Chapter 38: Angelic Infection

Kiara could see the benefit of their training as the others attacked.

Danson’s was the subtlest of the bunch. Harking back to what he taught her, she could see his words in action.

“As you cast spells more often, your aura becomes more familiar with the mana. This lets you move magic easier too, and ultimately makes your spells more powerful. When I say Aen sif Sisos, I can cast a freezing ice wave. I can move magic to do that too, but the more I know the mana, the more I can do with it. Maybe at first, I’ll only make the ground slippery without words, and freeze their ankles with them. As I call, Aen sif Sisos more though, my aura recalls the shape of the spell better, meaning my touch can freeze his ankles, and the words…”

“Aen sif Sisos,” Danson pushed the air, freezing the demon’s lower body. He was so caught off guard he looked down, opening him up for Diana’s attack.

“Kiara! Look at this! If I seal myself as I’m casting a spell, it falls behind me. When the seal breaks, it flies forward!”

“You delay your attacks!”

“I’m going to call it, Striker Drumming.”

She kicked up, straining his body against the ice; delayed spell launching him from it. He soared up and Keigo met him with a sword raised above his head.

Kiara saw him practicing hand signs one day and had to stop herself from mimicking him. He caught the near action though and smirked as he dropped his hands.

"What are you doing?" She asked since it was too late to just observe.

“Diana has this theory about how seals work. If she’s right, I can get better at making those, and maybe get better at channeling.”

“How?”

“You remember how Leyu said that there’s life energy in all living things? Well, hand seals are about connecting with it. They make it so your aura can already do something before its outward. When hand seals have language, you’re basically talking to your life energy.” He paused. “I’m…trying to remember the ones my mom and dad taught me…” He flushed as he turned away.

“What is that going to help you do?”

“Maybe channel a bit of another form into the one I’ve taken. It might let me combine two different powers.”

Light blasted from the flat of his blade, driving his arms down blindingly fast. He opened Yoshiki Miki, tearing down his center. A wing beat took Keigo backward, though, telling Kiara this wasn’t over. Bleeding, the demon dropped, but the party remained on edge.

“That wasn’t enough?” She asked as he stirred.

“Demons are a lot harder to kill than us. They don’t even really die, they just become too injured to maintain their bodies.” Danson said, fingers dancing like he was about to quick draw.

She wondered how they were supposed to defeat him then.

As the demon rose completely, she gave him a good look. Dressed in all black, he had white hair and pale skin like the two she saw before. She didn’t get the chance to see their eyes, but now she found black sclera and blue irises marred with spiderweb cracks. He fired liquid blasts as he lifted his arms, melting the ground as they scattered.

Sliding to the side, Danson raised a nocked arrow.

“Aen sif Presi.” He fired. The demon guarded his chest and his arms froze to it.

Diana thundered up to him, throwing a fury of blows. The drums beat against his head, bruising and bloodying, as she punctuated with a Striker Crack!

Light pushed Keigo, letting him cut through Miki with a twirl. He remained on his feet, however, no more bothered by the bisecting than a mosquito bite. His arms began to glow again and steam rose from them. Something about that made Kiara pause longer, suddenly hit by a necessary question.

Why had Miki come this close when his beams did more than enough damage? They could melt right through the grass bridges, so why descend to launch weaker attacks? She didn’t think he could kill with them, even if he landed his shots. She wondered if this could somehow be a trick, then looked at his glowing arms again. Steam… She stirred the wind and called out.

“Get back!” She pushed rather than wait, saving them as Miki exploded.

She didn't need thanks as the dust cleared and they rushed back in, but she did need a moment. They were making a huge mistake. They thought Miki's attacks were some sort of magic but the magic was in how he made them. He wasn't simply making blasts. There was something mechanical to the process, like the blasters on Nandaxia. The glowing made it seem like he was charging, but the true effect was happening beneath. This was all a deception. It wasn't that he was using weaker spells, he had merely changed the settings. Rushing him wasn't the key. They were still in danger.

His arms glowed again and this time Kiara attacked.

"Scarlet Rays!" Laser-like flames shot from her index and middle fingers. They pierced Miki's arms, leaving charred holes. The seared flesh cracked and then exploded, catching the demon off guard. Wide-eyed stared dumbfounded, the explosion vaporizing his sides.

He glared at Kiara, and then the trio coming at him again.

“I’m sick of this!” He barked as new flesh snapped out of him. Spectral wings rose from his back and legs, lifting him off the ground.

Diana and Keigo followed.

“Viral Chord.” He hissed as feathers bristled and a screech rang out.

Keigo’s form unraveled and Diana lost her footing in the air. They fell, and Danson made a slush bridge that could only slow their crash. He looked at his hands. Why is this slush instead of ice? He looked at Miki. The demon had its eyes on Kiara.

“Why isn’t your magic affected?” He demanded of the girl floating above him.

“Maybe it’s cause I’ve been training too!” She didn’t know if that was true, but she wasn’t going to lose this fight.

Miki came for her and the wind pulled him wide. With a furrowed brow he righted himself, eyes widening as she held up her hand. Flames rolled down her fingers, coalescing into a ball.

“Scarlet inferno!” She fired at his chest, unleashing a scorching burst. The demon was thrown, but she was far from done. “Scarlet Stars.” A minefield surrounded him, detonating as he reached the center. A body burned nearly to the bone hit the ground. Scarlet Summer could probably finish this, but despite her training, she hadn’t learned to do it again. She’d have to go for a different spell. Lifting her hands above her head, she prepared.

“Malignant Chord!” The demon roared; a screech as his chorus.

It reached Kiara and something tightened like a vice in her chest. She grasped it, breath stuck in her throat, biting back a scream as it seemed to twist. Below, Miki healed, blue skin coloring him where pale used to be. A single horn grew from his forehead as he lifted a clawed hand. Right… It made sense that a demon might have a second form, and with that came more power. Kiara struggled to cast her spell again but the pain was too much. Miki's arms glowed.

A fireball crashed into him!

He flew and she dropped, caught only as Diana dashed over.

The redhead put her down. “Are you all right?”

Kiara huffed. “I’m fine.” She still felt sore. “What did he just do to me?”

"Some form of demonic possession," Danson answered. He watched Miki and the fireball dancing around him. It swiped and struck, ripping into him, branding him with kicks. It took Kiara a moment to realize it wasn't a living flame but a dragon with its body burning.

“Except demonic possessions don’t work like this, do they?” Diana asked. “This is Angelic magic too. It’s not just targeting our bodies, its targeting our life force.”

“How do you guard against something like that?”

“You don’t.”

The dragon lashed its tale across Miki’s stomach, whipping cinders from his flesh. It spewed a liquid flame that caught quickly to his head. Charging, it stabbed horns into the demon’s chest, kicked him down, and pulled away. Taking flight it exhaled a torrent. Miki shot out it, dripping with fire. Hand out, he called again.

“Malignant Chord!”

His hand was a speaker, coursing the screech through the dragon’s chest. It let out a roar and with his other hand, Miki launched a beam. A part of the dragon’s stomach disintegrated, and it dropped as its flames went out.

“Why are there more annoying people here! I knew about that Xerva woman, that should have been it! But, no! It couldn’t go that way could it! You all act like Jade Wardens, poking your head in where it doesn’t belong!” Miki seethed as his burns healed. “Fine! Since you want to be them, I’ll show you what I have for them!”

His wings stretched wide and his feathers began to grow. Kiara realized suddenly that writings made them longer, unreadable glyphs growing out from their ends. Another realization told her they were actually growing into him, written lines falling to feathers. And that was why his arms glowed before. All of it was writing, bunched up and ready to burst. This time a wing had grown from one of them, feathers stretching as more writing appeared. What type of blaster would this be, where each loaded order was made to do different things? What would happen if they all fired at once? She tried to fight against the pain! She had to stop this shot too!

“Diana, Danson, could this demon be using its own soul for its attacks! That’s how demonic possession works, right? It’s demon’s spreading their life energy like a virus?” Keigo shouted.

“That could be it!” Diana answered. “Combine that with Angel Choir Magic and you could say he’s making it a full on infection, then he decides what the infection does.” Like melting bridges, or disintegrating a dragon’s stomach. What could they do with this knowledge? Could Kiara do something with it? Maybe if not for this pain in her chest.

Peaks of light crowned Miki’s arm feathers. He might have said something, but it could not be heard over the roar of his shot. Keigo could be heard, however, and he shouted something as the beam ripped toward them.

“Yokumori! Claim him!” He outstretched his arm and it became a branch, growing rapidly forward, twisting around the beam.

The shot stopped as twigs dug into it, and more branches sprouted, going for Miki still. They caught his arm, and he ripped it from his body. More branches rose, reaching for him and everything around him. Dark wood plunged through the bridge and roots reached up it like hunting tentacles. Bramble weaved and snaked, keeping Miki on the move as they tried to take hold. Keigo’s arms returned to normal but dark wood continued, changing the Grass House into a part of its forest. Keigo looked at his arm, jaw tight, and shook his head.

“We have to go!” He said. No one objected.

He rushed through hand seals and reached for the others as the air around him glowed. Right before she took hold Kiara swept the dragon over, bringing it with them as they popped out of the domain.

Back in the living world, Arrowhead looked over sharply as they came tumbling out. Without a word they rushed toward the Traveler’s House, Kiara still carrying the dragon on the wind. They jumped inside, and Diana gave the call for it to go, the house jerking violently as the lizren turned and towed. It settled, and they seemed to as well, though something heavy still clouded the air. Keigo was looking at his arm again, and Diana was looking at him. Danson looked out the window, watching the site grow smaller behind them; hoping the demon couldn’t break out.

Kiara turned back to the dragon and saw embers crackling up its wound. She gave that a thought and then a gamble, setting fire to it as well. The ignition made its stomach heal, fire burning large and building flesh. There came a sharp inhalation and then transformation, as the scales receded and the body changed shape. What was once a black dragon, almost as big as Arrowhead, now looked like a boy with scales framing his face. He still had telltale dragon features—bare feet reptilian, a tail laying over his body, clawed hands pushing him up and dark horns still pointing forward. But still, this dragon looked somewhat human now—red-brown skin sitting where scales did not. Clothes covered him almost the moment he turned back, baggy dark pants and a back-less stone-colored “shirt.”

“Thank you.” He said with a nod to Kiara.

"I think I should be thanking you. If you didn't come, that guy might have killed me." The tightness was fading but still felt sore.

"That might have been my fault though. If I wasn't spotted, the Yoshiki sect wouldn't have been on alert." He looked aside. Though he could be no older than her, he almost seemed more childlike. Or maybe it was that he reminded her of Tristan in a way, with more innocence and kindness than most of the boys their ages. She shook her head.

“Then let’s say we’re even.” She smiled. He did too, showing rows of jagged teeth. “I’m Kiara.” She added.

“I’m Shuraat Nohyr.” He replied, and Keigo immediately perked up.

“Nohyr? That means you know what’s going on back there, right?” He rushed over, almost pushing Kiara aside.

“Why would his last name mean anything like that?”

“Because dragon’s don’t have surnames. He’s a Dragonfire Sage. Nohyr is the name of his kindler.”

Shuraat’s green eyes were wide as they turned from Keigo to Kiara, but he nodded nevertheless.

“That’s right. I’m on my flamebuilding pilgrimage.”

“Which means?” Danson turned his attention over; Diana followed suit.

“A flamebuilding pilgrimage is what a Dragonfire Sage takes after they’ve been enkindled. It is our goal to set out and properly learn to use our flame. We’re expected to take on a cause, using the battles we face to better know the flame.” Shuraat answered. “Your friend is right. I know a little about what’s happening back there.”

“I need to know everything.” Keigo urged. The dragon boy looked at him for a long moment, as if there was something on his face or something deeper in his eyes. Silently, he deliberated, then nodded and looked at each of them.

“That group is called The Yoshiki Sect. It’s not uncommon to find demon worshipers in the Orchid Triumvirate, but they are one of the oldest ones. They’ve been around since the Age of Conquest, and worship a conqueror from then named Yoshiki Hanzo. Hanzo was the most dangerous of them, and he’s actually the reason the Triumvirate was formed.”

“I’ve heard about that.” Keigo nodded. “Three of the warlords made an alliance, deciding they’d rule the land equally. I never knew it had anything to do with a demon though.”

“It’s not common knowledge. I only learned about it through a Jade Warden I traveled with after getting involved. That happened a little after I left the dens. I helped travelers being attacked by a malevolent spirit after they left a small domain. They always heard that one was safe, but things were bad inside. They didn’t know why, but they heard a rumor that a strange group visited it before them. It didn’t take long to find out who the group was.”

“But what were they doing?”

Shuraat looked down. “I was trying to find out when I was spotted. Jun Mi—the Jade Warden—told me the Wardens knew the Yoshiki Sect was on the move, but they didn’t know what their plan was. While she contacted a Spirit Guard Captain for help, I was supposed to watch them.”

“Which captain?!” Keigo barked, shocking the room. He lowered his voice and repeated himself, but eyes lingered for a moment.

“I think her name is Chiaki?” Keigo let out a breath as Shuraat answered. “She said it would take a day to contact her though.”

“A day…that gives us time to prepare then.”

“Hold on, Keigo.” Danson raised a hand. “You know I’m not opposed to blindly throwing myself into danger, but I think this one might be a bit out of our grasp. That Viral Chord spell weakened my magic and undid you and Diana’s. Only Kiara could fight, and we already left Cucumber to her, I don’t think we can do the same this time.”

Kiara touched her chest. She could still feel the shadow of the Malignant Chord. How many more could she take before Miki blasted a hole into her? She didn’t think she’d be able to walk it off like Shuraat did. She wasn’t opposed to fighting, but it didn’t seem like she was the best choice this time.

“I know, but Chiaki’s not in Rial. I know what Jun Mi’s going to do, and it’ll only last about two hours, maybe less. She’s strong, so maybe she can stop them, but if not, that domain is going to be a problem for the whole country.”

“Which means it’s going to be harder for us to stick around.” The elf sighed. “Will the Yoshiki Sect gives us a day? Can they wrap this up before we come back?”

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. Jun Mi told me there were reports they spent a few days at the domain. She thinks they’re trying to accomplish two things.”

Danson stroked his chin. “Well, I don’t think Keigo’s going to drop this, and we still haven’t had a chance to test Kiara’s theory.” He snapped. “I might know someone who can help us with this.” He crossed his arms. “All right. I don’t object.”

“Me either.” Diana said with her eyes still on Keigo.

Kiara had no objections, to begin with. Seeing a dweller told her she had to get involved. Even if it was somehow unrelated to Nandaxia, it most certainly was related to her. It wanted to see her dead, and while she might never know why, one thought stayed on her mind. She would never give it the chance.

“I’m in.” She nodded, and Keigo sighed with relief.

“Then that gives me a day…” He murmured this mostly to himself.

Danson’s attention went elsewhere after that, but the tension had hardly faded. It was densest between Keigo and Diana, and while he looked inward, her eyes never strayed from him…

[Chapter 38 ends…]