Location: The Stadium

  Time of Day: Morning

  From the darkness, movement stirred. Black spores drifted into view as they spread across the cracked tunnel walls. The group stepped back alongside Dax as the lullaby grew louder.

  Hikari's voice was calm but tense. "Hey... Dax, right?" She glanced over her shoulder, eyes steady.

  Dax flinched slightly, his breath shaky. "Y-Yes..."

  "Listen, Dax," She said gently. "Stay close to me, alright? We'll make sure to keep you safe and get you out of here soon."

  Dax nodded quickly, his voice quivering. "O-Okay... th-thanks, lady."

  Hikari gave a faint smile. "It's Hikari."

  "Oh-s-sorry, Hikari," he stammered, eyes darting nervously toward the dark ahead.

  She nodded once, her tone gentle. "Good."

  Slayer tilted his helmet slightly, muttering, "That lullaby definitely screams 'run away or you're dead' kind of lullaby."

  Lumina gripped the hilt of her katana, her eyes narrowing. "I can feel a heavy presence coming..."

  Captain kept his rifle raised, eyes locked on the shadows ahead. HUMMMMM... The lullaby deepened, echoing through the hollow tunnel like a haunting whisper. Then she stepped into view, emerging from the dark.

  A tall, twisted woman emerged from the tunnel, her bare feet echoing with each step. One side of her body was bone wrapped in torn red cloth - the other, pale flesh veiled beneath layers of black fabric. Crimson hair spilled over half her face, hiding the exposed bone, while the other side revealed lifeless, colorless skin. In her skeletal hand, she held a skull wreathed in black aura, leaving faint trails of corruption wherever it passed. Her red eyes glowed faintly - even the one hidden behind her hair - never blinking as her lullaby grew stronger.

  Hikari's eyes widened, her voice barely a whisper. "So it's you... Bloodspore Siren."

  Slayer shot her a sharp look. "Hikari, what the hell is that creepy-looking lady?"

  Hikari didn't blink, her gaze locked on the Echo. "That's... a Yuila-class type Echo. One class under Zerm, but that doesn't make it any better. She's still hostile... and very dangerous."

  Captain kept his rifle trained on the figure, his voice steady. "Hmph. Sounds like things are about to get ugly again."

  Hikari continued, her tone low but certain. "And if she's here... it explains why everyone vanished without a trace - even the Gravehowlers nearby. And why my drone suddenly collapsed."

  Lumina blinked, her expression hardening. "Must be a powerful Echo then." She unsheathed her katana in one smooth motion SHINK! the blade gleaming as she swung it once. "Guess that means we can't let it roam freely."

  Hikari gave a short nod. "We must be careful with this one."

  The Echo only laughed, her voice echoing from everywhere at once. "Sleep, little Hollow... sleep, little lamb... I'll feed on you while you bleed for me! Ahaha~!"

  Slayer stiffened, his tone half awe, half disbelief. "She... she speaks?!"

  Lumina's eyes narrowed, her voice cool. "An Echo that can communicate, huh? Now that's new..."

  Hikari's voice stayed steady. "Yes, and not just that. She can invade environments with spores and fungal growth. Her spores were the ones responsible for shutting down my drone earlier."

  Lumina tightened her grip on the katana. "So she's the one who wiped out the entire city... all while we were still asleep."

  Slayer gave a dry chuckle beneath his helmet. "And somehow, she missed us."

  The Siren tilted her head, crimson hair sliding aside to reveal the bone beneath her face. Her voice wove through the lullaby, calm and cruel. "I don't want to put you down. No, I want to keep you. All of you... little lights waiting to dim!"

  Slayer grimaced, tone disgusted, reaching over his shield. "Ugh, what an annoying voice she has." He drew his sword with a lazy motion, SHING! pointing the blade at her. "How about I put you to sleep with my favorite lullaby. ...You ugly hag."

  The Siren's smile snapped away. She didn't look amused. "Ugly? Ugly your face will be once I feast on it!" Her voice flared, sharp and hungry.

  "Yeah, yeah, keep talking. Every word makes me want to cut you down even faster." Slayer said playfully.

  UGHH! "I'll show you!" WHOOSH! The Siren hurled the skull toward the team with a low, bestial growl. A black trail carved through the air, heading straight for them.

  "Incoming!" Captain barked, rifle swinging up. BANG! BANG! He fired, but the skull kept coming.

  Slayer moved past him, planting his foot with a heavy step. "I got this one!" he shouted, shield snapping up in front of him. CLANG! Sparks flew as the skull rebounded off the metal, shrieking as it ricocheted back toward the Siren. "The hell?! She can return it to her hand?!" he yelled, eyes wide.

  Hikari's voice cut sharply, Dax still behind her. "Yes! Just don't let it touch you! That skull drags victims into her Feast Dimension - a place of no return and where she devours you later. We need to find a way to get it off her hands and separate them completely!"

  The Siren laughed, a sound that reverberated in their skulls. "Separate? No... never separate. It stays with me... forever!"

  Lumina's eyes sharpened. "Fine! Then I'll just have to take care of that skull before she gets the chance!" FWOOOSH! Her green aura erupted as she entered her Emanation State, blurring forward in a burst of speed. Her katana flashed, leaving a trail of emerald light as it tore across the Siren's torso. SHHHRK! Blood sprayed in a sizzling arc. But the Siren was faster than she looked. Her head snapped toward Lumina, eyes blazing red, and with a sudden snarl she lashed out - blackened claws slicing through the air.

  "Huh?" Lumina twisted, her blade intercepting most of the blow, but not all of it. The claws grazed across her shoulder, SHHK! tearing fabric and skin in a streak of red. She hissed, spinning back as her hand instinctively pressed against the wound. "Tch. Dammit... those claws aren't just for show. She was able to keep up with my speed as well."

  The Siren paused, slowly raising her claw. "Now, let's see how good you taste!" Drops of Lumina's blood ran down her blackened nails. She brought them to her lips, tongue dragging across the red. Her laughter split the air - high and suffocating. "Ahhh... human blood." Her voice trembled with ecstasy. "It tastes so amazing! I must have more of it! Ahaha~!"

  The cut on her torso sealed as she licked her hand clean - the wound knitting shut before their eyes. She stepped forward, smile widening. "Bleed for me, little lambs. Every drop makes me even stronger!"

  Slayer swore, slamming his sword against his shield. CLANG! "You've gotta be kidding me. She heals from blood?!"

  Hikari's eyes narrowed, her voice cold and sharp. "Yes. Apart from that she also becomes stronger with each drop - it's her fuel. That's why we cannot let her wound us."

  Captain's tone hardened, rifle leveled. "How disgusting... Then let's make sure she doesn't close in on us."

  Lumina steadied herself, wiping blood from her shoulder, her gaze burning with resolve. "Hmph. She won't be tasting me twice."

  The Siren's laugh grew louder as she stepped closer. "Get a taste of this!" Then she struck the ground with her skeletal hand, CRACK! and black fungal roots erupted from the concrete that were grotesque, root-like growths of hardened fungus, bristling with jagged red spikes. They twisted as if alive, lashing toward the team and forcing them back.

  "Everyone, move aside!" Captain barked, diving to the left. FWOOOM! Lumina and Slayer split off as the roots shot forward - straight toward Hikari and Dax.

  Hikari spun, Dax still frozen behind her. "Dax let's go!" she shouted, grabbing his hand and pulling him back.

  "O-Okay!" Dax yelped, stumbling after her.

  FWOOOM! The fungal roots swept across the plaza, tearing through debris as they passed. The Siren laughed and stepped forward, black spores spiraling in her wake. "C'mon, little lambs... my body's itching to taste every last drop of your tasty blood!"

  Slayer charged in from the side, blue aura flaring around him. His sword and shield blazed as he barreled forward. "Try feeding on steel!" he roared, slamming his shield straight at her.

  "Slayer, wait-!" Lumina shouted from across the field.

  But the Siren stepped into the blow, skeletal hand gripping the shield's edge. Black mold spread across its surface, the metal hissing as if rotting alive. "What-?!" In an instant, she thrust her claws into his chest. SHNK! Then, with a violent twist of her arm, she hurled Slayer into a nearby structure. BOOM! Stone exploded on impact, dust bursting through the air. Slayer hit the ground hard, his sword skittering across the floor. A dark pool spread beneath him as his vision dimmed... and everything went black.

  "Slayer!" Hikari shouted from a distance, panic breaking through her voice.

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  Lumina reacted instantly, charging toward the Siren. "You won't get away with that!" she cried, her blade and eyes flashing green as she struck.

  Captain followed right behind her, rifle raised. "Hikari! You heal Slayer while Lumina and I keep her busy!"

  "Wait, Captain-!" Hikari called out, but her words were lost beneath the clash of steel and gunfire. BANG! CLANG!

  Nearby, Dax trembled, clutching his head. "No... no, it's happening again! We're all gonna die!"

  "Dax!" Hikari called, kneeling at his side. "You have to stay calm. I promise I won't let her hurt you. Or anyone else."

  "Please... just go," Dax stammered, sinking to the ground. "They need you. I'm just slowing you down..." He lowered his head, voice breaking. "My brother's already dead... so what's the point?"

  Hikari's eyes hardened. "No. I can't just leave you here."

  Dax sat frozen, shaking and unresponsive.

  ("Dammit... what do I do? He's seems to have lost all hope... and if I don't act now, I'll lose Slayer as well. I must think of some way to heal Slayer while still keeping him protected.") Then it hit her - an idea sparked. "Wait, that's it...!"

  Hikari's pink aura flared to life as she shifted into her Emanation State. FWOOOSH! "Now! Take the sky, my drones!" HUMM! WHRR! Three Tech Link Bots shot into motion above her, sparking to life as they formed up in tight formation. Her eyes sharpened as she raised both hands toward them. "Hope this works... Now - Activating Aura–Tech Link... initiate healing protocol!" Threads of pink light spiraled outward from her aura, linking into the drones' cores. HUMM!

  Their glow intensified as they shot toward Slayer's fallen form. PEW! PEW! A soft shimmer enveloped his battered body - waves of restorative energy rippling through him. Hummm... Slayer groaned as the light sealed dents in his armor and closed the deep wound across his chest.

  After a few seconds, he rose to his feet, steadying his breath as he tightened his grip on his sword and shield. His gaze flicked toward the drones buzzing around him - then back to Hikari. "Aw, man... if that was your doing, Hikari - I owe you one!" he called out from across the plaza.

  Hikari smirked faintly despite the tension. "Don't thank me just yet! We still have an Echo to deal with!"

  Meanwhile, Lumina and Captain kept up the assault, each strike aimed at separating the Siren from her skull. Captain's red aura flared, firing bursts of gunfire while Lumina pressed in with relentless strikes, but the Siren forced them back. CRACK! Fungal roots burst from the ground, tearing through the plaza and driving them to retreat.

  The Siren's gaze shifted as she spotted Slayer back on his feet... then turned toward Hikari. Tilting her head, she smiled, her blackened jaws splitting open. "Mending broken toys, are we? How sweet of you!" Her tone darkened, the grin widening. "But what happens if I break someone who's already broken?" Her eyes slid toward Hikari's side - to Dax, trembling on the floor.

  Hikari's eyes widened, drones hovering beside her. "Everyone! Keep the pressure on! She's tring to target Dax!"

  FWOOOM! Slayer burst in from the flank, blue aura blazing around his armor. "Not on my watch!" he shouted, his shield glowing as he slammed into the Siren's side. CLANG! Sparks flew as her claws screeched across the metal.

  Captain moved in next. BRATATAT! Red tracer rounds lit up the plaza, piercing the Siren and forcing her to turn. "Keep her pinned!" he barked, firing another volley.

  "Already on it!" Lumina's voice cut through the chaos. Her green aura flared to life as she surged forward FWISH! FWISH! FWISH! She unleashed a flurry of slashes, each one faster and sharper than the last.

  For a moment, it looked like they had the Siren cornered. But the Siren dissolved into a swirling cloud of black spores SHHHK! evading every strike. She reappeared behind Dax in an instant. No one even noticed she was gone... until her claws tore through the air. SHNK! Black talons pierced into Dax's back - right beside Hikari. For a heartbeat, everything stopped.

  Then-

  "Survive this... Hikari."

  "DAX!!!" Hikari's scream tore through the plaza.

  The Siren lifted the skull in her hand, dark energy swirling around it. With a twisted smile, she pressed it onto him - and in an instant, his body was pulled into the Feast Dimension. FWOOOSH! She licked her claws, streaked with Dax's blood, her grin splitting wider as her wounds closed. "Mmm... not the best, but it made me stronger than before! Ahaha~!"

  Hikari's breath caught, then fury erupted across her face. "You... monster! You'll regret that!" she shouted, her pink aura surging and her voice shaking with rage. BZZZT! FWOOOM! Her drones shot forward, unleashing a barrage of pink energy blasts toward the Siren.

  The Siren twisted aside, laughter echoing as she dodged each shot. "Ahaha~! Not enough little lamb!"

  Captain advanced, red aura searing across his rifle. "Damn you!" he barked, unleashing a barrage of red tracer rounds. Each shot pierced through her but she didnt flinch.

  Lumina and Slayer rushed in next, HAAAH! their combined auras flaring as they tried to push her back. CLANG! FWOOOM! Steel and aura collided against the Siren.

  Hikari's Tech Link Bots kept the pressure on as she surged forward with the team, "Drones - maintain formation and keep up the pressure until she's dead!"

  The battle continued.

  Lumina and Slayer pressed the attack, blades flashing and shields colliding FWISH! CLANG! but the Siren beat back every strike with her black claws. Hikari slid in beside Captain, who kept firing from the rear lines.

  "How you holding up?" Captain asked, his voice tight as he activated Aura Reload.

  Hikari shook her head once, eyes hard. "I just want that thing dead."

  Captain's tone was firm, but there was a trace of concern beneath it. "I see... just don't lose sight of our mission."

  Hikari stepped forward now, aura blazing pink as her drones circled her. "I won't. So let's end this quick."

  Captain nodded. "Right, we must stay focused. Even in desperate times."

  Hikari moved in, aura flaring as her drones spun into formation. "Drones go!" she commanded. BZHHHHMM! Concentrated pink beams shot across the plaza, striking the Siren's skull.

  The Siren's laughter rose, echoing through the hollow air. "Joining in on the fun, I see!" she hissed, her voice twisting into an eerie melody.

  "You're not making it out of this alive!" Hikari snapped, her tone sharp but cold.

  "Heh... I'd love to see you try, Hikari!" the Siren purred, her grin widening.

  "Lumina! Slayer!" Hikari shouted, eyes tracking the drifting spores. "We must take that skull from her!"

  Lumina's blade gleamed as she slashed through the dark haze. "What do you think we've been trying to do this whole time!" she shouted back.

  "She's gotten too strong," Slayer growled, slashing at the Siren as she slipped past his strike. "Her movements are faster now... she's even outpacing Lumina!"

  The Siren's grin deepened. "The skull shall never be yours! Ahaha~!" Then - FWOOOSH! Fungal spores burst outward from the skull, swirling into black clouds that choked the plaza - seeping into armor, skin, and lungs. "Let's see how you handle my spores little lambs!" she hissed, her voice echoing through the smoke.

  "What the hell...?" Slayer coughed, blood staining his lips under his helmet as his aura faded around him. "Ngh damn it... what is this... It's getting hard to breathe..."

  Lumina dropped to her knees, green light dimming around her as blood streaks ran down her side. Each breath came ragged, her hand pressing against her head. "It's draining... my stamina."

  Captain kneeled on the floor, coughing up blood. "No... It can't... end here." He said in a low tone, struggling to stand.

  Even Hikari faltered, her pink aura struggling to push the suffocating haze back. Her drones whirred erratically, their stabilizers whining under the weight of the corruption. "No... her spores are weakening us... we have to move out of it... cough."

  The Siren's claws lashed out with inhuman speed. She raked across Slayer's armor, the impact denting steel and blood sprayed as her strike broke skin beneath. GHHK! Slayer grunted in pain. She drew her hand back, red dripping from her nails as she kicked him away. THUMP! Her laughter rolled across the plaza. "Yes... more! Every drop makes me stronger!"

  Before Lumina could fully react, the Siren blurred in front of her. SHHHK! Black claws tore across her torso, the impact hurling her backward with a sharp cry - her green aura fading away. The Siren licked her claws, red eyes half-lidded in delight as her earlier wounds sealed over with fresh vigor. "Ahhh, the taste of your blood... is so rich in flavor!"

  Though weakened, Captain forced himself to his feet and took aim at the Siren. His red aura surged hot as his rifle spat fire. CRACK! CRACK! "Try to heal them Hikari! I'll hold her here-"

  The Siren only smiled at him, she then raised her skull, its black aura burning like fire. FWOOOSH! She hurled it toward him - the projectile slicing through the air faster than he could react. He was too weak to dodge. The skull slammed into his chest with a sickening THUD!

  "Captain!!!" Hikari screamed, reaching out - but it was too late.

  The skull's void opened and swallowed him. Black light flashed - then silence, broken only by the rifle clattering to the ground. The Siren's laugh rolled through the plaza. "Yes... another soul for my Feast! He'll wander the dark, lost and alone, until I decide to devour him. He will never leave that place. Ahaha~!"

  Slayer pushed himself up, dropping to one knee. He slammed his shield into the ground with a roar that echoed through the plaza. "You damn creature! EHRRR! That was my friend!"

  The Siren threw back her head and laughed, blackened teeth flashing. "Creature? Me? No... I am beautiful!"

  "Bring him back now, you damn Siren!!!" Hikari cried, crawling toward her, voice cracking with fury and grief.

  Through the chaos, Lumina clutched her wound, blood dripping between her fingers. "Tchhh...what a pain." Her hand trembled as it drifted to the black pendant at her chest. Rena's image flashed in her mind... the girl's bright smile, the satchel slung across her shoulder, the moment she walked away for that delivery and never came back. The memory cut deeper than any wound.

  "No... not this time, I won't make the same mistake twice," Lumina whispered, her voice filled with grief and rage. Her eyes closed, her next words firm and steady. "This time... I'll protect them. I swear it."

  The Siren paused mid-step, tilting her head. Crimson hair slid aside, revealing the bone beneath her face once more. Her grin faltered for the first time. "What are you muttering about, little blade?" she sneered. "Just so you know - prayers won't work here."

  Lumina's pendant pulsed - black shifting into a vibrant emerald glow. Her aura erupted, dark green flames extending and spiraling around her in fierce waves. Her hair lifted in the sudden gale, flowing like silk in the storm. Her katana trembled in her grip, humming with radiant energy.

  The Siren hissed, narrowing her eyes as the suffocating black spores began to fracture under the weight of Lumina's aura. "Huh? What have you done to my beautiful spores?!"

  Lumina's voice rang out, steady and commanding, as she rose to her full height - eyes still closed. "It's time I show you, little Siren... the power that lies beyond simple Emanation." Her pendant flared once more. "Neo-Emanation - now come forth... ELEGANT FORM!" Her words echoed through the plaza as her eyes snapped open, blazing with green light.

  The surge that followed was blinding. Her aura exploded outward in a fierce storm, scattering leaves and scraps of paper through the air. When the light faded, Lumina stood transformed - her wounds completely healed.

  Her grey samurai robe had become a black gown lined with lace and faint metal patterns, glowing softly with dark green light. The outfit clung like armor yet flowed with natural grace, her shoulders and collarbone exposed in calm confidence. Long lace sleeves hung from her arms, and a high collar of thin metal patterns gleamed faintly - followed by her pendant. Her skirt was layered with high slits for speed and movement. Her chestnut hair was adorned with black ornaments and floral pins, tassels swaying gently with each motion. A single black flower framed her face. Long black earrings dangled from her ears, sharp yet elegant. And in her hands - not one, but two katanas. Her blades burned with a dark green aura. Lumina lifted her chin, eyes blazing bright green as her aura wrapped around her like raw, living energy.

  Hikari's eyes widened, her voice filled with disbelief. "Her aura output... it's off the charts. Is this the power Captain mentioned back when we were training?"

  Slayer's awe shifted into a grin behind his helmet. "Heh, her ultimate card's on the table now. Show her what you're capable of, Lumina."

  The Siren stepped back, her grin cracking into a hiss of unease. "...T-This... this is different. Wh-Whatever you're trying to do, i-it won't work on me!" Her voice faltered, and the laughter that followed was shaky and tinged with fear.

  Lumina's eyes narrowed; her voice was calm, edged with cold fury. "Oh, trust me - once you've crossed paths with my twin katanas, you'll wish you never existed." She leveled one of her blades at the Siren. "And the worst thing you did... was pissing me off by taking my precious student." Her green eyes narrowed. "So whatever you do... don't blink in my presence. Because you might just get cut in half." A low, dangerous smile formed on her lips. "Now - let's dance, shall we?"