The ambush from the last floor was felt throughout the crowd.32Please respect copyright.PENANAdrPZZLPQo3
32Please respect copyright.PENANAYTVQZlEPBm
Even though Juke and I weren't affected, the other's faces were considerably downtrodden. Some members were now left without a partner and had to team up with people they weren't very familiar with. Morale was low, especially since our leaders were missing.32Please respect copyright.PENANA5qa8mYkkQ9
32Please respect copyright.PENANAWa57n1c4EI
The remaining group was small, too. Only about eight people were left, meaning that, with the five remaining floors, some were simply required to take them alone. There was chatter of moving as a single unit, taking on each room as a whole rather than having forces split from the group, but others countered that doing so would be abandoning an order and that we had to "trust our other members."32Please respect copyright.PENANA8R6mzSm3GG
32Please respect copyright.PENANAnUAOrszwIR
As for me, my nerves only spiked. The image of all those fallen bringers was engraved into my mind, and I desperately tried to keep the word "corpse" out of my head. Over and over, telling myself that they were simply unconscious when the right side of my mind constantly told me otherwise–
**SLAP**32Please respect copyright.PENANAKhNCaSFEiz
32Please respect copyright.PENANA5SPD92QnD3
"Ack!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAm45nFklxTC
32Please respect copyright.PENANA4EkF5M8fa6
I wasn't prepared for the strength I slapped myself with. My muscles were incredibly tense, and I hadn't even realized.32Please respect copyright.PENANATWPANw1DY1
32Please respect copyright.PENANAs277ZF53se
"No use in thinking about it. No use in thinking about it! Come on!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAIRO95P5YQf
32Please respect copyright.PENANAOFqkuH4Alv
I steeled whatever I had left of my resolve and kept trudging through the stairs. I had a complete vision of the crowd, and it made it apparent just how thinned out it had become. To my great dismay, I could even see Rover.32Please respect copyright.PENANA6BA6WqDJU7
32Please respect copyright.PENANA1QAZ9rlJIi
"...Useless–!"32Please respect copyright.PENANASFSjFaoTuQ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmTfsZa850J
I tried not to think about anything that. I knew I couldn't suspend it for long, but every second I could force my legs forward was valuable. So I ran and ran and ran and ran and–32Please respect copyright.PENANAzPxb5enI4Y
32Please respect copyright.PENANAA8EjefGwOH
Suddenly, I noticed something. Though I naturally hadn't been paying much attention to her, the person beside her had changed.32Please respect copyright.PENANAkFDWEZF864
32Please respect copyright.PENANATxOToKBWZQ
And it was someone I recognized32Please respect copyright.PENANAOKqpzjLyyt
32Please respect copyright.PENANABGRQMHasj5
–
–
–
The most grueling part of this siege hadn't been the laborious running. It hadn't been the various enemies, the threat of death or even seeing allies fall like flies in the previous ambush. No, for Rover, it was restraint.32Please respect copyright.PENANA3l2mbRCIjA
32Please respect copyright.PENANAXF1Z5gD8Zc
To do nothing in the face of Hard-Bringer gave her near-uncontrollable rage. Those she swore she'd see crumble, running amok and stealing lives as they always have, unable to even point her weapon at them. If it weren't for those looming words by that wimpy child, resting in the corners of her mind like spiders, she would've caved in.32Please respect copyright.PENANAUxilDxV2Lq
32Please respect copyright.PENANAYVuQfsARep
Especially now that her surrogate partner was a completely new face.32Please respect copyright.PENANAFZCbCKg8rN
32Please respect copyright.PENANAVj9dWdHcS4
"Hi."32Please respect copyright.PENANAjQiJ5qCAcE
32Please respect copyright.PENANAh27fVHE0O4
As she raced up the steps, a man in glasses only a little taller announced himself. She could see him facing her in her peripheral, and though her habits urged her not to, she matched his gaze.32Please respect copyright.PENANAad5EYv9rEf
32Please respect copyright.PENANA0jReobLPLF
"What!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAhUyhDfWysQ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAMjxFzTWDh6
Though, perhaps, she should've spared an extra second checking her tone.32Please respect copyright.PENANAkrD5d9KqOH
32Please respect copyright.PENANAA2P26UvlBm
"S-Sorry for the intrusion, ma'am! I just thought we'd familiarize ourselves."32Please respect copyright.PENANAmX5QjGVUDC
32Please respect copyright.PENANAjdBCngxvdN
His nervous expression didn't loosen one bit. When Rover tried a softer face, the sweat on his brow multiplied. Rover gave up appearances, quickly discarding dismissive dialogue before her introduction.32Please respect copyright.PENANAwg05UkKmXh
32Please respect copyright.PENANA2xtM6fTnaU
"I'm Nigel. You're the volunteer, aren't you?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAnp2kygZrrS
32Please respect copyright.PENANA73dYmzgFB7
"Volunteer makes it sound lame! I'm Rover! L-Let's work well together, alright!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAvgffZZ6T9G
32Please respect copyright.PENANAbzyiYjYudz
Nigel's tense expression eased a little. He worried about a sudden reassignment just as much as Rover did.32Please respect copyright.PENANAtkPUqWHxl3
32Please respect copyright.PENANAzS8B5N5QmL
"I know this is a bit impromptu, but my partner perished on the floor below. Thank you for bearing with me."32Please respect copyright.PENANAL7yFcE1cxS
32Please respect copyright.PENANAhcPcngU8wB
He raised his right hand, one that clutched a metal collar with a tag. Rover knew immediately who it belonged to, and the unusual idea of consolement entered her mind.32Please respect copyright.PENANAN8Ju5WC4qp
32Please respect copyright.PENANAFOmORfqS23
"That... that's really bad. I'm sorry for–"32Please respect copyright.PENANAtCC30NukB9
32Please respect copyright.PENANAePq4FUFujv
"Don't worry about it. You've suffered a similar fate, haven't you? We're in the same boat."32Please respect copyright.PENANA5acu0PFspf
32Please respect copyright.PENANAQpWSflWwgr
He kept a smile with those words, but his eyes lacked the light to convince her. He turned his head away, and the two of them kept running up with their usual worries.32Please respect copyright.PENANABNO1oA4lWc
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmeCJOKQZNC
And then, finally, they hit a flat surface.32Please respect copyright.PENANAnxRQJj9ree
32Please respect copyright.PENANAcgxgYc0Gu7
"The next room's up ahead!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAM7CtiqBjBn
32Please respect copyright.PENANAwLjcpVuGgJ
She had been in this scene nearly a dozen times already. And each time, she dreaded it. Sprinting to that door, knowing that there would be a monster in man's skin. She swallowed that dread like before, and each time, it poisoned her blood further and further.32Please respect copyright.PENANAnWnStofV09
32Please respect copyright.PENANAOPB4bQbe5L
The crowd made it to the room. It was relatively small, but an immediate feature was the giant stained windows, granting a tinted view of the city outside. Rover gave minimum attention to the stature of the room, however, because there, by the exit, sat a man who could only be described as–32Please respect copyright.PENANA7HdRrqgskh
32Please respect copyright.PENANAah9xyr24Ag
"Holy shit! Are ya a titan!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAEGxcCT6f74
32Please respect copyright.PENANA04ODuF5u8m
Rover glanced behind her, realizing that Juke was the one to yell that. She saw Kenny near him, huffing with his hands on his kneecaps.32Please respect copyright.PENANAoHilyImWnM
32Please respect copyright.PENANAL0yAKan3MW
A titan. It was a familiar word. She heard it from the stories her mother told her. But, of course, there were no titans in King's Peak, only tales of them.32Please respect copyright.PENANAyT0bBy95Dv
32Please respect copyright.PENANATZFl83YtRM
But, even if it was only in name, the titan a man was. A member of Hard-Bringer with such size, and his head nearly reached the ceiling when he stood. Such monstrous height intimidated nearly everyone, but for Rover, it was the opposite.32Please respect copyright.PENANAiGL6giNxVv
32Please respect copyright.PENANASWpybPingc
Rover recognized that height. Rover recognized that build, even though it was concealed by robes, and as the man went to pull his hoodie down, the face that appeared only confirmed her intuition.32Please respect copyright.PENANApFQ5ZeFlGC
32Please respect copyright.PENANAPH0ScSHAeC
"This is where your advance ends– huh?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAuelZbXuE3z
32Please respect copyright.PENANA7e8aLr6abE
The towering man stopped his speech, compelled by the dashing girl with a rapier in hand. She leaped forward and stuck her foot out, but the man blocked the kick by raising his arm. Rover then thrust her blade, and the man narrowly dodged by tilting his head. However, his angled head was grabbed by her free arm, and through a feat unexpected of her size–32Please respect copyright.PENANAtREICkT3oi
32Please respect copyright.PENANAAlLlDTyToH
**THUD**32Please respect copyright.PENANAlhRIv4x8nR
32Please respect copyright.PENANAGYZGsw1wmr
She shoved the man down to the ground. She immediately followed with a thrust, but she only caught his robe, and the man scurried away.32Please respect copyright.PENANAim5A0MwCwN
32Please respect copyright.PENANAupH2LdlefN
"...Same tricks as always."32Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9SePWuHlf
32Please respect copyright.PENANAP5TgfXTSeP
Though her snide remark was entirely unperturbed, the rest of the room stared with mouths agape, as if they had just witnessed alien life.32Please respect copyright.PENANAdXtr0s7e3C
32Please respect copyright.PENANAo34n5YhLoR
"Hoh– it is you. You!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAJcOJ7fpYzZ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAaiF1yx6nML
Because, the once hulking, monster of a man, was now suddenly the size of a teenage boy.32Please respect copyright.PENANADNsIPkKo7s
32Please respect copyright.PENANA8RRaOqHDV9
"I never expected to run into you today, Rover! Hahaha!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA1Eb3QX21wv
32Please respect copyright.PENANAhisuj0eDQk
The crowd was stunned. Only one member moved through the shock, and everyone stared to find it was Nigel.32Please respect copyright.PENANABTzPL8mVe7
32Please respect copyright.PENANA19aYEvs7EN
"Everyone," he shouted. "Move on, we'll take care of things here!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAoZYpbnh3B7
32Please respect copyright.PENANAaWhUrmiuqP
Rover pointed her weapon at the man, a clear warning to stay in place. The man obliged without much resistance, and Rover turned her head to make sure everyone would leave. But then she noticed how Nigel didn't move one inch to that door, and his use of 'we' only just registered in her mind.32Please respect copyright.PENANArwc6if3AQj
32Please respect copyright.PENANAYx54DTG930
"Nigel."32Please respect copyright.PENANAMWpH1koOgt
32Please respect copyright.PENANAzNqlCHC8Tr
"Yes?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAzUL1IUhllr
32Please respect copyright.PENANApaekPy797I
"Leave. I'm fighting this one alone."32Please respect copyright.PENANARCDuAGTCyX
32Please respect copyright.PENANAAwyiQpCYiM
"...You're kidding me, certainly."32Please respect copyright.PENANAceruii4Dn7
32Please respect copyright.PENANABifWJqi3TI
Rover shook her head back and forth.32Please respect copyright.PENANAXaHjGD64to
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfEuqtZqkf5
"Do you honestly think you can take him alone? You saw what he did, didn't you?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAj0xcfGoQ2K
32Please respect copyright.PENANAtTBQhIizc0
"Of course I did. And I know how it works."32Please respect copyright.PENANAeEVrSx63wP
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6bBA5wCC4d
"You fought him before, then?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAE0K4AKlDjZ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAlAgFWD8nDR
Rover quickly nodded. Nigel looked at the man with a constrained face, balling his hands into shaking fists. After an irritated, almost hopeless sigh, he complied. But not before one final word.32Please respect copyright.PENANAtgITls3HMB
32Please respect copyright.PENANA123HZSr7wj
"Aren't you and I a team? Are you absolutely certain?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAnd8feCjXHL
32Please respect copyright.PENANAUgnTF56d4a
Operating on instinct, Rover nodded, but then his opening question computed with her, and her eyes suddenly constricted.32Please respect copyright.PENANAsYgXGerxCJ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAJqlFKMj3ak
"Very well! Don't die on me!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAAvHFVfWkll
32Please respect copyright.PENANAp3WN9lSxit
His opening words caught Rover like a chain. It reminded her of that moron's scolding, forced her to consider her vow– her earnest word that she'd cooperate –and inquired why she didn't abide by them. But Rover answered that inquiry easily.32Please respect copyright.PENANAwrpko16z3s
32Please respect copyright.PENANApiEMIv8Uc3
This man wasn't just a Bringer. She had a history with him. This man was an enemy. A bipedal wretch, barely human, who boiled her blood and furrowed her brows.32Please respect copyright.PENANAnFb6BsfgqP
32Please respect copyright.PENANAkh5byG9g7y
No, now she was certain of it. This monster had to fall to her hands; anyone else would just be a hindrance. So she would take him alone, as she always had.32Please respect copyright.PENANAhmrIOKbP7b
32Please respect copyright.PENANAl6c9JOB4LX
She looked back one last time, making sure that only she and the man were in the room. Nigel was gone, but to her surprise, there was still another member of the crowd there. He drew particular attention. Standing between the exit, not quite leaving it, with clear indecision festering within.32Please respect copyright.PENANAMc1KyjSuDy
32Please respect copyright.PENANAR9xsDh2FaF
"Rover," Kenny suddenly shouted. Her eyes moved to his face, constricted and complicated. She was compelled to call it a scowl, but no scorn was in Kenny's face. Only concern, and disappointment.32Please respect copyright.PENANAyYqlNe18MX
32Please respect copyright.PENANAnUSJpdRKAT
Even without hearing it, Rover knew his words. It suddenly was difficult, to see his face like that. Now, the embodiment of that vow was staring directly into her. Not just at her eyes, no– she felt the observation of her soul.32Please respect copyright.PENANAo2CG58AI67
32Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZNnHDF2Je
"..."32Please respect copyright.PENANAL41lspl7LA
32Please respect copyright.PENANASNklhD1e09
It was suddenly difficult to do anything. And yet, the feelings that burned within her formed too great an inferno to douse. If that boy took two steps further into this room, or even one, she felt like she would lash out. She felt like– she knew she would yell at him not to butt in, to mind his own business, to go fuck himself, and to leave her alone. Words that she had slung candidly before. Words that she knew better than family.32Please respect copyright.PENANATko5VpVzOA
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfD09ercOtz
And so, she communicated with a stern nod, and Kenny's biting mouth chipped his nail.32Please respect copyright.PENANAe42juHcPWL
32Please respect copyright.PENANAPrMlXNNZyS
"Fine. Good luck!"32Please respect copyright.PENANACiy5BYzgFu
32Please respect copyright.PENANALPOQswkpjv
And then, he was off. His bidding of good fortune completely stunned her. However, she quickly recovered–32Please respect copyright.PENANAlOVK24afRo
32Please respect copyright.PENANAH4iUaqFkPo
**THUD**32Please respect copyright.PENANAki1Q7fMUER
32Please respect copyright.PENANAhkaKWzuFN3
"Sharp as always! I'm a fool to think that would work!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAH7bJSart0J
32Please respect copyright.PENANAEvDYtFe53f
There came a sudden strike from her front, but it was one that she blocked. She freed her rapier from the struggle and backed away, brandishing her weapon and sliding a leg back into a stance.32Please respect copyright.PENANAOF33ZhHSkW
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6c19sGSABp
"Are you ready," the man asked, a boorish smirk on his face. She could almost see the swirls in his eyes, the way they lost any reason, seeing only combat and carnage as they always had.32Please respect copyright.PENANA0rSBCnRetv
32Please respect copyright.PENANA5WUATHBC0z
She tried to ignore the uncertain, guilty way her stomach formed a pit.32Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5r6deDPTf
32Please respect copyright.PENANAHG5gOnJpTu
"Come at me, Boris!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAUhT9htZ4P5
32Please respect copyright.PENANAGW0x5yMDyp
–32Please respect copyright.PENANA6fn71dMBAe
32Please respect copyright.PENANAtkzFDe42Jx
–32Please respect copyright.PENANA5uqhoYLypk
32Please respect copyright.PENANA77z8cpmPZA
–32Please respect copyright.PENANAR5aYFbpJiC
32Please respect copyright.PENANAuKNCU007Kc
Right before she charged forth, her stalled thoughts sprung into action.32Please respect copyright.PENANAzawPbBBJp4
32Please respect copyright.PENANArHMQjvGMVv
Rover knew of their volatile unpredictability. But she was always prepared for it. Even on that street, when they made their audacious announcement, Rover hadn't a shocked bone in her body. But to see Boris utterly defied expectations. She wished she had more time, maybe a moment to sharpen the tip of her rapier, to check the grip on her dagger. But it was too late now, and as she took her first step into battle, she lost all leeway to care.32Please respect copyright.PENANAJfIIa3WUT2
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgIklPEhSD6
Boris contested her dash. As he charged forth his smaller stature expanded slightly. He leaped forward, but it wasn't to tackle or to grab. He swung his hips and turned ninety degrees, unbending his legs for a sudden drop kick.32Please respect copyright.PENANAP6jkNQLa5w
32Please respect copyright.PENANAvh0UY9J0c5
Rover blocked it with her hands. His increased size made the blow harder to cope with, but she still only slid a foot back. Now on the ground, Rover seized the opportunity to stab at the man. She thrust once, and her sword was met with the sole of his boot.32Please respect copyright.PENANAChOS9Jj8LR
32Please respect copyright.PENANAUIKuhOqTgh
"Huh!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAJRWWyW6gec
32Please respect copyright.PENANAyuBFHqjCsJ
He spun onto his belly, catching himself with his hands, using her rapier as a borrowed axel. He pushed himself off the ground with enough force that, even with his lack of leverage, he flew as a battering ram toward her. Rover's rapier nearly snapped under the pressure, but she moved it away before its steel blade turned into a wobbly tube. She ducked Boris' charge, but he grabbed onto her rapier, swinging back around and destroying Rover's balance. Rover, however, had only one hand on that Rapier.32Please respect copyright.PENANAyChhu7NZRi
32Please respect copyright.PENANAASaxtl19Vp
"Hah!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAjP9GO9EKcY
32Please respect copyright.PENANAZxKlEtHESQ
She used her other to grab her dagger and stabbed at the man. He took the blow unceremoniously, even growing to lessen it, and she was sure it hurt by the subsequent grunt. He flew off her rapier a solid few meters away, taking Rover's dagger with his body.32Please respect copyright.PENANA7srQuYmdzC
32Please respect copyright.PENANAB7CKqe8dBV
But she didn't let up, because she knew that if she waited any longer–32Please respect copyright.PENANAeha82zGnT2
32Please respect copyright.PENANAghj0I02RTW
"Here!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA1xe7qNVGe0
32Please respect copyright.PENANA7uSJ0WEDjH
Boris dislodged her dagger and he chucked it like a throwing knife. Rover caught it at one of its crossguards, but as she was distracted with doing so, the man performed mana spinning.32Please respect copyright.PENANAqI5wH1817h
32Please respect copyright.PENANArP9thPgCAk
"Good thing that dagger's so thin. Otherwise, this wound wouldn't be so easy to heal."32Please respect copyright.PENANAMYoqjMmWLX
32Please respect copyright.PENANAaOszRkHZz8
"Tch."32Please respect copyright.PENANAlyYqwuYoQW
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6bgCMULf95
Boris returned to his former size. He stroked his chin, tending to his thoughts as he stared down Rover. She afforded him no time and charged forth. She thrust her rapier once, met with a jerk away, and thrust it again. She repeated her thrusts, each of which dodged but less comfortably each subsequent attempt. Rover knew him better, however. She knew that right as she thought she'd get him, he would pull an underhanded trick. So she assumed the eyes of an analyst, narrowing them and gazing at Boris like a hunting cat.32Please respect copyright.PENANA8eHJKJAfcK
32Please respect copyright.PENANA66grHRqLCt
**CLANG**32Please respect copyright.PENANANSHTQvQHPl
32Please respect copyright.PENANAzZPYJmtP8x
And that trick came. Boris caught her thin rapier between his hands, clamping it so fiercely that the metal would snap any moment. But Rover's stance suffered no blow, and poised to strike back, she slung her leg from her side. The blow struck Boris right under the rib, and from his obvious wince, the damage wasn't meaningless.32Please respect copyright.PENANAHEK68oTirk
32Please respect copyright.PENANA8cA3IkNonx
She struck again quickly, sliding her rapier out and using the butt of its hilt like a rock, smacking Boris square in the face. Boris reeled from the blow and took a few steps away, but Rover swung her arm back and straightened her Rapier, honing in for a vicious thrust.32Please respect copyright.PENANA9aj15GM9rl
32Please respect copyright.PENANAqXzHMmq3DT
That thrust, however, had been dodged. And the force Rapier stockpiled only sent her tumbling to the ground. She never landed, though, because a sudden fist to the face replaced her embarrassing fall with a punitive flight. She soared across the room, disoriented, anchoring herself on the floor with her Rapier right before colliding with a wall.32Please respect copyright.PENANAKZPbXsSM4E
32Please respect copyright.PENANArB484bfcHe
As she gathered her bearings, she saw Boris charging forth with a puffed chest. Only, it wasn't puffed, but swollen to inhuman degrees. The image of a bull came to her mind, and for a moment she was paralyzed. But she shook the intimidation off and stepped away, missing a blow that–32Please respect copyright.PENANAcGKpcRvqP9
32Please respect copyright.PENANARoJ9HuF9X7
**SMASH**32Please respect copyright.PENANAMEU9Wmqdv0
32Please respect copyright.PENANABlaEg56tJx
–shook the room as it ruined the wall.32Please respect copyright.PENANAXFxaFu0rQF
32Please respect copyright.PENANAImRkQTuAfE
"Ack. Shit!"32Please respect copyright.PENANASxfUzPwmex
32Please respect copyright.PENANAh2Wycir4Mk
Rover realized his reckless gesture was an attempt at an early victory, but she was too energized to fall prey to it, and now Boris was only more hurt.32Please respect copyright.PENANAOPYpJR0IU6
32Please respect copyright.PENANAKEy9XZPlxn
"These tactics don't work how they used to. You've grown. Haha, you've truly grown!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAdqLcyP1JzO
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6bKWumaKQR
Boris deflated his comical size, returning to a more reasonable stature.32Please respect copyright.PENANAuVqKZg57km
32Please respect copyright.PENANAy1jRS1U4qd
"But not enough."32Please respect copyright.PENANAfUQraWuyeY
32Please respect copyright.PENANAQi6rzoungx
"--!"32Please respect copyright.PENANACkBAVSZJIo
32Please respect copyright.PENANABc6UTALiwD
Those words, unlike anything prior, brewed steam within her head.32Please respect copyright.PENANAIQlGW4cSMh
32Please respect copyright.PENANAuFP6jzP1iV
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm kicking your ass!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAd9hsYnJb1u
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6Vz77r9ZFp
He wiped some dirt off his shoulder.32Please respect copyright.PENANAdZsk4Bdhzk
32Please respect copyright.PENANAA77ra7X6Qx
"Your intellect hasn't improved one bit, has it? Can't you tell I'm still toying with you?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAclLr1Zu2vY
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgkO4K7Idch
Her jittering mouth couldn't open to respond. So badly did she want to deny it, to call him out for being coy. But to do so, would just be to lie.32Please respect copyright.PENANAwVSpY5rBYI
32Please respect copyright.PENANAWJbzGuuCMJ
"I remember when you and I first met. Back in those ivory fields, when I offered you a home, you scowled at me and called me scum. That a bringer like me ought "32Please respect copyright.PENANAGC1yjRg2B0
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmGEilVuGYO
"...So what? What are you getting at, shitface?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAEwZiRX8Jlx
32Please respect copyright.PENANAtZLxHbfp6j
He smirked. He placed his hands behind his shoulders, closing his eyes. Rover didn't understand what he was doing, and that worried her. That worried her deeply because she thought she knew every trick this monster could pull. She thought she knew every ace up his sleeve, every nook and cranny of his capacity.32Please respect copyright.PENANAM83jysV0aR
32Please respect copyright.PENANAvMK9SrFbum
But, as she was proven yet again, keeping expectations like that was for fools.32Please respect copyright.PENANA6GgqZgbd37
32Please respect copyright.PENANAir6GFXTmIO
From the back of his shoulders, cylindrical masses of earth formed, taking shapes and morphing as his hands moved outward. His arms stopped just above his chest, and as he lowered his arms, Rover's eyes blew open, her clenched throat vomiting a gasp.32Please respect copyright.PENANAN1WU6uUYpo
32Please respect copyright.PENANABhNECusu8O
"You talked so much of this goal of yours. Of how you'd beat me. Of how you'd prove yourself to me and all of my colleagues."32Please respect copyright.PENANAPjU8xMRrmr
32Please respect copyright.PENANAypYqc5NpYr
From the back of his shoulders, a new pair of arms found home, and they pointed their fingers with snappy girth.32Please respect copyright.PENANAd18TlZ5lfh
32Please respect copyright.PENANAo1uZv44cvk
"Hahaha! Come! Show me that this time, you'll do just that"32Please respect copyright.PENANA1cU4ufTCsl
32Please respect copyright.PENANADBYEJn6JxU
"--Fine!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA9s51a2iDrO
32Please respect copyright.PENANA5FTeDmRyX2
Though the doubling of his limbs was obviously intimidating, Rover tried not to be dissuaded by his appearance. She charged forth, dagger now firmly in hand. After all, if she fought the new Boris with a stale arsenal, she'd be crushed.32Please respect copyright.PENANAsUV9b8MIRv
32Please respect copyright.PENANAI2sGBJ6NIG
She began with a thrust, and immediately it was caught by one of Boris' earthly arms, not budging an inch. He bent his legs and threw a regular punch at Rover, one she avoided with a backstep. Her rapier was now confiscated, and she watched Boris raise it with his earthen arms.32Please respect copyright.PENANAjkZbwnOAdp
32Please respect copyright.PENANAAEoZPb636N
Something inside urged her to scream in defiance. To yell at that man not to do it, but she pushed that unburied temptation down with a commanding glare. Gazing at Boris as he snapped the rapier like a twig.32Please respect copyright.PENANATidTDY0dp8
32Please respect copyright.PENANA2EFvOG6e72
"Well," he asked, "what now?" He threw the split rapier to the side and taunted Rover, daring her to come closer. Rover didn't fall for the taunt, because what she had was not rage– at least, not at the man before her.32Please respect copyright.PENANAuuPCNugG6b
32Please respect copyright.PENANAhCkWAfhjVG
Rather, her shaking fists were directed at herself. She raised the dagger and looked at it. Despite its needle-like blade, the curved cross-guards made it a poor tool for thrusting. This was her only weapon. This and her fists, anyway, but if her past had taught her anything, it was that fists were a futile tool against him.32Please respect copyright.PENANAyWX37PqHp8
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfLcwil0QPp
"Completely still. But, of course, you lost your only way to kill me. Will you give up?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAUz8CT8rlUq
32Please respect copyright.PENANAcVxzmCEeKO
"...You're counting me out already. It's pissing me off!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA8brNjczm8f
32Please respect copyright.PENANAa6UKVo1Tvp
Yes, her remaining weapon was better suited to defense. Yes, she was physically weaker than Boris. But if her kit made it so that she lived and died by the presence of her rapier, she would've gone all those years traveling King's Peak for nothing.32Please respect copyright.PENANABUouwEJW1A
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgAnXdesBSQ
"You've learned nothing, you overgrown oaf!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA4ZZ0mbIvq7
32Please respect copyright.PENANA57acaEwosF
Her free hand latched onto the strap around her waist, turning it and revealing the satchel that had gone unnoticed by Boris. Unzipping it and reaching for its contents, Rover pulled out an item that made his eyes widen. A thin, elongated, but sturdy vial, one that fits comfortably into Rover's palm.32Please respect copyright.PENANAEPAj4l0v54
32Please respect copyright.PENANAOA1qYK0rxx
"...I see. Hahaha, I see! And what kind of exotic mana does that hold?"32Please respect copyright.PENANA85exxrpmJs
32Please respect copyright.PENANAyRMKnzFgue
"Come and find out!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAjcgS7mQait
32Please respect copyright.PENANA4YXN2llyyk
And for the first time in the battle, Boris broke the neutral state, dashing at Rover with arms blazing. A result that came at the worst time possible. Because, although Rover revealed her condition for victory, not a single thought of how to use it came to her mind. And thus, she panicked.32Please respect copyright.PENANAMeMTlXQooE
32Please respect copyright.PENANAxfO2hHIgmK
Fortunately, she was always a better runner than Boris.32Please respect copyright.PENANA0Oa111BhH3
32Please respect copyright.PENANACos5PCOmWm
"Get back here! Come on you coward!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAgDV6ON7svl
32Please respect copyright.PENANAvmn6mpjHUB
Rover dismissed those venomous words. Or at the very least, she tried to, but its potent bite was felt throughout her body like the mountains of sweat her brow was producing. She had no idea what to do. For a moment she doubted that she remembered what the vial even contained. But one look at it, at its orange hue that signified distinct divergence, assured Rover that much.32Please respect copyright.PENANA2YiwyuX2HM
32Please respect copyright.PENANAL3nOMeGcdC
And then, the answer came to her. The wave of panic crashed with the gentle grace of summer water. She stuck the dense vial in her mouth and turned around.32Please respect copyright.PENANA1UFEgBo0fS
32Please respect copyright.PENANA374R7FQq7y
"Finally!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAyGvL0yyJ6Q
32Please respect copyright.PENANA16uV881Rin
Boris threw his earthen arms directly at her, which Rover dodged. In a bent position, Boris brought both his arms up to uppercut. Rover blocked one fist with her palm and stabbed through the other.32Please respect copyright.PENANAcFw6I3548v
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgQb8fwUU8a
"--Ack! Shit!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAbKSTJ68bO2
32Please respect copyright.PENANA3WqY9HtA6J
The parrying dagger slid smooth like silk out of the wound. Rover dashed back immediately, anticipating some kind of reaction.32Please respect copyright.PENANA5aSCQGxjIS
32Please respect copyright.PENANAuJxSs4ygWF
"...My fingers are broken. Just what is that dagger made of?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAZBrbwn5FSr
32Please respect copyright.PENANA8IMY5OTicC
And then a profound smile found itself on her face. He backed away to perform mana spinning potent enough only to close his wound. Those broken fingers were just what she needed.32Please respect copyright.PENANAKFK2iStJPi
32Please respect copyright.PENANACx690EAX7L
She performed a swift dash, closing the gap between Boris and her. He immediately put his earthen arms up as a guard, disjointed just enough from his body to make an attack impossible. Rover thought this sudden focus on defense as suspicious, even as the mana spinning on his hand gave her a reason, so she dared not approach without caution. After all, with how volatile his size changes were, he could–32Please respect copyright.PENANAkYk4oPHGpy
32Please respect copyright.PENANAoAgg1My6Id
"...!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAuhaamB8w6J
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfzLpaTCr5r
Her past experience came to the forefront of her mind, and now she observed her reality with a perplexed perspective. He barely altered his size throughout this fight. He stopped only when–32Please respect copyright.PENANAxYeOJZxabp
32Please respect copyright.PENANAsvNJdQx0tu
"Ah-ha!"32Please respect copyright.PENANARCtvWmIlG8
32Please respect copyright.PENANAR40Te2CloD
Though her profession of understanding was muffled by the glass between her teeth, it made the rise of her confidence no less explosive. She seemingly threw all caution to the wind, charging forth directly into his earthen arms. Boris dashed away, keeping Rover at a distance, but to no avail. Her speedy struts caught up to his back peddling quickly, and instead of attacking, Rover grabbed the earthen hands.32Please respect copyright.PENANAhj07XWElI5
32Please respect copyright.PENANAA1Ph8yovV4
The gesture alone confused Boris for a moment, just enough to stun him for what happened next.32Please respect copyright.PENANAJyQJs3ANqa
32Please respect copyright.PENANAo2sBbP7zyg
**THUD**32Please respect copyright.PENANA5fMIDfHgnA
32Please respect copyright.PENANAqFTkK9IyOY
"Urk!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA4pdF2FHaLc
32Please respect copyright.PENANAa39E9lSo7g
Using those arms like a swing, she propelled her feet into Boris' gut. But she didn't stop there. Because there was no better opportunity to do this than now. She pulled the glass right out of her mouth and popped the lid open, throwing it at Boris as she fell to the floor and rolled away.32Please respect copyright.PENANAkReOvBLxaA
32Please respect copyright.PENANApNFlNmKLDk
Now at a distance, Rover observed the magic. But no magic came.32Please respect copyright.PENANAUP3uNtlInR
32Please respect copyright.PENANAiLShRrLuNM
"Huh?"32Please respect copyright.PENANANdLesSwYWt
32Please respect copyright.PENANAzVkFQDfUBU
There was a fluttering cloud of orange dust before Boris, permeating through the room like any ordinary gas would.32Please respect copyright.PENANAVGv5A6OTrb
32Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6qPJKXJX9
"Haha! What was I afraid of!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAPdwYyySwg8
32Please respect copyright.PENANAxt4vjGXsUh
Boris broke into a bellowing laughter. He held his gut not only to soothe the pain but to hold back his chuckles. Rover knew he would've pointed at her had one of his arms not suffered damage, and though that made her bitter, she kept herself composed for the moment.32Please respect copyright.PENANAele5iChrob
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6nkK3aSZoi
Boris quit his laughter, wiping a few tears out of his eyes. The orange cloud permeated slowly, so it still was rather thick, but that didn't dissuade Boris from sticking his head in and smelling it like morning air.32Please respect copyright.PENANA8TznnsKQMZ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmHwF0snoQU
"What's this? Doesn't smell like anything. You crack me up. At least you put on a good show!"32Please respect copyright.PENANA8R0MuT0BCJ
32Please respect copyright.PENANA7G9QwrTnw3
Boris threw his arms wide.32Please respect copyright.PENANApTKBYAh5Ea
32Please respect copyright.PENANAwkRjZrwDqJ
"But I like fights more than performances. I'll do both of us a favor and end this–"32Please respect copyright.PENANAn1mgU8qTq9
32Please respect copyright.PENANA8ReMVoNJNc
In a flash, as he spoke, as the spit flew out of his face, and as the lids of his eyes closed to blink, he raised his leg one step forward. With that leg, his body followed right after, crashing into the dust of orange, spreading it just far enough that it contacted the earthen arms.32Please respect copyright.PENANAaNXHgVu40c
32Please respect copyright.PENANAxpLnWbEyqG
And then the magic happened.32Please respect copyright.PENANAWl2kVBr34D
32Please respect copyright.PENANAEAPoRs1K6F
**BOOM**32Please respect copyright.PENANAd5AyVZgfvY
32Please respect copyright.PENANAJU2wXquRY9
That cloud of dust erupted with volcanic ferocity, an explosion so small, yet so extreme that Rover struggled to keep her footing. A great cloud of smoke took the place of Boris' body, and Rover looked on with the slimiest grin she had ever worn.32Please respect copyright.PENANAcY93kUm8zZ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfUobOxrkm8
"Heh. And I even figured out your actual size."32Please respect copyright.PENANAsmkjqTj2iL
32Please respect copyright.PENANAW1etRvSsHy
She stood up and wiped whatever junk found itself on her shoulder. She approached the site of the explosion, and just like in her memories, it was near heatless. She didn't get too close, however. Just close enough to see Boris' crisps, when that cloud of dust would eventually fade.
32Please respect copyright.PENANASFKZbUWdjk
"Hmmm? This is taking a while–"32Please respect copyright.PENANAd2NOgcPVAV
32Please respect copyright.PENANAetMBSKnyZd
And indeed, that cloud of dust faded. It faded rather fast. But then Rover realized it wasn't that the dust faded. Rather, something had stolen its spot.32Please respect copyright.PENANAb4WH9y7iM4
32Please respect copyright.PENANARekvWYYDpI
The arm of a titan, reaching out for her, with its open palm like a claw. Rover's instincts forced her body to dash away. Then she stood and watched. Watched as a hulking mass exited the site of the explosion.32Please respect copyright.PENANAOCm12zwm63
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmA77x2tXxD
Then, it shrunk.32Please respect copyright.PENANAAXSnhzQUoZ
32Please respect copyright.PENANALAkSiXUhtu
"Oh ho ho, you marvelous beast."32Please respect copyright.PENANArii6GeuxPO
32Please respect copyright.PENANAdNHsIt2o5V
Boris' robes were gone. Cinders, undeniably. Then was the leather armor Rover knew he always wore. That was gone too. The only article of clothing that remained were his pants, and even they were hardly intact. He was covered in burns blistered the likes of which she'd never seen, and his earthen arms were now missing. By all strings of reasoning, Rover should've dashed in and dealt the final blow. But she couldn't.32Please respect copyright.PENANAYCrDf9IPGs
32Please respect copyright.PENANA4eH8O80dIS
Come to think of it, it was the first time she'd seen a part of his body aside from his face. And now she felt as if she just discovered a new man. Because all around Boris' torso was a carpet of gaping, sporadic holes.32Please respect copyright.PENANAG3289pVoBn
32Please respect copyright.PENANAVQOKrtcztm
"I can see it in your face. Your disgust. But I know that there's awe in those eyes. How couldn't there be?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAMhsA5sjPj7
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmagbhfWZ4O
Rover snapped out of her trance and brandished her dagger.32Please respect copyright.PENANA0aPw1kus28
32Please respect copyright.PENANAv9D9OE7wst
"What you're seeing is my Endowment. Many have called it a curse, but I'm not so ungrateful to insult it like that."32Please respect copyright.PENANA1tMOlGgfj2
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgGXMmMHmSa
Boris raised his unbroken arm. He began mana spinning, forming a brick of earth in his hand. And then, from the large hole centered at his navel, the very same brick spewed out and plummeted to the ground.32Please respect copyright.PENANAzwOZFP16wS
32Please respect copyright.PENANACkfrUKOn6M
And then, a few seconds later, another brick spat out a different hole.32Please respect copyright.PENANAc0NBOCoqJE
32Please respect copyright.PENANAo6ygtZ2K9A
"Those arms I formed made for a dandy shield, wouldn't you say? Though of course, you hit me in the last place it spawned. Lucky you."32Please respect copyright.PENANAfwabbF0UlE
32Please respect copyright.PENANAKqG1LwoYvr
Another brick spewed out. It came from his shoulder.32Please respect copyright.PENANAmYhv8AUdlH
32Please respect copyright.PENANA05vM8uazeY
"Well, you've certainly made a mess of my face. But I don't need good looks anyway."32Please respect copyright.PENANA1l3FdUd3x3
32Please respect copyright.PENANAYHyGnpz2D9
He dropped the brick in his hand right as another spewed out. He wound his arm, as if to stretch it, then gazed at Rover with the eyes of a monster.32Please respect copyright.PENANAIUCa7GNU81
32Please respect copyright.PENANA0j87zlRF4l
"You're not done fighting, are you? Come on."32Please respect copyright.PENANA2XywQCMKTn
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgsmy4IuTvW
"...Freak."32Please respect copyright.PENANA74GBE2HQLu
32Please respect copyright.PENANA9yVty13Y7g
"Oh yeah. You loved calling me that before, didn't you?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAjHeNNegwoD
32Please respect copyright.PENANAe2FN1hasNt
"And just look at how right I was."32Please respect copyright.PENANAa3FSGFM9Om
32Please respect copyright.PENANAUt3XXZbxKs
A hearty chuckle came from him.32Please respect copyright.PENANAJoLdyJSF1K
32Please respect copyright.PENANARsrLspqwlE
"Well, that won't do you any good."32Please respect copyright.PENANA9rUWf7d05Z
32Please respect copyright.PENANAF2FLPnLWe5
Boris entered a stance, taunting Rover yet again.32Please respect copyright.PENANAxdYZj2D7Fp
32Please respect copyright.PENANAAYzMmIERy5
"Come on. My legs are scorched. Your marvelous plan gave you this opportunity."32Please respect copyright.PENANAsW6jVer01f
32Please respect copyright.PENANAqg9tyfHORE
She put one leg forward.32Please respect copyright.PENANA14DHM6panp
32Please respect copyright.PENANAnHVQXU5DHO
"You've got brains since the last time we met. At least, more than I expected. You used them well. You're still worth keeping around."32Please respect copyright.PENANAxAbrAnAm8k
32Please respect copyright.PENANApVD6zIOeiD
Then another. Boris' grin grew wider.32Please respect copyright.PENANAlBf9aJNwhF
32Please respect copyright.PENANA06xrbhAcPI
"A helpless dog like you shouldn't loiter around! Come on, Rover! Don't you have something to prove!?"32Please respect copyright.PENANA5RTaBeUFI3
32Please respect copyright.PENANAh4qzfnhnjd
And even through his manic glare, Rover sprinted. She sprinted with energy to finish, the will to see that monster put down.32Please respect copyright.PENANAUZmzKFvCR7
32Please respect copyright.PENANA2pnLOVzPEe
–
–
–32Please respect copyright.PENANA590CZ0aEOe
32Please respect copyright.PENANASaApPoMnLL
–From an onlooker's perspective, Rover could see why she'd get concerned stares. Even though her body locomoted tactfully in the fight, the windows to her mind made contorted, bemused shapes. And the removal of her dagger compounded that contortion.32Please respect copyright.PENANAwtfRrwlCiW
32Please respect copyright.PENANAbV6l9CAQkW
She threw a fist forward. It was slapped away by Boris, and he attempted a counterattack. Rover tucked her head just in time, and with the tiny space between her skull and his arm, she jumped. Boris avoided a dislocation, but Rover kept the assault with a kick from the side. It was blocked by his other hand. She slipped away just before it got caught, and using her right leg like an anchor, delivered a flurry of kicks at Boris, who went to block them.32Please respect copyright.PENANAALXH9gUXv3
32Please respect copyright.PENANAtNmBMBSlJc
–Rover's kicks were laced. Whether it hampered or bolstered them wasn't something she knew or cared about. At some point, she forgot all about the process of kicking, her mind wandering to holes in her gut. The oozing pastries behind the glass, unable to snatch that gilded stash.
Boris quit his consecutive parries, realizing that such a task was a fool's game. He backed away, which took a moment to compute with Rover, and Boris used that moment to charge in and deliver a quick blow. Rover fortunately blocked it, and as she didn't slide across the room, she had ample leverage to pull a maneuver. She spread her arms and wrapped them around Boris, turning around and putting it over her shoulder. Boris was bigger than her, but that mattered little with her strength. She threw him onto the ground, and his back's unceremonious clash with the floor made its effects apparent on his face. However, Boris pointed his vacant hand at her and out came a burst of wind. Rover didn't have the reflexes to dodge at such a short range and went flying across the room.32Please respect copyright.PENANAfkBqYHBVzo
32Please respect copyright.PENANAa7mKZkJvLH
–Those morphing cakes reeked of red. Its verdant smell commanded her to smash the glass, but she was smarter than that. She knew that if she broke the shield, she'd lose on the spot. And that couldn't happen. Her blood boiled to steam. Her teeth ground themselves to powder. It was inevitable, seeing as that's how it always went.32Please respect copyright.PENANACGEGpV9PQQ
32Please respect copyright.PENANA9SBlqHizmN
Boris jumped up from the floor right as Rover landed on it. She struggled to get back on her feet, as the blow from his spell sent her head into a frenzy, but she made do with her wobbly knees. Boris charged forth and tackled with his shoulder. Rover tried to block it, and though she avoided any serious damage, she was swept off her feet yet again. Boris followed with a kick, but right as his foot was about to connect, another gust of wind blew from his chest. It saved Rover from a painful blow and sent Boris soaring away, but the edges of the gust still connected, and she was back on the floor.32Please respect copyright.PENANAzJYqKZLygt
32Please respect copyright.PENANAmU1DZQQNcD
–When things get at arm's length, they become untouchable. But the obstacle isn't always a protective pane of glass. Sometimes it's a shelf, one just high enough so it's out of your reach. Rover jumped for years, but every time her legs grew stronger, or her arms grew longer, the shelf grew with her, but always a little more. Eventually, her fiddling fingertips couldn't even brush it.32Please respect copyright.PENANALWFuOv0IIu
32Please respect copyright.PENANA6qLTSYyvXb
Rover fought yet again to get her feet to the ground. She wiped her mouth with her arm and spat out blood-infused spit. She must've cut her inner cheek.32Please respect copyright.PENANAzlpy0Vn9y8
32Please respect copyright.PENANAxWr3tEZwCo
Boris was far away from her, but charing with full awareness. His pace slugged from before, it was clear to Rover that the explosion still affected him. She used that thought to muster her remaining strength and met Boris' charge head-on. The two entered a series of throwing and avoiding fists, and Rover's superior speed gave her an edge. She landed blows square in the chest, and as she hit his pores, they immediately constricted. Rover cared little as to what that meant and kept bashing, but then Boris landed a fist into her cheek. She rolled with the hit as well as she could before rounding back with her strongest punch yet. It landed right into Boris' palm. He twirled his arm, a clear attempt to break Rover's own, but she had experience with such tricks. She put her free hand onto Boris' and jumped, countering his rotation with her own, and kicking him in the head. But Boris didn't release his grasp, and instead threw Rover up and punted her gut.
–There was almost no doubt in her mind of what would happen. It was inevitable, in spite of her struggle. She was going to lose. Would she die? She knew Boris well enough, and so she knew she wouldn't. But to her, no future existed beyond the time of her loss. No prospects are had at the precipice of failure. It was like the blackness of recollecting one's memory as a fetus. But if these rotten thoughts were all that were within her, then maybe she could've squeezed out a tie.
Rover fell to the ground, wheezing and panting, remnants of her stomach escaping from her mouth. She expected an immediate attack and braced herself, but such an attack never came–
**THUD**32Please respect copyright.PENANAZTZbVC5eiv
32Please respect copyright.PENANAOim5buB5FS
Rover ate a kick to the face. She rolled across the ground but stopped herself quickly. Her right eye was covered in red, but she could see Boris even through a blizzard. He stomped to her, but Rover didn't move. She reached into the sheath and grabbed the hilt of her dagger, and right as Boris was in range to attack, she threw the weapon at her.32Please respect copyright.PENANA4nmwCW87Tt
32Please respect copyright.PENANAGUq5jIRtEo
–There were chains around her arms, doubts in and out of hiding, pouncing and making escapes with military expertise. There was guilt in her limbs, the ones she used to seal the oath she carelessly shattered. There was anger in her stomach, the one that was always there, residing like a parasite but pulsing now as if it was bound to burst. There was sorrow in her heart, the one she used to fuel words about things she just didn't understand. The one she used to hope. But one affliction was chief among them all.32Please respect copyright.PENANAq4eb70s7tl
32Please respect copyright.PENANAA51kWuF4nG
Boris was caught off guard, but not as much as Rover hoped. He just raised one of his arms and let the dagger pierce right through. Boris' screaming was nearly musical to her. Blood leaked from the edges; it was clear the dagger was like a clog. But even so, Boris pulled the dagger out of his arm and sealed the blood-spewing hole with his fingers, performing mana spinning.32Please respect copyright.PENANAzUSs0dJxaO
32Please respect copyright.PENANAuT0ABnDckW
"You have gotten smarter. Or maybe I've just gotten dumber."32Please respect copyright.PENANAEEHJwiEnzQ
32Please respect copyright.PENANABUYAtUkhVr
Rover tried to get up and attack. After all, he was right in front of her, making himself vulnerable. She tried, and she was able to get her upper body off the floor, but Boris kept her down with another kick to the chin. Any strength to rise departed, and all Rover could do was watch as Boris approached.32Please respect copyright.PENANAnJtcTsTCtQ
32Please respect copyright.PENANAakuLN1aE5o
"What a shame. For you, of course. This is the closest you've ever gotten, but you didn't have that extra push."32Please respect copyright.PENANAks0MD6xTxb
32Please respect copyright.PENANAZUdBybUPVn
Rover balled his hands into a fist, scowling at Boris with daggers for eyes.32Please respect copyright.PENANA0gaWAuNjH0
32Please respect copyright.PENANAbpOSKVlNgS
"Relax, now. Twisting your face won't kill me. Might as well save the energy."32Please respect copyright.PENANAZg9MvZ8LXD
32Please respect copyright.PENANACWJw6ycL1M
"You... ass."32Please respect copyright.PENANAAeLZPKbFrB
32Please respect copyright.PENANAgqAwBBNY8u
Boris stopped before her legs, staring at them while pinching his chin. Rover couldn't begin to imagine what was going on in his head. But she kept on scowling, even hissing at him as if the action would deter him at all.32Please respect copyright.PENANANrk2454VMA
32Please respect copyright.PENANAefUpfj5Mq5
"You're not crawling away?"32Please respect copyright.PENANA7POUcnLpeg
32Please respect copyright.PENANAhDRWU67Kjl
"...I'm not a damn worm."32Please respect copyright.PENANANH5gNOqXhx
32Please respect copyright.PENANA0MYRjzEMTh
"Right. You never were the type to do that. But your insults are missing. Well, not that it matters."32Please respect copyright.PENANAcjAMq4jBA1
32Please respect copyright.PENANA3x4vG4DU9o
Boris crouched down and gazed at her legs. A shiver crawled up Rover's spine, one that left tingling dread in its wake.32Please respect copyright.PENANAn8ya9xRymo
32Please respect copyright.PENANA9HONXMK1BG
"I'm spent, but I can't let you run around either. So how about I do, this?"32Please respect copyright.PENANAddf3fJCSHB
32Please respect copyright.PENANAS9dHVHZ7mp
He grabbed her left leg by the ankle, and as he did so, he began mana expulsion. He formed a great club of earth in his hand and walked over to her hip. Immediately, Rover knew what was going to happen. She moved her arm in an attempt to slap it away, but her hands couldn't reach him.32Please respect copyright.PENANAx4KwMi9O5d
32Please respect copyright.PENANAKMCVWYrbS4
But, she still tried. As Boris raised the club above his head, the corners of her eyes were taken by darkness. More and more area, subjugated by black until only the very center of her pupils had the ability to look. They stared at the club, as it stood motionless above his head, and she knew any second it would come down, and she knew any second she would be made a fool.32Please respect copyright.PENANAMe1U9w66zg
32Please respect copyright.PENANAxgLsikszEb
And she couldn't do a thing.32Please respect copyright.PENANAJR8l5ROBaH
32Please respect copyright.PENANAU0vSKnG8Ii
–Frustration. It was her frustration. The object of her long-lived hatred, its ambassador stood right there. But she was being beaten down like a dog. An injured mutt who had to limp on all but one of its legs, even unable to beg. At the edge of achieving her dream, her ultimate goal, she was forced to watch it slip further and further away. And then she realized, she couldn't destroy Hard-Bringer. And then she realized, she couldn't even scratch it. And then she realized, she'd have to wait again, and then train again, and then search again, and then despair again. And as the final blow of the battle came, only two words sprung from her mind:32Please respect copyright.PENANA1Un3BPJfJ0
32Please respect copyright.PENANABN7Fwvkerd
Sorry, mom–32Please respect copyright.PENANArSwC2NmQhJ
32Please respect copyright.PENANA4CtEShWpWs
**CRACK**32Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZbtrJ9OAn
32Please respect copyright.PENANATKn5ISFFL9
"AG– AAAAAAAAAAHCK!"32Please respect copyright.PENANAADlhyNE0rT
32Please respect copyright.PENANAC0kRGHZ1jI
Her nearly six years of combat experience couldn't have prepared her for this.32Please respect copyright.PENANAUftb704bWu
32Please respect copyright.PENANAjPfBq82zLP
"And there goes your leg."32Please respect copyright.PENANAJiJdTFkxp7
32Please respect copyright.PENANA168oTP9pGS
She knew of no word to describe the sensation. Seething, writhing, pounding, shocking,
burning, aching, twitching, pulsing, churning– nothing came to her mind to describe it. The shattering of her femur, shooting fragments of bone like shrapnel to the lining of her skin, but not enough to pierce it. As if dozens of bugs drilled through her flesh, as if an entire home landed on her leg– that's what it was like.32Please respect copyright.PENANA6S1EQGcyRe
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"It's funny. If it hadn't only been you, I'd probably be dead."32Please respect copyright.PENANAJzNhRO3Gpv
32Please respect copyright.PENANAGUjQaHbyCP
She couldn't even move to clutch her leg, to soothe it in any way. The most she could do was groan and yell and grit her teeth, but none of that was possible at once, and when her focus got captivated by his words the way it did, the pain exponentiated.
"Dogs like you– they like to hunt alone. But the moment they face something threatening, they bite just short of drawing blood. Maybe then, you're a defective wolf."32Please respect copyright.PENANAmPrchX4qhb
32Please respect copyright.PENANArCPfQ5csmU
Boris uncrouched and stepped away as a club of earth spat from a pore. He was clearly haggard, limping as he walked away, hardly able to move one leg before the other. That was the only consolidation Rover was afforded; a tiny solace within the sea of agony.32Please respect copyright.PENANAxflyBnww3m
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But those words of his stole it away.32Please respect copyright.PENANAgKlH7G1xd2
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"Raw strength wins yet again. You got close, but I am still undefeated. Until we meet again, Rover."32Please respect copyright.PENANALEiL3o9Naj
32Please respect copyright.PENANAfM3fBQDGn0
Boris continued limping away until he reached the wall. Then, reeling his fist back, he smashed the glass panes open. He looked down and whistled before turning around and looking at Rover.32Please respect copyright.PENANADSQ9JqdzEv
32Please respect copyright.PENANA1opk6iQyVn
She wanted to scream, but all the efforts of her throat and lungs were channeled to ease her suffering. And oh, how she hated it. How she hated the grin of his face, an arrangement of his teeth and mouth designed for eating feces. He waved her goodbye and jumped off while cackling like a witch.32Please respect copyright.PENANADBcYYBJCLG
32Please respect copyright.PENANAXjO4EBIAx1
No strength to draw, no will to push. All Rover could do was lay there and cope, lamenting her loss and that wretched monster's words.