Chapter 40 - Driven

Regina looks at me strangely. I meet her eyes in which she immediately evades.

What is her problem? And she's sighing too. Was what I said too unbelievable?

"Fine. You're human."

Somehow I doubt she actually believes it. She's probably saying that to get some peace of mind. I appreciate that really, even though I know she doesn't mean it.

*SIGH*

I wonder how Sylvia, Klint and Nicco are. Are they planning on rescuing me? Have they told Hiiro-san and Himeko-nee about me getting abducted? It seriously sucks having my abilities restrained by some sort of magic cuffs. As of now I'm really like a thirteen year old kid; look and strength wise.

This sucks.

"But you haven't answered my question." she stares at me once again with a pointed look. "Why do you have an aura identical to the Right Eye. Sure you might not have a shard within you but having that aura can only mean you were exposed to a shard for a long time."

Crap. That didn't deter her? I was hoping she'd lay off asking that question again. But then again, what I said was a poor excuse.

Now what should I tell her? I can't exactly tell her I have the Heart can I? Sakura-nee warned me about it long ago; never reveal I possessed such a relic. I knew the dangers of it myself as well. Although, I'm a bit sour as to why she never told me about the shards. There are only two options for that; one she did not know about it, which I highly think to be not the case, or two she did not want or cant' to tell me.

Considering the kind of person she is? It's probably the latter. Definitely the latter.

Now what should I tell her…

"You're silent." says Regina, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Thinking of an excuse?"

Tch. She got me there, but I try not to show it to her. Instead, I acted a little angry.

"I'm thinking… about what you said okay? Since I don't have the shard with me, I'm thinking when I got exposed to a shard." I sigh. "I live a pretty careless life you know. I mean, sure I live in a yakuza headquarters but I tend to go out a lot."

"You… live in a yakuza headquarters?"

I just give her a grin. Since she's probably thinking I'm actually thirteen, I should just act like it. It's not really hard to do that.

Hmm… What should I tell her? It's a bit hard to think of an excuse since what she said is true. I mean, Sakura-nee is the one gave me the [Heart of the Primordial] in the first place so I'm sure I do have it. And-

Aha! That's it!

"I think I know how I got exposed to it Miss Regina." I said in a childish voice. "If the rumor that the Maiden of the Stars having a shard is true then it fits!"

"Huh? Explain."

Sorry about this Sakura-nee. But since you're a powerful person, nobody will probably bother you if I tell them this.

"My guardian is Sakura Tsuchimikado, the Maiden of the Stars. I live with her! So if it's true that she has a [Shard of the Primordial] with her then I was probably exposed with it through that!"

Regina puts her hand on her chin, probably thinking of the possibility of what I said.

Well it was half-true I guess. Sakura-nee had the [Heart of the Primordial], one of the [Shards of the Primordial], in the first place and she gave it to me seven years ago.

"She's your guardian?" she asks in which I return with a nod. "Hmm… If that really is the case then it answers the question why you have the same aura as a shard. Longtime exposure to a powerful relic does that."

YES! She believed it!

"Still…"

Eeeehhh.

"If she's your guardian that means you're a member of the Onmyouji Union or the Tsuchimikado Clan."

"No I'm not."

"You're not? Hmm… Then how did she become your guardian? I mean she's 'the' Maiden of the Stars', she won't just become the guardian of someone because of nothing."

"Beats me." I answer shrugging my shoulder.

I really have no idea. She just appeared all of a sudden after the incident in Hope Orphanage, claiming to be my guardian. She never told me the specifics and I went with her because I did not want to spend one more minute in the police station as well as she was the one who saved me seven years ago.

Hmm? Why did she save me seven years ago? Why was she in Kawayan Village in the first place seven years ago? Why did she give me the [Heart of the Primordial]?

Damn it. My mind is piling up with questions. I should return to Japan soon to ask her and demand answers. And maybe I can-

What is this feeling?

An aura just appeared and it feels so dark and sinister. And why does it feel so familiar?

This is-

This aura is the exact same aura of the demon that decimated Hope Orphanage. Don't tell me Regina is after this demon?

Regina seems to have sensed the arrival of the demon and a smile plays on her face.

We head towards the door and my eyes narrows down to the figure standing at the edge of the tree line. He looks exactly the same the last time I saw him; wild violet hair, black horns and red eyes. Even though he looks a lot like a human, that disturbing smile plastered on his face and the aura he is emitting definitely singles him out.

It does not help that he's the spitting image of the man that killed me.

"Regina."

"Yes kid?"

"Get these cuffs off me."

"Hmm? Oh yeah. Sure. After this you can run away as far as you can okay? I will be-"

"You're mistaken. I will not be running away. I will be the one to take that demon down."

My strength and abilities have changed since the last time I saw that demon. Aside from being Lloyd's look alike, he's also the murderer who killed everyone in Hope Orphanage leaving Sylvia, Klint and I the only survivors. I would've perished as well if it wasn't for the fact that I have an skill.

And besides, I already promised to extract my revenge on him.

"Uh, no kid. This is my job so you should-"

"He killed my family. I will get him for that."

"Err… I don't think you should-"

"Regina."

I sounded so different just now. I sounded someone who's ready to slaughter. I sounded dangerous.

[Notice. Energy level elevation is breaking the magic cuffs.]

Hmm? Isn't that good news? Good timing Slayer.

I can feel my power elevate, my anger and desire for revenge fueling it. I can hear Regina gasp and mutter something but I'm not really listening. My eyesight is set on the demon whose smile seems to widen making it even more unsettling.

"You're Levton li Dantalion."

I hear Regina choke a gasp, surprised how I know the demons name. The demon is looking at me strangely, probably wondering why I know his name.

"Oh? And a child of man knows that? How did you know my name little one? And you seem to possess what I'm looking for."

"May 13th, the night of a full moon. You fought a vampire on an area called Mt. Ilihan. During that fight, you performed a skill, or a spell, whatever you call it and killed innocent people with it. You fought vampires for territory when you're not even of this world and innocent people died as collateral damage. Do you remember that?"

He only looks at me with a crazed look on his face.

"Hn! I don't bother remembering every worthless human I kill. And you will be the same."

That's it! He's so dead!