Lexin, it was a town of no renown. A farming town on the outskirts of the kingdom, many couldn't point it out on a map but not far from it in the Daedalus Forest an object known as a pseudo core was found and now a second one was found in the heart of the lonesome town.
Being woken up so abruptly Cyrus shot up, he rubbed his cheek as the stinging sensation started to fade. As he heard Sarah his eyes went wide.
" Here!? You didn't say it was this close!"
" I just said north I didn't say how fucking far! I don't know their precise locations!" Sarah responded, folding her arms as she looked down at Cyrus who was rubbing his face as he came to his feet.
Rolling his shoulders in circles Cyrus let out a sigh and fixed his clothes that had been ruffled from sleeping on the ground, fixing his dagger onto his hip securing it in place " Whatever, whatever, lets go greet them."
Cyrus would start to head towards the door to their room before he felt the back of his shirt getting tugged.
" The hell do you think you're doing?"
" Umm, going to get whoever has this core thingy." Cyrus's eyes were half lidded as he looked down at Sarah in confusion.
" You really are an idiot, think for two seconds. A psuedo core grants borderline godlike powers-"
" I didn't-"
" Shut up and listen for two damn seconds!"
Cyrus rolled his eyes as the small angel promptly silenced him.
" These cores grant powers you could hardly imagine, now think what would the average person would do after suddenly obtaining something like that?" Sarah asked, her arms folded as she looked at Cyrus.
One hand on his hip the other stroking his chin Cyrus contemplated her question for a few moments, " Well it really depends doesn't it?"
Sarah let out a sigh, " While yes you're not wrong but what I'm getting at is that there's no guarantee that whoever is down there is friendly, they could be using this new power to start a conquest who knows what."
" Then why the hell would you guys give people like that a core! Aren't we supposed to be heroes of prophecy or some shit!" Cyrus responded
" Obviously because we didn't choose! That's why I'm down here, to make sure idiots like you actually-"
As Sarah spoke the quiet inn suddenly exploded with the sounds of what sounded like panicked cries and shocking screams. The uproar grew with every passing second, washing over the halls like a tidal wave the echoes got louder and louder. As the sounds echoed out both Cyrus and Sarah perked up, their eyes widened as not another word was said before they were both rushing out of their room, they winded down the halls of the inn and bolted down the stairs to arrive back at the main hall of the inn and were met with a shocking sight.
Standing on top of a table midst the sea of inn goers was a single tan skinned woman. Her long white hair adorned with star ornaments tied into a high ponytail that trailed down her back ending in a curled magenta colored tip. Her clothes were reminiscent of a dancer, long flowing pieces of purple fabric draped off of her arms and shoulders, her midriff exposed while her chest and legs were covered by silky fabrics that bounced and swayed with each of her movements. Wading through the crowd she danced and sifted with a grace and expertise that was borderline hypnotic. Her hands ran across the napes and chin of men and women alike as they crowded to watch her performance, the men of the inn erupting into cheers with each of her lascivious movements.
Seeing this dance unfold in front of him Cyrus found himself watching before he realized. In the back of the crowd his eyes followed her movements, back and forth following the sway of her body until her shimmering purple eyes locked with his. Her eyes scanned his body as her lips formed into a small smirk. Cyrus's cheeks turned a slight shade of red from her gaze, slowly becoming captivated until a sharp pain dug into his calf.
" Ow! what the hell was-" Cyrus flinched at the pain, looking down to see that Henry had bitten him. " What was that for?"
His duck companion only offered a single quack in complain to his annoyed question before hopping up to tap his hip, his hip that had grown lighter than it should have been. Looking down at his hip Cyrus quickly realized, the blade that was supposed to be there was gone, his eyes widened in shock and surprised as he quickly patted himself down.
" What!? I definitely grabbed it!" As he stammered over himself trying to find his dagger Sarah walked up beside him.
" It was her."
Hearing that Cyrus froze up a bit, " Huh? What are you talking about?" He questioned.
" This entire time I could feel the use of a core. I don't know exactly what she's doing but its the only explanation." Sarah's arms were folded, watching the woman dance through the crowd more and more.
Listening Cyrus's face grew dark, spark of lightning kicking and jumping off of his feet. " That's all the explanation I need then." He declared as those crimson eyes of his locked on to the dancer, his body tensing as small sparks started to coat his body before another sharp pain assaulted his calf.
Looking down it was once again Henry biting at his leg. His eyes would soften as he let out a sigh, " Yeah, yeah, I know. Calm down, analyze, then strike."
" Wow the duck is a better hunter than you, it'd be a mess if you tried to catch her now" Sarah snickered.
" Oh shut up! That dagger was expensive I'll be damned if she thinks she's getting away with it." He grumbles, his eyes going back to following her movements, but unlike the soft captivated eyes that were on her before his gaze was now sharp, every movement she made being marked and analyzed like a predator stalking its prey.
Watching him Sarah shivered, it was as if a cold dark presence had surrounded him, so much so that she barely even felt him there and yet he was standing right next to her. Her brow furrowed as her mind raced from what was happening right beside her.