A/N: Thank you all for reading :3

…-…

I've been back in my world for about two days now, I think.

I'm hungry and tired and really mad at Brath. I thought he would come after me, you know? He did promise to help my world, so where is he? Probably snuggling with that dumb corpse…

Ugh, even with his part of the picture ignored, I have so many problems. Well, kind of? So, I think I said before that this is New York. If I didn't…yeah. I don't really understand how these portals are connected to everything and why I'd end up at X instead of Y, but you know what? I'm not some great thinker who'll ever figure that out.

I'd describe what it looks like, but if you just think of pretty much every end-of-the-world movie out there, they always seem to take place in New York. Just imagine that, minus the aliens or Godzilla or whatever it was that was wreaking havoc.

So, the portal lets you into what I think is Fox News studios. That or someone dragged some of their logo stuff near it. Whatever. I'm just glad it's in a building, because that makes it easy to duck for cover and sneak around and stuff.

Oh, and the portal is active, right? So it doesn't do any fluctuating stuff—I don't think—when someone comes through it, so if you're careful, no one notices.

Well, when I came through the portal, I was sort of just charging forward, figuring I'd have a lot of space and…yeah. Totally slammed me leg—yes, the one that always gets hurt—into a piece of furniture.

And then I toppled over said piece of furniture and created this huge cloud of dust. Well, as I was coughing and sputtering and gasping I realized that I wasn't the only one doing so. So I looked up and came nose to long-crooked nose with this little gremlin looking thing. Imp, I think they're called.

He was kind of shimmery and all and it took both of us a moment to realize what had happened. As it dawned on me that I'd already been discovered by the enemy and he realized there still was an enemy, we both sort of looked toward the portal, expecting something to come through after me.

When nothing happened, I heard this disgusting little cackled and looked to see the imp was beginning to summon fire.

I've taken on a felguard, right? I may not remember what I was doing, but I took out a critter a lot bigger than that imp. And if I didn't do anything, I was going to get killed before I could find the others.

So I darted forward. My intent was…I don't know. I knew I needed to kill it, right? But I wasn't expecting it to just…stand there. I guess it was one of the dumb ones or something. Or that it thought it's cast would work and it would stop me? I don't know but that sucker didn't move and when my blade thwacked into its neck, I found almost no resistance.

As its head arced through the air, it was really hard for me not to throw up. First of all, I hadn't realized me daggers were that sharp. Holy crap.

Well, as I was getting used to the fact that I was going to be killing a lot of things, it dawned on me that I'd seen the little guy at all. I mean, this is my world. The demons are invisible.

Then it occurred to me that it must have been the dust. For once, luck was actually on my side. When I kicked up all that dust, it landed on the demon and I was able to tell where he was. Honestly, even when I thought that, it didn't seem super plausible, but what else was I supposed to think?

That was when I remembered that the demons are invisible and panicked that I might already be surrounded. So I backed myself into a corner and listened for footfalls or snickers—since they always seem to like to laugh at us—or anything that might let me know they were there.

I'm not sure how long I waited there, expecting some axe or sword to be swinging into me at any second. It could have been ten minutes or ten years. Finally it dawned on me that even if I started off alone, someone was bound to come check up on that imp—well, assuming it was there to guard the portal—and then I'd have pretty much waited for something to come kill me.

So I snuck out of the room and spent like half the day searching the building. I found a few rooms with windows—a lot of rooms with windows—but I didn't go near any of them. I mean, I'd look in to see if maybe Michel or someone was in there, but I wasn't having any luck finding anyone. And I didn't want a demon to look up at the windows and see me, so…yeah.

You know how I was worried before that by the time I made it back to Earth, I wouldn't be me anymore?

…

When I made it to the street level, after I was sure no one was in that building, I was sort of hunched next to this car that had apparently been flung through the wall, looking out at the street. I was trying to think which building I should search next, when I heard a thudding of boots.

It wasn't super close, so I hunched down and looked toward it and…

I couldn't see-see them, like I could Mr. Darkheart's demon. But they were shimmery, like that imp. Sort of like when you do the color contour lines on a photo and then fade the rest of the color?

There were five of them marching along, weapons held ready, scanning the area.

I waited until they were past me before I darted toward the street and started tailing them. I don't know how I was able to see them. I mean, I shouldn't be able to, right?

But then, I remember that it seemed easier for the draenei women to heal me after Mr. Blackheart kicked my butt. I'd just assumed that they'd started with stronger spells because of my anti-magic reputation, but…

Do you think being in a world steeped with magic made me more…intune with magic or something? But then…why wasn't anyone able to see the demons in those images from the window?

Like I said, I'm not some great thinker. I decided to go with the answer had to do with magic.

And so I followed them because they were obviously looking for something and, while it occurred they might be looking for me, I just thought maybe they were searching for other survivors and that by following them I could…I don't know, take on the five of them at once? Call out where they were so that any others could help me take them out?

I didn't know what I'd do, but I figured that it was better than wandering around blindly.

I have to say though, I'm really glad I did. And I'm really glad for Fizz's spell. It translates demonic, too.

They walked a few roads before I tripped on something and then darted behind a mangled car. However, even as I edged around it to avoid the one that was walking toward where I was, another called out to him.

"Something fell, forget it. It happens."

As the one that had headed over to inspect the noise I made turned and started to protest, the one who had been leading them whirled around and marched over to him. He was maybe half a foot taller than the rest of them.

"The one we're looking for wouldn't have made any noise. Forget. It. And move on."

"If he doesn't make noise, how the hell are we going to find him?"

The guy who I guess was in charge didn't like his authority being questioned and he just swung his axe into the other guy. It was brutal. And then the other three joined in and they were hacking away at the corpse with this complete and utter…glee.

Well, it I didn't move a muscle. The last thing I wanted was that blood lust of theirs redirected at me. I really don't know how I killed one of those.

When they finally started moving again—every block or so, they'd fan out and peer in the buildings, but they weren't really looking. It's like when you go to a restaurant and there's that one waitress who goes above and beyond to do everything she can to make your evening great…and then there's that waitress who acts like it's a chore to refill your water glass. These guys were like that second waitress. Doing the bare minimum of their job to find their target.

I can't help but think their superiors must not really think the guy they're looking for is here, because why send such slackers on an important mission? Maybe they thought that one guy would push them to do their jobs…

Lucky for me that backfired.

Well, I was going to just follow them until either they figured me out or they found who they were looking for, but as I was glancing over the buildings—trying to put a bit more care in my search than the demons' in theirs—I noticed this flitting motion in one of the broken windows.

I let the demons go on their way and behind this broken down truck, watching the window. Just when I was thinking that I'd been seeing things, or that maybe something really had fallen—everything was so broken. Like, there was one streetlight that had been mostly torn off near its top and all that was keeping it up was maybe two or three wires for the lighting. And they were already starting to rust, so it was a matter of time before that broke off and fell to the ground. It was so creepy that the sounds of things collapsing and the thud of the demons' feet seemed to be the only real noises. The wind seemed to scared to even make a breeze.

I digress.

So, I was watching that window and just as I figured it maybe a ceiling fan or something had finally given out and fallen, I saw another movement. It was a squirrel. In the window.

At first I felt really stupid that I'd gotten my hopes up over a rodent—even if it was the first, living, breathing animal I'd seen in my world—but then…it moved too jerkily.

Like it was mechanical.

Which means someone made it, right?

Well, I made my way across the street, after making sure no more demons were nearby, and then hurried into the building.

The squirrel was waiting for me at the top of the stairs. We just kind of stood there, staring at each other for a moment. It reminded me of Neesera's scrapbots. Which gave me all sorts of hope. However, even as I started up the stairs, my eyes locked on its beady little red bulbs, the squirrel charged me with surprising quietness.

I stumbled to the side and the squirrel kept running.

However, even as I tried to figure out what had just happened, it stopped near the door to the street and looked back at me.

It was waiting for me.

So I took off after it.

I have to say, I must have spent three hours following after it, hiding in piles of debris or shattered doorways to avoid the occasional demon patrol. If I lost sight of the squirrel, I just had to sit tight a minute or two and it would come back for me.

Finally, it ran into a building and up the stairs. Up and up and up. To the fourth floor.

There were a few places I had to edge around where the floor had collapsed or sounded ready to, but when I finally made it to the room near the far end of the hall, I nearly forgot the dire silence of my world and cried out in joy.

Before I could catch myself, a dirty hand slapped itself over my mouth. As I reached up to push it away, Neesera rose from the far side of the room, near a boarded up window, and hurried over to me. There was carpet in this room, but I think she was still worried that her hooves might make too much noise.

As she crushed me against her bosom—I swear I heard my ribs cracking—I glanced over my shoulder and stared at Nicolas. Of course it was him they were looking for.

God forbid it be some new hero from my world…

I suppose I should be grateful though. I mean, that these two are alright…that's a good sign, right?

When Neesera finally realized that I need air to breathe, she eased up a bit and Nicolas rustled my hair before dismissing me and heading over to where Neesera had been seated. Neesera looped her arm with mine as she carefully half closed the broken door and then grinned.

"It is good to see you are here. Did many others come? Are you to meet back with them?"

I felt kind of sick. But I gave her a weak smile. "Um…I'm sort of the first scout."

"In other words, no one else is coming? I'd figure as much from the Horde," Nicolas muttered, staring down at all these papers he had scattered across the floor. The mechanical squirrel was near him, dipping a long quill into ink. At first I thought it was really weird, but then it hurried over and started drawing lines across one of the pages.

"We are making a map, yes?" Neesera whispered.

I found myself doing the same, despite being fairly certain that there weren't any creatures nearby to hear us. At first I opened my mouth to say that there were probably faster ways to do it than to have a squirrel go out and map the city, but I stopped myself. I'd been thinking about how some tourist towns have those giant maps with stars saying 'you are here' and stuff, or just like a map from a travel agency, but…I don't know. I guess it was impractical to suppose that we could rely on that. Even if we did have such a map, with buildings collapsed and stuff, certain streets are blocked, so it wouldn't be completely accurate.

As I nodded and commended the idea, to which Nicolas just rolled his eyes, I glanced around the room again. We were in what was left of an office building, though it was an older one, where the windows weren't huge. "Where's everyone else?"

"That's what we're trying to find out," Nicolas said, chin cupped as he watched the squirrel dutifully mark off buildings as little squares.

I suddenly felt a bit sick. "You guys got separated?"

As Nicolas gaze slid up to meet mine with a 'you really need to ask that' look in them, Neesera patted my shoulder slowly. "Amy, we have bad news. The portal was a trap."

"Oh!" I felt sick thinking of Greg. "I know!" As Nicolas narrowed his eyes at me, I tried to make hand motions like what the tauren guy had done. "This Horde shaman did this thing…because we didn't know what had happened. And it showed you guys getting attacked. Which is why I came through. To…save…you…"

That was about when it kicked in that my logic was seriously flawed. I broke eye contact and stared at the floor. "Um…the others are waiting for reinforcements or something before coming through."

Neesera hugged me again. "We appreciate it."

That made me feel worse. That's like what you say to a five year old who brings you their almost empty juice box when you say you're thirsty.

"So how much did you see?" Nicolas asked, sounding more than a bit annoyed.

"Um…" I don't know why, but I couldn't tell them that the guy who'd come through was Greg. So I just said 'that guy' as I described what I'd seen. "It looked like you were losing when the spell stopped working."

Neesera grimaced and patted my shoulder gently. "Amy…we don't blame you, okay?" She smiled at me, as though to reassure me and I found myself glancing from one to the other, feeling lost. Did they know that had been my brother who attacked them?

"That letter about traitors was a good way to throw us," Nicolas murmured and as I furrowed my brow, he shook his head in disgust. "Remember how it was Michel's idea to come to this portal?"

I nodded slowly and then stopped.

Neesera scratched the back of her neck slowly as she led me over to the papers and then sat down with Nicolas, patting the ground beside her hooves. "I think…if we had sent the message somewhere that the demons had not reached yet, it would have been different."

"I don't…"

"Michel was working with the demons."

I slumped down. That couldn't be. I mean, he was such a sweet kid. And we really bonded when I showed him my book on the species and…

And told him all the differences between our allies in the game versus real life.

Even as I felt like the entire world might be collapsing on my lungs, Neesera patted my shoulder and smiled. "It's okay. Some are always corrupted by the call of power. We know that not everyone is bad. There's you. And your brother, what was his name…?"

I felt sick as I stared at her reassuring smile.

Has my world already been lost?