Magnificat
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Disclaimer: Claymore belongs to Norihiro Yagi. If Claymore belonged to me, you wouldn't be seeing this.
Warnings: Spoilers for manga chapters 138-140
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Clarice and Miata wait in the main square with a half a regiment of Rabona's nervous defenders. The rest of the city lies deserted. Just beyond the walls, a deep echo sounds like thunder, the booming rhythm of something coming closer. Above that comes an undercurrent of yoki so intoxicating it feels like a hand around Clarice's throat. Sister Latea orders all the warriors, the now-defunct Organisation's Claymore-wielding remnants, to the wall.
It's at this moment that Father Vincent decides to perform evening mass.
"Now?" Clarice asks, incredulous.
"If I'm going to meet my Creator, I want to be prepared."
Against her better judgment, she allows Miata to lead her by the hand into the cathedral. They sit amongst a scattering of soldiers. Some stare blankly at the collection of icons above. Others slouch with their arms forming a bunker over their heads, as if seeking protection from the hell on the horizon. In the front, Father Vincent stands at the pulpit, framed like portrait in a needle of sunlight.
Clarice knows Miata like the interior of the cathedral, with its many statutes in various stages of unrest (and undress). But today, she's restless. Her eyes spin like a compass, looking from the stained glass to the host in Father Vincent's hand, raised and hovering like a leaf.
A low thump rattles the cathedral, raising dust, toppling candles burnt into totems of wax. Someone says the wall has been breached. Miata claws at Clarice's arms.
"Shhh… Clarice. Not yet."
In front, Father Vincent continues, ever poised and calm. He recites words that Clarice cannot situate in context. The remaining soldiers lay down their weapons, forming a primitive altar on armour and metal around them.
They recite: He hath regarded the humility of his handmaid, for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Clarice feels Miata thread her fingers with hers, sees her burrowing into her abdomen. Then she feels it: an encircling spiral of yoki reaching out, drawing to her. It sends a tendril of panic down her spine, and it presses down on her shoulders. The dark whip of untamed yoki aligns with hers, lifting its fearsome power like an impulse.
"Mama…" Miata whines.
He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
Clarice holds her harder as the yoki begins to wick off them like sweat. As she prepares for what will happen next, Clarice's tries to control her breathing.
Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
Fear slices her throat, cutting off her own cry for help, any help. Instead, her frantic eyes settle on the only symbol that represents her and Miata now: the icon of the Madonna and child. The image of the young, fearful maiden cradling in her arms the flailing babe, the little weapon meant to change the world.
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END (2nd edit - 22.07.2013)
NOTES: This short piece was originally posted on the Claymore Short Story Project tumblr. I will continue to write short flash fiction in between my larger stories. This is the second edited draft of the story.
Thank you for reading and leaving a review! I know I love to add Biblical references to my stories, but this one felt quite forced to me. For those who are not familiar with Christian prayers, the Magnificat is a prayer (or spoken hymn) made by Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, when she visited her cousin Elizabeth. Full text can be found in Luke chapter one, verses 46 to 55. It is sung during evening service.
When reading the manga and seeing Miata transform, I simply found the similarities between a young nervous girl (Clarice) and her unpredictable charge (Miata) pretty close to the Biblical narrative. But it's probably just me.