Ash took a few steps farther into the ruins. In the distance, she could see the temple Magia had shown her in her dreams. Kaori walked to the left, inspecting a few crumbled buildings.

“Wow,” Kaori said. “How old do you think this place is?”

“I don’t know,” Ash replied.

So, she thought, we just have to find the Nightmare and kill it. Of course… At some point, I need to head over there, so I can talk to Magia. But, there’s no guarantee that the Nightmare is at that specific part of this town. It could be in one of these old houses as far as we know.

“Everything is so… crusty.”

“Yeah.”

“Ugh, everything smells so weird too. Did the letter say where this thing was?” Kaori asked.

“Nah. We’ll have to find it ourselves.” Ash transformed her weapon into a sword. “Keep your guard up.”

“Right.” Kaori did the same.

The two of them walked a little deeper. The old town looked so strange to Ash. In some ways, she could see hints of how it was like Jade, with what she imagined was once pristine, regal architecture, but with the vegetation, the mold, and the cracks that now decorated every stone in sight, she wondered how long it had been since this place saw any signs of life.

Apparently though, not too long.

She paused, hearing something in the distance.

“Wait.” She put a hand up.

“Huh? What is it?” Kaori asked.

“There’s… Something nearby.”

It was a sound reminiscent of the goblins. Something guttural coming from the northeast. There was what looked like an old house, but its door had been torn down, leaving a large hole in the wall acting as an entrance. Ash heard the sound coming from inside. She slowly walked towards it as Kaori followed behind her.

There was a counter and some stools that made the building seem like an old tavern of sorts. As she got closer, she realized something. Oh, she thought, whatever’s here is eating something. Maybe some unlucky animal.

Finally, she reached the source.

She stopped, her hands instinctively reaching for Lust. It was something that looked quite a bit like herself, but with violet lines running through its body, larger horns, and claw-bearing hands. It’s a full demon. She realized.

Level 11

MP: 40/40

Well, if there’s a Nightmare here, it does make sense for there to be demons too, considering what they do.

The demon turned around, red blood flowing down its chin. It had been eating from the carcass of a wolf. It was alone, luckily. It snarled at them, Kaori gasped behind her.

“A demon!” She whispered.

"Level 11." Ash muttered.

"Huh?" Kaori asked. "How do you know?"

"I can see their levels." She explained.

"Seriously? That's... That's pretty impressive." Kaori told her."

“Mhm. You want to take this one or should I?”

“Uh…” Kaori hesitated. “Maybe you should.”

“Okay. Take a couple of steps back then,” Ash said as the demon slowly rose to its feet. “I’m guessing it’ll attack in a little bit.”

Instead, the demon ran out through a different hole in the back of the tavern.

“Or not,” Ash remarked, raising a brow.

“Where did it go?” Kaori asked.

“I…” Ash was about to say she didn’t know, but then the demon leaped up into the air, hopping on top of the building next to that one. What the hell is it doing?

Then, it let out a screech so loud, Ash dropped her sword to cover her ears. Kaori did the same.

“What?” Kaori asked. “What is this?”

“I don’t know!”

However, as the screeching died down, its intentions soon became clear. More sounds started to appear from around them. In the buildings behind the two Saviors, in the ones to the northwest, even almost halfway through the town, she could hear some snarling coming from the temple’s direction.

“Oh.” She realized. “It was calling for help.”

Suddenly, other demons started to appear, walking out into the streets. They came in multiple shapes and sizes, Ash noticed. Some looked like smaller versions of the Nightmares they’d fought at Jade, big round and gross. Others looked more human, while there were a couple of demons whose teeth were a collection of sharp-looking fangs and whose bodies were far more animalistic than the rest.

Level 10

MP: 10/10

Level 12

MP: 10/10

Level 11

MP: 40/40

And, so on. Each one ranged from level 10 to 12.

“Kaori.” She called to the other girl. “Kaori?” She turned around and found the blonde paling, her body frozen with fear.

“Y-Yes?”

Ash took a moment to look behind them. Sure enough, there were demons covering the area they’d entered from.

“I count ten demons all in all. I’m pretty sure we’ve got two options.” Ash took a deep breath. “We can either fight them, which probably won’t go well, or we can run, but they're behind us now too, so that also probably won’t go well.”

The horde of demons started screeching to one another, some of them cackling and getting in a pouncing position.

“Maybe we can take out one or two before they get to us though,” Ash told her. “Switch to our bow forms, you know? Shoot a few down and switch back when they get close.”

“Y-Yeah sounds good.” She could almost hear Kaori hyperventilating.

“How many fire spells did you learn again?”

“S-Satsuhiro gave me three.”

“Remember to use them,” Ash told her.

One of the demons started running towards them.

“Okay, go!”

Both girls quickly transformed their weapons, golden arrows appearing ready to be used. Ash gritted her teeth and aimed for the one that had started running first while the others began running after them too. Kaori targeted the ones behind them.

Ash pulled back the nocked arrow and let it fly. The projectile, launched through the air, struck the demon square in the head.

EXP Gained: 30

EXP: 40/115

The demon squealed, falling to its knees and then down to the stone ground, dead. Holy shit! Ash nearly chuckled. With her Dexterity up to 10 now, it felt surreal to know she could hit these sorts of shots. She couldn’t waste time celebrating though.

Another arrow appeared, already nocked, and she shot it at a second demon. This time, the arrow hit its shoulder. The enemy persisted, nearly reaching Ash as another arrow appeared. With the demon just eight feet away from her, she shot the arrow into its gut, sending the demon back.

EXP Gained: 35

EXP: 75/115

She glanced back, seeing that Kaori had taken down one as well. 3 down. That leaves 7.

“They’re here!” She called out, transforming her bow into a sword. Kaori did the same, going into her swordstaff.

A demon reached Ash and raised a hand to bring it down on her. Oh, fuck it's fast! Ash narrowed her eyes, pushing forwards and stabbing the demon in the chest before it could strike her. The demon screeched, falling on its back, violet blood pouring out from it.

EXP Gained: 30

EXP: 105/115

Remember what Keiko always says. Defense wins fights. She put her sword in front of her.

“Agh!” Kaori cried out behind her and Ash turned around as quickly as she could. As Kaori had been fighting one demon, another arrived and bit down on her neck. That’s not good. Before it could do anything else, Ash thrust her sword into its head.

EXP Gained: 25

EXP: 115/115

Level Up!

She pulled its teeth out of Kaori and pushed the demon off, leaving a violet mark on Kaori’s neck, with red blood mixing with it as it slid out from the wound.

However, although she was hurt, Kaori still managed to raise her swordstaff and stab an enemy that approached after that. Ash finished it off with a slash and looked at Kaori.

“I’m...”

“Don’t talk, we’re still fighting,” Ash told Kaori as she checked where the other demons were. There were four demons left, three coming from Ash’s side and one in front of Kaori. They were hesitant now though, maybe from seeing their brethren die so easily.

I can try to heal her! She figured this was a good time to try out Lumina's Presence.

Ash, without taking her eyes off of the demons ahead, knelt beside Kaori, placing her hand hovering over the blonde’s wound.

“Bring peace to those in need.” She spoke the incantation and a white aura was emitted from her hand, slowly beginning to seal up the wound the demon had made. The other demons weren’t about to just sit and watch though, and they quickly started running towards them.

“That should keep healing, even without me touching you, get ready.” She told Kaori.

“Y-Yeah…” Kaori stumbled up onto her feet.

“Come on, you’ve got this,” Ash told her as she raised her sword in the other direction.

“Flame of the soul, strike!” Kaori cast her own incantation, aiming her free hand at the demon in front of her. A ball of flames struck its head.

“Good job!” Ash cheered her on as a demon reached her.

Those techniques Keiko taught me were meant to be used against weapons, but maybe I can use a few here?

Ash nodded to herself as one demon raised an arm. She was going to try to parry the attack. She didn’t get the chance though.

The original demon, the one that had called all of its friends, was waiting in the distance. It cast a spell, sending a dark sphere in Ash’s direction. What? She thought before she got hit by the dark ball of magic.

She hunched, feeling like her very being had been slapped, as the demon’s arm came down, slamming into her head. The blow was so strong, it sent her straight to the ground. She nearly dropped her sword. Both of the demons that were in the distance started running towards her then, eager to finish her off.

Kaori stepped in. She’d split her swordstaff into two blades, using both of them to impale the creature that had hit Ash just now. Then, she let one fall to the ground.

“Infernal currents, come out!” It was another spell Satsuhiro had taught Kaori. This one sent a stream of flames pouring out of her hand and into the face of the demon closest to them. It reached up, trying to put them out.

Ash, breathless from the spell, reached for her swords and stabbed it.

EXP Gained: 30

EXP: 115/115

Two more to go. She thought.

Kaori was quick though. She transformed her weapons into a bow.

“That one!” Ash pointed at the one that had cast the spell.

First, Kaori sent an arrow in its direction, one that hit its neck. The demon gargled, before toppling over lifelessly. Then, she shot one at the last demon that missed. Another, then another, until finally, she hit its head.

And, the battle was over.

Kaori quickly knelt beside Ash.

“Are… agh,” she put a hand over her wound, “are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ash replied, though she could feel blood trickling down the part of her head that had been hit. “Guard my soul against the dark's reach.” She said, and put her hands back on Kaori’s neck, taking the chance to heal her up completely. “Good job. Holy shit, good job.”

Kaori chuckled.

“That was close, huh?” Kaori asked. “I’m sorry, I’m still… I don’t know, when I see a monster, I just… I get so scared.”

“It’s fine.” Ash shook her head.

She will need to get used to it though. She thought. It wouldn’t be good if she freezes up in front of something more dangerous.

--

It took a couple of minutes to fully heal both Kaori and herself, but before too long, they were continuing to make their way into the ruins, fresh, if a little tired. Ash looked around, trying to spot out any lurking demons.

“Wow,” Kaori started, as she pointed ahead, “that place looks pretty impressive.”

Ash looked forward and saw the temple. There was a large statue just in front of it, one depicting Magia holding something Ash couldn’t quite comprehend in her hands. It almost looked like a star.

“I need to go there,” Ash stated.

“Huh?”

“I… It’s a long story.” Ash waved a hand. “But, maybe we could go in there before we keep looking for this thing. What do you say?” Ash asked.

“Uh, sure. It’s all the same, right? We don’t know where the Nightmare is after all.”

Ash nodded. The two began forward. As they drew closer, Ash felt a warmth coming from inside the temple. Whoa. She nearly stopped as the warmth increased in intensity. It’s like… It’s like what I felt when Magia kissed me. It’s like she’s in there. Probably a good sign.

Breathing in, Ash walked ahead of Kaori for a short bit.

But then, something made her stop. It was a thudding sound coming from inside the temple. It reminded her of the footsteps of the Nightmare they’d fought previously, as it had come out into the arena.

“Uh…” Kaori said, “do you hear that?”

“Mhm.” Ash narrowed her eyes. “What the hell is in there?”

As they got closer to the temple, the vibrations grew in intensity. It was getting closer to them. Ash took a step back, and so did Kaori. The entrance to the temple was dark, almost to the point where she couldn’t see into it. However, as something started to exit, the sunlight draped itself over it and Ash’s eyes widened.

“That…” She muttered. “Is that it?”

The demon that emerged was just as big as the one they’d fought at Jade, but with several key differences. This one had a sword by its side that was rusted and chipped, but larger than Ash’s entire body. Instead of the gluttonous appearance of the other Nightmare, this thing had a sculpted body, still rotten, but strong-looking. At its head was a mouth packed with sharp teeth and empty eyes, with long white hair falling over its shoulders.

Then, Ash got a headache. It started out mild, but as seconds passed and the Nightmare took a few steps closer, Ash felt like her head was on fire.

An image flickered in front of her. She saw a young man, one that was dressed in golden armor, one that was familiar to Ash, carrying an exceptionally large sword at his back. The image faded and Ash fell to her knees.

Another one came. She saw him living with a small family, his sword resting against the wall. Ash felt that warmth she attributed to Magia at this point, rising in intensity with the headache. More images of the same man flooded her eyes until a small voice whispered into her ears:

“Come.”

And when she heard that, Ash blacked out, falling to the ground, unconscious.