Crisis point

[ACMItM: ...I want to sing]

The three girls followed after Arisa, Touma and Index. Arisa continued to sing as they walked behind her down the road and they soon climbed some steps and arrived at the edge of a pool of water. It was lit with blue lights so the water shone into the night brightly.

Finally, Arisa's song quieted as she looked over the water. As Arisa had stopped the girls caught up to her, Touma and Index.

"That was a beautiful melody Arisa, I really enjoyed it." Index was the first to brake the silence with a soft approval.

Saten took out her phone to check something "I think that was one of your released songs wasn't it?"

Arisa turned and smiled at them "It was, I intend to give it lyrics at some point but I am still working on them."

She looked around a moment and noticed that Kuroko and Misaka had left. At the sight of her confusion, Uiharu explained "They left ahead of us. We have to leave too as it's almost time for curfew."

"Ah." Arisa understood and then looked to everyone individually as she spoke "Thank you again everyone. I had a wonderful time today. I can let you guys know when my next concert is going to be if you want to come?"

Touma smiled "Sounds good."

Index nodded "I can't wait to hear you perform."

Joule gave a soft grin of her own and nodded.

Behind Arisa though, the water began to shift.

[ACMItM: What's your problem!]

The water twisted.

"Joule, something is wrong!" Lumen gave the warning moments before a whirlpool formed in the center of the water.

No one else had noticed so Joule pointed to the whirlpool as a figure rose out of the rushing water. It was a girl with long hair that was wearing a witch costume. She said something and her broom began to glow blue.

Touma had spun at the same moment that Joule pointed and he stepped towards the water, he was protecting everyone behind him.

The whirlpool grew and became a twirling piller of water as Index gave a summery "It's a spell that calls upon a water element!"

The pillar suddenly fell forwards, by reflex alone Touma called out "Everyone down." He pushed Arisa to the ground and covered her.

Index hid behind a pillar at the edge of the fountain.

While Joule pulled Uiharu down, Saten was just shocked "A spell? It's magic?" and got caught by the pillar and blasted against a pillar like the one that Index hid behind.

"Saten!" Joule and Uiharu called out. While they ran over to check on her the pillar fell away into large spheres of water that revealed the witch from before.

When they reached Saten, the bricks nearby moved and rose up before falling to reveal another girl. This girl pointed a feather pen at the three of them and spoke quietly "Be still and I won't have to hurt you."

Joule faced the girl as Uiharu checked on Saten. Her forehead was bleeding and seemed to have fallen unconscious. Uiharu cried and spoke softly "Please be okay."

Joule glanced back at Touma's group and saw another girl was standing on the top of a pillar who judging by her outfit was also a mage. Touma was standing again and he covered Index and Arisa but he had likely told them to stay back so he could go on the offensive.

The girl in the water's voice reached them as Touma began to run towards their group, likely to try and free them.

"Slow him down Mallybath!"

The woman that was watching them nodded before ducking to the ground and placing her pen against the ground. As she did so the ground shifted again and trapped Touma's foot as the water witch shot daggers of water towards him. The girl then looked up towards the girl behind Touma and called for her, that one's name was Jane apparently.

Jane did something and the water shots that had missed before came back towards Touma as Icy knives. A cloud of dust flew up but the sound of Touma's power could be heard. When the cloud cleared he looked unharmed but his leg was still trapped.

"What do you want with us? Who are you people?" Touma's voice carried as he looked around at the three mages.

The water witch began another attack only for her spell to backfire and she fell down towards the water she had been standing on. Jane watched in shock then turned to Index. Joule managed to piece together that Index had probably used the same trick that she had used against the golem before.

Touma hit the ground beneath him and his power resounded along the line of earth that connected him to the witch watching Joule. When it reached back to Mallybath it erupted back at her and knocked her over. Joule didn't miss her chance and grabbed the girls pen. It seemed she needed it for her magic so this would logically render her powerless.

She looked back at Touma just as fire began to shoot towards him. Joule only then noticed the connection. Water, Earth, Wind and Fire were classic elements. That information didn't help her but it did give her insight into the fact that these mages were likely part of an established team, not thrown together. They did have good teamwork on their attacks after all.

"I think my friend here would like that back."

Joule looked and saw a tall man with red hair helping Mallybath up to her feet. When Joule didn't respond the man frowned and kicked towards her. Joule's breath left her lungs as she fell back and the pen was thrown free. The man picked it up quickly.

Joule's vision was blurry but she saw the man had someone else with him as well, the water witch?

The water witch coughed before thanking him, she referred to him as 'master'.

"Why did you act on your own?" The master spoke with an annoyed voice "I told you to wait for my order didn't I?"

The master half-carried the girls around, closer to where Touma was standing. Touma ran towards them himself and faced the master.

"It is you!" Touma called with a mix of surprise and confusion. The anger in his voice grew as he continued "What the hell Stiyl? What are you still doing here? I though you were headed back with Orsala!"

The master, Stiyl didn't answer at first. Finally he frowned and looked at Touma "Plans changed, Move it kid."

[ACMItM: Fortis931]

The man swung his hand around and fire danced forth.

"Fortis 931!"

Touma responded instantly, his voice filled with shock and just a little fear "Your magic name? Here?"

Stiyl's arm swung and released flame towards Touma forcing him to dodge.

Touma looked up as he stood again from a roll "Are you serious?"

Touma was forced to run as the pyromaniac flung more fire in his direction. He was able to block a few with his hand but not all of them.

As the two of them fought, Stiyl looked over at the other mages "What are you three waiting for? Seize the girl!"

Joule could do nothing but watch. The mages ran towards Arisa, now hidden by the flames of the battle.

"Arisa!" Touma called out to her.

The fire mage backed touma under an archway of columns and spoke "Your right arm is powerful but it can't destroy matter."

"Look out Touma!" Index called to him just as Joule noticed. The flame had damaged the supports for the arch, with those gone the top of the arch, a large block of what looked like stone, was about to fall on him.

A cry could be heard from where Arisa was. For a moment Joule feared she had been caught but then a miracle occured. A large swelling of wind blew out a majority of the fire. That was technically possible but a moment later, the stone in freefall above Touma's head seemed to float for just a moment before snapping in half to fall safely beside him.

Now that Joule could see where Arisa sat, she saw that Arisa had fallen to the floor.

There was a moment of silence before things continued to get stranger.

Wires with metallic heads seemed to shoot from thin air towards the fire mage. Stiyl dodged and tossed flame towards the source of the cables. Whatever camouflage system it was failed suddenly, revealing what looked like some sort of large robot with eight legs. The robot sat atop another arch.

The mages were distracted so together Uiharu and Joule brought Saten over to the others who were gathering around the fallen Arisa.

"What was that, Telekinesis?" Uiharu asked, panting slightly as they put Saten down nearby.

"She said she wasn't an esper though." Joule reminded her "And that was something high level, no one could miss that."

Touma looked up suddenly and down the road they took to get here.

"Something else is coming."

End of chapter.

Wow, I think Endymion will be longer than I thought. We are only about 20 minutes into the movie at this point.

Also, Saten is hurt. No! And Joule too, that will end up as a nasty bruise later.