"You aren't coming with me?" Manny's voice cracked. They stood at the entrance of the city. Liz shook her head. Manny held her hands in disbelief. She slowly pulled them away and looked at Olivia.
"I got people I need to know if they're fine." Liz responded. "I-I know they're not the best people, but I need to make sure they're okay." She began to turn when Manny reached out for her.
"W-what about me? What about… us?" Manny asked. Liz stopped. She bundled her hand into a fist. She was glad Manny had taken interest in her, but…
"You're thinking about me now?" Liz turned around. She was harsh with Manny. She took a step forward and glared at him like he wasn't someone she crushed on for years. Manny nodded and began to speak but Liz just cut him off. "Stop thinking about me. Don't even think about me. You're choosing your friend over me. You always have and always will. Let's just end things here."
Liz turned and made her way over to Olivia. They were going to find their remaining family. They were going to not go on a suicide mission. They had continuously put their faith in Lee Seng and now… now was the time to find their family. Manny's lip quivered. He looked down for a moment and then went after Liz.
"Fine! I'll go with you!" Manny shouted. He moved in front of Liz and stood in front of her. "I'll choose you! I'll go wherever you need me to go! I-I just wanna…" He looked at Lee Seng, silently saying sorry with his eyes before devoting his attention to Liz. He grabbed her hands and put up a brave smile. "I just wanna be with you."
Liz smiled for a second and then frowned. Her heart grew heavier. Was it her own self-sabotaging guilt attacking her? She did feel bad about leaving Lee Seng behind but she didn't think Manny would do this… She began to turn to say something to Lee Seng when Manny stopped her from looking.
"It'll only make it worse." Manny whispered. Olivia watched. Her heart yearned for the same reaction, but Lee Seng wouldn't do that.
'This is the path he's choosing.' Olivia thought, looking at Lee Seng. Lee Seng's heart hurt. He had finally confirmed Olivia had liked him as much as he did, but he couldn't confess it. Lee Seng sighed and smiled at Olivia. It was out of the ordinary, but it was Lee Seng. He tried his best to hide it, but she understood him. 'We both need to walk our own paths now. I gotta find my parents. I have to know where they are! I have to tell them…' She felt her throat get stuck with a silent sob. 'I have to tell them.'
"Let's go." Manny turned and pulled Liz away. "I'll help you find whoever you need to find, alright? Let's just go and hope our friends come back." He turned his head and looked at Lee Seng, Ritsuka, Evan and Calis. "You better come back! Don't you dare die!"
"Don't plan on it." Ritsuka confidently responded back to him.
"You guys go and find your families." Evan motioned. "It'll ease your hearts. I'm sure of it."
"Bye." Calis waved.
"See you later!" Manny waved. Liz turned and caught Lee Seng's sad stare. She started to wave but was whisked away by Manny. She noticed Olivia staring.
"See you." Lee Seng managed to wave. Olivia's throat twitched. She turned and followed after Manny and Liz. They watched their friends enter the city, leaving them to their own path.
"Hey." Ritsuka put a hand on Lee Seng's shoulder. "It's time to work." Lee Seng snapped out of it and nodded. He turned and followed the group. "First stop?"
"The lab." Lee Seng answered, quietly.
"The lab!" Evan shouted loudly. Ritsuka pulled away from Lee Seng and slapped Evan. "Ow! Why'd you do that?!?"
"Are you trying to tell everyone where we're going?!?" Ritsuka shouted back. The two began to argue loudly, ruining the entire point.
The lab was a crumbling mess of pure heat and melted solids that had turned into liquids. Ritsuka and Evan gasped at the sight. It was still very hot here and they wondered if anyone had died. Lee Seng casually strolled as far as he could and looked around.
Runes scattered throughout the mess. Lee Seng needed to right one wrong and it all started with this endless melting pot of a lab. He raised his hands up and began to write. Runes began to move as a large magical circle grew from Lee Seng's feet. It stretched forward, surrounding every inch of the lab.
The runes continued to flutter around as Lee Seng dug deeper. There were at least fifty floors he had to get through. Beads of sweat broke from Lee Seng as he worked. Calis, Evan and Ritsuka watched as the Fox Spirit's aura began to grow.
"Should we… get outta the way?" Evan whispered to Ritsuka. Calis's eyes narrowed. He didn't fully understand the Fox Spirit's ways but he still voiced his opinion to the Biohumans.
"No." Calis answered. Evan looked at the Merman. "He won't fail." Before Evan could ask how he knew, Calis whipped around, summoning his trident. He tossed it and watched it impale a strange creature. Evan and Ritsuka turned, realizing strange monsters were appearing out of nowhere.
"What're those?!?" Evan asked, summoning his shield. Calis snapped his hand forward, re-summoning the trident and moving forward.
"Protect Lee Seng from these things." Calis ordered. Evan and Ritsuka didn't argue with Calis. The Captain had only spoken what they were all thinking. The monsters were jello-like. There were strange things within them that bubbled.
Calis threw the trident and watched the jello monster explode into a bubbling pool of liquid. Whatever contents were in the jello monster, clattered onto the ground, releasing a strange visible smoke.
Ritsuka stepped forward and summoned Obsidian Glass, slashing horizontally and wiping out a wave of jello monsters. More strange smoke billowed outwards. Calis tried to summon water, but it wouldn't work.
'The heat's concentrated here.' Calis reminded himself. He pushed darkness outwards, hoping it would push the green smoke away. Evan grunted as the jello creature slammed into his shield, releasing a strange acidic smell. Evan's skin began to burn as he forced the jello away with a push.
Evan grunted, forcing the jello monsters backwards.
"Ah, that burns!" Evan grunted.
"What's that green smoke?" Ritsuka asked, stepping backwards. He flicked his sword, listening to the ground bubble around him. He took a peek behind him and noticed a bright light in Lee Seng's place. The jello monsters bubbled, drawing his attention back to the problem at hand.
"I don't know but I don't like it." Calis gripped the trident. "I would wash them away with water, but I think the heat here is too much for me to conjure water. I don't think the darkness worked, either. Any other plans?"
"We build a wall!" Evan pulled his shield off his hand and jumped forward. He impaled the shield into the ground, letting it grow and block the front. "Hopefully, Lee Seng can finish this before we're swarmed!" The wall began to rumble as the smell of acid grew. Hissing grew loud as the kinetic wall began to melt.
'C'mon.' Lee Seng thought. He had almost reached it. The point where it all happened. He could barely hear his friends. 'Further. You must go further!' The light around Lee Seng began to bubble, bursting into flames or lava.
"Shit! What's happening with him?!?" Ritsuka asked, covering his head as he looked at the ball of light behind them.
"The wall's coming down!" Evan shouted. "We-we should— Ah!" A jello monster flew through the melted hole, firing at him and pinning him onto the ground. Evan gasped as the jello sank its jello-like body into his face and body. He could feel the acid burning at him as his friends pierced the jello.
"It's not dying!" Ritsuka shouted. "What happened to it now?!?"
"Argh!" Calis pierced the trident into the jello, letting the darkness fill it and explode. The acidic jello monster exploded, burning Calis and Ritsuka.
"Acid!" Ritsuka hissed. Evan screamed in pain as he forced himself up.
"There's more!" Calis pointed. He ignored the pain and rushed forward. "Protect Lee Seng!" Evan hissed in pain. He clawed his burnt skin, feeling like his skin was melting away.
"Get it off! Get it off!" Evan shouted.
"E-evan!" Ritsuka turned. A jello monster shot forward, hitting Ritsuka and pinning him on the ground. Ritsuka began to scream as jello monsters swarmed Calis.
'Found it!' Lee Seng pulled, temporarily getting audio from where he was. He could hear Evan and Ritsuka screaming in pain. 'W-what's going on?' He tried to turn but couldn't.
"G-get off!" Evan screamed. "Ahhh!"
'Evan! Ritsuka!'
"Argh!" Calis screamed. "Damn, slimes!"
'Slimes?!? Here?!?' Lee Seng turned only to find himself somewhere different.
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