Slight "religion" references, but it is the religion of this world I've created so it isn't really preaching anything I promise.

"So where are we going?" Mitsu asked as they walked through the small town after getting the supplies they needed. which were essentially just a few lanterns, bandages, and a little bit of food.

"It's a surprise." She chuckled.

"Hm why do I feel like I'm not going to like this surprise?" He grumbled.

They walked a while until they reached the edge of town to be met with a treeline of a forest.

"Woah it's so dark you can barely see past a few trees, but it's daytime. Wait a second..." He thought for a moment. "Don't tell me this is the Kinjiraremashita forest!"

"Fine I won't tell you." Kuroyami shrugged with a straight face.

"Are you suicidal or something?! Not even Royal Knights will go in there. The only people who go through that forest are criminals, and not even all of them make it out.  It's name means forbidden for God's sake! Places like these have names like that for a reason." Mitsu explained.

"Relax. You human's worry too much all the time." She rolled her eyes. "Yes the place is dangerous, but it's not impossible to pass through. Like you said criminals pass through all the time." She smirked as she stepped into the trees. "Awe or is wittle Mitsu scared?"

"I am not. I'm a royal knight I've seen a lot more than you would think." He defended as he followed. "And even if I was it would be for a good reason. Generally humans don't get out of here." He looked around trying to hide the fact that he was really on edge.

"I'll be with you the whole time." She pointed out.

"Tch Yeah like I'm gonna trust that." He muttered.

She stopped in front of him, hands on her hips, causing him to stop abruptly so he didn't knock into her. "If you don't like me, then fine I don't care, I don't like you either you're nothing but filthy human trash to me, but if we're gonna be working together you're gonna have to trust me eventually." She turned sharply on her heel and continued walking. "Besides we're doing this for you."

"For me?" He asked.

"Yes, there's an old blacksmith that lives deep in these woods. He can forge you a sword that can resist magic and run through demons alike." She explained while taking out two lanterns, handing one to him.

"Someone actually lives in this place?" Mitsu asked in surprise holding the light up to see his way through the thick trees.

"Yeah well you'll find that Akihiro isn't someone you should take lightly. When you get there just don't do anything to upset him, okay?" She gave him a warning glance.

There was a strange noise of some unfamiliar creature in the distance.

He gulped silently. "U-uh yeah sure." He then heard some slight rustling behind him. "D-did you hear that."

"Mitsu." She growled quietly in annoyance. "If you are going to freak out about every little noise then I'll kill you myself. I'll let you know when we're in danger... Most likely." She muttered the last part so quietly he almost didn't hear it, almost.

He frowned at her, but continued to just walk along making sure to pay close attention to his surroundings. In order to ease his nerves a bit he tried some casual conversation. "So why exactly where you at the magic shop yesterday?"

She gave him a strange sideways glance and didn't answer for a few seconds but the clicked her tongue. "Well. My sword was missing a piece. Actually it had been missing a quite important piece for a while. A rare purple gem that uses dark magic."

"You mean like the necklace you stole from that bandit?" He asked.

"Exactly, that was it. Now my sword is back to its full power." She nodded gesturing to the sword in its sheath. The handle now held the purple gem securely on it's tip."

"Back? So you had one of these rare gem stones before? How'd you loose it?" Mitsu asked.

She slowed down as parts of past memories started to flash in her head. Her sword clashing with others, the original stone accidentally flying off. The images of that day seemed to come back to her in black in white. All except for the blood. The pools and streams of crimson painfully and vibrantly stuck out as it all came back to her.

"It was a long time ago..." Was all she replied with and then shook her head and continued walking ahead a bit faster.

Mitsu shot her a curious glance, but then quickened his step to catch up with her. "So where exactly does this blacksmith live?"

"More near the center of the forest." She replied acting completely normal again. "And please try not to complain the whole way there. I really hate whiners."

"I'm not a whiner." He defended.

"Yeah right-" she suddenly stopped walking looking around intently.

"What's wrong?" He asked in concern.

She placed the lantern down and unsheathed her sword. "We're in danger."

He took out his weapon as well his voice wavering, but hands staying calm and still. "Wh-what is it?"

"I'm not exactly sure." She replied truthfully.

Suddenly one of the things jumped from the bushes and towards them.

Kurami almost didn't have time, but skillfully dodged and slashed the beast down, the stone making a purple magical aura emanate from her sword as it sliced.

"What the hell is that?" Mitsu asked looking down at the humanly shaped creature that was short with pure black eyes skin that looked like slightly wrinkled old leather, and pointed teeth, that was now shriveled on the ground bleeding a deep purple blood.

"Goblins." She answered bring her eye sight back up to scan the bushes ready for another attack.

"Are they really dangerous?" He took the hint and quickly readied his sword again. It was so fast, I barely saw it coming.

"That particular breed? Not very, but keep your guard up there are some much more deadly and we still don't know exactly what we're dealing with." She rolled her eyes and muttered. "I really hate goblins..."

Another few more attacked and Kurami strikes two down while Mitsu took out the other, surprising himself at how easily he killed the monster.

"Hm not bad... for a rookie." She smiled smugly them returning to their back to back position.

"Rookie? I was trained by the best Royal Knights this land has ever known. Im definitely no rookie." He said seriously like he was defending his honor.

"Fair enough." She shrugged and then lowered her weapon. "They've run away for now, but they'll be back, or something worse, so let's move quickly." She sheathed her sword and began to quickly walk ahead.

He did the same trying to quickly catch up to her. "How is it that goblins exist? They were just fairytales before today. I get demons and magic bearers because they look human. How can such beasts exist without humans knowing about them?"

"Because humans are naïve forgetful creatures. They tend to loose sight of things that are no longer important to them." She answered coldly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked more out of curiosity then defense.

"How do you think? Haven't you ever been told the story of creation? It was a very long time ago but humans, demons, goblins, and every other being used to coexist in this world. The Angel race created intelligent beings as well as the plants and animals that helped the natural flow of life go on. Obviously it wasn't peaceful, and each species fought each other for survival, but each race knew the dangers of the others. After long the humans started to struggle with surviving. They weren't necessarily weak, but were built differently. They're instincts were not keen like an animals would be. Instead of kill be killed or run away they were able to see more options, and they were able to act these options out. Their instincts could stop them from mass massacre, and they turned more to thinking things at a logical standpoint instead of one hundred percent violence all the time. To put it simply, the Angels liked this. So they made places like this where they trapped the other beings from ever leaving so the humans could have safe places to live. So humans continued to live along generation after generation growing outside of places like this and eventually forgetting all about them." She explained.

"What about you? You aren't human, but your able to leave. And magic users are as well." Mitsu pointed out.

"Yes certain beings can leave the restricted areas. There are three exceptions. Magic bearers because they were originally human and then were granted power, or stole it, from the angels, beings who were granted permission to leave as long as they remained peaceful, and demons." She answered.

"Why are demons so special?" He questioned.

"Because angels didn't create us." She replied her voice taking a bragging tone. "Some may argue that we are even at equal power with the angels, if not stronger."

"And what do you say? Are they more powerful?" He asked.

"Depends on the demon." She shrugged. "There are those that are powerful and those that are weak. Just like any species."

"Well I find it completely impossible for anything to be more powerful than an angel." He crossed his arms.

"Yes most humans do. Their almighty belief in a God and his angels helps them through life." She shook her head disapprovingly.

"Are you saying that it's wrong? That you don't believe there's a God?" He asked with widened eyes.

"I'm saying I've never seen him in any sense. Nor have I seen these so called angels. After saving the humans the race became corrupt like the rest of the damn world. Humans stopped with peace and turned cruel just like everything else. So the angels started to ignore us all, loosing faith in all races. Who knows what they do now if they're even still around. And as for God well I feel like he'd be helping his people a bit more don't you? I'm not saying he isn't real, but I don't have much faith that he is either. And if he is I don't think he cares anymore."

"God doesn't stop caring he's God." Mitsu defended. "And what do you mean the human race is corrupt?"

She scoffed. "Well just look at it. You all are horrible to each other. Power, sex, and money are all that matter to you. You slaughter each other, and destroy whole kingdoms with war just to get them. And don't even make me mention slavery."

"As sad as it is and as much as I wish it wasn't true war is necessary sometimes." He replied looking to the ground regretfully. And yes I admit the slave trading is bad, but also illegal in our country. People only do it in the black market. Saying every single human is corrupt because of the few ones that are is completely unfair. And as for not seeing God, he gives us miracles everyday."

She stopped and turned toward him her face twisted in an unamused scowl. "You're so oblivious to what actually goes on in the world aren't you?" She sighed and started walking again, muttering. "There's no such thing as miracles... only coincidences... I'm done talking about this just shut up and walk."

-&-

"We're almost there." Kuroyami finally spoke after the two of them had been walking in silence for a while.

"You don't sound too glad about that." Mitsu pointed out.

"It's too strange..." she stopped looking around and listening closely to the forest. "It's too quiet. Those goblins were the only ones to attack, and that is suspicious for this forest. We shouldn't have so easily been able to get this far."

"Well maybe it was just a miracle." Mitsu stopped next to her smiling smugly.

She growled slightly, but then quickly snapped her attention away and moved drawing her sword just in time to run it through a goblin that attacked from the side.

Before they knew it they were surrounded.

"I knew it, they were watching us. How could I be so stupid!" She shouted as she killed two more.

"How many are there?!" Mitsu asked as he also began to fight.

"It doesn't matter just keep fighting, don't let your guard down!" She barked.

A group of five attacked Mitsu. He took two out wth one slash and then stabbed another straight through the stomach. The other two leaped on him. He killed the one quickly and grunted in slight pain when he felt sharp teeth sink into his left arm. The darker colored goblin was hanging in his arm by it's teeth snarling crazily. Mitsu pulled his sword back and sliced the being in two, shaking the upper half of its body's off when he was done. He looked over to see another large group of about ten approaching from the side.

Kuroyami stood in in front of them. "Ugh let's just finish this." She grumbled getting into a stance as her sword started to emanate a strong purple aura. "Black blade dance!" She shouted and a large spell sliced out of the sword, killing all of them at once.

Mitsu blinked in surprise looking at all the defeated goblins lying around them, their purple blood spilling onto the ground and dripping slightly from both their swords. Then he looked at the impressive amount Kuroyami took out with seemingly just one slash."Wow..."

She looked around making sure there weren't anymore, before flicking the blood off her sword in one swift motion, and then returning it to its sheathe with a small click. "Lets go." She spoke up and started to walk again.

Mitsu followed. "That was amazing. I've never seen something like that before."

"That is what magic can be capable of in the right hands." She said like she was patronizing certain magic users. "Here we are." She smiled slightly as they arrived at an opening in the ground an orange glow coming from within.

"This blacksmith... lives in a cave?" Mitsu asked skeptically.

"Well I don't know if you've noticed, but housing is a little limited here." Kuroyami said sarcastically. She then stepped down into the cave. "Akihiro? Akihiro are you here? It's Kuroyami I have a weapon request."

Mitsu followed behind her carefully maneuvering around the rocky entranceway that dipped into the cave. There was a sound of crackling and a slight rhythmic ding coming from within.  When They turned to corner there was a elderly man with his back turned to them. He was banging a shaped piece of metal with a tool against an anvil, a large heat emanating fire burning in the middle of the room.

"Akihiro!" Kuroyami tried once again to get his attention.

"Eh?!" He turned around pointing whatever he was working on toward us, the metal still red with heat. "Kuroyami?" He put the weapon down adjusting his thick round glasses back into his nose, which was slightly blackened with ash. "Don't you know how dangerous it is to sneak up in an old man? Especially when he lives in a place like this."

"I swear your hearing gets worse every time I come here." She sighed.

"What was that?!" He asked seeming to be louder than he really thought he was being.

"Nothing." She raised her voice slightly. "I require your services again."

"Ohh." He seemed to notice Mitsu for the first time, and once again aligned his glasses and stepped toward him squinting like he was trying to get a better look. "A human? That's surprising even for you Kuroyami."

"Oh please don't get the wrong idea old man. He's my slave, I took his soul, and now he needs a sword capable of killing demons."

"I see..." Akihiro stared at her curiously, like he knew something she was planning. Then he went back to acting normal. "Very well, I'll craft something up. Don't worry about price, I think I'm indebted to you enough."

Kuroyami chuckled at the statement slightly, and leaned against the stone wall.

"What kind of sword would you like?" The old man asked opening a chest of supplies.

"What? No, I don't want any other sword by this one." He gently placed his hand in his trusty weapon.

"That isn't good enough it will get you killed." Kuroyami glared at him.

"No way I refuse to use any sword but this." He said his voice completely serious.

"Well I can just modify that one." Akihiro suggested. "If that's what you prefer." 

"I would." Mitsu nodded.

"Fine." Kuroyami sighed in frustration. "Give it to him."

Mitsu unsheathed it and placed  it into the older man's slightly shaking hands, hesitantly.

"I'll have it done as soon as possible." He promised and then got to work.

"Great." She replied moving away from the wall toward the entrance. "Come on Mitsu let's take a walk."

"Here?!" He asked like she was insane.

"Why not?" She shrugged. "Now follow, that's an order."

Mitsu felt a slight twinge and then followed her, sweat dropping from his head. "This demon chick will be the death of me..."

Hey guys, sorry for not updating in forever. I've had a lot  going on. I hope you're all still liking this story. It's really fun for me to write this because I honestly fell in love with the idea when I thought it up. I just hope I'm putting it into words well, and that you all think it's just as good. I promise that things will heat up later in the book, but right now they practically just met, and the characters need to develop, so please be patient.  New characters may arrive soon, nudge nudge. Comment you opinion please. Vote and comment, bye!
                             -Hannah😋