As the dust settled in the aftermath of the chaos in Hyacinth, it was everyone's priority to leave as soon as possible. Eve, using her Ornament, delicately lower everyone from the collapsing building to safety below. Every gust of wind strategically directed, making sure that everyone reached the ground unscathed.
Once Eve, Vulcan, Bard, Mary, and Simon safely reached the ground, the immediate concern shifted to securing another means of transportation. Their car was destroyed form the battle earlier. Furthermore, they needed to keep a low profile, which was difficult given that some residents of Hyacinth had already saw them during their confrontation with Forbidden Nature. They sought to avoid drawing any further attention to themselves while navigating the city's ruined streets in search of a new form of transportation.
As Bard trailed behind the group, he took a moment to call Professor Juno, and inform her of the dark ethereal orb given to him by Lust.
"So that's what happened, Professor Juno," Bard recounted the events to the professor. "I believe this might be a Forbidden. Would this suffice for your analysis?"
Professor Juno sighed, her disappointment evident in her voice. "I mean, that isn't bad either, don't get me wrong. But what I wanted was a live Forbidden, not their core," she explained.
"Ah, I see. My apologies, Professor. Next time, we will try to capture a Forbidden if the situation allows it," Bard reassured.
"Here, bring it to me," Professor Juno instructed before ending the call. With a snap of her fingers, Bard found himself instantly teleported to her lab. There, on her desk, sat a container waiting for the dark ethereal orb to be placed inside.
"Professor Juno," Bard said as he entered the lab, making his presence known.
"Just put the Forbidden's core inside that cryogenic container, and then I'll teleport you back," Professor Juno said.
"Understood, Professor," Bard responded respectfully. He approached her desk, activating the container's mechanism with a push of a button and carefully depositing the core inside, watching as it was instantly frozen.
Bard cleared his throat, before speaking, "Professor Juno, I have a request to ask of you."
"Hmm, and what might that be?" Professor Juno asked, her attention shifting towards Bard.
"I would like if you could teleport all of us to Legis," Bard requested, his tone respectful.
"No," Juno simply replied.
"H-huh, why not, Professor? I believe that it would be the quickest way," Bard attempted to reason.
"And you're not wrong, Bard," Professor Juno responded. "But consider this: the chance of encountering another Forbidden may be slim, and my priority remains capturing one alive. Teleporting directly to Legis might shorten your journey, but it also bypasses potential encounters along the way. However, if you have any other needs or requests, feel free to ask."
After a brief moment of thinking, Bard spoke, "Considering our current situation, might it be possible if you could give us another means of transportation, such as a car?"
"Done," Professor Juno snapped her fingers, and instantly, car keys appeared on her desk. "The car will be at the coordinates which I'll be sending to you shortly."
"Thank you, Professor, for your assistance," Bard expressed his gratitude warmly as he took the car keys. He stood ready, prepared to receive the coordinates that would guide them to their next destination.
Without saying anything else, Professor Juno raised her hand, and with a swift motion, she snapped her fingers, invoking the familiar sensation of teleportation as Bard felt himself seamlessly transported back to his group's location, rejoining them.
As Bard reappeared among them, his companions turned their attention towards him, confused by his sudden disappearance and expected an explanation.
"I'm assuming you had to leave Forbidden Nature's core with that Professor, right?" Eve asked.
"Yes, I had to leave Forbidden Nature's core with Professor Juno," Bard explained. "But don't worry, I didn't come back empty handed." Bard took out the car keys from his pocket.
"Can't you just ask that Professor to teleport us to Legis?" Eve asked.
"I already asked, but Professor Juno declined. So, it seems we'll have to settle for the next best option and continue by car," Bard replied.
Mary sighed, "Well, it's better than nothing. Anyway, where can we find this car?" she asked.
"Let me see," Bard said as he checked the coordinates on his phone. "According to the coordinates she sent me, it's parked in the lot of an abandoned supermarket near the city's exit. Conveniently enough, that means we start driving to Legis right from there," he explained.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going," Simon said, taking the lead.
The group approached the abandoned supermarket, their footsteps echoed in the quiet surroundings. In the distance, the black car, Professor Juno had sent was in the parking lot. Despite its unassuming and simple appearance, the vehicle seemed reliable enough to promise a smooth journey ahead.
As they settled into the car, Bard sat in the passenger seat, he thought about Forbidden Lust. He couldn't shake the feeling that she might appear again, knowing her aid would be valuable in the next fight against the Forbidden if she were to appear.
Bard inserted the key into the ignition, bringing the car to life, and began to drive towards their next destination: Legis. As Hyacinth faded into the rearview mirror, anticipation filled the air. Eve was getting closer and closer to the heart of her objective.
As Bard drove, thirty minutes slipped by, and suddenly Mary began to hear a voice she thought had forgotten about her.
Mary's heart skipped a beat as the voice began to speak. "Ah, Mary, it has been quite a while since we last spoke, hasn't it? I'd like to apologize for my absence; I've been busy with other matters. However, now is not the time for pleasantries. There is an urgent matter at hand, and your role in all of this is crucial. Let me explain..."
After a brief pause, the voice resumed, "According to my associates, there is a gas station near the halfway point of your journey to Legis. You are to stop there and meet with my 'otherself.' You will hand him the dagger, and at that moment, you will finally become one of us." The voice's explanation was clear and concise.
Mary's voice barely escaped her lips, almost a whisper to herself, making sure no one else could hear her, "I'm torn... I mean, you were there when I was just a little girl," she said, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the car window. "But now... I don't know if I should be helping you."
"Is that how you truly feel, Mary?" The voice asked.
"Yes, I'm sorry, truly. But once we reach Legis, I plan to throw away the dagger..." Mary confessed.
The voice slowly began to laugh, its tone turning sinister. "Haha... HAHAHA! I'M AFRAID YOU HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER, YOU SPOILED LITTLE BRAT! MANY YEARS HAVING TO DEAL WITH YOU AND THIS IS YOUR THANKS?!" The voice yelled, after a moment, it calmed down, its tone calm. "Whether you like it or not, you're going to help me, Mary..."
Mary remained quiet, not knowing what to say.
"And you might think you're safe, Mary, but think about this: you've handled that dagger countless times. Every touch, every moment of contact, has binded yourself to me, whether you realized it or not. So, in essence, you're already under my control, like a puppet on strings," the voice taunted.
"W-Wait, you can't do this..." Mary stuttered, her voice trembling.
"I can and I will, also don't bother trying to tell your companions. As I have control of you, you won't even be able to think or utter words about telling them about me or the dagger. All you can say is stopping by that gas station," the voice asserted.
As Mary attempted to form words, an invisible force seemed to only allow a single sentence to escape her lips.
"And don't even consider staying silent. I'll force you to speak once you approach that gas station," the voice warned.
"Ah, all of this could've been avoided if you had just cooperated. But now that you've chosen to resist, I'll have to teach you a lesson. You'll learn the consequences of resistance firsthand." The voice said.
"Now then, I'll be here if you need anything, Mary. Not that you can say much..." The voice chuckled before falling silent, leaving Mary with her thoughts.
Mary desperately struggled against her own voice, wanting to warn everything about the danger, yet she remained shackled by the control of the mysterious voice. As Bard continued to drive, he was getting closer towards the gas station, her anxiety intensified, knowing that her chance to do something was rapidly slipping away.
"How pitiful, Mary. Back then, you were nothing but a lonely, pathetic girl, and now, you're destined to be alone once more. A mere slave in mere minutes from now." The voice taunted.
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Mary's mind...