blueteamnovel 136. Hearts at War
136. Hearts at War
136. Hearts at War
“So you’re aware of how they’re made!?” Frost charged at him, sending her Touch of Golds to wrap her six-armed nemesis.
He simply stood there nonchalantly. Almost mockingly, knowing that no matter what they did he would remain unharmed.
No matter how hard she squeezed or strangled his body it did not break. Not even his fingers could be moved.
Such was the unfairness of the Invulnerability Condition.
“I wonder. But you would know, Amalgam! We are aware that people can become them. People like us are damned to these incomplete forms, never allowed to reach our full potential. Something in this world artificially hampers the growth of all but the Blessed! But that won’t matter soon enough!”
Their attacks were utterly useless against him. An impenetrable veil surrounded his body, absorbing the attacks as he hummed melodically to himself.
However, this did not mean he could escape. So long as Frost held onto him then he was entirely at her mercy. She dragged him into biting distance and began to gnaw at his face. Fear instantly engulfed him for a moment.
For only a split second he thought Frost had somehow gotten through his invulnerable spell.
< [Gushing!] >
“Isn’t it about time now, my Herring friend!? The Train Core will soon bring us to the gates of the Golden Index! They will all fall! Carpalis is truly a pacifist fool. But she is the greatest threat to us. We can thank our friends at... Hmhmhm. Almost slipped up! Even if we perish, we will forever return! IT IS FUTILE, AMALGAM!”
Frost dragged him along the marble floors, trying to crack him open like a stubborn nut. In the meantime, the others split up in search of the Train Core. The Bloody Herring was guaranteed to possess it, and with Jury’s speed, he’d stand no chance against them.
Also... She noticed something strange. Leitmotif spoke involuntarily whenever they were hit with [Gushing!]. It seemed like even he was afflicted by the Heart of Ours, as if threatening to overtake his own.
It may explain why he refrained from using [Aspirating Aspirations]. For someone invulnerable like him, she imagined that his exposure to pain was severely limited.
He was a coward.
“WHERE IS THE TRAIN CORE!?” Frost demanded, throwing him along the audience stands. Like a giant chain, she pulled him around in a massive circle, obliterating nearly every pillar along the way.
“I’d refrain from destroying my humble auditorium if I were you! You might injure an innocent dove!”
“SANA!?” Cer cried. “She’s alive!? FROOOOOST! RIP HIS LEGS OFF! HE HAS A HEALER STOWED AWAY SOMEWHERE!”
“Why do you have a healer!? Was she fun being tortured as an Instrument!?” Frost drew him back, clutching onto his throat with both hands as her vision turned red.
“No need for torture. But she sang quite beautifully. I wonder if you’d make a similar voice! That heavy masculine curtain you drape yourself with will be unveiled, you female dog! ANY MOMENT NOW HERRING! HERRING!?”
“I’d love to hear what sort of voice you’d make. Use your Aspirating Aspirations. Or are you scared of getting hurt!?” Frost taunted, salivating not at the thought of devouring him, but at his suffering.
No... his Nex. She wondered how much Nex someone like him would give.
“I’ll start from your legs and work my way to your head. Or maybe I’ll peel you like an apple. Take your time to think about it while you’re in that little bubble of yours.” She purposefully sewed fear into his heart.
“HEEERING!? THE TRAIN CORE!? IT SHOULD NOT BE TAKING THIS LONG! THEY ARE ALREADY HERE!”
Frost didn’t know if this was a bluff or not, but there seemed to be some sort of conflict between him and his partner in crime. The Bloody Herring alluded to disobeying a certain plan, which was no doubt their invasion of the Golden Index.
She was highly cautious of this considering the last time she followed through; she was baited into having a piece of her history stolen.
Still, it was oddly satisfying to see some semblance of fear seep through his invulnerability. She continued to swing him around like a flail, eventually tearing through the ceiling of the auditorium.
< [Shattered Dreams] >
She didn’t know why she even bothered speaking to him in the first place. This was how he truly felt. Everything was her fault all because of one falsely interpreted text. Her feathers ruffled as if beating like a shaken heart.
Leitmotif was unredeemable.
< [Shattered Dreams] >
< [Shattered Dreams] >
< [Shattered Dreams] >
“HERRING! HURRY IT UP!”
“DESTROY THE STAR! That’s – That’s the tether! It’s what’s keeping everyone connected to him! Please... Please hurry!”
Suddenly, a voice then broke out from seemingly nowhere
It was neither the Bloody Herring’s voice nor anyone Frost knew. But from the faces of the triplets, she realized that this voice undoubtably belonged to the missing healer.
It was Sana, and without warning, her body convulsed as she entered a screaming fit.
“YOU MUST NOT! DO NOT DESTROY THIS ASPIRATION OF MINE OR I’LL KILL HER –!”
“Don’t... DON’T WORRY. I won’t die. I won’t die! I won’t die!” Sana could only repeat these words as she clutched at her throat, appearing from one of the pillars, struggling to breathe.
Frost was not so stupid to leave Sana behind.
She snatched the girl and cradled her in a nest of Touch of Golds, keeping her close to Ponea as she instantly flung herself towards the light. She also tried brining Leitmotif along, but an unknown force kept him locked to his auditorium, likely due to him being the Host of the Heart of Ours.
The tendon that was wrapped along Sana’s neck was severed, allowing her to breathe normally as Cer, Ber and Res entered the glowing nest.
They were elated beyond words to see that Sana was ok.
“Sana!” Res exclaimed.
“Train healer!” Ber smiled.
“Remember us from that train trip!? Guess this is our way of saying thanks for the coin!” Cer grinned.
“You... You... It’s you...” Sana nearly burst into tears, seeing familiar faces in her unfamiliar hell.
Ignis cut herself free from her construct, following suit now that they had a definite way of taking Leitmotif down in one fell swoop.
Sana wouldn’t lie.
As a healer, they were incapable of lying. From this truth alone Frost entrusted everything in this final stretch as they climbed the spire to reach that false star.
It was time to put an end to Leitmotif once and for all.
Then, it would be the Bloody Herring’s turn.
“HEEEEERIIIIIING!”
Leitmotif disgustingly shrieked at the disappearance of his closest aid.