We all force a second, or third, wind. Hearing the hisses was like pushing a button, throwing all of our systems into overdrive. Time and numbers aren't on our side, the Redstonians have to get to Beacontown this instant.

The yellow blaze rod doesn't flat out disappear, but its strength wanes. If I don't get the Redstonians back very soon, then I'm not going to have enough to get me back. I would prefer not to pass out in the middle of fighting a Suare.

The Redstonians have seen us at this point, although I can't spare any air for shouting. Luckily, the word must gotten around fast because Olivia, Axel, and Ivor soon rushed out to meet us. I wish I could say I was relieved to see them again.

"Jesse?" Olivia glances at us and then her people, worry plain as day on her face. "What's going on? Why are your eyes kinda blue and yellow all at once? And why are Lukas's eyes green? What's wrong? What's happening now?!"

"Short version? You all... need to get to Beacontown... this instant. Demons." Stupid breathing gets in the way of saying the really important things I need to say to Olivia.

They all glance at each other, Axel and Olivia nodding and running back to the people. Shouting commands at the top of their lungs for all to hear. Ivor though does a scan of all of us.

His eyes land on me, doubly scanning me. "Jesse, you look absolutely awful."

"Thanks Ivor... tell you the story later." I turn my head to each Lukas, Petra, and Ivor. "Stay on guard, I'll help Liv."

Ivor opens his mouth while Lukas and Petra both run off to opposite sides, but I give him a glare that I do not want it. He huffs, but closes his mouth just the same.

I run into the Redstonian group, seeing what Olivia's having them doing. The critical are being put on the more healthy people's back, and the mildly injured just look like their bracing themselves for death.

"EVERYONE!" Axel's shout carries over every other sound, every other voice. "GET A MOVE ON NOW!"

To my surprise, no one really groans about it. And while they can't exactly go at the breakneck sprinting speed we were going at just a moment before, they do manage a lightish jog. Although I hate to make a severely injured group like this one go any faster, they might not get a choice soon.

A pair next to me already start to stumble with this pace. The person with someone passed out on their back clearly struggling. I go to help them, guiding them to go faster and slightly readjusting the body their carrying.

"Olivia!" I just spot her armor, making sure the person is okay before I run off to her. "Hey Olivia!"

She, while continuing to jog forward, turns to me. "Please Jesse, not more bad news."

"Not this time, Champion City is prepared to handle a chunk of your refugees. The only problem is getting them there, it's a bit further than Beacontown"

Olivia groans, glaring at me. "If simply getting to a place is a problem, I consider that bad news."

"With a crap ton of luck, hopefully that won't be a problem. Champion City might be a bit safer since it doesn't have the eyes of the demon's, but it isn't prepared if it does. Right now, Beacontown should be getting nice water walls but we're also a target."

"Okay, okay..." Olivia takes every forced deep breaths, scanning over her people yet again. "How long do you think we have until we get their at this pace."

"Optimistically, maybe eight minutes. Bit more realistic, probably fifteen. If fear induced adrenaline blasts through their bodies, maybe a little less than six minutes. Champion City though will take longer, maybe if the more healthy people went there?"

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"Oh, well, you better brace yourself for the whole story once everyone's safe."

"Is there ever a time when everyone's safe?"

I sigh, realizing she does a have a point. "When there's a calm moment then. Have anyone in mind to guide the people to Champion City?"

Without pause, Olivia speaks. "My assistant, unless there's going to be fighting or something. Then one of us should be the guide."

"Yeah, well, uh..." I struggle to find the words, leaning on the blue blaze rod much more. "I kinda need you all at Beacontown, Champion City isn't in as much of a threat and there's a more... fire related problem there that I need your help on."

"Okay, should I spilt the people up by half then?"

I nod, worms of doubt crawling into me from all sides. "That's probably for the best, everyone who can should go to Champion City."

Olivia nods and runs off to find her assistant. I send a quick prayer that no demons are stalking Champion City right now too, or else many of the Redstonians don't have the greatest chance. There's only so much I can handle at once.

I run to the outside of the group, just to help guard the Redstonians in case some demon does decide to strike. The end of the forest draws closer, and I let out a relieved sigh. Almost there, almost there. Once we get there the chances of a demon attack drop.

A screech pierces the air. Everyone finding it within them to go a faster. I curse, not wanting to use the blaze rods so much. I've probably already sucked up a lot of their energy, and I can't go on forever like this.

Lukas's blade hisses as I pull it from its sheath, and I realize I forgot to clean it after fighting in the Nether. I wish I could see if Lukas has another sword, anything to defend himself with, but at the very least he must have a bow.

The iron sword is a bit different than my regular diamond, the normal enchantments in my blade gone, making it feel kinda funky. But as long as it's sharp and can kill some demons, I'm fine with it.

Another screech shatters any peace left, the plains so close now though! But then there's another screech, and another, and another. Until there's way too many demons. If they were all in one area, if I wasn't relying on blaze rods to simply stand, and if all my friends were together too without any refugees, it would be a bit more fair. I don't get that happy option though.

"Hey!" The closest Redstonian turns to me, and I thrust a water bottle into his hands. "Throw that at one of the acid scales if it gets close to you or anyone around you."

He dumbly nods, holding the water bottle preciously now. I gulp silently, a shiver going down my sweating body as the screeches all cut off suddenly. Making it just that much obvious to hear my heart slamming in my ribs.

"Everyone!" My voice works on its own as I spot the demons move through the trees. "Get closer together!"

Probably only a hundred blocks from the end of the forest do the demons jump out, shrieking their delight in hunting down such easy prey. Screams of terror instantly rising from the group that suddenly feels extraordinarily large, as I instantly launch myself at the closest one there is.

I had the good luck that it was distracted before it saw me. Letting me easily aim for the eyes and killing it. One down, infinity to go. The plains getting closer and closer as everyone tries to run faster.

The yellow and blue blaze rods pulse with strength as I try to gobble up as much as I can, flinging myself at another demon without second thought.

This one, to my horror, saw me. It dodges my attack, using its momentum to swing its tail at me. The bard full of acid primed to kill.

I take a quick step back, sending as much strength as possible into my sword arm and swinging. The energy from the yellow rod dimmed, but the barb cut right off the demon.

It shrieks in alarm, horror in its eyes as it stares at the spot where it used to have barb. It's final mistake as I use the moment to drive the sword up through under its jaw. The demon stiffening and vanishing into smoke just a second later.

I only take one second to breathe, cursing the fact that my body isn't strong enough to wear armor and that I didn't even remember in the first place. Only to notice a blotch of bright green flying towards me.

My heart lurches as I scamper to the side, the acid splattering all over the grass. Smoke wisps up from it, the dying grass stinging my nose as I spot the demon barreling towards me. Acid dripping from its mouth.

I roll to the side, desperately trying to get to out of the way. I barely make it, even with me drawing a lot of strength from the blaze rod. If only I could actually use my fire to give myself an extra advantage. 

Claws, horrendously sharp claws, dig into my left shoulder, slamming me helpless down onto the ground. My sword flying out hand as the demon shifts all of its weight onto me, a scream bursting out as the pain skyrockets. The old cracked ribs seething misery.

Glass shatters, the demon screeches and hurtles itself off of me. I gasp for air, the tight ball of torture from that area dimming under adrenaline. I can't even tell how injured my lungs are.

I snap myself out of it, lurching for my sword. Holding out in front of me as I face the demon, the thing withering from pain as I notice the broken glass.

With a cry, I charge at it. Avoiding all of its lethal limbs and my shoulder drilling bolts of agony as I plunge the blade through one of its eye sockets. The beast giving one last gasp before its death.

Not taking a chance to breathe this time, I begin to run with the Redstonians again. Running out into plains finally, where the demons are so much easier to see. There's one guy staring at me, face shocked as his feet stumble along trying to keep him going.

I smile at him, remembering that I gave him the water bottle. "Thanks for the save."

He nods dumbly, and I toss him another one to snap him out of it. He manages to catch it, almost dropping it, but that seems to get his mind back into the game. If running for your life away from demons is a game. A really stressful and deadly game with only one life.

Taking a quick glance behind me, I curse and turn around when I notice that some Redstonians aren't out of the woods yet. I better hurry up and get them out of there, the yellow blaze rod is particularly low on energy.

A demon jumps out in front of someone struggling to run, way too far for me to intervene. Teeth bared and tail twitching at its next kill.

"Not on my watch you green monster..."

Drawing much more energy from the blue blaze rod, the yellow one coughing up as much strength as it can, I pull my arm back and chuck the sword. The blade arching as it flies through the air, before implaing into the back of the demon's head.

I breathe a sigh of relief when the demon vanishes into smoke, the person on the ground and paler than a creeper about to explode. I scoop up my sword, thanking Lukas for giving this to me for the Nether. Who knew it would be so important?

"C'mon," I pull the person to his feet, eyes stuck looking at where death was almost served to him. "It's dead now and you gotta run before another replaces it."

He kinda stumbles forward, not really there. So I, quite violently, push him forward, getting the gears turning again in his brain. Too bad not everyone can have magical blaze rods that super enhance mental and physical strength. Then again, at least they don't have charred spirits.

I turn and run back into the forest, giving the few straggers a strong push to get them going faster too.

"Everyone, your life is on the line! Run faster!" Thankfully most of the demons are either occupied with the large group or still stalking Beacontown. Because oh boy, these guys are probably the easiest meals the demons have ever come across.

My vision sways for a moment, the yellow blaze rod's strong pulse of strength flickering. I stop and desperately get it to cough out its fumes, before it gets too bad where I faint or something.

A demon shrieks, a shrill ecstatic shout of surprise to find such vulnerable prey. And it needs to shut up before its fellow demons hear it.

"Hey you!" I run towards it, black spots popping into my sight. "You're singing sucks!"

It pauses for a moment, staring at me, a piece of prey running at it and screaming some nonsense at it. The demon rears its head back, fins sticking out of its head as I sprint at it.

I narrow my eyes, throwing my sword again. This time though, the demon sees it and dodges. My heart collapsing in horror when I'm left weaponless in front of a demon ready to spit out its lethal acid.

Horror actually doesn't even come close to the utter terror that grips my heart. Without thinking I thrust my hand forward, trying to push out out a fireball purely on instinct.

A yellow fireball bursts out, and I'm not sure which I should be more terrified of. The demon I was shooting at or the fact I shot a fireball. It does the job though, the thing blown back and giving me time to rush at my sword.

My arms trembles with difficultly to hold it up, my legs quivering below me. Coughing and groaning, as I plunge the sword up through the dazed demon's jaw. All the flesh suddenly a lot harder to cut through. Balance and vision spinning all around me in the heat of battle. Pain leaking into my body everywhere. Everything hurts, everything needs strength I don't have."

I have to get out of here, this isn't something I can just force myself through. I'll go limb if the blaze rod runs out of strength. I'll be causing problems instead of fixing them if I don't go. If I as low before, now I'm just coasting on empty.

Turning, I hobble slightly as I run. The ground tilting beneath me as I'm now the only one in the forest, hopefully everyone's getting to a city. Hopefully my friends are keeping everyone safe, hopefully-

A screech tips off the demon about to pounce on me, I stagger to the side. Whatever strength from that yellow blaze rod truly dying out rapidly, and I'm such a long ways from Beacontown. This is bad, so very bad.

It shrieks from its miss, snarling at me as my hand trembles to grab my last water bottle. I begin to run at, kinda jog in a drunken manner, and throw the water on the demon. Burning some of the last few shards of strength I have to kill the thing.

I wobble as I head straight to Beacontown, my legs almost numb to me and my commands to keep running. I take as much strength from Lukas's blaze rod as I can, but it's just mental energy. It doesn't change the fact my body is collapsing under me.

It does however, give me the horror of watching the refugees all spread out and my friends trying to keep the demons at bay. A few of them managing to slip away to Champion City without alerting any demons.

My heart beating, not as an organ but as stone hitting against you dying lungs, pleas with me to just get to Beacontown as fast as possible. It's so close, and Beacontown already has water pouring over all of the walls that I can see. I have to get there, but I might not even have the strength to get there.

Demons screech and people scream, and ignoring my bodily needs, I limp as I run to them. Lukas's blaze rod at least letting me see straight and hear right, and while I'm still physically degrading, I'm going to save as many people as I can.

A demon, blood all over its maw, targets a child. Not screeching or anything as it runs, my arm already in the process of throwing my sword.

I missed, terribly, but I got the attention of the demon. A blast of fear running through my body that isn't even capable to proper spirit anymore. Old wounds shrieking as I desperately scrambling out of the grasp of the demon, I did not think this through. Lukas's blaze rod even beginning to buffer as it pull waves of strength from it.

Could it rain right now please? Just a bit of-

I trip, agony from my terribly injured shoulders and ribs crying as I quickly roll to the side to dodge the claws. If it just rained right now everything would be absolutely fantastic and I could just crawl over to Beacontown.

I try to stagger to my feet, I really do try with everything I have, but my legs simply can't. They collapse, and as I try again with virtually no strength left in the blaze rod, a claw pins me to the ground. Digging into the same claw marks as the one before it. Its screech of victory and my scream of agony trilling in the air, almost making my ears bleed.

My limbs twitch desperately as I hear it hiss, but I can't do anything. Hopefully that child survives and perhaps I'll get a painless-

There's this fierce war cry, Axel by the sound of it, and the demon gurgles in its acid as it gets off me. Thankfully I don't hear any screams of agony from anyone else, but I cannot get up and help Axel for the life of me. I can't even do it for my life.

"Jesse? Oh shoot, that's a lot blood, lots and lots of blood." Axel takes one of my arms, heaving me up. My legs wobbling even as he supports most my weight and I can barely feel the pain anymore.

"Don't worry dude, I'll get you to Beacontown." He begins to just drag me over, one of his arms latched onto side. "I'll get you there."

"Back." My voice crackles and weakly croaks out, sounding almost a century old. "Carry me on your back instead."

He does so instantly, all of my weight instantly transferred to him. Whether it's adrenaline or I have become lighter with all the blood loss and generally not eating right, it's almost as if it is nothing to him. Which is fine, everything should go our way right now. Including rain, but that hasn't happened yet.

Axel's heart pounds ferociously, and for a moment, it is the only thing I'm aware of. With a jolt of stark horror, I feel Lukas's blaze rod begin to fade. Must've been so caught up with physical I didn't realize I'm mentally wearing thin too.

I lift my head, trying to see around me, the world refocusing as I suck up more strength from the blaze rod. It seems most people must be either in Beacontown, ahead of us, or on their way to Champion City. And it pains me to see that not all the demons are following us, some feasting on the people that I couldn't save.

I'm so sorry Olivia, I- I'm really sorry I couldn't save everyone.

Axel suddenly almost stops, the jolt sending confusion straight through me. Thoughts misaligning and my body becoming fogged and dreary. It's really bad that I can't feel a lot of pain. I need to get Lukas.

The energy from the blaze rode begins to fade, and I distantly realize we're going through water. Shoot, I didn't think about that. The surrounding areas will be completely flooded from the waterfalls, which will be a good thing as demons have even less of a chance of getting in. Now though, it's just making it harder to get in ourselves.

"Shut the gates!"

I can't tell who said it, just that it isn't Axel. Groaning, I look back. Thankfully seeing no one else behind us as we pass through the gates. For all the souls who died out there, I'm sorry. I'll never be sorry enough.

"Lukas!" Axel bellows out, again and again, which I feel the strong voice rather than hear it. But if I failed those people out there, I'm not going to doom everyone in here too. I might be out of the game, but I'm going to have to ask some more of my friends.

"Axel..." Holy- okay weak voice, just get through this for me please. "You, Petra, Olivia, Ivor have to stay out here for the people. Petra knows what to... do and Lukas will take care of me."

Axel curses, growling as my eyes flicker shut and open again. He says something but I didn't catch it, I think it had something to do with getting better. Compared to all the people who didn't get in here or to Champion City, I'll be doing much better.

"Lukas!" I feel my weight shift, and I try to wake up the limbs, I really do. I fail though, barely even able to get my eyes open. A bit more energy flows into me, but if anything it just makes the whole world seem more relaxing.

For the next long while, in my mind at least, there's a lot of bumping and getting jostled around. I really want to sleep, desperately even, as if the answers to all my problems is to sleep. All the wounds could get started on healing finally, my brain gets a break, muscles can relax. All the things that my body cries out for so loudly. Except for my muscles those are already out dead. Those just exist to hurt now.

My body heavily collides into something really hard, the jolting sending stabs of pain right into my head. Which I don't feel anymore wake-

Until sharp reality ripples from my chest, my body still dead to me as my mind struggles with all the information again. An hourish ago I did this... mostly fine, why is it so much more difficult now? As if the whole process is dragging itself through mud.

"Oh no, oh gosh please no! Jesse?" My eyes stagger open at Lukas's fright, but I still feel so awful. I can see his blurry arm pressed at my chest, and I know he's touching the mark. But I'm still crumbling apart, feeling myself fade as I struggle to stay awake.

"Jesse..." Lukas's voice cracks, my ears probably one of the few things still working. "Why isn't this working? It's always worked, but I- something's wrong! What's wrong?"

My eyelids, against my will, begin to droop a bit. Although my will is having harder problems with my lungs, who have decided to slow down despite how all of my body really needs oxygen right now. Is this my body forcing me to sleep? I don't regret my decision to stay up though. Sleep, oh it sounds so blissful.

"No! Come on Jesse, don't do this! I can handle your eyes going gray, that's fine, but please don't let them shut. Don't you dare let them shut!"

A weak groan rises from my heart, the organ too slowing down immensely. Yet I keep my eyes open, even when the world begins to blur to the point where I can't even make out Lukas anymore. Isn't there anything I can do? Just... I need some energy, any.

From the last flickers of consciousness, an idea is coughed up. An idea that I force with whatever strength I have left out of my mouth.

"...Blake..."

****

I would say that everyone's now trapped in, but I think the term watered in is more fitting. Although it's probably not correct, grammar wise at least. Or maybe it is, I'm not sure.

Whelp, deep breath, and maybe another. We're getting right up against the end now (slightly freaking out about that) and Jesse's fate is trickling out of control. Which-

Nope, no no, not one hint about it until next week. So I guess goodbye then. Goodbye until next week at least!