In the middle of the night, Illumia woke up. She was greeted by the sight of a sleeping Mikleo next to her. She realizes they were still holding hands and found herself smiling. However, her smile vanished as she recalled the hellion she failed to purify. His words rang in her head and she knew she had to do something before he reached Alisha.

Reluctantly, she pulled her hand out of his. She crawled off the bed and looked around her home. Knowing she wouldn't need anything for her travels, she wouldn't waste any time leaving. Just as she was about to step out the front door, she looked back at Mikleo. She walked back over to him and kissed him on the cheek before leaving.

As she left Elysia, she glanced back at her home. She would make sure to visit, but she needed to focus on finding the fox hellion. Turning her back to her home, she disappeared into the night.

Using what little she remembered of the outside world, she navigated her way through the wilderness toward the Aroundight Forest. She descended the sloping mountainside that was shrouded in fog until it began to clear. She reached the plateau that allowed her to look across the world below. She felt a sense of familiarity even though the landscape seems foreign.

As the sun began to rise, Illumia was in awe at the beautiful morning rays that were cast across the world. Alas, the beauty could not hide the malevolence that tainted the land below. She placed a hand over her heart, clenching at the fabric of her dress. "Not even the light of the sun can vanquish all of the darkness..."

"Lumi!"

Hearing her name being shouted by familiar voices, Illumia's eyes widen as she turned around. Her two-toned locks blew in the breeze and she combed them aside to see two figures emerging from the fog. "Sorey, Mikleo..."

Both boys rushed down the slope.

"H-Hey!" she hollered. "Be careful! You two might slip!"

Before she knew it, she was at the center of a group hug. Sorey and Mikleo had their arms wrapped around her.

"Why did you leave without saying anything?" Mikleo asked when the group hug ended.

"Because if I had told anyone, it would have been more difficult to leave," she answered.

"What that hellion said got to you too, huh?" Sorey wondered.

She nodded. "Yes. If I hadn't failed in purifying him, Alisha would be safe. Even if he wasn't targeting anyone, he's dangerous and needs to be exterminated." She paused briefly when she realized what he said. "Wait... Me too?"

Mikleo crossed his arms. "Sorey had the same bright idea as you and tried to leave to pursue the hellion without telling anyone. Of course, I knew you both would try to leave. There's no way either of you are leaving me behind."

Sorey grinned at the water seraph. "You're trying to act cool, but you were freaking out when you told me you couldn't find Lumi. Just admit you were really worried about her."

Mikleo's cheeks turned bright red. "F-fine! I was super worried! Happy?"

Sorey laughed while Illumia smiled.

The water seraph gazes at the girl, the crimson slowly fading from his cheeks. "I figured you left after what you said a couple of days ago. It looks like you and Sorey left Elysia at the same time. Gramps wasn't surprised. He figured you both would leave someday."

Illumia put a hand on her hip. "What about you, Mikleo? Do you truly wish to leave Elysia?"

"Well..." Mikleo was silent for a second as he thought. "If you two are gone, there's really nothing much for me in Elysia. I've already heard what Sorey had to say, but not you. You don't mind me tagging along, do you?"

She crossed her arms behind her back with a bright smile. "Not even a little. It would feel weird if all three of us weren't together."

"Oh, definitely!" Sorey agreed.

Illumia looked toward the sunrise. "No matter where we go, Elysia will always be our home."

"And once we get back, you'll be cured," Mikleo said. He saw her wide-eyed expression and chuckled. "You didn't think we would forget our promise, did you? You said it yourself. Elysia doesn't hold the answers to curing you. We'll need to find them elsewhere."

She felt a sense of hope. "I know the three of us can do it. This won't be just for me, though. You two have never left Elysia." She stepped aside and gestured to the landscape. "Take a look at the world you've been missing so far."

Sorey and Mikleo walked to the edge of the plateau. They gasped in awe at the beautiful scenery.

"Incredible!" Mikleo gaped.

"Whoa!" Sorey's eyes gleamed with astonishment. "This is really it! This is our world!"

Illumia stood behind the boys. "The world has changed since I last left Elysia, but the three of us can explore it together."

Sorey smiled at her. "Yeah. Let's go!"

They took one last glimpse of the rising sun before continuing down the mountain. By the time they reached the Aroundight Forest, the sun had fully risen.

"After we get through the forest, we should reach
the lake. Then, we just have to head down the slope," Mikleo said.

"Got it. But wait a minute, how do you know all this?" Sorey asked.

"It's not complicated. I've been collecting
information for this very day."

"On your own?! You never told me about it!"

"Well, Lumi helped a lot," Mikleo explained. "It helps when you know someone who's explored the world before."

"My memories might be in shambles, but there's still much I can recollect about the human world from my time traveling with Asura," Illumia chimed in.

"Oh, wow!" Sorey chanted in awe. "What parts of your memory are blurry?"

"Most of my time after Asura turned into a hellion and corrupted me is gone from my memory, but not all. I do remember Altul saving me and bringing me back to Elysia, though. When the malevolence spread to me, it also wiped out many of my memories before I called Elysia home. I don't remember where I'm from or who exactly the light seraphim are. I don't even know myself."

Sorey's smile vanished. "Gramps told us about your lost memories, but I didn't know so much was lost. We'll help you remember, okay?"

She smiled faintly. "Thank you, Sorey."

Mikleo sighed sadly. "Lost memories and the threat of being consumed by malevolence all because of another person... I can't even imagine the pain you've gone through, Lumi..."

"It's something I'll never forget, but you both have really helped me more than you know it. Becoming friends with you two is the best thing that's happened to me." She walked forward, realizing the boys weren't following her. Confused, she turned around to see their shocked expressions. "Did I say something weird?"

"N-no!" Sorry denied. "You just caught us off guard. We're always happy to help you, Lumi."

"Yeah," Mikleo agreed with a smile. "Whenever you need us, we'll be here."

She smiled from ear to ear. "I wouldn't ask for anything more wonderful."

Heading east in the forest, they soon exit and arrive at Lakehaven Heights. Continuing down the path, they follow the river downstream. As they put some distance between them and the forest, Sorey felt the difference in the air. "I don't feel Gramps' domain anymore..."

"That's because we've left the forest. Our adventure
officially starts here," Mikleo said.

"First off, we need to find Alisha and let her know
she's being targeted. And then we'll take down that fox guy!"

The water seraph glanced at Illumia, who was a little ways ahead of them, before looking back at Sorey. "It's best we avoid confrontation with hellions as much as possible."

"But-"

"I want to avenge Mason just as much as you do. But we're just two seraphim and a human. Even though Lumi has the power of purification, we can't ask her to fight all of our battles. You saw her collapse yesterday." Mikleo cast his gaze down. "She's pushed herself too much, and neither of us could defeat him. And we can't rely on Gramps' assistance anymore either."

A disheartened expression appeared on Sorey's face.
"You're right, Mikleo."

The solemn looks on their faces were immediately noticed by Illumia when she turned around. "What's with all the gloom all of a sudden?"

"Oh, we were just talking about that fox guy and the other hellions we might come across," Sorey answered.

She looked around the area. "This world is brimming with malevolence. I wouldn't be surprised if we encountered hellions along the way, but they shouldn't pose too much of a threat."

Mikleo's eyes narrowed. "You're not planning on purifying every hellion we come across, are you? You're crazy if you think we'll let you wear yourself out before we even reach our destination."

"I wasn't planning on purifying them, but I can still fight. My throwing knives are always at the ready," she proudly declared. "Besides, I wouldn't want to be a burden."

"You're not a burden," Mikleo remarked. "How many times have you saved us in the past few days, specifically me?"

"Three. But you've saved me three times too," she stated. "Guess we're even. Out of the three of us, Sorey's been the most careful. Usually he's the one throwing caution to the wind."

Sorey rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Heh, guess I am."

"In all seriousness, I doubt we'll be able to avoid every hellion so make sure you're ready for battle. We'll push them back and that's all we can do. Trust me, no purification artes from me until we find that fox guy."

Mikleo sighed in relief. "Good. Let's keep going."

Continuing east, the trio followed the path down the slope. They were able to avoid some of the hellions that were wandering the area and located a large rock that overlooked the cliff side. They climbed up to the top and admired the view. In the distance, they could see a large city located on the water.

"Check out that view! Even the air seems different somehow," Sorey smiled.

"Definitely a change from Gramps' blessed domain," Mikleo commented.

"Alisha said the world below is full of malevolence. Can you feel it at all?"

"I don't get that impression, personally, but..." The water seraph glanced over at the girl in their company. "You said earlier that this world is brimming with malevolence. Does that mean you can see it, Lumi?"

Illumia nodded. "Yes. If one is able to see malevolence, the world doesn't appear as vibrant as to those who cannot perceive it. The air of this world feels almost...heavy and suffocating. It seems to be worsening as we draw closer to the city."

"I can't even imagine what you're seeing, but to me, it's so pastoral!" Sorey said.

"Well, don't judge a book by its cover, as they
say. But for now, at least we get a nice view. Well, except for Lumi," Mikleo chimed in. "Are you okay around all this malevolence?"

"Mm," she nodded. "To be honest, I don't really know what could trigger the growth of the malevolence in me. Zenrus believes using my powers would've caused a reaction, but nothing has happened so far. The malevolence only seems to have weakened my purification powers. Outside stimulation has also proven no effect on my body either."

"That's good," Sorey spoke up. "You two ready to head to the city?"

"As ready as we'll ever be," Illumia responded. "But, don't you two want to take in the view a little longer considering this is your first time here?"

Sorey was smiling again. "I think I'm good. Seeing all this is making me feel pumped! What about you, Mikleo? Are you feeling pumped too?"

"Pumped? Well, mildly inflated, at least," the water seraph grinned.

Illumia poked his side with a knowing smirk. "You're definitely pumped, I can tell."

Mikleo huffed out a small chuckle. "Maybe a little."

Ending their small detour, they headed down the slope and crossed the stream. Passing a monolith, Illumia was picking up the rear when she heard the faint hissing of a snake. Mikleo and Sorey didn't seem to hear it. She looked around and summoned a single throwing knife. When the hissing was accompanied by the ruffling of leaves, she spotted a bush further down the pathway.

Seeing how close Sorey and Mikleo were getting to it, she acted quickly. The moment the snake shot out of the bush toward Sorey, she tossed her throwing knife between the two boys. The sharp blade pierced the hellion's skull, causing it to fall to the ground. It recovered as the blade vanished from its flesh and slithered away.

Sorey stumbled backward after spotting the snake shoot out of the bush toward him. What caused him to lose his balance and fall was seeing how close the hellion got before being impaled. Leaning back, he looked at the girl. "Whew... Thanks, Lumi."

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, just startled..."

"I can't believe we didn't notice it," Mikleo commented, starting in awe at the light seraph.

"My time with Asura and Altul allowed me to hone my combat skills. I guess as they say... "With age comes wisdom." Or something like that," she laughed lightly before it turned into a groan. She slumped her shoulders. "I am the old lady of this group..."

"You're not an old lady," Mikleo remarked. "Sure, you're older than us but you don't look like it."

"Maybe I'm trying to hide my oldness by looking young. Next thing you know, I'll be walking with a cane."

Sorey started to laugh.

Mikleo walked up to the girl and pulled on her cheeks. "Not even a wrinkle in sight."

"If you keep pulling like that, there will definitely be wrinkles!" she shouted, swatting at his hands.

Mikleo chuckled before getting lost in her turquoise eyes. His hands were still on her cheeks, but they were no longer pulling the skin.

"Mikleo?" Illumia called out, snapping him back to reality.

He realized what he was doing and immediately stopped. Backing away, he apologized as his cheeks turned red. "S-sorry..."

She saw he was blushing, but she didn't point it out. Instead, she pretended she didn't see his red cheeks. "Don't worry about it. Let's go!"

As she took off down the path, Sorey watched her before talking to the water seraph. "So, when are you going to tell her?"

Mikleo's eyes were focused on the girl. "I did tell her, but..."

"But?" Sorey parroted.

"She was asleep," he sighed.

The emerald-eyed boy groaned in disbelief. "Mikleo..."

"I know," he muttered. "I'm such a coward."

Sorey patted him on the shoulder. "No, you're not. It's not easy confessing your feelings to someone you like."

"Hey!" Illumia shouted from down the path. "What're you two doing? We're almost there!"

Sorey laughed. "Better not keep her waiting."

Mikleo smiled. "Yeah."

The boys caught up with the light seraph and followed her down the path. They soon came into view of the bridge that would lead them to the large city in the middle of the lake.

Sorey could feel the giddiness returning. "Now I really feel like I'm actually in another world!"

"It's great to have a field trip and all, but try not to get us lost, please," Mikleo begged.

Illumia giggled. "That would be for the best. But knowing Sorey, he's got a secret up his sleeve."

Sorey smiled proudly. He placed his hands on his hips with a chuckle. "You bet I do! We'll be just fine. I've got us a map!"

"Oh? You mean the one that's in the Celestial Record?" Mikleo wondered.

"It's quite outdated, isn't it?" Illumia questioned.

"Yeah," Sorey answered. "I'll probably need to redraw parts of it as we go along."

"It's better than nothing," she remarked.

The trio proceeded toward the bridge, only to see it was blocked by carts. They could hear the commotion and approached to see what the problem was. As Sorey approached the merchants to speak to them, Illumia and Mikleo stood behind him.

The girl with red hair turned to the boy after seeing him from the corner of her eye. "We're the Sparrowfeathers, a traveling caravan of merchants."

"I'm Equille, the captain. She's Rose. Nice to meet you," the man introduced himself and the redhead.

"I'm Sorey! Nice to meet you too!" Sorey enthusiastically replied.

Mikleo crossed his arms. "You finally learned how not to be a creeper."

He cast a glare toward the water seraph. "Shut it." He looked back at the merchants. "Oh hey, so, if you're a traveling caravan, where are you traveling to?"

"We're going all over the world!" Rose responded happily.

"Wow!" Sorey gaped in awe.

"We're protected by a free trade treaty. Meaning, we
have a free pass to pretty much go anywhere we please," Equille explained.

"Sure, we get asked to smuggle all sortsa crap
but for us, trust is first and foremost!" Rose added.

"Dishonorable trade is fine for dishonorable people, but we do things our own way."

The redhead confidently placed her hands on her hips. "And we're damn proud of it!"

"This must be the famed "capitalism" of humans," Mikleo commented.

Sorey discreetly looks over at the water seraph. "Sure seems that way, yeah."

While Sorey continued the conversation with the merchants, Mikleo noticed Illumia was no longer beside him. He looked around and found her petting a dog. He tensed at seeing the canine. "Y-you're petting him?"

The girl smiled at the dog. "Of course I am! He's so adorable! You don't want to pet him?"

"N-no way! Animals like this one can sense us, and it gives me the willies."

"Oh, right." She looked over her shoulder at him, smirking. "You're afraid of dogs. I'll need to remember that in case I need something from you later."

Mikleo backed away. "You wouldn't dare..."

She strolled up to him, her smirk widening. "You better watch yourself, Mikleo, or you might be swarmed by puppies one of these days."

He swallowed hard and took another step back.

She erupted with laughter. "I'm just kidding, Mikleo."

He relaxed with a sigh. "I actually believed you..."

The two seraphim looked over at Sorey when he joined them. He finished his conversation with the merchants. While wondering what to do until the wagons were repaired, the dog Illumia had been petting wandered over. The canine nudged his nose against Mikleo's leg, causing him to jump back in fright. He ducked behind the light seraph and used her as a shield. "G-get it away!"

Illumia couldn't help but laugh as Mikleo moved her around by her shoulders to ensure she was always between him and the dog. "This journey is just getting more fun by the second."