It felt like my organs were rising.

There was no time to look at the midday city. My breath caught, eyes clamped shut by reflex. Fierce wind whipped past my body. The sensation of falling. I would plunge endlessly. All the way to the ground...

Then, from behind, a powerful force yanked me back.

When I opened my eyes, I saw green eyes.

“Got you.”

Ricardo pulled me in with a smile.

“Thought I lost you there~.”

Dazed, I looked upward.

Ricardo was gripping a wire with one hand. The line stretched back to the window I had fallen from. Above rose the building, smooth panes of glass.

The grotesque creature was still clinging to the wall.

And Ami was on top of it.

Still caught in Ricardo’s grip, my mouth fell open.

“Ami is...”

“It’s all right~. However she looks, she’s a veteran of the First and Second Wars....”

The man held me tighter.

Cool, woody cologne drifted from him. At that instant, our bodies dropped sharply. My gasp burst out as I clutched Ricardo’s arm in panic.

Ricardo, still holding the wire, zipped down at frightening speed.

The ground rushed closer. People screaming, scattering away from the building. The gray asphalt swelling in my vision.

The asphalt hurtling up toward me!

Ahhh! We’re going to crash!

But Ricardo pulled me close, and at the last moment rolled us across the ground.

“Th... thank you.”

“When you land, don’t look at the ground~.”

He rose smoothly, offering me his hand.

Hauling me upright, Ricardo gave a gentle smile.

“Next time you land, look as far ahead as you can....”

I hope there won’t be a next time.

But I had no chance to say it. Ricardo pushed me forward off the asphalt.

“Run.”

His voice was cold.

“Get far from that thing.”

I wasn’t stupid enough to argue.

I looked up. Ricardo holding the wire. Ami slashing at the horse-head with her blade.

The sound of blades piercing flesh. Black blood dripping onto the asphalt.

I nodded, turned at once.

“Thank you!”

No reply came.

Without looking back, I ran. Screams pierced my ears. A moment ago, everything had been peaceful.

People in business casual, in white coats. Workers dashing under the sun, all with terrified faces, fleeing in the same direction.

Where should I go?

The grounds were larger than I thought. Open space was good, but I had no idea which way was safe. People scattered, each fleeing their own path.

Me...

I’d just run as far away as possible.

Farther from that thing.

I pumped my legs, speed increasing. Cool wind clawed my cheeks.

Ah.

At last, the edge of the compound came into view. A road filled with honking cars. Some people flung themselves out of vehicles, bolting across to the opposite side.

I needed to reach it too—

Thud!

The asphalt shook.

A heavy crash behind me. I staggered, losing balance. I didn’t dare look back. Forcing my feet down solidly, I steadied myself.

Screams soared higher, then cut short.

Ahead, a child toppled violently, rolling on the pavement.

“Ow!”

The fall looked painful enough to make me wince.

Ignoring the presence looming behind, I sprinted to the child.

“Are you okay? Can you run?”

I knelt beside him—then a shadow swallowed us both.

My insides dropped cold. Gripping the child’s arm, I lifted my head.

Another one.

Different from before. Bigger. And it had wings.

Faded bluish-gray wings, ragged as old rags. Like a gothic dress shredded to tatters. Where arms should be were thick tendrils. What looked like skirts were writhing with hair.

The tendrils split into five — holding a massive bone sword.

As it raised the blade, I snatched up the child and rolled.

Boom!

The asphalt split open.

Barely avoided. Clutching the child, I opened my eyes to see the bone sword.

It had cleaved the asphalt like a cookie.

“Mom!”

The child burst into sobs.

I scrambled to my feet, but the ground trembled. The monster was prying its blade free of the crack.

I bolted in another direction.

Since it had noticed me, I couldn’t risk running toward the main road.

Instead, I ran along the wall dividing the compound from the street. The boy wailed as if ready to collapse, but I had no time to comfort him.

What the hell are these things?!

Not like anything from the Earth I remembered!

I pushed my legs harder, full speed.

Thud! Thud! The sound of the sword striking behind me. I didn’t look back.

The wind shoved at my back, road cracking. Too easy to sense how close the blade was.

If I can’t dodge... please let it strike my head straight on. Quick and painless.

I staggered forward.

The wall corner appeared. Holding the crying boy tight, I swung around the plain building.

And knew I was doomed.

A straight path. Long but ending in a wall. On one side, the plain building blocked the way.

This was it.

I never imagined it would end so soon.

At least... could I save the boy?

Despair dropped my heart, but I didn’t stop running. Reach the wall, then think what to do.

I bit my lip, kept going. Maybe some small gap would appear...

Boom!

A shockwave slammed me, flinging me forward.

White-hot pain seized my ankle.

“...Get inside there.”

The monster’s wing had cut across my left ankle. Pain seared. I shoved the dazed boy away.

Under a balcony was a narrow gap.

“Get in there. Stay quiet. Don’t move.”

The bone sword hovered.

The boy crawled away on all fours. Relief flooded me when he didn’t look back.

Once I saw him crouch beneath the balcony, I slowly lifted my head.

Sky above.

High, clear blue, wide open.

Blocked by a massive bone sword.

By gray-blue wings.

The tattered wings flapped a few times, then stilled. The tendrils raised the sword and froze, tip aimed directly at my face.

Ah. It was short, but not bad.

As the wingtip grazed my arm, slicing skin, I thought blankly.

A life full of questions, and far too short. But lucky. I’d met kind people, received their help.

Vivid sensations of living. Confusing, but not bad.

Little favors exchanged.

Yes, one must love humanity.

A voice from my forgotten memory overlapped with my thoughts.

And the bone sword plunged.

Clang!

Something intercepted it.

I stared at the one who had blocked it.

A man in a plain white shirt and black dress trousers. Sleeves rolled to the forearms, feet bare. He must have rushed out mid-preparation for work. In his hands gleamed a huge spear. Sunlight behind him cast his figure in silhouette.

Blinking, I caught his features.

Loose braid fluttering.

“I’ll take the second creature.”

He spoke to someone unseen.

The black spear ripped through the wing. The monster shrieked — agonized, hideous. Ink-black blood spattered, the towering body reeling.

The howl of a living thing.

I squinted against the spray of blood and noise.

“This won’t take long. Please bear with it.”

The braided man spoke without glancing down at me. I tried to answer, but the clamor drowned me out.

He swung the spear, deflecting the bone sword. The pale blade flew, crashing into a wall.

Crash!

As I flinched at the sound, his spear shredded the other wing.

Fluid burst, drenching his shirt and my body.

Ignoring pain and disgust, I muttered.

“Thank you so much...”

“Hey! Tear it apart!”

A window burst open. Ro emerged.

Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat! Gunfire roared, smothering even the creature’s scream. Even if someone replied, I wouldn’t have heard it.

Ro set his gun on the balcony rail and unleashed merciless fire.

The monster’s body shredded under the barrage.

The spear-wielder leapt back out of my sight.

I °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° felt someone crouch at my side.

Soon an arm slid under my shoulder, hauling me backward. I let my body rest in his grip.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was thick with regret.

“It’s our job to stop this... yet you had to go through it.”

“Not at all.”

I smiled faintly. Pain still seared my arm and ankle. But relief outweighed it — relief at surviving.

I’d thought life was over.

As my body was dragged farther from the monster, relief swelled.

Blue sky filled my vision. I exhaled deeply. Tilting my chin, I glanced back at the man carrying me.

A handsome face marked with guilt. Braided hair whipping in the wind. A white shirt stained black. A silver piercing flashing at his ear.

The pleasant breeze washed over me.

Truly, I had survived.

Meeting his eyes, I grinned. Gratitude welled up from deep within.

“Thank you for saving me.”

His lips curved warmly. It was a genuine smile.

“Not at all.”

He whispered softly.

“Thank you for saving that child. It was a truly brave act.”

“No.”

It was only natural.

I lay staring at the sky.

I didn’t move. Not while Ro tossed his empty gun aside and pounded the monster with a hammer. Not until Ricardo and Ami came running, Ami screaming, “Hilde! You’re hurt!” eyes wide.

The braided man’s voice turned sharp.

“Why isn’t the enhanced body healing?”

Ricardo rushed up and slung me over his back.

I was carried to the infirmary, dangling from his shoulders. The braided man ripped fabric to bind my arm, while Ami phoned ahead.

With treatment, maybe we’d still make it to brunch.

Surrounded by frantic people, that was my thought.