Suddenly, the whole of the valley seemed to be moving. The ground shook and seethed, and slowly, green and brown vines started rising from beneath it like vile snakes.
The hulking Sailor Dolls that were about to descend upon the Fire Keepers froze, as if consumed by fear. Then, they turned around and stumbled away. Some simply crumbled into piles of debris, pretending to be dead.
Even these Fallen Beasts were terrified of the being that dwelled in the heart of the ancient wreck.
Cassie and her cohort, however, remained unperturbed. Moving with swift determination, they made their preparations. Just a moment after the blind oracle thrust her rapier into the ground, the Fire Keepers had strips of cloth wrapped around their mouths and noses. The corpses of the slain Sailor Dolls were dragged to form a circle around them and set aflame.
