Arc 3, Chapter 10: Only Way Forward

Like inside an hourglass the granules of silica sifted through her hand, "It's so cold," Asobi remarked, sitting on the ground.

"Stop playing with the sand you idiot," Fumeko stood behind her, watching ahead.

"Blast! Boom! Burst!" The screams of men and women running into battle, advancing their attack. The moonlit desert sky gave way for the stars to shine like specks of sand—clouds converged in from the east and west.

How unfortunate that many lives would not go back home this night, but the four awaited their signal, enduring the sounds of musket-fire and what could only be presumed to be grenades from the sudden blasts and fountains of sand.

"You're not wrong," Fumeko shivered, holding the scarf-cape to her forearms, "It's getting a bit too cold now."

"A hug will make me warmer," Asobi twisted her head back to meet the brunette's gaze.

"Not happening."

"I'm going to freeze Meko."

"Don't pull your death prank on me again." Fumeko glanced to their stock of firearms, "I wonder…"

"No guns for you detective," Jotou appeared right beside her.

"Guh!" Fumeko recoiled.

"I'm wearing yellow and white, how could you possibly get jump-scared?"

"It's the stupid sand, we need to get you a bell."

"I'll note down cat bells for Jotou, alongside wearing warmer clothes for nights in the desert," Hotaru chuckled.

"Blast!" "GAAHHH!!!" a bloodcurdling scream reverberated through the night. Asobi jumped up to her feet, hiding herself behind Hotaru and Jotou.

Jotou had her left arm out in front of the two whilst Fumeko only then realized she had gripped Jotou's yellow coat in sudden shock.

"It's sad that people have to die like this…" Hotaru's eyes sunk.

"We can't save them all. Besides, it's their war; we're just hired help," Fumeko let go of the coat.

"I'm just happy I'm with all of you," Asobi stepped out from behind the two.

"Me too. I wish this war would be over already. How many more lives need to go till then?" Hotaru's ears wiggled.

"Then we don't let their lives go in vain," Jotou stared into the distance, "The Trailon Regime's given the four of us alone so much pain.

We defended against their attacks and sent them running. Now's the time we get to hit them back. So, we stand and we go forward. One more step in ending all the pain.

We'll be the ones that Trailon will come to despise. Let's give them a show they'll never forget; let's give them hell," the blonde's words escaped lips that curled up into a soft smirk.

"That's the spirit Jotou!"

"Even a rogue battalion will get the message," Fumeko unstrapped her dagger.

"Thundering Blade! Move out!" the lieutenant waved his arm, other hand holding a transceiver.

"Right on time too," Hotaru casted as sprinkles of blue drops surrounded the four in a bluish aura. She then splashed a rejuvenate spell into the air.

"Are we ready then?" the blade made of armite cut the wind. The three nodded, following behind escorts who got them into position.

_

The tent flapped open, "Lieutenant Frye! We have an emergency!" helmet strapped to his head, a young soldier warned.

Brown leathers, metallic pauldron on his left shoulder; under the protective layer was the emblem of the Trailon Regime. Tanned skin and spiky black hair—a black goatee to match.

"What? You said we were gaining the upper hand minutes ago?" the chair marked lines in the sand, "What's happened then?" his tone low, hints of noble blood could be sensed by the manner he spoke.

"There's two hundred more troops being sent from Hartamat's Defence Force, fireworks are going off and there're sudden dust devils forming sir! Explosives are being thrown, but no points of origin!"

Red lining on his garments, made to fit his muscled figure, he checked his belt and attire. One eyebrow raised, "Looks like they have magic on their side; doesn't it professor?" his gaze faced back.

In the tent, set with tables and various lab equipment was an old man in a lab coat—slouched with bits of grey hair atop his head; large goggles looked back to the lieutenant.

"Magic is chaotic, it cannot beat the purity of science. They are all doomed to fail! Aha, AHAA… AHAHAHAHA!!! Ahem. Excuse me," the professor shook his head after knocking his temple.

"So you say professor… again…" concern and exhaustion worn, he picked up a rifle? The bullets shaped like balls were no different, but the firearm seemed longer as he picked up its heft.

"If they have mages in their ranks, we need to dispose of them quickly," he stepped out with the soldier that warned him. The artificial cover had made ground too close, a sprint away to the lieutenant himself.

He stepped further; the fireworks blasted in the sky, lighting up like flashbangs and tornadoes of sand- "BLAST!" The shockwave of an invisible grenade whisked the wind past his hair.

The two hundred soldiers running into battle, looked, off. He unfastened the telescope on his belt, "Those soldiers all have the same faces," he put his telescope back.

"Seems to be the work of an illusionist; and with this many illusions going off at once," he faced the sky—the tornadoes, the invisible grenades, "Don't take the threat lightly.

Send four troops to flank on either side and eliminate this mage. I'll be joining shortly-"

"Sir!" a woman ran back, panting, black powder marks across her face; someone's blood across her camo. "Sir, there's electricity flying across the field! Do you remember the reports of the evacuation in Kria?"

Lieutenant Frye aimed his rifle and in its scope, a spark of yellow flashed for a second, "The Thundering Blade…"

"Zap!" she sliced into a soldier's torso, cutting through the camo like butter before the spark gleamed and—"ZZZZZ!!!"—shocked the soldier to be left spasming on the ground, musket falling out of his hands.

Her fists and boots arced with yellow webs, going all the way to the tip of her blade, mixing in with the bluish hues. "Asobi! Cover!" Jotou hid behind the artificial covers that were like pop up stands, steadied by bags of sands.

"Got you!" a fake wall of sand arose, from Jotou till a closer cover wall. The voice came from, who knows? "Hotaru! Need assistance?"

Hotaru stood a little back, healing the wounds of injured soldiers right on the field, "Not yet!" she yelled looking in every direction, "Don't go too far or I can't protect you- AH! Asobi!"

Hotaru nearly had a heart attack as the elf popped up behind and poked the redhead on the shoulder, "I'm close by!"

"Shouldn't you concentrate on your illusions?" Hotaru talked, blood on her hands as she healed up a bullet wound.

"Using so much magic all at once," Asobi yawned, all the soldiers that the enemy wasted bullets on appeared more transparent, for the first time a grenade was actually spotted being flung.

"BOOM!"

"Oh, sorry. Rejuvenate," Hotaru splashed behind her.

"Woop! Good to go again!" the elf disappeared in a puff of glitter.

Jotou ran across the wall they could not see past. A foot stepped in next to Jotou, rifle hanging down, "The orders were right! These are just illusions-! KhAK!"

A sparking sword cauterized the blood as it went through her chest, "Zap," the body lit up, as the soldier fell on her knees and keeled over. Jotou groaned, looking away, "You had to check."

Shadows appeared next to Jotou, Fumeko wide-eyed, holding a dagger that dripped crimson till her fingers. She showed it to Jotou, "I got five of them," she squeaked.

"Please don't keep a kill count…"

"They'll probably have your kill count documented. Hey, can you… uh?" Fumeko waved the dagger closer.

"What am I? A towel?" Jotou begrudgingly took the dagger, "Spark," the blood cauterized as she handed it back dry.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it—seriously. Anyway," Jotou tried to spot another cover, "This is the last cover and they know we have illusions. We're nearing the end."

"Yay! We're gonna win! Anymore support you guys need?" the voice seemed to be, right beside them, yet no figure appeared.

"We can cut the theatrics, can't we? They know it's fake."

Jotou gave it a second's thought, "Then we go out with a bang. Asobi, blinding light; Fumeko, you can clean your own dagger this time. Three, two, one, NOW!"

"Blinding Light!" the elf appeared in the middle of the wall she made, the illusory soldiers disappeared and the dust devils died down. The aura of blue around the three paled.

A shining beacon in the night, like the Moon itself had descended onto the desert—from one wand shot a bright light against the ten or so soldiers grouped up behind cover, who were making their way forward.

"Guh!" "Ah!" "Shit!" they halted, muskets fumbled in their grasp as they shunned their eyes away. The remaining troops of the rogue battalion dwindled on the other end.

Leaving a dozen or so left, including the ones—"Slash! Zap!" "Swish!"—that lied as corpses on the sand. Arcs of lightning, formed with the blinking and vanishing shadows.

"Nice job," Jotou panted, wiping the sweat off her brow.

Fumeko stood up, "Thank you," a wide smile she gave for once. "Jotou! Look out!" shadows disappeared and reappeared as a dagger slit the soldier pretending to play dead… hand on the trigger.

Jotou's eyes widened, the gun had been aimed right for her head. Jotou's heart raced, "Luckily I have you detective," she took a deep breath.

"That's right-""Blast!" the figure stood tall, hands on her hips—bled from the side of her face… Jotou barely registered the bullet shot into the brunette's skull. Fumeko slumped over on top of the corpse she just killed.

The blonde's eyes widened, liquid beginning to funnel out her eyes like waterfalls… "FUMEKO!!!!!" the scream thundered across the field; Jotou dashed to the girl in the purple headband.

"What? What happened!?" Hotaru could hear most of the screams, but the blonde's she recognized… No, that name did not just come out of her lips… The redhead stood up and rushed to the front.

"Miss! Wait!" to the protest of the healed soldiers around her, she only quickened her pace, heart racing for it not to be true.

"Meko…" Asobi stood stunned as the redhead ran past, tears of rainbow going down her cheek.

"Jotou! JOTOU! WHAT HAPPENE- Meko…? MEKO!?"

The blonde's arms cradled the corpse of Fumeko Namora, on her knees the blonde began to sob as she trembled slightly… The side of her head had been shot clean off.

"Heal… HEAL DAMMIT!" the blue hue around Jotou brightened back up once Hotaru got closer; the hue that had not surrounded the brunette when she got…

Water went over her fading brown eyes, not even a breath escaped her lips as Hotaru brushed and brushed her brown hair; the spell, why was it not working!? WAS SHE NOT GOOD ENOUGH!? Or is it just… too late…

'No… No, No…' Jotou hyperventilated, the sides of her eyes barely registered her surroundings—too fast her heart was running, practically bleeding without getting shot…

"Jotou, Jotou! Jotou!" Hotaru gritted her teeth, shaking Jotou's arm. The blonde remained on her knees, tear filled eyes looked, up… Still smoking by the barrel, the rifle that shot her.

The lieutenant, waved the rifle again and again, wiping the barrel with a cloth, trying to cool down the heat around the metal. "Him… He killed her…"

It was unfortunate that the rifle was busted after the shot; he was trying to fix it. The sand so silent, that footsteps barely registered. Lieutenant Frye looked up as a blonde bleeding in tears dashed towards him with a gleaming golden sword.

"JOTOU WAIT!" Hotaru screamed, but it fell on deaf ears. The redhead, petted her dead friend, trying again and again to heal, drenching her hair.

Frye pulled out a combat knife from under his coat- "THUNDERING STRIKE!!!" It did not matter. A flash of yellow light, like the strands of her blonde locks.

She had made contact. "BLASSSSSTTTT!!!!" The lightning blasted the lieutenant back into the sand, frying the skin off his face and breaking the leather of his garments.

Bones cracked, the lieutenant could feel electricity flowing down his throat as one of his eyes—"POP!" He lied there in the sand.

The thunder… it did not only break his bones. "AHHHH!!!" Jotou screamed into the sky, mixing the pain of her loss with the pain of her shattering bones.

She fell to her knees, eyes crying crimson, lips burst and nose trickling blood; the spell had not been cast right, but she couldn't care less…

The sand before her had crystalized from her lightning, looking at it as she sobbed and sobbed… and sobbed. "Meko… Fumeko…" she faintly whimpered.

"JOTOU!" the crying scream of Hotaru ran forward, "Don't get yourself killed!! Please, DON'T!" the redhead wrapped her hands around the fallen blonde, trying to heal her in a hug.

The lieutenant's hand shifted, little by little in a groan. Jotou noticed the slight movement and tried to get up but her body failed her, "Ah!" she was stuck in Hotaru's embrace, her eyes closing in pain.

The lieutenant, reached for his belt… "Beep!"

"What, what was that sound?" through tears Jotou peered up and then Hotaru did as well.

A flash… a bright white light went over the two and past them…

"What?" Jotou could hear, his own voice again… Darkness. Nothing in view but pitch-black. Jotou could feel herself blink, but only once…

A face—dark blue hair with edges of purple and black. "Who's that?" It was a bit blurry, but the face, no, the figure, sat at a desk by a window, writing something.

He faced up and suddenly held the side of his head. He then looked around discomforted, looking out the window that had snow falling by it…

Jotou blinked again in the pitch-black, another, scene? Another face… Lighter yet still tanned skin with purple hair that ended in black—a hint of green on some strands.

The woman held the bridge of her nose, in the middle of a conversation with somebody—an elf boy? She shook her head…

Another blink, another face, another scene. Bright red armour that shined like fire, trimmings of gold. Helmet sat on a tavern table, brown at the end of black hair and a fresh scar across the cheek.

He furrowed his brows, garnering the attention of the bar patrons he had been talking to with pride. He shook his head then continued to tell his tales…

Her eyes had to blink, but this time, she saw a blonde with beautiful hair that ended in black and a pale face. She wore adventuring gear and a sword to her side—she stood in a void staring back at Jotou; that was Jotou though…? That's Anastasia?

"What is happening…? Is that me?" The thought sounded like a voice, echoing in the pitch-black. The two gave curious glances at each other, almost like watching a mirror.

Another blink to a figure in a hood; sharp moustache and beard of dark purple. He slouched down, a dagger of purple appeared out of thin air in his hands.

He checked the corners as he was about strike, but he grunted slightly before looking around in a panic. Someone spotted him and he ran back down the alley and away…

One more blink, one more face. Short stature, muscled like a bodybuilder and blonde hair that ended in black. He ran laps around in the snow, puffing out white breaths.

He stopped for a second, batting an eye. He looked around as he rubbed his temple. He shook it off and continued to run around in a jog…

"Fight… Keep fighting… What's happening…? I need to find out…"

She woke up.

She, woke up?

Jotou's eyes ejected open, soft covers on her body, "AHHHHH!!!" she leapt out of her blankets in her nightgown, her sword placed against the nightstand.

"GAH!" Fumeko arose from the other bed, "What? What happened!?" the brunette's hair stuck to her face.

Jotou looked to her left, eyes widening by the second… "Fumeko…?"