Earlier that night, during Luna’s music video shoot, Stefan, Misaki, Cassie, and Vivian began their reconnaissance mission at the abandoned Teal refinery. Stefan piloted his metallic gray gunship over the city, heading straight for their objective. The aircraft had a main rotor blade and engines, a hybrid between a jet and a helicopter. It was armed with a chain gun mounted on the front and missile pods on both wings. Sliding doors on either side allowed for quick deployment, and the cabin held space for six passengers. Vivian sat in the co-pilot seat beside Stefan.

  The group reached the dimly lit refinery, and Stefan brought the gunship down near the main building to drop off Misaki and Cassie, who continued the investigation on foot.

  “Vivian and I will scout out the area in the air. Keep the Comm Channel on so we can maintain contact. I’m sending some drones with you too for visuals and any tools you might need.”

  “Yeah, yeah, we know.” Misaki shut the door, and the gunship took to the sky again. “Hey, Cassie, what's with the hood?” Misaki asked as the girls walked towards the entrance.

  “Oh, this? C’mon, Misaki, all the best archers wear a hood! What do you think, Senpai? Don’t I look cool and mysterious?!” Cassie asked, lowering her hood over her eyes.

  “Yes, yes, Cassie… Sh! Do you hear that?” Misaki whispered.

  “Is that… People crying?!” Cassie gave Misaki a concerned look.

  “Stefan! We’re going in! I think we’ve found the missing people!” Misaki reported while smashing the door.

  “Roger that! We’ll cover you from above out here. There should be a power console in there somewhere, turn it on!”

  “We’ll find it!” Misaki and Cassie rushed inside, followed by Stefan’s drones providing light. The girls made their way around various structures and up a set of stairs, eventually locating the console to restore power, and activated it.

  Misaki and Cassie were shocked when the lights came on. At the back of the building, they spotted a furnace with dozens of people trapped inside. The furnace had been modified with a drainage pipe that led into a pool in front of it. Misaki shook off her bewilderment and called out to the people inside.

  “Hey! We’re here to help you! Hold on!”

  The people became hysterical when they heard maniacal laughter behind the furnace.

  “Wow! I wasn’t expecting visitors!” Azura appeared from behind the furnace, skipping along with a carefree gait, her eyes glowing with the green light of Teal.

  “Who are you?! And what are you doing to those people?!” Misaki shouted.

  “Meeee? Well, I’m Azura! Queen of the Saurids!” She giggled.

  “What the heck are Saurids?!” Cassie asked angrily.

  “Come here and I’ll shoooooow youuuuu!” Azura cooed as she conjured the Flames of Teal in her hand. With a sudden burst, she hurled the flames into the furnace. The painful screams of those trapped inside quickly faded, leaving Misaki and the others stunned into silence. The only sound that remained was Azura’s laughter, echoing as glowing, liquified Teal filled the pool in front of the furnace.

  Stefan watched the horrific scene from the gunship’s main screen. “What kind of monster is she?!” Vivian closed her eyes and held herself.

  Cassie doubled over and vomited at the grotesque sight, while Misaki was beside herself with rage. “What the hell… DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?” she shouted.

  “You asked what Ssaurids are, I’m showing you! Wake up, darlings! And greet our new friends!” Azura giggled, and the liquid Teal began to bubble. Out of the pool emerged the same reptile-like creatures Luna and Rody faced.

  Stefan flew the gunship back toward the main refinery building. “Girls! I know this is a lot, but we have to stop her! She’s obviously responsible for the disappearances!”

  “What do we do about the people?!” Cassie asked.

  “I understand this is hard, but they aren’t people anymore. I don’t think there’s anything we can do to help them. We have to fight!”

  “I’m going in! Cassie! Cover me with your bow!” Misaki drew the short staff at her hip and extended it to form her scythe. She jumps over the railing into the open area below.

  “Yes, Senpai!” Cassie notched an arrow and opened fire, laying down suppressive shots for Misaki. With Cassie’s cover, Misaki surged forward, cutting through the Saurid ranks as she charged toward Azura.

  “You’re hurting my darlings!” Azura formed two swords from the liquid Teal and sprang into action.

  Misaki met Azura head-on and stared her down angrily as her scythe locked with Azura’s twin swords. “Don’t worry, I’ll be hurting YOU WAY, WAY MORE!”

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  “Ooooo, make sure it stings! HAHAHA!” Azura bounced nimbly around the space, striking with her twin blades. The fight reached a stalemate until Stefan blasted through the roof of the building with the gunship’s chaingun. The barrage wiped out all the Saurids in the room with Misaki, freeing Cassie to rejoin the fight.

  “You could have hit me dumbass!” Misaki shouted through the Comm Channel.

  “Relax, this is the most sophisticated targeting system Boltus has to offer. Finish that monster off!”

  “Aww, no need to butt in! I have friends that you can play with too!” Azura waved her hands, and dozens of winged Saurids rose into the sky from around the refinery, swarming toward Stefan’s gunship.

  “Damn! Misaki, you and Cassie finish her off, we’ll take care of the flyers!” Stefan maneuvered away from the main building and opened fire on a group of incoming Saurid fliers. “Vivian, take some out with the rockets! Vivian! Snap out of it!”

  Vivian shook her head. “Sorry! I-I’ll help!” Vivian got to work targeting a group of flyers while Stefan piloted to avoid their attacks. “Scatter round away!” One missile launched from the pod on the right wing, splitting into smaller projectiles mid-air. They exploded in a series of blasts, killing scores of fliers.

  While Stefan and Vivian handled the airborne Saurid, Misaki surrounded herself in red Teal fire.

  “Cassie! Let’s finish her! Fire as fast as you can! I’ll move around your arrows!”

  “Roger!” Cassie notched four arrows at once and let them fly.

  “Oh, you’re hot! I should be careful!” Azura taunted as she wrapped herself in green Teal fire. Two clashed furiously, much faster, now that the room has been cleared. Cassie’s arrows came close to hitting Azura multiple times. Azura laughed with each narrow dodge, even swatting some of the arrows aside with her swords as she fought. “Let’s end this soon, I’m supposed to meet my favorite person right now!”

  “I’m going to shut your mouth!” Misaki swung her scythe with her left hand, spun around, and landed a punch on Azura’s face, knocking her down.

  Azura quickly got back to her feet, but Cassie struck her legs with a pair of arrows, pinning her in place. “Looks like I won’t be able to beat you after all… Haha! That’s okay!”

  “RAGH!!” Misaki furiously swooped in and cut off both her arms. Misaki glared at Azura.

  “Mmm, I love the way your hateful stare makes me feel! HAHAHA!”

  Misaki grabbed Azura’s face with a violent surge, her hand ablaze in Teal fire. “This is for those poor people! Now die!” she shouted. She squeezed as Azura laughed harder and harder, until her head was crushed beneath Misaki’s flaming grip.

  Breathing heavily, Misaki extinguished the flames and forced herself to calm down before contacting Stefan.

  “We got her, let’s get out of here. I feel sick…”

  “Roger, we just finished up here.”

  Cassie jumped down and began walking over to Misaki. “Dayum Misaki, you fucked her up!”

  “Of course!” Misaki flipped one of her twin tails in her usual manner. With her back turned, Azura's body stood back up, and her ethereal serpent head sprang out from her neck.

  “Misaki! Behind you!”

  “Huh?” Misaki turned around. “What the- AHHH! Damnit! Get out!”

  Before Misaki could react, Azura latched onto her eye and tried to burrow into her. “You’ll be a fine host until I can get to Luna! Hahaha!”

  “Luna?!” Misaki attempted to grab Azura, but her hands passed straight through her. “I’m gonna burn you away!” Misaki started to wrap herself in fire.

  “Oh, you’re gonna burn your little tomboy girlfriend too?” Hahaha!”

  “I’m coming, Senpai!” Cassie rushed over.

  “No! Stay back!” Misaki ordered, but Cassie was too close. She conjured Teal fire in her hands and yanked Azura out through her eye socket. Azura quickly began to regenerate. The fleshy, wet sound of bone, muscle, and tissue growing and reconnecting was deeply unnerving.

  While Misaki reeled from her eye injury, Azura lunged forward, attempting to slice her in half.

  “I just love seeing humans crawl after losing their bottom half! HAHAHA!”

  “I’m gonna kill you!” Misaki caught Azura’s blade before it could cut too deep and shattered it with her fist, wreathed in Teal fire. Azura responded with a swift kick, sending Misaki rolling across the floor.

  “No!” Cassie was already within a few feet of Azura. The anguish of seeing Misaki hurt and Azura’s overwhelming speed left her exposed. Azura drove her blade into Cassie so deep it burst through her back, then ripped it to the right, tearing through a large portion of her abdomen.

  Azura continued her maniacal laughter as she stood over Misaki and Cassie. She looked up at the gunship and grinned, baring her sharp teeth. “Don’t’cha wanna save your friends?! Come down and pay with me!”

  “Misaki! Cassie! We’re coming!” Stefan called out to her on the Comm Channel. “Vivian! Get ready to use your new weapon!”

  “M-me?!” Vivian asked, still processing the situation.

  “Yes! You’re our ace in the hole, remember?!” Stefan encouraged her and then spoke in a low voice to Misaki.

  “R-right!” Vivian grabbed her large two-handed cannon and took aim at Azura from the side door of the gunship. She charged it with Teal Waves, the weapon glowing brighter and brighter with each passing second.

  “You’re bluffing! You’re gonna kill these two! Your attack probably won’t even kill me! Hahaha!” Azura taunted.

  Lying on the floor, Misaki heard Stefan’s voice through the Comm channel. She clenched her fist as her eyes fell on Cassie, who was bleeding profusely. Then she caught the flash of green light from Vivian’s cannon and sprang into action.

  Still bleeding from her side and pushing through the pain, Misaki lunged at Azura with her scythe. “I swear you’re going to pay for hurting Cassie!” Misaki pounced so quickly that Azura wasn’t able to react. She pinned Azura to the ground with her scythe. Misaki scooped Cassie up in her arms and popped a small container on the ground, and a powerful Teal shield surrounded them. “Vivian! NOW!”

  Vivian shouted as she fired the round, infused with her explosive Teal energy. It streaked downward from the sky, leaving a glowing trail of Teal in its wake. Azura growled just before impact.

  BOOM.

  A massive explosion tore through the building, incinerating everything and leaving nothing behind.

  As the smoke began to clear and the shield dissolved, Cassie awoke in Misaki’s arms. “Misaki… your face…” she whispered, her voice breaking. Tears welled in her eyes as she took in the injury. Gently, she removed her hood and slowly placed it over Misaki’s head.

  Misaki tried to stop Cassie from giving her the hood, but her strength was fading too. She could only watch as Cassie draped it over her. “Stop it… You need your hood to be cool and mysterious… Remember…” Misaki held back her tears.

  “Shh… I know you don’t want Stefan to see…” Cassie placed her hood on Misaki. “Promise me you’ll live Akari’s dream…”

  “You know I can’t anymore… Not like this…” Misaki lamented.

  “Don’t say that… You’re going to be amazing… Please promise me…”

  Misaki sighed. “I… I’ll try… But you’re gonna be there with me… Understand! Cassie?!” Misaki Picked Cassie up as she nodded in agreement and passed out.

  Stefan landed the gunship near them, and Vivian and he rushed out to meet them. “Let me carry Cassie!”

  Misaki angled her face so Stefan couldn’t see the injury to her eye. “Don’t touch her! I’m trying… to… to hold her together…”

  “Hold her to–” Vivian covered her mouth, and tears streamed down her face when she saw Cassie’s condition.

  “Let me help!” Stefan insisted.

  “Go pilot… Hurry… She’s not done…” Misaki’s vision blurred as she reached the gunship.

  “What?!” Stefan glanced back at the rubble and saw Azura grinning at him, slowly piecing herself back together. “Shit! Vivian, get in!” Stefan pulled Vivian into her seat and secured her harness before strapping himself in. Misaki settled into a seat in the gunship, still holding Cassie in her arms. She glanced out the window and saw that Azura had fully regenerated. Misaki scowled at the sight before losing consciousness.

  Stefan piloted the Boltus gunship away from the refinery. As they gained distance, he looked back and saw Azura laughing hysterically, summoning her Saurid horde. Thousands of her creatures began to gather around her. Vivian wept beside him, and at that moment, Stefan received a call from Rody.