“...”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXSmxhIidK
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“...”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZOwoQ0rBA
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZNZ92c0gJ
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lSVHzaOpK
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzh9PwEZWz
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“I have a feeling–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38ApXpnlJU
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“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0adV4UimoS
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rMJoGEnZ1
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“Do you also have that feeling?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7l8rgAsZt
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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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6r06RPCjNt
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“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcys03dRSmu
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBj5VBkWlt9
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVAb53haJr
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“Y-You!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZMKmieYTG
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJznSBusPYq
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“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6YkmQU3S6
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“A-Alright!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74uDTzVjzb
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aG9Y4XFJd
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“Hey! Juke, what are–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW15iz434Ha
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUS2nKOgN1
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdeDV8JjYk
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“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoSy5BzKoG
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcJvv1nbSY
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“He’s alive!?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MkQdOQivg
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJnuEGKqlg
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“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21JIDUuS3D
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“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67qZPNJKSV
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIafRyRDF1d
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And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡch7cRHz7B9
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“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡym0SJEQIaA
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“...Well, not exactly.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoCfwPfj1U
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I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1VNFn8SKa
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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.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBJAGqTEAK
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“Tell me, won’t ya?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOKBZ5c2uj
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“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEytc6xySpS
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“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1LiN7BEdn
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“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhY4Cg3PdA
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“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGLScoYvYO
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I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHKKrSM9Xf
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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!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSHjzFMyDd
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He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ933aZi66WY
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“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PVNHV5FFb
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The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbuKm3oviV
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“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqqWDtymsv
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1YDi7zxrY
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“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfTJsCq7ta
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He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iHQ1xNgZm
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“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3CPNjv5tX
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And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJZCgYd29I
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–
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–
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–204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1jKF3Qq12
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOVcw3l5Od
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiumK4HjjlF
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Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0GwdUZCUf
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“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mrwowDUMj
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBc2WRjWSBR
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIf75Vsoq3z
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1L2IdfYyya
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeafw2bAvp
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“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUYPWMUumb
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC187nTpyIs
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RK37i1wJK
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He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8bGZ5xnA9
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLm8u0FbRW
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ4L8X4hXW
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“Crap!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrFZTM1xt0
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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–204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKG7rcIVZo
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**CRUNCH**204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CoECsGAGx
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKIzDjmXBf
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEyoN7zxSg
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIhJ1IIc3h
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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–204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwXSfHXniy
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“Child! Child, please!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmC9QYXtJH
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“W-What!?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNFwDHlTbN
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My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡySySX74Lcn
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“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqtFqSSrUU
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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!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9uYvS6i5s
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“...”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8jwPFfhKf
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyY4sd88N5f
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With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEl2ZFkr2n
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“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9GmwQrHFYq
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“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5UUsM17SE
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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–204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2GrItBQBV
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpp3x4u3Yca
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How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OfcCnM9vw
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“Kid! Watch out!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjmWmes43UI
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“--Huh?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSHvp0kBjK
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYgigMvnsJ
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“S-S-Shit!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQA7P40bopu
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHHXNRM6h7
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**SQUELCH**204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4h0vbaKbRL
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But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSDNwnHJSF
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“--H-Hrk!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyPXcVyFUB3
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“Oh?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRSUF3qM62
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLbWQ9iKOU
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But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡibc61SBdjO
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“Ark… W-Why?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHPG0fjD4T
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“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?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgoRKIdjUm
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He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4qANijUp1
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“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtfL3QKvFT
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“A– y-you monster!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwJdoLmSUZ
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He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAeRu4boJH
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“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF1FIvG1Eh
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After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHyonzERyn
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“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKUcOzu1iq
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“A-Afraid?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6Dyo4f7vb
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtBA9PFiKi
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“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulCTk3Qga7
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrWKHdDY2A
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMbOXSd5sp
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“Damn it. Damn it!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhz9j0dqOaK
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnULv2KBgIp
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“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIvRlw7btC
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdw4r0gjyE
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1G4wqx9RE
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“T-Thank you.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIKhIJGs3v
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“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmNCUvCrkI
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5EEV40z93
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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11E5zbaexH
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“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9HQHNZ5DW
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlSc7iYCXw
“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GUk5LLegf
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIi3tgGF53i
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHGdYKQzzd
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“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnZZ0S5oWG
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH3rsNWAa9
“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zOoIPtUb0
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK2C355kam
“Juke!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXB60nvoBs9
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0tSS6VLmx
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“That kid is such a nuisance!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zfhPLnPGv
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OY66mt598
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Fortunately, it didn’t have to.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX51wQl8tkA
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“Ahck!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9bqNF1jjc
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXSyVxj6ns
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrOeNeYMl5
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And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG3JSFh12c
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycZQfriTZB
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But, that did not happen.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZkIpe37jH
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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 Bringer204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0NyfFMUtv
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“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpOT2OStyB
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46D0R5QbqR
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKkRGdZijc
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And he let it rip just a moment later.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkPIdSBHNd
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEm6KukkU7
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LF5Tet6md
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlETRkhd8Sj
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“...!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0cBMT8H8d
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None so fierce to kill my plant.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQOgqjyJvN
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“M-My arm!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk6859Vfa3
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But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicAouRRSmj
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“Juke!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAofovmpeQ
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“Gotcha, kid!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUmydaPPtj
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QtaL17UEc
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYIuZdz7rM
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I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3GnfbMiSX
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUu3w6A3by
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“Hrk!”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZD3LXS7wZ7
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagTzrHyenR
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The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHa7Pk3VNyM
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“...”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lozekSONj
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“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvc0290EjB
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhpW5ad7zD
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“Curse…”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL4FfheEWn
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“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0UxXzXeQy
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“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XKGij4MQs
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He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6B0N4xSHx
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“May they, be few.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fZCyLqKBE
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcyjZONbln
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Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVzt7Vw3FA
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“That was… sad.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9gqPUAv0z
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“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNa5ElZxKq
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“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfvXcg1nJB
204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV29XPWSMzs
“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFM7HA34GlN
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15Ybk7ljhZ
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“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxM0Nt6f3v
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“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGuynvYbUB
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“Don’t continue.”204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPpRDb0PaN
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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.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPVsAw2pyJ
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Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.204Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtn7dVrUamC
