Future of Calamity [Under Rewrite]

Chapter 17 - Induction

Snake-like tunnels wound about the mountainous underground, and the repetitive assault of daemon a plenty brought a sour atmosphere that weighed heavily upon the group's shoulders. As they all continued their seemingly unending trek forward, a particular daemon's heart panged with more adrenaline than she would have liked. Number Two had almost gotten killed during their dangerous venture, all because she mindlessly told him to keep his mouth shut, only just saved by the pirate brute Eizen. Due to this, her muscles were more tensed than normal, and she couldn't keep her careful gaze from whisking about meticulous corners and outcrops with acute awareness; despite such a roll being dedicated to their group's half-malak scouter.

As always, the malak child trodded his way meekly through the towering blades and serious adults, but he never strayed too far from the ferocious woman's devastating wake. Her blades carved the way for him to follow, strength blowing through their obstacles without mercy. The boy couldn't help his amazement bloom under the soulless green that made up his innocent sight - his will having been siezed by the ones he served. And so, he hung as close to her winding cloak as his tiny feet could carry him, just out of reach from her shrewd glare. Although the group would never catch her seemingly selfish temper being off, someone could easily catch the embers of humanity guiding her protective hand.

It only made his upfront indecision become more crude and painful.

After another brief battle with the residents of the complex cavern, leaving corpses crushed and seperated, the kindred breeze of fresh air flowed through an approaching opening; where the flora seemed greener and pleasant. Few breathed a sigh of relief as they appeared ever closer to their goal. However, Rokurou no longer could ignore the conversation they just had with a peculiar travelling merchant that somehow managed to reach the depths of the burrows alone. Bursting out with a laughter, he turned to face the frowning woman who stalked forward at his side. "You sure know how to drive a hard bargain, Velvet!" he assessed with a humorous smile.

She turned with a blank stare, "What else was I supposed to do?" she complained with a shrug of her shoulders. "Would you rather I devoured him and swiped all of his stuff?" the daemon grimly suggested with a roll of her eyes. Rokurou's smile died with a flick of a switch, and he passed an incredulous glance over at the brash woman

"You're more frightening than the reaper," Rokurou admitted lowly, taken aback by the strange companion he had indebted himself to.

"You're only figuring this out now? At least you weren't the target of her anger since we've met," their scouter added with sweatdrop, eyes diving away from the sudden turn he caught in his direction.

The woman hummed scornfully, "I don't exactly have much patience for humans," she snidely responded with a flick of her hand.

For once, the patter of steps behind them grew in pace, and an innocent face parted the tension with his curious look - mildly disturbing from the lack of self present - and decided to add to the discussion. "Still, that Turlez was an interesting guy..." he childishly mused with a mildly confused expression. The very nature of the merchant was ambiguous despite the group's diverse experience.

"It's a big world, kid. Lots of strange folk out there," the samurai cheerfully mentioned, joyful about parting words to the younger minds.

"So I'm discovering," the boy wryly confirmed with a tone of naive astonishment.

The pirate chuckled to himself, and raised his arms to the side. "He probably took one look at us and thought the very same thing," Eizen dryly joked, self aware of their group's unique appearances.

Sarid hopped over with a sly twitch in his lips, "Speak for yourself, I'm the only perfectly normal one in this group," he proudly asserted with a lazy salute. Turning to the young child, he patted him on the head with a welcoming look. "You don't have to worry, kid. You can come to me if you ever need something," he stated with an honest tone, but still fully aware of the deprecating joke he was enforcing upon his companions. Before the boy could respond with a nod he'd been mustering - fascinated by the prospect of a half-human half-malak phenomenon - a firm voice interjected from the side.