[center][h1][i]To the Nort[b]h[/b]: Quicksilve[color=f200f2]r[/color] Knight M[color=aba000]a[/color]re[/i][/h1] [sub][i]That's a horrible pun doesn't even have anything to do with the hunt smh my head.[/i][/sub][/center] [quote]It is not often that Beacon is attacked openly by other Patrons. Huld, one of Odin’s mistresses, has done just that. Beacon’s New York branch has had some of its magical girls come under a horrific spell. Regina, Abigail, and Tonya have all fallen into a deep slumber. Attempts to access their minds don’t work, almost as if they aren’t dreaming or thinking. The only sign of the contrary is that Regina occasionally calls Alicia’s name. Enter Huld’s layer and get her to remove her curse from the beacon girls. Losing the girls or failing to awaken at least one of them will result in failure. This hunt can only be undertaken by Alicia, but she may bring one other magical girl with her so long as they are not a dark magical girl, a monster, patron a horror, or are otherwise an enemy of Beacon to conform with the Ascendancy’s policies. Ideally it would be another member of Beacon. Challenge Rating: SS Notes: Huld’s primary agents are mares, but she also employs magical girls with empathic magic.[/quote] [hr] Under normal circumstances, Bonnie would personally brief magical girls that accepted her hunt, but Beacon had its pride. They might use other networks to bring in reinforcements, but there was no way Beacon was going to let some [i]monster[/i] brief Beacon agents. [url=https://i.imgur.com/0foJvN4.jpg]Lilium Blue[/url] was the head of the New York branch. Normally she would be tending the paperwork at her desk or managing her forces. But with things spread so thin, she had to [i]also[/i] see who Bonnie managed to summon. Before long, Alicia and Hyun were teleported directly into Lilium’s disorganized office. [b]“Serraf Alicia.”[/b] She squinted her eyes a bit before looking at her companion. [b]“And Hyun, former monster queen.”[/b] Hyun saluted with her feet firmly in place. “Reporting for duty, ma’m.” Neither of the agents had heard much about Lilium Blue, but what they had heard was extraordinary. Lilium was formerly inquisitor, but her title was passed to Rachel when Lilium was reappointed to her current position. It must have been humiliating to request help from the CAPRICORN. Alicia kept her expectations open as she and Hyun arrived in the Penrose branch here. It wasn't too often that she operated outside of the city, so she didn't want to assume all the same norms applied here. Admittedly her presence here was a bit odd. She didn't think that she and Regina had been that close, but apparently the other girl differed. Of course, any sort of psychic related incident with Beacon was enough to catch her attention. And so she had come up here to the New York branch, intent on solving this latest mystery. [color=aba000]"Seraph Lilium,"[/color] she replied with a nod. [color=aba000]"I was given the impression that it was a serious situation, not that anything involving our branch ever isn't. What are we dealing with?"[/color] Lilium snapped her fingers. Some white medical drones pushed three floating caskets out of a nearby room and into the office. Each was padded on the inside and held one of the afflicted magical girls. Abigail, Tonya, and Regina all looked like they were in a peaceful slumber. [b]“They appear to be under a powerful curse. They’re older Beacon agents, and none of them received the Shine Spark upgrade. We anticipated that Soth might have returned, but the magic clearly belongs to Huld. ”[/b] Her eyes moved towards the caskets. [b]“I was told you were the best, so I’m sure you already know she was Odin’s mistress. She practices witchcraft, can give people nightmares horrific enough to kill, and can read the future. She’s an assassin and an all around unpleasant person. I do not know who put her up to this, and quite frankly, I don’t care.”[/b] She looked back at Alicia. [b]“Huld must know how to reverse the curse. The two of you will take the affected Beacon girls into Huld’s lair and cure them. ”[/b] Her brow crossed. [b]“Bribe her, threaten her, kill her and look for an antidote. I need these girls back in action ASAP. ”[/b] [color=f200f2]"Mmph.”[/color] Regina’s head turned to one side, but she didn’t open her eyes. [color=f200f2]"Ah, Alicia…"[/color] Lilium closed her eyes and sighed. [b]“We don’t understand how she can speak in that state. Her mind is just as empty as the others. If I had to guess, I’d say Huld was trying to set a trap for you specifically. But that’s just a hunch.”[/b] She placed her hands on the desk before looking between the two conscious beacon girls in front of her. [b]“We’ll be teleporting you right outside her lair, which seems to be a cave. The medical robots will be there to move the caskets around. Any questions before I send you off?”[/b] Hyun raised her arm straight up, and once given permission asked: "Ma'm, will we receive communications assistance while on the mission?" She said, and lifted her other hand up to her ear. This caused Lilium to raise an eyebrow, if only momentarily. [b]“You will be able to communicate with me directly. I have no one else to run operator on such an important mission. Though I don’t I’ll be of much help.”[/b] She looked out a window. [b]“We don’t know what her layer looks like, but she likely has a magical girl under her command and a few mares. She’s also the cunning sort so I wouldn’t expect her to fight you directly. Like most lesser forces, she’s survived as long as she has because she kept a low profile. That made getting details on her difficult.”[/b] Alicia held back a wince, not sure who was going around calling her ‘the best’ but sorely desiring a chat with them. Now wasn’t the time for that argument though, and she listened carefully as Lilium explained the situation they were dealing with. [color=aba000]“Oh boy, more Norse,”[/color] she grumbled. [color=aba000]“As if the one champion we met wasn’t crazy enough.”[/color] Lilim closed her eyes. [b]“Huld will not be much better. In fact, she may be worse.”[/b] She paused as Regina spoke her name, and shook her head after a moment. [color=aba000]“I’d bet on it being a trap too,”[/color] she agreed. She wasn’t too surprised that local support would be limited, so it seemed they would just have to make the most with what they had. [color=aba000]“So, there doesn’t seem to have been anything that would prompt this?”[/color] That made her all the more suspicious of it being a trap if it was true. [b]“She is an assassin.”[/b] The Beacon head folded her arms behind her back. [b]“Our best guess is that the local monster girl gangs put together enough coin to hire her, or it was a hit put out by the mint. But it could have happened for any number of reasons.”[/b] [color=f200f2]"Ah, Alicia…"[/color] Regina’s arm twitched. [b]“If you have no more questions, Bonnie will take you to Scandinavia.”[/b] As soon as Lilium said this, a giant hunk of ore fell in front of one of the windows. A portal opened on the side of it that led to a sea side cave. It was dark, and there was about a foot of water inside of it. But there were a few glowing runes etched here and there that provided some light. The medical bots took the unconscious beacon girls and carted them through the portal. Where they hovered in place outside the cave. [b]“The bots are capable of following your commands, and will take evasive maneuvers with their cargo when necessary. Don’t lose sight of them, though it may be wise to keep them out of combat.”[/b] Hyun nodded, and turned to Alicia. "Paladin Seraph, let's do our best for our fallen sisters of battle!" She stepped into the cave, and smashed her fists together while standing one knee. She breathed in, and performed a slow motion with her arms, like drawing a circle into the air. She then breathed out, and released a large ball of fire to drift up into the air, circled by a flame dragon. The sphere of flames cast a bright light, and illuminated the dark cave up to a decent distance. "Paladin Seraph, allow me to take the first turn to light the way. That way we can conserve our mana better." [color=aba000]“I see.” [/color]All of this merely convinced Alicia further that this was probably a trap. The threads tying everything together seemed a bit too circumstantial to be otherwise. Still, this was something that they had to do regardless. As much as she might not have gotten along with Regina in the past, she wasn’t going to leave a fellow Beacon member at the mercy of a Patron’s devious intentions. Turning to the portal, Alicia joined Hyun and the drones in moving through it. [color=aba000]“Rest assured Seraph Lilium, I will do my best to put an end to whatever is going on here.”[/color] [b]“I expect nothing less.”[/b] Having given her last words to the fellow commander, she turned to the task at hand. She watched as Hyun generated a ball of flame to light their path. [color=aba000]“Alright, that’s fine with me,”[/color] she agreed. Summoning Star Seraph to her grip, she directed the drones to follow them as the duo made their way into the waiting cave. The deeper they went into the cave, the stronger Hyun’s “torch” seemed to get. Or maybe it was just the dwindling daylight that made it seem that way. The cave path was mostly straight, with a few irregular curves here or there. They must have walked a few hundred feet and were still walking in the same direction. There was no sunlight anymore, and the dull glow of the runes was washed out by the orange light of Hyun’s fireball. The cave opened up into a massive room. Stalagmites rose up from the wet floor, and stalactites reached down from the ceiling. Hyun’s fire cast large shadows on the walls, but it was still possible to make out a few openings in the walls. Few of them were large enough for a human to fit through. Though at the far end of the room was a large opening into another cave system. They could hear a woman with a beautiful singing voice in that direction. No words, just an opera performance without an instrumental. Alicia could feel something touch her shoulder. [color=f200f2]"Alicia! Long time no see!"[/color] [url=https://i.imgur.com/y81R414.jpg]Regina[/url] was still laying in her coffin, but had propped herself up to poke Alicia in the shoulder. [color=f200f2]"What are you doing, huh? Why are we in the sewers? Who’s the dragon girl over there? Why do the sewers split up in so many different ways?"[/color] When Regina pointed back, Alicia could see that the path that they had used to get in here was not so obvious anymore. There were twenty different openings, and it wasn’t clear which one they had come out of. Perhaps if any of the beacon girls were more [b]aware[/b] it would have been easy to figure out. But finding a way out was not the most pressing thing on Alicia’s mind. Hyun immediately ran over to Regina and waved at her to cut off her touch on Alicia once she noticed her presence; she had placed an enchantment on her own arm that briefly emanated intense heat without actually burning, to shock Regina quickly away without allowing herself to be touched. [color=f200f2]"Ow!"[/color] Regina retracted her hand, which by the time Hyun had arrived, was nowhere near Alicia’s shoulder. [color=f200f2]"What was that for?"[/color] "Paladin Seraph, this must be a trap! Regina should not have woken yet, so she could be under enemy influence! Furthermore, the passages have multiplied at alarming rate! We need to confirm her standing by asking her something only the real Regina and us would know." She then looked around, and focused her mind on her Spark. "I choose to not believe in these illusions!" She shouted, and actively disbelieved her surroundings. Regina groaned. [color=f200f2]"If I was brainwashed, wouldn’t I still know the details of my past?"[/color] She shook the pain out of her finger. The sudden contact caused Alicia to spring forward, her bow rising by reflex. That tension eased as she realized that it was Regina, who seemed remarkably peppy in spite of the situation that she was now in. Though she did call the place a sewer, which was a bit weird. [color=aba000]"Calm down Hyun,"[/color] she said as she relaxed. [color=aba000]"If she intended to hurt me she would have done it instead of grabbing my shoulder."[/color] This could be part of any trap, but she didn't think it was the trap itself. Her eyes widened at the sight of the multiple pathways, yet all it earned was a sigh. [color=aba000]"Somehow I'm not surprised,"[/color] she mumbled. As if it would have been as simple as walking in and walking out. At least they knew trickery was in the cards beforehand. As Hyun tested the validity of their surroundings, she turned her focus to Regina. [color=aba000]"A Lesser Force cursed you and these two-"[/color] She nodded to the other coffins [color=aba000]"-into thoughtless slumber. Except apparently you were able to say my name. So we're here to get them to break the curse."[/color] Glancing forward once more, she acknowledged the obvious. [color=aba000]"I suppose the singing lady is our first stop, unless you have a convenient clue for us."[/color] Regina placed a hand on the back of her head. [color=f200f2]"Well, let’s see-"[/color] (this is going to be a nightmare to edit lol) Hyun tried to disbelieve her surroundings, but nothing suggested that anything she saw was an illusion. The wet floor, the stony walls, even the small holes all felt fine. Hyun could rule out mental interference thanks to the new and improved shine spark. The only logical conclusion was that they just didn’t notice the extra pathways when they walked out from them, or that they had been [i]hidden[/i] by an illusion that went away just now. [color=f200f2]"...Um, yea. Last thing I remember was being on patrol with Abigail and Tonya. I want to say I remember someone doing the ‘phu phu phu’ laugh from behind us, but it’s all really hazy."[/color] She sat upright. [color=f200f2]"I do remember having a dream about you though. You were sinking into a black puddle, but then I realized [i]I[/i] was the one sinking? It was weird. But um."[/color] She lifted a finger to her chin. [color=f200f2]"Thanks for helping me in the beach dimension. That gambler girl was impersonating me, and I think you were the only one in Beacon that didn’t treat me like a second rate citizen. B-but anyway!"[/color] She hopped out of the coffin. [color=f200f2]"What do you want me to do? I’d like to form up with you, but if you think I’m a liability I can uh-"[/color] She looked at her feet. [color=f200f2]"Wow! That’s really cold! Don’t slip anyone!"[/color] "I am calm!" Hyun shouted as she squinted for a while at a wall, but then gave up once she realized her efforts were for naught. She then addressed Regina. "My apologies for the red-handed approach. I acted on reflex there. However, if the Paladin Seraph deems you a risk, I will take all necessary measures. In any case, we should decide on where to go next." She looked at the floor after Regina's remark, and casually dropped a tiny fireball, just to see if there was something unnatural about the moist terrain. If successful, she would have the fireball scorch the floor and leave marking. "Now we will know we have already come here if the way forward doubles back here." The flame turned into steam once it was lowered into the water. Given that it was fed by the ocean, there was no noticeable difference in the water level inside the room. But Hyun would have little difficulty scorching any of the stonework in the cave should she desire a path marker. Despite some initial tension, things soon began to smooth out as Hyun apologized to Regina. The girl herself didn't have too much of note to add, though the dream was interesting in a 'therapist analysis' sense. For now, they would just have to keep moving forward. [color=aba000]"Nice thinking,"[/color] she said to Hyun as she used her powers to make visible markings for them, in case the cave decided it wanted to change its appearance again. it wasn't a foolproof method if magic was involved, but it was better than nothing at all. Turning to Regina, she shook her head. [color=aba000]"It's fine. We Beacon members have to look out for each other, especially these days."[/color] But she was quick to move on from that, as they had more pressing concerns at hand. [color=aba000]"I've got no objection to you helping. Our first stop should probably be whoever is singing, so let's get going."[/color] With that she began moving forward once more, now more prepared than before for any weird things that would likely occur as they got further into the cave system. The next tunnel was not that long. It couldn’t have been fifty feet of wading through knee deep water. The tunnel led the Beacon girls into the center of a single round room. It was comparable to an auditorium, only the lavish seats were replaced with stone benches, and the floor between the seating area and the stage was covered in water. The floor sloped upwards behind the beacon girls, which allowed all of the seats a view of the stage. They were filled with strange ape-like creatures. Short, naked, genderless apes with squashed faces, banana-like noses, and horn-like protrusions coming out of their head. Most of them were looking at the stage, but many found it hard to ignore the giant ball of flame Hyun was carrying around. Despite this distraction, the show had to go on. The subject on stage was being lit both from Hyun’s flame, but also from sunlight that poured out of the ceiling. She didn’t just have a great singing voice, she was plenty beautiful to boot. Her blond hair seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, as did the robes that clung to her body. Her curves were voluptuous, her skin was as white as marble. There were a lot of bad things you could say about Huld, but you couldn’t call her ugly. After one last crescendo, she opened one of her eyes and gazed in the direction of the not-so-subtle ball of fire burning in her theater. Without Huld’s singing, the cave was eerily quiet. [b]”Ah, it looks like some children have decided to explore my castle.“[/b] She drew a crown of flowers from her robe and placed them on her head. [b]”I don’t mind entertaining guests, but do remember the proper etiquette when entering someone else’s home. In particular, you should only handle fire with adult supervision.“[/b] She folded her hands behind her back and approached the edge of the stage. [b]”Oh well. What brings so many children into my home?”[/b] Hyun did not falter even as Huld commented on her pyromancy, and kept a stoic look on her face, only occasionally glancing at the other creatures present. When it became clear that the goddess would not meet them with hostility, she returned the favor and shrunk the fireball, letting it illuminate only in their immediate vicinity. However, this didn't mean she would lower her guard; she knew their adversary would be devious, and prepared for conflict by subtly enchanting Alicia's arrows with explosive payload. Entering the large room, Alicia’s gaze swept the seats and the stage beyond. It was impressive but also a bit odd, though she supposed that as a Lesser Force in seclusion one needed to make their own fun. Her gaze was then drawn to the person on stage, with a singing voice that was as beautiful as any she had heard, and an appearance to match. Soon the song came to an end, and the singer acknowledged their presence. Stepping forward, Alicia did not falter in approaching the Lesser Force. [color=aba000]“Hello. My name is Alicia, and I am a member of Beacon. You put a curse upon my comrades here, and I have come to negotiate for its removal.”[/color] She gestured to the sleeping girls, just in case there was any doubt. She folded her arms and gave Alicia a stern glare. [b]”Really now?”[/b] She looked at the sleeping girls, then turned to look into the darkness behind her. [b]”Come here, girl. I need you to identify your playmates.”[/b] A moth girl flew into the sunlight and landed beside Huld. Her green fur, the shape of her face… [color=f200f2]"Divina?"[/color] Regina took a step forward. The moth girl did not react to Regina’s words, and instead looked over the sleeping magical girls. [b]”Yes, those are the ones I poisoned. But I also got that one.”[/b] She pointed at Regina. [b]”I’m sorry, she was towards the back and she must not have inhaled as much.”[/b] [b]”It’s alright dear, I’m not mad.”[/b] Huld continued to hold her chin as she looked over everyone again. [b]”Well Alicia, it is as my apprentice says. She did attack those girls with poison that I made. Our client paid extra for that attack, and I don’t think it would be in my best interest to just reverse it. I have my reputation to uphold. So! Tell you what?”[/b] Divina’s eyes lit up, as did hundreds of runes buried under her fur. Tonya and Abigail rose from their caskets like zombies and started to shuffle towards the stage. [b]”How about I just keep these two, and I’ll let you keep the one that woke up? In addition to that, I’ll let the three of you leave in one piece. Deal?”[/b] She took Divina’s hand in her own. Hyun blinked upon seeing Divina, surprised at her presence here. She then grimaced at the offer, her fists clenched as her comrades shuffled like the undead away from them. She looked at the stage, and then glanced at Alicia. "She is mocking us, but we mustn't let anger control us, Paladin Seraph," she whispered to her. "We would be at a disadvantage were we to force the issue. But I also loathe having to bow down to a blackguard like her…I trust your judgement on this." Alicia waited patiently, watching as Huld produced the subordinate Lilium had mentioned to make sure that she was telling the truth. It was quickly confirmed, and she seemed surprisingly open about it. It might not have been intended as a trap after all, though it did not remove the danger Huld served as. Her eyes widened as Tonya and Abigail arose and began making their way over to Huld’s side. Her feet shifted, moving into a stance that was visibly less relaxed, whilst the Lesser Force made her ‘offer’. Listening to what Hyun had to say, she nodded in return. Yet in the end there was little choice. [color=aba000]“No deal. We don’t abandon our own.”[/color] If that meant a fight, then so be it. Huld’s eyes widened with mock surprise. [b]”Unbelievable! I thought for sure you would accept!”[/b] She slid behind Divina and placed her hands on her shoulders. [b]”Looks like you have some more playmates, darling. Finish up quickly and we can have lunch together.”[/b] Divina was not a powerful magical girl, or at least she wasn’t. Her powers were much better suited to utility, such as her third eye or supportive use of her beast powers. But now that she was a monster girl, her magic had gained empathic properties. And even if the hundreds of runes on her flesh were just for show, the mares seated above them were a great source of emotion. Hundreds of disgruntled mares had their performance interrupted by Beacon’s intervention, and that annoyance fed Divina with power. The moth woman cast her hands into the air, and a veil of hatred erupted from the edge of the stage. The red veil occasionally twisted into the annoyed visages of the mares, who only wished to be entertained. Tonya and Abigail had just gotten on stage when the veil went up, and they commenced their attack immediately. Tonya stuck her umbrella through the veil and bombarded everyone with trash. Soup cans, rubber boots, and other refuse piled out of Tonya’s hammerspace and into the cave. Meanwhile, Abigail used her impressive magic to bring down a giant stalactite. Once it broke free, she turned it sideways before thrusting it into the ground, threatening to crush the three of them. That wouldn’t be the end of their troubles, either. Back the way they had come, they could hear splashing. [i]something[/i] was coming out of the walls, and it was headed straight for them. And Huld only grinned at the display. "Lunch is canceled; all you're having now is barbeque!" When Alicia announced their defiant decision, Hyun grabbed the fireball floating above them and threw it like a professional baseball pitcher. As she did so, she infused it with a delayed spell, and sent it hurtling up towards the stalactite, blowing it up in an explosion and scattering the tiny pieces of gravel. Once she was done, she turned her head upon hearing the splashing sounds rushing in, and had an inkling of what it could mean. "Shoot the passage behind us with your explosive arrows! We need to block off the exit before the water reaches us!" She was hit in the back of the head with a rubber boot that amusingly landed opening first on her head and flopped around before it fell off. Annoyed, she then started running in the direction of the stage where Divina was, her fists at the ready to deflect incoming trash shot her way. "For Beacon!" To little surprise, it seemed that a fight would be necessary. What was more alarming was how the other two began sleepwalking over to where Huld was. Images of a mind controlled girl with a blazing sword through her chest flashed through Alicia's mind before she tried to dispel those thoughts with a shake of her head. She was better than she had once been. Things would be different here. Things quickly escalated, with Divina utilizing empathy magic to cast a red veil across the stage. It was probably some sort of shield, from behind which the two girls attacked. A literal barrage of junk was unleashed, though this was more distracting than harmful. The stalactite was more dangerous, though it seemed Hyun had that danger in hand as she employed her own magic to blow it up. [color=aba000]“I think we have a bit more to worry about than water,”[/color] she replied, though that did not stop her from quickly turning and firing at the entrance they had come through. Some part of her did not expect that to solve the issue, but at least it bought them some time. Returning to the fight, she fired a couple of additional arrows to test the barrier. These were not aimed directly at Tonya or Abigail though, to minimize the possibility of accidental injury. She wouldn’t put it past Huld to do something like that. The arrows pelted against the veil. It rippled and flexed like a plastic sheet, but the arrows failed to penetrate. Perhaps a larger projectile was needed. It was a theory that Hyun put to the test as she crashed through the veil. It opened its mouth to scream, and Hyun tumbled inside. But the hole didn’t remain. It closed behind her, trapping her inside with the other controlled Beacon girls. [color=f200f2]"There’s a lot of them back here!"[/color] Regina fired down the corridor the way they came, but the mares were a tough lot. They weren’t simple minions to be dispatched in a single blow. They were creatures that armies feared to contend with. Regina used her own empath magic to create a grenade of pure hatred and lobbed it down the path. The explosion parted the hoard like the red tide, but they were still coming. It didn’t look like they had killed any of them. Huld pointed at Alicia. [b]”Attack their back line.”[/b] Tonya and Abigail immediately ran through the veil, which did nothing to stop them. Once they had departed, she turned her gaze back to Hyun. [b]”As for this one, why don’t you show her why that was a [i]very[/i] bad idea?”[/b] The mares in the tunnel were quite mad, but the mare spectators were starting to enjoy the show. This excitement was an energy Divina began to draw into her own body. Every muscle on her body expanded and twisted. Her slender form was now covered in grotesque muscle. Even her fingers looked closer to sausage links, but somehow her runes kept their shape. She pounced on Hyun and closed her fingers around her head. She wasn’t just strong, but fast too. On the other side of the barrier, Tonya didn’t stop blowing trash everywhere, but Abigail was using her gravity magic to lift up the broken stalactite. The stone fragments swirled like a dynamo, and they honed in on Alicia’s position. Hyun recovered from her tumble with a handstand-launched cartwheel, and looked behind her, surprised by how easily she passed the veil. She realized too late that it was purposefully opened to trap her inside as Divina hulked out and clamped her cranium. "Rrgh! Snap out of it, Divina!" She screamed, and accelerated her foot with a burst of ignition into a high-velocity kick at her ribs, breaking her hold on her. "This isn't you! You've gotta fight it!" Knowing mere words wouldn't be enough to beat sense into her, she took up a kung-fu pose, her flaming fists ready to unleash fury. Alicia frowned as her arrows made no impact on the barrier, while Hyun tumbled right through it. That separated their party, something Huld took advantage of as she had the two controlled girls come out from the barrier to confront her directly. At least that made facing off with them a bit easier. Her bow rose as Alicia tapped deeper into her magic. To the incoming stone shards she unleashed a barrage of arrows, meeting the hail with one of her own that would, ideally, smash the rocks down to nothing at all. With the last arrow fired she darted forward, and lifting her free hand she unleashed a blinding burst of light upon the duo. Hopefully it would jog their Sparks and remove the control they were under, a tactic she had used successfully in the past. A different mood fell over the auditorium. Hyun disengaged with Divina, Alicia intercepted projectiles with some of her own. Excitement and anger died down as anticipation took hold. The spectators weren’t afraid, but the nail biting tension caused many to lean in their seats. Some might even say they were afraid. Divina’s body deflated, the veil of hatred vanished, but the runes on her body glowed a bright green. Hyun would have just enough time to see Huld brandish a dagger before the stage was filled with green smoke. She could see nothing but the faces of terrified specters, and her ears were filled with the cries of the damned. Could she remain vigilant with her opponents poised to strike? When the flash went off, Tonya hid her face behind her open umbrella. Abigail stumbled backwards through the air, blinking as her eyes readjusted to the dark conditions of the room. Light magic could purify almost any corruption, but it would take more than a single purifying flash to bring Abigail to her senses. She needed stronger medicine. Abigail was stunned for only a moment, and when she came to she held Alicia in place with her gravity magic. Tonya closed her umbrella and charged towards Alicia’s exposed back, preparing to run her through. Regina was still dealing with the incoming mare hoard. She launched a fear grenade down the tunnel that detonated with a shriek. Some of the mares went skittering back into the darkness, but many of them pressed forward. [color=f200f2]"They’re breaking through! Any ideas, Alicia?"[/color] "Hit them, and hit them hard!" Hyun yelled over the shriekers, and with a clap of her hands caused an explosion, burning the green smoke out of the air. With visibility restored, she then drew her fist back, took aim, and with a mighty blow launched forth a sinewy, serpentine dragon made of red flames. The searing summon roared as it lunged for Huld, attempting to snatch the dagger in it's jaws and disarm the goddess. Sadly her effort did not result in the corruption being immediately undone, though Alicia was not entirely surprised given the foe they were up against. Maybe if she had had the opportunity to set up a Purification Field, but that sort of time investment had never been in the cards. Things were growing ever more desperate, with Regina struggling to hold back the horde of oncoming minions, and Hyun struggling in her own fight. Gritting her teeth, Alicia found herself suddenly seized by a gravity spell that rooted her in place. Lifting her bow upwards, she unleashed another barrage of arrows above her head, so as to arc down in the space Tonya was moving into for her own attack. Little explosions rippled along the ground, making the approach even more daunting. Now was the time for more desperate measures. Her eyes glowed as she activated her Third Eye, seeing through the fog regardless of whether Hyun dispelled it or not. She sighted in on her target, strung a real arrow, and fired. She wanted to save Tonya and Abigail, but she held no such compunction for Divina as she unleashed a long saved Arrow of Temporal Displacement upon her. [color=aba000]“Give me one second and we can trade off,”[/color] she called to Regina. As Alicia had predicted, Hyun’s attempts to burn away the smoke were in vain. While she could give herself a brief amount of clarity, it only took an instant for Divina to fill that space with smoke again. Not only that, but Alicia’s eye was almost overwhelmed by the amount of empathic and rune magic in the air. The runes on the walls prevented divination magic that wasn’t Huld’s from working, and the runes on Divina’s flesh were designed to increase her reception to certain kinds of magic. Even Huld’s dagger had a sort of enchantment that made it emit a massive shockwave on penetration, rupturing whatever it entered. Despite her lack of sight, Hyun attempted to snatch the dagger away from Huld. But she not only had to contend with poor visibility, but Divina herself. She was able to block the blow with one of her wings, and Huld moved in to strike. Her own divination magic was running, which let her see a few seconds into the future. She wasn’t going to get hit by any stray attacks. Decisive action was necessary. Alicia had managed to stop Tonya long enough to fire her special arrow at Divina.. It flew fast and true, and struck its target. Her eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of her head before she vanished, taking the cloud with her. Alicia may have wondered why Huld did nothing to prevent the attack, but that would become evident shortly. When Hyun’s vision returned, Huld’s dagger scraped the crest of her shoulder. Initially it seemed like a shallow cut, but then Hyun could feel an immense pressure as [i]something[/i] forced itself inside the cut. Water, air, it was so great it caused her shoulder to rupture and burst out of its socket. Huld pulled away from Hyun, the side of her face bathed in crimson. She caught Hyun’s arm as it flew through the air and tossed it into the crowd of mares. [b]”Your move, brat.”[/b] The mare audience was going wild, equal part excitement and confusion. There was blood! But where had the lead actress gone? Tonya may have been momentarily deterred, but nothing was stopping Abigail from ramping up her gravity magic. Alicia could feel the wind leave her lungs as invisible forces worked on all sides of her. But then one of Regina’s grenades collided with the gravity specialist’s head and detonated in a mist of confusion. Alicia fell to the floor as Abigail wobbled around in a daze. [color=f200f2]"They’re getting pretty upset, I don’t think we can hold them back forever!.”[/color] Regina fired a few more rounds before stepping beside Alicia. But the hail of arrows had ended, and Tonya was charging forward once again. She was close now, and likely wise to Alicia’s last trick. Hyun screamed as her arm was ripped and tossed away, splattering the goddess as well as a crowd of her servants in her blood. Any normal Mahou would have surrendered at that moment, or otherwise dropped to their knees and faltered. Nobody could have blamed her, opposed as she was against a goddess. But not Hyun. She clutched her bloody stump at first with her other arm, her teeth bared as she let out a growl. "I've tempered my heart with Beacon's gentle light, but…I haven't forgotten." Slowly, the blood started to boil and sizzle, like water heated over a fire. "The hunger that eternally gnawed within me…the voracious appetite, unmatched by any other desire." Soon, the blood caught fire, searing Huld's body and face. But even if she tried to put out the flames, they wouldn't quench; they were living flames, like tiny serpentine dragons that burrowed under her skin . Huld then saw Hyun’s torn arm violently explod, blowing up most of the mares and setting the horde on fire, unable to end the flames. "I was purified, but my heart remembers the hunger! And you will suffer it's deepless abyss!" Huld saw as Hyun transformed; she was enwreathed in red scales of fire, and from her stump grew three long tentacles of purest fire, each topped with a draconic head and fangs that could melt any matter. This was no normal Monstrous Metamorphosis, for Hyun was fully cognizant. She was purified, yet wielded power only the corrupted could dream of, having mastered both. It was a Titanic Transformation. "I am Jormungand, former monster queen, and the hidden Sinner of Gluttony!" She roared, and her tentacles, guided by her burning blood, bit on to Huld with unbreakable power. "I AM YOUR RAGNAROK!" And then, she unleashed her final fireworks, and poured all of her mana and life energy into a mighty spell; the fiery dragons in her body began to consume her blood and mana, multiplying with each drop, until she had turned into a draconic serpent of fire. Having turned herself into an Ouroboros, a serpent of endless hunger, the flames consumed her body. But even in the end, Hyun smiled towards Alicia. "I'm leaving the rest to you, Alicia. Hold Beacon's banner high, no matter what happens…" And so, Hyun conflagrated into an explosion directed at Huld. Any satisfaction Alicia had over taking Divina out of the equation for a few moments was quickly undercut by what happened next. Both the violence inflicted upon Hyun, and then the dramatic move she made, sacrificing herself so as to deal a hopefully grievous blow to the Lesser Force. As much as she might feel responsible, there was no time to mourn. Not with enemies still around them. As for their part of the fight, Abigail was dazed by Regina as Tonya came in for another strike. What she forgot in doing so was that Alicia’s bow was also a sword, and now that Abigail’s gravity magic had lapsed the Seraph was free to use it. Her blade struck the spear to knock it aside before moving closer to Tonya. That way she would not be able to use her spear as effectively with its longer range.[color=aba000] “Well then we’d better wrap this up fast. Make sure Abigail stays down for the count.”[/color] She followed it with another flash of light aimed at Tonya. That was merely intended to blind or serve as a distraction, since she had little expectation of it working a second time around. That was what the flat of her blade aimed at Tonya’s head for a knockout blow was for. Tonya’s umbrella wasn’t quite a spear. Its length made it more comparable to a sword, in fact. But it didn’t really matter because at the end of the day, Tonya was still a joke regardless if she had been brainwashed or not. It wouldn’t cure her, but at least a deft blow from her weapon would knock her out for a moment. Regina followed up by mirroring Alicia’s tactic, only using the butt of her gun to knock down Abigail. She was one of those min-max sorts, so striking her in the face with the butt of her magical weapon was an effective way to knock her out. [color=f200f2]"Sorry!"[/color] And just like that, the front of the stage area had been cleared out. … … … Or at least, it [i]had[/i] been. But between no one tending to the tunnel, and Hyun doing what beacon girls do best (that would be sacrificing themselves for the greater good) the crowd was thrown into a frenzy. Many of their brothers and sisters had died, and it looked like the same fate had befallen their mistress. Even if someone had tended the tunnel, the mares on the upper balcony were diving into the area below. Hundreds upon hundreds of mares, the greatest assassins in Scandinavia, would soon be upon the remaining beacon girls. Their only choice was to flee to the stage area. The medical caskets flew up beside them, allowing Alicia and Regina to deposit the now recently unconscious magical girls to their caskets. The mares, frenzied as they were, did not advance onto the stage. In fact, they became quiet and stood at attention. Hyun’s final sacrifice had created a lot of heat and flames, but also a lot of smoke. Smoke in a dark cave with a small opening overhead to let light in. It was hard to see much of anything at first, but Hyun’s remains started to clear out. Alicia could see the pile of ash that may have been Huld. But as more of the smoke cleared, she saw something else. Standing at the back of the stage was a tall woman brandishing Huld’s knife. Unlike Huld, she was the opposite of beautiful. Her body had burn scars over half of her face and her flesh was covered in blisters. One of her shoulders ended in a charred stump, and her white dress had adhered to her flesh, and she was nearly bald. It didn’t take Alicia long to realize that probably was Huld. It shouldn’t have been a surprise. Huld had divination magic and likely saw the attack coming. A two millenia old assassin came across a lot of different targets, and she survived all of them. Though one had to wonder how many of them left their mark on her like Hyun had. [b]”You know, this probably looks like it hurts.”[/b] Huld raised her dagger. [b]”But I’m feeling refreshed now that she’s stopped shouting your rhetoric. [i]Gods[/i] she was annoying.”[/b] Regina groaned. [color=f200f2]"You’re mean!"[/color] Huld grinned. [b]”I was once commissioned to convince a king to return home, and to kill him if I failed. I skipped trying to seduce him and sent a mare to crush his head. You really shouldn’t be surprised.”[/b] Her one good eye turned to Alicia. [b]”Well? Are you going to re-negotiate? Now that there’s fewer of you I might be able to work something out.”[/b] Regina answered for Alicia by opening fire. Of course, not a single bullet would hit its mark. Damaged as Huld was, her divination magic and speed were still functioning. But if there was something that Hyun’s sacrifice told Alicia, it was that her powers weren’t perfect. She could be harmed. But while Huld charged the two girls, the mares climbed onto the stage. Something needed to be done {i]very[/i] soon. A lot happened at once. On the positive side, Tionya and Abigail were dealt with. THey were returned to their pods, where hopefully they would not provide any trouble in the short term. In a more distressing turn of events, Hyun dramatically sacrificed herself to try and take out Huld. Alicia felt a pang of guilt, but the situation was still desperate enough that she knew there was no time to really process it. They would mourn later. That point was made all the more clear as mares swarmed them from all directions, with a casual disregard for their own safety. “On to the stage, quick!” Alicia’s bow fired as she moved, practically on a swivel as she fired at the nearest mass of mares. Clambering on to the stage, surrounded by smoke and lingering fires, Alicia only shot a few more arrows before realizing that the mares were not following them up here. [color=aba000]“That’s probably not a good sign,”[/color] she said aloud to herself, and as she turned to survey her surroundings she witnessed Huld’s emergence from the ash. She winced at the sight and could not escape a moment of sympathy for the harm that had been inflicted. Then Huld spoke, and reminded her why they were fighting in the first place. She might have considered negotiating now with how battered their foe was, but Regina answered that question in a fairly succinct manner. Even as injured as Huld was, was it possible for them to even kill a Lesser Force? But fleeing was just as unlikely an option, so it seemed there was no other choice but to fight. Forming glyphs in the air, Alicia unleashed another storm of light upon the mares that were seeking to climb the stage. That would buy them a couple of moments from the swarm of minions. Turning to Huld, one hand held her bow whilst the other grasped a sword made of light. She waited for a break in Regina’s firing to move in, focusing on keeping Huld out of easy stabbing range whilst her dual blade sought to remove the knife from the Lesser Force’s control. They would see just how much her Divination could keep up with that. So Alicia waited, and Regina kept firing. What made Huld hard to hit wasn’t her speed, but just how erratically she could move. She moved with a bumbling motion, jerking her limbs in erratic ways. Even when Regina fanned the bullets at her, they never hit anything vital. With all the burns she had sustained, she had moved past being fazed by stray bullets. It wasn’t long before Regina emptied her clip. She stepped backwards as she struggled to reload as fast as possible. But Huld was already there. She was fortunate that Alicia was as well. Alicia’s attack was a gambit. She had no idea if this was going to work or not. The mares were relentless, as was their leader. The only one who knew the outcome was Huld, and she was already scowling. Even with a shorter blade, Huld’s foresight enabled her to parry the first incoming weapon. Alicia’s blade of light was shoved off to the side by Huld’s swing. But as swift as Huld was, she had no way of escaping Alicia’s second blade. Alicia’s swing came right over the top of her light blade and knocked the dagger out of her hand. It tumbled through the air before embedding itself in her calf. The blade activated, and the burst severed her leg above the knee. With only half of her limbs, Huld fell to the ground. She didn’t even have time to reach for her blade before Regina kicked it away with her foot. The mares were about close in when Huld raised her hand. [b]”Stop, you imbeciles!”[/b] Huld shot a glare at Alicia. [b]”If you back them into a corner, they’ll just detonate like the last one!”[/b] The mares stopped in their tracks as Huld turned her attention to Alicia. A wry smile crossed her face as she laid in her own blood. [b]”So, about renegotiating. I assume that’s still on the table? Your friend hasn’t put a bullet in my head yet.”[/b] Regina pressed the barrel of her gun into Huld’s neck. [color=f200f2]"She’s thinking about it."[/color] Huld groaned. [b]”In light of recent events, I have decided that going against Beacon is not a worthwhile business proposition. I’d like to extend an olive branch and undo the mental interference on Tonya and Abigail. Not only will you have safe passage out of my lair, but it will be forbidden for a mare to attack a Beacon magical girl ever again. Do you find these terms acceptable?”[/b] Truth be told, even Alicia was a bit surprised by the sudden turn of events. She certainly had not expected things to work out so…succinctly. That was practically Sally levels of luck right there as Huld’s dagger fell and cut through her own leg, destroying the limb as it had done to Hyun’s arm. Stepping over to Huld as the mares advanced, Alicia did nothing to disabuse her of the idea that she would blow herself as Hyun had. [color=aba000]“I’m listening,”[/color] she replied as Huld opted to talk things out. With the mares no longer advancing, they could think clearly. The terms seemed as good as she could hope for, and Alicia did not see a reason to overreach. Still, she was also on the lookout for any loopholes that might be abused by the Lesser Force. [color=aba000]“If it’s forbidden for Divina or any other magical girls you end up recruiting too, then yes we have a deal.”[/color] She’d probably reappear in a minute or two, and Alicia didn’t want the tables being suddenly turned for a second time. Huld chuckled, even as her blood pooled around her body. [b]”Very well, then-”[/b] Huld was cut off when Regina shoved the muzzle of her gun deeper into her neck. [color=f200f2]"And Divina [i]isn’t[/i] going to attack us because you’re sending her back with us!"[/color] Huld growled. [b]”Do you have any idea what you’re doing?”[/b] [color=f200f2]"Do you?"[/color] Regina’s hair and flesh started to lose their color as her metamorphosis was starting to take over. [color=f200f2]"Are we supposed to forget that you killed one of our own and are keeping another captive? Divina is a member of Beacon, one of my friends, and you will surrender her at once! Five of us came here and I’ll be damned if some [i]disgusting[/i] corpse like you thinks she can hold onto even one of us!"[/color] Huld growled louder and louder until she was screaming. [hr] Lilium looked over the medical caskets. Each one was filled by one of the former “Beacon Buddies.” Tonya and Abigail were awake, and they were having a conversation with Divina. [b]“Hmph.”[/b] She turned to look at Regina and Alicia, who had just concluded their debriefing. [b]“I suppose congratulations are in order. The mission was a success in no small part thanks to you, Alicia.”[/b] Lilium sighed. [b]”It is unfortunate Hyun had to sacrifice herself, but it was for a worthy cause. Her life has brought four of our own back to us.”[/b] Alicia nodded in agreement, her arms folded as she watched the gathered trio of reunited magical girls. [color=aba000]“It was her choice, and I won’t forget it. I’m just glad it worked out in the end.”[/color] [color=f200f2]"You seem a little down, chief."[/color] Regina tried to put her hand on her captain’s shoulder, but she brushed it aside. [b]“I’m not, I assure you.”[/b] She folded her arms. [b]“I’m just surprised that two former monster queens ended up helping Alicia complete her mission. It’s just an interesting observation.”[/b] She prepared to walk down the hall. [b]”Medical is going to look them over, but I need to show you something, Alicia, so I hope you’ll wait.”[/b] The caskets followed Lilium out of the room, leaving just Regina and Alicia together. Alicia wasn’t sure what it was that Lilium wanted her to see, but she was in no rush to return home just yet. [color=aba000]“I’ll be here,”[/color] she assured her counterpart. [color=f200f2]"So that’s it then, all the Beacon Buddies are safe again."[/color] Regina smiled. [color=f200f2]"Kinda weird, knowing that I’ve fought both to enslave and free them."[/color] With the caskets departing, that left Regina and Alicia to talk and wait for Lilium’s return. [color=aba000]“You did good out there,”[/color] Alicia assured her companion. There might have been issues in the past after Regina’s conversion to Beacon, but there was no point in holding on to those grudges. She then shrugged. [color=aba000]“Sometimes things just work out like that. Clearly it’s all because of your naming sense.”[/color] What was intended to be mockery at first had circled around to become truth, after all. [color=f200f2]"Yea, hah! The name was Elroy’s idea, but I guess we’re both the same person now."[/color] Regina’s eyes trailed into the distance before returning back to Alicia. [color=f200f2]"I had been envious of you guys ever since I learned about you. Beacon was this giant organization of magical girls that wanted to work together towards a common goal. I understood that much, but I didn’t understand the hate Elroy and I were getting. I’m not saying my actions in the past were ideal. But, um..."[/color] She folded her arms behind her back and grinned. [color=f200f2]"I’m glad I did good! I always wanted to fight alongside you at least once. At least since I joined Beacon."[/color] Regina’s words were unfortunately true, though it was hard for Alicia to claim that one side had come out looking particularly well from the previous clashes with the Bates Twins. [color=aba000]“That’s why I’ve stuck with it. For as much as it might frustrate me, this sort of organization, this community, it’s unique in our world.”[/color] [color=f200f2]" I just wish we could have done something for poor Hyun. You guys weren’t close, were you?"[/color] With the conversation turning to Hyun, Alicia found herself frowning. [color=aba000]“Not close, no. But she was one of us. At least we made her choice count.”[/color] [color=f200f2]" Yes we did!"[/color] Lilium returned with what appeared to be a crystal shard inside a vial. But it was flexible, as her footsteps were enough to make it bend and bounce inside its glass prison. [b]“Even though this was a Beacon sanctioned mission, we did go through the C.A.P.R.I.C.O.R.N .to make the request.”[/b] She offered the vile to Alicia. [b]“Bonnie wanted to pass along this strange token. It appears to be a magical coin of some kind, but none of us have any idea what it does. I was going to dispose of it, given it was gift from a [i]filthy monster,[/i] but Bonnie did well by us. Between her and what Penrose Beacon was able to accomplish with Penny, I’ve decided that you should ultimately decide what happens to it.”[/b] Alicia turned to Lilium as she returned, bearing a strange crystal. Her brow furrowed in thought as she considered the object, wondering what it did and what it might mean. [color=aba000]"I'll look into it. It wouldn't be the first time we had to investigate weird new Coins,"[/color] she replied. Sure, it might not be as easy as it was at one time, but they were hardly helpless. [b]“So long as I don’t have to look at it anymore, you may do as you wish.”[/b] Lilium turned to Regina. [b]“At present, you’re my only active agent. No rush, but do see me when you’re done speaking with Alicia.”[/b] She turned on her heel and left. [color=f200f2]"Um…"[/color] Regina turned to look at Alicia. [color=f200f2]"She’s not nearly as uptight as she seems, heh!"[/color] Carefully placing the vial with the rest of her stuff, Alicia nodded as Lilium departed. [color=aba000]"It's fine,"[/color] she assured Regina. [color=aba000]"It sounds like she's under a lot of pressure.”[/color] Alicia was not so thin skinned as to take a curt attitude too personally. With a sigh, Regina held her chin. [color=f200f2]"But you know, something doesn’t feel right about this."[/color] She shook her finger. [color=f200f2]"Huld attacked Abigail, Tonya, and me, but then where did she get Divina from? Last reported sighting of her was in the vacation dimension. I thought Chloe had her?"[/color] Regina's observation was certainly intriguing. [color=aba000]"Maybe that was her price for the job,"[/color] she speculated. [color=aba000]"Unless Divina remembers, we may never know."[/color] [color=f200f2]"I wouldn’t put it past Chloe to do something like that."[/color] Regina twiddled her thumbs. [color=f200f2]"Um, I’d be up for talking with you longer, but I don’t think now is the best time."[/color] She patted Alicia on the shoulder. [color=f200f2]"I have your number, so I can let you know if there are any new developments with my buddies."[/color] [color=aba000]“Sounds good. I’ll keep in touch. Let me know if Huld finds a loophole in our deal and comes after you guys again too.”[/color] Alicia assured Regina. If she needed to come back and handle things a second time, she was more than willing. For now, she headed for the teleporter to return to Penrose. [color=f200f2]"Will do! Take care, socks!"[/color] Regina coughed. [color=f200f2]"Erm, Alicia!"[/color] As the group started to head out, Alicia faintly smelled something burning, and noticed that the back of her hand had been stained by grey ash. As she wiped it, she saw that a mark had been left behind, as if burnt into her skin: a circle lined with fangs in a jagged pattern. Was this one last memento from Hyun? Or was it just a coincidental scar? Whatever it was, Alicia couldn't help but suspect that she felt traces of magic emanating from it.