Returning Home

Isadora ducked around the corner in a slight panic, leaving the basket on the ground in the doorway and covering her mouth so as not to make a sound.

"Wait! Count Agist might in trouble!", Isadora thought to herself then peeked around the corner and saw that Count Agist seemed unsurprised that Lillica caught his axe bare-handed and was actually smiling at her.

"Why can't he smile like that with me…" Isadora thought slightly dejectedly, she then shook her head to get her mind back on track and though "Not the time! I mean, is he colluding with demons?!?"

"Whatcha looking at Isa?"

Isadora almost jumped out of her skin in surprise when Lorraina put her hand on Isadora's shoulder from behind.

"Ha Ha! Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that! Hey, sis is back!" Lorraina said happily then skipped past Isadora, threw herself around Count Agist and warmly greeted Lillica while still hanging from Count Agist.

Isadora felt unsure what to do, was her friend Lorraina also a demon? Should she call the Church? Most importantly, is Count Agist ok? She peeked at Lillica, Lorraina, and Count Agist and saw that they seemed to be interacting like normal humans, but it might be all a trick.

"Yes, it must be a trick, Count Agist is too good to work with demons! Dion… Dion will know what to do!" Isadora told herself assuredly then quietly left the training area to go find Dion.

__________

Count Agist wasn't surprised that Lillica was able to catch his ax swing like it was nothing, but he couldn't help lamenting that she could at least have made it look like she needed some effort to do so.

"Lilli! Welcome back!", Count Agist said with a happy smile plastered on his face.

A beguiling smile crossed Lillica's face. She couldn't help but enjoy being called 'Lilli' by Count Agist.

"Good to be back Agi.", Lillica said warmly. Her expression darkened slightly, and she then added, "Unfortunately we have a problem."

"What's the pr_"

Lorraina suddenly interrupted Count Agist and said happily, "Sis! You're back!" She then draped herself around Count Agist as if it was perfectly normal causing Lillica's eyebrow to twitch slightly.

Strangely enough, Count Agist actually started to enjoy this since Lorraina was very physically affectionate. Only problem was she was this way with everyone and on more than one occasion she has derailed people's conversations when being affectionate with those that weren't used to it.

"Lorraina… normally I would say you need to behave more lady-like, but I admit I love the way you are even though you should act like a mature woman by now." Lillica said, trying to tease Lorraina slightly.

"Hey, I can be mature and womanly!" Lorraina removed herself from Count Agist, grabbed a rag to tie her hair back, then politely bowed in front of Count Agist and Lillica.

In a voice that sounded extremely mature compared to how she normally sounds, Lorraina said politely "Good day milord and milady. I wouldst be honored if I couldst joineth thee both for dinner." Lorraina then extended her hand daintily for Count Agist in which he took her hand and kissed the back of it while bowing slightly as if Lorraina were a noble.

Count Agist and Lillica both look surprised at Lorraina, then Lorraina said, "Just because I don't act like that doesn't mean I can't." then stuck her tongue out before skipping back towards the entrance where Isadora was previously since she felt like she was interrupting something between Lillica and Count Agist.

As Lorraina was leaving, she shook her hair back out letting it fall freely once again.

"Lorraina, before you go, you need to talk to Isadora, if you don't… I will." Lillica said while looking sternly at Lorraina.

Lorraina's mood dropped a little, then she bit her lip and nodded in agreement without saying a word.

After Lorraina left, Count Agist looked at Lillica questioningly, "Talk to Isadora about what?"

Lillica thought about it for a moment, she wasn't sure how he would react if she said she might have to kill Isadora. Lillica played it off casually and said, "Just girl stuff sweetie."

Count Agist shrugged and asked, "Is that the problem?"

Frowning slightly, Lillica knew she had to tell Count Agist about the Church, but that didn't make it easier. Still, she was somewhat relieved when she remembered that Count Agist seemed to be open-minded about those sorts of things. "I wasn't caught in the act, but the Church is aware that at least a demon is on this plane. I'm sure they don't know WHO I am, but only that a demon has been feeding recently."

"So by feed you mean..." Count Agist felt a pang in his chest when he remembered that Lillica is still a demon that feeds on humans.

"No, I didn't sleep with anyone, I may or may not have killed 3 perverted farmhands though." Lillica said while feigning innocence.

Count Agist didn't seem to be surprised, he wasn't so naïve to believe that Lillica and Lorraina have never killed anyone, but he had hoped they were stopping that while staying with him so as not to draw attention to himself and his fledgling territory. "What does this mean for us?"

A feeling of warmth filled Lillica's chest slightly, she couldn't help but feel happy that Count Agist considered what would normally be just her and Lorraina's problem, but his problem as well. "It means nothing right now, we've been on the run for awhile and know how to trick the Church's detection. Even that adorable Shadow Star Orb they think is so effective only catches the dumbest of demons that don't know how to hide their energy. Also, I always have a backup plan."

"Which is?"

Lillica grinned somewhat amusedly.

__________

Ellen found her blood pumping with excitement as the horses raced through the fields in pursuit of what Ellen could only figure must've been a demon judging from Marcus's somewhat crazed expression. She looked at her brother, Allen, for some indication that this was normal.

Allen could only guess what she wanted to ask, but since it was Ellen's first pursuit with Marcus, he could guess she was confused as he was as well the first time he rode with Marcus. All he could do was shrug apologetically at his sister.

This was Marcus's favorite part of his duties, he loved the hunt! He cradled the Shadow Star like an infant in one arm and held the reins with the other, stealing glances down at the orb every few seconds to make sure they were going in the right direction. For the first time in months, he finally had a fresh trail to follow and he was determined to catch this demon!

The glowing pearl inside of the Shadow Star disappeared inside the smoke and Marcus pulled the reins back to get his horse to stop and threw up his fist to signal Allen, Ellen, and Gillian to stop and dismount.

"We've caught up… it's close!" Marcus said, almost seething with righteous fury.

Ellen glanced at the Shadow Star orb and could only guess that since the Orb was dark, the demonic magic was all around them so that the enchanted pearl would float in the middle where it wasn't visible. She couldn't help but think that the artifact needed a little work. It was too big, appeared inaccurate, and had a stupid name.

"Shadow Star is such a dumb name…" Ellen muttered to herself.

Allen managed to hear her though and said, "I think it's a great name, sounds impressive if you ask me!"

Ellen rolled her eyes, shrugged, and said softly "Boys do love toys."

Allen brandished a short sword, then thumbed a switch on the side of it causing an extra blade to fan out on both sides of the sword making it look much more intimidating. "What was that Ellen?"

"What's that thing?" Ellen asked, she had never seen a three-bladed sword.

"Most of the demons we come across fight tooth and nail, I find it makes it harder for them to parry my sword with their nails when it is shorter and has more blades. If we get in to a fight, stay back with Gillian."

Ellen's heart skipped a beat as she thought they might get in to a fight, she turned to Gillian and saw her pull out a crossbow with a long stock and metal box attached to the top. "What is that… thing?"

Gillian looked lovingly at her crossbow then said, "This is my weapon of choice, a self-loading crossbow… it's a pain when you do need to refill it, but for support I find it exceptional."

Ellen wanted to know where she got it from, but before she could ask, Allan stopped her and said "I'll tell you later, you'll understand why."

Ellen looked somewhat perplexed, but a sudden chill in the air made her shiver slightly.

Like a ghost, Marcus appeared next to Allen and Ellen and whispered, "Behind the rocks just ahead, you can smell the blood… Allen, flush it out, Gillian, watch for the escape, Ellen, stick with Gillian."

Ellen had never seen an actual fight with a demon since she was still new and only had been able to go out because of her brother. Ellen was hoping they were going to capture it, purely out of innocent curiosity, but she knew it would be better to follow Marcus's order and their weapons were meant for killing, not subduing.

Allen had already disappeared while Ellen was thinking, she wasn't aware how fast Allen really could be until he had already circled around behind where Marcus said the demon was.

Marcus motioned Gillian and Ellen to take cover, so Gillian silently hid herself behind a tree and Ellen clumsily tried to hide behind the same tree since she didn't really know what was going on.

"What are you doing?!?" Gillian said somewhat angry as Ellen tried to hide with her behind the same tree trunk.

"I'm sorry, I panicked, and this tree is the only one large enough for me to hide behind except for Marcus's." Ellen said almost on the verge of tears.

Gillian gave up Ellen was just too inexperienced to understand what was going on and said, "Whatever, stay low and don't make any funny movements!"

Ellen tried to peek out at what Allen and Marcus were doing, but she ended up pressing very close into Gillian.

"Stop that!" Gillian said, her face turning somewhat red as Ellen's breath tickled her slightly.

SCRRRREEEEEEECCCCCHHH!!!

Ellen flinched from the sound as the little demon was surprised by Allen and was attempting to run in the opposite direction of him.

"Don't expose yourself!" Gillian whispered harshly, she then put her arm around Ellen and squeezed Ellen against her chest so she wouldn't stick out.

Ellen couldn't focus on the demon but instead thought, "I wonder if this is what it is like to have an older sister" as she felt comforted from Gillian's arms.

Ellen saw the demon sprinting at an unnatural speed towards them, it had spotted her when she was trying to get a peek at it and let out a screech.

"Mistress was right!!! A delicious one did come!" the little imp said gleefully.

Ellen was panicking, the demon was moving faster than Allen, Marcus was nowhere to be seen, Gillian was focused on holding Ellen, and the imp's claws were frighteningly sharp as they left sparks every time they grazed a stone.

"What is Gillian doing?!? I don't want to die without even knowing love" Ellen screamed in her head, she then looked up at Gillian and decided if it was her only one, she could much worse.

Ellen was frightened and Gillian finally noticed and started to say, "This is part of the p-"

Before she could finish the sentence, Ellen kissed Gillian sweetly on the lips since she believed it was about to be her first and last kiss ever.