117: Help from far away

Maria was not sure what hurt more, her body or her emotions. Her chains had almost sucked her dry and it hurt to even move. But she had also faced a huge loss on the way here that hurt much more than Maria had anticipated.

It had been so sudden and her body would still not listen to her. The only thing she could try to move was her hands and it was not much either.

Suna’s arms laid down on her side so she was not alone here. But still, she felt the loss of Nao acutely and it just hurt in the end. Why had it been Nao who had sacrificed herself? Maria could not even be angry at anyone.

And Nao was dead.

Then there were the voices around her that were so loud that they made her head hurt just by being near them.

“Hurry. The sacred forest had been breached. They’re in the vicinity. What should we do now?” a person asked and Maria used all her energy to meet terrifying amber eyes before she was out cold.