'Well I say it's this way!'

'No, that's the way to Irance. We won't be heading that way until morning.'

'But-'

'Do you know how many venom weasels live on that road? I don't know how much you know about them, but they are nocturnal and attack pretty much anything that moves. We can't risk being ambushed by them.'

'Tch. Fucking Furry Nerd.'

'Okay both of you stop!' Vincent ordered, pushing apart the Foxeen and Assassin before they could further their argument 'We'll never find a place to camp if you keep fighting like this, we don't need this trip lasting longer just because some of us can't agree on things.'

'Exactly, thank you Vincent!' I yelled, walking up to the three with Jet by my side.

'Hmph.' Hunter pouted 'I still think we should head the other way...'

'Sorry Hunter, but Silver's right. Venom weasels are master predators, especially in a group. If we head that way during nightfall we'd be chewed up in seconds.'

Hunter glared at the healer, clicking her tongue before jumping up into a tree 'Whatever.'

'What's her problem?' Jet frowned 'She used to be a lot more... happy than this.'

'Beats me.' I shrugged 'I'll ask her once we find somewhere to crash tonight.'

Vincent nodded 'Please do. The last thing we need is people falling out- Ow!'

The brunette yelled out in pain as a black apple was launched out of a tree and at his head, and Hunter's mocking laugh could be heard from the higher branches.

'Ugh... Hunter...' I facepalmed. I know she's my best girl friend and all, but she can be such a bi-

'Wait a minute...' Vincent bent down, picking up the apple and examining it. 'This is a Midnight Smith.'

'Yea?' Jet raised an eyebrow 'And?'

'This type of apple is only found in black oak trees, which is exactly where venom weasels dig their burrows.'

I scrunched up my nose in confusion, before walking over and placing a hand on one of the trees. My eyebrows furrowed 'That's because these are black oak trees. But the only place they grow in the cursed woods is-'

'The road to Irance.' Vincent and I finished in unison, and we stared at each other with a slightly worried expression. Vincent turned to Silver 'Silver are you sure we're going the right way?'

'Hmm?' The Foxeen turned around, taking a metal flask away from her lips. Her visible cheek was slightly flushed.

'You're drunk?!' Jet yelled, snatching the flask from her 'What in the name of Emira made you think it was a good idea to drink at a time like this?!'

Silver shrugged, hiccuping slightly 'I'm tense. Having four people following you isn't exactly comfortable.'

'Well you could've told us.' Vincent huffed in annoyance.

'Whoops...' the redhead rolled her eyes, pouting like a child.

'Well ain't that perfect!' I threw my arms up 'We have a pissed fox, a pissed off assassin, and soon possibly a venom weasel crisis on our hands!'

As soon as I said that, about five spinning purple balls jumped from a bunch of holes which I had just noticed were there, before uncurling themselves to reveal glowing yellow eyes, a long slender body and a black scorpion tail.

I slapped my hand over my eyes and groaned 'I hate it when I'm right...'

'Nice one, Vixen! You took us down the wrong path!' Jet scolded, stepping away from a venom weasel which was about to bite his leg. That would've been a problem, since both their tusks and tail contain deadly poison that can kill in seconds if it enters the bloodstream.

'Sorry!' Silver growled sarcastically 'Why don't you talk them out of killing us? You're both reptiles!'

Yes, you heard her. Despite them looking like a mammal, and having the name 'venom weasel' these creatures are in fact a type of reptile.

'It doesn't work that way, Silver!' Vincent yelled, kicking a weasel away from us 'Venom weasels' only instincts are 'Hey it moved, kill it!' and 'Oh it's the opposite sex, fuck it!'. Talking it out of killing isn't really an option for us!'

'I hate to say I told you so, but...' Hunter suddenly jumped down in front of us, shooting needles out of her mechanical knuckles which pierced three of the animals in the neck. 'I told you so.'

'Well... we owe you an apology I guess.' Jet muttered, before jumping away from an attack.

'That you do.' Hunter smirked, pressing a button on her arm. In the blink of an eye her hand had turned into a long sharp sword, which she used to slice the remaining weasels vertically in half.

I stood there, mouth hanging open as the blade slowly returned as her metal fingers. 'Did... you get that thing modified?'

She smirked, holding her arm up like a trophy 'Yea I thought it could use an upgrade, so I payed a little visit to the blacksmith. Now I have claws, needles and a sword implemented into it. Oh! And best of all, the blacksmith found a way to bring back my use in shadow magic!'

'You mean the stuff you could only summon with your right hand?'

'Yea check it out!' Hunter aimed her palm at Silver, shooting a blast of black energy which made us gasp. But instead of hitting the fox it went right between her legs, disintegrating a venom weasel which was about to sting her in the back. The assassin grinned proudly and retracted her arm 'Now it's not as powerful as it used to be, but it still works.'

'Niiiice!' I laughed.

Silver coughed 'Uh, hate to interrupt you guys fawning over a tin arm-'

'Mystic-Titanium.' Hunter corrected.

'Ugh, mystic-titanium arm, but we have company.' She pointed a finger behind us, revealing more of those nasty reptiles.

'Well fuck me with a chainsaw!' I growled 'That's it! I don't care what General Em said, I'm using my powers!'

'Wait, Iris, that's not-'

I cut Vincent off as I engulfed myself in purple mist, feeling my bones and muscles shift into a body fit for a demon while I muttered the curse I use to control it. 'Son of Sebastian, from the depths of my black soul I command you to give me your power!' My wings sprouted from my back, followed by my horns, tail and claws. My eyes glossed over in crimson red, my skin turned ash grey, and then my armour shifted to one of a demoness.

'Necessary... Welp I tried.' The brunette threw his hands up.

I glared down at the venom weasels, watching them as they got into a pouncing stance. 'Not so fast, you little shits...' I muttered, summoning one of my purple orbs in my hands and connected it with the hearts of the creatures. A normal demon wouldn't be able to do that, but a shadow mage would. With one move, I squeezed the orb with my claws, causing their hearts to explode inside their bodies and kill them instantly.

'A little OTT... But okay.' Hunter chuckled nervously.

'If I didn't do that we'd be out here all night fighting them, if not dead.' I responded, picking at my fangs with an oversized nail.

'True...'

I heard a cough from my male friends, causing me, Hunter and Silver to turn to them. They had their heads to the side, their faces a bright shade of scarlet.

'What's up with you?' Silver slurred.

'U-Uhm... Iris... Do...' Jet fumbled with his fingers, clenching his teeth in embarrassment.

'Spit it out!' I barked.

'Do you think you can do something with your attire?!' Vincent blurted with his eyes closed, his fist clenched over his pursed lips.

I raised an eyebrow before looking down at myself, and my face immediately matched my eyes. I forgot how revealing my demoness chestplate was, as it only just covered my breasts and kept my collarbone and most of my shoulders exposed. My skirt only reached down to my thigh, exposing my panties whenever I even attempted to bend down. To be honest the only things that were properly covered up were my arms and legs from the knee down, as I was wearing detached sleeves and knee-high boots.

'Oh...' Was the only thing I could say at that moment.

Before anymore awkwardness could be spread Hunter stepped in front of me, shielding my body from Jet and Vincent's occasional peeping 'Alright, shows over! Stop acting like wooses, you're big boys and can handle a bit of skin!'

'R-Right! Sorry!' The two stood up straight, shaking their heads in attempts to regain their composure. It failed, of course.

I sighed. They were probably going to carry on being idiots until I stop wearing this... I don't even know what to call it. Pursing my lips together I lifted my wings in the air, placing a thumb between my teeth and drawing a tiny bit of blood. It was necessary for the deactivation spell, which was the same for all magic users 'finis execratione maledicta congessit...'

(Timeskip)

'By the way, Hunter.' I began, walking up to the girl who leant against the wall of the cave we set camp in 'What was up with you earlier? You don't usually act that way.'

Hunter winced, bringing her real hand up to her hair covered eye 'I know, and I'm sorry... It's just- I can't really say I enjoy being in the cursed woods...'

'Why not?'

She stared at me from the corner of her eye 'I think you already know the answer to that.'

'What are you-' I stopped myself with a gasp, remembering the night Hunter collapsed in front of the Alzdrak borders with a missing arm and a broken heart 'The ambush...'

'Yup.' Hunter popped the p, turning her head to stare up at the clear night sky 'The night Leaf was taken from this world.'