A/N: This chapter's been delayed way too long!
NetherOrbit: So sorry for this delay, gonna get right to work on this!
Enjoy!
January 5th, 2023
A tense, suffocating chest robbed me of hours, the space thick with regurgitated doubt under a sleepless stasis. Imagery of harmed hands and forced behavior dug nails in wood, hot breath leaving in shallow trips. To suggest I was prepared would've been humorous, if not for the price. Yellow rays crept between reeds, returning color to three mechanical musketeers, whose master I already missed. A message's green flash had me swiping, Rika an initial thought as my legs coiled in cool air.
[From Kirito: she's in. Give me a day to learn the ritual. Should arrive by the 7th]
Teeth compressed, canines sliding past one another as muscle clenched. Two days, one promise to keep, no support in sight. A gap between my ribs opened slowly as I stared at floorboards, what could we do to cover for our shortage? What was a [Siege Blade] when our enemy could breathe fire?
No iron was pumped, the bear would need every flake of energy I had. Rika's machines followed me across the room, their empty hands clenched as their dome shaped heads whirred in cautious inspection. An hour past sunrise, I stepped out to find whoever was foolish enough to stay, Rika's machines clicking behind me. Haru was closest, but only geometrically. Morning's news had brought a wrinkling scowl, couldn't be luckier.
"She what?" Haru fumed, "Why?"
"She gave us these," I patted one of her [Kriegsinn], "they should suffice till then."
"That's not what I asked."
"Time's short and we need results."
Her green eyes fixated elsewhere, her pressed lip easy to see.
"Silica's group still here?" I asked.
"Yeah," Haru spoke with a dim tone.
She led me over to their temporary abode, warm lake air brushing by, a quick knock bringing Teika out with a revived vigor. Lanky couldn't stand what I had to say, but I was today's newspaper boy.
"You serious?"
"Shit happens," I said, "we'll have to adjust."
"Uh shit," Teika looked back, "yo, Aoki! Bad news!"
Rock-fist looked like she fell out of bed and stayed there, grumbling as she stepped beside her friend.
"Lis' gone," Teika said, "these three are all we got."
"Now?" Aoki's eyes narrowed, "of all the odds? Okay, but if it gets worse, I'm out."
"Same," Teika stepped further inside before turning to me, "we'll be ready, eventually."
Stepping away from their house, I made our way to Oran's. Haru said nothing throughout this, her arms crossed over her stomach as we strode through lightly fogged streets. Rays of sunlight speared through, blocked only by wood and stone walls, quieter than previous days.
"I need details," Haru said without warning, "this isn't like her."
"You'll get them, at a better time."
"And when will that be? There's nobody here."
"When I say it is."
"Did you do something to her?"
I looked to her incredulously.
"Did you?" she asked again.
"She could hurt me more with words than any one of you with bullets," I kept walking.
"That wasn't the question."
"Think about it," I marched, "like I said, I'll tell you when the situation demands it."
My knuckles rapped against wood, shuffling heard before a droopy faced Graye emerged.
"Hm?"
"You guys ready?" I cracked knuckles, "support's cut off, gotta make this quick."
"I don't understand," Graye looked down at me.
"Lisbeth walked off," Haru interrupted, "and I'm not finding out until he decides it's a good time to tell."
"Okay," Graye nodded with wider eyes, "you didn't do anything to the priest, right?"
"No," I wiped my brow, "get Oran up, we're hunting."
Rovia's east bridge extended, little Eve wriggling in my arms while I rocked her. Her paws were like clown shoes, a reminder of how large she'd get given a year or two. Dropping a piece of meat for her, those knives for teeth worked away as wooden arms stretched to meet a distant port.
"Such a cute pupper," Oran smiled.
"Mm!" Graye cheered, "I want one now!"
"Eh," Silica sighed, "kinda sold the litter, liter? Teika, what's it called?"
"Litter," Teika shouldered his axe, "and we're not having another, least not now."
"What if I said there's a million Cor behind that?" Oran smiled wry.
"Sh!" Graye whipped his gaze.
"What?" Teika's eyes swelled.
"And gone," Oran said.
A throaty bump sounded off, forcing me to slip Eve away for safety. Wood several decades our senior creaked and groaned, or maybe it was Haru. With how swift and erratic she moved, a stiff breeze would've pissed her off.
"Wait," Teika grabbed Oran's shoulder, "you caught me sleepin'."
"So did you," Graye sighed.
"Still unsure about this," Aoki shifted, "is Lis coming back soon?"
"No," I said, brushing my armor of bones.
"Did you fight?" Silica asked.
Words burst into my mouth, rebuked by tightly sealed lips. Breathing deeply, I forced a smile.
"No. Oran, you ready to kite?"
"Are you asking me to bait? Cause my self esteem's low enough."
"Oran," Graye rolled his eyes.
"Kidding, just don't ask me to hit the bear."
"But you can't kite without aggro," I said with a forced chuckle, "you might be the finisher."
"It's called [Battleaxe]," Teika griped, "his stick's not doing much."
"Not happening," Silica grabbed him, "it breathes fire!"
"I can dodge."
"Not that well!"
"Understand guys," I turned my head, "the only reason I'm going head on at all's cause I've got bots."
"We know," Oran nodded, "things are following you for a reason."
"That being said, keeping it focused on any one of us is a bad idea. Call out when you're gonna hit heavy, save us a casualty."
"Could you word it better?" Graye asked.
"No."
It was past a dozen trees east, as if it didn't care if we spotted it. The beast's fur was splotchy, brown and black alternating without cohesion, a pair of forward pointed, twisted horns resting behind round ears. Its breathing sounded off like a short breeze, generating a current as it turned to face our hesitant band, its forceful stance rendering my breath shallow as a puddle. Claws extended, exceeding three feet each in length, its teeth a bright obsidian. My eyes averted from this [Magnatherium], a Zweihander turned wholly insignificant in those same pupils.
"Holy shit," Oran said with a gasp.
"Dude," Teika said before pushing me, "aggro?"
My body leaned forward, but shoes clung to grass, fighting me on this choice of directive. The [Magnatherium's] growl rippled through air with a low pitch, my guts bobbing and bones shivering with its frequency. Lifting on hind legs, baby trees were left in under a carnivorous shadow, its edge nearing us from where it stood.
"I think we should reconsider," Graye trembled.
Whitening knuckles drew in as I lurched, leaves crunching as I skirted around its side. My Zweihander whipped hard and right, its seven foot length clipping against fur and flesh with a jerk of my arms calling it back. A sharp groan rippled, a gurgling heard while my back sought a sizable tree.
[Field Boss: Magnatherium]
Gurgling turned to a moist yakking, this deplorable retort presenting plumes of red from a earthly maw, leaping several yards with a black, obscuring mist. Members of my team hollered as legs forced them away, my escorting machinery rushing this perversion of nature with cogs spinning, metal thumping as hydraulics met bone. Three digit numbers emerged, out of a creature whose constitution exceeded six.
"Not liking that damage!" Oran said, running at its rear flank.
"Just go with it!" Teika rushed in, axe raised high.
Trees hissed and smoked, their bark whitening as embers dined and died against their aged faces. The [Magnatherium] turned against Rika's creations with a sharp jerk, raising limbs with a shift in weight. Peeking from behind a tree free of scalding breath, I rushed again to its ribs, spearing muscle thick enough to bend my [Siege Blade], its bronze dulled with red as I drew. Oran's staff and Teika's axe struck [Sneak Attack Criticals], only to be kicked by stubby legs, sent rolling on leaf laden ground.
"Get down!"
Aoki's shout had me rolling away, head ducking as a whir and crack sent loose material fluttering around us. A flash and subsonic woof masked only a harsh stumble, the beast's fur burnt as it continued its pursuits. Claws with simple swings broke through metal hide, bending gears, dislodging cogs, their bright bronze remains rolling, bouncing off stray bumps. Teeth crunched around domes, glass cracking as inanimate bodies fell. [Siege Blade], [Battleaxe], [Bo Staff] all flew, injuries distracting our foe from dismantling her creations. Despite all four of us attacking, however, it didn't so much as care, Rika's [Kriggsinn] were out-hitting us.
"Firing!"
A second [Flammekanon] detonated, sending waves of heat scratching our dusty faces, the [Magnatherium] suffering with a mere stumble before continuing its task. Our first automaton fell against trunks in a bent heap, its clicking internals jamming as its body turned to glass, its master far from sight. Hardly dropped past ninety five percent, it was clear I had to devote further resources. But God, I could barely bring myself to strike it harder. What if I actually got its attention?
Graye's [Glaive] swung down with a whip of air, the edged polearm bouncing off its thick hide after a sharp thwack, much like my Zweihander. Only stabs made any difference, its thick bones and muscle serving as armor against our broad, sweeping attacks. Another bot fell with a crack, glass shattering as bronze arms rolled downhill.
"Teik!" Aoki said, "this isn't working!"
"Fall back!" Graye grabbed Oran.
"What're you running for?!" I breathed, swinging more.
Should've worked out more, heavier, I wasn't strong enough to stagger this thing. A belch of fire blew around Rika's last machine, doing little more than turning its chest a brighter red. Piking my Zweihander, a bright flash narrowed my eyes, chilling my arms. Three feet of bronze gouged through, the handle rigid.
[Critical Hit!]
"Oh God," I winced, "nope," I withdrew my weapon with heightened desperation, "I pissed the bear off!"
I dared not look back at what I stabbed, there were trees as thick as tires snapping behind me as I fled, a gurgle forcing me behind bark with quaking knees, curling nearly into a ball as a loud yak reached my ears. Aincrad's sun abandoned me for whole seconds, spiteful fire burning bright and closer than I'd like. It hissed angrily, whitening wood before ending moments later, eyes glancing as solar light retook its throne. Legs sprung without prompt, the bear's HP still hanging over 75%. It was only when a thump resonated did I turn to flee, Rika's last unit incapacitated behind us.
My feet bounced off any surface beneath them, shoulders slamming against trees with sudden turns, toes nearly catching onto stones, my body flinging behind everything taller than a stump, anything to buy distance. Crunching metal reached open ears, the clicking heard no more. Waving my left hand forward, I shouted as I faced ruined chassis.
"Fall back!"
Sun Dancer
Moist air brushed our wet faces as we walked back across a north facing bridge, the morning fog long departed. Sweat etched itself down my cheeks, a cold wave swallowing my guts as wood groaned below us.
"I'm just gonna save the drama," Teika said with a bit lip, "Aoki, pack it up."
I nodded, my body slumped with as she affirmed.
"Tiki," Silica said, "we can't give up on them, these people need saving."
"We'll need saving if we keep this up," Teika said, "You all know what I said earlier, we have to keep our heads straight."
"First time my [Flammekanon] had such little effect," Aoki stroked her wrists, "I'm with Teik on this, sorry."
Oran had nothing of notable point or rebuke, Graye himself remained silent. Haru herself filed away empty bottles, their interiors stained a faded red. Silica looked to our white haired alchemist with a drooping expression, her gaze lowering as Teika's hand wrapped around an armored shoulder.
"Was good while it lasted," Teika nodded, "way I see it, we'll focus on the [Yellow Backs], keep giving these guys food. I see no reason to pursue that."
I stared with barely a blink, a faint odor snuggled to the back of my nose. My tongue curled, waiting to whip words of cowardice at him, but my eyes reined it in. He had his reasons, no matter how detrimental this would be on my team's morale. Besides, it was I who ultimately called the retreat, not him. If anyone deserved to be called a coward, it was I. His leather glove stuck forward, a hand soon clasped with my own. Their departure was met with wondering views, fear impossible to hide as we slowed.
"Do I have to?" Haru asked.
"If they're gonna keep supplying food for the town," Graye said, "I see no reason to hold back."
A corner of my lip folded, a lull from a body wide chill.
"That's not what I meant," she said, "what I meant was whether Garr's gonna tell us."
Villagers looked to us with grimaces as we stopped, their lowered brows frightful at our ragged form. Straightening my back, I wiped my brow before turning to her.
"It's complicated," I said, "I'll need a minute to explain."
"If that's the case," Oran said while turning an opposing direction.
"Where're you going?" Graye said, "you should listen."
"You two will inform me. Me, I'm looking for ideas too."
Haru stared incredulously as Oran strolled off, glancing to Graye constantly as our blonde monk vanished down an intersection.
"Don't worry," Graye said, "it's harder to catch him than you think."
A series of loud thumps grabbed our eyes, a trio of riders slowing as they made sight of us. A set of amber hair stiffened my shoulders, eyebrows furrowing as I turned.
"Please tell me they're friends," Haru said with a shiver.
"Yeah," Graye said, "that's the raid commander."
Our eyes met briefly, her hazel flickering with momentary excitement before averting.
"Looking for Lis?" I asked, leaning forward.
"You're still mad," Asuna said with a slight pout, "Garr, can we put that aside?"
"Oh yeah," I said before breathing sharply out my nose, "let me just tell Asterius, oh wait."
Kuradeel and Leafa stepped beside Asuna closely, the former's posture as stiff as the latter's arms towards their scabbard.
"That wasn't my call," Asuna said with a shake of her head, "listen, we need you back in Urbus."
"Did you hear that?" I said while looking back to Graye and Haru, "it just got better!"
"Would you just stop?" Leafa asked with a hard stare, "we didn't come all the way out here to make you feel good."
"Then that'll be the second failure today," I said with a groan, "I'd let you talk to Lis, Asuna. But conditions have changed."
Kuradeel's eyes drifted towards Rovia, his serious expression squinting as sunlight beat down on us. Lowering her gaze, Asuna faced me delicately.
"You wrote things," Asuna said, "stuff about magic."
My head craned back, eyes fixed on her.
"Did I leave those there?"
"Yes," Asuna said with a nod before passing me one, "here, I managed to save this one."
Gently taking the old set, I gazed upon its title with a curious reunion.
"I would've brought more," Asuna said, "but they went missing afterwards."
"I told PoH to keep working on them," I looked and said, "we both understood how sensitive the knowledge would be."
"These people," Kuradeel said worryingly, "they look starved."
"Been trying to correct that," I said with a glance, "progress's been slow."
Leafa's sharp turn away said everything, she was a body guard and nothing more. Asuna watched as I stopped on my last written page, regarding dimensions beyond our own.
"You know things," Asuna said with soft hand motions, "we could really use whatever that is."
"Not until I'm certain that it's true," I said before closing the book, "which I won't research further until Lis' situation improves."
"Situation?" Asuna's eyes widened, "what happened?"
"I was about to explain to my friends here," I nodded behind me, "if you wanna help, stick around."
There was no hesitation in Asuna's decision, our feet turned as I planned. Their eyes turned both ways, expressions softening as townsfolk greeted them weakly. Minutes into our walk, my lips softened from their harsh compress.
"Lisbeth's infiltrating our enemy's base."
"What?" Haru matched my pace, Asuna closed in.
"She's currently under the nose of a very powerful magician. One that's been sending undead infiltrators across our border for some time."
I spared no details, at least any I recalled. The further along I went, the expressions on all their faces darkened. Stopping herself beneath a roof, Haru's back planted before turning to me.
"So you just let her go?"
"Our informer said that would've been detected," I said, "mage's got his grounds covered."
"Then how do we fight him?" Asuna asked, "I'm not letting this slide."
"Yeah!" Leafa said with a glare on her face.
"That's where I'm lost," I said with a nod, "If everything Kirito told me is true-"
"Kirito?!" Leafa's face turned pale, "he's in this too?!"
I myself gulped a bowling ball, my own lack of operational security ratting out my only informer. Stupefied by a lack of restraint, I sighed before turning to Leafa.
"He's been a great help," I said, "and I need him if I'm getting Lis back."
"What is the plan?" Kuradeel said calmly, "you've only stated why we can't help."
"Which is stupid," Haru said while stepping in, "Cause I've got pots that'll set stuff on fucking fire, Graye's an Assault Team veteran. But only you can fix this?"
"But we're living," Graye rubbed his chin, "the whole forest's probably under observation for that sort of thing. Would be nice if we had anything like that."
"Keeping you all out of it would've been ideal," I said before looking to Haru, "but I can only work with what I've got."
"You put my cousin to this!" Leafa said while pointing a finger, "what is he doing, Garr?"
"Getting me the information I need to break this mage in two," I said with a lean, "you better not give him grief, cause I'm stuck without it."
"I can't believe he's involved," Leafa said babbling, "this is dangerous!"
"You should've never let this happen," Haru said with hands on hips, "why wouldn't you just tell someone before this happened?"
"To be fair," Graye said, "he was banished."
"We could've handled this beforehand! We've got an entire Assault Team sitting in Urbus, but Garr thinks he knows better! He had an entire army of Tauran!"
It all stung, these truths brought by our local Monday morning quarterback.
"I did what I assumed to be right," I said sternly, "being king does that for ya. If I treated my men so cheaply, I'd pay dearly for it."
"They're not real," Haru shook her head, "when all this shuts down, they disappear. So why bother?"
If only this were true, if only we weren't cut off from our world.
"Mm," Graye winced, "we had to get everyone together somehow."
"If you wanna join me on this," I said with a raised finger, "know this. Killing the mage and extracting Lis are my top priorities. I can assume we'll begin our strike on the tenth."
"I'm in," Asuna said sharply before looking to her retinue, "right guys?"
"It's a bit sudden," Kuradeel said with a wince, "I prefer a bit more time in between."
"Yo!"
Our heads turned swiftly to a returning monk, this glint in his eye as he motioned us over.
"Found somethin', mates. Care to tell me what it is?"
Sun Dancer
Across Rovia's west horizon stood an old stone structure, its peaks camouflaged by Honningstein's woods. All matters considered, it was a unanimous decision to go and inspect. Its architecture bore little similarity to its neighboring town, lacking in the rectangular, but making up for it in hexagonal patterns. Smooth etchings covered its faces, whipping, jagged shapes. To its peak, a tower with a shining metal ball stood, a wreath of vegetation and dust its foundation.
"Why isn't this in town?" Haru said as she inspected, "carrying the stone out here isn't practical."
"You really need to play more games," Oran said with a smirk, "why don't we open up?"
Grabbing vines, my hands adhered to a material of slimy quality. Its stretching fibers squished before being hacked off, tossed off before stained fingers pried open a set of cold panels. From within dimly lit pews of a twisted, ferrous nature resided a great bowl. All around, the red of aged iron stood as monuments, their thin, flared, and curved lengths indicative of violent mishandling. Little made sense as we closed in, three dimensional shapes forming without rhyme or flow. These spires of gray and red splayed out like the tops of trees, leaf-less and sharp.
"How'd no one poke their eyes here?" Graye winced as he passed.
"What if that's their kink?" Oran said as he viewed this pillars.
Haru's right glove drooped, removed from its owner's glowing digits. She held back, looking with a slight frown in all directions.
"Light?" I asked, "it's kinda dark in here."
"I think a torch would be safer," she said before slowly gloving her hand, "these orbs attract things."
"Attract what?" Graye said.
"Oh nothing, just spectral entities from god knows where."
"Perfect," Oran said with a dipped chin.
"Why does your hand glow?" Leafa asked.
"Let's wait on that?" Kuradeel said, "we've had enough explaining already."
A torch's orange glow brought intent to these unusual designs, their artisans mental faculties coming to question the longer I stared at profound, yet sickening forms. Hollow, bulbous frames tied together with fragmented tendril, their sub-connections wired like roots. Careful inspection too revealed 'hairs', of iron. It was clearly some magic temple, but to what god I had no clue. These twisting hairs of iron weren't accidental, nor the cubes or pyramid shapes forming at seemingly random points. Fingers and knuckles proved them solid, not hollow. Turning towards its altar, I marched quickly.
"It looks like they were worshiping something," Asuna said to herself, "everything here's shaped like a Jellyfish."
"So when can I cure disease?" Oran asked, "spaghetti monster's gotta be chill as hell."
"I wouldn't trust this place for healing," Graye said with a shiver.
A single book rested on the floor, its leather old and pale. Its writings were in a language I failed to recognize, but its crude illustrations made some sense. Peaking within our remaining bowl, a solid puddle of black and gray sat. This was it, initiation material. Of what magic branch, I could only assume it to be different from fire. What power lingered here, it drove me to seek more, to learn what law stood in rejection of what we possessed. Towards dusted backrooms lurked paper. To this, Haru joined me.
"What're you seeing?"
"Keys to magic power," I looked to her briefly, "couldn't help me, not with what I'm doing."
"I'd rather not mix types," Haru said while searching, "not until I know more. Iron's a big theme here."
Footsteps thumped behind us, stopping at our exit.
"found anythin'?" Oran asked, "Leafa's already inching away."
"Sensitive material," I said, "involves anyone of you, if you choose."
"We think there's magic power to tap into," Haru turned to Oran, "I could say much more if someone would hand me the manual."
I passed the old leatherbound while scrounging, Haru sighing as pages flipped behind me.
"Will it make me bigger, love?" Oran said with a chuckle.
"Bigger," Haru shook her head, "that would be your first question. You wouldn't happen to be related to Garr, would you?"
"My Dad would've been his," I sifted through papers, "but the family dog..."
"Which's the dog?" Oran asked.
"Shut up."
"Hey," Haru said, "I think this involves electricity, lightning, that stuff."
"Oh shit," Oran said while turning, "Graye! You wanna cast lightning!?"
"It depends!" Graye said from the pews, "could you not shout? Nostalgia's rubbin' me wrong."
"Pf," Oran looked to us, "what's the catch, love?"
I rose from my spot, finding nothing of great value.
"We need heat, anyone got coal?"
"Aye," I said, "under the bowl?"
"Mhm."
Back among the pews, Graye sat as our newest members perused darkened corners. His hung head and lowered shoulders brought my gaze steadily elsewhere, never took him for a pious type. Chunks of coal were tossed below, the altar's mantle alighting with newfound fuel. Looking up at us, Graye's green eyes softened.
"Mates," Oran waved over, "we should try this."
"What will it do?" Graye said while closing in as we prepped, "you've seen fire mages, their hands."
His eyes averted, directing at us.
"There's a way to reverse any of this, right?"
"We would," I said while nodding, "if I was still king. Dickhead probably killed that too."
"I could ask," Asuna said with a narrowing set of annoyed eyes.
"No thanks," I said in rebuttal, "no need to give him ideas."
"Then you better pick someone else," Graye sided with Oran, "Haru's messed with Oran bad enough, and that's not...mutating."
"Will you just drop it?" Haru inspected the bowl briefly, "sheesh, what's got you so uptight about that?"
Graye's lip flattened, moistened eyes veering away.
"I just don't want him hurt. Garr, could you do it?"
"It'd interfere with my plan," I said, "believe me, I'm not giving myself any comfort."
"And I'm already devoted," Haru said while showing her glowing hands,
"This looks scary," Leafa said with a frown, "forget about it."
"I won't take what I don't know," Kuradeel said while crossing arms, "I pass."
"Oran?" I glanced.
"I dunno about you, mates." Oran eyed all of us, "but who needs a stick when you've got lightning?"
"It could do horrible things to you," Graye turned.
"So could a nanny," Oran smiled, "and mine loved me like a son."
Graye's arms slacked, chin lowering slightly.
"Are you sure about this?" his chin raised again, "cause boy, if you don't like it? I don't wanna hear any of your shit."
Oran laughed at Graye's underlying sass, the indescribable contents turning to a viscous sludge as its container glowed. While dull initially, its black colors brightened to a gun-metal gray, its sheen sharper than any iron ought to be. Its volume shrank considerably, as if purifying itself. Checking the manual, I grimaced slightly before glancing to Haru.
"hope he's got a strong stomach."
"What?" Oran asked.
"He hopes your stomach can take this."
"You're telling me I gotta drink that? Please, Lisbeth's got the iron gut."
"It's either that or no power."
Oran fidgeted slightly, but agreed nonetheless. Pouring its contents in a cup, its glow left me nervous to touch it with hands.
"Are you sure this is how it works?" I looked again at indecipherable pages.
"It's imagery suggests it," Haru said, "just do it."
I bit my tongue before hovering my hand over the cup's rounded face. It glowed red, but no heat greeted me. It was at this moment I paused, how could this possibly be? This metal was in a liquid phase, perhaps thousands of degrees hot, yet I could bear to put my hand so close and feel nothing. Whatever this substance was, its disregard for the laws thermal energy was palpable. Grabbing this blasphemous grail with an ceaseless tide of theories, I paused at what sounded like a voice that laughed. I shivered, passing it to Oran with a slight nod, looking for whose voice echoed.
"Anyone hear that?"
"Besides birds?" Graye blinked.
"Bottoms up!" Oran raised his goblet.
"Oh that's not good," Haru drew back.
"You heard it?" I glanced, finding her nodding.
A coughing gulp from Oran was met with a sharp cry, our monk toppling over without a second's break. His stomach swelled, glowing a familiar yellow as it throbbed.
"Oh my God!" Graye drew potions, "it's killing him!"
"Leave him!" I shouted, "his health bar's stable."
"What's happening?!" Leafa asked with a sharp cry.
Oran screamed and writhed like a wounded beast before us, tossing limbs at metal and wood, the luminescent gut fading as inner walls absorbed. Amazing, it was reacting to this substance like alcohol, water even. His veins flared as droplets traveled through his bloodstream, latching onto ligaments, ending along bones. Wriggling in anguish alone, tears burst as his skull itself appeared to shift.
"Uh," I slowed, looking back to the manual.
"You!" Graye said with a finger pointed, "what've you done to him?!"
"I followed the manual," I flew through pages, "he wanted this power!"
"It's killing him!"
"His bones are like neon lights," Haru said, "but his fingers, they're losing their color."
Asuna stepped in, dumping potions as Leafa cried from observing, scrambling for what I could imagine were any items to heal with. It was true what she said, but in ways I could only twist my head at. His skin had maintained its pale coloration, but a dark mass grew below, a bruise I couldn't say I've encountered prior. Oran whipped with a growing sluggishness, his HP boosted by every potion Graye could offer, but it was his sounds that kept me watching.
His limbs struck similar surfaces with a vastly slowed gait, but their reverberations were not of human matter. Wood was met with a low thump, stone scraping as his elbow slid. Easing into a pained sigh, Oran stared up at a dim ceiling. His eyes wavered, his breath projecting a red mass below his navel.
"Oran?" Graye asked.
"Oi," Oran said with a groan, "when I find the developer who made this ritual that painful...oh I can barely move."
"Do you need help?" Haru crouched beside him, "your knuckles changed color."
"Nonsense," Oran bent knees, "I've only gained a...tea-truck's payload o' pounds."
His efforts were feeble, his legs wobbling as he pressed upward, shoulders buckling as he rolled prone, pushing with hands awfully rigid for their healthy shape. I reached forward with both hands, everyone else assisting in a humble return to mobility. Raised to full stature, a slumped back was our first result.
"Oh man," Oran shuddered, "how am I gonna get to town?"
"I can carry you, if walking's too much."
My offer was met with rolling eyes from Haru.
"You can't carry him, he must weigh a quarter ton."
Oran lurched forward, gripping the end of a pew as he pushed. His foot landed, a deep thump bringing a smile on his sweaty face.
"Hey," Oran said, "I gained weight!"
"Um," Kuradeel said while looking down, "that's a bit dramatic."
"So much for stealth," Graye said, "what if we all carried him?"
"There should be enough of us," I said looking around, "what're your strength stats?"
"Leafa's the buffest of us," Kuradeel shrugged, "think the three of us could carry him ourselves."
"Which leaves three to guard," Asuna said with a nod, "Yea, let's do that."
"Hang on, mates. Jesus, I just had the worst pain o' my life."
I checked the interface, four thirty.
"Sunset's coming up," I shook my head, "Oran, we gotta make this quick."
"I'm tryin', ya wanker."
Groaning softly, I stepped in front before joining Kuradeel and Leafa for a squat.
"Fine, god. Get me up."
His bones climbed over ours, his weight anything short of inconsequential as they pressed against unprotected limbs. Leafa gasped with a reddening face, Kuradeel wincing and growling, my legs burning with a groan. As we lumbered out of this accursed place, our three remaining allies kept eyes all around.
A/N: