Rina and Benna took off at the same time. Anne hopped onto Rina's shoulder before she made it far. Vino kept looking between his fingers at the red-haired girl. She was approaching from behind some trees and seemed oblivious to Vino's ability.
Vino began running too, but at a slow enough speed to make the woman follow him.
After running for a bit, he could hear her footsteps catching up with her after placing his hand near his ear.
Vino gripped his sword and twisted around at a fast speed, catching the woman off guard. The sword sliced into the woman's arm, making her drop the knife.
The sight of Vino switching up and pulling a sword from nowhere put her in shock for a moment.
"Damn!" The woman said, "I thought I could take you out easily, but you are smarter than you look."
"I am Galena. I killed your sister and took this." Galena smirked and flipped her hair. The gem on her necklace was bouncing lightning around like crazy. Vino also noticed his was as well.
Vino looked back into the distance and sighed, "All of those people, was that your doing?"
"Maybe." Galena had a sadistic smile on her face. It also had a hint of affection that threw him off.
Whoosh.
A needle flew through the air, and Vino was struck in the chest. It seemed like a normal wound but it was serious.
Vino felt like his insides were being ruptured.
The lady pulled a sword from a hidden place under her dress and held it out towards him.
"You are the first one I don't feel like killing. But That doesn't mean I will play nice." Galena rushed forward and slashed directly down towards Vino.
He rolled to the side to dodge, getting slightly grazed. As soon as he got his footing, he rushed back in, noticing black fairies landing on his body. They seemed to be trying to heal his wounds.
Vino sliced from the side, and their swords clashed. Sparks flew, and Vino seemed to be putting up a fight.
Bump-Bump
Vino felt his heart grow heavy. He felt adrenaline running through his veins.
Galena backed up, and Vino heard a whisper behind his head, causing him to lose focus.
Damn! I can only make one of my senses work at a time!
Vino got kicked in the side but managed to stay standing. Galena's brows furrowed.
Tsk! That brat!
"You are far stronger than I imagined!" Galena smiled, and clapping noises began erupting from all around Vino.
"Bravo!"
Vino put his hand on his ear but immediately lost track of Galena. There were blurs of her all around him.
The only sense I can trust is touch.
Vino kept looking around at the spinning versions of Galena, hoping to pick apart a difference.
If he took his hand off of his ear, the clapping would throw off his focus and balance. If he didn't have it on his eyes, she could strike from anywhere.
His other hand held the sword, so that wasn't an option either.
I need to grab her. Or maybe!
Vino had an idea. He let go of the sword for a second, and it began vanishing again. He grabbed back onto the sword, and it reformed.
"Hah!" Vino let out a brief laugh and stood up straight. He lifted his hands in the air, and his sword vanished. The clapping and the spinning threw him off, but he persisted.
"I surrender!" Vino sounded convincing.
The act even amused Frags, who was clapping and laughing at the scene. Vino was confident in his scheme.
Quickly, the spinning and the clapping came to a halt, and Galena walked up to him slowly.
"Just like that?" The look on her face was one of concern and amusement. "You don't have any more hidden weapons, do you?"
"No, but you can't say the same can you." Vino felt something touch his back. It seemed the one sense that worked was his sense of touch.
"Galena, What do you plan to do with me?" Vino smirked, feeling a hand rubbing on his back, despite talking with the image of Galena ahead of him.
It feels like the left hand. She seemed to be right-handed, so she might still be holding that short sword. I shouldn't take any chances.
Vino smiled at her, awaiting a response.
"I like you. I don't know what it is, but I can't bring myself to kill you." Galena sighed.
Vino quickly turned around and grabbed her by the waist. He used his other hand and grabbed her blade by the end, slowly engulfing it with his ability.
The closer he got, the less likely an illusion was happening.
Galena started leaning in for a kiss but was shot down when Vino put the sword in between their lips.
"You grab a woman by her hips? Do you love me or are you a liar? Like all the other men."
"Says you! The biggest liar I've met!" Vino sighed, "And besides, you killed my sister!"
"She seduced my father!" Galena was about to cry.
Vino was playing along with Galena, trying to find a way out of the illusion.
"You killed those men back there!" Vino added.
"They threatened to do lecherous things to me!" Galena let a tear fall from her eye.
Oh shit.
Vino's expression changed from one of acting to one of guilt. Was he right to trick her?
"And now I get pulled in by a man who doesn't even love me." Galena began crying a flood of tears. She sunk her head into Vino's chest, and he felt terrible. But he knew subconsciously that it was an act.
"Galena I-" Vino didn't know what was happening, he felt like she was toying with his mind, but there might be some truth to what she was saying.
"Don't say anymore." She stepped away from Vino. He reached out a hand but decided against it.
Heheh. He is foolish.
Vino felt a slash come from behind him, cutting into his back.
"Damn you!" Vino grabbed behind him, but nothing was there. He put his hand over his eye and one over his ear. He quickly tracked her down, and she was running away. He grabbed his sword and kept his other hand over his eye.
"Help! Help! He is trying to kill me!" She smirked sadistically.
'I love you Vino, but I cannot let you get away with toying with my heart.'
"Agh! I gotta shut her up!" Vino began chasing her.
'One way of dealing with an irrational person is to make irrational decisions.'
Galena had a sadistic look on her face. 'I've got him now! He is mine!'
Vino was nearing her position, looking dumb, chasing a woman with one eye covered.
Galena stopped at a tree and looked back with a look of fear in her eyes. Her look straightened out when Vino stopped in front of her.
"Vino. I know how your ability works now! You can cancel my illusion by touching yourself." She smiled sadistically. She grabbed her dress and lifted it, causing Vino to look away before getting any surprise reveals. She grabbed something hidden underneath while he looked away.
'Why did she say it like that?'
Vino smirked, "You are a vulgar woman, you know that?"
Vino knew she had a screw loose but had no way of predicting the situation. "I apologize if I hurt your feelings, but it was mutual. I don't like being followed. Especially by a crazy woman with a knife!"
"It's fine, can I get a hug?" Her face changed once again. Nothing she did made any sense, but Vino was sure that she would lose this fight.
Vino opened up his arms, and she got visibly excited, like she was meeting her idol.
"I love you!" Galena acted all happy for no reason.
'I have to make a gamble.'
Vino kept up the act and continued walking towards her. She approached similarly at the same time. Vino embraced the woman, and at the same time, a sword appeared in his hand behind Galena.
As he was about to plunge the sword into her back, he had second thoughts about the entire situation. All he did was confuse her long enough so the other two could run. But now he was confusing himself.
Why was I doing such irrational things? Had she gotten into my mind from the start? Why am I hesitating?
Vino pulled
"Galena." Vino said, "Your ability isn't illusions on the physical world. It's illusions of the mind and heart!"
"Wrong." Galena said, "You are just falling in love with me~!"
Galena continued, hugging Vino tighter. "Love makes us do irrational things, and I am not immune to this behavior."
"I want to believe that I love you too, but its hard," Galena said. "My ability is complicated. I never hid any bodies from you. It was what you wanted to believe—that nobody was dying here."
That is confusing as hell. Is she lying or not?