"We have to find him!" Astensia’s voice thundered through the air. Her and half of the evac team were standing by the back gate after killing her Demons that nested in the area, and clearing the miasma.

"There were a lot of dead Demons when we showed up here," Amira Vineheart noted. "Was it Lancet’s doing?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Perhaps he was dragged here by one and had to fight," Jaxen suggested. "But to kill that many Demons. Did he have help?"

Nereus looked at him. "Lancet is much stronger than you think."

Astensia was not listening to any of their speculations, her big blue eyes were wide with desperation and fear, snapping at every corner and hoping she would catch a glimpse of something that told her where Lancet was.

"Whatever the case," Rilla Daunt interjected, "we’re in a situation where we must make a decision. Lancet is missing. He’s a part of our team so I understand why we need to find him. But we’ve also successfully cleared the tunnels and the back gate. We have to return to the catacombs and let the others know it’s safe to come out."

"You’re not suggesting leaving Lancet behind, are you?" Renan gave his senior a questionable look.

"Of course not," Rilla replied defensively. "But..."

"We can only do one or the other," Darian the Ice Mage spoke up, hands folded. "We can’t do both. We have to decide which one is more important."

The evac team all fell silent, some of them glanced at Astensia whose back was facing them as she continued to search frantically.

Frieda, eyes heavy with tiredness, was the first to speak up. "Who says we have to choose one?"

"Exactly, Frieda," Renan concurred. "There’s sixteen of us. Some of us can go after Lancet while the others protect the civilians and handle the evacuation."

"But that’s a change of the plan," Darian warned.

Renan’s eyes narrowed at him. "In the original plan, many of us were expected to die. But that didn’t mean the evacuation would have been unsuccessful would it?"

Darian’s brow raised for a while, then lowered. "I guess you’re right, kid," he agreed.

"But I have to protect the evacuation team."

Everyone’s heads turned to the sound of the voice. Astensia was facing them now, and on her face was a look of deep worry which made her appear extremely conflicted.

Nereus stared at her. ’Unbelievable. Even with all the terrifying Demons she has fought, I never once saw her scared. Yet, here she is. The only thing that terrifies her is that kid dying.’

He wondered. ’Is it because she knows she would die too, or because she truly cares about him?’

"He might need your help," Amira pointed out, gazing up at the Ironwill Knight. "It could be really dangerous where he is."

Astensia’s face darkened even more. She looked at the direction of the tunnel entrance. "I can’t be in two places at once. The people of Hebthej need me. It’s my sworn duty to protect the weak."

Renan looked at her. "But doesn’t Lancet need you too?"

Astensia froze. "He... does."

This was it. This was the moment — where her two purposes collided; protecting the weak and being loyal to her oath. She made an oath to always be there for Lancet, to help him fight any evil that threatened to destroy him. But she was also a heroine for the people.

Worse, this was more than just her oath. And Lancet was more than just her master. She felt her feelings for him presently override her drive to stay and oversee the evacuation.

It terrified her. Like a fundamental part of herself was being peeled off. And she was trying her hardest to grab onto it.

But how could she forget about Lancet and focus on the evacuation... on protecting these people.

Lancet had said he needed Thor’s help for something. When Thor refused, Astensia offered herself and Lancet declined.

Was this what he needed Thor’s help for?

"Go."

Astensia’s eyes flicked once and she slowly turned her head to Nereus who had spoken.

"I’ll handle it. We’ll handle it," he promised. "Go save your master."

Astensia looked at the tunnel. "But the civilians..."

"I will not let a single harm touch their hair," the Shadowmancer said with narrowed, cold eyes. Suddenly two shadow summons rose from a dark murk in the ground. One was Argus, the Moon Knight, and another was the silhouette of a Mage. "I swear it."

Astensia glanced at both shadows then regarded Nereus with a nod of gratitude and respect. She reached overhead and withdrew the Blessed Blade.

"I’m coming with," Renan said, stepping up beside her.

"Me too," Frieda joined.

"Me too," Amira stepped forward.

After a beat, Darian joined the volunteers. "I will join as well."

Everyone looked at the Ice Mage with surprise but also understanding. Astensia swept her gaze through all of them, and finally her lips parted. "Let us go find him."

×××××××

KRAAAASH!!!

The massive glass face of the clock tower exploded outward. A storm of shattered glass, splintered wood, and rusted iron gears rained down upon the central square as Thor Stormchild and the Demon Head plummeted into the open air.

Even in freefall, Thor was the aggressor.

She vaulted off a falling chunk of masonry, closing the mid-air distance in a flash of blue. She gripped the Hammer of Force tighter and slammed the flat of its head directly into the Demon’s jaw.

The monster roared, but Thor didn’t let up. She spun, using the momentum to deliver a second, third, and fourth strike, each blow crackling with thunder and snapping the creature’s horned head to the side.

As the ground rushed up to meet them, Thor pointed the head of her hammer squarely at the monster’s torso.

"Lightning Target!"

A concentrated, blinding beam of plasma erupted from the weapon, striking the Demon Head directly in the chest. The propulsion blasted Thor upward, safely slowing her descent, while the Demon Head was shot downward like a meteor.

The monster slammed into the cobblestones with the force of an artillery shell.

A massive shockwave of displaced air and earth ripped across the square. Silas Mercer and Kaleb Vance were instantly swept off their feet, thrown backward through the air like discarded toys.

Only Vernon managed to hold his ground, digging his boots into the ruined earth and throwing his arms over his face to shield his eyes from the blinding dust and flying debris.

Thor dropped from the sky a second later, bringing her hammer down in a vertical smash intended to crush the monster’s skull.

But the Demon Head, frustrated and infuriated, thrust its massive, backward-jointed leg upward. Its feet caught Thor squarely in the stomach.

The kick launched her across the square. She hit the ground violently, rolling and bouncing over the cobblestones, groaning each time.

Before she could even stop her momentum, the Demon Head leaped. Its massive, twelve-foot frame blotted out the red sky as it came crashing down, aiming to stomp her into paste.

Thor desperately rolled to the side. The monster’s foot pulverized the stone where her head had just been. But as she scrambled to create distance, one of the Demon Head’s writhing back-tentacles snapped forward, wrapping tightly around the fabric of her cape.

"Pathetic!" the Demon Head roared.

It viciously yanked its neck, ragdolling the legendary Heroine. It lifted Thor effortlessly into the air and slammed her onto the ground on its left, shattering the stone.

Without pausing, it swung her like a flail, slamming her brutally into the ground on its right.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Slam. Slam.

Over and over, the blunt force trauma could have shattered every bone in her body.

But as the beast raised her high to deliver another bone-crushing slam, Thor extended both hands and grabbed the tentacle holding her.

Her eyes flared with electricity. The Battery of Brutality had been charging with every single impact.

Using the creature’s own downward momentum, Thor planted her boots on the creature’s forearm, twisted her hips, and pulled with all her god-like strength.

This time, it was the twelve-foot, hulking Demon Head that was suddenly hoisted over Thor’s shoulders, flying helplessly through the air before violently crashing onto its back.

CRAAASHHHHH!!!!