The night was still heavy when the church doors creaked open.

Akane's ears had twitched just a moment before. Noticing that, Syl was convinced there was magic at play, magic that, amongst other things, made it impossible to detect sounds coming from inside the church while standing outside.

The door was opened wide, and Levia stood framed in candlelight, her silhouette glowing faintly against the dark interior behind her.

Amon walked out right after her, hands in his pockets. She frowned momentarily, as she rather liked the feeling of his hand on her waist.

"About damn time," Akane's tail puffed up. "We were worried about you, you know?" She sighed. "Wait, why are you already inside?"

"How long have you been inside, is what I'd like to know," Syl whispered.

Amon brushed past Levia. "Come in," he said simply, stepping into the open doorway. "It's pretty nice in here."

Akane gritted her teeth but followed. Syl came next, then the cuffed demons. Amon blocked the entry for the last two momentarily, before letting them pass as well.

'Don't act like this is your place, dickhead!' Rika shouted internally.

Candles flickered along the walls, painting long shadows between the pillars.

"Creepy." Syl muttered.

"How is it nice in here?" Akane frowned.

The corridor stretched endlessly, the light of candles too weak to reveal its end. Murals adorned many of the church's walls, depicting Demons kneeling before a towering shadow with horns like mountains.

Akane didn't like it one bit. "I'd rather sleep outside..."

"Aren't churches supposed to be… Less ominous?" Syl asked, curious. "This being Jarath's Church and all, it feels more like a tomb than a church."

"It's both," Levia answered, walking ahead. "Jarath's followers believed the two were the same thing."

Syl's eyes scanned the carvings. The painted faces seemed alive under the candlelight. "How many people were here?"

"About a hundred, I'd say," Levia said. "Many died. The rest I have sent on scouting missions some time ago. There are other churches we're in contact with, though. I chose Jarath's because it was the most prominent in the region, and the one that seemed most likely to bring me closer to my goal."

Syl and Akane weren't sure what Levia's goal was or had been. They could only assume it had to do with Vulkan, the Demon General they heard of through Rika and Rita.

The group reached an open hall. The ceiling rose high, lost in darkness, and a single massive altar stood at the center. Its surface was cracked, leaking faint threads of violet mist.

"What's that?" Akane said with narrow eyes. "It's… Creepy."

"Hm?" Levia's initial surprise quickly faded. "I suppose it's not surprising that you can feel it. That Altar has been used by all High Priests and High Priestesses before me. We can draw strength from it. Humans are pretty good at creating Demonic Artefacts like that."

Syl folded her arms. "Convenient."

Amon said nothing, but his eyes remained locked on the altar for a while.

He licked his lips, before finally taking his gaze off it. "We'll sleep here tonight."

Akane immediately frowned. "I don't know about that…"

"It's safe." Amon nodded.

"Haven't felt that way in a while," Syl sighed. "Safe."

Akane pressed her lips together.

Levia clapped once, catching their attention. "There are rooms upstairs. Dozens used to live here, so you should all find anything you need. Rooms, pillows, beds…"

"Beds," Akane repeated, suspicious. "Plural, right?"

"Uh, yes." Levia blinked. "Of course, there is one main room, bigger, cleaner, and more private." Her eyes flicked to Amon for a fraction of a second. "My room."

Akane noticed. "No."

"What?" Levia tilted her head.

"No," Akane said again, tail bristling. "You're not sleeping with him." She added, crossing her arms.

Levia's cheeks flushed instantly. "It's not-"

Syl rolled her eyes. "Here we go."

"I mean-" Levia's voice caught, and she crossed her arms, trying to regain composure. "I am the High Priestess here. The main room is mine. Naturally, as the leader, I should-"

Akane jabbed a finger at her. "Leader of who? The cult you murdered?"

Levia's smile twitched. "That's… Rude. I'm opening my abode to you all. You should be grateful and-"

"I'm not letting him sleep with you," Akane snapped.

"Letting me?" Even Amon was surprised.

"Yes!" Akane doubled down. "I don't trust her enough to sleep in the same room as her, and I don't trust her enough to have the two of you sleep in the same room. She's still a Demon. What if she gets murderous impulses while you're asleep? I'm not letting that happen!" She turned towards Syl. "You agree, right?"

Syl gulped, her gaze moving from Akane, to Levia, to Amon, and back.

"How about we see the rooms first?" She chuckled while scratching her head.

The cuffed Demons watched silently, amused. Rika elbowed Rita. "Do you think the Fox wants to fuck him as well?" She whispered.

Rita thought for a moment. "I'm more curious about the Hobgoblin…"

Following Syl's lead, Amon defused the situation, and all moved upstairs.

Unfortunately, the situation couldn't be defused so easily. Upon arriving in front of Levia's large and spacious room,

"Ha! There's only one bed!" Akane pointed. "I just know the Demon has something twisted in mind!"

"Such as?" Amon tilted his head, acting innocent and oblivious.

"She's going to seduce you!" The Fox shouted. "Then slit your throat, and eat your soul!"

"I-I'm not trying to seduce anyone!" Levia's voice rose, high and defensive. "I just need to be close in case anything happens. You know what he's holding, right? Someone needs to help him control it… The Magic of it!"

Akane scoffed. "Yeah, right! Not like you wanted it for yourself! You and Vulkan or whatever!"

Levia turned immediately, her eyes shooting daggers at the cuffed Rika and Rita.

"Though you wanted us to play nice." Rita whispered with a shrug.

"Ha!" Akane exclaimed as she stepped closer. "Your little secret is out, and I can see you wanted it to remain a secret!"

"Not at all!" Levia's entire face turned crimson. "You-! That's not-!"

Amon, who was leaning against one of the pillars with his arms crossed, stealthily slipped by them and entered the High Priestess' room. 'Looks nice.'

Levia stomped a barefoot step closer to Akane, voice shaking with frustration. "Why are you so obsessed with what I do anyway? Isn't she the one you should be suspicious about?"

"The hell did I do?" Syl muttered as Levia pointed at her.

"I know that she's the reason you're here. The Hobgoblins wanted to exchange you, and give you to Goblins! How about that? Your secret is out of the bag as well! So be suspicious of her instead."

Akane pursed her lips. Levia had a point, but she wasn't about to lay down her arms so easily. "Syl and I have history, so it's totally different!"

"History of holding you captive!"

Syl scratched her cheek. 'When it comes down to it, Akane trusted me pretty easily… Who am I to distrust these gals? These Demonic gals…'

Akane's tail lashed behind her. "You sent those two to hold me captive as well! You sent a bunch of Golems and Humans as well!"

"And I apologized, didn't I? I told Rika and Rita to back off!"

"After Amon handcuffed you!"

"That's-!"

The arguing continue for a while.

"Like I said, I don't trust you!"

"Like I said, I don't care about what you-"

Akane and Levia both froze at once.

Their heads slowly turned to the side.

"Did someone just… Did someone just close the door?" Levia stuttered.

"Did Amon slam the door on us?" Akane sighed. "Guess that settles it, he wants to sleep alone."

"Fine by me." Levia shrugged with her arms crossed.

"Fine by me." Akane did the same.

"Um…"

"What?" They both shouted in Rika's direction, causing her to become silent again.

They turned towards Rita.

"I don't… I don't think he's alone."

Akane and Levia's heads slowly turned to face each other.

"Huh?"

On the other side of the room's large closed doors.

"How did you convince them?" Amon asked with a smirk.

Syl scratched her head, took a seat on a chair, and laid down her spear. "You don't mind, right?"

"Not at all." He smiled. "I am curious, though. What makes you want to share a room with me?"

It felt a bit too soon to call it what it was, which is sharing a bed.

"I'd feel safer sharing a room with you," Syl explained. "Akane can hold her own against the other two Demons, but I really can't. Plus…" She blushed slightly. "I guess I hoped we could talk a bit."

"Happy to," Amon said as he tapped the bed.

Syl pursed her lips.

It made sense they would talk while in bed. After all, she had just entered the room knowing that there was only one bed, which Levia was planning on sharing with him.

Still, 'What did I get myself into?' The embarrassed Syl thought to herself as she stepped closer.

Meanwhile, one thought filled Amon's mind entirely.

'Do you know how looong I've been waiting for this?'

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