(Author’s rant: Hello~! Brickpool here! It’s been awhile but I’m back! If you read the last update then you know why I haven’t posted anything for a few months, but if you didn’t, I’ll give a brief explanation.

Besides the normal struggles of real life, I had trouble getting back into writing after coming home from my trip. Not only did I have summer work to do, I just didn’t have the motivation to write for a couple of months. I don’t know what happened to the drive I had when I wrote the first 15 or so chapters in less that two months, but I could really use it now.

I also had a lot of trouble writing this chapter because I was conflicted on what Eliza’s character was going to be and how to develop it. I realize the White Wolf trope is arguably a common stereotype in web novels and other associated media (at least from my knowledge), but I wanted to do my own variation anyways. That being said, I think I finally got this chapter to reflect the Eliza I had envisioned.

I should also mention that this chapter ends with...another cliffhanger. I know you guys are probably cursing me to damnation for doing this so often and I’m deeply sorry for that. However, I don’t want to delay releasing this chapter since I don’t know how long it’ll be till the next one is finished. Fortunately, I have a pretty good idea on what I want to write for the next few chapters so it shouldn’t take as long as this one did. With that in mind, I ask that you please bear with me until then.

Finally, I want to apologize again for my lack of consistent releases and I’m grateful for your guys’ patience and continued support. I’ve done my best to keep my real life issues from affecting my writing so I hope my quality is just as good as my previous posts (if not better). As always, comments are appreciated.

Now, I think I’ve talked long enough. On to the chapter! This is entirely from Eliza’s perspective! Enjoy!)

After being forced to watch helplessly as Kris crashed through the wall and disappeared on the other side, Eliza could not hold herself back any longer.

Fortunately, due to the aftershock of the two Saviors’ clash, Izabella’s hold on her had weakened, allowing Eliza to break free and she jumped away from her sister’s reach.

She then immediately sprinted towards Sylvia who had already gotten back to her feet while simultaneously maneuvering around the fallen guards that had yet to recover.

I’ve got to stop her!

Though Eliza’s mind was in disarray from everything that had happened, her instincts were telling her that Sylvia was not in her right mind and that she needed to stop her friend before she hurt someone.

However, before she could get to within arm’s reach of Sylvia, she noticed two knobs rapidly growing from the back of the Drake Princess.

“!!?” (Eliza)

Eliza realized with a jolt what she was seeing and she stopped in her tracks.

Less than a moment later, the two expanding bulges tore through Sylvia’s clothes, scattering pieces of cloth debris in all directions.

“Woah...” (Eliza)

Uttering a word of astonishment, Eliza stared in awe as two large leather wings extended from Sylvia’s back until they were fully outstretched.

Though she had seen Sylvia use her wings once already in the labyrinth, this was her first time seeing them up close and so she was momentarily distracted.

Involuntarily caught in a stupor, she was unable to react when Sylvia lowered her body and flapped her wings downward, causing a powerful gust of wind to impact Eliza.

“Wha!?” (Eliza)

Startled by the sudden action, Eliza instinctively raised her hands to shield her face and leaped back a few steps to avoid being swept away.

By the time she uncovered her eyes, Sylvia had already flown out through the hole.

Gone? She couldn’t be!?

Instantly grasping what that indicated, Eliza ran towards the damaged wall.

Arriving at the opening, Eliza frantically searched for her friends, but it didn’t take long for her to locate them.

The first thing she observed was that Sylvia had already landed on the roof and she and Kris were facing each other, but neither one of them showed signs of making a move as of yet.

Her eyes darted back and forth between the two, anxiety welling up inside her as terrible visualizations of what might happen should they clash again appeared in her head.

I-I can’t let this continue!

Unable to bear being a spectator to this nightmarish situation, she resolved to end their dispute herself, but as she was about to jump out of the chamber, someone grabbed her hand and forcibly turned her around to face said person.

“What do you think you’re doing!? I told you not to get involved!” (Izabella)

Gripping Eliza by the shoulders, Izabella held her younger sister firmly so that she could not escape while half-shouting her inquiry as to Eliza’s intentions.

“Don’t try to stop me Izzy!” (Eliza)

Struggling to break free once again, Eliza addressed Izabella very informally as she protested her big sister’s order.

“Didn’t I tell you already?! You’ll only get in the way!” (Izabella)

“But Kris needs my help!” (Eliza)

In response to Eliza’s defiant attitude, Izabella’s usually calm face was filled with frustration and worry as she started berating her sister.

“I understand you feel obligated to help him, but you need to put those feelings aside for now. I’m sure he can handle himself until the capital guards arrive...and besides, we don’t know if Kris is in a rational state of mind either.” (Izabella)

Though it was reasonable to assume that Sylvia was not acting sane, from Izabella’s perspective, Kris was not clear of suspicion himself.

When they opened the chamber doors to find him surrounded by corpses with a bloodied sword in his hand, Izabella was greatly shocked along with everyone else, but before she could take any further action, Sylvia attacked Kris like a wild animal without warning.

While she did not immediately jump to conclusions, the imposing power his body emitted that was not normally present was a cause for concern to her.

Because of her inability to ascertain if Kris was currently a threat or not, Izabella did not want to put her sister’s life at risk by letting her try to stop their fight.

“No you’re wrong!” (Eliza)

Based on her expression, Eliza discerned what her sister was thinking and hurriedly denied Izabella’s presumption while trying to plead her case.

“I know he looks strange but he’s fine! He looked the same way in the labyrinth when he saved me!” (Eliza)

In her head, Eliza recounted the time in the labyrinth when Kris appeared in front of her and rescued her from the Basilisk Queen’s spell. At the time, though they had changed colors, there was no malice in his eyes when he turned to face her and expressed his relief at being able to save her.

After seeing that, how could I even think that he’d ever try to hurt me?

Though her reasoning might sound like childish naivete or blind loyalty if said aloud, Eliza trusted her instincts that told her Kris was still himself.

“Even so, I’m not going to take the chance that you won’t be attacked outright as soon as you interfere.” (Izabella)

Nevertheless, Eliza’s remarks were not enough to persuade her older sister who then delivered her next words with an authoritative tone.

“Understand this, Eliza. I’m not just telling you as your sister, I’m ordering you as an Elder of the Council to leave this to the capital guards.” (Izabella)

“But sis--!” (Eliza)

“You’re staying here and that’s final! Now stop acting like a child and listen to what I say!” (Izabella)

“.....” (Eliza)

After receiving that harsh rebuke, Eliza glared at her sister with vestiges of tears forming in her eyes.

However, rather than overreacting, a strange calmness came over her and she also stopped struggling in Izabella’s arms before giving her reply.

“Let me go Izabella.” (Eliza)

“You’re still saying that!?” (Izabella)

Forcing Eliza closer to her, Izabella who seemed to lose her composure exclaimed directly into her sister’s face as if she couldn’t believe Eliza would continue to argue with her.

Eliza winced as her sensitive hearing was assaulted by Izabella’s outcry. In the past, she would have obediently followed her sister’s orders at this point, even if she didn’t agree with them, but her current attitude showed no signs of yielding.

That’s right, I’m not the same as I once was. I’m sorry big sis, but I’m not going to back down this time.

There was a fire blazing in Eliza’s very being that could not be extinguished now.

“Can’t you understand that I’m trying to protect you!?” (Izabella)

“And who’s going to protect them!?” (Eliza)

Raising her voice above her sister’s, Eliza gestured with her hand towards the spectacle unfolding on the roof below them.

The capital guards had already arrived on the scene and were in a circular formation around Kris and Sylvia. Eliza’s ears managed to pick up some of Kris’s words that seemed to be commands to the guards to stay away, but she knew it was only a matter of time until they would intervene.

Though Eliza knew in her heart that Izabella was only thinking about her wellbeing, she couldn’t stop her words that transmitted her honest feelings.

“Both Kris and Sylvia saved my life many times, and I intend to return the favor if only a little. While I do feel obligated to help, it’s because if I abandon them now, I won’t be able to call myself their comrade. Even you can understand that, right?” (Eliza)

After she finished speaking, Eliza stared at Izabella with her heterochromic eyes that conveyed her unwavering determination. Her expression then softened as she appealed to her elder sister one last time.

“I know I’m being unreasonable, I know that what I am asking to do is a selfish and reckless action, and I hate to worry you even more, but please big sis...no, Council Elder Shortfang. Please let me help my friends.” (Eliza)

“.....” (Izabella)

Izabella became speechless by this unexpected reaction as conflicting emotions were evident on her face. After looking back into her sister’s eyes for a brief moment, Izabella seemed to understand something and then sighed while muttering under her breath.

“...Just be safe.” (Izabella)

Though she wanted to say more, Izabella quietly stepped back without another word.

Taking that as her sister’s consent, Eliza nodded her head and looked towards her Dwarf comrade.

“Gale?” (Eliza)

After hesitating for a moment, Gale let out a deep breath before responding.

“...Go on ahead without me. I’ll stay here and watch over Lily.” (Gale)

Eliza picked up a tinge of frustration in Gale’s voice as he spoke.

“You’re better suited to stop those two anyways. I’d only get in the way.” (Gale)

Though no one doubted that Gale was an exceptional warrior, in terms of unarmed close-quarters combat, with the exception of Lily, he paled in comparison to his three other comrades. As such, he figured it would be for the best to leave it to Eliza whose Beastman physique could match up to the two heavy-hitting Saviors of the group.

Eliza knew this as well, and she nodded her head in confirmation.

“I understand. Keep her safe until we get back!” (Eliza)

“Roger!” (Gale)

After hearing Gale’s reply, Eliza turned back towards the hole.

Reaching down, she began tearing away the bottom portion of her skirt so that it ended roughly mid-thigh, giving her legs a greater freedom of movement. She also judged the shoes she was wearing, while not exactly designed for combat, would be sturdy enough to last a brief skirmish.

Once her preparations were complete, Eliza jumped onto the ground below, where she performed a forward role before going into a full sprint.

Using her enhanced vision, she could see through the swarm of capital guards that Kris and Sylvia were still standing apart from each other.

Increasing her speed even further, she reached the guard’s encirclement just as one of them turned towards her presence.

“Hey yo-gah!” (Guard)

However, right as he was about to call out to her, Eliza leaped upwards and, quite unremorsefully, stepped on his head. Without so much as an apology, she used him as a stepping board to launch her into the sky.

As she was in midair, she noticed that both Sylvia and Kris had taken offensive and defensive stances respectively.

“Stop iiiiit!” (Eliza)

Fearing the worst, she shouted at the top of her lungs just before landing between the two of them. Her sudden cry and unexpected entry caused both Saviors to break their stances and look at her in wonder.

Right after her feet touched the ground, Eliza turned her whole body to face the Drake Princess while spreading her arms out like she was covering for Kris who was behind her.

“Stand down Sylvia! I don’t know why you’re doing this but it has to stop right now!” (Elzia)

Using the best stern voice she could muster under the circumstances, she ordered her frenzied comrade to cease her actions.

Her sudden entrance also surprised the guards, who noticeably tensed up as another powerful warrior joined the fight.

There was a brief moment of silence following her statement, but it was broken by the Human Savior whose thoughts finally caught up to him.

“Eliza!? What are you doing here!?” (Kris)

“.....” (Eliza)

“Get out of here before you get hurt!” (Kris)

“.....” (Eliza)

“Are you listening to me!?” (Kris)

Kris’s flustered shouts attacked her ears from behind, causing them to twitch as the anxiety and worry in his words tore at her heart, but Eliza stayed silent while suppressing the urge to look back at him.

Don’t look at him...don’t look at him...you know what’ll happen so don’t look.

Eliza fought hard to keep her concentration even as her nose was tormented by the putrid smell of burnt flesh.

Eliza knew her own faults better than anyone and one of those is her inexperience in controlling her emotions when faced with comrades in danger. She was first confronted by this disability of hers after Kris’s presence abruptly vanished while in the labyrinth and the unwelcome thought that he might have perished took root in her head. Then when the Basilisk Queen appeared not long after and gloated that she had had a hand in his apparent demise, Eliza lost her ability to think properly and with only blind rage fueling her actions, she charged the giant snake knowing full well it was suicidal.

Though in the end I was saved by my comrades, it was still a painful reminder of my incompetence that nearly cost me my life.

Due to this, Eliza feared that merely gazing at Kris’s battered body would cause her to abandon her reasoning once again and so she purposely ignored Kris for the time being.

I can’t lose myself to my emotions now, especially since my opponent is...

Eliza directed her gaze towards the Drake Princess standing in front of her.

Sylvia’s previously stunning olive drab uniform was all but tattered and ruined now. Her disheveled hair partially covered her face, but Eliza could still distinguish the beast-like eyes that glared at her from underneath.

Despite the resolution she made to herself only moments prior, Eliza faltered slightly after being reminded of who she was trying to fight, but that hesitation shifted to anger upon remembering what Sylvia had done to Kris.

That explosive attack from before was the one she replicated from Kris. I’ve seen firsthand what that kind of power is capable of...and she actually used that on him.

Eliza felt her blood starting to boil at the thought of what might have happened if Kris had not defended himself in time, and she had to bite her lower lip to suppress those ill feelings.

...No, it was also my fault that Sylvia was injured by the Basilisk Queen. Maybe if I hadn’t let myself be distracted with the prospect of finding Kris, I could’ve have sensed the Queen’s attack sooner and prevented her near-fatal wound.

Perhaps she was being too hard on herself, but Eliza couldn’t help but hold some guilt for letting her weakness bring harm to an important comrade. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she then exhaled heavily in an attempt to clear the rampant feelings inside her.

No matter what she’s done, it doesn’t change the fact that Sylvia is my friend, not my enemy. It’ll be hard to simply forgive her, but I can’t let my anger get the better of me or I might end up hurting her. For now, I just need to focus on how I can stop her from causing more damage.

With that thought Eliza opened her eyes, now filled with renewed determination, and stared back at Sylvia.

That being said, is using force the only way to stop her? From what I can infer, Sylvia’s in some kind of animal-like state that perceives anyone attempting to confront her as threats. It’s a wonder if any of our words can reach her at this point.

When the scuffle between the two Saviors started, Eliza’s acute hearing had picked up Kris’s failed attempts to reason with Sylvia. Hoping that she would have better luck, Eliza was disheartened to discover it would not be that simple.

At the same time, she observed another troubling development out of the corner of her eye.

The capital guards surrounding them on all sides grew more restless with every moment that passed by and it was obvious they were still confused on how to approach the situation. Normal procedure calls for the immediate suppression and arrest of the perpetrators, but in no way could the current dilemna be called “normal” which left them paralyzed as to how they should proceed.

Besides the fact that the wrongdoers also happened to be the newest heroes who prevented another calamity from occurring, if something were to happen to any of the three Saviors, there could be severe backlash from their home country. Be that as it may, heroes or not, if they continued to cause a commotion the guards would be forced to intervene and now that Eliza added herself into the mix, it seemed they were seriously weighing the merits and demerits of doing so.

Have I made things worse by stepping in?...Well it’s too late to think of that now. I’ll probably receive a harsh punishment for this, but so be it. Kris must have some kind of plan so I just need to focus on supporting him with all I have.

Resolving herself to whatever consequences may come, Eliza then spoke to Kris without turning to face him.

“I’ll distract her for as long as I can so please find a way to stop her in the meantime, alright?” (Eliza)

Not even waiting for a reply, Eliza began sprinting at full speed.

“Eliza don’t--!” (Kris)

Words of protest arose from the rear, but Eliza ignored them as she continued in her frenzied comrade’s direction.

Sylvia, recognizing Eliza as a new opponent, presumed that the White Wolf girl was attempting a frontal assault and she adjusted her stance accordingly, unaware that she was acting exactly as Eliza had predicted.

As soon as she was within striking distance, Sylvia extended her Dragonified hand to meet the Beastman Savior, but Eliza had anticipated this action as well.

After their bout in the Savior's Festival as well as their shared battles with monsters in the labyrinth, Eliza had a rough understanding of Sylvia’s abilities. She knew that Sylvia’s attacks were too strong for her to defend against, and with that in mind she feinted charging to deceive her friend.

If this had been the normal Sylvia, Eliza inferred that she would have remained in a defensive posture, relying on her strength to intercept Eliza before following up with her own attack.

However, Sylvia who was not in a right state of mind chose to attack first, which inadvertently opened herself up to Eliza’s next move.

Now!

A split second before she collided with Sylvia’s fist, Eliza evaded the arm by leaning backwards so that it passed safely above her head. Without wasting the momentum she had built up, Eliza propelled her feet ahead of her body as she landed on the ground, sliding through the space in between Sylvia’s legs and appearing on the other side.

Before Sylvia could twist her body to track her opponent, Eliza lunged upwards and delivered a right uppercut to Sylvia’s spine.

“Gahack!” (Sylvia)

A pained gasp leaked from Sylvia’s gnashed teeth as the sudden impact caused her body to contort violently, but that only lasted for a moment as she realigned herself and counterattacked.

“Grrrraaaaah!” (Sylvia)

Letting out a fierce howl, the enraged Sylvia pivoted on her right foot and swung her entire left side, trying to catch Eliza with both her arm and her wing.

Fortunately, Eliza’s heightened senses had alerted her of the incoming attack and she ducked again.

Waiting until Sylvia completed her rotation, Eliza then sank her left fist into the unprotected abdomen of the Drake Princess.

“Guhugh…” (Sylvia)

Another groan was heard and Sylvia staggered back a few steps while tightly clutching her stomach. Violet blood appeared at the corner of her mouth, a sign that there was internal damage. Eliza didn’t fail to take notice of this.

The wounds she sustained from Kris seemed to be affecting Sylvia more than I thought. She’s also a lot slower than usual, but I shouldn’t let my guard down...gah, a Drake’s skin sure is tough.

Eliza judged the reason for her friend’s diminished state while complaining to herself. Though she had reduced the power of her punches due to them colliding with important parts of Sylvia’s body, the impression felt by her hands was not unlike the feeling of punching a reinforced wall.

In spite of her panicked state at the time, Eliza recalled how Kris had managed to immobilize Sylvia by depriving her of air, and so she planned to do the same. However, this initial exchange was sufficient for her to realize that method was easier said than done.

That’s why I need to press on the offensive. It’ll be enough if I can weaken her so she can no longer put up a fight.

With her objective clear in her head, Eliza stepped forward to resume the fight, but she became confused from Sylvia’s next action.

Rather than using her wings to take to the sky, the Drake Princess retracted them back into her body. Eliza was puzzled by this until she recalled Sylvia stating that very few Drakes can construct wings due to their high consumption rate and while she possesses a larger mana capacity than most, she could not use them for long periods of time.

Kris’s attack also drains a lot of mana so she must be running low. I might have caught a lucky break with this.

Eliza allowed herself to feel a slight relief that her friend would be restricted from utilizing her air superiority before readying to attack once more.

Though still recovering, Sylvia acted first by hurling another punch wildly, but this time her left arm approached faster and from a lower angle than previously which limited Eliza’s options to avoid it.

Similar to her first move, she bent her knees and leaned backwards, letting the attacking fist impact with the space her torso had just occupied. Prior to hitting the ground, Eliza twisted her upper body to the side and caught herself with her left hand. Now in a sort of limbo posture, she sent a kick to Sylvia’s exposed left flank.

“Ngh...Raaaahh!” (Sylvia)

Unfortunately, it wasn’t effective enough to hinder Sylvia as she promptly retracted her arm and clamped down on Eliza’s outstretched leg. Releasing a loud roar while raising her opposite arm, it was clear she intended to cripple the White Wolf swordswoman.

However, Eliza had prepared for this as well.

“Hmph!” (Eliza)

Without a second to spare, she fiercely kicked off the floor with her remaining leg before Sylvia could bring her arm down. Balancing on one hand, the momentum carried her into a backwards flip and she also adjusted her foot so that it collided with Sylvia’s jaw.

“Gah!” (Sylvia)

A short gasp was all that Sylvia could utter as her head slammed upwards violently. Her hold on Eliza’s leg slackened, allowing it to escape and follow the rest of the White Wolf girl’s body as she landed on all fours, like a cat ready to pounce.

That might have been a little too much...or not enough it seems.

Eliza felt some remorse for that last hit, but that quickly subsided after watching her opponent’s reaction with disbelief.

The power of that kick could have instantly rendered an experienced warrior unconscious, but Sylvia only appeared to be disoriented as she shook her head side to side for a few moments. When she regained her focus, the intensity of pure rage emanating from her gaze sent shivers down Eliza’s spine.

“Grrrraaaaaaaaahhh!” (Sylvia)

Eliza didn’t have a moment to rest, however, as Sylvia roared while lifting her leg up in another attempt to crush the White Wolf girl at her feet.

“Tch!” (Eliza)

Clicking her tongue, Eliza hastily rolled across her shoulder to evade the foot which crashed into the spot she had just been.

“Hah!” (Eliza)

As she was now behind Sylvia’s right flank, Eliza took the initiative and delivered a swift kick to the back of Sylvia’s right knee, causing it to buckle and Sylvia was forced to the ground.

Eliza was about to continue her attacks but Sylvia swung her right arm towards her, trying to drive her away. Not wanting to give up her advantageous position, Eliza braced herself against the imminent attack.

“...Guh.” (Eliza)

A groan escaped her lips as Sylvia’s forearm impacted with her upper arm and shoulder. Her bones creaked from holding back the almost overpowering strength of the Drake Princess, but somehow they stayed firm. Enduring the pain, Eliza counterattacked by punching the elbow of her opponent's extended arm, batting it aside.

Now’s my chance!

Eliza saw an opportunity to end this fight and aimed for Sylvia’s unobstructed face with a hard right kick. While it was definitely excessive, she hoped it would knock some sense back into her friend.

This should at least prevent her from persisting with her aggressive behavior. Now Kris can--

“Agh!” (-)

As if on cue, an anguished cry interrupted her train of thought.

Kris!?

Though she was in the middle of executing her attack, Eliza lost her concentration and immediately questions flooded her head uncontrollably as she tried to look for her Human comrade.

What’s wrong!? Is he being attacked!? Is it the capital guards!? Or could it be the same assailant that attacked Lily and the other mages!? Whatever it is, I need to--!

However, a dull sound silenced Eliza’s rampant thoughts and she froze in shock.

Returning her gaze to her opponent, she found her foot had been stopped mere inches from Sylvia’s face, held in place by Sylvia’s left hand that grasped her ankle.

Oh sh--!

In the next moment, Eliza experienced the feeling of weightlessness as she was hoisted up by her leg towards the sky, and by the time she realized this, she was thrown down to the roof.

“Gahaah!” (Eliza)

Slammed onto her backside at tremendous speed emptied the oxygen from Eliza’s lungs, resulting in a painful exhale that released both air and saliva from her mouth.

“*cough*...damn it…*cough*...so stupid...” (Eliza)

Gasping for breath, Eliza cursed herself for doing exactly what she had tried so hard to avoid. In that brief moment of distraction, she had unknowingly decreased the speed of her attack just enough that Sylvia could stop and counter it. Luckily her White Wolf physique had protected her against any grievous injuries, of which she was thankful for.

Eliza attempted raising her upper body--but then a shadow appeared above her, and something pounded into her rib cage.

“Aaaagh!” (Eliza)

A horrible cracking noise resounded from the affected area and Eliza cried out from the sudden excruciating pain. Tears blurred her eyesight, but she could discern the leg that was on her abdomen and who it belonged to.

“Syl...via...” (Eliza)

Eliza called out in a broken voice.

“Plea...se...stop...” (Eliza)

“.....” (Sylvia)

There was no response to her pleas, only the heavy panting of an animal in combat.

...It’s no good, huh...

Realizing once again that words had no effect, Eliza’s hands shakily clasped Sylvia’s leg and tried to dislodge it, but the toll on her body had sapped too much of her stamina and she remained pinned to the ground.

With little freedom of movement, Eliza could only look up at her frenzied comrade that towered over her. Then, to her horror, a faint green glow started enclosing the Drake Princess’s fist and rapidly increased in brightness.

That’s...no no no, she can’t be...

Eliza knew all too well what this phenomenon boded. When she locked eyes with Sylvia, the bloodlust being directed at her was clearly felt, and it was at this moment that the severity of her predicament finally took hold.

...She’s really trying to kill me, isn’t she...?

It’s probable she hadn’t accepted the possibility that her own friend would aim for her life, yet now that she was confronted by it she refused to let it become reality.

Using every ounce of strength she could muster, she wriggled and squirmed her damaged body underneath Sylvia’s heel in a last ditch effort to liberate herself.

Must’ve busted a rib or two...damn it really hurts...but I can’t let Sylvia do this...

Despite the fear of an impending death spreading throughout her body, Eliza also dreaded what would happen to her friend. She knew Sylvia would never forgive herself even if she wasn’t in control of her actions, and it went without saying that the fallout could lead to the collapse of national relations, paving the way to more conflict.

Though she was in no position to worry about others, that’s just how much she cared about her friends.

Unfortunately, her injuries proved to be too severe for her to put up any resistance, and so in spite of her repeated failure to do so as well as the pain brought on just by breathing, Eliza pleaded to her comrade once more.

“Sylvia...you don’t...want to do this...” (Eliza)

“.....” (Sylvia)

“Can’t you...recognize me…?” (Eliza)

“.....” (Sylvia)

--but like all of her previous attempts, Eliza’s words fell on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, the mana gathering around Sylvia’s fist intensified until it appeared to be at it’s max output and she slowly raised it over her head.

Is this...really how my life ends?

Upon seeing that, Eliza’s face distorted in terror as she was overcome by the same helpless feeling she experienced when watching the Basilisk Queen’s Obliteration spell approach her. However, the realization that her death would be at the hands of her own comrade made it far more terrifying.

...no, I don’t want that...not yet...I don’t want to die yet...I don’t want to die!

In what could be her last moments in this world, Eliza had just shut her eyes when--

“Wrath of the Abyss!” (-)

An incantation she recognized reached her ears and she opened her eyes in time to witness a wall of black flames encircle her and Sylvia. There was sufficient space between them and the wall so they were not affected by it, though the same could not be said for the capital guards who were forced to step back from the searing heat.

“Isn’t this...from that time...” (Eliza)

Too stunned to form coherent sentences, Eliza briefly forgot her perilous dilemma as she was unable to look away from the awesome spectacle around her.

Suddenly a partition formed in the wall of fire, and stepping through that partition was--

“Kris!” (Eliza)