Collin knelt before the altar, his hands clasped tightly in prayer. Behind him, the other villagers mirrored his posture, their heads bowed in silent supplication. The church was so quiet that the faintest sound would have echoed like a thunderclap. Each villager prayed fervently for the safety and success of the group that had gone to stop Verandez.
*Is this pointless? The priest left an hour ago,* a fragment of doubt slipped into Collin's mind. He clenched his fists, trying to shake off the creeping despair. *No! They will succeed. They have to.* But holding onto hope was becoming increasingly difficult.
Suddenly, the heavy wooden doors of the church creaked open, and all heads turned. Alcor stood there, breathless and wide-eyed. "They're here!" he announced.
The congregation scrambled to their feet, rushing outside. *Please, all of you be safe!* Collin prayed silently as they hurried outside. They watched as the steamstrider appeared over the hill, its mechanical form looming in the moonlight.
"That machine looks okay, so they are as well, right?" one villager asked nervously.
"Idiot, just because that thing's fine doesn't mean the people are," another villager responded grimly.
"Why don't you try to be optimistic, dick!" a third snapped, tension flaring among the worried villagers.
Collin raised his voice over the rising din. "Everyone, calm down!" The crowd quieted, turning their anxious eyes to him. "Why are you arguing? We'll see if they're all okay or not when they get out."
All eyes were on the steamstrider as it rolled to a stop at the village entrance. Steam hissed from its vents, and the tension was palpable. *Please be okay, please be okay,* Collin repeated in his mind as the steamstrider's doors slowly opened.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the crowd as Xain, Zee, Larkin, Grace, the demon, and the angel stepped out, covered in blood and looking weary but unharmed. "Thank godd—" Collin began, but his words caught in his throat as the villagers saw Elanor and Verandez emerge as well.
"Is-is-is that Verandez!?" exclaimed one of the villagers, pointing at him and making him jump in surprise. "And is that Elanor?" another villager asked, pointing at him also.
Xain let out a weary sigh, muttering, "Why won't this night just end?" He felt like crying from sheer exhaustion.
Zalathor stepped forward, raising his hands to calm the villagers. "Do not worry, there is a reason for him being here," he said, referring to Verandez.
"By Michael, I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to see this place after all the shit we went through," Maverick said to no one in particular.
"I hope everyone here is okay," Zee added, her voice tinged with concern.
Larkin chimed in lightheartedly, "Didn't I tell ya not to worry 'bout this place?"
Elanor scanned the faces of the villagers and saw them: wives, mothers, sons, fathers—all with pleading eyes, hoping to see their husbands, sons, or fathers step out of the steamstrider. Elanor felt his eyes well up with tears as he shook his head, silently conveying the grim news. These families broke down, the hopes they had for their children, significant others, and parents destroyed. Elanor stared at the ground, guilt overwhelming him. He was the only one who had no one waiting for him, the only one who had survived. How cruel could this world be?
"Don't feel guilty," Grace said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "If you hadn't brought The Wandering Calamity with you, some of us might have died."
"Don't worry, Grace. I'm fine," he lied. Grace could tell he was lying, even without needing to view his thoughts.
"Okay, as long as you don't blame yourself," she said, knowing he didn't want to talk about it. She walked away, her eyes scanning the villagers and the rest of their group. *I should do that now, probably the best chance I'll get,* she thought to herself.
Meanwhile, Zalathor finished explaining the reason for Verandez's presence, with Collin, Alcor, and the villagers hanging on his every word. "And I have a name now. It is Zalathor," he concluded.
Collin massaged his temples, muttering, "So he isn't to blame?" His eyes drifted to Verandez, who stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Collin let out a sigh. "Well, we'll discuss more about him later," he said, turning back to Zalathor. "For now, let's get all of you sorted. There's no way to soften this—you all look abysmal."
"I agree," Alcor said, standing beside him. He put a hand to his chin, looking over the group. "Though I have to say, three of them actually look better than when they left," he observed, his cat ears twitching as he referred to Zalathor, Maverick, and Xain.
"I would absolutely love a break right now," Xain said, feeling completely drained both physically and mentally.
Collin nodded and motioned them over to a large building, bigger than the other houses and stores but still smaller than the church. "You all can use the communal bath. You deserve this and so much more," he said.
"Tell me about it," Maverick muttered, stretching his tired muscles. Some of the children approached him and Zalathor, their eyes wide with curiosity and admiration.
"Can you tell us how you beat the demons?" one asked eagerly.
"Yeah, tell us how you beat them up!" another chimed in, bouncing on their toes.
Xain smiled as he watched the children. "Darn brats, going to them and leaving us out," he chuckled. "You'd think they'd ask you, right?" he said, turning to Grace—or at least he thought he was.
"Huh?" Xain looked around, unable to find her. "Did she go on ahead of us?" he muttered, scratching his head. It would make sense; he couldn't blame her for wanting to clean up first.
"What's wrong, Xain?" Zee asked, noticing his confusion.
"Oh, I was just looking for Grace," he said, turning to her. "Did you see her?"
Zee gave him a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
Xain gave her a tired look. "I know you two don't exactly get along, but haven't we had enough of that today?" he said, rolling his eyes.
Zee's confusion only deepened. "Xain, who are you talking about?" she asked, her tone filled with genuine confusion.
Xain stared at her, about to dismiss it as a strange prank, but he stopped when he saw the sincere confusion on her face. "Huh? Why are you reacting like this?" he asked, his voice sharper than he intended, making Zee flinch.
"I-I don't know—" Zee stuttered as everyone else turned to them.
"What's going on?" Larkin asked.
"She's saying she doesn't know who Grace is for some reason," Xain said, turning to him.
Larkin looked baffled. "What?"
Xain turned back to Zee. "Yeah, it doesn't make any—"
But Larkin interrupted him. "What are ya talkin' about? Who's Grace?"
Xain froze, slowly turning to Larkin. "Why are you doing this as well?" he asked, annoyance creeping into his voice.
"What are all of you doing?" Maverick asked, stepping in.
"Both of them are saying they don't know who Grace is!" Xain exclaimed, turning to him.
"Grace? Who the hell is—" Maverick started, but Xain snapped before he could finish.
"Don't you dare start as well!" he shouted, pissing Maverick off.
"Watch your damn mouth!" Maverick snapped back.
Zalathor stepped between them. "Do not argue, you two."
Xain looked almost desperately at Zalathor. "You know who Grace is, right?"
"I'm sorry, Xain. I do not know who you are referring to," Zalathor said calmly.
Xain's eyes narrowed in anger. "Why the heck are you all saying you don't know her!?" he exclaimed, looking at everyone, including the villagers, who stared at him in confusion.
*Why do none of them remember her?* he thought to himself as Zee put a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, Xain. Maybe you're under the effects of one of the demons," Zee suggested gently.
Xain slapped her hand away, turning to stare at her. He could tell he had hurt her, but he couldn't stop himself. Without another word, he pushed past all of them and ran out of the village.
"Xain, wait!" Zee exclaimed in worry.
"None of you follow me!" Xain yelled back, his eyes starting to fill with Hatred as he ran, thinking to himself, *Just what the heck is happening!?*