Chapter 66: Our Ceiling

"Ceiling?" questions Neo, raising his head.

"Luminate," commands Habil, snapping his fingers. He raises his arm forward and forms a scope-like hole with his fingers. The sword shines even brighter with greater intensity and luminosity, shining upon where he is aiming.

The light shines upon an uneven ceiling with some stalactites hanging down . . . a tiny drop of water falls from one of them as they watch.

Xzina looks around the now-lit place, her eyes wide. "Goodness . . . never have I thought that! Just how high up are we?"

"You cannot even begin to fathom . . ." responds Habil.

. . .

"Wait, how did you see it, Charlotte? How do you know we are on the Rope? I can't tell," questions Neo.

. . .

She glances at him from the corner of her eye for a second and then looks back up, "Just trust me for now,"

. . .

"Hm, alright," replies Neo, feeling a sensation of distance away from her . . . and a taste of his own medicine.

Charlotte starts walking, looking around and exploring the place.

Neo follows right behind, his eyes occasionally glancing at the ceiling. A sensation dwelling within utters the words, "I wonder . . . is there something above it?"

"Let's find out. I also want to take a closer look," says Xzina.

"Wanna come with, Charlotte?" questions Neo.

"I'm good, I'll stay here,"

"Okay . . . I'll keep the sword with you as a source of light," says Neo, turning around to face the wall of the Rope.

". . . be careful," she calls as they go. Their tails heading to the wall that has pillars sticking out of it and using them to climb up.

A sensation akin to light, courses though the fibers of his being as he does, the rivers in his blood carry on in confusion down to the smallest vessel.

. . .

"What's with this shredding turmoil? Are you having doubts about seeing this through?" questions Xzina.

"No . . ." murmurs Habil.

. . .

"Just that . . . things are on my mind," says Neo.

. . .

"About her?"

"She is a part of it . . ." Neo pauses.

. . .

Xzina sighs, "I will ask only once, want to talk about it?"

"Maybe . . . later though . . ." he responds.

"As you wish . . . dear," Xzina glances to the side at Charlotte while Habil looks ahead towards where they are climbing.

Charlotte looks around the place and wanders around slowly, the luminous sword following her.

A barren land . . . no one can help me here . . . I finally made it to the Rope, and it's so far up . . . who will reach here . . . and how?

She looks at her body covered with the servant and clenches her hands in frustration.

All the things I got to know because of the servant and the things I witnessed . . .

Who was that masked stretchy person with One? Was it Daki under that armor? Why was he still? And what did that masked man do? It was as if . . . everything on the island was moving faster like a tape being fast-forwarded . . . and just before he disappeared . . . he looked at me . . . as if he knew I was observing them.

She sighs, shaking her head.

I can't even tell Neo about anything because I don't know what is happening in his case at all . . . he is hiding things from me . . . and the air around him has changed and I can no longer get what he is on about completely . . . obtain everything?

She glances up at them, her eyes following him.

. . . is he being puppeted by Xzina without realizing it? Or has she taken full control of him? If so, why is she keeping me around? . . . they defeated Adora . . . fighting them to try to kick her out isn't an option . . . also I don't know how this servant would react to that action! Why can I even control it? I was ready to submit myself to it to get me . . .

Adora . . . how can I use the pet to communicate with her? . . . all I know is how to use it for violence . . . is there a way I can use it to communicate my situation to her like writing on a piece of paper? How would I approach her with it? What if she sees the thing and attacks it before she reads the note? Should I just leave it next to her and hope she notices it? Should I even leave her at all to go search for such a thing? The place looks completely wrecked . . . what if Aayn comes back for her or something else? When will she wake up? Will I have the chance to communicate after she does? Could I have done something before the wish was made? But all items made from the islands disappeared . . . I am so dumb and lost . . .

. . .

Charlotte sits down, hugging her legs in the no-man land, still thinking some more . . . but soon . . . the thinking would cease . . .

The quiet of her mind is mirrored by the void all around with only the sizzling warmth of the floating sword behind her . . .

The dark suit helps her bring out the drugs she has on her.

. . .

Holding it with her shaking hand, she picks out two pills . . . one of them being from the bottom pile.

. . . this will be the last time . . . I need them just to pass by this . . . big mess.

She consumes them.

As she does, the suit reacts as it receives vision and information about updates from one of pets she left behind.

What is it? Who is it?

. . .

Lick, lick, lick.

. . .

Lick, lick, lick.

Her body starts healing at an even faster pace almost and she recovers fully shortly.

She opens her eyes slowly, feeling something licking her cheek, trying to wake her up. Coming to, she sees Dara and Sharara in front of her and a cat as white as snow standing on top of her, looking at her.

Lick, lick.

"I am up, I am up, Iza," says Adora, sitting up straight.

"Are you alright, Adora?" asks Sharara, kneeling next to her.

. . .

"I am back . . . the game must be over then. We lost," she sighs.

"What happen –"

Drip, drip, drip.

Sharara pauses in shock of seeing Adora cry for the first time in her life.

. . . I thought my second failure would feel . . . less . . . than the first . . .

Meow!

Iza leans close and starts to sniff around Adora's armor.

Meow . . .?

". . . I am sorry, Iza. I am sorry I failed you . . . all of you . . ." she sniffles, holding Iza close and Iza understands what happened to his Haco and remains still.

. . . had I pushed myself as far as he did . . . would I have succeeded? . . . I couldn't even bring myself to ask about it . . . push myself to do it . . . I wanted to see her again . . .

Adora continues to cry, mourning and apologizing.

Not able to stand it anymore, Sharara gives her a hug while Dara quietly looks away while on guard . . . as if something would attack them at any moment.

I am sorry . . . Daki . . .

Adora holds Iza tightly.

Sniff, sniff.

Iza becomes alarmed, as if his nose catches or senses something. His fur stands straight and his pupils sharpen.

The hiding pet that is spread around Adora's body and armor helping her heal feels exposed and panics for Charlotte on what to do, it feels cornered and finds no way to escape.

Snap!

Dara snaps his fingers to alert them and Sharara goes on guard.

Iza's attention splits for a second at the threat approaching from behind.

Now!

The dark pet slips out from behind, swiftly retreating. Iza notices and launches an ice blast at it, clipping a large part of the pet and hurting it, but the rest of it splits and manages to escape, and running away as far as it can.

Adora looks around her in confusion, "Iza?"

"They are coming," says Sharara.

"They?"

Iza looks with his sharp eyes at Adora's body, inspecting it. He then licks her once again and it fully recovers instantly.

"Huh? He used it?!" Adora looks down at her fully recovered self in astonishment.

"Madam Adora, they are here. Stay behind us!" orders Sharara as a large group of different, savage-looking machines get closer.