The man's maniacal laughter ceased, and when the red light dissipated, one could see Gareicht, but he was different.

            "Are you about to have some fun, boys?"

            Ellava shuddered, "Gareicht...?"

            "He's asleep," then he turned to the group of men, "Though I must thank you, your cursed object allowed me to take over, but I can't have him dying on me yet, so you shall instead."

            Kira sent Niji's flame over his way, but 'Gareicht' absorbed it.

            He absorbed Niji's flame...? He made it...into his own mana? How is that possible? What the hell is he? Kira thought.

            When Vincent realized that his violin's death lullaby wasn't working, he moved onto his second type of attack, he put his violin away, and instead took out what looked like a violin's bow, but it was thicker and sharp, and the blood caked on it was so dark, it was almost black.

            He rushed in, aiming at Ellava, when a weird portal opened up and sent his attack back at him, reflexively, he moved his head out of the way.

            Vincent then laughed, "No wonder they're paying three times as much."

            "You will not claim my prey." 'Gareicht's' voice sounded deep and ancient.

            And Ellava shuddered, I'm...this thing's prey? Where...where is Gareicht...?

In this moment, Aiden grabbed out what looked like his own cursed instrument, but instead of a deadly lullaby, it brought forth the dead. His first servant of the dead was a giant skeleton.

            Is that...one of the extinct giants? Ellava's eyes bugged out.

            The skeleton made a fist towards Gareicht who then held out his hand, and with one blast of cursed mana, he ended up shattering it to bits.

            Eyeball freak laughed.

            "This is the first time that hasn't caused a casualty."

            He played a bit of a tune to summon another skeletal figure.

            "That trick won't work on me." 'Gareicht' warned, "But I'll play with you."

            This time, there were three different skeletal figures, they appeared to be the remains of dragons. They were slithery and managed to dodge most of his attacks, until he absorbed their remaining mana and they returned to dust.

            But while they were returning to their resting place, Aiden had apparently summoned a hidden one and it managed to strike 'Gareicht' in the shoulder.

            Pissed, 'Gareicht' grabbed a hold of it, absorbed it's mana and returned it to dust. Still pissed, he grabbed Gareicht's sword and infused his cursed mana into it.

            "Now who wants to come forward? Any takers?" Before any of them could react he dashed forward with sword in hand.

            First going for Aiden, he tried ramming into him, but Aiden blocked the attack with his instrument case, and then jumped back to the entrance.

            "Next." He said, going after Vincent, who revealed a hidden canister and sprayed him with something.

            It made 'Gareicht' cough, a stream of blood running down his mouth.

            "Clever bastard," 'Gareicht' grinned.

As he attempted to go for the last remaining member of the group, the one he attacked appeared to be a mirage of black flame and Kira and Niji reappeared by the entrance with the other two.

            "Today was just a reconnaissance mission, we'll be back to take you down."

            "Wait!" Ellava stopped them.

            "Oh does the little mouse still want to play?" They smirked.

            "No...I have a question." Ellava paused, "Why did you allow yourselves to be infused with their cursed mana? It will cause you to die before you're supposed to."

            "Because sometimes...being cursed is the only way to live." Kira and his teammates disappeared leaving Ellava to ponder his cryptic message.

            She turned her focus to Gareicht, who's curse markings seemed to recess back down again, and the true him resurfaced.

            "Gareicht!" She clinged to him, and casted a healing on him for his wounded shoulder.

            "Ellava...what happened...? I don't...remember anything after he started playing his music."

            She bit her lip, she had a hard decision to make in the future.