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"Well I hope your not planning to use that weapon of yours... I am decent with a sword in my hand, but I doubt I could best you in a fight with weapons." He said nothing about besting her the way he usually fought people, he would never purposely cause harm, would never strike her with his magic or otherwise. "I was... forced to leave before I could hone any of my skills with the sword or any other kind of blade." He shrugged self consciously as the painful memory of his banishment and curse rose to the surface like a predator and ripped at his heart.

Asmodeus shrugged, his eyes glittering dangerously as he gazed down at his hands, the black tinted nails glistening as he flexed his fingers. "I have no need for weapons." He stated quietly, "I have other strengths, other forms of destroying my enemies." He glanced away as they crested the next rise. The castle grounds stretched out before them, his eyes softened, "We're almost there." He pointed to a vast labyrinth covering three square miles of land to the east of the palace, "The Yggdrasil tree rests in the center of that labyrinth, we will need the lady Ardina's assistance to reach it I believe, so we will go to the palace first, she will be waiting for me there."

"How are you feeling Akuma?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, "Protective spells, Arkan doesn't want anyone reaching the Yggdrasil tree unless HE wants them too. Specifically King Dagon I assume." He spat out the name viciously, venom in his eyes. "There are only two trees in this realm, two access points to the other realms, One in Tristram, the center of power in Entholia, and one here. I assume he wants this one destroyed so he can control the only safe way to exit or enter the realm. The rebellion would be stranded, with no hope of outside aide, it would be a huge blow against his opposition. It would drain my strength to the breaking point if I had to shield us to fly over the walls."
A loud trumpet call in the distance announced their arrival to the rest of the palace. He bristled unhappily, she was fairing... He pulled Nerili up next to Darsor so they were parallel an he reached over to wrap his hand around Akuma's "We will save your son Akuma," he squeezed his eyes shut, praying for patience, "And by all the gods, you owe me nothing, it is I who owe you, I haven't felt this good in ages, as if I exist for a purpose once again."
They reached the steps to the palace, a small woman with waist length golden curls was waiting for them, her face a mask of mischief as she watched Asmodeus dismount and help Akuma to the ground.
He wrapped one arm protectively around her shoulders as he used the other to point to the woman, "The Lady Ardina, the woman who helped me control this blasted curse."

He smiled at her in what he hoped was a reassuring manner, "She first came across me when I was a ravaged soul, insane with grief and horror at what was being done by my own hands. Hands once used to heal, to fight for what and whom I believed in were now used to rip through flesh, to feed, to torment, I was a monster." His eyes were distant and glazed, "I am a monster..." He said quietly, painfully. "But Ardina recognized me, realized who I was beneath this curse and brought me here where she worked tirelessly to find a way to lift it, to free me, she gave me a place to safely let loose the monster inside where I wouldn't have to worry about harming anyone... She sacrifices her strength to help me. She is a dear friend, she will help us."

Ardina glided down the steps to meet them with disturbing feline grace, the points of her dress floating eerily in an unseen breeze, She smiled with welcome as she embraced Asmodeus, "It was much easier to lift this time Az," she murmured into his chest before drawing away to face Akuma. Her eyes sharpened with predatory interest as she allowed a feather light psychic tendril to brush against Akuma's mind, curious, but not threatening.
Is she the cause? The one? she pondered as she introduced herself to the woman before her. Her smile warmed as she watched the way Asmodeus' body hovered slightly in front of Akuma, a protective instinct common in Entholian males, she had never seen Asmodeus behave in this way towards any female outside of those he considered family.

Asmodeus was happy to see Ardina, but the many armed guards and other male servants were setting his teeth on edge. Akuma had only just been healed, she was fragile, they were a danger. His blue eyes glazed, his demeanor was deceptively calm as the sweet rage flooded his body, he needed to get her out of the open before he began ripping into the other men. "Do you need to rest before we go?" He purred under his breath into Akuma's ear, "You must be tired?" He stared at the smooth expanse of skin between her right ear and shoulder, longed to press his lips, perhaps his teeth into that flesh and cursed his traitorous mind for wandering when he nearly tripped on their way up the steps. "Akuma....." He murmured, longing to say something....anything to let her know how he felt, but he cut off the words, now was neither the place or time, plus....she was married to....Lucid.
The name brought a new wave of icy rage washing through him and something else...Jealousy?

Ardina said nothing at Akuma's violent reaction to her psychic touch, but she silently approved, a strong woman, protective and suspicious, traits that would serve her well, but she sensed a good woman beneath that temper, no hint of Dagon's corrupted influence that she could sense or she would have burned through her mind until only a husk remained. Her eyes hardened and her mouth set into a grim line, she would protect Milana with every hint of strength left in her body, and because Milana loved Arkan, she would protect him too.

Asmodeus nodded in reluctant acceptance at Akuma's words, he understood the need to protect, respected Akuma even more for it even though it took all his strength to stop himself from swinging her over his shoulder and tucking her into bed where she would be safe with him guarding the door while she got some much needed sleep. He calmed when he heard her voice but shook his head and sighed. "Ahh If only you knew..." he murmured, his voice charged with passion and a hint of a growl as he gazed into her eyes. He squeezed her hand and turned to face Ardina who was watching them with a knowing smile dancing across her lips. "We need to get to Enthelda, it is urgent. Since I do not recognize the name I assume the kingdom is not Entholian, I hoped you could help us reach it, perhaps through the Yggdrasil tree."

Ardina nodded curtly, veered off through a little used corridor, and down an elegantly carved flight of stone stairs. "I had an underground tunnel installed under the royal apartments, an escape route for My father and Milana should Dagon attack. Kelda'Moore is close but Dagon has a marvelously agile mind when it comes to military tactics and reinforcements might not reach us in time. I am glad of it now, it is the fastest way to the tree." When they reached the rooms she got on her knees, rolled back the carpets and murmured a spell against the flagstones, when she stood there was a hole in the floor large enough for one person to pass through at a time and a flight of stairs leading down into the darkness.
Asmodeus wordlessly embraced Ardina and grabbed a lantern off of a nearbye table before starting his descent, pulling Akuma with him.

thinking of Akuma had given Lucid new energy, he almost felt like he could float his way to her, like cotton fluff in the summer. but he was still to weak, his body was telling him to feed, but he wouldn't allow himself. though he already had. he stopped and peered into a produce store, he could see watermelons but for the first time, felt no desire to eat them. they didnt even perk him mouth to water. "I bet that is yummy" he said mostly to tell himself, but showed no enthusiasm. and continued to search for his ever fading Akuma.

Asmodeus peered further down the tunnel, trying to raise the lantern so he could see further down the tunnel.He caught the psychic scent of...something, no one should be down here. He tensed, sensing a shift in Akuma's mood, "I have no idea," he murmured, a hint of a growl in his voice, "I have never traveled these tunnels before, but the labyrinth is not far from the castle walls, I assume we will be there shortly."
Sure enough as they traveled a few more feet, the darkness lifted slightly and he could vaguely make out the outline of stone steps ascending out of the darkness. The foreign scent also became stronger. He smoothly stepped foreword and pulled Akuma behind him. His half lidded eyes glazed as he reached down into the core of his power, his fingers flexed threateningly as he raised the lantern higher until he could make out the shape of a small bedraggled and filthy man.
"What are you doing here?" His deep voice came out in a threatening growl