SoulEater: Nightmare ch.10

Corneille descended upon the city, with her claws outstretched she toppled one of the taller buildings as if it were a stack of blocks. She perched on the ruined stump of metal and mortar, throwing her pointed head skyward and filling the air with a piercing cry.

Kid peered out of the window in another room, watching every crow in the city flock to their mistress. He quickly left the window and returned to the conference room where everyone was packing their supplies and equipment as fast as they could.

“She’s going to tear the city apart.” He said, entering the room.

“Now that she knows we’re here she won’t leave until she has us.” Eruka said, packing up a number of books in one of the bags Black Star and Free had brought back.

The sound of wings made everyone fall silent. They dropped low to the ground as a thousand claws raked against the windows across the library. The storm of crows lasted for several seconds before it began to fade and then disappeared. Without wasting a second the group went back to their work.

“It won’t be easy to escape the city like this.” Mifune said.

“Splitting up won’t make a difference at this point.” Stein added. “We’ll have to stick together if we want to survive.”

“But where do we go?” Tsubaki asked.

“Even if we get out of the city what’s stopping Corneille from just following us?” Kid added.

“We can use the sewers.” Kleine said. “My comrades said they were going to use the water treatment facility to sneak out of the city.”

“So we leave through the sewers.” Maka said. “Then where? Where are we supposed to go?”

“To Corneille’s tomb.” All eyes went to Eruka who stood at the end of the table with one of her books in hand. “According to this the foremothers and Death entombed Corneille’s remains within the depths of a prison witches use to house their most dangerous criminals,” She looked to Free, “The Witch Prison.”

“Of all places,” Free growled, “It has to be the prison I was held in for two hundred years.”

“I highly doubt the guards of this prison will be too eager to let us in.” Kid said.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Kleine said.

Eruka packed her book away. “We don’t have many options and if we want to learn anything about Corneille then the prison is likely our best option.”

“So how far away is this prison?” Black Star asked.

“Far.” Eruka replied, “It’ll take us days to get there by foot and it’s not like it’s a regular stop for a cab.”

Another explosion ripped through the city quickly followed by another ear splitting cry.

“We can discuss this once we’ve lost our troublesome friend out there.” Stein said. He looked to Kleine and Thane, “It’s safe to say that you two will be taking the lead again,” He said, “We’re counting on you.”

* * * *

It was as if Oasis had become a war zone; rubble filled the streets and some buildings sat split open while murders of crows swarmed through the air like black clouds. The group of escapees moved slowly through the side streets and alleys, doing everything they could to stay out of sight and so far it had worked. Corneille continued to rampage across the city and the group’s only blessing was that they were moving away from her.

They came to a stop as the alley opened up to a main street. Just as when they had first entered the city Kleine peered around the corners, scanning each direction as a murder passed over head.

“We’re not far now.” She said. “Once we cross this street it will be a straight shot to the facility.” She looked back at her comrades. “Read?”

They had to be ready, they didn’t have time to stand around second guessing. Kleine tucked Thane under her arm and with a deep breath she bolted out of cover with everyone following close behind. Stein looked up the street and over the abandoned car only to see nothing but his gut told him otherwise and as they neared the middle of the street a shrill cry filled the air.

A murder of crows surged into the sky from behind or under the abandoned cars, flowing like a black river overhead. The group stopped where they stood, dropping low as the swarm of crows filled the air and as they watched a number of black forms dropped out of the sky, crashing into cars and petrified citizens alike. As they rose the group of would-be escapees found themselves surrounded by the mutant dire crows, the grotesque creatures screeched and scraped at the ground with their bone-like claws.

The escapees stood in a circle, watching their enemies grow in number before their eyes. “Somehow I knew,” Free said, “I knew this would happen.”

“Well, good for you.” Black Star retorted.

“We can’t fight them all here.” Kid said.

Stein looked to the alley they were bound for only to see more dire crows crawling out of it. “We’ve been cut off from our escape route.” He said.

“Then we stick to the main road!” Kleine shouted. She spun her weapon around her shoulder, drawing it back with the blade pointed toward the ground. “Maka!”

The academy meister caught on and jumped, turning in mid air to land on the extended weapon’s shaft. No sooner had Maka landed Kleine planted her shoulder against the weapon and tossed her into the air and as Maka took flight she brought Soul around her back as she descended onto the nearest dire crow, cleaving the creature’s wing from it’s body. She reversed her grip and brought the curved blade back up into the mutant’s chest, using it as an anchor to vault over the enemy.

Kleine carried her swing through and threw herself into a spin as she lifted herself off the ground. “Follow me!” She shouted.

With Thane leading, Kleine dropped between a pair of dire crows, spinning her weapon over her shoulders and waist in a flurry of attacks that cut limbs from her enemies with surgical precision. Before the creatures fell to the ground Kleine pushed herself up onto her toes and threw herself into a pirouette over another enemy as it swung at her, dodging the attack with ease and falling back to her feet, taking off into a dash and passing Maka and Soul.

The rest of the group followed suite, using the opening the pair of scythe meisters had given them. Stein dropped low and he blocked a wild swing, raising his hand up, crackling with electricity and striking the mutant with explosive force that sent it flying as if it were a rag doll.

Free was not far behind and as a dire crow got in his way he extended his one arm and uttering his incantation the werewolf took on his true form. With a quick swipe Free took out the crow’s legs with razor sharp claws, lashing out with a deft kick as another closed in on him, smashing it’s skull with the iron ball around his ankle.

Black Star passed the werewolf with Tsubaki in her chain scythe form, slicing away at any enemy within arms reach. Another mutant jumped into his path, lashing out at him with a wild swing. Black Star planted his right foot and turned, letting the blow barely miss him as he planted his back against the mutant’s own and, swinging his legs out, threw himself over it while letting the blade of one of his weapons dig into the crow’s neck as he went. He touched down again at a dead run as the creature fell to the ground.

Eruka followed Kid as he ran, lashing out with one whip-like kick after another as he carried his single pistol without firing. Eruka looked over her shoulder as a murder of crows descended from one of the rooftops and arcing towards them. Quickly reciting her incantation Eruka turned as she ran, throwing handfuls of black spheres into the air that turned into floating, grinning tadpoles. As the murder descended upon them the hovering familiars exploded one after another, filling the air with fire and smoke.

Mifune ran across the rooftops of the cars, easily keeping up Black Star as he went. The swordsman, threw himself into a front flip as a number of black claws reached up after him, digging into the metal where he once was. Mifune brought his sword down upon another dire crow as he landed, splitting the mutant in half as if it were paper before jumping away as more of the creatures descended upon him.

The group made their way up the street, running and fighting as they went, making sure they never stayed still long enough to get themselves hopelessly surrounded. Kleine led the group, cutting a path for them as she ran with Maka only steps behind her. The two meisters looked as if they were extensions of one another, attacking and defending each other, using the movements of the other to their advantage. It was if they had fought together for years.

Stein, Black Star, Mifune, Kid, Free and Eruka followed the scythe meisters’ lead, defending the person closest to them while simultaneously attacking any crow that got too close. But one of them began to trail behind.

Free looked over his shoulder as Eruka became encircled by crows, having fallen behind she unwittingly gave their enemies enough space to close in on her. The werewolf ground to a halt, turning on his clawed toes and dashing back towards her, ripping through the crows with vicious lethality.

He grabbed one of the mutants by the head and with a great heave, hurled it into the others closing in on the witch. “Go!” He yelled to her. “Move!”

Eruka sprinted passed him, tossing another tadpole bomb over her shoulder that blew away a chunk of the encroaching horde as Free turned to follow her. Eruka could see the path ahead shrinking as more and more dire crows converged upon them, the rest of their group unaware of their plight.

As they ran Free saw a crow jump onto a car beside Eruka, it’s long arm reaching out towards her back. Free summoned every ounce of his strength to push himself forward, putting himself between the mutant and his comrade he bore the pain as it’s claws dug into his shoulder. He ground his teeth as he brought his arm around, carving deep gashes into the creature’s torso without even stopping.

Once again, the same as the time he had lost his arm, he felt the skin around the wound grow numb as petrification began to set in. He saw the rest of their number turning down and alley way and a desperate plan formed in his mind. He reached out and grabbed Eruka, tossing the surprised witch onto his shoulder and dashing forward at an unreal speed, ignoring the lashes from the other crows as he ran passed them.

Turning down the alley he saw Kid hanging back, waiting for them as the rest continued on. “Hey, reaper!” Free yelled before tossing Eruka at the son of Death.

Kid managed to catch Eruka without falling, although the surprise from the act staggered him slightly. “What are you-” Kid began.

“Just go!” Free interrupted, turning back to the entrance and the crows that followed them. “I’ve got this!”

Kid set Eruka back down on her feet. “You can’t be serious!” She shouted. “That’s-” It was then she noticed the stone that had already claimed his legs and even more that grew across his back.

“Hey, boy reaper,” Free began, “You better take that over sized crow down, you hear?”

Kid paused a second as Free recited his incantation and the air around them grew cold. “That was my intent from the start.” He replied, grabbing Eruka’s arm and pulling her into a dead run after the others.

Free grinned viciously. He threw his arm out as he finished his incantation and the crows were mere inches from him. “Freeze, you bastards!”

With a loud crack like thunder several spires of ice erupted from the ground around him encasing the crows, the alley and himself in ice. Eruka heard the spell but she didn’t turn as she ran, Kid’s hand still clamped down around her wrist. She gripped the strap of her bag harder as she put more effort into keeping up with the young reaper.

* * * *

Kid and Eruka managed to catch up with the rest of the group after following glimpses them around several snaking turns. They had come to a stop to catch their breath and when Kid and Eruka joined them it was all the witch could do to stay standing as her lungs burned.

Maka approached them. “Where’s Free?” She asked, even though she feared what the answer was.

Kid looked to Eruka who stood leaning against a near wall. The witch didn’t answer, she reached up and pulled her hat down over her eyes.

Kid inhaled. “He won’t be meeting up with us, I’m afraid.” He said.

A solemn moment passed over the group, the impact from losing another person was a heavy blow at a time like this and even though Maka feared the answer she was not prepared for it.

“We need to go.” Eruka said, leaving the wall but still holding her hat down over her eyes, her voice shaking slightly. “Free bought us some time but we can’t stay here like this.”

“She’s right,” Mifune agreed, “We need to keep moving.” He looked to Kleine. “How much farther?”

Kleine looked down the alley they stood in. “We’re already in the warehouse district.” She began. “Continue down this way and we’ll come to another road, we’ll follow that north and we’ll be at the facility’s front door in no time.”

“Then let’s go.” Mifune urged, “I’ll take the front.”

Mifune turned and took off down the alley again with Maka and Kleine following close behind. Eruka pulled her hat back up as Black Star fell in behind the other meisters leaving her alone with Kid and Stein. With a nod to no one in particular the witch fell into line behind the blue haired assassin with Kid and Stein following.

Just as Kleine had said the alley was a straight path with only a few diverging paths and it wasn’t long before Mifune saw the street ahead.

“Don’t stop!” He shouted back to them. “Make for the building no matter what!”

The sounds of crows could be heard above them and that only pushed them to run even faster, Free had indeed bought them time but it wouldn’t be long before they would have to face down another onslaught like the last one. They had already been discovered, there was no need for stealth at this point.

The alley ended and opened up into another road just as Kleine had said, Mifune was a good distance ahead of Maka and the others. He left the alley and stepped into the road, he looked to the north, the direction they were bound for but saw nothing but blackness. It was then he realized he looked at the form of Corneille herself, descending upon him with wings open and claws outstretched.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as he turned, raising his sword in an inevitable defense and looking back to the alley and the group that was following him. Maka’s eyes met his, oblivious to what was about to transpire. She heard him shout something to her but she couldn’t make out what it was. She was mere feet from the road as Corneille descended and in a flurry of black feathers and dust that lasted only a few seconds, Mifune was gone.

Maka’s eyes widened and her legs grew heavy as the dust settled, only several large gashes cut into the concrete itself remained where Mifune had once stood. Her grip on Soul loosened and he could feel something within her snap. Her run became a stagger as her eyes lingered on the now empty expanse before her.

Someone else was gone now.

Kleine grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back deeper into the alley as a murder of crows arced around the road, bound for them. The group turned back around and began to run as Eruka created a web of tadpole bombs that exploded as the crows drew too close. Through the black smoke the group sprinted back down the alley towards one of the diverging paths, Kleine still holding onto Maka.

“Maka! Hey! Maka!” Soul shouted at her from her grip. “Pull yourself together! Run!” But his words didn’t seem to reach her, he saw an emptiness spreading through her.

They ran, zig zagging through the alleys until Black Star found an open door. He held it open as the others dashed inside the building beyond and quickly closed it as he ducked inside. He bolted the door’s lock and his breath caught in his chest as he heard the crows pass by outside but as the sounds of wings and harsh cries faded he allowed himself to breathe once again.

He stood there a moment as the reality of what had just happened sunk in. “Damn,” he said through clenched teeth, “Damn!”

“Black Star, please be quiet.” Tsubaki urged. “They may still be out there.”

“But-” He started to speak but stopped.

He turned to the others, they stood in a long hallway now. Maka sank to hear knees once Kleine released her, Soul falling from her hand to the floor. Stein leaned against the wall by the door and Eruka sat not too far from him while Kid crouched against the wall just opposite them.

Soul reverted to his human form, kneeling by Maka’s side. “Hey,” He said to her, “What’s gotten into you?” He asked.

Maka looked down at the floor. “What’s gotten into me?” She asked. “I just watched someone die.” The remark made Soul flinch and it hung over the others like a weight. “Mifune was right there in front of me,” she continued, “But I couldn’t do anything to help him.”

“Nobody could have done anything.” Kleine said as Thane shifted to his human form beside her. “There wasn’t anything you could do.”

“Yes there was!”

Maka’s voice was strained, grabbing the attention of the others.

“I could have done something! He was right there!”

Soul put his hands on her shoulders. “Maka, calm down.” He said. “You can’t blame yourself for this. Right now we have to focus on getting out of here alive then we-”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” She interrupted him. “You don’t even care, do you?”

“What?” Soul asked.

“You’re all just going to sacrifice Mifune for your own benefit aren’t you?” Maka pushed Soul’s hands off her shoulders and stood. “And you’re going to do the same to me.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Soul stood as well. “We wouldn’t do that, not to you or anyone else.”

“But you will!” Maka shouted. “You’re just waiting for the chance to throw me to the crows, to use my death as a distraction so you can escape on your own.”

She looked up at him, Soul, Kleine and Thane all saw what was wrong and the sight made Soul’s eyes widen. Maka’s eyes were completely black.

“You’ll let me die just as you all let Free and Mifune die.” She said and a wicked grin came to her face as she reached out towards Soul’s throat. “But not if I have anything to do with it.”

Soul felt Thane grab him and pull him out of the way as Kleine stepped in and slammed her palm against Maka’s chest forcing her soul wavelength into her body like an electrical shock.

Maka whipped backwards from the impact, bouncing off the wall behind her and falling forward. Thane released Soul as he stepped towards his partner, catching her and easing her to the ground. Maka coughed heavily for several moments, her eyes clamped shut and streams of black liquid rolling down her cheeks.

“The miasma again.” Stein said.

“We’re fighting more than Corneille here.” Kid began. “We’re fighting ourselves and each other.”

“That’s what she wants.” Eruka replied. “For our fear to tear us apart.”

Maka’s coughing subsided as Soul helped her sit upright. “What-” she stammered as if in a daze, “What happened?”

“You’re alright now.” Soul reassured her.

“Alright?” She asked as she looked up at him.

Suddenly she remembered what had just happened, it seemed so unreal as if it were a dream, no, a nightmare.

“Soul,” she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t-”

“Don’t worry about that, right now.” He said.

She reached up, placing a hand on his arm. “I’m fine now.” She said with a weak smile. “We have to keep moving.”

“You can’t fight in your condition.” Kleine said, standing over the pair. “I’m not going to lie, I gave you a little more kick than I did Black Star, it’s going to take some time for you to regain your equilibrium.”

“It’s more than that,” Liz said, now standing next to Kid, “That miasma doesn’t just mess with your head, it effects your body too. It took me a long time to recover after Professor Stein cured me.”

“But we can’t stay here.” Eruka added. “We’re so close to escaping.”

“We’re only a block away, actually.” Thane said.

“See?” Maka asked, “If we stay here any longer Corneille is bound to find us.”

Stein left the wall and walked over to her side, she looked up at him as he studied her. “Soul,” he said without looking to him, “Carry her.”

“What?” Maka asked.

“I’ll take up the rear and keep any pursuers off you.” Stein explained. He looked to Soul. “You focus on getting her to the facility.”

Soul looked from Stein to his partner, after a brief pause he nodded. “Alright.”

“I can move just fine-” Maka began to protest as Soul turned his back to her and crouched.

“Just get on.” He said. “We don’t have time to argue.”

Maka hesitated but a hard shove from Kleine, who had at some point circled around behind her, made her stumble towards her partner. Knowing there was no talking them out of it, she lowered herself onto Soul’s back. He looped his arms around her legs and easily stood.

“Kleine,” Stein said, “You and Thane take the lead with Black Star and Tsubaki.” He turned to Kid and Eruka. “Kid, keep the crows off Maka and Soul while Eruka uses her bombs to give us some cover.”

“The water treatment facility is an old building.” Kleine explained. “It was in need of repair before so there’s no telling what kind of condition it’s in now. But the sewer pipes were built to last, once we get down in there we’ll be safe.”

“We’ll be counting on you.” Stein said to her and the freelancer nodded in response. Stein looked over the faces of those gathered before him, fear was easy to see in their eyes but in this situation he couldn’t blame them. “Let’s go.”

* * * *

The group exited the same way they came, taking to the alleys once again. Soul ran with Maka on his back, following Kleine and Black Star as they wove their way ever close to their goal.

“Soul,” Maka spoke softly enough that only Soul could hear him. “I’m sorry.”

“You still going on about that?” He asked her, rounding a corner.

“Not about earlier, well maybe a little about earlier but about being so distant.” Her arms tightened around him as he ran. “I was scared.” She said. “I’ve been having these nightmares ever since Venice about you turning on me and I let it get to me. I now know it was Corneille’s magic that was doing it to me but still, I’m sorry.”

Soul stopped behind Black Star as Kleine peered around a corner leading out onto a main street, they were still back far enough that neither of them could hear him.

“I’m scared too.” He said and the blunt statement caught Maka off guard. “To tell you the truth I’m freaking out so bad right now. But you know what? I know we’ll be fine so long as we’re together. So long as we work like a team I know we’ll be fine.” He looked at Thane in Kleine’s grasp, remembering the conversation they had. “I knew you were scared too but I didn’t know how to talk to you.” He watched as Kleine turned and nodded to them, she then dashed out into the street, Black Star following. “We can be scared together,” he said, “You don’t have to be scared by yourself.”

With that he dashed out into the street after the others. Maka couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her lips.

“Thanks, Soul.”

An explosion ripped through the air and Maka looked over her shoulder to see a murder of crows closing in on them but luckily more of Eruka’s bombs stood in their way. When she turned back around she saw a large yet broken building at the end of the street that she assumed was their destination, she also saw an army of dire crows emerging onto the streets.

Their enemies were nowhere near as close to them as before and only a few managed to get close enough to merit a counter attack from either Black Star or Kleine. More explosions echoed through the streets accompanied by the cries of the crows as the group reached the front steps of the facility.

The front doors were crumbled and barely hanging on by the hinges, with a deft kick Kleine knocked one of them away, standing aside with Black Star as Soul and Kid dashed in. With a nod from Kleine, Black Star entered the building as well while Kleine stood guard as Eruka and Stein drew closer.

But as Eruka reached the first steps a different explosion pierced the sky and a gust of wind almost took her off her feet. She hesitantly turned to see Corneille herself in the street several hundred feet behind her, wings wide open and her red eyes staring down at her. Stein stepped between the two witches, giving Eruka a hard push towards the door.

“Go!” He shouted to her and she took off, climbing up the stairs in as few steps as possible and entering the building. But Stein did not follow.

“Professor Stein!” Kleine shouted to him. “What’re you doing? Get out of there!” She quickly noticed a dire crow lunging at her and was able to beat it away with a few quick blows.

Corneille’s head lunged toward the patchwork professor, her hooked beak eager to impale him. Stein struck out with an open palm, stopping the colossal bird with the sheer strength of his wavelength alone. He managed to hold the great bird at bay but it was taking all he had.

“Get out of here!” He shouted to Kleine. “Make sure everyone makes it out safe!”

Kleine knocked away another dire crow. “Not without you!”

With a great heave, Stein was able to push Corneille back. “I can buy you time!” He shouted. “She could bring the whole building down on you!” He drew back one of his hands, his fingers crackling with electricity,  as Corneille lunged at him again and struck the giant crow in the side of the head.

The opening was enough for him to throw himself backwards, jumping up the stairs to the door and Kleine. He turned to face the oncoming crows as well as Corneille herself. He stepped between them and Kleine, looking over his shoulder at her, his glasses cracked and broken.

“Go.” He said again, removing his glasses and tossing them aside. “Put an end to this nightmare.”

Kleine ground her teeth as her grip on Thane tightened, the thought of leaving another person behind was almost unbearable. With an aggravated scream she turned around and disappeared into the building. Stein watched her go with a smirk on his face.

“Well then.” He turned back to see the crows climbing up the stairs and Corneille herself approaching him. An insane smile spread out on his face. “What I wouldn’t give to dissect you, Crow Witch!”

Corneille drew her head back, her neck bulging and expanding. Stein knew what was coming and there was no escaping it from this distance. He stood there, facing down the face of fear itself as she opened her beak and unleashed a torrent of crows like a font of black water.

* * * *

Black Star found the exit to the sewers before the others, dashing ahead with a cheer as he saw the waning daylight beyond. Maka was now walking on her own with Soul by her side, Kid, Liz and Eruka ahead of them and Kleine and Thane at the rear. Kleine had told them what became of Stein and it obviously ate at her but Stein had placed his faith in them, like he had done once before.

The group exited the sewers from a large pipe that emptied into a canyon somewhere not too far from Oasis but still plenty far from Corneille and her crows.

“Can we get to that prison from here?” Kid asked as Eruka pulled out a map from her bag.

She pulled out a compass as she spread the map out on the hard and sandy ground. “We can.” She replied. “We can follow this chasm to a river and from there follow the river. But it’s still a long way.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Black Star said, walking passed them with Tsubaki right behind him. “We’re going there and then we’re going to beat the crap out of that crow hag.”

“We don’t even know if there will be any clues at her tomb.” Eruka protested. “We don’t even know if they’ll let us into the prison.”

“We’ll figure something out.” Maka said, walking over to her. “We’ll have to.”

“Maka’s right.” Kleine replied. “This is no longer a fight we can afford to lose.”

Kid nodded and even Liz looked fired up. Eruka looked at each of them in turn and just shook her head.

“I should know this about you guys by now.” She said. “I have faced off against you once before. I know how determined you are.” She folded up the map and stood.

With the daylight giving away to night the group found themselves walking towards an uncertain destination and an uncertain fate. This was not a defeat, they told themselves, this was just the beginning.