow.  Bachiko froze at the sound of the arrow hitting the earth just behind her. There was no way one of hers would stray so far off her mark, but then that meant - ...  Glancing back, she saw the last of the creature's darkness evaporate and followed the arrow's trajectory back to its source. Smirking in approval and shyly trying to hide her embarrassment of having missed the snake's presence, she spat out her toothpick as she turned toward her relieved relative.  "About time you got here", she grinned. Robin smiled bashfully and hurried to her side. He knew he wouldn't get an outright "Thank you", but he didn't care as long as his big sis was safe. Besides, there was work to be done. "Ready?", inquired Bachiko with an excited smirk. "Ready", grinned Robin, eager to join the fight.  He had a lot to pay Victoria back for. Taking his place, the two archers stood back to back and set off a sequence of combo moves that even made Sabro pause his own attacks to admire. In his distraction, a sudden flare of flame incinerated the hissing snake flying toward his face.  "Pay attention, you big oaf!", shouted Azz, annoyed.  He was quickly humbled by a small spear grazing his cheek as it impaled another serpent just behind himself.  "You, too", smirked Sabro. The rest of the living curses were wiped out quickly between the four of them. As the dust settled, Bachiko gave her cousin a gruff pat on the back with a proud smile, nearly knocking him onto his face. He grinned back as he regained his footing, but quickly turned his attention to the students present. Rushing forward, he began looking them over from every angle possible. The sight would have been comical if not for the situation. "Are you two alright? You didn't get bitten, did you?? No curses???", he panicked. Azz twitched at the sudden intrusion to his personal space, but still offered a small, appreciative smile as he dismissively held up his hand, signifying he was alright. Meanwhile, Sabnock smirked, thankful for their teacher's help. "We're fine, sensei! Barbatos-dono took good care of us", he grinned.  Seeing that confident smile, Robin finally relaxed with a deep breath of relief. "Thank goodness." Turning back toward the tent, he stared at the dissipating magic enveloping it. It seemed whoever had cast it was somehow aware that the threat was over. Still, his heart grew heavy as he wondered how those inside had fared. Bachiko stepped close and put a supportive hand on his shoulder.  "Wipe that dopey look off your face. Shax is fine; He's just asleep", she assured. Behind them, the teens still seemed a little sullen despite their victory as the adrenaline began to fade, and she understood why without asking.  Glancing over her shoulder, she said, "Good work, you two…and don't worry about Valac. She's in good hands." Sabro nodded faintly in acknowledgement while Azz stared pensively at the ground. He was still deeply concerned for both of his soulmates. The look of barely repressed angst on his face even shook Robin. It made sense, though. Of course Asmodeus was worried, even angry. Ai had messed with all of them and Iruma had already nearly died during the earlier attack at the school, something the young teacher was sadly a part of.  While Robin had abundant faith in the abnormal class to last the night, the duo was still inexperienced and Victoria was both cruel and calculating, even by demon standards. There was no telling what grim news may come with the morning sunrise, so he knew he had to distract his students from dwelling on the worst possible outcome.  Resuming his usual, cheerful personality, he approached his students with a grin and applause.  "You two were amazing!... So, which one of you managed to dispatch more snakes? You were counting, right?", he asked with feigned ignorance, knowing it would spark a debate between the young rivals. As the two started to quarrel, he smiled innocently, glad his plan had worked. Now they had something else to focus on besides worrying for their friends. "Pfft…Good work, Robbie", mumbled Bachiko in a low tone as she passed by.  Leaving him to oversee the ensuing argument, she headed back inside the tent to see how things were going with Akiyama and the fallen.  She knew she could trust Robin to keep their wards safe and occupied in her absence. Smirking to herself, she gently shook her head at what she overheard as she walked away. Iruma sure had an impressive amount of patience to deal with those two… "Don't be stupid! Clearly, I won!" "Ha! You need to retake math!" "At least I saved your sorry hide, you giant idiot!" "That bleeding cheek of yours says we're even." "You - !!!" A sudden flash of heat filled the air behind her and she heard Robin rush to break up the escalating fight. It seemed his plan had worked a little too well.  Those two truly were hopeless. Still, it renewed her respect for both Balam and Kalego. Their patience and dedication to their students were admirable, though the thought of the missing teacher still put her on edge.  This mission had better succeed. She didn't want to think about what his loss would mean to Babylus, her allies, or his students. *** Inside the tent, Xiu seemed focused on her work as she leaned over Clara's unconscious form. Bachiko, still sorting her thoughts, wasn't intending to interrupt her examination, but she still needed an update, so she quietly strode forward. Several sharpened bones suddenly curved up from below the ground around her, stopping her instantly. One particularly pointy one barely stopped just shy of the vital artery in her throat. "You really shouldn't sneak in like that", chided Xiu, glancing across her shoulder in mild annoyance.  Before Bachiko could speak, the bones receded. Watching them closely, she could tell they extended from the stern healer's own body, exiting near her ankle and down the back of her heel.  Her face must have given away her thoughts because Akiyama grinned faintly, returning to her work. "You learn to ignore the pain. As for minerals, I consume a lot of calcium… Does that answer all of your questions?", she ventured with a smirk. Bachiko's pink face stared at her back, both surprised and impressed. This woman was no joke. It was no wonder that both Nene and Sullivan had complete trust in her abilities. "Not all of them", replied the archer, coming closer. Her tone was a little grim as she looked at the blood soaked towels around Clara's leg. Xiu fully understood her concern. The archer was responsible for the safety of everyone currently under treatment and she wasn't about to let one of Iruma's soulmates or Robin's precious student slip away. She'd never be able to face them again otherwise. "I know it looks bad, but this child will be just fine. The other merely needs a few days rest", stated Xiu, closing up the hole in Valac's flesh. Clara was a little pale from blood loss, but both teens actually looked pretty good all things considered. Valiant, however… "And him?", asked Bachiko, coyly glancing over. Xui paused as she tried to glean more information from the younger demon's tone. Hiding the faintest of smiles, she answered calmly. "Vincente-kun is rather incredible, isn't he? He's been draining this girl's pain and that boy's exhaustion, even in his sleep, likely since they arrived", replied the healer, bandaging her patient. Bachiko stared at Valiant's sleeping face with reddish cheeks and subdued concern. She wasn't exactly surprised, but it was still dangerous considering his current state and she could see him twinge faintly with each stitch applied to Clara's wounds. "While rare, such empathy is certainly admirable, but rather foolish. He's really in no shape to be pulling such a stunt", grumbled Akiyama, snapping the archer from her thoughts. Xiu cleaned her bloody hands before moving on to check on Lied. "It's really too bad he's so soft - too gentle to handle someone like my Lamya-chan, but perhaps, with a little luck and enough time, a different demon will be able to see his true worth beneath his polished facade", she said, almost as if fishing for a retort. Yet the archer remained silent. Once the healer approached Valiant, she checked his vitals. He still looked a little weak, but he was stable, no doubt thanks to the small vial of Iruma's powerful, human blood as well as Bachiko's contribution. Yet, his borrowed agony was easily seen in his twitching eyelids. The fact that he was asleep at all under such a strain was rather impressive, if not a miracle. Bachiko resisted the slight urge to reach out as she wondered what possessed him to go so far for demons he barely knew. Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure if she could resist slapping some sense into him.  Still, that idiot had done this to himself…so why was she so worried? Had her own blood donation somehow messed with her head? Was there some strange chemical in his saliva?... "Can we help him?", she asked in a muted tone, pushing her other thoughts aside. Xiu carefully observed every nuance of the archer's expression before responding, "No, only he can deactivate his bloodline ability and attempting to stop it by force is risky even in a healthy demon...But if I could do something, would you be willing to take on his pain?". Bachiko stared at his sweatlicked face in silence as the bunny from before hid under the cot. She wasn't entirely sure how to respond. It was such a strange question and something about that fool had become irritatingly endearing, as if he'd somehow slipped past her defenses. Looking closer, the blue tint upon his lips wasn't a good sign. Just how much damage had Ai done to him and why wouldn't he stop using his drain ability? He was sacrificing what little health and stamina he had recovered and the thought of him pushing himself too far made her chest tighten. What if he actually died?... "Do you have any of Nene's tonics?", asked the healer. Snapped from her thoughts, Bachiko stiffly glanced at her hip, wondering how many of her thoughts had spilled onto her face.  Thankfully, she had one of each potion left. She hadn't used any herself, but had handed a few off to those who needed them. "The darker one should be for mana. Give him that and it should hold him over for now… I'll do what I can once he's had a chance to absorb it", instructed Xiu. Bachiko removed the vial from her waist and sat beside him. She reached to tilt Valiant's head or at least prop him up a little so he wouldn't choke.  Stepping close, Xiu smirked as she snatched the tonic away in mild annoyance. "Now is not the time to be timid, girl", she chided. Then she drank the contents of the bottle without swallowing.  Bachiko stared in mild shock as Akiyama made her patient take his medicine the only way currently possible. A few droplets escaped from their joined lips as she gently rubbed his throat.  Once she was certain he'd swallowed the tonic, Xiu idly wiped her mouth. "There. Let him rest a while and then I'll see what I can do about those teeth", she said. Leaving to recheck her other patients, she was perfectly calm. Bachiko, however, had a dark look in her eyes as she settled Valiant back into his cot. He was heavy, but warm. At least there was still that - a subtle, remaining sign of life. She hated feeling so helpless, especially while also so confused. Just what had that idiot done to her head?! Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves. "You'd better come back", she grumbled, barely audible.  Honestly, taking on the suffering of the others when he already couldn't even stand? What was he thinking?! When he wakes, she'll be ready with an earful for him.  That was what she had to focus on - Stay mad at him. If she wasn't angry, then those intrusive thoughts started coming up again. Anger, she could easily handle. Whatever else there was? …Not yet. *** Back at the defense team's location, Balam arrived on scene amidst chaos. Agares had created a massive pit to contain Victoria's vipers, but he looked tense. Still, a tiny, vengeful smirk crossed his lovely face as he prepared to crush the cursed serpents with one, final move. Behind them, Gaap was flat on his back with a glowing feather sticking out of his chest - one of Persephone's pinions. Kerori had frozen the worst of his bite marks, slowing both the bleeding and the venom, but it still looked grim. Even Elizabetta seemed worried as she watched over them.  Fresh blood and several dark spots decorated his normally pale hair, sure signs that multiple curses had successfully afflicted their mark. Nearby, Balam struggled to keep his balance as Agares pushed another forceful shove of earth below their feet. The boy was clearly angry at the serpents for harming his friend and he'd ensure every last one of them was crushed beyond any hope of recovery. Interestingly, Picero was standing on terra firma, himself, while his precious nap cloud was hovering near his fallen classmate in apparent, fretting concern. Without ever shifting his line of vision or relaxing his defensive stance, he said, "Go. I've got this."  Nodding, Balam moved in without arguing. Elizabetta looked relieved to see him as he got closer while Kerori kept her focus on Goemon.  Meanwhile, Agares never glanced back as he clenched his extended, open hand, prompting the ground to violently close in on itself, and viciously annihilating the snake swarm.  He could relax now, right? The serpents were surely dead. He was certain Balam-sensei would fix everything, and trusted in his fellow misfits to help one of their own.  Besides, he couldn't bear to look again. The sight of the fallen, covered in blood and curses, was too much. Just how deeply had that damned, nagging mop dug into his heart?...  Gritting his teeth, he pushed the limits of his strained mana to ensure he'd destroyed every last snake. Nearby, their general, Balam-sensei, kneeled beside his students. He was so many things to them at that moment - a higher rank, a trustworthy adult, a caring teacher, and now, their best hope to save Gaap. Kerori filled him in as they watched and waited for the pinion to perform its miracle. Goemon and Picero had been defending the path to both the medical tent and the captured prisoners, per their assignment, when a massive swarm of serpents appeared from beneath the ground itself. Both demons immediately began the counterattack to wipe them out when the girls joined in. The combination of earth, wind, and Crocell's beasts was very effective and the living curses were decimated in droves, but to their horror, more kept coming. Agares' ability confirmed the serpents were in fact emerging from below, but had no idea just how many more were down there. The swarm truly seemed endless.  That's when Elizabetta became the easiest target present. Without the power of the elements at her command and immune to her love drive, the snakes launched themselves at her en masse. Naturally, the noble-hearted young man who wanted a hundred friends had to act. Running low on mana from the prolonged night of fighting, his options were limited. His last wind blade saved his classmate, but turned the swarm's attention on himself. Once the others heard Ix scream, the situation quickly became all too real. Agares stared in shock as Kerori dove in to help. Snatching the glowing pinion from his pocket, she shouted, "Snap out it and focus! I'll help him, but you don't defend us, we're all next!". Moments later, Balam-sensei arrived and now he knew the story. Looking over his fallen student, he counted five bites/curses. That would be a lot for any demon to handle, let alone one so young. Still, these serpentine spells weren't nearly as powerful as those placed by their master, Victoria, and that gave Gaap a chance. Balam instantly remembered his reunion with Pandora. She'd also had five curses and looked so hollow because of them. He couldn't let them happen again.  "Sensei, will he be alright?", asked Elizabetta, concerned by the darkness in her teacher's stare. Snapping out of his thoughts, he resumed a gentler look.  "Those snakes may be living curses, but they're only a fifth as powerful as one inflicted by Victoria herself. He'll pull through", he assured. Looking closer, Goemon still wasn't breathing. At least one of his curses must have paralyzed his lungs. "How long since you implanted the pinion?", inquired their master general. Kerori seemed to think it over. "Maybe two minutes?", she ventured. Balam narrowed his eyes. That meant half of the window to prevent brain damage from lack of oxygen was already gone. Thankfully, Elizabetta seemed to realize that from her training with Persephone and stepped forward. She was prepared to attempt CPR, but Balam held out his hand as she knelt beside the fallen. "Wait", he uttered, staring pointedly at the glowing feather in the boy's chest. The pinion was ablaze with Agares' mana from before and it was slowly seeping into Gaap's body. The curses were clearly slowing the process, but it was still working. Reaching into his medical pouch, Balam produced a small wrapped poultice. He'd prepared it earlier for just such an emergency. He was skilled with herbs and had made it powerful enough to suppress even Kalego's primary curse. There was an excellent chance that it would purify the handful of minor ones affecting his student. "These curses are all designed to suppress the primary functions of the body - slowing the heart or paralyzing the lungs. If we want the phoenix's power to work, we'll have to remove them….Stay back." He then unfolded the cloth and applied it to the worst bite wound and largest curse. Smoke began pouring off Gaap's body with a hissing sound as the snake-inflicted curses began to dissolve. It emanated a strange smell that stung the young demons' noses, but they still watched in fascination. They'd never seen anyone besides Nene and Persephone break one of Ai's dark spells before. Still, Balam was a master herbalist and expert in biology. If anyone could save Goemon, it was their sensei. As the evaporating curses bellowed out of Goemon as smoke, everyone began to relax. At least until something worse reared its ugly head. Reacting instantly, Balam used his own body as a barrier to protect his students as the smoke cleared. Everyone else had fallen to the ground after it shuddered violently and were coughing the dust from their lungs. It seemed Ai had one more trick up her sleeve. The young demons were aghast by what they saw. The enclosed pit of vipers from before had spewed a new horror.  The pressure from Agares' attack hadn't destroyed the serpentine curses, but condensed them. Now one giant, three-headed snake stared them down with a nasty hiss. That sound it had made was even more frightening than the sight because it almost sounded like, "Ai-ssssamaaaa". Balam grabbed Picero and shoved him back with the others as he reached for his wood dragon, Nigyul. He wasn't about to let Victoria take anyone else away ever again.  *** Behind him, Agares had returned to the group, completely stunned as he watched Ix cradle Gaap protectively. Every shared memory with Goemon flooded his head. He was annoying, but comforting, and his constant companionship had become so ingrained in Agares' daily life, he suddenly couldn't picture a day without him. Clenching his jaw and fist, his eyes shone sharply as he stared back at the giant snake. "Sensei!", shouted Caim, swooping in via flight, clearly having a plan. Without exchanging another word, Balam understood and nodded. If the damned thing could speak, Camui had an even better chance of communicating with it. He tried his best, pleading and asking why the beast was attacking so violently. Yet it wasn't exactly a sentient creature or even a magical beast. It was something entirely of Victoria's creation. The massive serpent wasn't attacking out of loyalty or even following orders. It was simply magic, given a shape, and therefore did only what it was programmed to do - slow the enemy or kill them. Caim tried again, but was no use. There was no mind to speak with, not even a hive mind. It was up to Balam and Nigyul now… *** Elsewhere, the small rabbit that had been captured as a sacrifice for Vincente finally hopped out of the medical tent. As quietly as it moved, no one should have noticed it. Yet as soon as it made it outside, it encountered another. Looking down, Purson wondered if he should return the creature to his master, but it looked at him far more intensely than a mere beast should. "Let it go, Soi." Purson froze at the voice in his head. He hadn't heard a thing with his ears yet someone was speaking to him telepathically.  This was clearly no ordinary bunny, but where was its master? Soi narrowed his eyes as he stepped aside. "Far be it from me…", he uttered, letting it pass. Once it had, another form seemed to materialize nearby. A tall stranger with a hood and cloak lifted the rabbit gently into his arms. His face was mostly hidden by a plague style mask, but a few pale blonde hairs were just barely visible. He seemed intrigued that anyone could see him at all, but then he grinned ever so softly in realization. The demon before him also knew detection warding well. "I allowed my familiar to be caught to assist your fallen master. You see, Vincente-kun belongs to me. It would be most troublesome if he were to fail his mission", said the man, again communicating directly into Soi's head. "Who are you?", asked Purson carefully.  Something about this demon was unsettling. His aura wasn't threatening at all, but he held an air of mystery and forbidden knowledge as if you couldn't be sure he even existed at all…and what did he mean he 'owned' Valiant? Purson's racing thoughts were clearly being received, but the man stared back in silence. Apparently his identity was not to be known.  "Consider me an observer… for now", he said cryptically. Ignoring Soi's inquiries any further, he continued his explanation for his presence. "I imbued this creature with a portion of my own blood. It's strong enough to help Valiant, as it has helped his kin for generations, but he chose another path." "May the consequences treat him favorably... Goodbye, young Soi, and don't worry; You will not remember this the next time we meet." Purson had a million questions as he watched the stranger vanish into thin air. Just who or what was that? Then a moment later, he wondered why his head felt so strange. His memory seemed fuzzy, but just what had he forgotten? Looking down, a single singed feather laid at his feet. How strange… It almost reminded him of…??? Upon a closer look, the feather wasn't burnt. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen, some grotesque texture between downy and scales. There was no way something like that could fly…was there? Shaking his head, he put his unusual thoughts aside. Then glancing at the medical tent, he concluded that he must have made his way back for help. Perhaps he wasn't as steady after his resurrection as he previously thought. His head, especially, felt very peculiar. To be continued…