After speaking with Garron, I stepped out of the tavern to gather the group. We had to deal with the witches, yes. But not before seeing the Arcane. The smoke was the first thing I noticed. It wasn't a lone column, nor the trace of a poorly extinguished chimney. It was thick, dark, spreading like a shroud over the rooftops. The air smelled of burned wood, of grease… of something darker I chose not to name just yet. Screams reached me from every direction. Valebrun was no longer the same. The calm of the previous night had shattered into a thousand pieces, and what remained was chaos moving in every direction at once. Men running without knowing where, women dragging their children, doors slamming open and shut. And among it all… children. Children were dragged by unseen hands. Others walked on their own… arms limp, eyes empty. At first, I didn't understand where they were going. Then I looked up. And I saw them. Above us, cut against a sky choked with smoke, two figures circled the town on black brooms, like carrion birds celebrating before the feast. Their laughter rained down on us like poisoned needles. The other witches. There was no doubt now. The curse had not ended with the first one's death. I tightened my grip on the shield and pushed forward through the crowd, forcing my way through bodies without asking permission.
—Aldric! —I shouted— Serah!
No answer. Only chaos. A man collapsed in front of me, engulfed in flames. I tried to pull him away, but it was too late. In his desperation, the old man ran until his body burned itself out. I kept moving. There was no time to stop. That's when I saw Eldran. He stood in the middle of the street, motionless, staring at the sky as if none of this concerned him. Firelight danced across his face, and for a moment… he didn't react.
—Eldran! —I grabbed him by the shoulder— Where are they?
He blinked, as if returning from somewhere far away.
—They're gone.
—Who?
—Aldric… Serah… —his eyes drifted back upward— They went to the mill. They want to wait for them there.
My jaw tightened. The disobedience bothered me. But more than that… Eldran's calm did.
—When?
—Not long ago… —he paused— They couldn't let them escape.
I looked toward the edge of the town. Toward the road where the fog swallowed everything beyond sight. Part of me wanted to follow them immediately. But the world didn't allow it. A heavy, crushing impact shook the main street. Slow. Massive. Lethal. I turned and saw them. Two towering shapes emerging through the smoke. They were neither men nor beasts. They were worse. Twisted bodies. Skin thick like stone. Faces sunken into a grotesque blend of flesh and bone. Ogres. And they were coming straight at us. The ground trembled beneath each step. The crowd scattered instantly. We weren't enough.
—Listen to me —I said to Eldran, never taking my eyes off them— Find Maelor. Get me cover.
No answer.
—Now! —I snapped— I can't do this without you.
—And what will you do in the meantime?
I raised my shield.
—I'll hold the line.
He hesitated. Just for a second. Then he nodded.
—There's something I wanted to tell you— I didn't hear the rest.
The first ogre roared and charged. I ran to meet it. Each of its steps was a sentence. Each impact against the ground sent up ash, dust, burning debris. I raised my shield just before the first blow hit. The impact was brutal. The force traveled through me in a single violent shock. I felt it snap. But I didn't give. I planted my feet. I clenched my teeth. I had made a promise. And I was going to hold.
—Come on… —I growled through gritted teeth.
The second ogre began to flank me. No time. No space. Only a choice. I stood my ground, sword and shield raised. The first ogre struck again. I blocked. Metal screamed. And I felt it. bone splitting inside my forearm, tearing through flesh from within. The second was already close. One strike away. Through the smoke and fire, I caught sight of Eldran running through the crowd. I lost him almost instantly. Then, another figure. Maelor. He was helping villagers escape the flames. Eldran reached him. Said something. I didn't hear what. But I saw the reaction. Maelor stopped. They both looked at me. And then, they were gone... swallowed by smoke and fog. And for the first time since entering the valley, I understood what it's like to have no one. The ogre roared again. The second raised its massive weapon, ready to crush me. Houses burned. Children were still being dragged away. And above us, the witches laughed. I tightened my grip on the shield. Braced. And stepped forward with everything I had left. Because there's only ever been one way I do things: Alone.