Title: Incursio
Written By: Mr. Omelette
Disclaimer: I'm not smart, artistic, enlightened and awesome enough to make either of them
Spoilers: in order: the Rebellion, Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 movie, and now Captain America: Winter Soldier and Thor 2
A/N: ...sometimes, you finish your thesis and finish the defending it. Sometimes, you get employed and then get busy with it. Sometimes, you resign from said job and now you're free. Sorry for the late reply and thanks for appreciating this story, it's now passed the 100 mark in favorites (that was my dream when I stumbled upon this website sometime in 2008). Didn't like the doctor strange movie though, so probably gonna retcon some things
Summary: Homura observes all other possibilities with her new powers. And Madoka just wants cake.
"Nothing must interrupt me, Clea."
These were the last words of Stephen Strange before he had went into his study to personally review the seals on the [The Unclosing Eye], a primordial demon. What's interesting was that even from where she came from, to her original dimension, people feared this being. To think that it was the human race that would seal up Its consciousness...
It was already very late into the night, and she should've been preparing to retire for the night, but she had been looking over the notes of what she (because she is the most senior student of the Sorcerer Supreme) would be teaching on the up-coming weeks.
Surprisingly, Doctor Strange's farfetched plan of opening a magical school ended up being well received by the magical community. Though finalizing the structure of how the school will be run was far from complete, Clea would like to think that at least people seemed to take it in stride. I mean, in just three months, and we're already teaching at least three hundred students. While the Ancient One did take students, it was never to this extent and never this wide scope: from witchcraft, shamanism, Taoism, even dark magicks like necromancy (though purely for academic reasons).
"Where's the doctor?"
Clea looked up from her tome, and into the bespectacled face of one Ian McNee. That too: when it came to the advancement of magic, people -no matter how bitter their rivalry may be- tended to group together. Such was the human race. "He's occupied."
She could faintly see a furrowing line appearing between his eyes, but it was without malice. "Oh…" was his lame reply.
Closing her thick book and levitating it back to where it came from, Clea hummed. In the study of where the (how did they call it?) faculty were located, it was just her, Ian McNee, the old but graceful form of Agatha Harkness, and Jericho Drumm. The other teachers had retired for the week, some even going back to their countries. "Yes. Too serious of a task he is in the middle of that even I am not allowed to bother him."
"Say it like normal people." Ian said scrunching his face. Cheeky bugger, Clea thought. As of late, he had been teasing her way too much.
She was just about to say some smarmy repartee when she felt it.
Actually, everyone in the room felt it.
Ian stood upright; eyes looking over the wall –the direction– of whatever it was that appeared.
Agatha picked up her cat, Ebony, and nuzzled it to her chest. She had been scratching something on her quill and parchment, lazily stroking the back of her black cat with her free hand when she felt it appear.
Jericho floated midair, a bluish white aura surrounding him. He had been meditating, floating five feet in the air earlier before its appearance.
"Can you feel it?" Jericho whispered, summoning his staff before going over the window nearest of… whatever this thing is…
It was strong. Every pore of her senses was telling her to runrunrunrunrunrun and only her willpower was keeping her standing there.
Ebony, Agatha's cat, hissed when Jericho opened the window. A chill literally came down her spine. Its presence was that strong, that Jericho poking a hole in the room's magical defenses simply multiplied it tenfold.
"What is it?" Agatha whispered, more composed that Clea who felt like her legs were about to give way.
"I do not know." Jericho muttered in a tone that felt like they were staring at it straight in the eye and it was staring right back at you. "But… it's coming underneath the ground, is it not?"
"The sewers?" Ian asked, walking to Jericho's direction. There was nothing ordinary outside but, everyone knew otherwise.
Malice. Hatred. Despair. Rage. Loneliness. Pain. Agony. Wrath. Starvation. Hunger. Misery. Suicide. Murder. Death.
It was all of these things plus more. It felt like it was trying to rip her out, skin from muscle, muscle from bone. She's never felt this before. This… helpless.
Malice. Hatred. Despair. RageLonelinessPainAgonywrathstarvationhungermiserysuicidemurderdeath.
"We…" she tried to swallow the bile that was rising from her stomach, "we have to do something."
She was just about to tell Ian to close the door when she heard voices outside the hall.
"G'night miss Munroe." One of the students at the school told her as she left the kitchen–the only place in the mansion where Ororo could concentrate. The student had been cramming for an exam Jean was going to give them tomorrow while she herself was reading about wards and amulets. She too, like Megan, Kurt, Kyoko and Yuma had been recruited by Stephen Strange to study magic but unlike the others who were drawn to the allure of magic, Ororo's reasons were more… familial.
When Stephen came to her, he merely gave her a smile before summoning three thick tomes documenting her maternal lineage's birth, history and achievements. In it, she even learned that she had an ancestor who was once the dimension's Sorceress Supreme. Ororo's connection is more emotional, seeing as this was her way of being close to her mother and her family. Ororo believes that she will continue on with her family's tradition of practicing magic.
She had been reading over her notes from her class with Jericho Drumm when she felt it. She may have recently dabbled on magic, and she may have a few lacking with finesse and subtly when it came to the path of ars magus, and as of the moment she was literally a child still learning how to swim, but this… this is different.
This is more than a curse. This is…
"Miss Ororo!" She heard running footsteps coming towards her. Ororo tried to stand but her feet gave way and she fell arms first into the tiled floor.
You just have to breathe, Ororo. She tried to tell herself, but who was she kidding, the room was starting to feel like it was closing in on her. It was getting harder and harder to breathe too. Her chest was constricting. She was starting to sweat all over. It's all in your head. Everything is fine.
FEAR
Everything is fine.
SORROW
Everything is fine.
AGONY
Everything is fine.
DESPAIR
DISEASE
DEATH
"Miss Ororo!" she only realized that someone was trying to get her attention when she felt a hand over her shoulder. She looked up and saw one of her students, Megan Gwynn, shaking her out of her reverie. "Are you okay?"
"I am now." Ororo took a steady breathe before standing up.
"You feel that too, don't you?" Megan asked, helping her instructor up.
Ororo looked at her for a moment before nodding. "Are we the only one who-" she heard the unmistakable sound of Kurt teleporting in, "Ororo, are you alright?" Accompanying Nightcrawler was Professor Grey and Professor Xavier. Both telepaths looked like they were nursing headaches.
Megan looked at the adults. Professor Ororo was in chills, teeth chattering in the dark of the night. Kurt was anxious, eyes darting around, tail swishing like something was about to grab it, fur raised and shivering like a perpetual chill was running down it. Professor Jean couldn't open her eyes and was wincing in pain. Professor Charles, in her first time since going into the Mutant Academy, was actually frowning, two fingers massaging his right temple. "What's going on?"
Every being, from mages, to nature spirits, even ghosts and poltergeist within thirty miles felt it. And those closest to the epicenter were hit the hardest. It was like all of the world's evil came out to unleash hell that night.
People acute to the supernatural felt it in their bones: mages tried to erect wards to protect themselves from the sheer [Negativity] from it but it merely lessened its effects but not much; spirits grew rabid, insane or scared from it; animals up and flew away, crawled and hid, or swam and slithered away. Mutant telepaths felt migraines, headaches, chills, vertigo and to some, they began vomiting and passing out. Clairvoyants saw not the future, but nightmares made real in the dream world, most waking up sweating, in tears, close to vomiting, and no longer able to sleep. Worst were to the empaths: the sheer rawness of the negativity was so strong that some started to convulse, others became outright catatonic after suffering an emotional breakdown, most felt like a hand was clutch into their very soul as if demanding that they release it from their flesh.
Clea knew something needed to be done when she noticed that the magical community, one by one, started to appear in their doorstep. Dryads, air spirits, mages, witches, even vampires and werewolves and everything in between were popping right and left into the Sanctum Sanctorum. Some were hysterical, others in tears, mothers came clutching their children who all shook like a leaf. When the first vampire (twitching not from bloodlust but out of fear) came to the house, Clea knew something was going on. When Megan teleported in, with an assortment of mutants equally distressed, Clea knew she needed to do something. Now.
"We need the Sorcerer Supreme." Said a distressed warlock from the assembled group of people. Clea tried to explain that the Sorcerer Supreme was busy with something and it worked for a time but that was thirty minutes ago. Now, a mob was starting to form, and they wanted Stephen Strange in front of their face right now.
Clea did not see it in time, but a person pushed someone who bumped into someone, who fell on the floor. Voices were raised, arms were balled and a brawl was not that far until…
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"
Clea looked to the originator of the voice and saw Megan Gywnn.
"Billy!" Megan ran to her friend and gave him a tight hug. "You're here too?"
Billy can only nod, clad only in his pajamas. He was in the kitchen out for a late night snack when he felt it appear. It was so scary that he almost pissed his pants. It took him at least fifteen minutes to calm down enough to get his wits straight. And the first thing he did was activate his teleportation amulet to get to the Sorcerer Supreme's abode. That is, until he realized that Billy also needed to ensure that his parents were okay and still asleep. So, he went back home again, fought the urge to vomit from whatever it was that was making him jittery and scared, and made sure that his parents were indeed asleep by casting a very light sleep spell on them and then casting his best warding spell to protect his home. Times like this when he was happy that his parents were 'muggle.'
"Have you seen Kyoko? Or Yuma?" Megan, surprisingly, had her head together the most.
Billy Kaplan shook his head before looking around, "I don't think so. Have you tried calling Kyoko?"
"I left my cell in the mansion," Megan told him. "You?"
"Same." Billy frowned. He could borrow someone's phone but he was not able to memorize Kyoko's number. Some friend, he was.
"I hope they're okay." Megan said with a worried whisper. She relaxed when she felt his hand on her shoulder.
"They're strong. They'll be fine." Billy smiled at her reassuringly.
Megan could feel her face heat. Heart pace a little bit faster, she fiddled with her pink hair. Damnit. She still had a crush on this guy, but, "Still gay?"
For the first time since Billy got here, he laughed, "Still gay."
Megan exhaled, getting some on her composure back, "If you were straight, Billy, if you were straight."
Billy was about to say a smart quip when they heard someone arguing. Megan looked for it and she saw Clea surrounded by what appears to be a mob. The mob was demanding for their protector, the Sorcerer Supreme to appear before them. Clea was becoming hard-pressed, and when someone started pushing, Megan has had it.
"EVERYONE SHUT UP!"
She flapped her wings and flew on top of them, "Every one of you shitheads should start acting like the adults that you are!" in her frustration, she started to produce her spores, which the mob inhaled and ingested. "Oh," she blushed, "Sorry about that… and the dust." But then she returned to her angry mode, "Now, I believe the student of the Sorcerer Supreme was doing something important before you guys started harassing her."
With a huff, Megan whipped her hair, turned around and floated back to Billy who was grinning like an idiot at her. "C'mon." Megan then grabbed Billy by the wrist and dragged him out of the hallway.
"As I was saying," Clea silently thanked Megan for her outburst, "the Sorcerer Supreme is currently preoccupied."
"With what?!" one of the people asked.
Clea was silent for a moment. Should she divulge what was happening?
"With checking the seals for Shuma-Gorath's prison." Clea looked at the originator of the voice and saw Jericho Drumm, holding his cane, "And you know for sure the importance of such a task."
That quieted down the mob considerably, "But… what about us right now? Who would help us?"
Certainly, such a task was usually performed by the Sorcerer Supreme. Jericho Drumm hummed thoughtfully before saying, "Well, perhaps, I will go investigate."
Megan, dragging Billy by the arm, returned to the infirmary of the Sanctum Sanctorum. There were a lot of people there, most of which were forced into a magically induced sleep due to the effects of… whatever it is that's happening.
She walked towards the location of where the mutants were, particularly on the bed of her schoolmate Danielle Moonstar. There, she let go of Billy's hand and huffed, "Idiots, the whole lot of them."
Billy merely nodded before nudging her side, "Who's that?"
"Danielle Moonstar. She's a mutant like me." She moved to her schoolmate's side and checked for anything out of the ordinary aside from the magically-induced, dreamless sleep she was forced into. "She was one of those who got catatonic." Just when Kurt teleported into the X-Mansion's kitchen with Professor Grey and Professor Xavier, students started to either wake up screaming, started to convulse on the spot, or outright passed out.
When they were in the infirmary, being checked by Professor Hank McCoy, the egghead could not find out what was wrong with their bodies. It was not until Megan herself noticed that those that were affected were the mutants who had mind-powered and emotion-powered abilities. Out of all the population in the mansion, twenty three people was affected by the appearance of… it. Things started to appear off when she then noticed that the only people among the affected that could withstand whatever it was that was happening were Professor Ororo, Kurt and she herself – three people who had a magical background. Professors Grey and Xavier too, but as telepaths, they were already on a league of their own and not without discomfort.
"We only went here because we didn't know what was happening." Megan may have suggested it, and usually she expected it to be shot down, but surprisingly Professor Ororo and Kurt agreed, they made haste to prepare for a large scale teleportation and Megan cast the spell to mass teleport the affected mutants here.
"It's like something… a screeching, inhuman voice is yelling on my head." Megan turned to the next bed and say Jean Grey speaking to her boyfriend, Scott.
"Would you like me to call for help?" The male redhead asked.
Jean Grey shook her head, "No. It's good that I'm able to shut it out to an extent but I cannot imagine what it's like for the kids."
"No need to worry," came Agatha Harkness' voice as she went for Danielle's bed. With a glowing hand over the young woman's sleeping form, she told them, "Right now, everyone asleep in this room is in a dreamless sleep with their consciousness put in suspension."
"Are they okay?" Jean Grey asked.
Agatha closed nodded after finishing her diagnostic spell of the sleeping girl, "I'm not sure. But it is better than to have them distraught and distressed." She then gave the redhead a reassuring smile before turning to Megan, "You did the right thing by going here, Megan. That was very brave of you."
"I… thanks," was Pixie's weak reply, not used to compliments.
"What do you think happens now?" Billy asked.
Agatha let out a low whistle, and Ebony, her cat, ran to her master. "Well, I guess we wait for Stephen to return."
"And when is that?"
"When he is done with his job." Agatha said, picking up her cat and cradling it in her arms.
"You seem to have it cool, professor." Megan said sheepishly. "I'm kinda jealous of you." At the old lady's furrowed brows, Billy explained: "what she means is that you seem to be taking things in stride."
"Do I?" Agatha gave a knowing smile, "well, I guess part of it is being inside the Sanctum Sanctorum. It is one of the most magically secure places in the dimension." She was about to say something when Clea and Jericho Drumm burst into the room.
Mami had just killed her third [Archon Wraith]. From the original twelve, only nine remain. But it was nine [Archons] too many. When a lot of [Wraiths] condense into a single unit, it forms a [Knyaz Wraith]. When they condense into a single unit, they turn into a [Archon Wraith]. Mami liked to think of it as a third tier pokemon, or an ultimate-class digimon. There's also a rumor of a tier-four [Wraith], but she's never seen one before.
[Archon Wraiths] were more likely to appear in Japan, usually just after a natural disaster. Mami herself has actually aided in destroying seven of them in Japan, two of which she did solo. This twelve right now, however... it was beginning to appear that Mami may have bitten more than she could chew.
"Are you okay?" The woman in her bubble of protection asked. She had grown quite quiet when Mami leaped into the air to defeat her first few [Wraiths].
Easy-peasy at first, but when the disoriented, newly born [Wraiths] started to get their things together, things started to get out of hand. From the literal sea of thousands and thousands of [Wraiths], the one Mami has been unable to defeat, they started to eat each other to form [Knyaz Wraiths].
Still okay. Mami actually specialized in destroying [Knyaz Wraiths]. In fact in her general area, younger teams usually asked for her aid whenever a [Knyaz Wraith] appeared on their district or prefecture.
Twenty minutes in fending off the [Knyaz Wraiths], Mami still has to deal with hundreds of them, but still, no big deal. She's been through worse. All she had to do was conserve her magic, play it smart and protect the civilian. Nothing out of the ordinary. Shoot, bind, shoot some more, cast her ultimate – all in a day's work.
But then, the sea of [Knyaz Wraiths] started to eat each other.
That was when Mami thought things were beginning to go downhill. At the emergence of the twelve [Archon Wraiths], Mami got serious. The good thing was that she now focused on only twelve, and some paltry few [Wraiths] that survived the buffet.
Mami pursed her lips, "I'm sorry, I have to concentrate." She could feel her magic weakening now.
Okay, Mami, you got this. Just do it like you used to. She pulled the bow on her collar, untying it into a ribbon. The ribbon started to extend far, and with a flicker of her wrist, the ribbon swept low in the general vicinity of her location. In a scooping motion, all the dropped [Grief Cubes] from the felled enemies came to her. Another flicker of her wrist and then she now has a couple of handfuls of [Grief Cubes].
Jumping back when one of the [Archon] raised a hand and rained down black energy beams, Mami quickly pocketed those [Cubes] that she was able to gather. Being unable to purify her own [Soul Gem] on her own without interruption she then rushed to the civilian's protected space, grabbed and dropped her handful of [Cubes] from her [Cube Pocket] and pulled out her [Soul Gem] from her hair. Carefully placing it on top of the [Cubes], Mami instantly felt the effects of her [Soul Gem] being purified.
"Hey, you…" the lady wrapped in ribbons said, "I can help you."
Mami looked at the woman, "I…" Some magical girl she was, her audience was getting worried. She smiled at the woman confidently, "don't worry, I have things under control." Ignoring the protests made by the young woman, Mami returned to the battle at hand. She raised her hand, her body feeling naked without her [Soul Gem], "[Tiro," a plethora of muskets formed in the air, "Phantasma]!" and a meteor shower rained down on the enemy.
"It feels like a [Prince]," Yuma told Kyoko as the bounced from building to building, "…but stronger."
Kyoko felt uneasy, "[Archon]." In her entire lifetime, she's only fought an [Archon] three times, one of which was with Mami. Kyoko's style was more focus on guerrilla tactics, as such; she went after weak ones and the occasional [Knyaz]. [Archons] were an entirely different level on their own. They are smart, adaptive and durable–generally hard to kill, basically. She's never went toe-to-toe with one solo, and the few times that she did have to engage with one, she did it with the promise of a huge cut of the spoils made by the girls of the territory. In those three times she's fought a [King], it was not without casualties.
The first time (the one with Mami) Kyoko, Mami and two others fought against it. It was in a subway station and… and… and a…
…and a mer-
and a mermaid…?
There was a sharp paid that shot to her head, and Kyoko had to stop for a moment to cradle her head.
Homura was in the school library with Madoka and Hitomi working on a group project. Sayaka was expected to appear later after she's finished with her club duties on the track team.
They were doing a written report on the [Ogura Hyakunin Isshu], from history, to their poets, to their meanings both literally and figuratively.
Homura was reading one of the poems while Madoka scratched her head as she tried to make sense on a different one.
One caught her eye:
"Se o hayami
Iwa ni sekaruru
Takigawa no
Warete mo sue ni
Awan to zo omou"
Both Madoka and Hitomi looked at her, "Homura-chan?"
Homura merely smiled at Madoka,
"Though a swift stream is
Divided by a boulder
In its headlong flow,
Though divided, on it rushes,
And at last unites again."
Madoka's eyes widened, "Did you just translate it in English?" she then applauded in utter amazement, "Homura-chan, you're so smart!" Hitomi too gave her applause but on a much more subdued way than how Madoka did it.
"Don't you think it's such a nice poem, Madoka?" Homura asked, looking out of the window.
Madoka merely tilted her head, "I guess. It's a poem about reuniting after being separated, right?"
Homura gave a light chortle, "Yes. It's a very precious poem. To me even."
The pinkette looked at the poem, "If friends all go towards the same direction, I guess they'd meet again someday." Madoka giggled, "Don't you think that's fate, Homura-chan?"
Yuma gasped, "Onee-chan! Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Kyoko was clutching her head, "…a mermaid? Wha-" Kyoko had the memory in her head, there were four of them: she herself, Mami, a girl in black and… a mermaid!? What's this about a mermaid?
"…nee-chan? Onee-chan? Are you okay, one-chan?" Yuma was shaking her now.
"Yuma?"
"What's wrong?" Yuma looked at the older girl with worry.
"…it's nothing. I was just worried about the [Archon]." If Yuma detected the lie, she had a good way of hiding it. But onto more important matters, "Yuma, have you ever fought an [Archon] before?"
"No."
Kyoko looked at Yuma, "I don't want you there then."
The greenette was about to argue when they felt it.
"Shit…" Kyoko muttered under her breathe. "shitshitshitshit."
Take your time and pace yourself. Mami took down another [Archon], leaving eight more. Just as the [Archon] exploded to hundreds and hundreds of [Grief Cubes], Mami raised a hand and summoned her ribbons again, this time summoning them wide enough that a good chunk of the [Cubes] landed on it. She then willed the gigantic strips of ribbons and funneled the [Cubes] into the now huge pile near the civilian.
Mami stayed near said civilian, out of fear that any stray beam or appendace might hit it and she would be unable to protect her. By now, Mami was a little more okay with splurging with her magic since the rate in which she consumed it was offset with the supply of [Grief Cubes] she was earning. In fact, her original number was actually quadrupled now, and that's just on the number of [Cubes] she was able to funnel and gather with her ribbons. There were still tons more that was yet to be gathered.
At the back of her mind, So that's why some girls go for [Princes] and [Kings], destroying one is better than killing a whole bunch of them. But then, a [Knyaz] and an [Archon] were harder to kill. It was ridiculously rewarding but highly, highly risky as well.
Mami felt that she's been fighting for more than thirty minutes now. Normally, she would've been tired, but she's learned to use her magic to numb out the tiredness while at the same time repairing any damage on her body as well as replenishing her energy.
She began baiting for her fifth [Archon] for the night, summoning a ribbon clone of herself and making sure to draw it close enough on a trap she has laid. They shot their unholy beams on energy, used their hands to summon forth tentacles and appendages but Mami was getting used to their patterns now. The energy beams could be deflected with a shot from her musket; how that worked, Mami did not want to know. Of the appendage and tentacles, she modified her muskets to have a sharper edge, the barrel of the gun becoming that of a blade. Cutting them just had to be met with timing and precision. She's even taken to adding a bayonet on her guns, stabbing these appendages and into the ground, keeping the enemies in place.
When one of them triggered her trap, the floor underneath the [Archon] shone bright, and her signature yellow magical circle of sunflowers, doilies and forks appeared. Then, ribbons started hold the [Archon] in place.
Point blank shot.
Mami concentrated–her magic coalescing in front of her. A parrott rifle came to be from her magic, the muzzle of it shining a yellow light.
"[Tiro Finale]!"
Five down. Seven to go. This has got to be a record or something. Fortunately, this has turned into a battle of attrition, something Mami was winning because of her supply of [Grief Cubes].
And then, the [Archon Wraiths] started eating each other.
This…
…this was something Mami did not expect.
A [Cthulhu] class [Wraith]. Shitshitshitshitshitshit. "What the fuck is happening?" Kyoko did not have time to argue with Yuma nor did she have any sense of mind to filter her language. She had half the mind of wrapping Yuma in her chain magic and keeping her here but there was no point. A [Cthulhu Wraith] were said to be the pinnacle of [Wraiths]. While [Archons] were said to appear after a natural disaster, a [Cthulhu Wraith] was said to be the cause of one. [Cthulhu Wraith] are what made myths and monsters–the foundation of the concept of [Otherworldly Evils], or some such tripe.
For it to descend in New York, it was not outside of possibility for the city to undergo a huge disaster.
We should run away. Get Yuma and Steve as far away as possible. This was outside their expertise. This was… a train wreck waiting to happen.
Kyoko was just about to do that when Yuma was already rushing towards it.
"YUMA! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! GET BACK HERE!" Kyoko had to shield her eyes because Yuma started to glow in a green light. You can't fight it. We can't fight it.
Yuma did not stop, her speed increasing as Kyoko not chased after her. I don't care, nee-chan. Innocent lives are at stake.
Kyoko grit her teeth, Innocent lives? What have they done to you for you to fight for them like this?
Nothing- Yuma started telepathically.
Precisely, Kyoko yelled in their link, They have done nothing. You mean nothing to them, so they should mean nothing to you too. They don't even know you.
Yuma shook her head. I know that, nee-chan. But I can't just sit idly by while the city we live in gets destroyed.
Kyoko wanted to throttle Yuma. Why was she being so difficult? When did she start being this rebellious? She was never like this before. No one would even praise you for doing this.
This made Yuma stop, landing on the streets of New York. Fortunately it was in a secluded area, and no one appeared to be nearby. Kyoko landed not far behind. The greenette's back was facing the redhead. You think I'm that shallow, nee-chan?
Yuma… I'm… I didn-
For the first time since they've been running towards the [Wraith Nest], Yuma spoke, "No." she was silent for a moment, "I know this is not some game, Kyoko nee-chan." The greenette balled her fist, "But I'm a [Magical Girl]. I can't sit around knowing that people are in danger just by the presence of that [Wraith] alone."
"Can you take a second to think it through, Yuma?" Kyoko took a step forward, "This is a god-class [Wraith]. We don't stand a chance against it. We'll be squashed like a bug."
"I know that."Kyoko could see Yuma shaking. Was she- "But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try."
"Yuma…" she was about to reach for her shoulder when Yuma turned to her.
"Don't coddle me anymore, nee-chan." Yuma held no malice in her face, "I guess I understand that you want to keep me safe."
Kyoko smiled, "Then I guess we should go-"
"Go ahead, nee-chan. Go."
The redhead knitted her brows, "What do you mean?"
"Go home." Yuma took a step back, "I'm… I'm fighting it. By myself."
"Don't be stupid, Yuma." Kyoko warned.
But the younger girl stood firm, "Well what am I supposed to do? Do you really just expect me to just sit down and do nothing?!" Yuma's voice was raised now.
Kyoko shook her head, "No, Yuma. I expect you to just," she sighed, burying her hands in her pants pockets, "…what I'm saying is that we should just get are heads together, take a step back and consider our options."
Yuma didn't like fighting with Kyoko. She respected her too much, but this… "Onee-chan, there is a [Wraith] that we did not farm in this city. There is nothing we should think over." Yuma turned around and was about to leave when a wall of chains started to form around her.
Steve felt relieved when he saw the two kids go down the buildings. He was beginning to run out of breath and his legs were about to give way with all the running he was going – all in a speed that was beyond acceptable for a human. He had left Savin earlier apparently being unable to keep up with Steve's speed and the girls.
Taking tired but quick steps to where they were, Steve willed his remaining strength to go over to them.
But when he was within hearing distance, Steve could hear from the tones of their voices (because he cannot understand Japanese) that Kyoko and Yuma were fighting. He was just about to call for them when Steve saw Yuma lunge for Kyoko.
"Why was I not informed that my son is here?!" There were very few people who's seen their queen's ire. Upset, yes; exasperated, yes; even annoyance that mask maternal affection whenever her children would do something childish or stupid, yes; but full on fury, no one. Until today.
The guard on duty was visibly shirked, suddenly shrinking from his post, "I was merely ordered-"
"Where is your supervisor?" Freya no longer had the patience, "Never mind that, unchain him. Now."
The soldier wanted to protest but a fierce look from their queen and all thoughts of disobedience vanished from his mind. "Yes, your majesty."
It took a second for the guard to do what he was his told but once it was done, Loki slumped into the floor like a lump of meat. The handcuffs were meant to suppress magic, sapping not only strength but vigor and stamina too. Putting it on was like feeling your blood running cold and your entrails being pulled from your mouth.
Mother was already on son's side even before he reached the floor.
Broken
That was the first word Freya thought when she saw her child. The mischievous luster was gone from his eyes, replaced but resignation, rejection and apathy. Eyes not leaving Loki, Freya screamed, "Call for the head healer."
The guard stuttered something but Freya did not need words and excuses, "Call Eir now. I command it."
The footsteps signaling that the guard had called for help rang over their heads. Freya had not once left her gaze on her son. "Loki. Loki, my son! Are you-"
"You are not my mother." The voice was hushed so low it sounded like a hiss and completely laced with the feeling on betrayal and anger. It was a scornful retort that came from one who has been wrong.
"Loki," Freya started, using a hand to angle his face so that their eyes would meet. Her touch was so light for she feared that any strength and his son would simply crumble. "Loki, that is not true. You are my son."
"I am not your son!" Loki yelled with the remainder of his strength.
"Loki, my son," Freya held him tighter when he tried to separate himself from her, "What are you talking about? I am your mother. You are my son."
Loki did not hear her, "When were you going to tell me that I am not of Asgardian blood? Were you even planning on tell me that?" Freya hugged him tighter when he tried to push her away, her touch might be light but the strength in that light touch was something he can never go up against. "Were you even going to tell me the truth of my parentage?"
Freya broke free from the embrace. Cupping his cheek, she began stroking her forefinger lovingly.
Loki looked even more hurt, "Or was I just a tool?"
"Is blood really all that important?" Freya asked simply, no malice in her tone.
Loki had no reply. He would be the first to say that he had learned to answer questions with questions from her. If Thor tried and fell short of becoming someone like Odin, Loki took after his mother–maternal figure.
Freya looked at her son. Despite the brokenness, Freya is sure that smart, curious and ever tenacious child still lingers behind it. For the umpteenth time: "You are my son, Loki." With a slight tug, Freya had her arms around him again, tighter than it ever was before, "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
For the first time in centuries, Loki wept.
"Kyoko, Yuma, stop this!" Steve had his feet glued on the floor as he tried to make sense of the red and green blurs fighting in front of him. In their wake, sparks flashed whenever mace and spear clashed. The earth rattled with every hammer of Yuma's mace while chains and flames appeared from surfaces and in thin air.
"This does not concern you, Steve." To his surprise, this came from Yuma. The Yuma who was easily agreeable to his whims and was the more level-headed of the two.
"What do you mean? What's going on?" Steve ran for them, "Tell me and we'll find a solution to what's happening."
"Yuma's being unreasonable." Kyoko said with a huff, not really transformed yet but has materialized her spear from her [Soul Gem]. She looked like she was having a little trouble but that is probably because she was engaging Yuma (who was dead serious) with kid gloves.
"You're the one who's unreasonable, 'Nee-chan." Yuma called out, not stopping from her assault.
Steve tried to calm the two down but words were not getting through them. His eyes, enhanced as they were, were finding it harder and harder to keep up with the scuffle between the two girls. It would be suicide to jump between the two but... what choice does he have?
He ran towards them.
"Jericho, this is suicide." Clea called to Jericho as the man went straight first to Agatha.
"Why? What's going on?" the older woman asked. They had the entire room's attention now, at least to the ones who were awake.
Clea took a calming breath before, "Jericho plans to investigate." She crossed her arms, "outside."
Ian McNee was within hearing distance, "Really?" He had been checking up on a young werewolf whom he had put to a dreamless sleep.
Jericho ignored the two and met Agatha's eyes, "I'm thinking of seeing through a familiar's eyes."
Scott Summers did know what they were talking about so he asked this to his student, Megan.
The girl in question looked at the redhead before saying, "He's planning to possess an animal and then go out of the building." She whispered it to him so as to not disturb the adults.
"Hm…" Of course, the mutant knew what he heard but he just couldn't wrap his mind around it.
Agatha tilted her head, hugging her cat close. "If you could find one brave enough."
Jericho seriously considered this before, "Then that just means I am going to have to leave the Sanctorum."
"Don't be stupid." Clea raised her voice again, not caring how most of the eyes were on her now. "We don't even know what we're dealing with."
"It's precisely that we don't know what we're dealing with that we have to check it out." Jericho Drumm told her. Agatha agreed with Jericho, which earned an appalled grunt from Clea.
"Ian?" Jericho asked, looking at him. The man, however, merely shrugged, "Can't tell you what to do."
His remark earned a guffaw from Brother Voodoo, "Well then, it has been decided."
Clea wanted to disagree with him but, "If you have to… but don't go alone. I'll-"
Jericho Drumm looked at her seriously, "You will stay here, Clea."
"But-"
"The Sanctum Santorum will be defenseless without the Sorcerer Supreme and his protégé. Besides, enemies might be lurking within." There was a reason why the Santorum was one of the most secure magical places in the dimension – it housed countless valuable relics and artefacts that even the wealthiest and powerful of magicians would kill for.
"Then at least bring someone with you." Clea looked at Ian, who shook his head vehemently, a sheepish smile on his face, "No can do, Clea. Not my cup of tea."
Agatha is out of the question as well, Clea thought. "We could ask anyone of the people outside to accompany you." Though I doubt anyone would want to get out of the mansion. What Jericho needed was a guide, because Jericho has never been to New York. Someone who knew New York like the back of his hand. Someone who knew every nook and cranny and everything in between them – from the posh upper side to the dank downtown. Who he needed was-
"I could accompany you, professor." All eyes turned to Billy.
"Okay," Steve exhaled for the fifth time since he's calmed down both girls. Surprisingly, all he needed to do was jump in harm's way for them to stop fighting. "If I got this straight, there is a super [Wraith] in this city," Yuma nodded, "and you both don't know how it appeared," Kyoko nodded, "and now Yuma wants to go after it," Yuma nodded sheepishly, "but Kyoko thinks it's a bad idea," Kyoko nodded crossing her arms which made Yuma cross her arms too, "so that left us here." Reluctantly both girls nodded.
Steve may not have his mind completely wrapped up on what was happening but, "Have any of you thought of going to Stephen Strange?"
"I am afraid Stephen Strange is currently indisposed, as of the moment." A new voice called out from the shadows.
Three sets of eyes looked at the voice only to be met with the head of a burning skull.
"I can guide you." Billy said when most of the adults there displayed their reluctance, "I know New York like the back of my hand." He took a step forward, "I know every nook and cranny and everything in between the city. I've been to uptown and downtown New York. I can help you."
Jericho of course could just float above head and just go straight to the source but that's just painting himself an easy target. They needed to do so with speed and stealth.
"It is dangerous," Brother Voodoo told him.
Billy smiled, "First sign of danger, I'm outta there."
"Doesn't make me feel secure at all." Megan said out loud.
Billy ignored her friend, "I know a class-B teleportation spell." Meaning a high grade one that can, on most cases, bypass wards. "Plus I'm not as affected by the [Negative Energy] as most magicians are."
"No," Clea told him, "this is not up for discussion." She then looked at the room and noticed that they had quite the audience. "Now," she said looking at her colleagues, "I suggest we take this matter into the faculty lounge."
"I could accompany you, if you'd permit it." the voice now came from a different source: Kurt.
Something strange was happening in Midgard right now. Heimdall was using his [Sight] upon such a peculiarity in New York. Already he has sent a message to the Queen with the current situation.
Perhaps, this may be what the Well of Mimir was talking about, but… no… not this. This was entirely a different issue.
"What is the status?" Freya came, entourage in tow. What Heimdall did not comment was how a puffy-eyed Loki was part of that entourage.
Heimdall had to be honest, "I do not know, my queen."
Freya's eyebrow rose, but that was the most he was getting from the queen for she had to exude grace and confidence. "May I?" she tried to channel her power and saw what he was [Seeing].
Most peculiar indeed. There was a huge blob of nothingness right in the middle of it. It was trying hard to be unseen but the fact that it was trying to cloak itself made it stand out on its own. Pretty amateurish, but should the power of [Sight] try to see past the cloak, nothing can be seen. The typical behavior of a strong demon.
"Heimdall, who is the nearest Valkyrior there?"
"Krista and Hildegarde, your majesty." Krista and her einherjar are training in by fighting a demon horde summoned by a ritual gone awry while Hildegarde is currently recruiting souls over at a cemetery for warriors.
Freya nodded, "Well then, I shall task this quest of vanquishing this monstrosity to Hildegarde and her einherjar. Order Krista to serve as her reinforcement."
Heimdall nodded, "As you wish."
Mami looked up. Instead of fighting something barely passable as humanoid, she was now fighting a… something. It had five eyes, three heads but two necks. It also had a body composed of fish scales and fur. Its mouth was circular with numerous jagged teeth. Looking at it was like looking at a whirlpool with innumerous, treacherous rocks protruding from it. That wasn't the worst part. It has tens of thousands of tentacles all two meters wide and impossibly long. It's height? Easily a skyscraper.
Mami looked at it and said only one word. "Shit."