*
It was unknown how much time had passed. After the fight, the only ones left were 3. Kaori, Myuu and Paridia. Seeing as the other 2 hadn't returned for a long time, there was nothing left to do but to push forward.
Their opponents, the ArcMaidens were all alive. Compared to before they were much worse off having lost 2 people. Ability wise, they may have gotten stronger but if they got teamed on by the 6 present ArcMaidens, it was easy to see the outcome. Nevertheless, they are only here now because the ArcMaidens that faced the 3 had faced defeat. Before the 3 could kill the ArcMaidens, they were all teleported away.
It was a modest room with smooth brown marble walls and a comfortable sea blue rug under their feet, over the rugs were countless yellow patterns of embroidery, likely containing some unknown magic. They sat around on large black sofas that had a few soft cushions strewn about. The ceiling lights weren't too bright but they perfectly lit every bit of the room. A small rectangular coffee table was in the middle of the 4 black sofas, it had a few mugs and decorative plant vases on it. Lastly, there was a single door at a corner of the room.
Anyone could guess where that door led. The price they paid was heavy, just for an audience with The Eye God. If anyone else were there, they would think it was some kind of punishment exacted by their god. But they wouldn't pass the test as they weren't powerful enough. The truly strong would understand, it wasn't a punishment, it was just a sick and twisted entry requirement. They passed by the skin of their teeth, but there was no celebration in sight.
They silently weep above the sofas, but they do not make the mistake of losing sight of their goal. No one laid on their backs, rather they sat at the edge of their seats ready to stand when everyone was ready. It felt like an eternity of silence before anyone spoke up saying they were ready to leave. So they wept and wept. They released their regrets, their grief, the mistakes they made, anything they hated about themselves but was undeniably part of themselves.
"With this, is it safe to assume Gerald is also dead?" (Kaori)
Her silver locks swayed about in the musky air, the room hadn't been in used for a long time so even after cleaning surfaces of dust, there was still dust particles floating in the air. Her jaded eyes peak through the silver looks, carefully taking in information about every person present. Once could never be safe enough. Despite having such an unfriendly face, her light purple dress has been dyed heavily in a dark crimson red that permeated her waist and chest.
The bottom half of her dress that extended independantly from her hips into the left and right waved along the rhythm of her body as she moved her legs. They join around her hips and don't cover the entire way, exposing the front and back and only hiding the left and right. Below these 2 shaky clothes was 2 layers of dresses, one that joined to her body smoothly and one that was pleated. They also extend towards the left and right, revealing her white thigh highs as she sits on the sofa while deep in thought.
Two tiny bracelets sat atop her small wrists, their dimness diminishes their trait of being eyecatching but they emanate a sense of uniqueness around her that mesmerises those who let their guard down.
"... We're just some governors. If it wasn't one of us who took Gerald, it's safe to say the cult took her... And I'm afraid to say she would have a fate worse than death over there. " (Kanou)
A girl with shoulder lengthed black hair spoke, her black leather military outfit and silver armour gleamed under her rosy shrine maiden coat. Her mannerisms looked relax, but her body was actually on edge. After all, she tied in battle with someone she watched grew up as a magical girl. It was clear to everyone after looking at Kaori's cold gaze, that she was carefully planning how to kill everyone. Kanou was on the lookout on the Arc Maiden's side in case Kaori goes out of control.
Well, she wasn't too worries as she fought Kaori to a tie. Now that they knew each other's tricks, it would be difficult to predict the outcome of the next battle. Information could change a lose to a win, that was how much their initial exchange influenced their next bout. If, they get into another fight. She stood behind a sofa and didn't have the chance to relax, occasionally the gleam of her silver armour would peak out from under her shrine maiden coat.
"..." (Paridia)
Another magical girl, shorter than the average height. Her shoulder lengthed bright pink hair was rough due to the battle, making its hue darker than usual with all the sweat that has gathered. Kaori could rapidly heal with her first skill funneling magical particles into herself, but Paridia was a different story. At this point it would be too troublesome and she was too caught up in her own thoughts to make that request anyway.
Her coat covered the base of her neck to her hips and was actually quite thin and single layered. Underneath it was a pair of simple underwear and it felt odd to wear a coat without a top, so Paridia uses her light skill to form an optical illusion at all times to make the coat look multilayered. With this, people would assume she had a top underneath as the layers of the coat formed the rainbow with a normal beige as the topmost layer, to a purple coat as the second layer, and so on and so forth. The final layer being red, it hid the short pants she wore, connecting to her black tights and shoes.
"That matches up to our goal, we came here to ask the Eye God for the progenitor's location, or better yet, to capture her for us. It's possible to have our wish granted, right? " (Myuu)
A pair of brunette twintail bobbed in the air, she spoke with a heavy tone as she was exhausted from battle. Only HuoLi knew how much she went through as the culprit who fought her, it was evident in how HuoLi herself also felt really sluggish. Her forest green dress layed over the sofa as a wet patched formed around her visibly, well, everyone was sweating so no one would fault her for it.
The bottom half of her dress had become black with gold embroidery depicting a forest. The top half was still the same fluttery vine green with puffed shoulders and actual vines growing out of her right sleeve. A velvety transparent layer extended from right below her chest to her hips like a negligee over the normal opaque dress, forming a second layer that flitted like the wind. Thankfully the second layer was thin and wasn't adding to the unbearable heat that she would feel, not that the heat was particularly significant at this point of time.
"That would depend on her mood" (Huo Li)
Unlike the others, she was a rarity with pure white bangs. The sign of the strong that would intimidate any newcomer. A snow white purity that would easily be dyed in blood, her sharp eyes and narrow nose was even more impressive to contend with her hair and stand out, forming a complete package that exuded an elegant yet wild air.
Unlike Kaori's current expression of coldness and regret, HuoLi's expression was of an aloof beauty and a hardened warrior. Her thin body and limbs seem like they could be snapped like branches at any moment, yet if one looked closer it seems that her muscles were just even more compact. Most magical girls wouldn't have muscles after transforming, their body had already become optimised for conducting skills in battle, yet HuoLi's stature bore the fruits of her efforts.
She was actually quite chiseled and able to hide it under her clothes well, if it was a romcom one would say she looked smaller after wearing her clothes. At this moment, her black hood was off. Her combat dress was reminiscent of the reaper, a large thin black coat that floated over nothing, a full black body suit with dark crimson highlights and metallic padding under that coat. Over the coat was another coat with a minimalistic shrine maiden colour scheme, it was mostly white with a few red lines lining its silhouette and some big red empty circles in the middle to accentuate it.
"Well, guess we don't have a choice." (Kaori)
"... Good luck. Even for an old lady like me, our boss is more grumpier than you think. There's always this pressure to a God magical girl that no other has... Well, you're not an acquaintance in the first place. So you'll have to be extra careful. Just remember, she has her eyes set on protecting the faction. It sounds obvious and basic... But visitors let their guard down and get executed after a rude remark. " (Triney)
Her cyan hair and white ArcMaiden coat contrasted with each other. She was sweating the most and her ArcMaiden coat had become transparent as it was drenched with her body fluids. The most ominous part was her lack of injuries despite facing Paridia, who had the most penetrative power with her light beams. She spoke with an odd demeanour unbefitting of her youthful appearance...
But anyone would think she must be a really old magical girl if she calls herself an old lady. She also has a unique 6th sense to detect if anyone was rudely thinking of her age. She stares straight at Myuu, to which Myuu looks away in terror to avoid her ferocious glare. Her lips were smiling but it didn't reach her eyes. One could swear they see a vein bulging out of her temple and a dark cloud gathering over their heads to welcome a thunderstorm.
At last, Kaori sighed. She released the tension in her body and thought it better to rest than to provoke the ArcMaidens. It's not like the others were letting their guard down either, they simple weren't blatantly showing how repulsed they are of each other. They hid their feelings tight in the recesses of their heart, resting up in case of any unforeseen circumstances. While there are 5 ArcMaidens there who met and fought Kaori's party, the other 3 were busy maintaining security around the external regions of the faction.
It wouldn't be a surprise if another faction began a surprise invasion now that the sanctuary was low on S grade defenders. If multiple factions team up now, it was possible for their current faction to dissolve the Gangrea monarchy that ruled over what used to be Europe. The Gangrea monarchy was a monarchy of magical girls loosely related to the previous monarchies from the non magical world of human society. The connection was mainly through cloning and then raising that clone as a branch family.
Most of the people from that faction escaped to The Holy Kingdom of Blumford in the Americas. It was the only sizeable faction left in that continent, the remaining survivors of The Great Disaster formed smaller villages and self-sufficient towns at the ruins of previous countries. For those small villages and towns, it still looked like a post apocalyptic world there even after a year. Only the major factions with the power of God magical girls recovered faster.
"A rude remark... In other words, as long as we operate within reason we should be safe right?" (Kaori)
"... You're working around this surprisingly carefully huh... You weren't scare of us at all, but just the name of 'God magical girl' has you quaking in your boots... " (Kanou)
" Aren't you the same? " (Kaori)
She turns to gaze at Kanou, her eyes carry a familiar resolve, one that she hasn't seen in a long while. She had only once saw this expression before, it was during a time long past. Kaori herself no longer remembers what happened in the labyrinth city, so it held no more significance sitting in Kanou's mind. Yet an odd feeling sits in her gut, stirring butterflies in her stomach.
Kanou walks up to her, everyone laid their eyes carefully on the 2, preparing for a fight to break out. Kaori walks closer as well, staring into Kanou's eyes with a heated air to her. Kanou brings up her fist and holds it in the air. The tension increases even further. Kanou wasn't exactly the weakest among the ArcMaidens, she was relatively weaker to the rest in combat ability but she was still able to dish out destructive force on a similar level. The whole room could get destroyed, in such a cramp space, their battle would turn it into a hellscape and the others wouldn't be unscathed.
A crooked smile breaks out of Kaori's face, baring her clenched teeth. She raises her right fist as well, crossing arms with her. They knocked their wrists together, communicating solely with their eyes and faces. An uncharacteristic smile also arrives on the usually aloof Kanou's face.