The paths they chose were rather narrow and between residential buildings. Something they quickly noticed was the harmony of the greens combined with places where people lived. Bushes, trees, parks, benches, children playing and people taking care of all the nature continuously surrounding them gave even more points to a certain, alluring charm.

Afterwards, they reached a fountain in the middle, that separated two bridges with warm waters flowing through and people riding atop light brown planks. More leaves grew down the sides and finally moved towards white-stone buildings, eventually turning into brown, wooden gates, inns and restaurants. Morio was now on edge, resisting the smelly urges, and some people around laughed, leaving him a little embarrassed.

"You're usually more excited about something new," Jyuzou admitted.

"I WILL BE ONCE WE EAT!" Morio screamed.

"You weren't hungry until you smelled-"

"My brain works a little differently." Morio interrupted him, squinting his eyes. "Food, food."

Jyuzou nodded to himself, breathing out and stretching his hands. He carefully looked around the people, who turned around once their gaze met his. Everything was still strange, and greatly unanswered. Sighing, he sat beside the fountain next to Morio's groans and pleas.

"Where do you go to learn, Morio?" Jyuzou asked.

"Restaurant."

Jyuzou shook his head. "Library," he muttered.

"Mmm." Morio squeezed his stomach, closing his eyes. "Then find that library and let's go eat damn it! My stomach, It's burning."

Jyuzou softly placed one leg atop another and then put his hands together. "C-Can..." he said, before stopping and shaking his head. "Can you ask someone?"

"Huh," Morio turned his head, slowly.

"I'm, uh." he fixed his collar. "A little anxious."

"Pff, what? The mighty and high Jyuzou can't talk to people? Hah! What is there to be scared of?!" Morio looked up, smiling. "Hehehe." he laughed, snorting. "Man!"

"N-No, I'm just not good at talking!"

"You're very good considering how much you yap!" Morio raised his voice.

Jyuzou groaned. "Please?" he spoke through his teeth.

"No way, dude," Morio smirked, confidently.

Jyuzou excessively sighed, quickly taking something out of his backpack. Morio's eyes didn't resist the temptation and immediately turned to the fruits Jyuzou found in the caves.

"Ugh, fine!" Morio snatched the food out of his hand and stood up, moving towards someone in the crowd, perhaps looking for a calmer, friendlier face.

"Thank you." Jyuzou smiled, thinking.

Morio made an audible noise, peeking to the side and looking towards the long, yet narrow street, decorated with shops and restaurants at either side, leading towards one of the mountains and big bridges.

Turning to the white stone shrines, he spotted robed people in the corner of his eye, as they quickly hid behind a building. Stuffing one whole fruit into his mouth, he turned to Jyuzou, raising his voice. "I don't think these people are Morians!"

"Well-spotted, idiot!" Jyuzou yelled back, sighing.

"I'VE NEVER BEEN ANYWHERE ELSE BUT SHIMORI! THIS IS OVERWHELMING!" Morio hurried back, crouching. "Who are they?"

"This is exactly why I need you to ask for a library!" Jyuzou yelled out.

Morio stood up, walked back to the people and slowly closing his eyes. The thought of the sheer beauty of this place quickly and momentarily came back to him, as food entered his stomach, but still, he vowed to focus on the task at hand.

Someone observed one Morian from a distance, moving back and shaking their head.

Jyuzou scratched his neck, observing Morio from afar, as he slowly approached someone, backing out at the last second. "Come on, come on." he impatiently tapped his finger against the stone, feeling something strange.

His gaze shifted below, as he spotted writing etched into the fountain. "Old Manjuno." he thought, before seeing the small writing below. "Omer Narrows." he read aloud, slowly pulling his journal out. "What a name."

Reaching for the wrapped charcoal he kept in the other pocket earlier, he stumbled upon a thin material he didn't recognize.

Raising an eyebrow, his hand moved back, revealing a small paper lodged in between his index and middle finger. "How did that find itself there?" He calmly whispered, peering at Morio for a moment, who kept getting discouraged, clenching his fists and pushing himself to ask someone, even though it seemed like everyone else was scared of him more than he was of them.

Jyuzou sighed, turning back, with focused eyes. "I didn't put anything in my pocket. I'd know." he ground his teeth.

He hesitated, before taking a deep, calm breath. Unwrapping it, a blank ink was revealed, carved ever so slightly on the beige front.

"You won't find any use of the libraries. All your questions will be answered elsewhere." Jyuzou's eyes widened.

Did someone hear him?

"Head to Roses Alley. Don't waste time. Signed, behemoth."

Jyuzou gulped his worried expression reflecting in the water.

***

Standing still, Lisbeth stared forward, blankly, her hands behind her back, intensely eyeing the gleam that sparkled in from the open hole. Isak grinned, crossing his arms and fixing the bandages, and Leopold sat elsewhere, closing his eyes.

"Lisbeth." Shi Hon muttered, looking out into the sky with a strangely curious expression. "I'm expecting someone. Leave the chamber, if you may."

Lisbeth turned to both Isak and Leopold, as if she wanted to ask a question about their presence, but wasn't too sure if any of the words she would utter would be considered in the first place. She nodded, before gracefully stepping out and walking around the circle, her feet leaving traces in the dust.

Isak moved back, rubbing his eyes.

"Shi Hon?" A voice asked, and the mentioned turned around with a big, warm smile.

"Leiru." Shi Hon muttered as a figure entered his chamber. He was shorter than the former, his skin was a thick green colour, and there rested a third eye above the two. He grinned, revealing his two sharp fangs and lines which suggested his old age. "Sit, fella." Shi Hon instructed, pointing his fingers at the ground.

"I'll have to reject that, my friend." he raised both hands, as if surprised, tugging at his robes which dragged on the ground. Isak's careful eyes landed back on the ceiling, with a drop of sweat rolling down his face.

"I insist, Leiru." Shi Hon nodded, sitting down.

Leiru chuckled, and Shi Hon let out a hearty laugh. "How long has it been?" he asked, reaching his hand out, firmly grasping around the dark, sharp nails of Leiru.

"Two hundred years," Leiru informed, finally agreeing with Shi Hon's earlier propositions. "You grew since then, haven't you?"

"Please, my friend." Shi Hon shook his head. "You look much wiser beyond your years."

"Trying to get the hand on Grimmora can surely age a bastard, but I'm talking about strength." Leiru clenched his fist. "You rule with an iron one, don't you?"

"I prefer a firm grasp over death, then." Shi Hon closed his eyes. "Back when we met, there was no one else that would've been stronger than me. We were this close, remember?" he stood up. "When you lent me your hand in combat. When you accepted me into a family after everyone had once rejected what I shone my lights on." he looked out to the sky, and Leiru scratched his sharp dark chin.

"They never thought," Leiru asked, putting his legs together and placing one elbow atop his thigh. Leopold's gaze quickly shifted to the man, as he swung his chain back and forth. "Demons and humans are so alike, after all."

Shi Hon nodded, his smile turning into a neutral, focused expression. "I guess you could say that."

"The Salfia dynasty goes way back, remember?" Leiru stood up. "Fathers, grandfathers, ancestors, they gave their all and humans couldn't eliminate what they would take care of themselves. They were people we could look up to. Role models, perhaps. Warriors, demons of great knowledge."

Shi Hon clenched his fist.

"But you were all alone." Leiru's hands landed on Shi Hon's shoulders. "Just yourself."

Water dropped from above, forming a puddle that Shi Hon didn't look into.

Shi Hon breathed out. "Afterwards, yes. But now, you wouldn't reject my requests, would you?"

"Of course. Wouldn't you be strong enough to carry your plans on your own, though?"

Shi Hon's thoughts went back to Lisbeth's actions. He turned back to Leiru with a beam.

"They're out of reach, Leiru. I'll need your sons, your daughters." he stopped. "I'll need warriors."

Leiru grinned, stepping back. Isak gulped.

"They have something I want." Shi Hon explained. "Either road will have to lead me to my prize."

"I'd be giving my all to search for the buried Ancient weapons if I heard they were just within my reach." Leiru closed one eye.

"I don't need great weapons or items." Shi Hon said. "I need people. My strength can't carry as much."

"Then, I shall offer you two fighters. Two demons. Ronpi, Katha." Leiru signalled with two fingers, and Shi Hon's mouth opened slightly, before turning into a smirk. "Not of great intelligence, but they'll abide by anything." he gritted his sharp teeth. "Then, they hopefully reveal their claws."

"Tell them, then." Shi Hon uttered. "To chase the Demonears." he then snuck a glance at his son.

Isak closed his eyes and bit his lip. "The Paladian, The Mirillian," he muttered, sticking two fingers out.

"...and someone else." Shi Hon raised another one. "Someone I can't see through, whose voice I can't hear." he focused. "But, Atomu and Chyuuichi are alongside. They call themselves."

Leiru rubbed his hands together.

"Klakunhoi."