- Well, I didn’t expect to see that. That was a pretty bold move from our princess.

Jane turned her head and saw that the voice belonged to Nohana, leaning against the frame of the command tent, a smile on her lips. The redhead smiled sheepishly, shrugging a little.

- I didn’t expect that too. Did you need something? Shouldn’t you be in there to discuss more?

- I came out to get my pouch back. And well, who will patch you up after you get injured over there?

- Oh right. Here you go.

The young mercenary took out the pouch she stored earlier, giving it back to her friend. She then turned around, smiling.

- What's the range of your healing spells?

- Well, the farther you are, the less effective it is. But don’t worry about that. Shall we go?

- Okay, but please stay back then. I don’t... really want you to see me.

Nohana lifted an eyebrow at that last whispered sentence, but Jane didn’t notice. She thought she said that quiet enough so the green-eyed woman wouldn’t hear it.

Jane made her way to the frontlines, passing the gate. Here she saw a row of soldiers facing another army, a few kilometers away. The general told her they had around eight thousand soldiers here on their side, like on all the other gates. But right now about three thousand were moving toward the other gates, having received the order from Talr.

When Jane and Nohana approached the back of their army, an officer came to meet them. He looked at the two ladies from top to bottom, and a disdainful expression appeared on his face.

- You are the reinforcement General Talr said were coming? Where are the others? Why only two mercenaries?

Jane frowned a bit and turned her head toward Nohana, asking with her eyes if she could kill him right now. The black-haired woman sighed and shook her head, prompting a disappointed expression to show on Jane's face. She shrugged a bit and focused her attention on the officer once more.

- Yes, we are the reinforcement. There's no need for more. Now if you will let me through, I'd appreciate that, please.

- I do hope you know what you are doing. There's twenty thousand soldiers over there. It's foolish to go with only you two.

- I think you misunderstood something here. When did I say we will charge all alone? Aren't you all here? I will charge first, but you still have to follow, no? Well, let's go now.

She didn't wait for any answer and just walked past him, Nohana following her and smiling sultrily to the officer. After ten minutes or so of walking, the two ladies got to the front of the allied army. Jane looked at the enemies, arranged in neat rows. She stayed like that for a few moments until one of the soldiers, not knowing who she was, took a step forward.

- Hey! Who are yo-

His sentence was cut off when the redhead's aura changed suddenly. One instant there was nothing, just a vague presence; the next moment the air was filled with fighting spirit and violence. Jane was smiling, and in that smile, you could see a little bit of insanity.

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Nohana, standing a bit back, lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. She was wondering if that's what Jane was referring to in her whisper earlier.

{ - Jane, calm down a little please. You are scaring our soldiers, you know. }

[{ - I know, Anna. But I need to get it out of my system.}]

Anna just sighed in her head, not saying anything anymore. Jane turned her head toward Nohana, giving her a smile a little bit more normal.

- Well then, I'm going.

- Go safely, and get ice cream on the way back!

The redhead froze for a second, then laughed with force, these words making her aura a little lighter. She just nodded and vanished from her spot. The next time she reappeared, it was only a hundred meters away from the enemy army.

They were astonished by that but immediately took their defensive posture, spears and shields placed in front of them.

Jane's smile didn't leave her face at that. Her white katana slowly appeared in her hand, and she lifted it on her side, taking a step after another. A rain of arrows suddenly poured on her.

{ - Anna? }

[{ - I'm on it! }]

Jane's eyes changed for that intense red; Anna took control of her body. She lifted her head, and her eyes shined for a brief second before snapping her fingers. A huge disk of fire appeared above her head, burning every single arrow coming her way. Once there were no flying threats anymore, her eyes became blue once again, but not before sending the disk in front of her, burning away three rows of soldiers.

Jane took that opportunity to accelerate. She didn't use her full speed this time—it was too dangerous—but still used a bit of her gift to arrive in the center of that breach Anna just made.

Once here, she started to kill any soldier that was within reach. But she didn't just kill them in one stroke, no, she was having fun cutting their limbs whenever she could.

In her frenzy, she got wounded basically anywhere. But each time a slash met her cheek, or her arms or anything, a gentle aura stroked the area, and the wound would disappear like a dream. She knew it was Nohana, but she was still surprised each time. After all, she was going deeper and deeper into the enemy lines. She could hear the rest of the army clashing with her allies in the distance.

Jane was now covered in blood, corpses upon corpses strewn all around her. She was panting a little but still smiling. She was looking at the enemy army, fleeing to survive. She was about to chase them when she felt a little hand grasp her wrist. The redhead turned her head sharply, frowning and wondering if she should just kill the impertinent person that dared to stop her. But she stopped in her thoughts when she saw it was Eliza that stopped her. The white-haired woman got startled by the intensity of her friend's gaze, but she didn't back down.

Her expression was a little sad, but she forced herself to smile.

- Let them go, Jane. It would be dangerous to pursue; you would be alone… And you promised, you know?

- I… Yes… Sor- Watch out!

Her apologies were cut short when Jane saw a soldier suddenly materializing behind Eliza, a dagger on the way to stab them in the back. Jane pulled her friend toward her, hugging her and gritting her teeth, waiting for the pain to come… But it never came at all. Out of nowhere, an arrow lodged itself in the sneaky assailant's throat.

Astonished, Jane followed the trajectory of that arrow. It came straight from the top of the building with the bell. Since it was too far, she could only see a feminine silhouette who disappeared a second later. She couldn't believe what she just saw. That shot was almost from three kilometers away! Such a distance was impossible to overcome with a bow and arrow. Especially such an accurate shot—it could have hit Eliza or Jane. But no, it landed straight on that soldier's throat.

Now that she thought of it, she remembered seeing some arrows mysteriously hitting away some of the most dangerous attacks she should have taken while fighting in that melee. She didn't pay any attention at that time but, if those arrows came from the same shooter… Then that person was protecting her all this time. She couldn't think of anyone willing to do that. Maybe someone from General Talr's acquaintances?

Jane shook her head and looked at the white-haired woman that was in her arms. Eliza was staring straight into Jane's eyes, not a single ounce of fear in them. Like she knew the young mercenary wouldn't let anyone hurt her.

This time, it's Jane that bent down a little and put her lips on Eliza's. She could feel the white-haired woman startle a little before putting her hand behind Jane's neck, giving the kiss back.

The redhead could feel her emotions calming down, the insanity from her massacre leaving her little by little. A single tear left Jane's eyes, and she broke the kiss, wiping it away. Eliza squeezed her a little bit more, whispering.

- Maybe I can't make it better, but I promise that I'll try. So when you are about to break, let me be your haven.

Jane just laughed at that and stroked Eliza's head without answering.

At this moment, Nohana approached them. She seemed really exhausted, her steps were wobbly. She got to Jane and put a hand on her shoulder to keep herself from falling.

- I'm sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds. But the general is calling for us in his tent for a report. And I admit I need help to get there.

- Well, I suppose the high-speed transportation is out of the question.

Nohana paled at that. She was in no shape to let Jane carry her like that at all. She shook her head quickly.

- No, please, not that! I can still hang on to something, or someone. Sooo… a normal piggyback ride?

- C'mon, Jane. Let's go, you can carry her to the tent, right?

Jane nodded with a smile and crouched a bit for Nohana, letting her climb on her back.

- That's the least I can do. You did heal me from such a distance back there. How did you do that?

- It's my secret. But…

The green-eyed woman leaned a bit more toward Jane's ear and whispered with her sultry voice.

- Maybe I'll tell you one day.