Episode 135: A TRAITOR IN THE NEST

Nothing felt real anymore. Gabby just cried all day in her room. Even Winter felt soft hearing her.

Vixen collected Tiwari's soul earlier. And she came out as a shining yellow soul. A bright soul. If only Gabby could be talked to... But for now, she is constantly grieving, the pain in her chest refusing to go away.

VIXEN: I hope we win the war, Winter. I can't stand hearing a human cry like this. She shoud have at least be able to make that pathetic killer pay.

Winter looks at her sad expression, and felt his heart squeeze. She looks so guilty.

Tiwari's case was still very clueless. What made Vixen's suspicion stronger was the fact that when she tried to collect her soul, she swear she smelled something(of which humans could not normally detect). A faint smell of twigs and warm feathers.

VIXEN: I think this has something to do with Gabby's involvement of Red. Knowing that Gabby is secured, they went after her friend. I suspect Jinko is in this. The smell is very distinct.

WINTER: Sick doing of theirs. But if Jinko had successfully invaded Gabby's space before, it'd be best if we move her.

VIXEN: Great idea. I'll go to the spirit realm to tell them. I'm confident they'll agree.

WINTER: Very well. I'll simply wait for you...uh, here.

Vixen smiles sweetly, then waves at Winter one last time, before being completely covered in cinders, and disappearing.

Winter gave a small smile, looks at the cinders left of her departure, and patiently waited for her said return.

...

Vixen was greeted by the brown haired reaper-Prisha.

She looked rather excited when she saw Vixen had returned.

PRISHA: Vixen! How's the visit?

VIXEN: Not very well, Prisha. We need to relocate the human somewhere safe.

PRISHA: Why? The fairy haven't gotten to her yet, have he?

VIXEN: Not yet, but why wait for it? I suspect Jinko might be on their side, and if so, they may attack anytime they want.

PRISHA: Oh, I see...then inform the Empress right away.

VIXEN: Will do. Where's Qida? Her shifts are usually done by this time.

PRISHA: Oh, she just left...somehow. Don't worry she'll be back.

She assured. Vixen looks a bit unused to it, since Qida rarely ever does it, but hoped for the best anyways.

VIXEN: Ah, okay, okay. See you later, then!

PRISHA: Would do!

When Vixen was already out of sight, the blue-eyed reaper smiled rather maliciously.

She vanished, and reappeared to a rather well-hidden place. Trees were everywhere, and almost no light touches the ground. No noise of nearby animals could be heard as well. It was a gloomy looking place. It was cold, dark...a place that surely must not be known. The gray reaper walks straight to a large cave.

Few water droplets dropped on her black coat, and she calls out immediately, ignoring herself getting wet.

PRISHA: Silas!

The name continued to echo throughout. Within a few moments, the creature appeared. Jinko following him.

SILAS: So? What brought you back rather early?

PRISHA: Are you sure the pink haired guy isn't here?

SILAS: I'm not stupid. He's with the other jinxi. Practicing. I wouldn't take him here, ever again. You almost slipped your words so I have to be wary.

PRISHA: Alright. So...

Prisha looks through her pocket, in which three marbles appeared.

SILAS: So the elf's magic marbles truly does trap souls! How wonderful...too bad Jinko could only steal three of them. Imagine if they were more...

PRISHA: Oh, stop being greedy. You know that if we kill one of them, they'd curse us for a lifetime.

SILAS: I was just saying...so, who did you bring me?

PRISHA: A Purple Reaper... A Yellow Reaper. And a Gray Reaper.

SILAS: Okay...that sounds great. Now...make sure you don't care about them anymore...because they won't ever come back again after I mess with them.

PRISHA: Do as you wish...I don't care about anybody. But are you sure you can turn me back into human?

SILAS: Of course, of course. Killed by such an untimely death, I understand why you wanted to come back as a mortal. Living forever is a lonely cycle. I will surely keep my words.

PRISHA: I'm happy I made no mistake siding with you... Now, before everything else, I wanted to add that you have to act quickly, they're planning to move the mortal girl.

SILAS: Move her, huh? When do you think she'll move?

PRISHA: Maybe tomorrow. Or even later. Whatever the answer is, you have to hurry up. Winter, a rank 4 reaper is her sole guard. Be careful, that reaper will back down to no one. He's fairly strong as well.

SILAS: I'm sure two big snakes can defeat one lion.

PRISHA: Are those snakes really competent? Winter have fought many battles too, Silas. Don't underestimate him.

SILAS: And don't underestimate the deity's guardians. They're the god's guardians for a reason. It must mean they're strong.

PRISHA: You still...should have a plan in case you fail.

SILAS: I will be watching...closely. Will have the others as backup when things go south. But I doubt it. I have a great plan. And I'm sure it will play out perfectly.

PRISHA: I trust your judgement...but still I'm warning you, be careful.

Silas smirks and pats her on her head. An action that quickly made the reaper back away, shocked.

SILAS: Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.

PRISHA: Whatever that was, don't do it again.

The gray reaper turns around, and vanishes.

Silas smiles to himself, and the three marbles he recieved.

He moves forward, deeper to the cave's chamber, and the walls all quickly vanished. It was just an illusion. He moves further, until he comes to the floor covered in bird nest. He chanted, and it presented a huge hole, a ladder leading deeper to its secrets.

He comes down. And the goblins scattered in his presence.

They quickly grabbed a weak looking goblin, then offers him as sacrifice.

Silas happily tears the innocent goblin apart, spraying the marbles already placed on the floor with fresh blood.

The marbles quickly releases its prisoners. One of them was a very weak Qida.

They were too weak to move. And Silas asked the goblins to put them on their experimenting room. The creatures, only half of the fairy's height, shivered at his orders and quickly followed.

SILAS: You seem to be slower than before. Have I been not clear to you? That this is an urgent matter?

The goblins doubled their pace, and eventually the two male bodies, and one female one, was gently placed on three different wooden tables. The room's only light were from the several lit torches surrounding the room. Silas used his long nails to cut blood from the reapers.

The blood of divinity, of heaven.

It tasted nice. It tasted like victory.

SILAS: Learning this will be very...very interesting. Call the lady to examine this. I'm sure she'll be pleased.

Some goblins left for a moment, and after a while came back with a very scared flower fairy, hands both in cuffs. She have a rather greenish skin, and a bright blue hair. Her eyes were a beautiful limegreen, while her lips were faded pink. She looks short, just a bit taller than the goblins and have a set of yellow wings.

SILAS: Now little one, you can show us your talent of extracting 'things'.

The fairy was forced to walk further, until she saw the bodies of three reapers. One which she was familiar with.

Qida used to visit her in the forest. She was an animal reaper after all, and the forest the fairy dwells in would have dead animals from time to time.

Tears poured down on her face knowing well her friend's fate.

SILAS: Well? Why are you simply standing there. Do something. Are you deaf? Suddenly Mute? The last time I saw you, you were screaming.

Ah, I almost forgot, I haven't yet caught your name. I only snatched you up because you're the closest medicine fairy we could get. Would you be so kind to...tell me?

Silas leaned at the small fairy, who in turn quickly avoided his gaze. Silas was not impressed.

He roughly pulled her by her hair and she immediately cried and whimper, begging to be put down.

SILAS: Next time...have some decency to answer when I ask you to. I'm merciful enough to spare your family. Do your work for me.

The fairy was dropped down without care, and she quickly recieved some bruises. She gently got back up and flapped her wings. Dust of gold appeared and her injury suddenly disappeared. Although it made her feel weaker as this special ability only made her healing process much quicker. It was too bad fairies like her bruise easily.

SILAS: Your name. What is it?

The fairy looks at him quite frightened. She immediately cleared her throat and answered in a tired raspy voice,

: Comfreyy.

SILAS: Cornflake?

:Com...freyy..

SILAS: Comfreyy, huh? Your parents sure aren't creative. Well then Com-freyy, do your work and extract their abilities from them. My body couldn't hold much power after I absorbed a white haired man some nights ago. Make sure to study them well and what they could do. I want their powers to be transferred to my allies. One mistake, and I'll cut your limbs. Got it?

The fairy cried and quietly nodded her head, flying towards the bodies and sobbing. She knew she'd slowly kill them, but what else can she do? If she won't do it, that bastard of a monster may come back and burn her beloved forest.

SILAS: Put them on the bottles inside that box.

Silas pointed at a wooden box under Qida's table. Comfreyy only nodded. Silas wasn't pleased.

SILAS: Confirm, Comfreyy. Confirm.

COMFREYY: Yes, master.

SILAS: That's more like it. If they're waking up, tell me. I'll trap them on the marbles again to make them fall asleep and wake up weak again. Bye.

Comfreyy was left inside the fairly-lit room. Where nine small goblins were guarding her every move. Though already freed from her cuffs the moment Silas leaves, she still feels trapped. Suffocated. Escapeless.

The fairy felt depressed knowing she was being used for evil, but all she hoped was that even when she did what was asked, Silas and his allies won't succeed. For now, she grows her nails, and unwillingly cut a friend.