Scarlet

I continue waiting on the ground for several more seconds as the kid just continues sitting on her heels while hugging her legs and staring at me. And right when I’m about to finally get up, she reaches down out of nowhere and pokes me in the forehead, giving me pause.

“You’re the Scarlet Wolf, right?” she finally speaks, asking me a question. And when I hesitantly nod my head, she nods back and says, “Thought so.”

Then she pokes my ear, making me immediately jump to my feet, barely avoiding hitting her with my head in the process.

“Please don’t do that,” I warn her with a scowl, somehow feeling that I don’t have to treat this kid like a kid despite her being one.

She just shrugs and stands up straight, brushing off her dress, “I’m sorry, but Liz dared me to touch the tail or ears of a Guardian if I ever met one that had them.” The devil of a girl then raises her head to look at me, still without an ounce of fear in her eyes from the fact that we’re stranded outside in the middle of a Class II Fracture. “I won’t be doing it again.”

What the hell is up with this kid?

“She reminds me of a mini you,” Tar says, making my right eye twitch in irritation. “She has that neutral face and occasional scowl down to a T.”

Damnit, is she a human or a changeling? Because I’m pretty sure most kids would be crying right now. Or at least, that’s been my experience so far..

“You know I can’t answer that,” Tar says, only to add, “but you can figure it out for yourself. Just sniff her.”

I blink in surprise at that.

Sniff her? Like a dog?

“Yes. Like a dog.” He answers in a very serious tone of voice. “But you don’t have to get any closer. You would’ve noticed an odd smell already if she were a changeling. One that they can’t possibly cover up from a half blood lycan even if they tried and smells a little leathery.”

Which is basically his way of saying she isn’t. Okay.

Wait a second.

Odd smell? Leathery?

My thoughts go back to every single time I see that councilwoman and smell that odd leathery smell coming from her.

Is that what you meant by an odd smell?

“You know I can’t answer that,” Tar repeats the phrase every single fae uses when asked if someone else is a human or a demon.

My eyes narrow as I straighten up and pat my back, cleaning off any dust that may have gotten on my jacket from the ground.

Well, putting the possibility that Councilwoman Rose is a changeling aside for the moment, that means this girl is clean at least. She’s human.

Just a little… odd. That’s all.

“You’re one to talk,” Tar says, but I proceed to ignore him as I ask the kid, “So would you mind waiting back there,” I pause to point back where I came at the room down the hall, “for me to deal with the last demon on this floor?”

The kid stares at me for several seconds before nodding and proceeding to walk down the hall without a word.

Huh. That turned out to be much easier than I thought.

“She probably saw you as a fellow-” Tar begins another attack against my pride, but I mutter rather quietly, “Shut it,” before he can, stopping him cold without the girl being able to hear me.

Now then. On to the next fomorian!

It doesn’t take me long to find the thing thanks to my hearing, and what I find certainly isn’t what I was expecting. Because the demon is just standing outside of a bunker door without doing anything besides staring at the door, leaving its back wide open.

Huh. I wonder…

With a mental shrug, I raise my hand and create a massive hammer from the other end of the room, making sure to stay far enough away that the thing doesn’t hear me. Then I move the hammer slowly over to the demon before spinning it a few times until it picks up speed, seemingly catching the demon’s attention in the process as it starts to turn around. But before it can fully turn to face me and the hammer, I let the hammer fly, smacking the demon in the back, and sending it straight into the barrier that proceeds to fry the thing alive.

At this point I sprint forwards while raising my hand and creating a few swords that I then throw straight at the thing before slamming the hammer into it again when it tries and fails miserably to get its back off of the barrier shield. And after several loud seconds of the sounds of electricity running through it, the thing finally gives me the stack of bloodthirst I was waiting for.

So I let my blood manifestation dissipate before nodding my head in satisfaction.

That worked wonderfully.

I turn around and begin walking back again while letting my System messages flow through.

{Level 104 Demon Fomorian defeated. A vast EXP bonus is awarded for killing a creature above your level.}

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 66. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

{Congrats, you have leveled up to level 67. Two Free Points have been awarded to you and your stats have been updated.}

{One Skill Point is awarded for killing a demon.}

I’m starting to think this Class II Fracture isn’t all that bad after all.

“Don’t let your pride and ego cloud your thoughts,” Tar warns me. “Remember that you’re only dealing with the weakest possible demons in the Fracture one at a time right now.”

I know, I know. I won’t leave this floor.

Don’t worry so much, my little furry tailed friend.

Tar doesn’t respond to that, but I swear I feel a wave of actual fear coming from him at that latest nickname. And that has me grinning.

Gotta love getting some new ammunition to use against him!