I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Location: US-31 (Previously known as California)
The forces that kept control within the human territory created a tight perimeter around the malevolent building. Their uniforms resembled long retired police uniforms, but the new symbol of the United Human Front was placed on their backs.
A hand grasping the planet they had called home for generations and a single sentence, "Earth for humans only," stood out as the central core symbol of their united front.
Throngs of anxious humans encircled the enigmatic structure, their faces etched with panic and desperation, their cries for aid echoing in the air.
"My child is inside that thing. Can you do something about it?" A mother asked an officer.
"I'm sorry, citizen. We have no tools capable of dealing with a curse. We have asked the Alliance for a team to deal with the curse. They should be on their way as we speak." The officer said as he tried to remain calm.
"The Alliance? Those monsters are going to help us?" The woman asks with a face that couldn't hide her dislike for the Alliance.
"I understand your concern, but we can't eliminate the curse nor rescue the victims trapped within its halls. Only proper exorcists can deal with such an event." The officer explains.
"First, they took our guns, and now we can't even deal with a damn curse? I would rather lose my life than bend the knee to the Alliance and any other being associated with them." The woman says as she glares at the officer.
The officer understood her anger against the Alliance and their associates, as he was only an officer in name with a badge and a futuristic shield—no gun, no police baton, or any tool that could be used to kill.
Since that fateful day, no human outside the Alliance ever held a weapon of any kind, and if they tried to use knives or other tools as weapons, they would quickly crumble within their hands into dust.
No assassinations or deadly crimes had occurred since that day, but it was hard to adapt to a human 'world' without weapons. Gaia had taken away any way humanity had to defend themselves, and even after many experiments under the guidance of the greatest minds, they had been unable to create weapons inside Earth.
Technology has advanced a lot, but humanity, at least 'True Humans' as they called themselves within the United Human Front, remained unarmed and weakened.
Flying cars and unlimited energy couldn't remove the feeling that they felt weak without a weapon.
The disgust amongst the masses increased with each day as they protested, but no amount of voices could ever overturn the Taboo placed on them.
At this point, they had been given an ultimatum that had hung over their heads for a few years, and it wouldn't change anytime soon.
As the masses continued to scream for a solution that didn't involve the help of the Alliance, a new arrival drew the attention of all present.
A magic circle appeared in the sky before four figures descended like meteors onto the surface of the futuristic-looking city.
"Shit. Make space, they're coming!" The officer screamed.
At least 60 officers activated their shields to move the public away from the impact zone. Cameras from several news channels tracked the descending figures before they reached the surface.
As they approached the ground, one of the mysterious agents released a mysterious black substance from its body, which expanded and acted as a cushion for their landing.
"Nice catch, young Welsh." A tall man wearing a futuristic white suit and matching mask said as he stretched out his arms. His tone seemed friendly and confident. Blue gauntlets covered each of his hands. Divine golden writing covered each gauntlet.
"It was my pleasure, Sir Strada." replied the smallest team member. His red/black Alliance uniform, including a beret, covered his body. A similar-looking mask covered his face. The substance he had released returned to his shadow as if it were alive. His tone sounded gentle, and one might even call it a bit feminine, but it was a boy. His pointy ears had small platinum earrings that resembled bats.
"Oh, there's a lot of people and cameras. They were right about keeping our masks on. We'll likely be on the news by the end of this mission." A cheerful voice said. The owner of said voice was a teen with blue horns and blue/green hair that reached her shoulders. She wore a suit similar to that of the team's tallest member while a gigantic bandaged sword rested on her back. "Team leader, are you ready to go?"
The teen asks as she pats the shoulder of the second smallest team member. Her short blonde hair has grown a bit alongside her stature, which matches that of someone around 13-14 years of age. A large holy sniper rifle rests on her back. "Let's go. We have no time to waste." Her voice hasn't changed much, but one can tell that she has grown since the events that took place nearly four years ago. Her aura resembled more that of a seasoned veteran than a young agent.
The humans' eyes were glued to each member of the mysterious team. Some were astonished by the sight of a proper weapon in years; others were disturbed by the sight of 'children' within the Alliance's active troops, but many were far more taken aback by the sight of non-humans within their city.
Many showed disgust at the sight of the boy's pointy ears or the horns of the sword-wielding girl.
"Monsters."
"Despicable creatures."
"Abominations."
Their insults were ignored as the team advanced while being shielded by the officer's shields.
"We appreciate your aid, Alliance agents. We understand that the request was-" The officer tries to continue, but the blonde stops him as she raises her hand.
"Don't. We told your leaders to act before it was too late. Curse buildings should be exorcized and not be ignored. Your leaders keep doing this and only decide to act once the situation worsens." The blonde grabs the officer's head and points it towards the old hotel that had been under renovation but now was covered in yellow tape as the windows were covered in the blood of several of the victims. One could feel a malignant aura irradiating from within its walls. "Do you know how long this building has taken innocent people inside to swallow them whole? For more than 40 years, not a single government official stopped and asked, even the now-dissolved Vatican, for aid in purifying it. How many souls do you think are trapped inside as we speak? How many poor fools felt by its charm and thought it was another hotel they could sleep in for the night?"
Agent Strada nods as he listens in. "Your people ignore the paranormal until they can't hide it anymore. When it becomes public, that's when your leaders decide to ask for help. I imagined that if they had access to those weapons from the past, they would have tried to use a missile to destroy the building without knowing how ineffective it was going to be."
The other team members didn't seem happy about the slow response from the leaders of United Human Front.
The leader releases the officer before she continues forward. "Every time your people ignore our recommendations, agents like me must step forward and clean the mess you created." She grabs her rifle before she checks the ammunition she has prepared for the mission. "Every damn time an outbreak occurs because you can't correctly purify a house, give proper burying rites to a deceased, or ignore already cursed places, people like me must act to try to fix the issue. When will you learn that the supernatural must be acknowledged and respected."
She aims at the front door of the cursed building. Officers move away to give her a clear path. The humans present look in awe. Her small stature doesn't give her any problems, as she holds a proper firing stance with a weapon that few humans could wield so easily.
"But I guess this is the path I decided to follow, just like he stands as our Enforcer." She takes a deep breath before she fires a single shot.
The holy bullet pierces the front door, and nothing happens for a few seconds before the building starts to shake, and everyone starts to hear the screams of agony from the creatures that dwell inside. A blinding holy explosion then occurs, eliminating the front doors.
"Move out!" The leader says before she rushes inside after creating an entrance.
The rest of the team follows her without a second thought, and as the last one enters the hotel, the broken doors repair themselves as if nothing had occurred.
*Hotel California-Eagles*
The leading officer removes his helmet because he can't believe what he saw. "Hotel C has just swallowed them. Can they really fight that beast?"
The other humans present could only remain unsure of the expertise of a mere group of four members, with three children and a tall, muscular man.
Their doubts will soon be proven wrong.
Inside the hotel.
The team members put their masks to the side as the pressure of the cameras was no longer an issue. The team found themselves in an expensive-looking hotel lobby with chandeliers and red couches of the highest quality.
A set of marble stairs that broke into two were found right behind the front desk, which was now empty from any 'proper' receptionist.
"We're in. I have to say, this has to be the most curious place I ever visited. For a cursed building, it looks rather shiny and fancy." The teen turns to her leader before she pinches her right cheek. "Come on, Asia-chan. Smile for once. I hate when you turn so serious. As your partner, I worry since you don't smile much anymore."
Asia carefully grabs her partner's hand before removing it from her face. "Xenovia, this is a mission. We need to remain focused on the task at hand. There's multiple lifes on the line."
"I know, but it is not fun if you always look so serious. The same happens in school. You, Tosca, Rias, and others don't smile that much. I know you're still affected by the incident, but you must smile more. He wouldn't want you to be like this." Xenovia says as she tries to cheer her friend.
Asia ignores Xenovia as she places a hand on her ear. "Asia Colombo here. We're inside. Do you copy us?"
The team initially hears some static in their ears before a voice finally connects.
"We hear you loud and clear, Agent Colombo. Good to hear your voice. We also got clear vitals on the team. Can you initiate the drones?" A masculine voice says on the other side of the line.
"Give me a second." Asia lifts her right wrist before she starts to type a few commands on a small terminal. After a few seconds, miniature disks get released from the sides of her waist. The disks spin before they take off and spread out around the lobby before making their way up the stairs and through the doors that they can find around the lobby.
"Perfect. We're starting to scan the cursed hotel for survivors and the possible location of the core. Give us a moment." The voice said.
Asia turns around and faces the young Dhampyr in her team. "Are you ready for this, Gasper? We might get separated, so fighting on your own might be possible."
The young dhampir nods. "I'll be alright. I trained for this, and I will never be alone." From within his shadow, a single tall figure arose. Its long arms with sharp claws enclosed Gasper within a hug while its terrific face with soulless red eyes seemed to grin as it was ready to protect its child. "Mom will be with me. It is also about time for me to put my training to the test. I want Nii-sama to be proud of my efforts when he wakes up."
"Ahh. Isn't he so cute, Sir Vasco?" Xenovia asks as she melts over the sincere expression on Gasper's face.
"He is. He trained so hard to make his big brother proud. Gasper is a good kid; the only problem might be his short stature. Don't worry; I'll ensure you grow as tall as me if you let me train you full-time." Vasco said as he made a mess of Gasper's hair with his hand.
Asia shakes her head, feeling a bit disappointed in the antics of her team. "I trust you, Gasper, but be careful. This thing can't-"
Asia didn't finish as the space around them was distorted by unknown forces. The walls started changing colors and patterns before the lobby was stretched out from all sides as if something was remodeling.
"The space is twisting. Be ready; we might get separated. Remain calm and look for survivors or the core." Vasco said as he cracked his knuckles.
The lobby went completely dark for a moment before the lights came back on. Asia looked around and found herself in a green lobby similar to the first one, but there was a problem.
She was now all alone.
"... Shit." Asia touches his ear. "Can anyone hear me?"
"I'm here," Vasco replies. "Blue lobby."
"Me too, but mine is pink," Xenovia replies.
"Mine is white." Gasper joins in.
"The drones are detecting your location within the same area, although you can't see each other. It must be the primary ability of the curse; the hotel will keep you separate from each other within your own hotel experience. I recommend moving out and exploring each one while the drones are still active. The core might be hiding in one of the hotel copies, and the survivors could also be lost within each one. We'll continue to track you down." The operator says.
"Alright. Move out with careful attention to your surroundings. If you find the core, try to eliminate it, but prioritize your safety and that of any survivors." Asia orders the team before she looks around the lobby for clues.
"Got it." The rest of the team replies.
Everything looked the same, and nothing fell off, but then she heard a voice she hadn't heard in years.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" A voice calls out to her.
Asia gulps before she turns around and sees a figure standing behind the lobby desk.
Dressed in a vibrant green uniform, he was none other than Ddraig, just like she remembered him. His welcoming smile, calm expression, long hair, which almost resembled flames, and eyes seemed to welcome her each time she came back home.
Nothing seemed off as it was the vivid image of the dragon she missed.
Her family.
"..." Asia holds her words back as she holds her rifle.
"Miss, do you have a reservation with us? Could I get your name?" Even the voice matched his.
"... You have some balls for even trying something like this," Asia replies as she regains her composure.
"Miss? Is there a problem?" The fake Ddraig asks.
"You dare to use my memories against me. Accursed being, how dare you get inside my head and try to use him to trick me!" Asia lifts her rifle and points it toward the fake Ddraig.
"Miss-" The copy doesn't finish its sentence before half the upper half of its body is blown to pieces by a single shot from Asia.
The rest of the copy falls to the floor while blood spills everywhere.
Asia doesn't even check to ensure the kill as she moves towards the stairs that are supposed to lead her to the upper floors. "Hear me out; I will ensure you regret ever daring to use his image to play games with me. No amount of copies will ever replace him, so you better bring your damn best if you think you can try to take me down."
Her voice couldn't hide her anger, nor could her face, as a fire that had been dwelling inside was revived.
"Nobody can't replace you," Asia told herself as she set out to exorcise the curse.
Gasper's POV.
While Asia had a very disgusting experience, Gasper was having his own as a pair of perfect copies from Valerie stood before him at the top of the stairs.
Each copy was perfect as it mirrored his friend's grown-up appearance: her stature that surpassed his, her bright red eyes that brought him joy every morning, her growing assets that drew the attention of other boys at school, even the matching earrings that they never took off.
They even wore white uniforms resembling his, just like he had last seen Valerie.
"Come and play with us, Gasper. Everything will be alright."
"We know what you want. We have been waiting for you."
The copies seemed to try to entice him with their charm as they approached the boy. His nose could even detect the same perfume he had given to her during her birthday.
It was a perfect strategy to capture a victim foolish enough to be drawn in; sadly, the curse chose the worst target to try something like this.
As soon as the copies were close enough, the phantom that dwelled inside Gasper's shadow dashed forward before slashing both copies into a million pieces. No hesitation was shown as the copies were slain without any remorse.
The phantom shakes the blood off from its claws before it returns to the side of its 'son.' As she examines the expression on his face, she can see the anger in his eyes while the edges of his mouth twisted into a demonic smile.
"You want to play games? I will show you games," Gasper says coldly as his shadow starts to stretch out in all directions, removing any light source.
One can only see his red eyes as complete darkness takes over.
"Let's see what you can do against a creature born from darkness itself."
Amongst the darkness, one can hear the sound of rats and other critters as thousands, if not millions, of small red eyes appear all around. These sounds are then followed by the twisting and crushing sounds of bone, which are forcefully moved around as a new mysterious creature appears in darkness.
One can't see his shape within the darkness, but whatever continues to make its way to the upper floors no longer holds the shape of a child.
Xenovia's POV.
The young agent cracks her neck as she is surrounded by phantoms dressed in staff uniforms. Each one is smiling like any welcoming staff member within a hotel when they get closer to her.
"Let us guide you. Give us your luggage." A phantom said while smiling from ear to ear. Its hands tried to grab the sword resting on Xenovia's back.
"You want this? Sure, let me show you exactly what I'm bringing with me." Xenovia grasps her bandaged sword's handle before revealing its shape to them. "Malevolent spirits, meet the Replica of Durandal, my partner in crime. Thanks for showing up; I was itching for a fight. I will cut my way until I either find the core or those poor humans who found their way inside."
Their smiles soon turned into angry faces as they rushed forward with voidless eyes, hoping to rip her apart.
Xenovia uses the head of one of the phantoms to jump into the air. Her sword vibrates and shines as her holy energy flows into its edge. "Take this!" Xenovia descends, and numerous sacred slashes fly in all directions as soon as her blade touches the ground.
Everything, regardless of phantom or non-phantom, was severed into pieces as the destructive power of the current wielder of the replica.
As the attack ends, not a single phantom is left standing.
"Was that it? I was expecting more from an accursed existence such as yourself—the big bad hotel that kept swallowing clients and homeless people for years. You have been a bad boy since 1967, haven't you? Since those first assassinations happened within room 311, you have strengthened your reach." Xenovia jokes for a moment before her tone turns cold. "More than 200 victims disappeared under mysterious circumstances, only for the bodies to reappear weeks later in diverse spots of the building. You consume their souls and keep them trapped within your walls for years. The time has come for them to be released and allowed to move on! I promise that each of them will pass on or my name is not Xenovia Quarta."
The young exorcist says as it challenges the curse.
The walls around her shake and break apart as more phantoms pass through the cracks.
"Come and meet your maker." Xenovia glares at the phantoms before she rushes up the stairs while phantoms chase after her.
10 minutes later.
The bystanders and officers continue to watch from the outside with doubt about the capacity of the Alliance forces.
Many shared their distrust of the Alliance, while others claimed they had been sent to their deaths.
Yet, all their opinions fell silent as they heard a loud voice.
"Sacred Cross Descend!" Suddenly, a large cross descends from the sky like a giant blade before the hotel is split in half.
Hundreds of phantoms screams are heard from within the hotel as the blinding light emanating from the cross subdues the curse.
"This can't be true." The leading officer says as he watches the large divine symbol.
His surprise doesn't end there, as a massive black beam of pure darkness pierces another side of the building.
As the attack ends, many can see a large red eye behind the large hole the attack has created before a large black tentacle exits the building while carrying something. As the tentacle descends before the entrance of the hotel, the officers and bystanders can see the unconscious bodies of at least 20 victims.
The tentacle places them on the floor before it returns to the inside of the building.
"Grab the victims. We need to get them to a hospital right now." The leading officer orders.
As they start to carry the victims away, they think that the surprises are over, but once again, their expectations are proven wrong as the front door is slashed into a million pieces before a single figure exits.
"Can someone grab these kids from my arms? They need a medic." The masked sword-wielded shouts as she carries three children in her arms. Her body was covered in a gruesome and smelling purple liquid, but nobody could see a single injury in any inch of her body.
Three officers rush forward to grab the children from her arms before she touches her ear. "I'm outside. Blow it to pieces."
Not even a second later, another explosion is heard before a single scream is heard across the entire city. As the scream ends, the lights across the whole hotel shut off, and the curse ends.
The bystanders watched as a large feral beast with black hair and scales exited the building, followed by the remaining team members. The beast resembled a weird amalgamation of a wolf, a bat, and a dragon. Its deep red eyes made everyone tremble as a primal instinct within them told them not to move.
The large masked man was carrying another six unconscious bodies before he placed them on the floor. "Take them to a hospital before it is too late. There are no more survivors inside….. Recover the bodies when you deem it safe to enter."
The group climbs on top of the beast before it starts to move its wings.
"Wait, there's no more survivors? There had to be more." The leading officer said.
"... Your leaders waited too long to act. What you'll find are the consequences of not listening to our advice. Humanity can run as much as they want from the supernatural, but there will always be a connection. You can either hear our advice or see more cases like this. More victims that lose their lives due to the careless actions of fools who can't accept the truth." The team leader signals the massive structure in the distance, which is still under construction. "No matter how far that arc takes you or how much you wish to separate yourself from the supernatural, you will never escape death or the judgment of those who govern the cycle of death and rebirth. Let's go."
The beast takes off, leaving the human territory behind before descending back into the surface they called home.
The next morning.
"Questions have arisen since yesterday's tragic development within the US-31 region. A paranormal event took many innocent lives within a national treasure, the old Hotel C. Bystanders declare that the Alliance's efforts were useless in saving the poor innocent lives trapped within the hotel. We-"
Roygun, dressed in her maid outfit, quickly changes the channel on the television. "Regardless of what our forces do, they continue to antagonize our efforts. There's always an issue with these damn purists."
"You're expecting a lot from people deeply attached to a particular way of life. Not many will change their ways." Elaine comments as she continues to prepare some bentos.
Raynare shrugs her shoulders as she continues putting the finishing touches on her own bentos. "They won't be our problem for long. Once the arc is complete, they will set out into the stars, but from there on, the Alliance won't offer any help. They want independence, and they are going to get it. What happens after is up to them."
"... The world continues to change without a sign of stopping. We can only adapt to its changes. Our lord surely would have said that if he was here." Aurora comments as she aids Raynare.
"Right." Raynare's expression was sad as she recalled his presence in that kitchen every morning by her side.
"Nee-sama, they are coming!" A voice shouts.
Raynare turns around only to meet the youngest maid of the house, Lucille, her sister. "Good, come and help us."
The young girl resembled Raynare's face in many ways, but her stature was smaller, and her hair was brushed into twin tails. Her violet eyes seemed normal from far away, but one could see they were robotic by getting closer.
"Okay!" Lucille said with a cheerful tone.
Raynare could only smile as she felt happy to have succeeded in offering 'her' a new life.
As soon as Lucille started to help, several steps were heard getting closer.
"Roygun, start passing the bentos as they come." Raynare orders as she rushes to finish the last ones.
"Got it." Roygun starts to pick them in sets of two before she offers them to the arriving children.
"Thanks, sorry we're running late," Sonna says before she grabs her bento and rushes away with Tsubaki.
"Thanks. Tsubaki, wait for me, my love." A young albino boy with wolf ears shouts before he grabs his.
"Thank you for everything. See you later." Ravel Phenex says with a tired expression.
"Gasper, wake up. We're going to be late." Valerie says as her 'mother' carries the sleeping dhampir. "Thank you for the bentos."
"Thanks….." Gasper says while half-asleep.
A large golden lion, which is carrying a muscular sleeping boy and his brother, approaches Roygun.
"Sairaorg? Madgaran?" Roygun calls out to the boys.
Both boys raise their hands while resting their heads on the lion's mane.
Roygun shakes her head. "You need to go to sleep on time. Training and research can't come first." Roygun says before she places the bentos in their hands.
"Thanks…." The siblings say before the lion carries them out.
"Good morning, Roygun-san," Shirone says as she shows up in her school uniform.
"Good morning to you too, Shirone-chan. Where's your sister?" Roygun asks.
"Sleeping. She returned very late." Shirone replies. "Give her another two hours."
"Understood." Roygun watches her depart before the next arrival comes. "Rias-sama, good morning."
"Morning," Rias replies with a tired expression that seems to have lost some of its charm. Dark circles surrounded her eyes as if she hadn't slept in weeks.
"... I don't want to ask, but was the mission successful?" Roygun questions her 'king.'
Rias shakes her head. "We're still chasing ghosts. They don't want to be found and will continue to run until we finally capture them. Yukime and her team are working on the double to find traces of the dragon hunters. I hope we find them before they get to use that weapon again. I'll talk to you later."
Roygun nods. "We'll find them one day. I know we will." The maid then turns her attention to the next arrival. "Good morning, Asia, Xenovia."
"Morning, Roygun." The girls reply before they grab their Bentos.
"What did they say this time?" Asia asks.
"Same as always," Roygun replies. "They couldn't get a clear recording from either of you due to the masks."
Xenovia smirks. "As if they will get to see our faces."
"Let's go. We're running late, and we both know how Cleria-san will get if we continue to be late." Asia says as she drags her friend by the neck.
"Have a good day," Roygun tells them before receiving the last child in their care. "Morning, Lady Le Fay."
"Good morning to you, too," Le Fay says as she takes a seat at the table. Her hair is now much larger, and her expression shows that she has matured with the years alongside the rest of her body, which is now starting to slow down her aging. Soon, she wouldn't age another day, thus remaining a dragon's bride for the rest of eternity.
"You're skipping school today?" Elaine asks as she faces her 'Sister-in-Law.'
Le Fay shakes her head. "Just going in a bit later than the rest. The recording session took a lot of time from us yesterday, and the dancing classes didn't help either. My legs hurt so much, but I guess that comes with the life of a rising singer."
Raynare approaches the table and places a small plate filled with eggs, toast, and bacon. "Enjoy. We don't want him to say you're not eating enough." Raynare jokes.
Le Fay smiles for a bit before she starts eating. "... Do you think he will wake up by the time we have our first concert?"
Raynare, Elaine, Roygun, and Aurora smiled at her. "He will. He won't break his promise." They say in unison while Lucille gives her two thumbs up.
"Thanks…" Le Fay says before grabbing her fork, but her mind recalls something vital as she does. "Wait, where's Tosca? I didn't see her amongst everyone."
Raynare looks out the window. "She woke up early to go to visit him. You'll see her later at school."
"... She likely had that nightmare again. I wish there was something I could do." Le Fay said as she felt saddened by the trauma that Tosca now carried.
Meanwhile, the Sacred Sanctum- The lowest Level of Shangri La.
Deep below the Alliance's illustrious capital lay its most precious and protected area. One would need to pass through several rings of security before ever reaching such a place.
One could think about what must be so precious for such high-security measures, and the answer will be complicated to explain without actually seeing what lies below.
Beyond several rings of security, guards, and golems lays an everlasting field of flowers that extends endlessly in all directions. Its sky is filled with blue crystals which directly connect to the ones on the surface.
Amongst the flowers, one can find endless numbers of coffins, standing tall and chained, each with a name on a small plate.
The ominous coffins lay on top of mysterious magic circles, which are all interconnected and lead to a small structure in the center of everything. Some might call it a crystalline throne, but those who knew what it was knew it as the main terminal of an essential project that the Alliance had put into motion for the sake of the future.
In said throne, only one being was supposed to sit, and that being was none other than Ereshkigal, who was currently facing the sleeping behemoth they had sealed in this sacred area alongside Tosca. The goddess no longer wore a black dress but a white one with skull and flower patterns.
Both females examined the gigantic dragon, which remained asleep while an incomplete spear continued to pierce its chest. Several red crystals lay around his body, which helped to support the weight of its gigantic body. Several staff members continued to monitor its vitals while blood was extracted and supplements were injected into its bloodstream.
It was a continuous task in which the Alliance ensured that their Enforcer remained protected and well taken care of as they awaited his awakening.
"Nothing has changed today. He remains asleep." Ereshkigal says.
"... I know he's going to wake up sooner or later. He has to. It has been too long already. Maybe if I remove-" Tosca was stopped by Ereshkigal.
"Don't. This is not the right time for us to remove that spear. If we do, we might face the rampage of his uncontrolled crimson flames again. We must wait until he gives us a sign that he's conscious. His soul is still a bit unstable, and we don't know if he's ready to return. Not even Gautama can reach him. He's far from our reach." Ereshkigal says.
Tosca points her finger at the lonely figure sleeping right on her father's head. A bright red jacket has remained in her possession since that fateful day. "She can. She has to be the one who can reach him."
Ereshkigal shakes her head. "We asked Ophis about that, and she said it was best not to disturb him yet. She says that his subconscious is an ashen wasteland set ablaze by him, and regardless of how many times she tries to make him react, he remains asleep. Whatever he's doing must be important."
"... Asleep and yet unreachable. Old man, how much more do we have to wait?" Tosca questions her father.
"Patience is key. We can only wait until he's ready to return. I know it must be hard to see him like this, but forcing him right now won't do us any good." Ereshkigal kneels as she faces the young dragoness. "It has been a long time, but I can assure you it won't take another year before he wakes up. He gave you that spear knowing that he wouldn't be back for a while, and the fact that he prepared gifts and letters in advance must mean that he was anticipating something like this. Ddraig hasn't abandoned us, and until he returns, we must pick up the pieces and move forward. The story doesn't stop just because he's not present."
Tosca could see that her eyes were now vibrant and hopeful like never before. She had seen many people change since she was forced to pierce her father with Ouros.
Some took it badly, like her, as she dealt with nightmares that tormented her nights whenever she recalled his bloody body on the Shinto Incident.
Others took it as a sign to grow and show they could rise to the occasion and pick up the slag.
Everyone dealt with his absence differently, but something remained a constant.
Nobody lost hope on his return, and everyone patiently waited for his return regardless of how many years had passed.
"Now, go ahead. It is time for you to go to school. You must enjoy this little peace we get before another mission shows up." Ereshkigal said with a smile.
Tosca accepts before she turns away and starts to make her way back. Tressa, who was playing amongst the flowers, rushes to her side.
"Tosca…"
For a moment, her ears detected a voice she knew all too well. As she turned around, she faced her father once more. Nothing had changed as he remained asleep.
*Pendulum-Flow*
Regardless of how many years went by, how much she grew, or how strong she became, she knew one thing.
"I miss you, old man. I will continue to fight until your return, and everybody will, too." Tosca turns around before she continues her path.
Under the continuous passage of time, young souls rise to the challenges of the future while picking up the pieces that await someone to use them.