“And with that out of the way, we may truly begin.” Rynne stood, arms stretched out. “Land a single hit on me. That will prove to me that you are able to face the man up above. Attack whenever you are ready.”

Synthia kept her focus entirely on Rynne. Based off what she’d seen, this elf’s abilities were much the same as their quarry. That struck her as rather suspicious, but she and the others had no option but to go along with her game.

Relaxing her shoulders, Synthia developed a loose stance. Something not too dissimilar to the deftness she’d employed as the Pickpocket. Yet this time, she was actually wielding a weapon. And not even a dagger like she had in her younger years, but a sword she still felt clumsy wielding. Although she was growing more confident with it every time she used it.

She sprang forward, light as a feather. She swung at Rynne who vanished into thin air, but Synthia expected this. She landed light on her feet, scanning for Rynne again. Seeing a flash of green, she sprang off again in pursuit, but in the next moment it was gone. Darting her head around, she looked for that green cloak, prepared to chase after it.

“Oi, pipsqueak,” Livian said. “She’s trying to tire you out. Don’t fall for her tricks.”

“I know! But if I don’t catch her, we’re stuck,” Synthia said.

“Then don’t panic, dumbass. Wait for her to come to you.”

Synthia began panting but took Livian’s advice. She stayed where she was, patiently waiting for Rynne to make her move. She jumped as the elf’s voice reverberated across the dark space, still out of sight.

“But is that truly enough? What if I just leave you here, without you taking any affirmative action of your own? I could strand you in a world without light forever.”

“You wouldn’t have set this up in the first place, then,” Synthia replied. “There are people in danger. Real danger. I get that you want to test me first, but—”

“I test you out of necessity. Because to wield the Mioja is to hold the world in your palm. Or be as close to it as possible. You must understand that responsibility even if you are to foist it onto somebody else. Especially if you hand it off, actually.”

“Pretty particular, this girl,” Christoph said before turning to Evarius. “Hey, you’re an elf. You know her?”

Evarius blinked before giving him a grumpy glare. “Did you really just ask me that?”

“No time to talk then,” Synthia declared. She twirled the sword around, keeping her eyes peeled. “If you really wanna test me so bad, then come at me you flame-haired...” She paused, struggling to come up with an accurate insult.

“It’s okay,” Livian said. “You can call her a bitch.”

“I mean, that’s a little too rude...” Another flash of green erupted in Synthia’s periphery, but this time it was headed straight for her. She barely had time to bring her sword up as Rynne’s fists collided with the blade. She was pushed back along the ground, having trouble maintaining her footing. A swift knee to the gut and punch to the jaw sent her stumbling away.

Iggy winced. “Right when she wasn’t expecting it...”

“Cut the chatter,” Evarius said. “She needs to focus. Otherwise we’re stuck in this place. Or, I guess, you girls are.”

“Which you’re happy to remind us,” Livian muttered.

Synthia rubbed her chin, growing well and truly irritated. “Maybe this is a little hard for you to accept, bitch, but we’ve got people up above waiting for us. Waiting on us. Every second you keep us here, no matter how slow up there or in the real world, is time wasted.”

“So their safety motivates you? But you listened to how they reacted to you when you graciously opened the door for them that first time. They were prepared to barrel past you.”

“They were trapped for days from their perspective. Of course they were impatient. Besides, I want to help people in any way I can.”

“And what if I told you they would eventually turn to murder? Because that’s how that man does his killings. People grow mad by being kept inside the cars for too long and, as a result, end up murdering each other for real.”

“With a little push from that guy, right? I bet he manipulates them by saying something like ‘kill another passenger and I’ll free you.’”

Rynne didn’t answer. Instead, Synthia sensed her appearing from behind and dove to the side. Bringing up the sword in a wide arc, she missed Rynne again. Next, she came from the side, chopping at Synthia’s neck. After that, she aimed a kick at her which Synthia managed to dodge again. With not even a single moment to breathe between these attacks, Synthia was forced to be on constant defense.

Coming in for a flurry of jabs, Synthia was busy blocking each one, barely having time to even follow Rynne’s movements. She sensed her companions waiting with bated breath, not wanting to break her concentration which she was grateful for. But dwelling on what it would mean to them if she failed caused her to lose pace with her defense, one of Rynne’s fists hitting her in the stomach and sending her sliding backward.

She groaned as she came to a stop, propping herself up shakily on the Mioja. The energy she had started with began draining from her, not so much from exhaustion but the mere thought of being trapped down here forever. Or at least close to it.

Rynne stood before her, making no more attempts to hide herself. “Something still troubles you. That’s why you can’t defeat me.”

Synthia threw up her arms. “You’re too fast and you hide before I can counterattack. That’s why I can’t beat you.”

Voice entirely flat, Rynne stared at her without pity. “Then you would die up above. Is that what you want?”

Synthia wiped at her mouth. “That’s why I can’t beat you yet.”

Rynne’s shoulder length hair bobbed as she jutted out her chin. “Don’t assume that victory will be yours with a few words of impudence. You will face severe consequences otherwise.”

Iggy gnashed her teeth. “Why the hell are you making things so difficult? There’s no reason for you to be—”

“No, she’s being entirely reasonable.” Livian cut her off, tone firm. “If we go up against that dude half-cocked, we’re dead. The passengers are dead, and maybe this elf girl will be dead too if she goes up against him alone. We need to prepare. Synthia needs to.”

Stamping her feet, Iggy now directed her words at Synthia. “Hey, Pickpocket! You’re about to let this girl push you around like this? Think of how much of a pain this is for everybody!”

“Believe me, I know,” Synthia grunted. She stood up on shaky legs, sword in front of her once again. Iggy pointed her finger at Rynne. “And you! If you think you can just shove us around because you want to get us ready, you’ve got another thing coming!”

Turning to Iggy, Rynne narrowed her eyes. Iggy grew uncomfortable at the cold steel captured in them, setting goosebumps to her skin and her heart to jump to her throat. The elf turned from her to Synthia and seemed to realize something.

“You two are still living in a fantasy, huh? Then perhaps my true objective will be showing you two the truth of your circumstances.”

Darting forward, she grabbed Synthia by the shoulders and brought her down through the ground with her. The crystalline floor morphed to make way for them, and with a startled gasp they disappeared. The group became startled, weapons drawn and magic at the ready.

“She went back on her word!” Christoph looked well and truly furious. “SYNTHIA!”

“Fear not.” Rynne’s voice reverberated once again. “She is fine. I just need to teach her and the pale-haired one a few things.”

“Huh? You mean me?” Iggy barely had time to register the words before she too ended up dragged down as Rynne appeared behind her. Yelling as she was pulled through the floor, she spun and spun.

Flashes like before entered her mind’s eye, although these were clearer. Based off what Rynne had said, these were memories. Old ones at that.

First came her own. These were painful. Images of a fiery city and a bouncing buggy holding the sobs of a young girl came to her, although she quickly dismissed them. There was no need recollecting that. What she saw next truly mystified her though.

Darting through an alley, a young girl with familiar gold eyes raced past piles of junk and scrap. She was panting, terrified and desperate to evade the voices that were pursuing her. The voices that belonged to the things pursuing her. Tall, spindly, and shrouded in darkness, they bounded after the girl. The alley seemed to twist and grow longer as she ran. A few choked sobs reached Iggy’s ears.

Exiting the alley, something dropped from the girl’s hand as she continued her escape. The shadowy figures blew past Iggy like she wasn’t even there. Iggy paid them no heed as she found herself drawn to what the girl had dropped. She only had enough time to see it was a dagger stained red before finding herself back in her booth in the back train car.

Clutching the armrest, she looked around until she found Synthia in the other aisle, still rubbing her jaw. She could also see Livian, although this one was still taking a nap unlike the real one who had been alert upon being thrown along with them the first time. Evarius also showed no reaction. Thus, only she and Synthia had been dragged beneath this time.

Christoph perked up at Iggy’s startled demeanor. “Something wrong?”

Shoulders slumping, Iggy fell back into her booth. “I am going to kill that bitch.”