...
'Do you still want to go on?'
'Do you still want to save her?'
...
Perhaps something ignited something inside me... I didn't know what the words spoken to me were about, who was 'her'? But, it gave me a hidden strength--, or perhaps it unsealed something to me.
~~//~~
I Dissipated away with the small willpower left... In front of me stood... a faint-purple translucent Fragment... It felt weak, but the many cracks and the dim shine meant that it was missing something... yet, it felt so... close.
My body, especially my arms shone brightly. All the cuts, and hanging pieces of flesh, and blood, everything faded away into a perfect body. An uncut, unharmed body.
... I prepared myself, I cannot back down or retreat here...
I prepared three Fragments in my hand with the rest on offense. I wasn't certain if it had a heart, or even organs, but I could wither it away. The dark sparks, after some consideration were probably... due to Dark Magic interacting with Dark Magic, a unique shield - probably... Speculations aside, there were probably many things with Magic and Dark Magic never tried before, so something like that could exist--, though... how?
"Focus, the threat is in front of you..." I could do some experimenting later, I had to focus my all on fighting and surviving. I couldn't be guaranteed that I would be revived by some magical force again.
I went all out, dodging through Dissipation, striking through Dissipation, and anything I could do. I would have activated my Distortion Field, but I didn't want to prevent Aether and anyone who comes from using Magic... if they arrived on time that is.
"Tsk--!" I narrowly dodged a Magic strike from the Demon through my Dissipation... the eighth time within these few two minutes... I chipped away at it's chest with no result--, this was clearly not a normal living thing if it didn't have a heart. A hole went right through it's chest, which made me think I wouldn't be able to kill it.
'Don't think other people's struggles will help you; you must use your own struggles to preserve.'
... What is with such vague instructions!? My own struggles, what even are they? I tried to think--, dying...? Almost getting captured and such by the Imperial Hunters and Jack?
... Ah, it couldn't be--, yes... That Fragment. It was different. It felt conscious, it felt like I shouldn't use it, but... If that was what the voice was referring to, then it made sense.
Perhaps sensing it's calling, a faint-purple translucent Fragments with many cracks foamed in my hands... I only had this, but... It felt oddly familiar, and I felt hesitant to use it to strike even the Demon with it for fear it might crack even more... Even the Demon, fearless and mechanical it was to fighting froze when I held it in my hand as a makeshift dagger. A cold, numbing feeling formed at my hand; just... what is this?
I tried once more, through my other Fragments and this unique Fragment in my hand to strike again. I aimed for the head of the beast again and--,
"Wah--?" Massive sparks of black formed as this Fragment easily pierced it's skin. The black dust that originally occurred between hitting it with my Fragments disintegrated into the air. It which probably couldn't feel pain looked like it was in pain, as it desperately tried to push me away--, but it's arms and claw never touched me with it's strength.
It quickly fell to the floor... before it's body disintegrated into the nothingness...
I stood back up... I got narrowly hit 9 times, and had various scratches and cuts on me from Wind Magic. My arms and dress had various cuts on it - which surprised me, as I wondered why the golden dress didn't regenerate or clean itself yet. The painlessness still stuck with me though, so I felt fine. I sat down to try to think things through...
... Hmm--, how and why did this Fragment come to me--//!?
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
----- ----- -----
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
How--... long did I pass out?
I forced myself up and looked around. It--, well... appears I've been rescued by the group. The golden dress seemingly repaired an cleaned itself, and I myself was clean of all the cuts and blood on me.
... Did I have some self-healing ability?
"Tenshi..." Katherine muttered as she looked at me... She sat on a log--, huh...?
"Haha--, greeting Katherine. It is nice to see you and everyone else safe." I jokingly said. "What happened--, how was I when I was found?" I decided to get to the point.
Katherine turned... "I--... was worried, you were covered in blood and your... beautiful dress was torn and--... I didn't expect you to return to your normal state." Well--, I mean... Mom was also surprised, as well--, I am sure anyone would. "Did you... really kill it?" Katherine asked.
"Yes." I confidently said.
... I stood up from the sheets they used as camping beds and looked around... It was dark out, and everyone was up besides the commissioners who were sound asleep... My Dark Magic Link was still broken, or messed up here even with it gone.
I decided to go look for Aether, "Erm--, Aether said that we would go on... tomorrow." Katherine told as I turned back to listen...
"Huh." Well--, thinking through... "Regardless, I should still explain to him everything on my side, as well as tell everyone to rest." I responded back.
I left before she could argue.
