Vex stops momentarily, glancing back at Aurelis.

  He turns around, slowing his pace to walk alongside Aurelis "Say, why exactly do people hate Nuro anyways? As a bartender, I've really only heard gossips.. have you been there?"

  Aurelis shakes his head, tapping his fingers on his waist "unfortunately, my brother is there. so our stay.. will not be smooth. that's for sure."

  His voice quietens, he lifts a finger up and bites his nails, hard enough for drops of blood to ooze.

  As blood trickles down his finger, his eyes narrow down "Shit."

  Vex frowns for a moment, tilting his head back at Mujun.

  He waved his hand, smiling, mouth wide open "Hey Mujun!"

  Mujun glanced up, wings flailed for a brief moment "Hm?"

  Vex skipped back, slouching his back to reach Mujun's face "Have you been to Nuro? Don't they hate anything that's not human? What even is there?"

  Mujun's back straightened, he placed a hand on his forehead "One.. question at a time, I must request."

  Vex groaned "Fine fine.. have you been to Nuro?"

  He flails his hands, stretched his back, his smile growing wider "No no wait! I should ask what do you know about Nuro, yeah!"

  Mujun sighed, slouching his back "Well, the filthiest of the filth. Filled with a detestable kind of species, I must say."

  Vex nodded, looking down at Mujun "Well, that sounds about right, everyone said that already."

  He lifted an eyebrow "But can it reallyyy be that bad? I worked at a bar, so I've seen my fair share of filth."

  Mujun wrinkled his nose, he lifted his hand up his hair, scratching it "I don't think a bar is that bad, at least they respect other species, I must remind."

  Vex closed his eyes, clasping his hands "Hmm, I don't think so. No one can be pure evil. If they knew about you, they would change!"

  Mujun sighed, turning his head away from Vex, muttering "You humans.."

  Aurelis clapped, strong enough to startle Vex.

  Aurelis' hand was red from the mix of the clap and the blood that trickled faster and faster.

  His eyes closed much longer than they were open for "Vex.. lets not scare off strangers, please."

  Vex gulped, nodding once.

  Mujun patted Aurelis' shoulder "Worry not, friend. I must admit I am quite fond of your character."

  Aurelis' eyes widened, his back stiffened as Mujun patted him "Ah, yeah. thanks."

  The three arrived in front of Nuro, a big iron gate loomed ahead of them. The three gazed the gates, two lines formed at the entrance.

  One for people with transportation, while the other without.

  Other than the two lines, people were scattered around, talking with one another. Every single person was human, no one in the crowd had any demi-human aspects.

  At the front of the line, a guard wearing a leather suit laid back on the gate's entrance, ordering people to walk under a wooden structure, a rectangle shaped one with a cyan crystal on top. The crystal was half ripped, almost torn off the structure.

  The area was boisterous, each step made the voices louder than the last.

  Mujun looked around "Looks like we've arrived at the security check, I must say."

  Aurelis nodded "You must be right, it is the security check."

  He tilts his head back at Mujun "Hope you didn't bring any weapons."

  Vex walked forward, slipping through the crowd and catching them a spot in the line.

  He waved to Aurelis and Mujun "Guys come here!"

  The two followed behind Vex, pushing people aside.

  Aurelis scratched his head, looking back at Mujun "Hey, wouldn't your wing-"

  His eyes widened, his gaze lingered on Mujun for a long moment.

  Mujun had no wings, demi-human features hidden under a dizzying wind, blurred out of the world.

  Aurelis bit his lip "That's a.. cool trick. cursed object? It wont get past security. you're dooming us."

  Mujun lifted his head up, ignoring Aurelis and sniffing the air "Say.. where does this..."

  He blocked his nose "Not.. so pleasant smell come from, I must ask?"

  Aurelis turned his head back, biting his lip harder.

  His eyes gaze the line, scanning the crowd "I am not too much into politics, but I'd bet the higher ups of Greage don't take care of themselves that often."

  Vex and Mujun simultaneously turned their head back, Vex lifted an eyebrow "Is that.. Kazari?"

  Two figures stood amongst the crowd, one slouched, blue eyes that swell inwards, shirt barely tucked, with a cloth on his chest, an embroidered cyclamen on it.

  On his left ear, an earring with a yellow star on it.

  Pants carried loosely, and wooden sandals on the verge of breaking.

  Mujun took a step back, clenching his teeth "And Masque."

  Glued to Kazari's shoulder, a girl with yellow eyes, a three cornered clown hat, and white makeup all over her face.

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  On one cheek, a tear, and on the other a star. Her clothes formal, a red shirt with buttons tucked in tight, a piece of leather on her chest, a rose embroidered on it.

  She wore a red necklace, with a big dark red cross on the front, red gloves with white fur outlining them, dark blue pants, followed by brown leather shoes.

  Kazari groaned "Ya heard that? Smelly? Me..? I guess."

  His head faced down, his red spiky hair covering his face.

  Masque pushed herself against Kazari, a smirk on her face "I told you! You were super smelly. I told you when we were back in Greage!"

  Kazari sighed, shaking his head "If I can live with it, why bother..?"

  Masque laughed, loud and forced.

  She pushed a person in the crowd, causing him to fall on another person.

  The stranger she pushed grabbed onto the one he fell on "Hey! Who pushed me?!"

  He turned around, scratching his eyes.

  The person he fell on drew his hand back, hitting the stranger in the face "Don't you dare fall on me!"

  Another person leaped forward, crashing into the two.

  More and more people punched each other, blood flowing in the air.

  Masque grabbed Kazari's shoulder "You're so, so lazy."

  She pulled her hand back, punching him in the face.

  The punch sent Kazari to the ground, people around him cleared their path, as if his shadow repelled them.

  He sighed, laying on the floor "so... annoying."

  He snapped his fingers, his shadow stretching back, pushing more and more people.

  Out of the shadow, a singular silhouette popped up, holding a pitch black sword.

  The crowd grew louder, people panicking, shouting at one another, rushing in every direction and pushing each other away from Kazari's formed silhouette.

  Kazari groaned, his face planted in the ground "Lift me up, now."

  Immediately, the shadow crouched, picking up Kazari's body with ease, placing him on his feet.

  Kazari fell forward, the soldier moved swiftly, holding him up and fixing his posture.

  He stretched back, yawning "Please, don't... do.. that."

  He moved his finger down, and the silhouette stretched back into Kazari's shadow.

  A knight from the entrance approached the havoc, his legs shaking "P-People, rela-x!"

  The crowd's voices lowered, chaos still lingering between some. The knight turned around, hurrying back to the gates.

  Masque's eyes wandered around, ignoring Kazari and the chaos "See, this is what i meant when I said you're a lost slug of potential."

  She clapped twice in quick succession "Anyways! We, me and you. Us. We were sent,"

  She talked slowly, spelling the word out "T-O-G-E-TH-E-R"

  She clasped her hands "To find that weird 'mafia' in nuro!"

  Kazari lifted his finger, head wobbling "Actual..ly, it's a cult, or something."

  Some people looked at each other, scratching their heads "Mafia?"

  Another person scratched his neck "Yeah I think she said mafia.."

  Masque scanned the crowd, a cheeky smile on her face.

  Her eyes widened and latched on Vex "Hey! I remember you!"

  She rushed forward, clasping her hand against Vex's hand "You're the one they talked about! Uhh... Vex? Yes. Vex. Anyways, never do our job for us."

  She crossed her arms, smiling wide, teeth showing "Thanks!"

  Vex gazed back at Aurelis, and then his eyes wandering between Kazari and her.

  He sighed, a frown on his face, eyes half closed "What a thank you.."

  Masque laughed, placing a hand on her stomach "You sound so silly, maybe join our forces. Then you would deserve a genuine thank you!"

  Vex slowly nodded, pushing her hand away "No... thanks."

  Masque wiped off a fake tear, smirking "How unfortunate. I was kidding too."

  She turned back, gripping Kazari's shirt as she walked "Lets go, you bum."

  Kazari whimpered, not moving a muscle "Stop dragging me..."

  Masque pushed a person in the crowd, once again starting a chain reaction of chaos "Oh shut up."

  She forced her way through the crowd, some people forcing themselves back as they see Kazari.

  She and Kazari entered the gates, a soldier stood forward "H-hey! What do you think you are doing? wait in li-"

  Masque turned her head, pointing at the embroidered flower on her chest, biting her lip "Got any problems?"

  The soldier stepped back "N-No."

  She passed under the wooden structure, the crystal buzzing and glowing frantically as she passes below it.

  She ignored the buzzing, passing through and disappearing into the city.

  As she vanished, people slowly stopped hitting one another, and the line reformed.

  Aurelis leaned back on Vex "Our stay will... not be short."

  Vex nodded "Oh well, maybe your brother isn't the biggest problem."