The sun had yet to rise when Mitchell roused from his slumber. He rubbed the drowsiness from his eyes and looked out the window at the coming dawn. Memories of yesterday came to him as he watched a gentle breeze push against the leaves of nearby trees.

Swinging his legs off the side of his bed, Mitchell leaned forward, frowning. Arriet's story had truly struck a nerve with him. Needless to say, the Order higher-ups were now firmly on his shit list.

Shaking his head, Mitchell got to his feet, heading over to get ready for the day. Once finished, he descended the stairs and beelined for the kitchen yet again. Seeing as no one was awake yet, he immediately got to work making a sizable breakfast.

As he worked, Mitchell heard a yawn. He turned to see Zullie walk in, giving him a smile. Mitchell smiled back.

"Mornin'," Mitchell greeted. He quickly prepared the food to be set out. Melissa was soon to follow, he was sure of it.

"Good morning to you...as well," Zullie responded, a hint of grogginess in her lovely voice. She approached him with an almost lazy saunter. "Do you...need any help?"

Mitchell shook his head. "Nah, it's all good. Thanks for askin' though." He held a newly made plate of food out to her.

Zullie hummed gratefully as she took the offered food. "Of course. If you...need help with anything...just ask...okay?"

A slight smirk developed on Mitchell's lips. "Sure thing."

"Something smells good."

Both of them turned towards the new voice to see Melissa standing in the doorway. She walked forward, giving them both a warm smile. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to take over breakfast duty permanently."

Mitchell rolled his eyes, smirking. "Mornin' Melissa." He handed her a plate of food before heading to the table.

"Good morning!" Melissa replied, taking the plate with a smile before joining them. Mitchell noticed she seemed more chipper today than she had been recently.

As they all settled down to eat, Mitchell's mind wandered. He glanced at Zullie, who was eating Mitchell's breakfast with a content expression. The thought of being soul-bound came to him. No better time to ask, right?

"Hey, Zullie."

"Hmm?" Zullie looked up from her meal, curious.

Mitchell placed his fork down. "You said we were soul-bound, right? What does that mean exactly?"

Melissa, who had just been drinking from her cup, choked before sputtering a series of light coughs. She looked at Zullie incredulously. "W-What? This is the first I've heard of this."

Zullie looked quite sheepish at the question. "It's nothing...insidious...I promise. It's supposed to be...beneficial to both...parties."

As Melissa recovered from her episode, Mitchell leaned forward, a bit skeptical. "Beneficial, how? It isn't somethin' you can use to influence my mind or anythin', is it?"

Zullie looked appalled at the thought. "Gracious, no! I would never...stoop to such…wickedness." Her lips twisted in disgust, before giving both of Mitchell and Melissa an apologetic look. "I won't lie to...you. There are those...that have used...this link to influence...their lovers. Their...familiars."

Neither of Zullie's audience missed the kaleidoscope of emotions that crossed the Dark Mage's face at that last word. Melissa hummed thoughtfully, tilting her head with a slight frown. "So, was this soul-binding a side effect of you summoning him?"

Zullie nodded. "It was." She took another bite of Mitchell's delicious food. "It allows us...Dark Mages...the ability to feel...the emotions of our...summons...to an extent."

Mitchell wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. He probably should feel violated somewhat, but personally, as long as it wasn't malicious and didn't interfere with his life, he supposed he didn't mind it all that much. He took another bite as his mind spun with questions. "Huh. So, I'm guessin' that this is all one way, right? Can ya feel what I'm feelin' now?"

Mitchell and Melissa watched as Zullie concentrated for a short moment. The Dark Mage looked up, giving Mitchell a tentative gaze. "Uncertainty...skepticism...and curiosity."

Mitchell blinked. That was pretty much exactly what he was feeling. "Well then. I guess that's a pretty neat trick."

Conversation died down as they finished up their meals. It wasn't until they were finished cleaning up that Mitchell spoke again. "I don't wanna impose or anythin', but are either of ya open to tutor me today?"

Zullie gave Melissa an eager glance. Melissa hummed, placing her hands on her hips. "Well, I should be free today, barring no interruptions, of course."

Mitchell watched as Zullie wilted in disappointment. He nudged her arm with his elbow. "Hey. There's nothin' stopping you from joinin' in, y'know. Y'all both know what you're doin', and I need all the help I can get."

"He's right," Melissa concurred. She patted the Dark Mage on the arm. "I might need to deal with the occasional customer, so having you there would be great."

A warm, grateful smile developed on Zullie's lips, lighting up the room. "Okay."

With that settled, Melissa led them both to Mitchell's tutoring table. For the next few hours, Mitchell threw himself into learning. With two excellent teachers, they made it exceptionally easier for him to understand what he was learning. Aside from a few customers here and there that Melissa had to attend to, Mitchell's studies went uninterrupted, which he was very grateful for. Thanks to Melissa's and Zullie's patience and tutelage, Mitchell finally managed to gain a passable understanding of the language.

Just after midday, Mitchell managed to read his first sentence. He still had much to learn, but he was very happy with the progress they'd made. As thanks for Melissa's contribution, Mitchell elected to tidy the library up a bit. Zullie, unsurprisingly, decided to pitch in, also grateful to the librarian.

To Melissa's amusement, Mitchell found his efforts becoming irrelevant, as Zullie's magic had made cleaning the place utterly trivial. Mitchell was sorely tempted to make a Fantasia reference, but decided not to.

"Well, now that we've cleaned the place," Mitchell began, deliberately ignoring Zullie's amused glance. "Is there anythin' else ya need us to do, Melissa?"

Melissa looked up thoughtfully. "Let's see, the food and firewood are still nice and stocked, the place is clean…" She hummed, shaking her head. "Nope. Looks like that's everything."

Mitchell nodded. "I guess I'll go look around the square then." He turned to Zullie. "You comin' with?"

"Thank you for...asking," Zullie replied before shaking her head. "But I've got...some things to...sort out in my...teapot."

Mitchell gave a light shrug. "Aight. Maybe next time then." He walked towards the front door, giving them his two finger wave as he did. "You two take care."

Hearing their affirmations, Mitchell strode through the doorway, intent on enjoying the rest of his day. He took a deep breath, before making his way to the town square, as was becoming routine for him. To his pleasant surprise, a few people took the time to greet him as he passed. He made sure to return the favor.

Mitchell reached the town square and took a look around. People were still going about their business, but there was a subtle, grim tension in the air. He'd seen this sight before, the way people weren't sure if or when an attack would occur.

Frowning, Mitchell ignored the memories, continuing to observe his surroundings. He saw the merchant stalls and carts, selling their respective goods. It had been a while since he'd bought anything, and he still needed to acquire a razor to shave with. Making his way over, Mitchell decided to use this time productively.

Over the next half hour, Mitchell browsed the merchants' wares. Thankfully, one of the stalls had a razor, and Mitchell made sure not to seem too desperate for it, lest the owner pull a fast one on him. Now, satisfied with his purchase, Mitchell continued to browse, curious to what else they might have. He came upon a merchant, an eccentric fellow, who sold various knick-knacks and items. That wasn't what snared Mitchell's interest though.

An acoustic guitar sat before him, or at least this world's equivalent to one. It looked remarkably similar to the ones back home. It looked quality made too, with laminated wood and everything. That duet with Arriet was no longer a long shot! Mitchell wasted no time whatsoever approaching the owner—he was getting this beauty one way or another.

Mitchell haggled like a champion, managing to wrestle the instrument away with only three silvers paid, with the promise that he knew how to play it. Mitchell decided to prove his words when he took the guitar over to the fountain, sitting down on the lip.

For the next couple of minutes, Mitchell finely tuned the guitar to his specifications. A few passerbys eyed him curiously, but the hunter paid them no mind. He thought for a moment before choosing, in his opinion, the perfect song. Mitchell began to play, growing more confident with each passing second as he began to sing.

I can see that lone star from a thousand miles away

Callin' me back home though I've ventured far astray

When I see that beacon shinin' for me all alone

It calls me back to Texas and to home

From nearby stalls, people turned towards the music, curious. Mitchell, however, didn't notice.

Lone star shine down on my home town

Fill my memory light my way

Memories of his grandfather's ranch back home flooded Mitchell's mind, and he poured that love into the song. He must've been doing something right, as more and more people began listening, visibly interested.

Cattle in the old corral, the open range all 'round

Sunlight and the smell of new mown hay

I remember though I've wandered and much happiness I've found

Still I wish that I could be back there today

An older couple on a nearby bench seemed struck with nostalgia at the lyrics, tapping their feet with closed eyes.

I know my home is waitin' for me by the river shore

I know that all the ones I love would welcome me once more

In dreams I see them now though it seems I'm bound to roam

My thoughts are still of Texas and of home

Mitchell visualized his home as he played the instrumental break. People looked visibly impressed with his performance, bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. A man and woman Mitchell assumed was a couple had even started dancing together.

Cattle in the old corral, the open range all 'round

Sunlight and the smell of new mown hay

I remember though I've wandered and much happiness I've found

Still I wish that I could be back there today

Mitchell watched as the crowd opened to allow the kids that like Arriet's music through. They seemed surprised to see it was him, but they were nonetheless, quite intrigued. He was satisfied that everyone was more relaxed and jovial compared to before.

I know my home is waitin' for me by the river shore

I know that all the ones I love would welcome me once more

In dreams I see them now though it seems I'm bound to roam

My thoughts are still of Texas and of home

As the last note faded, the crowd clapped. Mitchell was surprised to see that the crowd was actually bigger than he first thought. One of the men in the crowd stepped over to Mitchell's side, patting his shoulder in an almost fatherly manner. "Thank you for that, my boy. It's been a long while since I've thought of my old farm. You've got talent."

Mitchell nodded, a slightly sheepish smile on his face. "Thank you, sir. I just wanted to try this out, is all." He patted his guitar in emphasis.

One of the kids hopped forward, excited. "Can you play another, mister? You're really good!" The other kids nodded in agreement.

"I absolutely agree!"

Mitchell turned to see Arriet standing there, smiling widely. She hurried forward with an enthusiastic stride. "Please play another song, I implore you!"

Mitchell grinned. "Well…" He nearly laughed when Arriet and the kids leaned forward, eager to hear more. "Aight then. I think I got a good one for y'all."

Unwilling to keep his audience waiting, Mitchell played once more, launching into a tale about the Arizona Ranger in Big Iron. Getting into the song, Mitchell quickly snared the interest of everyone with the tale he was weaving. Multiple times Mitchell almost chuckled at the anticipation and worry the kids had for the ranger.

Eventually, however, after thanking Mitchell for his performance, people started returning to their own activities. The kids also thanked Mitchell for playing, and went off in high spirits, roleplaying as the Arizona Ranger and Texas Red.

Mitchell got to his feet, guitar in hand. He smirked at Arriet. "Looks like our little duet isn't so far away after all, huh?"

Arriet matched his smirk. "Indeed! In fact, I was quite tempted to retrieve my harp so I could join in." Her smirk shifted into a warm smile. "You're quite talented yourself, it seems. I believe you'd make an excellent bard."

Mitchell smiled sheepishly. "I dunno about all that, now." A thought occurred to him. He'd been slacking on his training for a while now, so maybe a training session was in order. "A bit of a subject change, but while you're here, are ya open for trainin' today? I feel like I've been slackin' on that for a while."

"Ah. You beat me to it," Arriet replied, her eyes twinkling in amusement. "I only received a morning patrol today, so I'm free this afternoon." She gave Mitchell a mischievous smirk. "We have a lot of time to make up for, no?"

Mitchell nodded, suppressing an odd thrill that raced up his spine at her expression. "Yeah, tell me about it. Can't wait to get back into it, instructor." He hefted his guitar. "Just let me take this to the library and I'll meetcha at the barracks, okay?"

Arriet rested her hand on the pommel of her weapon, nodding. "Of course. I have something to take care of before then myself, so I'll meet you there." She shifted her weight to one leg, a devious smirk back on her lips. "Remember, the longer you take, the more time I have to think up ideas."

"Hey, don't threaten me with a good time," Mitchell retorted, making his way to the library. He nudged her playfully as he passed. "I might just take the scenic route now that you've gone an' said that."

Arriet giggled mirthfully, a light flush on her face. "Well then! I'll try not to disappoint!"

Looking back, Mitchell gave her his two finger wave. "See ya there, Ettie."

"Yes. See you there, Mitch," Arriet returned, giving him a sweet smile.

With that, the two parted ways in high spirits. In direct contrast to Mitchell's earlier words, he hurried back to the library, an eager grin on his face. Mitchell couldn't believe how well the day had gone so far—he'd managed to read his first sentence in this world's language, acquired a quality guitar, and was now going to train with Arriet. Could this day get any better?

Mitchell arrived at the library in record time, striding through the door like he owned the place. He saw Melissa behind the front counter dealing with a customer, so he withheld any remarks. Zullie sat leisurely at the far side of the room near a window, pipe in hand, reading a book. The Dark Mage gave Mitchell a curious glance at his enthusiastic good mood. She was surprised when Mitchell hurried up to her.

"Hey, Zullie, can I ask ya a favor?" Mitchell asked.

Zullie blinked before nodding, placing her book on the table beside her. "Of course. What do you...need?"

Mitchell hefted his guitar in emphasis. "Is there any way you could put this in your teapot? For safekeeping? I really don't wanna lose it."

Zullie hummed, glancing at the instrument. "I don't...mind. Just leave it...here. I'll take it...with me...next time I...go in."

"Thanks Zullie," Mitchell replied, grateful. He set the guitar against the wall next to her. "I've gotta head to the barracks to train with Arriet. It's been a while since we've done this."

At Mitchell's remark, an expression of intrigue crossed Zullie's visage. "I see. May I...come watch?"

Mitchell shrugged. "Sure, I don't mind." He gave her a slightly concerned look. "Are ya sure, though? It might be a little awkward for ya, what with the guards there an' all."

Looking Mitchell in the eyes, Zullie smiled coyly. "You're sweet to...worry...but I'll be...fine. There's nothing...that would...dissuade me from...being with you."

Blinking at the blunt admission, Mitchell floundered. "Uh, aight then."

As Zullie put away her things, Mitchell turned to Melissa, who had finished dealing with her customer. "I'm gonna head down to the barracks to train with Arriet. Just givin' ya a heads up."

Smirking, Melissa placed her elbows on the counter, resting her chin in the palm of her hand before waving. "Alright then. Have fun and don't wear yourselves out~"

Mitchell suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he walked through the front door. Once outside, he waited for Zullie to finish putting away their things in the teapot. After a minute, Zullie emerged from the building, staff in hand. Mitchell turned to the Dark Mage. "You all good?"

"I'm ready...when you...are," Zullie responded. She adjusted her hat. "Shall we?"

"We shall. Let's go get my ass kicked."

Zullie released a light, womanly laugh as they headed out.

The trip to the barracks passed rather quickly, despite the companionable silence between the two. To Mitchell's relief, Arriet was waiting outside the barracks entrance. She noticed him, smiling, before to Mitchell's hidden amusement, shifting to surprise at the sight of Zullie.

"Well this is a surprise," Arriet quipped, brow raised slightly. "Come to watch Mitchell's progress, Miss Zullie?"

"Yes," Zullie affirmed. She tilted her head somewhat. "I hope you don't...mind?"

Arriet shook her head. "Of course I don't. You're welcome to join us." She gave Zullie a knowing look. "It's the others I'm worried about."

"Worry...not," Zullie assured. She placed a hand on her shapely hip. "If my...presence affects them...that much...they only need...to say so. I'm not here...to cause trouble."

Mitchell nudged the Dark Mage reassuringly. "No worries. I'll back ya up if somethin' happens."

Zullie hummed as Arriet nodded, turning to Mitchell. "Well. Want to get started?"

"You bet. Lead on," Mitchell replied, giving a devil-may-care grin. He honestly couldn't wait to get started.

Arriet led them inside, smiling at Mitchell's enthusiasm. As they had expected, whatever guards were present eyed Zullie with open distrust and uncertainty. Mitchell noticed a couple of guards eyeing her with lustful gazes. Thankfully, though, they said nothing. Mitchell could only assume that Arriet's presence had something to do with it.

They arrived at the training area, finding it empty. Mitchell and Arriet went over to retrieve their sparring weapons as Zullie made herself comfortable. With an idle hand gesture, a nearby chair slid forward seemingly by itself for Zullie as she elegantly sat down in it, crossing her legs alluringly. Mitchell and Arriet ignored the spectacle, focusing on the matter at hand.

Mitchell and Arriet stood facing one another, weapons lowered. "Okay. What're we coverin' today, instructor?" Mitchell asked.

"Since your stance and footwork seem to have improved quite nicely, we're going to cover the basics of parrying and counter-attacking today," Arriet informed. She was in lecture-mode now—not a teasing expression in sight. Mitchell readied himself for a very informative lesson.

And informative it was. Over the course of the next two hours, Mitchell learned about reading an opponent's movements, reacting to an opponent's movements, and countering an opponent's movements. To their surprise, Zullie pitched in, giving Mitchell informative tips about proper distancing. On their third hour of training, once Arriet was reasonably assured Mitchell understood the basics, she came at him from numerous angles, forcing him to think quickly and to use what he had learned.

Needless to say, Mitchell learned quickly, for whatever mistakes he'd made were promptly punished. Knowledge of various ways to parry were added to Mitchell's repertoire, and soon, he finally began to start countering Arriet's attacks.

Not that he had managed to hit her, of course.

"Ooh, I almost gotcha that time," Mitchell quipped playfully, as Arriet elegantly danced away for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"You nearly did," Arriet replied. She lowered her weapon and gestured to him. "If you had led into that attack just a moment sooner, you would've landed that blow. Your footwork was slightly off, but that's nothing practice won't fix." She smiled encouragingly. "Just keep trying. You're doing quite well so far."

"Yes...I agree," Zullie added. She once again held her pipe, pink smoke drifting lightly from the end. She smirked knowingly. "You're a...quick study...in many ways...it seems."

Mitchell merely gave a close-lipped smile, shrugging. Over the course of the last three hours, the two women only praised him for things he did right, and offered constructive criticism wherever he went wrong. He appreciated that. He was here to improve, and he genuinely felt like he was. That was what mattered to him.

"Well in that case, what's next?" Mitchell inquired.

Arriet opened her mouth to reply, but whatever she would say would be forever unknown as the door to the barracks burst open, drawing everyone's attention. A guard was doubled over, heaving for breath. He looked up at Arriet. "Lady Arriet! The captain needs you at once! It's urgent!"

Arriet stepped forward, turning serious in an instant. "What's the situation, soldier?"

The guard straightened, speaking in a rushed tone. "A rider from the army sent to retake Rondell arrived a short while ago." He grimaced before continuing grimly. "They were fell upon by the mamono in an ambush. Unfortunately, that idiot led his pursuers right to our town. The mamono know we're here."

A cold feeling of dread formed in Mitchell's gut at the news. He glanced over to see Arriet looking quite grim-faced and Zullie sighing in defeated resignation.

"Which means they're sure to be on their way," Arriet finished somberly. She closed her eyes and sighed. Mitchell couldn't help but agree with what she was feeling.

"That's not all, ma'am," the guard continued. He glanced at Zullie, unsure. "The captain also wanted to speak to the Dark Mage as well."

Zullie grimaced at that, rising to her feet. "Did he...say why?"

The guard blinked. "Uh, no ma'am. He just said it was urgent." He hesitated. "If I had to guess, it probably has something to do with the defense of the town."

Zullie sighed yet again. It was clear she was reluctant to go, so Mitchell decided to help her along. He patted her on her upper arm. "Better go see what he wants, yeah? I'll go let Melissa know."

Zullie looked at Mitchell for a moment before her eyes closed in acceptance. "Okay. I'll be...right back."

Before Mitchell could respond, Arriet grabbed his arm. He turned to see her giving him a serious gaze. "In case we don't see each other for a while, take care of yourself, okay Mitch?"

Mitchell met her gaze. "Yeah. You too, Ettie." He glanced at Zullie. "Both of ya."

Both women nodded as Arriet gave Mitchell's arm a gentle, reassuring squeeze. She released him, turning to the anxious guard. "Take us to the captain, soldier."

Mitchell wasted no time vacating the premises as the guard led the women to the town square. He sprinted full-tilt back to the library, stopping for nothing. As he sprinted, Mitchell noticed various people rushing to and fro, looking frantic and fearful. Word must've spread, which was good. Mitchell put the thought aside as the library came into view.

Mitchell pressed forward, rushing through the door and skidding to a halt as soon as saw Melissa behind the counter. Melissa jumped at his sudden entrance, yelping. "W-Wha-!? Mitchell, what's the rush!?"

"Bad news, Melissa. The mamono at Rondell know about us. I just got word from one of the guards at the barracks."

Melissa's jaw dropped, her face paling as she shot to her feet. "Wait, what!? How!?"

Mitchell frowned, throwing his arm out towards the direction of the front gate in frustration. "That army that came through yesterday got ambushed." He scowled and shook his head, his irritation rising with each passing moment. "One of the survivors didn't use his head and led his pursuers right to us, the fuckin' dumbass."

Melissa bit her lip in worry. "Please tell me this is just a bad joke, Mitchell."

"I'm sorry, Melissa. I wish it was, but I'd never joke about somethin' like this," Mitchell answered. He rubbed a hand over his head, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He gave the worried librarian a serious look. "Do you have anythin' to defend yourself with?"

"I… I do have an old family heirloom," Melissa replied, hesitant. She grimaced an instant later, however. "I've never been much of a fighter, though. I don't even know what it does!"

Despite the situation, Mitchell was confused. "What is it? I know a lotta weapons. I might know what it is."

"Well, it's… this long, wooden club thing," Melissa said, struggling. "It looks really unwieldy, honestly. I don't know how in the world my great-grandfather used it."

"Can you show it to me?"

Melissa nodded, quickly leading him up the stairs to her room. Despite it being the first time seeing Melissa's room, Mitchell paid it no mind as she hurried over to her bed, pulling a large case out from under it. She set it on top of the bed with a huff.

Mitchell wondered what weapon it could be to have Melissa so stumped, but he wasn't left wondering for long. Melissa opened the case, and upon seeing its contents, Mitchell's mind went blank before exploding with activity.

Mitchell blinked once, twice, thrice to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. He tore his gaze off the weapon, slowly turning to Melissa. "... You said you got this from your great-grandfather, right?"

"Well… I actually got it from my father," Melissa clarified, looking confused at Mitchell's look of wonder. "He's the one who got it from him. Why?"

"May I?" Mitchell asked, gesturing to the weapon. Melissa wordlessly nodded. At her affirmation, Mitchell picked up the weapon with an air of reverence.

In Mitchell's hands was an honest-to-God M1903 Springfield bolt-action rifle. The weapon looked in surprisingly good condition, with only some faint signs of use. Attached to the weapon was a shoulder strap and an M82 rifle scope. Mitchell looked inside the case to see the rifle's standard issue bayonet and four five-round clips. Tools Mitchell knew were used to disassemble and clean the weapon looked as if they were haphazardly thrown in the case.

Needless to say, Mitchell was floored by this discovery. He turned to Melissa. "Melissa, this isn't a club. This is a bolt-action rifle. It's a ranged weapon from my home."

Melissa's eyes widened. "Wait, what? You mean…"

Mitchell nodded, his eyes equally wide. "Yeah. Your great-grandfather might've been from my wo—country." Damn, he nearly slipped up there. "What was his name? Do you know if he got this from anyone?" He hefted the rifle in emphasis.

"Uh…" Mitchell could tell Melissa was reeling from these revelations as she struggled to think. "His name was Eddie Springfield." Melissa shook her head, suddenly looking thoughtful. "And no, he's always had this, from what father said."

Mitchell stared at Melissa, mind spinning at light-speed from the implications. This obviously meant he wasn't the first person to come to this world. If so, then who else?

With a jolt, Mitchell realized that with this new information, Melissa was highly likely to have American blood in her veins. He couldn't help but feel a new level of kinship with the woman. "Where is he? Is he still around?"

Melissa smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not. He died of old age just over ten years ago."

Mitchell winced. He had completely missed the past tense earlier. "Ah, sorry."

"It's fine. I know you meant no offense," Melissa reassured, shaking her head. She looked at the weapon for a long moment, before turning back to Mitchell. "Mitchell, I think you should use this."

Mitchell blinked in shock. "Huh? But it's yours—"

Melissa interrupted him by placing her hand on Mitchell's. "Yet it's useless with me. You seem to know what it does and how to use it far better than I can." She drew back her hands and placed them on her hips. "As you said, it's my weapon, so I say you should use it. Besides, I'm sure my great-grandfather would approve of it being used in capable hands."

For some reason, Mitchell felt a knot form in his throat. He felt his eyes burn as he placed the rifle on the bed. He turned to Melissa, arm outstretched, giving her an imploring look. "Humor me...?"

Melissa replied with a gentle smile, accepting Mitchell's gesture as she wrapped her arms around him. For the next minute, they embraced, the sounds of fearful townsfolk rushing about coming through the nearby window as they did.

After a moment, they both pulled away. Mitchell took a calming breath. "Alright. I'll use it since ya asked. But you're gonna take the bayonet." He set the bayonet on the bed and gave the librarian a serious gaze. "I won't have ya go unarmed. This is non-negotiable."

Melissa laughed, wiping at her eyes. "Sir, yes sir!" She batted Mitchell on the chest. "Now go get ready. You're going to have to report to the walls soon. I'll get everything ready to leave."

Mitchell was stepping towards the exit when he suddenly halted. "Wait, leave?" He turned back, confused. "Where are you goin'?"

Melissa blinked, before coming to a realization. "Ah. I forgot you didn't know this." She cleared her throat. "Whenever there's a mamono siege against large frontier towns like this one, it's become a standard procedure for the men to defend the town until the women and children escape to another city or town using a Spirit Crystal. Once they're all away, the men follow." She gestured in the direction of the town square. "There's a Crystal in the church at town square."

"Oh. So that's how it is, huh?" Mitchell mused aloud. He frowned an instant later. "I take it that means this happens often enough to warrant it bein' standard procedure?"

Melissa sighed. "You got it in one." She looked out the window, noticing men hurrying towards the walls. "You really should get going. We don't have a lot of time."

Mitchell nodded, placing the rifle in its case and picked it up before hurrying towards his room.

"Mitchell."

Stopping in the doorway, Mitchell turned back to Melissa, a question on his visage. Melissa gave him quite the serious gaze. "You better take care of yourself out there. I mean it."

Mitchell's resolve hardened. "I will. Same to you, Melissa." Without further adieu, he made his way to his room to equip himself.

Rushing into his room, Mitchell shut the door hurriedly, throwing his clothes off. He quickly put on his clean hunting clothes before moving on to his gear. He quickly attached his knife, as well as strapping his holster to his thigh, slipping his revolver into it.

After that, Mitchell opened the rifle case, setting the disassembly and cleaning tools into his pack, along with his spare clothes. He then placed three of the ammo clips into his ammo pouch before picking up the rifle, pulling back the bolt and clearing the chamber. He prayed to God that the bullets were still usable as he inserted a clip into the chamber. Pushing the bolt forward and locking the bolt lug in place, Mitchell switched on the safety before setting the rifle on the bed.

Putting on his pack, Mitchell slung the rifle behind his back. With everything set, Mitchell grabbed his crossbow before heading out. Now feeling somewhat weighed down, Mitchell felt reassured by the familiar weight. Just like his time in the military.

Mitchell passed Melissa's room, hearing her rushing about. He said nothing as he hurried down the stairs and through the front door. They'd said what needed to be said. Now he had a job to do.

After a minute of passing numerous townsfolk hurrying about, Mitchell arrived at the front gate. He had noticed many barricades blocking and surrounding the gate, with many armed men manning the walls already. Seeing a guard giving orders to a group of men, Mitchell hurried over.

Hearing Mitchell's approach, the guard turned to him, lifting a curious brow at his encumbered appearance. "Ah, I've seen you around town before. Are you any good with that crossbow?"

"I'm decent enough," Mitchell answered plainly. He shrugged. "Got plenty of experience with movin' targets before."

The guard nodded, grim-faced. "Good enough. I'm Andrew Boyd, the sergeant in charge of the men on this section of the wall." He pointed further down the wall. "Sergeant Renfrow is further down that way in case you need to get in touch with either of us."

Mitchell returned the man's nod. "I'm Mitchell Marlowe. Where do ya need me, sergeant?"

Sergeant Boyd grunted lightly. "I'll have you be with me and my men." He gestured to the wall with a nod of his head. "I have some fine archers with me, so one more never hurts."

"Is there a sleep rotation? I'm assumin' we'll be at our posts for an unspecified amount of time?" Mitchell inquired seriously. He glanced at the sun that was dipping under the horizon.

Sergeant Boyd frowned slightly. "We have one set up, yes. It's highly likely the mamono will attack soon." He shook his head and gave a helpless shrug. "Whether it'll be tonight or at dawn, I don't know. They can cross the distance from Rondell to here with ease."

Mitchell gestured to the wall. "Is it fine if I take the first rotation?" He adjusted the straps of his weapons. "I wanna be well rested for the defense."

"I figured you would," Sergeant Boyd retorted, sighing through his nose. "Go ahead." He looked Mitchell in the eyes. "But for the love of the gods, be ready to act when you're needed."

Mitchell strode past the man towards the stairs leading to the wall. "I will."

Mitchell didn't get a response as he made his way up the staircase. The top of the palisade walkway was wide enough for four men to walk side by side, with men lined up along the entire length of the wall. They all had some form of ranged weapon, whether it was a bow or crossbow. Close-ranged weapons sat at their hips, from swords, axes, and the occasional spear.

Mitchell chose to take a position near the staircase in the instance they needed to retreat quickly. Finding a good spot to settle down for an uncomfortable few hours of rest, Mitchell leaned the rifle against his shoulder between his legs. He sat down with his eyes closed, crossbow also in between his legs as a couple of nearby men gave him curious looks.

"You're the guy living with Ms. Springfield, right?"

Mitchell opened his eyes and saw a large, bearded man beside him giving him a raised brow. "Yeah. She was kind enough to let me stay with her. The woman's a saint, I tell ya."

The bearded man's lips twitched upwards. "You're telling me nothing I don't already know." He offered his hand to Mitchell. "Brett Waller. I've seen you around town a few times."

Mitchell reached up from where he was seated, shaking the offered hand. "Mitchell Marlowe. Nice to meet ya." He gave the man a half-smirk. "If only we met under better circumstances, huh?"

The man, Brett, chuckled. "Yes, quite." He looked out at the forest in the distance. "If only."

"'If only' is right. If only that brainless Order fool didn't lead our enemies straight to us."

Mitchell and Brett looked over to see a tall, lean man giving them both a flat stare. The man continued, throwing his hands up. "Now we have to move towns to start our lives over, if we get through this. Wonderful."

"Hey now, that kid looked no more than eighteen years old at most, Kurt. Let's not be too hard on him," Brett replied neutrally. "What would you have done with mamono on your heels?"

The man, Kurt, grumbled under his breath as he turned away. Brett rolled his eyes, turning back to Mitchell. Upon seeing Mitchell's drooping eyelids, he paused. "Ah, tired huh? Don't let me keep you." He nodded towards the distant treeline. "I'll let you know when it's time."

Mitchell gave a two finger salute. "Thanks. Just wanna be ready, y'know?" He rested his head back against the wall, looking out over the town.

Brett hummed, but said nothing more as Mitchell shut his eyes. Despite hearing the muttering of the nearby men, Mitchell quickly dozed off.

After an unknown time of dreamless sleep, Mitchell was roused from his slumber by a hand shaking his shoulder.

Mitchell was up quickly, raising his head with surprising alacrity. He looked towards whoever had roused him to see Brett pulling back with a nod. "It's time for the next rotation." He made a face. "Also, your, uh… lady friend… is here for ya."

Mitchell blinked before noticing the other men looking anxious. He turned to his left to see Zullie standing beside him.

"Oh, hey," Mitchell greeted. He grabbed the rifle and set it against the wall beside him.

"Hello," Zullie responded, smiling. She offered Mitchell her hand, which he took, pulling him to his feet. "Did you...get a good...rest?"

Mitchell stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. "About as good as I could in this situation, I guess." He looked at her curiously. "What did the captain want ya for?"

"He wanted me to...see the other gates," Zullie answered. She noticed the nearby men listening in, but she paid them no mind. "In case they needed...my assistance...he wanted me to...teleport there in the...event they do."

Mitchell's lips dipped into a slight frown. "I see. He's really workin' ya to the bone, huh?"

Zullie gave a light shrug, but her eyes were appreciative. "Don't...worry. It's no...problem for me. Merely...tedious."

"If ya say so." Mitchell let the matter drop. The defense of the town probably would lean pretty hard on her, now that he thought about it. "So. You're gonna be with us?"

Zullie nodded, stepping up beside him as they looked out at the distant forest. The sight of the pitch black darkness through the trees only strengthened their anxiety.

After a couple of minutes of companionable silence, Mitchell decided to ask a question that had been lurking in the back of his mind for a while. "Hey, Zullie."

Zullie turned her head to him. "Hmm?"

"What are Lilim and Incubi? Are they some kind of mamono?"

Zullie blinked, seemingly surprised at the inquiry. "...Well, the Lilim are...a form of succubus. The highest...most powerful form...of succubus...in fact." She frowned, her normally warm eyes narrowing in anger. "The Demon Lord herself...is a Lilim. And so are...her daughters."

Mitchell didn't miss the distaste creeping into Zullie's voice as she spoke. "Incubi are human men...after they have laid...with a mamono." Her expression shifted as she looked at Mitchell, a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "The Demonic Energy...present in all...mamono...corrupts them...turns them into...their monster lovers."

Mitchell's eyes widened and his jaw fell. "Wait, what!? Please explain. What's Demonic Energy? How do they corrupt people?"

Over the next few minutes, Zullie explained the nature of Demonic Energy and how mamono thrived off of Spirit Energy. As it turns out, Spirit Energy is natural to all things, including humans, and is highly susceptible to corruption by Demonic Energy. Mitchell discovered that women were especially vulnerable to Demonic Energy by naturally drawing in Spirit Energy from the air and their surroundings. This made them easy targets for mamono to transform them into other mamono.

And that's not all. Apparently, men had a higher resistance to Demonic Energy, and could only become Incubi after having sex with a mamono. Memories of the Manticore, Catherine, flooded Mitchell's mind. Seems he dodged a bullet and didn't even realize it. Needless to say, his worry for Arriet and Melissa skyrocketed.

Mitchell stared ahead blankly from these new revelations. Inside, however, was another story.

'WHAT THE FUCK!? I'VE BEEN IN A FUCKING HENTAI WORLD THIS WHOLE TIME!?'

Suddenly, a thought hit Mitchell, and he paused. Both Melissa and Arriet had been around Zullie for extended periods of time. If what he'd heard was true, then why haven't they been affected?

"Hol' up a second," Mitchell said, holding up his hands. He turned to the Dark Mage. "If that's true, then why haven't Arriet and especially Melissa been affected by bein' around ya?"

For some reason, Zullie gave him an evaluating gaze. Or more specifically, his body. After a moment, she looked him in the eyes. "I've been...thinking of this...myself. I believe it...might be because of...your extremely potent...Spirit Energy."

Mitchell stared. "Huh?"

Zullie continued, her gaze serious. "You might not...know this, Mitchell...but your body...emanates a very intense...amount of Spirit Energy." She shook her head, eyeing him with wonder. "It's output is nothing...I've ever seen before. It's so strong...in fact...I believe it may even...insulate you from...Incubization if you...were ever to take...a mamono to bed."

The gears in Mitchell's mind churned at this new information. He blinked slowly. "Okay...so, you're tellin' me I got some kinda Super Spirit Energy, basically?"

"Put simply...yes," Zullie retorted, nodding. To Mitchell's shock, she reached down in between her generous chest and pulled out her pipe. He watched, dumbfounded as she whispered, the end of her pipe lighting up with a barely audible sizzle.

'Okay then. Not only does she have great breasts, they're so great they have their own hammerspace. Good to know,' Mitchell mused. He was honestly impressed.

After a moment, Mitchell snapped out of his distraction. "Wait, that doesn't answer my question, though. How are Arriet and Melissa unaffected?"

Zullie blew a small cloud of pink smoke from her lips. It coalesced into a swallow, flying around them both, the eyes of numerous men nearby following it with surprised looks. It flew away and dissipated as she answered. "I have...a theory. It concerns your…" She smiled in warm amusement. "Super Spirit Energy."

Mitchell felt his face heat up slightly as he shifted on his feet. "Well, let's hear it then, teach."

Zullie froze for a split-second, before giving Mitchell a small, but heart-meltingly cute smile. "Of course. I believe due to...the fact your...energy emanates so...intensely...it is drawn into...whoever is around you. Similar to Demonic Energy...it seeps into their...bodies."

Seeing Mitchell about to interject, the Dark Mage raised a forestalling finger. "However, instead of...corrupting them...it reinforces them...steadily making them...more resilient...like yourself."

Mitchell breathed a sigh in relief. "Well, I gotta say, that's fuckin' fantastic to hear."

Zullie smiled in agreement. "Yes. I think so...too."

Silence ensued once again as Mitchell ruminated over the previous conversation. He idly watched Zullie out the corner of his eye as she slowly but deftly spun her pipe between her fingers.

They both watched as dawn came, the sun slowly but steadily rising through the trees to usher in a new day. Whether it would be for good or ill was anyone's guess.

The people of Toulouse weren't kept waiting long.

"Mamono! At the treeline!"

A guard further down from Mitchell and Zullie pointed at the distant treeline. Everyone quickly rushed to their positions as a single mamono sauntered into view. Mitchell could see the woman's seductive swagger as she strode from the forest like a wraith.

That wasn't what Mitchell focused on, however. Her skin was a light blue, much like the Asari from Mass Effect. Her ears were pointed, and she had bat-like wings sprouting from her lower back. Intricate black horns with red tips jutted up from her head, and even from such a distance, Mitchell could see she had black sclera with blood-red irises.

The defenders tensed as she grinned at the sight of them. Everyone held their breath as the mamono's wings unfurled ostentatiously. The woman raised her hands, as if preparing to conduct an orchestra, and from behind her, seemingly hundreds of mamono joined her from the forest. Numerous types of monsters appeared, from horned horse-women, snake-women, dog-girls, cat-girls—you name it, it was there. Mitchell even saw men among them—he assumed they must've been Incubi.

"Demon..." Zullie muttered. She had a pronounced frown on her face. "This day will be...difficult indeed."

Mitchell merely hummed affirmatively, looking over the many gathered mamono with an analytical gaze. The grip on his crossbow tightened at the many hungry, predatory looks and grins he was witnessing.

"By Hel's bosom…" Brett breathed, grave as death. "How are we going to hold back this tide?"

"We find a way, damnit," Mitchell rebutted, growling. His narrowed eyes carefully began picking out targets. "We got too many people behind us."

Brett took a calming breath before resolving himself. "Right."

Before more could be said, the mamono began to catcall, mockingly calling out to the defending men. Mitchell's teeth clenched behind closed lips. He looked around at the men, seeing their fearful, hesitant expressions. He knew that if someone didn't do something, morale would only fall lower, and they needed everything they could get to have a chance.

Therefore, Mitchell chose to make a statement. He'd start this battle off with a bang. Leaning his crossbow against the wall, the hunter grabbed the rifle. It's do or die time.

Mitchell took a deep breath before placing the rifle on the wall, switching off the safety and aiming down the scope. He attempted to target the Demon, but she had already slipped behind her more eager compatriots. Mitchell didn't want to waste his element of surprise, so he took aim at a giant, dark-skinned horned woman holding a massive axe at the front. He prayed for these bullets to work.

After a moment of carefully adjusting his aim, Mitchell fired. The bullet shot straight and true, blurring through the air at supersonic speed, unheeding of the mamonos' excitement. The dark-skinned mamono's head snapped back as the bullet exited the back of her head, blowing blood and brain matter all over the girls behind her. The girl fell backwards, causing the mamono behind her to instinctively catch her body, lest she crush them with her bodyweight. They yelped in shock at the sudden, violent event.

The echoing report of the rifle was loud as a confused silence settled over everyone, both mamono and human alike. Ignoring the stunned looks from his compatriots, Mitchell pulled the bolt back, ejecting the shell casing. The casing made a pattering sound as it landed on the wooden boards. Seeing that the mamono were stunned and confused, Mitchell quickly shifted his aim towards an honest-to-God spider-woman, seeing a potential high-value target. He was thankful to be aiming away from the sun to avoid causing a telltale glint as he fired yet again.

The spider-woman had been looking over at the scene of the dark-skinned woman's death with wide, surprised eyes when the bullet entered her temple and exited out the side of her head. Blood and brain matter painted her compatriots as the woman's body immediately went limp, like a puppet with its strings cut. Now thoroughly spooked, the mamono near her jumped away in fright.

By the time Mitchell racked the bolt a second time, the combatants on both sides had finally recovered from their shock.

"What are you louts doing!?" Sergeant Boyd roared. He pointed forward at the mamono. "Waiting for a fucking invitation!? Nock!"

The men quickly gathered their wits and notched arrows, some aiming their crossbows. The Demon could be heard yelling in the distance as Boyd gave his next orders. "Draw!"

Zullie wasn't idle. The orb on her staff glowed a faint orange, and the men flinched as the tips of their arrows ignited. Sergeant Boyd, however, didn't question it. "Fire!"

The defenders loosed their arrows, leaving arcs of fire as they flew. The mamono had already begun charging across the open fields at a breakneck pace, but that wouldn't save them from the hellish rain that descended upon them… or so the defenders thought. To their dismay, only a fraction of arrows struck their targets, with most of the rest harmlessly bouncing off of a barrier that covered a wide area of their advance.

"They have a...magic user...among them!" Zullie informed everyone. The men around her all frowned grimly as they drew new arrows. "I will disperse...the barrier! Keep it up...and don't lose hope!"

Mitchell, however, was purely focused on the Demon. She was out in the open, glaring at the town as she gave orders to nearby mamono. He got an idea. "Zullie! Tell me when the barrier drops!"

Zullie nodded, eyes closed in concentration. After a long tense moment, her staff flashed, and there was a sound of distant glass shattering. "It's done!"

Mitchell and the rest of the defenders wasted no time taking advantage of its removal. As arrows flew, Mitchell fired, the rifle bucking against his shoulder as the bullet zipped towards its target. The report of the rifle was almost drowned out by the roaring of the fast approaching mamono. He watched as the bullet bounced violently off of a completely different barrier, ricocheting off into a tree. The Demon jerked at the acute ping caused by the impact.

Mitchell growled. Looks like that Demon wasn't stupid after all. "Of course it's not that easy."

"It was a good attempt," Brett replied tersely, drawing another arrow. "Whatever that weapon is, it's certainly effective. Seems it's got that wench spooked."

Mitchell said nothing as he assessed the situation. The mamono had taken casualties judging from the perforated and burning bodies left behind by the advancing horde. It wasn't nearly enough however. The mamono were about to come up on the river and bridge leading up to the front gate, so Mitchell had another idea. He turned to Zullie, who had ignited the defenders' arrows once more. "Zullie! Can you do anythin' to stall or injure 'em with the river?"

Zullie seemed to understand where Mitchell was going with the idea and quickly nodded, closing her eyes in concentration. After a moment, she was ready.

Just as the mamono arrived at the river, Zullie's eyes opened with her staff orb glowing blue. The numerous types of mamono attempted to leap over the river only for a wall of water to erupt from under them, the force of the eruption launching them high into the air before making some very painful looking landings. Some, however, burst through the obstruction, angry and thoroughly drenched.

Mitchell refused to be dismayed. If anything, the defense was going far better than he had anticipated. Apparently, his fellow defenders agreed with his unspoken sentiment, looking much more confident at seeing the mamono being held at bay, though some still looked tense.

The mamono drew closer to the gate, but their numbers had dropped a decent amount. Mitchell aimed the rifle at a black-haired horse-woman, carefully leading his shot. Seeing her beeline straight to the gate, he fired. He managed to hit her center mass, causing her to clutch at her chest and stumble forward, her human body slamming into the ground before her horse body promptly rolled over her. A few mamono directly behind her collided with her tumbling body, causing a small pile-up with others dodging their pained comrades.

Knowing the rifle would become a liability in close quarters, Mitchell slung the rifle over his shoulder and hurriedly switched to his crossbow. He had fired at a flame-eyed dog-girl, and was reloading when they received news.

A runner sprinted up the stairs, sweat pouring down his face and neck as he panted. "Miss Zullie! You're needed at the side gate! The mamono have encircled the town and the captain wants you there!"

Zullie gave Mitchell a long, worried look before closing her eyes, concentrating. "Very well." Her staff's orb glowed blue as a blue-green barrier shimmered into existence before the front gate just as the mamono slammed into it. "That will...buy you some time. Make it count...boys."

The defenders who had heard her words all nodded, firing another wave of arrows. Mitchell stared at Zullie, dead serious. "Take care of yourself, Zullie."

Zullie nodded, warmth warring with worry in her eyes. "I will. Please remember...to do the same." Without waiting for a response, her staff flashed, and she was gone.

With their heavy hitter gone, Mitchell and the defenders were grim-faced as they faced the mamono once more. Sounds of loud banging and feminine roars drowned out the ensuing battle—defenders desperately fending off the monstrous invaders seeking dominion over a new realm.

Mitchell didn't know how long they'd fought off these persistent monsters. He'd stopped counting the minutes when the bird-girls came into play. Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, Mitchell couldn't prevent a few men from being plucked from the wall and carried away. And what's worse, a few bird-girls bypassed the wall entirely, heading straight into town.

On top of that, a number of mamono along the wall had even leapt up amidst the defenders, forcing them to draw their weapons and fight in close quarters. They had managed to defend themselves, but barely, as a number of men had been taken. After what seemed like hours of tense, precarious fighting, another runner sprinted up the stairs, huffing like he'd run a marathon.

"Sergeant! The captain has ordered everyone to fall back!"

Sergeant Boyd, Brett, Mitchell and even a few nearby men all turned from the battle to give the man an incredulous look. "What!? Why!?"

The runner grimaced, and opened his mouth to retort before his eyes abruptly widened at something behind them.

Immediately, Brett whipped around, swinging his bow just in time for it to smash the face of an orange-haired cat-girl. The girl's head snapped to the side with a grunt of pain, blood shooting from her nose as her grip on the wall loosened. When she reached for her face, Mitchell stepped forward, slamming the butt of his crossbow into her head. Her claws left deep scratches in the wood as she fell into the mob of mamono below.

"M-Mamono have been infiltrating the town from the lake, and the back gate isn't going to hold for much longer," the runner hurriedly reported. He winced upon hearing a particularly loud banging from the front gate. "It might already have if I'm being brutally honest. Things looked… grim when I was last there."

"Well? What're we waiting for!?" Kurt growled from nearby. He fired his crossbow at an ambitious frog-girl as she leapt up at them. The bolt pierced her chest, halting her momentum and sending her back to ground. "What's the point of defending the walls when mamono are already inside!?"

Before anyone could retort, there was a loud shattering sound, followed by the mamono yelling in enthusiasm. Faces paled as they realized Zullie's barrier had been broken. Almost immediately, the loud banging increased in volume, a very worrying splintering sound following each impact.

Mitchell withheld any opinions he might've had as he saw Sergeant Boyd's expression twist in anger. "Dammit all!" He turned his attention to the other men. "Everyone, we're falling back! Now!"

Mitchell wasted no time whatsoever sprinting down the stairs to street level. He took three steps at a time as Brett and Kurt joined him. More men hurried down the sets of stairs as the feminine roaring increased in volume.

The hunter and his compatriots hauled ass down the street before Mitchell looked back towards the wall to see opportunistic mamono climbing over. Said mamono lunged and tackled any man who hadn't retreated in time. With the immediate mamono threat distracted, Mitchell and his comrades were free to make their escape.

Sergeant Boyd yelled his orders as he ran alongside his men. "Stay in formation and head to the second defense line! We'll hold them off at the town square perimeter!"

As the men ran, Mitchell had a nagging feeling that he should stop by the library just in case. Thankfully, the library was just down the street, so he decided to follow his gut feeling. As Mitchell and his group passed by an alleyway, a snake-woman suddenly lunged from between the two buildings, tackling a man directly behind them. A couple of nearby men attempted to run the woman through with their spears, but the snake-woman swept their legs out from under them with her thick tail before carrying the desperately struggling man into another alley and out of sight. Growing more paranoid, the other men kept running with grave and anxious expressions.

Witnessing the event only worsened the awful feeling Mitchell had by multitudes. The library was near, and after giving the men an apologetic look, he peeled off from the group. Without hesitation, he leapt onto the porch and shouldered the door open with his momentum. "Melissa! Are ya here!?"

To Mitchell's horror, he received a response. "I'm here!"

The hunter watched as Melissa hurried down the stairs two at a time, carrying a large traveling bag at her waist. He noticed the bayonet sheathed at her hip. The woman had a very tense, worried expression as she hurriedly crossed the room towards him.

Unwilling to waste any time, Mitchell grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the street. Once out in the open, they broke out into a dead sprint.

Mitchell finally voiced his bafflement. "Melissa, what the fuck are you still doin' here!? Why haven't ya evacuated yet!?"

Before the woman could answer, they both heard a distant crashing, and a triumphant roar echoing through the streets immediately after. Mitchell picked up the pace, with Melissa almost stumbling over herself after him.

"W-Well," Melissa began, trying her best to keep up with Mitchell's breakneck pace. "The evacuation isn't going quite as planned. The crystal we use for teleportation is a lot more unstable compared to other crystals, so they have to take it slow." Her lips pursed. "At least, that was what we were told."

"Oh fantastic," Mitchell retorted, his voice dripping with scathing sarcasm. "Our escape plan is a faulty crystal. Just what we needed!"

Melissa squeezed his hand. "We'll make it through this, Mitchell. Don't worry." Her expression, however, showed that she wasn't one-hundred percent sure of what she said.

As the duo ran, they flinched when they heard a scream before it was abruptly cut off. Mitchell faltered when he realized it came from a building to their left just ahead of them. It was the tailor's shop.

Melissa gasped before slapping a hand over mouth. "Christine!" She whisper-shouted.

The memory of the kind woman who had made his clothes flashed through Mitchell's mind as he assessed the situation in an instant. The town was now completely breached, meaning time wasn't on their side. Somebody that he and Melissa knew was currently in trouble. Someone who would take precious time saving.

To him, the choice was obvious.

"Stay quiet and stay close," Mitchell hissed, pulling Melissa with him toward the building. He saw that the door was wide open, so he drew his revolver. He made sure to make as little noise as possible as they both entered the building.

The duo noticed the main room looked like a struggle had taken place. Furniture was overturned, and a commotion could be heard in the backroom. Mitchell readied his weapon and quickly hurried over, with Melissa staying close. Mitchell wasted no more time and viciously kicked the door open. The sight that met his eyes made his blood boil.

The tailor, Christine, laid on the floor, held down by a dark-skinned mamono with a single wing and horn sprouting from her right side. Christine's knee-length skirt had been ripped open, with another, similar dark-skinned mamono pulling down her pants. The mamono turned to see who had entered, but Mitchell was already aiming.

The hunter fired, and the mamono holding the tailor down died as a bullet entered her left eye, blowing the brains out the back of her head. Mitchell quickly switched targets, cocking the hammer back as the other dark-skinned mamono shot to her feet. She needn't have bothered. Before she could do anything more, the next bullet tore through her throat, obliterating her trachea and killing her instantly.

For a moment, all was silent. Then, Melissa hurried forward, kneeling before the stunned, shaken tailor. She quickly pulled the woman's pants up before helping her to her feet.

"Thank the gods, we made it just in time," Melissa breathed in relief. She hugged the woman tightly.

Christine instantly returned the hug, sobbing. "T-Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"I hate to be that guy, but we need to move, ladies," Mitchell emphasized, reloading his revolver. He pocketed the empty casings as he took a peek through the door past the store window. After seeing a dog-girl lope past, he turned to the tailor. "You got a back way we can use? The main street is a no-go."

"Y-Yes, I do. I-I know a way to the square using the alleyways, so I could lead you there," Christine offered shakily. She stepped away from Melissa, wiping her eyes before turning to Mitchell with gratitude swimming in her gaze. "Thank you."

"Thank me when we're outta here, miss," Mitchell replied tersely. His gaze was serious as he waved the women to the hallway. "Let's move."

With the women sticking to him like glue, Mitchell led them out the back entrance. Upon stepping into the narrow alleyway, Christine quickly began leading them through the surprisingly maze-like back alleys. They took care to avoid the main street, hearing harrowing screams and pleasured moans in the air. The new group was alert as they snuck through what they now realized was enemy territory. They occasionally saw furiously shaking curtains in windows and heard muffled thumping through the walls of homes.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. Toulouse had all but fallen, with an unstable crystal being their only hope of escape.

After a couple of tense minutes of sneaking through dirty back alleys, the trio finally came upon the town square. Melissa and Christine both breathed heavy sighs of relief at the sight of guards in formation. One guard noticed them emerge from the alley, before promptly waving them over past their formation.

Mitchell and the women hurried over, and the guard spoke. "Is it just you three? Are there any more?" He noticed Christine's state of dress, but tactfully didn't say anything.

"It's just us. We were...too late for the others," Melissa answered. She shook her head solemnly. Christine shifted uncomfortably.

The guard frowned grimly. "I see…" He waved them towards the church some distance away. "Go on and head inside. There aren't too many left to evacuate."

"Thank the Lord," Mitchell growled. He holstered his revolver before turning to the women. "You heard 'im. Go on. I'll stick around to help the defense a bit longer."

Melissa bit her lip, eyeing Mitchell worriedly. "Are you sure?"

Mitchell nodded, resolute. "Yeah. I'm sure. Seein' all this happenin's just pissin' me off."

Christine looked at him with concern as Melissa sighed. "Alright then." She gave him a serious look. "If things get bad, you better come in there with us, Mitch."

Mitchell raised his hands in a conceding gesture. "I will, Melissa. Don't worry."

"I can't help but worry in this situation," Melissa muttered as she and Christine made their way to the church.

Mitchell sighed deeply. Why did this have to happen? He shook his head as he looked past the perimeter the guards had set up. To Mitchell's slight surprise, a fair amount of mamono bodies were present. He turned to the unnamed guard. "Give it to me straight. How bad's the situation?"

"Bad," The man answered flatly. He gestured to the bodies littering the entrances to the square. "We only managed to get this much thanks to that Dark Mage. Without her our situation would be far more dire."

Mitchell breathed out a small sigh of relief. "Thank God. Not gonna lie, I'll be fucking pissed if somethin' happens to her."

"Thank you...for saying so."

Mitchell turned around to see Zullie standing there, smiling warmly. She seemed tired, but he could tell that she was still ready to act at a moment's notice. That simple fact, and the sight of her warm smile, elicited a sudden urge within him to hug her.

'...Fuck it.'

Mitchell gently grabbed her arm and pulled the Dark Mage into an embrace, to her immense, yet pleasant surprise. He patted her back as Zullie's warm smile turned gentle, reaching around his back and holding him close. Oh, she was definitely going to savor this moment.

Unfortunately for Zullie, the moment ended far too soon as Mitchell pulled away with a smirk. He patted her arms. "Consider that a reward for all your hard work today."

Zullie's eyes twinkled. She gratefully squeezed his arms in return. "I see. Thank you...for your...consideration."

"Ah. No hug for me?"

A warm, teasing voice spoke. A voice that caused relief to flood Mitchell's body.

Arriet strode towards the two, wearing an equally relieved expression as she drew near. "Thank goodness you made it."

"Yep. What a hectic day it's been, huh?" Mitchell reached out towards her with his arm, waving her over. "The offer's still open, y'know. Get over here, you."

Arriet's stride quickened and, to Mitchell's and Zullie's amusement, she almost hopped towards him. Without any hesitation, Mitchell brought her into an embrace. He didn't give a single damn what anyone might've thought, after the day they all had, he felt they both deserved this.

After a long moment, they released each other. Arriet gave him an approving smile. "Miss Springfield told me about what happened. Well done on saving that woman, Mitchell."

Zullie looked at Mitchell curiously as he shrugged, rubbing his neck. "Eh, well, I couldn't just leave 'er to get turned." He looked around the area. He noticed it was quiet. A little too quiet.

In fact, Mitchell hadn't seen or heard a single mamono since they'd arrived at the town square. The mamono had to know they were here, so why weren't they attacking? He turned to Arriet and Zullie. "For a town under siege, it's gotten way too quiet, don't y'all think? Somethin's up."

"I agree," Arriet concurred. She surveyed the area with narrowed eyes. "This inactivity is certainly unnatural."

Zullie simply hummed affirmatively as she eyed the numerous alleyways leading to the square.

Mitchell frowned, carefully analyzing his surroundings with keen eyes. He saw there was a two-story building beside the church that offered a nice, elevated position and a clear view of the square, with unobscured sightlines of the main street and a few alleyways. He supposed it was time to get back down to business.

"Alright. I'm gonna take position on that buildin' to provide overwatch," Mitchell stated, pointing out said building to the girls. "If y'all need me to come down in case of retreat or otherwise, just gimme this signal." He made a horizontal circling motion with his right hand, index finger pointing up.

Zullie blinked at the odd motion, but Arriet nodded. "Very well. But be ready." Arriet's eyes narrowed in suspicion at the empty streets. "I have no doubt they're planning something as we speak."

"They are," Zullie affirmed. A frown marred her visage as she stared down the main street. "They're absolutely...planning an attack. It will...happen soon. I'm certain...of it."

"Then let's not waste any time," Mitchell said matter-of-factly. He turned towards the building before looking back at the girls. "Y'all go do whatcha need to. Y'know where to find me."

Hearing their affirmations, Mitchell hurried over to his chosen sniper's nest. He stepped up onto the porch before grabbing the lip of the awning. Pulling himself up, he stepped around towards the side of the building before unslinging his rifle. Laying flat on his stomach, he brought the rifle to bear. Recalling how many shots he'd fired earlier, he removed the last round and placed it in his ammo pouch before inserting a fresh, five-round clip.

However, after he did so, Mitchell switched to his crossbow. Switching on the safety, Mitchell set the rifle to the side. For some strange reason, he felt that he should use the crossbow for this. Running out of ammunition was a concern, and the crossbow was infinitely quieter.

Settling into his position, Mitchell surveyed the area. He saw Arriet exchanging words with Iosef some distance away. Somewhat surprisingly, Zullie was speaking with a group of guards nearby. Mitchell was glad to see Brett and Kurt there among them—they seemed like good folks.

A few eerily quiet minutes followed before movement could be seen from the main street. Everyone tensed and readied their weapons as the mamono came into sight. Strangely, they weren't rushing forward as they were wont to do, but instead were advancing towards them in an almost… orderly fashion. Mitchell peered through his scope, assessing the incoming force. What he saw made his skin crawl with rage.

At the head of the mamono, Sir Armaud sat mounted on the back of a black-haired, horned horse-woman. Both looked smug about something, what it was Mitchell didn't have a clue. In fact, the more he looked at the approaching mamono, he saw that they all looked smug and self-assured.

Mitchell wondered why that was, and he took a quick look around. To his horror, he saw numerous mamono lurking on the rooftops lining the far side of the square from his position. In an instant, he realized the mamonos' plan. They used the obvious, orderly approach to keep the defenders attention while the rest would attack them from above! Those fuckers!

Clenching his teeth, Mitchell saw that neither Arriet nor Zullie had noticed the hidden assailants. A sudden thought struck him. That soul-link thing! Maybe he could warn Zullie without giving away his position. Problem was, this was a complete Hail Mary, because he didn't even know how to do it, or if it would work at all.

'Oh, fuck it all!' Mitchell growled. He took a chance and poured all of his worry and alarm into his next thought. 'ZULLIE! LOOK UP!'

It worked.

Zullie's eyes went wide before her head snapped upwards, her gaze whipping around urgently. As her searching gaze found the now not-quite-hidden mamono on the rooftops, her body went rigid. "The rooftops! Ambush!" She yelled, tapping the butt of her staff against the cobblestone.

A very large, domed, blue-green shield shimmered into existence as the mamono lunged. Dull thumps could be heard as the mamono bounced off the shield, and the defenders hurried backwards from the shield, forming up again.

"By the gods, you're the best investment I've ever made, Dark Mage!" Iosef praised, a rare note of gratitude in his gruff voice. "Men! Form up around the church entrance! Let them tire out against the barrier!"

Unfortunately, before anyone could do anything, the barrier suddenly cracked and shattered like glass. Following the barrier's sudden destruction, the now recovered mamono lunged en masse. They fell upon the men in a tide, gleeful howls loosing from their lips as the ones approaching from the main street charged forward to join the fray.

Mouth drawing into a narrow line, Mitchell's eyes quickly searched for a potential target. Luckily, he happened to glance up towards the rooftops and saw a young girl with a broom standing on the lip of a building. When Mitchell saw her fire a purple orb into the crowd of defenders, causing their bodies to lock up and fall over, he immediately took aim. He had a feeling this girl was one of the big reasons the town fell.

Seeing her mouth something, Mitchell took a breath, and fired. He held his breath, praying that this bitch wasn't shielded by anything as the arrow blurred through the air towards its target. His prayers were answered yet again.

The arrow flew steady and true, impaling the girl's chest clean through. The impact knocked her off the side of the building as if a giant hand had swatted her. As she fell out of sight, Mitchell released the breath he was holding, turning his attention to the battle.

Arriet could be seen amidst the chaos, dancing across the battlefield as her sword left deadly silver aftertrails. As Arriet locked blades with a cat-girl with an Aztec war club of all things, Zullie swung her staff at an incubus. The orb connected with the man's face and it flashed, launching the man high into the air, tumbling end over end like a ragdoll as he disappeared behind a nearby building.

When Iosef roared the order to fall back inside the church, Mitchell knew it was time to move. He quickly collected his things and hopped down to the ground, taking off running.

As he turned the corner of the church building, Mitchell heard a voice in the distance amidst the fighting that caused his heart to drop. "Hubby~! I can smell you~!"

"Ah shit." Mitchell groaned, grimacing. He quickened his pace when he saw Zullie swing her staff.

Mamono were blasted through the air, an invisible force slamming into them in tandem with the swing of her staff. Mitchell, seeing an opening, sprinted forward and grabbed Zullie's arm before pulling her to the church doorway. Arriet joined them, backing away in a ready position, blood dripping from her sword.

Once everyone who was left from the battle was inside, guards quickly started barricading the doorway with pews and whatever they could move. A small crowd of civilians were gathered around a fifteen foot, glowing blue crystal, looking very worried. Mitchell backed away from the door, gaining distance when very loud banging began emanating from the doorway.

Without a word, Melissa hurried over to Mitchell and pulled him back towards the crowd. Arriet took a defensive position in front of said crowd, grim-faced as she readied herself for battle. Zullie stepped beside the former Hero, her staff glowing. When a blue-green shield appeared before the door, the Dark Mage took a deep breath.

Taking a look around, Mitchell saw that out of all the men who were defending the square, only a quarter were left roughly. And that was a generous estimate. There were a few faces he recognized like Sergeant Boyd, Brett, Kurt, Mikhail, and Iosef, but that was it. They all formed a defensive wall in front of the civilians, who were now urgently teleporting away every minute or so, one or two at a time.

When the loud banging stopped, the air was thick with tension as the sole mamono and remaining townsfolk waited. A full minute passed as nothing happened, with one or two more people making their escape. Then it happened.

The doors to the church groaned as the wood seemed to pull inward. The furniture barricading the doorway began to quiver violently as it was suddenly pulled flush against the entrance. Wood cracked and splintered, before suddenly, the doorway imploded, ripping the doors off their hinges and sucking them outside. The barricaded pews and furniture were sucked outside with it, as if being pulled into a powerful vortex. The giant, colored glass window above the doorway shattered, raining broken glass around the church entrance.

Sunlight poured in through the window and doorway, highlighting several approaching figures. Everyone tensed as two people entered the church, both of whom caused Mitchell's blood to boil. Sir Armaud strode in as if he owned the place, looking smug and confident. Catherine the Manticore leapt through the doorway after him, her slitted yellow eyes flitting across the gathered townsfolk.

Zullie's staff glowed as she hastily erected a new barrier at the church entrance, barring more mamono from entering. Sir Armaud scoffed at the action. "A futile gesture at best. The town has fallen, and you will fall as well."

"So you've turned against your own kind, Sir Armaud?" Iosef stated more than inquired. He gave the man a disgusted look. "Hel take you, traitor."

Sir Armaud ignored him, his gaze solely on Arriet. Arriet met his gaze stoically, her blade unwavering. The girl's attention was snared, however, with what Catherine said next. "There you are, Hubby! Now I can finally make you mine!"

Eyeing Mitchell hungrily from where she stood, Catherine licked her lips. The spines on her tail bristled and she snarled when Zullie stood in her path. "Oh. You again. I've been waiting for this, man-stealer."

Zullie silently glared, ready to act at a moment's notice. Mitchell, however, didn't intend to stand around. When he had felt Melissa squeeze his arm worriedly, and upon seeing the hopeless, fearful expressions of the townsfolk, anger surged through him at the situation. Like hell he was gonna do nothing while his friends fought for everyone's sake. He assessed the situation.

Mitchell had noticed that both Sir Almond and Catherine were sufficiently distracted. Catherine clearly had it out for Zullie, and Sir Almond seemed fixated on Arriet. Even now, he still hadn't taken his eyes off of her.

Mitchell was currently standing behind two men, and had his crossbow lowered but ready to fire. He knew that if he made any sudden gesture he'd likely draw the enemies' attention. So, he decided a little team effort was in order. He slowly leaned forward between the two men. "Guys, do not look at me, just listen. I want you two to slowly move over to block their view of me, okay? When I say to move, do it equally slowly, alright?"

To Mitchell's relief, both men nodded, despite seeming confused at his request. When both men inched into position, Mitchell kneeled and rested his crossbow on the top of a pew. He ultimately decided to kill Sir Almond the Traitor. "Ready, guys."

The men slowly inched over, and Mitchell quickly took aim. He was honestly stunned that nothing had happened yet. He thanked his lucky stars that Almond was a Grade-A Simp for Arriet, otherwise this wouldn't work. Catherine looked ready to rumble though, so he knew this was his only chance. Without another second to spare, he fired.

Ironically, just as Sir Armaud opened his mouth to speak, Mitchell's arrow impaled his right eye, killing him instantly. Coincidentally, the same moment Sir Armaud perished, Catherine finally acted, lunging at Zullie. Zullie was ready for her however, and swung her staff sharply, an invisible force slapping the Manticore to the side. Catherine righted herself instantly, but forgot a crucial fact of battle.

Never tunnel vision on an enemy.

Catherine's wings spread wide, and she prepared to lunge once more, only to have a silver flash take her tail clean off. Catherine yowled in agony, but in the next instant, her wings were cleaved from her back as Arriet's blade whistled, leaving a deadly aftertrail. Despite the fire that could be felt throughout her body, the Manticore whipped around to face the former Hero.

Catherine turned just in time for Arriet's boot to slam into her chest, sending her flying across the room. Without her wings and tail to right herself, Catherine was helpless as Zullie thrust her staff forward, a brightly glowing, blue-green blade forming from the orb as it impaled her clean through the chest. Catherine hissed a ragged, agonized breath as the blade dissipated. She looked over at Mitchell, who watched with a wide-eyed gaze as the life drained from her eyes.

For a moment, all was silent. Then, Arriet swung her blade, ridding it of blood before turning to the townsfolk, grave-faced. "We must leave now. To stay any longer is to invite further disaster."

Mitchell found himself nodding along with her words. He turned to the crowd. "I absolutely agree. We can't afford to be cautious anymore. We gotta go."

A man spoke up from the crowd. "How do you expect us to do that!? We can't send too many people at once or it'll overload! It's too unstable!"

Surprisingly, Iosef agreed with Arriet and Mitchell. "No. If we stay here any longer, we're doomed. We're damned if we do, damned if we don't." He pointed at the crystal in emphasis. "Best to choose the option that might get us all out of here."

"Or you could listen to what I have to say."

Everyone froze as an unfamiliar voice spoke up. Arriet, Zullie, Mitchell, and the remaining guards whipped around, their weapons in a ready position.

The sight of a white-haired girl in a white sundress greeted them, a white sun hat laden with roses sitting atop her head. She leaned nonchalantly against the destroyed doorpost. That wasn't the unnerving part, though. She had intricate horns poking through her hat with large, white and pink wings furled behind her back. A thick, spade-tipped white tail swayed back and forth, as if showing amusement at the looks of horror being directed at her. Her eyes were a bright red with black sclera. To top the picture off, she had a teasing, mischievous smile on her unbelievably pretty face.

Arriet immediately stepped forward to defend the civilians at the sight of the woman. It was when Mitchell saw Zullie glaring at the unknown woman with unrestrained loathing that he knew the situation just went from bad, to FUBAR.

Zullie stepped up beside Arriet, pointing her staff at the intruder with her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Tenth Born...why are you...here?"

The Tenth Born stood from her leaning position, slightly irritated as she looked towards the Dark Mage. "I have a name, you know. But that's fine." She shrugged. "I was just passing by on my way to see my sister when a little bird told me there was a town nearby being raided by my sister's forces. Naturally, I was curious, so I came to see what all the fuss was about."

The girl's gaze homed in on Mitchell, growing mischievous. "I wasn't expecting to find someone so intriguing, though, so I'm very glad I did."

Mitchell felt an immense wave of dread and unease wash over him at the girl's intense stare. The girl walked forwards, her hips sashaying in an inherently seductive manner. She stopped a few meters away, unphased by the multitude of weapons pointed her way.

"I'm Marianne, the Tenth Born daughter of the Demon Lord Lilith, but you may call me Mari," The girl, Mari, stated with a small smirk. "You don't have to worry about the girls outside, by the way. I've asked them to stay put." She threw her hair back, nonchalant. "I have a proposal to make, and I don't want them interrupting this."

Despite Mari's assurance, Zullie's staff glowed, creating another barrier in the doorway. Mari rolled her eyes at the action. "Believe it or not, I actually don't mind if you leave right now. My business here isn't with you people anyway." She glanced at Mitchell.

"What do you mean?" Arriet asked, glaring. Her body was tense like a coiled viper, ready to explode into motion at a moment's notice.

Mari placed her hands on her hips. "It means that there's a catch to my generosity. I'm willing to let you all go if he—" she pointed at Mitchell, "—comes with me. I want him. I'll even go so far as to keep the girls here in town from coming in after you. You have my word as a Lilim."

"How very...magnanimous...of you," Zullie hissed. Her normally warm eyes glowed as she glared at the Lilim. "You ask us to...abandon a friend...because you want him...and you have the...gall...to call it generosity?" The grip on her staff tightened harshly. "You said much...the same...in Vamore. The word of a…liar...is worth nothing...at all."

Mari froze for a split-second at Zullie's scathing words. She studied the Dark Mage intently for a moment before narrowing in recognition. "Ah, yes. I remember you now." She scowled. "Please don't ruin my good mood. Just like the last time you got in my way, it won't turn out well for you."

The crowd stepped back instinctively when Mari raised a hand in emphasis, purple electricity crackling around her arm. "If you really don't like it that much, I could always rescind my offer and transform all of you here and now if you want. My sister has been dying to get her hands on you, in particular, Silver Tracer."

Arriet's grip on her blade tightened, a bead of sweat running down the side of her neck. Zullie's teeth clenched behind closed lips.

At that moment, Mitchell realized this all came down to him. No matter what they did, Mari was going to come out on top. Might as well choose the option to save as many people as possible...right?

Seeing the situation deteriorating rapidly, Mitchell heaved a defeated sigh. When he noticed he had Mari's attention, he placed his weapons on the ground before walking towards her. He raised his arms in a surrendering motion as he approached. "Fucking goddamn it."

Mari blinked in surprise when Mitchell walked past the now very alarmed Arriet and Zullie. "Oh? Is someone actually being sensible for once?"

Mitchell sighed a ragged breath, giving the girl an angry stare. "You want me, lady? Fine." He pointed to the stunned townsfolk. "They get to leave now."

Mari smiled in approval. "Well then! It seems you have a good head on your shoulders. I'm so happy you see it my way!"

"Mitchell, wait! You mustn't do this!" Arriet stepped forward, biting her lip, protest in her eyes.

Mitchell stepped past the grinning Mari with a defeated look. He sat down in a pew behind her before turning his attention to everyone. He caught sight of Melissa's horrified expression and suppressed a guilty wince. "I don't see how this is even a debate," he said with a sigh. "Y'all need to go while she's still in her good mood." He shook his head.

Arriet looked utterly stricken. Mitchell felt a knife dig into his heart at the sight. "Mitch...I–"

"No! I won't...allow this!" Zullie rebutted fiercely. She stepped forward with her glowing staff directed at the Lilim. "I won't let her...take what's important to me...again!"

Mari whipped her gaze back to the Dark Mage. "Oh really?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she raised her arm at Zullie. Purple electricity jumped and sparked on her arm. "You know what? You're really annoying me. I think I'll just deal with you now and be done with it!"

BANG

Blood erupted from Mari's chest as she staggered forward. A bolt of purple shot wildly from her hand and impacted the crystal, causing its glow to flicker. The entire church grew deathly silent as Mari fell to her knees, clutching her chest with weak gasps. At hearing footsteps, Mari weakly turned her head to the side only to stare down the business end of Mitchell's revolver.

"W-Wha-"

BANG

Everyone watched as Mitchell blew the brains out the back of Mari's head. Glaring angrily at the corpse, Mitchell growled. "As if, demon bitch."

Turning towards a dumbstruck Arriet and Zullie, Mitchell saw them both staring wide-eyed. "I had to make her think I was joinin' her. Sorry if I scared ya."

Arriet gaped. "Y-You absolutely did! Please don't ever do that again!" Zullie nodded emphatically, her brows creased in worry.

Mitchell was about to respond when Iosef finally broke out of his shock. "What are you all standing around gawking for!? We need to leave! Now!" He gave Mari's body a strangely worried look.

The citizens jumped at his roar, pulled out of their shocked stupor as they began huddling around the crystal.

Still reeling from the last few minutes, Arriet looked at Mitchell as she strode towards the crystal. "We'll be heading to Salvarision, so you should prepare yourself, Mitchell. What you just did is...unprecedented."

Following after her, Mitchell made to respond, but then it happened.

CRACK

Everyone froze at the loud, sudden noise. They all looked up to see a very large crack on the now glowing crystal. Bright blue light poured out from the crack, traveling up the length of the structure.

CRACKCRICKCRACK

Mitchell stared wide-eyed. "Uh… oh shit."

The church interior was brightly lit by the intense glow of the crystal. The sounds of cracking grew louder as the terrified townsfolk began to panic.

Zullie's staff flashed brightly. Quickly casting a blue, translucent dome shield that shimmered into existence over everyone, she and Arriet turned worriedly to the frozen hunter. "Mitchell! Hurry!"

Without a word, Mitchell took off at a dead sprint for the shield. As the crystal bathed the church in intense light, he snatched up his fallen weapons. His heart pounded in his throat as he saw his friends' fearful expressions. His heart leapt fearfully when he heard a very sharp crack and the sound of something shattering. He lunged for the shield as he was swallowed by light.