Faster, I have to run faster. Irene had taken off after Gallant once we all managed to regain our sight and both of them have disappeared into the SOPO station. Normally I would not be worried about this, since Irene is really strong, but something Ken's father said while she and Gallant were fighting really caught my attention.

Ken's father said that Gallant was just toying with Irene and could have finished her off whenever he wanted. The old man wrote the event off as Gallant being needlessly cruel, but I have a suspicion that its more than that. I think Gallant has plans for Irene and that was the reason why he suddenly broke away from the fight and fled into the station. He wanted to lure Irene away from the rest of us. I believe in Irene, I really do. But I think this is something she cannot deal with on her own.

The memory of Gallant tearing apart Ken's men at the Academy surfaces in my mind and I pick up the pace. Was that why Gallant wanted private time with Irene? So that he could let loose without anyone watching and interfering? I then recall the story of Gallant just shooting people in the street. Gallant at the very least is extraordinarily violent, holding back in a fight is something that is totally inconsistent with his MO.

I swallow hard and enter through the busted main door of the station. I hope I'm not too late. The sound of fighting in the distance encourages me. Good, Gallant has not won yet. I still have time to make a difference. Irene is still doing her best. I cannot let her down after all she has done for me.

When Master got herself badly hurt, Irene stepped up and continued my training. As my body guard, she did not need to do that. There was no reason for her to go so far to help me. I was nothing to her, we had no personal connection with each other. But Irene helped me anyway. Taught me, guided me, when there was no one else. I will probably never recognize her as my master, that role has already been taken, but my heart is not blind to all the effort and kindness Irene has lavished on me. I cannot repay Irene as her student, but I can protect her as a friend.

I rush down a corridor and the sound of fighting gets louder. I stop at a bend in the corridor and cautiously peek around the corner. The sound of fighting is close, and my ears do not lie. Just around the bend is Irene swinging her sword at Gallant, carving out chunks of the wall as Gallant dodges out of the way. Irene looks exhausted but her eyes are bright with determination. Gallant on the other hand has a frustrated and annoyed expression on his face. He tears out a railing from the wall next to him and swings it at Irene in a wide arc. Irene easily shuffles backward, avoiding the makeshift club and counters with a powerful slash of her own, cleaving the railing into two. Gallant dives backwards, gripping the sling bag he has with him. I hear rattling coming from the bag. Gallant probably does not want whatever is inside the bag to be damaged from moving around too quickly.

I didn't see that bag on Gallant while he was fighting Irene outside the station. Is that the real reason why Gallant ran? He wants to do something in the station with whatever is inside the bag? I unconsciously breathe out a sigh of relief. I had been over imagining things. Irene may still be in danger, but its not as horrific as I had guessed.

Gallant abruptly tilts his head to the side as if he is listening to something and nods to himself. He then adopts a silly pose, something you would see in a superhero cartoon, while reaching into that trench coat that makes him look like a pervert. I recognize this move from just now, Gallant is about to throw one of his flash bombs. Irene gets the same idea and quickly averts her eyes from whatever Gallant is doing. I get the hint as well and press myself against the wall with my eyes shut tight.

Instead of the flash bomb's explosion, I hear a solid thump and a groan rising from Irene. Gallant's smug, obnoxious voice fills the corridor, "That's just a bean bag by the way. Don't know why you're closing your eyes because of something like that."

I hear Irene drawing in a deep breath as Gallant keeps talking, "Now this, this is a flash bang. Enjoy."

An earsplitting noise tears through the corridor and my mind goes white. As the noise dies down, leaving a ringing behind in my ears, I peek around the wall again and see Irene stumbling blindly about. Gallant stands where he is, taunting her, "Its over. Time to wrap things up, eh?"

No. Not if I have anything to say about it. I focus my spirit and flare my core. Claws grow from my hands and I sprint out from where I am hiding, straight towards Gallant's back.

And the wind is knocked right out of me as Gallant whirls about and punches me in the stomach. I am slammed against the wall and Gallant's fist pins me there, leaving me unable to move. Black spots begin to form behind my eyes.

"Didn't you hear me Hero?" Gallant asks, "I said its over."

He knew. He knew all along that I have been here. But Gallant's wrong. Its not over. Not while I still breathe. My core burns and molten strength flows throughout my body. Its happening again, my core is strengthening on its own accord, allowing me to perform another breakthrough. I just need a moment to gather my newfound strength and -

The sole of Gallant's shoe drives into my face, forcing my entire head through the wall. Even though my strength keeps increasing, I can't use it as my vision starts to blur. My thoughts become muddy as Gallant removes his foot from my face and I slump to the floor. Help. Someone, please help.

"Amazing, I slapped Hero man about for just a bit and he's already gotten stronger." Gallant comments as my consciousness fades. Laughing at the vanquished? You're low.

"Those enhancements you supplied the Hero with are really quite something." Gallant continues as he turns away from me, "His core output shot up just like that."

What? What are you talking about? Are you saying you know something about my spirit core? I try to focus on Gallant but my mind remains painfully slow. The only thing I notice is an earpiece plugged into Gallant's right ear. He's not taunting me. Gallant is talking to someone else through the earpiece. Someone who knows about my condition.

"Don't start with that senpai bullying kouhai bullshit." Gallant complains as he walks away, "If anything, Hero man is the senpai here. He got his enhancements first, remember?"

You know. You know about my condition, why my spirit core gets stronger without warning. And we have some kind of connection. Do we share the same problem? So come back. Tell me everything. I beg you. Please.

Its useless though, no sound escapes from my lips, and darkness overtakes me.

....

"Tensei, wake up." a voice urgently pulls me from my stupor.

I groggily open my eyes and see Irene cradling me in her arms. She gently shakes me to get the cobwebs out of my eyes, but that kick from Gallant really messed me up good. I just can't seem to focus.

Irene frowns, "You can't walk in this condition. Its alright, I'll take things from here." Irene holds me in a princess carry and begins running down the corridor back towards the station's entrance. I hear a loud explosion coming from somewhere beneath us and the entire building begins to shake. Irene grits her teeth and runs for all she is worth.

Sunlight, I see sunlight. That means we are close to the building's entrance. Irene takes a deep breath for the final sprint but part of the ceiling collapses, blocking our path. The corridor behind us erupts into flame, leaving us with no way to backtrack. Trapped. We are completely trapped. The building begins to shake again and masonry falls all around us.

Irene kneels on the ground and holds me tight. "Its alright" she says, as she channels the last remnants of her magic, augmenting her physical resilience. She then embraces me fulsomely, covering every inch of my body with hers, as the flames edge closer. My head is pressed against her chest, and I smell the sweet scent of womanhood alongside the acrid stench of the fire.

Stop this. I am not worth it. I want to scream and shake Irene back to her senses, but she just holds on to me tighter as the flames hungrily lap towards us.

My hand blindly quests about looking for a tiny bit of reassurance. Irene grabs it and squeezes, and as our fingers and bodies interlock, the sky falls, ending everything.

...

"Something happened that was not supposed to happen." The Voice rasps in alarm.

"Uh, ok?" I say while dusting myself off. Soot just gets everywhere, I am going to need a shower later. "Does it generate instability at least?" I ask.

"More than both Fate and myself can handle." The Voice sighs resignedly.