Standard Disclaimer: Nanoha's owned by 3arc and blah blah this has been done a million times.
I will lead my friends against all odds. Even if it kills me.
I will protect the one I love. I will sacrifice myself for her.
I will show everyone what it means to live. If I must die, then so be it.
I will protect she who brought me back to life. I will die for her.
I will return to life and take my rightful place as ruler. I will kill everyone to do it.
When I was born into the Immortal Empire of Al-Hazared, I never wanted for anything. My education was perfect, my opportunities for the future were laid bare for me to see clearly, my potential for magic was astounding, and there were a thousand worlds for me to live on.
However, I owned nothing. My parents were caretakers, my belongings were merely handouts from the government, and I was placed on a world, not allowed to move of my own will. My soul did not even belong to me; instead, I was a reincarnation of some other soul from long ago. See, when mages in Al-Hazared die, they were not allowed to pass into the afterlife. Instead, they were sent into the Throne of Souls, a massive column on the capital world of Ares, housing an infinite number of souls, waiting to be recycled for their next life. Though their memories are wiped clean, souls are allowed to live on; their skills and talents are passed on to the next person.
The person who came before me was an average mage at best; I looked him up in the database one day. He worked for the military, was platoon leader of an MP unit, and retired after fifty years of active service. He died of natural causes. He was completely average, if not dedicated, yet he never lived up to his true potential. At the time I read that, I was in tertiary school - what you may call "graduate school" - going through my final studies, and found myself disappointed.
Ha, I remember talking to my friends about it, mentioning my utter disappointment.
"Don't be so hard on yourself!" One of them said - I wish I could remember her name. "He wasn't you!"
"Well, technically, he is..." I muttered, down on myself.
"Well, you'll just have to be better than that," The other said - I remember she had the most striking blonde hair. "Just prove you're the best there is, Nanoha!"
That was my name, back in those days... Nanoha. My last name? We had no such things back then. We had designations. I was "Nanoha T-11131389". I neither loved it nor hated it. In our Empire, that was simply how things were. We didn't know anything else, so how could I be resentful? I did, however, cherish my first name. The T-series of Nanoha names was very rare, given to people truly destined for greatness in the Immortal Empire of Al-Hazared (it should be noted that the Empire's name was in fact what I just said. You only used "Al-Hazared" as a derogatory term). I should also let you know that we're not even given names until we're ten years old.
Anyway, I'm getting off track. I graduated with full honors, determined to prove that my soul was more than just an average person. I joined a specialized magic academy that was in many ways similar to the "Enforcer" unit in your world, trained hard, and became first in my class. Using my newfound skills, I snuck into the capital building, to the God-Emperor's throne, and drank the elixir from the Philosopher's Stone. It didn't make me immortal, but it more than doubled my life span.
The best part was not getting caught. I still don't know how I did that, thinking about it. The security at that place was amazing.
But I digress. When I became... I think we called it the "Phoenix Guard" - when I became as such, I strived to be the best there was. I squashed rebellions, fought off extra-dimensional invaders, and even eradicated a few planets single-handedly. I gained enough freedom to acquire my own guard of 3 powerful mage-knights that always accompanied me. We became known as "Her Majesty's Guard" or "Nanoha's Starlights", depending on who you asked. By then, I was well into my seventies, but still looked like a teenager, thanks to the elixir. I even found out how to produce a weak version of it and gave it to my guards.
Unfortunately, I was rash and reckless back then. I didn't plan on getting... caught, I guess. But I was, and for five-hundred years my guard and I - too powerful to be imprisoned - were instead sent to a backwater called Childa. For half a millenium, I was to serve as security for a planet that no one cared about. It was humiliating. It was degrading... and it was enraging.
At first, we simply stewed and rested on our laurels. We carried out our duties despite our anger, and in turn, the Immortal Empire slowly began to forget about us. Childa was a lush world, but the sheer size of it gave it a highly uncomfortable 1.8g gravity well... and it was just too much for the average citizen, who had started to grow ever more complacent and useless as time marched on. We befriended each new generation of Childians, watched as they grew, and proceeded over their deaths, only for it to recur again and again. No mages were ever born on Childa, which was intriguing and sad.
As we turned a century, we came to the realization that Al-Hazared had forgotten about us entirely. I remember one of my guardsmen doing a search, only to find that Childa had in fact been stricken from the record, as well as every other system a few million light years in each direction and every dimension that Childa touched. Over four-hundred and fifty inhabited worlds, left for naught, just so Al-Hazared could forget about us. We had become nothing more than ghosts to the Empire, and that was the last straw.
I remember that, in a fit of rage, I accidentally [i]Planeshifted[/i] myself into another dimension, which contained what we called the Endless Archive, what you know as the Infinity Library. It's cliche to say that the hand of fate guided me at this point, but I found myself in one of the lost archives, and there I found an old room containing the Tomes of Forbidden Magicks. One in particular, I remember it was called the Book of Vile Darkness, called to me, and I took it before shifting back to Childa.
Both shifts were accidental, and as I read some medical files I realized that my long lifespan, despite how helpful it was, was causing me to lose control over my powers. The same thing was happening, and I lost one guardsman as he accidentally shifted into Childa's molten core, cracking the planet asunder. Only quick thinking on our parts allowed the planet to survive, although we had to split it into two seperate halves rather than attempt to fuse the planet together. The gravity of both world-halves settled to a comfortable state, and in turn I named the second half "Mid", due to the fact that, at least when I was still 'alive', it rested in the middle of Childa and the sun.
Thus the system of Midchilda was born... and on that day, I delved into the Book. Over the course of fifty years, I mastered every spell within that book, stripped it of much of its power to sustain my own, and then rather carelessly tossed it aside. I understand that it became what you knew as the Tome of the Night Sky, and only now I realize that the dark power in the book must have corrupted me and my companions utterly.
Not that I mind, not now. The parts of the book I absorbed are just a part of me as I am of it, and that makes me happy.
I learned of a way to sustain my growing power and keep stable: a dark spell called Soul Shackles, which allowed me to take a soul as my own. It was a deceptively simple process with only a small cost: I had to give up my own soul to use it. Without a soul, I would be effectively undead, a lich of some power, but I would no longer be the woman known as Nanoha. I contemplated the act for some time before finally deciding to do it. Undergoing an intense ritual, I sealed my own soul in a gem of power and shot it off into space. If it fell into a sun, fine, but I know now that it's still out there, for I have seen it... faintly, but its there.
After my release, I remember feeling free; more free than I ever had before. I also still felt a burning hatred for Al-Hazared, and slowly I united the worlds sealed away from the empire under my own banner. History texts may call us the "Vile Army", but I called us the "Starlight Kingdom", and once I united an Empire under my own name, I turned my eyes toward the Immortal Empire... and to allow the growing hunger for souls inside of me to sate itself upon the souls of those who forgot us.
Taking the lead, I led a massive fleet across the dimensions and throughout the galaxy. For a thousand years, I waged war upon the Empire, feasting upon the mages that fell before my magic. My guardsmen were captured and killed, their souls locked away in the Throne so they could never go to what you may call "Heaven" or "Hell". Though the years had taken away much of my feelings, I still felt anger, and my offensive grew ever more powerful.
Worlds perished under my command. I wiped half of the known cosmos of life as we knew it. A thousand thousand sentient species went extinct at my order. Worlds I didn't destroy were laid waste. And over time, I continued to consume souls, and my power continued to grow, until it culminated when I forced a star to go nova with only my focused magic.
I don't know what turned the war around for Al-Hazared... maybe my soldiers lost their faith, or maybe the government finally decided to break out the biggest guns they had... either way, I began to lose the war. Although my ships once rested in orbit around Ares, they beat me back from the capital, and another century passed until all I had left was the Endless Archive under my control. Before I could delete the records, the Al-Hazared fleet warped in, destroyed what was left of my fleet, and surrounded me. I hid in the Archive for as long as I could, but my hunger drove me out, and I was captured. They were unable to kill me, so instead they built a massive prison, just for me.
They called it, simply, The Coffin, and as I was taken to it, I could hear cries of celebration. But although they were victorious, I looked betwixt the worlds, and found that I had, in fact, won. The war had taken its toll on the Empire, and slowly, it was crumbling to dust. I was locked in my coffin and flung into a gas giant you now call Jupiter, and the intense pressure combined with my own magic kept me locked in a state of eternal torment: The gravity desperately tried to crush me, yet my own defensive magic could not simply be turned off. I was forced to endure, and so endure I did.
Now you may think, "so the good guys won"? I'm sure you do. In that head of yours, you believe me, probably, to be evil. I killed and feasted my way through an empire filled with as many innocents as sinners, I rendered entire worlds barren, and the scope of my crimes was so vast that the empire never recovered. I got to watch all of it, every last detail, as Al-Hazared caved in on itself, erasing from existence... leaving only dust and echoes.
I killed Al-Hazared... and yet, life continued.
I stretched out with feelers, looking among the dimensions. I saw endless darkness, but slowly, life sprang anew. Humans began to rebuild across countless worlds. I watch Mid-Childa regain its magic while Ares turned into a red planet. I watched a comet collide with a planet, wiping the life from it, only to allow the sleeper pods of ancient humanity rise to the surface and become the world known as Terra... and marveled as they became the closest to reaching the Immortal Empire of Al-Hazared than any of the others.
Even now, I watch humanity... but soon, I will be free. No longer am I Nanoha T-1131389. I am Morrigan, a collection of the damned and the innocent, waiting for my prison to be released. What then? Well... only time will tell.
Maho Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha: Al-Hazared no Seishin
Episode 00: Genjitsu-tekina (Earthbound)
Terra, MC 070, AD 2011
"Extermination!"
Hayate laughed excitedly as she reloaded her DMR. She activated her jetpack and took flight, reaching up to the top of the cliff and taking an overwatch position as her fellow SPARTANs sprinted to their next position. An enemy unit came from behind, energy blade in hand. Hayate took flight again, scoping in and popping the enemy seven times, each hit hitting straight on the top of the head. The enemy fell; Hayate dropped to the ground and switched to her pistol, dropping it in favor of the sword.
Her motion sensors pinged a target directly ahead, and without wasting a thought she came around the corner and stabbed the nearest opponent, felling him in a single strike. Instantly, she turned toward the mid-range target and hurled a plasma grenade, sticking her target in the torso. She turned again as her target exploded, unable to do anything about it. She checked the number of charges in her sword and-
A bullet passed cleanly through her helmet. Hayate fell to her knees, then into a pathetic heap on the ground.
Meanwhile, in real life, Hayate stared at her screen in shock.
"Ehh!" She exclaimed. "Enemy sniper!" Although with her English, it sounded more like "snaipa".
"I told you," Nanoha replied dispassionately, turning the page in her Iron Man comic. "The rifle respawned about fifteen seconds ago; I said you should have grabbed it." Nanoha's English was much better than Hayate's at this point; a result of her forcing herself to learn English due to how similar it was to Midchildan.
"But... but..." Hayate twisted her mouth to a look of annoyance. "And I was on a Frenzy too..." The brunette shrugged it off and began to play again, taking her newly spawned character back into the fray. Nanoha chuckled lightly to herself at Hayate's enthusiasm - the girl loved all types of shooters. The Halo series was her favorite FPS, and like many "huge nerds" she absolutely loved the Touhou series and was actually pretty good at them, something Nanoha couldn't attest to. The ponytailed girl was okay at shooters and the like, but she really preferred to read or, if anything, play RPGs.
Although, she had to admit with a grin, Master Spark and Starlight Breaker did share enough similarities for her to collect Marisa plushies.
Nanoha felt a shift on her side, and looked over to smile warmly at Fate, who had fallen asleep peacefully and rested on Nanoha's shoulder. Unlike she and Hayate, Fate wasn't really interested in any of that, preferring to be a more outdoors-type person, which was something they all shared, but really caused her to bond with Signum, and together the two had started a small flower garden. Fate was also getting really big into cars, and although she couldn't legally drive yet on Earth, on Midchilda she was quite the hot rod.
Nanoha put an arm around the sleeping blonde; Fate had a busy day at school, having joined the theater club in an attempt to become less shy. It was working, somewhat, but for all three girls their last year of junior high was something of an awkward social experience. Perhaps it was a side effect of being mages and putting up with a lot of Bureau issues alongside their "normal" lives, but the girls were quite a bit more mature than your average teenager. They also dealt with far more serious things than your average teenager to compensate. That said, they were still kids, and they still tried their hardest to "fit in", as it were. Not because of an overwhelming urge to, but because it was something they could do to forget about... well, their "ordinary lives" they supposed.
"You know Ichigo in Class 4 is madly in love with Fate," Nanoha chuckled, setting her comic aside. "You should see the way he stares at her, it's so adorable!" She made a face that could best be described as Konata's cat face and made a cute sound. "They'd be so cute together too!"
"Yeah till he embarrassed her and ended up in the stratosphere," Hayate replied, turning off her console. "Anyway, Fate-chan has her eyes set on someone else entirely,"
"What?" Nanoha almost jumped out of her seat. "Who? I didn't know this! Tell me, Hayate, tell me!"
"Nnnnhh..." Fate mumbled and curled up closer to Nanoha. "Stop moving..."
Hayate giggled. "Maybe she should tell you herself Nano-chan,"
"But..."
"Maybe I'll tell you later, but lets just say its someone we all know very well, okay?"
"I... you're no fun," Nanoha mumbled, looking disappointed. She shook it off. "Speaking of having a love life, what happened with that man Signum was seeing?"
"Oh, Sei?" Hayate looked thoughtful. "I think they're doing okay... they seem to get along great, even though Signum can be difficult at times."
Nanoha grinned at that. It was true that Signum was hard to get along with unless you knew her well and knew her quirks. But Sei had risen to the challenge and on more than one occasion the two had come to the cafe on a date. Sei was a nice guy if a bit nerdy, but his own sense of personal honor was almost as great as Signum's, though they did clash on occasion; Signum's direct approach put her out of sync somewhat with the more passive Sei, but they were a good match regardless.
Hayate got up from her chair and nudged Fate on the arm. "Ne, Fate, time for bed. Use Vita's bed, she's going to be sleeping with me tonight, okay?"
"Mmmn," Fate mumbled. "Nnnnn, don't wanna move." Hayate sighed and looked at Nanoha, who only grinned and nodded. Nanoha slid herself off of the couch and gently picked up the small blonde. Nanoha was stronger than ever after her recovery, and though it still took quite a bit of effort, she carried the sleeping girl in her arms to Vita's room and laid her down on the Knight's bed. Fate rolled onto her side and bit her thumb in her sleep, mumbled something incoherent, and passed back into deep sleep. The violet-eyed girl smiled warmly at her friend before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.
"I don't know why Vita has a room of her own," she joked to Hayate as the short-haired brunette waited. "She sleeps with you so much I wonder if you're joined at the hip," Hayate laughed as Nanoha walked her to her room.
"Maybe we are," she said. "But I don't mind."
"I know... Vita's really one of the most kind people I know,"
"Only when she's not in tsuntsun mode," Hayate pointed out, and the two shared a laugh. "Well, here I am. Goodnight, Nanoha. Sweet dreams."
"You too," Nanoha said, and turned about.
"Oh, and Nanoha?"
"Hn?"
"The person Fate-chan is in love with... is you."
"...wait. What? You mean-"
"More than she's ever loved anything in her life. I know I said I wouldn't tell you, but I've decided its something you need to think about."
Nanoha looked down, thoughtful. "But why now?"
"Because soon Fate-chan is going to take that step, and when she does, she's going to expect a reply. And... I know this isn't my place, but... I love both of you to death. You're my sisters, and you mean as much to me as my Knights. I know you won't do it on purpose, but... if you end up not feeling the same, and you hurt her, then..."
Nanoha smiled. "I know where you're going with this. I'll think about it, Hayate."
"Thank you, Nanoha..."
Later that night, Nanoha stood out on the balcony of Hayate's home. She stared out into the city, her eyes watching lights that seemed to dance in the dark.
On her mind were Hayate's words and what she said about Fate. [i]She loves me,[/i] she thought, a swirl of emotions coming over her. Not just love... but love. But... how do I feel?
Part of Nanoha knew all along, she had to admit. Fate had always been close to Nanoha, ever since the Jewel Seed incident. She had always looked after the quiet, shy girl who had been abused and tortured for most of her short life. She had not just rescued Fate, but she was the first person other than Arf to truly show her love. Genuine selfless, caring, sacrificing love. Before Chrono and Lindy took her into their family, and indeed, truly showed her what family was, Nanoha was there for her. She had become the center of Fate's life, willingly becoming her anchor to reality.
She remembered those long nights at her home, in her room, where Fate would cry uncontrollably, afraid to sleep for the nightmares. She remembered holding Fate as she shook, recalled when Fate would scream in her sleep and wake up everyone in the house. Everyone would be in Nanoha's room - her mother, father, siblings, Arf, all of them trying to comfort the broken girl as Nanoha tried desperately to piece back together a child who had been thrown in a situation no one should have to go through.
Nanoha felt tears as she thought about those nights. That one night, where despite everything, Fate couldn't take it anymore, and tried to do the one thing she swore again and again she'd never try to do again. Nanoha forgave her, of course, but she knew Fate still beat herself up over it again and again; that vivid night, that bloody razor, the emergency room... the streams of tears as Fate begged, [i]begged[/i] for the brunette's forgiveness. "Please don't hate me... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Nanoha gritted her teeth together not for the first time as that being the first moment in her life where she felt a rage so dark, so bitter that she promised herself that if she ever met Precia again, she would set Starlight Breaker to kill.
The girl took a deep breath. Could she fault Fate for falling in love with her? No... no she couldn't. In fact, she had done everything to ensure Fate would love her. How selfish, she mused, to make someone do that. So how could she say no when Fate would say those words, in that way, with her crimson eyes begging Nanoha to say I love you too.
Nanoha bit her lip. What should she do? She didn't love Fate like that... did she? She never saw herself like that, and she certainly didn't look at girls the same way she looked at boys (especiallyChrono; she and Hayate loved looking at the older man)... but that didn't mean it couldn't work.
But what if it didn't work? What if her feelings about Fate didn't turn into anything else? But what if they did? Certainly no one was closer to Nanoha than the dark magic girl.
"Sleepless?" A voice behind her asked. Nanoha turned to see Signum, dressed casually and staring up at the sky.
"Just... thinking, Signum..." Nanoha looked down. "Say, what would you do, if you knew that someone loved you but you weren't sure if you felt the same way?" Signum tilted her head slightly at Nanoha, a frown adorning her face.
"I do not approve of being used as a theory machine," she accused. Nanoha blushed.
"Please... just... I need some advice."
Signum stared at Nanoha for a few more seconds and looked away, thinking.
"Love... is selfish, Nanoha-san," she said after a minute. "It demands to be satisfied, no matter the cost. Those in love lose themselves in it, just a little. You can't control that... that's just not how it works. I know that you are a wonderful, loving person, however... you should not give up a piece of yourself to Fate-san, just because you know how she feels about you," she nodded. "If you don't think that you can feel the same about her than she feels for you, then do not be with her. It will ultimately hurt her than initial rejection will."
"How did you-"
"I've known for quite a time, Nanoha-san. We all have... except you. But, I ask," Signum stared at Nanoha. "Please, do not wound her more sharply than you have to. Do not be with her for her sake. You must take a bit as well, and if you do not feel the same kind of love, then you will only hurt each other. Think about it... think a lot about it. If, and only if, you find you feel the same way, then you should be with her."
"But what if I decide I love her too, and it's too late by then?"
"Well, love is fleeting, Nanoha. Like dust in the wind, you can only perceive it for a short time. Once it's gone, it's hard to catch.
Nanoha chuckled. "All you need is love..." she smiled. "Thank you, Signum. I think I'll be able to handle it." Signum nodded, and went back in the small house.
...will I?
The next morning was Monday. The girls awoke bright and early and prepped for school whilst Shamal and Signum cooked a simple breakfast of rice, miso soup, and some Tamagoyaki with radish. Breakfast was a quiet affair - although Fate and Nanoha were energetic, Hayate wasn't a morning person so her words mostly consisted of grumbles and growls. They ate quickly and hurried out, taking the walk to the metro for their school across the city. Zafira escorted them, ever the vigilant protector, and certainly a giant dog prevented people from approaching too close to the girls.
Zafira split when the girls stepped on the train, but they kept close to a certain redhead dressed in an elementary school outfit. It was funny how Fate's school uniform fit Vita so well, but it suited the girl to appear normal. The school she "attended" was also close to the one that the girls were headed for. Vita acted nonchalant as she sat listening to an iPod, occsaionally flicking her eyes toward Hayate as the ride dragged on. Perverts were always abundant on these cramped trains, but any lechers seemed to give the girls enough space.
The doors opened and the girls shuffled out. Vita joined a throng of elementary school students and headed off in the other direction, but like clockwork Shamal stepped in behind, dressed in a business suit and blending in perfectly with the crowd of adults. Nanoha suppressed a grin as Shamal "talked" on a cell phone, acting as normal as possible while guarding her Mistress.
It was well known that between the three, the girls wouldn't need any protection, but Hayate enjoyed the company of her knights, doing their duty as guardians without being obvious about it. Each of them had melded into their various roles that Hayate had assigned them seamlessly, as she was able to easily pick out which of them would look best at their role. The young mage remembered with amusement how last year, her knights posed as police, standing at crosswalks that conveniently went the same direction as Hayate's school (except Vita, who stood on a skyscraper acting as overwatch). They dropped the roles when people started asking questions, but they quickly found new disguises.
Shamal turned and headed down another sidewalk toward one of the larger buildings, leaving the girls alone. The loss of protection was only temporary, however, as Signum sat along their path on a bench, reading the morning paper. She noted with only the slightest movement at the girls' approach, acting really interested in what she was reading.
"Good morning," Hayate said, acting as if she never met Signum before.
"Good morning, Mi-" Signum cut herself short, looking away from her Mistress. Hayate giggled at the almost-slip, Fate and Nanoha acting as if they heard nothing.
As the girls walked away, they were finally alone for the last stretch toward school. It was then that the girls loosened up a bit, smiling at each other.
"Always protected, Mistress," Nanoha joked, causing Hayate to blush slightly. Nanoha laughed and raised her arms up, stretching. "Aah, not really looking forward to school today."
"Who does?" Fate said, staring at the school building as its gates rose up to meet them. "I'd rather be doing combat drills than be here."
"At least you two get a class together," Nanoha pointed out. "I get to be all by myself halfway across the building."
"Aw, Nano-chan, we're always with you!" Hayate turned around and pulled Nanoha into a tight hug. "We're always in your heart~"
"S-stop that, Hayate-chan!" Nanoha exclaimed, eliciting a giggle out of the teasing girl. "Always so touchy!"
"But you like it don't you, Na-no-ha~" Hayate giggled again. Nanoha started to blush darkly and tried to pull the girl off of her.
"Mou, Hayate, we're going to be late for homeroom," Fate complained, helping Nanoha pry the brunette off of her.
"No fun, no fun~" Hayate continued teasing. Laughing, the three girls ran past the school gates, beginning the school day with a burst of energy.
Meanwhile...
I recall a pulling sensation, something like falling. It was a feeling that should be impossible, given my current location. I slowly pulled myself together as I felt the tendrils of magic begin to pull at my coffin, my myriad of souls coming together to reform my body. It was a strange feeling as my body reconstituted itself for the first time in millenia, and I moved my arms and legs just to regain the feeling of having them.
My coffin fell through the dimensions, pulled out of Jupiter's core like a vegetable being pulled out of the ground. I felt a familiar sinking feeling as I fell into the space between dimensions, an area of pure chaos, where raw plasma and pure magic flowed together like water, becoming something like the energy that formed the Big Band, yet was totally different at the same time. It was hard to describe the sensations I felt; imagine hearing with your sense of smell, feeling with your sight, or smelling ozone with your hearing. It was a total mindscrew for your average person, and people who were unfortunate to be caught in what we called the Malestromwould get to go mad before they died.
I hit cold hard ground with a loud thud... well, my coffin did. I couldn't imagine the shockwave it sent across whatever I hit - the force of theMalestromaccelerated everything to a minimum of half of light speed, so I figured that whatever crater I just caused probably made the planet I more than likely hit have a major facelift. Only my defensive magics prevented me from barreling through the crust into the core of this world.
There was a long pause, which I filled with by looking around the dark room, casting some rudimentary Light spells of various colors, seeing once again. I created the smell of strawberries, my favorite fruit, and heard myself breathe. After so long in an ethereal form, becoming human again wasgloriousto say the least.
Curiosity tugged at the back of my head. Did the suspension magics on this coffin simply wear out? Or did someone release me? I sincerely hoped for the latter. I was starving, desperate for a soul after so long without feeding.
My questions slowly started to come to light as I heard the mechanical voice of the coffin call out the programs to unlock the doors. This was no accident, I knew; someone had released me. Elation was tempered by caution; although I doubted that whoever released me could me more powerful than me, it took an incredible magic potential to pull me out from a planet's core, then between dimensions; that said, someone also had to discover me. My Searchmagics that I had relied on to observe the outside world revealed only a quiet landscape around me; a barren, red landscape, devoid of life. I wondered how I didn't create a crater or horribly maim the planet's surface that I had landed on.
The door opened, and for the first time I breathed in air. It was stale and almost completely devoid of oxygen, but a simple spellcast began to recycle the carbon dioxide into oxygen, giving me breathable air. I stepped out from the coffin slowly, my legs shaking from only moments ago having been nothing but its seperate atoms. A chill swept through me, and I guesstimated that the temperature was about 18 degrees Celsius. I looked down and frowned at my nude form, and quickly cast a spell to create the clothing I had been so well known for: a red and white robe, trimmed with gold; black steel gauntlets; leather pointed boots; and my mask, resembling a creature you would call a "Wolf", though in my time it was something else entirely.
I looked around the red landscape and understanding began to touch me. The dirt beneath me was mostly iron, and with the familiar looking mountain range in the distance, I could surmise I was on Ares. I had fallen between the dimensions, and yet emerged in the same one as my prison - not just that, I had emerged on the fallen capital itself! Surely, this was no accident.
I looked around, but the area around me was devoid of life. The occasional bacteria moved - I could feel their vibrations through the air - but other than that, nothing surrounded me. In the distance, covered mostly by red dirt, I could see the Throne of Souls. I opened a Dimension Doorand stepped through it, emerging next to the mammoth structure. Before me lay a tunnel carved into the ground too circular to be anything but a spell, and confidently I strode inside.
The doors to the Throne had been burst open from the outside, obviously suggesting a break-in. I stepped through without pause, taking in my surroundings. It had been a long time since I had been in the Throne, but it looked exactly the same: A circular bank of computers, surrounding an almost violently green, swirling column of countless souls of varying colors. I could see that few souls remained now, less than a hundred, and as my eyes trailed up the column of energy, I could make out a familiar red and grey soul: My surviving Guardians.
This was too good to be true, and the familiar sound of footsteps against the metal floor instantly set me into a defensive stance. I erected aBarrier and a Diamondspell, expecting trouble. But what I half-expected to be a hostile force, perhaps someone who expected me to die, I saw only an old woman - well, that wasn't quite right - but she appeared old. Her hair was dark, not quite black, and her eyes were a deep violet. She was dressed in the most ridiculous getup I had ever seen, but she walked with a defined grace.
I lowered my guard and assume my standard assertive posture, waiting for her to speak. The woman regarded me, and a faint sense of familiarity crossed her face. I questioned it before disregarding it as perhaps her seeing my face on one of the still-active computers. She paused about fifteen meters from me and stared at me, as if sizing me up in case of a fight. I could feel her power - she radiated it - but she made no hostile movements.
"So... you are the one the computers list as Thanatos," she said, her eyes never moving from my mask. "You are just as they say; your power truly is immense."
I was in no mood for flattery. "Who are you, and why have you released me?" I asked, getting to the point. "You obviously know who - what- I am, and yet you have taken me from my prison. Who are you, and what do you want?"
The woman laughed, and I realized then that this woman was mad, touched by the Malestromyet somehow alive. Her power was immense yet uncontrolled. I frowned; this meant that her soul was nearly worthless. I could use its memories and take a fraction of its power, but if I consumed all of it, then I would go just as mad as her. "My name is Testarossa, and that's all you'll get," she said smugly. "And I have released you because I can use your power."
"And why should I give you even a touch of my power?" I asked, crossing my arms. "You think I should be grateful for you releasing me? I was content to observe the universe grow old and die, and yet you bring me out so you could use me? Ha!" I made a dismissive gesture. "Begone, and I'll let you live."
"Listen to me!" Testarossa shouted. Her eyes went wide and glared. "I care not for what you want to do, but just grant me one thing, and I will leave you alone! I have traveled across the dimensions here to find the power of Al-Hazared, and yet you mock me for releasing you!" She summoned a staff to her hand and pointed it at me. She dared to become hostile? "Grant me part of your power! Or I will take it from you!"
I was about to have enough of this upstart. She then produced nine small objects. "Do you see these? These are the Jewel Seeds which your civilization used! They provide me with immense power; power to defeat you!" I stared at her then couldn't help but laugh!
"Those?" I asked. "Those pathetic things are what we use to power our most basic of objects!" I reached out and pulled them to me, shocking the violet-eyed mad woman. "I can produce these things in my sleep!" I dropped them to the ground and crushed them underfoot, and then immediately produced fifteen copies swirling around my head.
They were actually illusions, but she didn't need to know that.
"See?" I said to her, doubling my amount. "These things are as if water to me! And yet you threatenme with them? Who the hell do you think I am?"
I almost regretted the words. The woman warped next to me and hit me with her staff, the magically-empowered blow shattering my mask and sending me flying backward. I regained control and righted myself up, glaring at the woman. She glared back, but then the strangest thing occurred. Her eyes widened disbelivingly, she dropped her staff, and an accusing finger stabbed up at me. "You!" She screamed. "But that's impossible! You're just a child!"
"Hardly," I said, teleporting down to the ground and grabbing the woman by the throat. I lifted both of us into the air and squeezed. "You dare mock with the power of a god, and then call me a child? How dareyou?"
Testarossa reached out and shoved her hand onto my face. Instantly, I was flooded with the most curious image - it was of myself, only much younger and wearing a strange outfit, with sapphire eyes and wielding a golden staff. Next to me was a blonde girl of the same age, with beautiful red eyes and lush blonde hair, wearing a black outfit designed for speed rather than protection.
How did this woman conjure such an image?
"Nanoha!" A voice yelled in the background; it sounded like a young boy. "Be careful, Precia is very powerful!"
She had my name, the girl did. And she had the potential to be powerful, I could tell just from looking at her. I wondered, and then it hit me.
My soul. This child has my soul.
I dropped Precia. She fell to the ground with a thud. I lowered myself and stared at her. "Who is this girl? Where is she?"
"Give me what I want, and I'll give you what you want," Precia coughed. I had to admire her spirit, no matter how completely bloody insane it was. Even in the face of death, she still demanded payment. I cocked my head sideways and then turned away. I reached into my robe and pulled out a small onyx sphere. This was Nocture, my Magic Augmentation Unit, Type IV... I guess what you would call an Intelligent Device. I named it because of its color.
"Nocturne,show this woman our power," I whispered the words mildly into his heart.
Yes, Master. It said in its female voice. Shall we finish her quickly?
I looked at Precia. Indeed, I had enough of this upstart. I would take what I want, just as I always had. "Yes, we shall,"
Precia vanished through the floor and rematerialized above me, raising her staff high. An infinite number of magic shots appeared, each one pointed and deadly. "Black Lancer!" She shouted, and the violet bolts screamed at me. I erected a Barrier and used Flash, appearing across the room with my own staff held in both hands. I pointed it at her and began to gather my energy.
"Divine Shooter!I called, and my own storm of magic bolts fired at Precia, their bright green shots clashing with her violet shots. Magical explosions detonated between us, and I could see the Throne of Souls vibrate with the shockwaves.
Something caught my attention only briefly; was that a girl in a crystal?
"Black Smasher!" Precia shifted to a blast spell, gathering four spheres of energy into four seperate magic circles and firing them at me. I took flight, raising higher into the air and along the walls of the Throne. Two of the blasts smashed harmlessly against the wall, but the other two were a direct hit, and I gritted my teeth in pain as the blasts carried me up to the ceiling.
I regained enough self control to dispell the blasts before permanent damage could be done and pointed downward, locking in on Precia as she created illusions of herself to confuse me. An admirable attempt, and I would be fooled if I couldn't attack all of them at once.
Eight green spheres of energy surrounded me. "Divine Buster!" I shouted, sending the beams forth and elimating the illusions before coming around and hitting the real mage form eight different angles. I grinned as I heard Precia's mad scream, but dropped my smirk when she appeared unscathed from the attack.
"Just like her!" She cried, her eyes wide with madness and rage. "You're spells have her names for them!" She lifted her staff. "Black Photon Cannon!"
I marveled as she created thirtyof those same blast spells and sent them screaming in my direction from all angles. There was no way to even shift out of this, so I called forth my strongest barrier just in time. The blasts began to beat into my shield, and I could feel Precia's hunger for blood through them.
She means business. Nocture quipped. The time for playing around is over, Master.
"I agree," I replied, shifting my Device into a form that resembled what you would call a rifle. "Time to Break her."
I began to gather the collective energy of the area, sacrificing one of my souls in the process. My Device started charging, and I could feel my weapon heat up with energy. I dropped my shield and let the energy of the spells course into me. Pain, unholy pain, ripped into me, and I felt my robes disintegrate until only the middle of them and my boots remained.
I locked onto Precia. "Starlight Breaker Alpha," I whispered. "Break, shoot." A thin green energy beam, powerful enough to tear a city block asunder, screamed for Precia at half the speed of light, penetrating her body and ripping her in half with its force alone. The blast widened, destroying everything under her heart, and as the blast subsided, she fell to the ground.
I shifted my Device back into Storage Form and landed, staring down at the... she was alive?
I again marveled at Precia as she reached for me with futility, blood seeping out of everything. "Alicia..." she gasped. I knelt next to the woman and stared at her. Alicia must be the girl in the crystal, I surmised. Maybe her daughter? I wasn't sure but it was likely. I saw tears in Precia's eyes and I knew that in her last moments, she was regaining her sanity. Of course, death does that to someone.
I touched Precia's heart and felt her energy from her soul slowly fading out. "I will take her under my wing," I told the woman. "She will live. That is your wish."
Hey, I could use the apprentice. Also, I was starving.
"Soul Shackles," I whispered, and Precia gasped as I ripped her soul out of her body and took it in as my own. I instantly absorbed her memories, her personality, and her force of being itself as she and I became one. I sifted through the memories, coming back to the girl I saw in the vision she gave me.
Nanoha... Takamachi. That was the blue-white I saw in the vision. I saw her spells, heard their names, and knew that, somehow, my soul had found a small child and became it. This girl who knew nothing of what she had inherited.
I smiled. In a way, I lived on.
Also, it provided an easy out. Should I ever be defeated... well, one can always reclaim their soul.
Precia's body expired, and her essence became distilled into my body. Her energy sustained me, like a great feast to a starving man, and I felt refreshed. I pocketed my Device and reformed my clothing, stood up, and looked about the room. In the corner, was the crystal with the girl. I began to move toward it.
The thing about powerful mages fighting is that it sends "echoes" throughout time and space. Similar to a beacon, it lets anyone with a sufficiently-sized Linker Core detect it. They feel as if tremors in the air, and similar to tremors, the further out one is from the epicenter the weaker it is.
The Aces were sitting on the roof of their middile school, eating lunch quietly, when Vita was the first one to feel the magic tremors.
What the hell is that? She practically shouted through telepathy. That kind of power is impossible!
I feel it too. Came Shamal's thoughts as she stood on a distant rooftop. It feels like... ancient power.
Hayate and the girls looked at each other quizzically. What are you-Hayate began, but then it struck her.
A powerful, crushing magical force radiated against the three Aces. Unlike the Wolkenritter, who were immune to the sheer power due to their weaker Cores, the force was like a thousand pounds pushing down on the girls. Hayate clutched her arms to her sides and shivered with pain, biting back a piercing scream. What is this? she screamed in her mind. This kind of power feels like a magic battlefield!
Fate and Nanoha fared no better. The girls tried to ignore the odd stares as they screamed out in pain, unholy painas the force of the battle beat into their Linker Cores. But for these two, the power was even more amplified than it was for Hayate. Something behind it caused their Linker Cores to almost rupture from the pressure, and Nanoha felt the twinges of something that she knew to be impossible.
This... this energy... she groaned as a pained scream came out of her. This is the energy that comes from my spells! This is the power of a fully powered Starlight Breaker!
What? Vita exclaimed, moving from her position to fly rapidly toward the school. But how is that possible? The only people capable of performing that spell are you and Mistress Hayate!
I know, I know... Nanoha tried to stand, stumbled forward, and fell flat on her face. She cried out and hugged herself, curling into a ball with tears coming out of her eyes. But how can this even be possible? It feels just like the energy I use! There is literally no difference!
No, there's a subtle one, I can taste it now. Signum was biting her tongue, trying to look nonchalant as the tremors worsened, pushing onto her Core. It's... much darker than yours. Twinged with only the faintest taste of corruption.
Nanoha turned her attention from the energy. F...Fate... are you...
Fate was shaking. Not just with the sheer bone-crushing pain, but from a feeling that she knew all too well. Nnn... this feeling... I know this feeling! Nanoha-chan... it's... it's...
"M... mama..." Fate sobbed. Tears began to streak from her face as Precia's terrible power punished her once more, an inescapable feeling as she curled up into herself. She began to cry uncontrollably. "It's mama... I know this... I feel it... Nanoha..." she looked to the ponytailed girl the best she could, her tears streaming now. "Nanoha... I can't... Mama is...!"
The girl who's mother had forsaken her couldn't hold it in anymore. She started to cry loudly, her sobs echoing across the rooftop and causing people to slowly move toward her. Nanoha slowly, painfully stood up, Hayate trying her best to do the same. Together, the girls reached over to Fate and, fighting the unholy pain, took the blonde into the best embrace they could. Fate's cries became louder, the very act of moving unbearable as the pain mixed in with her memories of her "birth" mother.
Confused tears mixed in. Why... why did she still love this woman? Why did she care about these feelings?
"Nanoha... Hayate..." Fate clenched her eyes as fresh pain hammered her, the tears spilling to the ground beneath. "She's dead... Mama is... she's dead!" She reached out the best she could and reached out for Nanoha, grabbing her uniform and pulling her close, crying into her shirt. "She's dead! She's dead! Oh God, she's dead!"
Seconds later, ignoring everything else they ever knew, three Knights and a Guardian Beast broke open the door to the roof, rushed across it, and took the three Aces into the tightest, most desperate embrace they could. Fate's sobbing was the only thing heard as the girl cried, with silent tears streaming down the faces of the other two Aces. Vita let her own come forth, as did Shamal, but Signum and Zafira kept stoic, holding in their own feelings as they watched the Ace of Power succumb deeper into her sadness.
"She's dead... she's dead..." Fate sobbed out, and a pained scream that would tear worlds asunder ripped from her throat.
Across the dimensions, Admiral Chrono Harlown as well as everyone aboard his ship felt the same tremor, though much weaker. He looked up from his book and wondered what that was. A feeling of protectiveness suddenly hit him, a bolt of lightning from heaven above. Dropping his book, he slammed his hand down on the com system.
"Brid-"
"Turn the ship around." He barked. The officer in charge blinked.
"I'm sorry, sir?"
"I said turn the ship around, damnit!" Chrono shouted, all decency in his voice blown away. "Make a direct course for Terra, now! I don't care how many naval rules we have to break!"
"What's wrong, sir?"
"My sister is in trouble, and I intend to find out why!"
I walked up to the green crystal that contained the girl. She was small, not even adolescent; she couldn't be older than five, barely out of infancy. A twinge of something like sadness touched me, for this girl was dead, and she had been dead for quite some time. Her soul, miraculously, was still within her body, however; I figured that the crystal must have been a primitive version of the Throne. The soul seemed connected strongly to the girl's Linker Core, and I could feel that the Core's energy was almost gone. This girl didn't have much time left.
I took my gloves off and touched the crystal. Focusing energy into it, I willed the crystal to come apart. Cracks emanated from where I touched it, spreading rapidly across it before the crystal shattered into thousands of glass fragments. The girl floated down to the ground, her still body uncaring about the events unfolding around her.
The soul and Linker Core would need a charge. Without some sort of power, the girl would never come to life. I knew that the only thing that could power a soul was another soul - it was the basic premise behind sustaining yourself via soul-stealing. However, unlike taking a soul into your body, you would sacrifice a soul to revive the dead. It was basically supposed to be martyrdom; in the legends of Al-Hazared, there were many love stories where parents or lovers would give up their souls so a loved one would come back to life. These stories always ended in tragedy, of course.
I almost decided to turn and walk away then, deeming the girl not worth it, but I could sense that the girl's Linker Core was powerful... or rather, it had the potential to be. With the right training and studying, I could turn this girl into quite the formidable opponent. Yes... I could indeed.
I searched within myself for a powerful soul to sacrifice. Even after all this time, I still had quite a few at my disposal, easily over a hundred. At first I considered Precia's soul; for whatever reason, souls that were related somehow had a higher compatibility rate. I decided against it for fear that Precia's madness was infectious. Instead, I chose a different soul, that of what you would call an SS-type Knight, and pulled it out of myself. The pain was negligable, and, taking the swirling mote of light, placed it in the girl's body and whispered words of power.
The resurrection process is hard on the body; it's similar to being born again. An anguished cry of pain came from the girl's mouth; she writhed, clawed at the air, at her own skin. I held her down the best I could and closed my eyes, focusing my own powers to heal the wounds she was causing to herself. But slowly, the girl began to calm down, and for the first time in years, she opened her eyes.
The thing about meddling with souls is that it changes your eye color. Whatever they were before, this young blonde now had bright green eyes... eyes that glowed with power. I smiled at the girl, who only gave me a confused stare back.
"Who are you?" she asked. "Where's Mama?" I bit the inside of my lip.
"You... don't remember?" I asked, thinking of a lie. "Your mom was hurt in an accident... you have to stay with me for a while."
"What kind of accident?" The girl tried to sit up. I helped her, pulling off my robe's cloak and wrapping it about her. She shivered.
"Nothing that can't be repaired," I lied. "You're mom just needs some time to get better, that's all!" I smiled at the girl, and I could feel my old ways easily returning to me. I began to lace in a bit of enchantment with my words. "But your mom told me that you have to become a great and powerful mage in the meantime, so you have to study with me and my friends, okay? You don't want to disappoint your mama, do you?"
"No, I don't," The girl nodded, and I could see a determined fire in her eyes. "I love my mama, I don't want to disappoint her!"
"That's a good girl," I ruffled the girl's hair. "But..." I tried to recall her name. "Alicia, I bet you're tired, aren't you? We've had a long trip, you know!"
"..." Alicia nodded and yawned. "Yeah... sleep..." Fortunately, the revive process is taxing on the body, and Alicia quickly passed out. I conjured up some sheets for her to lay on, and soon she fell even deeper into slumber. I turned my attention from the girl and looked at the Throne of Souls. I could see the grey and red motes of light which I needed. Walking up to the computer, I typed in a series of commands. The computer accepted the codes, andd a portal opened in the Throne, ejecting the two souls.
The souls floated aimlessly and started to ascend; the natural direction of whatever Heaven you believe in, I assume. I cast a bind spell and dragged the souls to my level, staring at them intently.
"Now, you two," I said, pulling two more souls out of myself. "It's time for you to return and continue your duties!" I concentrated and pushed my sacrifical souls into theirs. Pulses of white and red light emitted from the souls as they began to rebuild from bodies with magic. I looked away from the blinding light, but I had seen this before and knew what was happening; first, the bodies, made whole again, every fiber and muscle and organ rebuilt; secondly, their Linker Cores were being refocused, using the power of the soul as its main component; finally, the clothing the souls last remember wearing, in pristine condition.
The two reformed humans fell to the ground and to one knee. Silence, except for breathing, was all I could hear as I looked at the two. But slowly, one of them stood.
He was tall, his dark hair tied up to keep out of his eyes... well, if he had any. He was blind, and instead of eyes I knew under that bandage were nothing but scars. He was dressed in heavy platemail, colored as if the purest silver, the etchings of his family crest on the pauldrons. A great red scarf, sown by the other, covered the lower half of his face, and extended down his back. On his side was a small rod that would extend into a halberd at a moment's notice.
I smiled at the tall man. "Noland Reiniger," I greeted. "Welcome back."
Next to him, the second rose, much shorter than he and even shorter than myself. Her hair was in a sideways ponytail, long and a shade of red that I was always envious of. She had on a tight-fitting suit of black armor that showed up her petite but, I knew, powerful figure. Her eyes were a blue as dark as the ocean but as intense as the sky, and a mask covered much of her face. She looked at me and removed her mask, a smile on her face.
"And Keroko Georashi," I nodded. "It's good to see you too, after all this time."
The two smiled back at me, and for a brief moment, that warmth of friendship and love extended between the three of us. These were my Guardians, my Protectors, sworn to defend me to their deaths, which they had done - numerous times in fact. But I always brought them back. I could have gotten new Protectors; perhaps stronger ones, or smarter ones, but I didn't. The three of us had seen so much together that life without them was impossible for me. We were all more than friends, but not quite lovers.
"Lady Morrigan," Noland returned, a bit stiffly. He always was when trying to be formal. "What glorious path shall we tread today?"
Keroko was a quite less formal, and threw her arms around me. "Morrigan, it's so nice to see you! Hell, it's nice to be alive again!" I accepted the embrace warmly for a minute before I let her go.
"We have a lot of catching up to do, you two," I started. "We've been out for a long time."
"We?" Keroko echoed. "You mean... they got you too?" I nodded.
"Yes, but... we still won in the end, I think," I smiled. "Al-Hazared is no more! But," I paused for dramatic effect. "We are now so far in the future that the entire system is different now. There's a new authority over Ordered Space, but they seem much more benevolent... but we know what that means."
"So it's started all over again?" Noland asked, a bit despondant.
"On the contrary, my... Calamity Knight," My smile took on a slightly dark edge as I used the name given to him by our enemies. "This... Time-Space Administration Bureau is still young, very young. From the memories I've analyzed from the first person I came across since revival, They've not even been around for a Galactic Century yet! Also, their magic, while more advanced than ours, does not share the same versatility or power!"
"So we're to fight again, Morrigan?" Keroko inquired, her eyebrows raising and a glint of bloodlust in her eyes. "I look forward to a good scrap!"
"Not yet, my love," I said, gesturing toward the sleeping girl. "I want to try something different this time. Whereas before, we tried to destroy Al-Hazared from the outside, this time I simply want to take this Bureau over, to ensure that the same thing that happened to us can never happen again! Furthermore, that girl... she's powerful, I can feel it. I want to train her, make her strong and powerful... I want to raise her, I suppose."
"A daughter of your own?" Noland walked over, his heavy steps echoing in the air, and looked down at Alicia. "Yes... I could see why you would want to. People like us, we're unable to have children, after all."
"Indeed," I nodded. "But... I want our family to grow, Noland. For so long, it's been just the three of us. It's been wonderful, but I think it's time to expand! And this girl is the first step to that. Her name is Alicia. We will raise her as our own."
"Of course, Morrigan," Keroko walked up to Alicia and picked her up, cradling her gently in her arms. "So where shall we raise her?"
"There's a world not far from here," I answered. "In our time, it was a primitive backwater, but today, it's at the beginning of its technological revolution! We will go there, and together, we'll start a family again." And be happy, I thought to myself.
"And then when that time comes..." Noland began.
I smirked.
"Then... my Calamity Knight and my Planet-Cracker will be ready again, yes?"
"Always, my dearest Lady Morrigan." Noland said, nodding his head.
"Anything for you, my lovely Empress," Keroko smiled wide. I nodded to both of them.
"And so we shall begin."
~To Be Continued