The Beginning of the End

Drasil was the bustling capital of The Orochi Isles, constantly swarming in hordes of people no matter the time of day.

Which only made it all the more earie that all Jex and Shade had for company was a band of undertrained assassins.

Jex and Shade were down to a single assassin who Shade incapacitated with a giant Shadowy Fist.

Shade lifted an assassin by his cloak, in the air which made for quite the scene considering his small stature.

"Where is everyone? You guys are far too weak to have killed them." Shade interrogated in the most intimidating voice he could muster.

The Smiler was clearly a newbie, Shade knew that based on his lack of skill alone. It was possible he knew nothing, but Shade had to know for sure.

"You really think we would even try something that stupid? Body disposal is far too tedious for that. If you must know, we erected a psychic barrier in a mile radius around this spot, it's not that people can't pass it. However they unconsciously avoid it due to psionic suggestion, a specialty of one of our members." The Smiler spilled without even noticing.

"What a coincidence, I happen to know a little about psionics myself." Shade said with a devilish grin, proud of his successful interrogation. "You can go now, and take your friends."

Upon being released the Smiler rushed to his fellow assassins to aid them in escaping.

"Heh, you shouldn't give them false hope Shade. They are gonna die after all." Jex said as he conjured a ball of flame in his hand.

Yet before he could release it he found himself with a shadowy blade at his throat.

"Such disregard for life, everyone of the assassins you fought you killed. You fight them with such hatred, it's as though you have history with them." Shade said as he held his blade upward at Jex's throat.

"That's probably because I do." Jex said as he peeked over Shade's shoulder to see the Smilers retreating. "As for why I have such disregard for their lives, that's because I know what they are, and it's not something worthy of mercy."

"Explain." Shade pressured on 

"it's a long story, but to be brief. I was one of them back in Merkia, they preyed on me when I was weak, trained me to be like them by manipulating my hatred for our 'beloved queen'." Jex answered nonchalantly. "One thing led to another, the Immortal Queen was killed, I realized that The Smilers were psychopaths, and Master Frost helped me get here. You happy? When I heard they were here I started killing them whenever I could."

Shade didn't agree with how easy of a time Jex had killing people. But he understood better now why that was the case.

He dispelled his sword and swiftly turned away from Jex, and began his trip back to the Draconum Familia suite.

"Hey, if you really are psychic, do you think you could convince the girls into letting me into their bath? Make them think I'm stupid like Robius or something." Jex pleaded as he followed Shade.

"I don't need to be psychic to convince anyone that you're stupid. You make that easy enough on your own."

*********

After an eternity of watching perhaps the most boring matchup in history, Cion announced Nyan victorious over Benedict seeing as he didn't make a single attack.

With the third trial over we had time to relax in our suite. Most of us at least.

I still wasn't over Okami and Ibu's fight, a cowlick antenna appeared on my head and I never had a cowlick in my life.

Unfortunately Okami was busy staring at the suite's door like an anxious puppy as she waited for Shade to walk in.

"I wanna fight something already! Why can't we just have a free for all or something." Robius whined like a child as he slumped over the couch.

"Quit whining, I haven't been able to fight since the capture the flag trial!" Aciel exclaimed in spite as he prepared some eggs gowned in his flame patterned apron.

"Oh yeah, how about we fight here and now!" Robius said as he budded heads with Aceil.

"You want me to burn my eggs or something!" Aceil retorted as he continued to flip his golden omelet in the air like a pro.

"Aww man. Killjoy. How about it Kenki, wanna get down and dirty?" Robius offered to me with puppy dog eyes, beyond a shadow of a doubt he heard that from Jex and immediately misunderstood it. "Come on, Aceil is being a spoilsport." 

I knew Robius meant nothing pervy, but my mind immediately went to gutter as he spoke, flushing my cheeks red.

"How come I feel like the pervert when you talk like that?" I asked genuinely curious.

"Huh?" Robius answered with a tilt in his head. "Talk like what?"

"Ever think that you are a pervert, darling?" A familiar voice belonging to a flame haired man answered me.

I turned to see both Jex and Shade had returned, and Shade was already being assaulted by Okami.

"Is it true? Did you leave because you didn't want to see me get hurt?" Okami asked joyously as her tail created a mighty gust with its speeds.

"Who told you that? Cause they were clearly lying." Shade said defensively as Aceil whistled a guilty tune.

"Aww, such a tsundere. It's one of the things I love about you." Okami continued as she hopped energetically lifting her skirt for all to see, at least all who were as short as Shade, so basically just him.

Shade's face flushed red as he turned his eyes away and covered his nose before it betrayed his no doubt pervy thoughts regarding the risqué situation.

"You really shouldn't do that, it's...unbecoming of you." Shade said in a broken voice courtesy of his wrecked nerves.

And with that our day continued as always, incredible noisy and full of pointless brawls.

Finally I layed in my bed string endlessly into the blank roof. I couldn't get that fight between Okami and Ibu out of my head.

Something clearly happened, and I was desperate to get to the bottom of it, not solely to sate my curiosity but also because I had a bad feeling it involved the Smilers.

Just as my mind finally settled down I heard a clatter from Okami's room followed by the sound of her leaving the suite.

"What's she doing up so late? What if it has something to do with her bout with Ibu." I whispered to myself out aloud. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

I got dressed quicker than I ever had before, I couldn't risk losing sight of Okami, I felt a little bad for basically stalking her, but at the same time there was a sinking feeling in my gut that told me something bad was gonna happen and I couldn't let her deal with it alone.

Okami walked all the way to the train station where she boarded a train to Torik. Fortunately I just barely managed to board the very same train right behind her just before it departed.

"Whew. That was close." I breath a sigh of relief.

"I know right, you almost closed the door right on my face." Robius who was sitting right beside me pouted.

"When did you-" I yelled before controlling my volume thankfully it appeared Okami still hadn't heard me. "When did you get here? Were you following me?"

Kukiri grabbed my crystalline Rune pen from Robius and placed it on my lap.

"You dropped this when you were making a mad dash out of our suite." She explained with an exhausted yawn. "I couldn't exactly keep up with you with my short legs so I woke up Robius so he could return it to you."

"Yeah, but you wouldn't stop moving. What are you doing?" Robius said as he finally acknowledged his surroundings. "Wait, why are we on a train to Torik?"

"I was following Okami. She left in the middle of the night. After her suspicious battle with Ibu I wanted to see where she's going." I answered Robius question whilst simultaneously making sure Okami couldn't hear me.

Robius's looked into my soul with his judging burgundy eyes.

"Really? You're stalking her? How creepy, only Shade is allowed to stalk people and that's only because they expect it." He said with a scrutinizing glare.

"How creepy." Kukiri added with the very same look.

"Oh come on guys I'm just looking out for her, I think this might have something to do with the Smilers. Don't look at me like that." I said as I shrunk back into my seat hiding from their judgeful eyes.

Fortunately the train stopped at Torik station and I was back home. Actually the path Okami walked was beginning to look incredibly familiar.

It didn't take long for me to realise why.

Before us was the imposing fort that acted as Azure Ursine's guildhall.

Stone walls that were second only to the skyscrapers in height surrounded the hall, the only entrance was through a large gatehouse constantly manned by Azure Ursine personal.

The walls were often patrolled via the ramparts by a few members of Azure Ursine only it seemed the ceremony kept them busy.

"Holy crap, this place is huge, maybe we can make a castle for our guild eventually." Robius said completely dumbstruck.

"What is Okami doing here? Now I know Ibu is involved." I said with a satisfied grin.

Unfortunately, my joy would be short-lived, and pure terror would take its place.