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Ash

That night, Ash sat in the living room with a glass of wine in her hands. Keiko and Kaori were still out. Opah was asleep in another room, and next to Ash were Metsumi and Satsuhiro. 

"What was it you wanted to talk about?" Metsumi asked. 

Ash looked away. 

"My family," she stated. Satsuhiro and Metsumi shared a glance as Ash continued. "There\'s a chance I might see them in Onyx. And... yeah, that\'s fucking with my head a little." 

"Hm? Isn\'t that good?" Metsumi asked. Ash shook her head. 

"Last time I saw them they were kicking me into the streets of Jade before disappearing for the last 6 years. No, it isn\'t good."

"... Do you have to go talk to them?" Satsuhiro asked. Ash shook her head again. "Then what\'s the issue?"

"I mean," Ash stood up, pacing back and forth. "What if I run into them? What if I see my dad or my mom in the middle of the street?" 

"Indeed, what if you see them?" Satsuhiro asked, shrugging. 

"I\'ll probably fucking lose it, I don\'t know." Ash sat back down. "I just..." She took a deep breath. "I don\'t know if I\'m ready for that. I don\'t know if I\'m ready to see them again. It\'s..." She put a hand on her forehead, under her horns. "It\'s been so fucking long." 

At that, Metsumi got closer. She put a hand on Ash\'s shoulder and said:

"So, is it fair to say there\'s a bit of unresolved anger there?" 

"To say the least, yeah," Ash scoffed. 

"Then," Metsumi\'s tone softened. "Maybe it\'s for the best that you run into them. Don\'t you think? If just the possibility of seeing them has you feeling like this, then, you\'d probably want to deal with that before things get more serious." 

"What do you mean?" 

"You\'re a Savior, in the middle of a war, Ash," Metsumi said, and the half-demon was slightly surprised to hear her bring that up. "Obviously, to us, you\'re more than that, but that is the role you\'re playing right now. If a battle comes, and your mind\'s not in it, terrible things could happen." 

"..." Ash hunched over. "So, you\'re saying I should go curse them out?" 

"I never said that but if that\'s what you want to do," Metsumi shrugged. "If you need to get that off your chest, then by all means. But, if anything, I\'d say you should look for them. This sounds like you need to see them more than you think you do." 

"... I\'ll think about it, I guess." 

"Good," Metsumi smiled. "Anything else comes to mind, you let me know, alright?" 

"Yeah," Ash said and Metsumi gave her a hug. "How the hell are you so good at this?" 

"What do you mean?" Metsumi asked, leaning back, with her arms still around Ash. 

"Like, I don\'t know, good at... talking?" 

"I learned words at a very early age." 

"Okay, piss off," Ash said and Metsumi cackled. 

The door then opened and Ash looked back, seeing Kaori and Keiko walking in. 

She felt something in her chest as she watched them and took a deep breath. 

Shit. 

She still wasn\'t used to it. The raw happiness that just seeing them arrive brought to her. It was honestly scared her how much she liked them. Still, she tried to put that aside and, as Kaori jogged up to her, she simply stood up and returned the hug she knew would come. 

"How did it go?" Ash asked. 

"Good!" Kaori replied, giving her a quick kiss and grinning at her with those heart-melting big blue eyes of hers aimed directly at Ash. 

"It was fairly enlightening," Keiko added from behind, standing some small distance away. Of course, she wasn\'t nearly as physical as Kaori was. "And you, Ash? Did you get to see the person you went to meet?" 

"Yeah," Ash nodded, trying not to think about what she and Kairo had discussed. "It was cool. Actually, it sort of reminded me that there are a few places I wanted to show you before we leave for Onyx." 

"Hm?" Keiko tilted her head curiously. 

"Nah, just some old food joints the guy used to take me to. They\'re just special to me, is all." 

"Ah. I\'d love to accompany you," Keiko nodded. 

"Same!" Kaori pitched in. 

"Alright. How long till we go to Onyx then?" Ash turned to Satsuhiro and Metsumi, including them in this.

"Sooner we get it over with the better, but what matters is that you\'re all ready," Satsuhiro replied. "I would like us to run a few fighting drills though," Satsuhiro suddenly stated. "Just to get used to combat again before we head out." 

"Hm," Keiko hummed. "I haven\'t gotten the chance to properly train either of you in a while. We could take a few sessions to get your proficiencies up a little." 

"Sounds good," Ash nodded. 

"So..." Kaori said, and Ash looked her way. She almost sounded a bit nervous, though Ash couldn\'t pinpoint why. "A bit longer then?" 

"Mhm," Ash replied. 

"Okay..." Kaori said, relief easy to identify in her voice.

---

Keiko

Throughout the three weeks, they\'d spent resting, Keiko understood that she was supposed to be taking time off, but she simply couldn\'t bring herself to fully let loose. It wasn\'t in her nature. So, she\'d gotten used to doing something in the night. 

At least, on nights where she and the others didn\'t go drink and come back by the time the sun was rising. 

It was midnight. She was laying in the large bed she, Ash, and Kaori had been using. Kaori was completely asleep with her arm wrapped around Keiko, who was between her and Ash. She couldn\'t see Ash\'s face, but she guessed the demon was also asleep. 

She lifted Kaori\'s hand off of her and tried to slide down, off the bed. In her sleep, Kaori whined a little.

Sorry,  she thought, holding back a chuckle. 

Keiko then looked for her bag where she kept the books she\'d gotten from the Ancient Zayama Castle. She held them in one arm and carried her sword in the other. With these items, she walked out of the house. 

Outside, the Spirit Gardens District\'s tree lit the entire area up with a dim white. Spirits floated around it, just ahead of the bench Keiko sat down at. Here, she took a deep breath, inhaling the cold fresh air as she opened the  Zayama Wind Style  book. 

The difference between this and the Art of the Blade Dancer book was that this one was simply magic. It was the same category of magic that the Zayama Mages had used to teleport and cast lightning during Keiko\'s battles with them. 

Considering the fact that Keiko had never heard about this book until she\'d received it, probably meant that her clan at the Compound were not terribly fond of it. Keiko, however, didn\'t share that sentiment. 

So, she\'d been reading this for a while and picked up two spells from it. She performed the first right now. 

Zayama Wind Style

Windswept

Identify a place near you (within 5 meters), using any of your five senses, or through another person\'s vision using the Spirit Eye. Recite the incantation and you will be teleported there.

Dex Required: 30

Mana Cost: 10

Incantation: Tiron

"Tiron."

As Keiko spoke the word aloud, she was teleported forwards, just a couple of meters. Nodding to herself, she returned to the bench where she went to the other spell that she\'d picked up. 

Zayama Wind Style

Wind Forge

Speak the incantation and in your hands, a weapon made of wind will appear. This weapon can be one of three: ninjato, kunai, or bow and arrow. 

Dex Required: 30

Mana Cost: 15

Incantation: Caron

For this bit of practice, Keiko decided to go with the ninjato, which was essentially a shorter katana with no curvature. Keiko closed her eyes, breathed in, and spoke. 

"Caron." In her hands, a ninjato manifested. Transparent and rippling with wind, it was weightless, but as Keiko slashed the air, she felt its cutting potential. 

She swung it back and forth a few times, testing it out and getting used to it. Then, she spun and stopped herself just before her blade would have struck the person who had been standing behind her. 

Ash was there, slightly surprised and looking down at Keiko\'s blade, which was right on her hip. 

"O-OH!" Keiko quickly let the blade dissipate and put her hands on Ash\'s torso. "I DIDN\'T CUT YOU, DID I?" 

"Nah, you stopped just short." 

"W-What are you doing out here!?" Keiko asked, shocked as she realized her practice was being spectated. 

"You slipped out the bed so stealthily, I dunno, I got curious." 

"You were awake!?" 

"Mhm. Had a bit of trouble sleeping," Ash stated, rounding the nearby bench and sitting down. Keiko did the same. "So," she crossed her arms. "What are you doing?" 

"I\'m just practicing..." Keiko replied, putting her hands behind her back. 

"Can I watch?" Ash asked, a slightly cheeky smile on her face. 

"Why?" 

"I don\'t know, might learn something maybe." 

... Why does this feel so embarrassing all of a sudden?

A bit flustered, Keiko nodded and Ash crossed her legs as Keiko brought out her sword.  Just calm down. She\'s just watching you train. You\'ve done things like this before. It\'s fine. 

Keiko took a few steps away from the half-demon and swung her father\'s blade, its gold glimmering in the night. Keiko raised the blade and brought it down with force, wind striking the ground from where it stopped. She spun and slashed again with one hand, before spinning the opposite way, jumping and bringing her sword down. 

If her movements were purposely a bit flashier, and her back was a little straighter, it was purely a coincidence, surely. 

She slashed twice, sheathed her blade, muttered "Caron,"  and a ninjato appeared in her hands, made of wind. Here, she stopped, allowing it to fade just as quickly as it had arrived. 

She turned towards Ash and put her hands together. 

The half-demon stood up and walked towards her. 

"That was hot as fuck." 

Keiko\'s face reddened and she pouted a little. 

"It\'s just training..." 

"And your training is a beautiful sight." 

"Ash!" Flustered, Keiko half-whispered, half-yelled. "It\'s the middle of the night... Come on, we should be getting some..." 

She went to pass the half-demon by but didn\'t finish her sentence as Ash reached over and snagged her by the waist. Pressed close together, Keiko\'s breath caught in her throat as her own crystal clear eyes looked back at Ash\'s violets. 

"We really shouldn\'t... So late..." Keiko muttered though she reached up and wrapped her arms behind Ash\'s neck. 

"I know," Ash replied. Her voice was softer than normal. "Looks like we\'ve got some big days ahead of us." 

"Yes," Keiko nodded. "Hopefully, our time in Onyx won\'t last too..." 

Ash kissed her mid-sentence.

It lasted just a few seconds, and yet, Keiko\'s heart nearly burst through her chest. 

"Yeah," the half-demon said, backing off. "Hopefully. Honestly, though, I\'ve... I\'ve really enjoyed these last few weeks. Just spending time with you two, not having to worry about getting killed by some monster. I hope we can go back to that soon." 

Keiko rested her head on Ash\'s chest, closing her eyes. 

"Agreed." 

---

Niven

In the western lands of Nova, Pearl still remained, a crumbled and ruined city that fell to the God of Death\'s army. Currently, it was one of his trophies. In his child-like form, the god was currently walking the streets of that very city. 

The portal that had allowed the invasion to happen remained open outside, its influence turning the sky violet as the god moved through groups of demons. They hadn\'t stopped here though, with Pearl in his possession, this entire part of the world was now his. Which meant that many travelers and rangers had fallen victim to his forces. 

To his left, a pack of demons devoured a family of rich men who had been traveling north. To his right, a few Wrath demons fought each other to the death. Niven paid them no mind. Instead, one woman, with white hair and scornful eyes took up his thoughts. 

Ash.  He thought, smiling. 

One way or another, it would seem you will be the end of this little scheme of mine. 

Niven chuckled before sitting on a pile of skeletons belonging to the soldiers who had died defending this city. 

Before that happens though, I\'ll take as much away from this world as I can. 

Then, he issued an order and three Nightmares were brought to him. One Lust demon, one Gluttony demon, and one Wrath demon. 

"You three..." 

Level 80

MP: 1000/1000

Level 72

MP: 100/100

Level 90

MP: 900/900

He grinned. 

"My strongest. Here," he conjured up the image of Ash in front of him, appearing in a screen that tore through reality. The Lust demon snarled at it, the Gluttony demon stuck its tongue out, the Wrath demon did not react at all. "See this woman? I want her head. The next time you see her, she takes precedence over all other priorities." 

The three demons knelt and Niven chuckled. 

Well, Ash. It would seem you have some fun to look forward to.