“...”59Please respect copyright.PENANAum2RBT57fU
59Please respect copyright.PENANAT1DeqaM9YQ
“...”59Please respect copyright.PENANAk9aEn4vmvW
59Please respect copyright.PENANAivFqusOh77
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANASOvsKWQO7O
59Please respect copyright.PENANA3AuXhxCYBz
But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.59Please respect copyright.PENANAfbQBGwc27e
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1ijI1VOpSl
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAKhZGGU5sfI
59Please respect copyright.PENANAPkO4GboF43
“I have a feeling–”59Please respect copyright.PENANANaVXZrAZUM
59Please respect copyright.PENANARW5sCvxX38
“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAzRSA0TZ1Vv
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1ThEvD324m
I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.59Please respect copyright.PENANAfSZe3jooVP
59Please respect copyright.PENANAFF1CMaoYeG
“Do you also have that feeling?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAsiIQcMgJFq
59Please respect copyright.PENANAv5lWjSrXYx
“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.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA9dxAQ1TJKX
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhl2jaHo56B
“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAuHhzw9TRHF
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1F8pZJa3F4
His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.59Please respect copyright.PENANAb1W1yZXD7V
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvaXqSxAFhy
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA7TQ7M29RiL
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9EURDi3fq8
“Y-You!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAPPnY3x0iCW
59Please respect copyright.PENANAotoL6IOE3D
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA80uELXP8bU
59Please respect copyright.PENANATovpChJFOa
“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA61JTvELxyU
59Please respect copyright.PENANABWIkRxe2qF
“A-Alright!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAvJeqFJ6dEN
59Please respect copyright.PENANAZX3oxyy2bN
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAoSVks1nIdM
59Please respect copyright.PENANArne8aZmI7P
“Hey! Juke, what are–”59Please respect copyright.PENANAS5moTf1c8m
59Please respect copyright.PENANA4qk72u17Xy
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANACpmG2JHVXv
59Please respect copyright.PENANAjY21j33Pwj
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAsfSgYncuFe
59Please respect copyright.PENANABPgU23OeY6
“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAXHPzO03y2C
59Please respect copyright.PENANAUDfcUVY3pK
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAdmG3iu8wG8
59Please respect copyright.PENANAIlge544Gou
“He’s alive!?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAJp41oeWNlZ
59Please respect copyright.PENANApQyvFeUyxI
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAWa9ARHIu6y
59Please respect copyright.PENANAruoNlJ7bqK
“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAl2nqP1VzSo
59Please respect copyright.PENANAjdNBEr0mPY
“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAziwiYX1CPt
59Please respect copyright.PENANAinFzuBPrWn
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAHXxXNwFsXJ
59Please respect copyright.PENANA7EiOn4V3ap
And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.59Please respect copyright.PENANAkfaBI5IHVx
59Please respect copyright.PENANADcjzRgGcVH
“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAQsKNRXcDai
59Please respect copyright.PENANADmCVHJ4QCW
“...Well, not exactly.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAgSwQ3kHSyz
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1DJWjrVbjB
I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.59Please respect copyright.PENANA0nknymvZY9
59Please respect copyright.PENANAIH4aI2PGbM
“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.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAAiK9t7cNI3
59Please respect copyright.PENANAfmIPHQkNyv
“Tell me, won’t ya?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAJCDO2aFAay
59Please respect copyright.PENANA0LL5K1DpQq
“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAU7wujcpgu3
59Please respect copyright.PENANAdhyYAUAkzO
“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA0K1bm4jWgk
59Please respect copyright.PENANAVxIfCMoY6Q
“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA114HVzrMrK
59Please respect copyright.PENANARH9kxBtawo
“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAnQuAdnGovE
59Please respect copyright.PENANA13hkJ9JLrS
I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.59Please respect copyright.PENANAZsdqqyVvXX
59Please respect copyright.PENANAqcmGy3plVm
“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!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAKbbj48Ykod
59Please respect copyright.PENANAF0jQhHaowT
He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.59Please respect copyright.PENANAOxKego9eXO
59Please respect copyright.PENANAEOJLYhZbN5
“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAxWJWv94F6q
59Please respect copyright.PENANAKEdirMQzOy
The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.59Please respect copyright.PENANAKF2aGJFYue
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhR0cCxmjmU
“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA17Zbn4B0M5
59Please respect copyright.PENANAPx4kjhGLxy
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA38OZscqLgg
59Please respect copyright.PENANA7sBusD62es
“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAUWt04jEphN
59Please respect copyright.PENANALGFWVE9QNK
He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.59Please respect copyright.PENANApryvgpoeok
59Please respect copyright.PENANAdF1WykZZHU
“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAN2zVBZbafn
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhTrZCP2HxX
And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.59Please respect copyright.PENANAHwM1lgWU7V
59Please respect copyright.PENANANYYxnMRE4E
–
59Please respect copyright.PENANAWmcdYmMCnI
–
59Please respect copyright.PENANALUdXRQMGrf
–59Please respect copyright.PENANA9fCaw34uKO
59Please respect copyright.PENANA6b4Iq8HA5V
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAkWAyYzNKsX
59Please respect copyright.PENANAMndiwoW52N
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAqKiLWaVFvK
59Please respect copyright.PENANAK9ty5UjzsK
Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.59Please respect copyright.PENANA80XgNDJkVZ
59Please respect copyright.PENANA6vMLUdduQ8
“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA2HgdzaDT9J
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9osyaTuS0P
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAcGzdQS25W8
59Please respect copyright.PENANAH6PPEhsiuw
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAEav6tXnPDV
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1yuOTh4Z8e
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.
59Please respect copyright.PENANADDfV1Dj9V4
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.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA2mBP4n2xoX
**CLANG**
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9lGsNmvxSa
"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAe8erSmKYe6
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.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA4CHrcPdepG
"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
59Please respect copyright.PENANASyojbiApiG
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.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAg8wS2evfcx
"I can just chip away."
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmvzu2Mc5WO
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.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA7Zn6449nGJ
My body reacted immediately.
59Please respect copyright.PENANA3Rf8EsOdIa
"Urg--Glurrgh!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAEVAx3MbMnH
The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
59Please respect copyright.PENANAcdRYaVWnPv
"Kid! Ah, shit!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAm2W5m3hB0S
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?
59Please respect copyright.PENANAf89U2QmW7R
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–
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9Gogv1v8iH
"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANABxmyte3whY
"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
59Please respect copyright.PENANAM2aqmuhgXg
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAIHYSI26lNU
59Please respect copyright.PENANAoJraQD1TNl
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAuRzkWplFKo
59Please respect copyright.PENANAWWQY52kPpL
“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAAIuq9SDvHi
59Please respect copyright.PENANAbAH3mqhxeE
After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.59Please respect copyright.PENANAu5hZVRINlh
59Please respect copyright.PENANAOgAJuZZ9Fa
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAyCcpa0SIlo
59Please respect copyright.PENANAQbn0bOlH6z
He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.59Please respect copyright.PENANA8VVBrhnqGi
59Please respect copyright.PENANANmMM6Eu7Qf
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAaSzmxwoPDo
59Please respect copyright.PENANAaOeEFP5QTC
And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.59Please respect copyright.PENANACMfh4BRXHD
59Please respect copyright.PENANAsamu7698e0
“Crap!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAON5JkKIBRr
59Please respect copyright.PENANAjQ2Cjva4wi
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–59Please respect copyright.PENANAqwKv8sIsjK
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvih4IyePkW
**CRUNCH**59Please respect copyright.PENANAJQRwYcYPJC
59Please respect copyright.PENANAg28gXGpaar
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAONQ3OcoYVa
59Please respect copyright.PENANA49Eo2MHLXd
Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.59Please respect copyright.PENANASdojoXocEw
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmvcq3VPsXM
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA43Wxa2TgJG
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvOTgicpiK0
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–59Please respect copyright.PENANAaNbEyV86ov
59Please respect copyright.PENANACpwQp8S1lS
“Child! Child, please!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAIjjUB7W7X4
59Please respect copyright.PENANABlMMcbm0ZX
“W-What!?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAyh9eznIwOV
59Please respect copyright.PENANAilVI1MeVnS
My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.59Please respect copyright.PENANAqiFuXMzQ8j
59Please respect copyright.PENANAXYE5whzckf
“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”59Please respect copyright.PENANAMuFLzUnpIg
59Please respect copyright.PENANAkRJIF9ms3e
“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA62LYTPPG18
59Please respect copyright.PENANACyvoL148ez
“...”59Please respect copyright.PENANALwXmwO5gv2
59Please respect copyright.PENANAW5cA31UqvF
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAJRz9ovdxHq
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9vV9EawxLo
With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.59Please respect copyright.PENANAP0lxtr0JhK
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9A8RjTizmO
“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”59Please respect copyright.PENANAIU6FDqq2MX
59Please respect copyright.PENANAP54uL8yyd2
“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA9kPq7CHKNK
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmmvKbtkM37
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–59Please respect copyright.PENANADcrlPKbRh8
59Please respect copyright.PENANAFKKGVHcbPX
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAHbdgbddjMC
59Please respect copyright.PENANAgZNbDoIWNh
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–59Please respect copyright.PENANAl8wl9QqsLw
59Please respect copyright.PENANAv6BKUzVhNf
“Kid! Watch out!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAOVZfByM1Gd
59Please respect copyright.PENANAJt2M8n7XVU
“--Huh?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAWjZP4eUMmt
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9vFZY8PlvS
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANADZTluH7Ekv
59Please respect copyright.PENANAN6KObI9Dgy
“S-S-Shit!”59Please respect copyright.PENANANz2yq799NX
59Please respect copyright.PENANAthnFUDk0Mh
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA7HnYPhCop2
59Please respect copyright.PENANADWbAb3N3Km
**SQUELCH**59Please respect copyright.PENANAdU7kYddnb7
59Please respect copyright.PENANAogHfyq8Qdh
But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.59Please respect copyright.PENANAH8OcleQ1DT
59Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3iwJdBSAe
“--H-Hrk!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAqpjS0Chyog
59Please respect copyright.PENANAUFwbQAaTFZ
“Oh?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAvKP5TG50qd
59Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1ATuiBFBJ
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA7faSQt7VC2
59Please respect copyright.PENANATqFgpUI63f
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.59Please respect copyright.PENANAFkI2TGi1ll
59Please respect copyright.PENANAq09vzWIo3O
“Ark… W-Why?”59Please respect copyright.PENANABfd9Nk4BkP
59Please respect copyright.PENANABSJyEevHrj
“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?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAtl9Qr8DUhg
59Please respect copyright.PENANAe5Z3HbzSTU
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.59Please respect copyright.PENANAI8VUAiQ8j7
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhJercjINQZ
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”59Please respect copyright.PENANA9OTgczkyys
59Please respect copyright.PENANAKDlDKySHxl
“A– y-you monster!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAgKD6Rr3cqL
59Please respect copyright.PENANAfYRHXC9myA
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.59Please respect copyright.PENANAJh2mBfOagn
59Please respect copyright.PENANALaPp7JH8rX
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAsNuoLP91uR
59Please respect copyright.PENANAzbNFQS6qFn
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.59Please respect copyright.PENANAHiQd0zIxv7
59Please respect copyright.PENANARWLu2nW8xz
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAe2yCQqJ2fr
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmjhFZjN1Aq
“A-Afraid?”59Please respect copyright.PENANARO2CEcLEqK
59Please respect copyright.PENANAhFwyvws8Ea
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAzmT6VBzwjf
59Please respect copyright.PENANA06jT3pfgH0
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAYHOuArZH65
59Please respect copyright.PENANAH34nTXJW8j
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAqyYSpr7cw6
59Please respect copyright.PENANAZSAklDfDPF
“Damn it. Damn it!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA8LbDQDQfre
59Please respect copyright.PENANAyc9WL74QjF
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANADSNkA7iUOi
59Please respect copyright.PENANAwtNW7zyVk3
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAHVfQLnAKWN
59Please respect copyright.PENANAjusLZhhXzz
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAXDe5BgZNAt
59Please respect copyright.PENANAJsFcFSTFXd
“T-Thank you.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAW0teJZnXdg
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1vfa49pFfH
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAFcNn1KWALl
59Please respect copyright.PENANAkM3judhdto
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA2bfHg7sAWs
59Please respect copyright.PENANApgl7XZgQ1j
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAgCi76k3o8z
59Please respect copyright.PENANAePvrBbfiHI
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0MOCVEEwD
59Please respect copyright.PENANAJneFWOlbuf
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA59Skmk2ky0
59Please respect copyright.PENANAPLfxKSjIQE
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA4xa59zUWw7
59Please respect copyright.PENANAKjEg82WBI9
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA456fjZphyU
59Please respect copyright.PENANAPBLAhil6gs
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAZaPfuDnQSN
59Please respect copyright.PENANAa0iWi3y5bu
“Juke!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAoShs6n24TW
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvARItwuuZN
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANABm02CQod4v
59Please respect copyright.PENANAtyIGx5F8vk
“That kid is such a nuisance!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAEdnYSrhfvb
59Please respect copyright.PENANA5DIhKYkG2S
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA6L5QCYY3cy
59Please respect copyright.PENANAe1RdjRNnh6
Fortunately, it didn’t have to.59Please respect copyright.PENANA0jBbpKKOJt
59Please respect copyright.PENANAv4dQWTc1zF
“Ahck!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAP6woBDve5l
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmOY9YWJieF
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAcu2ZEcPJnb
59Please respect copyright.PENANAM6Pwmz2oaj
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA7fFFLzukxg
59Please respect copyright.PENANA9V1vA8Eh6U
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.59Please respect copyright.PENANAVPwzORsAbW
59Please respect copyright.PENANAjMZmfW6QIa
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAziGDId0SmE
59Please respect copyright.PENANAzuabPnqROD
But, that did not happen.59Please respect copyright.PENANAdn8LI3hGwC
59Please respect copyright.PENANAfhMk4ke2qC
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 Bringer59Please respect copyright.PENANABxOXHX0ZSV
59Please respect copyright.PENANALmMo2EYDOu
“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAAhWCOXXoSB
59Please respect copyright.PENANAHOfuX6lC8m
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAezx0cvobc9
59Please respect copyright.PENANAApr8SYXZXo
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAmmZvAb9Wqw
59Please respect copyright.PENANAQoiOl6Nhf4
And he let it rip just a moment later.59Please respect copyright.PENANAiqm7idVUNz
59Please respect copyright.PENANAcB6Rh0REwc
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAXkzZIxlcp5
59Please respect copyright.PENANAA51mY11529
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAc2nhcrh2pg
59Please respect copyright.PENANA2IFs24QUIW
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA6sztX5Z6G3
59Please respect copyright.PENANAYHpi40M9g5
“...!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAppieQdIolq
59Please respect copyright.PENANAF01ePjxGX5
None so fierce to kill my plant.59Please respect copyright.PENANAqaFSoLwTmU
59Please respect copyright.PENANAbGFzjGumhs
“M-My arm!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAtd91moaisU
59Please respect copyright.PENANADeqfJKk1kF
But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.59Please respect copyright.PENANAWvviARYC3c
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmHMQWiFtyP
“Juke!”59Please respect copyright.PENANAaKXIO0ubiS
59Please respect copyright.PENANA8G0hoq6dX9
“Gotcha, kid!”59Please respect copyright.PENANA5WTHVTPR9d
59Please respect copyright.PENANATlzFuv4jQp
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANA5ip7JeyJxT
59Please respect copyright.PENANAeary9FWoZr
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANArewPjeMqs8
59Please respect copyright.PENANAba4g3alwdM
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.59Please respect copyright.PENANAh0Aq63P9Nq
59Please respect copyright.PENANAvRHzA9vud4
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAuKmuAkH3HL
59Please respect copyright.PENANACjhKLpEXqr
“Hrk!”59Please respect copyright.PENANASluLfxPy5l
59Please respect copyright.PENANA4BZnizc0W0
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAH96kHBvzK5
59Please respect copyright.PENANAPPqM7QgxGw
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.59Please respect copyright.PENANAI75KjeaBXV
59Please respect copyright.PENANAONwYNfRnE5
“...”59Please respect copyright.PENANA47w7CcHJWC
59Please respect copyright.PENANAbZ6VRXEF57
“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAP2tL0ltsFn
59Please respect copyright.PENANA7RV9b9LUtw
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAZLtnNugsli
59Please respect copyright.PENANAfsnely6Txh
“Curse…”59Please respect copyright.PENANAUAr3CI23Vb
59Please respect copyright.PENANAcDnLMd0i9k
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAm2tMx91bX1
59Please respect copyright.PENANALvfEoaNl68
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”59Please respect copyright.PENANAkMzn94wbHc
59Please respect copyright.PENANAbz29H4jhXS
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit59Please respect copyright.PENANAnGhWaHCiEo
59Please respect copyright.PENANABluECDyD5j
“May they, be few.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA6qAXcNDIk0
59Please respect copyright.PENANArq4Gz4cclR
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAm6TXgvOwyQ
59Please respect copyright.PENANAn9U6JlpIJ1
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.59Please respect copyright.PENANAlJDLUGQeQJ
59Please respect copyright.PENANA1B8v16mAH5
“That was… sad.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA13Je4BHRAw
59Please respect copyright.PENANAZfPdp4ihPt
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”59Please respect copyright.PENANAUv4milIDZs
59Please respect copyright.PENANATZnisJ8Tpp
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAFQcpf9eQlO
59Please respect copyright.PENANANKsyUpDGty
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”59Please respect copyright.PENANA6HgEEzpHku
59Please respect copyright.PENANAlV3cPvWyd9
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANABYNWW164mV
59Please respect copyright.PENANAmbw9GLTRmE
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAMX2PPmbEC4
59Please respect copyright.PENANAieQfnKpe1s
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”59Please respect copyright.PENANAi1lORnpjTY
59Please respect copyright.PENANAVHj6bHHIgs
“Don’t continue.”59Please respect copyright.PENANAb5WHvPX9iU
59Please respect copyright.PENANA7LPefOdvYS
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.59Please respect copyright.PENANAtEAPprkiwo
59Please respect copyright.PENANAGfSTof8jUJ
Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.59Please respect copyright.PENANAorD3HfVrHi