"I still think my idea's better!" Chyuuichi added as the others followed suit.

The three squeezed through a long gap between the bar and the nearby stone structure.

Rowan's finger immediately instructed Atomu and Chyuuichi to keep quiet. They wagged it twice before sticking their head out further and breathing in deeply.

"Hey, Atomu," Chyuuichi whispered, tapping his shoulder.

"Huh?" Atomu raised an eyebrow.

"If we find the other Demonears, they should join us in the demon's demise!" his eyes shone.

"I'd say yes if it concerned clearing up our mistakes," Atomu added.

"It's about that too, then!" Chyuuichi raised his voice.

"Quiet, fools," Rowan spoke through their teeth, squinting their eyes.

Chyuuichi waved his hand. "Jeffi, Jyuso, Zumu, Ambroa!"

Rowan's body made a strange movement. The two glanced at them for a moment, before continuing.

"...and, um! Morin!" Chyuuichi raised a finger. "But man, I don't know if he's here," he scratched somewhere around his hair.

"W-What do you mean?" Atomu asked, shaking his head.

"I saw him running to the port last night when all the other demons carried me away!" Chyuuichi answered. "Probably went to get help, though."

Atomu looked down, pinching himself, and then putting that hand on his nose's bridge.

"Ya reckon it was something else?" The Mirillian asked.

Rowan let out a sigh before stepping out and leaving the two standing in the alley. A cloth that hung off a thin line fell from above and landed in a small puddle of melted snow.

"I don't think so, C-Chyuuichi." Atomu continued. I meant to tell the others, but then everything came crashing down."

"What happened?" Chyuuichi stared into Atomu's eyes. "Atam?"

Atomu played with his hair.

"Why is everyone around me so much better? Why can't I be just like them? Why can't I help others, and why do they have to help me?" Morio cried out. "It's a loop that I can't escape! Nothing will change if I don't..." he ground his teeth. "If I won't just leave."

"Morio left." Atomu gulped. "To... change."

"Change? I thought he was perfectly cool the way he is!" Chyuuichi added.

"I said so too, but there's nothing that we can do. We're not to control his life, are we?" Atomu continued, with an unsure smile.

"Hmm."

"I hope he's not all by himself there. Wherever he went." Atomu added.

"If Morin becomes some serious goody-two-shoes, then I'm not gonna be his friend!" Chyuuichi pouted, crossing his arms.

"Sorry?"

"That's right," Chyuuichi said. "I befriended Morin, not just a normal Morian!" he smirked. "If he were like all those people near the lake, without an inch of a sense of humour, he wouldn't be special to me!"

"Well, we're not that special, are we?" Atomu asked, rolling his eyes.

"Are ya kidding me?! Why do ya think we're Demonears in the first place?!" Chyuuichi yelled out. "It's exactly what makes us special!"

"Just the fact that we survived-"

"Nuh-uh!" Chyuuichi shook his head. "We didn't just survive, we won against all odds!"

"You're t-talking a lot for someone who slept through the entire thing!" Atomu furrowed his eyebrows.

Chyuuichi raised a finger. "A demon would surely hack at a sleeping target! That special power saved me back then! Hell, I have no clue how to use my Guardian Demon, and I still managed to win a brawl or two!"

Atomu squinted his eyes and pursed his lips.

"Don't deny it. We're amazing because we're here!" Chyuuichi tried to fist-bump him, but Atomu didn't quite catch his train of thought. "...and by extension, yer special too, eh, Rowan?" he closed his eyes, feeling a bit cool. "Where is Rowan?"

A scream sounded in the distance, much resembling the one that echoed when his hand landed on the Tributal's shoulder.

Atomu ran out of the street, and the Mirillian followed.

Rowan motioned in anger. Their body swung back and forth, with one leg trapped in the grasp of a massive demon's hand.

"Oh my!" Atomu yelled out, and his grasp tightened, while Chyuuichi stared up, shocked.

"Leave me be!" Rowan started punching the demon's fingers, but didn't accomplish anything, much to no one's surprise. It slowly turned its head before spotting Atomu and Chyuuichi, immediately heading towards them.

Atomu screamed out, and Chyuuichi ran right after, trying to analyse what to do.

"DON'T RUN! HELP ME!" They yelled before spotting their burning arrow stuck deep inside the demon's other arm. They furrowed their eyebrows in determination, trying to reach out, before finally making contact, as the fire on its end lit anew, flying back to their hand.

Atomu and Chyuuichi jumped to left and right as the demon stopped in front of a building, tripping and falling forth.

"Rowan!" Atomu screamed out.

Rowan drew their bow again, and the arrow pierced through its eye, leaving a line of fire, which spread onto its head. They jumped and stuck their hand out, and the bolt fluttered back into their grasp. They breathed out, and the demon collapsed in a growl, smashing through the structure.

"Is it dead?" Atomu asked, running up to Rowan, who, with their hand, signalled him to stay back.

"It had a weak spot. Demons don't have weak spots." Rowan explained.

"Then..." Chyuuichi wanted to say something.

"Yes, it was a Dark Deformity. However, I don't think its host was an animal. I don't know what creature would resemble a fat, massive and grey lump of flesh. I barely saw its face in the first place."

"I wanted to say that it was a very big goblin." Chyuuichi put his hand down.

"I don't think goblins have weak spots either," Atomu muttered.

"They do! Take away their shinies and they'll cry! Or get very angry! Probably the latter!"

Atomu put his hand on his forehead, stressed.

The Tributal inched closer, staring at the creature's body, trying to make out something off its ripped flesh, which was now pulsing. Rowan's eyes shrank as they jumped, spinning midair and landing on both feet. The flesh exploded, much like the stray lights sent into the air in Malikan.

"Something's moving on the inside!" Rowan announced, as the arrow's tip grew shaky. More empty explosions, and then, sharp, red claws started ripping through its body. Nine two-meter demons stared straight into the eyes of the Demonears.

Atomu gulped, and Chyuuichi looked concerned.

A low-pitched chuckle could be heard as a rather big silhouette moved right past the wooden extensions and into the few stairs leading down into the bar. However, the three skimmed over the fact, instead focusing on the enemies in the front.

"Paladian, Mirillian," Rowan spoke through their teeth, sticking their hand out. "Do something useful this time." They let go of the arrow, and it travelled with a trail of flame, piercing through one's head, with ember spreading to the hollow blanket of flesh, burning it to a crisp.

The other demons jumped away and headed for the Demonears.

Atomu's eyes gleamed as he clenched the grip tighter than ever before. He breathed in, trying to remain calm and steady. Chyuuichi took his weapon out from beneath a sheath-like opening in his upper garments and ground his teeth.

"Fight!" Rowan yelled out, and the three ran forward, into the heat of the battle.

One demon screamed, sending Rowan flying elsewhere, flipping, and then landing on the red roofs. Two headed in their direction, climbing up. The Tributal shot out an arrow; however, missing, they jumped into the air, and it flew back into the bow's string. Its flames scattered around the ground and connected to one demon, consuming its body with embers.

Another climbed up, while Rowan's hand landed on the building's gutter. The demon looked down, reaching its hand out towards them, and with one more growl, the support bent in half, as Rowan almost fell into the waters. They bit their lip, anxious, but managed to swing and catch a loose brick, propelling further up the wall, and onto the roof.

They stood headfirst against the demon and gripped the arrow's shaft, creating a burning sensation in their fingers. "Come on, bastard. Don't make me use it," they muttered, and the demon growled once more, causing Rowan's feet to sink into the bricks below, trapping them.

It hopped, opening its disgusting mouth and revealing its sharp fangs. Rowan put the arrow up, and it essentially keeled itself when landing. They fell, rolling out through the broken window, before heading towards the other entrance to the Midcity Bar.

Atomu swung his blade, almost cutting through, yet dealing no damage. Three creatures came from the side, but soon enough, they avoided each heavy swing that cost him more and more stamina. Eventually, he ducked, with his first thought being one of climbing out, but much to his surprise, he stuck his sword into the ground and pushed, before letting go.

One demon leapt but was flung into the air by a wave of dirt which flew from beneath the ground. Atomu was shocked. He tried to reach out for the sword, but when his finger touched the grip, the two other demons growled simultaneously, causing the weapon to pierce through the ground in a straight line.

Atomu shook his head, trying to get rid of the hair covering his eyes.

"I'll help!"

"Chyuuichi!" Atomu stuck his hand out. The wave appeared once more, this time, much bigger, sending the Mirillian flying into the air, as he ran along the line. "CHYUUICHI!"

"Woah! Whoa!" Chyuuichi pushed his body into his scythe's grip and spun midair multiple times, creating a light-blue circle of snow and ice, slowing his descent.

Atomu backed out, staring up. Three different devils climbed onto the higher rooftops and jumped at Chyuuichi, slowed by his elemental attacks, and then completely frozen, plummeting downwards and crushing into small, frozen pieces.

"Chyu-" Atomu muttered, before running towards Chyuuichi, dropping his weapon and springing forward, catching his body.

"That was something else!" Chyuuichi landed in Atomu's arms, raising his arms in excitement.

"S-Surely," Atomu muttered, before turning to gurgling sounds. Soon enough, he spotted two more demons, who started running towards Knrhum's Blade. With angered brows, the Paladian stood up, racing for the same prize.

At the penultimate moment, he snatched it away, slicing through the first one and immediately turning it towards the other demon, before a noise sounded.

Suddenly, the stone wall of the nearby structure exploded, sending many bricks flying through the empty street and towards the other buildings.

Atomu waved his hand, trying to make something out of the dust which appeared, and then stood up, coughing. His eyes widened as the chained, massive goblin from earlier stood on both feet, dragging his fists through the cobble.

He immediately ran back to Chyuuichi, and although it was slower at first, it moved in leaps, quickly catching up.

"Run!" he bellowed, with squinted eyes. Rowan stared from above, breathing in.

The Mirillian opened his mouth before realising something.

"Chyuuichi!" Atomu screamed, but the other stood still, sticking his tongue out and searching for something in his pocket. Atomu jumped, landing on the ground hands-first, and the flute he borrowed earlier was now in his mouth, making some noise.

The goblin stopped, looking down at the Demonear, hearing the mellow melody. Atomu breathed heavily, then turned around, panicked.

Chyuuichi raised one unsure leg, trying to focus on the melody, accented by his furrowed brows. The goblin waited, making a few strange noises before a smile made out of its sharp fangs appeared. Eventually, it tumbled, asleep.

"Phew!" Chyuuichi rubbed the sweat off his forehead.

"You knew that?!" Atomu pointed. "You knew that goblins are immobilised by the sounds of a flute, one which you just stole from me, and didn't bother to tell us?!"

"I thought that playing the flute would be the best thing to do before my life ends in a flash." Chyuuichi chuckled.

"Chyuuichi!" Atomu banged his fist on the ground.

"Come on, you two!" Rowan ran back, forcing them to stand up.

***

"Help!" Eryk screamed out. "Somebody help!"

"Quiet, Nuil!" Tabus appeared in front of him. "Did Bunmo summon that thing already?!" he turned to Leopold, who kept circling the area, clearly thinking about something.

"I don't want to die! I'm not done with the books I wanted Lamon to read me!" his eyes were much like a small lamb's. "You... dare to put your hands on someone that might or might not be in the Errarion Entrophy!"

 Tabus ground his teeth, and Eryk breathed out, frowning.

"Someone help! I don't wanna die!"

Tabus tightened the grip even further, almost choking Eryk.

"Everyone else sits quietly, except for you," Tabus uttered. "Damned king."

Eryk sobbed.

"Everyone else, huh?" Elton said, and Leopold immediately turned towards the source of the noise.

The Paladian stared at the door, bordering the counter, hidden beneath a few knocked-over barrels.

"Now that you're breaking the rules, everyone other than you!" Tabus pointed his pike.

Elton smiled. "Your fat demon friend can't fit through doorways, right?"

"What are you talking about?" Tabus seemed confused.

"Nothing..." Elton shook his head, chuckling, as Tabus raised a brow.

"Is Lisbeth back?" He turned to Leopold, who shrugged. The demon in question moved forward, before the said door flung open, with a silhouette and a light shining from behind, standing in the doorframe.

Atomu took a step further, moving the Knrhum's Blade into his hands. He furrowed his eyebrows, and the two demons moved back, shocked. Tabus grinned, tightening his grip around the pike.

The Paladian's eyes didn't seem to focus on them. Something else appeared out of a misty shadow, before transforming into a figure he knew so well.

"I figured you'd push through," Lisbeth muttered, and Leopold turned. "Round two, Paladian?"