ZZZ:Through the Frosted Mirror

The moment the Twin Marionettes vanished, Ellen barely had a second to react.

Then—pain.

A sharp, slicing sensation ripped across her side as one of them appeared beside her, its bladed leg carving through the air like a guillotine. Before she could even register the hit, the other one struck from behind, its saw-like tutu spinning as it grazed her shoulder. Blood splattered against the cold floor of Section 6's base.

Too fast.

Ellen stumbled backward, her instincts screaming at her to move, but the twins gave her no time to recover. They twirled in unison, their blade-like limbs carving through the air with deadly precision. Every movement was fluid, elegant—an intricate dance of death.

She barely blocked the next strike, her weapon clashing against the black Marionette's leg. Sparks flew as the force sent her skidding backward. But before she could counter, the white one spun low, its leg sweeping toward her ankles.

Ellen jumped, narrowly avoiding getting her feet sliced off, but mid-air was exactly where they wanted her. The moment she left the ground, both of them launched forward, their bodies twisting as they delivered a synchronized kick. The impact hit her like a sledgehammer, sending her crashing through the wall.

Ellen coughed violently, dust and debris filling her lungs as she forced herself to stand. Every nerve in her body screamed in protest. She wiped the blood from her mouth, gripping her weapon tighter.

This wasn't a fight anymore this was survival.

The twins stepped forward in perfect harmony, their lifeless, veiled faces betraying nothing. They moved as if they shared one mind, their bodies mirroring each other flawlessly. Every attack came with the precision of a choreographed performance, a ballet of destruction.

They never stopped moving.

Ellen tried to keep track, but the second she focused on one, the other would strike. A whirlwind of blade-like legs and saw-like tutus forced her to stay on the defensive, barely managing to dodge and block. Every movement cost her—each misstep was punished instantly.

Her breathing grew ragged. Her muscles ached. She could feel her body slowing down, even as they remained relentless.

A blur of motion.

A sharp pain in her leg.

She cried out as her knee buckled, the white Marionette's bladed limb slicing deep into her thigh. Before she could even fall, the black one struck from above, its leg descending like a guillotine.

Ellen twisted, barely avoiding a fatal blow, but she couldn't dodge completely. The blade grazed her ribs, another deep gash added to the collection of wounds already covering her body.

She hit the ground hard, gasping for breath. Her vision blurred for a split second.

Get up.

She pushed herself onto one knee, gripping her weapon with trembling fingers.

The music swelled around her, the haunting melody of their performance reaching its peak. The Twin Marionettes moved back into position, spinning gracefully before locking hands once more.

A final act.

Ellen gritted her teeth, forcing her body to move. She wasn't going to make it out of this. Not in one piece. Maybe not at all.

But if she was going down, she wasn't going to make it easy for them.

With a growl, she pushed forward.

The Twin Marionettes bowed.

And then they attacked.

Ellen could barely stand. Her breath was ragged, her vision blurred by the blood trickling down from a wound on her forehead. Every inch of her body screamed in pain, but she forced herself to stay on her feet. The Twin Marionettes moved with eerie grace, their porcelain-like forms gliding across the battlefield, their veiled faces betraying nothing but cold, calculated intent. Each movement was synchronized, a deadly ballet of precision and malice.

She had never fought anything like them. They were faster than her—barely, but fast enough. Their movements were impossible to track, and their attacks came from angles she couldn't predict. Every slash of their bladed legs and every spin of their saw-like tutus carved deeper into her stamina, cutting her down piece by piece. She was losing. No—she had already lost. The only thing keeping her standing was sheer willpower.

Just as she thought she had a moment to collect herself, it happened.

A devastating blow caught her in the ribs, sending her flying. The force of the impact shattered a section of the wall behind her, launching her out of the building and into the cold night air. For a brief second, she felt weightless, the wind rushing past her ears as she fell. But before she could even think of recovery, the Twin Marionettes were there, their slender, inhuman forms cutting through the air with effortless precision.

They clasped hands, spinning in perfect harmony before striking. The first hit sent a shockwave through Ellen's body. The second snapped her head back. The third made her stomach churn with agony. The assault didn't stop, each attack chaining into the next in an elegant, merciless display.

Ellen could do nothing. She could barely even register the pain anymore. The world around her blurred into nothing but the relentless assault of the Marionettes, her body reduced to nothing more than a ragdoll being tossed through the air.

And then, the final impact came.

Her back slammed against the unforgiving ground, the impact shaking her to the core. The sky above her swirled, dark and endless, as if welcoming her into its embrace. She lay there, gasping, barely conscious, the pain too much to fight against anymore. The Twin Marionettes stood over her, their haunting figures silhouetted against the moonlight. Then, as if mocking her defeat, they bowed in perfect synchronization, their veils swaying slightly with the motion.

Ellen's mind drifted. She thought of everything she had fought for. Mira, who she swore to protect. Von, Corin, and the others who had placed their trust in her. And then… Miyabi.

Miyabi's voice, her touch, the warmth in her red and blue eyes. The way she smiled just for her when no one else was looking. The feeling of her fingers intertwined with Ellen's. The quiet moments they shared, away from the burdens of duty and expectation.

Ellen reached for those memories, clinging to them like a lifeline. If she was going to die here… she wanted to hold onto that love, even in the end.

Her name was being called. A voice—desperate, terrified. Mira.

Ellen's fading vision caught the sight of a small figure running toward her, her horns glowing with raw, unrestrained ether. But it was too late. Her body felt too heavy. Her strength had finally run dry.

The last thing she saw was Mira's tear-filled eyes before everything went dark.