"You're dead. I watched you die!" Nell was processing this information with some, difficulty...

"Well, You certainly saw me get close, ha, and that's about it!" Jace's typical amused expression was present as always, and aside from the wad of fabric stuffed in his chest and the burn marks along his leather undershirt, he looked fine. Well, as fine as you can be when you're missing an arm...

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I pride myself on my work. Sure, forty or fifty people may not sound like a whole lot, I mean, I know now there are worlds with millions, billions of people, but when the person you choose to save could potentially save the entirety of your species, every single one counts.

Just as each loss stings oh so intensely.

Jace hoisted himself off the back of the beast, even with the imbued strength of raw Aether Jace had given Barasov, the lizard was beaten and exhausted, leaving Alkir with little else to do than gently pull away from his companion and absorb him back into his Pocket, allowing the creature much-needed rest.

"So, despite the... shortcomings as one could say, of this trip, it was more than worth it." Only Nell seemed to catch the momentary wistful glance at the tied-off stump of an arm before Jace's jovial speech continued. "I was able to acquire what we were looking for, through nothing but pure and utter luck!" Jace used his good hand to fumble around his back, grasping something and showing it off before his captivated audience.

It was a needle.

It wasn't entirely remarkable, it didn't glow, it was some particular color, and it was a rust-tinged silver needle, a bit like a sewing needle, although it was a bit larger. Jace wasn't joking when he said it was just luck, sort of. Once he realized that residual Aether was still present, and he figured out Barasov had been absorbing it, Jace's journey to the small clearing was short. Still, something caught his attention, almost like some force was pulling his focus away from the world and honing in on a single thing. Even without Astrinar speaking to him he knew it was the item she sent them to fetch. The one that was supposed to be Rueka's, and perhaps humanity's as a whole, salvation.

"So you nearly died, Barasov nearly died, and we three were dragged into the forest for a week for a needle?" Nell sighed, and Alkir just quizzically stared at the object, Agni was silent, her face unreadable. "And yes, I know it's not just a needle..."

"This is what the Hunters Association calls a relic. An item with conduits, and in this case specifically, the needle has direct connections to the goddess and is strongly tied to the Aether. This is a Divine Relic, and it will help us immensely." Even with Jace's triumphant attitude, there was still the evident fact of the missing arm, and the wound to his chest, even without saying it, Alkir and Nell could tell, Jace's strength was wavering. His days of action are ending.

"Well, time's finally catching up with you?" Alkir rose from the kneeling position he was in, facing Jace squarely, who, in return, gave a weary smile.

"Yes, and now we are heading back. Prepare for another week of travel. We must make haste." Jace turned away from the trio, ignoring anything to do with his current state and injuries, and only held himself together for a minute before beginning to laugh. "Ah, don't worry, I'll give you all a demonstration." When Jace turned around there was no needle in his hand, instead, his palm was empty. For before he was a large lance-like spear embedded in the earth, the elegant gold tip rising skyward, contrasting with the rust-tinted silver of the handle.

"If you all would so kindly take hold of the needle, we shall leave at once."

A bolt of heat and light collided with cool stone, washing over the surface with a crack and sweeping up to the top of the wall, threatening to engulf the people manning its top, it ebbed and dissipated without much threat, but soon another traced its path, gaming a bit higher and striking the closest person, setting them hurtling backward, a blur of flesh, smoke, and flame. The two other men on the wall launched volley after volley of arrows at the blast's origin, a large bear-looking beast lay siege to the great wall, launching explosions of energy from its open maw, shrugging off the arrows in its flesh as if they were thorns. A roar sounded out, and another blast followed, sending another archer tumbling backward.

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At that a duo of heavily armored people rushed at the beast from the ground, one raising a bloodied greatsword in preparation for a sweeping strike, the other wielding a large hammer, they split, hoping to divide the creature's attention, and the hammer user was hit with one of its heavy paws, the claws sending sparks flying upon contact with the plate mail. The monster turned its head, opening wide to finish off the armored person beneath it, promptly receiving a blade to the left thigh.

The swordsman yanked the blade from the new wound, sending a heavy slash across the creature's tendon before backing quickly as its head turned with a roar of fury, barely dodging the accompanying ball of heat and light. The monster's head was smashed further to the left as the heavy hammer head made vicious contact with the fur and flesh, a spatter of blood shot from its face as its slight fury morphed into full-blown rage. A cold fire in its eyes ignited as they flickered to the sword wielder.

The hammer swung again, a downward strike meant to cave in the bear's skull, missing its mark by a hair, and clattering to the ground unheld as another swipe from the paw collides with its wielder, sending them hurtling back into the woods. The beast opened wide, pointing its mouth at the remaining warrior.

A sphere of golden light weaved itself together from thin air, a perfect orb drowning out the light of the sun for a moment, causing the monster to roar in pain as its retinas were seared. As it disappeared, just as suddenly as it came. In its place, a glittering beacon, a spire of reflective metal rising seven feet upward and surrounded by a small crowd of people, one of which was collapsed on the ground, his skin pale as the moon and his breathing rapid, another was leaning against the object for support, while the remaining two stood upright, grasping the spear-like thing tightly and observing their surroundings with awe and curiosity.

Of the two standing, one boy and one girl, the boy caught sight of the monster first, reaching to his waist before grimacing and outstretching the same arm, manifesting a small straight sword and releasing his hold on the spire. "Agni! Get those two back, can you do that?" The girl nodded and rushed to hoist up the collapsed man, sending a glance to the other who himself was beginning to stand already, pointed toward the hulking stone wall nearby. The boy returned his focus just as the bear regained its sense of surrounding, glaring at its newfound prey with a surprisingly disdainful look, letting loose a low snarl as it prepared to attack once more.

As Agni lead Jace to the wall the man seemed to gain a second wind, muttering something quick to her before passing out entirely upon reaching the wall, Alkir was managing well on his own, but the adrenaline from their last encounter seemed to finally wear off, the pain of his likely shattered ribs catching up and taking its toll. Agni turned back, facing the not-so-distant showdown, from their point the two warriors weren't visible, and in fact, they both remained unmoving in the spots they lay, although, the swordsman seemed to be coming around slightly...

Nell let out a scream and charged the monster, angling his blade downward and swiping across his side, he had seen the armored warrior stir and knew if he bought more time it should work out in the positive. The splatter of blood that was projected outward coalesced in mid-air, forcing multiple spike-like projectiles to barrel toward the monster and find their mark, piercing the tough hide and liquefying after causing their intended wounds, leaving the furious creature with several scattered and leaking holes. But it did little to weaken it. A ball, of heat and light, slammed into Nell's right side, sending the boy spinning to the ground, he rolled and stood, the seared flesh of his sword arm steamed in the light, and he tossed the blade to his other hand, quenching it in his blood once more and charging at the monster.

He made contact and was swiped aside immediately. Despite the opportunity, the monster pushed the attack no further, taking some twisted enjoyment whilst toying with its food, not even showing concern about the two-foot blade in its hide. A fact that didn't remain true for long as Nell's enchanted blood forced its way inward from the numerous wounds and began to shred its body from the inside. A slow and relatively ineffective effort on a creature this size, but one that causes assured agony for any target. This was no different. Just as it decided to stalk the downed boy the blood began its work, the hulking monster stumbled, then roared in fury, glaring at Nell and charging his immobile body. He was conscious, and he had a slim chance of dodging, however, he didn't want to disturb the monster's tunnel vision. After all, Nell saw what it didn't.

Nell saw the swordsman. And Nell saw the needle.

Both made contact at the same time. The greatsword cleaved through its muscled kneck, getting lodged halfway through but sending the bear to the ground regardless, just as the needle finished its journey through the air, propelled with such force and speed Nell could hardly believe someone threw the heavy hunk of metal and achieved it. From there the threat was sufficiently eliminated. The needle carved a foot-wide hole through the beast, embedding itself two feet into the ground, and that alone was enough to put it to rest. Nell used the opening to stand and look to see who threw the weapon, simultaneously beginning his thanks to the swordsman, but was interrupted by a cheerful shout from Agni in the distance.

"Rule #2! When all else fails, physicality will prevail!"

What a way to come back to this place... "Hey, you wouldn't happen to have some water on you?" Nell suppressed a chuckle and turned to face the swordsman, the fatigue of the events catching up with him as his body failed him, sending him unconscious to the ground.