I wasn’t sure how to quantify physical harm against the emotional and mental harm done. Standing where I was, Wretch active, Fallen backing away from me, I was in a fugue, emotions a storm as things I’d been bottling up sought release.

Valefor’s distraction had apparently freed people, or served as a kind of punctuation to end his ongoing commands. I was free, even as the ‘serve’ command lingered in the corner of my mind’s eye.

It was like the Amy compulsion, the desire I couldn’t fulfill, painful to think about and unwanted even in its straightforward way.

Amy, Amy, Amy. A wild, repetitive thought.

I could keep it in the corner and avoid thinking. A trap I wouldn’t fall into if I didn’t take a step or clear partisan action. I wouldn’t help Valefor, but I wouldn’t or couldn’t hurt him either. I couldn’t speak.

I flew up and back to get myself safe. Neutral.

Others were taking advantage. Capricorn slugged a hooligan that was up in his face, gauntlet to chin. Nailbiter, Beast of Burden and the others tore into the crowd that had moments ago thought they could pass through our group without incident.

Love Lost screamed, aiming the scream more at the Fallen stragglers. The red smoke Fallen had already thrown some defenses up around Valefor, so the two of them seemed unaffected.

Others were caught in the effect, and their demeanor shifted. Some looked happy in a demented way, others went cold, and it was hard to tell with others, as their costumes and masks covered them up too much. They charged at Love Lost, and she met them with hands out, claws outstretched. Cleat was a few paces behind her.

Some weren’t getting up. Sveta. I could see her looking up at me. Sidepiece lay where she was. Others weren’t fighting. Chris in particular had backed away. Good.

I still felt nauseous. My skin still crawled. I was still pissed, but it was bottled-up pissed again.

I looked in Prancer’s direction, and saw that he was moving on, heading away from us, not toward. Some of his people looked back.

We were facing the casualties of Beast of Burden’s decision to split apart. Prancer had to know we were here, with the noises and shouting, he wasn’t that far away, but they’d decided to go.

“Stop!” Valefor called out. “Freeze! No powers! No weapons! No tools!”

Again, Beast of Burden was the last one to stop. I turned to look, and saw Damsel off to one side. Her arm was limp at her side, and she gripped her forearm with her hand. Blood ran down to her fingertips.

Valefor had affected his allies, too. There had been a note of emotion in his voice, frustration and a bit of fear.