7.0: -The Summoning-

They ended up running all the way on to the rooftop. Yukari shut the door behind them with a sigh. "The door's locked, I think we're safe for now." She sighed with relief. Just then, there was an ear shattering roar that rang out from the other side of the roof. Rinako looked at the edge, taking a step back. A massive fluid hand rose from behind the safety wall, grabbing ahold of it. Another hand rose from behind the wall with a large blue mask in its hand. Like it was searching for something, it 'looked' around and then stopped at the girls, 'spotting' them. Ten other arms sprang up brandishing razor sharp swords. "You gotta be kidding me!" Yukari yelled as if climbed up onto the roof with them. "It climbed up the wall!?" Yukari was frantic, their backs were against the brick wall on either side of the locked door.


Akihiko and the others were in the command room after their own encounter, watching the different feeds. "There!" He pointed at the screen, "They're on the roof!" Mitsuru looked at the screen in horror, "That gigantic Shadow… Just what is it we're dealing with!?" She said cupping her hands over her mouth. "Let's go, Mitsuru, Minato!" Akihiko said, they headed towards the door. "Wait!" Shuji stopped the, having them look at the monitor with him.


On the roof, Yukari was trying to explain things as fast as possible. Staring down the monster that looked like a jumbled up mess of charred limbs with large knives. "That's the thing that attacked this place… we call them Shadows!" she said quickly. Rinako clutched the velvet key under her bow at her neck. "Now I see why you gave me this." She gripped the naginata tighter. "O-Oh yeah… I have to fight…" Yukari stuttered nervously, "I can summon mine… No problem." She pulled the gun from her side and aimed it at her forehead, stunning Rinako. "Yukari! What the hell are you doing!?" Rinako screamed at her as the monster rushed towards her. It blasted some sort of black fireball at her, causing the gun to fly from her hand and skid to Rinako's feet. Rinako felt her heart pounding in her ears, the monster now had Rinako in it's sights.

She picked up the gun, with a feeling of knowing what to do. She put the muzzle of it to the side of her head while still clutching the blue key at her chest, under her bow. The moment the shadow started rushing at her, Rinako felt a surge of power; a blue swirl of wind whipped around her ankles. "Per… so… na." She mouthed pulling the trigger. A flash of white sparks blew from the opposite side of her head. A being appeared before her, speaking to her mind. It's body looked as if it was made from copper or brass speakers and wielded a giant heart shaped harp as a weapon. It had long brown hair that flew around wildly and a red scarf around it's neck.

"I am thou… Thou art I… From the sea of thy soul, I come… I am Orpheus, Master of Strings…"

As it finished speaking to her, it began to cry out. Howling and wailing as it was being ripped apart, hands came from the inside it's mouth and tore Orpheus in half from the inside out. Another being emerged, shrieking. The entire process reflected onto Rinako, affecting her in the same way. She held her head in her hands as she screamed in pain, feeling as though if she herself was being ripped in two, as well. This new creature that sprang forth, didn't greet or speak to Rinako but instead went berserk on the shadow without being commanded to. It was massive in size, wore a long black coat, wielded a long thin sword, and had a cloak made of obelisks chained together. Its face was a metal mask, reminiscent of beak, with piercing red orbs for eyes. It shrieked all while it struck and beat and ripped the giant shadow limb from limb. Crushing the shadow into dust with it's bare hands rather than using its own weapon. It was uncontrollable, feral, and violent. Rinako fell to her knees when it turned to look at her with its crimson eyes. The shadow lie in pieces, unmoving, so the creature faded back into Orpheus with subtle flash of light. The swell of power she felt subsided, and Orpheus faded out of existence with it.


Mitsuru, Akihiko, Arisato, and Shuji stared at the screen in the command room in shock. "What on earth was that!?" Akihiko said in disbelief. Minato Arisato wasn't as surprised as the other, his power didn't come out as a burst or violence but more calm and collected. Though he thought it was strange that their personas were just different versions of Orpheus; His was blue and male, while hers was red and female.


Yukari was still on the ground, she got up to her feet. "Is it over?" she asked. Rinako was shook-up and rattled, not wanting to get to feet quite yet; though she had no choice when several smaller shadows appeared before them. There was no escaping them when their only escape route was locked. "It's still moving!" Yukari cried, the smaller shadows formed from the pieces of the giant one from before. One began to head for Yukari, "No… Get away from me!" she yelled, taking a few steps back. Rinako jump to her feet and bolted towards the shadow, slashing its backside with her naginata. She wasn't comfortable summoning Orpheus again, so she kept attacking the shadows with her weapon.

After defeating them, one by one they turned to dust, she felt a surge within her making her stronger. The monsters were gone with the wind. Yukari was safe, but Rinako felt exhausted. She lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground. She fainted from the stress. Yukari rushed to her side, "Are you okay!? Come on…!" she panicked, "Please, can you hear me!? Answer me!" Yukari kept calling to Rinako, shaking her as she lay there motionless.