Guests

Parrot woman laughed and Cornelius shook his head. "My gods be civil" he said with annoyance. "I only laugh cause your a cheap ass. Coming by later?" She said with a flirty tone. Cornelius looke uncomfortable. And he then whispered, "Yes" he said back sweetly. "They also need some food" he turned to the two guests. "Come find me at the Eagle Guild building. Furya here will tell you where to go. Enjoy your stay gentlemen. He left gold coins on the counter gave Furya a loving nod and left. So two rooms? Or one?" She asked curious. "Two rooms" they said at the same time. Furya giggled "Alright just teasing. Anyway here are rooms three and four up the stairs. Red Demon gave her a polite nod taking the keys throwing Smiling Demon room three. "What's on the menu?" Smiling Demon asked. "Fried Grub and rice, or pork?" Smiling Demon, "Fried grub? That sounds interesting. Chef any good?" She looked perturbed. "I'll have you know that I am the cook and I take great pride in my culinary skills. Taught by the best sir!" Smiling Demon held up his hands in surrender. "My apologies. I would love to try Fried Grub and rice please" she gave him a nod and left for the kitchen. "Pork for me…" Red Demon shouted. 'Of course' he shook his head walking up the stairs. "We eat and cultivate afterwards we'll discuss next moves" Red Demon ordered before going into his room. Smiling Demon entered his room. He produced a small metal disk and stand. It enlarge into his magic circle. He sat upon it and the runes ignited blue. He began feel chi fill his body.

Red Demon sat upon the ground producing Demon's Wrath. It began to float as he controlled it with his Mind Palace. He then poured flame chi into it modifying the enchantments he gave it. 'I realize this needs a long range affect to it and sharpness' he planned to elevate the weapon to rank five.

The blade rippled and red and black weaved together as he changed the meaning of the weapon. 'I plan to cut worlds' he focused on giving the blade a different meaning. The runes inside weaved together. He finished up the first enchantment locking it in place. A knock at his door broke his concentration. "One moment" the blade disappeared into his soul core as he opened the door to Furya holding a rest with two bowls. She handed him a pork and rice. "Thank you he said" she gave him a nod. He closed the door and began to eat on his floor.

Smiling Demon opened the door to see Furya holding a bowl of fired grubs with sauce and rice. "WOW that looks great!" He said taking the bowl. "It's my best recipe so enjoy. Your friend missed out" she said giving him a wink leaving. Smiling Demon was surprised the minute he bit into one of the round grubs he was surprised to find it tasted like fried fish. "Interesting" he ate the bowl with delight as he ate it greedily.

Red Demon finished the bowl quickly setting his chop sticks on it. He manifested the Demon's Wrath again and went back to modifying it. Flame weave from before was stable and intact. The second was to be shadow. He produced the Thorn Mask and put it on. His eye sight changed as he saw nothing but pulsing colors all around him. The weaves in the sword looked clear as day. They were glowing gold inside the blade as he started the next one. Each weaved came easily as the drew more shadow chi into his palms. The chi flowed into the blade from the pommel. The blade rippled white as he watched the weaving process. His mind ached as he concentrated on shadow enchantment weave.

He his mind was on autopilot. 'Shadow will let me cut from a distance sending black blades. Flame enchantment will allow me to build up heat before doing the same as fiery blades' he thought. He then took out a spell looking at how the runes were made. The very makeup of the spell was open to him. 'This is the Spell Index abilities? Making your own spells! This is amazing. I have a few ideas!' He said pulling paper. He pulled out the kunai cutting his wrist draining blood into a ink vial. The would closed after some time. He then forged a long thick needle from chi pouring shadow chi into the tip. He then dipped the needle in the ink. And began copying runes from Shadow claw and Ash Touch. He wanted to copy the affect of the decay process of the spell. This would have corrosion properties. He felt the mask pull his mind one way as he made these thoughts. He began making the spell taking one set combining with another. He failed a few times as the parchment burnt to a crisp. 'Damnit! The third try. This will take time indeed' he felt his building up a migraine. He placed the mask back into his ring. Then laid upon the bed to rest his mind and let it stabilize. He pulled out a chi stone and absorbed the chi.

Smiling Demon practiced engulfing himself in a shell of metal. The runes engraved onto the chest sapped his chi but enlarged his soul core at the same time. He focused on making that connecting a full cycle. He kept his mind preoccupied molding the armor how he wanted it to look. 'Fear huh?' Smiling Demon thought as he made the smile big and jagged with big eyes. He pushed the head all the back into a spike. He produced two long horns coming off his forehead. He then focused on the armor. His forearms then produced a long blade from wrist to elbow. Nails elongated on his hands. Plated armor formed up the forearm like a wave forming.

Spikes formed on the knuckles. The soul core enlarged and shrank like an organ. He could feel it solidify and then turn to gas. He kept this up for an hour before he felt his mind splitting. He heaved a sigh of relief relaxing his control. His body felt strong and in time his mind would be too.

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After while they met in Smiling Demon's room to discuss things. "So what information have you gathered?" Red Demon asked. Smiling Demon understood 'He's still testing me?' He thought. "We observed you are dead and this gives us an advantage. The tribes of these people are on the edge of the knife to pop off or give up. We are bound to be found we stick out. Birds populate most of this place and seems we can't leave this village without being seen. Assessment is we are sitting ducks here" Smiling Demon seemed pretty confident. Red Demon shrugged with a nod, "Good we're on the same page. Only thing that I can think of to our advantage is making friends with this village? We help them somehow gain trust and use them to help us figure out a way to stop this feast. We can't have another Land of Madness" Red Demon scowled hard at that thought. 'Seems he carries guilt for that like me?' Smiling Demon thought. "How do we get into their good graces then?" Smiling Demon asked. "I don't know enough on how this village works. Seems their are guilds here. From what I could see the village had a lot of cultivators so the guild must be a protector or school for martial arts? These people are ready for war they just lost the spirit. It's become more of a routine than anything. Emerald King has done a number on them?" Smiling Demon added. He put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it. "What does this King's Crown do?" Smiling Demon asked. "I never know that. Till I face them. Now from the clues gathered it could do a number of things. Sap spirit? Connect with all living things? That one could also be he's a Bird-folk could be a type of bonding with a similar species? Devour souls? I think asking that question will bring more trouble than answers" Red Demon stood up staring out the window. "Tomorrow we do research and talk with the people. Spend some time listening in a tavern we're bound to hear something that can help?"

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Next morning they waked the streets searching for the Eagle Guild and shops. Red Demon in particular was searching for their library. The village sadly didn't have one. 'I take it the king had something to do with that?' Red Demon thought. He could see some of the village has burnt buildings never rebuilt. Some sections completely gone of houses. He studied the people and saw the eyes of cold indifference in them. All had flowing chi in them. Some rank four and lower. He spotted a plump owl man with broad shoulders wearing a white uniform with the emblem of an eagle on its back.

He gestured to his companion, "Excuse me sir" Red Demon hollered. The owl man turned staring at them with big green eyes. "Yah?" He with a gruff voice. "Could you direct us to the Eagle Guild please?" He asked. "Why? What business do you have with my guild?" Owl man asked. "Met Cornelius yesterday said if we need him find him at the Eagle Guild?" Owl man looked angry, "So your the two who beat up my students?" He said. Red Demon sighed, "Yes…we are the same" the owl man tensed gripping his short fat blade before his shoulders shrank, "Sigh! Sorry you have wounded my pride as a teacher. I failed them. Thank you for teaching them a lesson" he said bowing his head. "I'll take you to the guild" he led the way. 'Okay that was odd? He just gave up and became logical? It's like they all lose the will to fight when the feeling comes? So explain how they attacked us in the woods?' Red Demon shook his head in confusion.