Just as I was about to pull away, I heard the head priest.

“And thus, the mixing of blood and saliva come together to awaken the dormant power resting in our brave heroes.”

Wait. So, they’re supposed to bite my tongue.

I look into his eyes once more and see joy.

Did I imagine that dark look in his eyes?

The hero breaks the kiss, sucking up the trail of drool before it could land on the hallowed temple ground. Two cloaked men lead me down the steps and then close the curtain behind me.

The head priest continued his chanting. After finishing, he turns to face the two priests standing by the curtain. “When the next hero is in place, open up the curtain,” he said in a hushed voice.

The curtains suddenly opened on their own. The hero I kissed marched to the front of the stage. “The angel’s gift has awakened me!” He created mist from his feet and then twisted it with his hands, to create a sword of fog. “I will be her hero. I swear an oath upon this village that I will protect her with all my heart. There is no need to continue with the others. I, Braven, am the strongest of all of Sunny Village’s heroes!”

Mmmm, confident guys are soooo hot!

“Very well. Create the bond! It shall last until the day you leave us, hero!” exclaimed the head priest.

Braven sliced his hand and placed it atop my head.

The blood trickled into my mouth.

It was so tasty and made my head feel dizzy.

“The sacred bond has been formed!” cheered the head priest. He signaled the two other priests to bring us behind the curtains.

I grab Braven’s hand. “So, you promise not to abandon me?” I ask with watery eyes.

“To do so would be to dishonor all that have come before me. I will not let that happen,” he said with sexy conviction.

The priests led us to the small changing room behind the curtain. They then put on blindfolds.

So many strange customs.

The clothes my mother and I made together were taken off me by the blind priests. When they tried to remove my bloomers, I covered myself and told them to stop. They bowed and then brought me my new outfit. The white angel leotard, complete with stockings and arm sleeves, seemed to fit me perfectly. Metal greaves with their upside-down golden cross emblem were fastened to my feet and hands.

They felt a bit heavy.

The priests put on a wide white church hat on my head. It went right over my cute little black and purple horns. After that they fastened a headband over my third eye. Thin clear contacts were placed over my eyes.

Aw, I hope they don’t think my eyes are ugly.

I looked in the mirror and did a little twirl.

I loved the outfit. The white color accentuated the caramel color of my skin and the pretty pink color of my hair and eyes, which now were white and pink instead of black and pink.

“Is everything to your liking?” they asked.

“Almost.” I removed the hand gauntlets. “Sorry, they’re too heavy and I can’t feel with them.” I grabbed the scissors and a needle with some thread. With them I cut heart-shaped windows just below my knees and one at my belly.

Tumble loves poking my belly so I gotta keep it accessible or she’ll be sad.

I walked around a bit. “These greaves hurt my feet.” I said, taking them off.

The priests removed the metal plates on the greaves and attached them just above my feet. “Is that better?”

I stretched my toes. “Yeah! That’s great.” My tail eye spotted something super cute and snatched it off the priest’s robe. “Sorry. It does that sometimes,” I said, wrestling my tail to get the pin it stole.

“Everything we own is yours to take, my angel. I’m honored that you like it,” said the priest with a bow.

“Thanks a BunBun bundle!” I hugged them and then placed the adorable sheep hairclip in my hair.

The priest bowed to me graciously, moved to tears.

I looked back at the large mirror.

Oh yeah, now I’m gonna get those hearts thumping!

I was led out of the changing room and past the curtains. The people in the pews chanted with new fervor.

I waved at them with a big smile on my face.

Wait, where’s Tumble?

My little sister came out along with Braven. She was staring at him with intense discernment. She too was clad in an angel leotard and her hair had been tied into twin pigtails. She had two baby blue pom poms in her hands.

I hugged her and she smiled at me. Her glistening hazel eyes smiling with her tiny mouth.

Awww, little sis looks adorable!

Tumble looks me over and her eyes widen. She takes off one of the large bows in her hair and wraps it around my tail. “Mmhhm.” She gives me a thumbs up.

“You really look like an angel now,” said Braven in that strong but weathered voice I had already fallen for.

“And you look…wow.” I said with sparkling eyes and a bit of drool.

Braven was looking hot! He had thin metal plates covering his legs and two larger folding plates on his knees. His pants were tight so I could see all his juicy curves. He also had on a red belt with little yellow totems on them. His short-sleeve shirt was a crop top, so those abs were displayed for my viewing pleasure. He had shoulder and elbow guards as well, along with metal finger gloves. His blond hair looked even sexier with the single bell earring he put on his right ear.

Braven grabbed our hands and bowed.

“May the Great Goddess grant protection to our angels and their chosen hero!” exclaimed the priest.

After the ceremony the head priest, Old Guy, brought us to his room, my room, to enjoy the feast he prepared. There was a single massive plate of fruits in the center of the round table.

“Ooooh,” said Tumble, rubbing her face against the fruit before eating it.

“Enjoy the meal,” said Old Guy before disappearing.

Braven pierced a bunch of grapes with a single thrust of a needle and then popped it into my mouth. I sucked up all the grapes, making my cheeks all puffy. I chewed them up and then drooled half into Tumble’s mouth.

“You two are uh, very close,” said Braven, turning away from the sight.

Poor guy, seeing me and little sis must remind him of someone he lost.

“Yeah, were as thick as the Bramboo trees!” I exclaimed, tightening my muscles and standing on my chair.

Tumble climbed up my body and put her hands over my head, completing our pose.

“I’ve never seen a Bramboo tree,” said Braven, grabbing a Snapple and bringing it to my face.

I sat back down and bit into the Snapple, giggling as it made little pops on my tongue. “Neither have I but my Mommy…she, uh, she saw them and she told me all about them.” I shook my head and forced a smile.

Come to think of it, Yu-ki was always smiling. What if he came from this place?

Braven slowly skinned a Pinch, a delicious gummy fruit. “How many heroes have you had?”

“Oh, uh, just one. He kinda left me…for a bunch of Goblis,” I said with a frown.

“I’ve worked with many heroes,” said Braven softly.

Tumble poked his cheek with a banana.

“Sorry, she doesn’t like seeing sadness,” I said, lowering her arm.

“Then she’ll fit right in,” said Braven with a forced smile.

“Hey, do you know someone called Yu-ki? His hero name was the Pacifister.”

“Yeah, he was an old friend of mine.” Braven took the banana from Tumble’s hand and ate it.

If Yu-ki trusts these people, then so do I!

After eating we were led by two very chipper guards to the quest board. It was a large wooden board with different papers stuck to it, each one offering a different quest.

I picked up the first one I saw. “There’s one for cleaning someone’s house. Isn’t that kinda a waste of a hero’s talents?”

“Killing isn’t all we’re good for,” said Braven, scanning the board.

Tumble found a poster for clearing the forest of bandits and jumped up to show me.

“Not sure we should start with something so dangerous,” I said with a nervous look.

“You see this belt? Each of these totems is given to me for a completed quest. I can handle anything.” Braven looked away as he talked to me.

Is he hiding something? I could check his journal, but Yu-ki didn’t like it when I did that. I’ll have to check when I get some alone time.

“Hey, how come none of the missions are outside the village?” I asked, shifting through many pages.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Sunny Village must be maintained. We’re different than most places. See this mark?” He showed me the cane symbol on one of the quest sheets. “That means only a hero is allowed to undertake this mission, but the rest can be taken up by anyone. The entire village is responsible for the happiness of every member.”

“Wow! So, it’s like you’re one big family! That’s so cool!”

Braven smiled. “Let’s head to the village hospital. After we’ve healed the people there, we can do something a bit more dangerous.” He held up a quest sheet with a gold cane emblem.

That must mean it’s only for really brave and powerful heroes!

I stood on my tippy toes and read it aloud so Tumble could hear too. “Cleanse the village of ghosts.” My eyes shimmered.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ve dealt with ghosts before.” Braven looked down at me. “Are you smiling?”

“Ghosts are real! That means that maybe we can see Mommy,” I hugged Tumble and cried.

“I doubt such a pure creature would be bound to this world. Angels live without remorse,” said Braven, walking off.

I rushed up to him and grabbed his hand. “Let’s clear all the missions. Then we can go on a big adventure outside the village!”

“Focus on the matter at hand.” He led me and Tumble to the hospital. It was a bright pink building with smiley faces painted on the outside and inside.

Patients were resting on futons along the floor, resting peacefully.

“Why are they all sleeping?” I ask.

“If they were awake, then they would be suffering.” He leans over to me with an intense look in his blue eyes. “Outward displays of suffering are not allowed here. We must be courteous to others.” He puts a jar up to my mouth. “I want you to fill this up.”

“Okay, but uh, my saliva is best at healing when it’s fresh. I learned that the hard way,” I said with a smile. I spit into my hands and rubbed them on the patient with scars on his legs.

The wound healed in just a couple seconds.

“You’re more powerful than I expected.” Braven walked past me and smiled at Tumble.

She had already healed four men with separate injuries.

“Hey, so uh, where are the girls? I only see boys and men here. Not that I mind,” I said, my tail rubbing up and down Braven’s leg.

“They aren’t here. Don’t ask too many questions. Stay focused.”

Braven sure likes to put up a tough exterior. That just means that when he finally opens up to me, the Kindness inside will be all the sweeter.

We finished our hospital duties early and we even cooked together. The not so rich families were overjoyed when we delivered them piping hot vegetable soup. We went back to the Quest Board multiple times. Doing all manner of odd jobs till the sun went down.

“You’re a hard-working girl,” said Braven with a smile.

“Yep and all that sweat has made my skin like iron!” I grabbed a twig and smashed it against my leg.

“The graveyard is outside the village. You should wash up before you go.”

“Won’t I need the extra defense in case they attack?” I ask.

“The ghosts won’t attack you. And if they did, then I’d use my wraith dagger to get them to back off.” Braven smiled.

Aww. He had such a sweet smile.

“Hey, so uh, after the mission. Do you want to spend the night in our room?” I ask, giving him an adorable look.

I won’t mess up like I did with Yu-ki.

“Perhaps,” he said before walking off.

Tumble lifted my arm up and then leaped into a high-five.

“Thanks!” I embraced her and snuggled her. “Let’s get all cleaned up for our big mission.”

Tumble saluted. “Mmhm!”

As soon as we got to our room we stripped down and went into the bath.

It was warm.

Tumble scooted up to me and started scrubbing me with prickly hands.

“Stop. That tickles.” I giggled, grabbed the soap bar and counterattacked.

Tumble and I wrestled in the tub and our worries went away amidst the fun of our mock battle. I allowed her to win and then I scrubbed her scalp.

“How do you get so many twigs in your hair? Not all of these are ingrown,” I said, pulling out some dirty sticks.

Tumble shrugged.

“So, what do you think of Braven?”

“Uki,” said Tumble.

“Yeah. I miss Yu-ki too. But Braven is really hot. And he’s strong too, so we’ll definitely be safe.”

Tumble turned around to face me. She poked my belly and then tried to leap out of the tub. My tail grabbed her and pulled her back in. “You shouldn’t underestimate me.” I poked her belly over and over, making her giggle. I held her close to my chest. “Let’s bathe together here every night.”

Tumble looked up at me and beamed.

We got dressed up and met Braven at the entrance to the village.

“The graveyard isn’t too far from the village, but stay vigilant. This is a real quest,” said Braven, leading the way into the unnamed forest.

I signaled Tumble to watch the middle and I stayed in the back.

Braven closed his eyes and focused his energy. Rain came out from his hand and sprayed the trees in front of us. “I only sense trees and some bugs. Nothing dangerous.”

“Wow. That’s a really cool power. How come you can do that, but I can’t?” I asked.

Mommy had water powers so why not me?

“You awakened this power in me. It’s my potential. Shame this is all it can do,” said Braven.

We made it to the graveyard without any monster encounters.

There were graves everywhere.

I grabbed Braven’s hand. He was shivering. “At nighttime I come here…they speak to me.”

“Well, what do they say? How can I help?”

Braven stared at me intensely. “Is this really what you are? An innocent, hard-working angel?”

“Don’t forget loving middle sister,” I said, snuggling Tumble.

Braven turned away but I could feel his hand shake more. “You had an elder sister?”

Sickle didn’t want me to mention her, but Braven is really nice. Oh! Maybe he can help me find her.

“Yeah! Her name is Luna. She was attacked. I’m not even sure if she’s alive,” I said with a sniffle.

Braven turned and smiled at me. “That’s good.”

“Huh?”

“As long as there’s even a bit of doubt you can hold onto hope.” Braven covers his face with his hands. “Nearly my entire school was slaughtered by the same RiftRipper. So…these graves…they’re my classmates. I didn’t know all of them, of course, but…I feel responsible.”

“What killed them the second time?” I asked softly.

“Tell me more about your sister. I think I may have known her by a different name,” said Braven.

Why is his smile unsettling me?

“Was she part YomiHound?” he asked, his eyes sharpening.

I took a step back. “Umm, maybe we should head back,” I said, grabbing onto Tumble.

Braven tossed Luna’s doll at my feet. “I found this in your bag when you were taking a bath. She had the exact same toy.” His fists were shaking.

“I don’t know what you think she did, but…I know she didn’t do it,” I said, making sure Tumble was safe behind me.

Is he going to attack us?

Braven grabs my arm. “You don’t need to trust my words. You can read it for yourself. You have my blood so summon my book!”

“Okay, but first. Promise you won’t hurt Tumble.”

“I’m not going to hurt her. Now summon it!”

I called forth the book with shaky hands, but it didn’t come out.

Braven cut his finger and shoved it into my mouth. “Try again.”

I nodded, shivering in fear and summoned up the book.

He snatched it as soon as it was summoned.

Braven’s book was red and had a sheep emblem on it just like my little hair pin.

“Where is it?” He searched through the pages. “Aha! It’s here!” He took out a dagger and grabbed my hand.

Tumble leaped up and bit onto his arm.

“Let go!” Braven yelled. “It can only be activated with angel blood and I’m not allowed to hurt you even a little.”

“Tumble. It’s okay. I want to know. Maybe it can help us find Luna.” I held out my hand and closed my eyes.

Braven poked a hole in each of my fingertips and then placed my hand on the page.

My awareness left me.

I was now seeing the world through Braven’s eyes.

He was standing alongside a group of heroes, all male. I recognized one of them. It was Yu-ki! And the guy Yu-ki was holding hands with must have been Richie.

Awww. They are so cute together!

“Come out, demon!” yelled Braven, standing just outside the cave with a mace in his hand.

“Why should I listen to the demands of a petty human?” asked Luna from the cave.

Just hearing her voice warms my heart.

I felt an odd mix of my own warmth and Braven’s malice.

“Why should you fear a bunch of petty humans?” asked Braven, readying his mace.

“I don’t.” Luna came out.

Yu-ki stepped up. “Why don’t we solve this through a dance battle. Come on, Shade, show me what you got!”

“I don’t think your friends want peace,” said Luna.

One of the hero’s fired an arrow at her.

A figure jumped out from behind Luna and took the arrow head on. The figure was a hero and made no sound as he writhed around.

“See! I told you all! She’s brainwashed them!” yelled Braven.

“We don’t know if that’s really what happened,” said Yuki, rushing with his lover to help the injured hero.

“They just couldn’t resist my charms. Come and kill me if you want, but you’ll have to cut down a dozen of your fellow heroes to do so,” said Luna, petting one of her hero pets.

Why is Luna acting like this?

I try to shout out in my own words to stop the conflict, but it’s no use. Instead Braven’s voice comes out. “How many have you killed?”

“None of them.” Luna smiled. “They just love me so much that they blindly throw themselves in front of me. It would be cute if they didn’t scream so loudly. Thankfully I’ve removed the tongues of these ones.”

Braven rushed in with his mace but a brainwashed hero deflected it with his shield.

“You never accepted my kiss. Afraid of what it would do to you?” asked Luna, tearing the mace from Braven’s grip with her shadow.

The mace slammed into him, knocking him down.

“Let’s head back,” said Yu-ki, stepping in between the two with Richie at his side.

“The villagers won’t believe us! We have to do something or she’ll kill more of us! She’s the one behind the YomiHound attacks!” Braven stood up. “Those heroes were dead the moment their lips touched that demon!”

Braven pushed Yuki and Richie aside.

The heroes rushed in and fought against Luna’s horde.

Richie held Yuki back from jumping in to stop the fight.

Braven closed his eyes each time before his mace smashed the head of Luna’s minions.

The battle was over in less than a minute, with the heroes either dead or too injured to fight.

Yuki and Richie immediately tended to the injured heroes.

Luna’s shadow gripped his legs with her shadow. “If killing didn’t weaken my powers, I would end you right now.”

Braven spit on her face.

Luna licked it off her cheek. “You act like you’re the victims, but I’m supposed to be responsible for tending to a whole village of cowards. Why should I have to waste my power on weaklings?”

“Those weaklings were my friends!” yelled Braven, slamming his head into her.

Luna clenched her teeth and growled. “I’m leaving this worthless village tonight. Your friends died for nothing and it’s all your fault.”

The page must have ended. I came back into awareness. My eyes were drenched in tears.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I couldn’t leave the village to go after her. If I did, then my classmates would have to fight alone. I lied about the emblems on my belt. They’re the totems for the heroes that your sister killed.”

“You feel guilt still. And you’re burying it with hatred.”

“You don’t know anything about me. You thought I was some brave hero when we met. The truth is that when I saw you, I was terrified. So were the other heroes. I don’t know what happened when she kissed them, but they changed. They followed her like a shadow and gave up their lives for the girl who had ruined them. I was half-expecting to suffer the same when I kissed you. But I got lucky. I was ready to die to protect them, but I was still scared.” He pulled a mace out from behind a tombstone. “I’m not afraid anymore.” He swung the mace and everything went black.

I woke up inside the temple. My head was throbbing.

“You have such a sweet smile, but it’s a lie. It’s all a lie,” said Braven. “You know at first I thought these powers were useless.” He looked up at the rainstorm. “They mask sound. You can scream all you like. Absolutely no one will hear you. I’ve got all night to avenge my comrades.”

“I’m not Luna. We can find her together! I’ll get her to tell me everything!” I yelled.

“Stop looking so innocent!” Braven jumped on me and pinned me down. His knife pierced my clothes and cut my skin. “I don’t care if you’re responsible or not! You’re a demon just like your sister!”

“I’m your angel. I’m not going to run. We can figure things out together.” I forced a smile through my terror.

This isn’t the real Braven. I can save him. I have to!

“Stop being so damn sweet!” Braven shoves me to the ground. “It only makes this harder for me.”

“I want to help,” I said, standing back up and facing him.

Braven took out the quest sheet. “We’re going to solve this quest together. Once you’ve suffered enough, the ghosts of my friends will be appeased. They’ll finally let me rest!”

“There are no ghosts. You need to forgive yourself!” I yelled.

“Of course you wouldn’t hear them! You’re a demon! They hate your kind!”

I licked my finger and applied it to my wounds.

“Don’t you dare heal yourself. Do it again and I’ll hurt you more!”

There’s no use in talking to him. He’s lost it, but if I run. He’ll go after Tumble. I have to lure him out.

I ran for the window.

Intense pain exploded into my back. I tumbled to the floor, screaming in pain.

“You tried to run so you asked for it.” Braven pulled out the knife. “Well, well, look at this.” He grabbed onto my black wings. “Proof you’re a demon. What else are you hiding from me?”

Braven slammed my head against the ground and then pulled me back up. He tore my headband off. “A demonic eye! Is this what turned my friends into slaves!”

My wings whacked the knife out from his hand.

“Good. We want you to put up a fight.” He slammed me to the back wall.

“This is where the spirits gather. Not the graveyard. This is the place where their lives were ruined!” Braven fastened the chain onto my wing.

I stared him down. “Hurting me will only cause you more regrets. We’re friends, Braven. It hurts you to hurt me.”

Braven stared down at me. “You still look at me with hope in your eyes. My mission is to wipe your kind off the map. I didn’t kill your little sister.” He takes out a pouch of money. “I sold her to someone who would finish the job for me.”

I couldn’t see. My eyes were so drenched in tears that everything was wet.

“You’re lying. You said you wouldn’t hurt her. You’re not capable of that.”

He has to be lying.

“I was capable of killing my fellow classmates to get to your sister. You think I wouldn’t send a little demon to her grave?” He tossed me her pom poms.

I need to know the truth.

I stared at him defiantly. “Prove it to me! Show me the book!”

“I don’t owe you anything.” He picked up his journal and set it on the side of the back window. “Did you know that heroes are branded? They give us numbers so they can keep track of us.”

I reached for the book but he burned my hand with a heated blade. “Yu-ki and I were friends. When he left the village, he left me his weapon. How fitting that this weapon will be what ends you!”

“No. Not Yu-ki’s weapon. He would never hurt me.” I sob into my hands.

“I hope your sister is alive and that she’s reading this right now!” yelled Braven. “Oh and once I’m done with you, I’m going to track down your mother!” He takes out Mommy’s scale from his pocket and cuts me with it.

I miss Mommy.

“See that shine! That means she’s alive!”

Yu-ki said that but he was lying. Wait, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Mommy needs me and so does Tumble. I have to survive this. I have to kill Braven!