"This is the place," Kalia whispered as the group came to an overgrown tunnel at the edge of town.
"It stinks..." Eron pinched her nose. "Uuro could have at least told us it was a sewage drain."
"You aren't kidding. Bleh!" Milena gagged.
"I guess beggars can't be choosers..." Kalia sighed, covering her mouth and nose. "Let's get this over with."
Astra held a small ball of magical light in her hand.
"Would it have killed them to put up some torches...?"
"Ha-ha." Eron's voice faltered. "I-I'm not a-afraid of the dark!" she announced, despite no one asking.
"Liar..."
Milena couldn't resist lightly poking Eron in the back with a twig.
"Ahh! What was that?!" Eron screamed. "Get it off!"
"I thought you weren't afraid?" Milena laughed.
"Don't do that, Milena!"
"Girls! Quiet! We're close enough to be heard if anyone is patrolling around!" Kalia whispered harshly. "This is not the time to play around."
"Sorry, Master Lia..." the two whispered back.
"This looks like the split in the tunnel Uuro said would take us to different corridors." Kalia pointed toward an open tunnel. "Astra, take the left and follow the directions I gave you. There's an open area where you can place the explosive."
"Yes, Master Lia. Be careful."
"You too, Astra. I'll see you after this is over."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then Astra gave Kalia a small nod before disappearing into the darkness.
"Astra, this way. I found the door," Milena whispered.
"Good work, Milena!"
"It's stuck..."
Milena huffed, using all her might to try and pull the door open.
"Let me try."
Eron pushed past Milena, grabbed the handle, and pulled, but it remained firmly stuck.
"I can do it!"
Astra smiled, flexing her muscles.
"Actually, why don't you try, Lucy?"
"I can't open it." Lucy frowned. "I'm not as strong as them."
"Not like that."
Astra smiled at the girl.
"Remember that one spell I showed you? The one we cut the apples with?"
"Yeah... Do you think I can do it?"
"Mm-hm! Just this time, put more mana into it."
"Okay, I'll try."
Lucy raised her hands and focused on the incantation.
"Thalta Aet."
As she finished the chant, a blade of white light extended from her outstretched hand and carved a clean hole through the iron door.
"Astra! I did it!"
"I told you that you could do it!"
Eron traced her fingers around the hole.
"Look at that! You cut clean through it!"
"See, Eron? I am a good teacher!"
"Yeah, yeah. You can stroke your ego later, Astra. We still need to get to the end of this corridor and wait for Master Lia's command," Eron snorted.
"..."
Astra stuck out her tongue in response and marched ahead of the other girls down the hallway.
"I guess Uuro wasn't kidding when it said there was no one guarding this place," Lucy wondered aloud. "Kind of figured they would've had at least one guard posted."
"Lucky for us. I hope it stays that way."
"This is the spot we're supposed to wait at. You three take a look around and make sure there aren't any surprises hiding anywhere. I'll call Master Lia and let her know."
"Sure thing, Astra."
"Master Lia, we're ready to go. Are you?" Astra whispered into the pin.
Silence.
"Master Lia! Are you there?"
Astra called again, worry shadowing her face as no reply came back after several minutes.
"Astra, I'm here. We ran into a couple of men stumbling down the hallway. Luckily, they were far too drunk and didn't see us. We just got to our location now."
"Thank goodness. Don't scare me like that, Lia..."
Astra breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her voice.
"Sorry about that. If you're ready, set the timer like I showed you and get out of there."
"Okie!"
Astra took one last look down the empty corridor before pressing the three glowing buttons and gently setting the Breaching Unit on the floor.
"Take cover, girls!"
"Yes!"
They replied, taking refuge in an empty storeroom a short distance down the hallway.
The device beeped rhythmically as the timer counted down.
"Five."
"Four."
"Three."
"Two, one..."
Astra counted out the last seconds and braced herself as the device detonated.
The corridor erupted in a deafening roar.
A shockwave raced through the tunnel, rattling every door along the passage as dust filled the air.
"Ahh, my ears..." Eron cried, holding her head. "It feels like my brains are going to fall out!"
"If that doesn't cause them to come out, then I don't know what will..." Milena added, rubbing her ears.
"Lia... now what?" Astra whispered into the pin.
"We wait. Someone has to have heard that. They should be coming any minute now."
"What was that?!" Hrogar turned to Graland upon hearing the first explosion.
"I don't know. Maybe one of these idiots decided to try out a new fire spell." Graland laughed. "Just ignore it."
"Probably so..."
Hrogar was interrupted as the second explosion echoed through the main hall.
Graland rose from his chair.
"Or not. Eliane, Tiar, go with Hrogar down the west corridor and see what's going on. Jor, come with me."
"Yes, sir!"
They all responded, gathering their weapons.
"I'll scout ahead."
Tiar melted into the shadows.
"You two stay here for a second."
"Well, well."
Tiar sneered.
"Looks like I found some little rats sneaking about."
"Are they ever coming...?" one of the girls said to another.
"I wish they'd hurry..." another added. "What if they don't show up?"
"Oh, we're coming."
Tiar licked the flat of her blade as she vanished into the shadows.
"Just sit right there."
"I have found our guests. It seems some children have come to play!"
"Children?! What a joke! And here I thought I was gonna be able to have a real fight."
Hrogar laughed, hefting his weapons.
"What a waste of time."
"Oh, I wanna play with them, Tiar!" Eliane shouted excitedly.
"You shall. They're quite the little cuties too!"
"Yay! New friends!" Eliane cheered. "Playtime!"
"Ha! If there's anything left when I'm done with them, sure!"
Tiar laughed, melting into the shadows.
"Aww, no fair, Tiar. You know we can't keep up with you..."
Eliane stomped her feet.
"Hurry up, Hrogy! I wanna play with them!"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm comin'."
"Jor, are you picking up anything?"
"Yes. I can sense the mana of at least two people, but something about one of them is... strange. My spell can't seem to get a clear reading."
Jor's brow furrowed.
In all his years, he had never encountered anyone capable of slipping past his mana detection.
"Hmm. I see."
"The first one has a pretty dense mana signature, but the other one doesn't seem to be all that strong. Maybe it's just a summoned creature."
"Interesting. Good thing I chose this path, then. Whatever's down there won't matter. Between the two of us, this will be over quickly."
Graland smiled, clapping Jor on the shoulder.
"I want to get back to my mug. Hurgol may be a mongrel, but he sure does know his booze!"
"Haha, right? Who'd have thought commoners would have such fine taste?"
"I see someone, Astra," Eron whispered.
"It's about time..." Astra sighed. "How many?"
"Two. That man has to be the berserker with those giant weapons on his back, and there's a woman carrying a staff," Eron answered. "The other one must be Eliane."
"Thank goodness..." Milena sighed. "...it's not Graland."
"Why do you look disappointed, Astra?" Lucy asked.
"I wanted to fight Jor and Graland. Why do we get the easy ones...?" Astra huffed with discontent.
"Easy ones?! We're still going to have our hands full here, and you know it," Eron snorted.
A cold voice emanated from the darkness.
"Look who came to play!"
"Behind us!" Astra shouted, readying her staff. "Eron! Look out!"
"Teru!"
Eron thrust her hand forward just as a volley of throwing knives burst from the darkness.
The blades slammed into the shimmering barrier before clattering harmlessly across the stone floor.
"Impressive. Most people never see the first volley."
Tiar's voice faded into the darkness.
"Looks like I'll get to have some fun after all!"
"Nice save, Eron!" Lucy called.
"Ha! It'll take more than that to hurt us. Come out and fight!" Eron shouted into the darkness. "Or are you scared?"
"Don't get cocky, brat. The next ones won't miss."
The woman hissed as volley after volley of knives came flying in from all directions.
"How is she doing that?" Milena huffed, deflecting one of the blades with her spear. "It's like she's throwing them from everywhere at once."
"This must be that spatial magic Lora mentioned. It's pretty amazing! I wonder how she does it," Astra said, more amused than concerned. "It even hid her from my mana detection!"
"Astra, at least try to act like we're under attack. This isn't the time to be impressed..." Eron chided, raising another barrier to deflect a barrage of knives.
"Oh, is it that simple?"
Astra stared around the room in thought.
"If I do this, then..."
Astra raised her staff.
"Mant et Na'ar!"
An orange glow flooded the room. Every shadow shrank away from the light, leaving nowhere left to hide.
"What have you done?!"
The voice shouted as the shadows around the room began to recede, revealing Tiar.
"Your spell was pretty good!" Astra beamed. "You used the shadows to hide your presence! They even let you blink around the room!"
"Clever girl..." Tiar muttered to herself.
"No matter. That was a parlor trick at most. I guess you're more capable than I thought."
Tiar's body shimmered before dissolving into empty air.
"Huh? Where did she go? The shadows are gone!" Lucy exclaimed, frantically looking around.
"Hmm?"
Astra placed a finger on her chin.
"Interesting. So it wasn't just the shadows..."
Tiar materialized behind Milena, wrapping an arm around her.
"You're mine now!"
Her dagger flashed as she pressed it against Milena's neck.
"Milena!"
Eron lunged for Milena, swinging the Gleam.
"Let her go!"
"You'll have to do better than that!"
Tiar slashed Milena's chest as she spun on her heel to evade Eron's attack.
"Ahh!"
Milena screamed, blood pooling beneath her feet.
"Haha, too easy! Which one of you is next?"
Tiar sneered, turning to face the others.
"No! Milena!" Lucy screamed in panic.
"Sento Eoma!"
Eron raised the Gleam of Dawn. With a flash of blue light, Milena's wound closed.
"You're a healer... What a pain in the ass."
Tiar's daggers glinted as she dove toward Milena.
"Whatever. This time, I'll just kill her. You can't heal that."
"I said, Let. Her. Go!"
Eron grabbed Milena's hand, pulling her away seconds before Tiar's blades would've pierced her.
"Milena, now!"
Eron spun around, launching Milena toward Tiar with her spear extended.
"Too slow."
Tiar cackled, dodging the hit.
"You sure about that?"
Milena smiled.
The tip of the Spine glowed as she focused.
"How's that?!"
"Huh? M-my body..."
Tiar gritted her teeth as she collapsed to the floor.
"Ha, take that!" Milena laughed. "Heavy, isn't it?"
"What have you done to me?!" Tiar huffed, attempting to push herself off the floor.
"Lucy, go!" Milena shouted, ignoring Tiar. "While I have her pinned!"
"Te Ato Coja Recta!"
Lucy extended her hands.
Multiple bolts of lightning crashed into Tiar's crumpled body.
"Benra!"
The voice chanted from beyond the doorway.
"Pinned by children?"
Another voice bellowed with laughter.
"You're slipping, Tiar."
"Ha! Got her!" Eron shouted in triumph.
"Ugh, no way!"
Eron blinked, seeing Tiar still standing. The faint shimmer of a barrier spell surrounded her.
"Benra?!" Astra mused. "Girls, be careful! Eliane is here! That's an anti-magic barrier!"
"I didn't need your help, Eliane," Tiar muttered, readying her daggers.
"Not bad, kid, but you'll have to try harder than that if you want to take me down!"
Tiar launched herself through the air, aiming straight for Lucy.
"Lucy, watch out!"
Astra shouted, but it was too late.
Tiar's daggers sank into Lucy's chest with a sickening thud.
"..."
Lucy's eyes snapped open.
"Oh, you're still alive?"
Tiar taunted, standing over the girl.
"Poor thing, you must be in so much pain right now."
She raised her blade for the final strike.
"I'll end it for you."
"Eron! Heal Lucy, quick!"
Astra turned her gaze toward Tiar.
"Shaa Inra!"
"Ugh..."
Tiar grunted as Astra's spell lifted her off the ground and smashed her into the ceiling of the room.
"You'll pay for that..." Astra seethed.
"Shaa Inra!"
She repeated her chant.
Tiar slammed into the ground with a deafening thud.
"Eliane! Help me out here!" Tiar panted as Astra's spell repeatedly slammed her body against the ground.
"Benra!"
Eliane chanted.
The anti-magic barrier shrouded Tiar as she hit the ground, her body battered by Astra's onslaught.
"...It hurts..."
Lucy coughed, her eyes glazing over.
"...I... don't wanna die..."
"Hold on, Lucy! I'll heal you!"
"Tenma ot Herra!"
Eron's scepter pulsed with brilliant white light as the spell cascaded over Lucy.
"Lucy! Hey, Lucy! Wake up!"
The wounds had closed, but Lucy didn't move.
"Astra, she isn't waking up! My spell didn't work!"
Eron sobbed, holding the girl's limp body in her arms.
"I... failed..."
"Don't worry, Eron! I can still feel the flow of her mana. She's still alive!"
Astra assured her, turning her attention toward Eliane.
Please, Lucy...
Eron gently moved Lucy's body to a safe spot.
"I'm not so great at fighting, but it looks like my barrier is more than enough to put you out of this fight!" Eliane laughed, facing Astra. "But first, Tenma."
She flicked her wrist toward Tiar.
"It took you long enough!" Tiar shouted angrily.
"Sorry, Tiar..."
Eliane recoiled at her sister's fury.
"I'll deal with you later..."
Tiar glared at her younger sister.
Milena's vision went red the instant Lucy was stabbed.
Thought vanished.
All that remained was the woman standing over her friend.
She had seen enough suffering.
Milena swung her spear wildly as she charged at Tiar, its tip glowing a deep purple as she focused on the Spine.
All I need is one good hit. I'll crush that woman!
"Not so fast! I'm your opponent!"
Hrogar deflected Milena's attack with the back of his hand.
"No way!"
Milena brought her spear around for another attack, hitting Hrogar squarely in the stomach.
"Is that all you can muster, little girl? How boring."
Hrogar yawned, brushing away Milena's attack.
"This..."
Hrogar drew his sword and swung it with all his might.
"...is how you swing a blade properly."
"Gah!"
Milena barely managed to block the hit.
The impact sent her flying across the chamber.
Her body crashed into the stone wall, shattering it.
The enchantments coating her body flared brilliantly, absorbing the worst of the blow.
Without them, the strike would've killed her.
"That's how it's done!" Hrogar mocked. "I'm sick of fighting weaklings like you. It's almost a shame to dirty my blade with your blood."
His face twisted into a cruel grin.
"Almost."
"I'm. Not. Weak."
Milena gritted her teeth, pulling herself from the rubble.
"Good! There's still some fight left in you! I may enjoy this after all!"
Hrogar swung both weapons in relentless succession, each blow carrying enough force to shatter steel.
"C'mon! Fight back!"
"I won't be taken down by the likes of you..."
Milena muttered to herself, concentrating on the Spine.
With every blow, she felt her strength wane, but she had to hold out just a little bit longer for the Spine's power to fully activate.
Master Lia warned me about putting too much mana into the Spine, but... I have to do something...
"I guess I was wrong about you. If all you can do is defend, then I'll end this right now!"
Hrogar let out a primal yell.
Veins bulged across his arms as his muscles swelled unnaturally. A crimson aura erupted around him, each step cracking the stone beneath his feet.
"Once I enter this rage, nothing can stop me! I feel no pain, no fear, nothing but an insatiable bloodlust, and you, little miss, are my target!"
Hrogar charged forward, swinging his weapons wildly.
"I'm going to rip off each of your limbs one by one!"
"Ha!"
Milena desperately blocked Hrogar's crushing attacks with the Spine.
He just won't let up... I can't counter from this position... I just need an opening...
An opening! That's it!
Milena remembered her first time seeing the Spine and how she had changed its size.
"You can block all you'd like, but how long can you keep—?"
Hrogar's taunt was cut short.
The Spine's sudden extension shoved Milena sideways just as Hrogar's blades crashed into the stone floor.
They bit deep into the rock, lodging there for a precious instant.
"I got you now!"
Milena screamed, having taken that instant to recover.
She spun around and drove the point of her spear deep into Hrogar's chest.
"!!!"
Hrogar staggered as Milena rushed forward, forcing him to drop his weapons.
"I thought you didn't feel any pain! Looks like you felt that one!"
Milena taunted, her enchantments flaring as she forced the hulking man backward.
"Ugh, you little... I'm going to crush your head with my bare hands!"
Hrogar screamed, digging his heels into the stone to stop Milena's charge.
"I'm not done yet!"
She focused all of her remaining mana into the Spine.
Milena screamed.
"Collapse!"
"Gahh!"
Hrogar's face twisted in agony.
"W-what did you do to me?"
He fell to his knees, his body contorting as bones snapped. His arms and legs folded inward, dragged into his torso by an unseen force.
"It's over! I-I did it!"
Milena cheered quietly as she collapsed from exhaustion.
"Impossible..." Eliane gasped. "...Hrogy..."
"Ha! I think you guys should've taken us a bit more seriously!"
Eron snorted, raising a barrier to deflect another volley of Tiar's knives.
"Eliane! Let's do it..." Tiar growled.
"You mean..." Eliane replied. "...you guys are in trouble now!"
"Yes. I'm going to teach these brats a lesson!"
"Yes, Tiar."
Eliane knelt down.
"Enho Reu Liina."
The instant she finished her chant, thick black shadows spilled into the chamber.
"Playtime..."
Tiar smiled as the shadows consumed her.
"...is over."
"Now this is an interesting spell!"
"What is this?!" Eron screamed into the darkness. "Astra! Lucy! Milena! Where are you?!"
Her cries disappeared into the void.
All of her senses had gone numb.
"No one can hear you."
A sinister voice echoed through the darkness to each of the girls, seemingly coming from all directions at once.
"You're in our domain now!"
"Impressive."
Astra stretched lazily.
"And here I thought Eliane could only use healing magic."
"Don't worry, mage. You're going to be first!" Tiar sneered. "I'd love to make you watch me break those girls, but I think it's best to deal with you first."
"Hmm..."
Astra cracked her knuckles.
"I guess I'll get serious, then."
"Such brave words... for a corpse."
Thousands of blades materialized from the darkness, every point aimed directly at Astra.
"Child's play."
Astra waved her hand, dispelling the magic.
"You can threaten me..."
Mana crackled around Astra's fingertips as she smiled.
"...but the girls are off-limits."
"What?!" Eliane's voice shrilled with fear. "T-that shouldn't be possible!"
"Ugh, you little brats are really getting on my nerves!"
Tiar materialized in front of Astra.
"Let's see you stop this."
"Teru!"
A shimmering barrier sprang up between Astra and Tiar.
Tiar's daggers slammed into it with a clang, the rebound throwing her backward.
"Thanks, Eron. Can you cast Teru on multiple targets?"
"I think so, but I don't know how long I can keep them up. Why?"
"I need you to protect Lucy and Milena. I'm going to end this."
"Okay."
Eron focused on the Gleam.
"Teru."
"Now then..."
Astra knelt, tracing intricate runes into the stone with glowing fingertips.
Wherever her hand passed, luminous symbols burned themselves into the floor.
"What could you possibly do? Benra will erase anything you cast!" Eliane retorted, raising her anti-magic barrier.
"True..."
Astra smiled.
"...but I think you'll find this one to be a bit different."
"We'll see, then, won't we? Your magic against my barrier!"
Eliane poured mana into her barrier.
"Indeed."
Astra held the Spire above the runes.
"Miit."
One rune flared to life.
"Yat."
A second ignited.
"Ano."
"Saet."
Light pulsed beneath Astra's feet.
"Kelgad Hacc et Iko."
"T-this s-spell..."
Eliane's voice broke.
"Y-you wouldn't!"
"You'll die too! You know it demands the caster's life!"
"Perhaps," Astra retorted with a smile.
"Y-you're bluffing!"
Eliane raised multiple barriers.
"Tiar! Get her!"
"Don't think you can order me around, Eliane..."
Tiar rocketed toward Astra, only to bounce off Eron's barrier yet again.
"This is the end."
Astra tapped the glowing runes with the Spire.
"Eiros Rakka!"
A thick black sludge flowed from the bottom of the Spire and raced toward Eliane and Tiar.
"Sorry, Eliane."
Tiar grabbed her sister's arm and hurled her into the path of the advancing ooze.
Eliane's eyes widened in disbelief.
"T-Tiar...?"
"One of us should survive, right?"
Tiar sneered, attempting to use her spatial magic to escape.
"How shameful..."
Astra sighed and casually flicked her wrist.
The black tide curved through the chamber, changing course toward Tiar.
"T-Tiar... why...?"
Eliane crumpled into a ball as the black tide rushed toward her.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
It should've hit me...
Her eyes slowly opened.
The black tide had passed her by.
It was racing straight toward Tiar.
"Too..."
Tiar slipped toward the shadows.
"...slow..."
A tendril of black wrapped around her ankle, stopping her cold.
"Let go! Let go!"
Tiar thrashed wildly.
She clawed at the black tendrils, but her fingers passed straight through them as though they were smoke.
More and more of the sludge crept across her body, swallowing her whole.
"Tiar!"
Eliane sobbed, crawling toward her sister.
"E-Eliane..."
Tiar extended her hand.
The black tendrils withdrew from Tiar's body, leaving only stillness behind.
"T-Tiar..."
Eliane sobbed, clutching her sister's lifeless body.
"Get up, Tiar... please..."
"This fight is over."
"Die!"
Tears streamed down Eliane's face as she rushed Astra, swinging the blade wildly.
"Astra, look out!" Eron called.
Astra made no effort to get out of the way, even as Eliane's dagger came within inches of her face.
"Enough..."
Astra sighed.
She caught Eliane's wrist with one hand and twisted gently.
The dagger slipped from the girl's fingers, clattering across the stone floor.
"Get off me!" Eliane screamed, struggling against Astra's grip. "I'll kill you! I swear I'll—"
Her voice broke.
"Y-you killed my sister... She was all I h-had..."
"I'm sorry..."
Astra embraced the girl.
"Let me go!"
Eliane punched Astra weakly.
"Let... me..."
"I know..."
Astra soothed her, letting Eliane vent her grief until she collapsed, having exhausted herself.
"Give her back..." Eliane pleaded, looking up at Astra.
"I can't do that..."
Astra's voice was full of sorrow.
"Then kill me too. I want to be with Tiar..."
Astra fell silent.
She knew how to defeat an enemy.
She knew how to protect her friends.
But she had no idea how to answer a grieving child.
How could Eliane still love someone who had thrown her aside without a second thought?
"I can't live without her..."
"I can't kill you... I won't," Astra muttered. "She was willing to sacrifice you to escape..."
"I don't care! I have nothing now! I'm weak... Tiar was strong... She deserved to live, not me..." Eliane whimpered. "Even if you let me live, Graland won't... I'm dead no matter what. If you kill me, at least it'll be quick. He won't offer the same kindness..."
Astra understood now. It wasn't loyalty. It was dependence.
Eliane had been broken down until she believed her own life held no value without Tiar.
"Strength is more than just being able to fight! You cast such high-level magic and still have mana to spare. I can see it flowing around you like a river. You let others convince you that you were weak. Only you can decide your own self-worth!"
Astra spoke as though she were a mother consoling her child.
"But..."
"No buts. Eliane, you know nullification magic is rare as it is, and to be able to use it so effortlessly is nothing short of amazing. I had to use ancient magic to even end this! That's something to be proud of."
"I guess..." Eliane conceded.
"I truly am sorry for killing Tiar, but I was left no choice. I took no joy from it. I won't ask you to forgive me. But that doesn't mean you should forfeit your own life."
"I know Tiar treated me like an animal, but she was the only family I had. She kept me safe after our parents died when we were little. She raised me, fed me, and she was the one who found us a place to live. Without her, I would've been dead a long time ago. I don't think I can ever forgive you for that..."
"I can accept that. It doesn't change the fact that you're alive now and have the ability to decide your own fate."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. I found that with my teacher, Master Lia. We all did."
Astra motioned toward the other girls.
"Someone gave us that chance. You deserve one too."
"But I've... done such terrible things..."
"We all have sins to atone for, Eliane. That doesn't define you. Everyone has the chance to turn their life around and walk a path they can be proud of."
"How, though? How do I make up for the things I've done?"
"I can't answer that for you. That's for you to figure out on your own."
Astra extended her hand to the girl.
"You can start right now if you choose."
"..."
"Well? Are you going to wait here for Graland... or stand up and decide your own future?"
"I-I... I want to be a good girl. I don't want to keep doing the evil things Graland made me do."
Eliane grabbed Astra's hand.
"But I'm scared Graland will find me if I run away... He isn't going to let me go that easily... I know what he's capable of. I've seen it..."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, Eliane. He's probably fighting my master as we speak, and Master Lia isn't someone who loses."
Astra beamed.
"There's no way... Graland can't be killed!"
"We'll see about that."
Astra smirked, wiping a tear from Eliane's cheek.
"For now, let's get you someplace safe."
"Where are we going?"
"We're going back to Shella to wait for Master Lia. I think she'll know what to do with you."
Astra glanced toward the others.
"We'll leave as soon as I make sure everyone is okay to move and check in with Master Lia. Just sit tight for a bit."
"Eron, Milena, are you two able to move?"
"I think so..."
Milena staggered to her feet.
"Yes, I'm fine, but Lucy is still unconscious. She'll need to be carried," Eron answered.
"I'll get her. You two help Eliane get out of here. We're going back to the inn."
"What?! You're taking her with us?"
Eron glared at Eliane.
"She's partly responsible for this!"
"I-I'm really sorry..."
Eliane meekly approached the two girls.
"I know healing magic, if that'll help..."
"You stay away from her!"
Eron stepped between Eliane and Lucy.
"Eron, enough!" Astra shouted, clearly angry. "Eliane wants to make amends for her crimes, and I promised to help her!"
"Yes, Astra..." Eron grumbled. "But I'm watching you."
"S-sorry..."
Eliane quickly retreated to hide behind Astra.
"Eron is a little overprotective of her sisters. She's going to need some time, but maybe you two could become friends."
"You think?"
"I'm sure of it."
Astra smiled.
"Eron's heart is much softer than she lets people see."
"All right, girls. Let's go."
Astra lifted Lucy off the ground and spoke into the pin.
"Master Lia? You there?"
"Master Lia, Uuro says there are two people coming this way!" Fio whispered. "An old man and someone covered in heavy plate armor."
"I guess we got Graland and Jor..."
Kalia sighed.
Of all the people she could've ended up fighting, it had to be the strongest pair.
"So, what's the plan, Master Lia?"
Kalia hesitated.
"I'm... not sure yet."
She placed a finger on her chin.
"I think I can keep Graland occupied while you deal with the mage, but I need to see how they fight together first."
She searched her memory, recalling the countless hours she'd spent fighting raid bosses back in her old world.
There was always a trick.
A pattern.
Only this time, she had no extra lives.
"For now," Kalia continued, "our best option is to split them up and keep Jor from supporting Graland."
"I can do that."
Fio nodded confidently.
"Sasha and Koga are the strongest summons I have. Even if I can't defeat Jor outright, they should be able to keep him occupied."
She paused.
"But... how are you going to deal with Graland's enchantments?"
Kalia let out a dry laugh.
"I honestly haven't got a clue."
"Maybe if I..."
The heavy scrape of steel echoed from the corridor beyond the doorway.
Both women fell silent.
"They're here."
"Get ready, Fio. This isn't going to be an easy fight."
"Our guests are in here, Graland."
"Ugh, they just had to pick the room at the end of the hall, didn't they? I'm gonna make them pay twice for making me walk all the way down here..."
Another voice replied as the door opened.
"Well, well, well. So you're the ones responsible for interrupting my relaxing evening! Some lost little girls walking right to their own deaths."
"Yep, and I suppose you're Graland, and that old sack of wrinkles behind you must be Jor," Kalia retorted.
"Is that any way to speak to your elders, little lady? I was going to settle this quickly, but now I think I'll take my time killing you," Jor replied with a snarl.
"Fio, now!"
"Where the four corners meet, the wind gathers. Come to my aid, Sasha, Seeker of the Winds. Where corruption grows, flames will purify. Burn for me, Koga, and cleanse my enemies!"
Fio shouted.
Two figures emerged as she finished her chant.
A tall man clad in simple robes appeared in a whirl of flames and drew a massive two-handed sword.
The other was a slender woman surrounded by mist, holding a small flute.
"You called us, Master Fioria?"
"Koga, Sasha, our enemy is that old man. Keep him busy!"
"Of course, Master."
The pair bowed in unison and turned to face their target.
"Oh? I don't believe I've ever heard of summons like you two. No matter. There's hardly any mana coming from them."
Jor laughed.
"I thought you came here to fight!"
"Kanta Neroo!"
Jor raised his hands.
A cascade of fireballs engulfed Koga.
"Eh?"
Koga sighed as the flames exploded over him.
"Ha! Look at that! One spell, and they're already ashes."
"Ashes?"
Koga's sword swallowed the flames.
"I've seen candles with a bigger flame!"
"Huh?"
Jor's smirk faded.
"A flame spirit, I see. My mistake."
"You'll need more than that, old man... Here, let me show you some real fire!"
Koga swung his sword in a wide arc toward Jor.
"Here, you can have these back!"
A wall of flame hurtled across the chamber, slamming into the mage.
"Well, now..."
Jor dissipated a stone wall.
"...I guess I should've put more effort into my last attack. Let's see how you respond to this!"
Jor raised his hand and drew several runes in the air with mana, leaving a glowing trail as he moved.
"Ando hecc Cala!"
As he finished his incantation, the runes faded and the space around him warped and twisted.
"What is this...?"
Koga stammered as he was hit with a wave of dizziness.
Jor's image began to fade as the spell took effect.
"Do you like it? It's a spell of my own creation. Soon, the only thing you'll be seeing is the world I created for you. A twisted hell where you'll wander for eternity."
Jor laughed.
"Ahh... I feel sick... Sasha, a little help?"
Koga stumbled toward his sister.
"Stop spinning..."
He grabbed his head.
"Can you really not handle this one decrepit old fool on your own?" Sasha replied haughtily. "Honestly, Koga... must I solve every little problem for you?"
"C'mon, sis... I think I'm going to throw up..."
Koga pleaded as he fell to one knee.
"Ha! It won't do any good!" the old mage laughed. "Soon, he'll be fast asleep, never to wake again!"
"Oh, fine."
Sasha sighed, holding her flute to her lips and playing a few notes.
As each tone sounded, a wave of raw mana collided with the air around them with a thunderous crash.
Each note stripped the mana from Jor's spell.
"There..."
"Thanks, Sasha!"
Koga rose to his feet.
"I thought I was a goner for sure!"
"Quit playing around, Koga. I'm already bored. Can you finish this so we can go home?"
"Impossible! That spell is perfect!"
Jor seethed.
"What are you two?!"
"I guess that makes you my opponent?"
Graland turned toward Kalia.
"Jor can handle that little summoner and her toys."
"I guess it does."
"Let's get this over with, filthy demon. I have no time to deal with the likes of your kind!"
Why is it always 'filthy demon' with these humans...?
"Indeed. I'd like to settle this quickly. I have other things to attend to."
Kalia feigned confidence.
"My, aren't we confident?"
Graland flicked his thumb toward Fio.
"You're going to die in this room, and I think I'll make that one watch."
In an instant, Graland was upon Kalia, his great axe held above his head.
"Manifest!"
Kalia called the Locked Case just as the axe came crashing down on her—
—and shattered it into pieces.
Seriously...? A single hit...
"Did you really think that lousy scrap was going to stop me?"
His assault was relentless.
Each blow smashed through her defenses.
"Here I thought you were going to challenge me, but I see now that you're just a foolish little girl who stumbled into the lion's den!"
With every shattered barrier, Kalia gave ground, deliberately drawing Graland farther from Jor.
That's it. Follow me.
"Fight back!" Graland barked. "Don't tell me this is all you've got!"
She managed to keep his axe at bay, but she needed more time to find a weakness.
Graland wasn't leaving any openings.
He wasn't simply swinging wildly.
Every strike flowed into the next, each step closing one opening while creating another. It was less like watching a warrior fight and more like watching someone perform a deadly dance.
"You're good. I'll have to give you that!"
Kalia shouted as she created some distance between them.
"Manifest! Nosra! The target has stolen from the Armory!"
"That's it! Now it's a real fight!"
Graland shouted.
His axe bit deep into Nosra's head, splitting it in two.
Even with half its head split apart, Nosra answered with a crushing punch.
"Not bad! I almost felt that one!"
Graland rotated on his heel, his axe chopping clean through Nosra's arm.
What the hell is this guy's deal...?
Kalia couldn't believe it.
This man was more than just a match for Nosra.
He was slowly dismantling it.
Graland wasn't just relying on tricks and magic. He was a well-trained and battle-hardened fighter, and it showed.
"Nosra! Get him pinned down!"
Kalia shouted in a panic, trying to buy enough time to come up with some kind of plan.
"Not likely..."
Graland retorted, bringing his axe around for another devastating attack.
The blade nearly bisected the automaton.
"Hngrrmmm..."
Nosra let out a mechanical groan as it swayed, reeling from Graland's strike.
Despite its ruined body, Nosra lurched forward once more, raising its remaining arm to strike.
"Still got some fight in you? I'm impressed, but I do grow bored, so this is the end for your golem."
Graland traced a rune into the stone.
"Indra ar Het!"
As the rune faded, the ground beneath Nosra split open into a pitch-black chasm.
Wait...? I thought Astra said he couldn't use magic!
"Nosra! Move!"
Kalia shouted, but it was too late.
Nosra had been swallowed by the depths.
Seconds later, the chasm sealed itself, leaving no trace that either it or Nosra had ever existed.
"You'll have to try harder than that!"
Graland laughed.
"That was just a small taste of my power! Here, try to stop this one!"
Graland slammed the butt of his axe into the stone.
Razor-thin blades of wind erupted across the chamber, carving through a nearby pillar as though it were paper.
"Mani..."
She twisted aside at the last possible instant, but one blade still caught the outside of her thigh, slicing deep enough that she caught a glimpse of bone beneath the spray of blood.
"Gotcha!"
Graland sneered, slamming his axe down again to deliver another attack.
"Have some more!"
Kalia barely rolled out of the way.
Another blade of wind sliced through the pillar next to her.
It wasn't a mortal wound, but even with her accelerated healing, it would be several minutes before she could put weight on her leg again.
He's just playing with me...
Graland cackled, sending another wave of wind blades toward Kalia, cutting more and more of her body.
This was the monster he'd been reported to be.
A beast with an insatiable bloodlust, his attacks no longer aiming for a lethal blow but precisely targeting areas that would keep his prey alive for as long as possible.
Dammit, Kalia... You're better than this.
It's just like the inn. You sat there waiting to die.
Do something.
Get up.
"Master Lia?"
Astra's voice crackled over the pin.
"Kind of busy right now, Astra."
"We're done here. Lucy is out cold but okay, and the others are moving out. We'll meet you back at the inn."
"I'll be there soon."
"Okie, Master Lia. You better not die, or I'll drag your soul back from the netherworld and kick your butt myself!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it... Oh, and Astra. Thank you."
Astra's voice alone had pulled her from the darkness.
She had something—or rather, someone—to live for now.
It wasn't just Astra either, but all the girls.
They had shown her a life of happiness she had never known before.
"Huh? For what?" Astra replied.
But Kalia didn't answer.
She had found her motivation.
"Mumbling to yourself already? Don't go into shock on me. I haven't had enough fun yet!"
Kalia pushed herself back to her feet.
"Ha, no. That was just a little pep talk from a friend. It seems the rest of your party has been disposed of!"
"Blatant lies won't scare me," Graland snapped. "But now that you seem to have found some confidence, I think it's time I end this."
Graland's axe glowed with a violent red light.
"This is the end for you, demon!"
He taunted, throwing his axe into the air.
"Yora na Cindo!"
Light exploded from the axe head.
Stone turned to dust and wood to cinders as a wave of raw mana ripped through the chamber.
"Here it comes!"
The netherworld? Nice idea, Astra!
"Manifest!"
The air around her thickened until it felt almost solid.
Reality split above Graland with a sound like tearing cloth.
From the darkness beyond, a solitary sarcophagus descended in complete silence.
Kalia had called on the most sinister item in her Armory.
Sins Atoned.
This wasn't a weapon.
It was a prison.
A doorway to a place no living soul should ever see.
"?!"
Graland's triumphant smile vanished as he saw his most destructive magic fade like fog in the morning sun.
The sarcophagus opened, revealing an interior blacker than night.
The haunted screams of countless souls poured from within, all reaching out for another to join their ranks, desperate for someone else to share in their endless nightmare.
Hands of death and smoke grabbed onto Graland's body, pulling him toward his final resting place.
"Graland. This is your end. You will pay for everything you've ever done. Every nightmare you've inflicted upon innocent lives will be repaid a thousandfold. Every life you've taken, every little lie, will be weighed and judged. You will spend an eternity regretting the choices you've made."
"No! I can't be beaten! I'm the strongest! Let go of me, you filthy demon!"
Graland screeched, desperately trying to pull away from the hands.
His screams faded as the sarcophagus closed around his body and retreated through the portal from which it had come.
"That's all you had to say? To the bitter end, you think only of yourself..."
Kalia's eyes narrowed.
"That, too, will be judged. Good riddance, Graland."
Kalia collapsed.
Her vision blurred as she struggled to remain conscious.
Blood seeped from every pore of her body.
"Fio?"
Kalia coughed, barely managing to remain alert.
"Master Lia!"
Fio sprinted toward her master.
"Stay with me!"
"Koga! Sasha! Finish this! We need to get out of here!"
Fio called back to the siblings, who were merely toying with the old mage at this point.
Jor had never stood a chance to begin with.
He had already exhausted all his mana, casting spell after spell in an attempt to fend off Koga's relentless assault, and was now lying helpless on the ground.
"Yes, Master!" they answered.
"Would you like the honors, Sasha? I'm going to go help Fio. It looks like Kalia is in trouble."
Koga turned to his sister.
"Sure."
Sasha replied, holding her flute to her lips again.
"Goodbye, old mage."
Sasha played a sickeningly sweet melody on her flute.
"Allow me to show you my dream world."
"It's... magnificent!"
Jor stammered, his eyes misting with tears at the most beautiful song he had ever heard.
The spell had already done its work.
A sweet lullaby and a dream from which he would not wake.
Sasha strode over to his lifeless body.
"Consider this a mercy. I do not care for senseless violence, even for the worst sort."
Sasha whispered before bending down to close his eyes.
"Rest now."
"Master Lia! Master Lia!"
Fio panicked upon seeing Kalia lying in a pool of blood and tried to staunch the bleeding from her wounds.
"I'll manage..."
Kalia was fading.
"The wounds will heal... but I don't think I can move..."
Her voice trailed off as she slipped into darkness.
"Koga! Help me carry her! We need to get her to Eron as soon as possible!"
"Yes, Master!"