Fate of Realities

File 43: Narrow Escape

"Watch out, he's doing it again!" yelled Will, signaling Val to throw her flower at Minny, who was caught by Mateo's ability.

Minny's ribs burst out of her stomach just as the flower covered the area where Ikarus was. The ribs then grabbed onto Ikarus, slowly pulling him into Minny's stomach.

"What's happening?" yelled Ikarus in panic, never having seen something like this before.

"Val, come with me," yelled Persona as he ran towards Minny in an attempt to restore her, "Exodus, Inferno, initiate formation G. Will Ramuri, try following up with whatever they got. We're not letting this guy leave."

Mateo tried to run, but Exodus had shot bullets, using her plates from her Bullet Magia to create a "barrier" of sorts that would entrap Mateo. Then, Inferno pulled out a bullet from his pocket, holding it in his thumb, and flicking it towards the barrier.

Twang, twang, twang, twang, twang!

The bullet rushed from one plate to another, gaining more and more momentum before finally hitting Mateo straight on to the head.

"The Blazing Prison!" yelled Exodus and Inferno as the bullet exploded, causing a huge wave of flames bursting out from Mateo's head.

However, his head slowly began to regenerate, as Will had expected.

"He's not going to be dying anytime soon," stated Will as he unsheathed his Berserker Blade, "Not even with the greatest firepower the world can offer. Jukkon did something to him that made him immortal! The power of regeneration!"

Will lunged forward and sliced Mateo's regenerating head off, causing it to shrivel and fade away. In panic, Mateo waited for his head to regenerate, but the Berserker Blade had special properties to halt the regeneration. Just as Will was doing a finishing blow..

Jukkon's head popped out from Mateo's neck.

"Chronostasis!" yelled Jukkon with a menacing smile, stopping everyone in their path,

Jukkon emerged from Mateo's neck, a portal appearing from out of it. He dusted his hands before he threw Mateo into the portal.

"You did very well holding out, Mateo," smiled Jukkon, "You may have not found what I told you to look for.. however, you gave me valuable information.

And to think I would never see you again."

Jukkon smiled and looked down on Will Ramuri, who was frozen in place, with a face full of pure shock.

"Will Ramuri," said Jukkon, lifting his hand,"So you are alive. Heh. To put a halt to my plans would be very tedious, considering that your descendants have done so much in putting a stop to them. Although it is fun fighting with you, I'm afraid I can't see you live for any longer.

Die, Will Ramuri! Compared to your descendants, you are weak-willed! Join them in hell!"

As Jukkon swung his arm to chop off Will Ramuri's head, he was punched in the cheek. However, he didn't flinch. His eyes looked to the left of him to find Val in shock that her strong punch didn't cause him flying.

"Er..." mumbled Val in panic.

"Right... you are one of the Devil's little helpers who could somehow bypass Chronostasis," mumbled Jukkon before whacking Val away, sending her crashing to the mansion hall, "You pests are annoying. My Chronostasis has to come to an end."

Everyone could move once again, but something bad had happened.

"I-I can't see!" yelled Persona.

"Me neither!" yelled Ikarus in panic.

"I've manipulated reality to temporarily blind you all," chuckled Jukkon as he created a portal using his spatial powers he obtained from Azarthoth, "How does it feel? For me to use your own friend's power against you?"

"You'll pay for this!" yelled Val in anger.

"Say that when you actually have the chance to kill me," glared Jukkon as he portaled away.

Soon, everyone's vision returned back to normal. As they did, Val broke down in tears.

"Wh-What's wrong, Val?" asked Ikarus, looking around to try and comfort her.

"I failed again!" she cried, "I couldn't stop him! Jukkon got away again!"

"Don't falter," glared Will as he looked at where Jukkon disappeared, "Although I couldn't move in his Chronostasis, I saw all of it. Had it not been for you, I would've been a goner. Keep your head up high. We need it to track him down. Ikarus, get that machine of yours going again."

"Hold it!" yelled Persona, "You can't just leave now! Not after all of this happened! Who is this Jukkon and Mateo guy? And where did you guys come from? I've never seen those types of Magia before."

"Well.." explained Ikarus, chuckling, "We're not really from your dimension.. and these people are really bad."

"That's not enough.." said Persona, "I'm sorry but I've really lost too much people from lack of information. I don't want the remaining family I have to die from something like this if it ever happens again. Whatever they were doing here, they were coming for something!"

"It's none of your business," replied Will, "So back off."

"You have no reason to act like tha—" said Persona before being interrupted by Minny, who had regained consciousness.

"If he's so strong.. why not let Persona join you guys?" asked Minny, putting her hand up to her head.

"We've already got enough people," glared Will, "We can't afford any casualties."

"I know but.. I feel like you'll reduce some if you have Persona," continued Minny, "Not only does he have Platinum Rotation.. but he has restoration abilities as well, which can help you heal wounds like with what happened just now!"

Persona argued, "Like hell I'm going with that guy—"

"Persona," stated Inferno, in a somewhat calm state, "You're our Boss. You have to be the one to do this. You'll be a great help to their team, whatever they're doing. Also, couldn't this be the guy that Adonis said would destroy us all? This could be our first step in avenging Dante.. Lettuce.. Wraith!"

"...you're right," mumbled Persona, turning to Will, "If I may, can I please join your team?"

"No," Will quickly said.

"Will, we can't afford not to have someone who would repair wounds," mumbled Val, "I prevent deaths, but I can't heal them!"

Will, after a few minutes of thinking, hesitantly agreed. Ikarus cheered as he was happy to have another person in their team.

"Where to next?" asked Ikarus.

"An anomaly that just opened up here," answered Will, pointing to his tracker, "Jukkon may have gone here after he portaled away. We have to catch him."

As they traveled to the different dimension, Persona held his bag tight, which had the Magia Orb in it, "This may be useful in the fight with Jukkon. It's going to be a trump card."