Action Equates Reaction

Ren grunts as he drops the guise he's managed to keep since the moment we arrived. He calls the darkness to him, forsaking his usual blade for one made of pure darkness.

"Ren?" Penelope asks.

Ren, no longer the mortal man they've come to know but a Dark Fay male. One of the seven commanders Raksha fought with during one of the many wars.

"I need you and Kara to form the lunar formation," Ren says, ignoring their looks of disbelief, "you two know what to do," he says walking towards the demon.

I growl at him but move to the left Pearl moves to the right we walk back to build momentum. At his signal, we pounce claws tearing into scales and skin. The demon trashes trying to pry us of him but Pearl's maw is locked tight on his throat. I shred a piece of flesh as Ren brings his blade down.

The second demon attacks Penelope and Kara. Pearl falls to the ground changing midway and coughing black blood up. Kara's blade is swift but not swift enough, the demon possessing Master doesn't falter with his attacks. I feel her before I see her, Raksha's arrow pierces our demons head causing it to combust.

"You had one job," Raksha's voice is like thunder, even the demon possessing Master stops his attack on Kara and Penelope. The fear in his eyes is undeniable he opens his mouth a black soul trying to escape. Raksha doesn't flinch as she wraps one clawed hand around it shoving it back into Master's body. "This is the vessel you chose and in such you will die," her silver blade pierces Master's heart sending the demon into eternal oblivion.

"Well that was a sight," Uncle Ambrose says tossing Pearl's cloak atop her as she transforms.

I walk over to my own cloak Aunt Sonia choosing that moment to appear.

"It seems only Master Jing was possessed," she says in a manner of greeting, "the other Master's await our report."

Raksha looks down at what remains of Master nose wrinkling, "They pride themselves on the safety of their mountain, and yet this happened."

"I'm sure they'll blame us," Uncle Ambrose says.

"They can try," Aunt Sonia says.

###

"What do you think will happen now?" Pearl asks.

I continue to peel an apple its flesh as black as my soul. "I don't know."

"Ruby," Pearl shakes my shoulder, "you're too calm, it's unsettling."

"Raksha will send us away like she always those," I say popping a piece of apple into my mouth.

Ren approaches us taking a seat atop a giant stone shaped like a tortoise, "how come you never call her mom?"

"Why would I? she didn't raise us."

"Did you ever stop to think her upbringing might have something to do with the way she's raising you two?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," he tosses Pearl a small bundle, "happy birthday."

I watch him as Pearl carefully opens up the bundle, "These are Ruby's favorites," she says holding up a sesame ball, "and mini mooncakes if I had to guess I'd say they're filled with lotus seed."

"Thanks," I say taking the sesame ball from Pearl and biting into the crispy yet chewy pastry.

Ren just smirks before taking another bundle and handing it to Pearl. She seats the bundle with my pastries down and opens hers up.

"Candied hawthorn, what's in the box?" Pearl shakes it and Ren winces.

"That was spun sugar made to look like a jaguar," he says dryly.

Pearl pouts as she opens the box to find the figure has broken in half.

"What will happen to Penelope and Kara?" I ask, biting into one of the mini mooncakes savoring the lotus seed filling.

"Their memories have been erased," Ren says, "They won't remember any of this and once we leave, they won't remember us."

"Aww, who will chase after you now?" I ask around mouthfuls.

Ren walks over to me leaning down so we're eye to eye, "why would I need anyone chasing after me when I have you?" he moves away before I can strike him.

Pearl just laughs nervously pretending to look at the night sky.

"I'll be damned before…

"We're going," Raksha interrupts the look she wears is the same look I've seen on her since I was a child, cold and unreadable.

Aunt Sonia and Uncle Ambrose follow behind her, now they're easier to read. As expected, we are to blame for this misfortune. I wipe my hands and tie up the bundle holding my desserts then shrink it to the size of a pearl attaching it to one of the bangles on my left wrist. Pearl those the same looking back at the place we have called home for the last three years. It's rare when we get to train together, can't say I won't miss it.

The first place I was sent to for training when I was seven was the Shadow Realm. Well, as far as anyone's concern I sent to the Dark Realm. Truth is Raksha's commander agreed to train me so long as it remains a secret and so I spent my days the Dark Realm training under its King and my nights in the Shadow Realm training under Princess Crimson. "You must learn to be one with the shadows," Princess Crimson would say to which the Dark King would add, "but you must also become one with the darkness. Learn to live between shadows and darkness."

My path was chosen for me but is this what I want to be? Unlike me, Pearl got to choose. She chose to become a healer and so was sent into the Winter Realm to train under the Healer on High. I can never tell her the things I've done; she wouldn't understand. Whenever we get to train together, she always tries to keep me from exerting to much force always trying to find a peaceful way to do things. Even when killing a demon, she'll feel bad afterward, while I feel nothing.