R. A. T. H

Nineteen vol.2

Elsa caught a returning One-Eye and released another, checking and syncing her pad with it. The land ahead was displayed in tones of shifting darkness, orange, and distant flashing lightning with echoes of soft thunder. At the very least, it was not the deep darkness of nighttime yet when jagged teeth ripped into her creation, tearing it apart as crimson eyes glowed.

"Motherfucker," She cursed, "This fucker just. . .you two, we've got mana beasts."

Rose stopped in her tracks. "Lost your bot?"

"Yup."

"Sorry."

"No hard feelings."

A howl reached their ears, then many more rang in the depths of the murky ravine. Elsa equipped her pulse pistol, twice-tapping its core to action as mana flowed into its barrel. Part of her was more than peeved, she wasn't rich after all, each thing she created was costly.

Rose squinted ahead and looked to a Lilias by her left. "Wolves. Black. Crimson eyes. Flickering and disappearing before reappearing out of darkness."

"Those would be Shadow Wolves."

Fire sparked and a black sheathe lined with gold was gripped by Rose's left hand. She nodded, shifting to a somewhat lowered stance, knees bent.

'Shadow Wolves. . .the beasts Mare's spirit comes from. . .' She thought before speaking, "This will be our first fight together.

Elsa raised a brow, pointing her pistol forward to aim. She was better with her fists, but having lived within the slums, handling guns was also a valuable skill.

"Huh?" She said, "What about the time we fought that water Gear user?"

"That doesn't count," Rose replied.

"They're here," Lilias spoke.

The dragonian kicked off from the ground, her weight shifting the dirt of the ravine. Her figure spun and her crimson swords did the same, ripping through the air until they made contact with the beasts coming their way. Two heads were ripped into four halves, the creatures attached dying immediately and dropping like useless pests with blood in their wake.

A shadow leapt at her.

Lilias spun her lefthern sword, its blade ripping through the neck of the beast as its partner weapon lashed out, blocking jagged teeth from the right side, she looked at it rather calmly as she slashed upward, dividing it into two.

She jumped back, escaping a clamp of her neck from another leaping beast. A growl at its throat died as a pulse passed through its head.

"Clean shot!" She heard a excited yell behind her.

Another pulse passed through a second beast's head, devouring it of its life as it fell.

"Man, I've still got it after all," Elsa exclaimed once again.

Rose came upon Lilia's right, staring at the rush of Shadow Wolves that had made their way here. Sparkling with a body reminiscent of darkness, crimson eyes glowing. In that short exchange Lilias and Elsa had had, her core had spun and her brain had ran, and she recognized one thing.

"They must make themselves concrete to attack," She spoke out loud, "That's the best chance to attack."

Her sword sliced towards a creature and the shadows of the ground devoured it, escaping her attack with a swiftness and elusiveness that reminded her of Mare. Then its head jumped through the ground, sharpened teeth ripping to go, and Rose blocked them with her weapon's sheath before jumping back.