Moonlight Demon

Kaori

Kaori and Ash, along with their Haste potion, walked out of the grey city in silence. Things were rarely this awkward around them, but right now, Kaori could tell that Ash simply had too much on her mind. The half-demon walked slightly ahead of her, her eyes cast low on the ground. It wasn't too hard to guess what she could be thinking about. 

However, on Kaori's end, although she hadn't said anything, the mere thought of encountering this demon had her chills running up her spine. She wouldn't say anything either, of course, so Ash wouldn't have to worry about her as well, but still, it was wearing on her. 

As the two of them walked into the nearby bamboo forest, Kaori decided she should at least say something, if only to get both of their heads out of this. 

"So... Are you feeling alright?" She asked. Ash, maybe having not expected the question, looked over at her a little startled. She quickly regained her composure though. 

"... I guess," Ash shrugged. 

"I mean, I don't blame you for feeling off, you know?" Kaori said. "I... It's kind of a messed up situation, huh?" 

"Sure," Ash agreed. "I'll be honest, out of everything I expected to hear these days, Keiko being pregnant with my kid wasn't on the list. But..." Ash sighed. "We have a job to do. Focus up." 

To Kaori's ears, it sounded more like Ash was telling that to herself than to her. 

"Yeah. You're right." 

And they were right back to silence. A few times as they moved between the trees, Kaori heard some rustling behind her and jumped, only to feel stupid when she saw a lizard crawling through the dirt or something like that. As beautiful of a day as it was, with the sky clear and the sun hanging over their heads, Kaori couldn't shake off the feeling of anxiety. 

The person who jumped down from one of those trees, landing right in front of them, didn't help either. 

Kaori yelped and Ash instantly changed her Savior's Weapon into those gauntlets she'd been learning to use, but the person who had (literally) dropped in quickly raised their hands. 

Level 10

MP: 150/150

"Halt, Saviors, I apologize," the person said. It sounded like a young girl, dressed in a green leather outfit with a hoodie and a mask on, covering her face. Her hands were bare, covered in a white powder, and on her back, she had a wooden crossbow. "I wished to warn you, there are demons in these parts." 

"Yeah," Ash put her Savior's Weapon away, sighing, "we know. Who are you?" 

"Again, I am sorry for startling you," she bowed, "my name's Kuri, I'm a field agent sent by Lord Eliza to protect the nearby shrine, do you know of it?" 

"Yeah," Ash nodded. "That's where we're headed actually." 

"Oh, good then, I will trail you from above, to make sure no demons follow," Kuri said and she looked up at the trees she'd just fallen from. 

Kaori cleared her throat. 

"Oh, but how are you gonna get back up there? I mean, you were pretty-" 

Before Kaori could finish her question, Kuri crawled up the bamboo tree in a flash, like an animal. When she reached the top, she leaped off the tree and landed on another one, holding onto it before doing the same two more times. Only then did she stop to look around. 

"..." Kaori blinked. 

"What the fuck did I just see?" Ash asked. 

"I was about to ask the same thing," Kaori chuckled. 

After setting aside their shock and awe, they continued, with that strange girl following them from above. Eventually, they reached the dirt path that led up to the shrine and arrived at the open space just ahead of it. From above, Kuri backflipped off of one tree and landed crouched in front of them. 

Ash and Kaori saw a couple of men dressed in Onyx-style armor, with bulky breastplates and pauldrons. They had been sitting down on the stairs that led into the shrine, playing a card game of some sort. 

"Oh? Kuri," one of them, a boy with slick black hair and green eyes greeted the young girl, grinning at her and then looking back at the two Saviors. "O-Oh, Saviors, dude," he smacked the other guy gently on the shoulder, giving off a  clanking sound. 

The other man, slightly older-looking, was taller and heftier, filling out his armor more. 

"Uh..." He let out as the three women approached. 

"Saviors, this is Yan, and this is Kim. They are the others that were assigned for this day." 

"Oh, uh, I'm Kaori and that's Ash," the blonde gestured between herself and the half-demon. 

Then, Kaori checked their levels out. 

Level 15

MP: 10/10

Level 16

MP: 10/10

"Wait. This day?" Ash asked. 

"Yes," Kuri replied. "We alternate with another group. We cover three days in the week, the other group covers four." 

"Uh," Yan, the thin one, started, "do you need anything, Saviors? I-It would be our honor to serve." 

Ash and Kaori glanced at each other. Ash shrugged carelessly and Kaori thought of the best way to approach this. 

"So," she started, "listen, we're looking for a demon that's nearby. One that's pretty powerful. So, it's probably best if you guys just stay inside while we..." 

However, Ash put a hand on Kaori's shoulder, stopping her. 

"Yeah, we need you to stay inside, except for you," Ash pointed at Kuri. "Could you scout for us from above? Just see if you find any demons approaching." 

"Yes, of course," Kuri didn't hesitate. Kaori looked over at Ash, confused. "Are you certain demons will be coming?" 

"Just one," Ash clarified. "So keep your eyes peeled." 

"Of course," Kuri stepped over to a nearby wooden pillar that was part of the shrine's building. "I will remain on the roof then and inform you if I see anything. Does that sound alright?" 

"Yeah." 

"Understood," Kuri then put her hands, covered in that white powder, on the pillar like she was going to climb up the same way she had before. One of the two soldiers stopped her though. 

"Wait, let me give you some water, it might be a while, right?" Yan asked Ash. 

"Sure." 

"Okay," the boy then reached into a bag and pulled out a flask. Kuri put it in her own bag and nodded. 

"Thanks, Yan." 

And with that, she climbed up to the roof of the shrine effortlessly. 

"Okay, close up." 

"Uh," Kaori quickly added, "if you hear anything, don't come out. It could be dangerous." 

"U-Understood," Yan replied and the two went into the shrine, closing the door. As soon as they were out of earshot, Kaori turned to Ash. 

"Wait, why did you have Kuri stay out?" She asked in a whisper, hoping the scout wouldn't hear her. "Won't that put her in danger?" 

"... Mhm," Ash nodded. "And, my hope is that either," Ash started, "she'll warn us about the demon way before it has time to get to us and kill us, or..." She didn't finish the thought. 

And she didn't have to, because Kaori could do it on her own. 

"So... it'll go for her instead." 

"No guarantee," Ash replied quickly. "After all, it's me the demon's after, but yeah." 

"Why?" Kaori asked. 

"Come on," Ash said, "one of the ways this plan goes wrong is if the demon just runs right into me and kills me before you can get that spell off, right? I'm just trying to help our odds here a little." 

It saddened Kaori to hear that, but Ash did have a point there, so she nodded. 

"... I guess now we just wait then," Ash said, sitting down on the stairs right where the two soldiers had been." 

Kaori sat down next to her and so, the waiting started. 

---

Eliza

At the Grey Chamber, in just a day, a few young prostitutes had already come to the palace, interested in the offer. Eliza wasn't surprised, really. The offer, after all, was fifteen white royal crowns for having sex with that demon just one time. 

That kind of money is enough to change anyone's life, and that was what Eliza hoped would work to pull people into this place. Currently, she was sitting on her throne with one such sex worker standing in front of her. She was a young girl with dry black hair and a starved body, which let Eliza know just how much she needed this deal. 

"Have you been informed appropriately of what you'll be doing?" Eliza asked. 

"Yes, milady," the girl replied. 

"I want it to be clear, just in case. You can turn back at any moment if you feel too scared, even as we're standing outside its room. I'm looking for volunteers after all,"  not victims, hopefully.  She added in her mind. "You will be allowing a demon to have its way with you. We wish to see how it treats you after the fact if it becomes protective of you or... Well, you can imagine different outcomes," Eliza stated. "Are you sure you wish to proceed?" 

"Yes," she responded and Eliza nodded. 

"Good then, follow me." She stood up and quickly began walking towards its room, with the young sex worker trailing behind. "Now, if the demon does wish to harm you, you need only scream out 'stop' or 'help' or something like that, and soldiers will come in to take the creature off of you. The door will remain open so that they can walk in and do so immediately. Do you understand?" 

"Yes." 

"Good, if you feel like you're about to die, do not hesitate to call out. It's your safety after all." 

Eliza said this as they arrived and she tapped on the slit that allowed one to see into the room. 

"Look inside. Look at it, take a deep breath, and go in when you're ready." 

Behind Eliza were a pair of soldiers and a mage. The girl breathed in and nodded. 

Well, here goes nothing.  Eliza thought as she opened the door. The demon quickly looked up and grinned when it saw the girl standing out in the hall. 

And so, the sex worker gulped and walked in. And both she and Eliza hoped for the best. 

---

Kaori

Two hours had passed since they'd arrived. Two hours that Kaori and Ash had largely spent silent, knowing that any moment now that demon could arrive. At first, they remained largely far apart, but as time went on, Kaori reached over and softly held Ash's hand. The half-demon did the same. 

It was around that point that the danger of the plan made itself real to them. Here they were, waiting for a level 80 demon to just walk up and hopefully not end their respective existences. 

Although Kaori had taken issue with Ash's treating of Kuri, now that the situation was tangibly dangerous, she was a little less mad about that. 

Ash's violet eyes remained on the dirt path up north. 

"... I'll use my ability as soon as I see it," Ash decided. "Just to, like, hopefully, make this as favored for us as possible." 

Kaori nodded. 

"Same." 

I'm not sure what the range on this is, since neither Lumina nor the spell's description specified that, Kaori thought.  But, it'll probably reach as long as I can see her, I'm guessing. 

"Footsteps," Kuri announced, suddenly. "Approaching from the north." 

Her senses are that good?  Kaori asked herself. She hadn't heard anything and yet Kuri said that. 

Ash narrowed her eyes. 

"I don't see it just yet..." 

Kaori looked out as well. 

The ability activates by thought. And then, once I, like, become a Champion of Lumina or whatever, everything else I do at that point is also activated by thought. So, it should be easy. It should be easy, she told herself again.  Calm down. 

And then, both of them saw it. 

The Lust demon, tall and proud, walking towards them with a black whip dragging behind it. A grin was plastered on its face, its black lips spread wide. 

"So..." Ash muttered. "It's not exactly flying at us and killing us. So, Satsuhiro was probably right. Even if Niven knows our plan, it can't just communicate it into the demon's head instantly." 

That's good...  Kaori gulped, feeling beads of sweat roll down the back of her neck as she and Ash both stood up. Her heart was pounding against her chest, threatening to break straight through her armor. 

"Alright. Mine lasts one minute." 

"So does mine." 

"Then... Let's wait for it to get a little closer and I'll do mine first, you do yours after so we can get more time in. Okay?" Ash asked. 

"Yes." 

"Okay... May as well drink that potion now..." Ash muttered, taking it out of her bag and sipping from it. 

The demon was giggling just a little as it approached, now standing at the center of the open space, where Ash and Kaori had seen Yumi lying down, badly beaten by this very creature before. 

"I'm doing it," Ash announced, putting her bag aside, closing her eyes. "Three... Two... One..." 

And then, something in the air changed. It was subtle, but Kaori swore she felt the area suddenly get warmer.

"Agh..." Ash fell to her knees next to Kaori. 

Ash?  Kaori asked herself, crouching next to her. 

Then, Ash held Kaori by her neck, pulled her in, and pressed their lips together. 

"Mmm!" Kaori's eyes bulged out of their sockets as Ash kissed her and the demon continued to walk up. She had to push Ash off of her. "Ash, the demon!" 

"Hahahaha," Ash giggled softly and, as the two were literally right in front of each other, Kaori noticed that her violet eyes held heart-shaped pupils. 

Not that they had flickered, appearing and disappearing, the way they had before, no. They were fixed in place.

"Right, right, sorry, sorry... Oh, fuck," her hands were between her legs, searching. "Ugh, this fucking armor..." 

"ASH! The..." 

She heard a laugh and she turned to the left. 

The demon was literally standing right in front of them, its head tilted. 

"Right, sorry," Ash nonchalantly said as the demon grinned down at them and raised its whip. 

Kaori couldn't breathe. 

And then, Ash shook her head. 

"No, drop that thing," she muttered. 

And the demon froze. Kaori watched as it stayed perfectly still. 

Then, it complied. It let go of its whip, tossing it aside. 

Kaori looked back and forth between Ash and the demon. 

"Help me get this off," Ash ordered next and the demon casually knelt in front of her, trying to undo the straps that held the armor together. In an instant, Ash was taking it all off, wearing just a pair of brown shorts underneath. 

"Okay, now..." 

And Kaori could only watch, stunned, as Ash wrapped her arms around the demon's back and the two began passionately making out in front of her. Kaori sat there, speechless as their tongues danced. 

On their knees in front of each other, Ash's hands were placed on the demon's thighs as they continued. 

"Saviors, the demon...!" Kuri yelled as she jumped down from the roof, only to land and stare at what was happening. 

The demon's tail began to snake up Ash's legs and only then did Kaori finally shake her head and snap out of this trance that the sight had put her in. 

It's distracted, right? Kaori thought. I should probably... 

She transformed her hand into the serrated blade form, but she couldn't will herself to walk up. Her legs, her hands, were shaking too much from the various feelings all swirling within her. 

"Oh fuck, why do demons have to be good kissers? Killing them feels like such a shame now..." Ash muttered as she continued and that reminded Kaori that she needed to get to it. 

But, her legs simply wouldn't move forwards. 

I'm too nervous...

It was when that tail found its way into Ash's body and the half-demon gasped that Kaori closed her eyes. Right! The ability. 

And so, she activated the spell Lumina had given to her. 

Just like that, she felt nothing. Nothing at all. All of that fear and worry had simply faded with a thought like they had never been there, to begin with. She looked at the demon and using this ability, pacified it as Lumina had suggested before. The demon gave off an almost purr-like noise and Kaori assumed that meant her ability had worked. 

Then, casually, Kaori walked over and tried to stab it in the head. 

But, her blade didn't go through.  Oh.  She thought.  It's Con is high.  So, she tried again. The demon didn't even react. It simply kept kissing Ash as if there wasn't a serrated knife at its skull. 

Kaori tried again, and again, and again, putting more and more strength behind her attack until finally. 

Kreghk. 

Her blade went fully through its skull. The demon's hands, instantly, fell limp by its sides. Its blood splattered on the left side of Ash's face as Kaori pulled her blade out. An EXP message appeared over Kaori's head and the demon fell to the side. 

"Wait, what?" Ash whined. "It's dead?" 

"Yeah," Kaori nodded. 

"Why?" 

"Because we had to kill it," Kaori said, emotionlessly, shrugging with a little smile on her face. One reminiscent of the one Lumina always had. 

"Oh. Right. Shit," Ash pouted. "Ugh. I wanted to stick its tail in my mouth." 

And then, as the minute passed and Ash's ability faded, and she returned back to normal, Ash gagged. Ash spat out and cursed. 

"WHAT THE FUCK DID I- why the fuck- what the shit? my fucking... Agh," Ash was close to vomiting and as Kaori was still in her own ability, she just watched. 

"Do you need some water?" Kaori asked, helpfully as the demon she had just killed started to bleed on the wooden floor. 

"Uh... No," Ash waved her away. "Why didn't you stop me?" 

"Hm?" Kaori raised a brow. 

"I was literally tongue wrestling with that thing, ugh, gross," Ash shivered. 

"I see," Kaori nodded. 

"... So, it's dead?" Ash asked. 

"Mhm," Kaori nodded again. 

"Uh, so, shit, how much EXP did you get?" 

"..." Kaori quickly checked. 

EXP Gained: 7500

EXP: 330/330

Level Up!

Oh.  Kaori thought, in this peaceful state. Cool, Kaori thought, as Kuri, stunned and likely traumatized, simply kept looking back and forth between Ash and the demon's body.