Hero

Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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It had definitely felt like a long time, Kazuki agreed with that much. Still, he couldn't help but slightly raise an eyebrow as Alex drank. The tavern obviously reeked of alcohol, but he was a little surprised to see someone his age--were they the same age?--take a swig like an experienced drinker. Then again, he couldn't really blame him, even if he wished he had arrived beforehand to stop him. There was just something wrong about seeing an obviously sullen Alex trying to drink his woes away. Gone was the warrior archer from yesterday, replaced instead with a young man that seemed like he was in over his head.

Not that he was one to talk.

Alex spoke of a letter and followed where he had gestured to, only now seeing Seele and Alja. It looked like Alja was in the same boat as Alex with Seele comforting her. Was there ever a moment she wasn't comforting someone? He had to admit it was admirable to see her the same as yesterday as she continued to be there for everyone. He never did thank her, did he?

Kazuki tore his gaze away from Seele and looked over to Kazuma for advice, only for the latter to have gone elsewhere. Alright, he supposed recruiting Alex would now fall to him, the socially inept Kazu. Well, if he succeeded, maybe afterwards he could catch Seele and Alja. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Alex. He was pretty sure the poor guy didn't even realize he had ink all over his chin.

"Actually, 'plans and stuff' is why we're here," Kazuki told him with a slight shrug. "Ka--Benkei and I thought that maybe banding together would be more effective than staying apart. At the very least having more people to rely on isn't a bad thing nowadays."

He had no idea if what he was trying to say even made sense, but he knew he had to try. "Yesterday happened and we're all still here. We're still alive, and that only happened because we were together," He continued, pausing for a moment as he scratched his cheek. "Truth be told, I--It's difficult to find people that are trustworthy. People that are reliable. You're someone that people can rely on and you pull through when needed."

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Suddenly Kazuki was wishing he could turn invisible.

He didn't think he had ever been anxious before, what the hell was this world doing to him? Then again, having to show his face to people who knew of his failure was also a first--there was a bitter thought at the back of his mind that figured at least a beating was more predictable and would eventually end. But Kazuma was right, there was strength in numbers and as disastrous as the dungeon had went, on their half, they managed. No, that was giving the group too little credit; they all survived and lived to tell the tale. And with the glitch firmly in place that was more of an accomplishment than it should have been.

He had to admit he was still slightly distrustful, although he admitted he wasn't sure if there were any specific reasons or if because he was expecting them to blame him the same way Luci had. Well, there was one for sure he was uneasy with partying again: the scythe user spelled out trouble for him. She reminded him too much of Minako and he would be damned if he was stuck with someone like her again in this world. The way she roleplayed, the way she tried to apologize to him, it stirred up some uncomfortable memories that he would rather stay far away from. Then there was Rael and Graves to consider. The former had more than held her own, and Graves was a madman but effective. It was less about wondering if they would want to stick with them and more about if they weren't already scooped up by the other people that remained in the guild. Alja, too, probably, that last ice attack was really something. He supposed Alex and Seele seemed more the type to join up with them, but maybe they were more comfortable elsewhere.

That said, together they had been pretty balanced. Everyone had pulled their weight considerably and synergized considering they had never partied together as a group. Initially he had been asked if he could handle healing alone and he managed. Seele was a fantastic support alongside him and he had to admit he liked working aside her even after the announcement. Still, they didn't have any long range attackers, and his healing had been proven to be subpar at best. Maybe he could work more on his offensive spells as well, he should add it to his list.

Kazuki exhaled, shaking his head at himself. Why was he thinking so hard about all this? Kazuma was the one that would do all the talking, anyway. He should stick to what he knew, and that needed some serious work. His plan had been to study while all the talking was happening, he wasn't exactly a diplomat nor was he popular. Still, it left a bad taste in his mouth, he may as well put in the effort. Even if only one person decided to join them, he would count it as a success.

The tavern was much more bustling than he had anticipated, but then again, every other player had wisely chosen to seek shelter in the cities. Taking a look around, he was a little relieved that he hadn't seen anyone from Mystic Prophecy. Not that it meant they weren't around, but out of sight, out of mind. He did, however, spot the familiar brunet hunched over a paper.

Approaching the man, he tapped his shoulder. "Hello," He ended up greeting him.

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①⑨⑥⑧

S T A R F I R E

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The thrill of a good fight was something Koriand'r didn't realize she had actually missed. Whatever strength she had had been used toiling away under a hot sun or being little more than a glorified trophy occasionally, but the teachings of the Warlords of Ookara were instilled in her the same way breathing was. It would have felt a little more justified against the spineless Psions, but she had to admit, the Gordonians gave much more of a fight--all the better to release years of frustration and pent-up anger. It felt so good to whack something living, to feel the rush as she dodged an attack.

Of course it was nice to have some allies on her side, too!

The Blue One (whose name she really should have asked by now) managed to surprise her yet again, especially as he was so foolhardy to intercept an attack. But the real surprise was that the bolts from the Gordonians' weaponry did nothing to him. She had a high pain tolerance but the electric charges hurt, so the fact that he could just shrug them off like that astounded her. Perhaps she had underestimated his planet after all.

There was no time to remain in awe, however, as the Green Lantern seemed to not have the ability of flight. It must vary between the colors of the people on this planet, she would need to remember that. "Then you take point, I shall return in just a moment!" She told the flying blue guy before zipping downwards, discarding her makeshift club in favor of grabbing the green one away from the not-friendly green one.

Placing him down on the group, she offered him a grin, though it didn't last as a Gordonian landed on her. It stepped down on her abdomen, speaking in its native tongue as she lifted her hands up, the green energy glowing in her hands until she blasted the thing off her. As she clumsily got to her feet, she made another attempt at breaking the cuffs, frustrated as she was unable to free herself.

"Would you be so kind as to remove these so I may better fight against my former slavers?" She asked the Green Lantern as sweetly as she could. "I would be much more effective with freer hands."

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_{@Asura@DocTachyon}

Fire Emblem: The Slumbering Goddess

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"Now that we have a moment, I would like some clarification on your earlier comment."

Kalliope didn't bother looking up from her soup, enjoying it too much to let Sirius' sourpuss face ruin it. Only after she had her fill did she finally look at the man, impressed as he kept up his consistent glare. She much preferred interacting with the younger brother--the eldest was much too stiff, too formal, too nosy. In her opinion he also had quite the ego all things considered. Lord Ioannis had entrusted him and Lysander as his right hand men, and yet Sirius acted like he had any sort of rank over her. The Knights of Seiros only answered to one, and he wasn't it.

"Do you have a moment? I assumed you'd be shaking trees to get Theo down," She chuckled. "Must be nice to have so much time on your hands, the bureaucracy must suit you."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, albeit he kept his voice low. "Your instructions were to spy on Duke Charon, and yet here you are," He reminded her.

"And then I was recalled. I figured it was only a matter of time, the archbishop is quite soft," She replied airily. "He may be a child but I won't go disrespecting any orders. Such a thing would disrupt the already delicate balance of the church, even you know this much. So I don't quite understand the hostility."

"Lord Ioannis wanted the Church to keep an eye on the Duke, his actions have been concerning to the King of Faerghus."

"Correct. And then he changed his mind after speaking to one Derec Ballard," She dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a napkin, though she didn't missed Sirius' look of disbelief. "It's true, the young man came and asked to speak to the archbishop privately and was granted an audience. After that, the word was sent out, and here I am. If you ask me, the Gerth is the one to be wary about."

Sirius let out a huff, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had no idea the bastard had even come, and to learn this from Kalliope of all people made the news worse. "And you think the future Imperial princess is more of a concern than the disgraced Ordelia heiress?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you find it strange that the entire family went into hiding once they were released only for the heiress to pop up here?"

"The late Duke Ordelia was all about appearances, I don't doubt the rest of the family is the same. Besides, I'd heard she returned to her family, she is the sister to Duke Daphnel's wife," She decided to explain herself. "His Imperial Highness initially wanted some time before the prince was to be wed, and now suddenly the marriage is to take place at the end of this year? Something changed behind the scenes, something big."

As Sirius opened his mouth to disagree, the sound of clattering iron filled the halls next to them. The pair watched as quite a few guards had given chase to a thief. It didn't happen often, but the Monastery was unfortunately no stranger to such a thing. Sirius rolled his eyes, moving to stand when Kalliope stopped him.

"If the Knights don't get them, they deserve to get away," She chuckled, continuing to eat her soup. "And the chef is masterful today, you should really eat."

Said thief had somehow eluded the guards, confident in their speed as they dodged several grabs and jabs of spears. Unfortunately, once they passed the hall, a sharp pain erupted through their calf. Stumbling down and releasing the bag they held, they let out a howl of pain as the guards surrounded them.

A little distance away, Euphemia clucked her tongue in disappointment, lowering her bow. "I was going for the ankle," She muttered to herself, joining the guards as they successfully lifted the thief to their feet. Their face was hidden by both hood and a mess of green hair, but she didn't really care who they were. "Bold of you to steal from the Church. Don't you know that the Goddess doesn't smile kindly on thieves?"

"I had to!" He all but shouted, eyes crazed as he glared at Euphemia. "If you know what's good for you, you'll release me at once!"

Narrowing her eyes, Euphemia stepped closer to the thief, only to quickly step back as he tried to kick at her. "You lot with the Mark will bring this world to its knees! You remember this, because when she comes, those Marks will bring the world to its knees!"

At this point it was clear that their little conversation was being heard all around. Letting out a sigh, Euphemia waved off the guards. "Take him away. Inform the Advisor and Captain--" She stopped as she looked through the hall door to the Dining Hall, staring straight at the pair in question. "...never mind, I'll inform them myself."

Kalliope gave Sirius a shrug. "Be a dear and take care of things, I wanna finish up here," She told Sirius, ignoring the scowl he threw at her.

Sirius stood from his seat, joining Euphemia in the hall as she picked up the bag the thief had dropped. Her eyes widened considerably, hastily covering it in her arms before rushing over to the man. "Sir, he managed to get into the...well," She put her voice down to a whisper, showing him a peek of what was within.

There was maybe two seconds before Sirius immediately took a hold of the bag, barking an order at the nearest pair of guards. "Speak of this to no one," He muttered to her before taking off.

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Finally arriving at his home-away-from-home, Kazuki let out a small sigh. The interaction with Marianna bothered him more than he wanted to admit. It wasn't enough that the mobs and bosses weren't acting like themselves, but the behavior of the computer characters could mean that they had no real way of knowing what was going to happen even in the safety of the town. Couldn't anything stayed consistent in this stupid world? Were the NPCs going to start talking to him out of nowhere? Were they actually watching his every move? Was he going to suddenly get jumped by a desperate guy trying to get by? The last one caused the hair on the back of his neck to rise, freaking him out somewhat as he looked around.

"Oi! Kazuki!" Kazuki jumped in place, having been so absorbed in his thoughts that he somehow didn't notice the man next to him. The bard known as Robin Goodfellow flashed him a grin, with Kazuki somehow having missed both him and the cart next to him. It wasn't an extraordinary sight; despite the guy's look, he was a madman with his hands, favoring alchemy. The cart was a little more packed than usual, but what really held Kazuki's attention was the way the bard had a firm grip on it.

Robin's smile faded just a touch as he got a good look at Kazuki, not liking what he was seeing. "Jesus, you look like you've been through some shit," He commented.

"You scared the crap out of me," Kazuki scowled, relaxing after a few seconds. "I thought you'd be in Iblenar, I sent out a message to you and Hammer."

"I was meeting a friend here that I had just introduced to a game," He explained, his smile looking particularly pained as he let out a hollow laugh. "We were in the field when he accidentally stabbed himself with his own sword. Not the brightest of the bunch, but you can imagine the panic that ensued once he started bleeding everywhere. Fortunately, we found a healer in time, but...shit freaked everyone out. I mean, everything did, but you know..."

Kazuki couldn't help the pang of jealousy, though he nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you're alright," He said quietly, glad to see that he was okay.

"Wish I could say the same to you, but like I said, you look like you've been through some shit," Robin frowned at him, dropping all of his previous joy. "You ended up going with your brother to the dungeon after all, didn't you?"

There was no need for any lies; he figured word would get out sooner than later. "We lost three people," He sighed.

"Well, shit. So much for Mystic Prophecy being 'the guild'. Still, you ended up better than that small guild that went for a rerun. Think only two of them ended up coming back," The bard muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, I came looking for you because I'm heading back to Iblenar. I figured I'd bring you along, we could hole up with Hammer and ride this out until the devs fix shit."

Hammer did have her guild, and being back in his home territory would probably help out in the magic department. Maybe putting some distance would help, too; God knows he had avoided any street that was even close to the guild hall. That said, he knew he couldn't just up and leave without talking to Kazuma, and in the back of his mind it felt wrong to just up and leave without saying anything. At the very least he would say goodbye to his party. If they wanted to see him, that is. He wasn't sure if they blamed him for Aaginim's death, too.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm going to see what Kazuma wants to do next," Kazuki told Robin. "If we do end up heading over there, I'll make sure to let you know."

Robin teetered on a response, initially looking like he was going to insist but changing his mind at the last second. Instead he turned back towards his cart, pulling out a small box. "Sounds good. Take this, then."

"Whatever it is, take it with you, you might end up needing it for the trip," He declined.

"Or you could take it while you figure your shit out. C'mon, take it," Robin insisted, shoving it into Kazuki's hands. "It's just some food and a few potions I rationed for you if you ended up coming, might as well keep it. Once I'm settled over at the guild hall, I'll send you some stuff from time to time and if you ever need something, just let me know."

As much as he wanted to protest, Kazuki figured he may as well take it. Who knew what other effects the glitch had that he hadn't accounted for? Extra food was never a bad thing to have, anyway, since hunger was now something else to worry about. "Fine. In exchange, feel free to use my place. Hammer has a spare key, if you guys need it for whatever reason, use it."

"Giving me a place for my booty calls? You're too kind!" Robin let out a genuine laugh. "Alright, alright...but send Hammer another letter saying so, she probably won't believe me."

"Thank you. Be careful out there," He said, giving him a deep bow.

Robin nodded, giving him a serious look. "Don't go dying out there, Hoshizawa," He said.

"Yeah. You too, Yukine."

Kazuki watched Robin walk off with his cart until he was out of sight. At some point he'd probably go that way, but for now he would finally enter his home, closing the door behind him. Settling the box down, he examined its contents. He wasn't a fantastic chef or anything but he could probably make something out of this stuff to make it last longer. There was a recipe book somewhere around here, he could add cooking to his improvement list. It probably wasn't a bad idea, if the goal was to survive, then he may as well.

An unfamiliar sound caught his attention and pulled him out of his thoughts once again, though his heart splintered as he realized what it was. He entered the bedroom freely, watching his brother for a moment. Yesterday must have gotten to him. Not that he'd blame him, but Kazuma had been more invested in both the game and the people they'd lost. He was probably overwhelmed. Still, as bad as he felt, Kazuki had to admit that it gave him a little resolve. He was going to make sure to be the big brother Kazuma deserved, he promised himself right then and there to be his rock.

Kneeling down next to the bed, he reached over and squeezed his hand. "It's okay," Kazuki soothed him. "Let it all out."

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Lighter on money, heavier on books--just like the real world. Except instead of buying a ton of fun sheet music, he had stuffed as many magical and medical texts as he could fit in his bag. Go figure, he had way more space to carry things when he actually organized it. To think he was so messy in-game when he was usually a neat freak. But gone were the days of dumping his inventory into a chest and then wincing when he went to dig out a potion only for it to have been crushed at the bottom, now he was applying his real-life organizational skills in game. Which he probably should have done in the first place.

Kazuki made his way back to the small house he owned in Thorinn, adjusting the strap on his shoulder. He was already mapping out the most efficient way to tackle on the reading material, hoping it would give him some insight on becoming more efficient. Yesterday had proven to him that his skills were sorely lacking and he never wanted a repeat if it could be helped. Never again would he be the weakest one--he was going to conquer his weaknesses and survive this stupid world. If there was no update from the game masters by now then it meant they were stuck here for a while, and he'd be damned if he was going to die here.

Last night's awkwardness was palpable but he knew he wasn't wanted. Not that he would have lodged with the group as it was, he couldn't possibly bare the shame to even look at Luci. Fortunately his daytime stringing and tendency to roam had netted him a place to stay in every City-State, with Thorinn being no exception. He had plenty of money as well, but who knew how long it'd last. Who knew how long they'd be here. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to get a good night's sleep for the next six years or so, the few hours he got due to pure exhaustion. Enos' body had haunted his nightmares while Aaginim had haunted his every waking moment, Luci's words on a repeat anytime he had a moment to himself.

And thus there he was, his small home in sight. As he walked, he spotted a familiar looking young woman with a basket of eggs in hand. Kazuki recognized her as Marianna, one of his NPC neighbors. She had been a frequent attendee of his performances, too, often chiding him for 'staying away' whenever he was somewhere else. He used to like following her routine, finding it interesting how detailed the game was with the NPC routes. She was sweet, if a little generic, and liked to talk about her dreams of packing up and moving to Iblenar.

She paused as she heard him approach, giving him a small smile. "Hello, Kazuki!" She greeted him warmly.

Kazuki paused, for some reason finding the greeting weird. She was polite, yeah, but something was off. After being unable to figure out what, he replied, "Hello. Fetching eggs for your family?"

"Mhm!" She nodded, bright and bubbly as always. "I was hoping I'd catch your performance, but it looks like you've been shopping. Are you leaving Thorinn?"

The Japanese man slowly blinked, a little surprised. Their conversations were basic, but usually predictable and usually about the same two or three topics. This was the first time she was asking about his schedule. Was she stalking him? Now that would be humorous after all the time he had spent following her around. And now he sounded like a creep. So long as no one could read his thoughts, he would be fine. "No, I was shopping for some reading material, but I don't think I'll be performing today," He replied. "I'm sorry to disappoint."

"Oh, no, no, everyone needs a break once in a while!" She giggled. "Although, if you have the time and change your mind, I think you should. There are a lot of wayfarers around, you'd probably get a huge audience today."

How did she know about that? Did NPCs usually keep track of how many players were around? Kazuki was dense when it came to this game, yeah, but he felt like he was talking to another player instead of some AI. Marianna was examining his face, her eyes flickering up and down as she waited patiently for a response. But after a moment of an awkward silence where Kazuki could only stare at her in disbelief, she let out a nervous laugh. She was acting like a player that had been weirded out, too! "Well...I'll see you around!" She gave him a weird look and a small wave before she walked away.

Kazuki couldn't help but stare after the girl, bewildered. What the hell was that?! Did the glitch include giving the NPCs realistic responses--wait a minute, that was what he initially found so weird about their encounter. Marianna had never initiated the conversation, she only ever replied to his inquiries! But there she was, striking up a conversation like a neighbor, like a person. No, he was probably overthinking things. NPCs always had realistic conversations. Letting out a slight groan, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. Maybe he should at least try to take a nap.

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Priscilica was too kind--he hadn't done anything special that anyone else couldn't have accomplished. Anyone else could've given her a draught. If anything he was the least effective in the last fight, he didn't even contribute to killing the boss. And the one thing he could do, he failed at. Nonetheless it'd be pointless and rude to say otherwise, and Kazuki only offered the girl a nod of acknowledgment, watching her as she walked off. He couldn't quite look Seele in the eye, instead choosing to walk past her as he unhooked his lyre. The familiar, ear-scratching grind of the door let him now that the dungeon was officially over.

Starting up the familiar-sounding song, Kazuki let his body go on autopilot, staring at nothing in particular. It was easy to let the notes carry him away to anywhere else, but the sound of Luci's sobs made sure to root him to the dungeon's room. He could feel the pull of his magic already; he must have used up more magic than he thought. He figured he may as well get everyone up as best he could so they could make it back to town in one piece, albeit a quick look around let him know that exhaustion was just as common as injuries. That would be the second thing he would look into, there was probably a spell out there that could help with that. He'd be more effective next time. He'd succeed next time. Failure was no longer--

The sound of metal hitting the ground caused Kazuki to stop as he whirled around to the source. For a split second he thought that even the dungeon's end had changed and something else was coming, but instead he was greeted with the sight of Kazuma on his knees. Had he been hurt worse than he thought? But the way he grasped at his chest set off every single alarm in his head. Kazuki didn't even realize he had dropped his lyre when he ran over, kneeling down next to him.

"Kazuma!" Kazuki called out his name, louder than he meant but stern as he held his hand. "Kazuma, breathe, I'm right here with you! You're okay now, just breathe!"

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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"You failed."

"You failure! You let us all down!"

“We needed you sooner. You failed us. You failed him.”

This must have been what they called an 'out-of-body' experience. He was pretty sure the demon could turn around and lop an arm off and he wouldn't have noticed or felt it. For him everything had stopped as all he could focus on was the woman in front of him, her accusation bringing up a myriad of memories and emotions he had locked away. Funny how the mind worked that way; all it took was the right combination of words to pierce through the wall people set up and delve deep into the shambled remains of regrets and 'what could have been's. Just a few words to make the heart race, to stir up panic, to bring down the full force of the reality of the situation.

“I’ll never forgive you.”

Luci looked like she was ready to shove him into the path of the demon out of hatred, and he had to admit, if that was her intention then he wouldn't stop her. It was easier to blame the closest person than accept what had happened. Maybe he should have tried to comfort her or explain he had been doomed before they got there--in the back of his mind, he wondered why their group had decided to take on the demon without waiting for them. But even he recognized that that would cause more problems.

Kazuki honestly had nothing he could say to remedy this because she was right. He failed. Kazuma had consistently insisted that he stop fooling around more times than he could count, reminding him that he had a job and that people were relying on him. But all Kazuki wanted to do was indulge himself a little, to use the dream-like land and time to get to do what he loved most without his father or teachers watching over and scrutinizing his every move. Except if he had actually applied himself and actually tried in his role, maybe he could have saved Aaganim.

Even while those thoughts ran through his head, however, all he could do was stare at the woman that had grabbed him. He could have at least tried to look sorry, but his expression was blank as always. Maybe it veered a little into shocked territory, but otherwise he was his usual self. He had failed and it had cost someone their lover. And of course there was the very bitter reality that even if he was around, he still would have failed. He wasn't as good a healer as Enos, he never would have been able to save anyone. They had gotten there by pure luck.

The noise of a battle ending seemed to resume time for Kazuki, but even then he never took his eyes off Luci. Even with all the rationale in the world, he couldn't blame her for her words. The barrier surrounding them slowly descended, fading away and putting them back on the field. The dismissal was unwilling--his concentration was lost and at this point whatever magic he had was probably dwindling. Of course, the barrier was the furthest thing from his mind.

After what felt like an eternity, Kazuki opened his mouth to respond, but ended up only letting out a weary sigh. Nothing he could say would sound genuine and not like an excuse. If it made her feel better and kept her going, then it was all he could offer. "So be it," He muttered. "I failed. Hate me all you'd like." It was hard to ignore the lump in his throat, but it was all he had.

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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Good, Priscilica was up. The possibility of victory was rising slowly but steadily, especially as the party wailed on the demon. Kazuki had to lift an arm as Alja's attack caused a whirl of snow to blow around the room. What an attack--and she wasn't the only one. There was no hesitation on anyone's end, everyone giving it all they had. Priscilica was no exception, clearly ready to back into things. She told him to go to Luci and Aaganim, though he had to admit his initial response was a grim one. No, he shouldn't give up on him yet. If there was even the slightest chance of success, then he had to take it.

"Understood," Kazuki replied, taking off into another run towards the pair. Despite the monster being occupied, it was clear that it could turn back towards him at any moment, his decision solidified as he finally reached Luci and Aaganim. "Tcetorp dna cigam ym esir!" The barrier erupted upwards around the three of them, touching over them and forming a protective dome with a beehive design that shimmered quietly in the light. He was all too aware it was going to expend his energy to keep it up, but he'd try to have it for as long as possible.

Seeing Aaganim up close was unsettling--the demon had crushed him in his hand like the metal of his armor was a tin can. He couldn't dwell on the thought for too long, immediately putting himself to work and checking Aaganim's pulse. Rapid and irregular, that wasn't a good sign. Healing Touch's glow formed on his hands and he placed them as close to his chest as he could. He didn't know what the extent of the damage was, although most of his surface wounds slowly regenerated themselves. Aaganim's breathing didn't improve, and after checking his pulse again, he realized his heartbeat was still irregular.

Kazuki didn't understand, Healing Touch was more effective than any other spells he had. So far it had also brought everyone up to normal, so why wasn't Aaganim improving? He was missing something but he didn't know what, the rules of the game had changed so much that he wasn't sure what he could do anymore. Maybe he wasn't as effective as he thought he was--his best skills were music based and his combat skills left much to be desired. But Rael had definitely suffered a few broken bones before and he was able to heal her, so what was different this time?

His answer came as he checked Aaganim's pulse once again, his magic fading from his hands immediately after. Can't very well heal a corpse no matter how much magic he had. He stared down at Aaganim, deaf and blind to the rest of the room. It had been stupid to maintain that shred of optimism--he knew the second they stepped in that Aaganim was a goner.

Slowly looking up at Luci, he almost couldn't bare the shame. But even in his failure he had to come to terms with the truth: "There's nothing I can do anymore. He's dead."

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Pariah Online: A Voyage into the Intangible Aether

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'Premonition' hadn't been something that Kazuki could say he truly believed in. Things happened without rhyme or reason, there was no magical sixth sense or the ability to predict the future. He was always skeptical of those who would claim otherwise. His stepmother was one of them, always talking about having dreams of tomorrow and claims that he had always thought were ridiculous. Once, he remembered that she told him that it was just feeling she had, that it was the human's instinct that alerted them to danger. It was ridiculous to think that anyone would believe in that to the fullest and never give any doubt to it.

Still, at least he understood why people chose to have that belief. Reality was so cruel that for some it was all they had to cling to.

Enos' death was one thing, but stumbling into the complete chaos of the final room was another. Fear and despair were all around, the group scattered as the monster carelessly tossed aside Aaganim. Kazuki couldn't take his eyes off his body, the dents of his armor telling him something grim. Enos. Aaganim. And he was willing to bet Atlas, too, judging by his missing body: all three taken down by the monster in front of them. It didn't help that final bosses were notorious for deaths even before all this went down. The weight of their very lives was on them, showing them exactly what would happen the second any mistake was made.

"LUCI!"

Alja's scream snapped Kazuki out of his trance, an impulsive decision made on his end. They needed to help everyone that could be helped, and both Luci and Priscilica were in a bad position. Despite his better judgement and knowing that the boss was going for Alja, he knew this was the only chance he would get. Without uttering a word, the healer broke off into a sprint, making a mad dash for the lone mage on the ground.

"KAZUKI! WHAT THE FUCK?!" Benkei yelled after him.

Kazuki should have said something before he took off, but there just wasn't any time to lose. "I'm going for Priscilica! Try to group up with the others!" He called as he ran, holding his hand out towards Luci and the fallen Aaganim. As soon as the pair were within his range, he shouted his spell: "Sdnuow yht laeh emit tel!" There was that feeling in his chest again, but whether it was him anticipating it or the adrenaline running through him, it hardly bothered him. He was being cruelly optimistic, hoping that Aaganim would hang in there long enough.

Skidding to a halt beside the fallen mage, Kazuki realized that he didn't see any wounds on her. She was still breathing, had she just been knocked unconscious? As his eyes darted to her staff, it hit him: she had probably used up all her magic and had collapsed. His hands flew to his bag, haphazardly reaching for glass. Propping the girl up as best he could, he cautiously fed her the mana drought, trying not to accidentally choke her with the liquid.

"Priscilica, can you hear me?" He shook her, trying to get her to awaken.

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