Realm Wars

When Ryu was finally alone in his room, he brought out Faux's Crystal from his traveler's ring and crushed it in his palms.

Ryu was actually afraid of meeting Faux. He was used to being alone in the past, but when Ferris came, everything changed. She had thought him so many things. Without her, he didn't even know what he'd do in the world outside of the coliseum.

But now that she was gone all too suddenly, he felt lost. He didn't know what to do next. He now realized how dependent she was on her.

"You've come."

Faux's mellow voice startled Ryu out of his thoughts. He didn't know that he was already transported to her tavern.

"You seem lost, little pup." Faux chuckled and licked her black lips. "Is something troubling you?"

Ryu hesitated. Faux's beauty was haunting in a creepy way. But this was no time to be scared nor hesitate.

"Ryu walked over to Faux and said, "Ferris wouldn't wake up. Do you have something that would wake her up?

Faux's palm reached out. "If you want my help. You need payment first."

Ryu's eyes shook. In his haste, he forgot that he didn't have anything with him except those Were-sharks loots. He finally felt how powerless and useless he was without Ferris.

"I don't have anything. Can we just perform that Seal of Promise thing?" Ferris's state was more important right now. 

Faux skimmed her chin. "Hmm. .. That's going to cost you so much more, little pup. Are you sure you want to go in that direction?"

Ryu nodded without hesitation.

Faux's pressed lips stretched in a smile. "Very well then. .. I'll see what Ferris's situation first so I know how much it'll cost you."

With the flip of Faux's hand, her crystal orb glowed. Ryu couldn't see anything but sharp glares no matter how hard he stretched his neck to peek.

"Hmm. .. How reckless. .. and truly. . .  amusing." Faux giggled when she saw what happened to Ferris. 

Her milky eyes then looked straight in Ryu's amber ones. 

"She's not dead, you know. Only her mortal body is. She'll wake up sooner or later," Faux said and added, "Though even I don't know when."

Ryu's knees almost gave way from relief. Nobody knew what happened to Ferris, and no one wanted to help her. Only he wanted to wake her up, but he was lost on what to do nor who to come for help.

Ryu bitterly smiled at himself. He was truly useless.

"How can I wake her up?"

Faux only looked at him, assessing his expression, which made him a little uncomfortable.

"Are you sure you want to wake her up?" Faux asked.

Ryu was confused. "Why not?"

Faux prompted her face on her hands. "Her mortal body is gone. Once she woke up, it'll be an entirely different Ferris."

The demoness? Ryu thought of the demon Ferris and remembered what happened to Dorian and Valij. 

"Why would it be different? They're the same, Ferris."

Faux huffed. "It looks like Ferris didn't tell you that her mortal body is already dead. If you wanted to wake the mortal Ferris, then I'm afraid that it's no longer an option. She was already dead, to begin with. But if you rather want to wake the souls inhibiting her mortal body, then that could be arranged."

Ryu's mind went blank. Ferris was dead? She's dead? "T-that can't be. .. then who was it that thought me so much? Who was with me?"

Faux watched Ryu's white, heaving face. It really looks like Ferris didn't tell him anything. Faux's sighed. "I know it's confusing and hard to understand, but I'm pretty sure that she showed you her real form, am I right?"

Ryu nodded. The demoness was Ferris's real form, but he always thought that the little Ferris was another entity from the demon. They were so much different.

Faux shrugged. "Sometimes, the body retained its old ways, and when Ferris inhibited that dead body, her souls didn't merge with that little mortal body, and as a result, that body retained some of its mannerism when it was still alive. That's why you find them so different. Though it can use Ferris's demonic powers a little."

Some of the confusions in Ryu's mind lessened but at the cost of the reality that. .. the little Ferris was truly dead and could no longer be brought back to life, and his heart dropped.

"Stop looking like it's the end of the world." Faux leaned on her chair and clasped her hands on her lap. "That mortal girl was dead, to begin with."

Ryu bit his lips. He couldn't think straight. The reality that little Ferris would no longer be with him hurt more than he thought. Not only did the news shock him, but he must also face the sudden reality that she was truly gone.

She would never return.

ARGH!

A loud growl erupted in Ryu's chest and pushed through his throat in the form of an agonizing scream.

Faux's sighed and massaged her temple. Ferris, you idiot.

Faux got to her feet and rummaged through her cabinet of potions. "I know it's a lot to process all of a sudden, but everyone dies eventually. Even the Angel and Demon's die if their soul is shattered or their mana ran out."

Ryu just looked in no particular direction. His mind still couldn't think straight. It was dreaming in the foggy memories of little Ferris. Her laughter's. Her giggles. Her ugly burnt face that flickers of flakes flew like pollens every time she scratched the itched on her head. Her mischievous pranks and ways. .. all of it. .. gone. . . 

She would never return, and Ryu refused to accept that fact.

"There has to be away."

Faux eyes went in the ceiling. Here comes denial. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but her soul has long been gone. It probably even reincarnated. Who knows? And without that body's original soul, it would rot and disappear eventually."

"No." Ryu refused to believe such reality. If he truly did, then Ferris would really never return. 

"The Jewel of Tethyt."