“… and I kind of felt bad since she had helped free me, so I decided to start hanging out with her.” Finished Quaza. 

“Okay, but she’s my girlfriend.” Hayli said once more.

“Hay, you’ve said that ten times now.” Ilya said hand on her forehead.

“She keeps going ‘Terra is mine’, how else am I supposed to take that?”

“As I said, Terra is to be my blood servant. She can date whoever. Unless you want me to take her? Is that a thing for you?"

“Quaza, how is she supposed to take that?”

“That at the moment Terra is my friend and future blood servant and anything between us would be what she wants to do. At the moment.”

“AT THE MOMENT?” Hayli yelled.

I was standing staring at Nox’s grill.

“I almost feel sorry for you.” She said flipping over a patty of some kind.

“I would almost prefer being killed.”

“Seems like the humon might fulfill that wish.”

“Hey. You’re human right?” I ask eying her helmet.

“Yes. For now.”

“For now?”

“Yes. Quaza offered me a chance to be a demon.”

“And you took it?”

“Yes. Not like my human life is worth much.”

“Why?”

She looked at me, eyes heavy with sadness, “Tell me, if she offered you that choice would you?”

“No. I’m fine. I don’t need to change me.”

“But when you were offered the choice to become Terra, you said yes. Is that any different? To burn away the past and become something that would make life easier for you?”

I stayed silent for a moment, “Avery, my older sister once said, you should change if you want to change- but to change to make life easier is stupid. I changed because I wanted to change. If I wanted life to be easier I would have stayed as I was, in what I already knew. Are you changing for yourself or because living as a demon here is easier?”

“I want to. Sure my past is part of it, but even those I knew wouldn’t recognize me. I’ve lived here long enough, that their memories won’t match.”

“Are you sure? I mean Quaza looks exactly as I remember pretty much.”

“Quaza hasn’t changed her style in years, I would not use her as an example.”

“So when is the meat done?”

She smiled, “Right now. Grab a plate.” 

We all lined up and plopped the grilled meat on the plate and all sat down.

Hayli was sitting as close to me as possible, clearly assuaged of her fear of Quaza having ulterior motives.

“How is Vern, Terra?” Quaza asked, in between shredding meat to mince between her teeth.

“I assume good. I hope he’s panicking that I vanished off an island.”

“Perhaps he thinks Hayli kidnapped you off it.”

“I wouldn’t do that! Not this early.”

Ilya laughed, “Oh, so it was a plan?”

“Hey, memory magic could have done some weird stuff.”

Shera coughed, “Those rumors are true? They’re still doing that weird creepy shit?”

Lili agreed, “Yeah, that’s like totally old. And no fun. There’s no point in the Hero and Candidate system without drama. Like what if Quaza and you had met and you didn’t remember her? Boring.”

“You assume I’d see her. We have no idea what the final prophecy is. For all I know, we could have left her to ascend to Lord and take down the second place.”

Quaza chuckled, “That would be quite a mistake.”

“This blood ritual, what does it entail?”

“We mix our blood together and into a wound on each other’s hands, some magic happens, Terra drinks so of my blood and says an oath of fealty.”

“Gross.”

“It is a bit archaic, but it is the one my mother said to use.”

“Did you know I was here before I sat down?” I ask.

“Yes. Olli is a terrible liar. She even said your name like I wouldn’t remember it.”

“I mean Ilyah couldn’t remember my deadname.”

“Ilyah can barely remember her address.” Shera replied.

We continued to eat, idly chatting with each other. At the moment Hayli and I were asking the demons and friends about rumors we heard.

“Is it true that there’s an Ancient underneath the capital?”

“No, that would be incredibly dangerous. I mean not only are Ancients incredibly violent, but only like Quaza can even speak Ancient Demon Tongue.”

“Others can as well, Shera.” Quaza said seeming pleased.

“Not as well as you, Quaz.” Lili piled on more praise.

Hayli asked, “What’s so different from Ancient Demon tongue to what we’re speaking now?”

Oh, yeah. We were speaking Demon Tongue. I truly couldn’t tell the difference. 

“Well, as you all know, this is Demon Tongue- or Common Demon Tongue if you will. This is Royal Demon Tongue. How many of you understand this?”

Only Hayli, Lili and I nodded. Quaza seemed pleased to see me nodding, “Okay now this next part is in Ancient Demon Tongue, tell me what did I say? Ahem, ‘I love this world, but I will not permit it to exist without you.”

Lili swished in her mouth as she focused, “I heard Quaza and what sounded like butt.”

Hayli shook her head, “I can’t say.”

“And you Terra?”

“Those Who Came Before, 2nd Edition, Chapter 32, Paragraph Seven.”

“I’m not sure if I’m more impressed you knew what paragraph it was from or the fact you understood it.”

“Woah, Terra can speak Ancient?” Lili asked.

I shrugged, “Guess so.”

Quaza leaned over the table, “You know I’m already making you my servant, you didn’t need to prove yourself.”

“Quaza, what exactly is your plan with me?”

“As I said, make you mine. Always by my side. Kind of like how Heroes have Shields. Well I guess I’ll have two since you come with Hayli.”

“I’m a Hero.”

“Yes. And are you going to do anything about me?”

“N-No.” Hayli admitted.

“So, you’re another Shield for me.” Quaza stated. “Just be happy I’m willing to not just sit you in Jail. That would be easier and safer for me.”

“So, what is your plan as the top Candidate?” I ask.

Quaza smirked, “Terra, why would I tell you? Besides, it’s not like it will matter to you soon. After all, a servant always barks when her mistress commands.”

“Why do you keep saying stuff like that, Quaz. It’s like your trying to make Hayli yell again.” Nox said.

“I am. It’s funny.”

Hayli pouted, “I’m glad my crippling anxiety over losing Terra to the Childhood Friend Trope is amusing to you.”

Quaza shook her head, “If I wanted Terra in that way, why would I need to take her from you?”

Hayli was about to reply when I put my hand over her mouth. 

“Don’t. You’ll only encourage her.”

We finished our meals and stood up, saying our goodbyes.

“There’s some people in the Castle in want you to meet, future Shields of mine.”

“Want or?”

“Even if I wasn’t forcing you, no way you’d pass up a chance to come.”

She was right, I was curious about the very quickly built castle.

Quaza looked at Hayli, “By the way, how is your father?”

“Missing.”

“A shame. I shall see you lovebirds tomorrow. Early, Terra.”

I groaned. Maybe trying to escape would be better than getting up before noon.

Hayli and I made our way back to our room by our lonesome.

Hayli jumped on the bed and sighed, before motioning me over. I did and she pushed my back onto the bed, head resting on my chest. She laid still for a while then moved her head up and kissed me, forcing her tongue into my mouth. She continued to kiss me as I felt my entire body turn red from embarrassment. When she released the kiss, trail of saliva between her lips I was sweating and feeling weird.

“Mine.” She said.

“Hayli…”

She shook her head, “Yours.”

I stayed silent and laid back as she stripped me and her. I had seen her naked many times but right now I could barely look at her. 

“Hayli, w-what are you doing?”

“Terra, it’s cute you can’t get yourself to say what we both know is coming.” She smiled, finger drawing patterns on my nude form. “If she wants you to be hers, I want to go all the way so you know who you belong to.” She climbed on top of me and held my arms down.

I should have been concerned by that. Quaza saying it was because I’d die if I wasn’t her servant, but Hayli saying it was of her own volition. If she had said it in any other situation I would be worried, but being pinned by her I could only nod in response.

“Good girl.” She smiled and slowly moved her head to between my legs.

“Hayli…”

“If you don’t want me to, say.”

“No! Just… be gentle.”

Hayli smiled, “I will be as gentle as you desire, babe.”

(Terra, why’d you stop here? -Hayli.) (I can’t write more, it’s embarrassing.) (I wrote how I masturbated to you - Hayli) (I did not ask you to do that.)

Hayli and I relaxed in the thankfully overly large tub, after… that.

“You could sit closer.”

“I-I’m fine.” I pant still exhausted.

“Cute.” Hayli grinned. Why was she the dominant one between us? I mean I was fine being the submissive one, but to someone four inches shorter was kind of embarrassing. 

“Are you satisfied now?”

“For now.” She leaned back, water shifting as she did. “Sairah is going to kill me if we ever get to see her again.”

“How so?”

“I promised I’d wait until we were dating for another six month to do any of that.”

“You never intended to, did you?”

Hayli nodded, “I mean would you?”

“Yes.”

“Right, but you’d never make a move on me first.”

“What makes you so sure.”

“I’ve tried to let you and all you did was sleep.”

“Look, I am a very stupid girl.” I joke.

Hayli rolls her eyes, “Yes, but you’re cute. And obedient in bed.”

“P-Please stop bringing that up.”

“But you did such a good job.” She spun around slid her body into mine, tilting her head to look up at me, her tail sticking out of the water between our legs, “So, any plans on what to do?”

I shook my head, “Nada. You?”

She did the same. “When you told me you and Vern had a special kind of bad  luck I didn’t believe you.” 

“I mean it’s not all bad this time. You’re with me.”

Hayli blushed, “Are you going to be okay, during whatever that weird blood thing is?”

“I hope so or I’m dead.”

Hayli pulled my head down for a kiss and reached her hand down into the water. It started swirl and massage us. “Think I could spy?”

“Perhaps. Though I wouldn’t want you to risk it.”

“I’m a much better liar than you, I think I’d be fine.”

I close my eyes and relax, just happy to let us soak together. I really hoped the two of us could be like this for a long time, no matter what Quaza had planned. I really did love her. 

I washed myself and her, since I wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t try and get us to do it again. After drying off, and sliding into our night clothes, we went back into the still extremely messed up bed. I tried to save it but ended up just pulling a single blanket over it, leaving the rest on the floor.

Hayli faced towards me this time, just looking at me.

“I take it you want to sleep?”

“I mean we already stained the bed.”

She laughed, “Fine. You can rest. Until tomorrow night. But first." She leaned over and kissed me. I reciprocated, ignoring how much I was blushing as I enjoyed the sensation. 

"Love you. Night." She said as she broke the kiss.

"Y-yeah. Love you. Night." I managed to get my mouth to speak.

She closed her eyes. I scooted up to rest against the headboard and stared at the ceiling.

This was a day wasn’t it. Quaza, being forced into a future servitude, almost certainly being guaranteed that we’d not make it back to the island before the spell activated, and Hayli and I… I moved past that thought before my body could react to the thoughts threatening my mind.

I really was worried about whatever Olli had planned on the Island, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back and risk the spell messing with how things were. I was content enough; I didn’t need some unknown magicians' spell messing with my head and life.

I looked down at Hayli, her peaceful sleeping face. Serene, beautiful, peaceful. Deities I was losing it. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes. Tomorrow would bring what it would. As long as I kept Hayli safe, I probably could care less what Quaza wanted.  

Speaking of Quaza, I really wondered if Hayli was going to be fine. She clearly was jealous of her, despite my assurances during the lunch that I didn't see her in that way. Well, to be fair that was a bit of a lie. If I was able to stay in my home village, maybe I would have been with Quaza. That's not what happened though, and I was happy to be with Hayli. After all, without her I don't think I would have ever become myself. Or if I did it would have taken a long while.

I let go of my thoughts, letting my head empty and fell into as peaceful a dream as I could have had given the day.