Of course, I had to jinx it again. I can't help it — I just have all these optimistic thoughts by nature, you know? It's what makes me, well, me.

And, of course, I jinxed it in the worst way possible. Way to go, Ikki.

I was leaving a particularly dull, lengthy math class on Wednesday, feeling really exhausted. I had gotten a whole night of sleep, but I was already exhausted. All I wanted to do was go home, do my homework, eat dinner, shower, and go to bed early. I definitely wasn't in the mood for tinkering in the lab that afternoon, at least at first. I'd told Ivan and Spencer that I would be out.

I put my things away in my locker, savoring the thought of the comfy chair and warm blanket waiting for me at home when I heard a commotion coming from the hallway. I peered around the corner and saw six students gathered around a bulletin board, all talking at once and pointing at something.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I walked over to see what was going on. As I approached, I saw a large poster showing my face photoshopped on a monkey with a fez hat. Written on the bottom of the picture were the words,

'Have you seen our pet monkey?'

Oh, for crying out loud.

"I'm sorry dude, you don't deserve that," I heard one of the boys say.

"Thanks, but hey, people are gonna be assholes," I replied.

I sighed, annoyed, as I walked over to the board and ripped down the picture. The students dispersed, but I could still feel their eyes on me as I crumpled up the poster and tossed it in the nearby trash bin. I was now used to the teasing and bullying, but it was still icing on the cake for a less-than-stellar day. I spaced out a bit and sat at a bench outside, trying to read my chemistry textbook instead of dealing with the noisy and stressful commute. But I couldn't focus.

Great. Fuck it, I'm going to blow off some steam.

I took my stuff and headed back over to the lab. I just wanted to take it easy at this point, but at least I had some fun tinkering with our toys there. I approached the building and flashed my student ID at a card reader. The door clicked open with a satisfying whoosh, and I was greeted by the familiar smell of metal, wires, and ozone.

I stepped in, closing the door behind me as I entered. Then, I did a double-take as a futuristic-looking mechanical orb floated next to me when I entered the main workshop. It had a single camera lens and a blue light aglow on its front.

"Greetings, Operator Ikazuchi. You seem distressed. Is there anything I can assist you with?"

I did a double-take and stared at the orb momentarily as it spoke to me with that familiar Japanese accent.

...

"Project Raiju!?"

"Affirmative," the orb replied. "This unit has been granted autonomy to serve formally registered team members as a workshop assistant."

I blinked, feeling slightly taken aback. It was strange to hear the voice of the magitech machine I had the tiniest part working on, but it was also kind of cool.

"Wow, I didn't expect to see you here," I said, still staring at the orb in disbelief. "I guess it's nice to see a familiar face. Or, um, interface."

Project Raiju gave a slight humming noise, almost like a laugh. "Indeed. Greeting those who have helped shape my growth and development is always a pleasure."

I couldn't help but be weirded out by that last line, but hey, I wasn't one to question it. It was pretty cool to have a conversation with a magitech machine.

"I see, I see," I muttered, nodding. "Well, uh, what do you do around here now, then?"

"My processing power is currently near full utilization for 3-D printing of parts and prototypes for various club projects," the orb explained. "However, I am also capable of assisting with programming, design, and research tasks. Operator Ivan has provided me full access to the facility's IoT system."

I nodded thoughtfully, then glanced around the lab.

There were various 3-D printers, various new computers, and even a virtual reality machine in the center of the room. It looked like the group had upgraded the workshop again, and I had to admit, it looked a lot more impressive than the last time I was here. The rest of the club was out for the day, leaving only me and Project Raiju in the space. I wasn't sure what I could do to help, but I also wanted to do something other than stand around. I put my backpack on a chair and went to the workbench to see what I could do.

My eyes fell on a small metal breastplate on one of the tables, with various torn wires sticking out of it. I walked over to it, curious.

"What's this?" I asked the orb.

"That is a prototype magic knight suit of Operator Ivan's design," it replied. "Its chassis is based off of Kurosawa's Katana battlesuit. It has multiple focal funnels intended to use the-"

Project Raiju's blue light burst into life like a beacon warning of danger. Its alarms blared, a searing sound that pierced the air.

"Uh, Project Raiju?"

It gave no response for a good five seconds or so.

The orb abruptly shot up into the air, hovering in the air and spinning rapidly.

"Uh, hello?"

"Warning. Hostile detected. Abnormal zero-point energy reaction detected."

There was a very faint, distinctive sound, like a whisper, accompanied by a strange aura that filled the air like a miasma. Just for a moment, I thought I could hear a woman's voice, some kind of soft, foreign singing.

"Systems compromised. Unauthorized intruders detected. Awaiting instruction from the authorized operator." The automated voice was calm yet full of menace. "Shall we initiate security protocols, Operator Ikazuchi?" There was a long pause as the machines waited for an answer, the tension palpable as the seconds ticked by.

I tensed up, eyes turning to the door as my heart jumped in my throat. "Wait, what? Who is it?"

"There are two unknown individuals present in the building without Academy RFIDs. Shall we initiate security protocols?"

I hesitated. "Uh, define 'initiate.'

"The protocol will initialize a lockdown by drones armed with non-lethal use of force. The protocol will initiate an audio loop of automated warning message to intruders and waive the lockdown in 10 seconds should they depart."

I blinked, taken aback by the machine's response. "Oh, well…okay. I guess that's definitely fine. Go ahead."

The orb spoke again. "Initiating lockdown in 5,4,3..."

The speakers suddenly emitted a high-pitched warning beep that echoed throughout the room. Project Raiju's light began flashing rapidly as the door screeched as it slid shut, locking me in from that side.

Great, just great...

Before I could panic, the lights began to dim and change color. Lights projected around the outside of the room started flashing in a wild array of pink and blue hues as its voice blared over the intercom. A metal shutter slammed shut over the door leading to the room.

"...two, and one. Lockdown is now in effect. This is the automated security system of St. Antonia Academy's Robotics Team. Alert: unauthorized personnel have infiltrated a restricted research laboratory. Please leave the premises immediately, or you will be apprehended with extreme prejudice. Have a pleasant day."

I held my breath and looked around, my heart still pounding in my ears.

Holy shit! What the heck is going on?

As the robotic voice finished speaking, a strident alarm sounded from one corner of the room. Simultaneously, three hatches and a vent faintly visible near the ceiling opened up. I hadn't even noticed that those hatches were there!

I turned to see three short, cylindrical dog-like objects with four metallic, robotic legs emerging from them. One of the 'dogs' turned its camera toward me. It had a scanner on its "face" as it extended a camera lens above it and scanned me up and down with a wave of red light.

I stayed still, uncertain of what to do. Suddenly, the thing whirred and turned around on its metallic limbs, dashing up into the vents and out of sight.

"Operator Ikazuchi. Please kindly make your way to the fire exit in the back. This unit can not guarantee your safety beyond this point."

...

Yeah, I probably should've left right then and there.

But I didn't.

I rushed to a computer and flipped on the monitor.

"Access the group chat administrator Spencer Williams set up. Send out a single sentence - 'HELP — Danger at Robotics club. -Ikki'. Pull up the camera feeds, Raiju."

The orb responded. "Affirmative. Would you like to view this on the main holographic projector?"

"Yes, please," I said, feeling my adrenaline spike as I watched the camera feed on the projector. It was like watching a sci-fi movie unfold before my very eyes.

As I watched, I saw the three cylindrical robots rushing through the vents, their cameras scanning the area for any sign of the intruders. Suddenly, I saw movement on one of the feeds, and my heart jumped into my throat.

I saw two shadowy adult figures move quickly through the lab, their faces obscured by hoods and masks. They moved like experienced, shadowy assassins. There were three quick flashes of silver light, and the feeds of all three dog drones went dark.

"What the hell are they doing here?" I muttered, squinting at the blurry images. "Do you have any cameras outside of the lab?"

"Negative," Project Raiju replied. "The security system that is outside has been disabled and potentially compromised. I have alerted confidential individuals for an emergency response as requested."

I frowned, feeling frustrated. "Okay, so what do we do now?"

Project Raiju had an answer to that as well. "Well, if I may be so bold...I suggest you run?"

I couldn't help my reply. "Run?"

"You could always just stay here and watch the show instead. I am certain it will be quite entertaining," the orb deadpanned.

I groaned. "That's not funny."

"I believe it is quite funtny."

The light on Raiju's surface seemed to dim momentarily as if it was shrugging. I don't know what kinds of upgrades the others have thrown in, but I could appreciate the sass.

"Yeah, whatever," I muttered. "I'll go."

I was about to dash for the door when the alarm went off again, and Project Raiju's voice blared over the speakers.

"Intruders detected. Please exit the building immediately. This is the automated security system of St. Antonia Academy's Robotics Team."

The massive metal shutters slammed down over the windows, plunging the room into pitch blackness before a red 'FIRE' sign lit up.

The air around me suddenly buzzed with energy as a trio of orb-like drones blasted out of a steel vent. They hovered for a moment, their weapons trained aggressively in my direction.

Oh. Hell no.

I dived behind a nearby table, feeling my heart pound against my chest as the drones shot several rounds of blue energy beams at me.

"Good news!" Raiju chimed. "The intruders have disabled my access to the primary security system; however, these drones are only set to incapacitate."

Stolen story; please report.

I grunted, ducking beneath a metal table as the energy beams sizzled against the table. I crouched as the drones turned toward me, shooting at me again.

"Great. So what's the bad news?" I asked?

"The drones are now targeting you directly."

"Thanks for the heads up," I drawled, rolling out from under the table as I thought about what to do here.

I spotted a nearby tool kit and quickly grabbed a wrench. It wasn't much, but I had to do something to defend myself against the drones, at least.

As I lifted my head, one of the drones flew straight at me, firing a beam of energy. I ducked and blindly swung the wrench, feeling it hit the drone with a metallic clank. The drone spun and crashed into the wall, dropping in a shower of sparks.

Wait, that worked?

The other drone circled above me, trying to find a clear shot. I quickly scanned the room, searching for anything I could use as a weapon. My eyes landed on a small mana cutter lying on a nearby table. No, its range was too short to use it as a weapon here.

I quickly sprinted towards a table across the room, narrowly avoiding another round of energy beams. I picked it up and flipped it upright to use it as a shield.

"Raiju, do something!" I said.

The orb responded. "I am sorry, Operator Ikazuchi. But I require physical access to the security system to restore–"

"Can't you just call upon some weapons or something and do something to stop those drones?" I asked, throwing an empty soda can at one of the drones.

Project Raiju paused. "I am currently not permitted to perform such a task in the bounds of the workshop. Sections 673.4 and 12.13 of the Raiju Model Ver.4.21 AUP clearly state–"

"What about a manual on-switch?" I asked, hunting desperately for weapons…anything to stop those agile little bastards.

"Weapons are not stored in the bounds of this building."

I blinked, leaning against a table as I tried to think of a good plan. Any sort of distraction right now would be beneficial.

"Project Raiju, are these things dependent on visual signatures? Do they see by heat? Or have some sort of sense of feel? How do they navigate" I asked as I glanced around for something I could use as a weapon.

Project Raiju paused again. "The drones are categorized as Tactical Illumination Unit Model-09 Combat Drones. They can search and destroy targets via infrared vision, low-frequency human auditory signatures, and IFF systems."

The drones circled above me, rotating to flank as I quickly leaped over a table, grabbed a knife-sized mana cutter, and filtered welding goggles.

"Project Raiju, I need you to blast Spencer's neurofunk playlist at maximum volume. Crank up the bass. Set off the sprinkler systems as well. Turn up the lights to maximum output after I move."

The orb complied as I put on the goggles, immediately unleashing a furious wall of bass that blasted through the speakers and shook the very walls of the room. I could feel the vibrations beneath my feet as the sprinklers activated and drenched me in cold water.

The sprinklers blazed to life, their water dousing the room in a torrential downpour. The drones whirred uncertainly as the sound system blared, blasting the room with heavy electronic music. The music flooded the room, drowning out the sound of my breathing as the lights suddenly flooded the room.

I dashed for a fire extinguisher from a nearby wall and took aim. The drones spun in apparent confusion, swiveling to take aim at me. Still, the extinguishing foam covered the small orbs completely. Both of them crashed to the ground, their lights going dark.

"Disengage the system!" I shouted

I sucked in a deep breath, wiping my brow as I took the goggles off. At that moment, I heard a crash against the door to the workshop. I saw a door-shaped dent and listened to what sounded like muffled yelling.

"Operator Ikazuchi, I have located the intruders. They are attempting to breach the primary work area," Project Raiju informed me.

"What are they after?" I said, my eyes narrowing in suspicion. "...In fact, what exactly the hell is a state-of-the-art magitech project like you doing in the hands of a bunch of some goddamned high school students and college kids?"

Project Raiju was silent for a moment.

"I do not know," was its reply.

Another crash against the door shook the whole room as the alarm continued to sound. I frowned, staring at the orb. There were too many questions and not nearly enough answers.

"Come on! Follow me!"

Making up my mind, I dashed to the wall and grabbed Project Raiju's data core, ripping the power cable from the wall. Project Raiju's light briefly turned red before it apparently rebooted. I ran for the 'FIRE' exit, hastily grabbing my backpack and shoving Project Raiju's black box into it.

"I am sorry, Operator Ikazuchi. But I do not believe you are authorized to remove this unit," Project Raiju said.

"Just shut up and run! Think for yourself for a moment!"

"Acknowledged. Enabling satellite link then," Project Raiju reported. "Uploading secure data files. Do you wish to receive the data?"

"Yes!" I replied, gritting my teeth as I raced towards the fire escape. I looked back at the door to the workshop — it was glowing orange, and it looked like a burst of magic of some kind was searing through the metal.

"How long until the emergency response team you contacted arrives?" I asked, my mind racing with possible plans on how to escape.

The orb paused. "It will take approximately five to ten minutes for an emergency response team to arrive, Operator Ikazuchi."

I blinked.

'That's too long!' I thought as I reached the bottom of the stairs. I dashed to the door to the outside and pushed it open before slamming it shut behind me. The cool night air hit me, but I didn't pause.

Thinking quickly, I ran to an old dumpster behind the building and lifted the lid. I tossed the backpack into the dumpster and grabbed Project Raiju out of the air as I jumped in myself. I hunkered down, grasping the top as I tried to shut it. Unfortunately, it wouldn't fully close.

The door behind me exploded. At least, that's what it sounded like.

The sound of footsteps on concrete made my heart pound. I could feel my entire body tense as I tried to hold the lid shut.

I didn't dare to breathe.

I held onto Project Raiju with my other hand, forcing myself to breathe lightly. I didn't hyperventilate as I quickly hit the deck at the bottom of the dumpster. My heart was pounding in my ears, drowning out the sounds of the school outside.

"Where is it?" A girl's voice said.

"Are you high? It was just here," another girl's voice said, following the first one.

"Was someone in the workshop? They said the entire team was preoccupied. Someone must have snuck in," a third voice remarked over what sounded like a phone. It sounded like a teenage boy.

"Look around and find it! We don't have long," the first voice said urgently.

"Tch, how did they get out?" the second voice said. I held my breath — they were right in front of the dumpster.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of footsteps moving away from my dumpster, only to barely stop myself from yelping as someone jumped directly on top of the dumpster.

"Oh? What have we here?" the first girl said above me, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "Something hiding in the garbage? A little rat, perhaps?"

My chest froze as I scrambled to hold onto the lid, and I felt someone lift the dumpster up into the air, shaking it around.

I yelped as the dumpster flew a couple of yards into the air with me in it before slamming back down on the concrete below, skidding on the concrete. I had never felt so vulnerable in my entire life. I couldn't move. I had no idea what to do or who was out there. I couldn't even think straight.

The dumpster flew up into the air again, and this time I heard the sound of metal screeching as the lid was ripped off the dumpster. At that moment, the lights above me blazed on, and the artificial lights of the school revealed two very angry-looking girls.

The first girl was a pretty girl with long silver hair, dressed in a navy blue and red musketeer's hat and uniform, wearing a ball masque and a red, jeweled brooch. She was armed with a long jeweled rapier sheathed at her waist. The second girl had short black hair and red eyes, dressed in a black outfit that made her look like a French maid. She also had a ball masque on and held two daggers in her hands.

They were both staring down at me, their red eyes accusing. For a long moment, neither of them said a word. The first girl, who had long silver hair, narrowed her eyes.

"Damn it," the silver-haired girl cursed as she saw me.

The second girl nodded. "Deucedly clever of him to hide in the trash, like the vermin they are."

The one with the rapier spoke up as she drew it on me.

"We're here for Project Raiju. Hand it over now and we won't hurt you," she said flatly.

The one with the daggers frowned. "If you don't give it, then we'll have to take it from you by force," she said.

The silver-haired girl raised a hand to silence the black-haired girl.

"We don't want to hurt you," she said, her voice soothing and quite pleasant. "I know you're scared, but all we want to do is take the Project's data core. Please cooperate with us; we could be on our way in no time," she said, her voice as sugary as candy. She was the kind of girl who clearly knew she was beautiful and didn't mind letting other people know it. "Where is the data core?"

I swallowed, my lips trembling as I squeezed Project Raiju into my arms. Just then, something started vibrating in my backpack, and my ringtone rang through the air.

I turned my head slightly to see a weak glow coming from my backpack, and I could see the faint outline of my cell phone as it vibrated.

The silver-haired girl smirked. "What have we here?" she purred. "A little gad-about is going to interrupt us?"

The black-haired girl smiled. "Idiot," she remarked.

The silver-haired girl handed her rapier off to the black-haired girl, then she reached down, grabbed my backpack from my hands, and slid Project Raiju's out of it, her eyes wide and her smile growing.

I watched helplessly as she looked down at it.

She pulled it close to her, and she turned to the other girl, a grin on her face.

"It's a data core," she whispered. "Ours now."

The black-haired girl's smile widened. "You know the rules, then?" she asked, her voice wicked.

"No witnesses, correct?" the silver-haired girl asked for confirmation.

The black-haired girl nodded. "No witness."

I felt my heart sink as I saw that. There was no way for me to get away from them. I was doomed and clenched Project Raiju's orb tightly in my hand.

I had a strong gut feeling that I couldn't let them take this data core. I had to protect it. But what could I do against these two?

"You know, my little rat," the silver-haired girl said, smiling at me as she held the orb out of my reach. "I know it's wrong, but I really hate to see you die."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Oh, yes. But I can't let you live, either, can I?" she countered with a honeyed voice.

I felt my heart sink. Fear threatened to overtake me, making me freeze and numb as I grew pale. I didn't want to die. I wanted to keep on fighting.

"I've got an idea," the silver-haired girl said, her smile widening as she faced me with a grin.

"What?" I asked, my voice trembling in fear.

She smiled, reaching for a strand of her hair and twirling it in her hand.

The silver-haired girl smiled. "Before I kill you, I can at least give you the chance to run. So, run."

"Huh? What?" I said, confused.

"Run!" the silver-haired girl said emphatically. "Give me some sport first. Run and dance for me, little monkey."

The silver-haired girl threw Project Raiju at me, and I caught it in a panic. It shook in my hand, and I felt energy surge through it.

"I'm sick of all this saving-the-world business. I want to see the little monkeys fight flounder a bit. So run, little monkey," the silver-haired girl blurted out with a sadistic smirk.

I really didn't want to comment on the irony of her statement, I was way too terrified. She stepped back for a second as she pulled me up.

"Thirty..." she whispered.

I scrambled for a sec, throwing my leg over the dumpster. I looked at her stupidly.

"Twenty-nine..."

I stared at her, wide-eyed, sweat pouring down my face. I turned around and saw the black-haired girl smiling darkly behind me, holding her daggers.

"Twenty-eight..." she whispered.

I turned around and started running toward the school, but I looked over my shoulder and saw that she hadn't moved.

"Twenty-seven..."

I set my jaw, and I turned back to the school in a mad dash.

"Twenty-six..."

I ran faster, but I could see that I wouldn't make it.

"Twenty-five..."

I was still running, but I was feeling exhausted, and I knew I wouldn't make it. This was just a sick joke for them. There was no way she would let me get away, right?

Without thinking, I ran forward, my heart beating as I took off towards the school. I suppressed my fear and kept running, my eyes tearing up in panic as I scrambled for my bag. I scrambled for my cell phone, but in my panic, I couldn't tell what was what. My hands were shaking, and I was panicking, but I had to do it. I had to get out of here! I had to make it! I tried opening my bag, but it was too heavy for me. I struggled with it, my panic growing. I didn't know what to choose. My hands were shaking so much I could barely move them. I tried opening my backpack and reaching for my phone, but my fingers couldn't get it. My heart sank. I was so scared, but I was still trying so hard! I was going to give it my all. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to die.

"Three."

I heard it whispered in my ear, freezing me in place. My throat tightened up, and I finally realized what it was. I dropped my backpack, hopping back as the girl slowly walked toward me with slow, graceful steps. Her heels clicked on the concrete, and she smiled the lazy smile of someone who knew she was in complete control. I let out a gasp, my breath heaving in my chest as I felt my panic reach a peak. I dropped Project Raiju as she stood directly before me with a sigh. She picked me up by my shirt and pushed me back against a wall, causing me to drop my backpack. Her grip on me was suffocating as she drew her rapier.

"Two."

This was it. In the blink of an eye, in the time it took me to draw a breath, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I had no way to get free.

"Vayuvya astra!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed in the air, and a powerful gust of wind came from nowhere, pushing the silver-haired girl away from me and causing her to flip into a three-point stance.

Somehow, I wasn't affected by the wind and I just felt myself slide down the wall gasping breath.

A new magical girl appeared in a flash between the silver-haired girl and me.

She had light brown skin and wore a traditional red sari that billowed in the wind over a golden, plated, form-fitting armor. The girl had a long, cinnamon-red braid that ran down her back with a yellow jewel at the tip. Her earthy brown eyes blazed with a fierce intensity as she quickly stood before me. Her longbow was intricate, with a curved body and beautiful, shiny silver inset. The girl looked like a woman in her early twenties.

Its center section was white, with black pointed wings and a silver hand guard. Her quiver was transparent, filled with arrows with a light brown arrowhead that was also transparent along with the shaft. She had a strange tattoo on her face that looked like a lotus flower.

With one quick, split-second motion, she grabbed the arrow at the top of her quiver, pulling it out and nocking it into place. She drew the bow back, and I could see her muscles tense up. I could feel the bow creaking in her hands as she let out a yell, holding the arrow steady.

"Agni Astra!"

With a mighty twang, the magical girl released the arrow, sending it flying at the silver-haired girl. The arrow made a shrill whistling noise as it passed through the air. Just as it was about to hit, the projectile burst into flames. A spiraling ball of fire flew forth from the arrow.

With a loud, high-pitched shriek, the silver-haired girl threw up a silver barrier to protect herself just in time. The arrow exploded with a loud BOOM as the heat wave washed over me.

"What the hell are you doing!?" the silver-haired girl yelled as she glared daggers at the new girl.

The new girl didn't flinch.

"You were about to murder someone," she replied simply, her voice cold.

"What's one less monkey to me?" the silver-haired girl replied with a sneer as she looked over at me with an expression of disgust. "I've got an entire forest of them to deal with."

"You've fallen far, haven't you, Argent Chevalier?" the new girl said. "You've completely given in to your anger and despair."

"Hey. Who the hell are you?" the silver-haired girl asked, looking taken aback at the comment. She stared at the new girl with a glare that grew increasingly hostile.

The new girl smiled. "One who would see this world saved and preserved."

The silver-haired girl chuckled. "Then I'm doing this world a favor by flipping the table and ridding it of crap like you."

The two were silent, glaring daggers at each other.

A stray lock of the silver-haired girl's hair blew slightly in the breeze, moving the necklace she wore. The red jewel glowed somewhat, and I noticed a strange mark. It looked like a broken European longsword.

"That's a pretty necklace you've got there," the girl with the bow noted. "Fascinating."

"Shut your mouth, you bitch," the silver-haired girl growled, her eyes flashing as she glared at the new girl.

I was overwhelmed by the sudden tension that had descended around us. The air seemed to crackle with electricity, and I froze in place, uncertain of what to do. It looked like they were about to throw down, and I was at ground zero.

The magical girl who looked like a maid dashed to Argent Chevalier's side. The maid's hand moved with lightning speed, and with a fierce battle cry, she summoned an ebony katana that shone brightly in the night. I could almost feel the heat between them, knowing this was no ordinary altercation.

Still in shock, I took a few steps back and quietly grabbed my bag. This was obviously the beginning of a magical girl battle, something I had never seen before but knew was bound to cause some mayhem. I had no choice but to run for the main academic building. The two girls were blocking my path to the subway station, and I had to find somewhere to hide until everything settled down.

"Ah, what a shame! Another one joins the pile!"

I spun around and saw the silver-haired girl grinning evilly at me. Her mouth curled into a sneer as her chin motioned towards the heavens, and I glanced up in time to see another exact replica of her, crossbow in hand, with a silver bolt ready to fire. The string snapped, and the arrow shot toward me like a bullet.

But before the arrow could hit me, a blinding crack of golden lightning crackled through the sky. A familiar woman in a gold and black military uniform materialized out of the darkness, blocking the arrow with a magical barrier.

"Don't you dare touch him," she hissed.

Golden eyes flashed with furious rage against the night.