Alphonse tucked the unconscious Hiro into the guest room bed and sat down on the edge. Kelsi was still huddled up by the window, pretending not to steal glances at the boys. Suzie stood in the doorway, yawning into her gauntleted hand as she waited for Eli to return from doing his rounds.

He walked into his small, humble home with a big smile on his face, “Suzie!”

Suzie brought her finger up to her lips and jerked her head back toward Hiro in the guest room. Eli lowered his voice, continuing on in an excited whisper, “no casualties! Not even livestock or pets! Foodstores undisturbed and property damage minimal! This is the best night we’ve had in weeks! No... months!” He grabbed both of Suzie’s arms, eyes shining, then pulled her into a hug, “thank you, truly.”

Suzie smiled and returned his hug, “you’re welcome.” She pulled back, “I think we are going to rest but don’t hesitate to wake us up if something happens.”

*

Gaius’ lips curled up in a snarl as he stood in the center of the charred rubble of what was once a lovely little town. He put his hand on the wolf’s head painted in blood on the crumbled stone wall. He swiped his hand over it and his expression fell from rage to despair as it smeared, the blood still wet.

Gaius stumbled back a few steps, pressing a hand to his aching chest as his breaths quickened until...

“Gaius! I found a survivor!” Rex’s voice snapped Gaius out of it.

Gaius steeled himself and ran to his husband’s voice. Rex carefully stepped through rubble, covered in dirt and soot, carrying a small child that couldn’t be more than seven years old. Gaius rushed to meet Rex but tripped over something, almost falling. He glanced down and saw a woman’s arm, the rest of her nowhere to be seen. His eyes were fixed on it, his stomach churning until once again Rex called his name, “Gaius! You have to heal him now!”

Gaius slowly turned his head to look into his husband’s worried eyes then down at the young boy Rex was pressing into his arms.

Gaius took the bony, too light frame into his arms and began muttering prayers to the first adventurer’s as he poured a healing spell into him. The boy began to whimper, then thrash.

“Shh...” Gaius tried to say soothingly, “we won’t ever let them touch you again.” He stroked the boy’s long, black hair until the boy drifted back into unconsciousness...

“Wake up, Hiro....”

*

“Wake up, Hiro. We need you.”

Hiro was being roused by Alphonse, a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. Hiro scrunched up his face and groaned deep in his throat, rolling over to try and go back to sleep, back to his dream of being held by his Dad.

The bed he was in dipped and Kelsi’s voice pierced through his haze of sleep, “Hiro! Please wake up, Suzie’s hurt!”