Cassia scoffed at Sol and there was a simple amused look on her face. “Little boys who don’t know their place in the world and act like spoiled toddlers do not scare me. I would take a step back and remember your place. From the sounds of it you’ve already gotten your ass handed to you once for not knowing better.” It was clear that even though she had seen his power that she was not scared of him. The fact she had taken out Undine without a struggle was a testament to the amount of power she had.

After Undine had recovered enough she was in still in shock feeling cornered. Even when Sol spoke to her and asked her if she was really given in Undine could not find her voice. She was reacting like a wild animal. There appeared to be some comfort as Sol put the blanket around her naked form. The shaking and shivering stopped as she looked up into his eyes.

“Cassia… For everything, she was born into… Is the definition of evil.” There was a deep breath from her. “She was born to the Mother, an extremely powerful Rosenite Goddess. Yet even for her powerful demon bloodlines and her mother’s blood… She still craved power. She fought her way through demon pits even at a young age. She devoured demons and eventually came to devour her own demon lord father. Her father was as powerful as my own. I was spared by Angela the first time Cassia attacked me. It was just after I was brought back. Cassia was raging about how it wasn’t fair that I was just handed my power as if I hadn’t suffered enough to get it.”

Undine closed her eyes. “Angela banished her. If it is one thing that Angela does not like it is kin slaying even if it is her own daughter. Cassia and I have clashed many times in the past and each time she has found a way to overwhelm me even on my turf. She hunts me like sport once she knows I’m near her. If I knew she was in Jayou I would have avoided this place all together. You could say that Cassia has perfected the magic to kill me specifically.”

Finally, she felt the fires lit in her as she opened her blue eyes and stared up at Sol. “So how do we get her back? She’s been after me for two hundred years and she’s only gotten stronger. I’m surprised I didn’t notice her presence earlier. Her magic feels like a sick and twisted burn in the pit of your gut. It’s not like she hides it or herself. If it’s one thing that I know she hates… It’s losing her property. I'm getting really tired of her hunting me for no other reason than to devour me because she is jealous."

This despicable woman thought she could talk about him like he was beneath her so. It only served to fuel his temper more; had he been at his prime right now, she would be scorched alive and then thrown into the waters for Undine to feast on her. But at the moment, he had to suffer through her damn words but his mind etched this memory, knowing that he’d make her pay for all she had done today.

Undine had been manhandled easily but he suspected that she didn’t really have much fight in her against that bitch; he had witnessed himself of what she could do and simply refused to believe there was another being more powerful than that. It appeared though that he was wrong when she was able to recover herself from the feral state of mind she was in.

Sol remained stony as he listened, unmoved by the fact that she was kin to Undine. He was not above kinslaying and this Cassia was fortunate that she didn’t end up like many brethren that did not side with him during his war against Xunatar. “She has no right to judge who is worthy of power”, he said clear as rain. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he believed that he would be put on the same pedestal as Undine had, considering the circumstances around his own rise to power. It wasn’t inherited through a parent, but his father made it clear that only the strongest of children would be deemed worthy of letting the essence of sin into their bodies. He had been the first to survive and rightfully acquired the most terrible sin of them all.

His fingertips were lit with a spark of flames as she went on about how Cassia would make her into her game. This wouldn’t do at all; Jayou was their safe haven and now she threatened to ruin it? She would threaten to undo everything up to this point? No, he would not flee or submit to the likes of her. “I don’t care how powerful she may be, I will not let her think she can have her way with me, Undine. Be that as it may, I can’t stand against her in my current state and gods know how long before I’m truly at my best again.” He hated doing this and it showed in the hard swallow before he sent the men out so that it was just the two of them that remained in the room. “I’m not strong enough to face her alone if that’s the case. Nor are you able to fight her well from the sounds of it. But if we…are able to work together, then we can show that bitch what happens when you mess with fire and water… “

“Then let’s do that.” He offered his hand to help her rise up to her feet, “We have nothing to lose but our lives at this point. Her? She has plenty to lose her grip on and that should get the message clear.”

“I’m not at my peak right now either,” Undine admitted lowly. “I exerted a lot of myself when I was fighting with you. It left me vulnerable to her attacks a lot more than I would have liked. I’ve always managed to avoid her but she must have noticed how tired I was from using my magic… From blocking your attacks with myself.” Her fingers went to her new burn mark.

They had both messed up bad by not realizing they had been watched. To make matters worse, the person was the absolute worst that could have found them besides Xunatar. Still, her blue eyes were glued to Sol’s and she hadn’t even noticed that the men had left them be.

“Then let’s flood and rain brimstone and hellfire down on her. It’s the very least she can do for her.” Undine took his hand and rose up with him. “Either she’ll kill us or she’ll submit.” However, Sol was right they couldn’t back down. To hell with Cassia. There was a common enemy that they had to deal with.

It didn’t take long for Undine to figure out which casinos, boats, and businesses were Cassia’s. All one had to do was ask and the fools would tell you. They thought their boss was so high and mighty that she couldn’t be touched. So when the fighting started and the Siren and Djinn began to their pillaging people were screaming and running away.

Through the flooding, smoke, and fires Cassia stepped out. There was an elegant pipe in her hand as she used the hellfire that Sol had spawned to light it. There was a frown on her face as her gold eyes looked at all the damage. “You know… I spent years building up my lands… Getting all my people and my resources. It really irks me that you two can just come in here and rip it all up.” Cassia put the pipe in her mouth.

“Kill them. When you are done make sure their bodies are put on display so everyone remembers we aren’t to be messed with.” Cassia was stern as her men flooded into the play.

“NO CASSIA.” Undine fought her silence so she could speak up to the older half demon. “You will stop brushing me aside like I am not equal to you.”

“You aren’t equal to me,” there was disdain in Cassia’s voice as her eyes met Undine’s. “Nor is your little lion cub. You decided to both come here with hardly any power left in you and waste it on my land. I could kill you both right now. Put you into a sea of darkness and make you relive your worst days. Like being stuck in a tomb… or put under sleep kelp. Or even watching her die a hundred times over. The plucking of your scales day after day while men do gods knows what to the rest of your body. I am, after all, an expert in torture, manipulation, and outright murder. The issue with you both is that you actually have hearts. There are things you won’t do for power. I envy your mother for what she did Undine. Throwing her toddler into the water… Cannibalizing her own children. Forcing your brother to rape his sister for her ultimate goals, now that part freaked me out and I am a bit happy she never got to do it. Something about Xunatar and your siblings. Word gets around fast in these woods. She was the ultimate heartless bitch… Really is inspiring isn’t it?”

Undine bit at her lip but finally as she went send a wave of water. The darkness flooded in and like spider webs latched onto Undine and suspended her high above Sol. “Do you know what ancient demon warriors used to do to women?” The webs slowly started to pull on Undine’s arms and legs. “It was gruesome and the woman were often forced to endure whatever it was they wanted. Forced them to undergo pregnancies again and again. By the time the women were found they begged for death. I could sell Undine to some demons like that. It would pay for all of the damages you two have caused.”

Still, Undine did not struggle nor did she cry. Cassia’s eyes latched onto Sol’s. “I have a proposition for you Prideful Cub. The little Sea Witch has grown up rather nicely and while I do despise her I can respect her enough that she’s grown into her own power. In this world, you don’t let prospective partners die… Nor in your position can you argue with me. I’ll let you both live and in exchange, we’ll form a triad of power. You do jobs for me and I supply your little war. Men, gold, and whatever else your little hearts require… You don’t have much of a choice. Undine’s been too busy to notice but… You’ve been being watched. You were so careful not to let Eldora notice you but you got wrapped up in your fight with Sol and let your guard down. They know where you are and it will only be a matter of time before they come and get the both of you. Of course, I could do them a favor and kill you both right now. After all, this time Sol did put you in this situation. All I would have to do is drive my shadows right through that little heart of yours. The choice is yours. A shaky partnership where I let both of you live or I can kill you right now and your dreams can turn to ash.”

Undine scrunched up her nose. “You are a wicked woman, however, you are bluffing.”

Cassia frowned a bit and snapped her fingers letting the shadows drop Undine towards Sol. “You are correct. I can’t overpower you both. I can only keep Undine restrained while Sol would be able to fight me and my men. Still, my offer for partnership stands. If you don’t go all in and take my offer they will find you and you will lose.”

“Why are you helping us?”

“I can do whatever the hell I want that’s why. Besides I can use the two of you just as much as you can use me. Also, I don’t want any more of my properties destroyed. How did you tell I was bluffing by the way?" Cassia watched Undine with interest.

"I noticed it back in the cove but I was too emotional to think straight about it. Your voice changes just a bit when you go into a bluff. You hope to get your way and once you've mentally contained your opponent you make them your plaything. People who are emotionally compromised are easier to deal with even for people with your power." Undine looked up at Sol. "I do think… That under these conditions even if we do kill Cassia that she is right." There was clearly a level of agony that Undine was going through.

Eldora's mirror shattered and she frowned. "Undine cut us off."

"As much as I loathe her Sol… I think we should listen to her."

"That's a good little sea demon. I want you off my turf first. Second, I have property in Karuyo. It's an island so you'll be right at home near the sea. Third, it's a city that they won't have an easy time causing trouble in to come to get you. Fourth, you'll be able to get my men in line there and use them for your own needs."

"What are you getting out of this?"

"Easy, you are out of my city. You've been causing a mess lately and people want you gone. The choice is up to you dear Sol. I can have you on an airship by tonight."

They were made to look like damn fools before her cousin but now as the time for revenge. He would accept nothing less than Cassia’s complete surrender or his death at this point. For someone that had lost their sin, he was still headstrong and refusing to get on his knees in defeat. Undine felt similar to him and her resolve for this was far more personal. “Then we will. Let’s pay her a little visit as she did us.” Sol let her work out the kinks as far as plotting out which of Cassia’s businesses to target, what boats to ruins and anything else that held her name with it.

It wasn’t too long before the duo started their path of terror. They both had a death wish but would be damned to kneel before her or anyone that stood in their way. A pair of natural disasters they were, setting fires and ruining the ships with the tides. Flooding crept about as much as she wanted and he launched a fury of wicked flames where the water didn’t touch. They commotion stirred Cassia, clearly not pleased with their handiwork, though it did stir a smile across Sol’s face. “Oh, I do understand that all that hard work being undone by a stupid mistake, please forgive us”, he mocked with a half-hearted bow. She gave the order to her men to kill, and he held a far more menacing grin as his hands lit up with black flames before launching them at the poor fools. The flames cooked them alive to their very souls, their screams joined in union into a melancholy of despair. It excited him as he smelled the charred corpses before them now. “I’ll kill them all if I have to”, he smiled right before it was wiped away by Cassia’s continued threats.

“You do all that talking and bring up irrelevant circumstances. Sheesh, and I thought my father loved the sound of his own voice.” Sol was simply a man of action and wasted no time before he sent forth another devasting wave of flames, immolating more of her men. One thing did ring true, he wasn’t up to snuff power wise, nor was Undine but they were making a hell of a mess regardless. “For power? Foolish woman, you have no idea of what I’ve done.” If she was going to kill them, then she needed to shut her trap and do so. But Sol had no intention of rolling over and letting it happen. From the sounds of it, she envied a stupid person. Cyprus was never a thinking woman, to begin with, and like her, Cassia pissed off the wrong people.

Perhaps he was too concerned with the men and let Undine retaliate against her, but soon he looked overhead to see her hung by her trap. A faint frown came up as he continued to watch her dangle. “I’m aware, I was around during those times”, he spoke dryly. It did nothing to show the real burning anger that was inside him as such thoughts drove him over the edge. It wasn’t long before he started to shift and change as purplish flames sparked from his toning and grey body. His ebony hair changed into white and grew longer and his right arm appearing more demonic in nature. Xunatar, who had been watching to this point frowned deeply. “The boy finally got enough strength back to trap into his demon form…but he can’t hold it for long since it takes a great deal to transform.”

With just a snap of his fingers, he incinerated more of the opposition as well as a good chunk of a building they were sure belonged to the demoness. He felt the energy quickly sapping from him, but he would continue even on just willpower alone. “Live? That’s rich- I can accept death and that bastard stole it from me when he had the chance.” But then his eyes latched back onto Undine and remembered the promise that he made with her father. His golden eyes closed and a deep breath was taken. Of course, he should have known that his father was watching somehow, keeping tabs on them. The question was when did it happen and how long they were being observed.

Another option he would offer was to let her die with her men and businesses, but then Undine found a chink in her armor. He was quick to catch the Rosenite and set her down before turning his attention to Cassia. As much as he would have preferred death, Undine did have a say in how they could play this out. Reasonably, he would have loved to shove his hand down her throat and sent her ablaze from the inside out, but time was up and he fell onto a knee and reverted back to his normal form. “Fine. We’ll accept your terms, though I don’t see what use you claim you can see in us.” If leaving here meant not dealing with either her or Xunatar, then he could swallow that bitter pill. He rose up and looked to Undine, “We will have to pack up quickly then so we can depart for Kurayo,” He had heard of the name in passing back then, but like everywhere else, he assumed it was a different beast these days.