Chapter 37: The Lady’s Prologue [3]
37 - The Lady’s Prologue [3]
"Be prepared to use it."
Eris was curt, striking the nail right on the head.
"...That’s our biggest chance of winning against this vile creature."
I looked at her and blinked.
I concurred. I was thinking the same thing.
However, there was an issue — one that Eris also knew as much as I did.
This problem was the fact that I had no significant mastery of my ability to turn the tides right now.
My mastery of Absolute Zero and Heaven’s Touch were at the levels of Null Mastery and Lesser Mastery respectively.
Null Mastery meant that I had no control over the ability in question and at best, my control... if any, was worth nothing.
While the abilities were threatening enough, each one having the potential to change the outcome of a fight, I lacked the skills to back it up.
I couldn’t use them to their maximum potential yet.
Even if I could reach that level in the future, I had to survive this current crisis to get to that point in time.
"But—"
"No buts, Remington..." Eris snapped, her face even more serious than it was a second ago.
She turned to the creature, her grip tightening around the handle of her sword as she swung it in front of her, slicing empty air.
The aura around her felt different.
She was serious — serious about surviving the dilemma we found themselves in.
"We have to kill that thing if there is even a chance of making it out of here. Do you get it!"
Eris was agitated.
This was the first time I had seen her calm demeanor completely crumble to dust.
Was she afraid?
Did she think death was near?
"Follow our lead."
It was then it hit.
Bran was nowhere to be found.
Eris faced forward and shouted. "Bran! Now!"
Even the beast was taken aback by the sheer fire in her voice.
—Fwoosh!
Bran dived down, fists tightly clenched and ready to land a devastating blow.
The Hell Hound’s instinct was sharp.
It was barely distracted for up to a second before turning its head upwards to catch the descending Bran.
—Growl!
The beast bared its fangs at him, adjusting its heavy body to take on the incoming foe when suddenly it felt the grip of Wendy’s nature calling ability wrapping around its body.
I turned sharply and Wendy was struggling.
We had all been pushed to our limits with this one.
Her chest heaved visibly but it was clear she wanted to buy as much time as possible, even if it was for a few seconds.
"Get ready, Remington!" Eris charged me as she dashed forward.
With a wave of her hand, she summoned multiple icicles that fired at the Hell Hound, causing some damage.
—Shing!
The sound of her blade tearing through the beast’s tough skin after multiple cuts.
"You can do it, Link."
Wendy’s voice was weakening but it still reached me.
I shut my eyes, trying to simulate the feeling I had then when we were faced with assailants.
Maybe if I could trigger that same emotion, then I might be able to use it on that scale.
’Feel it, man,’ I chided myself. ’I understand it much better.’
If I could do it before, then it wasn’t far from my reach.
As I tried to reach in and draw from a power that I wasn’t sure I could still access, Bran’s raging voice rang out inside the Gate.
"Mighty Fist!"
—Bang!
It was like a resounding explosion.
With Eris and Wendy’s assistance, Bran landed a thundering fist square on the beast’s head.
Mighty Fist was Essence-enhanced, causing the beast to falter and stagger, feeling a ring circle through its entire body.
That was the first major hit we had managed to deliver on our side and it took an obvious toll on their bodies.
Wendy was now on her knees, trying to recuperate.
Bran needed some rest after using the Mighty Fist. After all, that was his trump card at this level.
Only Eris was standing against the beast, preparing to take it on once it rose up again but even there, her strength wouldn’t be able to carry her through another fight.
Indeed the only option left was me.
[I know you can do it]
That voice again.
It came this time with an air of encouragement, sounding like it believed in me now that I lacked confidence.
[You can reach it... and you will]
I felt cold shivers in my spine, as if someone had crept up on me but I didn’t shake.
I needed all of the concentration that I could gather.
...Three minutes.
That was how long the beast rendered inactive.
That was all it took before it rose to its feet again.
"Shit..." Bran cursed under his breath, trying to get up to support Eris but to no avail.
He was down and out, only having any strength to watch the impending doom unfold.
Wendy, on the other hand, was confused.
Her heart raced more than what she had ever experienced.
Her gaze shifted many times between me and Eris.
Something was on her mind. A tough decision.
Whatever she decided would determine what our outcome would be.
Wendy had to roll her dice and cast a bet.
Me or Eris?
I was the potential and Eris was the test and trusted.
Neither was a guarantee but one of us offered more chances than the other.
Eris was the last one standing against a beast whose anger was now off the roof.
"Come at me, Hell Hound," Eris taunted this devil’s dog.
Her hands trembled after several strikes and her body was too heavy to make fluid movements.
Wendy saw all of this, and then shut her eyes in regret.
"I’m sorry..."
Her voice was a whisper, ashamed to have abandoned a seemingly better option.
Sentiment took over her.
"...Eris."
At that moment, I felt a warm tap on my thigh.
It was refreshing, like I was in a cold bath after a tedious day.
My eyes twitched.
Something was happening.
My Essence was increasing.
It was all thanks to Wendy.
