SHIELA ELLIS:

She kept standing in front of me, that beautiful elf.

Even though the arrows kept piercing her lovely slim body.

Over and over again.

So tiny.

So brave.

I should be the one protecting her, but she wouldn’t let me.

I tried telling her to move, saying she was blocking my shot, but—

She tried.

I saw her raise her arm.

She desperately tried to let it hit her instead.

Really, what a nice, sweet girl she is!

How self-sacrificing!

The arrow pierces my neck.

I don’t feel it right away.

Instead I notice my hands as my spell fails.

The magic power burns my hands.

More magic than I used!

How?

My hands become black charred bones.

OH GODDESS!

THE PAIN!

IT HURTS!

Blood sprays out, so much blood!

My blood!

My hands!

My neck!

Can’t focus-

Falling-

I’m so sor-

“[Holy Light.]”

...Huh?

I’m all better?

I look at my hands.

They’re completely fine.

I touch my neck.

Nothing there.

…It’s a miracle.

It IS a miracle!

We CAN win this! We CAN survive!

The girl is an angel! She must be!

Right.

I consciously take a deep breath.

I’m not afraid.

I’ll show her.

I’ll show them.

My real power.

Heinrick tries to die in front of me again.

She’s not having it.

Neither am I.

Digging out the coin on a string I had prepared earlier, I calm my mind.

I raise my hands.

It’s gonna suck to be you guys.

I swear it.

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HEALZ PLEAZE:

The spell she was trying to cast fizzles in the air.

Shiela is dying.

Like hell she is.

Nobody dies unless I SAY they can die.

“Holy Light.”

+10 XP

Shiela’s life bar is back to maximum.

She seriously needs more hit points. I’ll have to work on that.

My map shows the goblin archer shooting at us from the side.

Looks like he’s trying to get behind us.

He’s very quiet. Fast too.

He might have thought he was succeeding.

Heh.

Sucker.

I run to the bush he was crouching behind and casually toss him overhanded.

Goblins are so light!

I’ve even invented a new game.

“Heinrick!”

The ranger stabs the goblin out of the air with his longsword.

MY longsword.

It’s serving him well.

+33 XP

Oh yes.

Very well indeed.

My face hurts because I’m smiling so much.

THIS.

THIS is what I needed, what I’ve been missing.

I WAS a loser.

I WAS worthless.

Powerless.

Helpless.

Hopeless.

Old, ugly and fat.

A nobody.

No longer.

I’m NOT a loser anymore.

I’m NOT worthless anymore.

These two would have been dead already if not for me.

I AM special.

*zzzz-thwak!*

Heinrick goes down again, an arrow in his chest.

Nope.

“Holy Light.”

+30 XP

He unsteadily, grimly, gets back up.

Heh.

Thanks for the experience points, buddy!

Shiela looks relieved and happy and... determined... as I get back into position in front of her.

She does some more handwaving and chants something.

I can see her mana pool start refilling a little after each spell she casts. It’s like each spell is pre-loaded with a set amount of mana. It’s only after she casts them that she can get her power back.

What a weird spell system.

“[Hypnotic Pattern!]”

What weird spells.

This one looks like the opening to that show The Twilight Zone – the latest remake, not the old black and white ones.

Trippy.

Goblin movement on my map is stopping…

Huh. They stopped.

Good spell, whatever the hell it was.

We seem to have a captive audience.

I may not be able to fight, but I can still throw.

I wonder if Heinrick knows what a Yankees pitcher is?

Heh.

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HEINRICK ELLIS:

“Heinrick!”

A goblin sails towards me.

He threw it at me.

THREW.

A goblin.

In armor.

With one hand.

I stab it. Goblin kebob.

Easy.

It’s TOO easy.

What the hell are these weapons you gave me?

He’s smiling.

That little bastard is smiling as he runs back to Shiela.

He’s enjoying this!

We’re surrounded and outnumbered. We should be running.

I know goblins. I’ve fought them, hunted them, and been hunted by them.

But what sort of monster are you?

You’re no elf.

I’ve seen elves before. They aren’t as… what’s the word… dainty?... as you.

NOBODY I know has silvery-blue hair. Not elf, not dwarf, not human.

Not one would dress up as a girl either. Not on purpose.

You had three arrows in you, did you know that?

You acted like they were just annoying mosquitoes, even the one that went through your eye.

You should be dead.

I should be dead.

I’ve been healed before. I’ve felt the pain of torn flesh sticking itself back together, the stretching, the weakness, the aching and itching afterwards.

That’s no healing spell you’re casting.

Nobody can cast the same spell as many times as you’re doing.

Nobody.

These weapons you gave me. They’re more powerful than anything I’ve ever seen.

The sword I’m holding is PERFECT.

Perfect balance, perfect weight, perfect grip, perfect edge, and it’s brand new.

I have no idea what it’s made of, and that worries me.

It feels alive in my hand, almost aiming for vital organs on its own.

I’m killing goblins so easily, it’s like the massacre of our party before we met you never should have happened.

The dagger is also brand new, and it’s glowing with the power of lightning.

I didn’t have to speak any activating words, or charge it beforehand with blood or anything.

There. That’s the fifth goblin I’ve killed with this dagger.

The lightning is still there.

This dagger is impossible, yet here it is.

YOU are impossible.

You’re unnatural.

A monster.

*ZZZZ-THWAK!*

I’m pushed back by the arrow that enters my chest.

Ah, not good.

I can feel the weakness beginning to envelop my body again.

I bet the perfect armor you gave me would have prevented this.

I didn’t have time to put it on though.

My leg buckles.

Air.

I want to breathe, I HAVE to breathe, but—

“[Holy Light.]”

*flash*

-- I’m all better.

It’s like *snap*, and all the pain and blood and bones breaking happened to someone else.

Even the arrow is gone, washed away by the light.

Again.

I should be dead.

But I can’t die yet.

I made a contract with a beautiful devil.

My sister finishes her spell.

“Your eyes are mine, your minds are mine, your will is no more! Hypnotic Pattern!”

I know that spell. Good choice.

Don’t look.

Can’t look.

I’ll be trapped by it too.

The goblins are stopping.

My little sister IS a genius, after all.

Much smarter than me.

The boy starts running towards the goblins again.

Shiela… At least Shiela…

She must live.

I must get her away from him, and out of this demonic contract called ‘[party]’!

I promised Mom and Dad.

She WILL live through this.

Even if I have to kill him myself!

LEVEL UP!

Oh crap. A sign just appeared over his head.

...Why do I think my problems just got worse?

Writer's Tip: If you're having trouble with a fight scene, try playing some epic music by Two Steps From Hell or Audiomachine. I promise you, your characters WILL start acting epic as well. Heck, they'll probably start making explosions just so they can walk away in slow motion without looking at them!