The sun shines intensely. The wind blows the sand off the ground, hindering their eyesight. The heat pierces through any armor. Balrog neighs, annoyed, standing at the limit between the end of the forest and the beginning of the desert. That yellowish dust that gets everywhere… It hurts his hooves.

  “C’mon, Balrog. I had to walk knee-deep in swamp water and you can’t even stand a bit of sand?” Rose tries to convince her horse to move; the stubborn animal refuses.

  “I suppose we will have to walk.” Aira sighs; she hates sand. Her least favorite part of any journey is crossing the desert. Even inside a carriage, she always ends up with the taste of sand in her mouth.

  “Seems like it, since this guy here doesn’t feel like moving!”. Both Rose and Balrog seemed equally offended.

  “According to the map, we are a few hours away from the wall. If we walk fast enough, we could arrive before nightfall,” Aira mentally measures distances as she waits for her companions to stop bickering.

  The two girls think for a few moments. Rose lets out an annoyed sigh and takes the saddlebags off Balrog. She stores as many supplies as possible inside her bag and puts the saddlebags on Balrog once again. Holding his central head with both hands, she looks him in the eye.

  “You stubborn dummy, go back to the castle and bring this to my father.” The princess writes something down on a piece of paper and puts it inside one of the saddlebags. “Promise me you’ll get home safe.” Balrog neighs in a sad tone. “I’ll miss you too, but we’ll meet again soon, ok? C’mon, go now.”

  Balrog trots towards the inside of the forest and disappears among the trees. Rose dries off a tear; it’s going to be weird to travel without her steed… She walks on the sand toward Provecta. Aira follows close behind. The priestess is going to miss that horse as well, despite not having known him as much.

  The sun beats down on them with all its fiery strength. The heated air weights down their lungs. Sweat dribbles down their foreheads. Rose dries her face with a rag and takes a gulp of water from her canteen, which she offers to Aira, who turns her down kindly. In the distance, the princess catches sight of a gigantic wall that blocks their view. It seems to stretch all the way around the world from each side, hiding the horizon. Two big statues decorate it. They look like the figures of two men, but all the way from here, it’s hard to tell.

  Rose squints and readies her weapon; she holds a hand before Aira’s stomach, stopping her in place. A few meters before them, a humanoid figure can be seen through the sun glare.

  “Rose? Who are they?” Aira holds onto the princess’s armor.

  “Identify yourself, now!” Rose raises Valor, aiming it at the stranger.

  The figure raises their arms. Their tunic’s sleeves slide down with the motion. A smile, which can only be described as slightly cocky, adorns a soft, young face. The stranger’s eyes remain closed. A scar runs down his left eye. The straight, dark green hair reaches down the small of his back. His clothes are peculiar: a tunic made of fine silk, ornamented with golden embroidery, and bell bottoms that barely show their boots.

  “Don’t you two worry, I’m friendly,” says the man, without opening his eyes. “My boss hired me to come fetch you. You must be Rossett and Airaiel, right?” His voice is lighthearted and playful; he talks as if they were old friends, yet with a discernible hint of irony.

  Aira hides behind Rose and stares at the man, opting for precaution. At the sound of her own name, she grimaces with annoyance.

  “Aren’t you gonna introduce yourself?” Rose responds.

  “You’re right. Forgive my manners, Your Majesty. My name’s Larian; I’m merely a messenger,” he says while bowing his head. “Follow me, I’ll open the gates for you.”

  Aira quickly glances at Rose, who responds with a nod. The priestess holds onto Rose’s hand tight and they both follow the messenger.

  “Alright, let’s go; but if you do just one wrong move, my spear won’t be as friendly.”

  “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t miss this payment for anything. Besides, I have no reason to fight you.” Larian walks with his eyes closed, but it seems he doesn’t need a cane to know where he’s going.

  “Are your eyes alright? Do they not work?” Aira can’t help her curiosity, despite her distrust of the messenger.

  “Oh, they do work, but not very well. Keeping them open gives me the worst headaches.”

  “Sounds a bit extreme. Can’t you wear glasses?” Rose responds.

  “I wish it were that simple, but no, my problem is quite different. Either way, don’t worry about me.”

  They walk for a few minutes in silence, amidst the sand dunes and the blazing sun. The statues, which looked big enough from a distance, now seem colossal. Now they can better discern each figure, both tall, sturdy men; although it’s possible they only look that way because of the sheer size of the statues. Aira and Rose marvel at them. Alongside the wall, all these structures before them are architectural wonders.

  “These statues were made in honor of Johan I and II,” Larian comments.

  “And who are those?” Rose asks, her head tilted to the side and an eyebrow raised in question. The priestess looks at her in confusion.

  “I guessed you wouldn’t know about them,” Larian answers. “Johan the First, more commonly called just ‘Johan’, was the founder of the Divine Academy and this very wall, which stretches horizontally all across the continent. It also encircles the Abyss, hindering the most dangerous creatures from passing through. On the other hand, Johan the Second was the leader of the Divine Academy during the Divine War about five hundred years ago. He and his brother were able to overthrow the president of Provecta and prevent the prohibition against the teaching of how to use divinities. But his brother betrayed him and Johan II died trying to defend his position.”

  “Oh, I never heard of Johan II’s brother before. What happened to him afterwards?” Aira is interested in the story Larian is telling him, interested enough, in fact, to peep at him from behind Rose.

  “He’s probably dead in some pit or something. He disappeared after his brother’s death.”

  “You know a great deal about history. Are you a teacher?” asks Rose, who can’t seem to fathom someone studying history for fun.

  “No, I’m passionate about knowledge, that is all. And speaking of knowledge, why don’t you two tell me how your journey’s been?”

  The three chat amicably about Rose and Aira’s adventures. Little by little, they lose their inhibitions and begin to trust him.

  “…Then, I hit the elemental, and…” Rose trails off when she notices that they’ve arrived at the gates.

  Two massive metal plates remain closed, fixed to the wall, barely a few centimeters away from each other. They’re over twenty meters tall; two titans guarding the gates, making sure nothing and nobody goes through them. Larian approaches an opening on the wall, where a man is sleeping.

  “Excuse me, could you open the door?” asks Larian, smiling, his eyes still closed.

  “Huh? And who are you supposed to be?”

  “The pink-haired girl there is the princess of Aeternum. Besides, this is a request from Cruz.”

  “Oh, you should’ve just said that! Guys, the doors!”

  A huge aura forms at the top of the wall. It’s a metallic color that, from a distance, looks like copper. Slowly, one of the metal plates trembles with a shrill noise. After a few moments, there’s enough space available for two people to walk in at a time.

  “Ladies first.” Larian gestures the path to follow with a bow. The two adventurers go through the gates.

  Before their eyes, a stunning view is revealed. Colossal buildings made out of brick and wood. The cobblestone streets connecting the entire city. People in scooters and bicycles can be seen everywhere. Cafés and restaurants in every corner, and trees decorating each square. Yet one building stands out from among the rest: an intimating glass structure in the middle of the city, reminiscent of a watchtower, looms over all. Rose looks around the place in awe. Having been surrounded by the buildings of Aeternum all her life, it’s the first time she’s seen such a different architectural style, and such a different lifestyle. Aira never grows tired of this view.

  “Welcome. My boss is waiting for you in that huge glass building; you can’t miss it.”

  “Thank you kindly, Mr. Larian. You have been really helpful.” Aira smiles and waves at him.

  Rose shakes his hand and bids him goodbye as the messenger walks away.

  The two girls walk around the city. Rose awes at the architecture, the people, the smells, the feeling of being somewhere new. Steam machinery can be seen in many houses and artificial lights line up the streets, even though they’re off during daytime. The princess spends the whole way greeting every citizen she comes across with uncontrollable excitement, until they finally reach the towering glass building.

  A sign that reads “De la Cruz Tower” is fixed on the glass door. Rose is startled at the door opening by itself and inspects it, trying to figure out what kind of magic is opening it. Aira laughs with the princess. It’s the first time she’s seen someone so easily impressed; for Aira, these sorts of things are normal by now. They greet the receptionist and explain the situation to her. The woman tells them to go up to the fifteenth floor using the elevator. The room is decorated with several plants in little pots and interesting paintings hanging from the walls. There’s a distinct scent of jasmine, but it isn't too overpowering. It’s a calm place. It reminds the princess of the library back home.

  The two girls walk up to the hole in the wall, where the elevator can be found. A boy is inside, sitting on a small wooden chair. They both greet him; Rose, with a small nod. The priestess asks him to take them to the fifteenth floor and the boy closes his eyes. A purple aura forms around him, the doors slam shut and the elevator starts to tremble. The princess, scared, wraps her arms around Aira, who can’t help but laugh. After a few moments, they reach the fifteenth floor. They bid the guy goodbye and soon they’re standing before a big door.

  It is made of antique wood, perhaps from an old oak tree; the way it glistens shows the care that goes into polishing it. It is connected to the wall via two forged steel hinges carefully fixed in a way that does not harm the door’s integrity, with the help of two magic seals. The door’s front was carved so very carefully, quite possibly by an expert artisan, and it depicts a peculiar image. Stars abound, constellations carved onto the oak’s bark, so meticulous and delicate a piece of work that it looks as if the door has been directly taken from the tree with no human intervention required. On the corners, there are four interesting symbols, entirely unfamiliar to the girls: an eye with a star as a pupil; a mirror surrounded by chains; a shield protecting a helmet, and a halberd with the picture of a dragon on its blade. The incredible art piece they are in the presence of clashes with their futuristic surroundings, as if it was from another time period.

  “What a… nice door,” Rose comments.

  “Definitely, I would love having one like this at home.”

  “…Oh, we came to talk to Cruz.”

  “Oh, right!”

  The princess knocks on the door, careful not to damage it. A calm voice answers from the other side.

  “Come in.”

  The girls open the door. Before them, a spacious office is revealed. The sunshine coming through the large picture window lights up the whole room. A wooden desk stands before a tall chair that grants the room an air of importance. The office is ornamented with plants and various shelves full of books, trophies and prizes. A woman dressed in a black business suit, with a white shirt peeking from underneath, awaits sitting on the chair. Her crossed legs and upright posture make her look imposing. Her long skirt is hidden from view by the desk in front of her. Her dark purple hair is tied in a ponytail that rests on her shoulder. Her lilac eyes, with just a touch of make-up on them, stare straight at the adventurers.

  “Princess, Priestess, welcome. You may sit.” The woman’s calm and serious voice echoes in the spacious room. A soft smile curls her cherry-red lips. Her right hand plays with a pencil.

  Both Rose and Aira bow and make their way into the office. The woman gestures toward two seats and the two girls sit down.

  “You must already know by now, but my name is Cruz. I’m the one who sent Larian to fetch you.”

  “I gathered as much. Cruz is a curious name; I’ve never heard it before,” Rose says intrigued.

  “If you want, you might refer to me by my full name: Margarita Santa María de la Cruz.”

  “Cruz works best.”

  “Thought so. Now, you’re probably wondering why I summoned you two here.” The two girls nod together. “Well, it’s simple; I’m creating a special group. A group capable of fighting the abyss.”

  Rose’s eyes light up; just as she thought, destiny is calling her. Aira looks at the princess with a mix of concern and happiness.

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  “And what do we gain from this?” The priestess tries to read Cruz’s face, but she gives nothing away.

  “I’ll give you decent salaries, a room in this building for you to stay at, and all the same perks any of my employees have. But first, I’d like you two to do something for me.”

  “What do you need?” Rose is too excited to keep herself in check.

  “In an abandoned building, not too far from here, there’s a assasin, the most feared in the whole criminal world. Not just because of how effective she is, but because of her morals. The only thing she’s interested in is how much money you can pay her and, if your target can pay more, well… you may very well become her next victim. To this day, there’s no one to our knowledge who has faced her and lived to tell the tale. Her name is…”

  A black-suited man is in a room, alone. All the doors are shut with three locks each. The windows, reinforced with iron bars, are impossible to open. The man is nervous, trembling in fear.

  I have to be safe in here. There’s no way she can come in, the man thinks, as a sharp blade gets stuck between his vertebrae. A hard kick to its false edge makes the man’s head fall to the ground like a nut from a tree. The sword disappears into the dark figure’s right hand. The blood bursting from the man’s neck pools down all over the floor. The figure crouches next to the scarlet puddle, and with a hand clad in a black glove, she draws a smiley face.

  “Scarlet… She does sound mysterious.” Aira surveys the abandoned building from the outside.

  “Agreed… Aren’t you scared?” Rose gently elbows the priestess’s side.

  “To tell you the truth, I am, a little. But I suppose I have to get rid of my fears to follow you, right?” Aira glances at the princess, worried, but Rose simply smiles at her.

  “No, I’m scared, too. This will be my first time facing another person outside of combat training. And I still don’t know anything about divinities… But bravery isn’t about not feeling scared; it’s to… feel scared and do things anyways.”

  Aira looks at Rose with both respect and inspiration. “You know, you can be brighter than you seem when you feel like it,” the priestess says, smiling. She takes a deep breath and adjusts her tunic. “Come on, let’s beat up that assassin.”

  “I like the way you think, Aira. Let’s go.”

  The two girls enter the abandoned building. It’s apparent that no one’s set foot in this place for years; the cobwebs and dust everywhere more than confirms it. The ground floor looks like a sort of mall. Closed shops, rats all over the place. The girls’ steps echo off the walls, as if they were wandering inside a cave. Valor scraps the ground beneath its tip as Rose drags it along, prepared to impale whatever comes near her. Aira’s lamp is their only light source.

  Suddenly, Rose goes still. Her eyes flick around rapidly, analyzing the terrain, and her mouth opens mere centimeters.

  “I saw you. Stop hiding, assassin.”

  “That was quick. I guess I’m not too good at hide-and-seek.” A slightly high voice comes from the shadowy figure holding onto the ceiling. She jumps down, landing just a few meters away from the girls.

  The lamp’s light shines on her. Long, red hair runs down her leather attire; a scarlet scarf hangs from around her neck. Her left hand is covered by a black glove. Boots with small heels grant her some extra height. Her face is hidden by a white porcelain mask, a sinister smile on its surface. The only thing that can be seen through it is the glint of her eyes: the right one, red; the left one, green.

  “So… you’re Scarlet, aren’t you?” Rose points at her adversary using Valor while analyzing her.

  “In the flesh. I must say, it’s been years since someone’s dared to challenge me. It’d be quite a treat to fight you, I’m sure of that.” The assassin’s hands move plenty as she talks. When she finishes, she covers her mask’s mouth, simulating a laugh.

  “Aira, stand behind, and don’t hesitate to use Blessing.”

  The priestess nods and the princess takes a few steps forward. Scarlet shows them her bare palm. A red crystal is inlaid in the center. It shines a dark scarlet before a blood katana materializes in her hand. A red aura forms around the masked assassin. The two get into position and rest the tips of their weapons together. Both of them take in a deep breath.

  Their weapons’ blades give off sparks as Valor slides off, sweeping just above Scarlet’s head. Rose shifts her hold on her spear to draw it closer and fend off an imminent slash. The spear and the sword clash continually, a waltz measured in such a way that neither steps out of line.

  “You’re not half bad with that spear.”

  “Could say the same about you with that katana.”

  Despite all these years of training… We’re evenly matched? Rose can’t help thinking that. She knows that she has to look for a way to overpower the assassin.

  A thrust of her spear is blocked by the blade of the katana, but the princess uses the opening over Valor’s sharp edges to trap Scarlet’s sword and drive her own spear into the ground. Using her firmly fixed weapon as a pole, the princess swirls with a jump and tries to kick the assassin’s head, who lets go of her sword and crouches beneath her leg. She’s unarmed. Rose knows what to do, she’s thought about it so many times, but she’s never been able to give it a try. When she lands, she pulls Valor out of the ground and starts to deliver a flurry of thrusts before her adversary can even think about getting back her weapon. A metallic sound echoes all over the building: A blood shield wards off her jabs. The sword lying on the ground melts into a scarlet puddle. [Bloody Weaponry].

  “What?” Rose is taken aback; she didn’t consider the possibilities of the assassin’s technique.

  “You like it? It’s simple and effective.”

  Her technique seems to be {Blood Weapon Creation}, right? Can I beat that? The two continue clashing weapons, as Scarlet undoes her shield to rematerialize her katana.

  “Your attacks are too structured; I can read you like a book.” The masked assassin laughs at the princess, who couldn’t be more frustrated.

  “You’re right…”

  Rose delivers another powerful thrust that hooks Scarlet’s sword once again. She throws the katana to the side and, just as Scarlet undoes her weapon, swirls her spear in the air to deliver a horizontal slash. The assassin creates a shield, but the princess lets go of Valor and finally connects her shoulder with Scarlet’s stomach. She tries to follow that attack with a blow from her left fist, but Scarlet uses Rose’s own body as a platform to do a backward somersault and get out of her range.

  Blood accumulates on the assassin’s hand and she creates her sword yet again.

  Rose whirls her spear and grabs it much closer to the tip.

  Their eyes meet above the clash of their weapons. With a solid blow, out of pure, raw strength, the princess sends Scarlet’s sword flying and manages to grab her left wrist.

  “Got you.”

  “Not so fast, princess.”

  A spurt of blood falls over Rose’s armor. She’s left holding onto a severed arm. The assassin walks back, leaving a bloody trail in her wake. The princess’s eyes open as wide as they can; she wasn’t expecting this psycho to cut off her own arm. The blood on the floor snakes toward the assassin and starts to rise in the air. The thick liquid surrounds her missing arm. Her right hand lifts four fingers, her palm facing herself. The blood takes the shape of her limb. and with a hand gesture, her arm is created anew, perfectly connected to her body.

  She can regenerate, too? Wait… is her technique… {Total Blood Manipulation}?! Is that what lets her regenerate?

  “Alright. Let’s roughhouse, princess.”

  Scarlet spreads her arms wide and her crystal starts to glow once again. An exact copy of Valor materializes in her hands, one that is made entirely of blood. The assassin copies Rose’s stance and the two go on to trade clashing blows.

  A thrust is coming; aim for the head. The assassin somehow knows exactly what Rose wants to do, but she lost sight of something. Rose’s spear starts to accelerate when a white light appears from behind her. Aira raises her hand and screams:

  “[Divine Blessing]!”

  Rose’s muscles speed up, giving her a chance to catch her adversary off guard. The sound of Valor’s tip stabbing through Scarlet’s mask echoes throughout the whole building, as it breaks into hundreds of tiny pieces.

  Using the blood from her face, the assassin creates spikes on the floor that force Rose to step back. In mere seconds, her face has regenerated fully, revealing her identity at last. Her facial structure is stunningly symmetrical, broken only by her mismatched eyes; with a button nose and thin lips that curl into a sinister grin. A breathtaking beauty that neither of the adventurers was really expecting. Two little marks that look like fangs are present on her lower lip.

  “Listen,” Rose starts to say. “I’ll give you a chance: give up now and I’ll let you go.”

  “Huh?” Both the assassin, still smiling, and Aira say at the same time.

  “If you stop being a hitwoman, I promise to let you leave without resorting to the authorities.” Rose was being completely serious; she even offers the killer her outstretched hand. But Scarlet can only laugh.

  “You really are weird, princess. But I can’t accept that deal. Let’s end this, once and for all, yeah?” Her smile begins to unnerve both girls, as her eyes stare unflinchingly at the princess.

  “Alright, let’s finish this.” Rose secures Valor beneath her arm and readies herself for another attack.

  Scarlet creates her own version of Valor once again and both of them run toward the other. Rose thrusts her weapon and the assassin dodges with a crouch. The Blood Valor’s hilt parries the princess’s answering kick. The spears’ tips clash again and again until both hit the other’s hand tightly holding onto each spear. The two Valor clatter to the ground, the sound echoing off the walls.

  Scarlet uses that second to score a blow to the princess’s stomach. Rose grabs her arm and retaliates with a fist to the face. The assassin’s smile doesn’t falter, but her eyes open wide when a knee connects with her stomach. Tugging down on her arm, Rose punches her on the face once again. The fourth hit she delivers has energy starting to buzz beneath her skin. Rose’s aura is visible, and her left fist is charged with an overpowering amount of energy. Just when her blow is about to impact, a drop of blood shoots out like a bullet, cutting the princess’s cheek with a mere graze.

  The energy in her hand vanishes. All the power stored inside her fades away.

  “I knew it; your combo breaks if you receive any kind of damage.” The cocky assassin’s smile broadens, yet, without dropping it, her expression turns to one of surprise.

  “For my whole life, I fought without a technique, and today isn’t going to be the exception.”

  Rose’s fist rams into Scarlet’s face and sends her flying toward the wall. The princess cleans her bloody knuckles on her armor and smiles.

  “What’s wrong, Scarlet? Princess got your tongue?”

  A dangerous presence emanates from where the assassin is lying against the wall. She gets up with a maniacal smile on her regenerating face.

  “It was true; you’re incredible. For someone who doesn’t know how to use her divinity, you’re very strong. But in this world, you won’t survive long enough for it to matter. [Bloody Restraint].”

  Scarlet snaps her fingers and blood handcuffs materialize around Rose’s wrists. Blood chains connect the handcuffs together and pierce into the floor, keeping her captive.

  “What?!” Rose and Aira both yelp, surprised; the latter approaches to try and free the princess.

  The assassin licks the blood off her lips and lifts her newly created blood katana. With tears in her eyes, Aira stands between them. Scarlet is about to lower her weapon onto her when a peculiar sound can be heard, along a bright purple light.

  —[Pew].

  The assassin’s arm is torn away when an energy bullet pierces through it. The ground is stained with blood. Scarlet laughs as she looks around for her severed arm. With a snap of her fingers, she undoes the blood restraints holding Rose down.

  “I told you not to overdo it, Scarlet.” A calm voice approaches the girls. Her pointer finger gives off a little smoke, which she blows out. Cruz looks at both adventurers with a serious expression.

  “Cruz?! You two know each other?!” Aira is fuming with rage. “What is wrong with you?!”

  Rose’s laughter joins Scarlet’s own, and the priestess looks at her, weirded out.

  “I get it; this was a test, right?”

  “A… test?”

  “Exactly. I asked Scarlet to put you to the test; I wanted to know how you’d measure up against the other member for the group I was putting together,” Cruz says.

  “We are supposed to be on the same team as this psycho?” Aira can’t believe it; it seems she’s the only person in the room who hasn’t gone completely bonkers.

  “And? What did you think?” Rose says as Aira heals her wounds.

  “I have to say, you gave her quite a fight, especially considering you don’t know how to use your divinity.” You just need to keep training.”

  Scarlet looks at them from afar, sitting on a bench inside an abandoned shop. Her smile, mysterious and hollow. Her eyes are fixed on the princess.

  “Rose, it’s time we make it official.” Cruz offers her hand to the princess, with a slight smile. “I want you to work for me. I want to make this world a better place, and I need your help.”

  Rose smiles and looks Cruz in the eye.

  Scarlet and the businesswoman are on the rooftop of the De la Cruz Tower. The assassin is drinking an iced refreshment and Cruz, smoking a cigar.

  “What a weird girl,” Cruz says.

  “She’s… special. Very special. Aren’t you mad that she turned you down?”

  “I can’t say I was expecting that… but I guess she’s right.”

  I wanna follow my own path. I can’t sit by waiting for my destiny to fulfill itself; I have to be active. I’m sorry, Cruz, but I’ll have to refuse. The princess’s words echo in her mind. Scarlet can’t get them out of her head.

  “Miss Cruz.”

  “Yes, Scarlet?”

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There’s something… that I need to see by myself.”

  Scarlet jumps onto the edge of the rooftop. She turns around, facing away from the void, and looks at Cruz.

  “I promise to come back. See you later.”

  “Wait!”

  The assassin lets herself fall from the building. Two blood threads, like spider webs, stop her descend. The crunching sound of bones breaking in pieces can be heard through the whole street, but they regenerate in a blink. Wait, don’t leave without me. Scarlet runs off to look for the two girls, who left not too long before.

  “I guess it’s time she has some freedom, too. We’ll meet again someday soon, Scarlet, Rose.”

  Cruz laughs as she drops her cigar over the edge of the rooftop.

  A cigar was doused under the rain. Cruz’s hair fell over her face, drenched, blocking out her view, eyes wide in surprise as she covered her mouth with her hand. At the entrance of the cave, which was reinforced with an iron door, stood little Scarlet. With a smile on her face, her eyes brimming with tears, and the blood all over her body being washed away by the storm. Cruz crouched down before her, to meet her at her level. The girl must have been about twelve years old.

  “Don’t worry, kid. You’re safe with me.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise. What’s your name?”

  “…Scarlet…”

  “I’m Cruz. Come on, I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

  Cruz offered her hand, but the girl refused to take it. Her eyes were full of distrust, and her smile was wobbly. The young businesswoman sat down on the mud, entirely ruining her suit. Scarlet hugged her tight.

  “We can stay here if you want; it’s alright.”

  “…Thanks…”

  “The things they’ve done to you in there… I’ll make sure to find whoever’s responsible.