My Beginning After the End

Pray to the High Sovereign

"Hold up." I told her, and thought about our next course of actions, even if it was just a random attack. "Okay, you are going back, now."

"No, I told you I wasn't." She spoke with such authority.

"Please forgive me." I said apologetically.

"For what?" As the words came out of her mouth, she toppled over, and I caught her.

"It took you long enough." I told Callias as he appeared.

"How'd you know it was me?" He asked as he approached us. "And what did you do to the Princess?"

"Well, I sensed your blood, and when you caught up to Samantha, I figured you would be the first to arrive." I looked down at Tessia in my arms. "I made her pass out."

"Oh." Callias muttered. "What's the plan? I caught up to Stannard right after you guys ran in here, so I am all caught up."

"You are taking Tess back to the base." I told him.

"Why?" He asked as I motioned for him to take her.

"Tess and I can't be in the same place at the moment, it's not safe." Callias bent down and picked Tess up. "I'm trusting you'll protect her."

"I will, are you going to be okay?" My good old friend was worried about me.

"Ah, are you worried about this Devil's safety?" I smiled at him, because he should be.

"Shut up, you know what I meant." We both turned to Samantha jogging towards us. "I'm gonna go, stay with Samantha now, you shouldn't be alone in here, even if you are strong."

"Okay." I motioned for him to go, and he started to jog back to the base.

"What happened to her?" Samantha asked as he ran past her and walked up to me out of breath.

"She will be fine, but Samantha, if you come with me, I can't guarantee your safety." I truly couldn't, if this source of power I sensed, is what I think, I'm going to be in a dog fight soon.

"I can't leave you alone in here." She smiled at me. "Anyways, I know you'll protect me."

I closed my eyes, and sensed for Darvus, he needed the help more than Caria. "Fine, let's go." I started to jog at a pace Samantha could keep up with. I was going to listen to what Callias said, but as soon as we get Darvus, she is leaving with him.

"How far are they?" Samantha asked me as we turned down another tunnel.

"Pretty far." I don't know how they separated themselves this much. "Samantha, we are going to run into Alacryans or mana beasts before them, unless we do this quietly." I paused as we entered a cavern with no one in it. "However, none of us have earth magic, so that's going to be difficult."

"I'll stick behind you and lay down support." I turned to a smiling but determined Samantha.

I basically had all my mana, should I create a clone to protect her? No, I can't, I'm going to need all the mana I got, otherwise today will be my last day alive in this world.

"Samantha, don't join me in the battle, let me clear it out." I told her as I continued to jog.

"I can't do that, Veer, it's my duty." I shook my head, this is a little different, but I guess I'll keep the enemy in front of me, so nothing gets to her.

"Fine." I sensed people down this tunnel. "An Alacryan party up ahead, maybe a hundred and fifty yards, only four of them."

"Okay." We continued to jog until I stopped, maybe fifty yards from them.