Elijah is... onii-chan is...!!!

I am stupid so I don't understand...

But my old instinct for battle kicks in anyway, and I sweep my head to the right.

I narrowly avoid losing my head to metal that flies at my neck...

I backflip, forcing myself away from Elijah's falling body as he screams and hits the stone in a cloud of dust, and his hand rolls off down a nearby alley.

I want to vomit.

Some blood runs from my neck, and I realise that merchant has met the same fate I nearly did. His entire stall has turned into a forest of blades, crucifying him.

Suddenly, a shimmering shape lands in the alley in front.

It looks like a man... but... the mirage fades. Horrifyingly, the face falls off, and a strange illusion ends. Wings and claws appear, greyish skin, but slender and curvaceous. A demon. It makes a 'tch' noise, and two longswords erupt from its palms, literally made from swirling liquid metal.

Metal Mage! Assassin! Elijah! Oh gods! No! You can't kill him, not after I just! He was!

I don't have my spear. None of the others are!

I instinctively try to grab a metal pole of the merchant’s stall, but it literally smacks my hand away, now under control of this demon as well!

Stupid mistake. I barely avoid being gutted as the swords rake my leg. I jump left, left, right. I swing a punch with all my strength, almost falling over, but it goes wide. Being this close is not my speciality, like Kiku and Kali.

I need to kill the demon! Now! Elijah will die! I will die like Cadence if... I need to...

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I need to be even stronger!

I've just found joy!

I can't let it die!

I trip. The demons blade finds me at last, running me through. I cough up something.

It's just too sad! Help! I need to protect him! I love him!

'The level two bond has been activated. Inverse protection bond request has been acknowledged. Aria Jeraldine will receive statistical enhancement. Stand by.'

What does that...

I suddenly feel so strong. The pain goes away. Even despite the sword impaled in me.

I stomp forwards, still skewered, blood and drool running from my lips that had just tasted Elijah. That mouth of mine is now locked in a rictus grin.

I grab the demons face with a shimmering fast swipe.

And I squeeze.

I hear a crack. Teeth shatter and the demon squeals in alarm, dropping the grip on its blades and barely forcing itself away. Blood runs from its eyes and mouth.

The blade pulls out of me, beckoned by the metal mage, but I snatch it as it flies from my stomach.

Barbs shoot out the blade, piercing my hand, but I care not. I simply ram it forwards.

The handle of the blade surges forwards with such force that it breaks the demons arm that gets in the way with a resounding shockwave. The handle bends and snaps off in a ping.

The barbs disengage from my hand, and the blade, apparently horrified at its own actions, drops away, reverting to a useless, bent, slab of metal.

The demon, now hyperventilating in panic and staggering whilst vomiting blood, leaps away, bouncing up the wall.

Blurring with speed, I nonchalantly grab the pole I couldn't before, and as the demon reaches the rooftop in escape, I fling it like a javelin.

It reminds me of the time Elijah valiantly threw his bottle at the Skull Beast.

The impromptu javelin is slightly off, sadly, and only runs through the demons left leg, but they almost fall off the roof again. They scream, and pulling out the pole, jump out of my sight.

They still managed to get away from me, huh? I could easily jump after them, with how I am now. But never mind. Elijah. I must save him.

...

...

I don't know how I got there. But here... the Furious Stallion. My senses are so fine that I detect Rish upstairs. So, I ignore the door, and just leap straight through the second-floor window from the street, blowing aside the shutters and straining their hinges.

Rish screams, and Kiku draws a sword.

"W-What!? A-Aria!?!?" She cries.

I drop Elijah and his severed hand in front of me.

"Save... him..." I plead. Tears are flowing from me in waves.

'Reverse Protection Bond is expiring. Please stand by.' echoes in my head.

Power leaves me, and I collapse, like a doll bereft its strings.

Save him. Please.

I pass out in a pool of my own blood, sweat, and tears.