A Reluctant Killer

[Blah76]

Bana stared at Minx wide eyed as her tail wagged happily. "What is it? I've never seen a creature like Minx before." Bana hunched down as tilted head to side halfway copying what Minx was doing.

Listu pratically dropped the bandit on the ground near Mariahs feet then took a couple steps away so Maraih would have space for whatever she was doing.  

[Blah76]

Listu took the scythe off her back and jumped behind Irene with lightning speed. Listu stood behind Irene putting a hand on her shoulder and holding the scythe to her neck. "Move and your going to loose your head, little miss" Listu said coldly.  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Niko glared at Mariah as she walked towards him. Did she have any idea what she was planning on doing? She was doing just what countless slayers after him had tried to do before, purposely drawing out Shadow. None of them had survived. From the way these people were treating Irene, he'd be less guilty about letting Shadow lose on them than the innocent, but Irene was still here. He doubted Shadow would spare her a second time.

"He'll kill you all," He said, struggling again. "Bring him out and you'll be digging your own graves!" He glanced at Irene, hoping that she could still escape, but the demon Listu was holding her still. Sensing his panic and anger, Shadow stirred slightly inside him, glancing out of his eyes at the situation. Niko flinched, shutting his eyes and ducking his head down. "...!" His white aura flickered gray for a moment before returning to white. He slowly looked back up, gray eyes with a barely noticable tint of red glaring at Mariah.

Yuki smiled at Bana's excitement. "Minx is a small demon Arda found in the northern mountains a year ago," She said. "The poor things parents had been eaten by the dragons there, so he took it here to care for it. t's been sticking to him ever since."

Minx sniffed the air, then crouched down like it was about to pounce, tail in the air wagging. Yuki laughed. "Looks like Minx wants to play. Why don't you two play for a moment, I won't take long here. Do you have the books?" The last question was directed at Arda. He nodded, then ran into a room to the side of the corridor. He came back out with a thick volume bound by a scarlet cover with black runes in the design, and started leafing through it looking for the page he had found.

 

[Blah76]

"OkieDokie Miss Yuki!" Bana looked at Minx and smiled then started playing chase with Minx while giggleing.  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

His eyes widened slightly in alarm. Don't!" He didn't have enough time to say anything else before a stab of pain made him gasp for breath. He staggered slightly, one hand against his chest, a bit unsteady now that he wasn't supported by anyone. He heard Irene, but as if from far away. He fought, he fought the whispering in the back of his mind and the pull of darkness trying to pull him back. It was hard to breath, and he carefully looked up at Mariah, eyes flickering from gray to red then back. He staggered again, but managed to stay standing. "I... I won't let him out," He gasped. "You'll all die." He winced again, the hand against his chest tightening.

Yuki watched Bana chase Minx around with a small smile on her face. "Found it," Arda said, passing her the book. Yuki took her eyes away from the child and glanced down at the book in her hands, eyes skimming over the text. Her face darkened slightly, as she flipped through the pages. This was not good, if what was being said here applied to Niko and Shadow. She closed the book with a snap. "Can I borrow this?" She asked Arda. "I know someone who needs to see this."

"Um... Sure," He said, a bit confused. "Just bring it back in one piece." She nodded slightly, glancing down at the book.

 

[Blah76]

Listu watched what was happening as tried to deside how horrible what was going to happen would be. Listu leaned forward a bit so was speaking into Irenes ear and whispered. "Just what does your freind turn into?" Listu asked not wanting to interupt what Mariah was doing but digging for a bit of info. "And keep your voice down, I dont like causing interuptions when the employer is having their fun."  

[Blah76]

Listu glanced down at her nacklace. "I have hope that Mariah is going to pay me more than what that stupid necklace is worth. I dont even know why Mariah would bother with jewelry. But hey, every insane power user has their quirks." Listu looked at Mariah and Niko. "We are going to be moving backward from them, so unless you want to loose your head I sugest you step with me." Listu told Irene as started stepping backward not wanting to be too close to whatever was going to errupt overthere. "And I also sugest you remember that I'm currently hired to kill you and your three freinds. If he kills you and the other two it will be a lot easier for me." Listu wasnt very attached to Bana but wasnt in the top running people out to kill her ether and wasnt to happy about having to take the life she created. Listu was currently going through the emotions of remorse for Bana, curiosity with a bit of fear at what was about to happen, and anoyence at how long this was taking. 'Maraih better alow us to finish these two off before the others come back. If he joins us or not I dont get the use of keeping this one alive. Ohwell its the emplorers choice.'  

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

Niko yelled in pain as another sharp jolt ran through him, much stronger than the first. Suddenly he could sense that something was up with Shadow. Before he had been curious, interested in what Mariah had to say, but something about her last few words had angered him big time. "Now you've gone it," He gasped, falling to his knees. If Mariah could really read minds, then she wouldn't need Niko to say it to know that Shadow was enraged, and his anger made him even more dangerous. Niko felt his control slipping away, and yelled again, "If you don't want to die, run!" They needed Yuki, they needed the mages in Heathenrow. Shadows immense energy signal would get their attention quickly, but would everyone still be alive by the time they got here?

He made one last effort to hold Shadow back, then gave in to the pain, black wings bursting from his back to curl around his trembling body.

Black sparks appeared around him, traveling lazily through the air and burning the grass wherever they landed. Nikos pure white aura was once more replaced by one as black as night, and he slowly stood up again, the wings pulling back to fold up behind him neatly. Shadow opened his blood-red eyes, one hidden behind pitch-black hair, fangs, claws and small demon-like horns that hadn't been there before showing against his skin and hair. The same triangle tatoos under his eyes were also there.

Irene had already been aware of Shadows appearance, but for those who had been lucky enough to never meet him before this new appearance was a far cry from the peaceful Niko, and the change was a bit terrifying. Just as frightening was the cold anger in his eyes, merciless and murderous. The anger Irene had sensed the first time they met had nearly doubled; Mariahs words had really enraged him. The air around him darkened as his aura also spread.

"Foolish human..."

"Eh?"

THe young pink-haired girl sitting on the top of the Heathenrow gates squinted at the darkness in the distance. "Sir," She called. THere was no answer. She grabbed the rock beside her and chucked it at the sergeant a few walls over. Despite the distance, it struck the back of his helmet squarely. "SIR!" She yelled.

"What now, Chase?" He yelled back. "If it's to watch a family of hares go by again I swear I'll..."

"That over there, that's no family of hares," She said, pointing to the darkness." tHe sergeant glanced at it, and frowned. "THat's one massive aura. Alright then, Chase, you and your group head out and see whats up. Take a few mages with you."

"Yes sir!" She leapt neatly off the wall onto the street below, and ran up to Heathenrow Academy.

((Meh, now I have to find some way to make him keep Listu, Mariah and Irene alive >.< Do the bandits have to stay alive too, or is it okay if Shadow kills them off. Cause someone is gonna have to die if i'm to do his character properly.))

 

[Wavemaster_Hikaru]

((Yay ^.^ I get to set Shadow on someone...))

His eyes flicked to Irene for a moment, then focused on Mariah again. His anger was more directed towards her than anything. He raised one hand, black sparks and dust gathering around his fingertips. His rage was very near overpowering any other emotion in the area, but Irene would still be able to make out a few others inside him. THere was the distant fear that was from Niko, who had no clue what Shadow was planning on doing and was now powerless to stop him. The other emotions from Shadow himself were all negative and merciless, except for one. It was compassion, and it appeared to be for Niko. Though his reasons were unclear, and he seemed to have no problem with causing Niko to suffer by remaining in his body, Shadow did not want Niko killed. So it had been Mariah's comment about allowing Niko to die that had gotten him so angry.

He took a single step forward, lashing out with one hand, black magic lashing out like lightning at Mariah, red eyes glowing slightly as he struck at her again and again. It was clear that he meant to put her through as much pain as possible before allowing her to die.

 

[Blah76]

'Crap. Letting the employer die is one of the worst ideas possible' Listu gripped her scythe as it was surrounded by flames and as soon as Shadow had his back to her, she swung the scythe causeing a large flame tornado that could be seen from the city and sent it at Shadow. "Run Mariah!" Listu yelled hoping the attack might take shadows attacks off of Mariah long enough for her to run.


(Listu can be severly injured or killed if needed.)