Conscious, Conscientious

Nobody uttered a word as they lingered before the doorway to nothing.

Eventually, Fewpar turned and slammed his fist against the wall. He fell against it, hands in his face.

Lammy simply didn't know what to do. What could he do? He couldn't fathom what Zayza and Layla were thinking right now. He couldn't even bring himself to look at them as he kneeled there, numb.

And despite his constant effort, he couldn't stop his mind from replaying the bloody deaths he'd just witnessed over and over again.

Another blast resounded from above, yet nobody stirred.

But after a time far too hazy for Lammy to measure, they heard footsteps and shuffling armor raining in from the top of the tower.

Finally, the soldiers had breached it.

Fewpar stood once more, his gaze unreadable. He drew his light sword and ignited it, turning to face the ascending stairs.

The magical blue glow illuminated his face as he looked back to meet Lammy's eyes. Now with more visible detail, he wore a smile that was somehow sad and tenacious at the same time. He emanated a tenderness Lammy would have never believed he possessed.

"Boy…I mean, Lammy, I ask that you find a way to lend me your trust for a while longer," he uttered. "It is now down to us to protect the Queen and Princess."

Still trembling, Lammy stood. With a deep breath, he finally broke his attention off from the bloody windowsill and faced Zayza and Layla.

For a split moment, he almost couldn't tell them apart. The way their frowns curved and eyebrows wrinkled as they tried to fight back the tears that hadn't yet left was identical.

Zayza sucked in air and stood taller, rising her sister on her back.

"I'll fight, too. We're all making it out of this," Zayza insisted, her voice still unsteady.

Trying to hide an obvious sniffle, Layla nodded. "I haven't any more enchantments in this tower…but I–I shall do whatever I can to assist in combat–"

"Guys…" breathed out Lammy. Streaks of warmth ran down his cheeks–he'd found himself to be the next one with tears. "Stop…stop trying to be so strong right now."

"Neither of you are in a position to be fighting–not here in the real world," Fewpar added quickly over the increasing sound of steps from above. "Regrettably, I'm not much better…but please leave this to us."

Lammy stepped up to join Fewpar. Against the wishes of his pounding heart, he stood his ground and clenched his fists.

"I promised Raznizu I'd keep you two safe," he said. "You should run. We'll hold them back."

Zayza hesitated. She couldn't seem to find words, but her protest was clear in her face alone.

For a moment Lammy didn't blink, and neither did his companion. Their debate continued through their locked gazes.

Lammy knew they'd finally met a disagreement they couldn't overcome: neither was willing to sacrifice the other.

The soldiers' steps tumbled closer.

"I'm afraid there is no other choice left," stressed Fewpar.

"Retreat with us to the bottom, at least," Layla proposed. "These stairs are no place for a battle."

Exchanging quick, decisive glances, Lammy and Fewpar nodded at her compromise.

After being certain they were really following, Zayza began her descent. Layla held on tighter.

Lammy relied on the glow from Fewpar's magical sword to distinguish the steps as he dashed after his friends.

"HALT!" came an echo.

It seemed their shuffling had given away their location.

Zayza and Fewpar sped up and Lammy struggled to follow. He couldn't even feel his feet against the steps.

But the metallic rustlings didn't weaken behind them. Rather, they increased.

If they really hoped to get away at this point, it would take something drastic.

Lammy's thoughts sharpened.

That one time in the horse carriage, he relived. Somehow, I warped us from Realistic Fiction Country to the Ancient Sage in Fantasy Country.

Then maybe…

He focused on everyone. But aside from trying to picture them all somewhere else, he didn't know where to start.

His eyes remained just as bright. But moments of running passed, and nothing happened.

Back then, it was a total accident. It was like a blur, he recalled. And these heightened powers have been going for longer than ever now with all this stress…have I relied too much on them to pull something like that off?

"HALT!!"

The hunt was closer.

This is probably it…Lammy thought.

The fact came barreling into his mind before he could even attempt to resist it any longer.

He never knew acceptance could taste so sour.

Deon…I tried to hang on for you. Please don't think this is your fault. Mom, Dad, everyone, I'm sorry…

But the sourness passed as swiftly as it befell him.

Actually…he realized, no I'm not.

He watched the backs of Zayza and Layla's bouncing heads as they raced further towards the bottom. Again, Zayza peered back to make sure he was still following. In a failed attempt at subtlety, Layla did the same.

I'm not sorry, Lammy decided. Because I know I'm doing what I should do.

I'm doing what all of you would do, he knew.

"YOU CANNOT FLEE! WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED!"

They sounded even closer. And thanks to this past day of narrow evasion, Lammy saw right through this apparent attempt to reason: these soldiers wouldn't stop until they were dead–or at least recaptured for execution.

We'll follow Zayza to the bottom…just to keep her running, Lammy planned. Then, maybe I can split up this shield to force her and Layla away from the fight.

And then, I guess, me and Fewpar will hold these guys off as long as possible…long enough for Zayza and Layla to break away and find Deon, or for Deon to find them.

He couldn't help but laugh under his breath: his final strategy was his worst one yet.

The stairs evened out below, meeting an uneven surface of shattered stone and wood that enveloped the tower's bottom floor. Zayza set foot into the wide, circular room and did her best to keep her balance atop the rubble as she hurried towards the farthest point with her sister.

That was his chance to try it: Lammy drew from his still-heightened Imagining to separate himself and Fewpar from the shield. They followed in near-stumbles like Zayza, but stopped in the center of the ground floor instead.

Lammy imagined a new, separate shield before Fewpar and himself. He spread it to both walls to prevent the soldiers from flanking and charging the sisters, so they'd have no choice but to fight them first–but it was anyone's guess how long the shield could withstand such a constant force.

Lammy and Fewpar turned to face the ancient stairs and waited for them to usher in their demise.

"You escaped my grasp all those times," Fewpar muttered. "This time, your efforts will be no different."

Lammy nodded, but he knew it was probably meant for nothing more than comfort. On top of the approaching leagues of footsteps, he could hear a constant banging against the enchanted gate. Truly, they were surrounded.

He wasn't getting out of this one. The only hope he had left was that, because of their deterrence, Zayza and Layla would get away.

"Lammy!!"

"Noble Lammy, Fewpar, I forbid this!!"

They'd finally noticed the shield's separation. Lammy could hear them in the back corner, banging on its invisible surface once they realized they were cut off and unable to help.

Lammy nodded again, this time more confidently and only to himself.

At this point, after everything the sisters had been put through, hoping for their survival alone was enough.

The first armored boots emerged on the steps.

Deon…I just hope you don't get too mad at me…I hope you understand, he thought while his chest pressed tight. I'm finally like you. I get to set myself aside for a bit, so I can make sure someone else gets to smile.

Dozens of light swords lit up the damaged room.

I guess that's what I've been trying to do this whole time, huh? Ever since I told you it was okay to leave Tailpiece behind…

…I've been trying to be like you.

Weapons raised high, the soldiers poured in. Lammy couldn't count them.

His orange eyes nearly outshined their swords as the crowd approached. Fewpar prepared his own weapon.

It was time. Lammy spun around for just a moment, meeting Zayza and Layla's pleading gazes intensely.

He did his best to shoot them a smile.

"My cousin will protect you guys!" he promised. "If the shield disappears, run!"

In other words…after I die, he knew.

"Deon will find you!!"

Zayza's screams and pleads for him had gone frantic. Lammy turned back to the enemy before he could watch any longer: If tears blocked his vision, he wouldn't be able to fight.

At least, that was the reason he told himself.

Several of the soldiers charged straight up to Lammy and Fewpar, while the majority attempted a flank to target the sisters. But their swords crashed the hidden shield and many piled up sloppily against it.

Fewpar held his ground and didn't blink as he waited. Lammy stood as tall as he could and tried to do the same.

The seemingly superior guards of the assault shouted orders, and many of the troops backed off. Some remained and continued hacking away, but to no avail.

The tallest soldier before Lammy and Fewpar stood still, his helmet hiding his expression. Then he shifted, and before Lammy could react, dove to the floor.

Lammy instantly understood: in a room like this, his defense harbored one gaping flaw.

"From underneath!!" he warned Fewpar.

The soldier's sword plunged through the piles of debris, and reached up on the inside of the barrier. Fewpar roared and pounced forward, slamming his sword down to parry it against the rubble.

Lammy raced to observe every possible hole the uneven piles created beneath the shield. He tried filling them in as fast as he could.

I'm too late…he found. No–I never would have had enough time.

There was no winning this.

Blue light swords powered through the debris and surfaced beyond the shield as the other soldiers followed suit. They swam through the wreckage and emerged to face Lammy and Fewpar without hindrance.

"For Vayva."

Fewpar smiled through gritting teeth. He'd failed to fend off the clearly elite first soldier, and stumbled back as the warrior's sword shoved his.

But as the soldier rose from the debris and towered over them, and as dozens more closed in, Fewpar twirled his sword fearlessly.

"FOR VAYVA!"

Lammy surged his mind for options in the few seconds he had.

Loozooloozeux?

I've never used him for fighting, and there's no room to fly.

Fish traps?

There are way too many of them.

In a split second, he opted for a technique much less-rehearsed: the ability he'd used to help fight Najinzu in Fiction Country.

Lammy looked around fiercely and imagined a white ray of Dreamer-inspired energy over as much of the uneven ground as he could, save where he and Fewpar stood.

It ignited in a silvery sparkle. All the soldiers in its domain toppled over. But while some failed to recover, most sprung back to their feet.

It wasn't strong enough.

He'd had no time to prepare it fully this time. And just like his inability to teleport, he must have used too much of his heightened energy to make it as powerful.

That was it–he'd played his final move. It came and went like a passing breeze.

It was all over now.

Merely for the sake of trying until the end, Lammy imagined a knife into his hand.

The closest guard stepped up and pulled back his sword.

"NO!!!"

Zayza's final scream for her teammate pierced through the entire room.

Then, the guard dodged. It was sudden and particularly odd, considering Lammy didn't even attack. The guard jerked to the side and swung at the air.

"WHAT?!" he exasperated, breaking into a duel against nobody.

Lammy stood and watched in puzzlement. So did Fewpar, as none of the other soldiers were charging at him, either.

"What are you doing?! I require backup!" demanded the closest one to his troops.

But they all remained in place just as him. If this was Tailpiece, Lammy would have assumed they'd struck a beehive: some swung all around themselves desperately. Others even cowered on the floor or ran away screaming.

Lammy was certain of it, though: nothing was there.

At least, not at first.

A shadow swooped in behind the guard nearest to Lammy. It plowed into the small of the soldier's back, launching him hard against the punishing floor with a dent in his armor.

He hasn't seen it coming from his blindside. He was too preoccupied with his nonexistent foe.

The shadow vanished as fast as it came. Then Lammy heard a shout of pain off to the side. He looked only in time to find another guard dropping limply.

"HE WENT RIGHT!! HE WENT RIGHT!"

"GET HIM!!"

Huh…? But the shadow…Lammy thought, it definitely just went left.

The instant the cluster of soldiers turned, they collapsed one after the other.

Then several paces away, another cluster dropped. Thuds resounded as their dented armor collided with the wood and stone. A light sword toppled from its owner's grasp.

The shadow was quick to retrieve it. And as he reignited its magical glow, Lammy finally caught a glimpse of his long black bangs, and towering, thin stature.

The fighter's all black-and-white clothing returned to a blur as he pounced back into action. Now thanks to the light sword, Lammy could follow his movements.

One after another, soldiers collapsed or were launched airborne, crashing into the walls when his swings struck them. His speed nearly matched Raznizu and Najinzu.

And even now, none of the soldiers could seem to pinpoint his movements. They continued uselessly combating the empty air.

Fewpar simply struck down a nearby soldier who'd been stabbing at the ground. As they fell, he returned to his silent, awestruck observation.

"D–do you know this guy?" Lammy checked.

"I planned to ask you the same thing."

Eventually, not a single soldier remained standing. Leagues of armor were strewn about the round room. Some lay in agony, while others were motionless.

Finally standing still, the man turned out to be a teenage boy. His bangs hid his eyes as he looked around briefly, clutching his stomach. Then his shoulders relaxed, and he walked calmly towards Lammy and Fewpar.

An additional pile of defeated soldiers tumbled down from the stairs behind him as his long steps approached.

Fewpar lowered his sword, but kept it ignited.

The boy appeared to begin speaking, but a nearby soldier suddenly sprung back up in a screaming dash towards him. Unbothered, the young man kicked his enemy square in the chest and sent him banging against the ground. Then, with a small frown, he tossed his light sword away and didn't look as it zapped the soldier into silence.

"Thank you, but…" Fewpar started. "Who are you? One of the resistance?"

"OH!" Zayza suddenly exclaimed from behind. "Now I remember you!"

Zayza knows him, but I don't? Must be from before we met, then…Lammy decided.

"You're Deon's friend!" she recalled. "You sat with him for the whole Conscious Competition, cheering on Skrili and Pang! I sold you a burger!"

Her eyes sparkled with hope. Her vigor infected Lammy almost instantly once he looked back to her.

"SERIOUSLY?!" he shouted, spinning back around. He took a step closer to their ally. "You're Deon's friend?!"

The young man seemed to hesitate his response, as if contemplating the implication.

But ultimately, he gave a smile.

"You must be Lammy," his deep, subtle voice detected. "That's correct: I'm Deon's friend. He helped save my life. My name is Phillip."

The new twisting in Lammy's chest felt somehow comforting. His tears welled back up, and having been a blink from violent death only seconds earlier, Phillip's next words only strengthened them further:

"I'm here with him, and others, to rescue you. You're going to be okay."