Pincer (2)

      When the morning sun barely cracks the sky and the colors fight for domination within the twilight morning, I awake. Rose doesn’t appear to have moved at all overnight. Apparently, she’s quite the sound sleeper. As gently as I can, I slide out from under her and rest her head gently on the ground. Other than a small stir, she continues to sleep peacefully.

      In the distance, I see Dom leaning on a tree, smoking a pipe. “That stuff will give you cancer, you know.” Wouldn’t it? I don’t know what exists in this world. He only offers me a confused look. “Nothing. Something from my world.”

      “Your… world?”

      Ah, crap. Right. As far as I can tell, Rose could remember everything I said. If that’s the case, Dom should be able to as well.

      “Do you have the experience to tell when your perceptions are being warped?” I ask, but not for the first time.

      Leaned back on this jagged-barked tree, his hat lazily lays to one side of his head. His craggy face puffs on his pipe.

      Trying to lighten the moment, I ask something else. “Does your beard ever get in the way?”

      He moves his pipe away and lets out a stream of smoke. A little smile tickles his face. “My, are those two questions related? But yes. I am an expert at telling of warped perceptions. That must mean you were the previous Zeroth Knight then?”

      I jerk back with a start. “You knew?”

      “I know very little, my girl, but I had an inkling, yes. Though I do not know the specifics.”

      “As smart as always, Dom.”

      “I’ve just been around far too long. We fight today, we die today, in the worst case. Perchance you should tell the Valkyrie goodbye? I won’t ask how you possibly swayed one from the Zeroth Knight. Meeting like this has become all-too-common for the battlefield. Allow an old man some time alone.”

      “As you wish, Dom. But every single one of us are making it out of here alive.”

      “As spoken once before. You are no more a god than I.”

      I puff with pride, “I’m better than that."

      “So says Nina.” He retorts.

      Rage, pure, unadulterated rage fills me. The moment my hands touch Dom, however, a pain unlike any other assails me. He just continues to go about his pipe like nothing happened.

      “Oh, were it so Eve. But you made sure of that, hm?”

      “What’s that supposed to mean?”

      “Eld are on the way, girl. Rouse the others.”

      At that, he walks away. I don’t see anything coming this way, but it’s best not to take what he said lightly, even if it was just to get out of questioning.

      The others are quick to the ready, but unlike he predicted, there were no Eld yet. Instead, we find ourselves marching over the unused bronze-colored grass through the treacherous heat of the dual suns.

      As I observe the scenery, an explosion rocks the air.

      “That’s their signal! We cut it close!” Abi exclaims.

      The moment we get within a few hundred feet of the Academy, Eld start pouring out of the back gates. “This is it, everyone. I wish you all well.” Dom says.

      “Well or not, we are to be remembered as heroes!” Abi draws her sword.

      “I won’t let any of you suffer here today,” I tell them.

      Rose acknowledges me by reaching out and giving my hand a squeeze. “I’ll do what I can. But remember, I am limited.”

      I nod and take the sword from my belt. It’s nothing compared to what I am used to, but it’s been enchanted by Dom, so hopefully it will hold up. We charge toward the faux-beast and clash against them.

      Three fall before even making it to us, courtesy of Dom. Two more are cleaved right from the outset, by Abi’s broadsword. One dives at me with its sword, but I deflect it and stab it through the heart. I take out the legs of another. I’m careful to not let any get past me to Rose.

      I feel so weak here. I am among giants between Abi and Dom. A whole swath of them are quickly destroyed, leaving me with little to do besides finishing off stragglers before they make it to Rose. As more come out though, the strain on the other two becomes increasingly apparent. One Eld, dressed from head to toe in what looks to be solid metal, easily deflects Dom’s fire. He is a massive man, easily standing eight feet tall.

      Abi’s blade bounces off his armor as well. Dom tries his lightning power, but that too has no effect.

      “It’s no good!” he shouts. “The man inside is a corpse, but still moving as all other Eld before him. The armor is made to carry him and will not falter easily.”

      We back away as it swings its massive hammer and rocks the ground. Dom’s barrier saves us from the worst of it, but this is not good.

      “Rose! Can you do something about it?”

      “I don’t know what I could do!” she screams in terror.

      Damnit. But just when all hope was lost, I can see a small figure jumping in from on top of the Academy.

      “Kay!” Rose and I yell.

      As Kay lands on the thing’s shoulders, she wedges her dagger under its helmet. Just when it manages to grab her leg and throw her, she is able to remove the helmet. I run under Kay and use my body to catch her. The impact hurts more than I thought possible. “You safe?” I ask.

      But she ignores me and gets up by herself. I look up just in time to see Abi slicing the monstrous Eld’s head from its shoulders.

      Things are a lot quieter on our end with the Eld killed.

      “Is that it here? Is that why you came to help Kay?” I inquire.

      Kay turns and looks at me with her good eye. More than a desire to answer my question, I can feel the bloodlust actually emanating off of her. It isn’t hard to figure out why, either. For several seconds now, Rose has had me in an embrace, checking to make sure I’m all right.

      Having no more of it, Kay approaches me with daggers still drawn. Sensing her intent, Rose shuffles in front of me.

      "Back away, Kay."

      She pauses for a moment. Looking us over, she asks, "What is this?"

      "Things are more complicated than you know. Focus on the war."

      Clicking her tongue, Kay runs off into the distance. The wind carries the sound of steel – the battles are not over. Rose and I share a knowing look before Dom orders us into the Academy.

      The back entrance leads us through the courtyard I had used to get to the Consulate. Instead of a beautiful green courtyard I knew, though, it was black, as if the sun had run away.

      Bodies littered the field. Judging by their state of decay, most must be from the initial days of the fighting.

      I felt sorry for the once-beautiful flowers we passed by. I remembered that black rose and what Rei did to me. Though looking back at it, I suppose it was likely Gee-Gehenna's fault, their damn queen.

      In fact, so much likely was. Most of the thumping inside my head, at least the violent ones, had to have been her – the need to hurt and kill, the desire to let loose and slaughter indiscriminately.

      I could only assume the evil that Rei was fighting alone so long was Gee... Gehenna, her and the fucking Beta. But why?

      Why would she not ask for help? Was she overconfident? Perhaps there was a reason she couldn't – she seemed determined to not let me in on anything. Why was that?

      I'm pulled from my reverie as we approach a massive door. Kay is standing before it stock-still. She offers us a cursory glance when we arrive, but that is all.

      "What is it, girl? Why have you waited when battle wages?" Abi asks.

      It's then that I notice Kay's eyes flickering in an out of focus. She keeps sending her gaze to the door. No, something beside it.

      Peeking around her and focusing my eyes in the dark, I notice something ominous. "No, no, no…" My comrades look at me with curiosity as I realize what is happening.

      I move in front of everyone and face Kay directly. "Kay. You can't get confused now. You cannot believe that whoever is behind that door could possibly be Ame."

      Only Rose doesn't seem lost.

      "How?" Kay whispers. Her voice barely audible over the wind. She narrows her eye on me.

      "She is the Zeroth Knight, Kay. The real one. You have to listen to her. She knows best." Rose says to Abi and Kay's astonishment.

---

Just who resides behind the door?