The two girls began to take their distance, no longer wasting time and mana attacking with useless skills, dodging instead as they thought of a plan.

"We need to distract it, Mildred... We need your bloody arrows and my speed to make it weak."

The pair dashed forward, both trying to discover a pattern as Laura used her shadow dance technique to attack swiftly before vanishing into the shadows to blink several yards to the opposite side.

Mildred's eyes of inspection were active, constantly trying to find a weakness.

Alexander watched with a confident gaze, smiling as he realised they had started to work together more fluidly, with Mildred using her arrows to stop the spider attacking Laura and Laura attacking its rear to protect Mildred.

"I've got the way! When I attack, use your arrows as many as you can!"

Laura said weakly, making Mildred nod as her blood essence increased, creating hundreds of bloody arrows that shot towards the spider as it roared angrily, spinning webs to create a shield as Laura vanished.

Appearing behind the spider, Laura stabbed its eyes again, blinding it before appearing under the spider, cutting off the front two legs as her body rolled down with a front flip, twisting her hips, kicking the spider's face into Mildred's second volley of arrows that impaled its abdomen.

The spider screamed painfully, making Laura smile as she jumped higher, stabbing its back before tearing off two legs...

"Hurry, Mildred, crush it!" Laura shouted before Mildred took out her melee weapon and lunged forward, both girls now standing on top of the spider, as they began to carve its flesh, destroying all its eyes while cutting off its limbs before Laura aimed for its head, the daggers sliced the flesh and weaker parts of the exoskeleton but couldn't tear it off, so she tore it's mandibles off as Mildred stabbed its abdomen.

Together, the spider died, making Laura and Mildred collapse on the spider's corpse, exhausted as Alexander walked over, smiling proudly as he lifted them gently, kissing their foreheads.

"Good job, you two. It was hard."

Alexander snapped his finger as hundreds of bloody tendrils tore apart the huge corpse that absorbed most of the corpse, leaving parts that might make good weapons, like the poison sac and sharp legs.

Laura and Mildred were exhausted, so he scooped them up in his arms as Stella, Sarah, Amy, and Claire smiled, watching Alexander carry Laura and Mildred, praising them for defeating the stage six mutant.

"Good job, Laura; you did well."

Stella praised her, making Laura smile weakly before closing her eyes and resting in her lover's arms...

Alexander smiled proudly, "Now there are less than twenty thousand zombies left in the north. Can you girls thin them down, I wonder?" Alexander asked, making Stella, Sarah, Amy and Claire nod before giving commands.

"My sisters, follow me; we will clear the North quickly!" Stella commanded as she shot into the air, dozens of succubus-type vesta following her like obedient puppy dogs. Alexander shook his head, finding it amusing how Stella gained so much influence.

Meanwhile, Sarah gave quiet orders to her Lycan-type warriors, making them all stand straight with firm posture, giving off the feeling of disciplined warriors. They dashed towards their mission confidently.

"Claire, Amy, hunt every mutant or zombie you see; if you find any stage six, report to me," Alexander ordered, making Claire salute while Amy grabbed Sarah's tail, making Sarah growl as Amy stuck out her tongue.

"Yes, dear master." She replied cheekily before the huge army of vesta vanished like a mass of death towards the north.

Alexander was trying to train every one of them for the deadly journey north, both the women he trusted most as their commanders and the troops and regular vesta.

I don't want to lose any of them to a stupid mistake.

Alexander vowed he would protect everyone on their trip north, deciding that once New Haven was clean...

They would leave within a week, finishing this part of the apocalypse quest.

He wanted to create a home for his vesta, to make sure they all felt welcome, and most of all, he needed a place where the many survivors could live and grow stronger to resist the coming tide of despair.

"Laura, Mildred, you really did well today, but this is just a single step," Alexander muttered as he walked back to camp, kissing their foreheads lovingly while Kaliara and Valulaela followed closely.

He planned to relax today, but seeing their fight today made him realise there was someone he needed to help.

I cannot push it backwards because I am worried she may become corrupted or broken.

That woman has given me so much in both lives.

It's time to repay her.I think you should take a look at

"Valu, Kaliara and Eien, can you take care of these girls for me? I have something that I must do before we can leave." Alexander explained, placing Laura and Mildred down softly in tents reserved for Alexander before kissing Valulaela and Kaliara on their cheeks before leaving immediately.

Looking up at the sky, Alexander wondered where Maria was and whether Althea was safe...

The further they ventured north, the more dangerous life would become for all of them, including those he cherished the most.

"Ohh... Those two girls better not get into trouble."

Alexander couldn't stop and headed towards the main base, looking back as Kaliara and Valulaela began to take care of Laura and Mildred.

Brunhild... I am coming to see you.

***

Stepping into the lightly guarded hotel, he saw many familiar faces of the vesta who were already above stage three or had reached stage four, taking their time off sitting around and enjoying the food. Recently, several of them learned the cooking ability thanks to the loot that started dropping recently from the chests.

Alexander didn't really take many and let Stella distribute them to the group using merits and their contribution as currency.

I'd be lost without those girls...

He finally reached the hospital ward, and the scent of disinfectant and cleaning fluids filled his nose. Each time he entered, it felt horrid, but this was where Brunhild was waiting.

After helping the other day, she had another fit and had to return here.

*Creak*

He opened the door to find her beautiful blonde hair and pale face in the centre of the private room, filled with machines running on battery or sub-generator power.

Alexander closed the door behind him before approaching slowly, noticing her condition had improved since yesterday morning after getting some rest.

Yet Brunhild seemed restless during her treatment and suffered numerous fits, damaging vital organs...

Sometimes, he believed she had some hidden disease but kept it silent.

"Hey, Brunhild. How are you feeling today?"historical

Alexander whispered while sitting near Brunhild, brushing her blonde bangs from her eyes while adjusting the pillows below her. Seeing her lying on the bed unconscious bothered him somewhat, as if he should be waking her from nightmares.

Today, she looks good, yet she seems tired.

There are bags under her eyelids, and I wonder if she slept properly. Is there any way I can reduce her stress and allow her to recover?

He frowned as Brunhild groaned weakly before opening her ocean blue eyes, staring at Alexander confusedly as she sat up, her sheets dropping to reveal her heavy, drooping breasts with a sexy shape.

"Alexander...?" Brunhild rubbed her eyes before sighing sadly, reaching forward, cupping his face with her hands, and smiling weakly.

"Are you real or another dream...? When will you wake up for real?" Brunhild sounded sad and depressed, Alexander frowning as he kissed Brunhild's palms, holding onto her slim fingers, shocked by how cold she felt.

"Sorry, Brunhild, were you lonely all these years with no one to share the truth with?" Alexander asked, moving closer and pulling Brunhild into his embrace, her soft body and warmth spreading through his chest.

Startled initially, Brunhild relaxed as she snuggled closer to Alexander, pulling him close as tears streamed down her face. "Why did you never come back? I waited thousands of years..."

"Shhh, Brunhild... I'm sorry... You helped me remember everything. Thank you; I swear I won't betray you ever again... Will you forgive me?" Alexander kissed Brunhild's temple tenderly before allowing her to cry freely until exhaustion caught up, and Brunhild slumped weakly into his arms.

Listening to her breathe deeply as she rested soundly in his embrace made Alexander more determined to save both the past Brunhild and his mother.

"I've made you wait longer than this world has existed... Let's end that tonight."