Out of a near infinity you have chosen me again, welcome back to those who are returning and glad to see you to any new arrivals. Sorry for delays been needing to push through bits of writers block, as well as dealing with family issues and bouts of depression. Parts of the story are still going to be reworked mind you but don't worry just a few editing changes and things to improve. Well, do worry if you don't like the story but why would you be here if you didn't?

Onto a review shall we?

Whwsms: glad to see you frequenting this story and yes… but just how formidable you are about to see. After all what is the purpose of song?

Now, let this tale of an infinity commence once more

Chapter 14

Inspired Despair

"Arisa!" Index shouted out tears forming in her eyes, a worried smile on her face as she looked at the girl who had stepped out of the hotel. Shutaura Sequenzia, or Megoi Arisa neither? Or both Index didn't know but she hoped that Arisa was in there. After all Arisa was Index's friend, so maybe she could bring her to her senses.

Celt Eislyn smiled softly at Index upon seeing the hope in her eyes. "Oh you poor doll, If you think that your friendship with Arisa will help you, you're wrong. After all, love is blind" she laughed like a chime in the wind as she prepared for her next attack

Index's expression dropped and she grit her teeth 'She's right The only way for us to break Arisa free from Celt's hold is if she fell for one of us. And as much as it annoys me, only Touma would have that chance.'

Misaka glared fury evident in her eyes "What the hell did you do to Arisa!?" she shouted leaping forward firing bolts of electricity, before magnetizing a bunch of iron sand into a blade and swinging it at Celt, who deftly dodged each attack whilst humming a triumphant tune. Celt then grabbed Misaka's arm as she stumbled and coughed a small amount of blood out shocked.

Pulling Misaka towards her in a neck hold, Celt smiled slightly and spoke into Misaka's ear. "You are an esper aren't you, I'd recognize magic backlash after seeing Shutaura collapse from it."

Trying to pull herself away from Celt Misaka noticed the Amakusas, Itsuwa and Index heading towards them in order to aid. Misaka decided to try and distract Celt by responding "Yeah so? I'm still gonna beat your ass into the ground and fry you for using my friend Arisa"

Celt grinned and laughed before smirking. "Oh love, You can't and won't, cause you being an esper, means I can do this" just as Itsuwa got in close and the Amakusas had surrounded them. Celt spun Misaka around and grabbed her by the chest while holding her head before she could react.

Electricity was sent out in every direction striking the Amakusas and Itsuwa, Index was barely out of range and she was honestly glad for that as she wasn't sure she'd survive since she had no magic protection from it unlike the Amakusas. Itsuwa was sent hurtling back as her body instinctively reacted to the shock, same with Tatemiya and other members of the Amakusas who found themselves launched back by the blast.

Misaka and Celt were the only two in the blast radius who were completely unharmed and Misaka's face was marred in agony and when Celt released her she fell to her knees and coughed up spit and blood looking tearfully in confused anger at Celt. "You… you made my AIM go wild how!?"

Celt ducked down as Itsuwa launched herself back at her spear raised and sweeped her legs causing Itsuwa to tumble into Misaka who was just getting up a bit shaken. That sent the two of them into the brush nearby as Celt laughed "Oh you sweet girl, personal reality, or one's own reality is the world one creates themself, just as a writer creates a world in which they tell their stories. A poet creates a place for them to write their phrases, an artist makes a studio to paint their pictures. Or a singer songwriter makes an area in which they write the verses and notes. AIM is the same I inspire, I influence, I am a muse and no place on earth. No place is so full of people to inspire than this city where one's own world is the very source of power!" Celt laughed, danced and spun as she ranted.

Othinus from her position on Index's shoulder then spoke. "You admire academy city don't you? You don't hold anything against anyone here. you are only trying to protect the ones you hold dear aren't you?" she then nudged Index and pointed at Celt. Celt ducked back, lifting a leg and swinging it forward in a battle dance dodging the Amakusas attacks, and kicking one so they smacked into the other causing a domino effect.

"I do love this city, when I'm done and the Bane of all Fey has been slain. I wish to live here, I'll free Arisa as it would be wrong of me to keep her after killing the one she first had eyes for. But I think I'll find the one who's perfect for me here." She swung forward and bent, splaying her hands out grabbing the leg of Itsuwa as she swung her spear forward and pulling it causing her to trip. Then grabbing the hand of Misaka before pulling her forward causes her to lose balance with her iron sand blade, the dance-like motion allowing Celt to once more manipulate Misaka's AIM causing her to release an odd blue glowing sphere at Itsuwa. Misaka's eyes widened in realization as if she had had a eureka moment before she was flung into the side of the hotel blood bursting from her arms.

Itsuwa jumped aside just as the sphere hit where she was vanishing but leaving behind a melted crater in the asphalt. Misaka gaped and said "Wait, I can make plasma by Ionizing the air!? Oh, of course I can!" she grinned before focusing her electricity and creating another sphere directing it at celt, It however vanished the moment it left Misaka's electrical field not being able to sustain itself.

Hearing Misaka's shout and seeing her create the sphere, Celt's eyes widened a moment before she danced back and tapped her fist to her head "Te-he oops, It appears I gave you a bit of inspiration love. Be sure to thank me later" she winked before ducking beneath another attack

Index then spoke "ITFOCEADI (Invert the flow of Creativite Energy and disperse it)" causing Celt's eyes to go wide as the safe space in which she was from the contaminated mana suddenly vanished and the mana in the air began to separate from what it was mixed into Celt stumbled back and nearly fell, but Shutaura caught her her eyes now focused but staring at Celt. "Celt, Celt! Who did this to you!?"

Celt shook her head "don't worry about that love, just keep singing" Shutaura's eyes once more glazed over and her mouth began moving in song, Index still unable to hear it due to the protection spell. Celt got up as blood leaked from her mouth and Index, the Amakusas, Itsuwa, and Misaka closed in.

"Give up, we don't want anymore bloodshed" Index spoke calmly glaring at Celt Eislyn

Celt glared and shouted "Liar! Don't you use those lies on me" she backed up as they closed in the remaining contaminated mana flowing into her. "Oh? What's that?" she smiled and Index's eyes widened as Celt appeared to grab thin air. "You're a cute girl young too I must say, but im sorry Im gonna have to use you"

Index's shouted as a form flickered into existence, "Hyouka!" and a then multiple of the Amakusas froze stars in their eyes much the same as they did during the incident at Winsdor Castle, a spark of electricity bounced off Misaka and Index blacked out for a split second only to see Itsuwa leap towards her and tackle her out of the way, just as a large beam of green energy flew past where she was moments prior, a writhing mass off black dust whipping around Celt, Shutarua and Kazakiri as celt smiled.

Kazakiri looked to be in pain, the position where she manifested directly in front of where Index was before as if to shield her. She look at index tears in her eyes as she spoke "I'm sorry Index, I… couldn't stay back and watch you get hurt" her words were full of regret as if she had made a mistake and Celt smiled softly holding Kazakiri before speaking

"Your the intersection of All AIM in this city aren't you? I apologize that this is my first impression on you Kazakiri love, but I really needed your help." Celt smiled and gestured as Misaka went to charge at her.

A wall of an odd white material burst from below Celt and Kazakiri and intercepted Misaka who leaped back before hitting it but then stumbled and fell holding her head in agony.

Celt then continued "which means using you, I can access every esper ability in the city." Index got up to charge but felt an immense weight suddenly fall on her shoulders and fell to the ground.

She saw Misaka's eyes wide and her mouth quivering as she stared at Celt who had surrounded herself, Shutaura, and Kazakiri in that white material using it to make a large white replica of herself before for large vortexes of wind burst from it's back much like a certain Albino and it knelt down aiming it's fist towards the ground. And punching launching itself up in a burst of multicolored smoke Misaka in a panic pulled out one of her coins despite the pain and launched a railgun at it, only for it to be deflected and destroy a dumpster in an alley. Upon seeing her attack get deflected so familiarly Misaka fell backwards, clutching her head and began shaking uncontrollably vomiting while sweat poured down her face muttering. "It… was just like him, just like him when he butchered them."

Index got up as the weight vanished and saw the Amakusas and Itsuwa gathering themselves, those who had frozen shaking their heads and Itsuwa stumbling. She looked up to see if she could catch sight of where Celt had fled, but she was gone. She had gotten away, and they had failed.

Othinus spoke up from Index's shoulder "Well, we should head back to the hospital quickly, unless we want to come back to the dead body of that Human."

Outside an abandoned laboratory in which lies rows upon rows of incubation pods that once were used in part of an experiment to allow the strongest esper to reach greater large Dark Matter replica of Celt Eislyn lands and crumbles apart the white substance fading from existence.

Celt collapses to her knees still holding onto Kazakiri who seems to have fallen unconscious. Shutaura Sequenzia lies sleeping beside her, the events of the day having exhausted them both. Celt slowly stood up and carried both Kazakiri and Shutaura inside the building, before falling onto her rear leaning against a wall breathing heavily.

A figure approached from the dark hall of the lab, their blond-gold hair flowing behind them reaching to their waist. Their face was obscured by the darkness and blurred by Celt's own exhaustion.

"I see you've made it Celt, I was worried for a moment you'd have fallen." spoke the figure in a calm yet masculine tone.

Celt smiled "Oh hush, I will admit it was a bit closer than I liked, but I got something out of it. The info you've provided us has been very useful, but I'm confused. Are you sure they are as you say? They never once seemed to have any desire to kill me"

The figure put a finger up to their narrow chin and appeared to think a moment before speaking. "I'd wager it might be that only the Index and the Bane of Fey himself know of their crusade to eliminate all supernatural entities from the world. But you must still be careful, I hear all of them were won to Bane's side merely through his words, whatever you do. If you meet him don't listen to a word he says. All of it is merely to bring your guard down. He acts dumb, but he knows how to play on the emotions of others. And he's an expert in the long game, he'll feing friendliness just to further his own goals but the moment you are of no benefit, he'll cut you off." The figure leaned forward, their hair falling in front of their face. "Strike quick and without mercy, for he will show none to you."

Celt took a shaky breath "Thank you, you've been our trusted advisor since you found me after I had lost the artist who's soul called me here. We'd be fools to not trust you."

The figure stood up and smiled "You flatter me, but I know you play for the other team. I must go for now but I do have a bit of info for you. Muireann has betrayed us. I'd suggest eliminating her quickly" the figure then turned and walked off two spears strapped to their back, a long yellow spear, and another made of Ivory.