Convivial woke with a yawn and a face scratch "...Wow that has to have been the best night ever--" He opened his eyes to the legs of a person before him. As he began looking up a girl with a blank look on her face stared into his eyes while lingering over him. He hesitated for a while before he realized "...HEY, Get offa me!" Convivial yelled at her, pushing her to the ground and standing with his bow drawn and aimed at her. She kept her emotionless expression, staring into his eyes. Convivial examined her, taking a mental note of her costume; boots, a red jacket, and some designer underwear, nothing more. On her head was long blonde hair and horns extending from her temples. Her eyes were a deep red, which convivial recognized as the eyes of a demi-human.
"Succubus..." he pulled back on his bow's string "but if you're here... where's...? Oh no..." He looked over to Marie where he saw a boy standing over her, wearing the same as this monster, only with a cobalt hue. He stared down at her solemnly. Suddenly her nose twitched as she forced herself up, seeing another demi-human like herself. Their eyes locked onto each other, both a deep glowing color.

"Eh? Munyaka rupa..." She backed away, getting her distance "What are these things?"

"...Things are we?" the creature over Marie asked "...You think we asked for this--...?"

"Get away from her, Incubus!" Convivial shouted, aiming in his direction. Just as he did Succubus leapt up and tackled him to the floor, allowing her bodyweight to pin him while lying on top. Aeon struggled to get free, but couldn't escape the demon's grasp. As a taunt, she leaned closer to him and licked his face.

"Hey!" Marie said, materializing a sword, she leapt at the succubus and took a swipe "Hands off meh buddy!" the sheer force of her weapon caused the demi-human to be sent flying through across the cave. Succubus corrected herself in the air, flapping her large wings twice and landing on her feet.

"...Buddy...?" Incubus asked Marie as she helped Convivial up. "...Don't kid yourself. You know just as well as any of us that humans don't accept us demi-humans... They just want to kill us all..."

"...You can't fool her with your lies, Incubus!" Convivial stood firmly, bow in hand. "You're the one who separated your own self from humanity. You're the one who tricked your little sister into your way of life..." He armed his bow with an arrow of light, aiming it toward Incubus. "...And I'll make sure it's you who suffers for it!" Incubus growled at Aeon's remark, dropping his hands two his sides and opening his palms. From his fingertips came long claws. "...Die! Human!" He rushed toward Marie, claw raised and scraping the air. In a split second a pair of swords and many claws scraped against each other. She leapt backward in a counter attack, letting out bursts of water energy at them both, and then casting a shield of blue energy around them both "This should keep us protected for a little bit."

"A little bit is all we need..." Convivial aimed for Incubus and released his arrow. It shot right through Marie's barrier and hit Incubus right in the chest, briefly pinning him to a wall. He then drew another arrow, aiming for Succubus, but as his sights locked in he noticed she wasn't attacking. As a matter of fact, she was crying.

"...what the hell?" he asked as he lowered his bow.

"...No!" Incubus screamed as he nudged himself from the rock. "...What're you doing! Get up and fight!" Succubus shook her head in disagreement. "...I don't want... I don't want to live this way anymore. I hate living in the shadows, and I hate doing what we've done for the past few years... I want to live my own life, above ground."

Incubus growled, allowing his claws to become a bit longer "You don't want to live this way? Then you won't live at all!" He flew toward her, preparing to tear right through her. Succubus raised her hand into the air, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the impact, but as he grew closer all she heard was a sickeningly loud piercing, sound echoing through the cave. Marie turned back to see Convivial standing in the way. Five of Incubus' claws tearing through his leg, and his pants now soaked in velvet.

"Convivial!" Marie yelled, fending off the Incubus from her friend. She let out an extremely strong blow, sending the demi-human straight into the wall, a loud thud echoing through the cave. Letting out a deep sigh, she then kneeled by Convivial, trying to think up a spell.

"Aeon..." she muttered "Bah... this looks nasty, the wound..."

She closed her eyes; an aura glowed around her arms. Water materialized from her hands, flowing around the air, casting a soft, delicate light, mending his gash.

"...You're a healer too?" Convivial groaned "I'm lucky to have met you, Marie. Thanks."

Slouched at the bottom of the wall Marie knocked him to, Incubus began to cough, allowing a dark black substance to flow from his mouth "...You haven't seen the last of me..." He gurgled. Convivial looked over at the weakened demon without a hint of mercy in his eyes, raising his bow with the arrow in his hand "...I've seen quite enough..." Succubus watched the bard aim, but didn't try to stop him. She remained a spectator as his arrow flew through the air and hit Incubus right in the forehead, and watched as his body began a near instant decay, becoming the very ground upon which he laid.

"...Is that it?" she asked herself aloud "Is that all that's gonna happen to me when I die?"

"Who knows..." Marie asked "Try being immortal, death isn't pretty, but it's probably better than coming back... anyway, you seem to be nice, maybe we can trust you, but please, get some more clothes first!"

"...but to just disappear, without leaving anything behind to be remembered by, not even any friends..." she continued before looking up to see Convivial's extended hand.

"You don't have to live the way your brother's set out for you..." he said "Come with us, and you'll see a better way."

She accepted his hand and stood giving him a smile and a question "...Do you have some extra pants I could borrow...?" A moment of silence and a cold wind blew through the cave yet again.

"Maybe..." Marie said "You can borrow my shawl for now; either wear it at your shoulders or waist..." She slipped it off, handing it to the demi-human. Succubus accepted the shawl and put it on her waist. It became somewhat of a super-duper mini-skirt for her, still exposing her underwear. Convivial's face glowed with a light reddish hue "Erm... Yeah, let's keep going. We're almost there now." He began walking onward without looking back, limping slightly from the numbness that remained in his leg from the former wound. Behind him Succubus gave Marie a puzzled look.

"Your friend's kinda silly..." She whispered.

"Yeah, but he's really nice to meh" Marie said gleefully "Hiding me from the guard and beating away the drunkards... kinda like a big brother, fun to have around and pretty overprotective..."

"Hey!" Convivial's voice echoed from further down the cave "What're you two waiting for? We've got a long path ahead of us!" Marie and Succubus ran up to him and they all entered the next level of the dungeon. Entering the next floor, Marie glanced around "I guess the monsters get stronger from here...Are ya ready?" She looked over to Succubus, a faint glowing in her eyes "At least I still have a great deal ov magic left..."

Succubus sighed "I guess so... I just hope we don't run into the Lord. He's not gonna like me for this..."

"Ooooooo sounds like a challenge" Marie said "What element is he? Fire, maybe ice? Who knows?"
"No, none of the sort. He's pure unholy, and attacks without reason from time to time. He's trained to the point where even the strongest magic anyone has to offer only does half its damage on him, and he--..."
"Shhh..." Convivial stopped before a hole in the wall, holding is hand back to shush her "...quickly, hide over here..." The two dove into the mini-cave and hid, allowing Convivial to follow behind and peek around the corner. A nagging Curiosity struck inside Marie's soul once again "What is it?" she whispered, trying to peer over. She pressed against the wall, trying to get a peek, but couldn't get to see over the Bard's height "It stinks being short"
Convivial noticed her creeping near him, whispering "...Back, back!" just before a loud THUMP was heard. The three looked out the opening in the cave to see a gigantic horseshoe in front of the cave, mashing into the ground and completely closing in the hole for a moment before lifting again and moving on with a few more loud thumps. Marie poked her head out after it passed to see a monstrous, mansion-sized ghost horse mounted by a large knight in white armor. His shield was shaped in the form of a giant Cross and his weapon an over-sized Spear. Fortunately he hadn't noticed the travelers in their cave.

"What's that?" Marie asked curiously "Looks like a challenge" She seemed oddly gleeful about it "I need to get some training in anyway..."

Convivial's eyes widened as he heard her remark "...Marie, if you try to take that guy on I will personally wait until he's finished stomping your unconscious immortal being and then poke you with a stick." He began to reach out for Marie before noticing that Succubus had gripped his leg out of fear and was shivering intensely "Err... It's okay, he's gone now."

"Awww" Marie whined, making a pout "I guess you're right, but if he ever picks a fight with us, I'm not running!"
The trio continued down the cave, prepared to fight off any creature that stood in their way. Yet they found none, as it seemed that the entire ground was littered with footsteps from the giant Lord and his horse.

"...He, stomped everyone?" Convivial asked Succubus "Does he do this regularly, or is this a new trend?"
She shook her head "He's probably upset because Incubus and I escaped earlier. We got reports that you two were heading our way, and my brother suggested that we head up to meet you first. Lord told all of us not to, but we went anyway--"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... All of us?" Aeon interrupted "Who else came up there?"

"...Have you heard of, Baphomet?"

"Baphomet... I heard of his hammer" Marie said "Mother Matilda was yelling at a hammer, accusing it ov being Baphomet's" she snickered "What a crazy person!"

"Well... Baphomet does have a nice assortment of hammers..." Succubus said, kicking up a little dirt.
"Aha, there she is!" Convivial exclaimed as he pointed out a women in an Indiana Jones-ish outfit. She fidgeted from paranoia, flinching at even the slightest sounds "Yeah, she'll take us right to Geffenia."

"Meep? Who is she? Does she have any more clothes for Succubus?" Marie joked, she felt like she was in a good mood lately, probably because that song still had an effect on her. She approached the lady, saying "Hi!"

"AAAAHHhhhHHAHAHAHAhahhahahhahhhahahahhH!H!H!H" The woman screamed at the top of her lungs, swinging her mini dagger around aimlessly in Marie's direction as if she were afraid of her own weapon "You think you can sneak up on me eh! Well it's nooot gonna wooorrrrkkkk, demon child!"

"Calm down woman" Marie said, gripping onto the dagger. Though it poked her hand, it never pierced her skin, and it halted the movement in its tracks "I just want some help, an' that's it, I won't hurt ya! And neither will my friends..."

"Or at least that's what we want her to think..." Convivial snickered.
"Heya Jane!" Succubus said with a smile and a wave. "

Oh, it's you Succi... Going to visit Dopple's place again?"
"Yes, and I'm bringing company."
"Ah, Good. He needs a nice visit or two, being the lonely guy he is." Jane opened a passage on a nearby totem statue. "You guys have fun now, and remember to tell him 'ah said Hi"

"Oh great..." Marie said "Hopefully he has forgiven meh after our last encounter... lead the way, Succi!" She walked by Jane, waiting for the other demi-human to go ahead "You think you can keep up, Aeon, your leg, does it still hurt? I couldn't heal it completely..."

"Oh my leg's fine." He cheered as he stepped into the passageway behind Succubus "Nothing a good walk won't fix."

Jane closed the door behind them, allowing it to creak shut as she always did. As she turned around, she found a large blade to her throat and shimmering in the dim light of the cave. "I suggest reopening that door...lest you wish to lose your life, human..."