“Gardinal!” Vallerian shouted, pointing to the monster. The Khazimi eyed him, bashed away a hound, then quickly glanced where he pointed. Vallerian, not losing a moment more, began to let loose into the giant monstrosity. They had seen one of these before, and he was not interested in letting it get any closer. As the daemon lumbered down the cramped street, Vallerian loosed half a dozen arrows into it. Only two sunk into the daemons unnaturally hard flesh, the other four bouncing off futilely.

One of the Korek, having been able to dispatch one of the hounds they faced, rushed towards the large daemon. The red skinned warrior let out a loud war shout that was cut short as the huge beast lunged forward, reaching out with its too-long slender arms and backhanding the man. The huge man flew away, crashing through the stone walls of a nearby building. Celeste cried out and Vallerian winced. An unnecessary death.

“Back up!” Gardinal shouted, keeping himself facing the large daemon but moving back to Celeste. “Surround Her Radiance and defend with your lives!” He commanded, and the rest of their party followed.

Reaching into his quiver for another arrow, Vallerian found it empty. With a curse he dropped his bow and unsheathed his twin Theremya blades, rushing to join the ranks around Celeste. If he was going to have to fight like a peasant, he’d at least have men by his side while he did so.

In the moments it took Vallerian to reach their side, the daemons were already pressing down on their group. The large one battered its massive clawed hands against them, but with every attempted strike Gardinal was there to meet it with his shield. The hounds began to circle them, Kriss striking back with his spear where he could. The Korek waved axe and club against them, keeping the hounds from leaping at them, but all it did was buy time.

Looking back to Gardinal, Vallerian swallowed nervously, the force of the large daemon’s blows would likely shatter any other man’s arm, but somehow he… Vallerian suddenly understood. From behind Gardinal, Celeste pale hand had reached out and laid upon the small of his back, glowing brilliantly. Drawing his eyes back up to Gardinal’s arm, Vallerian watched as a blow struck, and the Khazimi’s arm snapped. In less than a heartbeat, the arm sewed itself back up, glowing tendrils of light pulling the shattered bones back into place. She was keeping him strong against the daemon, but it wouldn’t be enough.

A hound leapt, Vallerian raising his swords in a cross just in time to push it back. He had been distracted by Gardinal and had nearly been too slow. Distractions were dangerous in a fight.

“Gardinal.” Vallerian called out. “We can’t last like this.”

“You think I don’t know that?” The gruff man growled as another blow struck him, arm snapping once more.

“Vallerian,” Kriss spoke now, lunging out and striking a blow across the brow of a daemon. “Take Celeste and the girls and run, we can hold them off.”

“I’m not leaving you.” Celeste cried out.

“Do as the lad says.” Gardinal cut in. “Vallerian, you take care of her, you hear me?”

Vallerian stared wide eyed at them, darting his gaze from Gardinal, to Kriss, to all the other men. They were going to die here, so that he could get Celeste and the girls out of here. He should stay and fight, should give his life like they were. Give your life for what? The girl? Fool. “Come on.” He eventually responded, looking out. “Valleresa, carry Celeste if she won’t come of her own volition.”

“I won’t leave you!” Celeste shouted. “I can’t let you die for me!”

“Go.” Gardinal responded through clenched teeth, more a growl than anything beneath the blows of the daemon. “This city, this world needs you.”

Celeste began to cry, tears streaming down her face as she looked at all of them. “Kriss… Rekiak…”

Valleresa grabbed her arm, and Vallerian looked out at the hounds, if they were quick they could…

A blow and a grunt made Vallerian turn around once more, as he saw Gardinal on the ground, the huge daemon above him, slamming his huge feet into the Khazimi. The hounds lunged. They were too slow, the daemons came at them, tearing into their ranks. Gardinal grunted, his shield held above him as the large monster pounded its clawed feet down onto him. A macabre crunch echoed with every pound. Celeste screamed.

The huge daemon froze, its foot held high above Gardinal. It slumped over, the remaining Korek warrior leaping away to avoid being crushed. Without a moment’s hesitation, Celeste fell to her knees and began healing Gardinal, his broken body twisted beneath his shield but still alive. The rest of their party was locked in combat with the hounds, Valleresa and Arabella standing beside Celeste with knives held at the ready. Vallerian just studied the daemons. It was… dead? How? The glow of Celeste’s hands illuminated the area around her and revealed dozens of bolts lodged into the monster’s back.

Then the shouting came. Looking up, Vallerian saw them, dozens of figures rushing down the street towards them, weapons in hand. Stepping between Celeste and them, Vallerian prepared his blades. Another volley of bolts whistled through the air, striking two of the hounds around them. The armed men kept rushing towards them.

As they grew near, Vallerian’s brow furrowed. Not dozens of armed men, but women. Then light caught something fastened to one of their coats, and Vallerian sighed in relief. It was a pin, glistening in the moonlight. A pin of a silver skull.