Chapter 14: The Start of Something New
[Tiss] "Snare Shot!"
Tiss calls out as she conjures a longbow made of shining blue mana. She creates an arrow of the same mana, draws it back, then fires the arrow at one of the two STRING THEORY. It arcs forward and collides with monster in the middle of its body. The mana then wraps around the STRING THEORY and creates chains all over it. The chains then extend out and attach themselves to the walls, ceiling, and floor, locking the monster in place.
She has amazing sense. Locking down one enemy is a standard tactic whenever you’re caught in a pincer attack like this. Both of us turn our attention to the other STRING THEORY. It’s rapidly approaching, not trying to give us time to respond. I step back into a different cube. The STRING THEORY and Tiss are now moving in slow motion. Tiss lifts a fist to fire a Myriad Stinger, but she’s interrupted.
[STRING THEORY] "~uNRaVeL~"
It’s shaky voice wriggles into both of our heads and I watch as the monster move in too close for Tiss to react. It’s arm snakes close to Tiss’ head. I remember how it killed Rick in an instant by doing this.
[Wade?] "Weal!"
I thrust my hand forward and call the name of one of my new skills, consuming 50 MP. I watch for one moment, as the monster’s attack collides and Tiss is shredded to ribbons. Everything stops, seems to rewind, and then everything glitches out. Tiss is a few extra inches away from the STRING THEORY attacking her and manages to slide under it’s attack this time.
[Tiss] "Myriad Stinger!"
Tiss drops low and pushes her fist up towards the STRING THEORY. She lets out a volley of magic arrows and riddle the monster with them. However, it doesn’t go down with that attack like the last one they fought. I look at the ceiling in the cube in which it’s standing and notice that it says 5. The one I’m standing in says 9.
Harold’s words ring in my head.
[Harold] "Second, remember that STRING THEORY are stronger when they’re closer to the first dimension. They’re weaker as they get closer to the tenth dimension."