Chapter 34: Student
Nely fought against the stone soldiers. Thankfully, they weren't as strong as Helios. Their movements were sluggish, brittle. It didn't take long for her to realize why, Helios was spreading his Neba too thin. Controlling these statues must have been draining him.
One of the statues lunged at Lucas. With a swift arc of her scythe, Nely sliced it clean in two. The shattered remains crumbled at her feet.
Lucas' eyes widened in awe. "So cool!"
Nely chuckled despite the chaos. Statues moved with unnatural speed, swinging weapons meant to crush bones, dust and debris filled the air, and flashes of Neba clashed violently.
Through all of it, Nely stood firm, her scythe gleaming as she cut down another enemy in a single, fluid motion. But she kept glancing at Lucas.
The boy stood, small and fragile beside her, his fists clenched, eyes darting between the towering statues. His breath was unsteady. Fear gripped him.
Nely knew she couldn't fight freely like this. She had to protect him. She took a quick step toward him and crouched down. Alright, Lucas, listen up. I need you to get on my back."
Lucas blinked, his face twisting in confusion. "W-What?"
"It'll be easier for me to protect you that way," she explained. "I can still dodge faster, and you won't be in the middle of all this mess."
Lucas hesitated, staring at her uncertainly. The idea of climbing onto her while she was fighting felt... embarrassing. He wasn't a baby. He didn't want to be a burden.
"I—I can run on my own," he muttered.