It was loud, the shot from my new weapon was simply powerful, like a church bell being ringed inside the building. I noticed the flash of my gun had been a mix of black and white butterflies flying gently, a complete contrast of what had been done to Knight of Despair, who tried using one of her blades to block the shot that simply moved too fast.
She was now missing an arm, but the shout she released wasn't of pain, but of anguish, one you would release if you saw an old friend die. I glanced at the gun in my hand.
Every shot carried more than simple bullets, but the weight of your choices.
A terrifying weapon that will make your worst mistakes manifest as pure regret and pain, using it against that despair from her failure... was wrong, but I could tell she wasn't going to stop any time soon, so I moved towards her. This time aiming at her swords, if I take care of them she shouldn't be able to fight anymore.
Because after the first shot I realized one thing, I don't want to hurt her.
She deserves an answer, just like how I got mine. I glanced at her swords, there are six of them... one is above me trying to skewer my head, another two from below going towards my legs, two against my chest to try and force me to move, and the last one was next to her, waiting for the moment I moved out of the way.
Jumping would dodge the ones aimed at my body and legs, but the one aimed for my head would now be going towards my stomach, and even then the last one would go when I couldn't dodge anymore.
Ducking was the same result, the pair at my legs wouldn't be avoided.
Sidestepping? Not enough room.
Then I have no choice but to put into practice on something that I never used before. I'm not one to brag, but I may just be too good at noticing emotions, maybe if I use that skill to read intent... I could replicate what Red taught me.
Read their intention and move before they do, the swords are already on the move... but the last one wasn't.
I looked down, and my eyes narrowed, the opening I was looking for and the moment I jump... she will try and stab me with her last sword.
My body moved low, and I put more speed. I didn't exactly jump, it was more of a hop while lowering my upper-body as much as I could while bending my legs back, dodging under the gap of the swords going to my chest and my legs, then I saw her last sword move.
But I had my gun already aiming at it, opening fire. I watched the sword shatter to pieces while my body moved back from the recoil of the shot, I had to spin midair and land on a crouched position while turning around towards the other swords.
... The feeling in the air was sharp, like I had small needles stabbing at my skin... but certain places in my body felt it more than others. My skin felt like it was being poked, but my chest felt like it was being stabbed.
This must be what reading 'intention' entails, it's... kind of uncomfortable.
Doesn't mean it didn't help, before I even heard the swords cutting air, I spun on the ball of my left foot, and dodged two swords trying to run me through my chest while opening fire, destroying them too.
I felt the stabbing sensation in the back of my head and I didn't bother to glance, and I ducked without thinking twice... even if I felt lightheaded for a moment.
There wasn't any time for me to worry about that, I flinched feeling the sensation again in my right shoulder and left arm, I wasn't going to dodge both of them...
My right shoulder snapped backwards, and I rose my left forearm, dodging one sword and the other one going through my forearm. I had to grit my teeth from the pure and IMMENSE pain I felt in my everything when the sword landed a hit.
I pointed my gun at said weapon and blew it up with a shot while it was still inside my arm, like the fucking idiot that I am... I'm going to catch hell for that one later.
Pieces of black metal were now piercing most of my arm, those thankfully didn't hurt as much as the whole sword.
Two more to go.
Feeling two more swords going for my back, I tried to move like before but that last hit I took wasn't something I could just walk-off, thankfully I wasn't alone.
A gigantic rusted axe came from above, crushing the sword on the ground with great strength, that incredible overhead swing came from Beth, who had taken Ryn earlier to the main room so that the regenerators could work their magic.
"Excellent timing, Beth." I smiled, trying to hide my pain.
She snorted at me with a faint smile, trying to mask her worry, "Just promise you will try to solve your issues before a fight to the death happens..." I'd like to say she was wrong... but I was being a bit of a coward.
I rose my gun and shot the last sword before it could even begin a new attack, I gave Beth one look, and she looked exasperated.
The best I could give her was a reproaching smile and a shrug, that's just the way I am.
Approaching the abnormality that didn't have any more means to attack, I extended my hand since she had fallen to her knees after I broke the last sword.
The sobbing wasn't something I liked, slowly the Knight looked up at me, one simple question in her single eye, 'Do you know the answer?'
My smile was sad but filled with determination, 'There isn't one, and that's the point.' was what my smile said.
Even when I said there shouldn't be rewards for a good deed... I was just as broken to see the path I was taking have no reward in the end, no better life or peace at the end of the road.
But that's it, that's why you have to keep going.
There is no reward because you give everything away, and maybe that was the error she committed... and the one I was committing.
After all...
How can someone that can't even look after themselves help others?
The Knight of Despair slowly took my hand while her features slowly became more normal again, her single eye slowly losing that void she showed and the armor vanishing.
I heard Beth sigh behind me, while I slowly helped the Knight get back on her feet and help her walk towards her chamber.
Although... I'm not looking forward to the explanation I have to give about the new E.G.O weapon...