Brand thought that if Veronica held off Andesa, he and Qian would have a chance to escape. But he found that he had underestimated the situation.
Carrying the unconscious Qian and Faina through the winding valleys for less than half an hour, suddenly a piercing scream came from the sky, and Brand turned back, a flash of green light in the night.
Then, with a 'boom', a figure fell before him, crashing into the earth, raising a cloud of dust. Brand saw clearly that it was Veronica.
Startled, he stepped forward, parting the hazy dust, discovering the Cruz people's Female War God lying in a great pit, covered in blood.
Lady Veronica's battle robe was in tatters, revealing her inner armor in many places. Her armor had scraped heavily against the ground upon impact, producing heat such that smoke was still curling off it.
Brand initially thought Veronica was unconscious, but as he stepped closer, the lady moaned softly and opened her jade-colored eyes:
