And everyone else hits their yankers (or has them hit by someone else, in the majority of cases) - and they go flying out of the graduation hall as the world warms behind them - into the anchor at the base of the stairs up - 

Their collective momentum causes them to overshoot, tumbling them painfully - 

And a bell rings, and the machinery grinds to life -

The allies of their crew had been waiting hopefully near the anchor, even though the back isn't a good place to start from - they start grabbing their own allies among the returned crew, helping them up, carrying those who can't carry themselves as the hallway fills with seniors running for the opening doors - carrying even those who may or may not be currently dead, and are certainly incapable of helping with any fight - 

They don't have very long before the cleansing starts.

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck stairs, gotta get to the stairs. Stairs with Lu, quick.

"You won't make it!" Clarita shouts, sacrificing precious seconds to stare at Luthien with clear worry in her expression. 

"We have to try - " she calls, as she takes El's hand and sprints up the stairs -

Like hell they're graduating early. They have to at least make it far enough from the senior hall-

They get to the workshop landing before they hear the scrabble of a hoard of fleeing mals on the stairs. 

Into that hall, then, maybe they can get behind a door.

If closed doors could save you, the Scholomance would be poorly designed indeed. 

The static discharge racing ahead of the walls of flame reaches them - 

And Luthien grabs her sister, holds on tight, and calls for fire.

A whirlwind cloak of mortal flame springs up around them, its teeth aimed outward in a snarl - and the wall of mortal flame slams into it - it feels like being roasted alive -

But Luthien's spell holds, and the wall rolls past them, scouring the halls and rooms clean. 

She takes a deep breath, thanks the fire still swirling around them with a soft exhale - and dismisses it. It's reluctant to go, what with not having gotten to eat anything - but she can push it away. 

They're alive.

They're alive. 

Luthien hugs El even tighter, in their small circle of safety in a world still glowing red hot from the cleansing, and falls to her knees and sobs as the sprinklers come on. 

"We're alive," she says. "We made it."

"We made it." Kiss. "One more year to go."

"We'll make it. Together."

"Always. You and me, the unbeatable sisters."

And a kiss to seal the deal.