Erica went back to the bench and collapsed on it. The release and the resulting transformation used up more mana than she had expected. Her body felt heavy from the new weight that was suddenly put on it. 

“Can you take me some place where I can rest?” she asked Vii. “My body wasn’t ready for it.”

“Your mana was used up?” she replied. “Or is your body trying to adjust to the massive influx of mana?”

“Both,” Erica said, panting.

“Do you want me to take you to your apartment?”

“No. That’s too dangerous. I just made a very bright purple flash in the middle of the night. That’s bound to attract attention. I don’t want to bring them to Yuki and make her have more to worry about.”

“Don’t want people to follow, huh. That makes sense. Did you get smarter because of your change?” Vii teased.

“I was always smart,” Erica pouted. “I just wasn’t wise. But now I have to get more serious and careful.”

“I know, I know,” Vii laughed. “Come on. I’ll take you to a motel for a bit. You can sleep there if you want with me, or you can leave in a couple of hours.”

“Thanks.” Erica struggled up, Vii helping her.

They walked the empty streets of Fenrir, Erica dragging her feet as she forced herself to walk. The floating crystals that illuminated the city bobbed up and down gently in the air as they passed them. Vii led Erica to a hotel where she paid the receptionist for a room, Erica leaning on her. The woman gave them an odd look before handing over the key card. 

The elevator opened up for them as they made their way to it. Hitting the fifth floor, it took the two up. When the door opened, Vii helped Erica to the room she rented and closed the door quietly.

“I’ll probably leave in an hour or two,” Erica said.

“So fast? Are you in a rush to do something?” Vii asked.

“No, I just don’t want to stay away for too long. That’s my home and I’m supposed to be sleeping right now. I don’t want them waking up tomorrow and become worried about me.”

“Oh. I got it,” she smiled. “Then we can just rest here for a few hours. I don’t need to sleep right now. It’ll just be like before.”

Erica smiled back as she remembered the sleepless nights they spent together, chatting with each other. The nights where they whispered underneath blankets, trying not to disturb the others in the room that were actually sleeping. Simpler days. Until the Shikaku came.

“Let’s hope some things that happened before don’t happen again though,” Vii said, noticing Erica’s expression.

“Why did you join the Valkyries?” Erica asked.

“Why? Um, two reasons. I think.”

“And they were?” 

“Demons have good memory, you know. I can see things that happened in the past so vividly. Including our time together.”

“I know. I’m a demon too.”

“When was it? Ten years ago? A little more? Less?”

“I wouldn’t know. I’m bad with time.”

“I think it was ten years ago from today. It wasn’t that long ago.”

“Ten years? Yeah, that’s not that long ago.”

“That was when we first met, in that small shared apartment. That small apartment where we lived together with the others for years.”

“I remember.”

“I can still recall those days where we would play tricks on the owner,” Vii smiled. “Our explorations through the forest that was nearby. Those were such calm days. Carefree days.”

“They were pleasant days,” Erica said.

“And one of the reasons why I joined. I want those days back, Erica. Those peace filled days. The second reason is why those days disappeared.”

“The Shikaku came.”

“Yeah,” Vii sighed. “They came. Those bastards came. They destroyed everything. If I want to rebuild what we had before, then I need to remove those that broke it in the first place. Otherwise, they’ll do it again.”

“I felt the same. This is to repay them for what they did to us,” Erica said tightly. “If they destroy what we had, then we’ll do the same to them.”

“Normally, I keep out of the conflicts of the other races,” Vii said. “But they brought the conflict to me. I couldn’t stand on the sidelines and watch any longer. Now that I think about it, there might be another reason why I joined.”

“What’s that?”

“Yuki. The boss. In that tiny cell, I was losing hope. Everything was out of my control and bleak. I couldn’t do a thing.”

“I know that feeling.” Erica thought back to her time in that cage on Earth. “But you felt it much more.”

“It wasn’t until that voice rang out through the prison that I woke up. Then I saw that floating figure, hovering the air, mana radiating out from him. His hair flowed out like the waves of the ocean and then he said that one word that I never thought I would hear again. Freedom.”

Erica could see Yuki again, a human then, staring at her with contemplative eyes. Then that small nod as she begged him to help her. That nod that meant freedom. And the start of her new life.

“I see. It’s good to have you here,” Erica smiled. “I never got the chance to say this, but I’m sorry. When we ran, I never bothered to find you. A good friend would have tried.”

“If you went to find me, you would have been captured as well,” Vii replied, shaking her head. “You did the right thing.”

“How did you even survive ten years? You weren’t originally in those glass cages right?”

“No. I was in a normal prison for the most part. I think they trumped up some charges to put me there. Then a few months before you and Yuki came, I was transferred to that place. I don’t know why they decided to do that. Maybe the LIA were being put under more scrutiny.”

“Maybe,” Erica said softly. She stared at the ceiling, laying on her back. “Still. I felt like I could have done more.”

“Don’t stress about it. We’re here now and that’s all that matters,” Vii said as she flopped down beside her. “Besides, you were under constraints that time. You didn’t have the strength to do much.”

“I know. Let me feel bad for myself, alright?” Erica smiled.

“No,” Vii replied, tapping Erica’s nose. “On a different note, do you know what’s the plan for the next few months? Has Yuki said anything?”

“Nope. She hasn’t really been in the condition to do anything really.”

“Oh, yeah. Then I’ll just do what I’ve been doing.”

“Reconnaissance, right?”

“Everyone’s doing reconnaissance,” Vii laughed. “It’s all we do so far. That and training. But lately, Uriel has been giving us more specific things to look into. It doesn’t affect me since I’m in a security position.”

“Really? What specific things?”

“I don’t know myself since I’ve never received the specifics. I just have some friends that did and they can’t tell me because of security reasons.”

“That makes sense.”

“Other than that, nothing has really happened.”

“Maybe I can asked Yuki when she’s better,” Erica pondered.

“Oh, I’m not complaining. Being able to enjoy a relatively normal life is already good enough for me,” Vii explained. “Anything more is just seasoning.”

“Still, it’s good to have updates at times. Speaking of which, I should head back now. What’s the time?”

“Oneish? Almost two?”

“Alright. I should get going then.”

Erica rolled over and pushed herself up and off the bed. She stretched a little, her clothes stretching with her as it exposed her stomach. 

“I need new clothes,” she said as she moved around. “These are way too tight now.”

She looked at Vii who was staring at her.

“Vii?”

“I forgot that everything you do looks sensual when your in your actual state,” she said, shaking her head. “And I don’t even swing that way.”

“Oh. I am a succubus.”

“I can’t wait to see what happens when you go out in public. It’ll be amazing.”

“Oh, gods. That would be a sight to see,” Erica laughed. “I have a damper so it should be too strong of an effect.”

“I hope. I’m already bending,” Vii grinned.

A strong urge began to build within Erica as she smiled back at Vii. It was an urge that she hadn’t felt in ages ever since she made her oath. 

‘I forgot about that.’

“I really need to go,” she said. “I see you around, Vii.”

“Bye,” Vii replied, waving.

Erica waved back and quietly opened the door of the hotel room before slipping out. With a snap, she wove magic around her to alter the area around her.

‘That should stop anyone from noticing me,’ she thought. 

She quickly walked down the stairs of the hotel and went out through the back. With a few twists and turns, she made her way back to the apartment that she shared with Yuki and Akira. The lock on the door recognized her and opened up. Then she shut it slowly. 

‘I hope I didn’t wake up anyone.’

She crept over to Yuki’s room and peeked in. She was still fast asleep, Akira next to her. Erica walked closer and knelt down beside the bed. Yuki’s face looked peaceful, her porcelain face clear of any frowns or worries. 

‘I never had a good look at her face,’ Erica smiled. ‘She’s beautiful as an elf.’

Her eyes traveled around, taking in Yuki’s pink lips that softly let out breaths as she slept. Her slender limbs that Erica knew stronger than they looked. She stared, timing ticking by. Something welled up within her as she watched, her hand creeping forward as she touched Yuki’s arm. She leaned over her, her breathing getting heavier. Her hair spilled down as her face crept closer until it was right beside Yuki’s. Then she stopped and straightened abruptly.

‘I knew this was going to happen.’ She sighed softly to herself. ‘I need to leave the room for a bit.’

She walked out and went to her own bedroom where she flopped down onto her bed. Her hand went into a drawer beside her bed and took out a thin gold chain bracelet that she tied around her wrist. Her urges began to subside as the magic of the bracelet took hold.

‘Sometimes, I forget I’m a succubus.’

With the suppressing oath gone, everything that was being pushed down was released. Her magic. Her strength. And everything that made her a succubus.

‘But it’s something that I’ll gladly deal with. Yuki needs my strength. I’ll try to help her the best I can.’

She curled up on her bed and stared at her wrist.

‘Though, I still don’t know what helping is. How to help. Protecting is a good first step. I think.’

Erica sighed before her face formed a wry smile.

‘And I might need to protect her from me.’