Disclaimer: I do not own Negima in any form or any character or borrowed from an outside source. Any such idea will be marked and accredited to its rightful source at the chapter's endnotes.
Chapter 9 The Terror of the mind!
In the Encompandentia Infinitai "3 minutes before"
Konoka would probably look back on her current situation later and laugh. Just as she had succeed in convincing Rakan to help her friends who were under attack by the same people that had nearly killed them a few weeks earlier to new girls show up and trap her and the old pervert in another dimension. However the part that would probably get her later would be the fact that she and those very same girls were huddled together fearing for their lives in the face of an insane fight between the freak that took Nodoka and the muscled brained gorilla that she thought would insure her safety.
Konoka knew this was going to be bad when the space at the end of the platform she and Rakan were on be for all of this started suddenly became distorted and Gem just casually walked out starring straight at the legendary mercenary. She could tell things were bad when everyone, even Rakan, looked shocked at the man's entrance and declared it an impossible breach of the laws of magic. She started worrying when the old man became completely serious and told Gem that if he really wanted to fight they should go at least 200 kilometers away. Still all that considered she could never have expected this. Despite the distance the two's fight echoed like thunder and the force from the collision between the warriors was enough to send the massive floating blocks that made up the dimension crashing into each other. The whole situation made the healer wonder if even she could heal the scars left by this battle.
However, Rakan and Gem held a far different view of this battle. Both men were intensely enjoying themselves neither having to go this far in years, with each blow exchanged, they would refuse to give an inch. When Rakan brought out the Ο Ηρως Μετα Χιλιων Προσωπωνii Gem answered with swords formed by crushing his own power in his hands, and when the swords clashed, it became clear that even an artifact's steel was no match for raw energy.
"Woo! I got to say you're pretty good." Rakan admitted looking at his blade, cut a quarter of the way through.
Gem smiled at the comment letting the energy in his hand dissipate, and wiping the blood from hi lip. "You aren't bad either. It has been a long time since I could cut this louse. It really makes me regret that I had to ruin your plan to fight the boy in the tournament."
Rakan arched an eyebrow at the comment. "Really now? How did you find out about something like that?"
Well, let's just call it a perk of my job, but I could have found it out easily enough." Gem answered nonchalantly before putting on an amused yet painful look. "After all, learning all about people is my curse. Now, how about we cut the tricks, ditch the equipment, and let nothing but…" Suddenly the man froze with fright; the color vanished from his, and finally broke into a sweat. No! It can't be. Dam it! With that book out, if her consciousness recovers the two could resonate and… No! "I am sorry, but I can no longer afford to waste energy on this fight!"
Rakan could tell that something was very wrong just by the man's tone; this man who had not once been serious in their fight now seemed numb at the thought of what just occurred to him, the only thing was what could it be? "Why do say that, I thought that your job was to stall me?"
"Things change. The force verging on reawakening is one that once brought all mage-kind to the brink of annihilation and took direct intervention from the Laws to seal away!"
Rakan knew he was not the smartest guy around and he was lost as for the idea of who were these Laws, but he understood the 'brought all mage-kind to the brink of annihilation' just fine and realized he had get to the kid, now. Still there was the issue that they were trapped in this dimension. However before he could even ask the man's plan to escape Sword disappeared. To the veteran's shock he could sense Sword's location, right where they had left the girls. Understanding immediately Rakan knew he'd be too late and a second later the barrier dimension faded and he found himself looking at Fate's subordinates the cat-girl cradling her horned friend sobbing. Then he heard a light moan and realized that the girl was alive, which could only mean that in an instant Sword had unleashed a mental attack that temporally disrupted the girl's minimum mental functions. Even if it did spare the girl's life to use such a vicious tactic out of urgency, made it clear that he had better get his comrade's kids to a more secure location before the party got into full swing. In one blurred motion he raced by Fate's subordinates, picked up Konoka, placed the girl under his arm, and raced towards the stadium.
"Rakan-san! Where are we going you're supposed to be going to help Negi-kun!"
With Negi & Fate
Negi struggled to his feet; feeling or no feeling he had to get up, Nodoka was alone against Fate. Worst yet he could not hear any fighting. He was unsteady, but managed to stand. Immediately he looked around for the girl, expecting, hoping to see her in the sky. However, when he looked over his shoulder he found his eyes drawn to the ground, and there laying fifty yards away was a sight that brought his whole world to a halt. He felt himself go numb again, but this time his limbs worked. He raced over to Nodoka, who was obviously in need of help, slowing as he neared and the full weight of the situation came over him until when he was three feet away all strength left his legs. "No…do…ka-san."
This couldn't be happening! There was just no way Nodoka could be…gone, and yet the girl was laying just out of arm's reach in a pool of her own blood, life already absent from her usually joyful eyes. Tears welled up on their own as he stared at the girl realizing there was nothing he could possibly do for the girl her wounds were far beyond anything was capable of… Then it hit him, there might still be a chance! He couldn't do anything for Nodoka, but maybe Konoka could. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his pacto cards. "Ēvocem Tē! Conoca Conoe!iii" Nothing happened, they were out of range and two minutes had already past even he couldn't cover that much ground in less than a minute. This was it. He really lost her.
Fate looked down on the mislabel state his rival was in over the loss of the mind reader debating whether or not to simply end this struggle now that the boy was completely open. While it had been fun perhaps with the critical part of his plan on the horizon, the thousand blades, and the Sword character to deal with riding himself of one obstacle might be prudent. "Sorry Negi-kun, but this is where the game ends." With that Fate summoned once again the Stone Pliers of Hades and tossed them at the grieving boy.
Negi heard the whistling of the pillars' decent and looked up to see the source of the attack, the source of his pain the source of Nodoka's death, all the guilt, sorrow, and pain turned instantly into overwhelming hatred and rage. He couldn't help the girl, but he would take vengeance on the one who took her from him. The runes of Magia Erebea blazed to a size and intensity greater than ever before as the darkness flooding the boy's heart awakened the technique on a level like never before. Negi leapt into the air and struck hard with his first attack, but his target was not Fate but the pillars. Negi struck the left side of the central face of the pillar head towards Nodoka's body perplexing his opponent until the great mass of stone began to swerve under the force of the strike knocking the tow flanking it soon causing a chain reaction that sent the attack sailing over their mark and crashing yards away.
"Impressive, Negi-kun! Even in the grip of rage you are still so…" Fate mused for a moment before finding himself cut off by Negi's fist lodged in the side of his face. The force of the strike sent Fate crashing into the ground.
Negi gave Fate not even a second to rest, unleashing a huge sires of light arrows drilling him further into the ground creating a deep crater under the weight of the attack. Again Negi dove at Fate managing to drive his fist into the boy's chest in a matter of seconds and more importantly before Fate could move a muscle. Landing with his legs flanking Fate, Negi brought his fist up again and delivered another blow to Fate's chest and again with the other hand furiously repeating the process as if trying to smash open the white haired boy's chest only to prove Fate's heart nonexistent.
The boy's assault was now far beyond a mere annoyance to Fate even his barrier could not negate all the force behind the strikes and the drastic increase in power continued to mount. He had to create an opening. He extended the two fingers closest to his thumb on his right hand and cast the Κακόν ὄμμα πετρῶσεως.iv However seconds before the light shot from Fate's fingertips Negi jumped into the air and quickly got to his feet, barely making it before the boy dove at him again.
With Nodoka
Nodoka found herself on her side completely surrounded by darkness, unable to even discern any sense of direction. She tried to move but found herself more tired than she had been in her entire life, as if she had never slept in her life. It was so cold. She was so tired. The idea of rest was so inviting. She could escape this place if only she slept. "That's right! Sleep!" A voice called eagerly from everywhere and nowhere at all. Nodoka's eyes immediately shot open, "W…who's there!?" she called out nervously.
"Don't you worry about that just let yourself drift away, that boy will join you in your fate soon." The voice said in a coxing manner.
The voice's words echoed in her head like pebbles hitting a large bell, each subtle wave of sound sweeping over her bringing back the events that brought her to this point. "Boy…same fate…Negi-sensei!" At this realization, Nodoka picked herself with both hands slowly forcing herself to her feet as events came back to her. "That's right, Negi-sensei and I were and then I…" Nodoka froze as the memory of the spears skewing her finally hit.
"That's Right!" The squalled joyously busting into full-blown laughter as it went on. "The End has come for you, now just lie down, rest, and accept the fate that awaits your pitiful little friends! This world, your world, everything will soon join you! Who knows an oddity like you, the council might just want to see if they could get one more cycle out of you before the ones I'm betting on make their move."
Confusion and fear were abundant from the moment Nodoka realized her situation, but never was it greater than the end of the statement, it sounded the world was going to end. "Oddity, council, ones your betting on, what do you mean!? Why are you telling me all this? Show yourself!"
"Ha! I want know if you're really this stupid. To honestly think someone so weak can become not only a breaker, but also the answer to the great question. I mean show myself? Look around you foolish human! Structure is a fellow law, why would I be subject a peer." The End mocked the girl. "I am trying to see the difference between the end of one's form and the end of one's self. I want to see if you can realize the point of that new look of yours."
The Law's words stunned Nodoka. Why of all people was her training being watched by such an entity, and what point was she missing. "I don't understand. The point of this body was to survive the training."
"Oh yes, that elaborate story about how letting you original serve as an anchor would allow that incredible Master of yours to perform this great technique to drag you away from the fiendish cloches of death before it can drag you away from your friends." The law continued flamboyantly. "Just answer me this, after that first time when did that master of yours do anything more than creating a beacon for you?"
The question stunned Nodoka she had never thought about it, mainly because it was just creepy. However, in truth finding her way back to that place again and again became second nature to her as long as she held the belief that the technique would help her do so, even though each time her master's presence was less evident each time. It lead her to a conclusion that was surprisingly unsettling, Gem lied to her. The man she had come to call master had never been honest with her, but when he told her something, it was at least partly true. "He lied." She said aloud without realizing it.
"Not really, a technique is simply a means to an end, in this case the technique was simply assuring there was a way back, and that first time he did use 'the Hell Charmer's' technique which does use remains to call souls to this plane. The second time he just let you try to find your own home that is all." The law answered dully. "I still don't know why he even bothered, if someone can't even figure out life is not limited to one's physical form when they are friends with a ghost."
The End's answer hit her like a light going off, Sayo had no body but she was still here. She was still here because she wanted to be. It was so simple, frighteningly simple. Then another thought popped into head, why would the law that all things must end be telling her how to avoided death it made no sense. "Why would you help me like this? Why would you help me avoid death?"
"Ha Ha!" The law laughed insanely as suddenly the darkness started to move, seemingly concentrating in front of Nodoka. Faster and faster the darkness collected an endless void of white replacing it as it went, soon it took on human form. There before Nodoka stood the form of a woman in her 20's of a modest figure with skin and eyes pale as white sand, and hair as black as the darkness that was just surrounding her wearing an evening gown. "Did you not listen to that entire conversation you assume that moving past the physical saves you from the end, but all that begins must end only those that manifest the spark are beyond reach. Besides, if you are slain after you have detached your astral body then I get to enjoy a true rarity, the end of an existence."
Nodoka was struck with a fear beyond description. The idea of not existing was unthinkable; it made her wish that she still thought herself dead. However, she was snapped out of such thoughts by the sound of the law's voice.
"What don't want to go back now? Oh well I guess my horse will win this race. Too bad they don't think like you, your little world might have been spared then. Just lie down and sleep it off." It asked mockingly as glade as a child that just got her way.
"What!?" Nodoka gasped.
"What did you think that you were so special that no one else would have power comparable to yours? Sorry little girl there are others like you, and others beyond your wildest nightmares." The law said darkly. "Maybe after today you'll begin to understand the difference between playing in the backyard and playing in the big leagues." With that, the figure and the void disappeared leaving her overlooking the battlefield. Her eyes were draw instantly drawn towards two figures going at each other, two figures that Nodoka recognized instantly, Negi and Fate. Immediately she knew that she had to get to the boy, however as soon as the thought entered her mind she sensed something go off like a roman candle; without even a glance she knew where it was, what it was, the diary.
The next thing she knew she was swallowed by another void. Actually, void might not be the right word; while matter was absent, there was something in this place with her, thoughts, feelings, images, all racing through her at maddening rate. It was as if someone else's mind was being downloaded straight into her. Such a chaotic torrent of emotion such intense loss, hate, and a desire to kill, it was so overwhelming that she began to wondered if she was going to be completely consumed by this.
With Negi & Fate
The boy's onslaught continued with ever increasing strength and speed, the runes that indicated the technique flared increasingly bright as they hovered over his arms marking the coming of the technique's fully awaken state, the gospel of darkness. If only he could find an opening in this barrage, the boy would easy be enough to deal with. In that moment something occurred that got the attention of even the berserk Negi, with a huge flash of light a new horrible power emerge. It was unlike anything Fate had ever felt before, no human, or even demon had ever given off such presence before. It felt like an endless abyss of firry hatred that wanted nothing more than to swallow the entire world around them. Even more concerning was the location of this power.
Both he and the boy looked towards where the mind reader's lifeless body lay only to find it standing blood soaked, frigid looking, the spears still where they hit. It was a sight that froze both their minds in disbelief. In that instant Fate for the first time was too afraid to attack and did not think that it was possible to escape. He saw the effects of Magia Erebea fade as the boy saw the mind reader stand there, and then he noticed a look of intense pain come over the boy's face. He watched as Negi put his hand to his face and sank to his knees in the grip of pain. It was a perfect chance to rid himself of the boy, and he dare not take it if somehow the mind reader had awakened this kind of power. He could only hope that the boy's reunion with her would allow a chance for him to make his retreat that was if this even was the mind reader.
Negi too was greatly disturbed by the horrible presence that the girl was giving off. It was heartbreaking to think that this was the same caring girl; the air around her was so far from Nodoka's nature that he couldn't even imagine her coming up with an illusion of it. However what was about to happen to take place would it clear that Nodoka was not herself. Nodoka disappeared in the same manner as earlier when she defended him against Fate's attack, but when she reappeared, it was clear that there was nothing defensive on her mind. Not even 5 seconds could have past between when the girl disappeared from sight and when both mages noticed her again as had swept Fate off his feet and was driving him into the ground with a single open palm thrust to the chest.
Negi could feel the force of the strike as the force pulsed though the ground fracturing outward from where Fate hit, and before his body was even finished with the recoil of such an attack Nodoka delivered another strike this time to the white-haired boy's arm, only this time he saw the same energy as Nodoka used for her shield around her arm. She's going to sever it! She's actually going to kill him! Negi realized as he watched the strike hit soon followed by the release of a wall of energy six yards high and twenty long wards. Negi charge as he saw the girl ready to finish the job. He had to stop her, if he didn't when Nodoka did come to her senses he'd doubt she could live with such a thing. "NODOKA-SAN! Please don't do it!"
He saw no response, no hint recognizing him. The only thing that came of his calling to the girl was her whipping down her hand as if to swat a fly and releasing a bladelike crescent wave towards him. After everything that had happened to him it was hard to believe that he had any sense of surprise left in him, but this stunned the boy completely. It seemed impossible even to consider, but Nodoka was trying to kill him. His mind could not even process such a thing. However, the wave of energy was inches away from its target, and as the boy's mind tried to wrap itself around the situation it looked as if he was about to be literally beside himself. This fate was only avoided by someone coming out of nowhere and ripping the boy out of the blade's path.
Even the sensation of hanging in midair was not enough to get the boy to respond. "Oh wake up already! It's not her!" It was a voice that Negi recognized, one that would normally raise great anger in him, Sword's voice, but Negi did not care about that, all he cared about was those last three words. "Look kid there is no time to explain, but basically Apprentice is possessed by her book."
Before any more could be said Nodoka turned her attention towards the two of them unleashing another wave of energy Negi started to fight to get louse in order to avoid the attack, but tightened his grip and yell, "stay close kid!". Sword then struck a defensive stance as if extending a barrier, but Negi didn't sense anything, yet he got the feeling something was there. A feeling validated when the wave reached them it split like a stream with a rock in its path. "Now, we got to get you somewhere safe, while I deal with this."
Negi whipped his head to object, but froze at the sight of something hanging from Sword's belt. A knife! Suddenly the man's words held new meaning. He had to do something, with no room to prepare a spell for Armationem he activated the Actus Noctis Erebeaev and began to thrash about trying to shake off the man's grip, but font it just as iron clad as before. Still that knife gave him the same sensation as the invisible shield around them not as intense, but there was still no telling what would happen if Sword used such a thing on Nodoka and he was not willing to find out. He decided to try the only spell that he could hope to caste before Sword could react, the Cantus Bellaxvi. Instantly he realized that something was wrong. Why is it so much weaker?
"Sorry kid, your connection to the world is strong, but such an inferior and unfocused energy can not hope to penetrate this barrier." Sword said coldly before suddenly dropping the boy. However he allowed no time for Negi to capitalize on the opportunity, driving the boy into the ground with an elbow drop right between Negi's shoulder blades applying all his weight to pin the boy down. "Besides who ever said that this…" He said grimly ignoring Negi's screams of pain as he grabbed the knife with his free hand and brought it over Negi, letting his clasped fingers rest against the inside of the forearm pinning the boy.
Negi struggled franticly to brake free, but it felt as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. The last thing that registered before everything went black was Sword uttering the word stagnate just Negi felt a small pinch where the blade should have dug into his skin.
"Well at least I don't have to worry about him any more." Gem thought out loud as he picked himself up. Now to deal with this hellhound clawing at my door. If only I had a mussel strong enough. He then drew the barrier in upon himself shaping it into a second skin, slowly reveling the frenzied girl literally clawing at him, with waves of energy trailing every swipe of the hand. Gem dodged the strikes easily enough and the barrier took care of the energy, but that part of the fight never worried him, he had only two concerns for this fight: finding a way to keep the girl from tearing anyone else to pieces while he performed the necessary cancelation spell, and finding someway to finish the lengthy process before the Mind Sage come to her senses. Unfortunately time was in short supply, the looming power would no doubt bring security and maybe even the boy's comrades, rushing into a confrontation they couldn't hope to win, after all the last time he faced this foe it would have cost him his life if that tragedy had not happened.
Based off the only other case like this he could recall, he had only 20 minutes before the resynchronization of the Mentalist's consciousness and will was complete. However would soon change. The girl threw another punch at his face he dodged simply tilling his head out to the side, but an unexpected and all too telling event happened, Nodoka's body spun, whipping the arm into the side of Gem's face. Gem was thrown for about ten feet before recovered and slide to a halt. Dam it! A reactive attack, I don't have 20 minutes, at this pace I barley have ten! I have to find someway to restrain her while I cast… Gem's deliberation was cut short by a whistling sound he looked for it's source to see massive sword hurtling toward him and instantly knew who it was. Well he might do for a mussel. Gem thought with hopeful smile, good fortune returning to this bleak situation.
Author Notes: First off thanks to Kurush Wuzurg for advise given on this chapter. I am sorry this took so long, but I've been taking term language classesin addition to my normal schedule trying to graduate before money runs out on me. Unfortunately, I must do two things I've been trying to avoid: one cut the chapters down in size and to cut this battle here and give pieces in flashbacks (unless I get an insane amount of reviews asking otherwise). The more I go over the battle the more I realize it is going to get out of hand and this whole gantlet was only suppose to last about four chapters if I continue as is I am looking seven if I am lucky. So in lue of writing there chapters on the battle of three pretty broken characters, the next chapter will focus on Negi reconciling new facts and proposals, and answers for a few others. Also I have a poll up for fights between Fate's girls and Negi's sideliners, this is meant for the gate port the governor's ball will be covered, but I will change stuff to cut it, and in two chapters the fight is on (yes it is still going to happen). I will be putting up a poll for any one who would like to guess what Gem actually is.
i Infinite Embrace
ii Hero with a Thousand Faces
iii Let Me Summon you, Konoka Kone
iv Evil Eye of Petrifaction
v Acts of the Dark Night
vi Song of battle