Church, a place where the lost and wounded seek to honor their god. To the public, within these walls no evil may enter, no darkness can taint those who come here.
It was here and only here that one could commune with God and receive his blessing.
As she, Ivory Esperonica, could do, an imaginary concept gets a physical home in the world. Taking in the gold and silver ornaments adorning the statue atop the benches and stands, she sighed again. If only she had the power of that statue, the original psychic, and the man who holds Aquarius' position in the zodiac: Able. The man she was cloned from, yes, if she had his all-mighty power, she might be able to change her family's current state.
She endures constant bickering between her siblings and their children, the mourning of the family they lost, while her only remaining parent is locked away in her room.
Doesn't she care about her family? Is figuring out some stupid compound more meaningful than your own children?
Her mind conjured up the ghostly image of her and Isabelle's 'mother'. It was all wrong. They are misguided. Their goals, just like all those other 'scientists' are WRONG! She couldn't understand either of those two. Their mutual goal in life was to 'create the fruit of Genesis' to become a god and 'evolve humanity to its next evolutionary stage', just like those other fanatics.
Having seen it all before, she knew what to expect.
For decades, scientists have used genetic manipulation to create better humans. Arranged marriage is one of the more 'tame' and "socially acceptable" methods. Ideally if two extremely powerful people have a child, it would be logical to assume that the child will be as powerful or even more powerful than the parents. It also assures strong ties between two strong families.
In recent years, the use of potent and addictive substances, which can cause mindless behavior, has been more prevalent. Various factors contributed to the widespread use of these drugs across the empire. These substances can artificially boost the activity of the 24th chromosome. Consequently, blessing barriers rapidly expand without the brain and nervous system, making it impossible to adapt or recover in the long run. In rare cases, it reaches level five, causing chaos and death not just in the empire, but around the world as well.
It is impossible to look at what Micha and her 'mother' researched and not see the danger they pose.
However most of that anger and fear she felt could only be directed at Micha, whose cult was still growing in influence among the downtrodden. It can only be a tragedy when people who were beaten so badly congregate around such a vengeful menace.
Similarly her 'mother' was working closely with the royals and the public safety commissioners to find a way to make a safer non-addictive version to give to agents.
Yet it wasn't beyond her that Micha and her 'mother' were attempting to do right in their own ways; by giving the lost a place to be and by giving a stronger sword to the protectors. They were objectively worthwhile, the methods were not questionable, and they hadn't broken any laws.
Could it be that she needed a therapist?
In a flash the image of two boys entered her mind causing the golden haired woman to clutch her head in a mix of anger and helplessness. What could she do for those boys? Knowing their personalities, Micha would use any means necessary to get those two to attack him to consume their hair.
No, that's not right-
If anything they would actively seek Micha out once they saw how strong he is.
She felt the urge to vomit when she remembered the hell those boys lived through.
"It wasn't right." she sobbed, stress and anxiety filling every corner of her voice just as helplessness filled every corner of her heart."what can I do?"
"Destroy their innocence." A raspy and decrepit voice echoed throughout the building like a tidal wave. Ivory didn't look up. She wasn't in the mood to look at her 'mother' and what she had become. However, in contrast, the Esperonica Matriarch cast menacing red eyes on her second oldest 'child' filled with anger and condemnation."The slave who is whipped the most feels the least pain."
"But the slaves still cry for mercy for days." Ivory answered, not wanting to hear her mother's emotionless words that stung like ice. Those boys had been through enough and made a lot of progress in overcoming their trauma. The idea of eliminating fifteen years of work for a single person is absurd. "The slave had done nothing wrong."
The mother scoffed, unleashing more of her 'presence' without knowing, causing the golden-haired woman to gag.
There was no doubt that this was her mother in the flesh and not an astral projection. That rancid stench like she hadn't washed herself in years mixed with the terrifying presence that radiated from her left no room for doubt. Her clones and projections didn't have that.
"Why did she come to me in person rather than in astral form?" the young human wondered as the malice sign stood still.
Nearly four decades of research have led to the discovery that she can 'shed' her blessing barriers for complete freedom. To transform from a 'useless weakling' into an 'incarnation of explosive power'. Just like Micha, just like Iggy, she had now become callous and uncaring toward everything and everyone.
Ivory knew the Esperonica Matriarch's face was still as plain as ever. This was despite the clear aggression and disgust laced throughout her words. "The world gives you a hand that you can only change by walking forward across the burning rocks."
The parent and child shared a brief silence. This was followed by the Esperonica Matriarch's eyes shifting from red to bright green, her golden eyebrows raised slightly while she let out a curious hum. She crouched down, curling into a ball as tightly as her nearly ten-foot frame would allow without losing grip of her walking stick. Now that death had been minimized, the Matriarch's eyes shifted back to red, and with it her cold and calm voice followed.
"Four monarch candidates have formed a non-aggression pact."
"Old news." Ivory threw her hair out of her bright blue eyes and sighed. If she had a choice in the matter, she would've loved to be part of the investigation. Unfortunately, this would only put her sister and the boys at risk. At least that's what Iggy predicted. As such she had no details about it other than there IS an alliance between four of the seven candidate organizations. However, the other three could hardly be called 'organizations'. "Rosecurity was called for that weren't t-"
"You didn't let me finish." The Esperonica matriarch growled as small but excruciating cuts appeared on both herself and her daughter. The bright blue eyes filled with pain as tears gathered. She hated this punishment.
"Isabelle is currently captured by the alliance." Ivory's eyes widened in muted horror as her throat closed. "or at least, will be."
"How are you so calm?" Ivory growled, gravity warping space. "You are strong right? a mother is supposed to protect, rig-!"
"Your ex-boyfriend will be killed if you try to help her." Interrupted the Esperonica matriarch as she stared at the cain. When Ivory heard what the Esperonica Matriarch said, she remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground.
"However." The crouching mother knew all too well her oldest daughter's propensity to protect her younger siblings. She had tried to stamp out this weakness since her oldest died, but failed, and maybe this final bit of information will break her. "I have calculated the probability of Isabelle's death during this incident and the resulting aftermath; I calculated her death would be seventy-five percent, suicide being the likelyest."
The image of her sister killing herself filled Ivory's mind like a virus, consuming her entire being. As space shifted under the weight of her level five telekinetic energies, she stood up, unable to hold back her feelings.
Tears full of anger fell from her eyes as she shot upwards into the sky-
"Time rewinds. Events reset. Consequence 3 activated." The world warped and shook according to its master. Like the nearly fifteen seconds had never happened, Ivory was once again sitting on a bench, not in the air, flying to her sister's rescue.
She was still on this stupid bench, her hands clasped....together to support.....her head which ....now...had several...deep cuts....just....like the...rest of her...bo-
She looked upwards. The sounds of a large amount of liquid staining the ground accompanied the vision of her body falling apart in perfectly equal triangular chunks of flesh. It was only after that moment that the burning pain came like a wave.
Her banshee-like yells were music to the matriarch's ears. This bud of sadistic glee in her stomach grew into a fully bloomed rose of malicious satisfaction as she looked at her second oldest child's bloody chunks. Yet there was a more pressing question; How was her idiotic and uselessly hopeful daughter screaming when her brain had been sliced into at least forty, maybe forty five, uniform pieces along with the rest of her body?
Sure she knew of some common 'cutting' or 'slashing' powers that could produce such an effect. However, the latter had to be in contact with their target while the former had to be within a certain range. That was still a likely case but there was a big contradiction in that her daughter's chunks wouldn't cry.
So that leaves more choices.
Placing her hands together the Esperonica matriarch began to speak in an unknown language. She wrote several signs on the air that were similar to the characters Micha and Veronica use before uttering "mother's womb: heavens begin."
In a flash, a multitude of butchered pregnant women, newborns, and bleeding placentas emerged, dyeing the area crimson. Parents think of childbirth when hearing mothers' and children's screams. In response to the deep red area growing larger and larger, the screams increased in volume and intensity.
The matriarch's hypothesis was proven when the red stopped just before the church walls.
Several types of Blessings existed and they were logically grouped into various categories based on their similarities. Many were broad such as the 'psionic' or 'elemental' category with well documented techniques and understanding, however there were also smaller, more specialized groups. The previously mentioned 'cutting' and 'slashing' powers can be taken as an example. Depending on how they operate on a micro level, they can be classified as 'elemental (wind)' or 'psionic' or both on governmental records. Some even qualify as aura-based powers like Ogasa's did initially.
She was dealing with a specialized blessing that can be classified into two categories; 'Domains'.
At that thought a large maniacal grin appeared on the Esperonica matriarch's face. Suddenly the innocent smile turned into a wrathful yell as she uttered "trapped" over and over in a solemn tone.
That's right, the two females were trapped, though initially it was only meant to trap the younger of the two.
If domains were mastery, they were some of the finest trapping powers. This one had absolutely not been mastered. It used the room itself as a barrier rather than creating one's own. In a sense, the Blessing user painted over an already painted picture. The result was a knife that can cut a person's head off but won't die. The injury will heal once the victim leaves the domain's range.
"Well at least I tried." The voice echoed as they came into view bringing a smile to the face of the Esperonica Matriarch who laughed while looking at the figure like an old friend.
XXXXX
Zavan stared upwards, his one dark blue eye widening in shock and horror.
Deep black clothing, a brightly colored gas mask and long flowing silver hair.
"If you see a person with these features, run! Get out of there fast." The words of soul brother Baal echoed within his mind.
Whoever this monster was, he couldn't leave Isabelle. The safety commission would have his head if he did.
However his scanner read the opposition's BEM; it was level five, a level he couldn't reach.
Zavan didn't react, feel, hear, think. All he saw in the world was a field of flames and bloody crosses.
Zavan met his untimely end with a simple poke. Even so, the simple and ordinarily playful gesture in the hands of a natural born level five vaporized several city blocks and eviscerated the ground.
"I expected more from the 'star unit'." The gas mask wearer scoffed as she watched both the pink haired man and the remains of the ‘star unit’ fall into the cavern along with the remnants of the famed 'star unit'."No wonder most of them were terminated."
Looking over her shoulder she saw her male companion standing over the weakened and bested grim reaper. With relief in his eyes, he conjured up a small stamp and pad. He then placed a watermelon stamp on the summoned spirit's head. He now owned the formidable creature.
"OH GOD I FEEL SAFE NOW!" He groaned as he fell flat onto his back heaving deeply as he placed a blueberry stamp on his head alongside a grape one. As he sensed his companions' scrutinizing glances, the man cried, "Give me a minute to heal?"
She said "No", unwilling to waste more time than needed. The reaper needs to be transported before it burns through its souls and Ronald the deathless reanimates. Although she wanted him to revive to see how strong he would become, if he had achieved level three by dying and reviving many times, then he might have risen to level four. Unfortunately, that was not the case. They had orders to attend to and she didn't want to sully her stellar mission record.
As the mesmerizing flowers and gaunt roots rotted away, she stared at the still limp body in her hands.
After shifting her grip slightly to close off her windpipe, the gas mask-wearing assailant tightened her grip.
The limp body whispered something unheard as from the darkness, an angry voice was heard "GUNGNIR!!!!"
Furious, the Onigami wielded the mixed-color spear to pierce through the darkness. With his target in sight he yelled "BIFROST!" and a rainbow aura rose to his feet and a pathway formed connecting the two enemies.
"Well he's certainly adept at controlling aura," The gas mask wearer thought as a beam shot forward, his rainbow eyes filled with strength and anger, apt emotions for increased aura production. Though that usually means a lack of in-
While his spear of unending destruction was ready to run through his opponent, the Onigami let out a war cry. The shadow woman fought against the spear with a deep purple aura. Her fist, the force of uncaring death, battled with the spear of destruction. A spectacle of light that stretched across the city was the result of the momentary clash of forces. This attracted many's attention as the conflict escalated.
The Onigami retracted his spear and deconstructed his bridge, shifting all power into his spear for a final strike.
Similarly the shadow woman formed a sequence of signs with her free hand focusing her aura on a single 'string'.
"Odjin's sIn:8:Ymir's bane." The Onigami roared, as the spear left his hand in an act reminiscent of a picture from his mother's homeland. A spear of light was unleashed from a lower position and raced towards its target with hatred filling every corner.
"Shai's whip." The shadowed lady laughed as the purple string clashed with the spear, before snaking around it like a predator. Such a flimsy and half-assed aura construct was easy to control.
Mixing the power of the saint killing spear Gungnir and the whip of the saint of fate a monstrous ball of light was formed, promising only death to the helpless onigami.
"No!" The heavenly empress yelled, temporarily re-obtaining her godly voice trapped under the twisted king's horrid curse.
From her back three enormous pairs of wings grew bathing the area in holy radiance. A series of indentations formed around her mouth as she coughed. That thunderous call that could make even the heavens quake in fear resounded throughout the area and those within it.
Glass shattered as waves snaked across the city, purging sin from all who heard the song. As a result, everything became chaotic and unholy as people's blessings became ineffective. Those without the 'oh so magnificent' 24th chromosome fell to the ground below as the crimson embodiments of common man's inherited sin fell from their body.
All the while an archangel watched with muted glee...
