Starlight Dream

Chapter 34

"Colten! It is you!" To her bones, Seina understood this as an indisputable fact. Though, how he'd gain magical powers and a human form was beyond her.

"Uh, well." Paliah dithered, taken aback by this pronouncement. She stared at him, daring him to lie to her face and deny it. He sighed and capitulated, admitting the truth. "Yes, it's true, Seina. I'm your partner, Colten."

"But how?"

"It's a long, complicated story," Paliah said.

"Wait, what?! This guy's your fairy partner?!" Miko gapped, mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Yep, this is Colten," Seina said, confirming the truth.

"..." Chō stared, eyes wide. This sudden revelation was just as shocking to the usually unflappable magical girl.

"Yes, explain!" Miko said, outrage creeping into her voice. "This shouldn't be possible!"

"Well, you're not getting one!" Paliah said, smugly. "It's a secret!"

"Whatever," Miko said, snorting. "All the more reason to kill this monster! I-it's just unnatural!"

"Your face is unnatural." Paliah shot back.

"Shut up!" Miko's face turned red as she backhanded Paliah across the shore. With a rough hand, she grabbed him by his long white hair and put a blade to his exposed throat. "If you're a fairy, it makes sense I wasn't able to kill you."

Blood pooled down Paliah's armor as the knife's tip nicked into his jugular. Miko continued her speech, her tone conversational. "As long as Seina lives, you can't die. Well, whatever. You can survive as just a head."

"Colten!" Seina's hackles raised, fury guiding her as she fought against the robots restraining her. While she struggled to get leverage, her captors were having great difficulty holding her. No one hurt her fairy partner!

My power is strength, right? That means nothing should have the power to contain me! She focused her energy on herself, refusing to be contained.

"Shoot!" Miko said, tossing Paliah aside to address Seina. "I'm forgetting who's a greater danger."

Liquid agony passed through her as knives dug into her chest, each aimed at a different vital organ. The pain caused tears to string Seina's eyes, but it only fueled her determination to save her friend. The entire coast shook from the impact as she stomped one foot on the ground. Her robot captors flew sideways, jolted out of place. With their grip slackened, Seina ripped herself free. With a dismissive slap, each shattered to dust. Seina staggered as a kunai pierced her heart, but she only sent a baleful glare toward her attacker.

"..."

"What a monster." Miko's ever-dominant confidence became speckled with doubt. But such hesitations faded, replaced with certainty. "You're right, Chō. She's too much of a hassle to bring in alive. Killing her is our best option."

"Bring it," Seina said, her tone frigid. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped her staff hard.

"Careful," Paliah said. "Miko's ability can detect any weakness. She'll always strike where you're the most vulnerable!"

"Thanks, Colten." Seina gave her friend a half-smile before redirecting her baleful glare back toward her opponents.

Without preamble, she darted toward Miko with her wand prepared for battle. Despite Seina's nimbleness, Miko's knives always seemed to know where to strike her. Seina's knees buckled as several kunai stabbed her legs, but no amount of pain would deter her from her goal.