Chapter 2: Clock Tower Shuffle

As she walked the halls of Clock Tower they seemed emptier than ever before. Hazel was known for being quite friendly but today she had a goal set.

On her walk over to work, she talked to multiple places to get a train to Romania. One thing she realized was that the war was not happening in England, and she had to ensure comfort for her servant and herself. Her biggest fear was flying on airplanes, and Berserker would probably destroy the plane before it left the ground. She was able to rent out a car on each train and order her transfer tickets before she even entered the building. It was expensive, but she had been saving money in her travel fund since she returned to London which made it affordable.

Hazel walked into the Combat Arts department which was rather quiet. She came to her office to find a surprising sight. Though it was the size of a broom closet, all of her books and research materials had vanished. What remained were the wooden shelfs, desk, and chair. She sat down and found a letter in the top drawer where she kept her paper.

She glanced over it carefully:

Ms. Matterhorn (Golden Fox),

Because of your involvement with the opposing side, the Mages Association has decided to confiscate any materials you may have shared with Yggdmillennia. They will be given back upon your return, if you survive.

Sincerely, B.S.R

She wasn't surprised by the author. Bram was someone she despised because of his entitled attitude. He was the new head of the Evocation Department at Clock Tower but felt that gave him every right to demean her. Because of what happened to his sister and Kayneth, Bram believed it was Hazel's fault for giving the catalyst to Waver. Though her friend had made amends with the El Melloi's, Hazel was still seen as the root of the problem.

Without any references, Hazel began to recall what she could from memory and put it on paper. Though it wasn't the best choice, she had asked Lord El-Melloi II to cover her classes since the entire Department of Combat Arts felt her beginner courses were not worth their time. She spent one hour writing her plan, anything he could talk about easily. History of combat seemed fitting since his comfort zone was research and dwelling on the past, so she mainly scribbled notes relating to the topic.

Hazel finished writing and put the plans into her messenger bag. She would miss her students but knew they were tough. If they weren't, they would find out the hard way about leaving their guard open. After what her sister told her, Hazel was unsure how Fiore would take the battlefield. She knew Fiore was strong but was not found of killing. As her instructor, Hazel was able to show her how to deal with death, but Fiore still was scared about taking a life. Hazel only hoped she had a servant who could teach her what she could not.

As her shoes clapped against the marble floor a familiar scent caught her attention. Leather and blood were the first to stand out and she followed the odor. As she continued to walk she found herself in the Summoning Department. Now that she was close, the smell of cigarette smoke billowed from Professor Belfeban's office. She knew there was only one person it could be, and she decided to wait for him.

She leaned on the wall, the light of the windows creating shadows through the pillars. It wasn't even noon yet and she had time to spare before bugging her colleague. She was curious too, knowing that if she wasn't a Master of Red, that there was one more spot open. She wanted to see the competition. This was her last day amongst the elites at Clock Tower before she would officially be known as a traitor, so she had to gather as much information as possible.

The door opened and the man exited. A necromancer she had worked with in the past on some of her missions. She stood still as he walked passed, cigarette in hand, and stopped.

"You can't fight in a dress." he said.

"I wanted to get caught." Hazel answered and set up a shield. It was invisible to the eye but would create a sound barrier so no one could hear their conversation. "Why are you here, Kairi?"

"Business."

She chuckled, casually revealing her command seals.

"This kind?" she asked, and they began to walk as the shield followed them. "What did the old man say about me?" she questioned, beginning to walk backwards so she could face him. Though his eyes were hidden behind his shades, she could tell he was annoyed.

"That you are fighting with the Black Faction with the intent to assassinate Darnic." he paused, "I told him it's dumb. I'll be surprised if you last one day with Yggdmillennia."

"Once I kill him, I plan to act on my own." Hazel said.

"Why not start that way?" Kairi questioned.

"You must build trust with your enemy before you strike." she said, cold. Kairi had known her from past missions when she was just starting out. Clearly by how she carried herself, she'd just become another pawn to the Mages Association when before she had a will of her own.

"Are you calling me weak, Fox?" he questioned, it was rare for him to use her real name. Hazel shook her head.

"No," she said, "But, you did try to blow me up on the count of one."

"Still not over that undead apostle bar?"

"I'll tell that story on your deathbed." she said and they both laughed. Hazel had a feeling Belfeban asked for them to work together. However, though she was able to handle Kairi's personality on a mission this was a different scale. There was more at stake than some cash, the grail could change a life. It didn't matter his wish, she only hoped they could fight each other in the end.

"Hey," she began, "Just cuz we worked together doesn't mean we're allies. I think we both have our own goals in this war. I'll try to stay out of your way, but if we do cross paths I won't hold back."

He let out a laugh, one that could roar through the halls if he wasn't in a barrier. He was grateful that behind the formal attire was the mage he called Golden Fox.

"Glad this place hasn't stripped you of common sense." he said, creating a pattern with his cigarette to break the barrier. "See you on the battlefield, Fox." He continued to walk as Hazel remained.

"Will do, Leatherhead." she said, heading in the opposite direction.

She waited patiently outside of his office, she knew her colleague was punctual. After a few moments the door opened on its own, with his young apprentice being thrown out.

"But Professor El-Melloi II I have a question about my project for next class."

"We can talk tomorrow." he said, sternly.

"Then it will be morning. I don't think properly until noon. Can't we talk now?" Flat asked, impatient as always.

"Flat, we have a meeting." Hazel asserted, and they both glanced not realizing she was there. However, Flat assumed what her presence meant based on her attire.

"Oh," Flat said, turning to Lord El Melloi II, "Master, why didn't you say anything?"

"I did. Several times."

"But not with her." Flat said, "I will always give you time with Ms. Matterhorn. You need to expand your dating life beyond video games."

Lord El-Melloi II sighed. "My personal life is none of your concern, Flat." His apprentice turned and smiled. It brought him joy to see his professor happy.

"I'll go now, I know love needs time to bloom." Flat said, and continued running away down the hall. Though Lord El Melloi II was annoyed, Hazel smirked. He was never a student of hers, but she enjoyed Flat's optimism. He was insistent to be the first to know if his professor and she would start officially dating. Rumors spread around the building about their relations with each other, but truthfully they were only best friends.

"Le Deux?" she asked. It was a nickname she devised when he first received his title. It just meant "the two" in French, but he would become frustrated when others forgot the end of his title. She thought when she said that it was a way to rewrite the wrong.

"Come in." he said, but it was no longer safe here.

"He'll just listen in like always." Hazel insisted. Even if Flat didn't spy on them, being alone in another professor's offices would raise suspicion. Possibly put Waver at risk for questioning. It was best for them to spend time together in public, away from other mages.

"All right, how does coffee sound?" he asked and Hazel nodded. She waited as he grabbed his coat and they walked out of the building, ensuring no one followed.

The sun was shining clearly through the translucent clouds. It was mid-day at the coffee shop which meant they beat the rush and were alone on the patio. Hazel had stopped briefly at a thrift store to find an outfit for her servant. She assumed no matter the clothes they would get destroyed, but he hopefully wouldn't need them for long.

They sat silent for a while. She gave Waver the notes for teaching her class, and he gave her a children's mythology book. Though the cover had faded the pages were still crisp except for the first. Waver had slipped in a list of the Masters of Red and Black within the cover. He was someone who thought ahead and knew it was better for her to read than ask.

Most names were familiar to her, but it was clear that she was one of the few with combat experience. She glanced at Lord El-Melloi II, tapping his fingers on the table as he read her class notes. She knew he was concerned about who she would encounter. In the two months since the slaughter, Hazel had been preparing to fight against them, especially Darnic. He felt that gave her an advantage, understanding both sides of this war. He had no doubt in her navigation, but knew that her mind was in a different place after Bazett's death.

"Fiore is one of them." she said, hoping to calm his anxiety. "If anything I'll help her out, it will keep my mind off Darnic until I can strike."

"I just want to see you back here, Hazel."

"With or without the grail?" she asked.

"With, preferably." he said, and she sighed to his request, closing the book and placing it in her bag, "Something wrong with that?"

Hazel curled her fingers around her coffee mug, curious where this conversation would lead.

"You know what's funny? I bet the Mages Association will just do what Darnic has done," she said, "Study and dissect it to find the Root. The only way to stop these wars is to have the Greater Grail gone for good."

"But finding the Root would change our entire structure for magic, we could understand why our potentials are limited..."

"They want power, Le Deux." she said, "People do great things without magic every day, but no one looks at how simple life can be. Just what they can gain."

"The grail must be protected." He was stern, she was unsure if he was only speaking on behalf of his employer or with his own intentions.

"Waver," she began, using his real name always meant she was serious. "I don't have a wish. I had everything I wanted before this war crept up. Now my best friend is dead, my family is in jail or hospitalized, and my office is empty. I just want to avenge my comrades, and find those who went after the people I vowed to protect."

"Then why is it an issue to bring the grail back to Clock Tower, if you have no wish?" he said, and her eyes glared at him like blades cutting fresh skin.

"Are you calling me a traitor, too?" she asked. Though he was scared, they still worked for the same organization.

"If you want to avenge them, you would act with the request of the Mages Association."

"Now you sound like Kayneth." she said. He froze for a moment but knew that this was important for her to understand. That her personal endeavors weren't the only ones at risk.

"You can't only seek revenge, Hazel," he said, "Once Darnic is dead you'll have to find another purpose." She thought for a moment. But he didn't understand. To him, all he knew of those mages was their names. Not the families they left behind, or how they were taken out in such a senseless way. She was called the Golden Fox because she was clever and always succeeded in her missions to save others in her group, not because she was a traitor. But if this was her final battle, then sides didn't matter, only damage.

"Maybe revenge is all I want." she said, "I can't help it, Le Deux. I saved them before and I obeyed the Mages Association to stand down. I lost my best friend and comrades to a bunch of spikes."

"You would have died too!" he shouted. Hazel knew he only raised his voice if he was passionate about something. It worried him that she could have been impaled, if so he would have no friends, only acquaintances. Like him, she had worked for her reputation but didn't see the people who supported her. That her survival was necessary. "The students look up to you like a hero, and if you were killed like that there would have been no hope for us to succeed in this war."

"So why am I fighting with the Black Faction?" she asked and there was a pause. Hazel could see there was a reason now, and she had to elaborate. "Making this a mission is just a cover up to make me feel better. What does the council think?"

He sighed before stating his truth, hoping she would act rationally. "After your father gave away some of his most valuable treasures to Yggdmillennia, many thought you were working together and contaminated the house to clear evidence-"

"That's bull."

"-Your family has a past with Darnic, your grandfather was a friend to him when they were young. Therefore, you are the only one who can get close enough to kill him." The reason only made her more upset. She lived with her grandfather's work every day. She hated how even when she tried to be a good person, what her family did always spoke louder than her personal victories.

"It's always about the past, isn't it?" she said, tightening her fingers around the empty mug.

"Hazel."

"No one looks at my record, it's always based on those who lived before me, dammit." she said, angry. Her fingers tensed up around the cup and she shut her eyes, crushing the porcelain between her fingers. Though they bleed, her hands began to heal almost instantly. She felt a tear go down her face, reminding her that even when she felt successful, the world was full of others looking for imperfections. The shield that was fused to her circuits and crest was not her own, just a tool, which is how she was viewed by the Mages Association.

Two hands glided on top of hers. The pressure felt calming, and she began to breathe steadily. She opened her eyes to look at her dear friend. She knew this hurt him to see her distraught, but she couldn't help it. She knew she would lose eventually, but didn't think it would happen all at once. Bazett was her childhood friend, and partner in combat, but Waver was a warrior of the mind. He wasn't afraid to be blunt when others were afraid to anger her. She knew he would stay out of the main fight, because if he were to suffer, she would have no one to focus her.

She sighed, and grasped his hands. She shook her head, thinking about her situation. "I almost had my perfect ending. Now, I have to fight to get it back."

"You always come back, stronger than before." he said. It was what she would tell him before she left on a mission. He had faith in her to succeed, and it was clear now that there was little to be done, only her departure.

"Let's go." she said, grabbing a bundle of money from her cardigan pocket and placing it on the table before walking away.

They continued to talk as they walked to the train station. It was before the big rush of people which is what Hazel wanted, and Waver too. They walked naturally next to each other that many mistook them for a couple. It was a rumor at Clock Tower, but they both laughed it off. When they were still students they made a deal if he wasn't married by thirty the two would wed. He often asked about the mages Hazel would receive proposals from and turn down. They became more frequent now that she had settled in at Clock Tower and it was annoying. She thought the only positive point to siding with the Black Faction was that the requests would stop.

"Have you summoned your servant yet?" he asked, breaking her focus from the looks around her.

"Last night." she said, "I promised I'd be back before dark."

"What class?" he asked, and Hazel gulped. She had hoped to save this conversation for a phone call.

"I mean, it doesn't matter-"

"Hazel."

"-He's a Berserker Cú Chulainn." she said in a mumble, but he heard every word. Waver's face turned red. He grabbed her wrist and sped up towards the gate.

"Waver, stop."

He pressed his hand against his brow as they went through the terminal. "You left a Berserker by himself for an entire day? My god, Hazel Frances have you gone mad?!"

"I mean he is mad but let's not offend my servant."

"You're more immature than Flat!" he said as she broke free from his grasp. They were in front of the train.

"I set up a barrier. He's quite docile in the woods, I think it reminds him of home."

He sighed, frustrated by her naivety. "I doubt that will hold him. If I knew this I wouldn't had coffee. The last thing the Mages Association needs is a mad hero roaming the country side-"

"He'll be fine."

"-Just get on the bloody train." Lord El-Melloi II said and she turned her back to walk on board. This was not the goodbye she had intended but there was one more confession she wanted to make. She pulled down the window next to her seat as the train was put in motion.

"Hey, Waver," she yelled out the window. He turned. "Don't blame yourself for what happens to me in this war, okay?" She smiled at him, and he nodded and waved good bye as the train took off. He was her last true friend in this world of mages, and he only needed to worry about himself.

Lord El Melloi II stood there for a moment as the train left. It was the first time he saw her true smile in months. She used to always be vibrant, strong, and above all caring. But her eyes had turned cold only wanting more bloodshed. What she asked of him was something impossible, because she was always orbiting within his mind.

"I'll try not to." he said, turning away from the tracks to return home.