Milan helps Sao up as he sets his hand on her shoulder. Slowly the cuts on her arm close cleanly and neatly. After he lets Sao go she quickly turns and runs towards the two corpses that now lay lifeless on the ground. "What generation of mage are you sir. Your white magic seems very advanced," she questions as she pokes one of the corpses before flipping it onto its back.
Milan lets out a long sigh before he speaks. "First generation the progenitor white mage."
Flora quickly draws her pistol and points it at Milan. "Hands up now! You first generation scum!" Milan quickly raises his hands as Flora walks towards him.
"I'm here with Naseem I am allied and serve under him you need not fear me," Milan looks at Flora as she approaches him. "I will not hurt any of your people."
"Why are you trying to be different from the other first generations?" Flora stands between Milan and Sao. "You are no better than them, you are a first generation scum."
"I understand what you are saying but not all first generations are the same. I was a priest and a medic before this happened. I refuse to let myself be corrupted with power like the others. I swear to you I am not here to harm your people," Milan takes a few steps back as he locks eyes with Flora.
"I should kill you and do the remnants of this world a favor," Flora begins to shake as Naseem and the others begin to walk to the front and see the commotion.
"Flora he is with me please do not shoot," Naseem quickly runs over and stands next to Milan. "He has helped me and many others survive. Please set the assumptions of first generations aside this once."
Slowly Flora lowers the pistol after a few seconds of silence. "Did he survive?" Flora looks into Naseem as she holsters the pistol. "Did you let him die?"
Naseem looks at Flora. "He died. I tried to keep him safe but blood manipulation will always be hard to fight against," Naseem reaches out his hand in a comforting gesture.
Flora quickly swats away his hand. "I don't want your excuses. I lost two people I care for. Do you have any idea how that feels?"
Gerulf watches standing next to Constance. "I will never understand why these communities care so much about losing someone."
Constance quickly grabs onto Gerulf's ear tugging harshly. "How many times do I have to tell you Gerulf?"
Gerulf's face fills with pain. "Tell me all you want, it'll never make sense. Ever since this shit started death is normal."
"For the love of god not everyone thinks like that. Just because we have grown numb to death doesn't mean everyone has. A human life is a human life," Constance lets go Gerulf's ear as Flora shouts as tears roll down her face.
"I should've never allowed you in here! You stupid mages bring nothing but destruction!" Flora flails her arms around as Naseem watches.
Sao quickly runs over to Flora's side Felix following closely behind. "Flora, stop this," Sao grabs Flora's arms and holds them at her sides.
"Let go of me Sao! I don't need to stop anything!" Flora quickly forces Sao to let go of her and aims her pistol at Naseem. "You damn mages should all die!" Milan quickly gets in front of Naseem as Flora pulls the trigger, the fired bullet hitting Milan's shoulder.
"It would seem we must go searching once more, captain," Milan calmly says as he rests his hand where the bullet hit him, quickly healing the gunshot wound.
"You bastards think you're special because you were given some bullshit power!" as Flora continues to yell, Sao attempts to grab the pistol from her hand. "Sao you stay out of this!" Flora pulls the trigger again barely missing Sao.
"Mom!" Felix grabs Sao who falls to the ground. "Flora, stop this, you just about caused someone else to die today!" Felix helps Sao stand up.
"Flora please stop this madness," Yasmin runs up to the commotion as a few other survivors follow her.
"Why should I stop! You all saw what happened! It is because of these magic bastards that Malik and Zach were taken from us!"
A bell can be heard in the distance ringing a deathly tone that rings on unfathomably long. Constance and Gerulf quickly stand up and look in the direction the bell is coming from. "Shit this isn't good," Constance says as she quickly runs to Naseem's side. "Captain we need to get out of here now," as she speaks her eyes look back towards the sound of the bell as it rings out again. "There's a town in the opposite direction. If we move now we might be able to get away."
Milan's face contorts with discomfort at each ring of the bell. Sao Felix Yasmin and the remaining survivors of the community all stand looking towards the sound of the bells confused and scared.
Naseem looks at Constance and Milan "You two take the rest of the community members to a safe place in the town you spoke of. Gerulf assist me in defending Flora now!"
Gerulf quickly runs next to Flora who stands still, her eyes frozen as if she is in another world. Milan and Constance begin to gather the survivors and move them towards the nearby town. "Captain, you know we've never fought the angels of the end before, do you think we can beat them?"
"We've always been looking for a way to be home ever since we found each other. If defeating the bell of despair is what we must do then yes we can beat them," Naseem takes a deep breath as he grabs his ax.
As silence falls between the two the only thing that can be heard is the ringing of the bell until a voice speaks. "When one loses their way. When one loses faith in what they hold so dear. When one reaches the deepest trenches of despair. The bell shall ring for them. Fly my angels," a figure that looks holy in nature stands holding a bell as figures with wings fly past them towards Gerulf and Naseem.
Some land and attempt to scratch them but are quickly killed either with an icicle to the head flames or a clean cut from Naseem's ax.Gerulf throws his shield at one of the flying figures cutting clean through its spine. Flora stands motionless still but now her eyes shake as tears begin to flow again.
"If my angels are not enough for this one then perhaps the rosters shall suffice. Charge my roosters," the figure points at Naseem and new figures come charging their arms scared as small flames spit from the scars. The bell continues to ring but now slowing slightly.
"That damned bell!" Gerulf shouts as he spits using his spit to turn it to ice impaling a rooster figure before quickly punching a winged figure hard enough to leave a crevice in its face.
"Gerulf defend Flora I have a gamble I am to deploy," before Gerulf can respond Naseem looks at him and smirks. "Trust me alright."
As the bell begins to ring less Flora begins to twitch some till she speaks. "I won't do such a thing. Doing so would forsake those I care about."
"To approach the bell is to be bold. Turtles defend your keepsake," the figure raises its hand and figures with large shields emerge from the ground and quickly plant the shields into the ground they just emerged from creating a shield wall.
Naseem swings his axe at one of the shields, breaking through it slightly causing the turtle figure holding the shield to fall backwards. The bell stops ringing as the main figure quickly disappears as the rest of the figures slowly disappear as well.
As the ringing stops Flora drops her gun and falls to the ground being caught by Gerulf. "Welcome back Flora," Gerulf gently sets Flora onto the ground. "You are now one of the few survivors of the bell good job."
"You guys protected me didn't you," Flora sees blood on Gerulf's face as Naseem walks back to the two of them more bloodied than Gerulf. "I'm sorry for the things I said."