It's not exactly easy to fight while layering threads of Firmament into my core, but it's not impossible, either. I rely on Guard and Ahkelios for the bulk of it, thankful that the dungeon's challenges are—at least for the time being—restricted to something that isn't particularly dangerous. Ahkelios's hand tightens on my shoulder. I feel the telltale flare of Firmament as he activates Distorted Crux, wrapping us both in its power. There's a distortion in the air as more of the dungeon's claw-hands approach and struggle against the skill, slowing from their blistering speed into something more manageable. My movements are awkward, but I force myself to stagger to the side, taking Ahkelios with me. Before they can course-correct, I grab one of them by the wrist and step forward, yanking it hard to the left and shoving forward with my right arm. There's an audible crack and then a snap as I rip solid Firmament apart. Ahkelios visibly winces at the sight. "Sometimes you scare me," he mutters, though his hand doesn't leave my shoulder. "Ahkelios, your primary means of attack..." I groan a bit as the pain within my soul briefly intensifies; my vision goes white, and Ahkelios yanks me out of the way of an attack that would've skewered me through the eye. "...for most of the loops..." "Ethan, stop trying to be snarky while doing surgery on yourself!" Ahkelios snaps, exasperated. I respond by pulling him down just before another set of hands manages to grab him. "...has been drilling yourself through the brains of our enemies like a living bullet," I finish. I manage to seal another of the cracks within that first layer as I say this, too, though my voice trembles with the effort. Ahkelios groans. "Yeah, fair point," he concedes. I can't tell if he's just doing it so I don't press the point, but he gives me an admonishing glare before I can respond. "Now focus," he says. It's his turn again to haul me out of the way of one set of hands before they can tear through my stomach. This time, I return the favor by spinning him around behind me just before another would have cut through his skull. The blow glances off my forearms instead, cutting through my skin but leaving my bones entirely intact. "We are close," Guard agrees. He's getting better at navigating the maze with every moment that passes—we stop for less time and move even faster at every intersection. "You know the way back, right?" Ahkelios asks nervously. His hand grips at my shoulder a little tighter. "Because I'm kind of lost, and Ethan definitely has no idea." I manage a scowl. "You don't know that." "Focus on your thing," Ahkelios says, turning to glare at me. I just smirk at him, though I think my eyes are still hazy with pain—rather than get more annoyed, Ahkelios's expression actually softens a little, and I feel him adjust so I can lean my weight on him a little more. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. It's nice of him. The pain is admittedly still overwhelming, and the closer I get to finishing with the first layer, the worse that pain gets. It's hard to keep track of how far along I am. "You are almost done reinforcing the first layer," the Knight interjects helpfully. It sounds impressed, if I'm reading it correctly. "In truth, you could move on to the second—" "No," I respond mentally, shaking my head. "I need every advantage I can get." The Knight doesn't exactly say anything in return, but I can feel approval radiating through our bond. I'm not sure how much longer we do this—time's a hard thing to track when inside a dungeon, and doubly so when half my mind is occupied with the equivalent of a soul trance. All I know is that there's a moment where my entire core shivers, followed by a sensation best described by the ringing of a bell coupled with being doused with ice-cold water. That's the first layer. Something in my heart unclenches a little, though I'm still shaking from the effort of it all. The risk is far from over, and basic testing tells me I'm not quite able to use my skills yet, but getting this far tells me that this is possible. In spite of our circumstances, in spite of everything that's happening, I'm halfway there. All I need to do is endure this one more time, fix up the second layer— "Do we fight?" Guard's voice is steady. He doesn't take his optic off the threat. I don't respond for a moment, my mind racing as I try to figure out our options. If this thing wants to kill us, turning our backs on it is going to be deadly. I have no idea how this half-formed dungeon would interact with the loops. It's ripping Firmament away from the dungeon at an alarming rate. Running isn't an option. "We fight," I agree. "Don't give it time to finish forming. Guard, start chaining it down. 'Kelios? Throw me." "Throw me," I say. I don't have the spare brainpower to spend on maneuvering or any available skills, but... At the end of the day, my Interface skills don't define my ability to fight. They help, certainly, but I've been a fighter since before the Interface gave me anything. Things are different when it comes to the Trials, of course, but then I have a new advantage, don't I? My body has changed. The Physical and Astral Pools have altered my ability to fight on a fundamental level—given me raw abilities that no third-layer practitioner should have. And that's not even accounting for the change to my bones that Kauku basically forced on me. Honestly, I'm not sure how human my body is anymore. Join the discussion! Login to share your thoughts and connect with other readers. No comments yet. Be the first to comment!