XXXII: A Puppeteer Once More

Upon reaching the scene of the ongoing battle, Judith and Qui Lin had taken the time to observe what was going on before making an appropriate plan.

Upon seeing the Parabeast, Qui Lin had let out a gasp.

"Another Unrecorded." Qui Lin said, feeling an uneasiness tinge into her. Because this was the second time in a row that she saw an Unrecorded Parabeast.

What she saw before her eyes, was a Parabeast which resembled a golem, a rock monster, which was in the shape of a desert spider. At first glance, one would assume it was completely made of rocks, but upon closer inspection, flesh-like tissues could be seen in the sections that made up the Parabeast's joints.

Qui Lin at once made the assumption that these joints were the Parabeast's weakness. But as though Judith was reading her mind, she spoke against it.

"The joints aren't its weak-spot. On the contrary, hitting that part would make the Parabeast…" Before Judith could complete her sentence, a lightning bolt had struck the joint, causing the Parabeast to crumble onto one of the buildings it was destroying, thereby completely obliterating the structure with its massive weight.

In this moment, Judith had gone from docile to agitated. She hadn't realize anyone would strike that spot so soon, which meant that whatever it was she was going to do, she had to do it now.

The Tethereds that were attacking the Parabeast all held their breath, as they waited and watched to see if the Parabeast was actually dead.

"You have to tell everyone to attack with water and only water." Judith said to Qui Lin, whilst keeping her gaze dead set on the Parabeast.

Qui Lin, in this moment, was frozen in place. Being told what to do was something she had never liked, but she beared it most of her life because the people that gave her orders could be counted on one hand.

So it was very noticeable for Qui Lin when someone, a lowly slave for that matter, was giving her orders. This did not sit right with Qui Lin, most especially because she felt this was no ordinary slave. No, she knew even, which is why Qui Lin's weariness of Judith had returned. This time, overturning to a roaring flame.

She knew she had to find out more about this slave, but now was not the time.

At once, Qui Lin turned her gaze from Judith, to the slew of Tethereds surrounding the Parabeast. She stepped forward, making her way toward them. When she had come within an appropriate distance to speak, she spoke in a loud tone to call everyone's attention.

"Everyone back away and begin another assault! Forgo your heavy hitting Alkalis for Water strikes instead!"

A little surprised by Qui Lin's sudden appearance, the Tethereds all did what she had instructed without wasting much time.

Judith took a few steps back, then, for no reason in particular, had looked over her shoulders. She wanted to ensure Tsai was not laying on the ground, but was successfully placed in a vortex which opened up in the maid's quarters.

Though she saw this happen before her very eyes, she couldn't help but feel the need to double check. As she was afraid that the captain would come back and finish her off.

Drawing her attention, was an enormous burst of water a couple of meters ahead.

She turned to the commotion and found the Tethereds were all attacking, doing as Judith had ordered. After the fifth strike, the Parabeast had awakened, and let out an enormous growl.

It at once turned its head full of a dozen eyes toward the location most filled with Tethereds. Then, with blinding speed, it had rammed into the Tethereds.

A gasp had escaped Judith when she saw this unfold before her very eyes. Or rather, she gasped when she saw the aftermath of what had just happened unfold before her very eyes. Because the Parabeast's speed was too much.

Angered by the realization this Parabeast was built for speed, she bit her lips, praying everything would go as planned.

She at once turned to the sight where the Parabeast had crashed into, with anxiousness becoming her for fear of the worst happening to the Tethereds. But to her relief, she found the Tethereds were all gone, leaving the space with crumbled debris void of any humans whatsoever.

Judith found all the Tethereds had all dispersed in different directions, and continued their assault of Water strikes. She kept a close eye on the Parabeast as it turned around, with such a slow pace one would assume the lightning quick Parabeast that rammed into them a few seconds prior was a completely different creature.

Judith stared at it closely, keeping her gaze toward the exposed part of its flesh hiding in the joints. And as Judith had feared, that part of the Parabeast began to glow and the water dripping into that section began to boil and turn to steam, so a small but steady cloud of steam rose above the Parabeast.

Feeling the tides of battle shifting in the wrong direction, Judith felt pressed on time, and proceeded to the next phase.

'Lady Qui Lin.' Judith had called out, utilizing the Mind Link Qui Lin had put on her just as she left to battle.

'What is it?' Qui Lin had asked, while striking the Parabeast with spheres of water she had summoned from the air. And since this type of attack was a crossbreed between offensive and defensive Alkalis, Qui Lin and the other Tethereds did not have to worry about Recoil.

Becoming distracted for a moment, Qui Lin almost missed the instant the spider-like Parabeast had rammed in her direction with the same blinding speed as before. Fortunately, Qui Lin had jolted to the side in time, but just halfway through her jump, still stuck midair, one of the Parabeast's front leg was speeding toward her, with its sharp tip aiming for her chest.