January 27th, 399 P.B. (Post Barrier)
After using the power of the Pendant of Immortality, Yonuro blacked out for a moment. Inside her head, unclear images of the Lingering World appeared, one after the other in quick succession. They were images that Ramael showed her earlier while talking about the Lingering World.
These images, though, were vague, blurry and unfamiliar. Yonuro tried to stretch her hand to grasp their meaning in order to teleport but the attempt bore no fruit. Whenever she tried to stretch her hand to "touch" these images, she was surprisingly distancing herself from them. It felt like a forcefield that was constantly pushing her away were she to approach.
Seeing that her efforts were futile, she let her hand free for a split second and looked down. The same images of the Lingering World that she saw earlier were now shattered in pieces.
Moreover, after temporarily losing hope, the floor transformed into an vast blue sky and Yonuro started falling down the endless abyss below. Scared for her life, she closed her eyes and braced herself.
But then, she realized that she was no longer free falling. She felt somebody holding her hand and bringing her upwards. Yes, it was her trusted friend, Ramael, indeed. She was there to help Yonuro teleport to the Lingering World. Apparently in Yonuro's head, Ramael's aid was translated into a peculiar, female helping hand.
This connection between their consciousnesses was only possible due to the Angelic Bond. If it weren't for it, Yonuro would have failed.
Since the teleportation process requires the bearer of the demonic item to have a clear mind and a strong will, Yonuro would have never made it on her own. Neither the destination nor her mindset was clear enough to do so. Not to mention her unfamiliarity with the process and more importantly the Pendant's impotent ability.
On the other hand, Ramael knew very well about their destination and her mind was clear. Therefore, via the Angelic Bond she is able to actively support her in this critical moment.
Ramael- (whispering) Don't give up, Yonuro! Hold my hand and I'll show you the way. I'm always here by your side, remember?
Yonuro then firmly grabbed the hand that caught her mid falling and got back to the blue sky. There, she felt more stable with Ramael's help. She could now stand on top of the empty sky and move freely forwards.
Yonuro took in a deep breath and prepared herself. While also holding that hand tightly, she steadily walked forth and then images of the Lingering World appeared again. This time the images were more clear, vibrant and precise. The teleportation process was almost a success...
Just as they were about to finish teleporting, however, it felt like the abyss from below was starting to rise up to the sky. Moving forwards felt really slow as if you were walking through a thick swamp. Yonuro panicked and shouted her friend's name.
Yonuro- Ramael?! What's going on? I can't keep moving- The abyss... It's surrounding me!
Ramael- Oh, no no no... The Pendant of Immortality's teleportation ability is decaying and we're not there yet... Yonuro, hurry!
Yonuro- Im- I'm trying!
The sky transformed into a dark, sinister place and surrounded Yonuro as though a black hole was about to swallow her whole.
Ramael- Shit!
Ramael then utilized the Angelic Bond's properties to infiltrate more of Yonuro's consciousness. This was risky, though, as it could possibly destroy the Angelic Bond if the two minds were to merge together..
Thankfully, Ramael thought about this and didn't push herself in Yonuro's mind too much. Being sharp has always been her strong suit.
Yonuro- I'm sinking in the darkness! Help!
At that moment, a second female hand appeared out of nowhere that latched onto Yonuro's sinking hand. Both of Ramael's hands together with Yonuro's own force were enough to pull her out of the sinking abyss and move her higher to the sky for a little while longer. Then Yonuro stood up and looked behind her back. "There's no coming back" she thought and then gave it her all to make it to the Lingering World.
She used her power of extraordinary speed in a final race against the Pendant of Immortality. She ran and ran... Fragments of the Lingering World were starting to break beneath her feet the closer she got to her destination. And although she was moving so fast, the abyss was catching on. It was getting closer and closer to Yonuro. At some point, the Pendant's power had been completely depleted and it was a matter of time before it all blacked out.
Despite their greatest efforts, Yonuro and Ramael were about to succumb to the abyss of darkness. Yonuro jumped forwards one last time and the teleportation process was brought to an end...
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The Following Day... (January 28th, year 399 P.B.)
To wake abruptly from a deep sleep isn't something too unusual for Yonuro. But to do so after experiencing such a tough "battle" inside her head, Yonuro couldn't help it but shout her friend's name outloud.
Yonuro- Raaaaamaeeeel!
As soon as she woke up, Yonuro leaned her upper body forwards and moved her head around to look at her surroundings. At that moment, a "murder" of crows that had surrounded her dispersed and loud caws could be heard afterwards.
Yonuro- Eeeek! What is this place?!
When she heard that peculiar scream, Ramael woke up completely.
Ramael- Ugh... What was that just now...? Did we make it...?
Ramael soon became just as stunned as Yonuro.
They found themselves in an urban park with small artificial lakes and rivers. The park was located in the middle of a huge city in a large open area. Facing the West, one could see prestigious tall buildings with pointy ends in a distinct modern style from a distance.
Moreover, shiny, luxurious roads embellished by gold as decoration, countless sites and grand statues caught Yonuro's eye. It was a place you could describe as divine looking. For the most part of the Lingering World at least...
They were in the capital of the Lingering World, the grand citadel named Saintdom. The place was unfamiliar to Yonuro as she had never been there before. But the reason it was unrecognizable to Ramael was a bit different...
When Yonuro turned to where Ramael was looking (Northeast) she saw the tragedy of the Lingering World with her own two eyes.
Many buildings were destroyed from bambardments and assults with other deadly weapons. All these shiny roads she saw previously were just remnants of the past. All was burned to ashes...
The scene Ramael and Yonuro saw was the same a soldier would see after a lost war. Even from such a distance, bloody trails, bodies, destroyed statues and smoke coming from fires were visible in the northern parts of the Lingering World.
The atmosphere was also distinctly different from the one you could see to the west, where Yonuro had her eyes caught initially. The clouds were darker and an aura of blood seemed to surround the area near the Avamolian District of the North.
Even though the calamities were fewer where they stood, that didn't mean that Saintdom wasn't affected by it. On the contrary, this post war-like scene was well and truly in front of them...
Yonuro- Is this the Lingering World?!
Ramael's gaze was fixated on a destroyed statue near the park and didn't respond to Yonuro's question at first.
Ramael- Yes, Yonuro. Although the teleportation process wasn't complete, we managed to make it to somewhere in the Lingering World at least. We're in the Lingering World's capital, called Saintdom.
Yonuro- What on earth happened here, then? Something seems so off... I mean.. These destroyed buildings over there, this bloody mist and... What's this broken statue...?
Ramael- Proof that something's completely wrong...
Yonuro approached the broken statue out of pure curiosity. When she got close enough, she touched it with the palm of her right hand. As a result, she felt fragments of marble on her fingers. The statue seemed really old, but she couldn't understand what its purpose was, let alone the meaning behind its destruction.
Ramael then broke this moment of silence and explained what the statue was about.
Ramael- In Saintdom, four statues were erected about 4 centuries ago all in different spots in the city. This park we're in is called Ramael's Park. And this statue over here is a statue dedicated to me, the Angel of Holy Energy.
Yonuro- But why is it broken? Is Aniik behind all this again?
Ramael- I don't know what happened, but it's certainly not good news. I can only think of one thing considering all these awful scenes of blood and destruction in the north. A war must have broken out... And to be more precise, a war with the intention of eliminating Ramael.
Ramael was indeed correct. The Great Lingering War was about to finally end, more than two years after its initiation. The two enemy forces were the Believers on the one hand and the Accursed on the other. With Aniik's absence, the forces of the Accursed couldn't be compared to that of the Believers anymore. And now, what the two girls can see is only the aftermath of this tragic War...
Yonuro- If that's the case then were are the ally and enemy forces? I haven't seen anyone close by. Are they fighting near the North Shrine?
Ramael- That's not plausible, though, since Saintdom would be all the more active, sending reinforcements to my Shrine. This dead silence doesn't make any sense...
Yonuro and Ramael hadn't made the connection yet. If they wanted to learn the truth, they had to search for the answers themselves. In order to do so, they left the park and headed northeast while also looking for clues at the same time.
As they explored more and more of the capital, it soon became clear to them that the northeast part of Saintdom was massively caught up in the war. Many abandoned armored vehicles, countless destroyed buildings and a few dead bodies could be seen.
And that was to be expected. Before the end of the Great Lingerian War, the Believers gathered their troops to the northeast part of the city in order to protect the capital from Accursed invasions as well as send reinforcements to Ramael's Shrine in the North.
But now, most of the Lingerians have immigrated to the western regions of the Lingering World to save themselves from a another war breakout.
One of the very few unlucky Lingerians who didn't make it out of the capital was noticed by Yonuro while exploring the city.
Yonuro- Hey, you! Hold in there!
He was a heavily wounded Lingerian on a wheelchair with bandages covering most of his body and face. As soon as they saw him, Yonuro and Ramael swiftly approached the injured man.
Apparently, he was looking up to the sky with regret and disappointment.
Yonuro- Are you okay, sir? Do you need any help?
Unfazed and unflinched the man continued looking at the sky. Confused by all this, but still wanting to help, Yonuro bent her head and made eye contact with the man. Those desperate looking eyes she saw... It was as if they were staring into an abyss...
Ramael told Yonuro to let her touch the man. When she touched him, Ramael transfered some of her Holy Energy to him to bring him back to reality. The lifeforce of this energy shook him up a bit and then his gaze was no longer fixated at the sky, but on Yonuro's charming, indigo colored eyes.
Yonuro averted her eyes for a second because the man's stare felt too serious as if it could pierce one's heart.
Yonuro- Ehm... Is everything alright...?
No answer came from the man though—or so they thought... On second notice, Ramael heard the man repeatedly whispering something.
???- Our lord. Where art thee? (on repeat)
Ramael- Do you hear that, Yonuro? The man's talking!
Yonuro got closer so that she could make out the whispers.
Yonuro- Hey! Can you hear me? Who's this lord you're talking about?
The man said the words "our lord" again and again. Each time he said that, the pitch of his voice seemed to increase.
???- our lord, our Lord, Our Lord, OUR LORD! Did'st thou forshaketh thy people?
Yonuro had a weird feeling about all this but she still wanted to help the troubled man who could later share important information.
Yonuro- Calm down, sir... We're here to help. Could you please tell us your name?
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Yonuro touched his shoulder in order to calm him down. Surprisingly that worked out and the man had stopped with his senseless chanting.
???- You can call me Marden.
Yonuro- That's a good start. My name's Yonuro.
Yonuro had a friendly smile while talking that soothed the man's heart.
Yonuro- So, Marden, what happened here? Why has everyone left Saintdom?
Marden- How should I put this and not be mean... Do you live under a rock, young lady?
Yonuro- Ha ha... Let's say I was couchlocked for years...
For his terrible physical state, bursting into laughter was unexpected.
Marden- Hahaha... I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, then. For almost a Ling now, (One Ling = 3 years) a War has been going on, known as the Great Lingerian War. Well, the War isn't over on paper, but everyone has agreed that it's done and dusted. Since and Believers have had overwhelming power over the Accursed, they can easily be recognized as the victors.
Marden went on to explain in detail everything regarding the War. Most of the stuff Yonuro and Ramael learned were already known to them but a few new key pieces of information were invaluable. For instance, that the War isn't actually ongoing and the reason everyone's missing is because they have all immigrated to the West, the safest region of the Lingering World.
Yonuro- Thank you so much for the information, Marden!
After she had thanked him, a moment of silence rose up that made the discussion a bit awkward.
Yonuro- Oh, sorry I didn't even mention my friend here. How silly of me! Her name's Ramae—
Yonuro stopped talking on the spot. This mistake of hers could have easily cost her her life....
Marden- Ramael?! Is it that damned veil? THAT ANGELIC VEIL WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR ALL THIS TIME?
Yonuro / Ramael- Oh shit...
Marden pressed a button on his wheelchair and a complex mechanism activated that launched a handgun in the air out of the wheelchair's storage box. He grabbed the gun and aimed it at Yonuro.
Marden- HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME, YOU FILTHY ANGELS! MAY OUR LORD KILL YOU ALL!
He pressed the trigger 3 three times and as a result 3 bullets were shot in quick succession. Yonuro's ability of swiftness was utilized to its fullest potential. Nevertheless, only two of the bullets were dodged...
The third one hit Ramael who had abandoned Yonuro in order to form a rectangle shaped, protective wall with her body consituting of Holy Energy.
Marden- I should have known... With the veil by your side, my efforts were nothing but futile... The least I can do is to not let myself lose to the likes of you...
Marden pointed the gun toward the right side of his head. He would rather commit suicide than face "defeat" in the sight of the enemy.
Yonuro wouldn't just let that happen, though. The exact moment the trigger was pressed, she performed a precise kick that hit Marden's hand that was holding the gun. The end result was the gun to be tossed away when the bullet was fired.
Afterwards, Yonuro asked Ramael if something she wanted to do was possible. Although noone had ever used Ramael's powers this way, the plan Yonuro thought of should work on paper.
Yonuro- I'm sorry, Marden. "This is a farewell."
She approached Marden and pressed her right hand onto his face as if to try and grab it. Then she chanted something with her eyes closed and the same energy Ramael had given to Marden earlier seemed to return to the bearer of the Angelic Veil.
Having his lifeforce taken away from him in such a short amount of time felt like using an anaesthetic drug on him and left behind a small Scar on his forehead. Soon enough, Marden was unconscious...
After sorting a few things out regarding their newly acquired information, Yonuro and Ramael were ready to leave Saintdom. They were then headed to the Avamolian District in the North. This was their last stopping point before their destination, Ramael's Shrine...
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A few minutes of walking later, Ramael and Yonuro found themselves at the bus station. This was not a random encouter though. As Ramael had pointed out in their plan:
"If the teleportation process isn't pinpoint accurate, due to the Pendant's diminished power, we'll have to use an automated bus to get us to my Shrine. We'll soak in the beauty of the Lingering World as a consolation prize at least he he..."
But the thing is that they never expected to be this far away from their destination. Only a few kilometers at most was what Ramael was refering to in the plan. Being in a completely different region of the Lingering World was clearly unexpected.
Cosequently, the automated bus wasn't enough to get them to the Avamolian District alone...
Yonuro hopped off the automated bus and exclaimed a sigh of relief out loud.
Yonuro- Ahh. Automated buses aren't a thing in the Overworld yet. That felt pretty good!
Ramael was thinking about the aforementioned problem and remained silent.
Yonuro- What's wrong Ramael?
Ramael- Hm... We didn't think about this in our plan...
Yonuro tilted her head and put her index finger on her mouth waiting for Ramael to muster an explanation.
Ramael- Look, we're nowhere near the shrine even with the help of the automated bus. I never thought that we had to cover this much distance in the Lingering World...
Yonuro- Yeah, that's kinda bad... I'm out of ideas by the way. Not that I had any good ones in the first place. Haha... Do you have any more bright ideas, Ramael?
Ramael- I got a few, yeah! Changing from bus to bus could get us there, but the stations are a bit away from each other so it'd take a lot of time. On the other hand there is the contemporary Hyperboop system, a subway train system in the Lingering World that allows for transportations at lightning speed.
The issue with that approach, though, is that we need some sort of authentication to use it. And If I remember correctly, everyone's either immigrated to the West or is err... dead...
Yonuro- Mm.. Both routes have their issues... But time is of the essence right now. We must return to your angelic body as soon as possible. Let's go to the train thingy you mentioned and we'll figure out a way to bypass the security.
Ramael- Alright. This way.
Ramael then guided Yonuro to the nearest Hyperboop station. Even this underground facility didn't escape the effects of the War. As soon as they arrived at the station, the aftermaths of it soon became clear.
Yonuro- Wow.. What a mess...
Yes, it was as Yonuro had said. An utter disaster. Bloody walls, broken benches, scratched old weapons tossed around and... bodies. Lots and lots of bodies... The rotten smell and the horrific murder scenes made Yonuro want to puke.
The only thing that was in its place was the subway train. Slightly damaged yet completely functional, this futuristic train stood in front of them magnificently... If it weren't for the dead bodies surrounding it that is...
Ramael- God does this smell awful. Hold your nose Yonuro. It's for the sake of us both!
Yonuro- As if I was gonna sniff around in here! I'm not a masochist you know!
Yonuro holded her nose with her left hand and went in the Hyberboop train. The security system instantly recognized Yonuro when she got in and checked her authorization.
Security- Authenticated scan complete. Permission is not granted. Hyperboop system — offline.
While holding her nose, Yonuro said in a funny way
Yonuro- Yes, I know. I know...
Despite not having the access to use the train, Yonuro looked around the place in search of a way to grant her authorization.
Yonuro- Something's written on the rear window. And it's written with blood...
"Aniik, our Lord, we need You!"
Ramael- Now it makes sense... This Lord that Marden was mumbling about was actually Aniik.
Yonuro- So the reason the Accursed were steadily losing in the War was due to Aniik's absence...
Ramael- Yeah, that's probably whyWait! IS THAT THE TRAIN DRIVER?!
Almost every passenger had left the Hyperboop train. The only ones who hadn't made it out were the Accursed who wrote the message and thankfully the train driver. How convenient!
Yonuro- OH! Please tell me he's got his identification on him... Yeah, Got it!
Yonuro went to the control panel and swiped the driver's ID card. The system immediately responded
System- Welcome back, Dik Jobblow. Please insert your touch ID.
Yonuro- You've gotta be kiding me...
Ramael- Since when was the security this strict? I've missed quite a few episodes apparently!
Getting their hands on a fingerprint of a deceased body, was no simple task. Yonuro specifically was trying to think of way to not make contact with the body way too much-it would be so gross! And what she came up with was quite interesting to say the least.
Yonuro- Hm... Look, I ain't touching this thing even if my life's on the line. You on the other hand could simply just ehm... you know... touch his index finger for a second and get a fingerprint sample, right? Ha ha...
Being used to this kind of stuff in other Wars prior to the Barrier's formation, it wasn't the first time for Ramael to touch a dead body when it was deemed necessary. Especially now, when the future of the 3 Worlds was at stake... So to put it bluntly Ramael just said... "Alright."
Yonuro then watched Ramael aqcuire the fingerprint with her mouth wide open. She was in awe at how Ramael was this calm and precise.
A few seconds later, Ramael jumped on Yonuro's shoulder and then on the touch ID panel. Then she matched the part of her body that had the fingerprint with the fingerprint detector and then a green tick appeared on the panel. Once again the system didn't miss a chance to make a comment...
System- Hyberboop System — Online. Dik Jobblow, you may choose a destination.
"The names here are kinda weird, not gonna lie..." Thought Yonuro after choosing the destination "Avamolian District" from a selected number of options.
Yonuro- Well done, Ramael! Now, get ready!
Ramael- Well, I am. Not pretty sure about you, though, to be honest. Mind you, this thing is pretty damn fast!
System- Hyperboop system initiating. Arriving at your destination in approximately 3 seconds.
Yonuro- Fuck! I didn't sign up for any of this!
The train accelerated so fast that it felt like the light particles inside the train were also part of the ride. For a Human, it must have been a one-in-a-lifetime experience...
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The futuristic subway train made it to the station in the Avamolian District. As soon as it stopped, the doors opened and Yonuro got off the train only to fall down on the floor from her sheer dizziness.
Thankfully the station was way less filthy this time around. It was your everyday station that just needed maintenance. It was one less thing Yonuro had to keep up with after coming around.
She quickly got up and shook her head to get ahold of herself.
Yonuro- I'm okay, I'm okay... Phew! Alright, now let's head toward your Shrine.
Ramael- You sure? You look like you may fall again at any given moment.
Yonuro- Nah, it's alright. The dizziness will go away on its own in just a minute.
Ramael- I guess you're right. Not that we have much time left to take breaks...
Yonuro- Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry.
Afterwards, with Ramael by her side Yonuro took the stairs leading outside...
They could tell in an instant that the scenery was dreadful. The bloody cloudy mist and the utterly destroyed buildings, the smoke coming from fires in every corner and the roads that have turned into ash... It was much worse compared to the Capital.
Yonuro- Oh... That's way worse than I thought by looking at the situation from a distance.
Ramael- This... is truly unbelievable... Back in the day, I used to call this place "home" (...)
Yonuro had a pensive expression and remained silent for a bit.
Ramael- Anyway, we should not allow our feelings to mess with our decisions. Besides, we have a plan that we ought to follow, right?
Yonuro- Yes. Let's revise it one last time. So now, we'll head to the shrine and get rid of anyone that may stands in our way. Next, we'll get you back to your Lingerian body inside the Shrine and restore your Angelic Powers as well as merge your two seperated soul parts. After that, you'll be able to restore the Barrier and reestablish "Balance" among the 3 Worlds.
Last but not least, I'll have to wait 3 more days before I can get back to the Overworld with the Pendant of Immortality. During this time, I'll be staying near your shrine to ensure that noone lays a hand on you ever again. And to end things off, I'll make a request demanding tighter security around your Shrine so that when I leave, you're safe to do your part as an Angel indefinately.
Ramael- That's great. Everything's fallen into place. Let's go!
Yonuro- Mhm!
Yonuro looked ahead of her with determination and then wore Ramael as a cloak for one last time.
Yonuro- Ramael,
Her long white hair spread around when she made the first steep step and the strong wind could be easily felt. As Yonuro was walking towards the Shrine, Ramael was being held back by that powerful wind, as if nature itself was trying to prevent them from arriving at the Shrine.
The only things that could be heard were the howling winds and Ramael being thrown around by the same winds while holding on the catchers of Yonuro's clothes.
They treaded on without any problem whatsoever. And that was to be expected. All the guards were dead and the commonfolk had either been killed or immigrated to the west. In conditions like these (ashen roads and smokes coming out from fires), it'd be nearly impossible for anyone sane to get in their way.
And so they arrived. The two girls stood before Ramael's Holy Shrine. It was a circular building that looked like a small church with unpenatrable, glossy, stained glass windows surrounding it. A golden dome was apparent on top of it which held the whole structure together and a single enormous gate door was placed up front.
On the door one could notice a huge replica of the 4 feather symbol as well as a depiction of Ramael, the Angel of Holy Energy. Other depictions of feathers or Angels praying could be seen carved on the stained glass structure all around. Therefore, taking a peek inside was not an option. Neither for an outsider to look inside nor for the Angel to know what's happening in the general vicinity.
Yonuro walked up the thirty stairs, on the sides of which the guards used to stand, and set her eyes on the huge gate door this time from up close.
Yonuro- What a magnificent building...
Ramael- Back in the day, it wasn't all that impressive to be honest. But they've made quite the improvements I see... For example this huge gate door. I don't remember this at all...
Yonuro- It's probably an additional layer of security, methinks.
Ramael- Hm, interesting.
Yonuro then tried to open the door with both hands. Unsurprisingly the effort bore no fruit. The mechanism to open it was a bit more complicated than that.
Yonuro- Hm, how do we open this again?
Ramael- Ehm.. I didn't think about such a thing existing right outside my Shrine.
Yonuro- Well, since this is your shrine, shouldn't you be able to open its door?
Ramael- Now that I think about it, the Shrine is absorbing my Holy Energy to operate (to help form the Barrier), so it should recognize your hand if I imbue it with that said energy.
And so, Ramael transfered her strength onto Yonuro's hands. When she touched the door, this time around, the energy reacted with the 4 feather symbol and the gate door slowly opened...
Despite what Yonuro had initially thought about the Shrine, on the inside it was a luxurious and spacious room decorated as if it were a church. Chandeliers, pillars, mosaics, chairs, candles, etc. And more importantly, at the very end of that huge room was this small, vertical, rectangle shaped area completely covered with glass, where the Angel of the Shrine generally spends most of their time in.
The room they found themselves in was indeed prestigious and eye-catching, albeit completely vacant...
With her eyes trembling as if she had seen a ghost, Yonuro stressfully said
Yonuro- Wh—Where's Ra—Ramael...?
Ramael's body form, the notorious Angel of Holy Energy, was nowhere to be found...
Ramael- I— I can't believe this... She's not he—here.......
"It has to be a dream" they thought. They were both in denial. The situation was surreal to their eyes. Their heart rates had increased drastically and Yonuro especially was starting to panic.
She rushed to the small chamber wherein Ramael's body should be found. But it was empty. Yonuro pressed her hands against it and shouted desperately.
Yonuro- Ra—RaMAeL! R—RAmaEL! W-Where are y—you...?
Ramael- Ramael, it's—it's me! You— Your A—Angelic Veil!
Yonuro slowly dropped down on her knees. Her right hand that was sliding down the glass was suddenly let free. Yonuro had momentarily become paralyzed. Tears were constantly flowing down her cheeks... And the tears that fell on the floor weren't only Yonuro's...
At some point during her breakdown, Yonuro shouted the name "Ramael" and fisted the ground out of her pure desperation, anger and disappointement in herself.
Yonuro- We were too late...
At that moment, footsteps could be heard from behind Yonuro's back. Footsteps from both her left and right side...
???- Too late for what? The party has just started, you know!
???- Are we ruining the moment? I hope we are!
Yonuro swiped her tears and got on her feet. The voices she heard were too familiar. And she saw the reason why with her own two eyes...
Yonuro- Aniik... and is that— Yuri?!
Yuri- Have you forgotten the face of your dear, dear "sister", Yonuro?
Yonuro- How— What's going on?! I— I can't believe this...
Aniik- Ow.. you gonna cry?
At that moment, Yonuro remembered dreadful memories with Aniik and Yuri. Images of betrayal, pain and sorrow, the one after the other...
Instead of inducing mental damage, however, each memory caused a peculiar sense of decisiveness to start growing more and more in Yonuro's heart.
Yonuro- Hmph! When I see two losers like yourselves, I'm not gonna sit down and cry! Right, Ramael?
Yonuro prepared herself for battle and then looked at her friend with a slight smile on her face. That was enough to cheer Ramael up a little and get her spirits somewhat high again.
Ramael- I'll make you two regret what you've done...
Ramael nodded, showing in this way her determination. They were now psyched up and ready to fight.
Yuri / Aniik- Let's kick some ass, then! / Daring, are we? That's how I like it!
Ramael / Yonuro- We'll show you how wrong you are, Aniik! / Ready to lose another fight, Yuri?
It was the most crucial moment of their lives. Everything had let to this point. Their fates had met a conjunction. It was truly going to be a battle like no other...