No.

  The Guardian cried out once more. They’re great body turned, fleeing from Taiga. But they only made it a few short meters before dropping.

  No, no, no.

  Mouse’s voice bellowed from him, his feet sloshing through the water. He ran around the length of the Guardian, touching it gingerly. His fingertips grazed over the white ceramic.

  “I’m sorry.” He pressed a hand to it, closing his eyes. Nothing more remained. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Mouse.” Taiga walked up beside him, Mouse’s sword in hand.

  “I know.” He couldn’t even hold a flicker of anger in his voice.

  “There was nothing of the Guardian left.” The somberness in Taiga’s voice drew Mouse silent.

  Nothing left? And yet they had cried? How could he even be sure?

  But anger would not take root. Mouse’s breath hitched. His legs gave out, and he dropped beside the Beast’s mask. His eyes burned, only released as a tear streamed down his cheek.

  A snowflake landed gently on a feather. Mouse’s heart dropped. He wiped the flake away in a panic. He stepped back, quickly wiping away a few more snowflakes falling over them.

  “Stop! Leave them alone!” He swung his arm out, smacking a few more snowflakes. But they fell regardless, draping the Guardian’s body. “They didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

  Taiga placed a hand on him. “Mouse, it’s gone.”

  “Why? Why did they corrupt?” He turned on Taiga, smacking his hand away. “They wanted peace. They loved the valleys and hills to the south, where it’s always warm and gentle.”

  “I don’t know. The magics got twisted inside.”

  Mouse blinked at him, “what does that mean? Ttafaschu never caused any harm to anyone. They’re not even supposed to be here.”

  Taiga paused, wiping at a burn on his face where the Guardian’s blood soaked through his skin. The green calmed in Taiga’s arms, though bark and blood still covered them.

  “I don’t know.” Taiga’s voice lost any conviction. His eyes drew away from the Guardian.

  When the snow blanketed the Guardian, Taiga pulled his sword easily from the snowpile. He walked away while Mouse knelt down beside the Guardian. He stayed a long while, closing his eyes and hoping, truly, Taiga’s decision was the right one.

  He didn’t know. He couldn’t see the ebb and flow of magic. But the Guardian had given him so little to go on. It blocked him from communicating, ripping him away any time he tried. He didn’t know what else he could do… He knew of no way to save them.

  “We gotta go.” Taiga called.

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  Mouse turned. Now that the fog of corruption began dispersing, the outline of demons around them became clear. He stood, weakness taking him back to the ground. His head spun, and he stilled himself just to sit straight.

  His vision darkened a moment, and he blinked it back. “I lost too much blood before I healed.”

  Taiga spun around, studying him for a moment before kneeling down, grabbing Mouse’s arm and pulling it over his shoulder. “Pull off me when you’re good.”

  Mouse nodded, pushing up as Taiga pulled him to his feet. His eyes fell back to the Guardian, their body near fully draped in snow. Taiga pulled him along, and Mouse could only watch the Guardian disappear into the mist.

  I’m sorry.

  The words weighed so much and so little in his heart. His feet dragged, but he pulled himself away further and further. When he closed his eyes, the sun peeked out over the hills Ttafaschu wandered.

  Open, only the mist and demons and Taiga remained.

  He pulled off Taiga when his feet steadied, and he kept Taiga’s pace as they ran in the direction of the mercenaries. Every so often, he or Taiga would turn to push back zealous demons. They followed them at a distance; predators enjoying the chase.

  The sound of clinks and yells echoed from the right. “That way.” Mouse pointed, and Taiga turned with him.

  Taiga huffed beside him, and Mouse slowed. The demons matched their pace, clicking to each other in eagerness. Mouse spotted the mercenaries from afar, and called out to them.

  “Y’all survived?” he asked. Heads turned, smiling at Mouse and Taiga’s arrival.

  Ku sat on the ground, gripping his bloodied leg. His shoulder also appeared injured, but by the amount of blood on the former, that would be the wound to do him in if left unattended.

  As the demons rolled in behind them, the smiles on the mercenaries' faces turned to frowns and gasps. Telania waved her sword at them. “Are you kidding me? What, you two just been running around this whole time with them in tow?”

  “Well, no. We killed some. These are new.” Taiga ran to Ku, dropping beside him while Mouse covered him.

  They made a semi-circle around Ku and Taiga, fending off demons as they approached. Mouse sliced through the mouth of a demon that’d been on his heels a while. He let his anger run through him, swinging his sword and using his legs to push the demons back.

  “You have blood on you. Are you injured?” Mimi asked, switching places with Field and checking him over.

  Mouse partially nodded before slamming his remaining boot into the side of a demon. “I’m fine.”

  He cracked his neck to the side, stepping forward and slicing up through a demon as it lunged at him. The metal tip ripped upward, spilling its entrails out. It scrambled back, screeching in clicks.

  How annoying.

  He smiled, bringing his sword across its neck. Two demons replaced it, one jumping for his shoulder, biting into his flesh while the other slithered to his legs. The acid of its fangs burrowed deep. With his other hand, he gripped the upper jaw, twisting it upward and out of him. The demon snapped back, releasing him, but he didn’t allow mercy. He pinched its lower jaw with his underarm, keeping the teeth embedded within him.

  It’s tongue thrashed, and Mouse yanked the upper jaw to the side, cracking it and twisting it as the demon squealed. The other demon lunged at him to help its friend. Mouse raised a socked foot and slammed his full weight into it, kicking the demon back.

  The demon in his hands drew silent, and he tossed it to the side. The other demon watched its companion fall. In an instant, it seemed to realize something, and that something would only be its death. It turned, slithering away.

  How utterly pathetic.

  “You guys,” he stomped down on its tail, twisting his foot and hearing the bones crunch, “need to put up a better fight.”

  He gripped several quills on the demon’s back and ripped them backwards. Scales and flesh tore him the demon, and it cried out to its friends for help. “I’m not in a good mood. And I need a bit more to relieve my frustration. Ya know?”

  How could these things live, while Ttafaschu could not?

  He stomped into the wound of the demon, again and again until it stopped any resistance. Mouse dropped the quills, glancing up to see which one was next. A smile spread over his face as eight blue eyes stared back.

  “Keep me at least a little distracted, will ya?”