25 Chapter 22 - "Organisms Asphyxiation" (1/2)

Melissa : ”I need to leave. I need to warn the others. I know more than they do. I might know more than Jens. I need to save them!”

The girl in the cell kept repeating those words to herself. She had completely no idea how she would be able to leave her cell until–

She heard a door open.

She looked at the door and saw a little girl opening it, staring at Melissa.

She has blue hair and olive green eyes, it was Meili Portroute.

Meili : ”Hm? What is this place?”

Melissa : ”Y-You're someone from the Royal Camps, right?”

The girl smiled.

Meili : ”Ah yes… I am.”

Then suddenly, two other boys entered the room. To Melissa, they were familiar.

It were…

Sapphire Northsire, and Lethias Greenway.

Melissa : ”Sapphire! Lethias!”

Sapphire : ”Ha? Do you know us? It seems I don't remember ya.”

Lethias : ”Boss, do you recognize her?”

Then, the final one enters the room. It was Annie Leonhardt.

Annie : ”O-Oh…”

Melissa : ”ANNIE!”

Annie and Melissa had history together.

The day when Melissa got abducted by Furuta, it was Annie who got crippled with fear by Furuta's abilities, making her watch her friend Starla getting killed in a cruel way.

Annie : ”Melissa… What are you doing here? I thought Masquerade had you—”

Melissa : ”Save me! Quick! Masquerade isn't the one who he says he is! Trust me!”

Lethias : ”Hey Annie, she isn't lying.”

The boy said that while Annie had an unconvinced expression on her face.

Sapphire : ”A-Ah… Annie, is it this girl who made Starla—”

Annie : ”Shut up. No need to mention her.”

Melissa : ”LISTEN TO ME! Masquerade is a from the Garden of Eden himself! Everything he says are lies! Lies Lies Lies! He wants Ruby Rose for himself! He wants to–”

Sapphire : ”Oy! Don't cha talk like that bout our—”

Annie : ”Friend? Is that what you call the one that killed Starla?”

Sapphire : ”T-That's not what I wanted to s–”

Meili : ”Haha! I think I did quite a good job in helpinh ya, didn't I?

Annie : ”Thank you Meili, you can do whatever you want now.”

Meili : ”Well well! That's a lot freeeeeedom!”

Melissa : ”I-I don't understand what is going on.”

Annie : ”We were searching for traces of Regulus, but Meili brought us here, which is fine too, I guess.”

Melissa : ”Annie. Listen, Masquerade… He's still nearby. Free me and I'll help you kill him!”

Meili : ”My My! Isn't Masquerade extremely strong?”

Annie : ”He isn't. He's weaker than you probably Meili, if what you told is actually your power.”

Meili : ”Oh… Riiiii~ght.”

Melissa : ”S-So? What's your choice.”

Sapphire : ”Why would we free you?”

Lethias : ”Geez, finally someone who agrees with me.”

Meili : ”Well! I'll be going back to the Rossi Mansion, because I've business there to do finish. Haha. Have a nice day everyone!”

Like that, Meili just walked away, ignoring what just happened.

Melissa : ”A-Ah… W-”

Suddenly, Melissa felt a river of anger flowing through her blood. Suddenly, her appearance changed to that of Sirius A.

Sirius A : ”Ah! Amazing! Amazing! This is what love is? Betraying the Cult? IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL WARRIORS?!”

Annie : ”S-S-Sirius…?!”

Sirius A : ”GUESS IT'S MY TIME TO CONQUER THIS CITY!”

Melissa, suddenly released a tornado and destroyed almost the whole Lugnician prison. The ceiling was completely gone and the other four floors were destroyed too.

Sirius A : ”I want to see crimson red flowers, my dear Annie, Sapphire and Lethias!”

She just broke free without even doing something. She just released a tornado in a flash.

Annie : ”T-This is bad! But we cannot let her talk like that about us! It was the cult who betrayed us, we'll never follow your orders ever again Sirius!”

Lethias : ”I've to bring back my Jens. With joining the Warriors, I won't be able to that. Living without the old Jens is a fate worse than death!”

Sapphire : ”Well, it appears I don't have big reasons. But I promised to return, to my family!”

Sirius A : ”AMAZING! ALL FOR LOVE!”

Then, Sapphire threw an icicle spear towards Sirius A, but missed. However, the spear left a hard surface of Ice behind.

Sapphire grabbed his snowboard and started rushing towards her, by snowboarding on the ice surface.

Lethias started throwing Earth Magic towards her, rapidly and at a high pace.

While Sirius A was destroying all their attacks, Annie Leonhardt ran towards Sirius A and created with her semblance, a unbreakable crystal sword that can cut through any thickness.

Sirius A created a gust of wind and made Sapphire fall of his snowboard. She then burned the floor and made it melt, in addition to that, the Earth Mana disappeared from the atmosphere and Lethias became unable to use magic anymore. Sirius A removed her bandage from his face, and the two boys were stunned. When they saw the red and black eye, they were completely paralyzed.

Sirius A : ”SEALED EYES!”

Then, the two of them collapsed.

Annie : ”What did you do them?”

Sirius A : ”Ahahahaha darling, they're fine. It's just not much fun to keep getting hindered by the two weaklings. You're the strongest, so I'm more interested in you.”

Annie : ”I see. Sirius A tell me. How… is my father doing?”

The story flipped. Annie started talking to the possessor of Melissa, Sirius A.

Sirius A : ”How ruthless of you asking. You're standing in front of the biggest demon!”

Annie : ”Don't care.”

Sirius A : ”So serious. Remaining the same facial expression. You didn't have that face when my dear Masquerade snapped Starla's neck, did you?”

Annie : ”So that's the case. You're both obnoxious.”

Annie ran towards Sirius, jumping in the air and kicked her jaw extremely hard, possibly breaking Melissa's own.

No female had this strength in their kick, but Annie did. Annie crystallized her whole foot, leg and body with unbreakable crystal and kicked Sirius A.

Sirius A : ”Ouchie Ouchie, when oh when will the Lion attack its pray?”

Annie : ”Respond. How is my father doing?”

Sirius A : ”He's fine you bitch. But not for long. You EX-Warriors betrayed the Forgotten Kingdom! You were supposed to protect it and destroy the Devil Kingdom of Lugnica, but instead you joined their sides? How pathetic! All your relatives and descendants will suffer!”

Annie : ”We didn't join anyone. After your associate killed Starla and Emerada disappeared, we decided to stop with the madness. I don't want to carry the burden of being unable to do things. I wasn't able to save Starla, I wasn't able to kill you that day, I don't have that power.”

Sirius A : ”Being unable to do the things your sad heart desires, that would've pierced my heart if I had one.”

Annie : ”Hmph. So that's how it is. I got no way out except defeating you.”

Sirius A : ”As if you can get your hands on this beauty. There is no way a fly like you can do anything against me.”

Annie : ”Alright then. Let's begin.”

Annie crystallized her arm and created a blade.

Sirius A swung her hands and out of the bandages, golden chains appeared. She started throwing with the chains, trying to break one of Annie's bones, but with no success as Annie was very fast.

Annie started launching those crystals, but Sirius A send them to different locations with the chains that were wrapped around her arms.

Sirius A : ”AHAHA! TRUE DEDICATION! BUT I'M GETTING SLIGHTLY BORED MY DARLING! IT'S TIME TO SHRED YOU IN PIECES.”

Annie : ”You even thinking that you'll defeat me is hilarious. The stories were slightly true about you, but I will follow this path until the end.”

Sirius A : ”You're lovely, I'm telling you.”

The two were on the 5th layer of the prison tower, the wind was strong and if one of them fell of the tower, they would be dead.

Annie : ”Show me what you actually got, Devil.”

Sirius A : ”DEVIL?! DEVIL! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!”

The girl wrapped around by bandages and chains ran towards Annie and kicked in the stomach, it didn't hurt as Annie crystallized her body, but the power of that kick made her go flying and fall of the tower.

Melissa : ”DIE! I WANT TO SEE YOUR BLOOD TRANSFORM INTO BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS!”

Annie.Leonhardt.full.1528898.jpg

Just for a second, Annie remembered her time back when she wasn't a warrior, fighting for something people call good or bad.

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??? : ”Annie! Is that what you call a kick? If I was trying to kill you, and you would kick me with that power, I would've already cut your throat! Do not embarrass me! HARDER!”

Annie Leonhard was standing near a river in a grass field with blue and orange flowers everywhere, even in the water.

Near the man who was shouting at Annie, stood Jens.

Jens : ”Annie try to focus. Aim all your Aura from one point to another. If you can do that, your physical strength will be way stronger.”

??? : ”Ah thank you my highness. Thank you for teaching my daughter how to fight.”

Jens : ”There is no need to thank me. I've to thank you for having such an amazing daughter, Mr. Leonhardt.”

??? : ”Ah please, call me Mark.”

Jens : ”Anyway, Annie, I'll be leaving for a few weeks. I have business to do with the Leo King.”

Annie walked towards Jens and bowed down.

Jens : ”A-Ah no please. I don't need special treatment like that. There is completely no need for that. We're all equal, remember?”

Mark : ”You're truly the Greatest Jens! Annie show me how you need to kick. Kick the tree! Show them how you'll survive through the war! Show them how you'll fight against the Earth Devil!”

Annie walked towards the tree and kicked it as hard as he could and then jumped in the air and punched it. However, she didn't land good, lost balance and fell.

Mark : ”ANNIE! WHAT WAS THAT?!”

Jens : ”Mark please, she's just a child.”

Mark : ”She's my daughter Jens-sama!”

Jens : ”That's not a reason why you must push her so hard. Give her time. There is no war approaching anyway. Allow her to play too. Does she even have friends?”

Mark : ”Friends are for the weak.”

Jens : ”Hmph. I don't like that statement. Anyway, Annie…”

Jens looked at Annie and put his hand on her shoulder.

Jens : ”Do whatever you want in your life Annie. If you want to be a warrior, become that. If you want to become a mother, search for the one you love. Don't make anyone order you what you're life will look like. Just promise me one thing, that you'll return back to me when you're done with the mission.”

Annie nodded.

Annie : ”I would never leave you all behind…”

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Around thirty minutes after the negotiations with Melissa Yoshimura Lestrange, the man walked towards a building in a Demi-Human district. Because of the chaos, there was not even a single citizen walking outside, so it was easy for the man to find the location.

He entered the building and walked down the hall and opened a door.

The man in the chique black clothing, long black hair and red eyes entered a pitch black room and sat down at a table. He had his mask on, so he went under the identity of Masquerade.

He turned on the lights, and the two people on the table were revealed.

Masquerade, The Crazed King and the Murder of Faces.

The other person was more a surprise.

Raven Branwen, The Traitor.

Masquerade : ”Ah Raven! You look lovely, as always!”

Raven : ”Masquerade…”

Masquerade : ”I have quite a busy agenda, so can we make this quick if possible?”

Raven : ”It's all up to you and your questions and answers.”

Masquerade : ”Ah I see. I see. Well, I guess I'll start with the questions then…”

Furuta behind the mask, smiled and he shrugged.

Masquerade : ”So tell me. Where is the Spring Maiden?”

Raven : ”W-What are you talking about?”

Masquerade : ”Ah please, don't ruin your pretty face with lies! You're the leader of the Branwen Tribe right now, right? The rumors of you picking up the Spring Maiden during the time that Lugnician Princess got abducted were all over the world.”

Raven : ”I don't have a connection with the Spring Maiden.”

Masquerade : ”Hm. Lying. Lying. Lying. Lies everywhere. You sure like keeping your title, don't you? What about me messaging everyone that it was you who opened the Portal for the Witch Cult to infiltrate the Kingdom?”

Raven : ”Don't. You. Dare!”

Masquerade : ”Just like I thought. Big mouth, but scared. Quite hilarious.”

Raven : ”Her name is… Vernal. She's currently in Mistral, she's training to use her powers.”

Masquerade : ”Ah I see! Make sure to bring her with you the next time.”

Raven : ”Understood… Next question?”

Masquerade : ”Weiss Schnee is the representative of Gusteko. Yang is safe in the Roswaal Territory and Ruby Rose is currently sealed in her coffin. So tell me, where is Blake Belladonna?”

The woman in the kimono gulped.

Raven : ”I have no idea what so ever.”

Masquerade : ”You really are useless. I thought I was supposed to protect your sister if you keep providing usefull information, but it appears you're lacking.”

Raven : ”N-No Masquerade, d-don't.”

Masquerade : ”I'm not stopping protecting her. It's just I don't see anything useful in you anymore. Where is my information?”

Raven : ”T-Tsk… I-I failed.”

Masquerade : ”You failed? What do you mean?!”

Raven : ”God… Please forgive me.”

Masquerade : ”W-What are you talking b–”

Then, Raven grabbed blade and tried to stab Masquerade, however she only succeeded in slicing a small part of his mask. The Mask shattered in pieces and his real identity was revealed.

Raven : ”I knew it. I was helping you the whole time…”

Furuta : ”Pardon? I think you're slightly confused, we had a deal. We were helping each other, but now it seems you broke that deal.”

Raven dashed towards him and cut Furuta's head off, however he appeared next to her right.

Furuta : ”My dear, that's not where I stood.”

Raven : ”You… You damned Witch's Clown!”

Furuta : ”I like that name. Sadly, I would rather be Satella's hero like Jens, not her clown.”

Raven : ”I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.”

Suddenly, the door opens of the room, Yang Xiao Long, the daughter of Raven entered the room.

Yang : ”Elis, where are you?”

She said, but it costed only her to turn around to notice Furuta and Raven fighting.

She looked at Raven with sorrow in her eyes, but when she noticed Elis fighting her, she ran towards them.

Yang : ”Mom! Elis! What is going on?”