Chapter 8 Calamities.

Red lines spread across the cone shaped Calamity, a faint light glowing through them. It gradually grew in intensity until they all connected and once that happened the thing crumbled into diamond shaped pieces.

Though it might have appeared as if the monster had been destroyed, the Valkyries knew all too well that it isn't the case. The pieces weren't falling toward the ground. They all floated around a small orb the size of a football, moving one by one until they were aligned into their new position.

[I can see the core!] Zero Three said, prompting Nine to refocus her eyes and prepare her sniper rifle.

The pieces had formed two rings around the orb, the outer one spinning clockwise and the other in the opposite direction. It looked like an abstract take on the sun, another nonsensical form taken by one of humanity's greatest enemies.

? [Back away, Three!]

Following Nine's warning three light bullets flashed through the sky before hitting the target causing another explosion. Zero Three used the opening to make some distance and equip her own weapon, a pair of blades with shining green edges.

The long range shots did little damage to the monster. It moved the diamond shaped pieces just in time to intercept the bullets, blocking some and deflecting the others. When the shooting stopped the Calamity turned to face the source, but as it had its sights on the blond Valkyrie another one was already above it swinging down a large halberd with the orb at the center as her target.

Sadly the attack failed to reach its mark as more of the diamond shaped pieces moved in to block it. Zero Three rushed in swinging both of her blades but she got blocked as well, however for that one moment most of the pieces were occupied which gave Nine the opening she needed to snipe the core from afar.

The Calamity had more than enough pieces to block all the bullets, however it failed to notice the forth one which was hidden behind the third allowing it to slip past the diamond shaped pieces and pierce through the orb at its center.

Suddenly the force moving the pieces disappeared and the Calamity came crumbling toward the red plains bellow.

"D class aren't much of a challenge, huh." Zero Three muttered while watching the dead monster fall. "They can't even hide their cores properly."

Just then she noticed something twinkle near the ground. If she was a second too late it she would've been taken completely off guard. Crossing her arms in front of her chest the youngest Valkyrie prepared for the impact, a moment later something collided with her.

Another cone shaped calamity. Its sharp tip was stopped by a green hexagon panel.

Zero three had charged her protective force field to its full capacity, even so the calamity was pushing her back which was not a good sign and so was the appearance of two calamities with the same form.

"This might be an C class, maybe even a B…" Said Nine, her anxious expression speaking volumes of the severity of the situation. "You two, keep your guard up!"

Zero Five moved to support Zero Three, however another one of the cone shaped Calamities shot up at her. She barely avoided a direct hit but that left her too busy to provide Three with help.

[Three, twenty degrees to the left please.]

Doing as told, Zero Three found herself facing Nine's direction. The cone was still pushing against her forcd field so it rotated as well leaving its back wide open to the blond Valkyrie who found no trouble shooting the core even in that form. As expected the base of the cone was the least protected with the core being closer to it than the sharp tip.

The cone froze and gravity did its thing, leaving the young Valkyrie free to go help her comrade.

Her mistake was assuming there are no more enemies, because of that she she was too late at noticing the lance shooting towar her from her blind spot. Its speed far exceeded that of the other three, even Nine who was observing the situation from afar didn't see it coming.

The lance collided with Zero Three's force field, however since she was focused on the ofensidlve trying to help Zero Five the lance tore through the green panel and managed to pierce her skin.

[THREE!]

"Don't worry." Gritting her teeth, the young Valkyrie turned to engage the new Calamity. "It's just a surface wound!"

An enemy capable of piercing through the Valkyries' defensive force field was really bad news. It split into many diamond shaped pieces then formed the same abstract sun, although much larger and with three rings instead of two.

Another cone appeared from the red plains below. The one Zero Five was fughting retreated, each of the cones took a spot beside the larger Calamity before shifting forms as well.

"This doesn't look good." Said Zero Three, grimacing.

The rings made by the diamond shaped pieces began spinning faster while the cores shone with a brilliant red light.

The Calamities turned to face the injured Zero Three, the light they emitted growing in intensity. A bullet pierced through one of the cores shutting it down but before the other two could be stopped beams of light shot out bending at impossibly sharp angles as they surrounded the young Valkyrie from all direction.

[THREE!!!]