Chapter 510: Arc 6, - 126: Light in the Light

Chapter 510: Arc 6, Chapter 126: Light in the Light

"Jotou, please," Asobi uttered. "If they somehow are mind-controlling you... o-or you let them... Snap out of it... Please," tears formed in her eyes.

With the force of a finger tap, she kept the sword of light at bay, and watched her left. Hotaru was on her knees, healing up Tiffany’s throat and the electrical scars across her neck.

The redhead made no eye contact, and was firmly focused on the water she formed; although, the quiver of her lip and the folding of her ears gave away her true emotion. Ben lied panting behind the elf, holding his jaw and realizing blood was dripping down his chin.

Finally, her gaze went back to intertwine with those of jade green. There was a slight tremble in both of Jotou’s arms that wielded the crystal sword.

"Shshing!"

But it was a moment, and moment alone. She flipped Asobi’s blade away and swiped the sword for her head. The sparks pierced through an illusion, and she got low before she swept her foot out in a circle.

"Woa-ah!" an invisible voice jumped and heels clacked as she landed back.

Jotou twisted around and charged forward.

Only the sounds of panicked heel movements were heard before she spoke, "Well that didn’t work so good. Are you gonna kill all of us or do you just want us to leave?"

Following the direction of the squeaky high-pitched voice, Jotou swiped nothing but air. She turned and went to throw her blade at the redhead by the side.

A whip of light coiled around her wrist, and the blonde’s eyes darted to it immediately, as if expecting it as she grabbed the light construct yanked it forward.

Asobi reappeared, struggling to pull the whip, which Jotou pulled in towards her with barely any effort. As she went to punch the approaching elf, she disappeared into thin air, and the punch never landed.

"Wsh! Wsh! WshSHsh!"

A dozen Asobi-s appeared all around and above, and lassoed the blonde’s wrists, ankles, waist, knees, elbows, shoulders and neck, before yanking her in every direction to hold her in place.

Her light made no sizzle into the armour she wore, but Jotou with a grunt, sparked her entire form and zapped every cord of light attached to her.

All the Asobi-s but one burst into confetti, as the real Asobi was to her right and was forced to let go lest she be electrocuted further.

Jotou dashed across the vault towards her, while the magician shook off the electrical shocks across her form and widened her eyes at the incoming blonde; before she promptly went invisible.

Jotou came to a halt, her nose shrivelled—she clicked her tongue against her canines and sparked up the inside of her mouth. "ZZFZFFFFFF!!!" As she exhaled her breath of lightning, she spun around.

The flying arcs of electricity hit a form that let out a moan in pain, and was broken out of her illusion. Reappearing, she aimed her wand, "Blinding Mask!"

As a white butterfly appeared over the blonde’s eyes, her lightning was already coating over the side of her shoulder. She charged forth, and crashed into the elf.

"Ngh!" Asobi went flying back onto a pile of armite, with sparks dissipating over her enchanted attire. Her hat rolled off her head.

The illusion seeping into Jotou’s vision vanished as fast as it appeared.

"Waohh... Hello," Asobi was surrounded by butterflies of every hue, and stars circled her head. She reached out to touch one in a daze, and turned into a decent-sized butterfly-shaped platform. "Ohhh... Maybe that could work. But it’s gonna burn my shooeeess. Shoo? Shoe- Uh oh!"

A massive white butterfly created a wall in front of her that took the strike from Jotou’s blade instead of her.

Meanwhile, Ben glanced up from the floor and watched as lightning clashed with light, causing radiant prismatic rays to shine across the treasures of the vault.

He groaned into a clearer consciousness as water began to soothe into his cheek. Hotaru healed the fresh wounds, "Are you awake? Quick, I need to continue with Tiffany too, she’s not doing so well."

Ben got most of the message and touched his own face. He pursed his lips as he got up off the ground, "I’m... out of healing potions. They don’t sell them up here in the north, do they?"

"I wouldn’t know," the redhead’s voice rattled out.

He took a few breaths and saw Tiffany stashed away behind treasure, and Asobi forming a blade with her wand, about to face off against the Thundering Blade.

Flames of scarlet hue burned warmly in his palm, evaporating the water Hotaru was using. "What are you doing!? Stop that!" she slapped the hand.

Ben’s hand remained firm, and his fatigued eyes looked at the wolf-woman, "Heal, right? That’s the spell? That’s it?" he breathed.

"Y-yes, why-"

"I got it," he nodded, and gestured his chin towards the pale blonde. "You get to her. I’ll manage. Heal," he uttered and the warm scarlet flames began burning away the scars, reforming new skin underneath. It was not as fast as the redhead’s, but it was working.

Hotaru furrowed her brows at it, and then got up to run back and tend to Tiffany. "Asobi!?" she yelled out, propping the pale blonde’s head up.

A sword made of light, clashed against the sparking crystal blade. Asobi blocked the first few strikes and looked back, "I’m okay! Where’s Meko!?"

"I don’t know!"

Upon saying that, Jotou looked up, and noticed a carved-out portion of the wall that was in the middle of being fixed by blood-red spiders.

The detective in question had just taken a step into a starry void... One with air and a dark shimmer to its space. The sound of warping winds constantly whispered past her ears.

Fumeko’s narrowed eyes examined every corner in the corner-less. Ever-expanding, ever-growing—and yet she felt a sensation of suffocation in her chest.

Each footstep like a dew drop falling into a still lake, she could see it ripple beneath her. She crouched down to touch the ground, and it bounced her hand back up with an equal force.

The ripples twanged in harmony, giving a brief break in the warping sounds haunting her; she eyed the floating powder-like glimmers everywhere she faced. Looking behind her, the fresh entryway she had carved was gone.

’...Why can I still see?’

Fingers, hands, boots, pistol, bangs—they were as clear as day to her. The glimmering shadows that lingered in her eyes spun and danced between purplish and reddish hues.

She holstered her pistol and drew her dagger out to stab into the space she stood upon. However, the blade passed through as if the floor did not exist at all.

Fumeko furrowed her brows and swiped at the nothing a couple more times. ’... ...It can cut through anything... Is this nothing? Then what am I standing on?’

"Hello?" her voice was but hers to hear; it did not echo or impact the space. Frustrated, she held a hand to her chin and steadied her breath.

’This is the cult’s base of operations. Something even dad couldn’t find, and that was protected with only that tattoo to give us access.

...

...The cult’s proficiency with teleportation magic... It could easily explain that each door within this place leads to somewhere that’s not a direct path. It’s a good security measure, so even if someone gets into one place, they might not get into the other.

But what’s the point of doing that then? The tattoo can just guide anyone; or was it just for the tunnel system? Unless the new gods can control what room can and can’t be accessed by anyone?

And WHAT is this weird feeling- ...!’ Goosebumps crawled up her arms as her eyes widened. Her hands reached out instinctively, and she took another step with a slight lean forward.

"woosh..."

The haunting winds sped up around her and started to fade, before they returned when she stood still. Red string connected together in her mind’s eye.

’This space. Their base of operations is in between space! The In Between. I’ve been here before; I’ve been here nearly a million times. This is where I blink into before getting out.

This is where they’ve been hiding, all this time! How they’re everywhere and nowhere; how they travel and disappear without a moment’s notice.

But how did they get here? How did they build a structure and a system? What exactly is this space? Do I feel connected because it’s like the middle of a blink spell, or is it just a similar space...?’ ℴℴ𝘮

Fumeko glanced around, and in the short amount of time, felt at home. That suffocating feeling lifted off of her chest, and before her were endless pathways that she could walk if she so wished.

’Regardless, what’s going on with Jotou? Is she really mind-controlled, or possessed? Ceridwen? What if it IS Ceridwen? ...No, those spells were too familiar, in which case Ceridwen would have to have Jotou’s soul, implying that she’s dead... ... ...’

Light seeped into her vision, as a rip in the fabric of space showed her the fight ensuing between Jotou and Asobi, but at a much-reduced speed; each swing of their blades took at least eight seconds to clash, and another ten to pull back.

Seeing them move in slow-motion, she felt a push against her heels to step forth. But exiting here seemed an ill choice; she stepped back and the doorway closed.

’It’s like how I usually do it, but I can’t see that physically right now, so how would that work? Does this place mean I don’t need an affinity to teleport where I need to? How far can I go? How do I go...’

Fumeko reached a hand out whilst she finished her thought. ’... ... ...Kineko.’

Her gaze sharpened, and she stared straight ahead to the space before her... Seconds passed with not so much as a ripple in the glimmer.

She pursed her lips, "Figured." ’I’d still need to know the location. Rose told us to look for the vault, and the magic guided me here. How did she find that out and where is she now?’

"And if I wanna get out of this place."

"W-wOsh!"

The same portal tore open in space behind her, showcasing the fight between Jotou mid-twist, and Asobi stepping back. Fumeko rolled her eyes, and the portal shut.

’No point going back there now. I wonder if Jotou’s planning on dismantling all of us and taking us prisoner? Regardless, I’ll have to trust that they can fend for themselves against Jotou for now.

I also seem to have some extra time here like when I blink. I’ve never really stayed her too long though. ... ... ...’ Fumeko narrowed her eyes and glared ahead.

’I forced my way in here; I can force my way out.’ "The new gods are a bunch of copycats," she declared. "This is my space, my domain—mine, and I have the affinity to prove it. You’re all just a bunch of visitors.

I’ll get where I want," she reached her hand out with a sneer. ’Even if I have to carve it out myself.’ "Blink!" a buzz went down her spine, and her she felt her heartbeat quicken.

Light pierced through where her hand reach and the warping winds around her parted. Shadows whirred at her feet, lashing at her knees. ’You can’t lock me out. Nothing, can lock me out!’

"W-WOShs BRbrbrr DshhhHH!"

The void parted violently, fluctuating in and out of itself, and around her hand as the starry void crept up her arm. Her breathing grew erratic; the short breaths started to blur her vision and make her head ache.

’I’ll make you face the truth; you can’t escape my sight.’ "Blink!!"

"BRFRFRFR WORBLE! SHF!"

The light expanded and enveloped her as she felt liquid drip from her nose. ’I’ll find all of you and put an end to your stupid fucking cult.’

"Woosh!"