Infinite Journey: Dark Souls

That's why I'm sad. The once intense emotions have all turned as calm as water after I've seen things clearly.

"The one you're holding is indeed 'Madoka Kaname'! Only she is 'human'."

"So I didn't return empty-handed from this journey; at least I held her as a 'human being' in my arms."

Whether as a "human" part or a part of the "Law of Cycles," as long as Homura's plan cannot escape this world by taking the Soul Gem along with her body, it can be considered a failure. Although she had considered simply stuffing Madoka into the shield and taking her away, the blackness that appeared in the flames at that moment was painful for her to even look at.

To confirm who she had hugged was only to make up for the regret of this trip home. She finally understood why Denise had no smile on her face when she returned to the World of Fire. The world was not a backdrop set up for her. Whether she was there or not, the world would still turn as usual.

However, as long as she remains as ashes, she will always have the chance to return to her own world. Since the definition of her own world is "the world in which she exists," she should be able to find a small circle that still needs her to save it.

Wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, a deep purple flame flared up, and she abruptly withdrew her longsword.

It wasn't a stab, but a whipping motion. It seemed that Witch Homura understood a lot from Homura's action. The corners of her mouth continued to turn up, and her mocking smile had reached an exaggerated level.

Zhi was somewhat pleased with Xiaoyan's actions, but compared to the terrifyingly hot thing she had seen at the witch Yan before, she could only sigh with mixed feelings.

Whether one is open-minded or unwilling to let go, it's impossible to say which decision is correct.

"You're admitting defeat?"

The witch's lips were constantly pursed, making it seem as if she couldn't make a sound, but her voice, exactly like Xiaoyan's, still echoed in the ears of the three of them.

The old projector finally gave the cameraman a shot, revealing that the person talking to QB was none other than the witch Homura herself. However, she was now dressed in black mourning clothes, and with her eyes adorned with red dots and lines, she looked so ominous.

In the corner of the camera, a small white beast is being chased by children from the fake street, its head being cut off again and again, and then being hit like a baseball. It then jumps out from the corner again and again, continuing its fate of being teased by the naughty children.

"That's right, I failed this time. I don't have the ability to bring Xiaoyuan back to my side now, but of course I won't give up... because I still have other opportunities."

"There are other opportunities? Is that your reason for giving up? That's fine, but I don't have any chances anymore. But I'm glad about that, because only because of this can I surpass you in the feelings I've been nurturing in my heart."

"Hey! This isn't the time to talk about this, is it? Homura Akemi, stop turning into a witch! If we all work together to break Kyubey's 'Interference Barrier Field,' then Madoka can truly come to save you!"

The atmosphere between the two Homura Akemis was very strange. Sayaka had a bad feeling as she listened, so she quickly interrupted their conversation and revealed her purpose, hoping that the truth she held could bring things back on track.

"It's too late. What she hoped for was not salvation."

A fourth voice broke in, and it was Zhi who spoke. Her magic eyes allowed her to see more. As a complete outsider, she saw things more clearly than anyone else who was deeply involved.

The witch in the old projector glanced at Orihime with surprise, then spoke to Homura in a teasing tone.

"No wonder she became your companion. I don't know if you're lucky or unlucky."

Xiao Yan silently sheathed her longsword into her shield, without uttering a single word.

"What kind of riddle are you two playing?"

The ominous premonition grew stronger, and Sayaka couldn't help but try to grab the old projector, but just as she got close, a large black knitting needle was pressed against her throat.

The witch, still standing there with a mocking smile, used a sudden attack to stop Sayaka from getting closer.

"I think it's unfortunate that you met her, which is why you are so weak and powerless right now. You missed the chance to obtain our greatest power, and I will use this power to keep Xiaoyuan in front of you!"

The projector's image abruptly stopped as the familiar shook wildly. The flaming airship finally crashed to the ground, its flames illuminating the entire Mitakihara district. The illusory city crumbled within it, ruins and rubble covering the high-rises and skyscrapers. The Cocoon House in the center of the sky was so conspicuous, its tomb-like shell also peeling away, something more terrifying than the witch was hatching within it.

The projector could no longer withstand the mischievous child's abuse and turned into broken gears scattered all over the ground. The familiar that was pointing a knitting needle at Sayaka tore off its master's shell, revealing her gothic skirt and the veil on her head.

【You pathetic, useless lord, your foolish soul is the glory of us all】

Mami, who had been knocked unconscious by the weaver, woke up and was dumbfounded when she saw the shattered city.

Kyoko and Nagisa Momoe walked through the burning ruins and came to them as well.

More familiars followed behind.

Those arrogant fools are unforgivable. This affection belongs only to us.

Prepare the box; I want to lock that radiance away forever.

If it's taken into the sky, even a rabbit's head can't be cut off.

Let's hold a beautiful funeral like the ones in the stories someday. A pretty girl, a cute animal—let's bury many things together.

This abyss is our stage.

Arrogant, gloomy, deceitful, cold-blooded, willful, sharp-tongued, dull-witted, jealous, lazy, vain, cowardly, foolish, perverse, stubborn.

Including those who were absent, a total of 15 children from the fake street gathered in front of them.

Their duty is to wail and pretend to be tearful costumed dolls to make the funeral more noisy.

With different outfits, different hairstyles, and different body types, they had been playing around everyone until now, when they finally made their grand entrance.

Their blue eyes were surrounded by black lines, and their upturned mouths were exactly like their owner's.

They blocked the path to the House of Cocoons, bowed to the girls before them, and then, like ceremonial spears, raised black knitting needles high and struck the ground repeatedly in rhythm with the collapse of the city.

【Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! 】

With synchronized shouts and rhythmic banging, the witch overturned her own funeral, hastily set up a solemn stage, and the mourning dolls were forced to become the masters of ceremonies, beginning a clumsy ceremony.

Despite it being a grand ceremony, the innocent voices of children uttered blasphemous words. The witch's army emerged from the crumbling tomb, echoing the honor guard at the front, and marched in perfect unison toward their nemesis.

The noisy venue did not welcome any guests. The guests who were turned away were still staring in disbelief at the seemingly familiar emcee.

The witch's barrier began to activate, while the main characters of the ceremony strolled through a magnificent sea of ​​flowers.

The white grass slowly withers, while the red spider lilies bloom gently.

Flower language: I only miss you.

PS: Yunxi: 744486102 is begging for votes by rolling around and acting cute!

Fate: Thirty Gods and Demons

"Don't worry, I definitely won't abandon my friends and go far away alone."

The white grass slowly withers, while the red spider lilies bloom gently.

"Because that's me. How could I possibly bear to see you, Xiaoyan, make such a sad person cry?"

The deity, who was not a god, smiled and turned her head to the side. Against the backdrop of the sea of ​​flowers, her smile remained as gentle as ever.

"Yes, Homura, Sayaka, Mami-senpai, Kyoko, Dad, Mom, Tatsuya, Hitomi, and my classmates, I don't want to be separated from anyone."

Her smile reflected in the sea of ​​flowers, but the sea of ​​flowers did not greet her with her smile.

"If there really was no other way, I wouldn't have had that kind of courage."

Flower language: I only miss you; these words express the heart of a devil.

"Indeed, back then, no matter what means I used, I should have stopped you..."

"But it's not too late now. You are the real Madoka. Now that you've come to my barrier, I won't let you go."

"Little Flame?"

A witch who was unwilling to be just a witch embraced a girl who was not a god.

They held on tightly.

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QB's experiment went awry again. At this moment, the Soul Gem, which was sealed in the "Interference Obscuring Field," turned into a color even more terrifying than the "Curse." Brilliant and ominous cracks, like failed ribbons, surrounded the gem and extended outwards.

Countless small white beasts were watching the anomaly unfold. They tried to reinforce the experimental device to prevent the Soul Gem from going berserk, but unexpectedly, the ominous crack suddenly turned and wrapped itself around the body of Akemi Homura lying beneath the device.

The girl opened her eyes, which were filled with an inexplicable color. She drew the black longbow she held to her chest, and an ominous color gathered on it, forming a colorful arrow.

The arrow was shot out, triggering a dark rain of arrows in the sky above the experimental field.

The emotionless incubators, like white inflatable dolls, burst under the rain of arrows.

The empty shell stood up and walked to the experimental device. Now no one could stop her from opening the device. At that moment, her burning passion would permeate the "reason" of this world!

————————————————————————————————————————

【Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! 】

The blasphemous ceremony had begun, and the sky above the barrier was tinged with an ominous hue. The priests were alarmed to find that their connection with the gods was beginning to break, and the memories and power of the gods that they were carrying were being suppressed and restricted in this sky.

Sayaka finally understood what Homura had said in the projector: what she wanted was not redemption, but to completely preserve "Madoka Kaname"!

The determination behind this terrified her, but the priests absolutely disagreed.

"She actually wants to claim a portion of the Law of Cycles, the redemptive power that magical girls hope for!"

In fact, Xiaoyuan should have realized this when she was captured by Yan. But who could have imagined that even a god could be dragged down from the divine realm?

Perhaps they could no longer be called human.

Sayaka and Nagisa Momoe have lost their helpers, and the familiars of the witches that they could originally summon from the Law of Cycles are now no longer in contact with them.

"Now we have no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it, right?"

With half a potato fry still dangling from her mouth, Anzu asked Sayaka with a complicated expression.

"Sorry, although the guys we're fighting are the same as before, our plan is different from the original one. Our goal is no longer to save Homura Akemi, but to stop her from leaving Madoka behind!"

"You really are... never mind, just call anyway, right?"

Kyoko's momentary disappointment escaped Sayaka's notice. The priest was currently only annoyed about how to win back his goddess and did not notice the deeper thoughts swirling in his friend's mind.

Bai Jiangzhu pointed at her fingers, her eyes darting around, explaining the current situation to Mami under her watchful gaze.

【Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! Gott ist tot! 】

This is the worst festival ever. Unwelcome guests try every means to interfere, each with their own agendas. Chaos, helplessness, and confusion fill the air. The chaotic scene within the barrier is a reflection of their inner state. When even the gods are preoccupied with their own problems, the priests can only do their best to maintain order.

They finally launched an attack on the House of Cocoons. Giant golden magic bullets cleared the way, and dazzling bubbles cleared the path. After scattering the guards surging out of the venue, the advancing blue and red were blocked by a fake street child dressed as an emcee.

Sabers, spears, and 14 large knitting needles clashed, and the familiars transformed into a black cage, darting up and down, stabbing the magical girl inside with needle after needle.

Blue and red stood back to back, their tacit cooperation tinged with an unspoken silence.

The mermaid witch revealed her enormous body and played mournful music amidst the waves.

The cage made of dolls was broken, and two magical girls and two priests embarked on the road to the House of Cocoons.

The ominous cracks indicate that the world within this Soul Gem will transform into something even more ominous as the vessel crumbles.

The Ashes were left out in the cold. They were always the intruders in this play. After messing up the script, they never got a chance to officially perform. Like a bonfire placed in the center of the stage, they could only watch helplessly as the actors sang and danced around them. No matter how brilliant the sparks they produced, they could never truly integrate into their circle.

Now that the stage is about to collapse, no one will come to extinguish the bonfire. Even if they have the ability to burn the collapsed stage to ashes, at least the ruins will remain after the stage collapses. Who would want all of this to turn to ashes in the flames?

The actors always longed for the stage; as long as a simple shed was erected in the ruins, they could sing and dance on it again.