Chapter 12: Strange Occurrences

My world seemed to be wildly shaking,as if an earthquake had somehow invaded the peaceful lands of Akuan,it had never once had an earthquake before..... I sat up knocking my head against someone else's,who grunted and fell on to the desk in front of me. I blinked the sleep away,confused as to where I was until I saw the familiar white and black hair. Oh sherbet.

" Erm,sorry, I thought there was an earthquake,which just so happens to have been you shaking me...." I trailed off awkwardly,but then remembered what he had done. Maybe he deserved the headbutt a little..... Edward rubbed his forehead,glaring at me in annoyance.

"Just....follow me." He says and walked to the door pulling his hood over his head. Time for the writing test,huh? Hopefully I can pass with 50% instead of 100%. I stood up to my feet and scrambled after Edward.

"How about this? I owe you a favour,I can make weaponry and will make a custom design if you be a little more patient with me, what do you say?" I offer,mostly because Edward had a really stupid weapon which he finds uncomfortable so why not make one that'll suit him perfectly from the start? Then he'll be able to defend himself better, of course he's already doing a fine job at protecting himself....but I still worry, even though I'm not his bodyguard yet. He seemed to ignore me as he walked,barely paying attention to the surroundings. I blinked, okay any moment now.....? Nope,not responding. Fine,I'll just go through my library of memories and try to find that stupid test. I suddenly walked right in to his back, but before I could crash to the floor he grabbed my waist and spun me around so that I was on my feet and facing him. He had a frown which I could see because he had leaned down.

"You are a black Smith?" Edward asks me,he had his brows narrowed and a look of confusion on his face.

"Yes. I am,why do you really believe that woman can't be strong enough to be able to forge swords and weaponry? These swords you see, the ones that hang on my waist, I made them myself,along with every other weapon on my person." I say,getting frustrated with people that think woman to weak to do much, sure there aren't so many but almost everyone I have ever met, have given me weird looks whenever I tell them I'm a forger. His expression cleared up, replaced with amusement.

"I didn't think that. It's just my mother is a forger and you seem a little to young to be one. You even offered to make me a custom weapon,something that takes years to learn, I didn't expect for you to know that so I was surprised. And why does it look like you were disappointed in me when you don't even know me?" He ask me raising an eyebrow. "I really want to read your thoughts now. But I assume your gonna hide them even more now, won't you?" Edward asks,my cheeks threatened to brighten under his scarlet gaze,shit.

"Nah,I'll pass,maybe next time when I'm thinking about Norway. " I say with the sweetest smile I could muster before twirling out of his hands and bouncing off down the path. This man....catches me off guard and is way to unpredictable for my liking. And to make matters worse he brought in his way to kind mum who baked cookies for me! And told me very embarassing stories about Edwards childhood. I grinned at the memories,I pivoted around with the smile still in place.

"Well?" I tilted my head,my hair danced in the wind as a breeze followed around us. He was still on that spot, the wind having blow his hood off,but he hadn't realised that yet, his usually red eyes now were a brighter gold than any other shade would ever come close to comparison.

"Well,what?" He asks seemingly forgotten what we have been talking about,curling my lips in a crooked smile I answered." Your answer,Edward? May I forge a custom weapon for you,or not?"

"I'll answer you after you get through this test,now follow the path and you'll meet up with the others,I have....other matters to attend." Edward says. I straightened and nodded before turning around and walking further down. Please don't tell me he's gonna do an investigation on me? Probably,or his father called and that is why he forgot about our conversation,yet he had a small smile on his face,even if it wasn't that visible. But then what? Edward likes to trust people blindly if they prove worth it, and I think I have done so by coming back through the portal and having told the truth, well not completely but he won't know that for a while. Purple flashed across my vision catching my attention, Razé? When I looked up it was indeed him,I skipped over to him and tapped his shoulder, a few steps away walked a Gæsi, a book in her hands. Razé turned around his eyes widening when he saw me.

"Asher? Wow,I thought I'd only see you after the tests were finished. Who knew we'd meet on our way to the second test?" He says,the Gæsi stopped and turned around, a person whom I do not recognise was under the hood of the Gæsi robe,but his aura. I balled my hands up in to fists but forced a normal smile on to my face.

" Hn! Come on! I wanna get there before anyone else!" I say taking his hand and much like the first time, I threw him on to my shoulder and ran right passed the Gæsi. He wasn't the only one I passed by though, several others who traveled down the pathway were there as well. Razé screamed for the very first time since I've known him, a yell of exhilaration from the way he has his eyes open,what happened to the Razé who was nauseous just from a mere mention of running at speeds like this, this morning? I'll ask him later. I slid to a stop,kicking up plumes of dust on the now sandy rocks of the garden in front of an old looking building,I frowned in confusion, there stood a Gáókay with a clipboard in his hands,but he was the only one here....what the hell is going on? Are we being separated due to the interest the Gæsi have in us? That makes a little sense, considering the fact that they are almost at the ranks of Magi and when they take interest in something it usually is for good reason,but this is going a little to far.

' I don't sense anything wrong, Asher. Relax. Just get through the test.' Lily told me.

' That Gæsi had an unnatural aura around him. This Gáókay seems to be dead on his feet. I doubt that this is a coincidence. This must be a trap.' I grounded my teeth, taking a single step back,but something grasped at my neck, Razé? I turned my head slightly my eyes widening, Razé's hazel gold eyes were lifeless and without intelligence, as if taken in a Possessions state forcefully.

' Ai,it seems your paranoia finally came in to use...a little to late no?' " Lily says. Electricity fluttered around me, Razé's body shook and he fell numbly to the ground,I knelt down and pressed a hand to his forehead,drawing with the other a rune that I know should never be used. The rune of release, one that I had made on my own over the years. Razé's clouded eyes turned back to normal,but he passed out. I rouse to my feet as the Gæsi who had done it all leisurely walked over, his hood gone. Yellow eyes of a demon glowed in the light of the sun. I felt hot red anger course through my veins and I fought for control over a suddenly rampaging Lily.

' Stay. Out. Of. This.' I commanded. Lily roared in anger that I kept her from her fun,but I was not about to ruin everything just because I'm pissed off. It had small horns that stuck out of it's head. The Gáókay turned in to literal stone with the flick of the demons wrist. A stone wraith or a snake demon. My hands flashed as I removed my swords. Leaning down, I glared at it. It tilted his head.

"A person who actually doesn't show fear at the first sign of her friends life? I might have mistaken you for a demon,why is it that Edward had taken a liking in you, little blue? Do you perhaps posses unmatched strength,but I sense nothing from you? Or is it simply because he could not read you?" It was surprisingly accurate, it wasn't in the category of demon any more, demon are creatures of little intellect not so much to the point that it would be considered smart. Tightening my hands around the hilts of my swords, they elongated. At the same time, ones energy turning to that of a raging fire and the other a clam river. This was something that would normally take several Gáókay to take down.

"You have unfortunately rushed in your plans,Devil. You messed with the wrong, Kushi. (Kú- shia)." I hissed.

"A what?" The demon asks confused. But energy llike purple matter zapped around me. I appeared behind him, holding the fox fire weapon in a backwards grip I twirled in the air cutting through the nape of his neck, but before my ice fire sword could touch him,his hand choked my neck. I smirk as the fox fire swords fire activated around the spot behind his spine where I cut through. It exploded, fiery wings of gold and red amber's ignited and engulfed him, backing off as quickly as my body would allow, I eyed it wearily. I was standing in front of Razé's body which placed me in a difficult situation. If this devil,aims for Razé or the kill, than I'm done for. I can always start over, but I really don't want to repeat the last few days no matter how fun they were. Determination finally reared its ugly head within me as I leaned down, I won't loose!

' Let me help!' Lily begged.

' No. Stay.' I growl at her in response,who knows what damage she will cause if I were to let her take control. But before anything like that can happen the brining demons head rolled, Edward and a few other people stood behind the remains of the demon. I stared in shock and relief that I didn't need to use more mana on it,I was already running out. They were the people I passed by earlier. Edward inclined his head studying my pose and the weapons in my hands. I straightened and let them return to their normal height before sheeting them.

"What was it? Apart from a demon that is." I ask, my body felt heavier than usual, probably because it was the second...no third time that it had been through a portal and had to fight against creatures a bit faster. Edward sheathed his dagger and folded his hands behind his back.

"That,Asher,was a Snake Ghoul."

"Lair. It wasn't a Ghoul,a Ghoul is a creature with a master,that thing was acting on its own." I say narrowing my eyes in anger at him. I hate it when people don't share the right details. Edward and the other Gæsi looked impressed at my deduction.

"True. Fine. It was a Oisia, a snake devil. None of you saw it, got it?" Edward says and motioned for a healer robed person to come forth, he was about to take Razé when my sword touched his neck.

"He's fine. He'll wake up in a minute. And I dare say, touch him while I am still pretty pissed off.... and you will loose more than just a head." I say mistrust clear in my voice. The healer looked much paler than it would usually be advices for a healer to be, he nodded shakily before taking a step back.

"He's fine? And pry tell,how is he fine? He was possessed by a demon, Miss Dawn." Another Gæsi with a friendly but stern aura says.

"I know that, I should probably mention it to the oh so suspicious teachers, shouldn't I? Where I come from, things like being possessed is an every day occurrence. I know ways of releasing people from such state due to that. " I say and knelt down beside Razé,maybe I went a little to far in acting like this, huh? I lightly tapped his forehead. He gasped and sat up as if I had set his pants on fire, unexpectedly grabbing my shoulders,freezing me in place.

"Asher,are you okay?! Did it hurt you?" Razé asked panicking. I gasped lightly at the feeling of someone you touching me whom I wasn't used to.

"Er,yes. I mean no! I'm absolutely fine, though I have slightly less energy than what I usually have. But first,are you okay?" I ask him before gently removing his hands.

"I have a headache and that's pretty much all,by the way where is the demon?" I scooted a little so that he didn't need to se what was behind me.

"The teachers took care of that, by the way can we continue on to the second test before it starts without us?" I ask, tilting my head slightly back to stare at the Gæsi, there were a few students here as well so they should allow us to continue. Edward gave a nod. I sighed in relief before standing up and offering a hand to Razé, he took it and I helped him to his feet. He got a glance at the beheaded demon before I twirled him around and pushed him down the path.

"No need to see that." I say as we walked. How did a demon infiltrate a highly secured city? Through the ancient passage ways, perhaps? But then! Damned traitors, this was probably what Edward had meant earlier. No....my senses were only able to pick up on what was amiss due to the fact that the demon felt like he has done something to do with shadows, which is the tell tale sign of demon magic.