Lunae and Sonera kept their eyes peeled, utilizing their senses to see clear of the tension that kept them embroiled in fear and doubt.
"They're waiting for us," Lunae whispered to Sonera with a Psionic link.
Sonera raised her fists to her chin. "I know."
"Then we make the first move. Head downstream towards the water."
"I doubt they will struggle with water."
"Not after I get my hands on it," Lunae muttered with a notable amount of confidence.
"That won't count as a...kill?"
"You'll see."
Sonera liked that assurance. Without having to speak any further on their next move, both girls turned towards the east before clapping their hands togethor, creating a shockwave of Psionic energy that dissipated the fog and ravaged the earth in front of them.
"Now!" Sonera grabbed Lunae by the arm before sprinting full speed towards the river.
The girls kept a steely gaze on the path ahead, avoiding the ire of the creatures whose beastly forms had been revealed by their attack. It wasn't surprising at all when an entire mound of them came crashing down where they once stood, tumbling over each other like frenzied bugs who had found a source of energy.
The Xenquar squealed with anticipiation. Those who had been thrown aside by the Psionic attack quickly recovered and gave chase at the lead of the pack. They were speedy runners, catching up to the girls with ease as they scuttled across the floor.
Sonera turned to face the first of them as it leaped towards her with as much ferocity as the first.
Another bullet to the eye.
Those who trailed behind found themselves caught up in a patch of upturned soil, its seedbed having been disturbed by Lunae's Psionic grasp. The girls continued their dire escape, refusing to acknowledge how many of the Xenquar were still bearing down on them.
There must have been at least a hundred of the creatures crawling around the riverbed. It was more than enough of a host to intimidate even the strongest of warriors. But Sonera didn't have time to be afraid. She had someone to protect.
"Your right!" Lunae pointed as Sonera shot down a beast that came from the opposite direction.
The Martian then ascended into the air on a pair of flaming wi,ngs, temporarily transforming her clothing into that of her ballet attire before summoning a dozen blades above her head. With the snap of her fingers, she called down a hail of fire, incinerating an entire group of Xenquar that Lunae had frantically identified as the next threat.
Impressive as her attack may have been, it was merely a dent in the Xenquar's numbers. The girls still had to reach the river's deeper end.
"Sonera!" Lunae cried out as her ankle became caught on a spindly arm.
Unable to account for every vector, Sonera's eyes widened with fright before turning her attention towards a second Xenquar that climbed over her friend before hurtling itself toward her. She was quick enough, slicing it in half with a fiery blade.
But not quick enough to save Lunae from getting dragged towards the rest of the pack.
Just before she could be torn to pieces by a dozen appendages, Lunae shut her eyes, freezing the world around her as she reached out to Sonera. Just like with Lila during the first trial, she could maintain a private conversation with the benefit of dialating time itself, if only for a brief moment.
"What is this?" Sonera whispered, unable to move her physical body as it aimed a revolver at one of the Xenquar.
Lunae's voice echoed from every corner of the mindscape, its cadence giving away her exhaustion. "Just...when I let go, plug your ears. Promise me."
"I don't...understand."
"Just do it. Please."
The Xenquar's attack resumed as Lunae cast herself out of the mindscape. Scraping both her hands against the floor, before an ear-piercing screech shout out from her eyes. It was a Psionic wail, the likes of which Sonera had never seen or heard of before. And it did hurt, even after she fell to the ground with both hands pressed to her ears.
The entire Xenquar horde shut down, flailing around on the floor helplessly. As things were, only Lunae was able to move, plucking Sonera off the ground before running off with her as fast as she could.
The fog was entirely gone at that point, revealing not only the riverbed but also the extent of the Xenquar horde. Lunae ignored their cries, placing a hand onto Sonera's temple as she tried to calm her down.
"I'm sorry." Lunae wept, looking down at Sonera, who was clearly in an indescribable amount of pain.
By the time her Psionic wail had faded, she had gained a fair bit of distance from the Xenquar pack. But more importantly, she was mere feet from a flowing rapid.
Sonera gasped, whisked back to life by the soothing sound of water as her ears popped. With Lunae's assistance, she was back on her feet, just in time to prepare herself for the next fight.
"Wait for my mark." Lunae clutched Sonera's shoulders before taking a step in front of her. "You'll know when."
Raising her staff into the air, Lunae began to grasp onto the nearby water with her mind, calling forth a torrent of water as it ebbed and flowed around her body. With a precise amount of control, she was able to keep Sonera perfectly dry after a wave came crashing into the Xenquar.
But she wasn't done. Not by a long shot.
Sonera stood with widened eyes as Lunae puppeted the liquid power with her staff, transforming its surface into several tendrils that restrained the Xenquar and threw them into the air. Moreover, she herself moved closer towards the water, still directing the entire river into the enemy.
"How?" Sonera heaved, clutching onto her radiant revolver like it were a useless toy compared to whatever her friend had managed to conjure.
From what Sonera could see, it was as if Lunae had parted the ocean like in the tales of old, cutting the riverbed in half and using its contorted flow to overwhelm the enemy from all sides. Once enough water had pooled up around her, she took another step forward.
She ascended, as if climbing a spiral staircase.
Sonera nearly fell over, feeling the cold liquid brush against her feet. Lunae, on the other hand, was perfectly dry, her bare feet positioned millimeters above the water as she used it as a stepping stone. From her heightened position, she could see the entire Xenquar pack.
She took hold of them. Every last one of them.
It was then that her entire body began to emit a blue glow, her clothes shifting and stirring just had Ivy's had done a few days ago. And like the Earthling who witnessed such beautiful magic, Sonera was floored. She almost forgot about the life and death situation for a moment, her eyes fixated on Lunae's figure as it became wrapped in an exotic robe.
"Now Sonera!" Lunae roared with her elegant voice, using the water to bunch the Xenquar togethor in a single fleshy mass.
Using the last of her strength, Sonera snapped out of the spell and began to fire off every radiant projectile she could muster. Aside from fanning the hammer on her revolver, the girl called forth another dozen of her homing blades, allowing her attire to briefly transform alongside Lunae's.
When it was over, she silently promised herself to get a better look at her friend's new style.
"I got you," Sonera replied in a cold tone before unleashing her arsenal.
Lunae snapped her fingers, wreathing her friend's radiant projectiles in her azure glow before they could reach their target. Just like she had done before against the Vesper, Lunae's Psionic abilities had multiplied the attack.
Only this time, with increased effort and focus, she had nearly quadrupled the amount of projectiles. All that was left to do was brace herself before Sonera's attack hit true, causing a deafening explosion and a shower of blood.
"Ah!" Lunae cried out, underestimating just how devastating her plan had really been.
She lost control of the water at her feet, tumbling downwards in a helpless spiral. The gravity that tugged on her body was far too quick, denying her any chance of recovery.
Sonera was quicker.
She intercepted Lunae at the last moment, cradling her body with her bloodied gloves as she slid across the mud.
My hero.
On the topic of blood, Sonera made sure to cover Lunae with as much of her own mass as she could before a downpour of guts fell onto her body. The Xenquar were gone, and those amidst them who hadn't been burnt to ashes were nothing more than a few loose smidgens of gore.
"Uh." Lunae released a guttural groan, unsure of how to react to Sonera's noble sacrifice.
This stupid girl keeps getting herself all messy.
Sonera was silent, carrying Lunae a few feet from the battlegrounds as if nothing had happened, her friend's legs still draped over her forearms as if she were a helpless damsel.
Lunae leaned in closer to Sonera's chest, taking the oppurtunity to feel her heartbeat.
That Psycho was calm.
Sonera set Lunae down onto the ground before wiping some of the blood off her face. And as if to add to the unintentional comedy of the moment, the rest of the water Lunae was still holding came crashing down into the ground before flowing back into the river. It was a loud and awkward mess.
The girls laughed. They giggled, even, unsure of how to process their feelings.
"Nice moves." Sonera smiled, looking down at her friend who lay prone on the floor.
"You too." Lunae panted.