Mitakihara has ceased to exist, and in its place is a wasteland of ice.
The ground has frozen over, coated in a thick layer of snow, and the water has turned into a solid block of ice. The clouds are thick overhead, inching slowly closer towards a central hole in the world, as though the sky itself is
dipping directly into the open mouth of Langstenacht.
Every so often, a seagull flies overhead. As soon as it passes the line between ice and saltwater, it begins to dip. The wings flex a little, the mouth going slack. It tries to keep itself aloft before it falls unconscious in midair, eyes shutting within seconds of crossing the barrier. The seagull crashes into the ice, dead before it hit the ground, taken in a sleep that lasted just seconds.
The wind is biting, and all of Kasamino can feel a soft rush of freezing air. It's the end of October, but it feels
arctic. Everyone outside of the ice feelsjust a little lethargic, as though their energy is sapped.
It is impossible for anyone to ignore the growing monstrosity outside of Kasamino. And from the stares of people across the bay, it is clear that there is no illusion hiding
this.
Across the water, away from the cold, are the remains of Team Mitakihara and The Glow. You are situated at the end of the pier, across the bay, looking over the ruined bridge and into the city of ice and death.
The growing mass of ice inches steadily across the water. And you're not sure, but you would guess that it was slowing. All you know right now is that there is
no fucking way you're getting back. At the very least, you can tell that Langstenacht doesn't seem to be moving. You take a deep, deep breath.
Your name is Minako Miki-Sakura, and you're just thankful that most of the Info team was able to leave.
...Most. There were still a number of people caught in the ice.
Your girlfriend is behind you, talking with Yuki, your moms, and Akane. But you haven't really been in the mood to talk. You're still staring forward at what's left of Mitakihara. You can't even really cry.
It's not because you're tough. It's just...still processing.
The past hour still hasn't even felt
real.
'This is...unprecedented.'
You jump, your eyes wide as you whip your head to the side. "I...
you!"
'Yes. Me.' The creature turns its head to you.
'And I am here to send a message. This is actually not something that we desire.'
"Oh, and what the fuck do you desire, huh?! I just lost my
fucking home!" You stand up. "Fuck you, you
stupid rat piece of fucking
shit, FUCK!" You kick at it in a rage, only to miss. Your foot crashes through the rotten, wooden pier, shrapnel shredding into a nearby pier support beam. "I lost my fucking home and you want to talk about what
you fucking want?! We lost friends and allies and
people because of that fucking bitch and you want to talk about a
fucking inconvenience?!"
'I am saying that we can work together on this particular issue. And this problem extends beyond a mere inconvenience, Miki-Sakura.' The creature's eyes gleam.
'I am saying that this witch is...unusual. A once-in-a-civilization event. The issue of metaphysics and unknown variables. Namely that powers are a subjective feeling turned into a tangible reality. Or, more specifically...Rin's beliefs and powers, with a very particular set of circumstances, corrupted our plans.'
You set your jaw. "What were your fucking plans?"
'The eradication of Mitakihara and the resurrection of Walpurgisnacht. The witch your mothers killed.'
You stare at it. You try to find the words to answer back. But mostly you're just bewildered. You heard that your moms had killed the thing that made that monument but...
Well, it's still hard to comprehend.
'Their successful self-preservation lead to a disruption of our systems.' The creature flicks its tail.
'A mass-witch, or 'walpurgisnacht' as we have come to term them, acts as a natural cleanser. It destroys cities, causes emotional disruption. It acts much like a wildfire, ripping away old life and leaving fertile ground for new creatures. Or, in our case...magi. Magi are not born of fulfilled lives, after all, but struggle. A struggle for a better tomorrow.
'Your mothers disrupted a natural event. Walpurgisnacht was frozen in her tracks. She was supposed to cut a path through the greater parts of Japan before charging through eastern China and dissipating before she hit Beijing.' The creature's static face somehow radiates mild frustration.
'We were supposed to gather its remnants and the energy it left behind.'
"And that's why you let Rin..."
'That is why we were trying to assist Rin Saitou. Her plans were always doomed to failure, but we were anticipating a resurrection.' The creature turns to the ice mountain before you. Skyscrapers are tilted sideways, some impaled on great spikes of ice.
'This was unforeseen. A one-in-a-billion chance, to speak colloquially. Most witches expend energy. This one...consumes.'
"Consumes?" You turn towards it. "As in it just...eats power?".
But it's already vanished, just as suddenly as it appeared. You blink a few more times, eyes darting around for the
bastard, before you see it sauntering up to the group.
You see its feet patter against the ground before you flick your eyes towards the ruins of Mitakihara, then back to everyone else. You turn back towards the icy waters.
And what was once slowing down lurches. Your eyes widen as you take a step backwards, thenturn back towards the Incubator.
'This witch is a creature of Entropy. It has only stopped briefly; it will not remain still for long. And when it moves, it will resume its rampage.'
[] Trust Incubator.
[] Don't trust Incubator.
