I do not own Re:Zero or any of the characters.
Chaos
"Ian, we need to talk," Elena said, pale and being supported by Frederica.
Ian nodded, taking her from Frederica and heading into a room where they wouldn't be overheard. "Tell me."
"Five, I think," Elena said. "Might be more, might be less. Subaru's lost his memory. The first repetition we told him about our situation, but the last, he pretended to have his memories, then later blacked out and killed Meili and Wolf, then carved 'Subaru was here' into his arm. You said you thought Subaru was possessed by someone or something, but that whatever it was lost their memory, and now believes that they're Subaru fresh from Japan. You knocked him out in a cage of Ice Emilia made, but then went to fight a horde of those centaur things with Julius, Rem, and Ram, then later Reid, too, when he showed up. Something happened to make Shaula transform, and Julius stayed behind while you three came back up. Shaula killed Beatrice and Echidna, so you sent Ram to deal with her while you fought the last of the centaurs and Reid, but after you killed the centaurs, Reid killed Rem. You used all of you power to attack Reid and managed to injure him a little, but then he cut your horn off. Then we were swallowed by hands made out of shadows."
Ian nodded. "That'll complicate things." He sighed. "There are too many threats. Reid, the Mabeasts, Shaula, the Gluttonies, Subaru's possession. We need to see how he got possessed. It was probably a book in Taygeta, but we have no way of knowing which he was reading." He considered. "Let's wait to see if he admits to amnesia."
Elena nodded. "I'm going to spend some time in the green room later. Maybe it will help with the side effects."
Ian nodded. "I'll try to warn you if I need to use it."
Elena nodded, and Ian helped her to the green room just as Subaru, Emilia, and Beatrice were leaving. Frederica met Ian and Elena at the door and took Elena from Ian, helping her into the spirit's room, and Ian headed to breakfast with the others. As they ate, Subaru announced his amnesia, but said that he vould still remember the others' names and some small details, but the vadt majority of it was a blank. After, he took Ian aside to talk to him while Rem and Ram went to fill in Frederica and Elena. Ian led Subaru to the balcony he and his twin girlfriends had found before Subaru had been found collapsed in the library. While there, he absorbed mana from the air without extending his horn, deciding to keep that part hidden from Subaru until they'd figured out what exactly was going on.
"Has Elena told you what happened?" Subaru asked.
"Yes," Ian nodded.
"I've decided to figure out how to bring back my memories," Subaru explained. "Even if you're right and I'm someone possessing Subaru, I want to bring back Subaru's memories. Even with everything I did, after everything that happened, Beatrice protected me, Julius trusted me, Echidna forgave me, and Emilia is desperately hoping for the Subaru Natsuki you all know to come back, to the point that she saved me, and then willingly died with me. I want to remember the Subaru you all know."
Ian nodded. "If whoever is possessing Subaru becomes a problem, I'll find a way to separate you, even if it's by torturing Subaru. And then I'll make that person suffer. So if this is an act, let that be your warning."
Subaru nodded. "You still don't trust me."
"No," Ian said. "There are too many things I want to protect to risk trusting you. My Authority of Narcisism is inferior to yours. But I will ensure the things I want preserved are safe. If you prove to be the greatest threat to them, I'll treat you as such. If you aren't a threat, I'll work with you as though I trust you, but I'll still be watching you. Also, have you heard the tower's rules?"
Subaru shook his head.
"Don't damage the tower, don't leave the tower until we clear the trials, don't disrespect the library, do not violate the rules of the trials," Ian listed. "If you do any of those, Shaula will be forced to transform into a giant scorpion, the one that attacked you before, and will try to kill us all. While human, she's an ally, but if she transforms, seh's a deadly threat. Apparently, violating the rules also frees Reid to move about the tower, which means he's also a deadly threat."
"And the Mabeasts?" Subaru asked.
Ian shook his head. "Not sure. There's also a fifth rule, but it sounds like the type that would be in place to give a hint as to how to win. It is not forbidden to destroy the trials."
Subaru frowned, nodding. "Yeah, it's weird, but how do we destroy the trials without damaging the tower?"
Ian shook his head. "Not sure."
Subaru nodded. "We should start with Taygetta. To try and get my memories back."
"Agreed," Ian nodded. "But while you start with some of the others, I'm going to go and pass the second trial first. I have an idea how to do it, so I'm going to take Elena and get that out of the way."
"What!?" Subaru gaped. "How!?"
"The rules of the second trial are challenges either set forth by Reid or accepted by him. Due to his nature, they're combat challebges, so you'll never pass, but if we're careful in challenging him, we can pass. Emilia and Ram have both passed, and I'm taking Elena with me for this attempt."
"What will you try?" Subaru asked.
"Riddles while fighting," Ian said. "I'll never beat him in a fight, but while fighting, it'll be hard to think. So if I can beat him in a game of riddles while fighting him, I'll pass, so long as he accepts it."
Subaru nodded. "I suppose it'd be too much to hop he'd agree to that with more than you."
"He won't," Ian said. "I should go."
Subaru nodded. "There's also something I need to do."
"Be careful," Ian warned him, walking away.
Ian headed to the spirit room, finding Elena and Frederica holding each other as they sat against the wall.
"What's up?" Elena asked.
"I want to try something to pass the trial with Reid," Ian said. "Do you feel up to watching? I won't use it."
Elena nodded, and they left the room, Rem and Ram finding them just as they started up the stairs.
"So, you've finally decided to catch up to Ram?" Ram spoke up. "It's about time."
Ian smiled. "Only if he accepts my challenge."
Ram didn't respond, but she and Rem followed them up the stairs to Reid's room. He stood as they entered, and everyone but Ian stopped, Ian walking forward and stopping a few feey in front of Reid.
"Was wonderin' who it was," Reid said. "'S yer turn again, huh?"
"I had something a little different in mind, this time," Ian offered. "We both know I can't beat you in terms of strength. I won't insult you by thinking I can. But what about in a test of wits?"
"Huh?" Reid scratched the side of his head with his finger.
"We'll fight, but not to beat each other, only to distract them and stop each other from thinking," Ian explained. "While we do, you'll give me a riddle. If I can't solve it my first answer, I fail the trial. If I can, I then have to give you a riddle. If you can't solve it, I pass the trial. If you solve it successfully, we repeat the process."
"That's stupid," Reid said. "Why should I?"
"Pathetic," Rem insulted.
"Eh!?" Reid snapped.
"Coward," Elena added.
"What a disgusting excuse for a man," Ram insulted Reid. "No more than a barbarian. If he were a true man, he wouldn't be affraid to test all aspects of himself against another, even his intellect."
"Alright, fine, then!" Reid snapped. "Got nuthin to be afraid of!"
Ian smirked internally, externally drawing his sword. Then, as one, he and Ried exploded forward, their weapons clashing relentlessly. Ian's magic roared to life around him as Reid rapidly outpaced him. Then, Reid began.
"Two of 'em's heaven, and big's better than small. But more of 'em's okay, too."
Ian deflected a flurry of strikes, Reid bearing down on him rapidly, pressing him hard, though Ian didn't have to think too hard to figure out the answer. It was either breasts, or women. Ian glanced at Elena, and she nodded.
"Breasts!" Ian answered as he barely managed to redirect a powerful slash.
"Wrong!" Reid grinned, drilling a stab into Ian's chest.
Ian skipped back, redirecting the slash again as he answered again. "Women!"
Reid stabbed at Ian, but he spun around it, deflecting it. "Correct. Your turn."
Ian grit his teeth as Reid pressed him hard, almost too hard to think of a riddle, almost too hard to speak. "I begin with like...a groan...hollowed out...with ease..." Ian paused as Reid's foot crashed into his chest, hurling him backward into the wall, even the first half already being broken up by their combat, combat that continued as soon as Ian had hit the wall. "I end...like a mouse...with...a head of...hard cheese!" He slammed a magic-empowered kick of his own into Reid, sending him staggering back before pressing as hard as he could, not that it was much to Reid.
"Th' hell kinda riddle was that!?" Reid demanded. "A head of hard cheese!? A groan!? Yer talkin' 'bout sex!"
"Wrong!" Ian smirked, jumping backward, Reid stopping. "The correct answer was 'greenhouse.'"
"Huh?" Reid frowned.
"Take the word groan, then replace the middle letters, 'O' and 'A' with 'E's and you get 'green'," Ian explained. "The second half ends like a mouse, but the head of hard cheese means the first letter, 'H' replaces the first of 'mouse' making it 'house'. Green house."
Reid stared at him then snarled. "No. 'S bullshit!"
"Deplorable," Ram said. "You have no honor."
"What a worthless man," Rem agreed.
"I wouldn't touch a liar like you with a ten-foot pole," Elena added.
Reid snarled angrily, then huffed. "Fine. Ain't my favorite thin, but 's not like I can go back on my word in front of such hot chicks. You pass."
Ian nodded. "Thank you."
He turned, walking back to the others and all of them heading down to the bottom of the stairs again, then up to Taygeta. They began to comb through the books carefully, searching for any books that looked familiar. After a while, the others all arrived, explaining that Meili had tried to kill Subaru by pushing him from the top of the stairs to the fifth floor, but they'd stopped her and convinced her to work with them as a true ally and learn to live as something other than a killer by watching their example. They'd also decided to try and find Reid Astrea's book in order to see if there was a way to defeat him based on his cause of death, but Subaru had needed to have a chat with Julius first.
"I see," Ian nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like Subaru. So, he was probably after Reid's book, then. Alright. We'll help look for that specifically."
The others all nodded, and they began to search again, joining the others' efforts. Except, it barely took three minutes to find it. Meili pointed out a rather large book, abd when Ram checked it, she confirmed it as Reid's. A moment later, Subaru and Julius joined them, understandably surprised by the speed with which they'd gound the book, only to then praise Meili generously for being the one to find it. Ian frowned, watching the book. For a few minutes, they discussed who to have read the book. The options were someone who hadn't read any, Julius who had experience with reading the books without reading an excessive number, or Subaru, who didn't have very many memories to lose. Finally, Ian spoke up.
"Subaru needs to be the one," Ian said.
Everyone stared at him in surprise.
"Subaru, before he lost his memories, isn't a complete idiot," Ian reasoned. "If this was the book he was looking for, then he wouldn't have just read a bunch of books carelessly. He'd have searched for this book exclusively. The other books were probably ones he took out to check and just hadn't put back yet. As for this one book...I don't think it's the same as the rest of the books. The others are all people who have fully passed on, but Reid, while definitely dead, is here.
"I think this book acts differently. It might be that Subaru's memories are trapped inside, or it might be that this book erased them altogether. It might be that the book had some kind of trap associated. Whatever the case, the best chance we have of Subaru regaining his memories is him reading it, which will also spare us the threat of anyone with more direct usefulness losing theirs.
"If Beatrice loses hers, for example, we lose access to four hundred years of knowledge and a powerful arsenal of spells, as well as Subaru and Beatrice's three ace-in-the-hole spells which Beatrice can activate even if Subaru doesn't remember them. If Emilia or Echidna lose their memories, there will be a Royal Selection Candidate gone, because Emilia won't remember anything, and Echidna won't remember that she's trying to save Anastasia. With Emilia, we'd also lose one of our biggest powerhouses. The same is also true for our other combat members. And if Elena loses hers, we'll lose Aria's aid, I'll lose my sister, Frederica her partner, and will lose one of the few people who can make sense of Subaru's rambling and understand the reasons behind his sometimes random decisions. On the other hand, if the worst happens and Subaru loses his memories again, it'll be annoying, but we can just explain everything to him again."
"That is...a fair evaluation," Echidna accepted. "I'll second the decision."
"As will I," Julius nodded.
"Ram's beautiful sister agrees," Ram nodded.
"Sister also accepts Ian's reasoning," Rem added.
One-by-one, the others all agreed, though Beatrice and Emilia were more hesitant, and Subaru nodded, sitting down with the book.
"I'll probably be back late, so you can go ahead and have dinner," Subaru smiled up at Emilia.
Emilia smiled almost adoringly. "Stupid."
Subaru grinned, then took a deep breath and opened the book, sinking into a trance instantly. Then, he slumped to the side. They waited, but Subaru made no sign of stirring. Finally, Ian drew his sword and reached it over, carefully using it to close Reid's book, then lifted Subaru, moving him over to sit against the wall. They waited in silence for nesrly half an hour, before Shaula suddenly spun toward the stairs, face tense.
"What is it?" Ian asked.
"Someone's approaching the tower!" Shaula said urgently.
"Ram, Emilia, go with Shaula," Ian instructed. "Shaula, in case of a worst-case scenario, explain all of your scorpion form's abilities to them on the way, please. Rem, Elena, Julius, and I will head down to the entrance and get ready to greet anyone who makes it here. Everyone else, please stay with Subaru. Everyone, mostly Ram, do not allow any damage to be done to the tower."
"What a hopeless man, believing Ram needs reminding," Ram huffed, then kissed Ian. "Protect Ram's beautiful sister."
"I will," Ian nodded.
Ram nodded and kissed Rem also. "Keep Ian from doing anything unnecessary."
Rem nodded. "Be careful, Sister."
Ram nodded and ran after Shaula and Emilia, who'd already left. Ian nodded to his group, and they also ran from the library, heading down the tower quickly, aiming for the entrance to the tower. What they saw was a more horrifying sight than they'd expected. The Mabeasts from the desert around them, countless of them, were charging toward the tower, their footsteps making the ground beneath their feet tremble. Already, countless flashes of white light were streaking out to kill the approaching Mabeasts, as were enormous blasts of Wind Magic and massive ice formations and spears, but it was doing little to delay the inevitable.
"Julius, take Elena and get back to the library to warn the others," Ian said seriously. "Elena, you have until they reach the tower to find a place to sit. Rem, he need to head up to the balcony."
Rem nodded, and Ian scooped her up, his Wind Magic roaring to liftle around him before he took off, streaking up to the fourth floor and to the side of the tower above the entrance. They felt around the wall for the concealed balcony entrance for a moment before locating it and hurrying through. And once they had, they extended their horns and joined Shaula, Emilia, and Ram in struggling to fend off the Mabeasts. The entirety of the landscape around them was blanketted by Mabeasts seeming the size of ants. And all together, they all struck again and again with their ranged abilities. Ian, Rem, and Ram pulled in a near-constant stream of Mana from the air around them, where the miasma was thin.
However, the effects of their attacks were extremely varied. Shaula took credit for the highest volume of projectiles, each barage bearing hundreds of glowing stingers, but the actual effects of her vollies were disappointing. Each round struck only two or three Mabeasts at a time. Emilia's attacks, by comparison, we equal to Shaula's, though bore vastly less volume. Emilia was sending small scatterings of razor-sharp ice out, and any that struck a target bloomed into massive, crimson, ice flowers, each of which claimed between two and four Mabeasts in total. Rem was firing barrage after barrage of Ul Huma spears from the air around them, usually in sets of three, and each spear that impaled a Mabeast killed it. And then, there were Ian and Ram. They were sendibg Al Fura after Al Fura down into the coming horde, the blasts of Wind Magic erupting into enormous cyclones of razor-sharp wind, sucking in and shredding Mabeasts half a dozen to a dozen at a time. And yet, even together, all of this was only delaying the inevitable. Finally, Subaru and the others rushed in, except that Frederica and Julius were missing.
"Good, everyone's here!" Subaru nodded. "Ian, I need you to come with me! Meili, help Shaula and the others!"
Ian nodded, and Subaru ran back the other way with everyone not currently attacking or Meili. Ian was worried about leaving Rem, Ram, and Emilia with Shaula, but they could survive if she transformed, at least for a while.
"Subaru, where are Julius and Frederica?" Ian asked.
"They're fighting Gluttony with Aria!" Subaru said urgently. "Near the Green Room!"
"Who is fighting Gluttony with Julius and Aria?" Echidna asked.
Elena let out something like a scream mixed with a terrified sob, and Ian's magic roared to life around him as he all but exploded down the hallway, Wolf appearing at a sprint at his side, keeping pace with him, ears tilted forward.
"They're still fighting!" Wolf snarled. "All of them! He only ate her name!"
Ian nodded, and they rounded the corner, instantly seeing Fredeirca's part in the battle was about to end in a single, wild strike. However, at the last second, Ian managed to intervene, his blade meeting the strike and an explosion of Wind Magic hurling the threat backward. Lye grinned wickedly as he landed on his feet, Julius retreating back to Ian and Frederica. As he did, Aria and Wolf moved over to wait at either side of Ian.
"Julius, Roy Alphard, the one that took your memories, should be in the tower somewhere," Ian informed him. "Take Frederica and go with the others. Leave Lye to me and Wolf. Aria, back to Elena."
"You...remember me?" Frederica asked.
"Of course we do," Elena smiled, kissing Frederica.
"So, your name is Frederica," Julius nodded. "Thank you for your aid, and I deeply apologize for failing to adequately protect you."
"Chat later, run now!" Ian snapped, exploding forward at the same time as Lye, deflecting several slashes before a blast of wind sent him streaking away. "Frederica, carry Elena! Elena, eyes closed!"
Both complied, and the group fled. Ian and Lye both exploded forward again, their blades clashing over and over in a relentless flood of blurred blades and flying sparks. Ian's blade grazed Lye's cheek, his forearm, his chest, his shoulder. Lye's blade grazed Ian's side, his thigh, the back of his free hand. Finally, Ian's magic exploded into a massive cyclone of razor-sharp Wind Magic from the point of contact between his sword and Lye's dagger, sending Lye exploding backward and eventually behind sent hurled around the corner, bits of hia robe and his daggers, one shattered and one undamaged, bouncing across the floor. Ian narrowed his eyes, walking forward, but just as he reached the corner, Emilia leapt back from the corner, an ice sword in her hands and her eyes narrowed.
"Emilia!" Ian said. "What are you doing here!?"
"I came to help!" Emilia said. "I'm glad you're here. He surprised me coming around the corner, but I'm not hurt."
Ian's gut dropped just before Lye let out a dark, foreboding laugh, holding out his hand as ice grew up from the gloor to form a spear.
"Ice Brand Arts!" Lye grinned.
Ian skipped backward, reaching just where Lye disappeared around the corner, but despite Ian exploding forward and reaching the corner instantly, Lye was already licking his hand. He couldn't stop it.
"Ian!" Emilia siad as she landed beside him. "I came to help! I'm glad you're here. He surprised me coming around the corner, but I'm not hurt."
Ian nodded mutely, his magic roaring to life around him and his horn extending. When he spoke, his voice was low. "Emilia, our teamwork in combat is going to be poor. He's going to use Ice Brand Arts, because he's eaten your name. We'll attack separately in waves. I'll start, then you take the lead, and I'll adjust as needed."
Emilia nodded just as Lye formed his spear to start. Ian crouched, focused extra magic into his muscles, enough to ache, and then exploded forward. Lye stabbed at Ian, but he slashed hard, shattering the spear, then slashed back the other way. Lye avoided the blade by rolling in mid-air, but as he finished his spin, a new weapon, a sword, had formed. It had a beautifully crafted hilt with a slightly-curved guard, then a thick, broad blade nearly five feet long. The blade's base was barely an inch inward from the ends of the guard on each side, nearly eight inches from edge to edge, then thinned slightly for the first foot of the blade until six inches wide. Ian swore, blocking the enormous blade, but was sent exploding into the wall hard enough to bounce off, allowing Lye, who had continued for another roll, to whip his blade around for a second strike.
At the last second, a chain coiled itself around Ian's wrist and yanked, ripping him out of the path of Lye's sword, saving him. Ian bounced along the floor before rolling to a stop, then groaned, uncoiling Rem's chain from his wrist as she cast off her cloak beside him, handing him his White Whale Sword again.
"Emilia, be careful," Ian warned. "His sword has excess mana built up in it to improve both its durability and striking power."
Emilia nodded, forming herself a huge battleaxe. "Shall I start?"
"Change of plans," Ian said. "We'll fight together. Don't worry about me."
Emilia nodded, and everyone charged. Ian reached Lye first and used a blast of wind to shove himself under Lye's sword. However, as he slashed in return, Lye lept over the blade, finishing his spin and splitting Emilia in half across the torso. Ian skipped backward and ducked under the blade, slashing overhead at Lye's arms. He shifted his grip one arm at the time, narrowly avoiding Ian's blade, but its slash was delayed a half second. This time, Emilia managed to duck under the blade before it whipped over her head. She swung her axe around at Lye, but he leapt over the axe, kicking off it and shattering it as he flipped, slashing at her. Ian yanked her out of the way, then focused his magic to the tip of his blade, stabbing The side of Lye's sword and causing an eruption of magic, shattering the sword and hurling them all away.
Lye and Ian landed on their feet, and Wolf exploded forward, moving far faster than a wolf should, fast enough to become a blur. Lye turned to catch Wolf, only for him to ram head-first into Lye, a sound like a cannon shot going off and sending Lye flying on the business end of an explosion of Wind Magic. As Lye was rising, Lee shot past Wolf, slashing downward at Lye. Lye flipped, an ice scimitar forming from the ground as though pulled from it, and deflected the slash, allowing Lye to plant a kick into Ian's chest, hurling him backward.
"You said you were the ultimate form of life, Pride, but with only that level of power, what can you do? In the end, experience ultimately determines everything. Accumulating excellent expertise is precisely what enriches life and turns people into winners! In other words, it's us who is the greatest, basically!"
Ian narrowed his eyes, only to freeze before he could attack.
"You, the hell're ya gettin' all fired up for?" Reid Astrea demanded, stepping into view behind Lye.
"Wha..." Lye spun, eyes wide with surprise.
"No goddamn way the greatest'd be a twisted with willpower kinda brat like you," Reid pronounced. "That's cause the greatest, the strongest, the best n' the utmost're all words saved for me."
Everyone stared at him in shock, except Ian, who was staring at him warily.
"Hey, hey, the hell ya spacin' out for, you all," Reid asked. "Is me bein' here somethin' so surprisin', huh? It's a matter of course, aye?" Reid slammed his left eye covered under his own eyepatch, and struck the sandals he was wearing onto the floor in a gesture implicitly referring to the entire tower. "I wasn't even able to take a nap cause of all the damn noise happenin' both outside and inside. It's so borin' that there ain't even drinks here in the first place n' then this happens, no way I'd tolerate it."
"We're busy, Reid," Ian said seriously. "I'll duel you after, but for not, please allow us to deal with this."
"'S awfully polite of ya," Reid said, scratching his chin. "But it's so borin', why not just fight all 'f ya?"
"Well, say, Reid Astrea," Gluttony grinned wickedly, turning on his likely prize meal for raising his own deadliness.
"Oh, what is it, midget?" Reid asked. "What a filthy midget. What is it, filthy midget?"
"You're the first generation Sword Saint, aren't you? Then why is that here again, huh? According to our memories, you, the trial taker, shouldn't be able to come down from the upper floor, isn't that right?"
Ian narrowed his eyes. He was also curious, as he didn't think any rules had been broken, yet, but he also wanted to kill Lye, who seemed distracted. If only it were that easy.
"Whether there's a peculiar trick behind it, or whether therulesof the tower itself changed," Lye mused. "Either way, you doing this is out of calculations, and we have no choice but to rethink thefull coursein a lot of ways. After having the appetiser is themain dishand then thedessert, that's standard, you know. Right?"
"Don't ramble 'bout such incomprehensible bullshit, filthy midget bloody bastard," Reid snarled. "I can't come down? Brace yer eyes n' look, you. Ya can understand the stupidity yer talkin' 'bout by takin' a look, aye, you. Hey, you over there." He bared his fangs. "Don't joke 'round, you. I'm doin' whatever I want to however I want to. No way I'd accept someone's instructions, you. Don't be jokin' 'round, you. First of all, right back at ya, the hell 'bout you? Whose permission did ya take to be makin' a racket here?"
Lye laughed. "How amazing, how unbearable, it's impossible to get talking." He combed his bangs back. "Although...as prey it's the finest quality. Our appetite, as Gourmet is starting to crave binging! Eat it away! Chew it up! Lick it all! Attain the flavor! Gluttonous drinking! The purest Gluttony!" He crouched, a thick layer of solid ice spreading from his hands and encasing the entirety of the hallway, preparing for a battle as Lye actually drooled. "Sin Archbishop representing Gluttony, Lye Batenkaitos!" Then, he exploded forward in a blur.
"Ah, what a pain," Reid sighed, sticking a finger in his ear. "Well then, I'm the swordsman Hauroy Larrier."
Ian narrowed his eyes. Reid had battled Envy. He probably knew about the Authority of Greed requiring knowing someone's name. As such, Ian didn't question the change of names.
"Let's eat!" Lye grinned wickedly as he reached Reid.
Reid removed his finger from his ear and planter a kick into Lye, slamming him into the wall. "Puttin' aside if the frizzlin' babe said this, but bein' told that by a dirty midget-chan like you ain't makin' me happy."
Lye choked out a shout of pain.
"Don't make the sound of a chicken bein' strangled, you. Let me tell ya, a chicken tastes delicious after bein' strangled, but I ain't intendin' to eat you. Don't care 'bout gluttony or whatever. Ya came jumpin' at an adult. Hope yer prepared for a spankin', you!"
Lye grinned, raising his arm, a hilt of ice forming from his wall as Reid's leg was still pressing him into it. Instead of him striking, Reid turned, taking off down the hallway using his free leg to hop along at a terrifying speed, his foot dragging Lye along, screaming.
"Hey, hey, don'tcha start screamin' by jus' this!" Reid snarled. "This way it won't even be somethin' to consider. This ain't even children's play in my era yet. Brats these days're not only filthy but also meager aye, hey, hey, hey, you!"
Just as he finished speaking, he stopped, spinning, and slammed a kick into Lye that sent him hurling bavk down the halleay to crash land before Ian. Ian narrowed his eyes and drove his sword down into Lye's face, then ripped it free, stepping in front of Emilia.
"Emilia, run," Ian ordered. "Wolf, go with her."
"But-" Emilia began.
"He's right," Julius said, stepping up beside Ian, sword drawn. "Appologies for returning of my own accord, but I sensed his hostile presence from below."
"It's fine," Ian nodded. "Let's do this."
"Not doin' no riddles-" Reid began, only to suddenly catch Julius's blade with his chopsticks.
Before he could speak, Ian's blade swept in, only for Reid to use Julius's to deflect it, then strike. However, Ian spun around Julius, with the aid of his magic, then slashed Reid's chopsticks aside before dropping into a squat, allowing Julius to slash from above. Despite just being deflected, one of Reid's arms snapped back up, deflecting the strike away, then the other deflecting Ian's. This time, the counter was successful and both Ian and Julius were repelled. Except, despite being repelled, both had still managed to block the strike with their blades.
"Hey, not bad!" Reid smirked. "I'm actually kinda impressed!"
"Thank you," Julius said. "I wouldn't be able to stand against you if not for the harsh words of a friend, but now, I understand that I absolutely must defeat you. Otherwise, our calculations will flunk, you see."
"Is it yer intent to win why yer barkin' 'bout?" Reid asked.
Julius shrugged. "I'm sure that must be the case. But, allow me to give you company!"
Julius's next strike resumed the battle, the dance of blades, as though it had never stopped, and a few moments later, Emilia joined in, first with a titanic flood of weapons, and then with a constantly-shifting arsenal. Each strike was a weapon shattered by Reid, and each time, another weapon appeared almost in an instant. And yet, still the battle raged on with no real progress. Ian narrowed his eyes as he tilted his head, allowing a chopstick to graze his scalp but miss his horn. They were giving Reid everything they had, but Reid was likely still toying with them.
"Good goin', good goin', you all!" Reid commended, laughing wickedly. "I'm startin' to have fun too, aye!"
Ian lunged, drawing his blade back, only for his entire body to erupt into pain as a glowing white needle punched through his gut. Ian skipped back, then spun, narrowly managing to slash the stinger off to the side without his sword breaking, and skidded to a stop. Then, a massive shafow exploded down on the scorpion, crushing it and sending out a massive explosion of darkness, swallowing them all.
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