CHAPTER 10 / Lavender Flowers

We were standing in the largest library I had ever seen. The library, belonging to a person-an acquaintance of Marisa's-whom I have yet to meet. But I had a troubling feeling that I was about to.

"You do know, it is illegal to enter someone's dwelling without first acquiring that person's permission." The voice came closer.

Another girl emerged from around the bookshelf. The girl was wearing what would normally be interpreted as nighttime wear-a lavender gown, with a matching cap, which bore a crescent brooch. She had many ribbons in her hair. She had royal purple eyes, which were focused on us. She was carrying a book with no title on the cover. Behind her followed the girl from before. Apparently, she had wings on her back as well as the ones on her head.

The lavender girl spoke. "Marisa Kirisame...did I not explain to you that there would be consequences to breaking into my library?"

"Your library," I said. "So, you must be Patchy."

The girl in the lavender pajamas shifted her gaze from Marisa, to glare at me. "My name is Patchouli Knowledge," she said. "I will not be referred to by such a moniker as you had stated." She gestured to the quiet girl standing by her. "This is my assistant, Koakuma. Now, then...what do I call you, other than 'intruder'?"

"I am Razu Teionhakushi," I told her. "Most everyone calls me 'Raz'."

"Very well, Razu Teionhakushi...now, both of you, explain your business here."

"Just came to borrow some books, ze!"

"You will not be 'borrowing' any more of my books," said Patchouli, "for you have yet to return those which you had borrowed on previous occasions...without permission, I might add."

Suddenly I remembered the lavender ink stamp on one of the books at Marisa's place. PK. Patchouli Knowledge.

"You have ten seconds to vacate these premises before I do away with you."

Marisa just stayed there. I knew what was coming. I made ready for the inevitable battle.

"Time's up." She opened the book she was carrying, and declared.

"Fall Slasher!"

As she declared, she held the open book in one hand, and held her free hand upward. A purple light gathered above her, then split into five. Suddenly, the lights began to collect matter, shaping five metal Okizeme swords. They were all aimed in our direction. "Now is your final opportunity to escape!"

Marisa drew a spellcard from her pouch; I drew two. I couldn't tell what she had drawn, but I was holding two cards that I have yet to use. Their illustrations and their titles was all I had to go on as far as their usage. I had a good idea of how to use these two. I held the first one up.

"Transient Skip!"

My force maneuverability speed had been increased ten-fold by the card. The spell's effect would probably last for five minutes. I levitated an inch from the floor, then moved, at an unfathomable speed, around and behind Patchouli. It seemed almost as if I had teleported; I had moved so fast. Patchouli heard me as I lifted the second card in an attempt to declare and use a combination attack.

"Carbon-Fibre Blade:...!"

She turned around, looking surprised, but otherwise unfaltered. All five of her blades shifted to aim at me. I continued to declare the card.

"...'Ethereal Edge'!"

A chunk of the tile floor, and the concrete below, lifted from the ground. I quickly shifted the carbon atoms into the shape of a broadsword, crushing the leftover tile and concrete into dust. As I took hold of the hilt, Patchouli threw her hand down and aimed toward me, sending the blades after me, one by one. The first blade missed my leg by mere inches. I jumped over the second. I put up Ethereal Edge to block the third. However, the fourth one, which was coming right after the third, grazed my arm. The momentum of the blade pushed me into a slight spin as I fell. Ethereal Edge was thrown backward and stuck into the tile floor a few feet behind me, where it stayed briefly before crumbling into carbon dust. I looked up at the last blade, which was still pointing directly at me. I could see Patchouli's face, which seemed to show little emotion-she had been wearing that expression almost the entire time. She looked down at me coldly.

"Do you have any last words before I transform you into a mere mess for the maid to clean?"

I saw, behind her, Marisa was getting ready to declare her spell.

"Just one: DUCK!"

Patchouli looked at me, puzzled, then turned around to find Marisa mid-declaration.

"Love Sign: 'Master Spark'!"

Patchouli reacted quickly, turning to another page in her book. As she called out the new spell, the remaining blade above her head shattered into metal shards and fell to the floor.

"Emerald City!"

She threw her palm to the floor, causing a wall of emerald pillars to rise from the tiles, in front of her. The pillars blocked the entirety of Marisa's spell. She appeared dumbstruck.

I seized the opportunity to get up and run towards Patchouli. I reached for another card as I ran toward her. Patchouli then turned around, and pointed at the floor below me. She declared another spell from her book as she did this.

"Winter Element!"

The ground quickly turned cold-blue, then shot up in a geyser of frigid water, sending me upward, then back to the tile floor. I landed flat on my back. The impact knocked the wind out of me. I couldn't move.

"Raz!" Marisa called out to me, then glared at Patchouli. "Patchy's gonna wish she didn't do that, ze!" She pulled another card. Patchouli flipped to another page in her book. I started to get up. Suddenly, I felt something hit me in the back of my head. Hard. I fell back to the floor.

My vision was fading. I could see Marisa getting ready to use her spell, but something out of my line of sight seemed to steal her attention. Patchouli declared her spell.

"Sun Sign: 'Royal Flare'!"

I fell unconscious before the spell hit.