Into the Archkaos

"Hello, Isrina, my dear friend," A sweet voice echoed in the infinite redness.

Isrina saw a shadowy-skinned Vulpi who had bloody pentagrams as pupils. He wore a dark robe and a necklace decorated with blood-stained ribs. In the center of his forehead was a peculiar scorpion symbol.

"Who are you?" Isrina positioned her elbows in Bong Sao.

"An angel, dear friend," The figure's face melted, revealing a sharp-toothed smile through his skin's pores. "The name's Iagen. Master Iagen."

"Y-you're a Vultau master?"

"I was, but I'm no longer naive to serve in their pitiful order."

"What do you want?"

"Don't fear, o friend of mine. I know you're a battle-hardened mother. You want the best for your son, and I respect that," Master Iagen folded his long, skeletal fingers together. "My dear friend, I know you're angry at Fanghui for killing your family and endangering Shien's life."

"Your point?"

"Vultau have magics, yes? But what if I told you there is magic beyond that? Spells that could resurrect your husband, sisters, and nephews so Shien isn't lonely. Magic that can make Fanghui pay. I can teach you such powers!"

Isrina's heart raced.

"Together, we can help Shien live a happy, peaceful life. You can fulfill your dream to travel around the world with your Little Chickadee and explore birds together. Dear friend, you could even take Shien back to your homeland of Taipei!"

Isrina was speechless, for Iagen listed everything she longed for.

She looked into Iagen's pentagram pupils. "All of this is possible?"

"Yes! But all I need is your loyalty," Iagen's porous grin widened. "My power will flow through you if you're willing to learn from me. Think about it."

***

"Isrina! Wake up!" Oreic called.

"Huh?" Isrina sat up. "Where are we?"

She looked at the skies filled with purple, orange, blue, and red nebulae colliding above and below the civilians. They stood on a long white prismatic road branching off to white portals. General Covinski and Sergeant Misshia led the people across the mystical pavement.

"We're in the Archkaos," Oreic picked Isrina up. "The musical dimension."

"Yeah! It's so dang cool, Isrina!" Niode grinned, holding Mivangeline in his arms.

"So beautiful," Isrina stood beside the Murhavs and Shuruukos. "Shien?"

Nashura and Naphthien gave Isrina her son. Naphthien signed to Isrina.

"You two protected my Little Chickadee from Zentroid?" Isrina hugged them. "Thank you!"

"No problem. No way we're letting that thing eat our priceless shortie!" Nashura huffed.

"Waaaahh!" Calice and Misuna plopped behind Isrina's group from another portal.

"And here we are, ladies!" Fermato walked in with Echelus. "Welcome to the musical realm!"

"I don't believe it. Enshiron wasn't kidding," Calice crawled up with Misuna as Fermato checked with a soldier carrying Elysia. "There's such a thing as a music dimension."

"Misuna? You're okay!" Verdun's voice sounded from afar.

Verdun and Dyiva hugged Misuna.

"Uh, hi. Dyiva and Verdun, right?" Misuna recognized them. "Wait, where's Myia?"

Dyiva tugged Misuna's cape, pointing at their SHRIKE escorts. The soldiers cared for the unconscious Myia, wrapping bandages around her bleeding waist where her legs used to be.

"That demon computer ripped her apart!" Dyiva wept into Misuna's arm.

Misuna didn't know what to say, feeling guilty for betraying the Vulpi kids.

"I'm so sorry about this, little Dyiva," Calice hugged the little Vulpi. "It's alright. Those nice soldiers are tending to her. Why don't you two watch over Myia? I'm sure she'd love that!"

Verdun and Dyiva nodded, running to the soldiers. Calice then glared at Misuna and took her to the side.

"Myia made you that hairpin, and this is how you thank her?" Calice snatched the origami hairpin off Misuna. "You don't deserve this! You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I didn't mean for her to get hurt!"

Calice stomped with sparks of lightning. "What did you think the Federation would do to us?"

"I'm so sorry!" Misuna knelt in tears, tugging at Calice's leggings. "Y-you're right, it's my fault... I allowed Myia to get hurt!"

"Seriously, you suck!"

Calice wanted to give Misuna a shock of her mind until she remembered her pact as a social worker. She knew her oath of patient care as a healthcare professional just like Nashura's pact as a medical student.

"Hmph, you're so lucky I'm a social worker. You know that? So, you're still my patient," Calice made sure the jacket Fermato gave Misuna covered her commando outfit. "Keep this on for now."

As Calice met with Nashura, Covinski observed the refugee families crying for their lost children, wives, and husbands. "There's a lot fewer people than I remembered. Zentroid ruined so many families today."

"General Covinski!" Psyinen jumped to him. "Where do we go?"

"I honestly haven't thought of that yet," The General observed the branching pathways of white portals.

Each portal revealed a portion of the real world. Most of them showed crowded city streets being patrolled by Federation forces.

"Thanks to Maika's martial law, we don't have too many safe places to go," Covinski frowned.

"Argh, at this rate, we'll never get to Choro Emplexion," Rahim muttered.

"Hey, that's the library we were at!" Niode pointed at a portal.

It revealed the crystallized library frozen by Kyrinna's wintery wrath.

"Okay, what about it?" Rahim blinked.

Niode looked behind the civilian crowd. He analyzed another portal that revealed the underground SHRIKE base wrecked by Hernamidos.

"The base was there. Covinski said the library back here is 10 miles northwest from the base," Niode ran to the General. "The roads in this dimension resemble similar geography of the real world, correct?"

"It should be, at least that's what Psyinen told me," Covinski cleared his throat.

"So, if the geography is the same, I know where these people can go for refuge!" Niode met with Psyinen. "Hello! You're the portal girl, right?"

"If that helps you remember me, yes," Psyinen nodded.

"Great. Could you take us 22.6 miles northeast from that library, 5.239 miles east, and then 8.12 miles north?"

"Uh, that's very specific, but sure," Psyinen walked ahead.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Niode," Isrina held Shien tightly.

"Relax! I got this in the bag!" Niode assured as Psyinen led everyone to the destination.

"Here we are!" Psyinen stopped the crowd in front of a portal.

The portal portrayed a large room with navy blue metal paving the walls and floor. Inside, workers assembled walkers and aircraft shaped like birds.

"What's this?" Covinski asked Niode.

"Choro Emplexion!" Niode elbowed him. "And would you look at that? I see General Saitori!"

They gasped to see the familiar teal-haired lady give commands to the workers.

"Our people are saved!" Covinski shook Niode's hand. "Thank you!"

"Ah, no biggie," Niode grinned. "See all? God is good, right? Amen!"

***

"General Saitori, the battle thrushes are nearly complete!" A UICA worker leaned on the large metal talon of an enormous bird-shaped walker.

"Excellent work!" Saitori nodded.

The hangar vibrated when a portal opened within. Magnus and the Red Strix commandos lifted their red shields and pointed their blasters at the portal. Isrina's group tumbled into the hangar as Covinski and the Vultau masters led the people in.

"Where the heck did these people come from?" Magnus signaled his squad to lower their weapons.

"Saitori?" Isrina held Shien.

"Isrina!" General Saitori hugged her. "Men! Help these people at once!"

"You heard the General!" Magnus nodded to the soldiers in red. "Take them to the living quarters!"

The soldiers walked the tired people across the hangar full of bird-shaped walkers and aircraft.

"General Saitori!" Rahim pointed at Niode. "If it weren't for this brother in Christ, we never would've made it here."

"I'm glad to hear that!" Saitori hugged the Murhav and Shuruuko families.

Calice walked Misuna with the crowd to blend her in. "Let's keep it cool for now."

Her attempt to cover Misuna didn't last long when Isrina glared at the partially hidden Kneapexist badge.

"Avian Form: Wryneck Scythe!" Isrina cut Misuna's jacket to reveal her commando outfit before grappling Misuna by the throat. "You're the spy! Zentroid almost ate my Little Chickadee because of you!"