As expected, when the initial wave of the announcements faded, everything else unfolded. It was either family members finally joining the others, friends separated along the ways of the earlier exams, or people who didn't necessarily know each other, but found common ground through various things.

It could've been the few elements discussed, magic, fear or anything that could've brought the attention of the rather book-headed Jyuzou, but the only thing he did was fix his glasses, as a few familiar figures pushed through the crowds towards the four.

Jyuzou gulped, wiping away both sweat and hopefully the flush on his face.

"Jyuzou!" Genni's voice echoed, as the girl quickly ran over and embraced the Morian with a tight hug.

"H-Hi Genni!" Jyuzou quickly added, rather awkwardly patting her back.

"Ooh! Is she a friend?" Chyuuichi asked, spreading his hands.

"Rather a bunch of lovebirds., Morio whispered, with a part of those words caught by Jyuzou's ear. The other Morian promptly responded by kicking Morio's side, sending him jumping a few times before the white-haired himself bumped into another obstacle.

He looked up since they were taller. Ingo ground his teeth lightly, and Morio shared a pretty similar expression.

"Watch where you step, Frisks., he growled, almost pushing him away, and Genni let go of Jyuzou to step over towards the two.

"It's so good to see you guys." she smiled, putting both hands on Morio's shoulders.

"Ingo doesn't seem thrilled." Morio pointed, with a little smirk, and the Haran rolled his eyes, huffing out, stepping towards the others.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Atomu, Morio's friend." Atomu stuck his hand out, only for Ingo to shoot him a glance and then stand at the sides with his arms folded.

The Paladian followed him for a few seconds with his gaze, before gulping and turning towards the others.

"Did I do something wrong?" he whispered.

"He's just like that, I'm afraid." Jyuzou shook his head, chuckling.

"Oh, blast Ingo." Genni giggled. "How have you been keeping up these past few months?"

"Except for what you already know, I assume-" Morio nodded. "It's been the peace we liked."

"That's great. Things have been the same in Galliath as well."

"Mentioning that, where is Miss Koyote?" Jyuzou strolled by, scratching his head.

"Someone had to stay behind to deal with the business." Ingo stepped in, although he still stood a few meters away. "Olala wouldn't have handled everything by herself."

"Besides, I think she's the last person requiring additional training. Can't say the same for the lot of us." Genni shrugged, letting go and glancing around at everyone present, focusing on Atomu and Chyuuichi who only sighed and walked a little to the left.

Morio nodded. "Either way, if you missed any of what you had there, then no worries. The temple looks pretty much the same as Roses Alley in Galliath."

"S-Seriously?" Ingo opened one eye.

"Yep. The Ainans contributed to crafting Omer Narrows, so of course there'd be quite a good few similarities." Jyuzou raised a finger.

"Gosh, I do have a lot to learn and see, don't I?" she glanced around.

***

"Seriously, what's with everyone lately?" Atomu shook his head. "I still have yet to prove it."

"I'm thinking about what Mihua said." Chyuuichi put his fingers together, looking at Atomu.

"Fine, fine! We've got months, but a good thing starts with another question answered. I hate when I know little..." he scratched his cheek before the two stopped with a yell.

Judy raised her hand out of the crowds, before Sandy stormed out, followed by Sam tagging.

"Ah." Atomu blinked a few times, shuffling his hand around his ear. "So you guys passed?"

"Did you expect anything else?" Judy asked, furrowing her brows.

"N-Not what I mean!" Atomu put his hands out.

"I knew ya'd have it in ya THE second this little guy showed us his GREAT weapon." Chyuuichi put his hand over Sandy's shoulder, with the latter smiling awkwardly, and a few heads turning towards his words in mild concern.

"Chyuuichi. I don't think that sounded quite-" Judy raised a finger.

"But he's right!" Sandy added, with a smile wavering in. "Didn't think we were just gonna stand there and wait after saving the world once already?" he raised his arm. "Right?"

"Right!" Chyuuichi yelled out.

"You were already a Demonear," Atomu added.

"Shh!" Chyuuichi quickly shushed him. "...and you, Sam?"

"I tried my best and did my best, I guess." Sam sighed. "I still feel a little guilty about leaving Ranpa behind, but he didn't seem too bothered there."

"Did he stay in the workshop?" Atomu turned after a while, folding his arms.

"Nah. Went back to Prope Portam after all. The town's safe though, I can assume. Ronpi, Katha and Tenor-"

Judy made a strange noise hearing his name. The three turned, while Sandy stood still, with a rather absent smile.

"and Tenor..." Sam waited for a few seconds. "They stayed behind to stand guard."

"Ah." Chyuuichi nodded. "The two dem-"

Atomu quickly put his hand over his mouth, grinning, with Sam sharing a quick chuckle.

"Rowan too, I'm assuming?" Atomu added, letting go of the Mirillian, who quickly trailed off towards Sandy to talk about the nothings. "They've been taking care of the baby, last thing I heard."

"They have their things to worry about." Judy nodded.

"Yeah. Guess they don't need to prove strength either." He gulped. "It seems rather unbelievable, doesn't it? That great power, above all else... a-and it's going to have to be us."

"A few Guardian Demons go a long way, that's for certain." Judy nodded. "Though, looking around makes me reassure myself. We've got hundreds, all with different goals, questions and possibly answers. Even two I encountered during the Demonear test, while annoying, had a thing of their own. To cite books I haven't read, it'd take a lot more than for humanity to falter."

"We can't waste this chance," Sam muttered, and the three shared a rather quiet moment, otherwise interrupted by Sandy and Chyuuichi, quickly signalling something to them.

"What?" Atomu turned. "Huh? Zuimu?!"

***

With the last bunch served came the time for Zhen to seek something among the crowds, even though Zack's words could've opposed his goals. It still felt like something loomed in the air.

Maybe further away from here, but near a sign of where things could've started. Passing by a few contestants, he adjusted his glasses.

"Ough," Alice muttered. "Another tall one. What's with brutes rising to the sky like Mount Aria?"

"Why are you already assuming he's a brute?" Mike quickly sighed.

"Look at his demeanour! It's everything, but we're against it! Turns out, there's not much playing in the world of Demonears, and we'll have to adjust with these following months. Good idea on killing Shi Hon, then!"

Mike trembled a little.

"I'll be the one to stab through his heart with my...!" she raised a finger. "Not telling."

"Good luck." Mike nodded.

"Luck is always on my side. All I need is a little more faith and convenience and everything will turn out like lemons!"

"Lemons?"

"They're tasty! Besides, fun fact, they could be used as a weapon, or so I've heard. You never know, Mike."

"I don't think we should make enemies here," he trembled. "I told you already."

"Besides seeing a couple of familiar faces that probably dislike me, there is a figure I recognized." She added, before promptly turning around and pointing her finger at a hooded man standing near the gates, with his arms crossed. "He's been trailing us since Saphrith. Not the horse group, Mike." She shook her head. "Us two."

"Huh?" A voice sounded on their right, and the dark-haired Paladian turned, spotting a hooded figure sneaking a few glimpses.

Ranpa moved his eyes down, seeing the man hiding the sword, with a pinky missing.

"Feels like I've seen him beforehand." Alice continued. "Can't quite put my pinky on it, though."

Mike gulped, covering his face.

Zhen passed by the few guards waiting near the gates. A few questions were thrown to the wind, asking if everything was safe from that point on and the latter made sure that no adversaries followed.

That was the exact moment one figure caught the Ainan's attention, standing at the end of where the gates ended. Hooded, as Alice described him, and seemingly staring in his direction, with a thick shadow cast over parts of his face.

Zhen gulped, breathing out.

"Who's this guy?" he quickly asked one passing, armoured guard.

"Sir-" the guard turned. He quickly went through a few papers he held. "The registry here says nothing about hooded members."

"Obviously." Zhen groaned. "You reckon he's an intruder?"

The guard gulped. "We don't know."

Zhen glanced at him, and the guard seemingly looked into his eyes.

"Are you going to do anything about it?" Zhen asked.

"You can ask him."

Zhen rolled his eyes. "You people are useless."

"Useless?" another guard whispered. "A little scared, that's all!"

Zhen was already too far into the game to consider their muffling, distant concerns. The figure moved slightly, as the Ainan slid the brass knuckled onto his fists.

A few heads were turned, as expected, but Zhen stopped a few meters ahead where the space allowed them to stand face to face.

"Who are you?" he asked, raising his head as if it was some kind of challenge.

The other person didn't respond. However, they only put their hand in front of them, as particles of aura started appearing out of thin air, connecting to the man's palm.

Zhen ground his teeth, dropping his guarding stance and instead opting for that green dragon of his, quickly rising out of his back.

"Pneuma?" he asked himself, before heading straight for the man's punch, which he also readied. "Who on Errarion-"

The mist turned from a blank to a thick, light blue, dancing around his vicinity.

Zhen's eyes narrowed, as his punch turned into a dud and the dragon triumphantly flew off into the sky.

Morio and the others turned, with him pointing up.

Sandy focused, Chyuuichi's mouth unhinged down to the ground and Zuimu folded her arms, squinting.

"Gh!" Zhen groaned, forcing a stance and digging his foot into the ground. As he raised his head, a chuckle weaved, and everything else became rather silent.

The guards raised their rather flimsy weapons. A few more Demonears prepared their Guardian Demons.

"There's no need for any of that." The man spoke, with a raspy voice. "Zhen, you'd know better than to attack any other fool."

Zhen breathed in, as the man threw his hood off, revealing a familiar face plastered amongst the shadows. "Sy-Syl-"

The man shook his head around. "You know the name, Zhen-boy."

"Hah." Zhen let out a hearty breath, with a bit of a higher tone, before reaching his hands out, in perhaps, disbelief.

Expressions were held in place for that second. People didn't know what to expect.

"You've... You-" Zhen blinked a couple of times. "You came back!"

"Gahaha!" Sylvestair laughed. "Always told you I'd make it!"

"S-Sylvi!"

Zhen ran in for a hug, wrapping his hands around his shoulders and squeezing.

Even though not many knew the significance of the moment, voices were raised in cheer, joy, and smiles were shared across all the Demonears who gathered there, when the sun shone through the clouds and put the rest of the snow to bed.

Through tears, effort, and promises, everyone knew this was going to be their chance to make things right.

To stand against the cruel powers of this world. To spit in their face and show them that, in the very end, it's a human thing to keep fighting.

No matter how long it was going to take.

Quanzi glanced from the top of the temple, nodding with a tight smile.

Then, when the sun finally faded, he slid the curtains shut.