Levian gritted his teeth, muscles tensed, his eyes squinting with livid anger at her disobedience. “You are making the wrong choice.”

Snow shook her head. “You don’t know that. The future can still be changed.”

Levian started to pace back and forth; the energy around him was intensifying. Anyone near him was uncomfortable by the murderous intent that he was spilling.

Mike rushed over. He stepped next to Snow, creating a barrier between Dairen.

Levian scowled deeper. He didn't like how things were not going in his favor.

“If you take that step, I’ll stop you,” Mike growled. “This is why I didn’t like him in the beginning, Snow. We should have killed him the first time we saw him.”

“I had a couple of thoughts like that as well, but we need him still.” Snow replied. As much as she wanted to cut ties with him, there were more times that he was useful. Plus, there were things that he knew that she didn’t. Maybe she was putting too much faith in him, but her guts were telling her that there was something about him that she needed to pay attention to.

Levian was getting agitated that even Mike was standing up in between him and Dairen. With great reluctance, he let out a deep sigh.

Eventually, Levian stopped. Looking at Snow and then back at Dairen, who was quickly changing into his demon form. He then took a deep breath then lowered his sword.

“Fine, you win,” Levian said with great difficulties. With a wave of his hands, he put the sword away as it magically disappeared into thin air. He then pointed at each one of them, “but if he turns on us, remember I’ll be there to cut off his head and end all this demon king bullshit.”

“I understand. I’ll be there myself.” Mike had said with reassurance, but he didn’t believe that Dairen would turn.

Snow didn’t realize that she was holding her breath the whole time. She didn’t want to fight, but if she had to, she would tooth and nail. Dairen and Mike had become family to her. She would back him up just as they would to her. She put away the twin Moon Blades. Even Lady Luck in gauntlet form turned back into a sword and was put away.

Walking back toward Dairen, she stood over him. There were drastic changes to his body, and she could see that the injury that the Demon Pope had given had now closed. He looked like he was sleeping quietly.

Snow wondered what and how much he would change. Her hand inched toward Gremlin unconsciously. Waiting patiently for Dairen to wake up. Quickly, her heart pounded faster and faster. She could feel her sweat dripping down her nose and onto the ground. It was a stifling experience. Her eyes became wide.

Dairen's chest started to go up and down, showing that he was alive.

“Is he going to be okay?” Mike asked. He was next to her, peering over her shoulder.

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I hope he will be okay.”

“Me too.”

They watched. The priestess and priest started to surround them, whispering over their shoulder. Trying to see if everything was alright.

Dairen started to stir.

Everyone was on edge.

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Snow's hand slipped down to her extra weapon. She grabbed Gremlin, tightening around it.

Dairen groaned. His eyes opened, showing his demonic eye. It was pitch black with red iris, glowing blood red.

Snow gulped. She felt an uncomfortable shudder from her heart as it dropped to her stomach, rolling a fair bit. The piercing red gaze made anyone looking gasp with fright as everyone felt the powerful dark energy pushing down on them.

The priest was hacking and coughing, holding their throat. They were leaning over, throwing up on the side.

“The Demon Prince is awake!” One of the priestess screeched, coughing hard. Her leg was shaking. She collapsed on the ground and peed.

Many of the female priestesses were crying and shivering in fear. They couldn’t handle the demonic energy that Dairen was spewing out of his body. The uncontrollable energy also made Snow feel like she was swimming against the currents, trying to pull herself out from the darkness.

Many of the priestess fainted on the spot, unable to handle the energy.

Snow and Levian both matched eyes. Levian was tense, ready to jump in any second. She could see that any moment now if Dairen didn’t come through, he would slice Dairen’s throat.

“Dairen?” Mike was taking deep breaths, trying to breathe through the heavy air.

Dairen didn’t stir but stared at them blankly.

“Dairen, buddy? You there?” He half-heartedly jokes, but one could tell that he was breaking sweats. “Come on, don’t leave me hanging.”

“He won’t answer.” Levian hissed. “This is going to get all of us killed. The others can’t handle his energy output, and more will faint!”

A dangerous bloodlust was escaping Levian’s body.

Sensing Levian’s intent, Dairen's head snapped over toward Levain. An evil, crooked smile appeared on his lips. Claws became sharper than before, giving it a deadly glare. He slowly stood up as his tail wagged back and forth.

“Lower your bloodlust!” Mike hissed. “You aren’t helping this situation!”

“Shut up. You don’t know how serious this is going to be!” Levian snapped back. Both of them were eyeing each other with discontent. “This could be the crossing point to an end of the world scenario!”

“You should shut your trap before I snapped your neck and make it an end of the world scenario to you!” Mike was getting heated at Levian for making everything much more tense than before.

“Enough!” Snow ordered. She was getting tired of hearing them bicker. It was now or never.

With heavy steps, she stepped forward. Coating herself strongly with light magic to push away the dark energy that was trying to suffocate her. The closer she got, the stronger the magic swirled around him. It was to the point where one would have possibly suffocated and possibly died unable to breathe.

But for Snow, she didn’t allow it to stop her. She raised her own magical energy to combat the terrible wave of energy that battled against her.

When Dairen noticed that Snow was getting closer and closer, he increased his magical output even further.

Every priest and priestess fell down on the ground, passing out. Mike and Levian were on their knees, trying desperately to push the dark energy with their own magic. They were struggling, unable to keep up a very strong barrier like Snow.

“Dairen.” Snow calmly spoke, hoping that she could get through him.

Dairen tilted his head.

There was a hint of recognition when he looked at Snow.

“Dairen?” Snow asked, hoping that he heard her. “Dairen? Are youth-”

Boom!

A powerful punch of energy snapped at Snow’s chest. Snow was thrown across the floor. Her small sword Gremlin was up, barely able to hold the punch. Her armor protected her. If it was a normal human, they would have died on the spot.

She was momentarily shocked that Dairen had struck back.

“I told you!” Levian darted in, rushing past her. He was able to break free from the heavy energy that suffocated him. “He needs to die now!”

Levian and Dairen smashed into each other. Levian’s sword hummed with energy, clashing against Dairen’s own demonic force. They both stare eye-to-eye, Dairen snarling at Levian.

“I always hated you.” Levian snarled. “And today, you’ll do me great favor disappearing here and now.”

Dairen and Levian furiously fought against each other. Levian didn’t pull back his slashes. Every hit was a deadly strike to Dairen’s vitals. In exchange, Dairen was able to throw in some deadly stabs that punctured Levian’s armor. With a swish of his tail, Dairen grabbed hold of Levian’s foot. He pulled it out from under him, causing Levian to fall back.

Quickly, Dairen’s claws drove straight toward Levian’s heart. Levian couldn’t retaliate. His eyes became wide, realizing that he couldn't block.

Suddenly, out of the left, Snow appeared, blocking Dairen.

“Wake up!” Snow shouted. She ground her right foot into the ground, pushing off as she put all her strength into pushing him back. Swinging like she was hitting a home run, Dairen clawed, trying to skewer Dairen, and was thrown back over his head.

In quick steps, she aggressively moved forward. Her eyes glowing gold and her white hair streaming behind her like flames.

With a lunge, Snow lunged.

Gremlin made contact with Dairen’s shoulder. Black blood spewed out from the blade as it cut deeply into his shoulder.

Dairen screamed in pain. Both of them fell onto the ground.

Snow didn’t let go. Their bodies entangled.

With his other hand, Dairen tried his best to push Snow away. Scraping against her armor that resisted against his sharp claw. Snow was relieved that the armor that Falcon had upgraded was able to fight against Dairen’s claws. She had seen how it could quickly destroy the armor. She didn’t want to be on the receiving end of such vicious attacks.

Snow pulled out Gremlin, she snaked her body around Dairen’s back. Her arm quickly went around his neck and wrapping her leg around his back. Quickly, she locked her arms, tightening it.

Dairen struggled. His tail thrashed around, reaching up to try to pull her leg away from her chest. Even his hands clawed against her armor but failed to pull it apart.

Time seems to go still.

Snow breathed in and out. Tightening her arm tighter and tighter. She could feel her sweat dripping down her neck.

“Come on.” Snow hissed. She needed to go back to sleep. “Come on. Come on. Come on.”