The Cuckoo in the Demon’s Nest

In both time periods, Vena reached for the flute, but Ru, who was both a child and an adult, did not give it up.

"It has nothing to do with the flute," the child Ru shouted and adult Ru completed, "There was never a time."

Present Vena had stopped, but past Vena had clawed Ru's hand and taken the flute. Moreover, she had shattered the flute as easily as a twig.

"You broke my flute!" said the two Ru, the child tearful, the adult angry.

"Breaking it won't be enough," said Vena in the past, holding the two pieces in her hand. "It must be reduced to ashes!"

Once they got rid of the flute, the demons wouldn't be able to follow them anymore. Well, Vena was sure that would be the case.

"But that's not what happened," said the adult Ru, grabbing Vena's wrist with a sudden movement and stopping her claw.

"You're right," Vena said, thinking back.

No matter where they went, no matter what they did, the demons always found them.