Air thick with rage, the Devourer screamed in anguish as a part of its body vanished into nothingness.

  The darkness falling on the land below seemed to deepen, as if its enormous size alone were not enough to blot out the light of day.

  At first glance, it appeared such a devastating strike might stall its regeneration. There was no sign the tail would ever grow back.

  But the attack Stella had sent its way wasn’t an easy feat to reproduce.

  As the young woman plummeted headfirst toward the ground, she could barely keep her breath steady.

  The recoil definitely broke something. I can't feel what. Stella felt the pain, but the pressure of the wind made it difficult to pinpoint. I think it's my shoulder that's been dislocated.

  More than that, a lot of blood trickled during her descent, coming from her hands.

  This battle had taken its toll on the inexperienced fighter.

  I got to focus. Closing her eyes, Stella shut out everything in the vicinity. I've been trained for this.

  The wind bursts suddenly felt oddly comforting. Gravity became her cradle, and warmth slowly returned.

  A faint white light cloaked her body, healing her wounds at a swift pace.

  Just like Dad told me to. I just need to breathe in and out. She took in a large breath of fresh air and exhaled slowly as the blood stopped trickling from her hands. Now...

  Gritting her teeth, she readied herself.

  "Ah!" A painful groan escaped her as a horrifying crack echoed through her head when her shoulder snapped back into place.

  "This shit hurts!" she cursed aloud, her body snapping back into shape. "This wasn't what he promised me."

  A sour expression on her face, Stella scanned the world around her—and realized the ground was much closer than she’d thought.

  "Oh..." All she could do was brace for impact. She considered using Catharsis to cushion the fall, but it was far too late.

  Whoosh.

  A gust of wind swept past her. Opening her eyes at the sudden absence of pain, she felt air caress her skin.

  "Deveralna!" she exclaimed, surprise painting her face. "You don't look so fresh."

  "Oh, shut it." The lamia smiled dryly. "It’s already good enough I awakened in time to rescue you."

  Deveralna had recovered consciousness before Stella hit the ground—making a full recovery in midair—only to spot her companion falling. Racing at full speed, she arrived in the nick of time to protect her.

  Lifting her head to look at Var'Lathen, Deveralna smiled through bloodied lips.

  "You did it dirty. I like that."

  With the Devourer still stunned, the moment allowed them to regroup.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  As Deveralna set Stella down near May, she also placed her tail on the rocky terrain.

  "..."

  May looked at her friend—exhausted and in a terrible state—and then quietly turned to Stella.

  As their gazes met, it took only a second for May to understand what she wanted to ask. Instead of answering, Stella’s eyes dropped to the ground and she shook her head slowly.

  I see. Deveralna can't be healed. May's heart sank. I need to think of a way to alleviate her burden.

  The Queen of the Lamias—one of the few people May could truly call a friend—was fighting with everything she had left.

  Deveralna breathed heavily, barely finding a moment to rest. Beads of sweat poured from her pores; her hair was messy from all the movement.

  Dried blood streaked both corners of her mouth. To top it off, she clasped one wrist with her other hand to steady the trembling from fatigue.

  Am I the only one...? May looked at her own hands, still gripping her blazing sword. Why am I so useless?

  She lifted her head to the Devourer and felt utterly bitter. She couldn’t help her companions from the ground.

  Her fire magic was not strong enough to travel far without dissipating, and she had no wings to take flight. The only help she had vanished the moment they entered the dome.

  I can't even be her shield. The truth stung: the foe seemed to drift ever further away. She felt... small.

  ROAR.

  All thoughts snapped away. May, Stella, and Deveralna froze for a few seconds at the Devourer’s earth-splitting bellow.

  Those precious seconds let Var’Lathen prepare its next assault.

  Between its frontal horns, a gigantic sphere of plasma—reminiscent of Deveralna’s signature magic—began to swell. It took four beats to reach full size.

  "Shit! Deveralna, Stella, scatter!" May screamed, swiping a free hand in complete panic. "Move, now!"

  Her panicked order jolted the two into motion.

  From the sphere, a rain of plasma began to fall on the rocky platform beneath them.

  At the same time, Var’Lathen pulled its head back, its enormous maw opening wide.

  Light accumulated inside, brighter and more deadly than the sphere held between its horns.

  "Don't move!" Deveralna lunged to intercept, but she wasn’t fast enough.

  Var’Lathen became faster, deadlier, more beast than thought. All traces of reason vanished; instinct took over.

  It trained its gaze and dropped its head violently, releasing a spear of lightning straight at them.

  "!"

  A massive flash cleaved the space between the falling plasma and the trio. Time seemed to dilate as everything slowed for May.

  Without hesitating, she leapt forward with sword in hands. Deveralna stretched out an arm with horror on her face while Stella—realizing too late—scrambled away from May’s earlier order.

  The spear’s flash engulfed May as it met her blade, which she swung upward.

  "Haaaaaaa!" she screamed, bearing the shock as her arms trembled.

  Deveralna was thrown aside by the blast, forced to redirect her attention to avoid the plasma raining down.

  I can do this! May gritted her teeth as her feet slid backward from the force. I won't falter!

  She held on for several seconds, until the force became too strong.

  "KH!" The spear dragged her backward, inching her toward the edge of the platform.

  Pain screamed through her arms and legs, but her resolve stayed firm.

  "I CAN DO THIS!" she roared.

  With a bloodcurdling cry, she drove the scorching sword through the spear, bisecting it just before she reached the edge.

  Both halves continued past her, crashing to the world below in two titanic blasts whose shockwaves shook the platform.

  Holding the sword with both hands, May dropped to one knee.

  "Ack!"

  Her arms were agony. It took everything not to collapse.

  "How'd you like that, stupid lizard?" she sneered, forcing herself upright. "Even I can be good for something."

  "May!" Deveralna called from afar. She wanted to ask after her, but there was no time.

  Instead, she was relieved to see May still standing.

  Still. The redhead’s eyes fell to her hands, still gripping the sword. If I have to block one of those again, it'll be over. I don't have the strength for another.

  She had already reached her limits long before this point. This battle marked a turning point for them all—the Devourer pressed them mercilessly.

  Yet it was not wholly one-sided. They had inflicted grievous injury.

  Something sparkled at the edge of May’s vision.

  "Hmm?" Her gaze flicked to it; she gasped. "!"

  She darted aside, ignoring the plasma with practiced ease. Hope renewed, a strange strength washed away pain and exhaustion.

  "This changes everything!" she breathed, crouching to pick up a small crystal that gleamed warm red.

  "It's not over yet."

  Clasping the crystal, she smiled. Two mechanical devices unfolded from her back, floating in rhythm with her breath.

  "I'm coming for you next."

  With feathers of fire bursting from mechanical wings, May crouched and leapt into the sky—straight at the Devourer.