The Genie Hunter kills all that is evil and leaves nothing left. That is what it's designed to do and nothing more. However evil is an interesting thing. What is evil? What is good? Is evil a mother who would use her own son and discard him when he does not prove useful? Is evil a mother who made her child kill small animals to grow deranged and mentally unhinged, a weapon forged by her own mistreatment? Is a person like this completely and totally evil? And if so wouldn't they be wiped out by the Genie hunter when they were sliced in half to their very soul?
To anyone watching Medusa's death that day they would have said yes. For she seemed to disappear entirely, her smile and cackle sticking around to the very end to tell them they had no prayer against the Kishin. However things are not divided so cleanly in reality. There is no person who is truly evil. Apathetic, Cruel, Vile, Medusa was all these things, but despite her boasting she still had some good inside her, enough to keep her alive from the devastating attack. She was weak though, so much of her soul was devoured by that blow Maka dealt her she could barely focus with the little bit of herself she did have left.
She was too weak to defend herself. She was too afraid that the DWMA would come and finish the job if she tried to claim another body and rebuild her strength. She had burned many bridges in that world, all in her conquest to rule it she now found herself nowhere to turn too. This world though was not the only one available to a witch of her knowledge and ability though. She knew a secret that few on this planet did. She knew that this world was the creation of the Lifemaker, much like other worlds like it projected onto the true reality.
Medusa also knew that her current plan was risky, and that it could end up in her immediate demise if she did not play her cards right. She was going to ask one of the greatest witches she had ever known for help. A witch that had inspired her to be the person she had been, a witch that showed what it really meant to have true power. Others feared to speak her name, but she had known her personally once.
The Puppet master, The Dreaded Vampire, the apostle of destruction, The Lord of darkness and queen of the night, the Dark Evangel, Evangeline was all these things and more. Medusa feared none like she did her. Entire nations and armies of people had fought Evangeline and all failed. She was terrifyingly powerful and was known to wipe out a fellow witch for just slightly annoying her. The fact that she was a Vampire as well added to her god like power and the awe inspired fear her legends bore. However her life was on the line and this was her last chance. She had used almost all her remaining energy to bring herself to where this being was.
The disembodied witch found herself in a pocket dimension, with a huge castle. The witch had built herself a world away from her home, her own private domain where she sat alone drinking tea or trained her disciples. It seemed so serene. To the average observer it would seem like a young European girl with long flowing blond hair was casually sitting cross legged and drinking tea while staring out the window at a mountainous European paradise. To everyone else this was someone to be feared and respected.
"Medusa" Evangeline said quietly without looking over at her. She could tell she was there even with the faint bit of ability the desperate witch had left "you've looked better"
The ancient yet youthful witch took a sip of her tea and leaned back in her chair looking the ghost over before sighing.
"I told you…I told all of you that living in that world would be tantamount to a death sentence. I told all of you to leave that bigot Death and his sad twisted little dimension alone and find somewhere else too call your own."
Medusa recalled those days like they were yesterday. Outcast witches who found a place to live only to be hunted down by a pious Death God who thought them filth of the earth. She still bridled at the indignity of having to hide in her own dimension.
"We were there first…" Medusa said bitterly to Evangeline "And if you had come with us we would of…"
Evangeline waved her hand to silence her and put her tea cup down quietly; looking at her astral form with something akin to a scolding parent who was chiding her child for not doing what she was told
"That world was a lost cause, there are plenty of others that are not as prejudice to our kind then that but you and yours were too busy with your self-righteous little campaign against a death god to see this fact. And now look at you, done in by one of his lackeys. A little girl no less"
Medusa couldn't help but be a bit surprised at Evangeline's perception. How much did she know of what was going on in that world? How powerful was she that she could casually peer into other dimensions while having a private tea party. She decided not to question it though; her time was short as it was.
"I need your help" Medusa hated how weak she sounded. Even to Evangeline's powerful vision the bodiless witch seemed like a shimmer in the air, her vectors only shadows of their former self.
A cruel grin grew on the angelic face of Evangeline. She relished how the pompous witch Medusa was brought to her ghostly knees before her, just as she was bested by Evangeline's hands hundreds of years before. "Oh really now? Why should I help you? You never seemed to want to follow my help and advice before"
"You owe me…" Medusa gritted out, reaching her spectral hands out at the girls collar. Evangeline looked like she smelled something vile and swatted her hand at the ghostly spirit. Medusa was forced back; a blow even as minor as that threatened her very existence and fear was in her transparent eyes. Standing up to her full diminutive height "Lessers like you do not touch me Medusa…However I have felt lenient of late…I assume you wish for a body?"
Medusa nodded fervently "Yes, and then I will get my revenge on…"
"You seem to misunderstand your situation Medusa" Evangeline cut her off "whatever debt you think I have for you does not warrant me to give you a body…And certainly not one that you will throw away at the first opportunity against Death and his Meisters"
"Evangeline…" Medusa could see where this was going. Evangeline relished this all the more.
"Oh come now Medusa, you yourself exploited other witches when they were in vicarious situations like this, you must have expected I would have strings attached to my new puppets…"
"Puppets…" Medusa did not like where this was going but she was desperate. If it wasn't for that little wench Maka she wouldn't even have to make this deal but she had no choice. How the mighty have fallen.
"Yes, I will not grant you a body, but I will make you a puppet of mine. Yes you will be my own personal doll that I will do as I see fit, and you will call me master or else I shall wipe you out of existence like the stain that you are… will you submit to these terms slave?"
"I suppose I have no choice… I submit…Master" Medusa figured she could find a way out of the Dark Evangels clutches eventually, but for now she had to play the Witches game. She recalled a time not to long ago when other witches feared and were commanded by her in just the same way.
A powerful Tug came over her and she felt like she was in a vacuum of wind. She couldn't help but let out a squeal as her soul was sucked from the room and into the lifeless wooden puppet on display. As her soul entered it the puppet took shape, mimicking her features like when she had possessed that young girl. The dress the doll wore grew black and resembled the one she had Crona wear when he was a young boy, save for the hoodie that she always wore no matter what her form. She looked in the mirror when the transformation was all over and got chills. Her limbs had hinges and she looked like an evil female version of Pinocchio but without the nose. She flexed her wooden fingers and slowly wobbled onto her feet, this would take some getting used too.
The puppet was only half of Evangeline's size, and Evangeline was exceptionally short. Medusa was tired of being small after being in that child's body so long but again she would have to make due till she got her strength back.
"Yes I think this look suits you just fine Medusa… And as you know I am the Puppet master, you will not be able to betray me as easily as you have done countless others…"
"You know me too well Evangeline…"
"Call me Master"
Medusa cringed and looked down at the floor in anger "Yes…master"
"Do not be so down my new puppet" Evangeline said with a wry grin "Your predicament may bring the down fall of Lord Death yet. He made a deal with you that he and his would not attack you, and that was clearly broken. And from our recent run ins with the Mage of the beginning…"
Medusa's eyes grew wide in her new face "The Mage… you can't mean…"
Evangeline cackled "Oh yes its quite an interesting time in history my dear puppet, the Life maker is on the move and he wishes to wipe out those worlds that he created. He is hiding at the moment, maybe in your former dimension actually."
Out of the frying pan into the fryer, Medusa knew she was no match for a being such as that, and even Evangeline would be hard pressed to face such a force. "What do you mean…we?"
Evangeline smirked broadly "I have been… making alliances lately, and we have gathered quite a force together. A force meant to take out the Mage himself." There was a hint of triumph in the way she spoke, like all the cards were in her favor.
"Master!" called a youthful voice. Medusa turned around to see a small red haired boy with glasses. He was quite attractive for someone so young, almost a little too alluring. However his Soul was something else entirely. Someone so happy looking would be expected to have a similar soul, but his was massive spikey and blacker then darkness itself. This soul of his was terrifying, twisted and immensely powerful. It was the soul of a gigantic demon, the soul of a Kishin that was controlled by will alone. Even at her prime she would have been helpless against such a force. Next to him was a white haired boy she realized was one of the dolls of the Mage. They were notoriously powerful and it seemed Evangeline had one on her side considering they were not attacking him. And on the other side of the red haired boy was a honest to goodness werewolf. One who seemed to pack even more power than Free, and he was young looking as well. Medusa couldn't help but smile broadly, If Evangeline had people like this backing her up, Death himself would not stand a chance against them. She would have her revenge yet.
"Who is this?" Negi said as he knelt down and patted the new puppets head with a smile. Medusa tried to seem nice and greeted his happy face with a forced one of her own.
"Her name is Medusa, and she is my new puppet. That is all you need to know boy. For now we need to discuss the location of the Mage of the Beginning. I believe I may know where it is."
The boy and the werewolf gasped while the living doll Fate remained impassive and looked over Medusa "Where?"
"In the world of Death… In the land of the Witch hunters" Evangeline said dramatically. Negi Springfield didn't like the sound of that one bit considering a lot of his friends were witches, but if his master claimed that the Mage was there then he would fight by her side till the end of the world itself. A new journey was about to begin.
