The Guardian Demon (The Guardians of Nine Heavens #3)

Chapter 4: The Plans

Johanne received a room in the Huli Palace. Yuehong gifted to her a Yin-and-Yang amulet - the Huli Clan's main symbol. She immediately put it on, and thus, was bonded with Mei, who wore the same type of necklace.

"Hurrah!" Johanne jumped with happiness before her fox spirit benefactors, "This necklace is so beautiful! Thank you!"

"I hope we can become good friends!" Mei caressed her on the hair.

"Hehe, we already are!"

When the night came and Johanne went to her room to sleep, Yuehong, Mei, and Lutecia gathered in Yuehong's room and began discussing their matters:

"So far everything seems fine," Yuehong uttered in a strict tone, which he hadn't shown while Johanne was around.

"But that skeleton bracelet of hers..." Mei sighed, "I can't believe she did it..." 

"Calm down, Mei, dear." Lutecia beamed, "After all, Lily is her aunt too. There is nothing to be worried about."

"You know when it comes to her, that man is uncontrollable, and won't even listen to his father, let alone his mother!" Mei puckered. "I already like Johanne. I want her to be fine!"

"Do not forget that Johanne is only her latest incarnation," Yuehong spoke with an even stricter tone now, apparently reproaching his daughter. "And it is not that Prince Baku does not listen to Lord Yanluo, the ruler of the underworld. It is that Lord Yanluo is unallowed to completely control him. Do not forget that Prince Baku is a demon, not an angel. He is ultimately still a black energy being, thus, has his freedom, independent of his father. The way he consents to his father's desires is only because he shares his soul energy, therefore, is what one may call a 'light demon', but he can easily grow darker when he needs. He is considered a prince because all blackened demons have approved of his superiority. He is the lord there. All Yanluo can do is purify him, not control him. He is, of course, scared of his father as this latter is the ultimate form of Destruction and is far more powerful than him, but if we speak in terms of what he rules upon, dreams and illusions are strong forces."

"But you are more powerful than Baku too, father! Why don't you stop him from bothering her?"

"Because Yanluo too desires that Baku's wish be fulfilled, so I will not mess in their affairs. You are to work according to our initial plan and collaborate with Baku in protecting Johanne. I depend on you, as my and Lutecia's daughter, and as the queen of tailed foxes, the mistress of illusions and shape-shifting. You have equal powers to Baku, thus, you two together can well protect the child."

"I still can't understand why a human soul should connect with a gruesome demon..." Mei dropped her bunny-sized fox ears in a pouting manner.

"It is just as Lily and Lord Yanluo have said," Lucy put a hand on her soul daughter's shoulder, "It is because Lord Baku fell in love with Johanne's soul in her past incarnation... when Johanne saved him."

"Huh? She saved a demon?!"

"This time, it is no more about saving a human soul or even a spirit," Yuehong said, "This time, we strive to save Lord Baku himself."

"Huh? W... What do you mean, father?" Mei blinked in confusion now - why did Baku need saving? He was the most powerful demon, wasn't he?

"Black Energy has attempted many times to consume him. He is made of black energy, with tiny light cores of the mind and the heart, so he is vulnerable to getting corrupted and becoming a true blackened demon. Lord Yanluo needs to strike him with his scythe periodically in order to purify him of his blights. But back then, when he met this woman and intended to disturb her dreams, she began to train him. It was an unprecedented phenomenon - a human soul who intended to help a demon and worked hard on it. The intention succeeded - Baku's cores began growing and getting brighter. We believe that if we manage to get Baku on the same level as Yanluo, thus, allow him to control the black energy within him as he pleases, his essence will become kinder, and he'll be able to serve a good purpose as the ruler of dreams and nightmares - he'll use them not to casually frighten people and have fun, but to give them hints, and will continue to help them reconnect with their subconscious."

"Oh, now I get it... So, you want to create a white demon, just like Samael is a black angel?"

"Precisely. We want to turn Incubus into a white demon, like his mother, Lilith, is."

"That's a great idea! I guess, in the end, the true force that runs this world is love. It can even make demons bend."

"Not only demons, dear. It rules us all." Yuehong caressed her on the head.

Thus the great spirits discussed the future they had planned out for Johanne according to her past, while of all these matters, she knew nothing.