"Blade Style: Mizu."
The two string figures closed in on her from either side, while the third fired several more arrows. Eliana's blade glowed a bright blue as droplets of water floated around it in a spiral.
"Basic Art—Tidal Wave!"
With a single horizontal swing, she cut open the two figures nearby before they could touch her. The droplets created from the swing morphed into a crescent blade that went after the third. Its outer ring tore through every projectile and slashed the final puppet in half. All their hearts were severed, so they should be dead.
I figured…
The puppets reattached themselves and continued, as if nothing ever happened to them. Eliana avoided every arrow and parried off the two blades in a swift manner. Her blade kept its glow and left behind droplets with every move that dissipated a second later.
They're creations of a magic technique. It doesn't matter if I strike their hearts. They'll keep going as long as the one controlling them exists.
Upon focusing her senses on the puppets, she discovered tiny strings attached to them. She severed the strings of one puppet, but they reattached almost immediately.
This is definitely the Puppeteer's doing. But she's still in the main building, and there's no way her magic could work with such efficiency when she's this far away.
The battle pushed her toward the centre of the building, between all the seats. Her blade glowed brighter as she prepared another move.
"Refined Art—Water Vortex!"
She spun around and sent several crescent blades made of water in every direction, reducing the puppets into tiny pieces and severing their threads, giving her a longer moment of respite. Looking above, she had a gut feeling, though she couldn't sense any significant void aura.
Which means…
Using magic reinforcement on her legs, she leapt straight above and broke through the ceiling, putting her before a fourth puppet that controlled the rest. Before it could even react, she swiftly slashed it in half and severed its connection with Pandora. And the moment it began to dust away, Eliana let out a breath of relief.
"She could always make more, couldn't she?" she mumbled to herself, staring at the main building. "Guess she figured out that they aren't enough to slow me down. Or she's just…overconfident."
Jumping off the roof, she landed gracefully on the ground before running past the flower garden and entering through the backdoor into a dark, empty hallway.
Or at least, she thought it was empty.
"E-Elia…na…?"
She turned to her left and was met with a familiar face. The girl who was one of the few who bullied her endlessly back then, stood before her, stumbling weakly towards her as blood coated her entire being, several of which dropped to the floor, creating a bloody path.
"You…?" Brown eyes widen in horror. "Who…did this?"
"I-I thought I could get away…I listened to her for once…" She coughed up more blood. "I-I even decided to turn a new leaf…and y-yet—"
Before Eliana could reach out, the girl fell forward to the floor with a splatter. A few droplets flew off and stained her clothes. She crouched down to check the girl for a pulse, but she found none. The sight made her clench her fist hard enough to crack the knuckles.
There's no void entity on this floor. Then how?!
Focusing her senses, she could see several strings scattered throughout both paths. She walked forward and attempted to hit one, but it immediately moved on its own to strike her the moment she got close. Blocking it with her sword, she stepped back, and she analysed her situation.
Autonomous strings that act as traps and aren't visible to an ordinary person…just how ridiculous can she get?!
"Passing through them would be quite…troublesome." Staring down the two hallways, she decided to walk out the same way she entered. "Unfortunately for you, I have a better idea."
"Ah, look who decided to show up~"
Two new figures waited for her right outside in the flower garden. They were dressed in black and had dark hair. One of them, a girl, wore a rabbit mask, while the other, a boy, had a clown mask instead. But Eliana knew for sure that they were both Scarlets, judging by the void aura they emanated.
"We're Numbers Five and Seven of the Ten Scarlets," the boy spoke next. "As per the Crimson's orders, we must stop you—"
"Even weaker than the one from earlier?" Eliana sighed in disappointment and turned her back towards them to gaze up at the building.
"Than who?" he growled. "And don't you dare ignore us—"
They never saw her blade glow a bright grey. Nor was the girl capable of casting any magic.
"And don't waste my time here."
A strong gust of wind brushed past them, and they crumbled into pieces quicker than they could figure out what had transpired. Eliana's blade stopped glowing as she continued scanning the school for Viola's traces.
The Crimson has kept herself hidden. But I'm certain that she will be with Viola. I need only look for her…
Looking at a certain window up high, she smiled.
"Found you."
…
Hurry!
Viola rushed down the stairs and into the first hallway a floor below. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she focused her hearing to find something of significance. And she heard a scream, followed by another just seconds after.
The sound came from two floors below, and she dashed for it. The moment she stepped into the third hallway, a figure ran into her and tumbled to the floor, while she barely flinched a little. On the floor was a girl shivering in absolute terror. She almost looked happy seeing Viola, until her eyes fell on the sword, and she crawled back into a wall.
"Y-You…?" Viola whispered, recognising the girl to be one of the bullies she fought back then. "I-I won't hurt you. Can you tell me what's happening—"
"Oh, you caught her."
Viola turned in the direction the bully came from to find another familiar face, though it was someone she only met recently. The girl who approached her first for an autograph the day before held a black knife without even bothering to hide it.
"Phoebe, was it?" The girl nodded, and Viola asked, "Why…do you have that?"
"I could ask you the same," she answered, "but we both know it, don't we?" Phoebe glared coldly, pointing the blade at the bully, who flinched at the gesture.
"To finish what you started."
Viola gasped sharply. "What?!"
"You heard me. And if you're still incapable of killing, then I'll do it in your stead." She stepped closer, but Viola shielded the bully behind her. Both of them appeared surprised. "If you can't kill, that's fine. But why stop me?"
"You sound an awful lot like someone." Viola frowned. "And I'm not letting you fulfil her desire!"
"But she's not wrong, is she?" Phoebe said. "There's no difference in this. We're both handing out justice. Oh, except one…"
She slightly tilted her head, which gave Viola the shivers.
"I will not…hesitate."
Phoebe tried to push Viola away, but the latter caught her wrist. She attempted to pull away, but Viola proved too powerful.
"You!" Viola glanced back at the bully. "Why are you still here? Run away while you got the chance!" The bully just stared at them for a moment. "Leave!" She finally came to her senses and escaped through the staircase. "Leave this place," Viola shouted, "and never look back!"
"Why'd you do that?!" Phoebe growled at her. "Do you even understand a fraction of the pain she has caused me? Of course, you don't! Because you left us!"
Viola finally let her go and stepped back. "I didn't have a choice!"
"You did. You just chose wrong." She pointed the blade at Viola instead. "It doesn't matter how many times you beat the lesson into them; they won't learn, and they'll keep doing what they want. Sure, most of them went silent while you were here. But after you left…chaos ensued again."
Phoebe lurched forward with her knife, and Viola blocked it with her sword.
"None of which would've happened had you never given them a second chance!"
"Wouldn't the world be a better place if they weren't given another chance?"
"You're wrong!" Viola pushed her away. "Some of them can change! Handing out such harsh judgment is not the correct way!"
"And what if they're simply pretending in front of you?"
"They never change. They simply lie low until the next opportunity arises!"
"They'll play out the role that's most convenient for the moment. And when you turn the other way…they're already eyeing their next victim."
"And if you're so sure," Phoebe added, "tell me, do you know of someone who changed?"
Viola pondered and recalled her whole life. Yet, she could not find an answer. She thought she'd find one. But no one she fought ever learnt their lesson, and they always came back. Just like the cashier boy she met the day before, she could never be sure if they had truly learnt their lesson, or were just waiting for her to leave.
"Then don't step in my way." She walked past Viola. "If you can't even give me an answer!"
"You didn't even bat her an eye yesterday," Viola mumbled. "How come you trust her already?"
"It's not about trust," she replied, stopping in her tracks. "It's about what she said. And I agree with her more than I do with you—"
Viola smacked the back of her neck with enough force to put her to sleep without harming her. Phoebe fell to the floor with a thud. Viola gazed at her for a second before moving onward.
"She's just using you. That's all."
She heard shuffling behind her. Turning around, her expression widened when she saw Phoebe standing again, but her eyes were closed. It looked like she was sleepwalking.
"P-Phoebe? What are you—"
The girl dashed forward and swung the knife at her. Viola barely avoided her by stepping to the side. But she kept swiping the blade at her, moving quicker than a human should be capable of. Viola had no choice but to disarm her by striking the weapon. However, darkness manifested in her hand and morphed into yet another knife.
But she doesn't have the eyes! What is she—
"Don't you know?"
Phoebe stopped in place as another pair of footsteps approached them, and Viola immediately recognised the voice.
"A puppet cannot stop performing unless allowed to."
"Why are you doing this?" Viola glared at Pandora, who appeared calm and nonchalant. "If you have a gripe with me…why involve anyone else?!"
"Oh, the Lily has it all wrong," she spoke softly. "I do not have a gripe with you. If anything, I understand why you made your choice. So please, try to understand mine."
"I can't!" Viola hesitated to step forward and swing her blade. "I…I can't let you hurt them!"
"You're still too naive." Pandora sighed deeply. "When have you ever done anything for them? You spared the ones that needed cleaning. You saved no one. And if you continue being naive, you will never save anyone. You will never change this world."
Instead, the Crimson stepped a little too close and whispered in her ear.
"That's why, let me be the one to hand out justice. My hands are already red, after all."
Viola froze in place as Pandora turned around and walked a few feet away before stopping.
"You pretend to be their hero," she added, "but you aren't even striking me." Viola's breath hitched. Pandora continued, "Go on, do it. Otherwise, how will you even begin to disagree with me?"
It wasn't that Viola didn't want to attack her. To her, Rosaline was just a lie, and she no longer had any sympathy for Pandora. Nor was she stuck in place, unlike earlier. But her body simply refused to move.
"You're a Void Hunter. And yet…you're unable to make any move against me."
Something about Pandora's pressuring presence made it very clear who was on top and who would get swept away in the blink of an eye.
"No worry, you'll get plenty of chances." Pandora continued walking back the way she came from, and Phoebe followed behind. "Come with me. You're my audience, so you must see…everything."
Viola gulped and reluctantly walked along. She could hear distant screaming, and, after passing by her old classroom where she saw two figures hiding in corners, it wouldn't be long until she found the source.
The place was darker than before, and under the flickering light, she saw red and a sight closely resembling the one she couldn't forget from her birthday that year.
"What…did you do?"
Blood coated most of the area, and two bodies lay limply on the cold ground with multiple stab wounds on them. A boy ran out of the room with the torn-off doors, only to be backed into the opposite wall by another girl with a black knife. He decided to retaliate at the last moment, but was immediately stabbed in the gut.
"S-Stop!"
The girl continued stabbing him multiple times before Viola could intervene. It was too late.
"W-Why?" she asked Pandora with a quivering voice. "Why a-are you doing this? What do y-you even get from this?!"
"Nothing," the Crimson whispered, "nor am I doing this to gain anything. I am simply performing my role. To provide them with an equal ground. Something you had, while they didn't."
"You've brainwashed them!" Viola raised her voice. "You've turned them into murderers!" Meanwhile, the girl with the knife kept staring blankly at the corpse before her. "Don't give me excuses!"
"Brainwash?" Pandora finally turned around to face Viola. "That was never needed. I only gave them the tool needed to overcome their only weakness. The rest…was up to them."
She gasped. "I-Impossible! You must've told them something!"
"They were given a choice, just like you." She exhaled softly. "I don't persuade. I don't threaten. They can choose to take my hand or be my audience. But I never create chaos. I merely set the stage."
Viola could hear several more screams from all across the school building. Her limbs trembled at each sound. She wanted them to stop, but deep down, she knew that it was too late. Pandora turned to the window, moved closer, and placed her palm on the fresh red stains.
"Every droplet of blood in my hands...each one was given a choice. The choice of how they lived, what they did, and what they became. And if they chose to become the kind that hurts those who did not…then I do what needs to be done."
The boy's corpse began to twitch and glitch violently as darkness slowly enveloped him whole. Viola stared in horror while the girl with the knife came to her senses and stepped back, shivering. "W-What is happening?" she asked Pandora. "Y-You didn't tell me about this!"
"Get away!" Viola shouted. "Run, please!"
She lurched forward only to be stopped by Phoebe's unconscious body, swinging the knife at her with enough force to push her away. She heard something pop in Phoebe's arm, but she had no time to ponder when she heard a loud splatter immediately after, followed by an ear-deafening screech.
"Do you know what that means, Viola?"
The creeper's fist completely crushed the girl's head. It glared at Viola for a moment before running off the other way. Two more creepers walked out of the same doorless classroom and followed behind, likely to pursue whoever had survived the initial bloodshed.
"You have chosen to help those who hurt others." Pandora's glare pierced through the blindfold. "By forgiving them, by giving them not one, not two, but multiple chances…you have allowed them to continue causing pain."
Viola walked backwards as Phoebe closed in. Her heart sank further when the corpses behind Pandora, including the headless girl, started to get up like lifeless dolls. Darkness gathered in each one's palm to morph into knives.
"The ones who simply wanted to live instead continued to bleed while you were so fixated on your naive lies," she continued in a low growl. "The problem isn't that you didn't take action, Viola. It's because you did…and never made a difference."
The dolls marched towards Viola as Pandora clenched her fists.
"That's not the role of a hero you play. That's the villain."
"S-Stop it!" She kept falling back the closer they got. "They're dead…a-at least, leave them alone!"
The fact that they didn't turn only means one thing…
Viola turned around and ran away.
I've already murdered people. But hurting innocents is the one line I cannot cross!
She ran down the stairs and into the next hallway. Several feet away from her, a boy was chased out of a classroom by a creeper. Viola dashed in and quickly slashed it in half, severing the heart. As it dusted away, she looked at the boy and pleaded, "Please…leave."
He smiled faintly. And it seemed like he was about to thank her, but was interrupted by an invisible force that cut off his throat. Blood splattered out and onto her face as he fell to the floor.
"And yet again," the same dreadful voice spoke up, "you chose to save them."
Multiple footsteps echoed behind her. And without turning around, she already knew who they belonged to. But she didn't make any move to escape. There was none. The sword slipped from her fingers as she fell to her knees, staring blankly at the floor.
"You're no Void Hunter either," she continued. "They struggle, they retaliate, and they aren't afraid to cut down anyone in their path."
She walked forward and stood in front of Viola, looking down at her.
"But what about you?" she continued. "In all this time, you have yet to make a single move against me." She crouched to reach her face level.
"For as long as you remain naive…you will never play this role you have chosen."
"It won't matter if you learn to control them, Viola. Curses aren't gifts, they never will be."
"You're right," Viola whispered. "But I was never given a choice." A tear or two fell on her palms as she gazed at them. "I never wanted any of this. My strength, my gift, the responsibility it brought…you think I asked for any of it? The burden was placed on my shoulders, and I never had any say in it."
"Mistakes we are. Mistakes are all we'll ever be."
"I never wanted to become a Hunter," she added, "I never wanted to be a hero, or become the villain. I just…wanted to live, too…with the ones I love."
Another tear ran down her cheek as Viola lifted her face to stare at Pandora through a blurry vision.
"But even that's too much to ask…isn't it?"
Rosaline immediately reached out and wiped off the tear, only to stand up and back away. Pandora clutched her wrist and stared at her palm in disbelief. Viola's head hung low again as Pandora muttered under her breath.
"I suppose…it's too late for that—"
The glass shattered on the windows beside them, and Pandora leapt far away. A new figure stood between her and Viola. Strong gusts of wind flew throughout the entire hallway, and Phoebe, along with the other corpses, dropped to the floor. Pandora lifted a finger to wipe off the droplet of blood dribbling down her cheek from a cut wound that had already healed up.
"E-Eliana…?" Viola gazed up, almost relieved at the sight before her.
"I'm sorry it took so long," her best friend said to her while facing the enemy. "But I'm here, Viola."
Eliana gave her a glance and a smile before frowning and pointing her blade at the Crimson.
"And this time, I will gladly be the one to protect you!"