mpbt18 specters

A multitude of specters chased after Homura, assaulting her relentlessly to sap her strength. They were strange beings made up of a tainted, cosmic turquoise blue. They wielded weapons and wore costumes eerily similar to Puella Magi.

A handful of the specters kept their distance from Homura, bombarding her with cannons. Another group of specters circled Homura, riding atop planes that strafed their target with gunfire of their own.

From where Madoka was, she could see these specters. The sight made her frown.

These specters were familiar, almost. She had seen them in her dreams. She had seen them as Puella Magi. She had seen them as the friends of Michi Hideyoshi who trusted the Japanese girl with their lives. She had seen them as the girls who fought alongside Michi until the bitter end.

Other kinds of specters then started to appear to fight Homura.

The first was a group of specters would disappear from sight then ambush Homura with flurries from their rapiers.

"That's…" Madoka thought, recognizing this combat style well. "It can't be…"

Then came specters clad in heavy armor and wielded large, menacing great-swords that threatened Homura with mighty swings.

Finally, a certain type of specter wielded a cosmic scepter and blasted Homura with waves of that tainted, cosmic turquoise blue.

"That's quite a repertoire of minions she wields, isn't it?" Kyuubey's airy voice echoed in Madoka's head, "There must be tens of thousands of variants of those specters!"

Madoka turned a corner then hid in an alleyway, hiding herself from the grand battle in the heavens. The Incubator was there, waiting for Madoka expectantly.

"You noticed this, did you not?" Kyuubey asked, wagging his tail as he appeared from the shadows. "You are aware of their identities, so you know their circumstances."

Madoka stayed silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

Madoka's eyes turned to that monstrosity, the Dreadnaughthexe in the sky, and pity flooded her heart.

She then turned to the Incubator with unusual resolve.

"The Taint of the Dreadnaught manipulated Elise de Lamarliere's wish." Madoka spoke accusingly, her words sharp and determined. "When Hideyoshi-san succeeded Lorelei as the Dreadnaughthexe, she not only inherited the taint… she inherited the souls of those bound to Lorelei Sankt as well – Serafina Larivenko, Elise de Lamarliere… and Lorelei Sankt herself."

(Magia, Pacem, Bellum Terarrum, Chapter 18)