Chapter 32: Tactical Retreat

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“There is nothing wrong with running away with the goal of self-preservation. Retreat is just advancing in another direction. While the reckless dies in battle, the coward lives to see another day.”

 

 

Commander Ajun, Retreat of Kaalmar

Year 655

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--POV: Clarissa Chamberlayne—

--Place: Unknown/ Time:Unknown—

*SLASH*

The man’s right hand turns into a blade as his arm extends out and reaches for my head, had I not ducked and retreated, my head would have been separated from my body.

“…Fuck!” I swear as I start running in the opposite direction of the man, but this is not cowardice I’m displaying, nope, it’s a tactical retreat.

“And where are you going to go, Clarissa?!” The man shouts from behind me, before also running after me.

Yes, he seems to know me, very well in fact. The only thing I can chalk this up to is that this guy is a part of the void, because he certainly isn’t human, thus why he knows about my identity from my memories.

Letting go of these thoughts and focusing more on the imminent danger, my eyes relay to me that the corridor splits to the right and to the front, with the front leading to a staircase that leads only upstairs (why the fuck?).

Slowing down my pace as I approach the staircase, I look to my right, only to find the same-looking man there as well, and no he didn’t teleport. There are literally two men that look identically the same coming at me from both corridors.

With my only escape being up the staircase, I breathe deeply before climbing the stairs like there is no tomorrow. Going up two steps at a time, I start thinking about how fucking rigged this whole shit show is.

This place has debuffed me to point I can no longer use magic, and my body is much physically weaker here than it actually is.While my opponents are supernatural beings I have never heard of with immense strength?

Plus, this place is probably infested with these atrocities, and so not only am I underpowered compared to one of them, but I am also outnumbered?

It’s either that the void is trying to make me lose or the goal doesn’t require me fighting them, as in, the goal isn’t to use strength, but intellect?

Well, great, fantastic actually. I really hope it’s the latter, because if it’s the former, then I don’t have much confidence in my survival.

“Haa….haa” That was like 7 flights of stairs or something? What is this building used for anyway?

Reaching the top of the staircase, I open the doors and come out on a flat and empty roof.

The roof has literally….nothing.

*TAP* *TAP*

I can hear the footsteps of those beings coming upstairs as a tinge of regret pierces my heart…..should I have stopped on one of the floors when I came up here? Why did I come here? I could’ve hidden somewhere else in the building…..damn it.

Pushing the depression out of my head, I make my way to the other side of the roof from the entrance, because a direct confrontation with 2 or more of them is impossible in my current weakened condition.

Looking around, as expected…..nothing to hide behind, no object I could use as a weapon, it wasn’t the best decision to come to the top of the roof….

There is an escape route, however, and that is the pipe that comes out of the roof floor and goes parallel to the outside wall of this building, if I just had wind magic….

The realization of how much I took magic for granted back home hits me as I try to counter this dire situation.

That is, before the villains of the show arrive “So, the game of cat and mouse has came to an end.” 5 identical beings come up with one of them standing on front, with the other four behind him.

He is going to casually ignore the fact that I managed to outrun him and his cronies…..seems the void couldn’t carry you to victory….

“Not answering?” he asks with a sly grin, he is so confident that he got me…..but why? I know I’m trapped in a corner on the roof with 5 deadly creatures surrounding me, but he is really confident that I’m a goner…..

I’m not done just yet.

With a heart full of hope, I bring myself closer to the pipe, while the creatures approach with ill intent oozing out of them.

“Suicide?” He raises his eyebrow, with his inhuman teeth still showing. “A coward like you doing something like that? You don’t have the guts” Is he trying to provoke me or is he bluffing?

What about…..fuck it!

Jumping of the ledge, I use every bit of strength to hold onto the pipe as I fall.

“Ugh..” A grunt of pain leaves my mouth as the friction of the pipe against my hands, tears the skin from my palms.

As the force of gravity pulls me downwards, the windows of the building pass my vision, windows showing empty rooms, similar to the one I woke up in.

However, one was different, one showed a man inside, an injured one….and there is only one person who could fit that description in this place.

*SCREECH*

Hugging the pipe with my arms and legs wrapped around it, I eventually come to a halt, at the price of excruciating pain, and what’s even worse, is that my white gown rips slightly and has red spots on it, indicating I’m bleeding somewhere, which is more good news today.

“Shit….” I’m not made for this stuff, I’m made to bark orders at some dumb mercenaries, not do this next-level shit.

I guess this is the price of ambition.

Crawling my way up the pipe to the window I saw Laurence in, I reach my battered hand to the window sill, and despite the pain telling me to let go, my brain ignored it.

Opening the window and crouching to get inside, I find fake Laurence alone in this room, the tools are everywhere, but those 2 sickos wearing the masks that are covering half of their face are nowhere to be found.

Laurence’s stomach no longer has a hole in it, and has been seemingly stitched together. His face is pale and his breathing shallow, with his closed eyes twitching every little bit.

He is in pain, a lot of pain.

And to end his pain, and to end mine, I will do what must be done.

This is the last thing I can think of, the only goal I see as plausible is to put this Laurence out of his suffering.

Grabbing a large sparkling silver scissors from the tray near by, I grab it with a reverse grip and bring it close to Laurence’s forehead.

If I can….can destroy his brain instantly, he will no longer feel any pain or suffering anymore…

With my resolve gathered, I lift the scissors and just as I was about to obliterate his brain, his eyes open slightly…..

“…..no….please….don’t…” He pleas in a hoarse voice, that has so much despair in it….it’s just…just….

No! no, no, no, no, no, no……

This is a lie….it’s an illusion to trick me…..this isn’t real….none….of this….is….real…..

“Shut up!”

*SQUISH*

Warmth permits my hand as blood and brains flow out…..that’s it…..there is no way the actual Laurence would die to something as little as that….

I…I…

Hope this is over…

And with this final thought, my vision darkens….

--POV: Clarissa Chamberlayne—

--Place: Chamberlayne Residence/ Time:21:13—

A massive pain suddenly assaults my mind, causing me to clutch my head….or I tried to….before I suddenly felt someone hug me. Opening my eyes, I find myself in a bed with the real Laurence hugging me.

After letting go of me, he looks at me, his face still as expressionless as usual, and narrows his eyes “You succeeded, but what exactly happened?” His worries are so much, I’m actually getting pressured here.

“Well…..” After spending 10 whole minutes explaining what happened, he goes into deep contemplation before bluntly hitting me with a…

“You have been unconscious for a week” Ok….what? “But, you have succeeded in stopping your age, it seems the time you spent unconscious was your body recovering from the change” he continues after nodding to himself, satisfied with his own explanation.

“However” He lifts a finger as he says so “I have been taking care of you during this whole week, as well as doing your responsibilities while you were away, so we can add this as another favour you owe me to your colossal debt”

Well…

“So how are you going to pay back this huge debt?” Laurence asks with a dirty smirk on his handsome face, along with a raised eyebrow to back it up.

“How do you want me to pay it?” I’m happy he is back to his joking tone, at least.

“Well….” He eyes me up and down, before nodding to himself again. “Alright…” A luscious grin forms on his face.

Seems this is going to be a long night, good thing I’m full of energy for it too…