(Over 8000 words)

(Me finally writing this chapter at 1am after writer's block beat my 🍑 for 4 days straight)

Dan Heng ran to catch Jing Yuan, managing to lighten the General's fall after Phantylia's body had been destroyed.

Their surroundings had returned to normal, and all that was left of Phantylia was that blue and yellow flame which descended in front of the group.

"Not bad, General of the Hunt." Phantylia hummed, "But all I lost was a body stolen on a whim. And you... how much longer can you last? The destruction of the Xianzhou is nigh."

Caelus couldn't really think of a sharp comeback this time, he was feeling a little numb. He was by no means squeamish about blood, but it was different when the blood belonged to a friend.

Y/n had stopped breathing, remaining still in Welt's arms as March frantically tried to wake her up again.

Peaceful, she looked peaceful.

'She's not gonna go berserk again, is she? Why isn't she waking up? Shouldn't she wake up?' Caelus wondered, tearing his gaze away from y/n and to Phantylia instead.

Jing Yuan moved to stand on his own, and Dan Heng immediately began to help him only to stop when the white haired man held up a hand.

"Begone, Pawn of Destruction."

Ooo, chills.

"Tell the Legion," Jing Yuan stood upright on his own, simply brushing the floating flame away, "that the vengeance of The Hunt will fall upon them."

As the flame dispersed, Phantylia merely chuckled.
A moment later, she was gone. Frightening.

"General, are you... okay?" March asked hesitantly, her tone worried as the man lightly shook his head as if shooing off a headache.

He looked exhausted as he turned to face the group, a tired little look on his face, "I'm still alive." he glanced at Dan Heng, "And it would seem the two of us can still coordinate our efforts."

Dan Heng let out a breath of air, and both of them looked over to where Welt was holding up y/n.

Caelus looked as well, glancing at Welt as the man frowned down at the motionless y/n, "Mr. Yang, is y/n...?"

Welt didn't reply, gently laying y/n down on the ground. Her injuries hadn't ceased their bleeding as they usually would, and there was no sign of the golden leaves that'd typically appear.

She was just motionless.

"March, you've seen this happen before." Caelus began in an uncertain tone, looking to the pink haired young woman who didn't meet his gaze, "Is this normal?"

"No, n-not at all! Usually she'd pop right back up, but... t-this hasn't happened before." March stammered, looking for some kind of sign before glancing at Dan Heng, "You were there when she first... you know, did anything like this happen?"

Dan Heng shook his head, "No, this is new..."

March 7th's eyes widened before she looked back to y/n, frantically patting her cheek, "Hey, y/n! Wake up!"

"Maybe we should leave her be?"

"Maybe? What if—?"

"Come on, March, back away."

It took some tugging, but Caelus eventually to ease March 7th away from y/n's body. He was getting anxious with each passing moment she stayed dead.

Hopefully she'd wake up soon.

...

Caelus, stop jinxing 💩.

.
.
.
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'I'm... not done yet...'

Y/n awoke with a start, gasping for air as she found herself staring up at the night sky. Her chest heaved as air returned to her lungs, and feeling slowly returned to her limbs as she came back to her senses.

She was laying down. Water, she was by water.
The ocean, it seemed. How'd she end up there?

Y/n turned her head slightly, ignoring how the sand pricked and rubbed against her skin. She was greeted by a disembodied head, its face permanently contorted in a look of fear.

...she must have died again.

It wasn't unusual for her to die, go on a rampage, and come back to her senses a while after things calmed down.

Y/n grimaced as she reached under her armor, and she let out a small sigh when her fingers brushed against the familiar soft material of her plush companion.

"You're still here... I feel odd."

Y/n sat up with a soft grunt, looking around and feeling satisfied to still see that broken sword by her side.

"Ah... I had a strange dream, Mimi. A flying train that traversed the stars, a planet trapped in an eternal freeze, a city so warm in contrast to its harsh surroundings... it felt so real." y/n slowly got up, ignoring the aching in her limbs, "And there were people too, on the train, I mean. A woman with fiery red hair, she was very pretty and made me feel at ease. And the coffee she made... it was bitter, but the talks we had over it made it sweet."

The Cloud Knight slowly trailed along the beach with her sword in hand, not quite knowing where she was going but simply walking in hopes of getting more time to rest.

"There was a young woman with pink hair too, and unusually colored pinkish blue eyes. She was quite fun to hang out with, so sweet and caring too. We bickered a lot, though... and that man with brown hair. He was interesting, charismatic and so lovely to talk to. He was a complete bad🍑, and he showed me so many cool things. Whenever I looked at him, I felt at ease. Especially when I got to hold his scarf..."

Y/n looked up to the sky.
"There was someone else who appreciated him and his scarf too... he was a bit of a goofster, but he was annoyingly good at fighting with a bat. What was his name. Ca...Callum? Cael...?'

"Ca... Cael..."

There was a small twitch in y/n's hand, then a soft inhale. She breathed again, life returning to her body as the wounds inflicted by Phantylia began healing themselves and sprouting those same golden leaves.

Caelus spotted the movement out of the corner of his eye and he whipped around, "Ah, she's back—"

He turned to meet a fist headed straight for his face, only for Dan Heng to drag him down just in time for him to avoid being punched in the face.

"What the hell, y/n!" Caelus shrieked, in a bit of a panic as he sat on his 🍑, still trembling from the shock, "What is it with you waking up and choosing violence?!"

Y/n was mumbling something, and Caelus' anger ebbed away at the sight of her. Wooden tendrils had coiled around her head, golden leaves obscuring her eyes as she picked up her fallen sword carefully.

She tilted the sword from side to side, seemingly getting a feeling for it, before smiling. Without seeing her eyes, it was a rather eerie sight.

"Oh, I think I've got it now."

"C-Cael...us!"

"EEK! She said my name!" Caelus squealed.

Y/n continued walking along the beach, continuing to tell Mimi about the dream she had. About returning home, seeing her mother, seeing familiar faces.

It was calming... but it all came to a halt when a shout from the nearby cliffs reached her ears.

"There's the Cloud Knight! Kill her while she's weak!"

"Ugh, these guys again..." y/n murmured as a whole army rushed down towards the beach. If she had to estimate... perhaps a hundred?

"Pfft... this is all they brought?" y/n murmured as she rolled her shoulders, "A hundred soldiers..." a grin settled on her face, "They're gonna need more than that, especially after that nice dream I had."

"Why don't you all just lay down and die, hm? Killing me over and over won't do anything!" y/n called out to them.

"I won't... stay dead, not until... I decide it's time!!!"

Caelus shrieked like a girl as y/n lunged for him, the missing half of her sword filled as shifting tones of light burst from the broken blade.

He lifted his lance hoping to defend himself but got the air knocked out of him instead as y/n kicked him in the gut, sending him skidding back.

She gave him no time to rest, closing the distance between the two of them in flash as she grabbed him by the collar of his clothing and dragged him close.

He saw the glint of her sword and his eyes widened as she moved to stab him, though a tear in space interrupted her. Y/n was forced to recoil, jumping away from Caelus, while the hydrogen bomb was left trembling.

Thank goodness for Welt.

"Caelus, are you alright?" the older man demanded, but Caelus couldn't even respond, his legs wobbling as they practically turned to jelly.

'I... I almost died...!'

Y/n didn't remain still, changing targets immediately, though she didn't head for Welt. She was going for March now.

The young woman jolted, stumbling back a little before quickly recovering as she fire an arrow. Y/n sliced right through it, causing it to burst right in her face and cover her in ice.

She let out a pained yell, skidding to a halt and March gasped, "Crap, y/n, are you okay? I didn't mean to—!"

"March, stay away from her!" Dan Heng warned but it was too late as the frost fell away from y/n's face, revealing the little grin.

"Got... you..."

She slashed at March, the attack headed right for her throat, but Dan Heng was quick to jump to March's aid and fend off y/n's attack with his spear.

"Y/n, snap out of it! You need to wake up!" Dan Heng shouted, and y/n tilted her head, pausing briefly.

Y/n paused as she blinked owlishly.

"Dan Feng?" she didn't have time to ponder over the voice she could've sworn she'd heard, "Now I'm hearing his voice too, eh? Damned fish, still getting on my nerves. Still,"

The moment of peace was brief as y/n's attacks began once more, cutting and slashing at Dan Heng and leaving no room for him to fight back as he drove him backwards.

March had to get out of the way to avoid being toppled over by the duo as they clashed, y/n attacking and Dan Heng meeting each of her strikes just in time to block them.

"What... a relief... nice to hear... voice again!" y/n chimed, her smile one of glee now, "Let me show... show you how much I've... improved!"

One last powerful slash forced Dan Heng's spear out of his hands, leaving him wide open for an attack. Y/n didn't move to stab him, rather went in for a punch instead, heading right for his chest.

'I won't move in time...!' he realized, eyes widening.

All of a sudden, there was a warp in space. It wasn't big, but it forced y/n to move a little bit, and blood flew from the spot on her shoulder where the tear in space had slightly clipped her.

Her attack didn't stop as she punched Dan Heng in the side instead, sending pain rippling through his body like a shockwave. What came next felt far worse as a figure that could've easily been mistaken for an afterimage thrusted a spear into the same goddamn spot, piercing right through him and sending more blood flying.

"Dan Heng!" March and Caelus aprotested, while y/n let out a small bought of delighted laughter.

"Heh, I landed... a hit! It's not over, though

Dan Heng bit his lip and steeled himself as y/n ripped her fist right back out, the light at the edge of her sword engulfing the broken blade and shifting until it looked more like a spear.

She knocked Dan Heng's legs out from under him, sending him to the ground with the spear poised to strike his heart.

His eyes widened and he was quick to reach out, ignoring the searing pain as it stabbed through his hand, and grab ahold of the y/n's hand to halt her attack.

The end of the spear just barely poked his chest.

Y/n didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"Part two!"

Caelus looked up and shrieked as the fog parted, revealing a big 🍑 spear that tore its way through the air and fell towards them. Dan Heng looked mortified as the massive spear closed in on them all, but a black hole appeared just in time, swallowing it up and leaving nothing left as the spear fell into it.

"Ah. Disappointing." y/n murmured, and jerked when she was stabbed in the side with a white hot lance.

The Vidyadhara gave Caelus a shocked look, and the hydrogen bomb looked sick over what he'd done. Y/n merely glanced at him, her smile unwavering.

"Another one... how fun-!"

Y/n puffed out a heavy breath as she pressed a hand against her bleeding side, eyes darting from one enemy to the next.

She heaved a sigh, then looked up.

"Man... I wish I could jump around from one spot to another in an instant like this planet. Blink, it's here. Blink, it's there. Blink!"

The light at the end of her sword extended as she sliced through the air, the extra length allowing her to slice off the heads of some of the adversaries who were further away.

As blood flew, her smile returned.

Y/n had gotten off of Dan Heng, patiently waiting as him and Caelus got themselves together. She wanted to fight them both at once.

Dan Heng and Caelus prepared to attack together only to blink and find that y/n was no longer there. They felt that familiar overbearing presence behind them and turned to face her, but it didn't matter.

Caelus was punched across the face while Dan Heng got kicked square in the jaw while y/n giggled. 🚚ing giggled.

"Damn it, is this because I bought that Renée merch back in Belobog?!" Caelus demanded, "I told you, it's not because she's based on you, it's because she's h—"

Y/n grabbed him by the face and slammed him into the ground, smooshing his face against the ground— no, literally shoving his face into it.

"You idiot, cut it out already!"

"Hm?"

Y/n backed up and basically teleported out of the way as it rained icy arrows, the attack coming from a furious... no, more so distressed looking March.

As another icy arrow formed in her hand, there were some tears visibly in her eyes as she aimed again.

"You dumb🍑, always acting tough and stuff, look where it got you in the end! Learn to take a damned break!" she fired again and y/n dodged the arrows that rained down on her, though she hissed when one struck her in the calf.

She paused, grumbling quietly as she grabbed the arrow before ripping it right out. The injury glowed gold as it healed, and the Astral Express Crew flinched when she pointed at them.

"I'm... done fooling around..."

Her smile faded, and despite not being able to see her eyes, they all felt the suffocating pressure behind her gaze.

"Come at me. All at once." the woman pointed her sword at the group, and through the golden leaves obscuring her eyes, they caught a glimpse of e/c.

"I'll rip all of you to pieces."

Jing Yuan, being tired and 💩, could do nothing but watch from the sidelines as the four fought— no, struggled to hold their own against y/n.

The General had his suspicions ever since he first saw her back at the Palace of Astrum. He knew the look on her face even with the scarf slightly obscuring it.

It was no surprise someone like y/n would eventually become stricken with mara, it was a surprise it didn't happen sooner considering y/n's habits, but that didn't make the sight hurt any less.

She seemed genuinely happy, though.
Fighting, I mean.

Not beating the 💩 out of Caelus and Dan Heng with her fists while giving March and Welt little time to support them with— what the 🚚 was that?

A fog different from the one already present in the Arbor had begun to develop, seeming to thicken each time she swung that broken sword of hers.

Colors shifted throughout the fog as it twisted and contorted above the 4v1 like a cloud opening up.

And open up it did, the fog splitting to reveal countless arrows of light raining down on the group.

March managed to block a few of them with a bunch of arrows, but she was eventually forced to provide shields for Welt and Dan Heng which y/n didn't hesitate to take advantage of.

As the young woman was preoccupied, her mara-stricken companion ran up on her. She turned her head, and was punched right in the throat. There was a horrible choking noise as she gasped, simply unable to get air, and ended up collapsing.

"March!" Welt shouted, and his brief moment of distraction allowed y/n to get close. There was no sign of her smile from before as she stabbed him in both of his 🚚ing shoulders—

"GIRL, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Caelus shrieked, "NOT MR. YANG, DUMB🍑!"

Welt gritted his teeth, pain blooming in his shoulders as blood splattered against his glasses. Through the red, her could see y/n's eyes among the golden leaves just briefly before she stabbed him in the stomach.

Y/n tried her sword from another enemy, pausing with a puzzled look as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Eh? Who's cursing at me?"

She grunted, a little surprised when she felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and she looked down. Damn.

"A spear? Really?" she turned her head, chuckling, "Ah, brings back memories. Sparring with the Fish. Except he wouldn't actually stab me."

Y/n grimaced before tearing her sword from Welt's stomach, casually flicking it to rid it of blood while she still had a whole spear sticking out of her gut.

Caelus rushed to hold Welt up after Dan Heng had stabbed y/n, successfully stopping her from turning him into a goddamn pin cushion.

Y/n seemed a little surprised.

Dan Heng seemed shocked by his own actions.

Y/n grabbed the spear, not even flinching as she pulled it to drag Dan Heng close enough to knock him in the nose with the back of her head. Once, twice, again!

As soon as his grip loosen enough, she ripped the spear all the way through and tossed it away as she turned and grabbed her companion by the throat.

Holy cow what was her head made of?!

Dan Heng's nose stung and his eyes watered as he was left reeling from the onslaught of headbutted, unable to do much aside from fumble at her hand as she choked him out.

"Y/n...!" Dan Heng began but she tightened her grip, leaving him unable to breathe let alone talk that "this ain't you" 🐂💩.

"Shut up, you're annoying." y/n grumbled, "Damn, since when did you abominations get so weak? I'm done playing with you."

She was getting ready to shank his 🍑 with that damn sword of hers, and Caelus was preparing to jump to jump right back into action, but Jing Yuan was the first to act.

"Y/n!"

She stopped. Actually stopped, and looked.
"Woah... Jing Yuan? I really must be hearing things."

Y/n tossed Dan Heng away without a second thought and turned towards the General, looking much happier.

"Jing Yuan!" she chirped, her voice beginning to tremble a bit, "You're... back from... back-!"

"Oh, great, she can't speak again." Caelus murmured, "Somehow this is way more terrifying..."

Jing Yuan, despite facing his mara-stricken friend, was smiling. He seemed to struggle a bit as he approached, his glaive in hand, "You remember that promise you had me make, didn't you?"

"P...Promise...?" y/n echoed.

"Yes, our promise." Jing Yuan stopped a distance away, "You haven't forgotten that at least, right?"

Y/n stood idly for a second.

"When... I become