Oath taken

Zeke laid in his bed staring at his mark. It had been a month since he started training with Sword Master Pendragon. Moon's skills and physique developed considerably in that time, able to wield and use Soul-Taker as a rapier. With the help of Iziel, she had made Eliza use an iron rod. A feat apparently no one else in the school had ever achieved before. She had also begun calling Moon by her first name, although her savage beatings hadn't stopped. Moon would always returned covered in welts and bruises, sniffling and sobbing, with a ravenous hunger. However, in that month he had only practiced one motion over and over again. Sovereign stance one. He had lost count of how many times, he had sheathed and drawn Shadow. In all that time, Zeke was unable to activate his Demon's Blood, even once. He let out a sigh, rubbing his face in frustration, and leapt out of bed.

He took a walk on the beach, bathed in a gentle blue glow of the Moon shining above. Sitting down and staring at the waves crashing onto the shore, he felt a presence watching over him. Zeke ignored it, waiting for whatever was watching him to come closer. As he felt it come closer, he quickly spun around summoning Shadow. Sakura threw her hands up, her tank top fluttering with the wind. "Sorry! Didn't mean to scare you." She squealed. He let out a sigh, banishing Shadow. "What are you doing here?" He said taking seat. "Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd take a walk." "You live a good hour's walk from here." She took a seat next to him. "Wanted to watch the waves. Helps calm me. So what are you doing up at this time? Thinking up some strategy or new plan?" "No. Just couldn't sleep." Sakura held her knees, leaning on them and eyed Zeke. "You know that you can do better, but you're just not sure how." He looked at her stunned. She smirked. "You and Constantine are similar." "Yeah, except he can't take no as an answer."

She reluctantly agreed, letting out a sigh. "He's stubborn and always wants to prove himself, worthy of being Alistair's son." Zeke let out a small laugh. "Don't envy that part, but I get it. I'm sure being the son and daughter of the greatest Hunters in the world. Probably had your fair share of people testing your worth." She scoffed. "Like you wouldn't believe. We once had 12 challenges in one day." "I'm guessing that's when you all decided to dominate the top ranks, and stop the shitty little challengers." Sakura nodded. "That was Constantine's plan." She smiled at him. "Told you two were alike." "Yeah, only difference is our physical build, wealth, and the fact he can do whatever other Demon Hunter can do. Turn on this cursed blood, we have running through our veins." He said glumly holding his mark up. "Why do you think that?" She said dolefully. "Because it's caused me nothing but problems. I would gladly be altered by the other two Rifts, but this...I can't even recognize, who I am or remember what I do." "You're scared to turn it on."

Zeke let out a small gasp. "Tell me, what you're so afraid of. Why are you rejecting your own power." She was reading right through him, even her gaze stared into his Soul. "It's going to change me. I know it. I'll lose myself to the rage, and become a cold selfish monster." She caressed his face, activating her Demon's Blood. Her hair wafted gently into the air, turning snow white, and her eyes shone a blood red, over her black sclera. "Am I monster?" She asked softly, her voice letting out a cold cloud. "No..." He said staring into her eyes. "Can you feel my rage?" He shook his head. She deactivated her Demon's Blood. "How would you describe my hand?" "Warm..." She took away her hand, drawing in the sand between them. "I didn't know, we could transform like that." "Rage is powerful, but blinding, it's not always the answer to activating it." "How do you activate yours normally?" "I think about how my dad treated my mum, and it makes my blood boil." She said clenching her fist. "And just then?" "I think about protecting her from evil."

She placed a hand onto his shoulder. "But everyone's a little different, and I'm sure you'll find out, what helps you turn it on." "Thank you." "I hear they make these little red pills called D-agra." He chuckled shrugging of her hand, shaking his head. "But if you're still transformed for more than four hours, you have to consult your closest healer." He snickered with her. "Smiling is a better look for you, be even better if you-" He slicked his hair back, making her heart skip a beat at the sight. "If I did this?" "Yeah...you should really try adopting that look. It's much better than whatever...your Asian Shaggy look is." "It's a KPOP look." "If Red was a great Dane, people would call you two Shaggy and Scooby." "It doesn't look like that." He pouted, holding his hair. "Have you thought of hiring a stylist?" "Nope, never. Waste of money." Han felt a sudden wave of irritation.

"Give it a thought, you'll make all the girls chase after you, and make Moon jealous." "Don't think she would be jealous of something never happening." He said sarcastically. "Give it try, maybe you just need a confidence boost to turn it on. I mean it's perfectly normal for a man to not perform under pressure." She jabbed. "Alright, I'm going back to bed." He sighed with a smile. "I mean, you could also just be tired, or bad diet!" "I get it!" "Maybe try some foreplay or even role play!?" Zeke flipped her off, walking back to the dormitory. She snickered smiling at him leave. Zeke laid in bed with his spirits raised and a smile stretched across his face. "Turning into a Demon, to protect the ones you love..." He closed his eyes drifting asleep. Zeke found himself in the pitch black house of Moon's childhood home. In the door way stood his towering and looming father, shrouded in darkness. He felt two tiny hands clinging onto the back of shirt, trembling and terrified. Moon was whimpering behind him with tears dripping onto his back. "Come here you little bitch." His father growled, unbuckling his belt.

"Get back!" Zeke shouted clenching his fists. His father charged in like a wild beast, punting him aside with his steel cap boot. Moon was tackled to the ground, his father mounting on top of her with all his burly weight. She screamed and thrashed trying to push him off. "ZEKE!" She screamed. "DON'T TOUCH HER!" He roared, unable to move his body. Thrashing and straining with all his might, Zeke was unable to move his body. "ZEKE!" She cried out. "MOON!" He shouted.

"ZEKE!" Raven's voice cried out. Zeke shot awake, gasping and panting, feeling frozen sweat beads touch his skin. He looked up to Raven and Moon in the room, with deeply troubled and concerned stares. The room was filled with a cold frozen haze, he could see their skin blue and bumped. "Did...did I activate my Demon's Blood?" He asked holding his head. "You were having a nightmare." Raven said on edge. "Yeah...I'm okay now...sorry for waking you two up. I. I just need some air." He said leaving flustered, pushing past them. Zeke leapt up onto the roof of the dormitory, with dawn about to break. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself. Moon took a seat beside him. "Was it about that night?" He nodded with a defeated expression. "It wasn't your fault. You were ten and-" He shook his head at her. "He was still my dad, and...and I should have stopped him." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Zeke, it's not your fault. It wasn't your responsibility to stop a drunk asshole." "It was my responsibility to protect you." "Hey!" She snapped grabbing his face. "We agreed that we'd protect each other. Remember?" He nodded. "What else did we promise each other?" "That we'd always be there for each other." She nodded and firmly pinched his cheek.

"Now, go take a shower. I'm gonna go fix your bed, and get some sleep before that you have to train with that crazy-" Zeke felt a presence watching them. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Eliza silently approaching them. "Moon." "Ah! I'm taking care of you now. Now take a shower, before that sadistic-" "Uh Moon..." He said with his eyes darting back and forth nervously. "Cruel, mean, ruthless bitch puts us in for another training session. Okay?" "Okay." Eliza said standing over them. Moon's eyes bulged filled with fear. "I wasn't aware I had so many titles." "Why didn't you warn me!?" She hissed. "I was trying!" "Go on dear, go take your shower. I need to have a little chat with her." "Please don't leave me." She whimpered to Zeke. He looked up to Eliza, twiddling the cross on her neck. Zeke looked away filled with guilt and quietly slunk away. "Zeke! Don't you dare!" He said sliding off the roof. "ZEKE! HEY!" Eliza took a seat next to her. "Shall we have a little chat?" She said with a sinister smile. Moon gulped.

Moon attended class with a giant black eye, stretching over half her face. She sat in Sylen's magic class with a cold cut of steak tapped to her head. "Alright class, I hope you've been paying attention this last month. We will be doing a pop quiz today." Moon groaned. "This is also not a multiple choice quiz." She slumped into her chair, reeling back annoyed. "Anyone who gets under 85% will also be written up to Headmaster Jaeger, and be given after school hours tutoring. Profanity beyond comprehension filled Moon's mind. Sylens placed a small stack of papers in front of Moon. She looked at him terrified and concerned. "Thought you said this was a pop quiz. Why are you handing me a booklet?" "That is the quiz. There's a hundred questions on there. It should take you 5 hours to answer it all." "But...what about lunch?" "You'll get it after." "What about training with Coach Obsidian?" "There will be no training with Coach Obsidian today." "What about-" "Miss Kim. I assure you there is no getting out of this quiz. Class, your time begins...Now." Moon slammed her head onto the stack of papers. The thud echoed out startling everyone.

'Why are you giving up?' Iziel asked. 'Because I'm stupid, and I can't remember any of this magic stuff.' 'What's the first question?' Moon held the sheet up. 'How do each Rifts spawn. Explain answers for all three.' 'And this question, is somehow challenging?' Iziel asked confused. 'And what? Do you know the answer?' She thought pouting at the quiz. 'What you call green Rifts are spawned from condensed amounts of Mana.' Moon quickly wrote down the answer . 'And what about red ones?' 'Large amounts of Demonic blood being spilled in one area will either create a new Demon or a Rift.' 'And the blue ones?' 'I'm not going to just give you all the answers.' "Why not!?" Moon said aloud. Everyone shuffled to stare at her. She looked around embarrassed and to Sylens glaring at her. "Something to share, Miss Kim?" "I was uhh..trying to say, why not turn on the air-con?" "It is on." "Right...I guess I just find it a little bit-" "Get back to work."

Moon slumped back down. 'See what you made me do!? Just give me the answers!' 'Why should I? How will this help you learn?' 'Listen you help me cheat through these classes, and I'll give you whatever you want.' 'I want my freedom.' 'Anything within my power to do so.' 'Then you have nothing to offer me.' "NO WAIT!" She shouted standing up. "Miss Kim, one more interruption and I will have you reprimanded." "YEP!" She said embarrassed. 'Iziel! Help me please! I'm sure you want something!' 'Mana. I want to breathe in some actual Mana. Not only is the air in your realm is atrocious, but you only have a fraction of the Mana, I'm accustomed to.' 'Okay! That I can work with. Listen, if you help me pass these quizzes and beat Eliza. The quicker me and Zeke will starting working again, and crossing Rifts, where you can enjoy all the Mana you want, from inside me and across the rifts. Deal?' 'Hmmm...I'll help on one extra circumstance.' 'Name it.' 'When Alistair sealed me into this armour. I lost my connection to many prized artifacts. Recover them for me, when you cross.' 'Deal. Now how do blue Rifts spawn?' 'The same way a red Rift spawns, only difference is instead of sometimes making a new Demon, they create pockets of Holy Fire.'

'Yes!Yes!Yes! Okay, now what closes them?' 'How are you so inept at this?' 'Don't judge me! I go in the Rift, I do the job. I get out. No questions asked.' 'Of course not. You need a brain to ask questions.' "HEY!" Sylens stood up seething. "Sorry! Thought I saw a Rift spawning." "Last warning Miss Kim. Another interruption and-" "Yep got it. Will not happen again sir!" 'For the love of the Creator, try and learn how to control your emotions. It's bad enough I have to bear witness, to your amorous activities with that Demon spawn.' Moon went red. 'You can...you can see that?' 'Did you forget we are bonded? What your Soul feels, I feel.' Her skin became hotter than fire. 'Do not fret little girl. I do my best to ignore it.' 'Out of curiosity...does it feel...' 'I feel what you feel. Regardless of how much I hate him.' 'Why do you hate him so much? I mean what did he do?' 'Focus on the quiz.' 'One day you're gonna tell me.'

'When you "Hunters" cross the Rifts, your bodies naturally absorb the Mana that created the Rifts, which will destabilize them.' 'Wait, if no Hunter crosses through. What happens to the Rift?' 'They stay open till the Mana disperses.' 'Good to know. Alright, four questions down. 96 to go.' 'Surely you can answer some of them on your own?' 'Listen, don't give me any credit. Just give the answers, or you're gonna experience me rocking Zeke's world repeatedly.' 'Eugh...fine. Just give me a warning, it will let me sleep in time.' Moon quickly begun to floor through the quiz, giddily answering all the questions. Reaching the halfway point thirty minutes later, Moon froze. 'Hey wait. How can I trust you to know these answers?' 'You're questioning me after fifty questions?' 'Well, I only just realized.' 'How old do you think I am, before Alistair cheated me?' 'Uh....couple hundred?' 'Try thousands.' 'Wow, so you're ancient.' 'Excuse you! I am very young amongst the Dragons.' 'Geez, alright. Didn't mean to offend.' 'I know these things, because I have lived them. Now let us finish this stupid quiz.'

Within 3 hours Moon finished her test. Confidently slamming her quiz papers onto Sylens's table. "All done!" "You still have three hours left, you may review the answers of your-OI!" He called out after Moon, already walking out the door. "What? I don't want to review the quiz. I'm confident, that I'm right." "Well, let's check your answers together then. Shall we?" "Moon rolled her eyes. "Knock yourself out." 'I do not like this one. His arrogance does not match the Mana I can smell from him.' 'Overcompensation in highest forms.' 'Indeed.' The two watched as Sylens cocked his head to side confused, at the answers. "So am I right?" "Yes..." She let out a big whoop. "See you losers later!" She said strutting out. Sylens reeled back in his seat dumb founded. 'Was she always so amazing smart? Why hide it? Of course! It is the clever one to play the fool. I will have to write her a recommendation to leave this class.'

Zeke stood on the beach with Eliza beside him, the two watching the water gently lap at their feet. "Any reason why you stopped practicing?" "I wanted to ask you something, about activating your Demon's Blood." "It better be smarter than your last question about it." "Look, I was curious to know, if the monthly cycle would activate it." He blushed. "Ask away. Mastering something takes ten thousand hours of practice, if you're talented in it. Another ten thousand, if you're dumb at it." "Everyone says that turning this blood on, comes from rage and negative emotions. That we have to make our blood boil. I was wondering, if you had seen it come from any other emotion?" "Are you familiar with the Seven Deadly Sins?" He shrugged, unsure of how to answer. "Most of us activate our Demon's Blood, in response to one of those sins. A Lust for power. Eating to satisfy our Gluttony. To horde and stash and satiate our Avarice. To skip the hard work, and fall to our habits of Sloth. Releasing a pent up explosion of anger and unleashing our Wrath. Become blinded to our own strengths and goals, and be lead by our Envy. And some...some do it from the sake of their pride."

Zeke dropped his head in defeat, slumping over. "You on the other hand, seem to not be able to tap into any of those sins." He let out a long frustrated growl. "Does your father not suing you, making you want to unleash your Wrath?" "Ran away from home with my best friend, now live a comfortable life, and Weaver paid off my debt." "No aspirations?" "I want to stay at home all day, watching TV." "Ever get hungry?" "I'm not gonna starve to death any time soon." "You're hardworking, so turning it on out of spite to that isn't gonna work either." "So, what now? It's only gonna come out when Moon is in life threatening danger? And even then, I'm not in control. What if I turn on her? Or anyone else, I'm meant to be protecting?" Eliza cupped her chin, with a thought crossing her mind. "Why do you want this power?" "Well to..." He went red. "I know it sounds cheesy, but I need to become stronger, to protect the ones I care about. Being an unbreakable meat shield, has lost all its value with Moon bonding with Iziel." "A fear of being worthless and left behind then?" "What? No. I just...I need to make sure that if the time ever comes. I can stop whatever is trying to hurt them."

"Hmm...take a knee." "Why?" She reached for her necklace. Zeke quickly fell to one knee. "Bow your head." "Uhh...can I ask what this is about?" he asked staring at her feet. Zeke looked on confused as sharp cold snow white sabatons manifested over her boots. Curious, he continued to gaze up at her stunning and shimmering armour, seemingly made of snow. Her helmet was designed with a sleek and angular design of a Demon's head. Four spiky ram horns adorned on the side, and a third eye painted onto the visor. He stared in awe at the sight of her. She held her hand out, summoning a colossal sized blood stained cleaver. "That's your bonded weapon?" Zeke asked deeply concerned, with the cleaver casting a shadow over them. "It is. I can't pronounce it's actual name without swallowing my own tongue. So I call her choppy." "Choppy?" He asked bewildered. "Got a problem with its name?" "No ma'am."

"I want you swear an oath to yourself." "Are you trying to knight me?" "Swear an oath damn it!" She growled. "Yes ma'am!" He whimpered. "I uh swear that...What am I swearing to?" She bought Choppy down with all her might. Zeke made a crater in the sand. He stood up spewing sand and screaming. "AH! SON OF A BITCH! WHY DOES THAT THING STING SO MUCH!" He thrashed and rolled on the ground, clawing at his shoulder. Eliza looked the edge of Choppy, the Demonic runes etched into metal burning bright red. She looked to Zeke rubbing his shoulder and pouting, with a simple pink mark, quickly healing. "Geez, Demonic weapons hurt me as well?" He said inspecting the blade. "Zeke...have you ever been able to turn off your powers?" "Uh...never tried. Why do you ask?" "Why do you think your powers are always on?" "Iunno." He shrugged. "Always figured, it was that human instinct to stay alive. So it just stayed on. Didn't see a reason to try and turn it off. Wait, do you think if I find a way to turn it off, I can activate my Demon's Blood? Like how Cursed powers work?"

"ZEKE!" Moon called in the distance, jogging over to them. "Who the fuck is that?" She said running in closer. 'That's Elizabeth Pendragon's Mana.' "What's she doing out of class so early?" Zeke asked. "No...I think your powers and Demon's Blood, have always worked in tandem. I'd like to test my theory." "How would you do that?" "Stop me before I kill her." "Wait wh-" Eliza transformed. The Demonic runes etched into Choppy lit up, and she brought it down onto Zeke. He crashed through the sand making a deep crater of his outline. Eliza charged in at Moon. 'GET DOWN!' Iziel roared. "Huh why?" Iziel enveloped over Moon. She froze in place, with Choppy millimetres from her eyes.

The Ethereal Spectre hand one clawed hand holding Choppy and another around Eliza. She was thrown far and away from Moon. She fell back terrified, still trying to process how close to the death she was. Zeke emerged from the sand, billowing a white smoke with each breath, his hair snow white. Moon watched as he waded into the water. The wave freezing instantly at his feet. He stared at his reflection, seeing his crimson eyes shrouded in the darkness of his black sclera. The Spectre loomed over him, tracing his every movement. "So this is my power..." "Does he seem...calm to you?" Moon asked. 'Yes, I believe he's activate that accursed blood of his.' He summoned Shadow taking Sovereign stance one. The Spectre did the same. Zeke took a step forward unleashing a slashing wave, that split apart the ocean, with the Spectre's wave following behind it. Eliza dusted herself off, watching on with a proud smile.

Zeke reverted to normal falling to one knee, panting and drenched in sweat, but with a satisfied smile across his face. He sat back laughing to himself. Moon hesitantly approached with Eliza standing over him. "You're not gonna try and kill me again are you?" "Not right now." 'Kill her.' 'I'm thinking about it.' "Zeke are you okay? What was that?" He looked up at her with a smile, that she hadn't seen in years. Genuine happiness. "I'm...I'm fucking great. That was me." He said admiring the small shards of ice shattering on the shore. "Do I need to keep almost dying for you to do that? Because I don't think I have enough pants to keep up." He shook his head. Zeke activated his Demon's Blood, giving her a wry smile, before it turned off. He let out a wheeze. "Shit...that's tiring..." He panted. "Looks like your limit is about one minute." Eliza said.

"Yeah, but what'd you figure out? How are you turning it on now?" "I swore an oath." "And that would be?...." Moon asked rolling her hand in the air. He blushed. "I'd rather not say." "Oh it was cheesy and cringey wasn't it?" "Nope." "Bullshit!" She snapped. "What was it? Come on tell me. I won't make fun of you." "That is a lie and a half." "Miss Kim. Let him go and rest, we start our training early today." "Aww but, I'm about to break him." "You are not." Eliza rolled her eyes. "Tell us what the oath is, so we may start our training." "But I don't want to-" Eliza took her pendant. "I swore that would I use my powers to always protect you!" He shouted, going beet red. "Awww! You're so cringey." Moon chuckled. "Shut up! It helps me!" He exclaimed. "Now that you have your answer. Shall we begin?" "Yes! Let me go get Soul-Taker." She said sprinting off. "Zeke." She said stopping him from following. "What was your real oath?" "That was my-" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Can you read minds?" He asked concerned. "No, but I know lie, when I hear one. You've always sworn to protect her with your powers. So spill, or little Jesus here, is going to use your nut sack as a speed bag."

Zeke winced and curled in, crossing his legs. "What confidence do I have that you won't tell her or anyone else." "None. You're gonna have to risk, how much you want to keep it a secret, versus your ability to have children in the future." "I would like to say one thing first." "And that would be?" "You are a very, very, very mean woman." "Noted. Now talk." "I swore, I'd become a monster to keep the ones I love safe." She slapped him across the head. "Don't lie to me." "God! How are you doing that?" He let out a sigh. "Fine. I swore that I would kill anyone who hurt the ones I love." "Boy!" Zeke winced cowering in fear. "Alright, alright. I swore that I'd never be weak again, and would do whatever it takes to become stronger, and protect the ones I love." She cocked an eyebrow at him. "I've been telling the truth! I don't know how many more ways I can reword it. " She smirked at him. "I know it's more cheesy than that, but the joy of watching you squirm has disappeared.." He stuck his lower lip out annoyed. "You are a mean lady." "Noted. Now go rest."