'He's back.' She sharply turned to the right.
'He's back from the dead again.'
'He won't stop.' Ducking under cobwebs and going straight.
'Need to find Claudina.' Left. Then another left.
'She can easily defeat him.' Passing a series of smaller caves.
'She can make sure he's dead'
'She can save our friends.' Right.
'Save our friends…'
'Friends…'
'Friends?' She slowly stopped.
'Did Claudina ever say we are friends?'
A single white pawn stood alone in a chess board. In front of it was the edge of the black pieces side. A decision was to be made.
Alone in a dark cave she stood panting, trying to clear her head.
Claudina smiling at them, laughing with them, sharing a meal, fighting alongside them…
'Claudina never once approached us herself…rather we were the ones who did…'
She remembered the time she told Anatole and Shulia about Claudina taking her up the deck of a ship.
Anatole had frequently asked her if at any moment did Claudina ever tried to push her off and Shulia interrogating if she gave her any strange ideas about jumping from the ship.
Does Claudina not consider them as friends?
The times the others had asked her for a favor usually involved her getting something.
If she does find her will she be willing to help?
She didn't have the wit of Anatole and Sullivan nor did she possess any bargaining chip like Shulia and Sylvester.
She wasn't even sure if there was ever a time when Claudina ever saw them, saw her as a friend.
A white queen had appeared beside the pawn whilst a black king was standing alone with no other piece in sight. Either the queen will move or the pawn but it will be a checkmate in both cases.
It all depended on the decision.
The decision to promote the pawn or move the queen.
'But why does she have to help? Even if she was a friend, why can't I help too?'
She shook her head. "Stupid! Don't think unnecessary stuff! I will find her and beg her for help. She's will at least take pity on me if beg long enough."
Oriane started to run again but the thoughts were coming back to haunt her like a graveyard.
'Will she help even after I beg her?'
'What if she still refuses? Maybe I could force her…no, no. Friends don't force things to one another. I still consider her a friend even if she doesn't…'
'Claudina's not the only one who can help…'
'Why don't I help?'
'Everyone was so proud of me when I tried the same thing as Claudina.'
'Maybe if I copy her I could win…but I don't want to be heartless…'
Her sprint slowed. 'Wait I just have to copy her moves, right? I don't have to change myself for it.'
She stopped once more. Dropping her hands at her sides, her fingers linger around the scabbard of her sword.
The decision hung heavy in the air.
"Why can't I save them? That last move had him immobilized for a long time. Won't it be more effective a second time?"
The ideas were now rushing into her head. "Then, then afterwards we could seal him there with the Holy Book! I will be fine after a bit more damage!"
"Claudina's strength and my morals…a mismatched fit…but it might work." She pumped her fists.
"I can save them. No, I can fight alongside them without any protection! I can be just as strong as Claudina!"
"I am also a Saintess, a Saintess of Lord Uranus! I don't need to fulfill everyone's expectations but my own! And my friends come first!"
She turned to her heels. "I am going to save them!" The cloth fell away. Her iris was gray with blindness but her aura senses were heightened.
She sprinted back to where she came from.
The pawn of the chess board moved forward being promoted to a rook.
Checkmate.
The king was dashed to pieces.
"Die, insufferable rats!!"
Fire scorched the tight cave and tidal waves left large puddles.
Nose flaring, Anatole parried off a golem's attack. Scaling up a pillar he scissor jumped on a monster's back. The monster shrieked but he held fast to its mane. "C'mon you miserable beast! Move forward!" He whipped the monster, treating it like a horse.
The monster tried to brush him off but he simply cut off its thrashing tail. Then he blinded another eye. Holding onto its mane he led it straight to the Inquisitor while his back was turned.
"Uagh!" His new spider body couldn't jump fast enough. "...Lowly bastard." Bending on his eight long legs he leapt up and landed on to the monster's back. From there the fight continued.
Brows furrowed, Anatole clashed steel with spider legs made of bones. The Inquisitor used his front legs to stab him repeatedly at high speed. While Anatole was able to dodge most, two of them hit his side while the other broke half of his mask. With a parry he skipped back.
He licked his dry lips. '...This is getting hard to deal with.' He breaths left in shallow stops.
The weight of his Holy sword, the 'Celestial Blaze,' has never been heavier. Though his body felt warm and dripped with sweat, his hands were numb from cold. Neither the Inquisitor or he moved from their spots.
Then a twitch of muscle, a breath and they were off.
Teeth bared, the two fought a brutal war. If the Inquisitor would try to attack him from behind Anatole would dodge and if Anatole tried to use a feint and attack the Inquisitor was sure to block it.
Anatole spun his sword and brought it flying down on one of his great legs. A normal sword would have broken with the force Anatole used but the Holy sword cleaved the leg in half.
The Inquisitor let out an inhuman scream at the loss. In wild, blind rage he thrust his legs and attacked Anatole with a relentless pace.
In vain he tried to dodge but no such luck. After the second barrage of attacks his ankle slipped and he fell on his back. Taking this chance the Inquisitor quickly nailed two of his legs on Anatole's hands. The Holy sword went flying from his hand and landed a few inches from him.
"Araghhhhhh!"
Sylvester gasped. He kicked away the monster and looked up. "Anatole!" The silhouette of the Inquisitor cast shadows over him. He at once begin to scale the rampaging monster
"I'm coming!"
"NO!" Anatole yelled from above. "Stay there. Help the others instead."
"But-"
"Just do as I say! I will be fine!"
Sylvester looked conflicted. "Augh! Alright!" He ran over to Shulia who was struggling. 'Please be safe…' he prayed.
On top of the monster, the Inquisitor darkly chuckled. "Brave fellow."
Anatole lowly growled.
"You know, I happen to be fond of strong, brave people. So far only you and that wench Claudina have been able to damage me multiple times..." He sneered. "...And also the only ones who have seen true despair. Among the current saints, the only ones who have Evil in their hearts."
"And? What of it?" He began to sweat. '...My sword…if only I could reach it…'
"The Vessels of Ri'sh need people like you…People with magnificent powers like you two don't you think you should be surrounded by diamonds like yourself?"
"Just think about it! You will be freed from tedious burdens of being a saint. You can forge whatever path you want. You can achieve your goals more easily with us."
"Thanks but I will pass. Lord Eros doesn't take light to betrayal." 'Stall him…till I can reach the sword…'
"Who says about betraying?"
Anatole paused in his pursuit of grabbing the sword.
A mad gleam glowed in his eyes. "I haven't betrayed Lord Uranus even though I have allied myself with the Vessels of Ri'sh. No, no, no, I still kept my name from him and wouldn't trade it for anything."
"My only wish is to obliterate that sorry excuse of a Saintess." His spine cracked and his face darkened. "In fact I want to kill every single one of them. Until only I remain. If I am the only one left he has to accept me no matter the consequences." He clasped his face in his hands. "Ahhh…Lord Uranus, I want to worship you again…"
'This guy….is obsessed…'
"So what say…saint of Eros? All you have to do is kill your friends. The rest can be taken care of by us. Just kill them and you will be freed."
The Inquisitor stretched his hands towards him. "Join us and your wildest dreams will come true. Lord Eros will understand after all is done. And who knows he might decide to betray the Five gods alliance."
He leaned forward. "He told you, didn't he?"
Anatole fell silent. "Kuh!"
The Inquisitor averted his gaze. "I know the pain all too well." Turning back, he slowly let go of Anatole who quickly grabbed his sword. Rather than pointing it at him he sheathed in its scabbard.
"Good. You have chosen the right pat-Keuk!" The Inquisitor's grin dropped as Anatole slashed his throat with a dagger. Anatole's eyes were devoid of emotion when some of the blood splashed onto his face.
The Inquisitor gasped holding his cut neck and stumbled back."Haa,haa…why…haa,haa"
"You might have swayed the wench Claudina with your words but not me." He put the knife back inside his sleeves. "Unfortunately, I am in this for the long run so betraying would be the last thing to do."
"You...You will pay for this!"