Franc didn't waste a second. His command ripped through the air, sharp and desperate.
"Move! Move! Move!"
He grabbed Kloss, hoisting the wounded soldier over his shoulder with a grunt of effort.
Reith's feet stayed rooted for just a moment longer, his gaze fixed on Seraphina's lone figure standing against the tide of demons. His internal voice was a bitter, churning storm.
'This is wrong. Leaving her behind... I should be fighting beside her. But I'd only be a burden. That demon's aura—it's no joke. I'd just get in the way.'
His hands curled into fists, nails biting into his palms.
'I'll come back.'
He spun on his heel and ran, his boots pounding against the blood-soaked earth.
Bianca's voice rose above the chaos, sharp and desperate as she ran, her robes flapping behind her.
"Commander! Don't give up! We'll bring help! I promise—just hold on!"
