We break into a dash and smash into a defensive line that has been setup here. Fortunately, the demons here were not expecting an attack from behind, an advantage we have been continually capitalising on the last few battles.

We have joined up with the men I sent ahead as well as a dozen isolated palace guardsmen. Overall, my training regimen has not gone to waste after all, they have held up well. There is still a heart rending number of casualties, though, and the chaos meant they were hardly in optimal positions. We also have joined up with three other knights who have survived. Ser Robas, Ser Walt, and Ser Cera. Two retirees and a freshly knighted lass, but better than nothing. Jeraldine knights do have a long tradition of martial excellence even way before my time, after all, harkening back to the master legion of the empire.

The line is quickly destroyed. We're almost there.

I hope father is okay. Truthfully, I doubt anyone can defeat him, even that ridiculous demon champion.

But that mustn't be on my mind now, our first thought must only be the king.

We make it finally to the royal wing. I instruct the guards to stay here, and the knights come inside with us.

If everything went by the plan, the evacuation should have proceeded here. If it worked, we can mostly breathe easy. There is only one entrance and this entire part of the building is magically warded too, we can...

"Leanne!" Melody suddenly screams.

Oh no.

Melody's own body practically turns to water in her rush to belt down the corridor to where a bloodied maid lies, propped up against a wall, missing an arm, and not far from a smouldering pile of ashes and bones that I believe were once among other maid staff.

"My lady. I am terribly sorry to report that I... hak... ack..."

"Be quiet you silly old bat! You'll kill yourself!" Melody shouts at her nanny.

Actually, I was wrong, she isn't propped up against the wall. There is actually a huge three-klecksel tall shuriken holding her up, one of its blades stabbed into the ground.

Part of the wall, and floor, is ruined, and the scorched pile... there was a large explosion of some sorts here. It instantly killed three of these maids, incinerating them utterly.

Leanne managed to somehow dodge at the last second, but still lost her arm, and impacted up against the wall at high speed, given the blood caking her normally pristine blue hair, which is not in its usual side-tail.

This is because Leanne has used her hair ribbons as a tourniquet. Some quick thinking.

It’s weird, though. I thought the old lady preferred a fencing sword. From where and whence did this large shuriken come?

Well... I guess it doesn't matter now...

Melody is desperately attempting to soothe Leanne's terrible wounds.

"No! Not now!" Melody suddenly staggers backwards and vomits away from Leanne. Not very becoming of a princess… but…

So that means that she is out of magic power again, then? Indeed, that is some truly awful timing, but even with the Elixir from father, she has used an extraordinarily huge amount today, both before and after we came inside the palace. Frankly, it is heroic of her to not have passed out ten times already.

"Don't worry about me... I will live a bit longer yet..." Leanne says. "I will not allow this this body to fail... yet."

"Leanne..." Melody cries, wiping vomit from her chin.

"Go... the legacy... I mean... Legato... your father... your brother... get to them... go! There are... only three demons... I got... the others..."

"Go, stupid Mel... go!"

Melody snorts and sucks in her tears as she nods with an ugly expression marring her beauty, and looks over at me and the knights. There is a pleading look in her eyes. I nod, understanding, though honestly, I don't know what I can do for this woman. Melody then stands and dashes off.

I nod to the three knights and send them in pursuit of Melody. She'll be reckless now, and she's practically powerless. Though I'm not much better, with an exhausted spirit and a bent greatsword.

As I approach Leanne and crouch down to her, she grabs me with her functioning arm.

"You know... I can see... but pay it no mind, if you will, Ser Arnas. Save the boy, if you can. If not... the youngest girl... protect... promise..."

"I swear on my honour." I say without hesitation.

She manages a slight smile, exhales, and then the light fades suddenly from her eyes.

Melody was blind to it, but I've been around enough nearly dead mercenaries to have expected as much. Sad as it is.

I feel a shiver all over as I stare into her blank eyes. Strange.

Yes... for some reason, I don't think she was the Leanne I once knew. Or whom Melody knew much better than I. But I don't think this woman, whoever she was, meant harm. Perhaps.

So, I will honour her wish, her last facade to the princess, and her sacrifice. At the very least.

I let the hand slip back away, close the woman's eyes, and stand up.

I hope I can save someone today, at least.