Somewhere deep within the darkest parts of Tartarus, Alice led Hanako down a rickety wooden stairwell that shook with every step they took. They walked in an awkward silence since neither of them had spoken to each other before. Hanako used to be the strongest and now she was powerless, it weighed heavily on her mind. How could she be so easily fooled by Agatha’s schemes? Alice abruptly came to a halt, she held her arm out to stop Hanako from moving any further. Hanako shot her glare, but then realized they were not alone. The sound of two beings walking towards them made Alice groan loudly. Hanako rolled her eyes as they waited for whomever ascended the stairwell. Alice raised her hand to protect them from these beings.
"Why did Wani have to leave?" Alice whispered in annoyance as the figures neared.
Hanako scowled at her, "Because her Majesty called for her to return." She spat in an annoyed tone.
Alice snapped her fingers before the two could grow any nearer than they already were. Time froze all around them, they moved forward in silence. Agatha and an unknown man were frozen on the steps as Alice and Hanako walked past. Hanako rolled her eyes in annoyance while Alice continued to lead her down the stairwell. She felt Agatha's eyes follow her despite in their frozen state, it sent chills down her spine. Hanako shuddered in disgust as they reached the bottom. In front of them stood an old door with rusted hinges and no handle. Alice gestured for Hanako to open the door. She hesitantly pressed her hands against the cool wood. After Hanako lightly pushed on the door, it slowly creaked open. The door slammed shut behind Hanako, she turned around with eyes as wide as saucers. Alice began to slam her fists against the door in a poor attempt to open the door. Slowly, the stone surrounding the door began to merge with the wood. Golden flames appeared in a row to guide Hanako towards the Earth’s core. She walked across a never ending stretch of black, murky, water as if it were in a solid form. The Golden flames stopped at another door with ancient Greek inscriptions written horizontally and vertically across. The door stood alone in the middle of the space. Hanako ran her fingers against the writings as it absorbed the Golden flames until every letter had been ignited. The door slowly creaked open, it revealed nothing, but the other side of the empty space. Hanako scowled at the emptiness in annoyance.
Hanako.
Hanako blinked when she noticed a pair of white eyes staring back at her, she whipped around to find a blank face inches away from hers. It tilted to the side before circling around her.
Hanako.
"Who are you?" Hanako questioned loudly.
Do you not recognize me?
Hanako scowled at the face, "No."
It is I, the Earth.
"Then you must know why I am here then?" Hanako stated.
Of course, you are no longer corrupted, so you have come to grovel for some "measly" powers.
Hanako hummed, "So will you return my powers to me, if I grovel?" She questioned, tilting her head back.
The face leaned forward.
No, you are unworthy.
Hanako scowled at the face as it moved backwards, "I am more worthy than that man you gifted with insurmountable abilities." She scoffed.
You failed like the rest of them, thus making you unworthy like them.
Hanako reached out to touch the face, her fingers grazed it. A patch of violet slowly swallowed the white face.
What did you do to me?
"The Gods gave me love while you gave me power, I am simply using my love to put you in your place. You are mine and only mine, I will crush those who dare defy my love." Hanako sneered as the water turned clear and a white light lit up the entire room.
The white face completely turned violet as it let out an ear piercing scream, which shook the entirety of the emptiness. The face shattered before falling into the water piece by piece. Hanako watched it disappear into the depths of the murky water. She snapped her fingers, summoning the door from before.
You are a fool to believe that being's words.
"You are the fool to have fallen for my lies. I merely followed her advice." Hanako smirked before opening the door where Alice remained with a stoic expression.
"Have you come to terms with the Earth?" Alice sighed.
"No, but my love will prevail." Hanako chimed with a bright smile.
"Are you an idiot?" Alice grumbled to herself while eyeing her strangely.
"I beg your pardon." Hanako scoffed as she scowled at the brunette.
"Clearly, you are. You were to grovel so the Earth would forgive you." Alice snapped, she pointed a crooked finger at Hanako.
"Amaris told me to prove the Earth of my capabilities and I did, so shut your mouth." Hanako smacked her finger out of her face with a glare.
"Amaris knows nothing of the Earth, neither does Iria. You are an idiot who has succumbed to their deceptions." Alice seethed.
"Explain yourself, Tempus child." Hanako ordered.
"My Father forbids me to say anything to you, you will learn for yourself what a monster Amaris truly is." Alice told her with a disgusted expression.
Hanako rolled her eyes, "Do not forget, your Father, is also the main reason for the formation of the Abandoned realm. He has no say in the fate of the Earth, nor I." She spat with a menacing expression.
Alice scoffed, "Do not speak ill of my father again, or I will personally see to it that your fate turns to dust." She sneered while making a dramatic hand gesture.
The door began to shake with rage behind them instantly silencing their bickering, it shattered like a piece of glass. Water from the space inside, where the Earth's physical form resided, leaked out and immediately rose to their knees. Alice scowled at Hanako, who looked down at the water instead of her. The broken violet face slowly floated to the top of the water. Alice reached for Hanako, but before she could save her, the water engulfed Hanako in the shape of an animal-like creature with six legs. Alice heard her father's voice telling her to stop from the Time realm, which left Hanako to save herself. She scratched at her throat as the water begun to strangle her.
"Father, please." Alice shouted while looking up at the opening of Tartarus.
No.
"This is not her fate!" Alice yelled.
She changed her fate, so she must perish.
"Just this once, allow me to help her! Father, I have already given up my Normal life! What more must I do?" Alice cried while Hanako began to lose her battle.
You have done enough, she is unworthy of a time user's assistance. Do not defy me.
Alice scowled as guilt consumed her, "Father, I—"
The water's body froze in the blink of an with Hanako still inside. Alice noticed a black figure falling from the opening of Tartarus. She jumped out of the way as Laura came crashing down. Laura had completely changed, her right side of her body was a black, shadowy, mass while the left side was covered in light, blue, scales. Both sides had wings and talons that touched the ground. Laura tilted her head to the side as Alice stared at her in a terrified silence. Why were they changing their fates? How could they do this? Were they unaware of their affects this would cause? Laura glanced at Hanako before lifting her right index finger, she pulled her out of the frozen body of water. She carried her in her arms bridal style.
"Laura, what did you do?" Alice whispered as she slowly stood up.
Laura shot her a glare, "Do not speak to me, Tempus child."
"Laura, you do not understand. I am forbidden from helping you lot, my father—" Alice squeaked when Laura narrowed her eyes out of rage.
"After I save Hanako, I will kill every last Time being in and out of the Time realm. So be prepared to meet you and your father's death." Laura venomously spat before flying upwards.
Alice blinked in disbelief, how did she not notice they were changing? What would happen to her if she were to fail? She quickly disappeared before Laura could find Arlo in the Normal realm.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
