Chapter 21: XXI. Sunlight.

Sasha continued climbing as hard as his muscles allowed, grabbing himself from roots and rocks. He made it up once again. The body of the black-haired girl laid in the middle of the arena, surrounded by the dozen of children –the mummy girl, the pirate, and the skeleton boy, and the talking pup of wizard attire. The blonde girl laid near the rock wall at his right.

Damn... Guess you couldn't save everyone. Not even if you moved to another part of the world.

Vanilla spread her eyelids. The children surrounded her with curious and sorry stares. Rowie laid on her stomach. Sasha kneeled at her right. Her purple robe covered her naked torso.

"Vanilla! I thought you were dead!"

"Rowie, Sasha... kids!" They grinned. She leaned on her naked elbows and looked around. "Did we make it?"

"Yes. Tabitha is dead. You killed her," Sasha responded.

Vanilla took a deep breath and grinned. But someone was not there. "Where is Cookie?"