Chương 46: You're Not Mad?

Ch. 46: You're Not Mad?

"You're not mad at them?" I asked her, clenching my fists, "Tell me you're joking."

"I'm not mad, Drake," She said, as a slight tear fell down the welt under her eye. I was mad. I fumed on her behalf. The Toyota Tundra crashed down on the unsuspecting leonids. Nelo did not waste any time. She turned heel and booked it away from the pillar of light and back to the dismayed planetarium where the unconscious Kayla awaited. As opposed to normal spells costing a set of mana, her class bonus was called 'Modulate' and it allowed her to cast spells at different levels.

She was able to cast her healing at three different levels: Lesser, Average, and Greater, and she used modulation to temper every Gallant Strike she used… saving it for the chance to heal Kayla. Greater healing, Nelo thought as she scanned the mana bar at the top left of her screen, I have just enough mana for it. As Nelo ran back to the entrance, the Toyota Tundra rumbled behind her. It slowly lifted up, the four lions pushing it with their hands above their heads.

It rose until they were all standing, save Oku, the shorter one.

"On the count of three, pride! One! Two…" Nelo allowed herself a smile. She had turned the tide of battle. Four Charlie-class enemies, known, not just for their strength, but their team work and intelligence, and she had gotten the drop on them. Literally. And she had just enough mana for a greater healing. Nelo leapt up the steps, seeing Kayla. Her positivity had bounced back and she was on her way, before getting hit square in the back by the 2 and a half ton truck.

It slammed her into the ground before turning and crashing into one of the columns. The column's top broke. It detached from the ceiling and leaned forward perilously. Nelo laid out on the ground. She attempted to push herself up, but the pain in her body was too great. Her head turned and when her head was in too much pain to turn further, her eyes traveled the rest of the way. The four leonids were walking toward her with satisfied, hungry looks on their faces.

"The meat is almost done cooking, my brothers," Folus snarled, "She is losing her will."

"I know what you want," Nelo said, "I know… and I refuse." Nelo knew that she could not take on the leonids herself. She knew that if she used the greater healing on herself instead of Kayla, they would both die. She knew too if she didn't use the healing on herself, then they would both die as well. Nelo if she did not use the healing on herself, she would die. She also knew that if she did not use the healing on Kayla, then they would both die. The four leonids continued to step toward her.

Did it even do a dent!? Did the truck slow them down at all!? Certainly slowed me down. Penelope chuckled to herself, her cheek nestled into the ground. She lifted her fingers and stared at them. Twirling them. I refuse. Nelo used her ring that allowed her to cast half spells and cast half a greater healing on herself. Shallow cuts and bruises sealed. Internal bleeding stopped temporarily. Some of the heavier lacerations were mended to a point. Her energy became temporarily restored.

Nelo placed her hands on the ground and pushed herself up. Folus laughed, "My, she does have some fight in her. She's proving a harder bone to break! But let us try our best, shall we?" Folus said the last line slathered in a feigned struggle. He and his crew bound toward her. Penelope picked up her shield and jumped backwards. Her back felt the hard metal of the flipped over truck. Folus was in front of her quickly, throwing out a speedy jab. Nelo barely dodged out of the way.

The fist slammed against the hard metal, leaving a huge hole. He did it again, she stuck her shield up, and tucked out of the way. The punch slid along the shield and landed another hole in the vehicle. The three joined their leader immediately. They clawed at her, over and over again. Her shield was starting to suffer bad damage. She pushed her weapon, feeling the spike vaguely hit one of their abdomens, then side-hopped to the right. Penelope threw a wild kick behind her, breaking the glass of the upturned truck.

She grabbed the wheel and swung inside. The four leonids crowded the truck.

"I know what you want!" Nelo yelled as she maneuvered through the seats, "I know you want me to break! I refuse!" Oku poked his head in and snarled. She slammed him with her shield two, three, four times. The fifth time, he placed his hand on the shield and pushed it away, he managed to nip her on the shoulder. Penelope placed her thumb in his eye. He yelped as she pushed him off of her. Another leonid was circling the other window. She bear-crawled to the back seat.

Nelo ripped open the window leading to the truck bed. Since it had been flipped, it existed as a metal lean-to. Or in the young healer's case, a metal bunker. Nelo pulled into the bunker before Snir grabbed onto her foot. He pulled her, she grabbed the window frame to avoid being pulled in. She used her other foot to kick him, one of the haphazard jabs landing on his nose. He let go. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Nelo centered herself as the four leonids clawed at her. Between Snir and Ponzo, she could see Kayla's unconscious body, resting amongst the scattered metal balls.

"I can't break! I need to save her!" Folus had the longest arm. He reached in and managed to grab Nelo by the head. He bent her face toward him, savoring the expression Nelo was making. His long claw raked along her cheek, causing a big cut that bled onto his hand.

Nelo had bangs when she first started going into the pits. Her auburn hair covered her forehead and she had not yet developed the darkened circles under her eyes from late shifts champing, or studying for nursing exams. On her first expedition, I asked her, "You're not scared? She shook her head and smiled before saying, "I'm glad I get to be the one who helps clear out the dungeons."

"The stuff down there could kill you."

"More importantly it could kill other people. You remember what happened in San Jose." I flinched at that and said, "It's not'more important.' Don't say it's 'more important' that other people can't die. That shit pisses me off. See, this is why you need protection. You're going to go out there and act too selflessly."

"You think you'd fare better? You weren't touched at all, tough guy."

"Tell me about it. And I hear about what you guys are getting paid. Woof."

"There's a new program they're starting. It's for people who think they could do it without being touched. You just need a magic weapon."

"The thing you can only get in the pits? Perfect."

"If I find one, I'll give it to you. No biggie." I let out a deep breath, almost too proud to thank her. But not honorable enough to do it with my full chest. I let out a deflated, "Thanks." Then after a bit of silence said, "You don't get tired of this?" She shook her head.

"You should be miserable. You should be mad. Your parents are constantly relying on you to help with your sisters. You're basically raising them." Penelope kept smiling, "I'm not mad."

"You're never mad. You weren't even mad when those four guys beat the tar out of you."

"You're mad on my behalf."

"No, seriously."

"I refuse."

"You refuse what?"

"I refuse!" Nelo took the fingers Folus had wrapped around her face. She stood up as much as she could in the bed of the truck. The Folus reached with an overhand, so this caused him to lose balance on the other side of the truck.

"He's getting stronger!" She cried. Now, Folus' arm was bent at an awkward angle. His wrist bent up but it gave him no leverage to hold a grip. She pried his fingers off and kicked him in the bicep. Then she took her shield as he tried to grab her again and pushed his arm up again, jacking him further into the ground.

"Lift this thing off!" Folus cried. The truck was partially lodged on the broken column. They grabbed the bed and pulled, but it proved more difficult. The more they yanked, the more the column tilted toward the center. Kayla's unconscious body was in the direct trajectory of the precarious column. While the four were distracted with the truck, Nelo skirted past them toward Kayla. She slid on her knees and landed right in front of her.

"She's the only one!" Penelope cried as she cast her half-greater healing and placed her hand on Kayla. I can't follow him where he's going! But she can. The dimly glowing hand rested on Kayla. It sealed up open wounds. It, presumably, helped with internal bleeding. It certainly slowed any profuse bleeding… but Kayla did not come to. Penelope stared at Kayla's unconscious body plainly. She picked Kayla up in her arms and lightly slapped her face, "You need to wake up. You need to wake up! Please."

The column was no longer tilting. It was falling. It began its weighty descent right down on Nelo and Kayla.

"Who else is going to heal that rude asshole?" She asked, just as her sparkle had been dimmed. Nelo closed her eyes and thought about the first time I found out about the boys who bullied her.

"You're not mad at them? Tell me you're joking."

"I'm not mad, Drake." The boys the bullied her did not get the message the first time. They went back and roughed her up even worse. I stared at her face, covered in welts and bruises. Injured, tired, and physically defeated, Nelo closed her eyes and despite everything, hoped things would be okay. She cringed as she heard a loud slam of the column falling onto something, but it did not crush her." Tell me who did it."

"W-what?" Her focus was fading. But that sound did not come from her memories.

"Tell me who did it, Nelo." I said. She looked up, her pointless ultimate move had called my attention. I held the column up with one, shaky hand as I stared at the leonids with hatred in my heard. I didn't realize it but I repeated the same thing I had told her that day.

"Tell me who did it so I can hurt them the most."