I was frustrated.

We'd arrived far too late and gotten ourselves bogged down in a messy battle against the Society of Thule. The Neg-Entropy barriers had already been compromised, and it had taken far too long to force the Thule-Gesselschaft mages into a route. Hundreds of portals had erupted from the entropic feedback surge, and the city was now overrun with monsters.

"Where did they get all this magitech from?!" Athena exclaimed as she ducked under a barrage of plasma from the blocky, heavy Ajax mech formation that covered their retreat at the city's bounds. The plasma crashed into the power plant's concrete walls, leaving a smoldering hole where it landed. "This is way beyond the usual capabilities of a freaking rogue terrorist faction on Earth!"

This didn't make any sense to me. What did these people have to gain by destroying the barriers that kept the city's people safe?!

I gritted my teeth, firing off a volley of bolts from my treble bow at the Ajax mech. "I don't know, Athena, but it looks rather precarious! Seraphina, how did they get all the generators down at once? Aren't there redundancies?!"

Seraphina shook her head as she tapped away at the keyboard. "They must have had some kind of inside help. The generators were designed by Dr. Rachel Feynman to work independently, so there's no way they could have all failed at once. Someone must have sabotaged them from the inside."

I growled in frustration as my phone rang in the middle of the firefight. I quickly checked the caller ID and saw that it was Midori.

I picked it up, scooting up behind a wall. "Hello? What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"Celestial Sonata!" the voice on the other end exclaimed. "Yeah. We have a huge problem on our hands. Literally."

I sighed. "What is it now, Midori?"

She whispered frantically, "Duke-class Chaos Beast rampaging. City's southeast. Need help!"

I frowned, glancing back at Athena and Seraphina. "I'm... a little bit caught up right now."

"What? You're a bit caught up? We've been getting our asses handed to us here. We can really use the backup... the magical girls here are barely holding it back."

Quietly, she continued with a whisper, "Ikki, Talia, and I are about to get run over. We're going to retreat. Good luck out there."

My heart sank at the news. A Duke-class Chaos Beast was no joke. It was one of the most dangerous creatures we could encounter, and it took an entire team of Magical Girls to take it down. Moreover, Midori and Ikki were in danger.

I took a deep breath, weighing my options. On the one hand, I was in a battle against the Society of Thule, and leaving now would mean abandoning our mission. On the other hand, my friends were in danger, and a Duke-class Chaos Beast was not to be underestimated.

"I'll see what I can do," I said firmly, cutting the call.

I turned to my companions, taking on an urgent tone, "Athena, Seraphina, we have a situation! Someone has reported that there is a Duke-Class entity attacking the city."

Athena swore, "We'll have to resolve this mess ourselves. Damn it, we're already spread thin. But we can't ignore this, and we'll need you to deal with something like that. Seraphina, can you handle things here with me?"

Seraphina nodded, "Yes, it won't be a problem. Good luck out there, Celestial Sonata."

I curled my lips in determination and shot off into the sky toward the city proper. I was a solid couple of minutes from downtown, where the towering Duke was visible in the distance, its massive form crushing cars and buildings in its wake. I could feel the weight of the situation bearing down on me, but I pushed it aside and focused on the task at hand.

But something made me stop. A massive horde of zombies led by a Mikado barreled down on a dozen innocent civilians fleeing into a dead end, their twisted faces contorting with hunger and malice. I couldn't just leave them to the mercy of the monsters.

Without a second thought, I swooped down and landed in front of the horde, my treble bow at the ready. I drew an arrow and readied myself for the fight ahead. The zombies flung themselves at me, their teeth gnashing in a frenzy.

I unleashed a torrent of arrows, skewering the entire horde in one go in a shower of gore. It was a gruesome sight, but I had to keep moving, keep fighting. For the people of this city, I had to be their hero.

The hideous, moth-like Mikado fluttered its wings and took into the air, collecting energy beams in its mouth. I closed my eyes briefly as it did so, tuning in on the energy it contained in its mouth. With a snap of my fingers, I detonated the energy, negating its attack.

It shrieked in pain briefly before charging toward me with its barbed tail raised in a cry of anger. I dodged and weaved, firing off arrows as I went. The creature was fast, but I was faster.

My light arrows struck true, piercing through its eyes and shredding its abdomen. The Mikado fell to the ground, writhing in agony as it coiled up dead.

The people in the alleyway looked at me in awe, and I could see the gratitude in their eyes. "Thank you," one of them said, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you so much."

I nodded with a slight smile on my lips.

"Please, you have to help us," a man said, desperation in his voice. "We can't survive out there by ourselves."

I hesitated for a second. The Duke was now in the city proper and wreaking havoc, but I couldn't leave these people at the mercy of the monsters roaming the city.

I made up my mind. "Follow me, dearest friends," I said, leading the group toward a nearby abandoned building. "I will escort you all to the shelter in Sector A."

Hope began to bloom in their eyes as they followed me, and I could feel a sense of satisfaction in my heart. I may have been just one person, but I could make a difference. They were counting on me to keep them safe, and I wouldn't disappoint them.

A brief mechanical sound caused my ears to twitch, and I looked up to see a drone with a camera hovering nearby. It had a small red light blinking on the side of it. I couldn't help but wonder who was controlling it and if they were friends or foes. The drone hovered for a second before zooming off behind a building.

I quickly led the group down a side street, and It wasn't long before more monsters appeared, but I fought them off easily. My bow sang through the air, and my light arrows hit their targets with deadly accuracy.

We moved quickly, dodging the more dangerous creatures. As we approached the shelter, I could feel the tension in the air ease up. The people behind me began to relax as more soldiers came into view.

"We're almost there," I said, my voice vibrant and steady. "Just a little bit further."

A group of soldiers stood guard at the entrance of the shelter. They looked surprised to see me but quickly recognized me.

"Celestial Sonata! Ma'am!" one of them said with a salute.

I returned the salute with a bow, my heart swelling with relief. "I have a group of civilians that must be taken to safety. Can you assist them and provide them shelter?"

Two officers looked at each other nervously before one of them spoke. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the shelter is full."

My heart sank. I knew it was a long shot, but I had to at least try. With a deep breath, I put on my most persuasive, doe-eyed face and addressed the officers again. "Please, these people need help and protection right now. Surely there must be some way you can make space for them?"

The two officers exchanged looks once more before nodding in agreement. The first officer let out a sigh before speaking up again. "Well, ma'am, since you've asked so nicely… We can squeeze everyone in if we get creative with the spac- LOOK OUT!"

A large object registered in my senses, and I spun around, my bow raised just in time to see a winged creature flying toward the shelter at a breakneck speed. My reflexes and aim were quicker than the creature, and I unleashed an arrow that struck true in the Seraph's chest. The creature screeched in pain and veered off course, crashing into a nearby building. Another horde of Chaos Beasts began to charge down the street at the shelter.

I turned back to the officers, a fierce determination in my eyes. "We don't have much time. Get these people inside and keep yourselves safe. I'll take care of the rest and secure this area."

I readied to leave, but I was stopped by a man rushing out from the shelter, "Wait! Ms. Sonata!"

A burly middle-aged man with short black hair and a stern expression approached me. "My d-daughter. She rushed off to find my son. Please, you have to find her."

My heart sank as the soldiers held him back. "Your daughter?" I asked.

An ordinary girl wouldn't last a second out there.

"She's... she's a magical girl as well. A rookie. Reckless and headstrong, just like me and her brother. Please, you have to find her. Magical Girl Underworld Maiden. She has dark hair and a shroud and uses a pilgrim's staff as a weapon."

I bit my lip, hesitating for a moment. A rookie wouldn't survive alone for long in a Level 5 Chaos Event. There was a nagging instinct as I looked the man in the face. Something told me I shouldn't ignore this.

"I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to find her and bring her back home safely." I gave a slight nod at the man as the soldiers quickly ushered the civilians inside. I furrowed my brow as I stared at the man being held back. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place his face.

For some reason, I was struck with a strange feeling that I needed to find this girl. It was an indescribable instinctive feeling like something terrible would happen if I didn't. That I was missing something important here.

"She's headed for the Financial District downtown!" the man shouted as the soldiers shoved him back inside. "Kid's probably going to check Shelter C first. It's the closest one to my son. Sector C's not too far from here."

That was odd. The man clearly wasn't military, but he knew a lot about the Emergency Response plans for New York City. But I didn't have time to dwell on it — I had a job to do.

I watched as the doors were sealed shut, and I turned to face the waves of Beowulves and zombies swarming the streets. The thought would have to wait.

I focused on the present, readying my bow as I took aim at the first wave of charging monsters. They were numerous, but I was confident. I had faced far worse odds before and would not falter now.

I raised a hand, and streaks of light and sound tore through the first wave of creatures, decimating them in a shower of otherworldly flesh.

One of them, a Beowulf- managed to break through my magical barrage. It lunged towards me with its claws bared, but I was too quick for it. I weaved around it, cutting it in half with a blade of light as I passed.

Wiping out these monsters was child's play to me, but even I had a limit to my power. I needed to keep ample energy in reserve to engage the Duke, but finding the wayward magical girl was far more important to me right now.

I sighed, closed my eyes, and concentrated, feeling the malevolent waves flowing through the city. It was faint, but I could sense the aura signatures of numerous magical girls through the city.

I bolted forward, light and triumphant music echoing from my body. I ran at full speed, the burning desire to protect the people in the city growing hotter with every step.

Then, I took off into the air, the thrum of the wings on my back carrying me further and further into the city. Death and destruction surrounded me, and I lamented the senseless loss of life.

Flying high above the city, I barreled toward Sector C, which, coincidentally, would also bring me closer to the Duke. Hopefully, I would reach the magical girl before she met a gruesome fate, but I knew it was a long shot.

A crowd of civilians scrambled to barricade themselves in a nearby building as a girl I recognized as Magical Girl Aria Breeze fought off a swarm of mutated humanoids by the entrance. Aria was one of the less experienced registered magical girls, but she still had a lot of raw power. Her hands were engulfed in a swirling storm of wind energy as she launched orb after orb at the creatures.

Her dress was a bit unusual- a cobalt blue Victorian-esque blouse with a white ruffled skirt and petticoat, with a small red ribbon. Had I not known she was a magical girl, I would have mistaken her for a young princess.

Her movements were frantic and uncoordinated, and she looked like she was barely holding her own. Her clothes were torn, and her expression panicked.

I descended from the sky, landing gracefully beside her, and unleashed a powerful burst of energy that obliterated the remaining monsters in one fell swoop. She stared at me with wide eyes, and I turned to her and spoke up. "Aria. I'm here to help. Block off the entrance!"

"Thank you," Aria said, panting heavily, nursing her wounds as she lifted a statue and placed it over the entrance. "Thank you so much, Celestial Sonata... I didn't think anyone else was out here. Shelter C's been overrun with Facestealers, and I could barely get these people out. You have to get the word out. I don't think we would have lasted much longer if you hadn't come along."

I started off silently as she mentioned Shelter C. I didn't understand why, but I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach and a clenching sensation in my chest.

"Sonata?" Aria gave me a worried look. "Ms. Sonata?"

I stared ahead for a moment before responding hesitantly. "Right. Let's go."

Aria tilted her head. "Huh?"

"It's nothing; I just had a strange feeling when you mentioned the shelter," I said, hovering in the air.

The Duke rampaged off in the distance, causing me to bite my lips, torn between joining the battle and searching for my quarry. But I couldn't leave these inexperienced magical girls to die alone.

Not again.

My mind flashed back to a memory that would never leave me. The image of a young girl depleting her lumina and falling to the ground, her lifeless eyes staring up at me.

"Ms. Sonata. There was a Juggernaut there. It killed... it killed Magical Girl Azure Phoenix and her team. It was cloaked by a platoon of Facestealers," Aria said, breaking me from my thoughts. "We have to warn the rest of the city. We can't let any more civilians fall into the same trap. Shelter C is a no-go now."

My heart sank at the mention of the Juggernaut. It was a powerful and deadly zombie variation classified as a Marquis-class threat. A mutated berserker monster that generally required a coordinated team of magical girls to bring down.

I nodded, my resolve hardening. "We need to spread the word and warn the others. But first, have you seen a girl named Underworld Maiden out here? She's a rookie, and last I checked, she was headed straight for Shelter C."

Aria shook her head. "No, I haven't seen her. But if she's going that way, we need to find her before it's too late."

She glanced at the blocked-off building entrance before turning to give me a worried look. "Umn. Is it okay if I come with you? It's terrifying out here alone."

I flashed her a reassuring smile, "Of course. nodded, understanding her fear. "Of course. It's better if we stick together anyway.

We soared through the air, scanning the area for any sign of the Underworld Maiden. The chaos and destruction of the city made it difficult to see far. Still, I used my magical senses to try and pick up any trace of her lumina.

As we flew over a cluster of buildings, I suddenly sensed a powerful surge of energy that seemed to be coming from the ground below. "Aria, down there!" I pointed, indicating the direction.

We dove down towards the energy source, landing in the middle of a large open square. The ground shook as something massive seemed to be approaching from further down the street.

I readied my bow, feeling a sense of dread wash over me. Whatever it was, it was big and powerful. And it knew we were there.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance, zig-zagging toward us at breakneck speed. It was Underworld Maiden, and she was being chased by a massive Juggernaut. What used to be a human soldier was now a hulking, mutated monster with bulging muscles and glowing red eyes. Its skin was thick and leathery, and it had a giant, sharp-toothed maw drooling with blue saliva.

Underworld Maiden was panting heavily, clutching a wound on her side. Blood stained her outfit, and her eyes were wide with fear. She was clearly a beginner. Her technique was sloppy, and her stance was weak. Still, the bursts of energy she was generating from her battle staff were more potent than anything I had sensed from a rank beginner.

"Aria, go help her!" I ordered, taking aim at the Juggernaut. "I'll handle this."

Aria nodded and ran towards Underworld Maiden, who stumbled and fell to the ground. The Juggernaut was getting closer and closer, its massive fists raised high.

I took a deep breath and focused my magic, a powerful light bursting from my hands and enveloping the Juggernaut. It roared in pain but kept moving, its eyes locked on me as it pushed against the light beam.

Amongst all Terran magical girls, I was currently ranked fifth. I was the youngest and arguably weakest magical girl to receive the SS-rank designation, but still a cut above most. In most cases, I could make quick work of a typical Marquis-class chaos beast, but this one was different.

The Juggernaut Aberration was a poor matchup for me. It was highly resistant to my wave manipulation and raw energy attacks. I had defeated three of them before, but only with incredible difficulty.

To make things worse, it was manipulating and amplifying the ambient chaos energy of the area. The ground under my feet was churning and unstable, and the air was full of swirling blue energy.

I flared my wings and took into the air, dodging a powerful swipe from the Juggernaut. It growled and roared in frustration, its red eyes glowing with anger.

"Oh my, you're a tough one, aren't you?" I muttered out loud, taking aim with my bow once more. "Let's see how you handle this!"

I unleashed a barrage of arrows, each exploding on impact with the Juggernaut's thick hide. It roared in pain but still kept coming, its fists destroying the ground beneath me.

I closed my eyes and focused all my energy, sensing the flow of magic and chaos energy around me. I continued to gather energy as I weaved around its lightning-fast bursts of attacks, waiting for the right moment to strike.

My eyes briefly landed on Aria and Underworld Maiden, who were trying to find cover behind a nearby building. Underworld Maiden was still in a state of shock, her hands shaking as she tried to steady herself using her staff. The Juggernaut followed my gaze and roared, charging toward them as the concrete cracked beneath it.

I couldn't let them down. I couldn't let the Juggernaut get any closer to them. I couldn't let them die.

Not like the others.

"Get away from them!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the square.

With a focused determination, I put all my energy and power into my next move. A blinding light shone from my hands as I unleashed a powerful beam of pure energy aimed straight at the Juggernaut.

The monster let out a thunderous roar as it charged through the beam, only to be halted by the sheer force of my attack. I gritted my teeth and poured more energy into the beam, determined to push back the monster and protect my wards.

To my surprise, it did not disintegrate as I had hoped. Instead, it absorbed the energy and grew even larger.

The Juggernaut's body pulsated with chaotic energy as it roared triumphantly. The ground began to shake, unleashing a powerful shockwave that sent me flying backward. I hit the ground hard, my mind spinning as I struggled to regain my bearings.

I gulped, my heart racing with fear. This was not going to be an easy fight. The Juggernaut was now a Marquis-class threat on steroids. I had to come up with a new plan, and fast.

Time seemed to slow down as I scrambled to my feet, my eyes darting around for any possible weaknesses in the monster's armor. The ground beneath me shook with each step, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the pavement.

Aria and Underworld Maiden were still in danger, and the Juggernaut was charging towards them. I couldn't let them be harmed. Not under my watch.

A barrage of missiles suddenly struck it from behind, causing it to stumble and roar in fury. I turned to see a swarm of small military drones hovering above, firing everything they had at the monster.

"Finally, some backup," I muttered, getting to my feet and drawing my bow again.

The thrum of a motorcycle caught my attention. I turned to see a woman riding toward us on a hi-tech orange and purple motorcycle with lightning streaks. She was dressed in a frilly purple dress under a shimmering cloak, and she wielded a large scythe slung over her shoulder.

She was perched on the back seat, ready to spring off it and join the fight. I recognized her as Magical Girl Violet Tempest. We had never met, but I had heard of her.

"Looks like I arrived just in time for the party!" she called out, a grin on her face.

The Juggernaut roared in fury, charging towards us once more. Aria and Underworld Maiden were still huddled behind the building, watching the fight with wide eyes.

Without hesitation, Tempest swung her scythe with all her might, slicing into the Juggernaut's armor and creating a deep gash in its side. The monster roared in pain, swinging its arms around at the new arrivals.

The motorcycle drifted, and my eyes widened as I spotted another rider in the front seat. It was a teenage boy in a full Mechanized Brigade combat suit, with a helmet covering his face.

"Who's that?!" I muttered to myself, watching as the boy fired a barrage of high-powered plasma bursts from the motorcycle at the Juggernaut.

Without hesitation, Violet Tempest launched herself off the motorcycle and flew towards the Juggernaut. Storm clouds erupted around her, crackling with electricity.

She landed gracefully on the monster's head, her scythe gleaming in the sunlight. She plunged her weapon into the Juggernaut's skull with a fierce battle cry. The beast roared in fury as it clawed at her, and Violet Tempest backflipped off its head, landing back on the ground beside me.

The Juggernaut was now covered in deep gashes and wounds but still wasn't defeated.

Then, Violet Tempest began to paint. I didn't know how else to describe it, but she gracefully swirled through the air around us, her cloak billowing around her as she drew intricate patterns with her scythe. They left a rich afterimage of intricate patterns in blue, green, and light purple energy.

The Juggernaut roared in a fury, trying to break free of the magical web as Violet Tempest danced around it, her movements fluid and graceful, like a ballerina.

As she finished her last stroke, the energy coalesced into a large, shimmering sphere that enveloped the Juggernaut. The monster let out a final, pained roar before it was sucked into the sphere, vanishing from sight.

The chaos energy in the area dissipated, and the ground beneath us became still once more. I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, feeling the adrenaline rush finally subside.

"Well, that was quite the ride!" Violet Tempest said with a chuckle, twirling her scythe around her fingers.

She grinned at me, and before I knew it, she had zoomed in front of me, holding both my hands by the wrists. "Hi! I'm Violet Tempest, but you can call me Vi. I'm a HUGE fan of your work Celestial Sonata!"

I blushed, feeling a warmth spread through my cheeks. "T-thank you, Vi. It's an honor to meet you," I said, returning her smile with a slight bow.

Aria and Underworld Maiden stepped out from behind the building, their eyes still wide with shock and amazement.

"That was incredible," Aria said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've never seen veterans cut loose like that before."

Underworld Maiden nodded in agreement. "Sheesh! I thought I was donezo for back there. Thank goodness you guys came to save the day."

The mysterious helmeted rider got off the motorcycle and walked over to Underworld Maiden. He stared down at her and crossed his arms, the metallic clang of his armor echoing through the square. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice muffled by his helmet.

Underworld Maiden nodded, her face still pale with fear. "Yeah, thanks to you guys. I... I didn't know what I was getting myself into. It's a miracle I managed to lead that thing on a wild goose chase for fifteen minutes."

The armored rider nodded, "Good," he said before promptly flicking his finger on her forehead.

"Hey!" she protested, rubbing her forehead with a pout. "Why did y-"

He silenced her with an embrace, and I noticed his shoulders shaking. He was crying.

"Thank you," he said, his voice muffled. "For caring so much. But don't you ever do that again."

Underworld Maiden paused momentarily before wrapping her arms around the rider, returning the hug. "Oh... it's you, huh?

I furrowed my brows in confusion. Who was this mysterious rider that Underworld Maiden seemed to know so well? Was he the brother? I watched as they held each other tightly, the rest of us giving them space as they had their moment.

After a few moments, the rider pulled away and looked at Underworld Maiden sternly from behind the helmet. "Promise me you won't put yourself in danger like that again," he said firmly.

Underworld Maiden nodded solemnly. "I promise," she said, her voice hoarse from battle.

As if sensing my thoughts, Violet Tempest turned to me and winked. "Don't worry about him. He's just a softie under all that armor. He's our MG team's techy. Codename Sparky."

I nodded in understanding as Underworld Maiden suddenly guffawed in laughter. "Wait, your codename is Sparky? That's hilarious!" she exclaimed, wiping away a tear.

Sparky sighed under his helmet, his voice coming out a little muffled. "It's better than being called something like 'Thunderbolt' or 'Lightning', you know? But yeah, it's pretty lame. I didn't get to push back against it at all!"

We all laughed, feeling the tension finally dissipating.

Then, the rider turned to me, "Celestial Sonata. My magitech drone spotted you earlier and an... analyst tells me you have the ability to negate magical abilities. Is that right?"

I nodded, a little taken aback by the sudden question. "Yes, that's correct," I said slowly. "But why do you ask?"

The rider hesitated for a moment before replying, his voice serious. "The same analyst has determined that the Duke-class beast rampaging downtown is heading straight for us. It's targeting two people in particular and we have a plan to bring it down. But we need your help," he finished.

I was about to respond when I heard a loud roar in the distance, the ground shaking beneath us. The Duke-class beast was getting closer. I looked at Sparky and then at the others, my mind reeling with possibilities.

"Count me in," I said firmly. "What's the plan?"