A steady stream of hot blue fire created a wall for the Satellites against the onslaught. Lala copied the fire-Esper’s flames to add to their unconventional barrier. A crystal beast that charged through the flames found itself scorched and its shell cracking, an easy target for Hertha to jump in and kick into a million pieces. Further down two other Espers fought with glowing swords and spears, Another Esper cowered in a stone skin protected the Satellite's back with a barricade of earthen spikes that shoot out at her command.
Belaphorde stood behind the pyromancer and provided Guiding. The flames caused the crystal bodies of the monster to crack and kept their group safe as the horde spread out. The wet steppe grass fumed with smoke and Bel could feel the heat on his naked arms.
It was difficult for the Guide to focus. Was that the Kaiju-like monster he had encountered at the factory? But no one had gone made with ichor at the sight of it. To think that the monster might have control over such an ability was its own version of horrifying. His throat felt too dry and constrictive.
There was no boss outside so they had to go inside the rift and fast if they wanted to minimize the damage, but would he not be somewhat responsible if he didn't say anything and every Esper that stepped inside died?
“Hey!” Pyro barked back at Belaphorde and jerked his arm. “Guide better, you are doing something to make me sleepy or some shit.”
Bel furrowed his brow. A few other Espers he had worked with got tired when receiving his Guiding. The most extreme case was with the Esper back at the car factory. Through gritted teeth, he tried to focus until Pyro pushed him away.
“Hertha, something’s wrong with the Guide you picked up. The dude is trying to sedate me. Is it too late to get in contact with Seldom Seen Sal?”
After Hertha had done a round of kicking up monsters she grabbed Belaphorde with a huff to get some Guiding herself. Touching Hertha was like stabbing his hands with red hot needles as the ichor was forced into him and burned up in his bloodstream. Belaphorde went from feeling like he was burning up to having an invisible hydraulic press push down his legs. The pain made him buckle over and bite his tongue into silence. In a twisted way it was grounding. Kept his head in the moment.
“He works well enough. Just keep your focus BF. Money and lives are at stake.” Hertha shugged some water from a bottle hanging on her belt. Her eyes scanned the battlefield.
"Goldie, you and Lala pick up the Crystals. Pyro, cover them. We keep our position and build our stash!"
"Are we not going for the boss?" Belaphorde asked through ragged breaths.
"Hell no,” was Heartha’s imminent reply. “We got enough cash running around out here, let someone else deal with the Dungeon."
Lala nodded in agreement with her sister. "I hear ya Hertha. Speaking of, where's them city Guild folks? Who's keeping score of our hard work?"
"Crystals are crystals. Let's try and break our high score. Keep an eye out for filthy thieves." Hertha spat out. She bent down and signaled for Bel to climb up on her back. Once they were ready her legs were wrapped with glowing green ribbons and jumped up into the air to get a better viewpoint.
Seeing a crystal crab creature moving in on Lala from behind Hertha dived down. Belaphorde braced for impact as the ribbons swirled around Hertha’s feet that drilled right through the carb’s shell and landed on the ground beneath it. Since the crab was still standing Heartha turned around and kicked it with all her might right up into the air. A golden spear skewered right through it, the final hit before it cracked, breaking into glittering dust and the spear disappearing with it. The monster’s glowing heart was on display for Belaphorde to grab as they once again jumped up into the air.
"Nice one Goldie!”
Hertha called without receiving a reply and instead continued their hunt for valuable energy crystals.
From up high Bel could see the green towers of Kaleido over their pristine black and white walls. Bridges had been folded down to allow the Guilds to march down their troops. It would take them a while to arrive on the scene. The Outskirts had never been this bad for travel. The Outskirts had never been this bad.
"Mini-boss! I sense a mini-boss incoming at one o clock!" Lala shrieked as a massive creature most comparable to a four-legged tank steamrolled across the battlefield right toward the Satellites. It had a shimmering opal horn covered in blood.
The Espers regrouped, dropping their monster farming positions to face the opal beast, they could sense its power and the gold that the high-quality energy heart would be worth.
"Help! Anybody -" A lone ichor-smeared Esper was fighting for their life and tripped into a puddle before they got stabbed, smashed, and walked over. Many weren't ready for the violent attack of the horde, so they were left out to dry.
Hertha landed next to her sister and Lala held out her hand to collect the crystal from Bel. "Good little BF, just remember to not pocket for yourself, yeah?"
He just nodded in response. Over his shoulder, Belaphorde caught Pyro glaring.
The Tank stopped in its tracks. A rainbow halo grew around its opal canon. The growing force pushed its hoofs down into the ground.
"EVERYONE DOWN!" Hertha grabbed Lala by the neck and dived down, slamming Belaphorde on his side in the process.
A pure white beam disintegrated everything in its path. Through the battlefield to the shanty town and into the mountain cliffside. A kilometer of nothing existed for a second.
Belaphorde rolled up to his feet and turned around to see the spear wielder Goldie a couple of meters back. The Esper's eyes were wide in surprise. A perfect arch had been drawn from their hip to their shoulder where their body no longer was. Gravity pushed down their pink lung from under their rib cage and made the person into a pile of gore.
One wrong step. That's all it takes.
Lala screamed in horror and with her sister's powers leaped to their fallen friend. "Don't leave me, baby! Remember our dream. Weren't we going to have a farm together? With horses!" She frantically scrambled for her words and the head.
The Tank kicked its back legs and sluggishly charged up another shot. Belaphorde looked over the creature. The cannon could only fire at a particular height considering its bulky body could not go lower. If it aimed lower it would just hit the ground.
Beside Belaphorde was still Hertha with a neutral expression. "Pyro, you take three people and protect the body. We make this bastard pay and then fall back."
Without another word, the Satellites got moving. Lala held Goldie's head on her lap and summoned a golden javelin into her hand. "See? You are alive… my baby."
"Keep down low and get behind the monster! It got no weapons and can't angle the shot." Belaphorde informed the group while crouch-running behind Hertha.
"I have a better idea." The older woman said, hauling Belaphorde up on her back once again. "Be ready, Guide. I'll be using all my juice."
They jumped high up into the sky, Hertha's arms securely holding Bel's legs in place. She began to kick out her legs like she was treading water which sent out waves toward the Tank. With each kick she screamed out, ichor and sweat poured from her hairline. He could not see the ichor on her legs but felt the tidal wave of pain wash over him as he tried to support Hertha the best he could.
They succeeded in getting the crystal tank's attention as it aimed its horn up in the sky and shot another beam. Since it moved so slowly, Hertha was well out of the way and the white light disappeared harmlessly into the sky.
While it shot its cannon it was stuck and vulnerable to attack. The rest of the Satellite team made quick work of the mini-boss. Hacking away its legs and then busting its shell. Harvesting its horn and a football-sized rainbow heart.
A sudden series of white flashes made Belaphorde's heart skip as he turned his head to see photographers perched on a rock sticking out from the landscape. Hertha's alert and ichor-pumped-up body reacted on its own and kicked out energy waves at what she perceived to be enemies.
Bel grabbed her face and shook violently back and forth while pleading with her to calm down. Her kicks misfired as the young Guide lost his vision due to the pain and was about to pass out from the strain of healing. Hertha came to her senses, shook her head to regain her focus, and jumped back down to her team after spotting their friendly yellow flag.
Belaphorde slumped off her back, gasping and shaking as his muscles ached from the bounds of pressure that finally unlatched.
Lala and the others had put their comrade away in a body bag. They had collected two sacks filled with energy crystals and their rare trophies. The battle was far from over. Other Espers were fighting and dying all around them. But the Satellites decided that they were done. Or at least that they needed to rest and then come back.
"Good work out there." Hertha held out a hand and helped Belaphorde up to his feet before turning away from the Guide to walk with her sister. Lala was still holding on to her summoned weapon, black tendrils growing on her hands. Belaphorde kept quiet and would not offer Guiding unless asked.
The other Satellites protected the group, carving out their way in the boiling madness.
But, as they left the rift behind they found themselves on another battlefield.
Through the packed streets of refugees sandwiched between the falling mud-town and the Hills Rift a pirate flag was hoisted. Barrackades and barracks of debris were being built in the main paths towards Kaleido.
“This is madness!” A young woman with a white scarf and a red cross over her chest stomped around the camp furiously. “They are blocking our couriers. Bloody anarchists can’t they see we have a million things going on. Take down the barriers!” She preached to a crowd of weak, sick, and homeless sots. Other workers like her looked just as furious, if not scared of what was going on around their camps.
Hertha did not spare them a second. She and the Satellites moved right through. Lala was in her own world of sorrows. Though as they got closer to the barracudas Belaphorde spotted the black and white scarves that he had learned to fear. Pyro went up to Hertha and exchanged some whispers. Belaphorde did not like the way they looked like two snakes conspiring. Whatever they were saying Hertha nodded and Pyro jogged on ahead with the yellow flag.
“He’s scouting ahead, seeing if our safehouse here is still good.” Hertha slung an arm around Belaphorde. “Cheery-up BF. You did alright out there. You are a light backpack for your size!” Belaphorde did not appreciate Hertha’s sarcastic tone and remained still.
Through the crowds he could see Pyro climb up on a collapsed building, shouting and waving the flag. In a minute a petite girl hopped up to join him. She wore a black sleeveless vest and had striking magenta hair. Even without any skull symbols, Belaphorde recognized her—the one who had cheered so happily over Vigo’s torture.
They exchanged a few words. The girl laughed. they seemed friendly with each other. Pyro pointed back at the Satellites and Belaphorde could feel his heart in his throat. Sensing a change in mood Hertha tightened her grip.
