VALKYRIE SMASH

Grains of sand fell down a small hourglass one after the other. When the last one left the upper side, Atropos opened her, remaining still for a few seconds before pushing herself up.

It had been quite some time since she last slept on such a comfortable bed, and the tranquility it brought made her wish she could lay down for another day or two. Unfortunately, time was something she didn't have and so with great regret she left the comfort of the sheets and began her preparations, a hint of annoyance making it to her heart as she remembered what she had to do that day.

Four maids were awaiting her near the door. They helped her shower and put on her kimono -a black one with red flower patterns- before dismissing themselves without saying a word.

"Oh my~ a little late today, aren't we?"

As she walked down one of the vast hallways, Atropos was greeted by a face that ruined her mood the moment laid her eyes on it.

"Pheme..." Atropos grimaced. "Did Zeus send you?"

"Nope. Not really!" The girl said. "I just heard a strange rumor so I came to check!"

Her cheerful energy came through as annoying instead of the cute youthfulness she was trying to convey. Her pale pink hair was cut short and the clothes she wore were quite colorful, as if several buckets of random paint were splashed onto her.

Spinning around herself as if performing a dance, she approached the other girl then bowed her head. "A new race, one of nonbiological origin!"

"Is that really a reason to come all the way here?" Atropos asked. "I already said I would be bringing them back with me once I obtain the Key."

She knew from the start that sending a report would result in such unwelcomed guests, but unfortunately keeping quiet would've led to the same outcome. She didn't care much for the women they captured, but at the very least she didn't want anyone interfering with her mission, especially when she had a reunion with her dead sister planned for the foreseeable future.

"Well, I only came here to take a look." Pheme said with a shrug. "Unlike some people."

Just then the palace was shaken by a loud explosion followed by a violent tremor. Atropos turned to the window and her frown deepened, while the other girl giggled as if aware of what was happening.

"They've already started!"

In the bare wasteland outside the palace the palace, a cloud of smoke and dust slowly dissipated revealing the battered body of a young man. He had several burn marks all over the place and a number of arrows jutting out of some rather deep wounds.

"Damn... it..."

It wouldn't have been strange for one to think he was dead considering the state he was in, but after some pained groans and a few curses here and there, he managed to pull out the arrows and activate some healing Runes spreading up his regeneration.
"FUCK YOU ARTEMIS!!!" He shouted, looking down at the state he was in. "DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT!!?"

"I warned you." A cold voice replied, icicles forming in the surroundings with each word. "I told you to not even try it."

"Oh c'mon! You're even protecting the prisoners now?" The young man protested.

"Prisoners or not, it doesn't give you the right to force yourself on them."

A young woman descended from the sky. Wind played with her long lime colored hair, unlike the skirt of her short dark green dress which remained static the entire time as if held in place by an invisible force. She was a pale beauty, her body appearing thin and frail lacking the curves of a fully matured woman. In one hand she held a bow almost as tall as her. The severed head of a man dangled from the other, held by the long hair that was tied in a single braid.

"You're taking this a bit too far!" The youth shouted again. "Zeus will take them anyway! What's the harm in us having some fun?"

The young woman stared at him for a while then let out a sigh. She tossed the head she held in his direction, her halo glowing brighter than before. She produced an arrow out of thin air then knocked it on her bow.

"Guess I should've ended you long ago." She said. "I can't believe you're my brother."

"W-wait! Don't do it!"

Another explosion resounded through the wasteland.

"Whoa... she already got Orion..." Pheme said, shielding her eyes from the bright light. "Guess this might be it for Apollo as well."

"One after the other..." Atropos was shaking with anger. "Why can't you keep your noses out of my business!"

"Now now. No need to get so worked up. It's a good thing that Artemis came, right? Besides, you had no problem requesting Hephaestus' help, right? Don't you think it's a bit-"

Atropos snapped her fingers and four white discs appeared from behind her.

"W-wait! What are you doing!"

The pink haired girl jumped away, her attitude taking a drastic shift.

"You already know that Portals interfere with the ritual, right?" Specs of light flickered into existence and in a matter of seconds a series of Runes formed. "How many days do you think your interference will cost us?"

"H-hey now! It's just a couple of days!" Pheme cried, looking around for an escape route.

"Just a couple of days? You mean I have to put up with you for that long?"

"C'mon! I only came to take a look! It's Apollo who you should be angry about! He was the first to open the gate!"

"I've been looking for an excuse to kill you anyway. I guess I will just get it done now."

As one of the white disks split into four parts, the world was painted red as a massive bolt of red lightning fell from the sky.

"Whoa!"

"Tche..."

Atropos clicked her tongue. The lightning has become something of an intruder alert after she captured a number of the strange residents of this world, but unfortunately it only worked on those who came from outside.

'Are they already here?' she wondered, the image of her younger sister coming to mind.

[Milady.] Came a voice from the communicator in her ear.

"Perseus..." She said, keeping her voice low even though Pheme had already escaped. "Is Lachesis already here?"

[No, milady. This seems to be a different matter entirely...] She felt his confusion through the short pause, but before she could ask he continued. [It's... a boy? The readings say he's human but...]

"... One of the survivors from this world?" Suddenly she understood the reason behind his confusion.

"[Apparently. He's managed to hold his ground against Red though. Is that even possible?]

"Uh-oh... he must be quite talented then." Snapping her finger, a floating window appeared in front of her displaying the footage caught by some security drones.

[He's already capable of teleportation.] Perseus commented. [How was he able to learn the Runes in such a short time?]

"Clearly my dear sister and companion taught him." Atropos smiled. "I wonder, though, what brought him all the way here?"

[Shall we capture him alive?]

The Fate didn't answer. She continued to observe the footage, watching as the young boy skillfully teleported in time before the woman dressed in her skewered him with her lance. He was panting and sweating, exhaustion clear on his complexion. It appeared like he was going to pass out at any moment, but for the time being he continued dodging the attacks thrown at him avoiding death by a hair's breadth.

"Alright, bring him in." Atropos said after a while. "Let's see what he got."

Children who show talent at wielding the Runes are held in high regard in Olympus. For the time being they would interrogate him to learn his purpose. Once they're done with that, she would decide what fate he would have.

"Two days, huh..." Atropos sighed. She turned around and gazed at the red tower behind her, the frown returning to her face as she realized how much waiting she had ahead of her. "I hope you won't take long, Lachesis..."