Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 46

The defense team was struggling. Several border patrol agents had been called in to arrest Victoria's cohorts once defeated and, with the misfits all fighting, they were getting overwhelmed. Demons were getting back up and targeting the abnormal class in revenge. Being defeated by mere teenagers was insulting.

Henri directed flawlessly, but there was only so much he could do. He was relieved when Balam and Asmodeus arrived on the scene. After a few quick instructions, Azz went to work as clean up, encircling an escaping group with fire, while Balam took on the current source of trouble.

A smug man that looked eerily like Bedlam, albeit with longer hair, was causing all sorts of havoc. He seemed to have the same heat based abilities, too, yet he was also armed with another power. He could make things explode and wasn't afraid to use his comrades as canon fodder.

Shichiro narrowed his eyes as he calmed his mind. This wasn't the demon that tried to melt Pandora's throat that night in front of Babylus, though they were likely closely related. He had to remain relatively unbiased or his opponent would get a harsher thrashing.

An enemy collapsed to their knees in front of Balam, looking up at him with tear filled eyes. "Please help me", they pleaded, grabbing onto his pants. Then they burst into flames before exploding. Everywhere a piece of their flesh landed caught fire.

Balam had only been singed, having dodged and guarded at the last second, but he glared at the blonde demon ahead. The psycho laughed at their comrade's pain. He didn't seem to care about their life at all.

"Hey, chicken legs. Are you the one that killed my little bro? Victoria-sama said you were there", he called. They stared at one another in strained silence. "Come on, speak up! He was gonna kill that slave bitch, right?", he taunted.

Shichiro's entire body stiffened visibly. His beloved Pan-chan was too pure and had been mistreated for far too long to simply be remembered by such a slur. The demon facing him smirked, knowing he had successfully gotten under his skin.

"I hear the dumb broad's still alive. Come on, big fella. Show me she was worth Bedlam's life", he egged on. Taking a deep breath, Balam took a defensive stance. This fool was loud, but dangerous. He needed to keep a level head to minimize damage to nearby allies during the ensuing fight.

As he approached, Bedlam's elder brother had an unhinged grin. "She ever talk about me? I'd seen her around here for years. I used to spit on her just for kicks and she just took it, too, the dumbass... What do you even see in such a hollow shell? I mean, she's kinda hot, but damn, talk about braindead. She'd just lay there as Victoria-sama kicked in her ribs every week...It was funny at first, but after seeing her bleed so many times, it got a little boring, you know?"

He watched Balam tense with amusement. They were mere feet apart now. "I kissed her once just to see what she'd do. That's how I got this", he said, pointing to a scar made up of several deep scratch marks across his left eye. "Bitch had claws", he laughed. "But she did taste sweet", he added, ensuring his opponent would be furious.

Even Azz glanced over in concern at the wicked aura surrounding his master. He was way past angry. Balam cracked his knuckles eagerly as he strode forward. "Say one more thing", he warned in an icy tone, eager to silence this idiot once and for all. His rival smiled smugly without a care.

"Name's Ash. I'm not even mad about Bedlam, you know. I hear it wasn't even you. It was some bitch with a sword...I don't really care either way. I just wanted to see how far I could push Sullivan's silent gargoyle guardian...You want me to say something else about the girl?", he ventured, a malicious look in his eye.

"She ever tell you about the time I almost made her mine?...You've got a damned fine woman, chicken legs. I had that sweet little ass of hers in my hands once. It's too bad I got interrupted. Would've been fun."

That did it. The entire air around them shifted as black smoke started pouring from Balam's body. He'd gone into a forced wicked phase from sheer rage. That demon, 'Ash' as he called himself, would be lucky to survive, but he'd certainly never utter another foul word about Pandora again.

The first hit completely shattered his jaw. Hitting the ground with a heavy thud, Ash stared up at him with a twinkle in his eyes. His ploy to keep him distracted was working. Eating through a straw for the rest of his life would be well worth the promised reward if everything went according to plan.

Inside the estate, Iruma's team had headed into the underground portion of the complex. Purson was ahead scouting, but it looked like most of Ai's flunkies had fled this area. The few that hadn't were moaning or unconscious in Persephone's wake. Clara made use of her pockets to provide rope and the team tied up the fallen as they went along.

Purson buzzed in about another hidden hallway. It was dark, but seemingly unguarded. As a possible lead in this sprawling labyrinth, he went to investigate further. As Iruma gave the okay, the entire area's power flickered.

Somewhere deeper inside, Ai grinned to herself. She intimately knew the blueprints for her hideout. Focusing on the wiring and metal infrastructure, she applied Baal's stolen lightning magic. The power grid would recover, but those annoying radios her interlopers were using would short circuit.

Iruma panicked as his connection to Purson turned to static. Then a massive jolt completely blew his earpiece. Nursing his bruised eardrum, it was clear his friends were having the same problem.

"Looks like we're on radio silence", said Lied. "Yeah", uttered Iruma anxiously. He was concerned for Soi. "Don't worry, Irumachi! I can make more!", offered Clara. Yet that would only help the three of them should they be separated. Purson was now on his own.

As she rummaged through her pockets, the eerie sound of carefully approaching footsteps was closing in on them. Iruma stared in subdued horror as Kiriwo smiled with a friendly wave. He and Azz knew he was dangerous, but Clara and Lied we're likely clueless.

"Senpai! What are you doing here?", beamed Clara, rushing to glomp him. He grinned as he affectionately patted her head, yet the air between him and Iruma was almost suffocating. Lied understood something was wrong.

"Hey, Clarin, come over and introduce us", he called, hoping to draw her back to a protective range. Unfortunately, her innocence made it a smidgen too late. In a swift motion, Kiriwo held her as a hostage and shield, expertly aiming two of his sharpened nails at her jugular.

"Iruma-kun, it's been a while. Be good and I won't have to hurt her", he said. At first, Clara thought it was some kind of game. Laughing, she said, "Yay, I'm a princess! Rescue me, Irumachi!". As Kiriwo's grip on her body tightened to a near painful level, her grin faded. "Senpai?", she ventured. She was getting worried. What had Victoria done to him?

"I found out something interesting about our batra partner...Why don't you tell her the truth, Iruma-kun?", grinned Kiriwo. The look on his face was unmistakable. He knew his secret, but how had he figured it out?

Lied glanced between them in growing concern. What could his cinnamon roll of a friend possibly be hiding that was so grim? He looked to Iruma with a supportive grin. "What is this guy talking about? He helped you with the fireworks, right?", he asked. His grin fell at the intensity of his friend's eyes.

"Senpai, let her go. Whatever it is you want, I'm willing to talk it over with you, but it isn't worth hurting Clara and you shouldn't be working for Victoria", he ventured. An unnerving blush spread over Kiriwo's face as he smiled.

"Not worth one demon's life? I was ready to claim hundreds until you ruined everything", he replied calmly. Clara glanced over her shoulder. What did he mean by that? She knew she needed to get away from him, but he was holding on so tightly that his nails were starting to pierce her skin. Then she recalled a move Lamya-sensei had taught her. It was reserved for such a desperate situation. She wasn't keen to use it, but it would work.

"Senpai?", she called innocently. He made a face, annoyed by the distraction, but his confusion faded all too quickly as she raised her heel with lightning speed and hit him where it hurt the most. As he crumpled and she rejoined her friends, Kiriwo sent her a dirty look. How dare she kick him in such a personal place?

Lied paled in moderate shock as Iruma winced. There was no doubt where she learned that. Persephone's smug grin filled their mind's eye.

It was unlike their innocent Clara to resort to such a move, but she at least was safe. She glared at her former senpai. She didn't know what he wanted with Iruma, but it was definitely a threat and that simply couldn't be ignored.

Slowly straightening his back as he held his injured crotch, Kiriwo smirked, amused. "I'm stronger than you remember. It's amazing what devouring a human or two can do for a guy", he taunted. He stared Iruma directly in the eye as he said it. It was no mere warning; It was an obvious fact, sending a shiver down his spine.

"There are humans here?", asked Lied without thought. Sure, he was curious what they tasted like, but to have their existence suddenly proven was a little surprising. Kiriwo grinned evilly as he pointed forward. "There's one right next to you", he stated.

His smile twinged in irritation as both Clara and Lied looked around in question. "Are they invisible?", asked Clara, earnestly looking. Lied sighed faintly. "I get it. He's insane", he said as if feeling sorry for Kiriwo.

"He's right there! Your precious Iruma-kun is nothing but a liar. He's a filthy human using borrowed power to fool everyone... Haven't you ever wondered why he's so strange and ignorant of our history?", pressed Kiriwo. He had hoped for a more entertaining response.

Clara reflexively clinged to her soul mate. "Irumachi is no liar, you big meanie!", she retorted, sticking out her tongue and making a face as she hugged him. Iruma nervously glanced over at Lied. How would he react?

Lied stood there in stunned silence as if thinking it over. After a brief pause, he smirked and said, "Sure, he's weird and not very bright. That's why he's a misfit just like the rest of us in the abnormal class. Right, Iruma-kun?".

Normally a cheap shot at his intellect would cause him to pout, but right now, Iruma was touched to be trusted and valued. He realized he had really great friends as he smiled faintly to himself. Meeting his senpai's gaze, his confidence grew.

"Anything else you want to tell them?", he asked. Kiriwo fought off an eye twitch, annoyed. "They don't have to believe me yet. Once they smell your blood, it'll be obvious when they can't stop salivating", he said calmly.

The two stared each other down, one determined to see the desperate face of abandonment and despair, and the other eager to get the standoff over with.

Clara crouched on all fours as she growled and hissed defensively. "Nobody's gonna hurt Irumachi on my watch!", she said with feeling. "Mine either", added Lied, taking on a serious stance. Iruma looked at them with moist eyes. "You guys…Thanks." He wiped his grateful tears with his sleeve as a confident smile took over his face. The three of them together would be unstoppable.

Kiriwo relaxed as he stood up straight. "Let's see whose resolve is stronger, hmm?", he said with a peaceful grin. The fight was about to begin.

On the third floor, Opera staggered to their feet. The wound in their side was slowly sealing over thanks to Nene's healing tonic. The pain was tolerable now. They needed to get to Iruma and protect him as promised.

The woman from before suddenly grasped their ankle tightly. "Don't go", she uttered. Opera glanced at her without emotion. They had no interest in learning more about her, but she could be trouble again if left to her own devices.

Sighing in mild irritation, they lifted her up over their shoulder and headed below. Balam's vines would provide ample restraint no matter who she turned into. "Opera-sama?", uttered the woman almost affectionately. Ignoring her, they continued onward.

"Don't ignore me!...My name is Keket. You beat me, so I'm yours now. Let me help you. I can lead you to Ai", she said. Opera peered over their shoulder with mild intrigue. She had switched loyalties awfully quickly, but it was demon law to serve those who defeated you in battle.

Setting her down as they reached the second floor, they looked at her, gauging her usefulness. She stared with bright, blue eyes and black hair. Her natural form also had tan horns similar to Lord Sullivan's. Impressively, not only could she change her features, but also the appearance of her clothing as she did so. It was likely her bloodline technique combined with another magic. A dark cloth mask hid the lower half of her face and a tight dress exposed much of her breasts.

"Accept me and I'll serve you forever. Allow me to be yours, Opera-sama! I promise I'll be useful", she said. They eyed her carefully as she lowered her mask. She smiled with sharp, jagged teeth, akin to Clara's. "Let me love you", she blushed.

She panicked as they started tying her up without a response. "Wait, don't just leave me here!", she argued. Once thoroughly bound, Opera stared into her eyes very near her face. "Where is Victoria?", they asked calmly. She was enthralled by how close they were, staring speechlessly with a red face. Annoyed, Opera sighed and turned away.

"Underground. There's a huge complex down there…When you reach the ground floor, move the portrait of Victoria's mother. You'll see a number panel. The code is 6913666. It'll open a hidden chamber. That will open her personal lab. All of her notes and journals will be there. Use them however you want!", she offered, desperate to please them.

Opera glanced back at her with a faint grin. It was a start. Seeing that demure smile pierced her previously frozen heart. She had fought and hated them not long before, but those were her orders. Now she had a new master. "I-is that enough? Do you love me now, Opera-sama?", she ventured with hope.

Their grin quickly fell in response, clearly not interested. Kneeling in front of her, they tightened the binding vines. "These are Balam-kun's. They'll conform no matter who you turn into; You're not going anywhere. Now tell me where Victoria keeps her prisoners."

"The sub basement. There's one in particular that she's been boasting about, but at least two more of value to her. They'll be further in. The rest are just fodder for her experiments...You're looking for Naberius and the spy, right? Last I heard, they were being held on level 4. I don't know where that creepy kid is, but if you untie me, I'll help you find her!"

Opera's expression clearly said, "Not a chance." Keket wiggled shyly. "Or if you wanna untighten these vines a little, I'll be happy to stay here and play with you instead...I don't even care which parts you have; I can please you if you give me the chance", she blushed.

Without dignifying her flirt with a response, Opera headed off to investigate Ai's lab and find Iruma. Knowing she'd been ditched, comical tears ran down her face. "Come baaaack! At least let me touch your adorable kitty ears!", she whined.

Completely tuning her out, Opera tried their radio. "Iruma-sama, pardon the delay. I'm heading downstairs now. I have a lead to investigate, but I'll reach you soon… Iruma-sama?" No response.

The silence was concerning. Other chatter could be heard on the various airwaves, so they knew their radio was working, but where were Iruma and his team? Opera needed to report this immediately.

Outside, Lord Sullivan hovered over the battlefield, looking for students in distress. His earpiece caught his attention. "Opera, have you finished clearing the main house?... Iruma-kun isn't answering? Let me try…..Iruma-kuuuun, it's Grandpa! Is everything alright?...Iruma-kun?"

His face grew serious as Opera finished their report. "I see. Head straight to the sub basement. Leave the lab to me. Iruma-kun's radio may not be getting a signal down there. Please be prompt in ensuring that is the case and update me as soon as you can."

"Yes, Lord Sullivan." Opera repeated the instructions and door code as they made their way toward the entrance Iruma's team had described earlier. The door was open and guarded. Wasting no time, they went after the young demons.

On the second floor of the sub basement, Iruma's team were facing off against an unexpected foe. Kiriwo was naturally feeble bodied, but as promised, consuming human flesh had given him a serious power up. He hadn't once coughed blood or fallen over as he dodged a few experimental attacks.

He froze as he went blind. He knew all about Lied's controller ability from the stolen files, but he seemed to remain calm. "I hear you breathing", he grinned. Taking it as a challenge, Lied also stole that sense next. "Iruma-kun, take him down", he said, focusing intensely.

Clara pulled more rope from her pockets and handed it over with a look that begged him to be careful. Nodding, Iruma cautiously got closer to their former senpai. Kiriwo grinned at the attempt. Using something he had picked up from Victoria, he swiftly closed in on Lied as he slid a hidden blade loose from his sleeve.

A well placed stab to the belly left everyone breathless. Lied shuddered in shock as he released his attacker's senses. "How did you - ?", he uttered. A dark smirk crossed Kiriwo's lips. "My new big sis taught me to hone my predator instincts. I memorized where you were and followed your scent...Hurting one of you is the only way Iruma-kun is going to take me seriously, but don't worry; It isn't fatal. Aniki has plans for you", he grinned.

"Kiriwo!", screamed Iruma, furious. As Lied was released, he reflexively touched his wound and stared at his bloody fingers as he fell to the floor. Had that really just happened? "Lied-kun, hold still!", said Clara, rushing to stop the bleeding. It must have looked bad for her to be so serious.

Kiriwo happily turned to face the source of the angst filled yell. To drive home how serious he was, he even licked the blood off his blade with a blush. His time around Victoria had certainly changed him for the worse.

He stared in surprise at the black bow now aimed squarely at him. Then he smiled faintly. "Full of surprises as always", he ceded. "Don't make another move. I don't want to kill you", warned Iruma. Now this was entertaining. He actually said 'kill' and not 'hurt'. He was determined to protect his friends.

Kiriwo held out his arms, making himself an easy target as he took a step forward. "Go ahead and fire. It's what you want, isn't it? I hurt your friend and I've eaten two of your brethren. Shoot me, Iruma-kun. If you don't, I'm going to eat you next", he taunted. That sadistic blush had returned to his face and he was starting to drool in anticipation.

"Irumachi, Fluffy's gonna be okay!", called Clara. She was applying pressure to the now bandaged wound while her patient downed one of Nene's potions. Iruma grinned lightly in relief, glad they were prepared, but his trained eyes never left his target.

"Stand down. If you turn yourself in, we can still help you", said Iruma. He was hopeful, but knew his senpai was unlikely to change. Meanwhile Kiriwo had crept another step closer. "What will it be? Kill me or be eaten. Do you really want your friends to see that?...Maybe they'll join in once the alluring smell of your flesh hits their noses", he said, a deranged look in his eyes.

"Don't make me do this", pleaded Iruma. His voice was shaking, but his bow was held firm. Bachiko had taught him well. "This is your last warning."

Kiriwo grinned wickedly. In the next second, he made his move. Iruma's arrow fired true, but Kiriwo had silently placed several barriers to redirect it. It bounced around the corridor until it headed straight for his friends. Clara stared like a helpless deer, caught off guard.

"Clara! Look out!!", screamed Iruma. The horrified look on his face was delectable. He was about to kill one of his soul mates. The alarm in his eyes as he desperately tried to make it to her in time was exactly what Kiriwo had longed to see.

Iruma could practically hear the seconds tick by as he moved in slow motion. He had to save Clara. If only he were faster, he could push her out of the way. His heart sank as it dawned on him. He wasn't going to make it.

A 'fwoosh' suddenly passed by him like a breeze. He gaped as Purson materialized between them. His arrow lodged firmly into his friend's back with a sickening 'thunk'.

As time seemed to resume normal pace, Iruma struggled to catch his balance as he skid to a halt. "Purson-kun", he uttered breathlessly. Soi calmly smiled down at Clara and Lied as he slowly lowered his arms. "You guys okay?", he asked. He looked at peace with his decision, proud of himself. "Soisoi", uttered Lied, still in shock.

Purson grinned, happy he'd saved them as he collapsed forward into Clara's arms. She held onto him carefully, not wanting to wedge the arrow any deeper. There was no telling what damage it had done.

The heroic moment was ruined by a dark, cynical laugh. It started as an amused chuckle and morphed into a maniacal cackle. Iruma shot Kiriwo a hateful look as he held his sides, enjoying their misery. "That went even better than I wanted!", he said, wiping away an amused tear.

"What have you done?", asked Iruma in an icy tone. Kiriwo grinned at his apathy. "You were the one who fired", he calmly stated. Iruma looked at his trembling hands. If Purson died, it would be all his fault.

Nearby, Lied and Clara carefully inspected their friend. He didn't look so good. Iruma glanced over in concern. Seeing the increasing amount of blood, he tossed them the pouch from his belt. "Clara, do you remember how to use the pinions?", he asked.

Her eyes quivered as she thought it over. Could she do it? Swallowing her nerves, she resolutely said, "Yes!". Iruma grinned faintly in response. Soi was in her hands now.

Remembering her training wasn't easy; There were so many details. She memorized the pinion revival technique, but she had other methods at her disposal should it fail.

A few days earlier, Sullivan's estate.

Persephone's team had finished their run through the obstacle course and now they got a chance to relax indoors while they awaited their guest instructor. All eyes turned up as Opera entered the room. Persephone had asked for their help for a specific lesson, but hadn't gone into detail about what it entailed.

"Good, you're here. Now we can get started", she said. The girls looked at them with appreciative grins. "Thank you for helping us, Opera-san", said Elizabetta. "Girls team, back together!", added Clara with enthusiasm.

Taking their place beside Persephone, Opera waited for their part. "I brought this lesson inside because certain boys can't contain their imaginations... Opera, welcome to CPR", she said.

Opera froze, suddenly understanding their role. Firmly holding up one palm, they said, "Pass", and turned to leave, but Lamya's nails dug deep into their shoulder. She wasn't about to let them escape. "Hold on. These kids need a demonstration and you were the only one they felt comfortable asking. You're not going to let them down, are you?", she ventured, playing the old guilt trick.

Opera glanced back at the three anxious young ladies. Their eyes were pleading for their help. Flattening their cat ears, they sighed in defeat. "Fine, but let's make this quick. I need to get back to security detail", they said. The girls cheered and thanked them again.

Taking their place on the floor, Opera stared at the ceiling. "Oh no. I've died", they said flatly. Persephone fought off an eye twitch at their lackluster performance. "Shut up. You're dead, remember?", she grumbled.

She beckoned her team closer and they all surrounded the patient. "If someone isn't breathing, you need to know the basics, so pay attention." She then walked them through how to clear an airway and make a tourniquet, then pointed along Opera's body for anatomy. All vital organs were clearly pointed out.

Finally, it got to the resuscitation part. Opera shied their gaze as Persephone leaned closer. "Assess your patient." She glared mildly in annoyance. Opera's tail was swishing impatiently. Grabbing their tail tightly, she grinned darkly. "This one is still twitching. That's the nervous system shutting down, but they are dead", she said with an irritated, warning glance.

Releasing them, she carefully placed her fingers at their neck and jaw. "Tilt their head like this to open the airway. Then you'll need a deep breath. Open their mouth and remove any debris if necessary. Then make a tight seal over the lips with your own. Once that's done, inflate their lungs. It will look like this."

The girls stared with red, intrigued faces. "The kiss of life", uttered Clara with stars in her eyes. Their master knew they would think that way. They were only teenagers, after all.

Without missing a beat, Persephone then explained chest compressions, how to alternate between techniques, and to never give up. A few minutes could be the difference between life and death for the fallen.

Victoria's estate, underground, the present.

Iruma stared Kiriwo in the eye as they slowly circled one another. "Pinions? What other surprises are you hiding from me?", said Kiriwo. He assumed the feathers must be from Lamya's familiar. If they really were from her phoenix, they were a valuable commodity. Baal would certainly be intrigued. If he defeated them all quickly enough, he could steal them away.

As if reading his thoughts, Iruma sent him a steely gaze that said, "Don't even think about it." His bow reformed, only this time, large black wings formed along with it, just like the first time he'd summoned the weapon. He wasn't going to let anyone else get hurt. Kiriwo stared in awe. He was just a human. How could he possibly have wings?

A dark aura encompassed the archer. He had past livid and gone into a state of eerie calm. His sapphire eyes almost shone violet with the overwhelming power flowing from his ring. Sullivan's magic cloaked him entirely. Even a tail had formed, flicking to and fro in irritation. He knew he'd get an earful from Ali-san later, but he didn't care as long as he could protect his friends.

Lied looked up from helping Clara briefly, speechless at the impressive sight. What he assumed was Iruma's magic was almost stifling. Clara, too, glanced over in awe. Her heart skipped a beat, seeing him like that, but a mild groan from her patient refocused her priorities.

Blushing deeply, she tried to shake the heart pounding image from her mind. She needed to assess where the arrow had lodged. Intense anatomy lessons flooded her usually playful mind from her previous flashback. She didn't want to lose Purson either, but she also knew that Iruma would never forgive himself if he died by his arrow.

"Lied-kun, how far left would say this is?", she asked, trying to measure the distance between the arrow and Soi's spine with her fingers. Lied's eyes twitched nervously as he tried to guess. As part of Kalego's team in training, he didn't get the medical lessons the girls had. All he knew was that it looked grim. The anxious sweat on Clarin's usually sweet face was proof of that.

Nearby, Kiriwo unfurled his own wings in a show of bravado. There was no room to take flight in the constraints of the hallway, even if it was wide. Offering up new targets was just a challenge to bring everything Iruma had to the fight. He was looking forward to this.

"Your borrowed form is impressive, but I know it's all for show. If I were to injure those wings, you wouldn't feel a thing. It's all an illusion, isn't it?", he said.

Iruma held his arrow at the ready. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice. Pouring his grandfather's ample mana into the shot, the arrow glowed with a dark brilliance.

"It doesn't matter if this power isn't my own. It was entrusted to me to protect the ones I love... I won't let you hurt them again! Last chance, senpai. Stand down", he said, dead serious. Kiriwo grinned with a faint sigh. He was nearing his limit, but he knew would eat again soon. Iruma's body would restore his waning health.

Iruma watched him closely as he lowered his body into a launching stance. He wasn't going to hold anything back in this attack. His bloodlust was all over his face. Iruma's thoughts raced as he calculated probability and risks. Then he settled on a plan. They were far enough away from his friends that they wouldn't be swept in.

Time seemed to slow again as Kiriwo lunged forward, eager to take a huge bite out of his jugular. He couldn't risk another redirected shot, so he pulled a sleight. Kiriwo smirked smugly as the charged arrow was loosed. He already had a barrier in front of his chest. If the arrow was aimed at his heart as he anticipated, it wouldn't matter.

Then the determined grin on Iruma's face told him something was wrong. The projectile wasn't headed for him at all. It was aimed at the ground between them. As the arrow exploded with intense demonic power upon the tile, the entire floor crumbled under the strain of Sullivan's magic and honed with Iruma's fury. The ground creaked and gave way. Lied and Clara looked up just in time to see Kiriwo and Iruma disappear with the falling rubble.

"Irumachi!!!", cried Clara, almost bolting from her seat beside Purson, but Lied grabbed tightly onto her wrist. They had another priority. "You saw his resolve; He'll be okay. We can catch up in a minute. Right now - …"

Glancing down, it was clear Purson had stopped breathing. "Clarin, the feather!", he panicked. Yanking the arrow free, Lied helped roll Soi onto his back. He looked pale.

Fighting the tears from her eyes, Clara had no choice but to focus. Grabbing one of the pinions from Iruma's pouch and surging her mana into it, she aimed carefully, only closing her eyes the second before she made contact.

Lied breathlessly stared at the feather now sticking out of their friend's chest. The arrow had hit his heart from behind. Now the pinion from the front. How was another hole supposed to help? He swallowed hard as they waited for something to happen. Sensing Clara panic at the silence, he tried to get ready to comfort her. Seeing one friend vanish in debris was stressful enough. Another had just died.

"Come on, Soisoi...Don't scare us like this", uttered Lied, his eyes misting over as he pleadingly clutched his friend's arm. Clara looked determined despite her anxiety. Persephone had taught her not to give up. As a medic, a little luck was all you needed when a situation seemed hopeless.

Focusing, she sent another massive surge of mana into the feather's shaft. It was still glowing from before. Now it was practically on fire. Lied instinctively leaned back from the apparent flames. Then it dawned on him that there was no heat. How could a fire not be hot?

Clara stared at Purson's pale face, almost angrily. She wasn't about to lose her first patient. Staring in shock, Lied watched her go from childish playmate to life saving nurse in a matter of minutes. She was trying to resuscitate their friend. He'd never seen CPR up close before, but she looked like a professional as she sealed her mouth over Soi's.

The fire on the feather slowly sank below the surface. A bright light shot out from Purson's chest. Clara was desperately trying to jumpstart his lungs, then he started uncomfortably squirming. "Uh...Clarin...You can stop now….Hey!"

Dragging her off her patient, Lied stared at their friend. The color was returning to his face. Clara proudly declared, "My kiss of life saved him!". Purson carefully sat up as he came to terms with almost dying. Looking to his relieved friends, he slowly shied his gaze with pink cheeks as he wiped his mouth. "You didn't have to put your tongue in", he mumbled.

Lied froze and then quickly let go of Clara. Maybe she wasn't as professional as she seemed. Crawling forward, she poked Purson thoroughly. She even felt his forehead for a fever because of his red face. She really was hopeless.

After actually taking his pulse, she turned with two thumbs up. "He's okay", she said, sparkles of pride around her. She was oblivious to the discomfort she'd caused. Still, Lied was relieved and Soi was grateful to be back among the living.

Purson's hue deepened as Clara hugged him tightly. "Thank you for saving me", she said sincerely. Smiling despite his pink cheeks, he patted her head affectionately. She had stolen his first kiss, but he was alive. "Don't mention it. We're even now", he said.

Lied grinned as he finally relaxed. "Now all we have to do is find Iruma-kun", he ventured. As Clara let go of their friend, she looked shaken. Beside them on the ground was Iruma's medical pouch. He didn't even have any bandages on him now. She sincerely hoped he wasn't badly hurt.

As they slowly got to their feet, the trio got closer and looked down into the gaping hole he'd made. They couldn't see the bottom. However deep it ran, it went down at least another three floors. Neither Iruma nor Kiriwo were anywhere in sight.

Seeing how worried Clara looked, Lied put a warm hand on her shoulder. "He had his wings out. I'm sure he didn't land full speed", he offered, trying to ease her concerns. Purson quietly nodded in agreement. "If any of us could get through that unscathed, it's Iruma-kun. He's a natural at avoiding danger", he added.

Lied was impressed Soi was already on his feet. He didn't understand the pinions perfectly, but he was pretty sure that Iruma had said the victim would basically be out of the fight once revived. Had he not truly perished?

Then he remembered the second charge to the feather. Clara had an impressive amount of mana. Like her energy in general, it seemed near bottomless. Perhaps that had something to do with it and, just maybe, Lamya-sensei was onto something when she picked Clara to be a medic.

"Hey, Soisoi, shouldn't you be resting? Aren't you tired or anything?", he asked. Purson looked at his hands in thought. He had gotten the same rundown about the feathers from Iruma. It didn't make much sense. "A little", he offered.

Clara smiled smugly. "It was my kiss of life", she crowed. Then she suddenly turned red. She grabbed onto Purson's bloody clothes, almost throttling him as she begged, "Please don't tell Irumachi!". She was embarrassed, hiding her steaming face against his chest as it sank in. She'd wanted Iruma to be her first kiss.

Shyly averting his gaze, Purson awkwardly agreed. It was best that they never talk about it again really. Lied grinned nervously at the exchange. He shared the sentiment.

"Okay, so the phoenix pinion saved Soisoi and Clarin definitely didn't kiss anybody. Everybody got that?...Then let's focus on finding our team leader. We still have that girl to rescue and our radios are dead...What do we do?", he ventured.

The trio thought it over. Then Lied decided to step up. He was also a young king of the harvest festival, after all. He was no replacement for Iruma, but someone had to lead in his stead.

"Clarin, you two stay up here. Soisoi, go ahead and rest for a few minutes. I'll glide down and see if I can find anyone. Whether I do or not, I'll come back and get you guys. We've gotta stick together... Both of you okay with that plan?", he asked, unfurling his wings.

The rest of his team nodded. Purson sat against the wall nearby and tried to get comfortable. Meanwhile, Clara made sure that Lied had their last feather just in case Iruma needed it. Her damp, pleading eyes were almost too much to bear as she put Iruma's pouch in his hands. Offering a reassuring smile, he promised everything would be alright. Then he, too, vanished into the gloom below.

To be continued...