The figure standing spotlessly a few inches away, its arm extended out and its hand open, a small glowing orb hovering over the palm pointing towards Dale. "..You're no ordinary thief are you?" — Dale asked.
"...I'm no thief." — The figure steeled itself, its gaze focused on him. Dale turned around and faced the figure with a small smile before chuckling. "Don't lie to me." — "Huh? I'm not ly—!!" — Before the figure could finish, a series of rapid sword thrusts reached his body, causing him to instinctively leap backwards and avoid a few, however some still connected, resulting in a few scratches throughout his torso. "Unfortunately. This is where your atrocities end, criminal." — Dale slashed the air, as he slowly walked towards the severely injured figure who struggled to even stand. "..Tch." — He used his left arm to cover some of the wounds that pumped out blood. "..I'm not a criminal!" — With a voice more forceful than before, the figure yelled.
"Reason with the Grim Reaper after I'm done with you." — Dale halted his steps when he was only a few inches away, he looked down on the wounded figure before raising his blade in the air. "!!" — (I can't move..! My body is way too..!) — Dale towered over the figure, whom was rendered paralyzed on spot. (Dang it..! If this is how it becomes..!) — With clenched teeth, the figure raised both hands resulting into a few crackles of light materializing on his palms, quickly forming a small orb of light, meanwhile, Dale released his blade that idled in the air and brought down the force of God unto the Figure, causing a slight tremor and large smoke to burst.
(...?)
— "As always.. Interrupting my fun." — Dale whispered. As the smoke began to clear once more, a man with a broad stature and seemingly of twenty years of age stopped Dale's blade using his armoured arm while the other squeezing the Figure's light orb, causing it to dissipate slowly. "Van." — With odd-looking irises that gleamed under the gloominess of his brown bangs, the man who stopped both attacks released a heavy sigh.
"..If I didn't step in, you would've killed him right?" — The man furrowed both of his eyebrows and glared at Dale. "Who knows? I show no mercy to robbers after all." — "The guest had already stated he isn't a thief. What more could you demand, Dale?" — Van, which was the one standing in between Dale and the Figure, squinted both eyes at Dale, whom reciprocated his glare.
"And you trust it!? That's what these criminals do! They lie!" — "You're accusing him baselessly! Not everyone we meet during the voyage is a criminal!" — Van retaliated. "You fool! Do you not remember who caused us to be trapped here!" — Dale pushed the hilt of his blade even deeper towards the gauntlet, causing a small amount of blood to seep out.
"..If you want to fight, we can go right here right now." — Van uttered, with a cold solemn tone. "Fight you? When a criminal is cowering behind you!? Don't make me laugh!" — Dale delivered a quick slash, scratching the silver gauntlet before leaping away then pointing his blade towards the two. "Step aside Van! I must make sure whether that Man is with them or not!" — In response, Van assumed a defensive stance.
"With your blade!? We can solve this with words! Why use force!?"
"Those criminals only answer to power!"
— With furrowed eyebrows and clenched teeth, Dale charged at the two, his right arm tightly gripping the blade. On the other side, Van steeled himself in front of the weak figure and squinted both eyes, assuming a circular arm defensive stance.
[CRESCENT MOON!]
With a shout, Dale stretches out his sword.
(Crescent Moon!? Are you Crazy..!?)
[FLAWLESS ORBIT!]
With a troubled expression, Van formed a circle with both arms.
(ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US BOTH!? DALE!?)
"Good grief.." — An exasperated voice of a woman entered the conversation before.. "Huh?" — "What?"
A large glowing sphere landed in between the both of them. Shortly exploding into a series of flames that accelerated in all directions. "Both of you need to learn how to shut up." — She continued, afterwards a woman whom wore a white-cloak, had tomato-coloured hair and similarly coloured eyes stepped through the smoke, grasping a staff that was as tall as her. "Miya!" — The armoured man, whom was Cain yelled out her name. "Cain? What were these two idiots arguing about?" — Cain tapped his fingers together "We..Well.." —
"Oh? Are we gonna do this the hard way?" — Cain quickly straightened his posture as sweat proliferated on his forehead, he saluted. "N-No Ma'am! Van and Dale were fighting because of U.P. Zero Seven!" — The woman then gazed towards the figure behind Van, seeing its once white bandages transitioning quickly to a reddish colour causing her to sigh before grasping her head. "These idiots really.. Cain please carry our guest to me will you?" — "Ye-yes ma'am!" — Cain hurried towards the injured figure, who groaned in pain as its wounds opened up again.
—
The sun began to bid its farewell once again, now enshrouding the forest into a gloomy darkness, apart from the small opening that was illuminated by the campfire where the group of individuals resided.
*Chomp* *Gnash* *Sip*
The figure began to consume the food laid in front of him in a panicked manner. "..Slow down." — The woman uttered, glancing at the figure with a troubled expression as she munched on a piece of bread. "Wash zid you shay..?" — The figure paused. "Nevermind." — The woman then closed her eyes, trying to distract herself from the loud chewing sounds coming from the figure.
"Puwaa..! Thanks for the Meal! Its been a while!" — The figure leaned back towards a tree trunk, slight sensations of pain still proliferating around his body. "Careful, your wounds might open up again.." — Cain uttered as he ate in a similar fashion. "..That was delicious." — Dale uttered before stoically dropping his bowl on the grass and walking towards the shadows. "..Don't mind him, just a shy guy." — Van responded, smiling gleefully. "Hm. I shall." — The figure responded, caressing its stomach. "I apologize for my.. friend attacking you earlier." — Van uttered. "Its alright." To which the figure quickly replied. "Rather I should be thanking you.. Your friend was strong.." — In the distance, Dale's released a quiet scoff. "..I could've died." The figure continued, causing Van's worried expression to soften into a smile. "You're a kind one aren't you?"
"..Ehem." — The woman coughed, causing both Van and Cain to silence themselves. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way.."
— The woman, with glowing crimson irises stared down on the figure. "I ask you, what were you doing in this area?" — The tone was cold, commanding and tense, almost as if the gravity suddenly intensified. Both Van and Cain silently ate, not daring to even speak. "Me?" — Somewhat unaffected, the figure responded. "I swam here.." — The woman blinked, causing the gravity to lighten again, Van and Cain both had their eyes widened, even Dale from the shadows looked towards the figure with a surprised expression. "Swam.. here..?" — The woman repeated in a daze. "Quit messing with me.. I don't take lightly to jokes." — The woman's eyes began to gleam once more, resulting in the intensification of gravity around the area this time, heavier than before. "I'm serious." — In a calm, casual manner the figure reassured them. (..He's..fine? Did he resist my..) — The woman whispered in her thoughts. A vein the began to throb on her forehead as she clicked her tongue. "Enough! Will you tell me the truth.." — The gravity suddenly became crushing, causing both Van and Cain to lower their bodies into a bow
"Or be crushed!?"
— "I am telling the truth.."
— Seeing him still unaffected, the woman's eyes widened before pausing, allowing the gravity to normalize again and causing Vain and Cain to release a sigh of relief while Dale from the distance took notice of the situation and muttered silently to himself. "He can resist.. Her magic..?"
"I came here because I needed to do something..!"
- The figure claimed enthusiastically before crossing its arms prodly.
"..And what would that be..?" — She squinted her eyes.
The figure scoffed softly before the corner of its lips arose into a wide smile.
"I'm here to save eternity!"
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