Valkyrie Smash

Chapter 290 Dimensional collapse.

"This… this can't be!" Nino said as she watched the distant Dimensional Rifts, her whole body shaking with horror. "We… had time… I was sure of it!"

Just like how the Aether from the human Souls served as bait to draw the Nephilim world's Primordial in, the Key itself became a beacon. The high concentration of the fifth element removed the need for the Ritual, an unintended consequence of creating such high grade Artifact which leads to its presence being detected by ancient entities from other plains and dimensions.

The barrier halting inter-dimensional travel was one of the solutions meant to prevent the worst case scenario. Even with it removed as soon as the Ritual ended, a few hours should've passed before the first Dimensional Rift appeared giving the Valkyries and Nephilim enough time to isolate the Key and escape to the other world, but once again Fate has decided to change its course throwing the plans of those who dared to peek at its Tapestry into complete chaos.

[NINO!]

The Japanese doll was shaken out of her daze by the Doctor's voice drawing her attention back to reality. Realizing that the schedule moving forward doesn't change what she has to do, she quickly turned to the palace and teleported close to the pillar of light created by the Bifrost.

"Doctor! Please he-"

Before she could finish her request Sam took her sister's motionless body and laid it down inside a glass pod. Nino didn't understand what was happening at first, but after observing the strange greenish liquid quickly fill the pod she realized that he had made preparations as if he foresaw everything.

"This doesn't look good…" he said with a grimace. "The wound is still spreading. Her regeneration won't make it in time…"

Nino's blood stained hands fell to her side and her face grew pale. She wanted to say something but all she could do was stare at her elder sister, light gradually fading from her eyes.

"Nino!"

Once again she found herself being yanked back to reality alerting her to the fact that she had once again zoned out in such a critical situation. Her fiance had a pained expression as he gazed at her, planting the worst fear into her mind, but his next words subverted her expectations.

"I'll make sure she survives, you don't have to worry about that." He said, turning his eyes to the sky where a large ship was gradually approaching the palace. "The problem is that we have to block the Fallen until we finish evacuations. We don't have a global scale barrier ready yet so we can't transport the Key as well…"

The Dimensional Rifts, without a doubt, were connected to one of the many Fallen Worlds out there. Just like humans, not all Primordials were created equal. Some were more powerful than others leading to their influence warping the worlds they involved themselves in. They're more proactive in their pursuit of Truth and the Madness they spread creates countless horrors that share their thirst for Aether ensuring that death and destruction would follow them to any dimension they set their eyes on.

"Mimir!" Sam spoke into his communicator. "His long before you get here?"

[Five minutes before we land.] The Nephilim replied. [The problem is transporting the humans.]

"Send word to our forces. Tell them to suppress the fallen until we are done."

[Doctor.] Came Thor's voice. [What should we do about the other invaders?]

Most of the Olympians have been defeated, but some are still on their feet. The situation has changed for them as well, presenting an opening for them to retreat. Sam doubted that they were foolish enough to try and retrieve the Key in this situation, but there was no telling what might happen.

"If they try to escape then let them." Sam replied after a moment of thought. "Our highest priority is the Fallen."

As if to answer his command, a second pillar of light appeared a short distance away from the palace, this one much larger than the one created by the Bifrost. He guessed that some of the Olympians had made it back to their ships and opened a portal to their world.

'Nino said there won't be any reinforcements, but…'

With the key in their hands, Sam doubted that it would be long before Zeus sent someone to retrieve it.

'Now that the Dimensional Rifts have opened we can't just take the Key to our world, unless…'

He glanced at Atropos' motionless body. Her Limited Rift ability could create an isolated space separate from the rest of existence, but it had the same problem as normal barrier in that it couldn't be moved from the spot it was created. Even if that wasn't the case, she wouldn't be able to help them while unconscious, not that she would if she wasn't.

Suddenly, Sam's eyes widened as he realized something.

"The sword!" He exclaimed, turning to the Japanese doll. "Her Artifact, where is it!?"

Nino was stunned for a moment before surprise took over her face.

"I… I didn't notice when she dropped it!" Even now she was still having a difficult time organizing her thoughts. Seeing her sister sustain such a grave injury, Nino was too shocked to think about anything else. "I will go get it now!"

"Be caref-"

Sam didn't get the chance to warn her before she teleported away. As the enemy commander, Sam was sure that many had seen Atropos get shot. With so many eyes on her, he doubted that no one noticed the red blade fall from her hand, which meant there was a high chance that someone had already gone to retrieve it.

Just like Nino's Needle, Atropos' Scissors was an Artifact of insurmountable power. It's capable of cutting through the forces connecting things, but its most defining ability was the power to sever the Threads of Fate, making it a lethal weapon that could kill with a single strike.

Nino teleported to the spot where she and her sister had their last exchange then started looking around. It didn't take long for her to spot the crimson blade and she quickly teleported right beside it, reaching out to grab it with her right hand.

Her mind was still a mess after everything that happened. Her sister was shot in front of her eyes. The arrow came from none other than Artemis so she was sure it was meant for her, but Atropos pushed her away and took the blow in her stead. The apology that followed informed her that her previous hunch was correct, and that Atropos was trying to end her own life.

Atropos was tormented by guilt and regret. Her inability to save her sisters, coupled with the evil she had to inact through her servitude to Zeus, made life unbearable leading to her contemplating suicide. The opportunity showed itself when she heard of Lachesis' reincarnation. It was a long shot, but if the two of them really were one and the same then she would finally be able to achieve some peace at the end.

Nino felt sick. Due to her incomplete memories, the only emotion she experienced when reuniting with Atropos was rage. With her only recollection being her elder sister's betrayal, her mind immediately assumed that she was an enemy, something that should've appeared illogical from the beginning.

Once again Nino found herself tormented by the gap in her memories. Who knew what else she could be missing and how much of an effect that would have on her actions?

As that thought crossed her mind, he suddenly realized that she had yet to grasp the hills of the crimson sword which was planted into the ground in front of her. It appeared as if time had slowed around and in an instant she understood what was happening, teleporting away before the worst came to be. Appearing a few dozen meters away, Nino first saw the miniature black hole that swallowed her arm, grabbing her right shoulder as the pain settled in.

Her eyes moved to its source and she couldn't help gritting her teeth. The question had crossed her mind many times already, but it was only now that she got her answer.

Standing beside the Scissors was a boy with deep dark skin and short curly hair. His eyes contained no light like two pools of boundless darkness. Above his head was a halo showing the variety of Runes incorporated in its formation through the complexity of its shapes.

The boy reached out for the crimson sword and pulled it out without hesitation. His eyes shifted to the Japanese doll but his face remained expressionless.

"Glad to see that you have survived." He said.

"Karim…"