85 Madness

[

Aisha's eyes fluttered, her mouth slightly agape and panting, as her brain was wracked with pleasure. Said pleasure came from a warm, unbelievably soft hand on top of her head, stroking in fluffy, lovey feelings directly into her enraptured little head.

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Aisha moaned, arching her back as much as she could, unintentionally raising her ass into the air. She couldn't help it - ordinarily, headpats were calming, pacifying, but that was when her mistress was distracted, busy talking to Aisha, or reading one of her comics.

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When she was focused like this, Aisha stood absolutely no chance. Not that she wanted to stand a chance, but fuck, it was so… deliciously humiliating, making those embarrassing moans, stuck in this mortiftingly slutty pose - it made her heart flutter.

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Yes, Aisha loved losing. If losing meant that she got to be coddled and kissed, Aisha was the biggest loser in the world. Anything for more of mistress's attention - she craved it, needed it! It was like a drug, except the addicted little fey had an unlimited supply of it, and she never got tired of it. She was addicted to the love. She loved her mistress. She loved mistress's love! She loooooved loving her mistress!

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"Good girl…" Lorian mumbled absentmindedly, and Aisha shivered in response, her cheeks burning hot. She wanted more! More!

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"Mew!" Aisha squealed pitifully, hearts practically radiating off of her as she degraded herself, debased herself, just for another head pat.

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But it worked, and with a soft smile, Lorian obliged, playing Aisha's head like a piano, slender fingers dancing along the top of her fluffy ears, playing a melody of moans. Aisha squeezed her mistress's thighs tight, clutching onto them for dear life as her eyes rolled up in her head, her breaths accelerating and hitching, and her legs tensing as well-

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Aisha let out a keening whine at the growing heat in her loins. Oh nooo! She was - she was getting horny. She wanted to kiss her mistress so bad… Wanted to lick and taste her… but in a sexual way.

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She started to blush like a schoolgirl, kicking her legs up and down. She couldn't help it - she just needed to - to move, do anything to get her mind over the fact that mistress was petting her butt - oh god, mistress was stroking her ass!

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Aisha let out a loud squeak of embarrassment, hiding her face in her hands in an attempt to get her attention over the hand so close to her wetness - fuck, she wanted mistress to just reach a bit lower and sink her fingers in, pumping inside of her…

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When the petting stopped, and Aisha regained control of her body, she quickly hugged her mistress's chest to prevent any more dirty thoughts. She sighed in relief, as she felt a pair of hands rubbing up and down her back, warm, smooth hands soothing her, quelling the heat in her panties.

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"D-did you…" Lorian blushed. "Did you like that?"

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Aisha flushed red too, burying herself deeper into Lorian's amazing chest.

"Yeah." She whispered. "It felt… um… it felt really good."

"W-well, o-oh. Good then. Good girl. Good girl." Lorian mumbled. "I- I'm sorry f-for… for touching your butt. It was really nice, though."

"I liked it!" Aisha blurted, instantly regretting it as her face turned red again. "I-I mean… you own me, right… you can touch me however you want…"

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Lorian gulped. Aisha had no idea about the ways she wanted to touch her. About how good she wanted to make Aisha feel.

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The big girl leaned down and sucked Aisha's cheek into her mouth, lightly nipping at the skin in an affectionate gesture. It was actually something she had picked up from Aisha. One day, she had been lapping at mistress's cheek, and then the next moment, they had been in a fierce nipping war, leaving little marks all over each other. Ever since then, the little bites had been a frequent phrase in their little love language.

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Aisha nipped her back with a red face, slowly putting her mouth over Lorian's collar and sucking submissively, taking in her mistress's sweet taste. She looked up into her mistress's eyes, big eyes shining lovingly, as she gently nommed on the soft skin there, lips trailing a stream of saliva.

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So fucking adorable. What a little slut. She had to be doing it on purpose, right? There was no way she actually - actually was this ridiculously sweet, right? She was just acting sweet to tease her. So that she would lose control and fuck her.

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Lorian flushed with embarrassment. No. She was wrong. Aisha really was just genuinely this lovey-dovey, naturally this cute. Naturally this cuddly, and soft, and huggable. Dammit. She wished - she wished they had met some other way. She wished she didn't love her so much, so much that she was afraid to lose her!

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"Miswess?" Aisha squeezed out of Lorian's breasts. "What'sh-"

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Before Aisha could even finish, her entire body was lifted up, and her lips were captured in a soft kiss, her eyes fluttering shut as she snuggled deeper into her mistress's body. For both girls, the kisses helped quell their mutual heats, as the feeling of their lips meeting sent soothing, warm sensations through both their bodies.

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The hugs helped too. Gosh, Aisha was so warm. Among the two of them, Aisha definitely was more addicted to the hugs, but that didn't mean Lorian didn't also pine for those amazing hugs. She was just so fluffy. So soft, so comforting. Hugging Aisha made her feel like she was complete, like she had been born just to hold Aisha in her arms, like her body had been shaped just to fit the adorable little girl in the nooks of her body.

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She wondered if her life absorption had anything to do with it. Maybe Aisha's feelings had infiltrated her body through her life essence, turning her all mushy and lovey-dovey. But there was no way that could happen, right? In order for that to happen… well, her love for Lorian would have to be… ingrained in her very essence. Not even her soul, but every action that she took.

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Lorian turned red, all of a sudden meeting Aisha's adoring, loving gaze, eyes half lidded in pleasure, but also so soft, shining with a playful, innocent energy. Lorian had to look away, simply because it made her heart beat too fast, made her head too light.

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She was so full. Full of love. But so empty at the same time. She wanted Aisha's tongue or fingers inside her-

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Dammit!

]

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Aisha watched with half-lidded, lazy eyes as the bandits rushed through the forest, sound completely muffled by whatever spell they had used over the forest. She donned her black mask and watched carefully, ready to leap in. She didn't really feel like getting chewed out by Raxas for the deaths of more adventurers in her presence, so she planned on, begrudgingly, saving Kayle and his friends before they were slaughtered in their sleep.

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Aisha clicked her tongue in displeasure as two of the bandits peeled off from the main group, spotting Aisha in the treeline. She tried to motion for them to go and fuck off, but obviously, they didn't bother heeding Aisha's warning, seeing nothing but a loose end that had to be taken care of.

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The first bandit moved in close, putting up a barrier when he saw Aisha reach out a hand, green and solid-looking. But his expression quickly turned into horror as Aisha tore her hand through, throwing away shards of the barrier like glass, before gripping his neck and crushing it in one movement.

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After another shooing motion, the second bandit wisely decided to run away, leaving her friend to choke and gasp silently on the floor. Pitying the man, Aisha took his dagger from his pocket and finished his life with a quick stab in the head.

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She eyed the shiny, well-maintained weapon in her hand, glimmering with memories of years of use, through many different hands, with a different purpose every use. Such a simple object, but with so much history, with so much untapped potential…

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She threw it on the ground. It wasn't shiny enough for her to keep. Gabi was right. Aisha wanted something she could call her own! Something cool. There wasn't much point to her keeping a weapon so short, anyways, when her fists and magic could easily decimate her opponents.

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Spotting movement out of the corner of her eye, Aisha clicked her tongue in displeasure, realizing that the bandits were already on the wagons, and soon to be on Kayle and his sleeping friends. She rose from her squat, ready to leap into action, when suddenly, she grimaced in intense discomfort, a radiant light shining through the forest, illuminating the entire forest for what might have been miles.

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Her mask acting somewhat like sunglasses, the light was only irritating to Aisha, as her eyes adjusted to the light, but to the bandits, the light was blinding, and Aisha didn't have to hear or see to know that a lot of the robbers were probably in agony.

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A second wave of magic swept through the area, and suddenly the cries of agony grew audible, pained, annoyed cries echoing through the forest as another set of voices were made audible.

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"...them quick!" A pubescent voice shouted, his voice confident and loud. "Bind them!"

"There's too many!" A second voice, that Aisha discerned as Morgan, shouted. "I can't get this many!"

"Then knock them out!" Kayle ordered. "Use rocks if you have to! Grith! Get the rope from the back cart! Help us out!"

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As Kayle shouted over the battlefield, firing arrows from his bow while ordering around his party members, as well as even the merchant, like chess pieces, Aisha could only think that he finally held some resemblance to his late brother. His sharp features lit up under the brief lighting that emit from the magical explosions that lit up the clearing, barking and pointing orders confidently.

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But it didn't last long, and soon, Kayle winced as an arrow broke through his mana shield, nicking him on the cheek. More spells and arrows flew throughout the clearing, and soon, Kayle and his party were forced to retreat for cover, ducking behind the covered wagons.

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While they were still outnumbered, it was still obvious that Kayle had the advantage. Having lost the element of surprise, the bandits, out in the open with no cover, were forced to try and charge them in their protected positions.

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And while they looked weak and frail, Aryn and Morgan were incredibly powerful mages. Aisha watched as Morgan unleashed a torrent of wind, blowing back spells, and even arrows, as the cloth wagons blew violently in the gust. Aryn himself was using some bizarre elf magic - green wisps spewing out of his body like a flock of birds, and knocking themselves violently into bodies and barriers alike, dozens of the wisps overwhelming the outmatched bandits.

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It wasn't before long that all the bandits were either unconscious, bound, or were far from sight. The three boys collapsed onto the ground, tired, and with a few cuts, but nothing lethal.

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Aisha stepped out of the treeline.

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"Where were you the entire time, beast?" Morgan snarled weakly.

"Stop that." Aryn panted, rolling his eyes.

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Kayle waved his hands weakly at his friends, before looking at Aisha with a defiant look, victory in his eyes. "You see that, bitch!?" He yelled. "No killing! We beat the odds! I win!"

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"The odds were entirely in your favor." Aisha rolled her eyes. "You are much more powerful than them. But regardless, you're shortsighted."

"What are you talking about?" Kayle demanded. "We beat them!"

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"Ok." Aisha said curtly. "What are you going to do with them now?"

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Kayle's eyes widened with surprise for a second, before he poorly attempted to mask it, his face twitching weirdly as he tried to keep a straight face.

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"W-what do you mean?" Kayle breathed out. "We… we leave them here."

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Even Aryn and Morgan winced at the suggestion, shaking their heads slightly.

"Well, good luck with that." Aisha laughed.

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"What are you talking about!?" Kayle demanded.

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Aryn leaned over.

"Um," He said hesitantly. "Well, if you want them to not die, you have to set them free, right?"

"...Yes." Kayle said slowly.

"They're going to come back."

"But we beat them." Kayle protested.

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Aryn sighed. "It's your call, but if you don't kill these people, someone else is going to get attacked by these people."

"No!" Kayle said stubbornly. "We can change them!"

"In five minutes?"

"Well, no, but-"

.

"We have things to do." Morgan said sympathetically. "I know this is important to you… but honestly… I'm not really interested in this. You can let them loose if you want, I don't really care."

"Don't you guys care about saving people?" Kayle argued. "That's supposed to be what adventuring is about! Helping people!"

"No." Morgan said.

"Not reallyyyy." Aryn chirped, twirling his hair around a finger.

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Aisha was silent.

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"You guys are just like her!" Kayle said angrily, jabbing a slender finger at Aisha. "Just in it for the money!"

"Hey." Aryn shuffled his feet bashfully. "That's not true."

"Then why!?" The short boy demanded.

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"The adventure." Aryn said sheepishly, rubbing his neck. "That's why it's called adventuring, right? To go and see places! Meet people!"

"You make me sick." Kayle said in disgust.

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Morgan sighed, rising to his feet and putting a hand on Kayle's shoulder.

"Listen, Kayle. Caring about other people is a luxury." He said softly. "Worry about yourself first. Helping people is great! And it's great that you're trying to do that. But you can't help other people if you don't help yourself first."

"So when does it stop?" Kayle argued. "When do you stop caring about yourself? Everybody has something that they want, or need! That selfish attitude is exactly why this world is so fucked up! If everybody just cared a little bit more, then people wouldn't have to starve, or steal, or kill!"

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"Maybe." Morgan sighed. "Actually, probably. But that's unrealistic."

"It is realistic!" Kayle hissed. "To get people to care, just a little bit more?"

"Yeah." The brown-haired man said softly. "Humans are just… selfish. That's not going to change."

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"I refuse to believe that!! I-"

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Kayle suddenly whirled around, feeling the flow of magic around him shift. His eyes widened when he saw the tip of a dagger about to pierce his stomach, trying to back away, but tripping. Aryn and Morgan moved to save the boy, but were slightly too far away, the dripping, poisoned dagger tip inching closer and closer to his shirt.

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"No!" Kayle screamed, just before the bandit's head was engulfed by a violent spray of violet mana, piercing through his body like knives. The poisoned dagger fell to the ground, along with the bandit's body, not even a drop of blood visible. There were only angry red marks on his face, still frozen in an unmoving, desperate expression.

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A chilling glare from Aisha's masked face froze the other bandit's movements, even though they were all now untied.

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"NO!" Kayle shrieked, scrambling to his feet and violently gripping the lapels of Aisha's jacket. "WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?"

"To save you."

"NO! I WOULD HAVE! I-I-I-"

"It's my fault." Morgan whispered softly, as if afraid to turn Kayle's rage on himself. "I'm sorry. I should have been watching."

"NO! NO!" Kayle screamed. "IT WAS- I WOULD HAVE LIVED! YOU-YOU MONSTER! I-"

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"If I was a monster, I would have let you die." Aisha snarled, wrenching Kayle's hands off of her. "You should be thankful! Without me, you would have died! Arguing in front of these bandits, that YOU saved!"

"SHUT UP!" Kayle shrieked, his tanned face starting to turn red in rage. "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!"

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"Just let it go." Aryn said softly, wrapping his arms around Kayle's waist, to stop him from punching Aisha. "Please! It's no big deal!"

"It is a big deal!" Kayle wailed, trying desperately to keep himself composed. "I refuse to acknowledge…"

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Aisha just sighed, shaking her head as she moved towards the wagon, settling in with the now-empty crates as Kayle's voice faded.

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There was nothing but silence for the rest of the trip home, just the way Aisha liked it - or rather, no - Aisha didn't enjoy the silence. She hated the silence. Back when she was home with mistress… she wanted every single second to be filled with the woman's amazing, melodious voice…

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She just didn't like listening to people. Their small talk, their trivial formalities - Aisha tired of them so much, of having to conform to them, simply because they had gotten so used to them that it seemed strange to not conform. Aisha had lived in a place where literally every single word mattered - as nobody else spoke, people scrutinized her words like text, criticizing her.

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But it was different when she was talking to someone she cared about. Like her mistress. Or her sister. Seeing how their faces lit up when she talked about something happy…

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A sudden lurching forced Aisha's head against a crate, cursing, Aisha wrenched the cloth covers out of her way, jumping off the cart and stretching her neck with an audible crack. Aryn turned to look at her, and started to make his way over to her, also stretching his own arms and neck.

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"Hey!" He chirped. "How was the ride?"

"...Fine."

"Well, our ride was pretty depressing." Aryn said quietly. "You kind of… destroyed Kayle's spirit."

"He did that himself."

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The blonde elf sighed, shaking his head.

"Oh, whatever." He said, exasperated. "Did you think it would happen on the first contract?"

Aisha shrugged. "It was likely. He loses his head when he gets angry. And given how easily that happens…"

"Hm." Aryn pursed his lips. "Sounds like you've known him for a while."

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Aisha hesitated, mind jumping to multiple moments when she had interacted with the family of olive-skinned, sharp-faced brothers.

"No, I haven't." She whispered. "But… it runs in the family."

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Aisha hummed pleasantly to herself as she walked back to her apartment, with a promise from Aryn that she would be hearing when they planned for their next contract. As it turned out - most people did not just chain contracts together like Aisha did, and while initially angry, she resigned herself to just spending time with her buxom friends.

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She took off her mask and her hood, letting the fresh air waft over her face. Ah, it felt good to be able to just relax, and be a good little subby kitten, instead of a murderous, silent mercenary.

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But when she returned to Celeste's apartment, the kicked in door and magical burns littering the buildings told her instantly that something was wrong. Her blood ran cold, as she looked around frantically, wondering what the hell could have happened to them in the middle of a busy day.

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She touched a burn mark, taking off her glove and feeling it with her hand. It was still warm, but not hot - it wasn't fresh, but something had definitely happened within the hour. Something bad.

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Aisha's mouth went dry, and her head started to spin as she started to panic, fear seizing a hold of her heart. If something happened to another one of her friends, she would- she would-

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"Aisha!" Someone screamed. "Hey! HEY!"

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Suddenly, a pair of hands wrenched Aisha violently out of her panic, the girl whipping around to see a fully armored, white knight shaking her shoulders.

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"W-who…" She whispered.

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"It's me, Vigil!" The knight said frantically, taking off her helmet to reveal a sweaty Vigil, face flushed with exertion. "Come on! Celeste a-and- and the succubus- Hana- they're in danger!"

"Where?" Aisha said hoarsely.

"Come on!"

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The sinking feeling did not go away as the air became louder, the dull drone of ambient voices starting to make way to angered, feverish shouting. A sound that assaulted Aisha's sensitive ears, but was drowned out entirely by the pounding in her own heart.

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The sound got louder and louder, and soon, Aisha could see the mob, all huddled around the side of a building, hucking rocks and spells at something in the center, although Aisha couldn't see. She didn't have to, though. She couldn't make anything out of the sounds, but she knew that Hana was in there.

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Vigil beside her tried to push people out of the way, mumbling a few pitiful "excuse me's" and "sorry's," but even the large woman had trouble getting into the mob.

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Aisha didn't bother with pleasantries. She violently gripped someone in the crowd and threw them onto the ground, their body skidding on the pavement and ripping up their back. At the yelp of surprise, Aisha paid no mind - she just continued to throw people out of the way, violently tossing them aside like garbage bags. A stray fist flew her way, but soon the owner also joined his friends on the pavement, howling in pain as his arm was dislocated violently.

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"-DEMONSPAWN!" The mob yelled, in a cacophony of voices.

"DEMON!"

"IMPURE!"

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Aisha broke into the center of the circle, and was met with a protective barrier, and desperately, she looked inside, seeing Celeste and Fei try vainly to maintain a shield, protecting a naked, ashen-skinned Hana behind them. The demon girl sobbed and shook, curled up into a ball as she screamed, terror evident in her voice, too scared to even look outwards. The look on Celeste's face was similarly scared, but also tired, her arms and legs weak from exertion and fatigue.

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Celeste's face visibly grew relieved at the sight of Aisha's face, letting out a deep breath - but quickly regretted it, as her barrier weakened under the strain, the spells and rocks beginning to form cracks in her shield. She shrieked as a rock made it through, dropping her staff to shield her face from the projectile -

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After the stone didn't come, Celeste dared to open an eye, and her vision was blocked by the sight of Aisha's outstretched fist, gripping the stone so tight, it eventually just crumbled to pieces in her hand, shards falling over the floor. The mob quickly grew silent at the new arrival, and all of a sudden the eyes were on Aisha, unmasked, but still clad in her imposing black adventuring gear, and a murderous look on her newly-horned face.

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A sweaty Vigil barrelled through the crowd shortly after, and she quickly began to tend to Celeste and Hana, the former having collapsed onto the ground out of exhaustion.

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"Who threw that." Aisha whispered, her voice brimming with cold fury. Nobody dared answer, but scanning the crowd, a member of the mob flinched when Aisha met his gaze.

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A second later, Aisha had her foot on his head, and was beginning to press down with all of her enhanced strength. The creaking, sickening noise of splintering bone started to sound, as the demon-hunting crowd all looked in horror, as the man screamed out in pain.

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"W-wait…" Fei mumbled nervously. "H-hey Aisha, stop! T-that's-"

"They all came here prepared to kill." Aisha turned to Fei, shining an eerily, sickeningly innocent smile. "They should be prepared to die, right?"

"N-no, I-"

"HELP!" The man on the floor choked out. "HEL-GHLK!"

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Aisha turned his head onto its back and stomped on his neck, violently, breaking his windpipe. Nothing but pained, choking gasps exit his mouth for the next few breaths, and taking pity on the bearded peasant, Aisha raised her foot to end his life, ready to literally stomp the life out of him.

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But the satisfying crunch of an ending life never came, and instead, Aisha was the one knocked down to the floor, a familiar, blinding light entering her vision. She found that she couldn't move, her arms and legs bound by some powerful, powerful, white spell, and suddenly, her cold rage grew into an inferno, as an even more familiar voice boomed out towards the crowd.

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"Demons attract demons!" Ifrit boomed, raising his arms upwards, ceremoniously. "Behold, the "hand of the demon…" is a demon herself!"

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Aisha grimaced as her face was yanked upwards to show off her budding horns, spittle collecting out of the corner of her mouth in pure hatred.

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"YOU." Aisha growled, a guttural, scathing utterance, of nothing but venom, the words dripping out of her mouth.

"Oh." Ifrit said, half-lidded eyes gazing disdainfully down at Aisha. "You know me?"

"Go to hell." Aisha said, her voice icy.

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"That's a place reserved for your kind." Ifrit whispered back.

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"KILL HER!" The crowd chorused, Aisha grunting as she was pelted by rocks.

"KILL THE DEMON!"

"KILL ALL OF THEM!"

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"My children, my children!" Ifrit boomed, raising his hands in mock restraint. "We must not solve our problems with hatred. This girl was not always a demon. She has been corrupted by sin."

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The crowd was silent.

"I will seal her powers, and she will return to a normal woman." He announced. "Just like the other one."

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Aisha's eyes widened, as she realized Ifrit's game - how incredibly petty he was. He hated that he didn't control Aisha. He hated that she had made her own path, created her own story, independent - no, in spite of his efforts. It hurt his ego, to not have things go his way. And so he would take away everything that Aisha had done, everything she had gained, ever since their first meeting in that damn street.

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"NO!" Aisha screamed, but her mouth was quickly locked into place, closed by powerful magic like it was suddenly wired shut. She thrashed and screamed her muffled screams, but her entire body was bound, and she could barely even lift a single figure, as Ifrit knelt beside her. Her friends looked in horror at Aisha as she wriggled on the floor, but were powerless to stop the god, his immense magical pressure repelling everything around him.

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"Goodbye." Ifrit mumbled, at a volume that only Aisha would hear. "You annoying, annoying little insect."

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Aisha felt fire in her stomach as Ifrit placed a hand on her navel, white fire burning through her literal soul, burning away everything. Unimaginable pain wracked her body, as the fire spread through her veins - burning away every trace of what she had become, forcing her to regress - to the husk of a girl she had been before.

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(No… no. No… ) Aisha cried out weakly, in her mind. (Don't go. Don't leave me…)

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(Sister…) A weak voice called.

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Aisha's eyes started to drip, whether out of pain or sadness, she didn't know. But she couldn't even sob as her life was taken away from her, her body frozen solid by Ifrit's magic.

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"No…" Aisha cried. "Stop…"

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The fey's eyes widened, as suddenly, she felt autonomy return to her body, clenching her fists and scrambling onto her ass, backing away onto a wall. The thought of why Ifrit's magic stopped didn't even cross her mind - there was something far more important she needed to check.

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(Are you there!?) She thought frantically, feeling inside her mind for that familiar presence. For a second, her heart froze, hearing no reply, but after a while, she felt something push against her, almost like a fingertip touching her own.

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Aisha almost broke down crying, in relief. She didn't know why she had such a massive attachment to her little pseudo-sister, but the thought of losing her felt more chilling than losing Celeste or Hana. She hugged her stomach protectively, protecting her, as if even a touch would kill her sister.

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Breathing heavily, she was able to turn her attention to the screaming that was assaulting her ears.

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Ifrit screamed out in pain as blood gushed from his hand, or rather, what was quickly becoming nothing. A black infection was eating up his arm, consuming his flesh and clothing like flames eating away kindling - copious amounts of bright red blood flooding out of the now-stump, eaten by the infection just as fast.

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"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" He shrieked, his voice cracking in a shrill register. "GET IT OFF!"

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Aisha took sick pleasure in watching Ifrit fire a barrage of spells at his own arm, powerful spells that radiated pure power, but were completely ineffective against the black infection, corrupted flesh falling to the ground like black sand. She relished the look of helpless horror on his face - of meeting a force that he didn't understand, that he couldn't face.

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Whatever it was. But Aisha was too busy relishing in Ifrit's terrified expression to even wonder.

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With a scream of pain, Ifrit drew a blade from his hip, and sliced his arm off clean at the shoulder, letting even more blood gush from the wound on his shoulder, dripping onto the ground, the same ground where his amputated arm was quickly consumed by the black sand. He tried vainly to staunch the bleeding, red soaking his pure-white clothing, but all it succeeded in doing was showing off his bloody hands to the crowd.

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He took one last, fearful look at the crowd, stunned, and after one last scathing look at Aisha, his body disappeared in a flash of light, leaving behind a pool of bright red, human blood.

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There was nothing but silence, as people stared. First at the blood, and then at Aisha, from whom the infection seemed to spread. For a second, Aisha didn't know what to do either, but suddenly, the girl walked slowly over to the pool, peering down.

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Blood. The same blood that ran through her veins. Through any mortal's veins. Red as poppies. Oh so red.

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She bent down and dipped a finger into the pool, watching it drip down her digit. And then, she popped the finger into her mouth.

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And began to laugh. She cackled madly, the sound echoing around the buildings like shockwaves. She couldn't help it. It tasted metallic, the same as any other. It was the same as any other blood.

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Ifrit was human. And Aisha had made him bleed.

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There was only screaming. Screaming, as people looked at the monster, cackling wildly, horns sharp as knives, bathing in red. Bathing in a pile of their god's blood.

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Then, there was nothing but white.