Hope born of solitus

*

No. This isn't the end. I can't stop here, I can't stop anywhere. The Remnant breaks away from the clash, promptly facing me. Of course she wouldn't let go of the cheeky hit I took. If the other magical girl were to protect me, she would have to stretch herself too far and open herself up to attacks. I have to deal with this myself.

I walked closer and swung my fist towards her head, she ducked it and her hand flashed out of sight. Her blade reappeared together with her firm grip in the next moment, a clean cut cleaved right through my torso. Blood flies out of the cut stretching from my torso to my shoulder as I fell to the ground like a doll.

I... I feel cold... Did I overestimate myself? Probably... I couldn't even react, her speed was simply inhuman... Completely unfair. The disparity between us was a canyon, there wasn't any realistic chance of survival if she had set her sights on me. Was I born just to die...? What difference is it if I died less than an hour before my destined end?

My body... My body would at least have been left behind, for another Lastia to get a chance to live. To get a chance to break the curse. My vision gets darker, as if the light was being sapped to somewhere else, the dark sky sucked up all the urban lights, leaving nothing but a void behind. A void that would swallow me whole and take me away. The only thing retaining my sanity is the distant sounds of metal swinging against metal. A spear and a sword.

Ah... I'm afraid. My corpse would be left here and forgotten. Would I even leave a corpse? What if I disappeared too, like those Traces? I... I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

It felt like an eternity passed, but my mind persisted, continuously devouring my willpower to pass the time. It felt like I was slipping out of this world, each breath cursing my fate. {Feed} never stopped. My heart hadn't beat once for a long time, my body's processes... The oxygen needed, the energy, all of it was being substituted with the energy I'm getting from {Feed}. Right, like a moving corpse, I will persist...

***

The clock struck its zenith, the inevitable came. Her body was freezing to the touch, pale as the snow accumulating at mountain peaks. Her complexion was drained of any blush, but her wound was completely closed. Her eyelids twitch, a burning pain surged through her entire body, collected at the mind, then spread out again. A cycle of agony, like needles piercing every bit of skin and flesh she possessed. There was no air in her lungs, she couldn't even scream. Her mind wanders between the boundary of consciousness, weaving in and out with each passing moment, losing itself in the process.

{Feed}. Her body instinctively activates her magic. Spasming, her torso shot up into a sitting position, a cup of blood ejected out of her throat. She couldn't see, but her eyelids had opened. It looked like the world was under a filter of grainy static, swimming like little tadpoles and obscuring reality. Nothing but small black and grey pixels swirl and ebb. The sensation in her arms and legs shot up all at once, a surge of pain that caused her teeth to grit and force out a seizure.

Her body shook vigorously for a while in that position, drool leaked out through her teeth and dripped onto the road surface. In the distance there was still a loud sound of surfaces impacting each other at high speeds, scratching and perforating her hear drums, adding to her migraine. For so long she couldn't see and it was severely discomforting, but when the migraine ended and her teeth loosened from being clenched, she had recovered half her vision. It was also beginning to recover even more rapidly than before, she turned to observe her surroundings.

Monochrome. A sensation of magic filled the land and assaulted her senses. She was trapped in another plane, that much she immediately understood. She was Lastia, she had linguistic skills despite not remembering anything else, and there was a fight going on. Who was the enemy? Who should she fight to get out of here? Naturally it should be the one who casted the magic that made this plane right? Or was that her ally?

"...?!" (Magical girl)

"...?!" (Remnant)

They both revealed perplexed faces, as if they saw a ghost. The Remnant caught onto the magical girl's surprise and looked in the same direction, even if she was partially acting on instinct, she showed a particularly vivid expression with an open jaw.

60%, that's how much she could see. She could also feel, the information flowing into her mind was surprisingly detailed. Was it the pain that assailed her before? Did that somehow increase the efficiency and capacity of her mind? The world felt especially lucid, {Feed} only accelerated even more. Her body was now physically fine and her strength was being amplified. 70%. The two continued to fight in the far distance, about a few kilometres away.

Lastia bent her knees and ankles, in a couple seconds she crossed the distance. 85%.her body is also accelerating, the world was blurring.

"Who trapped me here...? And who caused such a severe wound?" (Lastia)

In actuality she didn't even need an answer. Unadulterated hostility emanated from The Remnant, combined with her 2 horns and excessive armour, it made for a terrifying air of formidability. On the other hand the other girl made a face as if pleading... For her to run away...

"I see how it is." (Lastia)

Right, if The Remnant was her ally, stopping the fight wouldn't cause any immediate losses. They could just retreat, explain the situation to her, and rectify nay mistakes. If The Remnant was the enemy, it would make sense to break this stalemate.

Lastia nods to her, completely ignoring her intentions. Her body flashes past the buildings, with each step hundreds of metres were crossed in an instant. Chaining these steps... Running and controlling her trajectory despite being at such high speeds, she runs up a building and reaches the roof, shooting off into the air before she noticed the absence of any footing. {Feed}... More and more. Even if she reaches her limit, she must stockpile more energy... To the point she can instantly heal any wound on the same level as the one she had when she first woke up.

Absorb more! Take more! Take everything, until nothing is left! Even if it was impossible, there was meaning in still trying.