Lavinia Grimwald
Seconds passed like minutes.
Every moment I spent imbuing the spear, the more drained I felt. Essence rushed through my body at a speed greater than any other cap. Lightly vibrating with a muted hum as it made its way from my core into my spear. I could feel the path it took as it heated up my veins.
I always hated using Imbue. It uses a lot of essence, even with perfect technique. And for what we're trying to pull, I have to perform to levels of tiring proportions.
And I despised being tired.
Usually, I was sparse with my essence, but this maneuver required quantity. Precision was not what was important; volume was. I needed my spear imbued with as much essence as possible.
I couldn't risk not imbuing fast enough, so I cut off all natural revolutions and augmentations of my essence, focusing it entirely into the spear. With my limbs relying on lingering essence, they would gradually become numb from essence deprivation.
Every limb was important in a fight. I couldn't risk being weak on the battlefield. But I had to trust Leo.
Usually, humans don't need essence to survive. However, that changes once one bonds with a Will. It's funny. Despite Holders requiring essence to live, It's all too easy to starve ourselves of it.
First, I lost feeling in my toes, then my fingers. My hands shook from the strain, but my grip on the spear held strong.
When the spear became so bright, even my eyes were struggling to look at it, I wished I were done. But it still needed more. The snow around me had long been melted, the grass and surrounding dirt had ignited, but the spear, to my touch… was cold. And so, I continued.
"Just a little more." I whispered.
My left leg went numb next. The gash on my side debilitated its movements, which also diminished the flow of essence, before I cut it off completely.
Following directly after my leg was my right arm. Having been dislocated and nerves damaged, its capacity to hold lingering essence was weakened.
To be honest, it stung.
As I slowly grew numb, and Imbued more and more essence into the spear, Fatigue came as a blanket of warm clouds. My head grew fuzzy, and specks of my vision flashed, that I could not blink away.
The blood in my ears popped, and I could no longer hear.
As Leo would always say, "Hearing is the most important aspect of a fight."
These words rang in my head, and in a panic, I lost focus on the spear and looked back… towards Leo, towards his duel.
…I couldn't hear.
…This feeling scared me.
…I was so focused on the spear, I lost awareness of my surroundings.
…I never heard his warning.
In only a moment of losing focus… I failed. I lost, yet again. To my right, the tail of the python was dragging across the ground. Coming towards me, gaining speed. If it hits me… I'm dead. The spear would explode, taking me with it.
DAMN IT!
All I want… is to be seen. Leo trusted me to take the Beast down, and I failed. Why did he do that? Why did he trust me?
Even after coming all this way, I never even stopped to consider why. Why am I here? Did I come just to prove myself to Leo? To father? Am I doing this to show Rin? I don't even want to talk to him. As a chance to grow stronger? To train? It's ridiculous, I train plenty. So why? Why?
I guess… It's quite simple.
Because I was asked.
Because… even though saving others isn't what I was taught, I wanted to help.
I wanted... to be seen by someone...
Want?
Wish?
Hope?
I guess none of it matters when death is coming right for you.
'Wanted.'
'Wished.'
'Hoped.'
That's me.
I don't get what I want…
But I was never taught to give up. And so, I struggled. Raising the sun-shining spear, pins and needles sharpening over my numbed limbs, I faced it head-on towards the coming threat.
In just a moment, it'll hit. In just a moment, I'm dead.
In just a moment... this python is going to chase its last light.
In defeat, I mumbled, even though it went against everything I was taught. "Save M-"
My words cut off.
It… never came… The tail never hit.
In a powerful blast of air and cold sparks, the tail was struck by a powerful force. Knocking it just past me before it shattered into pieces.
In the center of that blue mist, was a skinny, frail boy. A boy… with nothing exemplary about him. Someone I ridiculed. That I was never kind too. Yet, he jumped in the way…
What would compel him to do such a thing?
His flowing white hair was in chaos as his body contorted in drowned agony. "That idiot." I blurted aloud. Too stunned to even move my body or eyes, as gusts of wind from the impact squalled my hair in a frenzy.
The force of the collision sent Rin flying back into the woods. He rolled and bounced against the ground before slamming painfully against a tree.
I looked over, shaking out of my stupor. Filled with relief to see him slowly rising from the ground.
"At least he's okay." I exhale.
My shoulder was suddenly jerked. Swinging the spear to face my attacker, I pull back just in time before piercing Leo in the heart.
"You okay, sis?" He asked.
"I'm fine! What are you doing here? I'm not done yet!"
He flashes me a grin before helping me to my feet.
Without saying anything, he looks down at the spear. Instinctively, my eyes follow his.
My hands… are burning. It hurts.
Looking back up into his eyes. "Ready?"
"Of course!" He smiles with a scowl.