Sous

Shadow white knuckled the sail toward the island of Dimona. Not only did he have Sous on his little tug boat but also the princess. A small black cloud hung over his head, ever since Monica dropped Sous on his doorstep, his life had become more adventurous than usual. That said something considering his typical job was him protecting the border from Apex wolves that seems to be ever growing.

Alana stood on the captain's deck with him. Quiet while Sous was who knew where, probably in the cabins reading.

The princess stood toward the edge of the boat with her hands behind her back. Her air swayed elegantly in the wind, and the soft mist sprayed her skin. She was beautiful where she stood and Shadow felt a calmness when in her presence. He exhaled and relaxed his hands on the steering wheel.

Alana kept her eyes in the distance, unconsciously scanning for her island to appear out from the mist. It was that time of the decade and it was asked that she bring someone with her to help with the challenge. Someone would was just as strong as she was. Alana wasn't sure if Sous was as strong as she was but she was strong and she had at least one seal on her body. For a first year have a seal on their body that meant they were damn hella good strong. Alana also learned Sous had trained under Clarence, one of the best alchemist in all the land, the three sisters, the beat witches in all of the land, and as she drifted toward her island, here she was with Shadow, the best as well. Sous had a knack for being trained under the best and the elf princess wandered if the young girl knew that.

"I don't know how I feel about you bringing Sous on this trial," Shadow said.

Alana nodded her head and was sympathetic to Shadow's fear. No one on Nadia had a choice to the matter. It was centuries ago with Nadia signed a treaty with Dimona.

"I'm very confident in my abilities but even I have my limits." The princess remarked. She never once turned to look at Shadow.

"She's only twelve."

"A twelve year old with a seal. Even I don't have that."

Shadow bowed his hand. When he gave Sous over to the sisters for them to watch, he had hoped they would guide her on her education but they thought her things he disagreed with. He was really only able to shrug and drink to it. What the sisters wanted, they normally got.

"You have that much confidence in her?"

"Without that seal, I don't think I would." She paused, swaying on her toes. "She managed to tap into it and it saved her life. She'd have drowned by the way I dragged her down in the water."

Shadow nodded his head in understanding even if the young girl didn't see him make such a gesture. It was the weekend and she promised the school she would return by Dies Solis evening.

She didn't show it but she was scared, and she did all that she could to prevent her hands from shaking with the might of thunder. It's why she kept herself in the direction of her home, thinking of how much she hated this hex. Alana wondered if Shadow even knew the story of Dimona and why this was something she had to do, why their was a treaty between the two nations to begin with when Dimona was once a solitary, isolated country with inner conflicts between the various ethnic elves that lived on the island for thousands of years.

"Hmpf," she about wanted to last. What brought all of her people together was common enemy they struggled to get rid of and ironically, it kept them at peace until that day that came every ten years.

Sous came up from the cabin with a book in her hand. She was silent when she walked past Shadow to Alana. She looked out toward the sea with the book in her hand, and the baby basilisk around her neck.

"You recruited me to die?" Sous asked calmly to the fifth year.

"Do you think you're going to die?"

Sous shrugged. She didn't know. She had come close to death numerous times. Frankly, it wasn't something she was afraid of, it was being chased and hunted, and given pain that she was afraid of. That's what caused her panic attacks at times. Luckily though, there was a potion Makala had made for Sous to help soothe her when she felt her panic attacks coming on.

The potion belt that Sous had on her waist had an extra pocket that Tany added so she could also carry the new potion. It was important to bring it just in case she were to have a panic attack during the battle.

"How strong are these demons?" She asked Alana.

"Strong, very, very strong." Alana answered, a fact she knew. She was of royalty with right siblings, four of which have died when they participated in Day of the Demons.

There! In the distance, the island was coming up on them soon. Sous went to Shadow and stood by his side. He placed his arm around Sous and gave her a hug. Politics sucked sometimes.

The two of them hugged one another even longer as they stood on the shore of the island. Alana watched them from afar, standing on a trail that led to the royal city which then led to the mountain whose peaked reached the clouds.

When they stopped hugging, Shadow looked at the baby basilisk and asked if Sous wanted him to hold onto it. Sous nodded her head but when Shadow tried to take the basilisk off, it only coiled itself around Sous' harder, not wanting to leave her side. He smirked at it, deciding to it to be loyal to her. He waved bye to the two girls and got on his boat. He would br back on Dies Solis to pick them up, if they were alive.

The two girls were waited on by a carriage fitted for the royal. The driver held the door open for both girls to enter. When they sat down together, Alana noticed the book still in Sous' hand.

"Where's your wand?"

"In my pocket," Sous responded, sensing Alana was worried for a moment.

The carriage was fast but Sous noticed it had technical trickets that made it differ than a normal carriage one would see.

"Day of the Demons," Sous started. "Thousands of years ago, a witch facing prosecution from humans in the southern region of Canas sailed to Dimona for refuge. She was refused...all because she was a witch."

"She went into the mountains where she studied magic and became powerful. She revenged on us for not seeing past her magae, she opened a portal, allowing demons to wander our lands for an entire day and night," Alana added.

"All demons had to be killed by sun up..."

"...or they would be granted immortality for a a day allowing them to kill how ever many people they could get their hands on."

"...someone strong must take on the role to kill the demons, track up the mountain, and apologize to the witch..." Sous continued.

"...once apologize, the Witch would depart from this earth..." Alana finished with a whisper.

"Your siblings managed to kill all the demons except for the one guarding the witches home, thereby, completing the task of killing all the demons prior to sun up but not being able to apologize to the witch."

"So every ten years, it would begin again and has been for many, many, many years."

The carriage stopped outside of the royal palace. They were let out and met with maids and butler's who were quick to take their belongings except for the basilisk which a maid refused to touch. The wand also stayed with Sous, no one was able to touch her wand.

When they entered into the throne room, they were met with cheers and applause. Before them, Sous knew it was Alana's family that stood upon the stage, her parents and siblings, the ones who were left that is.

Her mother ran down the stairs and grabbed her daughter in a hug. "I'm so glad to see you home, Aurora." With tears in her eyes, for tonight may be the last day she saw her daughter alive. Sous looked at the stage and saw the distraught and sorrowful expressions on the father's face as well as with the three other children who were younger than Alana.

"And this must be Sous?" She turned to Sous who bowed before the queen. With a worry look, she turned back to her daughter. "She's so young." Still she looked back at Sous and noticed the book in her hand. "And what do you have there, deary?"

"Day of the Demons." Sous answered.