Let's Play!

I didn't have time to watch Yahime's fight transpire. The storm of blazing spears had begun again and I could barely keep up with the downpour. Everywhere my feet touch became scorched by the searing flames and if the forest weren't frozen it would have been a sea of flames.

How is he doing this? He's a support mage. He shouldn't even have access to attack spells. Not to mention he's not even using an incantation. Does it have to do with that grimoire?

The book was another item exclusive to the strange world I'd found myself in. How many other spells did it have that not even Aurelie knew about? I could guess where he'd gotten it, though. The heroine may have chosen Prince Stolz's route, but like all otome protagonists, her harem was still precious to her. And with access to the empire's treasury through her new fiancé… Sarah was proving to be trouble even half a continent away.

"Is that all you can do? You certainly look worse for wear, but I'd expected more of a challenge from you, Aurelie."

"Aurelie? I don't remember being on such friendly terms. What happened to all the charm you used to show 'Lady Scelerat'?"

A dozen spears impaled the ground where I'd been standing in response. Had he always been so emotional? Or had freezing day in and day out killed his rationality? Even at a distance I could see the dark bag under his eyes and the gauntness of his cheeks. The handsome and rich male lead had been replaced with a ragged skeleton in a nice suit.

"You gave up that title when you dared to assault Lady Sarah! The fact you're alive at all is thanks to her mercy."

"I'm sure you're regretting that now."

I sped through the incantation for [ROCK PRISON], spitting the words in a single breath. The ground rumbled at Richard's feet, but just before the stone could latch onto his feet, he jumped away. It had been enough, though.

The tempest of fiery spears subsided when his concentration broke. I rushed him in the calm, closing the gap between us before we could blink.

[SHAPESHIFT]

Sharp pain stabbed my arms as shadow engulfed and enlarged them. I hadn't had much practice with the skill and could only perform partial transformations and [BESTIAL TRANSFORMATION] was still a pipe dream. Still, just transforming my arms spiked my P.ATT and Richard looked ready to wet himself when my naginata felled the three trees behind him. He'd somehow managed to duck at the last moment.

"To think you've fallen so far." Richard waved his hand over his grimoire. The pages flipped at his command and it began to glow a noxious violet. "To think you would be so easily corrupted by the demons."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't feel like entertaining his melodramatic dialogue. He was just using it to buy time.

Should I just use [OVER— DUSK RAGE]? I'm worried about Yahime. She disappeared into the forest with Louis and I can't hear them over Richard's spell.

I couldn't justify the risk. Without a doubt I'd be able to end my fight with Richard in an instant. But then what? I'd be paralyzed and [VIDE'S EDICT] had replaced [VIDE'S GRACE]. There was no guarantee I'd survive the recoil. Even if I did I'd be so defenseless Billia's ducklings could kill me.

I swear, if you turn this into a joke again, Vide…

A midnight cloud grew from the ground, coalescing into a humanoid mass in front of Richard. Its starry skeleton pulsed within its translucent body, glowing brighter with each one until the gas around it dissipated revealing a crystalline child-like creature.

"Yozora magic: [HANA]."

***

The rolling explosions in the clearing Yahime had left Kyomi in agitated the Dusk. Kyomi had ordered her to keep the human swordsman distracted while she fought the thin one. It was the unease and disgust dripping from their connection that worried her. Her human had looked strange after cutting down the magic ones. Scared. Like Yahime had when she killed the animal man in the forest.

It was a vulnerability the human swordsman used to push her back. He knocked every swipe she made with her claws away and pelted her with a strange magic. All the while the colorful lights around him laughed.

"And here I thought a Dusk would be a challenge."

The human smirked at Yahime and slashed his sword in the air. An invisible force rammed into Yahime a second later, knocking her off balance and she had to detransform to avoid his accompanying thrust.

"You're nothing but a beast! I can't believe Gredig was scared of you."

Blue, red, and brown spears shot from the silver blade, biting into Yahime's arms and torso. They didn't hurt, but something was wrong. Her body refused to move the way she wanted.

"what did…"

"I forcibly inserted some of my spirits in your body," the human said. His feet clanked with each step he made towards her. "You might not see them, but they're tearing you apart from the inside as we speak."

Inside?

[INNER VOID]

Tiny shrieks came from within Yahime and the color drained from the human's face. She didn't know what creatures he was talking about, but she put them in the same place Kyomi had her hold things.

"What did you do?!"

The swordsman's face wrinkled and reddened. He charged Yahime screaming and swinging his blade while the lights around him cried. It reminded her of the animal children she played with.

Now that she looked, the human's face looked like theirs. Was he a child?

"You need to be careful with children. They're fragile."

That was why Kyomi didn't tell her to kill him. She wanted her to play with him!

"play… sword?"

The human even growled like the little animals did. She'd seen some of them fight with sticks. Is that what he wanted?

She summoned her black sword to block the human's. His eyes widened when he saw and it didn't look like he still wanted to play.

"done playing? take nap?"

"Don't mock me! I am the heir to House Bourbon, personal knight of the Rising Sun of the Empire!"

She didn't understand what he was saying. A new game?

***

What in Lumin's name was happening? Louis couldn't comprehend it. The Dusk had transformed from a beast into a tall humanoid so thin a heavy wind should have been able to topple it. And his spirits, his friends, they'd screamed so loudly before they vanished.

"Don't mock me! I am the heir to House Bourbon, personal knight of the Rising Sun of the Empire!"

His emotions were getting the better of him. He could tell by the sloppiness of his swings, the clumsiness of his footwork. But how could he not? His other friends were weeping in his ears, wailing for him to bring the ice, fire, and earth spirits. They refused to listen to his requests leaving him with only his deteriorating swordsmanship.

"Gredig may have been right. I told him not to underestimate Aurelie and yet I made the same mistake with her pet monster."

He laughed at the absurdity of it all. Thankfully the Dusk seemed simple minded and thought they were playing. He didn't know why, nor did he care.

"not tired? keep… playing?"

"Sure, I'll keep playing."

Louis clenched his sword. The spirits would calm eventually. When they did, he'd finish the beast with one strike.