♦ Marteria Highlands

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Hearing more about Mackenyu's story, Sooyoung couldn't help but to look down at her own hands. "I'm sorry to hear that... It must have been hard for you to cope up into rage that you don't know a thing or two about restraint back then." She told him softly. When it comes to her family, she spoke up to him. "Well... My older brother used to tell me our parents died trying to protect the village from raiders, at least that's from my older brother's story, I was an infant when we lose them." She added before looking at him, "When I was 15, my older brother saved me from the slavers and then I never see him again... I was only left with my other friends who knew of my brother and then we decided to sail and became pirates."

@♆ Joy It was a painful memory as Mackenyu looked at his hands. "The boy I killed was only two years older than me but I can still vision his bloodied face when I butchered him with an iron pick. At first, I was shaken up I did not sleep for months" He sighed, running a hand over his head then let it fall over his nape. He knead it trying to ease the tension. "It is fine, Sooyoung. Years being in the arena taught me that if I don't kill them first, they'll kill me instead." Sooyoungs next question had Mackenyu yawned. "But I barely see my parents. My father will stay weeks in the mines and my mother busy tending the flock. Though knowing that someone cares about you feels comforting and safe. I see." Mackenyu paused, still cannot believe the demon princess ever experienced being alone. "Can I ask what happened?"

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung listened to the man's story and she couldn't help but to feel pity on him, it must have been hard for him to work at the age of 12. She used to have a friend when she was little, working but not from the mines. But the mention of family, Sooyoung couldn't relate much. She was born without a family, an orphan along with her older brother (whom had left and never been seen again). "I'm sorry to hear that..." Sooyoung apologized before looking at the cube as well, "How does it feel like to have a family?" She asked, "I was born an orphan, I grew up without a mother and a father, just an older brother and some orphan friends too."

@♆ Joy Seeing that it is a sensitive matter, he mum's the word that threatened to spill. He turned his head, watching in fascination at the crystal that she conjured with no incantations or spell. An ability a lot of human will die for. Like a metaphor, he held the cube carefully unsure if it will harm him but it didn't. He glanced at the neighing horses and sighed, "I fought with a human." Mackenyu hesitated to proceed, his gut telling him no but he faced Sooyoung. "You see, my family were miners. And once a boy reached the age of 12 we were taken to Magnum Mines to work there. My first day didn't go well when a fellow worker insulted my father. It was nothing but a brawl turned nasty. But that was a long time ago." Mackenyu forced a smile, stared at the cube.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ She pursed her lips at the question before she starts tilting her head a bit as she was unsure to answer that, "I... can't really answer that..." Then she sighs. "However, I'm also asking the same thing myself sometimes." Then she looked at her uninjured hand, her palm formed a little crystal, brittle yet sharp, floating on her palm. "It was a forced possession when I try to fight Joy in the realm of consciousness the first time," Then a spike of carbon steel came out of the transparent crystal, clashing its elements against each other. "In the end, our souls merged into one." Then the crystal shards blackened as it was merged with black carbon steel, making a new element in front of them. "But the only thing that separates us from our differences is... sharing." Sooyoung looked back at the human beside her, "Joy and I... we were greedy but in a different way." Before she makes the crystal into a cube where the black carbon steel is inside the cube. Then she gave him the cube, "Now, tell me about your first fight."

@♆ Joy The cold breeze brushed against him as the forests danced into the melody of a peaceful night. The howling of the owls and the random rustling of the trees brings forth a sense of comfort. “That’s quite a feat.” Mackenyu reacted at the amazing story of the young boar killer. He glanced at the oblivion above them, with no idea how it feels to be a supernatural like Sooyoung- To have a different identity and abilities. “Can I ask? Does it feel like prison to be stuck in the same body as her?”

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung chuckled at her own story, yet it wasn't a lie. "Yeah, I was human then..." She responded to him before looking at the darkness that enveloped their safety, "Sometimes... I do miss being a human and the life I used to have."

@♆ Joy He meant not to stare with a raised brow, yet he did when Sooyoung mentioned of the adult boar she fought when she was a babe. Mackenyu grinned, shaking his head before mouthing. "You wrestled an adult boar when you are 10?" The disbelief lingered in his heart and tapped his nose. "And were you human then?"

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung stared at him, he seems he is eager to listen to the next part of her story. She slowly grinned at him, "I wrestled an adult boar when I was 10." She said before chuckling, the first fight she had is still fresh inside her mind even though it was already years ago and she couldn't remember how old is she now because of her soul lost in the spirit realm before Irene fished her out and get back to her body. "They say it could toughen us up if we could win against a boar before we call ourselves a pirate."

@♆ Joy He bites his knuckles watching, praying that the potion will work on Sooyoung as he never tested it before on a demon. Her highness coughed that made him frown. "Easy now." He said, almost touching her shoulder but refrained from doing so. "How so?" Mackenyu clicked his tongue and leaned against the tree. "Hmm. Hmm." He hummed in response, glancing at her.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung looked at the vial before gently taking it, "I sure hope this would work." She takes off the lid and drinks it quickly, the taste of strong flavor kicked it pretty quickly which made Sooyoung crinkled her face a bit before coughing a bit. "Taste like whiskey but stronger..." She shakes her head a bit before looking at him, "Well... I got curious..." Then she looked at the empty bottle in her hand before feeling the tingling sensation on her wounds. It was healing. "I used to grow up in this land... But the sea was my home once, with a couple of friends and do bad things, thieving, robbing... in some parts, even killing." Sooyoung sighed, "I could still remember my first fight was..." She smiled a bit, "It was funny and bizarre thing in my life." Then she looked back at the other, "Do you want to know?" She asked Mackenyu.

@♆ Joy Mackenyu gently touched the woman's arm, carefully examining the damage the bandit done. It looked raw and smelt burnt that the man winced. "Take this." He pulled the same vial he used to quickly closed up his leg wound. "Though I am not fully confident this would heal your wound completely. It will at least slow down the damage. It might have a different effect but I doubt it will hurt a demon." He added on, glancing at Sooyoung then frowned. "My first fight." Mackenyu whispered, eyes shaky and sat on the cold ground beside her. "I vaguely do." He paused, resting his arm on his knees. "Why do you ask?"

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ "It hurts like hell..." Sooyoung muttered and tries to stand up again with the help of Mackenyu, she gently sat under the tree and the wounds from her shoulder and arm stings a lot, it was no mere injury as it was doused with holy water, it might make a scar on it too. "It might take days before it heals properly." Sooyoung said before she carefully lifted her left sleeve to see where the bolt had hit on her arm. The blood of demons are as black as they are, it signifies their impurities and corruption. "Mackenyu... Can I ask you something?" She asked the other, "Do you... remember your very first fight in your whole life?"

@♆ Joy Mackenyu heart pounded against his ribcage, keeping his composure to not allow fear and worry dictate their next actions. "Please reserve the compliments when we managed to get out of here." He sternly uttered, guilty for putting Sooyoung in danger. Hands ready to assist the woman, his reflexes caught her softening the fall. “Sooyoung!” Mackenyu exclaimed, kneeling beside her, glancing around nervously wondering if anyone heard them. The forest felt alive with malevolent energy, as if it were watching, waiting. But the woman with him is no mere mortal like any citizens of Materia Highlands, Sooyoung remains a demoness. He held her closer and carried her towards the huge trunk of an ancient tree gently resting her at the soft fallen leaves. “Can I have a look?” He asked, pointing at her injured arm.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ When the other pulled the horses' reins and handed her a small bottle before he jumped off the carriage and pulling the ropes of the horses away from the road, Sooyoung couldn't help but to see the other's action towards her. It has been only a week since they met in an underground fighting pit, but she felt the easiness of the other towards her. Joy might not like him but to Sooyoung, she is her friend.

She blinked when the other must have casted a spell to envelop a certain amount of area within them with darkness, "You're really something, Mackenyu." Sooyoung complimented and holds his hand before she went down the carriage but as soon as she goes to the ground, the gravity of her body must have shaken a bit that her wounds from the bolts stung which she knelt a bit. She groaned as she winced in pain, her hand clutching tightly onto the other's hand.

@♆ Joy His heart raced, not just from fear but from the urgency of his mission. Beside him, Sooyoung sitting slumped against the wooden bench of the carriage, her usually vibrant crimson skin now pale and mottled with bruises. The vicious attack had left her wounded, and the once fierce demoness is with him vulnerable. Mackenyu had never believed he would ever share this bond with a demon, but they had become unlikely allies in their quest for collecting more wealth. She had saved him once from a fate worse than death; now it was his turn to rescue her.

The kingdom they're escaping from is a place of intolerance, a home to those who demonized the different, who hunted anything that strayed beyond the narrow confines of humanity. Mackenyu had witnessed the mob that had descended upon other supernatural, driven by fear and hatred, and he had felt his heart shatter as he saw that bandit hit Sooyoung with a bolt.

"But we have to keep moving" Mackenyu whispered, glancing over his shoulder seeing no signs of anyone following them. With a pull of the reins, he urged the horses to stop, the carriage creaked under the weight of their halt. The path before them twisted like a snake, winding deeper into the forest where moss and foliage wrapped around ancient trees, their trunks thick as old giants. He knew this land well; it was his sanctuary, a hidden space away from the intolerance of the human world. Mackenyu closed his eyes, hands intertwined as he spoke of an ancient language and a blanket of darkness warped around them. He pulled a small bottle from his pocket, shakes it a little as light slowly glow. "Hold this." He hands the vial to Sooyoung before jumping out of the carriage, pulling the horses away from the road. Once in safety, Mackenyu walked back closer to Sooyoung and offered his hand. "The blanket of the nothingness should be able to shield us from prying eyes. But it would only last till the first light."

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ "But it's more dangerous if we don't stay, people will chase us if we ride further." Then she sees the horses grown tired as well, "And the horses are tired too." She told the other then she felt the pain in her shoulder and in her side, she hissed in pain. "The bolts must have doused with holy water..." Sooyoung muttered as she rolled her sleeve down to see her wound on her shoulder, touching it makes a sting. "We really should camp somewhere, I need to properly bandage my wounds." She insists before she sighed and holds the man's shoulder gently, "Please, Mackenyu... You need to rest as well." Sooyoung looked at man's gaze as she waited for him to respond.

@♆ Joy "Only a fool would attack an enemy without knowing them first." Mackenyu repeated those words, leading the carriage back to safety. He played the events that transpired from the moment he attacked the bandits to Sooyoung being hurt because of his impatience. There is no excuse for his actions. He bite his lip, making a clucking sound to encourage the horses to take long lopes. The bandits maybe crooked, but they are still humans. If they flagged that a demon, let alone a royalty, entered the kingdom without an invitation. He fears the crown's hunters will go after them. They were half way out of the forest nearly making good time when Mackenyu heard Sooyoung's voice. He briefly looked over his shoulder, "Do not worry. I am well." He replied before focusing his attention on the rough road. "We need to pass the gates before the news reach the palace."

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ 'I have been thinking... you tapped that one thing you will never do just to protect a mortal.' Joy was looking down on Sooyoung who is lying in a pool of blood in their realm of consciousness. 'you should've just let him die.' the sin demon said with a grin on her face, "I couldn't..." Sooyoung uttered. "He said I'm his friend... He trusted me more than he trusts you." She added as she looked at Joy, their gaze clashing with each other.

Joy couldn't help but to grin again, 'You really are greedy.'

Sooyoung's eyes opened and sat up immediately, only to realize she was in the cargo. "Mackenyu?" She called the human and sees him riding the horses-drawn carriage. "You're alive, thank goodness!" She quickly went over beside him, "Did you get hurt?" She asked him with tinge of worry in her tone. Before she sees that the sky is getting darker, it's dusk already. "We should camp somewhere, you must be tired from all the the riding." She told him as she looked at him.

@♆ Joy The battle was a whirlwind of blood and dirt. Mackenyu, nimble and quick, darted between the bandits, his dagger a blur of steel. Sooyoung, a crimson storm in the midst of the chaos, effortlessly killed the leader. Mackenyu's chest rises and falls watching the rest of the bandits flee for their lives. The vision of Sooyoung eating the dead man's heart greeted him. At first he felt his stomach turn as he has not seen someone eat something that raw ever. He gulped and focused himself elsewhere. The battle won, Mackenyu surveyed the carnage with a mix of relief and grim satisfaction. The stolen cargo was recovered, the bandits dispatched. He heard a loud thud and rushed over to Sooyoung's rescue. He held her in his arms, pressed his fingers against her neck. "I'm glad you're alright. Let's get out of here." Mackenyu said, his voice hoarse. He got up and holding her in his arms much like a groom carries his bride over the threshold on their wedding day. The man walked towards the carriages that was left and gently lay Sooyoung on the one that was empty and comfortable. Taking off his own coat and placing it over the woman's body. He surveyed the cargos and found out there are jewels and supplies that did not belong to the demon princess but probably other victims. The sunset trailing behind them. The slave found the horses tied and left by their owners. Mackenyu set out to travel all the way back to Central with horses-drawn carriage.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung tilted her head as the other had stated something that made her felt heartwarming inside, "There is worth more than these cargos anyway..." The leader grinned maniacally as he charged towards Sooyoung. She quickly parried his blade against the black rod Sooyoung is carrying, it quickly shifted into a scythe and attacks the leader. It all happened so fast as their weapons sounded between their clash, "Once I defeated you, those wings will be my priceless treasure!" The leader proudly exclaimed but Sooyoung knew she won't let that happened. As the leader attacked forward once again, Sooyoung simply phases between his body and hers as if the leader ran into a ghost. His eyes widen before falling down, leaving a cold corpse on the ground. Sooyoung, still in her demonic form, showed their leader's heart in her hand, still beating. These made the bandits ran, they only depend on their leader but now that he's gone, no one can win among them. As her reward, Sooyoung ate the heart as her inner demon craves for it despite herself not liking it. Then, she looked at Mackenyu, her demonic form slowly withered and became ashes as she went back to her human form. Her eyes still glowing green but only for a few seconds before she lose consciousness and fell down on the ground, she exhaust too much of her demonic side.

@♆ Joy Sooyoung's cry rang out close to him, it was sharp and in agony. His eyes widen to see the black blood ooze from her wound. But he was distracted by four bandits all attacking at the same time. The clash of steel filled the air as they fought. Mackenyu wove through the chaos, parrying blows and striking down foes, while Sooyoung unleashed her true demon form. Few men scattered in fear while some seek to punish Greed for the long history things they suffered. "Idiots!" He uttered knowing full well that it will take a lot of powers to put down a demon. But for a moment, after cutting off a pair of hands, Mackenyu felt a pang of guilt when he saw a man wielding a gold sword, his eyes glinting with malice. He lunged at Mackenyu with fury and completely made the man vulnerable from the attack that was behind him. He turned seeing that it hit Sooyoung. The clones turned to dust. Angered, Mackenyu held two katanas that are now glowing with flames. "You think you can defeat me with a mere demon by your side?" The bandit spat, hatred dripping from his words. Mackenyu's heart reaced as he felt the weight of the bandit's scorn but he responded with unwavering resolve. "She is more than a demon. She is my mistress, my ally and friend." With renewed strength, the two men pressed their assaults. Mackenyu swinging the sword, flames lashing out hitting anyone who dared come close to the demon.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ With the intense pain Sooyoung is feeling right then, she kneels on the ground as she takes out the bolts from her body, her blood is as black as the sin demon's soul, it is obvious now that the bandits were not wrong. They were fighting a human with a demon. She screamed as she took out the last bolt from her body, due to the bolt's induced with holy energy, it made a permanent wound on her. She didn't give up, Sooyoung doesn't want to be the monster Joy wanted to see, but she has no choice.

Sooyoung closed her eyes as she slowly tapped into Joy's demonic form, inside the demon of greed herself is smiling that Sooyoung is truly revealing the means of her true demonic form. 'You never failed to impress me sometimes, Sooyoung.' Joy commented. Dark smoke began to spread across the area, Sooyoung's body slowly transformed into a golden scaled demon. Horns were different from what Joy had transformed, eyes were glowing green, wings spread like raven's. However, Sooyoung is still conscious but in a more serious manner. One of the bandits were as powerful as them, he knew exactly who are they facing. "The golden demon! Mammon!" The leader yelled as he walked forward to face her, "I have been waiting for you to show up," He smirked as he eyed the demon. One marksman shoots an arrow towards real Mackenyu, with a swift move, Sooyoung protected him, the arrow quickly destroyed as it grazed from the scaled skin of Sooyoung.

@♆ Joy Just as he thought, they are of the same skill as the bandits number doubled. He moved backwards, sensing who will attack first. Sooyoung did instructed him not to kill anyone, but he figured there is no way the bandits will the cargo easily. Not when there’s only him and Sooyoung. The men encircled them so Mackenyu turned back against Sooyoung’s. He grabbed one of the familiar bottle of potion and drunk it. The man grunt then momentarily, his eyes glow green as he multiplied to a dozen. Then it hit him. Sooyoung who was standing there got targeted and took a hit. “!” Mackenyu frowned, looking at the woman. Not waiting for the bandits to attack again, Mackenyu together with his clone posed in an attack mode and jumped to the men. The clacking sound of metal striking and a few cry for help when Mackenyu’s clones either chopped their hands off or had their swords twisting into their guts.

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung followed Mackenyu until they see the smoke and the aroma of cooked food, she crouched down behind the dense bush. But then Mackenyu jumped into action and killing one bandit, Sooyoung's eyes widen. "Mackenyu!" She rushed towards her before one bandit dragged her away from him, "We have intruders!" One bandit hollered. The twelve men became double as some of them were akin to sorcery, Sooyoung took her steel staff from her back and knocked one bandit before she went towards Mackenyu, already drawing his sword against the others.

"What is wrong with you?!" Sooyoung yelled at him a bit, "We're only getting the cargo back! Not killing people over it!" She said before they were all surrounded by bandits. Sooyoung looked at them, their eyes were menacingly scary, she vowed never to kill anyone again unless it was Joy using her body. But at this rate, if she won't do something, Mackenyu will be killed. She had to reveal herself, she sighed in defeat. " this!"

She stomped her foot on the ground and chunks of crystal formed from the ground, some of them was stabbed from the sharp ends of the crystals. The bandits sensed that the woman is a demon, "A demon! Demon!" He shouted before one of the bandits with sorcery shot a bolt with a holy water. The bolt struck the Sooyoung's shoulder and abdomen, she felt stinging pain from each of the bolts which made her shout in pain. She maybe a demon but it was Sooyoung's consciousness that felt the pain, not Joy herself.

@♆ Joy He crouched behind a the tree, observing. Four men, clad in tattered leather, bickering what to do with their ill-gotten spoils. Mackenyu's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. He glanced at Sooyoung, seeing the vengenful demon princess threatening to resurface. So Mackenyu trekked the careless trail the bandits left behind, following Sooyoung. Broken branches and scattered belonging marked their path. His heart burned with a mixture of anger and determination for disrupting his peaceful existence. After hours of relentless pursuit, they reached a clearing. Before them lay a make-shift camp. The air was ripe like the smell of roasted meat and stolen food. "This is not good." Mackenyu uttered, stealing glances at the woman with him. Near the fire, twelve ragtags were laughing and merrily drinking checking out the precious items inside the cargo.

Mackenyu already hungry and tired, had no time to waste. He sprang into action, moving silently through the underbrush. He approached the first bandit, who was distracted by the flames. A swift, precise ended the man’s laughter forever, silencing him as he slumped into the dirt. The others turned, confusion momentarily flickering in their eyes before it was replaced by fear the anger as they drew their weapons at him

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ "I think we are in-- Oh!" Her eyes widen when the other pulled her behind the old tree, making her body pressed into him. She could hear the other's heart beat which was also in the rhythm of hers, then she turned her head to where the sound of people bickering getting louder and louder as they approached. When the other peeked and confirmed that the bandits are here, Sooyoung peeked as well before squinting to look at the details of the cart they are riding. The cart is unidentifiable, then she heard the two bandits talking about the cargo they stole. "That's our guys, I knew it." Sooyoung whispered, then at the back of the cargo, there are some crates that carries the hidden treasures of Joy, her eyes directly saw the pentagram engraved on those crates. Joy saw it and her left eye flashed green when the other didn't, 'Those are my things--' Joy commented as she whispered before Sooyoung slapped her own cheek hard to shut her up from bursting in anger. "We'll get it for you, Joy, so let us do this for you!" She whispered back. Sooyoung looked back at Mackenyu. "S-Sorry... Joy is really pissed." She apologized. Once the cart is out of their sights, she looked at the trails, "Let's follow these tracks." Sooyoung gets off from their hiding place and they start moving towards the trails.

@♆ Joy Mackenyu never let her out of his sight, aware that there might be a spell-caster in these parts of the Highlands. One thing his people are good at are spell binding incantations and traps that can imprisoned even a powerful being. With a demon lurking around, it may cause a panic and it’ll be the end of this vengeful quest for both of them. He nodded taking closer steps near her and attempts to be light on his feet as the crunch of the leaves underneath their feet might give them away. “Wait.” He said, holding Sooyoung’s arm. A sound of bickering echoed through the rustling wind that Mackenyu pulled the girl so close to him that their bodies touched. Hiding beneath the behind the huge trunk of an oak tree, Mackenyu peeked his head to see a group of bandits wheeling a cart. “Someone’s here.” He whispered. “But I’m not sure if it is our cargo.”

@♦ Mackenyu Arata ¥ Sooyoung blinked at the other's some kind of ritual, she crinkled her nose bit before telling the other, "It's fine, if I have a religion to believe in, I would do the same." They start to walk through the thick woods, searching for any clue for the cargo. Sooyoung was once a thief and a pirate in her previous life, she knows how to track something as she once been, she looked at one tree where there is a small gash with it. "Mackenyu, look!" She went over it and touched its bark, "The bark has a messy gash, not from a blade but from hood." She then looked at the direction of the bark and saw another one but much smaller, "The cargo must have been taken in a hurry by the bandits."

@♆ Joy Getting used to it he cannot. Mackenyu the funny feeling of his stomach churning when Sooyoung lifted him up towards the sky. The cold breeze hit his face but the man refused to stare down. Instead, he levelled his sight upon what's in front of him or close his lids shut when gravity threatening to pull him down. The man must put his trust in Sooyoung that she won't decide to let Joy resurface because the demon princess is so unpredictable. They landed on familiar ground. Mackenyu tumbled forward landing on his knees. Palm gripping the very soil his people stepped on, he picked up a handful before getting on his feet. "May the ancestors bless every step we take." He said, throwing the soil at himself then at Sooyoung. "Apologies." Mackenyu dipped his head then examined their surroundings. Upon the vast forest of the Highlands, towering trees providing shade from the angry sun. He noticed the rough road leading to back to Heleo. "Let's go." He said, stepping forward going down hill towards the road.