THE CIRCLE OF FATE
By: Infinite Fate
Note: I'm sorry for updating this so late. My computer was broken down a few days ago so I have to wait until today to fix it. And also, unfortunately, my mid-term exams are coming near so this fic will be on hiatus about a month. Sorry for this inconvenience, everyone. . If I have more free time, the next update will be on 23/12, but if it's not, I'm afraid I'll have to update later.
To Xenoverse: It's fine. Thank you so much ^^.
To Nyaaaaah: Maybe=)) If our couple gets together fast.
To onimini: Cliffhanger is fun, you know =))
To Dark-Key0: Thank you :))
To Honulicious: Yeah, almost all MSLN characters in my fic are from the past too ^^. However, they actually have the power to win the antagonists, they just haven't realized it yet =))
Nanoha? Nanoha will be fine...(Evil laugh)
To karibel: thank you :d
To ElementalMiko12: I know! :))
To Cleide: Thank you very much, Cleide. I appreciate that.
To Neyo: Nanoha'll be in action soon. Don't worry :D
To Tsuchiyasa: It's okay, cuz I'm also having my exams weeks later :(
About the story, our Vietnamese people always have interesting ideas after all =)) I think there are some good Vietnamese Nanofate fics that you could read in your free time =))
Disclaimer: I don't own Nanoha, if I really did, Nanofate would be the canon couple.
"Who are you?"
The amber eyed girl chuckled slightly when she saw the dark brown haired girl staring so intensely, hand already reached for her device. Sapphire blue eyes filled with suspicion met amused honey-gold orbs.
Alicia could feel her guardians stepped forwards but she held out one hand, stopping them on the track.
"Mistress?" The leader said.
"It's okay…" The guardians nodded then flew the other way, leaving Alicia and the girl alone.
"What's your name?" The said girl rolled her eyes, as if she didn't want to believe what Alicia just said. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You're…a devil…"
"Well yeah, don't you see my wings?"
"…." The girl kept silent for a moment, eyes bore into her ones before shocking Alicia "Hayate…"
"Hayate?"
"That's my name..Hayate Yagami.."
"Oh…nice to meet you.." The word "nice" sounded weird on her tongue, still, she shrugged and continued to speak.. "I'm…." She stopped, thinking.
What should I tell her? My real name or…my alias…But…I don't want to be Alice, princess of Sheol anymore, I want to be myself..
Smiling a little, she looked up again.
"I'm Alicia Testarossa…"
Chapter 9
Haunted
Hayate furrowed as her opponent went into his fighting stance. Now, she really worried. She, herself, was Wide Area type, and looked at Gerrand's device, he was a Melee mage. But… There was something really strange with his choice of device…
A fan! He freakishly uses a fan for Sankt Kaiser's sake!
Beside her, Alicia just shook her head while thinking how much ridiculous this man was.. Honestly, a fan!? Even her device looked manlier than his one! Great…Next time, it would be Wolverine with his claws standing in front of her in his tight suit!
"Don't underestimate my device…" Gerrand laughed, obviously feeling amused because of the two girls' expressions.
"Really…you use a fan?"
"What can I say…Fan is….cute…" He chuckled.
This man is crazy! Hayate shivered.
"Enough talking…Tianlang!"
"Kaijia Shang!" (Armor on!)
Surrounding by a red light and a wolf-shaft magic circle under his feet, the red haired man appeared again in his red and black armor barrier jacket, and it reminded Hayate of those Chinese movies she watched back in Earth. He looked like those ancient warriors in Ming Dynasty but a little more cheerful and smiling with fan-liked device in his hand.
Like a girl…
But with the intense aura around him, the man had to be a triple A mage…or even, S+ himself..
"Although I really want to stay here and play with you and your girlfriend, your highness. I still have things to do…"
"Things to do?" Alicia asked.
"Certainly…it isn't your business."
"What's your reason!?" This time, Hayate was the one who questioned him.
"Reason what?"
"Reason for attacking Lacrimis Academy!"
"Oh…. I did it…." Gerrand touched his chin "Ah.. That's right, I did it for fun! You know, you guys really need to have a break sometimes!"
"….."
The man suddenly glanced around, and then gave them a sweet smile "Time is running out… I must be late now, ladies… May be next time, I'll chat with you~"
"You can't just blow up a whole school and run away like nothing had happened before!" The blonde gritted her teeth; his words had made something in her snap. It reminded her of some uncomfortable memories in the past, which she didn't think it was fun at all.
"Oh, impatient huh? Thinking again, maybe I have some free time to toy with you girls..." Gerrand stared at the ruin of the once biggest Academy in Mid-Childa, his black eyes shined with unknown emotions.
This had Hayate's attention. From what she knew, Alicia was never a fighter like her sister, Fate. Her main focuses were Medic and Support, how could she stand against a man that was about ten years older than her!? An AAA Melee mage nonetheless!
"Alicia!"
But the blonde gave her a small grin, signaling that it was alright.. Hayate could only smile back weakly, trying her best to restrain the urge to stand by her side and face that man together.
"There's something… I hide from everyone except for my family, Haya-chan.." The golden-haired girl untied Aura from her wrist "I always order Aura to act in her sealed form…not her real form…"
Ah…She remembered, ever since Hayate first saw the said girl, Alicia, barrier jacket or not, her device had always stayed in the form of A green bracelet around her right wrist.
"This…is her device form.."
"Fabrica forma!"
The bracelet shifted into a revolver, much to Hayate's surprise. The gun had Alicia's symbolized color, green and aqua blue. To say Alicia was a weak girl? Not so much.
"Can you support me, Haya-chan…From behind?"
"…"
"Haya-chan.."
"Are you sure you will be fine?" The brunette's voice was full of worry.
"Of course…Although I'm not a front line mage like Fate-chan.." Alicia giggled "I can handle things well… Beside, I have my cute girlfriend as my partner." She cupped her cheek and placed a small peck on it.
"I'll make sure he can't touch you.." The Yagami girl smiled back.
"See ya~"
"See you later, Ali-chan.."
With that, Hayate flew away to find a safe distance to help Alicia and also, to protect herself. She knew she would only be a burden in Melee combat, so, while Alicia fighting in Mid-Range, she would support her. After all, her skills were only useful in Wide Area.
"Rein, put on the barrier.."
"Hai, Meister Hayate!"
I can do this…I'll help her with your power, Reinforce..
Alicia watched the said girl from a far with relief. Then she turned around to face the man, seeming to have been ready all the time. Narrowing her eyes, the girl stepped into her fighting stance. She should be careful while dealing with this man, after all, he looked like he was a high-ranked mage. Strangely, Gerrand gave her an approved grin and a satisfied nod.
"You've changed, your highness."
"What do you mean?"
"You've changed into a fine person… I'm sure your mother will be very proud of you.."
"You know my mother!?" Alicia widened her crimson eyes in surprise, but most of it was love and…..fear… Her hand tremblingly held Aura as her memories suddenly were clouded with those old images of a black haired woman..
Ka-San..
"How could you hurt Fate-chan, mother! She is your daughter!"
"That failure of a clone is not mine daughter…" Her mother growled "And don't you dare to speak like that with your mother, Alicia!"
Before Alicia realized the situation, the whip in her mother hit her arm hard, making the girl scream in agony, for she had never experienced such a hurtful pain.
"NEE-SAN!"
She could hear Fate-chan shouting next to her, but her eyes only set on her mother's angry and insane purple orbs. How could this happen? How could her gentle mother do this, to Fate-chan? To her!?
"I think I've spoiled you for so long, now, you need to be taught again!"
Everything…Everything about her mother began to crumble as the blonde realized the truth behind her sister's wounds. Apparently…Precia Testarossa…her kind mother…had died…only this broken woman whose insanity had got the better of her remained..
"I have to say that I hate her ego…" Gerrand laughed, making Alicia snap out of her thought. "Ah, just get on with the fight. I really don't have much time here."
"Zandou Moshi!" (Combat Mode)
"Very well…Aura!"
"Concursus forma!" (Melee form)
The device transformed into a gunblade, ready to stop any attacks coming from the man. Alicia tightened her grip on the handle as her eyes burned with flames of determination.
I'll not let anyone harm my loved ones…not anymore!
I hope Meister Hayate and Nanoha are fine.
"This is where we last saw Testarossa?" Signum eyed Griffin Lowran on the monitor.
"Yeah, but suddenly our connection was cut off."
"I see." She checked the ruin before her eyes "But the building had collapsed, finding survivors will take some time, especially with those stones everywhere. Can you send a team here?"
"Admiral Harlaown has already sent one to investigate the main cause of this collapse. The only one who can go now is Shamal…"
"Shamal?" The woman rolled her eyes, what was the blonde doing there?
"You don't know? She was assigned on this mission yesterday…"
"I understand…" She said, still, obviously she was disagreed with the Healer's idea of joining this mission.
"She'll be there soon."
"I'll continue my research then.."
Turning off the monitor, Signum slightly sighed. All these days, she had tried to avoid the Knight of the Lake, and of course, Shamal always caught up with her after a few minutes. Honestly, how could she figure out so fast?
Her attention was distracted as she sensed something. The marks.
The pink haired woman touched the ground, closing her eyes, she could spot that magic sign. There was Fate's and another one. She frowned when she thought of owner of those green marks, apparently, the man named Vincent Duccati had appeared here too, much to her annoyance. Oh, and there was something else.. Her eyes went wide when she recognized it.
Pink marks of pure magical energy… Weak but familiar…
Nanoha!
"Who's there!" She swung Laevantine around, only to be stopped by a green shield.
Signum's eyebrows knitted together as she looked at the man before her. Different from their last encounter, Duccati appeared to be very uncomfortable, if she didn't want to say, angry. His emerald eyes burned with miserableness, tiredness could be seen easily with sweats trailing down his jaw line.
"Duccati?"
"It's you huh, Signum." The man tried to chuckle but ended up with a frown instead "You should leave, this doesn't concern you.."
"As good as it sounds like, I'm not leaving without gaining any information."
From what she saw, the green haired man was probably searching for something here. Something that took him so much time to find.
"You're so stubborn, Knight of Sword."
"…."
"Why have you and her majesty always made everything hard for me…"
Her majesty?
But Signum didn't have much time to think about what he said before he assaulted her.
"Na…noha?"
"Nyahaha?"
Nanoha's cheeks burned horribly at the blonde's surprised stare. Just what did she do!? Instantly, she yanked back and tried to stand up, but failed easily as her weak legs gave out.
"Nanoha!"
(Un)Fortunately, Fate caught her before her face could meet the cold ground of stones. The girl worriedly examined her, as if there was nothing had happened before.
"You're okay? Did something happen?"
"Um…" She nodded, desperately hiding her face from the said girl. "You don't remember?"
"The only thing I remember is fighting with that man and then the floor suddenly cracked." The youngest Harlaown said innocently.
"…."
Fate raised an eyebrow at the brunette, who looked as if she was having a bad fever. Faint shades of red could clearly be seen on her cheeks, also her temperature had abnormally increased, and the Harlaown girl could even feel Nanoha's body heat on her skin. Raising her hand to touch the said girl's face, Fate was interrupted by the pain on her back. It seemed like she had hit her back hard when she fell and now, it was throbbing along with the one on her left arm, making she wince immediately.
"Fate-chan?" Nanoha quickly cupped Fate's cheeks, asking with a concerned tone. The golden haired girl was panting heavily while closing her eyes tightly.
"…I'm fine…Don't worry…"
Ignoring the embarrassing scene in her head, Nanoha glanced around to take a good look of her location while hugging the burgundy eyed girl in a comfort embrace, trying to find a way to get out of this place. There were stones and bricks here and there. She hardly saw anything in this lack of light, except for those next to her. Still, she could make out something faraway, a door!? Why was there even a door here!? It made Nanoha think that they were in some kind of secret basement of Lacrimis Academy now.
"Where are we, Raising Heart" She asked
"About 200 meters underground, my master."
"Can you contact anyone?"
"Communication is restricted in this area, I'm sorry. But there is something strange here."
"Strange? As in?"
"High Anti Magic Field, my master."
"So that means we can't use our magic…" Fate sighed.
"We are able to use magic but with limited power, sir." Bardiche's mechanical voice said, earning their attention.
"There is a door there, Fate-chan." The brunette pointed out with suspicion in her eyes.
The blonde, who wasn't bothered by her injures anymore, eyed Nanoha for a moment then looked at the said door. It was a very large door, even bigger than the main door of their academy. The symbols were completely different from what she learnt from the books. It wasn't Mid-Childa or Belkan style for sure, and a particular symbol caught her attention. A pair of white wings, with many pink stars underneath it and an ancient type of language.
Wait…This looks familiar…
"In the lie, lays the truth. With the power within, open the gate of fate."
Harlaown jerked back when she heard the azure blue eyed girl's voice, a look of disbelief on her face.
"You can read that?"
"I…don't know, it just feels natural…" Nanoha rubbed her temples in confusion.
"…" Fate scratched her cheeks "Maybe we can find a way out there."
"Um."
The blonde widened her eyes as the brunette tried to get up again. Immediately, she held her back, worried burgundy orbs met confused azure eyes.
"You've already abused your Linker Core and your legs so much, Nanoha."
At Fate's sad tone, the said girl could only look down.
"Let me help you."
"Huh?"
Despite her wounds, Fate managed to cradle Nanoha in her arms. Stumbling a little, she quickly got back on the track. The brown haired girl blinked then realized what was going on.
"Fate-chan, put me down!"
"No."
"You're injured!"
"They're just minor injures. You're more tired than me."
The words had Nanoha bite her lips in frustration. She stubbornly looked away from the other girl, her hand gripped Raising Heart tightly. Honestly, she really wanted to hit Fate's arm to make the girl put her down. But with her unstable condition, the youngest Harlaown would never give up. Sighing, she let go of her device and wrapped her arms around Fate's neck. The golden-haired girl smiled a bit before walking to their destination.
On their way, Nanoha could easily spot Fate's pain with her eyes. The blonde would unconsciously winced or hissed whenever Nanoha's body pressed close to her chest, and sometimes when the brunette's hands met her injured back. Still, those pains were replaced with something else as her burgundy eyes looked gently at Nanoha.
Determination…and love?
Aish! Can I get more delusional!?
Nanona mentally sneered at herself. There was no way that Fate could love someone like her. The blonde beauty deserved a person that could protect her, give her safety, not some crippled girl whose legs were completely useless… Even if Fate really loved her, Nanoha herself wasn't worthy…Not at all…
"Raising Heart…" She asked the necklace through their telepathy.
"Yes, my master?"
"I can't use magic…anymore, can I?"
"Your Linker Core has been damaged seriously. I fear that your chance of fighting again is very low."
"I see…"
"I'm sorry, my master."
"It's not your fault, beside, for Fate-chan…" Azure orbs eyed her saver "It's worth anything…"
The bitter smile on her lips couldn't escape Fate's sharp eyes. The blonde's eyebrows knitted together while her arms around Nanoha tightened immediately, successfully gaining the sad girl's attention. Those orbs bore into the Takamachi girl's ones, beaming with sadness and concern…
No word was spoken, as if they had known each other long enough that they could easily saw their emotions. The way Fate tightened her hands had Nanoha stiffen a few seconds before the said girl turned her head away to avoid those understanding eyes.
Soon, they faced the large door. Now, in this close distance, the symbols and words looked more majestic than the ones they observed at the beginning.
"This looks like a tomb…"
"Tomb?" Fate frowned.
"Um, I think so…" Nanoha placed a hand on the star symbols.
Before they could do anything, a loud booming female voice echoed at the same moment they stepped back, making Nanoha widen her eyes in surprise and Fate narrow a little.
"Password, please!"
"Password?"
Out of nowhere, a stone emerged from the ground a few meters away, with a small hole on its surface.
Fate titled her head in question. The voice asked for password, but there was only a small hole there, nothing for them to type the password on. Nanoha just raised an eyebrow at the stone. Was this some kind of jokes of their principal? Building a secret room underground with a ridiculous way of getting password? There had to be something they could type the password on.
Her hands unconsciously reached for Raising Heart in her sealed form. Her fingers trailed along the smooth surface of the necklace before she widened her eyes, looking down to her palm.
"Fate-chan…Can you move closer to the stone?"
"Okay."
Although she didn't know what Nanoha was planning, Fate still stepped forward until the distance was minimized into some centimeters. The brunette then pulled out Raising Heart and put her into the stone. Much to their surprise, the voice spoke again, this time with more…happiness?
"Welcome back, your majesty."
The two just had enough time to blink when the door suddenly swung and a strange light spread, revealing a magnificent view of what was behind that large door. A room with the decoration that left the pair stunned on their spots. Could such a splendid thing really exist in this world? Probably not.
"Wow…" Nanoha exclaimed.
"How did you know?"
"Huh?"
"How did you know Raising heart is the key?"
"Actually…I don't know at all…It just made sense to me…"
Shaking her head slightly to ignore the confusion in her mind, Fate continued to speak "Shall we go in?"
"Yes." Was the brown haired girl's answer.
Following the light, Nanoha and Fate found the room was something that you could call "Creation of Gods". It was so beautiful, so fantastic and it made Nanoha think of the myths she had heard in her young days about the gods of Olympus or Angels and Devils.
"Is that a coffin?" Her friend's voice brought her back to the reality.
As soon as the question was stated, Nanoha looked at what Fate was staring and surprisingly, she saw a coffin. Not the one you saw in the funeral, This one completely made of glasses and crystals, practically glowing with radiance.
"It's really a coffin… Wait, then this place is a tomb for real!?" The brunette's thought turned wild. Was the principal really that crazy? A tomb? Under the school?
"Wanna see that?"
Despite her fear of seeing a dead person, the youngest Takamachi nodded in agreement, feeling the need to observe that coffin. Fate also gave her a silent nod, walking slowly to the coffin.
Ba-dump…Ba-dump…
Takamachi grabbed her shirt when her heartbeats fastened out of blue. What was the nostalgic feeling in chest? She hadn't felt this emotion ever since she met Fate. What was the reason for this?
She was….scared…
As they stood facing that coffin, she unexpectedly was breathless, and Fate seemed to be in the same condition, a blank look could be spotted in her eyes. Lying inside the coffin, was a young woman in her late teen cladding in a long pink princess-styled dress in medieval era with her eyes closed, white hair scattered around the pillow her head was placing on, such a beautiful face could make anybody fell on their knees, but that beauty was a mix between happiness and sadness, or even despair.
To Fate, for some unknown reason, the woman's appearance resembled the young girl in her arms. Especially the sadness that existed on the woman's face. It reminded her of the one that always appeared in Nanoha's azure eyes. It was…too nostalgic…
But, the two girls's eyes were dazzled when a strange pink light surrounded the area.
Suddenly, everything was black.
Opening her eyes, Nanoha found herself being alone in darkness. There was no sight of Fate T. Harlaown, as if the girl had never come here with her. Worriedly, she glanced around, only to meet a pair of amethyst eyes in front of her. The young woman in the coffin, she was standing there, before her very eyes!
"W-Who are you!? Where is Fate-chan!?"
"You're still impatient like that, Nanoha… Fate is okay, she's just sleeping now…" Oddly, the woman's voice was almost identical to her, but more mature than her own.
"Y-You're that woman!" Nanoha remembered now, that white haired woman was also the one in her dreams! "How did you know my name!?"
"What can I say…" The woman chuckled sadly "I've known you ever since you was born, Nanoha…"
"!"
"But we don't have time for chatting, we need to get on the matter."
"What matter?"
"Before waking up again, I have something for you… Young Takamachi…" The woman bitterly smiled.
"Something for me?"
The woman then put on her opened palm a round object, and strangely, she felt familiar. As if that thing had belonged to her for along time. She looked at her hand, a small silver ring neatly lied with the same ancient language and symbols she saw on the door on it. A pair of white wings had to be exact.
It's look like a wedding band...
"Use your power wisely Nanoha. Do not become like me… Please, protect your loved ones, protect her….with all your strength…"
"Wait!" Nanoha shouted when she saw the woman's figure fade slowly "Who really are you!"
Violet orbs filled with carefulness, as her lips curved into a small encouraging smile.
"I'm you…I'm Nanoha…"
What the!
Her vision blackened, still she spotted despair and guilt in those eyes.
"And….I'm sorry…." Was her last words that nanoha could hear as her chest filled with unknown feelings.
"FIRST SEAL WAS BROKEN. SUCCESSFULLY GET ACCESS TO SUPPORTER [TEARS OF EDEN]! SET UP THE NEW SYSTEM! LINKER CORE IS IN THE RECONSTRUCTION PROGRESS!"
"Wake up, Children of Hopeless Destiny. Wake up to protect your future~"
At the same time, Fate's room in the Harlaown's house.
The blonde's locker shook heavily as golden light surrounded the whole room, forming a magic hexagonal of yellow lightning-liked shafts.
It continued to shine for a few seconds before completely faded away.
"PERMISSION TO CONNECT TO [TEARS OF EDEN] IS LOCKED! SEALS HAVEN'T BEEN BROKEN YET!"
"What are you doing here?" Eric Scrya said, brown eyes still surprised with the fact that his brother was here, Scrya clan's home planet.
"I have some works to discuss with the Elders." Yuuno's answer was simple.
"But they are busy, only Elder Davison are free right now."
"Then I'll talk to him…" Eric then prevented Yuuno from walking any further "Let me go, Eric…"
"He's sick…Brother, he would probably too tired to answer your questions…"
"He's sick?" Yuuno grasped in horror.
Davison Scrya was the man that he respected most in the clan. The Elder was kind and very wise, that everytime Yuuno was in dilemma, the man would help him to untie the problem. And the last time he visited, Davison still looked very well, how could he be ill now!?
When did you last visit, Yuuno. It was 2 years ago!
Still, this time, the problem was very serious. It connected to a chain of events and untold stories, and even his clan and his friends' lives!
Without any words, Yuuno pushed Eric away, and chained him with his binds.
"Brother!"
"I'm sorry… But this is emergency…"
"Brother! Stop please, He needs to rest!"
The boy's words faded when Yuuno closed the door and locked it. Behind the curtains, he could see an old man at the age of sixty, looking rather tired while laying motionlessly on his bed.
"Elder Davison…"
"So you've found it…." The man smiled weakly at Yuuno's surprised expression.
"You know about this?" The Scrya boy summoned a monitor, the "Royal Family" picture then appeared along with it. "Then the "S" letter in this crest is…."
"Yes….It's our clan's crest…"
What!
Although he had known it, Yuuno was still skeptical about it. The Scrya clan had existed for thousands of years!?
"Yuuno….Do you know the person who created Scrya clan?"
"It's Sir Yuuno Scrya… I was named after him after all…"
"Then I think it's time for you to know the truth…"
The librarian could only widen his eyes as he heard Davison telling the old tale of a flourish kingdom. A kingdom that was destroyed by a fatal mistake of emotions and love. But the story was interrupted when a stroke exploded in Yuuno's chest, making his mind fill with pain.
"Yuuno!"
"Welcome to the Guardian Forces, Yuuno Scrya~"
Weird images clouded his emerald eyes, and Yuuno Scrya fell into the darkness.
"So...It has begun..." The queen said, chucking tiredly.
The staff in her hand glowed brightly, as if it actually agreed with its master's words.
PS: Gerrand's device speaks Chinese, and its name is Tianlang or Heavenly Wolf ^^ And Alicia's device speaks Latin when she uses spells and normal English when she talks to Alicia ^^