Chapter 163 – To Be Reunited
Anlesa was always going to get her way in this matter.
Out of the children, the only one who wanted to stay was Jerry. They understood the guilt, but he needed to be around his family again to heal mentally. Being here, in a way, was similar to being in prison, as he was still barred from his family. The difference was that it wasn’t a physical barrier; his current issue was a mental one.
Sure, the demons were kind enough, but he needed to see the people he was friends with and family, the people he wanted to protect.
What it took to convince Jerry was reminding him of Leah, his sister. She still needed him, which got him to agree.
Standing outside of the mountain during the dead of night, Syrus and the children thanked Velelenra for letting them stay. Flick was also there, not hiding anything new in her bag.
Syrus asked, “If what I mentioned ever happens, can you take care of him?”
“Gladly, he has got enough potential and has enough demons ready to be coached. The idea of training a little one up from scratch has become a little exciting for them.”
Syrus waved goodbye. “Thanks, see you next time then.”
Velelenra smiled, “Happy to hear there will be a next time. May my gift serve you well. Goodbye, sweetie.”
[Damn be that demon.] (Luna)
[Haha, well, we should keep to that promise and give her a proper thrashing next time.] (Syrus)
For a gift, she gave Syrus a second one of her skinsuits. The first one was still functional, but she provided a second one so Syrus ‘wouldn’t be worried about getting one of them a little roughed up’.
[Syrus…] (Luna)
[Look, Luna, I don’t know how to say this besides just, I think you are the problem.] (Syrus)
As she flew off, Susan asked. “How can I get a body like you and Velelenra?”
Billy and Jerry nearly tripped over each other.
[...What…] (Luna)
[Changing one's body is impossible without certain attributes?] (Eva)
[Ahaha.] (Syrus)
Everyone had different interpretations of the question, and Syrus was laughing at the entire lot.
Syrus asked, “The abs? The shoulders, the thighs?”
“All of it?” Susan answered.
Syrus said, “Any reason why?”
Susan didn’t know what else to say. “I... I just want to be like that.”
She had been impressed when she had first seen Syrus. A powerful hunter. She hadn’t seen too many, as they didn’t really live in the city that she lived in, and the closest thing she got to see was the guards, who were already aged, or the occasional one-second glimpse of a caravan of hunters moving past.
Still, she hadn’t really seen many female hunters, so she didn’t think it was a job for her. Then she met Syrus and then later Velelenra. They both had bodies built to move. Velelenra was a demon, but her muscles still looked like something a human would have, and from what Susan had seen of Syrus’s body, she was also very beefy.
Syrus declared, “One’s diet and exercise, but you are still a bit young to be pushing yourself that much.”
Susan pouted, and the two boys had recovered their footing.
Billy asked, “Are we walking all the way?
“Not all the way; I have requested some assistance.” Said Syrus.
Flick said, “Well, the trip has been while it has lasted.”
“You can go your own way once we cross the border.” Said Syrus, eying Flick’s bag. “I am sure you grabbed at least something that caught your eye.”
Flick was going to argue back, “Well, I–what is that?”
But in the distance, a large snake-like demon with centipede legs came scurrying towards the mountain.
The children huddled; even if they got slightly used to demons, there were still demons that were very scary to look at.
“See, See. Human and more. Good and interesting to find again.” Marazada hissed towards them.
[Still talks strangely.] (Syrus)
[We can understand him well enough.] (Eva)
[‘Well enough’.] (Luna)
“Can’t say I expected to meet you again, Marazada, after our first exchange.”
“Relations spin and diverge, connect and disconnect.
Syrus didn’t even try to understand what it was saying. “Yeah… that.”
Thanks to Velelenra, she was able to contact Marazada to help transport them towards Greenvale. The only reason they originally planned to stop by Arisea Station first was because of the travel time, but Marazada was a solution for that time.
“Hold on tight, everyone,” Syrus ordered, and the three children were latched onto her tightly.
“...This was not something I expected to happen during my trip,” Flick mumbled.
“Off to gone.” Marazada became speedily moving across the plain, moving along the mountainside, following its known perfect path towards where it was asked to go.
Their trip continued through the night, when no one would notice a large demon if they were in an area where they would’ve seen it during the day.
Syrus used the opportunity to talk to Marazada. While communicating was a little hard due to how Marazada spoke. They were able to make small conversation to pass the time.
From what they learned, Marazada was a demon that travelled around frequently; his speed meant he could travel the uninhabited lands without issue, and even if something stood in his way, he was powerful enough to break through most regular opposition. His home was the redux demon home, and he was a long-time friend of Velelenra. Despite his speed, he hadn’t been to all the demon homes, as some required more finesse to enter, which apparently made it hard for demons around his size or greater to enter.
Light was appearing over the light, and finally, they were in the territory of Cancole.
“Thanks for the lift,” Syrus said, and everyone slid off Marazada’s back. She had to admit it was kind of fun going that fast. It was a speed she had never reached before, not counting for that one time she got catapulted in her last life.
Marazada replied. “Problem was none. May we meet next time in the arena, together in arms.”
“Sure…”
“Thanks, big demon.”
“Take care…”
“Goodbye.”
The children said their goodbyes, and as soon as he arrived, Marazada was gone. Overall, the children were a little happy and sad that Marazada was gone. Some of them also found the speed to be amazing, but they also all agreed he was kind of frightening in appearance.
“Finally back…” It was a quiet mumble.
“Will we be able to safely get home?” Billy asked.
“Yes, you can count on that,” Syrus answered.
Flick asked, “Do you still need me around?” She had reached the endpoint of her deal.
“Yes.” Luna didn’t push it.
“Well, goodbye, kids.” Flick waved and then vanished from sight.
The children nearly didn’t believe it. Billy said, “She’s gone like that?”
Syrus replied, “Yes.”
The vanishing act happened so fast that they didn’t really know what to think. They knew that whoever Flick was, they would be leaving soon, but it still felt abrupt to the children.
“Come on now. We have a home we need to return you to.”