Hey everyone! Triple release coming on today to celebrate the release of the first couple of chapters of my seocnd book, so we will be coming to a close sooner than I thought. I hope you enjoy it!

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The city streets were quickly becoming deserted as Cleo began her journey home. There was something about the night that terrified people, oppressed their spirits and allowed the rougher side of people to reign free. Cleo walked quickly, but confidently through the streets and back alleyways that would get her home fastest. She might have been a child, but she knew she could handle herself if push came to shove.

Some of the alleyways were tight quarters, filed with boxes, rubbish and other general detritus, while others were wide enough to get a horse down, paved with cobble and actually quite pleasant to walk down. They were not like the main roads, or the high streets, but they were still consisted world's better than any of the small alleyways that lead to the doves and houses of those who were considered hopeless, or worthless. From what Cleo had learned, she knew that at one point Spirit was a paragon of support for the poor. Unfortunately, the event that made the Hephaistia clan disappear had left a gaping wound in the city, a and as the generation of social workers changed, they chose to use the easy option if forcing anyone of unstable, or poor finances into the two newly freed areas. It got rid of the problem for a time, but the two areas now populated with the undesirables of the city bred crime faster than a cesspool breeds disease. It kept Cleo on her toes, but she was still confident. As long as she did not meet someone of the calibre of Law, or of the devourer himself, she felt she would be comfortable dealing with anyone coming her way.

Her shadow extended as she walked by a lit window, quickly followed by two more. The sound of heavy footsteps had followed Cleo for the last five minutes, but looking back now would be a sign of weakness. She needed to wait for them to make a move. The footsteps quickened as she walked down one of the smaller alleyways, if they were not going to move now, then she would force them to. They got closer and closer, until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey kid,” said one, “You look like you're pretty well off. How about you share some of your wealth with me and my friend here”.

Cleo turned and was faced with two men, barely more than boys. They were obviously members of some gang or another, but the only thing that showed that was the triangular pattern on their hand. Both were gaunt, and with their greasy, muddy brown hair they could have blended into the crowds that flowed through Spirit with ease. It angered Cleo. It angered her that she would be accosted by two boys on the street. It angered her that the life of the boy's forced them into this life. It angered her that no one cared enough to get them out of it, but most of all it angered her that they had decided a child was a good target.

She snarled, and the flames that made up her mana reservoir burnt brighter than before. The boys took a step back, the girl they had targeted went from meek victim to wild animal in seconds. This was not what they were expecting, but nor was the dog formed from fire that aspirated in front of Cleo as she broke away from the grip she had been in.

The dog was originally the size of an apple, but as she shouted “Fenrir, come fight for me!” it enlarged to the size of a large horse. Fenrir slammed its front paws into the ground and sent the two men flying as thick red flames broiled off its body. It leaned down in front of them and began a deep guttural growl that seemed to echo off the walls. They crawled backwards as quickly as they could, desperately trying to avoid the sparks that were popping out of the mouth of the dog. It's flaming eyes burned like the sun as the two boys reached the edge of the alley and stood up, stumbling into running away with badly singed faces.

Cleo laughed as the boys left, and walked up to the flaming canine to stroke its head. Fenrir rumbled happily and turned into a streak of light, disappearing into Cleo's chest. Now that the area was clear she felt far more confident about herself; she knew that she could comfortably defend herself from almost anything that came up. Clearing out of the alleyway, Cleo continued her journey home. It was dark now, truly dark, and although Cleo felt far safer than she had before she still moved quickly.

The longer she walked, the more she felt that she had not dealt with all the threats that surrounded her. There was something... off about the way home. The way she was walking should have still had populated streets, but there was no one. It was like they had been driven off by something. She was being avoided, and this could only be done by someone with either terrifying power, or extremely great influence.

The cobbles clicked as she walked through the main street towards Panwood lane. It was eerie, the clear streets and moon bleached houses seemed to stretch and loom over the girl as she quickened her pace once more. After a moment she stopped. At the end of a street there was a figure. Not much taller than her, the figure at the end of the street barred her way. The figure was masked, with a horned hood covering their head. A large pole-arm with a hammerhead on the end sat in their right hand, lending an imposing air to the whole tableau. The figure growled and pointed the hammer at Cleo. “My men came to me, they said you attacked them. This must be rectified”.

Cleo immediately summoned Fenrir into the street. The giant incandescent canine stood between her and the masked figure, growling menacingly at them. “I defended myself. You can see that if I had wanted to kill them I could have easily with my elemental here. I let them go, so give me the same face I gave your men”.

The masked figure raised their left hand and a chain made of pure light shot out, entwining Fenrir. With brute strength alone, the dog was pulled high into the sky, before being flung behind the man. He raised his hammer and immediately dived forwards ending a thrust at her neck mere centimetres from the intended target.

Cleo flinched, and a sense of recognition surrounded her over the figure. She knew that posture, that strike. She had seen it recently, had admired it, and now she hated herself for it. The figure in front of her was without a doubt Law, but she could not help but feel aggrieved at the revelation. For a short time, she had idolised him, but now she was disgusted at herself, and at him. She was infuriated.

Law could obviously see the flames of rage in her eyes, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear “I understand you are in the right, and I will let you go soon. I must simply protect my own men from harm and set a message to those who would try to harm me through them. When I wear this mask I am not well liked, but I would like to discuss the finer points of the elements with you at another time. I wish to learn far more than I wish to kill”.

Cleo could not help but feel something profoundly unsettling about the way that Law had said the word kill. It had carried such great blood lust that she could not help but fear for her life. She clenched her fists as the figure stepped behind her and the chain was retracted from her dog, there were footsteps, and then the world around her was silent. She stood still for several moments, adjusting to what she had experienced. There was something there, something inside Law that she still admired. His thirst for knowledge was obviously great, but his baleful aura was something she could not deal with. She had found her young demon, and she hated it.