Matter of the Soul [Job]

The usual flash of light the accompanied Venir's transformation was white this time, as an intricate magic circle appeared beneath her feet and the card was successfully absorbed in her staff. All the while the little shadow creature clung onto her chest. It stayed there quaking even as her armor changed. A once pink dress turned into a flowing white dress, accompanied by heavy metal gauntlets, and tall metal looking boots upon her legs. When the light vanished and in its place was Venir whom looked almost older with her platinum locks pulled back in a pony tail and her gleaming silver and white armor looking impeccable in the dreary landscape. "You okay?" She glanced down to her chest, the creature appearing almost dazed as its shadows paws clung onto the white fabric. "Just one more second Lekuna!" Venir called out as the time mage seemed to be taking care of the shadow creatures with ease, "Include!" She slipped another card onto her staff this one absorbing into it faster. The once almost childish but cute staff morphed into a sword that was almost as long as Venir was. Yet somehow the girl managed to lift it.

With one hand on the hilt of her sword, she cradled the other creature with her free arm. There was a certain gleam to her crimson eyes that was not previously there before, something that could be attributed to the way in which she handled the blade in her hand. One might not expect someone so young and so small to be able to handle such a weapon with what appeared to be practiced ease yet the blade seemed to natural in her hand.

For a moment it seemed as if Venir was not going to move, even as the shadowy creatures approached her comrade. At the last minute however, Venir dashed forward, a tiny white blur. With a tiny grunt the girl raised her blade to block an attack directed towards her comrade. The sword clashed with a shadowy arm, but with a slight tilt of the wrist Venir had sliced off a good section of the shadowy creatures arm. It let loose a howl filled with agony but alas the girl did not stop there, with a spin of the heel and a flash of steel she sliced at the creatures midsection, shadowy flesh parted like water against her blade. By now the other creatures took notice of her the shaking shadow cradled in her arm against her chest. Another charged at Venir but she slipped past it with ease, that peculiar glint in her eyes again.


It was bright in her crimson eyes as she maneuvered about the shadow creature with ease, her blade flashing elegantly as she practically danced circles about the nightmareish creature. The Saber Card, a card that took a while to install into her staff was one of the special cards. It was strange compared to the others, it's image with a familiar girl on its surface, the strange energy from it, and the simple fact that the card came with knowledge that it installed into its user temporarily. Venir was unaware of this but her sudden increase in skill, her knowledge of how to handle a weapon, and overall battle tactics was increased drastically by the curious card.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

Lekuna's words barely registered themselves in Venir's ears, the girl to far gone in the throws of battle. It wasn't as if she was enjoying it but something else inside of her found a certain rush to the heat of battle. Every swing of the sword, the feel of her blade slicing through shadow, it brought a certain joy to her. Her face however masked any of the rush she was feeling and instead seemed to be locked into a look of complete concentration. Slice. Side step. Duck. Sweep. The battle was a blur to the little girl as she cut down the shadows not realizing that they put themselves back together as fast as she cut them down. "Ah!" At last something had hit the girl, it wasn't much just a little slash but it was unexpected and for that brief moment concentration was lost. While the hit didn't exactly hurt Venir much it was still enough to send her flying.

The tiny body clad in white and armor hit the ground rolling for a few feet, sword clattering to her side. It seemed as if she wouldn't get up but shakily the girl clambered up to her feet, slipping the sword back into her hand. She had managed to take the brunt of the hit, the shadow creature more than safe cradled in her other arm. "Ouch...." There was a few bruises and scratches here and there. Briefly Lekuna's words rang through her head, "We should flee but..." She glanced down at the little creature in her arm, "We can't. I can't lose to these things." Her red gaze narrowed as her sword hand tightened around the hilt of her blade. A larger shadow creature this one taking the form of some frightening monster, stalked closer towards her but a gunshot hit it. "That's right I'm not in this alone!" Once again the little girl known as Venir receded back into herself and the skilled swordsman took over, not wanting to miss the opportunity her partner had provided. She only had a few seconds to move as the bullet had stunned the creature knocking it back slightly. Planting her right foot firmly into the ground in front of her Venir swung her sword in a graceful arc at the creatures exposed midsection. Then the sword came back retracting to her sword before it once again was pointed at the creature. She stepped forward lunging at the creature, her sword plunging itself into the shadows the made up the creatures chest. The blade sunk in all the way to the hilt of her sword, the shadow like flesh dancing against the silver of her gauntlets. Still, she wasn't quite done with the creature as it began to move towards her pushing the blade further into the shadow, her hands going with it. The creature stopped moving as the girl twisted the blade causing it to shriek and she gave it a violent kick trying to dislodge herself and her blade from the creature, "Lekuna!"

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

"Lekuna!" Venir breathed out as the creature took off towards her partner. Her first instinct was to run and help the time mage but alas the creature was moving with an enraged fury that Venir's little legs couldn't keep up with. To make matters worse Venir could hardly give much chase after the creature as a mass of shadows got in her way. Venir slid to a halt her hand bracing against the blunt part of her blade, readying herself for impact. The little creature had now secured itself to her leg finally letting her have a free hand. The creature swung its shadow like claws down, Venir's blade ringing like a bell with the hit. It hit her blade with enough force to cause the ground beneath her feet to crack and Venir's to go down to a knee. "Ngggh!" She grunted with the effort the creatures weight bearing down on her.

Another howl from behind her made her situation more dire than before. The battle seemed to slow down for a moment to the mage. Her blade was shaking in her hand, the pressure of the beast bearing down on her, she could hear the faint whimpers of the shadow attached to her leg, a gunshot or two rang out from somewhere, and the heavy footsteps of another shadow running towards her. The girl took one deep breath and for a moment simply held it her ears focusing on the footsteps.


Venir threw herself to her side, grunting as her shoulder met the hard ground, and she rolled back up onto the balls of her feet. It all happened in a split second really, Venir had moved, the creature that once bore down upon her blade slammed its craws into the earth and the other creature that was charging towards her rammed itself into its fellow shadow being. The two creatures seemed stunned at the impact but Venir moved into action. "Ahhhhhh!" Her battle cry sounded sure and strong as she rushed towards the dazed creatures. Planting a foot into the ground she launched herself at the one she had locked her blade with. Her small size allowed her to quickly navigate inbetween the two dazed creatures, her blade digging into one of their midsections, slicing through shadow like water. She ran about the creature, creating a cut from midsection to its back before planting an armor clad foot on its back. "Hold on tight!" She mumbled to the shadow shaking upon her leg, clutching at the top of her armored boot.

With all the speed and strength she could muster the girl ran up the shadow creatures back, at one point she planted her blade once more into the shadow creature, creating a clean slice all the way up its spine. Its pained howl barely registered in her ears as she reached the base of its neck and proceeded to jump off of it and right at the other shadow, its jaws widened out as if to snap at her. Her shadow slicked blade was raised high above her head as she flew through the air and at the creature. "Ahhhhhhhh!" She cried out once more, her blade flashing shadow moving towards her, and finally her red eyes closing. By the time she opened her eyes once more she was atop the creatures head, her blade firmly planted in its skull. Her arm was nicked and bleeding from a where stray tooth had cut it but other than that she seemed to be fine. An angered grunt rumbled out from beneath her and Venir stomped her armored boot down atop the shadow head, using the kick as leverage to pull her sword out of its skull. Only to bring it back down once more until she felt the blade meet the hard earth beneath.

Her breathing was coming out ragged as the creature dissipated beneath her. Falling to her knee's she attempted to catch her breath and slow the accelerated beating of her heart. The little creature on her leg seemed to be doing the same. Another roar caught her attention as her red gaze drifted up to the large shadow beast in front of her. "One more...?" She panted as she simply stared at the creature in front of her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she recalled Lekuna wandering if the time mage was okay.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

For a moment Venir swore the beast was going to attack her, so her sword was raised in defense but the creature ignored her. "It must not have seen me or this little guy." Was Venir's thought but then she realized that instead of attacking her it went towards Lekuna. "Oh no!" She breathed out trying to clamber up to her feet. The armor was beginning to feel heavy on her legs and arms but still the child did her best. Alas it seemed the time mage could take care of herself and dispatched the last of the shadow creatures with ease. "Thank goodness!" She breathed out once more collapsing to her knee's. At that moment the little shaking shadow creature has managed to secure itself once more in her arms. "Awww it's okay little buddy!" The shadow creature quaked making a little noise before nudging at the cut upon her arm causing Venir to wince and the creature to whine. "It'll be okay!" She gave the little shadow a pat upon the head.

Lekuna had rejoined them while making a valid point, "Yeah these shadows just keep coming." Venir sighed casting a glance to the remnants of the shadow that just seemed to stick to the ground, already they were slowly crawling back towards other blobs of shadow. Still, the young girl was tired and not feeling particularly motivated to go anywhere. It was at that moment that light seemed to burst forth from the heavens, and vegetation sprung from the earth casting color upon the bleak land. "I knew it! Our guardian angel is looking out for us Lekuna!" Venir cheered suddenly springing forth to her feet in a burst of motivation. "We can finally get out of here!" The shadow creature was shaking once more in her arms but Venir didn't seem to pay mind to its obvious warning.  

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

"Keep it?" She hummed in thought as she cast a glance down to the creature. Oddly enough Venir found it rather cute, the little shadow blob was harmless and it's constant shaking made Venir think of a purring cat. She was a strange little girl so perhaps it was only natural that someone so strange would like something just as strange as herself. "Would you like that? Do you want to come home with me and Lekuna?" Venir inquired and the shadow simply looked at her, continuously quivering. As the two continued down the path filled with light and vegetation Venir caught a few glimpses of the shadows looking on at them. It was rather odd that they weren't attacking but Venir wasn't complaining.

"Woah look at that mirror!" She exclaimed as the object came in view. It was very elaborate, the fanciest mirror the girl had ever seen before. However, she allowed Lekuna to inspect it seeing as the time mage was more interested in it than Venir was. "Maybe I should take you home?" She held the little shivering shadow up, barely paying any attention to her counterpart as she pondered over the creature and its fate. By the time Venir returned her attention to Lekuna she realized that something was wrong, that there was two Lekuna's but this one wasn't like the double she had seen earlier. "Huh?" Her red eyes widened as a gun was pointed at her, the sound of the trigger pulling and a shot firing barely registering in her head.


Perhaps the worst that the young girl had ever recalled experiencing in her short little memory span. She clutched at her injured side, blood soaking through the white of her dress. She seemed to be in shock, her breaths escaping in short little gasps. At least the bullet hadn't hit anything to vital but the young girl didn't have a high pain tolerance. "L-Lekuna!" She managed to choke out, the tears beginning to form. Much like the little creature she befriended, Venir was shaking almost uncontrollably. Confusion was beginning to set in mingling with pain and blind terror. "I-I don't understand..." She couldn't fathom as to why Lekuna would shoot her, her little pain blinded head was confused and disoriented but a strange sort of emotion was building up through that pain. Her bloodied hand grasped for her sword that had clattered to the ground. She was in no shape to wield it properly so the young girl instead tossed the silver blade at Lekuna, unsure of which she was throwing it at, but she didn't seem to care or be able to tell the difference between friend or foe. She was angry, she felt betrayed and it showed in her crimson eyes. "Why...?" She breathed out clutching at her side.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

If it actually came to pass

She clutched at her wound not bothering to look at whether her sword had hit either of the Lekuna's. She could already feel the loss of the blade as it disappeared, as well as her gleaming white armor. The blade itself would return to its usual form as Venir's pink staff and her white armor was replaced with her usual pink frills. However, the pink was quick to turn red with the blood at her side. Instinctively, at the sight of Lekuna approaching her and more importantly touching her Venir visibly recoiled from the touch. She was afraid of Lekuna but it wasn't as if she could run, her injury to bad for rapid movement and fighting wasn't exactly an option for Venir as she lacked her staff. However, it would appear that this Lekuna was there to help and she felt the relief instantly. The pain was relieved enough for her to listen to the time mage's words rather reluctantly.

"Take her out?" She glanced between the two Lekuna's, wary of both despite the healing. "She has my staff..." Venir pointed out anxiously. "I can't do anything without it...." She attempted to clamber up to her feet, falling to her knee at one point before finally managing to stand up. The little shadow creature didn't dare to try and climb up on to her, fearing that the girl wouldn't be able to support it. Red eyes cast themselves downwards almost in shame, and a strange sort of fear. Despite knowing that one of the Lekuna's was bad the girl couldn't help but continuously see the image of the rifle pointed at her by her guild mate. It would take quite sometime for the girl to warm back up to the time mage. "We'll have to get it back..." She mumbled not wanting to approach the other Lekuna without any defense to speak of.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

She had heard Lekuna's apology but found herself at a loss for words. She couldn't grasp as to why Lekuna was apologize or rather she knew why but wasn't sure what to say. She knew it wasn't Lekuna's fault, and that more than likely the time mage wouldn't purposely hurt her but the image wouldn't get out of her head. Perhaps when her wound was all healed up she'd warm back up to the other mage but until then Venir remained silent and distant but incredibly lonely.

Venir caught the staff with her arm that was on her uninjured side. With staff in hand Venir felt a little better, the silly looking thing giving her a strange sort of confidence and of course making her feel safe. It was her only way of defending herself, it was her source of power without it she was useless. "Incredibly useless..." She thought with a grimace. She glanced fearfully between the Lekuna's noting the red in one of their eyes. She was at least able to discern that the one whom had thrown the staff to her was her ally, her friend but still Venir kept her distance between both Lekuna's. The other one that was knocked to the ground seemed to be recovering but Venir raised her staff rather shakily. Her silk gloved hand slipped into her card holster grasping for whatever card she could.

Placing a card that she had used earlier upon her staff, it absorbed with ease into the staff. She grimaced noting that a shadowy substance had covered the staff no doubt it was from the mirror Lekuna. Once the card labeled "The Shot" was properly absorbed Venir pointed it at the Lekuna she believed to truly be her enemy. The staff was shaking in her palms, her breathing uneven, and her eyes blurry. Despite having been shot by the mirror Lekuna earlier and in a sort of blind rage throwing her sword at her, it was rather difficult to shoot at a beloved one. Even if she was afraid she wouldn't willingly hurt a guild member especially now that she was blinded by pain filled rage. Closing her eyes Venir prayed that she didn't hit the good Lekuna, "Shoot!" She called out the pink little orbs heading towards her enemy.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

A gunshot. It was loud, painfully loud to her ears. The other shots before weren't that bad but after her recent experience this made it different. It made her entire world stop for a moment, her side twinging in pain as if getting shot again by a phantom bullet. Her flashback was quick to end though as she watched one Lekuna, the good one, fall to the ground. It was that image that sent Venir into action. Her hand had slipped into her holster grasping at a card out of instinct and placing it upon her staff. The moment it was absorbed the girl took off the faint sound of another gunshot ringing in her ears.

"Ahhhhhh!" She yelled dashing at the mirror image of Lekuna, moving faster than normal thanks to the effects of her dash card. She slammed into the mirror image, the speed from her card and her own brute strength knocking the injured demon down. She rolled to a stop a few feet away but Venir wasn't done yet as she directed another set of orbs towards the mirror image, angry that it had dared to hurt her guild mate. Once she was sure that the next set of pink orbs would occupy the demon Venir fell to the real Lekuna's side. Her hand pulled another card out of her holster this one she placed upon her staff and it absorbed instantly. The fear of Lekuna was still there but the fear of losing her guild mate was nearly just as strong. "Don't worry, don't move." Venir mumbled, little tears already forming in her eyes as she held the golden star over the bullet wound. "Heal..."She whispered and a soft glow emanated from the staff. It wouldn't completely heal the wound on Lekuna's abdomen but it was better than nothing.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS

For a moment Venir thought her healing spell had not worked. She even seemed to panic when Lekuna seemingly disappeared from in front of her. However, Lekuna's voice caused Venir's head to snap around and look at the time mage. This time the tears fell freely, "Y-You're alive! Thank goodness!" She hastily rubbed away at the tears but they wouldn't stop. She felt a tender touch upon her head and for a moment she flinched away from the touch before hesitantly nuzzling her head against the warm hand. The hand left nearly as soon as it came and like a kicked puppy that was once again warming up to its master Venir followed after Lekuna, a bit of distance in between them. It was at that moment that Venir took notice of the little shadow creature whom had once more returned to her side. It trotted alongside her almost confidently. With a bit of effort Venir managed to secure the creature once more into her arms, its little shadow tendrils prodded here and there as if examining Venir. Occasionally, the girl would suck in a sharp intake of air as the creature prodded at a bad bruise or scratch until finally, it gave up its inspection deciding instead to rest comfortable in her arms.

When they stopped in front of the mirror image Venir couldn't help but avert her eyes. "This is the Lekuna that hurt me but...." Her eyes cast themselves downwards planted firmly at her feet, "Look at what I did to her..." It was out of self-defense, and the need to protect her real guild mate but still Venir didn't think she could hurt someone so badly. More alarming was the fact that she hurt someone whom looked exactly like her guild mate. "What am I?" She was worried to say the least. Once more a gun shot sent a familiar pang through her side. She had a sinking suspicion that she wouldn't be shaking that feeling off for quite some time, it would take quite a while for her to get used to the sound of a gun. She didn't see what happened but it didn't take a genius to figure out. Perhaps it was for the better that she didn't see someone who looked just like Lekuna get shot....

Suddenly, the bleak shadow realm was gone and Venir was hit with a blast of clean, cold and fresh mountain air. A chilly breeze sent a shiver down her spine but the air smelled like home. "Home!" Gleaming red eyes snapped up to see the familiar scenery of the Phoenix Mountains. Turning on her heel Venir saw the guild doors leading to the guild hall, the warm smell of baked goods from within leaked outside. "We made it!" Venir turned to Lekuna relieved that their nightmare was over. Before Venir could say anything else she found her world spinning, a certain feeling of weightlessness, and a little bit of pain as her side collided with the cold ground. The last thing she could feel before falling to unconsciousness was a certain shadow creature squirming in her arms and its sharp worried cry.

Do you feel my heart beating?

made by Wolf of GS