Levi still couldn’t believe he’d made it through. With so many lying dead, he feared the worst for his friends. Crawling out from under the rubble, he started for the stairs. That’s where they’d be if they were anywhere. At least that's where they’d been before Surtr had torn down half the platform in his fight. But the stairs were so littered with mangled corpses that his stomach rebelled and he had to back away, becoming violently sick on the floor.

He waited till his stomach calmed down before attempting the ascent once more. He managed a few steps, trying not to think about what it was he was climbing over, when he heard a voice from above.

"Hey, Levi, I'm so glad you're okay."

He looked to see Alice, remarkably unscathed, helping a groggy looking Paul to his feet.

"Hey," he called, relief evident in his voice. "Yeah I'm okay, how about you?"

"Great. I didn't do much, just hid up here till the fighting was over. Some hunter in training I turned out to be. Can you help me though? I don't think I can get Paul down on my own."

"Yeah, Yeah I'll be right up."

Levi began again to mount the stairs, but Bragh appeared on Paul's other side, hoisting the boy up on his shoulders.

"Allow me to help," he said, with a nod to Alice, "I was unable to avenge my brother but at least I can help one who fought so valiantly against the demon."

The massive warrior hoisted Paul onto his shoulders effortlessly. "I did not know you were of the Darra clan boy. I am afraid I wrote you off as weak. I hope you will accept my apologies."

"No need," Paul said with a grunt, as he was bounced along on the vulfnar's shoulders. "I am weak. I lasted like five seconds."

He sighed as Bragh lowered him to the ground against the wall. There he stayed, looking too weak to move.

"You see?" Paul said with a laugh, "I can't even move. I'm pathetic."

"That's still more than I did," said Levi. It was right in front of me. I hit it with everything I had and it just laughed at me."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Yeah, Paul" said Alice, "I wasn't any better. You and Liz were amazing. I didn't know you could do that. Was that what you and Reggie were being all secretive about?"

"Yeah, I uh found out in the woods. I was cornered by those gremlins when it just came out. It was pretty brutal and, anyway, it scared me bad. Reggie helped me sort it out. He."

"Hey," Levi said. Interrupting Paul. "Where’s Liz?"

Desperately now, Levi looked up at the platform, then over at the pile of rubble.

"I think she was over there when it went down," Alice said, her face looking ashen.

Levi didn't wait for her to finish. He was off and running to the wreckage, leaping over dead bodies as he did so.

"Liz," he called, "Liz, where are you?"

There was no reply. He searched frantically through the wreckage, ignoring the scene around him as he pried concrete and metal away. Then a coppery flash caught his eye, a few strands of hair visible, protruding from underneath a mess of railing and drywall.

"Liz," he called again, pulling debris and twisted metal away, not even noticing as it sliced into his hands. Moments later he was joined by Melanie, Ravea, and a handful of others, carefully lifting the last of the wreckage to expose her motionless form, laying between two beams. As a dozen hands reached down to gently lift her out, she coughed, her eyes fluttering open for a moment, before they closed again. Ravea held her closely, gently, putting his face close to hers.

"She's alive," he said after an endless moment.

Levi felt bands loosen from his chest and realized he had stopped breathing. After all that had happened it was seeing her lying there, helpless, that scared him the most. He realized in that moment that he'd always seen her as a kind of indestructible force. Now though… Still, the color had returned to her cheeks and a faint smile played across her lips as she nestled in her father's massive arms.

"That's enough time spent here," Melanie announced, waving away the onlookers. "My daughter is safe, but there are many still wounded."

As Ravea carried Liz off, the rest of them busied themselves helping who they could. The bodies of the beasts were piled up and doused with gasoline, while those of their friends were laid carefully to the side. The demon on the other hand was left untouched.

"Even dead he’s dangerous." Melanie said in way of explanation. "For creatures like that death is not so easily dealt. I won't rest easy till he's disposed of properly." Though she wouldn't say exactly how that would be done.

Levi and Alice helped however they were able, though Levi's head was burning where the demon’s sword had split it, and his side had begun to ache where he’d landed on it. Still, he kept on working, ignoring the pain till the walls started spinning. He stumbled and would have fallen, but he was caught by a strong hand.

"Hey there, I think you've done your part. I'd say it's time to leave the rest to us."

Levi looked up into Reggie's face.

"Reggie, I'm glad your okay," he tried to say, but it wouldn't come out right, as the world was spinning round. He struggled to focus, but he felt himself falling into the abyss.