The mages of the city, from the northern gate, saw the tide had dispersed. They sent a communication to the head of the mages on the other three gates to begin the operation to lower the shield.
Watching the lowering shield, Eris ran down the stairs of the city wall towards the gate, she saw the warriors that fled into the city earlier and thought angrily 'Cowards! How many of us would've given everything to be out there with our loved ones?'
She waited until the guards began to open the gate, and ran out followed by a group of magicians trying to see if a miracle happened.
The incredibly bloody stench pervaded their noses, but they still began the arduous and desperate search for their own family.
Eris ran straight towards the ogre that, from the ground level looked like a small mountain as its corpse lay prone. She didn't care about the blood staining her robes, nor did she pay any attention to the wails coming from behind her, only focusing on that recklessly brave man she fell in love with.
By the time she reached the ogres corpse, she swore she could hear faint sounds coming from inside the ogre. She knew that the twin students also chose to attack from the inside, so she hadn't let down her panicked heart. Only picking up her staff, and chanting a spell to conjure wind blades and focusing it towards the head of the ogre.
Even if the ogre had died, it's body's tough flesh still remained, so Eris had to put in a large amount of her magic before she saw any damage coming from the side of the ogres head. Adding to that, she had to restrain the full strength of the spell, in case it harmed Regis inside, she was becoming both mentally and physically exhausted.
However after hearing weak sounds coming from both the chest and the head, hope ignited in her eyes. She put all her focus on cutting into the ogre. When she felt she was about to meet the attacks of the other side, she dispelled her magic, waiting for the other side to cut through.
It didn't take long for her to see the blade of a sword she was all too familiar with. Her eyes lit up, but she watched helplessly as Regis finally cut through from the inside.
He looked at her with the same silly smile, but the blood seeping from the orifices on his face, and the terribly mangled sword arm made the situation anything but happy.
Seeing the armour he wore tattered like rags, and the sword that had to be tied to his left hand, Eris trembled as she walked up to him. Afraid that if she were to touch him, he'd break like glass.
It wasn't until she felt his warm body surround her, that the tears she had held back for so long, fell down. She said with utmost tenderness and pity "You're hurt, my love".
Regis let out a weak laugh, "It's nothing. Give me some time and I'll be as good as new".
Before the two could get far away, they heard sounds coming from the head. Turning back they saw the twins staggering out from the gash that had just been opened by them. The girls fared better than Regis, but the ogres roar had obviously damaged many of their senses.
Sila laughed as she watched Isla help her up. The two of them like Regis were bleeding. As well as the injuries they had sustained during the fight and the overdrafting of their abilities, the twins were barely able to stand with the support of each other.
The wind swords had already shattered, and their armour was slashed through in many places. Luckily the two girls were covered in blood, or they might be embarrassed. Thankfully they had the daggers forged in Rusvil, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to make it out of there.
But without any enchantment added to them, it was a slow and arduous process trying to cut through the ogres heart. Fortunately they came across the magic core in the centre of the ogres body, right next to the heart.
They knew that they wouldn't be able to swallow this core themselves, so they planned to give it to Regis, in return for some other rewards. After all, who made him and his wife, the strongest people in Arqin at the moment.
However that could all wait until they were at least healed. The two pairs stumbled over to the northern gate, some families were similar. They managed to find their loved ones that had fiercely resisted, but suffered serious injuries. And others had found only pieces of theirs.
No one outside the city cheered for this well earned victory. Only sadness pervaded the surroundings.
The academy had sent a healer with the group. One of the few that managed not to be found by the church, she had helped heal the guards during the beetle attack, which led to many less casualties. So the four people didn't bother to line up and wait for the church's healing. After all, there were many warriors far worse off than they were.
It took quite a while to reach the mansion again. The bells of the city were chiming, letting the inhabitants know the battle had ended. The streets were packed with people, and many saw the countless blood covered people coming and going. They all moved out of the way as a sign of respect for those that had been brave enough to fight the deadly beast tide.
When the group of four returned to the mansion, Eris called for the healer, who's name was Gene.
A thin, fair skinned woman rushed over. Seeing only four of them return, she knew how devastating the battle must have been. Although she remained calm on the surface, she felt a great loss. As a healer she was much more in tune with her empathy than others, and she had been with the academy for many years. She knew a lot of the guards that went out, as well as the few students,who were obviously more heroic than the rest of their classmates. She had to heal them countless times, but she didn't feel it a nuisance.
Now only four returned. She didn't know if there would be any more. She dared not think. Just by seeing Regis's injuries she knew that hope was slim.
She began to heal the three warriors one by one. But the damage was too severe, she could only do enough to save the senses of the three, and allow Regis to retain the use of his arm, but the three warriors would have to allow their bodies to finish the process.
Eris had no intention of leaving Arqin yet. The guards had been all but annihilated, and she needed to send a letter to the academy for reinforcements. As well as to let the academy know which children of those military families had fallen in the battle.