You know the drill, last week was end of month work and was work-focused.
Bit of a longer one to fill the gap (:
Keep dropping those power stones!
*
Eryn Village.
Perhaps it was due to what was currently happening on the outside, but all of the Hexen Clan members could be seen gathered around outside of Roselia's Atelier.
Among them was a little girl with plum hair, seemingly around five years old. She could be seen holding onto the robe of a taller woman, who had a similar appearance to the plum haired girl, except her hair was more purple than plum. She was currently wearing a white dress with a long blue witch-like robe draped over it.
"Is Grandma going to be alright?", the plum haired girl asked in worry. Hearing this, the purple haired woman revealed a smile as she gave a head pat to the plum haired girl.
"Of course mother is alright. She is just undergoing a rather lengthy formation spell.", the purple haired woman explained to the little girl, which only caused excitement to appear in the little girl's eyes.
"Grandma is casting a big spell? Really!?", the plum haired girl responded.
"That's right. In fact after this spell is over, we will be welcoming a new member into our Hexen Clan. But of the time frame, I am not sure.", the violet haired woman explained.
"A new person is going to join our family?", the plum haired girl asked. "Just like how big brother recently did?", she continued to ask.
"In a way.", the violet haired woman haired responded, staying ambiguous of the matter. Seeing the violet haired woman stay silent like this, the plum haired girl looked back toward Roselia's Atelier.
That's right, the violet haired woman was the wandering witch, Isola Millstein. The little five year old girl beside her was her youngest daughter, Emma Millstein. The same Emma Millstein who would become a main member of the first future Class VII, together with Rean and the others. But right now, she just a little five year old girl, one year younger than Naoto.
Ever since Naoto entered Eryn Village for the first time three years ago, he quickly got acquainted with the Millstein family, quickly becoming friends with both Emma and Vita. Enough time had passed to where his bond grew closer with both of them, to the point where Emma would start calling Naoto big brother, just like she would address Vita as big sister.
And now, presently, Isola and Emma and the rest of the Hexen Clan were helping Roselia prepare a large formation. Upon a closer look, four of its members could be seen at each corner of Roselia's Atelier. They were currently in place and squatted down. Their eyes currently laid upon specially carved stakes that were currently driven into the ground. These four member didn't budge, but rather, were currently channeling their mana to help preserve the stakes.
In the meantime, one of the older members came rushing toward Isola, and spoke out to her.
"Isola, Roselia's soul purification stakes have been successfully planted. We have our witches currently maintaining its proper mana course as we speak.", one of the witches said.
"Excellent. I'm afraid this is all we can do. Mother said not even a body is ready, and will likely not be for a while. So we will have to ensure no damage is caused to our new member until mother stores them properly.", Isola answered in confidence.
"Understood. We shall maintain the frequency until Roselia finishes her sequence. We have already successfully isolated the target's location. We can't thank Naoto enough for providing this information.", one of the members continued to say.
"Naoto did his duty by relaying this information to us. All we have left is for mother to finish her part. So let us follow our own, and lend our mana.", Isola concluded, which caused the rest of the members to nod their head. As she did, Isola looked down at Emma and spoke out to her. "Emma dear, can you help by casting your mana too?"', Isola asked.
"Okay!", Emma responded happily. Still using her trainee wand, Emma started to let her mana roam free, as did Isola and the others. It didn't take long before a mana wall of sorts formed over Roselia's Atelier. The moment it touched all four ends as it converged together, special yet ancient like runes began to automatically engrave on the wall. It soon became a barrier.
Seeing this, Isola's eyes turned serious.
"Soul Isolation Barrier...you really do know some crazy spells, mother...", Isola couldn't help but utter in amazement "I do hope Naoto's new little friend will do her job. This spell works two ways, our side might be successful, but she will have to ensure it succeeds over on Naoto's side...", Isola uttered to herself, before she started to channel her mana into her staff. It started to glow brightly...
Meanwhile, inside Roselia's Atelier, most of the first floor could now be seen bare, with Roselia standing in its center in her child form. She had just finished manually drawing out a rather exquisite formation circle on the floor.
"Umu. It seems the villagers have successfully finished their end. It's only thanks to Naoto's new familiar that I can cast this spell for him. She'll be a nice medium for this. What'd he name her again? Tamamo, was it?", Roselia uttered to herself.
"And was this the only way for you, Naoto? You wish for your mother to experience a true death, only to have her soul relocated. Not even a vessel is ready...Well, at least I have the ability to keep a soul preserved for a while. After all I am a protector of the Goddess Aidios herself. Or at least I used to be...", Roselia continued.
"Well, if this place does proceed to the events of man's past, then no doubt the Twilight will come. 'Tis quite ironic to think the source of it was so close, huh?" , Roselia mused.
"And that old man of his even called it a wretched fairy tale. But it matters not to me. Should Naoto want it to continue as I had seen it, then this is very much the way, I suppose.", Roselia continued to say.
"And in the end a new person will join the Hexen Clan. I'm sure my cute little granddaughter will enjoy it, even if the vessel won't be ready for a while. That's partially why you're willing to enter such a devilish place, isn't it, Naoto?", Roselia asked herself.
"While you are gone these next few years, I'll have to enter a period of rest myself, since this spell formation will likely drain all the mana I currently have left. But from the looks of it, you are already having some fun without me. Those Jaegers really do keep cropping out of places they shouldn't be.", Roselia continued to say, revealing a grin.
"It is time to start this spell too. Naoto, hopefully your new familiar is ready.", Roselia concluded, before she began to position her staff. In no time, Roselia's crimson mana started to fluctuate rapidly. Not only that, Roselia began to move in a similar way to how Vita would perform large spells. She started to speak, letting out an ancient-like voice that deemed captivating...
" 'I sing to thee an ode to the wanderer above the skies, as servant to one watching over man. To escape the laws that bind causality, I beseech to thee your grace for one that may soon be lost. Please grant them your mercy, and become the beacon, their guiding light...", Roselia started to chant. Her mana condensed the longer her chant continued. At the same time, Roselia no longer stood still in the center of her large magic circle. She started to take steps slowly, moving in a particular pattern...
At the same time.
Osborne Villa.
Some time had passed since the Red Constellation and the High Priest arrived on the villa outskirts.
The peaceful night had long ended, rather quickly turning to the worse. Every so often scattered gunshots would disturb the trees around the villa. As for the villa itself, no longer was it shrouded by the darkness of the night.
It could currently be seen lit up into a fiery inferno, with smoke puffing out of several windows. Every so often, part of the villa would collapse into itself, slowly revealing the interior. It was as if it had got blasted away by a bomb. And yet the first floor somehow still remained intact.
Right now a couple figures could be seen in the living room area. One was a black haired child around five years old. Ignoring the smoldering embers around them as they crackled, the black haired child was currently at a loss for words, unable to realize what was happening before him.
"M-Mother...?" The black haired child tried to ask, seeing a dark indigo haired woman currently crouched over him. He currently stared blankly at her, ignoring the giant chainsaw sword currently pierced through her lower abdomen.
Despite currently being stabbed with such a big wound, the dark indigo haired woman tried her best to muster her strength and form a smile . As she did, she tried to open her mouth, only to spew forth a large mouthful of blood, which splattered right onto the black haired child's face.
"Mother!", The black haired child frantically asked in worry, and yet the dark indigo haired woman gently caressed his face, ignoring the pain.
"Rean...", The woman tried to say. "You must stay strong and live on...", The woman continued to say, feeling her strength leave her body.
"But...", The child tried to say, only to taste iron on his lips, as the woman placed her finger over his lips to shush him. She tried to turn her head, only to see a violet haired kid next to the black haired child.
"Naoto....I...entrust....Rean....to...you...", The woman mustered to say.
After she did, her arm limped downward. Her arm was the first to go. The big chainsaw sword retreated from her wound, and the woman fell over onto the ground next to the two. Life no longer appeared in her eyes.
A look of sadness appeared in both of their eyes. But a look of anger and disbelief could also be seen. Of course this anger was genuine, and that violet haired kid was me.
I wasn't expecting mother to perish in this sort of fashion, being murdered in cold blood right before my very eyes. Unlike Rean who became scarred from this to the point where he forgot about Kasia, the moment I saw a child similar to us but slightly older reveal himself behind mother, I felt my anger soar.
A long red haired boy wielding a massive chainsaw sword. Randolph Orlando of the Red Constellation stood there with a dead look in his eyes, as if killing our mother just now meant nothing to him.
As a silvery-white small fox appeared not too far away, a mana aura appeared over her body, starting a spell. She had her own role to play, so I left her to her own device.
Without hesitation, I reached toward my rapier and roared out in anger.
"Randy Orlando....!!!", I yelled out, letting my voice spread through the remains of the mansion. Immediately after, I dashed forward, striking out with a jab.
Clang! Randolph easily blocked my rapier. In terms of weapon size I was at a big disadvantage, but I am pretty sure I had speed over his.
I was not expecting to enter a battle with Randolph Orlando out of all people while he was still young, but what's happened has happened.
Thanks to us clashing and my yelling, it didn't take long before I heard someone reach our side. It was Giliath Osborne with a look of disbelief as he saw two kids lash out with their respective weapons.
"Just what have you done...?", Giliath tried to ask, feeling his mind turn muddy the moment his eyes landed on Kasia's lifeless corpse. He was currently fending off the rest of the Red Constellation further in the back, but he came to this side hearing our mess.
He felt his knees go weak as he landed in front of Kasia, gently bringing her head to his embrace. He also saw Rean next to her, unresponsive and in shock.
"Nooo! Damn you, Arundel! I've looked the other way for so long, and this is how you respond to me? By hiring a bunch of Jaegers? Just what have Kasia and my children ever do to do!?", Giliath said, feeling grief strike his body.
As soon as I felt a small reprieve with clashing swords against Randy, I quickly tried to speak out to father.
"Father! Take Rean and flee, quickly! He is in need of urgent medical attention. I'll continue to hold them off!", I quickly said.
Hearing that, Giliath slowly turned his head over to Rean. Upon closer inspection, Rean could currently be seen with a big wound over his heart with blood pouring out of it. Giliath quickly mustered his strength to pick up Rean, who collapsed shortly after seeing Kasia perish.
"My son...Naoto....", " Giliath tried to ask.
"There's not enough time. You must hurry!", I said, continued to fend off Randy. By now Randy was basically a fighting machine, so it wasn't hard to see where his next swing would land.
"But it is I they want. If I go, death will follow!", Giliath spoke back, slowly gaining strength in his legs.
"You must have some way to save Rean, right!?", I retorted back at him.
"Naoto...You are right. Promise me you will follow me when you can find an opening.", Giliath said, as he watched me clash against Randy once more.
"...", I tried to respond back, only to stay silent.
"Promise me, Naoto.", Giliath implored once again.
"...Just go, father. I will pray to Aidios for your guys' safety.", I answered, dodging him again. And yet, Giliath felt strangely calm hearing this.
"...I see. So you have already begun to walk your own path. I will ensure Rean is safe. Wherever your path may lay, may Aidios be your light.", Giliath said, scooping up Rean.
Turning back one more time, our eyes met for just a moment, before I saw Giliath vanish into the darkness past the burning villa in a hurry.
The villa started to crumble more. As it did, I now had my own life and death battle now laid in front of me.
But the question to ask now was, with this anger swelling inside me, do I try to kill one of the future members of the SSS?
Or should I direct this anger to the one causing Randy to behave like this, the Red Constellation?