Last chapter, the battle between Head Commander Prósopsi and Metallic, which occured on the distant world that Prósopsi's teleporter brought them to- concluded with Metallic's death.

Meanwhile at Fixed Reality Casino however- Karia (who was carrying Seric), and Amandeath were left defenseless and making a run for the still blocked-off portal to Dalkan. This was due to Quilline's defeat- after she was grappled and blinded by the invisible Fondrayan's ambush, and then had her eyes sliced out by Ontarus.

Meanwhile, back at Fixed Reality Casino...

Karia's P.O.V.

"Oh shit!" I panic a bit after seeing the upper-half of Amandeath face-plant into the floodwater beside me, after Ontarus sent a blade of water flying that cut both of her legs off like nothing. And that was with her cybernetics too- I'm so damn lucky that Ontarus passed out from my attacks before he could properly aim the attack that he sent flying at me and Seric.

"There's no point in helping her, she won't survive without legs in Dalkan. Keep moving." I think to myself as I jog through the thigh-high water while carrying Seric over my shoulder, stumbling a bit as the water in the room is automatically and painfully slicing at my legs and waist annoyingly often. Thankfully it's nothing lethal since Ontarus is passed out and isn't controlling the water manually anymore, and since my cybernetics are limiting the blood-loss too. But it still hurts-

"I'LL FUCKING- KILL YOU!" Damn. Ignoring Amandeath gets harder as she starts thrashing around in the water and screaming. Her second blessing must have activated thanks to the pain of losing her legs... least she seems to be aiming her rage at Ontarus though instead of us, even if she won't be able to touch the jackass.

After all, just like when he slaughtered the Red Fists- the water in the room's already formed a giant sphere of swirling water that's protecting his body from pretty well anything.

That aside, "Amandeath was probably lying about being a better person. We're better off without her. Plus I'll have more control over whatever me and Seric do as well if she's gone." I remind myself after getting close enough to the portal to Dalkan that I can probably start using my blessing to destroy the drones that are blocking it off now-

"Ow!" I wince after I get an especially bad cut to my hip right when I stop moving, and so I start waking to the side a bit now- and call out my blessing at the same time,

"Spirit of Kodan: Strike!" I command and punch with the arm I'm not holding Seric with, which makes a giant red ghost fist smash through all of the drones hovering in front of the portal.

And that leaves the portal completely free for us to go through...?

"Easier than I thought, whatever, don't doubt it- just move, more reinforcements could get here any second now!" But before I can move, the invisible guy who was grappling Quilline and suddenly turned to rock before- becomes human again, and starts running my damn way.

I spin towards him and start backing up, "Wasn't he busy holding Quilline a second ago- where the hell did she go?! Doesn't matter, can't let him get close or follow us through the portal so-"

"Spirit of Kodan: Strike! Strike! Strike!" I shout and punch three times- with the guy turning into rock right before each giant fist hits him, and then reverting back into his human form for a second in between each fist hitting.

I bite my tongue after I get another really nasty cut on my hip from a slice of water that reached up at me, but force myself to stay calm, "The guy's rock-body is strong but still cracking, just need to wear him out."

"Strikestrikestrikestrikestrikestrike!!!" I shout and punch even faster, which finally manages to break a big chunk off of his rock body! And even better, it looks like that made the giant brute get forced back into his human form- which falls into the water with a loud splash.

"Damn right, now keep moving." I think to myself with a bit of pride and turn back to the glowing blue portal, but right when I take a step forward Seric starts shaking like a freaking fish- and he slips off of my shoulder since my body is soaked, and kind of tired from overusing my blessing too.

He scrambles to get himself up onto his feet now that his body's fully healed, "Karia- wait- what about Metallic?!"

"He's not making it! He's either already dead or going to die from using the Emperor form. We're leaving now, end of story- move your ass!" I shout and start shoving him forward, but he starts trying to push me back- which works since I'm not at my peak strength right now...

Seric starts to cry, "NO! I don't- I don't care if he's dying, after all he's done for us- at the very least I'm NOT letting him die alone!"

"You only knew that psycho for month's! You're really going to throw your life away- our lives away- for a monster that you barely even knew?!" I shout at him.

"You guys are ALL that I know, and he's the only one that's always been on my side! Karia, please, no one else is around to threaten us for now, so I'm begging you, let's wait just a little longer-"

Seric gets interrupted by an automated slice of water slicing up at me- which takes off the side of my right hand- including my fucking pinky finger.

"Kari-"

"SERIC!!! Look at me!" I cradle his face with my one good hand and my other bloodied hand, with the adrenaline helping keep the pain away- and thankfully that catches him off guard too and makes him shut up for a second.

"Spirit of Bersia: Electron Passover." I whisper and activate my blessing, which sends an electric current running through Seric's entire body from my hands. Thankfully that paralyzes and leaves him limp again within a few seconds, which lets me slowly and painfully swing him over my good shoulder again.

"What was that about?! He sure wasn't that stupid back on Birzion. ...I want Amandeath's experience with us after all- but how? Wait- didn't she and Quilline buy robotic limbs as part of their big-haul? Yeah, they did! Screw it, not sure how they work- but maybe trying to apply the prosthetic legs to Amandeath will remind me of something I learned in the H.A."

I realize- and then start limping towards Amandeath- who's still screaming like a rabid dog and pointlessly shooting at the swirling water that's protecting Ontarus.

"Amandeath- snap out of it, your second blessing's making you act dumb! You're not gonna touch him-"

"Spirit of Bersia: Hide of Aegis!" I interrupt myself and swing my good arm after I notice Amandeath snarling at me, which obviously summons a protective ghost-like "hide" in front of me.

And that was a good call, since the lunatic fires a shot at me a second later- which cracks the floating hide instead of hitting me directly.

"THAT'S IT, I'm done." I take a deep breath- and keep on limping towards Amandeath as she starts to frantically reload her sniper with her tiny pack of infi-ammo or whatever the fuck she calls it.

But with her hands being so wet- she keeps on dropping any ammo she picks up. And so with my good hand I bend down and rip the ammo-case out of her hand- and shove it into my pocket.

And FINALLY, I grab Amandeath by her curly blonde hair- and start dragging her stupid ass through the flooded water towards the portal to Dalkan, along with idiot #2- Seric- who's on my other shoulder.

Amandeath struggles a crap-ton and scratches me a bunch, and even pressure-points my waist a couple times which makes me stumble over even more often than I already am.

But I keep moving forward since she isn't strong enough to overpower me without her legs, and I'm too pissed at these two to be stopped at this point- which the pain I'm feeling might be fueling.

"I'm making this work whether these two like it or not. We're gonna get to Dalkan, heal up with the tech we have, then we're going to be better people, and THEN finally finish the trials we need to do there."

And with one last cut to my waist- I limp through the portal to Dalkan while dragging the other two, which makes everything fade to black.