Marisa crashed through the walls of her home, her body slamming into shelves that came toppling down around her, glass bottles shattering and scattering potions across the floor. She lay there in the rubble, her clothes torn and her hat ripped. Pain surged through her body like fire, but she gritted her teeth and tried to push herself up. Every movement sent shockwaves of agony rippling through her limbs. She struggled, her arms shaking violently under her weight. She had been reckless and had thrown herself into the fray without thinking, and now she wasn't there to protect Marcus from Yukari. Tears welled up in her eyes, stinging as she cursed herself.

"Stand, damn it! Stop being so weak and stand!" she yelled, her voice breaking.

With a defiant scream, she forced herself onto her feet, staggering around with blurred vision and trembling limbs. She had to lean against the wall for support, every breath laboured, the sickening taste of failure rising in her throat. Biting her lip to keep from breaking down again, she stumbled through her wrecked home, desperately gathering the few potions that hadn't shattered in the fall. Her thoughts were entirely on Marcus, and she clung to that focus, hoping it would be enough to get her moving.

But as she clutched the potions to her chest, her strength gave out, and she collapsed. The bottles fell from her arms, breaking upon the floor and spilling their contents. Marisa lay there, crumpled and shaking, unable to move. She covered her face with her hands, hot tears spilling out despite her efforts to hold them back.

"I'm so weak..." she sobbed, her voice barely a whisper. "Why am I so weak? I can't do anything right, no matter how hard I try... All that effort, late-night studying... Training until I pass out... Yet I can't even hold my ground. I can't match Reimu... Marcus... I'm alone."

The words hung in the air, heavy and painful, and she felt herself sinking deeper into despair. But then, out of nowhere, a force wrapped around her, pulling her off the ground with such strength that she gasped in shock. She found herself staring into the eyes of someone she hadn't seen in years—someone who should not have been here. Her breath caught in her throat as recognition set in.

"M-Mima?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she was released and stumbled back against the counter, staring at the figure floating before her. "You... You can't be here... You were sealed away... Reimu sealed you away in the worlds between!"

"And yet here I am," Mima replied, a sardonic smile playing across her lips as she drifted around the ruined room. "And now you remember." Her voice was as cold as ever, cutting through the air. "You've forgotten the promise you made to me, little Kirisame. What did you say about the day we met? You wished for power, didn't you?"

Marisa gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand up straight, ignoring the pain that shot through her body. "I'm not your puppet anymore, Mima," she spat, her voice shaky but defiant. "I'm far beyond the days of chasing you around like a lost puppy."

Mima's smile widened, a dark amusement flashing in her eyes. "Instead, you've become a rodent who can't even keep the one she loves safe." Her tone was nasty, every word laced with contempt. "Are you going to leave Reimu to save the day again? She takes your spotlight, your rightful place as number one. What's next? Marcus?"

"No!" Marisa's voice cracked with emotion as she clenched her fists. She could feel the anger surging inside her, mixing with shame and despair. "I won't fall for your words... Not again."

Mima's laughter filled the air, a chilling sound as she floated closer. Her voice began to shift as though someone else was speaking along with her, a deep and sinister male voice echoing her words. "He's going to die. You can save him. Burn the stars down and steal their light. Break your destiny and rise above."

Marisa's eyes widened as Mima reached toward the bookshelf—that bookshelf, the one she had always been so cautious about. Mima's fingers slid aside a few dusty books before she pulled out the object Marisa had hidden so carefully, something she had kept secret even from Marcus.

A Forbidden Tome.

"You intended to hide this from him so he wouldn't go back, didn't you?" Mima taunted, holding up the book as if it were nothing more than a trinket. "Use it. Take it. You've seen the power the others gained from these Tomes. Reimu, Sakuya, Rumia, Marcus... They're all surpassing you. Take that back. Reach the highest peak and never look down again. Be the storm. Be the chaos. Be the night."

Marisa shook her head violently, taking a step back. "No! I... I hid that for a reason... I couldn't... It would..."

"Corrupt you?" Mima sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "Since when did risk ever stop the Ordinary Magician? If you're too afraid to take risks... Maybe you don't deserve that librarian."

Her words stung, piercing through the walls Marisa had built around herself. All the emotions she'd tried to keep in check—the fear, the anger, the shame—came crashing down on her, and her resolve crumbled. Her hands trembled as she reached for the book, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she hesitated, unsure if she could take this final step.

Mima's form shimmered, her voice now entirely replaced by the male voice, filled with dark malice that sent shivers down Marisa's spine. He leaned closer, his robes brushing against her back as he whispered into her ear. "Become what you were always meant to be... Witch of Scarlet Dreams."

"W-Who... Who are you?" Marisa asked, turning around sharply. But there was no one there. She blinked, disoriented, her mind racing. It was as though the presence had disappeared without a trace, leaving her alone once more.

But there was no time to dwell on it. Marisa's gaze fell on the Forbidden Tome in her hands, and she knew what she had to do. She looked down at the cover, the title written in dark, elegant letters:

Forbidden Tome Vol. 1 – Power.

She didn't hesitate. Her emotions were a storm, a chaotic whirlwind that would not be stilled. Marisa opened the book, feeling the surge of its dark knowledge wash over her. She embraced it, letting it consume her, accepting its power without a second thought.

The shattered remains of the Hakurei Shrine lay strewn across the ground, its once sacred grounds now a chaotic battlefield. I could barely catch my breath, my entire body aching from the relentless assault. Across the sky, Nightmare Yukari hovered like a dark spectre, her presence suffocating as her gaze locked onto me. This wasn't the Yukari I knew; there was no cryptic smile, no playful teasing. Her expression held only cold intent—a desire to kill.

"Stay behind me, Marcus!" Reimu shouted as she leapt in front of me, her purification rod glowing with spiritual energy. The real Yukari stood beside her, her usual confident smirk absent as she stared down her twisted counterpart.

"Yukari, what is this about?" Reimu demanded, her voice tight with frustration. "Why are you doing this?"

Nightmare Yukari didn't respond with words; she merely raised a hand, opening a gap that tore through reality like ripping fabric. Out of it emerged a torrent of bookshelves—massive, wooden monoliths like the ones in the Library of Alexandria, crashing down toward us. Reimu darted forward, her talismans glowing brightly as she deflected the incoming barrage, the sheer force of the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Our Yukari, the real Yukari, joined in, using her gaps to redirect the falling shelves into nothingness.

"She's using the Forbidden Tomes to amplify her power," Yukari muttered as she glanced back at me. "Stay alert. She won't hold back."

I barely had time to react as Nightmare Yukari opened another gap—this one wider than before—and a sleek, modern underground train burst through, its silver exterior gleaming under the dim light. It roared down upon me with a speed that seemed impossible, the sound vibrating through my bones. There was no time to get out of the way; the train collided with me, the impact hurling me through the first carriage and smashing me against the interior wall. Pain shot through my entire body, and I crumpled to the floor, gasping.

The fluorescent lights overhead flickered, casting harsh shadows as the train rattled down its tracks, accelerating at a breakneck pace. I forced myself up, my muscles screaming in protest, and stumbled forward. I couldn't stop moving—Nightmare Yukari's dark energy swirled around the train, gaps opening and closing, threatening to devour everything in their path.

With every ounce of strength I had left, I propelled myself through the narrow aisles, using the seats and poles to push forward. The carriage jolted violently, nearly throwing me off balance, but I grabbed onto the metal railings, swinging myself toward the next compartment. I could see the connection between the carriages up ahead, the last door that stood between me and whatever awaited on the other side.

As I reached the doorway, a gap opened in front of me, and I barely managed to dive through the opening before it closed, slicing through the metal frame like a hot knife through butter. The train continued to accelerate, its interior a blur of white lights and grey walls as I raced toward the rear exit. My breath came out ragged, my vision narrowing with each step. I reached the final door, and without thinking, I threw myself at the glass.

The window shattered into a thousand shards, and I burst through, tumbling into the open air as the train vanished into the distance. I hit the ground hard, rolling across the dirt as pain flared up my spine. Gritting my teeth, I tried to force myself to my feet, but my legs gave out beneath me. I could barely move.

Reimu was already at my side, her hand gripping my shoulder as she helped me sit up. "Marcus, don't give up!" she cried, her voice filled with a desperate determination. She turned to face Nightmare Yukari, who descended from the sky, her expression unwavering.

"Why are you doing this?" Reimu demanded again, anger flaring in her voice. "If there's a reason, then tell us!"

Nightmare Yukari's eyes were cold, devoid of any emotion. "For the sake of all worlds," she replied, her voice resonating with an unnatural calm. "This is not the true Gensokyo. You are all merely illusions, bound together by his presence." She pointed directly at me. "He is the keystone that keeps this false reality intact. And for the real Gensokyo to survive, he must die."

I struggled to comprehend her words, my mind reeling as the ground seemed to tilt beneath me. Before I could respond, a new gap opened directly above, and I felt a sudden, wrenching force pull me upwards, slamming me into its chaotic void. I was flung through a series of gaps, each one ripping at me, tearing at my strength, until I finally emerged into the open once more, my body crashing against the ground. Blood pooled around me, and my vision dimmed.

"Marcus!" Reimu's voice broke through the haze, but I could barely keep my eyes open. I felt her presence near me, but I couldn't muster the strength to respond.

The real Yukari appeared beside Reimu, her gaze fixed on her nightmarish double. "You've crossed a line, don't you think?" she said, her tone low and dangerous. "This place may not be real to you, but I won't let you destroy it."

Nightmare Yukari didn't reply; she simply raised her hand, a gap forming beneath the real Yukari's feet. It opened wide, darkness spilling out and swallowing her whole. For a brief moment, there was nothing—no sound, no motion—just a terrible stillness. And then, with a sickening finality, the gap snapped shut. The real Yukari was gone.

Reimu froze, her eyes wide with disbelief as the realisation hit her. Her grip on her purification rod tightened, and she turned to face Nightmare Yukari, rage blazing in her eyes. "You... You'll pay for that!" She stepped in front of me, her stance firm despite the tremor in her voice. "I'm not letting you get to him. I'll protect him, no matter what."

Nightmare Yukari's gaze remained unyielding as she prepared to finish us off, raising her hand as dark energy gathered around her. The air grew heavy and thick with the anticipation of the final blow. But then, a sudden, blinding flash tore across the sky, and a wave of heat washed over us.

The entire Forest of Magic erupted in a blazing inferno, an explosion ripping through the landscape. The ground trembled beneath its sheer force, and a brilliant beam of energy surged through the air, crashing into Nightmare Yukari and blasting her backwards. For the first time, I saw a hint of surprise on her face as she struggled to regain her composure.

Hovering above the sea of flames was a figure shrouded in light, descending slowly from the sky. As the flames subsided, I saw who it was—Marisa. Her outfit, once black and white, was now scorched crimson, her eyes glowing with a fierce, unsettling intensity. Her usual energy and liveliness had been replaced by a cold, blank stare that sent chills down my spine.

"No... It's not possible..." Nightmare Yukari whispered, her voice wavering for the first time. "I removed you from this reality. Those who are forced out cease to exist. This isn't his reality... It's yours."

I forced my eyes open, my vision swimming as I looked up at Marisa, her form distorted by the pain clouding my sight. The Forbidden Tome in her hand pulsed with dark, ominous energy, the same kind that I had seen before in others. The realisation hit me like a punch to the gut, and I struggled to speak. "Marisa... no..."

But she didn't seem to hear me. Her focus was solely on Nightmare Yukari, her expression one of pure, unyielding fury. The flames around her flickered and danced as she raised her hand to the sky, her voice a low, venomous whisper. "No more."