Death let loose a deep, pensive sigh, his mind straining to gather his thoughts amidst the crowd. Yami's anger, Sam's questions, and all the mindless babbling from the rest was taking a serious toll on his patience, manifested in the fingers he placed on his furrowed brow. "If you'd all kindly do me the favor of<span style="font-style: italic">ceasing your pointless blather,</span>we'll reach a solution<span style="font-style: italic">much faster,</span>" he stated, with no small amount of irritation lingering in his demonic voice. The crowd hushed unanimously, giving the Reaper the room he needed to think.<br/><br/>Before he managed to get far with is own thoughts, another voice spoke out, this one more obnoxious than the rest.<span style="font-style: italic">"Hey, Deaaaaath,"</span>it started in a high-pitched drawl, and it was all he could do to force himself to pay attention, glaring at the source through the sides of his eyes but remaining silent as it offered a plan. "Well, do it then, you obnoxious gecko," he snapped, moving his hand to clutch at his side and uttering a small grunt. "The sooner you all stop complaining, the better."<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">This doesn't seem like the work of any demon I know,</span>Death mused as the silence returned, considering the possible causes for their situation.<span style="font-style: italic">Perhaps it could be-</span><br/>The Reaper's thoughts were cut short as he suddenly fell to his knees, shutting his eyes as a pitch-black mist started seeping through several lacerations that were beginning to form on his body.<span style="font-style: italic">"Dammit,"</span>was the last word he uttered before he fell forward into unconsciousness. The mist continued flowing, growing thicker until it fully enveloped Death in a cocoon of dark energy much like the one he used when revealing his true form, only much less potent this time; yet even without the overwhelming power on display before, it served its purpose of protecting its master from outside forces, for the time being.<br/><br/>---------------------------------------------<br/><br/>The sun had set and begun rising once again in Elra after the remaining Hunters had abandoned its smoking ruins. Despite the death and destruction that happened the day prior, it held its place firmly in the sky, overlooking the chaotic remains as it rose; even in this wasteland, nature stopped for nothing. Along the farthest outskirts of Elra, the trees that made up the forest ring followed suit. Some had died during the event, uprooted and burned, but as a whole they refused to relinquish their grasp.<br/><br/>It was in this forest that Vaan, Merle, and Coronis could still be found, having hardly moved from their experience of the previous night. Coronis waited in one of the many trees comprising their refuge, having long-since ended his conversation with Vaan, and Merle was still resting soundly on the ground, her wounds gone and replaced by crude, red scars. She looked far from her best, and the trauma her body had gone through after being attacked by The Reverend had kept her inert through the night, but she was still alive.<br/><br/>As the sun moved overhead, its rays peaked through the branches and leaves up above them, eventually shining over Merle. Her eyes barely fluttered as she gradually regained her consciousness. Parts of her body shifted ever so slightly as her body struggled to achieve its control, culminating in her raising a hand to her face to shield it from the shafts of sunlight streaming down through the forest canopy.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Vaan..?"</span>she spoke softly, remembering faintly the events of the preceding evening, but unable to pick herself up from the ground or open her eyes.