The crimson blade moved in a diagonal slash. It bypassed the ultimate protection of the force field like it wasn’t even there. The swiftness of the motion made it seem as if it was cutting through empty air, the purple armor offering no resistance to speak of.

JX9’s thoughts halted, the light slowly fading from her eyes. As the crimson blade came out of her back, time seemed to return to its normal flow. The fire from six propellers still burned, not slowing as the Valkyrie’s motionless body crashed into the ground, bouncing a few times before the momentum died and it landed somewhere in the burning forest.

The world was silent for a very long moment. The Valkyries couldn’t believe what they saw, overtaken by a horror they only recently managed to overcome. Memories flashed in B3’s mind, those of her comrades being slaughtered by the Nephilim with dark purple hair. The powerlessness she felt returned and she lost control over her halo, causing what was left of her Scarlet Citadel to disappear.

“My apologies.” Atropos turned her gaze back to the young Valkyrie. Seeing that the fortress had disappeared, she retracted the rest of the white discs. “This is starting to take a bit too long so I’ll be ending things here.”

The Olympian vanished, announcing that the battle has resumed. Sitta moved to place a barrier, but Perseus tapped the ground with his staff, sending another pulse that caused it to shatter. Daedalus seemed about to do something as well, holding his orb high over his head.

B3!

Ichigo’s distressed voice brought the young Valkyrie back to reality. She saw Atropos approaching, her eyes cold with murderous intent, and began forming her halo once more, her drones coming forward to intercept the upcoming attack. However the attack never came. It was then that she realized she wasn’t the Olympians’ target. 𝒩𝑜𝓋xt.𝒞𝗈𝑚

So far the Valkyries never stopped to consider the objective behind the Olympians’ attack. B3 had concluded that it had something to do with Nino, whose connection to Atropos was impossible to deny with the two of them looking like identical copies of each other. However there is someone else whose presence created a considerable danger to the Olympians, someone whose innate ability could be used to counter some of their powers.

Realizing who was the crimson blade’s next target, B3 teleported without delay, her Single Target ability revealing the location of the enemy. Ichigo noticed the shadow that fell over her from behind, and when she turned to look at its source, her eyes shot open, forcing her to watch as the scissors like sword dug into the small frame clad in red armor.

ραndαsΝοvεl.cοm Before she could get her voice out one of the drones ran into her, pushing her out of the blade’s range. That was B3’s last act before the crimson blade cut through her.

The world seemed to stop for a second time. Atropos clicked her tongue. She was sure that her plan was flawless so it was quite frustrating to know that someone had managed to read into it. Without waiting for her latest victim to fall to the ground she instantly turned to pursue her original target, but before she could something long wrapped itself around her body and the next moment she found herself yanked into the air.

Juni had used her sword in its whip form to pull Atropos away from Sitta and Ichigo. However, unlike Hylas, Penthesilea was relatively unharmed and she wasn’t about to give her any more openings preventing her from rushing to support her friends.

The caucasian man didn’t seem like he would be out of the fight for long as well. His body was enveloped in a soft white glow that accelerated his healing tens of folds, its source being the orb Daedalus held as he stood on the shoulder of the large one eyed man.

Knowing she couldn’t afford to remain on the sidelines anymore, Sitta began creating a weapon for herself. With the enemy having multiple ways to overcome them barriers were pretty much useless.

Ichigo did the same as she struggled to get up to her feet. She still doesn’t know she’s the Olympians’ target, but even if she did there was nothing she could do.

As if the situation wasn’t bad enough, a devastating explosion shook the burning forest. Hopelessness stole Sitta’s breath as she realized it came from the direction of their ship. Triska was there as well as Trenta and Venti. It was hard to believe that the three of them failed to protect it, but after everything she witnessed so far only the worst came to her mind.

“I see Actaeon has finished his part…” Atropos said while watching the torrent of smoke rising into the sky. She then turned her gaze back to Ichigo and let out a sigh. “I wanted to meet Lachesis but… oh, well…” She took a step toward the Valkyries and brandished her sword. “There will always be another chance.”

With Penthesilea holding her back Juni couldn’t do anything. Sitta clutched the rapier she created and prepared to engage the enemy leader. She saw no way in which they could win this battle, and for a moment their loss seemed inevitable. But just when giving up seemed the only option, something twinkled the distance and Atropos came to a half.

She stepped aside avoiding something that passed right through where she stood a moment ago, and whatever it was it caused another explosion a small distance away. When the dust settled a crater came into sight and at its center was a red arrow slowly disintegrating into small particles.

A moment later another arrow whistled as it flew right past her, then another, then another. Tired of constantly dodging Atropos willed one of the white disks hovering behind her to create a shield, but just as the panel began to form something drew her attention to the sky above. When she saw what it was, her eyes went wide and her lips spread into a chillingly sinister smile. Retracting the white disks, she grasped her crimson sword in both hands and leaped into the sky shattering the ground she stood on a second ago. A violent shockwave washed over the surroundings as her blade met the spear held by the girl who had just flew into the battlefield, the sparks caused by their clash casting light on her face revealing an expression of pure rage.

“YOU…!!!” Nino gritted her teeth, glaring down at the Olympian whose pace perfectly mirrored hers.

“It’s been a while, sister~” Atropos spoke with a smile, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. “I will make sure to kill you properly this time.”