It was the chaos that happened after that confirmed the elf was dead. The monsters, who had once fought side by side, quickly turned on each other in a flurry of claws and teeth. Abigail had joined Ratface and Albert. The three of them had cut a path to Suncat and Tiffany and held there while the monsters continued their tirade. Ratface was only half there, trusting her defence to her friends. She was living in a moment of half reality and half the dream-like quality of glamour.

On the inside, she was living in chaos.

Krysa was literally falling apart in there and she had no idea what to do. It seemed like the poor glamour was constantly paying the price for Ratface’s decision. Ratface didn’t know how to help her. Parts of the glamour kept flashing around and Ratface would see more of the city Krysa was so fond of. She tried forcing the pieces back into place, her reasoning being that it was in her head so surely, she could do something, yet it wasn’t having much effect. She was stuck between the two worlds and if she wasn’t in the middle of a battle, she’d wish she was asleep.

Albert caught a monster that was coming at her on his spear and shoved away. He glanced at her in concern.

“Are you okay?”

“I need help,” she hissed.

“Just... focus on yourself,” said Krysa. She sounded confused, lost. A memory of the two of them as children watching each other appeared. The memory Krysa was trying to protect no doubt. Ratface ignored it and tried shoving it back into the glamour. If she didn’t see the memory, then the glamour was still protected right?

Albert grabbed Suncat and pointed at Ratface. The goblin looked deep into Ratface and hissed.

“We need to get her to Claudette,” she announced to the group. The four of them looked at each other in determination while Ratface focused inwards. Krysa was shivering. Ratface felt her real body stumble as she grabbed onto the glamour in her mind. Trying to hold the shape of her in place.

“Just a little longer Krysa,” she promised.

On the outside, her body was taking small cuts as she stumbled forward with the others. They were at least keeping her safe from the monsters. It happened in a dream for Ratface but eventually they made it back to the mansion. The rest of the group greeted them in thanks and Ratface heard the others returning it but moving them quickly.

They made it to a weakened Claudette who was helping out at the first aid area. She offered her blood to some normal goblins and the few that took it had their bodies heal, yet their skin quickly turned read and horns grew on their head. Ratface supposed it was better than death.

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The demon looked at Ratface and got her to sit down.

“This will hurt,” she promised. Albert held her in place. Claudette cut into her hand and offered it to Abigail who in dipped a finger in and began to draw across Ratface. Claudette did the same with her free hand on the other side.

She wasn’t wrong about it hurting. The blood burned against her skin but that was nothing that was going on in her mind.

It was like her mind was being tied in ropes. She felt restricted in every way and her whole being chafed against it. It was working at least; the demon magic was holding Krysa together like a full body cast. When they finally finished, Krysa lay inside her mind sleeping. The magic was keeping her alive, but it was also stopping her from moving.

Claudette leaned back and groaned. Abigail wiped the blood off her gauntlet and took off her helmet.

“I have to keep helping people,” Claudette said. Then she was off. She looked frustrated.

“She feels guilty about not being awake at the end,” Abigail explained.

Ratface understood. If the demon had been awake, she wouldn’t have had to face off against Amaranth.

“If it hadn’t been for her magic earlier, we would have lost long before you got here,” said Ratface.

“She knows that logically. The two of us have saved most of the people in this town, it’s hard not to feel like we failed them a little,” said Abigail.

“I’m sorry,” said Ratface. Abigail waved it away.

“No one in this town would regret helping a child. I’ve been saving people most my life. It was bound to follow me home eventually.” She leaned forward and grabbed Ratface’s hand. Her voice got much softer.

“We need to talk about your glamour.”

“Krysa, her name is Krysa,” Ratface insisted.

“Krysa then,” said Abigail. She traced the closest runes on Ratface’s arm. “These are sealing runes. Some demons don’t have physical forms and so they possess others to live in this world. They’re usually used to stop a demon controlling a possessed. In a pinch it can be used to hold their spirit together.” She looked Ratface in the eye. “These runes don’t heal.”

“So how do we heal her?”

“If she was a demon, she’d heal on her own. A glamour needs to return to its host where their ambient mana will heal them.”

“She wasn’t leaving though; she was just falling apart.”

“Her host must have abandoned her, you’re the only one who can give her mana.”

Ratface’s gut clenched.

“I don’t produce mana,” she said. Abigail stayed silent and Ratface scrabbled for a solution.

“Couldn’t I drink a mana potion? Isn’t there something that can be done?”

“A mana potion would just poison you. We sealed her so she wouldn’t get any worse but we can’t help her. You should be ready to say goodbye.”

Ratface wiped at her face as she began to cry. It wasn’t like Krysa was perfect, she was actively keeping a memory from Ratface. Yet at every opportunity to help she had. She’d even kept the other glamour from expanding before Ratface had got her to help Halmir. Now she was dying because she had risked herself to save Ratface? It wasn’t fair.

“Don’t make a decision just yet,” said Abigail, “you’re shaken, and you won’t be able to comfort her. Wait until you can say goodbye properly.”

She didn’t leave as Ratface cried. She even pulled the goblin into a hug. It hurt a bit being held against the hard armour, but Ratface found it suited her right in that moment. She had grown to like the glamour. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye.