"I thought I told you to keep that boy under control, Lucifer." An ethereal presence makes itself known within Lucifer's domain.
"Hmm~ Well helloo there, quite the while since we last talked, hm?" Lucifer looks at the golden platinum light in the middle of her throne room, its many rays hitting against the walls, its dazzling light overtaking the red hue that paints the room in blood and replacing it in a luminous white. "What brings you back? Gasp! Surely it isn't because of a certain incident that occurred a little over a week ago..." She smiles wide, the golden pale light reflecting off her dark pink eyes.
"Lucifer, do not change the topic. I made myself very clear how much I wanted you to keep that troublesome boy under cont-"
"I'm going to have to stop you right there." Lucifer's smile widens. "See, there is something a little.. wrong with what you just said... I was told that this... "Boy" was of no concern to you, correct?"
"That is not what I said, Lucifer. I stated he was no threat to me."
"And here you are, back to me." Lucifer's smile morphs into a grin. "The day the bells tolled is when you remembered the day the heavens bled, the day you were reminded you're not so indestructible. The day you were reminded you're not so imperishable."
"However, it's true the boy is no threat to me. He will never amount to anything worth destroying with Heaven's Judgement. I merely wish to express how troublesome he has become as of late, and I must urge you to keep him under control before I do something that far outweighs something as banishing a soul to the mortal plain. I'm warning you, Lucifer. Do not go against me."
"FuFuFu~" Lucifer giggles to herself, the godly being's words and its meanings spoken to her crumble to dust. "I do apologize, my angelical Empyrean. I find it immensely humorous how you choose to pay me a visit in light of recent Sinful events." Her grin turns to one of pure evil, her eyes glowing a bright blood red. "Your fear contradicts you. I can see it seeping out of your light. The light that will soon go out. The light that will no longer shine on your clouds. The light that will be absent when the Heaven's bleed. I can see it in your fear, and I can see it reminding you of the day you just barely escaped Death." The blood red torches along the walls shine an ominous blight red, re-claiming the room's white light in red.
"Hm..."
"Hmm~? Yes? What is it now, hm? Cat got your tongue~?"
"Very well then, Lucifer. It seems I will have to send someone to keep an eye on your little... escapades." The light begins to grow faint.
"Leaving so soon? Well, I hope you pick the right one. I can't promise my host won't just take their soul as if it were some child's lollipop... FuFuFuFu~" The red torches flicker.
"Haah..." The presence disappears.
"Now I'm all lonely... Hey Alek, why don't I come out and give you a lap pillow, hm~? What do you mean I'm not your mother~? Would you like me to be~~? Oh relax, I jest. In fact, why don't I become something much better... Hm? Are you ignoring me now? You rude Devil..."
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<[ September , 731 A.B ]>
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"I didn't even...I-I never even got to say goodbye to her..." Himari looks down at the engraved letters on the wet tombstone, the rain drops slowly falling and sliding down its cold and rough texture.
"It's not your fault." I stand next to her, my hair wet, blocking half my vision. "If anyone, blame that weirdo that tried snagging you away.
I accompanied Himari to visit her mom's grave outside the Luthran Kingdom and in some flower field on a rainy day. I decided to go with her because I couldn't just have her get eaten by a slime or by some parasitic freak. The obligation to protect her never went away for some reason I can't explain.
"The last I thing I told her was...w-was..Sniff.."
"Easy there." The rain slowly starts to pick up, rain puddles slowly forming through the empty flower field.
"..I just looked at her and told her.. I would be back with help.." She brushes her wet pink hair behind her ears. "..I lost her without.. I never s-said..Sniff.. If I just.. If I wasn't such a failure.."
I don't really know what to do in this kind of situation. I know nothing about comforting people, I never had anyone to vent to me or go to me for comfort, so I'll just do what I always to with my pillow wife.
"..Sniff.. W-what are you..?...Oh.." She looks up at me and onto my arm extended around her. "..Thank you.." She leans her head on my shoulder, the rain continues to wet our clothes.
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"Haah... Another one, hm." Phardwin sighs to himself as he watches his white knights untangle a hanging body in the middle of the rain-drenched Kingdom streets, the surrounding white knights circled around and blocking off the scene from the citizens.
"Phardwin." Rin calls out to him, approaching the scene. "There is something I noticed about all of the murders that have been happening." She looks at the body being placed in a wooden coffin.
"Yes, Rin, I believe I see it as well. In fact, I've took notice by the third murder." He watches the coffin get loaded into a carriage. "But... why has it been exclusively those with the Academy uniform?"
"It seems The Order is looking for someone specifically..." Rin watches the carriage leave the scene, the wooden wheels rolling across the wet bricked streets. "And until they do, I don't think the murders will stop anytime soon."
"And neither will we." He begins walking down the wet streets, looking up at the gray clouds. "And we won't let this continue. However, I have a feeling there will be more developments brewing in two days, where there will be many grouped on the day of the Sword." He looks over to Rin walking alongside him. "We must station ourselves and see to it that no casualties occur. We will gather the Pale Inquisition and protect the many lives that will participate on that day, Rin."
"Hmph." She stops and looks at the golden cross she's treasuring, a final part of her father that remains with her. Her only family. "I won't let anyone else die, Phardwin." She follows him down the foggy rainy street.
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"I thought you said you weren't going to 'Chill' on roofs anymore, hm?"
"Yeah well this time is different."
"Hmm? Do explain.."
"Obviously to see what the heck those dudes with the red robes are doing to that guy down there."
I'm yet again on top of a rooftop looking down at three red hooded figures surrounding someone from the Academy, two of them holding him down while the other has what looks like a sacrificial knife.
"Oh I'm sure they're just having fun... Now, why don't we go out and paint ourselves in red from the blood of bandits and gather some money so we can get you a nice looking outfit for the ball in two days, hmm~?"
"Nya..I don't like getting covered in blood.."
After getting home with Himari about an hour ago, I told her I was gonna head out and look for something to wear for the ball. She offered to help me out by lending me some of her gold coins, but as you may have guessed I turned her down.
I don't like taking handouts.
Also taking from her would just feel like stealing someone's lunch money.
"How righteous of you, Alek~"
"Shut up and get out of my head."
"Hm? No, silly. How righteous of you to even be up here getting your clothes wet just to help some human who's name you don't even know! What, did I interrupt any thoughts about me in your little head, hm~?"
"I'll be real with you, that's not at all what I was thinking." After walking around the Kingdom, I heard someone beg for their lives and I decided to get up on a roof to see what all the commotion was about. And then I noticed a pack of red hooded figures running through the rooftops as if they were a pack of ninjas going after their assassination target. And that is when I found a group of three detaining someone from the academy in this alleyway below me.
"Master, I think they're about to kill him."
"Alright." I slide off the roof I'm standing on, not because I want to make a sick plunge down onto the three troublemakers, but because I slid off thanks to all the excess water from this rain.
*THUNK*
"What in hell!?" One of the red hooded figures yells in confusion after I landed on top of the one holding the sacrificial knife.
"Gentlemen." I greet as I stand up. "No lives will be taken today, okay?" I look down on the red hooded person I landed on and realized my foot landed on the side of his skull, and he is now dead. "Ok I take it back." I reach for my right hand, only to have my expectations shattered when I see no sword hilt is coming out. "Still!?"
"LOOK OUT NYA!"
*SLAM!*
"Drats..." I look up at another red hooded figure slowly approaching me after I got pushed against the alleyway wall by some kind of force. "You should really apologize for that." I watch as he unrobes his hood and revealing a bald-headed man with a sick tattoo on the right side of his head.
"Heh, sorry lil fella, but I can't have you interrupt our session here." He pulls out a giant fricking hook sword from his red robe.
It's like a sword, but instead of a long blade, it's a razor-sharp hook almost the size of a boulder.
A hook sword.
Not even gonna try and guess how he fit that in his robe.
"No but seriously, you should let that dude go. He ain't hurting no one." I look over to him. "Right?" I watch as he's already bolting down the alleyway in a panic. "Oh." I stand up, dusting off my shoulders and squeezing my hair from all the excess water from the rain. "Leave me here all alone why don't you...prick."
"Well, for someone that's about to get silenced, you sure are taking this calmly. What's your name?" He sets his hook sword on the wet bricks, resting his palms on the hilt as the other two robed weirdos pull out what I think are grimoires.
"The name's Joe." I dig my hands into my coat's pockets dramatically and mysteriously.
"Ah, Joe, huh?" He raises his hook sword and rests it on his shoulder before the three of them start approaching me.
"JOE MAMA."
*CRACK!*
I pulled out a small bottle out of my pocket and smashed it against the ground before turning away and sprinting down the alleyway. "OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK FUAHAHA!" I start to laugh to myself after pulling such an obvious prank on this bald idiot.
*BZzzz...BSZSZ! BSZSZS! BSZSZS!*
Three lightning bolts strike down from a small group of black clouds that released above their heads from the bottle.
"FUAHAHA!"
"Nyahahaha~!"
My laugh along with Dysma's echoes down the alleyway as I continue sprinting down the rain-soaked bricks.
"Oh man, he never saw it coming that guy... Dysma, make me another lightning in a bottle. Matter a fact make me three more."
"We're all out of spark shrooms and cloud dust Nya..."
"Godddd frickin' dammit!" I look down at my right hand while sprinting down the alleyway as my boots splash and get wet from the rain puddles. "Not having my power really blows..."
*SLAM!*
I ended up running into a wall thanks to shifting my attention onto my right hand like a total baboon. "Ow."
"L-look out!!"
"Oh shi-"
*PFWAM*
I rolled to my side before the bald idiot could plunge onto me with his giant hook in a red explosion. "Close call..." I stand up as I watch him pull his hook back up from the hole he punctured onto the wet bricks. "You can get arrested for doing something like that."
"Heh.." He smirks as he slowly approaches me. "That was a pretty good attempt at escaping, kid. Won't do you much good against me though." He slams his hook onto the ground then rests his palms on it. "I'm immune to elemental damage." He says with a sharp toothed smile.
"Hm..yes I see, I see..." I look over my shoulder and see the other two robed figures catch up from the alleyway. "Well this just ain't fair."
"Nothing has ever been fair in this world KID!" He lunges and slams his hook down on me.
*CLANG!*
"Hm.." He looks down onto the black book colliding with his hook, the silver purple frame around its edges creating sparks.
"OWW! WHAT ARE YOU DOING NYA?!"
"You know, I have to agree with you on that. This world really is one of a kind huh?" I look over my shoulder and watch the other two robed figures about to cast their spells.
One of them holds up their hand and summons a ball of what looks like a swarm of glowing red wasps.
And the other holds up a black fireball.
"Well then, looks like this is the end of the line for m- JUST KIDDING. SMOKE BOMB."
*PwOoOosh*
I smashed a black rock against the ground that released a thick cloud of black smog, then I ran past the bald moron and his lackeys then down the alleyways. "Smoke bombs are handy. Dysma make me two more."
"We're out of volcanic dust Nya...!"
"Dammit!" I turn the corner before stopping at wall in front of me. "Let's get the H out of dodge." I then attempt to run upwards along it. *THUNK* "Oww.." I rub on the side of my ribs as I stand back up from falling after not even two steps up the wet wall. "Oh god damn it. Am I seriously not able to do jack without the power of my right hand?!"
"It seems so. But don't be down, I'm still here~ And I always will be~~"
"That's... Haah.." I palm my face in frustration. "Ok seriously Lucifer, the heck happened to all the cool stuff I was able to do before? I feel like I've been nerfed to the absolute ground." I look down at my right hand, trying to make the mark appear like I used to be able to.
"I believe it is the result of you using my Trident a little too early. You did absorb about..hm.. the entirety of Limbo's Sins onto your soul, remember~?"
"Yeah, for like a second. Then I put it all into that stick of yours." I shake my head to dry it from the rain slightly.
"It seems it still put a hefty burden onto your soul during that second. Maybe you weren't ready to use it after all..."
"I told you to stop him!!"
"Darn." I look over my shoulder as wet footsteps get louder and closer.
"Alek, walk me through everything you did during that point in time. I think I know why, but I don't want to believe it yet..."
"Well in a nutshell..." I sit down on a wooden box next to me. "I just did what I did back in that cold dungeon, except I absorbed from Limbo." I look back down on my right hand. "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention I absorbed some of my own soul to-"
"YOU WHAT?!"
"NYA."
"Alek."
"Whaaat-uhh." I scratch the back of my head. "I kinda had to. I wanted to go big remember? Which is why I also absorbed some of Astal and Dysma's souls too."
"Gasp master!!"
"Nya.. you little.."
"Hmm.."
"And before you say anything, yes, I had to. Or else I could have died."
"What??"
"He's not lying, Astal. Remember how I said it was a fifty-fifty? Well, he actually lost that fifty-fifty. During the Sin absorption process, his soul began to lose its vigor from the amount of Sin he was collecting onto it. The only reason he managed to stay alive is because he extended his soul vitality using yours along with Dysma's. A very diabolical plan, Alek. I do applaud you for that..."
"So that's why I felt so heavy... master you jerk.."
"Yeah whatever cool yippee. But that doesn't explain how I lost my powers."
"It's simple, really. You absorbed all of the unholy essence the Rune of Death has collected over the course of your lifetime, as well as the many souls you've consumed - and it is what enabled the Rune of Death to summon the Trident. And as a result, you have no more unholy essence or souls to grant you the many things you were able to do. A real shame, really."
"So this is it then, I'm back to square one..." I rest my chin on my palm as I look up at the gray clouds, the raindrops falling onto my forehead and slowly sliding down my nose as I bask in a moment of temporary depression. "Oh well. I'll just have to earn it all back." the wet footsteps get closer and closer, before I look over and watch the figure turn the corner.
"Alek? What are you..." Rin appeared from the corner and walks over to me, her long black hair drenched from the rain. "I heard a loud commotion, but it's just you..." She narrows her eyes at me. "What are you doing out here in the rain like this?" She stands in front of me, ignoring the fact that the rain continues to wet her academy uniform more and more.
"Oh you know." I look back up at the gray clouds dramatically. "Contemplating."
"What? Contemplating? Contemplating what, exactly? Explain yourself." She crosses her arms, then a sudden look of realization hits her face. "Oh, I see. What happened to the King must have affected you, is that right?"
"Wait what." I look back down at her while I'm still sitting on this wooden box that has been wetting my unform pants as well as my butt.
"Hm." She also looks up at the gray clouds. "The ones that assassinated the King...." She looks down at the wet ground, the raindrops falling down her neck and slowly sliding down her golden cross necklace. "...And the ones that killed my.." She clenches her fists.
"Uhh... You wanna explain to dumbass over here who you mean by 'The ones'?" Does she mean that cult that's been fanboying over Lucifer? They didn't kill the King though.
I did.
With a pitchfork.
It would actually suffice to say his own humongous gold sword skewered him like a kabob.
So I'm innocent.
"Hmph." She looks back at me. "I'll tell you if you join the Pale Inquisition."
"Hell no." I stand up and dust off my behind as I walk past her. "Listen president, no disrespect, but I ain't got time to be doing all that." I got way too much to do. Joining this whack-ass Inquisition or whatever just screams workload after workload. It's already bad enough I'm still vice president AND a Paladin. I want to go back to my old ways of going outside the Kingdom walls and just killing anything that even looks at me and then feed off their agony.
Ok that last part was an exaggeration, but still.
I miss farming souls.
"Wait a minute." A sudden realization hits me.
Since I'm pretty much back to Level 1, going out and farming souls is exactly what I need to do.
In fact it's what I have to do.
"I see. So, you realized 'The Order' is behind the assassination then?" Rin walks besides me, watching the devious smirk that has probably been plastered on my face.
"Fuehehehe... soul farming..." I quietly laugh to myself, and I can feel my grin widening. It's been too long since I went out and absorbed souls. I'll need to figure out how to do that though, I don't exactly have any weapons on me. Astal and Dysma are pretty much useless since they can't use their powers either apart from changing to their human forms. Probably because I absorbed some of their souls.
I'm not apologizing.
"Alek." Rin stops me as she grips onto my shoulder then looks at me. "Tell me what it is you're planning. I refuse to continue this walk with that shark toothed smile on your face. It's unsettling..." She looks at me with disgust.
"Huh? Oh, right, listen president." I look at her. "You're gonna have to give me a couple to think, kay?" She's getting in the way of my soul farm planning; I need to bounce on outta here.
"Hmph." She releases my shoulder, then crosses her arms. "And just how much time do you need to think?"
"Just sit tight." I adjust my coat and walk ahead. I'll need a good relaxing spot to sit and plan out my approach. "Things are changing." I turn the corner and leave the alleyways alone, ready to think of different ways to gather souls.
"Alek, I know what you're thinking, and I have a suggestion for you~"
"Tell me."
"Why not wear the black suit you wore to the King's funeral and use it for the ball~?"
"Lucifer you absolute wanker... I like the way you think." I step back out onto the wet Kingdom streets and make my way down the roads.
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/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
A man in a peaked cap is sitting at a table in a bright room and humming to himself, the electric lamps in the ceiling casting a sharp blue hue across the walls.
"Hmm~ Hm~" He continues to write on a piece of paper, the black ink etching its dark liquid onto the paper. "Dr.Samfotsen's log number one one nine...Hm~ Hmm~"
Two more figures walk into the lab, one is a young girl in long black hair and twin tails tied up in pink bows.
"Still spending all your days cooped up in your little lab, Samfotsen? You really should get more sunlight, you're starting to get a little pale." And the other is a tall woman with long lavender hair with a flower ornament, her dark magenta eyes scanning the room as she enters.
"That's Doctor Samfotsen to you, yes?" He sets his quill down as he watches the young girl with pink bows approach the man detained in a metal chair.
"You alive? Helooo." She brings up her hand and waves it in front of his face which is slumped down and looking at the shiny metallic floor. "Hmm...he might be dead. Dibs on his eyeballs."
"Now now, Akki." Samfotsen stands up and walks next to her, looking down at the detained man. "He is merely... on a little walk within his head." He brings his hand and snaps his fingers, but all he receives back is a low growl. "See?" He straightens up and walks towards a large capsule against a wall, the bright blue light from the floating orb inside it casting its glow against the glass.
"You've acquired the Rune of Power like you wanted, so what's stopping you from harnessing it hm?" The woman with lavender hair looks over to him, the hanging silver earrings on her ears swinging, the blue light reflecting off the purple flower shaped jewels.
"Hmm..." Samfotsen entwines his hands behind him and intertwines his fingers as he looks into the capsule. "It isn't what I was initially looking for, but oh well~ Acquiring more runes remains a top priority." He looks over to the detained man. "Amongst other things..."
"Soo.. when can we use it to.. y'know, kill everyone?" Akki says in a monotonous tone now sitting at the table, her head resting on her palms.
"Patience, my dear. It isn't wise to absorb the power of a Rune without proper knowledge on how it will affect a new host. A possibility of rejection is imminent, and it is quite ugly~"
"Why don't we have Jokran absorb it? I'm sure he'll be quite the candidate for your little experiments." The woman with silver earrings says, her uniform dress rustling against her thighs as she sets down her long metallic pole to her side then sitting next to Akki. "He won't mind becoming your little lab rat with that attitude of his..."
"Ah, but those times are over." Samfosten looks back at the two sitting on the table. "Jokran was my 'Assisant' quite a while ago. Unfortunately he concluded he couldn't take any more of my... experiments, even after I suggested I could help with his insomnia." He approaches the table. "Besides, he remains in Ragnav at this very moment. I'm sure he's working hard~"
"Well, how nice of you to suggest in helping out with his problems." Akki yawns, then continues. "So? How exactly were you planning on 'Helping' him anyways?"
"Oh, just taking his brain out of his head and implanting an electric screw or two~" He sits.
"Hm, figures." She scoots her chair back and stands up, then heads for the door out.
"Now, about this... boy" He looks over to Akki as she adjusts her red skirt. "You're quite certain he has a connection with this 'Denmark', yes?"
"I'm pretty sure he at least knows something." She looks over her shoulder.
"Then why did you not dispose of him when you had the chance hmm?" The woman with lavender hair stands up, picking up her pole.
"Obviously because I wanted to dig more out of him. Also because I had fun on our little conversation." She picks up her large butcher blade.
"Enough of that, Akki. The chance of him knowing something about 'Denmark' is enough to conclude they may be acquainted." He looks at her with a serious expression. "I want him liquidated~ Be a dear and track him. "
"Ok jeez. I already know exactly where he is, you don't have to give me attitude you know? I placed a tracking sigil on his shoulder." She looks over to the woman next to her.
"Then, we'll be off." Her earrings swing as she turns around and walks out of the lab with Akki following behind her.
"Hmm.. now then." Samfotsen stands up and walks towards the detained man. "What can you tell me about... the cloaked individual that was at the site of the Rune of Power?"
"Hm." Felthoven raises his head and looks up at him. "Hahah... the voices..."
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Gaah... This is bullshit."
"Oh lighten up. You've only been here for.. hm..."
"Three hours Nya."
"I'd say about three hours, mhm"
"Now be a good boy and get this place spotless for tomorrow~ And when we're done, we can go sit on the roof where I'll feed you apple slices..."
"Hey isn't it my turn to do that?!"
"Isn't it about time for you two to shush and let me concentrate?" I'm standing on top of a wooden ladder and dusting off a corner near the ceiling of the academy's empty giant lobby. Today is a free day and I could have been spending it outside the walls and racking up souls for my rise back to glory. But as you may have guessed I can't. Because...
"What is it you think you're doing? You call that dust wiping?" Rin walks into the lobby before setting down a bag full of more cleaning supplies then crossing her arms and looking up at me. "You missed a spot. Get to it. Now."
"Haah.." I raise my wooden duster stick and start to wipe at the complex marble ceiling that was designed to look like the ceiling of a god damn museum. "This sucks."
"You don't raise your attitude at me. Be a good vice president and make that ceiling spotless. I want it shiny for tomorrow or its your head." She turns around and makes her way to her office, possibly to look for more ways to slave me around till I drop like a fly that's been swatted off the side of a kitchen window.
"You look like you need help~" A voice I hoped I wouldn't hear today calls out from below me.
"No." I look down at Yukki who is currently sucking on a lollipop with a wide smirk.
"Are you quite sure, Alek? You look like you won't be done with this area until sundown at this rate..." Emilia says with a worried expression while standing next to Yukki and holding a broom.
"Pfft, are you for real? I've got it handled, don't even tri- whoa whoa what the fu-!?" I stumble around as the ladder begins to shake over and over. "D-dude stop t-that's not even funny I'm so high up! Chill!?"
"Let me help you!!" Yukki yells from below as she continues to shake the ladder repeatedly with a pout on her face.
"Oh! Yukki that's not safe..!!" Emilia covers her mouth with her hand as she looks at Yukki with a shocked look.
"CHILL. CHILL. CHILL." I dig my fingers onto the side of the ladder as I fight for my life.
"Say yes!! Do it! Say you'll let me help you!" Yukki yells louder, her hands grasping onto the ladder as she starts to shake it harder.
"YOU'RE DOING THE OPPOSITE OF THAT RIGHT N- OH SHI-!"
The ladder falls backwards, bringing me along as it rapidly starts to descend back onto the floor.
"Oh no! I-I'll catch you..!!" Emilia holds out her arms and braces herself as she watches me clutching the ladder and falling backwards.
"Just what is going on here?" Rin walks back into the lobby with an irritated and angry look on her face.
Yukki turns to look at her, disregarding my upcoming death. "Oh hi prez! We're helping Alek clean th-
*SLAM!*
"Jesus H Christ..." I rub the side of my head and open my eyes only to see Emilia's face looking down at me.
"A-are you hurt..?" She looks down at me with a concerned expression as she holds my head on her lap.
"Hrrrm!" Yukki pouts as she stands next to Rin who is looking at me like I've become the enemy of the state.
"In all honesty, I wish I could have just fainted."
"What..?" Emilia's face goes into more shock.
Woops, didn't mean to say that out loud.
"Get a hold of yourselves. Now." Rin crosses her arms and shoots me an 'I want to kill you' gaze.
"Right.." I push off the ladder that is still currently on top of me and stand back up from Emilia's thighs.
"I'm just glad you're ok.." Emilia dusts off her thighs and also stands back up.
"Explain yourselves." Rin looks at the three of us in angered disbelief.
"We're helping Alek clean!" Yukki says with a prideful smirk.
"Hm..." Rin looks up at the ceiling that is still packed with dust, then onto the ladder plopped against the ground, then returning her gaze back to us. "Hmph."
"We apologize, president Rin..." Emilia bows politely, her silver hair cascading downwards and obscuring her face.
"Hmn? 'We'? Oh no, that was way too much fun to be something to apologize about~" Yukki bites and crunches into the lollipop still inside her mouth.
"Alek, take this and go sweep up the pile of leaves in the courtyard." Rin grabs a rake that was resting against the wall for some reason and presses it onto my chest. "Go. Now."
"Yeah fine." I grab it and turn away towards the hall leading to the courtyard. If it'll let me get away from Yukki then I don't mind going out and freezing my skin from the cold autumn air.
"FuFuFu~"
"Teeheeheehee~"
"Nyahahaha~!"
"If you three ever bring up the time I fell backwards on a ladder I'll abandon each and every one of you on the side of the Ragnav Kingdom's streets. I hold grudges."
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*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Is this really where he is?" The woman's earrings swing from under her ears as she holsters her metal pole on her shoulder.
"Uh huh." The young girl with a red skirt looks up at the large academy building, the orange leaves under their feet rapidly dragging against the polished gray bricked ground from the autumn wind, and the white clouds obscuring the sun and painting the scenery in a gloomy gray. "I can sense him, he's here..." She drags her large butcher blade along with her as she walks ahead towards the fountain in the middle of a large courtyard.
"So, tell me what he's like hm?" The woman asks as she walks besides her, her black and violet uniform dress rustling against her long legs. "You seem to have a certain...interest to this boy."
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing like that. He's just kind of weird."
"Oh Akki, that's not all there is to it FuFu.." She shakes her head. "I have never seen such a captivated look in those black eyes of yours.. and yet..." She looks ahead and over to a young boy scraping the leaves off the gray bricks while groaning to himself. "Hmm? That boy seems to have quite the presence to him, almost like a demon..."
"Hi mister." Akki waves at him, resting her butcher blade next to her. "What are ya doing?"
"Huh?" The boy shifts his focus from the large pile of leaves below him and onto the two, his gray eyes scanning their black uniforms. His colorless gaze looks up the black tags around their right arms, the black necklace around his neck shifting as he changes his gaze to Akki's unusually large butcher's blade, and finally onto the woman's long metallic pole. "Yo."
"Uhm...'Yo'?" The woman's lavender hair waves from the wind as she looks behind her, looking for a potential unseen additional witness with that unusual name, before looking back at him with a confused look.
"See Roze? A really weird one this mister." Akki raises her butcher blade.
"FuFu I see." Roze grabs onto her metal pole and rapidly spins it, the leaves under her heels clearing as she holsters it on her shoulder. "Good evening to you, I am Rozelia. And who might you be?" She looks at the boy, a small shiver going up her spine as he digs his faded gray eyes into hers. She has never felt such a way from someone looking at her the way the boy is looking at her. Yet, something about him she can't explain is telling her to keep her guard up, as there may be unseen consequences that his boy is able to bring onto her despite his quiet and harmless posture.
"Oh." He says in an expressionless tone, but there is a hint of slight agitation as he continues to stand perfectly still, holding onto his wooden rake.
"Anywayss... Sorry mister but I've gotta kill you. Don't hate me." Akki dashes forward in a fast instant, her butcher blade aimed right at his neck.
*CLANG*
Her butcher blade makes contact with the metal part of his rake, sparks flying across the impact. "The hell is your problem." He says in a cold tone as he looks into the black dots on Akki's mask engraved with a smile, their empty gazes looking at one another.
"Oh nothing mister. I've just gotta kill you like I said." She grips onto her butcher blade tightly.
"We aren't bad people, don't go developing hatred for us, hm?" Rozelia rapidly appears behind him, a long scythe blade emerging from the top side of her staff before she swings for his throat.
*CLNG* "Oh my." She gets a curious look on her face as her attack gets blocked. "I see, are you a mage?" She looks at a mysterious black book with a purple silver frame colliding with her scythe, sparks emerging from the edge. "I've never seen a black grimoire. Where did you find such a thing hm?" She looks at the purple jewel etched at the center of its cover, her eyes scanning over the strange symbols engraved along the cover.
"Nunya." The boy replies, blocking her scythe with the black book on his left hand, and blocking the large butcher blade with the rake on his right.
"Ah, is that some sort of undiscovered location? Please, do tell." She replies with curiosity as the collision of their armaments create more sparks.
"NUNYA BUSINESS."
*SHEENG*
A bright light flashes briefly from the book's purple jewel, blinding the two girls for a split second as they jump back and cover their eyes.
"Hmm? 'Nunya Busin-'? Ohh, Ha.. I get it." Akki removes her hand from her eyes as she looks back at the boy.
"FuFu I see. Quite the humorous one hm?" Rozelia looks back at him as she grips onto her long armament, a second scythe blade emerging from the top back side of her pole as she rapidly spins it, getting ready for another faster attack.
"Convinced yet?" Akki grips onto her butcher blade and raises her other hand to summon a fire ball, ready for a more aggressive attack. "Mister is a weird one."
"Hm.." The boy watches as they prepare for a second coordinated attack before looking down at his rake. "Oh, great. Now how am I supposed to rake leaves." He looks at his rake slowly break into pieces from the previous impact of Akki's butcher blade. "I don't think you two are good people."
"Hm? You're worried about leaves right now? FuFu.. Oh my, you are quite the assassination target." Rozelia spins her pole and dashes forward as Akki's fireball grows in size before she throws it at him.
The boy raises his right hand and attempts to grab it.
"Hm?" Rozelia stops mid dash then jumps back before the huge fireball could make contact with his hand.
*PFWOOM!*
An explosion gets set off, covering the surrounding area in gray smoke.
"Cough Cough.. You could have waited a bit don't you think?" Rozelia looks over at Akki with her eyebrows raised.
"Woops. I got impatient." Akki covers her mouth as the smoke slowly spreads and dematerializes.
"No matter, that should have taken care of him." She watches the smoke slowly dissipate, until her eyes widen from the sight in front of her.
"Haah.." The boy sighs to himself, his condition completely unscratched as he waves his right hand up and down, clearing the small bits of smoke. "You almost burnt my coat." The black book on his left hand starts to shine a bright purple before changing shape to a pitch black talon knife. "If I see a burnt spot, it's your fault." The black necklace around his neck slides down his right arm and wraps around his hand before shining and taking the form of a silver and gold dagger.
"Hmm..." Akki watches him grip onto his mysterious armaments that changed their own shapes. "Mister are you a summoner or a mage? I can't tell..." She raises her butcher blade as he looks at her with a slight irritated expression, not returning a response.
"FuFu.. Yes, quite the assassination target indeed..." The scythe blades on Rozelia's pole retract before she holsters it and turns away. "Akki, our business here will have to be postponed." She starts walking off as the sound of distant footsteps get closer.
"Huuuh?" Akki look back at her walking away with a whine. "But we were just getting to the good part..." She starts following her as she glances back at the boy.
"I understand your eagerness. Unfortunately, we can't afford to attract any witnesses." She looks over her shoulder and onto the boy's expressionless stare. "We'll see you again soon. It was fun~"
"Lucky you mister, I get to kill you another day." She drags her butcher blade along the ground as she follows Rozelia. "Don't tell anyone we were here, kay'?"
The two girls disappear into the fog, leaving the boy alone in the middle of the courtyard, the group of leaves still on the ground getting pushed from the wind and piling together.
.
.
.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Master I'm tired..."
"M-me too Nya..."
"And what do you want me to do about it."
"How about you don't have us suddenly change our forms with the small sliver of stamina we have left!"
"Jerk! Bossy scumbag! Dipstick owner! Nya!"
"Alright you two need to chill out. I have feelings." I watch Astal and Dysma go back to their I guess 'Less Exhausting' forms as I look at the pile of leaves on the ground taunting me while they continue to spread.
The heck is Akki's problem pulling up on me like that while I'm working?
Not going to question why she continues to wear that silly smiley face mask.
Maybe she's at that age or something.
"You've made quite the enemies in the span of two days Alek... FuFuFu~"
"The hell are you laughing at devil woman? I literally could have died. I almost sneezed before that purple haired lady could smack me with her pole." If I didn't hold it in, my head would have rolled across the ground like a soccer ball getting kicked over the street.
I'll have to stop holding in sneezes though, I have a secret fear of the blood vessels at the back of my head bursting.
Not sure how true it is, but I've heard your eyeballs will pop right out of your sockets if you sneeze with your eyes open.
No I won't test it.
"Hey Alek, do you think if you had your eyes ope-"
"I said no."
"My oh my... Anyways Alek, I didn't know you had a thing for hurting me...could it be you're secretly into those kinds of things~?"
"Pause. What are you talking about Lucifer?"
"You blocked that fireball knowing I was going to take the damage for you, did you not~?"
"Whoops. My bad, I wanted to try grabbing it and throwing it back, but I forgot it's a skill I lost."
My strange conversation gets interrupted as I look over my shoulder and see my student council allies approaching.
And Yukki.
God forbid she joins it.
"What the heck happened?? You cast explosion magic or something??" Yukki asks as she sprints my way holding a large ice hammer on her hand.
"Where did you get that."
"Oh this? It's a summon! Wanna touch it~? Here you go!"
"Wait no I-" Yukki doesn't even give me a second to refuse touching her cold ass hammer as I watch her just grab my right hand and forcing the hammer's hilt onto my fingers. "Huh, it's so light." I inspect her hammer and wave it around like it's some cool stick I found in my backyard.
"What is the meaning of this?" Rin and Emilia catch up holding their own weapons before Rin stops in front of Yukki and me. "What was that loud noise?" She looks down at what remains of the rake I was given for my mundane task before looking back up at me with a confused look, waiting for me to explain.
"I broke it."
"Oh my!" Emilia grips onto her fancy looking grimoire with both hands and places it in front of her mouth in shock. "Are you alright?"
I drop the big ice hammer onto the ground with a loud THUD and kneel to pick up a broken iron fragment of the rake. "Yeah I'm alright."
"Haah.." Rin palms her face and sighs in frustration. "I take my eyes off you for one second..."
"Woopsiedoo." I place the fragment into my coat pocket.
"Sorry prez~" Yukki picks up her ice hammer and makes it disappear.
"Why are you the one apolog- Haah.. Nevermind that. There's no use questioning moronic fools." Rin de-manifests her rapier and grabs onto my shoulder, stopping me from sneaking away. "You."
"...Me." I let myself get dragged away back to the Academy in defeat. I should have just gunned it the moment Yukki distracted her with her nonsense.
"You are going back to finish dusting the lobby ceiling." Rin grips my shoulder harder. "And I want the chandelier to reflect off the floors after you clean them to a pristine state. You will not refuse me."
"I'll help!" Rin and Emilia walk beside us as they watch me get dragged to my demise.
"No." Rin shoots her a glare.
"In that case, please allow me presi-" Emilia immediately stops talking after Rin shoots her glare to her. "Ah- I understand..." She smiles nervously. ^ ^;
"I actually wouldn't have minded help this time presi-" The cold glare shifts to me.
Why is she like this?
.
.
.
[__________________________________]
Lightning in a Bottle
How to make step by step with your host Dysma
"Hiii Nya~! Today we are making a lighting in a bottle!!"
"Uh... dude who are you talking to..."
"Shaddap..! Now Nya, hand me the bottle!"
"I don't see why you need me here, all the things you need are on the tabl-"
"GIVE IT TO ME NOW NYA."
"Ok damn..."
"Purrfect! Now Nya, you'll take your bowl with crushed cloud dust and mix in a single spark shroom!"
"Should... should you be using your hands like that without protective gear...?"
"PFFTTNYAHAHA~!! Do you know who you're talking to Nya? I know what I'm doing! I have been using cauldrons since I was a little kitty~ Only losers use protective gea-"
*BlUbLuBlUbLuBlUb*
"Is the cauldron supposed to be shaking like that?"
"B-but of course Nya..! It j-just means the ingredients are very excited to mix together into something exciting..! Nyaha...ha...Gulp."
"I'm out of here."
"W-WAIT NYA DON'T LEAVE ME."
*BSZSZ* BSZSZ* *BSSZSZSZ*
"Cough Cough... I forgot to add water Nya..."
"Since you were a little kitty huh..."
[__________________________________]