Chapter 7

Complete Darkness

Having fully explored everywhere she cared about, Mima took Alyssa and headed back to the entrance. When she arrived, the long-lived evil spirit felt as though something was amiss. She told Alyssa to hide, and readied herself for combat. A sword flew out of the shadows, burying itself in the ground next to Mima, who had jumped to the side when she heard the rustling of fabric. Nofina charged at her, but she swatted his sword away with her staff. She poked at him with the sharpened crescent, and he slid back, then rushed the spirit again. Mima slid forward, letting Nofina's thrust go under her arm,and wrapped her arm around his, locking the man's elbow. Using her staff like a lever, she ripped his shoulder out of its socket. She hopped backwards, letting Nofina's arm hang limply. When she thrust the crescent end of her staff at Nofina's neck, he dropped low, and used his other hand to grab it. Righting himself, he kicked the spirit in the chin, making her lose her grip on the weapon.

Mima backed away and said "Now what? There's no way you're using that effectively with one hand, and I don't have enough fist-fighting experience to knock you out with just my hands." Nofina stared at her for a bit, then deftly spun, threw the staff as far away as he could, and grabbed the sword he had dropped when Mima dislocated his shoulder, all in one, fluid motion. At the same time, Mima jumped for the sword Nofina had thrown at her earlier, and pulled it from the floor.
"How does a sorceress know how to use a sword?" Nofina said.
"When you've been around as long as I have, sometimes you just need to do things the old-fashioned way, Yumeko." Mima said, grinning.
'Nofina' stepped back, and, attempting to maintain her manly voice, said "I-I'm not Yumeko. I already told you, she left the group a while ago."
"Oh, come now. You really couldn't have made it any more obvious. 'Nofina Nolana'? Really? That's not even trying to hide the portmanteau. And then there's these swords. You really shouldn't try to use a signature weapon while in disguise. It kind of gives you away." Mima said.
Giving in, Yumeko said "Fine. You have the pleasure of knowing who I am, now, who are you? Your face was on the beast of destruction Lady Shinki created the day she went mad. Why?"
"Oh, I imagine that's because it's not your Shinki. It's the Shinki from a previous timeline, who almost destroyed our world. On accident, mind you, but we still had to beat some sense into her." Mima said.
"So you're here to hurt Lady Shinki more, then. Well, if that's the case, I must stop you." Yumeko said, charging at Mima.

Mima's bluff was proven false, as Yumeko was able to disarm her within a few seconds. As Yumeko was about to permanently dispatch the spirit, Alyssa threw Mima's staff to her. "Nice. Lady. Not. Lose. Mean. Lady." The girl said, louder than usual. Mima smirked at Yumeko's look of disbelief.
"Well, then. Looks like I'm back where I started. Do you want to surrender now? Or do I have to beat you unconscious first?" Mima said.
"You befriended a Daughter?" Yumeko said, backing away slowly.
"I don't know why, but young children always seem to latch on to me." Mima said, shrugging.
Yumeko shook her head and said "It matters not. I will not let you meet Lady Shinki."

Yumeko rushed at Mima again, but hopped back as Mima swung the staff at her. Mima stabbed at the maid, who dodged to the side. The spirit anticipated this, however, and redirected her momentum such that she struck Yumeko and sent her sprawling. The maid rolled away as Mima jumped at her, causing the crescent to pierce the floor. Mima struggled to pull her staff from the ground as Yumeko rose. She succeeded barely in time to dodge Yumeko's swing. Mima stabbed at her with the staff again, and Yumeko ducked under it. Mima, aware of what the maid intended, rose her knee. As she had expected, Yumeko, who tried to shoulder charge her, ran face-first into her knee. Mima then planted her foot on the maid's chest, and shoved her backwards. Mima stabbed at her with the staff one more time, and Yumeko dodged it. The maid did a rolling jump over the spirit's staff, kicking her in the face with one foot, and using the heel of her other to smash Mima's head into the floor. Yumeko threw her sword into the spirit's chest, pinning her to the floor. Ghostly ectoplasm began leaking out of the hole, and Mima stopped thrashing shortly after.

Yumeko winced as she shoved her shoulder back into its socket. She walked over to the spirit and retrieved her sword. She turned to face Alyssa, and said "I don't know what you are, but the appearance of yours coincides with Lady Shinki's madness. I can only assume you have something to do with it."
"Alyssa. Never. Hurt. Mommy. . Alyssa. Not. Make. Mommy. Sick." the girl said.
"Do you truly expect me to believe that? That the two events are completely unrelated?" Yumeko paused, then said "You seem to be the most intelligent Daughter, and thus are most likely to be leader. I will kill you, find Lady Shinki, and we will return Makai to its former glory." Yumeko raised her sword, to stab the girl in the heart.


Note: Yes, I am evil.