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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAqHKJ8Sqf77
25Please respect copyright.PENANAVhkZWyUTAL
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAlxOTln30xP
25Please respect copyright.PENANAnsDYCRQB94
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAV5am0jqb4q
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What was truly worrisome, though, was the lack of Bringers.25Please respect copyright.PENANAufNQrL4L6l
25Please respect copyright.PENANAWvsL3QbBej
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANABvj9lufiSm
25Please respect copyright.PENANAtCaFUzsKBq
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAhfXi0RxXWV
25Please respect copyright.PENANASaRRNZCGKq
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAinb40kZWE3
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"Exit's here! Let's roll!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAmgusTCMcI1
25Please respect copyright.PENANAp2v4t0zLwz
I had a perfect line of sight from where I stood. Pars' forge ahead, and the sudden figure that sprung from a blindspot.25Please respect copyright.PENANAjP32kVwPcR
25Please respect copyright.PENANARqFv64vQLy
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAX8dwYMWg1h
25Please respect copyright.PENANA63rHkUCWh6
**BOOM**25Please respect copyright.PENANANqt1E5LELD
25Please respect copyright.PENANANudH8dLRkW
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAEJCkSwmQIT
25Please respect copyright.PENANAvyaaxexNP1
"Ack!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAomukvwkTnp
25Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZDOOOo1H6
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAlXjOCmCfgn
25Please respect copyright.PENANAkcPgKRuXST
The room was a catastrophe.25Please respect copyright.PENANAFKasQY7rWK
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAQS7fvEAZXy
25Please respect copyright.PENANATkY6Yp6ue0
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAFFFvIVQa3B
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"Everyone," he shouted, "if you can see, help the blinded! Get a move on!"25Please respect copyright.PENANALxI6x4KCay
25Please respect copyright.PENANAeFExQdSyYV
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAerFuQy1Wyo
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5Rtmjpge4T
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAH7zYJ5CdJb
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAstrYOJThj
**STRIKE**25Please respect copyright.PENANAM1vo7IRQfd
25Please respect copyright.PENANAWMCmncjosO
–only to be immediately interrupted.25Please respect copyright.PENANA5pi7FNGPhu
25Please respect copyright.PENANALXbTR3uiPT
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAlaCahrNA6w
25Please respect copyright.PENANAEIe0RNxDGd
"Stop standin' still kid! Move!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAJcddx6BWmH
25Please respect copyright.PENANA4VnRng60WX
Without a second beat, I scurried away. I continued mana expulsion, partially out of instinct, and weakly lobbed a sturdy stone at the swords.25Please respect copyright.PENANAOnS6plqLZy
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7A3h0fv103
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAvAs5YELAmR
25Please respect copyright.PENANAfj3znVTWy9
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAueh9g8iTG4
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZgl1igD2ZD
"C'mon!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAl6thKdQU7H
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgzgbi1gYjE
"--Ah!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAskQJaRbvDE
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIvmW2oZ2Ds
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAjr52S56ku3
25Please respect copyright.PENANAOs2rMDsSdL
I made no effort to inspect the ones who weren't moving.25Please respect copyright.PENANAPD7YDpo7ve
25Please respect copyright.PENANAd3q3B92vLb
–
–
–
What a moron.25Please respect copyright.PENANAcRaqx0Qlx5
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It was to be expected– it should've been expected. The signs were so obvious that he knocked himself for being so remiss.25Please respect copyright.PENANAG6ExIeu3Lu
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A large room, utterly silent until the decisive moment. An ambush in a guarded building; what a concept, wasn't it?25Please respect copyright.PENANAfI2BHppxuV
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgcuW2X9aND
**THUD**25Please respect copyright.PENANA161ssLJA0s
25Please respect copyright.PENANA6QBJdmE7iP
"Ngh!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAFRiuuG1QTv
25Please respect copyright.PENANArAupxuG1Nv
That quaking strike brought him out of his scolding. He slid across the floor, biting his lips over his bruised arms.25Please respect copyright.PENANAnM3oqpSXEJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAYzQjt1yT5K
"That thing on your shoulder's a real blowhard–"25Please respect copyright.PENANARdaYzqxlEq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAp8Bwp2oswq
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAyquYlEGi18
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMsMNa0qtpF
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAGfgmRWoD9I
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0NHUIRquo
"--I should've known!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAOodjhzfQKb
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQMEMPcxf4S
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANASEiuNfrGYx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPXYUTjcwTk
"Two against one, huh? I should've expected such dirty play, but–!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAVmPvVWZV9w
25Please respect copyright.PENANA2IwgyLSDgz
Pars had a tool in his disposal to even the odds.25Please respect copyright.PENANAN0rwRQ7PcY
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"DAVE!"25Please respect copyright.PENANANpxSc8lLsL
25Please respect copyright.PENANAdaRGpL8IID
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANA5XoEPbv2tV
25Please respect copyright.PENANAwliLnoCJPO
"Dave! If you can hear me, I need some help!"25Please respect copyright.PENANABSV8KINVUN
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQFRVSBH9DB
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.
25Please respect copyright.PENANAef1bIHmvbA
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAmtWtZ3qPbS
25Please respect copyright.PENANAXHN2kHmqsZ
"Dave? How'd you get over there!? I just checked that place!"25Please respect copyright.PENANA0iohPQIIkm
25Please respect copyright.PENANAeIrKad9LRi
"Shut up, please. From now on, talk only with regards to the battle."25Please respect copyright.PENANAIASBKou5KW
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQscz4dis85
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAW58xflzU1M
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgc4UIpkZPi
"...Those are our first casualties–"25Please respect copyright.PENANACScIOYx28g
25Please respect copyright.PENANAEDpHW0x8OP
**BOOM**25Please respect copyright.PENANAptfhTweCAs
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHdQ6DEO5Om
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAIipGDONdtC
25Please respect copyright.PENANAaixkvXDtVd
"--Shit, I lost my focus! I owe you one!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAfg5CBO3Ke4
25Please respect copyright.PENANAtj804ffzHS
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAXtUaiadd4S
25Please respect copyright.PENANAXMktOea0j8
"I'm here now."25Please respect copyright.PENANAp1ZQTXhGZ9
25Please respect copyright.PENANASndZH3AcMj
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAeKcIU8ReCA
25Please respect copyright.PENANALSzhVOb8GZ
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA6exLsmIsWw
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And thus, he dashed forward, reaching in his coat.25Please respect copyright.PENANAavLSJlFZsp
25Please respect copyright.PENANAvIni5GxAd0
–25Please respect copyright.PENANApC8nuTzZDr
25Please respect copyright.PENANA0sqDp582CS
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAUJ3LoC4Q74
25Please respect copyright.PENANAqhrm6Oe22T
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAt5P5IGfztn
25Please respect copyright.PENANAvgAgllAxWV
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAu37ZeHZ33s
25Please respect copyright.PENANAp6krKqUNix
He thought it strange that these were his thoughts right before the fight. Pars pushed them aside, but they already left their mark.25Please respect copyright.PENANAwGLKysbr3O
25Please respect copyright.PENANAzSAWcynwm2
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAAIdZLWalNC
25Please respect copyright.PENANAq35WvoQQSI
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAOjViodI3mT
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8rLxUZg11n
"Armor. Much like the others, huh?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAXWFj3ze8fq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAbWp0ya0wVE
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAajhiVM2nxL
25Please respect copyright.PENANAGf5n8AVlBU
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA1lCWcZB0Zy
25Please respect copyright.PENANAXX818cIFL0
One loud boom sounded throughout the room. The air around him, now dappled with cinders, guided the blazing arrow right to the Bringer.25Please respect copyright.PENANAuRKIYHA3Tx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAaMRglL0vfJ
But the Bringer's contraption fired as well.25Please respect copyright.PENANAk51Dw9ArfO
25Please respect copyright.PENANA2xf4bczEA3
**BOOM**25Please respect copyright.PENANAURuwPDbQCS
25Please respect copyright.PENANAdasTqHYGS6
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA7279ZDjJgn
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPojGQy7n7c
"Pars!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAimnvPNqwgg
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgIqJkqgY7c
"Huh?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAs5lshJLLkV
25Please respect copyright.PENANAX24NcWglk5
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAMq6qbjpDmJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPwFbGQ8D5L
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAF5NhxyRawP
25Please respect copyright.PENANA3c4edhp2HN
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAtUM4c9lvTv
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANARVEEWe6Sgt
25Please respect copyright.PENANASNipgE2Bgb
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAPQnqHVozmq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAF7J1cDgy84
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAHkZDH1eHcs
25Please respect copyright.PENANAwjjCHSaPI5
Though, as much as he'd like to believe that, he wasn't so stupid.25Please respect copyright.PENANAmDvDvy2Y4N
25Please respect copyright.PENANAA254Y55Qfj
**CLANG**25Please respect copyright.PENANAHpBQ8YoJ01
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAalhGgBNkUD
25Please respect copyright.PENANAyznsXPqVdd
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAZnr9HnYlZR
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7EO6yzJfJn
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA15rlXJzPFq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAS1ohgYwdsP
**SLAM**25Please respect copyright.PENANARnPiR8sqm6
25Please respect copyright.PENANAfXUXl0TgZ6
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAnlnaye2Jhc
25Please respect copyright.PENANApBrXoyy9K2
Though, by the way he was sent to the floor, it would be a stretch to call it a block.25Please respect copyright.PENANAEqoynOrWgW
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQOunf9GYys
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA5CayIizi2w
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMv8Y3p1ZUJ
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAcN6x0q5wKw
25Please respect copyright.PENANAcuoX4cReqb
"Ngh! Shit–!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAstie69R6As
25Please respect copyright.PENANAcXfjRrDSAR
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA0PenNeRyg9
25Please respect copyright.PENANA2nJQdT0HFB
But then–25Please respect copyright.PENANANSmFGOdRIP
25Please respect copyright.PENANARcA3JPMj2v
**BOOM**25Please respect copyright.PENANA63ZYg56Wsl
25Please respect copyright.PENANAxLO4dCZnq1
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANA4pt6wMYVs2
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAsNz4l4y7uR
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAIMHKDZUM7U
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAmEdVV0nnfQ
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAZY2LyN44aX
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8HaSCDp9Oo
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAH8W08vIhsc
25Please respect copyright.PENANASFstADPrrt
"Gah–! You scared me!"25Please respect copyright.PENANACM1gVTMgbg
25Please respect copyright.PENANAf4zO19gG6t
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANALaG3sm6lfl
25Please respect copyright.PENANA1RlMfa9QEL
"They're hiding," Dave muttered.25Please respect copyright.PENANAfzZ8JzhDpQ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAUdTMueoLqI
"Yeah. We're at a good vantage, though. After all–"25Please respect copyright.PENANAF3PWh9t8MZ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAxbXRXR3cdI
"No, this is terrible."25Please respect copyright.PENANArBhl9Qgrrg
25Please respect copyright.PENANA4uZH084o2h
Dave interjected with a rival statement, giving Pars a confused look.25Please respect copyright.PENANAZWMjfahbYJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQWvUa6K5BD
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAiorKk0vL22
25Please respect copyright.PENANAqXCZYqdcjs
"You're... you're making a good point. Tch!"25Please respect copyright.PENANABtNJSE4wGd
25Please respect copyright.PENANAG7gUcr64To
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAguHsrrUHvT
25Please respect copyright.PENANAASzPkfXEn1
"What do we do? I have a suggestion, but–"25Please respect copyright.PENANAeRgfws2xvs
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIMs7maviVE
"No. No suggestions from you, please."25Please respect copyright.PENANAUXwupMQWHO
25Please respect copyright.PENANAfNgsa3ex1p
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAlK47dQ7p6x
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPp3DZQWNNy
It was standard proceedings, as far as Pars was concerned. But something about it, something about this instance, made it utterly insufferable.25Please respect copyright.PENANANdOoWogH3h
25Please respect copyright.PENANArjt1WeXvlj
"Why not, Dave? Why not take a suggestion?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAERa6D1TQbd
25Please respect copyright.PENANApTvVYJa7fr
Dave's eyes twitched, but he still held his head.25Please respect copyright.PENANAcTgUx7ln9D
25Please respect copyright.PENANAmlFaDZsR4x
"Aren't you and I a team? Aren't we fighting while staking our lives? Fighting the same enemy!?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAsFaxabpTnt
25Please respect copyright.PENANApnpq7StB7w
Still, no response.25Please respect copyright.PENANArjmDULGSaL
25Please respect copyright.PENANAfwHmYx3746
"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–"25Please respect copyright.PENANAOyyXnT0t6c
25Please respect copyright.PENANA6ZCBSOXFSg
"Because you're entirely incompetent."25Please respect copyright.PENANAgA4k3WOkHK
25Please respect copyright.PENANAGTLnY0vjsZ
With a low, but stern tone, Pars' rant was cut short.25Please respect copyright.PENANAaunQL3K8ms
25Please respect copyright.PENANAyVitxswuJM
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAGi9JUXeyHk
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMK06eVijnl
"..."25Please respect copyright.PENANA2bxiP1pR3V
25Please respect copyright.PENANAV5vPlNkj8T
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANARnIHKjd1hV
25Please respect copyright.PENANA39LZh0gtMg
"..."25Please respect copyright.PENANAil7x0AlGGp
25Please respect copyright.PENANAb1HFZzZ0Of
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAUjgsgqNWLY
25Please respect copyright.PENANAKdasxwT0iX
"What?"25Please respect copyright.PENANA6cn1ZKs7c9
25Please respect copyright.PENANAtXw3T9S3WA
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAHx0dy5nj7l
25Please respect copyright.PENANAi8t1THLn9j
"...You think I'm doing this only for reputation?"25Please respect copyright.PENANA4VBzYIpdS8
25Please respect copyright.PENANAlWvmHPX1j4
Dave didn't even grant him a nod, but his silence was affirmation enough.25Please respect copyright.PENANAeNzLDPmcUK
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHcJk7PJyBX
"...I see."25Please respect copyright.PENANAWjjrdC43bm
25Please respect copyright.PENANAA9OUCShQwm
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAgQZedC5uOo
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQDtZ3e3YS8
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAK3t01TAwNI
25Please respect copyright.PENANA2EwJTsQDPe
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANA6nm2ahs5jh
25Please respect copyright.PENANA1dJxZ3Z2mj
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANATNq6Fc1o7d
25Please respect copyright.PENANAs7HSfKcICw
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANArb05B4xHfq
25Please respect copyright.PENANAfDLuVXCHtV
A restless, pulsing blaze formed in Pars' palm. He held his arm up and split the flame into four.25Please respect copyright.PENANAPoIDKfGRwU
25Please respect copyright.PENANAL0YpOmvZml
"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–"25Please respect copyright.PENANAoHolavdFvM
25Please respect copyright.PENANAsc4aDJ2kMe
He slid his feet apart, reeling his arm back and aiming at the booths.25Please respect copyright.PENANAATbXh7FtLO
25Please respect copyright.PENANARXCyFYRGVq
"--then there's no hope for my wishes!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAqVnrggXU5d
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMUMlk4gQvd
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:25Please respect copyright.PENANALc08f7oqka
25Please respect copyright.PENANAObGntrwhr3
"I'll take the one with the cannon!"25Please respect copyright.PENANA1md9d0HjHr
25Please respect copyright.PENANAhEKhkvFkf0
"Alright!"25Please respect copyright.PENANA0ErDq0WS9X
25Please respect copyright.PENANAPd07ZUCPgy
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAzeEVHYC1yZ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAc9ZILHbGHz
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAp14SThmVun
25Please respect copyright.PENANAkvoOkLw6fc
–25Please respect copyright.PENANAwhoghmFuL5
25Please respect copyright.PENANAzMLUaw8uu6
–25Please respect copyright.PENANA7qlN7N3pch
25Please respect copyright.PENANAyD3xWtJW70
–25Please respect copyright.PENANARgM4bTkOZv
25Please respect copyright.PENANA2NkY98gIkL
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAdKNm40wv8J
25Please respect copyright.PENANAeX4wj8OK7z
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANALe9lyWMyzE
25Please respect copyright.PENANAlfJp9HIfmk
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAC5uk85EgOE
25Please respect copyright.PENANAprnkaRa9WN
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAzyktkkoI6J
25Please respect copyright.PENANA1fflOWDsZx
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAITCqHUODkE
25Please respect copyright.PENANAetVsahghTs
Thus, he skidded to a stop. He flipped his dagger and jumped back, spinning on a foot and kicking the weapon with the other.25Please respect copyright.PENANAwgRgYFTkAR
25Please respect copyright.PENANATIzlMWHkED
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAk5fMcQPUa3
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAXceZrCJtp
"--No!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAcyKtzkeHfl
25Please respect copyright.PENANAMgqPKJIPfd
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANApJ6awNJNjp
25Please respect copyright.PENANAN39JX6z5vb
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANApfh2DRinEf
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHvsFcnABD9
"Hyua!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAD1Qxjbov0z
25Please respect copyright.PENANAuOkUW7hHeF
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3Zaf2cf7y
25Please respect copyright.PENANANAFIy7Col5
However, he did have another sharp object.25Please respect copyright.PENANADqQWRjjEQn
25Please respect copyright.PENANA9JPJdVkcBv
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAJvz78IsPJp
25Please respect copyright.PENANAtp2RCcxNZg
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAgyroQhpg6R
25Please respect copyright.PENANAShT4drsowl
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA82oOIxjRBF
25Please respect copyright.PENANAvl014A24Ws
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA87W0zIHKeV
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIDclHFY7ha
And what came was–25Please respect copyright.PENANAUtc4NLF1p1
25Please respect copyright.PENANABJV31N67k2
**BOOM**25Please respect copyright.PENANAW4pDr21q8s
25Please respect copyright.PENANAFwCMngAPH1
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAo1fczzWqXn
25Please respect copyright.PENANAKsyUOlnzof
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAnF8SxhXfEz
25Please respect copyright.PENANAbBmTjBDgG2
"--oop!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAUQ34vMrxei
25Please respect copyright.PENANAmFVIPDXVbx
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAPjQqYlauyX
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAGBDfjCfOv
"You... you're a sick jokester."25Please respect copyright.PENANAYRQYh1byXO
25Please respect copyright.PENANAjj0zOvyP3c
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA6lO4z4bk6S
25Please respect copyright.PENANA0TRYWGgUql
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANARLNVPVclm4
25Please respect copyright.PENANAwjD2vO20Xd
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAesqZNvOmvI
25Please respect copyright.PENANAjHhr23wRoa
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAYg7RkX6DcC
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5o7C15H17s
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANALZ6EvWYXQp
25Please respect copyright.PENANArkNjlhdTMl
"What the hell... what the hell!?"25Please respect copyright.PENANA0LZWLLIudJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAnRTM037qZV
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAEaADCD7nm4
25Please respect copyright.PENANABymHlYUw0W
Pars grityed his teeth and wiped his brow. The blood was getting cold. If it was on any longer, he would shiver.25Please respect copyright.PENANA4VSdg6ZGIo
25Please respect copyright.PENANArzhQtcNvnQ
Though, his body took those measures far sooner than it should've.25Please respect copyright.PENANAxfkzFfa0qz
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZCP9i907L7
"...Heh."25Please respect copyright.PENANAUjl0XQl8uW
25Please respect copyright.PENANA3aeIxfEmuD
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAkVEHvWITQH
25Please respect copyright.PENANAsj3rYVfmgN
–
–
–
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAFaApneCZZ3
25Please respect copyright.PENANAQxe2p7CYFj
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAadE3I4ILXJ
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIb9dnJrQm9
**THUD**25Please respect copyright.PENANAuNxXPnLsVR
25Please respect copyright.PENANAoxbSinuAiy
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAkEHQjgAPqK
25Please respect copyright.PENANADnqy3s9W8m
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA3oGkrbl2gv
25Please respect copyright.PENANAkozBwKlKKv
"Though I have to wonder–"25Please respect copyright.PENANAwt0bgz2ucB
25Please respect copyright.PENANA16EC9mNRRy
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAQFUpmGMSpK
25Please respect copyright.PENANA69UFgjTPLv
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAP8BPkhgZ0s
25Please respect copyright.PENANAB717972kBX
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAFNIpd6H0GX
25Please respect copyright.PENANA7MXa8vYMcs
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAOGQ8QUrF0f
25Please respect copyright.PENANAyXZxj1zJXp
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANALGfoAsDpsk
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8taPzNary4
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.
25Please respect copyright.PENANAt77Xd7xS9d
"Irritating...!"25Please respect copyright.PENANA44PMf5LXiK
25Please respect copyright.PENANAy4kAClOfJa
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANArR9JW3II6M
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5JYNmHEDf7
Dave didn't like to use spears.25Please respect copyright.PENANA4UP9xFCZE6
25Please respect copyright.PENANAlGgMvmMVTS
"...Haaaaa."25Please respect copyright.PENANAN9fWaALRoN
25Please respect copyright.PENANAYxlwgRfUEC
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAH5i411k3Fz
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAFSwO1TfyE
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAE5XECuGsYl
25Please respect copyright.PENANANEMCSqxnTQ
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANANnObSr0gCn
25Please respect copyright.PENANARB01W5QhyR
That's what he always told himself, at least.25Please respect copyright.PENANAjxfRAy7eiO
25Please respect copyright.PENANAxVeQ2PF8Hb
**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**25Please respect copyright.PENANAM5vgW6kt57
25Please respect copyright.PENANAIXjyC5jIie
Foolishness. It was plain human foolishness. And though it pained him to confess it, he was as much a practician as anybody else.25Please respect copyright.PENANAkwPNLi90A7
25Please respect copyright.PENANAVQezUZ0PoC
**CLASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANAr88vDp1RkA
25Please respect copyright.PENANAmxEczsUR2n
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**25Please respect copyright.PENANAgdwBuMnJmC
25Please respect copyright.PENANAg6NNt0GPVy
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?25Please respect copyright.PENANA8299KlFVpm
25Please respect copyright.PENANATlgDOPtYKe
**CLASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANADasp4tvWL2
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5dWZFUsltp
Frustration, fervor, fury, ferocity–
**CRASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANAy18YZZWm5G
25Please respect copyright.PENANA03NDCCsaOa
Adrenaline, adamance, anxiety, anguish–
**CLASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANAtgCVqZCQBT
25Please respect copyright.PENANAdAwlFKtRZV
His chest was a twister that forever picked new debris.
**CLASH**
25Please respect copyright.PENANACwrXutRmKL
Confusion–25Please respect copyright.PENANAR80bgOyeSx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAJFjqpGaGi
**CLANG**25Please respect copyright.PENANAfgjsPZhFF7
25Please respect copyright.PENANAcBCrfgqlLA
Delusion–25Please respect copyright.PENANAk47wu4bDYY
25Please respect copyright.PENANAZXjRhcbBQy
**CRASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANAsb7cOJbNen
25Please respect copyright.PENANAUNRdreTZGF
All lead to one conclusion:25Please respect copyright.PENANAfrsc9qdcCm
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgydl55oVj3
**SMASH**25Please respect copyright.PENANANCYTdSyjb8
25Please respect copyright.PENANAam7YGknYNE
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAogzfcDjym3
25Please respect copyright.PENANApCclxVtUj0
"...No, of course it isn't."25Please respect copyright.PENANAYvXoZfNZFr
25Please respect copyright.PENANAeNlfs2cKSs
Dave had a smirk on his face. But he was a torn man under that expression.25Please respect copyright.PENANAXsux6LlLqg
25Please respect copyright.PENANAFPhQt5vq0F
Because, didn't he long for a more peaceful life? Is that not why he made that pottery shop?25Please respect copyright.PENANAaYaS3XI6X6
25Please respect copyright.PENANAWmGBlh7dzI
Then why were these blasts of nostalgia laced with such regret–25Please respect copyright.PENANAQIaBmT021u
25Please respect copyright.PENANAk2U0PCrGnN
**THUD**25Please respect copyright.PENANA55PjTlKzYr
25Please respect copyright.PENANAq4hnwhqZo2
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAJArypVWhSZ
25Please respect copyright.PENANA1MQLJqmDWc
"Pars!?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAYg3L0JD7CR
25Please respect copyright.PENANAlFBi19PGS3
"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.25Please respect copyright.PENANASlUNR9nsgK
25Please respect copyright.PENANAjCIhm60n2E
"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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA7qiyAYLoAO
25Please respect copyright.PENANAAYhn1xf9CN
"Fine, but injured. Their tricks are starting to exhaust me."25Please respect copyright.PENANAUVmbp4ybc3
25Please respect copyright.PENANA5aczIYtxTI
"Likewise. When I think I get 'em, they just pull another thing out of their ass."25Please respect copyright.PENANAAsP9b8ZlKx
25Please respect copyright.PENANAgGgLS6N6Hu
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."25Please respect copyright.PENANANj3PVwLF5Y
25Please respect copyright.PENANA1tB6w6soi4
Dave sternly nodded at Pars' assertion.25Please respect copyright.PENANAMTBXW1vXF7
25Please respect copyright.PENANAyz3FWeFGSf
"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."25Please respect copyright.PENANA1lUVca0Ooe
25Please respect copyright.PENANAjeMsq0tVcB
"What do you propose?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAOeK03hynUi
25Please respect copyright.PENANAHBxPVmy003
Pars closed his eyes and took a deep breath.25Please respect copyright.PENANA9FUw3M7n51
25Please respect copyright.PENANAW5a6DNpu6C
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAivWUxRIY8m
25Please respect copyright.PENANA8UXB0Zfl83
To be competent. To be confident. To be strong. To be a man who inspires others. To be a man who saves the helpless.25Please respect copyright.PENANAoSeHjDRsMY
25Please respect copyright.PENANAA72WZqYy1l
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.25Please respect copyright.PENANABK6JBJvW1J
25Please respect copyright.PENANAw14IxaLFfv
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–25Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZOu2PRKJu
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"Whatever we do, it would be... smart of us to do it together."25Please respect copyright.PENANAGrpTI3deHn
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"--Huh?"25Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZxkJNXG6O
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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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAnWpDZZRVlF
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"...Always backhanded, huh."25Please respect copyright.PENANAtmqLXIa97j
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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 laugh25Please respect copyright.PENANAKG9N6ebiCo
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"Just like the old days, huh? Alright, just give me a second."25Please respect copyright.PENANAzJXVswzHuE
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"We likely don't have one."25Please respect copyright.PENANAbmAmndahTS
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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–25Please respect copyright.PENANASJ1ESFeg6u
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"It's gonna be an uphill battle."25Please respect copyright.PENANAx3o0ROooIt
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"So nothing has changed. Go on, spit it out."25Please respect copyright.PENANAb39bOJZaIX
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"Well, if you insist."25Please respect copyright.PENANAIKIlLy8vlO
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–
–
–
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.
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANA9IOImR647r
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAG08ynV4yFo
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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–25Please respect copyright.PENANA27eKJyAGz1
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**THUD**25Please respect copyright.PENANArFyvH42AfV
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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?25Please respect copyright.PENANAo0M18zJQZr
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"--!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAPCIMik8p1x
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANANROg9K2O6k
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAkAq5gEYIAU
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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–25Please respect copyright.PENANAyqwkjN29aZ
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**SPLICE**25Please respect copyright.PENANADHl6R6IfMG
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAPFJEKM2Sfp
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"I missed one."25Please respect copyright.PENANAGAvkeXpCvJ
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAIKIXYDkjIq
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At that moment, strangely, Dave wondered if they were good friends.25Please respect copyright.PENANAHNzUTwXNHB
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"Hey!"25Please respect copyright.PENANAZx9pz5GByJ
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAVZA2vlwcTG
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"Nice! You really got them in one hit."25Please respect copyright.PENANAuJGJ2WA6yp
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"Of course I did. That was a specialty of mine."25Please respect copyright.PENANAqCOssYYhvE
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"Well, it's as you said, rust can make anything dull."25Please respect copyright.PENANAqc8oh9XPkI
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"I never said that."25Please respect copyright.PENANAnJFEnkPy5H
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAANHIJlq4dN
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"It looks like working together was all we had to do all along."25Please respect copyright.PENANAdvqZmGUtvb
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"As if. It was your weakened state that let him underestimate you."25Please respect copyright.PENANASqsIMxllEm
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"...Are you saying it wouldn't have worked if I didn't get my ass kicked?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAKRHBQZftFO
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To that, Dave merely raised his hands and smirked.25Please respect copyright.PENANAh8x4YMhoCi
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"Haaaa. Damn you."25Please respect copyright.PENANA88kew1kElV
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANANujn9NFnCz
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"They are dead, right?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAAidyKeIcpP
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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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAsj4V1KedJZ
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"I can't muster up the strength to stand. Seriously, I might even pass out."25Please respect copyright.PENANA8C4Ynrb9mB
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"I–"25Please respect copyright.PENANANNf99j48gD
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAJJYGzsKfa8
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"Huh?"25Please respect copyright.PENANArw3OivM1Op
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Pars looked at him with a raised eyebrow. David replied with one of his own.25Please respect copyright.PENANAM54Z6d9qOJ
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"I thought you would leave the room. Not join me."25Please respect copyright.PENANA4AshXtVxkL
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"And leave you here by your lonesome? Why would I do that, anyway?"25Please respect copyright.PENANARgsp9SUpy8
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"Well... there's bodies we need to bury now. Or at least tags to be collected."25Please respect copyright.PENANAm080dcolgB
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"That can wait. I'm too weary and weak anyway."25Please respect copyright.PENANAyrX1mVzyqY
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"Oh... yeah, that makes sense."25Please respect copyright.PENANAUqcDjuv72S
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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.25Please respect copyright.PENANAasxP46UF2D
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"Do you think everyone else is fine?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAy9qkxHMk8s
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"I don't know about the ones above, but the ones below are likely well. These two were exceptionally difficult."25Please respect copyright.PENANAzwXbpBSlaw
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"Huh? And what about Lola? She took on an entire Harbinger!"25Please respect copyright.PENANATaNHrOlpcL
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Dave tilted his head and stuck his eyes to the ceiling.25Please respect copyright.PENANAVYBSwnCha3
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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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAomAZg2gMe1
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"You raise a good point."25Please respect copyright.PENANAqf2MPhNyHF
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"But, I must admit that you impressed me, Pars."25Please respect copyright.PENANAMBS2hsVdiw
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The sudden shift of topic caught Pars by surprise.25Please respect copyright.PENANA8QKvtnawtY
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"H-Huh? Hold on, where's this coming from?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAlWxB5uOsCF
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"Nowhere but my sincerest thoughts. I didn't think you had it in you to abandon that charade."25Please respect copyright.PENANAbKH75QWyOo
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"Ha, abandon?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAqCS42r0ghU
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Pars' gaze sternly hardened.25Please respect copyright.PENANAxddYa0gRuQ
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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."25Please respect copyright.PENANAal1IWHeu6u
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"If you were, it was backfiring."25Please respect copyright.PENANAJh6HEgStUF
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"Harhar. Very funny."25Please respect copyright.PENANAkG5SS7o4Ie
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Pars rolled his eyes and continued speaking.25Please respect copyright.PENANAiVkoMawess
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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."25Please respect copyright.PENANApbTsznYmPB
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"Aren't you conceited."25Please respect copyright.PENANAYLzEM4Kp9q
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"You think it's arrogance?"25Please respect copyright.PENANAqgTrzWHoIy
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Pars began to stroke his chin.25Please respect copyright.PENANAx9IuPzvZiy
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"I don't see it that way. Greatness inspires, y'know?"25Please respect copyright.PENANA6sQVeCPY32
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"But what you want isn't just greatness."25Please respect copyright.PENANAdu5naBezD4
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"...Yeah, you're right."25Please respect copyright.PENANARn2awRqH07
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Pars slacked his arms and stared blankly at the Bringers.25Please respect copyright.PENANAg0Qf64xUfz
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"I guess what I want, is to be a hero."