Three Spheres

Chapter 107 - Prison

The desire for revenge extends from one hemisphere to the other. In the North Sea, the once grand and unbeatable fort now merges with the mountain's silhouette, filled with snow. The sadness and nostalgia of an abandoned building fits the polar desert view well. The sea is serene, and reflects the high sunlight.

Sitting on the rooftop are the Paragon, Yomi En, and the Kawauso, Sayuri. Both stare into the distance through spyglasses. The wind makes Yomi's necklace wave and her pendants, a horseshoe and a paw, tinkle.

After the death of two Unit members, the others decided to use their dispensations to find and defeat the Witch named "Ayla". Even Weimin, the slacker Xiezhi, decided to help in his own way: He took on the bureaucratic responsibilities of the Ecclesia, ensuring that the Unit wouldn't be dismantled for the time being. Yoon, the Bulgae dog, however, was removed from that forsaken place, as his services were no longer necessary.

A column of green smoke suddenly appears in the distant sky, ripping through the monotony.

_ The twins found something! _ Sayuri exclaims.

Without delay, the two head towards the flare, believing that, this time, that damned one will show up. For better and for worse, they are absolutely right:

_ M-Miss.... Ayyyy....laa... _ The wind whispers _ T-The...y...y... are... he-re... s-shall w...e... return.... t-tooo... the... c-cas-tleee....

_ They are coming for me; they want to avenge the Centaur and the Yeti. _ Ayla replies, scratching herself. _ That Paragon is trying to lure me with sea creatures' parts. It's an opportunity for us to get more material... Even with Edisia dead, my Mother can still create Golens.

She stands up and, stretching her fingers like scissors, cuts translucent strands in midair. A portal forms in front of her. The ghost disappears as she says:

_ These people are problematic... They know about the Doppelgänger and about me... I cannot allow them to interfere any longer in my Mother's plans; specially that Paragon.

She takes a step forward and arrives in an instant on a long ice shore that penetrates the ocean. She lands on the ground and stares at the pair of Dokkaebis with her green eyes. They shoot into the sky with a flare. "I'll just wait and they will come", Ayla thinks, walking slowly across the cold ground.

The minutes pass quickly until Yomi and Sayuri reach the others. The twins explain that nothing has happened so far, as if the Witch was waiting for them. Yomi advances towards the enemy, with her knuckles in hand; she howls:

_ Witch! I challenge you for a fight! Just you and me!

Ayla's expression doesn't change. Her gray dollface mimics an emotionless mask. Her response is accompanied by a sharp movement:

_ No.

She pulls one of the red threads she has sewed in her skin, and, from the tear that opens, a squall of ghosts and biting winds erupts. The rancor of the imprisoned spirits is scary, but the group of giant monster slayers doesn't hesitate. The twins draw their pairs of huge broad-bladed swords and their goblin faces grow even more grotesque. Sayuri looks around and suddenly exclaims:

_ T-The ground!!!

Ayla raises her eyebrows discreetly, almost impressed that the Kawauso saw through her trap. Lifting one of her fingers, she reveals a thick red thread that wraps around her entire arm, forming a weft on the floor that mimics a crochet towel. Slowly, the edges of the net close, isolating the opponents inside. Yomi looks at Sayuri who understands the voiceless order with an affirmative gesture. She pulls a bamboo flute out of her pocket, twirls it between her "fingers", and then blows as hard as her little breath can handle. Nothing happens. Ayla rejoices in their failure.