The spear impacted with my eyelid, an explosion of flames marring my face. I could feel as the heat scarred my face. Just before the impact I had created a tiny shield of aether that had blocked part of the attack. Though there was still some of the attack that I had to just brute force tank. It wasn't pleasant but at least the brunt of the attack had been taken care of by the barrier.

I could feel as the burn settled on my skin, aether flying from everywhere within my body and towards the burn. It was instantly healed however I could still feel the pain however faint it was.

Another and another spear shot out from the last two generators as they approached both Aoif and I at speeds that I could barely react to. Before they had sped up I could react and dodge them as long as I had enhanced my muscles beforehand but now I was barely able to react even with all of the enhancements that I had brung to the table.

I shiver to think how I would deal with the last one, judging on how they had accelerated not only in speed but in power I might not be able to do anything against the last one. Now that I was thinking of this, I couldn't help but reprimand myself for not just following immediately and ignoring the spears of flame that shot at me.

However we were too deep into this now, we could still jump into the hole but that would be a dangerous risk, with how advanced the security here is there is no doubt that I would meet even further resistance while descending. Not to mention that those spears could still pepper me even though I fell through that cavern.

"You have a plan?" Aoif asked as she moved closer to me, the rifle in her hands reloaded. A shot was taken, a boom echoing through the hall but nothing came of it. Something new had happened, instead of anything intercepting the bullet it was a shield made of fire that burned the bullet to crisps before it could reach the generator.

I looked back to Delta who seemed unsurprised, in fact she seemed to be having fun at our expense since she was sat in luxury while any potential debris that had fallen toward her disintegrated.

Aoif threw aside the rifle, and it was only then that Delta acted, the rifle appearing in her hands immediately after it had left Aoif's hands.

A wry smile was in her face however that was the last that I saw of her as I had to continue my attack.

Any more stalling and I would be dead. Well maybe not dead but I would definitely be injured as Delta would rescue me but not before I was suitably injured to learn my lesson.

With a silent nod to Aoif I dashed forward, a covering of fog veiled my approach. Spears of flame flew past my head as they were frozen upon contact with the fog.

Those frozen spears were then sent right back and intercepted by even more spears.

It was a dance of death, whichever ran out of aether first would be the loser as they would no longer be able to defend nor attack.

As I dashed forward, Aoif beside me, I could feel my aether cross with hers as our reserves collided. I could use her aether and she mine.

Though I didn't need to use much which was why I allowed for almost every single drop of my own to flow into Aoif. She was responsible for allowing me to approach and was doing an excellent job of it. However that was only on the condition that she had enough aether to continue this dance.

Another spear of flame made it into the fog but this time it was not redirected nor frozen. No it disintegrated, a small explosion flaming in a ball of ice. It seems that the mechanism had gotten smarter.

Though this was the last spear that it would send towards us as we parted, Aoif went toward some while I went after the other.

I tense my muscles, a silent communication happening between Aoif and I as we synced kur attacks. Aoif's dagger was poised to pierce the mechanism just as my own spear was.

A signal was heard, known to only us as we attacked in sync.

It was only then that I felt the drops of blood fall into Memoria. A grim realization.

It was not a mechanism that had been directing the spears, it was four servants. It made sense now or at least partially. I jumped into the cellar that the body was placed in and inspected it.

The only thing around was a huge conspicuous circle filled with unknown tunes and the body.

From what I could tell I could come to the conclusion that the body didn't even have aether if it's own.

That meant that whatever this circle was, It was providing the body aether which would explain why they got stronger with each that was destroyed.

The excess aether would flow into them instead of the others, no doubt redundancy that was built in. It was a good idea but it had failed.

If I was him I would have only stationed one with the full power but what did I know maybe it was more efficient to have four instead of one.

..

I dropped down from where I was observing the body, the room destroyed and the body properly dealt with.

I watched as Aoif came towards me, her hand holding some unknown object. Though whatever it was it made her happy whenever she looked at it.

When she finally reached me I could see what she was holding. It was an opulent gem, one that shone so brightly and beautifully that I couldn't help but be entranced with it for a second. The shining deep blue, the way that it seems to glint in the eye. It was masterfully done and not only that but there was a sublimate of the stone.

One that looked exactly the same. Aoifs hand closed over it as she smiled a mischievous smile.

Her knees dropped to the ground and she opened her hand again but this time the stones were not just stones they were rings.

It was like she was proposing to me.

"You said we were married earlier. Isn't it only right that we have a ring" her smirk was as beautiful as it was smug.

However I couldn't resist the temptation and put the ring on. It fit snugly in my finger and I felt a wave of something wash over me.

"Delta made these, didn't she?" I asked rhetorically.

"Yep" Aoif responded, her knees off the ground as she smiled up at me.

I couldn't help but wryly smile at that. It was a great gift, one that I didn't have words to express the happiness I felt at it.

"Thanks.." I whispered into her ear and despite the smugness that she radiated just a moment ago now she fell still. Her emotions fluctuated between embarrassed and happy.

"Your welcome" I didn't know who said it first as both Delta and Aoif both said the same thing.

However I knew that they had different intentions. One wanted nothing more than to flirt with me, to bring me closer and the other wanted to continue on deeper and watch the show.historical

It wasn't hard to guess which one was which.

"Move" Delta said, the already broken atmosphere being replaced with one of seriousness as she urged as to move towards the cavern in the castle that the mastermind had created.

I just obeyed, it was not worth it to be such a child and disobey Delta's order. Though it wasn't even needed as I was already leaning towards jumping down immediately.

It wasn't that hard of a decision. The longer that we gave that man to prepare the harder it would be to pursue him, or at least that was what I would assume it to be since it seemed that it took some time for those defended to be set.

There were also those circles, with sufficient materials he would be able to do so much more if we gave him time. It was why I jumped without blinking.

The lights of the reception hall faded into the background as it was replaced with the color of water. High pressure jets of water sprayed at me. It was not hard to dodge.

All I needed to do to dodge them was create a platform that would block one then launch off of it deeper into the ground.

At some point I had to just wonder how deep this went, by the time that I had been in here we should have passed the depths of the castle by now.

And it was we, as immediately after I had jumped in so did Aoif and Delta, though they were having an easier time as Delta carried Aoif and blocked anything that came towards her.

I just sighed and looked back down, it wouldn't do for me to be jealous, it was her summon after all.