"So, Ashraeh, we would like you to accompany Gabriel on a mission." The headmaster slowly stated in his voice, raspy from old age.

"B-but, Headmaster, I don't think-" Ashraeh began. Her? On a mission? Too soon!

"Nonsense. You are ready," the headmaster calmly spoke, as if reading her mind, "Besides, the destination is in the middle of the Ramatees Desert. Your newfound pactio would make all the difference, don't you think?"

"Y-yes, Headmaster. May I ask, what is the objective?"

"There is an artifact inside the Tomb of Akhetamen. It has untold powers. I need you to retrieve the artifact immediately, for I fear its power would be used against us."

"Yes, Headmaster."

Ashraeh opened her eyes from her dream. How strange, she had didn't remember having that conversation, nor had she ever met that elderly man before. She groaned and grunted as her tried to sit up. It hurt to move.

"Ashraeh, don't move! It'll reopen the wound." she heard a gentle voice, but couldn't put her finger on it's owner.

"Who...who are...you...?" she tiredly inquired.

"It's me, Gabriel. Don't you remember?" He asked, a sad smile plastered on his face.

"I...I don't remember anything. Where are we? What's going on? How do you know my name?!" She startled and fell off the comfortable pallet she was laying on.

"Ah!" Gabriel rushed over to help Ashraeh from the dusty floor. "It's just as I feared. Ashraeh, you've lost your memory."

"I've lost my what...? Oh, my." She winced as a shockwave rended throughout her entire body. As before, it hurt to move. It hurt to see, to touch, to hear, and even to think. What had happened...?

"It...it happened too fast for me to see everything," Gabriel started, "But I did see most of it. It was like this...

Flashback INSIDE a Flashback

"So, we have to get this artifact in the pyramid? Doesn't seem like too much trouble." Gabriel said, his head resting in his arms. "It's a good thing you're here. We need all the water we can get."

"I'll be glad to help in any way I can." Ashraeh smiled. Seemed happy, but she was really frustrated. They had a long travel ahead of them. "But was have to set out as soon as possible. So let's conjure the Besaid Scorpion that the headmaster gave us." Out of her pocket, she retrieved a small crystal. The rune inside depicted a scorpoin, and it appeared the same from every direction. Using the crystal as a tool, she drew the complicated circle on the desert ground and incanted the spell.

"Everto of ceterus regnum , EGO dico super vos. Transporto mihi orator quorum nemo praesumo fatur! Bestia of sands , exorior protelo mihi ut meus calx! Scorpio!"

Light radiated from the shining rune on the ground, blinding Gabriel and Ashraeh in the process.

"Urgh!" Gabriel grunted, shield his eyes from the brilliance. He parted his fingers to peer at the magical phenomena. From the blinding light, a being was forming from the depths. When all was said and done, the demon that was summoned was completed. A giant scorpion! Complete with a shelter on its back for rest.

"W-wow! It's amazing!" Gabriel stared in awe at the monstosity. "I never read about it the Monster Class."

"Oh, my. It's...it's very frightening...but we have to get the artifact! Now, I researched a little bit before we left. The journey will take a little more than 3 days."

"3 days? Oh, man. It's already hot out, and it's six o'clock at night." Gabriel complained. "This is going to take absolutely forever!" He flopped on the ground in defeat.

"Well, it won't take as long if she get started now." She smiled warmly at him, and she held out her hand to help him up.

(Ramatees Desert Theme - Gerudo Desert, Twilight Princess https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNPppQFrENs)

(I got permission to do this)...

Tristen was slowly stalking the pair. He licked his lips sadistically, picturing them... naked, their organs splattered everywhere, blood flung across the walls... he needed to do that to them, he desired it. "DEMON SHOT!" He squeals happily, hoping that they're insides explode or their skin begins to rot as a side effect of the demon shot move.

"Eep!" Ashraeh yelped, yanking her hand back. The black energy bolt just barely missed her fingertips. She whirled her head to see the source of the attack. "Wh-who are you?!"

(For the sake of the story, could you be trying to get the artifact first?)

(Maybe if Tristen knew you were there.)

"Haha, Demon Slash!!" Tristen hysterically laughs, charging for Ashraeh's pal, the other dude. He aimed to cut Gabriel in half, aiming from his ass and slicing through to his head, it'd cause massive pools of blood and is the best way to inspect the inside of a body. That's what Tristen thought at least.

Gabriel jumped up with the quickness of a dog. His ears flicked and his tail stood at attention, his sword at the ready. "Ashraeh, get on the scorpion!"

"I can't leave without you!" she frantically cried. She summoned her artifact and sprayed water directly at Tristen. "Ex somno exsistat exundans undina inimicum immergat in alveum! Vinctus Aquarius!" She fired a stream of water at the boy, atempting to trap him in a bubble of water.

Tristen failed and was trapped in the bubble and began drowning. He didn't know what to do, until he realized... he can flare up his ki. "DEMON SHOT!" He winces in pain for not being able to breathe as he shoots a giant hitodama at Gabriel. The chances of avoiding it were likely... but in the instant it goes past Gabriel, he aimed for it to explode with demonic ki. And as you may have realized, once that happens, if the ki touches your skin it will cause huge pain and decaying of the skin.

"Lookout!" Ashraeh pushed Gabriel out of the way, only to end up in the explosion herself. Her skin died, and flesh fell from her arm where she was hit. The force knocked her into the scorpion, where she hit her head. Everything was a black darkness from then on.

"Ashraeh!" He scooped her up and jump into the shelter on the scorpions back. "Hya!" He cried, snapping the reins up. The scorpion took head and faster than expected, scurried down the desert road, kicking up dust and sand in its wake.

Once Ashraeh and Gabriel were at least a mile away, the Vinctus Aquarius evaporated, releasing Tristen from its water cell.

"FUCKING DAMNIT, THOSE FUCKING PUSSY CUNT LOSERS!!!!!" Tristen fucking spazzes as they made their escape, "I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU PUSSIES!" Tristen rages from the inside, a deep hatred and passion beginning to create. He wouldn't have killed them, but he has now decided he shall. He hates people who run away and he won't go easy...

FLASHBACK END

"And that's what happened." Gabriel explained. He still stared at her arm, it's ugly scar still intact.

Ashraeh gazed at the flesh maw on her arm, briefly touching it to inspect it. "Ah!" the pain was incredible! It surged throughout her entire body.

(Shall I stop or keep going? Ignore this post if you want me to stop)

The pair had made it too far from Tristen, so he had now clue what to do or how to slaughter them. Rip their legs off, cut the girls boobs off, rip their jaw off... he was so unsure and he had a lot of travelling to do. "Demonic ki, grant me strength to slaughter those fuckin fags." Tristen mumbles out loud, channeling his ki to his feet as he finds a burst of speed sending himself flying forward.

(Please! Just wait a moment until you ambush them again.)

"Well then, we have to find this whats-it, whoever-you-are." Ashraeh said.

"But first we have to find you a healer!" Gabriel insisted.

"The healing can wait!" Ashraeh stood up, looking triumphant.

"This is not the Ashraeh I know..." Gabriel whispered to himself.

------

Hours later, there were in a bustling market. If Tristen came back, it would be unlikely if they were found out. It was like a sea of people! Not an empty space to be found! Butts were bumped, and elbows nudged. It's amazing they could survive in such cramped conditions.

"Um, what's-your-face, maybe we should dig up some info on that tomb." Ashraeh said, putting a finger up to her chin thoughtfully. "I'm guessing there would be some sort of 'elder' who knows about it." Ashraeh giggled. "This feels like some kind of video game. It's really exciting!"

Gabriel just stares with a blank face, shocked that Ashraeh is acting this way.

"You like something you see, or are you just dumb?" She waved a hand in front of his face to get his attention.

"****, where did they fucking go? Those bitches will regret missing with me..." He curses, growls and stamps his foot into the ground, slashing any alive being he saw, that includes animals, insects and even plants and trees. He was obviously enraged, lost and looking to kill those motherfuckers.

A few hours later, Ashraeh and Gabriel gathered what information they needed. Apparently, there was an elder that lived on the outskirts of town. Only he knew how to enter the tomb. If he couldn't help them, there was no way to complete their mission.

As the trekked to the huge, dusty wall of the giant metropolis, they heard all kinds of whispers. Ones that didn't seem too inviting...

The desert road was long and difficult. Sprawled across the way, seemingly a dot on the horizon, there lie the elder's home.

"Um, yeah, you. How long will it take?" Ashraeh inquired, still staring at the dot.

"Maybe an hour or two, give or take." Gabriel replied. This would go smoothly if nothing intervened.

Tristen made his way to a village. He could see it in the distance as he throws his fists into the air, cheering. He wasn't lost anymore. Rushing into town, he sees it was bustling like normal. A desert was up ahead, why would anyone want to go out there anyway? He had to find his way back to another area instead of this barren wasteland.

Seeing a passerby, a woman had dropped her basket of fruit. "Excuse me madam, do you need help?" Tristen puts his hand on hers, helping her grab the fruit and kindly passing her the basket. He thought about it for awhile, the kids that ran away from him MUST have passed through here.

"Hey, excuse me beautiful... have you seen two kids passby...? They're my friends and I'm really worried for their safety." He blushes away, the woman smiling beautifully with a radiant look to her.

"Come with me, for a second. I'll offer you some food," She smiles, dragging him to her house.

"I repeat, have you seen any children?" He asks, closing the door behind him as they enter the house.

"No, of course not. Here--" BANG. The womans face is slammed into the ground.

"You filthy bitch, don't touch me. I'm the demon king... How lured me into this fucking place and don't know where my targets are!? **** you, bitch." Tristen growls, snapping her neck into place. Covering her body with newspaper and a table, he exits the house, glad he didn't get any blood on himself.

"You, old man. Have you seen kids walk past?" He asks, seeing an old man sit like a statue on a box.

"...Yes... they were going that way... to the desert..." He coughs, his heart aching.

"Thanks pa." Tristen smiles, kicking him off his box as he rushes towards the desert.

"Time to get started!" Ashraeh smiled brightly. She ambled the the desert road to question the whereabouts of this tomb-thing.

"Hehehehehehe, I wonder how far they've gotten in! A sweaty body from this scorching heat... I just want to gwnar on their bones~~" Tristen licks his lips, slowling saliva onto the heated ground. He kicked, pushed, shoved anyone who got in his way. He was fustrated but also very excited for these future events.

Ashraeh and Gabriel walked for an eternity, it seemed.

"Ashraeh! W...water...!" Gabriel panted. He looked as dry as the desert sands.

"I...I don't...have...any..." Ashraeh panted as well. Would she die here, without even knowing her past?

Tristen skipped delightfully seeing a bandit over the sides. It would seem he's for hire. "Hey, mate. Here's some drachma, would you kill two brats? One's a girl with white and blue hair, while the other has plain white hair and fake dog ears or some %*@!." Tristen smiles, handing over the money as the bandit nods and runs off with a bottle of water.

Looking down, the box the man was sitting on, Tristen took the oppurtunity. There were numerous bottles of water that Tristen had now taken for himself and himself alone.

"What...about...that artifact you call out..." Gabriel tiredly panted, leaning over, his arms propped up on his knees.

"What? Artifact?" Ashraeh replied tiredly.

"You know? The one...with all...the water..." he said.

"I don't know how...to use no...artifact. I don't even...know...your name." she replied nonchalantly.

"It's Gabriel." he eyed her with a annoyed look. "And you say something...I think...A day out? I don't know..."

Ashraeh paused, becoming serious. Something was gnawing at the back of her mind. Something...something.

"I can't let you die just yet." A strange voice whispered into her ear. Ashraeh turned, but no one was there.

"Did...you..say something, Gabrio?" she asked.

"No, and it's Gabriel. Ul!"

"Repeat after me." The voice said again. "Adeat."

Ashraeh decided to not care and just listen to the voice. It said it wanted to help her, right? "A...adeat!" Ashraeh shouted, raising her arm into the air like a video game.

A bright light shined, and the Crystallium Harmonia flowed out her card into the space, floating directly in above her palm.

The bandit soon spotted the pair as he gulps down the rest of his water. "Die, brats! I need this money!" He growls, swinging his sword wildly at the two.

Tristen however, had evacuated the site. He was following the bandits trail, dragging the mans box of water in one arm as if it was a sledge. He grinned maliciously at the sight of their three dead bodies.

(Lol at your avatar. Zack X Cloud. Funny stuff.)

Ashraeh shot up."No time to lose! Forget the old man! Back to the scorpion!" she commanded.

"Right!" Gabriel huffed. Quickly, they ran parallel to the giant wall.