Another Search Party (An Elsword Fanfic)

Chapter 6

Yet another chapter here for you epic readers to read, authored by the awesome Wolf. I'm starting to think Wolf-chan is a little bit too much...
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      Kazumi woke up to find Hoya, Miho, and Naho all cuddled in around her. Risui was on the other side of the cavern and he was by no means alseep. He was looking towards the path that led out of the cavern. "Thinking about leaving already?" Kazumi said. Risui looked over to her, not realizing that she was awake.

      "Yes. I don't exactly know if the search party that you are joining will be safe," Risui said. "If they try to attack you, I'll just attack back," Kazumi said. "Then where would that put you? You'll end up becoming their enemy for protecting me, a demon. Does Ara even know that I'm here?" Risui said.

      "That's not important right now. That knight, the one that saved you, didn't seem to have a problem with you being a demon at all," Kazumi said as she scratched behind Hoya's fox ears. He'd woken up and had been tugging at Kazumi's shirt sleeve. "What if I accidentally harm any of the party members?" Risui said.

      "You won't," Kazumi replied. "But what if I do? They'll try killing me because of it," Risui said, looking back towards the cavern exit. Kazumi sighed but said nothing more. She honestly didn't know what would happen on their journey but she knew for sure that Risui wasn't bad. She would protect him no matter what since she still felt that she owed him her life.

      "Kazumi, if I were to leave right now, what would you do?" Risui asked Kazumi as he looked back at her. She shrugged. "Why don't you leave and find out?" she replied. Risui smirked. "Of course you would say something like that," he said quietly as he turned his attention back towards the exit.

      "Can I at least get some fresher air. You can go with me if you still think I'll leave," Risui said, not tearing his attention away from the exit. "I don't see why not," Kazumi replied as she got up. Miho and Naho were startled by her sudden movement but they clung to one of her tails so that they wouldn't have to walk. Of course Hoya got picked up and carried like a child.

      Kazumi and Risui left the cavern and headed towards the closest water source which was a small stream. When they got there, Kazumi sat at its edge and sat Hoya down. The little fox boy went over to Miho and Naho who had already began to explore the surrounding area.

      "This journey that we're going on...how can you be so sure that you won't be harmed either. You're a ninetailed fox afterall," Risui said. Kazumi looked back at him where he leaned against a tree. "Stop being so negative," she ordered. She did not answer his question since she didn't want to think about it's answer. Ara had kept Kazumi's location hidden for a reason.

      "I'll have to go back to the village tomorrow if the knight doesn't show up in the morning," Kazumi said to change the subject. "If you do that, I'll have no choice but to move on. You know that I can't stay in one spot forever. I'm still being hunted," Risui said. "I can take care of the hunters. You don't have to go anywhere," Kazumi said.

      "You know that isn't true. I've already been attacked before and because of me, you were too," Risui said. "They attacked me because I attacked them and you know that. Besides, I'm a tailed fox. It was bound to happen anyway. Most people don't understand that all tailed foxes aren't bad," Kazumi said. "But you used to be. You admitted it yourself so you can't deny it," Risui said. Kazumi didn't say a word.

      "I need a chance to redeem myself. Protecting you is my way of doing that," Kazumi muttered. "How do you know that I didn't lie to you when I told you what my purpose was?" Risui said as he looked over to Kazumi. "You wouldn't have asked that question if that was true," Kazumi said with a smirk as she met his gaze. Risui smiled and nodded. "I guess your right," he said.

      "We should go back before someone sees us," Kazumi said. Risui's expression made it obvious that he didn't want to go back. According to what he told her, when he was a kid, he didn't have to hide from humans. His father had kept him and his mother under his protection and Risui never had to worry about being hunted but when his father eventually died, Risui was forced into hiding.

      The same people who had been treating him with kindness, that had turned out to be false, were the same people who had tried to kill him and had successfully killed his mother. "You miss it don't you. Being able to roam freely," Kazumi said. Risui only sighed and headed back towards the cavern not wanting to talk about it.

      Kazumi picked up Hoya and followed after Risui. Miho and Naho followed after her without hesitation. "You won't really leave will you? From what you told me, your goal will be quite hard to achieve," Kazumi said once she caught up to Risui. He looked at her and smiled a little.

      "No, I won't leave although I thought about it several times. I'd miss the company. I don't get to talk to others very often," Risui said. "Good to know but you know I don't either right. I've only ever talked to Ara, Add, Ignia, and Elsword. Mostly Ara and Add since they're the ones that take care of me the most," Kazumi said.

      "I've been taken care of by Lu and Ciel before. They know me well enough but I never did let them know what my purpose was so they don't fully trust me," Risui said. "Lu and Ciel huh. How come you told me your goal if you didn't even tell them?" Kazumi muttered. "We're the same. Both of us are ignored for who we are and mistreated for what we are," Risui reasoned.

      Kazumi found herself truly believing him for his statement was quite wise. As they walked though, Kazumi noticed something that wasn't quite right. Risui suddenly pulled her to him and hid them both behind a tree, catching her off guard. He motioned for her to be silent and pointed in the direction they had been going. He allowed Kazumi to peek around the tree and she saw the threat.

      A lone knight that neither of them recognized was cornering a three tailed fox towards the cavern. Kazumi's eyes widened in shock. "Red," she whispered, recognizing the sacred fox spirit as one of her friends. Risui quieted her but it was too late. The knight had noticed another presence besides his own and the sacred fox.

      Miho and Naho hid under bushes and Hoya tightened his grip on Kazumi's shirt, squeezing his eyes shut in fear. The knight looked in Kazumi's general direction but didn't see her. That didn't stop her from hiding again. She was now afraid. It wasn't that she was afraid of the knight but it was what he had that she was afraid of. It was a seal and it was something that Kazumi had always been afraid of.

      She felt herself involuntarily shaking and Risui certainly noticed. He looked at her with worry but likely understood what the problem was. She had already told him what she was afraid of and he had done the same when they had first met about three weeks ago.

      Suddenly, yellow lightning struck throughout the forest and startled Kazumi even more but Risui had put his hand over her mouth to keep her from yelping and giving away their location. Laughter followed the strikes of lighting. "I know you're there. Come out now or I won't miss next time," the knight said.

      Kazumi shook her head at Risui who seemed like he was about to comply with the knight's wishes. "Stay behind me," he whispered as he slowly made his way from behind the tree. Kazumi wasn't far behind him with Hoya still in her arms. Miho and Naho were still safely hidden in the bushes.

       "A demon," the knight spat but then he saw Kazumi and her fox features and his eyes slightly widened. Red was gone already which Kazumi was glad about. "I was about to get mad that you caused the other fox to get away but here you are with one. What would a demon like you need a tailed fox for? Can't be for anything good," the knight said.

      "Leave this place. She is none of your concern," Risui said rather calmly. Kazumi eyed the seal that the knight had already ready in the hand that he wasn't using to hold his sword. "I think not, demon," the knight said as his sword sent of small bolts of yellow lightning. Risui didn't have his sword but he did habe the power that was granted to him by having a split tail. Despite that, Kazumi knew that this fight was going to be very dangerously faught.
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Oh, look! More conflict brought to you by the one and only Wolf! Until next time you astounding readers!