Rowan stuck their back against the oak again. "Tributal families are larger than you'd imagine. Lushes always have Chichos, and those bear multiple children. You must have heard it at least once, Atomu. How the Sven family was erased." they explained, drawing something in the dirt next to their feet.

"I think I d-did once. Back when I was younger, in school," he said.

"It didn't happen aeons ago. I was there to witness it. Slowly, painfully. My Lush's Lush, Kliaska Sven bore Shawna Sven, who gave birth to three children. Rowan, Ambrosia and Ennyou."

Atomu remained calm, while Rowan's eyes seldom met his.

"Likewise with big families, the three of us didn't have to look out for each other. We had enough cousins to play with in our younger years. Playtime later turned into training, since this Tributal wanted to become a Demonear. Day by day, I'd step out of the comfort of Fort Apharel and wander around Malikan. Later on, I took Ennyou with me to hunt. We trained with bows and all types of weapons. Even one day, we managed to wound a demon and bring its pelt back home, selling it in the pub for a thousand silver."

Atomu nodded.

"Although aware of the dangers, we started clearing out the premises of Fort Apharel, which led to the exploration of Malikan itself. Years passed, and eventually, the Svens headed for a season-long trip to Orawood. Fort Apharel's mayor promised us a great fortune in the name of all Tributals living in town, and the only place we could think of was here, in Lignoria."

"Now, bearing my Sunglow Guardian Demon, I was ready to take on any challenge. I was so greatly confident in my abilities that we often ran away." they turned to the side. "I was once here beforehand, approaching from the mountainside. Malikan is at least a month away from Silva Tops. That's how far we strayed off the path."

Atomu glanced around. "Only by yourselves?"

"We were young, stupid and overconfident for sure," they muttered. "Even so, facing a demon in the distance made us think we were ready to kill it. It didn't look strong, but then again, you would never suspect that something like this can kill people." they pointed to the algae. Rowan closed their eyes for a moment.

"My Chicho was also a Demonear, although, not as strong as a Tributal should be. They were born without one arm, and I too, for the longest time, thought nothing great of them." Rowan put their hand near their forehead. "Maybe it was jealousy, but... I wish I could go back and change things now."

Atomu gulped.

"A demon hidden in the tree's bark ripped Enyou to shreds." their voice grew shaky. "I saw as their body landed in the lake, consumed by the algae, and the only thing I could muster my courage to do was run. As far from here, and eventually, it stopped chasing me too. But you know they say, right?" they raised their voice a little, looking back at Atomu. "Orawood finds its way back to you. Even though we left, concluding with a lie that Ennyou ran away, the guilt always persisted. Tributals... they're always said to die in peace, but Ennyou didn't, and it seemed that breaking that tradition brought something out of the woods to kill me."

Atomu breathed in, worryingly.

"But if it wasn't I that died, it was going to be someone else." the tracing finger stopped, and the shape in the ground resembled a massive blob of darkness, eventually shaping into the sharp features of the Serpigo. "My cousins died a week later. The church's bell crashed on their heads during a prayer. I only observed from afar as a translucent, black figure loomed in the distance, out of anyone's sight but mine."

"With each day passing, it grew a little closer. My Lush' Chicho were eliminated, one by one, each murdered with a coincidence bearing upon shoulders that weren't theirs. You name it, anything. Drowning, sickness out of nowhere. I felt as if it was wrath itself. I couldn't admit it. I killed Ennyou because I didn't save them back then."

Rowan stopped for a second, breathing in.

"During one of my various sleepless nights, I opened my eyes to find that cruel creature standing above my bed."

"Carefully watching, observing."

"I felt its presence, coldness, piercing gaze, as well as the aura it brought."

"I wanted to scream for help but I was afraid. "

"I feared that I brought this curse upon my family."

"I grew afraid of home, so I closed my eyes, wishing all of this was just a dream."

"I opened my eyes."

"The door to my room was wide open, and something was set on fire."

"I ran out of our tower, with the entire town either engulfed in chaos or more of the flames. The last sight I vividly remember seeing was them, nestled in the embers, burning alive as their gazes met mine. Covering Ambrosia's eyes, I swore to myself, that if that Serpigo thing was going to kill my other Chicho, I was going down with them as well."

"But it didn't," Rowan said. "When I ran away from Malikan, through the mountains and finally reached the other Tributal refuge in Magna, it didn't follow me. I never saw its cruel black figure standing in the distance or coming so close that I could feel its halted breath. All up until I found someone I could truly care for again." they looked up. "Ace, Damien and Kukhi."

Atomu gasped.

"They say, the one bearing a curse never finds rest. The second I start showing empathy, that thing is taken away from me." they stared at Atomu through furrowed brows. "Home, friends, love."

Atomu breathed out. He put a hand over his head, trying to process everything that unfolded. Was every mishap along the way only because of their presence? Was Chyuuichi wounded only because of that Serpigo? What did all of this have to do with them, if so?

Was someone else bearing another curse? Was Rowan the enemy?

"The Tributal word for friends is Bahiim," Rowan uttered, putting both arms next to their sides as if feeling a weight was taken off their shoulders. "That's why we're called Klakunhoi."

Chyuuichi is only a friend, but more than Klakunhoi to Atomu. It was the Mirillian who saved his life on numerous occasions and consistently proposed ideas that would eventually work out in the end. Teammate, friend or not, Chyuuichi was Bahiim.

"Will we die?"

"I don't want you to." Rowan shook their head.

Atomu breathed out. "I'm so sorry."

Rowan shrugged. "I guess I hit the right spot when I talked about home, didn't I?"

Atomu slowly glanced up.

"I noticed that you didn't seem to accommodate yourself along the Paladians in Prope Portam," Rowan explained. "I know why."

Atomu gulped, turning to the side for a moment. His cold hand reached towards his sheath, reminding himself of his Guardian Demon's sudden disappearance. With a cold sweat, a testimony of how many things he was already stressed out of his mind about, Atomu gazed back at Rowan's expectations.

His heartbeat fastened, his hands tensed, and his eyes went blurry.

"I know your secret now." Atomu finally spoke, blinking twice. "So, I guess I could share one of mine."

"Assuming it's something that I don't already know."

"I doubt it." Atomu laughed nervously.

"Like the fact that you're a demon?" Rowan asked, with a stern expression on their face.

Atomu froze. His eyes slowly crept towards Rowan again. "W-What kind of sick joke is that?"

"What joke?" Rowan added, in complete seriousness. "I know, Atomu. That's why I brought up home in the first place. You didn't feel welcome, because you weren't a Paladian of pure blood anymore."

Atomu's lip shook, and his hands reached up to his chest. He wanted to say something, but couldn't.

"Ambrosia told me." Rowan almost scoffed. "They saw you killing a demon in the Tukman Woods with your bare hands. Since then, I've been observing you. At first, from afar, but then when the world forced us closer together, I spotted through your true intentions." they beamed lightly. "Your heart beats in the right direction."

Most Tributals were considered Royals, and recalling the tale of Sebastian's Gaze, Atomu huffed, breathing out, feeling a stone drop which earlier created massive fissures around his heart.

"Thank you." he mouthed.

"Tributals always believe in second chances. A demon's never a demon until they kill a human." Rowan explained.

"I haven't killed anyone."

"I'd know. Not a secret, then," Rowan muttered. "Although, if we're sharing secrets, I'd like to know what happened to your sword."

Atomu chuckled, awkwardly.

***

A thick line of dull-coloured trees surrounded the cemetery in Prope Portam. Going uphill and down various valleys led to different stone paths erected around flowers or bushes near gravesigns, since, unlike in Magna, those weren't made of stone.

Although, one could argue that such acts brought the body closer to nature. Various flowers or plants grew around the tombs and eventually spread into vines wrapping around the faded-out, charcoal words on the planks. Eventually, such turned into nothing, and that's when Paladians believed the body truly found its purpose.

Even if a few days passed, people were gathering around Elton's grave, unbeknownst to them, saying good words, planting flowers or telling amazing stories of their experiences with Bancho instead. When Ranpa passed by the grave, it had a lot of small candles, colourful herbs and drawings made by the youngest.

However, Ranpa noticed this brought obvious change to the people of Prope Portam. More and more came to their loved ones, praying for their soul or singing songs only they knew.

The trees swayed in the wind, and Ranpa turned towards a grave upon the hill. Sam stood above the flowers, putting his hands together, clenching the black and white earrings in both palms. He closed his eyes for a moment, before breathing out.

"Ranpa?" Sam asked as the other Paladian walked up to the Turon.

The other waved.

"What are you doing here? I thought the mayor wanted your hands to be busy."

"Part of the job, then." Ranpa shrugged, sighing. "The cemetery's quite the place nowadays, and Linno said something about the Demonear hiding in plain sight. I could ask you the same question if I didn't already know the answer."

Sam sighed, turning back to the sign.

Atomu Turon. 457-473 A.F.W.

"Today marks the 4th year since he's left us," Sam uttered. "Six weeks later, the leaves start falling, marking the beginning of Dear. Then, the first snow of Yule appears, which eventually moves into Herbes, and I'm back here again."

Ranpa slowly nodded. The Turons always came to honour Atomu at different times, as Sam once said. Each deserved to be alone with their thoughts.

"It... gets a little bit easier every time," Sam uttered.

The candles would eventually melt, the drawings would be swept by the wind, and Elton's body would find itself consumed by the soil below.

Through all those thoughts obscuring his mind, he wondered, what his death would entail.

As blessings appeared, so did curses.