A gust of wind surrounds my body, gently lowering me onto one of the ledges just beside the beast's giant spider web. A bright light shone on high above.
Her robes fluttered in the wind as dozens of spells weaved and connected itself to form her 「Flight」 spell. No matter how many times I saw it, it was truly a sight to behold.
The way the atmospheric mana writhed in space, empowered by her elemental attribute, forming into one of the numerous spells she had in her arsenal. The spells she made connected to the other dozens of spells that she created, creating a magnificent harmony of spells that she could control at will. It was beautiful, sure, but it was not just that. It was also inspiring and jaw-slacking. Her talent, skill, experience, and technique when it came to mana manipulation and 「Conjuration」 was in another dimension than I was currently capable of.
"Did somebody call for me~?"
She said in a tone filled with ease and confidence, her smile not faltering in the slightest. With poise and grace, she landed by my side, completely ignoring the giant spider and taking a few steps towards me.
"How long do you think I have been waiting for mister? A really long time, I'll have you know! Jeez~ When I saw you not moving and with your eyes closed, I thought something bad had happened to you." She sighed. " If it wasn't for the constant flow of mana to your body from 「Reinforcement」, I would have already gone down there myself… about that. Are you okay? Your magic circuits should be heavily damaged from the overuse–fatigued at best. If you want, you can sit this one out."
I shook my head.
"…Are you sure?"
She stared straight into my eyes, worried and concerned for my safety. It was a relief to know that she genuinely cared about me. It eased one of my many doubts, assuring me of her allegiance.
At least, I assured myself, she didn't intend on killing me right away
Her cheeks flushed and puffed up. Her beautiful eyes shone brightly without her veil, the colors dazzling in the darkness. There were also dark circles around them, proof of the many nights spent without sleep. It made me feel warm inside that she would sacrifice her own health for me.
Without much thought into it, I form a light, simple smile.
"…!"
The witch's eyes widened, genuinely surprised, like she had seen a ghost. I place my hand on her cute head.
*pat pat*
"Nn~."
The witched purred and gave me a smile of her own. She was so cute and defenseless without her veil on, a complete contrast of her usual, fake self.
A loud hiss pierces the atmosphere.
"!!"
The witch immediately looked towards the source. To nobody's surprise, the sound came from the giant spider. It's eight silver eyes was tracing the witch's figure, examining her.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Then it happened.
The next second was like a blur. A lance of darkness emerged from the shadows, instantly pointing it's sharp tip at the witch. The witch, in return, manipulated the scarce, green mana in the surroundings.
The space around us distorted for a third of a second, the green mana coalescing into wind. Quickly, almost instantly, a furious gust of wind was now swirling around us. The wind spun faster and faster, closing in around us.
Then the dark lance flew.
It was fast and vicious, it's nature unforgiving. I knew the mission that this lance was assigned with.
Get rid of anything in it's path
The barrier of wind finished forming mere inches before the lance's arrival. A loud screech echoed as the two forces collided; one of unforgiving maliciousness, the other of merciful dignity.
The screech echoed in the dark pit, notifying any monster close enough to hear it. That was not all, though, that we had to worry about. With the way the pit was structured, I would bet that the loud collision of two expertly woven spells would echo throughout the openings that connected to the pit we were currently stuck in.
"Hey…"
The witch's concerned voice sounded beside me. She was worried for me, I knew. Even if she was too scared to say so. She was being mindful of me and my current condition. Right now, I was no more than baggage to her in terms of fighting strength, I knew at least that much.
Turning my head to her, I give her a confident smile. Not one to reassure or tell her not worry about me – I wasn't THAT much of a liar – rather, it was one of camaraderie. I wanted her to know she could count on me, not just some accessory to take care of when the slightest of danger emerged.
While I knew that she did not think of me that way, I could not help but feel like one anyways. She cared about me, possibly even more than myself. I respected that sense of responsibility.
"Umu."
She gave me a determined nod, along with a cute little response. I felt a million times better after seeing that, like all the pain and fatigue in my body had been cleansed. That sense of relief, however, disappeared the very next second.
The witch looked back to the spider and met it's greedy gaze. Her face formed into one of an experienced warrior and seasoned magician. She was calm and composed, her presence and aura exuding a cool atmosphere around her.
The veil was back.
While such a sight pained me to a noticeable degree, there was nothing I could do in my current condition. I would need to get stronger, smarter, and better if I would hope to forever get rid of that part of her.
Screams and shouts interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to the bright opening that was my entrance to this pit. The screams and shouts grew louder.
Without a second thought, I took a step outside. The barrier, as if in response to my determination, exploded into beautiful green sparks. The witch shouted.
"Let's go!"