In The Hands Of Defeat

"Before I forget, Trinity, what is your class?"

"HOLY LIGHT CONJURER! Just wait to see it!"

"OK, let's go!"

Ahead of us, Professor MTK, was already shifting shapes impossibly. His mass began to grow larger, but this time he wasn't the large metal crab-man. Instead, he had turned into a four-meter tall Mech style robot sporting a massive greatsword and shield.

All of us moved on to the field and prepared ourselves to fight. Tilly and Iona were at my side, Till passed her stone great sword to me, and Iona had bowed her head, pouring black mist out of the bottom of her dress to coated the floor. Instantly Iona was gone from sight, but I could feel her close, hidden in the black mist.

The Dualist tear was wreathed in a blue flame, while Lavender had red and blue magic circles surrounding her arms in preparation to cast. Last was Trinity, but she was holding her hand up and chanting something. She used her free hand to trace magical glyph into the air.

Suddenly, Trinity was bathed in light, and a pillar poured down from the sky carrying a winged form. In the next instant, Trinity cried out.

"Come forth, Augusta, Holy Angel of Light!"

The figure's speed increase and slammed down in front of Trinity on one knee and head bowed. Long radiant blonde hair, golden armor, and snow-white wings made him the fitting image of any angel ever dreamed. All of us wear taken aback when the angel drew his sword on Trinity but then held it before himself and presented it to her.

"My lady, My blade is yours to wield. Your wish is my command."

"Thanks, Gus! We have a Techknowledge level three to deal with, but we also have a full party of level fifteens."

"This will be difficult. I request that you allow me you defend you with this blade this time, my lady."

"I will permit it. I will also remove the limiter."

Suddenly four bands dropped like rocks from the angel's wrists and ankles. I was surprised that she didn't want to wait, but If Trinity wasn't playing around, then none of us could. I looked at Tilly, and she nodded.

"Go! Steam!"

Lavender's circles fell down her arm and locked together. Steam rolled over the black, and we shot forward to the direction that MTK was last, but a fist came out to connect with Tilly. With STONEBLADE MASTERY and my speed, I used earth magic to fortify my riposte, allowing Tilly to slide under and spun, hammer out, connecting with the elbow joint.

I didn't see the other fist come, but it connected with Tilly and me, sending us flying back, but Iona was there to Pull us into the shadow room. I slipped back out to strike from behind, MTK's back opened up, and I was pounded into the ground by a barrage of small rockets. Only my shield saved me, and then the missiles stopped as Trinity and Augusta attacked simultaneously, golden angel blade from one side and white spear thrust.

MTK was hit but was still moving and batted the two of them away from himself after taking massive damage. Augusta was able to break Trinity's fall, but both looked in rough shape. I smashed my arms down and launched myself up and kicked my greatsword into the air above MTK, and leaped up. As I leaped, Victoria, Lavender, and now Tilly stood together, arms forward.

Starlight blasted MTK back, and before he could react, I met the now falling great sword with a front flip. Momentum brought me crashing down, smashing into MTK. Suddenly I was sent flying and smashed into a wall. MTK was still operational!

"Watch out, girls!"

But there was nothing I could do. MTK was already reforming himself. We couldn't do it, maybe if CHAIN REACTION was charged, but even then, that wasn't really winning.

"Enough!" Called out The Duke.

Everyone stood down, and the way to real simulation ended, and my pain disappeared. We all walked out with our heads hung low except for Trinity. She seemed to understand that we didn't have a chance, when we were filled with false hope and pride. After all the success, this was a bit surreal.

"Don't be down. I would have been overly impressed or worried about the Professor's effectiveness if you had won. That being said, it was close."

"I'm as impressed as always! You constantly help my girls grow, dave, and you take such good care of them!"

"No, you will split into the groups. Dave, your group will stay here with me, and the rest will join my daughter on the roof, after lunch."

With that, we were all lead back to the dining room. Even though we were told we did good, everyone but Trinity looked a bit down. Tilly and Iona held my arms, leaning into me, but then I was asked to wait by The Duke, and the girl went on without me.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Don't get down, son. These people all see you as their leader. If you think they lost, then so do they. Remember, you aren't just the leader. You are the trunk of the tree holding your team together. You must provide nutriment for them to flourish. Without you, they are just a bunch of branches. Be the Man that holds them together!"

The Duke slapped my back and laughed, walking past me and inside. I was left to ponder the words. All of them made sense. I was hurting my team by acting defeated. They needed to see me as the person that they can rely on.

I took in a couple deep breaths and slapped my face a couple times to straighten my thoughts back out. I had to get out of the mood. MTK was the real monster here. How did he take that direct hit from the starlight cannon the girls had made? Maybe it was something to do with the armor.

Next time we needed to make a plan and not just rush in. I headed to the dining hall while I started to think of ways we could have done better. Once I got into the hall, I was surprised to see the girls still crowded together and not sitting down.

"Girl's, I'm really sorry I was acting so down before. I have just been so used to us mowing down most things without trouble. I guess this loss was just a kick in the pants, but that's no excuse for me to be moping! You all did amazing! That Star fire cannon was out of this world! Tilly, your connection and Iona's saves were perfectly timed!"

All the girls visibly relaxed. They must have been talking about it, so I walked into the group, spoke to each person, and encouraged them to train hard. After we all sat down and pick sandwiches from a platter in the center of the table. After eating, I turned to The Duke.

"What kind of training will we be doing?"

"I have had some of the demons from certain noble houses here now, and you will be training against them. After that, you will head to the Mages Tower on the fifteenth level. If you all can complete the entire tower, then you will be able to come back to fight the demons kept here. None of this will be easy. We will be pushing you to your limits."

"Considering that Lavender, Victoria, and Trinity will be coming home to train, I convinced father to let you have the rest of the day off. It will be a week or more before you all are ready for the tower, so enjoy your selves today."

The two departed after that, and the girls and I were left in silence. Then Tilly, Iona, and Trinity all left suspiciously, leaving just Lavender and Victoria. I looked over at them, but they were already coming around the table.

Wordlessly they took me by the arms and pulled me out of my seat, and started to guide me. I was clueless about what was going on, and now I was beginning to get suspicious of the earlier group huddle. My eyes got big when I was pulled into a bathroom with a massive jacuzzi tub and three towels hanging up.

"What's going on,"

"You look really tense, Dave. So we are going to help you relax and get clean."

Victoria was already stripping down her shining armor, as Lavender explained. She, too, started to slide her purple dress down her shapely body until both were only wearing underwear. I hesitated for only one heartbeat but then stripped down and slid into the water with my back turned to the girls.

"Always so shy," I heard one of them say as they giggled behind me.

Both women slid in beside me, but I was very nervous, even shaking a bit. It wasn't until the women's bodies touched mine that I calmed down. Something about the connection made me remember other intimate moments that we all had shared. Suddenly, I could relax, and I reach my arm around each woman, pulling them both close.

"That's better!"

"Now, let us show how relaxed we can make you, and this way, you won't forget us when we are gone."

Victoria moved on top of me and pressed into me, causing her to let out moans of ecstasy, while Lavender's tongue tangled with mine.