AN: I own nothing and I'm not making any money off this or any other story.
Review Response:
edboy4926: You know what they say, it's always darkest before the dawn. And the TSAB will show up at a suitably dramatic moment.
MangamanZX: Perhaps, but at least Arf has an excuse. Besides, she didn't realize the amount of influence Death would have over her. I'm not saying what she did was right, just that she didn't really have any other options. Still, I'm glad you liked the chapter.
Chapter 7: Hope Eclipsed
As the sun began to sink over Uminari, the people found their attention drawn to a strange fog that had formed over a series of nearby islands. While not completely unheard of, this time it was… different. Everyone who looked at the fog couldn't help but feel a twinge of dread deep within their hearts. Those traveling by boat found themselves instinctively diverting their path to go as far from the mist as they could, especially when they though they heard faint screams.
Everyone knew that something had gone terribly wrong, and none of them wanted to have anything to do with it.
Meanwhile, deep in the mist, Death was howling in rage as he spun, his twin scythes smashing through trees and stone and flesh. Dozens of figures charged him, each looking like one of his many enemies. However, as they died, they would burst into flame as their shapes warped, revealing themselves to be Doppelgangers. This lack of realism served only to enrage Death further.
"WORTHLESS SWINE!" he shrieked, forming a cluster of massive skulls which he launched at a group of Yoko lookalikes, causing them all to explode into flame and blood. "INTERFEARING! INFURIATING! INCONCIVABLY LUCKY MORTALS!" A scythe blade stabbed into a Julius clone, which Death spun over his head and slammed into the ground hard enough to crater the stone even as he swept up a group of Nanohas and started ripping them to shreds. "THEY WILL DIE… THEY WILL DIE… THEY! WILL! ALL! DIE!"
Heaving with frustrated rage, Death floated away from the Doppelgangers, which would have sighed in relief if they hadn't feared for their lives. Staring through the fog, Death glared hatefully at the city. Deep within him burned the urge to go there and kill, and kill, and kill, to drown the infuriating eyesore of mortal meddling in its own blood… but no, he couldn't do that, as his strength was not fully recovered yet. He would have to wait before his wrath could be unleashed, no matter how painful it was to let those pathetic insects get the better of him once again when he had been so close.
'But they did not escape unscathed either…' he thought, the hateful red of his eyes fading slightly as happier, yet still bloody thoughts entered his mind. 'Two of their precious companions are dead; that will cause them to loose faith. Mortals always allow themselves to be unsettled by loss. There is still time.'
Death's eyes turned to glare across the city towards the hiding place of the one who had signed a contract with him. So long as he kept those mortals that dared to interfere with him off balance and allowed the blonde girl from the outside to claim the gems, he would be able to get them without resistance. The battle was still not lost. In fact, victory was still just a breath away.
It was these self-assurances that finally allowed the raging flames of hate to simmer down. The front of Death's ripped cloak repaired itself, hiding his burning heart. Meanwhile, the red of his eyes faded, the blood dried, and he reached behind his head to pull up a new hood. Finally, the two short scythes turned into pools of darkness that reformed into his traditional single scythe before vanishing completely.
"Very well, young Master," Death said quietly. "You may think yourself different from the Lord of Darkness, but soon… soon, you will see." Death threw back his head and cackled, the echoes of his insane joy causing even those demons that remained to shiver, as well as those few mortals still close enough to catch its echoes.
Alucard made his way silently up the path leading to the Tsukimura mansion, the bundle of armor and weapons resting safely in a hidden pocket that was far larger on the inside than on the outside. He would carry out the ritual to awaken his power here, away from prying eyes.
"Arikado!" Yoko said when she met him at the door.
"Please, Yoko, it's Alucard at the moment. Does Soma know I've arrived?" Alucard had tried to call him soon after his helicopter had taken off, but had been unable to get through. Instead, he had spoken to Yoko.
"No, I'm afraid not," Yoko said. "He's… he's in a bad way, Ari... Alucard."
"I am not surprised," Alucard said. "What transpired earlier was his first brush with the death of those under his command, it is natural that he would be wrong-footed by such an occurrence."
Yoko shook her head. "That's not our only problem… Nanoha's out."
"What?" Alucard asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Her parents put their feet down. They're not willing to let her keep going out with us if Death's on the warpath. She tried to talk them out of it, but…" Yoko shrugged helplessly.
Alucard's eyes narrowed slightly. "How did Soma take that?" he asked.
"He just looked so hopeless," Yoko said. "He said it was probably for the best, he didn't even try to convince them. I'm worried about him, Alucard."
"So am I, Yoko," Alucard murmured. "Where is he now?"
"Outside, in the garden somewhere," Yoko said. "I tried to find him earlier, but he was able to avoid me somehow. Are you going to go talk to him?"
"I must. I feel that we're going to need him at his full potential soon." With that, Alucard turned and walked around the house, letting his senses drift outwards. Several minutes of walking later, he came to a halt in front of a long hedge and turned to address a certain portion of it.
"Tell your master that I am here to speak with him, Doppelganger," he said quietly. Several tense seconds passed while Alucard thought Soma would continue to ignore him, but eventually the hedge melted away into a pool of shadow, allowing him access to a small grove that had been hidden. It was no wonder Yoko hadn't been able to detect Soma's presence; the young man was becoming very talented.
Of course, that only made the inevitable mistakes harder for him to bear.
Soma had taken off his coat and draped it over the stone bench he was sitting on. To all but the most observant viewer, he was doing nothing but sitting, staring at the ground and lost in thought. Alucard, however, noticed the small tilts of the head and motions of the eye, and more importantly knew what to make of them. To Soma, the clearing likely looked to be full of various beings. He didn't look up as Alucard sat next to him.
"You cannot ignore me forever, Soma," Alucard said quietly, watching as Doppelganger resumed his form mimicking the hedge to discourage further intrusion.
"I know," Soma said, his voice empty of all expression. "I apologize for inconveniencing you."
Alucard shook his head. "This is my duty as much as yours. More, perhaps. It is no inconvenience."
The pair sat in silence for a moment longer before Soma finally looked at Alucard. "So, are you here to reassure me that it wasn't my fault as well?" he asked, a note of bitterness entering his voice.
"Not entirely," Alucard said. "It is true, that as a leader, you bear responsibility for what becomes of those under your care, responsibility that you are all too willing to take." He raised a hand to forestall Soma's response. "That being said, it is also true that the responsibility is not yours alone."
Soma blinked. "But you just said…"
"I said that a leader bears responsibility for those under his command," Alucard said. "And I too am a leader, one far more experienced than you. I too should have foreseen Death's plan, for unlike you I have seen it play out before. And we do not command an army of mindless creatures, but thinking, flesh-and-blood human beings. That means that Agent Yamamoto also bears responsibility for his own actions; Death could not have directly controlled him through the safe house's wards. Ultimately, he made the decision to take the Jewel Seeds on his own." Soma didn't say anything, and after a moment Alucard continued. "Soma, you have already done much better than most would have in your position: you have acknowledged that you made mistakes. Now, rather than simply give up, act on that realization and do better next time. The battle is not yet lost."
"We got lucky," Soma said bluntly. "It was only though luck…"
"You would be surprised how often I have said the same, Soma," Alucard cut in calmly. "Luck has played a factor in all things throughout history, no matter how much planning goes into attempting to prevent its influence. This instance is far from unique."
Soma finally looked directly at Alucard, a measure of hope returning to his eyes. "I… suppose that is correct. Still, I wish that the cost had not been so high."
"As do I, Soma," Alucard said. "Still, the battle was by no means a victory for Death. He played his greatest trump card, and it did not allow him to claim the Jewel Seeds. So long as we do not allow him to force us onto the defensive, we can still capture and remove these gems from the Earth." Alucard held out a hand. "Let us ensure that Agents Yamamoto and Itou did not die in vain, Soma."
Soma nodded, taking Alucard's hand in a brief shake. "Yes, you're right, of course. I apologize for my behavior." Alucard nodded. "You've heard about Nanoha, haven't you?"
"Yoko told me, and I agree with your decision to allow it without fuss. Not only was it well within her parent's right to withdraw her, but I believe that it is best that trained magic users remain behind. Death will now be violent and unpredictable; he knows that his greatest chance has passed him by."
"Yes," Soma said getting to his feet. "Well, we should get back to the others, Julius will likely be returning from studying the rest of the sewers soon, and we'll have to plan our next move."
"Go ahead, Soma," Alucard said, pulling his sword out of his pocket and carefully leaning it on the back of the bench. "I have some business to finish before I join you. If Julius returns before I do, tell him that I will be with him shortly."
"Right," Soma said, "And Arikado… thanks."
"It's Alucard at the moment, Soma. You're welcome." The white-haired young man nodded before making his way out of the clearing, allowing Doppelganger to return to him as he passed. Alucard waited for the sound of his footsteps to fade even from a dhampir's hearing before slowly opening the bundle of cloth and armor and retrieving a small black bag.
There were several trinkets in the bag: a set of five cards, several small marble-like spheres with strange, undulating shapes within, a green book, and what looked like a snorkel. What Alucard drew from the bag, however, was a vial of blood and a series of ebony needles.
"Come, souls, heed my call," he said quietly, raising his free hand as he moved to the center of the grove.
A moment later, several misty streaks appeared around Alucard, spinning lazily. Slowly, he gave each of them a single of the black needles before bidding them to fly to a specific place. When the last of the souls was in place, Alucard opened the vial of blood and poured it out.
"Form the circle."
Instantly, each of the souls planted the needle they had been carrying in the grass, and the blood, which had been hovering in mid-air from the moment it had left the vial, spread out and formed strings to connect the stone markers, creating a pentagram with Alucard at its center. The souls, their work almost finished, returned to their summoner and started orbiting him as he bowed his head and began to chant.
"Awaken, power of my bloodline… Rage forth, strength of the night… Surge, darkness of mine… and drown out the evil in my sight."
The bloody circle flared, engulfing the entire clearing in red light. The smoky souls continued to orbit for a moment before entering the man, causing him to hover in the air, his arms crossed and head bowed before oily shadows engulfed him. Finally, a massive flash of red light obscured the clearing before fading from sight, leaving Alucard behind.
The most obvious change was his hair, which had changed from pitch black to flowing silver. His skin had paled even further, becoming a shade that should have made him look sickly, yet only enhanced him. His form was perfect in every way, more beautiful and handsome than any mortal could ever be. He was truly the Son of Dracula.
Alucard's feet touched the ground without even a whisper of sound. Almost gliding across the grass, he started donning the armor that he had not worn in almost forty years. First, he put on the Alucard Mail, pitch black with gold lining. When he was finished with this task, he carefully touched his left gauntlet, eventually summoning forth the shield he had first carried into Castlevania all those centuries ago. Satisfied with it, Alucard then threw his cloak, as black as a moonless night on the outside and blood red on the inside, over his shoulders and fastened it. Finally, he picked up his mother's sword and attached the scabbard to his belt. With that, he made his way back to the mansion.
As luck would have it, Julius was just making his way up the path when Alucard reached the door. "Did you find any more?" the dhampir asked quietly.
"No, which means that there are no more in the city." Julius said, showing no surprise at Alucard's presence. "Which means matters have become more complicated."
"Indeed," Alucard murmured.
"Ah…" The pair looked up as a middle-aged woman, or rather, a machine that looked like a middle-aged woman, addressed them. "Miss Yoko mentioned that you would be arriving soon, Lord Alucard. She and Mr. Soma are waiting for you in the study."
"Thank you," Alucard said, leading the way into the room the maid had indicated. Everyone still involved in the case was gathered there, including Yuuno.
"You… You're Arikado?" the boy asked, instinctively shying away from Alucard.
"In this form, I call myself Alucard," the dhampir said, sitting down at the head of the table.
"So, what do we do now?" Yoko asked. "We've searched the entire city."
"Yes, and other agents have searched much of the rest of Japan, and they have found no sign of the gems," Alucard said. "Nor have they seen any of the rise in monster population that has been sighted around Uminari, meaning that Death likely doesn't believe that the Jewel Seeds are to be found out there."
Soma looked at the map. "If that's the case, then all that's really left is to look in the ocean," he said.
"Correct," Alucard said. "The good news is that there are very few monsters that can withstand that sort of environment; even Death himself cannot reach the bottom of the ocean."
"Yeah, but how do we get down there?" Hammer asked.
"Well…" Yuuno said. "I might be able to get an Area Search down there, I've always been good at those, so I could probably find them without too much difficulty…"
Alucard nodded. "Excellent, and I believe that Soma's ability will grant him enough protection to reach the gem with only some technological assistance. The work will likely be slow, but it should be possible."
"What about Fate?" Yoko asked. "She's still in danger."
"Without either luck or her coming to us of her own will, there is likely little we can do for her," Julius said grimly.
"That being said," Alucard interrupted. "We should not simply abandon her." He looked at Yoko. "You will go with Soma and Yuuno, to protect Yuuno while Soma is busy in the deep. Julius and I, meanwhile, will search the area for any sign of Fate."
"When do we begin?" Yoko asked after a moment of silence.
"I have already put in the requisition for the equipment Soma will need to reach the submerged Jewel Seeds, but until it arrives, we should continue searching the city and countryside. With luck, we'll find Fate before Death does. Soma, Julius, Yoko and I will split up, Yuuno, you may either stay here or accompany one of us."
The boy blinked. "I… should probably stay," he said. "Even if Nanoha's not allowed to help anymore, she's still my friend."
"Good," Alucard said. "Then we should be on our way."
Nanoha sat on the windowsill of Suzuka's room, watching sadly as Soma, Yoko, Julius, and the new man made their way down the path. "I should be with them," she muttered.
"What was that?" Arisa's voice drifted from the phone propped up on the small table between Nanoha and Suzuka, who was sitting on her bed with a cat in her arms and worry in her eyes.
"Soma and the others just left," Nanoha said, not taking her eyes off the group as they slipped out the gate and split up. "And I should be with them."
"Nanoha..." Suzuka said. "Please, it's not that bad, is it?"
Nanoha finally looked back, forcing back the prickle in the back of her eyes. "It feels like I'm running away," she said. "Yuuno and I started this together, I thought we would get to finish it together."
"Your parents are worried about you, Nanoha," Suzuka said. "And so are we." Nanoha sighed.
"I know, I know… It's just… now I'm worried too. It… didn't seem as bad, when I was out there doing something, helping. Now, now it seems like everything's falling apart, and that scares me, especially with Fate all alone." She looked back out the window, her eyes scanning the sky as if hoping to catch sight of the elusive blonde. "I was getting through to her, I know I was! She wouldn't have to be sad or scared anymore… and now I don't know if I'm ever going to see her again. Death was so mad… I mean, I always knew he was evil, but he seemed… calm, in a way. Now... now he's gone completely insane. I don't want to think about what he would do to Fate if he found her…"
A tense silence passed before a soft knock came on the door. "It's Yuuno. Can I come in?"
"Oh," Suzuka said, glancing at Nanoha, who nodded mutely. "Yes, please," the young vampire said, setting aside the cat she had been hugging before rising. As soon as Yuuno stepped in, he made his way over to Nanoha.
"How is everyone?" Nanoha asked.
Yuuno settled himself in a chair at the table the phone was sitting on, after carefully removing a cat that was lounging there. "They're doing fine, I guess," he said finally.
"And my replacement?" Nanoha said, unable to completely eliminate the bitterness in her voice. "Who's he? What's he like?"
"We've spoken to him before, on the phone," Yuuno said. "It's that Arikado guy, Soma's boss." He shook his head. "The weird thing is, though, that he insisted on going by another name, Alucard, but…"
Suzuka gasped. "Wait, Alucard? You mean… the Alucard?!"
"Um, yeah, I guess so?" Yuuno said. "But what do you mean by 'the Alucard?'"
The vampire looked between Yuuno and the equally confused Nanoha. "You mean you… don't know?" she asked. "Arisa, you know what I'm talking about, right? I can't believe it, Alucard was in the same house as me!"
"Suzuka, you're kind of worrying me," Arisa said slowly. "Who's…"
"What… you mean you don't know?" Suzuka gasped. "He's a legend, a real legend! I heard stories about him when I was young! I can't believe none of you have even heard of him! I mean, Yuuno's only been here a month, but…"
"Suzuka!" Arisa shouted. "Please, you're sounding like a fangirl, and it's kind of weird."
"But… but he's Alucard…"
Yuuno blinked several times. "So, why is this Alucard so well known?" he asked.
"He's saved the world!" Suzuka said, her eyes wide. "He's the son of Dracula, born sometime in the fifteenth century. But when Dracula started his reign of terror, Alucard declared that he would find some way to stop his father. No one knows what his name was before that, but he changed it to declare himself as the complete opposite of Dracula."
"Wait…" Yuuno said. "That's right, Alucard is Dracula backwards…" He blinked. "But just a minute… you said he was born in the fifteenth century… What century is this?"
"It's the twenty-first," Nanoha supplied, momentarily distracted by her friend's enthusiasm. Suzuka was normally much more quiet and calm, to see her face flushed with excitement like this was highly unusual.
Yuuno's eyes widened. "But wait, that would mean he's… more than five hundred years old! That's impossible, he didn't look a day over twenty!"
"He's the son of Dracula, remember," Suzuka said. "He's a dhampir rather than a full vampire, there was a human woman involved, no one knows exactly why, but he's still immortal." She looked between the phone and Nanoha. "But really, how could you two not have heard of Alucard?"
Nanoha sighed and turned to look out the window again as Yuuno quickly regained Suzuka's attention and started bombarding her with questions about Earth's magical culture, questions she was only too happy to answer. No matter what, Nanoha just couldn't get Fate off her mind for any length of time; those sad, beautiful eyes kept flashing across her own vision. Her mind kept creating horrifying visions of Death, in all his terrible power, looming over her, with no one there to help her.
All Nanoha could do was pray with all her heart that the red-eyed girl would make it through the next few days alive.
The safe house, or what was left of it, was located a short distance from the city and out of immediate view. This had been a security measure, to make sure that no civilians stumbled across it while something dangerous or sensitive was occurring. Thus, despite the obvious damage to the structure, there was no one observing it.
No one, that is, except for a young blonde mage and her familiar standing in some trees several meters away.
"We shouldn't be here, Fate," Arf hissed, her eyes scanning the area as if expecting enemies to leap from thin air and attack her mistress.
In her mind, Fate knew that the wolf-woman was right, that she should just slip away before anything went wrong. Somehow, however, she couldn't pull herself away. "It's reconnaissance, Arf," she said quietly. "Na… that girl and her allies were pulled away suddenly, and they looked nervous. Now, standing here, it looks like something went badly wrong, and I think it's important to find out what."
"Why?" Arf asked. "What does it matter what happened to them. So long as they don't get in the way, that's all that's important. Let's find the Jewel Seeds and get out of here!"
"They had several Jewel Seeds with them," Fate continued relentlessly. "We should at least check to see what happened."
"They aren't stupid enough to just leave them behind! We should go, it's too dangerous to be here!" Arf said.
Fate shook her head and raised her Device. "Bardiche, Area Search, look for signs of life."
"Yes, Sir. Area Search." A long moment passed as yellow sparks flitted over the surrounding area before Bardiche continued. "No evidence of life, human or magical, Sir."
"Good," Fate said, creeping forward. "Arf, keep watch, I'm going to take a look." The familiar whined in a very doglike fashion, but didn't argue as Fate made her way closer to the ruined house. The last time she had been here, there had been a series of powerful wards surrounding it, though Fate wasn't surprised that they were gone. Finally, she reached the door and nudged it open, keeping a firm grip on Bardiche.
The front hall of the house looked like it had taken the brunt of the damage; there were countless scars in the wall, and parts of the floor had been completely cut through. Several unpleasant stains could also be seen, stains that were uncomfortably red…
"Is that… blood?" Fate murmured; more to herself than anyone else. Still, her Device answered.
"No, Sir. Unknown substance," Bardiche supplied. "Analyzing… It is magical in nature, likely the remains of an attack."
Fate nodded. "I see, thank you, Bardiche." She glanced at the largest of the slashes in the wall. "That was made by a scythe, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Sir. Physical blade."
Fate looked around again. "Death was here… What happened to them…"
A part of Fate told her to listen to Arf's advice and simply leave, now that she had confirmed that the safe house was abandoned and that those who had been based in it were likely still reeling from their confrontation with Death. Despite this, she found herself drifting towards the stairs and gingerly making her way upwards. The stairs were damaged in places, and Fate would have fallen once had she not caught herself with flight magic, allowing her to make it safely to the second floor.
For the most part, the upper story was less damaged than the lower one, but there were still signs of struggle. Carefully hopping over a hole that had been smashed in the floor, Fate slowly made her way to the door that had led to the brunette mage's room, the one she had spent a single night in. She still didn't entirely understand what had drawn her here, but somehow she knew that she wouldn't be able to leave this place until she had looked inside. Gently pushing the door open, Fate walked to the center of the room and looked around.
When she had first been here, she had thought that she would get little rest, knowing that she was surrounded by people she couldn't trust, since they would likely be enemies in the morning. However, somehow, she had been surprised to find herself drifting to sleep easily. She had dismissed it as simple exhaustion at first, but now that she though about it, there had been something else… a familiar feeling that she hadn't been able to place at the time. Perhaps that was what had drawn her here. Fate slowly closed her eyes.
Yes… it had been a feeling she had felt before, one she remembered well. She had simply never thought to find it again, not until her mission was complete.
She had been very young sitting with her mother in a field, she didn't remember where. They had been laughing, reveling in their time together, something that had been all too rare. But more than that, it had been the sense that nothing could hurt her, not so long as her mother was there…
It was that same feeling she had felt in this room, that feeling of safety. Surrounded by danger, completely at the mercy of those that had taken her, she had felt safe? Why? Why would she feel that?
"Sir?" Bardiche said, a note of concern audible to those that knew his voice well.
Fate's eyes jerked open at her Device's words. "Sorry, Bardiche," she whispered. "I was… distracted." She turned her thoughts outwards. 'Arf, is everything alright?'
'Yeah,' Arf said. 'I was getting worried about you in there… are you alright?'
'I will be,' Fate thought, not bothering to leave by the stairs, instead slipping out the window and gliding to her familiar. "We should go, we have to hurry. What happened here will have given us an opening, and we must take it. Once we get the Jewel Seeds for Mother, everything will be better."
"Yeah…" Arf said, her hand twitching for some reason. "What's the next step?"
Fate took off, followed by the wolf woman. "We've searched the land," she said. "All that is left is the sea, and if we are to find anything there, we must be… decisive."
"You aren't thinking of…" Arf's voice cut off, only to continue a moment later in a thoughtful tone. "You're right. We have to end this quickly." Fate glanced over her shoulder, and Arf smiled at her. "I'm behind you all the way, Fate."
Fate smiled back. "Thank you, Arf," she whispered. "It will take some time to prepare, but we should be ready at nightfall." Then it would be over, one way, or another.
Fate would get the Jewel Seeds for her mother, and return things to the way they were in that memory. She didn't need anything, or anyone, else.
Soma stood silently on the a balcony of the Tsukimura home, watching as the sun completed its journey across the sky, painting the horizon red and gold. He had just gotten back after searching for several hours, and yet he was still filled with the same restless energy as when he had started. He didn't mind much, it was certainly better than what he had been feeling before Alucard had talked to him.
And speak of the dhampir, here he was right now.
"Soma," he said simply.
"Alucard," Soma said. "When will the equipment arrive?"
"Sometime tomorrow. Are you prepared?"
"I will be." Soma sighed. "I do wonder whether it will be safe, leaving Nanoha here alone? If Death breaks through…"
"The wards here are much stronger than the ones around the safe house," Alucard said. "It is really quite an ingenious design: three layers, with only the weakest outermost projected continuously. Then, if anything happens to that layer, the other two automatically activate, hopefully trapping the attacker. It gives the illusion of weakness." The pair were silent for a moment before he continued in a softer voice. "How is she doing?" Soma sighed.
"I talked to Nanoha earlier, she wanted to know if we had found any sign of Fate. I hope that she's safe, for Nanoha's sake."
Alucard nodded. "As do I, Soma. Although, I cannot help but wonder whether we will be able to convince her to lay down her weapon. She has proven quite resilient to the idea."
"Especially since Nanoha's not with us anymore, and she was the one who was leading the effort to talk Fate down," Soma murmured before sighing. "I'm heading out."
"Do you wish for someone to go with you?" Alucard asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"No, thanks," Soma said.
"Very well, just be careful. This night… it feels wrong, though I cannot say how."
Soma nodded before lightly leaping off the balcony, absorbing the two story fall like it was nothing, and making his way down the path leading to the gate. He didn't quite understand why he was so restless, but he knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he worked it out of his system, and the only way he was going to do that was go looking again.
Besides, night was when the forces of darkness were most active. If there was a time that he was going to run into Death, it would be after the sun went down. Once he could get rid of that damn skeleton, then it would be over, at least for this time.
'But he'll never quit, will he?' Soma thought, wrapping himself in the power of Bat Company and taking to the sky. 'He'll just keep coming back over and over and over again. Just like Dracula before him, but for Death, sealing away a castle won't do anything to slow his rebirth.'
'Perhaps, Master,' Persephone said quietly. 'But that doesn't mean you can give up. Remember, the Belmont's didn't know how to defeat Dracula for good, but they kept going. There must be a way to stop him forever, we just haven't figured it out yet.' As she said this, the rest of the souls in Soma's mind made various noises of agreement.
'Thanks, everyone,' Soma said.
The streets were all but empty tonight as Soma flew overhead. Now that Alucard had pointed it out, there was a sense of darkness in the air, above and beyond the that of a normal night. Perhaps something important was going to happen. If it was, then Soma was going to be ready for it.
After several minutes, the sun had truly set, leaving the only light of the city and the moon to brighten the city. Soma came to a halt at the top of one of the many skyscrapers and returned to his human form, taking the time to survey the area. "Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be ending soon, one way or another?" Soma muttered.
'Master…' Witch asked. 'Is it just me, or do the clouds look unusually thick over the water?'
Soma turned his gaze back to the direction the soul had indicated, and was surprised to see that she was right. "That's not normal, is it?" he said. "And we know someone who's very good with lightning magic." With that, he took off, not bothering to shift back to his bat form: it was too dark for anyone to really notice him and he needed the speed.
'If Fate's there, then what will we do?' Persephone asked.
'Keep her there until the others arrive. I know I can beat her, but doing it without killing her or leaving her open to Death is the hard bit. All together, though, we can do it.' With that, Soma turned his full attention to his path, focusing to try to catch a glimpse of the girl.
Before he got close, however, a wave of purple light expanded over the ocean, forming a strange dome. Soma drifted to a halt just outside, placing his hand on it. "This must be another of those barriers Arf used to keep Death in when we were trying to stop him," he murmured. "So they are here."
'We need to call the others, now. Death must know they're hear after this,' Persephone said. Soma nodded, quickly reaching out with his mind to find Yuuno. After several tense seconds, he was able to get a connection.
'Soma?' Yuuno began, but Soma quickly cut in.
'Fate's over the ocean, right now! She must be trying to get the Jewel Seeds first. Everyone needs to get here ASAP!'
'Right! We're on our way!' Yuuno said before the telepathic link ended.
Soma nodded. "Now, we need to get through this barrier. Death simply smashed through, but perhaps there's a way that won't take as long."
'I don't think that's an option, Master,' Witch said. 'This barrier's a complex, multi-faceted thing. It would take me ages to figure it out. If speed's what we're after, I think it's best if we just break through.'
'Right,' Soma sighed. 'Great Axe Armor?'
'If you wish it My Lord, I will act,' Soma nodded, raising his hands above his head.
"Smash on through!"
A massive axe appeared behind Soma, and as he jerked his arm forward, it swung forward and slammed into the barrier with the force of a speeding train. For a moment, Soma thought he had already broken through, but after a moment the axe vanished, leaving only ripples behind.
"Well, we've got time," Soma said, raising his hand again. "The others will be here soon, and if I'm not through by then, Julius should be able to smash the barrier. He's good at that."
'I stand ready, My Lord!'
"Right! Once more, Great Axe Armor!"
Staring out at the darkening sky from the window of the room that Susuka's family had loaned her, Nanoha couldn't help but shiver. The falling night wasn't exactly cold, it was still summer after all, but there was an indescribable chill in the air. It wasn't the chill that came from Death's proximity… but it wasn't entirely different, either.
'Maybe it's just my imagination,' Nanoha thought, glancing down at Raising Heart, which she was gently clutching. Her Device would tell her if something was going wrong… well more wrong than things were already. With no answer forthcoming, Nanoha's thoughts once more drifted outside the wards around the mansion, out to wherever Fate might be.
It so happened that the room she was in faced towards the ocean, so she noticed the unnatural cloud buildup. "The skies were supposed to be clear…" she whispered. "Raising Hear?"
"Yes, my Master?"
"Is it just me, or is there something going on out there?" she asked, pointing towards the clouds.
"I'm sorry, my Master, there is too much interference," the red device said, sounding slightly disappointed in itself.
"But could it be Fate?" Nanoha said.
"It is possible, my Master."
Nanoha looked up again, clenching her hand. "Maybe I should just take a quick peek… It would only take a few minutes…" After a moment, she sighed. "But Dad said I wasn't to leave… What do I do… what do I do…"
Before Nanoha could come to a decision, a flash caught her eye, and she looked up just in time to see a barrier of some sort appearing underneath the clouds she had just been looking at. "There's no doubt about it, Fate's there! I have to tell the others! Yuuno!"
Nanoha reached the bottom of the stairs just as Alucard led Julius, Yoko and Yuuno down the hall that led to the meeting room he had been using. "I assume you saw it to," he said, his eyes piercing. "Do not fear, we are on our way."
"Can I…" Nanoha started.
"No," Nanoha's father said quietly, stepping out of the living room. "Nanoha, I'm sorry, but it's just too dangerous. Let the others handle things from here." He nodded to Alucard. "You should probably hurry." The dhampir simply nodded.
Yuuno looked at Nanoha for a long moment before sighing. 'I'm sorry… I'll do everything I can to make sure Fate doesn't get hurt, okay.' Nanoha nodded mutely, and the archeologist turned to follow Julius and Alucard.
Every instinct in Nanoha's body was clamoring to rush out the door after them, to try and get to Fate and help her. To just stand here and watch the others leave…
Her thoughts were interrupted as her father gently wrapped his arms around her. "I know it's hard, Nanoha," he whispered. "But your mother and I… we don't want to lose you, Nanoha. Please, for our sake, don't do anything rash." Nanoha couldn't bring herself to say anything, simply allowing her father to lead her into the living room with the rest of her family. Before she knew it, she was curled up on the couch, a cup of her favorite tea clutched in her shaking hands.
"Nanoha," the mage's mother said gently. "Your father and I are glad that you're the kind of girl who wants to help people, who forgives others when they've hurt you. But sometimes it's best to step back and let others help you. Your still so young."
Nanoha laughed weakly. "I know," she said. "It's just… when I was out there, I felt like I was doing something worthwhile… something special."
"You don't have to put your life in danger to be special, Nanoha," Shiro said. "And there will be plenty of time for worthwhile things when you're older. For now, please just stay safe."
"Yeah…" Nanoha said, fighting the urge to rub the itch in her eyes. "I guess… I just wish that there was something I could do… but you're right. Soma and the others are so much stronger… there's nothing I can do that they can't do better."
"Oh, I wouldn't go that far."
Nanoha jerked as a polite new voice suddenly intruded on the conversation. At the same moment, a wave of light engulfed the room, and when it cleared, Nanoha was alone. Spinning desperately, she tried to find the source of this sudden intrusion. Finally, she found it in the shape of a man, sitting in the chair that Miyuki had been in, calmly sipping a cup of tea as if nothing was amiss.
"I mean, with that fascinating staff of yours, you're actually much more efficient at calming those bothersome Jewel Seeds. The others, I'm afraid, have to batter them into submission. It's really quite a task for them. So it's not quite true that there's nothing you can do that they can't do better."
The man was among the strangest Nanoha had ever seen. He looked to be of European decent, with long blond hair and a thin mustache. His face was thin and angular, though his eyes danced with mirth over the rim of his teacup. His cloths were even stranger. Atop his head sat a tall black hat, and his finely made shirt was of the same color except for the collar, which was white. Over the shirt he wore a fancy red coat that hung down to the back of his knees, and his legs were covered by white pants with the gold chain of a pocket-watch on his left side. He also wore a pair of white gloves, completing the image of someone who would not have looked out of place at some European aristocratic gathering of the past.
"Who are you? Where is everyone?" Nanoha asked, her hand clenching Raising Heard, ready to activate her Barrier Jacket at the slightest hint of danger.
"I do apologize for the inconvenience," the newcomer said, gently placing his cup on a saucer and setting it on the table next to him as he rose to his feet. "I'm afraid I had to speak with you and you alone. Do not worry, no one will notice your absence, we are currently between moments, hidden in the folds of time. As for who I am, you may call me Saint Germain, a traveler and observer of sorts." As he said this, he gave a bow, one deep enough that Nanoha couldn't help but wonder how his hat stayed on. His voice was calm and gently, with a majestic British accent. "As for how I got here, well let's just say I have my methods and leave it at that, sorry to disappoint."
Nanoha blinked nervously. "What… what do you want to talk to me about?" she asked finally.
St. Germain simply smiled mysteriously as he sat down again. "Now that's an interesting question, isn't it," he said. "To be honest, I really shouldn't be here at all, there are rules that I must follow. However, recent events, shall we say, have convinced me that I can justify… bending… these rules ever so slightly."
"Recent events… you mean Death?" Nanoha asked.
"Indeed I do. Death and I… we've competed for quite some time, in our own way. But what he's doing now is more akin to kicking over the board than anything else." St. Germain's smile faded slightly as he looked straight into Nanoha's eyes. "I'm afraid time is running a bit short, even for me. Will you listen to my words, Nanoha Takamachi?"
"I will," Nanoha said, not even pausing to think. Somehow, she could sense that what this man had to say was vital.
The man's smile returned. "Good, good. Now, what I'm going to tell you is only advice; the ultimate choice of what to do after you have heard me out will be yours and yours alone. Even if I could justify bending the rules that far, I would never dream of removing your free will in that way."
"Okay," Nanoha said, nodding as she slowly sat down again.
"Now, my advice is in several parts," St. Germain said, taking another sip of tea. "The first, and perhaps the most important bit, is that every choice made affects the future in its own way. Some of these ways are small, and some are much larger. However, there are certain times when certain people, through either design or chance, become much more vital to the course of events than they would normally be. At this time, Nanoha, you are one of these people. Your choices, whatever they might be, will have a profound effect on the course of events." He inclined his head slightly. "Although, I believe you already realized this, haven't you?"
"Well, you came to talk to me," Nanoha said, causing the man to laugh.
"I suppose I should be flattered that you think my presence is important enough to warrant that realization. It's true, certainly, but still flattering." He finished his tea and set it aside again before leaning his elbows on his knees and resting his chin on folded hands. "But I should really continue with what I wanted to tell you, the sands of time are flowing more slowly than normal, but they do still flow. The second piece of advice I wanted to give you was to never, ever think that you have Death figured out. He is an incredibly complex being, with countless different facets. He is predictable, to an extent, but he will find a way to surprise you. Be careful when he is involved in a situation."
"Yeah, I think I figured that out as well," Nanoha said slowly.
"Have you really?" St. Germain said, raising a single eyebrow. "Well, still, keep my words in mind, they may help you… down the road." He shook his head. "Still, I suppose we should focus on the hear and now, I only have a short amount of time left, so I'll open this bit of advice to you. Ask me a question, and I will do my best to answer it, though I may not be able to."
Nanoha looked at St. Germain for a long moment before speaking. "Should I go?"
"I was wondering if that would be your question," St. Germain said. "And the answer is, I'm afraid, a complex one. Is your survival guaranteed? Absolutely not, although neither is your death. Will you save your friend? Quite possibly." He rose to his feet and crossed the room, kneeling in front of Nanoha and placing his hands on her shoulders. This gesture should have been incredibly uncomfortable, but somehow Nanoha found it reassuring. "As for what you should do? My advice would be thus. Trust your instincts."
Nanoha was about to ask something else, but was interrupted by a sudden sound, like a massive bell ringing, St. Germain looked up.
"Well, it looks like my time is almost up," he said quietly. "I have until the fifth ring." He quickly stood and started making his way to the door as the second chime was heard. "But I do have time one last bit of advice: always remember that you are not alone."
"What do you mean?" Nanoha cried as a third ring was heard.
"Even the most important person in the world is still affected by those around them," St. Germain said. "All to often, people forget that there are others that can help them. Don't make that mistake." He turned, smiling, as another chime echoed. "Now, Nanoha Takamachi, walk the path of your choosing without fear." With that, he turned the handle and slipped out of the room before closing the door behind him just as the fifth bell was heard.
"Nanoha? Are you alright?"
The mage didn't turn at the sound of her mother's voice, her eyes remained fixed on the door the strange man had just left. 'Trust your instincts…' she thought.
'Master?' Raising Heart asked mentally. Slowly, Nanoha nodded.
"I have to go," she said, rising to her feet and setting the cooling tea aside.
"Wait, what? No, Nanoha, we just go through talking about this," Shiro said, reaching out and gently yet firmly gripping Nanoha's arm. "This isn't your fight."
"It is, Father," Nanoha said, turning to look her father in the eye. "It became my fight the second Yuuno called to me." She smiled. "I'm glad that I stayed here for a while, it gave me time to get my head back on straight after what happened earlier today, but now I'm ready to do my duty."
"Barrier Jacket. Stand by, ready!"
Pink light flowed over Nanoha's form, and when it cleared, she was dressed in her white and blue Barrier Jacket. "I know that I'm putting myself in danger, and I know how much it will hurt if something happens to me." Her eyes blazed. "But I also know that my friends, all of them, are in danger, and that I can help them. And I know I'm not going to be much help to anyone if I get hurt, so I'm going to avoid that."
Shiro blinked, shocked at how much his daughter's demeanor had changed in what was to him mere seconds. "Nanoha…" he said.
"Dad… I don't think you're going to convince her," Miyuki said. "She's got the same look in her eyes as Kyouya did, when we left on our bit of business. She sounded so… grown up, when she said all that."
Shiro Takamachi looked slowly between his daughters before finally looking at his wife. Several long moments later, they both sighed. "Nanoha, if we tell you that you cannot go, will you listen to us," he said finally.
"I'm sorry, Father, but no. I have to do this."
Her mother rose and pulled Nanoha into a hug. "The, all we can ask is that you be so, so careful. We don't want to lose you, Nanoha."
"Thank you, Mother," Nanoha said, returning the embrace for a long moment before turning to leave, only to come up short when she reached for the handle. Hanging there was a gold pocket-watch that had not been there when she had last looked, and she had a shrewd idea where it came from.
"Thank you, St. Germain," she murmured, picking the pocket-watch up and running a finger along it. There were carvings on the back, and when Nanoha flipped it over and read the words etched in.
"You'll know what to do when the moment comes. The flow of time is actually quite malleable, able to shift and correct what has gone wrong. PS: I'll be wanting this back once you're done." Nanoha couldn't help but laugh as she ran out the door, activated her Flyer Fins, and launched herself towards the barrier over the ocean.
Fate desperately Blitzed back, avoiding the massive wave of water that one of the Jewel Seeds had swung at her. She had barely stopped before being forced to move again to dodge two more attacks. 'They're getting stronger,' she thought grimly.
After Arf had first sealed the area, Fate had cast a powerful jolt of energy into the ocean, hoping to awaken the Jewel Seeds so that she could capture them before anyone else was able to interfere, and for a time, she had thought things were finally going to work as planned. She had been able to snag two quickly, as they were still just beginning to power up.
Then things had started going wrong. It seemed that, by chance or fate, all six had landed fairly close to each other, and thus while she was dealing with the first two, the other four had activated their defense modes and started actively trying to kill her, shaping the water itself into deadly weapons. Now, she was fighting for her life.
It didn't help that Arf was busy trying to keep the barrier charged.
"Damn…" the familiar groaned. "Whoever's out there… he hits hard."
"Just hold on a little longer, Arf," Fate said, rolling out of the way of another attack before retaliating with a blast of lightning. The tentacle of water recoiled, but before she could capitalize on that, the other three converged, forcing her back again.
'How much longer can I keep this up…' Fate thought. She still had not completely recovered from her battle with Nanoha earlier in the day, no matter how short lived it had been. Her mana reserves were low, and she was facing four awakened Jewel Seeds alone. This was going to be tough… But she couldn't afford to give up. She dodged another attack and retaliated with a volley of Photon Lancer bolts. These didn't do much damage, but they did drive the Jewel Seeds back for a moment.
"Bardiche! Thunder Smasher!" Fate cried, aiming her Device at one of the Jewel Seeds that had gotten separated from the others even as a yellow Mid-Childan circle formed beneath her feet.
"Yes Sir! Thunder Smasher!"
A massive blast of lightning roared from Bardiche, ripping through the watery form and striking the Jewel Seed within. For a brief moment, Fate thought she was going to be able to overpower it in one blow, but even as the gem's defenses began to crack, the other three Logia lashed out at her, forcing her away.
'Arf! Help me! I almost have this one!' Fate thought desperately, speaking more through their bond than through true telepathy.
The familiar didn't waste time questioning her orders, instead shifting her attention instantly towards binding the three attackers. She wouldn't be able to hold them for long, but hopefully it would be long enough for Fate to do what she needed to.
"Thunder Smasher!" Bardiche cried again, and another wave of magical lightning slammed into the weakened Jewel Seed, and after several tense seconds, Fate won out, and the water collapsed back into the ocean, leaving a sealed Jewel Seed behind, which Fate darted over and grabbed just as Arf's binds shattered.
"I'm sorry… Fate…" Arf said, panting. "I… not doing so well…"
"We'll make it through this, Arf," Fate said, sparing a glance at her familiar. "We have to…"
But even as she said this, Fate could feel her own strength flagging. It had taken most of her power to batter through that last Jewel Seed's defensive form, and there were still three left. Not to mention the fact that, now that Arf was tired and no longer actively supporting it, the barrier would likely be falling in a few minutes.
Just as she thought this, the barrier shattered like thin glass. Looking up, Fate saw the brown-coated man, Julius something, hovering at what had been the very top of the barrier, a massive flaming blue cross roaring. There was little doubt what had caused the break. She just wished it hadn't been so soon.
As the cross faded from sight, the man immediately shot towards one of the Jewel Seed defensive forms, while other shapes dashed towards the other two. Meanwhile, a green blur and a pink figure flew towards Fate and Arf.
"Fate! Are you alright?"
Fate had expected it to be that girl, Nanoha, and was surprised when it was that Bureau mage who addressed her instead. For some reason, a flicker of worry passed through Fate when she realized that Nanoha was nowhere to be seen. "What do you want?" she asked, shoving those treacherous thoughts from her mind as she shifted Bardiche into Scythe Form.
"We want what we've always wanted: to help people; you included," the blonde mage said. "We were worried that Death had done something to you two. You should know that he's on the warpath; he won't stop until we're all dead."
Fate took the opportunity to see how the others were progressing with their Jewel Seeds, and wasn't encouraged by the results. The white-coated mage was hovering above his target, a large ball of white light gathering in his hands. A moment later, he brought it down and unleashed a beam of power. The Jewel Seed was able to avoid the majority of the blast, but before it could even begin to counter, the mage had dropped closer and emitted a bolt of lightning that washed through the water, temporarily breaking it apart. A moment later, the pillar finally collapsed as the mage teleported on top of the Lost Logia and engulfed it in light for several moments before grabbing it with a silver hand.
Meanwhile, the whip-wielder with the brown coat was attacking his target in an unending stream of strikes. Every blow, be it from his weapon or a thrown magical axe or cross carved through the Jewel Seed's defensive form, while its counterattacks were either dodged or simply batted aside. Several seconds later, he vanished for a moment before reappearing in the center of the stream of water and generating another of his massive crosses to blast the defense form apart. It seemed that he was also able to batter the Seed itself into submission, because he grabbed it without further trouble.
The third figure, dressed in black and flying on leathery wings that occasionally formed a cape, at first seemed to be having more trouble than the others. His flashing blade bit into the watery shield, but it couldn't cause any lasting damage. A moment later, however, he floated backwards and raised a hand. Suddenly, balls of light started flowing from the Jewel Seed's water, and Fate realized that the man was somehow draining its energy. It desperately lashed out at the man, but his body turned to mist and evaded the attack before reforming and continuing his attack, eventually weakening it enough that he was able to break through its shield and engulf it in fire.
Within minutes, the newcomers had been able to subdue all three Jewel Seeds.
"Fate…" the Bureau mage said. "We don't want to fight you. Nanoha would be heartbroken if something bad were to happen. Please…" His eyes suddenly widened as a chill passed through the air.
"DODGE!" the broom-riding mage yell, and everyone scattered just as Death appeared behind the boy, his scythe falling in a deadly slash. A second slash followed, but a green shield caused it to skate off with a spray of magical sparks. A blast of fire drove Death back before he could continue his assault, and he floated to a safe distance.
"Death," the new man said quietly as he flapped over, tossing his Jewel Seed, dull and covered in a strange, smoky power, to Yuuno. "I was wondering when you were going to show up."
"Alucard…" the skeletal figure said. "You have been a thorn in my side for far to long, ever since you betrayed your lord father and began aiding these pathetic humans. I shall give you one last chance, return to…" He was cut off when Alucard threw a trio of fireballs at him.
"Save your empty promises, Death," he said. "It's over. You're outnumbered and outmatched, you will not be able to resurrect the Lord of Darkness." The white-haired man pointed his sword at the skeleton as the others gathered in a rough circle around Death. "Face it, you've lost once again."
A flash of red appeared in Death's eyes. "You'll find that the game is not quite over yet," he growled, shifting his scythe to one hand and reaching into his sleeve with the other.
'What could he be doing?' Fate wondered, sifting back out of the way. She wouldn't be able to defeat all of them as she was, but if a fight were to break out, she and Arf could probably overpower the Bureau mage and take the Jewel Seeds the others had given him before withdrawing.
"I invoke our barging!" Death called, whipping his hand back out of his sleeve, a hand clutching a… was that a piece of paper? What could that possibly do?
'Forgive me, Fate,' Arf thought.
'What…' Fate started to turn just as a fist collided with the side of her head, knocking her off balance. Before she could even figure out what was going on, another blow knocked her further off balance just as a hand grabbed Bardiche.
"Release Jewel Seeds," Arf said, her voice empty.
As long as she could remember, Fate had allowed Arf to have command over Bardiche, in case she was somehow disabled and the Device's power was needed. The familiar was not trained to properly use Bardiche, but it would obey her, just as it did now. Four Jewel Seeds popped out of the yellow core.
Fate was still reeling, unable to comprehend what had just happened, as the cold overwhelmed her and Death appeared right next to her, one hand grabbing the floating Jewel Seeds and the other bringing his scythe down towards her. She would never dodge in time.
"NO!"
Fate suddenly found herself flying away again as something slammed into her side, even as a sharp cry of pain assaulted her ears. Her mind was focused, however, as that same pain flashed through her bond with Arf. Her familiar was injured, badly, and instincts took over. Catching herself with her magic, Fate took control of her spiral and turned to see what had happened.
Arf was hovering where Fate had been a second before, the blade of Death's scythe sticking all the way through her stomach.
"Never said… anything… about what happens… afterwards…" the wolf woman growled, grabbing the haft of the weapon herself and forming several orange binds around the skeleton. "Get him… hurry!"
These words shocked everyone into action, and various attacks converged on Death as he tried to yank his scythe out of Arf's abdomen, exploding in a mass of smoke and multi-colored lights. A second later, the three most powerful warriors were dashing towards the spot.
"ENOUGH!" Death roared, blasting them all back as he cleared the smoke. His cape was badly torn and he only held part of the haft of his scythe, but he still clutched four Jewel Seeds, which was soon joined by a fifth from his sleeve. "It seems that the tides have turned."
"Arf!" Fate cried, Blitzing forward to catch her familiar as she fell, the scythe still stuck through her.
"Fate…" Arf moaned, her eyes dull. "Just… leave me… I've always been… a terrible… familiar…"
"Don't talk, save your energy!" Fate cried even as blood started to trickle from Arf's mouth. A human would have been dead by now, but familiars were strong…. Arf would pull through! She had to, Fate didn't know what she'd do without Arf…
"You're… better off… without me… I… hurt you… couldn't… protect you… It's all… my… fault…"
"Arf! No! Don't leave me!"
Death started laughing. "How delightful! I had hoped to kill you with that blow and remove two annoyances, but to see you broken like this at long last… it feels good…"
"Damn you!" Soma roared, dashing forward, black fire flowing from his blade, which Death barely managed to block. He didn't stop laughing.
"But enough of this. I have what I need… the power of these gems will grant my greatest desire: to see my lord returned at last!" His eyes blazed red as he looked around. "But first… but first, I shall have my revenge, long overdue. I shall kill you. One. By. One."
"You don't have the power," Alucard said. "Three of us have defeated you on our own in the past. You cannot win."
"Perhaps not as I am," Death said. "But with the power I hold in my hand… I can do anything!" A blast of power tossed Soma aside as the seals on the Jewel Seeds shattered and the gems started orbiting Death, purple light washing over his skeletal form.
"He's mad…" the young mage boy whispered. "He's utterly mad… there's no way he can control them like that… He couldn't…"
Powerful shockwaves were emanating from the Jewel Seeds, causing everyone to flinch. The clouds, already dark from Fate's magic, turned pure black, completely blotting out any light from the sky. Fate desperately tried to protect Arf, but the sheer power was simply irresistible, and it was growing with every moment. Squinting, Fate watched as a dark mist rose around Death and his Jewel Seeds, blotting out even the blazing purple light of the Jewel Seeds.
"THIS IS THE END, MORTALS!" Death roared, his voice a terrible combination of thousands of others. A moment later, the smoke was torn apart, revealing something out of a nightmare.
Death had taken a form akin to a horrible, twisted giant spider. Eight long, skeletal legs, each more than three times as long as a person and tipped with a scythe blade dripping blood, twitched horribly as if seeking to tear apart invisible enemies. Countless chains hung from these limbs, each made of the same black steel and covered in icy spikes. Shackled to the end of many of these chains were bodies… and only some of them appeared to be dead, if their screams meant anything.
Where the legs came together, there was no sign of a body. Instead, they transitioned immediately into a human spine that acted as a neck for the massive… thing… that made up Death's head. It looked at first like a human skull, but the mouth went all the way around and was filled with too many bloodstained teeth to count; a horrible combination of thick, jagged cutters and long, thin needles. There was no sign of a nose, but there were five blazing red eyes spaced evenly around the head, and a closer look revealed that each of those eyes was filled with one of the Jewel Seeds.
Horrible laughter rang out as Death slashed his scythe-limbs, swinging the bodies hanging beneath him even as ghostly shapes appeared around him, carrying various nasty weapons.
"BEHOLD MY TRUE FORM AND DESPAIR!"
AN: Well, things have certainly gone haywire, haven't they? How on earth are our heroes going to get out of this one?
