“Listen, Nashetania,” he said.
“To what?”
“I’m your ally.”
Nashetania giggled and pointed her sword at him. Its blade extended to pierce Adlet’s ear. “It’s far too late for that sort of nonsense.” Nashetania was smiling but regarded him as if he were vermin.
I didn’t know she was capable of an expression like that, thought Adlet. When they’d first met, she’d seemed so cheerful and lighthearted. But she was also a warrior worthy of being chosen as a Brave—of course she’d have fangs.
“You’re a fool,” she said. “If you had only surrendered and confessed, you could have had an easier death.”
“I’m not gonna confess to anything. I haven’t done a single thing wrong,” said Adlet. He knew she wasn’t going to listen.
She hadn’t been like this when they first met. She had been bubbly and fun. Chomping raw carrots and half-jokingly tossing blades at him. What had they talked about then? Oh, about the Brave-killer. He couldn’t have imagined that very killer would become one of his allies.
The Brave-killer. When Adlet remembered that word, something about it bothered him. But the flash of insight failed to take shape and instead instantly disappeared.
“It’s no use,” said Nashetania. “You won’t deceive me again. You hatched a plan to trick us. You fooled us all and even hurt us. It’s quite clear that you are the impostor.”
“I’m not lying. You’re the one getting tricked. The enemy is using you to try to kill me.” But she wasn’t listening. “I haven’t killed any of our allies,” he insisted. “I’m not scheming to trap everyone, either.”
Slowly, she pointed her blade at Adlet’s heart.
Can I block it? Adlet wondered. If he was lucky, he could probably survive. But Adlet’s arms were leaden. If he were to block this attack, then what? It would be the next attack that would kill him, then, or the one after that. Pain and exhaustion robbed him of his willpower.
I’m cold, he thought. I wonder why I’m so cold? Yesterday when I was traveling with Fremy, it was so hot.
“I’ve told you, you shan’t fool me anymore,” said Nashetania. The tip of her sword was level with his heart. Adlet wasn’t listening. He was just thinking about how cold he was. “You are the seventh,” she said. The blade extended.
Instantly, Adlet’s arms moved. He crossed them both in front of his body, thrusting them out between himself and the oncoming blade. He heard the sound of his flesh parting. His bones had blocked the blade. His left arm was broken, and the right had just barely stopped the attack. “…Cold?” he muttered.
“Don’t bother,” said Nashetania, piercing him deeper.
But Adlet pushed back. He shoved her sword back and to the side. Nashetania lost her balance, staggering. His left arm still impaled, Adlet stood and broke off the sword. Nashetania seemed bewildered by his sudden resistance.
“Sorry!” he yelled. He kicked off on Nashetania’s face with the sole of his boot. She released her sword, pressing her hands where the blow had landed. He took a second step on her face, thwacking her jaw with his heel, and then he turned and dashed away from her. Life had returned to his eyes. Why did I never notice? he wondered.
The answer had been right there in front of him. It had been so close, he felt pathetic for having failed to recognize it. The Phantasmal Barrier was cold.
“Ngh! I won’t let you get away!” she yelled after him.
Adlet used his mouth to extract the blade stuck in his arm. Nashetania was pursuing him, but Adlet ignored her and barreled forward. Blades came at him from the earth and the air, but he just plowed straight ahead, praying he wouldn’t be hit. He couldn’t prove his innocence here. If he wanted to do that, he had to run.
“Princess! Are you safe?” Distantly, Adlet heard Goldof’s voice. He could faintly see the silhouettes of Goldof and Mora within the fog. He could also see that Fremy was slung over Mora’s shoulder. She was struggling, trying to break free of Mora’s restraints.
Adlet was glad to see that Fremy was safe. She had fought well and had managed to survive. Now all Adlet had to do was solve the mystery of the seventh.
“Don’t worry about me! Follow Adlet!” Nashetania called back.
Goldof commenced his attack. He mowed down trees as he lunged with his spear. Adlet turned the thrust aside with his sword. Though he had avoided the strike, Goldof’s huge frame threw Adlet backward. Adlet was grateful for that. Goldof had propelled him in the direction he’d been heading anyway. At this point, sprinting was painful.
“Run!” Fremy yelled from where she lay slung on Mora’s back. She twisted her body, loosening her bonds just a bit so she could turn toward Goldof and Nashetania to fling a bomb. It slowed them down just a bit.
Adlet ran and ran. Finally, Goldof caught up to him and forced him to the ground. “This is as far as you go, Adlet,” he said.
Adlet had collapsed about ten minutes from the temple. The bodies of a few dozen fiends were lying in the area. The day before, when Adlet, Nashetania, Goldof, and Fremy had seen the fiends bombing the temple, the four of them had encountered and battled fiends on their way toward the building. Adlet had broken through their lines and gone ahead while Nashetania finished off the demons. This was where that battle had transpired.
“I’m sorry, Goldof. I was unable to finish him.” Nashetania jogged up to them.
“What are you talking about, Your Highness? You did a fine job running him down.” Goldof gripped Adlet even tighter, and the young warrior had no strength left to resist.
“You did well, Goldof. Kill him,” said Mora as she caught up to them, still holding Fremy.
“No! Stop! Please, Adlet! Get away!” On Mora’s shoulder, Fremy struggled.
“Your Highness, Lady Mora, rather than
