Death.

The word echoed indefinitely, piercing through the ears of many standing around and observing the now-titled execution. The eyes of the guards shrank, even though they knew what they had to do. Linno Palski's closest family looked at the mayor in disbelief.

But after all, to the simple Paladian mind, this was the right choice.

Ranpa looked towards the street where Atomu stood, the latter covering his mouth.

Ranpa breathed heavily, turning to the sky as if asking the moon for help. It seemed to sparkle elsewhere, towards the northwest, and even the stars which earlier gleamed as if signs of hope were sparse.

"Death." the mayor repeated, putting his hand on a sheath hidden under his flowy black robes. A shiny, silver axe appeared in his hands, its sharp end reflecting his stern expression.

The words Palski were engraved on the side.

"By murdering the Wise, you have solemnly sworn to betray the Paladian people. Your friends, family. Everyone that once showed you love, you disregarded with a thin knife to the back. So now, a bigger weapon shall strike, in the name of justice."

"What justice?" Atomu asked himself, furrowing his eyebrows.

Would that weary and tired expression ever entail anything dangerous? At the same time, demons hid amongst humans and in plain sight before killing. Atomu couldn't help but feel guilty, but no power in his body would move his legs.

Guards and royals looked at each other, in concern, before Linno's finger landed closer to one standing beneath the wooden platform Ranpa was tied to. They looked around for a second, before uncalmly treading forward.

Linno handed him the weapon.

"Cut his head off."

"No!" Sam's voice echoed, as one hand landed on his hair, brushing through in a rush of anxiety.

Even Danuta, who earlier was aloof and quick to assume the truth of her own words seemed concerned, as if she was regretting every choice in the matter of a few words. Much like Atomu, she wanted to step out and protest but had no power in her legs to do so.

It wasn't guilt. Rather, watching fearful expressions, the stress eating Ranpa from the inside made her reconsider.

Was Ranpa innocent after all?

The guard hesitantly extended the axe towards the seething flame in front of Ranpa's body. The embers nestled the sharp edges, burying them in a deep, red, fiery colour. The Paladian ground his teeth.

The Royal guard trod the stairs, each step almost counting down seconds for his timely demise.

Linno Palski swooped in from the other side, his hand landing on Ranpa's shoulder.

Sam sucked in air through his teeth.

"I didn't kill him," Ranpa repeated, one last time.

Linno breathed out, his stern expression turning into a furious frown. He raised his clothed hand, revealing his wrinkled palm, and the guard, although still doubtful of this solution, raised the weapon in the same manner.

"Of all the people here. I never expected it to be you." the mayor whispered, and Ranpa closed one eye, breathing out. "Ranpa Kris," he muttered, taking a step back.

"Three."

Danuta covered her mouth with a cloth.

"Two."

Sam grasped Knrhum's Blade even tighter. His eyes shrank.

"On-"

"STOP!" Sam screamed, running from the alley, dragging the weapon along the stone ground with a huff.

Everyone's attention turned to the noise, even those in various districts heard his vigorous shouts through the muffled guitars, conversations and other activities.

Linno's gaze immediately turned to the Paladian, and he raised both brows.

Sam breathed in and out, sweating, nervously glancing around.

"Who are you?" asked the mayor.

"A f-friend of Ranpa's. I'm Sam," he spoke, gulping in the middle of his swords. "Sam Turon from Agroste!"

Atomu covered his mouth, moving back into the alley. A shadow that earlier covered his face continuously consumed more of his silhouette, until he completely disappeared under the dark shades.

"Ranpa is innocent, mayor!" Sam spoke, each letter weighing a ton on the pressure already present as if further pushing everyone down into the ground. He looked back and forth, breathing out, and the mentioned stepped down from the pedestal, taking a few steps forward.

"Another coming with the same redundant statements!" Linno hid his fist inside his sleeve. "What do you have to prove your claim, Sam Turon?"

Sam clenched his jaw, before putting every muscle in his body to the test. Willingly, and after a few seconds of struggle, he raised the greatsword into the sky, as everyone's gazes landed on the object in question. Ranpa gasped, Danuta took a stressful step back and the mayor gulped.

Sam threw Knrhum's Blade to the ground, as it tumbled and landed on the stones, crashing a few of the square plaques beneath. He brushed sweat off his forehead, throwing it to the side and staring at his collected evidence. "This is a Guardian D-Demon, mayor!" Sam spoke through the anxiety. "...and a weapon that surely belongs to a demon!"

The guards spoke to one another, greatly concerned, and voices were raised amongst the crowd. Chatter appeared, and it seemed that Sam couldn't focus his breaths. Ranpa stared wearily.

"Silence!" Linno raised his voice, strutting over to the weapon on the ground. He leaned, reaching his hand out, but moved back, hesitating. "Where did you find this?"

"A-At his house, sir," Sam replied. "It wasn't there before-"

"At his house! It means that not only is he a cold-blooded murderer, but a demonic Demonear!"

"No, sir! Please listen!" Sam shook his head. "Ranpa wouldn't possibly raise this weapon with his bare hands. He's much, much w-weaker than I am."

Ranpa rolled his eyes.

"This force... it's not human, and Ranpa's as human as they get, dear mayor!" Sam bowed, gritting his teeth. A single drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"What proof is that?" Linno stepped back, glancing at the worried Ranpa. "You're only igniting another flame amongst a sea of ember!" he yelled, and Sam raised his head.

"Proof..." Linno chuckled. "You're only digging out another grave in-"

"What is this fuss all about?" A deep voice came from the right, and everyone's attention turned to the only person whose words could easily distil sugar and untie knots. Rufus looked concerned, however. There was no other way to feel overlooking the soon-to-take-place execution.

Everyone in the square turned to the bartender.

"Is anybody willing to tell me? Dear Linno?" he quickly bowed, but didn't smile.

Linno sighed, covering his forehead. "Don't worry, Rufus. I've got this under control!" he spoke through his teeth.

"Don't worry? Someone screamed so loud that it echoed to Coliyus I reckon!" Rufus explained.

Following the bartender were the same group as earlier, some with alcoholic beverages in their hands, and others, concerned with the situation at hand.

"There he is," Rowan spoke, turning to Ranpa, whose eyes drifted from one place to the other, panicking. Chyuuichi stood still, although drunk, he seemed to comprehend the weight of everything at hand, seldom glancing at Rowan as if to reassure his anxiety. The two concluded that running away from problems wasn't the best idea if things turned out like this.

Sam spotted Paula among the crowd, peeking her head out towards the Paladian. He scratched his cheek, before turning back to the alley.

Atomu wasn't there.

"It was the scream of the conspiring. We are, righteously, Rufus, executing the man responsible for Bancho's death." Linno announced, fixing his collar.

"Execution? Killing someone?! Linno, you, of all people?" Rufus seemed taken aback, and everyone in the bar crowd gasped, except for Rowan. "What happened? You, the oasis of peace, the advocate of life in all forms? The one who brought the animals out of their barns and out to the streets to free them?"

Sam recalled a day when he and his brother spied on one of the Royal dinners. The mayor beamed from ear to ear, and laughed at the lowest of jokes, making sure that every guard felt included. Rufus was right. This isn't the mayor he, or every other Paladian of Prope Portam knew.

Chyuuichi squinted his eyes, looking out at the square.

"It's my job as the mayor." Linno clenched his fist. "It's for the best of us."

"Best for what?!" The Mirillian stepped out, indulging in his drunken words.

"CHYU-" Rowan shut their mouth, tumbling to the ground in an unsuccessful attempt to hold him back.

"Death is always bad!" Chyuuichi raised his voice.

"Who are you to speak and undermine the town's decisions?"

"Me! Chyuuichi!" he raised his fist, as some of the people at the bar smiled and followed in with his energy.

Rowan sat on the stones, covering their face.

"Listen, mayor man!" Chyuuichi nodded, his raised hand turning into one finger. "This guy! He must be someone's friend! Someone's lover, family! Have ya thought about that, eh? Have ya?"

Sam gulped, wearingly turning to Chyuuichi. Linno stepped back, his lip shaking a bit.

"Would ya want any of your friends to die?!" Chyuuichi asked, his eyes squinted. "WOULD YA?!"

"This isn't what-"

"It is!" Rufus raised his voice, joining in the Mirillian, bumping his shoulder. Ranpa scanned around the area, forcing a small and unsure smile. The mayor glanced at him, angered.

Chyuuichi pointed to Ranpa, who raised his head a little. "Ya could've been my friend if ya weren't to die! Maybe my lover! Okay, no, but friend! Look at him, mayor! Why would someone so afraid of death kill another?!"

Rowan gulped, fixing their glasses. "Wow." they seemed taken aback.

"Yeah!" Rufus raised his fist, and everyone else did. Some guards looked at each other, considering their few options, and joined the haze of joy that followed.

Tide by tide, wave by wave, more and more people seemed to indulge in Rufus' and Chyuuichi's statements.

After all, it was the simple Paladian mind. Why would someone want to avoid death so desperately if they brought it? One could argue, that demons should have been brought up as a key point, but that didn't seem to matter at the time. What truly did, was that this issue seemed to resolve itself, and even the mayor started getting convinced of everyone's pleas.

Ranpa breathed out, peering at the mayor who glimpsed back at him.

"I don't want to kill you," Palski said.

"I don't want to die either, mayor." Ranpa shook his head.

"Tsk." The mayor put a hand on his face, opening both eyes and staring at his shaky palm. "I'm trying to do what's right for the town, damn it. If Bancho were here, how would he resolve this issue?"

Ranpa didn't answer.

"We'll never know." The mayor started forward, clearing his throat. "The Demonear." Linno gulped, even though his voice wasn't necessarily heard by everyone else. "Until you find them, you're under my watch, Ranpa."

Ranpa breathed out, and Sam ran through the crowd. A nearby guard's hands landed on the ropes tied around his limbs. "Thank you," Ranpa muttered.

"Thank Rufus. Thank that drunken Mirillian." the mayor continued. "Not me."

Sam ran up the platform. "Ranpa!"

"Sa-"

Suddenly, Sam embraced Ranpa in a tight hug, not letting go for a few solid seconds. The latter couldn't breathe from the squeeze but eventually joined into the hold. He patted his shoulder, and Sam let go, a smile tugging on his lips.

Ranpa nodded, a beam turning into a neutral expression, and the other Paladian copied his moves.

"Huh." Chyuuichi scratched his head. "Isn't that Ato-"

Rowan quickly covered his mouth, stepping back with the Mirillian into another alley.

"You did great. Good enough, no need to ruin that in a snap." Rowan let go.

"That's-!" Chyuuichi pointed, turning to Rowan.

"I know." The Tributal informed, grabbing his hand and pulling. "We have to find its bearer before more trouble peeks its head out. Come on, Chyuuichi."

...and as the two ran off into Medulla, midnight came with loud sounds and sparkles on the Royal Square. Ranpa, although under the condition of finding the mentioned Demonear, was a free man, and that topic sparked many conversations among the people dragging tables and chairs out of nowhere and making a makeshift, temporary bar in front of the mayor's palace.

Tonight they were to dine and feast for the spirit of Bancho, all in joy, hence that's the way he was remembered. Even Linno Palski reassured everyone that if Bancho were there to join them, he'd want to drink the most and sing the loudest of songs, even if everyone in town complained about his harsh voice.

The Paladians enjoyed the rest of the night, snacking, drinking (except for Sam and Ranpa, as they already had enough stress) and singing songs atop the few joint guitars and Rufus' thaduk.

Drinking three beers led to 'Wooden Harmony' a ballad of the trees and various districts of Prope Portam. Five beers down, and even Linno Palski was singing his heart out to 'Twice the Fifth', a slow tune of unrequited love, further supporting Rufus' words of being a man of peace. Most Paladians were.

They didn't have to fight in the spirit of anything other than themselves, so their humanity extended to every being except for the demons staying in the shadows. A pure mind means a pure heart, a clear heartbeat eases out the biggest struggles. Even through anger, the fury of earlier nights and assumptions, the Paladians were, once again, at peace.

Finishing the meeting with 'The Dragon's Den' and 'Dragon Cave', most of the citizens went back home and slept on the floor, as they were either too drunk to get to bed or too hot from all the joy that surrounded them. Sheets would be too much to try and nestle this happiness, which fought the sorrow of the Wise's death.

In the morning, the Royal Square was empty, although there were still visible signs that something happened earlier.

One such was a thick outline in the ground.

Knrhum's Blade was gone.