"There we go," Kria said as she lay Dorian up against the wall as Allisa did the same with Gimdo.

"Will they be ok?" Allisa asked.

"We should be far from them to be safe from whatever crap happens out there," Kira answered. She looked to Allisa, who still looked nervous. "You know we can't take them any further in. They'll only get in the way if we take them with us."

".... I know," Allisa knew she was right. There was no way they could fight in their condition, and where they were going, a battle was inevitable.

"Though I got'ta admit, I didn't see just the two of us being here," Kira said, glancing back at the way they had come. "You sure your friends will be ok? I may not know them that well, but I can tell those guys there up against ain't normal mana users."

"They'll be fine," Allisa said, letting out a weary smile, "at this point, we're kinda used to it."

"...I see," Kira said, dragging out her response awkwardly, almost afraid to ask about what that meant.

"We should get going," Allisa said to her. She then turned to Gimdo, looking determined. "We're gonna stop this." She said to him, clenching her hand to a fist. She began walking off down the passageway.

Kira glanced down the two Samiets. She reached into her pocket, her fingers slipping between the edges of the photo stuffed in, tugged it to the surface where it froze, and then let go, instead of reaching for the sling of her rifle.

"Hey! Wait up!"

****

The girls reached a large circular room, lit very dimly by the crystal above them. A strange mist seeped through the room, keeping low to the ground.

"Burrr," Allisa shivered as she and Kira walked through the room. "Is it just me, or has it suddenly got colder all of a sudden?"

"Anyone would be cold dressed like that," Kira jokes.

"I'm not wearing this cause I want to!!" Allisa snapped.

"Haha! I'm just pulling your leg," Kira chuckled. She then glanced around at the mist, her expression hardening. "Still....... something doesn't feel right," She glanced around the darkened area. Allisa did the same. "Yo Allisa, how many people we're up against? You know, besides Ellie and those two weird guys from before."

"Well..." Allisa thought out loud, raising her fingers. "There's that guy who was after Max and that half-naked guy with the tattoo. Although, since Max and Yuki disappeared, I'm pretty sure they're fighting outside. Same with Mary, I think she went to face Leone. Rodger........ might have gone with her since that floating kid was with her. Then there are those two girls with masks..... I got a feeling that's who Nel's fighting.

"So..... what's left is this white-haired man, a mummy and... uh, the one with the bird mask."

Kira looked surprised. "How'd you figure all that out?"

"Just a feeling I got," Allisa said.

"One hell of a feeling," Kira smiled. She then looked at the large door at the end of the room, which continued. "So Ellie'll be with them." She said quietly, glancing towards Allisa. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask..."

"Hm?" Allisa looked at her.

"Well.... When you-"

"Whaaaa...."

Kira stopped, turning around suddenly, startled by what sounded like a baby.

"Y-You heard that too?" Allisa asked as she summoned her sword, looking around.

"Yeah..." Kira said, bringing out her rifle.

A second mummer then occurred. The sound of a baby echoed through the room. Both stood back to back, glancing around, trying to find the source of the sound.

"Gaga hehe-"

Another giggle caused both girls to tense, Allisa holding her sword in two hands while Kira aimed down her sights.

"It.... sounds like a baby," Allisa said as some more baby burbles echoed.

"..... I sure hope so," Kira said, glancing around, aiming down her sights, trying to find the source of the disturbing baby sounds.

The mist, which only seemed to grow thicker, began to obscure the light, making the already dim room even dimmer.

Allisa glanced around; the growing sense of unease began to sink in. Both of them then stopped, hearing the sound of something crawling directly above them.

Slowly looking upwards, the girls spotted frost gathering on the ceiling, which gave off the mist that was present in the room. Both stared in horror at the creature that was right in the center of the frost. It looked just a naked baby, but its skin was lumpy and pale green color. It glanced down at the two with its large head, with a massive, black eye with a glowing yellow iris staring at them.

"WHOA!!"

"WHAT THE-?!!"

Both girls jumped back in shock. When they did, the baby dethatched from the ceiling, dropping and landing on the ground with a loud thud. It quickly righted itself, frost beginning to gather below it.

Now that it was up close, Allisa and Kira had a better look at it, and it was even more grotesque then it looked. Its skin wasn't just green but lumpy with boils and unnatural folds that followed no logic. Its large head only had two parts to it; a horrible mouth with massive buck teeth, and a right eye that had its skin and eyelid peeled back in four directions, allowing its unsettling eye to twitch and move erratically. Along with that was a large sheet of metal that covered a small spot of its giant head, and three metal spikes that stuck up from its back.

"Here too?" Allisa muttered holding her sword out.

"Guess we know it was one of them that called out those freaks," Kira said, glancing at her utility belt, paying attention to the magazines she had left. "Let's make a run for it," she said to Allisa, glancing towards the passageway to their right.

Allisa nodded. The fact that this monster was in front of them meant that it was here to buy the enemy time. There was also the unease she felt from it. It was a chill that ran down her spine, one that wasn't caused by the drop in temperature, but something else, it was a similar feeling she got from the homunculi, and Ellie.

"Ready," Kira reached into her back, bringing out a flash grenade, pulling the pin, "Cover your ears!" Kira threw it before turning, ducking down and covering her ears. Allisa did the same.

The monster raised its head as the grenade approached it. It then detonated in a white flash. The monster recalled back, its open eye twitched erratically.

"Ok! Let's go!"

Kira and Allisa ran as fast as they could to the passageway while the beast was stunned. Unfortunately, a thick layer of ice that just before they could reach it quickly blocked the way out.

"Shit!" Kira swore.

"Uh oh, Kira!" Allisa alerted Kira's attention back to the monster, where it appeared to be charging its red mana into its single eye.

"Oh what now?!"

Both girls leaped out of the way just as the monster fired a beam from its eye, its head reeled backward from the recoil of energy. The energy shot hit the ground, exploding like a firework. A part of the brickwork was eroded away from impact.

"What the..." Allisa looked to where they were standing then back to the monster, which raised one of its baby arms and slammed it down, sending spears of ice shooting from the ground, aiming at Allisa.

In response, Allisa teleported out of the way before the spears hit. They crashed on the wall, the sheets of ice branched outwards, blending into the ice that blocked the passageway. Allisa reappeared a few feet away, grateful she dodged the sheet of ice.

On the other side, Kira circled around, firing at the monster's right, aiming for its eye that she assumed was its weak spot. The bullets peppered against it, even digging into its eye, but the monster hardly responded to the damage, which all managed to heal as fast as it appeared.

Kira ceased fire, clicking her tongue in response. Ice crystals then began to form around the monster, rising up from the sheet ice below it, sharpening its needles, firing one by one at Kira, who ran around, dodging each one, taking out her magazine and swapping it for one with a red line.

"Guess it's now or never..."

The baby's eyes rolled its eye following Kira-

"Vermilion Strike!"

From its left side, Allisa suddenly appeared, flames bursting from her blade, which she lunged forwards in a horizontal strike, incinerating the monster.

"Alright," Allisa said, letting out a deep sigh. When the flames died down, she was in for a shock. The baby was still there, with its left side burnt with a small gash formed between its hand and leg. What was shocking was the burn area was regressing. "It's healing?!"

The baby slowly creaked its head, charging its eye, aiming its potential beam at Allisa. Before it could fire, two explosions erupted on the right side, forcing its trajectory off Allisa, striking the mural instead.

It then turned its head, seeing Kira standing with a grin. "Over here you ugly bastard!" Kira yelled as she fired off two more shots that smacked into the monster's head.

With a cry, the monster slammed its right palm down, sending another wave of ice towards Kira, who jumped out of the way to avoid it.

"Allisa!!" Kira called out to Allisa who was on the other side, "Keep hitting it!" She then fired three more shots that exploded off the monster's side. In response, ice spikes began to shoot from the ground, aiming at Kira.

Allisa suddenly appeared in front of Kira, swinging her sword in a horizontal arc, sending flames, which destroyed the ice before it could reach Kira.

"Thanks for the save,"

Allisa held her sword as the baby stood by docile. "Do you know what that thing is?" Allisa asked.

"Not by name," Kira shook her head. "But my guess it's a mid-level demon."

"Demon?!"

"Guess you've never seen one before till today, huh?"

Allisa didn't respond to the question. She had dealt with two demons possessing the homunculi bodies' in a desperate struggle.

"To cut a long story short, just keep wounding it. The more damage you can do, the better."

"O-Ok,"

Kira then opened fire again, four shots which exploded against the monster's head-on impact.

While it was stunned, Allisa teleported forwards, slicing through its left arm. She found herself unable to slice the limb off due to an unexpected resistance, which caused the cut to be shallower than expected. Following up on her first strike, Allisa swung her blade in a wide arc, coating her blade in flames, striking the monster's head, leaving a graze while the flames gathered burst outwards, knocking the monster upwards, breaking the wall of ice that it had formed. It raised itself onto its legs, regaining its balance before descending again. Allisa then teleported back just before it landed back down, where ice shot up in response.

Allisa reappeared at Kria's position, crouching down. During her attack, Kira had taken out her magazine with the red band and inserted one with a yellow band.

"Good thing I stocked up back at Gerlarder," Kira said as she cocked her gun before firing off two shots. They impacted on the babies head, burying itself into the skin. It first seemed as though it did nothing, but then suddenly both gave out a burst of green lightning, which blasted small chucks from the monster while electrocuting it, causing it to fall.

"Whoa..." Allisa breathed, "Was that a special bullet?"

"Yeah. You can get special ammunition for guns in Miltesa," Kira said as she swapped out her magazine for one with a red band. "Problem is, I only got one of those.... And one other red band....." She glanced down at her belt, "and I'm pretty low on normal ammo as is thanks to those freaks from before."

"I see," Allisa said, looking at the monster, seeing the chunk that was blown out beginning to heal, more ice gathering below the monster's hands and leg.

"While we're on the subject," Kira glanced to Allisa. "Is there a reason you ain't using that attack you used before?"

Allisa nodded. "It uses a tone of mana for one shot. Even keeping my sword in this form is quite a drain."

"And ya want to keep as much of it for what's coming up," Kira finished for Allisa. "Looks like we're on the same page."

The baby got up once again as more ice spears began to form around it. Allisa braced herself while Kira got ready to run. "I'll try making an opening," Kira said to her, "Go for that big eye of his."

"Right."

Allisa summoned flames to her sword, just before the monster began to create more ice spears towards the girls. Allisa swiped her blade out, releasing the flames in a short burst, intercepting the ice.

Kira ran to the left, firing five shots out that detonated against the monster, causing it to moan and move backward as its eye began to charge again, aiming at Kira and firing. Kira leaped out of the way, avoiding the shot that eroded a part of the brickwork.

The baby continued to track Kira, its eye twitching erratically. Suddenly, Allisa appeared descending on the beast, which moved its head upwards. Inverting her blade, Allisa plunged it into the monster's eye.

The creature cried in pain, twitching violently, eventually forcing Allisa off it before she could summon more flames while the blade was embedded. Allisa fell to the floor, rolling before seeing the baby upon its legs, ready to crush Allisa underneath or create ice to impale her. Before it could, Kira fired, the bullets detonating against its belly.

Allisa took the opportunity to retreat by teleporting away, just before the baby landed, sending large spikes of ice around it. She repapered a few feet back from the ice that shot up, skidding to a stop. The monster wailed and cried in pain, flailing around, knocking over is own ice as a thick frost began to form below it. Its eye was now ruined, with blood continuing to flow from the singed wound in it.

"Nice!" Kira cheered, ejecting her magazine before replacing it with the yellow-banded one.

Allisa got back to her feet as the baby finished thrashing. Its eye remained ruined, robbing it of its vision. Letting out a cry, large spears of ice began firing from around it, almost at random, extending a few feet from it, not coming close to hitting the girls that kept their distance.

"It's not healing...." Allisa observed.

"Looks like it's close to its limit," Kira said. "Careful, I think it's gonna go berserk."

"Berserk?"

As though answering, the baby began to charge forwards towards them, smashing through the ice it created, trying to crush the girls.

Both Allisa and Kira ran right, just dodging the baby that passed by, slamming itself into the wall.

The girls tripped from the impact behind them as the baby buried itself into the wall.

"A sign that it's nearly dead," Kira said as she rolled back to her feet, firing three shots into the large head. The resulting electrical blasts blew three separate chunks from it.

Allisa got back to her feet, just in time to see a large hale of ice beginning to form around the baby. In response, she coated her blade in flames and swung it in a wide arc, blasting away the ice that was launched.

Kira meanwhile leaped to the left, keeping low.

When the flames died down, the baby sent large spears of ice launching themselves at Allisa, who was unprepared to dodge them.

Instead, she sidestepped to the right, swinging her blade into the ice cutting it horizontally as it passed.

Meanwhile, Kira crouched down on one knee, aiming her rifle towards the baby's open mouth as it cried. "Bullseye."

She fired, sending around straight into its mouth, causing its head to reel backward, letting up on the sheet of ice, it spayed at Allisa. A second later, it exploded in a green flash, smoke poured from the mouth.

"Ok! Finish that thing off!"

As the baby staggered back Allisa teleported in the air within a few meters towards it. Her blade held up with flames dancing around, she struck down.

"Vermilion Strike!"

The flames released as Allisa fell to the ground, flames released and ran right through the monster, splitting it right down the middle.

The baby cried, shocking Allisa that it was still able to move despite the orange line that ran through it. She jumped back as the baby extended its left arm to try and reach her when suddenly; the green skin began to turn gray. Cracks then began to form, in its skin as the gray spread all through its body, causing to cease all movement. Its arm then began to fall apart, disintegrating. Its body followed, with every fragment crumbling and falling, the fragments lifting up into the air. The ice began to disappear as well, as though it never existed before. The mist cleared up as well as the room getting brighter.

Allisa's knees went as the tension defused, letting out a sigh of relief as her sword vanished. "It's over...." She said. She managed to defeat it without expending much mana, but she nonetheless felt exhausted.

"That was definitely a mid-level demon," Kira said walking up to Allisa, removing the magazine and replacing it with a normal one. "Geez, it's just one thing after the other."

Allisa looked at her, "That was a mid-level demon?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised you haven't heard of it." Kira extended her hand to Allisa and helped her up. "Demons are pretty nasty critters. Low levels are small beasties that are pretty easy to deal with; stuff like imps and little devils," Kira glanced to the entrance where they came from, "those things out there probably low levels too."

She looked back to Allisa. "Mid-levels are like that thing we just fought. As you saw, they got some pretty powerful Mana abilities. Requests for them at the adventurers guild range from B to S rank."

"S-Seriously!!"

Kira nodded and pointed to the scar on her left cheek. "This is from a mid-level demon." She lowered her arm. "Same with Ellie's scar."

She then looked back to where the monster was, which had now completely vanished without a trace. "They come in all shapes and sizes, all possessing different powers. And as you saw, they can regenerate. Only thing they got in common, which is different from the lower levels, is that once they die they turn ta ash and disintegrate."

"Gosh...." Allisa muttered.

"Cause of its regeneration, it usually takes about four people just ta kill something on that level." She glanced at Allisa. "Gotta say, you really held ya own back there. Still don't know what your story is, but you got hell of a lota power."

"Uhh...." Allisa rubbed the back of her head with an awkward smile, "It's.... a long story." Her smile disappeared just as fast, "... what about the other ones.... Uh, higher level."

"Oh uh..." Kira put a finger to her chin as she thought, staring off into the distance, "Never met one myself, but their power's on a whole other level." She looked back to Allisa, returning back to a serious look. "Main difference though is that they can talk and think on their own."

"Talk and... think?"

"You saw it with that thing and those creatures out there. They look scary, but they're kinda brain dead."

"Huh...." Allisa thought back on what Kira said. She recalled the monsters outside where attacking indiscriminately, without any regards to even their own safety. Even the baby's attacks seemed random at best. "I see what you mean."

"Like I said, I've never actually met one myself – kinda glad to- but I heard unlike the lower and mid levels, they don't have a physical form, and instead possess a person and take em over."

Allisa froze in response.

"I've even heard that there have been people who've even tamed their demon and use their power as though it were their own." Kira continued. "Pretty scary huh?"

"Uh... y-yeah," Allisa responded weakly. From what Kira had told her about the demons, it sounded almost identical to what happened to the homunculi, the powers they used that came from demons and the two that ended up being possessed and going on a rampage. Fighting even one of them took the exhausted party everything they had left just to put him down.

"Does raise some flags for me, I gotta admit," Kira spoke, breaking Allisa's thoughts. She looked to the now opened passageway with a worried expression, slinging her rifle to her back. "By the looks of it, we're dealing with someone who can summon not only lower-level but mid-level demons too."

"Yeah, but you know what'll happen if we don't," Allisa said, trying to sound as optimistic as possible. "We may not even need to fight. If we can somehow break that coin tablet, then their plains' ruined."

"....That is a long shot." Kira said grimly. "I mean, how are gonna do that."

"Uh... I-I might be able to destroy it with my sword."

"Uh huh,"

"A-Anyway, we should get moving. I think we've been held back for long enough, we need to hurry."

Both girls continued on past the giant door. Allisa took the lead while Kira hung back, staring at Allisa looking confected.

"..... Hey, you got a sec?" Kira called out suddenly, causing Allisa to stop.

"Hm? What is it?" Allisa asked as she turned around.

Kira looked unsure, gripping her sling tightly. "I was gonna ask this before, but..... When you see Ellie again, what are you gonna do?"

"Uh..." Allisa was caught off guard, not expecting Kira to ask that question. "I... guess I'll have to fight her again,"

"That's not what I meant," Kira shook her head. "Like... are you gonna kill her."

Allisa remained quiet, mulling over the question. "...... No, I'm not gonna kill her." She said with determination.

"Really?" Kira raised her eyebrow. "You know she nearly killed ya back there."

"I-I know...." Allisa said awkwardly, touching the area where she was cut the other day. "Still.... I want to help her."

Kira raised an eyebrow.

"A while back, there was this woman who lost everything, but couldn't let go of what she lost, and ended up doing horrible things to bring it all back," Allisa explained, feeling her hand clench into a fist. "Honestly.... I can't forgive what she did, but..... she didn't deserve what happened to her.

"Ellie.... When I saw her the second time.... She reminded me a lot of that woman. I don't know what happened to her, but I got this feeling if she goes through with this.... it's only gonna hurt her."

Kira was taken aback by Allisa's answer, not expecting something like that.

"I don't know if I can get through to her, but I have to try." Allisa turned around, glancing towards the pathway. I'm not gonna let that happen again!

Kira chuckled softly. "You really are strange, you know that."

Allisa turned and smiled at her. She then turned back around and continued to walk forwards. "Come on. Let's sto- GAAHK!!?"

Before she realized what happened, Kira suddenly wrapped her arms around her neck, holding her in cloak hold.

"K... Ki..... Ack...." Allisa choked, trying to break free from Kira. Struggling to no avail, Allisa lost strength in her arms, flopping to her side as she passed out.

When she had, Kira released her hold, gently settling Allisa down at the wall. "You really are sweet, you know that," Kira said as she stood back up. "And that's why I can't let you go on."

She turned and walked away from the unconscious Allisa, her expression darkening. Sorry Ellie.... But I think we both know how this'll end.

As she walked along, she failed to spot a small floating eye, locking its gaze on her as she walked.

****

Further on, Yensin, Lire Lim, Ellie and the mummy walked down a large stone pathway, coming into a wide room, different from the one they had been in previously.

Unlike the arena form before, the room was a large square room with water at either side of the pathway. Jutting out was four large square pillars located on each side with other pillars jutting out on both side, joining them together.

"Fascinating," Yensin said, admiring the stonework. "To think how much time and effort was put into this place, only to serve as the dungeon to the monster that once threatened all of Avalon. Quite ironic, I believe this was a place of learning and culture, turned into nothing more then... well a dungeon. Sorry, I couldn't come up with a better metaphor. I suppose I'm just jumping with glee."

When no one answered him, he looked to Ellie, who was being very quiet.

"Aren't you going to say anything my dear?"

"Like what?" Ellie said coldly.

"Well for starters, you could tell me off for rambling like I usually do."

Ellie glanced at Yensin, and then looked back forwards, ignoring him.

Yensin let out a sigh and glanced towards the mummy walking along by his left side. "Women, right?" He said putting an arm around the mummy. "And by the way, you are a marvelous traveling companion. Quite.... Annoyingly so, but.... I really feel we're connecting, on a spiritual level, don't you agree."

"........."

"Ahh, you too. It really must be fate that brought us together."

All of a sudden, Lire Lim, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped, pulling out his jade skull. The other's stopped behind him.

"Is something amidst?" Yensin asked, releasing the mummy.

"Goorr.... Bolch..... Fergota...."

"Someone defeated the Bolchoket you placed behind us?" Yensin repeated, looking intrigued. "Already? That was fast."

"You mean they're coming?" Ellie said, sounding concerned.

"Looks that way," Yensin said, looking at Ellie with a grin then back to Lire Lim. "Well don't keep us in suspense, let's see who's coming."

Lire Lim raised her jade skull, which shone a bright green color. Before the party was a murky projection, making out a single woman waking her way down the passage alone.

"....." Ellie's eyes widened, her fists clenching.

"Oh, that's all?" Yensin said. "I was expecting a bit more to make it. Have to say this is a bit of a disappointment."

"Tor seng.... Farkota... Zeeeenn...."

"But that's boring. I mean, who is this? Does she look like the hero that will save the day? No. I mean, where's her sword? And is that a gun? What kind of noble hero comes to save the day with a gun? So tasteless and tacky. You can kill a man with a gun so easily. We all want action, suspense, "

"Master Yensin," Ellie interrupted, turning around. "Go on ahead."

"Are you sure?" Yensin said, sounding intrigued as the image disappeared. "Don't you want to see the end results?"

".... When you break the seal, I'll feel it." Ellie spoke. "And I'll fulfill my purpose."

Yensin smiled and nodded. "As you wish." He said as Lire Lim continued to walk along. Yensin turned to the mummy, saying "After you," then followed on after the mummy. "Don't take too long, I want you to see everything you worked for these past four years come together."

As they disappeared down into the next passageway, Ellie stayed behind, staring at her bandaged left arm. "So it's come to this....."

Her left hand clenched into a fist.

"I know what I must do."

She glanced towards the entrance of the room where they had just walked through.

"Let's end this Kira,"