The eight steps he took were like a countdown for his demise because, with each one, the pain increased; it was like his body had been torn apart, something was breaking inside of him, and the slave magic was pushing his body above everything he could usually endure. The moment the sword left Edmund's hand, his right arm broke in multiple parts. At the same time, his left leg also broke in multiple parts, making him fall to the ground.

The guardian felt something would hit him, and he needed to block it. If he didn’t, it would kill him, like every strike he evaded or blocked coming from the one he was fighting right now. But when he turned around, it was just half a sword. He quickly tried to deflect upwards, but the impact was too heavy, and he took a moment and all his remaining strength to change its trajectory.

He tried to turn around right after but to no avail, so he looked down at his own body, and it was already cut in. With the corner of his eye, he saw the one he was fighting against with rage in her eyes right after he got impaled, her sword piercing his back and, with a movement upward, cutting him in half.

Ariadne, now wholly drained, looked at the guardian’s body on the ground, fading away like the creatures her soldiers were fighting.

‘It’s over.’ She leaned against her sword.

She was lost in thought because of the exhaustion from the fight, as if nothing was around her; only her breath mattered. The pain coming from her wounds now was also noticeable, especially the wounds on her upper body; punctures and slashes covered her now destroyed armor and bloody clothes.

Coming back to reality, she looked around and saw Edmund on the ground with his face to the side while screaming in pain, his arm broken in three parts. As Ariadne gets closer to him, a person gets out of a building carrying a recording device simultaneously, and, coming from the back, another three-run towards Edmund.

The pain was so great that Edmund's eyes were teary while trying not to cry; no one was touching him while the radio operator nervously talked.

‘The guardian is dead, and Edmund needs immediate medical care.’ The radio operator spoke while looking at Edmund on the ground.

While looking at Edmund, they noticed light coming from above, making their shadows darker. Looking up, small balls of light were falling from the sky, but they were coming their way. Sorth tried to touch one of them with her finger as if her hand were absorbed.

As they felt like they were entering their bodies, Luther tried to use the camera to cover them, but it passed through it and was absorbed by their skin. Sorth looked at Ariadne and noticed her hair and light fur turning blueish-black. Ariadne also noticed Sorth’s hair and the light fur turning white and looking at Edmund. His hair became darker but bluish as the light balls entered his body.

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The last one touched Ariadne’s head and was absorbed by her; now her hair and light fur exposed by her thorny clothes were blueish black, and she felt rested, full of energy. Ariadne and the others were taken back by the snaps coming from Edmund; his arm and legs were snapping into place, making him scream, but after the second one, he was unconscious. After a few moments, his arm and leg were back to normal; only his blueish-black hair was different from before, and the bruises all over his body also stained the same.

Ariadne heard footsteps from where the soldiers had advanced before and saw a group of A-Dam, Shafran, and Chatzi soldiers, their hair and fur completely white, just like they had been before all of this happened. They all walked towards her, a wave of white coming out of the destroyed buildings and alleys.

‘If the peasant were awake, he would explain this.’ She looked at Edmund on the ground.

‘Well, Your Highness, I don’t think my wife will like this.’ Alon walks out of the crowd of soldiers while touching his hair.

‘Captain, I’m as lost as you, but are you or any of the soldiers feeling pain?’ She looked at the soldiers.

As her gaze passed the soldiers, they all saluted her and shook their heads. Ariadne put her sword in front of her, pointed it, touched the ground, and noticed something strange; the sword appeared smaller than before. As she looked at her hands, Alon spoke.

‘Your Highness is taller now; it suits you, but your clothes are on their limit.’ Alon looked away for a moment.

She didn’t notice, but her clothes were thicker now, making her form appear more prevalent than before; even the pieces of armor on her body had fallen. She thought it was because of the battle damage, but it was because she was growing as soon as the light balls vanished. Ariadne looked at Edmund, and for him, there was no change at all in his body aside from his hair color.

‘Let’s talk about this later. Most importantly, you guys are all fine, so good job, everyone.’ She smiled at the soldiers.

Relief rushed through their bodies; some didn’t collapse because, somehow, their bodies were fine, even stronger than before. Ariadne felt the relief coming from them, and with that, she held her sword high.

‘For those who fell, we salute them. Their sacrifice will not be in vain. They will forever live in my heat.’ She looked at the soldiers and held the sword with just one hand.

When she put the sword down, something strange happened. It looked like the sides of the blade folded on themselves until it became as thin as the grip handle, and it retracted inside of it, leaving just the handle of the sword with no blade visible.

Everyone looked surprised by what had just happened, including Ariadne herself. For most soldiers, this was more proof of their faith, as now their goddess had the legendary weapon of the hero and could hold it without being the hero herself, making them kneel before her.

‘Please, can some medic see if he is okay and prepare him for transport?’ She spoke.

Two medics checked Edmund's condition, even turning him around and checking every part of his body.

‘If it weren’t for him, I would be dead for sure; I was at my limit holding up against that thing. Maybe it was recovering its strength as we fought; I couldn’t tell, honestly, the fight just became harder and harder.’ She looked at Edmund on the ground. while speaking

‘He will be fine, your highness; we still have Eliza.’ Alon came closer to her but hesitated to touch her for a reason he couldn’t understand.

‘Those that can walk go back; those that can’t wait here with me and wait for the trucks, tomorrow, search for the bodies of the soldiers who fell. ’ She looked at Alon.

‘Yes, your highness.’ He turned around to face the soldiers. ’ Alright, everybody, the show is over; let's walk back and those that can’t wait here with Her Highness, but I don't think it will be needed.’ Alon started to walk forward.