Night had fallen upon Gensokyo once again. The mansion was quiet, yet her residents were prepared and poised for the final battle. There were no gods to offer their support, no crowd of faceless citizens to cheer them on, no official pushing them forward. The residents of the mansion had no support but that which they could give each other. Spell cards were brought out along with a change of uniform fit for prolonged battle. This night would be the last chaotic night before the calm dawn.
The servants were as prepared as they could get. Sakuya checked herself for any wounds that may have reopened and bandaged herself up accordingly before putting on a more practical yet ever elegant new uniform. It was an unwritten rule for her to look as poised as possible, even when magical bullets were flying about. Meiling was less elegant than her colleague with her usual attire and bubbly nature. The guard spent her time stretching and meditating while the others prepared. She even cooked a meal for the others, though everyone avoided her main oriental spiced dish for fear of an upset stomach during battle.
Remilia decided it would be a good idea to bring Gungnir, one of her favorite spell cards. Though she doubted she would use it on Malus while she was still in possession of Patchouli, the mythical spear would be instrumental in putting down any apparitions she conjured up. The vampire spent some time alone in the halls of the mansion and spoke softly towards a door leading to the basement before meeting up with the others. With all that happened in the past few hours it was wise of her to see to her sister and assure her that everything was alright.
Marisa felt like a mercenary amongst the residents of the mansion, but she did what she could to fit in. Like Meiling, the ordinary witch soon bounced back to her usual optimistic and carefree attitude. She maintained her broomstick, fueled her elemental furnace, and organized her spell cards for the upcoming battle all the while giving Koakuma a few pointers and tricks. For her, saving Patchouli meant saving a library worth visiting. It just wasn't fun to stea- borrow from a place that had no crafty owner.
Koakuma ran her hands down her new uniform and checked the satchel on her hip to make sure that she had all the supplies she needed. Like the others she prepared for the final battle with Malus. Self-defense spell cards were hidden underneath her uniform on her garter belt while a set of thick gloves and boots, Meiling's gardening tools, helped to protect the devil's points of contact. She hadn't gotten in much training with her mistress's grimoire, but her spirits were high from Marisa's encouragement and Meiling's never-ending optimism. She felt confident that she could make a difference even with the small assortment of spells she knew.
The ragtag group assembled back at the entrance to the grand library and looked to each other.
"Is everyone ready?" Remilia asked as she flanked the door.
Meiling flashed a thumbs-up along with Sakuya.
"I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be," Marisa replied. "Does your maid really need all those knives? She's carrying like ten different blades."
"A servant must be prepared for anything, be they stains, rowdy guests, or a lich," Sakuya interjected with a refined smile.
The little devil hugged her mistress' grimoire close to her chest and nodded. She was as ready as she'll ever be. There was no time to sleep or rest when every second Malus was off doing god-knows-what. Just as she was about to voice her determination she felt Sakuya come up beside her and place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Koakuma looked at the servant and noticed something in her hand for the taking. It was one of Sakuya's many daggers, offered hilt-first.
"Sakuya, what are you-"
"You may find more use for this than I will, Koakuma," Sakuya explained. "In case your magic fails you, use this to defend yourself."
"B-but I've never used a dagger like that before," Koakuma whispered. "What if I don't need it?"
"What if you do?" Sakuya answered back with that same smile.
Koakuma hesitated as she received the cryptic answer. She reached for the dagger in Sakuya's hand and tucked it in her satchel. Nobody expected to fight up close with Malus or any of her minions, but sometimes it was a case of better safe than sorry.
And so the group went to the doors and pushed them open to begin their assault on Malus' stolen realm. A gust of cold air blew back hair and threatened to remove Marisa's pointed hat as they moved in. Such a blast could only be the result of a dark and powerful being's presence. Moving in the group could see torn pages fluttering about in the air like dirty snowflakes in armageddon, barren bookcases toppled over desk and chairs, and large fires that should have been put out but were ignored by the new owner. Past the broken staircase the group could see that the fires had created enough smoke to blot out the moonlight and allow an eerie orange glow to pervade what was once a sanctum of knowledge.
Through the smoke the group could see a few traces of Malus' black mist. The strands of energy swirled and danced about from smokestack to smokestack as if they had no other place to go. There was no mistake that Malus was growing stronger and was preparing to assault the heart of the mansion. Give a lich one room in a mansion and she'll want it all. The dark particles of her energy were oblivious to the group's presence, at least at first.
The grand doors to the library closed behind the group with a sickening crack. Black lines drew over the doors and handles and thickened to form ethereal chains. Koakuma cursed as she realized that the chains could not be broken by conventional means. Not even magic could shake them. The group would be trapped inside the library until they either defeated Malus or died trying. It was not a good sign, but for Meiling, she tried to make the best of it.
"Look on the bright side everybody!" she chirped. "I have a good feeling about this!"
"Meiling I'm looking on the bright side and I still see chains on this door," Remilia grumbled. She turned to look up at the library's ceiling. "This doesn't look good."
"I am unfamiliar with this kind of magic. I'm used to having it hurtling past me instead of this," Sakuya commented. "Mistress, have you seen this before?"
"Back in Italy, sure. Typically a magician puts up a miasma of energy and weaves their essence through it as they prepare for some grand spell. And mind you, this isn't anything like our strongest spell cards."
"Then it is an affront. Mistress, I dread whatever may be the product of this magic."
Remilia nodded and looked back at the group of plucky servants and aspiring magicians.
"Same. Alright everyone, we're not leaving until we finish off Malus once and for all. She'll be in the center of the library. I don't think she knows we're here just yet."
"The doors closed on us. How can you be so sure?" Marisa asked.
"True, that was her work, but it was likely just a trap," Koakuma added. She gestured to the small arcane symbols on the door. "A proximity sigil must have activated once we got inside."
The young magician pulled a confused face, but then she realized that magic was magic and that it never followed any rules set in stone. If it locked a door and wouldn't dissipate until the caster was defeated, it was good enough for her. Marisa shrugged and raised her hand.
"How about we split up?"
"Splitting up? Well, that sounds dangerous, but what we're already doing is dangerous to begin with." Remilia tapped her chin and moved to the destroyed staircase. She peered out from the end where a large gap separated the ruined stairs from the walkway. "Okay. I've got a plan now. We split up into three groups going different ways and meet up in the center. Sakuya. Meiling. You two head down here and go right."
"As you wish mistress," Sakuya replied.
"Koakuma. Marisa. You two head left. I'll go right towards Malus. The quickest way to your target is always the most dangerous."
"Are you certain you don't want to come with one of us?"
"Now now Sakuya, I am the mistress of this mansion," Remilia replied with a fanged smile. "What kind of host would I be if I avoided our guest?"
After no further questions or concerns, Remilia performed a curtsy and unfurled her wings. She leaned back and fell off the end of the destroyed staircase to take flight and head out on her way. The little vampire was a force to be reckoned with and had more power than any of the others. If the pint-sized powerhouse wanted to lead the charge down the middle, then who was to argue? The two groups followed the vampire's example and leapt down to the ground. They would be traveling on foot, just to be safe.
Koakuma was saddened by how desolate the library had become. It had already fallen into disrepair since the last encounter with Malus, but this time it was as if the lich had truly claimed the area as her own. The bookcases oozed with her tainted presence while every broken piece of furniture and destroyed book told the tale of how little she cared for anything that wasn't herself. Koakuma could see strands of dark mist flowing around torches and fires like little moth tornadoes. The destroyed books could be repaired or duplicated again, but the library was one of a kind.
The little devil and magician made their way down the smoldering halls until a burning bookcase fell in front of them and blocked their path. Shards of wood and debris launched out from the bookcase along with a plume of smoke. It would have been an inconvenience had the two been unable to fly. But seeing as they could fly, they made their way over it and swatted embers out of their clothes.
"Jeez, this looks terrible," Marisa muttered as she gazed upon barren shelves and pockets of eerie black mist. "This is worse than Reimu's kitchen."
"It's taking so much to not scoop up the books I'm coming across. Malus may be Remilia and my mistress' nemesis, but she'll regret making an enemy out of me for her disrespect," Koakuma growled. "This is where ancient civilizations and loved ones live on, and she cares little for them."
Marisa gave Koakuma a solemn look.
"I imagine you wished it was me who had gotten possessed instead of Patchy, right?"
Koakuma shook her head.
"No. The thought never crossed my mind. Me and my mistress don't hate you, Marisa. Just the things you do at times."
"I've heard that before from so many others I've lost track. Yet that's... oddly reassuring, Koa. Thanks." The witch gestured to the library. "I wonder how the others are doing. It's been kind of-"
An explosion in the distance cut Marisa off before she could finish. The echo wrapped around the inside of the library and filled the air with even more sounds as more explosions went off. Clouds of smoke and debris were flung into the air, and they all came from the right where Remilia, Sakuya, and Meiling were. Koakuma picked up the pace and made her way to a connecting aisle to investigate. In the distance she could see the exchange of danmaku and magic as Remilia encountered Malus or her magic.
A stray bullet smashed into a bookcase close to Koakuma and blew her back to her own aisle. Malus' destructive black mist rushed in after the devil and threatened to swallow her up until she felt Marisa grab her arm and tug her into cover. The two hid behind an overturned desk and watched as the mist washed over them like a tidal wave. It felt as if the light had been completely blotted out by the mist as the two felt shivers run down their spine. Malus was aware of her trespassers, it seemed.
"That must mean we've lost the element of surprise," Marisa remarked.
"I don't want to get caught by that black energy again. We need to be careful," Koakuma replied. "Flying's out of the question."
"Really? I bet we can punch a hole through that mist."
Koakuma opened her mouth to say something when she noticed that the black mist above them had frozen up. No longer was it swirling like a storm. Instead it hung over the library like a sheet of darkness. Sploches of red and purple oozed here and there in the darkness before bubbling up like egg sacs. In all the confusion Koakuma didn't realize that the explosions in the distance had died down until an eerie cackling pierced the air over the ruins of the library and caught the ear of everyone inside it.
"Like rats you come scurrying back. How do you like my traps? I did my best to make sure you were all properly received. This time you won't escape from me."
"W-what the hell? It sounds like a crazy, angry Patchy with a sore throat!" Marisa exclaimed.
"That's Malus herself. She's probably in the center of the library if she's doing all this." Koakuma stood up and searched for an exit. She pointed to a corridor that wasn't blocked off and said, "There, we need to get moving."
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Oh, I see. You want to destroy me and save this pitiful magician. You'll have to wait as I'm not quite ready to personally receive you." Malus' cackling died out as the sheet of darkness above the library pulsed with energy. "Until then, have fun with my machinations! I believe the little devil knows this party?"
"What does machinations mean?" Marisa asked.
"Shh, look up. I think we're about to have company," Koakuma advised.
The patches of red and purple ooze in the expansive darkness swelled up more and more until they fell down like cannonballs from a massive ship. The sacs burst open as soon as they hit the ground and revealed the forms of many different demons and monsters. There were winged abominations and spiked terrors with sharp teeth and claws, scaled beasts and feral critters, and much more. They snarled and unsheathed their claws as they noticed the little devil and magician. Koakuma gulped when she realized where these creatures had come from.
"Monsters from Makai, huh?" Marisa tipped her hat and straddled her broomstick. "I guess after this there'll be a few less to worry about."
"Ah... Alright..." Koakuma unfurled her wings and hovered. She brought out her mistress' grimoire and opened it up. "I'll do what I can."
The grimoire resonated to Koakuma's touch and glowed with ancient magic. As Marisa flew off to exterminate any monster that could fly, the little devil approached the demonic horde in front of her and began to invoke a spell. She flew to the side to avoid a demon's claws and gave herself some more elevation before she felt the sigils in the grimoire pour strength into her veins. She could feel the power beating within her with every syllable that rolled off her tongue. When it felt like the time was right and the invocation was complete Koakuma ran her hand over the pages and gave a flick of her wrist towards the horde's front ranks.
A wall of fire erupted from the ground and launched foes into the air while engulfing anything nearby in flames. Koakuma was stunned by her own work and allowed herself a moment to feel proud. Her celebration was cut short by the sensation of claws narrowly missing her side. She tumbled through the air and righted herself just in time to see Marisa fly by and pepper the area with a stream of danmaku. They had air superiority at the moment, but if Koakuma didn't take care of the demons who could use magic, the hold wouldn't last long.
The little devil steeled herself for another spell and flew back into the fray. She and Marisa could hear the sounds of battles happening to their right and realized that while Remilia was taking care of most of these abominations in the center lane, Sakuya and Meiling were in the same situation as they were. Everyone had to pull their own weight and get through the initial defenses before they could get to Malus. Koakuma relied heavily on her mistress' grimoire and struck lightning bolts down upon the demons as if she was Zeus herself before pairing up with Marisa to strike down any stragglers.
"I'm so glad I chose to be an exterminator instead of an alchemist!" Marisa shouted as she used a laser to pierce multiple foes. She ripped her enemies to shreds and covered Koakuma's advance. "How are you doing Koa?"
"Feeling a little woozy, but I'm alright!"
"Yeah I know that feeling!"
"Watch out!" Koakuma grabbed Marisa and pulled her down to help her avoid a large cluster of enemy fire. She let go of the magician and retaliated with a barrage of sharp icicles. "That should be the last of them!"
"Aw man, they nicked my outfit! This is my best one!" Marisa complained as she examined the tears in her side.
After making sure that there were no more demons left to oppose them, the two picked themselves up and went on their way. They vaulted over downed furniture and torches and blasted holes in whatever barriers of dark mist stood in their path. Before too long the little devil and magician found themselves in the central corridor leading up to the inner sanctum of the library. The scars of battle could be seen on just about every surface. Demonic blood coated the ground while a few corpses burned off to the side.
Koakuma looked over to where they needed to go and saw Remilia in the distance. On approach the two were able to see that Meiling and Sakuya were there as well. Though Remilia and her two servants had both managed to stave off their attackers and anything Malus threw at them, they did not come out of them completely unscathed. The vampire had what looked to be a bite wound on her wing that gave her some discomfort while the elegant maid had a new set of cuts and scrapes. Only Meiling looked like she had gotten off scot-free.
The guard tended to any open wounds on Sakuya before noticing Koakuma and Marisa bringing up the rear.
"Hey! You two made it just in time! How are you feeling?" Meiling asked.
"Might have a blister, but other than a few missing threads I'm just peachy," Marisa replied.
"I'm okay, I think," Koakuma replied, though she honestly had no clue. She felt some blood trickle down her chin and realized that she had a minor cut on her cheek. "Just a flesh wound. Strange, I didn't even feel it..."
"Mhmm! That's the adrenaline talking! Nothing better than that rush!" Meiling gave her colleague a pat on the shoulder after tightening her bandages. "We're doing fine on our end as well. C'mere Koakuma, let me see that cheek and get you fixed up."
Though Sakuya was an expert with knives, she was far more proficient with throwing them than using them as extensions of her arms in close quarters combat. Brawling was more Meiling's style, hence her uninjured state. Koakuma knew that despite their differences they made an excellent team together. The group spent a moment composing themselves and tending to any imminent problems before heading out once again. Though they each knew the library well enough, it was still in Malus' hands and thus demanded constant vigilance.
Remilia took the lead with Koakuma beside her and looked ahead to see the inner sanctum. A slow-moving vortex of black energy swirled around the circular sanctum, concealing whatever laid in wait within. Like flashes of lightning in dark clouds, purple streaks of energy pierced the darkness and filled the residents with a sense of foreboding. The ground quaked as the group trudged closer. Before they could even think about preparing a spell to part the darkness Malus' cackling echoed throughout the library and stopped them dead in their tracks.
From the darkness a face could be made out; one of cruelty, opportunism, and terrible power.
"Really the only surprising thing is how long it took for you all to defeat those wretched abominations," Malus began.
"Malus, this is your last chance. Get out of Patchouli now or you'll regret it," Remilia growled.
"My my! Are you making a demand and a threat? I am the only one who makes demands here. This is my realm. This library, no, this mansion and all within it belong to me now." The face within the darkness distorted and faded away as the purple flashes of energy glowed with more intensity. "And as my first decree, I sentence you all to death!"
The mist seemed to writhe and pulsate like some cancerous organ before wrapping around a dark figure. Malus had full control over her dark, swarm-like mist and used it to form whatever she desired. After enough abysmal contortions the mist took the shape of a strange creature from another realm. Wisps of energy blasted out from the sides of the creation and formed large arcane tentacles while blotches of red and purple made an appearance on the head. Large, stubby legs helped to ground and support the massive creature. Malus hovered within the being like a puppet master controlling her servant and gave a wild grin.
A shrill screech escaped from the swirling mist and announced its first attack upon the group. Two tentacles slammed down on either side of their formation and funneled them towards the creature's front. The blotches of red and purple energy melted into each other and dripped down to the mouth of the beast like molten lava, and it glowed accordingly. Already taken off guard by the tentacles flanking them, the group looked on as Malus superheated the magical energy and prepared to fire it like a cannon. Though the tentacles prevented the group from fleeing to the left or right, Malus had failed to account for their flight capabilities.
Koakuma and Marisa each grabbed a servant of the mansion and propelled themselves out of the blast zone with Remilia following right behind them. Malus discharged the energy and watched in glee as it obliterated the ground where the group had once stood. The force of the blast sent ripples throughout the library and blew the group high into the air. Sakuya looked on with wide eyes as she clung to Marisa's broomstick while Meiling gestured wildly in Koakuma's hold. The guard pointed to something behind Malus and shouted.
"Hey! Behind her! What's that thing?"
The little devil took a second to glance over in the direction Meiling was pointing and noticed a large red orb of energy floating behind Malus. The orb was glowing with power and looked as if it was fixed in place a few feet above the center of the library. Though it looked as foreboding as everything else created by Malus, it wasn't spouting fire or blinding them with any unnatural magic. Koakuma pointed it out to the others and they decided it had to be a weak spot worth targeting.
Malus wouldn't make it easy for them. She and her controlled creature let loose a barrage of magical bullets of all shapes, sizes, and colors to perforate the group in the air. Koakuma and Marisa dropped Meiling and Sakuya to the ground and did their best to bob and weave between the danmaku as it flew through the air. Remilia, despite the pain in her wing, danced through the air and dodged shots as if it was second nature. She fired back with her own danmaku but felt disappointed when Malus and her creature didn't seem to react at all. The three high-fliers knew that a larger hitbox meant more health points, after all.
"I'll swat you out of the air like the insects you are!" Malus shrieked.
Now the tentacles were put into play. They swung about and tried to smash into the three fliers from above and below. Koakuma had to focus on both attacking and avoiding, yet she couldn't do either one effectively under these conditions. She barely avoided direct hits and managed to brush shoulders with death and keep living when some bullets clipped her. Marisa wasn't faring very well either. She was used to youkai giving her small exploitable windows of opportunity, yet Malus was unforgiving. The magician blasted back with her elemental furnace whenever she could.
Meanwhile Sakuya and Meiling had managed to go unnoticed by Malus as they snuck around her and her abomination. They reached the red orb that was pulsing with energy and vowed to destroy it. The guard eased herself into a fighting stance and let loose a battle cry as she struck the orb with heavy punches and hard kicks. Every bare-knuckle blow produced an echo as the energy within the orb writhed about in distress. Sakuya threw knives into any wayward clouds of dark mist to get them away from Meiling and occasionally teleported her out from the fray to avoid the ire of Malus.
"Hmm? What's this?" Malus noticed Meiling going to town on the red orb as if it was a punching bag and narrowed her eyes. With a wave of her hand she swatted the guard away from the orb. "Insolent oaf! What are you doing?"
Remilia saw her chance and took it. She took advantage of Meiling and Sakuya's distraction to produce a spell card with her favorite weapon etched within. Koakuma and Marisa noticed the vampire's invocation and protected her with return fire against the incoming danmaku. A glimmering red spear appeared in Remilia's dainty hands and resonated with ancient and powerful magic. With a shout Remilia thrust Gungnir down and over Malus's head to strike home in the red orb.
The result was instantaneous. The orb had already been weakened by Meiling's assault, but Gungnir had ripped it right open. Like glass the orb shattered and fell to the ground in tiny pieces while Malus' misty creature shrieked and tore itself apart. The mist swirled around Malus and soon was launched into the air in all directions like a morbid fireworks display. The lich did not look amused at this and casually descended to the floorboards. She sighed and played with a strand of Patchouli's purple hair as she looked over at the broken shards of that strange red orb.
"I assume you were looking for the phylactery in that orb, no? Well look no further, for I have it right here," Malus boasted as she produced her own tome. A dagger was sent flying into the tome only to bounce off of an invisible forcefield. "Bad little lapdog... Your owner didn't give you the order to attack just yet!"
"Enough games Malus! This ends right here, right now," Koakuma shouted once she found her voice.
The lich gave the little devil an inquisitive look before smiling.
"You're right. Quite right. I have but one final trick up my sleeve, and thanks to your impatience, the time to reveal it is now." Malus brought up her tome and swung her free hand over to the broken shards of the red orb. "Thank you, Patchouli... For being such a dear friend..."
"What are you doing? Stop!" Koakuma cried as she brought up her mistress' grimoire for a spell. She caught a glimpse of a small piece of paper in the shards of glass and gasped. "Oh no..."
There had been a spell card hidden within the red orb of power. It wasn't a weak point; it was the cocoon for an empowering ritual. The shards glowed and melted into the ground while the black mist in the library swirled around the central chamber like a destructive tornado. The sound of ringing and whirling was deafening, and the glow from Malus' invocation was practically blinding. Tremors shook the ground and foretold the coming of one of Patchouli Knowledge's greatest spell cards. Malus closed her hand into a fist and shouted with manic enthusiasm as she summoned her final doombringer.
"Metal Sign, Silver Dragon!"
A tremendous roar heralded the arrival of the silver dragon as it burst forth from the central chamber. The residents were knocked aside and gazed up at the monster with wide, disbelieving eyes. Nearly the size of the Palanquin Ship and looking like hell incarnate, the silver dragon was a sight to behold. Brilliant silver metal formed the beast's scales and layered on top of each other like a knight's armor. The wings were large and expansive, and the membrane of the wings was tipped with all manner of sharp and jagged edges that attacking the dragon physically seemed like something a maniac would do. Frighteningly large teeth filled the creature's mouth and concealed the raw power bubbling in the back of its throat.
But the most disturbing aspect of the dragon was not its size or how much power it contained within itself. Tainted by Malus' influence, the silver dragon's skeleton could be made out from multiple breaches in its armor. Rotten flesh laid between bone and plate while a viscous purple mucus dribbled out from any cracks. The dragon, normally such a proud and majestic being in the service of a powerful magician, was nothing more than a flying corpse of wanton destruction. It was one of the worst perversions Malus had ever created in Koakuma's eyes.
Malus laughed at the fear she enticed and dissolved into a mist to integrate herself with her warped dragon and protect herself. The mist swarmed into the beast's open wounds and strengthened it even more. When the group got back to their feet and brought their spell cards to bear, the sight of the dragon towering over them made them flinch and hesitate. They fled left and right and narrowly avoided a searing hot blue flame from burning them alive. This wasn't an enemy they could destroy through brute force alone.
"What do we do?" Koakuma cried.
"I got this!" Marisa answered back. The ordinary magician dashed out from cover on her broomstick and revealed her elemental furnace, her mini-hakkero. "Get a load of this, freak! Master Spark!"
The wooden octagon in Marisa's hand sparked to life and charged up for a brief moment before letting fly a splendid ray of energy right towards the silver dragon. The signature spell slammed under the beast's jaw and blew back dust and debris from the force of the impact. However, the dragon was unhindered by the attack. The Master Spark had hit its mark, yet there was no damage. It seemed as if the dragon's silver scales could deflect any magical assault on its form.
Before Marisa could attempt another Master Spark the cursed dragon roared and gave a mighty flap of its wings to knock her off balance. The great beast took to the air and soared over the heads of the residents before turning around and making a pass at them. Koakuma hastily prepared a defensive shield over her and the others when she noticed the plume of blue in the dragon's maw. It let loose a torrent of all-consuming fire and rained it upon the group, but with the little devil's shield in play, the residents managed to survive.
In time the residents mustered up the courage to fight back against the beast, but it was all for naught. The silver dragon possessed the consciousness of Malus and was crafty in how it handled those who scurried beneath it. Using its wings it swept debris aside and forced the group out of hiding. With its fire it blocked off escape routes and tortured anyone unlucky enough to get caught within the scalding bath. Magic was in the dragon's arsenal as well, and it terrified the group whenever they saw shadows pursuing them, for they knew that giant fireballs were on their way to the ground like an angry god's wrath.
"Nothing's working!" Meiling shouted. "Should I punch it?"
"Come on, come on, there's got to be a way to beat this!" Remilia ducked under a stray blast of energy and felt her head. She snarled as she realized that the blast had taken off and ruined her best mob cap. "Merda!"
"How can we defeat something like this if nothing's worked so far?"
"We can because we don't have a choice," Remilia answered back. "Either it goes down, or we die."
"But what if we-"
Meiling was unable to finish her sentence. A stray bullet had caught her in her side and forced her to the ground where a fireball impacted with her prone form. Remilia and Sakuya looked back in concern and made their way back to pick up the unconscious guard while Koakuma and Marisa, both suffering from fresh burns, valiantly tried to damage the dragon. The only reactions of pain that they were awarded came from direct hits on the dragon's exposed flesh and bone that poked through its armor. The destruction of the red orb from before may have opened up a few exploitable spots, yet a few well-aimed shots there were not enough to defeat the beast.
Koakuma wiped the sweat from her brow and struggled to find the courage to keep opposing Malus. She had handled herself well against the demonic minions and Malus' misty guardian, but this time she felt as if there was nothing she could do. Her throat felt dry and her hands shook. She stuttered with her invocations and missed her shots. The very idea that Patchouli would be lost forever as a corrupted puppet for Malus' games shook the little devil to the core. It was enough to make her lose all hope... Yet still she persisted like the faithful servant she was.
If fighting Malus meant having a chance at saving the life of her mistress, the little devil would keep trying until she had nothing left to give but her life. And if it came to it, Koakuma would burn with a smile.
The dragon noticed the vulnerability of Meiling and swooped down to end three lives with one attack. It hovered before Remilia and Sakuya as they picked up their comrade and opened its mouth. A powerful orb of blue fire was perched within its gaping maw, and it was getting bigger with every second. Koakuma scanned the air above the burning aisles of bookcases and found Marisa frantically searching for a spell card. She darted over to the magician and drew her close.
"Marisa!"
"What?! I don't have any ideas here!"
"I do!" she replied as she brought up her grimoire. Koakuma pointed to the dragon's gaping maw. "I need you to do something incredibly reckless!"
Marisa took one look at the energy building up in the dragon's maw and grunted.
"That? Ah what the hell, I'll do it!"
Malus was ecstatic. She could see through the eyes of her cursed dragon how pitiful her prey was, and now that three were right before her in the killing zone, she felt more powerful than the vampire herself. Her energy poured into the ball of fire and kept it refined until it was good and ready. Just as she was about to issue the order to snuff out three lives she noticed the little devil and thief dart in front of the dragon on the latter's broomstick. Malus smirked on the inside at the display, but had she realized her mistake she would have swept her arrogance aside.
Marisa raised her mini-hakkero while Koakuma rose up behind her and drew upon the power contained within the grimoire. A tiny spark appeared within the small wooden octagon in Marisa's hands and steadily grew from a soft blue to a furious red thanks to Koakuma's influence. The dragon was undaunted by this display and chose to unleash its hellfire right then and there, but it was far too late. The two mages had beaten it to the punch.
"Love Sign, Master Spark!"
"Fire and Earth Sign, Lava Cromlech!"
Another Master Spark, but this time it had a multicolored sheen to it along with an otherworldly growl as it erupted from Marisa's mini-hakkero. Lava burst from Koakuma's hands and wrapped around the guided laser like flames licking at the base of a column. The lava spiraled down the laser's length and both reinforced and strengthened it. The colorful combination of spells rippled through the air at the speed of light and smashed through the silver dragon's blue hellfire with ease. It pierced the dragon's gaping maw and traveled down its throat while wreaking havoc to any flesh and tissue it touched.
The laser breached the dragon's gas sac where it stored the chemicals for its fiery attacks and set off a chain reaction within the beast. The explosions from the laser obliterated bone and tore through flesh while the lava splashed against vital organs and melted everything in its path. With a great and terrible screech the silver dragon recoiled and convulsed from the agony of its imminent demise. Through recklessness and quick thinking the two mages had struck a critical blow against the dragon, and it didn't stop there. The silver dragon continued to writhe about in the air for a moment longer before it began to rapidly decompose into Malus' black mist.
There in the center of the beast was Malus herself once again. The mist dissipated around her and failed to keep her aloft as she began to plummet to the ground. Koakuma saw her chance and took it. She dropped off the side of Marisa's broomstick and flew towards Malus' to take advantage of her stunned state. With the dragon out of commission and the lich's mental hold severed she was dazed and confused, but more importantly, she was vulnerable. The little devil kept her grimoire in her off hand and reached for a dagger with her other.
Koakuma could feel the air pushing against her as she fell. Malus' mist parted around her and made no attempt at stopping her. By the time the lich was able to compose herself Koakuma had closed the distance between them and struck. The dagger surged forward and pierced Malus' tome just enough to hilt a couple inches in. The lich widened her eyes at the sight and raised her hand to swat Koakuma away when the devil sent fire down through the dagger and engulfed the tome. As if it wasn't enough, the tome was stabbed and fueled with fire three more times, all of which were punctuated by the screams of the little devil.
"What have you done?" Malus hissed as she watched her phylactery burn before her very eyes. "No... This can't be happening... This can't be happening!"
Koakuma did not respond. She continued to hammer into the tome until the dagger was forced away by the eruption of dark energy contained within. The tome squealed and contorted in Malus' grasp as if it was an unstable device. The two magical beings continued to fall through the air and to the ground as the tome steadily dissolved into itself and imploded. Malus grew pale at the sight and scrambled for any scraps of the tome, but it was all for naught. The floor came up fast on them both and soon it struck them.
Yet what should have killed them both instead opened up a strange realm. The tome's destruction had created a rift for Koakuma and Malus to travel through. A dismal darkness had spread all around them, decorated with only a handful of purple clouds here and there like small pockets of miasma. Koakuma reached for Malus and watched in horror as the lich began to dissolve before her very eyes. She cared little for the lich, but that was Patchouli who was being reduced to ash. She floated about in the empty expanse and could do nothing but look on helplessly.
"Mistress! No! Please don't leave me!" she screamed.
"This... This isn't how this is s-supposed to end!" Malus coughed as the body in her possession crumbled away. She clenched a fist and tried to reach out for Koakuma, but her hand soon dissipated as well. "Not here... Th-there's still so much left to do..."
In a few seconds Malus' influence had been completely removed from the body, yet Patchouli was still disintegrating. Just before the purple-haired mage vanished from existence, Koakuma could see the purple of her eyes and cried out in grief. Was this how it was supposed to end? Watching her mistress, her beloved, literally fall through her fingers like sand in the wind? The devil felt tears run down her cheeks. She reached out for the black mist that still lingered behind and had to keep herself from blubbering as it all blew away, again like sand in the wind.
"No, not like this... I was supposed to save you!" Koakuma cried. She hugged her mistress' grimoire tight against her body and squeezed her eyes shut. "I've done so much already, yet... yet I can't live without you, mistress!"
The silver dragon had tested the little devil, as did the lich. When she had her mistress to fight for and the right support at her side Koakuma felt like she could handle anything, but now on her own and faced with the death of her mistress, she felt like her whole world had caved in on itself. She didn't care that she was in an empty void or that Malus was defeated. A victory meant nothing if it cost the life of the one she loved. She tried to lie to herself to help cope with the reality of the situation. She tried to imagine that her mistress was still with her, but no matter how much she hoped or begged, there was no sign that consoled her.
Nothing answered her cries... But then something happened.
Through the tears and misery Koakuma noticed a few strands of energy in the darkness that looked nothing like Malus' black mist. This energy was woven like fine silk instead of crumpled up and tossed around like whatever energy the lich relied on. The little devil sniveled and wiped her eyes to get a better look at the strands of energy. They looked like precious pockets of air in a land devoid of life. They danced around like sakura petals in fall. They were purple.
The little devil watched the strands move about before they darted off. Koakuma was confused as to what was going on, but she had the slightest idea that she should follow the strands. She wiped her tears against her sleeve and flew through the darkness as if she was a lost lamb following the light from a shepherd's lantern. More strands of purple energy came into view and swam off in the same direction as all the rest. Koakuma lost track of the time she spent aimlessly following them. She had half a mind to turn back and find a way out. It was as if something or someone was pushing her forward.
Soon, Koakuma came across a tower in the darkness and followed its length to the top. She had seen the purple strands of energy flutter up to the top and couldn't help but feel invigorated. Though she had seen her mistress crumble to dust before her, she could not quit the hopeful smile that was spreading across her lips. Her eyes had betrayed her when her heart was in the right place. Hope shined off of the little devil as she climbed. Once she reached the top, she wondered why she had jumped the gun the first place.
There latched to the top of the circular tower was the form of Patchouli Knowledge herself. Koakuma gasped in surprise and descended to check and see if this was real or not, and she was overjoyed to know that it was indeed her mistress. Shackles attached to Patchouli's wrists and ankles kept the magician pinned to the platform with nowhere to go. Koakuma had to contain her relief and excitement as she looked over her mistress for anything out of place. The magician looked to be a deep sleep or trance, but other than a few scrapes and bruises here and there, she was unharmed.
Koakuma reached out and broke the chains holding her mistress with her magic before supporting Patchouli's head against her thigh. She brushed aside the magician's unruly bangs and searched for her eyes, all the while holding back her tears of joy. She failed.
"L-Lady Patchouli... Mistress, I found you... Your familiar is here," she whispered.
Ever so slowly, Patchouli's eyes opened up and revealed those beautiful purple irises for Koakuma to gaze into. She knew she looked like a terrible mess in front of her mistress, but so be it. She had found her once again.
"Koakuma... Thank goodness," Patchouli whispered. Her lips tugged up in a soft smile. "Though it's a staple for many heroic novels... I do not wish to become a damsel in distress ever again."
"Mistress," Koakuma whimpered before wrapping her arms around her beloved.
The two shared a longing embrace with one another and refused to part for the longest time. Koakuma, though she was the rescuer, felt safe with her mistress once again. Patchouli shed a few tears but kept herself composed in her beloved's embrace. When the two had gotten their fill Koakuma helped remove the uncomfortable shackles from Patchouli's limbs and helped her to her feet. The magician noticed the grimoire under her familiar's arm and sighed in relief.
"I see it's served you well."
"This? Y-yes, yes, without it I wouldn't have lived to make a difference." Koakuma offered the grimoire back to its rightful owner. Patchouli took it and hugged it close to her chest. "Are you alright?"
"I am... I am very weary, but with you here I feel much better. I take it Malus is defeated?"
Koakuma nodded and sniveled again as she felt Patchouli's fingers interlace with her own.
"I had no doubt that you would be successful, Koakuma," Patchouli explained. "Malus was always a slave to her own hubris, and you... You're as stubborn as I am."
"It was difficult, mistress. I've missed you."
"Oh please, Koakuma. It's only been a couple of days," Patchouli replied with a smile. She gazed out at the empty expanse of Malus' destroyed dimension and allowed herself a soft chuckle. "Ah well. Let's leave this wretched place, shall we? I don't imagine that little girl caused too much trouble while I was gone."
The little devil blushed and rubbed the back of her head as she moved to follow her mistress.
"Ah... Well, about that..."
Author's Note: Technically this is the end. However I'd like to do a little follow up to tie up any loose-ends. I hope you've enjoyed reading so far.