Mara lumbered through another section of shattered tunnel, the light of Malak's staff guiding her ever-forward. Beside her, Borlor and Fraxx helped a Hybrid family limp their way towards the surface.

"Almost there, Kisilya," Borlor groaned as he trudged forward. "Just round the next corner."

The Tialax woman groaned in appreciation, happy to have been found, knowing her and her family were some of the lucky ones.

When Fauna and the others left the burned farmstead, Mara had done exactly as she'd been asked. First, she'd helped the three children of Miss Peregrine burry their mother and mourn. Then, she'd told them they had a choice: they could go forward, press on against the Lightborn who had slain their mother, or they could come with her and save lives that still needed saving.

The three minotaur children – Rimli, Brimhilde, and Ethan – looked to oneanother and then gave a collective snort.

They bent their knees, lay their axes and maces on the ground, and let their horns touch the charred ground their mother now rested beneath.

"Miraculous," Malak whispered. "Not control…but loyalty. Loyalty inspired by choice…"

Mara paid the old man little heed. She turned to him, ash covering her face, and gave him his next command:

"From now on, you must protect them as well as me," she said. "Mr Klax's order extends to them, too."

Malak looked down at the little one through his bushy, caterpillar like eyebrows.

He nodded. And that was that.

Mara had then led her posse through the metal tunnels build into the walls of Sanctum's darkest recesses and called out to Borlor and Fraxx through Thaumaturgy. The pair had heard her, and she focused on their consciousnesses to navigate the winding, claustrophobic confines of the access tunnels with ease. Beside her, the Druid Malak had remained, silent and curious, wondering how the little Hopla was managing to stay stalwart in the face of the horrors she'd seen.

He wasn't the only one who thought so. When she'd linked up with Borlro and Fraxx, who had just been returning from the entrance tunnel after helping a few lost Hybrids find their way out, they could scarcely believe their eyes.

"Little lass…" Borlor sniffed, his cheeks tinged with ash.

Before she knew it the bulgy hands of the Dixit were round her neck and squeezing her with all his strength, so much so that Malak moved forward and raised his staff –

"N-no!" Mara pleaded, throwing her hand wide to command her silent sentinel.

The three minotaurs seemed ready to tear the Druid's head off if he didn't obey their little mistresss' command. Lucky for him, he was growing accustomed to following orders.

"I ssssee our little lassss has her own army with her," Fraxx observed, a sly grin forming on his furry lips. "No doubt thissss will prove mosssst usssseful to our effortssss."

"That's exactly why I'm here," Mara said, nodding at Borlor's awestruck face. "I – we want to help."

The old Dixit just shook his head in bewilderment.

"Little lass," he murmured. "You're the gift that keeps on giving."

Borlor explained how he and Fraxx had been scouring the tunnels ever since Fauna and the others had saved them from certain death. Now, with Malak and the minotaurs as extra muscle, their relief efforts could save so many more lives.

Mara proved herself once more – acting as a radar for anyone trapped or hiding. Her Thaumaturgical powers allowed her to find the fading minds of anyone in the entire tunnel network. And with Malak's penchant for druidic healing magic, most of those they found ended up making it.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

There were, however, a few who they couldn't do anything for – those who had been clinging to life only dimly, or those who's minds had been broken by what had transpired. The latter were the most horrific to confront. But, thanks to Mara, even a few of them weren't hopless cases.

One of them they found within the ruins of one of Borlor's militia training grounds. He was a Lycae who had hidden within a cracked piece of wall, clutching his sword and whispering sweet nothings to it as though it were an infant. The party had come close and the Lycae had barked at them – turning feral – and flashed his blade by way of threat. But Mara had tiptoed towards him with grace and serenity, and with appropriate humility had managed to lay a single hand upon his snarling snout.

It's okay, she told him, transmitting the message, and the feeling of peace, directly into his mind. It's okay. You won't hurt any more. I promise.

And much to the surprise of all those assembled, the Lycae then came out of his hiding place of his own accord, crying and ashamed of himself.

In this way, they cleared the tunnels, each one of them doing their part. The minotaur children could carry at least five men each, and their hulking forms gave hope to even the most dejected among those they found. Hope that there was still a chance their species could survive, even after the coming of the angel.

At a few intervals, they entered tunnel systems where the fighting had been thickest, and Borlor attempted to shield young Mara's eyes from the gory sights of battle – of Greycloaks and Hybrids who had been spilled open upon the blasted earth of their home. But Mara gently pushed the Dixit's heavy paw away whenever he tried to keep the horrors of their devastated home from him. She'd already felt the pain of those who they'd saved.

And she knew that she couldn't submit to despair. Not when Miss Fauna and the warriors of the Archon were out there, right now, fighting for their home. Not when Ethan was still out there, too, fighting for a better world for them all.

Mr Ethan…

She stiffened as she thought of him. She remembered the way he'd left Sanctum – full of hope for the future, telling them that soon he'd bring them to the surface world and make a place for them there. She'd believed him. She still believed him.

And yet…he wasn't here. She'd called him, and he…

She shook her ashen cheeks. She wasn't going to allow those thoughts in. Like Miss Fauna said: when dark, heavy thoughts come, just remember there's always at least a sliver of light shining through the cracks.

At the very end of the eastern tunnels the party came across a cave-in. Fraxx readied the group to turn back and was only turned away by Mara's ears perking up. She stood on the tips of her feet, her nose twitching incessantly towards the graggy rock wall.

"There's…people in there."

Fraxx and Borlor shared a look.

"…lots of people."

Mara turned with pleading eyes towards the two men, while Malik stroked his leaf-covered beard.

"It will take hours for us to clear this rubble," he said. "Even with the powers of the Grove imbued within me. We could be spending this time saving others who are not yet beyond our help."

Borlor scoffed over his shoulder at the human.

"Lemme tell you something, man," he said, cracking his knuckles and flexing his heavy claws. "When it comes to diggin', us Dixit don't need no magic."

Borlor rushed at the rockslide without another word, ignoring the druid's protests. He slammed right into the face of the boulders and began clawing through them like a child sifting through sand. Within merely a few seconds, his obsidian-coated nails had burrowed a hole through the entire obstacle and formed an entirely new, tiny tunnel for them to traverse.

Malik looked on in bewilderment while Fraxx simply shook his head, a wry grin stretching across his furry lips.

"Not a sssubtle sssspeciesss by any measssurement," he said. "But the Dixit make up for this with sssheer tunneling sssstrength and knowledge of ssstructural integrity. It wassss they who built all thessse very tunnelsss you ssseee before you."

Within only two minutes he was done, and emerged from the hole he'd made covered in soot, dust, and pieces of fallen pebble.

"All done," he declared proudly, shaking off excess dust. "Little Miss, I think this is somethin' you'll want to see."

The party followed Borlor through his hastily constructed tunnel, being careful lest the Greycloaks left any hidden traps behind. As Mara shuffled through darkness, she felt the form of Malak pressing nearby, ever watchful.

"Miraculous," he whispered again. "I had heard tales of your peoples' abilities, Dixit. But I did not imagine you to be so thorough and precise. Truly, this is why the Hybrids are the Chosen People of the Archon."

Borlor looked behind him and then shared an exasperated look with Mara.

"Who is this guy again?" he whispered.

The little Hopla shrugged. "A friend…I think."

She refocused on the dark trail before her and Borlor's smile as she began to realize exactly who had been down this way.

When they finally arrived at the end of the makeshift tunnel, Borlor allowed her to be the first one through.

And what she saw showed her that there was still hope in this world.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.