While clearing through the area, Liam kept careful track of every place he had seen movement, every echo of fighting, and every trail left behind by the others. With the chaos still spreading across the Underside, it didnāt take long before their small group began bumping into familiar faces again. Alenās group was among the first they came across.
Even from a distance, Liam and Dame could see how cautious Alenās men were. They moved with an almost military precision, helping members of the Dark Faction but keeping enough distance so they werenāt mistaken for enemies. They assisted the wounded where they could and ushered survivors toward the main base, repeating the same words:
"Head back. Get inside. Stay with your people. Weāll hold the rest."
Meanwhile, Liamās group, Dame, himself, and B, were sweeping the outer areas, pushing deeper into territory where the fighting had started to die down. Meeting with Alenās men meant they had to be close to the larger cluster of survivors.
"Iām glad to see some friendly faces," one of the men said with visible relief. His eyes, along with the eyes of several others, drifted immediately toward B.
They remembered Beatrix. The real Beatrix. The woman whoād saved them, fought beside them, and smiled kindly despite everything. So seeing "Beatrix" now, smirking, sticking her tongue out mockingly, caught them off guard. Not one of them could understand why she was behaving so strangely, but they chose to ignore it. Perhaps they thought she was shaken from battle... or had simply changed under pressure.
Dame nodded. "Iām glad to see you decided to come back and help. Thereās no doubt many lives will be saved today because of your actions."
Hearing praise seemed to strengthen their spirits. After all, helping was the whole reason they had returned, even if they had abandoned the Dark Guild itself.
But the unspoken question among them, Where is Safa?, didnāt last long.
Safa ran forward through the dust-filled street, Alen close behind her, and both of them stopped immediately when they recognized the figures ahead.
"Liam! Dame!" Safa gasped, stunned. "You guys are both okay? Did you manage to deal with the masked Cerberus member?"
"You bet," Liam said proudly, pointing at himself with an exaggerated motion. "It was difficult, but we did it. And I guess you did the same, which Iād expect from a genius like yourself."
Dame clicked his tongue. "If you want to sleep with her, just say it. No need for the roundabout compliments. Though something tells me a certain someone watching over us would be very annoyed if you did."
Liam stiffened. He knew exactly who Dame meant. Simyon. It was precisely why Liam had forced himself to suppress any feelings he might have had toward Safa after Simyonās death. It felt wrong... and complicated.
Dame leaned close and whispered directly into Liamās ear.
"Besides, Iām not sure anyone could handle having a brother like hers. Thatās an extremely dangerous game."
Liam gulped. He knew Dame was right. If Safa felt complicated... her family made things worse.
Safa approached both of them, raising her hands to check their condition. Her God Eyes flickered, and she frowned. They looked almost completely healed. For Liam, the improvement was thanks to the nanobots within him. Dame, on the other hand, had taken several blows, but none were severe. Still, Safa used her Light Magic anyway, allowing a warm wave of healing energy to wash over both men.
Alen stepped forward next. "Beatrix, youāre here as well. Iām glad to see youāre safe."
B paused, turning toward him with a strange expression. She eyed him from head to toe before clicking her tongue.
"Oh right, youāre the one that likes this girl, right? How many people are after this woman? It wasnāt like this for me back in Pagna. Maybe itās just an Alterian thing?"
Alen blinked, confused. He had spent time with Beatrix, real Beatrix, during their infiltration mission. Her personality had been nothing like this.
"Donāt take what she says seriously," Safa muttered, turning her head away. "Thatās not Beatrix. Itās someone using her body."
"Oh, right... you have that annoying thing they call God Eyes," B said. "You always could see me. So I guess you can see the real me right now."
Alenās group exchanged uneasy glances. They didnāt fully understand what B was, but they understood enough: the person before them wasnāt the woman they remembered.
Still, they were grateful. All of them. For Alenās group, for Dameās strength, for Liamās system, and even for Bās destructive methods. Together, all of them were combing through the Underside, searching for the wounded, offering healing or support where they could. Alenās group carried survivors toward the closest shelters, helping them escape danger.
The teamwork was surprisingly effective. Alenās men avoided direct confrontation with the Dark Mages, but for the sake of the wounded, they did fight several Cerberus members. A large portion of them secretly wanted to attack the Dark Guild members as well, striking them from behind and ending a long-held hatred. But doing so would risk innocent lives... and so they held back.
With the majority now moving together, the groupās efforts flowed like a well-practiced unit. There was a sense of direction, a purpose, that they clung to as they tried to stabilize the chaos.
Until a pair of Alenās scouts returned, faces pale, eyes widened in horror.
"Itās bad," one of them said breathlessly. "Thereās something you should see... itās the Shelters."
The air around the group shifted immediately.
Safa felt her chest tighten.
Dameās hand moved to his weapon.
Liamās heart dropped.
And B...
B simply tilted her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips, as though she was curious about whatever sight had shaken the hardened warriors so deeply.
****
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