As the dark horse came galloping towards them, Liz and Ahir were surprised to see that the rider was none other than Gailar. Ahir's fingers tightened around the lasso which was still dangling from his hand, but a swift glance from Liz told him not do anything in haste.

As the horse drew near Gailar reined it in, which made the horse rear up on its hind legs. Gailar calmed it down and jumping off its back, he came running towards Ethan who sat on the ground, leaning in Liz's arms, his face blue with pain and suffering.

As he knelt beside Ethan and held the protruding edge of the Demon Slayer Pentacle cautiously between his thumb and index finger, Liz gripped his wrist, her eyes wide with fear. "What are you trying to do? Do you want him to bleed to death?"

"He'll die anyway!" Gailar snapped at her. "Trust me, I won't do any harm."

Gailar's usual mocking tone had vanished. He sounded ardent and sincere. Still, Liz couldn't believe him.

"You've never been our ally! Why should we trust you all of a sudden? Beside that, there is no way we can stop the flow of blood once you remove the Pentacle! He'll die right there!" Her voice choked with tears.

"Trust me there!" Gailar said in a soft, affectionate voice. Liz was so surprised by the sudden change in his voice that her grip on Gailar's wrist loosened. In one swift movement he yanked out the Pentacle from Ethan's chest. The glowing object dripping with blood lay there on his palm for the fraction of a second, then it melted away into air.

Blood had started to pour out of the open wound. Without wasting a moment, Gailar brought out a dagger from his waist and slashed open his left hand. He then held his hand over the wound in Ethan's chest, letting his own blood flow and cover the wound. Liz and Ahir stared in awe as the blood gushing from Gailar's wound covered Ethan's chest and coagulated immediately, blocking the flow of blood from the gaping wound there! In a few seconds it hardened like a plaster, sealing the wound beneath it.

Gailar untied his sash and bandaged his own wound with it. He glanced at Ahir, then turned his eyes towards Liz. There was a silent plea in that look.

Liz understood it. She was going to comply anyway. What she witnessed just then was beyond her knowledge and imagination. But it was not the right time to contemplate about such things. They needed to move out. As soon as possible!

Ethan's strength was coming back slowly. He could stretch his limbs now. The Demon slayer poison spreading through his blood had made him inert but his mind had been working all the time. He had only writhed within as he saw Juran going into the battle all alone, so that they could have a chance to escape. But at that time there was nothing he could have done about it. He just lay there, held in Liz's arms, her face pressed against his head, her silent tears sipping into his hair. Then Gailar had appeared and saved his life as if in a miracle.

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Ethan straightened himself up, trying to distance himself from Liz as much as possible. Liz understood and instantly released him from her hold. Ethan looked at Gailar. "Thank you, Mate!" He said. Then he turned to his friends and said, "Goddamn it! We must hurry and help Juran now! Hope we aren't too late!"

Gailar laughed and said in his usual mocking tone, "Mate! What made you think that we are mates now? I just returned your favour. Guess we are even now?" He stood up and went to his horse. "As for Juran, I think he's more of a charred meatball by now!" He said with a chuckle.

"Gailar!" Ahir snapped. He had been watching them silently all this time. Now he spoke up. "Ethan, don't believe his words. Juran will be alright. But we must get going right now! Come on! Can you ride a horse now?" He said.

"I guess I can." Ethan said. Gailar had already mounted his horse. "See you again!" He shouted. Then he turned his horse towards the town of Karna and sped away.

Ethan mounted his horse as well. “Let’s go look for Juran,” he said.

“But Juran has ordered us to leave at once!” Ahir protested.

“I can’t run away like this, Ahir!” Ethan said. His voice was hard and determined. Involuntarily, his eyes fell on Liz. Pain and suffering were wrought in her face, yet a faint smile of silent gratitude lit it up. ‘Liz doesn’t want to leave without him as well!’ He thought. A sudden pang of envy crossed his heart, making him feel guilty and ashamed. ‘How can you even think in this way!’ He scolded himself.

“Let’s go! Too much time has been wasted already!” He shouted and directed his mount towards the line of jagged rocks which Ahir had summoned as a barrier between the enemy and themselves.

As soon as they reached the other side of the rock wall, an appalling sight took their breath away. The ground in front of them lay strewn with charred corpses and carcasses. It seemed like an inferno had engulfed the whole place, snuffing out every breath of life from there. As they took in the scene slowly, their hearts sank into despair.

Still, they went over the place and looked at the corpses. Most of them were charred beyond recognition. But the sight of them didn’t repeal Ethan much. Memories from some distant past seemed to tug at the corners of his mind, yet he couldn’t grasp at them. Reluctantly, he resigned and turned his attention towards Ahir and Liz. “How are we going to find out if Juran is here or not?” He asked in a strained voice.

“The mark of identification,” Ahir said. “Unless the body has been turned into ashes, the mark will show.”

As he said this, Ahir took out two small square objects from his backpack and handed one to Liz. The two of them checked every single corpse there, but Juran was not among them.

Ethan heaved a sigh of relief. But the next moment an unknown fear gripped him. Could it be that Juran was captured by the enemy? That must be the case! What could he do now to bring him back?

His mind was at a loss.