No Time for Counseling, We Got Bad Guys to Beat!

“Ugh…”

I carefully opened my eyes and adjusted to the sudden change in my surroundings. Sure enough, we were still in the center of the nave, but without the statues and the sunlight.

Even the decorations had changed. The glass windows, the pillars, the carpet, and even the pews were all different than what we saw moments ago. It was as if we’d been teleported into an entirely different church.

Also, for some reason, I couldn’t get up? Wait…

“Ah… uwaaahh?!” I clung tightly to the carpet floor, trying to feel my legs underneath it. “H-h-help! Heeelp! I’m phasing into the floor agaaaiiin!”

“Mmrph, huh…?” Dahlian groaned around on the floor before opening his eyes next. He quickly sat up and looked around. “Woah! Where the hell are we? How did it suddenly become nighttime already? Sloane? Haruma?”

“Mmm… oranges… so sweet,” the elf mumbled, all curled up and drooling on the floor behind him. “Oh, how much I missed this…”

“Heeeelp!” I screeched, flailing an arm beside him. “Help meee! I’m gonna faaaall!”

Dahlian blinked at the sleepyhead and at me, wearing an indescribable look on his face. He scratched his head and murmured, “Why the hell am I the normal one here?”

⮽⮽⮽

I collapsed on my rear and let out a deep sigh of relief. “Phew, that was close. Thanks, Dahlian.”

“No problem.”

Sloane yawned and stretched his arms. “Oh, how regretful. I was having such a wonderful dream…”

“How can you even sleep so well in this situation?” Dahlian shook his head. “Well, whatever! Are you two ready to go yet?”

“No,” Sloane and I mumbled.

“Why not?!”

“I’m not strong like you guys,” I said, squeezing my arm. “Not to mention, I still can’t control my gli—curses. I’m only going to get in everyone’s way or even hurt you guys by accident.”

“I still despise fighting,” Sloane muttered. “I… I just can’t… stand it…”

Dahlian sighed and ruffled his hair. “What, should we have a counseling session before we beat the bad guys then?”

The elf steadily rose to his feet and trudged onward. “That won’t be necessary. I’d rather we get this over with as soon as possible…”

Dahlian watched him scout and investigate the nave before turning to me. “He’s got some unresolved trauma, doesn’t he?”

I shrugged. “I might have an idea or two.”

“If you’re planning to talk about me, do it when I’m not in the same room,” said Sloane.

“Damn elf ears,” said Dahlian, scratching his head. “Anyway, you’re not excluded either, Haruma. You wanna talk about yours?”

“No, thanks.”

“Wow, you answered hella quick. Okay, suit yourself.” Dahlian stretched his arms high into the air and started walking away, his movement more sluggish than usual. He even stumbled a bit.

This guy… how could he be so chill about this? He was still suffering from the church's anti-demon enchantments, wasn’t he? I couldn’t imagine how exhausting and suffocating it could be, and yet, there he was, acting like he could solo this whole dungeon. It’d be so damn pathetic of me to depend on him if those debuffs kept wearing him down like this.

“Because I… couldn’t stand being so pathetic.”

I curled my fists.

“I want… to be dependable too! I want to be a total badass just like you!”

I still couldn’t believe I said something so cringey to Lord Wymond of all people, but… those words came from my heart, didn’t they? I would never say anything like that in my right mind otherwise.

Besides, with every battle I’d survived, I found myself with fewer excuses to cower in fear.

I took a deep breath and got back on my feet. “Dahlian, you should take a break.”

Dahlian glanced over his shoulder. “Hm?”

“You’re weakened, aren’t you? You should save your energy just in case.”

He scoffed and turned away. “What do you think I am? Some normie demon? As if this place can pin me down that easily.”

I scratched my head. “What are you then?”

“I dunno. Maybe I’m actually a half-demon? It’s not like my skin is melting away or anything.”

“You don’t even know that much about yourself?”

“Not a damn thing. The Lavendell villagers who’ve found me in Oakheart Forest said that I’m definitely some kind of demon, though. That’s all I’ve learned so far.”

“I see…” Such is the curse of amnesia. I guess he has it rough too, huh? He sure doesn’t act like it, though.

“Oh, right, that reminds me. Did you ever find out about who I am in your visions?” he asked.

I tapped my chin. “Not really, but Lord Wymond might know something. I never got the chance to find out, though.”

He spun around and gawked at me. “Wait, really? That bull giant knows something?! Did he say anything about me?!”

“He didn’t ‘say’ anything noteworthy, but he’d always avoid fighting you whenever we crossed paths with him and never explain why. That’s all I know.”

“...The hell?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know anything either, man. Sorry.”

Dahlian scratched his head and resumed his walk. “Well, that’s still a lead, I guess. I’ll keep that in mind then. Thanks.”

“Don't mention it,” I said, following him.

The two of us caught up with Sloane, who had been quietly observing the massive, mosaic glass window at the center of the nave’s platform this whole time. We also started analyzing the art out of curiosity.

It was an abstract glass art of a woman with long, light green eyes and hair, wearing white robes and a flower crown. She cradled a basket of flowers with a baby sleeping in it, and her wings gently tucked all kinds of birds and land animals close to her.

“Florathea was a popular goddess for a reason,” Sloane murmured. “She used to cherish all forms of life: plants, animals, humans, elves, fairies, and so on. She didn’t even mind demons either. She was the kind of goddess who would actually lend a hand to help those in need.”

“Yeah, and now she’s a total psycho flipping the world upside-down,” said Dahlian, his hands on his hips. “Makes you wonder what the hell happened to her to end up like this.”

“And I guess no one ever found out why,” I added. “She just went crazy out of nowhere, and so did her followers, apparently.” I looked around the grand nave. “Whoever made this rift instance has reconstructed the whole place to make it look like her old church, before it got renovated.”

“So that’s what’s going on here…” Dahlian whistled. “They can do all that?”

“Yeah, they can manipulate time and space, shift the environment around, and summon monsters with their own will.”

“Ooh, it’s like it’s their own small pocket realm!”

“Yeah, that’s… what I said a moment ago…”

“Man, I wish I could pull that off one day. Anyway, did you find any leads, Sloane?”

Sloane squinted and reluctantly pointed at the glass. “I can hear some noise coming past this window, but there’s also a magic barrier here…”

“Huh…” Dahlian curled a fist and threw a hefty punch, but the glass simply left a gentle ripple from the impact. “Damn, guess you’re right. If only there were someone who could conveniently pass through walls.”

Sloane and Dahlian slowly turned to me.

I blinked back at them, dread rising in my chest. “Oi, oi, oi, wait, hold on a minute,” I sputtered, raising my hands and stepping back. “You don’t mean—”

“Now’s your chance to shine, buddy!” Dahlian slapped my back with a wide, smug grin.

“Did you guys forget that I can’t control my powers?! What if I phase into somewhere else?!”

“Pffft, naahh! You worry too much. How bad can it be?”

“Don’t jinx it, man!”

“How can I? My powers don’t work here.”

“You know what I mean!”

Sloane rubbed his chin. “Have you tried using your powers with the Ring of Gluttony on?”

“Huh? No, I haven’t. You think it could work with it?”

“I’m not too certain, but if it managed to stop you from phasing through the floor in your sleep, then there’s a possibility it could do more. Maybe it could lessen the chaos for your other abilities.”

“Might as well give it a shot then!” said Dahlian.

I frowned at the two before reluctantly pulling out my ring. “I really doubt it works, but if you say so…” With shaky hands, I slipped on the ring, and at the same time, Sloane and Dahlian hurriedly sprinted away and took cover behind the farthest pew.

I squinted at them. “Seriously?”

“Just for security measures,” Sloane shamelessly said.

“You got this, Haruma!” said Dahlian, also shamelessly throwing a thumbs-up.

“Ugh, fine. Here goes nothing…” I took a deep breath and dashed forward.