Madness Unleashed - REWORK IN PROGRESS

by InuKagomeLuver4Eva

With the power of madness threatening the world once more, it's up to Maka and friends to vanquish it. But will the overwhelming power crush the meister mind, body, and soul? "Those who meddle outside the laws of God shall face the wrath of the Reaper; There is no redemption for those who break the sacred law." Soul X Maka *M for gore and language* REWORK IN PROGRESS!

5. Three Against One

Ametrine cursed aloud as she hurried around her makeshift lab, vials and beakers being roughly shoved aside as she threw her journal down, frantically flipping through the pages. Things were progressing faster now that her suspicions had been confirmed; the Elders were silently shuffling their guards around, placing more outside of the caves entrance and throughout the town; even going as far as to begin calling meetings with her more frequently during the night. They were getting suspicious of her actions and it shortened her slim timeframe even further. Finding the page needed, a red nail traced down the paragraphs, searching for the words she desperately had to confirm. There was a certain passage in her notes that explained how to accelerate the effects of the madness by nearly three-fold. A downside to hastening the pace was the fact that the chance of a backfire was greater, something the witch really wanted to avoid.

"'In order to increase the rate at which the madness spreads, a sacrifice must be made; preferably one of pure blood, on the night of a full moon when the stars align. The power of Asura should shine through the darkness and release the Kishin from his imprisonment, restarting the flow of madness throughout the world.'"

Releasing the Kishin… he'd been sealed on the moon by Brew for a few years now. Would the sacrifice be enough to release him from his cage? Or would that damned DWMA student strike him down before she had the chance to absorb his full power? There was also the fact that her grandchild was sealed there as well. Grandchild…Crona, was his name to be exact. Such a weak child, according to her surveillance over the years, though he did contain the newest experimental black blood, mad blood. Ametrine grit her teeth as she tried to think, nails clicking anxiously against the rusted table. She had to think of a plan, and fast, before an entire village of ninjas slaughtered her.

"Witch Ametrine,"

Ametrine froze at the voice, her nails pausing mid-clicking. Shit! Maybe it was too late, maybe they had already decided her fate. There was enough magic within her to escape, if needed, but they were a force to recon with especially in their own environment.

"Yes? Can I help you?" Magic surged at her fingertips, ready to discharge. Be fast, be precise—

"Here is your nighttime meal, enjoy." A tray clanged against a metal table, the noise nearly deafening in the tense air. "The Elder's wish to meet with you tonight, within an hour. Do not be late." The ninja turned and left without a noise, leaving the witch alone once more.

Letting out a heavy breath, Ametrine slowly loosened her tense shoulders, heart pounding painfully against her ribs. She was getting sloppy, reckless. Paranoid even. Full attention need to be on the plan, not concealed attempts of assassination. Tossing a glance at the bland food sitting a few feet behind her, she chose to ignore it and continue working. There was to be a full moon tonight; it was tight, but it would be possible to get done. Now the question was, where was her suitable sacrifice…

By the time Black Star had returned to Innopolis, the creatures had all been turned to dust with Maka standing next to Soul on a pile of rubble. Sensing his presence, the meister turned to glare at him, green eyes burning a hole through his forehead.

"Thanks for leaving a horde of creatures for us to take care of, Black Star." Acid dripped from her lips and the ninja felt a small chill go up his spine. It was always the silent fury that freaked him out. He'd much rather deal with a shouting, punching Maka. "Didn't think to take care of them before you took off?"

"Oi, Maka, chill. I took care of the big one, didn't I? Besides, you can punch me later; we're meeting that snow bastard tonight in a discrete location. Told us he wanted Ametrine's head as much as we do."

Maka's face loosened as she studied her friends, eyes hard with distrust at the statement. Tsubaki seemed a little nervous, her soul wiggling in place while Black Star's was calm, indicating honesty. There was something they weren't telling her, something they probably didn't want her to know yet. Her lips pursed. She'd find out sooner or later.

"So, we're just going to go meet the dude in the woods, at night, and sing kumbaya around the fire?" Soul snorted as he slid down the rubble, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets for warmth. "Yeah, doesn't sound like the plot to a serial killer movie at all. There's nothing to make me believe its not a trap at this point, regardless of whatever bullshit he spews."

"I think for now, we should trust him. He did give Maka those suppressant pills, right?" Tsubaki chimed in softly.

"Where the hell did those come from anyways? How do we know they aren't poisonous or something? Maka, give me one of those." Black Star strode forward with a grabbing hand motion. The meister smacked it away, angling slightly to hide the box.

"You're just going to eat them all at once and see if anything happens, aren't you." Maka deadpanned as she shifted the box further out of his reach, grasping it tightly. "Whatever they are, they work to suppress the overwhelming madness from those pre-Kishins."

"We should probably separate a few of them in case something happens to the ones on you. Here, I have small baggies we can put them in." Tsubaki slid her backpack off, rummaging through it quickly. The weapon was practically a walking surplus store, always prepared with the strangest of items. "Black Star and I will take two a piece while you and Soul can split it however you want. Fair enough?" They all nodded.

"How long are those things supposed to last anyways?" The blue haired ninja questioned as he examined one, closing one eye to see it better. His tongue tapped against it then recoiled in disgust. Bitter!

"A few hours, give or take. That's what he said, anyways." Soul took three of the small orbs and tightened his bag before attaching it to his belt loop, tucking it safely behind the belt.

Maka remained quiet, staring down at the medicine in her gloved palm. That's all it took, one pill, to ease the madness surging within her. It made the meister uneasy that there was such a thing readily available to combat the creature within her. Were there side effects to taking these pills? Would she be sucked into the darkness as the waves of madness crashed over her if she couldn't take them in time? What would happen if they failed? What would happen to Soul if she lost control? A headache kicked in and she winced, the throbbing sharp.

"Maka? Hey, what's wrong?" Soul's voice grabbed her attention and she slowly looked up to meet his gaze. "You've been spaced out for a while now and we're getting ready to move to the meeting spot. Do you feel sick again?"

"I'm fine, just a headache started up. I'll be better in a bit, so let's head out now before it gets dark." Maka gave him a small smile before following after Black Star and Tsubaki, arms wrapping around her heavy coat in comfort.

Soul knew she was lying, that much was obvious; the way she smiled it off before walking away raised warning flags for the weapon, but knowing how stubborn she was there was no getting it out of her anytime soon. With a huff of annoyance, the weapon followed dutifully behind her, mouth pulled into a grimace. Maybe Tsubaki could pull it out of her later.

---

By the time they'd arrived at the meeting spot, the sun had slipped behind the mountain and the air became bone-biting in the dark woods. Black Star was complaining under his breath about the cold while Tsubaki, Soul, and Maka remained fairly quiet during the trek. The area appeared to be the ruins of a town; mounds of ancient rubble buried beneath snow drifts. There couldn't have been more than half a dozen buildings scattered throughout the region, all having long been destroyed.

"Tsubaki, this is the place, right?" Black Star quipped as he eyed the area. "There's no one here as far as I can tell."

"Yes, this is it. According to my watch, he should be here within a few minutes. It seems we were early. Let's keep moving, we still have a short way to go."

"It's almost too quiet here," Soul remarked as they weaved down the covered path, boots crunching softly through the snow. Still air was often accompanied by a sudden attack.

"It's an abandoned village, I highly doubt there's anything out he—" A loud twang resonated through the air as Black Star stumbled over a concealed wire, triggering a trap. All three gawked at him in disbelief, Maka even going as far as to slap a palm against her face in frustration.

"You were saying?" Maka growled as Soul transformed, swinging the scythe to her front.

"My bad."

The noise died out as the meisters tensed up, eyeing their surroundings warily. There was no wind, no snowfall, nothing. A wolf howled not too far in the distance, others joining in unison. A spark of wavelength caught Maka's attention and she shot her head around to see a lone wolf standing ten feet away, bright yellow eyes watching her hungrily. The woman froze in place, just staring as the wolf sniffed the air cautiously, eyes never leaving hers. A normal sized wolf she could handle, but this was no normal wild animal; It was massive, to say the least. Almost the double the size of a normal one, Maka guessed, and definitely a lot heavier. Its thick pitch-black fur rustled lightly as the wind started up and with a throw of its head, howled loudly.

"Damn, that's a big wolf. Maka, how many?" Soul asked, keeping an eye on the howling creature.

"At least ten…no, more than that, they just keep coming. Over...twenty—" The meister was cut off as the large creature launched towards her, snarling as it aimed for her throat. With a quick movement, the back of the scythe collided with its ribs, sending it tumbling into a tree. "Damn, this thing weights a lot more than I do."

"I don't think I've ever fought a wolf apart from that werewolf dude, this'll be fun!" Black Star cackled as Tsubaki shifted into Chain Scythe mode.

"Don't kill them, Black Star." Maka warned as she tightened her grip, watching the alpha wolf slink towards her once more. "They haven't done anything wrong. We're in their territory."

Soul Perception triggered and her mind lit up with the entire pack of wolves' souls, surrounding them on all sides. There was no way out, they were completely enclosed in a small area. All that could be seen were the dozens of hungry eyes staring back at them, the moonlight illuminating them eerily.

"We're completely surrounded now, stay on guard."

As soon as Maka adjusted her foot, they attacked. Multiple at once, from all sides with their teeth bared as unleashed beastly growls. The smaller ones were easy as they were lighter and easier to deflect, but as she constantly batted them back with pained grunts, it became clear they had the advantage.

"There's too many, we need to start taking them out, Maka." Soul called out as he blocked snapping jaws, the sharp teeth grinding hard against the shaft. "We'll be killed if we don't."

With a grunt the wolf was thrown back, colliding with another pack member. Maka barely had time to shift back when something flew into her chest and sent her skidding back into the snow. Heavy paws pushed against her chest as the alpha snarled into her face, thick hot saliva hitting her cheek. With a grunt, she shoved the shaft of the scythe into its open jaws, arms shaking with effort as it pushed back. Pain shot into her shoulder and the left side of the scythe shifted down, bringing the wolf closer to her neck, putrid steaming breath hitting her face.

"Maka!"

She couldn't breathe, couldn't keep her arms up any longer as she locked eyes with the wolf. This is where she would die, that she was certain of. Kishins, witches, rogue civilians. She'd fought them all confidently. But mother nature was another beast, quite literally. So many things she still wanted to do, to see, to experience with Soul…

No. Giving up wouldn't do any good, especially when she had a job to do; one that would decide the fate of the world once more. As her vision blurred from the lack of oxygen, Maka shifted her legs and curled them against her chest, ready to push off with all her strength. With a quick short breath in, she kicked as hard as she could. The wolf yelped as it flailed back, crashing hard against the frozen ground. Gasping for air, the meister hacked and wheezed as she tried to sit up, hand rubbing at the pain in her chest.

"Maka, you alright?" Soul asked, his concerned face appearing in the blade.

"P-peachy…"

"I've got you, Maka, so you just take it easy for a minute. You're still worn down from earlier." Black Star suddenly appeared in front of her, Ninja Sword mode active. "Tsubaki, get ready; Speed Star."

In a flash he was gone, slicing through the pack with ease. All of the surrounding wolves suddenly yelped and darted away as blood sprayed into the air. While she couldn't see it that well, the sensation of something hot hitting her face was undeniable. With a grunt she got to her knees, using the scythe as support. The shaft suddenly glowed brightly and Maka felt an arm wrap around her waist.

"Black Star has this handled; can you stand?"

"My legs work fine…lungs, not so much." Maka panted as she straightened up, palm still rubbing at her chest. A fast sleeve swipe cleared the now cooling substance from her face. "There's still a…a few more nearby. Closing in…"

Crackling rippled through the air with small explosions following right behind. Bright flashes of light illuminated the darkness and the wolves seemed confused, halting their attacks before tucking tail and running away with cries of retreat.

"I am sorry for the delay, though it looks like I have arrived just in time." Soul and Maka looked above them to see Viktor crouching on a tree branch, eyes glowing bright. "This time of year, food is scarce for the wolves. It seems they had a hunting party doing a sweep in this area. You nearly became volch'ya yeda. Wolf food."

"Are Russian wolves larger than normal ones?" Soul asked incredulously as Viktor landed silently in front of them. "Because the size of that thing is ridiculous!"

"Not usually, but there is an alpha in these woods that is nearly double the size of the others. She goes by Chernaya smert', or Black Death in your language. She can take down a grown bear with little trouble."

"Of course, that's the one that went after me," Maka grumbled bitterly.

"She must have seen you as a threat to her ranking if she targeted you. You are lucky to have survived her wrath." Viktor stood to his full height and pulled something from a shoulder sling. "If you are uninjured, we must hurry to the meeting point. There are two others waiting for your arrival."

Soul and Maka shared a quizzical look with each other, brows knitted.

"They're waiting for us, specifically? Who exactly are they?" Maka asked slowly, watching for any expression change in the stark cerulean eyes as he handed her a small lantern.

"I cannot say aloud, but you shall soon find out. It is not too far from here."

Black Star appeared silently next to Soul, Tsubaki at his side. The ninja was glaring holes into the back of Viktor, lip curling into a sneer behind his scarf.

"I still don't trust him," Soul glanced briefly at his friend as they began to hang back a bit, the two women continuing forward. "I can't tell if he's on our side or not yet, so don't put too much faith into him. Something about this whole situation is suspicious."

"Sure…"

The walk was quiet for the most part, save for the occasional grumble from the annoyed meister. Soul kept his arm around Maka for support, discreetly wincing when he felt pain flare in his shoulder and chest. She was hurting, though she wouldn't show it; not like she had to with them constantly resonating. He had packed the pain pills just in case this time, knowing full well her shoulder still hadn't fully healed from the last fight. Even after years of being together, his meister still tried to hide invisible injuries from him. There was no point trying to bring it up; it would always end in an argument and he would leave the apartment to cool off while she locked herself in her room for hours.

"We have arrived," Viktor announced suddenly as he stopped a few feet from a rundown building nestled behind a thicket of trees. "I will secure the area, please enter the building. I will join you shortly." The ninja vanished into the darkness, leaving the two teams to stand apprehensively outside the doorway.

"Tsubaki, go ahead with them, I'll be back in a minute." The ninja suddenly announced to his partner, turning away from the group with a tug of his collar.

"Black Star, what are—" Tsubaki protested but her meister vanished as well. A disappointed sigh filled the still air. "I understand the reasoning behind remaining vigilant around an unknown person, but chasing after him for answers will only set us back."

"That idiot just wants to keep an eye on him," Soul shook his head before guiding Maka through the doorway, using his free arm to push back overgrown branches.

"I sympathize with his intentions, but I don't feel he's truly a bad person." Tsubaki huffed as she followed suit. "He did give Maka that medicine and when we went after him earlier, he told us he wanted Ametrine dead as well. It's possible he was unwillingly forced into dealing with her."

"This will all make more sense once we meet with whoever is behind that door." Maka gently pushed ahead of Soul, taking charge and leading the way.

With a hand gripping the rusted doorknob, the meister took a deep breath before turning it and pushing the door open.

---

"I see you triggered my decoy wire." Viktor mentioned casually as Black Star landed on a tree branch across from him, face emotionless. Not surprising the fellow ninja followed him into the open plains of the forest. It gave the optimal opportunity to drill for answers.

"Why are you suddenly helping us out?" The meister cut straight to the chase, eyes locked onto the masked stranger. "You went from helping that witch to suddenly switching to our side. What's your game? Why are you giving up whatever Ametrine is offering?"

Viktor eyed him with tired eyes before shifting his legs to sit on the branch. Snow showered down below gently. This would take a short while to explain, though their time was already limited. Ametrine could move at any moment once she realized deception was in the works.

"It is true; we sided with the witch Ametrine due to an ancient prophecy that was foretold by the fire. We believed what we were doing was right, as written by our predecessors hundreds of years ago. Our clan, eight hundred years ago, began manifesting madness to aid in the Kishin Asura and his plan to spread madness throughout the world. Unfortunately, before we could begin to unleash it, Lord Death captured and sealed him away. Though we had procured some madness, there was nowhere to unleash it. So, the Elders decided to slowly leak it into the village to adjust our people to it. That has been the way for the previous bloodlines until now. When Ametrine entered our territory, she requested an audience with the Elders to once again spread the madness of Asura upon the world. The threat of releasing it upon my people in uncontrollable amounts forced the Elders to cave to her wishes.

"At the time it was foretold by the fire, so we granted her access to the labs hidden deep in the mountainside. For the past few weeks she has been working nearly non-stop on her project; I have witnessed mindless people wandering towards her cave, their heads void of thoughts and emotions. I do not fully understand the process of her method, but it seems as if she is using the souls of nearby villagers to feed the madness. I fear my people may be sucked into her plans,"

"So, all those creatures…"

"I am afraid they were innocent souls filled with madness and released back upon the world, yes." Viktor answered somberly. "Ametrine does not care for the lives she takes, only seeking to fulfill her own needs, no matter how many it takes. This is why she needs to be stopped before madness floods the lands once more and countless lives are lost."

"Can't you all just take her down? Being as skilled as you are, shouldn't you be able to kill her?" Black Star stood from his crouch to lean against the tree trunk, arms crossed. It was beginning to make more sense. Skirmishing with the deranged witch once was enough to determine she was fucking nuts. So it didn't come as much of a surprise that she was hiding behind a clan of powerful fighters. "I mean, when we fought against her back in Death City, she nearly wiped the floor with us. Even Kid had to start going all out just to keep her pushed back. You seem capable enough to take a witch down easily."

"I would gladly take the chance to do such a thing, though the villagers are the main concern. We have been evacuating everyone to a safe location far away from her. It may be too late to launch a full-scale attack as we believe she has noticed our intentions. I have been told by the Elder council to prepare for an all-out war against her. We alone cannot defeat her; we require the assistance of Lord Death and the most powerful meisters DWMA can provide."

Black Star remained quiet, studying the person in front of him. As much of a hard ass the guy seemed, in the end the two were no different. They both wanted to protect their friends and family, no matter to the cost. What worried him was the fact that not even an ancient ninja clan could take her down by themselves. His skills were impressive, on par or even surpassing what Masamune was during their first encounter. Ametrine's true power level was unknown, but it seemed to be on par with Kid's judging by how tied the fight was. He suddenly remembered something from their conversation earlier and turned to look at him.

"You said something about a girl earlier, Vika, right? What's your story on her?" He could see the man's shoulders sag slightly, a distant look clouding his eyes. "Oh, shit. Sorry, I didn't know—"

"Vika…she was a childhood friend of mine; we grew up together, nearly inseparable at all times. We…once I began the path of the warrior training, we lost touch as I was separated from the rest of the villagers for years. I had not seen her until just a few weeks ago…as she was taking her last breath beside me. She truly was one of the best fighters."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Black Star apologized quietly, knowing full well he heard it. "I can't imagine something like that happening to Tsubaki."

"Your partner, she is a good one. I do not have to ask to see you love her with all your being," Viktor mused lightly as the blue-haired ninja turned pink, coughing and looking at a far more interesting tree over yonder. "I was the same, with Vika, but unfortunately I was unable to let her know before she was killed by the madness unleashed into the Witches Realm. I found her confession on her body after she passed."

"I may not have known her, but I can tell you she died with honor. You should be proud of her for her sacrifice to protect others."

"I am, very much so. She was given a warrior farewell and her body has returned to the earth. I can no longer protect Vika, but you can carry on her strength and will to save others. Your partner, Tsubaki, make sure to protect her with all of your power. For the sake of Vika and I."

"I'd never let anything happen to Tsubaki; I swear on my life." Black Star pounded his fist against his heart, eyes locking with the ninja. "I would gladly die if it meant protecting her. The same goes for my friends and family. I won't allow Ametrine to continue taking lives left and right, including those of your clan. We may not be from the same bloodline, but we're no different. We understand the same morals, have gone through the same rigorous trainings. We're seen as outcasts on the world, nothing more than violent assassin's. You're not alone in the world, not anymore."

Viktor closed his eyes briefly, silently chuckling to himself. They were exactly the same. Perhaps he had been too narrow-minded as of late. Pulling the bottom of his mask down, he looked at the child in front of him, seeing a younger version of himself standing there, confident and strong. Ready to take on the world. Prepared to die for his heritage. Afraid of nothing.

"You and I are alike, Black Star, and for that I am grateful. I do not fear for the future generations if you are there to lead it. I am honored to call you my brethren, tovarishch." Comrade.

"Feelings mutual," Black Star gave him his signature smile, hands on his hips. Now they could move forward into a better future. The tense air dissipated. "Ready to go kick some witches' ass?"

"Definitely."

"Nyamuu~"

"Ma-Mabaa-sama…" Maka stuttered as she entered the room to find the Mother of the Coven sitting on a weathered stone bench, her assistant sitting across from her tapping her foot rapidly in annoyance. Soul protect blocked their soul wavelengths from being discovered so easily. "I didn't realize…"

"Of course you didn't, stupid human girl, this is a secret location." The feline witch snapped angrily, huffing her pipe rapidly in irritation. "It's all because of that damned Ametrine bitch—"

"Nyamuu." Mabaa said tersely, shooting a tired glance to the witch.

"I will watch my mouth, forgive me, Mother." The witch muttered quietly, tapping out the ashes from her pipe before tucking it away. "Let's get this started before we waste any more time. Sit anywhere, or stand, I could care less." She motioned with a flap of her hand.

Soul decided to stand left of Maka as she occupied a worn wooden chair, the legs creaking under the strain. Tsubaki stood on her other side, hands clasped lightly behind her back respectfully. None of them dared to stare too long at the haggard state of the witches, an uncomfortable air filling the room. They both looked exhausted, physically and mentally judging by the way they seemed to sag in their seats. The door opened once more and Viktor entered the room followed by Black Star, the two seemingly more relaxed than before.

"Forgive me for the delay, let us begin now." Viktor removed both of his facial coverings, flattened blonde locks springing free from their confinement. "I will put this plainly; we are planning to wage war with the witch Ametrine for her crimes. We have until midnight tonight, when the moon is full, to take her down before she unleashes the Kishin Asura from his prison on the moon."

"Wait, she wants to release Asura? Tonight?! How insane is this woman? It was hard enough to get him sealed the first time; Crona sacrificed himself to use Brew in order to do so." Soul balked at Viktor, eyes darting to the witches to confirm this. His lips pursed into a tight line, hands clenching tightly into fists inside his pockets.

"What will happen to Crona if he's released?" Maka asked quietly, fingers clenching tightly together.

"Mother isn't sure what's going to happen to your friend if Asura is released. He was sealed with Brew so there is no telling what could happen to the one who activated it." The witch glared at the teenagers, sharp eyes shooting daggers at them. "Eibon would be the one to know, but unless you have him on speed-dial, we'll have to plan without him involved. What about the Reaper, has he received word from the Witches' Realm?"

"No, I don't think so, why?" Tsubaki asked hesitantly, unease coming over her. "Has something happened there?"

"When Ametrine was captured and awaiting trial, she somehow managed to release a concentrated form of madness throughout the realm. Within a week everything was corrupted and destroyed. I take full responsibility for her release." Viktor bowed deeply; arms stiff at his sides as he continued. "It was my mission to release her from the cell and return her to the village. It was also my mission to ensure the safety of the Mother. I cannot forgive myself for the harm caused upon both worlds."

"Nyamuu." Mabaa chirped quietly, earning a confused look from her partner.

"She says you were just doing your duty and you had no part in her destroying the realm, so rise. We can deal with punishments later," She took out her pipe once more, tapping tobacco into it. Heavy smoking was the only thing keeping the frazzled nerves calm. "Besides, our losses weren't the only ones suffered that day. We all lost someone from it."

"How long after she was captured did it take for her to escape?" Maka asked Viktor, green eyes searching his soul for wavering emotions. It remained steadfast and locked up tight, something she figured from the first meeting. He wouldn't easy bare a vulnerable spot knowing she could see souls.

"A week in the Witches' Realm is roughly one or two days in this world. She has been released for a few weeks already." The man stood back up though his posture was tensed. "She has been working around the clock deep beneath the mountain behind our village. I have constant reports of her activity and it seems she is trying to hasten her efforts before the full moon."

"When the full moon emerges, Ametrine will have the chance to release the full effect of Asura's madness over the world, possibly himself as well." The witch supplied, blowing out a mouthful of smoke. "All she is missing, as far as we know, is a pure sacrifice to complete the ritual. It's an ancient one, something from over a thousand years ago that was more of a theoretical spell than a perfected one. There are high risks with using it incorrectly. The backfire from it could cause the madness to go out of control and take over its host, essentially turning her into a Kishin."

"What the hell…" Soul grit his teeth, his hand gripping the top of the chair tight enough for it to crack from the pressure. "So, if I've got this right; Asura could be released from the moon—possibly killing Crona in the process, Ametrine needs a pure sacrifice to complete releasing Asura, and if it backfires on her, we could have another Kishin. Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds?"

"Nyamuu."

"She said essentially, yes, that could happen."

"What the fuck." Maka suddenly stood up, anger filling her veins. The chair clattered to the hard ground and shattered into multiple chunks. "Why hasn't anyone tried to stop her before all this got out of control? If you knew," She whirled on the stiffened ninja, green burning into blue, "Then why haven't you killed her already! The whole world could be plunged into madness and you could have prevented it!"

"It is not as easy as it sounds," Viktor sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly. "Our prophecies are something held deep in our hearts, it connects us to our ancestors and their traditions. Though we sometimes question their words, they have never strayed us off of the destined path until know. We were not sure what Ametrine would do next, and the Elders have just begun evacuating the village in preparation. The problem is, we believe she is aware of what we are doing and is hastening her efforts to release the madness before we can eliminate her. The Elders have the final say in the matter, unfortunately. We have the head of the Elders, Flyorova, on our side. She will speak to the others and convince them to abandon this prophecy for the sake of the villagers. I would not put much hope in their decisions being swayed."

"We need to get a hold of Kid, then. If he doesn't know…" Tsubaki chewed on her lip anxiously. "Death City is still trying to recover from the attack by Ametrine and I'm not sure he can step away to help us. Even leaving the city is reckless; it could be attacked without his presence."

"We believe our message was intercepted before it reached the Reaper, hence the lack of action being taken by him. Although you all are here, the question is whether or not you will be enough to take her down." The witch eyed them with a bored look. Their outbursts were the beginnings of a headache.

"Nyamuu~"

"Mabaa-dono suggests you contact Lord Death immediately and inform him of the situation. His help could be the turning point in this war. For now, we shall adjourn this meeting and regroup with our sisters. Any information is to be directed through that man who will relay it to us."

The two witches ensured their message was received before flashing away. Viktor ran a hand through his hair, sighing silently.

"I apologize for dragging you into this war, but we have no other option. Maka Albarn, your black blood and anti-demon wavelength are urgently requested. Please, assist us with this war." Dropping to his knees, the ninja placed his forehead against the backs of his hands, bowing deeply. "I beg of you; help me save my people and destroy the witch Ametrine."

Maka startled at the sight of him bowing to her, opening and closing her mouth trying to respond. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up to see Soul staring at her, a confident grin on his face. Tsubaki and Black Star wore similar expressions, their eyes reflecting her answer. Taking a step forward, the meister looked down at the man before her, shoulders squared, and eyes set.

"Of course, we'll help you. Your village will be saved, I promise you that." Viktor leaned back to rest on his feet, hands staying on the dirt floor. "Lord Death will be contacted immediately and informed of everything. If possible, I would like to visit with the Elders and discuss the details with them."

"Yes, the plan was to take you to the village tonight to discuss matters with Elder Flyorova. There is a tunnel system that leads to the back of the shrine, the entrance is located not far from here. It should take less than an hour to reach the village. We shall leave when you are ready."

Viktor left the room, leaving the meisters and weapons alone. Spotting an old mirror on the wall, Maka typed in the familiar numbers, waiting as it rang. The surface rippled before a clear image of Kid appeared. There were heavy bags under his eyes and his hair was disheveled, but his attention sharpened in alert once he noticed the serious look coming from the death scythe meister.

"Maka, what's wrong? I take it this isn't a social call."

"I suggest you sit down for this, Kid, this is going to take a while."

---

Kid had called all Death Scythes for an emergency meeting as soon as he'd ended the call with Maka, ordering an immediate lockdown for the citizens of Death City as well. Marie was the first to respond with Stein at her side. Azusa was second, already setting up monitors and communicating with the other scythes who were awaiting orders. Liz and Patty stood anxiously beside their meister, glancing nervously between each other.

The reaper was nearly shaking with rage as he paced back and forth, hands clenched tightly as he tried to process everything. With the time difference between the two countries, it would be extremely unlikely to get there in time. It was nearly nine in the morning, meaning it was only a few hours from midnight in Russia. That damned witch…planning to release Asura from his prison.

"Lord Death, what's the status on Maka's party? Are they alright?" Marie asked worriedly, hands clenched against her chest. The motherly instincts had increased since her son was born. All of the students that bravely fought the Kishin a few years ago had been taken under her wing. They were all her children.

"For now. They last reported they were headed to a meeting with one of the Elders of the ninja clan. Witch Ametrine is planning to release the Kishin within a few hours in order to spread madness across the globe. She has already taken out the Witches Realm a few weeks ago, of which we are just now learning about it. Their message was intercepted and thus never delivered to me."

"Crona expelled the black blood from within Asura and sealed them all on the moon, so if Asura has no remaining black blood inside of him, how does Ametrine expect to gain power from it? She would have to break through the black blood barrier and access Brew in order to do so." Stein cranked the dial on his head a few clicks. "Unless she knows of another way to reach him, the probability to access Asura's former strength seems pretty low to me."

"The witches information explained that there was an ancient ritual that would be powerful enough to release the Kishin from his prison and spread madness throughout the world. A ritual that requires someone of pure blood to be sacrificed in order to overpower the black blood." Kid stopped his pacing and faced Stein with a grave look. The teacher could already tell where this was going, the cigarette clenching tighter between taut lips. "The only one I can think of with pure blood is—"

"Maka."

Spirit wore a hard look on his face as he stopped next to Marie, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He had cleaned up before arriving, but his hair seemed permanently disheveled.

"Her anti-demon wavelength…in a way, it could be considered pure since it destroys any evil. The question is would the black blood within her react with Asura's or would the anti-demon wavelength cancel out the effects? Then again, fear isn't considered evil." Stein spoke through the tobacco roll.

"I don't know, Professor Stein, but what I do know is that this battle will most likely be up to those four. I won't make it in time to aid them," Kid clenched his jaw tightly as he ran a hand through his ragged locks. Why? Why didn't he notice everything sooner?! "All of the death scythes are too far to reach them within a few hours. I have asked Kim to be a communication link between us and the witches as they gather what remaining troops they can. If only I had known…damnit!"

"There was no way for you to have known, Kid; like they said, the message was intercepted somewhere along the line." Marie spoke softly, wanting to reach out to him with comfort. He was still just a child, getting ready to go to war once more…after Lord Death passed at his Shinigami awakening, Kid tended to blame any failure on himself. Always comparing himself on how his father managed to remain so attentive to the worlds problems.

"Lord Death, I have contacted all of the other Death Scythes. They are awaiting your orders," Azusa adjusted her glasses as she spoke from her tracking system, still typing rapidly with one hand. "The fastest any of them could reach the Northern part of Russia is at least six hours. Transportation is being aligned right now and awaiting your final command."

"There's no time! Asura could be released from the moon by then if something isn't done now."

"Lord Death, I have news from the witches!" Kim Diehl sprinted into the Death Room, Jacqueline hot on her heels. She stopped a few steps from the reaper, doubling over as she tried to catch her breath. Her partner wrung her hands nervously, eyes darting to everyone in the room.

"Take a breath and tell me," Kid demanded.

"Mabaa-dono said she has amassed a small army of witches to help, but they may not be able to withstand the unleashed effects of the madness. Eruka and Free have been contacted, they never received word from her but they are on their way here. She thinks something is messing with her magic around Death City which is why the warning never arrived." Wiping the sweat from her brow, the witch stood up. "They are awaiting word from their connection inside of the clan, but so far nothing has happened. There are still a few hours before the full moon."

"Contact Eruka immediately and gather all the witches in the city, we need Mabaa to have clear access to the Death Room." Kid barked the order, voice booming in the Death Room. "I want a small team assembled in preparation to transport immediately once the path is clear between the witches and Death City. Stein, Marie, I know this is a hard thing to ask of you…"

"Hiroshi will be fine with Nygus, Kid; we are willing to do whatever you need us to do." Marie gave him a small smile. "Death Scythes are readily available to assist with any matter needed."

"If it means getting away from a screaming toddler for a short while, count me in." Stein shot his hand up, swiftly dodging a kick from his wife a moment later.

"Lord Death," Spirit took a step forward towards Kid, tone unusually serious. "As a Death Scythe, it is my duty and honor to serve alongside you in a time of crisis. As a father, it's my duty to ensure the safety of my child. I can't just sit here and watch as she becomes a sacrifice for a demented witch." Kid studied him for a few moments, searching his soul. His wavelength never wavered, flickering strongly within him. They would need all the help they could get.

"I will see what I can do, Spirit, prepare yourself to be at my disposal. Azusa," the Death Scythe nodded before pressing a key on the computer console. Kid cleared his throat and calmed his emotions before turning towards the monitors.

"Attention all Death Scythes…I have called you in preparation for a looming war. One that is happening within a few hours in the Northern part of Russia. The witch Ametrine is planning to release the Kishin Asura from his prison on the moon; her goal is to resume the spread of madness across the globe. I understand and appreciate your willingness to aid in this battle, but your mission is simple; secure your territories immediately, raise all threat levels to S and hold your ground until otherwise instructed. I, along with a small team, will be attempting to relocate to the area Ametrine is hiding out in order to aid the war efforts. Azusa will remain in the Death Room and monitor the situation from here.

"This will be a battle of joined forces; the DWMA, the witches, and The Hidden Shadow Ninja Clan. Together, we shall overcome Asura's madness once more and secure the world's safety for generations to come!"

With a resounding battle cry, the Death Scythes began to disconnect one by one, rushing to secure their territories. Kid let out a heavy breath, his demeanor falling back to tense and exhausted. If the witch Eruka could disband the barrier, then there was still hope that Mabaa could teleport them to the battle. The Reaper never doubted for a second that Black Star and Maka could handle themselves, but with the level of madness Ametrine was attempting to release…they'd be in trouble for sure.

"Has there been any word received from the team already deployed?" Kid asked.

"No, and we've tried getting ahold of them, but no one is answering. You don't think the battle's already begun, do you…?" Liz asked nervously, glancing at Patty. The younger sister pat her reassuringly on the arm.

"If it has, then we need to quicken our efforts here in order to join them. Let's just hope we're not too late…"

Maka, Soul, Black Star, and Tsubaki waited silently at the end of the hidden tunnel as Viktor checked the surrounding area before knocking three times rapidly against the low ceiling. The tunnel had both narrowed and lowered as they entered the village outskirts, obviously an older system build hundreds of years ago judging by the aged wood supporting it. After a few seconds the door slowly opened, groaning as it slid along a rusted track.

"Come, we are running out of time. This will lead us to the rafters above the reading fire. We will access a hidden room on the other side where Flyorova will be waiting for us. Silence is key." Viktor whispered before motioning for them to move. Without hesitation he jumped into the dark hole.

As they crawled through the shrines framing, the sounds of a fire crackling soon reached their ears. There was very little lighting and the scythe meister nearly slipped a few stories to her death if it weren't for Viktor snapping his hand out to catch her in time. Nearing the center, the ninja held up a hand and motioned for them to stay silent before pointing down to the fire. Flaming locks brightly stood out in the darkened shrine. She was sitting at the edge of the fire's pit, waiting quietly for someone. Maka felt her blood begin to boil the longer she stared at the woman, ready to launch herself down there and slice her in half. A strong hand gripped her arm and she turned to see Soul giving her a stern look, shaking his head no.

Something caught the witch's attention and she stood suddenly, palms resting against her hips. A figure emerged from the fire's shadow; Zefirov David Igorevich, the third Elder. He was carrying something in his hands, a box it seemed, his expression unreadable in the dancing shadows.

"I am assuming it is time to act, no?" He rumbled, holding the box out to the witch. "I have done what you have asked; the concentrated madness has been leaked into the water supplies and food storage sheds. It may only have a mild affect for those of higher skill, but the others should be able to succumb to it. I have already slipped very strong doses to Flyorova and Dimitri."

"Excellent, you've done well for me, Zefirov. Your service will be well rewarded." Ametrine grinned as she opened the box. Two small vials were nestled within, darkness swirling violently in the glass. "Once I have my pure sacrifice, all I need to do is slip this into their body and the rest is taken care of. They'll succumb to the madness and become the gateway to unleashing Asura from his imprisonment. Has everything been set up for when the witches arrive?"

"Yes, Mistress, the traps have been set. There is an ambush waiting for them on all sides of the village. Has there been any word on the DWMA students?"

"No, but I suspect they're close if not already here," Ametrine mused, shutting the box lid delicately. "That barrier I set up around Death City should be in full effect as well, meaning the witches can't connect with Lord Death and communicate very well. Mabaa will be eliminated and I shall take over as true Mother of the Coven."

Maka felt the hair on the back of her neck stand when Ametrine suddenly glanced in their direction, lips twisted into a knowing smile. With a few final words, the two went their separate ways, leaving the shrine empty. The fire crackled loudly as timber shifted, flames licking greedily at the kinder. Viktor sent them a hard look before beginning to move, swiftly moving across the ancient beams.

"Ametrine knows. Our plan has been compromised; we must divert our course and meet with my team. Flyorova will most likely be aware of what has happened and will isolate herself." The ninja spoke as they lowered themselves into a small room on the other side of the shrine. "As for what happens from here, wait for my signal to move ahead. I will return shortly so be sure to say what you need to before this war starts. We will not all survive it."

The paper door opened and closed, leaving the four teens alone in silence.

"He acts like we're all going to die," Black Star mumbled through his collar, tugging at it uncomfortably. "Ametrine may be tough shit, but Asura was stronger. She'll be dead before she can take a full breath."

"I have a feeling she's stronger than Asura, by a good measure," Maka said quietly, all eyes turning to her. Those maroon eyes bored straight to her soul, the witch knowing she was near. "There's something I haven't told you, something that I didn't confirm until we returned from Russia the first time."

The meister turned and slowly walked towards the lone windowpane in the room, looking out over the dimly lit village with her arms wrapped around her waist as she leaned against the frame. She should've told them sooner, shouldn't have locked away the secret. They would've understood, supported her, helped.

"What Ametrine was saying earlier, about there being a pure-blooded sacrifice? I know who it is, who is meant to be the gate to unleashing Asura."

"You don't mean…" Tsubaki covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide as she caught on first.

"You think you're the gate…" Black Star finished for her.

"I won't let her take you away from me, Maka, I'll rip out her heart before she gets close." Soul swore as he stepped towards her. "We'll end this war before she can get anywhere close to you, I promise."

"You've felt my shoulder pain, right? How it oddly hasn't healed in the weeks since the battle?" Maka suddenly stood upright, slipping her winter coat from her body and dropping it to the floor. With a delicate movement, she turned around and pulled her shirt down over her shoulder. There, glowing deep red, was a witch's symbol engraved into the back of her shoulder, resting just behind her heart. "That day when Ametrine cornered me in the school. I was hit with a blast of magic while trying to get out, but I confused it with the injury of hitting the wall. She must have transferred the spell then. It's been burning since we returned to Innopolis; that's why I had that headache, why my shoulder failed during the fight. That's why she looked up at me a few minutes ago; she could feel the magic activating."

Nobody moved as they stared at the meister, completely at a loss for words. After a few heartbeats the meister pulled her shirt back up, bending down to grab her coat. She couldn't meet their eyes, not after what she just said, so she searched their souls. Soul was confused, hurt, and upset that she didn't tell him anything. Tsubaki was shocked and scared, her soul trembling as she fought back tears. Black Star…

"And you kept this from us until now?" His voice was dangerously low as he quickly closed the distance between them, roughly grabbing the front of her shirt and slamming her back against the wall. She winced at the pain but remained silent. It was a deserved reaction from her childhood friend. "You couldn't bother telling your friends that you were the fucking gate to unleashing Asura?!"

"How did you expect me to tell you? 'Oh, hey, by the way I'm the fucking pure-blooded sacrifice to unleash Asura!' If I had told you, or anyone, then we wouldn't be here trying to stop her! I would have been chained in the basement of the DWMA far away from her while she corrupted the world! I'm the only one who can stop her, Black Star, and you would've done the same damn thing!"

His glare sent a chill down her spine; he was livid. Soul latched onto his forearm tightly, shooting his best friend a venomous look. With an angry huff, the ninja released Maka and silently launched himself back up through the ceiling door they had entered from. Tsubaki looked torn between her friends, eyes darting anxiously between the couple and where her meister had gone. With a brief nod from Maka, the weapon took off after Black Star, leaving the meister alone with her silent weapon.

Soul had walked away from her, running a hand angrily through his hair and looking ready to punch a hole in the wall. Maka slowly put her coat back on, glistening eyes glued to the worn tatami mats lining the floor. She didn't want it to happen this way, not when they were about to go into the biggest war with three of the most powerful forces on Earth. There would be dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties during the battle. The witches wanted their revenge, the ninja clan would be torn apart by the level of madness about to be unleashed, and Maka may have just ruined her relationship with the man she loved.

"Soul –"

"Answer me this," His tone was sharp and the meister flinched. "How long have you known?"

"I-I noticed it shortly after the fight at the DWMA...right before I was unconscious for a week." The words were like tar in her throat and she swallowed in an attempt to clear it. Already her soul was beginning to retract from the resonance, her partner not even attempting to latch on. "It glowed only for a few seconds after a shower and I thought I was hallucinating. I looked into it at the library and didn't find much on it, so I…contacted Mabaa in the Witches Realm, with the help of Kim. Not even Kid knows I did that." Maka waited for his response, twisting her fingers nervously. Mist filled emerald orbs.

"What did they say?" Soul was quiet as he tried to absorb everything.

"They—she said it was a curse marking. A very ancient and powerful one; so powerful, it was locked away in a book of banned dark magic. Once it's on the intended target…" She didn't, couldn't, finish her sentence. It was too painful to think about. But Soul was smart. A few moments was all it took to decipher what she couldn't say.

"That bad, huh."

"Yeah…I'm sorry, Soul, for keeping it from you. I didn't want you to worry…you've already stressed so much over me lately." A hand caressed her face before lifting it up gently. Soul gave her a broken smile before pulling his meister against his chest and wrapping his arms around her petite frame.

"I knew you'd tell me when you were ready, that part of you hasn't changed after all these years. Whatever she's planning, we won't let her go through with it. I'll protect you with my life."

"If anything happens," Maka said suddenly as she pushed away from him, locking eyes. His soul tried reaching out to hers, but she remained on lockdown, refusing to let him see what was truly going on. "Please, please, promise me you won't let the madness consume you. That you'll fight every day to survive and live on without me." Soul stared at her in shock, at a loss for words.

"Why are you acting like you aren't going to survive this?"

"Because, Soul, if what I was told about this marking is true," Maka said shakily, tears filling her eyes as she rested her hand against his face. "I'll be dead once the clock strikes twelve."

~*B*~

"You went overboard back there, Black Star! I can't believe you would attack her like that!" Tsubaki chewed her meister out as she stood toe to toe with him, standing just over a head shorter than him. "She's probably terrified about all of this and you just went and shoved her into a wall! Out of all the things you've done, this is by far the lowest—!"

"How else was I supposed to react, Tsubaki? Congratulate her for a special place in history as the one to re-release Asura after fighting so hard to seal him? No, I'm fucking pissed that she didn't tell anyone about this!" Black Star lashed out, forcing his weapon to take a few steps backwards in surprise. "We could have tried to find a way to erase the curse, but no; she kept it to herself until a few hours before a fucking war!"

"She didn't have much of a choice! Do you really think any of us would have let her come here knowing she would be potentially throwing her life away to unwillingly unleash the Kishin? There wasn't enough time to find a way to reverse it before Ametrine destroyed the world."

"It still doesn't make it right, damnit."

Black Star glared at the moon high above, arms crossed tightly over his chest. Tsubaki sighed heavily as she walked away from him, trying to cool off. Never had she been so angry with him and it made her feel sick to her stomach. They were about to go to war and fighting between themselves was the worst thing they could do. Not only did it cause lapses in judgement, but it could potentially weaken their resonance strength. What Viktor said earlier suddenly rang in her mind and she stopped dead in her tracks, near the edge of the roofs gable. If she didn't do it now, while she had the courage, then there wouldn't be the chance if something happened to either one of them. Glancing at him, he was still standing stationary, burning holes into the moon.

Turning on her heel, the weapon swiftly walked up to her meister, spun him around to face her, and with a quick pull of his collar, crushed her lips to his. The meister nearly stumbled backwards in shock as his weapon kissed him. Like, actually kissed him. It took him a minute to realize she had pulled back, face bright red as she glanced off to the side, biting her lip. His mouth opened and closed a few times, completely speechless for the first time in his life.

"Ts-Tsbuaki, what—"

"I-I wanted to do that for s-some time now, and with what Viktor said earlier…I wanted to make sure I did it while we still had the chance." Tsubaki stuttered as she covered her face with both hands, shaking her head in embarrassment. Shinigami, please save her from the embarrassment she was feeling! "If something happened to us—"

Calloused hands cradled her face and lowered her hands before lips encased her own. Indigo eyes widened as she watched her meister pull away, his cheeks tinted bright red. The two stared at each other for a moment, hearts pounding wildly against their chests.

"I love you, 'Baki, have for a few years now," Black Star said quietly. "Couldn't find the right time to say it."

"Black Star…" Tsubaki couldn't stop the tears as they fell, her heart overjoyed. Seeing the tears, her meister gently wiped them away before pulling her against him.

"Everything will be alright, I promise you. I'll protect you with my life."

"I know you will, Black Star."

---

Viktor quietly spoke with Soul and Maka once everyone had woken from their restless slumbers. Black Star refused to sleep, guarding over his friends and even popping outside to do a perimeter check. Every now and then Viktor would emerge as well, posting high up in a tree to track the lowering sun. Hour by hour it dragged until the stars shone bright amongst the wispy clouds. One the blackened moon rose past the eleventh hour, Viktor dropped down beside a stoic Black Star. Crystal blue eyes darted to his and without spoken words, a mutual understanding was shared. It was time to go.

"My team is outside of the caverns waiting for us and we must move swiftly. The entire village has been evacuated and there should be very few people left. We have less than an hour before midnight strikes; Ametrine must fall within the hour or else the madness will continue to grow." Viktor received a small nod from everyone.

The team quickly weaved their way through the ancient building, not bothering to take secret passages anymore as their cover had been blown. Maka and Black Star held their weapons close to them, grips tight. In a matter of minutes, they were once again in the arctic air. The town seemed desolate without the villagers, though they all knew better than to let their guards slip. As they neared the cave entrance, Viktor held up his hand, signaling to stop. The meisters silenced their breathing, searching the area with caution.

"It is too quiet…brace yourselves." Viktor muttered under his breath as he slowly unsheathed his sword. The meisters steadied their stance and waited.

Within seconds, snow blasted into the air as dozens of pre-Kishins emerged from the ground. Their screeches deafening as they descended upon the group with ravenous appetites. The ninjas vanished into the darkness while Genie Hunter lit up the area, its light vibrant as it sliced through the creatures with ease. Maka felt the black blood pulsing in her veins as they resonated, fueling her movements as she slayed left and right.

She opened her eyes to find the familiar checkered piano room, Soul standing there waiting for her like always. As she walked towards his waiting hand, something nagged at the back of her mind, like a tiny prickling sensation. Looking around, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so the meister ignored it as she melted against her partner. The record player kicked up once more, it's repetitive tune nothing more than background noise as they swayed.

One came at her from above, attempting to catch her off guard. As it reached elongated claws out to grab her, it suddenly felt searing heat as the scythe lifted up from beneath it, cleanly slicing it in half. It exploded into thick black particles, joining the dozens of others as they were slain one after another by the scythe meister. Black Star and Viktor were taking the creatures down swiftly and silently, giving the element of surprise. The two worked well together, moving in synchrony as they assassinated left and right. With a shared look, the meister swung Tsubaki's chain around Viktor's ankle before pulling hard and digging his heel into the ground. The ninja quickly cleared the radius surrounding them as he became a swinging guillotine, decapitating the demons with ease. With another tug, he was freed, landing next to his comrade and standing back-to-back.

There were no words exchanged as they moved, their feelings resonating between their souls. Another prickle in the back of her mind. Was there something she was forgetting? Something important? It soon died out and she rested her head against his chest, wrapping her slim arms around his neck while his wrapped around her waist. The music skipped slightly as the needle shifted, but neither paid attention to it.

Maka planted the scythe into the ground and swung at an incoming attack, her heel landing heavily into the creatures' face. With a high-pitched scream, it evaporated. They were endless, continuously emerging from the surrounding snowbanks. Ametrine was trying to buy time until the clock struck midnight. Glancing at the position of the moon, she knew they were running short on time; it was nearly centered in the starry sky above them. She could hear Black Star and Viktor fighting not too far from her. While the meister wasn't short of breath, the constant flow of demented hybrids was getting tiresome. The familiar sense of pure fear began to grip into her heart, and she whipped around to see one of the massive pre-Kishins bowling through the smaller ones, red eyes locked onto her. Snatching for the bag on her hip, Maka slipped it open and managed to grab one of the small orbs just as the creature reached for her.

"Maka, dodge!" Soul screamed as he watched its enormous paw swing for her head, razor sharp claws glistening in the bright moonlight.

A bright orb shot over her and collided with the beast, sending it backwards into the dense forest. Maka didn't need to turn around to see who it was that saved her. Witches began blasting attacks from above, laying down heavy firing coverage for the fighters. Swallowing the orb, the meister quickly flung herself towards the downed creature, Kishin Hunter crackling with dangerous power. It was over in a second as she landed in the snow behind it, crouched low. It had just turned to look at her when it exploded. A madness caked soul drifted slowly into the air, wiggling erratically in place. A small translucent box encased the soul before vanishing.

The record player suddenly screeched to a halt, the noise deafening in the small room. Looking around, the meister felt confused as the warmth that had just enveloped her was gone, Soul nowhere to be seen. The frequency of the prickling increased dramatically and the meister looked around the room; only it was no longer the familiar piano room she saw as a second home. The surroundings began melting into darkness around her and she felt the floor suddenly drop from beneath her, plunging her into its depths as she released a silent scream. When she landed, it felt like she had hit water. It jarred her skeleton as she slowed to a float in the viscous liquid, black blood dress dissolving into nothingness, leaving her bare.

Images began speeding past her at a high rate of speed and Maka realized they were her memories; of entering the DWMA, meeting Soul, her friends, fighting Medusa, becoming friends with Crona, fighting Arachne, making her partner a Death Scythe, fighting Asura, the moon sealing with black blood, Kid becoming Lord Death, becoming a three-star meister, landing in Russia, fighting a pre-Kishin, fighting Ametrine at the DWMA, kissing Soul for the first time, returning to Russia. The pictures after that began to burn, dissolving into ashes before being swallowed into the darkness.

"Reaper, welcome to your final resting place," A deep raspy voice cooed all around Maka as she floated weightlessly. "Your physical body no longer belongs to you, but to the Kishin Asura. There is no pain, no fear, no emotions, no escape."

"You're—" Maka gagged as hot liquid spewed from her mouth, black blood drops floating through the air. Everything inside of her was on fire, destroying her body from the inside out as she began suffocating on the pain. Organs began shutting down and decaying at a rapid pace.

"You belong to Asura now, so embrace the madness he bestows upon you and serve the rightful ruler of the world." The horrendous creature that haunted her mind shifted in front of her, face mimicking the Kishin Asura. "Come, child, serve me and fulfill your greatest accomplishment the world has ever known."

It held out a hand, inviting her to a place with no pain, fear, or emotions. Maka felt the tears sting her face as she shakily reached out towards it, desperate for a release from the pain. She paused momentarily as something tugged at her heart, a warm feeling enveloping her body before vanishing. More blood poured from her lips and she curled up, body convulsing violently as it tore itself apart. The inviting hand reached out to her once more, offering a pain-free escape. As soon as they touched, her consciousness plummeted into the darkness as madness caressed her with a loving embrace.

"It's over…she actually fell for it…" The little red demon wheezed as he clutched his chest, blood trickling from the edges of his lips. "It's been fun…Evans…as much as it pains me to say…I'll miss our little banters…"

"Wh-what's going on…" One moment Soul was holding Maka, then next, she was gone, and the room had begun to dissolve away, absorbing into the darkness. "Oi, ogre, where's Maka? What happened to her?"

"She's been swallowed by Asura's…" He coughed violently, dark blood splattering through gnarled fingers. "Madness…since I'm dying…that means she is too." With one final gasp for air, the demon stilled before he too, was swallowed by the madness.

Overwhelming pain stabbed him in the chest and the weapon dropped to his knees, gasping for air. It felt like his heart was about to explode from strain. As he began reverting back to human form, there was only one thing on his mind.

"Maka…"

Maka stopped dead in her tracks with wide eyes, her hand grasping at her chest desperately as it began beating painfully in distress, a strangled groan slipping between her lips. Ringing in her ears drowned out the battlefield as she fell to her knees in the snow, body going numb. There was a low, muffled noise trying to reach through the vibration, growing increasingly softer. With a slow movement, she looked up towards the soft noise, vision beginning to blur. White hair…red eyes…they seemed so familiar…yet as her mind began to be sucked into the depths of abyss, the feeling quietly dissolved away, and she let herself fall into its embrace.

"Maka! Answer me, Maka, you need to stay awake!" Soul yelled as his meister suddenly slumped over into the snow, blank eyes unseeing towards the full moon. He could feel their resonance begin to crumble apart as her heartbeat grew weaker and weaker, her skin paling rapidly. Both hands shook her shoulders roughly, attempting to awaken her from the spiraling darkness. "MAKA, DON'T FUCKING DIE ON ME! I'M BEGGING YOU!"

"Viktor, cover me!" Black Star yelled as he forced his way through the creatures, aiming for his friends. He round housed a Kishin in his path so hard it shattered against a tree, taking the solid plant down in the process. His breathing became ragged as he willed himself faster. She wasn't down, Soul hadn't broken the transformation, they could still fight! They had to fight! "She better not have, she couldn't have…"

"Black Star…I think she's…" Tsubaki trailed off brokenly, distressed expression appearing in the face of the blade.

"Don't say it! Maka isn't dead, she can't die!" He snarled as he punched a Pre-Kishin out of his way, sending it flying through the air. "She's stronger than this! She's the strongest person I know, damnit! A little fucking thing like this wouldn't…it can't take her out!"

As soon as he slid to a stop next to the hunched over body of Soul, he felt his heart drop into his stomach. Maka was stilled, green orbs dull with the lack of life as they stared straight above. She was pale, almost as pale as the snow beneath her as she laid motionless. Black Star released Tsubaki as he fell to his knees, crawling over to his childhood friend with shaking limbs. The battle raged on around them but the only focus was the stilled meister in the snow.

"Oi, Maka…this isn't funny…hey, wake up. You've gotta save the world…" Black Star shook her lightly, his mind going numb as she failed to respond. He shook harder, willing her to wake up and exclaim it was a joke. But Maka didn't joke…she was horrible at it… "Come on! Maka! Wake the fuck up! We were supposed to fight that asshole witch together! Just like with Asura! Don't…it's not funny…"

"Soul…" Tsubaki whispered as she reached out to touch the sobbing weapon, tears pouring down his cheeks. The weapon shook his head quickly, oblivious to his friends touch. "Soul, please…we need to get her out of here…it's not safe…"

Soul let out a heart wrenching scream as he felt the final connection snap within him, their resonance becoming non-existent. Tsubaki grabbed him as he lost consciousness, a high heat raging throughout his body at the sudden loss of resonance. Black Star clenched his jaw as he thrust his hand over Maka's heart, his soul wavelength crackling down his arm and into his palm. Without a second thought, he blasted it into her chest. Her body jerked violently from the ground, arching before falling flat once more. With a frustrated scream, the ninja did it again with the same results.

"I won't let you die on me, Maka, I'll fucking kill you if you die!" Black Star screamed as tears slid down his face, landing softly against her DWMA jacket.

"Black Star…we have to go…" Tsubaki sobbed as she began dragging Soul away from Maka's body. "Soul will die if we don't do something!"

"You children have nothing to worry about, I'll take good care of her." A sweet voice froze them into place, their neck hairs standing straight up.

Ametrine strolled over to them with a maniacal grin on her face, hands smugly resting on her hips as she looked down at them. Massive Pre-Kishins flanked either side of her, their faces flickering rapidly. They were bigger than the ones encountered in Innopolis, at least twice their size. Tsubaki clutched Soul tightly to her chest as she tried to scoot away, the overwhelming madness radiating off her making her sick. Black Star's hand froze over the still meister, fingers slowly curling into a fist.

"You…"

Murderous intent rolled from the ninja as he swayed to his feet unsteadily, head down. A few of the smaller creatures scurried backwards at the explosive force of Black Star's soul wavelength expanding rapidly. The witch merely arched a brow in response as high winds whipped her hair violently behind her. His soul seemed different this time, more erratic and unstable. Had he been like this in their previous skirmish?

"How sweet of you to remember me," Ametrine cooed. "But I'm afraid there isn't time to chat right now. Darling Maka and I—"

A fist slammed into her face and the witch went careening back into a tree, hitting it with a sickening crunch. Black Star stood upright, bringing his fist back to his center. Green eyes morphed into yellow stars as he glowered at the witch with palpable hatred and disgust. He rocked back on his heels before darting forward, fist drawn back and crackling with energy. Before she could so much as sit up, the ninja latched onto her throat and released the full blast of his wavelength. Ametrine screamed as her body was electrocuted, her skin beginning to peel off as it burned and died.

"Don't ever say her name! You vile fucking witch!" Black Star bellowed.

While the witches swooped in to clear the creatures, Viktor took the opening and landed next to a fearful Tsubaki. Moving quickly, he grabbed Soul and tossed him over his shoulder, offering the weapon a hand. The two quickly backed away to a safe area as Black Star continued to electrocute and pummel the witch. It was too dangerous to attempt to soothe the deranged meister. They took shelter inside one of the houses, slamming the door shut and locking it before barricading themselves.

A ringing noise startled the discarded weapon and she looked around confused before realizing it was coming from her backpack. Scrambling to open the bag with shaky fingers, the weapon finally cut the bag with her blade before dumping its contents onto the floor. A blue light was shining from her compact, the one she had brought along for this mission. She held it with wide eyes as Kid's face appeared in the mirror, golden eyes flickering slightly in the reflection.

"Tsubaki, what's go—?"

"Kid…" Tsubaki choked as she stared at the Reaper. Viktor stepped aside to help Soul onto a bed before pilfering supplies from nearby cabinets. "Kid…please, help us…they're not…Maka and Soul…we can't…"

"Tell me what's going on!" Kid yelled as he grabbed the sides of the mirror, pushing his face further against it. "What happened? What about Maka and Soul!"

The mirror fell from the weapons grasp as a loud explosion sent the three of them flying. In the Death Room, the screen turned white, static flashing across the mirror. More explosions went off and the mirror lost contact. It flashed Signal Lost a few times before going blank. Silence filled the room before all hell broke loose.

"Where in the hell is Kim! We need those witches now!" Kid barked out as he turned wild eyes to Azusa. He was too late! The fighting had begun and they were still stuck in Death City awaiting assistance from the witches! "Lock onto the transmission signal and get me coordinates to their exact location! We're out of time—!"

A bright flash filled the Death Room and the room filled with panicked cries, the sound of weapons transforming instantaneous. Blinking hard, Kid squinted at two forms emerging from a cloud of smoke. There was no malice detected as intruders infiltrated the sacred space, though the Reaper remained on guard.

"Is that who I think it is…?"

"Sis, look!"

"Thank Shinigami you're here!"

The smoke thinned and the Reaper nearly cried in joy at the sight. Mabaa and her assistant stood a few feet from him. Their clothes were dirty, and exhaustion dragged at their skin, but they were standing. Marie untransformed as did Spirit and Azusa, their tension easing off. Kim rushed back into the room, Eruka and Free following hot on her trail. Kilik, Fire and Thunder, Ox and Harvar followed close behind as well, having forced their way into the Death Room once hearing about the dangerous mission.

"Mabaa-dono…Kim, did you get the barrier to break?" Kid asked, astonished as the witches stood before him. A fast shake of his head got him back on track. "Forget I asked, we don't have time for this. I hate to ask this of you, Mabaa, not only as Lord Death, but as a friend and ally I beg of you; please send me to my friends."

"Nyamuu. Nyamuu, Nyamuu?" Mabaa chirped solemnly as she glanced up at Free, the werewolf looking confused before nodding in understanding.

"Screw the formalities; we need you to kill the with Ametrine for us. Our army isn't enough to hold the creatures off much longer and they can only do long distance attacks. Your side isn't faring too well at the moment either. She wants to know how many to transport and when. I advise you to think quickly; Ametrine is already making her move." The tall witch coughed before scrounging for her pipe in her robe, hand trembling slightly. Deciding better of it, she roughly shoved it back into her open top.

"Spirit, Marie and Stein, Kilik and Ox, Liz and Patti, and myself. Any objections?" Kid counted off the teams on his fingers; they would have to do for now. The other Death Scythes had been ordered to guard their territories in the event of another madness wave.

"Kid, take me and Jackie, we can provide aid!" Kim blurted out as she jogged up to him. "If something's happened to them, then we'll give them the better chance of survival. I'll provide a magic boost to aid Mabaa in the teleportation."

"I'll stay here and ready the coordinates for Mabaa. Free, you're going with?" Eruka croaked as she set about preparing the spell. "It may be a pretty rough landing, prepare yourselves. Getting exact coordinates won't be easy through the madness."

"Yeah. I'll be back soon enough," The werewolf gave her a toothy grin, throwing a thumbs-up. "I am immortal after all."

"If this is everyone, let's head out. Azusa, I'll be in contact with you throughout the mission. Keep an eye on us." Kid ordered as he stood by Mabaa, Liz and Patty clasped tightly in his hands. His hands trembled in anticipation of the battle they were about to enter.

"Yes, Lord Death. Be careful and good luck." The demon weapon added the last part quietly before turning back to her monitors, commanding the Death Scythes around the world.

"Calculations ready, ribbit. Preparing memory transfer." Eruka croaked. Magical bindings swirled around the group of fighters, twisting and waving together into a twisted binding. "Transfer complete; you are good to go, Mabaa!"

Magic pulsed strongly throughout the room as Mabaa released her powers. Free stood behind her, transferring the power of her eye back into her body. With a loud pop, they were gone. Azusa sighed as she waited for his signal to appear on the screens. This would be the most difficult thing Kid would have to face in his short time as Lord Death. The Death Scythe still worried over him; he was still just a kid who deserved a normal life. She didn't want to imagine the carnage happening in Russia right now; instead, she prayed for everyone to return home safely.

"I hope you can bring them all back safely, Kid."

---

That damned DWMA brat actually managed to damage her body in such a way that parts couldn't regenerate. Ametrine growled as she cleared the center of the cave floor, closing her eyes and chanting under her breath. Slowly, a spell tome began glowing brightly, intricate and ancient witchcraft symbols etching into the dirt. At least she had her intended target; the meister Maka Albarn, possessor of black blood and anti-demon wavelength abilities; not to mention soul perception on top of it. Her heart had stopped nearly five minutes ago, and her lifeless form had become frigid and stiff. Asura didn't essentially need a heart to survive, but in order to do what she needed to, the girl had to be alive.

As soon as the circle finished forming, the witch strolled over to the table where Maka laid and pressed her hands against her chest. A warm glow flowed down her arms and into the meister, her chest glowing brightly before dying out. After a few moments of no movement, Ametrine was about to transfer more of her life energy to the girl when she suddenly twitched. With two fingers she checked her neck for a pulse; it was weak but growing stronger with every beat. She would remain unconscious, but now that her blood was pumping again, the ritual could continue.

"Mistress, is there anything I can do for you?" Zefirov asked anxiously, shuffling noisily up to the witch with the box of vials in his wrinkled and twisted fingers.

"Why don't you set those down over there for me," Ametrine pointed a delicate nail to a podium settled in front of the spell tome. "Are there still any of your clan left in the village?"

"Ah, apart from the two Elders, I do not believe so." The old ninja carefully set the box down, rubbing the lid lovingly. "It seems they were given an evacuation order before our meeting, so there is no one. Wait, there is Viktor, though he seems to have sided with the DWMA and the witches. Disgraceful, turning his back on his clan in their greatest moment in all of history."

Viktor Leonidovich, one of the highest skilled members of the Hidden Shadow Ninja Clan. It seemed he disappeared shortly before everything began yesterday. Ametrine clenched her jaw. He had sided with the witches and the DWMA, meaning someone above him gave the orders to do so. Either that, or he went rogue; a nagging feeling told her it was the former. Shadow ninjas didn't just up and abandoned their posts without reason.

Now that she had sealed herself deep within the caves, she could get to work without disturbance. There were a few hundred Pre-Kishins out there to keep them busy long enough for the ritual to complete. Even her newest ones, the largest she's ever created, would do some serious damage to them. She had to collect stronger souls for those; a quick visit back to the Witches Realm provided what she needed easily. As she gathered her spell book and ingredients, a noise caught her attention.

Maka was in the process of moving her hand, followed by her arm. Watching her closely, it seemed the girl was trying to wake up. Grimacing, the witch kept her eye on her as she continued setting up everything she needed. Even if she woke up, her conscious wouldn't be the same anymore. That curse engraved into her shoulder was proof of that; not only did it take her life at exactly midnight, when the moon was at its highest, but it also infected her with the same amount of madness swirling inside of her own body. There wasn't a clear answer as to whether or not the black blood in her would respond, but it would be made clear once Asura was revived through her.

Getting Asura released from the moon was nearly impossible, something she had learned years ago after the battle ended. Eibon was securely locked inside of Asura and Crona was the one guarding it. Getting past the black blood wouldn't be too hard, though the problem was that the Kishin would no longer have any blood inside of his body, making it impossible to release him and wreak havoc upon the world. The black magic spell she had found back in the Witches Realm spoke nothing of unleashing Kishins, but the ancient forbidden art of Madness Transfer – a technique where a person of pure blood was to have overwhelming madness injected into their blood stream and theoretically becoming a Kishin vessel. The major downside was the fact that if the madness rejected or was expelled by the host, the caster would receive the damage and turn into a rogue Kishin.

Pain shot through her upper torso and the witch hissed; most of her upper body had been burnt severely from the soul shockwave. It left jagged marks over her chest and up to the base of her jaw, red, angry areas of burnt tissue. Luckily, her explosive blasts seemed to knock them down long enough for her to escape. There wasn't enough time to spend healing herself, so she just dulled the frayed nerve endings enough to focus on the ritual. With a blast of magic, she hit a panel on the caves ceiling; a large chunk of rock blasted outwards, revealing the moon directly overhead. As the light hit the tome, it began to crackle with ancient energy. She only had a few minutes before the moonlight shifted away and her chance would be gone.

Turning around, the witch came face-to-face with the meister, eyes widening in surprise. She shouldn't be able to move much, let alone get up. Apart from some color returning to her skin, she still looked deceased and the witch took a step back just in case. The meister didn't move, though, and seemed to be rooted to the spot. Messing with this level of madness was dangerous, especially when it hadn't settled into its host yet. Ametrine took another step back, watching to see if Maka's body would move. It didn't. Grabbing her by the arm, she walked the lifeless body back to the table, grunting with effort as she threw her back on. When it didn't move again, she let out a small sigh before continuing her work, keeping the body in her sight at all times. There was so much to do and so little time…

---

Maka felt numb and empty as she floated along the darkness, slipping in and out of consciousness. The darkness seemed to have lightened up as she could now see around her when before it was pitch black. A warm sensation pulsed in her heart and she soon found her eyes opening slightly. It continued through her body, filling her veins with warmth and energy. Previously damaged organs began to repair themselves, stitching themselves back together like nothing happened. Air entered her lungs and she greedily pulled in more, coughing heavily as her throat became scratchy. After her body calmed down, she looked down to see she was completely naked. Ancient markings covered nearly every inch of her body, glowing as they were weaving and twisting across her flesh like a book page. They seemed familiar, but her mind was having trouble remembering anything.

Who was she again?

Maka Albarn…so, we meet again.

Maka Albarn? Was that who she was? The teen turned around to see a heavily clothed man sitting with his legs folded in the air, palms resting openly in his lap. His black and white hair and red eyes seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place it. He seemed to be staring intently at her face yet not focusing the slightest bit, as if he were meditating.

"Wh-who are you?" Maka rasped out, clearing her throat. "What are we doing in here?"

Ah, I see what's going on here now, the man unfolded his legs and floated to a stop in front of her. He grabbed her face with one hand, turning it this way and that as he studied her with an impassive expression. The madness has taken over your mind, sealing your personal memories. It's probably for the best; memories just include fear, fear that could devour your very soul.

Releasing her face, the man ran his gaze over her body, studying the markings with vague interest. Heat creeped up her neck and Maka curled her body up, covering up her sudden indecency. Had he no shame? "E-excuse me! What do you think you're doing?!"

Oh, please, like you're anything special to look at. He said blankly, pushing her legs down to continue reading. A finger tapped against the center of her chest. Ah, here it is. Look, right here,

Maka looked down to where he was pointing at; a set of symbols centered directly on her chest. It looked funny from her angle; a softball sized circle with unreadable scribbles. The ash blonde tilted her head curiously at it. A finger grazed over the engraved marking.

"What does it mean?"

This scripture right here, it's missing something important. There are two words that are written similarly but have two completely different meanings. What this says is 'Corruption/Imprisonment'. What it should be written as is 'Madness/Uncontained'. If anyone were to mess up and use the spell containing that wrong phrase, it would cause their soul to become corrupted and drive them to insanity.

With a jagged nail, the man traced it across her chest, following the scriptures as they wrapped around her body, mumbling under his breath as he read along to it. Maka tried to stay still as the sensation creeped her out, wanting to push him away though the curiosity got the better of her. Did he know why she was in there? Would he be willing to help her out? Who was he anyways?

"So, if someone tried to use this spell, what would happen to them?"

Like I told you, they would be drawn into insanity and their soul would become corrupted. Since your soul is a very rare and special one, you'd probably survive with little to no side effects. He stopped once more, this time around her center. Dark eyes narrowed in thought. Hmmm, that's odd. There's a line here that should be glowing, but it isn't. It seems to be dormant—

As soon as the man grazed the dull symbols, electricity zapped his hand away, crackling angrily before settling back down. A twisted smile adorned his face and he began laughing, grabbing his stomach as he doubled over. Maka jerked back in surprise, looking down at the letters. With slow movements, she inched her finger closer until she was just barely touching the words. Nothing happened. Thoroughly confused, she pressed harder, even trying to rub at it to no avail. Huh?

It seems you're stronger than you seem, girl. The man wiped away a tear as he straightened up, folding hands into his flowy sleeves. Your soul is so powerful that it has resistance to overwhelming madness that would consume you whole. Hmm, it probably has something to do with your anti-demon wavelength and Grigori soul shape. I wonder if the black blood still resides within you as well…

"I have no idea what you're saying…" Maka said dumbly. The man glanced at her and shrugged, not a care in the world.

I'm sure you'll find out when the spell is activated. I'll be needing to borrow your body now.

The man thrust his hand into her chest, wrapping his fingers around the inside of her ribs before snapping them open. searing pain filled her, and she screamed as he widened the hole, using both hands to spread them further open. Black blood gushed out in large globs, wiggling angrily as they floated away. With an eager look and a tongue running over his lips, he plunged himself into her body and darkness soon washed over Maka, plunging her into the abyss of unconsciousness.

---

They had landed at the edge of a village, supposedly the one that housed the Hidden Shadow Ninja clan. It was right around midnight and the moon was still high in the sky, it's black veil seemingly translucent. Kid bowed to the witches as they teleported away, taking their forces and leaving his team and Free to fend for themselves. The first thing the Reaper noticed was the horrendous screeching echoing loudly through the forest; the second was a handful of said screeching creatures running right at them, ravenous snarls ripping from their twisted jaws.

"Kilik, Ox, take care of these ones and regroup once they're taking care of." Kid ordered as he blasted one in the face before turning to another without skipping a beat. "Free, scout ahead and clear anything that's in the path since you can see better in the dark. Kim, Stein, and Spirit are on me."

Free charged ahead as the two meisters stayed behind, clearing the outer perimeter. Kid rushed through the snow-covered village, golden eyes darting left and right for enemies. As they trekked onward, the screaming seemed to get louder the deeper past the houses they ventured. The Reaper could feel the amount of stolen souls condensing in one area, their wavelengths intermittently flickering out. What they had encountered was only the beginning of trouble.

"What's this black stuff falling from the sky?" Patty asked curiously.

"It looks creepy to me. Try not to touch it, Patty," Liz said uneasily.

"If I had a guess, it would be the remnants of whatever these creatures are," Stein pondered as he rubbed some between his fingers. It turned into soot that stained his skin. "I'll take some back to the lab and do an analysis on it. I'm getting excited thinking about the endless tests I can run on it."

A familiar wavelength smacked the Reaper in the face, and he slowed, a sensation of warning washing over him. It was Black Star, alright, but there was something different about it. Stein noticed too, slowly cranking the screw atop his head. It felt like his soul had become wild; it was erratic with emotions and wavering violently. Tsubaki's was not too far from his, along with Soul's and another he didn't recognize. But what struck him as odd was that his friend had separated from his weapon, their distance growing further apart. And Soul…

"Where's Maka, can you sense her?" Spirit huffed out as he brought up the rear of the group, clearly out of shape. Without a meister to carry him he had to pick up the slack. Stein was already carrying Marie.

Kid pressed his perception further, scanning for the familiar soul of his friend. His level was nothing near Maka's, but he could still see a good distance. There was something flickering dimly in the distance, but it was fuzzy and hard to tell what it was. Squinting his eyes harder, he pressed to expand the Soul Perception only for the dimly flickering light to move further away. Odd. Whatever it was seemed to be running in the opposite direction.

"There's something in the distance, but I can't see it clearly. Let's focus on mov—"

A large creature suddenly slammed into the building next to them, debris flying in every direction as it rained over them. Everyone braced themselves for it to crawl back to its feet, but instead it began dissolving into thick black particles that blanketed the now gray snow. Someone had defeated it easily judging by the distance it flew.

"Look, over there!" Kim shouted as she pointed to the top of a dilapidated shrine, all eyes swiveling.

"Is that… Black Star?" Marie asked, astonished. He was knocking back enemy after enemy at full strength, ruthless in his attacks.

"Something's wrong with him, keep your distance for now." Kid warned. He could handle a fight with the ninja, the others would just be crushed by his inhuman strength. But what caused him to go berserk all of a sudden? It wasn't like his friend to toss aside his weapon and charge head-first into a fight.

"K-Kid, is that you…?" A weak voice called from inside of a collapsed house. A faintly flickering soul caught by perception.

"Tsubaki? Are you alright?" Kid called as he made his way through the rubble, the snow making it difficult to trek. "Where are you? Do you have any injuries? How's Soul?"

No answer.

He tore through the debris until he reached the back part of the house, seemingly untouched by the surrounding carnage, and found the weapon sat up against the corner with Soul lying beside her. A small candle was lit on an aged end table, giving a small amount of light in the blackened room. Blood had trickled down from her hairline, coating porcelain skin deep red. She seemed weak but was at least conscious. Soul on the other hand, was sweating profusely and his skin was pale and clammy. Kim pushed her way through and began working immediately, soothingly talking to Tsubaki.

"Tsubaki, what happened?" Kid kneeled on the other side of her, reaching out to touch her shoulder. She flinched at the touch so he retracted his hand. "What's going on here?"

"Kid, you need to get Black Star…he…after Maka…" The weapon broke down, quietly sobbing. "He snapped…we couldn't save…Soul has been unconscious for a while…"

"I can explain everything. You are Lord Death, no?" A figure appeared in front of the group, silent as the night as he dropped in from the broken roof in all white. "I am Viktor, the inside contact for the witches."

"Viktor, what happened here?" Kid forwent the formalities, turning to stare into wavering cerulean eyes.

"The short version is witch Ametrine has holed up in the caverns below the village in the process of releasing Asura from his moon imprisonment. Maka Albarn…" He hesitated, glancing over the group until his eyes landed on Spirit. "You are her father, no? I can see you in her."

"I am, what's happened to my daughter?" Spirit asked tersely, fists clenched at his side.

"I am…sorry. Tsubaki filled me in with further information after it happened."

"What happened to my daughter!" The death scythe snarled as he closed the distance and grabbed the ninja by the front of his ninja-yoroi. "Did she—"

"She…died…"

Heads whirled around to see Soul opening his eyes slightly, Kim moving her magic over his body. It was just barely above a whisper, but the words rang clearly in the small room. Spirit released the man and stumbled backwards, hitting a wall before sliding down it, in shock. Kid froze in place and Stein chose to glare at the floor, glasses concealing his eyes.

"We couldn't…there was a curse engraved into her back, we couldn't stop it from happening." Tsubaki added, sitting up a little straighter despite the pain. "Black Star tried to save her, tried so hard…"

"Where…" Kid swallowed the lump in his throat and tried again. This wasn't happening…he was supposed to be here, to fight alongside his friends…"Where is her…did she…"

"Ametrine took her body to complete the unleashing of Asura. Black Star went after the witch and dealt a good amount of damage, but then there were explosions and we were knocked out for a while, hence her head wound." Viktor supplied as he sat on a rusted bed frame, the springs groaning loudly. Both hands clasped over his knees, fingers locking tightly together.

"The resonance link between Soul and Maka was severed when…" Tsubaki hesitated, not wanting to say it. "He's been out since that moment. And Black Star…"

"Went nuts," Kid finished. He felt like his legs were going to give out if he didn't sit soon. A hand reached out to grasp the wall, not realizing it was further than expected. Stein swooped in and grabbed the Reaper to provide a steadying arm.

It was silent for what felt like eternity, nobody wanting to speak as the news settled. Around them they could hear the destructive force of the ninja ranging on, screams of anguish filling the air.

"How do we get into the caverns, Viktor? We need to focus on stopping Ametrine before she unleashes Asura." Stein spoke first, reaching for a cigarette before deciding against it. He still steadied the Reaper against him. Being a support in more than one way was more important than a damn cigarette. He could have an entire pack afterwards, once they won.

"She has sealed the caverns off, unfortunately, and there is no other way in or out without creating an opening ourselves." The ninja supplied quietly, watching with slight awe as the injuries began to vanish from Tsubaki. Witch magic was truly something special. "I…feel like I have failed you, Lord Death, for being unable to protect your students as foretold by the reading fire and my Elders. I will accept any punishment you deem appropriate."

"Worry about that later, right now I need someone who can find me a way into those caverns and kill Ametrine." Kid stood in front of the defeated man, amber eyes burning bright. He extended a hand. Offering. Waiting. "Are you able to stand by my side and assist in a potentially fatal mission or not?"

Viktor looked up, studying the intensity of Kid's face. Just like Black Star. More cold and calculating, but they seemed to inhibit the same will. With a steeled resolve the ninja grabbed the hand and stood, cracking his back, neck and fingers before locking eyes with the Reaper. A fist came to a rest against his heart. "I swear my loyalty to you, Lord Death, for as long as needed. Even if death takes me in her arms."

"Good. Now let's go grab that idiot before he causes anymore damage."

"I'm coming with, Kid," Tsubaki grunted as she pushed herself off the wall. Marie steadied the woman, fretting over the blood trailing down her face. "I know I can reach him, we're still resonating though just barely. You focus on reaching Ametrine."

"I'm counting on you, Tsubaki. Be careful." The weapon nodded before running from the room. "Stein, Viktor, let's go. We have a witch to hunt."

Glancing at Spirit, the death scythe was motionless as he slumped against the wall. Kim noticed the look and let out a small sigh, sending a pitying look to the man.

"I'll watch him too, I guess."

Kid nodded before turning and climbing back through the crumbled house. Black Star was still wreaking havoc, knocking back any enemy that launched at him with ease. He could sense Tsubaki closing in on him, approaching from behind him slowly. The Reaper felt useless as they ran through the dense forest; Maka had died, Soul was suffering from the severance of Soul Resonance, Spirit was down for the count, and Tsubaki had to attempt to reel her partner in before he leveled the entire mountainside. As Lord Death, his goal was to pacify the world from madness and corruption, yet he couldn't even save his friends from a deranged witch. The guilt chewed him up more than anything.

Magic pulsated deep within the woods, vibrating the ground every so often as they moved closer. There were no signs of creatures in the area, something that unnerved the meister, and it was absolutely silent. No birds, no creatures, no wind. Madness seemed to be spreading little by little with each pulse, spreading it slowly towards the village. Kid and Viktor seemed the least affected by the madness, while Stein began to struggle a little. It started off as little chuckles every now and then, drawing curious gazes. Then he started messing with the screw on his head. Click. Click. Click. Click.

"Stein keep control of yourself," Marie snapped as she tried to extinguish the madness swirling within him. He was still in control, but just barely.

"I'm fine, Marie, I can handle this amount with little issue. Let's keep going," He could feel it itching, wanting to spread and unleash itself in his body. It almost felt good, like he could let loose again as he did on the moon with Asura.

"There, the barrier blocking the cave entrance." Viktor pointed to a pile of boulders just down the hillside. They were stacked high and each stone surely weighed tons. "There is no use trying to break it, so I will try to find a way to destroy the area around it."

"Go." Kid ordered and watched the ninja leap weightlessly through the air, landing easily on a tree branch overhanging above the cave. While he surveyed for the best spot, the Reaper surveyed the area. They were a good distance from the village, deeper into the woods to prevent wandering eyes. It made for a good hideout. But not good enough to keep him out.

"Can you sense it, Kid?" Stein eyed Lord Death with a heavy look, his lips twitching at random. Fingers dug into the opposite arm painfully as he fought against the encouraging sensation. "Down below,"

"Yeah, I feel it. She's down there, Stein," Kid tightened his grip on Liz and Patty. So close…just a little more… "There's someone else down there, too. And…a third soul that I can't distinguish…"

"It's a soul filled with the madness of Asura judging from the strength of it. If she needed Maka to be the gate to unleashing him…"

"Then maybe she's become the vessel…"

---

Tsubaki inched closer to her meister, the force of his soul wavelength making it difficult. He hadn't noticed her yet, blasting anything that launched at him with a fury that rivaled Hades. She could feel their resonance shaking wildly, his soul trying to break free from her hold on him. It was painful to keep the connection going, as she felt his emotions raging erratically, but if it were to be disconnected it could cause him to be swallowed by the grief. She wouldn't allow it, not when one friend had died and the other had become seriously wounded.

"Black Star! I need you to listen to me!" Tsubaki yelled over the harsh winds, shielding her face as she inched closer to him. "Kid is here now, you can stop. Soul has even woken up, so please—"

The weapon barely had time to dodge a powerful swipe at her head, the slippery roof moving her out of the way in time. Black Star was close to losing himself, his eyes burning brightly yellow with the Star Clan signa. She could feel their connection stretching thin as he delved deeper into the abyss.

"She's not coming back…Maka isn't coming back…" The ninja muttered over and over, as he continued strikes against his partner, mind void. "She's never coming back…she's not fucking coming back!"

Tsubaki ducked low to avoid a punch and swept her foot out, catching him behind the knees. He buckled and fell to one knee, panting heavily as he struggled to keep control. She reached for his shoulder when the sound of electricity caused her to jerk back, narrowly avoiding the blast aimed at her face. Black Star staggered to a stand, rolling his head back to look at her with crazed eyes. Pulling a weapon on him wouldn't do either of them any good, so the weapon stayed on the defensive, striking when he left himself open. Sending soothing soul wavelengths seemed to have little effect as he continued to strike at her. The blood loss from earlier caused her vision to swim and she sank to her knees, the world spinning violently around her. He stopped in front of her, looking down at her weakened form with hesitation. Tsubaki could feel his soul quivering with mixed emotions, rapidly switching back and forth between angry and confused.

"Black Star, please listen to—!" The weapon grunted as her meisters foot suddenly connected with her stomach, red tinted spit flying from her mouth as she was thrown, rolling across the sharp clay tiles. With a hand stretched out, she caught the very edge of the roof, saving her from certain death.

Coughing, the weapon gasped for breath, blood trickling from her lips as she tried to get her bearings. She could feel a gash across her face begin to bleed, the hot sticky substance trailing down her chin. Black Star stood above her, eyes burning hot as he glared at her. Tears stung her eyes and Tsubaki glanced up at the man she loved looking at her with pure anger and distrust. She couldn't fight him, not because he was stronger, but because it would hurt her.

"You promised me, Black Star, earlier," The roof tile cracked under the added weight. It wouldn't hold up much longer. "You promised me you would always protect me, even if it cost you your life, remember? If my words can't reach you, then maybe my actions will."

Tsubaki felt the tile snap and she closed her eyes as gravity took over. She trusted her partner completely even when his mind and soul weren't sound; she knew he would save her. A few seconds had passed, the ground growing closer and closer. The head injury from earlier drained the energy from her and she briefly contemplated just allowing herself to enjoy the fall. Her eyes cracked opened to see a decorative sharp ornament on the shrines lower roof jutting out, right where her spine would directly hit. With a grunt, she began to twist her body to catch herself, when something slammed into her from the side and latched around her. A deep snowbank cushioned the impact and the weapon let out a held breath as she relaxed into it, heart pounding against her chest.

"I knew that would do it," She opened her eyes to stare at her partner, yellow iris now back to green. But they were filled with so much torment as they scanned every part of her face worriedly.

"Tsubaki…" Black Star wiped the blood from her cheek with his thumb, examining for other wounds. A finger grazed against the head wound causing her to wince lightly. "Did I…"

"You're back to normal, that's all that matters right now. More importantly, Kid needs our help." Tsubaki moved to get up but found herself pinned against her meister, his arms tightly around her.

"I'm sorry, 'Baki, for not protecting you like I said I would. I even hurt you myself…"

"Black Star…"

"No, I need to say it. I fucked up, big time, I don't deserve your forgiveness; I hurt you, Tsubaki. I can't make up for that, I have no excuses." His voice was muffled against her shoulder, his breath tickling the exposed part of her neck. "I could have seriously injured you or killed you. I wouldn't be able to handle that."

"And I forgive you; you weren't in your right mind. I'll heal, but Black Star," Gently pushing him back so they were eye-to-eye, the weapon cradled his face while pushing stray hairs from his eyes. "Kid went after Ametrine with Stein and Viktor just a few minutes ago. If you want to repay me, then you can start by forgiving yourself and getting up. Now is the time to use that anger and grief to take her down and avenge Maka. Now get your ass up and get to work!" Tsubaki squished his cheeks together, trying to get her message across faster.

Black Star remained quiet, searching her eyes as she gave him a hard look. A laugh slipped past his lips, earning a puzzled look in return. He pressed his lips hard against hers for a few moments before pulling back, watching her face heat up.

"You're right as always, 'Baki. Kinda hot when you take charge like that, gotta admit."

"J-Just get off of me already!"

---

Everything was perfect. Maka was centered motionless in the tome, the moon was mostly overhead, and she could feel the madness squirming inside of her, restless as it waited for its freedom. Grabbing one of the glass vials, she readied herself. Opening the book to the marked page, she poured most of her magic over it, along with the madness vial, and the book greedily accepted it all. After the toll was paid, she began to chant.

"Hear upon thy will, Creator of Madness; I call thy name to serve, to honor, to respect thy legacy. Speak upon thy will, so thou shalt be released from thine chains. See upon thy will, so thou shall return to reclaim what is rightful. I offer a sacrifice, great Kishin Asura, to be thy servant on Earth, to wreak havoc in thy name. I call upon thee to release! Madness Transfer!"

The ground began to shake violently as the spell tome ignited and electricity sparked along the edges, connecting the lines together. Maka's body began to float towards the moonlight, her eyes slowly opening as the madness began to pump through her veins. Ametrine held her breath in anticipation as everything came together smoothly, excitement ready to burst from her chest.

A bright light exploded from the hill a short distance from the cave entrance as dark magic and madness poured over the land, decaying the trees and melting the snow instantaneously. Kid braced against the tree he and Stein sought refuge in as the shockwaves had increased, the branches shaking violently. Viktor darted out of the way just as the cave entrance shifted and collapsed, shattering the magic barrier into pieces. Landing just above them, he ripped his mask down, grimacing at the beam as it shot towards the moon.

"Don't tell me she's finished the ritual," Kid growled as he eyed the madness speeding closer to them.

"Gaining entrance by the beam could be a deadly risk, so let us blast the cave entrance though we need to move fast. If she continues, there will not be a world left to save." Viktor removed three medium-sized metal balls from his sling, chucking them hard towards the rock pile. Upon impact, they let off a massive explosion that blasted the rocks into smaller chunks. The smoke cleared to reveal an opening, big enough for two people to fit through.

"Move yer ass, Kid, before I kill this bitch myself!" Black Star yelled as he blurred past him, leaving an ident in the trees bark from kicking off.

"Black Star?!" Kid exclaimed while steadying himself on the branch. The speed at which his friend had shot past nearly launched him to the snow below. A splitting grin slipped out as he launched after the ninja. "About time you woke up!"

"I suggest we do as he says, I don't want to hear him bragging about it for weeks on end." Stein gave a lopsided grin, tossing his cigarette aside. The madness was making him feel good. A chuckle slipped out then turned into a long, content sigh.

The three men quickly followed after the ninja, hitting the ground running. Black Star blasted through the rocks with his soul wavelength, expanding the opening to the size of a small crater prior to vanishing into the depths. Just as Stein finished passing through the entrance, madness crashed past them, sealing their only exit.

Ametrine realized too late that something went wrong as Maka's body stopped floating most of the way out of the cave and turned towards her, arm outstretched and palm facing her. Madness and magic blasted towards the witch and she screamed when the spell backfired. It sent her crashing backwards towards the cavern walls, jagged rocks puncturing and tearing her body apart.

"Your efforts are futile, Witch Ametrine," A deep voice emitted from Maka's mouth, her eyes burning a deep red, swirling with madness. "Had you noticed sooner; your soul wouldn't become food for my madness. Pity. You could've become something useful in this world. Your sloppiness is displeasing."

Maka's body suddenly turned black as night as it began to morph, stretching and widening to a taller form. With a burst of madness and black blood, Asura appeared, floating easily in the air. As he descended, red eyes darted around observing the area with little interest. A movement caught his eye and his wraps secured over his face in fear, his body tensing up. Someone unexpected. How scary.

"L-Lord Asura…" Zefirov stuttered as he fell to his knees in awe, hastily bowing low. "I am at your service, my Lord."

Asura eyed the elderly man, a sneer on his lips.

"The only thing people like you are good for is food!"

Zefirov had barely looked up when a hand was thrust through his chest, fingers clenched tightly around his soul. Blood dribbled down his chin as he took one last shaky breath, watching as his soul was ripped from his body. Asura licked his lips anxiously, lifting the wiggling soul above his head, mouth open wide. How many years had it been since his last meal? Just as he went to enjoy his meal, a sharp object sliced his wrist clean off. With little effort it grew back, shooting out from the depths of his arm and reattaching seamlessly. The soul bounced to the ground, rolling away slowly.

"Like hell yer gonna eat that soul!" Black Star snarled as Tsubaki returned to him, rotating at top speed in Shuriken mode.

"Kishin Asura, under the law of my Father and myself, I will destroy you once and for all." Kid glared dangerously at the Kishin, lines of Sanzu glowing as his soul wavelength expanded. "You were sealed once before on the moon and you'll do so again on earth."

"Ah, brother, what a nice reunion this is." Asura twitched as he looked towards the Reaper, fear writhing inside of him. Scary. How scary! That defiant glare, the amount of courage radiating from the ever expanding soul. "But I'm afraid I can't stay too long. After all, I'm just here for her soul."

Pointing at Ametrine, the Kishin shot one of his scarves at her, aiming for her chest.

A blast of electricity deflected the hand back at Asura, the attack racing up the arm and aiming for his head. With a twitch of his finger, the attack was extinguished as the appendage was swiftly removed. It regrew moments later, angrily slithering at his side. Stein widened his stance in front of Ametrine, Mjolnir bursting with soul wavelength energy as he glared up at the Kishin.

"I'm afraid that soul isn't yours for the taking, Kishin Asura."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," Asura cracked open his face coverings, narrowed eye glinting mischievously. "You see, she failed to notice that her spell was incorrectly worded; meaning, instead of unleashing madness upon the world, all she did was cause it to backfire onto herself. Therefore, her soul now belongs to the madness and will become corrupt, turning her into a Kishin like myself."

"I will not permit you to do such a thing." Viktor appeared silently behind Asura, blade swinging down over his head.

With fluid like movements, the Kishin dodged the sharp blade before slapping the ninja away like a pesky fly. Viktor used the blade to brace himself as he landed, digging his feet into the dirt floor. Black Star switched Tsubaki to Uncanny Sword mode, standing slightly in front of the white clad ninja as he gathered himself.

"Wait, don't attack him so recklessly!" Stein threw out his arm, stalling the meisters. Asura notched a curious brow. "It's in there, underneath the madness…Maka's soul, I can sense it."

"What?" Liz asked, incredulous. "She's…alive?"

"Bullshit, Stein, I watched her die!" Black Star clenched his jaw as the memory flashed in his mind. "I felt her cold body!"

"That may have been the case, but I can sense it too." Kid narrowed his eyes, watching her soul spark intermittently beneath the madness. "Avoid full strength attacks, we don't want to hurt Maka. Try incapacitate instead."

Asura felt the girl's soul pulse within him, trying to break through the madness at the sound of Kid's voice. With a hand resting against his chest, he closed his mask once more. He wouldn't have long before she broke free, purging the darkness from her soul. Though there was still enough time to swat around the pesky flies that imprisoned him on the moon in the first place.

---

Floating in darkness got old pretty quick. He wasn't sure how long he had been there, but it felt like hours at least. Soul felt like his whole world had been destroyed, his body numb as he stayed in suspended animation. His mind was blank as he stared ahead, waiting for the inevitable embrace of death. But so far, it was just darkness as far and wide as he could see. With a heavy sigh, he closed his eyes; not that it made a difference in his current situation, but it made him feel slightly human again.

"How the hell did everything turn out this way?" The weapon mumbled to no one in particular.

"I wondered about that too," A soft voice responded, startling the weapon from his thoughts.

Pushing himself up, he stared at a distant light growing brighter as it neared. Rubbing his eyes heavily to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, he blinked away the dark spots before looking again. Their outline was blurred, but he could tell it was human. At least, he hoped it was. Maybe it was an angle coming to finally take his soul from limbo.

"Please tell me you're the Grim Reaper here to put me out of my miserable and pitiful self-wallowing floating party." The figure giggled. Wait, giggled? Do Reapers giggle? He must've ingested something weird. Angles giggled, didn't they? All happy and shit about being Heaven?

"You didn't eat anything weird, I'm pretty sure. But I suppose I am in a way, though not the one you're thinking right now."

"So…an angel? You're really not helping me figure this out." Soul sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He really wasn't in the mood to play games right now. "Also, did you just read my mind? That's not cool."

"Mm. In here your thoughts are no different than you speaking aloud. You used to think I wasn't anything like an angel, years ago during our flying training." That caused him to freeze up, jaw dropping agape. No way…it couldn't be, right?

Whipping his head up he came face-to-face with his meister, her smile warm as she floated to a stop. She was wearing a white strapless dress with matching short heels and elbow length gloves, her sandy waves flowing freely around her. In that moment, she looked like the most beautiful angel he'd ever seen. His hand reached out to touch her, hesitantly, unsure if she was real or a mirage.

"You…I felt it, saw you…you died, Maka. Wait, does this mean I died too? Are we both dead now? That's fucking uncool…" A delicate hand reached out and touched his, gently guiding it to rest over her heart. It was beating steady and strong. But it lacked a certain…tenderness.

"I'm not entirely sure what's going on myself; I think this is just my subconscious beginning to awaken. I heard Kid's voice and I think that caused my soul to react." The smile slipped from her face and she looked at him with sorrowful eyes.

"What's wrong?" Soul asked as he cupped her cheek, brushing the hair from her eyes with his free hand. She felt warm beneath his touch.

"I'm so sorry, Soul, for putting you through so much pain and grief. I should have told you sooner about the marking, but I was scared to. And now…" The meister teared up as she looked down, avoiding his intense gaze.

"Hey, it's not your fault so stop blaming yourself. Look at me, Maka," He lifted her chin up to meet his gaze. "We'll find a way out of this, don't worry. You're standing here, that means you're still alive out there. I'm going to find you. I won't lose you again."

"I know you will, Soul, and I'll be waiting." Maka gave him a watery smile.

The light absorbing her body suddenly died out and the meister twisted away from him in fear. A scream erupted from her as she doubled over, angry red lines bursting from the center of her chest and swirling around in the darkness. The pristine white dress burned away as words twisted and wrapped themselves around her body like vines, leaving her naked and vulnerable.

"Maka!" Soul shouted as he reached out to grab her only to be forced back by an invisible wall. He pounded his fists against it, trying to reach his meister.

Madness swirled around her as it began to consume, tearing at her flesh like hundreds of sharpened blades. Fear filled her eyes as she threw her head back to look at Soul, tears streaming down her face. She threw her arm out in attempt to reach him as the darkness swallowed her chest. Soul was pushed back as the barrier expanded, the invisible wall shocking his every touch. He watched in terror as Maka was nearly consumed by the darkness, feeling completely helpless.

"I need you…to wake up!" Maka gasped between choked breaths as it reached her neck. Emerald bore into crimson as the meister forced herself to look at him. "Come to me, Soul…wake up and come back to me!"