I burst out of the stairwell onto the second floor, and reached out as far as I could with my radar. Friendly folks were near the massive front door, retreating.

  “Run!” My scream echoed through the hallway, and somehow they heard me. Or they knew what was happening.

  Our people moved faster.

  I headed to the hallway that hung through the top of the main hall, and slowed down at the sight of the destruction. One of the massive doors at the main entrance of the Fortress tilted inward and provided a ramp for me. Without thinking too hard, I leaped to it and tried running down the front of it.

  My energy lagged with each leap, and I almost stumbled. Then my foot caught on a crack, and I fell, rolling painfully down the rest of massive door.

  I gathered speed as I rolled, and had to use a claw to slow down as I approached the bottom, not willing to crash into the stone floor.

  Several people yelled in my direction from farther away, with a few motioning for me to hurry up. Even still, no one moved closer to help. Instead, they all rushed to the front entrance at the wall. Once they crossed the gap in the wall, they all slowed down as people gave them space.

  Kabi tried to head in my direction to help me, but Havi held him back with an arm across his chest. His concern flickered through our bond, even as my energy lagged.

  I leaped before I reached the end of the door and rolled across the hardened ground. Dust rose with each movement, but I kept going. A flare of power built behind me, and I didn’t dare glance back, just moved faster.

  I leaped again, using my jumping ability, but finally ran out of steam. I only made it half the distance I wanted across the empty courtyard.

  Yet, even as I watched, the courtyard didn’t stay empty as several Forgers rushed away from the building. Each that appeared bumped my stats and helped me push across the expanse, closer to my friends.

  Silver eyes stared at me as Lenna held onto Asceto’s hand. Her orb was the finish line in the darkness.

  Bright light burst behind me, sending my shadow ahead of me in the pitch black as I suddenly flew through the air. Something rippled and pushed me harder from behind, like a hand on my shoulder shoving me out of the way.

  People cleared the way as I slammed into the dirt. I tried to roll and failed as another burst of light went off, illuminating the night sky.

  Instead of rolling, I skidded face first across the sandpaper of the ground. Rocks tore at my skin and clothing as I just kept going.

  Finally, I stopped.

  “Alex!”

  At least I could hear her.

  “Alex, you have to be okay.” A hand touched my shoulder and tried to flip me over.

  I groaned at the touch, and rolled over onto my back. Stars were barely visible above me, but bright light flickered from the way I’d come.

  My friends gathered around me, staring down. Everyone else stared at the dark sky.

  I held up a shaking thumbs up.

  Somehow, I didn’t hurt as much as I should have, given that I’d slid across what felt like a mile of desert on my face.

  Two arms, one from Kabi and one from Sile, reached under me on either side and helped me up. The two were both studying me with concern. Sile dropped the arm under my shoulder, while Kabi let his linger.

  Again, I tried to speak, but only a grumble came out.

  Maybe I was injured? Then the pain hit.

  My face felt like it was on fire, and I actually whimpered.

  Someone pushed through the crowd and touched my face. Cool energy flickered over the burn.

  “That will help,” said a woman with bright blue eyes. “You need rest, badly,”

  I pointed to the dark Fortress with a questioning look, not daring to speak given how tender my face felt.

  Sile’s attention went to the Fortress, and his mouth dropped open. “May the First shine bright.”

  The same prayer came from several Azurafolk across the sands. Thunder rippled across the area, and all of the Azurafolk trembled.

  Kabi’s soul shook within our bond at the sound, but I didn’t know how to respond given my state.

  Sile bowed in the direction of the opening of the wall.

  Two familiar bright yellow eyes appeared in the clouds as another ripple of light filled the fortress. It blasted out from each opening before going dim.

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  Fighting suddenly broke out as the Forgers who were flung, just like I was, suddenly moved from where they’d crashed. Most fled if they could, though a few didn’t make it as Havi and Manee broke off from the group and chased after them, quickly followed by several of the other warriors.

  My face hurt. Like, half of it was one big scab. For once I didn’t have the urge to do anything. I wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep, just like the woman had told me too.

  Lenna and Kabi stood close to me, while Dengu stood between the other Azurafolk and us. Asceto stayed by Lenna’s side. Lenna's silver orb sparkled overhead, providing light for the others to see.

  “Is Strange okay?” asked Dengu.

  I shook my head no, and swallowed hard. “I think his bones are broken badly.”

  “Oh no, we need to get him to a healer…” said Lenna, but her voice trailed off as she glanced at Kabi. “Where did that healer go?”

  “Can she heal even him?” I asked.

  She held the crystal necklace out to me but I shook my head. I wasn’t sure I should touch them just yet. But I needed to try something.

  Still, I cupped my hands and focused on Strange, and he appeared.

  I didn’t look up as Lenna gasped, instead focusing on the healing crystal and him. I slowly pushed the cool soothing energy from it into him.

  Somehow, it made my face hurt even worse, along with my shoulder where I’d gotten shoved away from the fortress.

  I flipped on my perception.

  The blue energy went right to his spine.

  Oh no.

  Frail echoed in my mind.

  He loved being a courier. I think even more than fighting. He needed to heal.

  As soon as the crystal emptied out again, I almost tucked him back inside my shadow. But Lenna showed up with the healer from before.

  “Who is that little guy?” the healer asked. “I thought I told you to rest.”

  “He is…” How did I explain what Strange was to me, when they didn’t have bonds the same way? The bond between Kabi and me was very, very different.

  “He is the courtier who passed messages and scouted the Fortress,” said Kabi with an intense look. “And our friend.”

  “I need to pick him up, is that okay?” she asked, but she didn’t look at me. Her gaze was laser focused on Strange. Strange runes glittered over her skin, like the sun glittering across waves.

  “Yes.” All I could hope was she could help him. I wasn’t an actual healer, and could only push energy and hope his own body could use it.

  Strange hung limply in her hands, even with the healing I’d given him, twice now.

  Energy built in her palms and she frowned more than before.

  “His spine is broken, his bones brittle.” She shook her head again and pulled him close to her chest as more of the energy flickered into his dark body. “He needs more rest…”

  “Can you fix him?” I asked, as everything inside me panicked.

  “I don’t know.” This time she glanced at me. “This weakness must be something he had always had. Overcoming that…”

  “Frail,” I whispered with a small nod.

  She grimaced, her blue eyes going dark. “We don’t let those who have such traits join the battle. They focus on professions and safety, if possible.”

  “He loves his profession. Delivering packages and messages brings him more joy than anything else.” I frowned, looking down at him. “More than fighting.”

  “I will try to help, but he must go with me,” she said carefully, each word very clear. “This will take time.”

  Sile nudged my elbow. “Alex, if anyone can help, she can.”

  She blushed at his words with a soft nod.

  Sile gave a responding smile. “This little guy saved us more than once on our way here.” He looked at the healer, and some meaning was in his eyes as he said “Whatever it takes.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Whatever it takes?”

  “Yes. If the Masters have a problem with it, they can take it up with me.” He gave her a sharper nod. “He was a key part of the plan that let us remove our enemies from our world. We owe both Alex and this little one much.”

  “Sile…” I said under my breath.

  “The water tribe will do all that we can to help him,” she said with a bow, still holding Strange close. “He will need to go with me.”

  “Where are you heading?” I asked.

  “Steadfast,” answered Sile. “Everyone is going to regroup there, though a few will remain here to make sure the Fortress is cleared.”

  “It’s cleared,” said Havi, suddenly appearing next to Kabi. “Nothing can get in or out. The runic barrier isn’t one any of us can break.”

  Sile’s eyes went wide. “The First went that far?”

  “He did. Anyone left inside is now gone.” Havi pounded a fist against his chest. “He has awakened in our time of need.”

  I said nothing, and thankfully none of the rest who knew said anything either.

  “I will escort them to Steadfast,” said Sile, motioning to the group of us. “Nice and slow, to help with recovery.”

  All that did was make the weight of my promise to show him the runic challenge flicker. I knew why he wanted to escort us, though he had no clue it took days to do the challenge.

  “We have much to discuss once you get there,” Havi said, nodding as his eyes lingered on Kabi, before smiling. “With the First awake, much will change.”

  Kabi didn’t smile in return, but his shoulders relaxed a little. “Are we leaving now?”

  Oh, god, were we really going to hike back through the canyons in the dark?

  “Yes,” said Sile, brooking no argument. “The light show is going to awaken all sorts of creatures that are at the pinnacle for this area.”

  I didn’t know how long it took, but eventually we were sprinting away from the Fortress, with runes decorating our feet. Sile had taken the time to do each of them so we moved faster.

  It reminded me of the speed I’d had when I’d transformed.

  I snacked on the last of the meat in my inventory, knowing that I’d need to hunt as soon as we made it to the Rune Challenge. My face still hurt, even with the magical cool energy coating it. Who knew what I looked like.

  Sile took the lead for the first part, each of us quiet in the dark and moving as fast as we could. Asceto was the only new addition, and he stuck next to Lenna.

  The connection between Strange and I stretched with each moment. Then it stopped stretching.

  The group with the healer also started moving, but in a different direction.

  I bet it was the more direct route.

  The canyon walls loomed ahead of us. Something appeared on my radar as we crossed the dry ground heading to the canyon.

  Then the ground itself rippled, almost like a geyser.

  “Move!” Sile let all of us pass him, as he tossed something behind himself. “We need to reach the canyon!”