Chapter 124: Book 2: Loop 15.1 (3)

Chapter 124: Book 2: Loop 15.1 (3)

Anhar's connection to his spear is a weak one—unlike Trialgoers, he doesn't have any Interface-assisted version of Firmament Control. His ability to stay connected to his spear is a part of the skill he's just used, but given it isn't his own to begin with, it's not going to be difficult for me to override. I can feel how easy it would be to reach out and just... take over.

But he'll be ready for that. The fact that he's got countermeasures against Trialgoers at all means I should assume he'll be prepared for common skills like Firmament Control. I can't ignore the fact that he's got seven more skills, either, by Vahrkos's estimation. At least they seem to be one-use only.

Worst-case scenario, I'll have to force him to wear out all of them—but it'd be better if I could stop him from using them at all.

First things first. Step one.

Intrinsic Lightning.

I haven't forgotten what Tarin taught me when I was watching him fight in the Arena. It might be my first time using the skill in combat, but I'm pretty sure I was able to get the hang of it while I was watching him. Sparks of Firmament begin to rush through my body, multiplying as they go, sensitive to even the slightest change in the Firmament around me.

Step two. Anhar needs to target me, not Vahrkos. I begin building up Concentrated Power in my fist. Right now, Anhar thinks he'll have the advantage if he can get rid of us one by one; I need to make sure he realizes he doesn't have the time or the luxury to focus on just one of us.

Above me, Ahkelios flashes a quick signal to Vahrkos, and I feel some power drain from me as he uses one of my skills. Hopefully Vahrkos will understand what to do.

Step three. I begin sprinting toward Anhar.

I don't use Accelerate or any of my speed skills this time. I let the arm that's building power hang a little low, like the strength I'm accumulating is too heavy for me to carry. I let it seem like the strain on my system is so much that I can't use my normal skills alongside it. Anhar's gaze flickers toward me, and the Premonition I have about the fight changes.

He isn't targeting Vahrkos anymore. Good.

Instead, the spear whips toward me so quickly I can barely spot it even with Quicken Mind accelerating my thoughts; it's a good thing Tarin's little trick works, because I stumble out of the way without even consciously registering the movement. The change in Firmament translates directly into signals along my nervous system, forcing an instinctive sidestep even as the spear smashes a crater into the ground beneath me with explosive power.

It whips around with no regard to the laws of physics, going in again for a second strike, and then a third; I grit my teeth as I feel my body straining to keep up. Second Wind does a lot of work here, replacing the scratches and wounds I do take with a seal of Firmament. Automatically dodging the spear itself is one thing—every time it strikes the ground, shards of rock fly out with enough force to gouge tears into my skin.

It's fine. The pain is minimal, suppressed both by my experiences within this Trial and the nature of Second Wind itself. I'm sure I must be quite the sight by this point—I catch glimpses of myself through my link with Ahkelios. There are so many scratches on my legs I practically look like I'm glowing.

If nothing else, it does a good job making me look intimidating. Anhar's focus is nearly entirely on me, now.Upstodatee from n(0)/ve/lbIn/.(co/m

Which creates the perfect opportunity for Vahrkos.

Hueshift is a poor replacement for an actual camoflaging skill, but in the heat of battle and with the amount of dust being tossed around by our fight, it's just enough to keep Vahrkos obscured. It's not that Anhar doesn't notice the other morphling—it's just that the Hueshift-tinted Barrier in front of Vahrkos keeps him just obscured enough that he doesn't register as a threat.

Anhar is focused on me. The biggest threat right now is my fist. I'm still pouring Concentrated Power into it, and the amount of Firmament it contains is only growing. He's been hit by me once before, and that's enough to make him wary of taking another one.

Several things happen in quick succession.

I Warpstep, putting me directly beside Anhar, my fist just inches away from his right side—the same spot I punched before. Anhar jolts in surprise and reacts, pushing every last fragment of Firmament he can into defense. It's entirely instinctive. Even if he's been able to heal back from it, he still remembers the impact, the pain.

In that instant, Anhar's entire focus is locked into defending against me. Ahkelios and Vahrkos both take advantage of that instant. Vahrkos leaps into the air, toward the spear. Ahkelios reaches out with my Firmament Control, snipping the connection Anhar has with the spear and allowing Vahrkos to grab it.

Ahkelios places a Barrier directly beneath Vahrkos's feet, and the instant he makes contact, Vahrkos uses it to land, spin, and whip the spear forward using the weight and momentum of his entire body.

Vahrkos snorts. "You are not a good liar."

"It's not a lie," I protest, because it technically isn't. He just looks at me, and I sigh. "...The Integrators messed with the loop. Right now, anyone that dies dies permanently."

Vahrkos's gaze goes to Anhar's makeshift grave. There's an immediate spark of worry in his eyes—fear for his friends, no doubt. His voice, when he speaks, is cautious; I can hear the panic, carefully withheld. "I see. But there is a catch, I take it."

"Kind of." I rub my temples; this is going to be a nightmare to explain. "The permanent deaths are tied to the end of the raid."

"Raid?"

"It's a Trial mechanic that's more or less an invasion." Right on cue, the walls of the base begin to crack; I grimace and glance around, pulling Vahrkos back and away from said walls. "A test, of sorts. If I fend off the raid, I win. If I fail... the Integrators erase the city."

"They do what?" A flare of justified anger from Vahrkos.

"Erase it. It'll be gone permanently from the loops." I glance away. "And so will everyone in the city."

Vahrkos's voice is tight. "What's the failure condition?"

I glance at the notification again. "Either my own death or the death of everyone in the city," I say. "But like I said, those deaths are only permanent when the raid ends. I have a skill that will let me rewind time back to the start of the raid."

"You can rewind time?" Vahrkos sounds incredulous, and I don't blame him.

"It's not a skill I got for free and I'm not going to be able to use it much." I feel a pang of worry even as I say the words—Gheraa's paid the price to give me that skill, and I don't know what state he's in at the moment. "That's not important. What's important is that I'll have a few tries to get things right. Next loop around, I'll send a copy of myself here to fight with you, and I'll go save Wanders."

There's a long pause as Vahrkos processes what I've said. The walls around us are crumbling. For the first time, he can see the living meteorite-creatures that have invaded the city. From the way he narrows his eyes, I think he knows how strong they are, too. But I see him trying to control an emotion that's separate from all of that. "He's already dead, isn't he?"

"In this iteration," I admit reluctantly. That's what Guardian of Fate tells me, anyway.

Vahrkos takes a deep breath. His fists clench and unclench—he's trembling, and it takes a moment before he speaks again. "...Alright," he says. "Then I should help you keep Isthanok safe for the rest of this loop. We cannot let all the people of Isthanok die."

I hesitate. Vahrkos's assistance would... help, I have to admit. I've been so focused on the idea of saving the rebels that I haven't even considered that I'm going to have to clear away all of these meteorites before the raid can be considered over, and that means having to protect the civilians of Isthanok in that time.

"Say yes," Ahkelios says, smacking the back of my head.

"Ow," I grumble. "...Yes. I'd appreciate the help, Vahrkos. Just don't get yourself killed."

Vahrkos snorts. "I am not that easy to kill," he says. "Anhar is probably one of the few that could have done it. But you must keep my friends safe."

"I'll do my best," I promise. Vahrkos narrows his eyes, studying me.

"I will hold you to it," he says.