She knelt on the floor, feeling the minds of the four men gone now after her ordeal - her ‘revelation’.

She held her hands over her head and would not open them. She knew what she would see, and she couldn’t stand it. The horror in the eyes of her friends. She understood now why Brand had wanted to die. She did too, but now it was too late. They knew her now. They all knew her, even Brand. She wanted to die, but they wouldn’t forget even if she was dead. At least Brand was still alive.

Then she felt a touch on her shoulder, and a noise in her ears that she didn’t expect.

A hand was on her shoulder. Brand was laughing.

She opened her eyes. She felt the probe of the Mind Flayer, but she pushed it aside, ducking under it.

“What the hell are you laughing at?” she said, looking up at him.

“You. We’re probably all going die or become mind-slaves and your worst sin was kicking a drunk?”

“Brand, you saw. I lost all control! He would be dead today if I hadn’t revived him. Brand, I was an animal. I am an animal!”

“Welcome to the club, Kreet. We are all animals. After what you’ve seen, you still think you are less than us? I love you, but your racial self-loathing is ridiculous.”

“Sorry for everything, Brand. But I love you too, no matter what you did.”

Brand stood up and held Kreet’s hand. Her eyes were glowing bright blue.

“I doubt you will think that way after this, but thanks anyway.” Then he turned to the Mind Flayer, who had been oddly silent.

“Go ahead. Do what you will, Mind Flayer.”

But the thing wasn’t paying him any attention. The tendrils were writhing unusually.

“Something comes… What is it? I can’t see,” it said in their minds but not directed at anyone specifically.

A head appeared in the entrance. A kobold head.

“Big Fire Person is dead. Why are you still here?” it said in Kobold.

The Mind Flayer wove his tendrils frantically. Suddenly the figures around the wall unfroze. The kobold backed up out of the room, but it did not run away. It drew a crude weapon and a sound like many small voices yelling with battle rage could be heard outside.

“Kreet,” Brand said quietly while the Mind Flayer’s minions headed towards the exit to meet the mysterious noises outside.

“Yes?”

“Close your eyes,” he said with a smile.