Holy Arrival

"...Emilio-boy…" Excelsior said faintly, wincing as she held her arm, falling to a knee.

He looked back, standing in front of the fallen woman as he could feel his own knees buckling beneath the simple concept of standing. The soles of his feet were tender and aching, his joints ached and his flesh throbbed after repeated beatings, though he kept himself up, if only by threads of will.

"Find a way out…We can't win this fight. Darkness is just toying with us at this point. It'll break the seal either way, but that doesn't mean we both have to die, ya hear me? I don't want it to happen again," Excelsior said as tears formed in her eyes, "Him, then Ash-boy…not you, too. It'll be bad if the seal is broken, but if you can get to the Guild Foundation–if you can tell them, it can be stopped before the worst happens."

"--" Emilio stayed standing, silently, raggedly breathing as he struggled just to remain upright.