Lock down the planet, lock down the entire system. No one gets in or out. Get a message out to the rest of the sect, send word up to MSOC. Tell them that Ishna Kleimar is alive. Actually, send word of that to Terra, straight away. Forget all other communications, this is vital.
Start scanning the city, find any enemy magical girls out there. Find out where all those seeds and cubes went. At this point, we need to be start believing Adrianne. I don't want to waste any time, she could strike any minute. Hurry, this world depends on us moving fast.
-Orders issued by Lord Inquisitor Juno Eskel.
She wasn't the kind to slowly wake up. For the sunlight to stimulate her eyes, eventually make her open them, then realize that she was no longer dreaming. Really, she'd always woken up quickly. She'd had to get used to it. Rushing to school early in the morning meant that no time could be lost.
And even now, so far from that school she used to rush to everyday, Erwine woke with a start. Her body flinched for a second as her eyes shot open, a quick exhaling of breath making the slightest sound. There was a strange smell about the room, about herself, that was perhaps the first thing that hit her.
It wasn't that it was necessarily foul, but it was just different. Next came the sights. Erwine faced a wall. She was awfully close to it, but the bed was pushed up right against it, so there wasn't a chance of her falling off. Her eyes traced over the smooth walls, the light shining in from the window behind.
Erwine's arms were splayed out near her head, but were still close to her. Her left one slowly moved, as she lay on her right. It slid down, ever so slowly, tracing down her body. She felt bits of moisture on herself, like sweat. Then a feeling of wrongness came over her. It was the only way to really describe it.
Defilement. That was what it was. Erwine shuddered as it fully hit her, the stench, the feeling, the sight, where and how she lay. It all made sense now.
"Oh…" she whispered, the realization hitting her. The word was uttered with an almost- casual tone, like it was the sort of realization one might have every day. Perhaps the sort said when one remembered where they left that book they were reading, or perhaps the answer to the problem on that test.
Yet the tone Erwine spoke with didn't match what immediately followed her speaking. Her teeth clattered together as she shivered, remembering the events that had come before. Tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, her body freezing up as all the memories came back to her, striking like a bullet.
Then she was aware that the person who had done this to her. The person who had defiled her in this way…they were still there. Not a they. It was a she. Erwine knew the person very well. The little girl could remember fearing the possibility of rape back on her home world, but doubted that fate would choose her.
And even then, it wouldn't be anyone she really knew. It wouldn't hurt too badly. She knew of people who had it happen to them, and it was just a fact of the relatively uncontrollable society of the lower hives. Yet this wasn't just some random person who had done this to her. It was someone who she had loved. Someone who she treated like someone who had always been there for her.
Erwine felt the tears slip down her cheeks. She breathed in stuttering bouts, before her teeth chattered again as she took air back in. Desperately, Erwine wished that this was all just a bad dream she was experiencing. That somehow this was just an image put in her head, and that she'd wake soon.
Yet it was so incredibly obvious that this was no dream. It was far too vivid for Erwine to lie to herself any longer. She wanted to keep lying to herself, but the little girl did understand that such foolishness would get her nowhere.
She had to accept the reality. Yet the more she accepted the truth, the more she wanted to despise the person only a couple feet away from her. Her face stained, her whimpers breaking the silence of the room, Erwine looked behind herself.
Adrianne sat up straight. Her hands covered her face. There was another sound in the room, something Erwine hadn't noticed before. It came from the other girl. She was naked too, her hair down. Erwine had never seen Adrianne with her hair down before. The girl even slept with it tied normally.
Erwine had never even thought of wondering why someone would do something like that. Yet the thought only stayed for a brief second, as her head fell back down to face forwards. Adrianne didn't seem to notice that Erwine was awake.
She wept softly, and Erwine couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of sympathy. Here sat two magical girls. They had both made contracts with the Goddess. They had both wished for something, something which they thought would make their lives better.
Both had entered into the Inquisition. Both had bonded with their masters. Both had suffered at the hands of the same individual. So Erwine couldn't help but sympathize with Adrianne.
Her fists clenched as Erwine washed that sympathy away. It wasn't an unconscious action, and that was what scared her the most. She crushed it under all else she felt, reminding herself that Adrianne had done so much to her before.
She didn't let her anger control her, she controlled it herself. Erwine had felt what it was like to be controlled by rage before. This wasn't that sensation. It wasn't that sensation at all. It was something so much more beautiful than mere mindless anger.
It was cold, calculated hatred. Hatred. Erwine had begun to understand the true nature of that word more and more over the past couple weeks. It was like a sick kind of love, something that bound you to whatever you hated, just like love bound you to whatever you loved.
And Erwine understood that completely now. She sympathized with the inquisitor. She didn't want to hate her. But what else could she possibly do after what had just happened to her?
Erwine didn't know how else to express her pain. The chattering of her teeth stopped, and her breathing stabilized. Tears still came from her eyes, but the orbs themselves took on a new look. It was an appearance more befitting that of a cold-hearted veteran, rather than a little girl.
"I'm so sorry…" Adrianne said quietly, finally realizing that Erwine was awake.
"You've apologized too much for the word to even mean anything anymore…" Erwine shot back with venom in her voice, "I hate you…"
"I know…" Adrianne replied, taking a deep breath. "Erwine…I know what I did to you was wrong. I know I hurt you. I…I don't want to lose you."
"Too bad…" the little girl replied, her harsh tone slicing into Adrianne's fragile mind, "We're done. The two of us. Whatever bond we had is gone now."
"I can understand that…" Adrianne remarked.
"No you can't." Erwine stated back. The two didn't look at each other. They stared in opposite directions.
"Both of us suffered thanks to Ishna-"
"This has nothing to do with Ishna!" Erwine shouted, sitting up. She didn't turn around, but her anger still wounded Adrianne. "She didn't make you do what you did last night! She didn't make you do anything! She hurt you, she killed those you loved! But never did she…" Erwine's eyes opened wide.
Her mouth froze, struggling to make the words come out. She choked for air. Not because she couldn't find it. It was because her memory found an image from that previous night. Sensations accompanied it, reminding Erwine of what she should have listened to.
"It's not my job to do that," the words echoed back through Erwine's mind as she shook her head, refusing to believe the possibility of this. Ishna…Ishna couldn't have seen this coming…Erwine thought. No…that's impossible.
She shivered, "It doesn't matter," she said, crying harder and harder, "What you think, or what you do. It doesn't matter at all. Not anymore. I hate you. There's nothing that can take the pain, the humiliation, all of that away."
"Then why didn't you call for help!" Adrianne shot back.
"Because I care about you." The girl replied. "I really do. And even now, I'm regretting caring about you. I thought that things would be better…you would be better. But what you did." She exhaled, steadying her body as she did so.
She spun around in an instant. Adrianne tried to react. Even as the inquisitor stood and turned around, Erwine's fingers tightened around her throat. She rushed forwards with the inquisitor, bashing her back into the wall. She held her there with both hands, eyes filled with fury as she stared her down.
"All along!" Erwine screamed, "You've used me as nothing more than a tool! From the moment we met, from the moment the Incubator even told you of my existence, I was just something to be manipulated! Something to be used on your sick quest for revenge!" Erwine wept as she smashed Adrianne backwards into the wall, again and again.
"You apologize again. And again. And again. And again!" She punctuated every pause with a slam. "You ruined my life! You ruined Laelia's life! You ruined Ayelen's life! You ruined Airi's life! You killed Lilith! Wherever you go, you destroy all that comes across your path! I want you to die, but I can't kill you!" Erwine screamed. Every sentence occurred in the time Adrianne's battered body was lifted from the wall and slammed back into it.
Her grip tightened up. Erwine looked down. Her tears fell down to the floor below. Her teeth chattered as her breath came in spurts. Her whimpers of pain and sadness were the prime source of sound. "Because…no matter how much I hate you, we're too much alike. We're too much alike to be enemies, not after what's happened to the both of us. The difference is that…is that you always saw Ishna as the villain."
"While I…I so foolishly believed that your intentions were good-hearted." Erwine gritted her teeth as she stared back up at Adrianne. "I was so naïve back then. It was just two weeks ago, wasn't it? I'm still just a little girl, aren't I? But I can see it now. I can see that your intentions are anything but good."
"You're the villain of this story that I've found myself thrust into…" Erwine said, "All along, I should have known…" She felt her heart filling with despair, her tears becoming entirely uncontrollable.
"I just want to go home…" Erwine whispered. "I just want to go see Nada again. I want to return to that life of everything being the same, of just being the tiniest cog in this machine, just to get away from this."
"But I can't now, can I?" the girl asked, knowing that she wouldn't get an answer "I can't be anything like that ever again. I can never live a peaceful life. I'm doomed to spend the rest of my time fighting this battle…all because I believed that I could make a difference."
Blood coated the wall, but Adrianne still barely breathed. Erwine pulled her away, stepping back. She looked Adrianne in the eyes. Her hands crushed down, Adrianne's breathing ceasing as flesh tore and twisted. Erwine forced herself forwards with all her might, bashing the inquisitor against the wall once again. She screamed, letting out all her rage as she did so. Her hands found new vantage points as the throat was crushed in, and she kept going.
The scream continued. She kept going, bashing the bloody body into the hard surface. Bones snapped, veins burst. The air was filled with the stench of blood and guts. Erwine only saw a bloody mess through her tears. Above all this, Erwine screamed.
She kept screaming until she finally let go, backing away. She almost slipped on the red fluid that covered the floor. The wall was covered in red. Bits of white were scattered throughout the ever widening pool of vital fluid.
Erwine stared with wide eyes at the mess. Her stomach turned. Suddenly, she felt like vomiting. She doubled over, clutching at her stomach, but she hadn't eaten for a long time. Barely anything came out. Her hand came to her head as she shakily straightened herself, starting to hyperventilate as panic spread through her body.
She shut her eyes. Her entire face was stained with either blood or tears. The more she tried to wipe either off, the more ingrained they became. "I'll find my own way." Erwine said defiantly, trying to believe those words, her eyes coming open.
With fear rising in her heart, Erwine looked wildly around the room. On a stand beside the bed were the soul gems of both Adrianne and Erwine. They sat beside each other amidst grief cubes, almost ready to hatch into new wraiths. Erwine didn't mind those. To the side of the box was Airi.
Erwine considered all that she knew. Like blackness flooding the land as the sun set, despair flooded through her heart as her hope faded. "Ishna…" she whispered, as she realized who the only person who had ever cared for her was.
Erwine stared at the black seed for a moment. Her fingers clasped her gem. With a bright silver flash, she was back in her costume. Her body was clean of blood. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her body. Yet her confusion was too much. What did I just do? What's going on? Who am I? Who is Adrianne?
Then she recognized that someone was calling in. Adrianne? Erwine? Laelia asked. Are you alright?
Erwine walked slowly for the door, approaching the exit with dread in her heart. She knew the scene that she left behind her. Shuddering, Erwine's hand rested on the knob. When I open this door, I have to run. I can't stay here. I can't. Erwine didn't know why.
She opened the door, immediately moving. She brushed past both girls outside, running down the hall. Laelia and Estelle watched her go, a milliseconds before the stench hit their noses.
Her hands rubbed her eyes, a long sigh escaping her lips as she rolled over, her tiredness threatening to drag her back to sleep. "A few more minutes…." She muttered, before she immediately noticed the things that were wrong.
First of all, she was actually fully clothed. Ayelen paused, rolling onto her back. Her hand reached up, finding her tails still braided. Frowning, she sat up, seeing the neatness of the bed.
Her legs were swung off the side. She winced, a few images from the night before coming back to her. "Airi…" she muttered, remembering the girl's fate.
She looked to the side, seeing a folded paper on a stand beside the bed. Ayelen reached out for the paper. Carefully, she unfolded it. The girl was startled again as she saw the text on the page. "By the Goddess…" she whispered, a shiver running through her body.
A more complete recollection now jutted into her mind. Ayelen looked down, eyes not even reading the text before her. She just stared down, trying to comprehend what had been done.
"Laelia…that's right." Ayelen looked around the room, finding not a single trace of the girl. She looked back to the page, gasping again as she found the girl's handwriting there.
Taking a deep breath, Ayelen committed to reading the thing.
To Ayelen Nita,
I am completely understanding of the fact that what I have done is unforgivable, and I do not expect you to consider, even momentarily, forgiving me. If you eventually do, I would prefer that it be your choice and your choice alone. I merely write this letter to explain myself, for I feel that you deserve that more than pitiful requests for absolution.
I of course already told you of my mental state when the incident with you occurred. I wished to see myself as a hero, because I knew that I had to keep seeing myself in that way. I had contracted as a hero. Therefore, dying as a hero was not possible. The only way I could let myself go was if I stopped believing in what I had wished for. The more and more I was with Adrianne, the more and more I started to think otherwise.
And so, through some twisted belief of mine, I thought that forcing my beliefs, my wants, and my wishes upon other people would somehow bring me happiness. I thought that if I made you smile, made you a hero, then I too could see myself as a hero.
Everything I've done since that day, for you, has been in an attempt to make you as happy as possible. And while it worked for so long, the larger the lie, the bigger the impact when it falls apart. Yet, I am not ashamed to say that I do not regret anything I did. For I did it out of a belief that I still hold to this day.
I wish you happiness in whatever you choose to do after this point as well. But know that in the end, your life is your own. Do what you choose to do, and take pride in that.
I will continue seeking to try and make you happy, even though I know you shall reject me from this point forwards.
I wish you find a way to smile again.
I'm sorry.
A sharp sound tore through the room as the paper was torn up. Piece by piece, the carefully crafted message was ripped into even smaller bits, before Ayelen stood up angrily, the white flecks scattering through the air. The little bits descended slowly downwards, twisting and turning as they made their way to the floor.
Ayelen looked at them, rage building in her heart. She turned for the door, marching fiercely towards it. Gripping round the handle, she threw it open. She knew not what she would do or where she would go, but she was determined to do something.
The hallway outside was filled with the sounds of footsteps, a conversation carrying out over that sound. "-the infirmary at the moment. Estelle's there as well. We're to meet with Laelia and Erwine in the hangar, till Estelle and Juno sort things out. Then we try and solve this massive disaster."
The voice was Celestine's, and she stood at the head of a group moving through the hall, in the direction of Ayelen. Her eyes caught those of the younger girl, right as she was speaking, "Somebody go and see if Ayelen is-ah, there she is now."
Ayelen flinched at the words. "It's fine," Celestine said, putting her hands up. Following her were Justinia, Sanae, Wei, and Sechylia. The latter girl had her hands over her ears, her breathing slow. It was clear she didn't enjoy this.
"You're to come with us for the moment." Celestine then frowned. "You seem as if something is wrong, is there?"
Ayelen merely gritted her teeth, and shook her head. Celestine's eyes widened for a moment, then she said nothing more. She strode past, Ayelen falling in with the group. The young girl stood near the rear, occasionally glancing up at those around her.
One such glance resulted in her catching the eyes of Sanae. From the look of things, the girl had been glancing around as well. Two cold gazes met each other for a brief second, before they broke away.
Ayelen was silent for the rest of the short journey.
Erwine's feet quickly carried her down the corridor. The hard clacks of her feet echoed through the tight hallways as Erwine rounded a corner, breathing hard as she tried to think of some way to get out. She didn't have the slightest clue as to the layout of the building, and she understood that she could be stopped by anyone there.
She gritted her teeth, steadying her mind and body as she remembered her purpose. Erwine Braune didn't understand where she was anymore, nor how she fit into the world. But she was going to find her own purpose. I'll find what I really am. I won't give up. I won't run away anymore.
Tears still dripping from the corners of her eyes every now and then, she brushed aside those she found in the halls, the telepathic message not having been spread to everyone yet.
An empty corridor confronted her as she rushed forwards, hearing the shouts of Laelia and Estelle behind her. Then a body was in front of her. Erwine barely had time to slow down, her wings allowing her to do so.
Juno was there. Concern was on her face. It was as though she knew what had happened. But Erwine didn't know that. She stepped back, turning around, hoping to run. The girl spread her wings behind herself, hoping to push Juno away.
But a hand grasped her shoulder, yanking her back. "Erwine!" Juno shouted, "You're not in trouble!" Erwine pulled away, but the lord inquisitor merely teleported in front of her, grabbing Erwine forcefully by the throat.
A shrill cry rose from Erwine's throat, eyes focusing on the arm that grabbed her. Her mind flashed back to Adrianne. Suddenly, the entire situation came crashing down atop Erwine. She stumbled back, eyes filling up with tears. Juno reached out towards her, stepping in.
I have to be strong! Erwine told herself. "No!" she cried, backing away still. "I won't rely on anyone anymore! I can't trust anyone!"
The girl she faced frowned. Estelle! Juno screamed, knowing the girl was caring for Adrianne at the moment. Get into Erwine's mind, find out what happened!
Erwine's eyes went wide as she felt something clawing at her mind. The girl clutched at her head, whimpering as her mental defenses were torn apart, and her secrets and mind laid bare for Estelle to see.
Stop it, stop it, stop it, she repeated, the experience feeling like a mental version of what had happened the night before. She was too filled with a whirlwind of emotions to do anything else.
When it was done, Juno took a step back in shock as the information was relayed to her. "By the Goddess…" Where is she now? Juno asked.
I took the gem to the infirmary, but it looks like we'll restrain her at this point…Estelle said. She couldn't believe that what she had read from Erwine was the truth. She didn't want to accept it.
Juno looked into Erwine's eyes, the girl having slumped to the ground. "You're going to hurt her now, right?" Erwine asked.
"She'll lose her status at least," Juno confirmed, "More importantly, why do you care?"
Erwine shivered a little, arms wrapping around her own body. "I…I don't know…" Erwine shook her head, "I want to hate her, but she's just like I was, just like I am now."
"What do you mean?" Juno demanded.
"She's just a little girl who's realized the world isn't what she thought it is," Erwine muttered. She looked into Juno's eyes, "I don't know what's going on, neither does Adriann."
The older girl's face darkened. She took a deep breath, Laelia coming bolting around the corner. She slowed, looking at Juno, then to Erwine. Back and forth, her eyes went, before finally settling on the one in charge.
"Ma'am…" Laelia said, unnecessarily using a more respectful tone. "Erwine…she's been through a lot, but Adrianne was always there. Perhaps things can be made right after we all just-"
"No." Juno cut in. "I don't care what happened. Adrianne just raped a girl thirty years her minor. She's done too much at this point to be excused of anything. Under my authority, she is to be stripped of her status, and placed on trial to stand accountable for her actions."
Laelia grit her teeth. "I won't-"
"Won't what?" Juno said, stepping forwards aggressively, "Allow this? Fine, call MSOC, they've been advising me to do this for a long time now. Going further up won't help you either." Laelia paused, then opened her mouth. "Think. Before you speak," the lord inquisitor advised.
"Adrianne is as Erwine says. She is going through a lot-"
"Did she rape you?" Juno asked, taking another stpe forwards. The girl in blue stood were she was.
"Please don't do anything to Adrianne," Erwine ebgged, "She needs help. She doesn't need to be hurt anymore, right now."
"How can you say that?" Juno asked, turning around.
"I know what she's feeling inside, except that it must be worse." Erwine whispered, "She doesn't deserve what you're going to do to her."
Get out of my sight. Juno ordered to Laelia, get to the hangar, meet with Estelle's girls. Now. The girl did as she was told, striding off. The lord inquisitor knelt down in front of Erwine. "What do you want, right now?" she asked.
Erwine took a few seconds to calm herself. She spoke. "I want to find Ishna. I have to. She started all of this." It's Adrianne. Adrianne is the one. Erwine told herself, but at the same time, she couldn't help but sympathize. Ishna has been there for me since before Adrianne, she has to be able to know something about me.
"I'll take you to the hangar," Juno promised, offering a hand to Erwine. "Come on, stand up. Let's go." The girl took her hand, and got to her feet. In a flash, they were there.
"-letting her go back out there!" the cry echoed through the relatively contained space. It was the first thing Adrianne heard as she woke with a start. Hands were on her chest, pushing her back down.
"Yet it is a necessity…" the monotone voice said. "Ah, she wakes now. Let us seek her input."
"She doesn't know what's good for her!" Estelle cried. Adrianne's vision stabilized. She'd died before. It got exponentially easier coming back each time.
"That's not a question you are qualified to answer," Juno pointed out, "Now calm down, and wait till she can say something. I agree with you, but not for the same reason."
A healer had her hands on Adrianne, holding her down as the inquisitor recovered her senses. After only a couple seconds, Juno waved her hand. "You can go," the lord inquisitor ordered.
Then she looked down at Adrianne. The inquisitor, the former one at least, had her hands restrained to the sides of the bed. The reinforced adamantium cuffs were the special kind used to restrain magical girls. They would break after some effort, but they would do something for some time.
"I don't think we've properly met, Adrianne," Juno said, an air of disgust infused into her every word, "I'm Lord Inquisitor Juno Eskel. I'm also the woman who has, not officially but for all intents and purpose, stripped you of your status as an inquisitor, and found you guilty of the rape and psychological damaging of a new girl."
Adrianne couldn't meet her gaze, looking to the side. "I know what I did…" she muttered.
"Yet you did it anyways-"
"Shut up!" Estelle shot at the superior, "She doesn't need this. Do you know how close she is to turning?!" A wild gesture at the girl's gem, currently still in recovery, did cause Juno to understand that.
Juno nodded. She also understood the need to keep cool. A hand coming up to cover her face, she took a deep breath. Then her cold stare went to the thing at the foot of the bed. "I cannot allow this girl to go out there. She is not in the proper mental condition."
"Adrianne Azure does not need to survive the following experience in order for Ishna Kleimar to be eliminated." The Incubator explained, its eyes staring right into Adrianne's. "She merely needs to engage and destroy the traitor."
Adrianne looked back. "You mean…I'm going to die soon?"
"We cannot see the future, we do not know that. It is a high possibility, but given the irregular behavior of Ishna Kleimar up to this point, we doubt that she shall inflict such a fate directly. In fact, all five of the theoretically most probable outcomes of the following incident are unlikely to occur based on Ishna Kleimar's past behavior." The vessel of the Goddess's will kept its emotionless tone as it continued.
"Then what do you think will occur?"
"We have no idea." The Incubator replied. "For once, our logic is unable to predict the outcome of this scenario in any reasonable manner. Even the Orks, a most foreign species, still act in a way according to a general 'common sense' of sorts amongst their species. By analyzing that, it is possible to logically find the outcomes of their actions. But Ishna Kleimar is a different case. She seems to act upon no set moral code, nor any laws laid down by any entity of Chaos. Her presence within the karmic cycles of this universe is infinitely vast, approaching that of the Goddess at an alarming rate, but the future possibilities of her existence seem entirely random."
"You never speak this much on an issue…" Juno pointed out, "Never. What's so special about this time? Why do you say all this?"
"We of course receive all our power from the Goddess Herself. Due to the incredible importance of the existence known as Ishna Kleimar, the Goddess has devoted much of her available power to solving this problem. Usually, she must handle the operations of millions of Incubators all across the galaxy. But now, she focuses her power here."
"We are afraid that we must be going soon," the Incubator then said, "For her power wears thin. Understand that it is imperative that Adrianne Azure engages Ishna Kleimar. If there is anything we have discovered through our analysis, it is that she and Ishna's fates are irrevocably woven together. She will find her way there one way or another."
The creature hopped down from the bed, running off before it disappeared into a shadow. Juno looked at Adrianne. "I will break out of these cuffs eventually…" the flat determination of Adrianne told Juno all she needed to know. "And I will find Ishna. She's won't be leaving the system for three days, according to what she said last night. That is three days we have to find and destroy her."
Juno frowned. Estelle glared at the lord inquisitor. "I don't care about what the Incubators say. I'm not letting Adrianne go out there. She will die."
"So you're stupid obsession is more important than the fate of the Imperium?" Juno asked. The question was serious, and it was clear it sliced right to Estelle's heart.
"It's more than that…" Estelle muttered, "More than just an obsession!"
"It is though," Adrianne said, "You've chased me down for twenty years, insisting that you can make me better. No matter what you feel for me-"
"Don't act like you don't return my feelings," Estelle said, "It's all too clear that Erwine hasn't taken my place."
"Your place where?" Adrianne demanded, yet from the wild and frightened look on her face, it was clear she knew exactly where that place was.
Estelle didn't reply, knowing she had already won. Adrianne slunk back down, a new look coming over her face. "Adrianne…" Estelle said, seeing that the girl's initial rush of emotions at waking up into a rather hectic situation had died down. "I care about you, you know that better than anybody. And right now, I don't want to see you die."
"Do you want to die?" Estelle asked.
"I don't know…" Adrianne said, the sound so quiet that she almost mouthed the words. "Not now, at least. Ishna's still alive, once she's gone, then I can decide."
Estelle stepped in close, leaning over the girl. She put her arms around her, pulling her in tight. "I'll never leave you alone." Estelle promised, "Not again, not after all that happened. I'll be here for you." Her hand reached up to slowly stroke Adrianne's hair.
"Do you want to go find Ishna?" Estelle asked.
"Yes…" it was only the slightest breath that betrayed the sound.
"Then we can put this thing with Erwine aside, and we can find Ishna. You'll get your revenge, Adrianne, I promise. I'll be there with you…" Estelle spoke quietly, softly.
Juno said nothing.
"Alright…" Adrianne whispered, tears coming from her eyes.
"Then we should be on our way." Estelle said. She stood all the way up, and reached her hand out. "She won't hurt anyone, I'll make sure of that."
"What do you mean?" Juno asked.
"Want a deal of sorts?" Estelle wondered, "Dealing with Adrianne will be a tough case. She's mentally scared, but she's also done a lot. I'll take her, and the whole matter can be swept under the rug, in exchange for you not having to handle the strain of sorting her case out."
"You're asking for a lot, I can handle things like this…" Juno said, "I know that what you really want is for Adrianne to get off freely." The lord inquisitor narrowed her eyes, "I won't let her."
Estelle's eyebrows furrowed at her. "Just give me the key. She knows Ishna better than anyone else in the entire universe. She's the best chance we've got at finding the girl before she does something more."
The key placed in her hand, Estelle undid the restraints. Adrianne was helped up from the bed, shakily getting onto her feet. She was in her normal uniform, her hair still down. She slid her soul gem on, slowly and hesitantly.
Her posture was different as she stood beside Estelle. It was no longer the assertive, cool, commanding nature of the Adrianne before.
Now, she looked rather meek. As Juno looked at her, she thought she could even think of the girl's new appearance as a cute, childish one. "Come on…" Juno said, "I'll give you the details in the hangar." She stepped around the bed, standing beside the two, before they appeared in that hangar.
The space was small, housing only a few craft, all atmospheric ones. Erwine paced back and forth, her arms crossed. The cold face of the girl betrayed only hatred, perhaps a small bit of annoyance at the delays.
Back and forth, the impacts of her heels against the metal ringing out with every step, she walked. Her breathing was slow, and her eyes shut most of the time. Occasionally, her hand would go up to wipe the moisture off her cheeks, but the appearance of the tears never ceased.
She stopped in her tracks, spinning smoothly on her heel to face the door as she saw it open. Erwine's entire body tensed up in the second before everyone who entered was visible. It was as if a great weight was lifted from her back when she realized that Adrianne was not among those who entered.
Celestine paused a couple steps from the entrance, scanning the room. A gasp escaped her lips as she ran for Laelia, leaning against the wall in the corner. Justinia had Sechylia in her arms, and slowly slid down the wall to lean back against it as she cradled the smaller girl.
Sanae stood beside her. Wei looked in shock at Erwine, while Ayelen made it a mission to get as far from Laelia as possible.
A single glance was sent back at Laelia as Ayelen strode away, leading to Laelia looking aside, even as Celestine collided into her. Her outstretched arms wrapped around Laelia, pushing her back against the wall.
Muttering softly, the violet-haired girl guessed, "It came out, didn't it?"
Laelia didn't reply. She felt tears come to her eyes again, refusing to meet Celestine's eyes. "Stop it…" She begged.
"I'm not letting you have your stupid drama." Celestine stated, "I'm not going to let you hate yourself. I know that you saw that as the right thing to do, so why do you act like this?"
"What other choice do I have?" Laelia asked, "I ruined years of a girl's life. I stole them from her, and I can't give them back."
Celestine embrace her tighter. "I gave you up four years ago. I thought that I should let you do that. I shouldn't have let you walk away like that, back on that night." The images of the changed Laelia walking away flashed through Celestine's mind.
"You don't deserve this…" Celestine said, "You're the best among all of them."
"Few people deserve what they get." Laelia said.
"Just shut up…" Celestine said, pushing the girl's head down into her shoulder.
Laelia wasn't sure why she didn't resist. Whether it was because she accepted it, or she didn't have the will, she was unsure as to the answer.
Wei took a step towards Erwine, reaching out with a hand. "I'm not the same person you spoke to last night…" Erwine said immediately.
"Why not?" Wei asked.
"I think…" The girl started meekly, shivering, "I think the person you talked to wasn't the real me. I don't know who it was, but it wasn't the person I really am." Erwine said.
"What do you mean?" Wei asked.
Erwine's hand leapt to her face as her head tilted down. From the way her body shook, she was trying to hide tears. Then she shrugged. Hand still covering her face, Wei could see the girl's mouth open up under the cover of her hand.
Teeth chattering for a second, Erwine said as she attempted to grin. "I don't actually know. That's what I'm trying to find out." She tore her hand away, forcing herself to look at Wei. "From the moment I contracted, I realized that I really didn't understand anything. And I still don't."
Wei took a step back, mouth agape. Her mouth opened, but she found no answer. Then she closed it, nodding. "I don't understand." She was forced to say.
"Don't worry," Erwine said, brushing away the tears in her eyes. She tried to grin, tried to show some hope. "I don't ask for your understanding." She turned away, almost stumbling off.
Wei was left standing there, confusion on her face. "Don't try…" Justinia said from beside her. "You're not going to be able to do anything."
Wei whipped her head round to look down at the girl. "What do you know?"
"Trust me," Justinia insisted, "Erwine Braune's problems aren't going to be solved by somebody coddling her."
"You seem to know more than I do about her." Wei said. "Care to explain?" She demanded, after her initial accusation elicited no reply.
"I don't know more than you do. I know less. I can observe her, however." Justinia explained. She looked away, attention shifted from Wei.
A couple seconds later, several figures would appear in the hangar. Erwine happened to be striding back towards the others when the three appeared. She stopped in her tracks as Adrianne looked around.
Their eyes met for a long second. Erwine clenched her mouth shut, trying to refrain some speaking out right there. From behind her, she vaguely heard the sound of Ayelen coming back as well.
Erwine intensified her glare, wanting Adrianne to know with absolute certainty that she was an object of hatred for Erwine. Adrianne looked away. Estelle yanked Adrianne out of Erwine's glare, stepping in between her and Erwine.
The younger girl shook her head, approaching as the others did so as well. "Listen…" Juno said, "I know that you are all not in the ideal condition at the moment, but it is imperative that Ishna be located."
"All night, we were busy fighting a telepathic battle. Ishna launched multiple simultaneous strikes, challenging everybody we had available. She never broke through, but she prevented our clairvoyants from managing to scan the city properly. Search parties have been combing it for some time now, but hopefully those who know her best will be able to shed more light on her whereabouts and larger plan."
The lord inquisitor looked at Estelle. "Estelle, you are for all intents and purposes in charge of anyone who was previously under Adrianne's command.. I'll take you all right to where my subordinate thinks you'll be of the most use, so if you could all gather round."
Erwine wasn't pleased, but she gathered around with the others. There wasn't even a sound as they all appeared out elsewhere in the city.
There was instantly a sense of repulsion amongst them all as they noticed what some of them were stepping on. "I need to go," Juno quickly said, "Arietta shall explain things." She teleported away right as Erwine looked down.
One of her feet was placed on the back of a dead man. She stepped back quickly in surprise, almost tripping over a corpse behind her. Her stomach turned, and Erwine suppressed the feeling, not wanting to show weakness.
As she looked up, her attention centered on how Adrianne was frozen in fear at what she saw below her. Though Estelle held onto her hand, Adrianne's knees gave way and she fell forwards. Her hair, still untied, came down all around her face as she stared.
The awkward silence was interrupted by another voice. "Greetings," a girl sharply called out. Erwine looked over to see a dark-haired girl with a long black cloak approach them. The cloak wrapped all around her body, leaving only her head uncovered.
"Arietta," she quickly introduced herself, "Second-in-command here." She paused as she looked at Adrianne, whom Estelle was helping up. "Estelle, I presume?"
Estelle looked up from her action, "Yes," she confirmed. Holding on tight to Adrianne's hand, she pulled the girl in close to her.
"Well, Juno tells me you all know of the telepathic action last night." She switched to telepathy from this point on. It was far faster. This is the only place we've found bodies killed by a magical girl.
Arietta knelt down. All of their bodies show no external signs of injury. Not a single mark. A clairvoyant even did a close examination of a single one's insides, and nothing was found in there either. Therefore, they were all killed telepathically. Which is to say that their minds were turned off.
I'm a telepath myself, and we know that there are hundreds of people on this street that were killed in this way. Yet all show no sign of being scared. Of course seeing others around you drop dead would cause some reaction, but all fell exactly as they would if they had been normally walking. Therefore, they all died within a second, perhaps two.
I assume Ishna does indeed have that kind of power? Arietta asked, looking for some kind of confirmation. Adrianne nodded. She barely nodded, but she did.
She does…the girl confirmed. The conversation was shared between all their minds. Erwine was taken aback by the meekness of Adrianne's tone. It reminded Erwine…of herself.
However, we cannot fathom the reason behind this action. Arietta said. She looked at Adrianne, then frowned. You are said to be the expert on this matter, so if you have any input it is welcomed. She was certainly skeptical of the girl before her.
Adrianne couldn't blame her for that. She took a few steps forwards. The former inquisitor found her mouth opening, even though she knew it was slow. She knelt down, hand going to the dead body.
"There was no reason for all this death. Ishna did it because she wants us out here in this specific spot." Adrianne said. She didn't sound confident in her answers. Again, Erwine felt like she was watching herself, on that first night, reacting with such horror and shock at the dead. "It also means that she's leaving a trail. This probably indicates she was here last night."
"You assume she's just playing you?" Estelle asked.
Adrianne looked over her shoulder. There was no brightness on her face. "I have no choice but to accept that I've been played." She said. Adrianne stood. Looking around, she continued, "Ishna's always been dragging me on a leash, I just never saw it before she made it so very clear."
"She is incredibly power. She's a diviner, and she seems to have everything planned out. All we can hope to do is level enough power against her to drive her into a corner." Adrianne explained. "Right now, she wants us to follow her trail again."
"There's something around here that means something…" Adrianne said, "I don't know what it could be, but perhaps it has to do with one of the bodies. Or the area itself."
She looked up at Arietta. "What about the grief cubes, where are they now?"
"There were none." Arietta said, "That storage room…well, there was nothing there. The boxes were all empty."
Adrianne froze. "If they were empty…then…we know that this world is the hub site for all of the stolen cubes. So they're still here." She shuddered, trying to think.
"What can she do in three days…?" Adrianne wondered.
"The system is locked down, right?" Estelle asked Arietta.
"It is. No one approaches the planet or leaves it. We've locked down all non-official air travel, but we doubt we can stop her from getting away if she really wants to." Arietta confirmed.
Adrianne's eyes went wide, a look of fear growing on her face. She spun to face Estelle as the realization hit her. Erwine's heart raced for a brief few seconds as she feared the realization Adrianne had come to.
"A grand witch," she said. Right as the words were uttered, there was massive flash behind her. She spun around as the others looked into the sky, a huge black pillar rising from perhaps a mile away.
The world was painted grey, though. Arietta was frozen. All the others were unmoving. There wasn't a single sound besides Adrianne's heightened breathing. A hand was on her shoulder. Adrianne couldn't move her limbs.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone behind her. Ishna Kleimar grinned. Her arms slid around Adrianne's body, right arm hugging in her chest, while the left slipped under her chin.
"I never thought you to be so clever…" Ishna cooed, "But you are a determined one. Interestingly so, after what Erwine did to you."
Adrianne watched as Ishna smirked, the expression enough to get Adrianne to try and move. Yet she was held back. She didn't even feel any kind of telekinetic force holding her down. Ishna had complete control over her mind, and Adrianne's orders to her muscles weren't even making it there.
Ishna's fingers slid onto Adrianne's cheek, her soft gloves cradling the girl's head. "You're a different person, really…" she whispered, "Entirely different from the madwoman who hurt my Erwine."
Adrianne flinched, a whimper coming from the back of her throat. "Ohoho," Ishna giggled, "Scared of me? It's like it's really thirty years ago." The girl stared deep into her eyes, breath tickling Adrianne's skin.
"Oh, so you've changed, realized how insane you are?" Ishna asked. She stood right in front of the girl, waiting for a reply. The smirk on her face did nothing but scare Adrianne.
"I'm…I'm not crazy anymore. I'm going to be a better person," Adrianne had tears in her eyes already. "I will kill you."
"You say that, but do you really believe your own words?" Ishna wondered. She pulled her hands away, leaving only one finger. She drew small circles with the digit, staring at the circle she traced. "Do you really have the courage to even face me anymore?"
"I do." Adrianne promised, "I will." Tears rolled down her cheeks. She knew her words were just that. Mere words.
"Don't lie to yourself." Ishna whispered, "You're still insane. You're just running from the truth."
"I don't know what this world really is," Adrianne admitted, "I don't know what anything is anymore. After what happened, I'm no better than a fresh contractee. But I'm driven. And my determination will kill you."
Ishna paused. She narrowed her eyes, staring all the way into Adrianne's. "You…you really have changed, haven't you?" She was almost surprised. "Adrianne…I really am proud of you. It'll only make it all the more delightful to destroy your existence, piece by piece."
Adrianne spat at her. The globule landed right beneath Ishna's eye. The girl's free hand raised, whisking the moisture away. She continued as if it had never occurred. "Don't you see that I've already begun? I've ripped away that belif of yours. Now you don't know anything." She leaned in close to Adrianne's ear. "And when you find something else to believe in, I'll take that away from you too. I'll take it all away, Adrianne, until only you remain."
"Then you'll have to take yourself away," Adrianne growled, "That's the only way I'll be with nothing."
"Oh, you'd be surprised at what I can do." Ishna chuckled. "But back to the important things, like dear Erwine. I feel bad for her, scarred as she is, but at the same time, closer to you than ever before."
"Don't you dare hurt her." Adrianne growled.
"Feeling guilty?" The girl before her replied, "I wouldn't. After all, you've both been enlightened by this." Ishna shrugged. "But goodbye for now. I wish you luck in your attempts at saving her. They won't work, you only care about her because you want to feel better."
Time stopped again for the former inquisitor.
Erwine's eyes went wide as she saw the grinning face of an angel staring at her. Those same eyes quickly moved around, seeing that time was still stopped. Ishna's hands were holding Erwine's as the girl came close to her.
"Hello, Erwine." Ishna whispered, her voice carrying a myriad of emotions. Her eyes stared deep into Erwine's as the younger girl's eyes narrowed.
The silver-haired girl said nothing as Ishna's face came to only an inch from her own. "I'm sorry about what Adrianne did to you. We can talk more, but this isn't the place I had in mind."
Erwine now looked out over a large portion of the city, and she understood that she was quite high in the air. Ishna stood before her still, but stepped to the side and turned around, her hand still holding Erwine's. The eyes of both girls concentrated on the pitch black eruption that was now miles and miles in the distance, yet still within the confines of the huge city.
"What is that?" Erwine asked. The world was still tinted that off-grey color.
"That's a grand witch being born," Ishna explained, "A witch so strong that it does not require a labyrinth to function. The destruction it shall wreak will be simply beautiful."
Erwine's head turned, eyes staring with fear at Ishna. She found that she wasn't actually being restrained. Ishna wasn't holding her down, nor was she controlling her mind. Yet Erwine did nothing but stand there. Ishna grinned, looking over at the girl who still held her hand.
Eventually, she looked over at Erwine. She stepped back in front of the girl, looking straight into her eyes. "I'm sorry about what Adrianne did to you…I wish it didn't have to happen."
"Then why didn't you stop it?" Erwine asked, confused. "You have all this power," She choked up, her vision clouding, "You could have stopped her!"
"I know that…" the beautiful girl replied, "I know…and I'm sorry that things had to end up like this. If there was another way, I would have taken it, I swear."
"I don't understand!" Erwine cried, "I thought you cared about me, but you…you just want to use me in the end, just like Adrianne!"
Ishna grabbed onto both of Erwine's hands, her palms pressing against Erwine's. "That's not at all true." She refuted, "You're going to be of great use to me, but then again, we're all of great use to somebody at some point in our lives."
"Unlike Adrianne…I don't like seeing you in pain. From the very beginning, if the option was there, I would have guarded you from all the pain that ever came to you."
"Why couldn't you have done so?" Erwine asked. She stood there, not moving, despite the fact that she could have moved. She was too frozen by the shock of all that was happening.
"Nothing I say is going to make sense, Erwine. I already made that clear. Nothing I say will make sense to you for a very long time." Ishna grinned. "All you need to know is that I won't hurt you, I promise. And from here on out, things will be only get better for you."
Erwine shook her head. "You can't care about me…you killed Airi like that. There's…there's no way someone who would do that could be a good person."
"I'm not a good person," Ishna said, "Tens of millions of people are about to die thanks to my efforts." She gestured with her head back towards the pillar reaching into the sky. "I merely care about you, Erwine." She grinned.
"That doesn't make any sense…."
"Few things in this world make sense." Ishna corrected her. She leaned in, kissing the girl on the cheek. "But fear not, I'll be here for you."
Erwine shuddered, as her eyes scanned the world around her. Time was still stopped. She understood that the amount of magic involved in time stopping exponentially increased by the second. Theoretically, even the most powerful magical girls, the ones who were hundreds of years old, should have run out by now.
Yet Ishna looked fine. Erwine's eyes went to the girl's gem, seeing nothing wrong with it. Her eyes widened, even as Ishna kept on grinning. She cocked her head to the side, eyebrows raised expectantly.
"What are you…?" Erwine asked, terrified by what she saw.
"A very rare kind of magical girl…" the angel replied, "Perhaps literally one in a million-no, more like one in a billion. Something around there."
The girl slid around Erwine's body, arms wrapping around Erwine from behind. "I can tell that you won't find any of my kind on your side, if there or ever have been any others."
"So your power comes from the chaos gods?" Erwine guessed.
Ishna sighed, "Well, I'm pretty sure all magic ties back to the warp, but don't go around talking about that, not everyone likes that theory-"
"Just answer my question!" Erwine demanded.
"It doesn't. My magic came from a contract I made long ago." Ishna explained, chuckling as she did so, "Just like yours did, though you didn't make it very long ago, not nearly as long ago as myself!"
The little girl tensed up, "Give me a straight answer!"
"I can do many things. Teleportation, telepathy, shield generation, healing, telekinesis, invisibility, magical programming, time stopping, divination, amongst a myriad of other abilities I've acquired." Her graceful voice brought Erwine into a sort of trance as Ishna continued on.
"The teleportation…Airi did help it along, I'm a lot better at it now than I was before her. That lovely cacophony of screams…" Ishna whispered, "That sublime cry of terror, the look on her face…oh, what must have been coursing through her mind and body in those last moments of her life…" Ishna shuddered, her arms tightening up as she rested her head on Erwine's shoulder. Erwine looked back to see Ishna's mouth spreading out in a grin, "It's a shame that such an experience can only end in death, otherwise I'd want to live it a thousand times for myself."
Erwine's face twisted in shock at this. Ishna merely sighed, as if she lamented the fact she'd never get it for herself, and continued. "…Anyways…" she whispered, "You see Erwine, what I stabbed Airi with would normally be called a grief rapier. A weapon forged around the seed of a witch, turned into a delivery system for the witch itself."
Her hand near Erwine's face reached up, fingers playing with Erwine's loose strands of hair. Ishna's breath gently blew across Erwine's cheek, tingling the skin causing Erwine to periodically shiver.
"Normally, only the greatest soulsmiths in the Eye of Terror are capable of forging such a thing, and that's correct, for I don't just generate grief seeds from nothing. Rather, what I do is create the shape of the weapon, and it plays a similar role. Normally, when such a rapier is stabbed into a soul gem, the girl turns into a monstrous hybrid of a witch and a magical girl, two souls struggling for dominance."
"What I do is drain the magic from the girl entirely. And if there's no magic in a soul gem, then it collapses and turns into a grief seed. That's what I do, Erwine. When I started out, I had no powers whatsoever. I was entirely useless, save for my single ability."
Ishna paused, a different look coming over her face. It was a nostalgic look, as if she remembered fondly those old days, long gone now. "I have killed dozens and dozens of magical girls over the course of my life. The full power of their gems was added to my repertoire of abilities. In a way, I sucked out their soul. But their soul stayed behind, to turn into a witch. I just removed the thing that made that soul so special."
"These days…it's so boring taking things from Airi. The unfortunate tragedy of her death was exciting, but her soul was so boring. Teleportation is trivial for me. I like finding new souls, the more unique ones, and stealing those. I have stolen plenty of those more unique souls over the course of my life, and I'm always looking for more…" Ishna took in a deep breath.
She pushed her head even closer to Erwine's, breathing out slowly over the girl. "And I wish that it was possible for me to take yours, it's a rather interesting ability, plenty of room for development. Yet I can't…" Ishna pressed her lips against Erwine's cheek.
"You just want to become more and more powerful, right?" Erwine wondered, shivering from a mix of awe and fright.
Ishna shook her head. "I am rapidly approaching the point where my magical ability will allow me to shatter the karmic cycles of this universe and ascend beyond them. You've heard of the Infinite Potential Theory, correct?" Erwine frowned, nodding briefly.
"Maybe? Maybe not? It of course states that since magical energy defies all known laws of the universe, save the Law of Equality which balances hope and despair, magical girls are capable of becoming anything they wish to be. Unfortunately, given that the Law of Equality exists, a girl cannot maintain huge levels of power, as they will eventually be balanced out."
"Therefore…the goal of any magical girl who seeks power should be to break through the Law of Equality, to shatter the bounds of this universe and ascend beyond it. Once that is done, no external force is capable of controlling that girl any longer. At that point, her magic potential becomes actually infinite."
"The downside is that no one can break the Law of Equality and maintain their existence. The Goddess did manage to do so, and I wish to discover how she returned to this universe, or perhaps she was a bit like me, a soul-stealer who ascended to a godlike form."
"However…I do not wish to follow in her footsteps if that's the case. This world had too many gods as it is, and as they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I have different goals in mind." Ishna explained.
"That…that magic you have me…" Erwine's eyes widened, revulsion growing inside her, "You gave me the magic of another girl. My wings…they came from another magical girl…didn't they?!"
"They did indeed…" Ishna confirmed, "And they're more beautiful on you than they were on her, I assure you." She acted as if that would calm Erwine.
"Don't worry, she died quickly. I took her soul when she was already close to being gone. Really, I did her a service…" Ishna said. She snapped her fingers. All around the two, a whole arrangement of grief seeds floated now. Erwine didn't understand where they came from.
They rotated around till Ishna reached out with her right and plucked one from the air. She flipped it around in her fingers. "This is her…" Ishna whispered. "She was a pretty one, at least. Not as much as you, but still something."
She opened her palm, letting the seed rest there. "Would you like it?" Ishna asked, "It's yours if you want it."
Erwine tentatively reached out, before her hand closed entirely around the witch. She looked at the thing, shuddering. Her fingers closed around it as she pulled it close to her chest. "So what's your plan…?" Erwine asked, "In the end, what do you want?"
"You'll find out eventually…" Ishna said. Her voice took on a sad, lamenting tone, "Truthfully…I wish I didn't have the goal I do now. With my power…I could do such much. There's an entire universe out there untouched by mankind. I almost want to try and explore it for myself. To go out and learn all there is to know."
She had tears in her eyes as she continued, "I really wonder what it would like to be the first person to see it all." Her head turned a little, "Do you think I could do that, Erwine?"
Erwine didn't reply at first. Then she looked into Ishna's eyes. She nodded. Ishna put on a sad smile. "If I wanted to do that…I would take you with me. We could go out, run away from this cursed existence…yet I cannot run from what is ultimately my duty."
"Why can't you take me with you now?!" Erwine asked desperately.
Ishna froze. "Right now, you're the only person who really seems to care for me. You're the only person who really understands what I'm feeling. I'd do anything to be able to come with you, even if it's on a path of destruction."
Ishna shook her head, "That's not your destiny."
"Then what is?!" Erwine cried, weeping, "To live a terrible life?! To live a life that was made for me by other people! You say you made me, then why don't you embrace your creation and protect it?!"
"I'm sorry…" Ishna whispered, "But I can't do that."
"Then you're no better than Adrianne!" Erwine said. "I'd be willing to understand! I'd help you, I'd even watch this galaxy burn with you if that's what you desire! Anything to get away from this!" She understood that the words she said made her a traitor.
She couldn't care anymore. Not about protecting the Imperium. Not when it had never done anything good for her. Erwine felt her heart break as Ishna shook her head. "No." The girl said, "That's not going to happen."
"Then what is?" Erwine begged, "What will happen to me?"
"You will be a better person than I…" Ishna said. She giggled a little. "Erwine…I'm about to murder tens of millions of people, are you ready to bear the weight of that sin?"
She seriously stared into Erwine's eyes. The little girl looked into her heart, and found that she couldn't condone that. "Exactly," Ishna said, knowing the answer without even reading Erwine's mind.
Erwine tried to take deep breaths, tried to calm herself. She couldn't. She kept on crying. "Then…then if you won't take me with you…and you won't protect me…then you're no better than Adrianne."
Ishna nodded. "I know that…I'm worse, actually. Adrianne has a chance at redemption…" Ishna maniacally grinned, "I just love murder."
She sighed, "That's right Erwine…Adrianne has a chance. Give it to her. Please, do it for me if nothing else." Erwine was struggling to break free from her grip, but the struggle was weak.
Ishna's arm extended outwards, her other one still holding Erwine. "Now…when I snap my fingers, one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever lay eyes upon will appear before you." Ishna explained, "You'll love it, I think."
Her fingers snapped, and the world was no longer colored grey. Erwine's eyes went wide as a strange sensation washed over her body. It was like she was being hit with a wave of despair. It was the only way to describe what she felt. The pillar reached high into the air, climaxing, before it expanded outwards.
A huge dome-shaped wave of blackness swept out for several kilometers around the epicenter. The dome began swirling about and pulsating, waves of black energy rippling out from the huge formation, random tendrils flaring out and tearing at the area around it.
Erwine's eyes went wide, her free hand going to her chest as Ishna stepped away from her. "Surprised?" Ishna asked, "This amazing sensation…" She threw her head back, laughing with glee.
"You witness the birth of a new witch!" Ishna cried, "A truly beautiful one as well! I can only imagine the despair that those trapped there must be feeling right now! And soon, it will only grow! Till all in this city feel the beautiful touch of a being behind their comprehension!"
Ishna cackled wildly, as Erwine struggled to try and tear her eyes away from the sight before her. The sky was already growing darker and darker, clouds swooping in as thunder boomed and lightning flashed. Hints of rain began to appear.
"Adrianne will be here soon. I made sure she knows exactly where we are." Ishna said, stepping in close and leaning over Erwine's shoulder. "She won't be very pleased…" Ishna giggled.
Erwine shook her head. "This isn't happening…" She said, "This is…this is horrible." She gritted her teeth, eyes looking at Ishna, who still leaned over Erwine's shoulder.
"I will destroy you…" Erwine promised, lacking determination at first, yet it grew stronger with every word, "If you reject me, then I have no choice but to treat you as a villain."
"Good…" Ishna said, "That's exactly what I want, ma belle peche." She smiled brightly, her eyes shutting as her lips spread wide. Erwine's gaze went back to the swirling ball of energy. It slowly formed into the shape of a huge black egg, still pulsating with dark energy.
"You're a monster…" Erwine whispered.
"I know that…" Ishna said. "But it's just so fun, can you blame me?"
Ishna cocked her head to the side, looking up. "She'll leap up here, and shout 'Let go of her! Ishna!'" Ishna laughed at this, as if it had already happened. Erwine found that the words were said in a perfect copy of Adrianne's voice.
Then a wave of daggers came down from above as a figure leaped through Erwine's vision, going above and behind her. Ishna merely chuckled as all the daggers were crumpled into balls of metal as they shot towards her. The sound of them falling to the ground was overshadowed by all else.
"Let go of her! Ishna!" shouted Adrianne, landing several feet behind the girl, daggers in her hands and fury in her eyes. Ishna stepped away, her magic freezing Erwine in place.
Ishna looked Adrianne in the eyes. "Good to see you…" Ishna said, "You seem a bit distressed, why?" She looked over her shoulder, "At the witch, perhaps?" Then she looked back into Adrianne's eyes, cocking her head to the side, "Or Erwine?"
Adrianne breathed slowly, steadying herself. She opened her mouth, but Ishna cut her off. "Strange that you care about her, given what you did to her earlier. But maybe you want to keep a toy around, so that you can use her as you please?"
Adrianne's face twisted into a look of horror as she briefly considered the concept before throwing it out. "In fact, Erwine being in danger seems to break your meekness…that's cute." Ishna said.
"Ishna…" Adrianne whispered. She shut her eyes, Ishna staying where she was. Then they opened, new light in them. "You destroyed my life!" she screamed, "Ishna Kleimar! You murdered Nadine and the others, you killed Airi! And you've done so much more!"
"You took Nadine and Airi from me, and in my own bout of stupidity I lost Erwine too." Adrianne said. "But I'm not done yet. I'm not even close to being finished with you, Ishna."
The hatred in her voice amazed Erwine as she saw the girl stand up to Ishna. "There's nothing left holding me in this world any longer, no ties to anyone, no ties to any moral or belief. Either you or I took everything from me, so there's nothing left for me to do but destroy you."
Ishna grinned as Adrianne continued. "Around thirty years ago, I remember promising that I would get my revenge. I promised…I swore on my soul, on the souls of Nadine and the others…and now Airi…that I would destroy you."
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Adrianne held her ground. "And I will uphold that promise! Now until the moment I die, I will fight to fulfill that promise!"
Erwine found herself unfrozen. She spun around, facing Ishna as the girl cackled,
Outstretching her arms, Ishna shouted. "Well then! Let us dance as the world ends!"
Ishna Kleimar is alive.
-Message received by the Grand Inquisitor's office on Holy Terra.