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"I didn't think they could get this far ahead..."Rosette said sadly, "But he can't run forever."

"s**t." Satella said suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Just look." Satella replied, pointing ahead. The others, other than Blaise, looked ahead to see what it was. It wasn't good. The trail was splitting into different directions.

"Zhe demons are trying to deter us further..." Saetlla grumbled, "Vake up Blaise, ve much choose vhere to go..."

"Chrono, "Satella began, "Can you tell vhere zhey 'ave gone. You may be our only chance now..."

Chrono glanced around, trying his best to choose their next direction.

"Chrono-"

"I'm trying." He said, squinting ahead.

"Chrono, what if I...?" Rosette began, reaching for the medallion she was wearing. Chrono put his hand out to stop her.

"Left, the path that trails closer to the ground in the distance before the others. Let's try there."Chrono told them. Satella hesitated, before nodding and starting them on their way.

"I 'ope you are right, Chrono."

As they grew closer, Satella was forced to land. They could still travel by foot, but she had to save her power to keep the trail lit for them. It would be easier to track at dark.

Of course, they weren't expecting like what they were about to run into.

"You have to be kidding me. Please tell me this is one big, crummy dream." Rosette anguished.

It was a festival, they'd walked right into a town having a bloody festival!

"We should go, there's no way he'd be here!" Rosette told the rest of them.

"I zhink zhat might not be zhe case."Satella said, looking around at the happy faces,"Zhis vould be good to hide, no? Bled in vith zhe crowd, ve vould never see zhem coming."

Chrono looked around, he felt a strange energy eminating from this place, but it was something that very few, much less the citizen, could perceive. Oddly enough, this place also seemed familiar to him. Had he been here in the time he was awake before he met Rosette and Joshua?

"I think we should look around some more." Chrono said, agreeing with Satella.

In the center of the town was a tall hill, with some sort of decorated plateau atop it. From what they could see, there weren't many people up there.

"Ve vill meet up zhere." Satella said, pointing towards it, "I 'as a good view of zhe 'ole town. Ve could see more if ve find nothing else."

Well, Rosette and Chrono both knew this would take much longer as soon as they saw the trail split. This would just be one of many paths taken.

"Let's go then." Rosette said, looking around and grumbling something rude under her breath.

While the Booker stayed with Blaise, Rosette went with Chrono, and left Loque with Satella.

"You do not vant to go vith Blaise as vell?" Satella asked him.

"Do you hear something?" Rosette asked, hearing a haunting melody.

"It's a festival, I hear a lot of things." Chrono answered bluntly.

"That's not what I meant!"

Rosette had no intentions of following the music to its source, but she was drawn to i none the less as she lead Chrono through the streets. Every step brought her closer...

*****

(Back at the Sinner's paradise)

Azmaria was admittedly surprised with how she had Kaden were being treated. They gave her no reasons to be afraid. If this had been the first time she'd met all of them, she doubted she would be afraid at all. She could sense something in those present. The way Fiore corrected Joshua when he cringed at the sight of so many carrots on his plate, the way Shader teased him jovially and kept adding more carrots to his plate while adding extra spoonfulls of a delicious looking pudding onto Azmaria and Kaden's own desserts.

"After all that's happened and all the horrible things these people have done... Why is there... so much warmth here...?"

"It looks like they're alright." Came a voice outside the hall. Shader's ears perked up and she jumped from her seat to greet whomever it was.

"Then let's get started." Aion said casually to another man beside him as he opened the door. The man was Genai, looking much more human, and lacking the bladed arm.

"Whaaat?! But Viede's still hurt!" Shader objected.

"He said not to worry about him." Aion replied, scratching his head. He looked a little tired.

"Well, don't blame me if anything goes wrong." Shader told him, her ears twicthing around a bit as she thoughtfully poked them.

"He'll make it through, even if he doesn't have his horns anymore."

Azmaria had no idea what Aion was talking about, other than the part about horns. She was jus happy Aion had yet to notice her or Kaden. She sighed, probably a bit too loudly, and caused the intimidating demon to turn around.

Azmaria, being the closest to Aion, drew back and leaned away from Aion, almost to the point that she could fall out her chair. To her surprise, Aion bowed deeply to her, a gesture of sincere respect.

"I hope that you will help us. We intend to destroy Pandaemonium."

"Do vhat you vant." Satella told him, "I am not zhe one who gives you your orders, do vhat you vish."

Rosette and Chrono, unfortunately, fond themselves caught up in the group of singers. Rosette yelped as she and Chrono were knocked around a bit. Someone grabbed Chrono's other hands, pulling both of them into the dance. Rosette, having two left feet, was having a hard time keeping up.

"Chrono!"

"Watch my feet! You can do it!" Chrono replied, finding himself smiling. Rosette looked amusing as she stumbled rapidly after him.

*****

Aion gave him a smile. He was happy they were at least pretending to go along.

"Yes follow me, I'll explain what I can for now."Aion said, gesturing to the door.

Aion lead them to a narrow staircase that lead down, deep into the structure they were now on. It was increasingly cold. Shader had given Azmaria a shall to wear since Kaden had a coat of his own.

"Shader, if you will." Aion began.

"Yes sir!" Shader said with a salute, I've been preparing this. You know guys, that people need air to breathe right? Well, we, meaning me, learned that if they breath in too much, it's like poison to them! "

Azmaria looked startled at this. Hopefully the were too high up.

"And around this own place, every piece of land and water, as a river of life energy, of souls, circling it. It contains the lifeforce of everything!"

Shader paused to unlock the massive doors they'd come to. They were covered with runes for spells and some that Shader had made herself. It was quite possible only she could open the door by magic.

"That energy is your power, you can command it and bend it to your will." Shader continued, "Demons can harness it a bit too, with our horns. Humans can too in small amounts through their magic. It varies from being to being."

"We learned, from what it can do to demons that too much of that energy is as poisonous just as too much air can be for people."

"If we direct that power into the heart of Pandaemonium, "Aion interupted, "The demon world will burn from the inside out! That's why we've spent all this time searching for you. All of you. You are the ones chosen by the Life lines are able to control its power. And you are called the Apostles!"

The door's slowly opened, groaning with effort as it opened. An eerie green light shone inside. It came from several small pillars of swirling light. When they drew closer, they could see people suspended with the three pillars. Their eyes were wide open, their mouths hung crookedly, and their bodies seemed to be covered with a fine layer of frost. None of them wer human, however. One had fins on her ankles, waist, and wrist, another was furry and appeared t be similiar to a feline, and the third was much smaller, with glistening, insect-like wings.

Azmaria drew back when she saw the people's faces. The poor things looked like their were frozen in a moment of pain. It frightened her.

"...H-How horrible..." Azmaria murmured. When she backed up, she bumped into Aion, who incircled her with his arms, frightening the girl even more.

"Let us call down to the depths of the ocean,"He told her, "... To Pandaemonium..."

The crowd soon became more enuthsiastic as the danced. Though for Rosette, who could barely keep up to begin with, things were getting rougher.

"Chrono!" She exclaimed as she felt his hand slip form hers. Over the noise of the crowd, Chrono couldn't hear her calls. He too was enchanted by the music, and was actually enjoying himself, even without her.

Rosette found herself shouldered and shoved out of the group. Landing roughly on her rear, Rosette swore as she stood up.

"Get your arse out here, Chrono!" She yelled, hands cupped over her mouth. There was no signs of him having heard her, so she merely found a comfortable place to sit down and wait. SHe hoped he enjoyed this thoroughly, because she had something for him when he got out...