76 Chapter 14: The Mirror and Frozen Worlds [1]
Following the siren, a mechanical voice that paused after each word, probably for ease of understanding, rang out.
[—This is not, a drill. This is not, a drill. The foreshock has been observed. The occurrence, of a spacequake, is predicted. Persons in the vicinity, please move to the nearest shelter, immediately. I repeat—]
Spacequake alert.
Suddenly, a temporary silence engulfed the whole place. They processed that message for a few seconds before confirming that it was just like any other day were things like 'that' happens again.
"For real...?" A certain staff muttered in a dry voice as he grumbled slightly anxiousness.
"Ah. To think that such a thing will happen again! In such odd, yet fast intervals as well!" One shouted in annoyance within the crowd. His voice was so loud that people turned their heads on him as if saying 'shut up' or something.
That said person at least had the liberty to show his embarrassment for such action.
"As if you could do something about it man," another spoke up, probably that person's friend that looked tired. "Anyways, let's just evacuate already." He finished as he began to
"Uh yeah. We should..."
With that, the man followed. A few seconds later, most of the people began to move out and headed to the nearest shelter.
Accounting for the tension and panic felt by the crowd, it could be said that it was relatively mild...or calm than what one would've expected if a normal person were to face a 'catastrophe', as some would like to describe earthquakes that are.
This behavior of the crowd could be easily explained. After this town was severely damaged by the spacequake thirty years ago, residents of Tenguu City have practically been put in mandatory evacuation training.
In addition, this was an amusement park. A place where many people gather. That's why a large underground shelter was built in such a place so that can fit hundreds of people in case of such events—spacequakes specifically, occur nearby.
[—The shelter is located nearby the entrance of the park. Please immediately go there for safety. I repeat—]
As the announcement went on, the crowd began to move in earnest in swift, yet calmly headed straight to the entrance of the park where the supposed shelter was located on.
You could still occasionally see a few people in panic or in distraught, but it was something too minor to take priority of concern right now.
Amidst the evacuation taking place, however, Rei, Tohka, and Tenka in particular looked in the same direction. Northeast to be exact. They could see—or rather feel the source from where the center of the spacequake came.
"Rei, this..." Tohka spoke out, not finishing her words as she bit her lips.
"Yeah. I know," Rei huffed as he looked up at the sky which was rapidly dimming with each second that passes. "Tohka, Tenka..."
"Hmph. Another... Spirit like us, huh," Tenka noted, as she crossed her arms. "If they ever think that they could just get away by interrupting this 'date', then they're mistaken," she added, now laced with a dangerous tone.
Rei glanced at her for a moment, not expecting such a harsh reaction out of Tenka so suddenly. Still, he could understand her for that part. Most of the time, nobody would be pleased if they were interrupted by what they are doing.
The dumbfounded staff member who remained that was previously handling the phone of Tohka, looked distracted. Her next movement could be deduced that she was planning to call somebody on her phone as she reached out her hands in her pocket.
"Miss. Can we please have our phone back?" Rei requested as he offered his hand waiting for the phone to be given.
"A-ah... Y-yes! I almost forgot! Sorry!" The staff bowed as she apologized frantically.
That was quite an overreaction on her part, which Rei thought but didn't give it much thought.
"No worries," Rei assured her that no offense was taken.
"Thanks! I'll go off then, please evacuate to the shelter!" The staff waved goodbye as she walked away at a fast speed.
"Strange..." Tenka murmured.
Rei who heard her asked as he glanced at her. "What do you mean?"
"That woman just felt wrong," Tenka answered as she narrowed her eyes slightly before shaking her head. "I can't put it into simple words... however, I believe there's nothing to worry about"
"She isn't a threat? Is that what you mean, sis?" Tohka chirped in as she approached and hugged Tenka from behind. "There's no problem then right?"
"Un..."
Tenka just nodded, too tired to ask Tohka to 'release' her from her hug.
"Now, Rei. Should we go check it out?" Tohka said but received no answer from Rei who looked in a trance for a brief moment.
"...."
Releasing Tenka from her arms she approached Rei carefully and wrapped her arms around him as well in a similar manner to Tenka. "Ne~ Rei? Ignoring me again? Mouu!"
Though this was a more special case, however. Tohka 'strengthened' her hug to turn back Rei's focus.
"Urk-?! T-Tohka?" He voiced out, not expecting such a 'hard' grip on him by Tohka. It was as if he was being crushed slowly to death if this continues any further.
"Yes yes. Your one and only~" Tohka said as she lightened her hug. Now showing some concern in her expression, she continued. "So what has been bothering you lately? You keep getting into short trances like that these days..."
"...It's just...No, I'm sorry if I made you worried..." Rei admitted. "There's just been a lot of things happening here and there. Things that even bothered this date of ours in the end"
"I see," Tohka chuckled. "As much as I want to pout and get slightly mad over you having your thoughts elsewhere on this date..." she smiled as she continued, "Don't hesitate to call for help. I—no, sis and I will always be by your side to help you out, right sis?"
"I suppose so." Tenka huffed. "I see no problems with it."
"You two..." His faint voice went not unheard.
"Right! Let's stop this heavy stuff for a moment! We still have that 'problem' to address!" Tohka exclaimed defusing the heavy atmosphere building up between them.
Taking feelings into account was something that most people tend to forget each time they do their actions. But that is something common. There are the right time and places to take those variables in addition.
"Yeah. We probably should." Rei replied as he got out of his trance. His voice filled with gladness as he looked at the two girls who were in turn looked satisfied with his response.
'Strange huh? So it wasn't just me who felt strange about that woman then...' He thought. 'And that's not all. Besides that...I am feeling that something is amiss. But before dealing with that, I should likely be fixing this 'problem' as fast as possible'
Problem. Yes, that's what Tohka called this event.
Those were his last thoughts as he led Tohka and Tenka to somewhere hidden before opening a [Gate] to warp them out of this place.
——
[??? PoV]
"Yes... Affirmative. Targets <Seraph>, <Princess>, and <Tyrant> are heading out to approach <Hermit>." The 'staff member' reported calmly as she kept an eye on her surroundings.
It was kind of rare to find an open area that could be described as 'desolate' within this amusement park considering the influx of people gathering all over the place right now.
[Good job]
All the 'staff member' received was a short word of praise. Still, praise is praise. She at least felt proud of that.
"Should we proceed to enact Plan A?"
[No. We shall remain on standby for the next orders.]
"Pardon...? I believe the opportunity right now..."
The staff member was cut off by her superior's word before she could even finish relaying her opinion.
[Agent. Westcott-sama ordered us to stay on put for a while. We will just interfere once he says so, other than that, there is nothing else.] The voice in the phone commanded not allowing any refusal to be even voiced out.
"...understood"
As soon as her answer was given, a beeping sound came right after her device.
[Hm. Coordinates have been sent to your devices. You all have been given your posts. Be sure to keep a low profile in the meantime]
"Roger that"
The clothes of this person then blurred as it slowly revealed its true form. A suit some would say, with little adjustments to make it distinguishable from others.
The most notable one was the logo of DEM on its armband.
And so, the woman quickly vanished from the area without anybody's notice.
——
[Tohka PoV]
This [Gate] ability of Rei is surely very handy. Hopping from one place to another ignoring distance is a very convenient ability that one could have.
Jumping out from the gate, they arrived at a back alleyway.
The very first place that Tohka expected Rei to transport them in. It was a wonder why Rei preferred to use his [Gates] on places like these. He already explained it was for secrecy and dubbed it as the best pathway much to his amusement, but some places were better than these right?
Not that Tohka minded too much because it still does the job in the end. But that point of hers still stands.
BOOOOMMMMM!
The sounds of battle were apparent and close. Explosions coming from those AST and waves of icy winds were one of the many things happening so far. It didn't take a second for both Tohka and Tenka to notice where this disturbance was located for it was only a few walks ahead of them.
"That's where they are!" Tohka exclaimed as she prepared herself. "Now let's go, sis! Rei!"
Before Tohka could take several steps away, she stopped in her tracks as she heard Tenka yell. "Wait, Tohka!"
"Sis? What are...." Tohka turned back at Tenka, wondering why she raised her voice. It was then she noticed what her sister was pointing out.
"Rei...?"
Tohka called out, rather in a strained voice. As if fear stemmed from within, she frantically moved her head left and right, trying to find him.
But alas, despite her call and efforts to find him, Rei Ainsworth was nowhere to be seen.
——
[Rei PoV]
As Rei left the [Gate] and stepped outside. Not long afterward, Rei felt a bit out of order.
"...huh?"
Rei widened his eyes as he scanned his surroundings.
The further he analyzed, the bustle of people, the noises of animals, even the predicted sounds of an ongoing battle, and all sorts of sounds had vanished. The world turned monochromatic at its core. It took him a full second to notice that he was the only person right in this place.
"Tohka and Tenka...!" He called out, not seeing those two girls that could be defined as the most precious people he has in this world.
But alas, no answer came.
It was simply as if he had lost his way and wandered into another world.
Instantaneously, Rei had even concluded that his head was experiencing headaches for a moment there—but that was by far not the case.
It was a disturbing feeling. He tried to calm himself down, keyword 'tried'.
"What is...this?"
Despite that uncomfortable feeling, Rei carried on running to leave this place as soon as possible to find Tohka and Tenka.
However...
"What...?"
...it was then he quickly halted in his tracks.
The reason was clear. Before him, an unidentified abnormality had manifested.
It resembled a pitch-black shadow congealed into a living, humanoid form. That creature's body exuded a caliginous aura as it emitted what was failed to be described by screeches of lament and rage.
"——!?"
That was an out-of-the-ordinary existence. And that very existence put a sense of dread around his body as if his instincts were warning him to eliminate this 'Shadow' as soon as possible.
And so he did.
"<Raguel>—!"
Quickly summoning his [Angel], he didn't miss the chance and slashed it down as fast as he could, giving it no time to react or whatsoever.
Purplish flames ignited out of his Angel as it rapidly engulfed the area. Soon, several 'pillars' manifested beside him, shooting rays that bombarded the area.
Rei completely came out unharmed as he leaped away from the explosion. Still, his eyes narrowed as he checked if that 'Shadow' had been completely terminated from existence with his assault.
"That is..."
He quickly formed conclusions in his mind as to what that creature was. If you ask him if this was the uncomfortable feeling that he felt back on the date, then he would answer that was not the case.
Because if that is, then he would no doubt hunt it down as fast as possible.
The sheer feeling of dread engulfing him coming from that 'Shadow' was like a trigger. Yes, a trigger or switch that led him to think of destroying the whole area in order to ensure that it was dealt with leaving no trace behind.
Even he could not comprehend the sudden impulse completely.
Thus the sight before him right now could be described as nothing but 'overkill'. Rei was above the air floating donning his partially deployed [Astral Dress].
Below him, what was a simple back alley before was now turned into a place that was like showered with bombs and fire. Added a crater and the continuous crackling of purple flames around the area.
Rei carefully observed once more to check if that 'Shadow' was completely terminated completely.
"...."
It seems that it was gone for sure. However, the uncanny feeling still lingers. Especially, this 'world' as he would describe it. It would probably take a while to find a way to break out of this 'world'.
The next moment, another abnormality appeared below Rei.
A snowstorm, suddenly ice crystals and snow appeared and began to swirl into a whirlpool.
Within that whirlpool—— it suddenly appeared.
An anomaly as if the ice took on the appearance of a doll's silhouette.
Rei quickly hovered in the air and dodged the incoming 'attack'.
Although it was his first time seeing this, there was no doubt that he could somewhat recognize what it was more clearly compared to that 'Shadow' a while ago.
Narrowing his eyes further, he could confirm that this being below him was none other than 'that'.
"...[Spirit]"
