“Reud! Where are you!” Lilia shouts, quickly pressing a strip of cloth back over her mouth to fend off the smoke filling the streets.

All around her the village is ablaze. They had barely managed to escape through the southern gate before a towering explosion of blue fire washed through the village, igniting anything flammable. Mere minutes later the entire place was on fire. Luckily, the Seeker’s thoroughness in gathering the entire village population in the square meant that there was no one left within that needed rescuing.

Well, except Reud.

When he didn’t emerge Lilia rushed back in. The danger didn’t bother her, there was no way she was going to leave him to burn.

“Reud!” Lilia risks another shout, her efforts sending her into a fit of coughing. The smoke wafting off the buildings stings her eyes, forcing her to squint to see where she is going. Sweat pours down her face from the heat, making her top stick to her body.

Finally, she emerges into the village square. Blazing bodies litter the ground, stacked in piles around the remains of the central platform. A scene of utter devastation. Lilia glances over the corpses, skipping over any wearing armour, looking for Reud. At the far side of the square, on the opposite side of the platform, she spots a figure not clad in armour. It has to be him!

With renewed vigour, she rushes across the square, circling around the intense heat of the burning platform. As she approaches her mad dash slows, horror rising within her. The body isn’t moving. Undeniably dead.

Now that she is closer, she can see the full extent of the damage it suffered. It looks… melted. Barely even recognizable as human. Nothing but a twisted mass of blacked flesh. Lilia falls to her knees, losing the contents of her stomach onto the scorched earth. She’d thought herself desensitized to scenes like this, she’d seen worse during the war. But this time, with the knowledge that this was Reud, it was so much worse. Her Reud. Lilia retches again.

Then a wet sound comes from the corpse.

Lilia snaps her head up, watching in horrified fascination as the body twitches. The skin begins to reform itself, the blackened cracks vanishing, replaced by sickly pale flesh. The limb stumps twist and stretch, pushing out and reforming into hands once more. Hair bursts out on its head, bone white and curly. Then, with a gasp, Reud bolts upright.

“Argh!” He screams, clutching at his face. After a moment he seems to relax. With care, he inspects his arms, flexing his fingers. Quietly, he murmurs to himself. “Thank Idia the phylactery still works.”

Lilia kneels on the ground, her mouth hanging open in shock. Slowly, Reud raises a bare arm and gives her a little wave. Before she realizes what she is doing she is on him, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

“Lilia… too… tight.” He wheezes out, tapping her shoulder. She shakes her head, squeezing him tighter, tears rolling down her cheeks. His arms wrap around her in return, and for a moment they just hold each other.

Lilia releases Reud as racking coughs shakes his body. Holding him at arms length she looks him over. There isn’t a single wound on him. A blush flushes her cheeks as she realizes he also doesn’t have a scrap of clothing on him. Shrugging off her cloak she wraps it around him as he gets his breathing under control. That should help get him some semblance of modesty.

“How are you…” She starts, trying to gather all the questions bouncing around her head. “Are you okay?” She finally settles on.

Reud nods. “I’m perfectly fine, how about you? Did you get out the village in time.”

“Everyone's safe, we were outside the walls when that explosion happened.” Lilia helps Reud to his feet. “What happened with the Seekers?”

“All dead, though I’m not sure about the leader. Sar I think his name was? He crushed some sort of amulet that I think transported him away.” A look of worry creases his face. “It was magic far beyond anything I’ve seen before. It seems Lightire have greatly advanced their magical knowledge in the last few centuries.”

A crash comes from a nearby house as the roof collapses inwards, the flames weakening its walls. A new surge of embers billows out, filling the air with choking smoke and scorching heat.

Lilia pulls on Reud’s arm. “Come, we need to get out of here. It isn’t safe to stay any longer.”

***

Rachel breaks away from the crowd of villagers huddled outside the southern gate, running towards Lilia and Reud the moment they emerge from the gates.

“My father, did you find my father?” She pleads, her eyes puffy from crying.

Lilia avoids her gaze, not wanted to look her in the eye.

Reud breaks the silence, his voice hoarse from coughing. “I’m sorry Rachel, he’s gone.”

“No…” Rachel falls to her knees, burying her face in her hands. Lilia walks over to Rachel, pulling her student into a hug. The young woman collapses against her, sobs racking her body as she cries.

People stand around in small groups, shock on their faces as they stare in horror as everything they own goes up in smoke.

A collective gasp runs through the crowd as movement comes from inside the village. A figure strides through the billowing smoke and flickering flames, shimmering in the heat haze. A skeletal figure. Then another. Bo and Tel. In silence the skeletons strides out of the village, walking towards Reud before stopping beside him.

The people closest to them shuffle away, murmuring between themselves. One man, however, shoves his way through the crowd towards them. His face is set in a scowl, his cheeks flushed with anger. The innkeeper.

“You! This is your fault!” The innkeeper screams, pointing at Reud angrily. “This is all because you killed Telac!” He turns to the crowd. “I told you it was bad news, letting them stay here! Now look what's happened!”

Many of the people in the crowd look at one another, nodding in agreement.

The man continues. “We should have banished them immediately! Then the Seekers would have never come here! Would have never done this! Everything we have is gone because of them!” Spittle flies from his mouth as he screams.

Rachel pushes away from Lilia, her face twisted in anger.

“Shut up Lanlar. Just shut up!” She shouts at the innkeeper, making the man step back in surprise. “How dare you pin this on them! They protected me. More than I can say for you!”

Murmurs of agreement sound from the crowd. “All this, it’s all the Seekers! They burnt our home, they… my father…” She breaks out into sobbing again. Lilia steps forward, pulling the young woman back into a hug.

Reud walks up behind her, speaking in a low voice that only Lilia and Rachel can hear. “Lilia, we need to go. Night isn’t that far off, and a beacon like this will draw every magical beast for leagues around. I’d like to be safe back in Srinaber before then.”

“What about her.” Lilia says, indicating to Rachel.

“She can come with us, if she wants.” Reud responds.

“And them?” She indicates to the crowd aimlessly staring at the flames.

“The surrounding villages will likely take them in.” Reud says. “We really should get moving though.”

Lilia stares at him, narrowing her eyes. “Reud. Likely isn’t good enough. If they get turned away the beasts will literally eat them alive.”

She’d come to like these people over the past few weeks. They were simple, but friendly, opening their hearts warmly once you pierced their gruff exterior. There was no way she was going to let Reud abandon them now.

Lilia continues. “I’m sure they can come with us to Srinaber. There should be more than enough space for them to hide there, at least for the night.”

“I don’t-” He starts.

“Reud.” She says, and edge to her voice.

He sighs, then smiles. “You’re right, of course. The least we can do, I guess, after they’ve sheltered us for so long.”

Stepping away from Rachel, Lilia faces the crowd.

“Excuse me.” She calls. The closest people spare her a glance, but then go back to ignoring her. Clearing her throat she takes a deep breath.

“EXCUSE ME!” She bellows. Now that got everyone's attention.

“My husband and I are going to travel north to shelter in Srinaber. Anyone who wants to come with us, can. We will protect you.” She looks up at the sun, estimating the time. “We can reach Srinaber by nightfall. There we will be safe.”

A voice comes from the crowd. “You’re a free mage! Just as demonic as the beasts that hunt in the night!” Murmuring sweeps through the crowd, many of the people looking fearful. “What’s to stop you killing us in our sleep?”

Lilia looks over the crowd, seeing the fear in their eyes. Behind that, however, was a yearning for something to hold on to. They just needed a little push. “We are not demons! We have lived with you for over half a month now, you know me, you know my husband. Have we ever given you a reason to doubt us?” She steps over beside Reud, giving his hand a quick squeeze. “You, Harsan, I helped you with your ox when she was giving birth did I not?” She points at a man, the crowd turning to look at him. The man looks embarrassed and nods.

Lilia points at a young girl clutching the hand of a stern looking woman. “Selsie, I helped you find your dog when it ran off into the forest.” The girl quickly nods her head at Lilia, shyly trying to hide behind her mother as the crowd stares at her.

She points at a man. “Darren, the beast that was killing your flock, that injured you. Who was the only one who managed to challenge it, to slay it?”

The man looks around at the crowd, before grunting out. “It was Lord Reud. He slayed the stag beast.”

Lilia throws her arms wide and addresses the crowd as a whole again. “We have lived with you, helped you. Are those the actions of demons?”

A voice calls out from the crowd again. “But the Seekers say-”

The crowd parts with cries of protest as a man shoves the caller to the ground. He steps up and shouts out himself. “Damn the Seekers! They burned our village. I’ll take Lilia and Reud over them any day.”

Arguments break out in the crowd as people shout their agreement for one side or another. Some people are already walking hurriedly away from the village, heading up the road towards Aldsville. Trying their luck at reaching the other village before darkness falls.

Lilia stands back with Reud, waiting for the arguments to die down. One by one, the remaining dissenters slip out of the crowd. Those remaining shuffle nervously, looking to one another.

Lilia gives Reud a nudge, keeping her voice low. “Your turn. These people are trusting us to protect them.”

Reud looks to her, the expression on his face almost making her laugh. He can look death in the face without breaking a sweat. Take down an entire group of Seekers single-handedly. Go head to head with mutated magical beasts. But speaking to a small crowd fills his eyes with fear. She gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. It seems to be enough.

Reud steps forward, drawing the group’s attention. “H-have you all decided to come with us to Srinaber?” His voice cracks at first but then firms up.

Murmurs of agreement come from the crowd.

Reud looks at Lilia, and she nods, giving him a small smile.

“Well then, follow me.” He turns and gestures to the skeletons standing guard to either side of him. “These two will protect you, just shout if you see anything they need to deal with.”

He begins walking, the crowd parting to let him pass, Lilia falling in at his side.

She leans in to him whispers, so only he can hear. “You did the right thing my love, I’m proud of you.”