As they made their way down the mountain, a dagger landed at Sorey's feet and stuck in the ground. This caused everyone to freeze. With a gust of wind, a female assassin stood in their way, both weapons ready. "You... they called you their boss, didn't they?" Sorey asked the girl. Velvet and everyone else got into defensive positions. They girl stayed silent. "I really am the Shepherd. I know you won't believe me, but it's true." Sorey said, acting calm. "Real or fake, it doesn't matter a bit!" The assassin said, pulling out twin daggers. Alisha ran in to help Sorey as Lailah and Edna began healing and buffing both humans. Velvet and her crew just stood back and watched. "That girl is giving off her own Blessed Domain." Eizen told Velvet. "I can feel it. It's almost on par with Sorey's." Velvet replied. "What should we do?" Eleanor asked.

As the fighting continued, Alisha was about to go into Armatization until Sorey said "No! We'll kill them if we do go into that!" Alisha hesitated, but then jumped back in. The fighting was dragging on until the assassin faltered and fell to the ground. "Now's our chance!" Magilou said, running with Velvet and the rest of her crew past them. Sorey and Alisha followed with the Seraphim. Sorey looked back and saw a seraph picking up the assassin. The seraph had tanned skin and shoulder length silver hair with green tips covering his eyes. He had on a black hat and a black jacket over a green long-sleeved shirt with one vertical and four horizontal white lines. Along with the outfit were black boots come up to his knees and over his black, white, and green pants. Along with that, were gloves and a belt, both of which are brown and has buckles.

"A seraph..." Sorey muttered as he saw them disappear in a gust of wind. When they reached the bottom of the hill, a crowd had gathered around the destroyed bridge and were complaining to the guards. "Please! Calm down. It will take a couple of days, maybe even weeks before the bridge is rebuilt." One of the guards say. "But I have family back in Marlind!" One of the citizens yell. Alisha looked at her friends and said "Let me deal with the growing crowd. You guys deal with the bridge." Alisha said, running off. Sorey, along with Lailah, Edna and Mikleo made their way to the destroyed bridge. Eleanor took Velvet, Magilou, and Eizen down to a group of familiar people. "Eleanor!" Kamoana called out to the Exorcist. Eleanor smiled and said "Hello sweetie, how are you?" Kamoana gave a big smile and said "I'm doing it great!" "Well, well, well... If it isn't Lady Calamity. It's been a long time." Medissa said to Velvet.

To say she was shocked was an understatement. Velvet didn't even know they were even still alive! Beside Medissa was Dyle. He gave her a smirk. Sitting and barking with joy were Orthie and Russ. A tear fell from Velvet's eyes as she saw the dogs, reminding her of her friend from Aball. She gave a soft smile and said "It's great to see you all again." Everyone gave the Lord of Calamity a smile.

///////

Back with Sorey, he was debating on fixing the bridge right away. Edna had brought up a really good point. "Don't you know what humans will think about you, if you demonstrate power that transcends their simple understanding?" She had asked. She had a point. He was curious about the citizen's reactions. "But think carefully about who stands to lose the most from what they're warning you about." Mikleo had then told him right after. He was also correct. Who would lose the most? Would Sorry lose the citizens trust and gain fear? Or would they lose interest after one simple task? Should he wait until dusk? Or just go with his gut and do the impossible right away? "Let's wait till midnight." Sorey said. "Changed your mind I take it?" Mikleo asked. "Yeah. Better do it late at night when everyone's gone to bed." Sorey explained. Edna and Lailah smiled. "Kay." "Fine by me." Were his replies from the two girls.

Velvet looked over at the Shepherd and his group as he was approached by Alisha and an elder man. "Is that the Shepherd?" Kamoana asked. "Yes sweetie." Eleanor replied. "He doesn't seem all powerful and strong. The Malak's around him seem weak as well..." Medissa stated. "I assure you. They are very powerful." Eizen said with a smirk. "Is it just me, or do you feel like something bad is going to happen?" Dyle asked suddenly, looking up at the dark sky. The moon wasn't up yet. "You feel it too Dyle?" Magilou asked. "Not just him. The whole time I've been feeling my energy grow." Velvet told them. "Then that means..." Eleanor said, trailing off. "A Scarlett Night." Kamoana said in fear. As the citizens began to leave, the moon rose high into the sky. It was blood red and the malevolence in the air intensified. Sorey had just armatized with Edna and was preparing to form the bridge.

Velvet's friends stood off to the side as Velvet stood far away from them. All of them looked at her with sad eyes while all she did was ignore them and watched the scene play out. After creating the foundation for the bridge, they made their way to Marlind's gate. "Here we are! Marlind! City of the Great Tree!" Sorey said with a grin. Velvet regarded the gates intently. She could feel the malevolence flowing out from the city like a miasma. "The malevolence here... it's so powerful..." She said. Alisha and Sorey looked at each other with worried expressions. All of them hurried inside and were greeted with a horrific sight. The whole place was tainted with malevolence. "Is this... because of the epidemic?" Alisha asked, horrified. A dog approached the group, its tail down and it whimpering. Mikleo squeaked and flinched backwards. "Not good around dogs I take it?" Alisha asked while giggling. "N-Not... particularly..." He replied, red with embarrassment.

Orthie and Russ began to growl at the dog. "Huh? What's wrong you two?" Medissa questioned the two pets. Edna looked at the dog as it slowly walked towards them and Lailah made a bad pun. Something about Mikleo being afraid of "Claws and effects"? That's when Edna felt the malevolence of the dog increases. It turned into a monstrous wolf. Edna, Sorey, Alisha and Mikleo leaped into battle and began their assault on the beast. Another Hellion jumped into the fray to help its brethren, only to be purified alongside it. All of them put away their weapons and Alisha said "A Hellion right here in town?" "It's not that strange from where we came from." Magilou stated, shocking Sorey. "Really!?" He questioned. "The Abbey tried countless times to kill all of the daemons back then. Sometimes they even captured some to use them to devour the malevolence." Dyle stated, glancing at the used to be Therions.

Kamoana wrapped her arms around Medissa with a crestfallen look. The blonde woman had the same look. Velvet just looked towards the sky with hatred. Orthie and Russ whimpered and the latter put his paws on his face, covering his eyes. "Hmm..." Eizen mumbled as he looked towards the buildings. That's when he saw something, or better yet, someone that made his skin crawl. A woman with long blonde hair stood there in a familiar Exorcist dress. It had blue accents mixed with the white and in her hands, was a staff with a large golden ornament on the top of it. Her green eyes had flakes of blue in them. She had a gentle smile on her face. "Velvet." Eizen called, visibly shaking. This caught everyone's attention. "Eizen? What's wrong?" Eleanor asked. He rose a shaking hand and pointed at the girl. A horrified gasp rang through the group.

Kamoana lightly shrieked and covered her mouth. Medissa stood frozen in shock and fear. Dyle stood frozen in his shoes. Orthie and Russ gave a low growl. Eleanor said "No way... but how?" Magilou stood in disbelief. "But... she was sacrificed..." She said in a small voice. Velvet shook, her eyes filled with disbelief, hatred and shock. She dug the nails of her bandaged hand into her palm, blood poured from them. Sorey and Alisha looked at the woman in wonder, wanting to know more about the mysterious woman. Lailah looked at her with confusion, feeling a familiar prescience of an Empyrean. Mikleo and Edna looked confused as well. The woman slowly made her way towards them. Velvet unconsciously took out her blade from her gauntlet. She stopped right in front of the group and said "It's been a long time, Lord of Calamity." Teresa said with a small smile.

"T-Teresa..." Eleanor called. "How are you alive? Your soul was sacrificed to the Empyreans." Magilou asked, anger evident in her voice. "Didn't you hear how similar the voices of the Empyreans were with all of us Exorcists?" Teresa asked. "You became their avatars." Velvet snarled. This shocked Sorey and his group. Teresa regarded the Shepherd and his crew. "Why don't we let the Shepherd purify the Drake and go outside and talk?" She asked with a smile, walking past them and out the gates. Velvet, adamant that she would find out how Teresa was still alive, followed her, malevolence pouring off her body due to anger and the Scarlett Night. "Deal with the Hellion. If you'll excuse us." Magilou said, turning and following Velvet, the rest of the group leaving the Shepherd and his Squire. The Shepherd and his crew blinked after them. "Umm... What just happened?" Alisha asked, confused. Sorey just shrugged his shoulders, equally confused. Lailah was looking at the ground, shocked.

"An Empyrean's avatar? How is that possible?" Edna mumbled.

////////

Teresa stood in the middle of a clearing, looking up at the moon as Velvet and her group made their way to her. "Well then, let's get started." Teresa said, turning to face them. "How are you alive and back?" Velvet asked. "First, there will be a test." Teresa said, getting into her fighting position. Eleanor pulled out her spear, Eizen readied his fists, Magilou got out her Guardian Paper and Velvet got into position. "Stay behind us!" Eleanor said over her shoulder. Dyle and Medissa ushered Kamoana away while Orthie and Russ followed. Teresa unleashed the first attack, targeting Velvet with a swipe from her staff. Velvet dodged and Eizen went in for a fast punch. Though Teresa dodged and a squid Malak appeared beside her and went in for the attack. "In coming!" Magilou yelled, dodging a newly summoned Minion of Prophecy.

Teresa smiled. "These are the Servants of Amenoch. So they serve me!" She said. "Eleanor!" Magilou called. "Right!" Eleanor said, coming to stand beside Magilou. "Here I come!" Eleanor yelled. "Now!" Magilou yelled at the same time. "Nothing can stop my spear!" Eleanor yelled, tossing her spear through a magic circle. It made its way to the Malaks. "Just to be sure!" Magilou yelled, creating another magic circle. "This will be a big one!" She said again, the spear gaining speed and power. "Here goes nothing!" Eleanor yelled. Together, both girls yelled "Excelion Pierce!" It made the squid and Minion of Prophecy Malaks disappear. Teresa clapped and said "Fascinating! Simply amazing!" Teresa ran towards Eizen and casted a Malak Arte. "Final Embrace!" She yelled. A series of crystals surrounded Eizen, trapping him. They then blasted apart, leaving Eizen groaning in pain and falling to the ground. "Eizen!" Eleanor yelled.

Before any more attacks could be launched at each other, a white blast of light illuminated the sky. They all looked towards the moon and saw eight dragon heads flying towards the sky. The ground rumbled, causing everyone to stumble. A loud, draconic roar of pain rang through the air. "Whoa!" Magilou said, falling to the ground and onto her butt. Velvet regarded the sky in fear. Her daemon hand released a light. The light grew until it formed a familiar shape. When the light went out, there stood a confused Laphicet Crowe, Velvet's younger brother. "Huh!? Where am I!?" He asked, finally stumbling around as well. "Laphi!" Velvet yelled, wrapping her arms around him, falling to the ground as well. "AHHHHH!" Medissa and Kamoana screamed in terror. Pain shot through them as they started reverting to their Therion forms.

Medissa's dress became all white, plated to her body and all scaly. Her hair became purple, plated and scaly as well. Her nails became long and her hands black purple and scaly. Medissa's eyes became snake-like as well. Kamoana's body became more tree-like and her hair smoothed out and became green. Though the end became somewhat like a claw. Her left eye became fully green and had a black cross in it. Orthie and Russ went under an almost similar transformation. Both puppies gained black fur on their bodies. Orthie gained a blue right eye and blue veins running all along the black of his body which reached his tail. Russ gained a red left eye and his spine became spiked with red lines as well in the black fur. Medissa the Conceit Therion, Kamoana the Greed Therion and Orthrus the Obsessive Therion had returned and replaced the human forms of the two. "W-What's going on!?" Eizen questioned, managing to stay on his two feet. Teresa looked up at the sky in terror.

The words she spoke terrified every single one of them to their very core. The words she said caused Laphicet and Velvet to pale. The words she said made Velvet look at her in terror, "Another Opening has occurred..."