Chrono X Angel, Book 8: The Sands of Time

Chapter 3

In Another Time and Place...

The sky that day was clear, not a cloud for miles, and yet what remained of Fumizaki Japan was a darkened, twisted landscape of demolished buildings scattered like children's toy blocks. Though the sun shone brightly, it was as if a blanket of shadows had been cast across what remained of the once-prosperous city. At the center of it all, in what remained of the Ayanami Industries building, stood Ahrimanes in his full power. Enormous at nearly thirty feet tall, and covered from head to toe in armored scales that looked like they had been carved from obsidian, the saurian beast beheld the last two remaining obstacles in his mission of global conquest: Usoko Tachibana and Kanata Ishimura. The fight that had been going on for the past two hours had gradually worn down the last of Fumizaki's protectors. First Nonami, then Sarah. Though Rei and Emiko managed to stay in the fray for much longer, even they too fell in time. Now, with only two foes left, Ahrimanes was allowing himself a moment to gloat before he finished the job.

"I must commend you, Usoko," he rumbled gleefully, "You have become far stronger than I could have ever hoped. It's almost a tragedy that it must end this way. I know, if you surrender now, you may continue to live as my pet."

"Fat chance scale-brain!!" Sneered Kanata with undisguised hatred in her eyes and voice, "We're gonna kill you for what you did!! To my family!! To Usoko's sister!! For everyone you killed today!!!"

"She's right!!" Declared Usoko, taking an offensive stance with her bat, "This isn't even close to being over!! We'll stop you if it's the last thing we do!!"

Ahrimanes let out a hearty guffaw.

"You will die trying."

His arms, which ended in bus-sized shredder claws, vanished instantly, and both remaining magical girls braced. This was his signature killing move, and it had nearly worked on Rei already if she had not have been so hardy. It had also temporarily dispersed Sarah's essence across the battlefield when he manifested his claw inside of the Banshee and torn her to pieces. She was not dead, but it would take a while for her to coalesce back into her prior shape. If Ahrimanes expected either girl to be scared or shocked by this, he would have been disappointed. Instead they looked almost triumphant as they linked hands, thrust their weapons to the sky, and shouted as one.

"TOGETHER!!"

From the unconscious forms of their friends came streams of colored energy as their magical girl forms faded back to their regular clothing. Those streams flowed into Usoko and Kanata, whose hands remained tightly linked, and a barrier of crystal formed around them just in the nick of time. Ahrimanes' claws came slashing from the sides at lightning speeds, only to collide with the impenetrable crystalline wall and be sent flying back in equal yet opposite directions. The great demon roared in fury and charged at the girls even as his arms reattached themselves. He readied a blow containing enough strength to level mountains, only for it to be caught in a human-sized hand. Where before stood two magical girls, now stood only one. Wearing white and gold armor, with pink-raven hair that billowed from within the half-enclosed helmet she wore. From behind that helmet, two reddish-purple eyes stared long into Ahrimanes' soul. In her left hand was a golden baseball bat, converted into a cannon-like weapon that affixed itself to her arm. In her right, a broadsword engraved with Kanata's family seal along the blade.

Usokana was about to kick it up.

In a flash, the merged girl vanished, only to reappear seconds later fifteen feet behind Ahrimanes. She held the sword aloft, her supreme strength more than capable of wielding such a weapon one-handed.

"CRASHING DESTROYER!!!!!" She roared, bringing the blade down upon her foe. Despite seeming to be of only average size, as it descended the blade grew more and more massive. By the time it struck Ahrimanes it was long enough to cleave him from shoulder to flank, his left arm falling off in the process. As well, several nearby high rises slid from their positions and crashed to ground in a mighty roar.