Blood sister

Goddammit! My back meets the gritty earth, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. A groan tears from my parched throat. Seriously? I may have won, but why does it feel like I lost? She looks too damn comfortable.

"What the fuck was that?" My head lolls to the side, glancing at the offending weapon that just drained me dry. Stupid, stupid gun. Why didn't it come with a manual or something? You'd think with a weapon like that, a 'how not to shoot yourself in the foot' guide would be included. Tsk, Eira is going to have to explain what the hell that was about.

Pain lances through my arm. The damn thing's broken and... leaking? What the hell? Glowing flecks of my own energy seep out like glowing embers, disintegrating into the cool air. Just great. More problems to add to the list. I pull the hurt limb closer, trying not to think about the level of stupid that got me into this situation. Fuck, I better alter my circulation until i get a healing potion or something like that.

With much effort, my eyes drift towards Lysandra, who seems to be having the time of her life in dreamland. What the hell? Out like a light and looking all blissful while doing it. "Hey! This isn't naptime you fucker!" I grumble, my voice weak. "Could you at least pretend to be a little battered?"

But she just keeps on sleeping, a small smile playing on her lips. I snort in disbelief. "Tsk, that infuriatingly calm face. I'm here, half-dead, trying to figure out how the hell you passed out, and you... you're probably dreaming of a full-course meal or something like that."

Summoning up the meager mana reserves that had just started regenerating, I flick a finger and conjure my odd, off-color fire. Seriously, every time I look at it, I get an inexplicable feeling of discomfort. "Why are you so weird?" I whisper to the flame, watching it flicker and dance, almost as if it's mocking me. "What did you do to her, huh? Whispered some creepy bedtime story?" I need to figure out exactly what this is.

I really wish I had the energy to delve deeper into it, but everything's hazy and blurry. Before I know it, my hand slackens, the fire winking out. I didn't get a chance to use it on her properly, but for it to knock her out cold? Ugh, I seriously don't get it.

I slump further, my body sinking into the rocky terrain. "Ilka... you better have a good explanation for all this when I wake up," I murmur, more to myself than anyone else. Though with my luck, she'd probably laugh at me for that beating I got. And honestly, I'd deserve it, I should've brought some more toys with me.

Drawing in a shuddering breath, I let the encroaching darkness take over. "Next time," I promise myself, "I'm making Eira write a damn manual." and with that last thought, consciousness slips away.

Groaning as I sit up, the events of the last few hours start to become clear. Well, as clear as they can be considering how utterly fucked up the whole situation was. I rub my eyes and blink, trying to shake off the lingering confusion.

"You were out for half a day, well done boy," a voice intones from behind me, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

Wheeling around, I spot Darius next to Lysandra, grinning like he's just won the damn lottery. I let out a sharp sigh. You nearly gave me a heart attack, old man! Why the hell are you here?

"Well, I had no choice. I got to say though, fighting her was a pain in the ass." I collapse onto a nearby rock, rubbing my temples as the memories flood back. "So, what brings you here?"

A wicked grin spreads across Darius's face. "Once I got notified of your win, I came down here to have a chat with this brat," he chuckles, patting Lysandra's back.

Lysandra, who's been irritatingly quiet so far, suddenly springs to life. "Hmph! You only won because of all those weird things you have." She huffs, folding her arms and glaring at me.

My jaw clenches, frustration boiling over. Seriously, this arrogant bitch? I didn't fight you for nothing, "What the fuck are you on about? A win's a win, you sore loser. You agreed to this, remember? You'd better honor your word!" I say frustrated. Fuck, she won't back down right?

She hesitates for a moment, her eyes narrowing. I can practically see the gears turning in her head as she considers her options. "Fine, fine. Don't get your panties in a twist," she sneers, before sharpening her nails and slashing her palm.

I don't give her a chance to change her mind, quickly doing the same and reaching out to shake her hand. I don't want her changing her mind. The blood mingles as we grasp each other's hands tightly, sealing the pact. I don't really know how these pacts work, shouldn't there be some sort of magic involved?

A sharp laugh escapes Lysandra's lips, and I look up to see an almost triumphant gleam in her eye. Darius's grin widens, and a chill runs down my spine. Something's off. No no no no no, what the hell is going on?

I glance down at our hands and then it hits me. The runes on her hand. How the hell did I not notice them before? Panic sets in as I realize what I've just done. I've just sealed a pact without knowing what the damn runes mean!

"What the fuck is this?" I sputter, yanking my hand back, staring at the faint glow of the runes on my own hand now. "What the fuck did you just do, you sneaky bitch?" Tsk, what is this old man up to? What the hell did force me into? Fuck, I should've paid attention.

Lysandra just laughs, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Oh, you dumbass. You're so impulsive. You really should've looked closer, shouldn't you?"

"You conniving, treacherous—"

"Easy now," Darius chimes in, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You're the one who wanted this. Perhaps you should've been more careful." Fuck you old man, I know you're responsible, there's no way this lizard has a brain.

I clench my fists, my mind racing as I try to figure out what the hell just happened. How could I have been so stupid? First I need to figure out what the hell is going on.

"Oi, Darius, what the hell is this?" I sigh, my eyes fixed on the faint glow of the rune, which is already starting to fade away.

Darius grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief, and is about to say something, but Lysandra interrupts, her face beaming with a mischievous look. "Hahaha, you just signed a soul contract, you dumb bastard! Hahaha! Now you belong to me!"

I glare at her, disbelief etched across my face. Maybe if it was someone else, I might have believed them, but this lizard-brained brat? Not a chance. I sigh and turn back to Darius, desperate for a straight answer.

Darius laughs, a hearty sound that resonates through the clearing. "She's not completely wrong, you both just signed a soul contract. I made sure to disguise it as a rune to keep you from noticing. You both are now connected by blood."

He stands up, brushing himself off, and adds, "I just made it so you both can't break your oath as blood siblings."

My blood boils as the words sink in. So, in other words, he wants to make sure she stays my blood sister. What a ridiculous notion.

Lysandra's eyes widen, her face turning a shade of red. "You sneaky old man! You lied to me! You said he would become my slave!"

Ignoring her protest, I sigh, trying to maintain my composure. "I'm assuming the contract prevents us from betraying one another. However, I don't understand why you would keep it a secret from me." I had already agreed to become her blood brother so what's the big deal?

Darius grins, a sinister expression that makes my skin crawl. "It's not some pathetic third-rate contract. That damn lizard would be pissed if I used one. The contract you signed is a top-grade contract, and it can affect your emotions. One of the things that annoying lizard asked me to add was to make it so you can't hate each other. Ugh, it's a very long and tedious contract. You'll figure it out eventually; I don't feel like explaining it."

With that, Darius grins and just vanishes into thin air, leaving me standing in the clearing with Lysandra, both of us seething and confused.

Just what the hell does he mean? I turn to Lysandra, and even though I obviously still hate her, a strange feeling begins to creep into my mind. Is it more complicated than that, or have the effects not kicked in yet?

As I look into her eyes, I notice her anger begin to subside, replaced by something I can't quite place. A connection? A bond? Damn those two bastards, why do they have to force me into being her companion?

★

Sighing as I make a fist, I glance at Lysandra who seems pissed. I think I get it, it's not that I can't hate her, it's more like I can't detest her. I shiver slightly. Was her dad afraid I might have betrayed her? The idea of having a slight amount of dragon blood running through me feels weird. Well, whatever, as long as it doesn't force me into liking her, it should be fine. Although I want to go to the academy straight away, I need to head back to the shop first.

Once we arrive, Lysandra starts looking around the store again. Tsk, she's still new here, so I'll let her be. I walk up to Des, who is sitting at the checkout, reading something, and a grin forms on my face. Time to play around with her a bit. I cough slightly, changing my voice, and say, "Excuse me, young miss, could you please tell me how much this is?" I place a small sword on the counter. Heh, I got this for her after Eira said she took a liking to swordsmanship.

Des, who seems somewhat tired, doesn't even look at me, just the sword. "Huh? Um...I'm sorry, but we don't sell swords here, I'm not sure how this got here." Then she looks up to see me and slightly jumps back before puffing her cheeks. "T-that's not cool, Kael," she places her hands on her waist, feigning anger.

I rub her head, feeling the warmth of her hair between my fingers. "You can keep it; make sure to take good care of it,"

"Oh, I almost forgot," I sigh, reaching into my bag and extracting a book. This mana circulation method is the best one I found for dealing with chaotic mana. I hand it over to Des, my eyes filled with concern. "Zeke won't be helping you out anymore. Be careful when trying this. If you feel like you need help, you can ask Eira to give me a call. As long as you carefully try this, you should feel better."

Des looks at the book, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. She's been struggling with controlling her mana, and I know this isn't something she can just overcome, she will constantly be dealing with this problem until the devil is gone for good. My gaze softens as I reach out and place my gloved hand on her back, absorbing some of the mana.

I can feel the unruly energy flowing into Umbra, a chaotic storm that's been tormenting her. The effect is almost immediate, as Des's face relaxes and she lets out a sigh of relief. I can't help but feel a hint of pride. Umbra, you truly are the best. With this, she will feel better for the time being.

Des looks up at me, her eyes wide with surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, Kael. I don't know what you just did, but it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

I ruffle her hair, a smile playing on my lips. "Just take care of yourself, okay? Practice with the book, but don't push yourself too hard. And remember, you can always ask for help."

She nods, determination filling her eyes. "I will. Thank you, again."

With that said and done, my thoughts turn to Ash. I want to talk to him, but he's out with his sister, so I'll have to wait.

I turn to leave, my mind already on the next task. "I better go see Eira," I murmur, making my way towards the stairs.