• ~Preface~
    Erica stood infront of her little mirror, tieing up her light purple hair into a small ponytail, smiling despite what today might bring forth. It would probably be only slaying demons for her legion. It got boring, but at least she had some people she could turn to.
    Thank god.
    She finished up, then grabbed her flaming sword from her desktop, sighing. She opened the wooden door, leading into a hallway filled with other Kiuha's. She followed them, and got to a clearing beyond a stone archway...
    (The story now changes to her point of view)

    Chapter one

    Same clearing, different day.
    I put the sword on the sheath at my waist, and made sure the other two were at my back, ready to be drawn. The Juyap was making his round. If he found even one thing out of place, you were toast.
    So the other Kiuha's wore yellow and white outfits, mostly because they were lower ranks than me. I was a Libisa, the head Kiuha, in charge of leading battle's. But the Juyap was the true leader, and he treated me just about the same as everyone else. I glanced at my friend Leyna, wearing her yellow outfit. Both her and myself had come at the same time, and our upbringing wasn't something we liked to remember.
    They all but dragged us by our hair over here to Mayana Legion, especially when they had needed some Kiuha's A.S.A.P.
    Anyways, the Juyap came to inspect me now, and I had to pay a little more attention.
    "Erica." He muttered, nodding. I put my hand over my chest in salute, and he went to face all of us now. I was the only Libisa.
    "Today we will train some more before the next horde of demons approach. Erica will lead you through training and battle once more." He pressed his lips in a tight line, then pointed at me.
    "Stretch out, low Kiuha's. Libisa, come with me."
    They saluted the Juyap, and sat down to stretch. Leyna glanced at me, worries in her eyes. I flashed her what I hoped was an encouraging smile, and entered the Juyap's office, worries in my own eyes. The Juyap gestured to one of the chairs once I came in.
    "Please, sit down." He sat at the slightly grander chair, and waited untill I sat down.
    "What is it you need, sir?" I asked. He could probably sense some edge to my voice.
    "I'm assigning you an aprentice. He is due here tomorrow, but shows potential. I'm sure this won't be a problem Erica."
    "Not at all." I shook my head frantically - glad that I wasn't being transferred or something along those lines. "May I know his name?"
    "Certainly. He rather people call him Julien to anything else."
    Anything else? Did this kid have a few shameful names or what?
    "Yes sir." I got up, saluted him, and walked to the door.
    "Erica."
    I spun around. "Yes sir?"
    "When he comes tomorrow, watch. He might be a better asset than we think."
    "Understood." I nodded, and exited his office.
    I felt the eyes of Kai - the Juyap - on me untill I closed the door.
    At least I wasn't being sent out somewhere. I would serve my Legion.
    I felt oddly cheerful. for two things.
    One, for tomorrow. I had no idea why.
    Two, whenever I could speak to Kai like that once more. I left the office, then proceeded to an area where my friends were. There was Leyna, Tay (His name is Taylee, but to cut it short) and a few other's I did not recognize.
    "Okay guys. Todays wave of demons are coming. We are going to do exactly like last time, it was excellent work." I informed them, and looked towards the gate. Kai was standing near there, speaking with a guard. "I'm going to replenish my magic. I'll be back in five minutes."
    I walked off, headed to where they usually left my belt once they filled it up again. I took it off the hook, and checked the contents. The red belt went over the string of the sheath at my waist, which had about five pouches, each holding about twenty miniature bottles. They were all to revive the dead. It was better than using my magic to revive our fallen Kiuha's.
    I tied the belt on my waist, then walked back to my friends. I looked back to the front gate, where the demons usually came through.
    "Tay, have you been practicing, like I asked?" I looked at him, while he expertly handled his katana.
    "Yep. Wouldn't want to ashame the Libisa." He mocked. We all laughed, even me.
    "Get ready. One mile out, four rows of twenty." Kai told us from the gate, then came to stand in formation, ready to fight.
    "Eighty." I said automatically. All the Kiuha's got in line, ten lines of thirty. We were roughly three hundred, but the amounts decimated every day. The transformation from mortal to Kiuha killed the weak, and kept the strong.
    A flashback came to me. I almost died, a day after being chosen. It was my magic kicking in that had saved me. So close...
    I was the strongest Kiuha in history.
    I shook my head. I couldn't think of this, not while the demons were on their way. I drew energy from the earth, preparing myself.
    The gate opened, and the demons apeared.
    They were always an ugly bunch. Red monsters with massive muscles, horns on their heads and wearing only rags. The kind of thing you would see in a nightmare.
    They came at us, and the battle began. It was bloodshed.
    I ran towards the first demon in my sight, my hands at my sides as I ran. About five feet from the thing, I put my hands on the hilts of the blades at my back, and unsheathed them. The blade exploded, fire runing along the blade to my hand. The fire crept up my arm, stopping at my elbow.
    I cut through the creature, the blood and body falling to the floor.
    They surrounded me. Of course. They knew I was probably the strongest, being the only one able to wield the elements. I held my weapons close to my body, looking around for a weakness in these demons.
    They inched closer and closer.
    Then one fell to the ground, followed by the one next to it. I looked momentarily to see who this was.
    "I promised I would keep you safe." Kai told me, helping me rid of the demons.
    "Who did you promise that to?" I asked, burning about ten demons in one shot, shooting a fireball from my palm.
    "Myself." We were back to back, guarding the other's back. They started to surround us again.
    But Kai was the second strongest here. He was an excellent fighter, relying on his blade.
    That was an odd promise to make himself. Why did he do it?
    I didn't know.
    I could see behind the other demons. There was about ten others left standing. I saw Tay jump onto one of the demons back, and slice his throat. I almost laughed.
    I sheathed my swords, then put my hands in a circle in front of me, closing my eyes. I made a quick spell in my head, and I saw my shield covering the Kiuha's. I opened my hands.
    The demons exploded, fire burning them to cinders. I sighed, looking around.
    Tay was laying on the grass, panting hard, with Leyna sitting beside him. She gasped, then sighed. The other Kiuha's were all safe. Not a single loss.
    I spun around to face Kai.
    "Why did you promise yourself that?" I asked. He breathed hard. I took a green bottle from my belt - the one that relieved exhaustion - and passed it to him. He nodded a thanks, and drank it.
    "I'll tell you that another day, if I can." He sighed, and I got the feeling that this time it wasn't from the fight. "Get some rest Erica. You need it."
    "Not as much as you do." I muttered. He heard, and smiled. After giving every Kiuha a green bottle to relieve exhaustion, I hung my belt on the hook and left to go back to my dorm. I was going blindly all the way, my mind someplace else.
    I got in my dorm, untied my hair and lay down on my bed. I placed my hands behind my head, closed my eyes, hoping for sleep to come to me.
    But I was slightly more alert. My mind raced on, through the last five hours. I don't know, but today had been different. Not the demons - they were as stupid as ever. But today in general.
    Oh well. I paid it no mind.
    April came in. My friend who sleeps next to my dorm. She knocked one timid, quiet knock, and came in. She sat on the chair.
    "Erica? May I speak with you?" She asked. She had a shy voice, which at first I didn't get. But it's just because she didn't speak much untill she joined the Kiuha's.
    "Sure. What's up?" I asked, my eyes still closed, still in my previous position.
    "Did today feel different to you?" She asked.
    "Yeah."
    "Me too. The Juyap actually seemed... happy." She shuddered delicately. I stared at her with one eye open.
    "I know. After he talked to me in his office it's like he was... well... different. It's not wierd. Kind of nice, actually. He helped me from a mess today."
    "Yeah, he looks at you like... I don't know."
    "What do you mean?" I frowned.
    "Oh come on Erica! Did you see how he looks at you?"
    "Like anyone else." I shrugged. This girl was going paranoid.
    "Oh, for the love of all that's holy!" She exclaimed.
    "April, that was almost at regular voice volume. Good job." I teased.
    "Nevermind. I got to go. But promise me one thing." She told me, getting up.
    "What's that?"
    "Julien is going to be tough to get through. You might be able, though. I saw how he's going to be, and let me tell you." She came to kneel beside my head on my bed. "He is pretty damn hot." She laughed, then left my dorm.
    I sighed.
    "Poor April. She doesn't know much, that girl at some points." I muttered to myself, then got up and into my bathroom. A warm shower is what I needed the most. After the shower I felt better, and I went to bed and fell right to sleep.
    When I woke up it was morning, and I knew that today would be a slow day. There would be no bloodshed today, so I guess that was good.
    I put my black outfit on, and tied up my hair once more, looking in my little mirror as I did. I sighed, smiled, then left the room, headed towards the clearing once more.
    I was the last to get there, that suprized me. I shrugged it off, then proceeded to where my friends sat on the grass, in a loose circle, talking quietly to themselves.
    "Hey guys. No fight today." I told them, sitting beside Leyna and April.
    "Thank god. I got no sleep at all last night." Leyna complained, rubbing her eyes. She yawned, and stretched her arms out in front of her.
    "Erica. Look." April nodded towards the north end of the field. I followed her gaze.
    Kai was walking towards us, with someone of whom I did not know following beside him. I looked closer.
    It might be Julien.
    "That's..." I asked, not stating the name.
    But they had reached us before I could get an answer.
    "Erica, this is Julien, your apprentice - or student, I don't really know what to call him. Julien, this will be your teacher." Kai introduced us, then he smiled at me. He walked away.
    "Told you the Juyap looked at you differently." April whispered in my ear, too low for anyone else to hear. I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue at her.
    "Okay. I'll start this off easy." I said. "Julien, this is April, Leyna, Tay and Saphire."
    They all nodded once I said their names, and we resumed our conversation. It was a long day. I think I'll skip through it, save you the headache.
    I sat on the stone gate of the Legion, watching the moon instead of sleeping. I knew the demons were thinking of a disastrous plan, and so we wouldn't fight for about a week.
    I closed my eyes, letting the moonlight glow my skin, turning it pale and delicate.
    There was no sound in the night, quiet. I sighed, smiling.
    Then I heard footsteps on the grass below. I sighed. Of course I could never be alone.
    "Want company?" He asked.
    It's a damn good thing my back was to him, because once Kai spoke, I blushed. Seriously.
    "Uh, sure." I collected myself.
    He jumped onto the stone wall, and sat beside me. I stared once more at the moon. He did the same in silence.
    "So, can you tell me why you made yourself that promise now?" I asked.
    "Possibly." His voice reflected deep thought.
    I turned my face to look at him. His dark reddish purple eyes watched the moon.
    "I promised that... because... it would be... impossible to watch you die. Because I know that when you die, you cannot be reanimated, unlike the Kiuha's when you give them your potion."
    "That's all?" I asked.
    "No."
    I watched him, waiting. He turned his head to look at me.
    He sighed. "Close your eyes." He told me.
    I was confused at that, but did as he asked. His hand brushed on my cheekbone, and lingered on my lips. I opened my eyes.
    The first thing I saw was his eyes. They had some kind of shine to them.
    Then it clicked.
    "Oh." I sighed. "I see."
    "Get some sleep, Erica." He told me. He got up, then helped me up to my feet. He held my hand tightly. "I shall see you tomorrow."
    I smiled at him, then jumped down the wall, walking back to my dorm.
    I could swear I felt his eyes on my back the entire way.