"Let me go!" Wenona screamed as she struggled to free herself from Lucia's hold. She was the one who grabbed her away from the falling rocks.

"We need to get back there! Yuu -- Yurika is stuck with those monsters!"

"Wen, calm down!" Lucia yelled at her. She pushed the girl down on the ground and stared straight at her eyes.

Never Wen noticed how time was so much like water; that it could pass slowly, a drop at a time, even freeze, or rush by in a blink. In this slow-time bubble Lucia's voice was louder, the hardness of the ground felt colder, and the darkness that surrounded them felt suffocating. Suddenly, her body wracked with raw sobs and she shook like a leaf. All the worst thing she could imagine happened to Yurika flashing on her mind. She didn't want to lose her best friend like when she lost her parents.

"We need to save her," she begged between her sobs, "Yuu, she hates the dark. Lucia... please save her."

Lucia's foxy eyes gently gazed at the girl. She'd never seen Wenona like that, so deflated. Her loose shoulders shook, her hands were on her face, trying to conceal her tears as it dripped away between her fingers. She pulled Wen up from the ground and hugged her.

"Such a silly girl," Scry smirked.

Wenona whipped her face at the purple haired man, her eyes glared with the intensity that could kill. Despite her reddened face and disheveled hair, she looked ready to bark at the guy.

"She is the chosen one that almost destroyed our world," Scry leered at the girl. A looped smile decorating his mocking face, "do you think she will just die because of those bugs? I was expecting her to just ram through that Rufas queen before and didn't waste our time. But I guess she is that weak, so she should die and give that legendary gem to someone more worthy."

Wenona pushed herself out from Lucia's hug and stood up. All of her fear, grief, and worry over Yurika's safety had changed to anger, directed to the man who mockingly leered at her.

"Yurika is not weak! She won't die! No one else worthy of that Fetuu La Rossa more than her!" Wenona stood in front of Scry in a challenging way.

"Then why are you crying like she's dead already?"

"I am not crying!" Wen quickly whipped her tears away, "It's dust! This place is so dusty, they got into my eyes!"

"Yeah, sure~ blame the dust," mocked Scry once more.

"Shut up you two!" roared Jace, quickly quieting the bickering, "she isn't alone there. Marc is with her and I trust his ability to at least survive and keep her safe until we find a way to help them."

"We can try digging out the rocks," suggested Lyall.

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"Yes we should dig it out now," Wen rushed back to the closed opening but before she started to dig the rocks out suddenly her body froze and the color of her face drained in a snap. She darted her face toward the tunnel.

"What's wrong?" Lucia realized her strange attitude.

"Marama.. is under attack," Wenona's lips trembled, "Rii..., she screamed, calling my name."

"Oh no!" Ammierra gasped.

"We don't have time to stick around but we need to help Marc and Yurika too," muttered Jace.

"Everyone should go to Marama now," decided Lucia, "I'll stay and try to find another way out to reach Yurika and Marc. It is faster if I work alone."

"Okay, let's do that." Jace nodded at Lucia, "all we need to do just to follow this tunnel right?"

"Yes, it should lead you directly to the outskirt of Marama border," said Lucia while straightening her clothing and stretching her body, "Wen, go with them. I promise you I will help Yurika and joined you in no time."

"... and Marc," Ammierra's added. She sounded a bit miffed on the fact that Lucia didn't mention his name, "you need to save him too."

Lucia turned her attention toward the icy princess, "of course. I will never leave anyone behind. I will save them both."

Wenona bored her blue eyes at Lucia, she looked hesitated but then with a heavy sigh, she took her bags and checking on her mount before finally sat on the saddle.

"I will wait for you at Marama," said Wenona finally, "keep your promise and... don't die in the process."

"Absolutely princess," Lucia smiled reassuringly, "though I wonder..."

"About?"

"Will you cry if I died?" Lucia winked.

"Shut up!" Wenona retorted, her eye glared at the Zanj, "I won't cry, but I definitely will hate you if you dare. You have promises to keep. Not just about saving Yuu, but also teaching me so I can upgrade my skill. So don't you ever dare!"

Lucia chuckled, "Understood, okay see you soon, my princess!"

With that said Wen prodded her mount and followed Jace's group that already went ahead.

***

"Watch out!" Marc warned Yurika about the falling rocks as he jumped out from his mount. Trying to reach the girl as fast he could.

Yurika's eyes opened in shock as she saw a big rock fell straight at her. The world rushed by in a blur and she knew the pain was coming. She closed her eyes automatically, waiting for the impact.

"Move!!" Marc shouted again. His hand grabbed Yurika arms and pulled her into his hug as they dropped into the ground and rolled away from the giant rock. But that's not the only falling rocks. It was a shower.

Marc quickly pulled himself up while dragging Yurika along, even the Rufas that were on his tail before decided to back away. As they move away from the area, Yurika looked at the direction of the Rufas queen by instinct. That's when she saw it, the queen's head passed through the sand storm wall. She tilted her head as if thinking while her hundred lenses eyes were blinking, then she disappeared back to the sandstorm. Yurika was going to exhale gladly thinking that the monstrous beast decided to let them go, but she chocked halfway when the queen showed up again while carrying a massive boulder. Then in the split-second, it hurled the boulder at them at high speed.

"Marc!" she screamed while pushing the man away, she clutched her pendant desperately and raised her hand toward the flying boulder.

'Please, Fetuu La Rossa lend me your power' she shouted inside her mind while trying to dig Eireen's memories. Anything that could be used against that imminent danger.

Then she felt a surge of power started to fill her, her eyes were glowing as a strange confident doused her body. She was actually smiling when a blast of fire came out from her hand to encounter the massive boulder. The moment they collided the boulder exploded to pieces.

Yurika then fell on her knees, all of her energy had been drained by that last attack. Losing all of her strength, she couldn't move away from the rock shower. She was half unconscious when she felt someone caught her limp body as her whole world spinning and darkened.