Chapter 22: Brief Standoff

Argo and Aria both stood within the lamplight, taking a quick breather. One of them looked slightly more tired and worse for wear then the other. The two never got tired of training; most likely because their very lives depended on it.

They had switched lanterns a couple of days ago, and the amount of fuel left could hold out for another day. When it ran out, they would be flooded with darkness. Argo pushed himself with mad intensity, and Aria met him in kind.

Their spars were relentless, lacking courtesy and restraint. His progress had continued to amaze her, and even with a large disparity in stats, his technique was showing massive improvements.

With heavy breaths, Argo leaned on his sword. He didn't spend as much time observing the murals within the underground temple in favor of training. As a result he was unable to glean any more information about the cathedral's purpose, or Selene's pilgrimage to the volcano summit.

Whenever he tried to piece together a rough image with the information he consolidated, he was unable to learn anything meaningful. He surmised maybe as a follower of a moon deity, she imprisoned the sun inside the volcano? It didn't sound like something a hero would do, maybe the sun posed a threat? But it would be too coincidental for the sun to be inside Blackrock Island's volcano; when all hints point at it being in the center of the isles.

Trying to tackle it from another angle, he suspected there might've been a monster laying within the volcano. Maybe it posed a great danger to the city below, so Selene desired to eliminate it?

His thoughts were disrupted by a slight shift in his peripheral vision. The figure who remained unmoving for the past couple of days shifted.

"Faye?" He inquired eagerly. 

The previously prone girl was now sitting upright, with a dazed expression coloring her pale face. 

"Faye!"

Nearly tripping over himself, Argo approached her as he was flooded with relief. If she had remained unconscious any longer she would've starved, or forced to be carried like baggage. He was relieved she managed to wake up.

"Ugh, where am I?" She said groggily while rubbing her temples. 

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly while regaining his cool. "We fell through the pit after encountering those adventurers."

After a couple of seconds, she seemed to have regained her senses. Tying her obsidian hair back into a ponytail, she observed their surroundings. 

"How long was I out?" She asked, "This doesn't look very good."

Argo frowned, "About six days, nearing a week. Our last lantern is almost out of juice, we'll be forced to take action soon."

"Action?"

Before Argo could answer, a slight grumble traveled through the air. 

"Are you hungry?" He hesitantly broached. He silently berated himself, she was probably starving. 

Under her long bangs, Faye's expression remained hidden. But a slight red colored her ears, almost prompting Argo to tease her. But he refrained, their circumstances were anything but ideal. She was weak, and malnourished. 

He produced some rations he had left over, in which she wolfed them down. Argo had never seen her move so animatedly besides in their duels. Argo began giving her an overall rundown of the situation as she ate.

He started from Aria saving them, to their conjectures about the Abhorrent responsible for manipulating adventurers. Argo talked about how Aria and him were trapped in blissful dreams, and managed to break free. He described the grand hall filled with an army of warriors, and how they were training themselves.

He smirked, "I've also learned the skill basic swordsmanship." A hint of arrogance tinted his tone, interested in her reaction. 

With a slight crack in her placid face, Faye revealed a knowing grin. 

'Huh, another expression I've never seen before,' he mused. There was the lip twitching for irritation, but it looked like she really could grin.

"Impressive, I didn't think you'd be able to learn it so fast," she complemented. It was a little starting to hear her speak like that, and he tried to suppress a frown. 

"You're still you right," he questioned hesitantly. 

A withering glare quickly shut Argo up. Replaced by a somewhat unnerved expression, she spoke. "I was in a dream... of my past. But there wasn't anything off about it, and I don't recall overcoming anything."

"Of your past?" Argo echoed, "That's strange, or maybe isn't?" 

He wasn't entirely sure about how the dream prison worked. He lacked his past memories, making it difficult to tell if it was formed from memories or latent wishes. Aria seemed unwilling to discuss what she had seen leaving Argo clueless. 

Faye nodded, "Everything progressed at it's natural course before I eventually woken up."

Sensing a subtle shift in the air, Argo glanced at where Aria was standing a couple of feet away. His blood ran cold when he saw her hand resting on the hilt of her katana, which remained sheathed at the moment.

"What are you doing?" He asked Aria tersely, suppressing the itch to draw his weapon. Argo was aware of what may happen if Faye woke up. Over the course of their student-mentor relationship, he picked up a thing or two about the strange girl. She was boisterous, and exuded an air of carefreeness. She was lively and jovial when she wanted to be- but could quickly change moods at the drop of a hat.

He couldn't really explain it, but she could be serious when she needed to be. A trait demanded of most Exalted or adventurers that wanted to live long. He slightly moved to stand in front of Faye, concerned with Aria's change in demeanor. 

"She didn't wake up of her volition. Something is off," Aria replied flatly. "You remember what I said right?"

"Wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We still don't know everything." Argo rose his hands neutrally to express his agreement. "Something is off, but we don't have all the details yet."

"I've found your character quite commendable, Argo. But you lack the ability to look at the bigger picture here."

Argo winced, "What are you trying to get at?" He was only dancing around the main topic of their conversation. His mind was busily thinking of various ways to get him out of this situation. Things weren't looking to favorable on his end, unfortunately. 

"Eliminate her before she could be manipulated," she declared without any reservations. Argo knew she was stubborn, and he could do little to move her. While he had anticipated she would say something like that, it was impossible for him to resist retorting.

"No way," he responded sharply. "We're not going there."

The way at which things were progressing, a fight would break out. Argo knew he was simply no match for Aria. Their stats haven't seen a significant increase since he learned basic swordsmanship, but their technique was worlds apart. He might stand a chance if he was able to utilize [The Miracle], but she wouldn't just wait around to let him charge it. 

In addition, she had never displayed her full force. She could be hiding a plethora of skills paired with a lethal sword art that could decimate him on the spot. To sum it up, Argo did not want to fight her. He had to convince her to keep Faye around.

"From what we've seen, they're capable of acting like the people they inhabit. The only thing we don't know is if its the real person, and taking control is sudden; or their mind has been controlled from the start. Its also possible it's ability to manipulate dreams, and take over their minds are completely separate," Argo proposed, his mind scrambling to piece together a cohesive argument. "If its the former, we have a chance to determine if she's really Faye. Her strength will be a necessity in what's to come."

"Regardless of either result, she is a looming danger. What if the being behind the curtains decides to attack us when we're most vulnerable?" Aria rebutted succinctly. "It's simply irrational."

Especially since Faye had said it herself, she had never left the dream of her own accord. It was like the being was mocking them, watching them fret over if their comrade would stab them in the back.

A crack appeared in Argo's expression. She was right, Faye as it stands was a looming threat. They were clueless about the true abilities of the Abhorrent. He had never heard of, or encountered anything similar to it. With such a powerful arsenal capable of controlling minds and inducing sleep, it didn't feel like something at the level of a Rank 0.

With a crisp echo, an inch of metal left Aria's sheathe. "If you have nothing more to say, then I'll proceed."

'What is the right decision?' His survival was important, he had much greater ambitions then to die on the First Floor in some forgotten cavern. But he was indebted to Faye; while tenuous, he had formed a tacit form of trust with her. They had their own reservations about each other- and a few conflicting ideas to boot. But that didn't mean he would just give her up so easily. 

He tried to understand his desire to protect her. Was it because he was idealistic, wishing to save everyone? Was it because he cared for her to some extent? Or was it because her power was necessary? A combination of all the three. 

Was he close to what his real father was trying to tell him about? To grow stronger to protect those you wish to protect. Selflessly protecting others and the cost of his well being was still a long shot. But it firmed Argo's resolve anyway.

In a swirl of light, Argo's straight sword weaved itself out of thin air. With the familiar grip in his hands, he pointed its tip at Aria. His pulse quickened when their eyes made contact. He was balancing on a razor's edge.

"Hoh?" She halted her approach, azure eyes gazing at him with a hidden light. There was look of knowing etched on her features. She must've predicted this would've happened- hell, every one of her actions seemed to align with the future she wished to see.

"It's okay, Argo," Faye consoled from behind him.

Glancing behind him, Argo expressed concern. "Are you sure?" He was relieved she decided to step in. Argo wasn't sure what her plan was- but he knew she would definitely have something up her sleeve. Faye was such a person- when she wasn't throwing a tantrum that is.

Faye stood up, her obsidian eyes unwavering as they met Aria's gaze. The two strongest people he knew at the moment, sharing a tense stare-down. Invisible sparks seemed to fly into the air as the two sized each other up.

Argo's thoughts wandered, curious about who the stronger was between the two. He had trained under both, gaining a decent understanding of their combat style. While it didn't translate directly into power, both of them excelled in differing aspects. 

Aria was a cunning demon, adapting to her opponent's combat style while simultaneously tilting the flow of battle in her favor. Aria on the other hand was a flowing river, utilizing fluid movements and meticulous logic to defeat her opponent in a test of skill. 

"I don't think you're capable of killing me in cold blood," Faye stated without a change in expression. It was like she wasn't at all intimidated by Aria's show of pressure. 

"What makes you say that?" Aria responded carefully, caught off guard. 

"We've only just met, but I can tell from the look in your eyes. You were only able to kill those adventures from before because they had turned into monsters."

Argo stiffened, feeling the air become more charged. A storm was brewing, and he was a small toy boat in a battle between deities.

'Aria can't kill her?" He pondered, echoing Faye's assumptions in his head. From everything he knew about her, he felt she was more then capable of killing. Did Faye sense something that he didn't? 

SHING!

With a distinct metallic echo, followed by a flash of light, the darkness temporarily receded. It was so quick that Argo could've been imagining things. The only tell-tale sign of its existence was the echo of a blade leaving it's scabbard.

With a tense expression, Argo watched Aria's curved blade halt inches from Faye's neck. The air seemed to freeze- followed by a deadly silence. The tension in the room had reached an all time high. 

'What was that speed?!'

Argo didn't move a muscle, watching them in astonishment. He didn't even notice her move, nor trace the path of her sword. It was like one moment she was standing still, the next she was already in front of Faye. Was it a part of her sword art? Or pure technique?

Faye remained indifferent, her expression unflinching as it reflected off the silver blade. Argo wondered how she could remain so unmoved? She would've been beheaded if Aria didn't stop herself.

The two glared at each other for a couple of tense seconds. Before Argo's patience could reach a tipping point, one of them caved.

With a frustrated sigh, Aria sheathed her sword before moving next to the lamp. "I don't like people like you."

Sitting and facing the wall, she seemed to have started immersing herself in thought. It would be an understatement to say he was shocked. Aria was resolute in her decisions and actions. She would never cave in to any of his demands or complaints. Maybe Faye had struck a chord with her? 

From her disposition and actions, he believed she was capable of cruel logic. Or at least he thought so, but when he mulled over it for a bit he slowly started to piece together a clearer image. She had only set out to kill the adventurers from before once their true colors shown. She might've felt something off with them from the start, but they were still humans.

Glancing at Faye, he noticed her face had become a little more livelier. With a relieved expression, she took a seat next to a nearby rock.

"I didn't know Aria was unable to commit murder," he said carefully. He was curious about how Faye had managed to figure that out. He gleaned a little bit from their brief exchange, but he was still confused. He had known Aria for longer then Faye, and yet she was able to deduce something so significant. 

"She was probably curious about what you would do, or prodding to see if the monster would take action. I'm not sure, but she doesn't have the eyes of a killer," Faye responded. "Whew, had to admitm things got a little bit dangerous there."

Argo frowned, "You think? And you know what a killer looks like?" 

Faye shrugged, "Somewhat, but its more of a feeling? I can't really tell myself, but something you just pick up on."

Argo found her words ambiguous, and decided not to dwell on them further. But he also decided to broach a topic that was bothering him. He had plenty of time to mull over it while she was asleep, but it was inevitable they would have to confront each other.

"Why did you act so recklessly earlier?" He inquired carefully. 

She seemed much more open to discussion this time, absently blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "I apologize for my earlier actions, I let my emotions get the best of me. It brought back some bad memories, and I felt like... like I had to prove something to myself. Or something like that."

She ended her sentence with an absent wave of her hand. "I hope it doesn't affect the future of our partnership."

Argo mulled over her words in temporary silence. "Fair enough, I won't pry. But I would like to know the reason behind why I may be killed for knowing you. If I had known that, I definitely wouldn't have teamed up with you."

She smirked, "And that's exactly why I didn't tell you. I also don't plan on telling you." Before Argo could retort, she interrupted him. "I'll tell you one of these days, but everyone has their secrets, okay?"

"That's a dumb excuse," he said sharply. If he was going to be hunted by someone as formidable as Shadow Covenant, he felt obligated to know why. But there was no point in pushing the topic now, their current situation was anything but desirable.

Now that Faye was awake, their combined power was increased drastically. Not nearly enough to fight against an army of adventurers, but Argo was slowly piecing together a usable plan. 

"Say, do you have any ideas about dealing with the army in the hall?"

Faye thought for a moment, seemingly going over the information he had provided her. "Would your ability be able to wipe them all out?"

Argo's mouth drooped open, stunned by her question. "What? No way in hell!"

Faye flinched, "It's not? I mean I have a rough estimate about the size of people, but you were able to completely destroy a Grade D monster."

His eyes twitched, "That's because I was protected, and allowed enough time to complete a full charge."

"My original plan was to fully channel my ability into my legs, grab both of you, and jump over them."

Faye's usually placid expression fell, replaced by... disappointment?

"What?! It's a decent idea!"

"There are too many unknowns, but you're right. I doubt that girl and I can protect you for that long. Are you able to move while charging?"

"Yes, but anything faster then a walk will break my concentration," Argo explained. 

Faye nodded, "This all revolves around that ability. We have to decide on simply jumping over them, or blowing them all away."

Argo tried to gauge the power of an attack fueled by a maximum charge of [The Miracle]. He had gained a considerable increase in strength since his time fighting the kraken, so a fully-powered attack would be significantly stronger then before. Coupled with his more intricate control over mana, he could concentrate the power to a degree instead of letting it flow out haphazardly.

The problem was humans were unique; they all possessed varying Skills, Inherents, or Traits that could turn the tide of battle. He could catch them by surprise, but there was still the possibility of some possessing potent defensive or survival abilities.

In addition, simply charging from a distance wouldn't be enough to hide the potent power. He remembered clearly the bright light produced, and the way the energy fluctuated like a boiling inferno. Aria and Faye would need to stall for a little bit if they took notice.

"I'll trust your decision."