- I am sure of what I am saying! I promise!

No answer was heard. The silence was immortal, her voice reached no one.

- I... I wish... I want us to meet!

Alone, fear and loneliness on her face. No ears could hear her, the wind itself wasn’t in such a place.

- We... Please...

Bibi slowly opened her eyes. There was not much light in the room and her back was resting comfortably against a mattress. She raised her body and looked around, touching her head. Bibi didn't feel perfect, but she wasn't worried: she knew her limits. What mattered to her now was where she was. She did not get up from the mattress and used her eyes to recognize the place. She was in a modest room, quite dark with a dim bulb that lit up as best as it could. The bed she was resting on was not in good condition, but it still stood on its four legs. A light wood wardrobe with peeling paint stood before her, albeit with difficulty. The walls were black rock and the ceiling showed signs of age. She was alone in this room and closed her eyes to remember exactly what had happened. After defeating a powerful Longer, Bibha had asked to kill them... However, another woman had come to save them. Bibi shuddered just seeing her in her mind...

- She was... She can't be human, with an aura like that... Can she?

Bibi couldn't see the whole fight, because fatigue had caught her in her arms. She touched her own body and checked if everything was okay. She didn't notice any injuries and sighed with relief before opening her eyes again.

- But did she manage to save us... or was I kidnapped?

She didn't know her current situation. If Bibha had been serious in her words and the woman who had come to rescue them had lost, then she should have been killed. However, she was still alive: she was sure of it. She got up from the bed and walked to the metal door. It was rusting and the handle had been used a few too many times for its own good. She stepped out of her room without a moment's hesitation and looked around at the landscape around her.

It was just a long hallway.

Nothing was special and Bibi could see other similar doors all along this hallway. Everything was quite dark and some of the light bulbs were no longer working. Traces of mold and cobwebs decorated the landscape. Bibi slowly closed the door behind her, still on guard. She felt no fear, but being cautious was necessary for her. Bibi had no idea where she was, but she planned to find out soon. She walked along the walls without making a sound. She walked toward the back door, wondering if it was the way out.

- I have to find Na, too...

She hoped he was okay. Without any Power, he had no way to protect himself or have a stronger body. She would have liked to protect him in a better way, but her body had refused to listen to her... She had used a lot of energy, when she had transformed. However, it had been her only solution to beat such a Longer. Fortunately he had not tried to eat Na...

- Oh, awake?

Bibi turned around suddenly, making her weapon appear in her hand. Her eyes were wide open, but when she saw the woman's form, she blinked. She laughed and stroked her dark blue hair violently.

- Did I scare you?! Sorry, sorry!

It was the woman who had saved them. Bibi took her hand away from her head and clutched her weapon, staring at her.

- Where is Na?

She asked her question aggressively. Bibi didn't know this woman's real intentions, so she preferred to remain suspicious. The person in armor did not answer and turned on her heels, making her long black hair fly. She walked in the opposite direction of Bibi and finally raised her arm, a sign for her to follow. The girl put her weapon behind her back, wanting to keep it by her side, and started walking in turn. She still had her eyes squinted as she stared at her.

- I didn't even feel it...

Her Aura seemed less "violent" this time, but she didn't have complete confidence in it. She knew humans and Kemonos who could take on the Gods with ease, but something was wrong with her... It wasn't that she was too powerful, but something else... Bibi couldn't put her finger on it and sighed: she had to concentrate on her goal first. She caught up with the woman and they came to a metal door that was a little better than the others, although it was also rusty. The woman opened it and let Bibi go first. She passed without saying anything and her gaze fell on the seated man.

- Na!

He blinked and smiled back.

- B-Bibi, you're awake!

The weapon on her back disappeared and she jumped on Na who fell from his chair screaming. The woman looked at them with shock. She closed the door and laughed as she sat down.

- Ahahah, you two are funny!!!" she said.

Bibi apologized and helped Na up. She sat down on the mattress of the bed and the man put back the chair that had fallen in its place. He sat down beside her and rubbed his clothes. Bibi looked at him.

- Nothing broken?" she asked.

He shook his head and wanted to speak, but the woman spoke first.

- You didn't have any major injuries, but let's just say the end of my fight... was a little too violent.

She removed the piece of helmet from her skull and placed it on a dirty old table in front of her. Her other eye was also inflamed. She stared at the two young people in front of her.

- I must admit I didn't expect such an ending... I didn't manage to kill that woman, but never mind...

- What woman?" asked Bibi.

- The one who wanted to kill you. I beat her easily, but their... Mistress interfered at the last moment. Like a hero who saves the day at the last moment, when the villain was going to win... Nonsense.

The woman put her legs on the table and crossed her arms.

- I wasn't going to lose, but I wasn't going to win either if I had to fight. I caught you quickly and here you are.

- Where exactly are we?" asked Bibi, curious.

- You're in the ancient ruins of the Great Sanctuary.

It wasn't the woman who answered, but another female voice. Less deep, younger. A hand pushed open the door and the figure appeared.

- I was the one who showed her this place a few months ago.

It was a young girl with hair the same color as the woman, but shorter. Her eyes were dark purple and empty of life, like the look on her face. She did not smile or show any emotion. Around her waist was a black skirt and an old-fashioned uniform on her body. She rested her back against the wall, one foot raised and the other holding her up. She crossed her arms, imitating the woman, which made the latter smile.

- Eeeh, I thought you'd already left, Annie.

The girl shook her head. She stared at the two they had rescued, still showing no emotion on her face.

- I wanted to see the two fools who wanted to join us first... she said.

Na opened her mouth, surprised.

- O-Oh, is that you... Well, are you the one who healed us?

Annie nodded.

- You weren't hurt badly, but the woman's fight here sent you far away... It was easy to heal you, with my Power.

Na wanted to thank her, but Bibi intervened.

- What was that about "US" joining?

They looked each other in the eyes with intensity. The woman in armor grabbed a juice box and offered one to Na, who shyly accepted. Annie finally sighed.

- That's right. I'm part of the Great Sanctuary, unlike her.

She pointed at the woman who nodded. Bibi gave Na a sharp look, wondering how he would react. However, he was just sipping his juice and watching her, questioning her with his eyes. Bibi blinked and looked at them.

- ... Did you change it?

The woman smiled broadly.

- He's been awake for two hours now. He was all stressed out, but it looks like he managed to calm down, ahah!

Bibi looked at Na again who lowered her head weakly.

- I... I've changed...? he asked.

Bibi gave a weak smile and shook her head.

- No, I don't think so... Sorry, I'm stressed.

- Don't worry, I have no reason to want to hurt you.

It was Annie who spoke. She touched the knot on her uniform as she stared at the red-eyed girl.

- You beat a level 6 Longer by yourself and Bibha is the one who didn't respect what she said... But it's not the first time, unfortunately.

- Really?" Na was surprised.

- She doesn't want to have new recruits and offers them either tests that are too complex or tests that are too simple to make them leave. Sometimes she kills them or asks Naim to do it.

- Why is that?" asked Bibi.

- She wants to protect our "paradise" and has a funny way of judging others. Sometimes she accepts people into the Grand Sanctuary, but I don't know her way of thinking. She has an illogical logic, I would say.

Bibi touched her chin and squinted. While she was thinking, the woman in armor threw her juice box at her, startling her. She giggled and Annie sighed.

- Anyway, I was just coming to see how you were doing.

She was about to leave when Na opened her mouth again.

- A-A!

Annie stopped and looked at him. Na blushed weakly and touched her hands.

- ... T-Thank you for taking care of us.

She stared at him for a long time before nodding without saying anything. Annie opened the door, but stopped again. Without turning around, she said:

- If you want to join us at this point, I suggest you go to the science tower of the Great Sanctuary. Her name is Tarka.

And with that, she left. Bibi wanted to call her name, but the woman yawned loudly. She scratched her cheek and looked at them, amused.

- Who are you really?" she asked.

- And who are you?

Bibi still didn't trust her. The woman, still with her feet on the table, pointed with her thumb.

- My name is Kill, nice to meet you!

- Kill...

- My name is Na.

- ... Bibi.

The woman observed them with a smile while touching her chin.

- Bibi and Na, eeeh... I see! I see!

She took her feet off the table and moved forward in her chair, staring at them with great intensity.

- But it doesn't answer me.

Na gasped and Bibi put a hand on her chest, sensing aggression from her. Kill scratched her hair.

- You guys are so weird...

- Why?" asked Bibi, curious.

- I don't know. Are you a couple?

Bibi blushed as she opened her eyes, but shook her head quickly.

- We don't... We don't really know each other. Just today...

- Yesterday, actually.

Bibi questioned her with his eyes.

- Well, you've been unconscious for over sixteen hours.

- ... Ah.

She took her hand away from Na's chest and scratched her hair.

- I see... she said.

- So Na and Bibi, you've known each other for not even a day... You want to join the Grand Sanctuary, this guy is without Power and you I thought you were a Goddess for a moment.

She crossed her arms.

- You're really strange," Kill said.

- This is our business. We have our reason.

Bibi didn't like the woman's tone. But she had so many questions to ask.

- May I ask what your relationship is to this Sanctuary?

Kill grabbed the finished juice box from Na and threw it in the trash behind her before answering.

- I don't care about them, I just know Annie who was nice enough to heal me when I was really bad. However, I saw their bullshit... I have no reason to kill them, but I admit I got carried away.

- ... I see...

- I don't care about their basic business, but there, I felt a Longer shaking the earth and then you fighting like crazy. I had to see that, ahah!

- And you saved us because you... Why, again?" asked Na, wanting to join the conversation.

Kill clenched her fists and released them, cracked her shoulder and closed one eye.

- Because like I said, they're getting rid of people who want to join their shitty cult. Annie told me about it, since that woman took over, it's getting worse and worse. Anyway, I didn't bother to check and find out that this was your case too. You should leave it alone.

- I can't.

Kill turned to Na.

- Is that so? Why not?

Na was about to speak when he closed his mouth and turned to Bibi. The latter hesitated on what to say, but she ended up speaking herself.

- So-

- No, she didn't.

Kill cut her off directly. She pointed at the man while staring at Bibi.

- I want to hear the answer from HIM.

Bibi looked at her with angry eyes, but Kill didn't care. Na began to stress: what should he say? Was he allowed to tell the truth...? Bibi sighed.

- Don't lie to her, Na. Whatever, she said.

Kill watched and judged them. She was interested in their relationship now... However, she didn't have time to waste on such nonsense. Na turned to her.

- I was teleported here with Bibi and to get home, we have to pass a test... And the test would be to be part of the Grand Sanctuary.

Kill raised her eyebrows in surprise.

- A test...?

- ... I don't know much about it, Bibi told me.

The woman looked at the girl. Bibi nodded.

- It's the truth.

- ...

Kill did not speak. She watched them both before standing up without warning. She picked up her piece of helmet and grabbed it before telling them:

- I'm going to take my shower. Do what you want, but I'm not helping you more than that.

- We never asked for help anyway," Bibi replied.

Kill smiled and left without saying anything, leaving Na and Bibi alone. There was silence between them, but eventually the man asked her how she was feeling and they started a conversation.

- Hmmm...

Kill was getting ready for the shower. She looked at herself in the mirror and watched her own eyes flare. She thought about the two she had picked up and what they had said. She had no intention of interfering in their affairs, but she did notice that her hands were shaking. Not from fear, but from some other feeling. She smiled, showing her beautiful white teeth to herself.

- Angels fall from heaven when the end is near, don't they, Father?