The ambush from the last floor was felt throughout the crowd.31Please respect copyright.PENANA3y8zgE81WH
31Please respect copyright.PENANAW9bjgGf2xx
Even though Juke and I weren't affected, the other's faces were considerably downtrodden. Some members were now left without a partner and had to team up with people they weren't very familiar with. Morale was low, especially since our leaders were missing.31Please respect copyright.PENANALcLjgS3K5o
31Please respect copyright.PENANAu7ON91HFYw
The remaining group was small, too. Only about eight people were left, meaning that, with the five remaining floors, some were simply required to take them alone. There was chatter of moving as a single unit, taking on each room as a whole rather than having forces split from the group, but others countered that doing so would be abandoning an order and that we had to "trust our other members."31Please respect copyright.PENANAMZdDQkJNO8
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFljT1YqakT
As for me, my nerves only spiked. The image of all those fallen bringers was engraved into my mind, and I desperately tried to keep the word "corpse" out of my head. Over and over, telling myself that they were simply unconscious when the right side of my mind constantly told me otherwise–
**SLAP**31Please respect copyright.PENANANBAsu0mVOg
31Please respect copyright.PENANAc1CobKOEsh
"Ack!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAIrVMCHSstG
31Please respect copyright.PENANA8MHF5yY8sM
I wasn't prepared for the strength I slapped myself with. My muscles were incredibly tense, and I hadn't even realized.31Please respect copyright.PENANAfR20BdIQwu
31Please respect copyright.PENANAqDZHPK9Vh3
"No use in thinking about it. No use in thinking about it! Come on!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAhG1W2HXFon
31Please respect copyright.PENANAULNajL4CmM
I steeled whatever I had left of my resolve and kept trudging through the stairs. I had a complete vision of the crowd, and it made it apparent just how thinned out it had become. To my great dismay, I could even see Rover.31Please respect copyright.PENANAX3xaszVpJK
31Please respect copyright.PENANAMU6yW0rbj4
"...Useless–!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAcPMm6pxZIr
31Please respect copyright.PENANAC124gE1cyY
I tried not to think about anything that. I knew I couldn't suspend it for long, but every second I could force my legs forward was valuable. So I ran and ran and ran and ran and–31Please respect copyright.PENANAFWBE9AgD6A
31Please respect copyright.PENANACcuXAoMX1h
Suddenly, I noticed something. Though I naturally hadn't been paying much attention to her, the person beside her had changed.31Please respect copyright.PENANAc5VScfM86c
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVWi91XBNcC
And it was someone I recognized31Please respect copyright.PENANACfNNiX3OOp
31Please respect copyright.PENANA5JqFOUQrzR
–
–
–
The most grueling part of this siege hadn't been the laborious running. It hadn't been the various enemies, the threat of death or even seeing allies fall like flies in the previous ambush. No, for Rover, it was restraint.31Please respect copyright.PENANAzLy6a1ybtd
31Please respect copyright.PENANA0zHaPM5QD2
To do nothing in the face of Hard-Bringer gave her near-uncontrollable rage. Those she swore she'd see crumble, running amok and stealing lives as they always have, unable to even point her weapon at them. If it weren't for those looming words by that wimpy child, resting in the corners of her mind like spiders, she would've caved in.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1hs5Ez8Xw7
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Especially now that her surrogate partner was a completely new face.31Please respect copyright.PENANAWucrkckw4e
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"Hi."31Please respect copyright.PENANA12QBgzpvfN
31Please respect copyright.PENANAY0UkY1zz2P
As she raced up the steps, a man in glasses only a little taller announced himself. She could see him facing her in her peripheral, and though her habits urged her not to, she matched his gaze.31Please respect copyright.PENANABxNl6O0s9L
31Please respect copyright.PENANAbc8jjXAaST
"What!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAgCqd0HkTzi
31Please respect copyright.PENANAH7SQ42gxMG
Though, perhaps, she should've spared an extra second checking her tone.31Please respect copyright.PENANAdiiolW8NIb
31Please respect copyright.PENANATCmfEtjO5v
"S-Sorry for the intrusion, ma'am! I just thought we'd familiarize ourselves."31Please respect copyright.PENANA544hPLFJKW
31Please respect copyright.PENANAughSWgtFsj
His nervous expression didn't loosen one bit. When Rover tried a softer face, the sweat on his brow multiplied. Rover gave up appearances, quickly discarding dismissive dialogue before her introduction.31Please respect copyright.PENANABLafi7kS69
31Please respect copyright.PENANAAoW31PoQJD
"I'm Nigel. You're the volunteer, aren't you?"31Please respect copyright.PENANA91kEB6Oksj
31Please respect copyright.PENANAya0MmOg1fa
"Volunteer makes it sound lame! I'm Rover! L-Let's work well together, alright!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAQoqm9zi473
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjp60rVHlJS
Nigel's tense expression eased a little. He worried about a sudden reassignment just as much as Rover did.31Please respect copyright.PENANAHkTwWKAyNT
31Please respect copyright.PENANAflj5ctM89p
"I know this is a bit impromptu, but my partner perished on the floor below. Thank you for bearing with me."31Please respect copyright.PENANATPRUvlpGLp
31Please respect copyright.PENANAH7OgJ46oWG
He raised his right hand, one that clutched a metal collar with a tag. Rover knew immediately who it belonged to, and the unusual idea of consolement entered her mind.31Please respect copyright.PENANAmjRWrI5KAS
31Please respect copyright.PENANA9FCWUV9Kfk
"That... that's really bad. I'm sorry for–"31Please respect copyright.PENANAFUMkPh0QKj
31Please respect copyright.PENANArF9zwJuPzi
"Don't worry about it. You've suffered a similar fate, haven't you? We're in the same boat."31Please respect copyright.PENANAWANahWu9eU
31Please respect copyright.PENANAfSHycbR5vS
He kept a smile with those words, but his eyes lacked the light to convince her. He turned his head away, and the two of them kept running up with their usual worries.31Please respect copyright.PENANAie2e07O56D
31Please respect copyright.PENANA5Gq5v79aDZ
And then, finally, they hit a flat surface.31Please respect copyright.PENANAhXEPn3I6mz
31Please respect copyright.PENANAoKZGUuN1TX
"The next room's up ahead!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAcRPkUtHQrG
31Please respect copyright.PENANAh3RPN5MV0s
She had been in this scene nearly a dozen times already. And each time, she dreaded it. Sprinting to that door, knowing that there would be a monster in man's skin. She swallowed that dread like before, and each time, it poisoned her blood further and further.31Please respect copyright.PENANAxzqkvYbZPB
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjiQvVKTWZR
The crowd made it to the room. It was relatively small, but an immediate feature was the giant stained windows, granting a tinted view of the city outside. Rover gave minimum attention to the stature of the room, however, because there, by the exit, sat a man who could only be described as–31Please respect copyright.PENANAk8dlUZ5iem
31Please respect copyright.PENANAntty0zOnKM
"Holy shit! Are ya a titan!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAFAmjq2CYP0
31Please respect copyright.PENANAIaMbQOTea1
Rover glanced behind her, realizing that Juke was the one to yell that. She saw Kenny near him, huffing with his hands on his kneecaps.31Please respect copyright.PENANA6WhnYmFFkS
31Please respect copyright.PENANA1I2ALWGjKh
A titan. It was a familiar word. She heard it from the stories her mother told her. But, of course, there were no titans in King's Peak, only tales of them.31Please respect copyright.PENANASPm6IPSIUP
31Please respect copyright.PENANAgScth21uVK
But, even if it was only in name, the titan a man was. A member of Hard-Bringer with such size, and his head nearly reached the ceiling when he stood. Such monstrous height intimidated nearly everyone, but for Rover, it was the opposite.31Please respect copyright.PENANAbkf0RKODml
31Please respect copyright.PENANAp4wVX6HbhB
Rover recognized that height. Rover recognized that build, even though it was concealed by robes, and as the man went to pull his hoodie down, the face that appeared only confirmed her intuition.31Please respect copyright.PENANANEbfj7gusa
31Please respect copyright.PENANAOfRkWLUyYJ
"This is where your advance ends– huh?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAjB2NDH36D8
31Please respect copyright.PENANAIMsmI9NZBf
The towering man stopped his speech, compelled by the dashing girl with a rapier in hand. She leaped forward and stuck her foot out, but the man blocked the kick by raising his arm. Rover then thrust her blade, and the man narrowly dodged by tilting his head. However, his angled head was grabbed by her free arm, and through a feat unexpected of her size–31Please respect copyright.PENANAyTjZPSYMVL
31Please respect copyright.PENANAsPGiEF3rdA
**THUD**31Please respect copyright.PENANA22i0tWIsxa
31Please respect copyright.PENANAw3V6deSkkv
She shoved the man down to the ground. She immediately followed with a thrust, but she only caught his robe, and the man scurried away.31Please respect copyright.PENANA8uSyS9O4bO
31Please respect copyright.PENANARSzyupuFW0
"...Same tricks as always."31Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yu9FQ9aL6
31Please respect copyright.PENANAdbTjkoMaTa
Though her snide remark was entirely unperturbed, the rest of the room stared with mouths agape, as if they had just witnessed alien life.31Please respect copyright.PENANAbED1g2AupF
31Please respect copyright.PENANA6n8W7QaihM
"Hoh– it is you. You!"31Please respect copyright.PENANANcaXsLoLjt
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3G2wWGImL8
Because, the once hulking, monster of a man, was now suddenly the size of a teenage boy.31Please respect copyright.PENANAp5V0zZPet5
31Please respect copyright.PENANAE1P08GM2zM
"I never expected to run into you today, Rover! Hahaha!"31Please respect copyright.PENANANq4fjvlMmR
31Please respect copyright.PENANA1l6JDFIvbh
The crowd was stunned. Only one member moved through the shock, and everyone stared to find it was Nigel.31Please respect copyright.PENANATv6mmvOMUr
31Please respect copyright.PENANAntKvWQz4Ns
"Everyone," he shouted. "Move on, we'll take care of things here!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAuAIADnaR5l
31Please respect copyright.PENANAQ5Gf9VD8Of
Rover pointed her weapon at the man, a clear warning to stay in place. The man obliged without much resistance, and Rover turned her head to make sure everyone would leave. But then she noticed how Nigel didn't move one inch to that door, and his use of 'we' only just registered in her mind.31Please respect copyright.PENANAOMfLhkAyZB
31Please respect copyright.PENANAylE75YQksw
"Nigel."31Please respect copyright.PENANAmTKT13kRbE
31Please respect copyright.PENANAc8l7ZFdZSj
"Yes?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAvbny2ALfad
31Please respect copyright.PENANAkpcHq2d363
"Leave. I'm fighting this one alone."31Please respect copyright.PENANAeR4b3zjNsT
31Please respect copyright.PENANAU62TKSdoic
"...You're kidding me, certainly."31Please respect copyright.PENANAzPm3ixV8i4
31Please respect copyright.PENANAkFEHPThnkR
Rover shook her head back and forth.31Please respect copyright.PENANApz0oQiTr9b
31Please respect copyright.PENANAuN5HJPnY7s
"Do you honestly think you can take him alone? You saw what he did, didn't you?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAoBmQrHY74g
31Please respect copyright.PENANAyiI3fJSNGi
"Of course I did. And I know how it works."31Please respect copyright.PENANAhTc1CvT6bP
31Please respect copyright.PENANAk8pP3z8EFs
"You fought him before, then?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAKuqI5p3U1H
31Please respect copyright.PENANAdCvWNxgTDP
Rover quickly nodded. Nigel looked at the man with a constrained face, balling his hands into shaking fists. After an irritated, almost hopeless sigh, he complied. But not before one final word.31Please respect copyright.PENANAeAYcxnK00d
31Please respect copyright.PENANAUbtLBrEwbt
"Aren't you and I a team? Are you absolutely certain?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAqddUMFa1VQ
31Please respect copyright.PENANA5BJYttmOG6
Operating on instinct, Rover nodded, but then his opening question computed with her, and her eyes suddenly constricted.31Please respect copyright.PENANAOlptOImJSQ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAPTIT1VIzsf
"Very well! Don't die on me!"31Please respect copyright.PENANABzkjXB4eRc
31Please respect copyright.PENANAcvrz07P02f
His opening words caught Rover like a chain. It reminded her of that moron's scolding, forced her to consider her vow– her earnest word that she'd cooperate –and inquired why she didn't abide by them. But Rover answered that inquiry easily.31Please respect copyright.PENANASyERc7PGiI
31Please respect copyright.PENANAtCqwViWfzX
This man wasn't just a Bringer. She had a history with him. This man was an enemy. A bipedal wretch, barely human, who boiled her blood and furrowed her brows.31Please respect copyright.PENANAnlggJkz68N
31Please respect copyright.PENANAO8d7FvM8nG
No, now she was certain of it. This monster had to fall to her hands; anyone else would just be a hindrance. So she would take him alone, as she always had.31Please respect copyright.PENANAYu4VC80NHa
31Please respect copyright.PENANAoBEf81wzoA
She looked back one last time, making sure that only she and the man were in the room. Nigel was gone, but to her surprise, there was still another member of the crowd there. He drew particular attention. Standing between the exit, not quite leaving it, with clear indecision festering within.31Please respect copyright.PENANAi5g7HIphOQ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAYO4v6KJPaW
"Rover," Kenny suddenly shouted. Her eyes moved to his face, constricted and complicated. She was compelled to call it a scowl, but no scorn was in Kenny's face. Only concern, and disappointment.31Please respect copyright.PENANAJEeMHX1ZQQ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAmXPnS3rLBg
Even without hearing it, Rover knew his words. It suddenly was difficult, to see his face like that. Now, the embodiment of that vow was staring directly into her. Not just at her eyes, no– she felt the observation of her soul.31Please respect copyright.PENANAUux9A6yx6N
31Please respect copyright.PENANAKIlj3Er0Si
"..."31Please respect copyright.PENANAIq1vZvjJQU
31Please respect copyright.PENANA5BT74OKK8n
It was suddenly difficult to do anything. And yet, the feelings that burned within her formed too great an inferno to douse. If that boy took two steps further into this room, or even one, she felt like she would lash out. She felt like– she knew she would yell at him not to butt in, to mind his own business, to go fuck himself, and to leave her alone. Words that she had slung candidly before. Words that she knew better than family.31Please respect copyright.PENANAb2zQTGpGrY
31Please respect copyright.PENANAQZEf8T2oQQ
And so, she communicated with a stern nod, and Kenny's biting mouth chipped his nail.31Please respect copyright.PENANANjZQev84hc
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"Fine. Good luck!"31Please respect copyright.PENANA7rZnKKPuPD
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And then, he was off. His bidding of good fortune completely stunned her. However, she quickly recovered–31Please respect copyright.PENANA8A0fUUeQyw
31Please respect copyright.PENANAANBxQGVMQn
**THUD**31Please respect copyright.PENANAf86meWe9NK
31Please respect copyright.PENANAm1yEfBPHfg
"Sharp as always! I'm a fool to think that would work!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAPduw0yf38K
31Please respect copyright.PENANA2khI4FcXwK
There came a sudden strike from her front, but it was one that she blocked. She freed her rapier from the struggle and backed away, brandishing her weapon and sliding a leg back into a stance.31Please respect copyright.PENANA409YATE0sc
31Please respect copyright.PENANARznsVzEPSg
"Are you ready," the man asked, a boorish smirk on his face. She could almost see the swirls in his eyes, the way they lost any reason, seeing only combat and carnage as they always had.31Please respect copyright.PENANArEYInZfsrW
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFcmaIqfd2Q
She tried to ignore the uncertain, guilty way her stomach formed a pit.31Please respect copyright.PENANAHrDrRVjawq
31Please respect copyright.PENANAIpb0lRn8Nh
"Come at me, Boris!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAUjFGtC3OL1
31Please respect copyright.PENANAJGDcuWKal1
–31Please respect copyright.PENANAz8t5RV1EjW
31Please respect copyright.PENANAqTeCOyTH3l
–31Please respect copyright.PENANAmGzk7uPiLD
31Please respect copyright.PENANAuKEHhM9wKg
–31Please respect copyright.PENANAaaksqHmUHx
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Right before she charged forth, her stalled thoughts sprung into action.31Please respect copyright.PENANAquQDpjhzxD
31Please respect copyright.PENANAd9CG7IbidV
Rover knew of their volatile unpredictability. But she was always prepared for it. Even on that street, when they made their audacious announcement, Rover hadn't a shocked bone in her body. But to see Boris utterly defied expectations. She wished she had more time, maybe a moment to sharpen the tip of her rapier, to check the grip on her dagger. But it was too late now, and as she took her first step into battle, she lost all leeway to care.31Please respect copyright.PENANAIAKL58FN96
31Please respect copyright.PENANAP6Gxvnuj8J
Boris contested her dash. As he charged forth his smaller stature expanded slightly. He leaped forward, but it wasn't to tackle or to grab. He swung his hips and turned ninety degrees, unbending his legs for a sudden drop kick.31Please respect copyright.PENANACx9ALFNnUN
31Please respect copyright.PENANActamsckDOq
Rover blocked it with her hands. His increased size made the blow harder to cope with, but she still only slid a foot back. Now on the ground, Rover seized the opportunity to stab at the man. She thrust once, and her sword was met with the sole of his boot.31Please respect copyright.PENANALHhd8d55V5
31Please respect copyright.PENANAWSV0tyigwA
"Huh!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAjlTS9Ygaa2
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVWhzr8O2NR
He spun onto his belly, catching himself with his hands, using her rapier as a borrowed axel. He pushed himself off the ground with enough force that, even with his lack of leverage, he flew as a battering ram toward her. Rover's rapier nearly snapped under the pressure, but she moved it away before its steel blade turned into a wobbly tube. She ducked Boris' charge, but he grabbed onto her rapier, swinging back around and destroying Rover's balance. Rover, however, had only one hand on that Rapier.31Please respect copyright.PENANAwvlAhM995X
31Please respect copyright.PENANALkbnlWQoIB
"Hah!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAoLX3KSsuWS
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She used her other to grab her dagger and stabbed at the man. He took the blow unceremoniously, even growing to lessen it, and she was sure it hurt by the subsequent grunt. He flew off her rapier a solid few meters away, taking Rover's dagger with his body.31Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9PZB4uKY5
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But she didn't let up, because she knew that if she waited any longer–31Please respect copyright.PENANAZaUcVopIhL
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"Here!"31Please respect copyright.PENANA6EiOPtp34H
31Please respect copyright.PENANATeJHzcKVPG
Boris dislodged her dagger and he chucked it like a throwing knife. Rover caught it at one of its crossguards, but as she was distracted with doing so, the man performed mana spinning.31Please respect copyright.PENANAUyTgnN5ACS
31Please respect copyright.PENANAINEeChSKKm
"Good thing that dagger's so thin. Otherwise, this wound wouldn't be so easy to heal."31Please respect copyright.PENANATOLDgTLFCH
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"Tch."31Please respect copyright.PENANAmbERkuwyKm
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFNkCzxPLXu
Boris returned to his former size. He stroked his chin, tending to his thoughts as he stared down Rover. She afforded him no time and charged forth. She thrust her rapier once, met with a jerk away, and thrust it again. She repeated her thrusts, each of which dodged but less comfortably each subsequent attempt. Rover knew him better, however. She knew that right as she thought she'd get him, he would pull an underhanded trick. So she assumed the eyes of an analyst, narrowing them and gazing at Boris like a hunting cat.31Please respect copyright.PENANAlE5xuwm6rf
31Please respect copyright.PENANA2SIPUF0Ux4
**CLANG**31Please respect copyright.PENANAzEUv8n1p74
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And that trick came. Boris caught her thin rapier between his hands, clamping it so fiercely that the metal would snap any moment. But Rover's stance suffered no blow, and poised to strike back, she slung her leg from her side. The blow struck Boris right under the rib, and from his obvious wince, the damage wasn't meaningless.31Please respect copyright.PENANAyUYYfZkKok
31Please respect copyright.PENANAkZwG09yXg4
She struck again quickly, sliding her rapier out and using the butt of its hilt like a rock, smacking Boris square in the face. Boris reeled from the blow and took a few steps away, but Rover swung her arm back and straightened her Rapier, honing in for a vicious thrust.31Please respect copyright.PENANAke3WlARk6q
31Please respect copyright.PENANAetmbhDVxqX
That thrust, however, had been dodged. And the force Rapier stockpiled only sent her tumbling to the ground. She never landed, though, because a sudden fist to the face replaced her embarrassing fall with a punitive flight. She soared across the room, disoriented, anchoring herself on the floor with her Rapier right before colliding with a wall.31Please respect copyright.PENANAFpGwhG8S8l
31Please respect copyright.PENANAdVAqsmwGO4
As she gathered her bearings, she saw Boris charging forth with a puffed chest. Only, it wasn't puffed, but swollen to inhuman degrees. The image of a bull came to her mind, and for a moment she was paralyzed. But she shook the intimidation off and stepped away, missing a blow that–31Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1bRKSZIzx
31Please respect copyright.PENANAH4QLmZbOjc
**SMASH**31Please respect copyright.PENANAE2R2y7Hcbp
31Please respect copyright.PENANAY0LwLk1u5l
–shook the room as it ruined the wall.31Please respect copyright.PENANA7zF7voymxT
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"Ack. Shit!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAGR3tBieo0D
31Please respect copyright.PENANA46eDSd1h2U
Rover realized his reckless gesture was an attempt at an early victory, but she was too energized to fall prey to it, and now Boris was only more hurt.31Please respect copyright.PENANAOT7gG2VWNC
31Please respect copyright.PENANAcnUnXzF9GV
"These tactics don't work how they used to. You've grown. Haha, you've truly grown!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAP9G7TZ2AkX
31Please respect copyright.PENANAqFIe3mAvEq
Boris deflated his comical size, returning to a more reasonable stature.31Please respect copyright.PENANAzx7fkGDx8h
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVKIVWJmtiv
"But not enough."31Please respect copyright.PENANAhELimX4Omt
31Please respect copyright.PENANAeFmd20XlL6
"--!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAc5sXbhNJCR
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Those words, unlike anything prior, brewed steam within her head.31Please respect copyright.PENANAQTjDgc34LP
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"What the hell are you talking about? I'm kicking your ass!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAFFN8C6dGb4
31Please respect copyright.PENANAN9D5gGz8sc
He wiped some dirt off his shoulder.31Please respect copyright.PENANAioivZVdwI3
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"Your intellect hasn't improved one bit, has it? Can't you tell I'm still toying with you?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAsaoBS5fDfJ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAhTEizWMzSs
Her jittering mouth couldn't open to respond. So badly did she want to deny it, to call him out for being coy. But to do so, would just be to lie.31Please respect copyright.PENANAx9czWIrKdr
31Please respect copyright.PENANA0pzM2iuR6k
"I remember when you and I first met. Back in those ivory fields, when I offered you a home, you scowled at me and called me scum. That a bringer like me ought "31Please respect copyright.PENANAhToU0xmquz
31Please respect copyright.PENANAkyw2fafvzq
"...So what? What are you getting at, shitface?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAjvxA3yJRPW
31Please respect copyright.PENANAWHOqtDV7rb
He smirked. He placed his hands behind his shoulders, closing his eyes. Rover didn't understand what he was doing, and that worried her. That worried her deeply because she thought she knew every trick this monster could pull. She thought she knew every ace up his sleeve, every nook and cranny of his capacity.31Please respect copyright.PENANARkYzJFaYLr
31Please respect copyright.PENANASNUsD3lPKS
But, as she was proven yet again, keeping expectations like that was for fools.31Please respect copyright.PENANAfHJsf08BYg
31Please respect copyright.PENANA7mW5bFYP97
From the back of his shoulders, cylindrical masses of earth formed, taking shapes and morphing as his hands moved outward. His arms stopped just above his chest, and as he lowered his arms, Rover's eyes blew open, her clenched throat vomiting a gasp.31Please respect copyright.PENANANPGm0mjUZI
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVUkq5YWorn
"You talked so much of this goal of yours. Of how you'd beat me. Of how you'd prove yourself to me and all of my colleagues."31Please respect copyright.PENANAhq0l6n9nOz
31Please respect copyright.PENANAkc93xYJQqj
From the back of his shoulders, a new pair of arms found home, and they pointed their fingers with snappy girth.31Please respect copyright.PENANAOJBcdu0iqd
31Please respect copyright.PENANAuAJod5KOEt
"Hahaha! Come! Show me that this time, you'll do just that"31Please respect copyright.PENANAYWjCTcBPqZ
31Please respect copyright.PENANA6MW1lHmA4t
"--Fine!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAtLxfAY5cY8
31Please respect copyright.PENANAi7rOpjAwo1
Though the doubling of his limbs was obviously intimidating, Rover tried not to be dissuaded by his appearance. She charged forth, dagger now firmly in hand. After all, if she fought the new Boris with a stale arsenal, she'd be crushed.31Please respect copyright.PENANASzSPLBlmv6
31Please respect copyright.PENANAsUtQ6jgIe5
She began with a thrust, and immediately it was caught by one of Boris' earthly arms, not budging an inch. He bent his legs and threw a regular punch at Rover, one she avoided with a backstep. Her rapier was now confiscated, and she watched Boris raise it with his earthen arms.31Please respect copyright.PENANAjvYKwZV8XG
31Please respect copyright.PENANAixxJWFraQJ
Something inside urged her to scream in defiance. To yell at that man not to do it, but she pushed that unburied temptation down with a commanding glare. Gazing at Boris as he snapped the rapier like a twig.31Please respect copyright.PENANA7VKompHjoG
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFOGUACSvkR
"Well," he asked, "what now?" He threw the split rapier to the side and taunted Rover, daring her to come closer. Rover didn't fall for the taunt, because what she had was not rage– at least, not at the man before her.31Please respect copyright.PENANAs5LwOzjaj3
31Please respect copyright.PENANAQtQjJDM4Pq
Rather, her shaking fists were directed at herself. She raised the dagger and looked at it. Despite its needle-like blade, the curved cross-guards made it a poor tool for thrusting. This was her only weapon. This and her fists, anyway, but if her past had taught her anything, it was that fists were a futile tool against him.31Please respect copyright.PENANATVEtK9cU8D
31Please respect copyright.PENANAn48T4rBJEi
"Completely still. But, of course, you lost your only way to kill me. Will you give up?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAQqCdhdBGJ1
31Please respect copyright.PENANAO9ezF4JigB
"...You're counting me out already. It's pissing me off!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAksyzTdzpYZ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAgBH1Jgr7fv
Yes, her remaining weapon was better suited to defense. Yes, she was physically weaker than Boris. But if her kit made it so that she lived and died by the presence of her rapier, she would've gone all those years traveling King's Peak for nothing.31Please respect copyright.PENANAsJoa0pIYUO
31Please respect copyright.PENANAvkjLhIt2bh
"You've learned nothing, you overgrown oaf!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAsSe9yTWvKl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAceX0mtdzVN
Her free hand latched onto the strap around her waist, turning it and revealing the satchel that had gone unnoticed by Boris. Unzipping it and reaching for its contents, Rover pulled out an item that made his eyes widen. A thin, elongated, but sturdy vial, one that fits comfortably into Rover's palm.31Please respect copyright.PENANAr3Rii3YTVF
31Please respect copyright.PENANAbsMvr5LRdB
"...I see. Hahaha, I see! And what kind of exotic mana does that hold?"31Please respect copyright.PENANATzat4dQXGN
31Please respect copyright.PENANAvOUhvWseIw
"Come and find out!"31Please respect copyright.PENANASm6MBemb7T
31Please respect copyright.PENANAbOZ5bHiSdz
And for the first time in the battle, Boris broke the neutral state, dashing at Rover with arms blazing. A result that came at the worst time possible. Because, although Rover revealed her condition for victory, not a single thought of how to use it came to her mind. And thus, she panicked.31Please respect copyright.PENANAbVOU2bESrT
31Please respect copyright.PENANA7dLDz8Py1P
Fortunately, she was always a better runner than Boris.31Please respect copyright.PENANAfOAac5EKGF
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjF91yoYxPH
"Get back here! Come on you coward!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAWZ9RRGzhoz
31Please respect copyright.PENANAGcLsjfZiOV
Rover dismissed those venomous words. Or at the very least, she tried to, but its potent bite was felt throughout her body like the mountains of sweat her brow was producing. She had no idea what to do. For a moment she doubted that she remembered what the vial even contained. But one look at it, at its orange hue that signified distinct divergence, assured Rover that much.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1gx6017Th3
31Please respect copyright.PENANA29If6upORB
And then, the answer came to her. The wave of panic crashed with the gentle grace of summer water. She stuck the dense vial in her mouth and turned around.31Please respect copyright.PENANAgQK9OhWoO1
31Please respect copyright.PENANAa1UNDmubbb
"Finally!"31Please respect copyright.PENANADaJ7GWJadL
31Please respect copyright.PENANAwgE981roMF
Boris threw his earthen arms directly at her, which Rover dodged. In a bent position, Boris brought both his arms up to uppercut. Rover blocked one fist with her palm and stabbed through the other.31Please respect copyright.PENANAPaY9aMKza2
31Please respect copyright.PENANA6ErU9YTwko
"--Ack! Shit!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAnRxoCbw4jj
31Please respect copyright.PENANAi1YHV6sHYE
The parrying dagger slid smooth like silk out of the wound. Rover dashed back immediately, anticipating some kind of reaction.31Please respect copyright.PENANAM5BzGxZQjZ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAKkIHAdt8qH
"...My fingers are broken. Just what is that dagger made of?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAahrpTu8Lmu
31Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8ThjqeWl9
And then a profound smile found itself on her face. He backed away to perform mana spinning potent enough only to close his wound. Those broken fingers were just what she needed.31Please respect copyright.PENANAdHVXR9tFP6
31Please respect copyright.PENANAPBfCsqBCI8
She performed a swift dash, closing the gap between Boris and her. He immediately put his earthen arms up as a guard, disjointed just enough from his body to make an attack impossible. Rover thought this sudden focus on defense as suspicious, even as the mana spinning on his hand gave her a reason, so she dared not approach without caution. After all, with how volatile his size changes were, he could–31Please respect copyright.PENANARXXX479q4k
31Please respect copyright.PENANAAMVQzoF9O5
"...!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAkdFSvhxC4p
31Please respect copyright.PENANAlQ0ghEIg2p
Her past experience came to the forefront of her mind, and now she observed her reality with a perplexed perspective. He barely altered his size throughout this fight. He stopped only when–31Please respect copyright.PENANArQXFNneiMN
31Please respect copyright.PENANAh1AfiMY4wp
"Ah-ha!"31Please respect copyright.PENANABmTv08Md0I
31Please respect copyright.PENANAJQdiy3NhAV
Though her profession of understanding was muffled by the glass between her teeth, it made the rise of her confidence no less explosive. She seemingly threw all caution to the wind, charging forth directly into his earthen arms. Boris dashed away, keeping Rover at a distance, but to no avail. Her speedy struts caught up to his back peddling quickly, and instead of attacking, Rover grabbed the earthen hands.31Please respect copyright.PENANA5WJPRfgxkF
31Please respect copyright.PENANAxSLdz1EeB6
The gesture alone confused Boris for a moment, just enough to stun him for what happened next.31Please respect copyright.PENANAWQyaLnLJW1
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3246qYeXee
**THUD**31Please respect copyright.PENANAFFWBelRE61
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVGz2eNPIZ8
"Urk!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAJLKKCFtfNT
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3PXC90teMo
Using those arms like a swing, she propelled her feet into Boris' gut. But she didn't stop there. Because there was no better opportunity to do this than now. She pulled the glass right out of her mouth and popped the lid open, throwing it at Boris as she fell to the floor and rolled away.31Please respect copyright.PENANAHCyWGsPtXf
31Please respect copyright.PENANA1fQfA7h3Qn
Now at a distance, Rover observed the magic. But no magic came.31Please respect copyright.PENANAozqUxR1TCn
31Please respect copyright.PENANALv6DjX9Kng
"Huh?"31Please respect copyright.PENANA9Yi1SZ32hr
31Please respect copyright.PENANAaHTPxIb4xk
There was a fluttering cloud of orange dust before Boris, permeating through the room like any ordinary gas would.31Please respect copyright.PENANAHkClWSAWfy
31Please respect copyright.PENANApiQ3C0Fmht
"Haha! What was I afraid of!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANADjC7l8xetA
31Please respect copyright.PENANA15zvf4Zf8Z
Boris broke into a bellowing laughter. He held his gut not only to soothe the pain but to hold back his chuckles. Rover knew he would've pointed at her had one of his arms not suffered damage, and though that made her bitter, she kept herself composed for the moment.31Please respect copyright.PENANAou1HAJ3I2G
31Please respect copyright.PENANAHc3UU47BBT
Boris quit his laughter, wiping a few tears out of his eyes. The orange cloud permeated slowly, so it still was rather thick, but that didn't dissuade Boris from sticking his head in and smelling it like morning air.31Please respect copyright.PENANAmkHTFg7C7n
31Please respect copyright.PENANAG0kG6kpRw9
"What's this? Doesn't smell like anything. You crack me up. At least you put on a good show!"31Please respect copyright.PENANAqVHOkqdaRl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAAha0OZA6z2
Boris threw his arms wide.31Please respect copyright.PENANABy1YXsujej
31Please respect copyright.PENANAxs69Aj6eQQ
"But I like fights more than performances. I'll do both of us a favor and end this–"31Please respect copyright.PENANAapnoQmMbBl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAHt4smxJgpM
In a flash, as he spoke, as the spit flew out of his face, and as the lids of his eyes closed to blink, he raised his leg one step forward. With that leg, his body followed right after, crashing into the dust of orange, spreading it just far enough that it contacted the earthen arms.31Please respect copyright.PENANAfzhez1MDmW
31Please respect copyright.PENANALEEhJNFDhF
And then the magic happened.31Please respect copyright.PENANAjdTAV9p0q2
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjiqEIeqrrL
**BOOM**31Please respect copyright.PENANAs6fJ2IusCF
31Please respect copyright.PENANAiPzmZo7Rja
That cloud of dust erupted with volcanic ferocity, an explosion so small, yet so extreme that Rover struggled to keep her footing. A great cloud of smoke took the place of Boris' body, and Rover looked on with the slimiest grin she had ever worn.31Please respect copyright.PENANATlW8u709Pb
31Please respect copyright.PENANAguw2Tcv0se
"Heh. And I even figured out your actual size."31Please respect copyright.PENANAEJTI1CZFFf
31Please respect copyright.PENANASyztEsFqGE
She stood up and wiped whatever junk found itself on her shoulder. She approached the site of the explosion, and just like in her memories, it was near heatless. She didn't get too close, however. Just close enough to see Boris' crisps, when that cloud of dust would eventually fade.
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3PIEtqe9qG
"Hmmm? This is taking a while–"31Please respect copyright.PENANAZYMBgaSt69
31Please respect copyright.PENANAC3K8QhaGig
And indeed, that cloud of dust faded. It faded rather fast. But then Rover realized it wasn't that the dust faded. Rather, something had stolen its spot.31Please respect copyright.PENANARA94i5LYgU
31Please respect copyright.PENANAA8hLimmzo0
The arm of a titan, reaching out for her, with its open palm like a claw. Rover's instincts forced her body to dash away. Then she stood and watched. Watched as a hulking mass exited the site of the explosion.31Please respect copyright.PENANAb12odgBmHt
31Please respect copyright.PENANAyXuNaJGaJ2
Then, it shrunk.31Please respect copyright.PENANARDTswrxhZd
31Please respect copyright.PENANA5rEBPCLgFk
"Oh ho ho, you marvelous beast."31Please respect copyright.PENANAU52zs0xTsw
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjiRyckKXhM
Boris' robes were gone. Cinders, undeniably. Then was the leather armor Rover knew he always wore. That was gone too. The only article of clothing that remained were his pants, and even they were hardly intact. He was covered in burns blistered the likes of which she'd never seen, and his earthen arms were now missing. By all strings of reasoning, Rover should've dashed in and dealt the final blow. But she couldn't.31Please respect copyright.PENANASoC54jgSN8
31Please respect copyright.PENANAyRzHgftjlH
Come to think of it, it was the first time she'd seen a part of his body aside from his face. And now she felt as if she just discovered a new man. Because all around Boris' torso was a carpet of gaping, sporadic holes.31Please respect copyright.PENANAXBLyBX4cm6
31Please respect copyright.PENANAYMtWIzVVXl
"I can see it in your face. Your disgust. But I know that there's awe in those eyes. How couldn't there be?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAwbp115y9Xl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAZE7Y38Cpxr
Rover snapped out of her trance and brandished her dagger.31Please respect copyright.PENANA5iL2quTQgw
31Please respect copyright.PENANAA3cVUiXMvr
"What you're seeing is my Endowment. Many have called it a curse, but I'm not so ungrateful to insult it like that."31Please respect copyright.PENANAxd8Oj1Ffgf
31Please respect copyright.PENANAne16RV6vDf
Boris raised his unbroken arm. He began mana spinning, forming a brick of earth in his hand. And then, from the large hole centered at his navel, the very same brick spewed out and plummeted to the ground.31Please respect copyright.PENANAcRQGChwuTb
31Please respect copyright.PENANATiQEYBNruQ
And then, a few seconds later, another brick spat out a different hole.31Please respect copyright.PENANAkMnAUHV450
31Please respect copyright.PENANAlRLbwcb1n7
"Those arms I formed made for a dandy shield, wouldn't you say? Though of course, you hit me in the last place it spawned. Lucky you."31Please respect copyright.PENANAubHzPEr8Mp
31Please respect copyright.PENANA2ozOf7iNnL
Another brick spewed out. It came from his shoulder.31Please respect copyright.PENANAajBOx8kOZP
31Please respect copyright.PENANAz3b1Lpw8jy
"Well, you've certainly made a mess of my face. But I don't need good looks anyway."31Please respect copyright.PENANAcJIg5cnAqR
31Please respect copyright.PENANAtBHAGLz45m
He dropped the brick in his hand right as another spewed out. He wound his arm, as if to stretch it, then gazed at Rover with the eyes of a monster.31Please respect copyright.PENANAwih8F32Eve
31Please respect copyright.PENANAOzHplC3VP8
"You're not done fighting, are you? Come on."31Please respect copyright.PENANAjJAQYHE9Eg
31Please respect copyright.PENANAYI9m8N9WvS
"...Freak."31Please respect copyright.PENANArKbjhVCZt2
31Please respect copyright.PENANAOzi6ohCeFK
"Oh yeah. You loved calling me that before, didn't you?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAnKDpJoPAA5
31Please respect copyright.PENANAn3Gv1TDEmk
"And just look at how right I was."31Please respect copyright.PENANAbZdPQMXGyt
31Please respect copyright.PENANAoBAbwXJ2my
A hearty chuckle came from him.31Please respect copyright.PENANAqGFMU37qMr
31Please respect copyright.PENANAyXvcGreS8m
"Well, that won't do you any good."31Please respect copyright.PENANAGHnNGvXTQK
31Please respect copyright.PENANA1J31w8X2rT
Boris entered a stance, taunting Rover yet again.31Please respect copyright.PENANAYrREqeh1TP
31Please respect copyright.PENANANaMOurjqkt
"Come on. My legs are scorched. Your marvelous plan gave you this opportunity."31Please respect copyright.PENANAKk45gmrL3U
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFhHKOgslrh
She put one leg forward.31Please respect copyright.PENANApqNCgM0eek
31Please respect copyright.PENANAeDaZ5zcYgs
"You've got brains since the last time we met. At least, more than I expected. You used them well. You're still worth keeping around."31Please respect copyright.PENANAlDdUFAZGuo
31Please respect copyright.PENANATLVNiNZ9D8
Then another. Boris' grin grew wider.31Please respect copyright.PENANApXrKRTT32g
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3WeY6zRozx
"A helpless dog like you shouldn't loiter around! Come on, Rover! Don't you have something to prove!?"31Please respect copyright.PENANA6HPZmibkS2
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjzt5Fb1cje
And even through his manic glare, Rover sprinted. She sprinted with energy to finish, the will to see that monster put down.31Please respect copyright.PENANAEYnwIp5PxH
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjCc5GPIgea
–
–
–31Please respect copyright.PENANAhTM7JZG2Pl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAXLpEmNAlEu
–From an onlooker's perspective, Rover could see why she'd get concerned stares. Even though her body locomoted tactfully in the fight, the windows to her mind made contorted, bemused shapes. And the removal of her dagger compounded that contortion.31Please respect copyright.PENANAYGsp7tv6oA
31Please respect copyright.PENANAaaJ1yPxoro
She threw a fist forward. It was slapped away by Boris, and he attempted a counterattack. Rover tucked her head just in time, and with the tiny space between her skull and his arm, she jumped. Boris avoided a dislocation, but Rover kept the assault with a kick from the side. It was blocked by his other hand. She slipped away just before it got caught, and using her right leg like an anchor, delivered a flurry of kicks at Boris, who went to block them.31Please respect copyright.PENANAiVAz3eohp9
31Please respect copyright.PENANAVnH1mS3Jzc
–Rover's kicks were laced. Whether it hampered or bolstered them wasn't something she knew or cared about. At some point, she forgot all about the process of kicking, her mind wandering to holes in her gut. The oozing pastries behind the glass, unable to snatch that gilded stash.
Boris quit his consecutive parries, realizing that such a task was a fool's game. He backed away, which took a moment to compute with Rover, and Boris used that moment to charge in and deliver a quick blow. Rover fortunately blocked it, and as she didn't slide across the room, she had ample leverage to pull a maneuver. She spread her arms and wrapped them around Boris, turning around and putting it over her shoulder. Boris was bigger than her, but that mattered little with her strength. She threw him onto the ground, and his back's unceremonious clash with the floor made its effects apparent on his face. However, Boris pointed his vacant hand at her and out came a burst of wind. Rover didn't have the reflexes to dodge at such a short range and went flying across the room.31Please respect copyright.PENANAqkOmfE9YCx
31Please respect copyright.PENANAKBHM6SAOoP
–Those morphing cakes reeked of red. Its verdant smell commanded her to smash the glass, but she was smarter than that. She knew that if she broke the shield, she'd lose on the spot. And that couldn't happen. Her blood boiled to steam. Her teeth ground themselves to powder. It was inevitable, seeing as that's how it always went.31Please respect copyright.PENANAv06q6jVAGq
31Please respect copyright.PENANAbf4lXmhYaV
Boris jumped up from the floor right as Rover landed on it. She struggled to get back on her feet, as the blow from his spell sent her head into a frenzy, but she made do with her wobbly knees. Boris charged forth and tackled with his shoulder. Rover tried to block it, and though she avoided any serious damage, she was swept off her feet yet again. Boris followed with a kick, but right as his foot was about to connect, another gust of wind blew from his chest. It saved Rover from a painful blow and sent Boris soaring away, but the edges of the gust still connected, and she was back on the floor.31Please respect copyright.PENANAf5VjZI2nf9
31Please respect copyright.PENANAh9ckDIUwOG
–When things get at arm's length, they become untouchable. But the obstacle isn't always a protective pane of glass. Sometimes it's a shelf, one just high enough so it's out of your reach. Rover jumped for years, but every time her legs grew stronger, or her arms grew longer, the shelf grew with her, but always a little more. Eventually, her fiddling fingertips couldn't even brush it.31Please respect copyright.PENANAku4VworAg8
31Please respect copyright.PENANAQJXuPclhMU
Rover fought yet again to get her feet to the ground. She wiped her mouth with her arm and spat out blood-infused spit. She must've cut her inner cheek.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1XF54DfsGH
31Please respect copyright.PENANA0XLYtHWhDk
Boris was far away from her, but charing with full awareness. His pace slugged from before, it was clear to Rover that the explosion still affected him. She used that thought to muster her remaining strength and met Boris' charge head-on. The two entered a series of throwing and avoiding fists, and Rover's superior speed gave her an edge. She landed blows square in the chest, and as she hit his pores, they immediately constricted. Rover cared little as to what that meant and kept bashing, but then Boris landed a fist into her cheek. She rolled with the hit as well as she could before rounding back with her strongest punch yet. It landed right into Boris' palm. He twirled his arm, a clear attempt to break Rover's own, but she had experience with such tricks. She put her free hand onto Boris' and jumped, countering his rotation with her own, and kicking him in the head. But Boris didn't release his grasp, and instead threw Rover up and punted her gut.
–There was almost no doubt in her mind of what would happen. It was inevitable, in spite of her struggle. She was going to lose. Would she die? She knew Boris well enough, and so she knew she wouldn't. But to her, no future existed beyond the time of her loss. No prospects are had at the precipice of failure. It was like the blackness of recollecting one's memory as a fetus. But if these rotten thoughts were all that were within her, then maybe she could've squeezed out a tie.
Rover fell to the ground, wheezing and panting, remnants of her stomach escaping from her mouth. She expected an immediate attack and braced herself, but such an attack never came–
**THUD**31Please respect copyright.PENANAweJmeJywKg
31Please respect copyright.PENANADpiYkhUUmw
Rover ate a kick to the face. She rolled across the ground but stopped herself quickly. Her right eye was covered in red, but she could see Boris even through a blizzard. He stomped to her, but Rover didn't move. She reached into the sheath and grabbed the hilt of her dagger, and right as Boris was in range to attack, she threw the weapon at her.31Please respect copyright.PENANAPBGTstQeoU
31Please respect copyright.PENANAjDKGqGLLoS
–There were chains around her arms, doubts in and out of hiding, pouncing and making escapes with military expertise. There was guilt in her limbs, the ones she used to seal the oath she carelessly shattered. There was anger in her stomach, the one that was always there, residing like a parasite but pulsing now as if it was bound to burst. There was sorrow in her heart, the one she used to fuel words about things she just didn't understand. The one she used to hope. But one affliction was chief among them all.31Please respect copyright.PENANAK4urChv8ZZ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFlaC8O8VMa
Boris was caught off guard, but not as much as Rover hoped. He just raised one of his arms and let the dagger pierce right through. Boris' screaming was nearly musical to her. Blood leaked from the edges; it was clear the dagger was like a clog. But even so, Boris pulled the dagger out of his arm and sealed the blood-spewing hole with his fingers, performing mana spinning.31Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3wNueBdRP
31Please respect copyright.PENANAwAXXDF7psF
"You have gotten smarter. Or maybe I've just gotten dumber."31Please respect copyright.PENANA3bSeqLF0CR
31Please respect copyright.PENANAT9VjzEaoOu
Rover tried to get up and attack. After all, he was right in front of her, making himself vulnerable. She tried, and she was able to get her upper body off the floor, but Boris kept her down with another kick to the chin. Any strength to rise departed, and all Rover could do was watch as Boris approached.31Please respect copyright.PENANAkhOBSzcICA
31Please respect copyright.PENANACR8w6UDH9o
"What a shame. For you, of course. This is the closest you've ever gotten, but you didn't have that extra push."31Please respect copyright.PENANA2IodupmyWK
31Please respect copyright.PENANAou1NsG2SQz
Rover balled his hands into a fist, scowling at Boris with daggers for eyes.31Please respect copyright.PENANA9zcm2ch9HO
31Please respect copyright.PENANAJewzrsine6
"Relax, now. Twisting your face won't kill me. Might as well save the energy."31Please respect copyright.PENANAWPYC7Ob0Bh
31Please respect copyright.PENANAxRligJiBTz
"You... ass."31Please respect copyright.PENANAX6VTdj3nnB
31Please respect copyright.PENANA9lT6xtUFo4
Boris stopped before her legs, staring at them while pinching his chin. Rover couldn't begin to imagine what was going on in his head. But she kept on scowling, even hissing at him as if the action would deter him at all.31Please respect copyright.PENANAnOcYvUEpeR
31Please respect copyright.PENANAzIaXMhRVtT
"You're not crawling away?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAaz5HjN8JVl
31Please respect copyright.PENANAMVKkuYPbXA
"...I'm not a damn worm."31Please respect copyright.PENANAtqM3yOI5h2
31Please respect copyright.PENANA3tlUkuG9Me
"Right. You never were the type to do that. But your insults are missing. Well, not that it matters."31Please respect copyright.PENANADcyZfqVCQl
31Please respect copyright.PENANA8DbGCK5z72
Boris crouched down and gazed at her legs. A shiver crawled up Rover's spine, one that left tingling dread in its wake.31Please respect copyright.PENANArfq7ZgzjJx
31Please respect copyright.PENANAeIXsgOTR4S
"I'm spent, but I can't let you run around either. So how about I do, this?"31Please respect copyright.PENANAKmHC7iuxmI
31Please respect copyright.PENANABBX3UKWSTw
He grabbed her left leg by the ankle, and as he did so, he began mana expulsion. He formed a great club of earth in his hand and walked over to her hip. Immediately, Rover knew what was going to happen. She moved her arm in an attempt to slap it away, but her hands couldn't reach him.31Please respect copyright.PENANA4V0PalkBT6
31Please respect copyright.PENANAL9ieP2DQmu
But, she still tried. As Boris raised the club above his head, the corners of her eyes were taken by darkness. More and more area, subjugated by black until only the very center of her pupils had the ability to look. They stared at the club, as it stood motionless above his head, and she knew any second it would come down, and she knew any second she would be made a fool.31Please respect copyright.PENANA1K7TMMsjR3
31Please respect copyright.PENANAhKZ8suFdpa
And she couldn't do a thing.31Please respect copyright.PENANAfZEmS3n7eZ
31Please respect copyright.PENANAFwhI7whI3S
–Frustration. It was her frustration. The object of her long-lived hatred, its ambassador stood right there. But she was being beaten down like a dog. An injured mutt who had to limp on all but one of its legs, even unable to beg. At the edge of achieving her dream, her ultimate goal, she was forced to watch it slip further and further away. And then she realized, she couldn't destroy Hard-Bringer. And then she realized, she couldn't even scratch it. And then she realized, she'd have to wait again, and then train again, and then search again, and then despair again. And as the final blow of the battle came, only two words sprung from her mind:31Please respect copyright.PENANAbRNEv45nfL
31Please respect copyright.PENANAdrATHz3GFZ
Sorry, mom–31Please respect copyright.PENANAYlM7VYrHss
31Please respect copyright.PENANAZVYYCLxPBq
**CRACK**31Please respect copyright.PENANAXYaPHvN98R
31Please respect copyright.PENANAtBTjUOBRDj
"AG– AAAAAAAAAAHCK!"31Please respect copyright.PENANArNyeLB91mt
31Please respect copyright.PENANAEenllAoHR8
Her nearly six years of combat experience couldn't have prepared her for this.31Please respect copyright.PENANAclB2P8ve7M
31Please respect copyright.PENANAMSgbkC34tF
"And there goes your leg."31Please respect copyright.PENANAQsXcM8ioe4
31Please respect copyright.PENANAMyGJTCWKUo
She knew of no word to describe the sensation. Seething, writhing, pounding, shocking,
burning, aching, twitching, pulsing, churning– nothing came to her mind to describe it. The shattering of her femur, shooting fragments of bone like shrapnel to the lining of her skin, but not enough to pierce it. As if dozens of bugs drilled through her flesh, as if an entire home landed on her leg– that's what it was like.31Please respect copyright.PENANAuF3MZW8NdS
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"It's funny. If it hadn't only been you, I'd probably be dead."31Please respect copyright.PENANA87qLyTUTDt
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She couldn't even move to clutch her leg, to soothe it in any way. The most she could do was groan and yell and grit her teeth, but none of that was possible at once, and when her focus got captivated by his words the way it did, the pain exponentiated.
"Dogs like you– they like to hunt alone. But the moment they face something threatening, they bite just short of drawing blood. Maybe then, you're a defective wolf."31Please respect copyright.PENANATXkYN1k5gu
31Please respect copyright.PENANARCu5brN2oR
Boris uncrouched and stepped away as a club of earth spat from a pore. He was clearly haggard, limping as he walked away, hardly able to move one leg before the other. That was the only consolidation Rover was afforded; a tiny solace within the sea of agony.31Please respect copyright.PENANAbTRL67V6rO
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But those words of his stole it away.31Please respect copyright.PENANArZ2Hao1Mvv
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"Raw strength wins yet again. You got close, but I am still undefeated. Until we meet again, Rover."31Please respect copyright.PENANAJ8yi9LfFU0
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Boris continued limping away until he reached the wall. Then, reeling his fist back, he smashed the glass panes open. He looked down and whistled before turning around and looking at Rover.31Please respect copyright.PENANAEsrW99rNHG
31Please respect copyright.PENANAToTUQJuoH6
She wanted to scream, but all the efforts of her throat and lungs were channeled to ease her suffering. And oh, how she hated it. How she hated the grin of his face, an arrangement of his teeth and mouth designed for eating feces. He waved her goodbye and jumped off while cackling like a witch.31Please respect copyright.PENANAUDWBHTXC8i
31Please respect copyright.PENANAGWqeqZLNrr
No strength to draw, no will to push. All Rover could do was lay there and cope, lamenting her loss and that wretched monster's words.