Uda took a step back and carefully stretched out a hand. At first, she felt nothing. Then a small jolt ran through her finger, and she yanked her hand back.

  "So much for that," she muttered.

  "Strange. Maybe I’m just not focused enough to see it," Nia mused with a weak grin.

  "Maybe…" Uda murmured.

  But she didn’t like Nia’s smile. And it disappeared just as quickly as it had come.

  "Do you think you can make it rain again? Only... more targeted this time?" Uda asked, trying to distract herself from her unease.

  Besides, it was never a bad idea to know every tool you had at your disposal.

  "I’m not sure. Perhaps…" Nia answered, but her expression clearly showed she didn’t want to try.

  "Then we’d better stick close together. I seem to be pretty... resistant, so maybe I can take a hit if things get rough," Uda suggested.

  Nia nodded and stepped closer, placing her trembling hand on Uda’s shoulder. She smelled slightly sour, Uda noticed, probably remnants of the rain.

  First, they made their way to the corpse of the monster that had killed Locu. Uda rummaged through the damp remains of bone, muscle, flesh, and blood, searching for the metal rod. Amid the shredded body, she could just make out a small, black shard. Or maybe a crystal? It glowed faintly and had smooth, sharp edges.

  "What’s that?" Nia whispered, pressing even closer to Uda to peer over her shoulder.

  "I have no idea."

  "It must have come from those creatures. It feels... strangely compelling."

  "Better not touch anything that comes from those things," Uda warned, though she too now felt a strange sense of familiarity.

  The weak, dark glow of the object pulsed and forced its way into her thoughts.

  In the end, it’s just a little shard...

  She quickly turned her gaze away and finally spotted what she had been looking for. She pulled Nia along, and soon they were both crouched beside a piece of metal protruding from the ground, right in the middle of the stinking corpse. It was tilted at an angle, barely visible, and no longer than Uda’s index finger.

  "Incredible. You must have thrown it with enormous force," Nia said, almost snorting in amusement.

  Uda gave her a brief glance but had no time for such comments.

  "I jumped pretty high before I threw it. But it didn't really matter, I was still too late... Look, at least it's still intact. I think."

  With those words, she reached for the piece of metal and dug her hands into the ground for a better grip. Her fingers touched something hard annd warm, only for an instant. Suddenly, everything went dark, and a wave of unease surged through her mind. She saw a sea of black, writhing masses, currents of lightless, dripping malice, almost like liquid night, roaring and wreathing below a sky covered indeep chaos.

  A moment later, everything was normal again.

  Startled, Uda tore herself away and just barely managed to pull the rod free from the muddy ground. With a squelching sound, the wet earth, soaked in reeking blood, gave way.

  "What the... what was that just now?" she asked, looking at Nia.

  The young woman looked at her, confused, and ran a hand through her dark hair. She had gone pale but leaned forward curiously.

  "I have no idea, but you tensed up all of a sudden. I could feel it through your shoulder..."

  Uda turned around and cautiously scraped the ground with her sandals. It didn’t take long for her to uncover the dark shard that had nestled just beneath the surface. Probably a remnant of the slimy creature that had been torn apart by the rod.

  Fuck.

  "So much for not touching anything. Now it’s too late. It showed me some seriously messed-up stuff. Like an ocean of... Hey, Nia, do you remember what an ocean is?"

  "Yes, I think I know the word. A lot of water, very deep," Nia replied.

  "Yeah... that's how I remember it too."

  A loud bang echoed from the ruins, and they flinched. Cautiously, they began to move, slowly approaching a collapsed section of the wall visible to their left.

  Uda led the way - this time not only watching for creatures in the air and at the sides but also feeling for tremors in the ground with every step. They soon reached the old wall and edged their way along it toward the gap.

  Uda pressed her hands against the cold masonry and pulled Nia along, moving steadily toward the broken section. Before long, they had to climb through overgrown debris and scattered bricks lying before the opening. Carefully, they worked their way forward and finally stepped back into the ruins though the gaping hole in the wall. Ahead of them lay another garden-like courtyard, just as rotten, tangled, and stinking as the one where Uda had first met Locu and Nia.

  The distant moon was now completely free of clouds, bathing the courtyard in an eerie light. To their right, tall house walls stretched upward, merging seamlessly with the fortifications.To the left, however, the buildings were smaller and more scattered. By now, Uda was convinced that they were in a long-abandoned city. She recognized traces of its former grandeur, shattered glass windows in faint colors, crumbling gables, and faded signs.

  The overgrown ground soon gave way to a paved square, overrun with moss and shrubs. The stones beneath were barely visible through the brownish-green thicket.

  Another sharp crack split the air.

  This time, Uda could at least locate its source. Behind some of the old houses, a massive, broad castle tower rose gray and bleak into the sky, speckled with black and brown stains. She could just make out small objects falling - or being thrown - from the upper windows.

  "I think there are people barricading themselves in there," Uda whispered, pointing toward the tower.

  Nia narrowed her eyes.

  "Yeah. What should we do? I don't see any creatures, but they're definitely throwing something down. Do you think they have a chance?"

  "That depends. If we're fast, we might be able to help. I could throw stones at them," Uda suggested.

  Her own words initially sounded like a bad joke, but given her strength and endurance, she might actually be able to make a difference.

  But then there was Nia.

  She could not leave her alone, not here, where even the more sheltered spaces of the surrounding houses might hide dangers. All the more reason to hatch at least a rough plan first.

  "Can you even aim accurately enough?" Nia asked skeptically.

  "If I get close enough, definitely. It worked earlier, didn't it? If things get dicey, we retreat into one of the houses. Even if a door isn't completely rotten, I can probably smash it quickly..."

  Nia still did not look convinced, but eventually, she gave a hesitant nod.

  Uda took a deep breath.

  "Good. Caution remains our top priority. We'll keep an eye on the houses. The ground seems less of a threat this time. The paving stones should be solid enough to protect us from below, even though they seem to be ancient. Still, we can't afford to forget the danger altogether. Not like last time..."

  Her voice grew quieter as she pushed back the memories of Tonu, Dal, and Locu dissolving into alien shapes.

  "Are you ready?", she asked.

  "Yes."

  As quickly and quietly as possible, they crept across the mossy pavement. Uda tried to avoid the loud crunch of dried leaves and the snapping of twigs, fearing that unnecessary noise might attract unwanted attention. The dense undergrowth seemed dead, yet still clung stubbornly to their ankles, slowing their advance.

  Uda guided Nia as close as possible along the sides of the houses, always staying beneath the eaves. The shadowy protection of the overhanging roofs offered a fragile sense of security, a brittle shield against the unpredictable dangers of the open street.

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  Again and again, they paused, listening tensely, searching for any signs of movement or threats. Nia was still pale, but her hand resting on Uda’s shoulder was steadier than Uda had expected. The houses loomed threateningly above them. Once they must have seemed inviting, but now they were only dark, faded ruins promising nothing but misfortune. Despite their crumbling facades, their former beauty was still faintly visible. Weathered, intricate decorations testified to better times. Through shattered windows, Uda could glimpse the ruined interiors: decaying furniture that still reflected the craftsmanship of their builders long gone.

  Repeatedly, a crash or a scream shattered the silence, followed by splintering wood and blood-curdling, animalistic roaring. Each sudden sound sent a shiver down Uda’s spine, made the hair on her arms stand on end. The closer they came to the tower, the louder and nearer the noises grew, urged her to quicken her steps.

  The desperate screams were the worst. They echoed through the empty streets, lingering in Uda’s thoughts long after the silence had returned. The sounds conjured images of the people she had already lost, spurring her onward.

  Why she had so firmly resolved to save strangers from the monsters, she could not truly say. She could have been safe by now, leaning against a tree, eating sweet fruits, far away from all this horror...

  But the urge to help people she had never even seen before pulled her forward, an unknown force relentlessly pushing back at all doubts.

  Probably my conscience...?

  The farther they advanced, the more houses lined up beside each other, until at last they slipped through narrow alleys, always under the watchful presence of the gigantic tower, whose silhouette now loomed threateningly above them in the distant moonlight.

  Finally, they were close enough to see several people atop the tower pushing half-broken stones and heavy beams down while anxiously watching the foot of the building. Loud impacts rang out again and again. The keep towered over everything around it, three times as wide as the surrounding houses and at least five times as tall, with massive gray battlements crowning a flat platform at the top that Uda could barely make out.

  She turned to Nia and put a finger to her lips. Nia nodded and crouched down as they both cautiously peered around the corner of the house.

  From here, they had a clear view of the square in front of the tower.

  With a tense gaze, Uda scanned the small courtyard, in the center of which stood a crumbling well. From it emerged a long, scaly creature that repeatedly slammed its massive body against the tower wall. The monster was covered in countless small tentacles, shimmering wetly in the moonlight and twitching constantly.

  Relentlessly, it reared up and smashed against the wall before it. All over its slimy body were black, unmoving insect eyes, but Uda had the feeling they saw far more than she liked. It looked as though the thing had already demolished the large gate at the base of the tower. A huge pile of rubble now blocked the entrance... and probably the only escape route for the people inside.

  "It wants to bring the building down, I think," Nia whispered behind Uda, almost amused. "Not that it's going to succeed that way... I think..."

  "We should stay hidden and figure out what we can do. There are enough stones lying around, but I'm not sure if I have enough strength to seriously hurt that thing," Uda said worriedly, as the monster once again jerked violently against the wall, immediately pulled back, and then reared up again.

  More shouts rang through the streets, and a boulder, about as thick as an arm, struck exactly where the creature had rammed its head against the stones moments before.

  "It’s strange... I think it noticed us a while ago, and yet it ignores us. Look, its eyes are pointed right at us. It would have to be half-blind not to see us. Why is it so desperate to get in there? It would make much more sense for it to look for other prey..." Nia mused.

  "I’m afraid there aren't many others left besides us and the ones up there. We haven’t seen anyone else, and we've been walking through this crumbling city for quite a while. I guess it knows there are more people inside than here. If it’s after food, at least that would make sense..."

  "Maybe... but what do we do now?"

  Uda thought for a moment.

  She could throw something at the creature or try to drive the metal rod through its fat, writhing body.

  But there is no guarantee of success…

  She still did not know exactly how high she could jump when it mattered. Would it be enough to reach the head?

  And even if it was… the creature was agile and would probably just dodge…

  "Maybe if I take a running start and aim for the well? More a leap forward than upward? It might not be able to dodge so easily there..." Uda considered aloud.

  Nia gasped in horror.

  "Are you insane? That will never work!"

  "Do you have a better idea?"

  Nia remained silent, uncertainty written all over her face, her crimson eyes narrrowing.

  "I'll drive the metal rod as deep as I can into that ugly body, rip it out again, and push myself off the well. That way I can get some distance and try again if needed..." Uda said.

  "Uda, you can't be serious. We could just leave!" Nia urged.

  "Of course we could. But we shouldn’t. I shouldn’t. There are people up there who might still be saved. And I’m going to try. If things go wrong and it gets me, you run. You run back to the barrier and survive, understand? We didn't see any other monsters on the way here. You should make it," Uda said, swallowing down the fear rising in her chest.

  "I want to help too!" Nia protested, but Uda could see in her eyes that she did not know how.

  "Get ready!" Uda whispered over her shoulder, and Nia swallowed loudly.

  Then Uda stepped into the alley. Her hand gripped the long metal rod like a spear, now warmed by her body heat. She could feel the partially dried blood on the metal, and the stench of carrion still clung bitterly to the air. Her clothes were soaked with the blood of the beasts she had already slain, though the barrier had burned some of it away.

  Maybe that’s why it’s ignoring me? Because I smell like one of them?

  The thought shot through her mind, but it no longer mattered now.

  Slowly, she crouched down.

  She hoped her body would hold up, that she would not miss and crash into the tower wall instead.

  It would be a rather pathetic rescue attempt if I bring the tower down myself...

  Her hands pressed against the cold pavement, the right still gripping the rod tightly. She tensed her body. Her saliva tasted of fear, and cold sweat ran down her back. One last time, she inhaled and exhaled slowly. Behind her, she heard Nia’s fearful gasps.

  Then Uda pushed off with all her strength.

  Within two blinks of an eye, she reached the well.

  Before she could even register what was happening, her legs smashed hard into the stone basin of the waterhole. Her upper body collided with something slimy, denting it slightly with a sickening crunch, and a bone-chilling shriek made her ears ring. Her face was pressed into the monster, and the impact knocked the breath from her lungs.

  Then she fell back and hit the ground hard. She didn’t feel much pain, but her limbs were numb and weak, though a warmth spread at the places where it hurt and made it fade.

  The cloud of dust slowly settled, revealing the creature she had just partially collided with. It loomed over her, lowering its grotesque face of eyes, hair, and drooling mouths ever closer, relentless and unstoppable.

  Uda slowly raised her hand, but she couldn’t swing the rod far enough.

  It will crush me any moment now... SHIT...

  She tucked her legs in and forced every ounce of strength into the motion.

  As the mouths closed in, she turned - agonizingly slowly - but it was enough.

  When her feet touched the broken pieces of the well’s stonework, she kicked off with all her might.

  Dazed, she felt herself skidding across the ground, stirring up dirt and stones and leaving a trail behind, until she finally came to a stop near a house wall close to the tower’s base. Desperately, she clung to the metal rod.

  I can't afford to lose my only weapon!

  Suddenly, the creature’s head accelerated and crashed into the spot where she had just been lying.

  Again, pain-wracked shrieks tore through the air as the beast lifted its head once more, ready for another strike.

  Reflexively, Uda pushed off from the wall behind her with her legs, dodging another blow from the monster, which smashed the entire building she had just been next to.

  Now she lay in front of the collapsed entrance to the tower, looking up at two confused men and a woman leaning out of one of the large windows, staring at her in disbelief. Uda scrambled to her feet as fast as she could, positioning her shoulder toward the monster, which was already pulling its ugly body together for another charge.

  Make yourself as small a target as possible and protect your vital organs… she thought grimly.

  The creature’s underside had been badly damaged by her first impact, and its movements were noticeably slower.

  It came at her, but this time, Uda was ready. Her body seemed to be slowly adapting to combat. She sidestepped and rammed the metal rod into the head of the charging beast.

  A jarring vibration slammed into her face, and her ears rang from the loud crack of the impact. The creature’s head was thrown sideways and crashed to the ground beside her, where it lay twitching and writhing.

  Not for long… but long enough.

  A large boulder crashed down onto the monster, shattering its skull. Cheers rang out from the window above her.

  They took the chance! Uda thought with relief.

  Her legs gave out, a sharp pain shot through her entire body, only slowly fading again. A warmth made it all better, but the warmth brought exhaustion. The world blurred, and she sank to the ground, into the black puddle of monster blood that enveloped her in an abyssal stench.

  Suddenly, Nia was beside her, shaking her shoulders.

  "Hey, hey! Can you hear me? Uda! Why did you do that, are you insane? You could have died! That wasn’t your plan! You said you woul dretreat after your charge? What the fuck?"

  Uda ignored her.

  There was no time to rest yet.

  We have to get into the tower. Reach safety. Reach the people inside the tower...

  Slowly, she pushed herself upright again, her legs trembling under her weight.

  Every movement was draining, but she forced herself to stagger onward, toward the stones blocking the tower entrance. Each step she took was still accompanied by sharp, burning pain that only slowly started to dwindle.

  Her body trembled in protest. The rough ground scraped against her hands and knees, yet somehow she didn’t suffer any cuts or bruises, even as her body and head burned more and more from the strain they were under.

  Nia let out a scream of desperation, her voice a mix of fear and anguish.

  "Uda, stop! Please, stop! You are too tired!"

  Nia stretched out her trembling hands, trying to hold her back. Uda stopped her with a determined glance and Nia froze, and all further protests died in her throat. Her face turned pale once more.

  Gasping, Uda dragged herself over the jagged stones blocking the entrance. Each movement sent spasms of pain through her body, now not fading anymore, but she pressed on.

  Her breath came in ragged gasps until she finally reached the top of the pile. Her limbs screamed for rest, but Uda forced herself to ignore them, using the last reserves of her strength to roll two large chunks out of the way. Her hands, slippery with sweat and dark blood, slipped several times against the rough surfaces.

  At last, she had created an opening just wide enough to crawl through. With a final effort, Uda shoved her body through the narrow gap.

  The moment she emerged on the other side, she felt hands grabbing her arms, pulling her through with urgency.

  The worldcontinued to spin around her, a blurry whirl of shifting shapes and pain, until she was carefully laid down on cold granite floor.

  Moments later, a confused Nia lya next to her.

  Uda's vision blurred. She was covered in dust and dirt, her clothes torn and stained with grime and blood. But as she lay there, the tension within her slowly began to ebb away, and the warmth finally won. Uda could not perceive much more as her mind retreated.

  The shouts and noises of the people in the tower grew ever fainter, replaced by a soothing sense of darkness.

  The pain and exhaustion gradually faded mroe and more, leaving her in a state of silent, peaceful, black rest.

  I did it! I really did it! That was the dumbest thing I have ever done, but it’s done, she thought, and might have giggled had her muscles not completely given out.