“...”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNnHook157
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0pczkHqpy
“...”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4O8rJetmz
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IwUCH9EON
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW58quFr2q7
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFUFrSW2vA
But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRL7DQgBmZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRglv4mHod
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5lnjXX2Ey
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFB12zRbhS
“I have a feeling–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczPaWWIgXt
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB5GjMAODW
“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyDThUKhrh
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWwFWOA4cB
I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdTSlCRbye
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjz8fSqwfy
“Do you also have that feeling?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsTx9yFho5
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbivO3jkK7j
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eBIZE96EW
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBPmZPNXoH
“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDQ4yvoLD7
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgt7FRfG9g
His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVZx3ddOHP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MWdIUi8zP
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0ONjBCGrD
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHi2lgKUHU
“Y-You!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTrxbJxXBYl
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyOsu0ePjR
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaw9s9tYLzI
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaGAj6wFiz
“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSebfMP8Xc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjylIqNNy6
“A-Alright!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTbqmqnRFh
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDDdcxYBaa
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VFVGktuxc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDXwmj3CT1
“Hey! Juke, what are–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPothYJjRDx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjuQDclmCo
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KUWyIUH5h
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yHiZOAIEd
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsqorPwB7E
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUJd6W7iSR
“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQosIR2EXEd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKBlnSMpEN
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJZcW3wmj5
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJMiQxMio3
“He’s alive!?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNynURBHJv
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3Y4uhE9dy
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59BKz3J3jY
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WuJHu6VRg
“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBA88xLd7aj
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxqqtAN7Qj
“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlL7Gauvq8
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1st2QSiiS8
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtfkgMcq5b
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kgKPeHPOe
And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l32IKVcKS
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJF0GP2aLPX
“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvSsKC4li7
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WKCDmwNFF
“...Well, not exactly.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZC2K0xCkc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlInDD7Dd6M
I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKgIl9fxHw
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxWCTvYYwM
“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.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAAc8b5qFN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL8rjyjpba
“Tell me, won’t ya?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnT5RgQQKZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWW4vltyaZ
“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFSAFX9kdy
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCDZXmo9AW
“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpewkW8xlva
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxylyuVBSh0
“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCj9Usy6Vb
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQTgsTpweS
“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tkjoqmizx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3ZDaVjluF
I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb0RlgLlou
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAsGsgqt6I
“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!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKEGgs5h4D
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVohNvbopv7
He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRzPOelpPo
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43E6YzaPB3
“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpfaDsPqxm
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PUq7gOLSW
The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDYf9Y5sOX
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFIrhR7yMu
“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxo3EWffLL
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxx4EL0okCJ
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtoIpN5WDb
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpfBGgVSVm
“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0v4Bqt5ad
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MWlxlugaf
He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4TkabsYQK
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDs2ILtaIo
“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuYgERaNpB
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68rLsPyCe8
And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHjV3uWTfZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSGCMFRtGr
–
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2F59fvytu
–
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiniHh4XWXI
–475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gyIlUUGCX
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujocg4DUhs
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKbX5QTqPN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8oPxzfR5D
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGMDVJEsKO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFLmhXMU7x
Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5mq9Sjadt
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77Lhpwuqb3
“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzcbEK00kC
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqxWvTpr8w0
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekt0BCIuUd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOEC73ZHnm
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6iEubOvlf
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFuHQLOwfV
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.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi69iSDHJCV
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.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsRlD9joRP
**CLANG**
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uqZ6ehC3w
"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnos2GlZGg
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.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzze2mRgtRb
"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC7TiIgdgW
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.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKWp97NSrH
"I can just chip away."
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8clnBrqjV
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.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6kqmf17he
My body reacted immediately.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qNjV4ktgC
"Urg--Glurrgh!"
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9ugjJcQ9N
The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeaxJ2he9e
"Kid! Ah, shit!"
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEtn6ptr5b
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?
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ1Qnni35S
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–
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDusDwP6V8
"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QkkM1UeIW
"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZ0pes5bit
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMSWQPwan0
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0nf1b0aAj
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVNlM0uUwQ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoZ8QjOIyJ
“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH7dUx5Gro
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSg3ojgPQh
After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjaarDkP8y
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64qZvKM0Rm
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDXeOwtMSW
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HPaz1xpC4
He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfq6ADd4rIi
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdk2fqXAllD
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR3PCZcxY3
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxZpS65Hdd
And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzALfq5HnnH
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tbFUhvLYM
“Crap!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EcXyW36Em
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsvi77GdsC
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–475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIO3QdhxL0
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspws4l9AI5
**CRUNCH**475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOA4fE49Bv
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTI1SCLl5mt
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpP4zB6loX
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0J9MLwTL5
Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwJw6IR1mP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVx6KOJVMOQ
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRbQw9e98b
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHRBCEQ9tr
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–475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8u8HY3iCgD
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EL3smQBKC
“Child! Child, please!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAXghau9Yl
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HdSlgrUiO
“W-What!?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvq7OeyfB1z
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MwuScaaYy
My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5ZwnDAQdx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzCQMYinIc
“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeWJJlr6xi
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCCuWtYaVd
“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJ58fTxzl6
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKKc1z8GaG
“...”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs5FYcbh3X
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nKHluQTLr
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDO8hWghrY5
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9Vw8oRNkC
With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ibxi8duQO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHJHPFevvr
“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCWADAPM4H
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49OQXqFp37
“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDDBMP0iMO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2EQzLawVF
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–475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFruT4iL5v
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYLnzFprNj
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV98m9iFnrc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxRC3phSSS
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCESBzjE8kd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnouxZBtxZ
“Kid! Watch out!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqxBsSN5ud
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN36gARsWu0
“--Huh?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtMKEGlC6t
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfo3xL7ABx
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOCJVurOeA
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDzXBmsDuy
“S-S-Shit!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rmhbKdNCj
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR67pY1tJj8
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZFjBK5WpV
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iZbLtU11J
**SQUELCH**475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjpeKvS8zO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxRU1WveeS
But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYmEkF6tq8
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dS8ZwBJKN
“--H-Hrk!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfZc7I5KWa
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM498aaCqi
“Oh?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qy1Q5wZyG
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuuw1WyZwn
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRK7ivEbek
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrtYcuUhec
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4yk2jR32q
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ry75wbWQl
“Ark… W-Why?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFo5cLw7Roc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSm27eoMdnt
“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?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM8r4hBsRH
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBObNqX2HEL
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9rBHgsSw3
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCMFAr2bAM
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7g9dv29LY1
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQJYLQQaP2
“A– y-you monster!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNgGpDYx3w
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq01g7YkWRy
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZFjgMQH4K
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTXLVKdWfI
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03tvZkivc7
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiBsDLpx0y
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFiNLE2RSd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRO9b0XN0Mf
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl28u8AJajg
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeScdpZ2qua
“A-Afraid?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7sFX7hq6i
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcpxXYlz2F
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgGIJPtySU
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWAWeQC78s
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVxA7dnQIz
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1iQQtZPRk
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxbUm7HFJ0
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSDtz7wwVf
“Damn it. Damn it!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41dnvHHd0y
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9zZnnSXqf
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LTgIeclP3
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbW71oioA4
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYlQATbTe8
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVH6PVDXUQ
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2zzIG0JGD
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83eAie25YC
“T-Thank you.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuHCbSINbf
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFyrpzUmNH
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv9EcCwSKw
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAyLuAAZRN
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgYf15vGJq
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZLyTefM26
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4RNwS4to8
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYlp62ERST
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv3on5naHh
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAIRlCBGKO
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVg0MlW3t8
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7CloKSB5S
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmy3X4Dr9Y
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVYJoSdou8
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXnwerlPrj
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nU4OqEAoi
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVcmfWLaYo
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTspvFvdLP
“Juke!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDlaRy5zpO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhROqApsL4J
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9ZMsenSWb
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrDRfrXGC8
“That kid is such a nuisance!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HPjZYg3Rd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZiycHaQK2
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC0kgJZw9d
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwatEfYbeM
Fortunately, it didn’t have to.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV8YEZMSSZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSWUj5QPy0
“Ahck!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4zgw3HfEL
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw4DWWIqjW
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPI1921l98
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5VN0Zlt1O
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosUUmf7uuE
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lawMPiLag
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClKf4HD0Ve
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6gcaG2sfm
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VAex5574E
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCq5t8OOsR
But, that did not happen.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAV6iYvZMAh
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFn7NfnRkW
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 Bringer475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggswwLIhl3
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsevk0UETn
“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZEbU8rFpR
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqOACdKuYi
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL2mLd82wN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0f3IXLj6QI
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqnN7k1q8c
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCr19vFCljl
And he let it rip just a moment later.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOqN1ZxbFd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82P3qrLovv
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVuHSr4N3p
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMk6fB4k5h
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxQGRFftsc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL6PPEAVCF
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgJiOzz1zZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5nyC3auiG
“...!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLRsF5jxaE
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISX2lGlwr0
None so fierce to kill my plant.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMOuVXeHsb
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1zyDF8eaT
“M-My arm!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxruheyuOBu
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0fQafASeA
But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxx9LGs6zH
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbplJDLdr9
“Juke!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiX2dcywT5u
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOh22O58gN
“Gotcha, kid!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXevNVFyeP
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrM62lA6jiZ
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdLah3bJus
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1639KRYzV6
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzaH8enbCd
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBlStFo8tU
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4PnI9fwMf
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CVVhbEWHO
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS2UBF16AN
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wu313Jbyu
“Hrk!”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgsUr2bFYL
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3peZFXK4m
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q6DH3fGYM
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndJHPpHWn8
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM2tQPi1Js
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjYTNjYcpR
“...”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemgWHSpLrC
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI74YMNB8x
“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaIbA1ldmL
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsYiorwUb3
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ400u7bUoLW
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLbFWbAfGQ
“Curse…”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfckNm0tqNO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6VrEIXJ92
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dHxcx7qoZ
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpN3w51F7Nv
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5232PQsyO
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3r2yqh7oa
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6llc4OaX6
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJcrMxebCG
“May they, be few.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIA9xNWiMC
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZNGu09tnE
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpOHvLYFcM
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkgWq8wavU
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvjt0zY1dE
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFx666h6bp
“That was… sad.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUh1WxGrnud
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgK4FDmDpd
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAcX5mN7vK
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZVUSCdE3E
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyxgTvUeTx
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBs7LEn2SU
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbSN24dtky
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Y999jW7hP
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxBZTVqWHbc
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEe9Osxz7A
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoA8mBUxvR
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceUtypEZrD
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMClUAciTou
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujkQo60nRU
“Don’t continue.”475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMSUZhjfo9
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRScrr6c3t
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.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZuYTD4uSy
475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMitt5RGD8m
Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.475Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviQrnPjc5U
and then Add to home screen.