Donna steps back as the bear glares down at her.

“On second thought, maybe running away isn’t such a bad idea after all,” the Devil says.

“Even a kid knows you can’t outrun a bear, Ms. Eleanor. Can’t you cast a spell to lift us away?”

“With what?! I’m beat, and you don’t exactly have a high mana reserve for me to draw from.”

The bear creeps closer.

“Ms. Eleanor!”

“Here’s an idea: start praying and maybe your god will indulge us with a miracle.”

“Still not funny.”

“Still not joking.”

The bear is now breathing down on them.

“Don’t lose faith now, freckles—start praying!”

“O … O Lord, who rules over the stars above, I come to you now in my d-darkest hour … I … I … ”

“Keep praying!”

“I have no fear, for in death, I shall reside within your embrace. Deliver me now.”

“Wrong prayer, you dumb bitch!”

As the bear lunged with its massive paw, a sudden flash of light cut across its torso. The large beast roars in pain and turns to its assailant.

A sword slices into the bear’s neck and hacks it open with incredible strength, creating a nasty gash and sending red blood spraying out. A lone athletic youth pulls his sword back and unleashes a flurry of slashes upon its being.

The bear can barely fight back before the young swordsman ends his attack by severing its head.

The swordsman sheaths his sword and turns to the wide-eyed Donna.

“Mr. Carter!” Donna says happily.

But young Carter Cage rushes toward her and grips her arm.

“Where is Eleanor? What have you done with her?!” he says between gritted teeth. His eyes are cold as steel.

“Mr. Carter? Please, let go. You’re hurting me …”

“I asked what you’ve done to her! Tell me!”

Carter’s grip tightened, and Donna’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“Please, I didn’t do anything … We were trapped in the abyss, and she saved me, and she … she … Oh, Carter, I’m so sorry.”

“No, it can’t be …”

“I’m so sorry. There was nothing I could do. I tried to save her. I did everything I could, but …”

“No … You lie … She can’t be gone … Not Eleanor …” Carter falls to his knees. Tears stream down his cheeks as he clings to Donna’s legs. “Please, tell me it’s not true …”

“Oh, Mr. Carter.”

Donna brushes the young man’s tousled hair. His clothes are worn and dirty, and his hands are full of calluses.

The boy never stopped looking for Eleanor. And even after his struggles, he is too late.

“My fault … I wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t search hard enough. If only …”

“Please don’t be sad, Mr. Carter, it’s not your fault—I was mine. If only I were stronger, things could have turned out differently. But now, Ms. Elanor is … Oh, I can’t bring myself to say it.”

“The fuck are you being ambiguous for, you dumb bitch?! I’m not dead. Stop confusing the boy!”

“Eleanor?!” Carter jolts to his feet. “Eleanor, where are you?”

“I’m right here, Carter.”

“Where? Come out here so I can see you.”

Donna feels something crawling out of her ear. “No, not again.” She cringes.

“Hey, Carter. What’s new?”

Young Carter Cage turns silent as the red liquid reaches out of Donna’s ear and makes a little hand wave.

“Eleanor? … Eleanor, you’re alright! Are you safe? Are you hurt?” He smiles brightly and reaches for the Devil with puppy dog eyes.

“I’m fine. It’s a bit cramped in here and the neighbor’s a dumb bitch, but otherwise can’t complain.”

“I’m glad you’re okay. We all worried sick about you.”

“Um … Mr. Carter, aren’t you the least bit confused about Ms. Eleanor’s … current predicament?”

“We can sort that out later. Right now, I need to get Eleanor—I mean, both of you girls out of this place.”

Carter leads the girls out of the forest. He talks about how worried Duchess Gilda Ambrose is, and how she mandated a top-to-bottom search of the Amber Dungeons. Soldiers, staff, volunteers, and hundreds of Eleanor’s followers are scouring through the many zones of the dungeons in search of the missing girl—and the individuals responsible for her disappearance.

As they draw close to a transport point, Carter activates a certain device. It starts beeping a green light. Then he turns back to face the girls.

“I’ve signaled our location. We’ll stay put until help arrives.”

“Can’t we use to transport point to exit the dungeon, Mr. Carter?”

“After everything we’ve been through, are you sure you want to touch another crack by yourself, freckles?”

“That is …” Donna Day chews her lip and nods.

Carter turns to the Devil, who is still sticking out from Donna’s ear.

“Eleanor, you say you can’t leave Donna’s body right now, but do you still have access to your special abilities? Can you make Donna appear similar to you?”

“Sure, I can. But why?”

“Trust me, it’s better for people to see Eleanor Ambrose safe and sound and not … Donna.”

“Is there something wrong with me, Mr. Carter?”

“No. No, that’s not what I meant. How do I put it … When Eleanor disappeared, people started looking for the person responsible, and you, Donna Day, are the number one suspect.”

“Me?! But why would anyone suspect me? What reason would I have to harm Ms. Eleanor?”

“Come on, freckles. Really? You. Me. Class rivals. Remember?”

“But still …”

“Not only were you the only one who had shown animosity toward Eleanor. Your classmates also reported that you were the one who beat her to a bloody pulp before she disappeared.”

“That’s not what happened!” Donna argues.

“That’s totally how it happened.”

“Ms. Eleanor!”

“But it’s true. None of this would’ve happened if you didn’t spaz out when your boy toy went missing.”

Donna’s lips quiver and a large beat of tears drips out of her eye.

“Why would you say something like that? After everything we’ve been through together. All the struggle … All the hardship we’ve been through … Why are you still so mean to me? You—hic—you keep making fun of me, calling me awful names, and making fun of my faith, and … and …”

“Okay, kidding. I’m just kidding. Geez, don’t start being a crybaby now. It was probably your boyfriend who sent both of us through hell, anyway.”

“Mr. Xander would never … That’s right! Mr. Carter, what happened to Mr. Xander? Did he make it out of the dungeon alright?”

“Xander? I don’t know who that is, but aside from you and Eleanor, the other students are all accounted for.”

“Everyone is accounted for? No one else went missing with us?”

“Not to my knowledge. No.”

The Devil clicks her non-existent tongue.

“Carter, do you trust me?”

“With my life.”

“Good. Then ready your sword. We’re not out of the woodwork yet.”

The floating purple transport point suddenly flashes red and a young man appears. He wears a student uniform with an armband that shows his status as the fourth-year class president.

Kaiden Kline, the man who should have been turned into bird poop, is standing before them.