Eleven: The Sequel of AlterMyth

And Hell Froze Over

This wasn't the Calliope Mori that Irys remembered, the Nephilim convinced herself. This was an agent of the Manipulator mimicking her fondest memories to derail her. This agent was standing in the way of Irys and her moment of glory.

Thinking this, Irys didn't have to hold back.

Irys spun around and walloped Calli with a high kick. Calli raised up her scythe to block the blow, but this let Irys retrieve her own scythe.

The Nephilim followed through and swung her scythe backhand, peppering Calli with snow. Calli hopped back, but not before Irys' scythe tore the sleeve of her traveling coat - and her wrist.

Calli's blood splattered on the snow. The reaper winced with pain. However, her narrowed eyes saw something else fallen on the snow: a small bracelet with jewelry letters that spelled 'TAKA'.

"Fuck!" Calli cursed, grasping her bleeding wrist.

She gritted her teeth and struck back at Irys. Calli's scythe shimmered with bright pink magic and Irys moved to clash with her once more. However, as soon as their scythes struck, a powerful shockwave cut Irys down, disarmed her and thrust her back-first into a snowbank.

Irys' blood mixed with Calli's in the snow.

"What the hell's gotten into you, dumbass!?" Calli demanded, glowering at Irys, "We don't even know if Revival works here!"

Irys didn't listen. Instead, she stubbornly picked herself up from the snowbank.

"Kronii." Irys croaked, eyeing the broken, bloodstained bracelet in the snow, "I got her totem."

As soon as Irys said this, Kronii's clock-like headdress spun briskly. Wisps of blue magic gathered around the Warden of Time. Then, Kronii cried.

"Caesura!"

...

Eighty-Second Scene - Vengeance Served Frozen

Kronii's spell froze Yekaterinburg and everyone inside of it instantly. The Warden of Time watched the scene around her with a frown painted on her lips. Doubt gripped at her heart, so she turned to the fervorous Nephilim caked in snow - then to the owl-girl standing tall beside her.

Kronii bit her lip. Then, she approached Mumei and laid a hand on her shoulder. As soon as Kronii did, the owl-girl unfroze.

Mumei's honey brown eyes met with Kronii's, followed by a frown that grew in her lips.

"What are you doing, Kronii?" Mumei asked, puzzled by Kronii's detour, "Take Calliope Mori out!"

"I have a minute. Maybe two if I push it to the limit." Kronii countered firmly, "We need to talk."

Mumei furrowed her brow and fell silent. That was Kronii's tense signal to explain herself.

"Stop and think for a moment, MeiMei. Are we sure that Cover Corp is the enemy?" Kronii asked.

Mumei's eyes shot towards J-chad and she hissed.

"Is this because they're offering you and Bae a job, Kronii? Are you gonna let them stop us from saving the world just because of that?"

"That's not..."

"Ninety seconds left." Mumei warned sharply, eyeing the Warden's spinning headdress, "Just go."

"Mumei..."

"Eighty five." Mumei snapped, "Stop hesitating, please!"

"But Mumei...!"

"Aren't you angry at all that Lady Knowledge and Lady Janus were taken from us so suddenly by the Manipulator!?" Mumei demanded, "One of their murderers is right there in front of you - at your mercy, Kronii! Strike her down!" She looked straight at Kronii, showing her the tears forming at the sides of her eyes, "Do this for me. Help me avenge out mentors. This... may be the last chance we'll ever get."