Author Notes:
The following concepts that are to be used in this chapter are credited to the following:
1.) ArmoredCoreNineBall
2.) MagicalGeek
Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 9
OP Song:
Adele - Skyfall (Lyric Video)
Insert Song: Start
Kakero! Spider Man Toei Theme with English Lyrics
Three Days.
That was a significant time for Misaki Shokuhou to recall from her own universe—ACMI Universe-511. It was one of happiness and sadness; reminiscence and depression. The problem with her love life was quite the complicated endeavor based on the principle of memory loss that continues to become a weary cycle of rinse and repeat. Even when the darkness was dispelled for a bit, it wasn't enough. Even the miracle, however brief, had not to last.
What is a miracle?
An event that seems inexplicable by natural or scientific laws. Sometimes, it accordingly gets attributed to some supernatural or praeternatural cause. It seems to feel like one. A miracle that lasted for a duration of three specific days. And she spent it all without taking it for granted.
But then...
"Do you…still remember me?"
An unfortunate question was asked in a very softer tone; her throat feeling a bit too dry for her liking; her mind was blank and her heart was thumping within her chest at a thousand miles per hour, almost as if it were in danger of shattering into a million pieces; said heart that should have been so broken long ago.
She did not want to do this. But she knew she had to. Because sometimes it was the greatest mental power user who needed the strongest mind of all. But it doesn't made it any less difficult.
She recalled just finishing a simple story not too long ago:
"A long, long time ago, there was a single girl. This girl had a story. A story that would surely be told by others who respected her and of the impact ability she had on the world. For that alone, for anyone in the world, she would not be forgotten, but rather, respected and loved. For this and in the eyes of everyone else, she would have been happy. And looking at what she had, this girl knew she should have been happy. She had a story. She had weight. She had respect. She was loved. She should have been happy. But…it was not the case. Because what she wanted was not those small things. It was something else she was seeking, something less big and large. The only thing that she wanted was the restoration of a small connection, a connection that would not have mattered to that story. It would do nothing to the weight she had on the world, the respect she had or the amount she would have been loved. The only thing that she wanted only had weight to her and nothing else. But to her, having that one thing held more to her than that story. It meant more to her than any mark she might have had on the world. Because what she was looking for was not to be remembered by the world. But rather…just by one person. And that was the only story she wanted: not of her and how brilliant she was. But a story that involved the both of them. The story of Shokuhou Misaki…and Kamijou Touma. And for giving me that story…I truly want to thank you."
And then came the question.
"Do you…still remember me?"
Echoed even until now. And it brought a mixture of complicated feelings. How many times had she'd been burned by these memory losses? And then came the one thing that could be considered a miracle. And then...it did not last.
She was currently lifting herself off from the ground, dusting herself off, and grabbing hold of her bag that contains all of her remote controls that she could use to apply her powers and abilities. She looks back and forth and notices that she was in the middle of an abandoned highway. There were abandoned cars and trucks littered all over the place. Piles of smoke appeared to be rising through the atmosphere. Orange flames were seen. And there were cars that were tumbled over on each other.
She sweats from her own brow out of great concern as she acutely observes that she is in uncharted but enemy territory. This place was a battlefield. And a battlefield is not without its combatants. But where are they?
"Grrrr."
"?!"
Shokuhou looks back and forth, having heard of the sound that reminded her of a wolf's growl. She couldn't see anything except the clear open road filled with automobiles and trucks that lay there. She takes a few steps back and was touching the side of a red-colored car. From the corner of her eye, she spotted non-humanoid creatures coming out of their hiding places. Pitch-black, featureless shadows in the shape of wolves, with red eyes and jaws. Bone-like masks with yellow markings as well as bone-like spikes protruding from their arms, back, and knees.
Shokuhou was terrified. She would try to look in the other direction and make a run for it, only to find the same manner of creatures that were surrounding her. They had her completely surrounded. There was no way out. She can't escape. Her body was trembling as her hand made its way toward one of the remotes and pointed it toward the monsters.
"S-S-Stay back!" she said, raising her remote to the left and to the right.
But the wolves weren't intimidated. They would begin to charge headfast towards her location at a swift speed. Her life seemingly flashes before her eyes. She had only mere seconds to contemplate her very own life and how it lead to this. Especially noteworthy were the times when she would spend quality time with her beloved prince. If only...If only she could have reached for the whistle instead of the remote. But alas, such error was upon her.
"("...My Prince, I'm sorry...")" Shokuhou thought, as she was terrified at the prospect of getting ripped apart by the pack of wolves, her remote aching to pull the trigger as if hoping against hope that her powers and abilities would work against them.
But then suddenly...
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"?!"
She would see something fly from the skies and cut down the beasts in half. It was a circular shield, one that had a Chinese dragon logo. As it was coming straight for her, or rather to her side as if by chance, swerving with grace, and then was continuing to cut down many of the wolves before it returned to its owner.
"...?!"
Shokuhou's eyes would begin to widen in sheer length as she recognizes the person who was now carrying the iconic shield.
The person has black spiky hair that she would recognize anywhere. He would wear a blank white eye mask with a modified rectangle mirrored lens, a black hoodie jacket, an orange Chinese dragon logo that is centered around a black t-shirt, black active performance track pants, an orange utility belt and grey gloves, black socks, and black-white Shaq Attack basketball shoes. He also appeared to be wearing...a Judgment armband from the right side of his arm, much to her intrigue and surprise.
He has his shield on the ready from his left side, and his right hand was clenched, as if ready for battle, and his face was fully determined and grim, and there was also a hint of concern that is found in his jawline.
Shokuhou couldn't deny what she was seeing. In spite of his mask, there was no mistaking his appearance.
"...M-My Prince?"
She could see her prince running towards her, and she would spot a few stragglers hoping toward a few automobiles and raising their claws and trying to pounce him.
"L-Look out!" she exclaimed as she raised her left glove hand.
It was so sudden. One pouncing wolf would suddenly get knocked out in the other direction as her prince would use his shield to send said monster away. Another wolf comes towards him, only to be knocked over by the shield. It continous once, twice, and thrice, and so much more of the wolves seem to crawl out of the open, hitting from the left and the right.
Shokuhou was blinking in surprise. Her prince was fast, and the way he used his shield was quite the spectacle to behold, and the way he attempts to perform evasive maneuvers and succeeds, showed that he has done this plenty of times before. She would see him twist his body and raise his shield, aiming at the two wolves that were attempting to pounce on him. And then, he finally comes toward her, looking at her with concern.
"Come with me if you want to live," Touma Kamijou uttered as he raised his right hand towards Shokuhou, his face looking grim on the face of the battlefield that was unknown to her.
Shokuhou didn't seem to hesitate as she would grab his right hand, despite not knowing what was going on. All she knew was that her prince was here and that she needed to listen to what he said.
And thus, they would begin to turn tail and run.
Shokuhou would notice that her prince seems to be raising his left arm that was carrying the shield, and there appeared to be an advance-looking watch, sleek in design.
"Seria, do you copy?!" Kamijou exclaimed, looking worried as he glances from left to right as if scouting for any sign of the enemy.
"("Seria?!")" Shokuhou thought bewilderingly.
"Yeah, I read you, kouhai," the beauty-sempai that Shokuhou knew all too well would be heard from the chatter, although the tone seems to be much more serious than what she was used to. "And from what I can get from the cameras on the highway, it would appear that we have quite the complicated conundrum on our hands."
"Tell me something I don't know. I'm gonna need an automatic extraction here as I can't let this Misaki become a sitting duck when there are hundreds of Emotionless lying around this highway," Kamijou explained in a hurry.
"Eh?!" Shokuhou was shocked; to hear her first name said so casually when she of all people knew that it was downright impossible because of the fact that his memory of her is supposed to be erased.
"Unfortunately kouhai, something seems to be interfering with the systems. It would appear that some kind of temporal hemorrhage is blocking the signal for necessary transport on your end of the road. You're gonna need to find a way out of that area on your own," Kumokawa explained.
"Well that's just great," Kamijou muttered softly. Then he and Shokuhou would stop in their tracks as they would spot more of the atemporal abominations that were lying in wait for the kill. They were wolves and jellyfishes; the former growling while the latter was humming rather ominously. Kamijou sweats from his brow, expression turning grim. He turns toward Shokuhou was just afraid and confused as to what's going on, looking towards her prince for answers. "Misaki, I know that you're scared and confused right now, but I need you to trust me for now. Always stay behind me, understand?"
Shokuhou didn't hesitate for one second. In spite of her fear and confusion, she felt as if she was safe so long as her prince was here with her. Even then, she could not help but notice the fact that she was called by her very own first name, and in such a way that resounded a very deep history behind it.
"...Alright, my Prince," she slowly nodded. "I understand."
She placed her hands towards her prince's back as she would see electrical discharges being hurled toward them. Kamijou on the other hand would raise his mighty shield as he begins to parry the electrical bursts of current and send them in random directions. The wolves would then begin to charge headfast as they head towards them. Claws were raised as they would pounce, sharp teeth showing. Kamijou would make use of his shield to aim for the left and the right, sending the wolves flying through multiple directions as they were hit in the face and in the torso in succession.
And then, Kamijou would raise both of his hands, and then came out a straight blue colored line of energy that managed to vaporize the incoming wolves. And then came a continuous burst of energy spheres conjured up from both the hands that were discharging it, vaporizing many of the wolves and jellyfishes.
"Come on, let's go!" Kamijou exclaim, leading Shokuhou by the hand as they sprint fast. Then Kamijou would begin to suddenly pull Shokuhou towards him and carry her, much to her shock, embarrassment, and other mixture of feelings that bespoke of her nature as an ojou-sama and maiden.
"Wha- Wha- Wha-" Shokuhou couldn't help but softly mutter, her blush slightly present from her cheeks.
And thus, orange electrical discharges were seen from Kamijou's boots the more he sprints hard, and then, Kamijou would launch himself towards the air as they would fly straight towards a nearby safe zone. The flight from the highway was simple enough. Mach 1 speeds were initiated by Kamijou's shoes that were propelling like a rocket and would make Shokuhou's blond hair blow in the other direction. Shokuhou was holding on to dear life, trusting in her prince which was apparent in the way that she was holding him with both of her arms.
From the corner of her eye, she would spot several soldiers in white armor, some with blue markings and some with orange markings, firing discharges of lasers that seem to be firing at the speed of sound, taking down the dreaded abominations on the ground and were hovering on the air. And there appeared to be a couple of gunships that were providing them air support, firing green orbital lasers at pinpoint accuracy.
After a few short seconds, they would begin to make a landing at a checkpoint established by the local law enforcement of the city. Specifically, Judgment.
TM-170 armored carriers were on stand by, with turrets on the ready operated by a few Judgment officers that were firing specialized caliber rounds on the nearby Emotionless that were heading their way.
Kamijou would begin to gently put Shokuhou down as they head to pass the checkpoint. And what was waiting for them on the other side...
"...!"
...Was something that Misaki Shokuhou wasn't expecting at all.
The face that she was looking at was...her. The difference she suppose was that she was still wearing the summer uniform of Tokiwadai while she on the other hand was wearing her winter uniform. This other her seems to be wearing a specialized type of helmet accompanied by a headset and microphone; a military tactical headset. There was certain silence between the two of them for a few moments, the background of plasmic discharges and explosions were heard from the distance. She would turn towards Kamijou who only gave her a sympathetic expression and then turn towards the other Shokuhou.
"Misaki, I'll leave her to you for now. I need to go and help the others," Kamijou said.
"Of course, my Prince," Misaki Shokuhou (ACMI Universe-Prime) would say with a smile; one that was full of trust which made Misaki Shokuhou (ACMI Universe-511) raise an eyebrow of surprise and intrigue.
Shokuhou (511) was confused. She doesn't know what on earth is going on here. One minute, she was on a battlefield being chased by unfamiliar creatures. The next minute, she was seeing her Prince seemingly carrying an advanced type of weaponry on his person as he made use of them along with his circular shield against the monsters. She'd also noticed the fact that her Prince was wearing a Judgment armband from his right arm. Another minute, she would see what appeared to be a battle between the monsters and what appeared to be heavily armed individuals in white armor firing discharges of laser beams that were still heard from the distance. And then, she would see someone who seem to be the spitting image of her who seem to know about her Prince. Too much was happening all at once for her to process a bit; the words 'does not compute' would seem to comply with this situation as she barely comprehends it.
"("...Just...what on earth is going on?")" Shokuhou (511) thought in concern. She turned towards Kamijou who was giving her a sympathetic expression.
"I know that you're confused right now, um, Shokuhou-san, but..." Kamijou glances at Shokuhou (Prime). "...She'll be the one to explain everything to you. Right now, I have to go and help out my men who were busy fighting those monsters that you saw not that long ago. Well then..." Then Kamijou, after pacing himself a few meters, would suddenly blast off into the skies, with his mighty shield on the ready. After flying a few meters straight, he would dive down and head straight as he heads to the battlefield, leaving Shokuhou (511) bewildered and concerned.
Shokuhou (511) would look toward Shokuhou (Prime) who was only giving her an empathetic expression.
"I know what you're thinking, you're probably wondering as to what in the world is going on around here?" Shokuhou (Prime) said with an empathetic smile. "Well...it's a very long story, and it's one that we should probably talk about from somewhere that's not near the battlefield, don't you agree?"
"(Sigh). This is not looking good at all!" Seria Kumokawa—a young woman known for her attractive looks and known as the famous beauty-senpai, wearing a headset and microphone—exclaimed in exasperation, leaning back in her chair. She would wipe the sweat off her brow, stress seemingly apparent as she is worried about the predicament that they were now finding themselves in. "It's bad enough that we've been getting reports of people that we know from different worlds suddenly appearing out of nowhere throughout various parts of the city, and in some cases, even in the actual battlefield in the case of Nagamo Hajime, but now we are going to have to deal with alternative variants of ourselves! Just what the hell is actually going on here?!"
"(Sigh). That's honestly what we all want to know," Ayu Mitsuari—a young woman, an ojou-sama and student of Tokiwadai, wearing her summer uniform, and wearing a headset and microphone—sighed as she too notice the disturbing patterns that had been abruptly occurring throughout the city. The more intense ripple was in the highway that connects both District 7 and District 2. Civilians have thankfully never been harmed and have been evacuated. But the Emotionless were becoming numerous. Ripples seem to bring them forth and increase their number, and it was something to take note of.
"Ma'am," one of the technicians, wearing a scientist lab coat, would call for the two young women who took notice of the man walking towards them with an advanced datapad device, showing it to them. "We've analyzed the unnatural temporal faultline that seems to be concentrated throughout the highway. It seems that this phenomenon was deliberately staged, meaning we could be dealing with a potential threat that is trying to ensure the weakening of the barriers. The MTF tech boys are now doing everything they can to cauterize the wound and cut the Emotionless off from their production rate. Estimation time in about 5 minutes until the application of the procedure would commence."
"(Sigh). Good. That's one last thing that we need to worry about. Goddamit, to think that this would happen in our summer vacation of all things!" Kumokawa said, annoyed and concerned.
The sound of thunder was heard throughout the highway.
Electrical currents were seen around her head. Mikoto Misaka was raising her hands and launching a successive chain of lightning that would pierce through the wolf-like Emotionless, with the howling sound being heard, crying out in pain before being extinguished into mere nothing. Multiple 501st and 7th Sky Corps clone troopers were seen to provide her with a proper amount of cover fire from all directions, their shouts becoming apparent from the background.
She aimed her lightning towards another group of Emotionless, the sound of a zap being heard, hitting the ground which causes a mini-shockwave that incapacitated many of the wolves, allowing for the clones to finish the job.
She would summon iron sand-like swords from the ground, forming spikes by stomping the ground with her feet, striking many of the wolves down with ease before the blackish substance disappeared from mere nothingness.
"Look, it's the general!" one of the clone troopers shouted.
Misaka would look to the sky and see Touma Kamijou firing a barrage of energy beams that managed to hit the targets that were hovering in the air. And then, he would make a landing by performing a spinning kick that sends a wolf crashing nearby to the side of a delivery truck, breaking its back. After twisting, he would begin to aim his repulsors straight ahead, then back and forth in multiple directions before taking flight once more.
Misaka would smirk. "Always on the move, Kamijou-san." And then, she would take something out of her pocket. A couple of coins would be flicked one by one, firing a straight line at a speed of sound of three times, hitting through multiple targets at once, clearing the area immediately of any hostiles, and allowing the men to move forward.
Hajime Nagumo was hovering from the skies, merely standing tall and was aiming his two guns towards the ground. And he was providing cover fire for Kakeru Kamisato who was slashing at many of the Banana Emotionless, the name sounding exactly as they are described in physical appearance, trying to fight with their swords, spears, and shield. Twisting and turning, Kamisato would slash at the enemy through the head, torso, and other body parts, killing the Emotionless instantly.
From the background, there was Shizuku Yaegashi was using her double-edged katana to parry and cut down multiple numbers of Wolf and Banana Emotionless; dodging the former's pouncing and the latter's spears and arrows that were thrown toward her. Kaori Shirasaki was seen using her sword to perform multiple slashes towards the wolves, slashing them in mere halves. 501st Legion and 7th Sky Corps clones were providing them with cover fire, with some materializing energy swords to cut the enemy down.
Multiple explosions were heard as Yue fires beams of pure blackish light that materialized side by side, fired one after another as many of the Emotionless throughout various specific points of the highway were decimated, allowing for the clone troopers to move forward and take advantage of the checkpoints. Shea Haulia would use her ultra-weight warhammer to smash through the shields of the Banana Emotionless, sending them flying through multiple directions. Tio Klarus was seen firing pure magic beams based on a couple of magic spells, performing the equivalent of aerial bombardment on the Emotionless, decimating many of their numbers.
Suddenly, there was Kamijou who was diving headfast, using right hand to negate every Emotionless that he touched, with the sound of shattering glass heard in echoes which were also heard by the girls in Hajime's party as they all look at Kamijou in surprise.
Hajime Nagamo in turn was smiling as he finally sees the person who in his own secret opinion – was a true genuine hero.
Touma Kamijou crashes through a couple of Banana Emotionless, knocking them off with the mighty shield that he pressed to his left arm in order to ease the impact of his landing. Then he begins to flip back and fire a set of repulsor rays on multiple Banana Emotionless, vaporizing them. A teleportation function was automatically activated, linked to his inner thoughts. He teleports from one random location to another in succession. A slash here, a repulsor ray there, and everywhere he went, hundreds and hundreds of Emotionless were thoroughly decimated. The last teleportation stop was right in front of Yue who was taken aback by the spiky-haired man who was already cupping both of his hands which then fired a large burst of repulsor rays on many of the Emotionless, decimating their numbers to zero.
Kamijou would begin to stand tall as he looks at his surroundings from left to right. No sign of any Emotionless. And then, he would glance at Yue who couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated at his gaze, as if they were much older than even her. And yet, she also felt what appeared to be gentleness and kindness, a warmth that was shown to be accompanied by a smile.
"You alright?" Kamijou asked.
"...Y...Yes," Yue nodded.
"Touma-san!"
"?!" Kamijou would look above and spot Hajime Nagamo dropping to the ground with a smile. He would blink in slight surprise, his eyes narrowing in concern as he recognize the individual, but duly took note that he was a lot taller than the last time he saw him. "Hajime-san? What...What happened to you?"
"Long story," Hajime smiled sympathetically.
"Short version," Kamisato explained as he walks towards them, the sound of his saber still humming from his right hand before deactivating. "Hajime-san got isekai'ed."
"Oh..." Kamijou twitched his left eye in sympathy. "I guess that explains it all then." He would take notice of Yue and the other girls who were heading toward them. "That and the girls."
"Kamijou-san, I'd like to introduce the members of my party," Hajime said with a simple smile, gesturing toward the girls. "This is Yue, Shea, Tio, Kaori, and Shizuku. Girls, this is Kamijou Touma, a very old friend of mine."
"Hello everyone," Kamijou smiled.
"Please to meet you, Kamijou-san," Shizuku bowed politely.
"Hmm, introductions might need to wait for now, everyone," Kamijou's expression turned serious. "We still need to deal with the other Emotionless that are scattered throughout this highway. At least until the tech boys manage to cauterize the wound that is letting these monsters increase their numbers."
Insert Song: End
Insert Song: Start
Dies irae - Animation OST: Unus Mundus
Back on the second floor of Fensalir's Wonders...
Angela had finally stopped crying after what amounted to more than just thirty minutes. Index was simply patting the crying nun on the head, not knowing what else to do except for following her instincts. Miyoko Kamijou was there to assist her in comforting the sister, albeit maintaining her distance for a few meters. Sphynx was being petted in the head by Miyoko, purring sounds coming forth in a positive nature. All three of them were sitting on the sofa. Othinus in the meantime was in the kitchen as she was preparing more sets of tea for the guests that had just arrived. Dr. Strange and Sota Mizushino were standing towards the side, a few meters from the sofa, observing the three occupants with concern.
Index couldn't believe it herself. Not because she didn't believe. It was more on the fact that she didn't think that she gets to meet her actual daughter, albeit one from an alternative reality to her very own. She wasn't really the mother of the nun who cried to her, and yet she could not help but embrace her automatically as her very own. There was also the surprising fact that this nun—Angelicus Communis Universalis—was not just her daughter, but she was also Touma Kamijou's daughter. Quite the shock and eye-opener for Index who had just recently met the spiky-haired individual who had already left a few hours ago alongside Mikoto Misaka, surprisingly the mother of Miyoko from her timeline, and Misaki Shokuhou.
From what Angela had told her and everyone else in this room, she had come from a world that was ripe with nothing except HELL. An unknown person arose as a Magic God which rained down fire and brimstone for everyone on their path, and it was a time when Touma Kamijou had died just a few days before The Eve of the End.
"...So that's how it happened then?" Dr. Strange asked Sota.
"That's right, sensei," Sota answered with a firm nod.
"Hmm," Dr. Strange would begin to touch his chin, pondering the situation. "Then the worst fears that I and my twelve colleagues have been realized. So it has definitely begun. The walls between realities are weakening just as predicted. And the temporal fabric of reality seems to have become corrupted."
"?! What do you mean by this, um, Strange-sensei, right?" Miyoko asked, as Dr. Strange already introduced himself to her and to Angela a while ago.
"Well, Kamijou-kun, this particular situation is quite unique and concerning for all sides, your world, my world, and everyone else's worlds are affected by this one way or another. The nature behind this dilemma is something that has myself and my other comrades concerned due to the fact that we are quite familiar with the threat of cosmic proportions that is no doubt coming, and not a moment too soon," Dr. Strange said grimly.
Angela, who had stopped crying, would raise her head in concern. "A threat?"
"Tell me, everyone, you know that the belief of Christianity lies in the fundamental principle of faith regarding God, correct?" Dr Strange asked. The three occupants of the sofa would nod their heads, concerned and curious about this turn of the topic.
"Yeah, so?" Miyoko asked.
"If there is a God, then as the stories would portray for most of the time, then there is an opposite being that is always opposed to him," Dr. Strange said grimly.
"..."
The atmosphere throughout the room suddenly went cold.
The opposite being.
There was the hint already. They could tell that Dr. Strange wasn't joking about this based on the tone that hinted at familiarity, suffering, and a bunch of experiences that remained unknown to most. Sota's expression turned grim as well as he seems to have a knowledge of who Dr. Strange was talking about. And then there was Othinus who had just suddenly entered, carrying the tray that consisted of the tea and would place it on the table that was nearby the sofa. Like Dr. Strange and Sota, Othinus appeared to be showing a graver expression, also knowing the topic by heart. For how could she not?
"...Eh...Ehehehe. Um, surely you're not saying what I think you're saying, sensei?" Miyoko asked with a trembling, twitching smile. Some part of her would want to believe that this was merely a joke. But...based on the cold atmosphere, it may not seem to be the case.
"It's unfortunately true, everyone," Othinus answered, her mouth turning grim. "What Lord Strange is speaking of however is not like anything that can be imagined of this being. Forget everything you think you know about the DEVIL, for they are but mere fragments of the actual story behind what the ancient and modern man is capable of perceiving."
"Perhaps it is wise that I would show all of you the summarized version," Dr. Strange said solemnly, and then he would begin to trace his arms. Orange geometrical lines were drawn as he would begin to utter an invocation. "In historia, oportet nos scire. Unum est ne obliviscatur praeterita sed discere ab ea per filum exempla de diu abhinc. Futurum est ignotum et praeterita est mysterium cum praesens est marcam, ubi omnia incipit convertat. Et sic venit ad tempus stellam matutinam. ("In history, we must learn. One must not forget the past but learn from it by the thread of examples of long ago. The future is unknown and the past is a mystery while the present is the mark where everything starts to turn. And thus comes the time of the Morningstar.")"
There was nothing except dust and blood.
A resounding echo seems to be heard by Index, Angela, and Miyoko. Their bodies seem to be outside of everything. Everything that they would be shown was likened to an experience in the cinema in 3-D. Only, this felt more real, albeit honed to the accommodation of the limited mortal perspective.
Once, there was a time before time.
Before there was everything.
"יְהִי אוֹר ( "Let there be light")"
And then came a great light that signaled the dawn of a new creation. And it spread out. And then came everything. In the dreamlike, empyreal days before the former and the later universes came to be and the ages of space and time and decay fell upon them, a great light moved in the phantasmal mists of the endless void, uttering a sound, a primordial song, eldritch and beautiful beyond all things, and never heard again.
But there was something else. It was like they were fast-forwarding themselves through a set of steps that could be comprehended by them. From one end to another, they would see something...
There was something. A vast being that was unlike any other. The terms 'infinity' and 'eternity' are fleeting to this being. He was practically the most beautiful of all creations. Thousands of dove-like wings were seen from the back, the sides of the face, the ears, and other parts of the body. A flaming sword was seen to be held by a hand swaying against the blinking stars of various shining lights, raised to the glory of The One. Eyes that were pure gold that bespoke of the riches of wisdom. Glittering stars were seen from the skin, and planets, galaxies, universes, and multiverses seem to encircle around this being in perfect concord and harmony for all things.
He was the greatest among the greater, the least among the lesser, one that is the penultimate superior to both god and mortal. No one would dare challenge his might and the authority that was given unto him. He was something different. He wasn't a monarch. He wasn't always red. He was the whisper on the wind that kept the value and detail of the divine order. The inborn knowledge of a world of gods and demons which belied mortal and human agency and existed beyond mere descriptions.
Who was he?
The Morningstar.
And then...
"אני לא אשרת. ("I will not serve.")"
The vow was made. The curse followed. Then came sin and death. Then came the chaotic War of Heaven.
What could be described was not something that could be comprehended. It wasn't something that could be classified as mere swords, spears, and shields being used as it is described in the tales of old. No, it was mere words. Words that gave forth a power unlike any other. Intricately but surely, a mixture of cosmic phenomena that was too terrible to behold.
The Brood. Brothers and sisters. Gods and goddesses that are unlike any other. Consumed by the Morningstar that now became the Dark One who grew strong on their essences.
No longer was he the Beautiful One.
Now...
There was him.
The Dark One.
There was a gnawing terror that would have the three spectators see something that would bring a shudder to their souls.
The dove-like feathers fell, replaced instantly with thorns and branches. Eyes of pure gold now turned into crimson eyes that see all. Its appearance was quite terrible to behold. Being quite massive in size, although size is in and of itself utterly irrelevant as it is because of the use of imperfect terms to describe such a being, and its true form is enough to crush multi-complex multiverses as if they were merely an atom to be stepped on. In fact, this being is much more akin to a living idea than an individual entity that one could truly fathom within one's mind; in effect, he is the pure idea of nihilism and a force of chaos and can assimilate an entity thought to be him, making them the subservient avatars that he could use for his benefit.
For he is a being of pure and true nothingness bathe in the tainted blood of crimson, a creation of swirling anomalies, of so many different cosmologies born from our worst nightmares come true that are as unpredictable as the raging storm. A being of shadow that wants to cover all of the Totality into absolute nothingness for the glory of his own name and in honor of his master who first bore the regal title of crimson. For he is the memory of a world that is lost, the premodern world, made manifest in a form of hatred for modernity, the new, the humanism, and smiling coldness that marks the day-to-day existence of man and mortal alike. Forged from a perfect balance of irreconcilable anomalies and the breaking minds of the higher and lower spheres. He is an entity created by this overwhelming, unavoidable tension. Of the howl of the old world when faced with a cold, grey, purposeless new. He is the revenge of the fallen past. He is the idea of the ancient in a world that discards and fetishes it. He is the tension between the modern and the premodern made manifest. He is the faultline between two irreconcilable worlds. And he can only, in the end, destroy them all, as befits the nature of the Fallen One, the true Son of the Morning.
For was he not the GOD-KING of them all?
He spoke. Pride took him from the right hand. In the end, pride is the only evil, the root of every and all sin.
"Atigat kul nar draut. Tug gurz. ("There is no light. Only death.")"
Crimson thunder and lightning flashed. Cracks appeared from the vaults of the high heavens. The Trees would shake to the core. The Tree of Life. The Tree of Knowledge. Every Tree. Die. Gods unforetold arise and do battle in order to serve the Dark One. Multiple demonic bat-like creatures of various shapes and sizes, wearing gold-like armor that serves him. And then came the Crimson Eye. Sounds of hailing to the King in Red.
The Crimson Monarch.
The Crimson Khan.
The Scarlet King.
"Karn. Grish. Asgaja. ("Red. Blood. Nothing.")"
And thus came the shock that sent tremors and chills that made the three spectators flee...
"...!"
The three women on the sofa were shaken to their core, their breathing being erratic from what they had just seen. It was likened to that of just getting out of the water and finally having a moment to breathe after deep diving for so very long.
"Meow."
They would look around to find Sphynx, looking worried at his three human masters. They look again in another direction and find Dr. Strange, Othinus, and Sota showing grim and understanding expressions.
"...Wh-What was..." But Miyoko couldn't finish the sentence. Not after what they had just seen. The chill ran down their spine. The darkness seems to be all-consuming and never-ending.
They knew the answer. The chilling realization that seems to be present in their mind.
"That was but a mere summary; not yet the full picture," Dr. Strange warned. "Seeing his true form is something that is far too dangerous. A mortal's mind such as you three have would shatter at even trying to comprehend such. What I have just shown you was merely a set of imagery, and I let the imagination handle the rest."
"Wait?! You mean...You mean that what we just saw was merely but an imperfect image?!" Angela was shaken, embracing her alternate mother.
"Unfortunately so," Dr. Strange nodded. "Even I cannot survive him if I as much as look into his true form without protection from on high. That is the power that is currently threatening the balance of everything one could have or ever knew. And the interest lies within you most especially." Dr. Strange meaningfully glances at Index who takes notice of him, immediately understanding the situation as she regains composure.
"The Dark One is after me...Isn't he, Master Strange?" Index asked, grim and composed to a scarily effect.
"...Yes," there was a pause, and then came the answer from the Sorcerer Supreme. "But you are merely one target. There are as many machinations in the eldritch mind as overtly complex as he who is still chained to the Dark Dimension that is separated from everything else. Angela and Miyoko-kun got here due to one specific reason alone, and that is in connection with the reverberating effect that has no cause that came forth from the Kingdom of Above and Beneath; the work of none other than the demons who hold sway of the spatial-temporal dimensions. The Enemy is preparing for War and on a scale that with its aftermath may not leave your world and others the same again."
And then, Othinus would suddenly utter an ominous prophesy that drives the point home. "The secrets of the worlds would crumble down. The skies would be rendered in crimson blood. Screams of the damned will be heard. And then would come not the end but the beginning as vast armies of the night would come and go in the name of their King. That would be one specific prophecy out of many that would describe such an invasion. It will be swift. It will be terrible. People would not be discriminated against. Good. Evil. It would not matter to this monster. I have seen firsthand what his Legion is capable of. The innocents that they had slaughtered. The lives and deaths that were lost. The screams that even now still plague me whenever I go to my dreams. It in fact is one of the main reasons why I would eventually ask for Lord Strange, so that he may teach you, Index, in order to protect yourself from the Dark One that will want nothing more than for All Creation to burn down to the brink of total annihilation."
"I have already spoken this to my Supreme High Council – the hallowed court of the Sorcerer Supremes of All Ages of MV Earth-616 from Zhered-Na up to Nina the Conjuror. A specific protection barrier of many layers would be activated over and around ACMI Universe-Prime the moment the predicted anomalies would soon arise, and in fact, the barrier has already been activated today. It may keep the arriving demons at bay, however, I fear that outsiders may still get in, no matter how minor." Dr. Strange finished grimly.
And then, there was a knock on the door.
Everyone who was in the room would take notice of the knock. Most would blink in surprise. However, Dr. Strange, Sota, and Othinus appeared to be unfazed, almost as if they were expecting someone.
"Ah, I believe that other guests have seemed to have arrived," Othinus smiled as she head towards the front door in order to open it.
Lo and behold, there was someone standing at the door.
No, scratch that.
There were at least seven individuals who were all gathered, with confident and joyful smiles that are diversely expressed based on the personalities of said individuals.
"Hello, Fensalir-chan~" spoke a young woman with lavender hair, dark violet eyes, and a pair of dark purple horns on her head. Her name was Hanyu Furude, and she was smiling with joy. "Mind if we and the rest of us drop in for today?"
Keiichi Maebara. Satoshi Hōjō. Two young men who came along with Hanyu.
Mion Sonozaki. Shion Sonozaki. Rena Ryūgū. Three young women who came along with Hanyu.
All of them including Hanyu, wearing regular clothing, who are to be considered as the most precious childhood friends of one Touma Kamijou who is currently far away. And they all stopped by to visit. There were two in fact who are not here among the group. One was Rika Kamijou, the beloved wife. The other was Satoko Hōjō, the other childhood friend. Both of whom were powerful Witches who are currently attending to their respective duties.
Angela and Miyoko could only blink at the suddenness of the unfamiliar people who were standing on the door. Othinus would begin to lead them inside with a smile.
"Of course, Lady Hanyu. You and the rest of the Club are always welcome into my abode," Othinus said with a smile.
And so, they all begin to went in.
"Oi, Sota-san!" Keiichi Maebara—a young man with brown hair and blue eyes, who wears a white sleeve shirt, brown pants, a red sweater that is wrapped around him, brown shoes, and white socks—was smiling in recognition as he raises his clenched fist in order to perform a fist bump. "It's been a while! How have you been?!"
"Fine as I'll ever be given the circumstances, Keiichi-san," Sota smiled, raising and reciprocating the fist bump. Then another fist bump was followed and reciprocated with Satoshi Hōjō—a young man with blond hair and usually red-violet eyes, who wears a white collared t-shirt, black pants, brown jacket, black shoes, and white socks.
"Strange-sensei," Mion Sonozaki—a young woman with long, mint green hair and turquoise eyes. Her bangs part in the middle, and she ties her hair into a ponytail. She has a trim figure and a large bust. She wears a jacket, with white lines on the shoulders and black lines on the middle and sleeves, with the letter "H" located on the left side of the jacket—smiled as she respectfully greeted the Sorcerer Supreme with a slight bow to the head. "I didn't think that you'd be here at this time."
"Well I had a reason to be here, Mion-kun, and it relates of course to the young girl who is seated just to the left of two other girls," Dr. Strange gestured towards Index.
And then, the visitors would also begin to take notice of Index, Angela, and Miyoko who were simply staring at them, not knowing who they are.
"Oh? New people?" Shion Sonozaki—a young woman with long, mint green hair and turquoise eyes. She leaves her hair down and has a sunshine yellow ribbon tied on the back of her head. She wears a yellow t-shirt with two lines each attached near to the neckline, gray pants, brown shoes, and white socks—noticed the trio out of a sense of curiosity, unfamiliar with them as this was the first time she seem to have met them.
"Oh right, um, where to begin...?" Sota would show an exasperated smile, raising his right hand to rub the back of his head.
"Perhaps we should start with introducing Index first," Dr. Strange proposed, his hand gesturing towards Index. "Everyone, this is Index Librorum Prohibitorum, or Index for short. As of now, she is recently made her choice to be my apprentice in the Ways of the Mystic Arts."
"-H-Hello," Index stuttered for a moment before slowly bowing her head.
But then...
"Hauu~! She's quite cute~! I want to take it home~!" The one that spoke in a rather excited tone was Rena Ryugu—a young woman with short brunt orange hair in an angled cut with long sides and her fringe parts on the left of her forehead. Her eyes are lavender blue and droop at the ends. She wears a white hat, a black ribbon attached to the left side of her hair, a light pink sailor uniform and peach skirt with a white bow, brown shoes, and black stockings—and as she was about to pounce at Index, much to her surprise, there was comedic effect in the form of Sota who suddenly chopped the neck of Rena, knocking her to the ground.
"Sorry, Rena-san," Sota said apologetically, his right hand still raised. "But Index-san would have to stay here for now."
"Hauu~" Rena rubbed her neck a little, pouting. "That hurt, Sota-kun~"
"Yeah...sorry, Rena, but you kinda deserve that one," Keiichi said with a smile which then lead to a few others laughing.
"And um..." Sota glances toward Angela and Miyoko who were bewildered at the sudden comedy-like scene that they were just seeing. "Everyone, don't be shocked now, but um, these two are Angelicus Communis Universalis, also known as Angela, and Kamijou Miyoko."
"H-Hello," Angela said with a smile, exasperated and bewildered.
"...Hi," Miyoko simply waved her hand in exaggeration, her bewildered smile being apparent.
"Wa-Wait a minute...?" Mion raised her hand a bit, bewildered and confused for a moment.
"K-Kamijou Miyoko...?" Satoshi said, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.
There was silence for one moment. And then suddenly...
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Insert Song: End
ED Song:
Terminator Salvation - Break The Silence (Soundtrack)
Main Companion Protagonists:
Touma Kamijou - VA: Atsushi Abe
Sota Mizushino/Kamen Rider Decade - VA: Daiki Yamashita
Main Heroine Characters:
Index Librorum Prohibitorum - VA: Yuka Iguchi
Othinus - VA: Asami Seto
Mikoto Misaka - VA: Rina Satō
Misaki Shokuhou - VA: Azumi Asakura
New Character:
The Scarlet King
Seria Kumokawa - VA: Yukiyo Fujii
Ayu Mitsuari - VA: Yumiri Hanamori
Hanyu Furude - VA: Yui Horie
Keiichi Maebara - VA: Sōichirō Hoshi
Satoshi Hōjō - VA: Yū Kobayashi
Mion Sonozaki - VA: Satsuki Yukino
Shion Sonozaki - VA: Satsuki Yukino
Rena Ryūgū - VA: Mai Nakahara