The two Harans chased the lenos down the Florentine, as instructed.

A few, beige rocks changed with the scenery, forming into the well-known, exotic greens of the region, while the animal kept looking back, almost instructing them to follow along.

"Where do you think he's leading us?" Kania muttered, struggling through a push.

"Beats me." Hakate shrugged.

"Is that not what you were talking about then?" Kania uttered. "Weren't you supposed to show me something?"

"I will, don't worry."

It was always those few tales that Kania could recall Hakate's mother reading them before heading to sleep. It was a common myth of the small village up there too.

The lenos' here supposedly let people to bountiful harvests or even treasures hidden in the mountain.

Kania didn't know what the treasure could've meant there, but Hakate must've known a bit more than him.

It was always like this, too. A Haran showing another one the ropes. Stronger teaching the weaker, despite it all.

The two jumped down from the last steps, with Kania peeking out above the rocks, seeing as the lenos waited on an acacia tree right there.

Hakate grinned, being the first to make haste, while Kania struggled to move over the few bumps.

Finally, though, the two stood on the grass and overlooked the little animal.

It wagged its tail as excitedly as beforehand, and Kania smiled, with Hakate's grin growing even wider.

"Now we catch it," Hakate informed, jumping towards the tree and shaking it down.

The animal followed in the playfulness, and so did Kania. Soon, the lenos jumped down into his arms, and the Haran giggled before Hakate reached his hand out.

"You know the trick, don't you?" Kania muttered.

"Not my first time." Hakate snatched the lenos away from Kania's hands, with his grip tightening around its arms.

The animal looked right into his eyes, as the Haran waited for a few seconds.

"I wonder what it is," Kania muttered.

"The treasure?" Hakate raised a brow.

"I m-mean, of course." he breathed out. "Maybe it's something to teach those guys up there a lesson."

Hakate chuckled. "Grow up, Kania."

"Huh?"

"There is no treasure. I was supposed to teach you something, wasn't I? Watch and learn."

"W-What else with the lenos, though? They're not necessarily useful otherwise."

The sun cast a thick shadow over the valley.

"Are they ever useful? Do you think it could best a human? It's a witchtale for a reason, Kania."

The shadows covered Hakate's face.

"Only pathetic little kids believe in those."

"I-I'm strong." Kania clenched his fists, and Hakate furrowed his brows.

"Can you prove it then, like I said?"

"H-How?"

Hakate smiled.

The next thing that came afterwards was a lowly yell, with screeches echoing out nearby.

"Do you have the power to show the world who rules it?"

Blood splattered over Hakate's face. Kania stood by, trembling, with shrunken eyes and a stress that consumed his heart.

A knife was stuck deep beneath the fur.

The lenos dug their nails into Hakate's skin, but the Haran didn't budge.

"Can you do the same, Kania?"

The only thing Kania responded with were tears.

Not necessarily of sadness, as he could recall, neither it was anger.

It was something else entirely, which he didn't understand.

Then, the lenos stopped screaming, as Hakate dropped its corpse to the ground and thrashed his hands back and forth, cleaning the blood.

Kania stared down, for a few seconds, before gulping.

"It's just a lenos, Kania," Hakate muttered, putting his hand over his shoulder. "Just like any other animal."

Quickly, though, Kania pushed him away with his arm. One look back through the blur, and the Haran didn't seem fazed.

But Kania started running.

***

The day after the rainfall was similar to how it began. When morning came, the sun peeked through the clouds, revealing traces of the blue sky, quickly hidden away within the greys.

Some Paladians claimed that yesterday was the last day they'd see clear skies and rainfalls such as these before the harsh (not really) Yule strolled by, while others noted that this could have only meant a rather pleasant warmth for the upcoming days.

Either way, it was cold that day, but not everyone had to wear a jacket. Mike was warm enough, considering the massive bags he put over both shoulders, barely able to carry them on his back, while Alice hopped around the streets with a few inked tissues.

"Some of the little stuff to repair our tools? Check!" she nodded. "Ahh... that Judy girl was a charming bunch in the end. Right! Food and supplies for the journey. Check?" she turned to Mike. "Could you check?"

"No."

"What do you mean no?!" she raised a brow. "Grah! You're lucky I remembered what kind of idiot sold us the meats down in Eggre! Should've gone with those remnants of the markets..."

Mike closed one eye, trying not to bend under the pressure.

"Spare clothes? Got a few wrapped around my waist right now, so check! Plus the ones we're wearing, eh, Mike?"

Mike didn't respond but tried to nod.

"...and finally, ekhem." she cleared her throat, stopping in her tracks and putting on a smirk. Mike halted as well, breathing out. "Guardian Demons?"

"C-Check," Mike replied.

"Of course, Mike! There's a reason we were invited there in the first place!" she clenched her fist. "Yeeha!"

Alice quickly slapped Mike's shoulder, causing him to almost lose balance. Then, she put her hand over his head and grinned.

"Proved to the stupid world we're not just a bunch of tweeps! How about that, world?" she asked, pointing forward, as one Paladian stopped, scratching his neck.

"Me?" he asked.

"N-No! Gah!" Alice let go, moving forward and scratching her chin. "Only the two of us know, I forgot. Out there in Malikan, they'll see us as any other Demonear amongst the masses."

"Isn't that bad?" Mike asked.

"It's perfect!" she raised her hand, before assuming the same mysterious position. "It means getting closer to him. I was so disappointed when it was that other Paladian handing us our Guardian Demons but alas... he'll be there, Mike."

The boy opened his mouth, a little awestruck.

Alice giggled, before putting her hand over her mouth and muttering to herself. "I can't laugh just yet. Got to hold off on our chances-"

Mike dropped to the ground, with all the baggage crushing him under.

"Oh, Mike! Third time?!" she quickly turned, dragging him out from beneath with another weary breath.

"You could carry one," he uttered, through a shaky gasp, as Alice rolled her eyes.

"I think we know who here carries a thicker weapon than some knife." she blew a raspberry.

Mike turned to her, with one closed eye, right as she straightened up, stretching around. Well, that much couldn't be a lie.

His sheath barely stuck out from beneath his normal attire, while whatever Alice bore was hidden behind a piece of cloth and looked like the mightiest sword from her back.

Even though it wasn't that, as she said, because for whatever reason it was kept a secret. The surprise was another way of achieving victory, much like they shocked everyone back then.

Mentioning that, when Mike straightened up, conversations about the course and a chance for the people to participate flew by. A few Paladians stopped in their tracks, pointing towards the mountains in the distance, counting time from the barely visible sun.

"Glad that's over with." Alice sighed. "Couldn't imagine another way, though."

"I guess we'd be like them if we didn't become Jemonears."

"Mhm." Alice pondered for a second longer, with her eye turning to Mike. "You slipped again."

"Demonears."

She nodded, before a smile reappeared on her face, while Mike turned to an adjacent street with a furrowed brow.

"Well, no time to waste! We still have to buy at least a few more things and that's gonna be a hassle with practically no Silver!" she strolled forth. "Mike, take the bags."

"What happened here?"

"Eh?" Alice peeked out to a long, cobbled street with a few towers on either side.

Cobbled was one word, since a good chunk of the material that made the ground was thrown to the sides, with dirt peeking through. Dried-out blood painted a few walls that sprung from the ground, while visible signs of some dark murk kept disappearing whenever a sunray managed to make its way towards Saphrith.

A few people investigated. Hands were pointed to everything, but everything suddenly disappeared near a few homes, so there wasn't much that could've been asked.

"Oh yeah." Alice folded her arms. "I've read about it in the newspaper. People reported some wild screams in the evening."

"You reckon it was a demon?"

"Probably some drunken Paladians. Although, I remember one line plotted down there." she squinted her eyes. "The guy must've lost a lot of blood for it to still stain the buildings. It was pouring. We couldn't get out of that restaurant, and we didn't want to spend a speck at it."

Mike breathed out. "We could've been there, though."

"Nonsense." Alice rolled her eyes. "We're not Demonears to take care of idiots."

"Then what for?" he glanced at her.

"Do I have to repeat myself, Mike? You'll call me a bad person again."

"The boots a Demonear has to fill are quite enormous, that's for sure." a voice spoke out from the back.

Alice glanced up, with squinted eyes, before a figure adjusted her hat.

"Who are you to say that?" Alice pointed.

"Another Demonear, kind of."

"Then you should understand." she grinned. "It's position and power."

"Nowadays. Back then you had to fight for it." she moved by, adjusting something on her back. "But I'm not one to argue with idiots over saving idiots, as you'd call them."

"E-excuse me? Mike, you heard that?" Alice asked, and Mike seemed taken aback. "I'm not an idiot, woman! The name's Alice Mosmontier, the cruel mistress-"

"Genni, Ingo." the woman interrupted her, turning around, as two other figures pushed next to Alice.

"Yes?" Genni quickly asked, putting her hands together.

"I'll take care of it from now," Koyote instructed. "You have all the time until... the day they set out to get ready."

"Where do we exchange Pies again?" Ingo scratched his head.

"That one place in Willia!" Genni raised her finger.

"Ekhem." Alice stepped forward.

"W-Who's this?" Genni quickly asked.

"Alice Mosmontier, the cruel-"

Mike put his hands on her face, muffling the ends of her very obtuse points. "I'm sorry."

Koyote chuckled, turning away, as Mike waddled over to the bags again, with the two Harans still eyeing the Demonears.

When they passed a corner, he finally let go.

"Ah!" Alice breathed in. "What are you sorry for?"

"You don't have to spout it all out the second someone says otherwise." Mike shook his head.

"That's how they get to you, Mike!" she whispered, harshly, grabbing his collar. "If we're already so far in we can't let them spit on our faces."

Mike breathed out, grinding his teeth. "I know, but you're wrong. It's more than what you said."

"It's different for everyone, and that woman has no right telling me off because she doesn't know."

"We've already come far, Alice." Mike sat down on the ground, taking a deeper breath. "We can't keep fighting for the same thing, all the time."

"Speak for yourself." Alice let out a rather hearty growl, trying to pick up one of the bags. "Come on, no more wasting time!"

...and with those words and a few more seconds that passed, Alice and Mike left, moving through the main street and glancing over at the three who waited for a few more moments.

Koyote raised her hand, before following the same path, while Genni and Ingo stood still.

"They're the new Demonears?" he asked, with a grin. "Damn, what an insufferable bunch."

"Like you're one to speak." Genni bumped his shoulder.

"At least I know to set my priorities straight beforehand." he chuckled. "They never got thrown into a volcano."

"Who knows?" she asked, turning back. "Maybe they've got a volcano on their own for their story to make sense."

"Eh?" he squinted. "I'm saying, she wouldn't be so smug if she was under Miss Koyote's wing, that's all."

"I know." she smiled. "Just another thought, though. Come on, Ingo. We have to hit the town."

"Right." he chuckled. "Can't let them beat us there!"

As the two departed, Koyote continued.

Fixing her cast, she glanced at the marks, where the blood mixed with the cobble. A few glimpses ahead, it turned into something different. Murk seemed to consume a few bricks that stuck out like sore thumbs.

One crouch, with her gloved hand landing on the item's front, and a strange noise sounded closer to her palm. Quickly, she raised it, adjusting her bandage with her teeth and taking the glove off.

"Didn't seep through," she muttered to herself, before standing up and eyeing a few others who stopped.

With a gulp, a good bunch left when her eyes met theirs, and another group of Paladians, coated in armour, arrived accordingly.

"Alright, everyone, move on already. We're trying to clean this stuff up."

"Did you deduce what happened?" one woman asked.

"We're working on that." a guard nodded, turning over to Koyote. "Miss-"

"I'm leaving." Koyote adjusted her cross, stretching her arm around and forcing the glove back on.

"Right." the guard followed with a gulp. "Everyone else, please follow through to-"

It was not a demon's attack, that was for sure. The black voids seemed at least a little similar.

She furrowed a brow, before meeting a door where the lasts faded away.

A baby's laugh sounded on the inside, followed by a few shuffles and a Tributal figure moving by the window. Her hand landed on the knob, as she held her breath for the next few moments.