"Seriously?!" Jyuzou rose because he couldn't stay seated at the sudden striking piece of information that echoed into his brain.

He and Chyuuichi sat not that far from Atomu, Morio and Elton, on a tree stump near the exit of the Bore Forest and a path leading to the nearest shores and ports of Magna. Both their weapons were laid on the ground, and Chyuuichi carried a book in his hands, open right in the middle.

"Mhm! MHM!" Chyuuichi nodded, excitedly. "That's what I've been telling ya, Jyuzou! Don't underestimate the caves!"

"My Shin, you were right!" Jyuzou crouched, at the other end of the book, putting his hand on the harsh paper. "I never thought flowers could grow in the darkest of places." he put his hand on his chin.

Chyuuichi smirked. "Oh, yer gonna have a field day in Mirillis! Just can't wait!" he kept pointing at the Morian.

"Nuh-uh! NUH-UH!" Jyuzou said, playfully, taking a few steps back and breathing out. He looked up at the setting sun that shone above the crowns of the trees that surrounded them. "It's getting a bit late, isn't it?" he sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. "I can already hear the numbums singing their songs."

As you might have guessed, numbums were small little birds which sang in high-pitched tones on the nights of Herbes and Gorro. When sparrows left, numbums came back.

"Ya reckon we should go back to Magna?" Chyuuichi asked. "I'm only halfway through the book."

"You're reading everything?" Jyuzou looked at the cover of the Wonder Flora. Despite scanning through its contents countless times, he was still surprised to have learned new information, particularly from such an unexpected source.

"Ya know, I kinda feel bad. I think I once said that all that plant stuff isn't interesting but I can't take my head away, Jyuso!" Chyuuichi nodded.

"Well, three to one then," Jyuzou smirked. "You can stay here if you want, I'm hungry though," Jyuzou informed, picking up his backpack from behind the stump and putting it in his hands.

"Alright, don't get lost!"

"I'm not you to do that." Jyuzou chuckled a little, turning around, and much like the Mirillian, humming a little tune under his nose while following the stepped-out paths.

Near the port where the first signals of the goblin invasion sounded, stood four Tributals, setting up a rather big boat, yet too small to call a ship. It had two levels, a big deck and a horse-like bow, a flag above that served as a mast, and a little space underneath with comfy cloth for sleeping.

The boat was supposed to set out earlier, even though the members of the group moved at different speeds. They were carrying a lot of supplies for the next few days, so the Tributals would have to make time for eating, resting, and navigating around the rocky terrain of the Harm Lands.

When they needed to eat or do anything that didn't sound like a synonym for advancing, they'd throw an anchor into the sea below, which led to Rowan carrying the big steel thing from Swania, dragging it through Midcity and towards the boat.

Rowan breathed in, before throwing it onto the boat. "Ha." they continued gasping for air.

"It's not that heavy," Damien commented, pressing against the material.

"I'd like to see you do it!" Rowan pointed. "If you've only got complaints, do everything by yourself, I don't care!" they turned around, folding their arms.

"They're still hurt about the troupe," Ace whispered, giggling.

"My ears can hear!" Rowan added, opening their eyes and looking at the others. "Seriously, though, why not me? Is Ambrosia a better Demonear? Did they outmatch my level this fast?"

"It's usually always the younger Chicho that has it a bit easier," Kukhi added, with a bit of a lisp in their voice, pulling on the lines around the boat, before sitting down. "Locki always gets the good hand from our Lushes."

Lush means parent or guardian, and there are usually two that make up a family, even if they don't specify gender.

"Younger means more opportunities still waiting to be discovered. Look at us, y'all." Ace smiled, drinking a bottled glaska. "We're all like thirty, and Ambrosia is what, seventeen?"

"Whatever! I'm sure the troupe would at the VERY least need a person who's well-versed in medicaments and can attend to the injured!" Rowan turned around.

"Ambrosia can do that!" Kukhi added, putting their hand near their forehead.

"You taught them that." Damien raised an eyebrow.

"Blargh! Whatever, whatever! I'm just saying, I c-could do better." They took a few steps away from the boat, while the Tributals gave each other a strange look.

Rowan stopped near one of the buildings and leaned against the wall, constantly sighing.

"You're saying all that as if Ambrosia has any Lush that would favour them. It's only the two of us here," they muttered to themselves, before looking at the ground and spotting a familiar pair of shoes making their way somewhere.

Rowan glanced up, meeting Jyuzou, who suddenly stopped and turned, groaning loudly at the failure that was finding the neat and niche restaurant which served his favourite food. It was hard to find for a reason, but most importantly, Rowan noticed a sparkle hidden underneath Jyuzou's purpur button-up.

"Oi. Morian." Rowan raised their voice, and Jyuzou immediately tensed up, turning around on his heel. "Jyuzou was your name, wasn't it?"

"Y-Yes!" Jyuzou immediately bowed. "Yes, Qur Rowan!" again, he forced an accent.

"Oh, stop with that already." Rowan rolled their eyes, taking a few steps forward and digging their hand beneath Jyuzou's undershirt, taking out a shining, thin, and silver necklace. "What are you wearing?"

"Um." Jyuzou blinked twice, easing up. "It's a necklace. V-Victoria, my guardian, as I'd like to call her..." he gulped. "She said it was there with me when she found me near the well."

"Near the well? So you're adopted?" Rowan asked. "Oh, sorry, maybe that was a little too direct. Makes sense, though." Rowan let go, putting both hands behind their back. "That is a Lina necklace."

"A what?" Jyuzou was confused.

"Lina is a natural rare material found in Lignoria, dug out by the royal miners who serve the family. A Morian shouldn't be wearing something like this unless you are of royal descent."

"Ah." Jyuzou smiled, hiding the necklace. "I don't think that would work, would it? Morians are never royalty." he shook his head.

"You never know." Rowan smiled a little, turned and started heading towards the boat.

"Lina?" Jyuzou asked himself, looking at the necklace once again, as the setting sun rays bounced off its brisk and thin finish. He blinked twice.

***

Fortunately for Anna-Pom, Kashmir's words about using those days for training didn't concern her. Of course, when Zenon said that all of them were to work on their skills, Anna smiled lightly, knowing that she already had well enough of that behind her, and instead spent those moments with Ella.

Days and nights would pass when the two wouldn't leave their room and Anna even vowed to help her wife in the Midcity bar, despite not handling too many people that well. Whatever Ella wanted to do, Anna always put on a smile and accepted her propositions.

They explored every bit of Magna together, and Ella often forced Elton to stay behind and work at the bar for her, so they didn't waste a single second. They watched the sun turn into the moon on hidden rooftops, spending a lot of money on long and romantical boat rides, which were often met with complaints but upon seeing Anna's angered face most would stay quiet.

As the days started getting a bit longer, the nights only grew shorter, and their time together was soon to run out.

"I'm sorry that I lied," Anna said, standing in the open doorframe.

"You didn't lie, Anna." Ella smiled. "You can't just say no to opportunities such as these. I-I understand." she put her hand on her heart, and Anna walked in, sitting next to her on the bed.

"Do you know why I was gone for so long?" Anna asked, glancing down.

"Hm?"

"I wanted to better myself for you. I thought that after such a long time of running errands as a Demonear, it'd only make sense. To put a little reason behind why I was gone."

"I'd love you no matter what," Ella added. "Through thick and thin, as they'd say." she showed her the pink ring, and Anna smiled.

Ella's proposal happened a few years ago, behind a niche inn in Homieo. Now, that building stood in ruins, but the place where the flowers grew beneath their feet stayed untouched. Anna dug into Ella's lips again, and they both landed on the bed, in a generous hug.

"I will be back again, I promise." Anna held her hand. "I will."

The sun finally set, and the moon's light cascaded over their windows, barely peeking out from behind Mount Aria. In Yule, you couldn't see the moon clearly, and instead, the night lights were there to guard you, but as for every other season, it slowly revealed itself, shining brighter than ever. In some beliefs, the moon was the guiding force behind everything. When it wasn't there, it didn't carefully erect the paths everyone chose.

Knowing that, Anna looked out of the window, with a large smile.

Then, morning came, and Bancho, with a smoke pipe in his hands after the heartful breakfast in Handulia, through the crowds, sneaked into the inn where Lisa lived. The old woman had recently fallen sick, and despite Bancho's concerns, she kept trying to tell him it was nothing but a small cold from the rather chilly night a few days ago.

She was still half-asleep when Bancho came in but ready to cook something for her visitor, even though he insisted that she stay in bed.

Lisa refused, standing up despite the pains in her chest. She always thought that you could only have a good night's sleep if you wore yourself out beforehand, and never stayed in bed as others would suggest, and for some reason, the thousands of illnesses she went through were gone after a few days.

The two talked about the upcoming events, and as Bancho would've guessed Lisa was a little against it but deduced that nothing would stop him. After an hour or so and a delicious meal, he stood up and trod out of her room, and when he opened the door, he met an unlikely face standing a few meters away from the entrance.

Bancho raised an eyebrow, carefully closing the door.

"Hello, Vit Bancho." Ambrosia bowed, with a smile that never seemed to disappear from their face.

"Hello, Ambrosia," Bancho said, looking around. "Have you been training these days?"

"What about you? Have you been training and bettering yourself Vit Bancho?" they tilted their head.

"Uh. Of course." Bancho nodded, lying a little.

"Great!" They closed their eyes. "I have a small question concerning my strength and something Rowan talked about. What are fear attacks?"

"Oh," Bancho sighed in relief, expecting something much worse even though he had no clue what went through their brain. "It's when the demon inside your weapon finds you exposed to your greatest fear. Perhaps it could be simple things, but many think of this as a last resort when nothing else works out. Not many can master fear attacks, and for some, the simple thought of something they dread is enough. You can also train yourself to be afraid of something, even if that may sound ridiculous," he chuckled, coughing a little.

"Okay, then," they asked, as Bancho took a step towards the left in the hall. "What if I don't know what my fear is?"

"There isn't a human without such concerns." Bancho nodded.

"Am I not a human, then?" they continued.

Bancho looked a bit puzzled. "You act like one."

Ambrosia kept smiling, while Bancho took the stairs, speeding up a little.

"Actually." they opened their mouth, and Bancho turned. "I do know what I'm afraid of."

The other Morian waited for a second longer.

"It might be..." they glanced around. "A little more complicated than just a few words."

***

...and as mentioned earlier, today was no different for Morio. It has been the third consecutive morning that the Morian managed to take the two Paladians out of the comfort of their abodes and into the Bore Forest for training, and they started as soon as the sun peeked its head out from behind the clouds. It was a warm day, but not too unbearable.

Morio wore the undershirt and his pants, leaving the vest behind, Elton wore light Paladian clothes and Atomu kept rocking the same jacket, washing it every day as he either had no time to buy clothes or no money to spend when he had the time. He was rather picky, but simply battled the scorching pains or subtly took off layers below the red coat.

Bancho wandered to the Bore Forest, and even he took his jacket off and only wore a sweater over his clothes. Atomu sighed, tapping his foot against a tree.

"Morio. Could you come here for a second?" Bancho asked, signalling with his hand.

"Huh? What happened?" he waddled over.

"Nothing bad, but it's something I wanted to give you a while ago. Come on." he started walking. "...and you two, don't take this as an opportunity to slack off." he pointed.

"What?!" Atomu and Elton said simultaneously.

"Try to be like Morio!" Bancho smirked.

"EXACTLY! KEEP TRAINING!" Morio yelled out, and Atomu ground his teeth.

The two followed a path before heading off the trail and down the slope into the most beautiful, and colourful part of the Bore Forest.

"Do you know why I took you here?" Bancho asked.

"Not really." Morio shook his head.

"I thought someone as knowledgeable in maps would take a guess," Bancho said as he sat down and pointed. "Right here, behind this tree, is Darius' grave. He wasn't buried near the statue, but here, in the quaint forest, on a day that looked exactly like this one. He too, was a Demonear with electrical powers and the strongest of the Wise. Most importantly, though, he was brave and headed into action without a second thought." Bancho put his hand over his face. "It was such a long time ago too," he shook his head.

Morio stared for a bit.

"You remind me of him, Morio. The way you swing forward, the way you combat the impossible odds. Darius was a man of similar ideals."

Morio gulped. "I couldn't be as strong as him, Mr Bancho," he added. "I couldn't save Magna."

"That isn't your fault. Say... Darius had something that the other Wise didn't. He found a formula that would boost his Demonear powers. Despite being a warrior, he was a curious, let's say, herbologist, and back in Harabara certain mixtures would bring out the most prominent parts of your elemental abilities." Bancho dug around his pockets, before finding a small emblem resembling a thunderbolt.

He handed it to Morio, who stuck both hands out, and it landed on his palms.

"It's for you, young Morian. Darius' bracelet."

"Where did you find this?"

"It was in Axel's church. He was the first one to find his body after the sacrifice which was his strongest attack. But, Morio." Bancho placed his hand on Morio's. "Don't be that reckless, okay?" he asked, tilting his head. "With great power, comes great responsibility, but I'm sure you don't have to hear any of that."

Morio glanced at Bancho's face, and beamed, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Sometimes the only thing that could help you move through the odds in life is just... a smile, as someone once said."