“Get out of here.” Ambrose roars to the other two as she approaches Anastasia. Bunny leans Meize’s shoulders on hers as they limp away. Ambrose grabs the hand but it refuses to budge, catching Anastasia in a complete death-grip. The gem continues to heat up as Anastasia’s screams start to die down, and a glazed look replace them. With no time to hesitate, Ambrose grabs the blade Anastasia had dropped and brings it over. With one heavy swing she directs a clean cut through the arm, taking the hand with them as Anastasia reels back.

“Focus.” Ambrose says forcefully as she grabs Anastasia roughly and drags her away. Not before kicking the rest of the body, sending it crashing against the ground. The orb continues to grow brighter, its own heat beginning to melt through the dead body’s flesh.

“Move!” Ambrose roars as she throws the dazed Anastasia to the side. Ambrose roughly slaps her across the face, sending her reeling as a little bit of light comes back to her eyes. “Move.” Ambrose pants. Anastasia whimpers, the pain coursing through her like a whip slashing across her body, but she forcefully picks herself up.

Together they stumble onward. The seconds feel like hours as each steps take them a little farther, and the heat emanating behind them grows a little stronger. One step forward, then another, and then without warning - boom. The shockwave hits them first, throwing them forward as their bodies slam into the dirt.

The heat comes second, a wave of pure pain assaulting their senses as their skin starts to blister. Anastasia throws herself over Ambrose, covering as much of her body as she can as the explosion goes off. Her throat had long groan hoarse, and only desperate dry wails escape from her throat. Ambrose looks up at her, her own body starting to blister in the areas Anastasia couldn’t protect. They sear into her, but she grits her teeth and remains silent. Only clutching Anastasia’s clothes tightly as the two ride the wave.

The sound dies away, the heat receding, until a thick silence pervades the area. Meize and Bunny, having hidden far away, peek their eyes out. The world around them had become bare. Grass burnt away, and their shack was splintered into numerous pieces. A slow burn kindled what remained of the wood, and even the ground itself was mixed between ashen and burnt. Two bodies lay in the middle, neither moving.

The heat in the air was gone, but part of it had settled into the ground. Bunny attempts to step forward, but her bare feet immediately sting with pain as she jumps back.

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“It’s too hot.” Bunny mutters, her eyes cast to Ambrose and Anastasia as she observes them for signs of movement. “Do you think…” her words are cut off as Meize forces himself on his feet. His wounds had been partially dressed, the cloth covering them seeped in thick blood.

“Move.” He tells her, stumbling forward and onto the blackened ground. The hiss of

“It’s too hot!” Bunny cries, but he continues onward. Bunny hesitates as she looks between him and the two bodies. “Brute.” She complains softly, but her words die out as she stares at him struggling across the ground with gritted teeth. Bunny’s eyes grow hooded for a moment as she observes the three of them.

“Fine!” Bunny cries out, placing the staff down. She rolls over one of the villager bodies nearby and strips their leather shirt. After sawing off a few long strips she ties them to her feet and steps onto the burnt ground.

A torrent of swears exit her mouth as she crosses the ground. The leather protected her feet, but it was still hot and made every step uncomfortable. Eventually she reaches Meize and grabs his arm.

“You go over there.” Bunny hisses, pointing him to the unburnt grass. “I’ll check on them. Think before you do something.” Meize moves his half-lidded eyes over to her. It takes a few times before Bunny’s words get through and she sends him off.

Bunny watches him walk for a moment before turning back and treading over to the two bodies. By this time the leather had started to seriously heat up and was scorching the underside of her feet.

When Bunny reaches them she carefully observes them. Anastasia’s skin had hardened in big solid welts, their red and yellow scarring appearing like splotches of thick paint across her body. Parts where the cloth had covered her weren’t as bad, though the cloth had long since burn itself to tatters. Anastasia completely covered Ambrose below, with her half-falling over on Bunny’s side.

Bunny glances behind her and sees Meize resting on the grass, his eyes almost closed as he stares at the ground in a daze. She takes a step forward and leans down, her fingers resting against her pulse. After a few moments Bunny feels a strong heartbeat and her eyes study her again with surprise.

“You’re going to be okay.” Bunny says loudly. She releases her hand and watches her quietly for a moment. Then she takes another step forward, and comes face to face with a pair of bright hazel eyes staring up at her.

“Shit!” Bunny jumps back, her heart beating rapidly. “Ambrose you scared the crap out of me.” After taking a moment to calm down Bunny steps forward again and meets Ambrose’s eyes. “Why didn’t you say something?” She asks as she looks down and sees burns searing across half of her face. Ambrose says nothing, but her eyes seemed to say it all as they stared at her with a grudge. She opens her mouth and a hoarse cough escapes from it.

“Oh.” Bunny giggles nervously. “Sorry. You’re both okay at least. Let me get Anastasia off you.”