Zeta

Chapter 15 The Ripper

     Hestia V quietly entered Hestia's Memorial, hugging a bouquet of white roses to her chest as Spirit Dust danced along the walls of the mausoleum.
     "Hey, little sis. . . It's been a while." The Goddess' daughter gently set the roses down on the pedestal before the portrait of Elizabeth Zeta. The teenager ran a hand through the right side of her hair, the curly side. "I don't really want to linger, I just wanted to stop by and say hi, Liz." The girl turned heel, beginning to walk away.
Then, she stopped. The miniature version of the goddess glanced over her shoulder and smiled.
     "I can't always keep an eye on the twins for ya, can't really be everywhere at once. . ." Hestia chuckled, her honey-yellow eyes glistening with tears. "So. . . When I can't look out for 'em. . . Could you do it for me, Elizabeth?"

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     "Hang in there, Neo. . ." The voice of a young girl whispered to the pinkette. The Crystal Rose wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to keep up the struggle. The pain was already overwhelming, but her body was becoming numb. . .
     "I can't feel my fingers. . . I can't feel anything." Neo thought, her eyes beginning to shut before she forced them open. "No. . .! Stay awake! You can do this, Neo! You can do this. . .!" The pain hit her twice as hard for her foolish stubbornness, and she let out a cry of agony. . .
     "Please, just hold on, Neo. . .!"

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     The barren chamber within the catacombs of the Oceanic Sea Resort was occupied by two.
     One was Neo Rose, the Crystal Rose trapped within the infinite void located beyond the shattered glass gateway encased by a ring of violet crystals.
     The other was Cain, the scarred man dimly lit by the flickering lights and the faint glow of the portal. A scowl placed itself on his face, his visible right, black iris teeming with impatience.
     "What's taking this thing so long? The ritual's never taken this long before!" He exclaimed, angrily whipping one his chains at the wall and fracturing it. "No, no. . . This is good. It just means more essence for our Lord. . ." Cain breathed slowly, a grin spreading across his lips as his jade hair seemingly flared. Under normal circumstances, whoever was placed inside the gateway died in seconds.
     Neo. . . had resided beyond the glass for over an hour.
     "I can't wait to hear you scream just like the rest. . ." The madman donned a wicked grin, the 'X' brand over his spine burning bright. . . Yet, that light dimmed the moment his operation was put in jeopardy. The ground beneath him shook as the bang of metal echoed through the catacombs. A second bang sounded as Cain faced the doorway, a dent embedded within the blast door. . .
     A third bang sent pieces of the metal flying out of place, the killer's chains churning as he prepared himself. A fourth nearly blew the door off its hinges, shaking the room as the madman's long and smooth jade hair beginning to wildly flare while he channeled pitch black Spirit Dust around himself. A fifth and final blow broke the entrance down. . .
Cain's black iris met the maroon and masked eyes of Ruby Andromeda and Adam Blaze. The armor pieces hugging the maroonette's abdomen and legs glistened as orange Spirit Dust radiated off her body, materializing into two outlines of herself!
     "Celestial Clone, Star Power!" Ruby chanted, her clones flinging the metal door into the air as her companion raised a single hand, crimson Soul Dust flowing to his palm!
     "DarkSoul Demon Flash!" The red blast of dark energy rushed out of his palm and hit the blast door, pushing it towards the madman in the blink of an eye! Cain raised an arm, the door bending around it upon collision while he remained unmoving!
     "You dare to-" the ceiling collapsed, rubble falling as the jade-haired killer threw the metal rectangle aside and gripped his chains! The flaps of cloth filled his ear as the dust cleared, Jason Rose cleaving his light blue longsword onto Cain! The man at the helm of the various murders and kidnappings occurring in the East over the last decade intercepted the blade with his chains, the metal grinding together and releasing countless sparks as the LightSoul Demon Slayer pushed down with all his might!
     "Ruby!" Dawn yelled, the jadette's eyes glancing to the two redheads, spotting the girl sprinting towards him! With a pulse of Spirit Dust, Cain pushed Jason away, the young man crashing into a wall while the madman aimed a hand at the maroonette, his chain extending forth and stabbing through her. . .! Suddenly, she dispersed into silver Spirit Dust, the man's eyes widening in shock! In that moment, Jason and Adam pounced, flashing into place behind the killer and kicking him away, the real Ruby dashing to Neo Rose. . .
     "Keep that guy off me! I'll get Neo out!" She exclaimed, the boys nodding and making eye contact with another.
     "It pains me to have to work with you, Dawn." Adam scowled, grasping the hilt of his katana and drawing it from his sheets.
     "I'm not enjoying anymore than you are, Dusk." Jason shut his eyes, raising his longsword and aiming it at their opponent. "But something tells me this guy won't be someone we can take out alone."
     The lights of the catacombs went out, the only light coming from the blue and red auras of the Shining Dawn and the Shining Dusk. . . When Cain arose from the ground, and caught a glimpse of Ruby Andromeda standing before the gateway. . . rage filled his being. . .!
     "DON'T INTERFERE-!" Pitch Black Spirit Dust exploded out of Cain, the madman soaring across the room fully intent on stopping Ruby from freeing Neo! He was completely stopped in his tracks, fists plunging into his gut and propelling him back! Jason and Adam stood side by side, eyes burning with rage of their own!
     "As if we'd let you passed us!"