“What in gods name are you doing?” spat Mors menacingly as a circular ripple of dark energy emanated around him causing the others to shiver.

Claire continued to hold his gaze with her dark blue, snake-like eyes while giving a weak smile. “Like I said I want to be friends and allies. You can crush my head before I had a chance to blink however I trust you…”

Mors let out a disbelieving sigh “You don't even know me!”  

“Please. We do not mean you any harm at all and I promise to tell you everything. I have always regretted avoiding you so I wouldn't become isolated by association and know I need to make it up to you but that should be done gradually. However, if we don't get along now, we could all die, you included."

Claire paused for a bit. "I have put my life in your hands, so you know how serious I am about this matter.”

A deep growl emanated from Mors’ chest causing her to twitch. “You think your life is in more danger now that you're closer to me.” A pitch black spike split the log Claire was previously sitting on in half before erupting into flames that burnt until not a speck of ash was left.

Everyone looked at Mors with wide eyes. They had thought he was a physical type combatant from everything they had seen before, but this proved that he was just as strong, if not stronger in the magical arts.

Red embers now joined the darkness and started floating around Mors as he began to channel an AOE attack. -"I need to intimidate them into submission and leaving me alone if that doesn't work...well I 'm sorry Verz, I tried."

“Please” begged Claire as she captivated Mors with her eyes. The dark blue iris' suddenly developed lighter flecks that started moving about as if they were dancing in a calm ocean.

The moment they noticed Mors' reaction, the rest started slowly reaching for their weapons. They knew they had no chance now he had displayed his magical prowess, however, none of them were willing to die a dog's death with no hint of resistance.

Just as Bruce was about to stand up, he noticed Claire, without breaking eye contact with Mors, wave for him to stop and sit down which he obeyed immediately. -"How the hell did things escalate so quickly, just from telling the damn demon to sit down... If Claire gets us out of this, I am going to kill her for instigating this."

Mors' breathing slowed, and the blackness of his eyes slowly retracted revealing his menacing red dragons eyes. Although they were similar to Claires, the pupils were a lot more slit-like, and the iris was extremely prominent causing everyone to want instinctively to run in terror.

The fear caused by his eyes was so powerful that Claire momentarily lost her concentration causing her charm spell to be instantly destroyed.

"Your courting death!" snarled Mors in a much calmer voice than before. Though the spell had been broken, he had lost the desire to fight. Shaking his head to try and force out the remnants of the spell he quickly looked around the campfire noting that everyone bar Claire now had their weapons in hand.

Mors' anger had been quelled causing him to look on with disinterest, though inside he was happy about something else. -"HA! Its been a little over two years but I finally got to use that phrase!"

The red embers floating in the air extinguished themselves and fell to the floor, and the darkness lifted as if it were nothing more than a shadow.

"Never... Ever... try to charm me again with your spells. The only reason I haven't snapped your pretty little neck is because I no longer feel like it and you didn't try to influence my mind in any other way." said Mors blandly. The effect of the spell had left him wanting to curl up and have a good nights sleep, and he couldn't be bothered with trying to sound intimidating.

Alice let out a huge sigh of relief while Bruce wiped his brow that was drenched in sweat. Alec and Aron retrieved the ruined rations from the fire and inched a bit further back trying to blend in with the shadows without making as much as a sound.

After a quick check to make sure the situation was stable, Claire attempted to sit up but was pulled back by Mors causing him grimace. He had done it on impulse. -"Shit, I just did that on reflex. Why the hell did I do that?"

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Claire smiled while avoiding Mors' penetrating gaze. "Do you really think I have a pretty neck?" Bruce and Alice's jaws dropped, quite similar to Mors', as they stared at the lamia in front of them unable to comprehend the perceived change in atmosphere.

Mors looked at the beautiful girl that was slightly blushing, resting her head in his lap. Although she refused to meet his gaze since his eyes returned to normal, hers were incredibly beautiful, perfectly complimenting her elegant features.

Mors had not given romance a single thought since being reborn. -"What do I do? If I say it's a saying, it's going to cause nothing but grief, if I say yes then it could give the wrong impression also causing trouble. Maybe I will drop my age in later, no one wants a relationship with a two-year-old."

Finally making his decision Mors gently pushed Claire into a sitting position in which he could not see her face. "Yes, you do, but that wont save it if you invade my personal space again."

The rest watched as a dazzling smile lit up Claire's face as it turned bright red before she looked down at floor causing Alice to frown. -"Great, I wasn't imagining it, she has feelings for the demon, no wonder she is been trying to protect him."

Deciding that it was now or never Alice gathered her courage. "Mors, seeing as Claire is a little... absentminded at the moment I will answer your questions however it will be in the way of asking them?" Mors nodded. "Firstly... are you a Basilisk hybrid?"

Mors stared at her causing her to flinch and look away. "I am a demon hybrid but as for the secondary bloodline, you can think of it as being a Basilisk's."

Claire rapidly turned around and flung her arms around Mors. "I knew it! I knew we weren't the last of our kind! I can see the might of a basilisk in your eyes."

-"This girl hasn't spoken to me in two years, and now I can't get her to shut up or stop touching me." silently complained Mors while gently pushing her back. "Personal space remember?" He felt his anger returning, though it was only a trickle.

"Sorry, I just got too excited. Anyway, Mors! You must never, ever tell anyone you have our bloodline. They fear us because we are nearly as powerful as dragons and our fearsome eye magic."

-"Aww man, I thought I was onto a winner by misdirecting them, but it looks like the basilisk race has the same problems I was trying to avoid." Noticing the elves in his peripheral Mors frowned. "I know Bruce and Alice are close, so I doubt he would tell anyone. -"and he won't be living long anyway." however are you happy with the others knowing your secret?"

"Ha, those two are hunted by much more powerful and frightening forces than us. They wouldn't dare." Laughed Alice as she gave Alec and Aron a meaningful look. "Everyone in the Pathfinders has a story. The Federation is the only nation that does not discriminate or persecute for your origins, however, they don't protect you unless you are a member of the military and the Pathfinders is the only division that keeps its member's identity and location a secret. Pretty shrewd if you ask me."

Claire interrupted Alices pending tangent. "As a basilisk and more importantly a male you will be in extreme danger. The council of the sun will..."

Mors was getting bored and wanted to finish this conversation quickly. "Try and capture me so I can be used as breeding stock, others will try to kill me because they fear me. As a demon, I will always be hunted due to others fear and as a male reptile, well I will have to cross that bridge if they ever find out about me."

"Sorry, I just assumed because you were..." Claire's sentence ended abruptly.

"Because I am a summoned being that is only two years old, that I wouldn't know?" said Mors as he gauged the others responses.

"He did hear us" muttered Alec to Aron while keeping an eye on Mors.

"No, I didn't actually. However you guys are as subtle as a boulder to the face, and anyone could have guessed." retorted Mors Mockingly. -"Looks like they all have to die, well I just did tell them, so I subconsciously was probably just trying to find myself an excuse."

"So it's true?" said Claire emanating excitement and curiosity. "You're from another world? and wait your only two years old?"

"Mors Letus, two years and four or five days since I was... born in this forsaken world. My primary affinity is darkness, and my secondary affinity is fire. My class is Dark Battlemage, and I specialise in AOE debuffs and Beserker attacks."

"My name is... " Bruce started, intending to copy Mors' introduction.

"Don't care, you guys know each other, and that is good enough. I have no skills or abilities that can help others, as well as my AOE debuffs, make it impossible for others to work close to me. I would advise you put me on a flank and leave me to my own devices during combat." Mors was about to stand up when Claire's head once again, rested in his lap.

Claire coltishly smiled. "Excellent, you can be our trump card for difficult fights, but you should stay and listen to the rest. I promise we won't bother you anymore."

"Personal Space!" Mors let out a light growl which had the opposite intended effect on Claire as she just giggled and returned her gaze to the others and discussing the party dynamics as if Mors was no more than a pillow. -"If I get too attached to this girl it will make things difficult in the future. Her sister likes Bruce, who absolutely must die, so she will need to be eliminated and I can't see her taking me murdering her sister well."

At some point during the meeting while Bruce and Alec were discussing strategies and Mors was dozing off he subconsciously rested his hand at the top of Claire's head causing her heart to go into overdrive. -"I knew he was just misunderstood, and what's, even more, he apparently likes me!"