The black whirlpool approached very quickly, and was already visible even without using magic. It looked like a strangely developed cumulonimbus cloud.
“W-what’s that huge cloud…!?”
“I can feel an ominous energy coming from it. Evil intentions…. What is that?”
One of the wizards stumbled.
“Didn’t we defeat the sorcerers!?”
“This is something far more terrifying.”
“W-what kind of joke is this…!?”
The triumphant expressions on the soldier’s faces turned to sorrow, and an uproar filled the surrounding area again.
The giant black cloud above Berelhelm swirled slowly. In its center was a black hole so big it looked like the entrance to a cave. It was darker than black, a void that seemed to suck light. Like a sleek obsidian sphere.
“Is that black sphere the legendary ‘Gate of Hades’…!?”
Said vice-commander Reblef, sounding as though he was struggling to say it. Even this big man was clearly shaking.
The surrounding area became dark, as if the curtain of night was falling. The black cloud covered the sky of the city, and it became darker, colder, and the wind blew violently as if a storm was passing.
The cloud was low enough to hide the tops of towers, and felt as though one could touch it if they reached up.
“What do we do!?”
“There isn’t even a sorcerer!”
“This is outta this world! What can we even do about this…?”
The soldiers and wizards were at a complete loss. They could do nothing but look up at the cloud and black sphere.
“It appears this dark power lost the sorcerer… And is coming after us.”
Said Himeno, who was no longer bleeding and sat up. She looked directly at the sphere in the middle of the whirlpool.
“A parting gift of the sorcerer, hell’s gate uh?”
Said Ameriko while shrugging, as the wind toyed with her blonde hair and she also stared at the black sphere.
They could feel some sort of will inside it. Like something incredibly evil was staring at them. It made their skin crawl.
“This… Is not good at all. Nine times out of ten… This leads to something terrible…”
Himeno tried summoning a sword, but her wounds rendered her unable to concentrate the light needed to form a blade.
“…No good, I cannot gather the strength…”
“Himeno! You shouldn’t be moving yet.”
Said Chai, as himself and the rest of the rescue party approached her.
“Okay! Take care of Himeno, Chai. Once we smack down that parting gift from the sorcerer, that hell’s gate, we’ll get our happy end for sure! Nothing’s changed, this ends today.”
Ameriko focused to summon a weapon. She wanted powerful anti-air missiles.
“Oh… I don’t have enough strength left…”
But the light would not appear. She used too much of her power.
Her summoning power was running dry, and she was unable to summon big weapons. She barely managed to summon a colt government.
“Well, the gun I’m used to is the best I guess.”
She put on an optimistic smile, but it was clear she would not be able to stand up to this threat with a handgun.
“It is only natural. You kept throwing missiles against the giant…”
“Positive thinking! Where there is will, there is a way!”
She aimed at the black sphere in the sky and fired.
A few dry sounds echoed, and the bullets traveled towards black cloud.
“Ah, no good.”
Nine milimeter bullets would not scratch it, even though she hit the hole in the sky.
“No, I think there was an effect.”
“But in a bad way.”
After Ameriko’s shots, the whirlpool began to violently spin, as if the black sphere was drawing the black cloud closer. It drew in the cloud like a black hole, and the surface of the black sphere began to squirm, like it was foaming.
“Scouting witch! Can you see it more closely?”
“I’ll try… Eeeeh!?”
The moment the witch turned her attention to the black sphere, she fainted.
“Wha…!?”
Ameriko and Himeno nervously turned their eyes towards it. They were at a loss for words at the uneasiness they felt coming from this ominous presence.
“W-what…”
“Oh my god…”
What appeared to be foaming on the surface of the black sphere was actually countless monsters squirming. There were so many, the surface looked like caviar. Eyeless pure black slimy monsters crowded together.
“Is that… A nest of monsters from hell…!?”
Eggs were still bursting, looking like they would drop to the ground. It was impossible to determine just how many there were.
Demonic embryos, beings from a strange dimension. That was the true nature of the black sphere.
“I guess it truly is a gate to hell…”
“The sorcerer wanted to make friends with those monsters and bring them here!?”
“…Or perhaps he was tricked.”
“Tricked…?”
“Who knows, it is all shrouded in darkness.”
Himeno bit her lip, and her face was pale. There was no way to know what the sorcerer’s true intentions were at this point, but one thing was clear. These beings from another dimension, who they were not certain were even living beings, did not appear to be friendly.
Himeno felt dizzy and sat back. Her head hurt, her vision was distorted, and she could not stop trembling with cold sweats.
It was not just the pain from the wounds. She felt terror on a basic level.
“Himeno, I’m here…!”
Chai grabbed Himeno with his own trembling hand.
“I’m sorry…”
“E-even I’m trembling. But it’ll work out… It will.”
Ameriko’s hand which was holding her gun was also trembling.
“…It’s over…”
“The end… Of the world…”
“We are… Going to die here…”
The soldiers grumbled in despair. Their eyes looked vacant, and they let go of the swords they were holding and dropped to their knees.
Everyone instinctively knew it. They could not resist it. There was nothing they could do against this overwhelming evil threat. It was much worse than even the sorcerer and his slaves.
Just looking at the black sphere was enough for one’s knees to feel weak and one’s mind to go mad with fear.
“I’m scared… Nooo….”
“Aaah! It’s no good…”
A black aura-like mist was emerging from people’s bodies.
It rose up like smoke and into the whirlpool above. As it gathered, it flowed into the black sphere.
The black sphere began to foam more intensively and swell.
“…Ki■§‰ki◆∈kikiki°¶…!”
“Uu….!?”
“What is this…”
A dissonant, unpleasant sound started echoing in people’s heads.
It was like nails on a chalkboard. The shrill sound of a horn that felt as though it was scratching their skulls. The muddy stream of this musical scale invaded their brains as people screamed and grabbed their heads.
They were celebrating. The monsters were letting out cheers of joy.
Their song of happiness sounded like a requiem from hell inside people’s heads.
Black smoke continued to float away into the black sphere, and it continued to swell.
“So that’s it…”
Himeno understood. She mustered her strength to speak as her lips trembled.
“H-Himeno.”
“Those extra-dimensional beings are feeding off people’s fear and despair. Negative emotions.”
That was how the sorcerer gathered countless souls. By offering sacrifices, he drew them with the negative emotions that they fed on. Whether it was intentional or he was being manipulated is another story.
“But what can we do…!?”
Ameriko said while grinding her teeth. Knowing the nature of their enemy would not change this desperate situation.
The soldiers stood blank-faced, and the wizards and witches broke down crying. One witch laughed maniacally. The people’s souls were being thoroughly invaded.
There was no way to counter-attack. No one could…
“Don’t let yourselves get tricked by this gross voice!”
“Let us… At least sing.”
“…B-big brothers…?”
They were Chai’s brothers.
The two brothers who looked like beautiful girls joined hands and stood up.
There was clear pain in their faces, and they struggled greatly not to be crushed by fear, but they still mustered up their courage.
Chai’s brothers ran and activated their only support, an item which granted them the protection of the wind.
They took a deep breath, and let out quiet voices.
――――Ahh, light from heaven――――♪
Two very dignified voices echoed. From the depths of darkness, a pure hymn reached people’s ears.
“…How lovely…”
“What a beautiful chorus…!”
It sounded like a clear blue sky. It brought about feelings of light and gentle wind, and gently spread within the hearts that were stained with fear and despair.
――――Shining stars, show us the holy path――――
“Ooh… This…”
“Song…”
“Are those… Angels?”
The light in the soldier’s eyes returned upon seeing the beautiful elves.
When wrapped in darkness, never forget your courage.
If the flames of courage still burn, there will be no despair.
As long as hope is not lost, a path will surely open.
“Yes… We still…”
“Get up…”
“Let’s show them our will to fight!”
“We can’t let it end here…!”
The soldiers struggled, but rose to their feet.
The terrified townspeople also lifted their heads. Wizards used their staves to stand up with looks of determination, and witches prayed with gentle expressions.
They spread the song to the entire world. The wave of magic reached all people on this planet. The holy song conquered despair and fear.
“Get up! Don’t lose yourselves to fear, and show that monster we can still fight…! We are the symbol of humanity’s resistance! We will not let go of the future we got a hold off!”
Said vice-commander Reblef with his sword raised, and his soldiers screamed with determination.
“… Detesta¶ァ◆§‰.ie…!”
The black sphere twisted itself, and its surface wrinkled. It was as though it was twisting in pain.
“It’s suffering because the negative energy stopped coming!”
“Ameriko, we should also gooo…!”
Himeno stood up while motivating herself. She screamed as she summoned a sword, magic blade Murasame.
It was incredibly sharp, and it could suck people’s blood. Some called it the demon killer.
“Of course we’re not giving up!”
Ameriko gripped her colt government tightly once again. She wanted strong bullets that could pierce the monster.
――――Shine, sacred path――――♪
Chai’s brothers’ song echoed loudly.
The haze was fading from people’s minds. The black cloud was clearly disturbed, as more and more people stood up.
The black cloud surrounding the whirlpool began to break, and the sun started shining once again.
“…Gi■§‰a◆∈j9-2]aa!?”
The surface of the black sphere throbbed violently. It looked as though it was screaming in anger, and it unleashed many tentacles.
Countless fingers covered in joints intertwined, and the mad whips attacked.
“W-whaa!?”
Screamed Chai, as the rain of black tentacles was clearly aiming for himself and his brothers.
“You will not…!”
Himeno kicked the ground and leaped forward, above Chai and his brothers where the black tentacles were crashing.
“Himeno!”
“Full power! Secret technique… Thousand Arm Defense!”
Her Murasame began to glow, and Himeno waved it in a circle. The afterimages created by this motion took the form of countless swords, which destroyed the incoming tentacles. The swords did not disappear, and continued to block the tentacles.
“Those afterimages have mass…!?”
Himeno continued to slash the incoming tentacles like a thousand armed Avalokiteśvara, creating a metal umbrella that protected Chai and his brothers.
“Nuoooh! I will not… Let you disturb what I have been looking forward to so much!”
Himeno unleashed her full power as blood poured from her mouth. The thousand glitters stopped all the tentacles.
“Oh… This…!?”
As if reacting to Himeno’s scream, Ameriko’s star pendant began to shine.
Ameriko heard voices
USA! USA…! Give us strength!
The souls of the citizens sealed in the pendant yelled. An enthusiastic yell of justice. Himeno’s magatama pendant also began to shine.
“Nu… You as well…!?”
The two pendants flew into the air, and with a faint light, spun and locked together to become one.
The light returned to Ameriko’s hand, and turned into a rainbow bullet. Their pendants became one and transformed into a bullet with immense energy.
“…But this…”
The pendants were the memories of the world they lost, the memories of the people of the old countries called United States of America and Japan. A crystal made of lives and history.
Once lost, they would most likely never come back.
“Himeno, are you sure?”
“Yes. We should look towards the future, not the past.”
“…Future…!”
Ameriko’s eyes began to shine.
She nodded while loading the bullet, before aiming once again at the black sphere above her.
The sacred song stopped its nourishment, and it was distorting in a disgusting manner. It spread rotten juices around it and looked as though it was about to burst.
――Light, lead the way――
With the song of the beautiful elves behind her, Ameriko pulled the trigger.
“Goodbye.”
Ameriko offered a silent prayer as the bullet shot from her handgun became a streak of light.
It opened a hole in the black sphere, and like a flower blossoming, the sky behind it became visible.
Without a sound, the black film covering the horizon was being cleansed. Bright light appeared as the black sphere began to vanish.
『Gi曦■§‰ga◆a¶錏a°―――――』
The black sphere was gone with an explosion of light.
The clash of both worlds created an energy of light that rivaled cosmogony. The strange objects from another dimension return from where they should have never left, and the overwhelming bright light shined all the way beyond the horizon.
――From now until forever――
The song and gentle light filled the entire world.
It was a sight as legendary as the creation of the world itself.
★●
There was silence. The black cloud and sphere were gone and the wind returned.
“…It is over.”
“How nice to have the elves sing over the credits.”
The two girls laid on the ground. Ameriko put out her hand, and Ameriko grabbed it.
The slanting rays of sunlight and the clear blue sky was a marvelous view, and high in the sky there was a glint.
“…What’s that?”
“A star of hope I’m sure.”
Did the bullet give birth to a new planet? Did it have solid earth and blue seas?
The new golden star continued to shine, as if silently watching over them.
Next time, the final chapter.
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