"Rin!" Ran cried out as she had tears in her eyes, her body shaking while she was down on her knees with disbelief and horror on her face.
"Oh my god, that was Rin that destroyed their home. It was really her," Kurumu said while looking at the grief-stricken siren. Kokoa shook her head then looked to Sun.
"You were right, you were right all along," she said with disbelief. Sun looked at her worriedly then to Ran as the group watched the girl crying on the ground.
"No… you can't be the one that killed our parents, you can't be!" Ran cried out. Luna looked at her with surprise then to the others.
"What's going on, what just happened with Falla and the school?" she asked. Ran screamed then ran towards Luna, grabbing her by the neck and shaking her furiously.
"What did your sister do to Rin? What did she do to her? Tell me right now, what the hell did your sister do to mine?" she yelled out while Luna struggled to pry the girl off of her. They dropped to the ground as the group watched with surprise, seeing Ran strangling Luna with anger and tears in her eyes.
"What did your sister do to her? She turned Rin into a monster; she turned my sister into a monster!" Ran screamed before Apoch and Astreal rushed over and yanked her off of Luna, the chronofly gasping for air while Ran thrashed about as she tried to charge the girl still.
"What happened to Rin, what did your sister do to her?" Ran yelled out while crying out of anger and sorrow. Luna watched her with worried eyes as she slowly stood up again before looking to the others who were all watching the raging siren with concern.
"Please calm down Ms. Ran," Apoch said worriedly.
"Ms. Luna is not to blame for any of this," Astreal added. Ran screamed and knocked them away before glaring at Luna.
"Your sister turned Rin into a monster! She made her kill our parents, our whole village!" she yelled out. Luna looked at her with distress then to where the portal had vanished. Ran shook her head and cried loudly while holding her hands to her head.
"Rin! Rin!" she cried out before holding her hands to her face and sobbing.
"Falla, Kyouko," Ruby said softly while looking down with concern.
"What happened to Falla? Is she ok?" Complica asked Luna with worried eyes. Luna shook her head then looked to the side as she prepared to swipe into time.
"I need to go find her," she said before Hex grabbed her hand, the girl looking to him as he shook his head.
"If you carve open a rift with your chrono magic my father will certainly notice. A spike with your magic out here is essentially lighting a beacon for him to hone in on," he pointed out. She looked at him with fearful eyes and quickly held his hand with both of hers.
"Then we need to find her and see if she's ok, please, take me to where she was with your power. I need to find my sister," she begged. The group looked to the boy as he watched Luna with a raised eyebrow.
"You're asking me to take you to where all manner of destruction and chaos were breaking loose just now? Luna, I'm trying to keep you in one piece, not throw you into a meat grinder," he pointed out simply.
"Please Hex, you have the power to get to the monster world, you can go behind the time stream and out of your father's sight, you're the only way I can see my sister again. I'm begging you. I'll play your game if I have to, whatever it takes," Luna said holding her hands together with a pleading expression.
"Luna, our deal was that I keep you safe, taking you straight to where that siren was annihilating the world around her seems like a bad idea with your safety," Hex reasoned shaking his head.
"Then take me, right now," Ceal demanded while stepping forth. Hex glanced to him with a smirk and crossed his arms.
"You?" he asked simply.
"Yes me, I need to make sure Falla is alright, and I don't give a damn about how dangerous it might be. If you have the power to go to Yokai Academy then take me over there right now," Ceal demanded sternly.
"You do realize that I'm not your ferryman from one world to another. In fact, the only reason I'm here to begin with is because Luna insisted on coming to see all of you," Hex said shaking his head. Ceal growled then walked up and grabbed the boy by the shirt, the reality bender merely watching him with an amused smile.
"I'm not asking you nor am I playing any of your games, I'm telling you to take me to Falla right now," Ceal said coldly. Hex looked to the mage's hands holding his shirt then to him without showing any further reaction.
"You can't threaten me in the least, and I take orders from nobody," he said before grabbing Ceal's hands and pulling them off. From the ground around them dark tentacles crept up from below as the group watched Ceal glaring at Hex.
"You'd be surprised how persuasive I can be, do not push me any further than I already am. Take me to where Falla was right now or else," Ceal said sternly.
"Yeah, point of advice; don't come between him and Falla. Seriously, bad idea," Render added shaking his head.
"You have the power to go get her, why won't you?" Leon asked. Hex glanced to him while Xarai's tentacles swayed around near him quickly.
"I'm not leaving Luna out of my sight for a moment, and I'm not taking her to where that siren was destroying everything around her either," he explained, then looked at Ceal again with a casual smile.
"I do need Falla's help with freeing my sister, and would love to go looking for her, however with that siren's outburst of power it seems like a bad place to take Luna at the moment, and she is my priority right now," Hex said calmly. Ceal growled while Luna looked at Hex with worried eyes.
"Please Hex," Luna said softly. The boy looked to her as she walked up to him and held her hands against his chest.
"Don't let my sister die alone out there; I have to go after her, just like how you want to save your sister. I'm begging you, take me with you to find her, I promise I'll be alright and stay in your sight at all times," she pleaded. Hex looked at her for a moment then glanced to the group. Ran was still sobbing as she slowly dropped to her knees while Ahakon and Yukari were standing beside her with concerned expressions.
"Please make sure Falla is ok," Complica whimpered.
"Hex, please," Ruby said softly.
"You said you weren't on your father's side in this war, then be on ours and help us," Razico implored.
"You need her help just as Luna's, remember? You're letting your chance of freeing Pandora slip further away should she die," Dark added.
"Not to mention she has all of the keys to Pandora's Box with her," Render mentioned with a raised eyebrow.
"She literally is the only way of freeing your sister no matter how you look at it, you need her alive," Leon said. Hex looked around at the group then to Luna as she was watching him with worried eyes.
"I promise I'll help you save your sister, so please help save mine," she begged softly. Hex sighed quietly and gently wiped a tear away from her cheek.
"You really are a handful, you know that?" he said simply. Luna whimpered and looked at him with watery eyes before he smirked slightly.
"Alright, I'll take you and Falla's boyfriend with me to the school, but only for a moment. If my father saw that outburst of power he might be watching the area carefully, I cannot allow you to be seen with me nor found by him again," he reasoned. Luna smiled and nodded quickly as the boy glanced to Ceal.
"Piece of advice for you however, although I need Falla in one piece and am willing to risk a journey over there to find her, I don't take kindly to those who order me around or threaten me," he said before waving his hand down. A crackling sound echoed out as Xarai's limbs suddenly jerked down and twisted about before shooting down into the floor and vanishing. Ceal looked down with a cautious eye as Xarai let out a groan while the group looked at where the limbs had suddenly receded.
"What… just happened?" Gin asked. Complica looked around at the ground then to Ceal as the mage was glancing to his reptilian hand. He flexed it briefly then looked to Hex with a glare.
"How did you…" he said coldly.
"I told you before you can't threaten me, if anything you're just amusing me with your antics," Hex said before looking back to where his portal had collapsed before. Ceal bared his teeth slightly while the group looked at Hex curiously.
"Did you just unsummon his summoned being?" Ruby asked.
"I merely cut off its entry into this world, much like closing the door in somebody's face. Reality is of course my affinity, and as such I can alter it within my own limitations," Hex reasoned with a shrug.
"What do you mean reality is your affinity? Reality isn't a magical type, it's just… reality. Just what the heck are you anyway?" Yukari asked shaking her head. Hex laughed and glanced back to her with a smile.
"The other Yukari was always so curious about that as well. If you wish to know so badly you can always roll for it," he mused. Yukari took a step back while holding a hand over her heart, shaking her head with a worried expression as the boy chuckled to himself.
"No, that's ok," Yukari said quickly. Hex nodded then looked to Ceal.
"Well, are you coming?" he asked. Ceal held in his growl then walked over to him. Luna held onto Hex's arm while the boy extended out his other hand towards Ceal.
"Try to control yourself and your pet," Hex said simply. Ceal glanced to the hand then to him as he reluctantly took hold of it. Hex smirked then started walking them forward, the three then slowly vanishing from sight.
"What the… where did they go?" Kurumu asked looking around.
"How exactly can he go around the barrier between our worlds and the time stream anyway? What kind of monster can do that?" Kokoa asked shaking her head.
"He's not a monster, he's something else entirely," Ahakon said with wonder. The group then looked to Ran as she was whimpering while holding her hands to her face still.
"Ran, I'm… sorry," Ahakon said softly.
"If we hadn't seen it with our own eyes we never would have believed it, your sister was always so nice and gentle before," Ruby said gently. Ran took a few shaky breaths then looked to where Hex and the two others had vanished with a teary eyed glare.
"When I see Falla next… I'm going to KILL HER!" she screamed out with fury, her voice causing the group to step back as it was ear-piercing to them. Ahakon regained himself then rested his hand on her shoulder and shook his head.
"Ran, whatever Falla did do to your sister in the past, we can't blame the Falla that's here now for it. Remember, we told you what happened with her, the Falla that did do those evil things is dead, the good Falla killed her herself," he reasoned. Complica nodded with a worried expression.
"My sister said that was true, she put an end to that evil part of her for good," she said softly.
"Yeah, she destroyed a human city with that fight, that evil bitch side of her went down hard," Render added.
"Actually, it was Kyouko who laid the finishing blow on her, she was the one who wiped that dark side of Falla out of existence forever," Leon mentioned.
"They're right Ms. Ran; the Ms. Falla that is here today is nothing like the monster from the past. She has atoned for the sins that her original self has made and proved to have a good soul in her," Apoch and Astreal said together in perfect sync. Render and Leon looked at them with surprise and wonder.
"Holy shit, how did you two just say all of that together?" Render asked.
"That was two full sentences in perfect unison, that's unbelievable," Leon said with wonder.
"Thank you! I knew I couldn't be the only one who noticed, I just knew it!" Rason cried out while waving to them. Ran shook her head and glared at Apoch and Astreal with teary eyes.
"A good soul? A good soul? She turned Rin into a mindless killer, she had my own sister murder our mother and father, and destroy our village! She has no soul as far as I'm concerned! I'm never going to forgive her for this! Never!" she yelled out. She broke down crying and grabbed hold of Ahakon with a hug, crying on his shoulder as the mage held her with a remorseful expression.
"Ran, I'm so sorry. We'll get this figured out, I promise," Ahakon said gently.
"I'm going to kill her Ahakon, when I see her I'm going to tear her throat out!" Ran cried out before burying her face in his shoulder. Fang Fang shook his head slowly with a remorseful expression at the girl then looked around at the others.
"If it's not one problem or crisis with you people it's another, is it always like this for you?" he asked.
"We told you before, you'd be surprised what we go through on a daily basis," Kokoa said while still watching Ran cry on Ahakon's shoulder, the siren feeling her heart ache at seeing what had happened to her sister and her rage growing for knowing who was responsible.
Hex walked with Luna and Ceal through a dark void, their feet seeming to travel along a surface which couldn't be seen.
"Just where are we anyway?" Ceal asked looking around.
"Everywhere and nowhere," Hex replied simply.
"That's an oxymoron you idiot," Ceal said dryly at him.
"No, it really isn't when you see the full picture of things," Hex said simply. Ceal growled quietly while Luna held onto Hex's arm, the girl showing a worried expression still as she walked alongside the reality bender.
"Falla… what have you done this time?" she said softly.
"Do you know what this is all about?" Ceal asked. Luna shook her head and looked over to him.
"I only knew that Rin was brought to our home long ago to be checked over by our healers, she has-"
"She has a memory problem that is negated by her enchanted headphones, I'm aware of her condition as I was the one who mistakenly asked that siren to watch over Falla in my absence," Ceal interrupted with annoyance. Luna looked at him with concern then down as the translucent bricks below their feet slowly came into view.
"Falla said she had them rigged to trigger with heavy metal music, that she didn't want anyone to know about us. It sounds like her old self had the healers enchant those headphones for the siren to cause her to go… crazy when she heard the music, to wipe out the sirens' village entirely," she reasoned softly. Ceal watched her for a moment then looked ahead.
"I've heard how her original self was, and even had the displeasure of seeing her myself in person. Such an act doesn't strike me as surprising with how she used to be," he said. Luna looked to him curiously as they approached the floating courtyard while the stars from the strange cosmos glittered around them.
"You've seen her old self? How? When?" Luna asked.
"Who do you think was sent to reclaim the real Falla for this guy's father?" Ceal said simply. Hex smirked at that comment while Luna looked at Ceal with surprise.
"Wait, but… how? She was dead, my sister killed her a while ago when she arrived in this timeline," she said shaking her head. That got a curious glance from Hex and a simple nod from Ceal.
"There are three dead souls back where we came from, one of which is your sister; does another being brought into our world really surprise you still?" Ceal replied while looking around to seeing the darkness receding as they walked onto the courtyard, with the dozens of other courtyards nearby drifting along slowly while in the midst of the vast cosmos.
"Seeing this however, raises more prominent questions," Ceal continued before looking to Hex.
"I'm sure it does, however we're not here for Q & A. Now then, let's see, Yokai Academy…" Hex said looking around curiously.
"So wait, you're saying that Falla's old self, the one she killed, came back?" Luna asked with wonder. Ceal nodded as he looked around at the space they were in with a careful eye.
"She was brought out of hell to reclaim your sister. Which brings up another question, how exactly did your father do that?" he asked glancing to Ceal.
"Again, not why we're here," Hex said looking around at the floating courtyards casually. He nodded then leapt off of the one they were at, floating up and turning himself in the air to land on a vertically angled courtyard which was drifting by.
"Luna dear, stay with me," Hex called down playfully. Luna quickly looked around, then up at the floating courtyard with wonder.
"Do I just… jump?" she asked.
"You can jump, leap, hop, or whatever floats your fancy Luna, just be a good girl and get over here," Hex said shaking his head with an amused smile. Luna nodded then jumped up, launching off the courtyard as if there was no gravity at all holding her down. Ceal watched her go then quickly followed after, flying up through the strange space as if weightless as well. Luna reoriented herself and landed down next to Hex with the boy gently taking her into his arms and guiding her down, the girl looking at him with a timid expression while Ceal turned around and landed down on the courtyard near them.
"Very graceful as always," Hex said with a wink at her before looking over towards one of the pathways that extended out into the cosmos, with Luna blushing from that comment. Ceal glanced to Hex with a dull expression then looked around while holding in his scoff.
"Are we almost there?" he asked impatiently. Hex chuckled and looked to him with an amused smile as he let Luna go, the girl then slowly taking hold of his arm again.
"As a matter of fact we are, are you really complaining about me taking you all the way into the monster world and to that school in the short amount of time that I'm doing so right now?" he asked with a smirk. Ceal growled quietly as Hex led Luna off towards a pathway.
"Come this way, and stay close, you don't want to get lost here after all. We may never find you again," Hex laughed. Ceal followed after while watching the reality bender with a dull glare. Luna looked around as they walked along the brick pathway into the cosmos, the surroundings slowly growing darker and fading away from view the further they headed away from the courtyard.
"I just hope Falla's alright," she said worriedly. Hex glanced to her then looked ahead as he took Ceal's hand, the mage trying to tolerate having to hold his hand in order to see Falla again.
"Oh I believe she'll be just fine after that cataclysmic explosion she was caught in," he reasoned casually. Luna looked to him with worried eyes while Ceal glanced to him with a raised eyebrow.
"How do you know that?" Luna asked. Hex looked to Ceal then shrugged.
"If she's got a guy like this for a boyfriend I doubt anything can really faze her," he laughed before looking ahead, with Ceal baring his teeth slightly at the reality bender. He tried to crush the boy's hand in his grip, however wasn't able to do so at all. Hex smirked and glanced to him with a knowing eye.
"If you wish to cause me physical harm, you'll need a bit more strength than that," he mentioned. Ceal watched him carefully as Luna glanced to him with a bit of wonder, the reality bender then looking back ahead with a calm smile.
"Don't assume I'm as frail as you are," he said before they all faded into the darkness together.
Rin let out a powerful shriek, her voice causing flames to flare around her wildly and scorch the ground to black while lightning struck down around her and decimated the ruins of Yokai Academy into flaming and charred debris. She gripped her head as she couldn't control her emotions and thoughts, images of war and chaos flashing before her eyes as she felt her rage and anger grow and grow. She couldn't remember who she was or where she was, all she knew was she felt her fury growing while the hardcore heavy metal music played in her ears. Her red eyes glared around the area as she sang her dark and heavy song, her words causing the ground around her to quake and thunder to boom above. From the rubble near her a woman slowly climbed up onto her knees, the female teacher of the school having bruises and cuts all over her body while she wearily looked at the siren.
"What… are you doing? Stop this…" she said before coughing out blood. Rin looked to her with a murderous glare then walked over to the woman, grabbing her head with her hands as the teacher stared at the siren with fright.
"Please… don't…" she whimpered.
Rin struck a high note in her song, causing a powerful sonic blast which pulverized the woman and splattered her remains back along the ground which tore apart from the sound wave. Blood dripped from Rin's hands as the girl screamed into the air, her mind having nothing but destruction and death going through it as the music continued to play for her. The storm around her raged on and destroyed all that surrounded the academy. The rotting forests, the dorm buildings, the gymnasium; everything was leveled by the power of the siren as she went berserk.
From nearby the headmaster was watching the girl sing out of control, the man's robes fluttering about from the storm while his glowing eyes watched the siren carefully.
"What have you done child? What's come over you?" he asked cautiously. Rin turned to him with a murderous glare in her red eyes, the headmaster watching as the girl's persona had become drastically different.
"Rin Otonashi, can you still hear me?" he asked carefully. Rin screamed as her wings flapped behind her, the girl shooting into the air with a powerful thrust as lightning struck down around her wildly and into the ground. The headmaster shielded his eyes from the flashes then looked up to seeing Rin flying in the sky erratically while tornados were forming around her in the sky.
"I don't believe she can," the man said shaking his head before the storm intensified, with more bolts of lightning streaking down towards the academy's ruins. The headmaster held his hands together, a white glow forming around him as casting circles glowed beneath on the ground.
"I'm afraid the song stops here Ms. Otonashi," he said gravely before holding his hands out towards the girl, the siren singing in the sky as the storm raged around her. Rin looked to seeing glowing rings of light made of strange looking characters and numerals appearing in circles around her, the bands of energy circling around the girl as she screamed out with her song. A bright flash erupted followed by a powerful bang, the shockwave sending out billowing dark clouds every which way while the headmaster down below watched the skies carefully.
"I fear that was not enough to contain her properly," he said shaking his head. A moment later the glow in the sky subsided to show nothing there while the storm slowly began to die down, with the thunder receding while the dark clouds gradually dissipated. The headmaster looked around at the sky while the wind was still blowing then down to his school which had been reduced to rubble.
"This is a rather unfortunate turn of events," he said to himself. He then looked over to seeing three others standing behind him.
"Oh my god… the school!" Luna cried out looking around with disbelief and horror. Ceal looked around quickly, seeing that there was nothing but piles of debris lying about where the school had once stood. Hex looked to the headmaster and smiled curiously.
"Hello again headmaster, we were looking for Luna's sister, have you by chance seen her?" he asked casually. The headmaster looked at him carefully then at Luna curiously as the girl was shaking her head with disbelief from seeing the leveled school.
"Ms. Cii? I wasn't aware you were back so soon, it's good to see you again," he said. Luna looked to him then ran off while calling out Falla's name. Ceal looked around then to the headmaster.
"Where was the infirmary located?" he asked quickly.
"I believe what's left of the infirmary would be over there Mr. Erres," the man said pointing off to the side. Ceal took off running in that direction, followed quickly by Luna while Hex merely watched them go. The headmaster however turned to him with a careful eye.
"I don't believe I've seen you before. Just who are you, and how did all of you arrive here just now?" the man asked cautiously. Hex glanced to him then started walking off after Luna while the headmaster watched him constantly with his glowing eyes.
"Falla! Falla, where are you?" Luna cried out as she ran over to another section of debris and rubble while looking around franticly. Ceal looked around then snapped his fingers with his reptilian hand.
"Xarai, find her, now!" he ordered. A low groaning was heard from below before a few dark tentacles emerged around them between chunks of debris. Hex walked over towards them while looking around the area casually with a calm expression.
"Not seeing too many if any bodies, I thought more students went to this academy," he pointed out while glancing around the destroyed piles of debris. The remains of the destroyed floors from the academy were strewn about as barely any walls or foundations were standing still, however there didn't appear to be any bodies from the students of the school amongst the debris.
From nearby rubble suddenly shifted around before being thrown aside as a pair of metallic looking wings arched up from below. Luna and Ceal looked over to seeing Talon slowly getting up while his wings extended out behind him, the hybrid having a few cuts and bruises on his body which was clad in a sheet. In his hands he had the scuffed clothing that Kyouko had left at his bedside, the boy's green eyes slowly glancing over to the others as he stood up while breathing heavily.
"Ah, there's one of them now," Hex said plainly.
"Oh my god, are you ok?" Luna asked. Talon looked around wearily for a moment then took off into the air with a mighty thrust of his wings, flying off into the sky as the others watched him go.
"He appears to be fine," Hex commented.
Ceal watched the hybrid fly off towards the horizon then looked over to hearing Xarai's groan while a few tentacles were swaying about near some debris towards the edge of where the building had once been. A few of the limbs were grabbing chunks of rubble and tossing them aside which revealed a hand sticking up through the wreckage below.
"Falla!" Ceal called out as he ran over. Luna quickly followed after while Hex watched with a curious eye. Ceal raced over to where the dark limbs were moving aside rubble and quickly started to pick up and throw away chunks of debris alongside Luna. As they did they saw Falla on the ground beneath the stones, the chronofly seeming to be out cold while she was holding Kyouko close.
"Falla!" Luna cried out as the two dug the two girls out. Ceal quickly lifted Falla into his arms while Luna pulled Kyouko out from the rubble, the two girls seeming to be unconscious while their clothing was tattered and burned.
"Falla! Kyouko! Wake up!" Luna cried out. Ceal looked Falla over then placed his hand on her forehead, a small white glow coming from it while Luna watched with worried eyes. Hex walked over and watched the unconscious chronofly as Ceal held her in his arm while moving his hand alongside her head down to her shoulder. After a moment Falla twitched slightly as her eyes opened a peek.
"Ceal?" she breathed out.
"I'm here Falla, I've got you," he said as held the girl close. Falla's hand moved slightly at her side as her eyes struggled to focus.
"You came… for me…" she said softly before losing consciousness again. Ceal looked at her carefully then held his hand over her chest, the glow coming from his magic again while Luna watched with worried eyes.
"Is she ok? Are they going to be ok?" she asked looking to Kyouko who was lying still in her arms. The human slowly stirred and opened her eyes slightly, seeing the hazy image of Luna as her vision tried to focus again.
"Wha… what happened?" she asked wearily.
"Kyouko, can you hear me?" Luna asked worriedly.
"I can't… feel my legs," Kyouko said weakly. Luna looked to seeing Kyouko's legs having a few breaks in them while they were bleeding.
"They're broken Kyouko," Luna whimpered. Kyouko took a shaky breath as she struggled to remain conscious.
"Then… it's good I can't… feel them," she said with a few tears forming in her eyes.
Ceal focused his magic on Falla's chest, helping her lungs breathe again from being bruised. After a while she took a shaky breath and opened her eyes slowly, her vision still hazy while she tried to look at Ceal.
"Ceal…" she said softly.
"Just hold on Falla, I'm not going to let you go again," he said gently.
"How… did you get here?" she asked weakly before falling into a daze, her eyes seeming to lose focus as her head rocked to the side. Ceal looked her over then lifted the girl into his arms.
"We need to get them out of here," he said looking to Luna. The girl nodded and gently lifted Kyouko up in her arms, the human flinching then cringing in pain.
"Ok… now I feel them… OW!" she cried out as her broken legs dangled down below Luna's arm. Luna looked at her with worried eyes then to Ceal.
"Can you help them? You healed Falla before didn't you?" she asked quickly.
"I can, however let's get out of the open and back to where it's relatively safer for them first," Ceal said looking around at the destroyed school. Hex walked over to them followed by the headmaster, the man watching them all carefully while the boy looked at Falla with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, she's certainly seen better days," he said simply.
"If I may ask, what exactly is going on here?" the headmaster asked while looking around at the group. They turned to him as he showed a slightly curious smile.
"First that kindhearted girl obliterates my school with her destructive singing, then I find that Luna Cii is not only safe from that darker world she ventured into but is back here along with Mr. Erres who was, last that I recall, confined to the human world since the barrier between realms has been closed. I feel as though I'm in need of some clarification as to how these events have taken place," the man said crossing his arms.
"Sorry, but again, we're not here for Q & A," Hex said walking over to Luna and Ceal.
"That is not an acceptable answer. Now, please explain who you are and what has happened here," the headmaster ordered with a firm tone. Hex stopped then glanced back to him.
"We're taking these two with us; you however should inform the dark lords of this realm that their time is running out. My father will be descending upon you all soon; you cannot hide behind your so-called barrier or even escape into time to avoid his arrival. If you're going to fight for your existence, then you need to ready yourselves for war," he stated simply.
"War?" the headmaster asked carefully.
"There's a war coming headmaster, Hex's father is the evil king in the dark world, he's going to be invading both of our worlds to conquer everything," Luna said worriedly, with Kyouko cringing and whimpering in her arms as she started to feel just how badly hurt she really was.
"The HDA are questioning if we really can be allies or not after a recent monster attack in their world. One of your students is talking to them now in hopes of renewing a truce," Ceal mentioned while holding Falla who was struggling to maintain consciousness. The headmaster looked at them cautiously then to Hex as the reality bender shrugged.
"Personally I don't believe any of you will survive the coming march of my father's army; however Luna and her friends are determined to give it one last fight. Should you wish to help them, you'd better get all the support you can for this war, it just may be your last," he warned.
"Your father is the one in the darkness? If that is true, why are you helping us?" the headmaster asked.
"I'm not helping you, I'm helping Luna, it just so happens that works in your favor," Hex reasoned simply. The headmaster watched him carefully then the group looked over to seeing Ms. Ririko trying to move aside some rubble while she herself was injured, her clothing having rips and burn marks on it while her left leg was bleeding.
"Shizuka!" she called out. Under the stones below her the cat demon was lying unconscious with blood dripping from her head, her lower body still being covered by chunks of plaster and loose bricks. Ms. Ririko franticly tried to dig the woman out then looked around desperately.
"Somebody help me, please!" she cried out as she struggled to rescue her friend. The headmaster then looked back to seeing Hex placing his hands on Luna and Ceal's shoulders.
"It seems you have others that are in need of your help right now, and we have our own. This is where we part ways headmaster, neither of us has time for a lengthy discussion about the inevitable," Hex said casually. The headmaster eyed him carefully then looked back towards Ms. Ririko who was trying to dig out Ms. Nekonome.
"Then answer me this, son of the dark king, do we stand a chance against your father and his army?" he asked. He glanced back to Hex as Luna and Ceal were looking to him for his answer as well.
"I wouldn't bet on it," Hex said shaking his head. The headmaster nodded then started walking towards the two women in distress.
"Whether you are on your father's side in this or not, do not underestimate those who attended this academy," he said solemnly. He stopped and looked back to seeing Hex and his group gone, then after a pause started walking again towards his faculty amidst the remains of his school.
"However, it may not be a bad idea to speak to those who could aid us," he said to himself.
Inside the lounge within the villa Ran was crying on Ahakon's shoulder, the siren down on her knees while holding onto her hero and only remote source of comfort. The mage held her with a worried expression while Yukari and Sun were gently patting the girl on the back, both concerned about how Ran was taking the news of hearing that Rin was indeed the slayer of her hometown and parents.
"Rin… what did she do to you?" Ran whimpered while holding onto Ahakon.
"It'll be ok Ran, I promise. We'll find Rin and make sure that she's alright," Ahakon assured while holding the siren.
"Damn you Falla… I'm going to kill you for what you did," Ran said with anger while sobbing. Yukari and Sun looked to each other then to Ran as the girl trembled and cried onto Ahakon's shoulder.
Sitting on the couch in the middle of the lounge Complica was looking down with worried eyes while Ruby and Razico sat with her, the casters watching as the young chronofly was whimpering and fearing her sister's fate from the school's destruction.
"What if she was killed what if my sister died and I never got to say goodbye or hug her again what if that was the last time I ever saw her again oh no please don't let her be dead please Ceal you have to bring her back you have to bring her back to us you can't let her die in that place she just has to be ok she's my sister and I love her and I want to see her again and-" Complica said before she started breathing heavily while Ruby held her gently with a concerned expression.
"You really need to break up your sentences more Complica, you're going to pass out again if you keep doing that," Ruby said shaking her head.
Sitting on the couches down in the lowered seating area Render, Leon, Apoch, and Astreal were waiting for their friends to come back from their journey to Yokai Academy, the twin sisters holding the hands of their boyfriends while they held onto hope that Falla and Kyouko would be alright still.
"Ms. Sun spoke the truth with her story, it really was Ms. Rin that destroyed the sirens' home. She seemed so kind and gentle, I never would have believed she would have been capable of such a thing," Apoch said softly.
"Ms. Falla's old self is to blame for what happened to her, she turned that poor girl into a weapon to silence all the sirens once and for all," Astreal said shaking her head.
"That other side of Falla really was a bitch. I mean yeah, she tried to have us killed and you two turned into slaves for those other witches, and she cut apart the good Falla and tried to murder Kyouko, not to mention she caused the humans to think we're evil monsters again, but still, what a bitch," Render added with discontent.
"She may have gotten what was coming to her and then some, but it seems the trouble she sewed into this world is still being felt. A dark legacy if there ever was one," Leon said with regret.
Over by the kitchen area Gin and Kokoa were seated at the bar watching the rest of the group while Fang Fang was making himself a drink.
"Can I offer either of you something? We have a good selection here," Fang Fang asked glancing to the couple.
"No thank you, I don't have a real thirst or appetite right now," Gin said shaking his head.
"I just want this nightmare to end already," Kokoa said leaning back against the counter and closing her eyes. Fang Fang nodded as he finished preparing his cocktail then looked around at the group with sympathetic eyes.
"It seems as though we have much to deal with before this comes to an end," he speculated.
"This is our fight, not yours, you're not being asked to take up arms alongside us. We're the ones that are used to the fighting, we're the ones that need to take care of this," Kokoa said shaking her head. Fang Fang scoffed then set down his drink with a clink, the couple looking back to seeing him showing a stern expression.
"Excuse me, but this unsavory monster in the darkness has caused quite a bit of trouble for myself as well, not to mention many other innocent lives out there all because of the mess he's caused. You all saved me from my own dark cell that I had been confined to, the very least I can offer is my services against this foe for everything you've done for me. Like it or not, I'm your friend and ally in this, and I believe you're going to need all the help you can get," he stated. Gin and Kokoa smiled slightly at the yasha as he took a drink from his cocktail, his expression then changing to a blissful smile.
"Oh yes, that is simply divine. This always helps bring a smile back onto my face when the world is being so gray," he said with a small giggle at the end before drinking more while leisurely spinning around and walking back into the kitchen, with Gin and Kokoa watching him while smiling weakly with tiny sweat drops forming on the back of their heads.
Sitting on another couch off to the side of the lounge Gabriel was looking down with his hands holding his head, his expression of remorse while Kurumu and Rason were standing near him and seeing his troubled expression.
"Gabriel?" Rason asked gently.
"She hates me," Gabriel said closing his eyes. The image of Luna slapping him across his face and scolding him for letting Complica travel to earth flashed before his eyes, her words and anger towards him causing his heart to feel more pain than he thought it would.
"She doesn't… hate you," Kurumu reasoned unsurely.
"She tried to attack me in her anger, she hates me for what happened to Complica," Gabriel said shaking his head.
"Well you were the one who was supposed to be watching them in heaven," Rason pointed out. Gabriel showed a strained expression and nodded.
"I tried Rason, I really did. Arial was the only one who kept sneaking into the palace, but Complica… she was always behaving, she was a true angel. But after Arial snuck past our guards through the rift, Complica went right after her, nobody even saw her near the rift before we just found her down below. She used her time magic; we couldn't have stopped her even if we did know what she was planning. I tried to get her back, both of them, I tried to take them back to heaven… but I couldn't, it was too late. I failed everybody," he said with despair. Kurumu and Rason looked to each other worriedly then back to Gabriel.
"C'mon Gabriel, you tried to set things straight, and you did take responsibly and came after them and even us when we were in trouble," Kurumu reasoned.
"You cast aside your angelic vow to guard humans in order to find and protect them and us from the HDA, you sacrificed so much to keep Complica safe, you did everything you could," Rason added.
"It wasn't enough, I tried to save them, I tried to save that doll thinking it was Luna, I risked everything I had to be her angel, and I failed," Gabriel said lowering his head.
"You let my sister fall from heaven, she's trapped here and it's all your fault! You bastard, what kind of guardian angel are you?" Luna yelled out with tears forming in her eyes.
Gabriel closed his eyes as he felt the pain in his heart seem to grow with Luna's words.
'Luna… I'm so sorry… please, forgive me.'
Over by the windows showing the outside courtyard Arial was looking up at the sky while Dark was standing next to her. Mizore was standing next to Dark holding onto his hand while Felucia was leaning against a window and looking up at the sky as well.
"What if I can never go back?" Arial asked softly.
"We'll find a way to send you both back up to the heavenly realm where you belong, don't lose hope on that," Dark said glancing down to his angel. Arial nodded slowly and rested her hand on the glass. Felucia glanced to her then looked to Dark.
"Dark, what about Pandora's Box?" she asked. The three looked to her questioningly.
"What about it?" Mizore asked.
"That thing can grant wishes right?" Felucia asked with a shrug.
"The box can't send your souls to heaven though, even Hex's magic can't do that, remember?" Mizore said with a raised eyebrow. Felucia nodded then looked down with a careful eye.
"Yes, but what if we don't wish for all of us to be sent straight to heaven, but rather a gateway which we could cross over on our own. Couldn't that work?" she reasoned looking back to Dark. The demon looked to Arial then to Felucia, then up at the sky. After a moment he walked off towards middle of the lounge with the three girls following him. He walked over behind the couch and looked at Complica curiously, the girl catching her breath then looking back to him.
"Dark? What is it?" she asked.
"That just might work," he said looking to Arial.
"What just might work?" Razico asked.
"Pandora's Box, we could use the wish to get Arial, Complica, and myself back to heaven," Felucia said.
"No we can't, the box can't transfer a soul from one realm to another, not even Hex could do that with his power," Ruby said shaking her head.
"We won't wish for our souls to be transferred, we'll wish for a gateway which we could cross through on our own," Felucia explained. Ruby and Razico looked to each other then to Complica as the chronofly tilted her head curiously.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" she asked. Arial looked down in thought then smiled.
"If that could really work, we could go back home!" she cheered out. The others looked to her as she ran around to the front of the couch and took hold of Complica's hands.
"What if it really could work like that, it could be our ticket back to heaven!" she said happily.
"What are you talking about?" Gin asked as he, Kokoa, and Fang Fang walked over to them, the rest of the group then walking over as well while Ran remained on her knees sobbing onto Ahakon's shoulder next to Yukari and Sun.
"The wish, the wish with Pandora's Box, we could wish to have a gateway back to heaven, we could go back home that way," Arial said anxiously.
"I thought their power couldn't cross over into the heavenly realm, isn't that against their rules?" Yukari asked.
"But we wouldn't be wishing for their souls to be taken right into the heavenly realm, we would just be making a gateway which they could cross through on their own. I wonder, could that really work?" Ruby said looking to Razico. Arial giggled and looked to Felucia with an eager smile.
"You're a genius, that could be the answer to our problem!" she cheered out. Felucia smiled modestly and looked up while rubbing the back of her head.
"Well… I don't know about genius, more like visionary I guess… although I do kind of like the ring to that," she said with a small laugh. Arial looked at the girl with a curious smile then glanced to Dark.
'She seems like a much more worthy candidate for my Dark. She was brave enough to go after Complica's sister in that evil world and she's smart on her feet to solve our heavenly barrier problem. I like this one.'
Complica looked around at the group then shook her head.
"But wait, Ceal needs that wish to go after his dragon, we can't use it to send us home," she said worriedly.
"Are you kidding me? This could be our only chance of getting back into heaven, he can find his stupid dragon another way, it's not going anywhere," Felucia said with her hands at her hips. Complica shook her head then yanked free from Arial's hands.
"No! Ceal needs that wish, he's given up so much to get that dragon, we can't take that away from him," she argued.
"But Complica, think about it, if we don't get back to heaven we could be wiped from existence. You wanted us to go back home before right? Well this is our way of doing just that," Arial reasoned. Complica glared at her and stood up, with Arial backing up a bit.
"We shouldn't even be here Arial; we can't take Ceal's right for his wish away because we made the mistake of coming here, that's not fair to him. He's been chasing after that dragon for so long, what if this is the last time that wish can be made? I won't let him lose that wish, he needs it," she said sternly. Render and Leon glanced to each other then looked to the group.
"I hate to agree with her, but she's right. Ceal's been pretty persistent going after Fafnir, that's why he's even after Pandora's Box in the first place," Leon mentioned.
"Yeah, but he has been very protective of Falla and Complica, maybe he would want to wish for this instead," Render reasoned with a shrug.
"Mr. Ceal is rather cold and fixated on slaying his dragon, but if it's for Ms. Complica's sake perhaps he would be willing to change his wish for her," Astreal said hopefully.
"I suppose so, the choice will be up to him once he returns," Apoch said looking down in thought.
"Hold on, this is to save Complica, Arial, and Felucia's souls, we shouldn't even be debating this. We should use the wish to get them back into heaven," Rason argued while waving to the three girls.
"I won't go back!" Complica yelled out. The group looked to her as she showed a stubborn glare at Rason.
"If you take away Ceal's wish then I'm not going back, I'm not taking away my big brother's dream!" she yelled out.
"But Complica, this might be the only way of getting you back to your parents," Gabriel said worriedly. Complica looked to him with a teary-eyed glare.
"Ceal saved my sister and myself when we were both in trouble, he's done so much for everybody here, we're not taking away his wish! He's going to get his dragon and that's final!" she yelled out, the air around her distorting slightly from her magic fluxing. The group looked at her worriedly then to each other as the chronofly crossed her arms with a firm expression. Fang Fang looked down in thought then to the group curiously.
"Then what about Hex? Couldn't he provide the same gateway if we played his game of dice? He has the same power to change reality just as Pandora can, doesn't he?" he suggested. The group looked to him then to each other.
"Hey, that could work. Hex is a reality bender like Pandora, he could make that wish come true," Ahakon suggested hopefully.
"Wait, remember how his magic works, we have to gamble something in return. Last time we played his game we lost our hearts to him, who knows what he could win from us if we play again," Kurumu said shaking her head.
"His dealings are all based on luck, you could win just as easily as lose on the very first roll," Mizore said cautiously.
"Yeah, I'd rather take my chances with Pandora to be honest," Render commented.
"Same here, at least then its determined on our skill in a fight rather than mere luck," Leon added.
"Ceal won't take a chance with Hex's game, he's survived Pandora's Box before and knows he can do it again, he's not going to take a gamble with a game of dice," Razico said shaking his head.
"They're both incredibly risky. With Hex you could lose at any moment and with Pandora you're fighting for your very life to get your wish," Kokoa said with concern. Dark looked down in thought for a moment then shook his head.
"Before we consider making this wish from either source we should ask Hex if it can even be done. Ceal, Render, and Leon want to open Pandora's Box, they're willing to face the monsters that lie within and claim their reward not with luck but with fighting skill, and Ceal does have the right to his wish after all he's gone through. If Hex can make such a gateway for us then we'll decide who will play his game if that is what we choose to do," he stated. The group looked to him then to each other.
"I suppose you have a point. Still, I hope he does have the power to make such a wish come true, it might be our only way of getting these three back into heaven," Ruby said with concern. Razico nodded then looked around.
"So, any idea on how long before they get back?" he asked.
"They've been gone for a while now, I thought they were just going to the school then coming back again," Gin said with concern.
"What if Rin… was still going crazy when they showed up?" Yukari asked nervously. Ran choked back her sobs and shook her head as she shut her eyes tightly.
"Then I hope she reduced Falla into nothing but ashes for what she did to her!" she cried out. Ahakon showed a serious expression then shook the girl once by the shoulders, the siren yelping quietly before looking at him with surprise.
"Ran, enough of this. We told you, the Falla that did mess with Rin's head is dead. The Falla that's here now killed her," he stated.
"Actually, it was Kyouko that killed her, but we'll be generous and say that our Falla wore the bitch down for her," Render mentioned with a shrug. Ahakon glanced back to him then to Ran again as the siren was watching him with watery eyes.
"I understand your anger towards what was done to your sister, but the one responsible for it is dead now. I know it may not be much to say, that it may not fully soothe your wounds, but your parents and village were avenged. The evil side of Falla is no more, she's gone forever," he said assuredly. Ran whimpered then looked down with sorrow. Ahakon showed a remorseful expression then hugged her, with Yukari and Sun watching the siren with sympathetic eyes.
"We'll cure your sister of her spell and undo what was done to her mind by the evil side of Falla, you won't lose her," he reassured gently.
"Ahakon…" Ran said as she hugged him.
"He's right Ran, we'll find a way to cure your sister, we won't let her turn into that weapon again," Ruby said in agreement.
"Oh my word!" Fang Fang said pointing over to the side. The group looked to see Hex phasing into view with Luna and Ceal, along with the severely injured Falla and Kyouko.
"Kyouko!" Kurumu called out.
"Falla!" Ruby cried out as Luna and Ceal rushed the two wounded girls over to the lowered den and rested them down on the couches.
"AHHH!" Kyouko screamed as she was set down, feeling extreme pain in both her legs while Falla was still in a daze.
"Sister!" Complica cried out as she rushed over to Falla's side. The rest ran over to surround the lowered den while Ceal held his hands to Falla's chest, soft white glows coming from his palms as he slowly traced his hands around her body.
"Help her, please!" Luna cried out as Kyouko screamed out in pain. Apoch and Astreal quickly rushed down and held their hands over the human, trying to ease her pain with their magic.
"Oh no, both her legs are broken," Apoch said looking to the girl's fractured legs.
"She's suffered multiple concussions to her chest and ribs," Astreal said worriedly while shaking her head.
"Just help stabilize her until Ceal can get to her," Ruby said as she quickly joined in trying to heal the human girl. Kyouko cried out as she grabbed the pillow behind her head, straining herself with the pain while Ceal was working on healing Falla. Complica watched her wounded sister with worried eyes while Luna rushed over to her side as well.
"GOD, IT HURTS!" Kyouko screamed out with tears forming in her eyes. Falla coughed a few times while Ceal kept his concentration focused on healing her body.
"Ceal, she needs your help, how badly is Falla injured?" Razico asked quickly.
"Is my sister going to be ok? Tell me she's going to be ok!" Complica cried out. Ceal glanced to her and nodded.
"She's fine Complica, she'll be back on her feet in no time," he reassured her calmly.
"What? Then why are you still using your magic on her, Kyouko's seriously wounded over here!" Render shouted out while pointing to the human girl who was screaming in pain. Ahakon and Yukari rushed over to help assist with her healing while Ruby looked to Ceal with disbelief.
"Why aren't you helping her, she's suffering!" she demanded.
"I am not your medic!" Ceal shouted back at her, causing the witch to jump a bit with surprise. Ceal glared at her then glanced around at the rest of the group.
"I am not your personal doctor, your health is not my responsibility, I am not the only one here who can heal injuries; you have the power to help her, so do it yourself. My priority right now is Falla, I will not walk away from her when she is hurt or wounded even in the slightest, do you understand?" he demanded. The group looked at him with stunned expressions while Hex walked over to them with an amused smile at the catalyst mage. Ceal grunted then looked down to Falla as the girl had calmed down while her eyes were now closed, her mind slowly regaining her senses while her cuts and bruises were slowly vanishing.
"That human is not going to die from her injuries with so many casters tending to her, and I will not always be around for when she is in critical condition. Do not assume that I will play the role of your medic during all of this, you all need to learn to help yourselves with these situations," he said firmly. Complica looked at him with worried eyes then to Kyouko, the human screaming and crying while the five casters worked to heal her injuries. Ceal glanced to her then back to Falla again.
"She'll be fine Complica, if she's going to be staying around monsters then she needs to learn to take a few hits and get back up again," he reasoned. Complica nodded slowly then looked to Falla, having faith that Ceal knew what he was talking about. Luna looked at Kyouko with worried eyes then to Falla as the chronofly lay on the couch while being tended by Ceal's magic. Ran looked at Falla with frustration and teary eyes as she slowly moved to stand over the chronofly, with Ceal then glancing up to seeing the siren staring at his girlfriend. Complica looked up to her and shook her head.
"Please don't hate my sister for how she was, she's changed, really she has," she pleaded. Ran closed her eyes and tried to control her emotions, seeking to validate the belief that the Falla that was before her wasn't the same one that led to her parents' death. She then looked to seeing Kyouko crying and screaming while the casters were working with her, the human in unbearable pain even with the combined magic working to heal her body. After a moment the siren quickly rushed over and held the human down by the shoulders while resting her head next to hers. She started to sing a gentle and soothing melody, the group watching as Kyouko slowly started to scream less while everybody felt more calm and relaxed.
"She's doing it again, just like when she did so for Mizore," Ahakon said with wonder.
"Wow, I'm feeling really peaceful all of a sudden," Felucia said with a bit of puzzlement.
"She's using her voice to keep Kyouko calm, thank you Ran," Ruby said gratefully. Kyouko slowly stopped screaming and looked to Ran, the siren having a few tears running down her cheeks while she sang her melody. After a while Ran stopped and tried to stop her crying, then looked to Kyouko as the human had a few tears in her eyes still.
"You're going to be ok, just relax," Ran said wiping her tears away. Kyouko nodded shakily then closed her eyes as she tried to block out the pain her body was feeling. Ran breathed out then looked to Falla with remorseful eyes. Ceal glanced to her then looked down to Falla again.
"The human you just helped was the one who personally struck down the dark soul of Falla, wiping her from existence once and for all. Bear no grudge against this girl here, for she has atoned for her sins and cast away her darker self for good," he said solemnly.
"He's right Ran, Falla is no longer the evil girl she once was, the part of her that led to your parents' death is no more," Dark said in agreement.
"The Falla you see before you is a real hero, she helped stop Alucard, you saw her there on that day yourself," Mizore added. Ran slowly nodded then looked to Ceal with saddened eyes.
"Did the other Falla… the one that corrupted my sister and killed my parents… did she at least pay for her crimes?" she asked. Render looked up thoughtfully and nodded.
"Well, first the good Falla here fought her in a battle that laid waste to a human city, then Ceal ripped her eye out and gave it to the good Falla, then Kyouko here went postal on the dark girl's body with a baseball bat and just destroyed her, so… yeah, I'd say she paid the price for what she did in the past," he reasoned with a shrug. Ran nodded then looked to Falla with remorse.
"Good… I wanted her to suffer for what she did," she said softly. She then looked to Hex with worried eyes.
"Where's my sister, did you also find Rin?" she asked urgently. Hex shook his head with a blank expression.
"I'm sorry, but the siren that destroyed Yokai Academy was nowhere in sight when we arrived. I don't know where she might be now," he said simply.
"Destroyed?" Ruby asked fearfully as she glanced at him. Luna nodded and looked to the witch with concern.
"Yokai Academy… is gone Ruby," she said, with the group looking to her with surprise at that.
"What?" Kurumu cried out.
"Oh my god," Kokoa said looking down with fearful eyes.
"The whole academy? Gone?" Gin asked with disbelief. Luna nodded and looked to Falla with remorse.
"Everything Gin. The school, the dorm buildings, the rotting forest that surrounded the campus, it's all gone. Everything… was destroyed," she said sadly.
"The siren annihilated the entire academy with her magic, nothing remains there now," Ceal informed with a solemn tone.
"I can't believe it," Mizore said looking down with a stunned expression.
"Did anyone get out in time?" Rason asked worriedly. Luna shrugged and glanced back to him.
"I'm not sure. We did see somebody fly off, but he was injured so I don't know how far he got. The headmaster is ok, he's helping those that managed to survive… but I'm not sure how many did," she said with concern.
"This can't be happening, the entire school is gone?" Gin said shaking his head. Luna nodded and looked back to Falla while remaining silent. Ran looked down while holding a hand over her mouth, feeling her heart aching at knowing her sister once again leveled an entire area with her magic while under her spell, and likely claimed innocent lives of those who were unfortunate to be near her at the time.
Slowly Falla opened her eyes, the girl's vision coming into focus and seeing Ceal sitting next to her.
"Ceal…" she said softly. She blinked then jumped up with a gasp while looking around franticly.
"What happened? Where am I?" she said before seeing everybody standing around her.
"Sister!" Complica cried out as she rushed over and hugged the girl. Falla looked to her with surprise then slowly a smile formed on her face.
"Oh my… Complica. It's really you," she said before she quickly hugged her as well. She felt a new sense of warmth as she held her younger sister, knowing that her old self likely never once held Complica at all. Luna rushed over and hugged her as well, the group watching as the three chronofly sisters were finally reunited.
"You're ok, thank god you're ok," Luna said while holding onto Falla.
"We were so worried about you," Complica said while nuzzling against Falla's chest. Falla looked at her two sisters then hugged them with a small laugh of relief.
"I can't believe I'm holding both of you, I never thought I would get to again," she said softly. She jumped then looked around quickly.
"Wait, Kyouko? Where's- AHH! Kyouko!" she cried out as she saw Kyouko struggling with her injuries, the human so far remaining quiet while only letting out strained whimpers and short gasps of pain every now and then. Falla quickly rushed over to her side and looked at her friend with worried eyes.
"Oh god, Kyouko," she said holding a hand over her mouth. She looked to Ceal who was merely watching the human with a blank expression.
"Ceal, please, can you heal her too?" Falla asked. Ceal glanced to her with a dull expression as she held her hands together with a pleading smile.
"Please? For me?" she begged. Ceal let out a dry sigh of annoyance then made his way over to Kyouko's legs. Render maintained a blank expression on his face while he cracked his hand to the side in a whipping motion while making a whip cracking sound. Before anybody could say a word a dark tentacle shifted up and grabbed Render by the leg, swinging him around in the air before throwing him across the lounge and out through a window with a loud crash. Apoch looked to where her boyfriend had flown out into some bushes outside in the courtyard then quickly ran off after him while Ceal walked over to Kyouko and held his hands to her legs, the mage focusing his magic once again to help speed up her recovery.
"Render!" Apoch called out as she leapt out the large broken window.
"Saw that coming," Leon said flatly.
"A mile away," Kurumu added while shaking her head.
Ceal held his hands to the human girl's legs as a white glow came from his palms. Slowly her bones shifted back into place as a numbing sensation rippled through from his touch, with Kyouko watching him with weary eyes while the other casters worked to heal the rest of her body. Falla smiled at her friend then looked around at everybody.
"But where are we? How did we get here?" she asked looking back to Luna.
"We brought you to the human world with us, Hex let us come get you," Luna said looking to Hex. The boy merely shrugged with a calm smile.
"Luna was very insistent on seeing you again, I just couldn't say no," he reasoned casually. Falla looked at him with wonder before Luna and Complica quickly hugged her again, the three sisters closing their eyes and cherishing the moment.
"I'm just glad you're safe again," Luna said softly.
"Me? I was worried sick about you," Falla said holding her back.
"You both scared me to death, and I'm already dead to begin with," Complica said while she held onto her sisters. Falla looked down to her younger sister with a warm smile then over to see Ran walking up to her, the siren having a troubled expression on her face. Falla showed remorse then turned to face her as Complica and Luna watched the siren worriedly.
"Your sister… I'm so sorry. I didn't know… I didn't remember what I really… please forgive me," Falla said with tears forming. Ran slowly shook her head then looked down.
"You and Kyouko struck down my parents' killer, you're not the monster that I hated all my life," she said softly. She breathed out then looked to Falla with gentle eyes.
"Thank you… for putting an end to her for me, and for my sisters," she said softly. Falla nodded with worried eyes then looked around again.
"Where's Rin? What… what happened to her?" she asked looking back to Luna.
"We don't know, when we arrived at the academy the place was completely destroyed, she was gone by the time we got there," Luna said shaking her head. Falla looked down with concern then to Ceal as the mage stood upright again, with Kyouko moving her legs a bit as they were fully healed.
"Thank you Ceal," Kyouko said looking to him with a small smile. Ceal didn't say anything then looked to Falla as she was watching him with tears in her eyes.
"Ceal, thank you for coming after me," she said before she rushed over and hugged him. The boy held her gently as she clung to him while trying to calm her mind.
"I missed you so much, I was worried we would have been separated for good when the barrier closed," she said softly. She then pulled him into a kiss, the mage making no effort to push her away in the slightest. Luna smiled at seeing her sister with her new boyfriend then looked to Hex. She walked over to him with a caring smile.
"Hex, thank you for bringing her back, I… I can never thank you enough for all that you've done for me," she said gratefully. Hex chuckled and looked at her with a knowing smile.
"I can think of something you can do for me in return," he mused. Luna nodded as she walked up to him and placed her hands on his chest.
"I know, we'll free your sister, I promise. I'll do everything in my power to free her no matter what, you have my word," she assured. She then gently held her arms around his neck and blushed.
"And also, you deserve something else for all that you've done, something else I know you wanted," she said softly. He looked at her with a curious smile as she showed a longing gaze at him.
"And what might that be?" he asked. She glanced to his lips then back to his eyes.
"Me," she said, and then kissed him as well. She held the boy in her embrace while the others looked at her curiously, except for Gabriel who showed a slightly pained expression. The sight of Luna kissing Hex caused the pain in his heart to spike suddenly, the angel not knowing why it hurt so much to see her with this boy but still feeling a great amount of sorrow from it nonetheless.
"Luna?" Kurumu asked with wonder.
"Is she…" Kokoa asked while tilting her head slightly.
"She is," Gin said with a single nod. Mizore raised an eyebrow then glanced to Kurumu.
"I don't think you have to worry about her going after Rason anymore," she said with a small shrug.
Luna and Falla broke from their kisses, with Falla being held by Ceal gently while Hex's arms remained at his side. Falla blushed and then looked down while she held onto her boyfriend, relieved that she was once again with him. Luna looked down as well, feeling her heart beating faster for the reality bender that was her saving grace in life. Ceal kept his eyes on his girl while maintaining a calm expression, although everybody knew very well that he was relieved to be reunited with his girlfriend as well. Hex smirked then gently held a hand to Luna's waist, the chronofly feeling her blush growing as she glanced up to him timidly. Before anybody could say anything or even question if Render was ok since he and Apoch had yet to come back into the lounge, Ran spoke up.
"Excuse me," she called out while trying to keep her emotions and anxiety in check. The group looked to her as she shook her head while keeping her eyes downward.
"I'm happy for you now that you're all back together again, I really am, but what about my sister?" she cried out. She looked around at the group with fearful eyes while they watched her with concern.
"What about Rin? What happened to her, where did she go? What are we going to do; she's out there somewhere all alone! We have to do something! Please!" she said as she started crying again. The group watched her break down into tears as she dropped to her knees then looked to each other.
"Rin, where did you go?" Ruby said softly while looking up with worried eyes.
Talon swooped down into a forest far off from the ravaged grounds of Yokai Academy. He landed on the ground with a small stumble, holding his side with a strained expression as his wings slowly arched back behind him. After a moment he grunted and his wings retracted and vanished, the hybrid then removing the sheet that was wrapped around him and tossing it aside. He removed the bandages that were still on him then got dressed in the clothing that he had brought along, remaining silent while he had a focused expression on his face. After he got dressed he extended his wings again, stretching out his back with a slight cracking noise before rubbing his neck. He looked around at the sky above through the branches and leaves, seeing sunlight and a few bats flying overhead.
A branch snapped nearby, with the boy instantly looking over toward the sound while his wraith blades extended out. A few bats flew off squeaking behind some trees and bushes as Talon remained on guard. After a moment he quietly made his way towards the bushes, carefully parting them and moving through into a clearing. His eyes slowly glanced around then downward, seeing a girl lying on a pile of broken branches and leaves. He looked up to see that there were broken branches above showing where the girl had fallen down through, then to the girl as she lay there motionless. Slowly Talon walked toward her, recognizing the girl from the academy as he got closer.
"It's you," he said as he saw Rin lying there on the foliage. Her clothing had a few burn marks and tears, with her green jacket being undone showing her white shirt underneath with a small hole near her belly. Her hair lay gently beneath her head while her silver hairclip was still in place. Lying near her was a portable CD player which was smoking slightly and crushed inward, the cord of the broken device leading over to a pair of headphones which was in pieces on the grass.
Slowly Rin's eyes opened, her blue colored eyes gradually focusing as she groaned weakly. Talon retracted his blades as the girl looked up to him, the siren seeing a winged boy standing over her while daylight came down through the branches above.
"Where… where am I? Who are you?" she asked softly. Talon just looked at her for a moment then slowly kneeled down next to the girl. She looked at him curiously for a while then slowly sat up.
"Where am I? Who are you?" she asked again. He gently held his hand to her head, the girl watching him with a curious expression still.
"It's me, remember? Are you ok?" he asked. Rin looked at him curiously, then around at the forest, and then paused before looking back to him again.
"Where am I? Who are you?"