Plan B

The explosion had provided Sage and her crew enough cover to disengage from the fight and head back into the watch tower's entrance. Or so they thought. But Dragon Joe was right at their heels, a red tank raging up the spiral steps after them. 

"Ha-ha-ha!" he laughed out loud while the head of his ax cut deep into the stone wall. "You bastards aren't getting away!"

He took another big swipe of his battle-ax that Kensei was just barely able to block with the but of his spear. Otherwise, it would have cut him at the heel. 

"Persistent bastard," he hissed back at Dragon Joe. "Sage, King, go!" 

As King helped her move along, Sage kept her gaze glued on what was happening below them while cursing her own weakness at succumbing to the rebound effect of her class ability. 

Even now she could see the negative status effect window to the right of her blurred vision.