The midday sun lit up the noisy and crowded town as the folk wandered through its maze-like streets. Shouts of deals and barging echoed around the small pathways, it reeked of death. As much as the floral and sweets tried to hide it was pretty dominant. Blinding lights shone upon the crowd making unbearably feverish heat. Erix was not surprised by vomit and human waste that also littered the cracked stone brick pathways. Some humans never did understand how deathly this environment would be to them.

On the other hand, Celest was having a time of her life. Cheerly, chatting away with a wide range of people. Every time she wanders off, he had a heart attack and storm off to drag her back. “Celest stop being a social butterfly,” he groaned as she started to drift away from him again.

“Aww are you sad?” She continues to mock and tease him until they reached the familiar smell of liquor. Arguing and scream echoed, smashed windows laid upon the path. Celest’s eyes wandering around noticing the lack of people around them. Sharp rocks and gravel now laid the path which used to be brick. Glass windows were small or non-existent. Bricks and modern houses were now replaced by rooting wood. “Bad part of down.” Celest said.

“That seems like the case,” Erix’s eyes darted around looking for any too drunks or thieves. Cheerful children sprinted down past them, but their sickly pale with bones like figures showed the truth. “No wonder why it reeks,” Celest remarked as they pushed the creaking door open to what seems like a tavern. Celest always avoided taverns in towns as the smell of alcohol made her nauseous.

Dimly lit it was. Only one or two candles on tables spread far apart. But for the two monsters, seeing in the dark was as easy as breathing. Each table had drunken people who seemed just as sickly as this place. Infect wounds and bandages that covered them from head to toe.

Celest and Erix looked like two white crows in a sea of crows. Though the customers didn’t even look upon the new arrivals; some couldn’t even turn their heads up.

“Welcome to Ivy Tavern, the food taste like garbage, but drinks are lit,” a young boy groaned out in the most monotone voice ever. Celest just stared at the boy who also was a white crow in this sea. “Don’t you just seem enthusiastic?” Celest retorts. The boy in question just death glares her. “I can throw you out you know,” he stood up straight and puffed up, trying to seem taller but Erix got her back.

“You are not from this part of town.” The boy blurted out the obvious truth.

“And you too man,” the younger boy slouches a starts to fiddle with a copper coin. “Well, why is a rich kid in a dump like this and running a bar?” Erix now looks amused at the flushed face of the brown hair kid. He was tan and had eyes of lush forest green. Though for a second it looked golden it quickly disappeared though so she shrugged it off. He was taller than Celest (Many people were taller than Celest) but way shorter compared to Erix. “‘Work’ experience,” Celest just started to laugh her head off. “This is work experience. This is more babysitting than anything else.”

Many of the customers gave her a side eye but returned to their dull conversation. “Yeah, but my father said, ‘You must know what it's like to be poor to be rich,” he rolled his eyes as he poured himself a drink. “You shouldn’t drink darling,” Celest remarked but all she got was a hum. “Leave the posh child alone,” Erix waved him off as they sat down in the far corner.

“Well, isn’t this place lively,” Celest eyes glowed in the darkest like the first time they meet. “Well, it sure is something.”

Suddenly, guards kick the easily breakable door down with loud shouts letting the blinding light in the dark. “Everyone stays still!” His blonde hair swayed well he screech Ivry tavern. ‘Dang it’ Celest thought but the two guards march over to a group on the other side to them. “I thought they found us,” Celest whispered as a fight happened right in front of them. “Me too, we weren’t even really hiding the face that we are monsters.”

Blood scattered around the tavern as bystanders fled the scene. Bottles of bear and other alcohol now soaked the wooden floor. A candle fell over from the racket and landed on the alcohol. It was engulfed in flames and spreading quickly through the building.

Erix just stared without a care in the world but quickly pulled his coat over Celest. Sirens and fire don’t mix very well. The poor brown hair boy shivered like a leaf as he saw the gory scene before him. It was a nightmare for him. More guards arrived kicking and screaming not caring for innocents. Quietly, she made over to the kid, she gently pulled him towards the ground to hide him from the fight.

“Hey what’s your name?” She hadn’t really used her siren powers and never ever to calm someone down, but she didn’t know what else to do.

“C-Carlos…” his voice was hoarse and below a whisper which Celest barely heard. “Well, my name is Celest,” he replied with a hum. “What’s your favourite colour?” His voice sounded like sweet honey but a slight power to it. The more she talked the stronger her voice became.

“Umm, orange?”

“Huh… I hate orange.” She remarked as a grin spread on her face. “Why do you hate orange, it's the best colour?” His voice grew more powerful too.

“Well, I hate it and that's finale.”

His breathing even out and colour returned to his tan face. Finally, Erix made his way over to both of them and crouched to also hide from the fight. “His name is Erix,” she pointed towards the bulky man, “Erix meets Carlos.”

“Uh hi?”

“Hello Carlos.”

Celest held out her naturally pale hand and lifted the boy to his feet. His knees quiver but with some support from Erix they fled too from the back. Civilians still screamed and sprinted down the streets as the alcohol-soaked streets and buildings flamed up in a brightly show. “Stop right there!” It was the same black hair guard from the gate. “I do not care! We are removing ourselves from the burning down building.” Debating if he should, the guard reluctantly just let them pass him.

Fleeing from the rubble, the group made it to the barricade some guards made. “Are you alright Sir?” A guard called out.

“Yes, we are,” Erix said as he helped Carlos over the barricade. “Those thieving rats should are at it again.” The guard voice was filled with venom as he glared at some of the peasants. Celest quickly noticed that none of the peasants were coming.

Then she looks at the guard. ‘Oh, the barricade wasn’t made for civilians so they didn't enter, it was for peasants so they couldn’t escape. She was thankful that they didn’t look poor or otherwise the guard wouldn’t let them pass’.

They reached the better side of town. Celest and the others found a quiet corner as they watched the chaos unfold. Tired for the run, Carlos fell limp to Erix's side. “Well, we are screwed.”

“Indeed … screwed.”