The tent he shared with Aer, Rune, and so many other elthean was broad. Each had their own sleeping bag and although the outside floor was hard, lying there was as lovely as it was with their own bed. He didn’t need a proper pillow, and although it was initially difficult for him to sleep, He didn’t take long to fall asleep. Too much had happened in a brief time, and that was the first moment he could rest for real.

Hours later, or that’s what he supposed, for a short moment, he thought he had returned home. However, he did not hear his parents’ usual talking and everyday noises from a big city. Instead, someone insisted that he had to wake up. Both Aer and Rune were at his side, alternating the look between him and the exit.

“We have to leave, Finnian,” Aer said, calm but also vigilant.

“Now. Come up,” Rune urged him. “We cannot waste any more time.” 

“What’s going on?” Finnian said, even with some drowsiness. 

“They’re attacking us! Are you still like that?” Kay exclaimed, entering the store. “It’s the one who ended up with our colleagues; he’s back. 

“How sure are you?” Finnian said.

That wasn’t cool and collected Kay he already knew, instead of a warrior facing a terrible threat. He did not lie; nobody would with something like that. Nodding without adding anything else, he grabbed the backpack and threw it to the shoulder, following the quartet’s passage as they escorted him to the outside. If he previously thought that Upper Sword was in a shocking state, the change now had no point of comparison.

More shattered walls, Little Warriors wounded and thrown on the floor, and even the few buildings in the outer courtyard were on fire. Soon, his vision repaired on Theri, who fought against the unknown enemy whom everyone feared.

Even how the tremendous and intense the viking was, the difference between this fight and the leopards was noticeable: He was losing. Unfortunately, the darkness of the night made hardly recognise the appearance of that elthean that lacked mercy, although the sound of the blows he threw, hitting the armour of the warrior. And if he came out almost unharmed against them, the wounds he was receiving were worst because he could not land a hit with his hammer. Then, he was thrown at the same store from which they had left.

“We have to leave, now!” Rune exclaimed. 

“And leave them like that? After all they done for us?” Finnian said.

He raised so much his voice that it drew the attention of those present, even his enemy. So fast that his eyes had trouble catching him, he soon saw a creature not much higher than him, held on both legs. He irradiates a purple aura that prevents him from seeing clearly what it was, but his red eyes and the blades of his arms were enough for him to want to face the leopards again.

That elthean stopped in front of him, almost as if he was watching, and then raised one of his arms, ready to attack them until something changed. A white light spread through the castle, illuminating all around it, coming from his pendant. 

Rune had stood before him, same Aer, in an attempt to defend him. Then she shined, changing form. After the light was almost extinguished, she appeared as a majestic eagle of brown and black feathers, with some imposing horns on her head. From its peak were born circles of reddish energy that caught that demonic elthean.

“Rune has evolved! “Aer exclaimed.

“You have to leave. Now! “Theri yelled out in the distance, being helped by Fee to get up.

“Jump to my back, hurry!” Rune said, although he now had a much more deep voice than his dwarf version.

“We can’t leave them here like that! “Finnian shouted, pointing around him.

“There’s no other choice,” Kay said when his enemy was released without just striving.

“That elthean is looking for you, Finnian. Do you understand it?” Aer said. “We have to get you out of here.”

How could you be so sure? He didn’t want to leave them behind, but what other alternatives they had if the Little Warriors had lost? He wasn’t sure Rune could make a difference either, even when she appeared more potent than before. While he was climbing into her back, Aer made an air punch against that thing.

“Hey! Try to catch us if you can.”

After a strong wingbeat and gaining altitude, that the elthean observed them, ignoring everything else around. Then, he lifted one of his arms and threw an energy blade directed toward them, rubbing Rune on one of her legs in the process.

“Hold on!” exclaimed her, flying away from the castle and fleeing from that enemy they would surely meet again.