Chapter 15: Librarian Ladies
All of a sudden, the mossy walls surrounding us made me feel trapped. Ray's words echoed inside my mind, leaving me scared of the worst possibilities we would face.
"Please tell us what happened..." My voice lingered inside the damp chamber. I tapped Arlo's shoulder, hinting at my confusion.
Arlo looked as nervous as I was; he eyed Ray with a dubious face. I could see him gulping out of anxiousness and said, "What happened?"
Ray was busy calming herself down; she was wiping the sweat that was falling on her forehead. Even though she was clearly showing signs of a panicked person, her face remained as expressionless as ever.
Her black hair was wet with sweat; she had been working hard to secure the temple with Iris. Unlike me and Arlo, who were doing nothing.
She took a few steps forward, reaching me and Arlo. "Iris, she..."
"What happened to the librarian?" asked Arlo; he couldn't wait for Ray to form a sentence.
"She-" Ray's word was cut abruptly by another woman's voice. A familiar voice we all knew very well.
"What is it that you want to say, Ray?" The librarian lady entered the chamber, engaging herself in our conversation.
"No, I don't trust you," said the sword-wielder with a cold and harsh tone. Her sharp eyes fierced with burning fire.
"I don't need you to trust me. Do you see this, kids?" Iris looked at me and Arlo, demanding our attention.
I eyed Arlo, not knowing what to say. I couldn't fathom the whole situation that we were both facing.
"Um, Iris? What is it between you and Ray?" Arlo asked the librarian lady who was standing at the entrance of the chamber.
Ray's fierce eyes gazed at Arlo. With her cold voice, she said, "Don't trust her. Something is wrong with her."
She sighed deeply before continuing, "Because the-" However, her words were cut off by someone making an entrance into the crowded chamber. A woman who looked like she was in her thirties, wearing a tight blouse and had her navy hair braided. That person was undeniably Iris by appearance.
This latter Iris pointed her glass staff to the other Iris. I gasped at the scenery; my mind was having a hard time processing what had just happened in front of me. There were two Iris?
The latter Iris looked at me, smirking, "Sweetie, you must know that I am the real Iris." I couldn't get myself to talk to her; I was too shocked and confused.
Ray, however, withdrew her blue, flaming sword. Her cold demeanor persisted even as the confusing event unfolded in front of her eyes. "I don't believe any of you; I don't care which one is the real Iris. I'm going to decapitate both of you."
I wanted to stop Ray from doing something rash, but I was too paralyzed by fear and confusion. I looked at Arlo, hoping he would have some idea of what to do, but he was just as stunned as I was.
The two Iris exchanged glares, each one claiming to be the real one.
"You're going to regret this," said one of the two Iris. I couldn't tell who's who anymore; they have moved a lot.
The other Iris chirped, "There's no time to be like this; let's just continue our journey and leave this impostor behind."
I had to make a choice, and fast. The temple was shaking, and I could hear the sound of rocks falling from the ceiling. We had to get out of there, but who would lead us to safety?
I looked at Ray, hoping she would have some clue of who was telling the truth. But she was too angry to think clearly; she was ready to attack both Iris without hesitation.
"Ray, wait!" I shouted, trying to stop her. "We can't just kill them; we have to figure out who's the real Iris. Maybe there's a way to tell them apart."
Ray snorted, "There's no time for that; we have to act now. They're both dangerous, and we can't trust either of them. The only way to be sure is to eliminate them both."
She raised her sword and charged at the two Iris. They both reacted, raising their staffs to defend themselves.
My whole body was experiencing dread; I couldn't imagine the death of the librarian lady. No, it couldn't happen like this.
I took a position to rush at Ray, and then I immediately grabbed Arlo's body, treating him like a shield to block me from Ray's sword. I charged at Ray, blocking her sword from wounding any of the two Iris.
I didn't even think; I just did what I did. Arlo was shocked, of course. He was screaming, "Wait, no! What are you doing?"
But I needed to do what needed to be done. And since Arlo had consumed the Mariaban's fur, people kept saying that he was immune to iron weapons.
I hoped Ray's sword was made out of iron. Because if it wasn't... well, poor Arlo. I was gambling, but it was worth it. I guess?
As I reached Ray, I pushed Arlo towards her, hoping to knock her off balance. She was surprised by my sudden attack, but she quickly recovered and swung her sword at Arlo.
"Are you serious? Now? We shouldn't be doing this. Look at these people!" Ray pointed at the two Iris. I saw the two Iris casting spells at each other. They were hurling bolts of magic, creating explosions and sparks. The chamber was filled with smoke and debris, making it hard to see.
"We have to eliminate both of them," Ray said to me and Arlo.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
axiomcult
axiomcult Sorry, my grandma is dying and I have to rush over to her place. By the time I got here, I overslept. But hey, I managed to write a chapter anyways.
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