"Mama! Mum, mum!" Morio stormed in, flinging the door open, breathing out.
He turned, spotting Gloria on one of the swinging, wooden chairs, gazing at the fireplace lighting up the room. A sword rested on a shelf above the fire.
"Morio?" She put her legs on the red carpet before turning. "I thought you were going to sleep near the fire," she stood up and walked towards him, crouching, then brushing through his white, soft hair. She felt some of the snow hidden through the strands, now moving between her fingertips, prompting a smile.
Soon, she closed the green door and waddled over to the small kitchen, brewing something atop a triangular pot.
"I'll make you some tea, and after you've finished drinking, head upstairs to bed. I'll tuck you in."
"I don't wanna go to bed...!" Morio shouted, clenching both fists.
"Why's that, then?" she continued, lighting up a match, putting its lit end against the metal circle beneath a wooden cup. The fire reflected in her blue eyes, and eventually, she blew it out.
"I-I..." Morio breathed in. "I had this bad dream."
"So a nightmare?" she asked, as she helped Morio take off his jacket and brown vest.
"...that a demon attacked our house and burnt it to a crisp!" Morio uttered.
"Really?" she raised both eyebrows.
He nodded. "So I came back, making sure everything's alright, Mama. If someone were to attack you, I'd fight them!" he announced, as Gloria brought the cup to a table, moved the chair and added more logs to the fire.
"You sure would, Morio."
Morio jumped up to his seat. He took a sip before making a sour face.
"I forgot about the snow sugar!" Gloria turned, making her way to a shelf. She opened a small box and threw two small white triangles into the brew.
Morio stirred it around, as Gloria looked out the window.
"You're saying you'd protect me, and yet, you can't add sugar to tea by yourself," she giggled.
"You know I'm too short for the shelf!"
"Well, you did manage to push the chair over and get the sword out of its sheath on the wall..." She folded her arms. "...and get those sweet seeds I told you we would eat at the next ceremony."
Morio rolled his eyes, sighing ostentatiously.
Gloria snickered. "You're still a kid, Morio," she explained, putting both hands on his forearms and crouching. "For now, let me do the fighting, okay?"
Morio moved back, breathing out, a bit annoyed.
"I'm gonna," Morio muttered.
"What was that?"
"I'm gonna train," Morio announced, scratching his head. "So I can be strong and tall, to get that sugar by myself!"
"Just for all that...?" She shook her head.
"No, Mama! I don't think I have to say it again and again, right?" he pointed to the sword before a sly smile appeared. "I'm gonna become a Demonear just like you!"
"I can tell you have it in you, Morio," she added, sitting on the opposite side of the table."At such a young age, though?"
"Of course, Mama!" Morio raised his voice, smiling, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I can't waste a single year. In the next five, I'll already be sailing and fighting against the waves with my crew!"
"It's a world full of dangers."
"I'll conquer them all!" Morio smacked the table, sticking his tongue out. "I'll start by becoming Mistwick's guardian!"
"Mistwick's safe, no matter how you look at it. You're right about everything else, though. I think if we ever were to travel somewhere, we'd need twice the power," she winked. "Don't count on Victoria for that."
"Yeah!" Morio jumped out of his chair. "I'll be in the back, fighting off demons, while you'll be swinging your sword like crazy! We'll be like... like..!"
"Oliver and Norbert?" Gloria continued. "At the end of the Second War?"
"You know that story too?!"
"I read it to you a few days ago, dummy," she grinned.
"Ah." Morio made a noise. "Mama, is it really okay?"
"Was I ever against it?" she asked, standing up and treading over to the fireplace.
"I m-mean... You always frown a bit when I mention it." Morio picked the cup up, and Gloria stopped for a second before turning.
"I guess so," she answered, closing both eyes and beaming. "Not because I'm unsure whether you manage to push through or not, but you do seem eager to leave the safety of home as soon as you get the chance."
Morio gulped.
"I'm so proud that it makes me a little sad," she added. "That's what I meant."
"Th-then." Morio jumped off the chair. "I'll make sure that you'll be even prouder that a smile will appear in place of that frown!" he pointed. "I promise, Mama! I'll become the greatest Demonear there is!"
"Sure you will, Morio," she nodded.
Morio opened his mouth, excitedly, before it turned into a yawn. "I'll ask Mr Bancho to help me get started with everything!"
"I think you'll learn everything about Demonears if you're just one of them, Morio. Stories can't portray these certain feelings," She closed her eyes as Morio walked up a few steps, holding onto the blanket.
"Pinky promise," Morio laughed.
"You read about that in the Paladin, didn't you?"
"I'm almost done with the first chapter!" he added.
"No bedtime reading today, though, Morio," she continued. "Sleep well,"
Morio sighed before such turned into a small beam. He nodded before jolting upstairs and landing in his bed. His eyes met the ceiling, and when he closed them, he swore he could see the night lights shining through the thick woods and painting a new landscape for his dreams.
The maps and other papers on the wall found themselves sharing that particular gleam.
Gloria put the empty cup into a bowl filled with water, before glancing at the sword, with a wooden bar from below firmly gripping its end. She frowned before blowing the candle out.
***
Mistwick has changed ever since that fateful night.
The rest of the same night became perfectly quiet. Morio didn't wail much longer, since he didn't have the tears to spare. Bancho could've repeated how sorry he was, that he wasn't any faster, but it wouldn't mean anything. He soon took the woman's scarred body into the hamlets, signalling for the few who were louder to save what can be saved.
Then, afterwards, again, it was solemn stares and not even whispers when he trudged through. Jyuzou fixed his glasses, opening his mouth, and Bancho only passed by, walking into the forests. That prompted Victoria to jolt for Per Frisk, without yelling Morio's name.
...and as for the old man, perhaps he was trying to find any plants or seeds which would mend her wounds. He disappeared for days and only returned with silent, unfortunate news. When burns faded over time, there was no telling whether she'd wake up the next day, next week, or even the next season.
Therefore, rumours spread around town, moving like the fire that reduced the hut to a mere memory.
Again, silence. The usual lively town centre was hushed, and all that morians once did daily was turned into uncertainty. What would happen next, then?
Was Mistwick not safe anymore?
Over time, however, things went back to how they were, despite the obvious shift in the air.
Maybe it was the sun that didn't shine bright enough? Maybe it was the animals who so hesitantly listened to commands? Or this... general feeling of uneasiness, knowing that a demon might attack at any given moment, just like it struck Morio's mother.
***
While the first three mornings felt long, the time that followed passed by like a bird soaring over the Brown Mountains.
The seasons changed from Yule to Herbes, and the colours turned purple. Gorro followed shortly after, and the morians went out for their annual day-long hunt when the sun met the moon at its highest point. The violets and dark greens transformed into khaki with the arrival of Dear, and snow started falling as the season shifted back to Yule once again.
Throughout the year, Bancho would set out on long trips, even lasting a third of a season. Victoria eventually spoke with the mentioned townsman, and Morio found himself living under the same roof as Jyuzou.
As for the white-haired morian, each week, he'd visit his mother in one of the hamlets, up a hill and near Mount Aria.
He'd pray to Shin, hoping that one day, she might wake up. He touched her cold hands, believing that she'd open her blue eyes again and tell him that everything would be alright.
Morians kept giving him the same look as if they thought it wasn't right of Morio to hope, waiting for him to accept reality for the cruel mistress it was.
Yet, the young child was stubborn. One could even say that the accumulation of everything was yet another reason for him to strive and become what he swore to be.
After all, the Demonear exam loomed over the edge. Its Shimori variant was held every six years, near the end of Yule, in the town of Magna. It featured a series of unique challenges, proving whether one was strong enough to become someone who could slay demons.
Morio wanted to become a Demonear. The best there was.
Nothing would stand in front of him and his dreams.
***
Year 476 A.F.W, 78th of Yule, Mistwick, Shimori.
On a cloudy day, when snow fell bitterly from the sky, a commotion could be heard outside the hamlets.
It didn't take long for the people to peek their heads out. Some stormed out of those few, tent-like huts and discussed in whispers, turning to the few conifers standing by a hill, with one that had an empty, hacked-out spot in the middle. When the pumped-out smoke from the chimneys swayed to the side, there they were, training, as per usual.
Morio's sword struck the wooden bat Jyuzou held as he gritted his teeth in fear. The white-haired yelled, swinging at the bat's midsection, forcing it to snap.
"M-Morio!" Jyuzou screamed, and Morio pushed him to the ground, pointing the dull weapon against his scared face. He breathed out, and as the morian opened one eye, Morio smiled.
"I won again," The boy announced, brushing off the sweat from his forehead. "Better luck next time, Jyuzou!"
"How can you say that when you're not even giving me a ch-chance?" Jyuzou shook his head, standing up. "...and you're using a stone sword against a wooden stick!"
"It's not the weapon you use, but the way you swing it!" Morio turned around, wagging his finger.
"The way you forge it." Jyuzou corrected him, fixing his glasses.
"The way you forge it...? The nearest forgery is in Magna, though!" Morio took out the map of Shimori, furrowing his zigzaggy eyebrows. "Here, precisely! Kyrkogarde has this one paladian Mr Bancho talked about!"
Jyuzou scoured around the snow before finding one half of the broken bat. With a sly smile, he raised one leg and extended his arm, swinging at the other.
Morio coughed out, with some pain from the strike.
"Jyuzou, bastard!" Morio flopped onto the snow, pushing his hand into a drift and clearing his throat.
As Jyuzou giggled triumphantly, Morio grabbed his leg, dragging him back into the battle.
The two got into yet another small brawl. They rolled down the snowy hill, passing by the few bigger houses, standing on wooden supports with stairs leading up to their orange-coated insides, before hitting a revealed patch of grass and moving further along the road, powered by sheer spirit.
Morio and Jyuzou tumbled through thicker snowdrifts, where the steep hill forced a few of the adjacent trees to grow perpendicularly to everything else in the village, and soon there they were, almost falling into the river going through the town.
Almost, as in, something stopped their continuous brawl.
"STOP!" Jyuzou screamed out, leaping to the side. He pushed Morio away, and the other spun around, before standing still, held by his palm. "You almost stepped on the flowers again!"
"Me?" Morio asked. "You'd be responsible too!" he tried wiggling out of his grasp.
"T-Tomfoolery, Morio! I would always notice a flower's delicate c-crown!" Jyuzou shook his head. "It's all your stupidity!"
"C-crown," he repeated his stutter, mocking him.
"Shut it!" Jyuzou pointed, putting one hand on a small notebook in a bigger pocket of his pants and strutting towards the said plant.
Morio breathed out, grabbed the sword that lay next to his feet, and looked at its stone finish. Jyuzou crouched, taking out yet another book, smiling as he scribbled something down.
"It's the same flower as last Yule. What are you writing down this time?" Morio asked.
Jyuzou raised his voice. "If you weren't so i-ignorant, you'd know that there are two variants of Callothia flowers! One which grows under the piny leaves, and one which b-bask in the sun!" he smirked, taking a seed out of the red crown. "This is the sunny one, to be precise," he pointed up as if Morio didn't know that there was no tree above them.
Most of the riverside here was barren. Spare for a few bushes here and there, the only thing Morio could focus on was the few morians on the other side, chucking seeds into the stream, while others threw their long, specifically crafted for this occasion, spears to catch the few fish flying by.
"Unlike the one you almost ruined last Yule, it has a tasty, sweet seed at its top," he wrote something down in his journal, looking back at the other book.
It took him a few moments to connect the dots from one another before sighing.
"I'm dumb."
Morio put the sword into a sheath he sewed onto his pants. "Figured that out just today?" he crouched, picking up the said seed and stuffing it inside his mouth,
"These are Stem flowers. One of the two that grow in Shimori's Yule," he put one book down. "They're similar to the second variant of Callothia, but their leaves have these little spikes, and their seeds, in comparison, are poisonous. They're used for curing the flu," he sighed. "Almost shouted eureka there..."
Morio spat something out, jumping mouth-first into a clear pile of snow.
"What an awful mistake!" He put the book over his head, frowning. "Where's the seed...? You didn't eat it, did you?"
Morio shook his head; his cheeks were full as if he were a Lignorian squirrel. He swallowed the snow and smiled awkwardly.
"No more distractions, then. I need to work so something like this doesn't happen again!" he added, before walking off. He stopped for a moment as his eyes widened. "W-We will settle this tomorrow."
"Eh?" Morio tilted his head. "First time I've seen you be the one declaring a rematch. Fine by my rules!"
Jyuzou breathed out. "It's not that. You're l-leaving soon, aren't you?"
Morio blinked, turning to the bush he just stood in front of, before glancing back at Jyuzou.
"It's for my p-pride as a morian. You're not going to Magna until I win!"
"Then you'll have to keep chasing me until the ends of Errarion!" Morio raised his sword triumphantly.
"I never said I wanted to be a D-Demonear," Jyuzou answered. "Idiot."
"I know, I know." Morio nodded. "I'll be fine, though, don't worry," he added. "I'm not scared of anything, at least, not anymore," he admitted, looking into Jyuzou's eyes, squinting, trying to make them out from beneath his shining glasses.
What he met was with a rather frustrated expression. It didn't speak of sadness, but Morio could never really read the other morian.
Jyuzou shook his head before his eyes found themselves glued to the hill they had just rolled off.
Cheers could be heard around town, followed by a horse's footsteps, stepping around the shallow snow. They were heavy but fast.
"What's with that commotion?" Morio asked, sticking the sword back into its sheath.
"D-Didn't Mr Bancho say that he wouldn't make it for this Shin Ceremony?" Jyuzou quickly asked.
"Yeah." Morio nodded. "Wait. Really? REALLY?!" he gasped, as both shocked expressions met each other, at the very same moment.
The two jolted up the wooden stairs leading back to town and moved past the fortress-like houses. Glimpsing at the other huts, resting on a hill, there he was, on his jet-black horse, raising a hand which greeted all the people, either clapping or raising their voices.
Morio ran to the side, pushing through the people despite Jyuzou's warnings, and the horse eventually stopped, with the figure atop turning.
The young morian breathed in and out before looking up. "...and here I thought you weren't going to make it!"
"There was a small change in the plan," Bancho announced, taking off the hood from his cloak. "I thought it'd be too much of a waste to miss the last ceremony of this year's Yule," he smiled, as Morio grinned.
"Mr Bancho!" The morian raised his voice before almost jumping on the horse's side.
Jyuzou stared from afar, a bit shocked and a little jealous as well. He cleared his throat before bumping into Victoria, who also waved in the man's direction.
"Where have you been?!" Morio asked, his hand reaching out towards the strands of Pearl's silky hair.
Pearl was the name of Bancho's trusty horse, spanning ventures from a short trip to Wendigo or a long-distance journey to the dark forests of Orawood. Despite its dark fur, she was named after one of the brightest crystals, as Bancho believed that everyone and everything could shine.
She was a calm mare, and the younger often played around with her tail, sat on her back or kindly asked (yelled out) to take them to their house. She seemed to enjoy their company as well.
"All around Shimori. I didn't leave its premises." Bancho replied.
"What for?"
"Business," he added. "...and searching for answers, as per usual."
"But seventy days? I thought you weren't going to come back!" Morio continued, glancing back, as they rode through town, amongst the cheers of many other morians.
They moved past the mentioned hamlet, a few of the frozen fields for the season, a bigger structure atop a mountain stretching towards the Camp Forest, and yet again, past the river.
"You start losing track of time as you age, Morio. This year, especially concerning everything, must've been a slog. For me, though? A blink of an eye, I'd say," he answered, gazing forward. "That won't change the fact that I always keep my promises, though. Either way, you guys seemed to have lived on well without my presence."
"Are you kidding?" Morio raised his voice. "Mistwick isn't the same without you!"
"Really?" he chuckled.
"I mean it, Mr Bancho!" Morio said. "Feels like there's not a person to talk to sometimes!"
"Jyuzou, Mrs Victoria?"
"I can't train with them, though." Morio continued. "Jyuzou's a sly yuk after all!"
"Boy, oh boy," Bancho said, before turning to the stone sword hidden in Morio's sheath, and then to his smile.
Something spoke to the old morian. Despite the wounds and the weight of everything that happened a whole year ago, Morio seemed to smile the same way he did back then.
Bancho, too, beamed, brushing through his beard, which had grown a bit longer since last year.
***
"Well, we're here," Bancho said, jumping off the horse and standing in the doorway to his tree house. "You don't mind giving me a little break, do you? I have to get ready in a few hours."
Morio nodded, leaping onto the snow. "I wish I could spend more time with you, though!"
"I'm not planning on going anywhere."
"Did you forget, Mr Bancho?" Morio asked, a bit worried. "I set out for the Demonear exam next week!
Bancho's eyes widened as he stared at the door, squinting his eyes. "How could I have forgotten?" he rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry, Morio."
Morio frowned, nodding again.
"No time to cry over spilt glaska. Let's make it big tonight, then."
Morio suddenly lit up. "You mean, the ceremony?"
Bancho nodded. "Learned a new song from an old friend. Quite the heartthrob!"
Morio opened his mouth and raised his eyebrows, jumping up.
Bancho turned the triangular doorknob and stepped inside, closing it. He waited for a few seconds, peeking out the window, seeing as Morio ran through the snow, fell over a few times, and continued his stroll, albeit a bit slower.
Then, he thought about all of it again.
Ever since Gloria fell into a coma, it's been harder to make Morio smile. He was sure that his young and brave heart hadn't given up, but inside, within a few reasonable doubts, Morio was just a child. How much of that could've been attributed to his young age? And... was he trying to push away any of those other feelings?
He walked up the stairs, giving up halfway through and sitting down, burying himself in the thick cloak. He breathed out before almost falling asleep.
Meanwhile, Morio hopped around town, making his way back towards Victoria's hut, placed smack-dab in the middle of the hamlet area, which was, unlike the mostly monotone wooden style of the rest of Mistwick, composed of red roofs, similar to those found in Magna.
Strangely enough, such a distinction came from one story in the Rightforth Passages, which was a book of reported stories about Shin's appearance, according to various morians. The crimson was supposed to symbolise not blood, but the thick red fruits which would grow at the beginning of Dear, providing an alternative food source for the morians. Lots of the huts, and much like Victoria's, had a small garden area, where the said plant always appeared.
As for Morio, he hummed a song and then sang some of its lyrics.
"Down the mountain, up the river's flow! Lies a purple land filled with snow! Where cold is warm, and trees are home! Where people sin,g and seeds are thrown!" he continued with the melody, before stopping suddenly.
He spotted a few jile-wood twigs with a yellowish tint to their heartwood. He squinted in disgust, moving back a little, stumbling into a sign.
He stared at it before glancing at the uphill ahead. He found himself on the familiar path that always led him to the same house.
Morio followed the wooden logs at the sides and opened a door, seeing a woman dressed in darker colours, wiping a wet cloth over Gloria's face. She glanced at Morio before leaving through another door. Morio smiled and then sat on a chair, similar to the one he'd find at home. Old and creaking, but still doing its job.
He put his hands together and murmured something under his nose. "Shin... are you there?" he uttered a prayer. "It's been a year since my Mama fell asleep. I don't know if I'm ready to leave without her. Without the same tea, she'd always make me. Without her tucking me into bed," he stopped for a moment. "I don't know if I'm ready to leave without her. Please, if there's something you could do to wake her up, or slow down time so I still have some to think all this through..."
He gulped, wiping a tear from his face.
"Morio?" Bancho stepped inside. "I wanted to ask-" he stopped, spotting Morio's expression. "Oh, um."
Morio shook his head. "It's fine, Mr B-Bancho!" he raised his voice, smiling for a moment.
Bancho sat on the other side, putting his hand over Morio's.
Morio slowly nodded, breathing out.
"Hey. There's no giving up hope now." Bancho pushed away Morio's hand. The morian gazed back at him. "That scar across your nose from that day. As long as it's there, I'm sure Gloria will have all the energy to stand up and make a fuss about it," he smirked. "She'd be so mad that something like that left you with this wound."
Morio laughed a bit, snorting. "Yeah, she would."
Bancho moved back. "She's strong, and a Demonear, above all else. They're known to not give up as easily as one would think," he stated. "I'm sure that power runs in you as well, Morio. She'll have to wake up one day."
Morio looked at the emblem attached to the necklace that was given to him. The words from that night echoed in.
"You can always come home, Morio. When the real world gets too scary, or... if something doesn't go your way. Home will always be here, and I'll be there too."
Home was where she was, where Mistwick was, and there he'd be, leaving all his memories behind. Somehow, he managed to smile, even through those bad thoughts.
Home would always be there to come back to.
Bancho glanced as Morio stuffed the emblem inside, looking back at him.
"I was supposed to collect the jile-wood for the ceremony," Morio uttered, standing up.
Bancho clapped his knees, moving around. "You should ask Jyuzou to join you as well; he seems a bit moody. Might be a way to cheer him up."
"Heck yeah," Morio muttered, clenching a fist. "Maybe he'll win this competition, then!"
***
As Victoria mashed seeds into bits, stirring as they boiled, the soup's smell flew out of the dark pot and almost knocked on the triangular doors to the various rooms around the hut.
"Jyuzou, Morio!" she raised her voice. "The food's almost ready!"
"Morio isn't home!" Jyuzou yelled back.
Victoria turned, sitting up on the table. "Can't you go find him for me? I don't want it to go cold."
Jyuzou sighed, putting down the red book and glancing at its cover.
'Wonder Flora,' written and signed by Martin Baron.
He looked at the scribbles in his journal, detailing what he found around Mistwick. After all, Shimori was full of plants and flowers he had yet to see. He left a few empty pages in the middle, even though he wasn't sure if they'd be filled. Moving away from those thoughts, he finally fixed his glasses and stood up.
The morian stepped out of the shared room, putting on his purple coat. As he reached for the doorknob, Morio flung the door open.
"Jyuzou! I got an idea!"
Victoria stuck her head out. "Save it for later, then! You have to eat dinner!"
Jyuzou raised a brow.
"Let's compete on who collects the most jile-wood for the ceremony!" Morio jumped up. "As we did once last year!"
Jyuzou scratched his head.
"Did you not hear me, Morio?" Victoria squinted her eyes, crossing her arms.
"Ah, sorry! Of course, Mrs Victoria! We will eat first! Come on, Jyuzou!" Morio pushed him towards the round table, yanking his hand.
"Aren't the younger ones supposed to take care of that?" Jyuzou whispered, sitting down.
"Come on! It'll be fun, pinky promise!" Morio shook his head as Victoria put three wooden bowls down. She breathed out, stretching her arms, finally taking a seat opposite the boys.
"When we fight, I at least have a chance to discover something new because of your ridiculous antics," Jyuzou asked. "I don't know what's so fun about collecting jile-wood. At least, not anymore."
Victoria rolled her eyes. "So much work," she muttered, digging in.
Jyuzou sighed. "I'll pass, thank you very much."
The three began eating in relative silence. After a while, however, halfway through Morio's meal, he tapped Jyuzou's elbow. Twice, and then some, before the other retaliated.
"What?!"
"Please!" Morio said, with soup still in his mouth, and stuffing in more with a spoon.
"No," Jyuzou stated. "I still have to finish my entry on the Stem flower."
"It will be fun!"
"Grow up already, won't you?" Jyuzou asked, and Morio's expression immediately shifted.
"Jyuzou," Victoria growled, putting both hands on the table.
Morio wanted to say something, but looked down. "But it'd be like good old times."
"You're setting out for the damned Demonear exam, and you barely have anything to prove your b-brawn."
"What's so bad about that, though?" Morio asked. "I still have a whole week, and Mr Bancho said it'd be a nice thing f-for me and you to-"
"You think Mr Bancho can solve all of your problems? You wanna become all so strong with that?"
"Jyuzou. Enough." Victoria stated in a serious tone.
Morio stared at him for a long second, gasping. His eyes shrank, and his expression shifted into a thick frown.
"You know it too, Victoria!" Jyuzou raised his voice. "That's just how he-"
Suddenly, the white-haired morian stood up, and the empty bowl fell. He flung open the door, leaving with a loud thud.
Jyuzou folded his arms with a loud sigh, rolling his eyes.
"Damn it!" Victoria yelled out, smashing the table with her fist. "What's with you today?"
The boy ground his teeth.
"Just because he's not like you doesn't mean you get to act all high and mighty about yourself."
"He's just not ready!"
"Why don't you show him the ropes, then?" she asked, washing the bowls clean. "If you're all so knowledgeable."
"What?"
"I know how children behave, and most importantly, I know you, Jyuzou." She looked out the window, sighing. "You're a child too."
"I just want him to grow up, nothing else. For e-everyone's sake." Jyuzou said, scratching his nose.
Instinctively, he reached out for the wooden spoon on the side, and when it reached his fingers, a small splinter found itself permeating through his skin.
"Ow!" he cried out. "It hurts..!"
"Oh, Shin." Victoria shook her head, wrapping some small cloth around his finger, as he kept weeping. "You're not much more mature than him, you know?"
"I-It's a s-serious wound!"
***
Afterwards, Morio spent the next few ours swinging his stone sword against the trees of Mistwick, instead of doing what Bancho asked him to.
Victoria went out to search for him, but when their eyes met, even for a moment, Morio jolted elsewhere. She gave up without much of a fight and went back to prepare food for the ceremony, catching up with Bancho to tell him about their insignificant quarrel.
After the sunset, fires were lit up, and the ceremony began, without as big a blast as last year's. Fewer people showed up, despite what Bancho entailed. The night lights didn't reflect off the surrounding rivers as strongly, but the few devoted morians still managed to share a smile and chat about recent events, placed on cut logs or piling blankets atop the thick snow.
Morio wound up near the fire, with his back pressed against a thicker snowdrift. Bancho glanced at him from time to time, before returning to the stories he was to tell.
Jyuzou eventually dragged himself out of the house as well, after a small nap and a few thoughts circulating back and forth. He trudged through and stopped only when his finger ached again.
"Stupid wound," He muttered, grinding his teeth.
The morian trod again before a sound alerted him.
He swore he saw something in the deep shadows behind a few huts leading towards the ceremony.
"H-Hello?" he raised his voice, glancing from the side. Nothing responded. Uneased, he gulped before feeling a strange surge of stress moving down his neck.
Eventually, though, he moved forward. He convinced himself that it must've been his imagination and perhaps some of the words he haphazardly uttered.
After a few cheers, Morio managed to hush out. Bancho sat next to the morian, staring at the same fire, reaching for something in his pocket. "You okay, Morio?"
"You're not Mama. Why do you care for me so much?"
"Do I have to be family to care?" he cleared his throat. "You don't expect to be there all by yourself, especially in that Demonear world."
Morio opened his mouth. He wanted to spout and repeat Jyuzou's words, but nothing came out.
Bancho shrugged and put the unearthed thaduk in his mouth.
A light melody flew out of its pipes and filled the area with a clear sound, and everyone focused on the calm moment.
Bancho closed his eyes, sinking into the music, and Morio breathed out, curiously. The piece he played was one that he had learnt, titled 'Grandfather Shin'.
The colours of the sky shone brighter than before. Green, blue, turning into red at times, illuminating the snowy lands. Morians around town who heard the tune gazed up, feeling a strange blessing passing through their bodies. One, signifying a peace that already existed, combined with a mellow sadness of the things that were going to come, or leave, for that matter.
After a few minutes, Bancho stopped, putting the instrument back into his pocket. The morians shared a smile.
"Consider this a song I played for the last ceremony before you leave," Bancho said, putting his hand on Morio's shoulder.
"Thank you,"
The guitars sounded again, and morians gathered around the fire, dancing. Some threw their Metho seeds into the passing river, which flew from the Whiteburn and Blackpond Mountains, with the melody still ringing in their ears.
Bancho stood up, heading towards his chair, now taken by one of the rather mischievous kids.
Morio stared at him for a while before something strange overcame him. He felt a slight headache, combined with dizziness and a blur to his gaze. His grip around the emblem strengthened.
Bancho snickered at a joke or two told, but his eyes eventually drifted back to the white-haired, a few metres away.
Then, a loud noise came right from the top of the river. It resembled a high-pitched howl, followed by something being slashed through. Every morian present turned their heads towards the nearby hill, spotting nothing in particular.
Chatter quickly ensued, the melodies quieted down, and even Jyuzou, who found himself only a few huts away, turned in concern.
It was all dead silent afterwards, just like back then.
Bancho slowly walked up to Morio and helped him to his feet.
"W-What was that noise?"
The older morian shushed him before turning to the others.
"Ice wolves," he answered, stuffing his thumb inside his palm. "Must've found themselves lost in the Uvo Forest."
"Really?" a morian mother asked, as her son hid behind her thick robes. "At the end of Yule?"
"Not the first time we've seen these," he chuckled. "Certainly not the last."
Even though a few doubts rose, the melodies were resumed.
The old morian nodded, mentioning that he'd check on the commotion. However, grasping Morio's hand, their steps led to nothing of the sort.
"Where are we going?" Morio asked.
Sooner or later, they arrived at Bancho's tree house. The other opened the door, almost pushing the white-haired person inside. Morio flung his coat off, throwing it onto the bed, watching as Bancho ascended the stairs without answering his earlier question.
"Mr Bancho!" Morio yelled. "D-Did I do something wrong? Why did we leave?"
Bancho peeked his head out from above, signalling with his hand to follow. Morio gulped before nodding, quickly running up.
The old morian stepped out to the balcony, lighting a pillar-like candle that stood on the table. Putting his hands on the thick logs serving as railings, he stared past the hills and meadows, and focused on a thick forest, above the hill, where the river went through.
He breathed out before rubbing the sweat off his face. "Sit down, please."
"What's happening?" the boy asked, with a frown.
"Ice wolves don't howl, Morio," he added. "If it were Jyuzou here, he'd panic."
Bancho breathed out, searching for a seed inside his pockets. Putting it on the small tray next to the candle, he lit its end before glancing at Morio.
"It was a demon."
"A..." Morio blinked. "A d-demon?"
"I'm afraid so."
Morio shook his head, putting his hands on his face. "W-We have to go back there and tell the morians to hide!"
"I don't want to cause a stir. It won't attack us, I'm sure of it."
"But... Mama..." he looked into Bancho's eyes, which seemed to wander all over the place, dismissively. "This can't happen to anyone else!"
Bancho pressed his finger against Morio's mouth. He listened in on the sounds of the ceremony and then focused on the distant Uvo Forest.
The frosty winds arrived, moving through the thick leaves of the mentioned copses.
"For all the years I've spent here, I made sure to keep Mistwick as safe as I possibly could," Bancho uttered. "Demons don't attack people who don't have fear they could exploit. If everyone here convinced themselves that something like this could've happened again, Mistwick would lose that flair." he stood up. "It's safe, because I made sure of it. There's no other place in Errarion like this, Morio."
The younger one gulped.
"Mama wasn't afraid of anything,"
"She didn't have to be afraid, Morio."
"Then, what else?"
"Exactly the answer I've been seeking for the past year." Bancho shook his head.
"What?"
Bancho closed his eyes before moving back. "This isn't a conversation we should be having on the balcony."
***
Bancho put the Metho seed at the end of a wooden pipe in his mouth and grabbed a few papers before handing them to Morio.
"Recognise this guy?" Bancho asked, pointing to a drawing. It was of a dark-haired man with horns extending like antlers.
"Who's that?" Morio answered, putting one hand to the side.
"He's a demon," Bancho answered. "...and an extremely powerful one at that. If Shin ever stepped out from the heavens, I think he might be a match for his power."
"Are you serious?"
"There must be the strongest in a race of fleas. You'd pick out the most beautiful flower for your garden, wouldn't you, Morio?"
Morio nodded.
Bancho stopped for a moment. "It's not feats or strength itself. I've... heard... he was supposedly one of the good demons before the Second War, and yet, he was the reason why it began in the first place."
"I think Jyuzou said something about that once."
Bancho nodded. "He was a little intrusive with the questions."
Jyuzou, who sat on the other side of the slightly ajar window, raised one eyebrow before turning and almost peeking inside.
"After the war ended, humanity's triumph forced him to retreat to the depths of Mount Aria, with the sacrifice of two lives, which kept him imprisoned. One, that strengthened and erected a massive wall, separating Life and Death, and the other... It's still unknown, but I think it should stay that way," he closed his eyes. "For 170 years, though, nothing was heard of him. People started thinking that he might be dead, until..."
Bancho stopped.
"Until what?" Morio asked.
"Gloria was attacked."
Morio opened his mouth, staring into the distance.
"News spread around Errarion faster than you'd think. I've consulted with many people I've found who took an interest in this topic. They all share the same belief. Demons have reasons for attacking people. Even though you could say they never feared anything... You can't resist the force of someone living for hundreds of years and brewing that strength."
Morio gulped.
"If it wasn't going to be Shi Hon himself, why not a demon he could easily control the mind of?"
"W-Why would Shi Hon attack someone like Mama?"
"There might've been thousands of reasons for this." Bancho hid his thumb. "It could also be a coincidence, but unlike everyone else, I think it's highly unlikely." Bancho nodded. "I want to deny such with every ounce of my being... but it's better to blow on a cold glaska than get burnt twice."
"Why did it have to be her?" Morio raised his voice. "Why did something like this happen to me? Did I do something wrong? Did Mama sin against Shin for... it..." he ground his teeth, unable to utter another word.
Bancho put his hand on Morio's shoulder and crouched, looking at his face. "We can't tell fate to do one thing or the other. However, you still hold onto something in life, don't you?" he smiled.
Morio ground his teeth.
"Hope," he added, moving back a little. Morio followed his movements with his eyes, and Jyuzou slid down into a nearby snowdrift, gulping. "That being said," he turned. "I think it's best if you stay in Mistwick."
Morio blinked.
"Shimori isn't as safe as this town. It isn't decorated with lights hanging above doors or carved-out paths for you to walk. Shin knows what can hide in the dark of the night. Demons, any dangerous creatures. You're at risk the second you leave Mistwick's premises. Especially now. I had to slay through many demons to travel back home."
"B-But-" Morio spoke.
"If that isn't a telltale sign of my worries, then I don't know what is. The world was always dangerous, but it's even worse than that, especially now. I reckon it's better if you wait for a few more years, or so. When you're older-"
"No!" Morio suddenly yelled out. "I-I can't miss this opportunity, Mr Bancho! I promised that I'd become the strongest Demonear!"
Bancho took a step back, a bit shocked.
"To see the whole world, map it out, so I can protect everyone! S-So I don't have to rely on anyone's help..." he clenched his fists.
Jyuzou stared through the window, moving back a little.
"I'm old enough already, and even if all of Errarion would throw its hands at me, I'd gladly fight right back!" Morio nodded, putting a hand on his heart.
Bancho blinked.
"What if someone tries to ruin the peace of Mistwick, and then there is no one to protect it? Not you, not Mama, not even me. I don't want things to change. I want to come back to the town I know and see it the same way it always was. Warm snow, when it should be cold," he counted on his fingers. "Glaska passed around from one morian to the next, feasts after the ceremonies, songs on the thaduk..." he shook his head. "I will not let Mistwick become something that it isn't. I'm ready to become a Demonear, Mr Bancho!"
Bancho put his fingers beneath his nose, and a soft smile greeted Morio's face. "There's no convincing you, as far as I can tell." he put his hand on his head, feeling his soft hair in between his old fingers. "You are just like her, Morio. You'll always have your way."
Their glances met for a second.
Morio nodded. "I'll make everyone proud, Mr Bancho!" he added. "Pinky promise."
"Heh. You even know those Manjuno expressions. Rare to see someone easily move through the common Errarion tongue at your age. More proof, then."
Morio grinned.
"I'll be going back to the ceremony, then. Get a good night's sleep before your journey."
"Can I crash here?" he asked, sticking his tongue out.
"I guess I'll be sleeping upstairs, then. I'll fetch you the stuff from Victoria's house. You're all set, right?"
Morio glanced to the side, looking around for a moment. Jyuzou eventually stood up before running towards the river.
"Morio...?" Bancho said, in a slightly different tone.
"Y-Yes," Morio answered. "Thank you, Mr Bancho!"
***
The next morning, the boy woke up to the early sun cascading over his nose. He stood up, looking around for a moment.
He put a dark brown vest over his white button-up, tied his pants, fixed his vast pant legs, put some of the seeds he found earlier into a small pouch, and as he was about to grab his blue jacket, he noticed something else, lying on the table.
He picked up a small note.
"I'm leaving you with my Talia, a thick cloak, warmer than any of your coats or jackets. Wrap it around your body in the cold of the night or swing it back when it gets warmer. I'm sorry that I won't be there to see you set out on your own or help you through to Magna. I'm going to seek more answers around Errarion, to hopefully prevent the worst things from happening. Through broken promises, however, I can assure you that I'll be there in two weeks to see you flawlessly pass the exam. When we meet, tell me what you saw in your sword's blade when the morning sun shone on it. Good luck, Morio."
Signed, Bancho.
Morio smiled before throwing the cape over his clothes, stuffing the jacket into the backpack, putting on his big shoes, and stepping out of the house. He locked it with the silver key and put it into a small hole he could barely reach.
He turned around, looking at the quiet buildings and trees which made up Mistwick.
The coming week was comprised of the last preparations. Morio's formal goodbyes to Victoria and Jyuzou, planning out routes through the many drawn copies of Shimori, making sure that he wouldn't land headfirst into danger and such.
Morio was also given lots of advice from the oldest and youngest of the village. Even the simplest of things, such as differentiating between the nutritious Metho and less desirable Shato seed, could come in handy, although Morio was bored out of his mind listening to some of the adults talk.
Either way, food was prepared, clothes were made or given, and on a cold, quiet morning, the day of his leaving came.
Morio wandered into the hamlet of Mistwick, finding Gloria in bed.
He looked at her face, as calm as if the dreams she had were nothing but happiness.
He took the map of Mistwick out of his pocket, folded it and put it on the inside of one of her clenched hands. "I promised you'd be the first to see it." He put his hands on her shoulder and left a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll be fine, Mama!"
***
Victoria looked out the window and spotted Morio running towards the snowy exits. She stirred some of the glaska in her cup and sat down.
"Gloria's kid, Gloria herself," she sipped, writing down in a small journal.
She wasn't necessarily one to capture certain moments or relay thoughts. It was usually Gloria who always listened, but now, the striking ones could've been only left unsaid, and atop these few pages.
"I guess Morio wasn't as bad as she made him out to be. All that maturity Jyuzou went on about... I don't know what goes through their little minds," she smiled. "I have a lot to thank that morian for. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be rotting in Wendigo, if not thrown into the waters below," she took a sip. "She helped me learn how to take care of my life, taught me how to make the best of glaskas. She even cut my hair into this beautiful curly bob," she smirked. "In a way, Gloria was like a mother to me, too."
Jyuzou opened a drawer and put a shining necklace over his head, cushioning it below his button-up and purpur sweater. He stood up and walked out of his room.
Victoria blinked, quickly closing the journal and turning back.
"Where are you headed to?"
"Y-You're already awake?" Jyuzou asked, jumping up.
"I figured I'd say goodbye to Morio before he left," she smirked.
"He left already?" Jyuzou asked. "Oh, damn it!"
"There's my answer, then."
"R-Right." Jyuzou fixed his glasses and cleared his throat. "I meant to say my goodbyes.
Victoria turned around, heading to the other room. "Your backpack and that coat I made you are near the door."
"It's just a quick t-trip there and back."
"I'm not stupid, Jyuzou," she uttered. "Put on your gloves. It's quite cold today."
Jyuzou looked around for a moment before turning to the mentioned items. He stared at the coat, picked the backpack up, and eventually left the house.
"I'll be back!" Jyuzou raised his voice.
"Don't die out there!" Victoria added, snickering.
***
Morio stood in between the two junipers, signalling the exit from the town of Mistwick and into the unknowns of Shimori. He took out the stone sword from his sheath, flipping it around.
'Victis' were the words carved into the blade. He closed his eyes for a moment, took another step, and thought for a while.
Victis... if he could recall, it was probably a word in Old Manjuno or something a story Gloria read mentioned once. The first thought that struck him was the word "victory", though it felt as if he still needed something to achieve such, or complete the phrase.
It brought a grin before it wore off, as he slid the sword back into its sheath.
Out of the blue, however, a scream caught his attention.
"Morio! Wait!" Jyuzou yelled, running at extreme speeds. "Wait for me!"
"Jyuzou?"
The mentioned morian leapt, tripping over the snowdrift. Morio laughed, and Jyuzou fixed his glasses, then threw something in his direction.
"Hold this for a second!"
"Wait, what? I only packed one backpack! I can't carry two!" Morio said, as Jyuzou brushed the snow off his coat and went through the fluffy pads on his shoulders, which extended around his neck.
"You won't carry it," Jyuzou added.
"Then a sledge? Like the ones the older guys use to carry the fish?" Morio asked.
"You really are a dumbass, Morio." Jyuzou smiled, taking the backpack from his hands. "I'm coming with you."
Morio opened his mouth, gasping. "Really? REALLY?!"
"Am I a liar?" Jyuzou smirked, chortling.
"Yahoo!" Morio jumped up, clenching both fists. "What made you change your mind after all?"
"I can't complete my journal if I always stay inside Mistwick, and, um..." he scratched his neck. "I guess you'll be needing a partner. Someone to keep you company throughout the journey," he twirled with some of his curly hair. "I guess I'll be the one to do it,"
"Always knew you wanted to come. Tsk." Morio winked. "Even if you said otherwise, here you are, joining the child in his ventures!
Jyuzou put his wounded finger into his back pocket. "Shut up."
"Okay, then we're ready!" Morio turned around. "It's a three-day walk from Mistwick to Wendigo."
"You're the one with the map," the glassy-eyed added.
"Precisely, Jyuzou! I'll lead the way!" Morio smiled confidently as the two began walking out of the town and into the Camp Forest.
"You don't have to be so stuck up about it!" Jyuzou yelled out, as Morio laughed, snorting.
The sun shone over Mount Aria, casting a shadow onto the lands.
The young morians set out for the Demonear test.