PHASE 80 - THE FROZEN SOUL AND BLAZING HEART COLLABORATION!

I woke up, crying, tears overflowing from my eyes.

The news struck me like thunder. Like what my dreams last night saw, everything about the shadow killing Miss Baroquefloux and Diadem happened. Jecchan got the reports from the Black Cross Legion and it’s the very first thing she told me this morning.

During that time, nobody could speak to me. I just went silent the whole morning. Even with Rikkun’s warm comfort and efforts, I remained sulking. Seeing my twin brother die in front of my eyes for the second time would be enough for me to go insane.

I can’t take it.

I can’t take it anymore.

The shadow has been attacking people that are close to me. I have to do something about that monster. I have to stop it from taking more innocent lives. But my hands are tied.

For some reason, Jecchan seemed to know my desire. She took pity on me, so she immediately called the Legionmaster of the Black Cross. She made a long phone call with Sister Amanda Cryst, asking that the Aether Crusade should take the case of this phantom lady.

After a roundabout of reasoning and debate, Jecchan reached a dead end. The Legionmaster said that the Blazing Heart Legion is the only group that can handle the case. However, Jecchan will not give up easily.

“Let’s go to the Blazing Heart Legion’s Headquarters and ask Erylle herself,” Jecchan said.

And so, we three (Jecchan, Rikkun, and I: The trouble trio) boarded the train to Heightsburg City. The Blazing Heart Legion resides in the very same city where the Kozukata Shrine is, but that legion has exclusive jurisdiction on the Eidolon attacks and Cursed Guardian assaults on that very place. The Blazing Heart Legion takes the active role of those battles while the Kozukata Shrine is nothing more but an observer and a nursery for future Gate Guardians.

The Blazing Heart Legion’s headquarters is located in the far west suburban part of the city. It is just a simple bungalow that occupies a wide area. We even had a glimpse of their large front and backyard that is used for some sort of training grounds.

When we arrived at the place, a familiar face greeted us. Heushac is training his sword techniques when we saw him at the front yard, and he was delighted to see his best friend Rikkun.

“Oh, so you’re here. Come in!” Heushac said as he escorted us inside.

The Blazing Heart Legion may look like a residential house from the outside, but it looks like a normal office in the inside. The first thing we saw upon entering the house is the front desk, where the crimson-haired Mianette Springfield is in charge. She’s sleeping while drooling on the fashion magazine, which is clear that she’s terrible at her job.

“Wakey wakey, you lazy squeaky!” Heushac shouted out loud at the left ear of the sleeping cute girl.

“Whaaaaaaa!!! I did not eat the ice cream in the fridge, I swear!” Mianette screamed out loud.

When she realized that she fell on Heushac’s trap, she squinted her eyes and made a deathly glare at the blue-haired swordsman. Then she had this tomato-red color on her face when she noticed the three of us, especially Rikkun. Maybe Miss Mianette has a secret crush on my boyfriend.

“Stop sleeping on the job, you ugly bookworm,” Heushac said. “You’ll get more of those pranks if you do that again.”

“Heu... Heushaaaac!!!” Mianette roared like a bear who had her hibernation interrupted. “Didn’t your mother tell you to respect women when they sleep, you pigshit!”

Mianette immediately materialized her Weapon Gem, which is an ax that looked like a magical girl wand. She immediately unleashed a chop to Heushac, but Heushac managed to block it with his sword!

“I’m going to kill you!!!” Mianette cried. She is literally crying because her red cheeks are soaking with tears. She can’t handle being embarrassed in front of guests.

“Not if I killed you first!” Heushac shouted as he returned another hack and slash towards the red-haired girl. Mianette managed to parry and evade the attacks!

Meanwhile, Jecchan, Rikkun, and I are just there standing in the background. We three are wondering if we should interfere or not. They are using their superpowers to thrash down the house, and nobody is holding back. They really look like they are going to kill each other, but there's some comedy vibe in it.

Suddenly, the door that is located at the back of the counter slammed open. It revealed a blonde monster with flaming eyes and menacing teeth that looks like it’s capable of tearing down any flesh. The once beauty queen and the leader of DICE has appeared but on her scary-looking form.

“BOTH OF YOU, STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!”

Erylle shouted out loud, which is enough to break all the glass windows in this house.

“But he started it!” , “But she started it!” Heushac and Mianette pointed each other while reasoning like siblings in quarrels.

“AREN’T YOU ASHAMED OF BEING TOO NOISY IN FRONT OF THE GUESTS!?” Erylle exploded.

“But you’re the noisest.” Finally, Heushac and Mianette had something to agree with.

“NO EXCUSES!”

All of a sudden, Erylle grabbed the collar of Heushac and Mianette and dragged them inside the door where she came from. She certainly looked like a boogeyman who just kidnapped two pitiful kittens.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

There were disturbing noises as well as scary screams that came behind that door. We even heard drills, chainsaws, and even rocket explosions, followed by the cries of the poor boy and girl. We were a little more troubled when we heard moans from that secret (torture) room.

“W-Wait, E-Erylle! D-Don’t do it inside! Kyaaaaaaaah~” It was Mianette’s begging voice.

“S-Sis Erylle, don’t! I’m begging you, please! Yamete Kuda-stoooop!” It was Heushac’s cries.

When the eerie machinery noises and screams stopped, the house was filled with silence. It took about five seconds until Erylle opened the door and presented herself with a welcoming smile on her face. However, we can’t ignore the fact that there are droplets blood on the gloves she’s wearing.

“Oh my, if it isn’t the Aether Crusade~” Erylle obliviously greeted us. “What can I do for you?”

“U-Uh…” Jecchan struggled to speak as she is nervous. Actually, we three are nervous about Erylle. I even think I’m about to wet myself. As for Rikkun, he just farted.

“Don’t be so nervous~?” Erylle said with a kind smile. “These quarrels and torture- I mean, disciplining is a normal occurrence for us.”

Her tongue just slipped, didn’t she!? Auuu….

<>

Jecchan and Erylle went to a deep discussion while we settled on their office with a cup of honey tea. Erylle is very much talented in preparing sweet teas together with chocolate cheesecakes, so it didn’t even take a minute for me to eat and drink it all down.

Even though I have an appetite to eat sweets, I can’t find myself to get cheerful. My twin brother just died, so it’s natural for me to stay sad.

“Everything will be all right, Tiara.” Rikkun enveloped my hands with the warmth of his palms. Then he made a thumbs up. “Believe it.”

“Y-Yeah…” I nodded to Rikkun.

The surroundings became a little bit silent when Jecchan finally stopped talking. At the desk is Erylle with her clasped hands, deeply thinking about the matter of concern. After a few seconds, Erylle summarized what Jecchan just told her.

“So, you want to have jurisdiction over the phantom lady case?” Erylle said.

“Yes.” Jecchan nodded. “That shadow is clearly targetting people who are close to Tiara. We can’t just sit tight and ignore what’s going on.”

Erylle held her temples in dismay. “Look, just because an enemy is getting personal doesn’t mean you have to hit back immediately. The shadow is not only killing people you know.”

“But we have a lead!” Jecchan said. “Tiara is able to see what the shadow is doing! There must be a connection between the shadow and her, and I think Tiara is the key for all of this!”

Erylle went silent again. She looked at me, and then to Rikkun. The Blazing Heart’s Legionmaster immediately made a smile as soon as she went back to Jecchan.

“I can’t have you handle the case alone,” Erylle said and then pointed her index fingers at Jecchan. “What about a joint operation?”

“Joint operation?”

“Yes. With the current dangers the shadow shows, it would be better if we work together. But that joint operation would cost you a little of your pride.”

“What price?” Jecchan tilted her head.

“The Aether Crusade will be under the command of the Blazing Heart during the period of the operation. Which means, everything should be under my control.” Erylle said. “Since we’ll be responsible for all your actions, I think that’s a fair trade to play.”

Jecchan looked back at me, then to Rikkun. Rikkun slightly nodded his head, signaling that we should take it.

“Fine. It’s a deal.” Jecchan made a handshake to the blonde beauty queen. “But that means we will also have access to the plans you have, right?”

“Of course~,” Erylle said. “In fact, we already have a plan to track down the shadow, and we need Tiara for that.”