". . ."
Unsheathing her rapier, Ais walked towards where Laventienn is located and pointed her sword above his shoulder.
"Duel" She said which surprises everyone in the said vicinity.
They're already speechless that she stands and walk towards the group. But now their mouth opened from the shock. Is she out of her mind?! After all, those who knew her didn't thought she will do this in the first place. Others didn't know it either but Finn, Riveria and Gareth couldn't help but smile. Ais is cold but she is caring.
Laventienn only look at the tip of her rapier, and knowing it was only Ais who ask for a duel, he wanted to reject the offer but Finn patted his shoulder.
"Accept it. It is her only way to conveyed what she felt" and walked away, telling: "There's an open field a few meters away. Gareth, will you please?"
Finn look at Gareth whilst the dwarf hefted the amazoness along with Bete and others until remained is only Leventeinn, Ais, Finn and Riveria. . .They have the reason not to let others saw this scene.
In an open field.
Laventeinn, or commonly known as the [Black Lavender], drew his short sword with only the same length of his arm.
Ais, the [Sword Princess] did the same with her rapier and immediately used her skill after chanting the word "Tempest". She already activates her best skills which surprised the two spectators.
But Laventienn immediately dived towards the nearest shadow and black petals started to form, flying towards the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein.
"Psh, it escalated too fast"
"They want to end it as fast as possible"
"Or not"
"Yeah, I think so too"
Ais dodged the petals and stabbed five to ten times all of the shadow within her vision. But Laventeinn emerged from far away, unleashing black petals towards Ais, but she dodged it and stabbed the shadow again, Laventeinn doved in nearest shadow and only repeat this entire process. . .
Speechless!
Speechless!
The two spectator couldn't understand it anymore. Wind flew past their cape and hair as Ais wind is violently dancing. But nothing happened after then. No clash of the sword. Nothing as if they are playing.
For a whole minutes, five minutes, ten minutes. The two battling only their wind and shadow and repeat this process over time. . .
"I guess. . .its time to give my speech to others"
"Yes me too, I go see and check the injured patient"
"Alright, let's go"
The pallum and the high-elf, face their back from the duo who are playing rather than fighting. They don't know what to say anymore.
"Did you do it on purpose?"
"Uhmhm"
Only a seconds later when Finn and Riveria left the fighting duo did they stopped their duel.
Laventeinn questioned Ais who gave him the slice of bread whilst the latter only nodded as an answer. Indeed, Ais is only playing during their duel as if only cheering him.
"Haha, cheeky brat!"
"I'm. . .eleven, not a brat" Ais interject with pouty cheek.
Laventeinn helplessly scratched the back of his head. He only said the word thank you---for cheering him, which she only gave him a confusing look. From that reaction, he don't know if he will laugh or cry.
"We're different after all" She muttered after. Which it was Leventeinn this time who was confused.
"Ais is. . .afraid, angry and wanted revenge, whereas Laventeinn-san is only afraid and angry. . .hopeless, weakling"
". . ."
"Ais will, always will, never forget that enemy"
That was his last conversation with Ais. Long yet short. He can't help but to twitched his back. Hopeless!
Weakling!?
Words of Ais still echoing inside of his ears. Ringing everytime he fought monsters he couldn't beat alone!
Is that even an advice!? He wonder. But he felt relieved for a little bit. Just that, he's hopeless that it was an 11 year old child of all people who cheers him up.
Days past in the blink of an eye. This time, all the advance forces are fighting together. Finn and Gareth are at the forefront, leading them. Riveria is at their rear guard, alone. Ready for support at any time.
Their enemy, is the light-element Qilin that crawls from the the very deep of the dungeon! They don't know when or how, but this is the first time that all of them felt the sense of danger, even the high level trio felt it. They came here, knowing their limit but what surprised them is this monster.
It was a horse but has the scale like that of a fish, has a horn like deer and has a thin and long whisker, wriggling!
Above all, its light-elemental monster! Meaning, other than its physical attack, it has the light attribute magic attack!
Lavensteinn of all people felt helpless! He dove unto the shadow for how many times by now but after the light passed through the shadow he was hiding, his body was kicked out of that area! He lost his life for more than 3 times by now if not for Gareth and others who protects his body from the Qilin's ramming horn!
As the final stroke of his mana, his eyes turned white and spark flickers from the side of his pupil! His party are all battered and helpless in front of their enemy! So he don't have any choice but used it.
[Myriad Eye(Proliferation Form)] Activates!
"What is this overflowing magical properties!?" Riveria who are supporting from behind, couldn't help but muttered and look where Laventeinn was.
"No Laventeinn! Don't use that skill! Cancel it!" Finn along with Riveria, shouted in unison.
They knew its purpose. Its effect, and its aftereffect! But only now did they witness to overrev it like this!
It will make you a blind-man for a couple of hours after using! They thought.
"Ais! Let's go!"
Just the moment he activated the skill, Ais momentarily arrived in front of Laventeinn, Activating her Avenger and Tempest simultaneously. They did it once so its not surprising to used it for the second time.
As the effect of his Proliferation is to double the damage of the skill he will bestowed with, Ais' rapier which started to mixed with the color of white of spark along with her natural color of wind, flutters and is beautifully synchronizing.
And because the requirements of Proliferation is Synergy, Laventein didn't leave from behind of Ais, from the moment they kicked off the ground ---until Ais release it, did the skill will take its effect--- which stride passed Bete who's not far from the vanguard executive duo, Finn and Gareth.
"Gareth!"
"Owu, leave it to---ack! What the!?"
The two from the forefront communicates but Gareth was flew off along with his shield from the Qilin's sudden ram of its horn! He should be protecting the two who didn't stop their track towards their enemy, but he flew off just like that!? In the contest of strength!?
"F-Finn! I'm sorry!" is the only message he conveyed and ready to stand back up. But, after ramming his body, it kicked Finn who also flew off from the opposite direction, good thing he used his spear to minimize the damage. After this process did the Qilin opened its mouth!
Trying to help, Finn chanted.
But magic circle has already started forming in front of the monster. The Amazon duo whose on its side, kicked its neck but was too late to stop its chant!
"Shield!"
As Riveria shouted, shield form from the mouth of the Qilin, and the duo, Ais and Laventeinn finally arrived.
The tip of Ais rapier arrived exactly at its forehead.
BAAM---!
Riveria destroyed the shield so Ais' attack can passed through. But unbeknownst to everyone, the Qilin is only waiting for the opportunity to counter. From its mouth is the fully charged magic! It didn't cancel its attack!? everyone panicked after.
"Wah!" Finn subsequently used his Hell Finegas to boost his agility and strength even if to overuse it, trying to reached the two. Using Tir Na Nog and threw his spear, but he missed with hairs breathe! Bete did so too by kicking the stone to at least delay its casting but because he's not good at judgement especially at teamwork, for he is newly recruited, so he didn't know what course of action he'll took next.
1.5 seconds---Is the only span of time did the Qilin will successfully release its light breath!
Riveria is trying her best to increase her chanting speed as she just used it for the shield just now, she doesn't have that much time to ready her secondary chant but she still tried!
0.8 seconds
Laventeinn immediately hefted Ais' back collar and threw her to the side. The Qilin's mouth is now widely open and the white orb of light started to form.
0.5 seconds
Ais grabbed Laventeinn's hand but he only kicked her stomach for her to successfully get out of the Qilin's attack. The Qilin at the same time, released its breath in front of Laventeinn. Although its pretty clear that the Qilin itself are slowly withering and decaying as its about to turned to ashes from Ais attack, its didn't stop.
Times up!
Puhaaaa----!
Because the Qilin turned into a black ash smoke after then, its breath isn't as strong as it originally was, but Laventeinn flew off because of its point blank impact. . .He wanted to negate it with [Flower Dance] which is the black petal he always using but all of them dispersed from the Qilin's breath.
Currently, what remains as he flies is only half of his body.
Then his left head.
Until only half of his face and a piece of hand.
Mid air, Laventeinn looked at his companion's face.
Its all dread.
One of them didn't stop shouting.
One of them run towards his direction.
Some of them closed their eyes and gritted their teeth.
There's this one whose tears was crimson coming from his blood-shot eye!
Ais at the same time who only just stumbled, reached her hand out. But they're far from each other. Laventeinn did the same but he only form a faint smile and utter, enough to be heard by the sword princess.
"I am. . .afraid. . .and. . .weak, after all" Until Laventeinn finally turned into a dark-shadow shape figure and dispersed out before completely colliding onto the ground which made the others appalled and terrified. . .