“Nyx! Boy, do I have some good news!” Sylvie said.

“Go ahead, Sylvie.”

“For one, we have someone who can help us out with finding the Ephemerals! Secondly, I've found the location of the soul that the body you're keeping inhabits!”

Nyx's eyes widened at the two rounds of good news, turning her body to Sylvie as she listened. “That's excellent. First off, who is the individual you speak of?”

“Oh, none other than…” Sylvie began, bringing forth Kinsey. “...Kinsey!”

Nyx stared at Kinsey with intrigue, closing her eyes and giving a single nod. “I see… You have a lot of darkness in you, Kinsey. So, what do you know about the Ephemerals?” she interrogated, taking a step towards Kinsey.

“Well I mean, I don't know ALL of them,” Kinsey began. “But I can help you out with a good number of them.”

“Splendid. Tell me, where are they located?”

“They're in…” Kinsey hesitated. She didn't want to bust her friends out and put a target on their backs, but her feelings of resentment battled those thoughts, making her grunt with annoyance.

“Why the hesitance?” Sylvie taunted. “Oho~, don't tell me you still feel for them!”

Kinsey scowled and swung her hand. “No! I was just trying to remember the name of the location, that's all! Anyways, they can be found in a world created by a witch who goes by the name Celeste.”

Nyx raised a brow when hearing Celeste's name. “Ah, Celeste, you said? I've heard of such. She was the Void Magic teacher of Brittany, I've been told.”

“Dunno who that is, but I can help you get to Celeste.”

“I appreciate your cooperation, young one.”

Nyx turned to Sylvie. “Now, Sylvie, about the location of the soul of the vessel… Where is it?”

“The Fairylyl Alliance HQ! I got the info from Kaz. Apparently, there's a member of the Ephemerals there also. She's supposedly a special agent who's very powerful and possesses a very unique aura.”

“Hm, I see… Well, you should go to retrieve the soul for the vessel. Meanwhile, I'll have some members of our group handle the matters of the Ephemerals that Kinsey spoke of.”

“Gotcha! I'm on my way!”

Sylvie manifested her wings and flew out of the window. Nyx then looked over to Kinsey.

“Kinsey… I'll assign a few of my underlings to assist you with taking in the Ephemerals. I hope they'll be of help.”

“Cool. It should be fun.”

“Wait. Before you go, do tell me… Why do you wish to go after your former friends?”

Kinsey frowned and shook her head. “I just got tired of being nothing to them. I tried to fit in and be a good friend, but apparently my effort was a waste all along.”

Nyx hummed and put a hand on Kinsey's shoulder. “They're not your friends then. You were right to reevaluate your friendship. No friend should keep you down and stop you from being the best you can be. You must accept that nothing good lasts forever. Remember: you must get rid of the bad friends or you'll never be blessed with good ones.”

Kinsey stayed silent, Nyx's words whizzing around in her head all the while. She then nodded with a cold sneer.

“Yeah… They're dead to me now, and there's nothing they can say to me. I'm going to handle them with whoever you're pairing me up with.”

“Oh, I know the perfect match for you.”

Nyx walked around the castle, going into a few rooms where the Cabal members were. She walked up to Kinsey with Cassie, Brittany, and Danemon in tow.

“Kinsey, this is Cassie, Brittany, and Danemon.” Nyx introduced, gesturing to each of them.

Kinsey looked at her companions and nodded to herself.

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“Well! Aren't you looking edgy~?” Cassie added with a smirk.

Kinsey replied with a smirk of her own, pointing at Cassie. “You're one to talk. I like your style.”

Cassie put her hands on her hips and beamed with pride. “Why thank you~! The Empress of the Shadow Zone has to look the part, don't you think so?”

“Okay, everyone. You must head off in search of the Ephemerals. Kinsey here will lead the way. We must act swiftly, for there is no time to waste.”

“No prob,” Brittany said. “I can get to Celeste's Citadel with the Memory Portal technique, so we'll be there in a flash.”

Brittany looked to the others and extended her hands. “You chumps ready?!” she asked, enveloping herself and the others with her bright pink aura. Before anyone could answer, they disappeared, leaving Nyx alone in the main room.

…Good luck, everyone, she thought.

★

Svenja tapped her foot, waiting for Draley and the others to catch up as they flew in the air via Projection. Draley and the other Alliance members made it and landed on the forest floor.

“Ahaha! There ya go! Told ya I'm the last one ya'd wanna challenge to a race! Now, is this the castle ye brought up, Draley?” Svenja asked.

Draley nodded. “It indeed is. I hope that Chami's body is still there. Let's go at once!”

The Alliance flew to the castle and threw open the doors. Draley traced Chami's aura and followed it, which led to the main room.

There's something off… Draley thought. I feel many different auras here, but it's not Sylvie's, or that of the other woman who was with her… Nevermind, let's just get this out of the way before things go south.

Draley opened a door by the decapitated statue and her eyes widened at seeing the body of Chami, unscathed and in perfect condition. The other members of the Alliance stared in shock at the unconscious body of the voice behind the Alliance Nexus. With forest green hair and pink inner hair, yellow eyes, a petite yet endowed figure, and wearing a green dress and boots, there was no mistaking it.

“This is it…” Draley said.

The room was quiet, except for the heavy breathing of the group as they all stared at the body. The group exchanged glances, waiting for Draley to give a lead on what to do next. Draley walked up to the body and picked it up, closing the door behind her and narrowing her eyes as she looked at the others.

“Our mission is complete. We must leave immediately. I'm sensing numerous unfamiliar auras within this castle, and we may get attacked if we don't get out of here quickly.”

★

As ordered by Marla, the Alliance members back at the HQ stood guard by the Nexus for protection.

“I can't believe that Chami is actually a deity!” Zoe said.

“Tell me about it,” Ahina replied. “I thought it was only a voice in this Nexus.”

“Same here,” Marnie added, “I'm just waiting to see if we're gonna be kicking some ass soon. How about you, Mable?”

Mable tapped her chin with her pen, her lavender hair swaying along as she looked over to Marnie with her silver eyes. “You know I'm not the fighting type, Marnie.” she replied with a slight smirk.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Marnie taunted. “You're probably just gonna sit back and use the showdown as inspiration for writing a fight scene, aren'tcha?”

Mable's smirk spread further as she gave a single nod, putting her pale hands in the pockets of her royal blue and white frilled dress before leaning against the Nexus. “Hehe, you sure know me well.”

The Alliance's chatter screeched to a halt from the doors of the HQ being kicked down by Sylvie. She flew in and landed before the Nexus and the Alliance, crossing her arms and taking several steps forward with a demonic grin. “Well, would you look at that - it's a pest convention!”

Marnie stepped up to the front of the group, narrowing her eyes as she looked at Sylvie with a defiant glare. “Hmph, I'll crush you like a pest if you dare touch our ally's soul.”

"And we won't let you take it,” Ahina threatened, staring daggers into Sylvie.

Sylvie laughed, a dark and menacing laughter that filled the HQ as she stared down at the gem sprite. "Oho~? And what makes you think YOU can stop me?"

Ahina conjured her claymore and swung it in front of herself, pointing it at Sylvie.

“You think I'm scared of a mere demon?”

“A MERE demon?” Sylvie replied, grinning as she used Increase and shrouded the entire building with her fierce red aura.

The Alliance flinched and stepped back at this display of power, their eyes widening as they looked at the powerful being standing right in front of them.

“Damn… She really is a monster…” Marnie admitted.

“So~? Who's gonna stop me?”

As if answering her question, Svenja, Draley and the others made it back to the HQ, heading inside with Chami and freezing as they saw Sylvie.

“The hell?” Svenja said as she walked towards the demonic fairy with her blade drawn. “'Sup with this demon?”

“It's Sylvie,” Draley warned, stepping in front of Svenja and outstretching her arms to protect everyone behind her.

Sylvie looked at Chami and raised a brow. “Oh? You actually retrieved the vessel? Great, now my workload is doubled!” she complained. She then smirked at the sight of Draley. “Ooh, and if it isn't the sleepyhead? I thought we killed you back there!”

“Evidently not,” Draley replied, summoning her staff. “You aren't going away with anything!”

Sylvie flashed a devilish grin. “...Bet?”

Before anyone can respond, Sylvie and the Nexus both disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving everyone dumbfounded at Sylvie's incredible speed as she flies off.

“Wait- what the bloody hell just happened?!” Svenja yelled, watching Sylvie flying in the air with the Nexus in hand and getting smaller by the second.

Marnie chuckled to herself at the situation, nudging Ahina with her elbow. “Ya saw that? She literally went like ‘pyoooom’ on us!”

“I know, right?” Ahina replied, laughing along.

“Welp, we just got owned.” Uni said, joining in the other two's joking around.

“Damn… Our perfect chance to have both Chami's body and soul in one piece is ruined…”

“Nah, I know what to do!” Svenja replied, using Increase and flying after Sylvie.

“Noooo!!” Draley panicked, reaching a hand out. “You can't just go after her like that, she'll slaughter you!”

Svenja was already long gone, leaving Draley's pleas falling on deaf ears. “Oh goodness…”

Draley laid Chami down on the floor and flew after Svenja without a second thought.

Ahina took Chami and sat her up against the wall. “I hope they'll be all right…” she said with a sigh.

★

Draley caught up to Svenja, flying through the air beside her and racing after Sylvie. Sylvie looked back and groaned at the sight of them coming closer and closer. “Oh jeez… It's The Pests part two…” she whined, firing a blast of aura at them. The projectile hit Svenja, who winced from the attack, yet regained her balance and kept on flying.

“Shit… Get off my back, you fuckers…!” Sylvie complained. The weight of the Nexus began to kick in for her, and she went downward until she hit the forest floor.

Svenja and Draley landed before Sylvie, who stood in front of the Nexus. Sylvie caught her breath, holding her chest as she took deep breaths.

“Stop right now, Sylvie!” Draley demanded. “You can't flee all the way back to the castle carrying the Nexus.”

“Let alone get away from us while doing it!”

Sylvie snickered at the two, looking at the Nexus and back at them. “Oh, but I got the soul from the Nexus before you dumbasses even landed! Now I don't need that damn thing!”

Draley gasped. “So… She must be an Extractor…” she said under her breath.

“Well guess what? Ye ain't gettin' away with it!” Svenja threatened, rushing in for an attack with her blade. In a quick movement, Sylvie delivered an uppercut and flew off while Svenja was stunned.

“Gah! Damn that cute hoor!” Svenja roared, holding her chin and turning to Draley. “I'm huntin' her down, Draley! Head back and check on everyone back at the Alliance for me!”

Svenja dashed off before she could respond, and she watched as Svenja faded into the skies. “I hope you really know what you're up against, Svenja…”

…

Svenja caught up to Sylvie in record time, firing blasts of aura at her. They were all dodged, but Svenja used Increase and tackled her, sending them both back down to the forest.

Sylvie kicked Svenja off of her and sneered as she turned around to face her. “What a fool, coming here all by yourself, trying to take down the magnificent ME! I've never seen a single soul so eager to meet their grave!”

“Oh feck off, ye blasted eejit! I'll leave ya banjaxed inside-out before ya can even blink!”

Sylvie erupted with mocking laughter, shaking her head at Svenja. “Don't make me laugh! You think that you and your little mortal friends will be enough to stop me? How adorable~! Your pitiful Alliance are nothing but insects compared to me, and you all deserve to be crushed like one!” Sylvie used Increase and created a crater from the power of her aura. “Hahaha! Taste my mind-boggling power!”