Nuclear Winter #2
Isabella stared blankly up at the sky.
A sooty gray, darker still—like a cross-section of the abyss. Black snow was falling from it.
Unlike the white snow that had fallen when she'd been saved by Ricardo in the past. This was like the final tears shed by a world burned to death—black snow.
⋯⋯Probably from the woman who summoned [Enola Fortress].
Isabella reflexively drew in a deep breath. What pierced her brain through her nostrils was the acrid smoke you'd smell in a crematorium, dry dust, and a thick metallic tang like blood.
The air seemed far worse than during their previous exploration. Dread gripped her. What if Ricardo ended up buried in this darkness forever?
"Hrm— Well— At least that's fortunate."
As if blocking that fear, Professor Beltum spoke in his slow, deliberate tone.
"Fortunate, you say?"
Isabella pressed, almost clinging to his words.
Professor Beltum first slammed his staff down with a thunk, erecting a translucent magical barrier over the group's heads. The snow—mixed with mud and ash—slid stickily across it. The wet splat sounded like rotten meat chunks hitting the ground.
Yet he continued in a flat tone, as if reading from a history book.
"Just— as I said. Snow— falling means the owner of this psyche still has at least a minimal self-defense mechanism left."
"Self-defense mechanism⋯⋯."
"Extreme— stress and intense emotional drain are like flames. Exposure to that— scorches the psyche in an instant. But— rain or snow means a will to cool that heat is manifesting."
"So that means⋯⋯!"
"Bardi— is still okay. This child— hasn't given up yet."
"Ah⋯⋯."
Isabella let out a deep sigh. Her blue eyes, which had been dimming, faintly caught the light again.
She took a moment to steady her breath, straightened her clothes, and bowed to Professor Beltum.
"My apologies, Professor."
"No matter. Let's— go now. But first."
He slammed his staff again. A translucent magical mask settled over Erhun, who had been clutching her nose in agony.
"Ah⋯⋯! Th-thank you, Professor⋯! I can breathe⋯⋯."
"Mm."
The turtle professor's eyes briefly scanned the distance after his curt reply.
"So, what do we do now?"
Adella asked, fidgeting anxiously. Her leaf-green eyes trembled faintly as they darted between the ashen wasteland and the black snow falling from the sky.
She looked terrified of just standing there, doing nothing.
"Since Bardi— has lost consciousness, he'll likely appear as an avatar of the unconscious, just like last time."
"You mean that cursed marionette."
"Mm. Let's— take a look."
"I'll do it. Argos."
Her long exhale frosted over—into a lump of ice. Then it shifted into the form of a peacock made of ice.
The familiar [Argos, Watcher of a Thousand Ri], a magical beast that could peer into all manner of information reflected in ice crystals or cold droplets.
Though the black snow from the sky was laden with ash, soot, and dust. The elegant ice bird spread its tail feathers wide, illuminating every corner of the psyche world.
Of course, it couldn't peer into the depths of the heart, the [Lost World]. But even that was a huge help.
"He's over there."
Borrowing [Argos]'s gaze to locate Ricardo, she pointed off in one direction.
Far in the distance, toward the [Lost World].
The group nodded and mounted the fastest familiars they could summon, pursuing Ricardo. Ruined husks burned and crumbling by fire, and cracked snowfields whipped past them. An ominous silence chased against the wind.
"I-is that Ricardo⋯⋯?"
They caught up to him soon enough. Adella, seeing the [Cursed Marionette] dragging countless coffins, murmured in shock. Her voice trembled with disbelief, but her eyes wouldn't leave him—as if she refused to deny, even by mistake, that this was Ricardo.
As if hearing her voice, the [Cursed Marionette] halted abruptly and turned to the group. Unlike last time, there was no hint of aggression.
"Hmm—."
Professor Beltum slammed his staff, opening one of the coffins Ricardo was dragging.
It still held broken dolls, but one thing had changed from before.
"The dolls' eyes are closed."
"Fortunate— indeed. It means Bardi— is preparing to lay them to rest."
Professor Beltum's massive eyes gleamed softly. Until last time, those dolls had glared wide-eyed, throttling Ricardo's neck. They were ties from his past he couldn't release—and a montage of guilt.
Their slumber meant Ricardo had steeled his heart.
Very welcome news.
Hearing that, Isabella silently clasped her hands and nodded.
"Ricardo⋯⋯."
Adella, who hadn't joined the previous exploration and was seeing the coffins' contents for the first time, whispered softly with teary eyes.
She bowed her head briefly, then wove mana from within, her face resolute.
"Lady Belluna?"
"⋯⋯."
As Erhun called puzzled and Isabella watched with quiet eyes. Leaf-green mana bloomed from her body, unfurling beautiful petals one by one.
Small but exquisite symbols of life, blooming in the heart of a dead world.
"I can't bloom flowers across this whole world with my mana reserves, but⋯⋯."
Adella wove the mana flowers into wreath-like rings and gently placed them one by one on the chests of the sleeping dolls.
"Still, I wanted to do at least this much. They seem like they were precious to Ricardo."
Her voice trembled faintly but rang firm.
Creeeak, creeeak⋯⋯.
The [Cursed Marionette], standing silently and watching, let out an odd sound. It felt like gratitude—or perhaps sobbing.
Adella silently embraced the marionette. Heavy, hard, rough, cold. She accepted every sensation vividly and patted it quietly. Her fingertips trembled ever so softly, as if just to say I'm here.
"Good idea."
Georgia, nodding slightly, pulled a few coins from his pocket and placed them in the dolls' mouths.
And perhaps because of that, the dolls' faces looked far more at peace in the group's eyes. Like long-sufferers finally catching their breath.
A hushed silence of mourning fell—.
Erhun's nose, hidden under closed eyes, twitched. Her acorn-round eyes snapped open.
"Something's coming!"
The scent of steel and oil pierced even through her mana mask.
As if her urgent cry pulled the trigger. A massive silhouette charged from the black snowfield. With a blizzard that blinded vision and froze souls.
A body scorched pitch-black in the horrors of war. A massive turret on its back. Red camera eyes gaped like punched holes, eerily wide. Its endless tracks targeted Adella's slender neck precisely.
[Machinery Black Panther - K-2 Black Panther].
That huge, heavy bulk had approached without a sound? The group's reactions, steeped in solemn mourning, lagged a beat.
But death always comes quietly.
In the end, just as the [Black Panther]'s claw was about to rip her delicate nape—
BOOM!
A shell flew in from afar, twisting the [Black Panther]'s attack trajectory.
"⋯⋯!"
The claw barely grazed past, gouging empty ground. As Adella gasped, the [Black Panther] growled, glaring toward the shell's origin.
Clank! A crude metallic clang followed.
-Woof! Arf!
A mechanical dog with an ammo belt around its neck, boxy supplies on its body, machine guns on its shoulders, and a long conveyor strapped to its back charged ferociously, barking.
[Machinery Supply Dog - K-56 Peanut].
Its camera eyes, fully extended, fixed on Adella, the group, and the [Cursed Marionette]. As if it would never fall even if bitten, it staunchly blocked between the group and the [Black Panther].
Its mechanical tail swayed slowly.