Lucy Rudolf's/Justine's P.O.V
I threw my arms up into the air. "Who does that girl think she is?!"
Polori watched my childish tantrum. "She says she is the Siren, but I'm one of the oldest spirits, and I heard nothing about the Villains having a Siren User. She shouldn't even exist."
"And why does she look like that Mermaid girl?" I looked back at where the dark-haired girl vanished. "Something is wrong. I need to transform."
"What? Right now? You need to lay low, Lucy, those monsters are out to get you!"
I shook my head. "I need to go see this Siren girl. She might have seen that I was the Wizard just now. I have to know whether or not she is on our side, or even real for that matter."
Polori vanished as I transformed back into the Grand White Wizard. I summoned my staff, gripping it a little harder than usual due to the frustration I felt.
"This is ridiculous, Polori." I said as I relaxed my hand. "There is no way I feel jealousy towards them. I like Everett, right?"
I frowned before leaving the alley and climbing onto a rather tall building.
After sitting over the ledge, I gazed into the crystal staff to see if I could find the Siren.
A purple light lit up directly behind the only blue one, leaving no red or green dots anywhere.
"I guessed right, then."
I whipped around at the familiar voice. It was the Siren.
She took a seat next to me and looked out at the city. "What's your relationship to him, anyway?"
I ground my teeth, debating whether or not to tell the truth.
"We just work together, you know, fighting monsters." I half-told the truth.
"Like a team? Interesting." she threw her head back and looked at the sky. "I hope to become great friends with both of you someday."
"Friends?"
She nodded before changing the subject. "I heard that you are one of the strongest Heroes out there, is that true?"
I scratched the back of my head. "I guess you could say that. There are a few other Heroes stronger than me, but they aren't here right now."
"Really? Who are they?"
"Didn't your mentor tell you anything? They should have told you this when you first met them."
"She didn't tell me anything."
I quickly got up. She obviously didn't know much about the others, which worried me.
"Where are you going? It's impolite to leave in the middle of a conversation." she spoke matter-of-factly.
"I have to go find someone, it was nice meeting you." I said before jumping off the building and trying to get lost in the streets.
I didn't realize how long I had been running until I finally bumped into a small green figure.
"Arch? Did you find him?" I said as I rubbed my head getting up.
She motioned to the figure behind her. "Yeah, he was trying to find Vitas. I found him just a few minutes ago."
I didn't realize how stressful this how situation was until I started to sob.
"Justine? What happened?" Arch ran over to me and put both hands on my shoulders. Galifici joined her and also asked what happened.
"It's Malefici. He met some weird Villain who is supposed to be the Siren, and I think she may have done something to him. Even Polori sees that something is wrong with her, but he is totally oblivious."
Galifici frowned, his red eyes burning with hatred. "That idiot. A Siren in known for their beautiful voices, which in turn can lure anything to it's slow and painful death. This girl's voice could have been her very magic for all we know."
"What do you think we should do, Justine?" Arch spoke softly. "We can't just get rid of her, or else Malefici may become your enemy again. Battle partners or not, he might try to kill you if he is under her spell."
I grew tense. "What we need to do is find a way to break this thing away from him. We also need to be careful in not getting lured to our own deaths as well."
I lost all the strength in my muscles, either from mental or physical exhaustion. I buried my face in my hand after my legs caved in. I was surprised to see Galifici get down on his knees as well.
"Justine?"
I looked up at him. "What?"
"I know Malefici better than anyone else. Whether or not you realize it, Malefici does care about you, he just doesn't want to admit it. He is very territorial about what is his, but he would rather hide and not even think about whatever that may be. He is strong, as a demon, and as a human. Whatever this is, we'll break it from him and free him."
I was strangely encouraged by the vampires words. "I guess you're right. Has anyone seen him?"
"Malefici? Not since I left." Arch replied. Galifici just shook his head.
"I need to keep an eye on him. I should leave." I said my goodbyes to the vampire and elf before rushing back to the city.
What I needed to do was figure out what is making Malefici act strange around her. Once I get a hold of what that is, I'll break it. Hopefully that'll help him.
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Everest Ailan's/Galifici's P.O.V
"I should go too." I turned to Arch. "I think I might know where he is."
"You do?" She looked in the direction Justine ran off. "Go and hurry. See if you can do anything."
I nodded before running off back to the Ailan residence, half-expecting the demon at the door.
To my surprise, the door was unlocked, and Malefici had his head in his hands on the couch.
"Malefici?"
He jumped and looked up, breathing a sigh of relief after seeing it was only me. "Back already? I'm guessing Arch found you?"
"Yeah, what have you been up to? You look terrible."
He frowned. "Apparently there's this female Villain running around town. I met her today when talking to Lucy."
"What is she?"
"A Siren, at least according to her. She told me that she has the magic to give any Hero or Villain more power."
"Are you sure we can trust her? I mean, the mentors never said anything about this "Siren"."
Something sparked in Malefici's yellow eyes when I doubted his take on the Siren. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor with his hands around my neck. My top hat landed on the ground next to me.
"Malefici? What are you doing?!" I pried at his hands, which proved to be useless.
"Why would you even say that, Galifici? I trust her without a doubt!"
Something was obviously wrong. Everett told me himself that it took him months to fully trust anyone. Trusting a Villain in a matter of seconds just wasn't him.
I summoned my cane in my right hand and wacked the demon in the side. He removed his hands and clutched the area where my black cane made contact.
"What was that for?!"
"You've lost your mind, Everett!"
"What?!" the same spark lit up in his eyes and he lunged at me for another attack. However, I managed to dodge this time, hitting him hard enough in the back to knock him out.
I watched as he turned back into the red-headed human. Something was wrong with him, and I was pretty sure it was because of that Siren girl.
I dragged Everett up the stairs and into his bed before turning out the lights and leaving the house again. I needed to find Justine to confirm everything.
I transformed back into Everest involuntarily. "What? What happened, Sullivan?"
The Vampire spirit manifested by my side. "You sustained too much damage from Malefici choking you, and the transformation wore off."
I clenched my fist. "Why would he do that to his own brother?"
"You were right you know, there is no such thing as a Siren User."
"What?! Then what is going on?"
He started to disappear. "Stay away from him for now and find the others. You need to come up with a plan to get him back."
I threw my fists up as I started to head back to town. "But I can't when I'm human! How do you expect me to work with the others when they don't even know it's me?!"
I paused to look at a small costume shop. "Are you kidding me?"