A little grammatical errors here and there but hopefully you enjoy~ Any comments or opinions are greatly:)

Might be a little confusing chapter, so if you have any question, don't hesitate to ask~ As long as it's not a spoiler, I'll try my best to answer~

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Chapter 8: Malevolent

In a garden full of flowers in bloom, a young elven girl with golden hair was happily humming a song as she tends to her yard of Afule. In addition to her cute face, the frilly white dress she's wearing completely does it's job of concealing her real characteristics. Even now, the only thing that filled her thoughts was to climb outside of their walls and go fishing near the riverbank. But since her last endeavor caused her handmaid so much trouble and distress, she restricted herself from doing so. Hence, she's stuck on the mansion watering her flowerbed.

"Do you believe in legends?"

A silver haired girl with ruby colored pupils suddenly appeared and asked her a question. The golden haired girl was intrigued at the girl's doll like appearance. They're about the same age too.

"Tsk. I don't believe in something so cheesy," she replied.

"Hehe," the silver haired girl giggled. "I know right? By the way, I'm Castanea... what's your name?"

"...Eririn."

"Woow~ That's a pretty name."

She made such a cute expression that made Erin's cheeks to twitch in jealousy. She felt somehow defeated just by the girl's smile alone. Although she's not the type of girl to be worrying about such trivial things, there was something about her smile that made her skin crawl.

"So... Castanea? What are you even doing here?"

"Oh, my elder brother was called upon the Elders just now. While he attends the meeting, he told me to go play with the chief's daughter, which I would guess to be you. Am I being a bother?"

Once again, Castanea eyes fluttered in curiosity, giving Erin an urged to hit her pretty face. But despite their differences, the two quickly became friends. Castanea would visit Erin every other day and the two little girls would always be in cahoots into doing something so stupid. Fishing, pranking the villagers, messing up Galvin's work, and even vexing Elena for fun.

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The wind howls in a distance, a sound both lonely and familiar. Whistling menacingly. The spirits glowing in the dark lightened her path like a flare of light. The moon slips out behind the clouds for a few seconds, shining it's bluish light on what might be a person's silhouette. Luckily, it was just the forest trickery, mischievously trifling around with her mind. Erin started running furiously, as the spirits guide her legs on where she needs to be.

"Weird.. Why did I suddenly remember--"

Her feet slipped on the sloping gravel, but she compensated by pitching forward. She stumble, flailing, and trying to regain her balance before any part of her pretty face comes between the rockery floor.

[Eririn, in front of you!!] Levasti alarmingly shouted in her mind.

Swooong~!

Two short blades aimed at her chest flew from within the darkness. Erin snatched the luxurious dagger from her girdle and thrust away, the dagger shone like a wink of light, and with a simple blade flicked, the blades were deflected with ease.

However, that was just a distraction.

The air suddenly stirred and swirled like a whirlpool before her, and she felt she would sink down where she stood, as a mysterious figure stood before her in the moonlight. The face concealed by a giant hood is young, thin, and familiar. Her ruby eyes were colorless in the shadowy darkness. Her long hair looked silvery, reflecting what little light there was.

She didn't say a word, she just looked at her, the moonlight falling to fully light her face. Her eyes were in the shadows, not that she could have deciphered the mysteries in her hooded gaze even if they hadn't been. But one was very clear. Intense bloodlust is seeping out of this robed figure. And that bloodlust is directed at herself.

"Castanea?"

Erin shook her head, trying to dispel the dreaded feeling that had somehow invaded her body. It was difficult to pinpoint, harder even to define, these feelings, these emotions, enveloping her heart in chaos.

Erin was confused, for the figure that stands before her is a person she calls her bestfriend. They played together, grew up together, and so much more. And now she's out here in the forest to take her life? What could possibly led her to do this?

"Eririn," she called her name coldly. "I shall see that you die a painless death."

Only a fool would agree on such conditions. Erin took a deep breath, glancing over at the girl's face. Cold eyes staring at her, no trace of the usual warm feelings that they normally shared with each other.

"Why would you say--"

"YOU! Because of you... they turned my brother into a monster... How do you think I would feel? My brother is my only family left... I can't bear to---"

Erin put out her hand to stop her words, there were things she could not bear to know. But whatever it was, something told her that it was of a far greater magnitude than she could ever imagine. The mysteries just keep piling up.

"Please," she pleaded. "Don't make this any harder for me."

"Just stop it," Erin said. "Don't stir my heart any further! These feelings.. How many times would I have to taste them?! I even left Filaena on my own just to avoid infighting! Why can you not just leave me alone?!"

Questions after questions flew out of her mouth. The girl watched Erin steadily, seeing the doubt and mistrust on her face. Even so, behind all that mistrust, she could see Erin's concern. For her kind to be chasing after her life even when she wanted to disappear, Erin could only ask why? Why indeed.

"That's none of your concern. Once I've fulfilled this task, they promised to turn my brother back to normal..." Castanea drew a hidden blade from her clothes and without even blinking, she leveled it up to the air and swung it down! Just when her blade was about to reached Erin, a sudden crunching feeling formed on her brain, halting her movements for a few seconds."This HUMAN!!"

Human? Keisuke? Erin thought. Even now, he's risking his life to buy her some time. Although they're but mere strangers, and people she consider her friends betrayed her, he didn't. Trying to understand Keisuke's reason, she was even more perplexed. But now is not the right time to question herself. With each passing second, Keisuke is nearing to his grave. There is no time to waste!

"Whatever happens, I'll keep forging ahead!"

Erin's scream was accompanied by a giant shockwave that shook her surroundings. A type of skill that infuses magic in their voice. A defensive skill taught to them when they were young. Castanea flinched and tottered backwards, breaking her curse that was binding Erin.

"Chilling ice, gather forth, Levasti, reveal yourself!"

Sharp blade of ice formed and gathered at her dagger, spilling out ice flakes as if it was snowing. Erin flashed her sword in the air, as she slashed her friend's left arm before she could even react!

"Forgive me."

Erin purposefully aimed at her friends left arm. Because the blessings of the Goddess Aestrea are etched on Castanea's left arm, tearing that arm off her body would prevent her from using magic. And if her predictions are correct, it would also halt the supply of mana that she continuously gives out to that monster.

"ERIRIN!!" Castanea shouted as she sank on her knees. Blood is rapidly gushing out from her severed arm and if left untreated, it will no doubt take her life. Eventually, she collapsed on the uneven ground.

Erin took several steps forward and knelt slowly to gaze upon her friend's dying expression. The pain that flashed on her eyes was heartbreaking. Erin touched the side of her face, trying to held the emotions that was building up at the corner of her eyes.

"Castie... what in Aestrea is going on? I'm confused."

"Hehe... This damn human is a lot crazier than I thought.."

Erin could feel her pulse slowing, falling with each breath she took. Blood course through with her words when she opened her mouth to speak.

"Leave and never return... Soon.. it will descend.. and it will not stop until.."

"Until?"

"I'm.. sorry.. I never meant to hurt you..."

After leaving her with such words, Castanea closes her eyes to rest. Although weak, her pulse is still there, so Erin didn't waste a moment and started healing her wounds with magic right away.

Erin released the lever that had been holding the floodgates and tears cascaded from her eyes. It was too much. Halfway through the battle, she understood, that her friend was the one controlling the monster, and her friend's brother is the true identity of that monster.

Nevertheless, she can only move forward. A loud bang. She heard a loud clash coming from the direction where she left Keisuke. Erin struggled to her feet and forced her legs to move towards the direction of this noise.

"Castie, this is goodbye..."

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Keisuke's running, desperately running for his life. Gigantic claw marks trailed the ground as soon as he disappears from the monster's sight. By wisely using the passage of trees and his agility, Keisuke managed to camouflaged himself. The monster's eyes bloodshot and it's mouth drooling blood; a sign of ingesting those wicked herbs.

Cautiously, the monster perk it's ears up and opened its awareness to all of the vulnerability produced by the wind. Listening to Keisuke's footstep trudging closer and closer. Fathoms of human shadows lurked beneath the fog.

Swang~!

A tree suddenly collapse towards the monster! Using both claws, the monster easily rips the felled tree to pieces. Anger rose inside it's brain after realizing that Keisuke regarded him as his prey. On all sides, trees started falling one by one.

And while the monster was busy fending off these nuisances, Keisuke made use of that chance to strike behind! As swift as a striking snake, he cut swift and deep on the monster's torso. Keisuke gripped his weapon tightly and sparked flames with Volius command.

The monster's chest erupted into a raging fire, opening a decaying hole in it's chest. Before it could even fully regenerate, Keisuke slipped a few herbs inside. After a moment, the monster staggered to where it stands and started howling in pain. Trying to subdue the unbearable pain coursing in it's nerves, it stabbed itself to where Keisuke slipped the wicked herbs. But no matter what it do, the severe pain did not go away.

Keisuke made use of that chance to hide once more and rest. Properly making use of the forest labyrinth as his hunting ground.

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When Erin finally reached that place, what greeted her eyes was a ghastly sight. Tree logs were scattered about and a huge crater on the ground. A reminiscent of a great fight, however, the perpetrators are nowhere to be found. She searched for Keisuke and the monster, but they're gone. All of a sudden, her ears twitch, and she heard the sound of blades clashing. Doubling over, Erin charged with intense speed.

"Hraaaa...!!!"

Rushing forward, Keisuke raised Volius up high and swiftly flashed him down; shaving off one of the monster's horn. The monster staggered in pain, letting out a loud screeching noise.

"Griiaaaa..!!"

After he emptied his last batch of herbs on the monster's stomach, both Keisuke and Volius searched for a different weakness. Ever since then, they've been using this chance to inflict hellish pain on their mortal enemy; by concentrating on it's horn.

Erin eyes began to water up again as she witness Keisuke's visage. Although hurt and bloodied, he's alive, and that's the most important part.

[Lady Eririn, hand me to him! ] Levasti shouted. She immediately deduced that Erin was not in a condition to fight due to what just happened, so her only choice was to rely on Keisuke.

[But...]

[Quick!] Levasti shoved her reasoning aside, leaving Erin no choice but to follow her words.

"Keisuke!" She shouted. "Catch!"

"What?" Keisuke turned to the beautiful voice that called out to him, catching the weapon that was clumsily thrown at his direction.

"I'll support you!" At the same time, Erin stood her ground and mumbled an incantation; a unique aura starts to spread around her.

[Hurry! Let's end this partner!] Voilus excitedly said.

"On it!"

With a fiery blade in one hand and a blade made of ice on the other, Keisuke rushed forward furiously, stabbing the staggering monster with both swords.

"Hraaa!!" He swung twice. "This is for Erin!" He stabbed twice. "And this is for her too!!" And Keisuke finishes with a double slash!

"Groooaaa!!"

The ear deafening shriek halted his movements for a moment, and the wounded monster uses that interval to brandish it's claws towards him.

Klang~! Klang~!

All of them landed on his guard but each attack contains it's whole body weight! If not for his increased strength brought by the spirit weapons, his arms would have shattered by now.

"Hraaaaa!!!"

Keisuke kicked the monster's groins and brought down his swords with a sweep, following with a release of reckless slashes.

Pang pa-pang pang pang~!! Cut by cut the monster accepted his attacks while retaliating a series of slashes of it's own.

Don't be scared myself! Stay closer and prevent the monster from cutting properly!

Though fast, none of its attack directly graze him, but the throbbing sensation it left on his arm is slowly giving it the upperhand. Keisuke halted his series of blows with another kick and use that force to swing him backwards away from the monster.

Swooong~!

While in midair, he threw Levasti, piercing the monster's leg. Even with such a wound, the monster was still able to move perfectly, and immediately tackles after him! Seeing this perfect opportunity, Erin unleashes her spell.

"Frost breath!"

Frigid ice rapidly crawled on the ground, trailing it's target that was blinded in anger. Swack! The monster's feet were trapped in ice just before Keisuke landed on the ground. He straightened his back and tightly held Volius with both arms, swiftly dashing towards the monster.

The monster greeted Keisuke with an upward stroke, but the ice binding it's leg is firm and solid, making it easy for him to avoid. Keisuke inclined his body slightly downward and proceeded to swipe the arm that the monster used to attack him, with a wide upward slash, cutting it's remaining horn and right arm in the process!

"Kiiiiaaaaa!!"

The monster protested in pain but Keisuke's wild assault didn't halt there. He used that chance strike Volius on it's muscular torso. The blade entered it's flesh, igniting the flames from within.

"Volius, ignite it!!"

[Ohhh!!]

As it screams it's death throes, the monster's body was burned into ashes. Keisuke's intense struggle to defeat his arch nemesis finally came to an end.

"Haa... Is it... dead?"

After feeling relieved, his senses returned to normal and the adrenaline that was keeping him standing reaches it's breaking point. His grip towards the blade was released, and he can only see the dirt rushing towards him as he collapse on the ground. But instead of the dirt, something warm and cuddly caught him inside it's slender arms. His body was wrapped in a familiar sensation he called Healing magic.

"Troublesome idiot..."

Keisuke heard the voice of an angel. Heard because he was too tired to look up. In the depths of his memory, there is only one being who owns such a voice.

"Erin?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad..."

Keisuke expressed his stirring happiness by embracing the figure that had supported him.

"Stupid!! Don't get too excited!! I'll roast you!! I'll roast you alive!!"

Erin was teeming with violence, her temper on the brink of explosion. Although her reaction and words are just mere preface. Warmth swept through her, arousal flowing through her veins, prickling sweetly in hidden places. She would like to actually protest, but couldn't quite manage it.

"Finally, this time... I succeeded..."

Keisuke murmured softly into the pale, fragrant curve of her neck, his arms are tightening up around her. Erin found herself cradled in Keisuke's arms, melting to his firm yet tender pressure.

"Keisuke, I owe you an apology..."

Erin was baffled at his words, and even more so by the intensity of his embrace, but her intuition told her to trust him. The emotion on his face, the sincerity in his eyes, all of it was undeniable. He did nothing to hurt her, even when there's so many chances for him to do so. He came for her, even though there's no reason for him to do so.

"No, everything was because of my own weakness. Erin... Can we stay like this for a few moments?"

Keisuke's words caused Erin's eyes to widen and her cheeks to flush, but she didn't resist. But it was only indeed for a moment. Keisuke's monkey behavior was immediately put a halt by Erin's sudden shivering. She freed herself from his embrace, attempting to confront the mysterious figure that appeared in front of them.

"Lady Eririn, have you been faring well?"

His hollowed voice echoed from within the trees, releasing his malicious intent, smothering them both in his miasma. Their hellish night had just begun.