Chapter 3: Fight for survival

"Wha!?" A bit slow on the uptake, Ragna took a step back as the mage closed in on him. Quickly, the platinum jumped back and focused seithr into his blade before sending a wave of darkness to cleave the coming woman in half. As if like a bug bite, the imposter swatted it away and sent spires of flame to pierce him and with him in still midair, he could do nothing but try and parry them. He managed to deflect them, but one managed to graze his side just enough to draw blood. The moment he landed, Nine already stood before him with crackles of electricity running throughout her entire arm. Before she could drive it home, the mage leapt away as blades of ice zoomed past. Immediately, Makoto, Saya, Tsubaki, and Noel rushed the mage, weaving and ducking around the spears of light chucked at them.

Nine growled under her breath and swung her hand up as a typhoon knocked the coming girls away with enough force to send them tearing through the ground. Almost instantly did Kagura and Kokonoe come charging in, swinging in synchronization with the other. As if playing around, she effortlessly weaved around their swings and countered, blowing two massive fireballs right in their face. From the smoke and fire created by the blaze, Ragna and Jin leapt out and swung their blades in a half circle, clicking their teeth when the imposter vanished and appeared behind them with a ball of electricity in her hand. Before she could fire it off, the woman whipped around to a coming wave of darkness and formed a barrier around her.

The moment the wave cleared Makoto stood before her with her fist reeled all the way back and glowing. With a sharp yell, she swung and destroyed the measly barrier then attempted to go for a cross but ended up sent flying by a ray of light. Instinctively the mage ducked as Tsubaki's dagger passed just above her head and backflipped over the redhead as she charged in with her shield. Tsubaki didn't go too far and whipped around to ram her shield into the mage. Nine weaved around the redhead and responded as she dug the arch of her foot into Tsubaki's side with enough force send her into the school building and form a crater on impact. She hit it back first and gasped, wide-eyed, as blood spurt from her mouth.

Right when she turned to face the others, a fist delivered from Makoto slammed into her cheek. The beastkin delivered two more before sending her off with a Cosmic Ray. Nine bounced a few times before using her momentum to jump back up and avoid Kokonoe's massive hammer that left a crater where she once was. Saya leapt over Kokonoe and came down hard, her blade slamming against a barrier. Before she could be blasted Saya retreated which allowed Noel to get in a few shots and destroy the barrier. Instantly, from the smoke created by her fire, Kagura appeared and slammed his blade into her side. The mage's eyes stretched their seams as he dug his blade in far before rocketing her off, the impact so great the mage tore a trail through the concrete.

"Tsubaki!" Jin rushed over to her and helped the redhead to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm ok, Jin."

"Heh," the chuckle from the rising Nine made all the hairs on their body stand up as they all went on guard once more. "Brats aren't useless at least."

"You really aren't Nine," Kagura smirked, pointing his blade at the mage. "We wouldn't stand a chance against her, but here we are, kicking your ass. Want to give up and send us back or do we have to beat you into submission."

"Growing cocky because you landed one substantial move is a little much for you boy," Nine swiped the blood from her lips with her thumb and smirked, "It wouldn't be wise to underestimate your opponent."

"Oh, yeah?" Ragna bit. "Why's that?"

"Look down."

"Wha!? Ragna!" Celica gasped when she looked down to find a seal under Ragna's feet, glowing brighter by the second.

"Brother!" Saya quickly ran to him with Jin in tow.

"No, you idiots! Stay back!"

"Too late," Nine snapped her fingers as the seals light blinded them for a moment before blowing up. The shockwave sent the rest of them flying back and encased the field in smoke and the sound of falling debris. Thankfully, none of them were injured, but they couldn't say the same for Ragna, Jin, or Saya as the smoke hadn't cleared yet.

"Ragna! Jin! Saya!" Noel called out into the smoke, hoping to get an answer, later gasping as the three twitching siblings lay groaning on the ground covered in ashes and their clothes torn like they were thrown in a woodchipper.

"Ragna, Jin, Saya, I'm coming!" Celica quickly started over to them but stopped once Nine appeared before her. Not even a moment later did Nine's leg spring up and sent the auburn-haired girl bouncing away. "Ah, ah, ah... I can't have you doing that."

"You bitch!" Kokonoe sprang off; hammer clenched tightly in hand as she swung with the intention of batting the imposters head right off, only for Nine's body to fade into flames. Sensing danger, Kokonoe spun around to meet it, just for a blade of light to shove itself into her gut. The beastkins eyes stretched as blood hacked out her mouth and dripped from her wound. Nine then yanked it out before blasting her off with a torrent of flames into the sky as she came down with a harsh thud. Immediately, Kagura, Makoto, Tsubaki ran in with Noel providing fire from behind. The snickering mage leapt away as a ball of flame formed before her chest which simultaneously sprouts forth an endless rain of fireballs. While Makoto ran in to meet Nine head-on, Kagura and Tsubaki protected the downed siblings from the onslaught of fireballs. Makoto, who finally got close enough, brought her fist down but only struck earth as the mage vanished once more.

"Damn it! Where did she go!?" Makoto searched frantically for her, keeping her guard with her fists clenched and ready to kiss her cheek. Suddenly, the ground began to tremor, and from it, a spire shot up and impaled Makoto and carried her up. The beastkin screamed as the spire lodged in her gut and before it could drive any deeper, she shattered the earth with a punch and descended to the ground. Right when her feet hit the ground, a seal appeared under her and went off, encasing her in a devastating explosion. Noel quickly ran to where Makoto once stood but fell a spear of light lanced into her thigh. Her guns glided a few steps away, and when she reached out for it, a heel dug into her hand.

"Noel!" Tsubaki and Kagura quickly took off to aid the downed Noel as Nine put a hand to them and blasted them with a torrent of water that tore through the concrete.

"Even altogether and you're defeated so easily," Nine chuckled. "What a disappointment. I figured I could have some fun, but..." The mage removed her heel from Noel's hand and picked the blond up by her hair. "I suppose some things aren't meant to be. Hm?" Acting merely on instinct, the mage released the blond and leapt over a large blade, and it belonged to none other than Ragna. "I'm amazed you can stand after that blast... Interesting."

"You bitch...! I'm gonna make you pay!" Seithr oozed from his right arm and traveled to encase his sword. Ragna swung his sword up high and launched a massive Dead Spike that cleaved through the ground which Nine countered with a ray of light. The two powers collided for a moment before exploding, leaving a crater where they did battle. From the smoke, Ragna leapt out with his blade reeled back and swung it with all his might in an attempt to cleave her in half. Quickly, Ragna spun around for a Gauntlet Hades and brought her down with enough force to crack the ground. When he attempted to drive his blade through her heart, Nine's arm sprang up as his blade met a massive ball of fire. Within the smoke created from the collision, clashes could be heard, and sparks could be seen, along with the occasional lights from Nine's spells. With a harsh crash, the smoke the ensnared them blew away, and the two jumped away.

"Damn...bitch..."

"Why...!?" Nine growled under her breath, later yelling with widen eyes, "The Azure Grimoire! Why do you have it!?"

"I don't need to tell you anything," Ragna bit.

"Very well," slowly, Nine's feet parted from the ground as she floated off the ground into the sky. Suddenly, the sky changed to an ink black and what seemed to be storm clouds brewed and the temperature grew to a scalding degree.

"The...hell!?" Kagura coughed, eyes growing wide to the color of the sky and the ominous air that caressed his skin. What seemed like a magic circle slowly appeared, growing wide as a hole formed in the clouds. It almost looked like a portal to hell. The harsh heat that threatened to melt his face off and the glowing red coming from it told him he couldn't lay here any longer and they needed to get the hell out of here. As if everyone read his mind, they limped off towards the school gate in an attempt to escape the coming spell. Nine just watched from above, chuckling. They reminded her off ants-so small and weak. She almost felt pity for those poor fools, but she would be lying. As the imposter brought her hands down as a bevy of meteors rained down. Just barely they got to the school gate but were later blasted into the streets, slamming into houses, trees, and parked cars from the shockwave.

Tsubaki held her side to stop the bleeding and coughed her way to her knees, gasping when her eyes met the wasteland that replaced their school. "N-No way..."

"The school..." Makoto wheezed as crimson spat onto the concrete. "S-Shit...!"

"Dammit is this where it all ends!? SHIT!" Kagura hacked.

"Well shit...now this might be a problem..." Kokonoe coughed.

"You think?" Ragna wheezed, barely able to get on a knee as the panting platinum watched with untrustworthy eyes as Nine conjured up another seal.

"Now all of you can dissapear!" The seal expanded and covered the sky as the temperature once more rose.

Ragna cursed under his breath looked on both sides, finding everyone either coughing up blood or fighting to get up, only to fail. Again... This was just like last time...! Ragna gnawed on his bottom lip, fighting the gut-wrenching pain that told him to stay down. "I won't let it end here! We won't die today! I won't let the people I care about die in front of my eyes again!" Scarlet vomited out his mouth as he wobbled but somehow managed to stay on his feet and limp to the front of his downed companions. His blade felt so much heavier than usual. The weapon shook in his grasp, ready to slide out of his grip but he kept it as tight as he could.

"I warned you. Never underestimate me!"

"Brother get outta the way!" Jin tried to get up, but a pain lanced itself into his leg and brought him face first into the pavement.

"Ragna!" Celica called out to him.

"What a fool... Then you'll die first if you're so eager!" Nine once again brought her hand down as a bevy of meteors rained. It felt like everything was playing in slow motion, from the meteorites to time stilling around them and everything slowly went dark.

He couldn't see anything.

Was he dead?

Ragna's eyes opened to find himself in the middle of a black void. Silence rang in his ear, and he couldn't even speak, his chest far too heavy. The platinum could only internally chuckle at himself. Nothing but a repeat, he told himself with a smile of pity.

"..."

A voice echoed.

"Do you desire power?"

Suddenly, he felt like he could talk.

"Wha!? Who's there!?" The next time Ragna blinked, he jumped back as a girl now stood before her. "What the...? Noel?" The mysterious girl had blond hair and scarlet eyes and with a face that resembled Noel and Saya.

"I'll ask once more since we don't have much time... Do you desire power?"

"Power..." Ragna echoed under his breath. A pause. "Will I be able to protect them?"

"That all depends on you." She answered.

Another pause.

"Fine. If you've got the power to help me then give it to me. Help me protect them."

"You haven't changed," a giggle tuckered at her lips as her hands cupped his face. "Very well, Ragna. Show me... Show me that determination as you did all those years ago." Seithr surrounded him as her eyes glowed red, then it burst forth like a geyser, and the girl vanished from his sight and soon, everything went black once more.

"Go forth, Ragna the Bloodedge."

Seithr blasted from Ragna's right arm as he found himself facing a coming meteor. With a yell, Ragna fired off the contained seithr as what seemed to be the head of a beast sprang up and devoured the coming meteors, opening its jaws as it took the now screaming imposter to the ground, leaving nothing but seithr in its wake. They could say nothing, and merely stare wide-eyed with a mix of confusion and awe to not only their survival but to what they just witnessed.

"Haah... Haah..." Ragna panted, chuckling, "Serves you right...you bitch..." The platinum fell forward and hit the concrete with a thud. Ignoring the pain she was in, Celica rushed to his side and took his head into her arms.

"Ragna!" She called out to him.

"K'uh!" Nine rose from his crater in the ground, covered in blood and running with crimson, her eyes locked onto the downed Ragna. "That damn...!"

"She still lives," Jin bit.

"Not for long," working through the pain, Kagura rushed in with the sole intent of ending this. Jin followed behind as the rest of them scattered and left Ragna in Celica's care.

"How annoying!" A massive spear of light quickly formed beside her and zoomed to Kagura. With a hard step, the man shattered the spell with a mighty swing, scattering the light remnants. While she was stunned, Kagura dug his feet into the ground and rocketed towards her with a Sky Dragon's strike right in the gut, then following up with a Dragon's Accent before finishing her off with a Supreme Dragon's Inferno. The dark purple spires absorbed the Nine. The mage spun a few times in the air and managed to regain control of herself. Only for Makoto's fist to dig into her gut and embedded the mage into the earth. Before Makoto could deliver another, Nine swiftly jumped out the way as her fist collided with the ground. However, Kokonoe was there to meet her and embedded her drill hammer into her side.

"Go to hell, you imposter!" Thrusters burst from the back of the hammer as she used them to apply more force to the swing. Nine's eyes stretched as she couldn't even scream, the pain far too great to yell. Kokonoe rocketed her false mom off to Saya who waited for her with blades crossed and glowing.

"Blazing Cross!" Saya swung them downward as an X shaped shockwave tore through the floor. The attack hit the magus as it sent her up into the air. Grunting and trying to regain control, the magus gasped when her eyes met Tsubaki, Jin, and Noel.

"Requiem Maledictis!"

"Nemesis stabilizer!"

"Moonsong!"

All three fire at once and combine in midair, and it hit its mark with deadly accuracy, and Nine could no longer be seen. From the cloud of smoke created from their attacks, her body fell to the ground and crashed on the ground as her body embedded itself into the dirt. A long silence took, filled with nothing but panting and anticipation took hold. Soon they caught their breaths they gasped once they realized what just happened.

"We...did it...!" A smile grew on Noel's face as one of relief curled the rest.

With a cheery smile, Makoto yelled at the top of her lungs, "Hell yes!" Makoto laughed, her arms thrusted up in pure joy. "We did it! We fucking did it!"

They defeated Nine.

"Oh man…" Kagura sighed and fell back down onto the ground. "We…we did it. Even if it was a fake, we beat Nine!"

"Beat me did you? Sorry but I ain't down just yet…"

They all felt a shiver run down their spines as they heard Nine's blood-curdling voice. They turn to look at who that voice originated from and to their horror it was the imposter Nine. She had risen back to her feet with crimson dripping down her chin from her blood filled mouth.

"Damn it!" Kagura grunted, trying to rise, just to fall back. They all try to move, but soon realized they couldn't. They reached their limit. "Son of a bitch! I don't have any strength left! Damn it all why can't you just stay down!"

"Now… I'm going to take my time…" A sinister smile came across her bloody features as she made her way towards them. "And kill you all…" A look of horror came across Noel's face as Saya put her hand put to defend her. Nine stops in front of her as she quickly raised her foot up and kicked her, sending her gliding on the floor. She bounces a few times before coming to a stop.

"Saya! No—Gah!" Noel coughed up blood as Nine blasted her with a massive ball of flame. The blast sent her high into the air as she came down with a hard thud.

'No damn it! Come on body move!' Ragna cursed internally as he tried to rise.

"You…bitch…!" Makoto cursed as she fought to her feet. With what little strength she had Makoto swung her fist at the mage; however, her attack failed and missed as she toppled over. Wind ominously surrounded her, then sprouted up as the blade-filled storm brought her into the sky. Makoto, weak and powerless, could only scream as the blades of wind tore her up.

"Oh my gosh… She going to kill them!" Celica gasped.

'No…!' Ragna grit his teeth.

"Gah!" Jin grunted as the chain wrapped around him began to constrict like a cobra around its prey. Like she was chocking someone herself, Nine rose her hand up and closed her hand a bit as the chains grew tighter.

"Jin!" Tsubaki cried out as she tried to get up.

"Stay down vermin." Nine glares at her, the mage's voice filled with venom. Tsubaki gasped as seals appeared on her wrists, arms, and legs which the detonated one by one. Tsubaki's screams were heard throughout the explosions as a wide-eyed Jin watched, helpless, as Tsubaki's bloody form collapsed.

"NO! Tsubaki!"

"Don't worry," Nine constricted her hand more as Jin began to choke. "You're next."

"You let my brother go!"

"You bitch!"

Kagura and Saya charged at Nine, but she paid them no mind. Blades of wind soon erupted from Nine as the storm ensnared the two. It carried them up into the air, the blades of wind slicing them endlessly as they yelled and screamed in pain, later falling to the ground in shredded heaps.

"No stop it!" Celica gnawed on her bottom lip and let Ragna's head down gently on the ground before standing.

"N-No… Celica…" Ragna tried to get up, but couldn't. She looked at him and smiled before running off to Nine. Kokonoe, who was being held by Nine with water around her neck, choking, gasped when she saw Celica rushing over to them. Nine heard Celica running and tuned to her with narrowed eyes.

"Celica stay back!" Kokonoe pleaded.

"Too late." Nine extended her arm and opened her hand as a ball of light began to form and fired. Celica came to a stood and put her hands up to block as the light enveloped her. Horror had plastered itself on their faces as they watched Celica bounce and glide out the smoke.

"N-No… No this…!" Kokonoe's eyes widened, crossed between disbelief and horror as she yelled her name in a tone they're heard her use before. It was that of pure fear. "CELICA!"

"Haha… HAHAHAHA—!" Nine's laughter was halted as she felt something hit her back. She turned around and let Kokonoe down as she looked to see it was Noel. She was on one knee as smoke came from the barrel of her guns.

"How…dare you…!"

"Disappear." Nine snapped her fingers as icicles appeared from above Noel. They soon rained down as only the sound of the icicles hitting the ground was heard. Saya watched as the icicle rain ceased and gasped when her eyes beheld a twitching Noel.

"I think I've had my fun… But now… It's time to die." Soon a seal appeared under them and before they could ask what it was the gravity around them got much heavier as the ground itself started to shatter under them. They all screamed in pain and agony as their bones shattered and the weight crushed them, embedding them into the earth.

'No… Damn it move…!'

"AAAHHH!"

"Ga…AH!"

"Aaaah!"

'DAMN IT BODY! MOVE!' Ragna slowly rose to his feet as he took his sword and ran towards them.

Celica saw him running towards them and gasped, "No…! Ragna stay back!"

"Brother no get back!" Jin yelled.

"Like hell, I will!" Ragna bellowed back.

"So you wanna die first? So be it!" The imposter Nine launched a bevy of fireballs towards him. He ran straight through slicing the balls of flames that came his way. "No! You damn brat!" Nine concentrated a single one and fired, and with no time to dodge, the ball of flame hit its mark, leaving nothing but a blaze behind.

"Brother no!" Saya gasped, tears protruding in her eyes as her brother was nowhere to be found. She tried once more to get up, clawing at the ground in her desperate attempt. Nine merely looked down at her in disgust and opened her palm, conjuring a ball of darkness. "You're next."

"S-Stop…!" Kagura tried to get up but fell back down.

"No…!" Noel cried out, but her voice went unanswered.

"I ain't finished yet!" Nine heard a voice and looked to see Ragna running out the flame.

"Annoying!" Nine scowled as she shot several arrows made of flame at him. He ran at full speed, ignoring the pain he was in and focusing on Nine. Once Ragna was close enough he swung his sword down with all his might, leaving a bloody gash down her body and hacking blood up her throat. "Keep your eyes on the prize you bitch!" With a yell, he focused the Azure Grimoire's power into the blade and pierced her chest where the dark ball was. A silence hung in the air as blood poured out of her mouth in buckets. A couple seconds later a dark energy explodes from everywhere in her body, knocking everyone back.

Celica rushed to Ragna's side and held him close. "Ragna are you ok!?"

"Yeah, I'm fine… I should be asking you that…" Ragna said.

"Hehe… Haha…!" they hear laughing and turn towards the imposter. A look of hysteria and what could only be described as pure insanity took up her expression. "You will never get the Azure! Your world is doomed to fail the Azures test!" Nine said as hysterical laughs followed. Finally, she collapsed and faded away as the space around them started to twist again.

"Ah, shit! What now!" Ragna groaned.

In the blink of an eye, the once discolored world turned back to its usual colorful self. They found themselves outside in still in the schoolyard as they look around. All the damage done in the yard was gone. They all make their way back onto their two feet, struggling and grunting through the pain that roared through their bodies.

Kokonoe winced and held her right arm. "Ok, so what the fuck just happened?" The beastkin received no answer, just silence. "Ok, so we're all on the same page. Good..."

"Damn it," Ragna winced. "Everywhere hurts! Can't lift a damn finger without feeling like a train just over me."

"Don't worry; I'll heal you all."

"No Celica, don't be an idiot. You're just as tired and hurt as everyone else don't strain yourself and use magic." Ragna said with concern.

"Ok, Ragna," Celica complied.

"Tsubaki," Jin ran to the downed redhead's side and threw an arm over his shoulder to help her up. "Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine. Thank you, Jin." Tsubaki smiled.

"As great as it is to be back, I think we need to get some answers," Kagura said. "We need to find out what that was. Something like that doesn't just happen. We were almost killed and barely got out with our lives, and if that happens again, we might not be so lucky."

"Yeah..." Noel nodded.

'Who was that girl? She looked exactly like Noel, but she had red eyes instead of green. It seems like she knew me, but I've never met that girl before, have I?' Ragna mulled over, scrutinizing his right hand as the girl's last words rang in his head. "Bloodedge..."

"Hm? Brother, what's in your hand?"

"What?" Jin's abrupt and odd question took Ragna from his thoughts. The platinum looked at his right hand and opened it to find a tiny blue flame floating on his palm. "The hell is this?"

"That would be an Azure fragment. Great..." A familiar voice said as they turn to see Nine standing in the doorway.

"So, is that 'Nine' or...Nine?" Makoto asked.

"Mother?" Celica called to her, a bit worried. "Is that you?"

"So that's what happened… So you all got sucked into a fractured possibility."

"Wait fractured who now?" Ragna arched a brow and tilted his head.

"It wouldn't make sense if I told you. Maybe she will do a better job of explaining things than me."

"Who is 'she'?" Celica asked.

"That would be me. It has been quite a while hasn't it Celica?" A docile voice cut through the conversation and brought a smile to Celica's face as a small girl dressed in a black, gothic dress and pigtails descended before them.

"Ms. Rachel!"

"Hello, child. It has been a while hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has been a while." Celica rushed the smaller girl and took her smaller hands into hers. "I haven't seen you in years! You're all grown up now!"

"You say it like you're older..."

"Um," Kagura interjected, scratching the back of his head. "Ok, who is this?"

"This is Rachel! A very dear friend of mine!" Celica smiled.

He sweatdropped. 'Yeah… That didn't answer my question.'

Ragna made his way over to the small girl and smirked, "Look who finally decided to leave their rabbit hole. How many years has it been since I've seen you, Rabbit?"

"Hmph. You still address me with such a name?" Rachel could only chuckle at the man and gave a curt smile. "You look even more barbaric than usual, Ragna."

"Went through hell and back... Let me tell ya."

"So, Rachel," Nine trotted over to the small girl, arms crossed under her chest. "Mind giving them the rundown as I'm pretty sure that's why you're here."

"Yes, however," Rachel eyed them all. "I did not expect so much to be gathered so closely together. Fate perhaps?" The crimson-eyed woman giggled to herself and snapped her fingers as a portal appeared behind her. "In any event, if all will kindly follow me."

"As much as I'd like to go to a cute girls house more than the next guy I'm not sure that's a good idea. My mom's gonna kick my ass if I ditch school." Kagura shivered.

"You'll be fine. Besides, you have ample time." Nine pointed up to the school clock, and they gasped when they read the time.

"It's only been five minutes!? But we were in there for at least an hour!" Tsubaki said.

"Doesn't matter now," Kokonoe interjected. "Let's go. I think this is a bit more important than the time or school."

"But can we trust her?" Jin asked.

"You can," Ragna told him. "She might be a royal pain in the ass, but I trust her. Either way, not like we've got much choice. Can't go back in school looking like we just fought in the Ikaruga civil war." None of them could argue with that as they each to a gander at their states. It's like they threw themselves into a woodchipper. Maybe standing here out in the open wasn't such a good idea either... If a passerby saw them, it could spell trouble.

"Come on!" Celica motioned her hand as she ran into the portal. Kokonoe just shook her head to her sister and limped through along with everyone else as Rachel entered last, closing the portal behind her, leaving Nine alone.

"So it begins..." Nine shut her eyes as a gentle breeze danced in her hair. "Celica, Kokonoe... Whether or not you fight is entirely up to you. Please, just don't do anything stupid."

Well, that's chapter 3! This was a bit longer. Hoped you found this an enjoyable read, first time I ever wrote a fight scene so I hope it's alright. If you liked it please comment if not still comment. Open criticism is always good. See ya!

Next Chapter 4: Old memories, grave pasts, and huge decisions

Revised.