“...”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEslnZ1VNF
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlBEzUO4SB
“...”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIn24DOUleG
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEZQ0tTbFD
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQxsTILjhP
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t1z1pkgLY
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5McwzF1ROy
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“I have a feeling–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggVovq2kNC
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“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBRd9npLS3
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnWd5OsK66
I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11tVzb75dG
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“Do you also have that feeling?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbQDbVgmnp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vME4tqV3H
“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.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nim4Y9Hpk
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUVG2zuwMv
“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8z6hErDbh
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3p9MQX1bbF
His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0d1lNuWuT
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PIs3Wcq9s
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwOEeiyAwj
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“Y-You!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWSm4C3G8U
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ThUyuEKqL
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WHJT1l5vN
“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5znIVXPcRq
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5F9QIMzAD
“A-Alright!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6aMtslVqo
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgxOme7B63
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyyYj4FqD5
“Hey! Juke, what are–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2qgkBkr81
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGREjmmkXs
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7bhHpcsJE
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIlp0RTaub
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCS171vqhi
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEY8pV0d1c
“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ojqnEZPJP
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMEKV4PnHd
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFx6kxWYb1T
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTkPhTFPey
“He’s alive!?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DE1hxlsbj
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu00O4tvXju
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv43Zye5TbW
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2evb8ZEmw
“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgp3RMWnlE
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwTdaeWm48
“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwPnnBgyiYp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrA2whOogv
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnL0PKsLVb8
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbG1FGBFn1
And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIkwTFHpY9
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxXA3ddjIY
“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKz6OBNx4cH
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0Zpl6h7aH
“...Well, not exactly.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7SnJDIE9V
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I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0Fqppxx6x
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“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.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjFlLbxwn2
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVVkc7Fb5S
“Tell me, won’t ya?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PmIWnsSd9
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRzlhD4bRN
“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtVAmgaNr0
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuKIzWFfob
“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDWOwep6lb
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRVmTsbxaa
“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlROyomYC4l
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4xP9Is0u2
“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPKu3NShOt
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaD77gRP0pk
I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMc6QvkYN1
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfr5jrh0T0K
“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!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWlG5jYC73
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KomFTlGbd
He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW7mPogjuB
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoOsOXMTSs
“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcCpOYWpsY
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RIXLXZ1wi
The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGx6YMMaeA
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gX0k7wb1u
“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUl3zN2NK8
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZu2BrElmz
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73WRwfPyRU
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“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZ3w1GFCMd
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GXrRGGQAN
He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgMtpk56qy
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“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47UAu4kmEU
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And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJYBFs5quT
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–
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–
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDie6mZgdI
–280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1X73tzhQ8a
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIExSLEI59
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIW5Vt3ACG
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUZINxPoyj
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Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvsejphzfy
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“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBOxFfzXb5
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4ZioRu1ag
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFCbrRjY0m
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaRxy2p8Im
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDrCA1Aea1
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvAOGwC2TJ
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.
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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.
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTio8YRzA7
**CLANG**
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"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
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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–"
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfPMYPCHdV
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."
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunY0r8dIre
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.
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My body reacted immediately.
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnME1nqiHOX
"Urg--Glurrgh!"
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAIHMcA4c0
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!"
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz8rUpbStZ
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?
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxX13SaxPe
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–
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80WQz7bDls
"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YidOF47wm
"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS55FDbJJLn
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSiNvDLvwo
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGY1n2ict44
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKprBbkUte
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhhAvCCWTO
“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8uycrxZAD
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6mCT0NfPD
After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbw4xvxYIw
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiMPnjy6qh
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He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNs6qDd7DWP
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENuI74uEgh
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtniymbnqy
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“Crap!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYi5sMr73Ck
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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–280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUDYlBk71f
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61teQ72wei
**CRUNCH**280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW40C3hTdWN
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9aJO2XwIG
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NwQT9LdPl
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoUOVOromO
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5dt3oIIu4
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiijEHaT2Y
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–280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy94BSHJ0Bk
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“Child! Child, please!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoESDihVR4
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8z3242xYkd
“W-What!?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAOvYEQ64I
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmorVIpSR2A
My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8tpHCp5vk
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“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1OSgHAMps
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGXYjKQCdD
“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydvvA3e0pd
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQodPkdTWAn
“...”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVttcYs7Ajg
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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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzM0jzlYVYw
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhCYMkDOAg
With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjPSPjVs8U
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelP8Qcp4yc
“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpUiKI4YhZ
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsawOaOICX
“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewd4LacZoB
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHfQRHpgM5
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–280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujPGwB7TrE
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwnYf21kjK
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD52dQSQXly
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT66YqeSqnJ
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKtrWQUBXp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7nrkGBNe5
“Kid! Watch out!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPe8FXkG9Tg
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRHfbPmroR
“--Huh?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUwVEw4Xce
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa95q9f8h1O
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6ehGXB205
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdRBK2Ci9a
“S-S-Shit!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ565qgXfFui
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrCPq1slcZ
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXl4raQByt9
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4SJyTut47
**SQUELCH**280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3leKYzUJr
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDozhcCnCl
But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwe9oPeVM5D
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMyOtzKOjL
“--H-Hrk!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFW73OPfiP
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStd2KfQABP
“Oh?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEghDOaOCl
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPQ8De2mJ8
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFdogPSxZY
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEFXWOwPqh
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvnPbA7q0Q
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUpW6kRVJZ
“Ark… W-Why?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50SXsOHOJM
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7UvxzLaZo
“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?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZY4jOcxG4
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEGWzIRbeX
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6Gw2wUFYc
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtVQRkt8SZ
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavrkBBjef5
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3fqEl0dzz
“A– y-you monster!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8qQW46UND
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HF3FfnpSi
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwl15hko2Y
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwybhJmyfYw
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NuDkLX7NG
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQr5k9i3cFb
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmP16GwJ7S
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xin7rzLIY
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYst57Ouncp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4uM3OtX8x
“A-Afraid?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTs5yB3KQO
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmANze7tMhO
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKa2vMA8mc6
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9TDzf2Dvv
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOlwOTsv2v
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUHP4pDdnt
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4QlFuLJsG
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDAABhJtpn
“Damn it. Damn it!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsJ1WjGBtP
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKyYuvLL96
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpjEGeSLtU
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPqyHo27Wc
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgaGO2bhoV
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhMSRaI4dN
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBmPzQNsuY
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Qufuy8MdY
“T-Thank you.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZU9KmdNo4R
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfA0neab2WS
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4SNkPn1CB
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrIrSSebnb
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqyoOc6Yt4
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNJ2VunI8R
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioX9vA7x6x
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttP94qj55f
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQzTCnih52
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS8y8GR1j9
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dhIch3gBG
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdO7OJk4er8
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiTgqGvm30
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8dnC6VjfF
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY8ATM8R4Q
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXdYlAoNcr
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tL85nW8ub
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiu5sc1YPG4
“Juke!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJhBA94NCI
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTt2dXHy7ve
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74VPWkCgTf
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH29uiSR9gI
“That kid is such a nuisance!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrVZ9rQj7w
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDS4rlKn4MK
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyJcZExlid
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH9SPBZhlW
Fortunately, it didn’t have to.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMeFTJBhiz
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4MH4sxrgr
“Ahck!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTR2w6MfCU
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEp4wd66W6
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbU9VftN6H
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hclOLoH1i
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvCrebwFvq
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6rsPxoA2h
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfOznzg9zH
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVqVyqT1jZ
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQ5AF4kzbH
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HylNTFrjP
But, that did not happen.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPLromXjGp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nfJ99x4Lj
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 Bringer280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUg6l6HA2UC
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53hYywm2DQ
“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqTsv3pAXb
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmsrZDl95T
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxhp57JSY4
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FrBBvzSrx
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzlTm8VpiX
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHOsHi4csw
And he let it rip just a moment later.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mqowJ1Bup
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZcPXuzVoy
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QGG9Etg3E
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sEalq0ny1
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpHoRveefD
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTQbCxbY1K
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9i5j17CmYH
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hYwj3npcI
“...!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO3QB0Dbyd
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjgxkzSG98
None so fierce to kill my plant.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mv2lVm9Wb
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3hIcPYkGK
“M-My arm!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhFuYWWNFv
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnf07QNrCO6
But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoymhwtxlLZ
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfkuJzPvq9
“Juke!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DASUGO9mR
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycIhap2QHB
“Gotcha, kid!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxpkQBNqCj
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXtFFn7EVU
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0o3D5f6C1L
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wmmo08qrO
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQxfFEsUng
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9jLLlaILQ
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnlRNYzZ8U
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOeHEu5nTk
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPEo4umc0Z
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapDUDPbwe9
“Hrk!”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0tFKCg7J3
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzfsNBsERK
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnr3mLWTnvG
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF0a1WNM7S
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mf5g5glTu
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOaBGyJCteC
“...”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84hLG8Ngpn
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MVNWq8FRn
“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRdKIniXOv
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkj9xbldqF
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFpsjkmVRK
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUs0iLA2jPQ
“Curse…”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXry8433xB9
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYW1pTIzBfm
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7re15vdAvp
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWM4WWh2wp
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPqkX8tfp7
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHcKllJiwz
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1l9CXUhCR
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJkYH1tQ9k
“May they, be few.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQMAol6wRo
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWpKBBJazr
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6xqRLIV8w
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGxygaW9EQ
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuplTjdHxnw
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgpB9Ad6GX
“That was… sad.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX23vlVpocc
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFinM3N3ck
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxT8CaXPkbl
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyGA72lBQm
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGoXbZ9rMd
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRRpkZMWtG
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ze1RE8Cm2
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1M3AWrgKw
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGvppdlYAo
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwt1T2Vs2Q
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iQdNPNyU5
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukk5GGszd7
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0ZXmClnMD
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUNVPRH0pQ
“Don’t continue.”280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgSQhfO1X3
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAavPH9bRpt
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.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhngRqI63YX
280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnP9w9aUWb
Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.280Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqp9PfbE9Y
