Magical Girl City: Empire of Ice

It didn’t take long for Shi to wake back up. Over our link, I could sense her condition. She’d exhausted herself, obviously, but my blood was just as quickly restoring her energy. Not just that, but it was also enhancing her.

“You think she’s a vampire?” Talia asks.

“No.” I replied back. “She’s still a corpse. Vampires are a whole other thing.”

Talia seemed uncertain, but… “Maybe the library would have something on her? Like, a compendium or something.”

“Probably, and feel free to check it out, just make sure it doesn’t interfere with our other plans.”

“It might be best to figure out what she is before we commit.” Talia says.

“You might be right, but it’s not like I have the time to do it myself.”

“Which is why I’m going to do the research.”

“As I said, feel free to do it, just don’t let it overshadow our other projects. You only have thirty days.”

“I won’t… I’ll give it a quick look and if I can’t find anything right away, I’ll drop it.” She finally says.

I nod but don’t press. I could tell Talia’s curiosity was eating at her. She wanted to know what had happened, what was going on. Probably even more than I did.

Then again, as long as Shi was useful, what she was exactly wasn’t much of an issue. Though… I had an idea of how this came to be. The heart I had used. It was supposed to be a simple replacement, had the ritual gone through properly, it should have gone without issue…

Only, it hadn’t had it? The ritual had failed, more or less… Or rather, perhaps the heart had mutated? Merged with the ritual in some way, changing the outcome… Perhaps that was why the ritual had ended so early?

If so, I had severely underestimated the cost of creating a gold rank… Something to keep in mind for the future, at the very least.

Continuing onward, I more or less let Shi handle the threats. Partially to pay off her meal and also because I could tell it was helping her develop. By the time we reached the stairs leading to the second layer, she could already generate three spears with middling quality. That or a single strong spear.

It was clear that magic wasn’t exactly her strong suit, at least not right now. Given more development, surely, I could fix that weakness.

Just…

“Are you going to be okay?” Talia asks, worried, and for good reason.

Not for the last time, Shi was feeding on me. “I’ll last. Ice magic gives me good endurance.”

Talia frowned. Her thoughts clear as day. “If it gets too dangerous, we’ll take a break.” I answer, trying to assuage her fears.

She sighs. “Alright, I’ll trust you.” She accepts, even if she still seems reticent. Probably for good reason, to be honest…

On the second layer, it was now Talia’s time to shine. Without any prompting she transforms and immediately uses her magic and bolstering her strength. The moment she does, her head perks up. Her ears shift, head tilts back and forth. She moves slightly back and forth as if to sense something in the air.

“That way, I think…” She points in a single direction, and we go. Not like we had any alternatives.

By this point, I’d summoned my rifle to assist. Our numbers weren’t great and compared to having Tabitha, Diana, and Grim on my side, I trusted my current group a whole lot less. Talia was capable, but Shi had little to no stamina, though it was improving and Fathom was still untested.

As luck would have it, the very first group we met was quite a doozy. It was a full work crew. They were actively working on the local infrastructure. Scaffolds had been built, piles of material were being moved about. Everyone was armed or equipped in some form or another.

On my own, I would have passed on this fight. Even with the company I had on hand, I wasn’t certain of our victory, but I was willing to give it a shot.

“Fathom, take the front, don’t get surrounded. Estrella, Luna, back him up. Shi, focus on the periphery, use your magic when necessary, but focus on maiming rather than killing. Talia, you’re with me.”

“Understood.” Talia replied, and through my connections, the others confirmed as well.

“On your mark, Fathom.” The moment I said that, he shifted and moved with startling speed. His approach did not go unnoticed, but by the time his target, the foreman of all people reacted, he was already in his face and had swung his massive cleaver down.

Before it could strike, the foreman blocked with a large wrench he was wielding. The foreman’s own energy burst forth, alerting us that he was indeed a bronze. With a push, he managed to get Fathom off him, and he pushed forward, wrench reeled back for a devastating blow. Only for a shrill bullet to come whistling in.

Distracted, the foreman blocked the piercing round with ease, only to be aggressed by Fathom once more. Using his bulk, the knight simply pushed his shield forward, ramming into the foreman and forced him back. In a breath or so, the pair had exchanged numerous blows. The ground around them cracking with every miss, Fathom’s shield rattled with every strike he blocked. The few blows he took with his body had a deep, almost baritone quality to it. That echoed out almost like a gong or bell. His body shuddered with each strike, minute cracks making themselves known, yet, undeterred, unbothered, Fathom kept keeping on.

At his sides, Estrella and Luna danced. They kept the other workers at bay. Stabbing and bashing them aside. Icy mist gathered around their forms, almost like a cloak, obscuring their movements, making them appear all the more ethereal. All the while bolstering themselves an Fathom.

As for Shi, she was doing as commanded, moving with unnatural agility between the workers in the surrounding area. Her spear piercing through limbs or armor with startling ease. She didn’t face any of them in direct combat but simply harried them long enough for me to get a shot in, granting her space to move.

Talia was at my side, keeping eyes out for threats, her magic working to bolster those in need. She cycled between those in need, giving them bursts of power when needed, be it strength to strike with, endurance to endure a strike, or agility to move or flow around another.

It was all going smoothly, which was when a wrench was thrown into our performance, quite literally. Talia placed herself before me, grunting as a smaller wrench bashed into her shield, making it crack. My eyes followed its trajectory, towards the upper parts of the scaffolding where another worker lay.

Only… this worker was another foreman, possibly a crew leader. He was well equipped, his belt filled with numerous tools. Each he had no problem throwing, and seemingly, never running out. He aimed mainly for me. Casually, he slapped aside coming bullets with whatever tool he had in hand at the time.

Wrenches were thrown overhead, screwdrivers were thrown like needles, and that was just the beginning. Talia took each blow easily enough, but the sheer number and variety of weapons made blocking them all a challenge. Bothered by Talia’s defense, the thrower shifted its attention to Fathom. Just when the thrower threw a mallet at my knight, I intercepted it with a well-placed bullet, throwing its trajectory off.

Its eyes fell on me, and I could tell, we both could, that this was a fight between us.

“Talia, help the others.” I ordered.

“You…” She started, but… “Alright.” She accepted after one look.

With her at the front the balance shifted. The thrower noticed this as well. I loaded up, the thrower gathered tools in hand. In a single motion, a wave of screwdrivers was sent forward. In a single breath, I loosed my entire magazine, redirecting every weapon.

I slammed in a clip, reloaded, all the while I was on the move. Hammers landed in my wake. A random assortment of tools followed. I raised my rifle, just as a wave of what appeared to be pencils were launched out. Far too many for a single go, but luckily, I was using a different bullet type.

The bullet sang a harmonic melody. Of numerous songs at slightly different tones joined in unison like I was listening to a preaching choir. It hit the first pencil and rebounded, and the tone grew in octave, a voice silenced. In a breath, the bullet bounced through the screen of pencils, clearing an area. Yet, not enough. I fired another, and another, quickly emptying my rifle. Most of the pencils were gone, but a few of my trajectories had been off. Allowing some of the pencils through, despite my best efforts…

Of the few that broke through, one punched into my shoulder. A small blip of pain shot through my arm, but nothing truly of note. Another few came close but left minor scratches. Seeing me being hit, the thrower shot me a smug look.

However, that smug look faded as the foreman took a heavy blow. Fathom, having struck him, sent the foreman flying right into the scaffolding. The whole structure shuddered and fell apart, but the thrower didn’t panic. They ran forward, somehow riding the fall to land right in front of me.

With my gun still empty, I did what came naturally. I charged. With a shout, a bayonet formed at the tip of my rifle. With it held out, I aimed for the thrower’s head. The thrower’s hand moved, something whipped out from the corner of my vision, I shifted, and my bayonet met it head on.

A clash of sparks, of metal on metal reached my ears, pushing me back. Just barely I glanced the identity of the weapon the thrower had wielded.

“A measuring tape!?” I couldn’t help but shout as the small box in his hands snapped out, revealing what could only be a measuring tape. The edge was rusted, the yellow tape more orange and covered in suspicious splotches. The measurements long worn away.

He came forward, the tape slapped out, extending and scything out. I raised my bayonet, metal met metal, sparks flew. The force of blow pushed me back again, even as his other hand reached into his belt, and pulled out a metal protractor of all things.

I tried to get space, but it was too fast. It pressed in with urgency. Aware that if it took too long, the foreman would die. As it was, the foreman was only just hanging in, even after that powerful blow. Only because of the rapid sacrifice of the workers coming to save them as they gave their lives to stave off the inevitable.

Another swipe had the tape pull in, allowing the thrower to get ever closer, I slapped aside the protractor with the butt of my rifle, but a knee punched into my chest.

I felt ice crackle. A small gasp as air left my lungs. He stepped back, the measuring tape cracked out, I barely blocked it with my rifle. The force jolting me off my feet. They pressed in again, protractor coming in low, the edge splotched, yet glistening in the light.

I prepared to take the blow and follow through, when a spear burst out of the concrete and right into the thrower’s arm. I didn’t miss the chance. The moment my foot hit the ground, I burst forward with all I had. A jolt of ice ran through me, every muscle contracted and locked into place. In a single movement I crashed into the thrower’s chest, rifle held up, just right.

The blade punched into him. Going right through his safety vest after a bit of resistance. The force of my charge shoved them back, my ice enhanced strength nearly taking them off their feet. The spear impaling their arm was ripped out, leaving the limb to fall limp at their side.

There was no hesitation on their part. They let go of the measuring tape; their hand shot for their belt. I kicked back, just as a flat head screwdriver was swung where my neck had been. Even then, I felt the tip scrape against the ice coating my skin. Leaving a faint white mark.

I pulled back, my feet skid on the frosted floor. I exhaled frost, my hands moved in a single motion, slamming in a new clip.

The thrower launched themselves forward as I did that. A spear shot forward, nearly disemboweling them, but the thrower juked to the side, granting me just enough time to load.

I raised my rifle, they moved to block, I fired. With a shot that sang like a choir, of voices raised in unison. It shattered right before the thrower and perforated them with countless crystalline shards. Frosted blood burst out from their wounds, they jolted back.

I slammed back the bolt, ejecting the spent casing, loaded in a new round, and once more, pulled the trigger. Again and again, I fired. By the time I emptied my rifle, the thrower’s entire front body was eviscerated, more like they’d been run through a woodchipper. Blood gushed, pooled at their feet. Their body covered in frost, crackling. Kept standing by the cold permeating their now lifeless corpse.

With another exhale, I rolled my shoulders, only to wince at the sound of grinding, of supernaturally tough lead scraping bone. Without hesitation, I ripped it out, leaving a bloodless wound.

My arm still worked, but… it wasn’t exactly a good injury.

As for the foreman? By the time I glanced over, Fathom had already finished the fight. His cleaver smashed down, right onto his helmet clad head, completely crushing his skull and nearly cutting the body in twain. Only stopping at the belt.

There was a momentary pause. Only the sound of mechanisms working away, and that of our own breathing could be heard. Only after a good minute of this, did we calm down.

The ice receded and with it, came the pain. It started slow and built. The wound on my arm slowly bled as blood flow came back. Talia was at my side in the blink of an eye, already working on healing the wound. Once it was done, I spoke up.

“How’s your reserves looking?” I asked.

“Fine.” Talia said, though, she did look tired.

I glanced over at the others; Shi was getting hungry again. Having used her magic numerous times. Fathom was covered in worrying cracks, but even without my input, both Luna and Estrella were using their own magic to bolster him. The cracks slowly filled, the wounds closing. Even his weapons appeared to regain some luster. If anything, it was clear Fathom was growing more robust with the healing.

“We should look for a safe zone and get some rest.” I announced, after taking a quick look at my watch. The wound on my shoulder wasn’t entirely healed, but it was as good as it was going to get for the time being. We took a small moment for me to dress it before moving on. Our eyes peeled for a safe zone, though, Talia didn’t seem to know what we were talking about, at least, until we found one.

“Why are these even here?” Talia asked.

“No idea. Apparently, even the veterans aren’t sure why there are safe zones here.” My answer didn’t make her feel better, but with a safe place to stay, we ate and drank before resting up.

As we rested, my mind played over the fight. Estimating our combat capabilities, whether or not we’d be fine going further.

My conclusion? We’d be mostly fine.

Fathom was a powerhouse. He could easily out muscle me and Talia combined. However, that was all he was, muscle. He had good punch and durability, but little else. Unlike my other knights, or even Cobalt, he couldn’t self-heal or improve his own capability. With Luna and Estrella acting as his guard though, they could bolster him. Even repair him, to an extent. Meaning I didn’t have to waste time doing it myself.

When I transform, his capabilities would likely skyrocket as well. As for Talia? She’s still useful as an all-rounder. She can fit any role, and could even heal me, making her valuable.

As for Shi… she wasn’t quite a liability. She could hold her own in a fight and had the ability to properly assess the battlefield without me being her nanny. A valuable skill…

If only she didn’t need my blood to feed. It wasn’t just my blood either, but my magic. She was growing stronger with every feeding, and the time between feedings was getting longer as well, but if anything, each feeding was taking a greater toll on me.

It might be better to keep her at the back, but right now was the perfect chance to push her limits. Especially with it being a full moon. I had a conjecture, but… I can safely say, it was right. The full moon accelerates growth. Not just mine and Talia’s, but that of everyone.

I had no idea how long it would take Shi to come not her full power, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. A little bloodletting shouldn’t be an issue. As long as we don’t go too deep…

After a short rest, we were back at it. As expected, there was a notable improvement in each of my familiars’ abilities. We didn’t face any larger groups, but we did face a few other bronze ranks. Each of whom were handily dealt with by Fathom. Adding to our war chest.

Talia led the way, though, not perfectly. Working our way through the maze-like tunnels, having to open and close sluice gates was already a pain. Moreso when messing with them also messed with whatever it was Talia was sensing.

There was something uniquely frustrating at being stuck at a particular crossroads, having to constantly shift water to different gates as Talia figured out which way was actually the way forward. After what felt like an eternity, and countless level pulls, and cranks moved, or even valves opened and shut, we finally had our way forward, and with it, the stairs to the next floor.