Feel their presence.

Each and every one of them--Lauo may have had the erotic power of gaining strength from the arousal of those nearby, but there was always something more. It was those truly closest to you that empowered it the most. There are two sides of a coin. Lust may have given it power, but love exists as well. You may not truly see these invisible ties in a traditional sense, but you can feel their presence--each and every one of them. People look up to you, and when you need help, they're there as well, whether they've struggled and needed you to pick up the slack, or you've been the one who is truly hopeless.

An electric tingle rises up through your body, like constellation of stars through key points from your head to your toes. Previous pain starts to fade, or at least you aren't thinking about it any longer.

"Sure, just stand there!" Elok laughs boisterously and once again swings his mighty, magically empowered sword of shadows aimed to lop off your head.

Niki's here. She's standing a short distance back. At the same time, Amara is there too. They must be finishing up in making sure the common folk escape. Lastly, Eva too. They're all there. I can feel them. I don't know exactly where the rest art, but I can tell they're near.

Crash! Though once again an immense shock shreds through your body, somehow you manage to stand your ground. You hold the handle of the short sword with one hand, and the other pushes against the flat near the tip to create a barricade which surely should have shattered to pieces. However, it looks to any that once again Lauo is in your grasp. That isn't the case, however. This ordinary sword has begun to illuminate like a blinding beacon of pink energy.

Elok's eyes widen. "He gained another--" Then he leaps back to dodge a quick slash of your weapon. It leaves a thin line of blood across his lower ribs, which he grasps tight right after landing a distance away.

"Kyle, are you okay?!" Amara shouts from behind. "We are ready to depart when you are!"

"That's correct," speaks the surprising voice of Luna from above. She flutters down beside the others. "The King's men are still out there, but every last regular citizen has successfully escaped. There were many injuries, but not a single one was fatal."

"Th-They would not let me heal them all," Amara says with a frown... and a blush.

You finally crack a smile again. Then a wide grin, followed by a fit of laughter.

"I think I missed the joke," mutters Elok.

"Let's go then," you command. "A tactical retreat."

The sound of tapping on the microphone grabs everybody's attention. Peony is the one on stage. "How does this thing work? Oh I think it's working! Uhm, attention everyone. My handsome husband and the greatest Demon King, Kyle Warren, says that it's time to leave. Let's go, everyone! Victory celebration at Castle Phoenix!"

You may still be bleeding, and adrenaline may be all that's keeping you from such pain, but with that, you and all of your allies hurry in the same direction.

The ALICE who isn't still trying to get a taste of that Breiah makes haste, but Elok raises up his sword to block her. The shadowy flames disappear. "... Let them go. Chasing them is pointless. We're finished here anyway."