Chapter 264 (1/2)

“When will you be leaving the city…?” Turn asked Ikaas, his face red, his grip on his glass of beer tight. Helen just sighed.

Being a chaperone was profoundly more fucking annoying than she would have expected. In her mind, her respect for her mother had risen a great deal; that she had the patience to sit through the absolute cart crashes that Helen’s dates were showed a sort of mental strength that defied imagination.

“Uh well…” Ikaas’ face was red too, but flushed in a good way. As it had become apparent that Helen really didn’t need to pay for liquor, the diminutive, innocent looking girl had begun downing the stuff like there was no tomorrow. What was perhaps most impressive about this exchange was that Ikaas was on her 12th beer, while Turn had 4, and they both appeared to be at the same level of intoxication.

It was… in a way cute, but in another way, rather daunting, because Helen was on her 6th and was starting to feel the edges of her vision blur. Perhaps… perhaps she had severely underestimated this cute cousin of hers.

“Well… whenever the Ghosthound… finishes, I believe…?” Ikaas finished, meandering through her words, looking to Helen for guidance. “We are supposed to stay until Helen leaves-”

“I’m not coming back with you,” Helen interrupted wearily. She had long suspected that her mother would try something like this, but she wasn’t going to bite into the temptations left for her. Even after spending time with Ikaas, familial affection hadn’t filled her, driving her to return to the leatherworking hovels she hailed from. If anything, it had filled her with surety that Ikaas could take care of herself.

Ikaas just shrugged helplessly and turned back to Turn, who simply burped, and smiled pleasantly at Ikaas. They both began to giggle like children. Helen sighed. The… Aether in her chest, flowing to her from the Ghosthound, spun softly, warming and cooling her at the same time, filling her with life.

And hope.

The stores around them were closing, as it was now late in the night and most people were heading home, to sleep off the night’s alcohol in preparation to begin it again tomorrow. Helen honestly had no idea how the economy of Deardun was going to survive the tournament and the subsequent introduction of alcohol into the common activities. Most other businesses were ground to a halt. She supposed the nearby dungeon dives were still occurring, but-

BOOOOM.

An explosion shook the streets of Deardun. Helen and Turn both leapt to their feet, their battle instincts cutting through the haze of intoxication, peering towards the western part of the city, where the noise had originated. Turn frowned, and opened his mouth to speak, then a ripple crossed the entire city.

It was a Battle Intent communication, one that only a Pontiff level existence could create. It said that a dangerous criminal was being apprehended, and to avoid the site of the battle.

The absolute dominance of it made Helen shiver. She instinctively wanted to follow this will based communication, and return to drinking. Because everything was fine. It was a huge muffling sensation, as a will so large that it could affect a whole city settled over them.

“Fuck that,” Helen muttered, rubbing her arms and standing.

“You shouldn’t go…” Turn said nervously. “There’s no mistaking that the Styles of Deardun support what is happening. If you get involved-”

After a moment’s hesitation, Helen shook her head and still began walking towards the noise. Ikaas hopped up and followed, dragging along Turn, her eyes bright.

“Aren’t you at least curious?” The girl said, her mouth twisting in a smile. Then she skipped off after Helen. Turn felt the blood drain out of his face.

But he couldn’t resist her. And after chugging the rest of his liquor, he followed.

****

“We warned you,” The middle figure said simply. “The Spear Phantom Style was never to make it past the top 8. Now our only choice is to eliminate you.”

Randidly staggered to his feet. He had barely managed to throw himself backwards out of the way when the three had launched their first attacks, their wills all condensing and absolutely annihilating the spot where he had been standing.

Luckily, Shal had previously done similar sneak attacks while they were training in the prison, and the footwork was practically second nature at this point. Otherwise….