1

Miki Amagi cannot believe what she just saw.

"Arata and Uehara..."

She was at a loss for words after having seen her two classmates race out of Vermillion Crescent and into one path among the many that traversed Aria Alley.

Her mind was full of questions, but she managed to put those aside when she took her first step towards the path.

"Ooooh, I wonder what they were doing in those attires."

Akane Fujiwara went out of her hiding spot and after giving a comment that seemed a bit late, looked at the path where the two went.

"Fujiwara, let's go!"

Fujiwara nodded, and the two picked up their pace and entered one of the branching pathways. It did not take too long before they broke off into a run, following the trail of Kazuki and Uehara.

"Somehow, this feels exciting, Senpai. I knew two girls going to Aria Alley at night in order to stalk someone was already something, but we keep getting new surprises tonight!"

"E-ehh? If you put it that way..."

Amagi did not know what to feel after hearing those remarks from the redhead. It was her first time attempting something like this, and the more they stayed, the more she felt conscious about stalking her childhood friend and meddling with his business.

She hated to admit it outright, but she knew that a feeling of jealousy had taken over.

Shortly after that transfer student came in, Kazuki Arata continually kept himself busy at night. He has been staying out late at night, and he had less and less time to agree to Shiki's invitations.

He had all kinds of excuses prepared for her and Shiki, but Amagi never bought them. Shiki wasted no opportunity in teasing him about having a secret relationship with the transfer student, and while Kazuki vehemently denied those, the mere thought of that bothered Amagi.

Something happened that weekend. Something came up, and it changed his life.

What is he not telling her? Why?

Ever since their childhood, she has been the one person that Kazuki ever slightly opened up to. Compared to the stoic exterior that he showed to others, he was very open and confiding towards her.

Now, he seemed to be hiding something from her in their conversations. It felt as if there was something that the boy she knew from her childhood could not tell her. Amagi tried not to get bothered that much, but she couldn't help it.

Amagi forcefully shoved those selfish thoughts aside as she continued to run down the path along with her fellow swimming club member.

From where she was, she has been managing to see Kazuki's form and following him through the serpentine paths of Aria Alley. She kept her focus pinpoint despite the rowdy environment and the noisy establishment patrons that they were passing through.

"Fujiwara, you okay?"

She glanced back to see her lowerclassman keeping pace.

"Hehe. I'm not the ace of the swimming club for nothing! Just keep going, Senpai."

Amagi lost track of how deep the two of them had gone inside that pathway, but they finally arrived in front of a dead end.

Seeing the dead end ahead, Amagi abruptly stopped her run, and she found herself nearly losing balance the moment she felt someone bump her from behind.

"Woah!"

Ignoring Fujiwara's shocked expression, the confused Amagi looked around.

"A... dead end?"

"Did you turn the wrong way?"

Amagi shook her head and looked at the wall in front of her.

She was sure of it. She could not have mistaken her childhood friend for anyone else, nor was she chasing after an illusion.

She swore that the duo turned this corner, but they just seemingly vanished into thin air.

Could it be?

Amagi found herself walking towards one side of the wall. She slowly stretched her out toward the wall of rough material. She did not sense anything, but the silence in this dead end was almost eerie.

She glanced at the structure in front of her with a hint of being mesmerized. Something happened that made Kazuki and Uehara disappear, and she was sure that it was no coincidence.

"What are you doing, Senpai?"

Feeling her hand suddenly being grabbed, Amagi screamed in reflex. She stumbled forward as Fujiwara held onto her hand, and she found herself on a collision course with the wall.

She closed her eyes and braced herself.

She waited.

However, she never felt the sensation of colliding with the wall.

Instead, she smelled a familiar, unpleasant smell, and she slowly felt a certain pressure weighing down on her from all sides. Meanwhile, she heard the loud shouting of someone beside her.

Finally opening her eyes, Amagi saw that she was in a free fall through a tunnel, and Fujiwara was beside her. Shouting and thrashing in the air, her friend let out the panicked screams throughout the tunnel where they were falling through.

Eventually, the tunnel gave way to a new sight that awaited them. After a surprisingly soft fall, Amagi and Fujiwara landed on what seemed to be arid ground.

A familiar red hue covered the environment, and Amagi found herself surrounded by ruins of structures that seemed to form a city.

As she surveyed the surroundings, she felt sweat begin to drip from her forehead and her hands becoming more and more clammy.

It was just like in that recurring dream.

The world dyed in red, the noxious air, the cold weight of despair enveloping her.

"Senpai," nervously asked Fujiwara. "Where are we?"

"It can't be..."

Amagi gulped as it slowly dawned on her what she got herself and her friend into.

2

Miki Amagi made sure to remember the numerous sights she had just seen. In a twist of fate, she had stumbled into this world from her dreams, and worse yet, she brought her completely innocent friend along with her.

With her back pressed against a wall, she slowly peeked from her hiding spot, one of the wrecked walls in this ancient city that she somehow seemed familiar with.

They were here, too.

Those shadowy monsters roamed around freely.

With long, tendril-like arms and humanoid shapes, the sight of them caused Amagi's feet to shake. What more for her other friend?

She turned to her friend with a look of concern.

The lively, energetic Akane Fujiwara had turned into a wreck beside her, quiet nervousness replacing the enthusiasm the redhead had at the start of the night.

Amagi took a deep breath amidst the debilitating sensations of this world.

Just a while ago, her companion had complained of the heavy and pressing air and the smell of miasma that bothered her. Amagi had no way to tell how much those affected Fujiwara, but if her own senses were any indication, they were not in a good spot.

She had to take a recompose herself with each close call and near encounter with those monsters, and she felt something welling up inside her.

The brunette just interpreted it to be her will to keep going. After all, Kazuki and Uehara should have found themselves in this world as well. That would be the only explanation to their disappearance.

She started making sense of how they vanished.

The whole sequence of events and how real the world felt told her that she probably was not dreaming this time around.

With that also came another source of concern.

Perhaps they would be in trouble as well.

With those thoughts in her mind, Amagi gathered what courage her heart had. She cannot give up now, and she cannot do so for the sake of her childhood friend and her clubmate.

"Stay close to me," she requested. "If we get seen by one, try to find cover and avoid making sounds. Something tells me that they are not too persistent."

Fujiwara nodded.

"You're amazing, Senpai. You seem to know the place and those things well enough. Is it because of your dreams? Maybe you have one of those future-predicting powers."

Amagi saw her friend force a smile despite droopy eyes and heavy breaths that were becoming irregular.

Fujiwara might still be in the mood for her usual upbeat self, but Amagi can tell that the world's environment was doing a number on her already.

"We'll find our way out, so hang in there," reassured Amagi as she briefly hugged her friend.

Amagi silently prayed that they could find a way out. As for now, salvation did not look to be anywhere in sight. The structures they had passed, forming a cluster of houses in this ruined city, held no answers. The one notable structure that they passed was a cathedral near a statue of an angel.

After observing a shadow monster a bit more, the two crossed from one ruined structure to another, using what remained of the housing walls as cover. To their relief, the shadowy monster in the area did not notice them despite their footsteps being louder than what they would have liked.

Moving out of danger for the meantime, the two continued their fast-paced walk forward.

"Senpai, what are those things?"

"I don't know." Amagi shook her head in response. "I saw them in my dreams, but I never really interacted with them. In all my dreams, I just found a way to run from them."

"I see. Still, it's amazing, isn't it? They really acted the way they did in your dreams," answered Fujiwara. She kept her nose covered with her sleeve as they walked.

After a long time walking together, Amagi can only imagine the feelings the freshman would be going through now.

She's still managing to keep up, but her walk is becoming less and less stable with each passing moment.

Fujiwara looked like she could collapse at any time.

"Hang in there, Fujiwara..." said Amagi, who now grabbed onto the smaller person's hand.

The winding path stretched on for what seemed like forever to Amagi, but she finally saw the end of the path it seems. Several meters in front of them stood a stone statue surrounded by rock structures.

While this would normally draw excitement, it instead gave Amagi a feeling of dread as she realized something.

We've been going around in circles.

Standing in front of the stone statue that resembled a six-winged angel with a sword, Amagi felt her grip on Fujiwara slip as she fell to her knees.

How long have they been walking around?

All that running and escaping from enemies only to find themselves back at a point that they were at moments ago drained her emotionally. She looked over to her friend, and after seeing her with a dejected facial expression, her heart sank.

"We should find some rest, Fujiwara. Maybe this dream will end by then."

Amagi tried her best to comfort her friend.

At this time, she wished that this was just another of her dreams after all, just one that felt a lot more detailed and real. Perhaps the thought of that would help put her friend at ease a bit more.

It was then that she remembered something.

If this statue is here, then...

That's it. The empty cathedral could not be too far off.

"Fujiwara, follow me."

Amagi was finally able to relax herself upon stepping into the confines of the cathedral. The place looked just as decrepit and worn down as the rest of the city outside, but inside, the ambiance felt a lot more soothing.

She was glad that her friend had also calmed down a bit. With her weary eyes replaced by those of wonder, Akane Fujiwara stared at the stained glass that decorated the ceilings and walls of the cathedral.

"Whaaaa."

Fujiwara looked on with curiosity, carefully stepping forward before sitting down on one of the pews that faced the platform and the pulpit.

For now, Amagi can hear no shadowy monsters anywhere near them, and she finally relaxed and found herself seated beside Fujiwara. She looked forward, and it was the worn down painting of a winged being that calmed her down.

She also gave the cathedral a good look, spotting several wooden planks and bars scattered around as well as half-finished items. It was as if the cathedral was still in the process of some refurbishing.

She admired the intricacy of the painting in front of her, the detail on the winged figure's armor, and the calm look on the thing's expression.

*tap*

Amagi's eyes twitched as she heard that sound.

*tap*

Footsteps.

Someone was coming.

Could it be him?

Amagi wasted no time in standing up, and so did Fujiwara. Both girls got up and looked at the direction where those footsteps were coming from. They were not coming from the main entrance of the cathedral which they went through.

Instead, they came from the side.

To the left and the right of the girls, there were pathways, and they probably led to the cathedral's extended chambers.

Putting herself in front of her friend, Amagi held her breath and waited for the approaching person.

From the shadows, his form appeared.

It was not Kazuki Arata.

Instead, a masked man wearing a parka emerged out of the shadows of the pathway. He continued his slow and methodical walk towards the two girls before stopping several inches away from them.

"You must be Miki Amagi," he said while tilting his head to the side. "To think that I would first encounter the one with the most potential."

"Potential?" asked Fujiwara.

"Fujiwara, stay back!"

Amagi's orders were loud and clear. She made the call, but even she found herself trembling at the sight of this man.

She had never seen him before, but she could sense immense malicious power from him. It was not a pleasing sensation, and it was as if this man let out a murderous aura so powerful that it overwhelmed the pressure from this world itself.

"W-what do you want?" asked Amagi, her voice trembling.

"The doctor has taken an interest in you, and the rest of Euphoria agrees. Let me see that bright soul shine before I snuff it out and take it away from you."

After that answer from the masked man, he raised his right arm. The arm began shaking, and the fingers soon peeled off one by one. His arm seemed to disassemble into pieces that dropped down. Soon, the peeled off fingers and parts of his arm twisted and contorted in a graphic display.

What used to be his right arm transformed into a bunch of tentacle-like appendages, each one moving in place as if it had a life of its own.

What is he talking about?

Amagi was not sure what to make out of this man's words. Her breathing tightened, however, at the sight of his menacing appearance. She felt her focus increasing, as if something was making her more aware of her surroundings.

"AAAAAHHHH!"

Screams pierced Amagi's eardrums from behind.

She looked at her friend who had curled herself and grabbed onto her back with a gripping force like none other.

Akane Fujiwara continued to wail at the horrific sight of the man's transformation.

"Fujiwara, run for it!"

Upon those orders, Fujiwara began making a run. She barely made it past the hall when the masked man threw his right hand forward, sending tentacles at the direction of Fujiwara's run.

Oh no, he's going for her!

Wasting little time, Amagi picked up a random wooden bar and swung it in the direction of the tentacles. Knocking them off with her quick thinking, she let out a sigh of relief as she saw the appendages miss Fujiwara.

A second late and she could be looking at an impaled friend.

However, it was too early to be relieved, and Amagi would quickly find that out when the tentacles shifted direction and knocked her right into the pulpit at the front of the cathedral.

She felt her world shake as her body went through brittle wood that promptly collapsed on her.

Then, she felt a powerful force coil around her leg, and the next second, she was on the air again. She was airborne for a few seconds before crashing right onto the pews.

"Kyaaa!"

She cannot help but scream the second time she was tossed aside. The effects of the beating overcame her, and she cried as the pain started to register.

"Let's see that beautiful potential of yours that the doctor talked so much about!" shouted the masked man.

The barely conscious Amagi did not have a lot of time for damage assessment, but she was positive that any normal person would have had broken bones by now. She felt amazed to still have control over her body. It was as if divine intervention protected her from the worst.

She found her body rubbing against the rough ground as she got dragged by the leg some more.

Then, her body went airborne, but instead of being thrown into yet another cathedral fixture and possibly breaking some bones for good, she found herself suspended in the air. More tentacles crept onto her body, and she found herself being held in position by those things.

Powerful tendrils encircled her neck, and she found her eyes growing wide as the force around her neck tightened.

Her vision blurred as she tried her best to put up a defiant glare at the masked man despite being upside down.

She put her hands around the noose, but her strength was not enough to break herself free.

She clawed and gripped with whatever force she can.

It was no use, and she instead coughed for air as her strength continued fading.

"Senpai, no!"

In the midst of running, Fujiwara turned back. She instead ran at the direction of the masked man, but with no weapon in hand, she would be nothing more than a nuisance to be eliminated in an instant.

Amagi weakly shook her head to try to convince the redhead out of it, but she continued coming back.

Just as Fujiwara got closer, the stress of the situation apparently overwhelmed her, and the redhead suddenly collapsed into a heap.

Amagi promptly gasped as the tendrils around her neck tightened some more. Her eyes widened, and she felt her body shake in irregular intervals.

"Fall into despair! Give in to it! Unleash that power inside your heart, and I shall consume its beautiful form!"

Running low on air, Amagi paid little attention to the rest of the masked man's rambling. With each pained breath, she began struggling more.

It was all futile, however.

Her strength's too spent.

As she began feeling more and more desperate, she felt a power threatening to consume her from within.

Is this what he meant? Giving in to despair...

She found her hands shaking in the heat of the moment before they limped down.

"A...ra...ta..."

The name of the person escaped from her lips as she braced herself for a slow death.

The form of her assailant muddled into blurs of color with each passing moment, and eventually, her eyes closed.

"What do you think you are doing to Amagi?"

Hearing the voice, Amagi's eyes peered open only to be greeted by the sound of the tentacles getting cut. Freed from the grip of the tentacles, her body went on a freefall before being caught by someone.

Two arms cradled her back, and as her vision returned, she found herself looking at a very familiar eye and expression. Adorned in semi-formal attire, her savior had her in a princess carry.

"Glad I made it in time, Amagi."

Amagi remained speechless, unable to contain her emotions. It was just like in her repeated dreams. That same savior had come at the very last moment and rescued her from certain doom.

She cannot put into words how she felt. The mixture of those emotions threatened to burst, and she can only muster a smile towards her rescuer even as he set her down gently against one of the pews in the cathedral.

"Stay back, Amagi," said Kazuki, who then gave a glance at the unconscious Fujiwara. "Find cover, and take Fujiwara with you."

Amagi nodded, and she headed to where her club mate lay.

"Oh, the worms have all gathered in place. Tell me. If I beat you to within an inch of your life, will the black-haired girl will show up, too?"

"Are you implying that you are going to win? I don't give a damn what your plans are, but the moment you laid your hands on my friend, you have sealed your fate!"

With that, Kazuki raised his bladed shield and prepared for battle.