Chapter 87
Rook aimed it straight at the Titan's chest as Vil fired the massive Thunder Spear. The Titan dove at them snarling.
The Titan's snarled turned into a scream as he was blasted out of the room, passed the stairway and into hole that was in the center of the stairway.
The air in the room settled and became eerily quiet after several minutes. They looked at each other in wonder with the same expression 'Did that just happen?'
"Got em! We knocked that Titan clear into the pit!" Epel cheered.
"We won? We actually won?" Vil huffed.
"We most certainly did!" Rook confirmed with a big smile.
"We did it!" Odette sighed happily.
They all high five each other and shouted. "Alright!"
"Thunder Spear battery low 10% charge remaining. Please place in charging station." The Navi system sounded off.
"One use and its battery is spent? Not very energy efficient I see." Vil muttered as they managed to place the Spear back into it's charging port.
"Considering the power of the blast that's to be excepted." Rook remarked.
"We can't be sure where the next charging station will be best stay here and top it up before we go." Vil said as he took a seat at the large table near the panel.
"Oh a timer's popped up. I believe its showing the time to full charge." Rook said as a timer did pop up and began to count down, starting at 3 hours.
"Argh, but we're in a hurry here." Epel grumbled.
"I should point out that we did not seem to land a decisive blow on the titan. I doubt that was enough to slay it." Rook pointed out.
"I was just thinking the same thing, as the one technician said we don't stand a chance against the titans without the Thunder Spear waiting hours for it to charge is frustrating but it's too risky to proceed without it. We're exhausted from our battles as it is I suggest that we rest until it's finished." Vil explained.
"I'd like to check in with the other teams on our transceiver as well." Rook said as he pulled out the radio but suddenly a loud growl filled the room.
"What was that? Another Phantom?" Vil asked as he and Rook stood up.
"Ugh, that was me, sorry." Epel apologized as he blushed.
"What? How could someone's stomach make such a noise? I thought the Titan had come back." Vil exclaimed.
"Sorry about that sir." Epel apologized again but started to laugh, which started Rook laughing as well.
"That reaction was priceless." Odette giggled.
"What's with the giggle fits?"Vil asked looking back and forth between the three of them.
"Oh it nothing I was just thinking that no matter what you're always so you, It appears they store food in this hanger as well. Why don't we borrow some to appease the titan in Epel's stomach?" Rook suggested as he went over to open the panels they had opened earlier and pulled out a few brown medium sized packages.
Rook put the packages on the table in front of everyone who was now sitting. "There's few a few snacks." He added as he went back and laid single wrapped beef jerky and fruit jerky in front of everyone.
Odette picked up the brown package in front of her and read the package. 'MRE meal #20: Beef Ravioli.' 'Why does this look familiar?' She thought as she stared at the package.
"Do you not like that flavor?" Epel asked as he looked over at her. He had already opened his.
"Oh no it's fine. I was just thinking it looked familiar, I just can't remember why." Odette confessed as she opened hers.
"Maybe you went camping a lot." Rook suggested. "These are popular among campers."
"Maybe." Odette muttered. 'I think it had to do with the job I had. What was my job? Did I work on a boat? Why would a boat have these and not regular food?' Odette thought as she began to following the instructions inside the package.
She looked around the room as munched on her food. 'They called it a hanger but I can't see why, this looks nothing like any hanger I've seen.' Odette thought. 'What a strange thought, it's not like I've seen a lot of hangers, I think.' She thought as she shook her head as if trying to shake the thought out of her head.
"Thunder Spear fully charged, all technomantic circuits operating as normal." The Navi announced three hours later.
"Looks like the spear's ready yo go." Vil said as he stopped his stretching and went over to the charging panel.
"Now that we've had ample opportunity to rest, let us make haste and continue on." Rook announced as he followed Vil.
"We'll be facing even stronger Phantoms up ahead and possibly the titan again. Using magic really works up an appetite so we should bring plenty of food for the road." Epel reasoned as he stuffed the untouched jerky into his sleeves.
"Grim might be hungry too." Odette said as she did the same. 'You can't fight on an empty stomach.' She thought.
"True, it's always wise to prepared." Rook smiled.
"According to the map there's another supply hanger two sectors down. Remember that we still have to carry the spear so don't get too greedy when loading up on supplies." Vil remained them as he picked the Spear off the charger.
"Okay." Epel replied.
They made their way out to the emergency stairs and the Navi system stated. "Thunder Spear set to energy saving mode reactivate with user's fingerprints voice recognition or charge of magical energy."
"Oh good, the spears was giving off so much energy that it was tricky to control with my levitation magic, but it's much easier now in energy saving mode. There we go. "Vil sighed as he floated it behind them as started down the stairs.
"Oh Vil, let me carry the spear for you. I'm used to hauling stuff around with magic I do it all the time back home." Epel volunteered.
"My, now you're volunteering to carry my things? What brought about this change of heart?" Vil asked raising an eyebrow.
"I wasn't that useful when we fought the Titan. So I figured a little heavy lifting was the least I could do." Epel explained.
"Hmph! I'm insulted you seriously think a little lifting would tire me out?" Vil remarked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Ah! That's not what I meant. I just think you should conserve your magic as much as you can for when we really need it. Odette and I aren't useful n battle as you and Rook. So y'know I just wanted to help out in other ways." Epel back pedaled.
"You can could on us to do the grunt work, I feel like cheering and moral support are about the best I can offer." Odette confessed.
"Normally you're the first to the rush to the fore despite my objections. why the sudden crisis of confidence?" Vil asked unfolding his arms.
"He's recognizing his weakness, that's proof he's growing stronger, but Monsieur Pomette, Odette you need not fret so. You're already doing your part perfectly well." Rook reassured them with a smile.
"Rook's right the last thing I need is for you to push yourself now, then pass out at an inopportune time later." Vil said.
"Yes sir." Epel sighed as Odette just nodded.
'I doubt that would happen but his concern is nice.' Odette thought as she just pursed her lips to keep herself quiet.
"Nonetheless whenever I see Vil schlepping around heavy luggage. I too get the urge to carry it for him. When we first enrolled people would volunteer in droves to carry his bags when they heard he was going shopping at the school store or in town. It wasn't Pomefiore students sometimes people for mother dorms would join them. Whenever Vil goes a crowd follows I suppose." Rook explained.
"Please, those people were just curious about a celebrity on campus most of them tired of it within a few months." Vil snarked.
"I wouldn't sat that, I'd argue that a few of them could keep up with your strict self discipline." Rook replied.
"Oh, is that how you two met? Did you carry Vil's things Rook?" Epel asked.
"Hardly! Rook's first approached me well after the star stuck spuds had gone their merry way. Nowadays I turn down most plays and film gigs with long commitments so I can focus on school but in my freshman year, I kept up several jobs that I'd committed to prior to enrolling. One day I was sitting on a bench in the courtyard reading a script for my next play when out of nowhere." Vil began to explain when a screech cut him off.
"Phantoms and they're clearly larger than the ones we've encountered before." Rook said as a large Phantom appeared.
This Phantom was nearly seven feet tall and as wide as the stairway. Ink dripped all over and behind him.
"Odette! Get back!" Epel shouted standing in front of her.
"Vil let me watch the spear." Odette ordered as braced herself against the wall and wrapped her arms around the spear.
Vil look unsure but released his spell and joined Rook and Epel in battle. The three of them timed their attack and destroyed the Phantom quickly.
"Good thing we rested up in the hanger." Rook remarked as he put his pen away.
"Definitely that would've gone a lot worse if we'd run into the, fresh off our battle with the titan." Vil said as he turned back to Odette. "You good?"
She just nodded. "Yeah, my heart is racing more over how different this Phantom was from the others, it seemed closer to the Titan." Odette said still holding the Spear but was a bit red in the face and shaking. "This weight isn't that bad."
Vil just rolled his eyes as he levitated the Spear again.
"Augh! Why does something always interrupt us whenever you guys talk about how you met?" Epel exclaimed before Vil could start his lecture.
"Are the Phantoms boring you Epel?" Rook chuckled as they began down the stairway again.
"It's not that, I'm curious to know more about my dorm's Housewarden and Vice Housewarden I guess." Epel explained.
"As I recalled I came to Vil and spoke to him while he was reading in the courtyard. He looked positively picturesque sat upon that bench set against the backdrop if a sunny afternoon I was so terribly nervous." Rook reminisced.
"Liar! You didn't show a hint of nervousness, oh I'll never forget our first conversation." Vil scoffed loudly.
"Hi there I caught your show the other day I've seen you performed many a time but you hadn't really stood out to me before the way you played the villain this time though, sublime. There are precious few actors who could pull off such a cold tyrannical tantrum prone fiend so convincingly." Vil mocked Rook.
"And that was how Rook and I met." Vil sighed returning to his normal voice.
"Whoa." Epel gasped.
'He could've just said you were great and stopped there.' Odette thought as she looked over to Rook and asked. "Was that a compliment or an insult?"
"Oh la la, to me it was the highest of compliments." Rook reassured them.
"You speak your mind far too freely at the time all I could was think was 'where does this guy get off'?" Vil explained.
"Can't blame you there." Epel confirmed nodding.
"You have a point but it's kinda part of his charm." Odette defended him.
"From then onward Rook would come up and talk to me even when I didn't engage him at all. He's share his completely unsolicited opinions on my performances then go on his way, his positive impressions and negative ones. At first I thought he was no more than an armchair critic trying to tell an actor how to do their jobs, but over time I realized that his observations were oddly perceptive." Vil confessed.
'Hey, I saw that musical you just starred in. Your expression in the final scene when you realized your love wasn't to be? Wonderful! Hi again you seemed right at home in your last play, but not so much in this one, anything the matter?" Vil mocked Rook again.
"He'd highlight all the parts of my performance I was quite happy with and then when I did as the director asked but wasn't happy with the result he'd zero in on those moments as well. Were you satisfied with your final scene? It's didn't seem like you were. At one point I just went ahead and asked him 'how would you have performed that scene?' and then he went on for 5 hours straight." Vil continued.
"Five hours!" Epel exclaimed.
"What a rewarding discussion that was, we touched upon not Vil's acting but works of media we'd both seen theatrical productions scripts. Then next thing I knew it was well past my dorm's curfew I had to sneak back in." Rook chuckled.
"Before that I was fully convinced that no on my age knew as much about theater and art as I did, but Rook quickly disabused me of that notion with his breadth of knowledge. Frankly, I couldn't keep up with half of what he said much to my chagrin." Vil confessed.
"The difference between you and me is that I simply had more free time when I was a child." Rook shrugged.
"After that I started meeting with Rook in the courtyard regularly after school." Vil said
"I remember this one time it was snowing and our conversation grew so heated we both came down with colds." Rook chuckled.
"Wow I guess even you two acted like silly kids once, why'd you stay outside when it was snowing anyway? You're in the same dorm you could've just talked inside." Epel pointed out.
"Actually, I was still in Savanaclaw back then." Rook confessed nonchalantly.
"Oh neat,... you were in Savanaclaw! Wait what!" Epel shouted.
"You've got to explain that one." Odette pleaded.
"Well you see, ah look there! We're coming up on the next containment facility." Rook began but stopped himself and pointed to a door ahead of them.
"You're right, let's pause the chitchat for now shall we?" Vil prompted.
"What? You can't stop there I'm dying to know more!" Epel exclaimed.
"I'd be happy to share as much as you'd like if we all make it safely through this area, of course." Rook promised them.
"Oh right, the Phantoms are gonna be stronger down here." Epel commented as they reached the door.
"Just so we won't have an easy time of it and there's no telling what Ortho and Idia will throw at us. Stay on your toes." Vil remained them as he reached for the door handle.
Thanks for reading and sticking around. I hope you enjoyed it. I did drop more hints about Odette's past but they are vague. When I do reveal her past I think I might have to give a warning. It'll be a full warning not a small note like this because I'm a little worried now about it coming off as insensitive. I can now say you're less than 10 chapters from her past.
