The amber sclera bobbed around, searching for something, as the bat’s body lay limp on the ground, surrounded by Yvlena and her party.

  Yvlena acted fast. Not knowing what she grabbed from her inventory, she whipped out an item and showed it to the eye. She felt the metal grooves poke her fingers as she lifted it towards the waiting gaze.

  The bat cage was the last thing she had picked up before entering the attic. The pupil shifted its focus to the item in her hand.

  A force rippled through the room, sending a shock wave in all directions. Yvlena and her summons were blown back, with the elven girl being thrown across the room close to where Kuti stayed hiding behind the crates.

  “Ah!” Yvlena cried out as she hit the ground, wood pressed into her back at an uncomfortable angle. A ripple of pain made her grit her teeth. She let go of the cage, watching it roll away from her and begin melting away.

  She gasped and forced her gaze towards the bat that steadily rising from the ground. It lurched forward, the large eye still in a panic over what Yvlena had shown it.

  “Now’s our chance!” Yvlena yelled to her summons. She grabbed her sickle, wincing as she stood up. The unexpected attack had left her with a dearth of HP but it wasn’t enough to take her out. Sprite already knew what to do, flying towards Yvlena to cast her spell.

  [Sprite cast Cure (05MP)]

  [Sprite cast Cure (05MP)]

  “Thanks.” Yvlena said, but noticed the fairy was looking worse for wear, as Rabbit Knight fought on. Sprite’s wings drooped, and the fairy looked as if she could barely hold herself up. A cursory glance at her summon menu let Yvlena know Sprite was almost out of MP.

  And if she ran out, there would be nothing the fairy would be able to do in the fight. Sprite would have to rest and recover HP passively as summons did.

  “Sprite, I think you need to rest and guard Kuti. Rabbit Knight and I will take the eye on!” Yvlena said, running ahead as the fairy nodded at the instruction.

  [Yvlena cast Harvest Skill: Wide Sweep]

  The wave pulsed, washing over the bat and its now open eye. The Bat screeched in rage and made to swipe at Rabbit Knight how swiftly dodged the large hand and brought his rapier down hard, piercing the Bat’s wing.

  Yvlena slid behind the bat, diving low and attacking it’s hind legs to cripple it. The bat stumbled, turning around and once again catching Yvlena off guard as she was swept up in its wing and flung to the side.

  Suddenly the bat stopped attacking, the amber eye wide and tearful.

  [The Eye of Wistful Memory is overcome with longing for times long past]

  The game notified her.

  The bat moved, slamming its talons into the attic floor.

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  It slammed its knuckles into the ground over and over, screeching. The eye was frantic, darting around as it stared at nothing in particular. Yvlena and Rabbit Knight watched it seemingly lose its mind until there were cracks in the surface of the floor.

  “What’s it doing?” Yvlena asked, keeping her guard up.

  The bat continued to scream, pounding the floor until it began to split, breaking away in the shape of a circle underneath the bat’s clawed feet.

  It lifted its wings to escape, but the holes Yvlena and Rabbit Knight had ripped in its wings prevented it from taking flight.

  The bat fell backwards, into the space formed in the floor to the next level of the warehouse. She ran towards it, watching the bat flail as it fell, crushing its body against the broken crates and raising a cloud of dust as it hit.

  “Let’s go!” Yvlena said, grabbing Kuti. Rabbit Knight nodded followed. Yvlena leaped, twisting her body and holding her Moon Sickle to deliver a charged wave of energy.

  [Yvlena cast Harvest Skill: Wide Sweep]

  She didn’t understand why the bat had done that. Did showing it the memory drive it mad?

  Yvlena, Kuti, and Rabbit Knight landed softly on some stacked crates, watching the bat twitch. The amber eye was once again closed as if resting. That bat’s wings were in tatters now, both from the attacks and the fall it had sustained.

  The elven girl almost felt sorry for it.

  In a spray of splinter and debris, the bat rose with alarm. It screeched painfully as it flapped its leathery wings that could no longer carry it.

  Yvlena grabbed one of the crates she could carry and pitched it like her life depended on it. The box slammed into the creature, shattering and sending broken wood flying all over the room.

  Rabbit knight sprinted forward, lifting his rapier with more force than usual. In a burst of speed, he slashed through the bat’s side, leaving only three horizontal strikes in the flesh.

  [Rabbit Knight Learned: Fury]

  “Nice one, Rabbit Knight!” Yvlena cheered from where she stood hefting another box and throwing forward.

  “How much HP does this thing have, Kuti cast Weaken!” Yvlena said, lifting the Moon Sickle.

  [Kuti cast Weaken (03MP)]

  [The Eye of Wistful Memory afflicted with weakness -25% HP and attack]

  [Yvlena Cast Crescent Throw (10MP)]

  The sickle left her hand, heading towards the enemy to deliver a series of hit and slashes, Yvlena followed leaping in to the air to grab it and spin into her improvised attack.

  [Yvlena Cast Crescent Slash (15MP)]

  The sickle gleamed in the low light as Yvlena brought the blade down on the bat’s head, cutting from head to mouth with a yell.

  “Ahhhhhh!” she yelled as she ripped her weapon back with the same force she used to deliver the strike. Her efforts worked and soon the bat was stumbling amongst the crates.

  The eye had opened once more, waiting for a relic of the past. But as Yvlena watched the bright amber sclera bleed into a dangerous red, she knew the bat would react stronger this time.

  The next item she grabbed was the bat collar. The bell tinkled lightly as she just about shoved it into the eye’s gaze.

  The pupils dilated, growing three times it’s size at the sight of the small collar. Yvlena jumped back, throwing the item in the air as it began burning away.

  Yvlena panted, wiping away the ashes that rained down. Rabbit Knight stood beside her, leaning on his rapier. She detected a hint of pride in him that she had never noticed before. He caught her gaze, nose twitching as if to ask if she was ready to continue the fight.

  Yvlena smirked in response and brandished her sickle.

  “Let’s go.”

  HERE!!!