"Be still." I tell him, order him, as calmly and soothingly as I am able to, with how stupid he has been. How infuriated I am with him.

My grip tightens infinitesimally, squeezing him closer to me, as we near the Crack. I keep my eyes and ears open, just in case anymore Inves attack.

As poor luck would have it, they do.

I curse again, rounding. I'm not near enough to the Crack to bolt for it without running the risk of Inves infiltrating Yggdrasil. I find a relatively safe place to hide Ryouma, in the nook between a pair of wide tree roots that have emerged from the ground, and then draw my sword again, preparing to eliminate this threat as swiftly as possible.