While he was glad to hear Anise call back to them, Claude knew they needed to actually go to her in order to check whether she was all right. The very fact their captors had apparently separated them in the first place made regrouping all the more important. For all they knew, this place was crawling with monsters.

He didn't hesitate to dash after Guy, sword in hand. "Hang on, Anise!" he called. Why had she appeared in those ruins, of all places? They needed stay on guard, but they also needed to secure Anise's safety as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, the ruins seemed to be partially submerged under some kind of lake, he realized as they drew closer. It was still possible to reach the source of Anise's voice, but the water and large pieces of crumbled stone served as enough of an obstacle to slow them down. They would have to swim, he realized as the water drew closer to his knees, then his thighs. It was only going to become deeper from here.