Extinction

by Jafs

In a bastion of hopelessness lies the requiem of a goddess.

10. Implosion

Implosion

[ALL SISTERS! REPORT TO THE SECURITY ROOM! IT'S URGENT!]

The metal door opened and Lucky came out of her room with a sleepy face. "FUaahhh... What's it this time?"

Revenant rushed past in front of her. "Come, drongo!"

"Fine... fine..." Unhurriedly, Lucky went hopping down the corridor.

Revenant had arrived at the intersection where the staircases were located, when she saw Madre and Inquisitor coming from the upper floor. Then Nano appeared from the lower floor. Everyone ran as fast as they could to reach the entrance to the aforementioned room.

When the door to the security room opened, the man was the first to enter. He saw that Generalíssima was already there, while Invader was analyzing pictures on the screens. "What's the situation?"

Generalíssima replied, very serious, "There're three outside."

The Asian girl stated, still analyzing more images, "This satellite that I got access is very old, I can't get something in real time, or a better quality image. But I have no doubt that it's three girls."

"That's not good." Inquisitor turned to Madre. "Warn the novices not to use any magic."

"Hey!" Revenant interfered. "Nobody's usin' magic cuz of these fahckin' stolen seeds!"

"Calm down," Madre urged, "we don't know if they're a threat."

Nano nodded, following the other sister's reasoning. "Yeah, it could be that they are practicing hiking and camping."

At that very moment, the door opened and Lucky jumped into the room, "Booyah! Will we go campin'?"

"No way..." Revenant shook her head, visibly disappointed. "Ya've two pairs of ears 'n ya still manage ta be deaf."

"I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, Nano," Invader stated, "I got from the satellite a batch of slightly older images and they show that these girls were coming straight to the hill where the cave entrance is."

"Huh?!" Generalíssima moved closer to the screens. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for the next batch..." Invader's gem blinked. "Wait, it just processed it."

Everyone watched the screens update.

Invader examined the images. "Right, they arrived on the hill and walked around a bit." Then she was dumbfounded by what she saw. "They... disappeared."

Generalíssima asked, "What?"

"Look." Invader pointed to some screens as she explained. "The images have been arranged chronologically. These screens show the latest images captured by the satellite and there's no person on them."

Revenant said, confused, "C'mon? We're seein' ghosts now?"

"No." Generalíssima looked at her, her face was tense. "That means they're already underground."

Revenant's eyes widened.

In an unfriendly manner, Inquisitor spoke to the black woman, "You were the last one who used the cave entrance."

"Ya're accusin' me, aren't ya?!" Revenant gritted her teeth. "Of course I hid the entrance!"

"This isn't the time to quarrel!" Generalíssima raised her voice, only to lower it soon after, "much less to make noise."

Lucky scratched her head, also pulling out one of her rabbit ears. "Let me see if I understand, we're gettin' visit-"

Madre turned her head suddenly, looking up at the ceiling. "Did you feel it?"

"Of course we feel that magic." Generalíssima took a deep breath, trembling with tension, and turned to Invader. "Stop using your gem, now!"

"Acknowledge." The soul gem of the ballerina in the chair stopped glowing, returning to look like an ordinary gem, as the screens stopped showing the satellite images and went back to showing the security camera footage.

Madre said, "The novices must have felt it too. They must be worried, I'll check." With haste, she left the room.

"FuckfuckfuckFACK!" Revenant gritted her teeth and whined more. "How did anyone find us heah?!"

"Outside here..." Inquisitor crossed his arms and looked at Generalíssima, "Only Washington would have that information."

"It'd be stored in their data center." The woman shook her head, disbelieving. "However, they must have destroyed it when they changed location, that is the protocol. The only sister who has knowledge of our location is Sunbird, besides Matriarch, of course."

Inquisitor lowered his gaze. "Hmm..."

Invader spoke as she focused on a specific screen, "Still no activity at the entrance door."

"What if there is?" Revenant asked, "if they try an invasion, what'll the plan be?"

"I'll take care of it," Generalíssima affirmed, "personally."

Lucky was disappointed. "Then it'll be ovah in a flash, we won't be able ta watch it."

[Hey peeps! Are you there?]

Generalíssima's eyes widened. "That voice..."

"No... It can't be!" Revenant's expression froze, completely astonished.

"OhmaahGAAwwwd!" Lucky jumped and clapped her hands. "IT'S VALK! HihihiiiIIIIIIIIIIHHHH!"

"Shut up!" Revenant scolded her.

Lucky shrugged, pulling down her pair of rabbit ears. "But... It's Valk..."

"Valk? Valkyrie..." Inquisitor looked at Generalíssima. "Isn't that the sister you failed to rescue and disappeared?"

The woman bowed her head, accompanied by a slight frown and a weak voice, "She was assigned on a reconnaissance mission, the city was infested with these witches disguised as magical girls and we needed to better understand their behavior. She didn't arrive at the extraction point at the appointed time and didn't make contact. I sensed a group of magical girls approaching fast and I had no reason to keep waiting, so I left. I returned to the city two more times, but found no trace of her."

[Peeps! It's me, Valkyrie!]

"She's fine, she even got new friends," Inquisitor said with a subtle ironic tone, "you didn't tell me she knew how to get here."

Generalíssima stared at him sharply and replied, "She didn't know."

[Peeps?]

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before calling out, "Invader."

The ballerina turned her chair to see her better.

"We're going to the entrance," Generalíssima instructed, "wait for my order to open the door."

Inquisitor's eyes widened in shock, followed by a gnashing of teeth. "Have you gone mad?!"

Generalíssima approached him and raised a finger close to his face.

The man leaned back.

She said in an aggressive whisper, "Until proven otherwise, Valkyrie is a sister. You know more than I do that the Sisterhood doesn't abandon their own."

"That's right!" Revenant nodded.

Filled with joy, Lucky raised her arms, punching the air. "We're gonna see Valk again!"

"You'll follow me in total silence," Generalíssima spoke, still looking at the man, "I'M THE ONE who'll take care of this."

On the way, Generalíssima heard Madre's voice.

[Is it Valkyrie?]

[We are looking into this.] The woman with dark pink hair answered, [Don't answer her call.]

Once they arrived at the closed entrance, Nano gazed at the massive door. "I can feel that they're just on the other side."

"Yes, I'll now talk to Valkyrie." Generalíssima concentrated. [It's me.]

[Generalíssima? Oh my God, you're alive! Well... If anyone was still alive, it would definitely be you. I mean, I had considered that something might have happe-]

[I know you are not alone.] Generalíssima did not move a single muscle.

[Yeah... I know what the circumstances of your suspicion are, but we've come a long way here, give me a chance to explain.]

Generalíssima closed her eyes and took a deep breath. [I will only say it once for you and your company. Do not make any sudden movements or magic, not even light.]

A brief silence before the answer. [Got it.]

She reopened her eyes. [Invader, open it.]

And the locks were released. The door began to open.

The sisters were tense, some more anxious, some more fearful.

Light penetrated the darkness outside, showing that the three magical girls in the cave were dirty from their recent ordeal.

The shorter one appeared to be the younger one as well, for she had a baby face, fascinated, her brown eyes half-closed by the sudden light. Her brown hair had a small ponytail and an ornament on the upper left side of her head, composed of a small coral and a spiral shell. She wore a top printed with the proud colors of red, white and navy blue. The legging pants had the same colors arranged in long stripes, and were long enough to cover her feet like pantyhose. The attire was somewhat tight, exacerbating her soft curves, and leaving her tanned skin to show. Attached to the top was a pendant with a drop-shaped dark blue gemstone dangling in front of her navel.

The taller one's height was not due to her body. She had a kind of exoskeleton, with heels, made of a black material, with a smooth and partially glistening surface. The armor completely covered her arms, hands, legs and feet. It also covered the neck and wrapped around the head, like a helmet, with a single horn on the right side. Despite all this, the protective function of the exoskeleton was questionable, as it left the central region of the torso and abdomen completely exposed, except at one point between the two, where there was a red gem shaped like two arrows pointing in opposite directions. The magical girl had fair skin and gray hair, from what little could be seen under the exoskeleton. Her countenance was wary, her blood colored eyes never blinked, and she wielded a massive double axe, as intimidating in appearance as its owner.

The last one was a grown woman and also had the look of a warrior, but much more ordinary. She was wearing leather armor, with a long-sleeved purple shirt underneath, and micro-shorts of the same color. She wore boots, shin guards, and armbands, all made of leather, and on the left armband was a small round silver shield, which also served as a scabbard for a small sword. The sword was also silvery and looked more like a jewel with so many gems encrusted in the hilt, with a large dark purple gem on its pommel as the biggest highlight. Her skin was dark brown and her hair was almost the same color, long and wavy, her eyes were lilac and her thick lips expressed a big smile.

Maybe not as big as Lucky's. "ValkyrieeeeEEEHH!" She ran up to the magical girl with shield.

Much to Revenant's distress. "No!"

Valkyrie knew that bunny well, she offered both palms of her hands.

Lucky jumped and also used both hands to slap hard Valkyrie's ones. "The sheilas are back togethah again!"

"The best of the best!" Valkyrie gave a little jump, turning ninety degrees, already expecting Lucky to do the same, but in the opposite direction. They then bumped their butts into each other.

"Fair dinkum!" Another jump and Lucky turned one hundred and eighty degrees. She waited for Valkyrie to turn as well to make another bump.

Revenant lowered her gaze. The affliction was silenced, but out of shame, that was why it was essential to avoid smiling.

The girl with a coral and shell on her head clapped and smiled at the scene. The girl with the exoskeleton frowned, disappointed.

Generalíssima was not surprised, as were the other sisters. Inquisitor crossed his arms as a mere reaction.

"Yah ass is as big as a whale," Valkyrie said, "have ya been eatin' my share of meals durin' the time I've been away?"

"Me? Nah." Lucky scratched her neck. "But, maybe, it's 'cause I've been stayin' heah too long doin' nothin'."

"Haha!" Valkyrie shook her head. "Bull, I'm the one who lost a few pounds..." She then looked at Generalíssima.

The dark pink haired woman did not show any reaction.

Valkyrie still remembered what had been said. She walked slowly, followed by Lucky, going in the tunnel and down the ramp to stand in front of her leader. However, someone distracted her from her plans. "Who's this... man?"

He replied, "Inquisitor, from Europe. A special envoy of Matriarch to examine and report on the operations of that cell."

"Ah..." Valkyrie smiled. "So ya're the 'cop'."

"'Cop'?" Inquisitor raised an eyebrow.

Generalíssima looked away and moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue.

Without waiting, Valkyrie continued to ask questions, "Wheah's Madre? I don't see her..."

"She's taking care of the novices. We rescued many during that time," Generalíssima said, "Invader is in the security room."

"That nerd..." Valkyrie looked around again. "What about Butchah, 'the shit talkah'? I was in the mood to punch her cute bitchy face."

Generalíssima frowned. "Who?"

Valkyrie opened her mouth to say something.

However, only silence ensued for a while, among the people who were present there.

"It's good ta know that everyone's okay," Valkyrie finished saying with a smile.

Generalíssima nodded and turned her attention to the two magical girls who were still in the cave.

Seeing everyone turning and looking, the short girl raised her hand and announced cheerfully. "Hi everyone, I'm Lesley."

"Save that for when we're in a proper place." Generalíssima began to walk down the ramp. "You three, follow me."

"Okidokie!" The short girl entered and leave the cave environment as soon as possible.

The girl with black exoskeleton also obeyed, but without the same hurry.

"Hey!" Revenant extended her arm, showing the open palm of her hand. "You're not comin' in heah with that axe."

Valkyrie spoke right away, "I told ya so."

The girl with exoskeleton rolled her eyes and threw her weapon away, disintegrating into the air in a cloud of red sparks.

With everyone inside and everything settled, the door began to close.

Valkyrie poked Revenant's arm. "Ya've been workin' out hard, huh? I can see yah little fingah has gained a new muscle."

The black woman shook her head, showing her teeth as she smiled. "I do this ta relax, so ya've an idea of the stress I go through..."

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows. "I kept imaginin' ya dealin' with Lucky without me around. Ya two are like rock 'n watah."

"And ya're like the rivah," Revenant replied.

Being followed by Lucky, "In a nice valley for us ta enjoy!"

Valkyrie nodded several times. "Hey... That's a good plan."

Revenant stopped smiling and sighed, putting her hand on her shoulder. "I don't wanna 'need ta believe' that it's really ya."

Valkyrie stroked her friend's arm. "I'll prove it."

They walked down the ramp to the intersection of hallways, where a redheaded woman was already waiting, her hands together in front of her mouth. "Thank God, for yet anothah miracle..."

Valkyrie ran up to her and gave her a tight hug. Madre returned it. No one said anything, there were no words to describe the relief and longing between the mentor and her pupil.

It was long seconds before they separated, it was then that Madre noticed that Valkyrie was dirty, as well as the two strangers. "You must be hungry and thirsty. I'll go get somethin' from the refectory."

"No," Generalíssima spoke, "they'll first have a talk with me in the meeting room."

Inquisitor questioned, "Will you do it alone?"

Generalíssima looked at him, affirming, "Yes."

He turned around, glancing at her one last time, before leaving without saying a word, heading toward the sisters' rooms.

She controlled her breathing, but the spasms in her neck denoted the tension.

"Ehhhmm..." Nano forced a smile. "I'll go check on Invader." She looked at the two new magical girls. "Everything will be fine, then we'll give you a proper welcome afterwards."

"Oh yeah! Rest assured about that," Valkyrie said, "I've warned them about our protocols. It's just one more step befoah we're all togethah, 'nd we'll be able ta purify our gems with the spare seeds we've around heah."

"Yeah," the magical girl with exoskeleton agreed, but not at all friendly, "that's what I expect."

The other magical girl, the tanned one, nodded, with a certain nervousness showing in her smile.

"Yes..." Nano exchanged glances with Generalíssima.

The Latina woman did not change her countenance, merely saying, "Then let's go."

The group dispersed. Nano went to the security room.

"I'll gather the novices in the refectory to introduce the newcomers and prepare something," Madre said to herself as she went upstairs.

Revenant and Lucky stayed where they were, watching Valkyrie, Generalíssima and the two other magical girls walk away, towards the meeting room.

The bunny girl whispered to her black friend, "Hey Revah, whatcha think?"

"Dunno... It's hard ta believe that somethin' good is happenin'."

[Revenant, Lucky.]

They became alert, it was the voice of Generalíssima.

[I want you to guard the outside of the room. Let me know if Inquisitor or Madre appears.]

Revenant patted Lucky on the back. "Come, we've a job ta do."

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Surrounded by darkness, sitting at the table, was an idol of womanhood. With her fingers she counted the strands of white hair, another instant to eternity.

The metal door opened and the light went on. Generalíssima entered, followed by the other three magical girls. She turned around and sat down on the table, crossing her legs.

Valkyrie and two other girls remained standing.

When the door closed automatically, Generalíssima addressed her words to the other sister, "Have you told them anything about the Sisterhood?"

Valkyrie smiled and cocked her head to the side, shrugging. "The basics."

"The basics..." Generalíssima pondered, "then we can speed things up." She then looked at the other two. "Hand me your gems."

"Oh..." The short, tanned girl looked down at her pendant, letting the gem land gently on the palm of her hand. The gem became the egg-shaped jewel and she shyly approached the woman, extending her arm. "Hmmm... Here."

Generalíssima accepted the jewel and looked at it more closely. There were many dark spots, crawling on the surface. She shook it, causing the corruption to form swirls in the core of the gem.

The girl walked backwards, smiling, "Hopefully it's not too bad."

"If you keep that calm, maybe you will survive." Generalíssima left the soul gem on the table, beside her. Then she looked at the other girl.

She made no mention whatsoever that she would pick up the gem embedded in her exoskeleton.

"Please, the gem." Generalíssima deepened her voice.

"What if I don't give it ta ya?" the girl questioned.

Valkyrie looked at her with wide eyes.

Generalíssima, on the other hand, remained impassive. "You won't be able to be part of the Sisterhood."

The girl raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "I don't wanna be part of this."

"Then you won't be able to leave here alive," Generalíssima promptly replied.

"Hannah!" Valkyrie raised her voice, "she means it! I told ya that ya'd be tested."

The girl lowered her head and pressed her lips together, her sharp fingers, characteristic of her black armor, did not stop still.

"It's a test of trust," Generalíssima said, "if you don't trust us, why should we trust you?"

Suddenly, the girl pulled out her gem, turning into the egg-shaped jewel in her hand. She then walked up and offered it to the woman.

Generalíssima extended her hand to take it.

At that moment, the girl withdrew her arm, her gaze filled with suspicion.

Keeping her arm outstretched, Generalíssima smiled slightly.

The girl closed her eyes and turned her face away, finally handing over the object.

Generalíssima looked closely at the gem, it gave off a warm color, overshadowing the dark spots. "Your gem is in great condition, Hannah, that's remarkable."

Ignoring what she had heard, Hannah returned to her spot.

After placing the soul gem together with the other one that was on the table. Generalíssima looked again at the person who was standing between Hannah and Valkyrie.

With some idea of what this meant, the girl wearing a top consulted Valkyrie.

The sister smiled and nodded.

"Okay, so..." The girl looked at Generalíssima and cracked a big smile. "I'm Lesley Johnson Taylor 'nd I still think I'm a newbie magical girl. Valkyrie told me some things, I dunno if they're true..."

"If they're terrible, they are," Generalíssima replied.

"Ah, hehehhh..." Lesley tried to keep her smile. "Even though I'm a newbie, I'm pretty proactive 'nd communicative 'nd..."

"Do you have a family?"

"Dad, Mom... I'm an only child." Lesley nodded and grimaced. "And they're gonna kill me for not comin' home. I... I can't tell them that ya kidnapped me, can I?"

Generalíssima crossed her arms. "What do you think?"

"Ahm... but I'm gonna need help..." Lesley lowered her gaze, but soon had a sudden realization. "Oh, I wanna be a journalist. So if ya guys are in need of someone in the communications field, I'm up for it. We can make a deal..." She glanced at Valkyrie.

The warrior with sword and shield shook her head.

"Journalist?" Generalíssima raised her eyebrows. "You seem more like you want to be a professional swimmer."

"Well, it's 'cause I don't wanna be just any journalist. I want ta defend the environment, ya know? Like our Great Barriah Reef," Lesley said confidently.

"Oh..." Generalíssima narrowed her gaze. "I remember a rather recent news. A ship spilled oil into the ocean and it was expected that the ocean currents would carry the slick to the corals. What happened, however, is that slick remained where it was. So, it was you."

"Yeah!" Lesley gave a wink.

"Someone willing to give her life to save many others." The woman on the table nodded. "Incubator has found an excellent candidate."

The girl frowned. "H-Huh?"

Ignoring Lesley's reaction, Generalíssima looked at the other girl. "And you, Hannah, are a lone wolf."

Maintaining an unfriendly face, she raised her chin toward the woman. "Ya're not from around heah, are ya?"

"I come from the world, and it's precisely this evasive behavior of yours that makes me think you're a lone wolf." Generalíssima sighed and gave a slight smile. "I was one once, but one day I learned that being free doesn't mean being alone."

Hannah looked down and took a deep breath, then said grumpily, "I'm from a small town, okay? I wished I could cure myself of a hereditary skin disease that was gonna kill me soon, nothin' wrong with that. I had my little territory, I could defeat witches on my own, I didn't bothah anyone 'n no one bothered me."

"And now you are here," Generalíssima said.

She looked back at her with her intense red eyes. "Kyuubey is gone 'n so are the witches. They're connected by what yah friend explained, but I already had my suspicions. I'm heah for the seeds, that's as honest as I can be."

"Everything has its time." Generalíssima looked at Valkyrie. "And it is time for you to tell me about what happened that day."

"Yeah, sure." The sister smiled to ease the tension. "I tried everythin' ta get ta the extraction point alone, but I had a bunch of these new witches followin' me around. I had ta give up."

"How did you manage to lose them afterwards?"

"I didn't."

Generalíssima frowned her eyebrows and the muscles in her neck twitched.

"Whoa, whoa, chill out." Valkyrie held up both hands, maintaining a sly smile. "Luckily, I knew the city, so I pretended to be a local magical girl, I gave them a fake name, but they noticed I was too old ta be a newbie, so they got straight ta the point. Ya had ta be theah, they looked like Jehovah's Witnesses.

Generalíssima's countenance became more inquisitive again. "What did they say?"

"Nothin' new." Valkyrie lowered her arms. "They said I should stop searchin' for witches and seeds, cuz it was no longah necessary. When my soul gem reaches its limit, I'll be saved by the 'Law of Cycles'."

"The 'Law'... So the last messages from Europe were true" The dark pink eyed woman shook her head. "However 'Law of Cycles' is a new information, it seems to be the name of an organization."

"Nah, they said it was kinda like the law of gravity, the magical girls' fate changed."

"Still becoming a witch doesn't seem like a change to me." More despondent, Generalíssima closed her eyes as she scratched her forehead slowly. "Did they give details about how this 'salvation' works?"

Valkyrie shrugged. "I'd find out when it happened."

Generalíssima suddenly brought her hand to her mouth.

Valkyrie and the other two girls were confused by this reaction.

The woman began to hiccup, struggling not to let the air escape her nostrils.

Valkyrie's eyes widened, realizing what her leader was trying to hold back.

Blushing, Generalíssima took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and removed her hand from her mouth, still momentarily revealing a slight upward curve at the tips of her lip. "It's always like that..." She nodded. "A lie, but a very good one. It's not hard to imagine magical girls in difficult situations surrendering their souls to those sweet words."

"Speakin' of difficult situation," Valkyrie said, expressing disappointment, "I told them I needed some time ta think. They agreed ta leave me alone, but only aftah I surrendered all my seeds."

"Putas," Generalíssima let that word slip as her face wince.

"Well, aftah that, I didn't miss my chance 'nd got the fuck outta the city as soon as possible, without leavin' a trace."

"I see..." Generalíssima relaxed, but not much. "Then why didn't you contact us? We're always monitoring the low frequency signals."

Valkyrie gave a sad grin. "About that... it's just... I forgot how ta do it. Hehe."

The other woman widened her eyes. "That's not an excuse a sister can make."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I know," Valkyrie replied, while grimacing and nodding several times, "I even enchanted a phone, but I didn't know what was the signal to transmit, it's not somethin' we do a lot. I was also in 'survival mode', okay? I needed ta find a seed, without comin' across a group of these new witches, that would be the end of me. So I sneaked from town ta town, until I found Lesley fightin' a witch."

"Yeah!" The girl opened her eyes and mouth wide, showing much enthusiasm. "I was losin'. I owe my life ta her."

"Ya don't owe me anythin'!" Valkyrie put both hands on her waist, all embarrassment gone. "I already told ya that the wellbein' of magical girls is a priority of Souls' Sistahhood."

"Valkyrie!" Generalíssima was already very impatient.

"Ahm... Okay, so aftah we defeated the witch, I let Lesley accompany me. She was out of seeds 'n told me that it had been a long time since she had seen a witch in the area. At this point I decided that it was bettah ta try ta find the base. In the middle of this process, we ended up bumpin' into Hannah." Valkyrie made a sad face, "Ya had ta see the poor thing askin' if we knew a place ta hunt witches."

Hannah's pale cheeks gained red tones. "Ya didn't hafta mention that..."

"You..." Generalíssima was stunned. "Are you telling me that you decided to search in the desert, without the knowledge of the location of our base?"

"Now ya've underestimated me. Revenant 'n I have explored this region for a long time, bein' novices 'nd teachin' novices." Valkyrie gave a pout, followed by a smile. "So I went ta an internet cafe ta search for pictures of natural landscapes of the country, then I recognized the shape of some rocky hills. The site also gave the coordinates, so I had a startin' point, the hardest part was takin' care of those two."

Hannah spoke, "I thought she was crazy, but I had nowheah else ta go."

The woman on the table looked down, still surprised.

Valkyrie noticed that she also seemed to be frightened. "G-Generalíssima?"

She closed her eyes tightly and only reopened them when she recomposed her firm countenance, her voice was calm, "Okay, you mentioned that you defeated a witch, so you got a seed. Where's it?"

"We're followed," Hannah replied.

Generalíssima stared at Valkyrie.

"Ah, that was a minor incident before we entered the desert. We sensed a group of magical girls nearby. It was a faint, intermittent feelin', so we knew they must have been tryin' ta conceal their magic."

"Do you think this is a minor incident?"

Valkyrie shook her head. "That's been taken care of, thanks ta Lesley."

The girl smiled, somewhat nervous at the sudden mention. "It was more of an accident. I ovah-purified my gem and the witch would be reborn from the seed. I commented that it would end up attractin' the othah magical girls who're followin' us 'nd Valkyrie said that it sounded like a plan."

"And it worked, they stopped followin' us," Valkyrie added, opening her arms, "we lost a seed, so what? We have a bunch heah."

"Hmmm... Sure." Generalíssima sighed. "I think I'm satisfied with everything I've heard."

"Finally." Hannah crossed her arms.

"Only you need to do the following to be part of the Sisterhood..." Generalíssima picked up the blue soul gem on the table.

Relieved, Lesley held out her arm, already ready to welcome it back.

Generalíssima closed her fist, making an audible cracking sound.

Then silence took over the room.

She loosened her grip, letting pieces of blue crystal and gold bits bounce across the table and floor.

Meanwhile, the other three were open-mouthed.

Rubbing her hands together to remove the remaining dust, Generalíssima said, "Lesley is a witch, kill her."

The trio remained paralyzed.

She rolled her eyes, rephrasing what she said. "Valkyrie and Hannah, you must kill the one who stands between you two. She is not Lesley, but a witch."

"I ain't a witch!" The short magical girl vociferated.

Valkyrie uttered, still dumbfounded, "But yah gem..."

"I ain't a witch." Lesley turned to her and took a deep breath before saying at once, "cuz I was saved. I wasn't strong enough ta last long."

Valkyrie exchanged glances with her, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Oh my God... Ya lied ta me."

"No!" the girl beat her own chest. "It's me, Lesley! I told ya about my life. I love my family, my friends, my place, and I wanna protect them. Why do ya think I was fightin' that witch? If I wanted destruction 'nd despair, I woulda let her loose."

The sister shook her head and her tense mouth showed her teeth.

"I didn't make anythin' up!" Lesley held out both hands, gesturing that she was going to start pulling her fingers to count. "Ya remembah, don'tcha? I've three dogs, Sasha, Boya 'nd JoeyaaAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

A guttural scream and Valkyrie saw the girl fall to her knees, a black blade splitting her upper right torso.

"I nevah liked ya." Hannah kicked Lesley to remove the axe from her body, causing her to fall on her stomach. "Ya talk too much..."

Valkyrie raised her voice, "Hannah, stop!"

But Generalíssima intervened, "You're disappointing me, sister."

Valkyrie looked at her, but then felt her ankle being grabbed.

It was Lesley, she lifted her head with difficulty, her gaze was asking for clemency. "Please... stop... I... I'm feelin' weird... Y-You have to... stop..."

Hannah struck the girl's body with her axe again. When she raised the weapon, droplets of blood reached the ceiling of the room.

[What was that scream? What's going on?]

Generalíssima recognized Revenant's voice. [The situation is under control. Keep your guard.] After answering, she returned her attention to Valkyrie. "Reality should be your only guide, or will you lower your guard to this illusion? I have witnessed the end of many magical girls because of this."

"Pleasssshhhhhh..." An orange foam began to come out of Lesley's mouth, also from her nostrils and even from her bulging eyes.

Seeing this, Valkyrie drew her small sword. Her gem glowed and the sword was enveloped by a translucent white light, taking on a much longer and more powerful form.

"NSShhhh PSShhhhhh..."

She needed to find courage. Valkyrie turned her face and struck downward with her weapon, then she no longer felt her ankle being held. She looked at what she had done.

Lesley was motionless, her face against the floor, the wide blade of light impaling her torso just at the point below her neck.

Surely the spine had been broken. Valkyrie pulled the sword back, already feeling a regret she tried to ignore, also shame that, as a sister, she would have to justify her mistake, and there were questions she was sure were forbidden to ask.

Actually, there was not even time, for what was still was no longer.

Facing the violently convulsing body, Valkyrie's eyes widened.

So did Hannah. "H-How do we kill this thing?!"

"Like any witch," Generalíssima replied, "strike it until it dies."

Hannah raised her axe.

The body jumped suddenly, sticking to the ceiling.

"AAHHH!" The girl almost let go of the axe, while the other two women froze.

The lights in the room began to flicker. Lesley's face was covered in foam and her bones rattled as they broke spontaneously. Her belly distended rapidly until it tore, then was split by hard, sharp, hairy crustacean legs. No viscera or blood fell from the ruptured abdomen, but a torrent of black liquid, which hit the floor of the room fiercely.

The current knocked down Hannah and Valkyrie, while Generalíssima remained unaffected by being on the table.

From the remains of Lesley's body, tendrils of flesh spread along the ceiling and wall quickly.

Generalíssima saw the metal door begin to open, but get stuck due to the tendrils. Still, she managed to hear Revenant's plea.

"GENERALÍ-"

Silence and darkness. A moment later, Generalíssima's eyes grew accustomed to the dim red illumination from an unknown source. She was still in a room flooded with black liquid, on a table, but there was no door and the walls were filled with colors and small life. Mollusks, worms, invertebrates, and even starfish, living together in harmony among anemones and corals.

Hannah and Valkyrie were also still in the room, emerging from the black liquid, bewildered.

Generalíssima stepped off the table, feeling the cool touch of the liquid rising to her thighs. She held out her left hand, and floating over her ring appeared her dark pink egg-shaped soul gem, with the symbol of a curved X holding a stylized eye at its top.

A sudden crash.

It came from behind, it was the table being pushed and turned. Generalíssima turned as fast as she could, but it was not enough. Something very hard and wet hit her, making her fly like a rag doll until she hit a wall and fell into the black liquid, disappearing.

Hannah was still establishing her balance when she saw that, as well as her red gem being thrown from the table, pirouetting through the air. The only reaction she was able to make was to widen her eyes as the gem was caught and crushed by a giant claw.

She fell. The exoskeleton evaporated, allowing the body to float on the black waters.

"Hannah!" Valkyrie knew it was late, her focus had to be on that tiger-sized creature.

It looked very much like a crab, with a purple carapace and white underbelly, but it was... asymmetrical, with nine hairy legs on one side and three on the other, five eyestalks were distributed over carapace. At least the mouth was just one, as were the two pincer-shaped claws. Despite the asymmetry, the creature walked sideways, approaching quickly.

"Full armor!" Valkyrie's body and shield were enveloped by the same translucent light that was on the sword. The shield supplemented by the light was now large enough to cover more than half of her body, and the armor was now a pompous armor of plates made of light, with a helmet and a wide pair of wings on the back.

As expected, the creature attacked with its claw.

Valkyrie blocked without difficulty and struck the crab's arm with her sword, cutting it completely.

The creature retreated, and from its amputated limb grew three new arms with claws.

Valkyrie was not surprised, she had seen worse gimmicks, she held her shield steady.

The creature charged.

The shield would handle the new claws, but her arm was already fatigued. Attacking the eyes seemed like a good idea, but Valkyrie was forced to use her sword to intercept and hold the fourth claw. The clash looked like it would be decided by who could exert the most strength.

The creature opened its jaws, which seemed to be like those of a crab, but they began to bend and its whole face opened in the shape of a Star of David.

Valkyrie's helmet could conceal her concern well in that instant.

From the 'mouth', a new hairy crab leg emerged. With its sharp end, the creature tried to impale its victim, but the new leg was ultimately stopped by the armor.

She sighed with relief, yet the light from her armor began to flicker. Oh shi-

The light died out and the leg went through the magical girl's abdomen, pushing her against the wall.

Valkyrie did not scream, she had blocked out pain in time, but her situation only got worse, as even her sword and shield were no longer blessed by the light. She tried to use her short blade, but the metal was unable to cut through the thick exoskeleton.

The creature began swinging its leg like a tongue, dragging its victim against the wall. The coral and oysters were like dozens of razors, slicing through Valkyrie's leather armor and flesh, leaving a wide red trail.

She abandoned her sword and shield. With the background being chaos from being swung violently, Valkyrie's focus was all on the crab's leg joint closest to her. Exerting enough force, she could break it at that point, but to reach it she would have to impale her body further.

A pink flash in the corner of the eye. Sounds, a sudden, loud, short one, followed by a crack.

Valkyrie heard that pattern a few times in quick succession, until the world stopped swaying. Her body slid down the wall until it partially sank into the black liquid, but she could see clearly.

The myth incarnate, according to the descriptions.

Few witnessed Generalíssima in her magical girl uniform, and it was perfectly understandable why. Her 'clothes' were like skin, perhaps painted or perhaps tattooed, in a dark pink color, completely revealing her fit shape. This skin did not cover the whole body and had no defined form, constantly breaking up into smaller pieces and recombining, sliding on the brown skin erratically, it seemed to have a will of its own, although the private parts were always covered. This second skin sometimes covered the eyes, but this did not seem to bother its owner.

Valkyrie noticed that the creature was dead. She understood what had happened when she saw that her leader's arm had pierced the hard shell of the monster's body in a single blow.

Generalíssima removed her arm from the wound and looked at it, examining the whitish, gooey liquid that covered it. At that moment she noticed a shiny object in the shell, a crest. She picked it up and looked at it more closely. The gold and black reliefs formed an eight-pointed star, with a crown and a pair of black wings, and below it all were runes written. "Eternal Feminine..." She muttered, as anger showed on her face. Clenching her fist, she crushed the object before throwing it into the water. "Valkyrie, can you walk?"

Hearing that, the sister tried to get up, but was not able to do so in the slightest. She screamed, "AAAAHHHH!"

Not surprised at all, Generalíssima asked, "It's your spine, isn't it?"

"Ahhh... Ahhh... Yeah..." Valkyrie shook her head. "I allowed myself ta feel everythin' for a moment 'nd I didn't feel my legs."

"Alright." Generalíssima turned and crouched, keeping only her shoulder up above the liquid. "Let's find the others. Hang on to me."

"Uh-huh..." Valkyrie hugged her leader's back as best she could and then the two stood up. At that moment, she noticed that there were other crab-like creatures in the room, at least six, each different from the other in the amount of legs and eyes, but all were dead, with a hole in their carapaces.

A metallic green tip pierced one of the coral walls. "Generalíssima! Valkyrie!" Then Revenant broke in using her whole body, she was wearing her magical girl uniform, with a javelin in hand. "Are ya okay?!"

"I am," Generalíssima replied, "Valkyrie's wounded."

Revenant looked at the dead creatures and the floating corpse of a girl. "Wheah's the witch?"

"She escaped when you tried to open the door."

Widening her eyes, Revenant looked again at Generalíssima.

"I asked you to keep guard!" She grunted.

Revenant frowned. "But..."

"Where's Lucky?"

Being interrupted, the black woman shook her head. "I don't know! I... When we sensed that somethin' was wrong, I approached the door 'nd she drew her revolvahs 'nd took some distance. Then the barriah formed 'nd the door disappeared. I went ta look at her, but I was no longer in the corridor but in a huge chambah, full of these coral shit. She was gone, and I can't feel her, or communicate with telepathy.

"Hmmm..." Generalíssima nodded slightly. "Just when we need one of her bullets."

"It's my fault," Valkyrie said, "I was foolish 'nd let that witch entah heah. Now, I can't even fight cuz of my worn out gem. I'm just dead weight."

"You're not dead weight, you're a returning sister and we are grateful for that." Carrying her, Generalíssima went to the exit that Revenant had created. "The Sisterhood is stronger today."

Indeed, there was no corridor, but a chamber, where the walls had the very appearance of a coral reef with small creatures.

Generalíssima walked to the center, seeing that there were a few tunnels that they could choose from. "Did anyone feel anything?"

Valkyrie shook her head.

Revenant expressed more, "No, nothin'." Then she felt in her legs' skin a peculiar movement of the liquid. She turned around suddenly and saw nothing at first glance, but then she noticed a ripple trail that started from the entrance of the room where they were previously and headed in a different direction, moving away from them.

"What is it?" Generalíssima asked.

Revenant held her javelin more firmly. "Was theah anyone else in that room?"

"No one alive," she said as her second skin danced free across her body, "let's keep going."

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

In the bathroom, more specifically sitting on a toilet, Evie meditated while doing her bodily needs. Since Madre had called all the novices to the refectory, this was the ideal moment to take some time for herself.

However, there was a void in her mind that bothered her. A hole that dredged her ideas and emotions, converging on a single path. "Becomin' a sistah is the only thing I have left. Damn it... This crisis has ta end."

The lights flickered.

Evie looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was covered with fleshy tendrils, which were running down the wall and would reach the toilet. She stood up, just in time to see black water overflowing from the toilet and beginning to flood the room.

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me..." As the lights went out, a flash of purple light announced the transformation of a magical girl, ready and very angry.

The hole would have to be left for later.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

The novices were not believing it, it had been a long time since they had seen themselves in a witch's barrier.

The same could be said of Madre, but all her experience silenced any questioning, keeping her focus on what was most important. "Stay calm, all of you, we need ta be discreet so as not ta attract the witch's attention. We'll wait for Generalíssima and the othah sisters." Although she affirmed, she was not so sure about that last part. [Generalíssima, can you hear me?]

"Look!" A novice pointed.

Near the chamber wall, just above the surface of the black liquid, there were many eyestalks, which soon sank in.

Witnessing that, Madre took the seed in her possession and purified her own gem, as she raised her voice, "Transform!"

"Huh?" The novices looked at her, but were momentarily blinded by a red light. After that, they saw that Madre was wearing a polished breastplate and her head was wrapped in a chainmail coif, with a black crown with three crucifixes, and on the crucifix that was between the other two, in its central part, there was a red oval gem. She looked like a princess, but also like a nun, for underneath the breastplate she wore a black dress without details, with long, wide sleeves and a skirt. Fastened with belts that passed under her arms was a round shield, with golden edges and a red halo painted in its center.

"Let's go! Let's go! Transform! Ya've ta be sistahs now," Madre continued to give orders as she saw flashes of various colored lights happening, "Stand togethah and form a circle. The other sisters' backs are your backs."

The novices obeyed, while Madre kept her distance from the circle that was formed. The silence was now brutal.

One of the novices was trying to hide the trembling of her foil she was wielding, while the black liquid lay still, as if it were a solid, smooth floor.

And, without warning, a giant claw broke through the black surface, lunging toward her.

"Ahhh!" In an inexperienced reaction, the novice brought the foil to herself as if she could defend from that attack, but then a red glow blocked everything in front of her. "Huh?!" Now she was seeing the back of a knight's shield, which was floating and being crushed by the claw. Two other shields appeared in mid-air, one was round with a spike in the center and the other was a modern ballistic shield, and both began to strike the monster that looked like a crab.

Still not understanding what was happening, she looked at her peers and saw that she was not the only one. The circle of novices was surrounded by floating shields, which were actively protecting them against the witch's familiars, as well as fighting them off.

"Help me kill them!" Madre shouted.

The novice with the foil returned her attention to the monster, which was being subdued by the shields. She made a firm thrust with her weapon, piercing the creature's exoskeleton. A surge of energy transferred from the base of the blade to the tip and the hole she had created expanded, destroying part of the claw. However, such a blow was in vain, as the claw grew back.

Another novice warned, "Look out Madre! Behind ya!"

The woman turned around, just in time to see a giant claw close on her torso, attempting to crush her body. Instead, however, the claw's exoskeleton cracked while Madre and her armor remained unscathed.

The crustacean monster was insistent, brandishing its other claw.

Madre smiled slightly and the metal of her armor acquired a red glow, followed by a shockwave, sounding like a small explosion. The claw that was holding her not only opened, but its fingers burst apart.

The creature convulsed in pain, but its claw was already regenerating, with more fingers than before in a chaotic bloom.

Madre pulled up her sleeve, revealing her gauntlet. Just as had happened with the breastplate, the metal took on a red glow. She closed her fist and used her whole body to punch the supposed face of the monster, then the back of the carapace exploded, and the whitish innards flew out and stained the black liquid. Seeing that the familiar had finally collapsed, she exclaimed, "Focus yah attacks on their bodies!"

With the tip, plus the numerical advantage and the shields, the novices were able to finish off the familiars without any serious incidents.

Madre breathed in relief, but then she heard something falling into the water. She looked for the source of the sound and saw more familiars coming through a hole in the wall. Without wasting a moment, she conjured up a floating round shield in front of her.

Oh Lord, I cannot fail again.

She spread her legs in a stance, preparing to throw a punch, her gauntlet glowing red. "Bless this servant with a fraction of Your strength," she muttered before striking the back of the shield.

With the deafening sound of a cannon, the shield released a massive shockwave at its front, followed by an immediate crashing sound. The novices covered their ears and screamed in fright.

With a gesture, Madre made the shield in front of her evaporate as she heard the sound of collapse. She had to wait for the smoke to dissipate a little to know the result.

There were no more familiars, or burrow, or wall, just a path of destruction, revealing another part of the witch's labyrinth.

"It's not safe for us ta continue heah." Madre turned to the others. "We've t-"

Some novices were gaping, others did not even blink, many were smiling.

Madre took a deep breath and cleared her throat before speaking, "We've ta go. No one is hurt, right? Is anyone missin'?"

"Evie!" a novice exclaimed.

"She wasn't with us," another one replied.

"Evie... ok..." Madre nodded and smiled to assure. "She's strong. We'll find her, just like the others."

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

"Haven't I been around heah before?"

Evie looked around and found nothing on the coral walls that she could use as a reference to confirm her own question. However, everything being similar, she could not ignore the feeling of familiarity. "Whatta crappy barriah. Why isn't this witch dead already? What are Generalíssima and the othahs waitin' for?"

She closed her eyes and patted her cheeks, shaking her head afterwards. "Ahh... I have ta stop actin' like a novice. I'm capable of makin' that witch pay for ruinin' my day myself. I just need ta find her..."

But I can't feel her, or the other girls. This is not normal.

She reopened her eyes as she heard a snap. Giant, deformed crabs had emerged from the black liquid and were now surrounding her, opening and closing their claws.

"So the witch was considerate enough ta send me trash ta vent out my anger." Swarms of purple magic darts began orbiting Evie's armbands. She took a great leap, doing a somersault in the air, and extended her arm, releasing one of the swarms as she passed over one of the crabs.

The small darts were not able to penetrate the carapace, but easily pierced the fourteen eyes of the aberration.

Evie landed in the black liquid and watched the creature convulse for a moment, before its legs went stiff and it fell with its ventral part up. Unsurprised by the result, she brought up another swarm in her armband.

The other crabs began to gouge out their own eyes with their pincers. The wounds were quickly covered by the regeneration of the exoskeletons.

That made Evie frown. "Oh... Ya guys're tryin' ta skip a few steps of evolution theory... But ya're not gonna go blind like that? Whatevah..." She pointed both arms toward the monsters and the swarms of darts coalesced into large bolts. With only the force of her will, she fired them.

The bolts were blocked by a claw, but they pierced the exoskeleton and that was enough. The crustacean monster met the same end as the one before it.

The other crabs scattered, moving sideways with speed.

Evie felt that they wanted to surround her with the numerical advantage they had. She pointed her arms in different directions and started shooting bolts without stopping.

The bolts corrected their trajectories in mid-flight, striking their targets. A bolt for a familiar.

But how many more would she need?

A crab emerged from the dark water near Evie. It opened a hole in its face like a mouth, through which more hairy legs began to stick out, their sharp edges pointing at the girl.

She turned around, with her usual apathy, and enlarged the bolts that floated above her armbands, turning them into giant fangs of purple energy. As if in a snake's lunge, she leaped backwards and brandished her melee weapons, grazing that deadly bouquet of crab legs.

Once again, that was enough for the creature to convulse and die.

Albeit modestly, Evie began to smile. More crabs were approaching, but she did not give them the same chance to get that close to her, jumping away and shooting bolts from her fangs.

This was being much better than the stupid Lucky's sessions. Only in a real situation could she finally prove that she was ready for the Sisterhood. Besides, no familiar should get away, it was better to put an end to that problem than to let it come at a more inopportune time.

Evie fired frantically, without considering how many targets existed. Then she whirled in the air, and her fangs orbited her at great speed, firing in all directions, until the fangs dissipated.

The girl landed and heard nothing but the sound of black water and her own heavy breathing. She checked the soul gem on the waist line of her pants. It was darker than she would have liked, but Evie felt good, better than she had in a long time. She slowly looked around, confirming how many she had killed.

These familiars are weak against my magic. If I find the witch, I will put an end to this very quic-

But there was an unknown woman standing there. She was tall and strong, scantily clad, with dark skin and long white hair. The tiara she wore had a very corrupted soul gem, yet her pink eyes expressed a disturbing peacefulness.

Evie frowned, maintaining a cautious posture. "Wheah didya come from? I had looked in this direction moments before 'nd ya weren't theah."

The woman raised her eyebrows slightly and looked down, seeing that a bolt had pierced her belly. She went to remove it, but purple sparks from the bolt burned the palm of her hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were ya, my bolts can be quite volatile." Evie was still confused by this person's behavior. "I heard that Valkyrie had returned 'nd she was accompanied, is that you? Ya must not be the witch, but with that gem of yours, ya'll become one very soon..."

The woman looked at the pale girl again, without saying a word.

"Hmmm..." Evie narrowed her gaze and nodded. "Ya're invisible, weren't ya? Ya must need a lot of magic for that, that's why yah gem is in this state. " This epiphany made her ask a new question, "Are ya by any chance the person who has been stealin' our seeds?"

The woman said nothing, but her expression was no longer just peaceful, there was a certain disgust in the lines of her face.

"Whatta fack is that? Vow of silence?" Evie smiled and shook her head. "If ya think I can't make ya talk, I have bad news. If ya're who I think you are, then ya'll be my passport ta becomin' a sistah 'nd I specialize in torturin' magical girls."

The woman stared with more intensity, her irises flickering.

At the same time, an electric purple arc formed between the bolt in her belly and the black gem in her tiara.

The woman's muscles twitched and she raised her head, letting out a scream.

Evie had the urge to cover her ears. It was not such a loud scream, but frightening, they were like thousands of voices on the brink of death, reverberating in the corals of the chamber.

The arc disappeared and the woman prostrated, in silence.

The girl's heart had sped up, but she saw that it was just a startle, so she sighed and nodded. "Yeah, ya seem ta be resistant ta my magical poison, but my bolts work kinda like a lightnin' rod, nullifyin' any magic ya use against me. Now, ya're gonna tell me wheah ya hid... the... seeds..." Her heartbeat quickened again, and the pale girl was stunned by what came from a dark part of her mind. "You... I've seen you before..."

Still gasping, the white-haired woman raised her head and widened her eyes.

"Yes, when the Sistahhood rescued me, ya're standin' at the entrance, lookin' at me... and... Carolaine..." Tears ran down her cheeks with volume, while Evie's lips quivered in terror. "O-O-OH MY GOD! GOOOHD!" She covered her mouth with her hand, but could not contain her despair. "IIIAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! IIIAAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The woman gritted her teeth. She regained her posture, but saw that the bolt was still piercing her belly.

"CAROLAINE! Oh my God, ya ripped her face off." Evie shook her head, as if trying not to believe that nightmare filling her memories. "She cried in front of me, begged, pushed me, even slapped my face. Yet I did nothin' while ya came behind my friend and stuck yah fingers in her eyes an- GOD! GOD!"

The woman brought her hand close to the bolt again and felt her skin being hit by sparks, the smell of burning flesh.

"Edith, Tammy, Grace, Jasmine... Ya killed all my friends that I made heah. I was laughin', or eatin', or makin' the bed, while ya killed them right theah, at that moment." Evie could not stop shaking. "W-What've ya done ta me? What the hell are ya?!"

And she did not say a word.

"FACK IT! If ya're not gonna talk." Taken by anger, Evie conjured a bolt and aimed at the woman's black gem. "Fuck the seeds too! I'll kill ya now!"

The woman held the bolt that was in her belly. At that very moment, the bolt exploded.

"AAAHHH!" Evie only had time to close her eyes. When she reopened them, she found herself covered in blood and small pieces of flesh. Larger, scorched pieces were floating in the black liquid, including an entire arm and part of the skull, with a few locks of white hair still intact.

She felt no movement or magical source.

"I can't believe it, the bitch killed herself?" Evie muttered, as more tears streamed down her face, forming trails in the blood. She undid the bolt and lowered her arm. She sniffled her nose, unable to avoid the dreadful memories. It was as if the world had returned to that basement, no, it was more as if the world had always been like this, only being more explicit at that moment.

"Alice 'n Maya..." Evie raised her head, gritting her teeth. "Ya're the last victims 'nd I didn't do anythin' eithah, worse, I made yah lives hell. Sorry, one more coward ruined my soul 'nd I was unable make them feel all the pain they deserved... Huh?"

There was a twisted piece of golden metal attached to the ceiling of the chamber, it was the tiara the woman was wearing, with the black gem still undamaged.

"Ah, ya almost fooled me..." Evie extended her arm toward the gem, conjuring several darts. "But ya're out of luck."

Blood dripped into her eyes.

"Shit!" The girl bowed with the painful sensation, much worse than she expected. She rubbed her eyes hard, hoping the tears would wash away, but the pain was now behind her eyes and going deeper, she could not see anything. "What the fu-" She felt the warm touch of blood on her tongue and the taste of iron, forming a lump and going down her throat. "COUGH! COUAAAGH!" She clamped her lips together, but the blood began to enter her nostrils and her ears. "NNNGG!" Her body began to ache and stiffen, like a strong fever, followed by involuntary movements.

Sudden and anatomically impossible movements, twisting muscles, breaking bones and tearing skin.

"WWWAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Evie was unable to block out the pain, not even a single sensation. She thought of death, she already wished for it, but it was not coming and it would not come for a magical girl in this way. Meanwhile, the blood from her newly opened wounds began to flow through the air in a red mist, pooling in a specific spot behind her.

The tiara with the gem detached itself from the ceiling and fell, but it did not touch the surface of the black liquid. Instead it stood still in the air, while the blood and pieces of the woman's body that floated in the liquid began to fly, heading for the same place where the girl's blood was. A whirlwind then formed, reaching from the floor to the ceiling.

Evie's clothes burst supernaturally. Her naked back opened up, and her muscles, organs, and bones began to be sucked out. She could no longer scream, or even think, but she felt, and she would feel until her soul was part of something greater. As the skin of her abdomen was pulled away, her purple gem not only remained, but floated toward the tiara with the black gem. It orbited the tiara, closer and faster, until the gem elongated, forming a faint line of purple essence, then falling into the black gem.

The black gem turned momentarily purple, then pink, but soon decaying to the dark color of corruption. Once this process was finished, there was no longer the girl, not even a strand of hair.

Silently, the tiara flew toward the whirlpool, which had solidified into a twisted column of living flesh. The flying object circled the column, as if looking for something, and indeed it had found it.

At the base of the column was a placenta with an embryo, both were growing fast. Soon it was already a fetus, then a baby, and it kept growing.

Meanwhile, the corals on the walls of the witch's barrier, began to lose their colors and wither away. The tiny organisms dying.

The dark gem in the tiara witnessed the giant bag of amniotic fluid contain a small child, then a teenager. When what was inside had become an adult woman, the bag finally burst open.

The body did not slip and fall, it was pulled by an invisible force, standing in mid-air as if hanging from something. Her wet skin was still wrinkled and discolored, covered with hair. Her fingernails and toenails were extremely long, and so was her purple hair. The body was breathing, but unconscious.

The tiara moved closer to the newborn woman's face. Flashes of colored light coming from within the gem, faint as from a distant storm at night, washed over the skin of her eyelids.

The woman opened her eyes suddenly, exposing for the first time her purple irises. She began to move, using the back of her hand to remove the strands of hair stuck to her face.

She then examined her fingernails and did not like what she saw. They broke spontaneously and she blew them out of her hands, leaving them polished with just that. Then she made a subtle gesture and the tiara moved away like a faithful servant.

The woman ripped out the umbilical cord in one pull. She pressed the new wound with her thumb, pushing against her belly, and when she removed it, a navel was carved out. However, there was still much to do, so she clapped her palms together.

A portion of the black liquid rose up, forming a large dark sphere standing in midair.

Taking steps over nothingness, she walked to the sphere, making a circular gesture with her fingers.

A whirlpool formed on the surface of the sphere and its eye became silvery, growing into a large mirror reflecting the woman's entire body.

She stopped and struck a pose. The unwanted body hair was gone and the hair was reduced, but still remained long and now smooth. The skin became clean and dry, the discoloration and wrinkles were gone; the texture was flawless and pale, with veins easily visible beneath it.

Gently, the woman touched the light pink nipples of her barely existing breasts. She turned and examined the slender body in profile, and the snug curves of her buttocks. It brought back memories of a time when anything could have been possible.

The woman's face became tense, with wrinkles forming on her chin. She faced the mirror again, closing her eyes, and thrust her hands into her torso, piercing it effortlessly. She then opened it, and a torrent of blood engulfed her body completely. Bones snapped as the blood-drenched humanoid figure gained stature. Its hair gradually lost its color, turning white.

Blood dripped back into the hole in her torso, revealing the dark skin of a strong, voluptuous body. The woman removed her hands and the wound on her torso closed without leaving a single mark.

The tiara flew toward the woman's forehead. When it landed, the jewel repaired itself and a flash of light brought back the other garments. The woman then reopened her pink glowing eyes.

The last reflection in the mirror was of the woman lowering her arms, as if lowering a curtain.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Going through another long tunnel, Revenant lost her patience. "This place stinks like rotten fish. Damn, we still can't sense anyone!"

Still being carried by Generalíssima, Valkyrie commented, "I don't remembah this floor bein' so big."

"After what Revenant told about Lucky's disappearance, I was expecting this," Generalíssima said, "the witch, with intent of avoiding us, has distorted spaces and distances within her barrier. This place could be miles long."

They arrived in another chamber. Unlike the previous ones, rays of bluish light came from the ceiling. There were several large holes, which were like windows showing that this place was at the bottom of an ocean. It was possible to see the surface and the shadow of a passing whale.

Revenant raised her eyebrows. "Well... At least now we know we're still underground."

"What the witch has done is a double-edged sword, it's much harder to find a way out. We have to find her and stop her from escaping while there's still time. If she shares our location to others, we'll be finished." Generalíssima squinted, for those holes in the ceiling were not random but formed a pattern of runes. She muttered, "'It warms the cockles of my heart.' Karkatha."

Valkyrie was curious, " Whadidya just say?"

"Nothing relevant."

"Hmmm..." She did not insist. "I wondah if that liquid is oil."

Generalíssima replied, "I don't feel it's oily enough to be."

Revenant took some of the liquid with her hand. She smelled it and let it run between her fingers. "Yeah, this is more like paint, but it's too watery ta use."

Generalíssima's pink 'skin' became agitated. "We've got company."

Crab-like familiars were walking on the wall of the chamber. They let themselves fall, plunging into the black liquid and disappearing.

Generalíssima glanced at Revenant.

The black woman understood the message. She walked toward where the familiars had dived, roaring, "YA WANNA A PIECE OF ME? COME GET IT!" She wielded her green metallic javelin and threw it. The projectile flew a good distance before landing, with only one end remaining above the surface of the liquid.

Everyone waited, with a certain anxiety provided by the silence.

Suddenly, the javelin dipped in the liquid began to move quickly toward the one who had thrown it.

Revenant conjured another javelin, ready for the impending clash in front of her. However, another familiar emerged near her, attacking her flank. The woman turned quickly, but it had not been enough, and the sharp edge from one of the creature's hairy legs struck her abdomen. She whirled with the blow, as blood squirted from the deep cut. "AAAAAaaa..."

Valkyrie winced at the sight of this.

Generalíssima did not bother.

"...aaaahahahaha." After laughing, Revenant turned around at once to deliver a stab with her weapon.

The crab familiar blocked with one of its claws, but the javelin easily pierced both the claw and the body it was defending.

The black woman's eyes widened and she gritted her teeth. Her muscles bulged with vigor as she lifted the javelin with the impaled creature in one hand and used it like a hammer to smash another familiar that had just emerged. With her free hand, she conjured another javelin and threw it in one direction.

Another crab emerged, but was immediately pierced by the javelin and was pierced with such force that the monster's body split in two.

More familiars emerged, surrounding the magical girl.

Revenant continued to smile, conjuring a javelin in each hand. "What're ya waitin' for? I need moar for my stew!"

The crabs swarmed against her at the same time.

Generalíssima and Valkyrie could no longer see Revenant under that crowd of creatures. There were so many of them, they were walking on top of each other. Still, the two sisters made no mention of intervening.

The crabs moved away, undoing the agglomeration, but not all of them did so, for they were dead, while Revenant, apart from the cut on her belly, stood without a scratch.

The creatures continued to drift away, submerging back into the black liquid.

To Revenant's surprise. "Wheah're ya goin', ya bastards!"

Generalíssima said, "They must have figured it out."

The black woman turned to her, now amazed. "Huh? Are ya tellin' me these crittahs are that smart?" Seeing that there was no further movement in the waters, the woman, disappointed, undone her weapons and returned to where the other two were. "How should we classify these witches?"

"Epsilon," Generalíssima replied promptly, "they kill magical girls."

"Whadya think, Valkyrie?" Revenant asked.

However, the young woman on Generalíssima's back said nothing, only kept an expression of discomfort.

"Valkyrie?"

"There's somethin' wrong with my belly 'nd lowah back." Her breathing was faster. "I think it might be the spine, but I'm feelin'...feelin' somethin' move."

Revenant noticed that there were many crimson splotches on the surface of the black liquid. "Ya're bleedin' more than before!"

Generalíssima reacted, coming closer to the black woman. "Come on, help me put her in my arms."

After they finished, they found that it was very serious.

"Shit, her clothes in the belly area are so soaked with blood," Revenant said.

Generalíssima nodded. "It's distended. It must be internal bleeding." She untied the leather armor and lifted the injured magical girl's clothes.

Revenant gasped, she also widened her eyes. "Whatta fuck is that..."

"Cockles." Generalíssima pressed her lips together as her pink skin headed to cover both of her arms.

Valkyrie's belly was swollen, deformed, unrecognizable. The skin looked like a sponge, full of deep holes, one immediately adjacent to the other; in each hole was a colorful shell, which made small movements from time to time.

"Co... ckles...?" Valkyrie tried to lift her head to look, but she could not. Her breathing was short.

"Save your strength, sister." Generalíssima looked into her eyes. "You'll need it."

Revenant's eyes were still wide open when she then saw something appearing under Valkyrie's micro-shorts. It was more holes that were opening up in the skin of her thighs. "It's spreadin' to her legs!"

"It's not just to her legs..." Generalíssima showed her gritted teeth. "Revenant, get her soul gem. Quickly!"

The black woman promptly obeyed, removing the gem that was on the pommel of the sword. The stone in her palm emitted a faint purple glow as it changed its shape to the egg-shaped jewel. "How did this happen?" she muttered as she looked at the wound in her own abdomen, which, apart from the bleeding, remained healthy.

"Po... Po... P..." Valkyrie could no longer breathe. [Poison?]

"Parasites. They are multiplying at an exponential rate. You must not have felt it before because you blocked out the pain." Generalíssima approached her sister's face in her arms, being very serious. "Listen, don't try to fight it, let your body die. Focus on your gem and save as much magic as you can, until we can get help."

[I'll do it.] Valkyrie's head jerked as her neck began to swell and form holes. She drew in air one last time before her face and body became inert.

Seeing that, Generalíssima looked at Revenant. "How's her gem?"

The woman held the jewelry with extreme care. "It's bad, too dark."

"She was already in that state." Generalíssima watched Valkyrie's face swell, her tongue, infested with cockles, sticking out of her mouth.

"And... And it's getting' worse!" Revenant saw black sparks coming from the gem. "Damn, what's goin' on? She's not so dumb ta despair cuz of that."

"No, she's not." Generalíssima saw Valkyrie's eyeballs being pushed out to make more room for the cockles. "However, perhaps, these parasites are not feeding on her flesh, but on her magic."

"No way, what're we gonna do?"

"The possible..." Generalíssima gulped and looked at the gem [Valkyrie! VALKYRIE! Focus on my voice, don't let your soul be guided by chaos. Answer me if you understand.]

Silence, while the gem vibrated. Revenant's skin had goose bumps, feeling the increasing pressure on her palm.

With an enraged look on her face, Generalíssima insisted. [ANSWER! SISTER!]

"God, God, God..." Revenant mumbled as the gem turned completely black.

[Your friend is holding you. You don't want to make her sad, do you? Then say something!]

Cracks began to appear on the surface of the gem.

[VALK-]

And Revenant shut her eyes, as well as her hand.

The distinct sound of a crystal being crushed, and Generalíssima's jaw dropped.

So did a single pair of tears from the grieving ebony face. Revenant then reopened her eyes, but not her hand.

Then a brief flash of purple light brought Generalíssima's attention back to the body she was carrying. The body was now wearing ordinary clothes, and the cockles began to die, opening their shells. The parasites evaporated, releasing an ephemeral black mist, leaving open holes through which blood escaped. The body began to deflate, while the clothes became soaked in crimson, as did Generalíssima, from the waist down.

Revenant's face was wrinkled, she did not even blink. "I..."

Generalíssima stared at her, quickly and intensely. She then started to come closer.

The black woman took a step back. "I saw no choice! The witch was about ta hatch!"

Generalíssima's eyes reddened, heralding tears, while her tense lips denoted something else.

"I swear, I swear! If theah was any othah way..." Revenant let out a sob. "Uhh... If theah was any way ta save her, anythin', I'd nevah do that! NEVAH!"

"I KNOW!"

Revenant's eyes widened at the sight of that disfigured body being offered. She received it, feeling the warmth of the blood running down her arms.

Generalíssima felt such warmth in her own face as she rubbed her tearful eyes. However, she turned around and started walking towards a tunnel, trying to announce in a firm voice, "From now on, it's me who will fight."

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Madre was leading the novices, but everyone in the group had to remain alert at all times. Any unusual movement in the black water had to be announced.

They arrived in yet another chamber, but this one had something new. The entrance to the next tunnel was blocked by what looked like a giant pair of gums.

"Wait here." Madre left the novices at a distance she thought safe and moved closer to that closed mouth with no teeth. There seemed to be no evidence of minions or traps. So she conjured a floating shield in front of her and positioned herself to throw a punch.

Some novices covered their ears.

The metal of the gauntlet reddened and Madre struck the shield, immediately launching a shockwave aimed at the gums. The flesh burst, forming a wide hole, revealing that on the other side the tunnel continued.

Madre relaxed her posture and made the shield disappear, satisfied with the result.

From the bloody wounds of the gums, veins sprouted like plants and grew, covering the hole with a tangle, followed by flesh.

It was all too fast, Madre barely had time to blink and conclude that her effort had been in vain, "I guess we'll have to look for anothah way."

One of the novices sighed at the bad news, as it just meant that they would have to stay longer in that dark water. She examined the weapon she carried, a scepter, asking herself if she would need to use it when Madre was already so strong.

Something emerged from the water.

The novice turned around and saw a humanoid figure, with tentacles in its mouth, its eyes were like the abyss. She aimed her scepter, which was already emitting red sparks at its tip.

The humanoid extended both arms to attack and shouted, "СТОП!"

"KyyyAAAHHH!" The novice closed her eyes and fired her magic with the scepter. An explosion ensued and she was flung at the group of girls, generating uproar and commotion.

Madre ran as best she could in the water. "What did you do?"

The novice received help from the others to stand. "It's-It's a new familiar!"

"It's not a familiar, it's Matryoshka!"

"Huh?" The novice was confused as she watched Madre go toward the body that was floating.

The woman with armor and shield feared for the worst, but before she could reach, Matryoshka stood up.

"It worked!" The masked magical girl examined the scorched hole in her coat. "That really worked!"

Madre stopped, quite surprised. "You...Are you okay?"

"Yes, yes. The reactive armor saved me." Matryoshka put both hands over the hole and they emitted a green glow until the clothing was repaired.

"I... I..." The novice with the scepter cringed. "I'm so sorry!"

"No problem, child, I ended up scaring you." Matryoshka returned her attention to Madre. "Did you know that these crabs are not able to see in this dark water? They only hunt prey above the surface. Fortunately, I can stay underwater, since fighting is not my forte."

"Ahn..." Faced with that chatter, Madre preferred to smile. "We're happy to have you with us."

Matryoshka put her hands in her pockets. "Do you know where the witch is?"

Expressing disappointment, Madre shook her head.

Matryoshka walked toward the giant pair of gums. "But that sort of mouth must guard something important."

"I think so." Madre remained where she was, curious.

"Now that I know how powerful you are, I feel safe to try to open the way." She pressed some switches under her coat.

"Oh, thank you... But how do ya intend to do that?" Madre frowned, for there was one question she kept to herself. How long had she been watching us?

"That witch has an organic nature. That mouth, for example, has muscles, nerves..." Matryoshka extended one of her arms and turned one of the handles on her shoulder. Through the cannulas under her wrist, she began to spray something colorless on the gums.

At first nothing seemed to have happened, but then the gums began to shake and soon the giant mouth began to open and close erratically.

Matryoshka closed the handle and waited.

When the mouth finally stopped convulsing, it remained ajar, in a relaxed state.

She put her hands in her pockets. "Well, it's done. Huh?" And saw flying shields appear between the gums and push, forcing the mouth to remain open.

"Thank you, Matryoshka." Madre took the lead and looked back, more specifically at the novices. "Let's hurry!"

The masked magical girl said nothing and did not wait for the others to pass between the gums, but she did without the same haste.

They all explored the new tunnel, until they reached a fork.

Considering the options, Madre sighed and shook her head. "The tunnels are wider heah, but there's nothin' different beyond that."

"It's too early to think like that." Matryoshka played with the surface of the black water, making small ripples with her finger.

A novice pointed out. "Look! Theah's somethin' flyin' towards us!"

The novice with a scepter was worried. "F-Familiar?"

Madre looked at the object that stopped above her and smiled. "No, it's a drone. From Nano!"

A distant and growing sound was noticed; it was the sound of turbines. At the curve of one of the fork's paths a vehicle appeared; with a cushion under its hull, it glided swiftly over the surface of the water.

"A boat!" A novice shouted.

"A hovercraft, actually," Matryoshka muttered to herself.

The vehicle stopped next to the group. The deck was bare and on it was a child wearing a military costume, with green breastplate armor, and carrying a futuristic rifle, she was very happy. "Girls! Hop in!" She gestured with her gauntlet while the circuits on her forehead and the crosses in her eyes emitted a glow.

The back half of the hovercraft crumbled into a gray metallic cloud and rearranged itself into a longer length, with a ramp for easy access. Everyone got on board and the vehicle soon took off.

"It's great to see that you all are okay," Nano said, "me and Invader were together when the barrier formed and we had lost contact with everyone. We're very worried."

Madre raised her eyebrows. "You and Invader? Where's she?"

"Here."

Not only Madre, but Matryoshka and the novices looked at a screen in the cockpit, which showed the face of the blue ballerina.

Invader smiled slightly. "I was hoping someone was going to ask about who's driving this."

Nano then spoke up, "You guys haven't seen Generalíssima, have you?"

Madre shook her head. "One of the visitors must have become a witch."

Invader commented, "In that case, it's strange that Generalíssima hasn't killed her yet."

Matryoshka cut in. "I find it stranger that you people have allowed visitors."

"It was her decision," Madre stated, "now we can only pray that the othahs are well."

Matryoshka shrugged. "I think we can do more than pray if we find the witch."

"Yes, we're working on it." Nano nodded, more excited. "You saw the drone, right? We're mapping this place. It's a maze, but there's a pattern."

"The tunnels get wider and wider in a certain direction." the screen showed the map being generated in real time while Invader's voice was heard. "We theorize that the tunnels act like a circulatory system."

Madre blinked. "Oh..."

Matryoshka, meanwhile, added, "And you intend to follow the arteries to get to the heart."

The ballerina's icy gaze reappeared on the screen. "That's right."

"If we're on the right track, we should encounter obstacles, so..." The child gestured with her gauntlet.

Some novices were alarmed when they saw metallic clouds appear on the sides of the hovercraft's hull. The clouds coalesced into mounted cannons.

"Those weapons should handle the familiars," Nano explained to the others, "save your magic for the witch."

"What about you?" Madre expressed concern. "Don't you think ya're using too much magic?"

"Ah, no problem!" Nano raised her arm and a drone approached; it carried a grief seed. "I cleaned out my gem and there should still be a little bit left for emergencies."

Madre frowned. "You've a seed? Generalíssima told me she was in possession of the others."

Nano opened her mouth, but it took a few moments before she uttered, "It's just that my gem was bad and I asked Generalíssima. She ended up lending me this seed and I was supposed to return it soon after, but then we had this visit."

"Oh yes..." Madre glanced at the screen in the cockpit and saw the cold countenance of Invader.

Matryoshka watched the whole thing as she turned one of the handles on her shoulder and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, Invader turned around, as if looking in a certain direction. "Did anyone feel that?"

Madre turned her head, feeling her gem at the tip of her crown being compelled by a buildup of magic. "Yes, but it's a muffled feelin', it could be the witch or other magical girls."

"It must be the witch," Matryoshka concluded, "from all indications, she wants to prevent us from finding her. She must be trying to block any emissions."

"We can't lose that feeling." Nano turned to the cockpit. "Invader, speed up."

The magical girls held on to keep from falling as the hovercraft made quick turns through the maze.

"The feelin' is gettin' stronger," Madre remarked, "she won't be able to escape."

Nano held her rifle more firmly. " Alright, let's get ready and..." She widened her eyes. "StoooOOOOHHHH!"

The hovercraft made a sharp turn and came to a complete stop to avoid crashing into a dead end. However, this caused the sisters to lose their balance and the novices to fall on top of each other.

"You don't have to tell me that." Invader said on the screen.

"Are ya all right?" Madre helped some novices. "I feel that the witch is just ahead."

"Yes, but that's what you'd expect from a labyrinth." Matryoshka straightened her tubes. "We'll have to look for another route."

"No! We'll go straight to her." The rifle Nano was holding turned into a cloud of nano-machines, which enveloped her gauntlet and arm.

"Oh?" Matryoshka stepped back, for one big reason.

The child's arm had become a high-tech cannon, ridiculously huge for her size, yet she could wield it with no problem. Her soul gem was attached to the weapon, feeding a stream of green energy from the visibly exposed core.

Invader spoke, "Careful with that."

"You don't have to tell me that." Nano aimed the cannon at the coral wall. The gun began to vibrate and make a humming noise, while the energy stream glowed stronger, then a flash and a loud bang.

The blinding light forced Madre to close her eyes. After the bang came a quietness, except for a low sound of something burning. She reopened her eyes and found that the wall was no more, but a tunnel with walls that emitted a green luminescence, which quickly dissipated. The black waters filled the new space.

"That's the Nano Force Gun. It launches a cloud of super-excited nano-machines that dismantle matter in its path at a molecular level, until their energy runs out." The child undid the cannon, returning it back in the form of a rifle. She smiled at the woman with armor and shield. "Lucky's idea, she said I should be taking inspiration from you."

"You know how she doesn't ponder much about what she says." Madre returned the smile. "But I'm flattered by the consideration."

Invader said, "Looks like that shot was enough. Let's catch up with the witch."

The hovercraft accelerated through the passage formed by Nano, connecting to another tunnel, which took them to the largest chamber they had ever visited.

Part of the chamber was enclosed by a vast wall of black mud, covering all the way to the ceiling. From the wall, a giant pair of lobster tails were sticking out, like arms and hands, and between them, partially submerged by the black liquid, was also a huge typewriter cylinder. At the base of the mud wall, dozens of hairy legs were frantically typing something that was submerged. Typewriter types emerged, printing runes on the wall. The mud where the rune was printed came to life and took the form of a crab, then it plunged into the liquid.

The vehicle slowed down as everyone admired the size of that wall. Madre was the first to say, "She's behind that thing."

Matryoshka commented, "She must have sensed our approach and erected those defenses."

On the screen, Invader showed a map of the chamber, with many red dots flashing. "There's a lot of movement in the water, it must be full of familiars."

"And she keeps producing more!" Nano exclaimed, "We-"

The giant typewriter cylinder had reached its limit. One of the lobster tails then moved, pushing the cylinder back into its original position. The sudden movement of the massive object generated a violent wave in the black liquid, which gained height as it approached where the girls were located.

"W-We have to get out of here! Invader!"

The vehicle made a turn to return to the tunnel, but it was too late.

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The hovercraft capsized with the force of the wave, throwing everyone out.

Nano feared this situation, where the water would be too deep for her stature. Fortunately, her feet felt the firm ground and she was able to stand, with water almost at chest height. It was time to think fast and look for the others.

However, a crab claw was coming towards her.

The child responded by raising her arms. "Huh?!" Realizing that she had lost her rifle.

A flying shield came at high speed, bumping and pushing the claw and the monster crab.

"Are ya fine?" Madre shouted from where she was standing.

The child, her heart still racing, just looked at her and nodded.

"We've ta regroup!" in a commanding voice, Madre announced, "Novices! Form a circle like last time!"

Nano saw the magical girls helping each other to fight the familiars, and all being protected by flying shields. Matryoshka was also among them. Then she heard the sound of metal being crushed.

The crab had managed to crush the shield with its claw and its seven eyes returned to aim at the smaller prey.

Nano could be small, but she was a sister. A cloud of nano machinery came at her, it was the lost rifle, coalescing into the shape of the weapon in her hands. She pulled the trigger without hesitation, releasing a burst of projectiles of pure energy and heat, with a bluish glow.

The projectiles blasted the crab's shell, leaving large scorched holes. The creature staggered and fell.

Nano searched for the next target and found many coming, but she would not be alone. Following her will, clouds of nano machines appeared in mid-air, forming robotic clones of the girl, wielding the same weapon and with instructions to fire at will. The artificial intelligence algorithm still left much to be desired, but it was enough to provide the necessary cover, as she needed to find something more important.

The hovercraft was still overturned, with many crabs on top trying to cut through the hull.

[Invader!] The circuits on her forehead and her eyes sparkled. Nano raised her gauntlet like a conductor.

The vehicle evaporated into a metallic cloud and the cloud erected into a humanoid figure. When the cloud solidified, there was a giant combat robot, on top of its head was a wing symbol and its eyes lit up with a pale blue light.

At that time, Invader's synthesized voice could be heard, "Thank you, Nano, I knew you would salvage the wreckage."

The crabs began to climb up the legs of the robot, using their strong claws, which managed to damage the metal surface.

However, the robot was well equipped. Invader activated the thrusters located on its back and the soles of its feet, causing the machine to take off.

The crabs ended up falling off the robot, but the familiars did not give up, they started climbing over each other to reach the flying machine.

Invader aimed with the robot arms at the mound of creatures that was forming below her. Each of the forearms was equipped with a twenty-millimeter automatic cannon and the guns fired at a rate of five hundred rounds per minute.

The rounds shredded the crabs, causing whitish guts to stain the black water everywhere.

With the impending threat under control, Invader used one of her arms to provide fire support for the novices. With quick, accurate arm movements, the cannon fired a short burst at any new target it located.

With the situation favorable, Madre gave new orders, "Novices! Take care of the remainin' familiars, but keep an eye out for the corruption of yah gems! Those who are injured or can no longah fight, go ta the middle of the circle."

"You heard the sister," Matryoshka said, then raising her clenched fist, "we will fight for the Sisterhood!"

"URRAH!"

"That's right, fight for the Sisterhood." Taking advantage of the novices' commotion, Matryoshka sank into the black liquid without anyone noticing. И борись за меня.

Using her shields, Madre dealt with the familiars near her, as her gauntlet took on a red glow. Then she made a great jump, toward a flying shield already prepared for the occasion, its front facing toward the wall of black mud.

"IIIEEEEAAAAAAHHH!"

Madre punched the shield, releasing all the energy in the form of an explosive shockwave. The wave collapsed the wall as soon as it hit. The woman landed, already looking at what was behind it.

The lobster tails were connected to a head made of a whitish, soft flesh. The multiple hairy crustacean legs that typed were like the beard of the witch's face, which had three large frightened eyes, one with white sclera, another with blue sclera, and the last one with red sclera. The head and 'beard' retreated into an immense spiral shell, white with greenish and purple hues, with an astrolabe at its zenith.

At that moment there were four small red dots on the shell.

They were lasers pointers. Madre followed them with her eyes to their source: Invader's robot.

"On target." The girl announced in her synthetic voice, before firing one of the multiple rocket launchers attached to the shoulder of the machine. The explosions that followed were reminiscent of a war scene.

Nano yearned for the smoke to disperse to see the result of her creation.

However, when the witch's condition could be seen more clearly, the shell was intact.

Invader commanded the robot to aim with the other rocket launcher, but then something fell on it.

It was a crab.

She moved the robot arm to catch it, but another crab fell on its head, and more began to fall.

Eager to defend their mistress, the crabs acted quickly, attacking the launcher, crushing the ammunition with their claws, causing a tremendous explosion.

Invader felt the systems alerting her of the loss of the shoulder and arm. She struggled to stabilize the flight, its vision was also malfunctioning, at least the explosion had gotten rid of the familiars.

However, more crabs fell, now on the robot's back. Their sharp-tipped legs pierced the hull, as they climbed to attack the thruster. They sliced and crushed anything, until something exploded.

The robot turned into a fireball and fell, being consumed by the black liquid and its monsters.

"No!" Nano had no time to lament, for she was faced with an even more terrifying sight. The crabs were able to climb the walls and ceiling, and a swarm had arrived through the tunnel they had used earlier.

"The witch must have called the rest of her familiars in the labyrinth heah!" Madre remained firm. "Everyone, get ready!"

And the swarm fell on the Sisterhood like rain.

Madre intercepted what she could with her shields, but everyone had to fight for their lives against the overwhelming number of familiars.

The threats were not only coming from above. Crabs emerged from the black water and, noticing that the novices were not paying attention, sneaked up on them.

But then, Matryoshka emerged in the way. She extended her arms, spraying a gas at the creatures, before quickly submerging.

The crabs convulsed almost immediately, hitting each other with their claws.

The ruckus caught the attention of the novices. "Hey! Theah're more minions heah!"

"Leave it ta me!" A novice used her vacuum machine, sucking up the dark water and then aiming at the monsters and firing. The very high pressure jet cut through the crabs' carapace and flesh with ease.

On another flank, a novice was spinning her spiked ball with chain, managing to confront many minions at once. "Don't let them get too close!" At that moment, something scraped her arm. "Ouch!"

It was a large projectile, some kind of spear, and one more was flying towards her.

The novice dodged in time, but realized what a bad idea it was when she heard someone's cry of pain behind her. She looked to see who had been injured and discovered that the spear that had pierced the girl's hip was actually a crab leg.

The familiars were ripping off their own legs and hurling them. This was not a problem for the creatures, for where one leg was torn off, two or more would grow.

Fortunately, most of the projectiles did not hit their target. In one such case, Matyoshka emerged. Holding the crab leg, she examined it. "Что это такое?" Something caught her attention, causing her to bring her hand to one of the visors on her mask. With a little magic, she turned it into an optical microscope.

The novices' cries of pain were mingled with others' pleas to keep fighting and to use long-range magic.

Such desperate wails fell on Madre's ears. Even though she was busy fighting, she promptly generated more shields to assist the circle of girls.

This fraction of time was enough for the familiars to surround the woman.

Before the claws could get any closer, Madre made her armor glow red and released a shockwave around her, shattering and launching the creatures away. She obtained a moment of safety, she had the power to do so, power that others did not have. "Nano, back off!"

The child and her robots were shooting non-stop with their rifles, vaporizing the crustaceans coming from all sides. "I still have to check on Invader. I need to rescue her!"

"Theah's no way now! Join the novices!" Madre tried to get closer to the magical girl, but more crabs fell in the way.

Ignoring the pleas, Nano pointed her futuristic glove in the direction where the robot had sunk.

"NAANOOO!"

"Huh?!" Nano attempted to look at Madre, but felt a tug. She flew back a short distance, very confused at what was happening. Confusion turned to shock as she saw herself, being captured by the claws of many crabs, a sudden swarm that had overcome the firepower of her weapons. She saw the child's expression of terror as the rabid creatures vied for a piece of each limb. However, when the torso was crushed, the child exploded, as if it were one of her robots.

"They think they got you."

Hearing that whisper in her ear, Nano understood everything and looked at the ballerina next to her, opening a big smile.

Invader, unfortunately, had no time to reciprocate. " Madre! NOW!"

The woman in armor conjured a tower shield, which she left floating horizontally, aimed at the mass of minions. She punched with both gauntlets, releasing a wide shockwave, obliterating them all.

Nano saw that Invader's long sleeve was tangled on her abdomen.

The ballerina proceeded to remove it. "I apologize for letting them destroy your robot. I didn't pay attention arou-"

"The important thing is that you're okay!" The child held the other girl's hand.

Paralyzed momentarily, Invader then nodded and the two looked at what Madre was doing.

The woman had created a new shield, round with a spiked center, this time aimed at the witch. She threw a punch, and the shield reverberated with concentrated power. The blow broke the astrolabe at the top of the shell, and demolished the wall behind the witch, but did little against the shell itself, only a slight displacement.

Madre sighed in frustration. "I... I need to get closer."

"You don't have to! I can disintegrate her from here." Nano extended her arm with the gauntlet, with a cloud of nano machines enveloping it to form her Nano Force Gun. "I just need a bit of time and space."

"I can do." Invader spotted new crabs that were approaching. She took a high leap and whirled in the air at great speed, while her sleeves gained length.

The familiars were whipped by the attack. Eyes and limbs were gouged out, the carapaces were cut and cracked, it was not enough to kill the creatures at once, but it kept them incapacitated and distracted.

And Invader continued with the relentless assault of her sleeves as she landed, now with the support of Madre's shields.

Meanwhile, Nano was stabilizing the energy flux of her cannon. "Stay away from the line of fire! Let's end this." Her huge gun vibrated and released a flash of light.

Madre this time managed to follow the projectile that had been launched, a shapeless mass of intense green glow, flying straight at its target.

Suddenly, one of the lobster tails pushed the giant cylinder, generating a new black tsunami. The projectile hit the wave, consuming part of it and losing all energy in the process.

To Nano's dismay. "No, no..."

Madre's gem glowed brightly as she raised her arm. An extensive wall of shields appeared and held back the wave. With her job done, she undid the wall and took a deep breath.

The witch remained motionless, protected in her shell.

Trembling with rage, Nano aimed her cannon. "There's more where that one came from!"

"Wait!" Invader landed next to her.

"Huh?!" The child had not understood why, but then she noticed what the ballerina was looking at. The soul gem attached to the cannon was more black than white.

"If you fire again..." Invader put her hand on the cannon. "We don't know."

Nano gulped and lowered her gun.

"The numbah of familiars is reducin'," Madre announced to the two sisters, "but the gems of our novices must already be at their limit. Go help them! I still have the strength ta deal with this witch myself."

"We're counting on you." After answering, Invader patted the shoulder pad of Nano's armor. "Let's go."

"Uh-huh..." Still crestfallen, the child reformed her cannon into a rifle.

At that time, a novice was striking a crab with her foil. The weapon, which once pierced the shell with ease, became bent. "What?"

A spiked ball with chain fell on the monster, crushing it. The novice, owner of that weapon, shouted, "Ya're out of magic, go ta the middle of the circle!"

"But ya're wounded." The novice with the broken weapon looked at the other, who had a bloodied arm.

"As long as my gem is glowin', I can handle it." The novice pulled the spiked ball with her arm that was still good. "GO!"

The novice with foil retreated to the middle of the circle as three new crabs emerged from the dark liquid.

The novice who still remained to fight gritted her teeth.

Something is wrong. I've blocked out the pain, but my arm is stiff, swollen, I can't move it like before...

Suddenly, something emerged beside her. "Huh?! HAH!"

A person in a coat, hood, and mask. They were holding a metal vial, which they soon proceeded to hurl in the direction of the crabs. "Поймать."

One of the creatures caught the vial with its claw, crushing it. With that, a fiery explosion ensued. The crab monster swung its claw frantically, but the flames consumed its limb more intensely, followed by more explosions. The familiar then submerged and the flames were gone, but only for an instant, because in the next one a devastating explosion occurred, sweeping the other familiars away, leaving a carpet of fire in its wake.

The novice was astonished.

"That should buy us some time." Matryoshka held the novice's injured arm, "My pleasure, I'm your nice ally and you'll be my guinea pig."

"H-Hey!"

She ripped off the novice's uniform, revealing that her arm was infested with holes and shells.

The girl widened her eyes. "What's this bloody crap?"

Matryoshka replied, "The hair of these crustacean familiars contains thousands of tiny eggs. They attach themselves to open wounds, hatch and proliferate."

"Ok! Okay! What're ya gonna do?" The novice kept looking at her arm and it looked worse by the second.

Matryoshka pressed on a few places on her coat. "I'll use an acid and see what happens."

"No, fuck! Ya'll dissolve my arm!"

"And...? That can be healed, but not while you have those parasites." She pointed the cannulas under wrist toward the cockles. "Now keep your arm still and turn your face away if you want to still have your eyes and lungs."

The novice obeyed, even closed her eyes.

Matryoshka carefully turned one of the handles on her shoulder, causing jets of a clear liquid to pour out of the cannulas. When the liquid hit the girl's arm, it immediately formed vapors and the skin seemed to melt with the reaction. The cockles shuddered, some receding into the flesh.

The novice grimaced.

"Block out the pain, didn't they teach you?" Matryoshka continued with the macabre work, until she saw shells fall out. She shook off the vapor with her hand to get a better look at the result.

The arm now had a deep wound, to the point that part of the bone could be seen. The muscle was crawling with cockles, some dead, but many still moving. Tiny cockles were burrowing into the flesh, looking for a hiding place. Since the shoulder was also in this state, it was certain that the parasites were already in other parts of the girl's body.

The novice asked, "So what, did it work?"

"Yes... The acid kills them," Matryoshka instructed, "repair your uniform to cover the wound and continue to block the pain for now."

"Help me! It's spreadin'!"

Matryoshka looked at who was calling out.

It was a novice who was unable to stand, her thigh deformed and swollen with parasites.

With a horrifying theory already in mind, the masked magical girl hurried over to her. "Novices! Get your friend out of the black water, it's accelerating the infestation!"

A crab emerged.

Matryoshka heard the sound, but did not have time even to turn around before she was caught by the monster's claw.

"Shit!" The novice launched her spiked ball, but the familiar blocked the attack with its other claw, easily. Other novices tried to attempt a reaction, but there were only wounded and sick.

The claw slowly crushed Matryoshka, her bones cracking, her flesh bursting. Suddenly, a bigger burst, the mask's visors turned red, and the tubes that connected up to the mouth were filled with blood.

To the absolute dread of the helpless audience. "KKKYYAAAAAHHHH!"

Including Nano. "Oh my God... MATRYOSHKA!"

"We have to reach them, now!" Invader said, but the two were fighting familiars on the way.

Focused on the witch, Madre punched repeatedly against one of her shields.

The generated shock waves hit the giant cylinder squarely, completely displacing it, as well as breaking it into many parts.

"That should do, now I can get closah." She then heard the screams and turned around.

The familiars had managed to break the circle of novices. A crab was pulling and crushing the leg of a magical girl, while others struggled against the creature, more with desperation than strength. Many were crying, their bodies deformed by parasites. A picture of hell. Even though Nano and Invader were about to arrive to help, it was too late.

"No, God, don't let that happen..." Madre clenched her fists and felt a flash of red on her left gauntlet. She opened her hand and saw her red rosary.

The time of redemption has come.

The woman threw the rosary up in the air and toward the novices. In midair, the religious object expanded to gigantic proportions. When it fell, it was able to envelop the entire area where the novices were fighting.

Invader and Nano noticed that. "Huh? There's something around us."

Madre fell to her knees, the black water hitting her chest. She closed her eyes, joined hands, and her gem on the tip of her crown began to glow.

At the same time, the rosary beads glowed. The red light was intense enough to penetrate the turbidity of the liquid. With that, the familiars froze and began to evaporate into a black mist. The girls also froze, but because they were surprised at what was happening, for even the cockles that had been spreading over their bodies disappeared, leaving only the countless open wounds.

The witch came out of her shell, attracted by the intense magic. She extended her dozens of limbs to attack the source. The crustacean legs gained more length and joints, snaking through the air more like tentacles.

The shield on Madre's back detached itself from her and floated some distance away. Then, in an instantaneous act, the shield became humongous and its surface glowed red.

When the witch's limbs touched the surface of the shield, they were filled with red energy and burst along its lengths in a chain reaction. The witch shrieked in agony.

Meanwhile, the other side of the shield cast a large shadow over the girls. Despite the apparent oppression of the darkness, it brought a comforting warmth. The novices' terrible wounds were healed, even their clothes and weapons were restored.

New familiars appeared, but none dared to cross the wall of red light generated by the rosary.

Nano witnessed all that without blinking her eyes, nor closing her mouth. "I-Incredible, she's incredible! She saved everyone."

"No, look." Invader pointed at Madre.

Nano looked at the woman, but could not see her, only a purely black silhouette, with a crown with an intense red point of light.

"If the light from her gem goes out, it'll be all over," Invader explained, "she's still counting on us to put an end to it."

"But..." Nano looked at her own blackened gem in the gauntlet. "Even if we're all healed, we don't have the magic to destroy the shell and kill the witch."

"I think I can do it."

"Huh?" The child looked at the ballerina, who seemed determined.

"That witch looks harmless from behind, I can get there without being noticed."

"I think it's dangerous." Nano frowned. "And you think you can kill it with your sleeves?"

"Other than the shell, the witch's body is soft and fragile. If I can find an opening..." Invader looked at the object being offered, a dark gray box with some thin stripes that emitted a bluish light.

"Here, I've re-engineered my rifle's battery to be a plasma bomb." Nano passed the instructions coolly. "Press here and you'll have ten seconds, more or less. The explosion... should be big, so you have to get away fast."

Invader took the box carefully and scrutinized the child's face.

She had her lips pressed together, to hold back certain words and emotions. "Good luck, sister."

"Good luck to us," the ballerina replied, just as coolly, turning her head, looking at the objective. There comes a time when hardening is the answer to the burden.

"YUUUHHUUU~, giiirls!"

Invader widened her eyes. "That voice..."

Nano turned to see. "It's her."

At the entrance of the tunnel, there was a magical girl dressed as a bunny, waving. "I finally found someone."

"I've never been so happy to see her," Nano commented, but then noticed that the familiar that were outside the area surrounded by the walls of light had submerged. "LUCKY! WATCH OUT!"

The bunny aimed one of her fluffy revolvers at the dark water and fired wildly at an absurd speed, moving her arm so fast that it generated blur. It did not last more than two seconds.

After the shooting stopped, Nano was still trying to understand what had happened, when multiple explosions occurred in the water at almost the same time.

The novices cried out in fright, and some stooped down and put their hands on their heads.

When the black liquid began to settle, pieces of crustaceans appeared floating on its surface.

Lucky spun her revolver and gave a wink. "Depth charges, no woman should leave home without."

"Right..." Nano smiled and gestured. "Come here, it's safe for us."

"I see." Lucky looked at the wounded witch and the shadowy figure that was praying near a giant shield. "But I've anothah idea." She brought one of the revolvers close to her mouth, so that the pair of ears on the gun could hear her whispers.

Bullet: Cancellation

Then she did the same with the other revolver.

Bullet: Time Lock

Duration: Five minutes

Area: Enabled

Shape: Elliptical

Size: Helluva big!

Invader narrowed her gaze, expressing her concern so that Nano could hear. "What's she going to do?"

Lucky pointed one of her guns at the shadowy figure and pulled the trigger.

The shot was accurate and the darkness enveloping Madre dissipated as she was stunned by the impact. The giant shield returned to its original size, falling and sinking into the water. The walls of light that protected the girls were also gone.

"Lucky! What..." Nano's eyes widened as she saw Lucky pointing one of the revolvers at her. The child heard the shot and the bullet glancing off her chest armor. "STOP! WHAT ARE YO-"

With the silence, Lucky lowered her gun, satisfied.

Nano was with her mouth open. Invader had her eyebrows raised, in a pose that indicated she was ready to act. Madre did not even know what and who had hit her yet. The novices were huddled together. They were all like statues.

In the meantime, the witch regenerated her limbs, growing two or more where she had lost one.

"Now it's just ya 'n me," Lucky announced to the monster, "it's been a while since I've played with a witch, so let's make it all worthwhile." She brought both weapons close to her mouth and whispered.

Bullet: High Explosive

She then slammed one revolver barrel against the other, again and again. "Zing! Zing! ZING!" Until the barrels continuously spun at great speed. She aimed at the witch's large mass of crustacean legs and held down the triggers. The guns opened fire as if they were miniguns.

The innumerous bullets blew the witch's limbs off, drawing all her attention to her new assailant.

"YYYEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHAAAAWWWWW!" Lucky kept the triggers pulled as the flashes of the shots reflected on the teeth of her smile.

Despite the massive firepower, some of the witch's hairy legs managed to get through the barrage of bullets, launching themselves against the shooter.

Super strength, super speed, super regeneration; Lucky had shot herself many times, ready for the occasion. The magical girl dodged the limbs, basically disappearing and reappearing somewhere else in the blink of an eye, without interrupting the shooting.

The writhing mass of legs was receding, the blasts of bullets coming close to the witch's body.

"Slow, too slow!" Lucky scoffed.

Suddenly, a leg emerged from the black liquid and thrust for an impaling attack.

Even though surprised, Lucky managed to reposition herself in time. "Still slo-"

Another leg emerged, now much closer.

Lucky moved at great speed, but it was not enough, and the sharp end of the crustacean leg went through the left side of her torso. Her shoulder burst, her body and arm flew off in different directions. The bunny's lifeless eyes seemed to be watching her own transparent soul gem shattering in midair, while, like prisms, the tiny fragments of the gem refracted the colors of the rainbow.

Everything was happening slowly, and more, and more, slowly, until, everything stopped.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Entropy and time are correlated. It is not possible to have a sense of time without entropy. Entropy grows, the future arises.

It is as if the universe were a great clock, in search of the perfect measurement. The celestial bodies like cogs floating in an infinity of chaos and uncertainty.

The solar system is no different, with its many hands, but for the moment it stands still. The star, the planets, the moons, the asteroids, and every speck of dust, waiting for the conductor's baton.

However, the one who gets on stage mocks, and mocks because they have the power to do so. A power that overcomes entropy.

And so, the heavens begin to move in the opposite direction.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

Madoka was standing still, not because she belonged in that universe, but out of concern. She stood at her bedroom window, watching her father in the garden with a watering can in hand. The water droplets were leaving the soil and the plants, forming neat lines in the air as they entered the holes in the watering can and filled it.

／人 ◕‿‿◕ 人＼

The fragments returned to the gem, attaching to their respective original places. Lucky's body and arm flew into each other, completing their union with her shoulder. The sharp crustacean leg retreated, leaving the left side of her torso intact.

And then everything stopped once again.

The gem continued to refract light and the colors of the rainbow enveloped the girl's body. She was then moved a little further to the side, just enough to stay out of harm's way.

The question is: If the universe is editable, is there then a creator? Or is the universe the creature and the creator itself? Or does magic itself have its own will? Nobody knows, not you, not even me.

Yet humanity takes advantage of what it does not understand. I must honor this legacy, one last time.

And so...

"WHOA!" Lucky felt the witch's leg pass close to her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" She stopped shooting and jumped backwards to a safer distance. "That was too close! My luck decided to take a vacation today."

The witch kept regenerating more limbs, faster than before.

"Ya're persistent..." Out of the corner of her eye, Lucky noticed something important. Her gem in the shape of a rabbit's foot, once transparent, now had a dark opaque hue.

Huh? When have I used so much magic that my gem looks like this?

"Okay, let's spice up our relationship." Lucky brought her guns close to her mouth to whisper.

Supplement: Phosphorus

She aimed her revolvers and opened fire.

The witch's legs were again rained down by bullets, but now the explosions covered the wounds with a veil of fire, which not even the dark water could extinguish.

"I can smell the scent of cooked crab already." Lucky continued shooting, now against the water in front of her, just to be sure.

Unable to regenerate due to the constant burns, the witch retreated into the shell.

"Oh, ya think ya're safe theah?" After saying this, Lucky then whispered in the ear of one of her revolvers.

Bullet: Kinetic

Velocity: Relativistic

She aimed at the shell and gave a wink. "Sayonara!" As soon as she pulled the trigger, the image of the exploding shell was briefly distorted by the massive energy released by the shot.

With her ears still ringing, she spun her revolvers. "Lucky wins! Flawless Victory. Fatality..." She looked around, at the barrier that was not dissipating. "...or not?"

With the dust from the explosion settling, it was possible to see the witch's head inside the broken shell. It was like a volcano of soft flesh, pulsating a thick, white liquid.

Lucky raised her eyebrows. "I've ta admit that ya're tough ta kill."

"Are you having fun?"

And Lucky raised her eyebrows even higher when she heard the man's voice. She turned around.

Inquisitor was not smiling, not a very friendly face, but it seemed calm.

She decided smile. "Yeah, it de-stressed me a bit."

"What happened to them?" He made a mention with his head.

Lucky looked at the group of paralyzed magical girls. "Oh, well... I dunno. It looks like the witch has cast a spell against them as a way ta defend herself. Why dontcha go ovah theah 'nd check it out while I finish the job heah?"

"That's what I'll do." Inquisitor walked toward the group. "Excuse me."

Seeing the man's back, Lucky continued to smile, but with a more mischievous look. She knew that if he entered the spell area, he too would freeze in time. However, there was a odd feeling. Something told her that it was being easy, too easy to fool a man like him. She looked for a detail that had gone unnoticed, and she found it or, rather, she did not. Where is his cross?

A silver wire emerged from the water behind her and darted out. "Ah?!" It wrapped around her body almost instantly, and firmly, pinning her arms against her torso. Lucky tried to use force to snatch the wire, but it was as if it had an intelligence of its own, responding to the effort with a tighter grip.

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

Lucky paid attention to the man again. He was still with his back towards her, but now he had conjured in his hand a silver stake. Meanwhile, the wire wrapped around her body was getting hot, to the point where it was starting to feel uncomfortable to the skin.

Inquisitor turned around. "I have explored this barrier and met its dangers long enough to know that there is nothing related to time here. Whereas you... I know you are very creative, including your tongue."

"Yeah, yeah, that was me." Lucky sighed, as if frustrated. "But ya noticed their gems, right? They're in a bad spot, Madre was sacrificin' her life when I arrived. So I did it ta protect them while I was dealin' with the witch."

"Then why did you lie?"

"A silly little lie, that doesn't hurt anyone!" She shook her head, then asked, "Would ya have believed me if I had told ya the truth? Ya always see the worst side of things, ya need ta chill."

Inquisitor stated, "Or you lied to keep the grief seed all to yourself."

Lucky grimaced in disappointment. "That's what I'm talkin' about..." Just then, she noticed a movement in the water, making her eyes widen. "Inquisitor, LOOK OUT!"

The man hesitated for a moment, considering it to be a trick, before turning around. A crab leg emerged from the water and attacked him. Inquisitor dodged, but was still grazed in the arm. Without expressing any pain, he made the tip of his stake turn incandescent, emitting a strong glow, then retaliated, slicing through the leg's exoskeleton like it was nothing, causing an explosion of flames.

"The witch is still alive, release me." Lucky tried to aim with her revolvers, but with her arms restrained that was impossible.

With the lifeless remains of the leg sinking into the black liquid, Inquisitor checked the cut on his arm. Since there was no pain, he could feel something else. Without a second thought, he tore the fabric from his sleeve.

Making Lucky curious. "What's it?"

He used his fingers to pull and open the wound, then he saw something swimming in the blood and small shells forming in the flesh, and holes appearing in the skin.

"Poison?" Lucky asked, "release me, I can cure ya, I just-"

Inquisitor held out his injured arm. "AAAHH!" And his limb spontaneously combusted.

Lucky was flabbergasted.

With tongues of fire still carbonizing his flesh, Inquisitor looked at the witch, a gaze of judgment. "Che le fiamme della Gehenna consumino la tua perfida esistenza."

The witch shrieked as a column of fire fell upon her. The flames were pure white from how intense they were.

Feeling her skin dry and burn even at that distance, Lucky feared for her life and dove into the water.

Inquisitor closed his eyes and let himself be engulfed by the light.

Holding her breath, Lucky felt a sudden brightness through her eyelids. She did not want to risk too much, opening only one eye. The first thing she saw was a bed, then she rolled over on the cold floor to see the concrete ceiling and fluorescent lights, only then she went looking for the man.

Inquisitor walked toward a grief seed on the dormitory floor. He picked up the precious testament of despair, muttering, "Now we have four..." Then he turned around.

The bunny magical girl gulped. He was in a terrible state, his skin red with blisters, the flames on his arm had extinguished, but only because they had burned almost everything, leaving only a few black strips of charred flesh and the bones. To her surprise, the wires binding her had evaporated.

A silver cross formed on Inquisitor's belt. "Stand up, sister."

Lucky obeyed promptly, even more so since it would be easier to run away in case she received the same treatment as the witch.

"Let that stand as a warning." His gaze became intense. "If I again see you 'having fun' with a witch, I will incinerate you, from inside out."

"Got it." Lucky put the revolvers back in their holsters. If he sees me.

With a more tired countenance, he asked, "Now release th-"

"-U DOOIiinnngg..." Nano looked around, stupefied.

"We're in the novice's dormitory," Invader commented, "the witch was close to reaching the surface."

"Hi people!" Lucky waved with both hands. "Me 'n Inquisitor defeated the witch. Dontcha think we make the best couple?"

Inquisitor rolled his eyes. At that very moment, a supernatural shadow began to cover his body, and only his body. Somewhat surprised, he witnessed his destroyed arm being restored at a rapid pace, including his uniform. He stopped blocking out the pain, but felt nothing as he looked at the source of that magic.

Madre exchanged glances with him, she was holding her hands together, her lips moving slightly, uttering words for God to hear. Even with a few spots, the gem in her crown still had a visible glow in the lit room.

The shadow left the man's body and he tossed the seed to her.

Madre caught it.

"They need you," Inquisitor said.

"Madre, we have someone fallen heah!"

It was one of the novices that had announced, they were surrounding Matryoshka, lying on the floor. The visors of the mask were bathed in blood, as were the tubes connected to her mouth.

Another novice spoke up, "We tried ta wake her, but she won't move. I think she's dead."

A novice disagreed, "No! We didn't find her broken soul gem."

Lucky smiled as she stroked one of her rabbit ears. "No one knows wheah Matryoshka keeps her gem, but if it had broken, her uniform would be gone."

Madre pondered aloud, "That's if that uniform is her magical girl's outfit."

"Stand back." Inquisitor came close. "I'll cremate the body and we'll see if we can find her gem in the ashes."

Matryoshka rose, sitting on the floor. "Uhhh... I had a weird dream where my stomach was passing through my throat. Where's the witch? Oh, I can't see anything."

Nano sighed in relief. "You scared us."

Invader agreed, nodding, "Good to see you're alive."

"Yes." Inquisitor crossed his arms, not so happy. [Why this act? Did you want to hear some crucial information while you were 'dead'?]

Matryoshka put her hand on her mask, wiping the visors and tubes with green magic. [Maybe I wanted to hear how much you care about me.]

The man frowned.

Lucky noticed that two new people had arrived through the tunnel. "Look! It's Generalíssima and Re... vah..."

Generalíssima was no longer wearing her magical girl attire, while Revenant carried an unrecognizable body that looked as if it had been through a grinder. There was blood everywhere.

Invader and Nano's eyes widened, Madre brought her hand to her mouth. A brief commotion broke out among the novices, many turned their faces away, and some became ill.

Lucky ran until she stood in front of Revenant. "What happened?"

Generalíssima remained silent, turning her face away.

Revenant saw that out of the corner of her eye, understanding the responsibility she had to fulfill.

Lucky looked at that body and then returned to exchange glances with her friend. "Who..."

However, Revenant could not accomplish that, not with words. Still, she felt regret for every little fold of skin that was forming on the bunny's face.

With trembling lips, and tears welling up in her eyes, Lucky asked, "Wheah's Valk?"

This was too much, the reality could not be postponed, it was absolute. Revenant pressed her lips together as tears streamed down her face, tears she could not even imagine having yet.

"No, no..." Lucky held her rabbit ears, pulling them to the back of her head with force, and then collapsed to the floor. "NNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Revenant's whole body quivered, the day that she would see that smile broken had arrived.

Generalíssima closed her eyes tightly and crossed her arms, trying not to let her anger and frustration surface.

Inquisitor arrived, pushing Lucky with the sole of his boot. "Go cry in another corner!" He stopped in front of the leader, asking, "Who was the witch?"

Generalíssima stared at him, lifting her own chin. After a long breath, she replied with indifference, "I found out that was the shortest one."

The man nodded. "It was my suspicion, she seemed too calm."

"Valkyrie was duped and used by the enemy, which is why her life had been spared until now," Generalíssima explained, "at the time she separated from us, we didn't yet know that this new type of witch also hunts ordinary witches, for some reason. It was in one of these situations that our sister met this witch in disguise, gaining her trust."

Inquisitor furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "Okay, but how were you sure she was a witch?"

The woman said, "Well, there's her behavior and the stories she told, but what really gave her away was when I asked for her gem and she handed it over without blinking. Any magical girl, even those who don't know the truth, would think twice before handing over something that seems so unique and precious to a stranger, except if the jewel is a fake."

He nodded. "What about the other girl?"

"She wasn't a witch. She was killed."

"So let me get this straight." Inquisitor scratched his forehead. "When she was discovered, the witch revealed herself and killed this magical girl and a sister in front of you?"

"It was me," Revenant admitted, "it was me who killed Valkyrie."

Lucky stopped crying and widened her eyes at the black woman.

Revenant did not have the courage to exchange glances with her.

Inquisitor stood in front of her, narrowing his gaze.

Revenant lowered her head. "Valkyrie was severely injured 'nd her gem was at its limit. Ta prevent her from turnin' into a witch, I destroyed it."

"You did WHAT!?" The man vociferated.

Revenant felt his saliva hitting her face.

"As a sister, you know very well that we serve the Sisterhood in two ways. There are no excuses! Even more now, when we are in need of seeds."

Despite the warning, she tried her luck. "We already had anothah witch around, 'nd we didn't know how the othahs were doin'. Havin' ta deal with one more was dangerous."

"What do you mean dangerous!?" Inquisitor vociferated again, "Generalíssima was with you, wasn't she?"

Revenant darted a glance at him, certain of what she was about to state, "the othah witch had managed ta escape her."

Inquisitor stared at her for a moment longer, without saying anything, then he looked at Generalíssima.

The other woman remained silent, not even a reaction.

He returned his attention to Revenant and pointed at her, saying with a certain calmness. "You are no longer a sister."

She widened her eyes.

He continued, "You will never be again. Everyone will be recommended not to use the name 'Revenant' when addressing you. Pick up your belongings in your room and come back here to choose a bed."

"Stop, Inquisitor," Generalíssima intervened, "I, as the leader, want her to remain a sister."

The man once again stood in front of her, incredulous. "Are you going to leave her without punishment? This is not just for her." He came closer, his eyes wider, speaking slowly, each word at a time, "You have failed, and now this is the least you have to do to-"

Generalíssima tugged on his collar.

Inquisitor almost met her face, his gaze surprised at the woman's fury. Then one push and he was free.

"She killed an old friend, with her own hands. She's carrying her body, by the way." Generalíssima walked past him, bumping his shoulder. "Give her some slack!"

The man ran a hand over his collar, breathing again. He looked at Revenant, crestfallen, and at the body. Then he clenched his eyes, and his fists.

"How are you all doing?" Generalíssima asked the others, "Is everyone here?"

Even burdened with sadness, Madre had the strength to take the initiative in replying, "Yes, everyone is heah."

Generalíssima looked at the group of novices and then back at the woman with armor and shield.

Madre raised her eyebrows. "What is it?"

"Are you sure?"

Without arguing, Madre looked at the novices and went about pointing to each one, making a silent count between her lips. When she finished, she concluded, "Yes, they're all heah."

Generalíssima nodded. "Right."

Inquisitor went into the middle of the dormitory, announcing, "Today we had our first contact with the new kind of witch that is bedeviling the world and has forced us to hide here. Two magical girls were killed, one was a sister."

"Oh no..." Generalíssima huffed and asked, "What are you doing now?"

But he ignored her completely. "I ask you: about the visitors, did anyone notice anything different? It could be something magical or some peculiar, inhuman trait. Anyone?"

There was no response. Some girls just shook their heads.

The man lowered his gaze. "Yes, that's what I thought."

"Enough!" Generalíssima said in a firm voice, "what's the meaning of this?"

Inquisitor raised an eyebrow. "It seems you have already forgotten our current situation. I'm just collecting some clues."

"What are you..." Generalíssima had squinted, confused, but she soon widened her eyes with the realization. "No, you're not sayin-"

"I am." Inquisitor yelled for all to hear, "THE THIEF, THE TRAITOR, THE ONE WHO IS NOW IN THIS SAME ROOM WITH US, MAY BE A WITCH."

Women and girls, sisters and novices, the Sisterhood looked at each other.

To the point that no one noticed how much Generalíssima trembled, and how much her teeth gnashed.

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Next chapter: Conspirators