The crowd sprung from their hiding spots, darting to the Pillar, flailing weapons and roars. I was late to the call; even Juke went ahead without me, but once I got my bearings, I sprinted in with my tendril brandished.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ECm36K3vh
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The truth was, though I ran with purpose, I hadn't the slightest clue what to do. I looked left and right and observed the other members of the crowd. Some took up battles with guarding Bringers, others continued their onslaught. I slowed down, thinking of offering my help, but the crowd members made their adeptness in combat immediately known to me. As assuring as it was to see, it left me lodged in place. I looked around frantically, shaking sweat off my head with every turn.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXM9UTVTs23
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"Kid! Over here!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzkWVwYAPL
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A voice called out to me– Juke's, and immediately I was brought back to the moment. He stood near the entrance of the Pillar, and to that destination I dashed. My head turned left and right rapidly, and I had to duck a few too many times to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Once I arrived, I skidded to a stop.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYxYqQAeGK
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"Ya ready!?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5roxlEdUI
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"Don't ask! Let's just go!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKkJZ5lpOb
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We barged into the building with the rest of the squad. Nearly half of the members branched from the group to battle the guarding Bringers. I could only catch Lola and Pars before they finished their assault. Their attacks were effective and quickly incapacitated the members, if not outright killed them.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHplEEj02bj
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I couldn't help but avert my gaze at the bloodshed. Doing so, I noticed I was just about to ram into the person ahead of me. I quickly stopped, grazing the man's coat but narrowly avoiding a clash. I held my hand to my chest, frantically grateful, then stood there wondering why he stopped in the first place214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgntO2JYMhs
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Fortunately, I was promptly answered.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2En8OiVXK
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"Everyone, listen! Form a double-file line with your group! As we ascend floors, the leading team will detach and battle whoever is on that floor! Am I clear!?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL6zUDzNOH
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YEAH!214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypuZE7jHiA
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I was ready for the roar this time, but still, I shook, because the plan Lola had just created hurled me into a spiral of disorganized questions. But I hadn't the time to even form them; the crowd moved immediately after the instructions were yelled. They went ahead of me, charging, and I would've done nothing but stand there and stare if it wasn't for the smack on my back.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UXTUpDGns
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"Ack!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYm8a2OlfOC
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I flashed my gaze at the culprit: none other than Juke.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlryW3MO8Y
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"Now ain't the time, kid! Hurry!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKru5Dcsryj
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"R-Right!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUNWWjNwMl
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I shook my head rapidly as we followed the rest of the group, slapping my cheeks over and over. I almost folded then and there. Chiding myself verbally wouldn't suffice. I quickly resolved myself as we ascended the first set of stairs, disjointed from the rest of the squad. When we arrived at the second floor, the group was still again. I thought for a moment that Lola might've forgotten something, but as I peered around the crowd and saw who stood before us, I became just like them.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygv9PyLKbF
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"...I wanted to nip it in the bud. But there are many of you."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHmjtmYdzS
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Standing with a pose that revealed no fear, the Harbinger of Anger and a group of lackeys blocked the way.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpc6O95W8O
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"Crap!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUdtaS0n3V
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I was worried, naturally. Having fought her before, I knew of her strength. But this was a different scenario. This time, I had a group of powerful fighters with me. By our sheer numbers, she shouldn't be a considerable threat.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS73zKdzf2
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However, she still stood like she was. And that– that is what made me shudder.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWIMRG2BRn
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"Well," she started, "make a move, will you? Otherwise, reinforcements will come."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNfnMotb5l
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That comment put everyone on high alert, and only made me sweat more profusely. Having just been told that there is a time limit to this operation was a kick to the stomach. I looked at the rest of the crowd. They were brandishing their weapons and seemed to be readying their spells. I raised my tendril, half-heartedly ready to strike.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNDUBVDuKL
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However, nobody made a move. Nobody but Lola, who walked ahead of the crowd, her two-pronged dagger in hand.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkTonUZbVs
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"I'll handle this one. Everyone, move ahead."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnXyZ0Z8Wl
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"L-Lola!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwLEo6YrXN
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That was Dave's voice. I had never heard him stutter until then.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXig4bhLaFh
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"I'll be fine. We don't have time to argue, just move! Go!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dcJoEcTAw
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And the crowd did. It dispersed throughout the room. I went to the left side, eyeing the Bringers and preparing to respond to any attacks. The Harbinger just clicked her tongue and stepped forward.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPX4lQXBbf
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"This will be easier on me. You and I. Are you ready?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDh3EQz47if
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"Why, as ready as I'll ever be."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlWCTLXAgU
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Shockingly, she ignored the rest of us. The few lackey Bringers were overwhelmed by our numbers The rest of the crowd descended, but I hung around for a moment and looked. I started at the floor. I saw blood and torn fabric that didn't come from the enemy, and as I raised my head my gaze fell on the two women.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvR6m8FGWJ
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Lola glanced at me. Her face was rigid, but her eyes said enough. I gritted my teeth and ascended the stairs, silently praying.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKGMl0Vjx0
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–
–
–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFwhCrFtD2
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Provided that she was sober, Lola was extraordinarily talented at keeping a calm face. It was necessitated by her loathsome job. It wasn't just for fighting, but for looking good while doing it, because that was expected for someone in her position.
Lola had no reason to keep that face of hers at that moment, but even if she did, she wouldn't have been able to keep it for long.
"Hah. How oh how did I wind up here?"
Through the rubber grip her dagger slowly slipped from her palms. She tapped on it with her finger rhythmically– pinky first, index last, over and over. It was an instinctive thing for her. It had to be for it to happen because all her being was focused on the monster ahead.
A Harbinger. Elusive as they were, the only thing the highly-positioned such as herself knew was that their powers were mysterious and unpredictable. Fortunately, this one was historically noisy.
"You're the Harbinger of Anger, correct?"
"What's it to you, filth?"
"It wouldn't be wise for me to speak any further. I wouldn't want to leak any secrets, would I?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHhp0ukxCX
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02NIq9kDE9
By the standards of the Pillars, the room was spacious. Desks and chairs occupied space intermittently, and none were in such a position that they'd become serious obstructions. Despite the ideal conditions, Lola's brow twitched, because it was the abundance of furniture that allowed her powers to be so effective. And due to the material the foundation and exterior of the building were made of, she had ever greater restrictions.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBiEXOwkod
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Though, to her irritated admission, it was too risky and tedious to suspend anything bigger than a room.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynt3YdXl6h
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She shifted a leg back and shrunk her posture, pointing her dagger like a cat rearing to pounce. She didn't move, though. Her other hand hid behind her back, expelling mana and forming a mass of rock. The Harbinger tilted her head in response.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6W644BvcMx
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"Do you have something you want to say?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrpnRhdoPG
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Lola slightly shuddered. Her guess was spot-on but said it in a fashion like she had just invaded her mind.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFENFadNfw
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"...A name, perhaps? It's just common courtesy."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNJPd7zWpv
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"Oh, please. You should already know my name."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4dId6OiQ5
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"I'm sorry, but all I know is your title."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFRUgX8qBw
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The Harbinger threw her head back while rolling her eyes. She opened her mouth as if to respond, but suddenly, she took a defensive stance with her knife with a reverse grip. The shift made Lola jump, and her mana expulsion was interrupted.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn93Ua79Zmf
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"You're sneaky. I'll have to fight you head-on."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1LbnpKLYp
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The Harbinger took a similar stance to Lola, reeling her body back, and preparing to dash.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmgh2EBrLw
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"Call me Anima."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2t5WaIE5lA
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Her words came out of her mouth like hurled stones. Sluggish, spoken through a calm demeanor, they were laced with an apathy that stabbed at Lola's composure. A flurry formed in her chest, the one she felt every time she had to do the dirty part of her job; a putrid, crimson red. Only now, its color was blighted with a grassy yellow. After Lola's initial shock, the change dwindled in power. It was the same business as always, after all.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnnHdY9PeN
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The both of them gazed into each other's eyes. Anima narrowed hers, while Lola's did their best to scan.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQqudBT4yP
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Then, the Harbinger dashed.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWCRMzP0kj
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She charged at Lola with brisk steps, holding the knife out like it was a battering ram. Her speed was surprising, but Lola reacted accordingly, dashing backward. Anima clicked her tongue, stopped her advance, and veered to the side. It surprised Lola, but she dispelled it quickly when the image of a flying chair grew closer and closer. She couldn't duck, so she stepped to the side, but an armrest of the chair caught her shoulder.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcw23vxr5E5
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"Ngh!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu5L0FDW9j
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It hurt, but a bite on the lips drowned the pain. Anima's absurd move confused her and raised dozens of questions, but she had the time to answer none. Her opponent advanced, getting close enough to attempt a few swings. Lola dodged the first two, but after ducking the third, she pointed her dagger and thrust it at Anima's chest. But though it looked like it was sure to hit, Anima strafed to the side and avoided it perfectly. Lola's body committed to the trajectory of the knife just long enough for Anima to–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HKxQlYtqr
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**THUD**214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPmUPj1neu
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She delivered a kick to Lola's jaw, disorienting her and sending her rolling across the floor. Though it didn't hurt very much, the hit sent her head spinning. She got up quickly, though staying on her legs was arduous.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWfcUUWa13
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She caught Anima sprinting towards her. Too confused to make a complex motion, she simply fell on one of her knees and began mana expulsion.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQDlF3x2Se
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"--!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8d7eSoR2EX
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Anima backed off, and from where she stood a slab of stone was erected from the ground, only to sloppily fall a second later.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMd2EtclDK
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Lola sighed, "There isn't enough space to work with. Tch."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2unjVjsVpy
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As she regained her senses, she lamented the state of the room. Even the floor was magic-resistant, making it nigh-impossible to use her earth magic in such an offensive way. She desperately wanted to devise a plan, beginning to regret how carelessly she entered the battle, but her opponent handed her no such luxury.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbztkFSPHUU
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Immediately, Anima jumped over the limp stone slab brandishing her knife. Lola was forced again to act defensively, backing away from the aggressive swings of the Harbinger. She swung once and twice, then followed up with a stab. Lola prepared to step back, but a sudden collision halted her.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaHKS0AXsd
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She had hit a wall.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkyVSFK27u
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"--!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGHhqwx22b
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If she opted to move her whole body, she'd be punctured. If she stepped to the side the knife would still nip her considerably. Enduring such a taxing injury this early wasn't an option. Thus, instead of moving her body–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcAip4tfqK
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**CLING**214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM0SVNXQMY
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She intercepted Anima's blade with her own, catching it between the dual prongs of her dagger. The Harbinger's eyes widened for a moment, clearly surprised. Lola made note of that as a struggle ensued.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuXWZJlnIi
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"Huh. I can't break free."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpko9jcEkz
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The serrations on her knife caused it to get caught on the dagger. She couldn't dislodge it, but Lola's weapon was just as stuck as her opponent's. Anima jerked her leg, clearly preparing a kick, but Lola didn't react. The Harbinger delivered a blow to her right. She winced, but in her head, she celebrated.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuiPS3rVuF
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"--Huh?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW09CpV40qB
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"Caught you!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgYyAr6hEX
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She had Anima's leg wrapped in her arm. She tightened her hold, squeezing hard enough that a lesser fighter's bones would've shattered. Then, she began mana expulsion.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3xnJ8I1gN
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"You!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfN3Zw9ljyb
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Anima's panic was clear and immediate. At first, she attempted to pull her leg out of Lola's grasp, but she could barely make it nudge an inch. It did, however, make a spell difficult to produce.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxszIXJerAv
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It was laborious, but Lola was sure that she guaranteed a blow. She formed a blade of earth, focusing on width rather than length, and prepared to blast it through the Harbinger's leg. But then, she suddenly felt a force at her front, and her body jerked forward.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RfDGzfk7h
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The Harbinger freed her knife from Lola's dagger. Of course, it was the obvious decision when she forfeited the support of both arms. Lola had no time to curse herself for her oversight, because now a blade was soaring at her face. She ducked her head in time and, acting on instinct, she tackled Anima with a headbutt to her stomach.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePqd0t8T9T
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"Hrk!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxXPNNN1cO
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She recoiled from the blow, taking a few jagged steps back. Lola realized that she let go of her leg, but she still had the stubby cylinder of stone to hurl. And hurl it she did.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA487Ofwvti
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvofTNAS62
The Harbinger still reeled from the strike. Even through her rushed and lousy aim, Lola was confident that her cylinder would slug her opponent's head. Only, that didn't happen.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaCLG8Rnk8
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By an inch the cylinder missed, and it wasn't because Lola aimed poorly, but because the Harbinger let herself stumble onto the ground, landing on her ass.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OEkwv13mt
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Lola's bewilderment was profound, but she wasn't foolish enough to avoid capitalizing on her opponent's state. She leaped forward and stabbed the dagger from above, but she only hit the ground as the Harbinger rolled away. She hopped on her feet and tossed a haymaker kick that Lola retreated her head just in time for. Anima's follow-up blow was too sudden for Lola to dodge.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcDlDHuqC0
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She ate a heel to the head, a strike so fierce she flew to the wall. Fortunately, her chin wasn't hit, so Lola avoided being dazed. But her vision was blurred and her hearing was impaired.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5sGBNbVpO
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Lola, however, had a spectacular guess as to what her opponent would do next, and so she retaliated. She placed both her hands on the ground, carelessly expelling mana and producing not a slab of earth, but a wave of water.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjb38ANo6j
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXenK6QK7D
A few seconds passed until her senses returned. When her vision was clear, she was pleased to find herself still alive, but now the entire room was damp and flooded. Anima was on the other side, similarly drenched, though she clearly suffered no damage.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nJIfOl90J
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFySknRchpt
Not that she could muster that much mana, anyway.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYILD6zGQWr
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"...This is irritating."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡny6wEw3u96
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Lola got up to her feet, contorting her face. She made sure to at least keep one eye open because the Harbinger wasn't someone to be lax around. She found it difficult to keep her focus, though.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBzm9AQVRj
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjSaFcRRmb
This moment. This eternal, present moment; how she loathed it. Her opponent was slippery in figure and form, escaping every jab Lola threw her way. And now, the entire floor was ruined. The furniture was maimed and jumbled by the force of the water. The carpet absorbed so much that it looked like it would burst.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxXBvHsMnD
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It had barely been a few minutes, but Lola was beginning to get tired. Her stamina was unusually low, but with how much she drank to suppress her stress, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. She chuckled. For a moment, she had an awful load of clarity.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISPYqH9uck
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Giving up became more and more alluring.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycxz3Hy8Go
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"You're a bizarre woman. You also annoy me greatly."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwnWFxw7ie
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51fdaScH7U
"You find me annoying? Well, the feeling is mutual."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQld5TY7Dxw
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHE4POEjkjB
But she knew better than anyone that she couldn't just... do that. So, she sighed. She sighed and shook her head.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhxCKVJG5j
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The Harbinger looked at her with vigilance. Lola suspected that she had earned some respect from her, but she doubted that would make the fight any easier.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEHsHrQXgR
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As it was right now, she couldn't make any progress. Anima hadn't even used her magic yet, and yet Lola struggled to deliver a meaningful blow. At the rate she was going, she'd be whittled down, engaged in a battle of attrition she didn't have the mettle to endure.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeXE20fNBS
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But options were scarce. Any direct attack would either be dodged or countered and any spell was either too weak or suffered the same fate. With how aggressive Anima was being, she had no time to imbue the room with her mana.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4Q0mxxNnB
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"...Unless, of course."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeod4ugTrB
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She had to concede that her opponent was the better fighter in hand-to-hand combat; those few exchanges were all it took for her to realize. But it seemed to Lola that she was the far better mage.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50Klkmx6Dw
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She took a stance, holding her dagger in one hand and keeping her other free. From now on, she would play to her strengths.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCby9vamWKp
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"I don't like what you're planning!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYr63u6a3V
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Anima was an opponent who had an impossible ability to predict actions. Anima was an opponent who was cautious about and loathed being confrontational. Yet despite this, she was a skillful aggressor. But she was not impenetrable.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNxCLuZA9w
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUN1LV5uft
As the Harbinger charged for the umpteenth time, Lola remarked at how inconsistent her ability to predict was. The reason for the discrepancy was unknown to her, and she had no opportunity to ponder and deduce it. That, however, would lose all its relevancy if every inch of the room was a weapon.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRPdM8LkV8
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Her approach changed. Anima threw a small ball of fire at Lola, but expecting divergence, Lola was unfazed. She smacked the spell away with her dagger, preparing to back away again, only to hesitate once she noticed how close the Harbinger was. Anima thrust her knife– an action parried by Lola's swift movements. She attempted a riposte, but with a reckless motion, had her dagger countered with a resounding clang.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrBEIh0KHd
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93vOjkF0dp
It became clear to Lola that knifeplay was inimical for progress. Thus, she backed away, a motion that took advantage of Anima's poor posture. The Harbinger clicked her tongue and prepared another spell. It wasn't a haphazard product this time, but a sizeable, dangerous wall of flame. Lola had a skulking smirk, but a telling sea of sweat.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWKV1E1VFR
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbyKs0qL3b
It became time to set her plan in motion. She released the bubbling mana in her hand and suspended it behind her back, then formed a mass of water of similar size. She took great relief in seeing Anima's eyes widen, reeling her arm and flinging her spell.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKiqgyr1EM
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNfEU8QXiG
The Harbinger hastily threw her own spell to match Lola's. The two met, and a cloud of vapor burst from the collision, spreading through the entire room instantly. The haze was surprisingly thick; Lola knew that staying in place would only hurt her. She grabbed her suspended mana and continued supplying it, running through the steam and keeping a watchful eye–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttEVPqPJYS
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9lHQc7Pwi
**THUD**214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2HlN1v1Y6
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But then she felt a great force slam her stomach. She rolled across the room, clutching her gut. It wasn't even remotely a fatal blow, but she cringed as if her organs burst.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Y8cZ4IJ95
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She tried to stand on her feet. She was only halfway stable before she caught something shifting in the fog. She jerked to avoid it–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8smUK5ebi
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurIMvfDigY
"--Hrk!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yWjgK2wJz
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDudQZSPNCT
–but didn't move fast enough for it to miss.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kBTzQ6fk0
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Her reaction wasn't a result of instinct, but a habit acquired from her time in the field. She lifted her foot and swiped it in front of her, connecting with something. The steam began to dissipate, and she caught the Harbinger several meters away from her, but now her right femur felt one nudge away from being dislocated from her hip. She dashed away and looked at the new source of pain: her sizzling gash.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05xC6NKRD0
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡum63u9hRlX
It was on her right shoulder. She was thankful that she wore protective gear, because otherwise the cut could've net her a lost arm. Though, with how much it bled, it was still nothing to scoff at. She collapsed for a moment, scoffing.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UbrQFM3Jj
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"This..."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxBK9RPZc9
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She hardly had the strength to verbalize her complaints, but her ire wasn't her denied by her sudden dumbness. She paused releasing mana into her spell, suspending it into the air again and performed mana spinning on herself.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9u6uwZ0sH
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kQxoiGQhM
She could only do a little before her opponent returned to harassing her. Lola clicked her tongue, but got on her feet and brandished her dagger.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfPpHGdlwG
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbqiPK4r2V
"I couldn't even, wrap it–!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjlm2GW4Do
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Lola realized just how much trouble she had keeping calm. It stunned her for a moment, but ultimately, she still decided to challenge Anima's approach.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AxBGABsaP
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The Harbinger's eyes didn't widen. It was then, she stopped moving.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1NnkSFlpd
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIskTdePtSY
"--sneaky!"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFfi8vle2N
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1dXzKBkQC
Anima thrust her knife again, and again Lola parried it with her dagger. It wasn't as impactful, having it be done with her non-dominant hand, and Anima took advantage of it to try a slash. Lola moved reeled her head just in time and retaliate with an upward kick. Anima blocked it with her forearm, though it was only so effective, and since it was Lola's right leg she winced from the move. The Harbinger tried thrusting again, but had her blade caught in between Lola's.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyU3mnkhCC
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfug2K4AOz
Instead of baiting a grab, Lola acted fast. She twirled her wrist and jerked her arm to her, weakening Anima's grip, then hurtled her arm the otherway, and Anima's knife flew across the room.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGdozEVsHL
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkWcAgJG1Z
Anima seemed rather happy, though, and it was apparent why when Lola received a fist to the face.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUoMVOO3ZV
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKmf6iripY
She managed to brace her jaw before the impace, but it still made her head ring. She was met with another one, and then a third one to her chest.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDi8rFN0pG9
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DvPRsgSZW
And of course, none of them were strong enough to send her flying. It was only after a short flurry, a storm of blows and jabs, that the Harbinger hit her hard enough to create distance.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1L7O7bTZL
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitVWuc75tl
Lola didn't roll, but flew straight to the wall, sliding down while coughing and wheezing.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaNlt41Ebn
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...And I wanted to play to my strengths. What a bitch, this woman...214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpxk531ZCv
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUt8hLDAFp
She checked her spell and determined it still wasn't ready. Only a little more– only a little more and the battle would finally turn to her side.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOssm81YHH
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTellleGyE
She knew that. She know that, but still, she hardly wanted to get up.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH8Ie8jjPz
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSDSNmD1cM
Even as the Harbinger went to grab her knife, moseying as if she hadn't an opponent at all, she had no drive to stand.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpi5xMGUQC2
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So instead, she kept focusing, and focusing, and focusing–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMK2MuMC6p
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"You've been an interesting opponent. I may not show it, but I'm aching. Aching and exhausted."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3zH0MmGu2
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzRh0D6C83
Her gait didn't reflect her words. She trudged firmly.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLBWmtGnEs
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"I win, though–"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzogtmHBqA
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Then, at that moment, she displayed the greatest expression of shock. Widened eyes, a sudden jump, and a profound grimace.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdQwpyor1n
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecORD94rpp
Anima didn't even spare her an insult, she darted her head to the walls and sprinted. Lola eyed her and noticed she was heading to the exit. Then, listlessly slapping her right hand on the floor, her mana permeated throughout the soaked room.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydn8bgOt7m
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PiCJ0Wzkb
The effect was immediate. The room's stern architecture dawned a sludge-like form, one that slowed Anima down instantly. She threw Lola a look of scorn and raised her knife, hurling it at her. A piece of the floor rose to intercept it.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90tJJonMCo
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN0CP2Pzxj
"I hardly need to think to control this room. It's like Intent in a way, you know?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC7yTgefbi
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsynyDZk3Nk
She got on her legs, using a half-broken chair that slid to her as a support. She eyed the Harbinger, who, though still looked furious, was surprisingly calm.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaw2NWp6HdA
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"Can't move your legs?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBosdc3SA67
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXLZsJwjmG
"You cheap shit. You're everything I hate about people."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJGd53luBf
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLeJvfucNC
"--Pfff, haha! Where is this coming from?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy8DHXS1mRY
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVri8babtn
Even Lola was surprised at her laughter. It detracted her from her disgruntling situation for a moment. She gazed at the Harbinger. She did nothing more but gaze.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLogWTuGJg
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOpZZEdHNf
"Aren't you going to do something?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWIZKbhjym
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXnmIn6HNX
"...You're right. Strange, do you want to die? I would've kept you alive a little longer if you hadn't said anything."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgJjUmfWZL
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5cNPgtLsW
The Harbinger rolled her eyes in response. Lola commanded the room to form a spike out of the furniture, then created a mock catapult out of the floor.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu5GN7oRaP
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL3qsVbTAv
It didn't fire immediately, however, because it was at moments like these that Lola always paused before firing.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYuhcumlFw
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That would reveal itself to be a mistake.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zUdlkyZtc
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Anima suddenly ducked and extended her hand, firing a ball of fire that had little time to form, but was strong enough to blast the catapult. Lola was brough back to the present, and again she commanded the room to attack, but as she did, Anima pointed her arms in the opposite direction of the wall, and then–214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJ3x3XAD3z
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**BOOM**214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjwE1lixvo
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrc1X8KAa6
A gust of wind powerful enough to send every unfixed object to the opposite side blew in the room. Lola was sent to the wall, which cushioned her collision instead of exacerbating it, but it still hurt. When she opened her eyes, she saw a giant hole, and her opponent on the other side.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebnHDUH2XR
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vyBkZ3Esr
Anima stood up. Even from this distance, she could make out all the scratches from the debris. They exchanged looks. Lola expected Anima to turn and run, but she approached, stopping short of the hole in the wall.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFf7k1V4Bn
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"People like you," she said, pointing her bruised finger, "people like you. You fill me with putrid disgust, so loathsome I oughta spit at you."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxOTJ7zBmG
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82ST9ZnolZ
"--?"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tMHK9Vyp6
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"Go. Look at me like an oblivious child. It's fitting. It oozed from your every motion."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mITY387j3
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKu5HOGshpC
She withdrew her head, turned around and ran. Lola was stumped for a moment, but she discarded her words. It was just the deranged ramblings of a Harbinger, after all.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKAkBFf6gD
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"...Ehh."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfRUIMbjL8
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She shook her head. She focused on what was before her, what was relevant. She succeeded. That thought rang in her head through the various junk she was preoccupied with.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXYUSHBacN
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Yet again, here she was. A job completed, and her neighbors safer.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZs0XSeH5i
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QEfdy3X8Z
"..."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4zSv1vzX5
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She wondered how much she'd really mind if the floor didn't stop that knife.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpw7DnspsfJ
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEle7c6RvyH
"Mmm, well. Now isn't, the time for that."214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSdEYbrSXq
214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbONZWDZu32
The wound on her shoulder still gushed blood. Her energy drained faster because of it, but she had to tend to it to live. She began mana spinning. Still hurt, still tired, still doused.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojOUftqggG
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A new, quiet liquid brushed her cheeks.
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