Welcome to the fourteenth chapter!
This is the time of the Priestess, part 2.
Hope you enjoy!
I do not claim anything!
"...let's go," I said, walking forward, "and watch your step." I carefully walked around a pool of blood on the floor.
"Yeah," Yukari said, following. I opened the door to the next car and stepped over the gap. "...clear," I stated, walking in a few steps. "What the heck?! Where are all the shadows?!" Junpei demanded in a whisper.
"It's so quiet it's creepy," Yukari said, shivering slightly. "Aria-tan!" Junpei grabbed my arm and pulled. Behind me a piece of cloth wearing a tiara or sorts fell to the ground. At least, that's what I thought until I saw the mask of the Priestess just under the tiara.
"There it is!" Junpei said, releasing my arm. But the Shadow floated into the next car ahead. "Hey, get back here!" Junpei ran past me to follow the monster.
"Wait!" Mitsuru said in my head. "But if we don't go after it, we're going to lose it!" Junpei complained.
"The enemy is acting strangely," she said, "why would it reveal itself then run? ...Emmerson, you're in charge. What do you think?"
I closed my eyes and sighed. "...we should be careful," I stated, "we don't know if this is a trap."
"Fine, I'll go after it myself!" Junpei snapped. I opened my eyes and looked at him. A vein was pulsing in his temple. "Calm down, Jun-" Yukari started.
"You guys just stay back and watch me take care of it myself!" Junpei yelled at me, then ran into the car ahead. "Junpei!" Yukari took two steps to take after him...
"Look out! Behind you!" Mitsuru yelled. I whirled, slashing my naginata, cutting another tiara-shadow in one clean hit.
"Grrrr..." I growled, grinding my teeth. An arrow whizzed past me and hit the other Tiara right in the mask, making it shriek as it vanished.
"You okay, Aria?" Yukari asked. I nodded, looking at Yukari. She looked really pissed. "Damn that Stupei!" she yelled, stomping her foot, "What the hell is he thinking?! This is just what the enemy wanted!"
"More shadows!" Mitsuru warned. I didn't hesitate. I slashed right through one of them and kicked the other one. Both of them dissipated. Another arrow was let loose, shooting the last one, a dancing hand, in the face. Mask. Thing. And it died as well.
Yukari and I nodded to each other once and ran ahead silently.
Two cars ahead was Junpei, surrounded by Shadows. He was fighting to the best of his ability... but he was still being overwhelmed. "Maragi!" I said, pointing my Evoker at my head and pulling the trigger. Little explosions of fire sounded, making a bunch of the shadows vanish. Junpei and Yukari together took care of the rest.
"See! That's what happens when you don't listen!" Yukari scolded Junpei, "So... are you alright?"
"Yeah," Junpei muttered angrily, "I was doing just fine." Yukari scoffed. "Excuse me?!" she placed her hands on her hips and glared.
"Quiet, you two," I commanded, glaring at them both, "if you two are done with the couple act, we'd better - " I was cut short when the floor started rumbling. "Woah – hey – why are we moving?!" Junpei grabbed one of the handles to keep himself upright. I glanced out the window. We were moving... and speeding up.
"If you don't stop the train, it'll crash!" Mitsuru said. "Woah, are you serious?" Yukari asked, visibly panicking.
"Calm down and listen," Mitsuru stated, "I feel a strong presence in the front car. If you defeat it, you can stop the train."
"...let's go," I stated, running forward. Junpei and Yukari followed.
We were in the front car. Sitting in front of us was a black-and-white maiden with the letters B J on her chest. The pink mask of the Priestess adorned her face. "What the hell? Is this the frigging boss?" Junpei asked. I think he was referring to the fact her hair looked like sutras... or something like that.
"We're in the front car – it's gotta be!" Yukari stated, stepping forward. "Junpei, go all-out. Yukari, focus on healing," I stated, "I'll help on both sides as best as I can. Mitsuru, can you analyze?"
"Give me a second," she replied.
I pulled out my Evoker and pointed it at my temple. "Cleopatra!" I yelled, pulling the trigger. The woman in Egyptian garb appeared. "Agilao!" I yelled. The snake opened its mouth, exposing its fangs. An explosion of fire appeared, hitting the Priestess in the mask. It didn't even flinch, but I could tell it did some damage.
"Here I go!" Junpei said, pointing his Evoker at his head, "Cleave!" Hermes appeared and shot forward. The Priestess cried out in pain as she fell over.
"Here's our chance! Let get 'em!" Junpei said, looking at me. "All-Out-Attack!" I replied, dashing forward. My naginata was a blur. Arrows whizzed past me, and I could hear Junpei fighting next to me. I backed off, returning to where I was before. The Priestess took heavy damage, but it wasn't dead yet. "The enemy is immune to light and dark and ice," Mitsuru said. "Good thing none of us have those abilities," I muttered.
"Io! Use Garu!" Yukari shot herself in the face with her Evoker. I smiled slightly, watching the woman in the bull's head use the wind attack against the priestess.
"The enemy is reeling! Finish it off!" Mitsuru said. But, it was the Priestess' turn.
Red fog surrounded the Priestess for a moment. She babbled something incoherent... something in the Shadow language, I guess. Then... two of those tiara-shadows showed up.
"Yukari, focus on the one to the right! Junpei, the left!" I said, gripping my naginata. "Roger!" Yukari said.
I ran forward, licking my lips. I slashed one, twice. The priestess moaned, falling onto her back. She dissolved into black shadow-like mass and dissipated into the air.
The tiaras attacked right then. "Aria!" Yukari yelled in warning. I whirled, knocking one tiara to the side with the butt of my naginata, then slashed the other with the blade. Yukari shot the other one immediately.
"Did we make it in time?!" Junpei asked. I blinked. In the heat of the battle, I had completely forgotten about the monorail moving.
"Hey! Why are we still moving?" Junpei demanded. "Don't ask me!" I said.
"You have to hit the brakes! There's a train up ahead!" Mitsuru yelled.
Adrenaline roared through my body so fast I didn't have time to prepare. I ran into the front of the car, snarling something I didn't understand.
Yukari screamed and I pulled the first thing to reach my fingers. I heard the squeal of the brakes over the rushing of blood in my ears.
"H-huh?" Junpei was in the fetal position on the floor when I emerged. "We're... alive...?" Junpei looked up at me. "Quit being a big baby, Stupei," I said teasingly, nudging him with my foot. But to be honest, I would rather be on the floor, rocking like he was. I was still shaking.
"Haha... my knees are shaking..." Yukari was holding onto the railing, laughing in hysterics. "Dude... I'm like... drenched in sweat..." Junpei was gasping, "you okay, Aria-tan?"
"A proper leader wouldn't show weakness," I laughed weakly, "but honestly, I didn't think we were going to make it." I sat on the seat, laughing along with Yukari.
"I'm glad you're all safe," Mitsuru stated, "come on home. You did a great job today."
"But... how did you know which one was the brake?" Yukari asked me once she calmed down.
"I took my chances," I stated. "Wait, seriously?!" Junpei stared at me a moment, then looked away. "Gah, whatever. Want to grab a bite to eat? I'm freakin' hungry!"
"Haha, sorry to break it to you, Junpei," Yukari said, "but girls normally don't get hungry in the middle of the night."
"Marcus should have something prepared for us, regardless," I replied with a laugh, "I ordered him to have something made, after all."
I looked between my two friends. I couldn't help but think the level of trust we had grew. And it made me feel warm inside. As long as I had friends, I knew I could do anything.