"W-Welcome … to [Vermilioness Atelier] …"
"Excuse us."
Inviting Misha's group into [Vermilioness Atelier], Herlin show them the way in.
""Oohhh.""
Arc and Misha voiced up their admiration.
The interior of Vermilioness Atelier was matched with the description of the rumor. The looks like a witch house, there many strange and mysterious items scattered around, and the wall filled with eerily life-like dolls. The dolls so life-like as though they would arise anytime.
"…Welcome…"
Herlin greeting Misha group once again.
"Nice to meet you, Herlin. I never expected find you here." (Misha)
"Y-Yeah … same…" Herlin nodding like a small squirrel.
Unlike the time first met, Herlin figure and clothe clean and neat. In her current form, Herlin looked adorable added with her beautiful white hair. Her cute gesture and hushed voice helplessly adding her cuteness.
*Pat*
"Hyaa!"
"Arc, what were you doing?"
"Ah…"
Herlin body jumped, as Arc suddenly pat her head. Immediately, Herlin run behind Misha, escape from Arc grasp.
Misha threw blaming look at Arc, who dazedly staring his hand. Just now, Arc's hand moved unawarely, touched Herlin's head.
"What were you doing here, Herlin?"
"I'm live … here."
"Here?"
Herlin shake her head up-downs.
That was news. It's truly coincidence to think the little girl Misha and co saved unexpectedly related with mysterious shop they searched.
"This… As expected, this is her place…"
"Do you know something about this place, Uncle Jug."
Arc questioned, as Uncle Jug showed a look as if he was realized something.
"It's nothing, I just unexpectedly found an old acquaintance's place."
Uncle Jug smile nostalgically.
"Do you … know … Untie Eli, Mister?"
"Not really, I was her royal customer before she suddenly vanished," Uncle Jug shook his head. "Where is she now?"
"Untie Eli was … working in … the backroom… She told me … doesn't let anyone … disturb her … until she … finished."
"I see, that's quite unfortune."
"Do you want to meet her, Uncle Jug? We could wait, beside we just arrive here." (Misha)
"Is it okay, Little Misha?"
"Don't worry, Uncle Jug. With Misha curiosity, it could take hours before we leaving this place." Arc reassuring Uncle Jug.
"Can't you place blame on my head? You also curious about this place, isn't it Arc?"
"…Rather than master and servant, you both more like a pair of siblings."
Uncle Jug smile wryly at the children conduct. In front of him, they never restraint their act and intimacy.
The group disperse around Vermilioness Atelier.
Raina closely following behind Arc, as he was browsing through the stand with cursed-looking items.
Misha going to opposite corner, looking magic items related stand. This first time she ever found a shop with much magic items.
Herlin return to shop's counter, continuing her work. Because Arc and Misha's group sudden arrival, Herlin forget what she intent to do outside.
Uncle Jug standing near the shop entrance, overseen the children. If his memory right, Eli has hobby collecting strange items and displayed at her shop stand. Occasionally at old time, Uncle Jug suffered by strange items Eli found.
*Badump!!*
"Huh?"
"*Tilt*…?"
When Arc holding a cursed-looking shield, he felt a strong throb from side. Raina seems felt the throb too as she turned her head at same direction with Arc's.
*Badump!!*
"…Uh?"
In the shop counter, Herlin bewildered by strange sensation that enveloped her.
*Badump!!*
"Huh?"
Strange throb pound Misha's body from near table in front of her.
For some reason, the throb seemingly calling her, attracting Misha attention.
"What is this?"
Misha goes to the source of the feeling, and picked a deck of card. As Misha hold it, she realizes the strange feeling she felt before coming from this card.
"What's happen, Misha?" Arc approaching her from behind.
Arc's brow wrinkled, as for some reason there's something pulling his attention coming from Misha's hand. Arc felt it doesn't dangerous, but he couldn't shake the feeling.
"*Stare*…"
Likewise, Raina's sight fell on Misha's hand.
"Hmm…?"
Herlin truly bewildered, somehow her eyes also attracted to Misha's hand, the cards precisely. This was the first time Herlin ever feel like this since she was working in this place.
"What happen you all?"
"Do you not feel it, Uncle Jug?"
"…?"
Among all of the people in the shop, only Uncle Jug couldn't feel the attraction of the card in Misha's hand. Remembered the old time, cold sweat flow Uncle Jug's head.
"Herlin, what is this the cards?"
Misha lifted the card deck.
"I-I'm … don't know… Untie Eli … always brought … unknow items … from all over place."
*Badump!!* *Badump!!*
"...The feeling intensifier." (Arc)
"*Glare*…" (Raina)
"Maybe we should throw this before anything happen. Herlin, could we do that?" (Misha)
"P-Please … don't… That's Untie Eli … possession."
"You all, seriously, what in the world you are discussed?"
As the only person that doesn't feel the strange sensation, Uncle Jug being left out by the children discussion.
*Badump!!* *Badump!!* *Badump!!*
The throb intensifier, grew the restless feeling in Arc and Misha's heart. Raina glaring the cards behind Arc. While Herlin staring dazedly, unsure what to do.
*Boom!!*
"What!!?"
"Misha!!"
Next moment, Misha caught off her guard, as the cards exploded in her arm.
*****
***
*
*CRASH!!*
A blinding light flooded the entire room, along with world ending destroyed sound.
"What!?" (Arc)
"Ugh!" (Misha)
"…!" (Raina)
"W-What…?" (Herlin)
Arc, Misha, Raina, and Herlin placed their hand atop their eyes. The bright light, as if could blind eyes, obstructing them to see their change of their surroundings.
The children closing their eyes until the light growing weaker and weaker, and last faded.
"Huh?" Arc was the first open his eyes.
When he saw the scene before him, Arc felt he might already be blinded by the light.
"Wha!?" Misha follows.
Her mouth wide-opened big O, unbelieved by the sight she saw.
"…"
Raina's face stillness like a block of ice, but astonished light resides out of her eyes.
"...Uh?"
Herlin's face blanked, still couldn't make up what transcribe in front of her.
As the children regain the sight, they're found they no longer in Vermilioness Atelier, but an unknown place.
The children magically moved in some unknow space without they realize to empty dark space.
The space covered by shadow entirely.
Weirdly, Arc and others could see through the darkness without obstruction, as if they were at day.
"A-Arc, what actually happened?" Misha asks nervously. The thing happened before her already exceeding her knowledge and experience.
"I don't know…" Arc shook his head, calmly observing the surroundings.
Arc spotted Herlin befuddled on her stand, seemed still couldn't make sense with the development.
"Herlin! Come closer to us."
"…Uh?... Oh, okay…"
Arc sigh out relief, knowing Herlin could still hear him despite her befuddled state.
Herlin grab Arc's left arm tightly unconsciously, Raina standing just behind him and Misha grasp Arc's right hand.
"Ugh…"
Arc's sweating cold, this first time he ever in this kind situation, even with trouble he had been through with Misha before.
"…" (Arc)
Although, this situation somehow giving familiar vibe, as if he has been experiencing this previously.
And the scene before the children moving.
*****
***
*
Dark and quiet.
From the shadow, countless arm rise.
It wasn't human arm, dolls and puppets' arm made of wood or cloth rising from ground, filled the entire shadow space.
The arm slammed the ground, pulled up and reveal their body. Puppets and dolls emerge, showing up their presence like an army of puppets and dolls.
The dolls and puppets' appearance assuming black-haired, red eyes beautiful woman with life-like impression. If isn't for their wood and cloth skin, they'd difficult to distinguishable from human women.
In the center of puppets and dolls army, there a noticeable doll that clearly different from others. It was cute big-size bear doll with adorable garment. Despite its appearance, it has extraordinary and strong presence, like a strong fearless hero among the army.
On the back of the dolls, a white-haired girl wearing black gothic dress sitting gracefully, appearing like a princess.
The girl's look has beauty and pureness that could captive any man, and dangerous air that alerted people away from her. Her ruby eyes, similar with the dolls and puppets', releasing innocent light, as though she was a little girl that playing with doll.
The doll girl spelling an unknown language in dark void. Her voice sweet and melodious, as if she was singing.
As she was spelling, the doll girl cuddling an old book in her arm, as though it's her precious treasure.
After finished, she raises her hand.
Light flushed from above, illuminated the dark space.
The scene stopped, crashed like a glass, and light flooded the entire space.
*****
***
*
Snow and ice.
It was a raging frozen field without any life.
On the ground, ice statues littered like thrash.
Wrong
It wasn't ice statues, but frozen humans. As their body forced in stillness, their last expression also. Angry, unwillingness, regret, terrified, despair, and resign. Various of expression frozen on the face of the ice statues.
At distance, there is a mountain of frozen people, and a girl sitting on top, as if she was sitting on ice throne.
The raging gust blowing the girl's blue hair.
The girl's beautiful face was cold, colder than frozen field, wearing maid garment. Even she in the middle of storm, her body and clothes clean and spotless with dirt like snow.
The cold maid expression exudes mighty coldness, yet there's savage light residing hidden in her eyes, as if she was the blizzard storm itself.
Behind the cold maid, a spear standing proudly, unaffected by its surroundings. The spear exudes same coldness like the girl, as though they're one existence in different form.
The cold maid raises the spear.
As the spear heave proudly to the sky, war maidens appeared behind the cold maid, summoned by her call.
Every of war maidens were beautiful, wearing combination garb of maid uniform and knight equipment. Each of them releases unmatched strong aura, indicated they aren't weak roses.
From the spear's blade, light emerging, and illuminated the space.
The scene stopped, crashed like glass, and flooded by light.
*****
***
*
Boundless sky and light.
The Divine Gold Palace.
Tens-thousand angels and hundred arcangels circling the palace plaza in the air, solemnly singing divine song.
Behind the angels, countless holy spirit and holy warrior playing the holy instrument, accompanied the divine song.
Leading the countless angelic beings, a girl with gold hair and saintly presence kneeling, closing her eyes, and grasping her hand before her chest, as she praying solemnly.
From the heaven, holy light penetrate down, illuminates her being gracefully. Offering Saintess with heaven's blessing.
The world cries in joy, congratulating for Saintess.
Saintess woke from her praying. Her blue eyes light emitted sacred light that purge any evilness. Saintess's lip curled slightly, formed a small calm and gentle smile. However, the small smile showing saintly radiance, bestowing the world with bliss.
On her chest, Saintess gently clutching a blue pendant, staring it for a while.
Saintess facing up, lift her great staff to heaven, spelling sacred language.
After series of unknow sacred language, divine light radiating from the crystal embedded on the staff.
Angels, arcangles, and the world cries. Abide the call of Saintess.
Light filled the vision, then the scene vanished.
*****
***
*
A Great white-flowery tree.
Indefinite armaments embedded on the great plain.
Nine great figures hovering in the sky, surrounding the great tree in circle.
The beautiful and sacred Nine-Tailed Fox.
The mighty and proud Dragon Emperor.
The graceful and eternal High-Elf.
The divine and kind Arcangel.
The dreadful and hideous Vampire Ancestor.
The chaotic and unknown Forgotten God.
The charming and cheerful Mermaid Queen.
The tough and skilled Ancient Dwarf.
The great and genius Human Hero.
The great tree standing on the small hill, the only empty place of indefinite armaments. Under the great tree, a man sleeping peacefully.
The man letting out great and eternal presence as he's sleep, like an immortal resting in the mortal world.
The next moment, the man's eyes trembled, then opened, as the man woke up from long dream.
As if responding his wake, the nine great figures cries, indefinite armament rose to the sky, worlds from various element emerge in the horizon, and light flashed from heaven.
After the light vanish, the doll girl, the cold maid, and saintess appeared before him.
Behind the three girls, countless puppets, war maidens, and angles emerged, seeming head the call of his wake.
The man raises his hand, and a board materializes before him.
And the scene changed.
*****
***
*
The doll girl.
The cold maid.
Saintess.
The dreaming-man.
The man and three girls.
Leading great army, they stand toward great battlefield, the most unpredicted and extraordinary war that ever show in world.
A war that could only happen in the dream and fantasy. A war where an insignificant being doesn't have place there. A war led by heroes, demons, immortals, and gods on the board. A war where countless innocent, sinful, or great lives and story could vanish at any moment.
However, the four of them heading toward the war fearlessly, leading an entire army of friends and comrades.
Under the watchful eyes of many being under heaven, they depart to hard endless journey.
The journey that forced by destiny upon their way, the journey with countless branch of possibility.
As their journey begin, the space cracked, crashed the scene.
Ending the scenes that four children saw.