"There. All clean." Gertrude leaned out of the depths of the cauldron with her hand pressed against her back. She wiped away the sweat and dirt from her forehead with the back of her hand before tossing the messy rag to the side. "Did you girls come across anything that might be of use?'

Miwah and Tamma stood in front of the witch with their hands full of assorted materials found from the rubble. Gertrude hobbled over and looked over their hands one by one. "Hmm... I could use this right here..." she said as she plucked out a few withered leaves from the hunter's hand. She pinched the plants with her fingers and let it dangle in front of her face. She squinted at the dark sparts scattered throughout the brown leaf. "Not the freshest of ingredients, but I suppose it'll suffice."

"Still looking for that Magnosia powder?" Narrita asked as she kicked over an upside-down chair with her foot.

"That's all I need."

Narrita looked down at the freshly recently revealed drawer at the bottom of a dresser. "Neither one of you looked down here, did you?"

Both Miwah and Tamma turned around and watched as the bandit rummaged through the drawer. She stood up holding a couple jars containing a vibrant powder inside. "Good thing the Cutthroats were never good at being thorough."

"Ah, that's exactly what I need," Gertrude said eagerly as she took the jar containing the baby blue substance. She struggled to remove the cap and handed it over to the hunter to open it.

"You're saying we'll be able to get one more transformation once this spell is done?" Tamma asked as she effortlessly removed the lid. She took in a breath through her nose and took a few steps, her eyes blinking as she waved her hand in front of her nostrils.

"Try not to inhale too much of it. Magnosia has been known to cause unconsciousness if inhaled directly. Among other side effects." Gertrude dumped the contents of the glass jar into the cauldron.

"Could have said something sooner, ma'am," Tamma said she placed a hand over chest and coughed.

"You'll be fine." The witch tossed the remaining ingredients into the bowl. The other three took a few steps back while Gertrude rubbed her two hands together. She looked over her shoulder towards the trio standing in the corner of the room. "Ah, so I don't need to tell you to stand back. Good."

The witch raised her hands above her head. She closed her eyes tight and took in a deep breath. Her fingers started to glow a dark purple. Gertrude then waved her hands and chanted under her breath.

"Taviso... Ailancher...Positi..."

The room started to darken. Each girl looked down at her own Beacon as they lit up like brilliant torches. Gertrude continued to repeat those same three words over and over, making a mauve fire emerge from the cauldron.

"Now girls!" Gertrude said as kept her hands raised above her head. "Put your Beacons inside."

All three took the necklaces off and hurried to the cauldron. The purple flames grew larger the closer they came. Tamma approached first, hesitantly putting her hand near the embers.

"It won't hurt you! Just put them in, quickly!" Gertrude snapped while keeping her pose the same. "The ingredients were limited so there isn't much time!"

The hunter dropped her necklace into the cauldron and then stepped away. Miwah and Narrita took her place and promptly placed their Beacons inside the cauldron as well. The purple flames soon made a small explosion that knocked Gertrude on her back and shook the entire room.

"Gertrude!" Miwah said as she helped pick the old woman from the floor. Her eyes were closed as she groaned.

"Ah... didn't expect that..." the witch said with a grunt. "Must have been the withered Dullweather leaf."

"Are the Beacons all right?" Narrita said as she looked into the black bowl. The fires had faded, leaving only a small trail of smoke.

"Of course that's what you're more worried about," Tamma said to the bandit as she helped Miwah with lifting Gertrude to her feet.

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"I thought you two were going to take care of her," Narrita replied defensively. She put her necklace over her head and held the stone.

"She's right," Gertrude said. "Those Beacons are what matters the most right now. If you can't transform... then the Ghenkans and the Insectus Queen are as good as victorious."

"Can you stand on your own?" Miwah asked.

"Yes. I'm just fine." The witch pressed her fingers against her forehead. "Please. Just grab your necklaces and let's get out of here. I'm worried sick about Edith."

Miwah and Tamma scrambled to the cauldron and took the necklaces out. With their Beacons secured around the neck, all looked towards the room's exit. "Should we notice anything to make sure the spell worked?" Miwah asked.

"It worked because I was the one that cast the spell!" Gertrude replied. "Now, let's focus on getting out of here and reuniting with the others."

****

"Oh no..." Gertrude said to herself as she approached the open entrance of the Governor's estate. The entire town was a bright orange. Cries echoed through the streets as smoke obscured the sky. "It wasn't enough for them to take what wasn't theirs? They had to burn the town down as well?"

"Ghenkans have no concern for life," Miwah replied. "They are animals. Only death and destruction can satisfy their barbarian hunger."

"Let's hurry, then. I need to know if Edith is all right," Gertrude said with confidence.

"The Ghenkans seemed more concerned with getting their stolen goods back to their ship than finishing off the survivors," Tamma said as she stepped onto the town's path. "Now that the city is ablaze, let's hope that we have a clear shot to the other side." Tamma took lead, jogging across the path as nearby trees and buildings burned.

Miwah and Tamma stayed close to Gertrude, keeping their eyes open for any Ghenkans or survivors that needed help. More bodies lay across the town than when they entered, making the witch turn her head and focus on the hunter leading the way. Tamma took the group through a detour, avoiding buildings whose blazes grew too large to be near them. After a meandering journey through the scorching city, the group found themselves a short distance from the town's outer gates.

"Edith!" Gertrude screamed. "Edith! Where are you?"

As the witch limped closer to the open gate, Edith poked her head from the stone post. Aurrie and Daego appeared from their cover as well, looking at the group with shock.

"You're all alive?" Daego asked.

"Yes, yes. We are," Gertrude replied. She opened her arms and embraced her child tightly. "And I'm so glad you're fine, Edith." With her limited strength, she picked the child up with a hug and rocked her gently against her chest.

"Mother!" Edith exclaimed as she buried her face into the shoulder of the witch's dress.

"Daego told me what happened," Aurrie said as she placed a hand on Tamma's shoulder. "I wish I could do more than just say 'sorry.'"

"Taking out the Ghenkans and the Insectus will be more than enough, lass," Tamma replied gravely.

"Now that I can do," Aurrie said with a wink. The housekeeper took her eyes off the hunter and quickly focused them on the bandit that stood behind Miwah. "Wait. She's with us now?" she said while pointing at Narrita.

"Yes." Gertrude lowered Edith back to the ground and met up with the other four. "And the others have already protested. But they've come to accept Narrita as part of the team. And you need to as well."

Aurrie stomped a foot and turned away with arms crossed in front of her chest. "I'm not workin' with her. No ifs, ands or buts about it! You don't know our history!"

"Nor do I care," Gertrude replied. "I am not asking you to be friends with her. Nor am I asking you to even like the idea of having Narrita on your team. What I am doing is telling you that the only way if you four want to stop the Ghenkans and Insectus, you must work together." The stared at each other, exchanging mean scowls. "No ifs. Ands. Or buts," Gertrude mocked coldly.

"You think a mean eye is gonna be enough to forgive Narrita for what she did to my father? I'd rather hand my Beacon off to someone else!" Aurrie started taking her necklace off only for Gertrude to smack her in the back of her head.

"Ow!" Aurrie rubbed her scalp, letting her necklace fall back on her chest.

"Stop being stupid. Both the Ghenkans and the Insectus are just down that hill. It is a daunting task, but I do believe that you four can take them out. But only if you do it together."

"Just work with Narrita tonight," Tamma said. "If we make it through all this, you won't have to talk to her ever together."

"I'm not against the idea," Narrita said with a pout.

Aurrie looked at her necklace's stone and then at the flames that rose above the stone walls that made Farrowport's perimeter. "Fine! I'll do it! But I never wanna see her again if we make it through everythin'!"

"You two can hash out your disdain for one another once everything is said and done," Gertrude said. She hobbled over to the bench and sat down, stretching her leg against the seat. She pulled her dress back just enough for her to place her hand on the wound. "I wish I could accompany you... but I can't go any further. The pain is coming back." The witch gritted her teeth. Edith ran to the old woman's side and held her arm while staring at her with red eyes.

"Does... it hurt?" the girl asked with a sniffle.

"I'll be fine, child. Just need a little rest."

"I'll watch over these two," Daego said while holding a sword with both hands. "You four can worry about focusing on the Ghenkans and Insectus."

"Quite the trade," Narrita muttered before walking back towards Farrowport's gate. She looked behind her and saw that the other three were following right behind. "Back into the fire, huh?"

Miwah nodded. "Of course. It is our job."