Dark Clover

5. The First Mission: Continues

As they stepped out of the cave, sunlight blocked their vision. It took some time to get used to it before they could move out and check further.
The village was devastated.
Dead cows, goats were laying over all the places leaving such a bad smell that three of them had to puke.

The houses near the cave were empty. There was no sign of any human nearby. They continued walking through the long pathway leaving dead animals, bones, and empty broken shacks behind.
They were so upset by this scene. No one could talk. The village has faced such trauma. Yachio felt her eyes watering up. She started sobbing after thinking about the fate of the villagers. Noelle snapped, "Geez! Who would tell you're the samurai from yesterday." Yachio didn't say anything. Asta pinched Noelle and she said, "I am royalty, don't touch me like that".
The atmosphere was getting cold, Yachio was used to this. She opened her grimoire and floated above from ground. Asta and Noelle both were shocked.
The mana, Yachio knew this mana. Suddenly a block of lightning came towards her and she dodged it in a practiced manner. She yelled to Asta, "Don't let off your guard, they are ruthless cruel people".
Asta and Noelle opened their grimoire and Noelle had two of them inside her sea dragon's nest.
Yachio was relieved. She could dedicate herself now for combat.
"Dark magic: Dark thunder ", suddenly a sphere appeared behind Yachio and bolts of black thunder started whirling towards the source of lightning. Asta and Noelle were visibly confused, the girl pulls off new attacks each time. What's she? A genius? Is she even a human?
A thud.
They could see one lady fell on the ground holding her neck in pain.
An almost black grimoire was opened in front of her with a golden diamond sign on it. She was pale, her eyes were wicked and she had long white hair, with pointed black nails on her fingers.

She stood up with a smirk, looking directly at Yachio. Yachio was calm, she said to them, "Run away and hide somewhere. This fight is mine."
Although she was a new recruit, some parts of Asta and Noelle made them obey her orders without any hesitation. They moved far and went under a broken shack. The injured lady floated up as same height with Yachio and revolved her hand towards Asta. Before Asta could take his sword out, Yachio blocked the attack with one swift movement of her hand. Asta could see her face getting a dark complexion by now, gradually getting darker.

Yachio went with a bone-chilling shrill voice, "You dare not touch my brother, old bitch".
The lady replied, "Well well well, now this filthy little chick has a family, tell me, why did you abandon us? Weren't we your family too? We gave you power..."
Yachio landed one more attack towards her but she dodged.
She called Asta her brother.
Asta was shaking in excitement.
Nobody has ever called him like that. Not so long ago in cave also she called him brother but Asta never thought she'd mean it. Yuno never called him his brother. Nobody did.
But what did the old lady say about Yachio? Family? Is she related to her?
Why did she say that she gave her power? What's happening here?
Yachio responded with a smirk, "The thing you gave me, isn't called power, it's called hatred. Dark magic: Dark night".
All of a sudden, the whole sky was black. As if it was night. They could see terror in the old lady's eyes. No one can ever escape the terrifying glance of Yachio in combat.
Noelle grabbed Asta's hand, and he could feel her shaking in terror. The ki from Yachio wasn't of a good person. It's not the usual ki Asta feels from her. It was evil.
She was evil at that moment.
The old lady tried to produce lightning from her grimoire but failed. In a blink of eye, Yachio was few inches from the lady, she smiled wickedly and Asta could see a pair of engorged canine shinning from her mouth. What the hell is she! Noelle hid behind Asta, who was also speechless.
At that moment, Asta could feel the lady was helpless and Yachio could kill her.
He tried to move but his legs were stiff.
He shouted, "Yachio-san! Don't kill her! Please!"
The look Yachio gave to Asta was priceless. Her eyes were stupidly black and she had no expression on her face. She said, "A small price for hurting my comrades". She pinned her nails on the grimoire of the old lady, and a shinny light appeared out of it, releasing all of the mana she had whatsoever. She was shouting in agony, when Yachio caught her in arms, and came back to ground.
Asta could feel his feet free from the spell, the sky was getting clearer.
They came hurried towards Yachio, and saw the old lady laying there, motionless.
Asta was so scared of Yachio that he stammered and asked, "Is she... Is she dead? Um..."
"No. I just took her mana".
Asta's jaw fell off.
What? Took her mana?
How?
"Do you know her?"
Yachio said, "Long story, tonight I'll tell your captain everything."
She wasn't dead. Yachio said, "I don't kill people."
Noelle snapped, "You are a monster".
Yachio was silent for a moment and then she said, "Listen here you royalty brat, you were born with golden spoon on a golden bed, nurtured by money and fame, so don't come always comment on me. You know the results if I get angry." She wasn't even looking at Noelle. She continued, "Liar, monster, freak, I've been called this things for more than thousand times in my life and I don't give a damn, but if I save your life, you thank me. Have manners."
Noelle was scared as she thought Yachio is possessed by something.
She layed down the body of the old lady, and came towards Noelle. Asta was panting in excitement. Yachio looked into her eyes with an intimidation and said," Not all the devils are bad. Sometimes you have to be like your enemy to beat them."
The cold stare shook Noelle to her centre and she grabbed Asta's shirt. They were never so afraid of their own teammate.