Chapter 59 - Alice's Roar

**Author Note**

I used to use "-" after a paragraph to signal a change in tense but from now on I'll be using *** (stars) so signal a change in tense. Those scenes were it's changed to third person aren't ever permanent. It just gives certain scenes a lot more freedom or perspective than it could have had if it were in first person.

I hope this clears/avoids any confusion. 

Ok, now back to story...

She completely outclassed me in strength but in terms of speed, it was different. My speed seemed just slightly slower than hers, like I was constantly lagging behind her.

{Ilinore *!@##???}

For whatever reason I wasn’t been able to see her stats, just her health bar and the name she gave us. This was a first, not even Uriel had any answers for me.

{Target cannot be appraised}

{Target cannot be appraised}

Meaning we were having to fight her blind.

The Basilisk from earlier managed to damage her, I saw her health lower with my own eyes. It was the first and only time I managed to affect her, I just didn’t know why.

Arga spun around and brought her sword toward Ilinore’s stomach at a stagnant pace. She ducked and weaved out of the way, avoiding all of her advances with effortless dance-like steps.

A blinding speed circled Arga, followed by a powerful strike to her back.

“Arga!”

Chunks of metal flew out from between them and crashed into the ground. Arga’s armour had protected her at the cost of its own life. She was down to the small amount of metal and scraps that protected her arms.

The torn material wrapped around her was littered with dirty marks and holes. She wasn’t the only one, I wasn’t looking too hot either.

The force from Ilinore’s attack sent Arga tumbling a couple of meters across the ground but managed to stop the momentum with her sword. The distance between them exploded with a cloud of dust and debris from the ground.

“Don’t expect to repeat that fluke of yours.”

Ilinore looked ready to release some kind of blast. Arga tucked herself behind her greatsword wedged into the ground and waited for the blast.

…

A moment turned into a minute but still no blast occurred. Even Ilinore looked at her hand, confused as to why nothing had happened.

Was she out of mana perhaps? No that didn’t make sense, she never used any during our fight.

She stared blankly at her palm and clicked her tongue.

“It seems my abilities were locked away with the rest of my strength. All the same, I’ll just kill you three with what strength I do have.”

Ilinore walked over to her, moving her fingers one by one with the intention of finishing her off. I couldn't settle down, my body wouldn’t allow it.

She snapped around and blocked the large shadowy claws aimed at her head. It didn’t take much energy from her, she didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. She simply took the chance to observe my skill calmly up close.

“I thought these looked familiar…This belongs to those puppies on this floor, is it some cheap trick?”

She dispersed the claws within her grip, breaking it in a single motion. Without the shadowy claws to hold her back, I felt defenceless.

An all too familiar pain cracked into my shoulder as her dainty fingers made their way deeper into my shoulder. I fell to my knee in a crippled state, unable to fight back.

“GAHHHH!!!!!”

“No matter how many times I swat you away, you only come running back for more. I might just have to break you.”

That one definitely broke. I felt it, something in my shoulder just snapped right under her finger. She broke it like it was a twig.

“Get off of him!”

“The other fly too?”

Ilinore’s eyes glanced behind her. Arga charged wildly with her sword at her side, there was no chance she could surprise her with that. I didn’t want to see it, I didn’t want to think of what she would do to Arga.

I broke away from Ilinore’s grip and fumbled back. My body was still out of it from the pain but I didn’t need my arms, I still had another way to fight.

“Strike Kick—!”

A powerful spin kick, directly to the face…she didn’t even budge. Her defence was unreal, I didn’t believe it even after experiencing it for myself.

The pain in my shoulder synced up to the stinging burn in my shin. As the white aura around my legs vanished into the air, Ilinore was left standing there unfazed by my attack.

Arga’s ‘surprise’ attack arrived a moment later.

She grabbed the sword rushing into her side and kept it in place with her thumb and index finger clenched down on the blade. Her eyes remained focused on mine as if she wanted to send me a message. I stared at her with an expression of fear but was met with a merciless response.

She swung out her hand and sent the sword flying into the air. Arga was pulled forward and into Ilinore's grasp. Her hand tightened over Arga’s face as she suspended her in the air in front of me.

“No, don’t do this!”

I pulled and struggled but I couldn't break her grip. It was monstrous, even with the Shadow Claws I wouldn’t have been able to break it open.

It didn’t make sense to me, why couldn't I hurt her? The Basilisk skill, Arga’s skill…something about them must have had something in common right? So then why, why couldn't I do a thing?

“Rei…run! Aaahhh—!!!!!”

My eyes were filled with the sight of my party member, the first friend I had made since becoming an adventurer—being tortured in front of my very eyes.

Was I that weak, so pathetic that all I could do was watch?

“No, don’t hurt her…don’t do it—please!”

Let go of her! Don’t hurt her, please don’t do it! Don’t kill my friend!!!

Her grip tightened further and the sound of Arga’s face being squeezed only fell silent behind her wailing.

Please…don’t.

I dropped to my knees, not by choice. They gave out, I didn’t bother trying to stand after that since I knew what would come next. I couldn't bring myself to look, not at that, not at my friend being…

A familiar warmth filled my body and seemed to be dancing around me.

I raised my head and noticed the golden red flames surrounding me, surrounding us. It flowed in a spiral over the whole area, like a vortex meant to consume us whole.

I turned my head to where the flames originated from and a blank expression overtook my face.

A small figure stood behind the flames, she commanded it with a cry. I couldn't hear it but I felt it, the pain behind her cry.

“Alice…?”

***

Moments Earlier.

Rei lunged his body forward but Ilinore simply endured the attack, it didn’t leave as much as a scratch on her. She was completely unaffected.

Alice watched intently. Her widened eyes were nearly filled with tears as the only two friends she had left fought tirelessly against a monster who could not be beaten. Her heart ached with a burning pain that would not subside. The heat inside of her chest refused to settle, it only grew as her sadness and frustration festered.

Suddenly Arga charged in with her sword, she swung widely at Ilinore's side but the attack couldn't land. She grabbed her blade out from her hand like a child and suspended her into the air.

She hung in the air, kicking her feet relentlessly. The grip on her hand tightened, causing the young blacksmith further pain. A searing pain centered on her face as the slender fingers of the ivory woman dug deeper into her skin.

She tried to hold it in as long as she could, to give a brave face so that her comrade could escape but…

“Aaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!”

It was dragged out of her, every scratch and blow she had endured. Ilinore seemed to thrive off of it, the pain she delivered. Even though Arga had been the one riling with pain, Alice seemed just as affected.

Across the room, she watched as the two people she grew to care for were ripped apart and left wailing at Ilinore’s wake. The demon Ilinore was about to take away those she loved once more.

Alice couldn't handle it anymore, she grabbed the sides of her head as the burning pain rose.

“No, don’t hurt her…don’t do it…please!”

Rei begged at the woman’s mercy, trying to free her grip from Arga’s face. Those wailing cries of pain, the tearful begging that followed soon after were all too familiar. Alice recalled the night Ilinore first appeared, the night her brothers disappeared behind her.

She stumbled back in fear and nearly fell over on her own feet.

“No…not again…please don’t. Please don’t take away my family…not again.” The heat grew larger, it rose faster.

The familiar glare in that woman’s eyes, that pink diamond stare right before it happened. Before everything Alice loved, was taken away.

The tiny curling horns on her head stretched and curved until they were larger and more prominent. Her cherry-coloured hair rose into the air behind her, floating weightlessly in place as her body curled forward.

Alice was hunched over, reeling in pain from the boiling heat that rose from her stomach.

“What…is this?”

Her brother's words came rushing back to her. His familiar tone guided her fears and straightened out her back.

The ground shattered beneath her feet and a powerful red aura flowed out from her body. A mighty red glow, fit for a queen.

It took everything she had to hold back her tears, even as they filled her eyes she continued to look ahead. She bit down on her lip and shook her head, forcing them off her face.

“I won’t let you take them…not anyone, not again! Arga might be a little selfish but she tries really hard to make me smile…and Rei is always kind, even when it puts him into trouble. You can’t…have them. I won’t let you!”

Her hands tightened into a fist, the boiling feeling that built up inside of her reached the surface and was moments away from bursting out.

Alice faced ahead, determined.

A distinct instinct welled up through the heat and took over. At that moment without any words or instruction, she somehow knew exactly what to do.

“Leave them, ALONE!!”

A wave of flames erupted from her mouth and engulfed the trio.

Shades of gold and red intertwined in a swirl of open flames, spiralling out from her mouth. The flames grew larger and overcame the room in a matter of seconds.

Rei lifted his head confused as to why he was standing amongst flames without being burnt. His eyes wavered past the gentle warmth and landed on Alice.

Bewildered, he just stared at her. His ruby glare shimmered under the intense flames and moved his lips in response to its majesty.

“Alice…?”