Online In Another World

As a showcase, Blimpo pointed his gauntlet toward one of the walls that was formed of solid dirt and reinforced with dusty wood, holding a smile as he slapped a circular, white button on the side of the gauntlet with his other hand.

“Mode: Mud Spider! Go!” Blimpo called out.

It was a shockingly intricate display of technological prowess, coming from a shoddy-seeming gauntlet with wood at its base: the redwood plates slid and readjusted with the press of the button, causing the deep-blue rune and the dirt-brown rune to begin glowing in response.

What released from the palm of the mechanical glove was a combination of water magic and nature magic, combined into the form of elastic mud that shot out in a net shape.

“–A-ha!”

A victorious emission left Blimpo’s lips as the surprisingly sturdy net of mud didn’t break apart when colliding with the wall, but in fact kept its shape and clung to the wooden beams without any issue.

“Impressive,” Emilio remarked, putting his hand to his chin.

“Isn’t it?” Blimpo proudly smirked.

Of course, there was no offensive power behind such a function, but it was as Blimpo said: what was needed was utility, not an attempt for him to overcome War’s otherworldly armor.

“Does it have other functions?” He asked.

The young man almost immediately regretted asking when seeing that childlike grin appear on the elf’s lips as he once more, pointed his gauntlet upward as if addressing the very heavens.

“Behold! Mode: Cloud Stampede!” Blimpo announced before clenching the gauntlet shut, seeming to trigger another function with an audible “click”.

Emilio watched closely, though it seemed counterintuitive as the function instantaneously activated in the form of heavy, thick mist propelling outward from the varied device. It quickly filled the entirety of the cramped hideout, surrounding the young Dragonheart in the impenetrable veil of smoke within moments.

…Weird. This has to be some sort of mix of fire, water, and wind, right? He questioned.

For some reason, once he was surrounded by the mist, he couldn’t hear anything; it was a complete silence that left him blind to his surroundings.

What is this? I can’t hear anything, he thought.

It became unnerving after a few moments; the essence of the mist was disorientating to him, causing sweat to begin evacuating his pores as he finally stood up just when–

“Mode: Siphon!”

The enthusiastic voice of Blimpo was like a cannon firing off in a silent night, following the sound of something sucking in the air as the mist got siphoned back into the unique, wood-and-steel gauntlet.

It only took a mere couple seconds for the fog to be completely erased, almost just as quickly as it came as Blimpo stood there with a cheeky smile at the reaction from the young man.

“How’d you like that one?” Blimpo asked.

“…What was that? That wasn’t normal fog, was it?” He wondered audibly.

“You guessed correctly!” Blimpo said, “–I went through extra work making sure the mist that the glove produces isn’t any normal mist. It took a bit of adjusting, but I was able to make it so that it suppresses sound and even fiddles with your senses once you’re surrounded in it.”

It was a scary thing to imagine, though he didn’t have to really imagine it after experiencing it firsthand from the smiling inventor, who seemed far too proud at the young man’s baffled reaction.

“So, whatcha think? Those are only two of a dozen modes, but think it can hinder that monster?” Blimpo asked, “You fought it all close ‘n personal, right? I’m interested in your opinion.”

“Hmm, well…” He folded his arms over his chest, “If I’m being honest, I can see it buying a couple seconds, at most. You’re more likely to just end up drawing its attention straight to you than anything.”

Blimpo paused for a moment after the honest judgment of his tool, seeming to be stunned for a moment before laughing out.

“–?” Emilio raised an eyebrow.

“A couple seconds? That’s plenty! I’m a master of timing, in addition to tinkering, you know! Just leave it to me!” Blimpo assured.

The bulk of the planning was handled by the elven inventor; despite his slim build and lack of proficiency in flinging spells or swinging a blade, Blimpo firmly planted himself as being able to help in the fight against War.

Hoisted up, the blonde-and-black haired Dragonheart wielded the questionably-named Dragon Buster 4000, which was fortunately able to be changed into a compact form around his arm while not using it.

“Alright! Let’s find that key!” Blimpo announced, holding what resembled a white-wood rune rifle in his non-gauntlet wearing hand.

With only a few hours of planning and even less sleep, the two young men filled with a dangerously-flammable drive for victory that perpetually sparked between the two, set out once more down the underground tunnel.

Blimpo’s guess might be right–he told me that there’s a chance the key might not actually be ‘somewhere’ in the labyrinth, but rather in ‘something’–that being War, he thought, I don’t like the thought of it much, but it might just be crazy enough to make sense.

While moving down the tunnel, leading the way while Blimpo continuously prepared his plethora of gadgets that sat on his belt, he racked his mind on the topic of finding the black key.

“You said you have five tries left, right?” Blimpo asked from behind.

“Yeah, why?” He glanced back.

Blimpo smiled innocently, scratching his head, “Well, since I’m on zero…”

“I’ll take the lead,” he sighed.

“Thanks a ton, friend!” Blimpo gave him a thumbs-up.

Though it wasn’t much of a choice either way in his mind; somebody could Blimpo, who didn’t have any physical gifts in battle, would likely turn out to only be problematic to try and fight alongside with. Emilio knew he would be more valuable in the sidelines, keeping a low profile and scouting the area–other than that, he didn’t much feel like having to constantly watch over his companion.

…Boy, I wish Everett was here. That shield of his never let anything past it, he thought.

Such thoughts stirred up emotion in him that he didn’t really feel until just then; for some reason as he marched down the secret tunnel, he felt an inexplicable mass of sadness well up in his chest. Those emotions manifested through a few tears that trickled down his cheeks.

“Huh…?” He let out quietly, touching his own cheek to feel the tears.

He had been moving forward without much thought that it hardly settled in that he truly was dead, even if it was something he could overcome, there was a colossal sensation of loss that flowed through his own heart.

I miss them. Damn…Why do I have to get emotional now of all times? Pull it together, Emilio, he thought.

“Somethin’ the matter?” Blimpo curiously asked.

“Nope,” he quickly dismissed.

Arriving at the exit of the hidden tunnel, they both stopped for a minute, staying silent and listening.

Nothing.

The silence was both unnerving and reassuring; it was to make sure the war machine of flesh and mayhem wasn’t simply camping out by the exit. After confirming no such sounds of heavy machinery were nearby, the young Dragonheart hopped up and hoisted himself up.

Entering the labyrinth again immediately felt as though he was stepping into carnage itself; the air was more thin and old, musty and aged with dried blood that seemed to linger like flakes of dust.

…I already miss that cramped, dirty hideout, he thought.

Crouching in the tucked-away chamber in the labyrinth, he turned back around to look down the hole, extending his hand down to Blimpo, who wasn’t quite as nimble as he was. Though there was at least some credit needing to be given to the pale, blonde elf as he was carrying quite the load of gadgets on his person.

“Thanks!” The elven man smiled, accepting his hand.

Successfully reentering the labyrinth, they both stood in the room; his eyes laid on the door where he had originally found the room, which was only accessed through the windy, slippery corridor that bestowed troublesome hallucinations.

“…You don’t suppose there’s another way out of this room, right?” He asked.

Blimpo laughed, “Ahh…Nope!”

“I knew there was no point in asking,” he let out a quiet sigh, rolling his right shoulder.

Though it was compact, the draconic-empowered gun wasn’t exactly light either way; it was dense and abnormally shaped, likely weighing a few hundred pounds, all to be held on a single arm.

“I had to choose a room with only one exit. If there were more, then War could surprise me any number of ways–besides, the tar seems to keep that big fella at bay, anyway!” Blimpo said, tapping his chin, “Hey, that rhymed, didn’t it?”

Does this guy’s brain ever slow down? He questioned.

Ignoring the eccentric spiels of his companion, he led the way back into the whirly corridor, this time taking extra care not to touch the walls or the secretion that poured from the cracks.

p-A- n-d-A-n-0-v-e-1、 “Stay focused, alright?” He glanced back.

Blimpo gave him a quick salute, “Always am!”