The scene on the island at this moment descended into chaos as Layla led the charge, her order was simple and absolute make a path no matter what, the disparity in numbers was daunting as they were outnumbered several times over but the group's priority was clear, ensure at least Max’s safety to allow him to reach the airship.

As the enemy surged towards them, a maelstrom of weapons and intent to kill, the group charged forward ready for a brutal clash, Layla, Estelle, and the other elves made a preemptive strike, hurling their last daggers at the approaching foes felling several of them at once, they all knew that now was not the moment to hesitate, this was most likely their final battle.

Amidst the chaos and violence of the confrontation, Max remained at the core of the group surrounded by the rest as they battled through the numerous enemies, on his front was Layla leading the way with blades in each hand, slashing through anyone that stood in her way, to his back was Estelle taking the rear blocking and pushing back anyone that came close, to his left was Zindah with unmatched fury crushing her enemies and finally to his right Marcus stood tall as any shield worthy to be wielded by a master.

In the midst of the chaotic battle Max and his companions fought with desperate ferocity, as it was a challenge to stay alive, around his companions to the various soldiers that joined them throughout the island, as the clashing of steel rang out as they engaged the enemy, who seemed almost endless in number, each fallen foe was quickly replaced by another, making their situation seem increasingly dire by the moment.

Zindah, with her feline agility and fierce combat skills, maneuvered deftly through the fray, she narrowly avoided an axe swing, using her quick reflexes to counterattack, with a powerful punch that surely crushed all the bones in the man’s face, he was sent flying into two others, effectively taking down three enemies in a swift and decisive move.

On the other side, Marcus fought with a different style, less agile but incredibly resilient he was unable to dodge all the blows that came at him so instead he absorbed the blows from the enemy, standing firm amidst the onslaught, his counterattacks were brutal and effective, his sword cutting down enemy after enemy, despite the hits he took his determination and strength allowed him to keep fighting, a testament to his combat experience and toughness.

The battlefield was a scene of utter carnage, blood spattered the ground, and the air was filled with the sounds of battle cries clashing weapons and the cries of the wounded and dying, amidst this chaos Max who was in the relative safety of the group's protective circle, observed something unusual, a detail amidst the violence that caught his attention.

It was the eerie silence of their enemies.

While his party vocalized – shouting instructions, cries of pain, and battle cries the enemy fought in a disturbing quietude, their lack of sound, apart from the occasional groan, was unnatural and unsettling, creating an almost spectral atmosphere in the midst of the chaotic combat.

The contrast was stark, Max's companions communicated actively, their voices a critical part of their coordination and camaraderie in the fight, the enemy's silence, on the other hand, lent them an almost inhuman quality as if they were driven solely by some unseen force or indoctrination that stripped them of individual expression, he did not know if his own companions noticed this unsettling detail and if they did that were understandably preoccupied as they battled to stay alive… and protect him.

In the midst of this realization, Max finally heard something distinct a sound that had been drowned out by the melee, this sound, he did not know where it was coming from, as it felt as if it was all around him.

The surreal experience that enveloped Max amidst the chaos of battle was disorienting and mysterious, the voice echoing in his mind repeating "Consume… kill…" seemed omnipresent, as if it was speaking directly to him and him alone, this auditory hallucination, amidst the violent clash, caused the surrounding battle to appear almost dreamlike, with actions blurring and slowing down around him.

But the more disturbing part was the paradoxical nature of the voice, despite its ominous message it carried a peaceful, almost maternal tone, akin to a lullaby, this stark contrast between the content of the message and the tone in which it was delivered created a cognitive dissonance in Max, the soothing quality of the voice, juxtaposed with its dark command, raised a question within him.

Do I want to be saved?

As the experience intensified, Max began to feel physically affected, a sense of dizziness overtook him, and he started losing sensation in his limbs, likened to the numbing onset of sleep, this physical response, coupled with the psychological impact of the voice, left him in an almost drunk like state in the middle of battle.

The situation reached a critical point as Max's consciousness began to waver, his grasp on reality slipping, the voice continued its relentless chant, seeping deeper into his psyche, the immediate danger of the battle, his responsibility to his companions, and the need to understand what was happening to him all clashed in his mind.

And then.

The sudden intervention by Marcus, tackling Max to the ground, jolted him out of his trance-like state, the physical impact snapped Max back to the immediate reality of the battle, just in time to hear Layla's urgent command "Get down" as the group instinctively ducked, a barrage of arrows, accompanied by the sounds of spells and gunshots, filled the air.

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Max, regaining his composure, lifted his head and noticed a group of around ten figures emerge, each adorned in various outfits and armor, this new group was armed with ranged weapons, from the way they looked and the fact they shot primarily at the enemy Max hoped they were on their side.

One of them, exhibiting a unique look and an air of power and leadership, stepped forward after dispatching another one of Talpa’s followers, seeing Layla, the figure called out "Mistress Layla, this way" while gesturing emphatically with her hands.

This intervention was a game changer, the arrival of these new figures, now evidently aligned with Layla, provided a lifeline to Max and his embattled companions, their timely arrival and effective assault on Talpa's forces presented an opportunity for the group to escape the encirclement.

Relief washed over Layla as she looked at her reinforcements that arrived at just the nick of time "Thank the moons" she muttered a brief moment of gratitude amidst the chaos, she quickly commanded to hurry and make a run for it, As they all got up, Max noted the cost of their recent encounter – two additional soldiers had fallen, along with many of the enemy.

Layla quickly moved to Max's side, concern evident in her voice as she checked on his well-being, as she had done several times now, Max's nod in response was a silent affirmation that he was okay, at least for the moment, together, they ran towards the reinforcements, joining forces with the new arrivals who had turned the tide of the battle in their favor.

Upon reaching the treeline, Layla shared a moment of familiarity and relief with the woman who had called out to them during the battle "I’m so glad to see you, Asta!" Layla exclaimed, her tone reflecting both relief and affection towards the newcomer, Asta's response was respectful and focused "And you as well, my lady. But we must hurry before the enemy regroups".

The scene on the island with Talpa was a stark contrast to the relief experienced by Max's group, as they retreated into the safety of the trees, Talpa remained on the nearby island, surveying the aftermath of the encounter, he jumped over to the island, now standing amidst his followers, many of whom were either dead or severely injured, they were eerily still, their gaze fixed in the direction of the escaping group.

Talpa continued to stand and stare into the direction where they escaped too mimicking his own followers… though he looked more as if deep in thought.

After a moment of contemplation, his demeanor shifted to amusement as a smile crept across his face, evolving into loud, unrestrained laughter yet again.

"Run brother, run… for you are running to our embrace!!!" Talpa shouted towards the night sky, his voice echoing with maniacal glee, he knew regardless of the immediate outcome, the ultimate end would lead Max back to him and his master.

The response from above was a glimmer that ran across the barrier in response to Talpa's proclamation.

As they ran through the fauna of the island she threw a look back, behind was Estelle, and without words, she shook her head, this action was enough for Layla, she knew the prolonged and intense battle had taken its toll on everyone, particularly on Marcus and Zindah, who had bravely held the flanks almost by themselves, and despite Zindah's outward appearance of resilience, Layla understood that the elation of battle could only mask the pain and fatigue for so long, Marcus, ever stoic, showed signs of exhaustion, his movements slower and his breathing labored beneath his mask even when it was evident that he was trying to hide that fact.

Recognizing the need for a brief respite, Layla called for a halt, her decision was met with a collective sigh of relief from the group, who were grateful for the opportunity to catch their breath and regroup even if for a mere moment.

As the group settled, Asta approached Layla.

Asta's appearance was a stark contrast to the weariness and injuries evident in the rest of Layla's group, despite evidently having engaged in her own share of combat, Asta maintained an almost ethereal composure and beauty, the dirt and blood that marked her did little to diminish her striking aura, ‘I should expect nothing less from a former valkyrie’ Layla thought, Asta wore a quite different set of armor then Layla and the rest, she was much closer to her homeland then most of her companions and as such she always preferred white and teal colored clothes, the same colors she wore now that matched her snow colored hair and silvery colored eyes.

Layla took this moment to address Asta "Again you have my thanks, Asta. You came just in time there. I do believe we would have fallen if it wasn’t for you" she said smiling.

Asta's response was a modest smile and a small shake of her head ‘So very like her’ Layla thought.

"From all the stories I was told, I doubt that you would have let your master fall… no matter the enemy" As she said that, she gave a quick glance towards Max who was leaning on a tree trying to catch his breath.

However, the brief moment of camaraderie quickly shifted as Asta's demeanor changed to a more serious and urgent tone "My lady, I understand the need for a break, but right now we must continue to move. Our airship is nearby, but I fear most of our units have either routed and retreated or have been killed" this sobering update brought the gravity of their situation into sharp focus, as she heard this Layla’s thoughts shifted from their success in escaping to the fact that she has underestimated their enemies strength to a critical degree.

Layla took a deep breath and closed her eyes, after a moment she exhaled looking Asta straight in the eyes, and asked "How many came back?" the question was full of trepidation, knowing that the answer would likely confirm her fears, Asta's brief silence before responding only heightened the sense of dread.

"Less than half" Asta finally revealed.

This is my fault, and I’ll bear the responsibilities Layla thought for a moment, but it was not the time to shed tears for the fallen, that time will come later.

She turned and looked for Max, who was beside Marcus, attending to him, sensing Layla's gaze, Max looked up, and their eyes met in a silent exchange of words unspoken, after a moment it was Max who verbalized the collective sentiment "Let's get out of here".

Layla nodded, this was all she needed now as she could feel the invisible hand of her master on her shoulder giving her strength, she turned to Asta “Get everyone patched up and ready to move” Hearing this Asta nodded and began calling everyone.

This was the last leg, the ship close by, all they needed was one final push, Layla looked up towards the moons closed her eyes, and asked in her heart ‘Please help us one final time’.

The moons said nothing.