"Really weird," Maou grumbled. His tone wasn't taking the situation seriously, but the muscles in his back were tensed for a fight.

The waning light only heightened the shadowed tails of anguish and fear that slunk through the patches, leading back to some greater source. Already, the tips slithered toward the two demons, a dark aura building around them.

"It's like the dark's so hungry it's friggin' eating our words," Maou said, sticking an irritated pinky in his ear. "How deep do they usually go? The humans, I mean."