Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 139: Children of Mana, Part Twenty-Three

{Lianna}

The hurried clatter of their footsteps echoed through the narrow streets as Vayn led the group toward their destination.

Lianna’s mind buzzed with thoughts, her brows furrowed in concentration as she mulled over the gravity of their situation.

[What if... What if Saren was the eye?] She whispered to herself, her voice barely audible above the ambient noise of the city. [If that’s true, then... then wouldn’t that mean he’s our enemy? But, that’s crazy!]

The revelation sent a chill down her spine. The possibility of facing off against a deity was just too daunting.

Not to mention that Olin, one of their few allies here, was deeply entrenched in his faith.

Would he remain firmly on the side of good, or would his allegiance to the church override their bond?

Zura suddenly piped up with a suggestion.

"You know, maybe we should go get some guards, no?" she proposed, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any potential threats. "It might be smart. We’re heading into unknown territory, and we don’t know what we’ll be facing."

Lianna considered Zura’s words for a moment before shaking her head.

"I don’t think we have time for that," she said firmly. "If Jack intends to kill Olin we need to move quickly. We can’t afford to waste any time."

Zura hesitated, her brows furrowing in concern.

"But it could be dangerous," she argued. "We should at least consider-"

"We don’t have time to consider," Lianna interrupted, her tone resolute. "Zura, you were there last time we fought him. Jack can absorb people. If he absorbs Olin, that just makes whatever fight we have in the future with him that much harder."

Zura’s expression softened, understanding dawning in her eyes.

"Alright," she conceded. "You’re right. Let’s just keep going."

At that moment, Lianna caught Caroline’s gaze.

She knew what was probably going through her head, given that Zura was the only one who made any type of rebuttal, while the others just kept going.

[She’s probably wondering why no one’s "putting me in my place" or something. But, screw it. I can’t afford to keep that act up in this situation. This is too important.]

Besides, she figured that at some point the curtain had to be pulled to the sides and Caroline had to see the group for what it actually was.

Maybe now was a good time to make that happen.

As they approached the tower, the air thickened with tension, the anticipation of confrontation palpable.

Without warning, figures cloaked in pristine white robes emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured by hoods, their intent unmistakably hostile if the way they drew their weapons was any indication.

Lianna scanned them.

[All of them are pretty weak attribute-wise, but their Skills are high. Lots of training, I guess.]

Enverna looked her way. Lianna nodded, trying to convey some portion of her thoughts without saying them.

Then... The fight started.

No words were exchanged, no pleasantries offered.

It was as if the very sight of the girls had triggered a primal instinct to attack. With swift and coordinated movements, the robed assailants launched themselves at the group, their weapons glinting menacingly in the dim light.

Lianna and Enverna surged forward.

As they closed in on their opponents, they fell into their usual song and dance easily.

Lianna was very much used to how Enverna liked to fight by now, whether the opponents were Fiends or people.

Enverna lunged forward with her spear, the weapon slicing through the air with lethal precision.

Her strikes were met with swift counterattacks and parries from their robed adversaries, but Lianna was already there, her bow drawn and ready to exploit openings.

With a quick flick of her wrist, Lianna released a flurry of arrows, most of the missing (of course) but a couple of them finding their marks. One of them, in particular, went straight through a robed figure’s neck, killing him on the spot.

As the enemies reeled from Lianna’s barrage, Enverna seized the opportunity to press the attack herself.

She darted forward, her spear a blur of motion as she launched a series of lightning-fast strikes. Each blow was timed to perfection, aimed at exploiting the smallest opening in her opponents’ guards.

Working in near-perfect harmony, Lianna and Enverna coordinated their movements with an almost telepathic understanding.

Then, with literally telepathic understanding as Lianna allowed Enverna to see the situation through her eyes, gaining a better scope of her surroundings.

Their adversaries fought fiercely, their movements desperate as they tried to fend off the relentless assault. But against Lianna and Enverna’s seasoned unity, they stood little chance.

With a final, decisive blow, Enverna incapacitated her opponent, sending her crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.

Meanwhile, Zura positioned herself defensively, her shield intercepting incoming projectiles aimed at the group, deflecting them harmlessly away.

She stood steadfast at the forefront of the battle, her imposing figure a formidable barrier between her companions and their attackers. With her shield raised high, she deftly blocked incoming projectiles, the clang of metal against metal ringing out as she absorbed the brunt of the assault.

Despite being outnumbered, Zura stood her ground with unwavering resolve, her determination unwavering as she held the line against their adversaries. Each blow she deflected, each strike she parried, served to buy precious moments for her allies to regroup and launch their own counterattacks.

But, it was Caroline and Vayn who pulled the most weight.

Amidst the chaos of battle, the two of them surged forward, their attacks relentless and precise.

Caroline’s blade danced through the air with the grace of a seasoned warrior, its edge gleaming as it sliced through their adversaries with lethal precision. Each swing was executed with calculated efficiency, her movements fluid and precise as she dispatched her foes with deadly accuracy.

Meanwhile, Vayn unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes, her fists a blur as she delivered powerful blows upon her enemies. Each punch landed with a resounding impact, sending waves of force rippling through their ranks. Her combat style was ruthless and efficient, wasting no motion as she incapacitated her opponents with swift, decisive strikes.

Before long, it was over.

The group who came to intercept them had been mercilessly cut down.

It stung a little to kill a bunch of actual humans instead of Fiends, but it couldn’t be helped.

This was bigger than them.

In the midst of the aftermath, Lianna caught a glimpse of Caroline’s smirk, a silent challenge that conveyed a hint of amusement.

With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Lianna refocused her attention on the task at hand, determined not to be distracted by Caroline’s antics.

As they pressed on, ascending the spiraling staircase that led deeper into the tower, the sound of a distant scream echoed through the stone corridors.

Lianna’s heart clenched with a sense of urgency, knowing that every passing moment brought them closer to the source of danger.

"Hurry!" she urged, her voice urgent as she urged her companions onward.

The room on the top floor was dimly lit and eerily cold.

As the girls entered, their footsteps echoed in the silence, the tension palpable in the air. Their eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Olin’s whereabouts, but the space appeared empty, devoid of life.

Caroline’s voice cut through the silence, breaking the tension.

"Where is he?" she demanded, her gaze darting around the room in search of answers.

Before anyone could respond, Jack’s presence made itself known with chilling finality. Without a word, he raised his hand, his intent clear as he unleashed a powerful magical bolt aimed directly at Caroline.

Lianna reacted swiftly, her instincts kicking in as she pushed Caroline out of harm’s way just in time.

"H-Huh!?" Caroline yelled out as Lianna tackled her.

The bolt crackled with energy as it sailed past, narrowly missing its intended target.

[You might be a massive bitch, but you’re a bitch we desperately need.]

Vayn wasted no time in retaliating, lunging forward with determination as she sought to take down their adversary. But Jack was quick and agile, effortlessly evading her attacks with a speed that bordered on supernatural.

As the battle unfolded, Lianna’s eyes flickered with concern as she assessed Jack’s newfound strength.

With a quick glance at his Status, she realized the inconvenient truth.

Jack Caldwell

MP: 1000/1000

---

STR: A-

END: A-

DEX: A-

MYS: A+

L: D-

[... He did it,] Lianan thought, chills going down her spine. [He absorbed Olin.]

Feeling the weight of the situation pressing down upon them, Lianna made a split-second decision.

With a surge of concentration, she initiated a sensory exchange with Enverna, allowing her to see through Lianna’s eyes.

Enverna’s vision flooded with Lianna’s perspective, her surroundings coming into sharp focus as she gained insight into the unfolding chaos. At that moment, Enverna understood the gravity of their predicament as she too saw Jack’s new stats.

She felt Enverna gasp and then retook her own senses.

The odds were stacked against them, and victory seemed like an impossible dream.

They’d only just arrived and, as far as Lianna could tell, all they could do was run away.

[We could fight him here... But if we lose, the whole world may be doomed. No,] Lianna shook her head. [We need to prepare.]

Enverna seemed to agree.

With a sense of urgency, Enverna sprang into action, seizing the opportunity to pull Vayn and Zura away from the fray.

"Hey, back off!" Vayn complained but Enverna was committed. Even as Jack launched bolts at them, she focused entirely on pulling Vayn away.

"We have to run!" Lianna yelled as loudly as she could, trying to make sure they were all on the same page.

"What!?" Caroline asked, baffled. "But... He’s alone! Let’s take him down!"

"We can’t!" Enverna said and Lianna was thankful she didn’t have to be the one to say it, as Caroline probably wouldn’t have listened. "He’s too strong now!"

Perhaps it was hearing the word "now" that clued Caroline into what happened.

"No..." Caroline muttered as Zura blocked another bolt with her shield.

Then, Lianna took hold of Caroline, her movements swift and decisive as she guided her away from the danger that lurked in the shadows.

Limp, Caroline allowed herself to be dragged away.

With each step they took, the sound of Jack’s laughter echoed in their ears. It didn’t sound like he was even bothering to chase them.

Together, they ran, their hearts pounding with adrenaline as they fled from the looming specter of defeat.

It was certainly shameful. Lianna couldn’t deny that.

But, she felt she did the right thing. If they lost here, the world was completely doomed.

Too much was at stake.