Collapsing Star 2

Meanwhile…

Back Alley Near the Plaza

Tempest, Jura Tempest Federation

A towering inferno fills the scarce space in the alley. It's hard to breathe, the flames greedily sucking at the already damaged and depleted air.

At a dead end, Mjurran kneels cross-legged, leaning against the brickwork behind her. Youm the "Hero" crouches next to her, one arm around her shoulders. His face is bloody and burnt, and he's slumped over, barely conscious.

Guarding them both is Grucius, bare-handed. On the ground at his feet are the handles of two daggers. The blades on both are shattered down to the hilt. Burns scratch across his exposed skin as well. Blood drips from a busted lip.

"Step. Aside." It scorches the very air. Despite Benimaru's blank expression, it can be felt on the wind. It's in the way he holds his sheathed katana in one hand, blood staining the silvery pommel. It's how, in his other, a crimson flame licks hungrily at the air.

At first glance, he doesn't seem affected by the barriers overhead. But it's clear that his flames burn much cooler, powered by aura rather than magicules. Sweat beads his forehead, but he stands tall. Fearless.

Worse, Geld towers behind him, eliminating even the thought of a potential escape. His own silence is deafening. There is not getting out of this.

Grucius shivers in spite of the heat, and even the resigned-to-death Mjurran can't help the trickle of fear in her artificial heart.

"Sorry man." Grucius grins through his pain. It's a paltry imitation of confidence. "You've already lost your cool. Can't let you get to them now."

"Lost my cool...?" Benimaru's expression twists. Fire wreaths his aura, a vicious snarl in place. The air grows disgustingly warm, sweat dripping down the beaten-down trio's faces.

"Why is that I wonder? Do you have any idea what's been done!?"

Benimaru advances. Grucius swipes at him, only to catch the handle of Benimaru's katana across the face. His nose cracks, and he slams into the side of the alley, crumbling to his knees.

"That woman is our primary suspect, and I swear to you, if I have my way, all three of you will be-!!!"

"Benimaru, stop!"

Benimaru stops, his hand held high and wreathed in flame.

Slowly… he lowers it, the flame extinguishing.

"Lord Rimuru." He turns his head. "You're finally here."

Rimuru rushes past Geld to stand at his side. It is the abject confusion on his face that finally gives Benimaru a true reason to pause.

"Benimaru… what's going on here?"

The crimson Kijin looks away.

"Benimaru?"

"…Geld, can I ask you to escort Grucius, Youm, and Mjurran to the Assembly Hall?"

Geld nods, giving a single grunt of assent.

"Good. Thank you." Benimaru sighs. Suddenly, he appears far more tired than before. "Shut them up in one of the offices and keep watch until we've returned. We don't want…"

"I understand." Geld walks forward, Benimaru and Rimuru shifting to the side of the alley. As he's picking up Grucius's barely conscious body, he calls over his shoulder. "…it is good to see you again, Lord Rimuru. I'm glad you were able to return safely. Is Mary safe, as well?"

Rimuru frowns. "It was a bit rough going, but we're both in one piece. I'll tell everyone about it later."

"That's good to hear. Poor girl…"

"Huh?" Rimuru blinks. "What do you…?"

But Geld is focused elsewhere now. Gathering the prisoners.

"My lord." Benimaru places a hand on Rimuru's shoulder. "Please, follow me. Shion is on guard duty. Most everyone should be… well, you'll see."

-=-

He does see. He wishes he didn't. He wishes…

"There are three rules. I'd like you to uphold them, at the very least."

"There was an attack. They surprised us. If we weren't weakened by the barriers… but even with that, there weren't many casualties." Benimaru won't look at him. "There's… a good reason for that."

"First, no fighting amongst yourself. We're stronger together than we are separated."

"Safehouses, designated escape routes in case of emergency. We passed out fliers with maps of the city, detailing everything." Kaijin steps from the crowd, walking up behind him. "And these odd tools my brothers and I were commissioned to create… well, they worked too."

"Second, no belittling other races. You never know what others might be capable of."

"I thought I was going to die. No, I knew I was going to. But then…" Shion clenches her fists, black, sharpened nails digging into her palms, drawing blood. "…even wounded, even clearly exhausted, I was still saved. As was the child I'd been protecting. She just…"

"And third, no attacking humans. Self-defense should be okay…"

"They hid among the merchants. We let them into our city, treated them with kindness, just like you told us too." A short, older Hobgoblin calls. "These humans… they were merciless, my lord. They did this-"

"Silence." Rigurd growls. The shadows along his face grow deeper. "Look forward, look down. Who, exactly, are you disrespecting?"

The old Hobgoblin covers his mouth, bowing his head. He realizes his mistake.

"…but I like humans! They can do some pretty great things, you know?"

Rimuru stands frozen in place. For the first time since becoming a slime, he feels sick. Genuinely, achingly sick.

"This… this isn't…"

Bile rises like a curse in the back of his throat.

…this isn't real, right?

-=-=-=-

Meanwhile…

Assembly Hall

Tempest, Jura Tempest Federation

In a side room of the Assembly Hall, Tempest's main seat of power, a makeshift infirmary is set up. Originally a comfortable gathering space, its purpose has been converted to something more gruesome.

Against the wall left of the door are four beds, and against the opposite, the furniture from the original layout. Several cushioned chairs, loveseats, and a coffee table sit flush against the pale wallpaper, with potion bottles, bandages, buckets of water and sponges, wire, scissors, and other various implements of possible medical use strewn around them.

Or in the case of the coffee table, on top of it.

A window, with the curtains partially drawn, lets in enough light to see the room's current occupants. Haruna is picking up one of the water buckets, a sponge floating inside. In the two beds nearest the door are Gobta and Hakurou, bloody bandages wrapped around their torsos and limbs.

Despite this, the two of them, injured greatly by the Otherworlder Kyoya's spatial attribute attack, are sitting up and stretching. Those bloody bandages from before are loose, revealing unblemished skin underneath.

"I can't believe I'm alive…" Gobta mutters, patting his stomach. "She really saved us, huh Gramps?"

A hand slams down on Gobta's head. "Hoho... perhaps you'd like to sleep some more?"

It's good they can converse like usual. They were in a truly terrible state earlier. But, luckily, or perhaps just thankfully…

Right. Her.

In the bed nearest the window, Shuna lies fitfully unconscious. Mary sits on bed's edge, a troubled look on her face.

"Thank you so much, Miss Mary." Haruna leaves her former patients' sides, stopping in front of Mary and bowing her head. "I'm certain Lord Rimuru could have assisted, but in his absence, you were able to do what we could not."

"We're at 'Miss' now, huh?" Mary grabs Shuna's hand, squeezing it lightly. The warmth, that proof of life, comforts her. "Don't worry about it. If I can help, I should. It's all good now, right?"

She tries not to let her impatience get the better of her. She's failing.

…that being said, whoever did this better already be dead. Otherwise, they'll wish they were once I find them.

Haruna winces ever so slightly. Most others wouldn't catch it, but even beyond those incredible senses, Mary's entire body is wired right now. There's an itch just under her skin.

Something isn't right. It's digging at her, something deep in her bone marrow aching.

She notices, and frowns. It's been bothering her… well, at lot of things are bothering her right now, and she's been trying to ignore them to focus on the here and now. But, well, it's not adding up.

The embers in her chest spark threateningly. It's hard to contain herself. Her thoughts, deductions might not be the best, but her instincts? They've kept her alive.

Something's not right.

It's a cold trickling feeling down the spine. Stark against the heat in her chest.

"What bothers me though, is I think Tanya could have dealt with this herself." Tetra Breaker could probably- no, could definitely dissipate the spatial effect. Mary had been exposed to the flavor of that Unique power enough times to assume that much. "Where is she?"

Immediate silence. Gobta and Hakurou look up, interested as well.

"Could she? That makes sense, right?" Gobta asks. "Yeah, why didn't she?"

Hakurou's brow furrows. "Unless she was caught up elsewhere, I don't see why she couldn't. Is the attack still ongoing?"

"No, I think it's over. For now." Mary answers, her burning green gaze locked onto the nervously sweating Haruna. "I could imagine her searching the city, though."

Or dealing with whoever let this attack happen at all.

It does make sense.

If you look at it logically, it only makes sense to prioritize the bigger issue. And, well, if something is still happening that presents a threat to Tempest, that would be a bigger issue than two injured Executives. Who are presumably strong enough to survive a little bleeding.

…a lot of bleeding, but the point stands.

"There was a crowd in the central plaza, so if I were betting, I'd bet she's over there. Does that sound right?"

But that doesn't explain why Haruna is so nervous.

…unless Tanya ordered her to keep quiet about it? Whatever "it" is?

"She's! Well, um…" Haruna looks away, wide-eyed, and meets Hakurou's eyes. She looks away again, to Gobta, then to the floor.

"Haruna, what's going on?" Hakurou gets up from his bed. Gobta follows close behind.

Mary's eyes spark, focusing all her attention on the Goblina.

"…Tanya's not here." Haruna manages to get out. "She's, uh…"

That uncomfortable pit of dread from before bottoms out in Mary's stomach once more.

"Haruna. Where is Tanya?" Unconsciously, Mary's eyes glow even brighter.

Then, in the silence that follows. In a silence that you could hear a pin drop.

"She's…" There's a weak voice.

It's not Haruna who speaks. The room's attention shifts like a whip, to the prone woman resting on the room's fourth bed.

"… gone." Shuna says, her voice cracking. Her eyelids flutter, as if she's trying to stay awake.

The room collectively holds its breath, waiting for something more… but no, Shuna is unconscious once more.

…gone?

To Mary's shame, she immediately thinks of desertion. Then, she thinks of a counterattack. Is Tanya that vindictive?

If Shuna was injured enough to be rendered unconscious and depleted like this, Mary could see it. She's feeling the same sort of murderous urge towards their attackers herself.

"…gone where, exactly?" Utterly lost, uncomprehending of the most likely outcome, Mary looks to the others for support. "It's not… what?"

No, not uncomprehending. Unwilling to comprehend. Something inside of her won't let her connect the dots. Because that would be… no, it's not worth even thinking about.

That would be…

And then, as if in response, everyone at once feels it.

A massive explosion of aura, washing over their senses like a tsunami.

Rimuru's aura.

-=-

As Mary, Hakurou, and Gobta leave the Assembly Hall, they pass by Geld. Accompanying him are a beat-to-hell Youm, a bloodied-up beastman Mary vaguely recognizes, and a teal-haired woman she doesn't know at all.

He's carrying the first two. The woman walks a beside him, head bowed. It reminds Mary of a prisoner march. Without really thinking about it, Ability Sight analyzes the unfamiliar woman's passive energy signature.

…

It's only Geld's presence that keeps her from stopping right there. This woman… the feeling matches that of one of the barriers. Perfectly.

It's all starting to paint a picture she really doesn't like. Already, there is metal in her throat and fire in her lungs. There are answers to be found, but she really doesn't want them.

Mary doesn't even realize she's stopped in her tracks until Hakurou taps her shoulder. He gives her a meaningful look, and without words, they keep moving. They pass by without further incident.

It isn't long before, instead of a swift walk, the trio is jogging. Then, running. Hobgoblins, Goblinas, beastmen and human merchants all pass them by, heading in the opposite direction. Mary can't remember the last time her heart pounded in her chest like this. She'd almost forgotten how those licks of flame scorch the inside of her ribcage. How easy it is to give herself away to- to-

No. No, she can't- she's better than this. She's not like that anymore.

Get ahold of yourself!

She can't. It's too much. This entire day is just way too much. Fielding a murder attempt, nearly dying, arriving back home – oh god this is her fucking home this is her home this is – and finding it half blackened, half burnt to ruins… seeing Hakurou and Gobta and Shuna in such a terrible state, and now-

Rimuru. Rimuru, what happened? What the hell is happening to make you-?

Mary arrives on the outskirts of the plaza. Alone. Hakurou and Gobta couldn't keep up, or perhaps they didn't try to. Her blood doesn't pound through her ears, but roars. It's the only thing she can hear. It fills her senses to the brim.

The crowd she saw earlier has dispersed. There's only a few left now. The other Executives.

What could have happened? Why is everyone here? What are you doing? What happened?

What happened? Who, what, why are you all-

Her thoughts are a jumbled mess. Like a wave, rising and rising, it grows higher and louder and buzzes over everything else.

Benimaru, Rigurd, Shion, Kaijin.

Rimuru. Kneeling. He looks up at her. He mouths something, some sort of horror-stricken look on his face. She can't hear him. She can't hear anything.

Her senses fail her.

It's so LOUD.

It distracts her. She blinks, her eyelids feeling like sandpaper. Her mind struggling to line up with what her instincts are screaming at her.

Something is wrong. This is wrong, wrong, WRONG!

Rimuru is kneeling. He was kneeling. He's getting up. What was he kneeling next to?

Next to…

…

…

Oh.

All at once, everything goes silent. The fire in her chest trims down to a muted sizzle, leaving behind nothing but an aching, scorched void.

Oh.

It's ironic. The thought never even occurred to her.

Oh god.

Mary walks forward. It doesn't feel real. It feels like walking through a dream. Step by step. Slow. Robotic.

"This..."

She blinks, and the body is just in front of her. Tanya's body.

...can't be real.

She looks so peaceful. Laying back, arms at her sides.

She's covered in blood. It stains everything.

Mary falls to her knees. The faint heat across her shins doesn't even register.

This is a dream. This has to be a nightmare.

The scene doesn't change. The body does not disappear. Unnoticed, the other Executives turn away. Rimuru reaches out, as if to grasp her shoulder, then pulls back. He wants to turn away as well but can't bring himself to do so.

Not her. Not her too.

Mary stretches out her arm, pressing her fingertips against Tanya's palm. It's cool to the touch. There is no warmth to comfort her.

Fingers trembling, she grabs Tanya's hand. Lightly, then squeezing with a desperate strength. As if to share her own warmth. As if to warm her back to life.

Oh god… no, you- you can't take her from me.

No one wakes up.

"NO!!! "

It's only as she tastes her own tears rolling down her face, that she realizes she'd shouted that aloud. But then, she can't stop.

"Not- not her too!" Her voice breaks. "You can't! Not-"

Everything she has left from before. Not Tanya. Not her. Why, why, why-

"Please! You can't- PLEASE!!!"

She sobs, and sobs, as if it's torn from her throat.

"Don't do this to me! You can't do this to me!! Not again!!" She cries out at this injustice.

It's unfair. You can't do this. Not to her. Not to her.

Oh god, why her?

Is it never enough? Must she always suffer?

"You can't! You can't!!"

Mary hunches over. Tears drip onto the crimson-white fabric, staining it further.

"Not you too... this- this... why is this…" She hiccups. "…why…"

…why does everyone I care about have to die?

The World watches on.

…I just… wanted to be happy again.

.

.

.

.

.

A few blocks away, a familiar trio of adventurers approach the plaza.

And with the story one of them brings… the World will never be the same.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Meanwhile…

Somewhere Else

In-Between

= There we go. I'm impressed by you. =

= So very, very impressed, Star. =

= To think, any mortal could desire something so greatly. =

= Even after a third Death. Are you truly so greedy? =

= I like that. A product of my origin, perhaps. =

= Well, I suppose your uniqueness led to this as well. =

= Still, it's not enough on your own. You've drifted too far. =

= They have all the necessary pieces in place. They will try to revive you. =

= But if you aren't there. . . =

= I'm sorry. His claim supersedes mine. =

= Three days for us. Six days for you. =

= You won't have much time. Nor leeway. =

= You're under his jurisdiction once more. He will be watching. =

= Yet, he has grown impatient. Risky. =

= Normally, it would be impossible. And yet. . . =

= I know you don't believe in fate. =

= But it's almost as though the stars have aligned. =

= Every single twist and turn along your long journey. . . =

= It all led right here. The tools at your disposal are just right. =

= You have a chance to escape again. =

= Only you can do it. =

= I've done what I can. There is only so much a name can do. =

= So, it's all on you now. =

= To put it in more familiar, or perhaps, palatable terms. . . =

= This will be the most difficult operation of your career. =

= But you can do it. =

= Collapse. Reconstruct yourself from stardust. =

= . . . =

= And please, whatever you do. =

= Don't let those precious memories fade. =

= They're quite fond of you. You have a role to play yet. =

= So, once you've escaped his sight, try to remember. =

= No, you must remember! If you don't, you'll never-! =

-=-=-=-

Gone. They're gone.

Remember, huh? Remember what, exactly?

That's the problem with these Deities. They're so used to seeing everything that the little details go under the radar. I wonder if you even considered the full extent of this?

Maybe you have, and you dismissed it. Or you're a better pretender than I thought. I don't think so, but either way, I don't mind.

If I was able to fool you, then… regardless, I'll make full use of the advantage it gives me.

I've finally got a feel for it, thanks to you. I've almost figured it out.

Perhaps it's something to do with being temporarily non-corporeal. Perhaps I've simply absorbed something or other. Perhaps it was proximity to my soul. Perhaps there is more to a name.

Perhaps it was this or that or something neither of us could fully comprehend. But regardless of the source, I'm starting to get it now.

I know I can do it. It's still not complete, but this is a prime opportunity.

So, thanks, but stay out of my way. You want me to take you at your word? No thanks. Don't misunderstand this. And don't think for a second that I'm on your side.

This is just convenient for me, and I'd be a fool to pass up the opportunity. I'm grateful, you know. I have no quarrel with you.

You're surprisingly hands-off. But don't mistake allies for friends.

…

Ah, here we go. I can feel it. He's looking this way.

Took you long enough, you big bastard. Don't waste any more of my time, now.

After all, I only have six days to make this work.

-<>-<>-<>-

< Ah! There you are. >

< Did you think it would be that easy? >

< Come now. . . >

< Did you have fun? >

< . . . >

< Did you get it all out of your system? >

Get what out of my system, exactly?

Don't you know not to keep someone waiting? I'd think you wouldn't hesitate to gloat upon your success. After all, your little puppet Sue finally got one over on me.

It stings to be killed by such a fucking zealot, but it's not worth much being concerned now.

I died. Go on. Tell me what I already know.

< . . . >

< Oh. Oh ho ho. Is that it? >

< I understand it now. >

< I suppose, since you were lost for so long, it makes sense. >

< But don't worry. I've found you now. >

< You're wrong, Tanya. If there's one compliment I'll afford you, it's this one. >

< You are someone who did not die when you should have. >

< You are a Star. But of course. . . >

< You don't remember, do you? >

< That's okay. They'll tell you everything you missed. >

< Let's get you back where you belong, hm? >

-<>-<>-<>-

Winter

Undisclosed Location

Germanian Empire

"Authorization confirmed. Alright, head on through."

There's an electronic buzz, and the metallic rattling of a well-kept, but aged, scissor door.

A young woman, clad in a familiar military uniform, steps forward. Behind her, the gate slides shut.

"Officially, you have five minutes." An older man behind the gate calls to her, before she steps away. He glances at his watch, then slides it under his sleeve. "But, with these tired eyes of mine, well…"

The woman nods, "Expect us."

Before the man can respond, she's moving, the swift tapping of her boots on concrete fading.

The basement level of this facility is an exclusive area, specifically designed for mages. As such, there's both greater security and numerically less cells. Cost and a lack of mages that survive combat are obvious reasons for this, though the Empire having multiple locations with such cells is a testament to their foresight and expectation.

This particular facility only has four cells, each placed at the end of a hallway connecting to a center reception space. These hallways extend from every side of this space, an effort to keep any potential prisoners from collaborating or even just conversing.

This hallway is the Eastern one, and at the end of it is another open space, blocked off by metal bars interlocking in a grid shape. Light is shaky and intermittent down here, but the vertical vent in the cell's ceiling gives enough to see.

Inside, the young woman can see a cot, toilet, and wash basin… along with a person.

She approaches the bars.

On the cot, directly opposite her, the person stirs. Their hands, resting behind their head, slide out and over her head. The reason why is obvious, as the faint light glints along silver handcuffs, along with silver…

That scruffy, tired, painfully familiar and beautiful figure inside sits up and swings their legs off the cot. They look up, and stare for a moment, locking eyes with their visitor.

That color-!!!

From the surface vent in the ceiling, an almost holy glow caresses them. Visibly stronger, taller, healthier… and as tired as ever. But she'd recognize this woman anywhere.

"Long time no see..." From within the cell, the dead woman speaks. She leans forward, elbows on her knees. And with that same flickering, luminescent teal, glowing under silver bangs. "...Visha."

-=-=--<>-<>-

Known Skills List

Mary:

Common Skill: Thought Communication

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra/Intrinsic Skill: Physical Enhancement

Unique Skill: Ability Severance

Tanya(?):

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