“...”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5N0Sip7Be0
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“...”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAXbVMxCeS
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIwCEP6vY9
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKdfkXjloZ
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5GqpVqEcf
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“I have a feeling–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbaCJA38c1
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“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghvaZ5feH6
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I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzzhdBRUMl
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“Do you also have that feeling?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHSTlSXnKF
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“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.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGJJsXMtMe
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“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyATD2rjza
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His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpztApV796S
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbyPRzzHRY
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“Y-You!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSn0rHnv4AK
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJPGAqTxqL
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“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHaZB8WmWG
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“A-Alright!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAh8a3FQgj
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpWJHiQtf0
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“Hey! Juke, what are–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRGyssH8Ms
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFgNqLaubc
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYWYRkXEE7
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WFSs4cyQW
“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC9tSOiwdx
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAl3KRkh0B5
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“He’s alive!?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSC0cH3Db0M
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdwXBA7lsb
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“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubzghYWiZQ
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“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fidmUFDjD
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHoepl7VPA
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And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKN9U20C6E
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“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQOdED7BWu
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“...Well, not exactly.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOTfdF1tqf
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I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dIP2bCjwl
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“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.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUbKGkfsvT
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“Tell me, won’t ya?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpiNRQjaQ0
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“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQudGgTwJv
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOxHQy6s2x
“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfMjF9HWQI
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“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6r26uO3fId
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“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiptmJpSyQ
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I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QYCJtQtvQ
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“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!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPUT0jCa6J
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He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN70XajI9Je
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“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPf9QrQVTvg
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The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfDuynldM5
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“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrKMj7qpyr
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEp6ZalVMd
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“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOVy996eN9
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He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJc12IsDM2X
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“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJSxElXQS7
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And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOIVEucD1g
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–
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–
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–244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WQjat5QQG
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9fBqYiwX8
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcIV3rguWv
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Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkPsuPviN9
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“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqzJnEsVhku
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kRCpcuyIN
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQJQfgBtDQ
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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.
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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.
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**CLANG**
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"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
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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.
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"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
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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.
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"I can just chip away."
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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.
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My body reacted immediately.
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"Urg--Glurrgh!"
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The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
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"Kid! Ah, shit!"
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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?
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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–
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"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
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"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevul9AlNX9
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Z8mfiJfgX
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“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAifif54c4p
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After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wzXDzBdPt
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHWKang7I1
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He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pL1h5i0iY
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAvljYn13F
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8QM5COCsM
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“Crap!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SzEFetWom
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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–244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMK5ytwW4m
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**CRUNCH**244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbX8PzoR5r
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljWXb3QqH2
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifHgzhEv1S
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s2iLnPaTX
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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–244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yKGvGsvA6
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“Child! Child, please!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPVuv5WamZ
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“W-What!?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡta2ux8ZMA6
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My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxdxkslt7L
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“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PgL6qBSx2
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“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPTdbiyiPY
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“...”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmcp1ERoth
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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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0yqnbevB0
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With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPxR7d4dMO
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“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPw5V48mUi
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“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEfu0uY3kX
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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–244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooYCwrX0Sg
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGy4DO6RJz
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHpBhmFZVI
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnVS7I4xGv
How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3MdQyBwS4
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8W35N1imaU
“Kid! Watch out!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqQlcw7xVP
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMl1zNggD8j
“--Huh?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICReAoy7Ym
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOe5uD6JHsz
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6pX4RuKn8
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5F7xiBo5j
“S-S-Shit!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEw2uOgMFu
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm32x6n5wrE
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtUsPs9Z6z
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYvYMk0jBS
**SQUELCH**244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK08gKYYU2T
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wO7pnI2ni
But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBo7V9nFga
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvPeVCzd8v
“--H-Hrk!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zvVKQ18dr
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocFVekRWkD
“Oh?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpelTCpDZr
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47AYhB9uXk
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd2AB1QuLA
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEFoEsXvL5
But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeMAXPD0P4
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUlYVslneR
“Ark… W-Why?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUDioJDbXE
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXDsqFeCOm
“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?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzuh01QihP
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLem3eOrHa
He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEE2UK5P4JE
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbtsAG3lY1
“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLZk3pO9he
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISvplJZ7vB
“A– y-you monster!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrEPYNMdBv
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yvAlXWxHZ
He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw595p36sB1
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qKP8d5ahE
“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ubrlmB8Gx
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftVhjfvhvV
After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeHYbRPAnP
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5LBOhlkkI
“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hWpjm7MWk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot15A4x2R0
“A-Afraid?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvKafFSLTv
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjUxfIJEOz
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfyHY4CkRW
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwhB4Xm9VG
“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzIdXqfvle
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvidzHYqZHL
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnzte697XM
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyxP8b962Q
“Damn it. Damn it!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dMfC0MMqA
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4ooV1PWgP
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqs5ongvXj
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9Dyv0GRkn
“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡih8vp9NSAo
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoU1b47ALpm
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxaUXouYNK
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetWezO7OxJ
“T-Thank you.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobZy8I4oA5
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmZ8WoHuBW
“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePBdzGliGN
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9CXMjhV3l
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMP63jqsKw1
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hxpyBPOgD
“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnOUzrXpqh
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡardNuI73XD
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnotW8x4ALo
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wx3A5lavz
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8OS74TUZp
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhjOF3TVJVj
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeV4pFb8XUH
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRs6vHhjeE
“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwM3NmOxXIR
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3uGwTX6NZ
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItwCJrhAQ3
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaA1lalQhXn
“Juke!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0q4moCgsu2
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrMmtFwlH4
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZAPnpTwp4
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUABqRyujX
“That kid is such a nuisance!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpjWCtjMGf
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2tDxSA0u0
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0EBEPbUkNk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yHKj3wSRO
Fortunately, it didn’t have to.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38KJ25R0f4
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrwrB3gffk
“Ahck!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT5SAkb1Jk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFsxl6M3OJ
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyaTg7kIGR
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXWs1sbb6b
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaSLqXt28D
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcba2ONDa33
And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExQoa43oLt
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjroMRzj8mF
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DyhBoqDxQ
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvOTJYvaFo
But, that did not happen.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6qKLkbt81
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaRQTBSQqW
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 Bringer244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbtA9746gv
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j0mFzMt8P
“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfXHN5N00f
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadDBt7xHGF
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS22Zev5A2U
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoizsYS9MEU
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOXrJQdbFA
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2KMHaqeFg
And he let it rip just a moment later.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJF9p0qWdjJ
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvU7EoTzgQ
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv9yufBXsx
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ055yizt0
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRW142p4p3
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCSBfUG5St
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxtfUoa7Xs
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMR7qIyQjm4
“...!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6d8Agdhaq
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GCyvXdp5z
None so fierce to kill my plant.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7C05CLky8B
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GVPXjyUOc
“M-My arm!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mhyFlYaHY
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaHWuMw7PH
But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n3fYXicev
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA25gTwC704
“Juke!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmU07YWWSiU
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvj5Pgp2ogh
“Gotcha, kid!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIyN89n57w
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1f0Gd3jwYg
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjSnRjLddo
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NYgYMzMqt
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3kTYckAmh
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvKOVCNbwG
I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBayNthXBQ
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxRYbpFjJ4
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAJWclddTr
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiisB3XkIqp
“Hrk!”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMMrkdf61I
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1opvYJ6At
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyn6UAXAlbk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z3Nrc5Ws4
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VcILQYaTk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqwjnUhfmRh
“...”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCm1mAcOWKZ
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgFYSJT9JK
“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMW2QKudP0o
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3t5XI4Pzqg
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm3G2DByaH
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡud8ezobHf5
“Curse…”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNYMwPl8lK
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJEivEBaWy
“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqCuXkLgg3
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sH6axKc2U
“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDA6k5A1nK
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGScgDrhZM
He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPoCOLkpUC
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO5UYHrdzh
“May they, be few.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinS4X4IO3U
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB5g4VQize
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD5dA4nPp5
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTO7D9NZndk
Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxMY4P1bAu
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4pdKKjEXE
“That was… sad.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvAumnF6pn
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTU0RCSRxA
“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFkhdC7VmM
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTf3MFkhye
“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUWTNxb6EU
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKzymddtjk
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDTGnZ2lN4
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTi9b4lV3s
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkNF6dKuwNk
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAmVQtJdr3
“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdhm9H22a9
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYU0HaKAqx
“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz57hY37P7m
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrMvY8pfAP
“Don’t continue.”244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EG7WtHjCE
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpdkCnbdmh
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.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8qh0WWh3u
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNCu186foR
Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWieTknDOaI
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