Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Chapter 5 New Beginnings Pt 2



Eric, recovering from the blast looked over to see Devi's motionless and bloodied body.

"Devi!" Eric called out. He slowly got up and ran over to her. 

"Oh no!" Tenna cried as she came to and saw what had happened.  

Eric tried shaking her firmly and calling to her. "Devi, come on!" Eric cried  "Don't you dare die on me! Devi!" 

"Please no..." Tenna cried pitifully.

He then place his hand on her right cheek and rubbed under her eye slightly with his thumb. This caused Eric to discover something he hoped to see. Devi was still breathing and was slightly reacting to his hand. 

"Devi!" Eric gasped in relief.  

"You're still alive, I see..." Johnny referred to Eric as he rested a bit so he could attack again. He still thought Devi was dead. 

Eric quietly told Devi. "Don't worry, we'll handle it now. Just hang in there a little longer, okay?" Then kissed her forehead and got up to face Johnny. He summoned his energy sword and went after Johnny full speed to strike him down. Little did they know Devi began glowing slightly. 

****

"I'm dead..." Devi said as she found herself in some light void. 

"No you're not..." Said the voice of the doll and then the doll appeared. It seemed be smiling and have life of its very own. It no longer looked like a motionless doll. It's eyes and face moved with full expression. She almost looked like a tiny fairy or little mystic person. Her eyes despite they looked like screws or buttons of some sort, had some kind of warmth to them and an innocence as it smiled at Devi.

"I saved you..." Said the doll. "You started to accept me and your powers and manage to allow me help protect you. You're just knocked out right now..." 

"You protected me?" Devi asked it. 

"Well, we did it together!" The doll said as she smiled brightly. "After all, I'm your familiar, born from a part of your heart. I'm suppose to protect you and I will always be by your side. But now do you understand? You must allow yourself to use your powers, just like Eric and Tenna have been using their's. In order to do that, you must accept that part of you and accept me too!"

Devi thought about it and then remember that thing about Taoism. "Once accepts all human nature and life itself" 

"Accepting life it's self...." Devi muttered

"You've been hiding from not only the world but yourself, Devi." The doll said. "I know to you its kinda scary...but there's nothing to be afraid of and the world really needs you and so do your friends!" 

She thought about it when she realized that her friends were still fighting Johnny or worse. 

"Johnny, he's working for that darkness you keep warning me about, isn't he?" Devi asked. 

"Mhm, unfortunately..." The doll said sadly. 

"For so long I've back and forth tried to accept people in my life and then trying to force them away." She thought out loud. "After meeting Johnny and seeing so many people get hurt around me, I became afraid to accept people and this world." Then she looked up at the doll " But now, this isn't about me anymore."

She then reached out for it. With that the doll happily floated over to her. 

"Many, innocent lives are endanger..." Devi replied "And by the looks of it, its up to us to do something about it." 

"Mhm!" The doll replied as it nodded then asked for a little request. "There is one thing I do request..."

"Hmm?" Devi replied 

"Well, I don't like being called 'doll' or 'sickness'..." The doll replied 

"I see...so you want me to give you a nicer name, huh?" Devi suggested with a smile.

"Yes, please!" The doll replied cheerfully and gratefully.

"Hmm..." Devi pondered and then finally said "Then you shall be...Demi."

"As you wish, Devi." The doll replied gratefully as she did a little bow and then touched Devi's hand. A bright light illuminate all around them was the last thing Devi remember before waking up.

Devi slowly opened her eyes and got up to her feet.

Her friends who manage to keep him busy looked over excitedly.

"Devi!" Eric called out.

"She's alright!" Tenna replied excitedly "Hey what's floating next to her."

Devi looked at her self and then her partially bandaged hands. "My hands are healed up."

"That's cause your magic allowed you to heal faster." Demi said as she floated over to her.

"Demi..." Devi replied

"I thought I killed you!" Johnny snapped. "Why can't you just die!?"

Devi and Demi looked at him and then Devi clutched her fist as she said "Johnny, if you want to destroy us and this world, then you have to get through me to do it! I won't let you hurt me or my friends, anymore!"

"What?" Johnny replied.

With that Devi took the bandages that were left on her hands right off and sent them to the winds! "Demi, let's go now!" Devi called out.

"Right!" Demi said as she changed into a large fude brush in which Devi took with her hand.

"Everyone, now!" Devi told her friends signalling them to all use their special attacks.

Tenna got up and went on the right hand corner of where Johnny was, while Eric went on the other corner. With Devi in front of Johnny, they had made a triangle and were about to attack in a trinity formation.

"Earth's Eternal Slumber!" Eric called out.

"Spirit Star...Rush!" Tenna called out.

A piece of paper came out of Devi's hand magically as she said "And with a stroke of my brush, your evil is vanquished!" With that she tossed the paper in front of her and drew the Japanese kanji for light on it, which glowed brightly.

"Hikari Heartbeat lock!" Devi called out as she shot out her hand in front of her which caused the kanji to fire a blast at Johnny. All three of them had fired their attacks at once. When the smoke cleared Johnny collapsed to the ground

"We did it!!!" Tenna squealed!

Devi fell to her knees in both exhaustion and shock of what she just did. With that Demi changed back into a doll and floated over to Devi.

"We did it!" Demi cheerfully exclaimed. "You believed in yourself and in me and we manage to stop him!"

"Alright!" Tenna as she ran over to Devi and helped her up.

Devi got up though and walked over to where Johnny was laying on the ground. She looked at the young psycho man that tried to kill her and her friends. She notice his scars and scratches on him. Not the new scratches but what appeared to be older ones. Something in her gut didn't feel right. Like she couldn't help but feel a bit bad for him.

As soon as she knelt down and reached to touch his shoulder, he opened his eyes and started to turn then tried pushing himself up with his right arm. Tenna grabbed Devi's arm to pull her away from him and Eric got in front of Devi protectively. Johnny glared at Devi a bit before disappearing in a puff a smoke.

All three of them sighed in relief and Tenna hugged Devi.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Tenna replied "We thought you were gone for sure!"

"Yeah, I thought I was gonna lose you for a sec." Eric replied with a sigh of relief.

"I know I thought I was gone too..." Devi said as she looked at her hands.

"Awww!" Tenna squealed as she grabbed Demi in midair to hug her. "Your familiar is so cute!"

"You can see and touch her?" Devi asked

"Yeah!" Tenna replied.

"Nice to meet you to finally meet you too Tenna..." Demi squeaked from Tenna's grasp "But can you let go of me, I still need to breath..."

"Oh sorry..." Tenna replied as she let go.

Demi floated up to Devi and explained "That's because you finally accepted me, Devi. So I was finally able to come forth into this world, from your heart and mind. Like I said, mages need to accept who they are and their familiars, in order for their familiars to be born into this world."

"I see..." Devi replied as she stuck her finger up so to shake Demi's tiny little hand or stuffed arm, whatever she called it. "Well, I guess we do make a good team after all, huh Demi?"

"Mhm!" Demi nodded as she touched her master's finger.

"Demi?" Tenna asked.

"Yeah, it means 'small' or 'half'. " Devi replied as she remembered looking it up.

"Well, its better then 'mini me' ." Eric added referring to a certain movie.

"Very funny..." Devi replied with a smile.

"Well she looks like you so like 'Demi Devi' " Tenna joked "Well, Mr.Spooky now has a friend the same size as him now."

"Spooky?" Spooky replied as he tilted his head.

Devi chuckled a bit. Demi hugged Devi on her cheek, gladly to be finally born into the real world and be with her master like she was meant to be. Devi was surprised at first but put her hand over the doll to kinda hug her back.

"See, you can use your magic and do something good with it." Tenna told her.

"Yeah, but Johnny will return and I think soon..." Devi replied

"With all of us, we'll be able to fight him together." Eric replied.

"Yes, we're a team now." Tenna said. "Whatever is going on, we need to stick together."

"Guys..." Devi was about to say but then looked at Demi who nodded with a smile. This made Devi finally smirk and say "Yeah, you're right. Whatever is up, we'll do it together."

"That's the spirit, Devi!" Tenna cheered.

"Mhm!" Eric replied as they all laughed good naturely. Little did they knew they were being watch by someone. A young girl with long black hair and a goth Lolita outfit and a tall man in a dark coat watched them from a far.

"So the three knights of light have gathered." The girl said in a monotone kind of way as she could see each of them had the very glow those knights had long ago.

"But where's the fourth one?" Asked the tall man.

"I can't say..." The girl answered. "They must find the fourth knight themselves. The great battle between the darkness and the light has begun...."

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Chapter 4 New Beginnings Pt 1

That morning, Eric was sleeping peacefully with window shades shut as well as the door. He had went out after saying good night to gather the few belongings he had, which he put in a safe place near by. All he had was a suitcase and a hand bag full of some clothes, hygienic materials, and a few toys and books. He had put them neatly in the closet before heading off to bed. He put on a comfortable pair of black, clean pants and a baggy shirt. Then gotten under the covers and instantly went to sleep.

The boy was so tired that he slept into the early afternoon and Tenna decided not to disturb him especially since he was a vampire. It was hard for Tenna to keep quiet though. She had to entertain herself and went outside a few times to get the extra energy out. Finally, the young vampire woke up and put his regular clothes back on.

"Finally you're awake." Tenna replied. "You must have been tired, but then again I was kinda expecting you to sleep all day."

"I do sometimes." Eric replied. "Mainly cause I have nothing better to do." As soon as Eric walked into the pastel sunlight that glistened in the window "POOF!" a cloud of smoke appeared and Tenna screamed!

****

"So let me get this straight..." Devi replied as she looked at the situation. "Eric walked into the sun and now he's a bat?"

"Yeah..." Eric replied as he fluttered in his newly found form. Newly found for Devi and Tenna anyway. His bat form was black with unusual white collar and chest fluff. He had long ears and his usual blue eyes.

Tenna grabbed and cuddle him. "Isn't he so cute!?" Tenna squealed. "I squealed on how cute he is!"

"You mean you screamed like a banshee..." Devi replied.  Eric struggled to get out of Tenna's grasp and finally popped free.

"You need to be careful doing that, Tenna." Devi replied a little concern for Eric. "Bat's I've learned, are very fragile."

"So, this is what you meant that you don't take up much space during the day!" Tenna replied as she giggled.

"Yes it is..." Eric sighed.

"How come you turn into a bat in sunlight?" Devi asked

"From what Magnus told me..." Eric replied "A great and powerful vampire lord, known as the king of vampires, cast a spell so powerful it would effect all vampires. He wanted a way to protect his children (all the vampires of the world), from burning away in the sun. So instead of turning into dust when hit in sunlight, the vampire would obtain a bat form to conserve energy in a smaller body. Some how it protected vampires from the sunlight. It also disguised vampires from hunters during the day."

"Interesting story." Tenna replied "But whose Magnus?"

"Magnus is the one that turned me into a vampire and saved me." Eric replied "He comes around from time to time, teaching me a few things and sometimes helping me out in a tight spot. I kinda see him as my guardian and of course teacher."

"Aww cool!" Tenna replied

"So you have to stay in this form all day?" Devi asked

"Well for the most part, yeah." Eric replied "There is away for me to turn into my normal self for at least two to four hours during the day." With this he flew up to Devi and kissed her on the lips. Then "POOF!" he was back to normal.

"Wicked!" Tenna replied excitedly. "So you have to kiss someone to turn to normal form?"

"Well someone of the opposite gender then me." Eric replied "And don't ask how I found that out!" He said this while putting out his hands in the middle then spreading them a part, in a "out of the question" gesture. Then he put his hand on his head with a grieving look, to show that he really didn't want to relive the experience he had, when he first found that out.


Devi touched her lips chastely and then hit Eric over the head. "Eric! You idiot!" She shouted a bit flusterly.

"Ow!" Eric replied as he rubbed his head. "Sorry, I was just giving a demonstration!" 

"Next time use Tenna for a demonstration!" Devi shouted. 

"Hey!" Tenna snapped!

"Sorry..." Eric replied this time with in a honest form as he rubbed the back of his head.

Devi looked with slight guiltiness. She knew he didn't mean any harm doing that and said "Well, I guess I shouldn't snapped like that..."

"You're still bothered from last night, aren't you?" Eric asked sadly.

"I guess..."  Devi replied. 

Eric looked down and then noticed Devi's hands wrapped in bandages. "What happen to your hands?" Eric asked. 

"Um..." Devi replied nervously. "I kinda got frustrated at the doll in my head and well I ended up having an accident ..." She then nervously rubbed the back of her head as a flash back came into her head.

"Will you please stop!" Devi told the doll. "It's already bad enough some psycho freak is after me!" 

"Devi...." Cried the little doll. Devi sighed and collapse against the wall as put her hands over her head.

The doll laid on the ground as tears ran down its face. Devi saw this and couldn't help but feel bad for it. Devi was just scared and frustrated inside, maybe she just needed to calm down and think straight. She reached her hand out to pet the doll but it disappeared before she could touch it. 


She sighed as she got up and took a glass jar she had on the ground from painting, and went to put it away. However, she tripped and fell breaking the glass jar within her hand. As she got up, she accidentally leaned on the glass that had shattered around her. She yelped in pain as she looked at her bleeding hands. She realized she wouldn't be able to paint in a while.

*end flashback*

Devi put her injured hand to her arm in discomfort. Eric put his hand on Devi's right shoulder to comfort her. 

"Hey don't worry Devi!" Tenna replied as she touched Devi's other shoulder. "It will be alright. I promise ya."  Devi looked at her friends and nodded slightly. 

"Hey, why don't we all go out together?" Tenna suggested "Just the three of us. No dates or anything, just three friends having a good time!"

Devi looked at her oddly until Eric replied "It might get your mind off things for a little bit. We'll just hang out like regular people would."

"Yeah and won't mention anything like magic or anything unusual." Tenna replied as she stuffed Mr.Spooky back into her bag when he was about to pop out.

"But Johnny..." Devi replied

"Leave him to me, Devi." Eric replied "If he attacks, we'll make sure you get to a safe place. I promise I won't let him go near you."

Devi looked at her friend worriedly as she thought about the time where he saved her but nearly died for it.

"Don't worry..." Tenna reassured her. "After watching this dude kick butt, I'm sure he can handle him without a problem!"

"Yeah, don't you worry about a thing." Eric assured "I've been fighting bad guys for years now, Devi. I know when to be careful."

Devi sighed and nodded with a small smile "Alright, lets go."

"That's the spirit Dev!" Tenna replied.

****

They first went to the mall to shop and gaze at the weird and useless junk people spent hundreds of dollars on. No one dared to go into the prissy shops as E-Clair's Accessory store and the trendy stores Abrocronic Fintch. Though Devi hated most malls just like she hated every other social trend place, there were a lot of decent stores at the mall they were at. Such as antique shops and special findings stores like Crystal Witch's Blow Glass and  Ornaments.

As Devi was looking through an Asian themed antique store, she stumbled upon an old narrow length box. She opened it and inside was an old reddish brown brush and a paper that had a description of the brush. It said it was a brush that was used by many Taoist and Buddhist priests and priestesses to banish evil. It also explained something called the "Nine Syllable Seals", also known as Kuji-in . A practice in which the user would use a special meditation in the form of spells, mostly written on paper using a brush. This technique would often be used to banish evil spirits and cleanse one's soul. 


They would banish evil through painting a syllable on paper? Devi thought 

"Only when they put their mind and heart to it..." Said the little doll in her mind. 

"I thought I told you to be quiet?"  Devi asked in her mind. 

"I know, sorry, but I wanted to add that..." The doll said

Devi said nothing. She didn't want to yell at it for reasons being she was out in public, which was the main reason and that she felt like she no longer wanted to fight it anymore. In some ways, she was thinking maybe it was time to listen to it. Devi put the box back and then looked at something on the wall. It had a very brief description of the religion Taoism. 

It read. 

"Taoism is a powerful spiritual belief in which one accepts all of human nature and life itself. The word 'Tao' means 'way' or 'path' in which one works in harmony with reality, essence of the natural world. 

Taoism emphasizes the Three Jewels of the Tao; compassion, moderation and humility, however, Taoists primary focus is the relationship between humanity and the cosmos and to be in harmony with all nature surrounding them." 

Devi tilted her head as she read this curiously. She wasn't one to be into any type of religion. She wasn't exactly Atheist or anything, just didn't felt strongly to any type of belief or religion, especially since people fought to so much over their beliefs. She felt it just wasn't even worth it nor did it matter, however, the whole thing on Taoism intrigued her to maybe do some research on it, later on. 

She then moved onto the back of the store then looked at a couple of strange posters on the wall. By the drawings and ancient writing, it appeared to tell of an ancient story. The first had what looked to be a large black tower and large black clouds. At the bottom of the tower were, what looked to be, four people standing up against the black tower and clouds, with ghostly faces that indicated it brought despair to everything. 


The next poster showed the people having something in them, it was in the form of a round dot or ball in the middle of them. The people in the second poster had an unusual shape to them. It showed what looked to be features like hair and a stocky figure, like they lack muscular strength. The middle one had what looked to have shoulder pads. 

The 3rd poster showed the same as the first picture but with the four people had lines out around them, indicating glowing and what looked to be more people rising from the ground. Finally, the fourth poster showed the four people that were rising to have the same spot on the chest, and with the figure in the middle being higher up than the other three. This figure had what looked to be wings on it. The light from the figure looked to be banishing or destroying the dark tower and clouds.

Devi looked intrigued by the posters. Upon looking especially at the middle figure that she thought must have been the leader of the group, that arose up against the darkness. "A darkness is coming...." She remembered suddenly as she looked at the poster's again. Suddenly, a strange, dizzy feeling came over her that caused her to fall back in a slight faint spell. However, Eric who was looking for her, ran and caught her just in time.

"Whoa!" Eric replied as he caught her. "Are you alright?" 

Devi opened her eyes and shook her head, snapping out of what just came over her. "Yeah, sorry, I guess something just came over me. I'm fine now." She replied upon gaining her balance and standing up on her own. 

"Come on, maybe something to eat may help you feel better." Eric replied as he guided his friend out and staying close behind her in case she fainted again. Then "POOF" as soon as Eric and Devi were out the door, Eric turned back into a bat. Devi heard the owner of the store say "What was that?!" and as soon as she heard the owner, Devi grabbed Eric and hid him behind her back. 

"Oh, it was nothing!" Devi replied surely "I gotta be going now! Bye!" Then she ran out with Eric clutched in her hands. Both of them sighed when the coast was clear.

"I suppose you want me to kiss you so you can turn back to normal?" Devi asked this time in an non-annoyed manner.

"No, its alright." Eric replied "I can just wait until the sun goes down." 

"Really?" Devi asked to be sure. "You sure you want that?"

"Yeah, I have no problem with it." Eric replied in an upbeat tone. "I don't mind 'hanging out' in this form." Upon saying this he hung upside down on Devi's finger. 

Devi giggled upon thing this and said "You haven't changed a bit since last time." She rubbed Eric on the head with her finger.

"Well...Yeah maybe..." Eric replied. "Glad I was able to make you laugh."

Devi paused a bit upon hearing this and smiled warmly at her friend. He then hopped on her right hand shoulder. 


"You should be careful." Devi replied. "Some people don't take kindly to people having pet bats." 


"If I stay still though, they'll just think I'm a toy or an accessory." Eric replied. 


"Yes that also includes being quiet." She replied with warmth in her voice as she rubbed his face with her finger. They walked over to find Tenna, at the children's playground on the mini merry-go-round. Devi looked at Tenna like she was a lost cause, while Eric just gazed in surprise at how overly cheerful she could be. 


****
Mean while, in a dark area in another dimension, a large black knight took what looked to be a whip inflamed with a purple inferno and slammed it down over Johnny's shoulder. Johnny screamed in pain and sighed as he knelt before the knight. A large "dough" like creature or man, came out beside the knight. The dough like creature was about the size of a large stuffed animal.


"You see!" the dough man said in a pig like voice. "You should have killed that girl along time ago, when you had a chance!"


"Now don't be that harsh on the boy, Mr. Eff." Said another doughish like man with elf ears. "The girl did have a strong immense power. Johnny wasn't ready to stand up against that power. 


"Oh shut up!" Mr.Eff replied "I'm tired of you feeling sorry for this fucking piece of shit!"


"Well, Master tends to punish him enough..." D-Boy said with a smart smile. "Kinda have to feel a little bad for him. Master is not so happy when he doesn't get his way. "


"Oh just shut the fuck up!" Mr.Eff snapped "Hit him harder!" 


With that the knight slammed the whip down on Johnny again harder and a couple more times, before Johnny fell to the ground. He laid taking deep breaths to brace the pain, but it seemed like even breathing hurt. His whole back and arms were covered in bloody whip marks. 


"Get up now!" Mr. Eff snapped. 


With that Johnny struggled to get up and breathed heavily in the pain. As soon as he got to his feet, Mr. Eff shouted "Now, go find that girl and kill her! And as an added bonus, kill her wimpy ass friends!"


"Yes, they too have the light that threatens our Master!" D-Boy said "You must eliminate them too, Nny!"  


"Yes..." Johnny replied in a exhausted and painful sigh. Johnny struggled to walk and left to do his nasty superior's bidding. 


"Perhaps, we should let him take a rest first." D-Boy suggested "His powers are weak. He won't withstand the girl and her friends." 


"Fine!" Grumbled Mr. Eff grumbled "Hey, wimp! You may rest for a couple hours! But after that you must do as we ordered and kill those losers! Got that!?"


"Yes!" Johnny manage to call out as loud enough as he could. He then went into his chambers to rest and be left with some peace.   


"And don't mess up, you piece of shit!" Mr. Eff echoed 


****


While Tenna was doing other things, Devi with Eric on her shoulder decided to watch the sunset on the roof of one of the shops. Devi was thinking about all the stuff she went through so far. She kept thinking about all that has happened in her life. She sighed an unhappy sigh. 


"Things are just so messed up right now." Devi replied 


"It will get better." Eric replied. Devi looked at her friend as he continued. "Things don't stay bad forever. Magnus once told me that... Just saying, things constantly change from good to bad to good again. We just gotta learn to deal with whatever comes around." 

"I guess..." Devi replied. "Believe me I understand that fully. It's just...."

"I know." Eric replied "You know when I became a vampire, I felt the same way. I quit my old life, school, left the rest of my friends, since I felt I couldn’t balance all that and be a vampire. Eventually, I just learn to accept what happen and just adjust to it."


"So basically, you're saying anyone can get use to anything." Devi stated "Even the craziest shit..."


"Pretty much..." Eric replied "It just takes time."


"Hmm..." Devi replied. "


"Hey, can I ask you this?" Eric asked 


"Hmm?" Devi replied 


"Tenna's got Mr. Spooky as her familiar and you can see him..." Eric replied "So why do you think you're going crazy if you're seeing this doll?"


Devi thought about it for a while and then replied "I guess I just don't want to accept it. I don't want to accept any of it and if I say that I'm just going crazy...I guess... a part of me thinks it will go away."


"You're afraid of what will happen if you do accept it." Eric replied  Devi just looked at her friend sadly and then looked down. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have asked that..." Eric replied


"No..." Devi said "I'm glad you did actually...I guess I'm not being honest with myself as you were about yourself." 


"Devi..." Eric replied as he flew into her hands to face her. "Well....We all can be a little dishonest with ourselves now and again."


Devi smiled a little bit and nuzzled her friend with her face and said "Well I'm glad for one thing. Least you're patient and don't nag on me, unlike a certain best friend I can name..." She said that last part sarcastically but in a teasing manner.


Eric laughed and said "Well, you gotta admit. Least with Tenna, you can never get bored!" 


"Oh no..." Devi admitted. "Bored around Tenna? Not possible...Well I admit on my worse days, she won't faze me, but yeah, Tenna's Tenna."


"At least she's a loyal friend." Eric added


Devi smiled warmly and said "Yeah... Don't tell her I said this, but I guess without Tenna I think I'd be more miserable. She annoys me, yeah, but she was the first person in a long time that ever stood up for me and has stood beside me, even on my worse days. I have to give her credit for that."


"Yeah..." Eric replied warmly. 

"She kinda reminds me a lot of a friend I had back when I was real little..." Devi replied sadly. 

"Well, that's a good thing right?" Eric asked. "Least it's like having your old friend around again."

Devi thought about it for a moment and nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, it is."


"And I'm glad that you came back." Devi added as she cuddled her friend again. "I really did miss you, even though our first meeting was short. I'm glad you're here right now." 


"I missed you too..." Eric replied as he cuddled back and then they looked over at the horizon. 


"The world tends to look pretty from a far, doesn't it?" Eric asked


"Yeah, it does, actually..." Devi admitted.


As soon as the last bit of sunlight started to fade, Eric flew in front of Devi and then "POOF!" Eric turned back as soon as the sun went down. 

“It must be hard for you staying out in the day.” Devi commented.

“It is sometimes...” Eric replied. “That’s why I had to quit school, least one of the reasons. I always feel wrong when I had to do that kissing thing...I mean...”

“Yeah, sure...That’s why you had to do that demonstration.” Devi teased.

“Well, sorry...” Eric rubbed the back of his head nervously. “I just didn’t know how to show it...Ugh, I’ll shut up now...”

Devi giggled and said “I was just teasing you!” 

Devi and Eric looked out in the horizon. 

“Hey, I hope it doesn’t hurt to ask but what were doing all this before you found us?” Devi asked.

“Well, as I said, I did look for you for a while, but I figured maybe it was best if I had left you alone...I mean, you were traumatized by it. I just thought maybe it was best for you to think I died and moved on from it...”

“Eric...” Devi said as she looked down. Feeling bad for the feelings she had before.

“It’s alright...” Eric assured her confidently. “Everyone I know thinks I’m dead, well besides you, Magnus and Tenna.”

“How can you think that’s alright?!” Devi snapped at him. Eric’s eyes widen and he jerked his body slightly defensively, surprised as she continued. “You have people who care about you and you think that it’s okay for them to just think you died? You said your friends aren’t nothing so how can you believe such things?”

“Well, what was I suppose to do?!” Eric snapped back. “Look at me! I turn into a bat, I have wings, claws and I drink blood, Devi! Not to mention I shoot lightning bolts out of my hands! To humans, I’m considered a freak! What should I have done? Wait until the secret’s out and I soon become some experiment at a science lab?!”

Devi gave a sympathetic look to him as Eric sighed.

“What this taught me is that everything comes with a price...” He said finally calming down. “I had to do everything I had to survive, hoping that no one ever caught me with my wings out or something, unless I had to scare them. I stopped criminals for a living and stole some things from them so I could at least had enough to rent rooms and eat and if I couldn’t, I had to make due somehow.”

“I see....I’m sorry, I snapped at you...” Devi replied remorseful. 

“Well, I shouldn’t have snapped either...” Eric replied looking just as remorseful. “I miss my friends, believe me. I miss them so much!”

“What about your family?” Devi asked.

“My dad hated me and I mean it! He did...” Eric explained “My mom left a long time ago, when I was young. I dunno what happened to her...I had cousins and they cared but I couldn’t live with them and I rarely got to see them that much.”

“Oh...” Devi replied “I’m sorry....” She then remember what Oblivia had said, about his rough past. 

“Thanks, Dev.” Eric replied. 

“I guess, everyone goes through their own storm.” Devi replied as she stepped closer to Eric. 


Eric nodded and said “Yeah, I guess so...” He then finally smiled a small smile. Devi smiled back with a nod. Finally just sharing a moment of peace. 


"I'm gonna go and find Tenna, so we can maybe figure out a place to eat dinner." Eric told her. "You coming?"


"Nah, I'll catch up." Devi replied. "I kinda wanna clear my head on somethings."


"K..." Eric replied unsure about her being alone. "Well, don't stay up here too long."


"Alright..." Devi replied. She thought about something and then thought "I wish..." Then sighed again "Forget it..."


"You need to be more honest with yourself..." Said the voice of the doll. 


Devi made an annoyed expression at the voice and sighed sadly as she looked toward where her friend walked away. 



****


Eric and Tenna were sitting at a booth at a restaurant called the Crazy Chicken. They were waiting for Devi to come by. Eric was being very quiet. Tenna notice and had to ask.


"Okay, what's wrong?" Tenna asked


"Oh, its nothing..." Eric replied. 


"Oh don't give me that..." Tenna replied. "Believe me, after being around Devi, I know when something is on in anyone!"


Eric just smirked and before he could say anything they heard a large commotion. 


"What the hell?!" Tenna shouted. 


Eric stood up as he saw smoke from the left hand corner of the restaurant. When the smoke cleared, they could see a figure. It was Johnny. Tenna gasped as Eric braced himself for battle. Mean while, as Devi was going down the stairs to meet her friends, she felt something wrong and rushed down to find them. 


"Spooky, staff form now!" Tenna called out. Spooky poofed into it's staff form.


"No, Tenna!" Eric told her. "Leave him to me! Go find Devi and get her some place safe!" 


"You're not going anywhere!" Johnny replied "Neither any of you, for I must kill all three of you now!"


"Say what?!" Tenna replied 


"Tenna, get out here!" Eric told her. 


"My master wants all of you dead now!" Johnny said in his insane tone of voice. With that he shot a blast at them. They tumbled to the ground but manage to get back up to their feet. 


"Earth's Eternal Slumber!" Eric called forth. 


"Spirit Star Rush! Tenna called as she raised her staff, a spell ruin circle with multiple circles around it appeared and as she swung her staff on it, a white blast came from each of the circles. 


However, Johnny was determine to finish his mission. He just counter the attacks and sent them right back at them. By this time, Devi had found the restaurant and ran in from the left hand corner of it. She called out to her friends. Then realized her fear was correct as she saw Johnny standing there, who spotted her the moment she walked in.


Eric and Tenna also spotted Devi standing there. 


"Devi!" Eric replied 


"Get away!" Tenna told her. 


"Sound you finally showed up..." Johnny replied as he slowly walked up to her. 


Nny..." She called him from his nickname. 


"Hmm..." Johnny smiled and said "I see you remember that nickname. Lot of my superiors use it back home, which reminds me why I have to kill you. Don't take it personal...I just have to do what I need to do."


"Johnny, wait!" Devi called out "Please stop this! Least tell me why are you doing this?!" 


"Devi, get out of here!" Eric told her. 


"I've been confused of why I have these powers and why you do too!" Devi replied. "Tell me, why you doing this?! Why do you want to kill me and my friends!? It doesn't make sense!" Devi started feeling tears run down her face. "Please just tell me....I'm tired of not knowing what's going on!" 


Her friends looked at her sadly. 


Johnny just looked at her sadly but sighed and said "I'm sorry...but I can't tell you. My master doesn't want you to know..." 


With that he lifted his fist and said "Devi...Bye-bye..." With that he shot a blast of energy. Eric sprang forth and blocked the blast using his hands, focusing his powers to counter attack. However, it just shot Eric back and he went flying.


"Eric!" Devi called out. 


When Tenna was about to run to protect Devi, Johnny just lifted his left arm slightly and blasted Tenna back.


"Tenna!" Devi called out again. Then Johnny walked closer to her and raised his hand forward. 


"Johnny!!!!" Devi cried out before he blasted at her but the moment that happened a bright light shot out. Devi went flying before slamming to the ground and then sliding to a stop. Everything went black!