Rade's Demon Elimination Service

Chapter 5: Guiding Wisps for the Lost Girl

Rade has only one fear; killing, but even the fate wouldn't let her be and forced her to face her worries and fears without anyone to hold her still when she was shaking.

Rade was holding Emma, blood dripping from where she was holding the deadly weapon on her hand— digging into her flesh without any complain.

As always, she was gritting her teeth and there was no way she would cry. Though her mind was still in a mess, her feet was certain and quiet; not exactly reflecting her internal turmoil. When Rade moved around this part of the town, she thought it would also signify a new beginning for her.

Who was she fooling though?

Only herself.

The world caves in around her and people would only closed in on her vulnerability. They were opportunists, the whole lot of them. But what happened in the past was irrelevant now, she must first kill the demon infesting her low rise apartment.

With the kind of budget she has, Rade could only afford the lowest of the lowest kind of accommodations. It was better than nothing, but, as a demon hunter, like what Kalleid said earlier, demons and manifestations of all kinds were attracted to her spiritual energy.

Without a protective boundary around the place she now could call home, demons would come and go inside her own home and theywbould always bother her. At the whole month she had been living in her apartment, she had to kill at least seven demons. Those she chased away weren't even included on that.

She had seven cores on her possession now, and if she successfully executed this demon, she'd have eight cores.

Rade knew that most of the hunters around these areas make a living out of selling demon cores to demon core appraisers (it was like they were treating demon core like they were jewelry), but Rade felt guilty that she was making murder as her livelihood, and then she felt guilty again for feeling guilty for those demons.

It wasn't like they wouldn't be killed by other hunters if she didn't do it herself so the guilt was actually unwarranted.

Rade ran towards the small creature, only as tall as a toddler but with wicked claws. It already cut her arm, making it known to Rade that it was vicious despite its size. With a slight twist, the demon got caught on her scimitar and was stabbed straight through one of its claws. Not letting even just a heartbeat pass, Rade pulled out Emma out of the demon's body and thrusted it violently to its eye, where the core was located (one must know though that cores were located in different parts of a demon's body).

It let out a piercing shriek, so loud it was that Rade even has to closed her eyes. As though it was burned straight through, it slowly turned into ashes and a small gem clattered against the apartment's tiled floor.

Bright and smooth, the demon's core looked like an ordinary precious stone.

Ah, Rade thought, this could be the reason why they were all trearing cores similar to how ordinary people treat jewelries.

"This one is a vicious one," Rade muttered.

Rade looked over at her arm, still dripping with blood and filling the whole room with the metallic scent of blood. There was also the matter of her hand, an everlasting cut was placed on it to achieved Emma's requirement of blood in exchange of strength and its blade.

Clumsily, Rade tried to bandage her cuts but blood still seeped through the white bandages around her arm and hand. It was wet and it was uncomfortable, that was how Rade fell asleep.

She woke up in a delirous state. Clothed herself with fresh clothes and applied new bandages on her cuts that was slowly and steadily healing thanks to Emma's healing properties (not to be confused with the holy weapon being of help to her though). Emma was let to be imprinted back on her own skin, like tattoos or maybe marks was a more appropriate term for it. White faced and having lost too much blood because of his injuries, Rade finally made her way to her school.

She sat through every course subject, not being noticed and not noticing anything nor anyone in return. When the bell rang to signify the two hour lunch break, instead of going to the cafeteria like everyone does, Rade went to the vending machines by the side of the building. Looking down at what was left of her money, Rade couldn't help but frowned deeply.

She might need to walk home later.

"I knew you'd be here," someone said behind her.

Sensing the odd presence of a demon, it took a great restraint from Rade not to call forth Emma. The cuts on her hand were still painful, and it didn't help that Emma was raw on her skin. It was killing her with external pain on her skin and the oncoming blood from the cough she did was swallowed back, the taste of metallic salty blood tainting her tongue. It made her lost her appetite, but without eating, Rade knows she would suffer greater consequences. Besides that, there wasn't really anyone who would take care of her if she ever got sick.

Instead of avoiding Kalleid, Rade went to the bleachers near the vending machines and took a huge bite of the chocolate bar. It was dry and it made her want to discard everything on her stomach but there was really nothing to discard so she swallowed it with a bile taste of blood.

"And why is that?" she snapped coldly.

"You're broke from the looks of it," Kalleid said, there was that gentle smile on his face again as he put down beside her a small lunch box. "I cooked something. Ehhh..." Kalleid's lips turned into a lopsided boyish smile. "I think it's edible."

"Thanks," Rade responded shamelessly.

"So you are broke?" Kalleid confirmed, but Rade only shrugged, not wanting to associate with him any further. "I thought you're a hunter though? I mean you knew about the extracting of demon cores. You even want mine, yeah?"

"Get to the point," Rade snapped, the strands of her dark hair flipping as she turned her head towards the boy who still wore the lopsided smile but touched with a thoughtful grace on his gaze.

"Why won't you go for the weaker ones? Sure, my core probably costs a lot, but you can't really extract it anyway, can you?"

"I don't know where," Rade said, her lips protruding slightly.

"Where what?"

"Where to sell the cores," Rade answered and took another huge bite of her chocolate bar. She tried to chew the dewy texture, but could only thought of one word— disgusting. "I've got a few already, but I just don't know where to sell them."

"Oh." Kalleid nodded and squinted his eyes, while Rade was eyeing the lunchbox placed beside her. Kalleid didn't sit on the other edge of the chair so Rade assume that he wasn't getting too friendly, maybe just being civil towards her.

He really was a good person after all, Rade thought. He didn't need to do this, but he was being nice to her despite trying to kill him, she thought yet again.

"I know someone who buys demon cores," Kalleid said, "I could make New York, I mean my clubmate, to make guiding wisps to lead you there. The demon cores are distributed to the Īren Fortress to be made as holy weapons so you know it'll be in the good hands."

Rade only nodded and reached for the lunchbox. She didn't push the help away since she needed it but she won't be too shameless about needing it so Rade only maintained a neutral face.

Without a word, she opened the lid of the lunchbox. There was nothing fancy with the food inside, just a bunch of rice balls— easy to make and can fill the stomach instantly. When she was about to say her thanks to the boy, he was already walking away. Rade looked at the lunchbox, sensing that it wasn't those usual disposable ones, and laid out her handkerchief to put the rice balls inside.

After she was done, she ran after Kalleid with the lunchbox on one hand and the wrapped rice balls on the other.

It was only when Rade thought Kalleid was talking to someone that she stopped walking towards him. Light on her feet, Rade quietly approached behind him until she could hear what he was saying. Her brows instantly furrowed, someone was leaning on the wall which was on her blind spot and Kalleid was looking at that someone, oblivious with her presence.

"I don't know if I didn't stress it enough to you," that someone said, a low baritone register. There was a certain tone on his voice as though he was not taking it seriously. "But get away from her. That Aldam girl is dangerous."

Rade's eyes widened, and, if it was for her imagination, she wasn't sure, but her cuts hurt more.

"It's not like I can die, you know?" Kalleid said rather mildly against that cutting voice. "I'm an immortal, New York, I would be fine."

"You are a dumbass as usual," the voice insulted Kalleid. "Danger doesn't cancel out danger. It's not multiplication, dumbass. You know that literal life ain't like math. Negative times negative equals? What? Equals negative."

"I would be fine, she can protect herself from me," Kalleid then responded. "I'm just asking you to make guiding wisps for her. No need to talk with her. Please, New York."

"Tsk, I'm not your portable magic maker, Kalleid."

"I know, I know," Kalleid said, unfazed by the other boy's voice, "just this once."

"But I don't think you also grasp why I'm here," the voice said, there was a certain reminder to its tone that made Kalleid's shoulder slump. "I'm here to monitor you, but I'm letting you do what you want for a little leniency. The Aldeia clan wants to hold you on a choke hold, and I really don't care."

"I'm thankful of you," Kalleid remedied quickly.

"I don't need your thanks," the voice snapped coolly, "but the Aldeia clan is anxious of that girl's presence around their area."

"And you're saying..."

"Until she's out of their area, you shouldn't associate yourself with her," the voice said with finality, though his tone might be mocking and lacking the necessary earnestness. "The Aldeia clan has always been conservative and reserved. Being different means a problem. Look at how they treat you like someone who didn't live with them when you're a kid. I'm worried about you, Kal. People around us are disgusting, they would think of any way to use you or even that girl."

Even Rade had a difficult time distinguishing if the word disgusting was directed either to Kalleid himself or the Aldeia clan, but even with that, Rade felt shivers ran through her body.

The Aldeia clan was a known and respected family within the Hunter's Organization and the hunters' society. Around this area, even without the approval of HODE, their words are law and their verdict is final. That must why this person Kalleid was talking to was so wary of her, Rade pondered on her mind. It wouldn't matter if Kalleid has got that certificate from the HODE, but if the Aldeia clan decided that he doesn't derserve to live, within their premises, the Aldeia clan is entitled to kill him with or without the certificate.

"That favor I ask to you though," Kalleid said. Rade saw his hand reached on his nape, seemingly shy though she knew he must be really timid based on her observations from the past week. "The guiding wisps."

"Tss, I know, I don't go back with my words," the person Kalleid was talking to said in a pissed tone.

"See you later!" Rade heard Kalleid said to that person, she wasn't able to tell if Kalleid went ahead or if that person revealed himself.

She was already walking away.

For Rade, the guiding wisps were fickle, flickering and disappearing at will. Even with the most delicate wind, they would sure to be fluttering, teasing the whomever they were guiding of being lost and never finding the location the person was supposed to go. The little balls of light were pink and red, only as big as a baby's fist, beautiful at first glance and hidden from the view of the mortals; passing them by as though they were not there.

The guiding wisps started at the gate of the school and guided her to the suburban area of the city. It was fine for Rade at first though she had a difficulty locating each guiding wisps, but at the end of the corner of the street just a few paces from the postal office where a crossing of roads was, Rade was not able to see any guiding wisps any longer.

She clenched her fists tightly, feeling the blood from her cheeks for being so flustered earlier by mindlessly following each of the guiding wisps went to her head, threatening her to explode.

"Where are they?" she muttered under her breath. She bent down and looked at each of the crook and cranny of the street. Finding none of the little fire balls, she slumped on the sidewalk of the road. She still had one more rice ball from the lunch mean Kalleid made for her. While eating, she thought of what she would do next.

Obviously, she can't stay at this place. The family presiding over this area was already wary of her presence here. She doesn't need any more enemy on her life.

"Can't you find them?"

A familiar voice rang on her head and a shadow blocked the sunset's last shine. Rade looked up at the person blocking the sun and saw a very pretty guy wearing the senior's uniform at Mary Helena's, her current school. He had a long hair that reached down his nape and his eyes were also very pretty instead of handsome with long thin eyelashes. There was a foreign expression on those eyes though, an arrogant mocking one.

"I'm... I'm sorry?" Rade stuttered. She stood up, dusted her skirt and the hem of her cardigan, and faced the pretty stranger.

Squinting her eyes, Rade thought that the guy was rather familiar actually, she just couldn't place where she had seen him before. Maybe at school, Rade wondered obviously since he was wearing the same uniform as hers, or maybe if they rode the same train before while getting to the school.

"What is it?" Rade added and cleared her throat, she doesn't have any water to push down the rice ball she had been eating and because of that she felt like choking up, her eyes started to get teary.

With surprise, the guy gave her a bottle of unopened water which she accepted gratefully. If there was poison in the water, Rade was unworried. Any foreign substance would be forced out of her body since Emma still lives within her skin. Rade's weapon, Emma, might have been a parasite on her body, leeching off from her blood and marking her as though she was a possession, but there were still some perks on having Emma around.

"Thank you, thank you," she said gratefully and pathetically.

"The guiding wisps went that way." The pretty stranger guy pointed at the opposite direction. Sure enough though, there was a little blue ball of light— a guiding wisp, floating on the corner of a wall of a nearby house. It wasn't entirely obscured, but it was also very easy to miss it if one wasn't looking thoroughly enough. Rade nodded her head and was about to thank the stranger, except she abruptly realized the only ones that could see the guiding wisps were hunters like her.

And the only ones who knew about the guiding wisps being there were three people: Rade, Kalleid, and the one person Kalleid asked to placed the guiding wisps. Rade looked up at him and thought he might that clubmate Kalleid was talking about, but he was already walking away from her— towards the guiding wisps.

"How could you miss it?" the guy asked mockingly.

Somehow, Rade felt very stupid of missing the guiding wisps, then she felt stupid for feeling stupid.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously, she was only behind him by three paces and when he looked back at her, there was a scary smirk on his lips— as though he would eat her alive.

"You should know your seniors," he only said, but after a moment, he talked again, directly answering her question. "New York Aldeia. Fancy running to you here, Elora Isolde Aldam."

Rade's steps halted on their own. her first instinct was to call forth Emma, but she pondered earlier how it was hard to have more enemies, much more so if they were the clan presiding and ruling over the area. So she only remained rooted on the spot, looking as the broad back of the pretty stranger— New York Aldeia, his name was, grew farther away from her. When he felt that no one was behind him any longer, he looked back again. Upon finding that Rade was no longer following him, he turned his body and rolled his eyes on her.

"I'll lead you myself to the core appraisers," he told her. Finally, he turned and walked on the right direction, leaving behind a rather befuddled Rade who also ran towards New York with her hunter agility and speed.

It didn't take the both of them too long before New York stopped in front of a bookstore or maybe a studio. The building only has two floors and looked rather ordinary, but what Rade remarked was how normal mortals only walked pass the street that leads on this store. She was skeptical though, the building was nothing like she was expecting. Maybe Rade was expecting a goth themed building with the core appraisers. Looking so normal and mundane, Rade's eyes squinted with suspicions.

"What?" New York snapped at her. "Well? Get in, Aldam."

Rade only nodded, the ends of her lips pointing downwards.

"Welcome!" a young boy, maybe around Rade's age, greeted them both. The chimes were still ringing and even the door wasn't closed all the way, when the air settled though, Rade and New York have already crossed their blades against each other— the chimes on the door was not yet even done ringing.

"Demon," Rade hissed at New York, and maybe to that little boy too who looked too frightened to even open his eyes after closing it when Rade, quick as lightning, called forth her blade, materializing from her blood.

Like how Rade called Kalleid demon, there was also that same tone on how Rade called the young boy a demon— there was that factual essence within her words that cannot be denied.

Meanwhile, New York also drew his own weapon— a scythe with a blade of a gleaming black obsidian. Against Emma, whose blade was still dripping with acidic cursed blood, New York's weapon was elegant with a silver steel handle and a black blade. It was one of the heirloom holy weapons of the Aldeia clan, the scythe Aztle.

"Oh my gosh—!" another familiar voice exclaimed. Rade looked up from the dark eyes of New York, only to find Kalleid descending from the stairs. His expression was also one with shock. In front of him was a woman on her early twenties wearing a traditional hanfu, her peach blossom eyes hastily assessed the current situation and understanding fall on her eyes. "Rade! Why are you fighting inside the Attic?"

"Calling on to your holy weapons are prohibited inside the Attic," the woman said gently. She patted New York's shoulder and smiled at him mildly, her thin lips creating a fond beam. "Stand down, New York. She must be new. Is she the girl you're talking about, Kal? Very pretty." The fond smile was now being directed at Rade who blushed furiously without calling back to her the corporeal form of Emma.

Rade looked at Kalleid incredulously then at New York whose weapon came back to him as a necklace. It latched on to New York's neck stayed stagnant.

"You both lured me here!" Rade accused furiously, Emma was then pointed at all of them. "Demons, this place was full of demons!"

"Relax, Rade," Kalleid said mildly and finished descending from the stairs, he was now standing side by side with the older demon who was now protecting the younger demon with the face of a young boy. "They are like me, so yes, demons but they are the pretty harmless, you know. You haven't heard of immortal half demons?"

Rade shook her head, Emma on her hand was shaking violently.

Her eyes flickered to New York who rolled his eyes and went further into the shop, sitting on a wooden table and reached for a book. Rade's eyes then flickered to both of the immortals, one was scared of her while the other was smiling at her gently, then finally, her eyes fell to Kalleid who was looking back at her expectantly. It was then that she called back Emma to her bloodstream and nodded.

Kalleid heaved an obvious sigh of relief, saying in an awkward manner, "The chimes sound really cute."

"Oh Kal, they're new," the older immortal demon woman with peach blossom eyes said. "Do you think so that is because they're new."

As usual, it was a painful process. Even with that, Rade didn't flinched and heaved a deep sigh to her lungs. Her whole body was tensed and her ears were still ringing with all sorts of alarms against the half demon standing in front.

"Then please explain everything to me," she said as she bowed her head as a subtle apology to them.