Wrath of the Extra-Chapter 36: Entrance Exam XVI

Cossa spasms on Valeria’s shoulder like a world-record fish.

I draw my sword as we exit the top of the firewatch tower. Endangered has gone haywire once more—I no longer have Sunshine-pilled, but who gives a fuck. I’ll stop being a pussy, grit my teeth, and get on with it.

I lead the way down the stairs, with Valeria lugging Cossa behind me.

A single masked attacker meets us halfway. We stand locked. Frozen.

"Lo, fellow Mateiko," I lower my sword tip and nod. "We have captured the target. Please make way."

"You.... um," his demeanor is frightened and spastic. "The Mad Raven said... that you all are enemies now."

"She did?" I turn my head back to Valeria. "Hear that? Leara betrayed us."

Valeria’s face sinks. "Are you... did she really?"

"No moron!" I yell. "These guys are full of shit!"

I turn back to the masked attacker, who, thinking I’ve lowered my guard, tries to stab me with his short sword.

Everyone around me is just utterly retarded. Nicklas, Cossa, Valeria, the masked attacker, and even Nicklas again, all just complete morons.

Of course, it was a bluff! A fake opening. The only manual I have is for parrying after all, and I’m clearly superior mentally to every mouth-breathing maniac around. These are my only base weapons, and this chump is fodder.

I slip the attack, thrusting my sword in response to the gambler’s overreach.

KRRR. SLICE.

Metal brushes against metal as my parry slides against the flat of his blade before digging into his hand.

"Argh!" the attacker stumbles down a step, dropping his sword and reaching for his hand—now missing a finger or two.

An Empowered boot to the chest launches the defenseless attacker backward.

CLANG.

His back collides heavily, creating a massive depression in the metal railing.

It’s so powerful and at such a severe angle that the remaining momentum sends him tumbling down a story and a half.

Shit. Did I just kill another student? Whatever, not enough time to figure it out. He’s definitely eliminated, though.

Our footsteps patter slowly amidst the blistering noise of spells, shouting, and melee fighting

Valeria follows, Cossa limp over her shoulder like a sack of iron pride. The collar buzzes against her back every few steps; he twitches, stubborn even in sleep.

Boots clatter below. Two masks barrel up, swords high, the kind of overeager that gets you killed. More morons for the slaughter.

I let the first man’s blade ride down mine—same way as the first.

I feel the panic in his wrists as I slide and bite. More fingers come off neatly. I’m very egalitarian, but I hope being the ’Taker of Fingers’ doesn’t become my schtick.

It really is amazing how more well-tutored noble bastards can fall for the same, simple, one-star Manual parry. As I’ve said in the past, everything just works out for me.

Then comes the second. He’s just as clueless as the first, whom after having his fingers removed, dramatically pinwheels backward into his eager friend.

Together, they jam the stairwell like bad plumbing. I pluck him in the stomach with my sword—both protection Artifacts activate.

Smoke is already pushing up from below as we continue to descend, a filthy river that stings the eyes and tastes like burning cloth and greasy oil. Endangered scrapes its nails along my ribs. Every footfall feels loud; every metal groan is a scream.

We push through.

The tower’s legs spit us back into chaos—tents collapsing, spell sparks spiraling, defenders yelling themselves hoarse.

Someone’s set up a crossfire of weak but rapid spells. Balls of yellow heat bloop past. A thick blue lash cracks a tent ridgepole in half. Arrows clatter uselessly into stakes or go limp as they hit the ground.

A defender recognizes Valeria and makes the worst decision of his short life. The girl sees her carrying Cossa and goes apeshit.

The idiot actually charges Valeria Drysdale. Even one-handed, charging this beastial woman is actually the bravest, daftest action ever taken.

Valeria bares teeth and plants her free fist into the side of the charging girl’s skull, snapping a neck hard enough that the rest of the body forgets how to move—perhaps permanently. The Bloody Wolf spits on the girl’s unconcious body for good measure.

It seems both the attacker’s and defender’s see us as enemies. The ’Mateiko’ attackers who continue to bellow out the most robotically contrived pro-Mateiko chants are obviously Landeskog stooges, and therefore attack us.

Meanwhile the defenders, Cossa’s crew, see us stealing their leader and rightfully turn their anger onto us. A few spells and arrows diverge, but we have some distance and are on the move.

A masked attacker comes to meet me. More fodder to walk into me, the walking, breathing Human meat churning machine.

I dip through a thrust, letting Empower flood my forearm, and kiss the outside of the knee with the blade’s flat. Not even a full swing, yet it’s still enough to turn his legs into question marks.

I’m down to 66% of my total Essence. Empowered is greedy, which is why I really need alternatives. But still, it’s powerful, and Tremors, well, that’ll turn me into a mass murderer.

A defender sneaks up behind us and reaches for Cossa.

Valeria heel‑kicks like a horse, sending the would‑be hero into a lone water barrel. For half a heartbeat, it’s funny.

An arrow snaps in, mean and fast. It smacks my left arm with a dull metal sound. I nearly shit myself. The shaft jumps away in two pieces.

Soulsteel prosthetic arm, motherfucker. Bless you, Shiela, the incredibly attractive cat-lady prosthetic engineer.

In the meantime, we rush to take some cover behind a burning shed.

"Take him," Valeria say, suddenly and flat, amidst the chaos.

"What?"

Valeria tosses Cossa into my arms like a sack of potatoes. Well, potatoes for her. More like tungsten for me.

"Now run," she growls, stepping past me, "I’ll open things up. You’re too slow. Too passive."

"Too passive? I’m destroying these bastards left right and center..." I mutter, but she’s already gone—now she’s transformed into a crimson storm ripping through canvas and flesh.

I shoulder Cossa and move, watching Valeria for an opening.

I can only hope she stays true to her worthless word.