╳°»｡ ∾･⁙･ ღ ➵ ⁘ ➵ ღ ･⁙･∾ ｡«°╳

A deep scowl sculpted on Phoenix's face, her heterochromatic eyes were gleaming with disapproval and disappointment at this uncontrollable chaos that erupted within the day. She was almost led to believe by Vernie that maybe things would go smoothly and led them to a happy ending but it only waited for years before the menace popped its head out again to taunt them with its existence.

"I already told you this is not going to end the way you want it to be" The purple-haired stern reaper muttered after she materialized at the source of chaos, the danger level here was rapidly increasing and her senses were also on alert.

Everyone here was bound to overblot.

Tsk, a huge nuisance indeed.

Riddle was first, his mind was only occupied with one thing and a strong intense jealousy was enough to kickstart madness back to his system. He and William were engaged in a more troublesome brawl as both were not holding back on each other. While the rest of the men involved were not doing anything less, every single one of them contributed to Phoenix's headache.

"There you are, the cause of all this ongoing problem" Phoenix zeroed in on Mary who was backed away in a corner crying loudly as all her attempts to stop Riddle and William were pointless. Annoyance filled the stern reaper to the core, her judgment getting clouded by anger but this was righteous anger she was feeling, between her and Vernie's reasoning the latter was wrong about the redhead. "I am going to end this today"

–

Vernie had to perform high-level magic to return quickly and it took a toll on her magic circuit–she fell down the pavement panting, a hand to her chest as she felt her breathe was uneven and a black liquid trickled out of her nose–she was having a nosebleed and it only happened whenever she used too much magic. Whereas the Octavinelle Trio who had accompanied her was still in Wysteria Jade reassured Vernie he would explain to Azul and Floyd, he understood the importance of her significant other returning to Twisted Wonderland.

And at the sight of Lewis Capital, the pale-haired reaper thought her heart almost stopped.

"What is this...?"

Everyone was panicking, running here and there, others were fighting as if they were in a battle royale. Establishments were destroyed, fire blazing from stalls and a lot got injured by their own recklessness. But everyone had one thing in common–the black liquid, even those who bore no magic was showing an abnormal disturbing behavior.

Vernie brought her shaky hands to her lips in disbelief, "No this can't be–"

A floating blue tablet strangely floated towards the shocked reaper, "Vernie! Can you enlighten me here?" The confusion from Idia was evident through the gadget.

Idia's men showed up–the group of cyborgs responsible for controlling damages related to overblots but they were outnumbered and even defeated by the townspeople.

Those azure and yellow eyes glanced at the tablet, "Idia I just got here...I don't know why it ended up like this"

"See the overblot graph spiked up in a matter of seconds, that's a dang record" Idia stated pointedly, annoyed and also stressed. "And this seemed an evolved type of blot, my men are having a hard time placating them."

This was too much, hearing about it only made Vernie feel unsure and confused. "Don't you have any good news to share?" It was laced with subtle sarcasm.

"Oh no, I brought you nothing but pure terrible news" Idia replied sarcastically too. "I don't have time to catch up maybe we can once this is taken care of? Do know that this is not the only land I am catering, other kingdoms and places are experiencing the same thing it's already pandemic–"

Vernie almost screamed in horror as the tablet got destroyed by an offensive magic. "Idia!" She turned to look for the culprit and found herself staring at a familiar devious grin, an out-of-character scowl formed on her face. "You...even if you possessed a different person's body, you still look the same–evil"

"Nice to know you never forgot about me, White Death" It was a title only she used to mock and taunt the petite reaper. She stood there in the middle of the chaotic waves and fighting, unbothered. "Did you like the grand socialization I started?" She gestured to the people beating the heck out of one another.

"What have you done?! I already caged you" Vernie raised her right hand and her snow-white scythe appeared, she went in a fighting stance.

'Christie' shrugged, acting coy and innocent. "Are you truly that dense to not know the extent of my power? I may be locked away but I do not only exist in Twisted Wonderland, my consciousness can travel from other lands–it's my unique magic" A malicious smile plastered on her face. "Pretty handy, right? And while I am missing my freedom to physically move, I still can spread my influence on others–it's a piece of cake to manipulate scarred individuals, men who already deemed themselves undeserving of redemption are my favorite pawns. Sucking the life from other lands is wonderful!"

That explained the state of Wisterian when they first arrived there. Vernie narrowed her dual-colored eyes. "You had your glory but it will not be forever, I am going to put an end to you for good"

"Are you sure you can?" The possessed vessel chuckled, unfazed and she almost danced around the road, finding music in everyone screaming and yelling profanities at one another. "You are so weak now, White Death. Exchanging your essence as a godlike being to stay with a measly human, pathetic!" Several dark red rings appeared around 'Christie' which turned large until it spread everywhere and then also vanished but the effect of these rings got people acting more ballistic and worse than earlier. "My strength comes from this gratifying chaos!"

History is repeating itself. Vernie paled, having war flashbacks about the same occurrence eons ago.

'Christie' continued taunting the reaper, "You see how powerful envy and greed can be when used smartly?"

Phoenix showed up in a flurry of black and gray fog but she wasn't alone. "Morgan, I want to bargain with you"

–

She looks like the girl who tried choking me... Who is she?! Mary's thoughts were scattered and she couldn't properly think of an answer or form the question loudly and voice it out to this purple-haired young woman who suddenly dragged her out of the mansion. But she was forced to watch her conjured a scythe and knocked all men unconscious.

Why did she have a scythe-like her Snowdrop? Even her eyes were different but Vernie's held warmth, this one only looked at Mary with contempt.

The unknown young woman brought themselves out in the plaza of Lewis Capital.

"Morgan, I want to bargain with you" She spoke in a cold voice, her hold on Mary's dress from behind tightened to prevent escape.

Mary flinched, she struggled to be let go. "Please stop–I don't know what's going on–"

"PHOENIX! STOP!" Was that Snowdrop?!

On the left, Mary did see Vernie and she felt a wash of happiness amidst the turbulent whirlwind of negativity she was feeling. "Snowdrop! Help me!"

Vernie ran towards Phoenix but the latter easily produced a spell that pushed the white-haired reaper back.

"You disgust me, you're slowly deteriorating!" Phoenix stated bluntly, sensing the weakening state of her fellow reaper. "How could you do this to yourself? All for this nuisance?!" She referred to the redhead. "But it's going to stop, you will get your old strength back and forget about this"

Mary tried glancing up at Phoenix, "I don't know–"

"YOU ALWAYS DO NOT KNOW." The purple-haired stern reaper spoke, cutting her off and leaving no room for Mary to retaliate. "It's a wonder to me how you make it out of NRC for knowing nothing, a princess who knew nothing about the world she grew up in"

Those dark orbs of 'Christie' were glinting with hunger and excitement to snuff the life out of Mary. "Finally, someone reasonable to talk to"

Vernie felt the electricity from Phoenix's attack on her, "Whatever you plan on doing, do not do it! Phoenix!"

"What is one life in exchange for saving many?" Phoenix pointed out nonchalantly, her eyes never leaving Christie's. "So Morgan, this is who you want right? Take away all the poison and mess you created in here and other kingdoms, I will give her to you. Promise that you will not come back here again"

Mary freaked out she wriggled more and tried prying off Phoenix's hands. "No! No! No! I am sorry I didn't know what you're talking about but please don't kill me!" Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"At least be useful this once, princess" Phoenix pushed Mary away in the possessed vessel's direction.

'Christie' caught Mary and held her firmly with one hand, "The moment I've been waiting for many years, gosh, your fear is delicious" She raised her other hand and with magic, created a glowing large needle with a green glow. "Little Dawn, it seems like you will never be as bright as your Mother dearest..."

"No!!!" Vernie hated the unseen restrictive magic Phoenix was using on her. She felt her heart break into pieces as that glowing large needle was pierced through Mary's left chest.

Slowly the people around them began to stop fighting, the ominous aura from the overblot left them and transferred to the large needle stabbed into Mary's heart, the green glow it had was now turning blackish-purple while the redhead stood frozen, her head tilted up and green eyes unblinking.

"Red!" Vernie used the remainder of her strength to break through the binding magic and tackled 'Christie' away.

–

The Sekai was quaking, all floating debris was falling, and the infinite bleak gray above flickering to black and dark red. Christie who was left in there by Phoenix suddenly grew concerned at her surroundings.

"What is going on?" She wrapped her arms around herself because the temperature dropped further.

Christie ran to the castle she had been seeing from a distance since it was no longer safe to be on the ground. Upon entering the castle, it was empty and everything inside was like in a state of asleep.

There was a spacious chamber in the castle surrounded by a vine of thorny roses and in the middle of the bed itself laid a seed.

Curious, Christie neared the bed to take a closer look. "Whoa!" The seed shook and sprouted black roots which grew long quickly and spread everywhere. It smelt pungent too, the roots dripped with black and dark red liquid, and everywhere it touched instantly darkened and withered.

–

Mary dropped on the ground unconscious but with all the overblot and poisonous magic gathering inside her chest whereas Vernie felt a strange surge of rage in her, one that she tried hard not to feel ever.

"Unforgivable, you do not even deserve a second chance to live after this" Vernie manifested all her remaining strength into an offensive magic that she used on the fallen 'Christie'. It was a purification spell but also meant to turn someone into ashes.

'Christie' didn't look scared, on the contrary, she had a triumphant smile on amidst the sense that she would be gone soon. "You are already late, White Death. I finally got what I wanted and none of you would be able to reverse it!"

What the heck was she talking about?! But before Vernie could ask more, the menacing aura was gone from the vessel and Christie returned to her body in confusion.

Phoenix narrowed her eyes, turning her black scythe into a blade as she walked closer to Mary. "Die for the sake of others, let them live without you" She muttered, while the chaos stopped the silence that fell around them was still laced with tension. The needle was gone and it must have blended in, absorbed within Mary's body. "This is the end, for good" She positioned her blade in the redhead's chest and was ready to bring the sharp tip down.

Mary's hand held Phoenix's wrist tightly to the point of pain.

The blade clattered out of Phoenix's hold.