14

Just as you're glancing around for the next closest threat, you see Alvis and Min approaching from the south, both looking flustered but unhurt.

"I've been trying to talk to the demons, but they won't listen to me," Min says, shaking their head. "I don't understand it."

"I talked down a few of the hypnotized people," Alvis says. "Or distracted them until the demons lost control. Not sure which."

Min is the first to catch sight of your injured arm, and their eyes narrow. "Are you all right, Jun? No false bravado, now. I'll know."

"I…think I will be," you say.

"That's true enough," Min says, with a frown, "if not very reassuring."

The shadowy masses of tendrils are no longer blocking out the sun, and Isidora has managed to keep the militia relatively well-organized amid the chaos. You're starting to get the sense that Elith really might come out of this all right, though if the demons aren't going to listen, even to Min, there's no way out of this but to fight.

That also means that, were you inclined to follow Princess Despina's instructions and humiliate Evander, it's the key moment for it—relatively less danger to anyone involved, and more of a chance that anyone will have a moment to spare to notice what he's doing.

An illusion would be the easiest way to steer him off-course, making it look like he's striking at demons that aren't there. And he has no reason to suspect such a thing would come from you, naturally.

Evander has no idea what's coming, so far as you're aware. The battle seems to be what's occupying his attention above all else. He's also spent a fair amount of time with you at this point, which means how you're acting will be as important as what you do. You might need to combine your traits and talents in new ways.

While your arm still doesn't hurt, the unnatural lack of sensation is getting harder to ignore. Will you ever have feeling in it again?