note: My final exams are coming up, so SnS:Eternity will be going on hiatus for at most two weeks. Hope I pass all of my subjects this semester. Anyway, the first three chapters would already count for two episodes, and a new episode of a season should come once a week So please try and be patient.

Chapter 4: The Nega-hunter and the Supreme Throne

Yuji carried Shana on his back, heading for his house. The latter was now awake, but her body felt weak for some strange reason. She was not injured or tired, but she could barely move her body.

"It just doesn't add up," Yuji said. "Why didn't she fight us, or at least go after me? And I'm sure Alkro was trying to distract us, but why didn't Margery-san or Carmel-san find anything?"

"I... don't know," Shana said drowsily.

"Hey, cheer up," Yuji said. "We'll get 'em just like we got Friagne."

"Do not underestimate the Nega-hunter," Alastor said. "She is known to use only two Hougus, but she collects Unrestricted Methods as much as her late brother collected Hougus. Before she left, she put Shana under a spell called Sand, which numbs the target's body and puts them into unconsciousness."

"I feel like it's all my fault," Yuji said. "I should have brought Neftier down when she had Shana in that net."

"Actually, if you were to strike her then, she could have countered and killed you. The night when you first met her was actually just her testing your ability. That is her habit, to find the limits of her enemy, as well as their weakness, in order for her to have a sure victory."

"You fought her before?"

"While I was still contracted with Mathilde Saint-Omer, yes. She fought alone back then, but now she seems to be the head of a group of Denizens," Alastor said. "You had better stay vigilant. An attack could come from anywhere at anytime."

"Yeah," Yuji replied.

The bookmark in his pocket glowed brightly.

"Hey, the Specialist of Everything found one of those unsensable Fuzetsus in the market district near your home," came the voice of Margery Daw. "It looks like it's the Nega-hunter."

"The Nega-hunter, in the market district near my home?" Yuji repeated. "Margery-san, I need you to check that out, and stop her before she does anything."

"I'm already on my way. The Specialist of Everything is staying with Keisaku. She's keeping her bird scouts up in case something else happens that we can't detect normally."

"Thank you Margery-san," Yuji said. He brought Shana higher up his back and quickened his pace home. He wanted to make sure his mother and Yoshida were still safe.

YAMYAMYA

"Fuzetsu!" cried the Nega-hunter.

Hecate was on the way to Yuji's house, knowing that the Mystes would return there eventually. She was surprised when everything around her had turned crimson, and all of the people had stopped moving. She was also afraid, since she could not defend herself due to the Ember Case.

"It's been a while, Supreme Throne Hecate," Neftier said. "So it is true, you've left the Bal Masque and limited your own Existence to something even weaker than a Torch, just so you can stay hidden. That sound stupid if you'd ask me. This will be too easy."

"Nega-hunter," Hecate said with a frightened tone. This was the second time she truly felt fear, the first time was when Yuji broke her synchronization in Sereiden and she was being sucked into her own void.

"What do you want from me?" she asked.

"A special technique only you can use," Neftier replied. "I need your Synchronization."

"My Synchronization?" Hecate repeated. "Why do you need that?"

"I want to do what my brother almost accomplished, before he died."

"City Devouring," Hecate said.

"Precisely. But since Friagne broke his bell, I'll use you as an alternative."

She threw the Pin Lace at Hecate. The Supreme Throne managed to use one of the frozen people beside her as a shield. The net caught the frozen human, and his Existence was absorbed and brought up the cord to the Nega-hunter. Neftier pulled the net back and flung a ball of dark fire. The ground beneath the Supreme Throne imploded and she was being sucked legs-first into a warp hole.

"That's a trapper spell I learned four hundered years ago," Neftier boasted. "It's called Scrounge. As long as I am in control, you cannot escape."

Hecate frantically tried to escape, to no avail. The strong pulling force reminded her of the incident in Sereiden, making her more frightened than ever. Suddenly, there was a loud roar and an explosion. The warp vanished, and the Supreme Throne managed to get back on her feet. She saw that the Nega-hunter had been knocked down by the Chanter of Elegies, Margery Daw. The latter was in her bestial werewolf form, and stood over the Nega-hunter like a bear ready to maul its prey.

Hecate silently thanked the Ember Case again, for the Chanter of Elegies did not seem to notice her because of her little Existence. She took off in the direction of Yuji's house. If she was being hunted, she would need the Mystes' help.

HNHNHNHNHN

Behind the fleeing Hecate, Margery put two fists together to smash the Nega-hunter, who managed to get up and dodge the blow.

"Looks like it's going to be a battle between spellasters. Eh, Chanter of Elegies?" said Neftier.

"Let's burn her up, my beloved goblet, Margery Daw!" Marcosias cried out.

"This will be very interesting," said the Chanter of Elegies, charging a ball of fire in her paws.