Chapter 99: Escape
Elyssia stood silent looking at the man lying on the stairs, eyes not yet closed. Bloodstains on the head and glass pieces still in the wounds.
Airi was the first to run over, her gaze still extremely bewildered and surprised at Elyssia's decisive action.
She looked at Elyssia who was standing motionless, face darkened.
Airi ran over wanting to see if the man was dead. But she stopped running, because her eyes saw the sword had stabbed exactly in the chest where the heart is.
Her voice spoke small and soft:
"He's dead."
Takeshi and Ayaka ran over and looked.
Ayaka was the one who worriedly approached.
"Hey? Elyssia?"
Elyssia heard Ayaka's voice; she snapped back from the decision that even she hadn't expected; her heart rate which was pounding wildly gradually lowered.
Swallowing saliva and turning with a smile.
"I'm fine, don't worry."
Takeshi walked near Airi and looked at the corpse.
"I didn't expect that at all."
Airi sighed, also understanding Elyssia's action. She spoke loudly:
"It's okay, if you didn't do that. With that injured body, he probably would still be stronger than us."
Elyssia turned back, face very calm.
"Don't worry, I am not a person easily moved when killing someone. The purpose I feel is justified."
Ayaka moved close to Elyssia and took her hand. Voice full of concern:
"Is that true?"
Elyssia turned and gripped Ayaka's hand tightly.
"It's fine."
Takeshi lowered his voice:
"I also once killed two people while I was in despair. Afterward I also regretted it very much, even when going to their graves to apologize, I still felt my heart was like stone."
Elyssia brushed her platinum hair up.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. I've killed several angels before, so this won't do anything to me."
"It's just when I stabbed the sword, even I was surprised and don't remember when I made that decision. Felt like at that moment the threat came close so I acted that way."
Airi nodded, gaze trusting.
"Hmm, that's good then."
Elyssia: "Now we aren't finished with the trial yet, still need to focus."
Takeshi frowned in confusion.
"Not finished?"
Elyssia turned toward Takeshi:
"Did you forget on the paper it was written: 'do not let anyone in'?"
Takeshi scratched his head, then realized.
"Oh right."
Airi stepped toward the door of the tunnel leading back to the original house.
"Then back to the other side; now we will block the tunnel door."
Ayaka: "So someone will enter the house?"
Airi shook her head.
"I don't know, but since it's written on the paper, there certainly will be. We just need to prevent it at all costs."
Takeshi stepped past Airi to the tunnel door.
"Then let's get to work. Now we'll carry all these crates to block the door on the other side too."
Airi: "Certainly so."
Ayaka: "Let me go get the glowing stone sticks first."
…
After an amount of time, they had carried all the wooden crates from the man's basement through the tunnel and piled them to block the door.
The other side of the house. The wooden crates luckily also fit the gap; the whole group had piled them in a large stack and blocked the second layer at this end for certainty.
The house door was also blocked by many wooden crates, covering it entirely.
The whole group was sitting in the middle of the house, each in a chair.
Airi: "So it's done, now what do we need to do?"
Elyssia raised the metal water jug; unexpectedly there was a piece of paper underneath.
The whole group saw it at the same time. Airi reached out and opened the small paper to read.
-"When finished, sit still, wait for a while."
Airi held the paper forward for everyone to read together.
"Seems we have finished already; now just need to sit and wait."
Elyssia nodded.
"Seems so."
....
Scene change…
Somewhere, at a house.
The group of four: Airi, Takeshi, Ayaka, and Elyssia were performing the seal.
They dripped their blood, but the seal did not glow... instead it exploded.
BOOM!!!
Everyone died here....
…
In another place…
There was a Takeshi outside who saw the copies... After the actions, he had reached the sealing step.
Airi's voice rang out:
"By blood, by bone, by indomitable will. My shackles wrap around you for a thousand lifetimes. You cannot escape!"
It was Ayaka's turn, but she caught the rhythm slow by just a small amount:
-"From darkness,..."
The seal exploded.
BOOM!!!!
…
Somewhere. An Airi was still diligently delivering each piece of paper into the houses…
…
Somewhere…
In the familiar room, all four of them put their heads together and read the paper in Airi's hand.
Takeshi spoke loudly in surprise and clear bewilderment:
"What the hell? All of us are monsters? And that is the reason the man was chasing to kill us?"
... After a long time searching, they finally reached the sealing step... And then they succeeded.
…
Many places where it was hard even to reach the sealing step, very few places that reached the sealing step but failed.
But then after many failures there must be a success.
A certain Takeshi who saw the copies outside also performed the seal successfully with everyone…
A certain Airi who also saw the copies outside also performed the seal successfully with everyone…
A certain Ayaka who saw the copies outside also performed the seal successfully with everyone.
And then, the trial space gradually faded.
…
The whole group was each lying in a corner in the library, unconscious.
Suddenly like a chain effect, the whole group simultaneously opened their eyes wide and sat bolt upright looking around. All locked eyes but then looked away in bewilderment, as if they had just had a long dream.
Takeshi spoke first breaking the silence:
"W-What happened?"
Airi full of suspicion: "We just participated in a trial, right?"
Elyssia was also surprised hearing Airi speak.
"So we really were in the same trial."
Ayaka was also surprised.
"I didn't expect that at all."
Only now did they realize in their hands were blue stones that were glowing. They realized those were the stones used for the teleportation gate.
Simultaneously all four shouted:
"Look, I have a stone!"
When they held them forward, the four stones glowed and flew from their hands. They immediately merged and became one large stone (the original size).
The whole group directed their gazes upward; the stone was glowing with blue light making all four squint.
Then the light grew smaller and the stone fell to the floor with a "thud".
Ayaka sitting nearby immediately picked up the stone.
Elyssia leaned against the giant bookshelf and smiled.
"Wonderful, so it's finished."
Suddenly from afar. Lilith approached gently. She stopped and bowed her head slightly with a smile.
"Congratulations to you all for completing the trial."
The four people slowly stood up, feeling as if their bodies were no longer accustomed, but not entirely.
Takeshi in the back was shaking his arm, as if it had no more sensation; he ran and jumped around.
Airi as if remembering something, she opened her eyes wide and pressed close to Lilith, voice panicked:
"How are Kazuka and Aoto? Are they awake yet, Lilith?"
Lilith remained very calm.
"According to energy perception, those two are awake, just woke up."
Ayaka peered from behind, voice joyful:
"Really?"
Airi and Ayaka were the ones to run first, followed by Elyssia. Takeshi still bewildered with his numb arm also followed immediately behind.
Airi and Ayaka ran to Aoto's room and threw it open. They even now forgot whose room this was so they just barged in, since they were awake anyway.
Aoto seemed to have just woken up; he was sitting on the bed, blanket still covering half his body. His face appeared different.
Startled when the door was thrown open. Airi and Ayaka panicked as they ran in.
Ayaka: "Aoto?"
Aoto bewildered.
"What is it? Why the panic?"
Airi and Ayaka were overjoyed, pressing close.
Airi: "Looking like this is fine."
Ayaka: "I thought you wouldn't wake up again?"
Aoto burst out laughing and scratched his head.
"What to worry about? I'm strong."
On the other side. Elyssia was standing aside watching Takeshi hug Kazuka. Takeshi was sniffling with tears and snot.
"I thought you wouldn't wake up again."
Kazuka quickly pushed Takeshi away, trying to reassure him:
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Who told you I was stuck? Don't cry anymore."
Takeshi wiped his tears away; he smiled and returned to looking at Kazuka, voice full of joy:
"So you're fine; let me check, okay?"
Takeshi swung his arm, unleashing a slap with a "thwack" sound. Kazuka was slapped flying off the bed.
Elyssia standing nearby also opened her eyes wide at this scene.
On the other side. Aoto just stepped outside and stretched his body to relieve stiffness. Airi and Ayaka followed right behind.
Immediately opposite was Kazuka's room.
A large bundle of blanket flew out with a "thump", only a pair of shoes showing.
Kazuka with bare feet rushed out and swung his leg, kicking the blanket bundle hard toward the wall where Aoto, Airi, and Ayaka were standing.
From the blanket bundle, Takeshi threw it out and cast it toward Kazuka like a fishing net. Kazuka stood still and smirked.
WHOOSH!!!
Airi created a sword of blood and unleashed an energy slash cutting the blanket in mid-air in half. Kazuka and Takeshi skidded to a stop and turned over.
Airi sighed.
"You guys just escaped danger and you're already back to playing?"
Aoto stood with hands on hips laughing.
Takeshi also stood with hands on hips and looked toward Aoto.
"You still look healthy, huh?"
Aoto smiled and nodded.
"Yeah."
Elyssia: "Then let's try asking Lilith and go to the teleportation gate to check it out."
Airi released her hand; the blood sword disappeared.
"Don't rush, we just escaped. Better to rest a bit."
Elyssia: "Hmm, I only said to go check."
Lilith stepped over.
"If you wish to go check now, I will lead you."
Kazuka immediately cut in. He was still cheerful as usual.
"I'm hungry, want to go eat."
The group quickly sat at the dining table; on the table were attractive dishes in both sight and smell.
Everyone's eyes were sparkling; they seemed to have been very hungry. The whole group like hungry tigers lunged in to eat.
Aoto while eating was telling stories, mouth full of food making it very hard to hear:
"At that time, everywhere I went there were only mirrors. They stared at me making me scared..."
At the dining table, the whole group told their stories in the trial; sometimes everyone was suddenly silent, sometimes they burst out laughing.
Lilith standing nearby watching the group eat also smiled brightly.