As the group wandered across the Circle, using the smiling sun as their guide, they'd try to track down what is considered their east, letting them follow its path as they make their way to Brunono. During such travel, Solomon and Zazel would keep a keen eye on Harvard to ensure he doesn't try to sneak into the box and feast on the Cookie made House within it. "Why do you even LIKE that house, anyway? Don't Gingerbread houses usually taste bad?" Envy asked, but Tsukiya was quick on answering, as she'd give Harvard a small Shikigami to help him in breaching the box, a wide smile on the child's face as he tries to cast an illusion onto his friends so he can call dibs, but was met with a quick departure to the shadow-like realm Shady resides, a cackle out of the darkness as he'd hold him still.
"I guess that's probably why he wants it so much! It's a house that never grows stale! Anyone would probably kill for such an artifact like that!" A small joke, but Envy would merely roll his eyes as he looked down to see the Card Magician still struggling, having to pull his arms out first in order to flail the Shikigami close to the box as much as possible, only for Shady to just nudge him away instead.
"Still, there has to be a more legitimate reason than just... eating good."
As they traveled, one person was quick on their trail, tracking them as much as possible, a small koi fish swimming across the ground, freezing the area and inspecting over the group. Stolas would feel such a chill and turn his head, only to see nothing but small frost across the forest. "Oi! Hold it!" He'd yell, his eyes not leaving the scenery, as he'd try to set up a constellation through his bandages. He waited for at least a minute, keeping a keen eye out for any changes. When none were made, he'd throw a punch, launching the constellation of Orion at the area, a humanoid flung forward and firing arrows at the vicinity, prompting the figure to escape. Solomon was quick on rushing in through the blast, casting a spell on the earth, allowing it to rise and recreate the Tower of Babel to trap the figure inside, as well as casting a plague of Hail and Fire within its quarters, flames erupting from below, frost raining from above, trapping whoever was inside the Tower in a hellish dance. A blast of cold was made to the sky, a Wyrm that soared upwards freezing half of the tower. Stolas simply created Gemini and Draco to let such stellar dragons swoop in and interrupt the attack.
A cloud of dust emerged from its peak, a swing from a blade to interrupt one of the dragons, before being pelted by two others and forced to endure both the radiance and the impact as they crash it straight down on the ground.
"An assassin??" Tsukiya would ask as she'd set up a few Shikigami, stapling it onto the tower's edges, while Harvard would snap out of his trance and be freed by Shady in order to cast a Seal directly on the Tower itself, taking in the attacks that wouldn't be used anymore due to her escape, letting the harsh energy tear the paper dolls apart, summoning forth a trio of Raiju to give chase, aiming and headbutting the woman further down on the ground, as she'd do another swipe with her blade to freeze both the constellations and the spirits by their heads, shattering them and trying to escape. As she attempted such, a blast of green light came from behind her, catching her off guard just enough for Solomon to strike directly at her temple, pulling up a massive tree with Might of Samson and slamming its full force down on her. The Biblical Sorcerer would have to admit, whoever such an assailant was can endure a beating.
"Bestia noctis,... Venator aurorae..."
"Epulare te, donec ne ossa quidem remaneant..."
"Canis ad inferos maledictus..."
"Canis maledictus ut fleret..."
"Nam in aeternum monstrum est!"
"ARAWAREU!!!"
"Bestia Lunae!!!"
"LUPINAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
A Howl that echoed across the forest, a Humanoid wolf with five heads, one on the top, two that growl across its shoulders, and two that slobbered across its front legs. A centaur of fur and fangs, its eyes clouded by the hide, its teeth snarled as it rushed down and bit at the woman straight across her legs and neck, breaking such bone and impairing her, forcing her to drop her dagger. Upon such a bite, the woman would struggle as her legs and neck began to grow fur and change shape, a lycanthropy that infected her body. Her screamed morphed into a howl of her own, terror in her eyes, as she desperately tried to flee. Once the group got around, Lupina would simply carry her by the scruff of her neck, as Harvard casts a potion to revert the effects and heal her injuries.
Koina was captured.
"Sweet! We caught a bad guy snooping! Kinda rare to have one of these things!" Harvard would state as he'd be amazed at the transformation, seeing it function as a virus when her wolf-like features would begin to disappear, another mental note for the many monsters he needs to learn.
"Be honest, Harvard. Did you knew it was gonna kill her?" Solomon asked.
"Obviously! But I made sure to hold it back juuust enough in case!" A cheeky grin flashed towards the Sorcerer, before Harvard got serious and looked at the woman. "Alright, lady. What's your deal? Why you following us?"
Koina had no answer, merely looking up and seeing the beast snarl, demanding a response out of her. "Please for the love of everything, just kill me now..." She'd beg, yet Harvard shook his head.
"Nuh uh! You did a bunch of snooping, meaning you might know some stuff we don't! Spill it, lady!" A demand matched with the Monster's bark, almost stunting Zazel in how he was able to handle what was once Jesta's monsters with relative ease. Such travel they did back in Khepros must've been a good enough time to spend in order for the monsters to adjust with the boy.
"....I'd really rather just be killed off."
"Nope! You're staying alive!"
"...what if I said please-"
"Still no!"
"DAMNIT!"