*Revised*

Deneva

Deneva blocked quickly as a blade swung into her view barley allowing her enough time to put up her sword in defence, another savage strike came from above, she was surrounded by monsters each one trying to break down her defences for a kill. Maybe it's hopeless, in fact it was definitely hopeless but she fought harder all the same. A cold rage burned in her blood keeping her going, keeping her fighting. She attacked cutting off the limb of the awakened being she'd been focusing on for a while, unfortunately it has more arms where that came from, as this was the tenth one she cut off and it still had more, it just kept regenerating.

"Cynthia!" Helen screamed as Cynthia fell to the ground a deep would through her chest dripping blood onto the snow.

"Damn it, you bastards!" she yelled.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" Helen charged in trying avenging the fallen. Damn it, she is going to get her self killed! Deneva thought jumping into the air. She had to save Helen before that awakened one got to her. Deneva struck the monster in the arm, her sword dug into its flesh and stopped half way through. She needed to put more power into her strike to finish the job. Its not enough, damn it! She sent a wave of yoki to her arm making her muscles swell giving her the strength needed to cut the damn thing off. Deneva landed on the ground, hard. Pain shot though her ankle. It was broken from the impact. She clutched her leg willing it to heal but out of the corner of her eye something was streaking towards her, another claw from the awakened was about to smash into her body. The claw suddenly disintegrated into a cloud of purple blood just before it was going to hit her, Clare was standing in front of her blade drawn, Clare's quick sword just saved her from the blow. Deneva pushed more yoki to her ankle until it was healed enough to stand in.

"Thanks. I owe you." Deneva stated, that blow would have defiantly killed her if not for Clare.

"No need. I just repaid you." Clare replied blank faced, Deneva was surprised but understood, she didn't consider it a debt but she was just 'repaid' for pulling Clare back together after Jean died, Clare likely would have sat there holing Jean until she was killed her self.

They stood back to back staring down the hordes of awakened ones in front of them, Clare and Deneva looked at each other knowing they were going to face it down together, keeping each others back safe. They launched into the fray again and continued their unwinnable battle against Islay's army. The fight was relentless they attacked continually not letting up for a moment. Fatigue was setting in after about the thirtieth appendage she severed fell to the ground, the battle raged on Deneva was fighting against insurmountable odds but she just had to keep her focus block, parry, strike, keep her blades moving over and over again; she struck out chopping limbs and getting chopped.

On a good day she could easily heal all of the injuries she sustained in an instant but the constant healing was draining her and now she even couldn't repair herself anymore, block, parry strike, defend, attack, strike, block! Parry! Strike! Her defences were falling, exhaustion held her in it's shackles, Deneva's swords felt like they were made of lead and the opponents just kept coming. A scream rang though the carnage. Helen! That was her scream damn it! Deneva tried to locate Helen in the crowd, but her momentary loss of concentration allowed a blade to sneak past her and it went straight through her stomach. There wasn't even a choice, she hit the ground her blades falling from her hands.

"Deneva!" she heard Clare shout, Deneva's stomach was gushing blood and her whole body was in agony. Damn it! Damn it all to hell, this is it! Clare doesn't have any one at her back anymore, Helen's probably dead. Just like Undine. Damn it! She looked up at the sky in defeat, snow softly falling in her face, This is it, at least it's finally over, this hell is finally over. Deneva just looked up as her vision began to fade. Perhaps they really is an after life- No, I am not so lucky as to have a respite of any kind, what did I ever do to deserve a break. A coward like me. I'm helpless to do anything again. What a failure I turned out to be. I didn't save Helen, I didn't save Undine, and I don't even have enough strength to get up. How pathetic. The world dropped away as she caught her last glimpse of the clouds before she was dragged into the abyss.

Ice cold air rushed into her lungs as she gasped and coughed, I'm alive? She thought in disbelief. So Miria's plan worked after all. Actually she wasn't that surprised Miria was an excellent leader and she rarely failed in any thing she did. Deneva went to get up but the wound in her stomach practically knocked her down from the pain and doubled over coughing. She survived, out of all the people here she survive. She got up slowly shaking off the snow that had piled up around her while she had been unconscious. A few more coughs shook her body and a little bit of blood dribbled out of her mouth. Sitting up was excruciating there were still cuts and gashes all over her body making it difficult to move, as well as the hole through her abdomen, How am I going to heal all this without using my yoki? The medication was still in affect so she couldn't sense any one near by.

She began to focus on healing her stomach, but without her powers it was very slow going. She pushed the energy into her abdomen trying to close the wound putting all her focus on the stomach, regenerating organs and flesh.

Once there was no longer a breeze flowing through her stomach she surveyed the area. The entire town was reduced rubble not a single building remained untouched; the whole place was destroyed. How many others survived this? Could she be the only one left? Panic began to seep into her blood, then she heard it, the sound of armour clinking together. Deneva began to get to her feet, the minute she moved shock waves of pain rippled through body; her wound may have closed but she was no where near healed. Walking used serious focus each step was agonizing. She walked slowly around the corner of a broken building revealing the town square, there was a hunched figure sitting in the middle of the clearing, bodies and blood were everywhere, all the warriors were all here, dead. Shock at the massacre stopped her dead in her tracks, she had to take a moment to look it over again to realise a few of them appeared to be stirring, there were survivors after all. She relaxed in relief that he was not the only one left.

Clare was already standing up, limping but alive. Helen was sitting up rubbing a wound on her shoulder. Uma, Cynthia and Tabitha were still laying on the ground but breathing. The rest, the seventeen other warriors were dead. Damn the organization! It's a miracle any of them survived at all- no thanks to them sending their own warriors on a suicide mission. Miria really out did her self this time; she took a zero percent chance of surviving and managed to save seven of them. Deneva walked over to where Miria was sitting.

"Seven people... Seven... Only... A mere... Seven." Miria cried bitterly full of anguish.

"Was this.. Really, really... The best possible...? Wasn't there something... Anything... A... Better way... Did I... Really..." Miria sobbed blaming her self, Miria was crying because she didn't do better, damn Miria. She took their death's like she had killed them her self, can't she see she saved them, and did so in an impossible situation. Deneva sighed and walked towards her, Helen had gotten up she and Clare picked her up off the ground shaking.

"Look at us, Miria. These are the lives you saved." Deneva said, Miria looked around at the faces of the survivors, Tabitha and Cynthia were already sitting up.

"Nobody is cursing you. As long as we understand the feelings of those who died it will be alright." she said looking into Miria's eyes trying to get her to that this was not her fault.

"We were really fortunate to have you as our leader. That is what I believe from the bottom of my heart." Miria looked at her with surprise and began crying again. They stood like that for a while, mourning. Miria finally stopped crying, she put her leader face on and dried her tears

"Okay we have to get out of here." she said in a professional tone.

"The organization will send a warrior to look for survivors and the pills will not last much longer." she said looking over everybody, they were all standing except Cynthia, who had her entire leg shattered, from being stepped on my an awakened being while she was unconscious

"Cynthia, can you stand?" Miria asked

"Yes" she said attempting to get up, she grunted and fell back down after trying to move her injured leg she let out a cry and stayed on the ground. Tabitha, the closest to her walked over and picked her up

"Don't worry I've got you." she said walking over to the group Cynthia in her arms

"Thanks." Cynthia replied feebly

"We've got to put some distance between us and Pieta. We're going to take shelter in a near by cave until we're all well enough to travel." she said they all grabbed their swords and set out.

The trek was long and very hard, every step was agony, all of her wounds were barely healing so her body was in horrible shape for the 20 kilometer journey to the cave they met in two days ago, it seemed a lot further away this time. They walked in silence except for the need to pass Cynthia to somebody else when Tabitha got tired. When they finally reached the cave the minute the got inside they all dropped to the ground from exhaustion.

After a few minutes of rest Deneva got up and stuck her swords into the ground. She walked over to where Helen had set Cynthia down and pulled Cynthia's sword off her back and gave it back to her.

Deneva carried it for Cynthia from Pieta since she couldn't carry it herself. Cynthia took the sword and looked at it for a minute with an unreadable expression on her face then planted it behind her. Most of the other warriors had followed suit and were leaning against their blades, Helen and Uma were passed out under the swords Clare was staring at the wall blank faced, Miria had her eyes closed but was not asleep, and Tabitha was sitting cross legged against the wall. Deneva considered sitting down like the others but she know once she stopped moving she would be left to think and the thoughts that she has so far ben able to push down would come to the surface. She needed to leave, she needed something to do.

Deneva got up and left the cave with her swords in hand. Firewood, they needed firewood. Food would be good too, they are going to need more energy to travel. She set out to find a good tree to cut down and make into kindling keeping her own dark thought at bay, it was still dark when she found a suitable pine, Deneva then proceeded to cut it down and dismember it into small enough pieces to burn. She gathered as much as she could carry and headed back to the cave. On her way she spotted a frozen stream. Deneva stopped, there could be fish down there. She dropped the wood and cut a hole in the ice. Deneva stared at the hole, what would she do now, it's not like she had a fishing pole or anything she could just wait for one to swim by, she had done it before, but the whole reason she left the cave was to avoid sitting doing nothing. Bad things happen when you can't do a job right. A voice in the back of her head whispered. Without even really thinking about it she shrugged and dove into the icy water with one of her swords, the shock form the cold water was enough to clear her head. She started swimming around in search of fish, she swam to the bottom of the creak and a small body streaked past her the fish didn't stand a chance against her speed and before long she surface four fish in hand. Shaking off the icy water. Deneva slightly regretted diving right in, it would take energy to maintain her body heat and that's not something she could spare right now. She shook off some water and grabbed her other sword along with the wood and walked back to the cave.

"I got some supplies." Deneva stated dropping the wood and setting down the fish water dripping from her hair.

"Good, the journey would be difficult to make, especially without any food and everybody's injuries." Miria said nodding, Deneva rung out her uniform and set to starting the fire, the light and warmth was a welcome sight especially since she was soaking wet and covered in snow. The cold didn't really affect her but it was costly to her body to maintain her body heat not to mention a bit uncomfortable. Helen started preparing the fish to put them over the fire to cook. Deneva sat back down once the fire was built and let the fire dry her off for while. Helen already put the fish over the fire and was cooking it. The fish didn't take long to cook and was passed around and eaten ravenously once done, they were all weak from their wounds and needed as much nutrition as they could get to heal more quickly.

Deneva relaxed against her swords and closed her eyes, she knew better than to try and get any sleep because she knew the moment she drifted off nightmares would plague her dreams so instead she just focused on healing. Miria had told them to supress their yoki as much as possible to keep from being detected. She began working on her stomach wound first, she was able to regenerate her internal organs to at least working order then worked on the slashes and cuts over the rest of her, knitting muscle and tissue back together until she could finally move all of her limbs properly, it was monotonous painful work but kept her occupied. Deneva knew she couldn't put it off any longer her body was exhausted, from her injuries and all the healing she did, if she wanted to be able to stand when they left the cave she would have to sleep. Her mind was fatigued and once she gave in she was immediately pulled to unconsciousness.

That night she saw the faces of each warrior slain in the north, saw then die one at a time bleeding on the ground or being torn apart by awakened beings crying out for help just like her sister, and all she could do was watch, paralysed by fear unable to help any of them. She awoke breathing heavily, she looked around and to see the others were sleeping, but Miria was missing, she guessed that she wasn't be the only one to be woken by nightmares. There was no use attempting to go back to sleep so she began to polish her sword wiping off the dried blood and rebinding the leather on the handle. She then turned to the other sword, Undine's sword, her captain who's dead now. She took her sword and will uphold Undine's legacy, she will make sure Undine wont be forgotten. So she polished her sword too, taking extra care around the insignia, Undine's memory will survive on through her sword, just like her friend.