When the moon reached its peak, many people on the streets of Magna quickly hurried inside any building, shutting their businesses in a rush or even locking their doors, as if they feared something.

There was nothing to be scared of, though. In reality, Eryk Nuil-Tukman, the royal leader of Magna, demanded that he receive an hour after midnight to admire the quiet city, all by himself, with... some help on the way, in the name of Lamon.

Lamon was the closest of Eryk's guards, and when his leg stopped working for whatever reason, the two became insufferably inseparable. Eryk lumped everything he had to say or do onto his most loyal of guards, and the other didn't seem to complain much. He was making lots of money for his now rather rich family in Swania, but most of the time, he lived in the castle, because he could never guess when Eryk would require something.

No complaining was mainly surface-level, as there were lots and lots of things one would report about. For example, Eryk was an extremely selfish prick. Lamon wished for the Nuil to acknowledge his struggles and all the hard work he had accomplished. Even though he never heard a compliment coming out of his mouth, he was sure that he could influence change, for the most part.

Eryk always turned a blind eye to the problems haunting Magna, which only grew bigger, but he always refused to talk about anything written by his ancestors.

It wasn't out of fear or respect for his bloodline, but simply put, Eryk was too lazy to actually do anything.

He used to be a much different child, but when the status was passed down from his dying father, Karol Tukman, he realised that things were simply given, and people circled him to get riches or approval, spoiling him in a matter of a year. He grew dependent on others and expected them to bend down for their leader. He used his influence to obtain anything he wanted and turned from a lively sixteen-year-old to a grumpy man, that could barely shave his beard.

Despite all that, a part of him longed for the small moments of his life before the throne, however, in the form of walks around the city at midnight.

Well, he'd be alone, if he didn't have to use the help of Lamon, in order to walk.

"Lamon! You're sloppy!" Eryk yelled out, as Lamon offered his shoulder to him, sighing.

"I'm sorry, Nuil," Lamon spoke, squinting his eyes.

The two made it from the palace to the main square, and Eryk jumped away from the guard on one foot, sitting in the middle of the star. He looked up at the sky, and Lamon fixed the helmet he wore.

"I'll have to work extra for the next few days. I'll be needing a lot of help from you, Lamon." Eryk uttered.

"As in?" Lamon asked.

"Well, I need to arrive aptly dressed for the occasion, and a nice, comfy throne, right here." he pointed. "I want to watch as more and more of these people find their meaning in life. Soon, they'll turn into great guards like you." he waved his hand in the direction of Darius' statue.

Lamon sighed.

"Oh, my faraway ancestors, look at what I've achieved since then!" he tried raising his clenched fist, trying to stand up, and Lamon immediately ran forward, helping him out. He breathed in, loudly.

"I want to see the view from the top one day," Eryk stated. "You'll have to carry me up on that statue!"

"Even if it's dangerous?" he asked.

"It's about the scale!" Eryk bit his nail, and his ginger hair flew in the wind. "Darius would be proud of an achievement like this."

"Of course." Lamon closed his eyes.

Eryk nodded. "It's my duty to be someone like him. My town, our rules." He closed his eyes, smiling. "Okay, let's continue to Swania, then."

Eryk's influences, albeit judged by many, were huge. With one word, he could easily order his people to build him another palace, yet, they were glad he was satisfied with what he already took.

He claimed a nearby forest, naming it after his noble surname, and seldom requested to be left alone between its trees when he claimed things got too overwhelming. He'd disappear for a few days, sometimes even a month, and would crawl around, feeding off the food he brought from Magna or the rare fruits found around the empty forest.

When he wasn't outside, he either slept or relaxed in the waters of his palace, heated by the stones collected by his guards. Most of them were referred to with letters and didn't have assigned names. Eryk couldn't bother caring that much for his other higher-ups, A, B, C and D.

As the moon cast a gleam over the town, the few stars shone in the direction of Mount Aria.

***

In the cold morning, Morio, Jyuzou and Jeffy woke up with the sun shining through the windows and onto their faces. As for Morio's encounter, to make a long story short, no one believed him. Sure, he did step outside, which was a part all three could easily recall, but even Jeffy, who in contrast to Jyuzou wasn't as mean all the time, told the other Morian that he could've mixed a few things up with a dream he had.

Morio didn't speak much about it afterwards, but hummed the song he heard back then all the time, which Jyuzou obviously shunned him for.

After a modest breakfast, the two were split. Jyuzou proposed searching for the big junis, and Morio wanted to train, for obvious reasons. To combat their argument, Jeffy stated that they should do both, and that's how they set out through the frozen streams, and quickly left Magna, heading to the Bore Forest.

Three large forests surrounded Magna. From the side of the lake, there were the Birching Trees. Closer to the Whiteburn and Lockum Mountains stood the Tukman Woods, and towards the Aria River, there was the Bore Forest, with many rivers flowing out to the bigger body of water, and a small, snowy shore.

They strolled for about two hours, and Jeffy finally stopped, spotting a similar tree.

"Okie dokie! We're here!" Jeffy announced turning to the two.

Jyuzou furrowed his eyebrows and squinted his eyes. "What happened to that white willow?" he pointed. "It's almost stripped off its bark."

"I use it to train those darn swings! I'm still not sure if I'm too good with any of the weapons... shuckle seeds, doesn't hurt to try!" he looked up.

"Alright, Jeffy!" Morio raised his fist. "That's the spirit! Let's train until the sun sets!

"That gives you about six hours," Jyuzou muttered.

"Until we faint!" Morio continued.

"Uh oh, bad idea! What if we're too tired for tomorrow?" Jeffy scratched the back of his head.

"I can't imagine you learning too much in just a day." Jyuzou folded his arms.

"There you go being a negative Nancy once again!"

"Foolish Felicia."

"HUH?!" Morio yelled out.

"That's okay." Jeffy nodded. "I believe every little thing matters too." he picked up a Shato seed and sighed. "Then, how about staying here for a few hours, heading back for food, then leaving when it's close to midnight?" he kept nodding.

"Mentioning that, what happens during those hours?" Morio asked, taking Victis out of its sheath. "I heard someone mentioning it yesterday."

"Shuckle seeds." Jeffy put his hands together. "I don't know if I can talk about this so casually, darn it."

"We're far enough." Jyuzou walked around, looking at the treetops.

"Um, okay." Jeffy put his hands behind him. "Cool, um. The leader of the town walks around for an hour, and wants not a single boy, girl or Tributal to interrupt him! It is only a rumour, but they say that the people who break this rule get sent to the basements of his castle! Crackers, I don't even want to know what hides there!"

"Huh." Morio swung his sword but stopped near the tree. "Is that Eryk guy that much of a wuss?"

"He's cool, I think." Jeffy beamed. "I want to be a leader one day too."

"What strange culture." Jyuzou marched back to the two, and Morio's eyes lit up at the word. "Victoria always told me that he's e-egotistical. Seems like everyone in Shimori knows. But, I doubt that other part, as much as I doubt Morio's story about those witches."

"Glassy idiot! I told you it's real so believe me!" Morio pointed. "You'd be mesmerised if you saw it too!"

"Witches aren't real. Tell me, do you also believe in dragons?" Jyuzou crossed his arms.

"Duh!" Morio looked offended.

"G-Grow up." he fixed his glasses. "This isn't one of Rodeway's fantasy books. What if you end up sleeping through most of the exam and imagining that you passed?"

"That's a darn strange comparison." Jeffy raised a finger.

"Jyuzou. Go and search for your stupid plants like you said you would!" Morio shouted.

"I didn't plan to look at you beat that harmless tree anyway," Jyuzou uttered, walking away. "Poor white willow."

"Stupid Jyuzou," Morio muttered, holding the sword in both hands.

"Is he that strong?" Jeffy raised his voice. "I mean, he doesn't want to train."

"He's not even participating in the Demonear test like the two strong men we are!" Morio chuckled, lowering his voice. "Besides, he'd probably say something about working on his brain power instead. Stupid Jyuzou," he repeated.

"Crackers, am I good enough, then?" Jeffy shook his head, and Morio looked at him. "I know I don't need to be strong to be impressive, people always have some darn talent for some darn thing, but I want to be a Demonear after all! Mhm." he readied a thick wooden stick, ready to swing.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Jeffy!" Morio furrowed his brows.

"Yeah!" All of us need to be as thick as bark! I want my Mama to be proud of me. I want to be tough to protect her!"

Morio opened his mouth, and his eyes reflected the dull sunlight.

"I want to become a Demonear to be cool, and strong!" Jeffy continued.

A slight smile appeared on Morio's face. "I want to impress Mama too."

"Then, it's on!" Jeffy raised his voice. "Swing, Morio, swing!"

"Juni, juni, juni," Jyuzou whispered, looking around and stepping through bushes splattered near the stream of water. They grew denser with each step, and he couldn't look out to the crowns of the trees.

After struggling through its many leaves, Jyuzou plunged onto the ground in the front, spotting a snowy shore, with calm water, and a clear, open sky, splitting from the grey clouds extending forth. He stood up, spotting a boat.

"Guys?" Jyuzou yelled out to the two. "Come here for a second!"

Then, footsteps could be heard, as the two grew closer, and stepped down from a small rock.

"Isn't that-" Jyuzou pointed.

"The Aria River!" Morio ran forward, stepping into the shallow water. "Woow! Wow!"

"Come on, it's nothing to awe at, darn it! I'm here once a week!" Jeffy mentioned.

"Really?" Jyuzou looked at him.

"Mhm! I always help my parents with some of the travellers coming over to Magna, and usually, there'd be more boats than one, but they set out to Lignoria!" he explained, walking over to the rope to which the boat was tied. "I ain't telling you how to untie them! You might steal and set out if I'm not careful!"

"Set out?" Jyuzou asked. "You think Morio and I are strong enough to make it to Lignoria?" he giggled, and Morio turned, angrily.

"There must be something else on the way, then!" Morio looked at a small map. "It's blank, never mind." he looked confused.

"Well, my parents said they saw something," Jeffy muttered. "All foggy and grey, seen a few dozen times on their way towards Lignoria, but I think it might just be some darn small island near the Mainland!"

Jyuzou put his hand on his chin, thinking.

"Then maybe, I should be the one exploring these lands one day!" Morio pointed to himself. "Right after I become a Demonear!"

Jyuzou fixed his glasses, turning to the side. "What if it's dangerous? This isn't Shimori." he waved his hand in the direction of the Aria River.

"I'll have a weapon to protect me, Jyuzou. After all, it'll be a sign of my strength, my hard work!" Morio replied. "Nothing will change in my life if I stay in one place." he smiled.

"R-Right." Jyuzou stepped back. "Do as you wish."

"Okay, Morio...!" Jeffy raised his voice. "Let's not waste time!"

"That's the spirit! Jyuzou, you could learn a thing or two!" Morio yelled out, and the two quickly disappeared between the snowy trees, while the other Morian stood still, thinking. He fixed his glasses and took out the two books, ready to work again.

In the meantime, Jeffy and Morio continued their training, crashing their weapons against the tree's light brown bark. Jyuzou wandered around the place, finding Shato and Bullion seeds, a few Callothia flowers of both variants and one Stem flower. When they went back to Magna for food and then back again to the Bore, the glassy Morian played around with the boat's rope and found a way to untie it, but quickly sealed it back together, pretending nothing happened.

Earlier that day, Atomu left Ella's apartment, and headed out towards Homieo, reserving a small room for the night in advance, dropping off his bag and all the other stuff he had. Then, he went over a few bridges, reaching Handulia, in the search for Chyuuichi, who showed no signs of life.

He wandered around the main street, seldom looking at the stalls selling food. He doubted the authenticity of the snacks made by a Morian, which were a very well-known treat in all of Lignoria, and a small meal after lunch.

It consisted of a ball of polme, which was, as the name suggested, a ball of rice, coated in sweet tree sap with cream on top. The sap dropped only in the middle of Gorro and was collected for the next two seasons for Paladians to enjoy.

He desperately wanted to try the food, but refused, spotting the coating's strange texture. When he walked away, he heard a sound of visible disgust and nodded to himself in confidence. He marched down a tilt, passing by a few gambling halls, and looking inside.

Suddenly, the door swung open to the one on the left, and Chyuuichi appeared, yelling in joy.

"My, where were you?!" Atomu raised his voice.

"Jackpot." Chyuuichi raised a finger. "Jackpot!"

"Is there a casino named Jackpot? Don't tell me that-"

Chyuuichi flared a big bag full of Silver. "Two thousand Silver in one night. Beat that, Atam, yo!" he struck a 'cool' pose.

"How...?" Atomu looked scared, yet intrigued. Chyuuichi signalled for them to continue their stroll through Handulia, and out towards the brick buildings.

"Very simple." Chyuuichi put his hands in his pockets. "Have you ever heard of-" he squinted his eyes. "Sisi?"

"You mean Sizi?" Atomu continued.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's a game about luck, and it seems that the hands of life have given everything they had to me!" Chyuuichi clenched his fists. "They love me!" he turned to Atomu.

"Uhhh, Sizi's not about luck, but persuasiveness. You convince your enemy and bet on things that'd make you win, even if all of your cards or dice rolls suck." Atomu scratched his head. "Paladians play it all the time, not my type of game, but-"

"To tell you the truth, I forgot the rules halfway through. No clue what you're saying!" Chyuuichi stuck his tongue out, scratching his head and Atomu gasped. "...and I lied about everything! I just did what the other guy tried! He kept yelling, so I screamed too. He flexed his muscles, ready to beat me up and even break my bones-"