**Edited**
"Dread Chase!"
I was swept off my feet by a wave of blue lights, crashing into the icy river upon impact. The bright lights left my vision dotted with stars.
"I told you she was dangerous!" Chung's voice came booming from the distance.
Panic swept over me upon catching Chung's blurred figure charging toward me. I held my breath and forced my legs up, pushing against my damp, heavy clothes. With the last of my strength, I forced myself out the river and toward the inky forest.
"You're not getting away!" Chung tackled me down before I could take another step.
I screamed as his heavy armoured body crushed onto mine, knocking the air out of my lungs.
"Cannon--"
He was promptly thrown off my back with a cry of frustration. I scrambled up my feet, freezing almost instantly upon catching the white creature emerging from the forest's shadows. The white demon from earlier galloped toward me, teeth bared at Chung.
"Y-you came back," I gasped as the creature took position beside me.
Maybe saving a demon wasn't such a bad idea afterall.
"A-an Ancient Phoru!" Chung's voice boomed, probably reaching the ears of all villagers.
I glanced up in time to see him scrambling away from me and my furry friend. With eyes glued on us, he continued to shout for help. Within seconds, men, women, and even children came pouring out of the wooden houses, squealing and cursing at the scene unfolded before them.
"It's that new recruit." Someone in the crowd pointed out.
"I knew there was somethin' fishy 'bout 'er."
"I heard ol' Lowe recruited a demon. Serves him right."
Their every comment felt like needles. I didn't know what hurt more, the fact that I was treated like an outsider or the fact that their accusations held some truth.
"W-we're not enemies!" I pleaded to the hysteric crowd.
I doubled back as Chung took a step toward us, even the Ancient Phoru mirrored my response.
"You can fool me, demon." Chung hammered his cannon onto the ground. "I'm not as gullible as the others."
I opened my mouth to respond just as he released another glowing blue orb toward me. The Ancient Phoru countered his attack with another amber fireball, erupting a puff of smoke upon impact.
"Chung!" Elsword's voice flared just beyond the curtain of smoke. "What's going on?"
"Your new recruit attacked Lowe," Chung answered at once.
As the smoke from the attacks dissipated into nothingness, I saw Elsword and the remainder of his team huddled by Chung. Even from a distance, I could see the concern they held for their friend—the lump at the back of my throat felt bigger.
"A-Ara?" Elsword turned to face me, his friends mimicked him.
"I-I didn't know what I was doing." My voice wheezed out in a whisper.
"There's an Ancient Phoru by her." Eve pointed out. Suddenly the attention that was drawn on me drew toward my furry friend.
"N-no, wait." I attempted to step in front of the Phoru, but it wouldn't allow me to maneuver in front.
"You're worried about a damn Phoru over a demon attack?" Chung asked incredulously. "D-did you even hear what I just say?"
"Loud and clear," Elsword said, drawing his dual swords. Shivers crawls down my spine as the blades slid out of their respective sheaths. "We'll worry about that later--"
"You can't be serious!" Chung threw an arm up in frustration.
"We can work out this whole demon thing after that Phoru is dead." Elsword snapped.
Once Chung gave no response, Elsword began his way slow advancement toward us. The rest of his team drew their weapons and followed shortly behind. The Ancient Phoru snarled and pressed against my legs, as if warning me to retreat.
It increasingly hard to breathe as they drew closer. A part of me wanted to reason with them while another screamed at me to run. What I did tonight was unacceptable, it could only be punished by death. I might as well save my back before it's too late.
"Chain Fireball!" Aisha released a line of fireballs toward the Phoru before I could finalize my decision.
The demon turned itself around and pushed me away from the line of fire, barely missing the attack by mere inches itself The team, on the other hand, took its response as the threat and increased the speed of their advancement.
The Phoru's ears twitched at the quickened pace and turned itself around to face the team. The demon pounded its front paws onto the ground, igniting them in amber flames. Elsword and the others were forced to a stop as the flaming Phoru charged toward them.
"Split!" Elsword ordered.
The team abided to his command and dispersed from the Phoru's path. Eve took this chance to throw electric, blue spheres at the demon. The Phoru's ears twitched just as it bounced out of the way.
"Eve, watch out!" I warned just as the demon breathed a line of fire toward her. Eve is instantaneously swept up and over the attack by her drones' help.
With the demon still distracted with Eve, Elsword took that chance to attack.
"Crescent--" Elsword was forced to double back before he could finish his attack—the Phoru had pried its attention from Eve just in time to release blistering flames at him.
"This thing is smarter than I that." Elsword grunted, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Alright let's try--"
"Elsword, call your team off this instant!" Lowe's voice abruptly ripped into the battlefield.
Though everyone's eyes remained on the hysteric demon, no one dared to launch another attack on it. Lowe and Echo, who were both meters away from the battle, began their way toward us. Echo looked as if she just saw a ghost while Lowe remained unusually calm.
"But--" Elsword began.
"No buts." Lowe cut him off. "Step back, you're making this worse."
The group exchange glances with each other before backing away, the Phoru, however, refused to let its guard down.
"Lowe, Ara's in danger." Elsword said as Lowe and Echo emerged beside him. The Phoru tensed upon his arrival. For a second I thought it'd launch another attack.
"She tried to kill you." Chung reminded, earning him a nasty glare from Elsword.
"Ara," Lowe spoke calmly, ignoring both Elsword and Chung's comments. "Please tell your friend here to calm down."
"But it--"
"Can't you see you've earned its trust?" Echo grinned, despite her trembling hands.
"T-trust?" I blinked.
"Try talking to it, please." Lowe smiled. "I know you can calm it down."
"Crazy old man," I heard Elsword mutter under his breath.
Lowe, who either did not hear or chose to ignore him, gestured me to interact with the demon.
"Umm, okay..." I looked down at the Phoru, blood rushing to my cheeks at the many eyes now glued onto me. "H-hey, little Phoru—"my shoulders tensed as the Phoru tilted its head back at me"—t-they're friends. Don't attack them, o-okay?"
The Phoru didn't respond at first. I tried talking to it a couple more times, despite the whispers now erupting from my team. I didn't let my shoulders relax until the Phoru abandoned its interest in the others and returned to my side.
I sighed and collapsed onto the cold ground. The adrenaline that had buzzed from the battle began to drain from my system, leaving behind the bitterness I felt earlier.
Lowe took this chance to confront me, alone. The Phoru tensed at his approach but didn't attempt to attack him.
"Ara, how are you feeling?" Lowe asked, kneeling down in front of me.
I lower my head," tired, confused; angry." I confessed in a whisper. "Why? Why didn't you make an alliance with my village?"
Echo quietly ordered the others to return home. Thankfully, no one argued with her command.
Lowe took a seat beside me," it was a vote between all Red Knight Captains." He explained in a hushed voice. "The majority went against the idea as the village was poor and wouldn't be able to sustain our troops, distance as also an issue. We proposed that the village should make an alliance with the neighbouring city Hamel, but we never would've thought such disaster would strike before Hamel could decide."
"I-I see..." I folded my lips together as they began to quiver.
"You have strange powers, Ara." Lowe patted me on the back. "I don't blame you for what happened. You aren't well acquainted to your...demonic gift yet."
The word 'demonic' made me want to vomit. I hated being associated with such a filthy, disgraceful term.
"I-I'm sorry," my face warmed as a cascade of tears escaped my eyes. "F-for attacking..."
"We can deal with that later." Lowe answered softly. "For now just rest, it's been a long day."
I broke into uncontrollable sob at his response. Lowe and the Ancient Phoru stayed with me as I cried, neither made a peep as I released the overdue tears.
*****
I don't remember much after I returned home. I recalled walking into the house, its corridors now bouncing with Elsword and Chung's angry voices. Aisha, Raven, and Eve were seated in the living room, shoulders tensed as the two guys argued in the kitchen. I didn't bother interacting with them before dragging myself up the stairs and into my room.
Despite the nightmares and memories that'd haunt me each and every night, I allowed myself to rest. The past was less painful than the present.
I woke up early next morning to the smell of cookies, my stomach growled eagerly at the waft of sweets. I pulled myself out of bed, performed my usual morning routines and nearly sprinted downstairs.
"Good morning." Aisha sang from the kitchen, delivering a plate of cookies to the dining table. "Care for a cookie?"
"Cookies for breakfast?" I asked, settling myself down at the table.
Aisha rolled her eyes," don't tell me you're a health freak."
"I'm not a health freak—"I took a single cookie from the plate and bit into it"—I just think it's weird to eat sweets for breakfast."
Aisha slid into a seat across from me," sweetheart, it's never too early for sugar."
We spent the next hour or so talking about food, all the while eating up the cookies Aisha had made for the others. By the time the plate between us was empty, aside from the sprinkle of crumbs, dawn had taken reign over the sky. Birds chirped to life, filling the morning with their songs.
"Oops, looks like we ate everyone's breakfast." Aisha burped, her face flushing in response.
"They can make their own," I waved my hand dismissively.
"I-I think they'll be too tired to make breakfast." Aisha's comment dissolved my smile in an instant. "Lowe came over to explain as much as he could."
I suddenly found myself feeling nauseous, and I doubt it's because of the cookies.
"If you don't mind me asking," Aisha leaned toward me, voice dropped to a whisper. "Why did you attack Lowe last night?"
"I--" I paused; the room suddenly felt hotter. "I-I just lost control of my powers." I replied, eyes darting to the side.
"O-oh," Aisha slumped in her seat, failing to hide the disappointment on her face. "I-I'm glad you told me the truth. I know it must be hard for you."
"Y-yeah," I scratched my nose. "I'm happy no one got hurt."
Aisha opened her mouth to reply, but a shuffling noise from the patio cut her off. Her eyes widened," d-did you hear that?"
We yelped as something thumped against the back doors. Jumping to our feet, we hurried toward the sound; half anticipating a beefy burglar standing on the other side. Aisha sighed a loud breath of relief upon seeing a familiar Phoru bouncing around the patio, its tail whipping wildly.
"Hey, Lowe told us about this Phoru last night." Aisha pointed at the door, smiling.
"W-we don't know if it's the same Phoru from yesterday." I warned.
"It must be the same one from yesterday—"to much of my horror, she began her way toward the closed doors"—a regular Phoru would've attacked by now."
Aisha opened the entrance, the Phoru on the other side froze, emerald eyes pinned onto my friend as if she were a walking steak.
Aisha gulped and stepped aside, gesturing me to go first.
"D-do I have to?" I stammered. The Phoru's ears twitched at my voice; its tail resumed its wagging.
"If I go first it'll turn me into barbeque." She said matter-of-factly. "If it's not the same Phoru from yesterday, I promise I'll fight it."
Scowling, I forced myself out the house and toward the Phoru. With a blink of an eye the demon came sprinting toward me; Aisha screamed at its sudden response. Before I got a chance to cry for help, it tackled me down and wiped its tongue on my face.
"Eww, get off me." I attempted to push the Phoru's face away, but it refused to stay back.
"T-that wasn't what I was expecting." Aisha laughed nervously. "Umm, d-do you think it's safe for me to come out?"
"No—"I finally pushed the Phoru away and sat myself up"—you'll be attacked with slobber."
"Better than being eaten."
The Phoru tensed once more as Aisha stepped out," er, d-don't attack her." I blurted, remembering Lowe's advice from last night.
This time, however, the Phoru responded to my first command. Its muscles relaxed just as it sat itself down beside me.
"Wow. T-that's amazing." Aisha gasped.
I shrugged, hesitantly stroking my hand down its back. To much of my surprise, the Phoru didn't mind the touch.
"This little guy is so much cuter when it's not trying to kill you." Aisha chuckled, taking a seat beside me.
The demon's eyes continued to bore into her, though this time it didn't attempt to attack.
"I-I've read about people mounting demons." Aisha began, I felt her relax as the Phoru finally averted its eyes away from her. "I wonder if we can do the same with--"
"Did someone scream?!" Elsword's booming voice sounded from the house, followed by thundering footsteps.
"Hurry up, Elsword, one of the girls could be in danger!" Raven piped in.
"Yeah, yeah—Chung, don't step on my toe!" Elsword snapped.
The sudden noise made the Phoru tense. I promptly reassured its safety before turning my attention to Elsword's voice, just in time to see the remaining team members stumbling down the stairs.
Elsword broke free from the group and hurried toward us," don't worry, girls, I'm here to--."
Elsword skid to a stop just before he managed to burst outside. Raven and Chung came stumbling into Elsword, nearly toppling him over. Eve emerged elegantly from behind the guys, her silver hair hanging down and nightgown absent of wrinkles.
"Hey, Els'." Aisha snickered, pointing to his misbuttoned pyjama top. "You having trouble with those cursed buttons again?"
Elsword groaned and lowered his swords, the guys behind him mirrored his response.