Although they hadn't figured out how to stop the dolls from burning or counterattacking the ones who destroyed them, the students confirmed through repeated trial and error that there was nothing to worry about as long as they didn't destroy the dolls.
So, they left destroying the dolls to those who could withstand the counterattacks and instead focused on gathering the dolls in one place to keep the city's streets open and easy to use in case they needed to fight on them or transport something.
Zach finally earned a short break.
However, it didn't take long for yet another effect to appear from the dolls. The fumes they released when they burned were toxic. It wasn't just underworld energy that slipped into the students' lungs while they worked. It could be a natural side effect of the magic or the burning blood. Or it could be intentional.
It didn't matter.
