Ipos looked down from the starting post of the flying course. Two hundred feet above the ground, he had a perfect view of the lands surrounding The Academy. The sun rose swiftly behind him, highlighting the shabby patchwork rooftops of human dwellings. Boards and beams ran over alleyways for quick escapes in the event of a raid. Spring traps, spiked pitfalls, and mines hid under deceptively thin sheets of wood and rusting metal. One wrong step and someone could easily lose a leg, or worse.

  Looking to the West, Ipos scoffed in disgust at the chaotic City of Denim. A Large statue depicting Adramelech holding a sword and crushing a scale under his hoof looked over Denim from the Southernmost district. Shining glass towers, crumbling houses, and dilapidated shops littered the city, mixed together in no distinct pattern.

  Further West, past the city limits, stood the Trinity Alps. He wondered how many human rebels still hid in the land the demons renamed Asail. A turbulent river carved through the city from the northern mountains into the vast desert to the South. To the East, a thick forest sprawled for miles, ending at the grassy foothills of the Cascades.

  Closing his eyes, he focused on searching for the presence of a giant, ancient creature pacing the grounds between the school and the forest. While concentrating on this creature, he sensed something else. Opening his eyes, he found a dark mist covering the arboretum between The Academy and the city proper.

  ***

  A slight haze filled the air. The fog held an unnatural feel. The students looked out from their dorm room windows, unsure of what to do. An announcement ordering all students and faculty to stay indoors rang through the campus as all the locks shut themselves. Unease grew as the chatter floated through the halls.

  In the Great Temple, the Elders conversed nervously. "Has the Hell-Child shown up yet?" Lilith asked.

  Beelzebub shook his head. "With the mist, she may have become lost."

  "Has Uvall said anything?" she questioned further.

  "You know as much as we do, Lilith." Ayperos hissed, almost mimicking Asmoday's inflection.

  "What about Ipos?" The Elders looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to explain her question further. "He has shown interest in the Hell-Child for quite some time, has he not? He must know something. We have allowed him to stay here under the condition of his complete cooperation in any matter we may ever need. He has been here for months. Not to mention hiding him when his father was assassinated. I think it's about time we call on that favor. Perhaps he can help us find her. Or do one of you want to tell Stoals we lost his little sister?"

  "You have a valid point, Lilith," Asmoday commanded everyone's attention. "We will call for him immediately."

  "I'll go through the tunnels." Ayperos stood. "I can find him with the greatest ease."

  "No," Samael gave the word unimaginable power, such that Ayperos sat back down immediately. As the questions glazed the others' eyes, Samael explained himself. "Do we need to recall the last time both of you came face to face? Is it not best for the two of you to stay away from each other?" Ayperos remained silent, giving him the answer he needed.

  "Eurynome, you will go. He may cooperate with you more willingly than anyone, being the outcome of not complying could be death." Asmoday could sense Eurynome's discomfort from the request. "Merihim won't go. Perry cannot go. Mael cannot navigate through a crowded area. Pyro, Beel, and I would not be able to move quickly enough through the fog, if it came to that. Gaap left already. It can be you or Lilith, and I will not put Lilith in front of that demon. He might kill her in a heartbeat for her role in the death of Paimon."

  He wanted to argue with Asmoday, to tell him about the ravishing hunger he felt around Keshiema. He could barely think about her without salivating. Even with several thousand years of practice, keeping his urges in check was difficult around her. But in the end, he knew arguing was pointless. "I will find the fallen one."

  ***

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  The tunnels under the Academy more than resembled a labyrinth and had many secret doors. Not all of these doors led to friendly places. Eurynome glided through them with ease, choosing the men's dormitory to start his search. As he entered the basement, he felt the unease coursing through the rooms above him.

  Walking up the stairs, he scanned the heartbeats one by one - the ability was one of the few Reaper-Daemon traits he actually liked. He came across a sluggish heart a few floors up and frowned. Following the beat to the third floor, he found Cresil sleeping on a couch in one of the entertainment rooms.

  All too familiar with the laziness of the Impure, he flipped the couch over without trying anything else first. Cresil hit the floor with a thud, waking up with an angry grunt. "Who the hell..." Seeing Eurynome, Cresil swallowed his words. "My Lord, I apologize." He stammered out.

  Holding up his hand, Eurynome ordered Cresil to be silent. "I'm looking for a couple of students." Cresil looked up at the prince curiously. "Keshiema, the young half-demon." Keshiema's scent lingered around the Impure, a fact that Eurynome found greatly displeasing.

  "Not sure. She hasn't been seen around campus much lately." Cresil's heart skipped a beat. 'What the hell did you get yourself into, Kesh?'

  "Then what about Ipos?"

  "Last I heard he was flying The Obstacles, but that was before the fog." Cresil scratched his head, and his greasy hair stuck up at odd angles.

  'It's not likely many of the students would know where he is.' Eurynome started to turn away, but had another thought. "Where is that mist demon who was in Naberius's Psyche class this year?"

  "Sonneillon? He's hiding in his room. Things got pretty tense when the fog set in, people started blaming him. It was too much for me, so I chilled in here away from everyone."

  "Where is Sonniellon's room?"

  "Five-o-three." Cresil fidgeted nervously.

  Eurynome headed for the stairs. In minutes, he was at room 503. He knocked politely at the door. Although the language of the Mist was usually soft and unobtrusive, nothing was subtle about the answer to Eurynome's knock. "Go away!" The message left him with a dull headache.

  "Sonneillon, as an Elder, I wish to speak with you."

  Sonneillon opened his door just enough to peek out. "You're not blaming me too, are you?"

  ***

  Within a half-buried building, the band of human vagabonds slept peacefully, sheltered from the unpredictable desert. Their guests had found a peaceful area off to the side, near an exit in case a quick escape was needed. A gentle hand shook Keshiema awake. "Hey, Keshiema... wake up."

  "Huh?" She looked over and saw Shade kneeling next to her. "What's going on?" She sat up and found Dásos fast asleep just a couple of feet away.

  "I thought you might want to see something." He held out his hand, and she let him pull her to her feet. They quietly started up the stairs. "That was quite a show you put on earlier, kid." He chuckled.

  She yawned. "I've never heard music like that before."

  Shade laughed. He looked fondly at her as they walked up the stairs. "Our show was nothing compared to yours, though. I've never seen anyone dance like that."

  "a result of sword training, I'm sure." She admitted.

  "You're not just a demon, are you, Keshiema?"

  "I'm in The Academy." The words felt sour. She was no longer sure how she felt about The Academy.

  "I've met academy students before. You're nothing like them."

  "Hey," Dásos spoke from behind them. "Where are you two going?"

  "Just showing her the thing. How'd you know? You were dead asleep."

  Sparks ignited on Keshiema's skin when Dásos gently took her wrist. Holding it up, he pointed to the charm bracelet he had given her. "Hey!" Keshiema snatched her hand back. "Did I say you could do that?" Heat flushed her cheeks.

  "You think I'd take you away from your safehouse without a bit of insurance in case you got lost?" Dásos smirked. "I'd rather not deal with those arrogant princes." She opened her mouth to question what he knew, but thought better of it.

  "We're here." Shade held open the door to the roof. "What do you think?" he gestured behind them to the North.

  Shimmering curtains of green, blue, and pink danced together beneath the sparkling stars and waning moon. Warmth filled her heart, and her ever-present anxiety vanished, taken over by a calm serenity. The lights demanded a sense of awe and wonder as they flowed across the sky like a river of aura. The city sat quietly, unaware of the mesmerizing aurora in the skies above.

  "It never gets old." Dásos remarked.

  "I think she's speechless." Shade smiled. "Same thing happened to me when I saw them the first time. See, the king's magic drowns them out. But out here in the desert, there's nothing to dampen them."

  It was like finding a piece of her soul she had not known was missing, replacing a sense of bitter homesickness with one of kindship and belonging. "Who created these?" she finally asked, unable to take her eyes away from the majestic beauty before her.

  "The Primordial Deities worked together." Dásos answered, his heart filled with a forlorn longing.

  'I have to go back.' The thought came with silent tears. 'I can't let the king destroy this world, picking it apart piece by piece until there's nothing left.'

  Setting his hand on her shoulder, Dásos asked softly, "Are you ready?"

  She nodded, "Yeah, I'm ready. Shade, can you tell the others bye for me?"

  "Of course. You stay safe out there, kid."

  She looked at Dásos with sad eyes. He did not waste any time teleporting them back.