Falena stopped to breathe as she used her powers to sort through the rubble of the destroyed building. Heaving stacks of stones into the air and tossing them away, the fawn's powers began to strain. She was nowhere near as strong as Lia or Narratha. Being a surge only allowed her to do so much, but everything had a limit.

Sweat trailed down her forehead, filling her chest and lower back as she sent more waves of energy through her thin hands. Her skin was beginning to grow hot to the touch, and the blonde feared that she may have been going too far. Nonetheless, the consequences of overusing her magic paled in comparison to the wrath of Narratha.

She had been instructed to retrieve Lia's remains – a task that she could not fail.

"How far buried…" Falena threw another large stack of broken bricks aside. "…are you?"

As soon as the pieces landed on the grass, she leaned forward, pressing her palms against her knees. She needed to breathe before she passed out. Her lungs ached for air, and her muscles demanded rest. She knew that she needed to go on, but nature would not submit quietly. She dimmed her abilities, hoping that the extinguished flames around her hands would allow her skin to cool down.

She could feel the sting setting in between the cracks and folds of her palms. Narratha may have had the pain tolerance to ignore the blisters that she had sustained, but not her. Falena recognized that her short, thin frame already limited her resilience. Her threshold for pain was also on par.

She needed to cool down and decided to allow a moment for just that. The madness taking place around her was still in full swing. She turned her head to gaze at the lickers that scaled the buildings, grimacing at the sight of such nightmarish creatures.

The fawn questioned the employment of these monsters in pursuit of their goals. Narratha knew nothing about them, and neither did she. While it was captivating to discover that the redhead could open up pathways to another world, there remained an understanding that they didn't understand anything at all. The tall, beastly lady with the large claws had provided a link to a world that may have held promise.

Narratha's nature compelled her to end the otherworldly woman's life as soon as she encountered her, but the fawn believed that the blood the grotesque being shed would have provided more for her than anything else. In the end, she may have been correct. The woman's blood enriched the fawn's senses, granting her the closest glimpse to a realm that she had ever seen. Pathways opened up, and what was a window became a door when strange articles of its world started to come through.

As enthralling as it was to witness such a crossover, the door to the other realm had only functioned one way. Things could enter Locwitary, but nothing could cross into the strange, new land beyond. Narratha believed that she was close to maximizing her powers to the point where she could shatter the threshold in the future. All they needed was a little more strength – and Lia would have been the one who could have provided that.

Now, that opportunity seemed lost, but Narratha would not waste what they could use. If they couldn't get Lia to side with them, they could at least make use of what was left of her. Falena clung to the belief that this would all help their greater cause. Any struggles that she faced now would pay off dividends when their work was finally complete.

Just a little more power, she agreed.

Cusping one hand into the other, Falena set her sights on the toppled structure. She tried to remember where Lia had been, seeking to devote the rest of her labors on the correct location. The blonde climbed atop the pile of stone, sensing for any signs of the fawn's magic. Even in death, there had to be remnants left that she could detect. A surge as powerful as Lia would no doubt exude enough for her to track.

Falena closed her eyes as she squatted, rubbing her palms against the bricks that lay ahead of her. Each fawn carried their own unique 'scent' when it came to their powers. She knew Narratha's very well; detecting it almost immediately. There were traces of what should have been Lia's, but the fragments of power were faint. It had to have been leftovers from when she sent a sphere of energy across the room.

The blonde searched harder, moving ahead but to no avail. She could not feel anything. Growing frustrated, she withdrew her hands and let out a loud groan. Falena stood up, surveying the scene around her. "Where are you?" She pulled away some of the small stones with her powers, burrowing through the mountain of ruin. By creating a small opening, the woman was hopeful that some of the energy that Lia's corpse held would come up.

Nothing.

"Impossible," she muttered through her teeth. There was no reason why such levels of power would not have created an aura that she could cling to. A fawn like Lia would have only been successful at masking their abilities if they –

That was when Falena suddenly realized what was going on, and by the time she did, Lia had already appeared from the sky. The fawn shot down from above like a vengeful eagle, striking Falena with a large forcefield that sent the slender blonde crashing down and tumbling along the mound of rocks.

She rolled and spun before she endured a harsh landing near the edge of the grass. By then, Lia was already hot on her trail, shouting as she came down again and pinned Falena to the ground. Dried blood stained the right side of Lia's face; splashed along her cheek and nose, originating from her temple.

Her gown was tattered and dirtied, but against all the damage that she had taken, her strength had not given up. She overpowered the surge under her without effort, using her magic to compress her body and hold her down. Lia's blistered hands griped the underside of Falena's jaw, shaking her as she glared at her with intensity.

"If you continue to follow her, you will only find your destruction!" Lia shouted, which led to Falena fruitlessly trying to kick against her.

"Get off me!"

She held her tighter. "I'm begging you to make the right choice! But, I will not allow you to hurt these people!"

A sarcastic smile broke on the blonde's face. "Narratha was right about you…"

Lia could sense the fawn's emotions through her touch. It gave her an understanding of how Falena's thought process went. The woman held such confidence in the choices that Narratha made, though they did not come without some doubt. There was a sense of self-loathing, yet, pride in one's abilities. They only stayed locked together for so long, but by then, she had learned enough. "If you had denied her, she would have killed you. Remember that."

With a smile still on her face, Falena's eyes widened as her face leaned closer. "Why would she kill a surge who embodies what we can be? What kind of world would we have if no surge stood up?"

Lia could only stare at her. "You are lost, sister."

Falena laughed through her choked throat, saying nothing as she stared back at her. Concluding that the fawn was crazy, Lia unleashed a pulsating wave of energy through her hands that froze Falena's muscles. The rush of light weakened the blonde's body, which granted time before she would be able to get back up.

Lia rose from where she stood, gazing down at a struggling Falena, who could hardly manipulate her arms or legs. It would have been so easy to end her life and do away with one of the threats, but Cassandra was right – she wasn't a killer.

"I beg you to do the right thing, dear sister. We are better than this," Lia gave her some parting words before she disappeared, moving to seek out Narratha.

Cassandra laid Vasan's dead body against the stacks of hay that surrounded him. It was a final sign of respect; allowing his corpse to retain a sense of dignity in death. She wiped the blood off her hands and onto her gown. Catching her breath, the brunette kept her sights on the house that the man was about to lead her to. She paused before she stepped away from the home, checking around her for more signs of lickers or the redheaded fawn.

She has to be here, somewhere. Argh! Where could she be?!

Her eyes glanced in all directions, but yet, there was not one sign of where Narratha had gone to. It was a scary thought, as the fawn may be anywhere. From what could be learned from Lia; a fawn's senses were no laughing matter. She may have been lucky enough to elude her when Vasan was killed, but there was still a great chance that once she stepped out further ahead, the woman would come crashing down upon her.

Cassandra began to doubt whether seeking Leta out was the best decision. If the redheaded fawn caught them together, then they both were as good as dead. She worried that the girl was scared out of her mind with no one to help her. It was a dangerous fork in the road and there wasn't much time left to decide on what to do.

She took a breath, granting the surrounding area one final glance before she made her move. That was when she decided to go for it. As long as Leta was safe, that was all that mattered. If the fawn caught her along the way, then so be it. Her death started to become less of a priority as this tragedy unfolded. To put another person so ahead of her that she was willing to risk her life in pursuit of their survival was something she had never done in her past.

It was only in this world, after the dhin encounter, that she saw such a possibility. That was what Leta deserved.

Cassandra made her way past the houses, eyes peeled for the first sign of Narratha. The fawn was nowhere to be seen, but her absence did not entail any relaxation. As the brunette turned her head to glance at the door, the corner of her eyes picked up the pink and red image of something peeking around the edge of the dwelling.

Oh no!

Without hesitation, the licker craned its neck in her direction, letting off a loud shriek as it jumped to scale the wall that led to her. It had to have heard her somehow, but the cause of its alertness was no longer her concern. It had its sights set on her, and by the time she attempted to throw the door open, it had already gotten too close.

The monster's serpent-like tongue lashed forward, narrowly missing her as it struck the wooden entrance, splintering the bottom of it in the process. With a yelp, Cassandra jolted back just in time, but she realized how dangerous her shout had been. The licker was now gaining speed, aware that its attempt on her life had failed. Its face opened wide, flashing its flesh-cleaving teeth at her.

Without any choice left, she took off onto her feet and made a run in the opposite direction. If Leta was indeed inside that home, she wanted to get this thing as far away from her as possible – whatever the cost.

The brunette sprinted as fast as she could, dashing past every house around her in the hopes that she could shake this creature off. The licker leaped from roof to roof, gazing down in her direction every time it landed. She avoided the walls at every turn, as the flesh-eater would swipe at her whenever she got too close. If its claws weren't coming at her, then its sharp tongue would. She couldn't risk a strike from that.

Running into the open clearing, her eyes beheld the sights of more lickers not too far away. Most of the poils had to have retreated into their homes, and she did not want to get anyone else killed by taking shelter. The more she ran ahead, the closer she felt to death with each step. The seconds that passed did not matter any longer. All she could focus on was putting as much strength behind each lunge as she could. This would be her final effort in life, and it was best to give it her all and make it count.

Any moment now, the rest of the monsters would see her coming. It would be an all-out buffet and she was the main course. She couldn't turn back. There was no safe direction to divert to. The hands of death would welcome her with the sharpest claws and teeth that she could receive. She could only hope that her demise was swift.

Another step, followed by one more – then her leg was knocked away from the ground.

Cassandra fell, catching herself with her hands, but unable to stop her body from crashing into the dirt. She got back up as fast as she could, fighting to get on her feet and run faster. Unfortunately, the licker had sent out its tongue again; wrapping the appendage around her calf. She could see the barbs that lined it, ready to dig into her skin as soon as they could. The creature barreled toward her, reeling her in as its mouth widened.

She did not even get a chance to think by the time it caught up with her. A kick to the teeth was all she could give it; just enough to knock its head to the side and grant her a couple more milliseconds of life. The licker's tongue uncoiled as it reared itself back – one claw raised in the air. It came down with a thundering force, but she rolled out of its path, narrowly missing the talons as they crashed beside her face. The licker's head turned to her; its jaw spreading in preparation for a bite.

Her amber eyes became fixed on the teeth that were akin to daggers. It almost felt like the creature was smiling at her, even though it lacked the appropriate muscles to do so. She had never beheld something so sinister before.

The licker jutted forward – and a sword burst through its brain.

Curling at what she thought should have been certain death, Cassandra found herself in awe as the creature before her became stunted from the blow. Blood drained from the edges of its wound, trailing along the sides of its head and down its teeth. The licker gurgled as more fluid poured into its mouth; its body beginning to cease all function.

She looked up – seeing Gibbin behind it.

With no effort, the burly butcher withdrew his sword from the licker's skull, sending its deceased body to the ground and allowing Cassandra a chance to back away. "You alright?" He asked.

"I'm…" She patted herself down, checking for any signs of injuries. There were none. Her breathing would not slow down, which made it difficult to get her words out. All she could focus on after was the house where Leta may have been. "I'm okay. I need to get to Leta."

Gibbins eyes briefly set on the fallen monster. The man could not believe that such a thing could exist, but here it was, dead in front of him. "I'm sure Leta is safe. Lia wouldn't let her fall into danger."

"I know, but those things are getting into people's homes. I don't know how safe she is. Lia's fighting that other woman and Leta is all by herself."

Gibbin took a second to think. He knew that there was too much going on around them to formulate a solid plan. It was either make a choice, or don't. The only consequence was certain death. Nevertheless, the woodsman recognized the dangers of their current predicament, and that was what allowed him to choose his next course of action. "We'll get slaughtered if we stay out in the open. Where is Leta?"

Her hand shaky as ever, Cassandra pointed ahead to the house in question. "She…she should be in there! Vasan said he saw Lia stop here."

"Where is he?" Gibbin began to look around, searching for the young man. It was only when he saw the sorrowful look on Cassandra's face that he realized the truth. His shoulders fell, along with any expression of hope that he could have had. "Damn it…"

Mourning the dead could only demand so much time. With his next breath, he shrugged off the despair of Vasan's loss; saving it for a later hour that he needed to fight for. With his sword in hand, he reached out to take Cassandra, pointing his weapon toward where she aimed to go. "Hurry, we cannot wait!"

The two charged past the other homes, eyes all around them for the next sight of anything that would seek to end their lives. There were still screams to be heard in the distance. The lickers had to be converging on them, the two thought. The closer she and Gibbin got toward the edge of town, the more deserted it seemed.

I could see why Lia would have chosen this spot.

As soon as they reached the door to the house, a large flash of blue appeared from beside them. Cassandra fell back, while Gibbin readied his sword in preparation to cut down the fawn that was about to attack them. As soon as the particles fell into place, they realized that it was none other than Lia herself who had arrived.

You're still alive…thank you…

"Lia!" Cassandra got onto her feet, running up to her with open arms. The two took hold of one another. A small hug was all they could share before the fawn's eyes peeked at the home beside them.

"Is Leta still in there?" She asked.

"So she is in there!" Cassandra breathed a sigh of relief, having been right about what she had fought for. What Vasan had died for. "We haven't entered it yet."

That was when Lia's eyes grew frighteningly wide. "Then why is the door open?"

Cassandra's stare turned to the entrance, where she realized that the door had been opened a crack. Either someone left – or something had entered.

Lia was becoming more visibly flustered by the second. "I took her and some of the other children and hid them away in here. The doors should have been locked. Narratha would have never been able to sense –"

That was when she saw the smears of blood that were against the left corner of the building. Someone had to have been wounded and sought refuge here. She feared that they may have been chased by one of the creatures and subsequently led them inside. Without any hesitation, she pushed forward, opening the door to find out the truth.

"Leta!" Those were Lia's first words before her eyes became set upon an adult poil who indeed had been wounded. His right arm and bottom ribs had been torn apart by one of the lickers – gored beyond all measure.

With his back toward the door, he sat crouched over what appeared to be one of the poil children that she had rescued. The man's clothes were so stained with blood that she immediately questioned how much life was still left in his body.

That was when she heard the crunching of torn flesh and broken bone.

The face of the young boy came into view.

His lifeless eyes, mixed with a splash of blood that trailed across his cheeks. Anything below his chin had been chewed apart. The man who held him suddenly sat up and slowly turned his head by his shoulder as he looked toward the door. His glassy stare dragged across his face, aiming for those who had just happened upon him.

A low growl, bordered only by the heavy, hungry breaths of a man who had tamed death. There was something monstrous about the way he glared at them – as if his stomach was not yet full. That was when they saw how much blood was plastered along his beard. His skin appeared deathly with a mix of deep veinous blue. It was as if he was infected with something malevolent.

Lia shuddered as she stumbled back. The man was dead, yet, he wasn't.

He tossed the corpse of the child down onto the floor before rising to his feet. Cassandra peeked over Lia's shoulder, gazing ahead as he began to shamble toward them, arms extended outward. His voice was reduced to nothing but a moderate moan. He had direction, but diminished coordination. His brain operated with only the most basic of instincts. All rational thought and complex action had been stripped away by whatever had taken him over.

Gibbin could not believe what he was seeing. "Is that man dead?!"

Lia's palms glowed blue as she raised her shoulders and stepped forward. Determination was spread across her firm eyes. Her fingers curled as the particles that circled them infused with flame began to fluctuate. With a large breath that filled her lungs, the fawn threw her hands forward. "Not quite."

The zombie froze in an encased field of blue that prevented him from moving any further. Lia's magic lifted him from his feet, holding him in place as she entered the home and advanced toward him. There was no malice in the way she went about it. Even in her defenses, there was mercy in her actions.

Confident that her next decision was the best one that she could make, the fawn sighed as she concentrated her powers along the front of his skull – compacting his forehead, nose, and mouth until they imploded in a burst of bright red. She released him as soon as he went limp. There was no need for any further violence.

She was not Narratha.

Lia rushed into the home, moving toward the boy who had just been attacked. With tears in her eyes, she cradled him in her arms, distraught that such a young soul had been taken from this world. Her nature could not be ignored. There was that instinctual drive to do good and save others.

With him dead – she had failed.

Her hands tightened against the edges of his bloodied clothing, which stained her gown as she held him close. Even with a fawn as vicious as Narratha was; someone who resented poils for the sins of their past, the hope for Locwitary's future still burned bright as Lia cried over him.

Cassandra saw Lia's true heart at the moment – the symbol of a lover in all aspects.

A heart that could not be darkened in the end.

She ran up to her, pulling at her shoulders to try and bring her back. "If there are other children, then maybe they are still safe!"

Gibbin was already beginning to comb through the back, sword in hand just in case another undead man was lurking about. As soon as he opened the door to the next room, he was met with the sight of a group of terrified young children. They screamed as they ran back, fearful of the man with a weapon.

As soon as he heard their cries, he knelt and dropped his sword, opening his arms for them to find refuge. "It is okay, young ones. It's me." There was a fatherly softness to his voice. It was a side of him that Cassandra had never seen before. Whimpering, some of the children eased up as soon as they realized who he was. They approached him and he took them into his hold without question.

Lia and Cassandra were the next to funnel in, reaching out for the children as they did so. The fawn kept them at arm's length to prevent the blood on her gown from touching them, but her comforting presence would not let them down. With a soft voice, she called them close, "Come, it is not safe here."

One of the girls tugged on her sleeve. "My older brother, Jaxton, was in the other room when that man came in. Is he alright? Could I see him?"

Lia's eyes fell before they turned to Cassandra, hoping that she could do something to help. The brunette jumped at that very second, ushering the young girl over to her and hugging her close. "Just stay with me, alright? I'm going to take care of you."

The fawn looked at her, another tear falling from her eyes. She silently mouthed to her, "Thank you."

Cassandra returned with a nod, equally as stung by the tragedy as she was. Gibbin spared the two women a glance before she looked ahead to the rest of the room. "Is Leta here?"

Lia swallowed what was left of her sadness before she addressed him. "I put her away in the lower level. It was a tiny, little space, and only she could fit. I feared that Narratha would have sensed her if she was any higher."

A sinister voice cut the air, "As I had not."

They all turned to see the redheaded fawn and her blonde accomplice standing before them at the entrance to the room. With her green eyes still burning with a vengeful fire, Narratha took another step forward before Lia released her hold on both the children and faced her.

"Stand down!" Lia screamed at her, only to get a chuckle in response. Gibbin reached for his sword, but with the spin of her finger, Narratha lifted the weapon from the ground and into the air. She pointed it in the man's direction before it hurtled toward him like a steel missile.

Lia shielded Gibbin with a wall of energy, deflecting the sword before it could end his life – much to Narratha's dismay.

She rolled her eyes, breathing a scoff in the process. "Still defending them…I see…"

With the image of the dead child still fresh in her mind, Lia could not hold back. She erupted into a scream, sending a shockwave throughout her body that once again propelled forward and blasted Falena and Narratha away from her. The two fawns struck the wall beside the corpses, recovering as quickly as they could so that they could return to battle.

Before the redhead could even get her next strike out, Lia was right there in front of her. "You killed them!" She slammed into her; her powers propelling her ahead. Narratha struck the wall a second time, her head rocking as soon as the stone met her back. With a grunt, she grit her teeth and leaned into her opponent, using her foot to push against the wall.

The two women fell back; Lia stumbling around over the gored bodies beside her feet. As Falena dashed toward the survivors, the blonde was quickly swept away by another field of magic that Lia had sent her way.

There was no mistaking just how strong her powers were. Narratha had realized just how evenly matched she was – if not greater. With Lia's fury rising, the redhead sensed that the fight could fall from her favor at any moment. She pressed her hand against the woman's face; pushing it away as the two grabbed at one another.

Narratha withdrew her sword from its sheathe once more, preparing to stab her as soon as the opportunity arose. Falena picked herself back up, visibly more winded than her accomplice was. Her labored breathing gave signs of how unsuited she was for this conflict.

A fawn not as well-crafted for violence as the one who had led her astray.

Falena would not be deterred, however. As she watched Lia push Narratha back, the blonde ran up to her and pulled her by her hair; seeking to throw her off balance. Flames of blue erupted from all around as the three engaged in combat; hands glowing with the determination to see their goals met.

When Lia stumbled again and lost some of her hold on Narratha, the redhead threw her blade forward, managing to slice her left side. The fawn let out a loud cry of pain, and Cassandra could not stand back as the love of her life became overtaken by them. She darted toward the trio, striking Falena's side with her right shoulder.

The blonde fawn clung onto Lia, sparing the brunette a glance before she sent a wave of magic straight at her.

The pressure…it hurts!

Cassandra could feel the invisible strings of Falena's abilities tightening around her body. It was just like when Lia had attacked her. At any moment, it seemed that the energy would push through her skin, sheering her flesh and bones. The force lifted her from her feet and spun her around. She felt so weightless in that moment. So weak and susceptible to whatever else was going to be done to her. The powers of a fawn were incredibly lethal, and it was no wonder why their culture had been based on abstinence from violence.

They were great at it.

Cassandra hit the wall on the other side of the small room, recoiling forward before she collapsed onto the ground. As soon as she did, Lia's rage turned to Falena; who she grabbed by the throat before a great flash of blue overtook the room. As soon as Cassandra opened her eyes, there were only particles left to be seen, and all the fawns were gone.

Lia!

Ignoring the pain, Cassandra rose onto her feet and hurried toward the others. Gibbin was still with the children and she did not want him to leave them. "We need to get these kids to safety," she said, watching as the man huddled them all together.

Gibbin did not want the children to be alone, but he also did not want them to have to hear what he was about to say. Deciding that there was no innocence left to be had in this event, he settled on what had to be done. "Nowhere in this town is safe, Cassandra. Not as long as those two are around. They're going to keep killing."

One of the little boys, in a fit of tears just like the rest, bobbed up and down as his stress levels reached their max. "I want my mom!"

Another boy cried out, "I don't want to die!"

He felt a small girl tugging on the end of his half-tucked shirt. "Mr. Gibbin, please!"

As tough as he was, the butcher sighed in defeat. His brows raised in an almost uncertain matter, despite how much he tried to keep himself strong. His eyes broke open as his large hand cradled the back of her head. "It's going to be okay, children." He turned to look at them all. "We're not going to let anyone hurt you."

The crying would not stop. Cassandra could see the children looking at her. She was the only woman left in the room – the figure of a mother that they all so desperately craved right now. She stood there as some of the young ones approached her, taking them into her arms and falling onto her knees as she came down to their level. "It is true," she said. "You're all safe with us."

One of the poil boys tucked his head into her neck. His tearful wails were so close to her ear, muffled by the blanket of her skin. She placed her hand against his back, holding him like the child that she would never have. Her dark braids dangled over him as she bowed her head. She tried not to cry, but a sniffle broke through.

These poor children. This is what violence does. I am so, so very sorry.

Gibbin walked up to her as soon as he was free from the children's hold. "I'll go back out there and see what is happening. You stay with these kids, alright?"

Cassandra could not answer, only nodding instead.

Before their plan could even start, the screams and shouts of the battling fawns came to a head outside the dwelling. In an instant, the stone walls shattered as a rageful force ripped through them. The break of daylight shined its rays into the darkness; highlighting the continued chaos through the dust that it had birthed.

Narratha was hovering a dozen feet above ground; Falena standing not too far away. Encircled by the dust, Lia was left groaning from the agony of the throw that she had just endured. She was bloodied as ever, with cuts all over her arms, and another fresh splash of crimson beside her jaw. Some of the children in the room had been peppered by the ensuing shrapnel. The blast knocked them over, covering them in more dust. Cassandra and Gibbin pulled them all back as soon as they could, fighting not to succumb to the soul-crushing melody of their pained screams.

Falena grinned as she stepped closer to the building, only to disappear once more. Lia was beginning to rise onto her side, but she was still so weak. Her breathing grew heavier as she sought to muster the strength that was needed to carry on this fight. Narratha looked just as bad, but with Falena's help, she had landed just enough hits to tip the scales in her favor.

The blonde fawn suddenly reappeared beside her – carrying a crying Leta in her grasp.

"Let me go! Lia!" The child screamed as she tried to pull her arm out of the blonde's hand.

Oh no! Leta!

"Lia!" Cassandra called out to her. "You need to get up! Please!"

The fawn paused before her green eyes turned her way. There was a hint of love in them as she breathed again, seeing how anxiously the brunette stared at her. She said nothing as she craned her neck back at Falena and Narratha, watching Leta struggling against the blonde. It gave her the drive to get back onto her feet; her palms still engulfed in fire.

"Let her go!" Lia shouted, stumbling forward as her breath escaped her.

Falena glanced at the redhead, uncertain of what would come next. "We have what we need, don't we?"

"Far from it…" Narratha shook her head as she spat some blood out from the inside of her lip.

With another scream, the ground around Lia rippled with blue waves that emanated from around her. She was still full of energy and would not go down until this was all over. Her eyes fixated on Falena, ready to throw everything she had at her if it meant Leta would be safe. The blonde continued to hold on to the girl, but remained mindful of what her sister could do.

Falena turned to Narratha again. "She should be sufficient! Let us return!"

Narratha snapped back at her with a snarl from up above, "Be quiet!" Falena bowed her head without anything else to say.

As they stood there, the groans and moans of an unforeseen consequence began to emerge from all around them. Falena glanced over at one of the houses, where she spotted a bloodied woman lumbering about. Her face was a gory mess, stripped of most of its flesh; save for pockets that clung over her eyes and exposed gums. Her stomach yielded a devastated claw gash that funneled some of her innards from her abdominal cavity.

She was nowhere near alive – and yet, she was.

Lia looked on at the zombified woman, and then she noticed yet another previously murdered villager shambling about. He too was just as bloody; missing his entire left arm. He was soon joined by a third, and then a fourth.

Narratha stared down at a corpse on the ground that started to roll around, convulsing before it slowly sat up; groaning just like the others. The redhead's face carried a sign of confusion and worry, as she had no idea what was going on. Lickers began to appear on top of the various roofs that surrounded the area. It seemed as if everything that craved blood in this town was now on its way toward this location. The nightmarish monsters shrieked into the air – their tongues swaying in the wind.

Falena's concerns did not go unvoiced, "Narratha…something doesn't seem right…"

"Silence!" The redhead growled at her. "You know nothing."

"And neither do you!" Lia yelled, which caught Narratha's attention. "You have brought a poison into this world!"

"Poison has existed in this world long before us, Lia!" Narratha's anger clouded her judgment, though her eyes would not stay on the fawn who opposed her. She constantly shifted her fixation between the various zombies that shuffled about, gazing at the uncertainty of what drove them. She had never witnessed anything like this before.

Lia and Leta locked eyes at that very second; the two sisters visualizing the bond that had kept them together through all these years. The lickers were beginning to close in, as were the zombies. The fawn did not have time to sort through everything that had taken place in less than a half-hour. The loss of Milo was enough to shatter her being, but the devastation that this town had seen was worth a thousand years of sorrow as well. The visions of the dead bodies of those she once protected were burned into the back of her eyes.

She could still feel that dead child in the center of her arms. His blood stains still wet; cold against her skin. The children who stood behind her that she could still save, alongside a man who had devoted his life to the people of this town. A man she had saved once before, years ago – and saved again today.

The woman who she had hated – only to love with all her heart.

The one she had given herself to.

Who had already died once before.

Most of all – her sister, who was her reason for living.

She knew that if things kept up the way that they did, then she would not be able to save them all. There would not even be a world left for them to live in. More of the creatures were closing in. Falena was getting worried, while Narratha remained silent. Scratching could be heard in the back of the house. More of the undead were trying to get inside. Lickers were jumping from roof to roof; looking for a way to enter without being seen.

It was only a matter of time before they succeeded. All Narratha had to do was get her away from there and those she loved would be killed. Life stood on the fabric of a thread that ready to snap in the air at a second's notice. The fawn stood up defiantly against everything about to be thrown at her, mustering her energy throughout her hands as she prepared herself to face them.

She spared a second to think about her other options. Another second was devoted to deciding that there were none. Not unless all this suddenly ended right now – which it wouldn't.

The backside door to the home opened up, and at the entrance came one of the zombies. A mangled man with no jaw stumbled around, right before a licker came up from behind him and swiped him into oblivion. His body broke apart under its massive claws. The beast would have its kill.

Cassandra banded together with Gibbin and the rest of the children as the creature crawled closer toward them. Lia could hear what was going on. She turned around to destroy it with her powers, but she could see more closing in from the rooftops. Narratha elevated herself higher to keep safe, leaving Falena on the ground to fend for herself with Leta. Another Licker hopped closer, landing on the grass just yards away from her.

Gibbin held his sword out while the children got behind him. The creature's tongue dragged along the ground as it faced him, picking up on the frantic breaths of fear that rattled out from his throat. Cassandra stood by his side, hoping that their lives would shield those of the boys and girls behind them.

The brunette turned to her lover, quiet but with desperation in her eyes. That was when Lia made her choice.

The licker sprang at them – only to light up in a display of blue as it became frozen in the air. Its body immediately began to undergo an immense pressure that continuously pushed against it, shredding the beast apart as it hovered.

Cassandra turned her head back to Lia – watching as her body began to become engulfed in a translucent, blue aura.

This was not just a simple move on her part. No, this was something else. The fawn's powers expanded all across the town, taking every licker and zombie in its path with it in a fiery display. The infected flesh-eaters found themselves torn apart as their bodies became overwhelmed with blue light. The skin peeled from their bones, disintegrating as the fierce waves reverberated around it.

Falena and Narratha were not spared the brunt of such might. The blonde released her grip on Leta; whom Lia had not affected with her onslaught. In such a marvelous display of gifts and strength, she was able to choose who could withstand her magic – and who could not.

"Argh! Push it back!" Narratha shouted as she used her powers to try and repel the large, blue sphere that was beginning to expand around Lia. With her hands held together in front of her, she struggled to resist the encroaching force. It pushed her further away, leaving her face tense with exhaustion as she concentrated more and more of her energy into repelling it.

Something wasn't right, she thought. Lia's powers were becoming too great.

Falena was just as unsuccessful at fighting back as Narratha was – if not more so. That was when an idea came to mind. It was the only shot that she had to put an end to this. With a sudden burst of blue, Falena dissipated into thin air, before reappearing as close to Lia as she possibly could.

As soon as Lia saw the blonde materialize, she cast her away with an upsurge of her strength; sending Falena spinning across the dirt – right as an explosion broke out from her body.

"Damn it!" Falena shouted as soon as she realized that she had failed to detonate herself close enough to Lia; whose powers were unhindered, while hers were temporarily disabled.

Having realized what her accomplice had just done, Narratha shouted furiously at her, "You idiot!" That was when Lia sent out a second burst of energy, which blindsided the redhead and ignited part of her fur cape. Spiraling in the sky with blue and orange flames creeping up on her, Narratha screamed as she crashed onto the ground below.

"We need to go!" Falena yelled, but Narratha would not be deterred.

She tried to run toward Lia one more time, but the fawn's vision had now centered itself upon her.

Lia's eyes had morphed into a deep, bright blue; particles breaking off from their corners. She placed her hands together, intertwining her fingers before quickly pulling them apart. With a loud cry, she threw forth a swift field of fire that went directly toward Narratha. The redhead tried to block it, but found her powers quickly draining from her body due to the immense exhaustion. She was growing too weak to stave this attack off and knew that at any second, she was about to fail.

A flash kicked up from Lia's body before more flames began to consume her. She winced in pain, but she did not fall. Her cape became engulfed in blue; burning up at her back and joining the growing aura whose transparency started to deepen. Cassandra did not like what she was seeing. Something about this did not sit well with her.

That was when her skin started to blister. The fire that made up her powers began to consume her, enveloping her flesh as she channeled the deepest aspects of her abilities. She was going to use it all – if it meant that the others would survive.

"Lia!" Cassandra shouted at the top of her lungs, tears falling down her cheeks. "Stop!"

The fawn turned towards her with an agonized expression. She was in great pain, but the love in her eyes continued to remain. "Take care of Leta, Cassandra…I love you!"

The brunette rushed toward her, but it was too late; the process had already gone too far. Blue fire erupted from all around her, coating her body in a vicious blaze. Lia quickly took advantage of the build-up that she had amassed, using it to fire off one, final sphere out from around her that would destroy every shred of the otherworldly plague that Narratha had brought into Locwitary.

With the loudest scream that she could ever have made, Lia's voice echoed across the land as her powers took off. The two fawns who were caught in its wake felt their bodies get propelled across the grass. The smoldering power of the heat was enough to cause burns to parts of their skin, but with the largest aspects of it concentrated on the other threats, the damage was less than lethal.

Nonetheless – the fight had been lost.

With her powers nearly drained, Narratha ran toward Falena, snatching the blonde by her throat. "Look what you did!"

"I'm…sorry…" She coughed, defeated in her efforts.

"There is still…" Narratha cut her sentence short with a grunt before vanishing with the blonde and leaving the town.

As soon as the attack ended, Lia's body emitted a bright, blue flash before the fire claimed what was left of her; reducing her being to nothing but the silhouette of what she once was. Her charred remains fell to their knees before crashing forward. Cassandra was already running up to her by the time she landed, but it was too late.

Lia was dead.

"No!" The brunette let out a prolonged scream as she crumbled before Lia's body. The fawn was still burning and the heat made it unsafe to touch her. She wanted to hold the woman she loved in her arms, but even that opportunity could not be granted to her. The air reeked of decay and rot. It was a smell she had been accustomed to over the years, but now, she felt the horrible despair that it carried.

Her sobbing matched that of Leta's; who was too distraught at the sight of her sister's death to even move. Cassandra's hands shook as she stared down at Lia's remains.

This isn't real!

Leta's screams barely managed to invade her ears, but when they did, she knew she could not just sit there and wallow in her loss. The girl did not deserve to suffer alone, and she had to be there for her. Fighting as hard as she could to regain her strength and get up on her feet, Cassandra stood up. With soddened eyes, she saw Leta on her hands and knees, screaming at the ground.

The brunette coughed out her next trails of sadness as she shuffled over to her. Step by step, she closed in on Leta as she crossed the field. "Leta…" Cassandra's voice cracked as soon as she spoke. "I…I'm coming over to you!"

"Lia!" The child's face was red and wet. Cassandra had never seen something so terrible in all her life. This was the worst thing that could have happened. Even if Leta had been spared most of the violence from this massacre, the loss of her older sister was the worst wound of all.

I don't know what I'm going to say to her…

"Leta, I'm here for you." Cassandra was just feet away from her when a sudden eruption of blue particles cut through the air in between them.

No! No!

Breathing heavier than she had ever before, Narratha reappeared – staring directly at her. The redhead looked as if she hardly had any strength left, but what she did have; she would use right now. A snarl pulled along her lips as she sent a wave of energy towards Cassandra, knocking the wind out from the brunette's stomach as she was pushed back. She struck the hard ground, rolling over as she watched the fawn turn to Leta.

She grabbed the child by her hair, throwing her down with a vicious swing. The girl screamed as the woman climbed on top of her, pinning her to the dirt and grabbing her by the sides of her face. "I will not leave empty-handed!" Narratha yelled as she continued to hold her in place.

No!

Cassandra bolted up and sprinted toward the fawn as quickly as she could. "Let her go!" She saw Narratha briefly turn to look at her; their eyes locking before the redhead de-materialized into thin air – taking Leta along with her. The brunette's running did not stop, and she barreled through where they once were. As soon as she hit the dirt again, she realized that she had failed.

"Leta! Leta!"

All Cassandra could do was look around, finding the girl to be nowhere in sight. She returned to her fit of defeated crying, feeling more alone than she ever had been.

Almost everyone who had cared for her in this world was now dead, and now, the girl who had ignited the change in her life was taken as well. As she sat in that empty clearing between the bloodstained homes, Cassandra found herself unable to move.

Once again – she was left alone atop a mountain of destroyed lives.

Broken.

A failure.

NOTES:

Rest in Peace, Lia.

What a heavy group of chapters these three were. I imagine some of you are not happy with what has happened. Personally, I have grown to love all these characters so much as the story went on. We began this journey a year ago, and now, we are nearly at the end.

From the beginning, I knew that these characters were going to die. Even before I had decided on exactly what and who Lia would be, she was always planned to give her life in defense of those she loved. Milo would not make it to the end. Vasan would discover who he truly was, but only in his final moments.

In the end, this is Cassandra's story, and through love and loss, she will be the center of it all.

This is her path to redemption – as she has taken away so many lives, and now must deal with the murders of the first people she has learned to love.

This is where her story truly begins.

Since the beginning, I always planned for Cassandra to be met with another evil being who is worse than she is – and Narratha has taken that role. We've witnessed just a glimpse of cruel and ferocious this fawn can be. She is a vengeful force to be reckoned with, and in this world, nobody is safe from her wrath.

I'm expecting this story to have ten more chapters left before it is over. I honestly can't wait to show you guys what I have planned, as this will be the most intense arc of this tale.

The next chapter will release on August 5th.

I hope this release was well worth the wait for you all. There is still light in the darkness, and I promise the ending will be worth the fight. You guys have been so awesome ever since I first started this, and I can't wait to reach the end with you all. I hope you have been safe and secure in the meanwhile, as time catches up with all of us in the end. Thank you for everything you have done for me, and I wish you all the best! See you again soon! 😊