Atomu woke up to the rather pleasant noise of something set on fire. It didn't come from beneath a chimney, but a small leaf smouldering inside a glass. Much like burning Metho seeds in Mistwick, morians of Magna ripped the leaves off from the crowns of the Birching Trees and lit them on fire, for a moment of relaxation.
Therefore, the paladian sat up, before spotting Ella, sitting in an armchair and smoking her cigar, looking out at the main square. She glanced at Atomu and opened the blurry window, letting all the smoke out of the apartment.
"I found you fainted in the toilet," she said. "...and, since the drinks were on me, I figured that I had to take responsibility," she smiled. "No need to pay for an inn then, lucky you."
T-That's what I wanted to tell you." Atomu shook his head. "I'm not great with alcohol. It's a family thing."
"Well, coughing out blood was a first," she chuckled. "Turns out I don't know you as well as I thought," she added, putting the cigar back into her mouth.
"I guess I'm not l-like other paladians." Atomu scratched his head.
"Hm?"
"Most of them tend to open up when drunk. I kinda... heh, close?"
"Awful joke," she rolled her eyes. "...and not what I implied. There's something else."
"I-I don't think I understand." he shook his head, unsure.
"You forgot what you said, back then?" she inched closer.
Atomu looked down. "Ah," he gulped, clenching his fist. "D-Did I?"
Ella smirked, grabbing his hand. "I knew it from the beginning. We're in the same boat!"
"E-Eh?" Atomu moved back.
"You like men, don't you?!"
"WHAT?!" Atomu stood up. "Wh- " He covered his eyes, then his ears. "I thought we were talking about something different entirely!"
"Hahahaha..." She looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"Ah, forget it!" Atomu sat down again, pushing his face into his hands, sighing in relief.
"No, no, tell me," she inched closer. "If we're alike, then I can help you in-"
"This concerns anything but love, Mrs Ella! I can't even imagine a scenario where it w-would." Atomu gazed at the wall, breathing out. "It's something I'd rather avoid talking about, at least for now."
"Okay," she backed out, raising her brows.
"I don't like m-men! I mean, I don't know!" Atomu raised his voice. "Why would it matter to you, Mrs Ella?"
Ella put the cigar down next to the burned-out leaf and gazed out the window.
"I see the strangest of faces come in and out of Magna. Some are rude, others, nice and neat. My point is, I don't connect to anyone there, and if I say too much, rumours will spread, like they always do." She put her hands on the windowsill, and Atomu sat on the chair next to hers. "But you didn't seem bothered. I guess I assumed way too quickly."
Atomu shook his head, almost in relief.
"Who cares what you are, Atomu? I can tell from your eyes. You're someone people can trust," she pointed to his heart. "A good person, eh? I wanted to believe that good people are just as bad as me."
Atomu smiled, lightly. "Th-thank you, but... me?" He brushed through his hair as if he were ready to put it into a ponytail. "Is that why you wanted to talk?"
"Pretty much. This is the first time this has happened since Bancho, so you're exceptional in my eyes. Back then, I also tried guessing things about him that'd spark a connection," she said. "I think that some of us are more important than others."
"Oh my, Mrs Ella. I'm not even sure if I'll pass that exam." Atomu said. "I try to squeeze through, and that's it."
She shook her head. "We're not equal, not all normal. We're just people. Humans," she looked out from the window. "It's about how we carry this torch and how far we can tread, making our paths. Think about yourself in that manner. Your role may be to exist, and to some people, it could be more than enough."
Atomu opened his mouth, shocked. His hand landed on his bag, as if searching for something, though a thick breath seemingly dispersed that idea. Instead, he put it closer to his side, as if that notion was already good enough.
A quick nod from him led to Ella lightening up, before turning back to the window with a raised brow.
"Talking about torches... It's starting,"
"What is?"
"The ceremony," she uttered, before squinting her eyes towards the lights in the main square. "Minutes before the 86th of Yule."
A march of stallions appeared on the main square, exactly nine, with different tributals atop the massive horses. They circled the well before moving towards the star-shaped area, where they stepped off and gathered together, each on one of the nine stones. Without further hesitation, they reached their hands out to one another, muttering something under their noses, which, with time, changed into a calm melody.
"What are they doing?"
"The royal tributals are connecting spiritually, thus praying to One," she quietly explained. "They do it every time before the Demonear Exam begins. It is said to bring good spirits to the future Demonears. Half of the reason why they're held in Magna is because of people like them."
Atomu squinted, curiously. "Isn't that the one I bumped into today?"
"Oh, them?" she asked. "That's Rowan Sven. Over there's their Chicho, Ambrosia Sven."
"Chicho?" Atomu raised an eyebrow.
"A tributal way of saying 'sibling'. Ambrosia is participating in the exam this year, so I'm guessing a chunk of what their Chicho is muttering under their nose concerns exactly that," she stated. "Rowan's a Demonear, and quite powerful as well. See that on their back?"
The paladian turned towards a big bow.
"It's their weapon, Sunglow. Although they rarely use it to strike, they carry it everywhere they go, much like every other Demonear. You'll probably fall into this habit too. I've heard it's a bond that never breaks. A human with a demon that's supposed to guard them against others."
Atomu gulped, recalling her other words.
"Yeah," he nodded. "There was also a more extreme example. Paladian royalty, Machow Kris, son of the Duke of Osmania," he said. "My d-dad told me that story. He accidentally stabbed himself with his blade."
"He became a Demonear only to lose all he had on day one," she shook her head. "As you said, though, it's extreme. You're going to have to join Ambrosia among those ranks with the other tributals as well. Hope nothing along those lines happens, at the end of the day."
"If I even pass," he sighed.
She rolled her eyes. "A little self-doubt sprinkled between attempting something ridiculous like this is exactly what makes you interesting."
The tributals circled the square before jumping back onto their horses, and with one final chant, leaving the area through different exits, ships or bridges, letting the torches they carried burn out. One of them, however, headed towards the port, stepping over the wooden bridge and turning to the Birching Trees.
They peered carefully, but couldn't spot anything inside the darkness. After a minute of unsure silence, they headed back towards Swania, raising their dull blade as if to report safety.
"As unassuming as ever, dear tributal," Isak muttered, standing behind a big tree. He glanced at Leopold, sat near a dark bush and eventually waddled over. "Seriously, though, how long is she expecting us to wait? I'm getting restless."
Leopold turned, scratching his head, fixing his mask and adjusting something near his horns. Isak observed, before finally moving into the shadows and putting a hand on the other demon's shoulder.
"You don't seem to be complaining much. In the literal sense, gaha!" he chuckled. "Did a brat on your first mission and now you're too terrified to talk."
Leopold shook his head before something resembling a sigh came from beneath the skull. Isak sighed, stepping to the side.
"It's fine, though. I guess Shi Hon was right in that matter. You became anything but a rookie, and I tell you, Lisbeth was so hesitant at even dragging you along at first!"
"That's because this entire operation presented itself as risky," she uttered, fading in from behind. Isak turned, with a halted gasp. "Not because I thought you lacked strength. Even stepping near someone carrying such a burden on their shoulders meant taking something for much more than it was. It required power, which I was afraid that its weight would double down on the likes of Leopold." She raised her head. "It's you who doubted him."
Isak looked away, and Leopold smacked him. "Oi!"
She sighed before floating forward through a few bushes. "What do you think?"
Her eyes focused on a green creature, which held a thick bat, and wore light, lime, rich robes. It didn't want to answer her questions, but the shine of its yellow eyes seemed to be ample enough.
A few of the other goblins growled, stepping back.
"Why not?"
It shook its head, groaning, again and again. Isak followed the other demon, and Leopold appeared soon enough. The two stared, as Lisbeth kept nodding, before glancing at the others, awaiting her response.
"It's exactly what we agreed upon." She clenched her fist, lightly. "I'll bring you the key back, and you'll cooperate. You'll attack Magna, and with your help, I'll be the one crowned as the new leader of the Zimorron."
"Is that what Shi Hon said?" Isak asked, and Leopold shook his head. The answer opposed everything. "No, fuck, that's wrong," he ground his teeth, frustrated. "Shi Hon said he didn't want to be in any way involved in this fiasco. Well... good ol' Rottwan wasn't ever buddy-buddy with him anyway."
"I can hear you, Isak," Lisbeth replied. "He's expecting us to fail because he doesn't know that we're siding with goblins, who..." She crouched, looking deep into its eyes. "Don't seem to want to cooperate, unfortunately."
Isak raised a brow and put both hands on his hips. Leopold's eyes shone white.
"What doesn't sound appealing to you, friends?" she asked. "Taking back what was stolen from you doesn't sound like it's enough? Fighting against the years of mockery... demons are the same."
The goblin let out a strange noise, taking a stance. Lisbeth straightened up again, and as was done, the creature took out a small pouch of Silver and flung it towards her. A few coins fell out, with one reflecting the moon and almost casting a shadow over Magna.
Their leader signalled something, the others nodded, and Lisbeth blinked a few times.
"There are no friends or foes in this conflict. We work together, as such was agreed." Lisbeth muttered. "I could easily take the key away from you."
A few seemed to chatter, back and forth. Isak seemed to be getting strangely restless, and Leopold only observed, spotting a much taller goblin out of the crowd.
It gulped, before a few eyes met, and pushed him across the crowd. Isak seemed confused, Leopold only folded his arms, and Lisbeth waited patiently, sticking her hand out.
A groan and push later, and the taller one cowered before her. He bore horns, long black hair and a look to his eyes that seemed a little too unlike the others.
"W-We... t-they..." he breathed out. "The key to the chambers is not enough...!" he closed his eyes.
"What do you mean?" she spoke through her teeth.
"Why would we want to risk it all if we can already come back home...? T-They say-"
"Why would you not want more? You're goblins," she inched closer, almost sticking heads with the other.
In turn, he backed away, with a long, thick step, before the others pushed him through to the small gathering, stepping outside of the nearby tunnels shaped like snowdrifts.
Isak shook his head. "They had a messenger all along?" he whispered to Leopold, who shrugged, which brought out another sigh from the demon.
Lisbeth, however, waited before stepping closer towards the goblin king.
"If we win, you'll get half of Grimmora, but... I assume that one big push will be enough to tell the world that everything might be our terrain."
Afterwards, her hands snapped back and forth, as if sending a clear message. Lisbeth almost grinned, with a shadow lumping over her teeth, and then turned, facing the others. The goblins started exchanging bits and pieces, armour, the seed they found on the ground, and most importantly, snatching back that bag of Silver.
"The Zimorron will kill you if this fails," he uttered.
"It's a risk, but everything here was risky," she continued. "...and if they want to act sly, we'll have to return some of that favour later on. I'm willing to put everything on the line for a very good reason."
"Khehe." Isak laughed, and Leopold turned, curiously, with one leg on a branch. "Now we're speaking!"
"First of Herbes, right?" she asked, looking up at the sky. "You two know what to do."
***
When the moon reached its peak, the people of Magna hurried inside any building, shutting their businesses in a rush or locking their doors, as if they feared something.
However, there really was no big threat, except that Eryk Nuil-Tukman, the royal leader of Magna, demanded that he receive an hour after midnight, all to 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 guard, and the other didn't seem to complain. He was making lots of money for his family in Swania, but most of the time, he lived in the castle, because he could never guess when Eryk would require something.
Complaining was mainly surface-level, as there were lots of things one would report about. For example, Eryk was extremely selfish.
He always turned a blind eye to the problems haunting Magna, which only grew bigger, but 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 care.
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 to their leader. He used his influence to obtain anything he wanted and turned from a lively sixteen-year-old to a grumpy man who could barely shave his beard.
Despite that, a part of him longed for the small moments of his life before the throne, in the form of walks around the quiet city.
"Lamon, come here!" 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 hard for the next few days. I'll be needing a lot of help from you."
"As in?" Lamon asked.
"Well, I need to arrive aptly dressed for the occasion, and have a nice, comfy throne, placed right here," he pointed. "I want to watch as 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, 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 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."
"It's my duty to be someone like him. My town, our rules." He closed his eyes, smiling. "Let's continue to Swania, then."
Eryk's influences, albeit judged by many, were huge.
He claimed a nearby forest, naming it after his noble surname, and seldom requested to be left between its trees. 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 be bothered to care much about his other higher-ups, A, B, C, and D.
All in all, to call him flawed would be a great disservice to how big certain holes can get. Lamon could only do half as well filling that void, promptly placing the Nuil on the other side of the boat and steering across towards the other district.
He gazed upwards as the moon cast a gleam over the town, and a few stars shone in the direction of Mount Aria.
***
In the cold morning, the morians woke up with the sun shining 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 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.
Jyuzou tried telling Morio that he was tired, so the other argued that the snow on his face was actually witchdust (which didn't exist), but Jeffy pointed to the snowy rooftop of his house. Within the next seconds of their tiring argument, a big pile of it dropped onto the glassy-eyed morian with a giant apology from the mirillian that was cleaning the vicinity for some spare Silver.
With that accent, the three went to bed, without concluding pretty much anything, as was with kids their age. 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. The glassy-eyed proposed searching for the big junis, and the white-haired wanted to train, for obvious reasons. To combat their YET ANOTHER argument, Jeffy stated that they should do both, and that's how they set out through the frozen streams, and quickly left Magna.
Three large forests surrounded the town. 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.
That's where the two ultimately found themselves, strolling for about two hours, before Jeffy stopped, spotting a familiar tree.
"Okie dokie! We're here!" Jeffy announced, turning to the two.
Jyuzou furrowed his brows and squinted. "What happened to that white willow?" he pointed. "It's almost stripped of 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!"
"Oh, Jeffy!" Morio clenched his fists. "That's the spirit! Let's train until the sun sets!
"That gives you about six hours," Jyuzou muttered.
"Until we faint!" Morio continued.
"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 a day." Jyuzou folded his arms.
"There you go being a negative Nancy once again!" Morio rolled his eyes.
"Foolish Felicia."
"Huh?!"
"That's okay!" Jeffy butted in. "I believe every little thing matters, too," he picked up a Shato seed and sighed. "H-How about staying here for a few hours, heading back for food, then leaving when it's close to midnight?"
"Mentioning that, what happens during those hours?" Morio asked, taking Victis out of its sheath. "I heard you mention it."
"Shuckle seeds." Jeffy put his hands together. "I don't know if I can talk about this so casually."
"We're far enough." Jyuzou paced around, looking at the treetops.
"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!"
Morio swung his sword, stopping 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."
Jyuzou marched back to the two. "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!" Morio pointed. "You'd be mesmerised if you saw it too!"
"Witches aren't real. Tell me, do you also believe in dragons?"
"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."
"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. "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!" he readied a thick wooden stick, ready to swing.
"Took the words right out of my mouth, Jeffy!" Morio furrowed his brows.
"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 through the thick crowns. After struggling through its many leaves, he 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. "Wow!"
"It's nothing to awe at, darn it! I'm here once a week!" Jeffy mentioned.
"Really?" Jyuzou looked at him.
"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 all set out to Lignoria!" he explained, walking over to the ropes. "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."
"Huh...?" Jyuzou glanced over.
"Well, my parents said they saw something," Jeffy muttered. "All foggy and grey, a few dozen times on their way towards Lignoria, but I think it might just be some darn small island near the Mainland! Like that Galliath thing or... heh, what was it in the Paladin again?"
"Ainakonabi?" Morio pointed, closing an eye. "Or Obenstake?"
"Obenstake wasn't small, and the former is darn far away..."
Jyuzou put his hand on his chin, thinking.
"Then if it's nothing, I should be the one exploring these lands!" Morio pointed to himself. "Right after I become a Demonear!"
"What if it's dangerous? This isn't Shimori." Jyuzou fixed his glasses, waving his hand in the direction of the Aria River.
"I'll have a weapon to protect me, Jyuzou," Morio replied. "Nothing will change in my life if I stay in one place."
"R-Right." Jyuzou stepped back. "Do as you wish."
"Okay, Morio...!" Jeffy raised his voice. "Let's not waste time!"
"Yeah!" 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. Meanwhile, Jeffy and Morio continued their training, crashing their weapons against the tree's light brown bark.
The other morian kept wandering 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 back again to the Bore, he played around with the boat's rope and found a way to untie it, but quickly sealed it back together, pretending nothing happened.
...and as for the other people they came with, Atomu left Ella's apartment and headed out towards Homieo, reserving a small room for the night in advance. Then, he wandered over a few bridges, reaching Handulia, in the search for Chyuuichi, who showed no signs of life.
He strolled 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.
Then again, he desperately wanted to try, but refused, spotting the coating's strange texture. Walking away, he heard a sound of visible disgust and nodded to himself in confidence, though decided to focus on the task at hand instead, circling the streets down where most gambling halls appeared.
He marched down a hall, looking inside one of the few, before the door swung open, and Chyuuichi appeared, yelling out.
"Oh my, where were you?!" Atomu raised his voice.
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 and out towards the brick buildings.
"Very simple." Chyuuichi put his hands in his pockets, whispering. "Have you ever heard of-" he squinted his eyes. "Sisi?"
"You mean Sizi?" Atomu continued.
"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!"
"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-"
"I forgot the rules halfway through, so 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-"
"What?!" Atomu put his hands on his shoulders.
"He was so mad when he learned I only had five Silver. He threatened to turn me into what he called a mirillian mush!" Chyuuichi beamed.
"Don't ever go into those places again!"
"Why not?" Chyuuichi was confused. "I bet I can make even more money!"
"No, Chyuuichi." Atomu shook his head. "If you somehow lose in Sizi, the enemy is allowed to do or take all the things you bet on. It can only end in a bitter loss if you forget your words!"
"It's just some money, he wouldn't do that." Chyuuichi walked past Atomu, taking something out of the money bag. "Here's your share, like I promised." He handed him five hundred Silver coins, closing Atomu's hesitant palm.
"P-Please don't make irrational decisions."
Chyuuichi signalled to him to keep calm, striking another 'cool' pose.
"Atomu!" A voice sounded, and the paladian turned around, spotting Ella in a nice, thick coat, standing next to a man who stepped off a horse.
Chyuuichi ran forward, and Atomu quickly followed.
The guy next to her took off some of the things tied to the horse, big bags, sheaths, great tools and a helmet he put on.
"I see that you found your friend." Ella crossed her arms.
"I won two thousand Silver in the capino!" Chyuuichi exclaimed.
"I used to gamble a few years back, but I stopped when I went a bit too far one night," she put her hand on her chin.
"See?" Atomu looked at Chyuuichi.
"That won't possibly happen to me!" Chyuuichi jumped up.
"Anyways, back to what I wanted to say. Every foreigner you've heard of is flocking to my bar, even in the morning. Bearing that in mind, comes this guy, whom I wanted you to meet."
Atomu gulped. "Is he a guard or something?"
"Nope!" the guy turned, and Chyuuichi looked up, opening his mouth. "I'm what you call a blacksmith! Or, the words I like to use are, tools guy," he chuckled.
"W-Woah." Atomu took a step back, and the guy stuck his hand out, smiling.
The sun, which peered through the clouds, shone directly onto his eyes, and their colour matched Atomu's.
"H-Hi."
"He's also a paladian!" Ella added.
"Taller than me, though," Atomu muttered.
"Jeez louise, height always sets me apart!" The guy put his hands together, awkwardly. "It's okay, I manage. Kinda hard squeezing through all those small morian doorways, but hey, fifth time here."
Atomu smiled awkwardly, and Ella flashed a grin in his direction.
"Oh! I'm Elton Kasper! The 'tools guy' for the new up-and-coming Demonears! Ella told me that there will be a good chunk attending tomorrow's test. I have to get ready, then!" he sighed. "-and you are?" he stuck his hand out.
"Atomu Turon." The other shook his hand, looking away.
"Turon?" Chyuuichi looked dazzled.
"Oh, Turon! You're from Prope Portam, eh?"
"Yeah. Haven't been there in a while, though."
There weren't many surnames for paladians in Prope Portam. They were usually shared between people who weren't connected, ending with the letters 'on', 'er' or 'ski'.
"...and you?" Elton turned to Chyuuichi.
"Chyuuichi! Gamma!" The mirillian said, in excitement.
"Gamma?" Atomu raised an eyebrow. "Did you make it up just now?"
"Don't shun me, Turon!" He pointed, and Elton laughed.
"If Ella brought attention to fellows such as you, it must mean only one thing." Elton tipped his head.
"Two, figure out the other one yourself," she whispered.
"What was that?" Atomu pointed.
"Nothing,"
"You're taking part in tomorrow's test, right?" Elton asked.
"Will you forge me a cool weapon, tools guy?" Chyuuichi asked.
"If need be!" Elton chuckled, blinking a few times in the mirillian's direction.
Atomu folded his arms. Before, out of the blue, Elton crouched and looked deep into his eyes. The other paladian took a hesitant step back, and Elton eventually straightened up.
"Sorry for that! One look into your eyes, and I can tell exactly what gear will fit you." he clapped his hands together.
Atomu moved back. "R-Really?"
"A big sword, as sharp as the look in your eyes," he uttered, and Atomu covered his mouth. "It's a thing you get from a good few generations of forgers. Start young, and you'll go to any place in this world just to see it for yourself. Everyone is unique, and I'd say, every tool I've crafted or passed from one to another was different. There's your answer," he beamed.
The other paladian grabbed at his jacket, as if desperately trying to fix it in place.
"Me now! Me!" Chyuuchi said, and Elton crouched even lower.
Atomu breathed out and looked at Ella, who giggled. "What?!"
"Nothing."
Atomu ground his teeth. "I guess that's why you two are getting along. You both stare into people's eyes."
"I only intend to gain as much information as possible!" Ella raised a finger. "Not to make someone fall in love with me," she shook her head. "Already got that one covered."
Atomu put his hand on his forehead, and she laughed out loud.
Afterwards, Elton sat back on his horse and ventured towards the small hut he owned in Kyrkogarde, preparing his equipment and starting a fire, which pumped smoke out of the chimney.
Atomu spent the rest of his day in Handulia, earning money through physical work. Chyuuichi waddled back to the casino, despite the warnings, and any trace of him disappeared. The morians finished their training and went back to Jeffy's house, finishing the day off with a soup Jyuzou prepared and a nice sleep in the warm, cotton beds.
...and as for the town, preparations began. Tributals stood guard from the early hours, prepared pedestals, speeches and necessary equipment. The cooks woke up earlier, preparing two portions for the hundred participants, and Lamon, Eryk's favourite guard, brought a different throne to the main square, decorated with green marbles.
The atmosphere shifted as well, unsurprisingly. Maybe it was the whole premonition about such prestigious exams starting from here, or a few more unspoken words about who was to point and where such conclusions would lead them.
Atomu could barely catch a wink at night, stressing over many of the things to the point that the notions wore him out. Morio was a little too excited, but a pillow slam from both Jeffy and Jyuzou (surprisingly) seemed good enough.
His last thoughts, as he drifted away, were a little more hopeful. Bancho would probably show up, seeing his achievement. As said, Mama would be proud, and it seemed there really was nothing in his way to deny that hope.
Except, maybe for the weary thought and a strange look on Jyuzou's face. He kept writing things down in his books with a candle at the side, deep into the hours of the night and only fell asleep after Morio seemed to come to terms with that, indeed, there would only be two morians here taking part.
That was that little doubt that, ultimately, forced him to oversleep a little, dragged out of bed by Jeffy so quickly that he couldn't even turn to the glassy-eyed. In the morning, the participants were instructed by signs to head to the Midcity bar, where breakfast and a warm cup of anything they needed awaited them.
"Dudes." Jeffy put his hands around the drink. "Have you seen all these peeps? All royalty and guards!" he said, looking at Morio, who snacked on the food without a second thought.
"Safety p-precautions." Atomu sat near the three. "I think,"
"Oh, jeez. Is it that scary?"
"Jeffy, what?" Morio was confused. "After all our training together, we're undefeatable!" Morio yelled out, and the others gave him a strange look.
"H-Have you seen what everything over there looks like?" Atomu asked, stressed. "It's rigorous, from how the others s-strut about."
"That's just how you view it," he pointed.
"Oh, my." Atomu put his hands on his head. "It's all too much."
"Loosen up, Atomu," Morio stated, and the paladian turned his eye to him. "I'm sure a confident beast hides behind this shy mask!"
The other sighed. "Where the hell is Chyuuichi, anyway?"
Thirty minutes later, everyone left, heading for the star-shaped square in the middle.
There stood a large pedestal, and a throne was next to it, with Eryk slumped in the middle, holding a large bottle of wine. Lamon stood by him, awaiting any request, yet Eryk didn't add anything. He carefully observed as the participants gathered.
Then, a bell sounded, and a man with short, grey hair and a big, green cloak stepped onto the white pedestal, with his hands behind his back.
Elton eyed everyone who stood in the middle, and the tributals guarded the exits of Midcity. His glance met Atomu's, and the other paladian quickly looked away.
Morio kept peering back and forth, almost excitedly, while Jeffy turned to the two boys, further away, who bullied him the other day. He sighed, scratching his head.
Atomu seemed uncertain, as if he ever was certain about anything, in all honesty. With another bite of his nails, he heard a familiar hum, followed by a few words.
"Tip, toe, over here," Chyuuichi uttered, sneaking past the paladian.
"Chyu- CHYUUICHI? What happened to your face?!"
"This?" Chyuuichi pointed to his black eye. "I don't know."
"I told you it's dangerous! What about the money?"
Chyuuichi blinked slowly. "I don't know."
Jeffy trembled a bit.
"Stand!" The man in green yelled out, and suddenly, everybody in line put their hands behind their backs, even ones who didn't understand the meaning of his words, like Jeffy, quickly followed the others.
The man squinted.
"Give them their weapons," he signalled, as ten tributals ran out from behind the pedestal, each carrying ten sheaths, five in each hand. They sprinted around the crowd, handing one to every person.
"Oh, it's not needed!" Morio signalled. "I have my sword!"
The tributal gave him a strange look and moved on. Atomu clenched it tightly with an awkward smile, Chyuuichi almost dropped it, and Jeffy breathed in, glancing at the same morians again. They waved, and Jeffy closed his eyes before staring forward.
"Present your weapons." The man instructed, and the people around took their blades out of their sheaths, creating a simultaneous 'bling' noise.
He put his hands behind his back, much as the participants had earlier, and stepped down from the pedestal, carefully strutting around the soon-to-be Demonears.
"Out," he muttered, passing by a girl who held her sword below her hip.
"What?" she asked.
"I said out," he repeated, and the girl turned on her heel, leaving. "The way you hold your sword determines if you're to be a fighter. Fifth row, fourth participant, out," he stated, and the paladian immediately left, chucking the weapon to the ground.
He closed his eyes before stopping in front of a morian. Morio gulped his eyes following the man's movements.
"You," he pointed.
"M-Me?" the morian asked.
"Name?" the man asked.
The words around the main square halted. Morio squinted before spotting a familiar shape hiding beneath a book placed on their head.
His heart skipped a beat.
"J-Junya, sir." he uttered. "Jyuzou Junya."
Morio's eyes widened, with a gasp following his shocked expression. A small smile appeared, but then he stepped back, with Jeffy fearfully bumping his shoulder.
"I expect a fighter not to cower in fear. Get that book off your head, will you?" he asked, and Jyuzou moved his head to the side. "You're holding your sword better than half of them here."
Morio seemed taken aback. "Jyuzou?!" he whispered, with a certain sting to his words.
The mentioned morian turned, before grinning, ever so lightly.
"You sly bastard!"
The man returned to the pedestal before putting his hands together and breathing loudly.
"Luffa, in old Manjuno, means love, and Darē means hate. When it comes to demons, there is no balance. In your and their hearts exists a feeling opposing one another. I'll let you guess which word stands for humans, and which one, for those wrecked creatures."
Atomu dug his nails into his clothes, Chyuuichi closed one eye, and Morio seemed to have understood the seriousness of the situation.
"The name is Kashmir, Kashmir Zenon, and I'm a Demonear. Although my years of grace have long passed, the rule of my surname still stands to this day. Do you know Kyrkogarde? I'm talking about the cemetery district of Magna. Half of its graves are empty for one simple reason. I protected these lives, and I will continue doing so."
"Who's that guy? Is he new?" Ella crossed her arms, stepping towards Elton.
"It's the other Zenon," Elton explained. "Jakob used to hold these every year, but he unfortunately passed last Yule."
"Huh... a shame. He always came to the bar afterwards and spun around a little neat story about the year's test." Ella said. "But Jakob wasn't a Demonear,"
"He knew how to create warriors, though." Elton nodded. "The Ainans over in Malikan, their weapons were crafted by my father only after he spoke to their overconfident minds."
Ella sighed. "Glad I'm not a Demonear."
"Know, you may ask yourself, why is someone like me standing atop this pedestal?" Kashmir asked. "With thousands of tragic, traumatic stories, mine was rather simple. I killed a demon with only my wit and determination to make it out of its deathly grasp. I once too, was just like you. Scared and unsure, but once you look into death's eyes, you change. Physical tests and mental struggles won't make you a Demonear. It's that first kill that settles it all in."
Jyuzou's grasp around the sword tightened.
"That's why, during the fifty-second Demonear test, I will require you to do exactly that," he announced, pointing forward. "Kill a demon."
The crowd immediately stormed up, with conversations pumping out left and right.
Eryk stood up for a moment, but only to fix his sitting position.
"That's impossible!" A morian yelled out. "You can't kill a demon with your bare hands!"
"I don't care how you do it." Kashmir continued.
"This is unfair!"
"Kill a demon, has he gone mad?" Atomu muttered.
"Shuckle seeds..." Jeffy started shaking.
"How can you ask us something we can't do?!" Someone from the back continued.
"I don't want pathetic people who'd throw a fit over their tea being too sweet in the morning. As a Zenon, I intend to create warriors. Fighters, who won't become cowards against this world's cruelty." Kashmir uttered.
"I'm not putting myself through all this danger, just for some old prick's approval. Screw this," someone dropped their sword to the ground. They walked away, pushing through the tributals.
More noise and commotion appeared, and the participants all around started chucking their weapons.
Morio breathed out, and Jyuzou trembled. Atomu closed his eyes, and Chyuuichi opened his mouth.
Jeffy's grip loosened, but at the last moment, it tightened. He turned, looking at the same spot his other friends stood in, but they were gone.
He shook his head, turning back.
"A hundred quickly turned into only fifteen," Kashmir uttered.
Eryk laughed, and Lamon glanced at him.
In the middle stood Morio, Jyuzou, Atomu, Chyuuichi, Jeffy, Rowan's Chicho, two erans, three paladians, three morians, and a girl who eyed Atomu.
"In minutes, you will head out towards your exam. You'll have exactly twenty-four hours to prove your wit and change, in that matter. You'll be working in groups of three, and each must kill at least one demon. You'll have two portions of food and anything you find in the Tukman Woods."
Eryk raised a brow.
"When it comes to-"
"Hold it, Zenon." Eryk put his hand up.
"Please don't interrupt me, Nuil Eryk," he replied, turning to him. "In the Tukman Woods-"
"No, no. You can't do this to me." Eryk stood up, immediately holding onto Lamon's back. "I won't allow for any of them to leave their filthy marks on my sacred land, you asshole!"
"We agreed to this last Herbes, Nuil Eryk." Kashmir bowed. "Are you forgetting your own words?"
"I won't allow it! It's my forest!" Eryk raised his voice.
"Just let them have it, Nuil," Lamon muttered. "It's not like they'll burn it down."
"In a situation like this, you'd look for any way to kill those demons!" Eryk raised his voice. "This is unacceptable!"
"Nuil Eryk, it was signed with your name. You can't back out now." Kashmir stated.
We'll talk about this in my palace, Zenon!" he pointed. "You won't be getting away with this, apple!"
Kashmir sighed, looking down.
"I assume there might be one more question appearing in the back of your many minds. Don't worry. I've learnt from experience that if you're looking to kill a demon, it will look back to do the same. Your defenceless appearance will attract their bloodied will."
Morio gazed at him.
"Don't be fooled, though. Demons, even the weakest, are a hundred times stronger than humans."
Morio's eyes widened.
"Even if you're not ready for the sunset, then why even bother with the morning? Just as Jakob said, one day, you'll have to face the reality of this world, and some of you might not live to see that grace," he explained.
Morio gulped.
"Good luck, warriors."