----------------------------------------
<01/19/1972 – 01:10 | Route 96, Junon Region, Sprawn Valley>
Whispers of wind brushed Jane from the north, dragging time and silence behind her. She had been walking for so long now that her guiding constellation of stars shifted eastward; two hours spent from her last fight. Jane had not engaged a single opponent since her last one. Only two people passed her by, but they did so cautiously, trying to avoid eye contact. It made Jane realize just how inconvenient the battle system could be at times. It could only be wrong ~ forcing others with a license to conduct battle with others just because they know they could, or just because they had the factor of fear on their side.
It was either this general area, or all of Junon full of wielders who have no patience for others. The long walk gave more time for Jane to reflect on these matters, but by now she was only tired and exhausted. Estimating the time spent since her last match, how long has it been? Jane estimated that she had continued marching on without any rest for at least two full hours or more since her last battle, but it wasn't easy to tell right now without a clock. It has to be two in the morning or something. Why didn't she just wait like before? The regret only lowered her morale more than she wanted it to.
At least a break might be in order. Jane already ate some of her portable rations after getting hungry twenty minutes ago. They did well to feed her for the moment, but it seemed like the road would never-ever end at this pace. The area on the ground didn't change all that much, other than the gravel becoming less speckled than before; this section of old road wasn't as beaten down as the rest.
Resting on the ground just up ahead seemed like a viable option now. She noticed a shadowy figure there, and contemplated whether it was wise to break beside a potential wielder. This person was either waiting to challenge someone like her, or taking a walking break the same way, but the presence of anyone made Jane incredibly nervous. A battle now would be terrible. She was already cold from the wind, and long since fatigued from all the constant walking. Her limbs were occasionally trembling from the length of exposure to the cold air. Even though it couldn't be any lower than forty-nine Fahrenheit, being out for that long in the same temperature was harsh. Why now does there have to be another challenger?
Just then, the shadowy figure came alive walking towards the center of the road, shifting angles to head in Jane's direction. It really was a person, interested in Jane of all things. Jane felt a loss of words come over her. All she could do now was complain and slow down, the person already at indoor volume proximity.
"Say you? Just hold on just a sec." His voice was deeper than what Jane was used to. The guy had to be twice her age. Revealing longer lighter hair, he seemed to be wearing a thin jacket made for the appearance of official battle gear. Jane stopped in front of the man, but kept her distance at ten feet away. "I need to ask you a few questions."
"I don't want a Leray battle," Jane announced.
The man nodded his head left and right. "If you are a Leray wielder, then all battles still apply to you. Trust me, I don't want to battle either. But I don't get to go home for another long time, see?"
"What kinds of questions are these?" This guy was acting a bit odd. Was he saying that he was challenging her even though he didn't want to battle? He must have misspoke! Why stop her like this if not for a battle? Maybe he wanted to team up?
"The simple kind." The man could tell that his own answer did not put Jane at ease, so he quickly took the time to test his survey again. "Am I to assume you're heading in the direction of Lennith City from elsewhere?"
"Yes?" Jane didn't mind that she sounded skittish to answer the guy. He was the one acting awkward anyway. What does it matter where she is going?
"So you wish to reach Lennith, and you are a Leray wielder. May you please tell me how many battles in a row you have won so far?"
Jane sounded as confused as ever. "How many battles I've won? In a row?" The man was just awaiting the answer. It was an odd question, but still a simple one. This can't be a prelude to ask for a fight. Maybe he was gathering statistics for something. "That would have to be three in a row."
"I see," he answered. The unidentified male noticeably paused and changed his stance to ponder the statistic. He then side stepped once to make sure he was straight lined in front of the girl. "That will be all then. I'm sorry to inform you, but you will not be allowed to pass beyond this point."
"What?!" Jane winced backwards using her entire body, but she couldn't feel embarrassed by that reaction. Who the hell is this guy to think he can just block the road by rule of law?
The man could tell that he already upset Jane, but all she needed now was the reason. "My name is Belzer. I'm what's called a Leray route gradyent."
"What's a route gradyent?" Jane had no recollection of the term or purpose. She would rather return to the pressing concern as to what the guy's problem is. There is no reason why she can't pass!
"Route gradyents hail from nearby towns or cities and act as a sort of sentry outlet for Leray wielders. Think of it as a roadblock filter. I can't authorize anyone to pass to or from Lennith City unless certain conditions are met. If a wielder comes by here, I ask them how many battles they have won consecutively without failure. If their answer turns out to be less than five, then I have them turn back. By those standards, you are thus too weak to head there."
That has to be the dumbest thing ever! Jane stamped forward just one pace to challenge such a threat. "Well my name is Jane Venn." Jane spoke through her teeth, ever making it obvious she was about to burst with anger. "It will be the last name you hear if you don't let me through right now. I don't care what you are or what your job is. Lennith City should be open to the public no matter what!"
"You must understand something Jane. Walking through long routes such as this one or that of Eldora can be very dangerous. Battles are normal for Leray wielders, but for anyone passing by, they must know how to handle the long road and take it easy when they need to. Leray wielders have a sense of common arrogance simply because they have magical powers over everyone else, and that makes them susceptible to conflicts, like getting lost or running around for too long. And it is this kind of stupidity that makes our jobs much harder."
Jane decided not to hear any of his words. "You must understand something. I've never heard of a gradyent before. We don't have those back in Gulop, and I've never heard of anything like this in my entire life. I have been walking on this frozen dirt trail for over three hours! I'm not about to just stop and turn around!"
"Yes - yes," Belzer heeded. "You're upset because you've been on the road for too long, eager to reach Lennith City, tired from the fatigue - I know. And this is exactly what I am talking about. People who haven't toughened up before making long journeys like this can end up getting lost, or getting stuck. Can't say I understand why most first-year classes neglect teaching students about us gradyents, but rest assured they do exist. Gulop has gradyents too, they just don't ever do their job, which is why that region only has one single person filling the role. So I do understand that the concept is new to you, but my job as a gradyent stands as such." He lowered his knees just slightly, maintaining his dominance as a human roadblock against Jane. "I must monitor traffic on the road assigned to me, in order to maintain a stability among Leray wielders with regard to average skill levels. For example, the road from Monoc to Lennith is dangerous, in a sense that Lennith City holds a higher average population of skilled Leray fighters; people who don't lose so often as you. This kind of balance is expected to be maintained."
Jane wasn't certain if he was lying, but in the event he wasn't, and she attacked a gradyent the wrong way, this too could end her career early. Still, this Belzer has gone way too far blocking her access to Lennith City! "So what about the people who aren't wielders? You harass them too?"
"I let them all pass, since they are unable or unwilling to learn how to use magic. For those who require passage while carrying an active license, I offer only three options. You must either pass my conditioned test, suspend your license, or require that you declare an emergency, if the situation warrants it. Technically, you could proceed to Lennith by ignoring my presence, but I would then be authorized and willing to set all three strikes on that card in your pocket. Gradyents have such authority." Jane glared at him with such vile hatred after what he said, but Belzer continued, ensuring he does his part. "I don't particularly enjoy my job all that much, and it's because gradyents have been being pressured by the council to perform the workload of three people lately, even though it falls on them to properly assign other gradyents and agents to each road. Let me ask you something..." Expecting Jane to finally interrupt, her silence allowed him to continue. "Where are the Leray agents who monitor the roads? I don't ever see them."
Jane was confused by his explanation. The rate at which this guy was yapping had her expecting sleep deprivation to be a probable cause of his hostile break down. One would think he's lost it by how much effort the man was placing into his silly charade.
But Belzer continued, pointing at Jane to make her an example. "It's people like you, people who haven't won too many battles in a row that points out the fact that you are simply too weak for what lies ahead, and it isn't your fault. Leray agents are supposed to monitor the roads to ensure that the area is properly watched and maintained, while my job is to regulate the level of wielders who pass by. A person without as much skill level is unfortunately a cause of the problem, due to their heavy arrogance from their own pipe dreams. Imagine the disappointment those elite Lennith graduates face when they challenge a weakling like you, expecting so much more elegance from their studies. While I know having more agents would solve the issue, I also know that such a notion won't ever pass in the council anymore. So I'm left with no other choice Jane."
So he wasn't blocking the road unconditionally. Still, winning five battles in a row is absolutely outrageous for a person of great skill level. How the hell is it not dangerous to stop people who are tired or fatigued from advancing to the next city where it would be safe? Where is the logic in this lunatic? How can it even be tolerable to place penalties on wielders who simply wish to pass through? This just isn't right under any circumstance. "I've heard enough of this." Jane made her move, trying to walk right past Belzer as if he did not exist. That's when Belzer forcefully pushed Jane backwards using the Leray ability of Push Wave. Jane slid back in her shoes without falling over, the Push Wave weaker than average on purpose, but she was now becoming much angrier in response. "How dare you?!" Jane infused magic into her fist, and took a random swing at the guy.
Belzer reacted quickly, catching Jane's arm just before her hand struck his face. Belzer then held her arm there with a slight twist to add pain to the back of her shoulder, keeping her from trying it again. "This is what I've been talking about; travelers who aren't ready for the long roads." Jane struggled with force alone to try and get her arm free of his grasp, groaning from the pain in her limb. "If I can stand here and bully you like so, then anybody else can do it as well. Lucky I don't aim to break the law or do any harm, but others might try something of the sort, and I cannot let this happen to some fragile girl like yourself. Without the agents here to monitor Route 96, I must fulfill my duties stricter than ever before. You don't deserve to go to Lennith City. As a gradyent, I will stop your advance at any cost. That is the job they've given me."
Jane opened her eyes wider, clenching her teeth in his face. Jane then forced back her arm in a winding motion, causing Belzer to let go as he nearly was hit in his face. She eventually remembered something about route gradyents from class, not that she paid it enough attention. Her memory was too vague, though she at least conjured up the concept. Even so, what this idiot was doing didn't fit her mental image of a gradyent at all. Who is he to stop wielders from going anywhere just because they feel like it? Belzer... He has to go down! Jane felt like she needed to destroy this guy if she was ever going to pass, and her aggressive glaring seemed to give Belzer something more to say.
"You're eyes... They burn with so much fire, so much passion! Whatever your drive to reach Lennith City is, I can feel it from over here." Belzer inhaled loudly before coming to a decision, leaving himself open for Jane to attack him head on, but Jane didn't strike him yet. "Very well then Jane. You already know that I will do all in my power to block your path from Lennith City, but since you won't back down, I'll let you battle against me in a fair Leray match."
"Tch!" Jane spat. "You want to battle against me, so that you further slow down the time it takes to reach Lennith City? Why don't I just dish it out right here? I don't need an official Leray battle to get my way tonight."
Belzer remained perfectly calm in his explanations. "Striking me in such a way would be an illegal act on your part Jane. I can sense that you want to keep that license in your back pocket for later. Besides, this is what gradyent battles are known for. If you can prove yourself worthy, defeat me in battle, I will promise you a multitude of awards, including permanent passageway using Route 96. Winning against a gradyent registers on a status link inside of the digital license verification system, so there would be no way to forget the favor."
Suddenly calm by the possible well-made offer in front of her, Jane pursued the nature of the guy's intentions. "What kinds of awards? And don't cheap talk me with some rip off in credits." Jane drew her daggers, uncomfortable just waiting around with conversation. He talks an interesting game, but why wouldn't Belzer just let her battle him before as a gradyent?
Belzer agreed to the following terms on Jane's behalf, ignoring the physical threat in front of him as a sign of his own confidence. "Win my fight, and I will bestow upon you, two upper class healing orbs, two thousand credits, and an HP up spell bomb."
Jane suddenly relaxed. The HP up spell bomb actually did sound like a good reward after all. An MP up spell bomb is an orb which can be used inside of a battle, and the usage of the device improves one's maximum MP capacity by 10% from current levels, up to a certain threshold. The best part to this particular spell bomb is - the effects are permanent. In contrast, with an HP up spell bomb, the effects go to 10% of one's total endurance, and are also permanent. If Jane got a hold of this spell bomb, it would really help out her defense after losing this armor.
Jane's enduring silence allowed Belzer to relax, realizing that the items he bargained struck her in the heart. "There's more." Belzer had thought a lot about his next decision. "It has taken me forever to meet someone such as yourself, a person who has more confidence and determination to have their way, more than anyone I've ever seen. At first, you didn't realize what gradyents do, so you dared to fight me even after I've demonstrated my physical parameters. In this stir, I realize that my way of things might actually be flawed. If you defeat me in battle Jane, I will change my rules of current route gradyent operations. From then on, instead of stopping weak people from passing, I will only require that they battle me to pass, only once - to win or lose."
What an empty promise, Jane thought. "Won't that just piss off whoever gives you your pitiful job?"
"It might, but even so, they can all go to hell!" Belzer didn't need reason to explain the semantics of a decade of broken promises from the people in charge of the gradyents. All that mattered was the end result, the promise he made to himself long ago, to inspire Leray wielders rather than put them down.
Jane huffed out a pressurized breath. She needed to properly prepare for a battle, but getting all worked up was just making her more exhausted. Belzer seemed so angry about the small subject. Are his bosses really that terrible to him? Why can't he just make up his own rules about being a jerk? "So you promise to stop getting in people's way? You'll still be a sentry for Lennith City, but you'll openly accept anyone's challenge to pass. And even if they lose, they still get the privileged passage to the city?"
"That's correct," Belzer agreed. "I'll even make sure to skip anyone who has ever defeated me before just like I announced with the card's update function, in the future from then on. That used to be how I did things for winners only, but times have changed girl. That is why I want someone like you to prove to me that your malice of will channels into your personal skill, to prove that your resolve is as strong as your body. However, I only agree to these terms on the basis that you successfully defeat me in a heated Gradyent match, of the official kind, and I won't be easy to beat."
Jane only thought about it for a few more seconds. If she loses, she could still just kick this guy's ass and move on, and if he really tried to defy her, she still has her secret weapon. "Fine. If that's what it'll take for you to quit acting like a jerk to everyone on Route 96, I'll do it. I'll defeat you in a fight."
"Such brave words you choose against me. It's time to see if you can walk your talk!" Belzer's last sentence triggered the appearance of a Siriean dome, spanning outward in a large radius and lighting up the field inside of it slightly. Jane and Belzer both backed away from each other, gaining distance before officially beginning the fight. The reward text appeared floating in the air again holographically. During that moment, Belzer and Jane both enabled their energy scopes, preparing to fight to the end.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
image [https://i.postimg.cc/vB9DB3LL/S2-Belzer-N-000.png]image [https://i.postimg.cc/bwBQSVbK/S2-Jane-Armor-021.png]
"Give it your all Jane. You're best better be strong." Belzer held his arms over his chest, indicating he was just going to stand there and allow Jane to attack first. "Let's see if people like you are worthy of rewriting the rules in people's hearts."
Jane could hear Belzer's comments from their distance of thirty meters apart, but she focused on the battle. Belzer seems like a tough opponent for sure, and her own armor was no longer strong. It got her this far, and now it was simply degrading. Her chest plate was still functional, but it had lots of cracks and holes in it. Her left armlet was already nearly unusable, and her right legging was almost at the same condition too. Surely her opponent would see this and take immediate notice as well, thus the element of surprise is already lost. If Jane loses her armor right here in this fight, it will all be over in Belzer's favor.
----------------------------------------
Chapter Theme Shift: Deathless ~ Damned Anthem
----------------------------------------
Jane decided on her first initiative strike, dragging her daggers from her side and throwing them without magical infusion. "Knife Toss!" Her aim was spot on, but Jane didn't wait to see if her attack was successful. Effectiveness wasn't the intention this time. Shortly after throwing her two daggers at Belzer, Jane infused some of her magical energy, dropping it all onto her metallic armor. "Armor Protector." She didn't need to yell, especially since this was now a support spell working for the very first time.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Kj2jgB0X/S2-Belzer-N-001.png]
Jane noticed that Belzer did indeed take some damage from her first Knife Toss, but the damage was somehow minimized. In the same instance, her entire suit of armor became coated with a dynamic looking aura of red and black light. It was like a colored shadow gave an extra layer to the metal pieces in her armor, and the effects on her own energy scope named the interactions going on with her suit.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Dz41rQPm/S2-Jane-Armor-022.png]
"I can see you do have intelligence in the beginning of battle," Belzer promoted. It was already officially his turn to attack, but Belzer had to first admire Jane's wise choice by using Armor Protector on herself. Her metal suit was embarrassing; the damage it has already taken prior to the match made Jane stand out in a crowd. It obviously has Damage Eater status, but now her armor would remain invulnerable, incapable of taking integrity damage. Armor Protector is also a special aura, because though one can only use it twice per battle, the duration is untimed. Armor Protector is an aura that will protect the user's armor until a certain amount of damage is blocked out. The aura of protection can be dismissed if enough damage to that aura is caused, but it won't be easy. On the other hand, because of Jane's choice, she was going to start out with a fraction of her own MP capacity.
After considering everything in Jane's choice in mind, Belzer made his very next move, beginning with an unpredictable assault. "Charge Attack!" Belzer began running towards Jane, but not in a simple sprint. While he was charging towards Jane, Belzer occasionally shifted his feet, showing off just how hard it would be to try and stop him. Belzer then created a small red glyphring around his wrist, aiming at Jane without needing to stop. Belzer shot two Fire Balls from a single glyphring, slamming into Jane from an untraceable speed, and soon after Jane took those hits, Belzer was in striking range, ending his combination sequence with a hard punch to her face infused with magical damage.
Jane was forced back by the punch while she adjusted to the craggy pain in her jaw, though the Fire Balls didn't hurt her balance nearly as bad, She maintained her balance enough to recover her stance quickly, just as Belzer back-stepped for safety. What surprised her was the fact that her HP was barely reduced at all, and her armor integrity didn't budge an inch. The dark aura surrounding her suit remained strong, blocking out damage to the armor itself, and it also allowed the armor to perform the same way, doing its job to minimize the damages dealt to Jane as a whole.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/QtL10Bfm/S2-Jane-Armor-023.png]
Jane knew that this was only the beginning. She would need to choose her skills and spells carefully. Using up all of her MP too soon would not do her well, and Belzer sure didn't look like an easy opponent to beat. He has a good endurance to hold his own, naturally built up from battling experience. "You're not stopping my progress!" Jane promised from the yell of her tongue to never give up, giving her the courage to try another simple and effective attack. Jane slid down on her feet just after invoking her ability, giving her the chance to potentially evade a projectile while attacking. "Bullet Blitz!" Jane's machine guns formed in her hands like before, quickly giving her the chance to unload both clips into Belzer's body, though her movement to slide didn't really change anything. Belzer didn't try to counterattack after taking the last hit. After holding down the trigger, Belzer was pelleted with dozens of bullets from the guns, and his body bounced around from the force of the many projectiles. The assault was a success, so now Jane had to back away, already too close to her opponent for comfort.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/BbB65bzj/S2-Belzer-N-002.png]
Though Belzer took standard time to recover from Bullet Blitz, he didn't seem to care about the pain those bullets should have caused. He wasn't an armored target either; his wardrobe was only comprised of a mercenary outfit mixed in with some kind of extraordinary fashion sense of hanging fabrics and an old style scarf. Belzer took his time deciding what to do next, surprising Jane with the very next trick. "Dualcasting!" Belzer put both hands in front of him, his entire body now glowing with a shadowy aura of magic. Now Belzer would be able to speed up his invocation time for the next few spells, giving him the perfect opportunity to strike relentlessly against Jane.
Jane knew it was coming, but she couldn't do very much about it. Belzer began spamming his next choice of spells one after the other, the invocations and glyphrings coming and going too quickly to count. "Ice Needles!" he spat! Through the bright blue glyphring, Belzer fired a barrage of Ice Needles at Jane, as he quickly went into another type of invocation before the projectiles were finished firing off. "Crimson Flare!" Belzer formed another glyphring in front of him, shooting out three massive sized crimson spheres of hot magical damage. Jane could only stand there, taking the Ice Needles attack before the center crimson sphere suddenly consumed her. Despite her armor protecting her, the damage level and pain caused by Crimson Sphere was very high. That's why Jane reacted with a screech leaping from her throat, kneeling down before trying to get over it quickly.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/HxQ5KpKg/S2-Jane-Armor-024.png]
Somehow, the pain faded quicker than Jane expected it to. It was only two seconds until she got up, assessing the next way to strike back. "That the best you got," Jane taunted. She then charged at Belzer with a sprinting speed. She could go faster without the bulk of her armor, but due to its current condition, it became lighter than it originally was. Belzer prepared to block whatever physical attack Jane had in mind, his sudden defensive stance pleaded so, but Jane wasn't backing down for a moment. "Knight Dance!" Jane's fists, legs, and daggers became cloaked in a bright glowing blue aura that she used to inflict magical damage with physical damage into her combination attack at close range. Just like Jane has always performed up close, she carefully balanced her strikes between punches, dagger slices, kicks, and random evasions without giving Belzer a chance to relax or interrupt her sequence. When it was over, Jane backed away quickly to leave him with the new damages.
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/ZY8CzsqJ/S2-Belzer-N-003.png]
Belzer still managed to get back to his feet quickly, admiring Jane's strengths openly. "I say... You are quick on your feet. Too bad it won't save you from Air Strike!" Belzer invoked his spell while speaking, giving no time for Jane to react to the area attack from above. Small explosions populated the battlefield near her current location from the sudden appearance of bright metal rain, of which eventually engulfed her in multiple blasts. Jane took a big beating this time, and the final explosion which managed to hit her knocked Jane back and off the ground.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/gjmRbCF6/S2-Jane-Armor-025.png]
Jane landed on her back, the pain from the explosions she just took growing stronger. She struggled to get up despite the little amount of effort it took. Her armor was still undamaged, glowing with that spell she cast on it earlier. Everything is okay! She can still fight!
"Flashpoint!" Jane infused more magical energy into her entire body this time, glowing a white hot color just before taking off. Jane dashed towards Belzer, and then quickly increased in speed. Her forward leap nearly had the speed of a bullet just before her fist made contact with Belzer's face. In that moment, the collision forced Jane to stop and land on her feet, while Belzer flew backwards and off balance. Jane never forgot how to use Flashpoint, the speedy attack that makes full use of a magical fist.
Before even deciding to read his stats, Jane used this moment to go right into another attack. Belzer flew backwards, but only slightly away from where Jane was standing. After quickly twirling around her body to dodge any potential and unexpected counterattack, Jane used that time to charge up her very next spell, launching its light towards Belzer while he was trying to get back up. "Median Flare!" Jane's hands folded outward in a very specific angle, allowing them to shoot a directional flash of light towards Belzer. The light carried a specific beam right in the center, which was the force that hit him again from the Median Flare. In that moment, Jane backed away again while Belzer tried to get over double damage. The blast of light contained a burning heat and a sonic blast of noise that pushed Belzer backwards just after he tried to recover.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/7YqbH1C0/S2-Belzer-N-004.png]
Belzer was still on the ground, pushing himself back up with much more difficulty than before. He checked to see that Jane was now hanging defensive again while he took his time getting over the last few attacks. They were both painful and draining to his stamina. Belzer couldn't remember the last time he fought this hard, regardless of how many people he battled against recently. Jane has so much power in every single strike beyond her first two test skills, and though she wasn't an expert yet, she was somehow discovering a balance in her style mid-way through the match. Belzer smiled in light of that. Jane was a worthy opponent after all, but that didn't mean she could win. Giving all of his MP energy into a new kind of skill, Belzer stood still in front of Jane while charging up the massive potential. The process was already making his entire body glow with a bright aura similar to Jane's Flashpoint skill.
Jane immediately took notice of this, but Belzer wasn't announcing the name of the spell until it would be too late. "Now what?" she begged to know. Jane tensed in a defensive stance, realizing this could wind up being fatal.
Belzer finally had his energy charged up, and unleashed it all towards the field in front of him. Direct aiming didn't matter with this specific skill. "Mega-Flare!" In that instance, Belzer's MP declined significantly, causing the entire field to explode in a magnificent blinding light that covered the entire interior of the Siriean dome. Belzer wasn't affected by the damages caused by Mega-Flare simply by the spell's design, but Jane was taking a ton of magical damage during the explosion of light, which also began to scorch her skin. Mega-Flare doesn't cause fire elemental damage, but the damage potential is so high, the light becomes hotter during its use as well. As soon as the flare ended, Jane was let go of the force that held her there, allowing her to fall down on her hands and knees again. The single attack immediately left her completely drained of her stamina. Jane felt like the life force had been completely sucked out of her, prompting a quick check of her updated energy scope.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/mkj9LmBp/S2-Jane-Armor-026.png]
The damage wasn't too bad, but after another physical examination, Jane noticed that her spell casted by Armor Protector was no longer in effect. The damaged suit of armor she was wearing was no longer shrouded by the dark red colored aura she once had earlier, but there were no new damages either. That Mega-Flare was powerful. It cut the Armor Protector spell clean off of Jane and still caused this much damage to her health as well. On the flip side, Belzer still had plenty of MP to work with.
This wasn't the time to give in. Jane forced herself back up, ignoring the draining sensation that threatened to slow her down. If he wants to attack with higher power, then what's to stop her from trying that the same? Jane quickly unleashed the energy for an area attack of her own, creating a large red glyphring vertically aiming down from the sky. "Meteor Strike!"
Belzer could only watch as the unavoidable swarm of red glowing space rocks hurled down from above, penetrating through the dome shield by design and smashing deep into the field. The accuracy was all around him too, making a few close calls already early to the start of the attack. Belzer quickly turned to Jane, ready to try and attack her before taking any damage. Belzer was instead too late, as a meteor struck his body directly where he stood.
Jane noticed the incredible damage Belzer just took after the meteor hit him. Belzer was already on his back and immobile after the meteor that hit him faded away with the rest of the spell. Yet even after the impact, he desperately tried to get back up despite how much he slowed down from the pain and reduction in HP.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/rFgsKdWb/S2-Belzer-N-005.png]
Belzer took his stance once again, ignoring how messy his brown hair and suit became from the constant high-level attacks. After getting his aim at Jane back, he unleashed another skill, forcing Jane to take defensive action long before announcing what was next. "Dualcast!" He hollered into his spell, creating the same dark green colored aura that allowed him to quickly invoke a multitude of Leray abilities. Belzer finally took out his primary weapon, an energy blaster. It was like the same thing Ian had in Jane's last battle, but Belzer would know how to aim better in this case. "Shotgun Blast!"
Jane suddenly got blasted with the power of multiple energy blasts coming from the weapon. The damage went straight to her health and armor at the same time, thought the force wasn't enough to stop her. Jane decided she had enough of this Dualcasting effect, and tried to counterattack anyway. After pushing her arms out to throw something towards the ground, Jane unleashed some more of her energy, just as Belzer hollered "Shotgun Blast!" a second time.
Despite the fact that Belzer successfully shot another round through his blaster weapon, all of the energy blasts that came through the barrel were suddenly stopped just before reaching Jane. A nearly invisible force had consumed them all, and then grew in height as the shadowy wave drove closer to Belzer's feet. Because it was still dark out, this kind of attack wasn't easy to spot at first, but Belzer was too surprised by Jane's counterattack to do anything. Her Shadow Wave interrupted his Dualcasting attack sequence, and slammed into his body shortly after. Belzer was pushed back by the force of the wave for two seconds before it exploded in front of him for additional damage. Jane took note of his decreasing health stats and came up with another plan while preparing to defend herself yet again.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/fWfmfRm7/S2-Jane-Armor-027.png]image [https://i.postimg.cc/x1CCH03d/S2-Belzer-N-006.png]
Though neither side was giving an inch, Belzer had another idea up his sleeve, unleashing his charged up spell against Jane while she tried to block it out. "Harmonics!" he chanted. A visible blast of air was sent Jane's direction, and though it wasn't wide enough to exit the classification of a projectile wave, Jane was not able to dodge it with its current airborne speed.
Expecting a forceful kind of attack she wasn't familiar with, Jane's head suddenly filled up with overwhelming rings. The sound of high-pitch frequencies echoed and amplified in her ear and in her head, forcing her to scream out in pain and cover her ears for protection. Jane's attempt to block out the sudden resonance of harmful sound wasn't working, it was channeling inside of her ears despite trying to cover them both sides. The discomfort progressively got worse, as the compelling pain sent Jane to her knees with her eyes shut. She couldn't think of anything else; the sounds were so loud, they weren't stopping for a moment! Jane could hear several hundred different pitches and frequencies of noise, but every one of them was very high and powerfully amplified. The sensation quickly gave her a headache, forcing her to forget about fighting.
Belzer's trick worked for the moment. Harmonics is a powerful Leray ability that basically stops opponents with overwhelming sound that only they can hear, but it only works if the small and narrow flying projectile of its magic disguised as an Aero Blast lands on the opponent. Jane looked like she was in a lot of pain, never letting up to cover her ears and her head. Now was the perfect time to finish the battle up. After taking the long time in energy accumulation, Belzer charged up every last bit of his MP energy into a powerful magical attack. "It's time to use Photon Blast."
Belzer created a large blue glyphring in front of him, taking up enough size to block the entire field on his side if the glyphring were to be solid. While his attack was still charging, Jane somehow changed positions, finally getting over the painful sensation of the Harmonics spell, but she was still completely winded by that blast of ringing sound. Jane was still covering her head, standing up with little balance. The spell probably left her with a lasting headache too much to bare, but it was too late for her now. The very moment Jane noticed the start of the magical attack coming from Belzer's massive glyphring, Belzer unleashed all of the energy. The glyphring lit up brightly with blue colors, and then fired a massive barrage of thin blue beams everywhere. Though Jane wasn't a large target, the blasts were spread out wide to fill the area of the glyphring, making it impossible to try and dodge as well. Jane became caught up in the bright blue light as the many beams from the wave shot through her entire body. There were so many beams compacted together, that Belzer couldn't even see Jane's body while she took heavy damage in the payload. The sound of the beams also made it impossible to hear anything else, becoming almost as loud as Belzer's harmonics were.
Jane's health and armor integrity quickly declined with each and every hit. The beams did not simply fire just once; it was a barrage attack at the same time. Each beam of Photon Blast penetrated through Jane's skin and her armor while causing damage to both. The pain threshold was much higher than anything she had ever felt before, forcing her backwards while screaming out in pain again. The loud sounds of the beams muffled her cries, and the blasts just kept going for several long seconds. After they finally stopped, Jane sunk down, defeated by the pain and by the significant loss in her life energy.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/MKZRPJmC/S2-Jane-Armor-028.png]
Jane thought she was seeing in tunnel vision now. She felt so weak, and at the same time, the pain from that last blast didn't leave her with any good tastes. The headache was getting her down too, combined with that Harmonics attack and her armor becoming toast. Jane's armlets both disintegrated, her right legging was gone, and her left legging was broken halfway open. On top of that, her chest plate was a mess of mangled metal. It was a miracle that her metal chest plate was even still attached to her body somehow. The holding straps for it were damaged as well, and now Jane was nearly finished.
Jane suddenly considered giving in. If she gave up, a healing orb would quickly fix this. Passing out would also fix her pain, but it wouldn't help her much. Jane closed her eyes, considering the thought momentarily. Either Belzer was now out of energy, or he wanted Jane to decide on her next action first. As she thought about it more, Jane remembered from before her will to never-ever stop battling, not until the very end. If she can't get to Lennith, she can't get to the Den of Purity, and if she can't get there, her career would forever be over. "No..." Jane coughed in her struggle to try and stand up again. "I'm... Not done yet." Jane's voice was weak and hoarse, while her balance was laughably off in her attempt to hold herself upright.
Belzer's eyes opened wide with the sight of Jane's determination. She took a lot of time, but she still wanted to fight, despite her critical HP condition. "I'm impressed," Belzer announced. "Nobody has ever survived a Photon Blast before - not from me. And you still wish to fight with such low health and magic available?"
Jane almost tripped three times, shaking her head to try and ignore the pain. She felt so weak and dizzy right now, but she didn't want this to be over. "I'm..." Jane inhaled after a long loss of breath. "I'm getting to Lennith City." After another brief moment for Belzer to let her emotions sink into his thoughts, Jane's senses suddenly shifted. The energy in her entire body, her stamina to move and balance had been completely restored. Her stats didn't change at all, other than the slight regeneration in her MP levels. Jane's heart began pounding, and her tunnel vision went away, replaced by a normal range of view. She could feel every muscle shaking and trembling uncontrollably. Jane never felt this way before, but whatever this was, it got rid of her pain, her weakness, her lethargy, and restored her balance without actually changing anything on her energy scope. It also forced her to feel on edge, like she was about to fly off the ground. Was this... Jane never considered the possibilities in Leray matches before, but is this an adrenaline rush?
All things considered, Belzer wasn't simply going to declare her the winner by her determination. Instead of giving in, Belzer formed another blue glyphring of energy around his wrist, the same small one associated with an Ice Ball spell. Jane saw it coming long before it left his hand, and twirled her body in a spiral to dodge it.
Soon after Jane had dodged Belzer's Ice Ball, his MP level dropped to zero percent again, and she now knew what to do. After timing everything right in her mind, Jane was able to think much more clearly than before. Upon forming the next idea for an attack sequence, Jane executed her magic immediately, giving Belzer an uneasy stance of defense as he awaited what was to come. "Dark Strike!" Jane's body disappeared before Belzer's very eyes. For her perception, she reappeared behind Belzer instantaneously, the process happening so quickly. Jane used that moment to draw her dagger, magical energy already infused into the blade. Jane then struck Belzer in an upward slash, putting in enough force to lift his entire body off the ground.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/pL6dJgsJ/S2-Belzer-N-007.png]
Jane didn't stop there. She quickly backed away for a good ten meters, and then unleashed another spell just as Belzer smashed into the ground. He was smart enough to break his own fall using his fists and landing upright, but it wouldn't keep him protected for long. "Ice Ball!" Jane unleashed her own Ice Ball towards Belzer's defenseless body, her attack quick to invoke and immediate to strike. Belzer took another soft hit from the attack, but Jane was once again in the process of unleashing yet another magical spell.
As she aimed her arm at the ground between herself and her opponent, Jane chanted the name of another spell, causing the entire ground below them to shift. "Earth Glave!" The ground began shooting up and pushing outwards in waves, heading closer to Belzer. Even though he could see it coming though, Belzer's attempt to jump over the Earth Glave was without success. The ground pillars and uplifting dirt smashed into him, again propelling his body upwards into the air about three feet off the ground before he landed again. After smacking back into the hard floor for the second time, the air had noticeably been knocked out of him.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/pd5LGq7b/S2-Belzer-N-008.png]
Jane took both of her daggers and threw them at Belzer in the same way a Flying Guillotine is executed, though Jane didn't use magic this time. Belzer was still recovering from the Earth Glave, not expecting so many consecutive attacks. Jane intentionally sped herself up and congregated many random spells to keep him from finishing her off, and so far it was working. The daggers sliced into Belzer's body, causing major damage to his remaining health from her signature critical hit technique.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/KzXvdtSK/S2-Belzer-N-009.png]
Belzer was now in the same predicament Jane was in earlier before her adrenaline kicked in so suddenly. Jane however was running out of literal ideas of what to do next. That last hit should have completely ended him in battle, but his HP levels were still allowing him to barely remain conscious. Jane opened her hands, allowing the daggers she threw to transfer back into her palms again. Jane then prepared to throw them again, hoping she would not be interrupted this time.
"Stop!" Belzer held out his arms at Jane, but he didn't attack from them. Jane suddenly stopped herself from throwing the daggers again, but she didn't let go of her caution. Belzer sunk to his knees again after a failed attempt to stand tall; it was too difficult to stand up properly right now. "That's enough. I get it now, you win."
With that short announcement, the Siriean dome quickly shut down and collapsed into nothingness, taking the small bit of light it provided with it. The field darkened as the rewarding holographic text appeared to announce Jane the winner by forfeit again.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Chapter Theme Shift: Silver Canyon [A] ~ Resonance of Fate / End of Eternity OST
----------------------------------------
Despite the victory, Belzer was not looking well. His energy scope changed to a bloody color of red with a warning of Vital Drain status; the event that happens when both HP and MP are critical. Jane wasn't feeling well either. They both battled down to the last second, draining each other's stamina into the low ranges. Jane didn't want to relax just yet, her head pounding with pain that provoked her to become more aggressive, but after finally letting the silence around her settle in, Jane accepted her victory. She then pulled out her supply sphere, digging for another healing orb. She had just won two of them, so supplies there were not limited too severely. All newly won items wind up in that person's supply sphere, exceptions only occurring if the device is too full.
Belzer used a healing orb on himself without saying a word to Jane. They both needed to recover before having a talk about the battle's result. The moment his stats were restored, the Vital Drain status went away, just as the energy scope color changed back from red to orange. From here, it seemed that Jane was treating herself too, but she simply looked more stunned than he was by the time his health reached full again.
After recovering enough to stand straight and firm again, Belzer walked calmly towards Jane, who decided to stay sitting on the cement floor, but there was an odd hesitation in his chance to speak. "Well, I've been defeated before." Jane wasn't saying anything yet, but it was clear from her head holding that the pain from Harmonics still lingered in. "Sorry about the headache. I've never been put in a corner like that in previous matches, not for a while at least."
Jane glared up at Belzer, carrying the same look of confidence in her eyes despite her headache. "You will hold up your end of the bargain."
"But of course," Belzer agreed. "You won, and fought bravely to do so. I guess that means you really can't judge a person's strength by their amount of consecutive wins. I was wrong after all."
"Argh!" Jane held her forehead again and cringed on the ground from the lasting damage.
Belzer didn't expect his Harmonics spell to cause Jane so much pain. The after effects of that specific spell are still understudied, since it is a rare ability after all. He had to offer her something else in return. With his supply sphere still powered up, he pulled out another orb from phase space. "Here," Belzer handed Jane another kind of orb, one with an unusual white colored top. Jane reached down from below to grab hold of the device. "Use this painkiller orb."
Jane accepted the orb from Belzer, using it on herself immediately. "What was that attack? You called it Harmonics?"
"Yes. Though it worked like it was supposed to and is an official Leray ability, many do not know of it. But I didn't know it could cause pain after a battle. I am sorry for that."
Jane remained silent in her thoughts after using the remedy orb. It worked quickly to reduce the pain in her head, but the battle itself left her with an uneasy feeling. The same sensation she previously had from her adrenaline has already faded away, leaving all of her muscles and legs sore.
After a long moment of silence, Jane stood back up, pushing herself to try and keep going while wiping away the dust that accumulated on her outfit. Belzer must have already noticed how exhausted she was from all of the walking and all of the fighting she pulled from today. He remained standing too, blocking Jane's path to continue their conversation. "You still want to get there, right?"
Jane exhaled loudly as a sign of stress relief. "That's what I said, isn't it?"
Belzer's expression changed, giving him a look of mellow excitement. "It's as I thought before. You're reason to get to Lennith must be so important to you. It acts as a drive, pushing you to the limits, even right now. I'm most impressed Jane. I must know, what is it that you're trying to do? I might be able to help."
Jane thought about what she had to say. Using the unknown spell bomb was her business alone, and sharing that with strangers could have negative consequences, much like the fact that she had to conduct an illegal battle with Taylor just to use that spell bomb. "You want to know my drive?" Jane hesitated in her response, giving her much thought about which words to use. "It's to become a Leray master. You might think you've already helped me by battling, but in truth, that dream is on hold until I take care of special business from Lennith City. And as far as that matter goes, it's personal and need to know only." With her statement made, Jane began walking down the path again.
Her legs were very sore, but she ignored any hint of pain or exhaustion. Lucky for her - the painkiller orb cured her headache completely, but now it was time to head further in. She brushed by Belzer, who stood stone still and silent afterwards. Jane didn't get to walk more than ten feet before she was joined again.
"Wait up!" Belzer pleaded. He sped up his pace, catching up to Jane and walking alongside her. Jane gave him a look of surprise, but it quickly transformed into an expression of frustration.
While continuing to walk, Jane demanded to know what Belzer was doing. "Why are you following me? Don't you have something else you need to do?" Like your job of being a gradyent? Being a nuisance essentially has the same job description.
"I must get to Lennith City first thing as well. Though I don't plan to keep up with your pace either."
"I wouldn't count on keeping up either way," Jane decided. Of all the running and fighting, Jane finally decided to give in. She stopped walking, prompting Belzer to slow down and stop as well. "I think I'm done trying to get to Lennith City."
"Huh?"
Jane's reply was delayed, but she didn't lift her head up at all while speaking. "You were right earlier. I'm too tired, too fatigued. I've been pushing too hard, and it's only a matter of time before I collapse." Jane's voice sounded like she was punched in the gut.
Belzer further expressed concern for her. "Now I've had enough of that talk Jane. If you can't go on now, what's to stop you from taking a break right here? You're telling me that you forgot to pack your camping supplies?"
"I didn't forget," Jane corrected. There was no camping supplies because Jane never planned on stopping in the first place, and since she can't move anymore, it just proves how useless she really is.
They kept silent for ponder, until Belzer helped Jane back to her feet. "Let's keep walking at least for now." Jane followed the man's lead, but kept such a slow pace. Belzer had to think more in why Jane was acting this way before he understood what she was talking about. "You... You didn't pack it on purpose, did you?"
"Does it matter?" Jane stopped moving again, standing straight and fragile. "It was stupid to think I could make it in one night. Everybody wants to challenge anybody walking by."
That is how the system works... "You really are an odd ball Jane. I sure can't seem to understand your total plight." He folded his arms, trying to put logic where her words fell.
"I didn't think it was so popular to be here." Jane finally sunk down again, exhausted and breathing deeply. Her inhales and exhales became much more rapid than before, like she just got through with an intense workout.
Belzer already knew that was going to happen though, and he only stood to bother Jane until he got the answer he wanted. "You wonder why you can't go on, yet you keep trying to get up and walk despite your exhaustion. Your so-called dream of becoming a Leray master must have something important related in Lennith City. And your urge to get there overnight is only fueled by how badly you want to take care of - whatever you're supposed to take care of. Am I right so far?"
Jane nodded. "Of course I want to get there. But let's face it. I chose to walk instead of rent a bike, not that I could afford to if I did. No matter how long I walk, I'm never going to get there."
"Never?" Belzer challenged. Jane could have declared an emergency if her business was so urgent, though personal matters and emergency matters are not the same, therefore, she is doomed to fight anyone who asks. Then again, she could simply accept one or two strikes. Still, Jane really doesn't understand just how close she is. "Well you did make it this far, and I think your own spirit did all the work. Not too much left to walk now."
"What do you mean?"
Belzer winced in surprise. "You mean, you don't even know how much road left you need to traverse? No wonder you're tired of moving. You should have brought a mile counter at least."
"Left in in my other pants." Jane was joking with a serious tone, but for Belzer, it wasn't easy to tell.
"You're about sixty percent of the way there, and it's still roughly two A.M. I can't say how many more battles you might get dragged into on the way from here, but if you move out now, you can make it to Lennith City before sunrise."
Jane's jaw dropped as she lifted her head up straight towards the open road. Sixty percent so far? It still meant a very long and tiresome walk there, but Jane could sense it again, just like before. Her very own desire to rush to Lennith was all because it would be easy going from there to the Den of Purity. Of course, she will then need a bike to get there, but the thought of pressing onward never left her mind.
"There's nothing wrong with taking it easy for a few minutes," Belzer declared. "But I want you to keep that spirit of yours alive."
"What is up with you and my spirit, man?" Jane had to give Belzer a look of question. Not too long ago, he proudly blocked her path all because of what was happening to her, but he was acting so differently now.
"I have battled countless people, defeated many warriors, and in some cases been defeated by sheer power, but you didn't defeat me because of your special Leray abilities or your style. You won that battle with complete and total devotion to your own cause. I've only ever battled against someone like that once, long in the past."
"Did they need to reach the city?"
"Not exactly," Belzer denied. "The man wasn't in any kind of a hurry like you are, but that's not the point. As a Leray gradyent, it was my job to challenge people on the road like I do now. Back then though, Leray agents crossed the roads too, looking for anything wrong and fixing it. So I didn't actually stop people from going on like I do now; I challenged tough looking wielders and required their victory over me to advance as a wielder. In the same history, I challenged him, blocking his path until he defeated me in a battle. He had to taste defeat from me only once to transform himself anew. His drive to get past me to Lennith city was not with haste; rather, his drive to become stronger than me is what prevailed. The man had no choice but to accept my kind of challenge."
Jane stood up, suddenly taken hold by the story. It was much like her own. She still had one strike to clear off right now, but if she denies just one more fight, she'll have the same trouble of being forced to battle people to pass, just regular wielders. "So, what happened?"
Belzer continued, only telling that story in his summarized version. "He got angry because I defeated him, which bared his access to move past me, but then he agreed to battle me yet again. Even then, I could sense that he wanted to get to Lennith City no matter what. It didn't matter what time he arrived then, but he wanted to prove to me just how strong he was, and that was enough to push him to try harder. In the middle of our battle, I was winning far ahead, and that's when the man started coming out with special combination attacks. Alone, they were worthless, but when using specific sets of two spells together, you can surprise people, do great things you never thought capable of. He fought as bravely as he could, and scored a total victory against me."
"Okay..." Jane wondered where Belzer was going with this. He wanted to make some kind of statement, but what was it exactly? Yeah, he may have won for his pride, but all that did was slow him down in the end.
"Because of our battle, he gained a lot of experience. And as of today, well... You can ask him yourself once you make it to the top."
Jane jumped at the sudden realization. "Wait a moment! Are you saying?!"
"Yep," Belzer continued. "That man who defeated me so long ago, he is the current champion of all Leray magic. Residing at the top of Eldora Tower, the champion awaits anyone who can match his power, but also his spirit. I'm sure he never forgot the time we battled either. It was because of that moment he obtained so much knowledge. The fact that I was in his way did slow him down in the short run, but after everything else was taken care of, it only made him stronger in the long haul of his journey."
Jane's eyes remained wide open while her mind returned to its previous thoughts. The champion was once a normal person, just like her. Jane had been so eager the whole time to rush into Lennith City all for the sake of reversing her curse, but every single battle she has gone through on Route 96, including the ones still ahead of her... Jane realized that her very own desire to fix this curse was making her stronger at a really quick pace. She was learning new spells and fighting harder than ever. In the end, after her curse is fixed and she is reunited with Danny and Taylor, her experience, her power, it will all still be there, seeded from this very moment. Everything that is an obstacle now would wind up helping her later in time, as if built from some sort of experience investment. "I get stronger."
Belzer only heard Jane's whisper and couldn't make it out. "Pardon?"
"I get stronger with every battle, even the ones I lose."
"Uh, yes?" Belzer didn't get it. With someone in Jane's position, wouldn't that have been common knowledge? Maybe she still has that headache.
"I thought that the mess I made would prevent me from getting any better in Leray battles. And it is still true that I'll be lacking until I fix what's wrong, but I'll always be getting better, even with this curse."
"The-uh, what now?" What was this about a curse?
"Never mind," Jane shuttered. "Look, I want to thank you. Because of you, I now understand what I have to do, rather how I have to do it."
"What sort of business is this anyway? I am curious."
"That's for me to know." Jane folded her arms, unwilling to share with him the ordeal she has gone through before.
She guards her secret more than she guards her righteousness. "Very well. I'll be seeing you around then. I'm heading to Lennith City myself, but I'm in no hurry, so I'll take my time."
Jane turned around, completely facing him again. "What about you? What are you going to do now?"
Belzer nodded up and down, deciding for himself before announcing it to Jane. "I'll head back to Lennith City and explain the situation here. Route 96 used to be much more maintained; it held so much promise for all of our wielders. But now it's fallen into disarray and chaos. You saw me acting against my normal ways earlier, if that wasn't enough proof. Yet it was your spirit that reminded me of my match against the champion. So I'll bring back Leray agents to this road, and see if I can't make a nice rest stop where that abandoned quarry is. That flat land north of there could even be used to build an entire new town if we put our minds to it."
Jane remembered the location he was referring to. The young boy Ian lives there all alone. If maintaining the roads will help him get a better spot to live, then it was a good idea. Not to mention that Belzer would be keeping to his word from now on, challenging people more fairly. "I think, it's a good idea."
Belzer just saw a new sight he would not forget. The entire time he and Jane bumped into each other here, she never smiled, but right at this very moment, she was doing her best. Jane's green eyes seemed to glow from the overhead moon and starlight, but that smile made everything in her come alive. Belzer suddenly didn't know what to say, and he quickly turned his side. "Well, yes... I think you should head to the city now."
Jane didn't notice anything out of the ordinary with Belzer, though he was somewhat avoiding direct eye contact now. "I'll get there for sure, and if anyone makes me battle, I'll just have to accept and win."
"That's how a Leray master to-be should act. Farewell Jane."
"And you too Belzer." Jane waved before turning around and began heading off. Belzer agreed to head out in the same direction, but only at his own pace. Jane's body was still really tired, but everything felt different now. She felt happy...? No. Satisfied...? Yes! Everything would work out. Jane could not explain how it happened, but her confidence has returned to her again. Even if someone did try to stop and challenge her, she could win it for sure. Her entire body wasn't in agreement with her thoughts, still so exhausted from the incredibly long walk. It is a nine-mile road after all. In her excitement to reach Lennith City though, Jane ignored any sense of fatigue and picked up the pace.