"Did you end up getting any sleep?" Lav sat down next to Estile. The early morning had come in a slow groan and now the two watched the brightening sky from the Temple steps. The Holy City before them was still a mess and barely recovered from the battles it had seen. Yet still there was a liveliness to it that sparked a hope in the people already carrying their day.
Estile turned to Lav, "A little, but not much. I can't shake the feeling that things aren't quite right yet."
"Neither can I," she also sighed. "I dreamt that I was still fighting those demons. Again and again I just kept fighting them. They weren't the same though and a lot of the time I died. It was a nightmare."
"That sounds... terrible." Estile couldn't say that she had similar dreams. Although Mori was the one among them who had a gift for it, for them to have nightmares wasn't a good sign.
"Well it looks like it's going to be dreary day," Lav complained. "Hopefully the sun clears up most this fog."
"Fog?" Estile looked back to the city and widened her eyes. She had been sitting gazing across the city for an hour now and there had been no fog. Now with Lav breaking her from her thoughts, she finally noticed the deepening haze. She immediately stood up, "Somethings not right."
"What do you mean?" Lav joined her confused. "Well a fog like this is a bit rare this time of year but it's not like-."
The first scream silenced her. Then came the next and another and another. Their eyes glued down to the city streets and in a rush of movement they dived towards the sounds of breaking chaos. Just below the temple a child stood quivering backed into a corner as a deformed mass of black ooze leaned above her. A snarling mouth clamped open and close letting out drops of thick saliva.
"Mummy?" the small girl quivered. Her half elfin ears twitched in fear as her eyes swam looking for relief.
Estile reacted in an instant and from her sword a powerful light sprang out bisecting the creature causing it collapse and melt away.
"Mummy!" the child screamed and Estile quickly came to her side.
"Are you okay? Where's your mother?" she gently comforted her only to realise the girl was looking at the puddle behind her shocked now to silence. "No...."
Lav suddenly landed beside her, "Estile they're everywhere! Are they demons?"
"Yes...," her reply was strained.
"But how did they get inside?"
The white haired girl couldn't respond as a sickening punch filled her gut, "We've made a mistake." Unable to leave the child she picked her up and ran back towards the Temple. Lav looked back towards the City and despaired, even if she tried to help now, there was little she could do. Trusting Estile she chased after her, hoping she had a better solution.
Her target soon became clear as they barged into the Temple prison. The four High Priests sat calmly unaware of the tragedy happening outside.
"Why?" Estile broke through the bars and took hold of Artali in both hands causing the guards on duty to jump in fright.
"Why what?" the elf looked back at her with intrigued confusion.
"They're all becoming demons! Why didn't you say anything!?" Estile shouted barely holding back her frustrated tears.
With slow realisation the elfin women widened her eyes, "So it's come to this. We are children of our God. This is what we feared."
The guard finally spoke, "Lady Estile pardon me but-." His words caught in his throat and with a choking cough black muck dripped from his mouth. Terror filled eyes stared in panic as he reached out for help but as Lav stepped forward it was too late. Without warning a black spike thrust out from his back piercing his companion guard through the heart.
"What?" Lav jumped back finally realising what Estile had meant. The writhing mass soon took form letting the armour it once wore fall away.
Filled with regret Estile cut him apart and focused back to the High Priest.
"We've all lost this time," Artali's eyes began to twitch. "I can feel it. The calling of despair."
Still seated the ogre High Priest sighed, "The world is ending. We have failed you."
"This-this is your fault!" his beastkin compatriot screamed in pain as half his body was already transforming. "You've doomed us all."
Estile felt her grip loosen as the Elfin women collapsed from her clothes, melting into something else entirely. "No... what have we....?"
"It's not over!" Lav suddenly screamed. She shot past Estile and pulled Laxus out from the cell. "Look Estile he's still normal. It's not everyone. We can still fix this."
Even with Lav's encouraging words she knew that 'fix' wasn't possible. Through all they had been through, the hundreds of years that, nothing like this had happened and even now as she felt Artali's body shift she knew there was little they could do.
But against it all Estile refused to lose all hope. With a sudden lunge the deformed demons attacked at once. Their bodies shifted into claws and like wild beasts they threw themselves at the three. In a flash Estile cut them down and turned her back.
"We need to go," her steps hurried back to the Temple exterior. Only minutes had passed but the City landscape had changed more than ever before. Covered in thick fog, even from the Temple only so much could be seen. Through it however the echoing screams and sounds of chaos lingered in the air. Flashes of light sparked in the distance as swaths of flame erupted.
"Estile!" the sound of Arvel's voice flung from behind them. Behind him where the others as well as several pale faced men and women, among them was King Ardent. "The City- what's happening?"
"We made a mistake," her words were blunt. "And now we're paying for it."
"The High Priests?" Mori looked at Laxus beside them.
"Dead."
"Then... the rest of the city as well?"
"Yes...," Estile clearly saw the missing leaders. Prince Arghast and Lord Devrin. The two had turned and from the remorse on Trent's expression it was clear what happened.
"Then what do we do?" Ellen gripped her sheathed sword tightly. In a straight forward fight her confidence was astounding but now... it was hard to tell who their enemies were at all. "You don't think the entire world is like this do you?"
Her words cut deep into Estile's heart. All around them fog blocked their view. There was no telling how far it had spread.
"The children...," her mouth hung open in fear. "Lav send me home now!"
Understanding the implications the purple haired girl immediately began to construct her magic only for a burst of energy to snap at her fingers, "I can't! There's too much interference."
"No," Estile shook her head. Her eyes span around the city. There were too many problems happening at once and she didn't know how to deal with them. If only Karen and the others were still here... then maybe they'd find a way. But no matter how much she wished it, they weren't coming back.
"Estile?" Mori spoke her name pleadingly.
She shook herself and focused, now was not the time to despair. "We're enacting doomsday. From here on out our priority is the survival of as many people as possible." Still beside her was the half elfin girl she had saved earlier. Unable to even cry from everything that had happened she could only stare up to them blankly. "Gather as many survivors as you can. Humans and halves aren't affected by whatever's happening. Take them far from the city and somewhere remote. From there we can only pray what happens next."
A small moment of silence spread over them before Trent spoke, "Where should we go?"
With a quivering hand Laxus gestured, "There's an abandoned Temple far North from here. It's large enough to house several thousands and protected. I can lead you there."
Although the Mercenaries and the High Priest had their odds, it was the best option they had. Estile nodded, "Then split up and go. Don't stay long here and try save smaller villages. The less of the other races the higher chance they're still alive."
"Wait why does it sound like you're not coming with us?" Lav quickly pulled her arm.
"Because I'm not. I'm heading home," she looked at her friends determined. "Leave the children to me. I'll do everything I can to make sure this won't be the end."
Lav stepped back and nodded, "Goodbye Estile."
"Goodbye," a stiff smile was all she could muster. "I'll... I'll see you all again." With that she jumped away into the sky before anyone could stop her.