Magical Girl Quest - The Fire That Burns

It is quiet for a long time, but it is a comfortable silence. You don't feel the urge to speak out, you just... exist and wait.

Eventually, there is a shifting, a crack in your little world. It grows, spreading across everything until it halts, frozen in place.

The gentle humming returns, and the cracks slowly recede, creeping backwards until they are completely gone.

The soft little tune reverberates through everything and nothing, gently coaxing you forwards and nowhere. You follow it and remain still, letting it guide you.

You pass a tiny crack, impossible to see, but still knowing it is there. Your guide draws you around it, the soothing whisper dances, and it is finally gone.


You open your eyes slowly, cocooned in a warm embrace, your heart beating lazily in time with another.

A thumb gently strokes your shoulder, a soft hand resting there, radiating a comfortable warmth. You turn your eyes to the sky, watching the clouds slowly drift by as you listen to her sounds.

The two of you stay there for an eternity, her gentle ministrations keeping you on the verge of sleep.

...

...

[ANGER?

There is a long silence after your question, until you feel her body vibrate, her humming interrupted by a gentle laugh.

She tenderly runs a hand down your cheek, the gentle rise and fall of her chest rocking you slightly.

[LOVE]

It was everything that could be said, in ways that words could not.

But despite your paradise, something tugged at you, a part of you screaming and roaring quietly in the background.

[SISTER]

It felt wrong, but it felt more and more right the more you sleepily mulled the thought over.

Mother sighs slightly, halting her gentle movements as she gazes down at you.

You meet her stare, until her smile returns, hands returning to their tasks.

You follow her gaze when it turns to the sky, looking deeper at her gentle encouragement.

Far in the distance, beyond the sky and in another, you see them. Cracks, dozens of them, slowly spreading across that sky. It was almost covered.

You turn your gaze back to her, a question in your eyes.

She closes her own, a long moment passing before they open.

She stares into you, looking past and seeing.

You see them then, Demons.

But you see further, Deeper.

She leans down to you, voice softly whispering the first words you have heard from her.

[Be strong and remember, I am always with you.]

As her sentence ends, so does the world. Everything slides sideways, falling apart at the seams as your mind falls into the abyss.


You slowly open your eyes, a muted hush falling over the crowded room as you take your first breath.

Your reprieve lasts barely a second before your sister hits you like a missile, throwing herself at you and pitching you both to the ground. Her rapid babbling echos out and she squeezes you tightly, her voice jolting the rest of the room into action, masses of people closing towards you with shouts flying everywhere.

There is an enormous slam that shakes the room and suddenly Daiyu is standing before you, fully transformed and with her sword planted into the ground. Her glare wards off the Enforcers who were approaching as Morgan crouches at your side, quickly looking over you for any injuries with worried eyes. It is only then that you see the bags lining them and her general aura of exhaustion, she looks like she is just about ready to keel over. You reach up to her at you hold Una close, Daiyu moving to kneel by your side with stiff, but rapid movements.

She clutches your hand, dragging herself closer until her forehead is touching your shoulder. Daiyu sets her hand on your other, occasionally looking up with a stony face whenever she spots anyone closing, despite her stoicism, you can see that she has worse bags under her eyes than Morgan does.

You feel a wetness on your shoulder and look down. Morgan looks back up at you, tears escaping from the side of her face openly and she presses herself into your side.

You try to speak, by your voice cracks and you begin coughing. It lasts a long enough for Daiyu to start gently stroking your shoulder. When it stops, Morgan looks up at you and shakily speaks. "We thought you were gone forever, she just took you." She buries her face against you again, her voice muffled as she speaks. "We couldn't get you back."

You try to form words as Una shivers on your chest, but your voice refuses to co-operate with you, something straining as your magic fluctuates wildly. Morgan eventually just shakes her head, reluctantly moving back to her knees and wiping her face with her sleeve. One of my hoodies.

Daiyu carefully helps you stand, holding your shaky form up as you use the last of your strength to hold Una. She gently takes your weight as you begin walking, Morgan walking closely on your other side, hands fumbling with themselves uselessly.

A man with a red cross, a medic, tries closing when you reach the door. Daiyu sharply turns her head to look at him and he backs down quickly, holding both of his hands up as he rapidly retreats.

They help you back to Morgan's room, Cuifen quickly looking up from where she is doing something at the table, dropping whatever it is and rapidly making her way to her feet, rapidly shuffling along with the help of the furniture. They guide you over to Morgan's bed, moving to rest you against the headboard as Morgan quickly runs through the house, returning with a glass of water that she nearly throws over you at her rapid stop.

You take a long gulp, tilting your head back further and further until you finish the entire glass. You swallow with a gasp, trying to catch your breath as Daiyu stands resolutely at the end of your bed. Cuifen settles herself down on a nearby chair, leaning over to speak as you shift Una a little.

"Know what happened?" You nod a little slowly. Some things were a little hazy, but you remembered everything fine. She breathes a sigh of relief and continues. "Were gone for six days, just gone. Said felt big burst of magic from you, then just disappeared into thin air."

Your magic finally settles down somewhat as Morgan claims the floor next to you, Daiyu still standing guard, but her ear is turned towards you.

[] Tell them that Gaia took you.
[] Lie