There was a ringing in his ear. The voices of everyone and the sound of everything else felt like a mind numbing high pitched tone that overwhelmed anything else in his head. Nabel couldn't believe what he's seeing.

  He stared at the half eaten body right across from him. The body that used to belong to one of his closests friends, someone he had traveled with for years, ate with, spent time with, drank with, and lived with.

  She was gone.

  Eaten.

  By the monster before them.

  “A–Alina…” Lee’s voice shivered. “H-Hey—This—this can't be real right?”

  “No—No! No! No!” Hotaru’s face filled with dread and her grip on her bde loosened.

  “Fuck—shit! This is a joke—This has got to be—” Lee took a step back, a primal fear setting in her chest.

  “Alina…My Alina…” Hotaru’s cheeks turned wet with tears. “H-How dare you! WHAT DID YOU DO!” She screamed at the giant who stared at them with instinctive curiosity.

  “H-Hotaru—She’s…She's not dead yet right?” A hopeful stifling ugh of denial escaped Lee’s lips. “There's a way to get her back right

  “I–I–” Nabel tried to speak but everything around him was a blur. He gnced at the bear beastwoman next to him and saw a determined anger in her eye.

  “I’LL KILL YOU!!!” Hotaru charged forward with reckless abandon.

  “HOTARU DON'T!” Nabel screamed as she ran ahead, drawing her bde.

  The snake eyed her suspiciously. It made sure to watch her every move as she got closer. It then lunged towards her with its jaw gaping hoping to catch her between its mouth.

  Hotaru managed to dodge the initial strike when a bright fsh of light blinded the beast as she leapt high up using her natural beastwoman capabilities. She propelled herself up in the air and nded gracefully on the snake’s head.

  “HOTARU!” Nabel yelled for her to come back and he tried rushing in himself; however, his body twitched in pain and gave up on him before he could even take one step. He was entirely paralyzed from using too much lightning magic on his body.

  “Nabel!” Lee immediately rushed to his aid and carried him in her arms. She turned her gaze towards the bear woman who ran across the snake’s back with unquelble rage.

  Hotaru dragged her bde, her implement, across the demonic beast’s back. The bde cnged along the soft yet thick and tough hide of the serpent.

  She tried to force the weapon to slice through the gaps of the scales but no matter how hard she tried, it simply bounced right off.

  “Shit!” Hotaru yelled as her foot slipped on the smooth back of the serpent that gave the opening for the beast to shake her off.

  “Hraahsssss~” The snake hissed as it filed its body in a way that sent Hotaru barrelling up the sky.

  “HOTARU!” Nabel almost vomited out his lungs with how much he screamed.

  The gigantic demonic beast, the familiar of the demon king, Favaros, twisted its body and with astonishing speed and strength smmed the lower half of its body onto the falling beastwoman.

  For a split second, the world around her seemed to slow down. She gazed at the crushing blow that was about to make its way directly to her.

  Hotaru gnced towards the trees and met eyes with Bruce, who had his bow drawn. She pursed her lips and shook her head. Her eyes turned towards the dead body of her elven friend, split in half, alongside the staff they had saved up for and bought together. Her hands wandered to the wand in her waist.

  She remembered it clearly.

  Their painstaking days together stashing cash, refusing meals, and sleeping together in one bedroom just so that they could get Alina that beautiful staff and Hotaru a functional wand.

  “Hey, Hotaru…” The voice of the female elf called from the distant past. “I’ve always wanted to start an orphanage you know?” They were sleeping in the same bed, Bruce and Nabel were together on the floor, and Lee took a whole bed for herself due to her rge body.

  Ah. This conversation. This moment. A couple years back.

  Why was it suddenly pying in her head?

  “What does that have to do with me?” She had replied back then. Oh how Hotaru wished she had treated Alina a bit more softer. Although, the elf girl never really seemed to be put off by this attitude of hers.

  “Hehe. Maybe you could be our protector?” Alina teased as they stared eye to eye, lying down.

  “I’ll think about it.” Hotaru turned away trying to hide her smile.

  The beastwoman regretted that. Maybe if she had shown Alina her smile back then, maybe things between them would've progressed sooner.

  Hotaru wanted to start an orphanage with her. To help the poor young elves and beastmen who are ostracized by the Middle world.

  She wanted to make a home together.

  Her vision returned back to the current scene.

  “Ah.” Hotaru realized her time was up, yet her eyes still gazed at the body of her partner. “I’m sorry, Alina…I love yo—” The tail smmed hard into her body and rocketed towards the rocky side of the cave, where the impact was so powerful it made the whole area give in and crumble, effectively burying and crushing Hotaru if she hadn't already died from the powerful tail swipe.

  “HOTARUUUUU!” Nabel let out with all of his being as he witnessed another friend of his sin in battle.

  “LEE! NABEL!” Bruce dropped down next to them and grit his teeth. “GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, WE HAVE TO RUN!”

  “RAAAAAGHHH!” Nabel’s shaky hands reached for his sword but Lee’s own trembling palms stopped him.

  “We have to go.” She mumbled beneath her tearful face.

  Nabel pursed his lips and closed his eyes, letting the rge girl lift him up on her shoulder.

  Bruce gnced around and noticed the unconscious elf woman they saved right before. She was still alive right in the middle of the field.

  If they get her back out safely, they could probably get information out of her that’ll end up helping the North in how to deal with this monster.

  He used his own speed, although incomparable to Hotaru and especially Nabel, he could still hold his own in a race.

  He slid under the massive body of Favaros and successfully nabbed the body of the elf girl. He gnced at Alina's body which y not that far from the girl. “Shit.” He cursed and turned his eyes away.

  “LET'S GO!” He gestured to go back deeper into the forest with Lee and the brute like woman responded in action.

  They ran with everything they've got.

  They've already lost two of their beloved friends to this beast. They don't want anyone else to die.

  Bruce could hear the rumbling behind them. The demonic monster was definitely chasing them through the forest. Its sheer size sends rge trees tumbling to the ground.

  A shiver runs down his spine as a gut feeling begins to form.

  “Bruce.” Hotaru called to him as they sat by the campfire. Alina asleep next to her and on her shoulder. “Why do you two always end up fighting, you hate her or something?” Her voice sounded so alive.

  “Hate her?” Bruce raised his eyebrow, he paused and looked at everyone around the two of them, sleeping. They were standing guard together for the night. “Why would you think that?”

  “I mean, you always end each day screaming and yelling, sometimes I wonder where you even get the energy.”

  Bruce smiled. “I don't hate her. Far from it. I’d do anything for her. You. And everyone here” He shrugged as he kicked some sticks into the fire. “Alina and I just love being loud. Nothing much else to it.”

  Hotaru shrugged right back at him. “Alright then.”

  “Go to sleep “ He stretched his back and stood up. “I’ll be look out for the rest of the night.”

  Bruce blinked. A gripping constricting feeling tightening around his heart. A memory. What was that memory?

  “I’d do anything for all of you.” He whispered to himself as he stared at Lee’s back and Nabel in her arms.

  “Bruce, where to next!?” Lee anxiously yelled behind her waiting for the little man’s answer but there was no response. “Bruce?” She turned behind him only to see his expression.

  A gut wrenching feeling sank in her stomach. “We won't make it.” Bruce bit his lip. “At this rate, we’ll all die.” The sound of the rumbling earth grew louder as the snake loomed closer.

  “Don't please.” Lee’s tears began to run across her cheeks again as they paused for a moment. “Bruce…no—I beg you.”

  “Nabel.” Bruce turned to his friend. The closest friend he’d ever had.

  “OI!” A young boy walked over to the Chamberins only to find a shy young elf boy. “I’VE NEVER SEEN YOU AROUND HERE!?”

  The elf boy sank behind the counter of the shop as he tried to run away. “Eek!”

  “D-Don’t be scared!” The young Bruce panicked. “I just want to talk to you!”

  The elf boy remained in hiding.

  “I’m Bruce! What's yours!?” He pushed himself up the counter to peek at the quivering elf boy.

  “N-Nabel…” The elf answered.

  “Nice to meet you Nabel! Would you like to join my party!” The young boy offered. Of course the party he spoke of was entirely make believe. It would take a couple more years before they would begin the party with Lee and the others.

  Another memory from way back pyed on his mind.

  The current Bruce clenched his fists and handed over the unconscious elf to Lee. “Nabel…you're my closest friend and my leader.” He walked over to him and touched his cheeks and leaned his head so they could touch him. “I need your blessing as I drive that monster away from both of you.”

  Nabel looked at him. Tears wanted to run down his face. He wanted to cry out and tell him no.

  But…

  He knew even if he did, Bruce would still do it no matter what.

  Lee gnced at the two of them, hopeless. “Nabel please, don't let Bruce do this. We just have to run, right?”

  “Bruce.” Nabel looked away from his childhood friend and towards the evergreen ahead. “Thank you.”

  The archer smiled and drew his bow. “Anytime.” The small man then vanished as he ran back the other direction, to divert Favaros away from them.

  “Bruce!” Lee screamed after him. “GODDAMNIT WHY!?” She cursed to the sky.

  Nabel toughened his heart like steel. “LEE! GO!”

  “WE COULD'VE RAN, NABEL! WHY DID YOU LET HIM—”

  “LEE!” He yelled back at her, his face wavering. She could see it. Just how close he was to breaking down. She realized that decision hurt him more than she could ever understand. “Please.”

  “I-I—”

  “It's as you said right—each of us can handle our own.” Nabel met eyes with her. “He’ll make it—I believe in him. So….please, Lee. Let's go.”

  Lee sucked up all her tears, and shifted her hold on Nabel and the unconscious elf. She looked away from where Bruce ran and started sprinting as far away to the opposite direction.

  They could hear the tumbling of the trees and the looking dread of the serpent shift away into a different path. Bruce was successfully leading it away.

  Lee ran. She ran and ran and ran as much as she could without ever looking back.

  “HUWAAAAAAGH!” Tears streamed down her face as she wailed. She ran and ran and ran without stopping for a breath.

  Run.

  Run.

  Run.

  Run as fast as possible.

  Run endlessly.

  Don't. Ever. Look. Back.

  She will not waste Bruce's sacrifice. She will not throw away the stories of those who fell here.

  She would survive and tell the world of Hotaru…Of Alina…Of Bruce. All their stories will not be forgotten.

  She would—-

  Lee stopped in her tracks.

  A nky being stood in front of her. Its skin was tight—like it was simply wrapping itself around solid bone. It was the color of blood, with a sharp pointed chin, and a head shaped like an egg, and a single rge vertical eye staring directly into Lee’s soul.

  It has a crooked smile that stretches from ear to ear, with small sharp teeth traced along its edges. The st thing she noticed was the many horns that stuck out the two sides of its head, almost seemingly in the shape of a crown.

  “What do we have here?” It's raspy voice spoke almost directly into Lee’s ear despite it being a few dozen meters away.

  “It seems some hooligans had gone and woke up the fragment.” A more human voice spoke as a girl appeared from behind the creature.

  She was the most beautiful person Lee had ever id eyes on. Short red locks, emerald green eyes, and a royal robe and dress fitted onto her. She unveiled a fan from her sleeve and covered her lips with it. “Fames, we should probably go and take back the fragment before it causes any more trouble.”

  “Indeed, Your Highness~” The ‘s’ sound the tall nky blood colored figure spoke was drawn out—somewhat like a snake's.

  Lee realizing the danger, put Nabel and the elf down and drew her shield. “Get back!” She bluffed, hoping for the two mysterious beings to leave them alone.

  “Let's go.” The red haired Princess was suddenly right next to her being carried in the arms of the tall nky figure. “You have my approval.” The Princess giggled as they simply walked past Lee and the other two.

  “What just—” Lee looked behind her only to realize the arm she had been using to carry the shield had been cut clean off. Her eyes turned wide and she let out a blood curdling scream as the pain suddenly rushed to her brain in a burst.

  She fell to her knees, her remaining hand trying to keep as much blood from spilling out as possible.

  “Lee!” Nabel called and crawled over to the dismembered woman. “Fuck!” He yelled as he fought through his paralyzed body—just to get to her.

  He couldn't hold it anymore. Tears began flowing down his eyes again. His fingernails drew blood as he dragged them on the dirt. His veins were about to pop from all the effort he was exerting.

  “HAAAH!” Lee tried to calm herself down but her panic was overwhelming her. She gnced at her arm, lopped off to the side. She grabbed it and tried her best to reattach the limb but it didn't work.

  Of course it wouldn't.

  She was simply becoming desperate.

  “Lee!” Nabel finally reached the rge girl, on her knees, doing whatever she could think of in anguish.

  “Nabel—M–My arm…” Her voice was shaking. “My–My arm—” The woman passed out. Either from shock or from blood loss, either way she was nearing her death.

  What could a paralyzed man do at this point?

  He simply sat next to her and embraced her as tight as he could. “Please Lee…it's going to be okay. Stay with me. Please. Not you too. I don't wanna lose you too.” He begged.

  Nabel gnced at the skies. “Please…Goddess. Asmodeus. Laliette. Anyone. I don't care anymore. Please…save us. I'll do anything—” He was choking on his spit, trying to hold on to the st bit of sanity he had left.

  “SOMEONE HELP US!!!” He screamed. All for a hope that someone was listening.