When Kagi got away from the disciples, she Immediately she threw something akin to a fit.

She did all kinds of things, like roll on the ground, bang her head on a tree, and scream at the top of her lungs into the heights of the trees that seemed to pierce the heavens .

Her attoka wasn't all that comfortable with the situation and it showed on his face. He paced back and forth and averted his eyes to his master's asinine display.

Kagi did take notice of this after a few moments of screaming into a tree trunk.

She took many deep breaths, and then turned to her attoka, "I blew it Thendle. I blew it! I could I fall asleep at a time like that." Kagi furrowed her eyebrows at the attoka, "Why didn't you wake me up?!"

At this Thendle backed up and drooped his head. Through their bond Kagi could feel his regret, but also his agitation.

Kagi ruffled her hair furiously, "I blew it!! Lady Morta won't trust me with anything any more, and did you see the look on Lord Mortis's face. I was sure he was going to kill me!"

Kagi kicked a rock into one of the massive nearby tree trunks, "I don't even want to think how Thestra will look at me after this." She tsked, "She'll probably look down on me. Especially after I challenged her like that before all of this.”

Kagi and Thestra were both incredibly young for Hands. Because of this, the two often found themselves aloof from the others. The other Hands looked at them as if they were exotic animals.

Thestra especially had it bad because of her so-called special treatment from the lady. Though Kagi really hadn't noticed it, But if Thestra did get special treatment she deserved it.. She was ferocious in training, like something out of a story. Maybe that too added to her being avoided by the other Hands.

Kagi had tried to start a conversation with Thestra more than once but it never really got anywhere, and sometimes she would just be ignored entirely.

Kagi, in an effort to break through the other Hand’s wall wall, had decided to challenge her to a game. It was simple, whoever gained the most glory in the coming mission would win.

Initially Kagi got a very confused look from Thestra. Looking back on it she did proclaim her challenge out of nowhere. After a moment Thestra did smile a little, but only for a second. Kagi would always remember it though because as far as she was concerned that was the first time she had seen Thestra smile.

After hardening her gaze, Thestra stared at Kagi indifferently, "Fine, but I don't think you have much of a chance at winning."

Kagi groaned at the memory. Thestra didn't have to be that arrogant.

Kagi sighed, "What am I going to do, Thendle? I've ruined my chance. Morta gave me this job just to get me out of the way."

Thendle wore a frustrated expression at Kagi's words, and she could tell that he thought she was wrong.

"Well... maybe to also protect me from Mortis. But the other thing too!!”

Thendle accepted what he could get and eased his expression.

Kagi put her knuckle to her chin and thought out loud, "All I can really do now is follow the Lady's orders. "

A smile broke out on her face, "Actually if I find survivors and send them back to the unit, I might regain their trust! C'mon Thendle we don't have any time to lose!!"

Kagi's eagerness was contagious as it spread to her attoka and he didn't appear to question his master's logic at all.

The two rode for a moment, Kagi eager to find some sign of life.

"Hoof prints!"

Kagi had spotted fresh hoofprints on the ground. At the sight of them, she thought the mission was going to be easier than she had previously thought.

Kagi could just imagine it: Everyone celebrating her as a hero. The girl that saved Hands from doom and helped the disciple's in their time of need.

In the end this would be a grace from Tenebrage.

Kagi was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Thendle stopping, the thing to pull her out of her trance was his fear.

"What's wrong..."

Kagi's eyes widened in shock. She slowly dismounted Thendle and approached the cause of her horror.

The body laid only a few feet from her now.

It laid on its belly with something that looked like a hand reaching out to a trunk of a nearby tree. It had countless holes pierced through it, and its limbs were contorted and inspired a feeling beyond just ordinary horror. An attoka laid near it, not in much better shape.

The trembling came first, it worsened and worsened until Kagi collapsed to her knees. Her breathing became heavy and her thoughts swirled. She looked back up at what had previously been a Sister, a mistake. She emptied her stomach on the ground below. After she emptied it of the little content that it had contained, she looked back up at the scene before her, involuntarily gagging up bile.

Thendle looked at her with pity, but he was not doing much better as he sensed that there was danger in the area and wanted to run away at once.

Kagi tried to control her breathing, but nothing she did worked. Anytime she looked at the remains, it was as if her body violently rejected the sight and she was sent back to her previous stare. All the young Hand could do was recite a prayer for her and that woman.

For what felt like an eternity Kagi did this. Until she could finally control herself. Thendle had come to try to comfort her in the midst of her prayer, too.

She looked up at him with a half hearted smile, "I guess we've found what we're looking for. It wasn't really what we thought huh?"

She looked back at the body with a troubled expression, "I guess it's time to bury her now."

The two didn't move for a long time.

Slowly Kagi got up and got a small shovel from the pack on the back of Thendle.

She smiled to herself, "Guess I really wasn't over prepared for my first mission."

Digging the grave was a slow and grueling process. Kagi wasn't emotionally stable and no longer had any real strength to speak of. To add to that every time she looked at the body, she could feel bile burn her throat.

In the end it was a shallow grave.

Then came the task of moving the body into it. Once presented with the task, Kagi did not make any movement except look towards Thendle in desperation.

Thendle understood, and more roughly then was preferable, moved the body into the grave. Unfortunately he had flipped it over so that the face now shown.

This made Kagi repeat the process that she went through when she first saw the body. It didn’t even look like a person.

After she recovered, she Kagi slowly buried the body, reciting a prayer while scooping dirt onto the corpse. She made sure to cover the face first.

After many hours the task was done and fell to her knees.

The yet to be buried attoka made Thendle uncomfortable, but he couldn't let Kagi know that. He didn't want to make her go through anymore.

"Hey...Thendle...I...I...think I'm gonna take a quick nap now."

Kagi swayed back and forth and Thendle understandingly laid behind her.

She fell back into him immediately. Though one didn't know if she fell asleep or fainted.

Kagi woke up in the middle of the night panting, despite Thendle's concern she just smiled, "I'm fine...really... I'm fine."

She went back to sleep though this time it was a much longer process, as every time she closed her eyes she could see the disfigured body of the Hand. Of someone who wore the same uniform as her, and she couldn't help but imagine being the one in that grave.

When the pair got up to continue their task, they did it slowly. Taking their time, as they were in no rush. No rush at all.

Kagi rode on into the forest, noticing tracks and following them. They would more often than naught take her to a corpse where she would repeat the same cycle that she went through. Though with each new body the cycle would shorten, but not by much.

Kagi really could never bring herself to bury the attokas. Not only was it because she didn't want to waste any time, but also because she was already exhausted after burying just one of her sisters. However, she was ashamed to do it in front of Thendle. Though he understood.

Whenever they stopped to rest, it was never good as Kagi would have constant nightmares, and would be spooked by any noise in the woods.

At one point she even uttered the words that she would later regret, "Did Morta want to torture me? I would have taken Lord Mortis's wrath over this. Anything over this."

On the third day, the bodies still horrified her a little, but more than that they saddened her. She pitied them in a way.

Though on the fourth day her frustration began to grow. She had wanted to send Hands back to help Morta but all she was finding were corpses. She thought that more than one person should have survived. They could have easily covered themselves in a veil of darkness. Even if it didn't block the whole attack it would make the injuries sustained only minor. Besides most of the pursuers were following the main group, so how could she have not found any survivors at all so far?

Her questions were answered at the tenth body. It was in much better condition then the others, and despite not looking at it for long she could obviously notice cut marks and a pool of blood below her.

Kagi groaned upon her realization, "Those persistent little... hunting down their prey, so that none would survive. Even if one of the sisters put up a wall of darkness, she would be done for if it was broken through."

Kagi started to worry that all the missing were dead. It wasn't a hard conclusion to come to. The only reason a Hand wouldn't immediately seek out the main group would be if they had fallen. If they weren't then they could easily have found the others.

Kagi still held onto the hope that someone had survived. Even one would be enough. Just one.

Kagi found five more bodies that day and continued on. She thought that there were still two more chances. Still two more.

As Kagi was hoping to find a survivor. She heard a gasp.

Kagi jumped at first. Somewhere in the back of her mind she didn't think that there would be anymore survivors. A part of her thought it was impossible.

Kagi quickly looked around, "Sister! If it is you I have come to see you home."

Kagi's eyes were drawn to the base of a tree where a shadow retreated without the presence of any light.

A Hand laid their breathing heavily with blood dripping down the corners of her mouth.

Kagi jumped off of Thendle with such force that she almost landed on her face. She ran to the Hand and cradled her in her arms.

The Hand looked up at her and coughed, "You're...Kagi right?"

"Yes, yes sister I'm here."

Kagi was on the border of tears and she was on the verge of giving up. She thought that she wouldn't find anyone. That she wouldn't find any survivors. She didn't care about glory anymore; she just wanted to see one living face. She just had the pure desire to see one. Just one.

The Hand coughed up blood, and Kagi's heart dropped when she saw it. A whole was burnt through the middle of the woman's abdomen. It was a miracle that she was even still alive, and Kagi knew all too well that her time was coming to an end.

The Hand struggled to get words out, "Hey...Is Morta alright. Is everyone safe."

Kagi nodded, not trying to hide the tears that were streaming down her face.

The hand reached up to wipe them away, "Don't be like that."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If I...If I would have..."

The Hand smiled, "You've done enough. Really...than..."

The woman's hand fell away from Kagi's and the life went out of her eyes.

Kagi held her for a long time. She didn't want to let go.

Eventually Thendle nudged her to shake her out of her trance. She looked at him with tears still in her eyes, "If only there was just one. Just one."

She had given up all hope on that possibility.

She buried the Hand more carefully then the rest, and with a poignant sadness.

There was only one more left. Though Kagi could no longer think that she wouldn't be greeted with a corpse when she found her.

She took her time. Her task no longer had any priority. There was no possibility that there would be anyone. Just another body to bury.

Soon she came upon a branch with a piece of a black cloak hanging from a branch. She picked it up apathetically. Soon she noticed a trail of blood and hoof prints.

She followed it. Just one more. Just one more hole to dig.

She continued to follow it.

Just one more until I can return to Morta.

She continued to follow it.

Just one more until this nightmare ends.

She continued to follow it.

Just one more. Just one more until it's all over.

Suddenly Kagi was greeted with a blinding light. She was out of the forest.

She blinked once, twice, then a third time.

"Wait..."

The trail continued down the hill which she now stood atop.

Her heart beat rapidly. Was it really possible? After she had given up hope. Was it really possible that there was one?

She put Thendle into a sprint, and sensing his master's emotions he ran faster than he had ever before.

She didn't care how nonsensical or unrealistic it was. She clung to that hope like it was the only thing left in the world.