Chrono X Angel, Book 5: Winds of Change

Chapter 12 (Finale)

October 31st

"Aye, this is it, this is th'place."

"This is the cave???"

Sarah had been the one to escort the team to the Cave, just before 6PM. Earlier in the day they had finalized their battle plan, and Usoko had made sure to mention the possibility of combining their powers to possibly entrap Abigail. She had of course not told anywhere where or from who she had actually gotten the idea from, instead claiming she had come up with it herself after some meditation.
A last-minute messenger from Aeronius had informed them that only the six members of Nonami's GARDNA unit would be allowed inside, as such Iris, Midori, Elisabeth, and Misato had to remain at the cave's entrance. The Dhampir was relatively miffed, but given her present reputation was a bit understanding.
Upon entering the Veil Cave, Usoko found it to be... exceedingly underwhelming. She had not actually known exactly what to expect coming here, and though the thought of it conjured images of swirling purple vortexes and howling screams of the damned, she had known it probably would not be like that. Still, even what she had reasonably expected was overkill for the sight now before her. A dirt hill maybe twenty feet tall, with what seemed to be a hand-dug tunnel maybe three feet high. Rei had barely managed to fit through it, and even the small-framed Nonami was on her hands and knees crawling along the ground in some places. Finally, after maybe ten minutes of hands and knees locomotion, the team arrived into a far larger antechamber deep under the ground. At least, Usoko assumed it had to be underground, because she certainly had not seen anything near this size on the surface. Was there some non-euclidian geometry at work here?

At the back of the darkened chamber, glowing an ephemeral green-blue was a flat object about the size and dimensions of a flat screen television, flickering wildly like a flashlight in the hands of an excited child. From beyond it, Usoko could just make out some vague shapes but they were so gaseous and fleeting that she did not bother trying to get a good look.

"Is that it?" She asked, her voice echoing strangely in the oddly shaped chamber.

"Aye," answered Sarah, a fair bit of reverence in her tone, "It may not look like much, but that there's th' Veil. In t'ree hours it'll be all but gone fer just a brief second, and Spirits'll be able t'come through. Tis a rare sight for the living t'witness, indeed. Now, we need t'be ready. N'nami?"

"Thank you Sarah. Alright let's go over all of this once more. As Usoko said, our best bet is to combine our powers. As soon as Abigail enters, Sarah will hit her with a gale force wind to knock her to the ground. Then, Hyoka and I will combine our powers to turn the stone walls and floor into frozen mud to keep her stuck in place. Meanwhile Emiko, Usoko, Rei, the three of you will use your abilities to completely pummel and annihilate her. I'm not one for killing, but she's already made it clear she has no compunctions about doing the same. Are we ready?"

Though each girl had differing levels of confidence in the plan, it was the best they had right now. Even if it did not outright kill Abigail, such an onslaught of raw energy would certainly prevent her from working whatever magics she needed to destroy the Veil.

"Even if it meant sacrificing our own lives in the process," thought Nonami grimly, "Six girls against the fate of the world, it's a no brainer..."

The first hour went by, and not a peep. The girls were getting restless, especially Rei, but each one of them was a professional by now and was able to keep her position despite it. It was just after the second hour had passed, and Usoko was starting to wonder if they had gotten it wrong, that sounds of conflict and battle could be heard faintly from outside.

Elisabeth and Iris were stood out front of the of the cave on either side of the entrance, senses keened and on alert, while Midori lurked in the trees nearby. Misato had brought out a camouflage blanket and put it over herself as she camped out atop the hill with her sniper rife locked in near the entrance. While ideally their goal was to delay Abigail, they were still very much going to try and bring her down themselves regardless.
It was Elisabeth, her powerful dhampir eyes able to pierce through the dark easily, that first saw Abigail approaching. She was adorned in a sheer black shawl which covered her body though not obscuring the rather lascivious red outfit she wore below. It was something that made even the fashionably daring Elisabeth blush a bit from how little the crimson straps covered.