The ambush from the last floor was felt throughout the crowd.62Please respect copyright.PENANAnedpY8RUGM
62Please respect copyright.PENANAPaQpxvil03
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6W7LiwnSIb
62Please respect copyright.PENANA2GNMYrFIdG
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."62Please respect copyright.PENANAdKYd5RJNil
62Please respect copyright.PENANAGf8Ns9mkRt
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**62Please respect copyright.PENANAnGYrygbfQh
62Please respect copyright.PENANAXavaysxp67
"Ack!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA1ak0MHiZmD
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlPDb4jAShv
I wasn't prepared for the strength I slapped myself with. My muscles were incredibly tense, and I hadn't even realized.62Please respect copyright.PENANAKHduHVJFz6
62Please respect copyright.PENANAxYVJAMb8hF
"No use in thinking about it. No use in thinking about it! Come on!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAYvw2xKKiGP
62Please respect copyright.PENANADLm2pbdTFJ
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAZFldCHF6BG
62Please respect copyright.PENANAgaFVNpP5Dq
"...Useless–!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAsJvVJP4XOQ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAt2mAR3JDmj
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAIAJiMmabIy
62Please respect copyright.PENANAwsec0jWkYo
Suddenly, I noticed something. Though I naturally hadn't been paying much attention to her, the person beside her had changed.62Please respect copyright.PENANAwFXCuKoUis
62Please respect copyright.PENANATwXE0MLOqE
And it was someone I recognized62Please respect copyright.PENANApHaV5BH9OY
62Please respect copyright.PENANA37RChKUI5T
–
–
–
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAgyMuMlHqap
62Please respect copyright.PENANA6WfoOspMds
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAS9ANYstUbM
62Please respect copyright.PENANAVUiyNDcgHn
Especially now that her surrogate partner was a completely new face.62Please respect copyright.PENANASerTd6BprZ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAW4f1PbQNYD
"Hi."62Please respect copyright.PENANAEx4AXRen1T
62Please respect copyright.PENANANr6ctNnNGx
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANApdOvOw2wl2
62Please respect copyright.PENANAMNtAfAW6WZ
"What!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAfpSukPZWMw
62Please respect copyright.PENANAbQWTtc232U
Though, perhaps, she should've spared an extra second checking her tone.62Please respect copyright.PENANA8VMaOgqlao
62Please respect copyright.PENANAgMiNAfSvi5
"S-Sorry for the intrusion, ma'am! I just thought we'd familiarize ourselves."62Please respect copyright.PENANAGAWGudizjy
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJZjiPtb3u7
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAYwRK09bJOb
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlSp1fClnCt
"I'm Nigel. You're the volunteer, aren't you?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAJnxZWOhwS8
62Please respect copyright.PENANA6J9SYCC2Rc
"Volunteer makes it sound lame! I'm Rover! L-Let's work well together, alright!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAu6KMjt2XRj
62Please respect copyright.PENANAV2aj3eH3Lp
Nigel's tense expression eased a little. He worried about a sudden reassignment just as much as Rover did.62Please respect copyright.PENANADcTetDE28q
62Please respect copyright.PENANADPN70F0O3q
"I know this is a bit impromptu, but my partner perished on the floor below. Thank you for bearing with me."62Please respect copyright.PENANAUen2nM5Nrv
62Please respect copyright.PENANAEni2Oy0lfg
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAHx0oF5EHch
62Please respect copyright.PENANAFk8AcbXjTP
"That... that's really bad. I'm sorry for–"62Please respect copyright.PENANA7S8ADqpLyL
62Please respect copyright.PENANA4OtiGIRP17
"Don't worry about it. You've suffered a similar fate, haven't you? We're in the same boat."62Please respect copyright.PENANAQb4QupYG6V
62Please respect copyright.PENANAtg26Flrj1W
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZQe9rU5BK
62Please respect copyright.PENANA56CpLCXkFC
And then, finally, they hit a flat surface.62Please respect copyright.PENANAmzalA962z0
62Please respect copyright.PENANA4UdNrUFX0D
"The next room's up ahead!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAGmXzHxh0By
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlTX4KFWL9h
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAgJdxrtzQGI
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlDD0iv2wiO
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAtM7s8URtpL
62Please respect copyright.PENANAvYZsF3ZKs0
"Holy shit! Are ya a titan!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAipqINHgZay
62Please respect copyright.PENANAnoENUcxGZL
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6O4nGNOzEu
62Please respect copyright.PENANA92J48ThMCh
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAiqoX7MxCAT
62Please respect copyright.PENANA3vr6NgzDEe
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA01Twg3L8Wi
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJnPGG0Z1hs
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAohLSYNNI8A
62Please respect copyright.PENANAaNDcM8hwNg
"This is where your advance ends– huh?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAWE2Mc2AydN
62Please respect copyright.PENANA20Yb0uwN2F
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAEnzLNsKEhm
62Please respect copyright.PENANAptEThqlTcq
**THUD**62Please respect copyright.PENANAmpYIaOUv5g
62Please respect copyright.PENANAU9sjtGY4Fi
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANANA3G0FP4iG
62Please respect copyright.PENANAD30kndBbgk
"...Same tricks as always."62Please respect copyright.PENANA1DuUOsBymp
62Please respect copyright.PENANACFn5VEgKvs
Though her snide remark was entirely unperturbed, the rest of the room stared with mouths agape, as if they had just witnessed alien life.62Please respect copyright.PENANAwjUuuV3bnc
62Please respect copyright.PENANAdGwSPT5Z4I
"Hoh– it is you. You!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAgsX7iSXD4Y
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlQe8i7LaXK
Because, the once hulking, monster of a man, was now suddenly the size of a teenage boy.62Please respect copyright.PENANAtZ6BD4G851
62Please respect copyright.PENANABmxpiyWYXG
"I never expected to run into you today, Rover! Hahaha!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAR7AHFfSG1f
62Please respect copyright.PENANAQey89QEjaM
The crowd was stunned. Only one member moved through the shock, and everyone stared to find it was Nigel.62Please respect copyright.PENANAlf33jVTrCx
62Please respect copyright.PENANAlMC58mmLcP
"Everyone," he shouted. "Move on, we'll take care of things here!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAtqIr4laumL
62Please respect copyright.PENANARc7vTnqzTA
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAw1FquCC6v3
62Please respect copyright.PENANA2hwC9v4yby
"Nigel."62Please respect copyright.PENANAT6ZwsqnWzG
62Please respect copyright.PENANAOO41hqd41B
"Yes?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAc4Ap0Hpgpt
62Please respect copyright.PENANAQA9DqhQnJV
"Leave. I'm fighting this one alone."62Please respect copyright.PENANAmyXOHJ8fIv
62Please respect copyright.PENANAT23ciAGiv5
"...You're kidding me, certainly."62Please respect copyright.PENANAFodDCWzp67
62Please respect copyright.PENANAns6KAUBjhi
Rover shook her head back and forth.62Please respect copyright.PENANALacLo4V5tz
62Please respect copyright.PENANAyZOfCl3wlM
"Do you honestly think you can take him alone? You saw what he did, didn't you?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAVzbMx1Y5RQ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAesuDN21hwD
"Of course I did. And I know how it works."62Please respect copyright.PENANAD7pEqHDgpn
62Please respect copyright.PENANACMVWAVJrgU
"You fought him before, then?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAMHfduZAiGa
62Please respect copyright.PENANA1ke81YJGLN
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAqeSPiKvBPu
62Please respect copyright.PENANAkKrR9EmoG0
"Aren't you and I a team? Are you absolutely certain?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAT5gsthQFx4
62Please respect copyright.PENANAoUQ70XSiR7
Operating on instinct, Rover nodded, but then his opening question computed with her, and her eyes suddenly constricted.62Please respect copyright.PENANAbLOZ8IkiID
62Please respect copyright.PENANA0TaGVXVRnE
"Very well! Don't die on me!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAnJzgrJCDkh
62Please respect copyright.PENANA0Y3GLfnL7X
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA7xp9ORyX7C
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJbFYcViDEF
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAkkfKfvYbnL
62Please respect copyright.PENANAkDQnaUXywH
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAu78zS1ifsl
62Please respect copyright.PENANANwEoms97lo
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAnzAbzIp1YV
62Please respect copyright.PENANAcukJHhbE5X
"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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAFpQUONvXha
62Please respect copyright.PENANAPPcv0n1e9T
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANABD4XRjI017
62Please respect copyright.PENANAYQfIwSa4Ub
"..."62Please respect copyright.PENANAfVtPbVvcRx
62Please respect copyright.PENANAgPUhRKI2xv
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6A9VAq3sxr
62Please respect copyright.PENANAeDmK8lC7Qn
And so, she communicated with a stern nod, and Kenny's biting mouth chipped his nail.62Please respect copyright.PENANAycHlR5OWsI
62Please respect copyright.PENANA6ngNNHCLdq
"Fine. Good luck!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAcQpmDTzslW
62Please respect copyright.PENANAwfWVB9D5nF
And then, he was off. His bidding of good fortune completely stunned her. However, she quickly recovered–62Please respect copyright.PENANAvxiHBIDgHl
62Please respect copyright.PENANAUqhVk1gEG6
**THUD**62Please respect copyright.PENANAKL2jjtI7Rp
62Please respect copyright.PENANAWXHd0GgUZM
"Sharp as always! I'm a fool to think that would work!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA3tEM3jGvps
62Please respect copyright.PENANASLb7jOFPZB
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAHWRxsV1IPC
62Please respect copyright.PENANAsZ32gcXVk2
"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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAiGdeKziEo2
62Please respect copyright.PENANAsugatRfsjF
She tried to ignore the uncertain, guilty way her stomach formed a pit.62Please respect copyright.PENANAwePYy6Sn01
62Please respect copyright.PENANAuQX6BBfXS0
"Come at me, Boris!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAvyBvJOqtrs
62Please respect copyright.PENANAD1WEfJlVzl
–62Please respect copyright.PENANAAcCRWC9WsZ
62Please respect copyright.PENANALyV8HeKSgI
–62Please respect copyright.PENANAFFFAh54fzg
62Please respect copyright.PENANAKzoZi3M1B9
–62Please respect copyright.PENANArAWmNL0OYE
62Please respect copyright.PENANAX5KASlgpS1
Right before she charged forth, her stalled thoughts sprung into action.62Please respect copyright.PENANA38lpHlIsTT
62Please respect copyright.PENANAYqCsaTQz9O
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAKPhqfAE2wK
62Please respect copyright.PENANA8BDGKy0pqC
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAejQ00js1vd
62Please respect copyright.PENANASGnnfZmjUV
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAwmKMaToeqS
62Please respect copyright.PENANAzOElgljcnv
"Huh!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAVyrvIK38cW
62Please respect copyright.PENANA9hHoy3WirS
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAHkEJwNF3hC
62Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3pB4xjTHC
"Hah!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAHeknnrxEQO
62Please respect copyright.PENANAnVcD0bleSK
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAXyurpUHdHP
62Please respect copyright.PENANAvVRIKexQGS
But she didn't let up, because she knew that if she waited any longer–62Please respect copyright.PENANAOWhCQOjkxE
62Please respect copyright.PENANARMmXjzNLPh
"Here!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAZensFfuS2O
62Please respect copyright.PENANA01AlA0RuLz
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAGvviCUkm8d
62Please respect copyright.PENANAT4wdZJWgUQ
"Good thing that dagger's so thin. Otherwise, this wound wouldn't be so easy to heal."62Please respect copyright.PENANApyEoQ8mEn7
62Please respect copyright.PENANAi8Jxm5xl33
"Tch."62Please respect copyright.PENANAhtmBCy0egu
62Please respect copyright.PENANAFgjYzfPFy5
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA3ncrQktvjE
62Please respect copyright.PENANACzwono9SkQ
**CLANG**62Please respect copyright.PENANAOB7tVWjk5q
62Please respect copyright.PENANAIsErqfKbTl
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAb1vB0Ob6Vz
62Please respect copyright.PENANAoBZktbOZPR
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANARdV42hcdMf
62Please respect copyright.PENANAkpdEag3L3h
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANACWQcMxvbJU
62Please respect copyright.PENANA4Hod2R7I5r
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAEhQMN5b90c
62Please respect copyright.PENANAIvThzZnKoo
**SMASH**62Please respect copyright.PENANAv47cdc3QYY
62Please respect copyright.PENANAnKUVyICBaW
–shook the room as it ruined the wall.62Please respect copyright.PENANAhQSNFdVqxW
62Please respect copyright.PENANA6slOrlybiC
"Ack. Shit!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAIhuQZOZuE1
62Please respect copyright.PENANAbvQKDYduCp
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAN37CIRk8ds
62Please respect copyright.PENANAxY78IGfDk0
"These tactics don't work how they used to. You've grown. Haha, you've truly grown!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAgcd9wvvPeW
62Please respect copyright.PENANAutEykx8mDs
Boris deflated his comical size, returning to a more reasonable stature.62Please respect copyright.PENANALy5Be2Q36l
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9SaxuP1SF
"But not enough."62Please respect copyright.PENANA982LzwgVIT
62Please respect copyright.PENANAsrKT4cDSrW
"--!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAZp43NNESvr
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJsVHAa8FkN
Those words, unlike anything prior, brewed steam within her head.62Please respect copyright.PENANAvITscne7YZ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAw21rD9WqFd
"What the hell are you talking about? I'm kicking your ass!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAkzhQ2Qb9QY
62Please respect copyright.PENANAmo8bufaO0d
He wiped some dirt off his shoulder.62Please respect copyright.PENANAdEvEhTp663
62Please respect copyright.PENANAfCwOQgwzQR
"Your intellect hasn't improved one bit, has it? Can't you tell I'm still toying with you?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAQYWgPS0h6M
62Please respect copyright.PENANAFCRuI1irpA
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA8ia9VG4O6Q
62Please respect copyright.PENANAmdRi4alonk
"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 "62Please respect copyright.PENANAfBNI41BMbR
62Please respect copyright.PENANAutE1uWUOfT
"...So what? What are you getting at, shitface?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAzBZtRuzUIF
62Please respect copyright.PENANAxyWQ2qEHsD
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANABViL3ZKt6d
62Please respect copyright.PENANAScfMW1dPCW
But, as she was proven yet again, keeping expectations like that was for fools.62Please respect copyright.PENANAIlOIXp3QDO
62Please respect copyright.PENANAaiSe0jPQcb
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAXoczh697Lo
62Please respect copyright.PENANARCUTF4WRo1
"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."62Please respect copyright.PENANATt0kp2wiOg
62Please respect copyright.PENANArhroT9YkaZ
From the back of his shoulders, a new pair of arms found home, and they pointed their fingers with snappy girth.62Please respect copyright.PENANA28YCjW7rC7
62Please respect copyright.PENANA3hEIIsknHk
"Hahaha! Come! Show me that this time, you'll do just that"62Please respect copyright.PENANAOyO3kwy4sf
62Please respect copyright.PENANAfRJ8wa8WAp
"--Fine!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAwOyKSG751n
62Please respect copyright.PENANASYOiS5QFqE
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAqwgge9uZpH
62Please respect copyright.PENANAQzemYREJ9o
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA9HMuVPG4nV
62Please respect copyright.PENANAYqlkMmYJ6H
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAXkQXfbnpf1
62Please respect copyright.PENANApDsG2Mm0a1
"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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAcbIcFAismv
62Please respect copyright.PENANAizTpcqkeMc
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANACLiJcylDM6
62Please respect copyright.PENANAyOfs9mrP5g
"Completely still. But, of course, you lost your only way to kill me. Will you give up?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAHzVAkwNwhk
62Please respect copyright.PENANA18YfI4EYMo
"...You're counting me out already. It's pissing me off!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA4X5yhoy8K9
62Please respect copyright.PENANA1vkOC4ozsd
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAyrAfWcJw0S
62Please respect copyright.PENANAzRcSNylo1h
"You've learned nothing, you overgrown oaf!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA741xZsTFpV
62Please respect copyright.PENANAx4XnDnwmme
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAR5c7WWhAyl
62Please respect copyright.PENANAkr43syIC5V
"...I see. Hahaha, I see! And what kind of exotic mana does that hold?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAsAF0isWA4r
62Please respect copyright.PENANAgIJFvyLbnt
"Come and find out!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAHhXjeVzEtJ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAS4E7d37tUg
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6KGi1IhTK2
62Please respect copyright.PENANAHKacOwnJv8
Fortunately, she was always a better runner than Boris.62Please respect copyright.PENANA7KczyWG2He
62Please respect copyright.PENANAYWTocBXVXi
"Get back here! Come on you coward!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAnSNFM8apKQ
62Please respect copyright.PENANADLHzp5uSRF
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAydMdEFW99p
62Please respect copyright.PENANAffetm35o2B
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAHlwrMGrjcS
62Please respect copyright.PENANAg7gO7IUstC
"Finally!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA82z93ALCXf
62Please respect copyright.PENANAS01dixrd6W
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAXXanlSkVx9
62Please respect copyright.PENANAuOxBCQnVHM
"--Ack! Shit!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAfNDmqichg6
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJ1CbGYILe9
The parrying dagger slid smooth like silk out of the wound. Rover dashed back immediately, anticipating some kind of reaction.62Please respect copyright.PENANA7UJfxLJIVK
62Please respect copyright.PENANABv652FEfRB
"...My fingers are broken. Just what is that dagger made of?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAL4A4qwMrr1
62Please respect copyright.PENANABPCp7t0VRx
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA8J7NQYvi6c
62Please respect copyright.PENANA9wU397nZFG
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAHIOi8dsxpx
62Please respect copyright.PENANAvxavLQMdXu
"...!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAE6EflgpUwJ
62Please respect copyright.PENANAnoBZs0U5OU
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–62Please respect copyright.PENANAC8LNFC7paX
62Please respect copyright.PENANA9vSbjxmydN
"Ah-ha!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAnPDqjpGcER
62Please respect copyright.PENANApGleTef6Z9
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAzy5npFcthn
62Please respect copyright.PENANAWxutpfIBiv
The gesture alone confused Boris for a moment, just enough to stun him for what happened next.62Please respect copyright.PENANAPcu0IRsOWd
62Please respect copyright.PENANAMVwjZX7ccO
**THUD**62Please respect copyright.PENANAk8DmRovwmA
62Please respect copyright.PENANA3x8ESD8gvd
"Urk!"62Please respect copyright.PENANAhovC0irtnu
62Please respect copyright.PENANAdTzVs4dCUx
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANArT6OJpzbDc
62Please respect copyright.PENANAS0So8uMkrv
Now at a distance, Rover observed the magic. But no magic came.62Please respect copyright.PENANAWdYuieTPsb
62Please respect copyright.PENANAcGEPzHxHH9
"Huh?"62Please respect copyright.PENANA3M7cPlFg98
62Please respect copyright.PENANAXNHWJ678tw
There was a fluttering cloud of orange dust before Boris, permeating through the room like any ordinary gas would.62Please respect copyright.PENANAtaR4zfQ1KO
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJOqYS3lber
"Haha! What was I afraid of!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAlTDfciypuO
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJQNf5Hzxoj
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAMuFMRX5U88
62Please respect copyright.PENANAv0RiQNqGvf
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6t7V9AePg
62Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1gvwnN6Rn
"What's this? Doesn't smell like anything. You crack me up. At least you put on a good show!"62Please respect copyright.PENANABxOn4Fw8Np
62Please respect copyright.PENANA3Q10AlexrG
Boris threw his arms wide.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6Z9jiOBa1R
62Please respect copyright.PENANAy2LHn2fnLS
"But I like fights more than performances. I'll do both of us a favor and end this–"62Please respect copyright.PENANAFnEndEiMom
62Please respect copyright.PENANAIW5M3rlulD
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAhclTPyeoco
62Please respect copyright.PENANAEUHaQFH7JR
And then the magic happened.62Please respect copyright.PENANAWna7jX7rHF
62Please respect copyright.PENANA5ebXzl7XrA
**BOOM**62Please respect copyright.PENANAE4C2hKJLGo
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJqMSDoGHMQ
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA3oeBNd37bq
62Please respect copyright.PENANAmSHpZfNfGC
"Heh. And I even figured out your actual size."62Please respect copyright.PENANAHnq3ca8Krl
62Please respect copyright.PENANAVuWu2ychyW
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.
62Please respect copyright.PENANAC8D2UJzQVF
"Hmmm? This is taking a while–"62Please respect copyright.PENANAXzoYa1YHHH
62Please respect copyright.PENANAMEGOwR2ftE
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAX9jFXYRHdC
62Please respect copyright.PENANAIkNj8h6IPf
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAxK1jFfuPTE
62Please respect copyright.PENANAmRQzrlXm0N
Then, it shrunk.62Please respect copyright.PENANAD7CVVwelHB
62Please respect copyright.PENANArP4cEsjvk2
"Oh ho ho, you marvelous beast."62Please respect copyright.PENANAuXmHQ9q9Iv
62Please respect copyright.PENANAzjl2XyB8CN
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAD87EqhZEVQ
62Please respect copyright.PENANA1p984myzbo
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAXgwUTR355J
62Please respect copyright.PENANALWm7W1RqPn
"I can see it in your face. Your disgust. But I know that there's awe in those eyes. How couldn't there be?"62Please respect copyright.PENANA9nJ2sYhM4P
62Please respect copyright.PENANAZYCBZqyIw8
Rover snapped out of her trance and brandished her dagger.62Please respect copyright.PENANAEMAruBvZ5o
62Please respect copyright.PENANASmqSL3M9Vc
"What you're seeing is my Endowment. Many have called it a curse, but I'm not so ungrateful to insult it like that."62Please respect copyright.PENANAiZDf4JfRCO
62Please respect copyright.PENANAdKT6uNctYh
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAyXtSiGISiF
62Please respect copyright.PENANAqh4KwY3Wkc
And then, a few seconds later, another brick spat out a different hole.62Please respect copyright.PENANADGtFjbipft
62Please respect copyright.PENANAfXcdWb5WRp
"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."62Please respect copyright.PENANAOjEXaPWT0O
62Please respect copyright.PENANAaPIM04qGng
Another brick spewed out. It came from his shoulder.62Please respect copyright.PENANAdi1M6iXL6U
62Please respect copyright.PENANAEPI3Ni1ofp
"Well, you've certainly made a mess of my face. But I don't need good looks anyway."62Please respect copyright.PENANATSXJcjpSsU
62Please respect copyright.PENANAsHa0lMyyJ1
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANANNI78s9k1D
62Please respect copyright.PENANA0FlHAbtjK3
"You're not done fighting, are you? Come on."62Please respect copyright.PENANAURBymi8otF
62Please respect copyright.PENANAEqJKTXQCgI
"...Freak."62Please respect copyright.PENANAKaFu6IXdgU
62Please respect copyright.PENANAMrpQxB1LdV
"Oh yeah. You loved calling me that before, didn't you?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAFr8tYzp3gz
62Please respect copyright.PENANA4lCMonJlQ7
"And just look at how right I was."62Please respect copyright.PENANAI1GpwrfW0O
62Please respect copyright.PENANAhNRnBx7TBp
A hearty chuckle came from him.62Please respect copyright.PENANA0kk2G6WM0k
62Please respect copyright.PENANASEU4lIXJC4
"Well, that won't do you any good."62Please respect copyright.PENANA3g6Nlc1tcq
62Please respect copyright.PENANAulaEq34rVJ
Boris entered a stance, taunting Rover yet again.62Please respect copyright.PENANAGSknNZveIN
62Please respect copyright.PENANAFbuaHdFDzD
"Come on. My legs are scorched. Your marvelous plan gave you this opportunity."62Please respect copyright.PENANAmo9bepyTvl
62Please respect copyright.PENANA2CQWR4RK99
She put one leg forward.62Please respect copyright.PENANAr7o7G4hQyF
62Please respect copyright.PENANAj7RHAjHZlT
"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."62Please respect copyright.PENANACTPpduY8lv
62Please respect copyright.PENANAUpQvFnM7qH
Then another. Boris' grin grew wider.62Please respect copyright.PENANAx8NfqUO10H
62Please respect copyright.PENANAbMPAUlMCYS
"A helpless dog like you shouldn't loiter around! Come on, Rover! Don't you have something to prove!?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAYeQslkbb3D
62Please respect copyright.PENANAZyTV9bwaZ6
And even through his manic glare, Rover sprinted. She sprinted with energy to finish, the will to see that monster put down.62Please respect copyright.PENANA9IKdE4C4Hr
62Please respect copyright.PENANA3th3RSiHVX
–
–
–62Please respect copyright.PENANAjZJlwFj3qi
62Please respect copyright.PENANAGep38lLf6Q
–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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAQtaMGUGOuQ
62Please respect copyright.PENANARnuEJ1aMHi
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAMgUyhdo7CM
62Please respect copyright.PENANArZ4IsROlL2
–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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAzAnjYKdURf
62Please respect copyright.PENANAfmKZUhLi7L
–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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAuWyZiE7Cbb
62Please respect copyright.PENANAESJigYYi0U
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAIF5lrP2SbI
62Please respect copyright.PENANA2pUUmJu2O3
–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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAo19sfwBJbE
62Please respect copyright.PENANAB0KAJ4ucya
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAu2Djxe6BuH
62Please respect copyright.PENANA36gqYKKqo5
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**62Please respect copyright.PENANAVGso6g0ZtG
62Please respect copyright.PENANAjfUjNhlphz
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAcN5XDjHvtB
62Please respect copyright.PENANAsAKjePfxNQ
–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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAbiQm5WqFt6
62Please respect copyright.PENANAcMSUMpy4jF
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAtwhmGeDYwk
62Please respect copyright.PENANA9w9L3fsHuJ
"You have gotten smarter. Or maybe I've just gotten dumber."62Please respect copyright.PENANAKRvVtOf0ke
62Please respect copyright.PENANA2v03YSdKO4
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA6fsv7lHxBn
62Please respect copyright.PENANAXVhgU5RVkV
"What a shame. For you, of course. This is the closest you've ever gotten, but you didn't have that extra push."62Please respect copyright.PENANAy0iEkKhvwV
62Please respect copyright.PENANARZMf89yqzK
Rover balled his hands into a fist, scowling at Boris with daggers for eyes.62Please respect copyright.PENANAbXqXsMIGfE
62Please respect copyright.PENANAnQ7wXgEqvr
"Relax, now. Twisting your face won't kill me. Might as well save the energy."62Please respect copyright.PENANA5N2udiqeL5
62Please respect copyright.PENANA0OdoCgCzxF
"You... ass."62Please respect copyright.PENANAzZiAb4xcTw
62Please respect copyright.PENANAGV5AAKD4GF
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANACOJYuyA5Pc
62Please respect copyright.PENANAgBuXFIrisA
"You're not crawling away?"62Please respect copyright.PENANA1fuMS8pVtC
62Please respect copyright.PENANAU9e64WaJV4
"...I'm not a damn worm."62Please respect copyright.PENANADku79Lcp8V
62Please respect copyright.PENANAaWPgH5usEU
"Right. You never were the type to do that. But your insults are missing. Well, not that it matters."62Please respect copyright.PENANATax31yJIxy
62Please respect copyright.PENANAZMtiykH8IH
Boris crouched down and gazed at her legs. A shiver crawled up Rover's spine, one that left tingling dread in its wake.62Please respect copyright.PENANABat2ge6JWj
62Please respect copyright.PENANA5zqJ3H7rIu
"I'm spent, but I can't let you run around either. So how about I do, this?"62Please respect copyright.PENANAw5RdfW86YB
62Please respect copyright.PENANAGGWuOytW6S
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAONsGcUW6NB
62Please respect copyright.PENANAd5EaOs1nCx
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAmkxV274A9n
62Please respect copyright.PENANA0ugocaF9Gh
And she couldn't do a thing.62Please respect copyright.PENANA7MrVoGH9B6
62Please respect copyright.PENANAX6XB3naYKv
–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:62Please respect copyright.PENANAvboztEun7m
62Please respect copyright.PENANAtqc62sAWLY
Sorry, mom–62Please respect copyright.PENANAZQexIQB9r5
62Please respect copyright.PENANA92LQbvNkmy
**CRACK**62Please respect copyright.PENANAivLjrCWWNb
62Please respect copyright.PENANA1NC7q3KdYw
"AG– AAAAAAAAAAHCK!"62Please respect copyright.PENANA16COyO5Rhn
62Please respect copyright.PENANAPj3IwWcZ0K
Her nearly six years of combat experience couldn't have prepared her for this.62Please respect copyright.PENANAnPq4QXTUxD
62Please respect copyright.PENANAJchOgCyArd
"And there goes your leg."62Please respect copyright.PENANA6Cd7Fqajx7
62Please respect copyright.PENANASZOCCoolGx
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAKpico88zO3
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"It's funny. If it hadn't only been you, I'd probably be dead."62Please respect copyright.PENANAPQswNjGFbS
62Please respect copyright.PENANAMxZIno7NK8
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."62Please respect copyright.PENANAPo0Bg3Kdbg
62Please respect copyright.PENANADeyhYOAO08
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAj4ha2LG7qW
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But those words of his stole it away.62Please respect copyright.PENANAbY102F3nvj
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"Raw strength wins yet again. You got close, but I am still undefeated. Until we meet again, Rover."62Please respect copyright.PENANAUytemKbRjE
62Please respect copyright.PENANAm55vgh66FF
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANA8KPRYwpW8o
62Please respect copyright.PENANA9lLU3z7xRq
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.62Please respect copyright.PENANAhnLtcogCqs
62Please respect copyright.PENANAPKBNncWGNE
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.