The sun shyly peeked through the black smog in Venders Ally highlighting the girls path. Her skin looked delicate under the sunlight.
Her playful smile brought, the much needed sunshine to the foul and sinister place.
A small group of Mercenary Men trudged holding their weapons in the blood behind her uncomfortably.
. . .
Shortly After arriving at the Chiefs mansion the group of town's people recognized her and her friends rescuing the previous Chief as the Young Miss who killed Zolina they eagerly begged for her to join the small group of Mercenary Men who were preparing to stop the Demon.
Little ShiiShii watched as she walked fearlessly through the street, her plain white shoes now soaked with a crimson pattern as she strolled down the path of blood.
He looked at the sorry state of her shoes and was diligently coordinating a change of clothes for when this was settled.
Before this his chest had an irritable itch he couldn't seem to scratch.
He realized his heart had tensed up entering Venders Ally, he watched her face adamantly for the slightest change fearing the blood would be to much for her...but seeing the unwavering glint in her eyes he could finally relax.
As long as she was unaffected he would stand at her side. The moment she needed him he'd shield her from the world if he had to.
However The Mercenary Men who followed misunderstood her care free attitude as unyielding bravery and stared at her unwavering strength in awe.
It gave them the courage to stand beside her even though they did not want to attract the Demons attention.
They walked to the end of Venders Ally; Little ShiiShii watched her, while she watched the madman known as her brother bash a spiked bludgeoned repeatedly through a corpse.
"Hahahahaaa... tired already? it's only been a hour ..with this little bit of stamina you sure do dream big." Rai Kiyoshi took the soiled weapon and plunged it through LuoQuan's head.
"Hahahahaaa look at your Dear Old Daddy he couldn't even last that long yet had the audacity to threaten my people! Ha pathetic. Ahh-ah-ah where do you think your crawling off too. Didn't I tell you to sit there and behave?" Rai Kiyoshi grabbed LuoQing by the arm and dragged her to sit near her fathers body.
Rai Shinah looked at her brother with an enigmatic expression.
She knew he had a tough time reigning it in, but she expected Siyan to keep him in check. She looked around Venders Ally; What's going on with this scene here?
As if sensing their presence, Rai Kiyoshi looked up and snarled instinctively, crouching down animalisticlly to attack.
Upon seeing Rai Shinah an odd expression crossed his face and he stood up gracefully, straighting out his robes, he lightly kicked the mashed remains of LuoQuan behind him.
Unfortunately his strength shot LuoQuan's body against a wall with a splat drawing more attention to his ..inconspicuous act.
Rai Kiyoshi combed his hand through his hair and walked soundlessly towards Shinah pulling LuoQing behind him.
The group of Mercenary Men stepped back instinctively.
Then shot out together. "Ahhtackkkk Kill the Demon! Young Miss don't worry we'll protect you."
The four Mercenary Men pushed Shinah behind them and attacked Rai Kiyoshi in sync as he approached.
Rai Kiyoshi looked at Shinah confused and held up LuoQing to take the hits for him.
Not expecting to be used as a shield LuoQing got beat for a moment before The Group of Mercenary Men noticed Rai Kiyoshi's shamlessness.
He blocked a sword slashing at him before tossing the girl at the men and bounced happily towards Shinah.
"Darlin-cough- Little brat is your wound taken care of?" Rai Kiyoshi looked down at Shinah's arm with a concerned expression and questioned softly.
The Mercenary Men "..."
LuoQing "..."
Shinah "..."
——
Later that afternoon at the Chiefs Mansion.
Rai Shinah sat at a desk covered with papers. She read countless reports on the previous Chiefs under the table transactions and wrongdoings.. her head felt numb.
It would take a while to settle the matters here, and it wasn't that she couldn't do it...she just didn't have the time for it.
The have to be in Helion Iceland's before the week was up in order to come back on time to travel to The Spirit Crystal Kingdom for the party.
Times like these she really wished she had her old group of friends...
As a matter of fact she should go pick them up soon.
For now all she could do was write a letter explaining the situation to her Second Brother requesting his assistance in fixing the matters here.
'Little ShiiShii are you done yet?'
Rai Shinah pressed the golden wax seal down on the melted wax sealing the letter.
'Mn'
She looked up from the desk to find Rai Kiyoshi elegantly sitting on a sofa, lazily munching on some grapes.
'Perfect'
He looked up at Shinah sensing her gaze, he sat up straight and smiled obediently.
She stared at his well-behaved facade with irritation.
"Call out NingNing have him send this to Second Brother quickly."Shinah motioned to Rai Kiyoshi.
"Can't ..she's in seclusion cultivating the Ice-cage Contraceptive you gave me." Rai Kiyoshi playfully tossed a grape in his mouth and grabbed another.
"Mm...It's already been two hours aren't you tired of pretending?" Rai Shinah stood up putting away the letter for her Second Brother.
"...Have I done something to wrong?" A confused expression crossed Rai Kiyoshi's face.
".... Mm you have, Kiyoshi always punches first and asks questions later his temperament is never this obedient.
And stop pretending to enjoy those grapes you clearly don't like them.
Its been a full hour and you've yet to finish that one bowl. Kiyoshi can inhale at least four bowls in ten minutes.
So just tell me who you are and what you want so I can get my brother back sooner." Shinah adjusted her robes and pulled out a set of tea from her Mindscape pouring two cups and placing one in front of Kiyoshi.
"No wonder the kids always wary of you. You're pretty ...insightful. When'd you notice? " Rai Kiyoshi tossed the grape in his hand into the bowl. "Honestly I'm nobody. I want nothing. But I'm surprised you noticed it was extremely stuffy having to keep up pretenses."
Shinah drank her tea calmly watching 'Rai Kiyoshi'get comfortable loosening his belt letting his pale chest peek out of his robes and kick off his shoes.
He leisurely laidback across the sofa pulling out the uptight hair pins letting them fall onto the table.
"From the start." She placed her cup down on a small serving plate. "Mmm, Everybody wants or lives for something."
"Not me, I'm fine living in the shadows. I was already living on borrowed time so this exchange suits me well. Wait if you noticed right away..why didn't you say anything?" He lifted his cup of tea towards his mouth.
"Observing.." Shinah grabbed a grape and tossed it in her mouth. "What are you, how does the exchange work, how does he come back, does he know how, and Is my brother harmed during the switch, process or after?
"Huh Smart kiddo." He didn't drink the tea placing it back down on the table. "I'm the one who saved your brother in the past, he relinquishes his body for a time provided by a fraction of my strength and I take care of his problems while stretching my legs. Then I go back. As for it being harmful, I'm not sure this is the longest I've stuck around outside."
'Kitten..I'm coming out.'
'Wait.. I need to know what his motives are and if Kiyoshi's hurt.'
'Your brothers fine. He's just a dumb fox. I already caught the gist of it.'
'Kiyoshi's okay?'
'Mn.'
'Okay then take extra care of this.. little fox then.'
Shinah looked at Rai Kiyoshi with genuine happiness. "That's a relief."
Rai Kiyoshi smiled back and stood up to leave. "Well since that's out of the way I'll just go—" his words were interrupted by Little ShiiShii's sudden appearance.
Little ShiiShii struck out and shoved a dark black plant with glowing purple veins into his mouth and hit Rai Kiyoshi's body along certain pressure points locking his meridians while the oil laced on the tea cup made him drowsy.
"Hey what's the meaning of this!? I thought we were good, you smiled for me! You lying faker!" Rai Kiyoshi attempted to expel his spirit energy but it only made him more tired he glared at Shinah.
"I wasn't smiling for you I was smiling at you, I can only imagine the torture Little ShiiShii is about to bestow upon you. It'll be a real treat for me!" Shinah sipped her tea and smiled with malicious intent.
"... but you smiled." Rai Kiyoshi slumped down on the sofa in an uncomfortable position succumbing to the knockout oil.
——
"Kiyoshi!"
"Hey you Pig wake up."
"Second Brother if you die.. I'll definitely eat all this delicious meat." Shinah's bright girlish voice teased Rai Kiyoshi as he slept.
The carriage swayed bath and forth like a lullaby, Rai Kiyoshi felt the darkness subside and the warmth from his hand being held and fell into a comfortable deep sleep.
"When will he wake?" Siyan sat beside Rai Kiyoshi grasping his hand expending some of his direct lines spirit energy.
"Tomorrow." Little ShiiShii and Shinah responded together.
"What exactly happened? Little Heathen.. why does he have ..."
"...Dark Matter." Little ShiiShii looked at Siyan finishing his unspoken words with hesitation.
"That ..I'm not sure but we can ask him when he wakes. For now here you have to eat we won't be stopping till after we pass through the Icelands east barrier." She sighed.
"Alright, go ahead and eat I'll stay with Third Brother." Shinah urged her uncle out the carriage.
"Third Brother.... don't worry I'm here." She sat beside him squeezing his hand.