My world
"I wish that the traffic would be always like that."
Junko Kaname was driving in her car through the deserted streets of Mitakihara. The night seemed more starry than usual, probably many of the city lights did not turn on this day. The silence was kept away by the music coming from the radio, since the news only announced the same terrible things. However, she missed the sound of others vehicles, something she found so ironic and contradictory to what she just said.
Fortunately she had already come home. She would not be alone anymore, even though the lights off were indicating that everyone were asleep. She would not have someone to talk, unless...
When she opened the front door, she soon exchanged glances with her husband, Tomohisa, sitting at the kitchen table under the cover of night. She felt genuine relief, but could not give in so easily. If he was there, it was for a reason and she could not let him even more worried. She smiled as she removed her shoes. "My husband waiting for me? This is when you give me welcome and asks if I want dinner or a bath or maybe..."
"I thought you'd come home early from work today." Said Tomohisa.
Now she was sure. "I would, but Kazuko-san asked to visit her. With schools closed, she's so alone..."
Tomohisa was not very pleased with the response. "You could have visited her during the day if not because of your job. They have no idea about what's going on?"
"There was still no curfew here, dear." Said Junko. "And even so, our customers would not have. I only think what's amazing is that no one at work got mad yet."
Tomohisa came with a disapproving look.
Junko's smile disappeared for a moment, the joke was bad indeed. She sighed and pulled herself together, seeking to sit at the table. Wearily, she rested her arms and laid her head. "Are you afraid?"
"You should be too!" Tomohisa raised his voice. "It's happened here in the city, the media says the events are concentrated in Tokyo, but everyone knows that's untrue! I think we should get out of here while..."
"Tatsuya is sleeping, isn't?" Interrupted Junko.
Tomohisa frowned, realizing what he did, and covered his face. "Sorry..."
Junko straightened her hair while she continued the subject. "To where? This is happening all around the world."
"I know." Tomohisa put his hands on the table and took the opportunity to gesture. "We could go to a rural area or a village in the mountains. Somewhere with few people, until this pass."
"Kuku..." Junko laughed lightly. "Do you think you were the only one who had this idea?"
He clasped his hands on the table and remained silent.
She knew he would stay that way. "Tomohisa... what would you do if the world would end?"
The man backed away with that surprising question, to the point that his glasses displaced. "Oh... hmmm... if I could not stop it... or escape..."
"Uh-huh..."
"Well, I would try to be with my family, contact our friends..." He adjusted his glasses. "If this would be possible."
"Why would not?" The woman looked up curiously.
"It may be that all end at once, or we become isolated, without communication or... or..."
Junko nodded, open smile, inviting him to continue.
Tomohisa pulled his hair back. "Oh, I don't know. I really don't. You are amused by all this..."
"I'm not amused." Said his wife. "That's right."
"What?"
She closed her eyes. "I never said that you would know how and when."
Tomohisa lowered his head and laughed, laughed at himself. "Haha... really, you didn't say..." To see her reaching out to him.
"And you didn't wait to know to confess that you loved me." Said Junko with only one eye open and a smug.
The couple held hands. "Of course not, now I understand what you mean. You also not waited to stabilize in your career for us to have a child."
"I actually wanted much earlier, but..." Junko frowned and lose her gaze. "... I don't know why I have not sought it."
Both went silent, sharing that doubt.
Until Junko speak again. "Are you more calm now?"
"Yes." Tomohisa glanced down. "Yes... I think so..."
"Oh my... I got married to a eternal teenager..."
"You know that's not true." He answered angrily in front of that comment.
"You talk as if this were something bad." The woman got up and continued, with a softer voice. "I'll take a shower, okay?"
Because it was dark, it was not easy to see that Tomohisa had flushed a little. "Ah... yes..."
With one last smile, the wife left her husband alone in the kitchen.
He sighed, noting that age had not robbed a little of his youth. With so many things beyond our control, what we do while we count with tomorrow?
Tomohisa got up and arranged both chairs. "I think... should check if our Tatsuya woke up..."
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Ophelia, the princess, the warrior. Cursed is the ground she walks on, as well as those who are on her way, as they met the one who abandoned everything for ashes.
Still, even with the flame and the sound of the hooves announcing her accursed coming, there are always fools, idiots, imbeciles...
Not far away in the walkway there was a girl with a cape and a sword, her hand on her hips in an arrogant pose, worthy to be crushed.
"Looking for something?" Sayaka pointed to herself, smiling. "Too bad! It's Sayaka-chan!"
Ophelia stopped and the flame of her candle in place of her head flickered.
"Calm down! You are being quite a hothead lately." Sayaka looked around. "Your barrier is much greater than mine, I'm even jealous, but I think nobody does one so comfortable like that devilish transfer student..."
More riders appeared in the fog, joining the witch.
"My words can't reach you..." The magical girl threw her sword. The weapon spun in the air and landed standing up on the floor, balancing on its grip. "This is all so unfair, isn't kyOUko?"
Ophelia pointed her spear.
While Sayaka covered half her face with her hand. "We've met so many times." Her glove was soaked, the iris and sclera of her eye spiraling into a dark blue. "BuT, aS Now, in oPPosinG SiDes."
Among the horses' hooves, soldiers of paper came marching toward the girl.
"it wAs nOT AlwAYs so, YOu kNow AS WeLl as i dO. So I dON't neeD To hOLd mySelF." Sayaka opened her arms and raised her head, allowing all the water to flow. "I'M hoMe."
The girl fell forward, allowing the blade to go through her being. Before touching the ground, what was there spread in a big blue puddle over red. The liquid rippled and waved when the mermaid witch, Oktavia von Seckendorff, jumped out. She carried a proportional sword to her titanic dimensions.
The soldiers transformed their heads and threw fire.
With her gauntlet, Oktavia blocked the attack and raised her blade. From the fog behind her, numerous wooden wheels came and rolled down the bridge, trampling the soldiers on the way.
They only stopped when they crashed with the hooves of the riders, their horses whinnied in unison.
The mermaid hit with her sword on her breastplate several times, making alot of noise, then pointed it at the riders.
Cursed is the one who stood before her. However, Ophelia did not feel that it was an act of stupidity.
A worthy opponent.
She touched the ground with the tip of her spear and her copies disappeared, blending their essences with the fog. Then, red chains surrounded completely the space around the two witches who were still there.
With her invitation being accepted, Oktavia held her sword with both hands to separate them soon after, each holding a blade then.
The rider positioned herself and began to charge.
The mermaid slid with ease with her fish tail.
The spear meeting with the sword.
The clashing sound of metal, announcing the beginning of a fierce battle, was heard by two girls distant from there.
"Mami..." Nagisa was kneeling beside the fallen girl.
The blonde slowly opened her eyes. "Miki-san... seems to be having some difficulty."
Despite that comment, the girl's orange eyes were focused on the completely dark soul gem that the other one held over her chest. "You have no cubes, isn't it?"
Mami smiled and shook her head in denial.
"Why... why didn't you tell me?!" Nagisa said angrily.
"I found out that... if I really wanted to save Kyouko... I could not give less than one hundred percent of myself." Mami gritted her teeth for a moment, expressing her pain. "She would have done the same. My only regret... was not saved a little magic. That cut... is bothering again. Huhuhuuu..."
Upon hearing the statement, Nagisa realized: at belly height, on one side of the yellow sweater with flower prints, there was a red stain. It was hard to notice the pool of blood that was forming, because got mixed up with the colors of the rocks. Since Mami's magic was gone, the ribbon that pressed her serious injury had also broken.
"It's okay... Nagisa..." Mami closed her eyes. "It's all right..."
Even if the other appeared to be at peace, Nagisa knew the body would soon succumb and the gem would be requisited. The girl with shawl looked at her hand, where her grief seed appeared.
"... alright..."
Nagisa's hand trembled, tormented by her memories of that moment so similar. Still, she gathered courage, and convinced of the need to be prepared for what was coming. Mami will not run away, I will. She thought as she looked at the short wall of the walkway, hoping that would be a long fall.
Resolutely, she began to approach her seed to the gem. However, the courage she swore have proved to be false. She could not move her hand anymore, much less when it was held by another.
"What you're trying to do, don't." Mami said seriously.
"But Mami!" Nagisa exclaimed. "I need! Or you..."
"I said... it's okay..." Mami replied out in a sigh.
The little girl's eyes widened.
"If there's one that can save Kyouko is... Miki-san. But..." The girl, with her hair spread on the floor, continued. "... even if all goes well, she will be taken away. Just imagining... I going back to that apartment... alone..." Her face twitched and her eyes were watering. "It hurts more than anything. I can't bear!"
"Mami!"
The girl answered the call of that deep voice.
The face of Nagisa had acquired her witch's aspect, making a point of showing her sharp teeth in a threatening expression. "Desires, wails, worries... they will not go away, quite the contrary. Where you go, they will be your flesh, your bones, your blood. Are you sure that's what you want?"
Mami brought her hand to the mouth of the witch, her fingers sliding on the teeth. "Without fear."
Nagisa froze except her hand with the seed, which she closed.
"Uh... AAAGH!" Mami withdrew her hand, cutting it with the teeth, but the real pain came from elsewhere. Her body arched and she held her gem with all her strength.
Savoring with guilt that blood with taste of melted cheese, swallowing her saliva for it to leave, Nagisa hid her multicolored eyes under her white lids. "You great liar. You are resisting."
"Huhu... yes..." The breathing of Mami got shorter. "You two already have Kyouko to worry about. I can't... let myself go yet."
Nagisa held the injured hand, blood staining her brown glove.
"Nagisa..." Mami checked how was her gem. "... you better go. If I... lose control... I don't want to hurt you."
"No! I'll take care of you."
"I can become a very dangerous witch... you know?"
Nagisa brought her free hand to the other which was holding Mami's hand and so brought them to her chest. "I believe... I believe you will be a good witch!"
"Huh...?"
"Uh-huh!" She nodded, convinced. "I even know what you'll be. You'll be the witch of tea! I..." Then she felt the injured hand become tense.
In fact, the entire body of Mami again writhed. Her expression of pain, her legs kicking the air.
Nagisa let the hand hold and squeeze her wrist, stroking it with her own face. It could be the moment.
But the convulsions yielded and the gem remained, contrary to expectations. Mami was sweating a lot, but still managed to smile. "Witch... of tea?"
Nagisa pressed her lips. "Yes. Yes! We could have tea every day! Accompanied of my sweets!"
"It... does not sound so bad." Mami looked at Nagisa. "But I'd like to do some of my recipes as well."
"Of course! Their will always be the best ones." The girl opened her smile with huge teeth, struggling to not let her white skin of her face be painted in purple.
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
It will be over very soon.
Sitting, Oriko watched the abomination being absorbed. Its last tentacles holding the prism seeking to delay the inevitable.
Meanwhile, the other girl who was inside the bubble with her also was watching that, holding firmly her braids' tips.
Homura Akemi... this girl, as well as those other two that appeared...
Oriko then looked at that empty spot of the gallery.
I will not be able to predict it. My visions are... incomplete. I will always make the same mistakes. A no way out situation.
Once again she turned her attention to the prism and the black sphere above.
But I am sure about Incubator, he revealed his intentions. He should have more than reached the quota and for our world remain a dark future ahead, if there will be one. He is dealing with forces beyond comprehension, a grave mistake. She felt a warmth come to her head, the flame of hatred. Slipping her fingers on her darkened gem, a statement was clear in her mind.
I failed.
Then she heard a sound. Her eyes followed the source to meet with newspaper sheets being carried by the wind.
It was absurd, Oriko was aware of it, but something inside her told otherwise. She followed them with her gaze to four people on the ground, two couples, all with their eyes gouged out, 'looking' at her.
Even in that situation they were, Oriko felt no fear at all, actually recognized them. Papa. Mama. I failed. Even crossing the moral threshold, sacrificing what is most valuable. I failed and I am at a point of no return. What do I have left to do?
The four people have turned their heads at the same time, to the same direction.
Oriko followed the indication up to a girl who was on her knees. The tears as the only evidence that she was crying.
The green olive eyes then looked for an object that was also green. Unfortunately, the gem that was in possession of those dolls had lost much of its color.
However, something inside Oriko grew and was far from despair.
A purpose.
I understand. The girl smiled slightly, satisfied with the answer she reached. I just need to work harder.
Between sobs, Yuma mumbled to herself. "Papa. Mama. I failed. I'm a weak girl... I can't protect you."
[Yuma.]
The girl answered the telepathic call, glancing at the bubble. [Mama...]
[Want to hear a story?] Oriko continued. [Just like the ones I told before you become a magical girl, when you was afraid to sleep and wake up alone in the night.]
Although the situation was nothing good, the calm voice made Yuma to get carried away by curiosity. [Which story?]
[About my wish.] Oriko said. [You never asked.]
[Did not know if I could...]
She kept her smile. [I was a girl who sought perfection, the people I lived with did not expect less of me and I struggled a lot. Unfortunately, one day everything was over and people started to hate me, even if I did not have any guilt.]
Yuma gripped the skirt of her dress. [Were you alone?]
[Yes, everyone abandoned me and at this time I did not know Kirika.] Even though telepathy, Oriko was careful to keep calm in her 'voice'. [Worst of all is that I did not see a future for me. I tried to keep pushing myself, but everyone judged everything I did as bad and you discover that you lived a lie. I lost confidence in myself and did not see a way out. That was when Kyuubey visited me.]
[Kyukyu...]
[Yes. I wanted to know what I was worth, was wondering if there was a reason for me to keep seeing the sunrise. Then I wished...] Oriko looked at Yuma. [I wished to know the meaning of my life.]
[Meaning of life?] Yuma began to imagine what could be achieved with such wish.
Oriko continued. [As soon as I became a magical girl, I had my first vision. You know what I saw?]
The greenette remained silent, with no idea.
[You.]
None at all, so she was surprised by the answer she received.
[Yes, Yuma, you. You were just like that, with tears, curled up, hiding behind garbage bags in some alley in the middle of night.] Oriko struggled to keep smiling, twitching her face, but tears betrayed her. [I wondered 'Why is she like this?', 'Is she suffering the same as I?', 'Do people persecute her? At that age?'.]
[Mama...] Yuma remembered that cold night that the other described. It was impossible to cross her mind that someone would be watching her at that moment.
['This is very cruel. No one should impose on anyone what they must be, to what they must believe, to what they must love.' That's what I concluded. From that moment I knew we were destined to meet.] Oriko took a deep breath and composed herself, acquiring a serious and determined expression. [I promised myself that I would protect a world where I would not see you like this. That still stands, so do not worry. I will save my world.]
Kirika was not in a pleasant state. Dolls were playing with her face. Poked her eyes, pulled her nose and lips, producing bizarre and painful mugs.
[Kirika.]
The voice of her great love in her mind was like sunrays over that torture. [Sorry for everything, today is not my day.]
[There is no need to apologize or give up.] Oriko said. [You know those dolls? They belong to this girl who is here with me.]
[Dolls? So that's it.] Kirika received a pinch on her cheek. [They are controlled by the magic of her. So if she falls...]
[Yes. They will stop.]
[You had a vision of it?] Kirika asked.
Something Oriko took a while to answer. [Actually... it's just an idea.]
[So you can be wrong.]
The girl sitting on the bubble shared the conclusion of the other in silence.
The doll reached into Kirika's mouth and began to pull her tongue. "Eeeehhhgg..." [Big love. Even if you're wrong, I will follow you. You can trust me.]
[I believe.] Oriko put a hand to her chest and felt her heart beat more and more. [But I do not want you to do that.]
"EEEaaahhgg?!" [Big love?!]
[I want you to take Yuma out of here safely.] Instructed Oriko. [She has grandparents. If everything went well, I want you to contact them. Say that a person found her lost on the streets and peered about her family. They will be happy to know that she is alive. Will you do this for me?]
[What do you mean by...]
[Just say if you will do.] Oriko insisted. [Please.]
Kirika was forced to turn her head to follow her tongue being pulled from one side to the other. [Yes... I do. Of course...]
[Thank you.] Oriko gulped and looked at Homura. [Yuma?]
The little girl replied. [Yes mama.]
[I want you to listen carefully. There will be an explosion.]
Yuma's eyes widened. [Explosion?!]
[Yes. A big one.] Continued Oriko. [See where Kirika is? When that happens, I want you to run up there.]
[But what about those...] She looked at the dolls that surrounded her.
[Do not worry about it. Only meet Kirika, then grab your gems and follow the tunnel without fog. Run, run without looking back.]
[Okay...] Oriko's instructions were clear. To Yuma, all that remained was a question. [And you mama?]
From which she had received no response.
[Mama?!] Yuma raised her head, startled by what she was suspecting.
Something that has not gone unnoticed by Homura. Seeing the expression of the girl and the direction she looked, soon reached a conclusion. "Are you talking to her?"
[Yuma. Now I know that no matter how much is the value of my life, always will be worth using it to protect the world.] This time Oriko did not hold, her tears did not need to betray anymore. [You and Kirika. Live! Love! I do not deserve all this love I received, this is all I can do in return.]
[Oriko?! Oriko!] By also receiving the message, Kirika returned to fight against the dolls that held her.
"No. NO!" Yuma tried to get up, only to be pushed to the ground by those arms of wax.
"What did you say to her?" Homura did not spare threat in her words. There was no answer, however, only felt certain swing on the bubble. "Why are you standing up..." Saying as she turned, she did not finish the question before being hit by a crystal sphere straight into her chest.
"No! MAMA!" Yuma reached out in desperation, as if she could reach the bubble above.
"Ah! Ahg! Uh..." Homura was struck by a series of spheres. Torso, arms, legs... her body being pressed against the surface of the bubble. The last one hit her face, turning it.
Oriko had a hand over her gem and the other extended, taking a deep breath. Despite the tears, she was determined.
Even with mouth twisted, Homura still smiled. "Look at that! There was still a remnant of hope in you, but you have no more magic to use against me..."
"I have enough!" The outstretched arm of Oriko shuddered.
Homura felt being further pressed against the surface of bubble by those spheres.
Father...
Oriko did the impossible to keep the spheres. She was not prepared. She had never risked, never needed. That feeling of something trying to come out inside her had returned and was not her heart, which looked like it was about to burst.
Was it like that?
"MAMAAAAH!" Yuma shouted from the bottom of her lungs.
In your last moments...
Seeing the green haired girl down there, it was then that Homura realized that the bubble was moving and gaining speed. Glancing, she saw the prism and its vertices increasingly close.
... you thought about your daughter?
Her legs were wobbly. Oriko had no idea how she was still standing, it seemed she had already gone astray from her body. Not even breathed, as for the future that awaited her, it no longer needed.
The bubble pressed against one of the vertices. The surface was tougher than it looked, yet was pierced. With a pop, the bubble broke and the two girls fell against the damp, hard concrete.
Yuma tried to crawl to them, but a doll pulled her hair while another blocked her way.
Oriko lay on her back on the floor, without understanding what had happened, until her pain increased. "AhhAHHHHH!" A flash of silver light and her uniform was gone. Then felt an object in the palm of her left hand, she was completely sure what it was.
Her soul gem completely black, not even a trace of its original color. Then she noticed that Homura was already standing beside her.
The girl in black dress was with an inert expression, only her voice had a touch of curiosity. "What were you going to do?"
Oriko looked from one side to the other without saying anything.
Homura narrowed her gaze. "Oh... really?! Did you not feel when she touched the bubble?"
This made Oriko stop and stare at the other.
"Of course you feel the flow of magic, but relied more on your visions..." Homura shook her head disapprovingly.
[It is done.]
The girls paid attention to the voice of Kyuubey. Homura saw the last black essence being absorbed by the sphere.
[Madoka fulfilled her part.]
"It's good that you're satisfied, Incubator." After talking with the creatures, Homura returned again to the fallen girl beside her, whispering. "Mikuni-san..."
"A... kemi..." Oriko saw the other clench her black leather fists.
"I never believed that you would dare to do that, even more due to you being unable to predict." Homura continued to spoke in low tone. "If you made such desperate act, this means you don't lie and may even be right."
The girl on the floor widened her eyes.
"But I need to go till the end." Homura lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I need to know if Madoka that's inside there is the person I wanted to save. I can't go back. If she is not, then nothing else matters..."
Oriko extended her hand, in order to reach the leather leg of the other girl, it was when the voice of Kyuubey was heard once again.
[Something is not right.]
It was if an electric current had passed through Homura. She soon witnessed strange cracks forming in the air, which seemed to be made of pure light, appearing throughout the environment, including the prism and the sphere above.
"No... we are all doomed..." Sighed Oriko.
Upon hearing that, Homura had no doubts about the prediction of the other, but still she wanted more answers and fast, because the cracks gained size. "INCUBATOR!"
[It makes no sense. This light can be captured by our optical sensors, but we could not detect a source. It seems to be something more primordial.]
"Primordial?! What do you mean?" While waiting for a response, Homura invoked a pin and cast against the prism. However, a crack appeared in the path and swallowed the projectile without leaving a trace. The gallery was becoming more brighter. "Creature! Find the cause!"
Kyuubey said. [I received a relevant information. Apparently the energy we collect is not behaving as a physical property, it demonstrates awarene...] Another voice, from another Kyuubey, intruded. [I did not get any information.] And another. [The information I received is that this phenomenon is happening throughout the universe.]
The cacophony of voices flooded Homura's mind, while she saw a crack spread quickly to where Kirika and her children were.
"AAHHH!" Neither the girl nor dolls escaped.
[Our communication was compromised. I repeat. Our communication was compromised.] Kyuubeys that were connected to the dark sphere had no chance. The others did their best to not be swallowed up by the light. [I am observing deviation of gravity near the event horizon.] [I am not longer able to detect certain types of wave, are you receiving this message?] [We need to convert the energy to another form.] [I can not make contact.]
The dolls that were near Yuma dispersed. Seizing the opportunity, the girl got up and started running to where Oriko was.
The girl lying on the floor was with her body so weak and sore that she can only saw her coming.
Until the little girl suddenly stopped.
At first it seemed that she had a misstep, but the eyes of Yuma began to lose life. Slowly, the same happened to her body and she collapsed.
Oriko gaped, a cry that she was unable to let go. She remembered that Yuma was not with her precious gem, but one of the dolls, one she could only assume that was swallowed by those ruptures. A movement was registered by the corner of her eye and then she noticed that Homura was retreating.
The two exchanged glances. Homura continued to move away from the approaching light as she contemplated the expression of Oriko. The one she feared most.
Contempt.
Then, like a giant thunder, a crack came upon and covered entirely the body of the seer.
[Could the fabric of reality is ripping apart?] [Yes, that light is a form of energy of this universe, but never detected before. This must be its blood.] [I see.] [I had the same conclusion.] [I see.] [I see.] [I see.] [I see.] [Yes, the concepts are dissipating.] [I see.] [I see.] [I see.] [She lied to me.] [I see.] [I see.] [The universe is dying.] [She lied to me.] [I see.] [I see.] [She lied to me.] [dying.] [I see.] [She lied to me.] [I see.] [I see.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [I see.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [dying.] [dying.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to me.] [She lied to...]
Homura stopped time with her hourglass, obtaining the absolute silence. Under the dead colors, she looked at a truly tree of light that had blossomed where Madoka was. Its branches and roots consuming the world.
... She lied to you, poisoned you...
To the surprise of the girl, a crack appeared in the hourglass. Time, like the other concepts, was meeting its end.
... She fooled me, the Incubator, everyone...
And another.
... She's a curse to herself...
And another.
... the curse will have achieved her goal...
And another.
... When a tree falls and dies amid a forest, it offers its space and sunlight to another tree to grow...
And another.
... The end of suffering. One thing I would wish for...
Only by a miracle that the hourglass had not yet broken out.
... Homura-chan...
... Homura...
Where she felt it? Homura wondered to herself. This sensation of diving into infinity. "Madoka..."
... Trust in me!...
／人◕‿‿◕人＼
Inside the cage made of chains, the two witches were in a balanced duel.
Oktavia had the advantage of size, coupled with her odd body, enabled her to explore the attacks.
Ophelia compensated it with the range of her spear, but her greatest asset is that she was not alone. She reared her horse and its hooves pounded her opponent.
The mermaid witch had armor to resist, something that her opponent was lacking. However, the other handled her trusty horse very well and used it as a shield. Her massive swords hit the hard ceramic surface of the animal, causing cracks, but could not bring it down.
The rider tried to move around the other witch, aiming her tail fish that was exposed. However, the armored witch showed discipline, keeping a safe distance between the two and blocking the way with her blades.
Impatient with the impasse, Ophelia gave a powerful thrust, that the other parried easily. However, that was just so she had time to turn the horse and ride through the arena she had built. After gaining distance, she advanced with her spear ready.
When the rider was close enough, Oktavia brandished one of her swords to intercept, while the other one she left to block.
It was exactly what Ophelia expected. She continued to ride, but threw her spear back.
The sword cut only the air.
The witch and her horse had disappeared, just to appear meters behind, receiving the spear that flew on her way without stopping her run.
Oktavia sought to protect her exposed flank, but was late. The spear pierced her armor and the witch sounded a sharp, metallic sound, and let the sword fall.
Ophelia twisted her spear, increasing the wound and the amount of blue blood gushing. Until the gauntlet held her weapon.
The mermaid pushed her body against the spear, making it go through her completely.
Seeing the other was now too close, the rider abandoned her spear, but was unable to escape because the gauntlet grabbed her body.
The only thing she could do was to see the blade come down.
The horse moved on, but the cut candle stayed. On the rocks, the wick only had an ember of what had been a vigorous flame.
Oktavia, with the same gauntlet, plucked the spear out of her body and threw it away. The wound would take a while to close.
Then the candle rekindled.
Hearing a neigh, Oktavia turned only to receive a horse kick. She flew meters away and before she could get up, the horse was already on her tail.
The animal reared and furiously smashed the tail with its hooves, spreading blue over the red rocks.
While the horse jumped over her hip, Oktavia tried to use her sword, but it was not at hand. She saw that the weapon fallen nearby.
The ceramic creature stomped the armor, already badly damaged due to the previously duel.
Blue ink leaked out the visor of her helmet, as she stretched her arm toward the sword.
The animal's black eyes were wide, taken by savagery. Its whinny sounded louder as it reared up, ready to crush her head.
Once Oktavia reached the handle, she quickly pointed the blade to her executioner.
The horse fell on the sword and ended up missing its attack by a close call. The weapon broke, but its tip was buried in the belly. Large cracks formed from that point, adding to many others around the body. The animal lifted its head one last time before falling apart completely, releasing a cloud of ash in the air.
The candle went out and both the fog as the walkways began to oscillate and blur.
"Bebe!" Something Mami soon noticed. "Are you seeing... this?"
The white haired girl was leaning her head on the fallen one. She got up and her colorful eyes watched the world changing around her. "The barrier is crumbling."
"So... Miki-san succeeded..."
Nagisa nodded in agreement.
Mami sighed and smiled, but soon became serious when opened her hand to see her gem.
"Are you sure?" Nagisa asked again.
"Yes." The blonde replied without hesitation. "Just... I will wait for Miki-san..."
Nagisa shook her head. "She will not approve it."
"I believe... she won't." Mami winked. "But... your senpai... can not afford to be left behind by her kouhais."
Nagisa smiled. "Hehe... yeah... she can't."
Suddenly a white light cut through of what was left of the fog.
Mami shaded her eyes. "What is it?!"
"I don't know... I..." Nagisa turned and the light had become even stronger, barely giving her time to put her arms forward. "RAWWWR!"
"Nagisa!" Mami could not find her anymore in the light. So the gem on her chest rose and she could no longer feel the ground.
She concluded that was floating or even falling. Stretching her arm, Mami tried to reach the gem before it got too far. There was no time to think about what was going on.
Unfortunately, the gem was spinning too fast and her fingers ended up bumping it, sending further away.
A silence, an emptiness, her anguish and frustration in contrast to the infinite white where her soul slowly disappeared.
...