Demon Singer Read Free Page A

 He is a resourceful, talented and powerful Singer.  Let's give him the opportunity to solve his problem. We can offer the incentive of Writer training to further motivate him."
    “Respectfully, sir,” Lomong growled dangerously, “I wonder if you are treating this situation with the proper gravity.  It sounds to me, respectfully sir, that you’re treating this as a game we might put together in the guild for education, rather than a matter of a man’s eternal soul...respectfully...sir.”
    The High Master's eyes fell on Lomong as he carefully considered the voice Master’s words.  There was no outward indication of the anger that rose up within him.  Regardless, the air in the room crackled with tension.
    “Master Lomong,” he began slowly, “I understand you have a personal interest in the boy, as his primary Master.  Please don’t ever again assume that I take the fate of any of the members of this Guild with anything less than the utmost seriousness.  My recommendation and reasoning is sound and stands as is.  Question my decisions all you like, never question my motives.”   The High Master never raised his voice, yet the authority of his last statement cracked like a whip and Lomong sat back in silence.
    "Will you share your secrets with him regarding the severing of his tie?"
    Fishne's sour tone matched his face.
    "I will give Lyric what help I can, but whether he succeeds or not will be up to him.  If he cannot or will not do it, I see no choice but to consider him fallen. At that point we will have to deal with him accordingly."
    His advisors remained silent, so he spoke again.
    "As always I will pay close attention to your council.  Let's vote."

 
     
     
     
     
     
    3 SO MUCH FOR FAMILY
     
    "Let me get this straight.”  Lyric paced back and forth in the voice shop, trying to process what Lomong had just shared with him.  The familiar ugly piano, the large mirror, the stack of music organized in a fashion that made sense only to Lomong, even the coffee pot his mentor used to brew tea; all things familiar and comfortable seemed alien suddenly, as though he no longer belonged among them.  “I’m supposed to leave my Guild, tied to the very thing I’ve pledged my life to fight.  I have one year to sever a tie that is supposed to be unbreakable and eternal.  If I succeed, the Guild will groom me to be the next Writing Master, a position that has never existed outside of stories since I have been here.  If I fail, the Guild will be sending someone to ‘handle’ me.  Is that about it?"
    "That sums it up, son." Lomong replied with his characteristic lack of levity.
    "Why not just kill me now and get it over with?"
    "That's the alternative."
    Lyric stared at his mentor in anger. Lomong's face remained impassive.
    "Don't look so sad, Lover," Acheron’s boot heels clicked on the floor as she turned from her perusal of Lomong's book shelves and oozed between Lyric and his teacher, both of whom took a step backward.  Resting her forearms on his shoulders, she tousled the hair on the back of his head.  "You had to know these bastards will do anything to prevent you and me from happening." She spared Lomong a withering glance over her shoulder, before turning back to Lyric. "Look on the bright side, we're going to be spending a lot of time together and I can be lots of fun."
    "There is no you and me." Lyric refused to look at the sultry demoness and pushed her arms away.  "You are a monster. I have been thoroughly trained to kill monsters.  In fact, just don't talk to me... ever." The soul singer stepped around her to address Lomong. "How am I supposed to sever a soul tie with this thing? Why would the Council give me an impossi..AHH!" Lyric leapt away from the sensation of a hot fork jabbing him in the rear.  He whirled on Acheron angrily.
    "I can also be a real pain in the ass if you're rude to me.”  She smiled sweetly “Your girl isn’t a thing, she has a name and I’ll thank