Release That Witch: Isabella's Decision (Fanfiction)

Zero's Nightmare

    "Isabella! Start powering the 'Infinite' sigil!" Zero ordered.
   
    Blackleaf fell down, her power spent, but now her illusions would keep their soldiers occupied for a few crucial seconds.
   
    "..."
   
    In the few seconds of relative peace, nothing happened.
   
    The effect on the soldiers was starting to wane and dissipate.
   
    The then violent and chaotic battlefield looked still, and everyone was just standing around without movement.
   
    Zero looked around but she could not see Isabella. Where is she? Their window of opportunity was closing fast, Isabella had no defences and needed a moment to activate the sigil ‘Infinity’.
   
    "Isabella?"
   
    Her voice was the only thing that pierced the silence.
   
    "..."
   
    "..."
   
    No response from her.
   
    Then a bullet flew overhead. The soldiers started to fire their guns again and the battle restarted.
   
    "Isabella!"
   
    "..."
   
    No response.
   
    She looked around and saw the barely conscious bodies of Margie and Blackleaf. Vanilla was cowering, trying to avoid the destruction happening all around. Vanilla wasn’t a combat witch and was needed to be protected.
   
    But Zero didn't have any time to waste. She started panicking as the battle rages on.
   
    Without Isabella, they had no one that could activate the sigil. Without the Sigil, she would have to get to Roland by herself, across those flying piercing objects that destroyed the God's punishment army! It would be, it would be... It would be impossible.
   
    "..."
   
    "..."
   
    "Uhuhu, uhahahaha, UAHAHAHA!"
   
    She straightened her back and put her arms on her hips.
   
    "I don't need anyone to help me, God chose me! If I have to bring this devil down from his throne alone, then I shall, no matter the cost. Because in the end..."
   
    She started walling towards the battlefield, one step at a time."
   
    "This is God's world, and I embody God's will."
   
    Vanilla pointed out Roland's position earlier and he was just a thousand steps away. No mortals could stop her, no matter what strange weapons they may wield.
   
    She will reach Roland, no matter the cost.
   
    Zero leapt into action and ran the first few steps in a fraction of a second. The penetrating flying things were heading her way, but 200 years of living gave her the reflexes of a goddess.
   
    She spun and weaved, parried and sliced with her dagger.
   
    A ballerina in a ballet show.
   
    700 more steps to go...
   
    A machine gun nest suddenly opened fire on her.
   
    She tried parrying the flying things, but there was too much of them.
   
    No matter what she does or what technique she uses, she could no longer effortlessly dodge the incoming bullets.
   
    A few nicked her, drawing blood, but not stopping her advance. She would not stop. Her resolution and her hopes will never be crushed.
   
    She ducked and rolled in behind one of the shields carrying God's Punishment soldiers. He took grievous injuries and would not survive the battle. Still, he marched on without fear.
   
    Shielded by the soldier, she looked around and saw the turret that was relentlessly firing on her position.
   
    A second of aiming later and her dagger flew through, striking the machine gunner in the nest.
   
    It was a precise and deadly move, but at the cost of her only dagger at hand.
   
    Above she heard the sudden hissing sound of an incoming artillery shell and leapt out, abandoning her cover to its fate.
   
    She made it halfway but was now unarmed with no cover in sight. She ran on, her goal being the only thing in mind.
   
    A bullet hit her, then two. A bit of rock from a nearby explosion embedded into her arm. She felt the pain before, it was nothing new. Some of the earliest battles of souls was challenging even.
   
    But this was different. The range and speed of fire meant she couldn't activate any battle of souls.
   
    For the first time in more than a hundred years, Zero felt fear.
   
    She saw them now. Roland and his witches. They were evacuating, taking cover and shooting at her.
   
    She would not lose.
   
    She will bring Roland to a Battle of the Souls.
   
    No matter the cost.
   
    After all...
   
    She put all her strength in one final jump.
   
    She's God's will.
   
    She stretched out a hand towards him and...
   
    "What?"
   
    Then hit a barrier.
   
    The shimmering barrier held, and she bounced down towards the ground below. Something cracked as she did.

    She landed on hard dirt and immediately rolled to the sides as five weapons fired at her position.
   
    "Ahhhh!"
   
    One hit her leg.
   
    She scrambled for the nearest creature and entered the battle of souls.
   
    It wasn't the prince. It was a witch, the one with the barrier. Her name, her story, her identity, did not matter.
   
    Zero woke up in what seemed to be a city. This city, however, did not seem normal.
   
    This was, however, not a time to grace and go on a tour to a weird-looking city.
   
    She was outmatched, Roland was out of reach. The witches guarding him each has the strange weapons.
   
    She leaned on a wall and sighed.
   
    "Well, it seems that I failed."
   
    Zero sat on the street, alone, wondering about her situation.
   
    A bright shining thing suddenly showed itself.
   
    It was the barrier witch. She was stalking her through one of the dark alleyways.
   
    She stood up, spawned a dagger and threw it right to the witch's head.
   
    Now, she was in the real world.
   
    Four weapons fired on her position again.
   
    She dodged as swiftly as can she but a cage of magic suddenly appeared and restricted her movement. The last thing she saw was a bullet flying towards her head.
   
    The Dream World died with her.