Katerina was always one to help when there was something like this happening. The sands were filled with ghosts; Katerina had to save everyone she could. She would soon be surprised that she would find more in the desert than ghost.

---

Far off in the dark desert, Eden walked deeper into the desert; her black hair blowing fiercely with the wind. She was determined to find out if she had any ancestors here in the desert. Hearing stories about the ghosts coming alive had drew her there. The wolf had a feeling that her family was alive; if Katerina lived after being captured by the monster, so did her family. She had searched everywhere in Canelux. Now, with the ruby being taken, she had a chance to talk to her ancestors.

Pulling up her scarf up, Eden held the cloth against her mouth as the sand blew into her face. Her eyes danced around the empty dark desert before her. The stars above was the only light that lit her way.

The wolf hoped to find someone or something soon; she was growing anxious. The past few months she felt like she was getting close then suddenly… they would slip away. She had been searching for so long. A year? Two years? The wolf had left Katerina, whom had become like a mother to her, just after her eighteenth birthday.

The past few weeks had slowly started to blur together. The nightmares of the past were coming back in full force lately; making the wolf not want to sleep. In her nightmares, the monster would take her just like her family.

“Nadha!” The sudden scream made the wolf jump. The occasional voice over the wind was always unexpected. A sigh left her lips as Eden continued her way through the desert.

A sudden scream hit her ears, it wasn’t like the ones from before; someone in danger. Grabbing her dagger on her hip, the wolf started to run towards the scream. As Eden ran, the sand started to come at her harder and then block her sight. “Damn!” Eden cursed as the sand slowed her pace.

When the screams suddenly stopped, it made the wolf stop moving. She turned around while her eyes tried to look through the sand storm. There was a faint glow within the sand and coming at her fast. At the last second she saw that it was a sword, and she blocked it with her dagger just in time.

A gasp left her as a skeleton face became visible; she had never seen anything like this before. Being caught off guard by the ghost, she didn’t see the one coming up to her left, a mace in the ghost’s hand. The pain in her leg was unbearable as the mace connected to her thigh; the bone snapping hitting her ears. “Ahh!” Eden screamed as she fell down into the sand.

Eden couldn’t believe what was happening, she was about to die in the middle of the desert. She moved back as the ghosts started to come towards her. She couldn’t die, not now, she hadn’t found her family yet. In that moment, she remembered her bracelet. Katerina had given it to her right after she found Eden in the woods. “Mom!!!” She yelled. Hopefully, the wolf could get to her as soon as possible.

---

Katerina was a mile or so away when she felt her daughter’s danger; the wolf demon was trying to make her way to the city. She was making her way slowly through the sand storm. “Mom!!” She heard the scream over the wind and she felt the charm she had given to her daughter, Eden. “Eden!!!!” Katerina yelled; fear growing within her.

Closing her eyes, she tried to feel the charm’s location. “North..” The wolf demon thought as she began to run. She needed to get there now; Eden was in danger.

During Eden's unfortunate ambush amidst the dunes, Rudjek had already become aware of Robin's presence and ancestry. While I was preoccupied by my inner demons in his temple, he had spied on me to learn more about her; and, now that he had the information he desired, he had begun sending his minions out into the desert to search for her. All women of black hair became his targets, and so the screams that the wolf had heard mere moments before her own assault were the sounds of those unlucky enough to encounter the demons and be found wanting.

Eden, on the other hand, did not suffer the same fate as those that came before her. See, the ghost riders could smell the blood of the sacrifice's descendants, and that was how they were determining who to spare. A lack of the proper smell meant they could simply kill their prey instead of capturing it; and that was what was happening to the other women. Eden's case was different, but only because of history's morbid sense of humor.

Somewhere deep in the wolf's ancestry lay a link to the lost sacrifice. The hunters mistook her for Robin because of that, and so they had taken special care not to kill her in the ambush. Instead of using lethal force, they broke her leg to immobilize her, and then encircled her to pen her in. There, under the watchful eyes of the twin moons, they examined their unexpected prize and chatted her up.

"She is not the one we are looking for," remarked one of the more decorated undead, to which the mace wielding ghost retorted.

"And yet she has the blood." He spoke while raising his weapon once more; staring at Eden all the while. "We shan't kill her, yet; but that other leg needs to go as well so we can be sure she won't run." The entire conversation was still being fed over Eden's bracelet to Katerina while it was going on, even as the leg crusher menacingly got off his steed to approach the downed girl. He actually would have broken her other leg too if given the chance, but he stopped short of swinging down after another presence distracted him. "Our lord blesses us," he said without looking to see who it was, "the other blood relative comes without a fuss."

There, on a nearby dune, Robin had appeared with her face shrouded in smoke. Hoshi no Kage blended well with the evening landscape as she wore it, making her seem like a reaper of the sands upon revealing herself to the world. In fact, her appearance was quite frightening among common standards, even if the spectral marauders graciously received her.

"Bring them to the temple. Sardon demands it!" They greeted her scent with pure enthusiasm, commanding their ghostly steeds to press on even in the face of Seikou's golden light. Robin activated the blade in a humming ballad of death, shattering the darkness and using it to remove the legs of the first steed that reached her. Then, in a blinding display of reflexes, she removed the head of the mace wielder riding that animal before taking to the sky. Katerina arrived within sighting distance shortly thereafter, just as the Ataiyan native laid waste to Rudjek's forces with relentless, searing flurries brought down from the heavens themselves.

It had been years since the wolf demon had seen her daughter. She remembered as if it were yesterday. The young wolf had just turned eighteen and had been wanting to go out on her own. Katerina hadn’t told Eden the whole story of her family just yet; the wolf demon didn’t know how to. After she finally was able to sit down her daughter, Katerina finally told her about the other woman who lived; whom was also very pregnant. The wolf demon never saw that cave again.

After telling the story to Eden, the young wolf decided she needed to leave. “If you lived. Maybe they lived too! I have to find my mother and sister.” Her words echoed into her mother’s mind. Katerina was hurt by her words; she was her mother now, and wanted to leave. The young wolf girl left only a few days after, and never contacted her mother again.

As the wolf ran towards Eden, the memories of the last time they were together ran through her mind. She missed her daughter so much; having her leave was one of the most hardest moment she had ever faced. Katerina understood why she had to leave, but didn’t want it to happen.

Voices soon entered her mind; they were coming from the charm. “Eden!” She gasped out. She had to reach her now, she couldn’t have her daughter die. Not now; not when Katerina needed to see her, and hold her in her arms. She wouldn’t let it happen.“Damnit..” Katerina cursed as she continued to run.

It wasn’t long till the mother reached her child. The scene before her made her stop in her tacks; a cloaked figured was fighting off the ghosts. “Holy Shit!” Katerina gasp out. The weapon the figured wielded was the most amazing weapon she had ever seen. She wanted one.

“Mom!” Eden’s voice broke through the wolf demon’s shock. Katerina eyes turned to her daughter before she rushed over. The young wolf had changed so much since the last time her mother saw her. “Eden!” Katerina voice was thick with worry. When she reached her daughter, she kneeled down, and wrapped the girl in her arms. “My sweet girl! Are you alright? We have to get you out of here.” The wolf demon tried to lift her daughter up, but Eden yelled in pain while grabbing her leg. “They broke my leg…” The young wolf said with tears in her eyes. “It’s going to be okay.” Katerina soothed while kissing her daughter’s head.

Hearing the crackling of bones, the wolf demons eyes followed the noise. Her arm suddenly dropped her her arm while she stood between Eden, and the other ghosts. “She’s trying to escape,” one of the ghosts said before they headed towards the two women.“You will not have my daughter.” Her voice rang over the raging wind as her eyes began to glow. The young wolf stared at her mother as a smirk appeared on her lips. “Get wrecked, fuckers.” She said as her mother began to transform and her eyes went to the other figure killing off ghosts.

The red haired woman wasn’t a woman any longer. She now stood over fifteen feet tall in wolf form. Her form wasn’t like it used to be though; her white coat now had rings of red around her collar and on her ears. Due to the events that happened in Salem.

After she was transformed, the wolf demon howled before she charged at the ghosts. Her fangs tore into them, and ripped one after another apart. Some she even sent flying in the air far away. The wolf demon wanted them all dead; no one gets away with attacking her daughter.

Eden stared wide eyed at the carnage around her; death from both sides of her. She kept wondering who that person was in the cloak. Was it a friend or foe? Did she happen to know this person?

The young wolf girl’s eyes watched as her mother and the cloaked figured killed off the ghosts. Soon, there was only one left before the cloaked figure.

Robin's onslaught against those undead minions was not without loss. She went to great lengths to finish the battle without being wounded, even though 30 against 1 was not the best of odds to have in the first place. She was also still struggling to control Hoshi no Kage's movements, since she had only just received the armor before coming to the desert. In the end, she managed, but not without exhausting herself and only because Katerina came to back her up.

After that arrival, the two women mopped up splendidly. Ten of the enemy's rear guard broke off to greet the wolf, fearing that one of their sacrifices would escape while they were focused on the other. That brought some pressure off of Robin, who had already killed a good ten before Katerina's appearance, and thus allowed her to end another nine through various dismemberments.

The bulkiest of the lot was the only one left after that: a giant of a mummy standing at seven feet tall. He leered at Robin with those chaotic, red eyes of his; all while surrounded by his felled comrades and wielding a khopesh that matched his size.

"You've accomplished nothing," he said with a grainy voice while standing atop the mace wielder from before. "Even if I fall, a thousand more will rise to take my place. The sacrifices must be captured. Sardon demands it!" He brought down his weapon then, aiming straight for Robin's head.

Unfortunately, this is where fate took a turn for the worse. Robin was able to dodge, as I'm sure the last soldier was counting on, but the force of his attack was enough to whip up a miniature storm, sending sand and wind everywhere. The gusts threw my friend to the side like a rag doll, allowing her opponent to grab her by the neck and quickly envelop her in a magical cocoon of bandages before she could react.

Yes, he captured Robin, tightening her prison so thoroughly that she couldn't move anymore. Afterward, he placed her wriggling cocoon on his back, and then turned toward Eden for his next target.

"Flies can do little when they're wrapped up." Alone, Eden and her mother probably would have been able to beat that cretin back and save my beloved, but any hope of this dream was soon to fade. Before the behemoth even moved toward the next sacrifice, he let loose an unholy scream that summoned forth hundreds of reinforcements. The horizon in all directions suddenly glowed with an ethereal red as mummies from all around turned toward the small group. They were surrounded. Everyone in the desert knew they were there now; and everyone they didn't want to know, too.

By some twist of destiny, I was also watching by that point. The fight between Rudjek and my group was ongoing in his chambers, and I was on my last legs due to the overload from anima rings in conjunction with a renaissance. In that perceived weakness - and with Robin's capture now firmly under Rudjek's list of accomplishments – I became a prime target for the high priest's taunting once more. That was his last mistake, though, because, even though I was puking blood by then, I still had more than enough firepower and will to hurt him. All he really succeeded in doing was stoking my rage rather than dwindling my resolve; and that rage led to Toirneach shattering the sky.

In a brief moment of fiery passion, a blast visible all the way from Katerina's position erupted from the top of Aysut's temple. The undead throughout the desert simultaneously froze as their power source sustained heavy damage, allowing Robin to drop out of her bandaged prison. She sliced the mummy that had captured her in half following that development, but then froze once she realized the dead silence around her. A temporary calm had fallen over the entire area, causing Robin to remove her smoky hood in awe.

There she stood amidst the dunes, but only until she realized Katerina and Eden were still there with her. The soldier in her kicked back once she saw them, and so she rushed over to their pair with sword still drawn.
 
"We have to get to Aestas, Katerina," she said while breathing heavily in front of them. "There are healers there and a force specifically dedicated to protecting people like your daughter and I. We need to hurry, though; because I don't think the undead are going to stay sleeping like this for long. We need to… breach the perimeter… before they start coming after us again." It was clear she was tired, but my beloved was left with little choice other than to keep going. As for myself, I too was being carried toward Aestas by Jack, too wounded to fight anymore and too delirious to do anything other than repeat Robin's name over and over.

Of all the things he expected to feel amidst the quarrel between man, god, and ancient, hope had not been one of them. More so than that was the pure inspiration fueling him, strengthening each blow he gave no matter how big or small. Revaliir was a diverse world, not only in race or species, but in creed, belief and personal moral. So, to see so many come up against this primordial threat was astonishing to say the least. High elves drew back the strings of their bows alongside drow; shrouded vampires went up against the undead while lycanthrope proceeded to rip out their unholy throats.

And even Naota himself was working side by side with a woman who only a few years prior had threatened to kill him if he so much as stepped a foot into her temple. The two worked as one: Death and Light, the perfect pair for delaying the apocalypse one day longer. Even without them having the upper hand or seeing so many work together -unified by one common goal and singular enemy- his energy would have been peaked. For so long he’d had to hang up his life of hunting, figuratively speaking. Yet it was still as much a part of him today as it had been at his sixteenth birthday upon taking the oath.

Dressed in the form fitting but flexible clothing of his profession, all black and charcoal with earthy tones for easier concealment at night, he looked less a deity and more like his formal self. Save of course for the weapon that had yet to leave his grasp since all of this began. Torinasu was as alive as he was that night, pulsing with so much energy that it was physical in one’s line of sight: pulses of holy white glowed around it, flickering between gold and outlined black with each slash and arc.

The emerald of his eyes had bled to deadly crimson, yet he was anything but pure anger. Well, fairer to say he wasn’t only angry. It was a mix of things, anger for them trespassing in his temple and forcing him to close off all portals to Suisho no Kyuden, but that bloody hue of his eyes was also in part to the demonic heritage that still begged to be known. His ascension had rid him of it in technicality, but some instincts could only be made dormant in someone’s blood, never truly dead.

However, when he heard, felt, sensed the blast of power in the pyramid even his godly movements paused to bear witness. All around them the undead had stopped, but that wasn’t what had gotten his attention. No, it was the energy itself…a fingerprint of someone he’d known, that or he really had gone mad. That couldn’t be…not here, not now. His eyes slowly moved down to Torinasu, knowing its smith was somewhere nearby. How? He couldn’t tell you, but he felt in in every fiber of himself that she was there somehow.

Now though, his attention was brought to the east as if some invisible hand had taken him by the chin and directed his vision that way. A swarm of a thousand or more was headed in that direction, all going towards a singular point: a planned attack. They too were frozen from the explosion, a grisly sight indeed to see them speckled like ants across the dunes. Then slowly, sluggishly, they found their movement once more. Whatever damage had stopped them, it was subsiding.

Without a second of hesitation he started that way; first at a brisk walk, then a run, sprint, teleporting in between bursts to bring himself closer. They had taken care of many and he would be able to return to Dal should she need him, but right now someone else did. Whether it really be for Natsumi or just his mind taking advantage of his battle high, he wasn’t sure. Either way he was coming upon them quickly.

As he made it to the top of one of the high rising dunes he was able to look further out. His eyes narrowed in an attempt at seeing even further from this far off vantage point, but it was clear: a group of people were being closed in on, two females and a great wolf. Why? He had no idea, and really it didn’t matter. And then his nose caught scent of something on the wind and his heart lurched in his chest. The wolf, she had the unmistakable scent of Katerina, and from there all rational thought left him. Knowing one of his personal relations was in such immediate danger sparked something in him.

His body slowly straightened and his fingers uncurled form Torinasu’s hilt, though the blade stayed hovering at his side. Every weapon on his person unstrapped itself from his body and stayed aloft in the air around his body. The red of his eyes slowly faded to pure white so that there was no longer pupil or iris, and their glow…their glow was brilliant. The holy marks lining his body shone brightly, so much so the energy threatened to burn his clothing and easily showed itself through the fabric. His fingers flexed, sending out his holy energy to bless every weapon so that all save for Torinasu shone with holy white light in the night.

All of this took place in the span of two seconds. And then he was gone. When he reappeared it was in front of the small group of would be victims; his back to them. The world seemed to move in slow motion compared to how fast he was going, and he lifted his hand up. Trails of white light followed his fingers as he expertly traced a design into the air with the guide of his fingertips. The blades around him moved so fast they were almost a blur to anyone not moving at his speed right now, each one carving out the same design in the air. Then so suddenly they all froze, his eyes slowly closed. With a slow exhale he felt their energy buzz in the air as if they were attached to his body by unseen tendrils; psionic connection.

His eyes opened quickly and a great dome of pure holy light interwove in the designs, spiking and pitching; spreading so far and wide with such speed that anything unholy in its path was reduced to dust and ash. There were curses, soon cut off at the demise of their would be spouters. What they said? He couldn’t tell you, nor did he care as they were no longer in existence. Only when all of them were vanquished did that light dash back towards him as if his body were sucking all of it back in. With it a gust of wind followed, blowing up the remains of the pursuers to leave his already dirty face filthier with death. But they were gone…They’d dared to attack one of his own.

Somehow he found it in himself to speak, though his tone was low and soft as his eyes closed once more; weapons still orbiting his body threateningly though much slower now, “W-Why is it Katerina, that every time we meet there has to be some life endangering occurrence…?”

After the ghosts were finally gone, Katerina thought the cloaked figure would handle the rest of them without her; she needed to check on Eden. The wolf was about to nuzzle her daughter when dirt and wind flew into her eyes. She whined softly and pawed at her face. “Ah! My eyes.” Katerina heard Eden’s voice over the wind.

Before she could see if her daughter was okay, the ghost’s words hit her ears. “Oh n-” Katerina was about to tell him he would not lay a finger on her daughter, but was cut off. The scream made her and the young wolf cover their ears. The scream was ear piercing and sent a chill down the both wolf’s back. When the scream finally stopped, the wolf got a bad feeling. She slowly lifted her face to see the mummies that surrounded them now. Katerina was in shock for a moment before she pushed the feeling away. They would not get her daughter, not while she lived… But how on earth could she save Eden from this many?

While the wolf demon tried to figure out what she was going to to, the blast hit. The mummies grew still instantly. Katerina’s wolf eyes grew; what was happening? What force on earth could perform such magic? The ghosts that surrounded them grew still. “What was that??..” The wolf demon thought to herself as she looked around them. Her eyes soon landed on the once cloaked figure; it was Robin. The woman’s scent hit the wolf, she cursed herself for not realizing who she was sooner. “Her skill has grown.” Katerina thought as she remembered how the birdie fought just moments before.

When the woman joined them, Katerina continued to stay in wolf form. She didn’t know what would happen and would rather be ready for anything. Robin started to speak; they had to get going. Katerina nodded; Eden needed out of harm's way.

The large wolf leaned down and helped Eden onto her back. The young wolf held back her tears as the pain shot through her leg. When she finally was on her mother’s back, she held on tight as the wolf beneath her started to move. The three women made their way towards the location Robin spoke of. Trying to hurry as fast as they could through the sleeping mummies.

It wasn’t long until the wolf froze in her tracks. She heard bones moving and then a twitch of a hand; the mummies were waking up. She didn’t know how she was going to kill them all, but it was going to happen. The wolf demon grew scared.

All fear went away when Katerina caught a glimpse of the newcomer. His back was towards them, but she knew that scent. “Naota.” She thought as his power surprised her once more. She didn’t know why he always seemed to surprise her. “I shouldn’t be so shocked anymore.” She thought with a mental laugh. After a few moments, all went still. The dead were gone; every one, due to Naota’s valiant efforts.

His words hit her, making her mentally smile. Stepping up to the God, she hung her large wolf head down to him. She nuzzled him softly before stepping back. Shortly after light shone from her body and then she stood there in human form, her vibrant red hair flying with the wind, and her daughter in her arms. “Part of you likes the danger with me, Naota.” She greeted him and smiled. She was so glad he was there. If it wasn’t for him, her daughter would be dead.

“Mom..” Eden glanced from her mother then to Noata. “Is there something you aren’t telling me here?” The young wolf asked with a smirk on her face, as if she knew some secret. “What… No. Of course not.” Katerina looked down at her daughter in her arms. To keep from blushing, the wolf demon spoke to her daughter, “before anything else happens you are getting out of here before us.” The wolf demon ignored the look on her daughter's face and let out a whistle. She had forgotten about one of the only companions she had that always followed her.

A roar echoed through the skies above, before great wings flapped out of the dust filled sky. As he got closer, a large purple man came down from above.“I was worried I wouldn’t find you.” His voice deep as he spoke. “You shou-” he was about to scold Katerina; she should've brought some of her companions with her. “Take my daughter and get her to safety. Her leg is broken so be gentle.” The wolf demon set her daughter into the beast's arms. “Mom! Who is this!?” Eden voice was lined with shock. “This is Goliath, he will protect you. I promise. I love you..” The wolf demon kissed her daughter's head. “Mom! Let me sta-” Goliath didn’t let the young wolf finish before he flew off into the sky, not before narrowing his eyes at the God. “No.” Was the last thing they all heard before he disappeared into the sand storm.

Katerina turned her eyes back to the two before her. “Robin. Naota. Let’s get out of here.” She paused in her words before turning her eyes to Naota. “On foot.” He would know what she meant by those words. She wasn’t going to teleport or even use a portal. She wasn’t in the mood to be sick.

Eventually, that repetition faded. I couldn't stay awake past the city border, and so Jack was forced to lug my unconscious, bleeding body through the desert all by his lonesome. His primary goal was to get me out of there unnoticed, and, for a time, that seemed achievable. The paused mummies came with an equally disrupted leader, after all, so the main villain was temporarily incapacitated at the start of our journey. Even when his undead soldiers woke anew, his voice was not there to guide them anymore. That made mop-ups easy, especially if done by divine hunters with a lifetime of experience fighting the undead.

Naota's arrival amidst the dunes was a spell of good luck for Katerina, Robin and Eden in that regard. Their trio had been making its way through the sleeping horde before its members started to wake; and they would have been severely outnumbered in their position had the god not intervened. Robin did still activate Seikou just in case she had to cut her way through, but she never got the chance to use it. Naota was too fast with his holy dome, taking out everything in sight before Robin could even deign to close ranks with the enemy.

After that particular display, my beloved could only fall silent in respect. She was unfamiliar with the deities of the world - being both Parvporan and a classical Cinderella story in nature - but she understood enough to know that the man in front of her knew Katerina and had come to save her. Robin didn't wish to butt in to a conversation like that between friends, so she just silently listened to them while commanding Seikou back into its hilt.
 
Eventually, Robin did get the chance to speak to Mr. Flashlight, though only after Katerina called in Goliath to whisk her daughter away. The armor-clad swordswoman approached and spoke to Naota during that family affair, bowing to him in traditional Ataiyan manner before giving thanks.
 
"Thank you, Naota, whoever you are." She didn't ask about his ancestry in those moments, even though she suspected he was from her homeland based solely on his appearance and light accent. She didn't feel it was her place to pry for such information anyway, especially from a stranger she just had met, so she respectfully let issue lie in preference of waving goodbye to her old, gargoyle friend. Naota and she would have had plenty of time to talk later anyway, should he have desired to share. Katerina wanted to egress on foot, after all, which meant a decently sized journey even for the fastest of nonmagical individuals: more than enough time for small talk.

Of course, as fate would have it, that trip did not happen as intended. Soon after Katerina hinted at her distaste for teleportation, the pyramid of Aysut sprung to life once more. The ethereal energies that had hung over the desert for many weeks now suddenly intensified beyond what they had already been, and soon the ruby's red glow erupted from the chasm in the pyramid's apex with renewed vigor. The undead still left in the city quickly and violently reassembled under that sinister light, signifying the return of their high priest.

"Not again," Robin said half-heartedly at this development. Soon, she would freeze in terror as she heard Rudjek's ghastly voice finally reach her among the sands.

"Accursed mortals," he proclaimed! For the first time since the battle began, he was allowing his thoughts to transfer through the mouths of his minions and outside of his chambers. Also for once, he had lost that insufferable smugness of his, replacing it with triumphant anger instead. "Minions of Sardon, hear your high priest! A trio of snakes has infiltrated our defenses and wounded our lord's heart! Now they have the audacity to flee instead of joining our glorious legion! Hunt them down! Kill every last one of them: especially the fox known as Natsumi, the rogue Shiloh and the phoenix Mirannda! Finish what I have started, and keep that wounded white one from ever reaching the stronghold of the living!"

In that instant, the desert gave birth to even more undead. The force that everyone had been fighting against up till that point was already large enough to cast fear into the hearts of many; but it was only the tip of the iceberg when compared to the true extent of Rudjek's army. Now more of the ghostly riders crawled up from the depths with every passing second, causing the sands quake in tandem with the pulses of sickly green energy coming out of Rudjek's stronghold. They seemed to be stronger as well, feeding off of a reinvigorated gem as they started to push the Revalitte advance back.

With this, the undead seemed to have gained the upper hand. Their numbers streamed out of the city like a disturbed swarm of hornets defending their nest, and their movements were far from aimless. Many thousands headed straight for Jack and I, even as the two of us passed right by Katerina, Naota and Robin. They truly were on a death march for me, something that had Jack running faster than ever before.

"So much for stealth," he cried just before sprinting into the sight of those three fighters! They were too far away to really converse by then, especially considering the wailing horde that was right on the dragon butler's tail; but the trio was close enough to see my limp body in his arms as well as smell my blood on the wind. Jack's hands were drenched in the stuff, most of it coming from the hole in my shoulder that Rudjek had given me as a trophy. Even a human could smell it thanks to the sheer volume, let alone three people with very keen noses.

Robin was probably the first to notice, too. The two of us had been fighting before going into the desert, and, even though she was still mad at me for that, she was secretly fearful for my safety during the whole affair. The sight of me in that condition validated her fears, sending her into an adrenaline-filled shock. She didn't even realize what was happening till she had instinctually positioned herself between the horde and I, drawing Seikou and her Vilpamolan rapier in a berserker stance.

"You won't touch her. I won't let you," she muttered under her breath when the first wave crested over the dune in front of her. Robin was fully intent on sacrificing her life for me in that moment of heated rage, but her hatred for Rudjek was soon detracted from when she heard light padding coming from behind her.
 
"Pardon me, Devushka." A voice I had not heard in years had popped up next to Robin in the most unlikely of places. She turned around to face it, thinking it was a stranger getting in her way. Instead, she was confused to look down and find a bipedal platypus standing right next to her. "Mother Fee sends her best." It was Nikolai, that magnificent bastard of a platypus with a Kurayan accent. He moved past Robin after saying his initial introduction, and then faced the front line of oncoming mummies with paws of orange light. It was a glow that exploded as soon as he touched it to the sand in front of him, calling out his characteristic catchphrase to the moons overhead while doing so. "And his name is Nikolai!"

So it was that a friend from the past had reappeared, detonating the front line of the oncoming horde and joining Robin in her battle against Rudjek.

[OOC: Nikolai is back, biznitches. See CodeAni's profile under companions for more info!]

He only started to calm when he felt Katerina’s warm wolfy head nuzzle against him. His eyes closed as one hand rose up and gently touched along her ear. The fur was warm and soft, though coarser than he would have expected. When she pulled away he stood back, keeping his weapons raised around him even as his eyes opened to see her turn back to her human form. A quick survey of her body told him she was well enough despite the horrible that had been so close to falling on her and…the other two. He looked to the young girl and the other woman that was there. Now that the immediate danger was gone, though he was sure that was only temporary, he peered at them curiously.

The interaction between the girl and Katerina told him more than enough: she was her daughter. That along with her scent was confirmation, and he eased further to know that the child was being taken far away from any other possible threats. Katerina said the other’s name, Robin, and he committed it instantly. Had the situation not been as dire he would have given Katerina a face for insisting they go on foot, but for now he walked with the pair; eyes and ears on constant alert as they traversed through the ashy sand.

He nodded his head respectfully to her, catching her Ataiyan accent immediately. That was curious. When all of this was over and done with he’d want to sit with her and talk. It wasn’t often he saw many others from his homeland out in the random parts of the world he wound up in. Unfortunately, they only got a few steps before the great ruby atop the pyramid glowed with what felt like twice its previous vigor! He didn’t have time for a villain’s monologue and instantly started to look for a way to bring everything down, or at the very least raise their own defenses.

And then the bastard said one name, the name of all names that could pull away his attention almost as fast as one of his children’s. His eyes cut back to Rudjek. Now, saying Natsumi’s name alone was enough to draw his eyes, but the description that went along with it was unmistakable. Every other sound fell on deaf ears for what couldn’t be more than three seconds, but to him felt like hours. Over the past years he had convinced himself that the woman had been a fabrication since any person he’d inquired about her to had no idea who she was. The entire world had forgotten a deity and he couldn’t fathom how that was possible.

Torinasu moved back to his fingers and he wrapped them around the hilt as if taking the hand of an estranged friend. The blade hummed with near sentient energy at the mention of its forger. As if on cue he saw a face he hadn’t expected: Jack, the man that had crashed down into his temple. There wasn’t time to even think about how odd of a coincidence that was when he saw who was limp and bleeding in the man’s arms; caught her scent. His forehead stung right at the center and he closed his eyes tightly against the pain, the weapons around him shuddering slightly as he pinched the bridge of his nose. And then Torinasu pulsed so strongly that he felt himself center; a warmth filling his belly as his eyes opened.

Without a word he walked calmly towards the waddling platypus, not so much as flinching when he unleashed his formidable blast. Robin was near the front as well, ready to stave off anything that may be coming their way, but he had only one thing in mind. The many blades hovering around him rose higher into the air and webbed out in every which direction; trails of light following their tips as they traced out an intricate circle of sigils in the air. His eyes narrowed and all of them stopped: the circle dropping down from the air and overtop the army of the undead, digging straight into the sand and keeping its holy glow.

Every being froze in place, some still mid swing of an attack. That level of mass paralysis had been consecrated specifically to only affect those of the undead. Though, it wouldn’t last forever. He turned his back on the now still barrage and waved his hand: a portal yawned out of the sand, showing the entrance to Suisho no Kyuden. Despite the situation and many realizations of the night, he spoke calmly, “Jack, that will lead you and Natsumi straight to Suisho no Kyuden. The entrance this time.” It was the closest he could get to making a light remark, referring to how Jack had crashed down from the sky upon his first…‘visit’.

“It will close in less than a minute, so anyone that wants to go through should go through. There are healers and clerics, those that can tend to any need you might have in order to recover. Anyone who wants to stay and fight…well that’s all right too.” They all had their own decisions to make. He had already made his, and turned his back on the portal and walked towards the remains of the front line. All of his blades returned to their hover around him, only now they moved at such a great speed around him that they were nearly invisible to the naked eye.

The day that was unfolding was surprising the wolf at every turn. Her daughter was back into her life, unexpectedly. Katerina’s close friends were also there; Naota and Robin. Being surrounded by mummies prevented the wolf from hugging them. It had been a long time since she had seen the two, and wanted to catch up. However, this was not the time. They needed to get to safety in the city.

Upon hearing Rudjek’s voice, the wolf demon’s narrowed her eyes. Katerina wanted to kill the man who caused her daughter harm. Her eyes glanced towards Robin and Naota. “If it wasn’t for them Eden would be dead..” The thought had crossed her mind multiple times in the few minutes that passed. The alpha was very grateful to the two before her.

The smell that suddenly hit her senses made the wolf gasp. She knew that scent all to well; Natsumi was there. "Nat!" She called out as as her eyes went to Robin. “Natsumi is here?!” Katerina was shocked. The white fox would’ve been here the instant her fair maiden was in any trouble. The wolf knew how much Natsumi cared for the woman before here. Where was she? Was she okay?

The wolf demon’s questions were soon answered when she saw the man running over the sands. It was Jack. He was holding Natsumi and running for dear life. Katerina froze when she smelt blood; Natsumi’s blood. “No..” She whispered as she watched the dragon run; unable to move. Katerina had only smelt the fox’s blood once, years ago. Natsumi was in trouble, and wounded.

Robin’s voice brought Katerina back to her senses. A smirk lined her lips when she heard the determination in the dark haired woman’s voice. Her eyes moved the the horde of mummies moving towards them. “They will not get her while we live.” The wolf’s sword soon appeared in her hand as she spoke. Her hand gripped the hilt ready to attack.

The sudden familiar tone made the wolf stop and glanced to her side. She had thought Nikolai was dead. Blue eyes watched the platypus move between them, and towards the mummies closing in on them. A smirk appeared on her face as she let her grip lighten on her sword. “This will be a show.” Katerina joked. She watched the first line of the mummies disintegrate with the blow Nikolai made. Now it was her turn.

She was soon stopped by Naota paralyzed them all. She was amazed at the force and power he had. Having a friend that was a God was always a perk. Flashes of the last time they were together went through her mind. He had helped Katerina defeat a very large creature, and get home to her family.

When seeing Naota open up the portal, the wolf demon cringed. She rather run across the desert in human form. In her moment of hesitation, she felt it. The earth beneath her feet shook. It was like someone was walking. Her eyes went up and widened. Another horde of mummies made their way towards her. Surrounding something large? She couldn’t see what it was within the sandstorm.“No..” She whispered seeing the target of the figure. “JACK!!!! LOOK OUT!!!” She screamed over the roaring wind. Her feet ran of their own accord. She needed to get them out of the way. “Jack!!” She called to him again, and motioned for him to get out of the way.

Nikolai's reappearance, while flashy and helpful, ultimately did little to stem the encroaching tide. Aysut's forces swarmed around our small grouping, hungry for revenge, and the only thing Robin could do against them was try to stand her ground. Her focus was so absorbed by that task that she hadn't heard anything from Kat during those moments of bravado she so typically exhibited. In fact, she didn't hear anything but the sound of Seikou slashing into bandaged flesh until Naota silenced the battlefield around her.

The one-time vampire hunter had used his divinity to paralyze the many legions left among the dunes after their brief skirmish, or at least those close enough to still pose a threat. Robin retreated back at the sight of this, regaining her composure just in time to see Naota open a portal for everyone present. He did this with the intent of allowing Jack and I safe passage to his temple: a fact that had Robin confused since I never talked to her about my relationship with the Ataiyan. She didn't know what to think in that situation, but, given the severity of my wounds, she reluctantly accepted aid without verbal protest.

Jack, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of the flying swordswoman. He was practically in tears of gratitude from Naota's words, and his voice reflected that emotion.

"You're a beautiful son of a bitch! You know that, Naota?! Absolutely, fucking beautiful!" The draconic butler carelessly shouted his words into the desert night as he turned toward the portal. He thought he was safe, delivered from Rudjek's wrath at long last. He was wrong.

As soon as Jack started running toward the portal – or perhaps even before – a loud rumbling came from the east. Rudjek had called back a contingent of soldiers to cut off our escape, and they were flanking a monstrosity the likes of which Revalittes had not yet seen. Seemingly sprouting from the sands themselves, the colossus wailed at the night sky as the gaze from its solitary, red eye focused on the entrance to Naota's portal.
 
"Naughty naughty," Rudjek proclaimed after Katerina shouted at Jack to pay attention. "If you get to cheat, so do I." Energy built up in the sand giant's oculus in response to this taunt, shortly before shooting off in my direction. The bolt impacted the sand in front of Naota's portal, causing a massive explosion and seemingly eliminating Jack alongside myself. Robin's heart sank at this development, and she nearly broke down crying until Jack's shouting pierced her depression.

"AHHHHHHH!!!" At the very last second, my carrier had jumped out of the way of the colossus's chaos explosion and was now making a beeline toward Aestas while trying to stay alive. "I don't like it! Make it stop," he cried at the top of his lungs while demonstrating impossibly concerted levels of agility and dumb luck. More castings followed the first, and yet every blast missed just like the previous one. Through some twist of fate, Jack managed to escape that hell unscathed, but not without missing Naota's portal entirely and leaving a trail of fiery pits through the dunes.

Robin was left in the dust by this retreat, flabbergasted at her "co-worker's" reckless but respectable skill level. She eventually settled on just being glad that he had lived through the ordeal without dropping me, and was now far away from Rudjek's stronghold. Around the same time, she also noticed that the colossus had ceased attacking, having gone out of range of Jack's tail. This, along with Rudjek's shouts of anger echoing throughout the entire city, signaled her chance to escape, so she grabbed Nikolai and took to the sky before anyone could stop her.

"Nikolai is no toy," the platypus voiced in protest from the sudden touch, but Robin was already well on her way to Aestas with him before he could do anything to stop her.