As the air thickened with loud applause, the people of Loegres cheered for their hero and savior, Shepherd Artorius. Velvet kept her head down, and her body trembled in anger. Throughout the last three years, thoughts of slaying that man is what sustained her existence. All that she ever wanted was to spend her time with Laphicet and Arthur in a peaceful village, always unchanging. All that she ever desired was a loving family. She thought those times would last forever. But at that time, Velvet knew that not even the world was on her side.

Now, there are only two things she craved for: Bloodstained flesh and the death of Artorius Collbrande. Her prey was so close, yet so far out of reach.

A soothing voice shattered the whirlwind of darkness in her mind.

"Don't pressure your wound, Velvet. You'll open it again.", Avernus advised calmly.

His voice rang with power. Velvet's mind intuitively reacted, and she raised her head, glancing at his face. Avernus was observing the podium with his unwavering gaze. His light green pupils were quickly racing around, probing all the people standing behind Artorius: A young blond knight, a blond woman, and a shady old man with a large hat.

Then, among that torrent of hatred and rage, it hit her mind; that familiar friendly face sparked questions: How many days did he stay with them? Three days? Four days? Or Two days?

During her imprisonment, love turned to hate, caring turned to disdain. Kindness turned to cruelty. But for Avernus, he had the same calm gesture except for a slight frown. Whenever she glared at him, he would shift the frown and answer her with a gentle but overwhelming smile, completely out of his imposing character.

However, it was clear as day now: He was hiding great despair behind those smiles.

Velvet turned her attention to his hand, humanly holding her wounded fist, which was pulsing with healing magic.

"My healing artes are limited, Velvet. Right now, I'd rather focus my energy on somewhere else…" Avernus said to her. She slowly opened her fist and, in return, Avernus withdrew his own. Velvet sensed that someone was behind them. She turned her head slowly and recognized the small figure of Laphicet, watching both of them.

Lately, these people were becoming a distraction. Velvet must return to pursuing her goal.

The large doors were rotated on their hinges, and the crowd flooded back inside the city. The Shepherd's inauguration was over.

"Now it's time to head back down. We can use the bustle to move undetected.", Avernus suggested as he jolted his head to the side, signaling them to move, and gesturing at the crowd.

Velvet grabbed Laphicet's hand before the three of them began to slowly slide down the tower. At the base of the structure, the rest of the gang was waiting for them. After the rendezvous, without uttering a word, all of them rambled back inside the city.

Eizen swept a glance over Velvet and Avernus, "The Shepherd Artorius is your target?"

Avernus slowly nodded in acknowledgment, while Velvet turned her head away to avoid any eye contact.

Magilou smirked, "Oh, you both ruined my expectations! I thought you two were going to straight-up pounce on him as soon as he showed his face."

"No, that would be suicide. I need to fight Artorius on his terms. It’ll be the most effective way to kill him.", Velvet calmly said.

"Ah, you guys are boring. But…", Magilou started to step back slowly, "I should get going. I’m on a little hunt of my own."

As she walked away, her voice turned into sing-song. "It is a sad departure! But I'll be praying for you all to reach your goal through enormous pain and agony!"

Rokurou's face was locked in a slight shock, "There she goes again…"

Avernus sighed as his mind was on the Shepherd of Midgand. "This man saved the Midgand empire from daemons and poverty. He’s become a hero to these people, earning their tremendous support and trust in return. This will be tough."

Velvet closed her eyes and lowered her head, hiding her face.

Eizen groaned, "He is not an easy man to deal with."

Avernus turned to Eizen, "But we need to be smart. Killing him alone won't change anything. We need to disarm the Abbey's grip on malakhim too. For now, he's too big a fish for us to handle."

Rokurou grinned in amusement, "The way you talk, it’s like you’ve made yourself to be an enemy of the Midgand people."

Avernus shrugged his shoulders, "I've nothing against the people. It's the Shepherd that I'm after."

Eizen walked to the front of the group, jerking his head at the street. "There’s a shadow guild nearby which Aifread had dealings with in the past. I don't know their exact location, but one of their contacts, a man by the name of Baskerville, runs a tavern in the capital."

Before Avernus could correct Eizen about the guild, he was interrupted by a loud growling coming from Laphicet's stomach.

Rokurou burst into laughter, "Oh! Are you hungry, Laphicet?"

Laphicet's face turned crimson, "Yeah… I'm sorry…"

"We should take care of that first, right?", Rokurou said and winked at Velvet.

She nodded, "Sure, why not?"

In the meantime, Avernus' mind was racing with all the new information on Artorius and his supposed legates, exorcists, and bodyguards. Seeing the strange kid pulled him out of his thoughts. A young malak traveling with daemons and pirates. His interest was reaching it’s pique. Avernus trailed the group to the Bloodwing's tavern while carefully probing their every move.

"I can smell something delicious…", Laphicet said as he drooled hard as they got closer, taking in the food's scent, prompting Rokurou to smirk.

"The wait is finally over, Laphicet. Go ahead and order something.", the swordsman said. The kid turned to Avernus too as if he could tell that Avernus had something to say.

Avernus was taken back, feeling that the little malak can read his mind. "And best of all, their cooking is incredible."

They entered the building. Velvet and Laphicet paced towards the counter in a hurry. Avernus sneakily moved away from them, sitting in a corner, trying to avoid the guild's personnel as much as possible. Tabatha, however, saw him, smiling as she noticed his little entourage.

Avernus kept his head down and scanned his gauntlets while Velvet and others were busy talking to the bartender, "I can't get far with this armor. Need something with more panache. And we don't have enough materials to upgrade..."

Tia's voice resonated in his mind, "I agree. You need more speed and agility, especially right now, when we have to fight a lot of human exorcists. Also, some more magic defenses are in order, but I have something in mind."

Avernus crossed his arms, "Hit me."

"Transmogrification arte.", Tia said.

Avernus slightly raised his brows, "Huh?"

"I can transform your current armor, break it down, and reforge it into a new outfit.", Tia said, giggling at Avernus' confused mind, "Don't struggle to think about it too much. I made it easier for you to understand. Leave it to me."

After a few seconds of pondering, Avernus sighed in frustration, "Okay, whatever you say, mom."

A sudden and familiar voice caught him off guard, interrupting him, "What are you doing?"

Avernus raised his head. Velvet's cold eyes were locked on to him.

"Just chillin’, waiting for you guys to rest, refresh, and get your information.", he replied, maintaining a straight face. His eyes instantly noted Velvet's torn clothes. "I can go back outside and check the shops for new clothes too."

"Why? Do my clothes make you uncomfortable?", Velvet asked.

Avernus pressed his lips, letting his eyes sweep another check of her body, "No, but don't you feel cold? Your body is unguarded for a close-range fighter."

Velvet crossed her arms, drumming her fingers on her arms. "I can't sense cold or warmth. And my outfit gets the job done.", Velvet frowned, "Watch where your eyes linger, Avernus."

"I just wanted…", Avernus let out a groan, "…to make sure you’re geared up and ready."

Velvet's brows knotted further, "Listen, if I need any of your suggestions, I'll ask.", she paused for a few seconds, "But I don't need food to survive. You're a human, so you need to eat."

Avernus spent a few seconds blinking at her. A glimpse of her old self began to sparkle among that deep hatred that shined out of nowhere.

Velvet noticed his piercing green eyes fishing her soul from the seas of hatred. She shook her and sighed, "Listen, I'm not here to apologize or anything. You’ve proven yourself useful, and I can benefit from that."

The spark in his eyes dimmed at her tone. Avernus still wasn't used to Velvet's harsh personality. He heaved a heavy breath and leaned back on his chair, crossing his arms in silence.

Velvet narrowed her eyes at his stubbornness, "Just eat something, and don't be such a baby."

Avernus raised a brow, "I don't feel like eating now.", he glanced at a steaming stew that was on the next table, "More importantly, I’m not a fan of wet meals. Soups and stews just don’t cut it for me."

"That wasn't the case when you ate the food I cooked.", Velvet said.

"Those were different.", a faint smile appeared on his lips, "That's because you cooked those meals."

Velvet was taken back by his answer. Her frown loosened slightly, but she escaped the feeling of appreciation that bloomed for a mere second, "Whatever… Do as you wish.", she waved her hand and whirled on her heels, "Don't put it on my account if you starve.", she coldly said, marching back to Laphicet.

"Yes, mom.", Avernus sarcastically mumbled.

The head chef brought their food. As Laphicet ate his share, he noticed Velvet had her gaze on the little kid, like she would do for her brother.

"Aside from everything that happened, Velvet gathered an interesting team and…", Avernus paused. A slight gloom waved in his tone, "…it seems she doesn’t need me."

Tia giggled in his mind, "Fret not, Avernus. Velvet will need your help soon. With that attitude, I doubt she’ll make it very far."

Avernus rose from his chair and strode to the bar, "Time for a few drinks then…"

Suddenly, Velvet jumped from her chair, scowling at Tabatha.

"Now what?", Avernus whispered to himself and quickly joined them, standing behind Velvet.

Velvet was gritting her teeth in anger, "What did you…?! How do you know about my brother?!", she yelled at Tabatha.

Tabatha, however, chuckled at her tantrum, "We are the Bloodwing Butterflies, the light that moves in the shadows. We possess the knowledge about the world it engulfs…"

Eizen looked frustrated, stepped forward, "Where is Baskerville?"

"He was executed a long time ago. From now on, I’ll be your new contact.", Tabatha answered, turning to Velvet, "However, the thing you want to know, young lady…"

Velvet leaned forward over the counter, putting her hand on it. "…Is what Artorius has planned."

"But there is a price for everything, my dear.", Tabatha crouched and pulled a paper from under the bar, "Nevertheless, these jobs listed here are not remotely legal. If you manage to complete them successfully, the information you seek will be yours."

The smile went away from Avernus' face, and the rest were hesitating to pick up the list. His eyes were fixated on the apparent new contracts. Nothing was free here.

"I want you to show me how determined you are.", Tabatha said.

Velvet hand moved to pick up the paper, but Avernus quickly snagged it out of nowhere. Velvet turned to him furiously, until she laid eyes on his concerned face. There was a pause until it was disrupted by Tabatha's voice.

"These tasks might seem a little dangerous, but with this capable young man at your side, I’m sure everything will go off without a hitch."

Everyone turned to Avernus. He raised his head and noticed their glares. "I did a few jobs for these guys before…", he said.

"Avernus did more than a few. He’s proven himself to be one of us.", Tabatha praised.

Avernus waved his hand, "She’s giving me more credits than I deserve."

Velvet snorted, "I don't care."

She extended her hand towards Avernus, "Give me that letter.", she demanded.

After Avernus clang to her powerful gaze for a few seconds before handing her the sheet.

Tabatha noticed their entanglement and decided to break it, "You all seem to be tired. You can all stay at the inn for the day, free of charge."

Velvet uncaringly went upstairs, and Laphicet followed her.

Rokurou smiled at Avernus, "Care for a drink?"

Avernus nodded, "I could use one."

They picked a bottle of whiskey and saké and went to an empty table nearby.

Rokurou poured some saké for himself while Avernus kept staring at his glass of whiskey, wiggling the chunk of ice around.

Rokurou sensed his deep thoughts, "That's the look I'm familiar with.", he said, sipping his saké.

Avernus stared at the ice in his glass, "My expression is nothing special, swordsman."

"There’s something different about you, though. Something that seems… off.", Rokurou said, pouring more saké into his cup. Avernus glanced at him from the corner of his eyes.

"Your style is… How can I be more distinct…? You claim to be a sorcerer, but you have the physique of a warrior.", Rokurou gulped his drink.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind, "And you seem to be a man with a lot of secrets buried in his chest."

Avernus turned to find Eizen marching towards them with that intimidating appearance.

"Humans are a collection of secrets. There is no exception.", Avernus answered, taking a sip of his whiskey.

Eizen sat down and swept a glance at both Avernus and Rokurou.

"Looks like you have a lot of problems on your hands. Can you really afford to take on ours as well?", Rokurou asked Eizen.

Eizen opened a fresh bottle of whiskey, "I'm more interested in knowing why you two are connected with Velvet."

"Me? I have a debt to repay.", Rokurou quickly responded, which also piqued Avernus's curiosity.

"A debt?", Eizen asked.

"Yeah. She helped me find my sword. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to find it."

Avernus drank his glass, "Funny. My situation ain’t so different from yours."

Eizen sized up Avernus. "So, what's your story?"

"After our… "interaction" in the sea three years ago, I washed up on the shores near her village. Velvet and her family helped me get back on my feet."

Doubt and uncertainty flitted behind Eizen and Rokurou's eyes. Avernus' explanation didn't land well.

Avernus sensed their gazes, bearing down on him. He decided to give them something more succinct, "But now I'm here for the thrill of the hunt. Nothing more."

Eizen smirked, "So you're doing this for yourself after all. For a moment, you started to sound like a hypocrite."

He drank his whiskey and shot a dubious glare at them, "A daemon and a sorcerer with debts to repay some random girl? Don't make me laugh."

Avernus slightly smiled in return, face all proud and unwavering, "A malak playing pirate is also amusing.", he and Rokurou clinked their glasses in triumph.

"No matter how we look at it, we're all rogues. People like us can either join others like them or lash out and become monsters like me.", Rokurou said, staring at his cup, "Velvet has an insurmountable strength. I want to know where that comes from."

Avernus placed his empty shot on the table, "Believe me, I want to know that too."

Eizen raised his gripped fist, looking at Avernus, "I need allies who have their strengths and will. Someone like you and Velvet, for example, who fight against the Abbey's control, and are foolish enough to keep up with Aifread's creed."

Rokurou chuckled, "Are you calling Avernus and Velvet idiots?!"

Avernus shrugged his shoulder, "I don't care. But Velvet would tear you apart, you know."

"It’s a compliment. Fools as big as you two are hard to find these days.", Eizen said.

Avernus raised the final shot, "To being idiot rogues, then."

Half an hour goes by. Eizen and Rokurou were already gone. Avernus was still sitting on his chair, writing something in a large book with a strange sigil on the cover. The symbol vaguely resembled a dragon's face with a crescent sigil above it. Avernus felt someone’s gaze fixated on him. He moved his eyes enough to recognize Laphicet, then turned back to his writing, "Need something, kid?"

"What is that you're writing?", Laphicet asked.

Avernus smiled. It was refreshing to see someone interested. "It's my journal. I'm chronicling the events of my life from the past few days."

"Can I ask you something?"

Avernus nodded, "Yeah, sure."

"Do you have a malak tethered to you?"

Avernus blinked a few times, "Uh-"

"There you are, Avernus!", the head chef suddenly yelled, saving him from answering the kid. The head chef gestured at a large number of people pilling inside. "Are you blind?! Can you not see the customers?! Come on, it's time for me to cash on those favors."

She then saw Laphicet and grinned. "Not just you… I’ll need help from this little fella too."

"What? No, he's just a kid!", Avernus argued.

"Oh, come on, he’s so cute! And you don't have to work harder."

Avernus frowned, waving his hand. "Absolutely not! I will not allow-"

"I'll do it!", Laphicet said.

The head chef smirked in victory, flashing her brows, "See? He's okay with it."

Avernus sighed, glancing at the little malak, "You can go and rest in your room, Laphicet. I can do it by myself."

"But their mabo curry is delicious!", Laphicet nearly shouted in excitement.

Avernus eyes widened at his response, "Mabo curry?", he puzzledly asked.

"Hah! Now there’s someone who likes to earn his keep! You do this, and I'll cook more mabo curry specially for you."

Laphicet eyes flared up in excitement, nodding at the head chef.

Avernus closed his journal and patted Laphicet's shoulder, "Alright, let's go. You need to get dressed first."

They both received their serving uniforms and went to their rooms to change. Avernus took off his armor and began putting on his working outfit as Tiamat emerged from her orb.

"That little malak sure is a strange one. There’s a peculiar aura around him.", stated Tia.

"I've seen a lot of crazy things in Midgand. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more than meets the eye with the little guy.", Avernus turned to her, scrutinizing her body, "You need a proper outfit to run around in."

Tia smirked in amusement, "More proper than Velvet's?"

His cheeks slightly turned pink, swallowing a lump in his throat. He shifted his attention to the mirror, wrapping the tie around his collar and trying to avoid Tia's glare, "I’ll find her one too. Poor girl must’ve been through a lot. And don't forget my new clothes too."

Tia snarled. "Would it kill you to say ‘please’?"

Avernus rolled his eyes, " Please ?"

Tia pursed her lips and waved her hand. "That's better. Now, go on, shoo…"

Avernus opened the door with a sigh. He was suddenly stopped in his place. Laphicet was standing outside with his bow tie hanging from his collar. It was crumpled, showing the kid's struggle. Avernus chuckled and kneed down to his level, tidying up his bow tie, "Pay attention, Laphicet. I'll help you with this one, but you need to learn to tie it yourself next time."

Laphicet nodded in silence.

"Where’s Velvet?", asked Avernus.

"I don't know. She was sitting on the ground near one of the beds."

"On the ground near the beds?"

"I'm here. What do you want?"

Avernus raised his head to see Velvet leaning against the door frame. He finished tying and slammed Laphicet's shoulder gently, "There you go, all done."

Velvet narrowed her eyes at them, "What the hell are you guys doing, wearing those serving uniforms?"

Avernus stuck his chest out, "We’re going to serve some customers.", he said proudly, rearranging his tie. "You should come downstairs. They have some specials tonight; Mild curry, mabo curry, and risotto with fruitcakes and pudding…"

Velvet folded her arms, gazing Avernus from top to bottom in amusement, "That's good. We can always use extra money.", she turned to Laphicet, "If you get tired, you can come back and rest. No need to wear yourself out.", Velvet said and went back into her room.

Avernus and Laphicet walked down the stairs, both taking a deep breath as they laid their eyes on the crowd of customers.

The chef was anxiously waiting for them, "Took your time, you two. Come on, get to work!"

Avernus raised his body to full height, managing a smile, "Let's do it, kid!"

A few minutes passed. Avernus strolled between tables, taking orders one after another. Laphicet paced back and forth, picking up plates from the bar.

"Give me some of that fine mild curry of yours!", one of the customers shouted at Laphicet.

Laphicet nodded quickly, "Yeah… sure!"

His gaze turned to Avernus, who was busy doing more than half of the tavern by himself, zig-zagging between all tables.

Laphicet struggled to carry a large tray of food, but Avernus grabbed it and, instead, gave the little plates of pie to him. "I'll do the large ones, you handle these desserts and salads."

Avernus spotted more people coming into the tavern, "Damn it. It's not a two-man job at this point."

All of a sudden, a new figure passed him in like the wind, shouting, "Savory egg and custard for table number two!"

"Velvet?!", Avernus recognized her voice and her loose long hair, sailing around. She was swiftly flying between the tables, taking orders of scared or confused customers that made eye contact with her.

"Velvet might not make the friendliest waitress, but she'll do the job right. Good work, girl.", Avernus whispered to himself.

After two hours of constant running around, all the customers had left the tavern for their homes, feeling satisfied. Avernus and Laphicet crumpled on different chairs, with Velvet gazing pitifully at them.

The head chef wandered out of the kitchen, smiling proudly.

"Great job, you guys!", she said, catching their attention, "You made everyone feel like they were right at home! And you, little one…", Laphicet was fighting to keep his eyes open and raised his head to meet the chef's eyes, "You're so earnest and innocent, it hurts! Keep this up and I think you'll find yourself with your very own fan club!"

Laphicet blushed a little, "T-Thanks…"

Her enthusiastic expression toned down, "And you, Avernus… I don’t think I need you anymore."

Avernus shrugged his shoulders, "Good. I was hoping I’d live out my usefulness here."

"Running from your responsibilities?", Velvet abruptly taunted him. Avernus trailed off. Little did she know, he was far too well familiar with it when he left the far continent. By the time he was back in the real world, Velvet and Laphicet were already gone, leaving him alone in the middle of all those empty tables.

Morning came. Avernus darted out of bed, like a child that was excited about his new gifts. He spotted his fresh clothes on the nearby chair and slid into them. His new outfit consisted of a long coat with blue and gold Hyland colors, a slim white shirt underneath, and enchanted gloves. They all fit his physique perfectly. A satisfying grin carved on Avernus' face.

"You get a solid ‘S’ from the Shepherd, Tia."

Tia was standing on the other side of the room, praising her work, "Don’t forget to put on those feather earrings."

Avernus spotted a pair of long colorful earrings on the table, "Were they crafted by malakhim?"

"Yes, just like the ones you owned back in the far continent. Genuine feathers from avian malakhim. Whoever gave you those held you in high regards.", Tia suggested.

Avernus reluctantly put them on, tied his long hair with the second-largest set, and turned to Tia, nodding at her. She levitated off the ground and shifted into a shining orb, darting into his body.

Avernus slowly walked down the stairs. He caught sight of the rest of Velvet's team waiting patiently for him.

"I'm ready."

Velvet turned around. The pupil in her eyes widened, and they lingered on his body for a few seconds. Avernus hooked his thumbs into his pockets, posing for Velvet and maybe waiting for a compliment. But Velvet's glaring shifted to his eyes. "You took too long to get ready."

Avernus pulled his hands out of his pockets. "Morning to you too, Velvet."

"Finish what you need to do here. We’ll go as soon as possible.", Velvet ordered, turning away.

Disappointed in Velvet's reaction, he went to the bar.

"Hey, I meant to ask you, Mrs. Baskerville. Where’s Kamoana? I haven't seen her since I returned."

"Her mother is a priestess at Palamides Temple. They traveled there the day you went to Vortigern. You can visit the temple during your travels. I'm sure she’ll be happy to see you again."

With Tabatha's permission, Avernus left the tavern and joined the group outside. As they began to walk, Avernus noticed Laphicet was trailing behind, reading a book.

"What are you reading, Laphicet?"

"Oh! It’s a history book. ‘The Rise and Fall of Midgand’.", he said with a passion fluttering in his voice, "Around eight hundred years ago, the Midgand continent was invaded and conquered by an unknown military force. Records of that era have been lost, and at that time, they called it the Era of Darkness. But three hundred years ago, a man called Claudin Asgard reunited the kingdom, saving the world from the Dark Period and becoming a great hero to the people."

Velvet stroked her chin. "Claudin Asgard… Why does that name sound familiar?"

Avernus moved to Velvet's side as she was deep in her thoughts, "I know that name. About twenty-five years ago, a man named Claudin Asgard traveled to our kingdom, seeking old teachings and ancient Avarost ruins. He became famous and respected by the masses. He eventually became King of Midgand."

"There’s no way… It can't be the same Claudin…", Velvet pondered, raising her head to meet Avernus' eyes, "But he could be the same Claudin that traveled to your country."

"How could he be the same Claudin?"

Velvet waved her hand, "Forget it. It’s not relevant to our mission."

"The Claudin Asgard that Laphicet was talking about is considered to be a powerful king.", Rokurou added.

Laphicet nodded, "There’s more to it than that. The book says that he was the most beloved and trusted king in Midgand's history’."

Eizen slowed down, glaring at one of the many blue wavering flags of the Abbey. "Then there might also be meaning in giving Artorius the title of the Shepherd. It seems to be an attempt to recreate the same glory enjoyed by King Claudin himself, who put an end to the Dark Period. It shows how committed that man is to his cause."

Velvet gritted her teeth in silent fury. "Oh, he’s committed alright. Avernus and I have seen just how far he will go…"

Avernus pulled the task paper out of his pocket and reviewed the task Tabatha had given them one last time.

First Task

~Zekson Port~

Destruction of Goods at the Warehouse: Destroy the Red Crates

"Eizen, do we have a distraction team?", asked Avernus.

"I’ll contact the Van Eltia. I’ll instruct them to lure the guards away from their posts at the warehouse before we get there.", Eizen informed, and they hastened to the port, pacing under the sunny sky.

Upon their arrival, the team stopped near the entrance, and they slid behind some crates in the shadows. Eizen peeked around the corner, scanning the area. There were a number of exorcists forming a circle around the warehouse's entrance, standing guard. "It should be right about… now ."

Immediately, they heard cannon fire from afar. The exorcists flooded through the port to investigate the commotion. Eizen gestured toward the now unguarded building, and they dashed inside.

Avernus checked the space and noticed a large stack of red crates. "Guess that's our target.", he confirmed.

Velvet stepped forward and snapped her finger. They felt the air intensified with magic, and the wooden crates caught fire. With a signal from Velvet, they escaped the building in a rush.

Then a girl's voice called out to them as they stepped outside.

"It’s you!"

A red-haired exorcist was brandishing her staff, blocking their route.

"Oh, hey. It's the crybaby.", Velvet said.

Avernus glanced at the young exorcists and hesitated, his instincts flaring up. She didn't seem to be an enemy. "Do you know this girl?"

"We met her before in Hellawes. She was crying like a baby."

Anger cut across the exorcist's features, "I wasn’t crying!", the girl screamed and waved her weapon widely, shifting into her attack stance. "You're destroying people's property again ! I won't let you get away this time!"

Avernus instantly moved in front of Velvet as she released her wrist blade.

"You're outnumbered, exorcist. Get out of our way.", Avernus demanded, hoping for the girl to back down.

To his surprise, she didn't flinch. Her frown became even more knotted.

"You’ve got new accomplices, daemon?! Then I, Eleanor Hume, exorcist praetor, will fight and stop you all!"

She twirled her staff, and two orbs darted from her body and turned into a pair of malakhim.

Avernus quickly whipped his weapon, "Split and attack them from all sides! Me and Rokurou will take out the malakhim! The rest of you focus on neutralizing the exorcist!", Avernus directed the group, and soon, they were all on the offensive.

The malakhim began to cast their artes from a longer range as Avernus and Rokurou charged them. They swiftly dodged their predictable shots by sidestepping.

Avernus slashed his scepter horizontally. "Grief, Crush!"

An unstable blast of the void had been launched from the tip of his weapon and sailed into the closest malak, pushing it away and crashing it into the ground behind it with a loud thud.

Rokurou pounced, held his short blades in a cross shape, then slashed both at the same time.

"Crimson Flash!"

The blades tore open the second malak’s chest and sent it flying. The other malak rose on its feet and quickly cast rings of fire at Rokurou, forcing him to put up his defenses.

Avernus twirled his staff, shaping a sigil made from fire above the malakhim.

"Meteor Strike!"

The circled yawned and, from blackness inside it, a shower of fiery boulders rained down upon the remaining attacker and crushed it, flattening the area.

Eleanor watched in horror as Avernus and Rokurou quickly stomped her malakhim. "That’s impossible! How?! They were taken out so easily!"

Suddenly a voice pulled her out of her shocking state, "Eyes front, cry baby!", Velvet exploited her distraction, slashing her hard with her claws, and broke her defensive posture.

Eleanor moaned from the pain, stumbling back. "How could you destroy what people worked so hard to achieve?! I won’t forgive you!"

She pointed her spear at them, "Malak Bienfu, go!"

Eleanor's body shone with light, and a new orb emerged from her, prompting the rogue team to ready themselves for another confrontation.

"Another malak? Get ready!", Avernus warned.

To everyone's surprise, instead of a warrior sized malak, a small purple and white Normin appeared, lacking in proper clothing, he had a pair of red devil wings and a devil tail. He wore a red cape, black boots, and a purple hat with red lacing at the rims, which covered half of his face. There were two peepholes in the hat for him to see out of.

He gestured his hand around. "I'm here, and I will protect you, Madam Eleanor! Face me, you brutes!", the little guy clamored.

Everyone was surprised, Avernus nearly put the Dreamshadow away, smirking at the malak.

"He is so cute!", Laphicet said, eyes widening in surprise.

The Normin blushed at Laphicet's remark. “I… I am?”

Then, an intimate voice was heard coming from behind Velvet's group.

"There you are… Bienfu, the traitor!"

Fear and dread twisted Bienfu's face, "Oh, no! That bad-bad voice! BIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNN!", he screamed and jolted back to merge with Eleanor, hiding in her body.

"What are you doing?! Get back out here and fight!"

Velvet and the rest waited patiently, arms crossing, for their adversary to come out.

"Very well, if he's not willing…"

In a flash, Eleanor saw Avernus dashing toward her. She gasped as Avernus grasped her spear and threw it across the courtyard, disarming her. Eleanor raised her arm to cast an arte, only for Avernus to curl his fingers over her wrist. Her strength was no match for his own and he held it firmly. Eleanor suddenly flinched and gritted her teeth in pain. Avernus noticed wounds and bruises all over her body with his touch.

A soothing sense filled up Eleanor's body. Her wounds began to cure themselves. A wave of healing magic escaped Avernus' hand and surged through her body. She gasped in silence, eyes clinging to his composed face in shock.

“ Did he just… heal me ?”

Avernus looked over his shoulder toward his team, "It’s over. She’s no longer a threat. Rokurou! Grab that witch and let's go!"

Rokurou smirked and snatched Magilou off the ground as everyone began running away from the scene, leaving Eleanor in bafflement, still holding her healed shoulder and eyes following Avernus.

"What are you doing? Let me go! Witchnappers!"

With Magilou yelling at them, Avernus remembered the paper that Tabatha had given him. There was a second line beneath all of the tasks:

~SPECIAL TASK~

Investigate the marked location on the map. Unknown Code Red daemon.