Harrowing Plan.

I knew I had to do something.

BANG!

That soon became obvious. It soon became clear.

"....."

As the rising flame unit continued to dwindle in number, the nightmare creature carving its way through their ranks, and as Tatiana somehow, miraculously, became capable of taking on the Tyrant- due to some heaven-defying miracle, I will call it.

It all became glaringly clear that I had to act.

Truly, emotions were the most powerful asset in man's possession.

***

Crack! Kra Kaa!!

The ground beneath Tatiana caved in widely, shockwaves undulating outward in a violent burst of energy, and with a strong outburst of her athletic feet, she rapidly inched closer to the nightmarish creature still inducing a wave of carnage and terror in its wake.

With the madness negating the dreadful, haunter abilities of the tyrant. It was literally no different from a normal tyrant- if a bit stronger. Along with the death of the Napoleon warriors- who charged headlong towards the monster, almost without a care for their lives.

At this point, I even doubted they had that in mind.

Their mind had long been consumed by rage and all they wanted was its death.

All they wanted was the death of the monster who had taken everything away from them.

With their help, albeit barely, Tatiana stood a chance.

…Though I knew that wouldn't last for long.

At the end of the day, I still had to do something.

"Huff…Huff…"

Taking in the views of my surroundings.

'What can I do… Something… I gotta do something. But what…?'

Just as desperation slowly crept in.

Clench.

Just as it slowly ignited within me.

Click-!

It vanished just as it came.

And then-

Thump… Thump…

A dark smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

Pieces and fragments of an idea slowly crept into my mind, each piece fixing into each other, until, before long-

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

They slowly came together to form a-

My smile widened.

Harrowing plan.

***

Thump… Thump…

Without as much of a second thought, I lunged towards the runic binding chains.

Standing before them, my heart pounded in my chest as I coiled the chains around my arms.

Clang-! Clang-!

Then, without an ounce of hesitation, I plunged into the endless darkness before me.

Step~ Step~

Each step I took sent tremors rippling through my chest, each stride drawing me closer to the tyrant.

"Huff…Huff…"

I surged past the young soldier, each knock of his arrow piercing through the Tyrant's impenetrable hide.

In the blink of an eye, I was already far ahead- but not without leaving a few parting words behind:

"Give it your best shot!"

My voice was barely audible over the cacophony of ear piercing shrieks and the endless cries that cut through the dark night.

But-,

Thump. Thump.

I was certain it was more than enough.

***

The young soldier closed his eyes, and then-

Click-!

They snapped open.

Zzzzrrr~

For the briefest moment, a crimson glow flickered in his gaze. A cold, expressionless look crept across his face as his grip tightened around the bow.

Ba- dump! Ba- dump!

Silently, with his heart pounding violently against his chest, he lifted the bow towards the sky and-

Whooosh-!

With a sharp twang, a brilliant crimson arrow tore through the void, a streak of light in the endless darkness.

"Huff…Huff…"

His breaths came ragged and uneven as he nocked the second arrow.

And then-

"Hu… Hu..."

His vision blurred.

Clench~

Biting his lower lips, he staggered, his body wavering.

But with a flicker of determination burning in his chest, he let loose the final arrow.

***

Each arrow struck the nightmarish creature with deadly precision. Blood splattered through the air as the tyrant let out a loud, blood-curdling shriek- One that rattled my skull and drowned out all other sounds.

'Perfect!'

Still running, I took in the harrowing sight before me.

To be honest, I hadn't expected such a level of skill from the young soldier. I only wanted him to do his best- to increase the chances of achieving my goal.

But, the young soldier instead, outdid himself, and exceeded all expectations.

'Makes you wonder where he kept all those juice.'

For a brief moment, ny gaze snapped towards him.

Blood dripped from the corner of his lips, staining the cold floor, as he collapsed onto his knees.

Thud-!

'Guess that explains it.'

I noted.

…The aftermath of using such a powerful strike was finally catching up to him.

But I could care less about that.

Step~ Step~

Arriving at a considerably safe distance, I hurled the runic binding chains forward with every ounce of strength left within me.

Whoosh-! Clang-!

The runic chains arced through the cold, night sky, every single moment they lingered in the air- every single second, felt like an eternity to me. Perhaps even longer.

Ba- dump. Ba- dump.

As though realizing what I was trying to do.

Tatiana- the last Napoleon warrior still standing- rammed into the tyrant's hind legs.

With but sheer force, she succeeded in throwing it off its feet.

Then, without as much as an ounce of hesitation, she activated her titan's grip and-,

Clench!

She latched onto the beast, crushing it with every last bit of strength she had left.

Fueled by the madness and insanity still burning furiously within her chest, she tightened her grip, squeezing as though her very life depended on it.

She tightened her grip around it, just in time for-

Clang-!

The runic binding chains to easily coil around both of them.

And then-

"Now. Kill it…!!"

It came.

Her desperate cry shattered the silence.

What a mad woman.

I thought, but considering what she had been through, I guess it was called for.

Still, I couldn't afford to be sentimental. Not now.

What needed to be done... had to be done.

"Huff… Huff…"

Regaining my senses, I rolled forward and grabbed a spear. My hand tightened around it.

But just then, my breath froze-

Clang-! Clang-!

The Tyrant was on the verge of breaking free from the grasp of the runic binding chains and the irritating ant holding onto it.

'Crap!'

A cold glint flickered in my eyes as I hurled the spear forward with every ounce of strength left within me.

Zzzzrrr~

The spear pierced through the darkness at a breathtaking speed before easily piercing through the tyrant and

…Tatiana.

Thud-! Thud-!

They both dropped onto the ground with a loud thud.

***

But-

Even as she took her last breath. I felt them. I saw them.

The faint sense of relief. The glee. The liberation.

In that moment, they all overflowed from her.

Drip-! Drip-!

Tears dripped onto the cold floor beneath her. The sound, unheard within the endless dark.

A weak, fragile smile tugged at the corner of her lips as-

'I did it. I did it guys… I avenged you all. I-I avenged us...'

She collapsed onto the blood-soaked ground with a loud crashing thud, tears streaming down the corner of her eyes.

Relief, fleeting yet soothing, coursed through every fiber of her being—like the final sigh after a long-fought battle,

Both liberating and bittersweet.