"This won't take long," Tyson said, releasing a yawn and pressing in an earbud. He turned to Barrett's book, disinterested. "The second spell, Bergzak!"

Barrett opened his palm and released a bullet. Resh swerved out of its path immediately. "That was it?"

"If only," he answered, smirking with a twist of his hand. Resh turned to see the bullet curving. Phil and Kyo were directly in its path.

Resh gnashed her teeth in disgust. It could've been a harmless spell, but she could never take the risk. "What a dirty trick."

"You gotta play to win." Barrett shouted, racing forward to intercept her.

"Phil!"

"You got it. The first spell, Mirar!"

Resh lifted a mirror in front of Phil and Kyo, effectively covering them from the bullet. The mirror emitted a shining beam, which Barrett had no problem evading before he launched at her, tearing at her and driving her face into a slab of stone with a horrible smash. Itosagi pounced onto Barrett, clawing nastily at neck and shoulder. When Barrett attempted to fling Itosagi off, Itosagi flew backward, instead. Resh caught Barrett in a side-sweep and touched a hand to her temple, which came away bleeding.

"Don't forget about us! The second spell, Kuroguru!"

Itosagi's fists shot off like missiles, rocketing past Resh. Barrett was grazed by one and it left a raging burn on his forearm.

Resh grinned at his silence. "Not going in your favor, eh?"

"My strategy is game and set. You've lost one of yours. I've lost none of mine. Don't get smart." he sneered, cracking both knuckles. "Tyson, take your headphones out! This is about to get serious!"

"Yeah, okay, I'm listening. Sunrei."

Barrett closed his eyes briefly. When they reopened, there were crosshair-like markings in each iris. Resh prepared her stance for him, but when he launched at her, she realized she wasn't fully prepared. The spell had enhanced his enhanced his reflexes. Tripled his speed and agility. When he flung her to the ground with one push, she instinctively pivoted to kick him, but he was too fast. Too agile.

Itosagi launched at him once more, tearing and biting him. Barrett lifted an arm and flung Itosagi across the devastated room.

"Itosagi!"

"Mirudo!"

While on the floor, Resh raised a mirror and Barrett punched straight through it, splattering both of them in sparkling glass shards. Resh raised a hand to protect herself from the onslaught, but Barrett was hardly affected. His fist, however, was cut and coated in blood and glass. He went to elbow her, but with a handful of glass, she hurled them straight into his face. His howl was wild. Uncontained.

Resh managed to stagger to the feet, and after a few moments, Itosagi joined her. Barrett was holding his face. After removing his hand, Barrett released a quiet, tortured sound. He hadn't said anything.

Without lifting her gaze from Barrett, Resh did her best to communicate with Phil. "If he tries to turn his final spell on us, do you think we'll have enough energy to retaliate?"

"We should," he answered. "It's just–"

"I'm done with this. I am completely done with this." Barrett declared, huffing all the way. "You know what? I don't even wanna finish this battle. I'm so exhausted. I don't have time for this. This ain't even worth it anymore."

Resh opened her hands freely. "Let's not, then. Please. Fighting isn't the answer. If we end it here, it'll be declared a stalemate. I promise I won't say anything."

Barrett closed his eyes, lifted his hands to his knees, and begun coughing. When he reopened them, they were watery. "What are you, a fool? We are in a battle to become king. Fighting will almost always be a part of the lifestyle. Get real. As exhausted as I am, I know I'm deigned to finish this. This is life-or-death. We didn't come here to spread joy and plant flowers."

"But it isn't," she answered, helpless.

Phil frowned. "Resh, don't bother."

"You're living in a dream world." Barrett replied, shaking his head. "You have to understand. That's not how–"

"I know what you're gonna do. You're gonna try to convince me, otherwise. Life is worthy of me. Flowers are beautiful. Birds sing their golden tune. Well, it won't work. We aren't here for none of that sunshiny bullshit, which is what I just told you and what Lulubell spent her entire, waste of a battle trying to inform you. This is a battle. A tournament. Pay attention."

Resh lifted her eyebrows in disdain. "It looks like the only one not paying attention is you."

Barrett froze, then jumped in realization. The first time they'd caught them successfully off-guard. He was certainly no Lulubell. Itosagi was pouncing across the field, launching at his partner with lightning claws raised. Seiku opened Itosagi's book to a newer book. The glow was overwhelming.

"Kuroguran!"

"What are you doing, Tyson? Give me a defense spell! Fast!"

Tyson removed an earbud, confused. Resh was almost away from launching herself at Barrett, so Itosagi's attack could successfully destroy their book but Barrett flew at his partner, stumbling and desperate. He shoved Tyson to the floor, but the book was flung from his hand and caught in the net of electricity. Tyson was mostly unhurt. Barrett was a translucent being in less than a second. He looked ashamed, but in witnessing his selfless decision, Resh was in awe of him. Tyson watched Barrett, stunned.

"I didn't expect that from you," she said. "That was...lovely."

Barrett frowned, shook his head, then kicked his flaming book toward her in silent fury. Resh dodged it without effort, but when she turned back toward Barrett, he was gone.

Phil offered a shrug and closed Resh's book. "So. Now what?"

"Clear this, Viola."

"Of course, mistress."

There was a spell. The air was cleared. Sanitized. Eve withdrew her hands from her face in the next second to view the scene. Their spells had been cancelled out. Sundance was squinting in the direction of Ophelia and Caleb. Ophelia was slumped. Seemingly drained, but not entirely unconscious. Her hair drawn in front of her in a tangled heap.

Eve was appropriately dumbfounded. "Dead. Am I dead? I'm not dead. What? How?"

"Speak in complete sentences, please." Lilja answered. Grim. She fanned the remaining dust in the air with a nonchalant wave. "Miraculously, your spells managed to cancel one another out. There was a lot of dust, though. While you were cowering, we retaliated with our shield. You are welcome."

Sundance swatted at his forehead. Despite his numerous injuries, he was prepared to finish the battle. "Eve, you have to give me a finisher. Hurry."

"But where's Caleb?"

"Oh my God," Viola and Lilja muttered, shifting their gazes.

Sundance rolled his eyes. Or tried to, anyway. "It doesn't matter, jeez–"

But Eve still tried to look for him. Behind Ophelia, she found him. Caleb also slumped. Collapsed near the side of the bridge. An arm tucked over his face and suspiciously lifeless. Eve's throat constricted at the sight.

Eve flung a hand over her face and freaked. "I knew this would happen. Oh my God, I knew it. I should've never–"

Sundance's teeth gnashed and he ran ahead, stumbling albeit, but determined. But when he launched his open foot at Ophelia, she startled awake. Back into position, like a wind-up doll or a robot. Catching his same, bruised ankle and twisting it. There was a gasp from Viola. His face re-contorted with agony, but he'd prepared for Ophelia's maneuver. This time, there were no words. Taunts.

"Eve, your book!"

"What? Huh?"

"Gosh, the idiocy."

"Lilja."

Sundance's book was glowing, but meagerly. Eve assumed it was nothing. She opened it to a further page. Her heart begun racing. Then: she gasped. Their fifth spell. It was so stupid, but she was so happy for them over this little thing. Her heart wasn't feeling so pained.

"SUNDANCE!"

Sundance glanced over at her, eternally shocked, and took Ophelia's winding kick right to the face. He flew into one of the remaining puddles of Ophelia's evaporated ice, then struggled to back out of it.

"Wait, so I don't exactly know what this spell does, but if it's anything like Upra and if it can mix with anything–"

Ophelia kicked ice water into Sundance's face, startling him, and he twirled behind her. Shoving her into the water, facefirst, as she'd done him minutes earlier, but his grip wasn't as steady and Ophelia was stronger. Heavier. Older.

"Wait, one second...wait–The fifth spell, Sabo!"

It was similar to Upra, actually. Yellow paint exploded from Sundance's mouth and merged with the water, distorting the color, burning through Ophelia's hair, clothes, and skin. But as it came into contact with the water, there was a horrible sound. A sizzling. Effectively electrocuting her. Ophelia twitched and startled and kicked, then collapsed with a horrid finality.

Sundance backed away from her, cautious. Watching. Ophelia remained, unmoving.

"Forgot about me?"

Caleb was awake. He must've been playing Ophelia's same shtick. And with his handy knife, he lunged at Sundance, snatching him from behind and cutting blood across his shoulder. Sundance stumbled a few steps back, scrutinizing Ophelia. But she was still out. Sundance clutched his bleeding shoulder and looked at Eve for direction, but Caleb lunged with his knife again. Closer to his face.

"Sundance, his book is in his right hand. If we aim correctly, we can knock it straight out without touching him! Run to the opposite rail and try to hold your balance on it. We might be able to do this." Eve shouted.

"I don't know if I–"

"Just do it!"

Lilja snickered.

Sundance was tempted to side-sweep Caleb, but that would've probably made Eve upset. He managed to duck under the next swipe without issue and climbed clumsily onto the rail. Caleb was approaching, looking freakish.

"Turn your face a little. Okay, good! It's okay, Sundance."

Caleb was closer.

"The first spell, Upra!"

Thus, the red paint. A rocket of fire. It flew directly toward Ophelia's blue book, setting it aflame immediately. Caleb's scream was animalistic and Ophelia remained unconscious, which even he found a mystery. He flung the book and the knife backward. Caleb screamed his voice hoarse, contorting his face ugly. He collapsed to his knees, placed his face between them, and resumed that terrible sound. A sound so quiet–so haunting–he nearly didn't catch it. Sundance felt compelled to comfort him. When Eve cried, he wanted only to console her. Offer something to make her feel better. With Caleb, who he only heard stories of and was just slashed in the shoulder by, he wasn't sure what to do.

"Look away, Sundance."

Sundance jumped. He figured that to be his conscious. When he went to look for Eve, he found her near Caleb and he (almost) shouted for her. But he didn't care. Caleb was a horrible person.

"Stop that, small child." Lilja instructed from afar. "Do as your partner say. Look away."

Sundance stomped over Lilja and Viola, both of whom were looking emotionless. Eve lifted a hand to Caleb's shoulders. An attempt to ease him. His face was still in his hands. Pitying someone who didn't deserve it. "No, I'm not going to feel bad for him! Look at what he did to me! Us! Eve is so stupid."

"I understand your qualm." Lilja answered, patient.

But she didn't. Sundance didn't try to extend the conversation either. He listened to the strains of Eve and Caleb's meaningless conversation, but he wasn't entirely focused on it. And for the first time, he genuinely hated Eve. She accused other people of being artificial, but it turns out the only fake person near was her.

Thus ends Chapter 27. Eve and Sundance have gained another spell, but they couldn't be further from smooth sailings. The first arc is nearing its close and the second arc will definitely be something suspenseful and interesting. R&R!