"Aliens!"
Both Taki and Miko screamed at the same time. Their voices echoed through the quiet woods. Three figures stood in the moonlight, their silhouettes glowing pale against the mist. For a heartbeat, hope flickered in Taki's chest, someone had come to help. Someone had heard them.
But when the figures stepped closer, the light revealed their faces. Taki blinked hard, unsure if his eyes were tricking him.
"Is it me, or am I seeing the White siblings?" Miko whispered, her voice a mix of relief and disbelief.
Taki rubbed his eyes. "Wait, they're aliens? How are we this smart and didn't realize the White siblings were aliens?" His tone carried more confusion than fear.
"Smart?" Miko muttered, placing her hands on her hips. "Rieko called herself the smartest person in Hellion City College and she didn't even realize she was dating an alien."
Before Taki could reply, a growl broke through the air.
"Oh, you binders…" Deetee's voice rumbled like thunder. "You've just signed up for a meeting with death. How dare you kill my peasant. I'll kill you all!"
His body trembled as if something inside him was fighting for control. His green eyes glowed brighter, veins standing out against Rieko's pale skin. The air grew heavy. Then suddenly, his strength faltered.
"Right after I deal with this vessel," he hissed. His body jerked once, then fell to the ground, motionless.
The binder boy tilted his head, resting his bat on his shoulder. "We just got here and the fight's already over?"
"Shut up, Bobby," the brown-haired girl said, glaring at him. "Let's finish off these demons before that one wakes up."
The remaining demon peasants that Deetee had summoned stood frozen. Their eyes glowed faintly red, their cracked bodies trembling as they looked at the newcomers.
The white-haired girl, who had been silent until now, stepped forward. Her hands stayed buried in her pockets as her sharp eyes swept across the clearing. Then she spotted Taki and Miko standing protectively in front of the demons.
"Taiyaki Santos. Miko Grimm. What are you two doing here?" Her calm voice carried a quiet authority.
Bobby blinked, recognition lighting his face. "Wait, that's Fish Boy from school and work… and the other one's Friend Number two or three." He pointed his bat at them like it was a microphone.
Miko awkwardly waved. "Hi!, it's number 3"
Taki didn't move. He stood frozen, unsure whether to be embarrassed or terrified.
The brown-haired girl frowned. "Aren't they supposed to be three? Where's the short-tempered one?"
Miko turned and pointed toward the demon figure lying on the ground. The binders followed her gaze, and when they saw who it was, their faces changed.
"Rieko…" the white-haired girl whispered. Her usual calm cracked. She rushed forward and dropped to her knees beside the body. "Rieko, wake up! Can you hear me?" She shook her gently, but the body didn't move.
Bobby's brows drew together. "How is she even a demon? There's no demon king in Hellion City."
The brown-haired binder crossed her arms. "A demon is a demon. We have to destroy her before she wakes up and destroys everything around us."
"Charlie, get away from her. She's not Rieko anymore," Bobby warned, his bat glowing faintly.
Taki stepped forward, his fists trembling. "Excuse me! We happen to be standing right here, and you're not going to destroy her. She's not a demon or whatever you're calling her. I knew something was strange about you White siblings, but I didn't think you were aliens."
Bobby groaned loudly. "What are you talking about? We're not aliens! We're binders. Humans. Not your weird sci-fi nonsense. And that person.." he pointed the bat at Rieko's body, "—is not your friend anymore. She's a demon now. Demons are meant to be destroyed before they destroy the world."
"Why are we even arguing?" the brown-haired binder muttered. "Let's kill every demon here and leave. I was in the middle of something."
"Wait," Charlie said sharply. "Juwon, open the portal. We're taking her to BB now."
Taki and Miko hurried to her side. Miko's eyes were wide with fear, but she stood firm.
"Really?" Juwon said, raising an eyebrow. "She's not even your girlfriend anymore, Charlie. What's the point? She's a demon now. You know what that means, once a human turns, their memories and humanity vanish. There's no coming back."
Taki blinked in confusion. "Is this alien BB person going to fix her or something? Because honestly, we were supposed to be home like an hour ago."
Bobby groaned again, louder this time. "We're not aliens, Fish Boy! Stop calling us that. Charlie, we've been here long enough. These demon peasants are weak without their king. And your demon girlfriend, sorry she's probably a peasant too since she just turned. Let's wipe them out before their king shows up."
"Peasant?" Taki repeated, pushing his glasses up. "She did say that word. But she also called herself a demon king. And she was the one who summoned these aliens." He pointed toward the terrified creatures behind them.
Bobby frowned. "That's impossible. When a human dies and becomes a demon, they start as peasants. Only the king who turns them can summon them." He lifted his bat, the tip humming faintly. "So your friend here is a peasant demon. Easy to kill. Because if she's really a demon king, we're in trouble. We've never faced one before."
Juwon smirked. "Then maybe it's our lucky night. If she's a king, we get to level up. From peasant slayers to king slayers. Sounds fun to me."
Miko shook her head. "No… from what we saw, Rieko isn't a demon. It's like something took over her body. She wasn't herself. The voice, the way he talked, it felt ancient. Like he's lived for thousands of years."
"Yes," Taki said quietly. "He called himself King Deetee."
The name hit the binders like a blow. Their confident expressions froze. Even the wind seemed to stop.
Charlie slowly looked up. "Juwon… where are we?"
Juwon didn't answer right away. Her eyes darted through the trees. Then she raised a hand and summoned a small circle of fire that floated in her palm. The flames cast long shadows across the cracked ground and twisted branches. She drew a glowing square in the air, and strange letters appeared on it, shifting and glowing like living symbols only she could see but to everyone it was rubbish writing.
Her face paled. "We're in Demon King 999's tomb."
No one spoke. For a second, all that could be heard was the wind whispering through the trees.
Then came a sound.
A sharp snap.
The air changed. The ground shifted beneath their feet, sand replacing soil. Juwon's fire vanished instantly, swallowed by the dark.
An invisible force slammed into them. Taki felt his stomach twist as he was thrown through the air, crashing into a fallen branch. Miko's scream was lost in the roar of the wind. The binders hit the ground hard, their white outfits smeared with dust.
Groans filled the air.
Only the demon peasants remained standing.
Then a voice spoke. Cold. Slow. And far too calm.
"I can't believe you're all still here."
Everyone froze.
Deetee's body twitched. Then, slowly, he lifted his head. Rieko's eyes glowed bright green, brighter than before, and her lips curled into a grin that wasn't hers.
"This is going to be fun," he said softly, tilting his head. His words carried like poison through the air.
"Killing you all."