Void Domain, Book 04 полностью

Your mortal friend had many gaps in her memory surrounding your internment. Is your memory so perfect?

“No,” Shalise mumbled.

So get up, servant, and return to the battle before it ends. Use my kin as distractions.

“Touch the crystal and leave.” Shalise slapped her cheeks. She had to drag herself to her feet. The rest was nice, but she had a more important job. “Nothing else?”

Nothing.

She could feel his grin in the back of her mind. His eagerness was almost infectious.

Shalise found herself smiling as she reached down and slung Juliana back up around her shoulders. After taking a moment to adjust Juliana into what would hopefully be a comfortable position before taking a step down the corridor.

Alright, she thought, I can do this. I have to do this.

—

I so cannot do this.

Maoa and the sword-doll blinked around the wide open space faster than Shalise’s eye could track them.

Except she did not think they were blinking. Not the thaumaturgical teleportation. They were simply moving that fast.

At any point, the sword-doll or Maoa could notice her and take her head off before she realized what was happening.

The rest of the battle hadn’t settled down in the least. Twenty or so dolls were engaged with about the same amount of demons.

That building, Prax said, is our destination.

For the first time, Shalise looked beyond the bloody battle.

It was no wonder she had completely ignored the building before. It was a plain cylinder maybe three stories tall. No windows adorned its walls, only a single entrance facing her. A red barrier was stretched across the opening.

Prior to paying attention, she had assumed the room was triangular in shape with the building making up one wall. Looking around, it was clear that the battle was taking place within a diamond-shaped room centered around the cylinder.

At least there wasn’t a locked door. The other demons likely intended to break down the walls as they did to some of the cells. Unless that barrier was different from the cells, she could walk right though.

Now she just had to get there.

“A-any suggestions?”

Sneaking will be difficult unless you abandon your mortal friend–

“Not a chance.”

Do not interrupt me, servant. You asked for suggestions. I am providing.

Shalise bit her lip, barely paying attention. One of the dolls stared straight at her.

A six armed demon gripped both of the doll’s arms before anything more than eye-contact could happen, but it still sent a jolt of adrenaline through her body.

Join a side and hope that whichever side you pick will not stab you in the back once the fighting has ceased–if not prior to that.

“I-I can’t fight. What happened to using them as a distraction?”

By edging along the wall, you may be able to bypass much of the fighting at this entrance. Be warned: I would be surprised if there is not a battle going on of similar scale on the opposite side of the armory.

“Between the two fights.” Shalise swallowed a dry lot of nothing. “Okay.” Her dry tongue scraped across her lips, feeling like sandpaper. “Okay.”

Cease your panicking and get on with it.

“Okay!”

Shalise spoke too loud.

One doll turned a birdcage-entrapped head to look straight at her. To do so, it had to turn its head almost completely around.

As soon as their eyes met, the doll’s plain expression turned into a smile.

Taking advantage of the doll’s distraction, a demon thrust its fist into the cage.

The dented cage came clean off the doll’s shoulders, flew through the air, and rolled to a stop only a few feet from Shalise. Despite losing its head, the doll continued to fight. It impaled the demon on a rusted spear.

Shalise bit down on a shriek and started running along the wall.

Juliana’s weight did not make it easy. She almost fell off Shalise’s back as she started running. Shalise had to stop and heft her up more than once.

Prax was correct. The other side of the cylinder had another hallway leading away. At least twice as many demons and dolls were locked in combat.

Wasting no time gawking, Shalise ran for the cylinder.

“You’re not getting away from me, doll,” a voice rumbled.

Shalise skidded to a stop.

An arm as thick as her entire body smacked into the ground, cutting her off.