"...Wait, did that actually work?"
— Elroy Bates
@Ponn@Majoraa
Usually, having a casual conversation with a giant shield with evil nuns shooting out from either side of it was a recipe for disaster. Ashley had to shout her words to overcome the sound of howling wind and roaring flames. The shield surged towards her position, but it came to an abrupt halt and spun sideways. The barrel of Bobo’s flamethrower was struck downward while Lexi’s staff was shoved upwards. Both of the nuns missed their targets and turned to look at Elroy.
Bobo grit her teeth. ”What are you doing, you oaf!?”
"If she doesn’t want to fight, I’m not going to force her." Elroy kept his shield up and on its side. Only a fool would expose himself during a ceasefire, regardless of the opponent. "I cannot guarantee anything, Techno girl. Too much has happened that no one can explain. But what I know is the holy man told me this pendant would protect us from the spirits that guard the train. The fact that they do not attack me and continue to assault your squad shows me that they work. I must also trust him when he says the train is here on a holy mission and has never harmed anyone. The storms are just an effect caused by the other train. I do not imagine he would have me oppose you unless he was certain of this." He looked over her shoulder at Finn, who was still fighting off the spirits. "They won’t hit each other. I’m sure they will move out of each other’s way when they get close. If they don’t, it’ll be because this train wants to destroy the other one. They are angel and devil, if you believe in the holy man, that is."
"A little help?"
”Hang on, hang on, so what’s the deal with them goin’ after my sister like that?” Cereza asked Elroy, hurrying over to fire a volley of arrows at the spirits that swarmed Cerise, and by extension, Raven.
Lexi scoffed before jingling the cross shaped pendant she, Elroy, and Bobo were wearing. ”Weren’t you listening?”
"They are here to protect the train, and see you as aggressors." Elroy clarified before another spat could start. "Our pendants are preventing that, but they shouldn’t attack you if you retreat." Neither he nor any of the nuns did anything as Cereza’s arrows struck down the spirits. But this momentary culling would only hold them back so long.
But the nuns weren’t the only ones that were barely holding back their murderous intent.
"...Orion." Mika stepped up beside the squad’s commander. "Since when have monsters ever been able to do good? The nuns are part of the group that killed Angel. We know they are capable of brainwashing people and that is what happened to Elroy. Are we really going to stop our mission on account of what he claims?"
The train drew into a clearing, and overhead it looked like there was another shape snaking across the sky like a serpent. Soon the trains would be very close to one another.
