They mentally prayed as they each took a step forward.
"I'll keep you around for a little longer hmm?" Amelia stabbed her sword through the ground.
The smell of ashes and burnt walls filled the air as the other placed a magic circle right beneath her feet. The woman placed her hands together when she noticed so. Amelia looked down on her feet, her sword still on the ground as she continued to smile.
A few rapiers stabbed around all three as chains linked them together, the other placed their hands together and started to pray. A fox appeared around the woman's body as the dagger on her hand disappeared, the same dagger appearing as a symbol on its head. The magic circle disappeared and a barrier around them was placed.
The fox disappeared into the ground as the woman snapped her fingers, showering Amelia in electric-infused icicles. She dodged away and appeared right in front of the other, her lips were still curled up in a smile. Her sword was on the ground when she elbowed them in the gut, shoving them away and their hood came off.
The fox reappeared and disappeared into a fog covering their surroundings, that included outside of the barrier's range. Amelia could breath through the fog although her vision was nearly clouded by it.
Her senses sharpened to a point that she could hear faint footsteps.
"Now this is an interesting one," She noted as the fox sat down some meters away from her.
They reappeared right behind her as the footsteps got louder and louder. There is an obvious scar on their cheek as their left hand holds a stave, it was black colored metal with a translucent gem on the top.
They mutter something that she could not hear as if their words exist in the same plane as the fog.
She dropped her smile and muttered, "This is something different."
The fog got thicker and thicker until the point where they both had disappeared in it. She looked around to find them but she did not find them. She started to slowly walk, placing her hands in the pockets.
She closed her eyes as she continued to walk aimlessly like she's simply taking a stroll. A sharp thing sliced through the fog and she opened her eyes. Her foot stepped back as a rapier stabbed the ground it was standing on.
She looked up, "Let's see if you could get me like this."
'My instincts are dampened to some levels, I can't even feel their life signatures. The fog is so thick that I can feel my hand being enveloped in it. Although I guess it did its job, to give them as much of a chance of staying alive as they can.' She noted mentally.
Her eyes looked to her side as two rapiers shot to where her left shoulder was. She moved it away a second before it could strike her. She tilted her head as she picked up one of the rapiers with her left hand, only for it to disintegrate.
"A high-grade illusion. Not bad." Her smile reappeared.
She kicked the other impending rapier down and then another. Those did not disintegrate like the one before, instead they were actual rapiers. Her smile never faltered as she started to walk ahead. Amelia began humming as three more rapiers rained down on her.
She dodged them without breaking a sweat, moving around them as it dropped down. More rapiers began to rain down on her, although they could not do much. She moved around them, her movements could be mistaken for dance moves, doing it with a smile.
The intervals between the rapiers got shorter and shorter yet none was able to hit her. She simply dodged them, without the use of magic or weapons.
"Getting frustrated? I won't blame you." She shrugged.
One more round of raining rapiers before it stopped completely. Amelia stared at nothing in particular with a confused expression. Her eyes squinched and continued to walk, looking around again for them.
She wondered, 'Where did the woman go?'
Her feet stopped entirely, standing way too still. Her smile dropped as she realised something. Her eyes slowly widened as she looked down to her chest. Her hands remained stationary as the blade was pushed again, this time with much more force. Her eyes gravitate towards the symbol on it instead of the fact that she was stabbed in the back.
"A seal…" She muttered.
The woman spoke, "I was… very glad when… she willingly… borrowed…"
Amelia turned around as blood dripped down her shirt, staining it in crimson red. The woman let go of the dagger as she moved away from Amelia, whose body promptly dropped to the ground. The woman breathed heavily as a pool of blood began to form on Amelia's body.
"I… I…" Her excitement was immeasurable as her lips curled up to a smile.
She took the chance and ran away from the body, not bothering to check whether or not she was actually dead. The fog began to fade away as the fox wrapped itself around her shoulder. The other removed the barrier and took a glance at Amelia's body.
Their eyes widened and they turned around, running away from the area immediately.
The woman ran through the crowd as they watched on in awe, again unsure of what just happened. Her feet began to buckle under as she used up too much strength earlier, her breathing became much more staggered than normal.
She leaned on the wall and took a breath, watching the authorities scrambling around for something. She closed her eyes as the fox curled itself up to her, smiling once again and patting it.
The soft fur almost lull her to sleep though she kept herself awake from the intense exhaustion.
She heard footsteps but she did not open her eyes. The footsteps sounded far away at first but it gradually got closer and closer to her as it got louder and louder. She could pick up this particular footsteps from all the frantic ones around.
She took in a deep, shaky breath.
The woman jolted up in a panic to be met by someone leaning down, their shadow casting over her small body. Her iries shook wildly as the fox disappeared from her shoulder, her fingers curled up to a fist.
"H… How…" She could not say another word no matter how hard she tried.
Amelia tilted her head, smiling, "I thought you fell asleep."
She took in a sharp breath as she felt something on her neck. Blood splattered all across the walls as a slice indented to the concrete. The woman's head rolled on the ground and her body fell with it.
Someone screamed, leading others to stare at the sight.
Amelia's chest was stained with blood but there wasn't a visible wound. Most of her body was soaked in her own blood although she simply shrugged. She walked away once someone of authority noticed the body.
"You would've killed me off for ten minutes, if you were a more capable spell caster." The dagger reappeared in her right hand.
She spun it around with her fingers as she spoke again, "A wasted potential really. If you have given it to the other instead it would've bought you enough time to go back alive."
Her eyes glanced back at the body which was now surrounded by a tape and some people. She sighed and looked ahead, her footsteps were light and relaxed.
"Unfortunate, don't you say." She muttered.
Confusion, fear and anxiety filled the air around it. It was not the first time they had seen something like it, but not to this extent. Some began to form doubts in their head, wondering if they should stay here.
But some had accepted such as they walked away like nothing happened.
"This kind of acceptance is terrifying…" Aeon mumbled while leaning on the railing.
The morning wind was calm and serene as if unbothered by the death it blew past. He took a deep breath and walked back inside, closing the door behind him slowly. His eyes wandered to Andrata's sleeping body.
Her abdomen was wrapped in bandages, her cheek had a plaster on it. She slept rather soundly, evident by her unusually loud snoring. That placed a light smile on his face, it completely disappeared when the door was opened.
"You reek of blood, Amelia." He did not turn around but he immediately knew who it was.
She walked past him not saying anything, only giving him her lazy wave. His eyes stared at the floor, wondering if blood had dripped down to it. Amelia went into his room and did not come back out for a while, but he heard the sound of showering.
He sat down in the dining area, leaning back on his chair and staring up. His mind thought about nothing in particular, his face devoid of any expression. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. He breathed in and out slowly, his posture got more relaxed as he did it.
The door opened up and revealed a wet-haired Amelia with an oversized T-shirt.
Aeon's eyes remained closed until he heard her coming closer to him. A light blush appeared on his cheekbones as he stood up. She wrapped her hair with the towel, making it appear like a turban. She sighed as she noticed his reaction, there was an unmistaken smirk on the corner of her lips.
"You can still blush even when under stress eh hmm~?"
She was not wearing much else besides her undergarments and the shirt. The shirt nearly hung off her shoulder which showed more skin than her usual attire would. He had to keep his eyes up so as to not potentially piss her off, at least that's what he said to himself.
His left hand slowly reached up to his mouth, "That's… not the point! Why are you wearing my shirt?"
She placed a finger in front of her lips, "Quiet down, Andrata is still sleeping."
He looked over to make sure that he did not accidentally wake her up, "She's asleep. Answer me."
Amelia walked closer, "Because my clothes are all bloody. You wouldn't want me wearing it would you?"
"True, but you still should ask me first…" He sighed.
She sat down on the chair and smirked, "Then what's with the reaction?"
He quietly sat back down as he spoke, "Because you're wearing my shirt."
"Yes, but there's more to that." Her tone teasing him immensely.
He covered his mouth and looked away, "You know it."
"On to the main point then." She immediately changed the topic.
She took another glance at him and leaned back on her chair. She let out a yawn and looked over to Andrata who continued to sleep soundly. His eyes wandered over to her as well, his hand now placed on his thighs. Aeon took in another deep breath and tried to speak, but words entirely stuck in his mind.
"You always find it hard to talk to me like this." She let out a very loud sigh, intentionally breaking the silence.
His eyes still looked away, wandering anywhere but looking at her. She took another glance at him and sighed again, standing up to grab a cup of water. The silence persisted and the atmosphere grew more tense. The sound of footsteps and a cup being filled with water replaced the gaps, Aeon swallowing down his nervousness.
"Will… you really do nothing…?" His voice wavered and uneven.
She leaned on the counter closest to him, "A stupid question if you ask me."
"Right…" His words trailed off at the end.
She looked over to Andrata as she gulped the water, "She'll be fine. GIve her an hour more then she'll wake up."
"How… bad was it…?"
She set the glass down, "Ah. She was somewhat close to dying, since the wound on her abdomen had been bleeding for a bit. Although I had a feeling she was going to pass out soon when I found her due to blood loss."
His mouth opened and closed, he looked downwards as he closed his eyes. His body tensed up as his head hung low, as if he had done something horrible. She could feel the guilt from the way he talked and the look in his eyes. She grabbed another glass and filled them both up with water, placing one on the counter while the other was in her hands.
"I doubt they will be coming back for her anytime soon. Or even come back for her. They don't need her for anything else aside from the blood." She swirled the glass, her eyes staring at the water.
His fingers curled and it dug a bit of his flesh, his eyes remained closed as he took in a deep breath. His body tensed up more as he thought more and more about it, she took a sip of it and took a glance at him.
"Those… fucking bastards…" He muttered under his breath.
She let out a breath and took another sip, closing her eyes and began to breath in and out slowly. She placed the glass down right beside his and walked around the counter. His breathing began to get heavy as his nails dug in harder on his skin, threatening to claw on it.
Her voice pierced the air, "I won't allow it."
He turned around with his eyes wide open, his fingers relaxed up as his mouth gaped. This was the first time since they came back that his eyes met hers. He could clearly tell that she talked in a dominant and stern tone. Her words sounded more like a demand than a suggestion. She stood up straight with her arms crossed, her eyes staring right into his.
"I won't allow you, Andrata or even April to go down that route. Eventually drowning in a sea of hatred that you will definitely regret at some point." She walked towards him.
"I… I'm…" He began to stammer as she walked closer.
She grabbed his chin and tilted his head up, she leaned in closer to him. He continued to stutter and she leaned in much closer, until their foreheads could touch each other. Her lips remained in a thin line, completely serious about it.
"Don't. Don't even think about it. You can't act upon it, especially with a mentality like this. This is not the first time you've been through this right? Then why are you so adamant about it hmm..?"
His body remained tense as he spoke meekly, "Because I'm frustrated…"
"And?" She squeezed his chin.
"I just… don't want to…" His voice cracked.
Aeon started to sob, Amelia stopped squeezing his chin and took some steps back. Her demeanor softened up significantly and her arms were crossed again. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, hearing the sound of a chair being shoved away.
"Ugh" She let out a sound when she was tackled to the ground, slamming onto the floor with a rather loud 'thud'. She groaned in pain as her body was enveloped in his, his arms wrapped around her tightly and placed his face on her shoulder. The sound of sobbing is light enough that it won't panic wake Andrata up.
"Please… don't die." He stammered while sobbing on her shoulder.
She looked at him as he continued to place his face there as if hiding away his tears. She slowly wrapped her arms around him, returning his embrace. He squeezed tightly like he was going to lose her if he let go. She did not say another word and slowly patted his head.
"Sometimes, I think you're too compassionate and kind for your own good." She whispered softly.
The silence filled the air again, this time much more pleasant than the one before. His sobbing slowed down and he lightened his hug. She opened her eyes and looked at him again, realising that he had fallen asleep by his breathing. She lifted him up slowly and let herself get away first, trying to pry herself out of his embrace. He did not struggle much as she carried him up bridal style and placed him down on his bed.
She stood there and stared at his sleeping form, her lips subconsciously curled up into a small love-stricken smile. She realised it fast as she covered her mouth with her left hand, the other free hand placing some of the blanket over him.
"I'll see you again later." She whispered and closed the door to his room.
The skies were completely clear, letting the sun brightly shone down on the land below. The afternoon sun gave out an intense heat that everyone felt, but also the air around the rest that was still around the area. They were terrified by the normality but there was no doubt in the fear that all had.
"And there will always be more to come." Amelia commented while staring at the investigation area which they just fought in.
The area is guarded by some policemen and the entire place is highlighted by the bright yellow tape. She noticed the expression on their faces, one of nervousness and uncertainty. Their legs shift here and there while their eyes look around for anyone suspicious, scaring away everyone who made eye contact with them.
She walked right through the tape, placing her arms crossed behind her head and started humming. She closed her eyes and sensed people's emotions, picking out something amiss within the range. There were not many people left, some were still trying to look for something. Although by the way they dug around, desperate to find anything.
She stopped, looking at a capsule on the ground. A faint smell of blood came out of it, even some haze wrapped around it. She took a step forward, leaning in to get a close look at it. Something came out of the ground when she leaned in, a faint feeling of someone placing their hand on her cheek. Her eyes looked at it, despite it never actually being visible to the naked eye.
"So you're here." She spoke with a distant tone.
The sound of a gun clicking can be heard behind her, certain that someone was pointing their gun at her. She turned most of her body to face whoever was behind her, with the rest hiding away the syringe on the ground. Though it quickly disappeared when she turned around, her usual stoic expression facing Edel.
She extended her hand, "I don't think detectives point their guns at innocent people."
"But I don't think you're innocent," He held it firmly with both hands.
"I never claimed that I am." She raised both her hands up in the air.
His eyes concentrated on her, his body tensed up significantly when his eyes met hers. The grip on the gun tightened as part of him wanted to shoot her in the head right then and there. The finger resting on the trigger nearly pulled it when he saw her.
"Can I help you, detective?" She shook her head.
He clicked his tongue, "Absolutely. Since you killed a bunch of people."
"You might not believe it but I didn't kill any civilians." She tilted her head.
"It doesn't matter. You still killed people."
She shrugged, "Well, shoot me then. It's for the benefit of the people."
His grip started to shake as he took some steps closer to her. His body started to shake as his eyes narrowed on her, although she looked unfazed about the whole ordeal. She sighed again and closed her eyes, deciding to walk towards him.
"You're that scared, detective?"
Amelia opened her eyes when she was plenty close to him. Edel continued to shake, his body unable to physically pull the trigger even if he felt threatened. He froze in the spot especially when she opened her eyes, something about it scared him from deep within.
"You're that scared. Even when a clear-cut murderer is standing right in front of you, completely defenseless and having absolutely no intention in killing you." She said loudly with a bored undertone.
He did not reply though at this point he doubted that he needed to reply to her.
"I suppose it will be the first time you kill someone. But you're wasting my time." She placed her hands in her pockets.
He still held his gun at her yet it was clear to both that he would not pull the trigger no matter what she did, even killing him right where he stood. A disappointed sigh came out of her lips as she turned around and walked away from him.
He placed his gun away as his knees gave up on him. He fell to the ground and let out a breath that he was holding in tightly. He clearly made up his mind when he decided to pull out his gun and pointed it at her, yet something about her eyes that made his mind turn itself off.
"You would've killed me if you went through with it." She was too far away from him for him to hear, but he knew it anyway.
The streets fell to silence as the sun gradually set which is unnatural for an always bustling economy. Although nobody will blame anyone for being too afraid to set foot in there, whether or not anything will come from the ongoing investigation.
The skies dye in this mix of bright orange, yellow, black and white. The clouds made the colors pop out significantly, catching the eyes of those watching it change from day to night. There was nothing short of awe given to nature's ability to make something simplistic so beautiful to behold.
Though time stopped for no one, not even the ones needed the most.
"Ah, you've come back!" Diane let out a loud sigh.
Amelia raised one of her eyebrows, "What's wrong?"
"The Council was about to set off an emergency alarm, luckily the Division Leaders were able to convince them not to."
"Huh? Was there even a need to do that--"
She was abruptly interrupted by someone slamming the door open. Though both of them had no idea who this person was, they could at least tell where they were from because of their uniform. It was someone from the G.I.S.D.
"Amelia, please head to The Council's Room immediately!" They shouted in a panic tone.
She rolled her eyes and walked there, the person informing Diane of what happened that caused a panic in them. She only chose to sigh even if she could have listened in on their conversation while walking there. The walk was not long as the room is on the same floor as her office.
She pushed open the large door that had patterns of flowers on it, with it being the same colour as everything else here so it was only visible due to the gaps between one another. She was greeted by a shouting match between them.
"WE CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP HER AROUND." A man with sharp, pointy ears argued.
A man with fairly dark skin and orange eyes clicked his tongue, "If we throw her out, who will take her place?"
"ARE YOU SIDING WITH HER, MONTY?" A woman with blonde curly hair glared at him.
A woman with 19th century british attire sighed, "Why can't you all calm down and talk like adults?"
"IF you have a better suggestion, WE would like to hear it," A woman with white hair and skin chuckled.
None of them heard the door or had noticed her there. She decided to lean against the wall which is right beside the door, crossing her arms and sighing. Maybe it was the large room that concealed her presence, or that they were just too occupied by their arguing, either way Amelia appreciated a good seat in spectating an argument.
"I don't. But not that any of you need to speak like that," Anthon sighed and took a sip of her tea.
Monty placed his chin on his long fingers, "I agree with Anthon. But you three seem too keen on dethroning her hmm~?"
"WE HAVE NO USE FOR A USELESS GUARDIAN GODDESS WHO WON'T LISTEN TO US" Lucien slammed his hands on the table.
"Useless is an overstatement. She is a brat at most," Anthon shook her head and fixed her careful braided blonde hair.
"Because of the fucking brat she is putting everyone in DANGER," Scarlet's eyes that akin to her name glared at Anthon.
Sarah fell back to her seat and leaned back, "WHAT DON'T YOU TWO UNDERSTAND?! HER INVOLVEMENT IN THE CASE MAKES HER A THREAT TO US!"
The room was dark, with only a few lights illuminating it, just bright enough for anyone to see. The hanging lights are made of part crystals, though a unique kind where itself can create some light. There was an illustration of a woman praying, being surrounded by some flowers. It was odd that the woman looked like no one they knew, yet it held a feeling to someone they deeply respected.
The table resembled a crescent moon, with it being an almost silver color. Everyone sat about a meter apart from each other, their own respective spot had things that they often used or just to show off. The seating order from the right were, Lucien, Monty, Sarah, Scarlet then Anthon.
"What does her relation to 'Noir' have to do with anything?" Anthon stared at them.
Lucien face palmed, "She will OBVIOUSLY use it to her advantage."
"For what? Killing us?" She glanced at him before taking another sip of her tea.
Monty sighed loudly, "If she wanted to, she would've killed us long ago. Why now?"
"That's not the fucking point. The actual point is that she's basically CONSPIRING against US!" Scarlet right hand curled up into a fist.
"Like what? Destroying our names?" Monty's eyes continued to hold their suspicious gaze.
Sarah smiled after hearing what he said, "YES THAT. EXACTLY THAT!"
Anthon sighed, "What does that have to do with them?"
"Because THEY KNOW EACH OTHER. She can do something in return for their help after, AFTER they have done the deed," Scarlet shook her head in disappointment.
"Everyone on this table is more concerned with their names and legacy, rather than their life." Monty clarified for them to Anthon.
Lucien nodded, "FINALLY, SOMEONE GETS IT!"
Amelia chuckled, although her chuckle was light enough that their voices drowned it out. She stopped leaning against the wall and stood at the center of the room, her posture relaxed as if the shouting did not bother her a single bit. The smile on her lips was enough to convince anyone of such.
"THEN WHY DON'T YOU STAND BY US, MONTY?" Lucien asked in a confused tone.
"I'm more or less surprised, though not really, by the fact the three of you couldn't understand jack shit about their attitudes," Amelia's voice cut in their argument.
Lucien, Sarah and Scarlet stared at them in shock, though they looked more like being caught red-handed. Anthon did not display any clear signs of surprise or shock, in fact she looked like she always noticed Amelia there. Monty simply sighed and sat up straight, placing both his hands on the table.
"These three idiots were about to sound the alarm when you didn't answer our calls," He shook his head while his eyes took a glance at them.
"For what? Something so inconsequential?" She asked with a mocking tone.
Lucien frustration went up as he dragged his fingers through his long silver hair, "YOU LITTLE--"
Anthon interrupted him, "She isn't entirely wrong, but she isn't entirely right either."
"If you insist on shouting at each other to solve this 'crisis', I would rather leave the room." She yawned loudly and smiled.
She continued, "I have no use speaking to people who couldn't even get their point across without having to raise their voice."
Scarlet's eyes glared right into hers, as if intimidating Amelia, though that hardly did anything. Sarah pinched her temples and decided to not face any of them. Lucien sat back down, adjusting his outfit and fixing up his disheveled hair.
"Good. At least your brains are still intact." She chuckled loudly.
The three sent her another glare before she spoke again, "Get straight to the point. What do you need me for?"
"We need you to step down from the current investigation altogether," Sarah answered.
Amelia's expression changed from one of mocking to one befitting the title, cold and stern, which is the common expression most had seen. She shook her head and her hands began to move as she talked, matching the words coming out of her mouth.
"That can't be done. If we let this one go, it will create a massive problem now and more down the line." She replied in a chilling tone.
Lucien continued to glare, "But you're using this as an opportunity to sully us."
"But you three are already trying to use this as an excuse to get rid of me. What's even the difference then? Purpose?" She tilted her head slightly.
Lucien could not reply, as much as he wanted to. His mouth agape as no words came out of it instead going back to simply glaring at her. Scarlet and Sarah were equally quiet as they knew anything else that could reply to her was going to contribute to her claim.
Monty cracked a small smile, "You guys like to act like you don't know her."
Amelia rebutted, "And you like to act like you side with me, Monty."
He laughed after what she said, leaning back on his chair with a large grin on his lips. Anthon did not give any other expression than boredom, taking another sip of her tea as her air of indifference was threatening to crack under Amelia's words.
"Anthon as well. I still wonder how the five of you had been sitting your ass there for so long yet haven't figured out a single thing about each other." Her tone gradually grew tired of dealing with them.
She spoke again after they went silent for a bit, "If you want me to drop the case just because of my relation with their leader, then no. Only if you can find things that clearly frame it as more than a hunting game, then I'll happily let go."
She turned away and walked out of the door, leading the five of them to be completely silent and not dare utter another word. She took one more glance at the door, admiring the design of it. She let out a subconscious disappointed sigh, as if the door gave out a better feel of what they were supposed to be than what they actually were.
"I'm pretty sure that I would have an easier time here if I weren't dealing with a bunch of ego-centric manics whose only concern was about themselves and their families." She muttered under her breath.
She walked back to her office and pushed the door open, Diane immediately bowed to her. Her movements were rigid in a way that she forced herself to bow down for reasons. She sighed and motioned her to not bow, Diane looked surprised but she did not say anything else.
"I'll take all the paperwork home. And it's fine, you don't need to apologise," Amelia took the mountain of paperwork.
Diane shook her head while raising up, "It's my fault for not mentioning it to you much earlier, even a little."
"You don't need to accommodate any of them. Even if some do not share the same views as others, they do work according to their own goals."
She walked out of the office with it and gave Diane her lazy wave. She stared at Amelia as she went out, shaking her head again and looking at the sunset shining in through the window. The hallways started to quiet down as people began to go home.
The skies turned from a shade of orange to dark blue and the half moon replaced the sun. Different forests surrounding a castle, an ice castle, with an area around it were only grass fields. The ice reflected the light which gave a shine to it. The place was not hers originally, it was an ice witches' old castle.
It was large, at least larger than an average home. Although it was small compared to most castles.
The walls and floor were made of ice yet the furniture varied from wood to steel and to wool. There were four floors in total, two upper floors and two lower floors. There was the living room, kitchen and dining room on the first floor. The second floor had bedrooms and bathrooms. The bottom walls were more like a maze as one staircase can lead to another room and the most bottom floor, although there was no way of knowing it as it felt and looked the same, even if you got to the bottom floor.
She appeared in the living room through the portal, scaring two of the three foxes she now owned.
"WWAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Unova, a fox with snow-like colored fur screamed.
Sherry, a fox with cherry-like colored fur, smacked Unova on the head with her paw. She let out a breath and kept Unova's head on the ground while she wailed for Sherry to let her go.
"You're home, Amelia." She talked in a happy tone.
She face palmed, "You sure still are a dumbass, Unova."