𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑 ; 𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚕

𝕥𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖

❝ 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚕𝚢𝚗𝚗, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢'𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚊𝚖𝚎. ❞

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"This is your final battle. Look above you." All of them comply at Ryoh's words. "Monsters swarm around the skies around their stronghold. Just getting will be a challenge, we could all die here. Any number of us along the way."

(Name) holds her flying broom tightly as she feels her heartbeat getting faster. She doesn't know if she's scared or excited to finally reach her goal. But she surely hopes it's the latter.

She feels a hand rests on her shoulder before giving her a gentle squeeze. "Are you scared?" Rayne asks, his eyebrows furrow in concern. (Name) relaxes as she flashes him a smile. "Not at all." She assures him.

"Are you going after the second son?" The sword cane murmurs, earning a hum of approval from her. "I'll guess we need to part ways then." (Name) nods her head as she pats his head gently.

"No dying, okay?" She smiles cheekily, earning a scoff from him.

"No dying."

(Name) winces as Dot screams in pain after his toe just hits the invisible barrier, and ouch, she can feel his pain just by seeing it.

"Curses! Now we can't get inside!" She deadpans at Ryoh's act. "If only we had someone whose magic could very specifically switch people's places with their own!!"

"Just ask Finn directly, no need to be so dramatic." Ryoh gasps at (name)'s words as he clutches his chest as if he's offended. "How could you, (name)?!" The crimson cane shrugs as she turns to the younger Ames.

"You... want me to go and secure a route for everyone from the inside on my own?" Finn asks, his eyebrows furrow as he starts sweating bullets. All six of them stare at him. "M-Me? Go all by myself? Into the heart of the enemy territory?"

Ryoh looks at him with determination in his eyes. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but we need your power. Only you can save the world."

Finn trembles violently as he shakes his head vigorously. "No, no, no, no!" He exclaims in fear, but he is already inside the barrier. Ryoh headlocks a scared goblin as he grins. "How convenient that this goblin was taking a walk so you could swap with him," he mutters happily.

"Stop whining and find a way for the rest of us to get inside." Orter murmurs, pushing his glasses to his nose as Finn replies in tears. "But I can't! What if I run into someone?! I can't fight! I'll almost certainly die!!" He cries out.

"It's okay," Finn stiffens. "You can stay right there while we all die and the world meets its end." The younger Ames deadpans as he cries internally.

(Name) steps in front of him as she puts her hand on the barrier, where Finn's hand is rested against it. "It's okay, Finn. You can swap with me if you want. I can fight," she offers kindly to him.

Finn's eyes brighten for a moment, but when he looks down at her hand, he immediately notices the difference in their skin tone.

(Name) has gotten paler since last he met her.

He is not unfamiliar with her. She always visits his and Rayne's home even before he enrols in Easton. He's aware that her magic requires her blood, and that actually concerns him.

So how can he accept her offer when she can die just by using too much of her magic?

His hand that is on the barrier curls into a fist as he lowers his head. "...no, I'll do it." His words shock almost everyone. "I don't want you to waste your blood here, (name)-san. So... I'll do it." He says firmly, despite the shaky tone, he manages to stand his ground.