EXT. HOLDEN CEMETERY - NIGHT NARR. IT WAS 9:30 PM. A full moon. A smaller red ‘moon’, known simply as The Yolk, was hovering just beneath it. The fair weather of the day had given way to a harsh chill by nightfall, making him grateful that he had listened to Christy and worn his long thermal black jacket over his skin-tight suit. He sauntered through the cemetery, reading the engraved names on each tombstone he passed. AMOS (whispering as he reads) Conrad Kittles... Meredith Patterson... NARR. He'd read up to ten different people before the next one stopped him dead in his tracks. A massive tombstone stood before him. It bore the symbol of a black dragon, belonging to one of Taqora's most powerful families. That is, until four years ago when a terrible massacre wiped out all but one of their members. A massacre that had become synonymous with their name ever since. AMOS (whispering as he reads) Kageryuu... NARR. As Amos read that name aloud, his skin tingled. He tightened his lips and sank to his knees, forming a seiza sitting position before bowing in honor of the fallen clan. While he didn't know anyone in the family personally, he always felt a strong connection to his fellow countrymen. AMOS (whispering) Yasuraka ni nemutte kudasai. NARR. ‘Please let all the souls here rest in peace’. From afar, he could almost feel his sister Frida's silent judgment, but he chose to ignore it. AMOS Huh? NARR. Just then, a few will-o'-the-wisps emerged from the Kageryuu gravesite, one of which levitated over to Amos. He stared at the lone specter for a while then nodded before standing up, adjusting his headset, and flicking a switch. AMOS (through the headset) Wolf to The Garden. Come in, Grand Fisher. NARR. After nearly fifteen seconds of silence, a teenage girl about two years his senior responded. KANAME Go for Grand Fisher. Report. AMOS I’ve arrived at Holden Cemetery. The thermal scanner didn’t show any signs of life... KANAME (chuckles) Well, duh. NARR. There was a brief pause, perhaps to see if Amos would bite. When he didn’t, she cleared her throat. KANAME Sorry, bad joke. Please continue… AMOS But, I did happen upon a specter. It is now known that Subject-724 is residing here. KANAME Really? Are you sure? AMOS Positive. The spiritual pressure is quite strong. If she were to hide out anywhere, it’d be a place with a plentiful amount of souls. KANAME Understood. So what now? AMOS Gather as many souls as I can find so I can face her head-on. KANAME Sounds like a plan! NARR. His target, Subject-724, was the human experiment of their client, The Grimm. Female, blonde hair, short of stature, and an extremely powerful soul mage, S-Class. The target escaped from the client’s underground laboratory, leaving many corpses of failed experiments and unlucky lab assistants in its wake. Not even an ounce of blood was spilled at the scene. For five long years, Amos had been trained in the art of assassination. He made it a habit to come prepared every time he was deployed. No matter his target’s size, strength, or experience, he did well to study their strengths and weaknesses down to the last detail before setting out. KANAME Hey, so I’ve been curious... When you were coming up with your codename, what gave you the idea for ‘Wolf’? AMOS Your sister was the one who had proposed it to me. KANAME Oh, you don’t say! AMOS Yeah, I wanted to go with Ghost Charmer, but she told me that it was ‘too on the nose.’ NARR. Kaname couldn’t stop herself from chuckling. KANAME (teasing) Wow, didn’t know my little sister had that much of an influence over you. Sounds to me like she’s got you wrapped around her little finger. NARR. Amos felt a wellspring of heat wash over his face. AMOS Uh... it isn’t like that, Senpai, I promise. I just thought the name was fitting. KANAME Ha, whatever you say, loverboy! I know you’re blushing. AMOS Please stop. KANAME UH-UH! NARR. Kaname was so immersed in her teasing, that nothing could prepare her for what came next. CHRISTY (in the background) Boo!! KANAME Kyaahh!! NARR. The sudden noise on Kaname’s end made her yelp. These antics were not foreign to Amos. Only one person in all of Eden Academy could get that kind of reaction out of her. AMOS (thoughts) Sounds like Christy just clocked in. Thank the gods for her. KANAME Chris-er-Twin Drills! NARR. Kaname yelled, still catching her breath. KANAME I thought I told you to stop sneaking up on me like that! You tryin' to make me have an accident, girl?! AMOS (thoughts) Inessential information, Senpai… CHRISTY (in the background, laughing uncontrollably) Wow, you actually went ‘kyaahh!’ Gods, that was lush! NARR. Christy laughed her machine gun-like laugh. This was usually accompanied by her holding her stomach, but Amos couldn't tell, what with being five thousand miles away and all. CHRISTY (in the background) I’m sorry, but you just make it too easy, K. NARR. She went on, pleading her case. CHRISTY (in the background) And besides, your reactions are priceless. What would you expect me to do, not act on such a golden opportunity? KANAME That would very much be preferred, thank you. CHRISTY (in the background) Bah! You’re no fun. KANAME Well, there’ll be time for that later, hop on a set and help me out here. CHRISTY (in the background) Roger! NARR. There was a small hum emitting from Amo’s headset. Christy had opened a channel of her own. CHRISTY Twin Drills to Wolf. NARR. Christy called, sounding much clearer than before. AMOS Go for Wolf. CHRISTY Feel around your headset for a tiny button. NARR. Amos did as he was told. He tried to reach up with his only hand and feel around for the button but to no avail. After a few more failed attempts, he simply removed his headset to find a tiny yellow button. He sighed at his inadequacy as he used his thumb to press the button and quickly put the headset back on. KANAME Oh, hey, we’ve got a visual. Nice one, T.D.! NARR. Amos was still a bit confused. AMOS Uh, so did I activate some sort of camera? CHRISTY Uh-huh! NARR. Christy beamed proudly. Amos could tell that she was grinning. CHRISTY K and I can now see exactly what you’re seeing. So when we go into radio silence, we’ll be able to keep up with the action. AMOS I see. NARR. Amos said, sounding impressed. AMOS This will help quite a bit during these missions moving forward. CHRISTY (bashful) W-Well, I remembered you were talking about having difficulty fighting and briefing simultaneously, so I figured this would help you focus on your missions. No big deal. AMOS It is. Thanks, Twin Drills, I very much appreciate it. NARR. There was a long pause. A second longer and Amos would’ve assumed he had lost connection if Christy hadn’t spoken up. CHRISTY Hmph! As you should! But don’t let this one little favor go to your head. KANAME (chuckling) One? Seriously? So what about all those times you helped him clean the dorm hallways? CHRISTY (flustered) Th-that’s only because those hallways are massive! No one can clean that all by themselves! KANAME Ms. Yamamoto does. CHRISTY Ms. Yamamoto is a professional janitor in the Queen’s uniform and she has two hands! KANAME Hm, true that… NARR. While the girls were bickering, Amos had made quite a bit of ground, all the while finding and contracting will-o'-the-wisps and other spirits that had yet to pass on. AMOS (thoughts) She has to be here… NARR. He told himself… AMOS (thoughts) …but why isn’t my mana detection working? Is her spiritual connection that much stronger? NARR. Amos surveyed the area around him after each step as there was a good chance that the target was made aware of his arrival. While he did not doubt that Frida would be quick enough to intercept a potential attack, it was better to be safe than sorry. KANAME Okay then. How about all the times you wake him up early, do his laundry, or bring him food? CHRISTY Um, he’ll sleep all day if I don’t, his flat’s always a total mess whenever I arrive, plus he can’t necessarily work a stove and I’m no Marsha Steward, so I have little to no choice! NARR. By the time Amos returned to their conversation, the girls were still arguing. Although only five minutes had passed, he had already forgotten the topic of their discussion. KANAME Okay, okay… NARR. Kaname said, having had far too much fun at this point. KANAME …So why does it have to be you? CHRISTY Huh? K, what are you…? KANAME (teasing) I mean, there are plenty of people who've got Wolf's back. Hell, one of whom could quite literally give him a hand. Yet you always take it upon yourself to help him instead. Hmm… I guess you could say I'm curious as to why that is… AMOS (thoughts) Oh, that’s right. NARR. Amos thought to himself as a bit of pondering brought the subject back to the forefront. CHRISTY (stammering) Th-th-that’s…w-w-well… you see… NARR. Christy went into one of her stammering fits while Kaname simply laughed. Amos took this opportunity to chime in. AMOS Hey, uh… For what it's worth, I don't mind it when Twin Drills helps me out. I'm always busy, and it's not like I can just call upon the spirits to do my chores. Things were a bit rough when I first arrived in Cambridge, so it's nice to have an extra pair of hands from time to time… NARR. His statement came so abruptly that the girls had fallen silent. Amos was seriously beginning to doubt the quality of these headsets. Kaname had claimed they were “brand-spanking-new” and “top-notch”, but after nearly five hours in the field, they've proven to be anything but. His concerns were quickly dispelled when he finally heard Kaname and Christy speak. KANAME (astonished) Oh… my… gods… CHRISTY (embarrassed) You… you idiot… KANAME (teasing) That was the sweetest thing I've ever heard anyone say about... well, about anyone! Things appear to be looking up for you, Twin Drills. Don't let this chance go to waste or you'll regre—Ow!! NARR. Kaname was interrupted by the sudden sound of rapid and heavy pounding against flesh. The perpetrator must have been Christy, as she was cursing something in her native Zelsh in sync with the pounding. KANAME (angered and in pain) Ah! Hey, that hurts like hell, you little shit! NARR. Kaname cursed back in the Common Tongue. KANAME I’m so gonna get you for that later… NARR. Christy's frequency wavered slightly as she blew a raspberry at her upperclassman. Amos sighed and rolled his eyes. AMOS (thoughts) At this rate, they'll probably kill each other before I've even pinned down the target's location. NARR. He’d imagine an outsider would have difficulty discerning how these two even became friends in the first place… Suddenly, a low melodic hum drew him out of his reverie. Amos came to a halt and listened. The hum was distant, but not too far off. As he shifted his gaze from side to side in search of the sound’s origin, he felt the facet joints in his neck crack. KANAME (concerned) Wolf? CHRISTY (concerned?) You’ve been quiet for a while. What’s wrong? AMOS (low voice) Shh! Listen… NARR. The girls simmered down and sharpened their ears. The humming was dulcet, graceful, almost angelic. Akin to a merrow performing Siren's Song to lure in its prey. With each stride Amos took, its volume increased. It was now clear to him that the sound was coming from just ahead. After a few seconds, Christy spoke. CHRISTY (trembling) Is that a… a children’s nursery rhyme? KANAME Mm, not any I recognize… NARR. Kaname paused, perhaps giving the humming another listen. KANAME Ah, it’s a desert-elven folk song... S’hara of the Dunes, I think? NARR. Her conclusion seemed to elicit an audible shudder from the younger girl. CHRISTY Ugh, humming an old dreary folk tune from Lai-Fatt Desert… In a cemetery… In the dead of night?! Uh-uh, that’s uber-creepy, no matter how you slice it. You’d best be on your guard, Amos! NARR. The boy nodded. AMOS Will do. INT. HOLDEN CEMETERY - TUNNEL OF SHRUBS - NIGHT NARR. Amos trudged on. He was only a few steps away from a tunnel of densely planted shrubs when he felt a faint tinge of aura. He sank to a knee and pressed his open palm against the wet grass. As soon as he made contact, a powerful flow of mana began to emanate from just beyond the tunnel. And as he watched the energy swirl and flow around his arm, he began to feel a sense of familiarity. The same feeling he got when making contact with wayward souls. There was no longer a single doubt in his mind. AMOS (thoughts) Bingo. AMOS (Through his headset) Mm. I believe I’ve found our target, Grand Fisher. She’s dead ahead. KANAME Copy that. Okay… NARR. She took a deep breath and then continued. KANAME (professional with a hint of concern) Now remember, Wolf, Subject-724 is an S-Class target, capable of killing an enraged manticore in less than five seconds, unlike anything you've ever seen on the Junior team. If there's even a single misstep, the mission won't be the only thing in jeopardy. We'll be keeping an eye out, so call us again if things get hairy. And please… be careful. CHRISTY (worry disguised as anger) And you’d better use your damned brain for once! If you mess around and die, so help me, I’ll curse your name for the rest of my life! Am I understood?! KANAME But you kind of already do that, T.D. Quite often if we’re being honest. CHRISTY Then I’ll do it twice as much!! NARR. Christy was one of the first friends that Amos ever had. As far as he could remember, anyway. They met around five years ago when he was brought to the continent for the first time. Things were a bit rocky at first as he struggled immensely with the Common Tongue, leading to numerous misunderstandings between them. Once Christy, a native Zelsh speaker, learned of his background, she could relate to his struggle to learn a second language and decided to take it upon herself to help him improve. Since then, he's frequently found her at his apartment with either food or a laundry basket. He considered himself fortunate to have met her and was eternally grateful for all she had done. They then met Kaname Fischer when they were recruited to The Order of Eve's Junior Squad in primary school nearly two years ago. The headmaster of Eden Academy insisted that building trust with the faction's support team would be beneficial to their development. They worked together to complete ten missions, with the team guiding them every step of the way. Kaname, a freshman at the time, was the only member left, as the majority of the faction and support members had either graduated or perished before her two lowerclassmen became official members. They've all since remained good friends. Amos felt the corners of his mouth curl up. This was his first major assignment as a member of The Order of Eve, and it was unquestionably his most difficult one yet. The rest of his comrades were not skilled in soul magic, so they couldn't help him against Subject-724. Aside from Frida, who remained on standby, Amos was practically alone. He was grateful to hear familiar voices throughout his journey. AMOS I will, Senpai. And don’t worry, Twin Drills, you’re understood. I promise to be careful. Talk to you guys, soon. KANAME Over and out. NARR. The boy shut off his radio and put away his square-rimmed spectacles. He scanned the cemetery once more as he combed his fingers through his long, pale white mane. Standing up, he let his thermal black jacket drop to the ground. He pressed his palm against the center of his chest, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and recited the words: AMOS (reciting) O’ spirits... O’ spirits of Holden. With my life force as tribute, I call upon thee, for I have a task that must be sought through. NARR. Will-o'-the-wisps flickered around the stump where his left arm once was. Sickly pale blue flesh materialized in the shape of a human arm, contrasting with his dark skin. From this new arm burst out five thin tree-root digits black as the night sky. AMOS (reciting) O’ Spirits… Dear spirits of Holden. For this, you have my utmost gratitude. NARR. Amos was thankful that the spirits were still receptive to his call. He had been left on the verge of exhaustion from hours of intense sparring with his sisters just days prior. He removed the chains from his sheath, and held it to his side, gripping it tightly in his new temporary hand. He concentrated on his breathing, then continued down the path of tall shrubbery, employing the foot roll technique from his stealth training in primary school. The humming grew louder and louder. Before he knew it, he had reached the end of the path. He slowly peeked around the corner and saw her. INT. HOLDEN CEMETERY - TOMBSTONE - NIGHT NARR. A teenage girl wearing a white lace sundress sat on a large semi-collapsed tombstone. Her bare feet dangled over the edge, kicking to the rhythm of the melody. As she sang, the girl moved her head from side to side, and a swarm of will-o'-the-wisps danced all around her. There were so many that Amos couldn't keep track of them all. They always seemed to increase in number wherever he looked. AMOS (thoughts) No wonder her mana was difficult to detect. NARR. Without another word, Amos gripped the hilt of his sword, sizing up his target as he prepared to draw. Just as he began to pull the blade from the sheath, the girl’s tune came to an abrupt end. BAREFOOT GIRL (soft & friendly) The spirits are certainly lively this time of night... wouldn’t you agree? AMOS (thoughts) Shit. NARR. Amos ground his teeth and sheathed his sword before stepping out of his spot. The girl lowered her chin as she turned to stare at her would-be assailant. Upon her gaze, Amos became lost in the girl’s emerald-colored eyes, following their every move until suddenly, he could see himself from a bird's eye view. AMOS (thoughts) Huh? What the…? NARR. It felt as if some outside force had ripped his soul right out of his body. He could no longer feel the cool night air, nor could he feel the heavy breaths his body was taking. Amos had fought powerful mages, warriors, and gangsters of many races as well as some of the continent’s most feared monsters, but none of them had ever made him react like this. AMOS (thoughts, struggling) No... I can’t let her take me… NARR. Amos focused his mana and after a bit of a struggle, he suddenly found himself back in his body and let out a sharp gasp. His heart raced as a cold sweat ran down his face. After regaining his composure, he gave the girl a once-over, noticing the welts and bruises on her legs as she playfully kicked them back and forth. Soon the moonlight had completely diffused the darkness surrounding them, lighting up the entire cemetery. The girl's pale blonde hair appeared to illuminate in the moon's radiance. It was odd, the sight was certainly breathtaking, yet the boy still felt a chill run up his spine. BAREFOOT GIRL Hm… you don’t look so well, stranger… NARR. The girl wore a puzzled look as she tilted her head. BAREFOOT GIRL Is everything all right…? NARR. Her voice was dreamy and distant as if she wasn’t speaking to Amos at all. It made her question sound all the more condescending. She then turned to her league of will-o'-the-wisps, who indulged her with a cacophony of chirps, which made her giggle. BAREFOOT GIRL (giggling) Yes, yes... he certainly is much stronger than I pegged him to be… NARR. The girl stopped kicking her feet. She let out a playful grunt of effort as she pushed herself off the tombstone, landing gracefully in the cold, damp grassy field below. At that precise moment, Amos found his new left hand gripping his sheath, preparing to draw his blade should the girl decide to make any sudden movements toward him. BAREFOOT GIRL My, oh my, he’s like a spooked horse! How cute… NARR. The girl giggled, looking the boy up and down. BAREFOOT GIRL Half-Hōjinese… half-Anubian? NARR. She turned to her wisps for an answer. They chittered and chirped vigorously as if providing a matter-of-fact response. BAREFOOT GIRL (to her wisps) Yes, yes, you're right, Anubians don't have white hair… Ah, eyes of amethyst... Perhaps he's Zemian, then? Mm. So he is of bi-ethnic heritage like my brothers and me… Interesting… NARR. The unfamiliar term made Amos scrunch his face. AMOS (thoughts) Zemian? BAREFOOT GIRL (to Amos) Hmm, and then there's that queer aura of yours… NARR. The girl was suddenly speaking to him again; the intonation in her voice was more direct. She rubbed her chin in thought, eyes wide with wonder. BAREFOOT GIRL I detect an immense amount of spectral energy coursing through you… And that’s not all...despite making eye contact with me, your soul managed to return to your body… I have never seen such a thing... Anyone else would've simply perished from my Soul Extraction spell, but you… NARR. The wisps chirped again, this time in a joyous manner as if confirming her hunch. The barefoot girl grinned at the boy, her eyes dazzling as she slowly raised her right arm and pointed at him. BAREFOOT GIRL ...Yes… Then it must be so... You are just like me… NARR. There was such an air of sureness in the way she appraised the young man standing before her. Amos eyed the girl carefully, looking her up and down for any signs of additional movement. Something was completely off about her. The way she walked, the way she talked, even the way she smiled. Everything she did felt uncanny like a piece of her just simply wasn’t there. Amos was slowly, but surely starting to see why the headmaster and his associates were calling for this girl’s execution. HEADMASTER (Amos remembering his words) Such unpredictability could prove dangerous if left to roam about as it pleases… NARR. The headmaster explained. AMOS (thoughts) Soul Extraction… NARR. No wonder nobody else could track the girl down. With a spell that powerful, she was able to destroy the lab and escape without leaving any traceable DNA. For someone subject to harsh experimentation, it was understandable that she'd develop a firm grasp of her powers. And with all those victims, she had a plethora of new souls at her disposal, far more than Amos could ever hope to stand against. AMOS (thoughts) Fighting her alone will prove difficult, but wearing her down appears to be my best course of action… NARR. Amos deduced. She managed to catch him off guard earlier. If he repeated that mistake, he was as good as dead. And it wasn't a stretch to conclude that he'd be no good to her if he was dead. AMOS (thoughts) That I know better than anyone. BAREFOOT GIRL Hm… You appear to be high-strung, kinsman. Tell me… could this perhaps be your first time… meeting someone else who can communicate with the dead? NARR. Amos didn’t answer. Or, more accurately, he couldn't. His esophagus had gone bone dry. In truth, this was his first encounter with another spectral mage, or someone of the 'whisperer' class, as the headmaster liked to call it. For a long time, he thought he was the sole whisperer in not only Empyrea, but the Holy Kingdoms entirely. Clerics and onmyouji, mages who use divine magic to purify corrupt spirits, were quite prevalent on the continent given its namesake, but whisperers, those who form contracts with wayward souls and use their power to meet their ends, were almost non-existent. BAREFOOT GIRL (excitedly) Oh, so it is! NARR. The blonde girl smiled, her frostbitten hands caressing a small wisp. BAREFOOT GIRL It is also my first time meeting someone like me! I struggled at first against the monsters they threw at me, but once I figured out how to use my mana, fighting them became a lot of fun! But after a while... it became tiresome… NARR. She paused for a moment, lowering her gaze. BAREFOOT GIRL Say… let me ask you a question, kinsman… NARR. Her voice sounded much clearer and more engaging than before. Again, her eyes met his. This time, Amos did not feel the same sensation from earlier. She gave him a look as if waiting for him to grant permission. When he said nothing, she continued. BAREFOOT GIRL If your life… and everyone in it was suddenly taken away from you in a single day… NARR. Her smile had faded. In its place, a solemn look of remembrance. BAREFOOT GIRL …what would you do… if it meant that you could see them again? NARR. It was a question that Amos had not expected. On one hand, he had no memory of his past life, his parents, his hometown in Northern Hōjo, or even how he lost his left arm. On the other, just like the girl, there was also that strong sense of yearning. So in a way, he felt like he could relate. The girl maintained her gaze, this time with her eyebrows raised, lips tightened. It seemed as though she was genuinely seeking an answer. AMOS I don’t remember much about my past… NARR. Amos finally said. AMOS Nor do I remember anyone in it. But if getting those answers was at stake… NARR. He then drew his Chokuto sword. A 27.5-inch blade with a hilt of 26 centimeters. His contracted spirits gathered around it, forming a rippling blue aura. AMOS ...then I would gladly go to any length to have them. NARR. Nodding at the boy's resolve, the girl released the little blue wisp from her grasp. She watched as it rejoined the others. A warm smile spread across her face. BAREFOOT GIRL I see… NARR. She inhaled deeply. A foreboding aura began to encircle her entire body in the blink of an eye. The will-o'-the-wisps danced around her again, this time more ferociously. BAREFOOT GIRL I wish to know your name, kinsman… Could you please tell me? AMOS It’s Amos… Amos Naragishi. BAREFOOT GIRL Well then, Naragishi-san… I believe I shall follow in your footsteps. If it means seeing my friends… seeing my brothers… then I… Nanaya Kusanagi… shall see this through… AMOS (thoughts, shocked) Wait. Kusanagi? NARR. She closed her eyes and levitated into the air, holding both of her hands to the night sky. Her eyes then shot open, casting down upon him, with an expression Amos could only describe as dark… brimming with sheer malice. A bit jarring for a girl who was all smiles just moments prior. NANAYA (shouting) …with no regrets!! NARR. Suddenly, Amos sensed an overwhelming presence from above and looked up—floating over his head was a swarm of will-o'-the-wisps. When he looked around, he noticed that more spirits were rising from their graves and floating towards Nanaya, joining the others. At this point, there were far more than Amos could count. They grew in size, with some forming an arch around their new host, chirping in unison as they did so. Soon, the spirits began to morph, save for the ones surrounding her. Amos could make out a few knives, swords, spears, halberds, and even a few handguns, and assault rifles. It was at this point that he wondered just how the hell someone capable of all this had been contained for four years up until now. AMOS (thoughts) This is going to get ugly… NARR. He took a deep breath, raised his sword into a high stance, and channeled the mana coursing through his body, preparing for his target's—no, his opponent's—first move. The bladed weapons danced around the girl, while the long-ranged weapons hovered nearby. A few aura swords darted toward him a split second later. He ducked the first three, dodged the next two, and swung on the final one, sending it flying far to the left. When he looked up, he saw two aura halberds descending at full speed. As he rolled out of the way, he was surrounded by at least 30 more bladed weapons from all sides. AMOS (thoughts) There’s no end to them! NARR. Nanaya lowered her hands as the weapons sped toward him. Amos sank to his knees, his sword at his side. As he closed his eyes, mana flowed through his veins. AMOS (thoughts) Tutela… NARR. The spirits Amos summoned gathered around him to form a shield, deflecting the oncoming volley of weapons. Some of them had pierced the ground around him, sticking out before quickly dissipating. He knew he couldn't keep this up for long; a few more attacks like that, and the shield would surely come crashing down. Before he could recover, a few more weapons were hurled at him, and they were low enough to slip through the gap between his shield and the ground. AMOS (thoughts) This is bad! NARR. Calling off the shield, Amos rolled to his left, dodging all but one Wiccastrean athame cleverly hidden behind an Empyrean great sword. The smaller blade slashed his side, sending a searing-hot pain shooting through his body. AMOS Guh…! NARR. Assault rifles and handguns followed. They fired at him with extreme haste. Amos took his sword and rotated it clockwise with both hands, deflecting a hail of orange bullets. These were not the typical guns he had to deal with on a regular basis. For starters, these weapons usually had people manning them, making it relatively easy to deflect their bullets back at the wielder. Those guns also had to reload when their clips or magazines exhausted their rounds—the marksman behind these guns, on the other hand, was currently in the air about 120 feet above the conflict, with no reloading time to speak of. Amos was partially impressed. AMOS (thoughts) Her spectral domain is certainly more extensive than mine… NARR. Knowing he couldn’t spin his sword any longer, he broke away and bolted to the right, the transparent bullets close behind. Nanaya could be heard cackling with glee. NANAYA Oh, this is most riveting, Naragishi-san!! It has been far too long since I’ve had an opponent of your caliber!! NARR. A Zelsh great sword and a dwarven battle ax materialized ahead of him, and Nanaya flung them at his head with a swift flick of the wrist. Amos needed to act quickly. He took a large diagonal step to the left with his right leg, then stepped forward with his back foot, turning 180 degrees. He swung his back foot around, striking a brief eagle pose before launching himself into the air with his arms and right leg. He wrapped both arms to the left, which allowed him to rotate in midair. He could see the great sword zip past his head, indicating that the battle-ax wasn't far behind. As he made a full rotation, he noticed the ax spinning just below him, only a few centimeters away from where his feet would land—he had timed this perfectly. AMOS (thoughts) And now for the tricky part… NARR. Both feet landed square on the heel and the butt of the battle ax, he then bent both of his knees and focused all of his innate strength and a little mana on this next leap. AMOS Hup! NARR. Like an eagle, he soared, evading the bullets that pelted the ax below by a hairbreadth. He wasn’t nearly as high as he needed to be, so he called forth his newly acquired will-o'-the-wisps. The first wisp formed a flat platform, and the rest quickly followed suit, forming a makeshift staircase that lifted Amos higher and higher into the air. He gripped his sword and readied it as the spirits assisted him in rising high enough to charge directly at Nanaya. The girl exclaimed as a wisp from her arch instantly transformed into a katana. Its orange ‘steel’ flashed as it clashed with Amos’ Chokuto in one swift motion. To keep Amos at Nanaya's level, his blue-flaming friends formed a large platform beneath his feet. He swung again, this time aiming low, but the katana deflected it. He aimed high, then mid, and then low again. Same result. He then hurled a flurry of swings at the girl only to be matched blow for blow by the invisible swordsman defending her, sparks flying as their blades clashed fiercely. AMOS (thoughts) No doubt about it… this spirit was a master swordsman. NARR. Amos made for a diagonal slash, but the invisible swordsman parried the attempt with such force that Amos’ arms were launched upward, leaving his torso wide open. The swordsman wasted no time in thrusting its katana toward his midsection. Amos quickly spun to avoid the fatal blow, only to find himself surrounded by a new bevy of weapons appearing out of thin air. AMOS (thoughts) What?! NARR. The weapons vanished as quickly as they appeared, reappearing at a lower altitude before lunging in a sudden burst. Amos sidestepped, ducked, dodged, and parried weapon after weapon, but as each one fell, a new one appeared in its place. He’d only managed to avoid a few more before the rest of them ran through him from all sides, perforating his flesh like a pincushion. AMOS (screaming in pain) Aaaaagh!!! NARR. His eyes widened. As he cried out, that searing-hot pain, worse than the last, coursed through him. His spectral platform gave way. Nanaya giggled playfully, raising her right arm in the air as she watched the boy fall. NANAYA This… has been quite fun, Naragishi-san… NARR. The girl smiled warmly. NANAYA …This is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Thus, I have decided that you shall become a part of my domain. NARR. Amos’ breath caught in his throat—as he noticed an even greater number of aura weapons were suspended in the air. Nanaya had rematerialized the weapons that had just pierced his flesh and added them to the collective. She seemed dead set on making quick work of the boy. He became aware of a few orange spheres encircling his body and realized he was no longer falling but being held in midair. NANAYA This will only take a moment… we will be reunited soon…