The Witching Hour

The Gates of the Condemned melted and transformed into Iagen's apparition. Iagen laughed victoriously while Terrhina and Delmisa's spirits danced around the open casket in celebration. Shien, Mivangeline, and Isrina watched the demonic ceremony in horror.

"Don't look! Go! Quickly!" Inveticus and Des Manthesia pushed the others away from the chaos. "We must protect your son, Isrina! We'll escape with Psyinen's portals!"

As Inveticus cast a mist cloud to shield their escape, a skeletal arm arose from the casket. Red ice that looked like crystals of dry blood surrounded the coffin as Indeavorga sat upright. Her neck cracked in different directions as she looked around the tomb. The ice sister wore a blue robe and a skull mask with hollow black eye sockets. On her hood was a crown-like ornament decorated with a bird skull surrounded by wings.

"I-I live?" The ice sister echoed as her neck turned 360 degrees. "A-am I free? What time?"

Iagen stroked Indeavorga's chin. "Yes, dear sister. It's the destined day of reckoning before the solar eclipse when our dimensional war ritual against the Vultau shall begin. Tomorrow will be the day we triumph over the pathetic Vultau and resurrect Sol Eszkeios Epsilon!"

"Truly?"

"Indeed. Celebrate, Sisters! Your trinity is reborn after centuries of Aian's curse. We shall claim the body of Shien Niang, our chosen host with the blood that'll invigorate your astounding magic!"

The horned Earth Sister wielded a triangular qanun string instrument high in triumph. "With his blood, I'll devour many young women. The unrivaled beauty of men's gaze I once had will return!"

"The blood that'll empower me to inflict judgment on humans for their sins against Vulpi," Delmisa barred her Anubis fangs, holding her dark shamisen. "I'll show Makiyu the foolishness of creating humans to live with Vulpi."

"Where are my arms and legs? They're still cursed!" Indeavorga shrieked and jumped out of the coffin, bashing her head on the wall. "Curse you, Aian! Curse Makiyu for denying me the right to touch and walk like normal people!"

"No more pain. No more suffering. Finally, after being imprisoned for so long!" The Ice Sister's hands bled and morphed into icy harp palms with jagged fingers.

She twisted and rolled on the floor, squealing. "Makiyu dared to make me born without arms and legs while everyone else can touch with fingers and walk with feet! Shien's precious blood will grant me limbs! Yes! Happiness at last. I'll harvest everyone's lucky limbs to make my own!"

"Enough, dear sisters. For we have a host to consume!" Iagen played a wicked song on his zurna, commanding the three sisters to fuse with him.

The four spirits morphed into a dark, cackling smog of hooded corpses that soared into the sky. They disappeared in a spiraling rift, entering the music dimension on the move for Shien's life.

***

While Seniel healed the tired masters, Shien and Mivangeline told their friends about the strange events that occurred.

"Where's Mom?" Shien walked with his girlfriend.

"I heard Guardian Inveticus is talking to her outside," Mivangeline recalled.

"Then let's check on her!"

The couple walked on the sunset rocky plains above Choro Emplexion while Naivern used her half-Japanese background to connect Kyrinna with the gang. Shien and Mivangeline noticed the hangar bay open, releasing fleets of condor frigates to different locations.

"Looks like the UICA recovered from the Eclipser Conflict. They spent everything to take America back from Maika's hands." Mivangeline observed the aerial navy. "I wonder if we have enough to counterattack the Global Federation."

"That'll be cool, but I wonder where they're going now," Shien pointed at the owl drones and cardinal fighter escorts. "Owls, cardinals, and condors, I love that everything is a cute puffy!"

"I knew you'd love the birds."

Shien and Mivangeline saw Isrina with Guardian Inveticus on a tall hill far away. Despite not knowing the conversation from afar, they noticed Isrina nodding like Inveticus was teaching her something. Inveticus placed his palm on Isrina's shoulder and prayed for her.

As Shien and Mivangeline arrived at the bottom of the hill, Inveticus ended his prayer. "Isrina, you're Makiyu's creation whom he died for your forgiveness of sins. I bless you in the name of Rhu Makiyu Eta, maker of all musical life. Go now, repent, and sin no more. May Makiyu guide you. Amen."

The couple watched Isrina and Inveticus descend toward them.

"Inveticus? Everything okay?" Shien and Mivangeline worried.

"What's done is done," The Guardian pat their heads. "There's no need to speak to Isrina about what's past."

Isrina looked into Shien and his girlfriend's eyes, uncertain what to tell them. "M-my Little Chickadee. Mivangeline."

Shien smiled, hugging her tightly. "Welcome home, Mom. We're finally together."

As Mivangeline joined the hug, Inveticus spotted Master Fermato and Elysia riding on the cello horse, Echelus, toward them.

"Master Fermato!" The Guardian shook hands with him. "Good to see you."

"Been a while, good friend. Ouch!" Fermato's back cracked while he jumped off Echelus. "Not again!"

Elysia jumped off the horse to pick her caretaker up. "This happens all the time. Once an old geezer, always an old geezer."

Echelus neighed, nodding in agreement.

"I'm not old, Elysia! H-hey! Echelus, did you nod in agreement with her? I saw that! Come on, you two, cut me back some slack!"

The cello horse stuck its stringed tongue at Fermato.

"What's good, pals?" Elysia fist-bumped Shien and Mivangeline. "Shortie, your mom's okay?"

"Shut up, Elysia," Shien elbowed her. "But yeah, Mom's good."

"Grandmaster Aian is on the way with General Saitori," Fermato told Inveticus. "We stationed our remaining masters to Abriyamu and Shaphiew's fossils in case of the worst. Nekhamon's fossil is within Federation territory, so we can't do anything about that."

"Good work, Master Fermato. The UICA just received Saitori's orders to aid us."

"Excellent. Are the other masters here?"

"Yes, they're resting now, but they will split up to the fossil sites soon."

"Got it."

"What fossils are you talking about?" Isrina asked as Fermato and Elysia rode Echelus into Choro Emplexion.

"He's referring to the fossils of the legendary fiends that serve the Prognosticus Trinity," Inveticus explained. "We've sensed the buried fossils vibrating with dark energy since Indeavorga's awakening. If those nasty women get Shien, they will resurrect their loyal creatures and cause mayhem before the war ritual."

"Why me?" Shien crossed his arms. "Why does everyone want me? I never asked or did anything for all that's happened. We're finally out of Syanic Earth, and now there's a bunch of demons after my blood! It's not fair."

"It's not your fault. These demons enjoy preying on innocent musical lives regardless of who you are."

Mivangeline held her boyfriend's hand. "We'll fight them together."

"I'm sorry to keep troubling you, Mivange," Shien clutched her hand.

"Don't be. I'll always be with you, just like you did for me in Syanic Earth."

"Thank you for staying with me. I'll protect you too."

"Let's go," Guardian Inveticus walked the group to Choro Emplexion. "Iagen and the Prognosticus Trinity are venturing into the Archkaos to find Shien as we speak."

Unbeknownst to the group, Xneong's triple-barreled sniper rifle aimed at Shien's head from afar.

Bang!

When Inveticus' Vulpi ears twitched, he lunged his hulusi gourd to barely block the Xneong's attack in a split second.

"Are you kidding me? I just had him!" Xneong fired again from a distant hill.

"Take Shien back to Choro Emplexion! I'll deal with him!" Inveticus snapped his finger to morph the bullets into crystal butterflies that attacked the High Envoy.

While Xneong swatted the butterflies with his hybrid scythe and sniper rifle, Mivangeline and the Niangs ran for Choro Emplexion. A shadow jumped into the middle of the trio, swinging her tuning fork scythe to knock Isrina and Mivangeline but Shien out of the way.

"Hahaha! Bye-bye, little songbird!" Thalamoid slashed at Shien. "Isrina will be mine, and I like my Little Chickadee deep-fried!"

"Get a life, you trash heap!" Shien sliced his plam through the staff. "Avian Form: Wryneck Scythe!"

After destroying her weapon, the two rivals chain-punched relentlessly and kicked at each other's feet, hoping to knock their opponent off balance.

"Avian Form: Pitohui Stinger Strikes!" Thalamoid closed her palms in Biu Sao to slow Shien's punches.

"Avian Form: Ostrich Buster!" Shien ducked low and stood on his hands, machine-gunning Thalamoid with repeated kicks.

The droid woman rolled away from Shien's defense. "Why, you-"

"Avian Form: Merlin's Majesty!" Isrina jumped, spreading her arms like wings and kicking Thalamoid's face. "Don't you dare touch my Little Chickadee!"

As Mivangeline guarded Shien, Thalamoid faced Isrina.

"Stand back, my Little Chickadee!" Isrina pushed Shien to Mivangeline. "I trust you, Mivangeline. Take care of him."

"Wait, Mom!" Shien cried as Mivangeline took him to the UICA base.

"I've come home, Mom," Thalamoid bowed to Isrina.

"I'm not your mother, and you're no longer a part of my family," Isrina growled in Bong Sao. "Get lost!"

Thalamoid gasped.

"What? Why? You and Jinhai cared for me like your own! Why did you abandon me for that baby wretch who needs to be fed compared to me? Why did you even give birth to him in the first place? Was it to replace me? Was I not good enough for you?"

"We did love you, Thalamoid. That was until you tried to kill my baby! I'll protect my dear son, even from you."

"So, that's how it is then," Thalamoid placed a hand and palm together in Bao Quan Li. "Qing!"

"That's how it must be! Qing!" Isrina greeted the same.

Both combatants stomped their feet to crack the fissures into the earth. "Avian Form: Peregrine Landing!"

"I hope Mom's okay," Shien looked back to see Isrina and Thalamoid attack with Woodpecker Beak Strikes. "God, please help Mom."

Shien and Mivangeline stopped to see an emaciated man holding a khakkhara with a diagonal mouth and misplaced eyes. Next to him was a small gazelle-skulled old lady holding a tsuzumi drum. It was Nazad and Kaviel.

"Ehehe! I spy a cutie couple," Kaviel bonked her drum with joy. "Did you know couples taste the best because of their body heat? Yummy for a hungry grandma like me!"

The couple held hands tightly.

"Leave us alone!" Shien growled. "We're not looking for trouble."

"Then lend us your body! You're quite kindhearted, aren't you, sunny boy?" Kaviel bobbed her head. "Mommy told you to respect your elders, yes? Then why don't you help a poor old lady like myself and feed me your blood?"

"No thanks. I don't want to be part of Iagen's stupid witchcraft. Mivange and I just want to enjoy our time together. Go away!"

Nazad's diagonal mouth hissed with the dangling of his staff's golden rings. "Really? That sounds adorable, but let me tell you something. We don't care about how you feel! We do as we please!"

"That's horrid of you to say!" Mivangeline held her palms in Wu Sao at Kaviel. "Shien, I think we've had enough. Right?"

"Yes, Mivange. Absolutely. Time to beat up these bullies!" Shien aimed his palms in Biu Sao against Nazad. "I'll take care of googly eyes here. You good with that creepy deer lady?"

"Sounds good."

"Ooo, little girlfriend wants to disrespect her elder? Ehehe!" Kaviel played her tsuzumi to summon a squad of illusion clones. "Then, I'll teach you to treat grandma well!"

"What a little brat who dare spit at us!" Nazad pointed his khakkhara at Shien. "Once Iagen and the Prognosticus Trinity arrive, you'll be the Harbinger of the Revelation Concerto, whether you like it or not!"

Shien and Mivangeline glanced at each other and nodded before the battle commenced. Within the witching hour, Iagen and the Prognosticus Trinity rampaged through the Archkaos to find Shien, and the four duels raged over Choro Emplexion. Inveticus vs. Xneong, Isrina vs. Thalamoid, Mivangeline vs. Kaviel, and Shien vs. Nazad.