Demon Girl (A Summoner Fanfic)

Chapter Nine

"The Gyrendor!" Arye exclaimed, terrified. Cynthia's eyes widened but she didn't make a move to close the portal. With a start he realised that she wouldn't, even if it meant Maelin's death. Even being a Firedream came with its disadvantages.

At a soft word from her, her vulpid leapt into the portal, and Arye grabbed her large, screen like scrying stone and watched for the beast. It hadn't made its appearance yet, but the steady trail of terrified animals was information enough.

Maelin's ears were twitching, and her body was taut with tension. Her tail flicked back and forth, as did her emerald green eyes. For a moment they came to rest on Arye's, and with purpose she took hold of him again, though this time it was a lot gentler.

What is that doing here? She asked frantically, sending large waves of worry whose purpose seemed to be to drown him.

It is the reason the portal is open. It is searching for your home. The one you sent me, not the real one. Arye replied as best as he could, trying to send comfort but failing miserably.

What will we do? She ignored his answer and doubled the force of her worry. It took Arye a moment to realise that she wasn't trying to send it to him, but that it was uncontainable. She couldn't help it.

Umm... I'm not sure. Can you take its mind? Not to kill it, just to stop it for a few moments. Arye came up with the idea, pleased with himself for coming up with it on the spot.

No! Wait, maybe. I don't know! I've never tried to take anything larger than a Canid, and even then I had difficulty. Now she was stressed, and Arye was starting to feel stressed too. Well, more stressed than he had been before.

Just try, it might be your only hope. She quickly sent back agreement. Just as she about to let go of him, she sent memories. Many memories.

It started with a small girl, a young child. Without a doubt Arye knew this was Maelin. She was laughing and chattering, jumping around until a man with eagle wings picked her up, laughing as well. With sadness he recognised this as the orc's demon, Maelin's father.

It soon changed, to the same girl, only slightly older, being thrown, screaming, into a river by the same laughing man. She floundered for a moment, and then splashed him, spluttering and laughing.

Then the happy memories stopped. Maelin, now looking to be 10, was running desperately through a dark forest, calling someone's name. Her hair was messy and her clothes were ragged. As the memory looked up, Arye saw a Shrike Matriarch flying dark against the sky, a bird-like man in its massive claws. It was her father. With a desperate scream Maelin sprinted forward, only to be tripped by a fallen log. She crashed to the ground, and all went black.

When Arye next opened his eyes he was still Maelin. They were at a mourning ceremony. The whole tribe appeared to be there, and a wooden statue of her father was being lifted onto a podium in the middle of the gathering. Tears blurred her eyes, but Arye still saw a crown like object being placed on Maelin's head, while a large, intricately carven staff was put into her hands.

Maelin and a woman who appeared to be her mother were arguing. Faces red, they were screaming at each other. Eventually her mother threw her hands into the air and stormed out. With a soft birdcall of satisfaction, Maelin walked to a pile of bright red leaves, and picked up the same crown and staff as before. She walked outside and gave them to a waiting young man, who nodded solemnly. He spoke, and some part of Maelin translated the words for Arye, Until you are of age, I shall protect these for you. Chieftain. With a bow he turned and left, leaving Maelin standing there with a sigh of relief.

Another argument now, with the same people as before. This time Maelin looked the same as she did now, but her face wasn't weary and pale. Arye noticed that her mother was holding the crown and staff again, and trying to give them to Maelin. Again, some of it was translated, but not all.

You are of age! It is time! The mother barked, but Maelin turned her head away and pushed against the items.

I could never replace Father. He could feel pain at these words.

You're not going to replace him! You're going to continue on from where he left off. Maelin started to cry at this point, feelings of her father still raw. Don't cry, girl! This is a serious matter!

Just because you hated him doesn't mean I have to too! Now the tears were streaming and Maelin turned and stumbled out the door, into the sunrise.

Maelin! Maelin just kept running, gaining speed now, running away from her mother, her responsibilities, everything. It was midday when Maelin stopped running and realised she was starving. It didn't take long for her to find the trail of a Caemlin demon, and soon she was following it.

Maelin crouched, ready to leap if the Caemlin demon tried to run away. Closer and closer she crept, using her hands and feet, fox ears twitching. She tail swirled delicately, brushing past fern fronds without even the faintest rustle.

He ears flicked and swiveled, as they picked up a noise. She turned her emerald green eyes slightly to the side, only for a moment, so as not to let the demon escape. Her Father would've been proud...

She looked back and saw the deer looking creature tense, about to spring away. She bunched up her muscles and, as she saw it, as if in slow motion, start to spring off the Ether ground, she leaped.

Her unusually long and sharp fingernails reached for it, ready to sink them in and cling on until either she or it tired out, but out of the undergrowth just next to where it had been standing a moment before, a monstrous Felid pounced, smashing into her with so much force she was winded. For a moment she lay there, panting.

Looking into the Felid's glimmering blue eyes, she was certain she would see her death there. She was terrified; not only of the seemingly inevitable death but also of the fact that she would never see her mother again. That their last words had been of hate.

But no, she only saw curiosity. She reached for her mind, as she would for any other creature that hesitated to kill her, to see if she could take over control of its thoughts and direct it away. It could never convince prey to come to a hunter, but it could convince a hunter to leave its prey. Like her father had taught her...

To her surprise, she found it protected by an unfamiliar barrier. Some of the more advanced demons had barriers, and it was true that she had sensed a Felid with one before, but this one was different. It seemed... Unintentional. Her breath recovered, she quickly stood up and started running. Maybe she could reach home, maybe she could apologise to her mother and make amends. That was when it recovered its senses.

With a hiss it leapt again, and this time it pinned her to the ground. Growling lowly, dangerously, it lifted a paw and smacked it into her head, rendering her unconscious. Her last thought was one of pain. Would she ever see her mother again? Tears started flowing, then darkness took over and she was gone.

~

Hello everyone! Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it! I want to give a MASSIVE thank you to CandyPro12 for following! I'm very grateful for this and it means a lot to me!

Don't forget to vote, comment and follow!