A nightmare, I was having a nightmare.

Allein opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of a tent. Her breathing was ragged and she was gripped with fear.

“Relax Allein, calm yourself.”

She heard a soothing voice she recognized from beside her.

“Laila, where is Fayde? I had a terrible dream, he was in danger.”

Allein was having difficulty speaking as her throat was parched, but she forced the words out.

“It’s better that you rest more and don’t think of anything else. You just barely survived and need rest.” Laila replied.

“I asked you where Fayde is!” Allein shouted with some anger.

Laila sighed and responded, “I was hoping you would rest more before we had to tell you this. In the battle where you almost died, Fayde saved your life using all of his power. In his weakened state, an enemy mage used a mysterious formation and Fayde…. He’s gone.”

Allein sat up abruptly and glared at Laila. She was having difficulty controlling her emotions.

“What do you mean he’s gone? Why!? Why did he risk himself for me? Why didn’t you protect him!?”

Her words caused Laila to glare angrily for a moment, a hint of killing intent flashing through her eyes. Ever since marrying Fayde, her temperament had somewhat calmed. She had only done this because being newlywed, she wanted Fayde to have a good impression of her. Fayde was the first man she had ever shown any interest towards.

Even if that interest wasn’t necessarily love, she certainly yearned for it. She absolutely didn’t want him to see her in a negative light.

In reality, Laila was not such a kind and forgiving person and her arrogance was not something anyone could compare with. Now that Fayde was no longer present, she almost snapped when Allein said those words.

However, she controlled her emotions begrudgingly and said while gripping her own left arm fiercely, “If there is someone you are looking to blame, then blame yourself for your weakness. If you were stronger, this never would have happened and Fayde wouldn’t have been taken from us.”

Allein, being somewhat hysterical, didn’t notice the anger that seeped from Laila’s voice. She couldn’t deny her words though and felt immense guilt gnawing at her from the inside.

Reia stood near the entrance of the tent watching the two quietly. She had always had a good understanding of the personalities of both Laila and Allein. She knew that both of them were quite unfortunate, having gone through considerable pain and suffering throughout their lives.

In reality, the two were actually very similar. Both had lost their parents young and both had been scorned, manipulated and deceived by others. In the end, the two took very different routes in their lives.

One became arrogant and cold, spurning all others thinking none worthy of her affection. The other, a spoiled child seeking love and acceptance, wracked with the guilt. Both had come to love the same person, although for very different reasons.

Or perhaps it would be best not to call it love, but necessity. They each found something in Fayde that they lacked and so were drawn to him due to circumstance and opportunity.

Reia sighed, realizing it would be her job to mediate between the two. It wasn’t as if she had no qualms about the events that took place in the past because of Allein, but she could see Allein’s sincerity and she pitied her.

“What happened to Fayde was no one’s fault. If you are looking for someone to blame, then blame me. I will take your anger and your pain. I too wasn’t strong enough to protect him.”

Reia walked over to the two and stood beside them. She smiled at Allein whose face was muddied with tears.

“Laila, let me talk with her. Go get some rest. We are just about ready for the final assault and you will have your chance to vent your anger. Okay?”

Laila’s face hadn’t softened. It was tense and her eye twitched in agitation, but she stood and left the tent without saying anything. Reia was one of the few she respected and for her, she was willing to hold back her anger. Her anger hadn’t abated though.

She had every intention of taking it out on the battle soon to come.

Tears continued to flow freely down Allein’s face. She didn’t even realize she was crying as she held her head in her hands. She couldn’t bear to look at Reia.

“Allein, it’s not your fault.”

“No! This is my fault, everything is my fault. I already almost cost Fayde his life once and now he’s gone because of me!” Allein said hysterically.

Reia lost her patience and slapped Allein silencing her. She could only look up at Reia in surprise, holding her face where Reia had slapped her.

“Fayde is not dead. He’s just not here for the moment, he will return to us. The only thing we can do now is finish what he began so that when he does return, we won’t have let him down. Do you understand what I am saying? Crying here, blaming yourself, feeling guilt… you are just being selfish. When you’re done feeling sorry for yourself, we’ll be waiting.”

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Allein couldn’t respond to her words and Reia had already turned and quickly left the tent leaving her alone.

“I… Fayde.. Please be okay..” She whispered to herself and then fell silent. She stared in a daze at nothing in particular and her thoughts were muddled. She felt numb and sat on the bed in silence.

There was still much to do before the siege began once more. After Fayde disappeared, things became hectic and chaotic. In the confusion, the king of Jaspel successfully retreated with half of his remaining army. There wasn’t much that could be done at that time and Reia had done everything she could just to hold the army together.

Allein had been severely injured and Laila had gone berserk, attacking everyone in sight. Reia had been forced to calm Laila down while reorganizing the army and ensuring that Allein received healing. If not for her efforts, many might have been injured or killed.

There was still an army remaining within the city walls of La’gun and that was where her eyes currently rested.

After a time, Reia stood some distance from the battlements and observed the tall walls of the capitol city of La’gun. They had already repeatedly attacked the walls for the past day hoping to determine how strong the city defenses were and if there were any weaknesses in the magic barrier protecting the city walls.

They could tell that the mages supporting the barrier were growing weary and that the barrier had already been greatly depleted by the previous siege. They wouldn’t be able to keep their defense up for much longer especially since the warriors of the various Demihuman tribes had a significant number of magic casters among them.

“The weather is warm today… I wonder what it’s like where you are right now…” Reia thought to herself as a warm breeze blew causing her hair to flutter softly.

“I know you will return, you must! I will do what needs to be done until then.”

Reia firmly clenched her fist, her thoughts clear and her determination strong.

“My Khatun, the warriors are ready for the assault. Our magic casters are in position.” A subordinate of the Rabbitkin tribe reported with a respectful bow.

“Good. Go and tell Laila that preparations are complete and have her come here. It is time for her to show the Humans of this city the power of our kind.”

“Yes, my Khatun.”

The subordinate bowed once more and rushed off to find Laila who was supposed to be resting in her tent. She couldn’t rest due to her frustration and was busily demolishing a practice dummy she had crudely set up. She wasn’t using her full strength, otherwise one punch would have been enough to obliterate it.

Not wanting to disturb her in her fit of anger, the subordinate waited a moment before Laila noticed him nearby.

“It’s about time, I’m ready to smash something!”

Laila didn’t even wait for the subordinate to speak before commenting, she was well aware of why he had come looking for her. Without delay, she rushed towards Reia.

“Sister, I see you are prepared. You even changed your clothing to something more suitable for battle.” Reia greeted Laila with smile after noticing her change in clothes from earlier.

Laila wore a tight black outfit made from the silk of a Gayarva worm which accentuated her mature curves. Laila’s body was much more shapely than Reia and her battle attire made this quite apparent.

“Hmph. I have no intention of ruining one of my beautiful dresses. This battle attire was especially made just for me back when we were traveling across the Plains of Sorrow. This silk is both flexible and resilient so it suits me well.” Laila said with a hint of pride.

“Perhaps a little too well…” Reia muttered under her breath with a slight bit of envy. She certainly admired her fellow sister wife’s sturdy yet delicate form.

“Our warriors are in place, I was just waiting for you to join us before beginning our assault. I leave the rest to you.”

Laila laughed with pride before replying, “I am going to crush these Humans with my bare hands! Be prepared to charge once my deed is done. I won’t wait for you!”

Reia could only give a resigned smile, but she was also greatly anticipating the battle to come.

“Just save some for the rest of us. The soldiers need achievements too.”

Laila didn’t respond and walked slowly forward her hips swaying with a seductive charm. The anger that she had exhibited earlier seemed to be gone, at least overtly. However, if one were to look closely, deep within her now turned crimson eyes her anger seethed waiting to be released.

The attack began in earnest as Laila slowly approached the walls. She was in no particular hurry and the many elemental attack spells cast by the magic casters rapidly fell upon the city walls. Pulsating flashes of light were emitted from the wall which was now under constant bombardment.

All their attacks were focused on the general area in which Laila was approaching the walls. As she walked, Laila stretched her arms in an over exaggerated and nonchalant manner as if she had not a care in the world.

It almost seemed as if she were going for a peaceful walk and that she was unaware of the dozens of spells which were flying over her head and colliding against the city walls. As she neared the range of the enemy archers upon the walls, they fired their arrows towards her but none of this fazed her in the least.

Laila increased her pace to a brisk jog and before the arrows could rain down on her head, she burst forth into an insanely fast sprint avoiding the arrows completely. The spells continued to bombard the wall weakening the magic barrier protecting it, but the barrier still remained.

The spells had not yet broken through. None of this concerned Laila as she sped forwards straight towards the wall where the spells had focused their attack. Her eyes had long transformed into that of a Demon and the unimaginable strength that flowed through her limbs propelled her forward into the air.

She jumped mightily and pulled back her arm letting loose with a fearsome blow. Like a rocket, her fist collided against the magic barrier protecting the wall causing an explosion of sound which seemed to rock the surrounding area. The barrier blinked out of existence and her fist met the wall causing cracks to form and rapidly spread throughout.

The soldiers stationed atop the wall cried out in shock, their eyes blinked in an unbelieving stupor. They had never seen anything like it and fear quickly spread throughout the ranks as the wall began to shake. Laila continued to pound on the wall just like she had pounded on the training dummy earlier. Only this time, she used her true strength, the power of one who could be rightfully called a Demon.

The wall continued to shake and finally began to crumble. Laila stepped back away from the wall and began to wipe the dust off herself. It didn’t take long before a hole large enough for two warriors to enter abreast to form and once the dust settled the city was finally exposed to the outside.

Smiling to herself with a satisfied expression, Laila finished dusting herself off and proceeded to step over rubble and calmly entered the city. Behind her, the Demihuman warriors boomed with a loud warcry and charged like a flood towards the breach in the city walls.

Laila raised her head and glared ominously at the enemy who were in a confused state and were attempting to assemble near the breach to hold back the Demihuman tide.