The party stepped out of the portal and appeared in a familiar room. Mike was now in his human form, his shirt was made in a way that allowed his wings to come out of his back without being obstructed.
"Where is this?" Mike asked.
"My house," Nathalie replied. "You didn't expect me to drop us on a crowded street or a deserted alley filled with smokers, did you?"
"No, this is good," Mike replied, and he walked toward the window to peek. "Oh my God! We are in Washington!"
"Yeah."
"Are you also a witch?"
"Damn! I don't like being compared to those low-ranking magicians," Nathalie sniffed. "I'm a demon; a succubus."
"The REAL succubus?" Mike drawled in disbelief.
"Yeah, you believe in demons?" Nathalie asked.
"Of course. But I'd never expected to see one in reality," Mike replied.
"Here I am," she said. "Now, let's not waste time. We need to get that necklace as soon as possible. Only then I can finally be free–harrr!!!" She fell to the ground, writhing in pain.
"You're forgiven," Mason, who had been sitting down, quietly watching the exchange, muttered.
At his word, Nathalie's pain dissipated. She stood up, stretching her body. Meanwhile, Mike's eyes broadened in disbelief.
"Don't tell me…" he trailed off, too astounded to continue.
Mason smiled, and he nodded.
"Who would've believed a demon would get herself bonded to a human?" he wondered aloud. "I thought that only happens in k-dramas."
"Well… I'm not a fan of k-dramas," Mason said, smiling, "but this is happening for real. She'll be freed when I get back my necklace. That was our deal."
"I don't want to be free," Nathalie said in a sad tone, but her eyes spoke otherwise. "I can't live without you, my Lord. Please don't aband–" she covered her mouth to muffled the rest of the words.
"I doubt that is true," Nana rejoined.
"Of course, I know," Mike chuckled. "It's the work of the spell. I'm intrigued by fantasy books, you see. That's what got me where I am today."
The party shared a brief laughter before Nathalie opened the door, her eyes warning them to GET THE FUCK OUT before she lose her patience.
The group got out of the house, and Mike double-tapped his neck as he did earlier. After speaking for a moment he told them to hail a cab.
"Cab is not going to contain us all unless one of us stays," Nat said. "And that person won't be me."
"Are there any bus stops around here?" Mason asked.
"Yes, my Lord. Follow me."
Everyone followed her to the nearest bus stop and went aboard. Throughout the journey, Mason had to cover his face from the passengers staring him.
Finally, they stopped at the next stop, where the party met the witch who had sent them to another planet. When she saw Mike she hugged him.
And despite Mason's undeniable good looks, if she saw him, she didn't seem to care. Mike collected the necklace from her and handed it over to Mason.
The artifact must've been stopped from returning to him because it was in the hands of a powerful being. As Mason grabbed the necklace and confirmed it was his, a sense of relief settled over him.
Finally, I'm free! he thought. No more restless running and near-death experience.
Nat seemed to share his relief. She, too, would finally be free from being a human's slave. She can finally live her own life without experiencing pain from disrespecting anyone.
Mason secured the necklace back to where it belonged - his neck. And just as the artifact touched his neck Mason felt power surge through his body. His entire body shivered as if struck by electricity.
He tried to speak but not a single word escaped his lips. Nathalie also noticed his sudden behavior change and she placed her hand on him, but was repelled by the necklace, causing her to fall to the ground and convulsed.
Passersby watched in amusement, thinking she was acting. But her pain was more intense than when she defied her Lord.
"I didn't say anything, why am I being punished?" she screamed.
"You touched him while he was reuniting with his overprotective necklace," Raymond replied. "I've had my own share of suffering in the past. I don't expect you to understand."
"Sadly, he can't help you with the pain from his necklace," Nana said sympathetically. "Touching you would only intensify your torment."
Nathalie tried to use her power to suppress the anguish, but she didn't have the strength to harness it. Miram bent down beside her and held her hand. Her eyes glowed a red light, but nothing happened.
"You can save her, Mike," she later said. "You can repel the force within her."
Mike stepped close to the succubus, and just as he laid his hand upon her the pain vanished. Nathalie stood up and wiped her tears, her expression pitiful.
"Good luck guys," Mike said and went away with Miram.
After about three minutes Mason regained his faculties and turned to his group. "Let's go home," he said, beaming with a smile even though his body was still radiating immense energy due to him and his necklace unification.
"What about me?" asked Nat.
"You wouldn't want to touch me at this moment," Mason replied. "My body is still… I don't even know what's happening, but wait for some time."
Nat seemed to understand so she nodded. As Mason and his party made their way through buildings to the next street, he couldn't fathom the immense energy coursing through his body. It was like his necklace had spent all those days they'd been apart, acquiring powers.
He wasn't even given a chance to tell Mike goodbye or thank him for everything he'd done for him because his necklace's force held him immobile and seized his muscles as the torrent of power flooded his veins.
Whatever the power was, Mason hoped it would not kill him or cause him to hurt his friends. As far as he could recall, before he lost his necklace anyone could touch it. Its overprotectiveness had stopped two years ago, and that had allowed him to sell it countless times.
Why has its overprotectiveness returned? Was it trying to warn him not to lose it again? Something mysterious was at play here, as it has always been.
Suddenly, a foul smell struck Mason. He'd had this stench before–a scent of decayed flesh and rotten egg.
He turned back and fear gripped his heart. He threw himself to the ground and rolled to the side just in time to evade a wild swing of a mace aimed at his head.
"What's wrong, Mason?" Nana asked, alarmed.
"They're back again!" Mason replied, pulling back again to dodge a longsword aimed for his neck.
The two unseen assassins, unlike the first ones, charged relentlessly at him. Swinging their weapons with brutal force, their offensive becoming more intense each time they charged.
One of the approached Mason with an amazing speed. It raised its weapon up to deliver, but was flung away by an invisible force. The enemy tumbled down the alley, its cowl falling back and revealing its unsettling snake's head.
"Run, my Lord!" Nathalie shouted, her hand raised in a gesture that exclaimed she was conjuring something. She turned to Mason, a smile playing on her lips. "My Lord shall not die by such a mundane means."
Mason stood up from the ground and glanced at Nana and Raymond, who were a few distance away from him.
"I'll find you," he told them, and he took off. His long legs striding relentlessly as he ran across the alley. When he reached the other side which collided with a three-way intersection, he caught a movement in his peripheral vision.
From within the throng emerged the two assassins, striding toward him with malicious intentions. Despite the light of the day, the glow of their eyes was visible even within their crowls.
"How did they even get here so fast!?" Mason sniffed. "Could something have happened to Nathalie? Are Nana and Raymond alright?"
With no answer to his questions, and the assassins drawing near, Mason took the left road, opposite to the approaching enemies.
He turned back to look again. No, they're not the same assassins. The first two were holding a mace and a longsword. But these are wielding scythe, giving off a grim reaper's aura.
The assassins gave chase, giving in to speed. Their footsteps was silent and synchronized. Seeing this, Mason poured on his speed.
"Mason!"
He glanced at who was calling his name and he saw Nana approaching. She was surprisingly fast for no reason. Mason had always known Nana was more of an athlete than just a little sister. She'd represented their school during their days in high school, and she'd often come out as the best.
"What are you doing!?" Mason shouted, his eyes wide with horror.
"I don't want to lose you again!" Nana shouted back.
"Damn! You're running beside them!"
"What!?
"You're running alongside the enemies! They're even laughing at you!"
Nana, in fear, dispersed out of sight, and Mason continued to run until there was nowhere to go. This was it, everything always lead to the end of an alley - a deserted one precisely. Why are there so many of them?
And then it dawned, it was the same alley where Mike had saved him the previous night! Could the assassins have manipulated the roads to lead him there?
Mason trembled as the snake-men began to advance. His breath was all over his face.
Don't you dare fret, love. They're like rats infront ofthe lion. Show them who you are!
Mason whirled around, looking for where the voice he'd heard came from. When he saw no one he assumed it must have been Nathalie speaking to him through their bonds.
But do they have something like that?
Just then, the power that had been flooding through his veins all the while burst forth. Mason felt his senses beginning to reel. Distant sounds and voices began to echoe in his mind – maybe chanting or curses, Mason couldn't fathom.
"Mason!"
A familiar voice came, sharp but distant. The voice came again, pulling him back to reality. Mason opened his eyes, and to his utter dismay, the assassins were lying motionless on the earth. Judging by the look on Nana's face, it was easy to tell she saw them now.
"What the hell are you, Mason?" she gasped, her body trembling in tremor.