I felt unstoppable.
Step by step, in a single second, I got to melee range and prepared to punch Rodrick as hard as I could.
Even though we were wearing gloves and protective gear, I simply knew that my blow was going to deal some significant damage to him.
Rodrick guarded himself, and I prepared the punch.
But before I could land an inch of my glove on him, I felt something strange coming from outside the arena.
I withdrew my fist, leaving Rodrick frowning, perplexed.
"What was that just now, kid?"
"It's an ability of mine, but I'll tell you about it later. What's happening outside?"
"Outside?" Rodrick tilted his head, looking at the glass wall.
He didn't seem to have very sharp senses, but he was the leader, so he had to had another way to compensate for it.
I looked outside too, and to my horror, Evellyn was sprawled on the floor, having a seizure.
"We finish it later, kid!" Rodrick stormed outside the arena, followed right by me.
He ran towards the opposite wall, where there was a tiny case with a first aid kit, and coming back with a syringe, he stuck it in her neck, applying all its content on her.
A few seconds later, she was fine again, but her eyes were wide, and her breathing was erratic.
"What happened Evellyn?" I looked at her, feeling like something was very wrong.
"I... Uh..."
She still seemed to be coming back to her senses, but when her eyes finally focused again, she spoke nonstop.
"You have to go to Octavius' house! He's going to use the crystal, and if you don't stop him, we're all... we're all..."
And she passed out.
Rodrick checked her pulse, and saw that she was fine. She just passed out from exhaustion, so he called a healer, and ordered them to take her to her quarters.
"Care to tell me what she was talking about?" Rodrick squinted his eyes at me.
"I don't know exactly, but father does conduct some sort of experiments in his lab, at the Dawn Guild's headquarters, and sometimes he brings work home... She's probably talking about something like that."
"Right... I know how reckless he can be sometimes, but I also know that Eve's visions are that of the future, so it hasn't happened yet."
"Yeah, but we don't know when Octavius is going to do whatever he's going to do, so I better hurry!" I looked firmly in his eyes.
"You?" Rodrick raised a brow.
"Yeah, why?"
"Alone?"
"Why?"
Rodrick looked at me and squeezed my shoulder.
"Kid, I know you're an awakened, and that you're almost a full-fledged wielder. But no matter how powerful you are, you can't go in there alone. I'm going with you."
I was ready to object, but he squeezed my shoulder tighter, and the way he looked in my eyes...
He looked like a worried father.
But I had to go there alone.
It was the best chance to test the new [HIDDEN NEST KEY] I acquired.
And I didn't know if I would have another chance to do it that easily.
I looked at Rodrick again.
"You won't let me go alone, will you?"
"You'd have to knock me out cold, for me to not follow you."
I raised my brow.
"What made you like me so much, old man? It's not just because I'm important to the guild, right?"
Rodrick slightly grimaced at me, and before I even noticed, I felt his huge hand slapping the back of my head.
"Don't get too cocky, kid!" He laughed wholeheartedly. "Only if your dreams! Now, do you want to go now, since you're in such a rush?"
Yeah, I wouldn't be able to test the key this time.
But I'd at least get a chance to go at my father without falling into a trap.
And he'll be pissed when he notices someone stole from him.
I smirked at the thought.
"Okay, let's go get ready, then."
***
An hour later, Rodrick and I were geared up to leave, and Evellyn was awake, so we got to her room to say bye.
We told her it wouldn't take long, that she should wait for us to have lunch together, and we got going.
Rodrick took me to the building's garage, and got into a very nice van, he turned on the ignition, and the car moved, silently, all the way towards Blake's mansion.
We parked a few blocks away from the entrance, and Rodrick asked me.
"You know the house, kid. What's the plan?"
"I was thinking of doing this alone, for starters, so I already had a solo plan in my head, but now, I guess we're gonna have to improvise. I could cloak myself with my [SHADOW WALK], but that would work only on me, so how about you creating a distraction at the main gate, so that no one thinks that you're actually helping someone get in?"
Rodrick thought about it for a while, smirked, and squeezed my shoulder.
"You get it your way even when you can't, right?" He laughed. "Alright, kid. But don't get yourself killed, if you can, get in and out without getting caught, and when you're done, blow something up so I know that I can stop smashing things."
I smiled.
"I thought you were all thieves in the Shadow Guild..."
"We all have our own way of stealing things, kid. Now let's go."
Our own way of stealing things, huh?
I'll keep that in mind, old man.
I started running in a particular direction, already activating [SHADOW WALK], and Rodrick ran towards the main gate, already activating his [IRON BODY].
It was going to be quite the show, but it was a pity that I wouldn't be able to see.
As I approached the far east wall, I felt a slight sense of déja vu, but it was going to be different this time.
Still cloaked by [SHADOW WALK], I jumped over the wall, falling smoothly on the grass.
I saw the dogs playing around, and they didn't seem to notice me, which was even better, so I began running towards Octavius' office window, lock-picking it way faster than the first time.
When I got in, I could still feel the strange sense of déja vu overflowing through the air.
It was here where I died in my previous life...