Night fell over the park, carrying a cold, damp air. The distant streetlights barely illuminated the paths, leaving large sections of the place submerged in darkness. Among those enormous trees, a figure ran at full speed.
Miyu panted, her chest burning as she clenched her jaw. Her boots struck the damp earth again and again.
—Why me…? —she said, her voice broken by exhaustion—. Why do I always have to be the bait?
She had no time to lament. Behind her, the footsteps of something thundered. The crack of snapping branches, the frantic pounding of hooves against the ground.
—God… stop following me… —she complained, not daring to look back.
The anomaly was fast—too fast—but the trees of the park played in her favor. Among the giant, thick pines, the creature had to slow down, turn, dodge… and that gave Miyu a few seconds of respite. Just enough to avoid being caught. Barely.
Moonlight filtered through the high canopies when the girl finally broke through the trees, emerging onto a wide gravel path. The sound of her steps abruptly changed to an irregular crunch.
—Almost there… —she told herself, without stopping for even an instant—. Just a little more.
But she knew this part was the worst. The stretch of path ahead of her was a perfect straight line, completely clear. An area where nothing would protect her. Nothing would slow the anomaly.
In the distance stood the small stone bridge that crossed over the path. She had to reach it.
Behind her, the dry sound of hooves hitting the road was heard. The monster had just come out of the forest.
The anomaly's legs struck the gravel with a force that made the ground vibrate, as if a locomotive were passing by. The gallop became deafening, drawing closer and closer.
Miyu didn't want to look, but she did; she couldn't bear not knowing how close it was. Just an instant.
The anomaly ran behind her at full speed: the twisted body of a zebra, without eyes, without a nose, without a mouth—only a whitish skull fused like a blank canvas. On the rear, where the back should be, rose a humanoid torso, twisted, with long arms and fingers far too elongated that opened and closed like pincers as it ran.
Miyu felt a chill crawl up her spine.
—No, no, no, no…! —she screamed, pushing herself with all her strength.
The bridge was there. Just a few steps away. She ran up the stone incline.
And the moment she crossed the upper arch of the bridge, Miyu threw herself to the side without thinking. She rolled over the damp grass, feeling the earth scrape her knees, her side, her arms… but she didn't stop until she was completely off the path.
A shadow fell from the top of the bridge. A figure descended in a dive, swiftly… but just a few meters above the ground, its fall slowed, almost unnaturally, as if it were floating. It touched the ground with the softness of a feather.
Five months had already passed since she made the familiar pact with Kero, the parka anomaly. Five months of missions, training, and shared risks that had strengthened the bond between them. Mochi trusted him completely; she wore him on every mission, and while wearing Kero, she felt much lighter, able to jump higher and land without problems.
The zebra anomaly continued its charge without hesitation, without changing its trajectory. To it, Mochi's appearance in the middle of the path was nothing more than an obstacle it could crush. The anomaly lowered its head, determined to run her over.
But from the side of the bridge, something shot out in a flash of red.
The rope—Zeke's weapon—snapped forth, stretching and writhing. It went for the anomaly's front legs, trying to entangle them and bring it down. It was part of the plan, the key piece to stop its advance so Mochi could finish it off.
But the anomaly did not fall.
Without losing even a bit of speed, it bent its legs and jumped. A clean, perfectly calculated leap, like a competition horse. It sailed over the trap with ease.
—It dodged…! —Zeke growled from the side—. Get out of there! Don't take the risk!
Mochi didn't move.
She planted her feet on the ground, her body slightly leaning forward, ears tense. She raised her knuckle-duster, which glowed in a blood-red hue.
—I can —she replied calmly.
When the creature came down from the jump and touched the ground again, Mochi was already in front of it.
She threw a punch with all the strength her body had. Her fist slammed into the smooth forehead of the mouthless, eyeless zebra. The sound was brutal: a wet, twisted crunch, like rotten wood breaking mixed with splintering bone.
The struck area caved in.
The anomaly let out a strange shriek, a torn sound that seemed to come from several places at once.
Its legs gave out.
It fell to the side, thrashing like a dying animal. It writhed for a few seconds, convulsing, before going completely still. In total silence.
Miyu burst out from among the bushes, almost stumbling, and ran straight toward Mochi.
—Mochi-sempai! Are you okay? Are you…?
Mochi, filled with energy from the victory, raised both hands, grinning from ear to ear.
—High fi—!
—GYAAAAAAAAAAA!! —Miyu screamed at the top of her lungs.
—W-what!? —Mochi nearly fell over from the shock— What is it!? What scared you!?
Miyu pointed at something with a trembling finger, her eyes wide open.
—Senpai…! Y-your… your arm, look at your arm!!
Mochi looked down.
And there she saw it.
Her right arm was visibly twisted, the forearm tilted at an unnatural angle. There was no blood, no exposed bone… but it was broken. Truly broken.
—Ah… —Mochi said, blinking— …that's strange.
She moved it a little.
The arm swung to the side, like it was made of jelly.
Miyu screamed again.
Zeke arrived at that moment, his expression somewhere between concern and resignation.
—Great. I knew something like this would happen —he muttered—. Alright, quickly: let's take the core and head back to headquarters so the doctor can treat your arm.
But Mochi, completely calm, replied:
—We can take it easy. It doesn't hurt at all.
Zeke brought a hand to his face.
—Not now. You're full of adrenaline and in shock. But once that wears off… it's going to hurt like your soul's being split in half. So move.
Mochi swallowed.
—…okay.
—
In the OHRA treatment room
The white light of the place seemed far brighter than usual. Mochi was crying as she clenched her teeth, her face red and tears streaming uncontrollably.
—Yes, yes, I know it hurts —the doctor replied in a tired tone as she carefully wrapped a bandage around the broken arm—. Hang in there a bit longer. I'll be done in a minute.
The doctor was a woman in her thirties, with black hair tied into a thick braid that fell over her shoulder. Her pale skin and dark circles gave the impression that she hadn't slept in days. Her lab coat smelled of hospital disinfectant and incense.
In her hand she held a prayer bracelet, the kind made of round wooden beads. It looked like an ornament… but it wasn't.
—This is my ether weapon —she explained without raising her voice much—. It works as an amplifier for my spells.
She leaned in, brought the bracelet close to Mochi's bandaged arm, and began to recite a soft mantra in a language Mochi didn't recognize. Her words reminded her a little of Zeke's spells, though these were more formal, more fluid.
Mochi felt something warm building up in her arm. It didn't burn, it didn't sting… it was a warmth that spread from the bandage down to her fingers, as if she were immersing her arm in lukewarm water.
And then…
The pain disappeared.
Mochi opened her eyes, surprised.
—Oh… oh… oh, what a relief! —she said, almost crying with happiness.
—That was just to eliminate the pain —the doctor replied—. Complete healing will take a few more minutes, so don't move.
Miyu was glued to the gurney, her eyes shining with excitement.
—Doctor, doctor, how does it work? What language is that? How much energy does it use? Can I learn it? What would happen if—?
—Later —the doctor said, without even looking at her.
Zeke approached the gurney where Mochi was still receiving treatment. The doctor murmured her mantra as the faint light of the spell wrapped around the bandaged arm. Miyu stayed off to the side, restless but expectant.
Zeke crossed his arms.
—Alright, listen up, both of you —he said in a more serious tone than usual—. Both you, Noa, and you,
Miyu… have reached your limit.
Mochi blinked.
—Limit…?
Miyu tilted her head, confused.
—What do you mean… limit?
Zeke sighed.
—I mean you can't keep moving forward just by relying on raw physical strength and swinging your weapons around like maniacs. If you keep fighting like that, you're going to break yourselves —he pointed at Mochi's bandaged arm— or worse.
Mochi puffed out her cheeks.
—Then… —Mochi asked— what do we do?
Immediately, Miyu's eyes lit up with excitement.
—Leader! Are you going to teach us spells!? Are we going to shoot lightning, fire, explosions?!
—No —Zeke replied flatly.
Miyu wilted like a flower under the sun.
—That's far too advanced for you right now —he continued—. You still don't know how to use what you already have. It's time for you to learn how to draw out the true power of your weapons.
Mochi tilted her head.
—The… true power?
Zeke nodded.
—Every ether weapon has a unique ability. A special power that only the right wielder can use. Your weapons can do more than just hit hard or act as shields. And it's about time you awakened those abilities.
—I need to prepare a few things —Zeke said.
He turned toward the door and started walking.
—I'm going to make the necessary arrangements.
He waved his arm in the air in farewell.
—See you.
And he left the room.