Finish it.

"Stay back," you demand.

You rush forwards, even quicker now. The ELIS barely has time to react. While your first horizontal swing is parried away by his rapier, you maneuver around him, and while you do, you kick the fiery dagger up from the ground into your hand. It leaves immediately again as you whip it straight into your foe's chest, and there it sticks. You follow this up with a series of deadly thrusts, just as he did before, as you turn the construct into Swiss cheese. Pink lightning cracks off your blade and runs down your body as you continue the ****. Then with a pivot to the side, you slice straight through his arm like a hot knife through butter. While he does attempt to strike back, you leap away.

The ELIS remains in place, though with one arm less than before. Said appendage rests lifeless on the ground. He stands there struggling--dagger in his chest, only one weapon remaining. Still, he doesn't seem bothered. He isn't programmed to care. There's no desperation. He doesn't struggle to breathe. This is an automaton that exists purely to kill. It isn't anything like the ALICEs in that regard. It's no wonder he considers this version to be the perfect sequel.

You feel the blood run down the few nasty injuries you've received, but you shrug off the pain.

It's he who attacks next. The ELIS, throwing all caution to the wind now that he's truly back into a corner, strikes out swiftly. It tears the sleeve of your shirt near the fringe of your armour, but you dodge it making contact with your flesh. Then with a sweep of your foot, you attempt to trip him. Unfortunately, the ELIS raises his own kick to defend against it. He then thrusts his boot forwards, and you narrowly dodge to the right.

You then grab the handle of your sword with both hands. Moving in close, you swing it diagonally across his torso, but it's stopped as he raises his own sword in the way. There they cross over one another, and you can stare the lifeless robot straight in his glowing blue eyes. He pushes back with incredible strength, but as Lauo's blade burns bright, the trembling lock begins to break. What was briefly a matched contest starts to slowly turn in your favour as his own weapon nears his neck. You continue to push, and as you do, the flames scorch his synthetic flesh. Closer. More power! You push with all your might, clenching your teeth as you widen your eyes. "I know you're watching this, David," you grunt. "And this is... what'll happen... to you next!" With one final thrust and swing, you cleave the ELIS' head clean off his body.

The automaton falls back. With a thud and a clang, he hits the ground at the same time as his golden rapier. The statue-like man appears even more lifeless now. There isn't a hint of movement remaining. After a moment longer, the glow of his eyes within his decapitated head fades away.

"You did it!" Peony throws herself into your arms and holds you tight. She smiles as she nuzzles beneath your neck. "And I feel really good," she mutters quietly with a giggle.

"Uhm. I'm glad I could help," Summer says quietly as she attempts to stand. Though she tries to use her spear at first, you walk over and grab her hand to aid her. After heaving her to her feet, she falls into your chest. "Aha. That's some... strong magic," she mumbles.

"You n-need to warn me first!" Aris calls out, suddenly from above your head.

"There wasn't a lot of time. Sorry about that," you reply.

"Well I mean, I did set up the Trial of the Erotrain, so I'm not saying I didn't know you could do that, it's just... let me back inside." She then slips right into your mind once more, which is a strange sensation you're still not quite used to feeling.

Summer and Peony, both partly in your embrace, look to you as if waiting to hear the next step.

"All right," you say. "Peony, climb back into my armour. Summer, follow us. We need to find the others as quickly as possible."

"I c-can walk. Don't worry." Summer clears her throat before backing up. She wobbles for a moment, but catches herself. "Plus, I can fly anyway!"

"Hopefully we don't run into more of those," you say, glancing back at the defeated ELIS behind you. "If he has an army of them, we're in trouble. Anyway, Summer. What was that way? It's where we were headed anyway."

Peony leaps into your armour as if you were a tree--yet another strange sensation.

You continue. "Some branching paths. I'm not sure behind that. Sorry."

"It's all right. Just take us whatever direction you haven't--" But then you think for a moment. You sheathe your sword, and then you reach into your pocket to retrieve a particular item. It's the odd watch-like trinket Meti gave you earlier. You peer at it closely, and then you begin moving it around in front of you as you watch the dial move. No matter where you aim it, the device continues to aim at the same destination.

"What's that?" Summer asks, leaning in close. "Some kind of compass?"

"I think it might be, actually. It was given to me by Meti, so I haven't decided whether or not I should trust it. But, it has to be pointing somewhere, and we have nothing else to go on."

"It might be a trap."

"Possibly, though I don't see why she'd lead us into a trap, within a trap we're already in. She doesn't take me as a the type of person to do that. It's unnecessary."

"Well, let's see where it's pointing then!"

You nod. With that, you wrap it around your wrist and lock it tight. You once again draw your blade, and you begin to follow the path put before you.