Epic of Caterpillar

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Scarlet's body was in agony. Her entire being had suddenly changed. The little girl, even after being years since her birth, was not aware of her true powers, and even less of her "true purpose", the purpose that these beings far from her reach had placed into her. She wasn't a little girl to them; she was but a tool for their use.

She felt lost, her true consciousness trapped inside an endless sea of darkness, with pulsating veins of blood everywhere. Her little soul wandering endlessly across this darkness, crying, calling for help. But nobody ever came. The pain only became stronger, the agony…

Why?

Why did she had to go through all of this?

"Mama…"

Kireina came to her vision, as she tried to fight against the ever-growing dizziness she felt. Kireina's love, her smile, her warm hugs, the kisses she gave to her forehead, and all the yummy food she always cooked to her. Kireina was brave and was always fighting to protect everyone. Scarlet knew that, and she had to always do her best and wait for her mama to come back from her fights.

And then Nesiphae, her strong personality, her eyes full of confidence and strength, her long tail that always coiled around her and kept her warm. Her big hands that grabbed her and protected her, and also her lullabies, which she sang with her beautiful voice, recalling the ones her grandmother sang to her mom once. Her cooking and her clothes were also things Scarlet treasured, even more the set of armor made from her scales.

And lastly Nixephine, a rather proud and fancy mother, but lovable, nonetheless. She often loved buying her clothes, giving her accessories, and always enjoyed seeing her little Scarlet wearing the fanciest of clothes. She talked with her whenever Rose wanted someone to talk without them spilling their secrets. Nixephine was her confidant, someone she knew would never spill her secrets. And someone that she always trusted too. The golden necklace she often worn was gifted to her by Nixephine.

"Mommies…"

She wanted to be with them, with all three of them. To be hugged and loved like always. She hated this war, and all the bad people always getting in the way for her peaceful life. She wanted things to change but felt powerless all the time.

And now, she was even more powerless, the darkness drawing closer. She felt like it was slowly consuming her, and who she was. Whatever spell they used on her, she was now becoming a tool, and losing her sense of self.

What she was, and the memories she had slowly would fade away. And this dizziness she felt was her own soul and mind slowly disappearing.

"Mama… Where are you? Help me…"

As the child called for her mother, the only thing that greeted her despair was the endless darkness. Which continued expanding towards her, coiling around her very soul and mind, and threatening to destroy her entirely.

"Stop… No more… Please… I don't want to lose these memories…! Stop… please… PLEASE STOP!"

As she screamed, Kireina confronted her daughter. The gigantic centipede and snake hybrid glared at her with rabid fury. The Outer Gods controlling her were swiftly distracted by the gigantic fusion of Kireina's family and friends, whose halberd of divine blood and trident of azure seas dealt tremendous damage to them.

"Scarlet, hang in there! Mama is here!"

Kireina rushed towards her, the titanic crimson centipede-snake monstrosity roared furiously, clacking its gigantic mandibles and rushing towards her. The monster's entire body overflowing with a malefic and demonic aura. The fragments of the Gate of Abyss boosting her power and transforming her into her "true form", a form that Scarlet didn't even knew she could take.

"ROOOAARR!"

The ferocious beast devoured space itself as she moved. The powerful Crimson Aura covering her body capable of absorbing everything and swiftly digest it. She was a living calamity, not even Kireina knew her daughter held so much potential.

"Scarlet!"

CRAAASH!!

Kireina felt the powerful bite of Scarlet as she clashed against her with her titanic mandibles. Kireina used her six arms to resist the devouring aura with her own. Both devouring forces cancelling one another. Kireina knew that if she let Scarlet attack anybody else, they would quickly perish before her might.

"Scarlet, wake up! Dear, please!"

"RAAAAAHH! GRAAAH!"

However, Scarlet was not listening, her countless legs attacked Kireina, slashing across her armor and tearing it apart. Kireina constantly regenerated back, but she was clearly not wanting to hurt her daughter. She focused on the powers of her Mind, swiftly imbuing them with Cosmic Essence, all while she constantly took her hits.

Scarlet swiftly started coiling around Kireina's body, beginning to devour her body slowly, Kireina felt she was beginning to disappear! The power of the Abyss Gate Fragments boosted her power to completely unprecedented levels. And above all, Kireina's unwillingness to harm her daughter made it possible for her to get this far.

"Scarlet… W-Wake up! Scarlet!"

She focused, as a beam of pink light pierced the centipede and snake-like head, an explosion of pink light spread across the rest of her body. Kireina employed the power of her Psychic, Illusion, Mind, and Dream Magic all at once.

Scarlet, who was slowly being consumed by the darkness, suddenly saw a bright light, and heard someone calling for her. The girl's crimson eyes looked up, drowning in the darkness, she tried to rise a hand into the black skies.

"Scarlet!"

"Ma… ma…"

The darkness consumed her face, her eyes, and only her tiny hand remained, slowly sinking into the void. But Kireina stretched her powers, as her own arm emerged within this mindscape, rushing towards Scarlet and grabbing her, lifting her up with all her strength.

"I won't let you sink; mama will always be there for you!"

SPLASH!

Scarlet's entire body fell into Kireina's arms, as her mother carried her like her little princess.

"Mama…?! It's you! Mom!"

Amidst tears, she hugged her mother, as Kireina kissed her forehead and rubbed her nose with hers.

"I'm sorry for being so late."

FLAAASH!

The darkness disappeared, and Scarlet regained control over her body, finding herself still transformed into a gigantic calamity. The wormhole immediately lost its stability, beginning to slowly fragment and fall apart.

And as if things couldn't get worse, thousands of Outer Gods were flying towards them!

"Scarlet! Get ready, we'll have to break through this!"

"Okay mama!"