How much damage had I done? The reality of that question, was actually rather insulting. The answer being, little to none. The vast cloud of darkness came back in full force within seconds of my big finale. With no end in sight, and very clearly with plenty of energy to spare. In comparison, it took all I had to stand.

  Even if I were to consume all the coins I had received, it still wouldn’t have made a difference. Truth was, I wasn’t the main character here. I was just a side character. Whoever owned this darkness, whoever was behind it, their power was so much more than the magical girl I had killed a short while ago.

  The difference was clear, I had thought the magical girl before was something, but whoever owned this darkness, their power had so much more depth and breadth. I had already compared it to a lake of still water whose depth could not be plumbed, but in reality. It was equivalent to the deep abyss of the ocean.

  I never had a chance against them.

  Good thing, I wasn’t alone. My debut and following performance had done its job spectacularly. In the midst of it all, Grim had done her job. Whilst I made a bang. Grim had slunk off and only now did she move. It was barely noticeable in the inky darkness, at least, at first. A small ember in absolute black, but soon, it became a newborn star.

  The darkness writhed, a pained scream filled the room, echoing out from the surrounding cloud. Grim had taken the stage. With a single swing, she had cleaved what must have been the core of the darkness and within seconds of her striking, the darkness began to burn. It contorted, screams of pain morphed in a litany of hurried curses as it began to split and tear as if trying to throw off the burning ashes clinging to its very being.

  Eventually with a final bitter curse, a huge portion of the darkness was cut away and a figure threw themselves out. Sweat dripped their brow as they turned to take in the darkness, or what remained of the burning mass, swiftly becoming naught but ash.

  She was pale, almost like she was made of marble. Black wings, with horns on her head. Sharp, bestial fangs in her mouth. She shot me an angry glance, before looking back at Grim with notable derision.

  “You may have survived this time Grim, but eventually, you’ll run out of fuel!” She cried out and fled. Grim didn’t chase. She merely watched her leave, standing stoically, blade held forward.

  Only after a minute passed did the tension fade. Simultaneously, we fell to our knees, our uniforms dissipating. For another few minutes, we sat, panting. Catching our breaths.

  Minutes passed with neither of us moving. With the supernatural darkness gone, it was now obvious how ruined the headquarters were. Blood everywhere, piles of ash scattered about were just the start. Desks, papers, and whatever else were strewn about as well, along with everything being coated in a layer of frost. The fountain was slowly gushing out water that mixed with blood and ash, making a thick slurry.

  The smell hadn’t quite turned yet, and it helped that it was winter. Still, it smelled like something, a lot of somethings had burned, froze over, and now had a slight soggy tint to it all… Not a great smell…

  After a few more minutes of breathing in the cloying air, I finally broke the silence.

  “Will she be back?” I asked between deep breaths.

  “No… Like me, she had overextended. Not only that, but that last strike had dealt significant damage to her soul. It is unlikely that she will be back.”

  “That sounds painful…”

  “It is. And difficult to heal, unlike a physical wound.”

  “Was she part of this whole, thing?” I ask, gesturing upwards.

  “No, she was not part of the tiger’s invasion force. She was one of the four generals of Tartarus.”

  “Tartarus again?” I voice. Frustrated, annoyed. “So, she’s part of the group we met after fighting the alraune?” I ask. Just to cover my bases.

  “Yes, in fact, the leader of that expedition was another of the generals.”

  “Why was she here?” I finally ask.

  “To kill me.” Her words hung in the air. I let out a not so silent curse as an answer.

  I hear her stand up, and when I looked up, Grim was standing over me with an extended hand.

  I took her hand without a word and thanked her as she pulled me up.

  “How has your night been?” Grim asks and I sigh…

  “Well, about that…” I tell her, the details. The initial wave, the storm, the tornado followed by the explosion. The magical girl and all. Finally, I tell her about the checkpoints. Her face darkens as I go.

  “That is… unfortunate.” She says when I finish. “I’ll need to confirm with the chief here in a moment, but first, are the officers I sent you still alive?”

  “They are.”

  “Good.” She opens her mouth to continue, but her radio sparks to life. She shoots me an apologetic glance before moving away.

  “This is the Purgatory Police Emergency Headquarters, can any surviving teams, please respond! I repeat, please respond!” A voice crackled out, loud and clear.

  “This is Grim, of the special investigations department.”

  “Grim? You’re alive!? I’ll have you transferred over to the chief in a jiff, over.”

  The radio goes silent, and a new, higher pitched voice comes over. “Grim, are you alive?”

  “Yes. A friend swung by and helped me out.”

  “Can you explain what happened?”

  So, Grim did, giving her a brief breakdown of what happened. I listened, curious as to how this all played out.

  “Everything was going as usual at first. We held the station against the tide of monsters without issue. Shortly after the alarm, and right around when the storm picked up, we were attacked by a Tartarus Assault Team.”

  “Tartarus? Truly?” The chief piped in.

  “Yes, I offered surrender, as protocol demanded, but they denied. They proceeded to slaughter the officers and push me back. Eventually, their team leader trapped me inside the station, just before I could succumb to attrition a friend showed up.”

  “The same friend you lent a team too?”

  Grim shot me another look, as if asking permission to answer. I just shrug.

  “Yes.”

  “Some good news at least, we’ve already received a debrief from the team you lent out. However, we still haven’t heard from any of the other teams in the city. Taylor is currently holding the skyline, and we have Penance on patrol, but none of them currently have a radio handy.”

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  “About that, my friend told me that they found destroyed checkpoints.” She proceeded to give a brief description of what I had seen.

  The chief on the radio let out a series of expletives in response. This continued, until she let out a loud sigh. “Fine. We’ll do damage control soon enough. For now, just continue to hold the station. Taylor has confirmed that our foxes have entered the fortress, so we’re just waiting for them to finish up before moving in.”

  “I understand. And good hunting.”

  “Yeah… Stay safe Grim.” The radio cuts out.

  “My apologies.” Grim said to me, after a moment’s pause.

  “No worries.” I reply back. “I can’t imagine that was good news to share.”

  “No, it wasn’t. We won’t know until after the blood moon ends, but…” She stops short. “We’ll just have to deal with what comes after.” She says. “For now, I want to congratulate you on your debut. Also, for killing a fox, even if they were a lesser.”

  “Lesser?”

  “Yes, a lesser magical girl. Created with coins, they don’t have our backgrounds. They’re essentially blank slates created to assist a true magical girl. They tend to be weaker, overall, but they can still be a challenge.”

  I nod along, though… I wasn’t sure exactly how to feel about that. “What does that mean though?” I ask the question burning in my skull.

  “Simply put, they have no names. No history. To many, they’re no better than homunculi, or artificial beings created by the mascots.”

  “I suppose you make them with gold coins?”

  “Yes. A single gold coin can make ten rabbits, three dogs, or a single fox equivalent. Though, without the history backing them, they don’t tend to do well.”

  “And what is your policy, or rather, the police force’s policy when dealing with them?”

  “Offer surrender, capture alive if possible, and if that isn’t possible kill. Lesser magical girls can easily be assimilated into the city structure, especially when their creator is killed. Some groups simply kill them on sight, but the police chief and my fellow officers believe they should have a chance at a different life.”

  I nod along, though, I understood I was only just barely scraping the surface here.

  “I imagine you’re asking because of the prisoner you have?”

  “Yes, that and…” I consider if I should mention it or not and well… May as well. “The magical girl I killed, I didn’t take her coin. I was planning to resurrect her.”

  “You mean make her a familiar, like your knights here?”

  “Something like that.”

  “That would be fine… It would be no different from you claiming their gold coin regardless. Speaking of, do these two have names?” She motioned to the knights standing idly by.

  “That…” I consider. The knights both perk up. “Estrella and Luna.”

  “Star and Moon? Good names.” Grim nods along. “Now, I’m not sure how you feel, but the smell is beginning to get to me.”

  Just as she mentioned it, I too realized how it was burning at the back of my throat. “Ah… Yeah, we should probably step outside for some air…”

  We headed outside, and as we went, Grim would take a moment to look at the bloodstains and corpses. Each confirmed death weighed upon her, her shoulders slumping slightly. Yet, when we finally stepped out, she raised her head up, her spine straightened and all at once, it was like she was completely unburdened.

  Yet… I could still see it. Burning in her black eyes. A simmering heat that needed to be released. The both of us quietly looked up into the night sky, at the large floating fortress. After a short moment, without a word between us, we took up positions and kept our guards up.

  The night wasn’t over yet. To let our guard down now, would be suicide.

  Still, just because I was keeping a lookout didn’t mean my mind wasn’t creaking away like an old windmill. Everything that had happened, my experiences in last few months, all of it led me to one, singular conclusion.

  This wouldn’t be the end of it. Once this event ends, there was bound to be more trouble brewing. Grim’s stoic face, showing not an ounce of emotion spoke of it. Not in her face, but her eyes. Eyes that burned.

  I knew little of Tartarus, or of all the different factions that were active in the city. Hell, up to this point, I had only been loosely aware of them as I settled in and put my new life into order. Now it looked like I wouldn’t have the luxury of staying ignorant for much longer.

  There was no doubt that my face would be remembered. I had likely interfered in some grand plot, no, I definitely had. This whole set of circumstances stunk to high heavens. I knew a plot when I saw one.

  Clearly, the empty blockades were not some accident. No, they were enemy action. Instead of taking a beheading action, they had chosen to cut their opponents, the police off at the knees.

  The city was safe, only because of the consistent patrols, and the presence of police everywhere. A blockade or two going down wouldn’t be too much of an issue, but what if they all had been hit? Then, what of the headquarters where I currently was. How many officers had been here when they were attacked?

  Just how many had died? More than once, I had the urge to ask Grim, but… one look was all I need to dissuade such a notion. It was better to keep my distance. Better not to get too involved, lest I get pulled into something I’d rather not be involved in…

  Well, not more involved.

  Perhaps it was a mistake to show up here? That thought slunk into my mind, only to promptly be dashed away. No, this wasn’t a mistake. I needed this. Only now, did I fully understand what it was I felt. Who it was I am.

  That person that saved me, gave me a purpose, a reason to live. Or rather, they made me realize what it was I lived for.

  All I had ever wanted was the attention of my parents. Before that event, I hadn’t understood that, but after… After I knew what I had to do.

  I excelled. I put my all into standing above the rest, to the point where they couldn’t help but praise me. That was what I lived for… That was why I pushed myself so hard…

  However, that desire was a poison. A poison I willingly supped on. That fed into a dark light, a singular hope. That perhaps, they would change their minds. That they would choose me as their heir. After all, I was their only child. After all, they only had me… Until they didn’t.

  Being instantly discarded, disregarded, simply due to my gender. To an immutable characteristic. Something I could never hope to change.

  Something had to give. My goals shifted.

  I poured myself into my lessons with ever greater fervor. Surpassing even my old limits as I literally bled for success. Giving myself no break, no pause. It wasn’t for their attention anymore. No… it was something far darker. It was a dark need to prove that I was better. That my younger sister could never hope to compete.

  It worked.

  With dark glee, I watched as my parents lamented. As they traded snide barbs, wondering how it was that my younger sister, one destined to excel, just couldn’t compare to me.

  I was a terrible brother. I admit that. Though I didn’t go out of my way to antagonize her, I simply kept forging on, letting our parents do the work for me.

  The problem was, it worked too well…

  Anger at my younger sister’s lack of talent shifted into something else. Fear, or rather, wariness. I was too talented for my own good. Even if I never showed my distaste for my sister or lack of care, a woman’s intuition was a strong thing. Mother knew that trouble would come sooner or later…

  So, she had me expelled. Sent me flying out the door with just the clothes on my back. Luckily, I had been prepared. As I grew older, I had less lessons, and I turned around and took what part time jobs I could, or simple errands. Working to start building my own fortune.

  Being kicked out wasn’t the end. It just gave me the chance to spread my wings. I networked, I grew. My wealth began to blossom. Until, my wings were clipped.

  Once again, fearing my growth, they began to spread word of me. Using their connections to lock me out. Forcing me to shift workplaces, always doing my best to stay just an inch ahead. My wealth bled away. Leaving me destitute, at my wits end…

  And just when it all came crumbling down. When it felt like I would finally break…

  She made herself known.

  My hand reached for my chest. I could feel a familiar lump. I knew what it was on instinct. I could almost smell her. The smell of cigarettes clinging to her frame. The taste of ash on her lips. Even after all this time, I still find myself tempted. The ache working into my bones. Making my fingers tremble.

  Unfortunately for her, I was a terrible person. I left her. Fled from her, only taking with me the absolute bare minimum, leaving her everything else. Not out of hatred, but fear. Fear that with her, I would abandon everything I knew.

  How would my life have been different had I stayed with her? Would my professor, another that saw my true potential, would he have met the same fate? Would I even have met my Master? And would it all have ended the way it had?

  With me, standing over a man I had thought my own brother. Killing him.

  Even now, I felt his blood on my hands. I could still see his smile when I closed my eyes, and hear his dying words in the silence…

  ‘You are no better than me.”

  And he was right… No, perhaps he was wrong. I wasn’t like him. No, I was so much worse than him. I was a monster, with a heart of ice. Someone that sought the affirmation of others, for their eyes to be on me and only me. I wanted to be at the center of the stage at all times. To be above all others.

  That was core of my being. That was what I wanted above all else.

  To be seen.

  No matter the cost.

  So, those words resonated in my heart. Resonating with my very soul, like crystal singing in tune. That was who I am.

  I am Prima Belle. The star of the show, the magical girl of ice. And this city, would be my stage.

  With an exhale, I felt those words settle in. All fell quiet…

  A sudden explosion echoed from far out. My eyes shot towards the source, the fortress flying in the sky. A portion of the wall exploded, raining debris upon the city below. Out of the debris, they appeared like shimmering stars. A group, five individuals adorned in glittering dresses.

  I knew. I knew instinctively who they were. They the foxes. They were magical girls and yet…

  Why did I envy them so?