They stepped through the door. One last chance. One last battle. Anticipation building with every step.170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIvQ1jJiDS
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She was so happy—on this adventure with friends. There’s nothing they can’t do. If learning to talk better proved anything... it’s that everything just needs time.
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Yet, despite her mood bursting with joy—the open plains, the final chance at battle... all that greeted her was... grass? Just grass.
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Uh. This was lame….
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"That's it? We're done?" Arlin muttered. "I followed you into this... and there's nothing?"
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She looked over at the team—Coby, Nina, Len—and then back to Arlin.
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She wanted to comfort him—the brave man who'd come this far. She shared his disappointment. After everything he'd done to prove himself... this was his reward?
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She'd tried more than once to catch him... but it seemed he liked playing hard to get.
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Not that she minded. She knew what he'd been through with his mother. She remembered that pain—the pain of loss. At least... his mom lived.
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She was going to tell him everything was okay and he could brood on her shoulder when something caught the corner of her eye.
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...Wait. Is that... a monster over there?
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She tried to get a better look, sure she saw something, and it was indeed a beast.
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It was moving. What was it doing? Waving its hand like it could do something?
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CRACK BOOM
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Everyone flinched at the noise. But not her. She'd seen it, the beast, even earlier. An odd shape in the distance. Now, after the failed spell, it was clearer. What it really was.
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It was big. Even from this far, she could tell. Towering. Hunched. Was it... hurt? Not that she cared whether they came to hunt wounded beasts or not.
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She pulled Flame into herself gently. Just enough to help sharpen her eyes. She'd heard others do it before. Knew how. But she never really bothered with it.
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She preferred keeping it in her body, feeding speed, strength, and power. Not wasting it just... to look a little further.
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But now? She used it. Just to see better.
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And... what a disappointment.
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A broken ogre…
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"Dun luuk like much," she muttered. Her words were still slurred. Gods, she hated that. But honestly... the only one she really cared to impress was Arlin. And beating something big and strong? That would catch her man a lot better than pretty words ever could.
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The ogre stepped forward. Eyes cold. Dead.
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Even broken... it craved battle.
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And her pride burned hotter than ever.
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Because of this? This was beautiful.
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It chose death—but death as a warrior. Not as some broken beast crawling to the end.
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And she? She'd gladly return the honor.
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"LUT GO!" she roared.
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She flared the flames deep inside her body. Power flooded every muscle—every fiber.
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Her body trembled. Twitching. Desperate to explode forward from the sheer rush of fire mana.
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And she soared forward—answering the call to battle.
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Battle lust. Almost-blind rage. Joy.
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All of it tangled together as she flew toward a real fight. A real adventure.
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After so much waiting... sulking...
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Finally.
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At last she can be free.
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The ogre blinked—surprised. Confused.
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Didn't know how to handle her.
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So she grinned. Drew flame into her hammers.
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And graced him with her answer.
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Tactics? Fancy tricks? Nah.
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We fight. We smash. We win.
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Simple. Like flame.
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It burns. It takes. It doesn't give.
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It wins.
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WHOOSH.
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The hammers skimmed the edge of the ogre's flesh. It dodged—barely. She was mildly amused and thought to try and match her speed.
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But her rage wasn't that simple, and her strikes? Weren't that light.
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A flurry of swings—fast, relentless—slammed forward.
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The ogre couldn't dodge them all. Flames smashed into its flesh.
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She wanted to end it. Feed flame straight into the beast—finish it in one decisive blow.
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But its flesh resisted.
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Despite the hammering, despite the fire, it wasn't breaking. Worse...
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It started shifting. Changing how it moved. Countering her. Blow for blow.
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It was adapting. Matching her speed. This broken beast; this was…
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Madness.
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She flared the flame deeper—forcing more mana through her body. If it wanted speed? Fine.
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She'd go faster.
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The battle shifted—slowly, inch by inch—back toward her favor.
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But the ogre wasn't just standing there letting her win. No.
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It adapted. Again. Even through pain, even stumbling—it shifted, deflected, and dodged. More and more.
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This wasn't right. Broken beasts didn't fight like this.
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They thrashed. They raged. They died. But this one? It moved like it had fought a thousand battles.
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Like it had seen every swing she threw before. Like her flames—her pride—were just another day. What kind of monster learns while bleeding?
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She was burning too hot—too fast.
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she wasn't made for long fights. She was made for bursts. Hit hard, hit fast, and end it quick.
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And this ogre? Even wounded... it endured.
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This... was turning into a losing fight.
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She wasn't sure how to feel as the dance went on; she just needed one clean strike, even as she saw a calmness watching back at her that was starting to lead to dread.
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Then the team arrived—and joy surged through her once more.
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She wasn't alone. Not yet.
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They were a team and would win as such. She loved the idea of claiming all the glory but now knew that was foolish pride.
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This beast was not a toy to claim as a prize but a beast to defeat, and defeat it they would.
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Arrows hissed past her head. Close. Deliberate.
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Not meant to hit—meant to box the ogre in. Limit its movement.
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But... something was wrong.
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The wind pulled at the shots—twisting them off course.
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Even while focused on her... the ogre was still using wind magic.
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How was it doing this? Fighting her and twisting the wind to defend itself?
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She stumbled, struggling to find her rhythm between dodging its strikes and staying aggressive.
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It wasn't from lack of focus she'd trained with her berserker dad; she was used to things like this.
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She was rusty. More than she wanted to admit.
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Too much time watching Len train. Watching... not doing.
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She thought she was good enough, and the flame within would balance anything she lacked. Really, battle was not the thought that she always wanted.
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Maybe... maybe she always really just wanted boys more than battle.
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Well—Arlin, specifically. And a good fight.
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So far? She got one of those.
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Could be worse.
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And she was working on winning both this day, so she was doing alright even.
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A fist smashed into her face.
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Didn't even register the first hit before three more followed.
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She threw her arms up—pulled earth into her armor, trying to dull the impact.
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It helped. A little.
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But the damage was done. Her vision spun. Her head rang.
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She staggered, trying to refocus.
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Thoughts spun. Maybe thinking of Arlin between swings was not that smart…
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The team finally closed in.
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Now the real fight began.
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Leena's light surged over her—healing. Bones snapped back, flesh sealed.
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Terra grabbed a mana potion, chugging it fast.
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Len tried to say something—but no time.
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The battle was chaos. Terra shoved past her, hunting for her next chance to strike.
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We didn't come this far just to talk. We're fighting, and I can still fight thanks to the mana potion!
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Arlin kept his distance.
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Shadow spikes—missed.
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Shadow bindings—slipped off.
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Even limping, the ogre moved. Smart. Fluid. Staying just far enough to focus on... something.
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It was a slippery bastard; even with all of them now fighting it, it still could avoid strikes, and it was still holding its own…
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Nina hurled rocks—big, heavy, and fast. To try to break its focus.
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At least at first.
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But then—it flipped it on them.170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DsmhBGBgR
The ogre caught one mid-throw, twisted it with wind, and launched it straight at Arlin and Coby.
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Nina yelped—her focus shattered, scrambling to pull the rocks off course before they killed someone.
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So even our heavy-hitting rock girl needs a hand and can't handle this one.
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She realized it then.
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She was the linchpin.
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The one who had to keep its focus—force it to fight her—so the others could line up the kill.
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Fire mana flared inside her. Muscles burned.
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One more time.
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She rushed.
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She hadn't lost before; she just lost focus. She just needed to pin it down, and it would be over—a win, and they go home heroes.
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She charged—again.
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Hammer swings, flame strikes, her full fury—slamming into the ogre.
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The others volleyed in.
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This had to break it.
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It adapted.
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Again.
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Like it always did.
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She saw it.
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The eyes. Cold. Calculating.
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The way arrows flicked by—her eyes only catching them after they'd passed.
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It wasn't luck.
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It was reading them. All of them.
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Dodging was effortless. Like breathing.
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Shadow vines?
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It didn't even look. Shifted—stepped past—like Arlin's magic wasn't even there.
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Only when all of them pressed—Len closing in, Nina flanking, and Arlin trying to trap it with barriers—did it finally show a hint of surprise.
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Even then... just a flicker.
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Yet that moment was enough, and she would show it how much that could change things in a moment.
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Her hammers crashed into its smug face…finally.
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And its answer?
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It grabbed her mid-swing—and flung her like trash.
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The fall hurt—but the shame hurt worse.
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It had looked at her... not as a threat. Not even as prey.
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Just a pest.
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Even broken, it thought her beneath it.
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Her pride snarled.
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No. Not like this.
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Never.
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She didn't train and endure pain with her father just to fall like that, cast aside as if she were an afterthought, not to some mindless beast.
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"IS THUT ALL U GUT?!" She roared.
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Flames flared—surging through her veins.
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She charged again. Harder. Hotter. Slammed both hammers into the massive frame of its back with everything she had left.
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She wasn't playing now; it was a fight it wanted, and she would give it one. Her pride wounded from that fall and was burning hotter than the mana in her veins.
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It hadn't expected her back so fast.
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There it was—anger in its eyes when it faced her.
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And in hers?
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Glee. Pure glee.
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The others froze.
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They didn't know who was winning.
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This wasn't like before—no clean team tactics, no easy rhythm.
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This was chaos.
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But for Terra?
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This was perfect.
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Even as the ogre's swings tightened—precise, sharp—clipping closer with each dodge... she grinned.
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A fist—fast, brutal—came straight for her face.
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Too fast to dodge.
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She braced—but the hit veered.
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A whisper of shadow curled around its wrist—Arlin's vine.
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Saved her. Barely.
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She wanted to kiss Arlin for saving her, which would have hurt, but she was ready for the strike even if she was glad to avoid it.
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She staggered back, catching her breath. Trying to see the battle more clearly as things spun as fast as the mana burn in her veins.
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Nina's earth magic surged—stone wrapped around its feet, locking it down.
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For a moment—just a moment—the ogre was a sandbag.
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Wide open.
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Laughter burst out of her.
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"We've gut it. We've GUT IT!"
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She surged forward once more. Hammers smashing into its massive frame, driving it back.
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But then—
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It broke free.
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Nina's bindings cracked. Arlin's shadows snapped away.
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And its cold, ruthless gaze locked—right back on her.
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Despite the blows and all the things they did, it still stood undefeated.
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She could see even now, despite being broken, bleeding, and getting beat down, it was still thinking and planning, but what it was doing made no sense.
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Was it just too dumb to know it was going to die?
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Was this really the great beast from the past they feared?
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Maybe legends just make great monsters, and the greatest fools were them all for letting this ogre beast think it could be a king among peasants, never knowing it was beneath them all.
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ROOOOAR.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfboY7cWvl
The roar meant nothing.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXuVExlFJO
She was grinning, poor beast; it was breaking.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBhoUlVYW4
Then, without warning, it moved.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFqBhrDj6m
A sudden burst of speed, its limp forgotten, wounds ignored.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LuoWDPFu3
Before anyone could react, it was there. It was on her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuo5y2Lg4T
She didn't feel the first hit.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW16un0oEX
The armor took it. Blunted it.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvJgzhBmZA
But the force?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPR00lkCXE
It sent her flying, airborne.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwhinG5sLQ
Midair, it caught her again.
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Both fists slammed her down.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLIfooN5T6I
The ground cracked beneath her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GIXL87409
She barely had time to bounce before—
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofXzTNIE7D
CRACK!
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocM17UFuBj
Its foot came down hard, straight into her head.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5e3EjSffv
Only her mana-fortified armor stopped it from shattering her skull like glass.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBwnF7JpRt
Somewhere in that blur, her instincts saved her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBTl4Tfdjz
Mana surged.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMg3Wmn8Lh9
The armor stiffened—skin hardened—just enough.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡon3Oe8cZMR
Enough to stop the kick from ripping her head clean off her body into the ground.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A6E9KQxWc
But not enough to stop the world from breaking.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYthLaSOx5s
Broken.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3jtvlfHzj
Body twisted. Vision spinning.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWPEh1FU5J
She tumbled, spiraling away into the dirt.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXdotyMSoi
Nothing left.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4XYGBcHJZ
The world spun—colors bleeding together. Pain sharp, then distant, then sharp again.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqM13yYPMv
How? How did something that looked half-dead hit like a landslide?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2aA8bJueo
Her body screamed truths her pride had ignored. This wasn't some wounded beast limping to its grave. This was something else. Something that had been playing with them.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjLaQb5vao
Playing with her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinBueQAGrS
The thought made her stomach twist worse than the pain.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsgjGgwkDZ
She had Nothing left.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocsz9NdkiJ
Everyone—frozen.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOJDbSIsv5
One second it was victory.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqbm2cHOjY
The next was the sound of breaking bone, crushed armor, blood hitting dirt.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLWyrbGrG0
Nobody moved...
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEaAytMtj7
Len dashed—trying to reach Terra.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2d53oqDjl
Too late.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcfVCbKPRB
The ogre swung—forcing her back—cutting her off.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUASIA3CMen
Terra's mind became a sea of fog.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeHEegTjVo
Nothing made sense.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxq3Z4pw5H
How?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwq9xRulL9h
She was a fighter. A warrior.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhuRMtl7uk
She could take hits.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstmFLo08nF
But this…?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfBDZcJhqn
This wasn't right.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPI5zUnFSQ
The pain clouded everything.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WHaR2FMoy
Where did this power come from?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8bZRGBciB
Was it always this strong?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdhCt2frXa
Is this... what they feared?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIfpZwXIqW
The thing that haunted them?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8xUnDKcpO
And...
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OeU2iWIny
She rushed right into it.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFalfq1kRN
Smiling. Laughing.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TqBbztnV6
Like a proud, blind fool.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKfjVl47uh
For the first time in her life, she learned something real.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemCdrAvhkR
Fear.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYloR7I9WX
Real fear.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgMGX5FPQK
Not the nightmare you could wake from, the one you were forced to live when the monster was real and did not fade with a dream.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5vTwbW3gT
Broken.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHG52RJpp5
Dying.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVC9fvhDk8j
Nobody close enough. Nobody's coming.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkT8VURLpx
She used to dream of being loved. Of being wanted.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uWgML8RlX
But now?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pSI8Yms9d
She just wanted to be saved.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjIPWcA2kj
To be anywhere but here.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM02uoLXSo0
Even those desperate thoughts... slipped away.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJPmYxQsMI
Pain—numbness—blurring together.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJO6nmZqoBa
The flame that always burned inside her, the one that made her strong, clear, alive—
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47jQEZmmBO
Flickered. Dimmed.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRYkoMwrSa
Almost gone.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc2dRIfOYJX
Voices?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUK3IWjFk2
Shouts? Screams?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcW7AnhCy00
Somewhere nearby—or miles away.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgRN8v9y9b
...Hope?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDblJz9BB5X
CRACK
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovizj9soVL
A scream.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyw4tfmec2W
Movement…blurs.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuzhbF9rcN
A dream. A nightmare.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORzFKytawU
Am I even here?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuiRGgCyVV
Please... let me wake up.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSevgWvByBp
A light.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBi6r0yheQ
Warm.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMf23FbuBch
Healing, it was pure life.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpzkUbvp6E
A hand. A voice.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7IDrmz2Tx
Clarity... breaking through.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaSfRFR1KA
How long had she been out?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4YWcNTcTv
Her eyes—finally focused.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJnBSmHxeg
Arlin was on the ground? Trying to move?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHoHUHvj5k
Why was he…why was he down?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaZ0lVvqSQ
Smashing…somewhere nearby.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡortBOBZxqG
Nina was fighting? Alone?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQACFwCKbp
Where... where's Len?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6riPzmS3qd
Len was rushing toward Coby.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vNhxq5GZy
Wait was Coby's down?!
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfykPlcFeD2
When—how—
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnXKlg1M4b
Laughter.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT756xrCopn
The ogre—just laughing.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1Yhh2cXvw
Shrugging off everything Nina threw, Like this was entertainment. Like Nina was a child throwing pebbles.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH8nXq7Qn88
No... move. Move. I have to help.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1eGuw9XAd
She's like my sister...
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2ub4Ldr86
Her body didn't listen.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoQsCgYmYg
A weak roll—barely a twitch.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nvDtOrq9M
She saw Nina—a fortress of earth.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkkvcu1IFc
Stone armor wrapped her form—a beast of a tank.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5ts6D5RY9
The ground shifted—jaws of rock, spikes, fists—slamming into the ogre.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFspETlPCks
But the ogre tore through it all.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgmDyYGE03
One step. Another. Slow. Unstoppable.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIR1NRIjqS
Every hit Nina landed—the ogre shrugged off.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7oYKFrFDu
Nothing. No fear. No pain.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKzTV4TuuV
It shattered her stone with lazy indifference.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZSFV8X9JG
But Nina wouldn't break.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZKTPnPYPw
Every piece shattered—she reformed it.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxah7rqmzlB
A brutal, grinding war of attrition. Stone and fist. Smash. Reform. Smash again.
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Neither yielding.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtLGo5aSTp
She was so tired, and it was hard to focus at times.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDwqpcHgYs
A thud.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUMMyj47SN
Distant—heavy—wrong.
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Nina—down.
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Even the earth couldn't hold.
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Arlin—on his feet.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQdvcBmgUB
Stumbling. Gritting his teeth. Focused.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6hOwXOYGj
Determined.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7udapLD2P7
Come on... you can do it.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojTgGNUi2R
She believed. She always had.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtY9UtXhRg
If anyone could, it was him.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxtC6Bgs6s
He rushed—shadows lashing, spikes driving into the beast's side.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2gCRZAm8o
The ogre... barely flinched.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryFTwWl7Iz
Stood there. Proud. Unbothered.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0XwHKWBjf
...How?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TUEgpxS1k
How did it heal?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xVMwPs52e
Broken before.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0wj3mk3pE
Now—untouchable.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuVUIORfcx
Was it always like this?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgujF3FBai
A trick. A trap.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUW559uUXor
They never stood a chance.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuhgXvK69W
The ogre swung—a killing blow.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRvIn1k2El
Arlin—vanished into mist.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ51nBbwLYH
The strike tore empty air—but not him.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHjFxVHxIv
Pride swelled.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z7CrFY759
Arlin—facing it head-on.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkv1dSbwaX1
No fear. No hesitation.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpVoOXc3oo
She should've tried harder.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhspguRBU0
Should've fought smarter.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAlWp6OGzg
Maybe then... they wouldn't be here.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlTrImAfTK
This was her fault. Her stupid, blind pride.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9H5a2PlL4
She'd seen grass and disappointment and threw herself at the first real fight like a starving dog at meat. Never asked why it was alone. Never wondered why legends feared it. Never thought past her own need to prove herself.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHIWywaRTS
And now?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb4Hr4faED
Now Arlin was bleeding because of her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxVvgl06Cw
Nina was fighting alone because of her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSyqO1SYxc
They'd followed her charge. Trusted her instincts. Her worthless, arrogant instincts.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMaOD3HONLD
Maybe... they wouldn't be here, if not for her.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4khsCdFd0I
She tried. Tried to crawl. To move.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL9UeTqg1l
Nothing.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZRkiUz0RW
Mana drained. Body broken.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vPqBhz9Ua
All she could do was watch.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULWhbJfAwi
They brought so few potions.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZQ5dTX8sw
So naive.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71ThwYZFJx
They thought this would be easy—just another dungeon run.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufUNx3H5Xh
They were wrong.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMMp5zS6md
And the worst truth? She was still afraid.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1Xvh0tZfh
Even now. Especially now.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU1A3K1kV7
This was not the adventure with new friends and finding a lover she dreamed about; this was an end with no winners, and she led them with pride in that charge.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvno710dTJ1
Tears—slipping free.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoIEkCsBjc
No voice left.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpHC5khmYv
No begging. No cheering.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrchUyR6anX
Just... watching.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW5PcDZcHJ
Praying.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCGiRscdJW
The fight dragged on—a brutal dance.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0M9XebPGm
Arlin's strikes—sharp, precise, deadly.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBAM0GQSfd
A killer's craft.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyXwEcxSV9
She was proud. So proud.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrKBzpwMfm
But... why wasn't the beast dying?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhPZnfaQG3
Len—kneeling over Nina.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSM5Vcs6Nh0
She'll help Arlin next.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0th7ekRVFg
It's not too late... right?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1mXu56Bvu
She could see it. The slowing. The sweat.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao7yhb1sjK
His shadow-steps—lagging. Delayed.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrvS07Vdkk
Until finally—he couldn't shift at all.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw0KrlA6Ib
Standing there. Panting. Out of mana.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm7wFHY7dn
Determined... but empty.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRAZAYLUjA
Nothing left.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2USc0tgQ32
And the ogre—knew.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPP9p3VMeGI
It charged—fists slamming into him.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYFs1pC4IO
One—two—three.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJN0VK1H54
Too fast to follow—only the thuds in the air told her how many.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBg68sgxqfh
Arlin spun and fell.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodDgDyBWOn
Didn't get up.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmm1i6esDU9
Len.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuUV2JSh71
Only Len now.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtVh3s0bP9
So... that's it.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpS5gO78oCw
They lost.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJXITdeAH3
What can Len do alone?
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHNpqVK3YF
Terra tried—tried to whisper, to plead, to beg.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8fNN58Hho
Her voice—broken.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GL0qnw0V7
A cracked bird. Not a song of hope.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fzd4uHI3g
Just a screech of despair.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCTlneU22c
There's no mercy here.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP82b2INhUA
One last, desperate thought…
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkc36VtnQkQ
Run, Len... please... just run.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelIw4fCVp7
We're already dead. Let the light live. Let... something... survive.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nM1084Wba
For this is their darkest day, The world tilted. Colors drained away. Her head—where it had stomped her—throbbed with each heartbeat. Len's healing only did so much when they all needed her. Each pulse dimming the world a little more.170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplGbPMtAtq
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42st6idGxU
Consciousness slipped like water through her fingers. In the growing darkness, only one truth remained clear: They were all going to die because she'd been too proud to see the trap.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SQEeYnvCV
As all faded to black for Terra, she never saw what happened next...and she could not handle knowing her last thought is nobody would live to see a new day.
170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLEbIzNIhH
It was not to win the day but the final proof that even light loses at the end of the day to the darkness of night.170Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoARHI3fcD
and then Add to home screen.