Strangely, the headmaster was not moving. His pale, sullen face remained still and motionless, glaring at nothing. As if he was waiting. Waiting for an attack?
"I can feel it. With Envy, I can utilize my own version of a [Cast]. These casts... require me to feel some pain, all of them."
Julian sighed, rubbing his forehead. He suddenly felt as if the world did not welcome him.
"But I think I can... use it to my advantage here."
He sprinted.
"Attack, Leonore!" Julian yelled out. Leonore nodded, firmly. He quickly zipped in front of Julian, some centimeters off the ground.
Leonore was faster and stronger than Julian. This time, Julian would be playing as the support character.
Fwsh!
Leonore's kick was quick and aimed at the headmaster's head.
Without much thought, the headmaster ducked, swiftly dodging the strike.
— This will at least give me some time to think... How can I do this?
The headmaster and Leonore engaged in a series of clashes. Leonore was skilled in combat. But, none of his hits were landing.
— When I had attacked the headmaster before, it felt like all the force I was trying to hit him with was sent back into my body... so reflection? Does he have some kind of ability that reflects energy? In that case... Leonore's hits wouldn't be sliding off.
"Seems like you're getting closer?"
"!"
The headmaster's eyes darted from Leonore to Julian.
He soared through the air, his body surging forward at moderate speed.
Julian's green watchful eyes were able to track his movement, though.
— An... opening!
Julian planted his foot, swinging vigorously at the headmaster's head.
Something unthinkable occurred.
— He changed direction in the air!?
Leonore and Julian had the same thought.
The headmaster jumped at him straight. But suddenly, he moved to the right in one swift movement, avoiding Julian's strike.
And now he was preparing another strike, his fist balled, winded back.
[Cast: Barrier]
This time, the barrier did not instantly break. It shattered but remained in form.
— He can reflect force... and redirect force? I'm starting to understand things.
Julian performed a back handspring, getting back to where Leonore was.
"Keep on attacking, Leonore."
"I-I can't..."
"Huh?"
"I'm already using all my energy to limit his movement. If I wasn't limiting him, then-"
Bsh!
A spinning kick sent Leonore into a neighboring tree.
"Gya!"
"!"
Another back-kick sent Julian rolling to the ground.
"Ack!"
The headmaster sighed.
"It seems like I was... wrong."
Quick, slicing movements shot blades of air toward Leonore, carving him up.
"Keuk!-" he yelled out in pain, his head jolting up.
"Wrong about what...!?" Julian asked quietly, spite in his tongue.
"I thought... you would be able to free me."
The headmaster began to walk toward Julian. Slowly.
— Damn... it... I just have to use this and see what happens!
[Envy: Thief]
. . .
Ailas sprang awake, his body feeling strangely warm.
He pulled the white wool blanket to the side, standing off the bed.
"Where... am I?"
He looked around, observing his surroundings. An average-sized bedroom. Soft beige-colored paint drowned the walls. Peeling paint. The roof was painted white.
There was a single window, adjacent to the center of the wall parallel to the door, on the right.
On the left of that same wall, there was a wooden desk, a wooden seat that was being used, with writing utensils and paper scattered across the desk's surface.
"..."
Ailas stared blankly at the back of the boy's head.
The smell of fresh paint and newly cut grass was oddly ever-present.
Julian turned his head. Frosty white hair, with pure green eyes. He leaned his right arm against the wooden back of the chair.
"What are you doing, just sitting there? Come on! We need to wake up as fast as possible! If I lose consciousness, you can regain it back immediately, and run away-"
"Relax. We aren't gonna die."
"And how the hell do you know that!?"
"I've been watching the fight, Ailas."
Julian's behavior was surprisingly calm and meek, in comparison to Ailas's fiery tone. Ailas calmed down a little bit. He was aware of Julian's intelligence. The smartest thing he could do is listen.
"So, you watched the fight. How do you know that we won't die?"
"Leonore is going to be capable enough with no one commanding him. And besides, the headmaster's intention isn't to kill us. He's the one that wants to be killed."
Julian turned his head, grabbing the chair underneath him and rotating it a full 180, so he was face to face with Ailas.
"How do you know that he doesn't want to kill us?"
"If he wanted to kill us, he would've killed us. The headmaster can control movement, completely. He could've killed us by stopping the beating of our hearts, twisting us, or flattening us. He's toying with us."
"He's toying with us? So how are we supposed to win?"
"Like I said, he wants to die. So we can win here. His ability is subconsciously protecting him. We have to figure out some way to break through."
"..."
"An ability so strong like that... it has to be that [Pathmaker] that Lionel spoke of."
"Okay. We couldn't even fight him with my strength. How are we gonna beat him?"
A faint knock was heard at the door. A knock that made the silence in the room feel so much heavier.
Julian and Ailas both knew who it was.
He twisted the knob, slowly opening the door.