A Different Perspective

Sarai tried her best to keep the wall from being overrun, but it was a losing battle. Long before the Titan crashed into the battlement, she had lost count of how many creatures she had slayed.

Her small cohort of Awakened fought valiantly under the assault, managing to keep themselves alive and free of venom.

Many others were not so lucky.

A couple, faced with their own mortality, broke and fled. Sarai couldn't blame them too much.

Even she could recognize that the chance of victory was smaller with each passing moment. Death was all but inevitable.

She had the ability to leave. She was fast and could surely make it to the gateway in time. She could take her time before asking a Saint to take her somewhere else and tether there, never giving Crestfall another thought.

But the Awakened around her? Even if they could make it back to the Waking World, they would wind up back in the nest of vipers the next time they fell asleep. Sarai couldn't in good conscience abandon them.

She would rather give it her all than live with their deaths on her conscience.

Her polearm blazed with fire. The gaps she was having to fill were growing wider, but her Ascended body allowed her to tap into inhuman speed as she darted between the other fighters.

Sarai pushed herself even harder than she had in the Nightmare. These were not figments of the Spell, but real people with real families.

Each loss felt personal.

Far to her right, the Titan groaned and crashed to the ground. The earth shook violently, throwing the humans right and left. The behemoth went still. 

Was it dead? 

Sarai didn't dare to hope. 

Was Noble alright?

That she hoped for more than anything in the world. 

Out of nowhere, a snake sprang at her face. Its red coloring blended with the stained stone, making it impossible to detect. 

The adder should have caught her across the cheek. But at the last possible moment, her helmet shifted to deflect the blow. Sarai was able to swat the creature aside before stabbing it. 

Her headwear never shifted like that. It was pure luck that it chose just the right time to protect her. 

'Unless it wasn't luck at all.' 

Sarai had had too many near misses today to discount that magic might be at play. If that was the case, she thanked whoever might be watching over her. 

It meant she could watch over everyone else.

The beautiful Master rushed to help an Awakened pinned down by an adder. The Amber pierced the creature's spine and burned it to ash.

The Awakened woman had been bitten, but there wasn't much Sarai could do.

"Can you walk?"

"No…" the lady cried helplessly.

Sarai helped her scoot against one wall. "When someone comes, have them help you down. Hamish!"

The red-haired Awakened with the sword to match nodded. "I'll protect her with my life."

"Good man," Sarai hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She turned to find the next problem when the sky got darker.

From the chasm of Ender's Deep, hundreds—no, thousands of crows flew up to cover the sky.

Sarai felt fear grip her. If they were being attacked from both sides, there really was no hope.

"Wake of Ruin!" Hamish turned and smiled.

Bolstered by the appearance of a second government Saint, the other soldiers on the battlement let out a raucous cheer.

Having not been to Antarctica, Sarai had not seen the Saint's transformation. Once she knew the coming creatures were not there to hurt her, she was filled with only awe. 

While those on the wall continued to fight, the raven-feathered birds descended. Many went straight for the Titan, but the rest fanned out to aid those defending the wall. 

One landed next to Sarai, plucked out the eyes of one of the snakes and ate another of the smaller creatures whole. 

The tide of the battle suddenly turned. 

Soon, Jet in her transcendent form joined the crows in the massacre. 

Her appearance meant that the Titan was indeed vanquished. 

As the sun grew heavy in the sky, the last of the snakes were killed by the humans of Crestfall. 

Hamish lowered his Bloodsword and it disappeared, returning the liquid to his body. He reached down toward the woman who had been bitten. Her face was pale and on the point of death. 

"This might sting a little," he told her gently. 

Using some of the blood from his own body, he purified the woman of the poison.

The lady looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you." 

"You're very welcome, ma'am." Hamish's own face turned pale, and he swayed. 

"That's enough of that, young man," Sarai scolded him. "You will kill yourself with kindness when you just survived a war and a siege." 

She looped Hamish's arm over her shoulder and helped him down the stairs. As they got to the base, a beautiful brunette rode up on her golden mount with a look of profound relief. 

"I was coming to find you!" Noble pulled Helios to a stop. 

"You look like a knight in shining armor, though perhaps your steed is a little nontraditional," Sarai smiled at her friend. 

"Are you ok?" Noble searched both of the people for injuries. There were many, but none seemed life-threatening. 

"Hamish here had to play hero and heal a person on the wall. I think he must have taken the poison on himself instead." Sarai frowned. 

"I'll be fine in a little while," Hamish assured the ladies. 

"Just in case. Take a sip of this." Sarai summoned a vial. "It will get the bad stuff out of your system quicker." 

"Thanks," Hamish took a swig and passed it back. 

Noble slid off of the back of Helios. "Take him to the infirmary," she told the Symncus. 

"I told you, whoa!" Hamish lifted into the air and was placed on the back without moving a muscle. He was out of sight before he could fully object.

"You should probably take that vial to the sick as well. I am guessing many more need it." Noble pointed to one of the buildings in the distance.

Injured people were spilling out into the street with healers and good Samaritans moving between them to give any comfort they could. Soon some would be able to return to the waking world, but for now, they would have to do as much healing as they could in the Dream Realm.

"I'm happy to help." Sarai nodded. 

The ladies headed to the makeshift hospital at a brisk pace. 

"Are you alright?" Sarai looked at Noble. 

They had both dismissed their helmets, but Noble's armor covered the rest of her body, masking any wounds. 

The older woman smiled weakly. "Nothing a ton of therapy won't help."

"You killed a Titan!" Sarai said as if the thought just occurred to her. 

"Jet killed a Titan," Noble corrected her. "At most, I was the wingwoman." 

Noble shuddered to think what would have happened if the two Saints had not fought. They would be having a very different conversation. Or no conversation as they would both be dead. 

"I guess this cements your decision about moving your family," Sarai sighed. "You have more than enough evidence now." 

"I do," Noble answered. "My mind is made up." 

As the ladies neared the infirmary, Helios returned to her, his tail swishing. He had done his job well. 

Noble scratched under his chin. "You've done well, Leo. Go have a rest now." 

Dismissing her echo, Noble went to approach the healer in charge to ask how they could help. 

That was when she heard an agonized scream. 

Only it wasn't coming from the infirmary. 

It came from the house holding the dead.