The two slipped out of the defensive line together and reached a secluded corner.
Allen staggered and fell to the ground, panting too hard to speak. He could only look at Elsa with sorrow in his eyes.
"Don't be scared. I resurrect very quickly, and the explosives go off quickly too. It won't hurt at all." Elsa patted his shoulder and, dragging her severed hand bundled with the explosives, charged toward a distant alley.
Bracing himself against the wall, Allen gritted his teeth and struggled to stand.
He had personally sent someone he should have protected onto the battlefield. He would witness Elsa's sacrifice himself, etch this scene into his heart, and use the pain to remind himself of his weakness.
Elsa's small figure wove among the monsters, struggling to dodge one attack after another.
She fell and got back up, using her intact left hand to block flying rubble and claws. Her body gradually broke apart, yet she stubbornly refused to stop. At last, she fell to the ground, but a smile appeared on her bloodied face.
"Big sister, everyone in the Hearthfire District..."
Boom!!!
A ball of fire erupted, its searing light overpowering even the Blood Moon.
The firelight shone on Allen's face and in the people's eyes.
The Factory Guard and civilians raised their heads, panting. Inside the houses, workers trembling and praying beneath windowsills opened their eyes. At the factory, Elliot pressed his lips together as he sat on his horse.
The enormous blaze seemed to set the night sky alight. It was visible throughout the Hearthfire District.
The flames of the explosion faded, their blinding light leaving a haze across people's vision. Some had no idea what had happened, while some believers from the canteen recognized Elsa's profile.
Many asked in confusion, listened in shock