Up and over the lip of the lake they rose. Josette heaved an audible sigh of relief as they continued to put distance between themselves and the beast, for if she had not had Ma, she doubted she would have made it out alive. One hand gripped the mare's flaming mane, though the blaze did not burn her bare skin. The other inched forward along Ma's neck, the muscles rippling beneath Josette's palm, and she gave her savior a pat. How many times had a horse saved her life? How many more instances would there be?

The pair neared the edge of the cavern, slowing to a bouncing trot as they drew closer to the waiting warriors. Some appeared too weak to continue, hunched against the rugged wall, or clutching various body parts. Yet even as the individuals settled in to rest, the tentacled minions continued to swarm. The raven-haired woman's lips drew into a thin white line as she glanced back at the behemoth. It continued to bellow in outrage, the sound drowning out all other things; were Ma a more skittish mount, Josette imagined she would have been thrown long ago. Blinded now, the creature's movements were more panicked. She was grateful that she had fled when she did.

But the girl with the pink hair remained, trapped in the mouth of the monster. Jake, now mounted atop his dragon, drew closer as well. They rode into the fight, as she had, yet they remained while she had left. A powerful urge to return gripped her, but the knight kept her sights on the flood of smaller monsters. Who would protect the others were she to leave once more? She and Ma had damaged two eyes, and perhaps that was enough for now.

So Josette threw her right leg up and over Ma's withers, and slid until her boots met hard, packed earth. Now riderless, even the enormous mare positioned herself between the charging tentacle-creatures and the struggling soldiers. Again, Josette mused, they had the same idea.

The woman drew her crystal sword, readying to strike when the moment presented itself. But even with her bent legs and balanced center, she began to rock as the earth heaved beneath her.