Hauling Royce's body was a nightmare.

"Hhng...dammit, why are you so damn HEAVY??!" Venti muttered angrily. He wheezed and grunted as he dragged Royce by one arm towards a forest to bury him.

He needed to find a way to kill Kusanali after him. And then...

Her.

Wielding the catalyst, he picked up a chunk of dirt with the wind and threw Royce inside. He slammed the dirt back on top of him and spat in disgust.

"You're so disgusting, I'm not even gonna give you a tombstone. You're just that bad."

He giggled before skipping off, heading towards the castle in the sky.

_____________

"He...WHAT?!" Furina yelled, hugging a bandaged Kusanali. The archons had gathered to Celestia, only to find Kusanali hugging her small body in the corner of her room, her neck bleeding into her clothes.

"He choked me...and threatened to choke me again if I didn't tell him where the catalyst was." She heaved as tears ran down her face.

"It's ok. When that bard comes back, I'm gonna hurl another vase at him." Mavuika fumed and cracked her knuckles loudly.

"Please refrain from injuring Barbatos. With that catalyst, he is much more powerful than all of us. Imagine what he might do to you if you tried that." Ei reminded her. Mavuika frowned and leaned against the wall to glare at the door.

The door creaked open shortly after Kusanali calmed down. Heads turned towards the noise to see a boy with blue braids bounce into the room.

"I'm home! Hehe. Soooo, did anyone miss me?" Venti shouted with a smirk on his face. Mavuika ran up to him and grabbed him by his shirt.

"WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU PSYCHO! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN AN ARCHON!?" Mavuika screamed into his ear.

"Geez, cut the yapping, will you? She wouldn't tell me where it was otherwise. Hmph! Stubborn little baby." Venti easily broke free of her grasp and sighed.

"Still hate me, huh? Hmph. Fine. Don't you forget I still have this!" He took out the catalyst as it floated in his hand.

Fuega stepped back, but still glared knowing she couldn't do anything.

"Ah...you know how powerful I am now, huh? Good girl. Back off like the good Pyro Archon you are~" Venti quickly felt pleasure in seeing that he had more authority than everyone in the room.

"Now then...Focalors, please get away from Kusanali." Venti asked sweetly while Furina's grip around the small god tightened.

"NO! I AM NEVER LETTING YOU HURT NAHIDA!" She shielded Kusanali with her body. Venti was actually...surprised. He had never seen Furina so protective and angry before..

Whatever. She's not gonna protect the baby for long.

Venti recited a small spell and Kusanali shot forward, floating before him.

"Well hello, little mushroom with legs. We meet again. Sad you can't have Focalors as your bodyguard anymore~~?" Venti teased and laughed, making Kusanali's and Furina's blood boil.

"Let me go! Please!" She begged. Venti wasn't buying it. He shot out an arm and started to choke Kusanali once again. He turned her to face the other archons instead of himself. The sadistic pleasure from hearing her struggle while the archons stood there doing nothing, knowing that they couldn't do anything unless they wanna get evaporated almost made him pass out. But he needed to stay around for a bit longer.

"NAHIDA!! Hang in there!" Furina yelled to her, but Kusanali was slipping away.

She couldn't feel anything. She couldn't hear. She was just...floating. As if she was nothing.

Venti tightened his grip so hard, his knuckles were white. And just like that, Kusanali's eyes rolled back. And her body...

Faded...

And turned...

To dust.

Everyone stared at the horrific sight in front of them. Venti managed to kill an archon. His very first one.

"YOU MONSTER!" Furina screeched, running at him in full sprint. Venti snorted and in a blink, he was gone. Furina was too late.

She fell to her knees and sobbed. That's all she wanted to do. Cry and cry, in hopes that Kusanali came back. But she knew she wouldn't...

"I...she's dead. She's really dead." Mavuika whispered, tears starting to form.

"THAT BASTARD BARBATOS!! IM GONNA KILL HIM IF I SEE HIM AGAIN!" Furina cried out before sobbing hard.

Mavuika hugged her lovingly and Furina soon cuddled up next to her. "Hey...is there a chance that she might be resting in the angel houses?" Mavuika asked while patting Furina's head.

She sniffed. "She...might be there, actually. I need to go look...but you're really warm so maybe I'll look later." Furina whispered into her neck and rested her head on Mavuika's shoulder.
_____________

"Lulu~~~ I'm home!!" Venti called out. Lumine heard his voice from the other room and threw her book aside to greet him. When she saw him, she ran up and jumped into his arms, to which Venti caught her.

"Ehe~ did someone miss me?" Venti flirted and giggled.

"I did! It seems as though you're avoiding me a bit. Or maybe you're just busy but I'm not sure..." Lumine chirped and kissed Venti's forehead.

"Awhh...don't worry. I'm almost done with my work. Once I'm finished, I'll spend all of my time with you! We can actually cuddle this time and do what you wanna do! I promise!!" He pecked Lumine's cheek.

"Fine. You better keep that promise!"

"Hehehe~ of course...

Darling...~"