Chapter 4 - 3. The Red of Raging Soul
Sierra Aldus had never experienced a dungeon break before during her two years of being active as an esper. And it took a toll on her.
Panting hard, she stepped back as her fingers started to tremble and her knees buckled, prompting her to slump to the ground. She could feel it, the miasma accumulating inside her system, burdening her body, and preventing her to gather her magic. But even if she could, and successfully formed an arcane bullet, her hand was trembling so much she didn't think she could shoot straight. Worst case scenario, she would end up shooting her ally instead.
Sierra cursed her bravado earlier. She should've heeded the advice to go to the base and receive guiding fifteen minutes ago. Maybe then she wouldn't be this worn out. Now, he couldn't even muster enough energy to run.
With progressively blurry sight, she watched the Steel Blood fending off the beast in front of her. 'The dungeon must be an upper medium-class at least...' she thought while observing the beast that seemed like the boss.
It was huge, not very fast but sturdy. Shaped like a beetle, but riddled with dozens of eyes. Sierra had managed to shoot around half of them before losing energy. But there were still a lot of that eyes, and she could tell the Steel Blood was having a hard time.
Sierra looked at the sky desperately. She had sent out an emergency signal earlier, but she also knew the espers were spread thin around the contaminated red-zone. Hoping for help was honestly...
*shudder*
Sierra flinched as a hand grasp her neck from behind, without any warning. She snapped her head in haste and was met with a mesmerizing view of bright blue eyes, glowing with an iridescent hue like a pair of aquamarine. The eyes, that came to her level as the owner crouched down, were so striking since it was the only thing she could see from the person, aside from the ivory skin of the hand grabbing her.
Right, she was just being grasped by the neck. It wasn't the time to get mesmerized!
"Excuse me,"
Before Sierra could open her mouth, she was being plunged into a cool pond as the low voice muttered from behind a black mask. Immediately, she felt like her heart was being cocooned by a refreshing torrent of water, and being cradled inside a bubble. It was like a hose being opened inside her vein and water gushing out to flush any impurities.