"Everyone clear on the plan?"
Our meeting with the director was due to start any minute now. We had picked a grassy open area that was out of the eyes of the public but had plenty of escape routes.
"When we're in there, I want you all to follow my lead. I'll do the talking, unless he addresses one of you directly or I pass the baton. Nao, you clear on your part?"
"Mhm. Y-you can count on me." Nao would be hovering in the air behind us, keeping her out of striking distance if we were surprise-attacked. With Mai's 「Clairvoyant」giving us pre warning for any incoming danger, it would give Nao the chance to wait out 「Time Dilation」if necessary.
"It's 11:58. We should wait until exactly midday. If we seem too eager, he'll use it to put pressure on us." Saki, who's communication skills were almost as good as her athleticism, was spearheading everything, as had become the norm at this point.
We would take a similar formation to last time, with Saki leading at the front and Mai & I a step behind. We weren't expecting a fight, but we were ready for one.
We anxiously kept an eye on our phone clocks, those last two minutes feeling like an eternity. Then, the moment the clock struck 12:00, Saki lead us into the place where we would finally meet our greatest adversary, face to face.
"You came. I half expected you not to show." We were met with a sight that surprised us.
"Where are Flame Of Time?" asked Saki. Where we were expecting five of our enemies to show up, there stood just one. The Director stood alone, casually puffing a cigarette
"Oh, I just happened to make a last minute change of plans. There are things that I'd like to discuss with you that it's better for them to remain oblivious to." The director, once again in a pure white lab coat, dropped a bombshell on us the moment we arrived.
Something so secretive that he hadn't even told his allies, and yet, he was willing to tell us? Not only that, but he came here with no protection?
'I don't think this is a power play.' As if reading my mind, Saki sent me that message. Her expression hadn't faltered for even a split second. 'Or rather, I don't think he needs to make a power play. He has genuine confidence that he could take all four of us on.'
I twitched slightly at Saki's deduction. I couldn't imagine him possibly being that strong, but his attitude was far too casual to discount the possibility. Either there was a trap that we had yet to notice, or this middle-aged man had far more power hidden than we had anticipated.
"I take it you've decided to answer some questions for us, then?" Saki pressed on, hoping to gain some momentum by not allowing a lull in conversation.
"Assuming I consider them worth answering, yes. Hopefully, by the end of this meeting you'll decide to cease your relentless meddling and let us adults do our jobs."
"You'll have to pull out something big to even make us consider it. So don't waste our time." Saki wasn't going to let the Director flit around the point. She was trying to force the conversation to move at a breakneck pace, hoping that her opponent would deal with the pressure worse than her.
"Let me first begin by asking you a question. What do you believe this world to be?" He spoke calmly, but his words seemed to be nonsense.
"I'm… sorry? I don't get the question."
"Let me put it another way, then. What do you believe is the purpose of humanity?"
We didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Was he just posturing with some vague philosophy, or was there some sort of point?
"Does there have to be a purpose at all? Can't we just exist because that's the way it is?"
"For the longest time, I was of the same mind. After all, there was no proof of divinity at all. Nothing that couldn't be explained by science."
Divinity? Was he claiming to have some sort of proof of God?
"What's your point?" Not happy to let him control the flow of conversation, Saki pushed the Director to keep going. After a moment of deafening silence, he obliged.
"Tell me, do you believe there's any possible scientific explanation for your powers? Any chemical formula or physics equation that explains what those magical outfits are or where they come from?"
It was a good question. I had been interested in the mechanics of the magical girls for a long time, but even becoming one had yet to enlighten me.
"So, what? You're implying these powers are granted by God?"
"In a sense, yes. Did you not hear him call out to you when you awakened?"
The three of us on the ground all made slight gasps as the pieces clicked into place in our heads. The voice. The one thing we had all experienced but had no explanation for.
"Okay, let's say we believe you," said Saki, still keeping some level of scepticism, "what are you implying? That kidnapping and enslaving hundreds of innocent girls is 'God's will' or something?"
"Oh, certainly not." The director's face seemed to twist into a sort of smirk, though he was so naturally unemotive that it was hard to interpret. "Think more on my question at the beginning. What was the purpose of the creation of Earth?"
None of us had an immediate answer. Different religions believe different things, but if the God he was talking about was Abrahamic, then…
"As a home for humanity, right? So that we can live our mortal lives and ascend to heaven?" It was Mai that spoke up this time, being the most knowledgeable about theology amongst us.
"That is what the church truly believes, yes. But I've since come to find out that such a narrative is a lie. The one we call 'God' had no such intentions when he created us."
"Get to the point, old man. What are you trying to say."
"What I'm trying to say, miss Tachibana, is that humans were not put upon Earth as children of God, but as soldiers. The Earth is not our home. It is our colosseum."
None of us said a word for an unbearably long time. What the hell did that even mean? What sort of claim was he trying to make? Soldiers? Colosseum?
"Explain yourself." Saki once again pushed further, seemingly growing agitated by the Directors refusal to be straightforward.
"War. Colonialism. Tribalism. They're not simply part of the natural order of this world. They're caused by interference from forces beyond our comprehension. Every time two nations go to war, it's simply a matter of Heaven and Hell moving their pawns to gain even the slightest of advantages over one another. For when one takes control of Earth, it may become a stepping stone to dominate their enemy."
"So you're saying that human conflict is just some massive proxy war between heaven and hell?"
"That's about the half of it, yes."
None of us were convinced. These were the ravings of a madman. Delusions. What series of events could possibly cause a person to believe this so vehemently?
"You're a lunatic."
"I have been thusly informed. But I have evidence. Would you like to see?"
Before we had a chance to answer, the Director threw his cigarette to the ground, and the grass around it caught ablaze. This fire, however, was not the unrestrained type that burned away every fuel it could. It grew to a perfect circle, roughly two metres in diameter, and remained still.
We were forced to watch on in horror as two indescribably terrifying creatures emerged from it. Both towered at some 3 metres in height, with hideous black wings and skin that seemed to stretch across them as if their bodies were too large for it.
"Maxwell, Laplace. Please explain to our friends what you explained to me."
"With pleasure." Said the one called Laplace, in a voice that could only be described as grotesque.
All of us knew just by sight that we were looking upon a real, honest-to-god demon.
Just what the hell had we gotten ourselves into?