I need to find Eri and Gerard quickly or the consequences might be dire.

"Tsukiyomi let"s split up here, if you find them bring them out and let"s meet at the campsite." Tsukiyomi nodded and went the other way. As I was running one of the guards who was finished capturing some escape slaves notices me.

It was pretty obvious what the guard was thinking, I was not a guard or a slave trader. So I could only be either a slave or an intruder. Well either way this guard is going to attack me. So before he could do anything I used [light step] and knocked him out.

While I was running I noticed that slowly but surely the slaves were overpowering some of the guards with sheer numbers. At first they were set at capturing the slaves but seeing the situation they started killing some of the more powerful slaves. I hope I find Eri and Gerard fast.

†

I reached the part of the building that was like an open area. No if memory serves me right this shape seems like a coliseum. From the other end of the area I saw Gerard carrying an unconscious Eri.

Seeing me Gerard hurried over "Edge!"

"Are you and Eri alright?" Hearing my voice Gerard was smiling while tears flow from his eyes.

"You were right Eri, He did come, Edge really came to save us!" I noticed that Gerard was full of bruises while carrying an unconscious Eri.

"Let"s talk later we need to get out of here. What happened to Eri?"

"She"s just asleep got hit by a sleep spell a while ago. Don"t worry I"ll carry her, let"s go." As we were about to exit, the gates to the exit were shut tight. Then something came from out of one of the gates.

It was a huge monster with eight heads in the shape of a snake. I tried to do a status check but nothing was seen, why? Tsk no time to think about it. The gates are enhanced with magic got no time to break it with the snake in front of us.

"So they don"t plan to capture us anymore," Gerard muttered under his breath this was the first time I saw him scared.

"Hmph! What happened to you Gerard was my friend really this weak?" I readied my blade. Gerard looked at me and smiled. He placed Eri in a corner "who the h.e.l.l is weak? Also, I"m not just a friend, I"m your best friend right? Well let"s kill this snake and get out of here. All four of us..."

The snake spotted us and attacked we evaded its tail swing.

"Tsukiyomi is with you right?" While I evade one of its head I answered back. "Yeah she"s with me. We"ll talk later let"s kill the snake first." With that line we started our counterattack. I activated my continuous fireball skill. Gerard was surprised for only a moment and started to cut one of its heads. The cut wasn"t deep enough. We both jumped on top of separate heads. From there we stabbed our swords into its heads.

The snake flailed wildly, it tried to shake us off by hitting the walls of the coliseum, but before it hit we jumped off. The remaining four heads started to screech in anger. One of the heads even aimed at Eri. I quickly moved my body and managed to rescue her in time. It seems like its speed increases once some of its heads were cut off. Gerard was slightly wounded but it was merely a scratch. I placed Eri further from the battle area.

"Gerard buy me some time, I"ll finish it in one shot."

"Sure take your time." Gerard faced all four heads at once. While it was distracted, I started chanting in my mind. This is one of my originals combined with Tsukiyomi"s knowledge of mana.

"Hear me spirits of chaos and creation. Listen and obey my command, on the might of my mana I order you. Send me salvation and grant mine enemy d.a.m.nation. Sing the final requiem [Final Judgment]."

On seeing Gerard move out of the way I released my spell on the snake. A red light came down from above hitting the snake. This was my strongest spell right now a concentrated form of my mana. Upon taking the full might of my spell, the snake"s body was turned to ash. Gerard sat down exhausted. He was now full of flesh wounds.

"Hahaha, incredible as always," I smiled at him.

"You improved quite a lot as well." As I helped Gerard stand, I heard multiple thud sounds. I finally noticed that there were five archers that were waiting to ambush us. We were so concentrated on the snake that we didn"t notice. They were about to fire another volley. I killed them with a [wind slice]. I looked at Gerard he was bleeding badly, I tried using a healing spell it didn"t work it didn"t do anything. As I was confused and in panic, as to what to do, someone entered my line of sight.

"Hey Edge why did you use final judgment?" It was Tsukiyomi!

"Tsukiyomi! Quickly heal Gerard." Hearing what I said, Tsukiyomi looked at Gerard.

"He was bitten by a hydra wasn"t he?" 

"So what? There is no time to explain heal him already!" Tsukiyomi looked at me, pain and sorrow filled her eyes it was the first time I saw her like this.

"Sorry Edge... I can"t..."

"What do you mean you can"t?! Come on heal him already, take all of my mana, and heal him!" I started screaming at Tsukiyomi begging her, but she simply shook her head.

"What is this? I thought as long as I give you my mana you"ll never betray me. So why? Why won"t you help?"

"I would if I could Edge, but those who are poisoned by the fangs of a hydra need to wait a day before they can heal their physical injuries. During the duration of a day no healing spell would work. Our best bet would"ve been to bring him to a doctor for a direct treatment... But with his injuries he won"t make it." My mind turned hazy when I heard that, but then Gerard spoke. He started moving a bit, in my arms. He looked at me his eyes as resolute as the day I met him.

"It"s alright, Edge." A trickle of blood flowed out from his mouth.

"What the f*ck are you saying?! How is this ok Gerard?! You"re dying..." My face was distorted in sadness. Gerard looking at my face laughed weakly.

"What"s with that face Edge? That can"t be the face of the best friend I"m proud of. (Cough) d.a.m.n this hurts... Hey, Edge those days with you guys, dreaming to become the strongest were the best days. I hope to continue those days, with Eri and Tsukiyomi fighting about you, and Sarah laughing cutely at your side." I gripped his hand harder.

"It can continue... so don"t give up on me." I felt Gerard"s grip loosen but that just made me hold it tighter.

"Really... T..hats..g..reat, so tomo...rrow let"s go train... This time I"ll wi...n." With that Gerard"s heartbeat stopped.

"No, no, no, no! Not this! Please not this again!"

As I hugged Gerard"s body closed to mine his body was cold deadly cold. The once hearty best friend of mine that was full of life, spirit, and dreams, laid cold and unmoving. That was when Satt Sjon started glowing.

"No! He was not an opposing factor why are you doing this now!" Gerard"s body was fading into the ring.

"No! Stop!" I tried to remove the ring but it was stuck to my finger. Gerard"s body disappeared into the ring. That was the day I lost my very first friend, no my Best friend.