*Laura's POV*
"la…" [???]
Uhh… My head hurts, and I'm tired. Let me sleep some mor…
"LAURA! Wake up." [Kati]
"Huh? Ow, my head. What's going on?" [Laura]
Waking up, I'm met with a painful headache dizziness and…fire? Looking around, I see that a part of the ceiling has caved in and a fire, which Bode is desperately trying to put out, is raging in the corner of the room. As I shift my head, I realize that my head is currently resting on Kati's thighs. Realizing so, I try to get up, but Kati grabs me and stops me.
"Laura, you shouldn't move, you hit your head pretty bad. I think you might have a concussion or something so you shouldn't move around to much." [Kati]
Too dizzy to try to get up again, I look up at Kati and say,
"You should just let me be and help Bode with the fire. I won't die if you leave me for two seconds." [Laura]
"He'll be fine, his dad was a firefighter so he should know what to do, I think." [Kati]
"there's no way, that fire is tall, and he'll need all the…" [Laura]
"It's fine, I put it out." [Bode]
Surprised, I turn my head, wincing from the pain, and see that the fire that was raging in the corner is only embers.
"Huh? How?" [Laura]
"You know, my dad would like it in this world, Skills make it so much easier to do stuff like that." [Bode]
Sitting down next to Kati and me, Bode exhales loudly and asks,
"So, now that the fire is taken care of, what do we do now? There's no window in here and we can't open the door because the ceiling collapsed so we're kind of screwed." [Bode]
A wave of guilt passes through me as I remember who ordered them into the room with me.
"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened. I sort of activated a Skill on accident and it made you follow my orders so it's my fault that you are in here. I'm really sorry that I got you in this mess." [Laura]
"You're right, it is your fault…" [Bode]
"BODE. What the Hell?" [Kati]
I knew I shouldn't have expected their forgiveness. I didn't think that we would be buried alive in the rubble, so I thought that getting away from the blast was the best thing to do. Why the Hell did Acheron activate my skill without my permission.
"You didn't let me finish. I was about to say it is your fault that we're stuck in here. However, you saved us. Yes, you activated a skill, but it didn't really control us, it just kind of made you seem like a commander in the moment. That's why we followed your orders, which were flawless by the way. You were the first person to notice the explosion and got us out of that room. So even if you say it is your fault that we are trapped here, you are right. Nevertheless, I don't' think we would still be alive if you didn't bring is here so actually, thank you, Laura." [Bode]
"Hmm…" [Kati]
Shocked at his speech, Kati looks and Bode with a surprised look.
"What?" [Bode]
"So, you can actually say nice things when you want to. I always thought you were a selfish, horrible, useless person. Is it because she's cute and you have a crush on her?" [Kati]
"Save the jokes for when you're looking in the mirror. I actually am a nice person, just not to you, an annoying, manipulative, self-centered and whiny waste of oxygen." [Bode]
"See, that's what I mean." [Kati]
"hehe, haahaha *cough* *cough*" [Laura]
Hearing their back and forth, I start laughing despite the situation. Soon after, both of them join in as well until we are all laughing. When the laughing quiets down, I look up at Kati and Bode and say.
"Thanks, you, Bode, Kati. I needed a laugh right about now." [Laura]
"No problem, leave it to me to me to tell the best jokes." [Kati]
*CRASH*
The sound of something falling echoes through the building. Following the sound, are the voices of culprits who I had all but forgotten about. Though the crackling of fires burning in the opposite room is loud enough to drown out our noises, all three of us reflexively hold our breath.
"Did you get them? That was one heck of an explosion man, sick." [Unknown #1]
"I hope so… I at least want to pay them back for my shoulder." [Alex]
"Keep your eyes open just in case, now where do you think the opening mechanism is?" [Edjer]
They didn't notice that our bodies weren't there?
"Should we split up and look for it?" [Gabby]
"Yes, I guess we should. Let's split up in two groups and check the doors on each side." [Edjer]
With the rest of the group confirming the decision, I feel the presences of the two groups begin to check each door. Not knowing what to do, I look at Bode and Kati. Bode looks around the room and shakes his head. Kati on the other hand, grabs a solid piece of wood, ready to bash the first person to enter the room.
So, escape is impossible, and the only way out is to fight them. Looks like I'll finally have a chance to use Aureole and Acheron.
Heh, now's my turn, eh? 'Bout time.| [Acheron]
Worry not, my liege. No harm will befall you as long as we are present.| [Aureole]
Removing the pair from their sheathes and activating one of my Skills, I get ready for a fight.
…
It doesn't take long for footsteps to be heard right in front of the door. Trying not to make a sound, we watch as the doorknob turns slightly to the left, then the right. Following that, a loud banging can be heard as someone tries to push open the door.
"Hey, can someone come here? This door seems to be jammed." [Gabby]
"It looks like the ceiling fell though on the other side; you'll have to blow it open. Let me see…" [Alex]
*THUD* *THUD* *THUD*
The door quivers from the barrage of hits it receives.
"Nope it's not opening, you'll have to blow it. Edjer, can you… wait, I sense a presence behind the door." [Alex]
"Just one? Are you sure there's just one? There should be three, correct?" [Edjer]
"Unless they're dead or hiding, I can't tell which though." [Alex]
"Step back, I'll blow up whoever's left in there." [Edjer]
Hearing this, I step away from the door, trying to get away from the blast radius. Before I can reach the back of the room, Bode steps front of Kati and I with his shield in his hand. The circular shield, which seemed to be a normal steel shield, suddenly started glistening blue in the dark, which then envelopes Bode as well.
"Get behind me, NOW!" [Bode]
Grabbing Kati and pulling her behind Bode, I hear him yell out.
"Frost Barrier" [Bode]
Activating one of his Skills, a blanket of snow spirals out of his shield and covers us in a dome of ice. In mere milliseconds, the air inside the dome cools down to the point that our heavy breathing becomes visible, clouding the air inside.
*boom*
A slight vibration can be felt across the ice barrier.
Huh? Was that the explosion?
Glancing at both Kati and Bode, I can see that they are about as surprised as I am. Although an explosion occurred outside, only the faintest sound could be heard inside the dome. Kati is the first to break the silence.
"Um? Was that the explosion? And why is it so quiet in here?" [Kati]
"I, have no idea?" [Bode]
"Isn't this your skill? And you have no idea what it does?" [Kati]
"Give me a break, I just unlocked it." [Bode]
"You can unlock more Skills than what you have? Cool! But how come you get one and I don't? That sucks." [Kati]
This is great, but we should use this time to talk about what we plan on doing.
"Kati, we don't have time for this. Bode, how long will this last?" [Laura]
"Around 20 seconds, I think? Hmm…how do I know that?" [Bode]
"Okay so we need to come up with a plan of attack in 20 seconds…any ideas?" [Laura]
"I don't have my bow and all my Skills are bow related, so I'm pretty useless." [Kati]
"Okay, I'm a stealth user so how about I try to sneak around them and attack them from behind as Kati distracts them to create an opportunity. Bode, you have to protect her while she does that. That work?" [Laura]
"Understood." [Bode]
"Yes" [Kati]
Slowly exhaling, I try to rid myself from all the tension and anxiety.
This will be my first time really attacking another person. I don't want to hurt them, but if they try to hurt my friends or me, I won't hesitate to defend them or myself.
That's the spirit, Boss. Kufufu, I'm honored to guide you into your first massacre.| [Acheron]
"5 seconds left, get ready." [Bode]
Activating all of my stealth Skills and some others, I hunker down, ready to strike. When Bode's Skill finally dispels in a flurry of snow, I immediately move to the side of the room, using the confusion to my advantage. Shifting next to the wall, I lurk in the shadows, making my way behind them and waiting for the best opportunity to strike.
The feel in the air can only be described as awkward as both parties stare are each other. The first person to move is Edjer, who summons a fireball in his hand.
"So, any last words?" [Edjer]
"Um yeah, actually. Why the hell are you still trying to kill us, the gate mechanism isn't even here, and I don't have a weapon. Is there really a reason to kill us." [Kati]
While stalling for time, Kati asks a question that's been in my mind for the longest time.
Although they originally came here to help the teachers, who should still be outside the gate injured, they would focus on trying to kill us instead. Is this related to what happened to me earlier? I remember that when I felt the rage, it was as if I had no control over my impulses and just tried to kill the first thing that upset me...
Hearing Kati's words, Edjer's face seems to flash in realization. The light that seemed to have vanished in his eyes, returns.
"Wha...? Yeah, we need to hurry and help…" [Edjer]
"What do you mean, you tried to hurt one of us, so we have to protect ourselves, it's self-defense." [Gabby]
"That's right! An eye for an eye, right?" [Alex]
Hearing the people behind him, Edjer's eyes return to their clouded form. Removing all reasoning within them.
"It's as they say, we have to kill you." [Edjer]
The fireball shoots out form his hand towards both Bode and Kati. Trusting that Bode would be able to cover Kati, I stealthily move towards the rear of the group. From the corner of my eye, I see the fireball get deflected by Bode's shield and hit the wall. Recognizing that its' time to act, I set my sight on the person in the rear and move ahead.
{I only have one shot at this. I'm counting on you, Acheron, Aureole} [Laura]
Understood.| [Aureole]
Aye| [Acheron]
Using the blast from the deflected fireball to mask my movements, I rush out of the shadows to strike the rear guard. Using the pommel of Acheron, I slam down the blade onto the girl's head. Before her body can drop to the ground, I dash to the next person, working my way through the crowd…
*|Obscure Skill has levelled up, new active skill available|*
*|Litheness Skill has levelled up, new active skill available|*
*|Commander Skill has levelled up, new active skill available|*
…
The debris and dust that the explosion kicked up finally settles, revealing a lone person standing in the center of the smoke-filled room. Flaming ashes drift through the air, swirling in miniature vortexes which surround the figure. The crackling of the small fire caused by the fireball and the whimpering of the wounded are the only sounds audible in the eerily quiet room. Stepping out of the smoke, the figure reveals itself. Their eye's glowing both a golden and carmine tint, inflicting fear on any soul who would brave a glance. The figure breaks their posture and glances at the bodies before it. A demonic smile passes on its face, as if laughing at those attempting to cling to their pitiful lives. Said demon uncharacteristically stretches its arms before speaking.
"Ahh, I don't' think I hurt anyone too badly. Right? I didn't hit them too hard so they should be fine." [Laura]
While Laura bends over to examine the injuries on the people before her, Kati and Bode both turn to face one another. Both of their faces betray their thoughts and emotions. Nodding to each other, they communicate a short, yet simple message.
{Let's not mess with her} [Kati]
{Agreed} [Bode]
Not knowing how to approach this new dangerous Laura, who just singlehandedly took out 5 people, Bode and Kati hesitantly stand still until another familiar voice rings out.
"Umm… what Hell's going on here?" [Shin]