They were facing the beast; the day had arrived.
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The vast plains stretched before her, her tail wagging in anticipation—for the final fight, and for this all to be over.
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Stone flowed over her hand, growing inches within seconds, yet still light as air. Her blessing with the earth made it effortless.
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Yet when she threw them, Each earth-shattering blow made the ogre stumble, unable to react, and her tail wagged at how easy this seemed.
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Arlin wrapped the beast in shadow while it stumbled, forcing it still.
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Off to the side, Coby watched—keeping everyone safe, bow ready to offer support if needed.
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Leena stood proudly by her side, praising her aim, and her tail wagged even harder.
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A battle cry rang out, loud and clear, as Terra rushed forward to show the beast no mercy.
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While Terra rushed in, Nina used that moment to raise a stone circle around the team and the beast—an arena it would never escape.
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They heard the story that it liked to run, and they would not chase it, not when they had it pinned down.
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There was panic in its eyes and its plea for mercy, yet they ignored it. None of them came this far just to stop. Nor was she going to let it hurt her family…
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Despite its massive size, Terra still matched it—tall herself and surging with the flame blessing powering her. Blow for blow, she outpaced the beast.
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A dance of flame trailed from Terra’s hammers, searing and scarring the beast’s flesh.
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Yet even as it was getting smashed and pushed into Nina's self-made wall from their combine might, an uneasy feeling entered her mind; she could not stop as it slowly filled her with dread.
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This was too easy…
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As if hearing her doubts, the beast caught Terra mid-swing, breaking her onslaught of battle fueled rage with one massive hand clamping around her neck and lifting her like a rag doll.
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Nina remembered that grasp on her throat and her stone blessing, the only reason she stopped the grasp from tightening.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzglYfb65S
Terra had no such gift.
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CRACK
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The sound echoed impossibly loud, breaking my thoughts. She was stunned into inaction just like that.
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yet even as her world stood still she still saw with clarity the broken form of terra as her ears went flat not wanting to belive that it could ended just like that. as it slowly drop her form with indifference
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and just like that things shifted from their easy win;
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to something going horribly wrong.
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She kept watching in stunned fear as Leena rushed to help, but the beast was already moving beyond Terra broken form, rushing Arlin, who was also in shock at how things change so fast.
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SMASH
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The ogre hit Arlin hard in the face, smashing him into the same wall she made to cage the beast, now helping end her other friend's life as she saw the blood on the wall and his broken form.
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Her sister Len was desperately trying to heal Terra, a pale hope she could be saved.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51fP96K9H5
Maybe she could?
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Coby fired arrows, but the beast went from a slow, lumbering beast to inhumanly fast. When did it move so easily? So freely that they could no longer strike it?
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OOF
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The sound of Coby getting punched near her echoed in her ears as she slowly turned, trying to help now that she could think but still was not acting…
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Finally turning to see as she watched a downward strike finish even Coby…
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BOOM
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She watched Coby get smashed into the ground, indenting it, as the beast smiled in victory at how easily he was breaking us.
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This is too much; we can’t do this.
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The ogre turned to me, still smiling like a predator with that grin. She wasn't sure what to do; all her friends were hurt or worse…
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Except for Leena.
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As if knowing her thoughts and wanting her to suffer, he rushed past her to Leena.
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She turned desperately to do something, anything, and saw Len still trying to save Terra, pulling all her mana-making walls between Len and the beast as it closed the distance, yet it smashed them as fast as they formed, Len the whole time unaware death was coming…
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“LEN, MOVE NOW!”
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She need to save her sister. She loved Terra too, but Len was family, and she couldn’t take losing her too.
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Leena watched with slow awareness between her healing of Terra and being too slow to move or act as the beast doubled its fist
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BOOM
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He smashed his fist into her back, cratering the ground even deeper than what he did with Coby, a pit that was only death.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlrdqYoQ1I
as she watched Terra and Leena sink into that unknown abyss.
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As it faces her, the only one left…
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Ears going flat and nothing left but anger, she's ready for the final fight.
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She plated herself in a stone shell of armor and doubled the rocks into spikes on her fist and body. It took everything from me; she would return the favor.
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Using the stone under her feet to launch herself forward, she moved her stone form to counter this madness. She rushed to finish this.
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It did not move, as if taunting with a smug look, "Do your worst, and let's end this…" The beast finally spoke, mocking her resolve.
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SMASH SMASH SMASH
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A flurry of hits pushed it slightly, and breathing hard, fear, sadness, and hate mixed with desperate rage to stop this beast's rampage.
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Yet even amongst all my fury and rock-upon-it flesh, it grabbed her throat as easily as it had done before; her hits did nothing more than move it slightly.
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It lifted her, watching with indifference.
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Even after all she had done, it stood unfazed.
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She was the last; they all fell. Nothing was left, and even as she tried to make herself dense stone to stop the beast, its strength still held her easily suspended in the air as if her massive weight weighed nothing.
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Its grip never loosened as it finally happened even to her.
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Her greatest fear.
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CRACK
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Everything below her neck fell like a stone statue as her head fell to the side from its grip, watching in horror as there was nothing left. They all lost; they all were powerless. It won.
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She seemed to be falling for an entity even as just a head; she was lucid, watching as the world disappeared into darkness.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP83QKWn8C5
There was nothing left: no family, no friends, no hope.
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GASP
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Sitting up in bed in a cold sweat, she grabbed her face and checked her neck, feeling it was all there.
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It wasn’t real? Her ears went flat, and tears started freely falling from her eyes.
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All the death….
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And it was just a dream, for now.
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She went to Len's room to check on her and panicked seeing an empty bed but belatedly remembered she always wakes up before her, and now, since this monster incident, she's been pushing more to train and visit Terra…166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9RMqKlFvV
She wanted to be jealous that Len was no longer walking her to their brother's shop and had found a new friend she had been hanging out with more, but she couldn’t help but not care.
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She wants to be with her brother more…
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It did not help that Len was pushing for this fight nobody wanted; it made it easier to not care that she was not seeing her.
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Later that morning at Wolf’s shop
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She was feeling much better, happy even entering the shop. Business was down, but that was ok; it gave her more time with her brother. As she saw him, she just had to let him know as he was talking to Misty, an employee who always oversaw things.
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“BROTHER, I’M HERE!” Her tail wagged as she flashed her best smile, waiting for his joy.
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He did turn and was frowning, souring her ever so slightly; he did not share her joy even now…
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“Yes, Nina, it’s good to see you too, but you don’t need to tell me every day.” Wolf said coolly,
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“Or yell it, dear,” Misty chimed in before she walked away to attend to something else.
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She wasn't upset they did not like her cheer. She was near her family as she ran up to him anyway. Embracing him, he smelled of herbs, a nice smell much better than those perfumes he made… Though the soap he started making was not bad.She kept sniffing him, trying to see if she could smell if he used any. He gently pushed her away.
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“Stop smelling me that weird.”
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“I wanted to see if you were using a new soap you've been making.”
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“I thought I smelled it on you. If you are, it does not smell much, though.” He showed surprise at those words and smiled.
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“Close. I’m still making them. That’s probably what you smelled. I was trying to make some with no scent for those that just want to be clean. That’s what I’ve been using.“
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“Why?” She tilted her head, unsure why anyone would want a scentless soap. She thought the point was to show off scents and get clean; if not, just use water…
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“Well, when I found out you did not like perfumes, it got me thinking there are people that like scentless soaps, so I went from there.”
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She nodded; that was very smart, and she wagged her tail to show how smart he was and was about to tell him so when a sly cat slunk up to his side, making my tail stop and a frown form soon after.with my ears going flat
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My reply was lost with my smile while she returned the biggest grin a cat could…
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“Nina, it’s good to see you,” Teva said while Wolf was embracing her back, a face full of warmth. They were happy even when she was not…
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“Teva, it seems you still like to smell.” She knew that flowery scent well…
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Teva frowned ever so briefly before her smile came back. “You mean the perfume Wolf made me?”
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She could see her brother frowning as he asked his question, “What’s wrong with it?”
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“I tried to balance the scent to last but not be too strong.”
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“I thought I got a good mix with this last batch. Is it too strong? I know beastkin noses can be more sensitive.” She felt guilty listening to her brother go on about his work.
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She knew he tried, and the smell wasn't bad; she just did not like smelling of flowers or other things. Maybe in a soap it would be fine, but perfume was too much…
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“No, brother, it’s fine. I just don’t like those things.” He nodded, and Teva was smug, knowing she got a victory forcing her to say that…
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As she left them to tend the counter to avoid the scene…
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She was left to her own thoughts, and that was something she did not want now. Touching her neck, it seems she was not letting go of those dreams as easily as she hoped…
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She watched Wolf Talk with Teva. She was happy for her brother; he was doing better, and he was free of these things. She wished Len would choose the same thing, but it seemed that wasn’t how it would go…
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Things seemed to settle from there, and she started to find her peace as Wolf went to work in the back, Misty kept stocking things, and Teva… for some reason started getting closer to me, of all things.
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Shoo, shoo!
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She did not say it, but she thought it really hard!
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She also tried brushing her tail Teva's way, trying to fan her away. Teva did notice, but it seemed to just make her get closer to me….
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Teva's smile was still there, watching the shop, not looking at her.
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She wondered what Teva's game was, but the mask soon broke as she saw the shift in Teva's eyes. She was about to ask something neither of us wanted to hear…
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“Are you still going?” Teva asked plainly, still looking ahead.
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She could not help but look around as if Teva shouted it for all to hear….
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Yet nobody looked; it was just a few regulars and Misty assisting them. The rest was clear…
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“I don't know why you're asking; you were there. You know what Len wants to do.” Replying coolly to the question asked while also looking ahead as if nothing was happening…
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“You don’t have to go. Wolf needs you here,” Teva said calmly in retort, still staring straight ahead.
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She barked and laughed at Teva's words. Since when did she care about her or even her being there?
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Misty looked in the distance at us. It seemed like we were sharing a moment, even though that was the last thing that was happening here.
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“Len wanted to finish what we started; this is just what we have to do.”
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“Besides, you should be happy now you have my brother to yourself.” She did not need any doubt, not when Len needed her….
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“I don’t want to lose you; we just started to really be friends again.” Teva said, never looking her way.
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That did sting. She was happy to have Teva as a friend again, yet leaving Len to face this beast…
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No…not alone.
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Nina's ears flattened as the realization hit her. This was exactly what she'd done with Wolf when he needed the herb: refused to let him face his struggles alone and chosen love over safety. Now Len was making the same impossible choice, and Nina finally understood why her sister couldn't be talked out of it.Some bonds demanded everything, even when everything felt like too much to give.
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“We fought it before; we can do it again.” She finally replied coolly to Teva after being lost in thought…
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Why was Teva pushing this now? She was so quiet before when we talked about this… Yet now Teva kept pushing the issue while we both looked ahead.
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As if she can just leave Len….
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“I thought you guys ran. Why are you so sure you can win now?” Teva squinted slightly while asking those words…
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“WE CAN!” Teva flinches at the voice, and a few people glance over, wondering what was going on.
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“SORRY, I got excited. Nothing to see here.” She tried waving to show it was nothing, and Teva gave a strained smile to help mask her yelling…
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“You know I’m not weak, and Len can heal. Add to it Arlin and Coby will be there—even Terra—that’s a big team.
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“Were. Fine. Ok?” She said it slowly and coolly to nail the point home. Teva still stared straight ahead and sighed.
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“I care about you. I just wish you'd let me and Wolf help or even let Wolf in on the plan.”
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“No….”
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“My brother finally knows happiness; he doesn't need this.” Even if only one of us can be free, it needs to be her brother…
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“Don’t take this away from him.” She said calmly that nothing more needed to be said, and she hoped Teva understood this had long been decided even without her wanting it…
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Teva looked hurt at those words but nodded. She wasn't happy either; this wasn't what she wanted either. She just could never say that it seemed no one wins except for the beast that hunted us….
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She wanted to say more about how much she loved them, how she will miss them, or how she never wanted to leave them…
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Or maybe never come back.
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But she knew if she showed even a shadow of doubt, the dream beast would win… and then the real one would too.
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So instead she lied.
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“Everything is fine.”
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“Let it go.”
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“We got this.”
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The words may be cruel, but we both know it was decided long before this moment. Teva was just like me, hoping for a change that could not be. A friend she needed and wanted and still had to leave.
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Something needed to be done, and we would be the team that would decide what that would be…
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The day passed after that slowly, but to me there was no boredom to enjoy and complain about.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnmpmWefv2
just an inevitable end She did not want to face it. She wanted to chase Wolf like when we were younger kids. She wanted to be free playing with Teva and did not want…
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This.
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Yet the end will come, and we must face whatever comes with it.
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Leena came to the shop with her sword and shield filled with pride. She was happy to see her. We said goodbye to Brother, keeping our intent brief, just saying we had things to do.
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Teva showed respect, but it was strained, as she knew what was coming and what we kept secret Len did not seem to notice as she led us to our doom, where the rest of the team would be to meet the same fate.
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The walk was a somber one. Leena had a face full of conviction she did not feel. Was Len that sure we could win?166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHli3SAquw
She must have sensed my mood, looking toward me, smiling. Wagging my tail, smiling back, and grabbing her in a hug, happy she was my family. She laughed, enjoying the moment.It felt like old times, adventures, and freedom, not marching to our deaths.
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We met Coby on the way to the blacksmith to get terra . Coby was calm, like always.Did anything ever bother him? Yet between those thoughts a loud voice sounded, and then there was Terra….
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“HUYA U GUYS” Terra Voice Boom was a block away, long before we even made it to her shop, as she started rushing to meet us and met us halfway.
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My ear went flat at the loudness, but I could not help but wag my tail, happy to see her regardless, Terra is ready for battle, dressed in chain mail and her dual hammer. She looked mighty fierce, we knew Terra Armor was blessed with earth, so she would be tough to challenge.
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She did wonder if there were at least four of us. We’ll probably be ok. It would be five if Arlin wasn’t broken, but I won’t judge him for not coming. She could see the same thoughts echoed in others faces: missing him to varying degrees and hoping he was okay.
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So that's why it was so surprising watching a shadow man appear near them. It was Arlin looking upset, like he was lost and not wanting to be there…
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It's not like she did not understand what happened to his mother was bad, and she agreed the beast was not something anyone wanted to face.
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Terra cheered, seeing Arlin say how proud she was he chose the warrior path vs. brooding.
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Yet she did not see that; she saw him bound like me to duty and love of friends and family…
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Arlin looked at me amongst those thoughts, confirming my view of how he really felt before he got lost in all the welcoming cheer and condolences for his mother.
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Even she tried to show him more respect for how far he was willing to go as we decided to finalize the plan at the inn vs. standing around in the open since Arlin was not on the same page about how we planned to fight.
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The walk to the inn was a somber one, at least for her and Arlin.
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Terra was happy even in this cold, trying to get Arlin's attention. Coby watched the town that used to seem full of cheer and people; now they mostly kept indoors and hurried wherever they needed to go. Only Len seems to walk with purpose, unbroken, a light glow guiding us from the dark.
Yet inside the inn was not much better; it seemed darker than in the past, with everyone trying to enjoy a meal and forget what lay beyond them.
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When they finally got a seat, their friend Tyler was happy to see us. I would have been happy too any other time, but the mood at the inn was much darker.
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He explained the rumor of the hidden blade being defeated dampened moods since now their lot was uncertain about what would happen with the town. He also flinched when he noticed Arlin mix in with the shadows to the side with us and forgot it was his mother...
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So as a sorry and a way to cheer us up, he gave a nice meal on the house for his friends, and while we were grateful, we did not share his enthusiasm to share in tavern gossip.
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Tyler noticed the bleak mood extended even to us and gave us space since he already put his foot in his mouth once; he did not want to do it again with more gossip, which we were grateful for, as we wanted talks to stay private.
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Nina noticed Arlin brooding more than usual since the talks started; she wanted to comfort him.They had issues in their past, but they were friends, and his mother was hurt. Terra did try a little, offering him random food, but saw Arlin was not in the mood, and she respected his space, mostly, by focusing on her own plate.
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Leena spoke up, noticing we were getting off topic in self-indulgence, getting our focus.
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“We already went over this, but Arlin needed time, so we'll repeat it for him.” Leena stated, full of confidence.
“Or we can, I don't know, not do it?” Arlin chimes in, still trying to convince us, not that I didn’t agree.
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“HAH, GOOD ONE,” Terra said, full of cheer, surprising most of us that she was taking this way too well…It seems only Len was not surprised by our mixed responses and stayed calm watching Arlin despite Terra’s outburst. Arlin was the linchpin that divided us.
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Maybe if things were different, we would not have to go.
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“Arlin, you came to join us, right?” Len said bluntly,
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Wow, Nina thought right to the point, making her tail wag a bit. My sister can be scary… Yet it was fun to see too. Maybe this won’t be so bad.
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Coby just watched, seeming indifferent, and Terra was oblivious to anything that could be wrong…
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“Of course he’s with us,” Terra beamed while slapping Arlin. “Where would he go?” She said it mostly clearly, wanting Arlin to know she was proud of him as she tried to keep touching him.
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Arlin shifted to mist and reformed next to me near the edge of the booth, making Terra’s eyes go wide in surprise, even mine a bit, but scoot over, as did everyone else.
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This was not the first time he did such a thing, and I would let him have that new spot even as Terra pouted that she lost the close moment with Arlin.
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Len wanted control once more and spoke again. “You never said, Arlin; we won’t force you, but we do want you here.”
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He looked like someone was feeding him lemons but spoke clearly. “I came to help; that does not mean I like it or agree.”He looks over at her.
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She was not sure why she wasn't going to go against her sister…. She is family.
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Len nodded and spoke of the plan. We knew well the guards had the dungeon on lockdown, but Coby had some say, and Arlin was a guard, so it helped us more than he liked to admit.
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The original version was just Coby tricking a guard to change shifts early while we sneaked in, but with Arlin, it helps us have more credibility.
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Nobody would think a grieving son that wanted to be alone would suddenly turn hero and face… that beast.166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSgpW8McaG
So why are we?
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Because we are the heroes….
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Nina's ear went flat with those thoughts, and nobody noticed she agreed with Arlin. She wanted to go home, or at least back to the shop with her brother, not this…
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Surely other adults were trying to stop this besides Arlin's mom. Couldn't they just wait for others to save them?
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But did it matter?
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She would not abandon Len, and she wasn't helpless."
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She had power, and Len had leadership. Terra had nothing but enthusiasm. Coby can track, so why can't we do this? Her tail wagging a smile, forming this wasn’t so bad…
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CRACK
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The sound of death rang in my ears, and I knew it came for us…
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All turn to the sound to see a potbellied man looking annoyed at his feet.
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“Damn it, that was my favorite wooden spoon. The place was too dark to see it, and now it’s ruined…”
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A server walked up to him, picking up pieces before speaking, “Relax, my dad showed me a trick with earth.”166Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0akfaWkyPX
We could not see well, but it seemed she smoothed rock into the break to mend it before he handed it back and spoke, “Try hard enough, you can break it again, but it works fine for soups and such.”The man was grateful, and the mini event was over for them, but not for her.
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The peace she found and believed all was well faded with that sound as she was forced to relive all their deaths again…Arlin noticed, though he said nothing…
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We were both trapped, it seemed, but knowing even if we kicked and screamed, Len would go alone…
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Just like she did for her brother, she will now play hero once more for Len…
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She turned her hand to stone—to feel more solid than she felt—as they marched toward the next step of the plan.
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and then Add to home screen.