Chapter III - Knell Begins (1/3)

Ringing of a bell alerted the four girls and they gathered in the throne room once again.

Mana was in her black and black leather clothes with a purple coloured open coat on it. Kara had worn a typical Plutonian armour she found on the castle walls, it was good enough for protection. Nightrale was still in her blade-armour, but with her face unveiled. And Magpie just carried a sword and a shield, still in her blue attire as she was before… did she even feel cold? She looked great, but, it wasn't the time for fashion.

"You could have worn some armour or something," Mana gestured.

"Well, leather isn't armour too however," Kara pointed.

"Armours are very heavy, Kara how are you even wearing that?" Magpie sighed.

"I was trained by Harun for this stuff, so I have the stamina," Kara said.

"Mine is heavy too, just floating around as protection, so lesser in weight," Nightrale said, with her hand raised politely, like a student.

"That is so very cool," Mana said, with glittering eyes.

"The queen never used her blades as armour, did she?" Magpie asked.

"No she didn't," Harun said through the microphone in Mana's ears.

"Harun, so you can hear us," Kara said.

"Yes, that was the point of me giving the microphones to everyone," Harun said.

"So the queen never used armour this way?" Nightrale asked.

"I do not know if she even knew she could do that. But usually she made huge swords as the Swayers instead, more into offence she was," Harun said.

"Swayers…?" Nightrale asked.

"Oh, the large sword in the throne room are called Swayers, at least the queen and I called it so. It was a rough word we created which means: the end's prophecy," Harun said.

"Nice name, that is something we didn't talk about before. So Harun, Psycho is here, that is why you rang the bell?" Mana asked.

"Yes," Harun said.

"So, it was a Knell," Kara sighed.

Everyone just got silent and stared at Kara in confusion.

"What…? Knell! Knell means bell sound heard at death, it is metaphorical in ways. Thought it would fit right into the situation," Kara said.

"Cool," Mana said.

"Yeah," Magpie said sharply and rolled her eyes.

"Totally did," Nightrale said, patting Kara's shoulder.

"You guys are weird… we make a great team!" Kara said.

"Team Knell," Harun said.

"No…" everyone whined collectively.

"Well, sounds pretty good. And the title line to your team name would be the sounds of death or something," Harun said.

"Average," Nightrale said.

"Don't we also need like a theme song or something? Like in some superhero movies," Kara said.

"What…?" Magpie asked.

"Like in some shows she means, like back on Earth," Mana said.

"Are they cool?" Nightrale asked.

"Oh I have one song, let me play it," Harun said.

+

(Music played through the microphone and a lady started singing)

I fell in love…

With a guy who just destroyed me

I fell in love…

With a guy I always wanted but hated

I fell in love…

With him

(Music ended as the girls started complaining)

+

"Please tell me that wasn't you singing," Kara sighed.

"It felt like a good song. And of course it was recorded," Harun said.

"Couldn't you just have played some good song? Besides it's not something you play at a war, except if proposing in between a war. Which will be a yes or death," Mana scoffed.

"Well, I didn't want copyrights to be a thing," Harun said.

"It doesn't work that way for god's sake," Magpie sighed.

"Whose song was that even?" Mana asked.

"A Shankan, named Harriett. She is an amazing singer," Harun said.

"Ooh… did our robot catch feelings?" Kara asked.

"That would go sideways, if you've watched any movies," Mana scoffed.

"Guys… Psycho is outside, coming towards the castle as we know of," Nightrale reminded.

Everyone just started going towards the doors and outside, wearing serious expressions on their faces instantly…

Outside there was just snow as usual and emptiness everywhere they looked. The girls checked if someone was behind the huge cylindrical-pillars but still no one. Everyone was confused and just stared as far as possible and could see shady figures far away in a wide line, amidst the ongoing hail.

"They are so far away, is that even them?" Mana asked.

"Yes… they are far and it was safe to warn you sooner. You guys can wait there until they reach or just run towards them like they are towards you," Harun said.

The girls all looked at each other to know opinions.

"Nah… we will wait until it's time," Kara said and knelt down.

Magpie sat against a pillar as Nightrale and Mana stood against it, looking out for how far the enemies were.

"Good that they are running. They will be tired and they don't have machines to stomp us with too," Nightrale said.

"Yeah, pretty much," Mana said.

"Ok, as I can see, they are many of them. And here there is only four of us and Harun," Magpie said.

"Well, we can't just surrender and also must use our powers you know," Mana said.

"Yeah, ok, what are our powers?" Magpie asked.

"Kara is good at using weapons. Nightrale, which is kinda weird to call her but feminine, at least, has the queen's powers. Me the disc thingies, which are convertible into what I can think of and with many more applications like electric surge and machinery control," Mana said.

"Ok, swords, Queen's blades, fantastic powers and me. And Harun who doesn't want to fight. That is a messy thing," Magpie implied.

"As I can hear you mentioning me twice, my dear Magpie; I'm up here just to help you and tell you of any dangers when you are on the battlefield," Harun said. "As for your powers, it will come and others could help you as you figure it out."

"That just has the same soothing effect as the one time Kara tried to give a mature speech and motivate me," Magpie sighed.

"I thought you liked it," Kara said, looking attacked.

"Yeah… well, I was trying to be mature by not telling you how bad it was," Magpie shrugged.

"See…? My speech did work," Kara said, relaxing.

"Oh god, they look so… bad," Nightrale said looking straight ahead at the approaching Psycho-blades but not flinching a bit.

"That is all they are, bad looks. Oh and don't let them get close, they will slice you," Kara said.

"Usually it's just the normal bladed hands nothing more to worry," Mana said.

"Couldn't they just have used the sword holding gauntlets? Like there are even lighter versions of those," Nightrale shrugged.

Everyone got silent and looked at Nightrale.

"What…?" Nightrale asked.

"Even you got the whole concept and Psycho didn't, that's what," Kara said.

"Well, memory loss wasn't that rude on me. I just think Psycho was just a stupid-o," Nightrale said.

"Well, Psycho made his sword embedded people because they know no more pain and their flesh holds swords way better you know," Mana said.

"Well the blood all around is enough to stop and scare many," Magpie scoffed.

"Not stopping us though," Kara said and got up.

"True," Mana and Nightrale said straightening themselves.

Magpie still was comfortably sitting against the wall, as wind gushed by cinematically.

"Um… Magpie, this is the point where you get up. They look as bad as you can imagine, so a head start is always good," Mana suggested.

"Fine…" Magpie sighed and got up.

The Psycho-blades were closer now and still not stopping as everyone just got ready to fight.

Nightrale formed a tiny shield hovering by Magpie, to protect her. Magpie just dropped her sword and shield suddenly, and ran forward, her alone, passing the shield made by Nightrale. Everyone just looked at her confused and no idea of how to react.

"I think I just know," Magpie said, looking forward with a serious but blank expression.

Magpie knelt down and the snow around her rose up and formed a firm giant ice-sword. The Psycho-blades still didn't stop, Magpie just looked up and slashed her right hand forward-towards them. The giant sword moved, slicing down a few.

"I think I'm good now, that is your queue to fight guys," Magpie said.

"Well, I think we have had enough of swords for today," Mana sighed.

"Not enough," Nightrale said.

Nightrale ran forward as blades came through the throne room, forming a giant sword and swung around Nightrale. Kara just gave a smile to Mana and ran forward, just a while ago there were no swords in her hand, but now they had magically appeared.

Kara's swords looked… weird, very unusual, as if it were some kind of unfinished drawing. Psycho-blades were still no match for her, they were easily taken down by her.

Mana just stopped and looked at her friends fight and smiled to herself. Letting out a sigh, she ran forward.

"Not so hard really," Magpie said through the microphone. "Hundreds against four, just outnumbered."

"Just outnumbered, not outmatched," Nightrale groaned. "Sorry, not being rude, just getting these bastards down!"

"They are not even a thing," Mana snickered fighting off Psycho-blades with her swords. "Technically can't, but, watch me."

The swords turned back into discs again and stuck to Mana's fists, as she went on combating the Psycho-blades with her hands. Nightrale floated into the air with the help of her blades and looked towards Mana.

"Fighting them off bare-handed. Shows that you are strong and, that you are one crazy lady… It is ok that I called you that, right?" Nightrale asked.

"One, it is a disc miracle too. Two, I guess I do qualify as a lady, at least according to Harun. Three, as for crazy, I always did qualify," Mana said.

"Had a hunch on that," Nightrale said.

Nightrale descended causing all the blades to hit the Psycho-blades below her and once again formed her sword. Magpie kept going round and round, taking out many Psycho-blades herself and kept looking around, searching for someone.

"Kara, where are you?" Magpie asked.

"Ahead," Kara said.

"Way ahead actually, where are you going?" Mana asked without sweating.

"Lady Kara is approaching Psycho," Harun said.

"Thanks for the spoiler Harun," Kara sighed. "Oh wow, haven't I wandered off?"

"Kara… this is our battle, you don't have to fight him alone," Magpie said.

"It started with me, only one way it must end," Kara said.

A light thud noise buzzed through the microphone and then another thud and static buzz.

"Did she just…?" Magpie asked.

"Yeah… we must do something, any ideas?" Mana asked.

"One… ahead," Nightrale said.

"Yeah, let's try on that I guess," Mana let out a breath.

***

Kara successfully passed all the Psycho-blades and could now see Psycho in a distance, just walking calmly, unlike his name.

She hadn't ever seen his face before but she knew it was him. A bruised and bloody face, he was just like the other Psycho-blades, with swords through both his hands, but huge ones.

Kara looked behind her and no Psycho-blades seemed to care on her presence but flocked like sheep, towards the castle.

"So, you are Psycho?" Kara asked.

"And you the fake princess? The real one died at my table, no surprise," Psycho scoffed.

Kara without saying another word just rushed towards Psycho and swung her swords. He blocked with ones on his hand and pushed Kara backwards. Kara without thinking twice continued swinging towards him a couple times and he blocked at the same pace.

Psycho got pissed and caught one of Kara's swords and put it against her other, Kara lost balance. Psycho swung both the blades and threw them away, just before Kara could back up, he just pushed her to the ground.

"Again… weak," Psycho said. "I came here to finish off that queen who imprisoned me and they told me she was dead in an attempt to bring me back. Those losers failed there and bought me to this land of a new queen."