Ducking close to the ground Vaud barely dodged the silver feathers mark.

Pill already in the nearby pit screamed at him to keep moving.

His snakes hissing at him to pay attention as he sniped another imp from the air.

It had felt like only a few minutes since they last saw Kresley but the landscape around them made a different point.

Aestern’s barriers were down.

The city was falling.

After Kresley made it to the dungeon, the duo had slowly made their way over before the sirens abruptly stopped and one of the large demons destroyed the gate they escaped from.

On the one hand it was what stopped them from getting overwhelmed, on the other their home was destroyed.

And their teammates missing.

Prone on the ground Vaud stayed down for a moment longer just incase another stream of feathers came his way-

“How close are we?” Vaud got out as he reached the shallow pit, thankfully not smoking like the last.

“Close. Fight, the one near Pill.” Her voice was strict and unyielding.

Vaud looked and found what she was talking about, a brute with a blunt hammer was beelining his way to Pill, crushing a small imp or adventurer's corpse on the way.

Giving a swift nod Vaud quickly met the quickly approaching foe-

He slowed the brutes down while Valeria would take care of the imps.

This had been their strategy since they made it to the dungeon and found it was overwhelmed with a sole adventurer barely holding back the horde.

His shield coming up to meet the hammer was more instinct that thinking.

As was the small stab that countered the attack, not cutting deep into the brute but enough to push it back.

His feet kicked a broken sword towards the brute’s feet and back up watching the large demon fall-

“V!” Vaud shouted and dodged swiftly.

A short moment where only the red sky hit it's body until a line of silver finished it off.

A temporary reprieve from the horde gave promise to their goal.

“That her?” Pill shouted his snakes focusing on the entrance of the dungeon.

Valeria snapped back, her feathered body rapidly growing back the lost feathers as she saw her goal.

Rather than replying Vaud and Pill watched as she jumped off into the air like an expert swimmer diving into the ocean, she quickly met her mirror.

Which the duo knew was her sister.

They looked identical and her sister swept into the air to meet Valeria.

They almost seemed to fly off before they turned back to Vaud and Pill.

Who was now sniping any imps coming their way after seeing the air show.

“They’re the two who we owe.” Valeria said as they landed gracefully in the pit.

“I’m Saleria, after we find your teammates I expect more than just guides to the academy.” She flashed a smile with one of her fangs larger than the other, Vaud caught Pill looking rather than thinking.

“Sure, but for now can we go to the road? We need to know if our teammates Kresley and Waynev are alright.” Vaud explained and bent over to grab his pack, but not before poking Pill in the stomach and giving him a look.

“We leave now then, the city will fall if the number of demons continue.” Valeria said before nodding to her sister and grabbing a pack filled with a medicinal smell.

“Let’s hurry.”

…

“Wait-she’s not dead yet!” Blake held onto Waynev’s body while the two slaves stood behind her staring at the driver and his guards.

“We don’t care, she’s about to die and we’ve already failed once. Get her off before she also passes.” The driver noncommittally said, more worried about the red that stained the wood Waynev was under.

“B-but-” Blake was about to refuse before his guards came to enforce his point.

“Don’t worry, we’ll help carry her… for as long as we can.” The birdfolk women whispered to Blake, her feathers bleached red and despite her looking sickly she easily carried Waynev from the front.

The other slave simply looked at Blake, then at Waynev.

The look he gave was almost the same he had when he was about to be sacrified.

Not one of anxiety, but of acceptance.

Grabbing onto Waynev’s legs, the two pulled her off the cart and towards the trees.

Laying her down.

The two backed off before Blake spoke up.

“Wait-” Her voice cracked.

“Please stay close, I just need you guys here for a second.” Blake continued, looking at Waynev’s form.

“She killed a Forlorn despite being only Hallowed and saved hundreds of people… including me. This is really how it ends?” Blake grabbed Waynev’s hand.

It was cold.

And worse, wet with the blood it was resting on.

She looked physically weaker as well somehow, it wasn’t just the blood or injuries.

Looking at the ground Blake could already see a puddle forming from under her.

“Why is she getting worse-” Her voice broke off into whimpers.

But just as the birdfolk was about to comfort the trembling girl.

Waynev’s chest rose taking in a deep breath and-