Liliana paced the area that held the second years, her bonds circling in their own patrol. Nervous energy suffused their mental bonds, nerves drawn so taut that the slightest noise had them jumping and prepared to attack. More than one squirrel got unfairly terrorized, as a result.

The second years were working to remove the usable materials from the Hellcats, moving as swiftly as they could. Liliana had heard the yelps and curses as the still boiling fire-blood burned hasty fingers and skin. The second years seemed to have lost much of their fear, however, though urgency still kept them moving quickly.

Foolish children. Do they think me capable of the impossible simply for winning some school tournaments? Do they truly have so little comprehension of the danger that exists in this world? Danger that far exceeds anything faced inside of the Academy walls? Liliana thought derisively, barely biting back a sneer.

She knew that’s what it was. Their world was harsh, violent, and oftentimes deadly. But the kind of children who went to the Academy were the kinds who were often sheltered by parents, be it noble or well off commoners. Children with parents who had the money to ensure they grew up safely.

Well, mostly safely. Assassination attempts were something almost normal in the lives of nobles. But the threats of assassins and poisons were a far cry from the brutal danger of the wilds that noble children were rarely ever exposed to before the Academy.

Liliana had never had the privilege of a safe upbringing, not when her own stepmother tried to kill her. Not when her own father had for so long not cared if she lived or died. Not when she willingly sought out danger, seemed to draw it to herself like a moth to a flame. And much as her stepmother had tried, Liliana had found her life threatened more times outside of her father’s manor than inside of it. Unlike these children, she’d faced death more times in the past five years than they had in their entire lives.

And now she’d be facing it once again.

A black form diving for her almost had Liliana reaching for her weapons before she recognized Muninn. Liliana lifted her arm for the over sized crow to land on, not even wincing when the finger long talons dug into her skin, just shy of drawing blood.

“The carriage is waiting,” Muninn’s voice reached her, softer, quieter than that of her own bonds.

Liliana summoned a core from her storage and handed it to Muninn to gulp down as thanks for his message. He permitted a few moments of her stroking his feathers before he took off into the air, swooping down to tug at one of Polaris’ tails playfully. The two beasts got along well, both trickster souls. Liliana, however, was oftentimes less than amused at the mischief they got up to together.

“Finish up, the carriage is here and you all need to leave. Immediately.” Liliana called out, striding towards the students.

Luckily, they were mostly done with collecting materials. A few of them looked mournfully at the Hellcats they hadn’t managed to butcher, but the reminder of a Fiend or Archfiend in the area was enough to get them moving. Just because they seemed to trust Liliana could kill it didn’t mean any of them wanted to be in the area when it got here.

Liliana kept behind the students as they followed Muninn to the road, senses stretched to the limit to try to detect any threats. The area was calm, idyllic almost. Full of rolling hills and plains with a few trees spread about, nothing dense enough to be considered a proper forest. The complete antithesis to the North, full of thick dark forests, and mountainous, rocky territories.

Liliana was reminded that the South was where most of the agriculture of their country came from. The north had its lumber, its stone quarries, its metal mines. But the south had crops. The other regions did as well, but the South had the most farms and produced the most crops by and far.

Perhaps it’s not so odd that Basil is well suited to the Nature affinity. Liliana shook the thought away, focusing back on the present. This picturesque countryside would soon turn into a hellscape when the sun set, and the Fiend awoke to descend on the town of Meshire in a rage.

They saw the carriage, waiting patiently on the road, long before they got within earshot of Corbin, who was sitting on top of the carriage. His posture implied he was lazing about, but Liliana could read the tension in the way he held himself, a wary set to his eyes as they flicked around, his head tilted slightly as if listening to an unheard conversation.

“Everyone ready to go?” Corbin called out when they got close enough.

“We’re ready. Did you inform the mayor that we completed our task?” Andusmelt inquired.

Liliana wanted to roll her eyes. A Fiend was on their tails, and the girl was still concerned with completing the assignment? Liliana might have to suggest to their homeroom teacher to have a lesson on priorities.

“It’s all taken care of.” Corbin smiled comfortingly at the girl, waving off her concerns.

Remarkably, Andusmelt took him at his word, relaxing as she turned to her team and started ordering them about. Corbin jumped down from the carriage fluidly, skirting the group of bustling second years to approach Liliana. His affable expression melted into a hardened mask, eyes flinty as he stared at her.

“You’re staying.” It wasn’t a question, it was a statement of fact. Liliana had a moment to wonder how before she felt a small wind tugging at her hair.

“You left a sylph to spy on me?” Liliana asked, not sure if she should be offended, amused, or impressed.

She hadn’t even noticed and with how she’d been straining her senses, that was impressive. His sylphs had advanced far enough to be nigh on undetectable. Useful things. Liliana wondered what other things Corbin had been using them for, what information and secrets he’d discovered.

“Don’t distract. You’re staying to fight it.” Corbin grabbed her wrist, squeezing tight. As if he could force her to come with him, a pointless gesture as they both knew she could break out of his grasp with hardly any effort.

“I am. And you’re going to go,” Liliana dropped her voice low, to avoid the second years overhearing their argument. Corbin’s eyes flashed, and his lips twisted in a snarl.

“No. You were just telling me how reckless staying would be. And you were right! We don’t know what level it is, Fiends start at Rank 3, and Archfiends are Rank 2 at the lowest. They’re dungeon bosses, Lili. They need an entire team to fight!” Corbin tugged her closer, hissing his words at her. Under the anger, Liliana could practically taste his fear, so cloying it she could choke on it.

“Good thing I have a team, then.” Liliana kept her voice calm, resisting the urge to respond with anger. Corbin didn’t deserve that, not when he was doing this out of concern.

“It’s not enough! You only have two Rank 3 beasts, and one is a healer who won’t fight! Rank 3 bosses are only ever tackled by a Rank 3 team, usually with a Rank 2 in the group just in case it’s on the precipice of ranking up. You’re outmatched, even if it’s only a Fiend. Don’t play hero, Lili. It doesn’t suit you.” Corbin squeezed her wrist again. Liliana wondered if he would truly try to drag her to the carriage, even though he had to know how futile it would be to attempt it.

“I can’t leave an entire town to die, Corbin. Not when I’m the only person within a day’s travel that can do something,” Liliana argued gently, searching his eyes and trying to impress on him that she wouldn’t leave. And he couldn’t force her to.

“Why? You don’t care about these people, I know you don’t. So why stay? Why risk yourself, your bonds, for people you couldn’t care less about?” Corbin demanded, voice taking a desperate edge as he scrambled for something, anything that would convince her to leave. A losing battle, Liliana was stubborn to a fault.

“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Liliana explained softly.

Because it’s something a villain wouldn’t do. Because I might not want to be a hero, but I don’t want to be a villain. Because some part of me is still afraid I will be. Because all of this has unearthed insecurities I thought were dead. Because I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror again, knowing I condemned an entire town of men, women and children to death. Because the blood would never wash off my skin.

Corbin stared at her, eyes searching her face for any weakness he could exploit. He found nothing, only stubborn determination that would not bend. Liliana could see the desperation tightening his features, panic on the edges before something else hardened his eyes. The same stubborn determination that was in her eyes was now mirrored in his and Liliana knew what he’d say before he did, a sinking feeling settling in her gut.

“Then I’m staying too,” Corbin declared.

“No!” Liliana hissed, “You can’t. You’ll die!” Liliana looked around and her eyes caught on the second years, conspicuously slow about getting prepared to leave, “someone needs to stay with the second years. You have to go with them.” Liliana insisted, feeling proud of herself for finding that obligation.

Corbin looked back over his shoulder and his face pulled into a grimace when he realized she was right. They couldn’t leave the second years undefended. There was still a chance something else would come out of the woodwork and attack them. They’d need Corbin in case it was above their level. Corbin looked back towards Liliana, expression torn and despairing before a calculating gleam lit up his inhuman eyes.

“Fine then,” Corbin spat. He released Liliana’s wrist and turned on his heel, marching to Andusmelt.

Liliana watched, letting out a breath of relief. Then he was agreed. Liliana would face the Fiend alone, and the rest would get out safely. She watched his Griffin and Siren descend. Corbin turned towards them, having an unheard conversation. It seemed to be an argument, based on the way Andrias screech and Agalope shook her head.

Finally, some agreement was achieved, for they both bowed their heads reluctantly. Corbin turned back to Andusmelt, and the girl nodded firmly to whatever he said.

Corbin walked back towards Liliana, a look of victory on his face that had Liliana’s heart falling into the pit of her stomach, dread filling her lungs.

“What did you do?” Liliana breathed, horrified.

“Agalope and Andrias will stay with the second years. Once they’re six hours out, Andusmelt will activate her beacon to call anyone in the area to them. They should be far away enough that when we activate our beacons, the same people won’t be called. The second years will be safe, and I’ll be staying so you don’t die.” Corbin declared, faces set with a bullheaded stubbornness. At another time, Liliana would be proud to see him picking up some of her habits and traits, but right now, she just wanted to shake them out of him.

She briefly considered hogtying Corbin and chucking him into the carriage herself. But discarded the idea when she noticed the way Agalope was glaring at her, as if the Siren suspected her train of thought.

“Keep him safe, or I’ll feast on your corpse.” Agalope’s melodious, sweet voice brushed through Liliana’s mind when she met those sea glass green eyes. Liliana inclined her head to the Siren.

“Our beacons?” Liliana turned back to Corbin, reluctantly accepting she couldn’t get him to leave now.

She’d thought he had more self preservation than a lemming. She was disappointed to discover that assessment was incorrect. Maybe she truly was a bad influence if her recklessness was rubbing off on her friends.

“Yes, our beacons, Lili. Did you forget they existed?” Corbin asked her, voice almost mocking as he stared at her. Liliana averted her eyes, not willing to admit she had.

She’d never used her beacon in all her time at the Academy. To her, it was more of a locater for foolish younger years in need of aid than a method of calling for help for herself.

“If it’s an Archfiend, won’t we be calling others to their deaths?” Liliana asked, and Corbin snorted.

“If you’re so afraid it’s an Archfiend, then you should leave, as nothing we do will matter and the town will die, regardless.” Corbin countered and Liliana sighed, rubbing at her face as weariness washed over her.

“I’m fairly certain it’s a Fiend. There would be Hellions if it was an Archfiend, to lead the pack. It’s probably a Fiend that was planning to evolve by razing the town, and evolving some of its pack at the same time.” Liliana finally confessed. Explaining the only reason she had considered this mad plan at all.

If there had been no doubt it was an Archfiend, she truly would’ve left the town to be wiped from the map, guilt or not. Better to be living with her guilt than dead. She was reckless, yes, but she was not suicidal. She wouldn’t risk her own life, let alone the lives of her bonds, if she thought the likelihood of an Archfiend being in the area was high.

But she had enough reason to suspect it was a Fiend that she couldn’t convince herself to leave. She knew she could take a Fiend, it would be difficult and probably one of the most dangerous fights she’d ever had, but she could win it. She knew she could.

“Then it won’t be an issue if we call for help. Any fourth years who get the alert will be a high enough level to help,” Corbin said, almost cheerily.

Liliana nodded, giving in. They could customize the beacon, so it would only go out to those with a fourth-year ring, which would mean no third years would get dragged into this and die. Fourth years would be the only ones with a hope of having the necessary levels to help. Liliana just hoped someone in their year was nearby, though she didn’t place much stock in it. The chances were slim.

“We’re ready to head out,” Andusmelt called out, breaking into their conversation. Liliana turned to the girl, tucking her resignation and dread behind a more pleasant mask. She didn’t need to terrify the second years. Having a bunch of panicking teenagers on their hands would do no one any good.

“We’ll catch up with you if we can. Otherwise, we’ll see you back at the Academy,” Liliana told the girl with a small smile that felt strained, but was apparently good enough to summon a responding smile on Andusmelt’s face.

“Take care of my bonds. Listen to them, they’ll keep you safe.” Corbin instructed, Andusmelt nodding along, staring at Corbin with respect and admiration. It was a mark of how stressed Liliana was that she didn’t scoff or whisper a quiet, teasing remark to Corbin about him having yet another new admirer.

Liliana watched as the students got into the carriage and it took off, Agalope and Andrias flying along beside it, guarding the children inside. They watched until the carriage was a speck in the distance.

“What’s your plan, then?” Corbin asked when they could no longer see the carriage.

“Stab it until it dies,” Liliana said bluntly.

“That’s not a plan. That’s the opposite of a plan.” Corbin scoffed, rolling his eyes. Liliana huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, turning to face him.

“We can’t fight it at its nest. We don’t know what it’s done to the ruins Lelantos found that stank of Fiend. Besides, it’ll know that area best and will have a home field advantage. Our best bet is to wait here. It’ll check on its pack and will be distracted. We can ambush it then and stab it until it dies.” Liliana elucidated scornfully.

“See, that’s a plan.” Corbin mocked. Liliana hissed at him, earning an unimpressed raised brow.

“So you want to fight it at night? When it’s strongest?” Corbin asked as they turned and headed back to where the Hellcat den had been.

“It gives the second years the most time to get away. If I misjudged its level and we attack it now, and it’s too strong, then we die, the town dies, and it potentially hunts them down. Plus, it has the home field advantage,” Liliana pointed out. Corbin judged her for a long moment before shaking his head.

“Playing hero doesn’t suit you,” Corbin muttered.

“You’re the one who called me a hero. Something about the best bards knowing which heroes to follow?” Liliana pointed out, lips lifting in a sneer.

“I said stop playing the hero, Lili. Not that you’re not one already. But more than that, you’re a good person. Which is a far better thing to be.” Corbin said softly.

“A good person, a hero. It’s the same thing.” Liliana retorted hotly.

“Being good and being a hero aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, they’re often diametrically opposed.” Corbin shrugged, Liliana stumbling slightly in her surprise at the statement, lifting her head to stare at him. Corbin snorted at her expression, lips twitching in a smile.

“Don’t look at me like that. As a bard, I’m well acquainted with heroes. The only thing that makes a hero is who is telling the story.” Corbin explained, unknowingly echoing thoughts Liliana herself had had.

“Isn’t it a good thing to try to save a town and the second years?” Liliana demanded as they reached the den once more.

“Saving them would be good, yes. But throwing yourself into a fight you don’t know the risks of, where the chance of survival is low, isn’t good, it’s heroic. The good thing to do would be to find someone stronger to fight.” Corbin stopped at a tree, leaning back against it and folding his arms as he regarded her shrewdly.

“Heroes die, Lili. Good people survive to help another day. Many might love to hear a tragedy sung, but those have never been the songs I like to sing.” Corbin said softly, eyes going sad.

“Good thing I’m not a hero, then.” Liliana muttered, averting her eyes and shifting under the weight of his gaze. Corbin always seemed to see too much with his bird-like eyes.

“Some would disagree,” Corbin murmured, almost too soft to be heard. Liliana didn’t respond to it.

“Do you want to use the beacon, or should I do the honors?” Liliana asked, irrationally annoyed that her streak of never needing help was about to be broken. She’d kill the Fiend just for this injustice alone, the town be damned. Hah, killing it out of spite. Not very heroic, was it?

“I’ll do it, to save your delicate pride,” Corbin’s voice was thick with amusement, sensing her irritation with needing to call for help.

He fiddled with the ring on his hand before it lit up with a comforting glow. Liliana felt a small jolt in her own ring, but she was close enough that the beacon didn’t send the alert to her. It knew she was already there to help, or one of the ones that needed the aid.

“And now we wait,” Liliana sighed, sitting down with her back against the same tree Corbin was leaning on, eyes drawn up to the sun in the sky. It was a little after noon, they’d have some seven hours to wait. For help to come. For the Fiend to awaken.

Then... Then there’d be a battle. There would be bloodshed, but hopefully only one life would be lost come nightfall.