Ethan: (Is this a downgraded version of clairvoyance or is it more like a spidey sense. Either way it sounds good for our current strategy.)
Ethan: "Let's just try it out. Hopefully it's not like offering."
Dylan raised raised his bat, aiming at a nearby wall.
Dylan: "Parry."
Suprisingly, the skill activated for once. A small translucent sphere bloomed into existence right in front of his chest. It was no bigger than a marble, almost invisible if you didn't focus on it.
Dylan: "?"
Without warning the sphere expanded.
Instinctively, Dylan stumbled back trying to avoid it, but failed almost immediately as the sphere passed through him like a ghost.
Within a matter of seconds it had swallowed the entire block, its faint boundary sweeping past scattered cars, lampposts, and the cracked pavement without so much as a shimmer of resistance.
Ethan: "Yaaa, kinda expected this. Maybe the skill takes effect when you're attacked?"
Dylan: "Didn't you see it?"
Ethan: "See what?"
Dylan examined the bubble around him.
Dylan: (Am I the only one seeing this?)
Dylan: "Elin, what about you?"
Elin: "What are you talking about?"
Dylan: (That confirms it.)
Dylan: "When I activated the skill a dome expanded around us. I would say the range is around twenty to twenty-two meters."
Ethan: "Considering how the system can only be seen by the user. A skill following the same principle isn't out of the question."
Elin: "So the skill really did do something."
Ethan: "Can you interact with it in any way?"
Dylan began walking to the dome's edge, footsteps echoing faintly off the surrounding buildings, but the shimmering boundary kept its distance, retreating as fast as he approached.
He glanced behind and stopped abruptly, as he noticed the opposite edge creeping every so slightly closer with each step.
Dylan: "I can't. The dome is mo–"
Dylan was cut short as the skill deactivated, the translucent wall dissolving into nothing in the blink of an eye.
Ethan: "What was that?"
Dylan: "I can't get to the edge because the dome seems to be moving with me and also because it just deactivated."
Ethan: "So, if I am understanding this correctly, you're saying that you act as the dome's center."
Dylan: "I think? What should I do now?"
Ethan: "Wait, let be think."
Elin: "It sounds to me that it's some kind of a barrier."
Ethan: "A twenty-two meter long barrier?"
Elin: "It could be used to trap the enemies."
Ethan: "Ya maybe, but the skill description didn't say anything about trapping or blocking.
Elin: "Neither did it about a barrier."
Ethan: "Even though the skill descriptions are shit they at least give us somewhat of an idea about the skill."
Elin pondered for a few seconds.
Elin: "Maybe the dome is the cue in itself. Did you see anything stick out in the dome?"
Dylan: "I don't think so."
Ethan: "I am going out on a limb, but let's try hitting him."
Elin: "What?"
Ethan: "The skill is called Parry so it should do something for incoming attacks."
Dylan: "Sure, whatever."
Elin: "Are you ok with this?"
Dylan: "It's not like any of your attacks can hurt me."
Ethan: "Oh really now?"
Ethan raised his gun, a slow grin spreading across his face as he embraced the true American spirit.
Dylan: "Except for that!"
Ethan: "Just kidding. Take this gun and give me your bat."
Dylan immediately complied, holstering his unease with the weapon, despite knowing full well the other person wouldn't fire. Logic aside, having a gun pointed at him, even briefly, sent a chill down his spine.
Ethan readied in a batting stance, feet planted shoulder-width apart, the bat resting loosely on his shoulder.
Ethan: "Ready?"
Dylan nodded. Calm as a stream.
Ethan: "Three. Two. One."
Ethan swung the bat with full force.
Dylan: "Parry."
The same translucent dome began expanding around him within seconds.
As the bat was about to hit him Dylan's hand shot out, grabbing it. Not due to any skills but pure instincts.
Dylan: "Ow."
Dylan retracted his palm, shakily, flexing his fingers against the dull, spreading sting of impact.
Dylan: "You didn't have to put that much force."
Ethan: "Sorry, but you blocked it though?"
Dylan: "That was not the skill, that was just me."
Ethan: "You know, maybe you got the timing wrong?"
Dylan placed the gun on the ground carefully and dropped into a fighting stance, weight low, eyes locked on Ethan.
Dylan: "Fine. Do it again."
Ethan: "Ok but just a quick reminder, I am not the enemy. Three. Two. One."
Dylan: "Par–"
Before Dylan could finish speaking a sparkling yellow glow shone before him and gone in a fraction of a second. Instinctively he stepped back avoiding Ethan's strike.
Dylan: "...."
The gears in his head began spinning. Trying to, piece something together?
Ethan: "Did it work?"
Dylan: (He didn't see that either?)
Dylan: "Do it again and drop the countdown."
Ethan: "Okkk~"
Just before Ethan could swing, the same yellow light gleamed before him.
Dylan stopped Ethan's strike mid-arc, wrenching it free from his grip in one clean motion.
*Clang*
The sound echoed as the bat landed on the ground.
Ethan: "Sooo–"
Dylan: "One last time."
Ethan: "Seriously?"
Dylan: "Just do it."
Ethan: "Fine."
Ethan rolled his eyes, retrieving the bat.
He loosely swung it almost as if he wasn't even trying.
Dylan instinctively tried to catch the bat, muscle memory firing on its own, but this time there was no glow to warn him and no time to correct.
The bat slipped from Ethan's grip mid-swing, hitting him square on the knee with a dull, sickening thud.
Ethan: (Oops.)
Dylan immediately doubled over, clutching his knee.
Dylan: (What? Why di–)
He noticed, through the haze of pain that the dome already vanished–silently, without so much as a flicker to mark its end.
Ethan: "Are you ok?"
Elin immediately rushed over, offering her hand.
Elin: "Let me heal you up."
Dylan shoved it aside, limping as he straightened.
Dylan: "No, I'm fine."
Ethan: "Sorry, my bad."
Dylan: "Forget that, it's just a scratch."
Ethan: (Ya right.)
Dylan: "I think I know how the skill works."
Ethan: "Really?"