Fall.
The alarms wailed, their shrill cries reverberating through the narrow hallway as Seraniti moved forward. The overhead lights flickered sporadically, casting the corridor into moments of disorienting darkness before sputtering back to life. Her breaths were steady, measured, though each step felt heavier with the growing sense of unease.
Turning left at an intersection, she picked up her pace. The faint echoes of raised voices reached her ears, the sound of heated arguments coming from somewhere ahead. But before she could fully process it, the ship rocked violently, tilting sharply to one side. Seraniti stumbled, her body pitching against the wall as she threw out an arm to steady herself.
"Tch…" she hissed under her breath, pushing herself upright. Her gaze darted around, searching for the source of the commotion.
To her left, a large glass window provided a view of the deck below. Seraniti's eyes narrowed as she looked across and down. What she saw made her stomach churn.
Below, a group of passengers was huddled near a smaller ship docked to the side of the deck. Panic was written across their faces as they tried to board it in a desperate attempt to escape. A few managed to climb aboard, but as they entered, They either stumbled backwards clutching where they were hit as the sound of gunfire rang. One by one, the fleeing passengers were cut down, their bodies crumpling onto the deck.
But her focus shifted as more figures emerged from the smaller ship. They moved with precision and purpose, sweeping through the crowd of panicked passengers. The ones who weren't shot were quickly subdued, knocked unconscious with brutal efficiency.
This ain't no damn accident at all! The thought cut through her shock like a blade, her jaw tightening as the scene unfolded before her. Who could they be after?
Her hand clenched around the handle of hielaman as her anger flared. This wasn't just havoc—it was deliberate. And worse, it was happening on the very ship she had invested so much to secure passage on.
Tch! It cost me a lot of money to get here! she seethed inwardly, her expression hardening into one of anger and frustration. Over a million spent to reach Yamatai—a fortune—and now everything was falling apart.
She let out a sharp sigh, forcing herself to focus. Her boots echoed faintly against the floor as she continued down the hallway, her pace deliberate but wary.
Without warning, the lights above flickered again, plunging her surroundings into total darkness. Seraniti paused, her breath catching as she scanned the shadows. Moments later, the lights snapped back on, but this time they burned an ominous red.
The corridor bathed in crimson light felt suffocating, the oppressive atmosphere tightening around her like a vice. Seraniti's lips pressed into a thin line as she adjusted her grip and kept moving forward.
It didn't take long before Seraniti reached another intersection. She adjusted her grip on her gun, moving her hand slightly as Svalinn floated into position, covering the left hallway. She paused briefly, scanning her surroundings, before turning right. Both hielaman shields hovered in front of her, providing a steady wall of cover as she hugged the right side of the corridor.
The muffled sounds of movement and scavenging echoed faintly, growing louder with each step she took toward the armory. When it came into view, the sight that greeted her made her frown. The sliding door lay on the ground, ripped from its frame, exposing the entrance like an open wound.
Great, just what I need, she thought grimly. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation. I can't use anything else but magic or my gun without blowing a hole in the ship.
The tension in the air thickened as she drew closer. Scattered across the floor were dolls—lifeless, their forms crumpled and broken. Among them lay a few people in suits, their stillness confirming their fate. Seraniti's gaze hardened as she approached, kneeling beside one of the dolls to inspect it more closely.
Poor doll. Most of them develop a consciousness, but they don't last long before they die. Some rico probably bought 'em… Her lips pressed into a thin line. I mean, it's not like you can do the same to an idol. Those are already people who've put their spirit in a body. These dolls can't even fight if there isn't a master or another doll with them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp voice cutting through the heavy air.
"Who the fuck are you?!"
Seraniti's head snapped up, her eyes locking onto a small group of people standing at the far end of the room. Among them was a doll, its barcode-like marking visible beneath one eye—a distinct feature that set it apart from idols. She stood slowly, her movements deliberate as her hielaman shifted to provide cover in front of her.
The air grew tense, the silence stretching thin as both sides stared each other down. A shorter silhouette peeked out from behind the doorway, catching Seraniti's attention. Her instincts kicked in, and she raised her gun, the barrel trained on the child in an instant.
Across the room, the group reacted just as quickly, their weapons snapping into position as they aimed back at her.
Through the red lighting, Seraniti's sharp eyes caught movement beyond them—people hiding in the shadows, though their attempts at subtlety left much to be desired. Her grip on the handle tightened as she adjusted her stance, the screens holding steady at her sides.
Seraniti gritted her teeth. Yeah, I'm not waiting for this ship to fall. She moved deliberately, her gun pointing toward someone else in the group—that's not the child. Slowly, she began to lower her weapon, signaling a lack of immediate hostility. One of the smaller hielaman floated closer to her side as a precaution, hovering silently.
The tension in the air eased slightly as the others hesitated. A woman from the group stepped forward, her purple hair catching the flickering red light. Her sharp eyes, matching the hue of her hair, locked onto Seraniti. She wore a sleek black suit, her exposed skin adorned with tattoos curling up the side of her neck and wrists.
Seraniti's gaze narrowed. Yeah, fuck no. I'm not doing this mini-boss shit.
Without a word, she grabbed a smokee from under her jacket, pressing the red button before letting it fall to the ground. The faint hiss of its release began as she stepped backward, her grip tightening on her pistol. Then, in a single motion, she turned and sprinted, releasing the hielaman as they floated behind her, now trailing her as cover.
The screens following her movements lit the hallway in faint hues, casting jagged shadows as she raced forward. She heard a chime, and Zora's voice came through, cutting sharply into the chaos.
"Mashaa! I require assistance! Near the gate!"
The call ended abruptly as the ship jolted downward, the sudden motion throwing Seraniti off balance. She stumbled, her shoulder hitting the wall, but she quickly regained her footing. Gunfire echoed faintly through the corridors, accompanied by the sharp chimes ofΜΙСΛ's activating.
A stray shot glanced off Svalinn, sparks flying as its body absorbed the impact. Seraniti growled under her breath and did a pulling motion across her chest. The hielaman floated forward to her front, creating a barrier that moved with her.
It took several tense minutes of running, her breath steady but strained, before she skidded to a stop. The hallway opened into a chaotic scene—gunfire lit the space as assaulters clashed with scattered guards. Bodies moved in frantic bursts, and the air was thick with the acrid scent of magicule residue and burning metal.
Sliding across the floor, Seraniti ducked behind cover, her screens snapping into position. From her jacket, she retrieved two more smokees, quickly setting a three-second timer on both. She tossed them in opposite directions, their faint hiss drowned out by the noise around her.
Her ΜΙСΛ chimed softly, and a screen shimmered to life in front of her, forming a protective barrier over her position. The screen pulsed faintly as it absorbed stray rounds and debris, its magical integrity holding steady as the chaos unfolded. Seraniti took a deep breath, adjusting her grip on her pistol.
Seraniti stood abruptly, her ΜΙСΛ chiming softly as a sequence activated—Burst. A second later, the dimly lit area was engulfed in flames, the fiery light cutting through the oppressive shadows. The sound of yells reverberated through the chaos as the sudden blaze forced figures to scatter or shield themselves.
If visibility had been an issue before, it wasn't now. The roaring flames illuminated the scene, giving Seraniti a precious moment to spot a few figures through the chaos. Ally or foe? It didn't matter. Her pistol snapped into position as she took aim.
Before she could fire, the ship dipped sharply, throwing her balance off entirely.
"Ack!" The scream came involuntarily as the ship's sudden movement sent her stumbling backward. She collided hard with the edge of a protruding surface, the impact slamming into her back and knocking the wind out of her.
Wheezing, she shifted her arm instinctively, her pistol trembling slightly as she adjusted her grip. The screen made by her ΜΙСΛ moved in connection with her, repositioning to shield her as best they could against the onslaught of stray fire and debris.
The fight raged on around her, screams echoing through the ship as the sounds of gunfire and explosions clashed in a deafening cacophony. Seraniti gritted her teeth, her body protesting as she limped toward a nearby cover. Her muscles burned, her breathing ragged, but she forced herself forward.
From her new position, she took aim again, steadying her shaking hands just enough to squeeze the trigger. The sharp, staccato sound of three gunshots rang out. One hit its mark, staggering the target just enough for Seraniti to take notice as they raised a screen of their own.
Damn.. she thought, her frustration mounting as she adjusted her stance.
The lights above flickered in uneven patterns, creating a strobe-like effect that made the fight even harder to follow. A faint glow emanated from the target's weapon, its potential building ominously. Her instincts screamed at her to move, and she did—pushing off with a burst of adrenaline just as the area where she had been was obliterated by a volley of ice shards.
Sliding across the floor, Seraniti ducked behind her new cover, cursing under her breath.
ΜΙСΛ 's can take on almost any shape, but their potential depends on the materials used in their manufacturing… and, of course—their size. The thought flashed through her mind even as her fingers moved with precision, checking her gear. The most common types are bracelets, swords even and guns. Mine? Bracelet type, but it can only hold up to twenty sequences at most. Not bad, all things considered.
She turned onto her side, her movements quick and deliberate. Her pistol barked as she fired six shots in rapid succession. The target's screen cracked under the assault, thin spider web fractures spread across its surface. Her gaze darted around, landing on the body of a fallen combatant nearby.
Without hesitation, she reached out, her fingers curling around the handle of a knife. Its edge gleamed faintly in the sporadic red light.
A shout from her left snapped her focus back to the fight. A few enemies had spotted her and were advancing, their weapons raised. Gunfire and ΜΙСΛ driven projectiles rained down, forcing her to flick her wrist sharply. Svalinn and its two hielaman adjusted their positions, covering her from multiple angles as best they could.
The screens absorbed most of the attacks, but not all. Two shots grazed her arm, the sharp sting pulling a growl from her throat as she ducked behind a desk. Blood seeped through the torn fabric of her sleeve, but she ignored it, her mind already working through her next move.
"For the love of all existence! I hate this day so much!" she snapped, her voice cutting through the din.
With a sharp snap of her fingers, she directed one of the smaller hielaman closer to her, the screen hovering protectively at her side. Her hands worked quickly, grabbing a magazine from its pouch, ejecting the empty magazine from her pistol and sliding the fresh one into place.
She took a breath, steadying herself before leaning out just enough to take aim. Two more shots rang out, each finding their mark. The sharp recoil felt satisfying, even as the dull ache in her grazed arm persisted.
The pain was a distraction she couldn't afford. Seraniti activated one of her skills—
Five skills, she thought, flexing her fingers around the knife in her other hand. Five's all I've got, but they've carried me this far—and they'll do it again.
Her grip tightened on the knife as she channeled magicules into it. The blade glimmered faintly, an eerie light dancing across its surface as she calculated her next move. With a swift motion, she hurled the knife toward a figure in the shadows. The blade struck true, embedding itself in the target's throat. As the red lights flickered, she caught a glimpse of the victim—it was one of the ship's guards.
"Ahh… uhh… tough luck~?" she muttered, glancing at another person nearby. The two locked eyes, each seeming unsure of how to react. After a tense beat, they both shrugged, a mutual acknowledgment of the chaos around them.
Seraniti didn't linger. She grabbed Svalinn by its operator handle, launching it toward another opponent in a fluid motion. The target dodged, but she didn't hesitate. A sharp yank of her arm sent the shield crashing into them with brutal force. Ninety-five pounds of unrelenting momentum slammed the person into the wall above her, the impact echoing through the space.
Not missing a beat, Seraniti reached into her pouch and pulled out a stun grenade—her trusty stunnie, as she called it. Twisting and pulling the pin, she lobbed it over her cover. The device arced gracefully before landing among a group of enemies.
She ducked down, clamping her hands over her ears and activating a screen in front of her. The translucent barrier shimmered, absorbing the concussive force that followed.
BANG!
The sound was deafening, even with her ears covered. Seraniti stood as the smoke cleared, her sharp eyes locking onto five disoriented figures struggling to regain their bearings. Without hesitation, she raised both palms toward them. Her ΜΙСΛ chimed three times, signaling the activation of another sequence.
Under their feet, intricate patterns formed, glowing faintly as oxygen in the area began to coagulate unnaturally. The air felt heavy, dense, as if the ship itself was holding its breath. For a fleeting moment, there was silence. Then, a single spark ignited.
BOOM!
The explosion shook the room, sending flames and debris spiraling outward. It was one of Seraniti's favored sequences—Combustion. The force of the blast sent her stumbling back a few steps, the heat licking at her face as she steadied herself.
She barely had time to recover before spotting three more enemies closing in on her position. Her thoughts were interrupted by a chilling warning from the ship's systems.
WARNING—ALTITUDE 2000 FT!
The sharp decline of the luxury ship jolted her balance, and she pitched forward. Rolling across the floor, she gritted her teeth against the pain of bruised ribs before catching herself on her hands and knees.
"Hahh...Hah...Fuck… my breath…" she gasped, her lungs burning as she forced herself to her feet.
One of the assailants was near the gate entrance, a prime target. Seraniti charged forward, her steps fueled by sheer adrenaline. Reaching them, she delivered a swift, brutal kick between their legs. The person crumpled instantly, their guard permanently dropped.
Seraniti leaned in close, panting as she raised her pistol. The barrel pressed against their temple.
"Tough break," she muttered, squeezing the trigger.
The sharp crack of the gunfire echoed around her as she straightened, her mind already shifting to the next threat. Havoc raged on, but Seraniti wasn't finished—not yet.
Sigh...I should buy a
She opened the pouch from the small hielaman as she once again exchanged magazine before walkin into the door towards the gate. Au! Cough...door closed...She then uses another skill to light her hand in flames as she traced the edges of the glass before pushing it as it breaks apart.
She then twists her left hand as the bracelet called Zora before walking through what's left of the door. "Yes!" Seraniti could hear the sound if metal hitting each other and the sound of gunfire with MICA chimes.
"Checking if your still alive Zora." Seraniti picked up her pace as she looked outside the window and the ground was much closer than she wished it was. "As you can see~ i am! Still alive! You clos-woah! Close?" Seraniti watched as she dodged a strike then retaliating. "I'll be there in a min okay?"
All she got back was a smile before the call was cut, but at least they were safe for now right?
A few minutes of brisk walking had turned into a near-jog as the sounds of yelling and fighting grew louder with every step. The larger hielaman took a few hits from stray rounds, the impacts reverberating faintly through it. Seraniti barely flinched, her focus razor-sharp as she reached under her jacket and pulled out a smokee. Setting a three-second delay, she threw it as far as her arm allowed, the device arcing into the chaos ahead before disappearing into the shadows.
Her mind quickly ran over her inventory. One smokee, three stun, one sharpie. One magazine in the chamber and the last one in the pouch. She frowned slightly but pushed the thought aside as she crouched at the gates' entrance, her breath steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her.
Smoke filled the area in front of her, curling and spreading in thick, gray clouds. Shouts of confusion erupted from within the haze, distant and distorted by the havoc. Seraniti reached down, grabbing her lemos that dangled from her pants. She glanced at its display, assessing her profile.
A third of my magicules gone, a chunk of stamina, and only a hundred lost vitality. Not bad so far.
Before she could rise, the ship rocked violently. The thunderous sound of an explosion roared behind her, drowning out everything else. The deck tilted sharply forward, the force sending Seraniti off balance.
"Tch!" She gritted her teeth as the sudden movement sent her spinning uncontrollably through the gate. She hit the ground hard, her momentum carrying her into a small area where tables and chairs lay overturned in disarray.
Pain lanced through her body as she came to a stop, her breathing labored. She blinked, trying to steady herself, but her left side was a blur of indistinct shapes and shadows amidst the smoke. Her gaze flicked downward, catching a glimpse of the ground outside the ship through the open area where the smaller ship is docked. It was far too close for comfort, the speed of their descent apparent in the way the terrain rushed toward them.
Seraniti closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to focus. Her ΜΙСΛ chimed softly, a sequence activating as her vision shifted abruptly.
The world around her turned black, the colors draining away entirely. In their place, glowing white silhouettes began to emerge, highlighting the people scattered throughout the room. The outlines of tables, chairs, and even faint energy traces from weapons filled her field of view.
Observer, she thought, exhaling slowly. The sequence was straightforward but invaluable—especially now. The clarity it provided cut through the smoke and confusion, giving her a clear picture of the battlefield despite the havoc.
"I can't start sho—!" Seraniti's words were cut off as the ship's lights abruptly shut off, plunging the interior into near-total darkness. The only illumination came from the pale, flickering light outside the gate as the ship tilted forward once more. The cries and shouts of panic grew louder, the sound of people stumbling and colliding filling the air like a chaotic symphony of despair.
For Seraniti, the darkness was no refuge. She crashed into others as she struggled to regain her footing, her body jolting with every impact. With a quick wave of her hand, the hielamans moved from their positions and reconnected with Svalinn, which floated to her side.
Scary.
Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat like a drum announcing the approach of something inevitable. The sound of death itself seemed to echo through the ship, pressing down on her like a suffocating weight. Her eyes darted wildly as the smoke cleared, revealing the chaos around her.
To her right, a group of three people clung to whatever they could grab, their faces pale with fear as the ship's descent became more pronounced. Seraniti turned her head sharply, spotting Zora crouched in a corner, her body pressed tightly against the wall in a desperate attempt to stay steady.
Seraniti didn't hesitate. She forced her legs to move, her body propelled forward by pure instinct. She ran as best she could, her strides unsteady as the ship jolted violently. With a final push, she flung herself toward Zora, crashing into her and sending them both sprawling to the floor.
"Tch!" Seraniti hissed as pain shot through her side. She quickly righted herself, pulling Zora closer and positioning Svalinn to cover their front. Her hands moved with precision, retrieving the sharpie. Twisting and pulling the pin, she hurled the grenade toward the group of three.
The sharp clink of the grenade hitting the floor was barely audible over the noise. The group reacted immediately, throwing up a double-layered screen and shielding their ears and eyes as the sharpie detonated.
The explosion was deafening, the force of it reverberating through the area as shrapnel rained down. The fragments struck their screen with sharp, metallic pings, but the group wasn't fast enough. The blast radius caught them before they could escape, ripping through their defenses and leaving the air thick with the acrid smell of burnt material and blood.
Seraniti and Zora peeked cautiously over their cover, their breaths uneven as they assessed the damage. The ship groaned ominously, its structure protesting against the inevitable as the ground loomed ever closer.
Only a few hundred feet separated them from impact now.
Seraniti's eyes darted rapidly, scanning the havoc with a frantic energy. Her heart hammered against her ribs, each beat growing louder and faster, drowning out every other sound around her. She felt Zora's arms tighten around her, the woman's face pressed into her shoulder.
Scary.
The word pulsed in her mind, looping endlessly as she gritted her teeth. Her chest felt tight, her lungs struggling to draw in air. Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as her body trembled uncontrollably.
Scary. Scary. Scary.
The fear clawed at her, wrapping around her like a vice, suffocating and relentless. Her thoughts spiraled, the sheer weight of the situation pressing down on her. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think.
And then—
Everything went black.