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A Hero Tale {Complete}

"If you continue forward, you're going to die," Vale assured Bruce, letting himself slump against the wall once again. "Zelriane, Rajaka, Adarine, you've prepared yourselves well enough to at least stand some semblance of a chance against them. But stopping the only one who matters, the patriarch of this would-be family of interlopers, that's nonsensical. You and your friends are walking towards an assured death-" Vale's speech grew quicker for a moment before he coughed up more blood. He rose one of his hands towards the newly created hole over his solar plexus and felt the viscous liquid still oozing out of the wound. He wasn't clotting naturally anymore. Vale took a deep, wheezing breath and exhaled heavily.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Vale chuckled to himself. "That's it?" Vale gawked, coughing up a few heavy, blood-soaked breaths. He waited silently, before dropping the vial of blood, and letting it break against the ground between his legs. He stifled a deep sigh, straightening his back and pushing his head against the wall. Vale reached up with his nails, and clawed at the tattoo under his eye. As he tore the skin viciously, the glow in his eyes faded slightly. Once the tattoo was completely shredded, his eyes returned to their usual hue.

"Wait."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Vale gently twisted his wrist, moving his vial out of the way of Bruce's small projectile, and letting it pierce his body. The vial was still, at a 30 degree angle, for a few moments, before Vale let it drop back down, parallel to the ground. His eyes peered upwards, and he rose his head, resting it against the wall that his spine was meshed against.

"You'd better hurry," Vale mocked, smiling weakly while lowering his vial slightly, "Climbing this labyrinth won't be an easy task, little one." His eyes moved in their sockets while his head stood still, pointing towards the door by his side. "Haha, or don't. Your pace won't change much. the notion that you or your friends could make a difference is laughable."

A Hero Tale {Complete}

~ Chapter 181 ~

_{Let's Stop Talking About Paths}

Vale still sat silently, glaring at the vial in his hand. His expression was blank. His mouth hung open, revealing both of his canines through a somber frown. He didn't even react when Bruce found his way into the Tower's main entrance way, unaffected by the apparent barrier that guarded the structure. Inside, Bruce could see two sets of stairs hugging the rounded wall, mirroring one another as they climb up into the roof above him. Where they met, there was a large door similar to the one he'd just entered, but beyond it lay only a pitch black aura with no hint to its contents. Vale sat near the edge of the door, with his legs sprawled out, and his eyes still focused on the vial.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"He is," Dacer said, dryly. The archer grabbed his chest and coughed up a small amount of blood. "My body needs more that a few hours to heal, though. I'm not going anywhere. Even if I could heal, I don't think I can use One With Gaia again... Not for more than a few seconds, at lease." He turned back to where Jeff. "Next tim you put something in my chest, I'm gonna break your legs," Dacer joked, half-serious as the lingering sense of pain finally reached his brain. Dacer turned back to Jenso and wrapped one of his arms around the Hero's back, using him as a support.

"Thanks a lot, ya couple'a doofuses."

---

~ End Of Chapter 180 ~

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Jenso, don't be stupid," Dacer barked, pushing himself back onto his feet, slowly, "One with nature isn't just some silly garment you can put on. All I did will pull Lark's soul out of your body. Whatever's left of him isn't around anymore, which is probably for the best." He narrowed his eyes and scanned the battlefield. "Where's Tiger?" He said softly. Suddenly, the little cat's form began to grow from his shoulder, until Tiger was perched quietly against Dacer's head. He sighed and looked at the Tower of chaos, and then up at the rip in the sky. "We've got... I dunno, maybe a few hours before that huge rip reaches critical mass or whatever." He turned to Jenso, expecting some sort of briefing, or any information, really.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Dacer pulled away from Jenso, and yanked Jeff's grappling hook off of his arm. "Y'know, as interested as I am, I don't really think it matters in the least," Dacer wheezed, anger still polluting his tone, "Where's the Jam colored bitch? I'm intent on Jamming my fist through her fucking face." Without waiting, he started stomping away from the three who'd freed him from her control, towards the giant mound of purple ooze. His legs gave out almost immediately, and he fell to one knee.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Dacer thrashed for a moment until his arm was caught and his head and held still by Oz's arm. He didn't say anything as the veil coursed through his body. His eyes filled with purple for the briefest moments, once, twice, it continued for some time, as if his mind had naturally attempted to fight against Oz's energy. But this only went on for a few seconds. Ultimately, the purple hue faded, and he was left, his hanging over, half-conscious. A few moments passed before his One With Gaia form faded away, and his features returned to normal. He looked up curiously, lost for words at first. His legs fell to the ground and he stood up weakly.

"Any reason why you've still got my arms in a fucking vice?" Dacer groaned angrily, tugging at Jenso and Jeff's restraints.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

"Try punching the evil out of... This," Dacer panted, suddenly extending his free hand towards Oswald despite his injuries. His claws began channelling an orb of black energy that crackled with a ghastly series of sparks. Without much delay, he launched it at Oz, before his arm fell back down, and he tried to catch his breath.

A Hero Tale {Complete}

Dacer felt something cling to his arm. It hit him just then. Though he couldn't move away from Jenso, Jenso also couldn't move away from him. Then suddenly, his body began to grow heavy. Dacer Immediately rose both of his feet up to Jenso's chest, and pushed away, trying to wrench his arms free, while simultaneously digging into Jenso with his back claws. With his eyes following Jeff, that's when he saw the bullet. As it grew near, Dacer extended his right arm outwards, and his body began to flicker. In the blink of an eye, jeff's Arki bullet was suddenly sent right back at him, under new management. Did Dacer use his flicker dash to touch it? He rose his claw to swipe at Jenso, looking rather surprised. Dacer muttered something under his breath, What... but followed through with his clawing attack, aimed at Jenso's face.