After stepping over two sleeping beastkin, the night air of Trira was cool upon Fritz's skin. He breathed in the fresh air, glad to be out of the dank tunnels below. The ache of the crossbow, spread pulsing misery throughout him. Blood pooled down the back of his leg. Fritz supported Ada as they stood outside the warehouse. Her left arm was draped over his shoulder. Her face swelled with bruises. Her left eye was closing in on itself. Fritz squinted in the dark as he tried to get a better look at her injuries.

"We made it!" Marcelle said excitedly. "We made it! We made it! Thank Lorgen!! My genius has prevailed! I am the greatest alchemist this world has ever known!"

"Not out of the woods just yet." Neva grumbled. The clinking of metal converged upon the warehouse.

"Stop right there! Surrender your weapons criminals! You're coming with us!" A confident voice arose from down the dark street. Marcelle let out a long groan.

From all around, various armed figures of Trira's guard descended upon the warehouse. Their chain mail jingled in the quiet of the night. Swords, axes, and spears were leveled at Fritz, Marcelle, Ada and Neva. Looking around, Fritz searched for someone standing behind him. Surely, they wouldn't be arresting him and his friends?

"Us? You're arresting us?" Fritz asked the slowly advancing guard incredulously.

"Does appear that way." Neva sighed, as she rolled her injured shoulder.

"What why? We've done nothing wrong!" Marcelle asked.

"I will not ask again! Lay down your arms!" An armored woman with a crested helm spoke again. She advanced closer now. Her retinue of guard was close behind her. A pair of stylized fox ears was emblazoned upon their tunics. Fritz's muscles were sore. With Ada holding onto him, their chances of escape were low.

"You don't understand! We're the victims here!" Fritz protested.

"The facts will come later! Lay down your arms." The captain shouted.

"Marcelle! Do you have something for us? Something for an escape?" Fritz asked.

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"Only two doses." The lamia searched through her bags for something. "I can carry you, but Neva will have to take Ada. Catch, Neva." Marcelle said as she threw a vial. "Ready when you are, Fritz. Even with the extra speed we may not escape."

"Neva! Marcelle! I'm gonna use it again!" Fritz said.

"Fritz! We should just surrender!" Neva warned. "We can profess our innocence later! We don't have to be rash!"

"Fritz! Don't you dare use that again!" Marcelle screeched.

"Shut up! Everyone! We can talk our way out of this!" Neva said. "Fritz! Do not!"

"I'm gonna do it!" Fritz shouted as he raised a hand into the air. Marcelle's demeanor immediately changed.

"Surrender! Do not make us ask again!" The captain warned.

"Fritz! Don't you dare!" Neva warned him. Marcelle purple eyes shifted around in panic.

"NO! No! No! Stop! Not again! I'm willing to surrender!" Marcelle screeched.

"This counts as an emergency!" Fritz protested.

"Guards advance!" The captain shouted. "Just kill them!"

"Look what you did! We could have talked our way out of this!" Neva shouted.

"No! No!" Marcelle shouted. "You can't!"

"Fwitz?" Ada asked as Fritz disengaged from the blonde beastkin. Pain in his butt, caused him to grimace as he moved Ada closer to Neva. Neva cursed before uncorking the flask and downing it.

"Careful! They've got potions! Watch out!" One of the guards warned. His spear leveled towards Marcelle as he advanced.

"Hold your breath!" Fritz shouted. Holding up a small chemical ball he looked to his other companions.

"Fwitz?" Ada asked. Her eyes searched her surroundings trying to understand what was happening.

"Stop them!" One of the guards shouted. Trira's guards charged Fritz's party. Throwing the ball onto the ground, Fritz did his best to hold his breath.

The bowels of hell opened up in Trira. The guards immediately stopped. Falling to their knees they vomited their guts out into the muddy streets of Trira. The unfortunate townsfolk caught in the crossfire had no choice but to join the guards. Neva grabbed hold of Ada, throwing her over her shoulder. Marcelle's arms grabbed hold of Fritz. His feet left the ground as the lamia slithered forward with unnatural speed. Neva and Marcelle ran through the town. Ada vomited onto Neva's shirt. Marcelle gagged, sputtering thousands of curses. Fritz, held in a princess carry, nearly choked on his own vomit.

"Fritz! I'll kill you!" Neva shouted. "Screw the goddess! I'll kill you!"

"I'm sorry!"

"He's mine! I'm gonna boil him alive!" Marcelle screeched.

"I'm sorry! I had no choice! They were going to kill us!"

"Fwitz? Wampire back?" Ada asked deliriously.

"No! He's just useless! He's a useless champion!" Neva shouted making sure Fritz could hear every word.

Behind Fritz's retreating party, Trira became unlivable. Guards deserted, convicts escaped, and civilians ran away en masse. For years later, Trira was left uninhabitable. Rumors and legends spread of rotting undead corpse so foul that inevitable death would follow any who breathed in the air. Some believed trolls and ghouls had taken over, yet no one ever came close to the truth. For the truth was: Freye's champion had arrived.