“...”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93FPQEdhXr
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsVQGMzisw
“...”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofttyLCU8n
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I couldn’t explain how it wound up this way. Maybe it was how I always lagged behind, or that other members were simply more courageous than Juke and I. Maybe it was bad fortune becoming of me, an ugly trait that reared its head in inconvenient times. Pondering an explanation was a useless endeavor anyhow. At this point, I realized it just wasn’t always needed.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBBRSmN2fP
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwSH7k0VEi
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlYR2Up1z2
I didn’t have any evidence, but my gut screamed at me that the final floor would be the most challenging to combat. I readily acknowledged that the Harbinger was on a lower floor, but all the suspense that had been accumulating in my body informed me that wasn’t the worst of it. Perhaps it was a superstition– no, it absolutely was –but I was still compelled to tell Juke of my hypothesis.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyJ3U1Xene
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“I have a feeling–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfGHRlGtR2
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH24tWD8Ly3
“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf54Lbi7fZp
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQltppUsss
I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhnpbw2dNG
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOVLRZVsTg
“Do you also have that feeling?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5Q8bEJUPL
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7HSd1iPLy
“Nothin’ like it. I could just tell by the look on yer face. Either way, I don’t think we’re gonna deal with somethin’ so meddlesome.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWdXOOKFy0
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHEHyD0ohf
“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWK5UpEAcuT
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSp1zD5jQt
His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TJt91MeET
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RVJkia1dE
But, ultimately, I reminded myself yet again that that hardly mattered. Now that we’d arrived on a flat surface, there was nothing to do but to walk through that door and eliminate whoever was behind it. So we made sure to make a loud entrance. As I was able to match his pace, the both of us busted the door down. We ran into the master’s room, a spacious office stacked with papers. It was different, and far, far messier than the Foreign Pillar’s.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzp4HAtNJ1C
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdERsg86zR
“Y-You!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDY8LMrhjY8
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWH1YiDf0I
I was shocked by a sudden voice from my left. I turned my head and saw a skinny gentleman, one I could only assume was the Pillar’s Dean.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBQVRm4n4V
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRQA9Bt0GhD
“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLfqUlktAg
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloZy7vYcUG
“A-Alright!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRjrbaWx0Z
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzP3wtSyya
Whether his words or his pathetic visage swayed me, I ran to untie him all the same. But I was stopped in my tracks by a hand grabbing my shoulder.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX16PPv07a4
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnD75wbVma1
“Hey! Juke, what are–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXevDyAOqI
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xdPhhQxD5
My question was cut short the moment I looked at where he was point. Now, I was looking at the reason behind the different papers, the reason why the dean was tied in rope.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2rkcFJjNc
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu191gHWbcU
A man stood on the desk. A man with a robe I knew all too well, but more importantly, with a style of hair that I recognized. He turned his head towards us as he put a paper down, and frowned.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rHi8w4W7p
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXCQTDVk9e
“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKDQ6z5FdP
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwi0xjrNUwK
With almond-shaped eyes and a jagged, unusual hairstyle that screamed “punk,” the Bringer in the streets of this city right as this mess began glared at us with the sheen of his blade.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31cvOvWpm9
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“He’s alive!?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dObD6TCB4
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The shock of it all was one thing, as the last time I saw him, I was sure he was pulverized and left to bleed out. But what truly made me yell in such volume was that he still had both of his arms.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZpr84woY0
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucqsFDh9yW
“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqsWzHt6tm
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXyZgidgO4D
“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAEkwAMNec
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVfLG8hrN6
He said it matter-of-factly, as if none of it should be a surprise. Missing limbs weren’t impossible to restore with highly potent, albeit rare and extremely expensive potions, but processes like that took months, often years to complete. And they would only proceed smoothly with frequent tending and doctoral observation.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hn5U3s5c8
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCbxpzG5mV
And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgeCQ8LYD7
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeDdZfIQ6r
“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolQTXYkMSg
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclCbTHt1CY
“...Well, not exactly.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQzzxo0giD
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QrzErTsQ3
I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRSlgXaf4MP
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXYWzfTrnp
“Restoring limbs isn’t impossible; I tried and failed to make a few like that myself. But to be able to do it that fast, there’s only one explanation.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZQUf3UDVe
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jiTJnv4AY
“Tell me, won’t ya?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEVWjiVIS3
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnr7EJq9Vd
“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEH6AOeNVE
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQGfLYSb8z
“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqCVJQEDiI
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tHeWlgjM2
“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU68YxML61Q
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1ZofHiHwg
“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX6KlbPDt5
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrtetZJr3pQ
I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kq5IdNZMF
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDGzIhJQMr
“There’s someone among our ranks who’s a world-class healer. It’s phenomenal to see her work, really. I was out like a light, but by the time I woke up, I was better than new!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJusvSuUDSY
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJBtEvWcss
He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQidsPuJVVa
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“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7wsAvPKNC
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZRXiipPPk
The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSd1lZ9ujY
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCl9nX9PFb
“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHEsMlHnNr
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLK7LlcEwta
The Bringer hopped off the desk and reached for the other scabbard on his belt. Wielding two curved blades yet again, he stared at us with crazed, narrowed eyes.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQrKQPwIuZ
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhkhHR5mti
“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLanKgtryV
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYwrYIgv8D
He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVCjSIbD3H
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhlg6qcTf4
“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZ9DhSbH8h
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4J6YYsvHW
And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8xw0yHnao
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusxqop8GMt
–
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–
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–322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq0g6Bw3Hm
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The Bringer’s immediate dash complicated this whole mess. It might’ve been my fault for not taking Juke aside and speaking of a plan, but there was nothing I could do now. I didn’t have time to speak with him about our battle strategy. It helped not that the Bringer’s gesture was so sudden. It stunned me for a moment and forced me to think of a counterattack. But Juke thankfully had a quick, simple proposal:: he just drew his sword and matched the Bringer.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrAjRB622e
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgvfT8NSEBs
The first collision of the battle followed right after. Juke blocked a double swipe with his single sword, and immediately I noted that Juke had more physical strength than the Bringer, as he was able to keep him in a lock. The Bringer dashed away shortly after, glaring at us while humming curiously. I was oddly disturbed by that gesture, but I had no time to contemplate. I drew my tendril and sprouted the perfect plant for the occasion: the Thistle-Bloom. One of the first plants I ever copied from Prince’s garden, Its spikey bulb protruded from the tip of the tendril. I squelched its root as if I was choking it.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡne4Uhr8C0q
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KqXATeMUI
Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4i0l8KjvJ
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikxpuHws8T
“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5h5TnXYx12
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMevsiwWhl
He nodded right after, boldly charging at the still-humming Bringer. I put one knee down and bent the Thistle-Bloom, aiming it directly at the two fighters.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr06EMmlwxS
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdjWfVW2nh
It was impossible to safely shoot while the two were in close combat, but that bothered me barely. Juke’s endowment gave him a defensive edge, and with the constant threat of his sword and wind magic, the Bringer would be forced to back away eventually. I just had to wait for that moment, and as I did, I keenly watched the battle unfold.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqYLyPJAVb
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotymXtvIWB
Juke played the offensive role spectacularly. I wasn't sure if the Bringer was hesitating from past experience or gauging him in some fashion, but the end result was that swings were being thrown his way. None of Juke's swings connected, however, and the Bringer kept too small a distance for me to shoot.
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxW4VFAViZm
Eventually, the Bringer retaliated. He swung his swords across and Juke blocked them at the center. From that position though, Juke was forced to back away. Almost losing his sword, he awkwardly stepped a few paces back while swinging his arms to keep from falling. In that moment, the Bringer dashed and thrust his weapons.
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**CLANG**
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"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgLS6jfLlv
The tip of his blades practically bounced off Juke's skin, and from the looks of it, made only a scratch on his helmet. Juke looked relieved, and the Bringer looked annoyed, and though I was distracted by relief of not seeing my friend be penetrated, I surged mana through the tendril.
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"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHOrhaOp74
All of a sudden, right before the thorns of the bulb spew like the water of a dam, the Bringer flung one of his blades my way.
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"I can just chip away."
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qgfhBOA4x
I tripped over myself trying to dodge it, and though all but a clip of my hair avoided it, it managed to glide through elsewhere.
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIENZR1sJD
My body reacted immediately.
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"Urg--Glurrgh!"
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUYqLLUs6B
The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
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"Kid! Ah, shit!"
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMhkjM7fVG
I collapsed to the ground, limp and lethargic in my lazy legs. I mustered the strength to tilt my head up and look at the fight. Juke kept the Bringer occupied, but everything about the sight was wrong. That Bringer was missing a sword, so why was Juke forced to block every attack? Why did his posture falter while the Bringer's only strengthened?
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRqR4qGGHP
Familiar shivers ran through my spine. My limbs denied my commands, and even my eyes forced themselves blind to the scene. Then the word "run" entered my head. And then I–
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNXEvkmkIh
"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowgDwbCMRj
"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTNjWJ15IF
A rush of adrenaline helped me endure the pain of forming the Dragon-Maw, but with my other hand, I quickly created a ball of fire and lobbed it at the two fighters. I didn't hit anyone, but the blaze separated them, giving Juke crucial time to breathe. He shot me a thumbs up while brandishing his weapon, threatening the Bringer just enough for him to back off.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2diaPPjqA5
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zE0u2yUdQ
The Dragon-Maw snapped at the Bringer, knowing by instinct who the opponent was. But to my surprise, it didn’t uncontrollably charge.. Rather, it retracted, hissing at the adversary as if he encroached on its territory.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlr05xkfSO
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFOhVqylF6
“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcsLmnCkQK
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTOnkrIvhT
After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUxxeo37Sx
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTUANjbQqr
Though carrying such a dislodged, extended mass was difficult on my tiny body, I put no energy into making attacks. Dragon-Maw complimented Juke’s fighting patterns superbly, striking at times when Juke reeled from swinging his sword. The Bringer was put on the backfoot almost instantly, and the pressure was obvious from his drenched face. Despite our suffocating offense, we never managed to break the guard of his blistering blade.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrKUGGuBYR
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvVGQP3cqU
He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9obxvWmuok
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARIXsOLxpV
Though my arm strained and heaved, I kept the tendril out. The Bringer carried Juke and Dragon-Maw around the room, lining its edges and narrowly missing the paper piles. At some point, though, I noticed that the Bringer had to block less and less. I thought for a moment that exhaustion from Juke or I was to blame, but as I narrowed my eyes, I noticed his feet moving further and further back.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYQnF7YZNp
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9vtsTUraU
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“Crap!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOW0gNfXwz
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiiDx37HlN4
I stopped supporting my right arm with my left and quickly began mana expulsion. I didn’t have the time to make anything dangerous, so I conjured a messy ball of water and flung it at the Bringer. But I didn’t put enough for or mana for it to be meaningfully threatening. It merely splashed his face, not enough to stop him from picking up his other sword. But that brief moment of blindness afforded me a–322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb7dP9crQS
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPZtDCNVYh
**CRUNCH**322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMBQGQpDW2
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkieC424EgP
The Dragon-Maw managed to clamp the Bringer at his side. It didn’t bite anything off, but from the grunts of the Bringer and the new hues of red, it was clear that the wound was deep.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJnQjc6qRU
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rRwlN7Qap
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoAqtiEjvL
Like it was a basic reflex, the Bringer swung his sword and cut the head of Dragon-Maw off. I clicked my tongue and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the ensuing, and brutally-arriving pain. My preparation suppressed it adequately. I was still on my legs, after all. But it was offset by my dwindling willingness to use the tendril, and by the way its brown roots shed its sheen, I figured it felt the same. I had to ask it for one more favor, though.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLk3wepb39
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBffUZSAt8
I realized it was reckless, especially with how small the room was, but I didn’t want this fight to drag on any longer than it already had. Thus, I procured a–322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mXinJ03YP
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ptQxhE7xU
“Child! Child, please!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mupmsHke7
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ChoxHdWua
“W-What!?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3QYMPltZT
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfi8Fgt8eHx
My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQc2UgbFZQC
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡequ8h2HzKe
“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUksQWhuN0b
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB0QlIhnet
“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3avXgwMNH
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZH36cnrYR
“...”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgwnE0xmLo
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXpgMFvStu
I had this sick feeling that the Dean was far sleazier than I initially thought, but under this kind of situation, I could hardly blame him. I didn’t turn to save him, however. As a Freeze-Dry bloomed from the tip of my tendril, I stared with sweaty palms at the dueling two. Juke matched the Bringer far more comfortably now, even with him having two swords, as that injury was unignorable.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dXAaN69hU
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NajE22ABn
With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2KIDkmD3mP
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzSFV7IYXq
“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOrdhrzO2P
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyh9vY6oun
“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGkS91aHZu
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYfEl17lPr
Even though it would just take making a small dagger out of earth, sinking that time to free him felt like a terrible idea. I knew it was possible, I knew Juke could last long enough for me to do so, and yet– and yet–322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QigFYmVG2
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGhPxHqaxU
And yet, the option caused my arms to shiver. To be responsible for his freedom, would just mean I was responsible for everything that followed.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqVzcIIqyV
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKOO6CN6Ic
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxfh13mSOs
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbv2vGkUv8
“Kid! Watch out!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YtgVUxbva
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEDkZZrKVE
“--Huh?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrDzNa3lfK
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTY1gqsbKj
I was swept from my trance by Juke’s loud, worried call. My vision registered with me then, and I realized that the Bringer was charging directly at me.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRsfuJct69
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoimhwegXi
“S-S-Shit!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAvFmWoeyO
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmd6pSl7bw
I did the first thing that came to mind: I conjured a hasty spell, shot it, and jumped to the side, causing me to land on my hip. Only, it didn’t go so smoothly. The spell I created wasn’t one of earth or fire, as trying to rush those would erase nearly half of my mana supply. So I created a large wave of water before moving. It blinded the bringer sufficiently, just enough for his thrust to miss me.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXGCtKRJhA
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQThuguDNV
**SQUELCH**322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtfcYK2fZQ
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgT4HpKP6J
But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVPKpL0lFE2
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK256I1aUZR
“--H-Hrk!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkkdI5OZ29
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBpidodUGK
“Oh?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSS3dabZao
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYyKTkFNV7
The Bringer rubbed the water out of his eyes and looked at where his sword had been lodged. He wasn’t happy or upset, nor did he look amused or angered. He had the look of someone who made a simple slip-up, like a man putting a box in the wrong place and merely shrugging his shoulders at the sight.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6KVVmSZKD
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyxEOlTtcx
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp08uusggOC
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUz8MDk7XlN
“Ark… W-Why?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId3aoLWZde
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4zy3JuKr0
“I don’t have a reason. It was an accident, relax. Goodness, just relax! It’s not as if I hit your lungs, did I?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplMENXUcQw
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuqO7f4g4b
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQwZbFy0C6
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRdlNftduH
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExaAK77pTq
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuhxU2Aog6
“A– y-you monster!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdSdPEqJmI
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomPOiGSzJ9
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLIwaV0p9K
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtAulPIP4Q
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUTCEjpQhS
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU4csN4fba
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp537rPnVZk
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnVgU9eiwH
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxbznufVkz
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIllvaB5yIq
“A-Afraid?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWoHqWvVKB
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡll8dvFkGW2
I was stunned, undeniably, but it wasn’t paralysis. That wasn’t the case, because I saw the Dean right there, writhing but breathing, trying what he could to cover his wound. But to call myself afraid wasn’t incorrect. I could hardly keep myself from melting.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9JdTKjADv
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxI0Hby1dq
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGu0xXSdLWh
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc295ypkkCE
But then Juke’s words resounded from my side, and the sight of the Dean became enough for me to move. Though, I didn’t do so before giving myself a necessary rebuke.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbfCrLR1BX
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YJsmuKhIp
“Damn it. Damn it!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehzUggAwOK
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF5coHjVFT
I aimed the Freezey-Dry at the bringer and let it work. The Bringer stepped to the side, avoiding the wall of ice that formed until the end of the room. I didn’t have to face any counterattack either, as Juke kept the Bringer occupied while I ran to the Dean, forming an earthly knife.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rSy3FTldk
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05HhEGcUEz
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG15SH7xEK
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvteAJUiHo
I hurriedly cut the ropes, slicing one of my own fingers in the process, but still managing to free the Dean. He grasped his shoulder and got on his legs.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wSgPaj5sp
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCOVZGGITr
“T-Thank you.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDy6Dm37dzt
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNP38ogEnD
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpyFJ2XdSh
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vG1x2q97r
The Dean meekly nodded, which made me greatly relieved. I conjured up a quick earth spell and shot it through the ice wall, creating an opening.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw8Ky6skc3
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLMkr2d6wV
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56aGB5xh9F
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNR4AvA2ar
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5ZKsqMz23
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHhimRfOQR
Though his run was gaunt, he managed to leave the parameter without being stopped. I walked around the ice wall to make sure of it, seeing him go through the entrance, and then I returned my attention to the Bringer.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5OItq9vUxH
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzFvTAr8pQ
He and Juke were still fighting. The Bringer landed stray hits far too often for comfort, but I saw a window when the two clashed their swords and stared.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrXtKTCKMF
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvPQFsjZOm
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxvaE6KUy4
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZ9wTQKxAE
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6ylbrmAYo
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAn1y77eOZ
“Juke!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1ufrd29hd
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuzLzbcnWu
I interjected as quickly as I could. I formed a ball of earth and shot it at the Bringer. He moved to dodge it, but his toilsome wound forced him to hiss and I managed to nip his shoulder. Juke took advantage of the generated momentum, swinging his sword barbarically but only scratching the Bringer’s cloth as he dodged. The Bringer clicked his tongue and massaged his shoulder. Though it was a reach of a call to make, I felt confident that his shoulder was dislocated.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzFaN6LVOT
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEJlEPX6XI
“That kid is such a nuisance!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRVCT3knMw
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwO5vauHrs
He yelled an enraged sentence, jerking his head to me and glaring with dagger-like eyes. I brought my tendril out in front of me as a kind of shield, though with the ferocity of which he sprinted, it clearly wouldn’t do anything.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajETFG65rV
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxJaldzc5a
Fortunately, it didn’t have to.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCllktHuN6
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡampn2V3Swd
“Ahck!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYqWrfYsRc
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqs0AB9LGkx
A gust of wind came from my right, slamming the Bringer hard enough for him to tumble to the floor. Juke followed his spell by charging with his sword raised. He swung down and collided with a shielding scimitar, unable to break its barricade. But as they struggled, I made my move.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BsPpEefhp
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgD7ZgMTePy
A spell wouldn’t do me good, and this wilting Freeze-Dry wouldn’t fare any better. My other offensive flower had been pierced and shredded, so I only had one thing at my disposal.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6PJd8jlOQ
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajNJ2Ipx2m
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67llr7eUJo
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvJwZHPDIe
Juke moved his sword in the nick of time. The tendril caught the flat side of his scimitar– to my great relief –and crashed directly into his stomach. The air escaped from his lungs, and remnants of his meals flew out of his orifice. The blow stunned him well, and I retracted my tendril so Juke could quickly finish the job.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVc5r1QKOVm
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXKtUcSTJh
But, that did not happen.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbDYYmksm1
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtKNCVOZPg
With gritted teeth the bringer kicked himself from the floor to his feet, keeping Juke and I at a distance while pointing his swords. In the midst of it, I prepared a spell with my left hand: the embryonic stage of a geyser that would hose him to the wall. Preparing it took a while, however, and it was within that window of time that the Bringer322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUr5NBVtZkS
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuyzIqjZj4
“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWhbZwO6UD
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qO8tTEUIz
He twirled his core along with his blades, swindling himself like a leadenknob. His arm covered every feature of his face but his eyes, and he glared at us with the eyes of a feline.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡej5auZnSI6
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmV21vuMjr
From his body language, posture, and exasperated voice, it was clear to me what was coming: that bizarre technique that troubled Juke and I when we first fought.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGShW7cydG
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAeldJcruD
And he let it rip just a moment later.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFFobXW6vc
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41vuOmKtK7
His speed was unprecedented, his rotation made him blurry, and his rapid blades howled in the wind it sliced. Though he spun in a rocky direction, it was just accurate enough to gain ground on Juke and I. And I knew that helmet of his wouldn’t last under such a flurry.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP4BHENxpr
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsX2t0y1BSt
But true as that might’ve been, it wasn’t his helmet that would be put to the test. The Bringer veered from Juke right into me, approaching at a speed I could hardly react to. React I did, however. I produced a flower from my tendril and injected mana into it as fast as I could, and before his flurry of blades came, I had something to guard myself.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPi1WPYe25
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9pQ12SmP0
The beige and jagged texture of the Valencia-Bloom’s shield defended me. Small enough for me to carry, but large enough to stop speedy metal from sneaking past. It kept up with the flurry miraculously, as every cut it received closed immediately. Dozens and dozens of cuts, and none strong enough to pierce through.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBea7Ls9Gf
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w0v9QKDkF
“...!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsyCaXy6xR
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQn5MacsWZ
None so fierce to kill my plant.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZ9yPpwJr8
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfhEovy5jS
“M-My arm!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdtaPEvGUL
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbdyrmztl7
But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQo92K33xf
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDT4X3aI3c
“Juke!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb7afmaY1b
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuCdrA5xnL
“Gotcha, kid!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhHnF2OfZM
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqul8Jqqxqu
The barrage had no effect on the shield, but my puny arm couldn’t stand against such pressure. It was impossible to keep it up. I could already feel the fear seep into me; flashing images of what would become of me should those spinning blades connect.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVznnC3wof
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7w5lwiMhy
But something unusual happened in light of that. An action I didn’t know I had the capacity for, but was driven by nothing but my own will.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0nw2pbgBH
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDHREGax15
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3ECf1cg3u
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYkBr4PVtXp
It wasn’t a clean hit– the complete opposite. I couldn’t aim my palm in any useful direction, but the force of the spell was so great it still adjacently struck the Bringer. As I didn’t have time to plant myself firmly, I was sent flying as well, colliding into the wall to my right and across the room.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIxJvOiIWG
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qcSlxYYCk
“Hrk!”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12ZZCjo3YN
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmg6o5s1Jw
The slam was ugly, and I slid to the floor like mushy food. I didn’t let myself rest then, however, because that Bringer was still alive. I stood up and peered over the Dean’s desk, at the Bringer.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtlG2mCuvS
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS05dFa2OT
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWUD34bbF7
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5m4yevv7mV
“...”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcnlT4fCq9
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVksaLDMukq
“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3J0pYCF8r
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuiJ6yABwn
I didn’t respond to Juke’s praise. All my attention tunneled to the Bringer. His gaping mouth, his constricting eyes, the fading strength as his staunchblades slipped from his grip. He finally turned his eyes to me, then to the man who left him in such a state.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8QBlaQV2W
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRb3VUBUQjE
“Curse…”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHlT9bXAjg
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LePjJpH6Y
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHcmjkRn9R
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP615KKmob5
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqSKIR5R56
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmkd5upxoB
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabSFmSntaX
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOCaZXrvPR
“May they, be few.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcwKMbQN6e
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKg28F1Go7
Another fit of coughing followed. It was intense and abrasive, ripping at his throat with each installment. Their strength eventually dwindled. His noisy coughs turned to raspy whispers, ejecting all the piling blood that clogged itself in his throat, lower and lower volumes as it progressed.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4Al9LQBVk
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EJs0hsVp4
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ld4cMy2nr
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8bE9powoh
“That was… sad.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImCpJwcAS3
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3mUgwFjUJ
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmOOL423bL
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSYMVy19J1
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fFgpptOgW
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoECgHLJxo
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADqWI46Cb8
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8o72BrIq2
I chuckled at his assessment. He had a point. I should’ve just been glad to be alive, shouldn’t I? I showed my gratitude by taking a few steps over to Juke, raising my palm with as sweet a smile I could make. He matched my gesture, and we high-fived.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZf38COPNke
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3KpuZf4hf
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmRc0IoFnF
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfYjyiqNzb
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkE3SlGZ63O
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnEaVhCVe7
“Don’t continue.”322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanrlxQj0Qa
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvjROf3EV2
I looked at the Bringer’s corpse. In a twisted way, it was a trophy. A tangible token that indicated our success, our reclaiming of the Central Pillar. If the lower floors have succeeded, that is. I didn’t want to think like that now, however.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkukseR53nh
322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYFPfX3QPU
Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.322Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDWQrhb0ux
