The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]-Chapter 182: Sea of Ice

For a moment, Lane thought he must have accidentally crossed through a Gate. Or maybe that something went wrong, and he didn’t wake up in his body right away like he should. Or maybe that he was hallucinating, either now or before, when he had been fighting - or at least believed to do so - right by his apartment building.

Because what other explanation could there be? In the short few minutes he was gone, the scenery completely transformed into a sea of ice!

Lane blinked a few times, getting over his initial shock, and stepped outside, instantly getting chills. It was still winter, so the air temperature wasn’t high to begin with, and with all this ice, it dropped even lower. Although as a high-ranking Esper, Lane could endure both high and low temperatures much better than civilians, he didn’t have any ice resistance. Going out into the cold in thin clothes, he got goosebumps all over.

Still, he had no time to waste, so he marched ahead, clouds of vapor forming with his every breath. There were still sounds of fighting, screams, shrieks, screeches and whatever coming from every direction, his immediate area was much calmer than it was when he left.

Very convenient. While the frozen land caused Lane’s chest to tighten - there was no question as to where the ice came from, and knowing how much Damien avoided using his ability, it must have meant he was... quite distressed - he tried to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling. Oscar was still alive. Hopefully, Damien knew that, and wouldn’t worry too much...

CRACK!

All of a sudden, one of the ice statues around him cracked, and a monster broke away from the thick layer of ice. It lounged at Lane, fast despite being half-frozen just a moment ago...

Lane instinctively dodged. Faster than he should. And then he used Sky Step to land half an inch above the ground, to avoid the risk of slipping on the glossy surface. He had no choice but to do so, if he didn’t want to end up getting injured - he couldn’t afford to! Receiving medical or healing help could reveal that his constitution was ’a bit’ stronger than it was supposed to be - and he could only hope that no one saw him. He quickly jumped back, dodging another attack...

And then three long, thin ice spears passed right by him with a swish, stabbing into the monster, right in between the hardened shells covering its body.

’Oh, shit.’

Fixing his expression to what seemed appropriate at the time - that is, half-scare, half-relief - Lane turned his head. "Team Leader Lennox? Thank you so much! I thought I was a goner!"

"Lane Allen?" Damien looked Lane up and down, as he readjusted his grip on the limp body hanging from his shoulder. Oscar’s body, as Lane quickly realized. "What are you... Are you evacuating from this building?"

"Ah, yes. I live here... Or, well, it should be ’used to live’ now, I suppose," Lane shrugged his shoulders, relaxing a bit. While it wasn’t exactly the best for him to run into Damien, and shortly after ’Oscar’ collapsed, at that, since it might strengthen Damien’s suspicions... He was still glad to be able to confirm that his boyfriend was okay, and that he knew that ’Oscar’, or ’Jonathan’, wasn’t dead.

"Um, well, I should probably leave the area as soon as possible, right? May I ask which way I should go?" he asked, wanting to escape this situation.

Unfortunately for him, Damien approached him, saying, "I will go with you. I need to take someone to the healing station."

"O-oh, that’s great!" Lane forced a smile. "Thank you very much!"

"Of course."

They walked at a brisk pace, Damien keeping an eye on Lane, while occasionally swiping his hand, to repel the monsters trying to attack them with his ice ability.

"Be careful, it’s slippery," he warned.

"Uh... Yes." Lane only nodded in response. Under any normal circumstances, he’d probably slip, on purpose, so that Damien could catch him... But not right now. He had way too much to worry about, and Damien had Oscar on his shoulder, his supposed boyfriend, so it wasn’t the best time to flirt... As tempting as it was. He was curious how it would feel to be in Damien’s arms, when he was in his real body. Lane was now slightly shorter than Damien, by an inch or so, and less bulky, so he was smaller, but not too much, and it was...

"We’re here," Damien suddenly announced, causing Lane to snap his head up. Lost in his thoughts, he hasn’t even realized when they left the battlefield, and arrived at the safe point.

It was... weird. They were walking through the monster-infested area, but Lane hadn’t been paying attention. He couldn’t, or rather shouldn’t, fight anyway, yes, but still... It seemed he just felt THAT safe with Damien.

"Thank you very much!" Lane bowed his head, and made a move to leave, but Damien called after him.

"Where are you going?"

"Hmm?" Lane lifted his brows. "Somewhere I can stay, of course!"

"You should get yourself checked at the healing point first."

"No need! I’m perfectly fine!"

"But your legs..."

"My legs?" Confused, Lane tilted his head, before glancing down.

There was indeed something wrong. The whole bottom part of his light grey joggers turned black, and so did his white trainers and socks. The effects of the residue from that slug thing Lane jumped on clinging to the fabric, it seemed. It was just his clothes though, because Lane’s legs were perfectly fine, he could tell it without even checking.

So, he waved his hand dismissively. "I’ll get a checkout at a hospital outside!"

Of course, he had no intention to do so, but Damien didn’t need to know that. After that, he quickly walked away. He could feel Damien’s eyes following him for a bit longer, but the man soon gave up. He had to leave Oscar in the medics’ care, and then return to the front lines, after all.

Lane breathed with relief, leaving Damien and the monsters behind. For now. Now he just needed to dump his body at some safe hotel, and switch back, and then...

"Lane."

Lane’s shoulders flinched, his steps unwillingly faltering at the sound of the cold voice.

...Just his luck.