Crystal Fragmentation

Beautiful clear-cut crystal had wrapped elegantly in hexagonal sheets that spread entirely over the surface, hovering just milometers over Evelyn's ankle. It reached up as far as mid-calf, fragmented as if pieces had broken off. It looked more like digital fragmentation, or at least how one would perceive it as such and honestly something that Mizuki had never ever witnessed in all his years of living. Familiar golden light shone as the colour of his eye intensified in response to the new power, it zeroed in on a sparking sliver of fractured glass that was falling almost in slow motion to the ground. It hit the floor with a gentle tink.

[How? I leant out to inquire…Their energy, it reacted and materialised.] Mizuki thumbed through the pages of his knowledge in his mind, rapidly searching for answers. Red tipped white hair billowed with the wind, which was now more than just a breeze, but his gaze never faltered and never left.

[Premature emergence,] his memory supplied. [From an essence that has been locked, buried, and forgotten.] More glass shards fell to the ground, shattering on impact.

[Denied the link to spirit for far too long.] His long nails briefly touched the layer of energy built up into physical form. [Fragile,] he thought, [yet…power thrums deeply.] Potential.

His lips quirked faintly at the corners, pupils dilating until there was literally nothing but the molten core of gold. It flashed, meeting glowing white, blue rimmed seas. The depths were pulling, pushing and Mizuki could feel his own essence react in turn. At the back of his mind, he could only just recall something that was told to him when he was but a child. That every spirit had a connection with the world, with the lands and most of all with each other. Some were linked so far together that they became reliant of the power each could wield, and others…much like the blue-eyed woman, needed another to ground that power. Of course, much like Evelyn, there were many that could not and would not be able to contain so much raw power…so a demon who found them, would use that to their advantage. To syphon and leech from an endless spring. The gift of [sight] was given to these individuals in warning so they could protect themselves better by hiding themselves. There were not many of them left. A cull had happened in which the government decreed all Onmyoji or those with powers were to be detained and put to work under strict rule. Many were lost, butchered, and slain for the gift that they had received when born. Lies and promises. It made the demon sick to his stomach, especially since that is what had originally happened to the first appearance of demon kind. Humans attempted to destroy what they could not, would not understand. Mizuki felt a pinprick of worry etch itself into his bones, realising for the first time since leaving Kai…that man knew far more than he was able to tell. Rin, Evelyn, she would need more than protection. She would need to learn, and to prevent an overload of spiritual power from destroying her, Mizuki feared he would need to bind the excess to his own. This would ultimately connect them, and he wasn't wholly sure that he was ready for such a commitment.

"Zuki…" Trembles ricocheted through limbs, "W-what…" Mizuki tightens his smile at the feel of his inner demon, feeling it respond and purr to the unbridled power literally sitting so innocently inside this frail and fragile mortal. It remained reigned, for now.

"Calm, Rin." Thin fingers reached to squeeze a shoulder so tense it felt like stone. "Release the pressure, do not tighten." He could feel the muscles beneath his hand ripple as they resisted relaxing, twitching periodically under his digits.

"The energy I hold unlocked potential too soon," he felt get shoulders loosen minutely, "It reacted in alarm and defence." Gold flickered towards a now calm Michael, breathing harshly through his nose, and slicked with sweat. "As with your sibling." Ryō made a brief hand movement to signal the male discreetly. [Under control.] A breath released, relief perhaps. Mizuki's attention returned. In that very moment, as his eye returned its curious and analytical gaze, the crystal sheet dropped like curtain call in a god almighty crash. Evelyn flinched and breathed in sharply. She looked exhausted.

"I…" For once in his life the demon felt a small modicum of guilt, "regret how it played out."

"It would have happened at some point, no?" Mizuki looked away sheepishly.

"Mayhap it would. I expedited the process." He drew his hands back into his hitatare, huffing. "though it was not my intent."

Soft crunching of stones and gravel snapped their attention towards Michael and Ryō, both men exhaustedly collapsing at the beginning of the garden right at the feet of Mizuki and Evelyn.

"I tol' ye ages ago aniki, ye can't rush things!" The green-eyed man let out a loud groan, stretching his legs. They popped and cracked in response.

"Kai warned ye'. Patience. Now we 'av to train them with so little time." He grumbled, annoyed. Mizuki, for his part, just watched on with narrowed eyes. He motioned with a long-nailed finger in the direction of the gate, challenging his brother with an inclined head and muted conversation.

"Mm. Perhaps, yes….Yoitesan, without a doubt." Ryō brought his hand up to his chin in thought. "Amaresama, though…Come convincing."

"It is no issue. I am confident in my assurance." Ryō rolled his eyes briefly, shifting his hands while leaning backwards on them.

"Sure. Ye' can manage the fallout. For some reason Amaresama hates me."

"Ryō. You miserably tried to woo her." Green eyes snapped to a deadpan Mizuki, who's eye glittered in mirth at the misfortune of his brother.

"Oi! No! I-I never tried to woo her!" A little snort of laughter came from Evelyn, who had sidled up top her brother and had shuffled close enough for her shoulder to lean on his side in affection. During their little talk they had all somehow managed to sit comfortably on the wooden deck together. A silence enveloped them, comforting and peaceful and they watched as the clouds settled over the horizon. Little droplets of rain began to pitter patter to the floor.

Mizuki swallowed thickly, eye closing. Within this peaceful atmosphere, he felt something biting…a long since gone thread that pulled and tugged viciously. It seemed [he] knew. He smirked, happy that none of the others could see him, for the darkness that creeped into that smirk was anything but good.

No demon was ever truthfully one hundred percent good. No, Mizuki let his inner demon leak through as the thread pulled harder and harder. Blue fire, envisioned within that place, licked, and caressed the connection to his mind. It burned beautifully and with a crackle and snap, it broke. Disappearing into the abyss.

[Onmyoji – experts in magic and divination, they practice Onmyodo.]