Faela brought Tetsuko down, chopping the head off another crow. She had lost count of how many birds she and the soldiers had killed. Panting, covered in blood and sweat, and with black feathers sticking to her body, she looked around.

On another roof, a group of soldiers was forming a barrier to block the crow’s beak. Though they were pushed back, they resisted. When the monster stopped pecking, it tried to put some distance between them to attack with the razor-sharp feathers, but the soldiers rushed to kill it.

“Are there… anymore?” Faela asked.

Tetsuko focused. Despite the heavy and poisonous smoke dampening her senses, the couldn’t feel the crows’ distinct Celeste in that area anymore.

I think so. At least here I can’t sense them, she projected to her wielder.

“Good.” She didn’t seem relieved. Instead, she winced when she took deep breaths. “Now we need to rescue those caught in the fight.”

You need to rest. You’ve done plenty.

“Agree. Too bad I don’t have that luxury.”

Tetsuko didn’t even try augmenting with her wielder. Instead, she channeled her energy and made herself heavier.

It was so sudden Faela tilted to the side and fell on the ground. She looked at her sword, who was back to her normal weight and sighed, “Fine.”

As she breathed deep and slowly, she watched the soldiers come down from the roofs and gather before Sergio in the town square.

“Good work! We may have lost a few of us, but their lives weren’t in vain! We protected the city. We protected our city! It’s thanks to them we’ll see another day!” he shouted. Just like Faela, he was covered with blood, sweat, and feathers. So were the soldiers. But as their captain’s words reached them, they shouted back, raising their hollow swords and shields in the air. “But our job isn’t done. Not when there are people, our people, hurt! Let’s save them!”

Despite their exhausted face, those words renewed their spirits. They split into several small groups and searched the houses that suffered most damages.

He’s a better captain than I imagined, Tetsuko projected her thoughts to Faela.

“That was a surprise. He wasn’t talented with a sword but had a way with people. I don’t know what happened between him, his brother, and Lucky Chaos, but this crisis has brought out the best of him.”

Glad he changed for good. Back in my world, I saw people changing for the worse. But I can’t blame them. People lived and died but without ever knowing peace.

Faela snorted. “That’s a surprise. You seem almost human saying that.”

Why?

“I thought you’d say war was good for blacksmiths, that without it, you’d go out of business.”

War doesn’t make a difference to a skilled blacksmith. There’s always need for swords and weapons and there will always be. Even with those damn firearms.

Even after dying and becoming a sword in another world, her hatred of those guns hadn’t diminished at all. Guess I’ll always hate them.

Before Faela could say anything, someone came running towards her.

“Master! Are you alright?” Anna asked, kneeling beside her.

“Yeah, just exhausted. But instead of me, you should worry about yourself.”

She looked even worse than her master. Besides the blood, sweat, and feathers, she was also covered with soot from when she lit the house on fire. And unlike her master, she had many cuts made by the razor-sharp feathers.

“I’m fine,” Anna said, pulling the tattered leather to hide some of the wounds on her stomach.

“I hope so. Tetsuko?”

The soul in the sword was already focusing on the girl. There’s no trace of poison inside her.

“Thank the Nature,” Faela said, breathing out in relief. “Even so, let’s take care of those wounds.”

“Yours too, master. You are hurt more than me.”

“I’m fine.”

No, she’s not. She’s lying.

Faela stared at Tetsuko, flashing a wry smile. “For someone without a mouth, you sure like to blab a lot.”

Anna smiled and offered a hand. As they headed to the church, the soldiers tried to move rubles to rescue the survivors.

“Are you sure no one turned this time?”

Yes.

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

Tetsuko looked up at the dark orange sky. Even now, the smoke was still blocking the sun. And it didn’t look like a normal wind could disperse it.

I think it’s because the crows weren’t infected directly like the cat. The poisonous Celeste wasn’t enough to make their blood strong enough to turn people into worshipers.

Faela and Anna looked up.

“So it means those clouds aren’t strong enough to turn people but enough to make them mad,” said her wielder.

Probably. So it’s best if no one breathes it.

Faela opened her hand. A speck of black and orange dust fell on her palm. As she turned her hand sideways, it fell on the ground like an ominous snow. The dot on her palm remained.

“We need to tell Sergio this. He needs to inform the people,” she said, rubbing with the thumb to get rid of the mark.

“We will, master. Then we’ll take care of your wounds,” Anna insisted.

With the girl’s help, Faela walked to where Sergio was giving the orders to the soldiers.

“Careful with the survivors. We don’t know if they became worshipers,” he was saying. “After confirm they’re not, carry them to the church.”

“I don’t think there’ll be any worshiper this time, Sergio.”

“Faela! Glad you’re alive,” he said, and he sounded sincere. It was only for a moment though. Soon he became serious. “Why do you think that?”

She explained about the smoke and the poisonous Celeste in it.

“I see. Thanks for telling me. Now go take care of yourself. We need you in one piece.”

As he headed to the soldiers with the new information, a kid came running towards them.

“Sister! Faela!”

“Leo!” they said at the same time.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Anna asked, the worry plastered on her face. “Are you okay?”

“I am! It’s dad!”

“What happened?”

“I-I don’t know! I was taking care of him when the sky went dark. I closed the windows but when a huge crow flew by… When it croaked, dad… dad started trembling… and…” The boy couldn’t speak anymore.

But there was no need. The three of them ran to Anna and Leo’s home, barged through the door and running upstairs despite their wounds.

“Dad!”

“Master!”

The former captain of the city was lying on the bed just like last time. However, instead of sleeping peacefully, he looked in pain. Beads of sweat ran down his brow despite the cold room and he panted too much.

It’s the poisonous Celeste. It’s reacting inside him, trying to take over, Tetsuko projected her thoughts the instant she felt it.

“I thought you said the crows couldn’t infect people,” Faela said.

I don’t think they can. No one was. I think the energy inside him reacted to crow’s.

“Shit,” Faela cursed and Anna looked pale.

“No… no… dad…” The girl knelt before her father’s bed, holding his hand. Then she cleaned her tears and turned to Tetsuko. “Can you save him?”

I can try. When I tried the last time, the Celeste was too diluted. I couldn’t separate it from his. But with all the Celeste I devoured, I think I might be able.

Before Anna or Faela could answer, Leonardo convulsed.

We don’t have much time.

“What are you doing? Don’t kill dad!” Leo shouted when Faela drew Tetsuko.

“I’m not. I’m trying to save him,” she said. Despite her words, she was just as scared as her disciple was. “Help him, Leo. Please, hold him.”

Anna cleaned her tears and held one of her father’s arms. She looked at her brother, who stopped crying and held the other arm.

Faela brought Tetsuko to Leonardo’s chest and pressed the blade against him. Despite the fear and exhaustion, she didn’t hesitate to move the sword, cutting shirt and skin and drawing blood.

As the soul in the sword touched the blood, she felt the poisonous Celeste flowing inside the man. It wasn’t enough to turn him into a worshiper, but it was enough to wrap around his soul and kill him.

He was one of the first victims of the experiment. Before, I couldn’t do something so delicate. But now I can devour it. It’s weak and thin, but after everything, I can do it.

However, sensing and devouring that Celeste was different. It’s different from Anna’s. If I don’t pay attention, I’ll kill him.

Despite focusing only on the poisonous Celeste, she couldn’t devour it without taking the man’s energy.

Leonardo reacted to it, becoming even more pale and cold.

“What’s wrong, Tetsuko?” Faela asked. It was plain on her face; she wanted to pull her sword away from her master but was fighting the instinct.

It’s too thin. If I keep devouring, I’ll take his Celeste too.

“Can’t you do anything? Please!” Anna shouted, crying again.

Then Tetsuko had an idea. Maybe I can control him like I did with the worshiper.

Just like she had done before, she injected her energy into Leonardo. As her Celeste entered him through the wound, she made it spread.

It was harder than she thought. It’s like I’m stretching myself thin. Even so, she had no intention of giving up. If I can do this, I’ll get stronger.

Ignoring everything around her, she made her Celeste come back to her, dragging the poisonous energy from the man.

As she did, Leonardo stopped convulsing. Though his face was still pale and sweating, his breathing was slowing down. Then he once again looked as if he was sleeping peacefully.

I got… everything… I could, Tetsuko projected her thoughts, exhausted.

Faela pulled her and cleaned the blood on the blade. “Is he…?”

He’s safe for now.

“Thank the nature,” she said. As the relief filled her, her legs cave in and she sat on the chair next to the bed.

Leonardo’s eyelids trembled and then opened up. He looked around, confused. “What…?”

“Dad!” Both Anna and Leo shouted, hugging him.

Faela smiled and cried while her master’s kids cried in joy.