FAUSTUS:

I felt life come back to me, and with a shuddering gasp, I breathed in greedily and I opened my eyes… just in time to see a tear fall from Sia’s eyes.

Struggling to lift my hands, I opened my mouth and weakly asked, “Wh-” and trailed off when Sir Liam’s face suddenly came into my vision as he checked my eyes.

Done, Sir Liam straightened up with satisfaction before he began calling out, “All the severely injured on the right side, please. The ones who are moderately injured move to the left. Faster! Faster! I don’t have all day!”

Getting up shakily, I looked around and saw that the Maidens had gathered around, but I couldn’t see a certain figure.

Turning to Sia, who was looking at her feet, I croaked out, “Marrok?”

Head jerking up, Sia frantically looked around, but he was gone.

A heavy stone seemed to settle in my stomach as I recalled his expression as the boy… What was his name? Cahir.. Cahir something… As Cahir had looked at him.

Urgently, I asked, “Where did he go? Does anyone know?”

Looking at her feet again, Sia cleared her throat, and she told me about how four people from the Maidens had been picked by the Year 2 people.

As the maidens who were unconscious heard what happened, gasps sounded out before murmurs of outrage began spreading and hands moved to clap Celsus, Iole, and Marana on their backs in support.

Miserably, Sia looked down at the ground again, and I felt my heart twinge in pain.

Tearing my gaze away from her, I looked at Celsus who looked at me sadly, Iole who looked angry, and Marana who stayed as quiet as she was usually.

Softly, I said, “We’ll get you back. Just wait for us.”

Then louder, I said, “We’ll get you back. By Falka, I swear it.” and I met their gazes, holding them as I tried to convey the feelings I had inside of me.

Wiping his eyes, Celsus grinned as he said, “It won’t be so bad, I think. Will it?” he finished uncertainly as he looked at Damon, who nodded at him.

Relaxing, Celsus spoke. “See? It won’t be long before you guys come get us, and we’ll be fine.”

But I could hear the sadness he was holding back, and off to the side, Apollo was clenching his jaw so hard that we could hear grinding noises coming from him.

Nodding forcefully, I extended a fist toward Celsus, who bumped it with his own massive fist.

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Then, extending the fist to Iole, I nodded again as she extended her own fist toward me.

Pausing in front of Marana, I regarded her for a moment, before I grinned and grabbed her hand as she extended it for the fist bump, raising it to the sky as I said, “Our hidden champion! We’re definitely getting her back, yes? Yes Maidens?”

And a muted cheer sounded out. Dissatisfied, I walked over to Celsus and Iole, and pulling them into a hug, I roared out, “We’re getting all of them back, you hear? Isn’t that right, Maidens?”

And this time, it was Apollo who led the roar as he yelled out as loudly as he could, “Yes, we baling will!”

Letting go of the two, I turned to face Ares, Damon, and Celine, who shuffled back a step as they looked at me uncomfortably.

Bowing down to the three, I said, “On behalf of the Maidens and myself. I ask you to take care of our comrades for us. Please!”

Exchanging glances, the three nodded, and Ares stepped forward to help me up.

Accepting the aid, I noticed that Ares’s arm was trembling slightly as he met my gaze.

Smiling at him, I said in a voice that only he could hear, “I’m glad, Ares. Don’t you dare stop what you’re doing.”

Ares stared at me for a short moment before his lips moved, forming a very small smile. But a smile nonetheless.

Clapping him on the shoulder, I looked over at Sia, who was biting her lip as she lifted her head.

But there was determination in her eyes now, and that was what I wanted to see.

Gently, I called out to her, “Chief Maiden, what do you think?”

Sia looked at me blankly for a moment before she nodded and looked at each of the Maidens in turn, pausing at Celsus, Iole, and Marana.

Then she spoke, enunciating each word as clearly as she could, “You all are Maidens. My Maidens. I have let you down today, and we have lost four comrades. But Maidens, do we give up?”

Looking at the sky, she spoke softly, “We do not. Whether they’re far away, or with us. They are part of the Maidens. When the time is right, we will go get them back. And on that day…” Turning to look at Ares, Celine, and Damon… She said, “On that day, whoever stands against us will fall.”

Meeting her gaze, the three looked on as sparks flew before they nodded in unison.

Breaking the charged moment, Sir Liam came as he clapped his hands; “Bravo. Very melodramatic and all that jazz. Now, I don’t have much time, so let’s wrap this up. You can now move onto the exchange market, which is shown on this map. It will be open for two days, and you can exchange what you want with each other, and with the vendors themselves.”

Saying so, he tossed a piece of paper to Sia.

Continuing, he looked at the other three as he said, “I’m sure you know the way to it, so I’m not giving you a map.”

As the three nodded, he then turned to leave when Sia asked, “What can we exchange with in the market?”

Impatiently looking at her, Sir Liam said, “Anything you have. You’ll gain credits for each item you sell, and you can use that to buy what you need. That’s why it’s called an exchange market, girl!”

And with that, he left behind a Sia whose ears were tinged red as she clutched the map.

Stepping in, I cleared my throat loudly, and I said, “I think we should get ourselves back to our community and rest up.”

Turning to Ares, Celine, and Damon, I asked, “Do you want to come along?”

Nodding, they mutely followed us as we supported the seriously wounded and walked off the field with our backs straight.

Though with heavy footsteps.