The javelin flies back and crashes into her breastplate, causing it to cave in and her to slide back on her knees as the projectile shatters in tiny splinters. Not enough to beat her defensive runes. My head spins, I experience vertigo. It feels as if I'm falling from a cliff.

My plan to win this fight has become impossible with my body failing me. Liz... help. Sister, I, I can't. Liz, pl, please. Something hard lands on the back of my cuirass. I buckle and only manage to hold myself upright by hardening the air, which burns half a portion.

I'm sorry, if I wake now, I won't be able to fight without killing us. Liz! You can do it, Jess, you have to. A thin silver cylinder approaches the small of my back. I focus what little mind I've left into desperately blocking that kinetic energy while guiding a small portion through my dead heart.

Thud. Despite having channeled what felt like a rather consequent force, the organ merely twitches. Two Nobles in shining armor suddenly flicker in my hazy field of vision, their swords radiating with flow already slashing down at me from either side.

Between them, I witness a ballista bolt sized air-needle floating before the kneeling Ladyling Marks, still conscious despite the broadsword I stuck in her. I hear feet shifting behind me. Agony, paralysis. L, Li, Lizz. Who are you?

I gather ten portions of flow, the most I can afford to use so that, if I survive this, I still hold a chance at victory. The blades fall on me. A silver hammerhead drops towards my helmet. A silver staff flies at the back of my knees. The air-bolt flashes at me.

I gather everything I have left, all my strength, all my courage, all my fears, but limit myself to merely ten portions of energy despite the terror I experience towards my impending demise.

The Nobility and the Rykz have taught me one thing it is that winning in the present is irrelevant if it sacrifices the future, worse, it is no victory at all. All of this serves a singular purpose.

On the verge of death, I raise my hand and push my palm out. I seize the air around me, turning it hard and golden, creating an eggshell around my body. An impact occurs from above first, the hammer. Thud.

The unstructured energy twists to channel part of that kinetic force into my chest while the rest is used to negate the impact. A blow slams into my shell ahead, the gigantic air-needle. Thud.

Again, the kinetic energy is negated but, this time a pressure remains as Marks challenges me in a contest of access. I allow my flow to continue resisting because my understanding, my link to the Lake, means it costs me very little while it costs her greatly.

And a link there is. Now, on the verge of death, I can feel my survival instincts directly commanding flow to keep me alive, conscious and in so much pain. I activate my perception construct, giving it enough energy for a mere second. A hard impact shakes the lower back of my shell. Thud.

A mind-rending pain tears through my mind as my energy guides the force into my heart and forces it to beat. It insane further turn me, but it live allows me. Jess, that's not funny. Kh, kh, kh.

Two golden points shear through my shell. One pierces through the left side of my cuirass, through my riveted chain-mail, only to be barely stopped by my hard leather armor after plunging three centimeters into my torso. Thud.

One slices into my stubbed leather skirt and then hard leather armor to plunge into my outer right thigh. Thud. I borrow four portions from the twenty I've saved to assemble a lightning construct inside my body. These two must die, now.

I use the agony that is physical existence to sharpen my mind. I use my absolute control over flow inside my body to charge my blood in such a way that the vast majority of the electricity will go through the blades.

I shatter the eggshell and return the energy into my reserve to pay the debt I acquired a split second ago. The large air-needle slams into my cuirass to pierces through the interlocked steel bands and then my belly, giving me the kinetic energy needed to make my heart beat. Thud.

I constrict the lightning construct to be channeled into this construct and the two blades piercing my right thigh as well as left side without spilling, creating a loop akin to the one I have used for the sundering construct. I activate the construct.

“Uzu, zah.” I babble as a brief intense tingling electrifying current courses through me.

Thud. A violent wave of air blasts into me, throwing me back into the soldiers behind me as well as tearing the weapons from my flesh. Thud. Thud. My sight clears somewhat and I witness smoke coming out of the two Nobles' visors. Thud. Thud. Thud.

“Ghuaaah!” I violently inhale for what feels like the first time in hours.

Silver threads are all around me in a network that fills my surroundings, dozens of webs in the shape of humans. It informs me that I'm leaning back onto two fighters who are slowly trying to throw me back.

Flow falls into grooves. My legs flash, my arm flickers, my wrist flutters, all parts moving together faster than a human would be able to without the Lake's blessing to slash left and then right, severing one head from its neck to then go the other way to stab a chest.

I jerk the broadsword out of the soldier's body. The two Nobles drop to the ground behind me as their silver nerves fade from my sight. A staff races at my forehead from my left. A hammer is brought up on my right.

I lean forward as the fighters I killed drop to the ground. The staff swipes the air above my helmet. The hammer drops. I push out with my entire body and rush through the soldiers' ranks.

Flow streams pour out from my reserve and into my body like rivers that feed my muscles in sync with my steps. A soldier brings her war-hammer back and to the right to swing it in my path.

I raise my broadsword and energy pours into my arm as it slashes out to forcefully rip through hard leather, bone, and then her heart. She never gets to launch her blow. I've already run past her by the time she drops. Death, blood... so much blood.

Two soldiers with shield close ranks. Two fighters with spiked axes move in. I stomp down with my right leg, the impact makes me feel as if nails are scraping at my thigh's bones, and lion's leap straight at the shields.

As I jump my body stretches and causes a sharp agonizing pain to my left side. This is mere background noise compared to how my heart feels, compared to the sensation of glass shards shredding me from within.

I land on one of the shields and kick down on a shoulder to propel myself further ahead. Soldier raise their weapons to strike at me but fail to act fast enough until I make it a dozen meters at which point they've had enough warning to welcome me with raises weapons instead of shields I can step on.

I twist my flow and make a two-meter wide air-blade with a kinetic enhancement, sending it barreling ahead of me. The sharp edge and speed allows the construct to slice through a column of ten wearing leather armors and cheap chain-mails.

The fighters freeze at the sight, at the speed of this slaughter that merely cost me a couple of portions. I lion's step through the trail of bodies and keep going, engraving my reputation in their minds with blood for victory.

But... what's the point? To live, Jess, act to live freely and it'll open the door for others. Ranks of soldiers close it to block my way. My foot impacts the ground. My heart falters. Hazy silver spheres cruise straight at my back.

I assemble a defensive construct specialized to counter fire as I draw my weapon back to strike at those blocking my path. I pour flow into the blade to, upon impact, enhance the strength behind the blow. Fifteen.

I slash. Crack. The soldier goes flying with a split shield only being held by the steel reinforcing the wood. I swiftly sidestep to avoid the fireball but it turns and accelerates at the exact moment when I shift my weight, making it unavoidable.

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It impacts my back but my optimized defensive construct smothers the blaze. Still, it cost me energy which I can't afford. I glance to the gap in the shield-wall, finding it already closing.

I raise my weapon again, causing them to flinch but fighters pile on me from the flanks and behind, forcing me to divert my attention to block some of the blows with my broadsword even as most of my focus remains on sustaining my intent to negate kinetic force.

A volley of silver air-needle drops from up high atop of my location, actually killing one of the fighters wielding a pike by landing in his neck and bursting. This reckless use of constructs tells me that they're trying to pin me down so I decide to force my way out.

I infuse the air around me with flow and create three air-blades. The fighters instantly disperse despite the squads of soldiers calling for them to take cover behind their shields. I use the breather they've given me to add a kinetic intent to the constructs and activate them.

The golden blades flash out and cut a bloody swathe in the shape of a cone in front of me. Ten. Corpses drop with splinters from their shields planted in their shredded torsos.

With a dozen more meters cleared as well as both fighters and soldiers in a panicked retreat. Sis, this is it. Is it? I step on a torn arm and then walk on a chest. Does this end now? Soon, hold on.

The pain in my chest is flaring but I trust Liz. I launch myself forth towards the south in search of the tightest concentration of soldiers I can find. I leap over a hurriedly assembled line of shields.

I crash through two poleaxes, breaking their wooden poles with a hack of my broadsword, and land right in front of a frightened back-line already clustering together.

I gather eight portions and split them into the same number of streams of unstructured energy. I had planned to use air-blades, or even my broadsword with a sundering construct but I've got something better now.

I shape eight air-javelins and add to them the blood seeping out of me to increase my control. The fighters and soldiers facing me pale at the sight. I hear hurried steps coming from behind.

“Fight her, you idiots! Don't let her launch them!” A harsh feminine voice erupts.

The order, or encouragement, causes these enemies of mine to instead look around as if seeking paths of escape as their minds no doubt jump to the realization that they'll die if they fail and conclude they have a better shot at surviving by running.

“As, promised... those who flee, krhm, may do so... freely.” I utter with a hoarse voice while raising my weapon towards them which causes the eight spikes to aim at where I point.

The movement from these constructs is the last straw for these humans who, as the fight progressed, moved further and further away from me. At first, only three bolt in different directions but their panic quickly infects the rest, causing most of my opponents to scatter to the winds as they find their allies quickly dwindling in numbers.

I flip around while controlling the javelins to do the same but vertically. I face down the remnants of the company I engaged, a mere thirty soldiers and fighters with more guts than brains as well as three Nobles in bad shape including Marks who's somehow managed to get back on her feet but has yet to remove my broadsword from her waist.

My heart is beating yet the pain is making it impossible to tell if it's going too fast or too slow, if it is accelerating or dying. I slam my pommel down on my thigh and channel the blow into my chest. Thud. I feel a rush that makes me dizzy but also grants me some clarity.

“Return to your ranks! Caeviel stands because we do, is this where you leave your pride? Your honor?!” Marks erupts.

Her words, laughable to me, nonetheless cause many of those fleeing to slow down. I instantly launch two of my javelins and control them to arc through the ranks of soldiers facing me to intersect on the Ladyling's position.

The constructs fly out and pierce through shields, armors, and flesh. Horrid sounds of breaking armors, bodies, and humans fill my ears. I flinch at these cries but, desperate to end this, plot two more trajectories. I launch the constructs as the previous break when they reach Mark's plate armor despite their speed and power.

“Hold! She's on her last legs!” The hammer-wielding woman bellows.

Flow lashes out from the back of the troops facing me and intercepts my later two javelins, causing me to lose control and the javelins to crash in the ground. A few squads who fled turn and make their way back, ruining my efforts.

I reach out, ready to launch the last four javelins at once to shatter their lines now that I've ground their spirits down but pause as I detect a wave of silver behind me. I witness the expressions of my enemies drop but even that does not reassure me.

I glance over my shoulder to find flow slowly cruising towards me from thirty or so people who've gathered in disordered ranks behind Nahl and Rowland who are facing someone whose plated back is all I can see. I seize the energy that reaches me, more out of paranoia than anything else.

“I said stop or I'll kill her!” The plated figure threatens with frightened voice, causing the people to retrieve their energy.

“What's your name?” Exemplar Siegfried asks from a ways away to the side, his hands raised to appease the panicked Noble.

The fuck. I shift back to face Marks and her group only to find them staring blankly at the event, apparently even more stunned than I am. Yet, their lack of empathy still shows in how these high born ignore the dying around them that even the rough looking fighters are trying to help while they gaze at the hostage taker.

“Hold, Ivan!” Marks calls out. “What are you doing?!”

Having determined that this is a solitary action taken, I pull back my javelins and slowly shift back to the man. I've nine portions in my reserve, plenty to instantly neutralize him as long as I get close.

“Don't move! No one move!” Ivan erupts as both Siegfried and I take a step forward.

While the old Exemplar freezes, I expel a portion of flow to harden the air ahead of me and keep walking at the Noble. Yet, before I can take a second step, the man turns to face me.

There are tears in his armor that I likely made and bent steel from falling off his warhorse. I can see some blood through the cuts in the plate but not clearly enough to figure out how injured he is. His hands are visibly shaking as he holds his blade on a woman's throat.

She's one of those I've freed from the institute, the one I suspect of wanting to ditch her kid. From the situation, I can gather she split from the group or stayed at the outer edges where she got captured no matter what sympathy she's trying to gather with her fearful and pleading expression. Kill.

“This is the end! Let go of your weapons, Rebel!” Ivan yells at me with frantic traits. So much, death, it never ends...

“Ivan, let go of her! This is improper!” A Noble calls out.

“Ivan, you will hang if you harm this woman.” Marks utters with a calm but forceful voice. “We'll have no choice.”

“Tell her to surrender!” Ivan screams back at them. “Release all your energy! Pledge to me and kneel!”

“Kh. Kh. Kh.” I cackle and take a step.

Ivan jerks his hand back, harshly pressing the blade on the woman's throat. A cut appears and bright red blood trickles down her white skin. I pause where I am but do not loosen my grasp on my broadsword. Eleven meters. Three, maybe four lion's steps from a dead start.

“Don't move!” He threatens panically. “I'll kill her! I really will!”

“I've stopped, haven't I?” I respond casually, concealing the pain my body is in behind the hoarse voice coming out of my parched throat.

“Take a step back!” He demands.

“Nah.” I refuse. “I'm Jessica Freepath, surrendering or retreating, aren't things I do.”

“I'll cut her throat!” Ivan yells.

“You will die the moment that blade cuts something important, long before she expires.” I tell him matter-of-factly.

“No!” The Noble denies while grasping harder at the hilt of his sword and tightening his grip on her waist. “You surrender!”

“Lord Ivan! Calm yourself!” Siegfried erupts.

“She's like the E.Vil Red Dwarf! I'm sure of it!” Ivan blows up. “No, worse! This one is in the open but hiding! The Rykz said naught about her being their friend, they hid her role but she's with them! I know it! We all read the reports of what she did and we still lost! She'll destroy Caeviel if left free! The damage she caused from the shadows... She'll help the Rykz destroy the Empire! Our Emperor would want her dead at any cost! The King would kill them all himself!”

“You're not thinking straight, Lord Ivan! Calm yourself!” Marks responds, causing the man's face to twitch.

“Hey, Lordling!” I exclaim to call his attention back to me. “If you kill her, I'll be even more, motivated to crush Nobility, underfoot than I already am.”

My words cause the man's cheeks to turn crimson and then pale. His fingers twitch on his sword's handle. His eyes flicker as if lost as to how to make me surrender but then he glances down at his hostage.

“Drop your weapon, Lord Ivan!” Marks snaps. “This is an order!”

“Lord Ivan, by our Emperor Rasaec's name, I demand you lay down this weapon and release this innocent woman!” Siegfried utters harshly.

“Traitors and rebels should all die!” He bellows as if to give himself courage.