Chapter 27 : Wielder’s Arrival

  Splat.

  Blood spilled down Aspen’s throat.

  “Wh… what happened…?”

  He muttered, hand trembling as he pressed the wound.

  Ryl rushed to him. “Aspen!”

  “I—” he whispered as he coughed blood.

  “Don’t talk,” Dior snapped.

  “You’ll make it worse.”

  Vesra chuckled softly and fired leaf blades.

  “Ah… what a lovely sight.”

  Dior stepped in deflecting the leaves.

  “Shut up!” Ryl shouted.

  “How can you laugh when someone’s suffering?!”

  He shoved a healing potion into Aspen’s hands.

  The wound didn't heal.

  Ryl gave another potion.

  The cut sealed slowly.

  “How can I laugh?” Vesra repeated sweetly.

  “Because I enjoy watching humans suffer.”

  Dior’s grip tightened around his dagger.

  “Die.”

  He lunged.

  Leaf blades ripped through the air. Dior dodged them, closing in fast.

  His dagger aimed straight for her heart—But—

  Vesra caught the blade with her bare hand. Blood dripped across the metal.

  “Desperate, are we?” she smirked.

  “Sadly… this won't happen in this life.”

  Dior clenched his jaw.

  “Kill her. I don't have enough time. I already lost so much blood. If this continues I may faint.”

  Ryl and Aspen charged at her from both sides.

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  Vesra sighed. “I guess I have no choice.”

  She blew a sharp whistle.

  Ssssssssss…

  A hiss rose from the forest.

  A gigantic white snake slithered into view.

  [ VESPERIN : High-rank Beast. Deadly venom. Piercing tail. ]

  “Not again…” Ryl groaned.

  “Charge!” Aspen shouted.

  The snake’s tail slammed toward them. Aspen slid under and leapt for its head—

  His dagger slipped.

  “It won’t be that easy,” the snake hissed.

  “I, Silva, am not your average beast.”

  Ryl dashed toward the tail and stabbed—

  CLANK!

  The dagger snapped.

  “I-It’s Aspen’s father’s dagger!! I BROKE it!” Ryl panicked, hands shaking.

  _ _ _

  Dior’s Side…

  “I don’t care how strong you are,” Dior muttered.

  “You’re not allowed to live.”

  He ripped his dagger free from her grip, and in a single, brutal motion—

  stabbed her heart.

  Vesra gasped sharply.

  He didn’t stop.

  Another slash-her throat opened—A fierce kick—and she crashed to the ground.

  _ _ _

  Aspen’s Side…

  Aspen turned just in time to see Ryl holding the broken dagger.

  “Ryl!” he called.

  “It’s not the time. Come help!”

  Ryl blinked.

  “Hurry!”

  Ryl nodded.

  “Okay. I’ll distract it.”

  He stood up, waving his arms wildly.

  “HEY! Look here!” he shouted.

  “Look here, you DUMB snake!”

  Silva’s eyes widened.

  “Who are you calling dumb?! I’m the smartest pet of Miss Vesra!”

  “Then prove it,” Ryl taunted.

  “Tell me—what do we call a thing that isn’t a thing?”

  Silva froze.

  It scratched its head with its tail.

  “…It’s a thing… but not a thing…?”

  “What? Stuck already?” Ryl snorted.

  “Give me time to THINK!!” Silva yelled.

  “Being a thing it can't be a thing but he’s saying it’s not a thing while still being a thing… but what can be a thing not being a thing… but that thing is a thing not being a thing…”

  It slammed its tail repeatedly in frustration.

  Ryl quietly held his laughter.

  “Now.”

  Aspen launched from behind—

  Drove his dagger straight into Silva’s eye.

  The serpent shrieked, rolling violently.

  Aspen landed beside Ryl.

  Then—

  Silva raised its massive head again, blue blood dripping.

  “You made a fool of me?” it hissed, opening its jaws.

  “I’ll KILL you both!”

  It lunged.

  They dodged.

  Again.

  And again.

  Ryl tripped and fell.

  The snake opened its jaws, towering and aimed—

  BLAST!!

  A glowing ball shot through its skull. The head dropped beside Ryl with a thud.

  Sparkles drifted through the air like fireflies.

  “I… can’t believe this…” Silva whispered weakly.

  “Who killed me…?”

  Aspen and Ryl looked around.

  Silva sighed. Its body slowly turned into smoke.

  “What's the point… I lost anyway…”

  It looked towards Ryl.

  “Hey you,” it hissed.

  Ryl flinched as he turned to it.

  “Well… before I vanish… at least tell me the answer…”

  “It’s nothing.”

  Silva blinked. “I ASKED FOR THE ANSWER!!”

  “That is the answer. No—thing.”

  The snake’s eyes twitched violently.

  “You IDIOT! MORON! USELESS HUMAN—”

  It dissolved into smoke.

  Aspen looked around.

  “…What was that light?”

  _ _ _

  Dior’s Side…

  Vesra huffed.

  “You think I’m that easy to kill with one strike?”

  She rose again—wounds healing instantly.

  “As I said…” Dior stumbled back. His eyelids were heavy.

  “Only a wielder…”

  “You look delicious,” she smirked.

  “Let’s fix that face of yours.”

  Multiple whip-like branches shot towards him.

  “I’m dead…” Dior whispered, tilting head down with eyes closed.

  Suddenly—

  Swish!

  Someone slung him over their shoulder and bounded away.

  A slow, soft voice rose. “Are you alright?”

  Dior looked up.

  A girl stood there in a black uniform, her long cloak fluttering, the emblem stitched into it catching the light of two glowing ribbons in her hands.

  Her medium-length dark-blonde hair fell loose, with white beads at random places, the color warm and rich—like honey as her pale face was framed with bangs.

  A gentle smile played on her lips.

  “…Who is she?”

  he thought.

  “Who dares interfere?!” Vesra growled.

  The girl flexed her glowing golden ribbon-like weapons. A sigil on her right back palm was embedded as she walked towards Vesra.

  “My name is Elucia Neilo,” she said softly.

  “I am a Firefly Spirit Wielder.”

  Dior’s eyes widened.

  “An Elite Wielder?!”

  “A wielder…” Vesra muttered and huffed.

  “I’ve seen many and killed them. Let's see what you’ve got.”

  The leaves surrounded her in all directions as they shot at her.

  Elucia spun her ribbons, deflecting every strike effortlessly.

  Vesra snarled.

  Elucia lunged.

  Multiple branches formed barriers from the ground.

  SLASH.

  She slashed them cleanly.

  But Vesra didn't stop.

  She raised the thick branches and launched them at her.

  It turned into a living maze—some vines intertwined, others bent and twisted, a few sprouting leaves and smaller offshoots.

  Elucia dodged through it all, then leapt onto the thicker branches one by one, sprinting along its length. Her ribbon blades flashed as she sliced away the smaller branches that blocked her path.

  She closed the distance.

  Before Vesra could react—

  the ribbons wrapped around her neck.

  One swift pull.

  THUD.

  Her head hit the ground.

  Aspen, Ryl and Dior witnessed it with wide eyes.

  “Is she… really dead?” Ryl muttered.

  *****

  Chapter 28: The Past I Wanted to Bury