Reversal

 The crisp deep was always refreshing for Louger, but for Agon, it was a traumatic touch to the senses. Her body maneuvered through the water like silk on supple skin. He was regretting his choice with each stroke she took deeper into the sea. His eyes couldn’t remain open no matter how hard he tried, while Louger’s sight adjusted seamlessly; this was nothing new to her.

“T-too fast…!”

Their bodies seemed to stretch and contort as she reached out her hand towards a pouch within the depths. She pressed her hand further inside the pit, feeling it give into her force, then held her arm straight out with her fingers glued together in a forward point. Louger penetrated through the divot of water like a knife through fabric. A bright glow leaked through, and the two were engulfed without a second glance.

A spill on a hardwood floor began to gurgle, and from it emerged Louger and Agon. Their bodies were encased in a thin layer of water as they rose. Once they were completely back on their feet, the layer slipped off of them, and they were bone dry. Agon toppled over, gasping for air.

“Welcome to Enson’s Inn. A wonderful resting spot and eatery for many Ruchians.”

The sound of boots clunking back and forth and voices melding with one another made Agon pick himself up to his knees with a small hop. He was met with the sight of a warm, large room furnished with wooden round tables and chairs that stretched all the way to the back of the inn; they sat in a gallery of characters from different backgrounds. Some were modestly dressed townsfolk enjoying a peaceful meal, while others were bands of warriors cheering and hollering while shoveling some unknown liquid down their throats. Giant cylindrical lights hung from the ceiling, and the smell of smoked meat and roasted vegetables coated in various spices permeated the air, inviting itself into Agon’s nostrils. Everyone was too occupied in their own world to notice both of them rising from a wet spot in the ground.

“H-how…How did we…”

“Direct Dive; one of my techniques.” She answered while extending a hand to Agon, helping him off the ground. “I can travel through bodies of water both big and small, using them as a means of transportation. But both points have to be physically contacted by me or my weapon before I can transfer between them. Take the pool that was in my room, for example. I use that pool to soak after a long day of training, or when returning home from a quest. Because the water in it has made contact with my body, I have established one travel point. Another prime example of this is when I held you imprisoned in the water den. When I used Tension Break to submerge you underwater, I pierced the surface with the tip of my blade; that was also contact. And because Thalassio’s blade is completely made of water, I was able to transport back to the den by diving into it. Any water that leaves my body also serves as a travel point, since it has already made contact. Thankfully, your clothes were soaked as well, so I used the water within them as a second point. That’s when I saw your damaged state and had you nursed back to health.”

“I still don’t fully understand why she helped me in the first place…”

“So…how did you make a travel point here?”

“I simply asked one of the workers for a glass of water, then spat it out on the floor.”

“Couldn’t you have just made some water in your hand and splashed it around? Or taken your sword and made a small puddle?”

“I had a bad taste in my mouth.”

“T-then why spit it out?”

“Because I needed to establish a travel point.”

“Am I the only one who sees the problem here? Why is she being so open and helpful with me? Not too long ago, I was considered a criminal for-”

A realization struck his mind like lightning.

“...Louger…what did you say the name of this inn was?”

“Enson’s Inn.”

“The voices of the angry crowd replayed in Agon’s mind.”

“He…he has Dinorah!!!”

“You’re right! That’s Enson’s daughter!”

His palms began to shake as those words played through his mind. It felt as though the entire space was drenched in an ominous aura.

“Of course…I’m an idiot. This is all a trap. She doesn’t believe me; I was never innocent in her eyes. The moment I walked into this town with Dinorah limp on the ground like that…I was public enemy number one.”

His chest began to burn; he was too in his head to notice that the numbers on his chest had changed from "8:00" to "4:00".

“Guh…!”

“Agon?” Louger watched him stumble. He didn’t respond; his breathing intensified. His eyes shifted around the inn, unable to focus. The walls felt like they were caving in by the second, ready to devour Agon at any moment.

“I gotta get out of here. Find that message board…I need more time…!”

“Well, well! If it isn’t the new hero!” He snapped out of his trance to the sound of a gruff voice hailing from the second floor of the inn. It was Enson, grinning from ear to ear while leaning over the railing. With a deep breath, he shouted to every customer in the room. “HEY EVERYONE! IT’S AGON, THE ELBRUS KILLER!” All eyes in that room seemed to lock onto Agon and Louger as they stood at the front of the inn; She smirked and gestured towards him, showing him off like a brand new trophy. Everyone abruptly jumped to their feet, some raising a glass, others raising their weapons; all in the praise of this young man.

“Wh-What’s going on?!?”

Enson jumped from the second floor and landed right in front of Agon with an absurdly loud thud.

“HAHAHA! Agon Cora! Louger told me quite a bit about you! I can’t thank you enough for saving this town AND my daughter!”

“Uhm…I don’t know…what-”

“HAHAHAHAHA! You were right, Louger! He IS a modest one!” Enson’s smile was so wide it seemed like it was sculpted into his face. Louger chuckled as the townspeople cheered Agon’s name.

“Louger…what’s happening…?”

“I told you, Agon. I believe you. Those bruises were too perfect to be made by a human fist. Factoring in your adamance to seek help for Dinorah, it’s clear that you were just a simple bystander who got roped into her shenanigans and helped her out as best you could. You helped rid this town of a terrible plague."

“My little green bean is always gettin’ herself into some kinda mess, but I didn’t imagine she’d bring somebody else into it! It’s a shame what has to happen to her, but to be a great warrior means to be corrected when led astray.” Enson’s grin finally dropped, but his chipper tone still found a way to peek through.

“Wait…what’s going to happen to her…? Where is she…? Louger?” Agon felt a pang of dread from deep within his stomach. Louger said nothing and simply turned around to open the front door of the inn, gesturing for him to step outside. In just three steps, he saw Dinorah chained by her ankles, waist, and hands to a wooden post. Her hair was done in freshly neat Bantu knots, and she was dressed back in her splint armor. In terms of physical appearance, she looked exactly as she had when Agon first met her. When she lifted her head, however, her green eyes revealed a spirit of dejection. Those eyes peeled away his flesh and gazed right into his soul. All he could do was stare back. While the inn roared his name in triumph, Agon and Dinorah were lost in the sight of one another. All until his chest flared. "2:00" minutes remained. He fell to his knees and punched the stone trail to even out the burning in his chest, but it wasn't enough.

"What did you do...?” In the middle of his outburst, the crowd poured out from the inn, their cheers turning into boos as they circled the chained girl. Louger and Enson followed behind, picking Agon up to his feet.

“MY DEAR RUCHIANS!” Louger yelled, “We stand gathered before the sinner, Dinorah Kuria, who is found guilty of reviving a great blight upon our town; the dreaded Elbrus!” The crowd booed Dinorah further. From the sidelines, Enson held his head down in shame. Agon witnessed this riotous display right in the heart of the gathered mob. Louger continued her speech. “For summoning this accursed creature back and seeking its divine power for her own personal benefit, she will be blinded; her eyes have led her astray, but by my blade, she will seek the wickedness of Velicima no more!” The crowd’s jeering became more diverse.

“Good! That’ll teach her!”

“What were you thinking?!? You could’ve killed us all!”

“This is where all that nosiness gets you. Enjoy!”

“No…stop…” The crowd’s hisses got louder by the second, and the seconds in Agon’s clock were slipping by. "1:00" was left. Everything started to get hazy. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

“Make sure she doesn’t forget this!”

“It’s ironic that they chained her to the message board!”

“What…? Message...Board…?” Those words made Agon stagger from the crowd. He pushed through while gripping his hand to his chest. He made his way around to the other side of the pole. On the opposite side was a wooden dowel that jutted out horizontally from the post. Attached to the dowel was a long board filled with different pieces of paper and flyers written all over.

“MOVE!” Agon yelled with his last bit of strength, lunging towards the board through the sea of townspeople. He huffed and grunted with each jump. Forty-five seconds left.

“AGON!”

He stopped just several feet away from the message board to look at Dinorah through the mass. Her eyes pleaded to him.

“The core! Do you have the core?!?!”

As much as he wanted to answer the call, he turned away and touched the message board, leaning against it. A prompt box formed before him. The thought of him smashing the Elbrus core just a couple of feet from Dinorah’s unconscious body sent a chill down his spine, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He achieved his goal; that’s what mattered.

MESSAGE BOARD LOCATED! NOW DOWNLOADING PERSONALIZED MISSION LIST.

Another prompt box appeared; a long list of missions all offering different amounts of Borrowed and Earned Time, just like Olagna explained. The first mission caught his eye immediately.

MISSION: FIND A WEAPON. REWARD: 3:00 BT.

Without wasting a second, Agon hobbled through the crowd once more, yelling out amongst the people to keep the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He left Dinorah in chains, not a single syllable spoken. She watched him go from a full figure to a hazy shape in the distance. Soon enough, he was past the main gates of Ruchs, completely out of sight. She was in utter disbelief; the crowd seemed to go mute in her ears. Her lips softly opened.

“...Agon…?”