Snapping out of the stupor that caught her the moment she saw Zielle coming at her from above, Aediva gasped in both shock and horror when finding out what had just happened. She was so close, just a hair’s breadth away from actually getting to the part she had to go but now she’s at the furthest point of the area - just shyly away from the tendrils’ reach.

She was about to run back to the base of the slime’s main body - almost forgetting that someone was clinging around her waist. Aediva turned and looked at her back - seeing Zielle actively trying to drag her down with her own weight.

“Let me go! You’re a damn bother!” Aediva barked, enraged as she tried to wiggle free but Zielle only clung harder.

“Stop! What can you exactly achieve by trying to blow yourself up again?!” Zielle shouted desperately, earning a livid growl from Aediva who started grabbing Zielle’s arms and trying to pry it away.

“Silence! Don’t stop me! I will-- I have to---” Aediva snarled, managing to rip Zielle’s arms around her waist, only to have Zielle leaped freely on top of her and with an unrestrained headbutt to the head, Zielle made Aediva knelt on one knee. Aediva screamed, out of anger - trying to charge at Zielle only to find her stuck in place as Zielle held her down with both her hands on her shoulders - pushing her down and the ground swallowing her one leg.

“You bi--”

“I DIDN’T ALLOW YOU USE ME KNOWINGLY ONLY FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING LIKE A MANA EXPLOSION AGAIN!” Zielle shouted at Aediva, quickly taking note of Aediva’s startled expression which honestly made Zielle give a slight smile at the girl. It was a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“C’mon now. You’re easy to read. I knew the moment you offered me that seat beside you at the library, you were thinking of using me for my magic… With both your real friends nowhere around you…” Zielle said, feeling her strength starting to wane.

“... then… You should’ve left me alone… I don’t need you…” Aediva said, wincing as she easily shook off Zielle’s grip on her shoulders. Yet Zielle slumped over her, although a weak attempt compared to the one that Kazbelius' student did before…

“... I don’t care if you and the others get torn into pieces… As long as those two survive…” Aediva said, gritting her teeth as she tried to push Zielle away only to realize her own body was slowly getting engulfed by the earth Zielle is manipulating.

“... You can do that… You definitely can… But I won’t allow it…” Zielle said, not seeing the grimace on Aediva’s face as she pushes Zielle away from her.

“I have no other choice!” a loud bark escaped Aediva’s lips as she tried to wiggle away from the rising soil trying to restrict her movement. Her eyes focus solely on the slime right in front of her.

“I… I’m different from you people! I tried…” Aediva said as she groaned with each movement.

“I’M… I’M JUST A POWERLESS. USELESS. INSIGNIFICANT GIRL! DAMMIT!!!” Aediva shouted.

“I don’t understand why… But still… Still… As long as they…” Aediva groaned painfully as she gazed forth with vision blurring to a blinding white. Wedged in between the fatigue and the pain in her heart and in her head, Aediva honestly doesn't know what else to do…

Even if her body tires and collapses before her, her legs wouldn’t stop. Her mind wouldn’t stay silent.

‘If only… If only… I have more power…’ she kept shouting to herself as she kept running.

To that cold hostile place where she would always be alone…

Why won’t Zielle just leave her alone…? If she did then… She wouldn’t have to… choose.

Right at that moment as her vision cleared for just a moment, Aediva saw green and red mixed and her heart stopped. The waves of sea green flutter in the winds, the torn uniform jacket painted with growing deep red. Zielle’s shadow cast upon her as she fell back towards Aediva who catches her out of instinct despite the horror on her face.

“Zi..elle?” Aediva stuttered, looking at the palm of her hand coloured with red.

It’s not paint.

It’s warm.

It’s warm.

It’s…

As the hardened soil around her legs and hip crumbles, her hands scrambled to take off the torn hoodie of her body and pressed the fabric on the abdomen of the girl - stilling when she felt the slightly warm touch on her arm.

“Zielle--”

“Aediva” Zielle called out first, grasping Aediva’s hand.

“The… reason… I don’t want… to…” hearing Zielle’s struggle to even speak, Aediva shook her head.

“Shut up! Don’t speak! I’ll bring you away from here!!!” Aediva said in a frantic panic, trying to stand up with both her arms tucked under Zielle’s knees and back - only to stumble back from intense pain in her own whole body. Her legs were giving out on her. Zielle only smiled as she took Aediva’s hand, grasping it tightly with her own.

“... Save… them… I’ll be… alright” Zielle said, sounding like she is pleading instead.

“Stop! Stop telling me---” Aediva’s words went to a halt when feeling Zielle’s touch on her cheek - what remaining warmth gone at that point as she only felt the same like the cold she has gotten used to.

“You were… shining… so brightly… when you.. s.. smile. Like… the… morning st.. ar… So. …. look… up… and go.. get that…”

As Zielle’s voice went quiet, Aediva looked at those empty green eyes. Arrays of emotions in her head, swirling in her suffocating chest - grounding her whole body. Anger, sadness, regret.

Powerlessness.

Even the sting in her eyes felt numb as shards of her frozen tears flown away by the raging winds and the rising cold. The dome of white growing around her with intense violence, drowning her pained scream. Cradling the body of the one she had pushed away, Aediva scream fell to deaf ears as she looked up to the dark skies to see the freezing protrusions from the slime.

Pieces of woods, soil and flowers both dead and alive rained down along with the crystallized part of the broken slime. The hail of flowers that freezes over fell to her face, pricking at her cheeks as Aediva looked at the one frozen Alstroemeria tumbling onto Zielle’s body right on top of the fist-sized hole in her abdomen.

Only drops of frozen tears fell as the dome of white blizzard shrunk and dissipated into the thin air. Standing in the middle of the white circle is Aediva carrying Zielle’s body - looking straight at Rachel’s so-called defense system.

In all that chaos and disarray it was almost a miracle that so many managed to get out. Although it was thanks to the many quick-thinking students and a bunch of adventurers attending the public event.

How did it turn out the way it is now? Hardly anyone even thinks that it started off as a jolly and merry parades and celebration just hours ago. In such a short time, the whole Efren Dorm area turned into a complete battleground between those able to fight with the slime that wrecked everything and everyone. Smokes and debris flying everywhere within the close proximity of the slime’s main body - making it hard for anyone to try and get into the building.

Barely anyone in heaven's name knows what was happening right there but the one growing dome of white managed to make everyone grow even more anxious than they were.

“That bright white dome!” one of the lecturers exclaimed, sounding a bit too panicked for someone who was quite calm and steady just moments before, when instructing the students who are able to help the injured.

Behind the tinted view of the already dark landscape, a man looked with growing anxiety. His fingers gripping tightly on the handle of his walking stick that it cracked under his losing restraint.

“Zielle! Zielle! Where are you?!” before he could even think any further, he heard that familiar voice calling out loudly for a familiar name. Cypher looked from the slightly elevated height at the side of the hill where the strongest barrier was made and immediately, the bright mint-coloured hair moving in the crowds of people caught his attention. Cypher only needs to tap his walking stick once to get the young man floating up the air and quickly moving towards him.

“?!” Zayen looked at Cypher with wide eyes, landing on the ground with a straightened back.

“Lord Luzeheart!” Zayen exclaimed.

“It’s Professor Luzeheart--- No, never mind. Have you not found your sister at all?” Cypher asked, sounding as calm as he looked - but it was bound to be broken when Zayen shook his head with a frown on his forehead.

“N-no. She--”

“SOMEONE HELP THIS KID! SHE NEEDS IMMEDIATE HELP!” before Zayen could even finish his words, that loud voice attracted the attention of everyone who could hear the voice. Zayen saw Cypher walk quickly past him and he followed - only to be quickly horrified at what, or rather, who he saw.

“ZIELLE!!!” he shouted as he ran to the girl’s side, looking at the odd light silver ice formation on Zielle’s abdomen.

“I have to go back! That kid is going to the slime’s main body on her own!” the adventurer said, about to turn around when Cypher stopped him with the walking stick against the chest.

“This kid. Does she have silver eyes?” Cypher asked. The adventurer blinked, a little confused.

“Y-Yeah… A little freaky to be honest. And she had these odd ice crystals around her and everything around her was freezing!” the adventurer said, looking at Cypher lowering his walking stick and letting out what sounds like a relieved sigh.

“Thank you for answering. And, I suggest you refrain from getting near where she is” Cypher thanked, suddenly adding along his last statement - earning a raised eyebrow from the adventurer before he looked somewhat offended.

“W-what???!” he stammered. “That’s just a kid running towards danger! Are you seriously saying that? Wait, aren’t you a teacher? You should have at least told me to bring her back” the adventurer said. Cypher merely looked at the adventurer and suddenly, he let out a silent snicker.

“... “Bring her back”, you say? I advise you against that. On another note, I’m saying that simply because I am concerned for your safety. And plus…” Cypher paused, looking at the direction of the dormitory when hearing a loud piercing screech-like sound from the slime.

“All of you are only in her way…”