[Beeeeeep].....
[Beeeeeep].....
[Beeeeeep].....
"We're sorry , the number that you have reached is not in service. Please check the number or try your call again."
[Beep]
She turn off the call and turn her view to the abandoned city that is now overrun by nature. There's also a sign post beside her that was overgrown by vines which it said 'Tenko City'.
Varmoth: "Where are you ? , Mizuki-chan..."
She want to go inside the city again but she know she can't confront Mizuki alone. Before she went back to Imari , she notice something on the ground near her.
Varmoth: "Hmm...?"
She saw an old journal lay on the ground. She walk closer to retrieve it and she realize that in front of that journal is a skeleton man with a pickaxe stuck to his skull.
Varmoth: "That must be his journal."
On the next day in front of Imari Station , she stand at side walk waiting for someone. Then , three people appear from the station entrance.
Cupid: "Ah , there she is. Var-chan~."
Cupid waves at her as she walk closer then Minami and Katashi soon follow.
Varmoth: "Hey Cupid-chan , how's the trip ?"
Cupid: "Oh , it's been great."
Varmoth: "I'm glad. I'm sorry that I call you guys to come all the way here."
Minami: "It's fine. We really did enjoy our trip."
Katashi: "So , did you find something on Mizuki ?"
Varmoth: "Yeah..."
8 minutes later , they gather at the local café to discuss about what Varmoth had discovered. After she explained her experience to them , they start to ask the suspicion regarding Tenko city.
Minami: "Does the government know about this ?"
Varmoth: "I highly doubt about that. I'm pretty sure they're not aware of that city's existence."
Katashi: "What about the people who live there ?"
Varmoth: "Barely few of them , Mizuki-chan included. Though , I don't know how many of them to be exact."
Cupid: "You did mentioned that Mizuki-chan started to attacked you the moment you met her , right ?"
Varmoth: "Yeah."
Cupid: "But that's not really like her at all."
Varmoth: "Nnn ? , How so ?"
Cupid: "She usually confront her enemy before engaging in combat."
Varmoth: "That might be true. Now that we know the situation , We're going there by tomorrow."
Minami: "Got it."
Katashi: "Understood."
Next day , they're arrive at the entrance of Tenko and gear up their weapons. Varmoth walk up to Minami and give him a spare loaded handgun.
Minami: "That's it !? , really ?"
Varmoth: "Well you can still fight with both of your hands since you're good at it. That gun has limited ammo so use it only when the time is right."
Suddenly , everyone hear a voice of a man screaming nearby. They rush toward the voice and once they arrive , they witness a group of local people stabbing and butchering the screaming man with sharp objects while singing a folk song. Varmoth lift up her assault rifle with silencer then aim it at them;
Varmoth: "Hey !! , put down your weapon."
Then these people slowly look back and stare at Varmoth. Few seconds goes by , they instantly running abnormally toward her while nonchalantly singing.
Varmoth: "!!?!"
She pull the trigger and manage to put down 2 people at the rear of the group while the other 2 are going closer toward her. She won't be able to shoot them in time but Minami and Katashi dash forward pass her. Minami block the attack by grabbing the hand that hold the weapon then manage to steal and bash the local man's head with it. As the local man drop down with butcher knife stuck to his head , Katashi take out his blade and proceed to slash through the neck of other local man with great speed that his head fall off from his body. Now that these group of locals has taken down , Cupid begin to check on the screaming victim and it terrified her.
The rest of them soon followed then just like Cupid , they witness the screaming man have been inhumanely tortured were his ribs and butchered organs are exposed while multiple stabbing wounds are shown at almost his entire body.
Varmoth: "Is it possible ?"
Cupid only look away in sadness;
Cupid: "He is beyond saving at this point."
Varmoth: "Is that so..."
Varmoth walk forward to the screaming man and aim her rifle at his head. Few seconds later , she pull the trigger and kill the man to put him out of his misery. The atmosphere become silent but as she start to walk away from him;
The screaming man: "AAAHHHHAAAGH"
Varmoth: "....!?"
Minami: "What the..."
The man that died by Varmoth's hands somehow alive again and he begin the scream in pain at the top of his lungs with bullet hole at the center of his forehead.
Katashi: "He supposed to be dead. How in the world is he still alive ?"
Suddenly they begin to hear a roar of painful screaming peoples that come from everywhere inside the city.
Varmoth: "We have to move. Most of these screams are coming from the center of this city."
Cupid: "What about this man ?"
Minami: "There's nothing we can do. We have to leave him."
Soon after , they continue to move deeper part of the city which lead them to the place where the torture event happen. Many tortured victims are seen along the way until they see a person in front of them.
Cupid: "Mizuki-chan !"
They rush toward her but someone is standing between them and Mizuki.
Hana: "I didn't expect an intruder brought along her friends here."
Varmoth: "What's happening here ?"
Hana: "Oh it's nothing~ , I only having a sacrificial event thanks to my people."
The local people start to scattered away then leaving them behind with just Hana and Mizuki.
Hana: "I know something like this would eventually happen. But , I won't let all of you reveal this city to the outside world which is why I prepare our precious Mizuki-chan here."
She look at Mizuki as she walk and stand beside her. Hana then get close to her ear and whisper;
Hana: "(I wish we could spend more time together. I guess this is the time I let you go.)"
Then she enchant an unknown mantra whispering to Mizuki's ear causing her to become berserk.
Hana: "I take my leave now , goodbye for now."
Varmoth: "Wait...!"
Hana already gone into the dark. With Mizuki went rampage , they have to stop her from injuring herself.
Cupid: "Mizuki-chan...!"
Mizuki: "GUAAAAAAHHHHHHH"
Mizuki begin to summon a lot of wooden spikes that instanly grew out of nearby trees then the spikes launch off the trees like a bullet which goes straight toward them. Everyone start to take nearby cover to evade incoming spikes.
Minami: "Now what ?"
Varmoth point her gun at Mizuki.
Varmoth: "I can only immobilize her. It's up to you and the rest to find a way to take her out."
Suddenly , many vines begin to grow underneath their feet and they are entangled by it. Cupid manage to fly up from getting captured by the growing vines then she notice that Mizuki targeting her then launch off a barrage of wooden spikes. She try her best to evade the incoming spikes but as she fly higher , she hit her head hard into a floating devise infused with magic circle.
Cupid: "Ow ow ow....huh ?"
Cupid: "What is this thing ?"
She wasn't sure of its function. But as she is distracted , Mizuki shoot another spikes into the air. Once it reaches to Cupid , she fly away and it hits the floating devise. It cause the explosion then crashing down on its way below. As that happen , the scenery begin to change where the old city would change into a crumbled city overtaken by nature. Meanwhile , Katashi manage to free his hand then unsheathed his blade and cut down the entangled vines. After he freed both Minami and Varmoth , Minami proceed to dash forward to confused Mizuki who see the true state of the city. He grab Mizuki from behind and lock her arms to prevent from escaping. Katashi soon follow then he turn his sword and use the sword's handle as a weapon.
Katashi: "Forgive me for this."
He thrust her forehead with the bottom handle of his sword.
[THUD!!!]
Few moment later , she open her eyes to see that she were lay down on a wide rustle grass. Then , she see a man with purple hair in his blue jinbei clothing walk toward her. As he drew closer , his face become blurry for her to see.
Purple hair man: "...ki..."
Mizuki: ".....?"
The man tries to say something to her. All of a sudden;
Sayaka: "Mizuki-chan....?"
Mizuki: "Yea....?"
Sayaka: "Oh thank goodness..."
Mizuki try to get up.
Cupid: "Ah..you don't have to get up. Please , have a rest for now."
Mizuki: "Cupid-chan...!?"
Cupid: "Yes...I'm right here."
Sayaka: "I'll let the rest know."
Cupid: "Sure."
As Sayaka left the room , Mizuki look at Cupid;
Mizuki: "Where...am I ?"
Cupid: "You're currently in Sayaka's home. Have you remember anything before this ?"
Mizuki: "I...."
She try to recollect her memories but everything are vivid for her to remember for now. Soon after , Varmoth enter the room;
Varmoth: "Good morning."
Mizuki: "Var-chan...morning. How long have I gone ? I remember it was 2 weeks ago."
Varmoth grew hesitant but reluctantly says;
Varmoth: "You've been gone for 2 years now."
(End of Chapter 4)