"This place is done for," Shin muttered as he cast a glance at the smoldering ruins around them. "I think it's time we moved on to the next phase."
The wind howled low outside the cracked windowpanes, scattering ash across the bloodstained floor. Lilian straightened and gave a short bow, her long hair swaying.
"Anything you say, Master!" she said loyally. Then her eyes dropped to the oozing wound on Shin's shoulder. "But… will you be able to move? Your, um…" She hesitated, her throat tightening at the sight. "Your shoulder looks bad."
The wound was worse than it had looked before. Shin's shoulder was split open, a jagged crack of torn flesh glistening with blood and it reeked faintly of rot and ozone.
Sylvia snorted and jabbed a thumb toward the tiny figure nestled in her front dungaree pocket. "And it's all because of her!"
