Keeping up with the crowd was nigh impossible. Juke was saintly enough to wait for me, but I could tell by how he clicked his tongue that he was getting annoyed. Or was he getting anxious? I couldn't tell.48Please respect copyright.PENANAYBtBww3iU8
48Please respect copyright.PENANApkaRgBCkws
We arrived at the third floor. Another duo split off and the rest of us ascended. My poor stamina gave me difficulty, but I was riding a wave of adrenaline and anticipation I'd never felt before. Each step came and went without me realizing it, and soon enough, the floors whizzed by like a faint image. It was not until the seventh floor that I acknowledged what I saw again.48Please respect copyright.PENANAukFPTMhSBn
48Please respect copyright.PENANArVaa7eRK98
As it had gone since this started, I arrived last in the room, taking a moment to pant and catch my breath. The floor this time didn't have a straight shot from the entrance to the exit. It resembled the first floor more than anything: a large surface area with a foyer-like zone and branching paths, its size made possible only because there was no hallway transitioning from the stairs.48Please respect copyright.PENANAVBzvMqaUvS
48Please respect copyright.PENANAUPJTmxyb4M
What was truly worrisome, though, was the lack of Bringers.48Please respect copyright.PENANAgzb43QQzOA
48Please respect copyright.PENANAS1onH4CbXK
Though the floors flashed by, I never failed to keep my eye on the danger that resided in them. Not seeing them right away immediately put me on edge, and judging from the sluggish pace of everyone else, I wasn't alone. The crowd practically prowled the room. Some even checked behind furniture.48Please respect copyright.PENANAAXVCRlbodM
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdS1e1Nuo6U
A minute passed, and the foyer was pronounced empty. The crowd left the zone, but I had to shoot one last scanning glance before I followed. They all moved to the left, and moving in tow, I turned the corner.48Please respect copyright.PENANAiQzqo9NIuQ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAp8m9Sns9n1
Though the entrance was similar to the first floor's, the primary chamber was different. Instead of a bulk surrounded by a circling hallway, it was four evenly spaced booths, forming a diamond, on a carpeted floor. The exit was placed stiffly by the topmost box. I noticed it before anyone else, but I was too nervous to point it out. It barely mattered since Pars noted it just a second later.48Please respect copyright.PENANAwtFONmBwi8
48Please respect copyright.PENANAGblkA8InYw
"Exit's here! Let's roll!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAqbQmWfszdl
48Please respect copyright.PENANAoF74gy4o25
I had a perfect line of sight from where I stood. Pars' forge ahead, and the sudden figure that sprung from a blindspot.48Please respect copyright.PENANAsb02bcDj8t
48Please respect copyright.PENANAh61gOAd3L8
Everyone was caught off guard. The figure wore a familiar robe, one I loathed to see. Pars managed to block his leap, but the man had a cylinder resting on his shoulder. He pointed it at him and–48Please respect copyright.PENANAsCOpDxzkl7
48Please respect copyright.PENANAPvvgL5D0lM
**BOOM**48Please respect copyright.PENANAI7JwpkUfZb
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7QO33RGXmQ
A cloud of debris burst throughout the room. I closed my eyes in the nick of time, but the dust pricked and pinched at my skin. At least, it felt that way at first, until the squeezes transformed into burns.48Please respect copyright.PENANA3vGs8qq2yq
48Please respect copyright.PENANAtGJRh6fEoj
"Ack!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAZHvfGF20LV
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkozrXhu7v5
I brushed my skin with my hands but it was futile with how thick the cloud was. Too afraid to open my eyes, I moved my feet backward until I collided with something. My back hit the wall, I fell to the ground, and only then did I work up the nerve to see.48Please respect copyright.PENANAMNTeXfFjxD
48Please respect copyright.PENANAcwjdvY5QbU
The room was a catastrophe.48Please respect copyright.PENANAIKHF2wRQoV
48Please respect copyright.PENANAxab2rHXVLa
Bodies littered the floor like wilting flowers. The warriors still moved and breathed but they writhed and gasped, clawing at their faces and limbs. The dust cloud was fortunately settling, and in the midst of nigh-cadavers was the robed man, lying on the ground.48Please respect copyright.PENANAy7zKZkeasP
48Please respect copyright.PENANAbGDFmMso29
Pars was on him. His coat was seared and his face was scratched, but he still brought down punches as if he suffered no injuries. After a few to the face, the man blocked one and shoved Pars off his body. He got up to the ground fast and assumed a fighting stance.48Please respect copyright.PENANAXZPI8Yc0Dz
48Please respect copyright.PENANAMKpuA5LAMN
"Everyone," he shouted, "if you can see, help the blinded! Get a move on!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAAPxyb19gnJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAjL9pBKo8wA
Through the pressure of the situation, his commanding words resonated with the crowd. People followed his orders to a tee; everyone but me. I stood there, not from terror, but indecision.48Please respect copyright.PENANAHy4iU1b0g3
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkIVwccZlPA
I was behind the robed man. His backside was perfectly exposed. I was stuck between running or sneaking in a strike. But, once the two started exchanging attacks, I quit my vacillating and propped up my arm, beginning mana expulsion–48Please respect copyright.PENANAuEAUogNBbk
48Please respect copyright.PENANA1WRCEvxjcs
**STRIKE**48Please respect copyright.PENANAnrrYtfPgQF
48Please respect copyright.PENANA6RzwxtJxHL
–only to be immediately interrupted.48Please respect copyright.PENANA83U8krV7KJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAxapjPQ7axQ
A metallic clang blew out and shook my body not because of its ferocity, but because it happened right behind me. I turned my head a second after and saw two clashing swords, forming an x.48Please respect copyright.PENANA4haAhLOkK0
48Please respect copyright.PENANAQr5wdPFETx
"Stop standin' still kid! Move!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAMZifWQoobc
48Please respect copyright.PENANAk6c707QZ7D
Without a second beat, I scurried away. I continued mana expulsion, partially out of instinct, and weakly lobbed a sturdy stone at the swords.48Please respect copyright.PENANAcPJyC1yAOq
48Please respect copyright.PENANAECBjGFU5CM
I didn't hit them. They separated, and only then did I see who wielded them. Juke on the right, and another robed man on the left.48Please respect copyright.PENANA53NVLHwQoa
48Please respect copyright.PENANAGjcGUzWPrb
I've seen those navy motifs enough to have them evoke a fighting instinct in me. I quickly regained my composure and got in a stance, taking my tendril out. Juke ran to my side, but he didn't stop.48Please respect copyright.PENANAW6WOVIsFZT
48Please respect copyright.PENANABYKzLhjOlH
"C'mon!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAINW0zXdfvJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAgeJd8Et4yP
"--Ah!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAxFoAOuOZDW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHRr8oIpb2E
I was quick enough to realize that this wasn't my fight. I turned tail and followed Juke, noticing that I finally wasn't the last to leave.48Please respect copyright.PENANAFTmZZcwfpN
48Please respect copyright.PENANAlpOnTsxBZQ
I made no effort to inspect the ones who weren't moving.48Please respect copyright.PENANAQOqvvjaoku
48Please respect copyright.PENANA2zj3fqlwVo
–
–
–
What a moron.48Please respect copyright.PENANAxf2GIrktnZ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkLumpD8X82
It was to be expected– it should've been expected. The signs were so obvious that he knocked himself for being so remiss.48Please respect copyright.PENANAoW3LO8orQa
48Please respect copyright.PENANAukMTwY0iNF
A large room, utterly silent until the decisive moment. An ambush in a guarded building; what a concept, wasn't it?48Please respect copyright.PENANAY05mbMshnq
48Please respect copyright.PENANA6zdNK33KLE
**THUD**48Please respect copyright.PENANAMsqmsP6v8S
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhqi5tDYgJD
"Ngh!"48Please respect copyright.PENANATanMOSDuo9
48Please respect copyright.PENANABOoXiGlDG3
That quaking strike brought him out of his scolding. He slid across the floor, biting his lips over his bruised arms.48Please respect copyright.PENANAwXUzWPCuvE
48Please respect copyright.PENANANFcc0Y7w8J
"That thing on your shoulder's a real blowhard–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAIQxtknfhCh
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHIMnUZe05t
Unable to finish his line, forced to roll to the side to avoid a devastating projectile. It shook the room even through the magic-resistant skeleton. He got to his feet and reached into his torn coat, pulling out a single crossbow and shooting.48Please respect copyright.PENANAcNb7uwzMyi
48Please respect copyright.PENANAeqnllF1qDK
To his surprise, the bolt connected. The Bringer was too slow on his feet to dodge it. It didn't connect with his body, however.48Please respect copyright.PENANALtvrEYijOE
48Please respect copyright.PENANArHhgrU6ieC
"--I should've known!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAtmZ7DNyAy4
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHE75FcIirA
Instead, the bolt lodged into a plate of wood, one thrown from the side. Pars darted his gaze and saw a second Bringer. They quickly rushed to the first one's side.48Please respect copyright.PENANAI4RrX51hbV
48Please respect copyright.PENANAk0bDmZanQm
"Two against one, huh? I should've expected such dirty play, but–!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAFsKFGqxr2H
48Please respect copyright.PENANAPgJN2vyJm0
Pars had a tool in his disposal to even the odds.48Please respect copyright.PENANAOpDJQuak6L
48Please respect copyright.PENANAroc6GvTRRb
"DAVE!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAI4LaBETGCK
48Please respect copyright.PENANArVYYB8aYAC
Shouting the name of his colleague, he turned his head this way and that to see where his partner was, making sure to glance back at his enemies occasionally. The Bringers didn't move, but they exchanged looks. Pars understood the meaning even with their faces covered. He ignored that, focusing on his unsuccessful finding of his friend, and so–48Please respect copyright.PENANAaV9LddYafR
48Please respect copyright.PENANArNg3syIG1F
"Dave! If you can hear me, I need some help!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAZxyHc1DPPy
48Please respect copyright.PENANATp6QYCQ5YY
He shouted again as he eyed the Bringers. The two got in a fighting stance, brandishing their respective weapons and preparing to dash. But, they didn't.
48Please respect copyright.PENANALh1MrhoHFd
It wasn't out of trepidation, of fear or anything of the sort, but because they noticed something Pars didn't. He glanced behind him and spotted the man he'd been looking for.48Please respect copyright.PENANAWmMa7yERpS
48Please respect copyright.PENANAmsDSvU8Ict
"Dave? How'd you get over there!? I just checked that place!"48Please respect copyright.PENANANygvosMPMM
48Please respect copyright.PENANAQP8lz4wK9w
"Shut up, please. From now on, talk only with regards to the battle."48Please respect copyright.PENANAX9xDEEVENy
48Please respect copyright.PENANAztP4qmica0
He stood up from his crouched position. Pars noticed that he was standing beside a body. It was motionless; completely still in the limbs and the chest. Had he not noticed that, Dave's face would've still given it away.48Please respect copyright.PENANAU0sGiVtc3d
48Please respect copyright.PENANANI1Hct0MSG
"...Those are our first casualties–"48Please respect copyright.PENANApy4dWwZ2MI
48Please respect copyright.PENANAqyFKipFsyl
**BOOM**48Please respect copyright.PENANAMLgEBE7MO1
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7C5WaR1BIq
As Pars was making his remark, an ear-shattering blast materialized before him. His eyes looked away from the blast, as his head was turned to Dave at that moment. When he jerked back, all he saw was a floating, crumbling piece of pottery.48Please respect copyright.PENANAqn7Aa2gZY1
48Please respect copyright.PENANALj3kaS1foO
"--Shit, I lost my focus! I owe you one!"48Please respect copyright.PENANANPtAyOFeus
48Please respect copyright.PENANAG8SOOXexRr
Dave slowly strode to his side. He snatched the grains of the pottery, and as he held them in his hand, they shrunk into a pulp of clay he promptly dropped into a sack.48Please respect copyright.PENANANQbeeZ2O8B
48Please respect copyright.PENANAt0fg0rWSAz
"I'm here now."48Please respect copyright.PENANAdCCnw0FmmW
48Please respect copyright.PENANACL6o63RK8o
Leaning down and reaching inside the sack, the two warriors now mirrored each other's stances. They glared at Bringers, anticipating a jerk, a dash, a shot or a swing or a slash. All the Bringers did was reciprocate.48Please respect copyright.PENANANme0VQGk4J
48Please respect copyright.PENANAWLwYCsSZan
The clashing duos stood stock still in the silent room. Maimed by magic, coated in blood, reeking of death. His pounding heartbeat– the only sign he wasn't like corpses. Pars knew that losing would only lead to more.48Please respect copyright.PENANAGRPSGWElA4
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEM2ayw1Rox
And thus, he dashed forward, reaching in his coat.48Please respect copyright.PENANAAbZgklff2R
48Please respect copyright.PENANAYNkcnTFrKp
–48Please respect copyright.PENANABnxlVJplUJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAcuBlRQQZTC
–48Please respect copyright.PENANARXHFvVQQRo
48Please respect copyright.PENANAA0xwncH5WI
–48Please respect copyright.PENANAW1vzV7cta9
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEQNcHPHnMJ
By some force of nature, the two men split to combat their respective opponents. Pars thought of stopping for a second, calling for Dave to help him team up on this one or something of the sort. But Pars knew they didn't have, nor ever could have a relationship like that.48Please respect copyright.PENANADBUoBzxcVb
48Please respect copyright.PENANAyyovvy1ImA
He thought it strange that these were his thoughts right before the fight. Pars pushed them aside, but they already left their mark.48Please respect copyright.PENANAJ18XwNSiR3
48Please respect copyright.PENANA52eFh3oy3q
He drew his knife out of his coat while putting his unloaded crossbow back in. The man he was fighting with was the one with the explosive cylinder, a weapon that succeeded in range just as well as it did in close quarters. But from its size alone, Pars could tell it was unwieldy.
So he flipped his knife in a reverse grip and slashed at the Bringer, who stepped back from the attack. Pars followed with a spin and a kick, but his foot was just short of making contact. The Bringer retaliated with a small dash and a kick of his own, which Pars had to raise his chin to avoid.48Please respect copyright.PENANA71TuLstdbO
48Please respect copyright.PENANA9Iy24HspPf
He slashed again, a horizontal one this time, and when it missed he tossed his knife to change its direction and slashed again. It missed the Bringer, but it caught his robe. It cut open, revealing what looked to be–48Please respect copyright.PENANAXy664QSx64
48Please respect copyright.PENANAvl5Ls2aygn
"Armor. Much like the others, huh?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAtXM981xWfw
48Please respect copyright.PENANA0Iu9hLNUR9
The Bringer clicked his tongue and backed away. Pars didn't chase him. He reached inside his coat and took out his second, loaded crossbow. He aimed it at him, which caused the bringer to panic and shield his chest with the cylinder. Pars didn't fire, instead, he began mana expulsion through his hand.48Please respect copyright.PENANAY1vLcTw9Rb
48Please respect copyright.PENANA5qDtPbivoT
The Bringer realized he had been tricked. He raised the cylinder and hoisted it on his shoulder, but by the time he could, Pars had already made his earthly contraption: A vase of stone, latched to his back and connected to his crossbow.48Please respect copyright.PENANA7QVtAYC59p
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdewIqHac5R
One loud boom sounded throughout the room. The air around him, now dappled with cinders, guided the blazing arrow right to the Bringer.48Please respect copyright.PENANAwISLfcpDzk
48Please respect copyright.PENANA9sA3EcPMpX
But the Bringer's contraption fired as well.48Please respect copyright.PENANAEWmBM65fJE
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdRVQiJ6Oi5
**BOOM**48Please respect copyright.PENANA9VDP1O8KMJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAznLvUHNw6u
The two projectiles connected, but their crash was closer to the Bringer than to Pars. Still, Pars was forced to step back from the blast, and the now ashen air forced a couple of coughs out of him.48Please respect copyright.PENANAopUqIjdqvS
48Please respect copyright.PENANAaPYNRRWsmF
"Pars!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAneTLkP9SGj
48Please respect copyright.PENANALjJBuplVtD
"Huh?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAPfF0J8pBrr
48Please respect copyright.PENANAb2w9h7BZNP
–48Please respect copyright.PENANA0D1vLoQPyI
48Please respect copyright.PENANAIwQOQu1S0f
–48Please respect copyright.PENANAwEx2YeFS1Y
48Please respect copyright.PENANAR002Cu7Iu2
–48Please respect copyright.PENANAOVKwnMo5VW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAjn5F1Ng71O
It was some kind of instinct, or maybe a habit, the way Dave split from Pars and took up his own opponent. Pars reciprocated, which he appreciated, though Dave had no time nor humility to say as much.48Please respect copyright.PENANAe6w2lg1lkh
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEGKY2CCijx
Had it been up to him, Dave wouldn't be in the Pillar, fighting a circus of lunatics who wore gaudy garments. He'd likely still be in his store, crafting and staring at the pottery on his shelves. Imports wouldn't have come for a few days, but Dave was crafty and spent years on his contingency. He wasn't as proud of his works as those of others, naturally, but it mattered little when it was so fun.48Please respect copyright.PENANAm0gpRoionW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAi4UkkB4gZW
No, truly, it was that silence that he valued most. That quiet building where nothing but creaking wood and muffled chatter reached his ears, with the occasional customer. It would've been even better in this scenario. The worst he'd have to deal with was a barging Bringer, but his barbed tongue would be enough to deter them. He was sure of it.48Please respect copyright.PENANARH5G19WjUh
48Please respect copyright.PENANAqCPzG6imfD
Though, as much as he'd like to believe that, he wasn't so stupid.48Please respect copyright.PENANA2jE31ICpaA
48Please respect copyright.PENANAbQANmbWDJm
**CLANG**48Please respect copyright.PENANAxsnt2ni7aa
48Please respect copyright.PENANAVVlDg9UqMv
Swords clashed and chattered. The other was steel, while dave's was one of clay, but molded and braced with mana. It was still, however, a weapon of clay.48Please respect copyright.PENANAsYHjS2e35W
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhLW2a7cKEQ
He looked at his weapon, a coarse curve where the gallant tine used to be and sighed. Had it been him from the past, it wouldn't be such a sorry show. The rigid structure dissolved into a mushy clump. He reached into the sack wrapped around his belt and took more clay, mixing it with the pile in his hand.48Please respect copyright.PENANAs0WnlcN7c2
48Please respect copyright.PENANAzCwOxp3oew
The Bringer gave Dave no easy time doing so. He rushed forward, both hands on his longsword, and swung at Dave. Holding the clay, he threw it forward, and it mutated into a great shield which the sword bounced off of like a ball off the ground. The Bringer staggered, and Dave grabbed the clay, transforming it into a thin battering ram.48Please respect copyright.PENANAP1b25rnr6a
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkDzJC8qClG
**SLAM**48Please respect copyright.PENANAVVW2uLvVg4
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJLwRWdqWP3
He ran and bashed it into the Bringer's stomach, who let out a breathless retch. Dave kept running, planning to pin the Bringer to the wall, but the bringer grabbed onto the ram and stuck his feet into the ground. Dave's advance was stopped, but that dismayed him little. The pole of clay retracted and morphed into a ball. Dave dug his fingers into it as it hardened, and then he swung it across. The Bringer barely raised his arm quickly enough to block it.48Please respect copyright.PENANA7YX9q1HCNt
48Please respect copyright.PENANAxwJaBLfBrw
Though, by the way he was sent to the floor, it would be a stretch to call it a block.48Please respect copyright.PENANAzqvU3ws1Eb
48Please respect copyright.PENANADjsB4D9BVI
The Bringer tried to get on his feet but kicked him in the chin, sending him rolling. Dave morphed his clay into a sword and approached the Bringer with steady steps. With how much he struggled to stand, Dave was sure that he was done.48Please respect copyright.PENANAnJvswFnvWH
48Please respect copyright.PENANAG0jwsygm5u
But then, the Bringer reached into his robe. A barrage of little knives flew his way, and dave couldn't morph his clay fast enough. He curled up and blocked what he could, and though it missed his vitals–48Please respect copyright.PENANAT5cKY80M0j
48Please respect copyright.PENANAuHZhhGUH3Y
"Ngh! Shit–!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAa6FLnWWDnG
48Please respect copyright.PENANASF1snhQg1U
A few knives scraped his, and another violently lodged itself into his leg. Dave stood up quickly and attempted to run, aching to finish the still floor-stuck Harbinger.48Please respect copyright.PENANAb90a0oS3HP
48Please respect copyright.PENANAsVoiGWKt8g
But then–48Please respect copyright.PENANA2ttv1zAfNp
48Please respect copyright.PENANAMIf8zTVoM5
**BOOM**48Please respect copyright.PENANASihIS4VNyH
48Please respect copyright.PENANAaDhbwc1PrN
A ring in his ear followed by an eruption of dust, one that prevented him from seeing his target. Dave clicked his tongue and backed away, paying heed to his impaled limb. Seeing no better alternative–48Please respect copyright.PENANAmV9fxhWEpa
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdR4GSFCc4w
–48Please respect copyright.PENANATkJRcQ9fG8
48Please respect copyright.PENANATWYMkGPkym
–48Please respect copyright.PENANARTPbn2kBh3
48Please respect copyright.PENANApbwLFL1pkW
–48Please respect copyright.PENANARxaCqMtdSu
48Please respect copyright.PENANAKR6wFx6ufw
Pars heard Dave's voice through the thick smog. He assumed he wanted to regroup, a prudent decision with the low visibility, but yelling would reveal his location to his opponents. He had to find a way to reconnect, or at the very least, keep his eye out for the Bringers.48Please respect copyright.PENANAUOy8dM7oXi
48Please respect copyright.PENANAXvjv0fkHoa
Though it was impossible to see, Pars knew that staying still was a death wish. He dashed back, careful not to go too far to avoid crashing into a wall, then quietly tiptoed around the parameter of the room. Where he was, Pars was out of the clutch of the smoke, but that made seeing inside all the more difficult. However–48Please respect copyright.PENANAojR2SqwsXf
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdjSCTcSXqs
"Gah–! You scared me!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAT5iYkPBo73
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7AKoFyi8aC
Dave burst from the smoke, exiting it so fiercely it rippled. The smoke began to clear shortly after, and the two men eyed the room for their opponents. A few seconds passed by, then a minute; nowhere to be seen, there was only one possible option.48Please respect copyright.PENANAcsKmawmdYX
48Please respect copyright.PENANAsY2LwDN0Ga
"They're hiding," Dave muttered.48Please respect copyright.PENANAytp9O3eICP
48Please respect copyright.PENANAFMlwSqxj7T
"Yeah. We're at a good vantage, though. After all–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAPKqodwA27w
48Please respect copyright.PENANAcy6sQccP9i
"No, this is terrible."48Please respect copyright.PENANACHdM5dER3r
48Please respect copyright.PENANAC8avEmAD0u
Dave interjected with a rival statement, giving Pars a confused look.48Please respect copyright.PENANADvopDro7Ac
48Please respect copyright.PENANAuOarRwGtGc
"Of these four boxes, there's no telling which one they're hiding behind. They can wait there all they want and we can't do anything about it. We're the attacking party, after all."48Please respect copyright.PENANAwdpoMKJNvc
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhbbBpnVMiv
"You're... you're making a good point. Tch!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAnlAMvpg8xI
48Please respect copyright.PENANAaW9Cv68AoJ
Pars took on a defensive stance, raising his arms and darting his eyes from booth to booth. He looked at Dave for his reaction, but he showed no concern. In fact, he almost looked annoyed.48Please respect copyright.PENANAUPKHR5tcFa
48Please respect copyright.PENANAP4EV7y6MPI
"What do we do? I have a suggestion, but–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAYaHzwDEn9U
48Please respect copyright.PENANAenVfR3LuRK
"No. No suggestions from you, please."48Please respect copyright.PENANAUC5xSe4cX0
48Please respect copyright.PENANAAscIP3JmoH
He put his fingers on his temples. Completely discarding him, closing his eyes, and locking himself within a chamber of thoughts. Pars was permitted no entry, no involvement, and no influence.48Please respect copyright.PENANADpHJGQjM7c
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhr4V1eFPQq
It was standard proceedings, as far as Pars was concerned. But something about it, something about this instance, made it utterly insufferable.48Please respect copyright.PENANAVaEuqkzH7S
48Please respect copyright.PENANApdCZtAWF0t
"Why not, Dave? Why not take a suggestion?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAhDHtPgMcrq
48Please respect copyright.PENANAuf7WN2EpBR
Dave's eyes twitched, but he still held his head.48Please respect copyright.PENANAKXHnvSKisq
48Please respect copyright.PENANAP8q9hhojCq
"Aren't you and I a team? Aren't we fighting while staking our lives? Fighting the same enemy!?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAc2svpdbfJ1
48Please respect copyright.PENANAwdY5piK901
Still, no response.48Please respect copyright.PENANAg47vUBJ2nX
48Please respect copyright.PENANAivMxjQYwZW
"Can't you jerk out the wax from your ears and listen to me for once!? Why are you still being so damn stubborn!? Why are you–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAPVw9VDh1Ie
48Please respect copyright.PENANA79og3BO5qy
"Because you're entirely incompetent."48Please respect copyright.PENANAVW4esQsC58
48Please respect copyright.PENANARxHb1k6wpf
With a low, but stern tone, Pars' rant was cut short.48Please respect copyright.PENANAOTgeQmpJJ8
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHaW63Zyita
"Because people like you care too much for looks. Because people like you want to garner laughs and smiles but yield when the situation demands sincerity. Because people like you can't gauge to save their life. Like a tool, only useful when something pilots you."48Please respect copyright.PENANAUOryoKH8oW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAx3Jyp7ZgZS
"..."48Please respect copyright.PENANAeTvacKzeZl
48Please respect copyright.PENANA4zyLitf068
"I can't deny your fighting prowess, but your idiocy makes it all useless. Look at this: your ridiculous need to use two crossbows. Your unsuitable equipment. Your sagging coat. Your dull knife. Your dearth of ammunition. Do you use such bootless tools just because they're flashy? All of this focus on image, and look at what good that's done for us. Look at the position we're in now."48Please respect copyright.PENANAwRqvZa5icr
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7RFeutw98X
"..."48Please respect copyright.PENANA6MBWUKQQbX
48Please respect copyright.PENANANQpupuAnAM
Dave stopped his speech. He sighed and grabbed a chunk of clay from his sack, transforming it into a heavy sword. He took a step forward, but suddenly stopped to look behind him.48Please respect copyright.PENANA5YJvoP1OEp
48Please respect copyright.PENANAgMtkkb6QSf
"What?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAzkH95pAbsd
48Please respect copyright.PENANArZ28MHG5LX
Pars was still. He tried to move. Even his mouth would've done, but his lips couldn't open through the spiral of thoughts he'd been thrown into. Dave lost his attention quickly. He turned around and brandished his weapon, and seeing that, Pars gagged the words out of his throat.48Please respect copyright.PENANAIMdRq96GcZ
48Please respect copyright.PENANA5j8L6MXshi
"...You think I'm doing this only for reputation?"48Please respect copyright.PENANABePApQCnov
48Please respect copyright.PENANAU4tgJyS3mI
Dave didn't even grant him a nod, but his silence was affirmation enough.48Please respect copyright.PENANAB9KHnZu9tS
48Please respect copyright.PENANA51kDlizbYU
"...I see."48Please respect copyright.PENANAtwG6AzUwtK
48Please respect copyright.PENANAs2NhIp2In5
He assumed a fighting stance yet again. Only, it wasn't held with stride and trust, but with shaking limbs. A pose done only as proof of effort; a pose done for someone else.48Please respect copyright.PENANAjrQMrMkfDC
48Please respect copyright.PENANA9amuTA2jAj
Pars realized how pathetic it was. He dropped it instantly and pinched his nose, releasing a lengthy, laborious sigh. A moment's pause passed and he took a step forward. He grabbed his coat by its collar and slowly took it off, dropping it with a clatter. He balled his hands into a fist and narrowed his eyes at the room before him.48Please respect copyright.PENANA4TrC2ECcGB
48Please respect copyright.PENANAwTajHsbzEN
"Maybe you're right, Dave. My get-up is a little ridiculous. The way I fight is a little strange– who am I kidding, it's plain stupid to someone like you. Maybe something has to change. Not maybe, you're right– something does have to change."48Please respect copyright.PENANAuQhnR7mblp
48Please respect copyright.PENANABboSSbOyEp
He reached into his coat. He took out a crossbow, his knife, and his last bolt. He kicked the coat aside and loaded the crossbow. He had a view of all four booths of the room, and angles just wide enough for something to strike them all. He hooked the knife on his belt and held his hand out, spreading his fingers apart. Sparks began to form.48Please respect copyright.PENANA38O2E4xoFi
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEgk812oPk6
"But what really matters to me, is that I've missed the mark. I know you're especially stuck-up, but it's exactly people like you that I do this for."48Please respect copyright.PENANAYbXTs5cpAW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0dxcTwLz4
A restless, pulsing blaze formed in Pars' palm. He held his arm up and split the flame into four.48Please respect copyright.PENANAbCVP30HAem
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHtwJjatuJh
"I want to inspire. I want to be adored. I want to calm people down just by being there. A beacon, to signal that everything will be fine. So, if I can't even earn your respect–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAEmfP5PNQup
48Please respect copyright.PENANArpAhbSossV
He slid his feet apart, reeling his arm back and aiming at the booths.48Please respect copyright.PENANAsNeFwgwgVh
48Please respect copyright.PENANARGOqYhWNcX
"--then there's no hope for my wishes!"48Please respect copyright.PENANA2Nf6rxWdSN
48Please respect copyright.PENANAXncddApqO6
He flung his arm and the flames followed, striking all four booths and engulfing them. The architecture of the building would snuff the flames out soon, but that didn't matter. Before even the paint burnt off, the Bringers soared like flies. Dave rushed forward, but before attacking, he yelled:48Please respect copyright.PENANA1h8n5p39G9
48Please respect copyright.PENANA4ktgonKW3u
"I'll take the one with the cannon!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAyf9phbwYla
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkxiYJNerPo
"Alright!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAYiW8MPI8ho
48Please respect copyright.PENANASSswHsCVA6
Pars thus ran opposite of Dave. It was strange; they weren't any closer to working together, and yet, Pars felt satisfied. He had a kind of drive that warmed him and a feeling in his chest that told him he had taken the right step.48Please respect copyright.PENANA6oDEItvDvU
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhVwJkI5ng9
He brandished the crossbow and ran at the Bringer. Pars lost all his worries– he steeled himself, to prove his words, to break through and shine.48Please respect copyright.PENANAMS9W0ZyFli
48Please respect copyright.PENANAuzajtCwPiD
–48Please respect copyright.PENANAeBsGH42aWR
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJSiAmANfNO
–48Please respect copyright.PENANAbyUeHDH3jD
48Please respect copyright.PENANADRSbNt5vur
–48Please respect copyright.PENANASzjUj24aYY
48Please respect copyright.PENANAklCO2Q49Ra
He couldn't catch anything from this opponent when he fought the one with the blaster, but a sword-wielding man wasn't a riddle. Pars fought and sparred with dozens of them, so he still approached with brazen moxie. The Bringer, still running from the flames, didn't notice Pars hot on his heels. He took advantage of that; instead of a furious, direct sprint, Pars veered to the side and ran around the Bringer's trajectory. He came to a stop and turned around, brandishing his sword directly behind him, but Pars hid behind the bottommost booth, letting a single eye peer at the Bringer.48Please respect copyright.PENANAlXLVXprWO8
48Please respect copyright.PENANAgGpnHSBcs7
He thought of firing his crossbow but that man was likely more armored than the other. So instead, he began mana expulsion and formed a cluster of earthen spikes. He moved his hand just over the edge of the booth and fired.48Please respect copyright.PENANABO50KIMVN1
48Please respect copyright.PENANA4pLPyzCa1l
The man noticed the spikes instantly, moving to block with his sword. Pars' volley was too vast and quick for success. The spikes tore and scratched at his robes, but none of them wounded or penetrated. A great deal bounced off like the man was of rubber, and the ones that didn't were shallow in their piercing.48Please respect copyright.PENANAPJBLm7VFX3
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEbZI0m8yds
Pars clicked his tongue and kicked from his hiding place, charging at the bringer. The bringer didn't challenge his approach but took a stance with his sword in both hands.48Please respect copyright.PENANAysy3MXipdP
48Please respect copyright.PENANAphAt95vPMK
Even though his dagger was hefty, it would be a sure loser in a clash with that sword. Pars ran his brain with every step, sifting through whatever options he thought of first. A direct approach was dangerous, a contest was out of the question, and Pars had too much skin exposed to dance and stand with limbs.48Please respect copyright.PENANA2kw4D08k5x
48Please respect copyright.PENANAIATrrWMJBT
Thus, he skidded to a stop. He flipped his dagger and jumped back, spinning on a foot and kicking the weapon with the other.48Please respect copyright.PENANAEZbxQgVsYW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAKoHJ1NeeC3
The Bringer jolted, and his surprise netted Pars a successful hit. His eyes widened when he saw the dagger embedded into his shoulder. Shallow as it was, it didn't matter to Pars. After all, such a flashy move managed to–48Please respect copyright.PENANANEiDTGbfOh
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7BGPd5krW9
"--No!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAxcE0mUNMgk
48Please respect copyright.PENANAc3aKt5uXb9
He hit himself up the head and bolted toward the bringer. That split second was enough for him to dislodge the knife, and Par's blade was thrown back at him. Its speed was too sudden, so he jerked his head as it whizzed by, chipping his ear and forcing a hiss.48Please respect copyright.PENANALvPkjmZhhi
48Please respect copyright.PENANAIhtBacCW4Z
Pars continued his approach. The Bringer reacted by reeling his arms back and swinging. It was completely horizontal, leaving no room for a reactive step, but–48Please respect copyright.PENANAAe2fSEeiP5
48Please respect copyright.PENANAYOj2Qfh0te
"Hyua!"48Please respect copyright.PENANArvHJAVtGr5
48Please respect copyright.PENANACOzBo3caej
Pars dove forward to the ground and latched onto the Bringer's foot. The swing naturally missed, but now Pars was stuck in an unsightly position with no easy counter. The bringer violently shook his foot but pars lost the dagger to quiet it down.48Please respect copyright.PENANAW8vInh1sXP
48Please respect copyright.PENANA3SvN2zEcAe
However, he did have another sharp object.48Please respect copyright.PENANAy20Igs1Mwk
48Please respect copyright.PENANAAAISQq6IhH
He raised his crossbow and stabbed the bolt into his calf. He pulled it out and did it again. There was resistance, but Pars' quick thrusts pierced through the shoddy leather armoring– an easy weak point, and one he didn't pass to abuse. But Pars' awareness didn't narrow with the opportunity. A few stabs were all he wanted before letting go and rolling aside, missing the hunk of metal that clanged the ground he had just been on.48Please respect copyright.PENANAynupVwpLj3
48Please respect copyright.PENANAVhwlmNT6k9
He got to his feet and lunged at the Bringer. Unable to defend, the Bringer dragged his cumbersome sword as he dashed away, but it all played into Pars' plans.48Please respect copyright.PENANANzi98TGRvc
48Please respect copyright.PENANAqyBvNBw1V0
Gripping the crossbow with both of his hands, he raised it and aimed the bolt at the hooded face. Through the shadow, Pars could see the white from his shrinking pupils. The Bringer jerked to block the bolt, releasing one hand to cover his face– but a bolt never came.48Please respect copyright.PENANAgSnI4NZwj4
48Please respect copyright.PENANAzmmdCdYTTG
Pars lowered the crossbow and freed one hand. It was a foolhardy move with an immediate toll, but in under a second, Pars formed a mass of flames. Irregular in its shape and wavering in its form, he pressed the mass against the stomach of the Bringer. The Bringer only just began to move his covering arm. Pars felt inclined to smirk, but in that split moment, he resisted.48Please respect copyright.PENANAM8jTqxDLyt
48Please respect copyright.PENANASsPyoFjvMO
And what came was–48Please respect copyright.PENANA9TLvPFqCv5
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHvINOmxrI0
**BOOM**48Please respect copyright.PENANAjBbcjDt2l2
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdODB8kb5Is
The blast seared his vision first. His body launched with violent spins afterward. A swift collision against a hard surface stopped his flight. He let out a leaden groan and rubbed his eyes before opening them again, but the aftermath was much more painless than he expected.48Please respect copyright.PENANAueic8M1VTW
48Please respect copyright.PENANA48aZn0mrHB
Pars stood up. He looked at himself to assess the damage and found his skin black as charcoal. It made him jolt, but a quick shake of the arm revealed that it was a blanket of burnt fabric. He shook his head and returned his attention to the battlefield, but his ashen vision made it difficult to see far. He saw two figures in a duel– likely Dave and the other –but the third was–48Please respect copyright.PENANAwLzSjgw8uD
48Please respect copyright.PENANAB31bpsFlIk
"--oop!"48Please respect copyright.PENANA7RH6hhGqHk
48Please respect copyright.PENANASeQPtCWLNw
Instinct commanded his body to move. He jumped to the side but was still blown away by a furious gust. He stopped himself from rolling, noticing his knife nearby and scampering to grab it. After his snatch, he gave his eyes one more rub and observed the scene.48Please respect copyright.PENANAJnPisbURlx
48Please respect copyright.PENANAXD5iYCVisT
"You... you're a sick jokester."48Please respect copyright.PENANA7SsKRdUxSO
48Please respect copyright.PENANAHaeAmB4e89
He lost the energy to click his tongue. All he could wage were weak words of wrath. Words that left with ebbing air, the panting of a hog before a gliding spear.
The Bringer from before had their robes charred, revealing a blackened plate of armor that covered his chest. But those details came secondary to his erratic nimbus of wind.48Please respect copyright.PENANAHzLCCF5tlf
48Please respect copyright.PENANALveoqV6Ce3
Pars brandished his knife, ready to charge. He had no opportunity to, though. A bend of the knees was followed by a soaring dash. The Bringer turned into an arrow, and. Pars raised his hands to block the damage. But he wasn't hit.48Please respect copyright.PENANA9Jhkpa77QX
48Please respect copyright.PENANAITa9MyKJwI
A blast of wind erupted from the Bringer that cocked him back and pinned him in the air. His hovering body left Pars' mouth agape, and he had it shut as it was kicked.48Please respect copyright.PENANAP7FXSAaeTp
48Please respect copyright.PENANA2sTNq2deQx
The kick wasn't strong. It shouldn't have been, because it didn't feel all that painful. But the ferocity by which Pars flew compensated for the painlessness.48Please respect copyright.PENANARNgIBW6cg5
48Please respect copyright.PENANAcwsjOVuD77
His head bore into the wall. His heartbeat rang in his ears and head, a frenzied demand that Pars responded to only through reflex. He felt a liquid trickle down and down his body, and he didn't have to wipe it off and look to tell it was blood.48Please respect copyright.PENANAR9talbMSTK
48Please respect copyright.PENANAgNDOzvwgd6
"What the hell... what the hell!?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAcLSf6toTJ8
48Please respect copyright.PENANApLZN8vEVjn
His knife locked within his palm, he eyed the Bringer. The nimbus was gone now, but the bringer had a wide and stretched pose and performed expulsion from all possible orifices. Any moment that coat of wind would cover him again, and in that moment he'd be struck with another gusting bomb.48Please respect copyright.PENANAh23xo2XFtA
48Please respect copyright.PENANAE5E7XUxRIQ
Pars grityed his teeth and wiped his brow. The blood was getting cold. If it was on any longer, he would shiver.48Please respect copyright.PENANAfAkRYwZV6f
48Please respect copyright.PENANAClIccQdiJD
Though, his body took those measures far sooner than it should've.48Please respect copyright.PENANAKtMssyHUxr
48Please respect copyright.PENANAvZxyBtd23K
"...Heh."48Please respect copyright.PENANArxuRPHtdAJ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAsXaSCQ8bGC
He clicked his tongue and put his blade in the holster, creating a hunk of stone with a handlebar with his free hand. A crummy, clumsy cover– the only thing he could make before that Bringer flew again.48Please respect copyright.PENANA3ftIeu7XfT
48Please respect copyright.PENANATh92ylIqZz
–
–
–
Dave was pricked by the blazing booths. That heat reached his head like a sucker punch, and like a sucker punch, it was a blow that damaged more than the body. Though, it was clear to him that what was happening inside was irrespective of that.48Please respect copyright.PENANASEsNHzg4TE
48Please respect copyright.PENANAke3NjmxuqF
He couldn't pin that feeling down. Not with the time he had, though that troubled him. Time wasn't a problem before for situations like these. What changed now? That feeling seeped through and danced on his skin. It had to be because goosebumps were forming.48Please respect copyright.PENANAkGIU6zcQyn
48Please respect copyright.PENANAZcm7dVB40j
**THUD**48Please respect copyright.PENANAmy7wLV0bQg
48Please respect copyright.PENANAd7Aso943EP
His clay sword clashed with the Bringer's cannon, letting out a clunky sound. The scuffle lasted for a moment until Dave kicked his foot. He struck the Bringer in the leg just hard enough to loosen his grip. Dave won the struggle but reaped no reward; the Bringer merely backed off the moment his weapon gave way.48Please respect copyright.PENANAMTY0HGhsTj
48Please respect copyright.PENANAegznb15WCo
He scoffed at the result. A part of him had hoped that would be the end there, but he knew an opponent Pars struggled with would be no walk in the park.48Please respect copyright.PENANAIqf5ZtJWdP
48Please respect copyright.PENANARAGgWag5T6
"Though I have to wonder–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAqc9EemAlf3
48Please respect copyright.PENANAxvee6d5d5z
He closed the gap with a swift dash and thrust his sword. The bringer didn't dodge the strike, but rather, blocked it with his forearm. The sword didn't penetrate– it nearly bounced off.48Please respect copyright.PENANAtjdb0FESmK
48Please respect copyright.PENANA4ksvbQnIRX
The sudden backlash left him wide-eyed and his stance awry. He tried a quick correction. The Bringer shot a cone of earth from his cannon, and Dave moved fast enough to escape with just a graze. But the top of his blade had been caught by the projectile.48Please respect copyright.PENANAePIYUEEiGQ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAPz6j5TJ2LU
Dave stepped back and disassembled his weapon into simple clay. He tore the pile in half and created a small round shield in one and a spear in the other.48Please respect copyright.PENANAMTmSRqrkhn
48Please respect copyright.PENANAnqID8LrbrM
However, after its creation, Dave realized that such a puny shield would only be a liability. Amending it was locked by the advance of the Bringer. Dave acted with his defensive arsenal at first, sticking his shield out and gripping the spear. The Bringer aimed his cannon and fired another drill of earth. Dave contested it with his shield, and though the force pushed him back and tore at his arm it was enough to stop it.48Please respect copyright.PENANAU1iBieTqZk
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdLAFWOkB3w
The Bringer kept up with his assault. He forewent the cannon and rushed with an earthly dagger. Dave had a moment of perplexion, one that lasted just long enough for the Bringer to aim his launcher yet again. Close enough for it to reach, Dave simply stabbed his spear. But the Bringer stepped to the side and snatched the shaft.48Please respect copyright.PENANABdesxQEwi0
48Please respect copyright.PENANAit9eiFikCN
With his movements constricted, Dave had an immediate thought: he let go of the spear and bashed the Bringer with his shield. Even with its dent, it was strong enough to shove him away, but by no means did it do any damage.
48Please respect copyright.PENANArlaCXEOvES
"Irritating...!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAiqWSx8069l
48Please respect copyright.PENANALrBB9nJ42p
He dissolved the shield and picked up the spear. He grabbed the weapon with both hands, and though he was fixed to rush, he stood still. Dave knew keeping his distance would just give the Bringer more chances to shoot, but this was something he had to spare. Something dawned on him amid that fight, when his spear was caught and his shield became his weapon. It was a question, though when it gained form, it didn't appear as such.48Please respect copyright.PENANA9RLfR8oazD
48Please respect copyright.PENANAiZ6YaYPbRO
Dave didn't like to use spears.48Please respect copyright.PENANAvbG3sgV9WS
48Please respect copyright.PENANA1gb7I37V3v
"...Haaaaa."48Please respect copyright.PENANAo8YQCpJkeT
48Please respect copyright.PENANAnuIe24Jco1
He released a tired sigh. He returned his attention to the Bringer, who naturally took advantage of Dave's pondering and made himself comfortable across the room. Dave charged forth.48Please respect copyright.PENANA1kaYsxDVTL
48Please respect copyright.PENANAEWfPdsGrzX
It was strange of him. Back then, his versatility was the root of his pride. The crux of his proficiency and the agent of his title. An 'Officer,' he was labeled. He retired it long ago.48Please respect copyright.PENANAuvtGJyEoJw
48Please respect copyright.PENANAWCGzEq8krM
But, he didn't let his skills lie and rot, and it was precisely for situations like these that he practiced swings and ran around the city. That he made those vases despite thinking himself scanty.48Please respect copyright.PENANAULM8cCJlkW
48Please respect copyright.PENANABL99H12iwc
That's what he always told himself, at least.48Please respect copyright.PENANAjoao8lfFeQ
48Please respect copyright.PENANAm9OHZounow
**CLASH**
He couldn't help but see a bit of Pars in himself. It wasn't his bravado– goodness, no, it wasn't that. But it was of a similar substance. The root of both his and Pars' bizarre tendencies, an attribute admonished and attacked by Dave.
**CLANG**48Please respect copyright.PENANAtHPXVxBH3l
48Please respect copyright.PENANAxMFQJbS8Tp
Foolishness. It was plain human foolishness. And though it pained him to confess it, he was as much a practician as anybody else.48Please respect copyright.PENANArHWgPOc3mk
48Please respect copyright.PENANAZBjxAHTYrz
**CLASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANAFtuaMyX1mI
48Please respect copyright.PENANAmRJHtqKVCS
Dave slid across the room, reeling from a blocked strike delivered by the Bringer's cannon. Though his body was untouched, his muscles twitched from the force. He fixed his stance and steeled his composure. He opened his eyes and gazed at the Bringer, then sprinted while forming a new clay claymore.
**CLANG**48Please respect copyright.PENANA1m2TU0kQN8
48Please respect copyright.PENANAVBjH9Vkp0r
The strokes of his arms, the swings of his blade, the stomps of his feet, and the sting of his wounds. Why was it that all of these, these things– why did they make him feel so much?48Please respect copyright.PENANAS8ATIlyqFY
48Please respect copyright.PENANA7LGuqdhf06
**CLASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANAB5dqHPVxr9
48Please respect copyright.PENANAuftBcx4NQ7
Frustration, fervor, fury, ferocity–
**CRASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANAG0Dq3bhcgN
48Please respect copyright.PENANAvSEc7j4ieU
Adrenaline, adamance, anxiety, anguish–
**CLASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANAzyytzaLtco
48Please respect copyright.PENANARS9nCXSHfq
His chest was a twister that forever picked new debris.
**CLASH**
48Please respect copyright.PENANAW4cEdzykEa
Confusion–48Please respect copyright.PENANAqM0zWBMrH7
48Please respect copyright.PENANArvXwNSFh8Z
**CLANG**48Please respect copyright.PENANAl4QgWkK9wT
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJlpzDNOv8X
Delusion–48Please respect copyright.PENANAhPz5n0KKgU
48Please respect copyright.PENANAehSuGdz0EN
**CRASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANA9YsoUGon59
48Please respect copyright.PENANAbLNi1UVbAR
All lead to one conclusion:48Please respect copyright.PENANAatXVB0pAEV
48Please respect copyright.PENANA5ox8CAN5Sv
**SMASH**48Please respect copyright.PENANAnAwKkf9SLe
48Please respect copyright.PENANAm5s0oRlKDu
Followed by the shattering of his blade, Dave rolled across the sullied floor, pushed further by a sudden gust of wind. The blast at that time was too fierce for him to block. He got to his feet, looked at his palm, and wondered if his blade truly was to blame.48Please respect copyright.PENANAARVhGHuIRe
48Please respect copyright.PENANAOU4vLXdxMm
"...No, of course it isn't."48Please respect copyright.PENANAq2UqIZJi5s
48Please respect copyright.PENANAzRFA3cvXNl
Dave had a smirk on his face. But he was a torn man under that expression.48Please respect copyright.PENANAccvfJ3WoxD
48Please respect copyright.PENANAGVVTSwfOpw
Because, didn't he long for a more peaceful life? Is that not why he made that pottery shop?48Please respect copyright.PENANALzi1YD6xOr
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJvISSaK6F5
Then why were these blasts of nostalgia laced with such regret–48Please respect copyright.PENANAoTTnJoTFtL
48Please respect copyright.PENANAhlMicrixkY
**THUD**48Please respect copyright.PENANAorrUcvvk5A
48Please respect copyright.PENANAAn9QLkpPcW
A sudden force hurled Dave out of his muddied mind. He tumbled to the floor, striking his chin against it and prompting a thorough rub. He turned to see what had hit him, and found the coatless body of his teammate–48Please respect copyright.PENANAfkxw1kRVPi
48Please respect copyright.PENANAr5UjmEk3q8
"Pars!?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAazP5qsHym0
48Please respect copyright.PENANATIqSJFnvRc
"Ack... quiet down. My head's spinning as is."
–
–
–
The two men stood with their backs against each other. They eyed their surroundings, landing their gazes on their debilitating opponents. Dave still ached from the collision, and Pars didn't fare any better, but their stalwart stances still intimidated.48Please respect copyright.PENANAazt3URD0Vk
48Please respect copyright.PENANAdU7T9SuHBI
"How's it on your end," Pars asked, his voice cracking on every consonant. Dave didn't fancy telling of his inner turmoils, so he told of his physical state instead.48Please respect copyright.PENANAvPGNCjVQgX
48Please respect copyright.PENANA0qSSg0ZnfZ
"Fine, but injured. Their tricks are starting to exhaust me."48Please respect copyright.PENANAmvYpGfcRH1
48Please respect copyright.PENANA1V2DoPBioL
"Likewise. When I think I get 'em, they just pull another thing out of their ass."48Please respect copyright.PENANA0G0dp7Xpj0
48Please respect copyright.PENANA2kqpVXKnIx
The Bringers began a steady approach. No flexing of their muscles nor narrowing of their eyes would deter them now; they had to think fast and act just as quickly.
"I'm getting pretty tired of these two, you know."48Please respect copyright.PENANA7NpLwPZk7V
48Please respect copyright.PENANAKoiBHJYE8B
Dave sternly nodded at Pars' assertion.48Please respect copyright.PENANAT5RddkpFo7
48Please respect copyright.PENANAkcLiWgnGRp
"I'm getting tired in general. I've been hit too many times, and I'm not built for battle marathons anyway. We need to finish this fast."48Please respect copyright.PENANA808aTQ1nFS
48Please respect copyright.PENANABfXsONxa4s
"What do you propose?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAVpAgf068UK
48Please respect copyright.PENANAvjP6JlxHj4
Pars closed his eyes and took a deep breath.48Please respect copyright.PENANAzEFaJDVoDe
48Please respect copyright.PENANAlN3lMnPhTQ
The truth was that he had nothing. He was enamored with the idea of cooperating since the beginning of this fight, but he barely had the strength to throw a punch at another person. All this fighting up until now only to prove a point. But Pars realized, in his battered and weary state, that only damaged his performance.48Please respect copyright.PENANATl9Ea0FHx6
48Please respect copyright.PENANA8pJbMb2efi
To be competent. To be confident. To be strong. To be a man who inspires others. To be a man who saves the helpless.48Please respect copyright.PENANAYiOGjnmRZ3
48Please respect copyright.PENANA9X4qGDKwaX
It seemed like these were all contradictions. Nobody could maintain being that way. His heavy breaths told him so. His failing limbs told him so. It was impossible not to slip into poor habits, to make a fool of oneself, to fall into the mendacious hands of ambition.48Please respect copyright.PENANARDq2YnEcCH
48Please respect copyright.PENANA9wqK5dGS8S
A part of him knew better, though. But that part was tucked away from the forefront of his mind. And in his weakness, Pars lamented only one thing: his inability to–48Please respect copyright.PENANAUFUAqJlv2Y
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"Whatever we do, it would be... smart of us to do it together."48Please respect copyright.PENANAnsmYWtjQYf
48Please respect copyright.PENANAcxqBtdjsJE
"--Huh?"48Please respect copyright.PENANALa3p9EYikk
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"It's loathsome to admit, but you were right. I was stubborn, and I can't refuse to tolerate you this time."48Please respect copyright.PENANABJyDIFktfs
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"...Always backhanded, huh."48Please respect copyright.PENANAfYBpfODmiA
48Please respect copyright.PENANAD3bD5Odobx
But Pars muttered that with an idiot's grin. To hear those words, and from that individual, from the person who sent him into such a mess in the first place. It almost made him laugh48Please respect copyright.PENANAu1UZOPvB18
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"Just like the old days, huh? Alright, just give me a second."48Please respect copyright.PENANAculkDgG0nb
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"We likely don't have one."48Please respect copyright.PENANAsHk02i5jOj
48Please respect copyright.PENANAnfoWe5hORp
He locked himself in thought, into a zone of his mind that split his focus and sense of time. He opened his eyes so his instincts could at least defend a surprise attack as he turned the cogs of his brain. He churned and churned and hoped for a bright idea to spawn from it. Something came of it, but–48Please respect copyright.PENANA3r6JNmDaDc
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"It's gonna be an uphill battle."48Please respect copyright.PENANAHjLojxfeUg
48Please respect copyright.PENANAmsvB4I7e9T
"So nothing has changed. Go on, spit it out."48Please respect copyright.PENANAEmoxnbuoZZ
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"Well, if you insist."48Please respect copyright.PENANA7XpMiOQO4M
48Please respect copyright.PENANAJQkdw4bihY
–
–
–
Dave and Pars reinforced their stances. They moved their retinas to the corners of their sockets and nodded at each other, then swiftly swapped spots.
"Go!"
Pars and Dave burst into sprints, charging at their respective opponents with nothing but their bare hands. The Bringers inched to challenge them but hesitated at the sight of their armlessness. That tiny moment was all that was needed.
Pars' opponent dashed back, but it didn't dodge any attack. Pars never made one. He kept sprinting and sprinting, and his ceaseless charge compelled the Bringer to keep backing away. His opponent eventually got his grip, because he planted his feet and brandished his lethal fists, ready to counter.
But, just short of arm's length, Pars lunged forward and tackled the Bringer. But not to the ground, because he made damn well sure he kept a foot on the floor. His right foot as an axis, he spun his body and released the Bringer.
The Bringer flew just a few feet away. He was completely unharmed, and only more cautious now. He dashed forward to hit Pars and struck him directly in the stomach.
"..."
His looming silence professed his query. Pars answered by grasping his arms, and with a toothy smile that leaked bile through its gaps–
"Gotcha."
**BOOM**
–A great gust of wind erupted from his palms.
48Please respect copyright.PENANAOXvowe25Mx
The bringer soared, rendered a bird by the speed that he flew. His attitude never decreased, he only moved further and further and further, completely opposite of Pars' direction.48Please respect copyright.PENANAXFGZvpCdMb
48Please respect copyright.PENANANzDB9BlFpn
There, Dave sprinted from his pursuing enemy. His speed just outpaced the Bringer's own, a fact made possible only by his lighter baggage. He clutched his clay in one hand and shielded it with the other, darting his eyes behind him every other second to make sure he was at a comfortable distance from the Bringer.48Please respect copyright.PENANALDqvkHHNy1
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And then, that's when he heard the explosion. All of a sudden, Dave skidded to a stop and spun around to face his adversary. The motion confused and intimidated his opponent, who slowed down initially. But he saw how Dave still hadn't conjured a weapon and quickly returned to his blitzing pace–48Please respect copyright.PENANAxkMTXMSDAW
48Please respect copyright.PENANAqF4CTnzH5T
**THUD**48Please respect copyright.PENANAZj3IZ1Ynra
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And then it came to a halt. Or rather, it was a boost. After all, this burst of speed was impossible by ordinary, human means. A feat that made it appear as if Dave was being pulled toward him. But this speed came with a blast, and truly, what good would it do if it meant his feet dislodged from the floor?48Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8sintdyrL
48Please respect copyright.PENANAP0qSEqhNQa
"--!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAgsltDSBBBN
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The two Bringers tumbled towards Dave. Dangerous dashing, utter discombobulation. The Bringer's heads hadn't moved an inch, yet it felt like they were closer to the floor than their legs. Flying and flying, but finally, they began to fall.48Please respect copyright.PENANA19s8GVTQby
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But then Dave put one foot down in front, and all their dismantled attention unified to that appendage. Dave began mana spinning, forming a tool out of his clay. A lengthy shaft with a pointed head whose tip grew thinner and thinner, because this tool only had one purpose: to impale.48Please respect copyright.PENANAzrL7yq7yIt
48Please respect copyright.PENANAOA0mmAZ637
Forgoing a spear, forgoing a dagger, and creating a great pole that would pierce even their plated armor. Within a second, their graves had been marked–48Please respect copyright.PENANAieRfqOIuid
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**SPLICE**48Please respect copyright.PENANA5OPPKKvKyK
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And it was that clay that became their stone.
Dave glared at the Bringers. He couldn't hold them long; his paltry tool was a terrible skewer. He released the two to the ground.48Please respect copyright.PENANAGjWZ4CfSLH
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"I missed one."48Please respect copyright.PENANA7qFr8rrbNp
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He took the end of the shaft and quickly transformed it into a sizable needle, then thrust it directly into the neck of the other. Then for good measure, kicked the two away so their sides touched the floor. Stuck together, bleeding together.48Please respect copyright.PENANAVjZ5zUewbX
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At that moment, strangely, Dave wondered if they were good friends.48Please respect copyright.PENANAip16NFIzQ6
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"Hey!"48Please respect copyright.PENANAdhCmtTasfh
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The voice of Pars roared from his side. He turned his head and saw him clutching his ribs, panting once he came close.48Please respect copyright.PENANAWBL2tgBmje
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"Nice! You really got them in one hit."48Please respect copyright.PENANA1Rrv0u9Fh9
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"Of course I did. That was a specialty of mine."48Please respect copyright.PENANAKT2mlKLVGk
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"Well, it's as you said, rust can make anything dull."48Please respect copyright.PENANAR7Awe1T4zv
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"I never said that."48Please respect copyright.PENANAxkPxpyav8h
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Pars turned away from Dave, looking at the two new corpses on the floor. He had a smile on his face, but it wasn't one wrung from the joy of victory but from the ability to still breathe.48Please respect copyright.PENANAT92yS18i3u
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"It looks like working together was all we had to do all along."48Please respect copyright.PENANATIG32YV5Rm
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"As if. It was your weakened state that let him underestimate you."48Please respect copyright.PENANA5qntTp3Q8J
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"...Are you saying it wouldn't have worked if I didn't get my ass kicked?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAtgHje6ODpn
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To that, Dave merely raised his hands and smirked.48Please respect copyright.PENANAOggAjTdshx
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"Haaaa. Damn you."48Please respect copyright.PENANA6dq1Y04lk1
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Pars plummeted to the ground. It was clear that his legs were failing, and all those beatings were catching up to him.48Please respect copyright.PENANAX4XolvzQJW
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"They are dead, right?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAJGi8pGlwAX
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"I pierced one's heart and slit the neck of the other. If you doubt that, you can confirm it yourself."48Please respect copyright.PENANABCXbEvMlJx
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"I can't muster up the strength to stand. Seriously, I might even pass out."48Please respect copyright.PENANASMdBJo3kYU
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"I–"48Please respect copyright.PENANAqXc32GRzdI
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Dave opened his mouth to offer help, but a sudden wave of pain told him that carrying a live body would be practically impossible. So instead, he sat on the floor.48Please respect copyright.PENANAhreov13BGF
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"Huh?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAsNPKDl3G2o
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Pars looked at him with a raised eyebrow. David replied with one of his own.48Please respect copyright.PENANAmNRM5cLGTC
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"I thought you would leave the room. Not join me."48Please respect copyright.PENANANzybxUB1fY
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"And leave you here by your lonesome? Why would I do that, anyway?"48Please respect copyright.PENANA5mLxDVqpLU
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"Well... there's bodies we need to bury now. Or at least tags to be collected."48Please respect copyright.PENANAI1E9hy2TUh
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"That can wait. I'm too weary and weak anyway."48Please respect copyright.PENANANpVNnOSHCy
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"Oh... yeah, that makes sense."48Please respect copyright.PENANA4UEdjkkITl
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The two men's gazes rested on the bodies of their enemies. It was gruesome, certainly, but their heavy robes hid any trace of their humanity. It was akin to being around a fire rather than a couple of corpses.48Please respect copyright.PENANAq7id6kjCPA
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"Do you think everyone else is fine?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAshSBzFuHCh
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"I don't know about the ones above, but the ones below are likely well. These two were exceptionally difficult."48Please respect copyright.PENANAFpL04UqPFf
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"Huh? And what about Lola? She took on an entire Harbinger!"48Please respect copyright.PENANALR08cwXQpx
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Dave tilted his head and stuck his eyes to the ceiling.48Please respect copyright.PENANA1Bnmf30Ylw
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"She wouldn't falter so easily. Not in this situation. And I know, because we haven't seen that Harbinger's face yet."48Please respect copyright.PENANAvnNwwr2p1f
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"You raise a good point."48Please respect copyright.PENANAKRYrpEIJfM
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"But, I must admit that you impressed me, Pars."48Please respect copyright.PENANAJGAnKGtYj6
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The sudden shift of topic caught Pars by surprise.48Please respect copyright.PENANAiwYpq4PwFq
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"H-Huh? Hold on, where's this coming from?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAyLcwgpGTsb
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"Nowhere but my sincerest thoughts. I didn't think you had it in you to abandon that charade."48Please respect copyright.PENANAc5LBfq3UGB
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"Ha, abandon?"48Please respect copyright.PENANACf1RWmMQ0F
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Pars' gaze sternly hardened.48Please respect copyright.PENANAtAZePpFEaW
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"I didn't abandon anything. And this isn't a charade! I don't want to be a man who inspires just to get girls or something."48Please respect copyright.PENANAO5qYSm5IBB
48Please respect copyright.PENANAqV0J1M8lT1
"If you were, it was backfiring."48Please respect copyright.PENANAGpN1ZYEzAs
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"Harhar. Very funny."48Please respect copyright.PENANAFe7ZsAJmyZ
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Pars rolled his eyes and continued speaking.48Please respect copyright.PENANAxKd3nziCeG
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"No. This? This wasn't working, you were right. But I can only give up so much of my attitude. Otherwise, the kids of this city will look at me as just another cranky soldier, and the members of our force won't have any beacons."48Please respect copyright.PENANAbNJ0889Qjt
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"Aren't you conceited."48Please respect copyright.PENANAffF3e6EBfG
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"You think it's arrogance?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAf1ftmHzrQJ
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Pars began to stroke his chin.48Please respect copyright.PENANAqdA4t5UbwM
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"I don't see it that way. Greatness inspires, y'know?"48Please respect copyright.PENANAVi2nOMc9dj
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"But what you want isn't just greatness."48Please respect copyright.PENANAKGdC5j5Z7A
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"...Yeah, you're right."48Please respect copyright.PENANAlp63MUGC44
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Pars slacked his arms and stared blankly at the Bringers.48Please respect copyright.PENANAAQWYjTi1J4
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"I guess what I want, is to be a hero."