344. Five minutes later, still hugged, they hear an explosion. And they know intuitively that the other half of the plan has been successfully done by Alonso and Beatrice.
343. Rebecca doesn't say anything (she gets a lump in her throat) but her gaze is very meaningful for Helen: love, gratitude, stress, thrill... And she returns the hug to her.
342. So Helen sits beside Rebecca and hugs her lover, delicately.
"You did great, Rebecca!" Helen says, softly. "Thanks to your courage, you have saved a lot of people tonight. Asmens and Lanun are in debt to you: you have helped both decisively. You are a heroine".
341. So Helen unties the wire from Ofidio's throat and ties together her enemy's hands and toes.
Next, she checks Rebecca's state: she is sitting on Alan's bed, panting. Her physical wounds are not alarming, but the previously blonde bard is worried about the mental ones.
340. ...but she doesn't want to kill anyone in front of Rebecca: even if Ofidio didn't rape her, with that attempt she has watched enough violence for one night.
339. Helen is tempted to kill this beast in human disguise by maintaining the strangulation. After all, he killed and tormented so many asmensians in the past...
338. And this is how Ofidio starts to suffocate badly: his chest is in pain as his lungs burn as fire. His mouth gapes anxiously, yearning for some fresh air. His brain can't hold so much pain and he passes out.
337. Desperately, Ofidio realizes he is running out of oxygen. His only hope is to reach his sword to skewer the bards with it.
But his sight betrays him as Rebecca discovers his intentions. So, when he is gonna jump by surprise, she kicks Ofidio in the crotch.
336. Resentful, Ofidio throws a headbutt against Helen's head, but she had foreseen this attack: she not only dodge the impact, but also imitates Rebecca and bites her enemy. Her target, his left ear.