“You humans must be quite stupid to stand against a higher being. So tell me, how long do you think you’ll last?”

Her eyes were glowing, they almost looked like there was a live flame behind them. I’m sure Arga felt it too, the immense power that she was holding.

My eyes glanced back to Alice who was cowering in the corner of the room.

“I have a promise to keep, so being stupid’s all I got right now. Don’t think you’ve won though!”

I rushed ahead and ran with my head low, gathering as much speed as I could.

“Shadow Step!”

I appeared behind her and struck—a wide kick came flying at a curve and hit me before I could land the attack.

She spun around after delivering a powerful blow and landed back into the position she had been standing before.

“Second Step.”

I appeared over her this time, both blades coming out with a cross-slash. She wasn’t worried at all, the expression spoke volumes. This was child’s-play to her.

She raised her hand to intercept my attack when suddenly I yelled out.

“Arga!”

With this we had her!

Her eyes switched from me to the large sword lanced towards her. In a single motion, she moved swiftly and caught the blade between her fingers. With her free arm, she swatted at my stomach and hit the exposed piece of my body that wasn’t covered by any armour.

All the wind escaped my stomach and I fell limp into her grasp. She caught me by my cloak and tossed me around into Arga. We were forced back and tumbled across the ground.

“You won’t win. No chance.”

Her words weighed tons over my body, I began to believe her. Blocking out the doubts and pain my body had felt was even tougher but I managed to stand.

Arga seemed alright but her weapon was looking pretty worn. It had already suffered major damage and was littered with cracks from that grab before. A few more blows and it looked like that sword would crumble on the spot.

I was nervous. Beads of sweat were rolling down the sides of my face.

“She’s beyond strong…I can’t reach her at all.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to pull out that skill again either.”

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She was right, when Arga managed to cut her before it was only thanks to her skill. Partly that and because we surprised her.

Wait, could that work?

I pulled out the last energy vial remaining on my waist and flicked off the cork.

“Arga, when I rush in you need to promise me you’ll take Alice and run.”

“Are you crazy, you want to fight her alone?” Her mouth hung open.

The concern in her tone was understandable, I was the last person who wanted to do it but…it was the only thing I could think of.

She’s stronger than us, faster than us and her awareness is next to godly. I wouldn’t stand a chance at fighting her on my own, one thing did work on her though.

The element of surprise.

I’ll hit her with every skill I have, I don’t care if I can’t kill her but I need Alice and Arga to be safe at least. If I can buy them enough time to escape then I’ll be happy—I’ll throw everything I have at her!

She hasn’t seen my skills before, so they should be able to hold her off for a short bit of time.

“We won’t win fighting her, one of us needs to take Alice and get her out of here. I’ll hold her off as long as I can but I need you to take her. I’m the one who started this quest, I’ll accept the consequences.”

She clicked her tongue and glared daggers at me.

“Bullshit, I’m just as a part of this as you. Stop tryna act cool and do this all on yer own.”

I was trying to hold back everything, the frustration that we landed in a situation so out of our control.

The pain my body was going through just to keep myself and my friends alive.

The torturing expression on Arga’s face, as I told her to run.

It boiled up and I didn’t have any more time to argue.

“Do you want Alice to die too then?!!”

“…”

…

“Weaklings shouldn’t get too cocky.”

Suddenly the menacing tone of our enemy was right over my shoulder. Arga’s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse at the fist that crashed down over my head.

A massive burst of dust filled the area as my body broke through the ground and left a crumbling mass of broken stone and rubble around me.

Arga raised her sword but was too slow, the woman struck Arga in the back and sent her crashing into the wall.

“You must be next to mindless to turn your back onto me. You must really not know what I am. It makes sense, I doubt any human who we’ve encountered ever lived to speak of it.”

I broke myself off from the ground and large chunks of wreckage fell from my back. My white Chakram crossed through the air with a swift cut but stopped cold in its tracks once it reached her face.

The blades collided with her cheek and couldn't pierce her skin, not even so much as leave a mark. It felt as if I were striking a brick wall coated in iron. I tried forcing it but my hand wouldn’t move.

Her tedious stare showed me that I was a fly to her, a simple annoyance that she could swat away whenever she wished.

She placed her fingers into a flicking position right in front of my face as she spoke. “Very well, I will enlighten you before death. I am Ilinore, a demon.” One hit to the forehead and my eyes went blank.

All sounds—feeling—everything was lost and for a brief moment everything went dark.

…

“…ei…”

“Rei!!!”

My eyes shot open and everything came rushing back to me. I rolled back and landed on my feet. My head still stung. It felt as though the centre of my forehead cracked open right before I closed my eyes.

Alice!

Alice was pressed up against the wall, her back couldn't retreat any further away.

“Tsk! A brat like you should act more reasonably. Your death will serve a greater purpose, so rejoice child…if only you could see it.” The ivory woman raised her arm and straightened her hand like a blade.

She pulled reeled back and prepared to plunge it into Alice’s chest. The fear in her eyes welled up to the surface into heavy streams of tears. Her lip quivered and the rest of her body followed suit.

The room fell dead silent looming for the impact of her strike.

No...please don’t do it! Don’t hurt her—DON’T TOUCH HER!!

Through the wave of thoughts and emotions, a single sound pierced through and brought my mind to a standstill.

“…please, Rei.”