(Note: This part contains scenes that will not be appropriate for younger readers! And...well...heck, you're not going to listen, are you.)

Linna
By: Sforzie

Part Two

Linna lay awake in bed, staring up at the dim night moon through the closest window. She'd managed to keep her promise for a few days, but something was gnawing away at her stomach. There hadn't been any more disturbances in the area, but something still wasn't right.

She looked at the clock by her bed. Morning prayer wasn't for another four hours.

"Damn."

Something was keeping her awake, but Linna wasn't sure what. She'd checked on her brother twice. He was fast asleep. The computers said that all security systems were functioning properly, and that nothing was amiss in the palace.

Linna was pondering going to check on Kisle again, when she noticed something. Far off at the Temple, a light was on where there hadn't been one before. It was a faint, persistent purple glow that making a slow circuit around the roof of the Temple.

"What's that..." Linna hopped out of bed, moving to another window. The light was still there.

"It's probably nothing, but still..." She moved to get dressed. "...it can't hurt to make sure everything's alright."

She knew that the night guards would see her if she took the direct route to the Temple. So Linna had left the palace grounds and was now cutting through Le Sangre Park. The path would bring her to the back entrance of the Temple without anyone noticing.

"I'll just go and check and make sure everything alright, and then go back..." Linna slipped through a few bushes to another part of the path. "I'll be back before morning prayer, and no one will notice that I was gone."

"Such confidence for such a weak creature..."

"Huh?" Linna skidded to a stop, looking around.

"Behind you, fool."

Linna turned, facing the direction she'd just come from. A thin line of purple light had appeared.

"Were you the one at the temple?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes." The light expanded, growing into a more tangible form. Its face was humanoid, pale and covered in a multicolored myriad of lines and spots. Its hair was purple in the front, and darker blonde in the back. The rest of its form was covered in a long dark violet robe that disappeared into nothingness.

Linna recoiled a step. "What are you?"

"You may call me the Caster," the figure said. "Mmm...and as my Master has told me, you would be the bitchy little crown princess of the dragon demons..."

Linna's eyes narrowed. "You're a magic."

"Indeed..."

"What are you doing here? What were you doing at the temple?"

"So many questions for such a stupid creature..."

"Answer me!"

The Caster smirked. "Temper, temper. I'm merely here to find someone..."

"What business would you have with anyone here?"

"I only seek a creature who's soul contains enough power to take for my own..." The Caster floated closer. "Would you like to volunteer?"

"A possession magic..." Linna's left hand clenched into a fist. "How dare you come here!"

"Oh, mad now, are we?" The Caster was smirking again.

"Synthesis blade!" The albureque sword appeared in Linna's left hand, and she raised the weapon in a defensive posture.

"I didn't expect a fight from such a weak creature," the Caster said, arching a brow. "But if you wish." The magic darted forward quickly, slamming into Linna and knocking her off her feet. The sword disappeared as she lost her grip on it, but reappeared when she clenched her fist again.

"Yes, get up, little demon..." The Caster laughed. "My Master said it was alright if I played with my prey first."

Linna got to her feet again, watching the creature's movements. "Your master? Who controls you?"

"My Master does not control me, but he did create me..." The Caster started for Linna again, but she managed to dodge the new attack.

"Who created you?"

The Caster leapt at Linna again, grabbing her by the throat. "My Master...is the great devil lord...Mugendie."

"Wha-?" Linna thrashed in the magic's grip. She swung the albureque at the Caster. It missed, but Linna was able to slip free from its grasp.

The Caster laughed. "Surprised, demon?"

"What are you doing here? Why does Mugendie keep attacking the Dragon Temples?"

"Because he can."

"Augh!" Linna lunged at the magic again, but was swatted away. She gritted her teeth as her right shoulder dug into the ground. The Caster loomed over her, still smirking crookedly.

"You should be honored that I'm going to take the time to destroy you."

"What happened to stealing my power?"

"You're too abrasive for my tastes."

"Your tastes be damned!" Linna swing the albureque again, this time with both hands. She managed to connect, driving the sword through the creature's chest. The Caster shrieked in pained surprise as Linna pulled her hands apart, splitting both the albureque and the magic in half. The Caster dissolved into two equal spots of violet color light, the same as it had first appeared as. Linna fell back, closing her eyes in pain.

"Ha ha ha..."

"Ah ha ha... very silly..."

Linna groaned, opening her eyes.

Two Casters now loomed over her. They weren't perfect matches, but what Linna had done was clear enough to see.

"Damn."

"Now look at what she's done. How horrible."

"Simply wretched."

"For her, at least."

The Casters laughed. They moved to attack, but stopped suddenly. With uncertain expressions the magics scanned the area around them, and then backed up a few feet. One dissolved back into purple light, and then the second followed suit. They laughed again.

"Have fun."

Linna stared into the forest, watching as the lights disappeared. She rubbed her right shoulder. It was alright--there would probably just be a bruise in the morning.

"Will have to make sure Hunter doesn't see that."

She got to her feet, brushing the dirt off her boots. Linna looked back at the Temple. It was dark now.

"Wretched girl, look at what you've done."

Linna froze, a chill running down her spine. This was a new voice--much more low and male than the magics' had been. She turned slowly to find the source of the voice.

A man stood behind her, only a few feet away. He was solidly built and very tall-at least seven feet, probably a bit more. The man's white hair flowed down past his waist, though his bangs were silver and dark violet. He was wearing a long dark violet robe that was cinched with a silver belt at his waist. He was hold two small crystals in his right hand, and staring at them intently.

It wasn't the man's faintly yellow skin that bothered Linna. Or his long, sharp purple fingernails.

It was his eyes. They were empty and orange, and shadowed heavily by reddish-orange beneath his brows.

"Hmm." The man tucked the crystals away, and turned his attention to Linna. "I hope you have a very good apology planned."

"Apology?"

His eyes narrowed. "Yes. For damaging my property."

"Damage..." Linna stepped back. "Who are you?"

He smirked. "Ah, going to join in the game now, are we?"

Her eye twitched. "Why am I only meeting weirdos out here tonight?"

"Weirdos?!" He lunged at Linna, grabbing her by the base of her long ponytail and shoving her against the closest tree. She tried to get away, but he easily kept her pinned.

His breath was frigid in her ear. "Don't you know who I am, little demon?"

Linna wheezed. "No."

"Hmph." He held her in place. "I've killed demons for lesser offenses."

"Killed.." She stared at the bark of the tree. "Tell me who you are."

He stepped back, still holding her by the hair. His forefinger nail was digging into her scalp. "Don't boss me around." He gave her a little shake. "Who am I? Who am I?! I am the one you fools should be groveling to!" His grip tightened. "I am the son of your precious Dragon goddess! I am the devil who shall destroy every last one of your kind! I am-"

Her eyes widened. "No!"

"-Mugendie."

He threw her to the ground. Linna remained there, unsure what to do. She had hoped for this encounter all her life, but now-

Mugendie stood, an unseen heel pressed firmly into the small of Linna's back. "If I've heard correctly, you're the little princess Linna who wants my blood. Isn't that right?"

"What of it?"

He shifted his weight onto the foot pressing into her back. "I don't like little demon bitches running around thinking that they have a chance in a million of defeating me."

"Those are good enough odds for me."

"Shut up." He crouched over her, foot still in place. "Normally I would have killed a demon like you already. Or at least properly incapacitated you... But I rarely ever get the chance to kill a demon quite as lovely as you."

Linna could see him smirking out of the corner of her eye. "Is that suppose to be a compliment?"

"No." Mugendie pushed her ponytail aside. "I'm afraid that a demon is a demon, no matter how cute the ass." He poked a nail into the fabric at her back. "However, that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun. You didn't apologize, after all."

Linna gave a horrified little gasp, and struggled to get away. She quickly found that she couldn't move.

Mugendie dragged his finger down to meet his foot. Linna could feel the fabric giving way under the nail's progress.

"No!"

His foot moved to make way for his hand. "Lucky for me, your people don't wear very much in the way of battle clothes."

"You damned pervert!" Linna managed to kick her right leg up, her boot jabbing him in the side. She started to scramble away, but Mugendie recovered and grabbed the end of her ponytail. He jerked her back hard, wrenching her neck and throwing her onto her back. Mugendie tightened his grip on her hair, his nails cutting through the thick mass. In a quick movement, Mugendie cut the last foot of the ponytail off.

Linna's scream echoed down the path.

"I just love doing that to synth dragons," Mugendie smirked, tossing the mass of hair aside. "Putting so much of your life force into your hair. Pathetic creatures." He bent over her, nails slicing through the straps that held her clothing on.

Linna was feeling lightheaded from the suddenly removal of energy. She could feel his nails tracing along her skin--could feel the blood seeping to the surface. Her stomach churned--this was not what she had wanted to happen.

As if sensing her nausea, Mugendie stabbed his nails deep into the flesh of her stomach. She yelped, her body jerking in response. Her brain was reeling from her sudden inability to follow her millennia of training.

Mugendie chuckled, watching the blood pool. He finally pulled his hand away, lengthening the wounds as he did so. The devil bent, tongue carefully curling across her skin. Linna stared, horrified, as he lapped the blood from her stomach. The movement was painfully slow and deliberate, but as seemingly effortless as a hellkitten lapping up spilt cream. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore her growing need to gag.

He was looking at her with a strangely content look. Once finished with the excess blood, Mugendie proceeded to lick his way up the narrow expanse of Linna's exposed flesh. His tongue slid smoothly upwards, between her breasts and past her collarbone, leaving a long faint trail of red in its wake. His lips stopped at her right ear.

"Demon's blood is a delicacy among devils, you know...."

"Bastard."

He leaned back, smirking again. "Perhaps. But..." He chuckled. "It's time to take your apology from you."

"Over my dead body, you monster!" She struggled again, but he held her down effortlessly.

"Don't worry, that's part of the plan."

"No!" Her eyes clenched shut as Mugendie's nails dug into her right thigh. Linna tried to focus as the pain spread down to her knee. She had to do something...

"Oh, come now," he looked up, "it's not as much fun if you don't struggle and curse at me a bit."

"Then I will deny you that pleasure..." Linna growled through her teeth. She clenched her left hand into a fist.

Mugendie loomed over her again, his nose nearly touching hers. "Hmm? You were being such a bitch a minute ago."

She opened her eyes slowly, looking up at the devil. He flashed a wicked smile down at her.

Linna whispered, her lips barely moving: "Synthesis blade."

It took nearly all of her remaining magic strength to form the albureque sword in her left hand. She jerked her left arm to slash at Mugendie, but the devil proved again to be too fast for her. Before her arm had completely moved, Mugendie's hand slammed down on her arm. Linna winced as the bone snapped under the blow. He held her arm down, and reached across her to pull the sword from her hand with his free hand.

The albureque didn't dissipate like it should have. Linna stared at the sword in horror.

"You stupid demon bitch, did you really think you could hurt me with this little sword?" Mugendie glared down at her. He seemed genuinely offended.

"H-how--"

"Shut up." Mugendie got to his feet. He glanced at the albureque in his hand. "You know, I swore that I'd never lower myself to have to use a weapon." Mugendie looked back down at Linna, who was still staring up at him, her expression a mixture of anger and disbelief. "But just this once... For you, I will make an exception."

[ part 3 ]