Anyma had even more questions than before. For the moment, she just wanted to get out of wherever she was. "She said I had to pick things up, let's see." She reminded herself, turning to the slab. She stood before it, but nothing happened. "Maybe I should touch it?" And she did so. At first, nothing happened, then it vibrated. "WOAH!?" She let go out of surprise. "Uh, ok?" She landed her hand on the slab again, this time slower. "So, it was my left hand, huh." She remarked, leaving on her left on the slab.
It vibrated, but that was all. "Hmmm." Anyma removed her glove and tried again. The slab vibrated, then shook, and finally burst violently. In the middle of the debris were a ring and a pendant. "Jewelry? Seriously? Oh well, sure." After rolling her eyes and struggling to put the ring on her swell, magenta finger, Anyma looked at the two pieces of jewelry. The one on her finger was made of steel and had a black gem embedded into it. The pendant was a golden star with four branches.
Then, out of nowhere, a flat-ended machete pierced the girl's chest, splitting her ribs in a snap and impaling her heart. Anyma could only stagger back before laying on her back. Her vision faded almost instantly as blood gushed out of her mouth. It happened in less than a second, and all she saw in the end was short silver hair and yellow eyes staring her down. "W-wh- why...?" She muttered as life left her body.
***
"GAH!" Anyma gasped for air. She was back at the ceremonial plaza, though sometimes was off. Around her, blood covered the ground. "What!?" Corpses, dismembered and disemboweled. It was raining blood, bringing a dreadful stench onto her. In the distance, the girl could hear people screaming as unknown creatures took them away and shredded the unlucky to pieces with their sharp talons and claws, feasting on the blood and intestines of their victims.
Panicked and confused, the girl looked around her. The only survivors were the ceremony mistress, Bianca, and the hooded girl. They were all behind a shield of ice constructed by Bianca.
"Finally awake?" The mistress noticed Anyma's stare.
"What the hell is happening!?" It just dawned on her that neither of the goddesses were present. "And where did the two goddesses go!?"
A moment of silence fell on the four, periodically broken by horrifying screams. "I will tell you when we get out of here first," Bianca said.
***
The group arrived inside a deserted building. They settled in the living room. The woman in white, along with the hooded girl, barricaded every window and door they could find. An exhausted Bianca recounted the tragic events, "When Morgana called you and that girl in gray, you fainted. Then, the sky turned red, and blood rained down on us. Lys was quick to erect a barrier to protect most people, but that's when these flying creatures flew down and swooped anyone unlucky enough to be hit by the rain. The goddesses then hurried into the sky, leaving me to protect as many people as possible, but that was an utter failure..."
Anyma listened as the white-haired Bianca caught her to speed. She could feel that the girl was disappointed in herself. "I see..."
"It's not an enclosed event either," The hooded girl said, walking down the stairs. "It's the world that's under attack from these creatures. It would be wise to stay here until my men arrive."
"Your men? Who are you?" Anyma asked.
"I am Ilyana Mercedes, 4th, current head of the Devine Fencer Order." With that short introduction, she lowered her hood. Long, gray hair that went to the middle of her back, one eye closed by a scar, and the other opened, revealing a light-pink pupil. "The reason for my presence here is the same as yours, but things went a rather difficult path. I sent a distress call to my organization. We have to hold our position until they arrive."
"Wait... the Devine Fencer Order!? The powerful family who never showed their face!?" Bianca asked excitedly, leaving both Iliyana and Anyma surprised. For the latter, it was the most reaction she ever saw from the white-haired girl.
"Yes, but now is not the time to dwell on that. Where is the mistress?" Iliyana inquired, brushing Bianca's excitement off.
"Back there, she should have been back by now." Anyma pointed to the kitchen. Then, her phone rang in her back pocket. She picked it up and saw that it was Chiyo. "Hello." She said.
"HOLY SHIT! YOU HAD ME WORRIED FOR A SECOND THERE, YOU DUMBASS!" She screamed. Anyma pulled the device away from her ear. "ARE YOU SAFE!?"
"I am. Stop screaming already!" Anyma responded with a grunt. "What about you, though? Are you home?"
"Yeah, I barely made it! These flying fuckers are tough to fight off! And the old hag is fine, too."
The blond girl sighed in relief. "Good then. Make sure the place is safe."
"Don't have to tell me twice! I'll catch you later!" Chiyo scoffed before cutting the call short.
Bianca gazed at Anyma curiously. "Was that Miss Chiyo's voice?"
"Yeah, we sorta live together," Anyma replied, getting up from her chair and stretching.
"So, the rumors were true. You don't do anything indecent, do you...?" Bianca asked again, in a shy tone this time. Anyma was caught off guard by the mention of rumors, but that was the least of her worries right now.
"What rumors!? Ugh, forget it. No, we don't do that. She's too old for me!"
"Oh, I see. Sorry for asking like that." Bianca bowed.
"I said forget it!" Anyma waved her dismissingly. Then, she looked around the room for an instant. "Where's Ilyia?"
"Oh, she went to answer a call. She should be in the kitchen right now."
"Let's go," Anyma suggested, "Why do I feel like something's not right..."
THE TIME LOOP ARC BEGINS
