Julie felt the extent of her body be subjugated to a harsh tug of war. What will win, her body's ever-breaking limits or will Lightsbane be first to devour her body and her existence? She didn't know the answer to that, but she does know what she needed to do and that was to get to Harriet. However, she had to get through the horde of monstrosities first. Every swing of her katana felt a wave of death pass through her, sapping her of mental fortitude, spiritual lifespan, and physical strength. Nevertheless, almost in wanton rage, Julie screamed with fervor and abandoned her calm demeanor as she flailed the hand that held her blade, turning into a crimson flower that thrived in the throes of the grunge, metallic hymn of the battlefield.
Ancestra on the other hand, resisted the urge to run amok in the midst of the chaos and bloodless massacre she was thrown in to. The more she thrived in the battlefield, unlike Julie, she increasingly felt calmer and more accustomed after every horde she swipes and brawls through. The larger skeletons that were as high as buildings took a good two to three punches before collapsing, but nothing too hard for the raven haired girl. For a while now, she hasn't felt any noticeable pain yet. The familiar caress of the thorns of the Blood Rose around her heart and lungs rewarding her with ease for keeping her calm. Exhaling a sharp breath, she drills through into the next arch way that led to essentially the third level of this test.
By that point, Harriet was still riffing her guitar, but not for her loyal bony subjects. It was for the two girls who've made it this far. It didn't feel like it, but any normal person or group would've already been overrun by the gargantuan horde of horrific skeletons in the first level. For them to singlehandedly thrash and fight through the sea of monsters as cleanly as this was nothing short of a testament to their current strength. She picked up the pace, her fingers sifting through the chords and fingered her guitar as if it was her partner, making it cry and moan loudly amplified by the speakers.
Ancestra was the first to arrive, her demon arm still unsheathed out. It's dark red mold contrasts with the light red pulsating hue that was being trapped within. She wasn't out of breath, but she was breathing lightly. Julie was second to arrive in front of Harriet who had a concert stage constructed below her to set the stage for the final boss fight that was insinuated the moment she brought the two to the arena. Julie, in contrast with Ancestra looked to be visibly worn out, impaling Lightsbane into the grass to use it as a crutch. Julie was kneeling down and clutching her blade for some small attempt to get a bit of rest before the final battle.
"Ancy was first! I didn't realize that you'd be having trouble using my sword, Julie~" Harriet stopped playing her guitar that had the body of an axe. It was quite unorthodox to wield an axe as a musical instrument, much more it being a size larger than its wielder. She used the guitar as a stand to rest her hands and chin on, looking at them with no fear. What did she have to fear from two children?
"For one… you didn't tell me… that this sword has… equivalent exchange tied to it…" Julie spoke through gasps and long breath-ins and outs. She was physically, mentally, and spiritually fatigued due to excess reliance on Lightsbane, which would serve as an effective lesson for her in the future.
"That's your problem for not asking beforehand, ya dumbass." Harriet shook her head with a sigh. She looked at Ancestra, who was waving her demonic arm around like a weirdo.
"Haven't gotten the hang of your new arm yet?" asked the teacher.
"I'm not that quick, but give me a few days." replied the student.
"That sounds contradicting." snorted the teacher.
"Shut up." retorted the student.
"Anyways, pick one. A guitar that doubles as an axe, triples as a shield, and quadruples as a boomerang, or guns?" Harriet asked, pulling out a custom made 1892 Winchester, fully customized with a ornate body and barrel contrasting its gilded engravings that design the under barrel and the stock. Other than that, it looked like nothing but a normal gun.
Julie and Ancestra look at each other, then at the gun that was small compared to the guitar that Harriet was leaning against.
'Do not pick the gun.' The Rose's voice spoke softly within Ancestra, giving her a warning.
"I pick that gun." Julie boldly stated, her body finally catching up to speed and bringing her back to tip top shape and adapted a little to Lightsbane's conditions. Harriet raised an eyebrow.
"Uh…" Ancestra put her demonic hand on Julie's shoulder, but wrapped around her body instead.
"Is this a vote thing?" She asked.
"I did let you pick, so talk it out." Harriet smiled and shrugged.
"What is it?" Julie looked at the girl beside her.
"I have a bad feeling about the gun." Ancestra frankly admitted.
"But it's so small compared to the guitar." Julie looked at the gun then back to her.
"I just… Are you sure we're fighting Harriet with a gun? We have no range." Ancestra reasoned.
"Lightsbane has a ranged option. I'll tank her attention while you go around her and find blind spots." Julie formulated a quick and simple plan.
"I'm not sure about the second part, Jules…" Ancestra looked at Harriet. For a moment, she saw a silhouette of a red skull looming over Harriet's shoulder which made her eyes bloodshot as red once again coated her vision.
"Yeah, I just died again. She has no blind spots." Ancestra sighed, looking back to Julie.
"Okay, sure, but if the challenge is greater then there's more to gain, right?" Julie tried to appeal to Ancestra.
"I get what you're saying…" Ancestra understood her friend's intentions, but she can't quite ignore the Rose's warning either.
"Come on. We got this." Julie smiled and put a hand on Ancestra's demonic thumb.
"…Fuck it. This is training, after all." Ancestra sighed, smiling. She looked at Harriet, who fell asleep on her guitar.
"She fell asleep." said Julie, dumbfounded.
"That she did." Ancestra seconded the notion. She waved her demonic hand at the female, a shard of blood shooting out from some part of her arm towards the sleeping teacher. Harriet caught the shard of blood, waking up at the sudden intruder.
"Yeet!" and threw it back at Ancestra faster than the girl could react. Ancestra's arm reacted faster than its user, and caught the shard as it assimilated back into its host.
"What's the decision, you two? Do I use my gun or my multipurpose guitar?" asked the teacher.
"Gun." Ancestra spoke. Harriet smirked in response.
"Not taking it back?" asked the teacher for confirmation. The guitar dissolved into embers in the blink of an eye as she pulled out another gun with her now free hand.
"…Yeah." Ancestra nodded, feeling unsure. Small portals that stretched to ten feet wide and thirty feet up high appeared behind Harriet, each and every single one of them having a the same model pointed at the two.
'I've warned you.' The Rose softly but harshly admonished Ancestra.
"Last chance, girls. You sure you want me to use my gun?"
"Singular or Plural?" Julie asked, unsure whether out of fear or uncertainty.
"Who cares? So, what will it be? My gun, or my guitar?" asked Harriet with a deadly smirk accompanied by the menacing blood-colored glow of the portals that becomes her support fire.