Chapter 58: End Of Act
The Star Walker pushed itself upright, wounds knitting closed with impossible speed. Reinhard’s eyes widened as Marie and Joseph tensed beside him.
Then a crack split the ground beneath the creature. The Star Walker began sinking, its massive form pulled downward by an unseen force. It trembled and struggled, but couldn’t break free as the crack swallowed it completely.
Then a massive light rose up from the crack, it was a swirling massive orb that had countless faces on it. Reinhard’s eyes widened as he had a feeling that the ball was a soul, which was most likely the Stellar Walker’s own.
Then the crack began sealing shut, and the soul hovering above the ground.
Silence fell across the devastated district.
Reinhard sighed heavily and glanced at the back of his hand. His Beast Symbol showed magic reserves below half only the sword’s hilt and a small portion of the blade remained shaded. The constant fighting, running through town, and repeated use of Drasil Step had drained him severely.
Reinhard’s gaze shifted to Phineas, who stood watching with that same infuriating smile. And then he looked back towards Anasha who left her hiding spot. She was looking over the ruin in shock, but he saw relief on her face when she spotted they were fine.
Then Reinhard’s eyes widened as space twisted behind Anasha. A portal materialized, and two cloaked hands reached through, grabbing her small frame. Anasha’s eyes widened in shock before she screamed and struggled.
Reinhard’s eyes widened before he instantly activated Drasil Step, time began slowing down as he sprinted toward her. He rushed through the rooftops, but as he closed in, he saw golden threads were already there, making him inwardly curse when Phineas placed them there.
But he didn’t care as he chopped, slashed, and hacked through them, which led to precious seconds lost even in slowed time.
Reinhard pushed himself even harder as he quickly reached Anasha just as time returned to normal. But it was then that Anasha was being dragged into the portal, which forced Reinhard to leap forward with his hand outstretched.
But his hand had missed her by an inch, yet Reinhard didn’t give up as he summoned Zenuken, which appeared next to Anasha’s chest. Her eyes widened as she tried to move her hand to the sword, but then another came and held her arm.
Reinhard’s eyes widened at this, while Anasha trembled, her terrified eyes and pleading gaze stared at him. Before the next second, she was gone as the portal snapped shut and Reinhard’s body sailed through where it was.
He hit the burnt rooftop before rolling off the roof and falling down to the ground, crashing and rolling on the dirt, which began coating his uniform.
Phineas laughed and clapped. "Bravo for defeating the Star Walker!"
Reinhard said nothing as he pushed himself up while looking down at his hand with a blank look.
"I suppose you’re all worthy to appear in the next stage-"
Reinhard gripped Zenuken and hurled it with every ounce of remaining strength. The blade streaked through the air toward Phineas’s chest.
Phineas sighed and waved his hand. Golden threads erupted, wrapping around the spinning sword and stopping it mid-flight. "Now, now. Don’t be rude. What I’m saying is for all of your-"
Drasil Step.
Time slowed down before Reinhard tapped the Herald Marker’s remaining magic and used Wind Drift to propel himself forward. He rushed along the golden threads like a bridge, closing distance until he stood directly before Phineas.
Then he clenched his fist while his expression shifted into one of rage as he blasted out with his fist.
Time returned to normal.
Phineas eyes widened as the strike approached his face, but golden threads wrapped around Reinhard’s wrist just before impact.
"That was super close!" Phineas chuckled. "Good thing I always have threads-"
Light flashed around Reinhard’s palm, and then Zenuken materialized in his grip. Before it plunged into Phineas right shoulder, making him tremble.
"You need to learn to shut up." Reinhard growled as he glared at Phineas with cold eyes.
Shadow spears burst from his back, piercing through surrounding threads and crashing toward Phineas. The man protected himself with a hastily woven golden web while his left hand grabbed Zenuken’s blade.
But then Reinhard used the embedded sword as leverage, flipping upward and bringing his heel down on Phineas face. The kick smashed straight into Phineas face, the sound of bone cracking rang out, and sent Phineas flying into a burnt building.
Phineas’ figure flew through the air before crashing into the debris and burnt woods, leading them to scatter around.
Reinhard found himself falling to the ground and then landing. He panted before dropping to one knee with his gaze slightly blurring, but then he recalled Anasha’s terrified gaze and pushed himself up. He glanced to the side and saw that his Beast Symbol showed magic at the hilt only, meaning it was nearly empty.
Marie and Joseph rushed over, worry clear on their faces. "Rein! That was reckless, at least warn us so we can help!"
"Sorry..." Reinhard breathed as he continued glaring ahead, where he smashed Phineas to. "I was too pissed off."
Joseph sighed, but then gritted his teeth. "I can understand that..."
It’s then that slow clapping echoed across the area, making all of them narrow their eyes.
Phineas emerged from the collapsed building and brushed dust from his coat. Golden threads closed the wounds on his body like surgical sutures. "Marvelous, Rein! You truly show star material!"
"Tsk, so he can use the thread to close up his wounds." Joseph says softly.
Phineas’ smile widened. "Now then, if it isn’t obvious, I’ve captured little Anasha."
All three Inquisitors glared, with all of them gripping their weapons even though they were all exhausted.
Phineas stroked his chin thoughtfully. "She’ll be the perfect star for my next stage, and you three will be supporting actors. Though you could become the main actor if you perform well enough."
Reinhard gritted his teeth but remained silent, forcing himself to listen.
"So now you wish to listen to your dear director!" Phineas’s expression brightened. "The next stage will be in the city of Phanes. In ten days, the final act will commence and the greatest masterpiece will be born, surpassing all my others with little Anasha at the center."
Reinhard closed his eyes before asking. "I don’t get it... Do you actually want us to come? Are you that obsessed with us acting on your stage?"
Phineas blinks before chuckling and saying. "But of course, you guys are my precious actors. And I need you all to attend, so I hope you will... At the very least for little Anasha’s sake~"
Reinhard stared at Phineas silently before he slowly began to grasp what type of person this person was. This man was absolutely stronger than the three of them, but not only did he hold back during their fight.
But he was willing to let them go instead of trying to get rid of them while they were exhausted. It wasn’t hard to tell they were running low, because they fought nonstop for the last hour.
And yet, he is letting us go... This man is insane... Reinhard thought with a frown.
A spiral portal materialized behind Phineas with edges glowing with golden light. He bowed to the three of them before turning and beginning to walk through.
Joseph hurled his grey lance while Marie threw her crimson-gold spear. The weapons streaked through the air and rushed toward Phineas’s retreating form.
But Phineas simply waved without looking back, golden threads appeared, and delaying the weapons for a bit. It was enough for the portal to close just as the weapons smashed through the area where Phineas had stood moments before.
Marie recalled her spear, frustration clear in every line of her face, while Joseph retrieved his lance with similar tension.
Reinhard stared at where the portal had been, and his chest heaved with exhausted breaths. He honestly didn’t care about Phineas, but his mind kept drifting back to that damn person because he took Anasha.
Reinhard sighed as he looked around the area to see the broken, ruined, and countless debris all around. His gaze then landed on the area where the Mensis townspeople sacrifice themself for Anasha.
This led him to grip Zenuken even tighter as he recalled their words of protecting Anasha and letting her keep her smile.
"She’s gone..." Marie whispered with her head dropping and her spear dispersing in lights.
Joseph stood stiffly, while his knuckles were white around the shaft of his lance. His jaw worked silently, his lips pressed into a grim line, as if words themselves refused to come.
Reinhard slowly moved his gaze towards Marie and Joseph, staring at them with a blank look. "I... was so close." Reinhard muttered hoarsely. "I was there. I should have... Damn it."
Marie walked beside him, reaching out and placing a hand gently on his arm. "Rein... it wasn’t your fault. Phineas planned it all and had outside help that we didn’t know about..."
Joseph exhaled sharply as he frowned. "But we let her down. We made a promise just a few moments before, and in the end, we broke it."
"That’s true... But that doesn’t mean we can’t make up for it!" Marie says softly as she clenches her fist, leading Reinhard and Joseph to blink their eyes in surprise.