“...”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBaLqPolIE
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“...”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcoSiKoD9C
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I couldn’t explain how it wound up this way. Maybe it was how I always lagged behind, or that other members were simply more courageous than Juke and I. Maybe it was bad fortune becoming of me, an ugly trait that reared its head in inconvenient times. Pondering an explanation was a useless endeavor anyhow. At this point, I realized it just wasn’t always needed.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJadAkLHkS
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But still, to think Juke and I were the final two members was absurd.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltA9j1XGwF
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I didn’t have any evidence, but my gut screamed at me that the final floor would be the most challenging to combat. I readily acknowledged that the Harbinger was on a lower floor, but all the suspense that had been accumulating in my body informed me that wasn’t the worst of it. Perhaps it was a superstition– no, it absolutely was –but I was still compelled to tell Juke of my hypothesis.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQhPLmAJXv
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“I have a feeling–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxB7SSJimll
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“This next floor’s gonna be a pain in the ass, eh?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaLQD83Kgj
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I was momentarily stunned at his read. Only in mind of course, because my legs didn’t dare to stop climbing.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qSsCFtSbS
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“Do you also have that feeling?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9JYsxawPd
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“Nothin’ like it. I could just tell by the look on yer face. Either way, I don’t think we’re gonna deal with somethin’ so meddlesome.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47fToCwyWP
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“I don’t know, Juke. I just don’t know.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZiE2HZYwB
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His words appeased me a little bit, but I still found it nearly impossible not to wonder and assume the worst.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFs3f0CmFtl
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But, ultimately, I reminded myself yet again that that hardly mattered. Now that we’d arrived on a flat surface, there was nothing to do but to walk through that door and eliminate whoever was behind it. So we made sure to make a loud entrance. As I was able to match his pace, the both of us busted the door down. We ran into the master’s room, a spacious office stacked with papers. It was different, and far, far messier than the Foreign Pillar’s.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjSbrqpynP
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“Y-You!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJm0hb7VyQo
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I was shocked by a sudden voice from my left. I turned my head and saw a skinny gentleman, one I could only assume was the Pillar’s Dean.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn5E4IaiAc
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“T-Thank goodness! Please, release me from these ropes!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aZsNvPyLe
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“A-Alright!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNyCVFMqC4
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Whether his words or his pathetic visage swayed me, I ran to untie him all the same. But I was stopped in my tracks by a hand grabbing my shoulder.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeVtDDwPy2
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“Hey! Juke, what are–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDrcwAm4bC
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My question was cut short the moment I looked at where he was point. Now, I was looking at the reason behind the different papers, the reason why the dean was tied in rope.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmeF83yDCG
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A man stood on the desk. A man with a robe I knew all too well, but more importantly, with a style of hair that I recognized. He turned his head towards us as he put a paper down, and frowned.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nc0ozXRG9
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“You two… I figured it would be you that I meet.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jZyVjf0NN
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With almond-shaped eyes and a jagged, unusual hairstyle that screamed “punk,” the Bringer in the streets of this city right as this mess began glared at us with the sheen of his blade.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmuIMjkaGF
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“He’s alive!?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpC7pba7dyl
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The shock of it all was one thing, as the last time I saw him, I was sure he was pulverized and left to bleed out. But what truly made me yell in such volume was that he still had both of his arms.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL129U039a
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“How the hell? I cut yer thing off, didn’t I?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWCY8N43oE
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“My ‘thing?’ It was my arm, you ass! But never mind that. What matters now, is that it’s back.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDJRoctkVU
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He said it matter-of-factly, as if none of it should be a surprise. Missing limbs weren’t impossible to restore with highly potent, albeit rare and extremely expensive potions, but processes like that took months, often years to complete. And they would only proceed smoothly with frequent tending and doctoral observation.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTBOQBmwlh
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And yet, it had only been a little over a day since I last saw him.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXMKDiFs57
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“Kid, that ain’t possible, is it!? Tell me I’m hallucinatin’!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDuuc4jycn
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“...Well, not exactly.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bwf2ZhvFE
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I could see his mouth agape through the steel of his helm.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6gvhfV20K
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“Restoring limbs isn’t impossible; I tried and failed to make a few like that myself. But to be able to do it that fast, there’s only one explanation.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzz2M4jDtsb
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“Tell me, won’t ya?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dc8karQrq
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“There’s someone in Hard-Bringer who’s a Grade Zero mana spinner.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lG39nTXDB
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“...Seriously? I thought they were one-in-a-million rare.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3if3wRjZ2
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“It’s something like that. I’d call ourselves lucky if they weren’t our opponent.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdt33mATshK
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“You got a sharp mind, child– Bison Frost, right?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiktRwIbJi
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I clicked my tongue at the mention of the name. And to think I forgot all about it.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbszkwb3Ylj
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“There’s someone among our ranks who’s a world-class healer. It’s phenomenal to see her work, really. I was out like a light, but by the time I woke up, I was better than new!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiEAsJWdHL
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He pulled the sleeves of his robe back to show his vascular arms.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgW2BW4UR6
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“A her, eh? Looks like I know who ta’ look for.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZHmDfqSzz
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The Bringer’s enthusiasm dwindled with Juke’s remark.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwelyH3nGo
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“Right, I need to watch my tongue. I can’t be too safe.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8y23rFn9H
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The Bringer hopped off the desk and reached for the other scabbard on his belt. Wielding two curved blades yet again, he stared at us with crazed, narrowed eyes.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0p8lOyjdFU
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“If you two are the last of your platoon, that’s perfect! It means you won’t get any help!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6QDP6cbF5
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He took one step forward, a clear indication that he was going to charge.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqKGGyXIaN
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“If I can chop you two up here and now, then we can pack up and go home!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbI3kuEkmp
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And then he broke into a sprint, igniting our unexpected rematch.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHWqnFxVYV
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–
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–
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–285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMZc847DGJ
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The Bringer’s immediate dash complicated this whole mess. It might’ve been my fault for not taking Juke aside and speaking of a plan, but there was nothing I could do now. I didn’t have time to speak with him about our battle strategy. It helped not that the Bringer’s gesture was so sudden. It stunned me for a moment and forced me to think of a counterattack. But Juke thankfully had a quick, simple proposal:: he just drew his sword and matched the Bringer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrikPc4i6GC
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The first collision of the battle followed right after. Juke blocked a double swipe with his single sword, and immediately I noted that Juke had more physical strength than the Bringer, as he was able to keep him in a lock. The Bringer dashed away shortly after, glaring at us while humming curiously. I was oddly disturbed by that gesture, but I had no time to contemplate. I drew my tendril and sprouted the perfect plant for the occasion: the Thistle-Bloom. One of the first plants I ever copied from Prince’s garden, Its spikey bulb protruded from the tip of the tendril. I squelched its root as if I was choking it.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL9eGkqP4y
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Juke looked over his shoulder, and seeing that I had a plant out, he gestured his hand in a question.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08K28Z38vt
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“It’s ranged, that’s all you need to know! Keep the pressure!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGrPzetCeC
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He nodded right after, boldly charging at the still-humming Bringer. I put one knee down and bent the Thistle-Bloom, aiming it directly at the two fighters.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujt4XoqiXy
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It was impossible to safely shoot while the two were in close combat, but that bothered me barely. Juke’s endowment gave him a defensive edge, and with the constant threat of his sword and wind magic, the Bringer would be forced to back away eventually. I just had to wait for that moment, and as I did, I keenly watched the battle unfold.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k6gaqShZo
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Juke played the offensive role spectacularly. I wasn't sure if the Bringer was hesitating from past experience or gauging him in some fashion, but the end result was that swings were being thrown his way. None of Juke's swings connected, however, and the Bringer kept too small a distance for me to shoot.
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Eventually, the Bringer retaliated. He swung his swords across and Juke blocked them at the center. From that position though, Juke was forced to back away. Almost losing his sword, he awkwardly stepped a few paces back while swinging his arms to keep from falling. In that moment, the Bringer dashed and thrust his weapons.
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**CLANG**
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"...So I wasn't hallucinating."
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The tip of his blades practically bounced off Juke's skin, and from the looks of it, made only a scratch on his helmet. Juke looked relieved, and the Bringer looked annoyed, and though I was distracted by relief of not seeing my friend be penetrated, I surged mana through the tendril.
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"It's a weird ability you have there. Fortunately–"
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All of a sudden, right before the thorns of the bulb spew like the water of a dam, the Bringer flung one of his blades my way.
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"I can just chip away."
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I tripped over myself trying to dodge it, and though all but a clip of my hair avoided it, it managed to glide through elsewhere.
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My body reacted immediately.
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"Urg--Glurrgh!"
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The Thistle-Bloom was torn apart, and that viscous purple liquid ejected itself from my throat yet again.
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"Kid! Ah, shit!"
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I collapsed to the ground, limp and lethargic in my lazy legs. I mustered the strength to tilt my head up and look at the fight. Juke kept the Bringer occupied, but everything about the sight was wrong. That Bringer was missing a sword, so why was Juke forced to block every attack? Why did his posture falter while the Bringer's only strengthened?
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Familiar shivers ran through my spine. My limbs denied my commands, and even my eyes forced themselves blind to the scene. Then the word "run" entered my head. And then I–
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"Kid! C'mon, I need ya here!"
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"...Come on. Come on, just shoot!"
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A rush of adrenaline helped me endure the pain of forming the Dragon-Maw, but with my other hand, I quickly created a ball of fire and lobbed it at the two fighters. I didn't hit anyone, but the blaze separated them, giving Juke crucial time to breathe. He shot me a thumbs up while brandishing his weapon, threatening the Bringer just enough for him to back off.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiS0POZtwAM
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The Dragon-Maw snapped at the Bringer, knowing by instinct who the opponent was. But to my surprise, it didn’t uncontrollably charge.. Rather, it retracted, hissing at the adversary as if he encroached on its territory.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnU4cuUKv9K
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“We don’t have time for you to act like this! Go, fight that cloaked man!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IjtK0iv1R
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After my call, the Dragon-Maw calmed down. I extended my tendril, and the tide of battle tipped in our favor.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6m3y33czf
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Though carrying such a dislodged, extended mass was difficult on my tiny body, I put no energy into making attacks. Dragon-Maw complimented Juke’s fighting patterns superbly, striking at times when Juke reeled from swinging his sword. The Bringer was put on the backfoot almost instantly, and the pressure was obvious from his drenched face. Despite our suffocating offense, we never managed to break the guard of his blistering blade.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuimC3sqAcS
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He was, however, getting closer and closer to losing his footing.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWujbReA2Z
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Though my arm strained and heaved, I kept the tendril out. The Bringer carried Juke and Dragon-Maw around the room, lining its edges and narrowly missing the paper piles. At some point, though, I noticed that the Bringer had to block less and less. I thought for a moment that exhaustion from Juke or I was to blame, but as I narrowed my eyes, I noticed his feet moving further and further back.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNSvFaXRI0
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And only until I turned nearly one-eighty degrees did I realize why.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDftJNVfPG
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“Crap!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6zMC9kpGg
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I stopped supporting my right arm with my left and quickly began mana expulsion. I didn’t have the time to make anything dangerous, so I conjured a messy ball of water and flung it at the Bringer. But I didn’t put enough for or mana for it to be meaningfully threatening. It merely splashed his face, not enough to stop him from picking up his other sword. But that brief moment of blindness afforded me a–285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzS1lycEUh
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**CRUNCH**285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFuS2aRfm4
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The Dragon-Maw managed to clamp the Bringer at his side. It didn’t bite anything off, but from the grunts of the Bringer and the new hues of red, it was clear that the wound was deep.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnIkgR0gKv
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Unfortunately, that was all Dragon-Maw had to offer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIB53pz0AO
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Like it was a basic reflex, the Bringer swung his sword and cut the head of Dragon-Maw off. I clicked my tongue and closed my eyes, bracing myself for the ensuing, and brutally-arriving pain. My preparation suppressed it adequately. I was still on my legs, after all. But it was offset by my dwindling willingness to use the tendril, and by the way its brown roots shed its sheen, I figured it felt the same. I had to ask it for one more favor, though.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWAzgFShca
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I realized it was reckless, especially with how small the room was, but I didn’t want this fight to drag on any longer than it already had. Thus, I procured a–285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTj6JAQJke
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“Child! Child, please!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTf9NwQqff
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“W-What!?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqprIGpxAKd
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My focus was split by the sudden calling of the Dean, who rested behind me still trapped by rope.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Bvp6x6aSb
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“I can’t help you right now! I’m in the middle of a fight–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCZp61d6mf
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“N-No, please, at least release me from these ropes! He won’t hurt me, so at the very least I can escape!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMN2l7EOLo
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“...”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7jTBugQLP
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I had this sick feeling that the Dean was far sleazier than I initially thought, but under this kind of situation, I could hardly blame him. I didn’t turn to save him, however. As a Freeze-Dry bloomed from the tip of my tendril, I stared with sweaty palms at the dueling two. Juke matched the Bringer far more comfortably now, even with him having two swords, as that injury was unignorable.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueXEjajyHz
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With that in mind, freeing the Dean suddenly didn’t seem so outrageous.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunOaC6lqqM
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“Please, child! We don’t have m-much time! If you–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SATVnYKd2
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“I understand that you’re stressed, but please shut up and let me think!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuR8XmbvfIt
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Even though it would just take making a small dagger out of earth, sinking that time to free him felt like a terrible idea. I knew it was possible, I knew Juke could last long enough for me to do so, and yet– and yet–285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMcAanYJl8
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And yet, the option caused my arms to shiver. To be responsible for his freedom, would just mean I was responsible for everything that followed.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fLtutbTSO
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How could I not freeze, then? How could I move like a lubricated gear to cut his ropes and–285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKu6vqTHaB
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“Kid! Watch out!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOrU7zchmS
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“--Huh?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWCG2uWaXq
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I was swept from my trance by Juke’s loud, worried call. My vision registered with me then, and I realized that the Bringer was charging directly at me.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt9cUwWLXc
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“S-S-Shit!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQd5Qkpgvp
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I did the first thing that came to mind: I conjured a hasty spell, shot it, and jumped to the side, causing me to land on my hip. Only, it didn’t go so smoothly. The spell I created wasn’t one of earth or fire, as trying to rush those would erase nearly half of my mana supply. So I created a large wave of water before moving. It blinded the bringer sufficiently, just enough for his thrust to miss me.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbUJVunPHM
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**SQUELCH**285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJk1nVoJMw
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But the momentum of that thrust didn’t stop at empty air.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBSfOj64rP
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“--H-Hrk!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9QdMySQfN
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“Oh?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAH9rULVEyx
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The Bringer rubbed the water out of his eyes and looked at where his sword had been lodged. He wasn’t happy or upset, nor did he look amused or angered. He had the look of someone who made a simple slip-up, like a man putting a box in the wrong place and merely shrugging his shoulders at the sight.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnFiolwEz9
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But the Bringer didn’t put a box in the wrong area. He thrust his weapon into the shoulder of the Dean.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSfRn1CAr3
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“Ark… W-Why?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4selEiDwi
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“I don’t have a reason. It was an accident, relax. Goodness, just relax! It’s not as if I hit your lungs, did I?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEVSuCOK1A
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He took the sword out and sighed, pinching his nose in mild irritation.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMpbs5LImx
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“Bystanders aren’t all that important. You sit there and try your best to live, won’t you?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBAenKEgwc
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“A– y-you monster!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf55iygDopr
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He rolled his eyes and pointed his sword.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDwkgAZMHj
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“Shut up now. You’re just asking to be stabbed.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoVu7CJem7
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After that threat, he turned, looking right at me.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbx5ctXN4h
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“What’s that face for? Are you just now feeling afraid?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCWvkziysE
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“A-Afraid?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHhrfHvjze
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I was stunned, undeniably, but it wasn’t paralysis. That wasn’t the case, because I saw the Dean right there, writhing but breathing, trying what he could to cover his wound. But to call myself afraid wasn’t incorrect. I could hardly keep myself from melting.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSEuNupNgL
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“Don’t freeze on me, Kenny!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcxp5nTD3f
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But then Juke’s words resounded from my side, and the sight of the Dean became enough for me to move. Though, I didn’t do so before giving myself a necessary rebuke.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUHypc0EkL
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“Damn it. Damn it!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0k6Ms5sLg
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I aimed the Freezey-Dry at the bringer and let it work. The Bringer stepped to the side, avoiding the wall of ice that formed until the end of the room. I didn’t have to face any counterattack either, as Juke kept the Bringer occupied while I ran to the Dean, forming an earthly knife.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mQhdWMa1R
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“Come on, weren’t you going to be more courageous? Come on, come on!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt1T2ScyNi
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I hurriedly cut the ropes, slicing one of my own fingers in the process, but still managing to free the Dean. He grasped his shoulder and got on his legs.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdt4AMRHd1
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“T-Thank you.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWtaT8gsxJ
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“What are you thanking me for? This is my fault! Ah, never mind! Can you walk?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWZSi7VPLY
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The Dean meekly nodded, which made me greatly relieved. I conjured up a quick earth spell and shot it through the ice wall, creating an opening.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk9AAeKFfm
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“Go through there and leave. We’ll take it from here.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlasFh5ijNO
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“Thank you. T-Thank you so much!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VUelQpWa7
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Though his run was gaunt, he managed to leave the parameter without being stopped. I walked around the ice wall to make sure of it, seeing him go through the entrance, and then I returned my attention to the Bringer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGcNxh93tO
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He and Juke were still fighting. The Bringer landed stray hits far too often for comfort, but I saw a window when the two clashed their swords and stared.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaKSRuaXZ6
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“What’s the matter, helmet-man? Is something on your mind? Your swings are getting sloppy.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMm4HuYCDc
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“...I hate yer type. Ya bastards always read inta shit ya shouldn’t.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7n0hJggIU
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“Juke!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRb6T3pB0U
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I interjected as quickly as I could. I formed a ball of earth and shot it at the Bringer. He moved to dodge it, but his toilsome wound forced him to hiss and I managed to nip his shoulder. Juke took advantage of the generated momentum, swinging his sword barbarically but only scratching the Bringer’s cloth as he dodged. The Bringer clicked his tongue and massaged his shoulder. Though it was a reach of a call to make, I felt confident that his shoulder was dislocated.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkryLXIod9
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“That kid is such a nuisance!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKfmM5HWf1
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He yelled an enraged sentence, jerking his head to me and glaring with dagger-like eyes. I brought my tendril out in front of me as a kind of shield, though with the ferocity of which he sprinted, it clearly wouldn’t do anything.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRRLNarKoK
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Fortunately, it didn’t have to.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTAOG0AIAR
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“Ahck!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeW7QLLfFA
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A gust of wind came from my right, slamming the Bringer hard enough for him to tumble to the floor. Juke followed his spell by charging with his sword raised. He swung down and collided with a shielding scimitar, unable to break its barricade. But as they struggled, I made my move.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1UbmkGOb9
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A spell wouldn’t do me good, and this wilting Freeze-Dry wouldn’t fare any better. My other offensive flower had been pierced and shredded, so I only had one thing at my disposal.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbw73GN9Ivl
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And so I extended my tendril, slamming it as strongly as I could on the laying Bringer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0ukcTlNrD
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Juke moved his sword in the nick of time. The tendril caught the flat side of his scimitar– to my great relief –and crashed directly into his stomach. The air escaped from his lungs, and remnants of his meals flew out of his orifice. The blow stunned him well, and I retracted my tendril so Juke could quickly finish the job.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiS0zrQk3Gh
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But, that did not happen.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQO2z1utmH
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With gritted teeth the bringer kicked himself from the floor to his feet, keeping Juke and I at a distance while pointing his swords. In the midst of it, I prepared a spell with my left hand: the embryonic stage of a geyser that would hose him to the wall. Preparing it took a while, however, and it was within that window of time that the Bringer285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6Gf5HVX0v
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“I’ll get you two… oh, I’ll get you this time!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSzpqAFIwbn
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He twirled his core along with his blades, swindling himself like a leadenknob. His arm covered every feature of his face but his eyes, and he glared at us with the eyes of a feline.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoXhsKPcrV
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From his body language, posture, and exasperated voice, it was clear to me what was coming: that bizarre technique that troubled Juke and I when we first fought.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5PhkhWll6
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And he let it rip just a moment later.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPo5MzsRD4
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His speed was unprecedented, his rotation made him blurry, and his rapid blades howled in the wind it sliced. Though he spun in a rocky direction, it was just accurate enough to gain ground on Juke and I. And I knew that helmet of his wouldn’t last under such a flurry.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo9i85HQ25
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But true as that might’ve been, it wasn’t his helmet that would be put to the test. The Bringer veered from Juke right into me, approaching at a speed I could hardly react to. React I did, however. I produced a flower from my tendril and injected mana into it as fast as I could, and before his flurry of blades came, I had something to guard myself.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAPrFIgKVh
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The beige and jagged texture of the Valencia-Bloom’s shield defended me. Small enough for me to carry, but large enough to stop speedy metal from sneaking past. It kept up with the flurry miraculously, as every cut it received closed immediately. Dozens and dozens of cuts, and none strong enough to pierce through.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukT5Dv1ewm
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“...!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP5gjk87tA2
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None so fierce to kill my plant.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UkH2wpPPM
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“M-My arm!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYft0vZjcn
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But with how often they came, my arm came close to failure.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqBTnSUrmi
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“Juke!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PBsx83ci2
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“Gotcha, kid!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdMuv0AEyt
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The barrage had no effect on the shield, but my puny arm couldn’t stand against such pressure. It was impossible to keep it up. I could already feel the fear seep into me; flashing images of what would become of me should those spinning blades connect.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OzfWdoS08
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But something unusual happened in light of that. An action I didn’t know I had the capacity for, but was driven by nothing but my own will.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qjbt7sJBs
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I finally finished the spell with my left arm, and I shot it before I inevitably faltered.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8g4Ecx0Zj
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It wasn’t a clean hit– the complete opposite. I couldn’t aim my palm in any useful direction, but the force of the spell was so great it still adjacently struck the Bringer. As I didn’t have time to plant myself firmly, I was sent flying as well, colliding into the wall to my right and across the room.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNFJ64RylR
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“Hrk!”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjbC1cWdHn
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The slam was ugly, and I slid to the floor like mushy food. I didn’t let myself rest then, however, because that Bringer was still alive. I stood up and peered over the Dean’s desk, at the Bringer.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmA2Ax9iuF
285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtIlezSbzQ
The Bringer, whose back was skewered by Juke’s blade.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOaaqL4Uai
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“...”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYQ5QQ2acs
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“Thank ya, kid. Ya made it real easy.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLpO7UrNmK
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I didn’t respond to Juke’s praise. All my attention tunneled to the Bringer. His gaping mouth, his constricting eyes, the fading strength as his staunchblades slipped from his grip. He finally turned his eyes to me, then to the man who left him in such a state.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlt3CcdPAcD
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“Curse…”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKmKiRBc1m
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“What’s that? Can’t hear ya.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmyY8k4s35
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“Curse you, you strayfreak. Your days–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7eO44DOM9
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He cut his sentence to cough. Blood leaked from the corners of his mouth– an organ of his was hit285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCfZHBF6Lo
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“May they, be few.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKi6yvXwb6y
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Another fit of coughing followed. It was intense and abrasive, ripping at his throat with each installment. Their strength eventually dwindled. His noisy coughs turned to raspy whispers, ejecting all the piling blood that clogged itself in his throat, lower and lower volumes as it progressed.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1icS5ZmxSo
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Then he went limp. Juke dragged his sword out of the man’s chest, and he fell to the ground with a hollow thump.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatiGEnOSHs
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“That was… sad.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcU94Wx9xe
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“Sad,” Juke asked, tilting his head as he shook the blood off, “What’s so sad about killin’ this freak?”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdsWTZXYLT
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“Well, I’m glad he’s dead, but… I didn’t think it would be so, so meek.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTE95aps0r
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“...Yer weird, man. Yer weird.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShO4MEmgrc
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I chuckled at his assessment. He had a point. I should’ve just been glad to be alive, shouldn’t I? I showed my gratitude by taking a few steps over to Juke, raising my palm with as sweet a smile I could make. He matched my gesture, and we high-fived.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C7zFCzfGK
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“Good job. I couldn’t have done it without you.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vct70Egiu
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“C’mon, kid. A weakling like me–”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueoLXa0RLH
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“Don’t continue.”285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZ9wjRBIjG
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I looked at the Bringer’s corpse. In a twisted way, it was a trophy. A tangible token that indicated our success, our reclaiming of the Central Pillar. If the lower floors have succeeded, that is. I didn’t want to think like that now, however.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjK945nPPe
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Instead, I collapsed to the ground, because the distance I ran had to catch up to me eventually.285Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XaUciBZOT
