I dash furiously, the corridor flying by ahead. Our way is clear, fortunately, even though we do pass by necrofires. The reason is soon evident.

We burst into another wide open chamber. This one has a stagnant water trench around the outside. In the midst of this, stairs rise on all four sides to a higher level, flatten, and then rise once more to a top level. It reminds of a Mayan pyramid set underground, in grey stone. Each level has dotted sarcophagi and pillars holding up the ceiling, though there is a shaft-like skylight here as well, through which eerie lunar light watches the proceedings.

But the highlight is of course, our friend, the skull beast. It is... for better description, a skeletal praying mantis, as ludicrous as that sounds, with strong bone legs, wings of flittering black fire, and giant fore-scythe like appendages.

It roars in fury as the scythes repeatedly slam against a quivering wall of light urgently held up by a crouching woman with an outstretched hand who is stood protectively in front of another fallen young woman.

The stood up woman could indeed pass for Rishya if she were five years older or such. Long puffy golden twin-tails, and a majestic multi-layered navy blue robe that in no way covers a voluptuous hourglass figure with impressively large bosom. Though the squinted eyes are green, not red.

As we dash in, it’s easy to tell her barrier of light is already cracked furiously, like a crumpled pane of glass.

With a final triumphant double slam from the scythes, the skull beast makes the barrier explode, and the girl is blown backwards, crumpling over the crouched body of her compatriot, making them both roll into a pile together.

"YUUUUZUUU!!" Rishya screams. I guess that confirms that. Small world, huh?

Fortunately, the barrier still did its job to the last, halting the momentum of the beasts swing. It still has to reach back once more to make the kill.

Can I reach in time?

It feels as though things slow down. I dash forwards, lighting a vial. It's too far. Over forty metres!

Well, Power Throw. I guess I'll have to trust you.

I screech up next to a sarcophagi and stop with a huge spin like I'm winding up for the shot-putt.

As my view rotates, out of the corner of my eye, I briefly spot a tanned young girl with fiery red hair cowering behind the sarcophagus next to me. Her gauntleted arm hangs loose like Kiku's did earlier, and blood covers her face.

No time for that. I let loose. It's very strange. All of my muscles tense up in an instant, painfully, and I can almost sense the crazy bullshit power that runs up my arm.

Make it!

The vial is projected forwards like a damn bullet from a sling. It actually cracks and bursts into flame mid-air, and just before the skull beasts wing, unleashes its pent up fury.

KRAAAKOOMMM!!

It worked. Holy shit!

The skull beast, hit from side, is actually blown aside from the shockwave, crashing down from the top level. Part of its left wing disintegrates.

The two are saved for now, at least. Their tangled up blonde and dark brown hair whips around a bit, and if they're conscious I likely gave them some temporary blindness or something. But hey, lives!

Aria, Kiku and Kaede dash by me.

It reminds me it's not over, and I stop gawking. This thing is still barely scratched.

As if to answer my thoughts, an ear piercing roar echoes in the chamber. How is a skeleton able to roar?

The beast leaps from the mid-level, its huge skull creaking around to assess the new threat. It really does resemble some kind of massive insect, though the actual skull feels like it was pulled from a giant bull, and the rear end evokes a lizard like tail. Seriously a bone chimera. Scary.

Kiku, Kaede and Aria ignore it briefly, running to the other passed out girls. At a serious dash, Aria hands her spear aside for Kaede to hold, crouches and retrieves Yuuzu and the brown haired girl simultaneously on both shoulders with an ugly sounding grunt.

It looks absolutely absurd, this little barely teen girl hoisting two grown women over her shoulders like sacks of potatoes. But hey, she is not super-strong for nothing.

The beast realises quickly that this is a rescue operation, and roars once more in fury, tensing to make a jump again with its strong legs.

But before it can move, I feel anticipation in my stomach, the air becomes intense, and with a crackle, a fork of lightning drops from the ceiling and slams into the beast. The explosive impact slams it into the ground with a dust raising 'boom!'.

Seria and Rishya sidle up to me. Residual electricity crackles around Seria from the excited thunder spirits around her, and Rishya urgently eyes Aria running towards us whilst carrying her burden. She looks up at me wide eyed.

"Y-you... you saved her..." Rishya smiles radiantly.

"Not quite yet... we still have to fight." I reply.

I smile and she nods with a determined expression, blushing quite furiously.

Rishya then notices the girl nearby me, and I also remember her. I turn and reach my hand down to her.

"We're here to help, miss. Are you okay?" I say.

She has an incredulous expression and wide eyes as if she has trouble processing what is going on.

But suddenly, staring into my eyes, she grins a massive shit-eating grin, and using her unbroken, gauntleted arm, forcibly grabs my outstretched hand with a squeeze that makes me gasp.

"Pah nannakvastoris!!" She exclaims.

Translation function-san actually has a delay that I've not heard since I first arrived. But a millisecond later...

"My destined one!!"

Oh fuck.