Sirius pant, his head is light and his vision unfocused. His body screams in pain, his body feels weak as Thea carry him all the way back to the pillar. Climbing the stairs, she carry him in a piggyback ride as she scale the stairs with Sirius on her back.
Running up the stairs, they both reach the clearing as they arrive at the third floor. Running all the way back to their base, Thea kicks open the door. A loud bang echoes which shock everyone inside the building as Thea roars out.
"Sol! Help me out! Adam, get the stocks of bandages and bring it here, now!"
Her voice demands, loud and clear as Sol quickly rushes over towards them. While Adam goes over to their supply baggage and pick up bandages.
Kneeling next to them, Thea lays down Sirius on the floor.
"Dismiss your armor."
Thea spoke, though a bit hazy for him to hear, Sirius groans and hiss before nodding and let the armor dismiss into sparks of blue.
Sirius lays there in his boxers, broken and battered inside. Bruises cover his body, patches of red and blue spread through his torso mostly. His arms are quite bad but not severe, and his legs are mostly fine. His body a painting of injuries.
Sirius wants to slip away and just take a rest, to close his eyes and sleep. But he knows that he can't.
So, with great difficulty he simply gasp in pain as he struggles to stay awake.
Adam arrives next to them before handing over the bandage to Thea, Thea looks back to Sirius and see that there's no penetrating wound. Only bruises and internal bleeding, she sighs in relief before stopping herself.
'No, isn't that worse? Well at least he didn't lose any body part...'
Thea thought to herself before looking at the bandages.
"I'm going to put it here, just in case."
Adam said as Thea nods, the others quickly come to them. Each summoning their weapons as Thea look at them.
"We didn't get followed but stand guard, just in case."
Everyone nods, their hands on their weapon as they keep themselves alert.
Meanwhile, Sol works quickly as she activates her Rune and cast the healing. Her warm mana radiates a light that shines onto his torso, Sirius' ruptured blood vessels from the high velocity shrapnels slowly start to recover by the minutes.
Slowly feeling better, Sirius groans before looking at Sol,
"Thanks Sol... but check up on Thea... she was the one that fought the most..."
Sirius mutters, grabbing Sol's hand gently as he smiles and look at Thea, who waves her hands.
"No no, I'm fine. Just a few scratches."
"Just let her check on you, just in case. It's better to be safe and sure. I'll debrief the others on what happened."
Thea nods weakly before dismissing her silver armor and walk to the corner in the dark with Sol to examine her body.
Sirius, now a bit better continue to lay down just in case. He looks at the others who are standing while watching over.
"Everyone, come over here."
The five others close in on him, surrounding him in a circle. Their hands still on their weapons as they await what Sirius is planning to say.
"We fought a werewolf, it's strength was equivalent to Thea's. I don't know what her Soul Purity counter is, but if there's one thing that made me sure the werewolf is maybe, maybe a Usurper rank is the fact that it wasn't even using any mana. I couldn't sense anything from it."
Everyone stayed silent, anxiety filling the atmosphere that even Anna couldn't keep her smile. Taking in a grim look.
"So I take it that our course of plan is now to avoid the werewolf and quickly find a Gate to escape?"
Adam asks as Sirius nods.
"That would be the plan, but remember that we have to make a plan B, C, even D."
"Okay okay, understood. But first, don't you think we have to make the plan for the plan A boss?"
Anna tilts her head, to which Sirius nods.
"It's simple, I have a gist of the plan but I'll need to know everyone's capabilites. At least the general idea."
Some of them nod before they start on explaining the general idea of their capabilites.
***
"So... what kind of mess did you get yourself and Sirius into?"
Sol asks while examining Thea's body, fortunately it seems that Thea manage to escape with minor wounds.
"I... well, I was planning on talking with Sirius about what does he think of the Calamities. Then after that I was planning to go down the second floor and see the corpses of the ghouls we killed. Seeing that there were no Souls, we decided to go back and got ambushed. Now here we are!"
Thea ended her story with a smile, Sol looks at Thea with worry as Thea's smile crack before she chuckle nervously.
"W-Well... I didn't expect for a strong Calamity to instantly show up right on the second floor when there is still another floor."
Sol pinch Thea's cheek as Thea moan in pain.
"O-Ow! Sis...!"
"Thea... I know that you want to get strong as fast as possible... But really, we're quite underprepared. Father let us go into the Abyss with the intention of us just scouting you know?"
"I know... and I know the risks. But, everyone agreed to it. They didn't follow me without their consent... so I'm not exactly irresponsible now am I?"
Thea mutters weakly as Sol looks at her with scorn.
"But my consent wasn't important enough for you to consider that you brought me with this quest of yours?"
"T-That... I thought if I did ask you, you wouldn't come or report what I was planning to do to dad..."
"Wow... you really are insufferable, you know that? Why do I have such an extreme sister..."
Sol mutters weakly, sighing as she plants her palm against her face before looking at Thea.
"I... just want sis to accompany me... and be with me..."
Thea mutters as Sol look up at her with a strange look, but most visibly is concern.
"Of course I will... even though I would try to change your mind... but if you decided to firmly go with it... I guess I'll support you..."
Thea smiles widely before hugging Sol and pushing her cheek against Sol's.
"That's my sis!"
"H-Hey...!"
Sol sighs as she lets Thea cozy up to her before stroking the back of her sister's head.
"Who's the little sister here..."
Sol mutters as Thea giggles.
"More importantly, it's good that you came back safe and sound... Thea."
"Mmhm! I love you sis!"
Sol chuckles before looking at the others who are circling around Sirius, his face focused as he listens to every one that are speaking to him.
"So... what do you think?"
Thea follows Sol's line of sight and watch Sirius surrounded by everyone.
"... He can join us. Granted, if he want to. But it would be the best scenario if he could join us after this."
"If we survive this ordeal."
"We will."
Thea looks back at Sol, her face firm with a confident smile that looks back at Sol. Sol smiles as she taps her sister's shoulder a few times.
"Okay. But remember to take it carefully, if you die before your goal, there's no point in getting stronger."
"... I can't really die now can I? After all, my goal is too big for me to allow death to take me."
Thea pats Sol's head before she walk over to Sirius and group as she summons her armor back on. Sol look over to her sister solemnly before following behind her back.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Thea asks, her voice firm, her face composed and confident. Sol looks at her from behind and shakes her head.
"We were talking about what everyone does so that boss can make up some plans!"
"Oh?"
Thea raise one of her eyebrows as Sirius looks at her with a nod. Thea scratches her cheek as she coughs.
"Who's the leader here..."
"I know Thea, that's why I'll be asking for your opinions too after I come up with the plans."
"Oh... okay."
Thea nods, crossing her arms as Sirius sighs.
"Now that I get the gist of everyone's capabilites, I'll explain the plan."
***
Sirius and Thea could be seen sitting near each other, talking over the plans as they each give their inputs and opinions.
Meanwhile, Chad could be seen doing push-ups, wearing a bag that looks heavy. On top of that, Anna could be seen sitting on top of his back with a smile on her face.
"Come on big guy! Keep at it!~"
Chad groans as he moves up and down, counting out loud as his muscles strain.
"Anna! You're a great replacement for the weights!"
Anna upon hearing this stops smiling, her eyes closed as Chad continues his push-ups. Adam, watching from the side clasp his palms together.
"May you rest in peace."
Anna's red eyes shines red, a smile apparent on her face as her view changes. Looking down at Chad, she looks at his left rib and guide one finger to press on an area that shines red.
Pushing on the area with her finger, she push deep, but not too powerful.
Chad yelps, groaning in pain as he suddenly falls to the floor. He looks back at Anna in shock as Anna smirks at him before giggling.
"Careful with your words musclehead~"
"I...? Huh?"
Chad looks around while wincing in pain as Adam shakes his head at them both. Chad could only look at Anna in confusion as Anna laughs at him.
Meanwhile, on one side, Yuki and Luna could be seen sparring with each other. With sheath covering each of their swords, they strike at each other.
Yuki smiles at Luna as they both spar, clearly enjoying himself as their footsteps and sheaths could be heard ringing. Sol is on the side, watching over them while sitting.
After a few minutes, their spar ends as they sit across each other, legs extended.
"Thanks for the spar, Luna."
"Mmh. Thanks too... Yuki."
Luna nods, looking straight at Yuki's eyes before she looks away and look at Thea and Sirius.
Yuki follows Luna's line of sight as he smiles.
"Oh right, it didn't occur to me but how long have you known Thea?"
Yuki ask as Luna tilts her head while looking at him before answering in a hushed tone.
"Since... I was a kid."
"Huh... that long?"
Luna nods, a faint smile painting her face as she looks back at Thea with affection on her face.
"She is... precious to me, Yuki. My... first friend."
Yuki nods as he quickly follows up.
"Thank you for sharing this with me, Luna. I appreciate it."
Luna stares back at Yuki, looking straight at his eyes before nodding.
"You... are also my friend."
Yuki blinks a few time, nodding in appreciation as he grins.
"That I am. You too are my friend, Luna."
Luna nods back, her eyes never leaving Yuki's as he too also look at hers. Sol, watching from the side props her elbows on her cross-seated legs and rest her chin on her palm as she smiles.
Sighing, she looks back at Thea and Sirius, seated next to each other.
***
"That said... how's your body holding up now?"
Sirius looks at Thea, her eyes softening as Sirius smiles at her.
"Not that much better but good enough to survive and fight."
"Mmh... I see."
Thea nods before clapping her hands and rubs them on her thighs as she lets out a sigh.
"Well... as planned, we will take a rest for now. Even if you feel like you can fight, there's still a chance that you might not be able to last if that werewolf or the ghouls came swarming."
Sirius sighs before nodding, the both of them turn and look at the others. Chad laying down on the ground with Anna on top of his back, Adam smirking while sitting next to them. Yuki and Luna conversing with one another, and Sol watching over them.
"Do you think we can pull this off?"
Thea waves at Sol as Sol waves back with a smile. Satisfied, Thea smiles as she awaits Sirius' response.
"We will. It's not a matter of do I think we can, we have to."
Sirius firmly respond, staring at everyone doing their own thing. Thea chuckles upon hearing Sirius' words.
"All of us will make sure everyone survives."