"Yukari, if you're listening, I need the boundary-thing done to my phone again, if you can. It's about time I checked in with my people in the outside world."
No response came. Either Yukari didn't want to talk to the group, or she just didn't put any gaps to listen in. It also didn't give Aesera any clue if Yukari was going to help sometime in the future. Aesera looks around once more, examining the area closer. Extremely small trails of blood lead towards the Library, while drops of the same red lead upwards.
"There's blood. Either people are still alive, or they dragged themselves towards a hiding spot, while injured. Where should we search first?"
"The Library is a better hiding spot then up the stairs, so maybe..." Tenshi voices out, visibly glad that there was even a chance for a few celestials to have survived.
"A throne room would be the most defended, and if Chaos didn't reach there, it means that people protected it well. It's the same for any palace of a king." Kanako waves her sword leisurely.
Aesera turns to Gale, who has been staring at the hallway for quite some time. "Gale? What's the problem?"
"Nothing. I just feel like we're being watched."
"It's probably Yukari, or Chaos. If by that small chance it's the latter, we had better keep our guards up."
"Unyu... I don't feel anything..."
Orin finally speaks, pulling Utsuho towards her. "G-Guys..." Orin turns to Gale, who gives her a confused look in return. "Where's Wriggle?"
"...Shit." Gale blurts.
"I'm right here..." Wriggle pops her head out of a broken window above the stairs. "I ran here first, before those zombies came."
Gale sighs, shaking his head.
"You should have told us earlier, Wriggle. Don't run off again." Aesera too, sighs.
>Choose between the Throneroom/Hallway. (To receive a follow up response, so you just have to reply >Hallway or >Throneroom)
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BGM:
Untouched Sanctuary-
"Faster! Faster! Come on..." His footsteps were hard. His eyes were heavy. His legs had no more strength in them, and his power did not increase his endurance. Over the horizon, laid the shrine, with the red-white standing on it's tori, beside a panting Patchouli. Magic circles were erected all around the shrine, and five crystals - The Philosopher's Stone(s), floated around the Hakurei Shrine. A red barrier formed behind the stones, covering the landscape. Around the barrier, the ground was black, stained with green and yellow acid, scorched with flames.
The remains of hundreds of Chaos Spawns littered the ground, slowly turning into dust.
Purple, rectangular amulets flew out from the barrier every few seconds, wiping out the advancing spawns. Reimu grit her teeth, throwing homing amulets in every direction. Now, in the skies, were black, gargoyle-like beasts. They were over-sized bats with tentacles for wings, and skulls for heads. In the body of each of them, was a human. A once living human from the village.
"...Faster... Faster... Haa..." His body failed him, as much as he pushed himself, he could not go any further. Only the field and the hills lay in his sight. The sky lit for a moment, before darkness consumed the heavens once more.
I don't understand. Why were the innocent beings of Gensokyo dragged into this war? Why must they be shot down first, before the rest of the world? Why am I involved?Questions that he didn't think of before bombarded his mind. He didn't have the time to question himself, not now.
Newan fell to his knees, exhausted, panting, sweating as if he just ran a marathon through a desert. The blue, fingerless glove on his hand gave way and turned to nothing. His power did not give him the strength. If he could not do this, what could he do? He failed to protect his partner. A partner the Gods had given him. And that one, yes, that girl that beloved him for whatever reason in the past, he still did not understand. Fully.
Pushing himself up, Newan cried in pain and staggered on.
Why...
Why must you be so sad?
Orphans of the Distant Land...
Why must your tears be shed into a long eternity?
Watching your loved ones pass these plains of grass. Watching the blood and tears fade and crisp into the everlasting soil. Why must their lives be so young...
Yet you live so strong?"...Spell Card..."
"Spell Card!"
"Spell Card!"
"Emerald Megalith!"
"Fantasy Seal!"
"FUJIYAMA VOLCANO!"
Why must you resist?
Orphans of the Distant Land...
Why do you strive to defend all that will soon be gone?
Watching the ones you hold dear; Watching your beloved land be thrown into chaos. Why do you hope? Why do you fight?-
"The wind blows through my soul."
"The wind is so cold..."
-
"Newan... Newan!" The armored man pulled his fellow embodiment up, shaking him vigorously. "Damnit. He's out cold. Mystia, could yo-" He spins around, then looks towards the hill. The bird had flown towards the shrine and basically ignored him.
Man. She's an unreliable partner."Come on..." Vante hulled Newan up, carrying him atop his shoulder. "Damn. You're heavier then I thought you would be." The scythe on Vante's back disappears, giving Newan more space. Slowly, Vante walked closer towards the shrine. It was atop the hill, in sight... And so was the barrier.
-
"R-Rei...mu?"
"Mystia? What are you doing here?! It's dangerous!"
"Reimu! Nazrin is in-"
A stray bullet flies directly at the night sparrow, forcing her to make a sudden turn, dropping Nazrin. "No!" Mystia flies straight down, her arms reaching out, trying to grab Nazrin before she would hit the ground...
But that's not the ground. That's... Those are... The ground, covered in hundreds of the Chaos Spawn, a group of them noticing the falling mouse, reaching their tentacles upward...
"Yaaaah!" Flames burst from their black bodies as Mokou impacts them, grabbing Nazrin in mid-air. Crouching just for a moment before launching herself off with more crimson flames, her other hand pushing Mystia towards the shrine's tori. A Chaos Spawn knocks the barrier, making it visible, glowing bright red.
"What h-happened?!"
"A lot."
-
The library was impressive. Too impressive. It was obviously either constructed by a giant, or crafted into existence by magic. Ranna's mouth lies agape, staring at the seemlingly endless library. In the distance, stood Remilia Scarlet, standing upon a runic circle, drawn with chalk.
"We're going to teleport you to the Hakurei Shrine, and get Koakuma here. It's like exchanging places." Sakuya says, bringing Ranna over to the circle.
"Do it, Sakuya."
"Yes, Mistress."
"Human! Before you go, you'll need this. According to Flandre, it's "Fun" out there. It's dangerous to go alone, I would assume. Take this." Remilia pulls out a stopwatch, one identical to Sakuya's own.
"Mistress...?"
"Do not worry, Sakuya. This is your old Stopwatch, not your personal one." Remilia flings it at Ranna elegantly, and it lands on her open hand. "Go."
Ranna steps on the circle, which flares into grey light, growing brighter and brighter. Red, arrow-like beams appear in a circular fashion around the grey light, and collide with Ranna's body. The grey light becomes a complete sphere, before shrinking into nothingness.
"...I didn't even get to spe-" Ranna looks around. She's lying in a futon.