So, at last, it has come to this.

I have never been fantastic at writing battles. Skirmishes, sure. But battles? I think I've only ever really done it once, all the way back in 8th grade, so I can say with certainty that I did too poorly to look back on for inspiration. It would probably just make my eyes and my very soul bleed.

I also notice that Rodda has artfully avoided it, so I have very little to reference in trying to emulate that tone. I appreciate that the great conflicts of the Nine Seas are limited mostly to wits and cleverness, but honestly.

Like, I love how John and Barda always come packing a badass sword, but their kids always brain the problem away before they get the chance to use them. Does Lief ever even use his sword for its intended purpose? It's freaking hilarious! Until just now, anyway, as it still leaves me nothing to look back to for reference.

All the same, I only promise to do my very best.

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Chapter 15: The Battle for Habaharan

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A war cry had risen from Southside just before dawn, ringing through the ruined streets and infecting every home in every neighborhood. In this way, it had quickly reached East and Westside, and what remained of Northside. Central Control may have been slaughtered without mercy, but the enemy hadn't been able to count the rebels among the common folk. Even if he had, they were beyond counting. And they were answering that battle cry, surging from their hiding places to fight, at last, for their freedom.

For a moment, though, that cry was suddenly silenced and replaced with breathless awe. Every living soul in Habaharan was hurrying toward the palace, the obvious source of all their suffering, to make their stand as the people they were. And so, the sight of a mighty black Dragon appearing atop the palace spires was impossible to miss from anywhere in the city. In that short moment, the people skidded to a halt to stare in utter shock, amazement, and the aching longing to be with their Hallowed Father.

That was something in all their blood, all their souls, all their being. No Zebak alive could have helped it, even if they had wanted to. To be reunited would have been worth all love, all wealth, all freedom in the cosmos.

Even Star, only part of what they were, had felt it keenly from her own place in the madness. Her own human father was standing right beside her, together as she had wished they would be again. For all the longing she had felt for his presence these few years, it had paled in comparison to the sight of the Dragon Heomiri. Perhaps, she would reflect later, she had a special understanding of what it was like to miss someone so deeply, and to be suddenly, joyfully reunited. But in that moment, it had only made the aching that much more painful.

There was little time to think of it then, of course, which had suited her well. Before vanishing into thin air, the Lord of Fire had given them plain instructions on where to find their quarry. Zadina, the pretender and traitor, had holed herself up at the top of the tallest tower, in fear for her life and much more because of her failings. Now, all the band of heroes had to do was climb all those stairs to meet her.

That would prove a challenge, they quickly found. Zadina must have looked from that high window and seen who was coming: all the heroes of Rin, their misplaced children, and what remained of squadron C-57 were, themselves, impossible to miss. It came as little surprise when another pod of gray-clad guards came swarming from the palace gates, replacing those the Hallowed Father had dispatched so easily. And they gave no mind to the danger they were charging right into, or to the fact that a whole Dragon had stood there mere seconds before and could reappear at any time.

It only went to prove how mindless the creatures were, bent only on the senseless violence they had been created for. They were only a pack of ten against more than twenty. Against so many trained warriors, who could think carefully and had so much to fight for, they didn't stand a chance.

Sending them out hadn't even been much of a delay. It had been pointless.

"That won't be the end of it," Zamiel pointed out quickly when the last monster had been cut down. "For sure, the palace is crawling with these things; in more packs of ten, likely as not."

Sharing his love for tactics and strategy, Annad huffed in annoyance. "In numbers like that, they will still slow us down. The journey up there will already take time. With an encounter like this every five steps, it will take ages!"

Zack Rivan nodded shortly in agreement. "More than enough time for the wretch to slither out and make an escape. It's what any smart person would do next. What are we to do about this?"

"We split up, naturally."

That quick response had come from Forley, and several eyes turned to him in amazement. Some were just unused to seeing him so wise and in such command. Others were surprised that he would suggest such a thing, when their numbers had clearly proven an advantage. Others, still, understood how sensible his solution was, and remained silent as he explained.

"If these creatures operate in packs of ten, then we can guess that they are like a Central Control squadron. Squadrons are trained to act as a whole; but they don't know how to act when separated. If we split up, run through different parts of the palace, these packs will be forced to split up, also. They'll be lost and confused, and they can't catch all of us."

Star and Zan grinned at each other, liking the sound of this very much. It really was no different from all their nights of crusading in the past. Perhaps this very moment was what those nights had been preparing them for all along.

Most of the Arin were still aghast at the idea; but the Zebak understood this well, and looked delighted to have such a simple solution from their friend.

"Then split up is what we shall do," Zamiel decided. Then he looked over his shoulder and clicked his tongue. "I would do the dividing, myself, but it seems we have no time for that…"

He was right. Yet another pack of ten was charging from the gate, and another fight ensued. The band of heroes hacked and slashed their way through the monsters, batting them aside with surprising ease, forging their way through the gate and into the palace itself.

Star was almost annoyed. She had just been here, and had no real desire to return so soon. At least this time, she was dressed for a fight and able to fend off the hungry leers of the gray monsters.

Erupting into the grand man entranceway, the squadron immediately did as their captain had decided and scattered. Three went this way. Four went another. Annad playfully tagged Zamiel and ran off beside him, prompting her husband and his sister to follow. Forley, Alanis, and Leah darted off another way, still; and their parents, suddenly unsure of their bearings and their childrens' newfound confidence, had no choice but to stay close behind.

And so it was that Star found herself running for the nearest flight of stairs, after her father. The rest were running in random directions, creating a clever diversion; but Rowan had very destined places to be, and was following his heart toward them. Of course, Star and Zeel would never leave his side now, for they were a family. They had always sworn to face life's greatest battles together, and this one would be no exception.

And, of course, wherever Star went, Zan would never be far behind ever again.

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Rin was a practical place; but that practicality was borne of a fear that was difficult to unlearn. This was why all its children had a weapon pushed into their hands from the time they could walk, and prided themselves on training with them until they could no longer stand. There was little to fight in their quiet, secret valley; their combat training came entirely from practicing against each other in the ring of honor. It was a glorious pastime, enjoyed by most Rinfolk, for it kept their skills sharp. Just in case.

This was the world which John and Marlie had been born into; the one which Allun was also a part of, but had never quite fit into. Battles like this were what they had been trained for all their lives, however poorly it suited them. All three quickly discovered that this lifetime of discipline and honing their skills had done nothing to prepare them for a real fight.

It was madness. Total chaos from every corner. Facing off against classmates in a one-on-one match, with a referee to keep score was one thing. The constant barrage of an enemy made solely of ancient hatred was something else entirely.

Add to this the fact that none of them were as young as they once were, it was no surprise that the three were soon exhausted. Frightened, even, though none of them would dare admit it. Not of the swarms of monsters they kept running into, but - bizarrely - of their own children.

Alanis and Leah had kept up with their own practice; and Forley, like his father, trusted the sharpness of his wits over any blade. For their parents, this was familiar, and a source of pride. What the three veterans hadn't expected was the youngsters' skill with Zebak magic, or how organized they were for this moment. While the three parents stood in formation - the only way they had ever been taught to stand against an oncoming horde - the three children charged ahead with glowing gems strapped to their outstretched palms.

With a flick of her wrist, Leah produced a puddle of water out of thin air; and that thin air around them seemed to become all the drier for it. The first three of the advancing ten immediately slipped and tumbled over, causing the rest to also stumble and fall over on top of them. Colored light seemed to flare around Alanis and Forley, as they aimed their open palms as one at the graceless tangle of gray. A crackling spark appeared before them, and just like that, a bolt of cold white energy zapped forth and hit that heap of monsters with full force. There were shrieks, and crackling and buzzing, and a wave of intense heat.

The next thing they knew, those monsters and all their uniforms had been reduced to a pile of ash mingling in a cloud of steam.

It was far beyond anything they had been prepared to witness. Let alone from their own children, who they thought they knew so well. Even John felt faint at the sight, his sword shaking in his trembling hand.

Their children, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. They were panting a bit from the strain of controlling this tricky magic, but otherwise acted as though it had been nothing out of the ordinary. Only when they looked back at their parents did they seem concerned.

"Mother? Father?" Leah asked, her brow knitted in worry. "Are you with us? You look… Pale."

It was like she hadn't changed at all. Ever fretting over those she loved, but never wanting to make a fuss or sound impolite. Yet there she was, weathering crowds well outside her comfort and dragging water out of the air as though it were nothing.

Between the newfound courage and superhuman skills, Allun and Marlie couldn't have been more proud of their son and daughter. More proud than any parent had the right to be, they thought. But at the same time, they couldn't have been more disturbed.

Seeing that her own father had grown pale, too, Alanis ran to place a steadying hand on his shoulder. The power she held in her other frightened him so badly, he found himself flinching away. If she noticed this, she was too busy worrying over him to be bothered by it.

"It's only magic, father," she insisted. "Simple science, really. It can't hurt you, if you know how to use it. We've learned it for this very moment. We hadn't meant to frighten you with it, but -"

"Lightning!" Marlie burst out, doubling over and bracing her hands on her knees. "You made lightning out of nothing! Like it was nothing!"

Forley sheepishly rubbed his arm. "It really is nothing, mother. Least of all something to be afraid of."

As if to prove it, Alanis slipped the glowing ruby from her palm and slid the chains onto her father's hand. "You can do it, too," she insisted with a grin. "Do you hear that? Another bunch is coming around the bend. Try it!"

John stared back at her, petrified. "I could never do such a thing," he grumbled. The sword, he was used to. It was unfortunately violent, but it was swift, elegant, and to the point. The power his daughter had thrust upon him just seemed needlessly gruesome.

Still… He couldn't say he wasn't intrigued. Disgusted, but curious. Not unlike Alanis had been, when the ruby magicite had first been discovered.

Alanis turned him toward the sound of another pod charging from around a bend. John did his best to imitate what she had done before, holding his palm out as if commanding the enemy to halt in its tracks, wondering what he was supposed to do to produce such a marvel. Beside him, Marlie was knocking a fresh arrow to her bow and looking unsatisfied.

"Oh, how I wish we had more time to think about all this," she snapped, focusing all her discomfort and what was coming. John was almost jealous, wishing he was attacking with a weapon he knew how to use.

The first of many came wheeling around that bend. Before anyone else could act, John felt every instinct and reflex in his body seize at once. An enemy had appeared. A real enemy. It was coming straight for them! And more were soon to follow. Fear, anger, and defense all met in the middle, in his heart. But it didn't stay there. It felt as though it were gushing like a spring in a steady direction.

Like an ice cap suddenly melted, released to flow in a tidal wave down a dry streambed. John knew the sensation well, in a place he would have prefered to leave behind. It was also familiar, but should never have to happen.

In this way, a torrent of flame shot out of the ruby in his palm, with such force it nearly knocked him back. It was so forceful, he found himself unable to control it as it streamed every way. The only thing that kept him upright was Alanis' strong hands on his shoulders, one hand gripping his arm to try and help him aim.

All the same, those ten monsters kept charging forward; and in spite of John's poor aim, every one of them managed to run right into the erratic stream of fire. It was not swift, or elegant, or to the point at all. It had been an utter mess, leaving scorches all on the floor and walls, and spots of gray ash all over.

What was more, he felt drained in a way he had never had before. It was faint, but beyond words. So, he thought, this was what Rowan's life was like. Literally, all the time.

Satisfied that the point had been made, and that her experiment had been successful, Alanis chuckled wryly and took her father's hand back. With a great deal of relief, he let her slide the chains off his fingers.

"Maybe just stick to the sword for now," she advised.

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Six against ten was one thing. Three against ten was proving to be another. Zack Rivan had found himself with Zara and Zhena, and had liked their odds from the beginning. They may have also been of Central Control and used to acting as a proper squadron, but serving under a captain like Zamiel had taught them to be flexible. Besides, these two feisty women had always proven a capable team in the past. He had been pleased to lend them his strength for this mission.

Good odds, indeed. If he had learned anything from his years of compulsive gambling, it was how to assess the odds, and he had liked them a lot this morning. They had already made it this far - through all the planning and secrets, to the ball, to the dungeon, to escape, and now here. Luck appeared to be in their favor.

If it was so, that luck was being spent rapidly. The three had already wound themselves deep into the palace, through mazes of halls and passageways, and had already hacked through several pods of the gray monsters. With only themselves to rely on, their strength was dwindling.

Their only objective was to provide a distraction. To force the enemy's guard to divide itself in a vain attempt to catch them all. To give the Earth Titan the time he needed to find the queen and end her rule once and for all. It wasn't as though these mindless things could tell which small parcel of heroes was the one worth pursuing, after all.

The fact that any of them had made it this far was nothing short of a miracle. And so, of course, none had stopped to think that perhaps this final desperate push would be their last.

Zack Rivan paused to think of this too late. It was perhaps the eighth pod he and his friends had encountered, but they had been too slow to action. Out of breath and dripping with sweat, the three found themselves surrounded. He assessed his own strength, considered that of his friends, and came to a grim understanding.

He had vowed in the dungeon to never gamble again for as long as he lived. Yet gamble, he just had - this time, with his own life. So had Zara and Zhena. It was all they had left to wager. The lot had been cast, and landed.

The odds had been good, to start with. But the die hadn't fallen in their favor, after all. It had been a risky bet, and he ought to have known it from a glance. But there had been no other choice. Like so many other times in the past, he had rolled the dice too eagerly. This time, he would lose everything.

So would the women beside him. And they knew it.

"We did all we could, friends," Zhena commented. "We've given it all, to the very end. There's no shame in that."

Zara nodded faintly. "I only wish we got to see the end of it all. But I'm glad that others will."

"Maybe there's only so much fate to go around," Zack suggested gravely. "No use in hogging it all. Certain other people need it far more than we do, just now."

If nothing else, the three friends perished together in that last fray, knowing that the rebellion would end in victory, even if they wouldn't be a part of it.

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But their heroic deaths would not be the end of it. From the relative safety of a broom cupboard, a pair of young palace maids and a butler had spied the whole thing. Certain of victory, the Dragon Lord had spared the palace staff, for she would need slaves to clean up the mess and tend to her needs later. These three were little exception, having known nothing of freedom or hope in all their lives, and had hidden in fear and desperation. How could they have known that they had chosen the perfect place, for the perfect time to see what was going on beyond the palace walls?

The sight of the gray monsters had become commonplace to them, as more and more had filled the palace halls in months past. However, the sight of such senseless death was something altogether new to them. They had no idea who those three people had been, that they were part of the Central Control squadron who had started it all, and they had come with a glorious purpose. All that they knew was that it had been horrible, and that a possible rescue had been ripped away from them.

And in the heart of the youngest - a maid called Fia who was barely 13 - a feeling of rage swelled. A feeling that can only come after watching one's own people be slaughtered before one's very eyes. A feeling that, despite whatever one's humble beginnings may be, one has suddenly become a warrior. That one must do something. Anything at all, to avenge their dead.

Without thinking much more about it, Fia snatched a broom from the corner and burst from the cupboard with a roar like a wild thing. Sharing her feelings, inspired by her actions, her companions did likewise, grabbing whatever they could reach and charging behind her. That pod of ten had been reduced to six, and the three might have known from their fallen brethren that their chances were slim.

But the six were in the middle of relishing their victory, and were fully stunned by three youngsters charging them armed only with a broom, a mop, and a bucket of foul water. They had barely turned to defend themselves, before they had been descended upon by frenzied, furious children of the Sun.

Perhaps it was that righteous fury, radiating off the three like real, Deep Magic. Perhaps it was because of the cheapness in which the monsters had been crafted. Likely, it was a little of both, and more. For when Fia's broom smacked one across the face, and the water sloshed all over another, and a shark kick delivered to another's shin, the monsters collapsed like so many others before them.

Quickly, it was over. Where there had been ten, and then six, there were now none. This, the three saw at once they had done, themselves, with their own hands. When Star had done this, she had been sickened with herself. But these three were filled only with a sense of awakening and power, and a great desire to do it some more.

Saying a short blessing over the bodies of their fallen brethren, the three turned to seek out others alive within the palace. Maids, butlers, cooks, laborers, gardeners - all of them needed to be roused, too. All of them needed to take up the tools they knew best and fight for their lives. For the lives that had been lost. For hope, and for freedom.

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Outside the palace walls, a very different kind of battle was raging. The sort of battle which the Arin were more prepared for, with swords slashing and arrows firing and clever traps being set for the enemy to fall into. As Annad and Zane had commanded in the previous nights, weapons and munitions had been heisted from every armory, and the famous cannons were being uncovered and loaded. For the very first time, the common folk of Habaharan had been prepared to fight for everything they knew and loved.

The ceaseless supply of new bodies from the south had been halted. Whatever was left in the city would be the end of it. Now, all that was left to do was to root them all out. Just as Fia and her companions had discovered, those monsters were poorly made and stood little chance against a people with something worth fighting for. The Zebak quickly found that the things had a singular weakness:

Their very touch appeared to be like poison to these creatures of evil. Many times, a person stumbled back in the midst of battle, right into a monster that hadn't been facing him at all, only for it to shriek in surprise and pain and evaporate in a puff of sickly smoke. Even a small brush against a Dragon's Hallowed child meant death to the strongest of them.

The Zebak were enormously pleased with this. As real weapons dwindled and ran out, those without arms were still able to fight. In the slums, most monsters were destroyed with a simple slap across the face - even if many of those brave folk were also slain in daring to come so close.

Numbers had been terrifying at first. With so many warriors and citizens alike killed, it had seemed a losing battle to some, though still worth fighting to the last breath. Then, as if by a bizarre miracle, manholes across the city had suddenly been shoved aside, and host after host came pouring out from beneath the city. And in every case, the first to explode from those depths was dressed in all the finery of a fairy tale pirate, cutlass and all, leading the charge and cackling with bloodlust the whole way.

Before long, the numbers were even. In even less time, the enemy was certainly outnumbered. There would be no reinforcements magically produced and sent for the enemy, but a new legion of Zebak folk appeared from nowhere by the minute. They would regain control of their ancient, beloved city. By mid-morning, the Zebak would win the day. Possibly sooner. With their Hallowed Father abroad, nothing was more certain than this.

But there could be no victory cry just yet, for by now, all folk in the city knew that someone else was abroad. Zan Garased had come to tell them in person that the heroes of all their dreams had returned to lend their aid. If that was the case, there was only one place they could possibly be. The other most wretched and dangerous place in their city.

Knowing all this, as the cannons were reclaimed and loaded onto sturdy garbage carts in every corner of Habaharan, the drivers collectively turned their gaze upward and began their ascent to the palace. Those deathly gates had never before been breached.

But today was a new day, indeed.

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As Annad had predicted, encountering pod after pod of monsters slowed progress a great deal. All the same, when that force collided with three of Rin's greatest heroes and the leader of Habaharan's rebellion, it did little to stop them completely. Annad had known from the start that she wanted to keep Zamiel close for this fight. His strength and cunning as a warrior aside, there was a feeling of coziness about him that she liked. He reminded her very much of her husband in many ways, and was thrilled that the two worked well together, as she had suspected.

With her own head full of strategies and battle plans, she had taken charge as soon as they had entered the palace. She now stood in the middle, with Norriss on her left and Zamiel at her right, where she could keep an eye on their every move and decide on her own accordingly. Somewhere just behind them, at just enough distance to make use of her bow and keen eye, Shaaron was firing arrow after arrow at any enemy beyond their reach.

Annad was silently quite proud of her sister-in-law. The poor woman abhorred violence in all its forms, and had only taken up practice with a weapon out of boredom one summer, and perhaps out of pressure from the villagers. Even small Rowan is using a whip these days, they must have jeered long ago. And surely, she must have grown to share their ancestral unease, and felt a determination to protect her family. No matter the cost.

It was nearly alarming to think of Shaaron hurting anything for any reason. Clearly, it was taking a toll on her to have to do such a thing. But these things now stood to destroy all she had known and loved, even from childhood, and that was something she could stand far less. In order to muster the nerve for it, she must have been looking at them for exactly what they were. Maybe as even less.

The four had climbed a number of floors in random directions, hoping that their diversion had bought Rowan the time he needed to seek out his quarry in peace. They were deep within the palace corridors now, in a place even Zamiel was unfamiliar with. They had gone a way down another random path when the captain stopped suddenly to catch his breath.

"It's been a while since we've met anything," he pointed out. "Normally, I would call it a blessing, but we've gone so far in. Far too close to the queen's chambers for comfort, I should think. If anything, we should be meeting more monsters here."

"I was thinking the same," Norriss agreed, his eyes darting about for any sign of danger. "I have a hunch there are much sneakier surprises for us on these floors."

Annad looked to her husband with interest. "Magical traps?" she guessed.

"It's nothing to be excited about, my dear," he warned. "If that is the case, they could be anything - anything at all. And we have no idea what they may look like, or where they might be hidden, or what their purpose is. We need to be careful."

Though it would be useless against such devilry, Shaaron drew a fresh arrow. Just in case. "Where in the palace do you suppose we are, now? Do you think any of our allies are nearby?"

"Unlikely," Zamiel huffed. "If they were, I suspect we would hear them." Seeing a window down the hallway, he hurried to peek out and down below. "I say, we've come a long way. Six stories, by the look of it. The highest room of the tallest tower is still quite a way to go, I'm afraid. Who knows how far the others have made it?"

Shaaron sighed heavily and sank against the wall, beside an open archway that led down another empty corridor. "Six stories! No wonder we are all out of breath. Surely we can afford to stop and rest a moment, if only to think of which way we will go next. We must be very careful from here on."

The rest agreed, but her hope for respite was dashed by the sound of shouting and running footsteps nearby. In the open, echoing corridor, it was difficult to tell where they were approaching from. Wary at once, the four readied their weapons, looking in every possible direction for the next wave of monsters.

And so it was that, without thinking, Shaaron found herself backing through the open archway and into that next empty corridor. As soon as she crossed the threshold, there was a whoosh of energy, and a buzzing, crackling veil of orange light appeared in her way, separating her from her companions.

Magical traps, indeed. Norriss rushed back and reached out in a panic, desperate to retrieve his sister. Not only did the veil send him staggering back, he cried out in pain and gripped his hand to his chest.

"Don't touch it," he called to her. "Oh, it stings like a nest of hornets! Stay away from it! No one go near it!"

And with that, something truly unexpected happened. Though muffled beyond the veil, the sounds of shouting and footsteps was growing louder. A pair of monsters skidded around a corner and down the corridor, directly toward where Shaaron had been trapped alone. She and her companions all screamed in terror, but she valiantly raised her bow and took aim.

She would have made her shot easily. But before the arrow could fly, another group came around the corner. Two were elders, one was a youngster. All were dressed as unremarkable palace staff, armed with fire pokers and, in one case, a fine candelabra. They were hollering a battle cry, and seemed to have the two monsters on the run.

In fact, just before that pair was kicked and bludgeoned to smoke by those palace workers, Annad caught a good look at their faces and could have sworn they were perfectly terrified.

"And that's another lot dealt with," came the muffled voice of one elder, tucking his fire poker in the crook of his elbow and dusting off his hands with satisfaction. "Ah, behold, friends, we seem to have rescued another. Many others! Where in heaven's name have you people come from?"

"Does it really matter?" Zamiel shouted back, trying to be heard across the veil. "We're here to battle these creatures and destroy our beloved monarch, same as you! Can you undo the barrier?"

The other elder frowned and bustled past Shaaron to have a look at it. "Can't say so," she informed him gravely. "This is new, from only weeks ago. Our only purpose is to clean and carry for the noble lords and ladies. We have no knowledge of this nonsense, but it seems to be every which-where these days."

Then the youngster stepped forward with a helpful smile. "There's a way around. Back that a-way, through the grand hall. It's in the other wing. I can take you there, lady. I can protect you, too."

There was no time for longer explanations. All were simply relieved to have a simple solution, and Shaaron smiled back at the boy. "I would appreciate that greatly, though I believe we can take care of each other," she said, showing him the longbow in her hand.

Seeing it, his face lit up and he reached in the bag over his shoulder. "Then you can use these," he said, pulling out a bunch of arrows tipped with dazzling blue gems. "I saw them and picked them up - thought they could be useful. They're sapphires, I guess? Real powerful. Take them! Now we can do some real damage, huh?"

Not that she ever set out to cause harm, but she happily accepted the gift, replacing her old arrow with one of the new at once. It seemed a silent agreement that they were now friends.

"Then that is decided," said the first elder, mainly to his own. "Vin, you and I will return to the others. Sobel, you will escort the young lady back to her people, then return to us with all speed. We still have much to do."

The three nodded in farewell and went their separate ways, Sobel catching Shaaron's hand and partly dragging her off. She looked breifly over her shoulder at her companions and smiled as encouragingly as she could.

"Don't worry," she called back, her muffled voice growing fainter. "I'll be fine. I'll see you on the other side!"

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Afterthoughts…

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Well… I mean… We can't all survive a massive battle, now can we? :/

The main thing is that I did the thing I set out to do, and finished this chapter BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY, so I'm calling it a success. I'm 28 on Thursday. Coincidentally, I was actually born on a Thursday, so it ought to be a special one. If not for COVID-19, which has ruined every plan I had for it. Guess I'll just have a cocktail and cry about my student debt until 3 am. That's what most late-20-somethings do on their birthdays now, right?

Oh God. OH GOD. OH GOD. One more ball of magic and it's practically done! I can't believe we've made it this far! (fingers crossed it won't take another year…)