Magical Girl City: Empire of Ice

The days went by and already, tonight was the time to patrol. Earlier today, I had received was a message, detailing the time and place on the day of. That night, I was once again in my car. In the back were my knights and beside me, in the passenger seat was…

“Could we turn up the heat a little? Its freezing in here.” Talia…

She wasn’t wrong. It was cold. The two knights, being made of ice didn’t help. Both were basically ice blocks, making the already cold night that much worse. Unfortunately…

“Sorry, I’d rather them not melt.” I say, motioning to the knights in the back.

“They melt?” She asked, a bit worried.

“Well, not too much, but after the last time I had them sit in my car, they soaked the seats through.”

“Oh… is that why its damp?” Were they? I had gone through a lot of effort to dry them out, so as to not ruin the seats… Stifling a groan, I answer back.

“Regardless, no heat. So, bear with me on this.”

“Alright, well, at least I dressed warmly.” She said, and really, it made me feel like I was at fault. Perhaps I was…

In the end, I agreed that it was a good thing she dressed warmly. Only to continue to our destination. My eyes would occasionally flick to the rearview mirror, just to make sure my knights weren’t getting into anything. Tonight, at least, they appeared to be on their best behavior.

So, one less problem to deal with.

It didn’t take long to arrive at our destination; the car was parked into a small alley. The location was inside the commercial district; we were to patrol the surrounding back alleys off the main road. In the past week, there had been a number of break-ins with storefronts being vandalized.

Clear signs of monsters afoot. At least, that was how the city interpreted it. Most of the time, damage caused during a full moon, or even at night were typically reversed. At least, that’s what I’ve seen from experience.

There appeared to be exceptions, however.

The monster spawns, the sudden strict curfew. Though, there had always been a curfew it wasn’t heavily enforced. It acted more as guidance rather than a rule. Now, it wasn’t just a suggestion. Even if the police didn’t have the power to enforce it with the state of their police force, especially after what happened during the blood moon.

More specifically, when the police had their blockades destroyed by magical girls originating from Tartarus. A city, or a place, that existed well below the depths of the city. A group that, from what I heard, has ties to certain criminal elements within the city, backed by a man called Lucre.

Why he made this move, how this advanced his own position, I had some guesses, but none of that mattered. What did matter, was that that, somehow, these monsters were actually causing damage to the city at night. If left unmolested, they would begin lowering property values and actually start influencing the real crime rates. Not just the perceived ones.

Taylor had sent me a long series of messages alongside the details of the patrol. Mostly with warnings, and a few things to keep an eye on. Mainly, my job was to kill whatever appeared. Doing so would disperse the fog and make the area safer, to an extent.

If left alone, the area would rapidly decay, crime would spike, and it could even be lost, with monsters being able to wander even during the day. Much like with the Lower Quarter. So, best to nip it in the bud.

The more worrying little notation was to stick to the assigned patrol area. That no matter what, I was not to wander outside the area. The reason? Because, if I did, I may slip to the other side…

What that meant, I had no idea, and Taylor wasn’t too interested in telling me. Only to stick to the assigned area. The very area we had now arrived in.

Parking my car in a small alley, right about where the start of the patrol was slated, we disembarked.

“So, we start here, right?” Talia asked, taking me out of my thoughts while we grabbed our things from the trunk.

“Yes, we just need to run a few circuits until the mist lightens up. Which leads me into my next question, Tali what is it that you can do?”

“Mm… Well, I’m actually a support dog. My magic is, well, a form of ritualism.”

“Ritualism?” I ask, genuinely interested by the term.

“Yes, my magic is less, straightforward. Sure, I can strengthen myself, even hit harder, but that isn’t where I shine. I focus more on making totems or by performing rites.”

“So, you’re not very useful in a straight up fight?”

“Well, not without my uniform.”

“How long do you last?”

“I should be fine for the duration of the patrol, if not longer.” She assures me.

“Is that so? Mind transforming then?”

“Sure, just give me a second.” She inhaled, exhaled. I could hear drums. Her heart thumping in rhythm. Then, she began to dance. With every move, with every thump of her heart, pieces of her broke away, and fluttered away like dry leaves in the wind. They swirled around her, gathered, and by the end, they gathered into her uniform.

Tribal attire was a fitting name. An animal pelt around her waist, almost like a skirt. Another pelt wrapped around her chest. Her tanned stomach was fully exposed, with markings covering her, that pulsed in time with her beating heart. With a series of crackles, a weapon and shield made of bone came into being. The weapon being an axe and shield.

“This is it then?”

“Yep, my weapon is this axe and shield. My uniform also comes with a totem.” She points to a single effigy. It looked like an animal, a bear to be specific. It looked like it was made of bone, or perhaps, even ivory.

“I only have one now, but it gives an overall boost in power and defense.”

“Oh, how many can you boost with it?” I ask.

“Just one person, unfortunately. It is a very potent boost, but yeah…” She seemed down at that.

“That’s still good. What else does your uniform do?”

“Well, technically, my uniform is supposed to shift with different totems. I have that knowledge, and I have the ability to make totems on my own, only… I was never actually given the chance. It doesn’t help that making proper totems is, expensive…”

“That… is unfortunate.” I say after a moment, “Did they really not care that your basically crippled like this?” I ask.

“No, she did not. She was simply satisfied with the fact that we had uniforms and could fight.”

“Honestly, you don’t sound like a combatant at all.”

“I can be, but, yeah, I’m not like a hunting dog or even a rescue dog. There are support dogs fit for combat, but I’m more suited to working in the back. I was provided a lot of knowledge and a lot of abilities to help bolster my specialty. Most of which involves enchanting and other stuff.”

“Ah… but, doesn’t that mean saturating and condensing those dolls falls within your purview?”

“They do actually, and I have a few ideas on how we could improve the process… that is, if you want me to.”

“I definitely do.” I reply. “If I weren’t making full use of your capabilities, I’d be a failure of a boss.”

“Is that so? Well, should I give you a list or something?” She asks, unsure.

“Yeah, that’ll work. However, we should finish our patrol first.”

“Ah, that’s true.” She nods.

She said that, but I could tell she was practically jumping at the idea of getting to work. Ritual type magic from what I know, has a heavy leaning in Occultism. It was the equivalent of being a kind of engineer. Since, Occultism had a lot of similarities with physics. I had plenty of questions for her, but… they could wait until after the patrol ends.

“Before we start, do you have anything else you can do?”

“Nothing I can think of at the top of my head.”

“Understood, stick to strengthening yourself and maybe empower one of the knights if need be. I’ll be in the back.” I make a motion and summon my rifle. Ice forms in my hands and cracks away, revealing my silver rifle with its ivory stock.

“Oh… You’re not going to transform?” She sounded worried.

“I won’t last the whole patrol if I do. But don’t worry, I’ll be fine. After all, I beat you without my uniform, didn’t I?”

She grimaced but didn’t argue. Instead, she focused on the path ahead. Rather, she took the lead. Which I was fine with.

The alley we walked down was dotted with small shops hidden in recesses. Neon lighting still burned, well after dark. Piercing the ever-present fog that swirled about. The closer we got to the lights, the more the fog took on their neon hue.

Another thing to note, was how warm it was. How the cold seemed to flee as the fog pressed in.

The concrete was wet from all the moisture, from the snow and ice melting away. Leaving small puddles here and there. Where small rivulets of water dripped and dropped from the eaves above. Reflecting the light back up into our faces. It felt surreal. The fog pressed in, swirled, transforming what should have been a mundane alley into something out of a psychedelic fantasy.

More than once, we nearly lost our way, only for Talia to prove her worth as a navigator of sorts. Further elevating her value as a subordinate and future second. More than once, I had to check my watch as I felt my ears pop with the shifts in the air pressure. Brought on by the ever-increasing density of fog.

Even as it grew harder to see, even as the hands of my watch ticked ever slower, even then, we still hadn’t encountered anything.

The first to sense something, was Talia. She paused, held her hand up. Her head shifted, the bone trinkets in her hair bumped against one another, the sound almost like wind chimes singing in the wind.

I listened, waited as I loaded my rifle. Ice crawling through my veins, coating my body and clothes in a sheen of ice capable of resisting harm. The world itself seemed to slow, ever so slightly.

I felt it, my senses picked it up. From above, a slight shift, stones, rubble fell, impacting a puddle nearby. My body moved, ice enhanced senses let me bring my rifle up and calmly bring to bear my bayonet. As the shadow grew closer, as my frigid mind tried to process what it was…

Talia charged. With a single bound, she leapt to meet the shadow, her axe hurdled into its sides. With a loud series of cracks and crackles, almost like stone being crumpled, the shadow was hit and thrown to the street. Under the neon lighting, its form was revealed.

Stark white skin, as if made of marble. A number of eyes were set inside its skull, each gleamed a malevolent crimson. It was tall, statuesque, its body bulky, covered in what looked like rippling muscles, its fingers were tipped with wicked claws that sheared through the concrete. Out from behind, the shape of large wings could be seen, and further back, a lithe tail swayed, its tip gleamed like a bared blade.

A gargoyle. At least, that was what the memories scored into my being said. Scored by that book on necromancy I had opened and read. The realization came with a sudden sense of nostalgia. The smell of books. The long hours sitting in a large lecture hall. Of a professor speaking, displaying how a gargoyle was made, and what they were.

Where it came from, was all the more obvious, in a way. The city had gothic architecture. Statues dominated near every building. Hiding in eaves and alcoves. Had the surge in magic animated them? Or, were they just another monster?

As I thought, I heard another figure appear. Talia moved to intercept, only to be cut off by the downed gargoyle. My own knights prepared to surge forward but were also cut off as more gargoyles made themselves known.

I leapt back, and not a moment later a gargoyle crashed down where I had been, the gargoyle’s tail snapped out with a crack, imbedding itself into the concrete below as I continued to move, cutting me off from the group. Out of the corner of my eye, in my peripheral vision, I could see Talia, her face marred with worry.

It was affecting her performance. She thought I was in trouble. The thought, brought a smile to my face. The ice crackled, growing thicker, drowning emotion. Leaving only action.

With a stomp I shot forward, bayonet held wide. The gargoyle made no attempt to dodge, believing the stony flesh of its forearm was enough to take the blow. It braced and pulled back its tail that was still imbedded into the concrete.

I met its challenge head on. My silvered bayonet swung wide, trailing an arc of light within the fog. With startling ease, the blade cut through its stony hide. A startled screech left the gargoyle’s maw. The pain forced it back, its arm dangled at his side, having nearly been cut clean off with a single swing of my bayonet.

A shame that the bayonet’s blade was only so long.

Still, I pressed. The gargoyle’s tail coiled back, I raised my rifle. It snapped forward, I leapt to the side. The moment the tail hit concrete, I had already landed, my rifle held up. With a pull of the trigger, my bullet sang free.

It hit the gargoyle head on. The force of the blow forced its upper body to rock back, but only by a little. Black blood oozed out of where I had hit, congealing and covering the small wound. Its arm too, though nearly removed, was already healing at a prodigious rate. Even now, its fingers began to twitch as muscles and nerves reconnected.

Standard bullets wouldn’t do. With enough, perhaps, but…

I jolted to the side, avoiding a charge. I rapidly emptied the gun’s magazine into the thing’s back, pulling back the slide to eject bullet after bullet. As the last bullet fired off, a new one was already rapidly forming in my hand. It took a bit of magic and some time, all the while I was dodging the gargoyle’s rapid, frenzied swipes. A sudden swipe from its once crippled arm took me off-guard, nearly carving me in half when it lunged forward. Instead of a direct hit, they scraped along my side, leaving small, bloodless gashes on otherwise pristine skin.

When the bullet formed, I slapped it into the rifle and locked it in. I leapt back in preparation to shoot, the gargoyle hurdling forward. With a pull of the trigger, my bullet sang high, and low…

With a burst of cold, an explosive blast, it hit. The gargoyle stumbled back. Frost covering its frame. Layers of flesh cracked away, revealing the soft under tissue, but so much more remained frozen. The resulting explosion punched me further back, and into the ground, but the gargoyle was stunned, the ice that clung to them slowing them down. Enough that I could right myself once again and shoot forward, rifle in hand.

The gargoyle stabbed out with its tail, but I avoided it with ease. I brought my rifle to bear, wielding it in hand, almost like a bat. Sensing what was to come, the gargoyle tried to back off, but its tail, anchored in the concrete slowed it long enough for me to get in range.

I swung as if aiming for a home run. The butt of my rifle cracked into the mostly frozen skull of the gargoyle. I heard ice crack along with the crackling of its skull fracturing and breaking apart under the blow. Its stone hide blasted away, the flesh underneath revealed, A good portion of its face simply gone as it reeled from the blow.

With a pained screech, the gargoyle waved its claws with wild abandon. I stepped back, my eyes on the wound that was already trying to heal. Black blood oozed out, filling in the gaps, pulling ruined flesh together. Even then, with half its face gone, the thing was essentially blind. Making it an easy kill.

I didn’t wait for it to finish. I weaved through the strikes with light steps, my rifle twirled in my hands like a baton, the silver edged blade of my bayonet cut into ice, stone, and flesh with ease, excising away the tendon and muscle from bone. With a strike, two, and a third, the last strings of flesh were sliced away, and a limb fell to the ground. All the while, my bayonet keened.

The gargoyle thrashed and writhed. Black blood gushed from the stump. Trying and failing to regenerate its arm. I pulled back, while the thing screamed in pain. The wound on its face struggled to heal. The damage from the earlier explosion had its body riddled with injuries that leaked.

While it tried to collect itself, I calmly conjured another bullet, chambered, and fired it.

The explosion was harsh. A high and low, followed by a series of cracks and snaps. A cloud of frost envelops the monster. It slows, ever so slightly. More flesh was torn away. I didn’t pursue. I conjured. I chambered. I fired.

Until the gargoyle was fully covered in ice, their body battered and broken. Only then did I move forward and with a fist, a stomp, a palm with all I had I delivered a series of decisive blows.

Where I hit, remained mostly unharmed. Yet, the entire body, frozen through as it was, exploded into shards of ice, interspersed with as of yet, unfrozen meat. I looked over my opponent. Now dead. A darker part of my being, buried deep within the depths of my heart smiled with glee.

Outwardly, I merely looked down. Not an ounce of emotion on my face. I took a moment to look over the battlefield. More gargoyle’s had joined the fray. My knights were doing decently, but the gargoyle’s tough hides and regeneration made them frustrating opponents. As for Talia, she was holding her own against three of them. Her axe bit deep, and interestingly enough, the wounds she made did not simply regenerate as they should. Which resulted in her slowly exsanguinating her opponents.

It was clear Talia had a handle on her gargoyles. As for my knights, they struggled, but were making headway, slowly, but surely. There was no rush to charge in, so I simply sat back, loaded my rifle and provided backup.

Each time I pulled the trigger, a shrill cry erupted out. Piercing rounds shot out, drilling into their hardened bodies. Taking out joints as I sought for their cores. Having the time to prep and aim, it was all too easy to find my target.

The first gargoyle that died by having its heart drilled through by my bullet alerted its kin. All of whom attempted to bypass my knights to seek me out, but my knights did not relent. If anything, the pair grew ever more staunch, resolute, desperate to keep them at bay, all the while I calmly aimed and took them out, one by one.

All up until the last one fell. I felt no exhaustion thanks to the ice. Talia was literally vibrating with energy, clearly warmed up and ready for more. I looked over the corpses, the ruined bodies that slowly dissipated into the mist, like dry ice would.

The fog itself lightened up, but nowhere near enough to call the patrol to an end. There was plenty more to go.

“Woo, that was a hell of a fight!” Talia shouted, with adrenaline clearly pumping in her veins.

“Not only that but you were damn right about being fine. I don’t think there are many magical girls that could fight like that without a uniform.”

“I’m told its typical of my type.” I answer back, calmly.

“Even then, you got a special kind of crazy to go that far!” She paused, likely now realizing what she said. “Not that your crazy or anything…”

“I’m aware. Now, we should continue. I doubt this is all we’ll be fighting tonight. After all, we haven’t met a bronze rank yet.”

“Right. Right!” Talia replied back, first time almost in shock, the second with far more energy.

With an exhale of frost, a roll of my shoulders that had my muscles crackle, I took my first step forward on ice coated ground.

It was time for patrol.