Kazius grew more and more concerned. The shadows around them seemed almost restless. Their usual breathing he had grown accustomed to since Remus was now practically hyperventilation.

It was then he heard it.

‘…Approaching…’

Was whispered every so quietly into his ear. It was not a single voice, but instead like a quiet creepy murmur of a choir.

“Approaching?” Kazius questioned in confusion and even a bit of terror.

“Approaching?” Alice asked I confusion at his sudden question.

“Did you… Not hear that?” Kazius questioned in confusion and concern.

“Kazius, it is just us here and none of us said anything.” Azanor stated in confusion with a raised brow.

“I did’t hear anything either!” Eve chirped.

‘Did I really imagine that?’

Kazius knew he may not be in the best mental state after everything he had dealt with, but hearing voices was not within what he was expecting.

“I think maybe we should camp… You look tired. We can search for Vargstam in the morning... You must be worn out.” Alice assured as she looked at Kazius with obvious concern in her violet eyes.

“How about you sit… I feel generous today. I will set up camp, you can praise me later.” Azanor volunteered proudly, looking quite smug despite the fact Kazius had been the one setting up camp without being asked the past few days.

“Thanks.” Kazius stated, indeed wondering if he was truly just exhausted.

With that, the group would prepare camp and rest.

Kazius remained awake. The feeling of being yelled at would not stop… He found himself needing less sleep since he began to use his powers… But he still needed rest…. At this rate though, he would not get any.

He groaned before he would sit up, looking up at the moon and the stars framed by the tall mountains. The beautiful sight of the moon reflecting on the river valley waters brought far from any comfort.

The night was very quiet, except for distant howling… Wolves were not a concern to him though, there were far stronger things around than some random wild hounds for him to worry about. He could handle a wolf.

Still, as he looked around, he could have sworn that he saw someone look at them from the top of the valley. Who was that? He would do a double take, but the person was gone.

‘Did I imagine that? Am I seeing things now too?’

Just as he was beginning to doubt himself and his own sanity, he would spot someone drop down. The ground shaking upon impact, even cracking the ground. This woke up his companions.

“W-What the!?” Alice exclaimed, startled awake as she began to reach out so her sword would fly into her hand.

“The ground is angry!” Eve whined, startled.

Azanor seemed to spring up. He may have not sensed the intruders, seemed he had not slept, he had just been pretending. Did Demons even sleep? Now was not the time for such a question.

“You really weren’t crazy.” Azanor stated in concern as he sprung up with a scowl.

The group would gather their bearings to look at the intruders. The very familiar intruders to Kazius.

Leo and Alex. His former friends, the ones he saved with his power yet rejected everything he was… To the point that rather than thank him, when it was revealed he wasn’t human… They tried to kill him.

Last time he saw them, Kazius had to run away so fast that he had little time to fully process the betrayal he felt… He had felt grief and frustration… Kazius believed had had gotten over things… But the moment he laid eyes on Alex, his heart sank.

Unlike Leo, he had known Alex his whole life. Deep down he had known he would not be accepted for what he was, but despite that he felt resentment and grief towards the friendship he never actually received.

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Above all, what destroyed him the most and gave him the most anguish was how wrong they looked… Yes… There was something very off about the two. While Kazius would definitely recognize his friend that had woken him up almost every day at the orphanage… He had changed a lot since he last saw him about a week ago. They both had.

Alex and Leo had greying hair despite being young, almost white. Their eyes had both changed into a strange glowing eerie light blue. A creepy wicked grin on both of their faces.

The color of their eyes… It was creepy… Unsettling…

There was something oh so terribly wrong with them… They radiated pure mana, almost unnaturally so. This was dangerous… And it seemed he was not the only one who thought so, Alice and Azanor looked horrified.

Kazius was frozen in place, feeling too many emotions at once. He thought he would be okay once he saw them again… Ready to fight them… He wasn’t.

“Long time no see, Traitor.” Alex chuckled out mockingly.

As Alex said this, Kazius could not help but remember how happily Alex would wake him up. Kazius had truly wanted to be his friend… He had hoped for it… Yet it was clear that to Alex…. There was truly no friendship there.

“Traitor? No, that implies that he was one of us… He is a Monster, filth. He is vermin that tricked The Church, nothing more.” Leo remarked back.

“I suppose you’re right… He is just a dirty Monster impersonating a person… He was tricking us… Disgusting… You have no idea… The humiliation we felt by being associated with you… Especially me… Repulsive to think I spent so much time with you… But I should thank you… Thanks to you… We were able to prove ourselves… To become proper Edict apprentices… So, you can die knowing you at least did something decent despite what you are.” Alex chuckled out maliciously before he and Leo drew their swords.

Kazius gritted his teeth. He already knew that was how they felt, but that did not mean their words did not sting.

Then there was the dangerous way Mana crackled around them… Did becoming Edict Apprentices somehow cause their change in appearance and power? How was such a thing possible within a week?

Before Kazius could process what was happening, the two had taken out their swords and moved faster than Kazius even thought was possible. Part of him just wanted to stand there, his heart feeling incredibly heavy.

The hit never came though. Azanor would block it with his cane, moving in front of Kazius in the blink of an eye. The action surprised Kazius. He had not bothered to intervene back in Remus… Yet he was now?

“Don’t just stand there you idiot! I won’t let you get yourself killed. MOVE.” Azanor snapped at him, looking quite upset. He had never looked so protective of anyone other than Eve, so it truly was shocking. It was almost like he took Alex and Leo’s words personally.

“Why…” Kazius trailed off. This all had taken a heavy mental toll on him.

“Do I really need a reason? NOW MOVE IT!” Azanor snapped.

Kazius snapped out of it thanks to that. He was not a lonely child anymore… He had actual friends now… Ones that knew what he was yet were still with him. He did not have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity. He had to protect his friends.

“You have… A Demon with you? Of course, you would… You truly are evil that must be eradicated.” Alex sneered out.

“I won’t be killed by you today.” Kazius responded back, bringing out his shadows.

“Vermin like you need to die… You even have the heretic princess with you… The Demon worshipping Priestess… Trash love sticking together… Once we kill you all, we will be able to earn the right to become Edicts… And improve the world while at it.” Alex stated with a chuckle, his grin wide. It creeped Kazius out, even more than Azanor’s when he got angry. Alex looked like he had lost his mind.

It was then Leo decided to attack. His sword flashing like a light with how fast he moved.

Kazius attempted to block the hit by coating his hand in shadows, but much to his horror, his shadows were sliced.

He wasn’t strong enough. He finally had the will to fight… But… Was that enough?

The sheer force they created… Were they really still Human? The two never had this crazy amount of Mana or strength. What the hell happened to them?

Kazius winced, getting a cut on his side.

“Kazius!” Alice exclaimed in shock, levitating her sword before aiming it at Leo. Only for it to be easily deflected by Alex who moved in.

Her sword was pushed back, leaving an opening in her defense.

Alex refused to miss such an opportunity.

He punched the princess in the gut in a quick follow up attack.

Alice’s eyes went wide, coughing up blood, collapsing. The sight earning an amused and sinister laugh from Alex.

The strength they had… It was overwhelming.

At this rate… They would…

“My friends! No! Leave them alone, you bullies! Meanies! All of you! You are not nice people!” Eve exclaimed, attempting to heal them. She began to cry, worried and distressed.

Of course, this made her a target for the two Knights.

They would charge at her at an insane speed. Kazius wanted to help, but he couldn’t move with the speed he wanted to. Not with his injury.

Thankfully, Azanor made it in time. To say the Demon looked pissed, was an understatement. He looked absolutely livid. He looked upset for Kazius, but for Eve? There was just no comparison.

“Don’t you fucking touch her.” Azanor hissed out, too angry to even speak the common tongue for a moment. He began to have Demonic energy surround him, concentrating in his hands, before he moved at an inhuman speed to attack the two knights.

Leo and Alex were even faster though, blocking the attacks with their swords. They were not even Edicts yet it seemed they could already stop Azanor.

Normally mortals would be intimidated at hearing Demon tongue. Instead though, they grew enraged. As if going berserk. Something was definitely wrong with their minds.

The two would attack with new intense speed and fury that pushed Azanor back.

Azanor panted, cursing. He normally behaved with so much class, yet now he cursed like a sailor.

“Kazius… I will be honest… I came here without permission from my King… There is backlash when you pull what I did… I haven’t had time to recover… I don’t have all my power. I don’t think I can hold them off for long.” Azanor stated as he did his best to fight off the duo, his fury dying down due to the severity of the situation.

At this rate, they would die.