Erie
ERIE passed through the bustling downtown streets and ran as fast as her legs would carry her down the dark causeway. Barging into the Torah Church unarmed was just asking to get caught. She knew she was absolutely powerless without Heath. She had to get ahold of a new Prime Body if she wanted to succeed in her rescue attempt.
As long as she found a Prime Body, she could take control of it with Remote Engrave Incantations and make it instantly hers. But Prime Bodies didn’t just sit on the side of the street waiting for some girl to take ownership of them. And even if there was one lying around, it’d be a risky bet trying to use it.
Erie already had Heath under her Tamership. A second Golem would have reduced functionality and be less reliable because of it. Unless it was a powerful Prime Body, that is.
But, I still have to try…! Erie thought as she ran.
She finally arrived at Flank Beach Market. She figured she would be able to obtain a Prime Body here, but unfortunately, all of the shops were closed. The tightly crowded street stalls had all been vacated, leaving just a few barracks standing in the market.
“Am I too late…?!”
The hour was close to midnight, and she didn’t sense any activity in the area. Only the roaring sea could be heard on the beach covered in darkness. Still, Erie didn’t give up hope. Instead, she wandered the area searching for an open shop—when she suddenly sensed a presence behind her.
“You’re finally all alone.”
“…?!” Erie spun around as if death himself was standing behind her. Without her ever realizing it, Jair and Eben had positioned themselves within striking distance.
Erie could feel all the hair on her body stand on end, like a cat in danger, the second she saw them. Her vision warped with a flood of fury, and she squeezed her fists until the knuckles turned stark white.
“Erie,” Jair said to the enraged girl. “We should put an end to this predicament soon. The Church has begun to make its move. Dragging things out longer is not an option.”
She didn’t hear what he said. Something snapped inside her the moment she saw his face. Her strongest enemy had arrived at the worst possible time.
“…you,” she mumbled in a hoarse, strained voice. Jair eyed her, dubious. Erie hurled the line at him a second time, “I’LL KILL YOU!”
Erie drew the knife from her belt and lunged at Jair. His expression didn’t change. She thrust the knife at his face. But the blade stopped centimeters from his eyes. Eben had grabbed Erie’s arm from the side.
This Eben looked like a different type of Stone Golem from the one in the refinery. He stood two meters tall, but rather than having a Prime Body pieced from rubble, it appeared to be an official Church-grade Stone Golem Prime Body!
He’s even stronger than the monstrosity yesterday?! The battle instincts Erie had honed over the past few days were screeching inside her like storm sirens. But their warning came too late.
“Kill her, Eben.”
Eben lifted her into the air like she weighed no more than a feather. He slammed her into the ground without even giving her a second to think about fleeing.
“UGH!” The impact ripped the air from her lungs and suffocated her. Eben dragged her back into the air and swung her around several times, flinging her at a nearby garage.
“…!”
Erie crashed into the wall hard and slid crumpled onto the unforgiving ground. Every fiber of her body screamed with aching pain and refused to move. Her teeth cut the inside of her mouth and her lips split, coating her tongue with the iron taste of blood.
“You stand no chance of winning without a Golem.”
She heard Jair’s voice in the distance, as if coming to her down a pipe. Had she popped an eardrum? Erie lifted her head despite the pain and riveted her eyes on Eben lumbering closer to her, powerless.