Chapter 11: A Golden Meeting
Looking out the car window as the scenery flew past Vivio Takamachi rested her cheek in her hand and chewed it on the inside. It was a bright Saturday morning, the blue sky spotted here and there with white fluffy clouds and sailed lazily over the city. Normally she would have been delighted to be going to the Saints Church even on a Saturday but this was different. Nanoha was dropping her off and would not be coming back for a long time. Not until the strange terrorist incident was over anyway.
It made her nervous. Normally she never worried about her mother, her great strength was admired world wide after all, but this time was different. Fate had been injured along with several of her family's friends. Normally going to the Saints Church felt like an exiting outing. Even aside from the Numbers who were her more like older sisters to her than anything she was well know all through the entire Church and was friends with many of the other people who worked there. Now though it just felt like she was being evacuated. Which she was in fact. And not the only one. Recently there had been a rash of parents getting their children out of the city. The disappearances were rising at a steady rate.
Vivio held out her free arm and idly threw a couple of slow punches into the air. It wasn't like she was helpless. Hadn't she learned Strike Arts from Nove? Hadn't she gone farther than almost any other in the Mid championship?
"I know you might have mixed feelings about this." Nanoha said from the front seat. "But don't worry. The Nakajima girls are going to be there, so is Sister Schach and Chantez. You'll be just fine. And you will get the hear news of whats going on to."
"Mmm." Vivio murmured, looking out the window absently. Off in the distance she could see the more woodsy area of the suburbs, the part where the really rich people lived. The mansions stuck out above the tree line here and there like islands in the distant green. From here they almost looked like towers to her, like little fortresses of wood that overlooked everything else. She wondered what it would be like to have a house like that. All things told her parents could definitely afford it but Nanoha didn't like that kind of environment.
Peering at them from far off she thought idly that one of them would make a good place to hide out, if say, she was a superhero or something. One of those houses would be just like a secret base, you could hide in it, maybe put up some defensive spells and nobody would find you while you did your daring deeds.
"Fate Mama thinks that with all these new armed forces coming in we should be able to get to the bottom of this in a week or more." Nanoha went on cheerfully. Vivio grimaced slightly inside. Her mother was a master at instilling other people with her brand of confidence and always had been for as long as she could remember, but over time Vivio had come to be able to read her, and now she could tell that Nanoha mama was not always as confidant as she seemed. Now was one of those times.
"Yeah, I just thought that I could go with you this time."
"Well, I'm sure you would make a good armed forces Member." Nanoha said making Vivio's heart speed up a little. "But you will have to wait till your out of middle school at least."
Vivio drooped her head and went back to looking out the window.
"Don't worry about it." Nanoha said as if sensing her disappointment. "Keep working hard and I'm sure you'll become whatever you want. You've already done lots more than most your age, so give it a rest."
The car ride over to the Saints church did not take to long and before she knew it they were parking in the lot nearby and getting out together.
The front of the Saints Church headquarters loomed before them, tall and majestic as always with its white cathedral spires reaching up towards the sky. They approached it with a causal air. They were very familiar with the grounds. Vivio loved to come here and had been in and out of the place nearly all her childhood so much so that it was like a second home to her.
The Saints Church was a quiet place, thought not oppressively so. Despite the fact that it was a center of one of the largest religious organizations in the world the place was quite open. Unlike the high security basses of the TSAB the Saints Church leaned towards openness even at the cost of potential vulnerability.
Not to say that the place was undefended of course. Vivio knew how strong some of the members were. She had seen for herself over the years and even learned first hand: The Saint Church might not have the same military manpower and mindset as the TSAB but their knights were often the strongest combatants that you could find anywhere, beating the average TSAB armed forces solder nine times out of ten.
After all, they were the successors of the Ancient Belkan traditions. Militant as well as cultural.
The two of them made their way thought the entrance, it led into the courtyard its garden like interior dotted with rose bushes and little round tables. There seemed to be some fort of work going on however. Sisters were moving two and fro, shepherding small groups of children around while parents hugged them goodby or waved vaguely.
"Vivio!"
Vivio turned and looked. Walking towards her with a bounce in her step was a small blond girl about her age wearing a nun's habit, her face set in a chipper smile.
"Chantez!" Vivio exclaimed smiling at her friend. The girl flounced over and gave a little curtsy to all three of them.
Chantez was a Church Knight in training who Vivio had met and befriended two years ago during the Inter Mid Tournament. Together they had been sparing partners for a while and even after the tournaments end they had kept up with each other often meeting when Chantez had free time or when Vivio was visiting the Church in her's.
"Your Majesty." Chantez said giving Vivio another curtsy. She took it without comment. It was a habit of those in the Church to address her as such ever since it had been learned that she was in fact descended from the Saint King Olivie. At first Vivio had found it awkward but the residents would not be discouraged and in the end she had simply decided to take it as a term of endearment, much like the 'Chan's' and 'Sama's' that Nanoha often used from her own country.
"Are you coming over with the others?" Chantez asked when she had risen.
"The others?"
"Yeah. A bunch of people are bringing their children here now with the disappearances going on. We've been busy on and off helping people evacuate their kids all day."
"Ohh..." Vivio said. "Well... Nanoha Mama is dropping me off here until she gets back... I guess I am."
"Well." Nanoha said trying to cheer them both up. "You don't need to worry about Vivio going away. I've brought her here to stay just until I finish my work and the danger passes."
"Oh." Chantez said sounding happy with the revelation.
"She'll even help you out while she's here wont you Vivio-Chan." Nanoha said winking at her daughter.
"You bet." Vivio chimed back. Chantez threw one of her fists into the air in a silent gesture of triumph at the news. Vivio smiled. While she came over often it had been a while since Vivio had been able to stay for any extended period of time.
It took only a few minutes for Nanoha to clear everything up with the Church officals and then the two said their goodbyes. Although she was exited to be back at the Saint Church Vivio couldn't help but feel a bit forlorn as she waved at her mother's disappearing car from the front of the Church.
"I hope that Einhalt come's over." She mussed as they turned back towards the inner courtyard. Now that she thought of it she really hopped that she did, they still needed to talk about Oliviewith *&^*&. With that thought both the mystery that Einhalt had discussed with her and the strange encounter with the pail girl at school popped back into the front of her mind making her blink.
"That would be sick." Chantez agreed. Inside however the nun in training was glad that the older platinum haired girl was not around. She liked Einhalt quite a bit but she thought her boring and found that when Vivio and Einhalt were together they tended to forget about everyone else.
"You would not believe what happened to me over the week." Vivio said excitedly.
"Heh?"
"Me and Einhalt were staying behind at school right? And when we were there the strangest little girl came up to us. She was all white." She said starting to explain the strange encounter. Chantez listened intently an the way back but found the whole thing more funny than anything. She was not the type to take things she had not seen seriously and rather than any genuine speculation like Vivio was hoping for she merely began to list off remarks she thought would have been funny to have said to the girl.
They arrived back in the courtyard garden laughing to themselves at one of Chantez's lines when they stopped. Standing in the courtyard was a familiar face of a certain cyborg.
"Nove!" Vivio exclaimed, making her way over to the tall red head who was standing by one of the tables. Vivio had known Nove Nakajima for almost all her life now. While originally she had been among the very people who had helped in her abduction, after the Scaglietti incident she had become one of the people Vivio looked up to the most. She had in fact, at Fates urging, become Vivio's personal mentor. It had been from her she had learned the strike arts, and Nove had been her official coach all through the Inter Middle tournament.
If her two mothers were trying to impress grace and lady likeness upon her they could not have chosen a worse mentor for their daughter. Nove was and always had been a hot blooded tomboy, one who proclaimed her intent with a brazen voice and settled her problems with her fists.
She was standing there in her usual white hoodie looking at them with a crooked grin as they entered, her hands folded over her chest. "Hello Vivi." She said giving her a half smile.
"Nove I- Wha!" Vivio tripped, lost her balance and nearly sprawled on her face as something large suddenly emerged from the ground right beside her with a 'woosh!'
"Hello Vivi!" A cheerful voice from behind her burst out.
"Sein!" She gasped turning around as soon as she regained her balance. Sure enough standing behind her leaning against a wall was Sein, Nove's older sister dressed in a Nuns habit like Chantez and grinning mischievously. Vivio grinned back feeling torn between joy and irritation. As a group of sisters the Numbers were a pretty diverse as far as personality, out of all of them however Sein had by far the most flair for playfully antagonism. While she wasn't exactly hyperactive to the same degree as Wendi she was by far the more successful and devoted prankster.
"I thought your mom would drop you off. No Einhalt this time?" She asked looking around for her absent friend.
Vivio shook her head. Despite the fact that her and Einhalt were the best of friends it did not change the fact that they were still a few years apart and could not spend as much time together as Vivio would have liked."
"Pity. I hear both your moms got put up on this case."
"Yes. They want it to end as soon as possible Nanoha said, so they both are going at it with everything they have." Vivio said with pride. One thing for certain. Having two of the most renowned TSAB agents for parents never got old.
"Yup. And we are as well." Nove said.
"W-what?"
"We- that is all us former Numbers- have been assigned to a specialty squad. They want us to help stop these lunatics. Order came in just yesterday."
"Oh." Vivio said feeling her hear sink a little. "So you wont be around while I'm, here?"
"Fraid not." Nove said with a touch of regret. "We only have an hour or so now before we head out. Cinque is in the back talking with Carim and Schach right now."
Vivio grumbled slightly to herself. Even though they had been the ones to kidnap her all those years ago, to her the Numbers were like cousins.
"Well that's okay." Chantez said cheerfully. She was trying to revive the mood. For her she would always be a person who tried to bring and preserve cheer wherever she went. "We can still get some time together. Vivio!"
"Eh?"
"Fight me."
"Oh." Vivio said looking back and forth between Nove and Chantez. It had been a while since she had spared with anyone, her time allowed to the Strike Arts having taken a plunge since the Inter Middle tournament two years ago, replaced by focus on her grades. True she still spared with Einhalt but it had been a while since she had done so with any of her other friends.
"Sure I guess." She said looking to Nove for conformation.
The redhead nodded. "Heh. Something like that would be a good send off for us. After all it would be best for us to depart with a fighting mood."
*Scene *
Vivio breathed in slowly and adjusted her stance as she watched Chantez circling her, her two stylized Tonfas ready in each hand. The two of them were standing in the middle of a natural ring of trees with soft green grass underfoot. It was a small secluded place not far from the Saint Churches entrance that was used for such occasions.
The Nun in training gave her Tonfas a playful twirl and then shot forward swinging both her weapons at once.
In that instant Vivio quicksteped backwards and to the side and then lashed out with her foot as her sparing partner flew past.
She missed by an inch, Chantez's speed being, as always faster than she anticipated.
With that same frightful quickness the Nun in traning spun around and launched a volley of strikes at her. To close to evade them Vivio blocked and parried with her reinforced arms and then threw a return kick in Chantezes direction as soon as an opening presented itself.
The display was much like any martial arts duel might be but at the same time it was utterly different. The two sparring friends were moving at so fast that they blurred to the normal eye, their kicks and strikes coming in so hard that they sent up tufts of wind that could be felt on the other side of the clearing. It was an intense display between fighters who could dodge bullets or uproot trees if they chose to.
Normally such physical ability would be well beyond the ability's of any human, much less two children. But such was the wonders of the Strike Arts.
Magic was an old old art, its currant form dating back hundreds of years and in that time countless styles of application had been formulated. It was this, the Strike Arts that had been created for the purpose of unarmed combat in the modern era. It was its own style of marital arts, one that focused on the legs and arms to deliver strikes.
But at the same time it was mixed and balanced out with Magical power to transform something that would only be a curiosity otherwise into something that could be used to battle against the full scope of technology and opposing sorcery. And so, with magical power coursing through their limbs, and a barrier jacket harder than steel protecting their flesh the two girls battled.
It was quite a display. Both had been training from a very young age and both had participated in the Inter Middle tournament two years before, a martial competition that had drawn young fighters from all over the TSAB. Both of them had done exceedingly well, with Vivio coming out near the top and even facing off against the previous years champion.
And now two years latter, even though neither of them was yet in their teens there was little flaw in either's technique. For Chantez it was her great natural talent for speed and the time spent with the other members of the Saint Churches fighting arm.
For Vivio it was her countless spars with her friend Einhalt and her heritage that came from one of the greatest hand to hand combat masters of all time, the Saint King Olive Segbrecht. More than even this though it was the long and careful dedicated instruction of her mentor Nove to bring that heritage to its highest potential.
They had not found her highest potential yet but whatever it was it had to be high, because at her currant level she was already stronger than some Masters.
With a final trade of blows the two leapt apart. Panting slightly and smiling they resumed circling each other looking for openings.
"Your majesty be careful." Nove warned sternly as she saw Vivio about to make a move she did not agree with.
"No fair. You cant help her silly!" Sein scolded. The two were watching the spar from the sidelines together, Nove occasionally trying to give advice while Sein worked to prevent her by sneaking up and clasping her hand over Nove's mouth whenever she thought her sister was about to speak. This behavior had resulted in Nove aiming a punch in her direction whenever she noticed Sein starting to drift closer.
"Its a spar you dolt!" Nove scowled. "We are supposed to give advice if we- mmmm!" She didn't finish. With a move like a squirrel in spring Sein had suddenly weaved in once more and covered Nove's mouth with her hand, smartly dodging her punch in the process.
Paying no heed to their elders struggles Vivio and Chantez continued to move slowly in circles around each other.
With a sharp movement Vivio feinted left and then charged to the right taking advantage of the split second confusion Chantez experienced. Flying in close she hammered her with everything she had trying to overwhelm her defense.
Seeing her disadvantage Chantez backpedaled and tried to dart to the side. But it was the same tactic that Vivio had used during their last exchange and she was ready for it. Even as Chantez dived to the side Vivio adjusted her footing and let loose with a wide kick, catching Chantez in the center of the chest. She felt her heel collide against her friends barrier jacket with satisfying impact and she was down.
Chantez let out an "oof" as she fell to the ground dropping one of her weapons in the process. The next instant Vivio was standing over her extending her hand, a playful smile on her face.
Her friend sighed dramatically and let go of her other weapon. "Aright you win." She said in a resigned tone, taking Vivio's hand as if in surrender. The moment she was on her feet again however she threw herself forward with a cry and tackled Vivio to the ground. With a small noise of indignation Vivo started fighting back the two rolling around on the grass together while Chantez giggled.
All right very good you two." Nove said stepping forward. "Now if- Hey!"
With a leap and a cry of her own Sein had jumped on Nove from behind sending her forward into a dog pile with the two kids.
"Sein you rat!" Nove exclaimed as Vivio and Chantez both abandoned their own fight to grab her while Sein held her legs. For a moment the four of them all struggled on the ground together in a big heap.
"Sein you big idiot." Nove snapped grabbing her older sister by the collar with one hand while she fought of Vivio and Chantez with the other. "If you think you can take me three on one then I'll show you another thing!"
Suddenly Sein blinked and stopped fighting. And looked up. Her eyes widened. Nove was just about to let go and see what it was when it hit her. It hit all of them.
Somehow while they were all on the ground the atmosphere of the clearing changed. There was a weight to the air, a feeling of majesty like something high and haughty was now pervading the clearing. It was indefinable yet unmistakable.
Immediately they all rolled off each other and stood as quickly as possible like they had been caught doing something bad. Still looking around Vivio turned to find the source of the change and then stilled. Behind her she heard Nove and the others make a noise of surprise.
In the trees a few yards away was Einhalt. She was glancing back and forth between them and the person standing next to her looking very uncomfortable. Normally Vivio would have lit up at the sight of her friend, but for the first time perhaps ever she found herself note Einhalt's arrival only briefly.
Beside Einhalt and watching them from underneath one of the nearby trees was a man quite unlike any other she had ever laid eyes on. The man who stood before them was tall and fair, dressed in fashionable leather and furs with sharp incredibly handsome features and pure golden blond hair. More than any of this however he seemed to carry with him a strange radiance that dazzled the senses. Above all though were his eyes, they were both red, of a shade brighter than Fates, a ruby hue that seemed to glitter as they gazed out on the world capturing everything they touched upon.
Though she was not yet old enough to understand some things never the less for a moment the sight of
him took Vivio's breath a way.
She was not alone. Behind her she thought she could hear Sein and Nove both exhale and Chantez give a little "ep!"
"So." The man said striding leisurely forward into the clearing. "This is the Saint Church." He said looking down at Vivio. The moment his eyes met hers Vivio froze completely.
"Oh- u-um hello!" Sein stuttered making an attempt at introductions while flushing slightly.
He ignored her, his gaze still focused on Vivio, a little smile playing across his mouth, his eyes studying her face. She tried to return the gaze, to look him in the eye but found that somehow she couldn't. When her eyes met his she could keep them there for a second or two but soon found herself dropping them, overpowered by something she couldn't identify. It felt as though she were a small animal looking into the eyes of a great hawk.
"T-this is the Saint Church... and...I'm Sister Sein." Sein stuttered again trying to make out some form of an introduction. "Welcome..."
Sein's voice, usually so carefree and full of irrepressible spunk faltered. The man continued to pay her no attention, not even looking in her direction and he advanced upon Vivio. Chantez shifted by her side as he drew close, casting a worried look up at the man who continued to regard them with something like amusement.
"And you are Vivio. Vivio Segbrecht."
"Y-yes sir." Vivio stuttered before realizing that that was not her proper name. "N-no I mean-"
With a suddenness that made her start the mans hand flicked out and grasped her by the chin. Forcing her head upwards with careless strength he tilted her face so that he could look her directly in the eye without bending over. Considering their difference in height Vivio found her head being tilted back so far that her neck hurt.
"Hey! What are you...?" Nove started in an angry voice. She trailed off however as the man turned his head and spared her a glance for the first time. Whatever gesture he had made towards her it took all the power out of her voice in a second He returned to looking down at Vivio a moment latter.
She found herself being examined with something like mild curiosity. "I see." The man said after a little sounding moderately intrigued.
"E-Excuse me but... let Vivio go!" Vivio blinked and her attention was drawn away from the mans eyes for the first time. The voice that had spoken was Einhalt's.
The golden haired man blinked once and looked up. He smiled after a little and dropped Vivios chin.
Vivio shook herself feeling like she had just escaped from the mouth of a leopard. She did not know what to make of the man who had intruded upon them so suddenly. Hopping for direction she turned to Nove and Sein but the two of them looked almost hypnotized.
"If you want to come here fine, but don't pick on Vivio." Einhalt said her voice stronger. It seemed to cut through to the two combat cyborgs and they blinked as if only just realizing what had happened in front of them.
"Hey." Nove said, a bit of wariness present in her voice. "Who are you? What were you just doing to Vivio?"
"I came her at my leisure." The man said simply. "I had heard that there was a King who dwelt here. Take me to them."
Nove rankled at his tone, but Sein who still seemed fascinated blurted out "You mean Ixpellia?"
"So, its true. Show me."
"Now hold on Mister." Nove burst out, her voice carrying its usual strength for the first time. It seemed that whatever fascinating effect this man carried with him she had worked up the nerve to ignore.
"Who are you? And what do you think you were doing handling Vivio?" Nove stepped in between them and began to advance on him. The man did not show a whiff of concern but only turned his full gaze on Nove for the first time. A wave of something like amused contempt so heavy you could feel it seemed to fill the air and Nove faltered once more.
"I am Gilgamesh." He said in a boastful sweeping voice that seemed to make the air tremble. "My interest in the girl is merely a trivial curiosity."
"Your 'trivial curiosity' can keep its hands off my student asshole! If you pull anything funny like that again-"
"Enough." Gilgamesh interrupted, his voice drowning out Noves instantly. He took a step closer. "This small thing is nothing. Now. I wish to see this King."
"...If you want to see Ixpellia you will have to go to the head, Carim Garcea to get approval." Nove said in a strained way.
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes and for a moment the clearing positively dripped with disdain. "I have no interest in your petty mongrel leader. I am here to see this so called King that the people talk about. Now if you will show me to this person I will be satisfied with you."
Nove stood there looking indecisive, caught between anger at the insult towards Carim and the strange pressure of the man before her. For a woman who Vivio looked up to as her mentor and always saw as almost unshakable as her parents it was a sickening moment.
Behind Gilgamesh's back Einhalt shook her head, imploring Nove to turn him down. She had and would always be the most willful of all the Numbers Sisters, the irate warrior maiden who would never stand to be manipulated.
But in front of her the golden haired man smiled and affixed her with his depth-less eyes.
To him Nove's answer was never in doubt.
*Scene *
"Einhalt. Einhalt!" Vivio hissed at her friend as the group walked along.
The six of them, Nove, Sein, Chantez, Vivio and Einhalt accompanying the haughty stranger through the the halls of the Saint Church with a nervous gait. The atmosphere of the group was very strange, like a dream that could not decide whether it was a nightmare or not. Gilgamesh was a conundrum that sent chills up Vivio's spine. Even at her age she could tell that the man was astonishingly good looking, and the nearly tangible feel of his presence was captivating but at the same time she could not forget the painful feeling of his hand clenching her chin or the detached look of cruelty in his eyes.
Even worse was the effect that he seemed to be having on her friends. Nove looked very wary or him but Sein was staring at him with unabashed awe shining from her face. Chantez was not much better. It was like they had not even noticed him, a complete stranger grabbing her face.
"Einhalt!"
Einhalt shook herself as if out of a daze and turned to Vivio at last. It had taken a while for either of them to work up the nerve to try and whisper back and forth with the stranger Gilgamesh so close. But stranger or not Vivio wanted some answers. Namely:
"Who is that guy?" She whispered. "And what were you doing with him? How did you get here?"
Einhalt gave Gillgamesh's back another glance and then slowed, the two hanging back a little from the others. "I don't know who he is." She made out quickly. " I was coming up her to meet you by surprise and he came out of nowhere. Said he thought I had royal blood in me... I told him who I was."
"What! Vivio whispered back, shocked. "Why on earth did you do that?"
"I don't know. It... just sort of came out when he asked." Vivio tensed at her tone. Her normally stoic friend sounded alarmed like she had never heard before. Einhalt gave the golden haired man another glance before leaning in even closer. "I don't know whats going on Vivio, but I think that man is very very bad. I think he has something to do with Olives return!"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. He knows who we are. And he came her to find Ixepella. Vivio! What are we going to do if he came here to hurt Ixpellia?" Einhalts voice had risen in something horribly like panicmaking Vivio cringe inside.
Of all the treasures and relics that the Saint Church had in its keeping, Ixpellia was the most important. Legends of the Dark ruler of Galea were a core part of the history that the Church founded its doctrine on. The ancient king was a living legend, a figure from history who had lived at the same time as the Saint Kings Olivie and Clause Ingvalt. She was living proof of the glorious past, and though she was now in deep hibernation one day she would awaken and rejoin the world at large. It was the very real possibility of such a ruler returning in the flesh that made her so significant.
She had been found a few years before when a terrorist by the name of Runessa Magnus had tried to use her power to assault the TSAB. She was stopped by Subaru however, and the spunky cyborg had not only arrestedcorrupt enforcer but also rescued Ix. For a short time the ancient ruler had walked in the sunlight like any other person. She had even made friends with Subaru and gotten to know Vivio as well. But then she had fallen back into sleep, for a year, or a decade, or a century. No one could say. In any case she was the most monumental discovery that the Saint Church had probably ever made, and more than that she was a person Vivio regarded as a friend, even if their meeting had been brief.
And now this stranger, who seemed to twist the very air around him was heading straight for her.
"We wont..." Vivio hissed at last. "We wont let him! We have to tell somebody... and if he tries anything... we'll beat him down."
Einhalt gave a nod but did not look convinced. In front of them Gilgamesh let out a burst of laughter at seemingly random. Vivio did not know which scared her more. The laugh or the fact that Sein tried to join in a moment latter.
"Listen" Vivio hissed when the laughter had finally died down."This is all wrong. One of us has to go get Carim and tell her whats happening!"
Einhalt nodded sharply and eased away from her, falling behind and then out of sight as they rounded a corner.
The party arrived at the rather plain door that led to Ixpellia's room, the golden stranger giving a contemptuous chuckle when he saw it. The Sister who stood guard outside stepped up to question them briefly but Gilgamesh had no trouble setting her at ease. Vivio realized with guilt that even without the strangers mysterious influence they would probably be admitted simply because she was with the party. Vivio was after all, along with Subaru one of the faces that was admitted in on sight.
They walked into the room. Before them on a simple hospital bed, an IV stuck into her arm, the tiny nearly childlike form of the great ruler Ixpellia lay fast asleep, her long red hair resting around her face like a halo.
For a moment Gilgamesh looked down on her with something like surprise in his eyes. "FUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Throwing his head back Gilgamesh laughed, filling the room with the sound of scornfully mirth that echoed off the sealing and walls of the room and made Vivio want to cover her ears.
The Sister standing guard outside poked her head into the room alarmed.
"Ah! Ah ha ha! A girl!" Gilgamesh laughed. "Yet another girl! And this one asleep!" He broke out into another peal of laughter and then moved in closer. Vivio's stomach clenched.
"Is this all? A trashy mongrel of a waif who must have a tube stuck into her flesh to live? What a joke!"
Gilgamesh gave a last laugh and then moved up even closer, standing right over Ixpellia's bed and looking down at her face with a horrible sneer.
"Oy! Mister!" Nove started. "What are you-"
Just has he had with Vivio the golden man's hand shot out. He was repulsed as his hand met some unseen barrier, the shield that helped protect Ixipell from possible assassination attempts. Gilgamesh pulled his hand back and looked at it surprised. Then he gave another laugh and thrust his hand down again.
With a small shower of sparks he pushed through as though the invisible barrier did not exist and grabbed Ixpellia's chin, pulling her sleeping head up so he could examine it more closely while the barrier gave a few pathetic sparks and then went silent completely.
The room gave a collective shutter at the action and the Sister on guard let out a small shriek. "What are you doing?" She shouted scrambling toward him. Nove gave a similar gasp and went with her.
For a second it looked like Nove and the guard were about to tackle Gilgamesh to the floor but the golden man wielded around in an instant and shot them both a look so terrible and haughty that they stopped dead in their tracks.
Apparently satisfied that they had been cowed Gilgamesh turned back to Ixpellia and resumed studying her, turning her head this way and that and then forcing one of her eyes open with his fingers. It lolled unconsciously in its socket, the green of her iris only just visible at the edge.
"As I expected. Just another termite who dares call herself a ruler." With a flick of his wrist he flung Ixipela roughly back on the bed. "I wonder if I should even spent the effort of waking this worm up."
Behind Gilgamesh the air suddenly shimmered. Not a feeling of shimmering like he gave off all the time, but an actual shimmer that made it look as though the air behind his shoulder was the surface of a pool reflecting red light.
Vivio felt a surge of panic. She clenched her fist and-
They were interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. One moment the pitter pattering of feet in the hall and the next the familiar form of Schach Nouera, the Sister who acted as Carim's bodyguard flung itself through the doorway side by side with Cinque.
"Stop right there!" Schach shouted pointing on of her tonfa's at Gilgamesh. Beside her Cinque's hands were full of knives, her limbs held back taunt ready to fling them in an instant.
Gilgamesh made no move. From behind the two of them another figure stepped into the room, this one in an elegant dress with long straight blond hair. In the doorway stood Carim Gracia. Head of the Saint Church.
Her eyes widened for a moment as she took in Gilgamesh but a moment latter they hardened. She took in the rest of the room quickly, her gaze traveling from Gilgamesh, to Vivio and the others to Ixpellia's sleeping form that had been thrown sideways on the bed, her head bent at an odd angle and one arm hanging off the side.
Carim's eyes blazed at the sight.
"Who are you?" She demanded marching forward "What have you done to Her Majesty!"
"Ho? You are one of this invalids followers?"
Carim's eyes widened even further transforming into orbs of liquid furry that sudenly held as much pressure as Gilgamesh's own. "This invalid? How dare you."
"Khe! I have met many mongrels who call themselves King but this one takes first place. A faker who cant even survive without technology is no better than the most filthy beggar."
"Step away from that bed. You are under arrest by the authority of the Saint Church! Take him." Carim said. It was an order. The benevolent Church leader who Vivio ha know for all her life as a gentle and understanding woman would no longer tolerate the blaspheming of the Church's saint.
With two sharp notes of "Hii!" Sister Schach and Cinque moved forward with weapons drawn to take the man. And then, right before it happened Vivio felt it, a twinge of horror. The expression on Gilgameshes face changed from scornful laughter to anger.
The air in the room froze. The dazzling presence that Gilgamesh seemed to carry with him suddenly exploded in intensity with the change of his expression, becoming a overwhelming torrent of force the seemed to turn the atmosphere to steel.
Much as had happened to Nove and the guard, Sister Schach and Cinque flinched back pausing in their advance before the force that now occupied the room. Sein and the guard gave out nervous squeaks.
"You dare raise you hand to restrain me? I Gilgamesh?" The mans voice came. His face was now changed. It was set in a almost feral snarl that froze Vivios blood to look at. An expression amplified ten times by enraged the intent that he was exuding. But he was not looking at her. Instead his gaze was directed at the person who stood by the doorway.
As terrible as his expression and the force in the room were Carim Garcea was still looking at him, surprised no doubt, but not cowed.
"Such outrage, to lay your hands on me! I gave you permission for no such thing!"
"Whoever you are..." Carim said in a voice strained but still strong. "We will not allow you to do as you please with our Saint!"
Gilgamesh frowned down on Carim, her defiance seemed to only enrage him further. "You will regret your impudence you wretched woman!" Once more the air behind him shimmered menacingly.
"Y- You!" Sister Schach seemed to have recovered from the shock of the rooms change. Bringing her weapons up again she prepared to defend Carim, understanding somehow that the shimmering air was an attack of some sort. Beside her Cinuqe followed suit.
"Stop!"
Vivio blinked as she realized that the voice had come from her own throat. The whole spectacle paused at her voice. Gilgamesh turned and looked at her curiously. The shimmer in the air behind him faded.
"Oh? This little whelp would stand up to me?" He seemed to ponder for a moment as if trying to decide whether he found his amusing or not. In any case, somehow her shout had broken the spell. The rooms atmosphere was back to what it was before the man's anger. The others were shaking themselves as if they had just woken from some sort of horrible trance.
Whatever had gone on in Gilgamesh's head he had apparently decided that her shout was amusing. He chuckled and gave her a very strange look. One that Carim caught causing her to quickly step between them. Gilgamesh blinked at having his gaze interrupted and his face turned back into a sneer.
"I will postpone your punishment for now woman." He drawled, stepping lazily out of the room.
"You bastard! What is that supposed to mean?" Nove shouted as he went.
Cinque Schach and Nove rushed out into the hall after him but then stopped suddenly. As the rest emerged from the room they saw. The long hallway that led to Ixpellia's room was empty.
*Scene *
Many hours latter
Nanoha walked down the halls of the recommissioned Long Arch with a thousand problems dancing around in her head. The moment of reunion was here, but it had only happened after a long and worrisome day.
Not an hour after she had dropped Vivio off she had received a call telling her that the Saints Church had just suffered from a security breach. The intruder was added to the list of suspects for the current incident and his profile was worth a headache. The man was a mage, possibly A or even S class or above capable of teleportation and what seemed to be some sort of strange short term mind effecting spell. He was blond and well dressed with red eyes.
That last one got her attention. Not many people with red eyes. Even fewer Mages a few random exceptions aside. Could this man be related to project F? Also the little girl, Mahail. She had also had red eyes as well as seemingly uncanny control over magic. The more evidence showed up the more a resurgence of cyborgs seemed likely.
And he had been near Vivio. Even taken a special interest in her. That one sent chills up her spine. What was the probability of two suspects appearing withing a few days both with red eyes, uncanny magical control and an interest in Vivio? Almost none. She had demanded to talk to her and her heartbeat had only slowed down after Vivio assured her it was fine several times.
Even so Nanoha had fought the urge to drive back from the Long Arch and make sure. The line up of events brought to many frightening possibility's. Someone was interested in Vivio. And from the sound of the report they were interested in Ixpellia as well.
In the end feeling torn between where she needed to be and where she wanted to be, and feeling like she had to do something she had ordered the Sisters to keep Vivio in her room for the rest of the day under watch.
And that was only a small part of her day. The unit that the Numbers were meant to form had also been delayed by the incident and she had been obliged to work out a new schedule with several other officers for them. Her mind had been on her daughter and the logistics had taken a long time.
She had to stop. She had been mulling over it all day. With great effort she pushed her daughter out of her mind and reconciled herself with the fact that the Saint's Church was probably the most Secure spot on Cranagan when the security was alert.
And so Nanoha stood facing the door before her with a very strange feeling gathering in her chest.
The circumstances were dire, it was true, and what they were here to do was undoubtedly no cause of joy but at the same time it was impossible to block out the feeling of nostalgic that was now pervading her.
She had always hoped for it, she realized this now, always thought wistfully about something like this ever since they had all parted.
Well now it had happened. They were all together again. And not just most of them either, but all of them.
She actually felt a little guilty about how happy she was feeling because of this, especially considering the horrific nature of the events that had occurred to let this happen.
When she opened the door to the briefing room of the Long Arch it was to a sight the brought her back to a time four years ago.
Off to the side of the room Subaru was chatting haply with Teana while Fate stood beside both of them similarly engaged in conversation with Hayate and Shamal while the support team including Shario Vice stood listening. Siting calmly on of the seats with her long legs crossed Signum sat regarding the door she was coming through expressionlessly. Right beside her Vita sat, hunched over in her seat with a brooding satisfied look, fingering her hammer Graff Einsen. In the middle of all of it Erino and Caro stood looking around happily at their older former team members now united while Friedrich the dragon flitted about both their heads.
The whole room looked over as she came in.
"Nanoha!" Half a dozen voices called out at once. She suddenly found herself nearly swamped by her own subordinates as Erino, Caro, Fried and Subaru all rushed over to her, the three humans crowding around her while the dog sized dragon started hovering about her face and chirping.
"Nanoha. We knew we were all getting back together but now your here its official." Hayate laughed from across the room. In the corner Vita snorted at her longstanding partners pileup.
"Hello everyone." Nanoha said returning the smile to the whole room.
"Nanoha!" Subaru nearly squealed. "This is so great! It'll be just like before!... Well almost." She tacked on at the end.
Nanoha couldn't help but smile even wider at that. She knew from the get go that Subaru would be the most exited about all this. Though what she had said was true. Even though they were back together things were not the same. Erio had grown more than a foot since the days of the Scaglietti incident. And from what she had heard Caro had grown as well even if it was not in height. All of them had.
Looking up across the room she met Fates eyes and the two communicated silently. It was a tiny bit bittersweet to be here. And besides all that even though they were all in the same room the sense of being a unit had not automatically returned. Nanoha made a mental note that they would be doing at least a day's worth of drills together while they waited for the investigation to turn up results.
The thought brought her back to the reason why they were here in the first place. There would be time for reunions latter."Aten-shun!"
Erino, Caro and Subaru all stopped crowding round her immediately and shot into formation as quickly as possible, all the other members in the room save for Hayate doing the same and forming a line in front of her.
She beamed at all of them, smiling yet stern all at once, a expression that was reflected in each of their faces to some degree.
"Everyone. It is good to be back." She said standing tall and addressing them. "But for now we have out task before us. All of you are familiar with what is happening in this city and the directors of the TSAB have assigned us to be the lead team to uncover the perpetrators of these crimes."
Nanoha's face hardened as she spoke. Inside her the mood of battle was growing and it spread from there to the rest of the group. "I know we have all grown stronger since our last meeting, but our enemy's are still powerful. By our understanding they have gathered to oposse us at last several fighters and specialists of exceptional skill and brutality."
Subarus stiffened in line and Nanoha felt a twinge of pride mixed with worry. She knew how hard it sometimes was to go back into battle in the face of defeat, yet Subaru always did. That was her strength.
"Even though we are in the heart of Cranagan and have the whole power of the TSAB behind us we must be careful. Treat the situation as if we were in hostile territory. It is up to us to show them the error of their ways and save this city."
She smiled once more at the close of her speech and everyone in line gave a sharp nod. "Understood!" every voice in line chimed at once. They were ready.
And not a few hours to soon. The sun had only just gone down when an urgent message arrived at the Long Arch being broadcast into all quarters.
A high Security laboratory in the 7th Western sector was being attacked.
*Scene *
A few hours earlier
Far away from the Long Arch, in one of the nicer housing areas of the city, not far from where Caster made her lair a large two story house stood with the curtains drawn over the windows. It was a nice house but one that had recently gained something of a bad feeling to it.
If one were to go inside they would not notice much at first save for that it was quite. Even further exploration of the house would reveal nothing terribly unusual, that is unless one ventured through the door leading to the basement. If anyone were to do that however the reason for the houses bad feeling would become clear.
The basement stunk of rotting meat.
Of course hypothesizing that someone could wander this far to discover that was ridiculous. The whole house was wrapped up in bounded fields and it would take a concentrated magical assault to get past the front door uninvited at which point the new residents would be alerted to their presence and those determined to enter would be walking into a death trap.
Matou Zouken had chosen this house specifically for its large basement. The owners were wine enthusiasts and the lower level was quite generous with several add-on's that expanded the original basement size to an appreciable degree.
It was a good start but not enough for the old Matou's purposes. With the help of his familiars he had expanded the basement even more adding a second level beneath the first and a series of tunnels and pits under that.
Combined with the first level the second one served as his workshop and lair. The system of pits served as his worms new breeding ground. All three chambers of the basement were now slick with black slime.
He would have to see to getting rid of some of it. Though he no longer minded the slime it made for a sloppy workshop.
That was not what occupied his mind now. Sitting alone in the dark as he had for century's in his homeland he pondered the same thing he had always pondered. The next move.
The crusade had progressed much slower than he had expected. Even though he was surprised that everything had worked out as well as it had, at the same time it was not enough. The Masters were playing to cautiously.
Zouken Matou had spent hundred of years waiting for the right time in the dark. To a simple observer it would seem that he was the epitome of stagnation, a lost soul whose whole Gollum like existence was spent hiding away in the dark. They would be wrong however on a very important thing. Zouken was not Gollum and though his body rarely ever left his dark hole under the misty mountains of his house his mind was never bound there. It was constantly at work, watching the outside world with infinite calculation.
He could not be farther from the mythical possessor of the Ring. His was a master plan, and when it came time to act he was ready. It was now, in this new environment that he knew so little of that his plan was the most precarious. With so many unforeseeable factors brought on by the new environment he had to push action in every way possible.
It was the rule of the worm, when in infancy writhe and move as quickly as possible or be swallowed up by your broodmates. He had observed it for time out of mind in his dark lair and now the crusade was in that position.
It was time to move. It was time to make the others act.
Zouken rose to his feet from his chair. One of his first acts when he arrived at this place was to send Assassin to secure information from the TSAB. It had taken a while to dissect but as of now he had more information on the TSAB than anyone else save for perhaps Caster who was subject to him anyway.
And so it was he had the power to dol out information at his leisure. And he knew exactly who to give it to for the most result. Who else to tempt with the prize but one who was on a time limit? And moreover possessed a Servant who could shake the earth itself.
Turning where he stood Zouken was swallowed by darkness.
*Scene *
Evening was just starting to fall on the City of Cranagan and the last fading rays of the sun made their pitiful way though the window of the penthouse of the Hotel Ferione.
Mahail von Einzbern stared miserably at the wall in front of her as she sat in the big comfy chair she had staked out as her own. The light reflected her mood. She was tired, frustrated and angry.
The room that her maids had rented out only seemed to urk her more. Its top notch luxury served only to remind her that she was not at home on the manor house her creator had owned. Despite its nicety's it was a strange place and because of that she hated it. This was especially so because she was in pain.
Mahail hissed as she felt another sharp pang from her stomach. The sensation was about as far removed from hunger as could be. It had all started... well there was no way of knowing when it had all started but it had certainly picked up after her visit to that school. She had been feeling happy and cocky and when she had decided to show off her power what should have been child's play to her somehow went wrong. She had suffered a small circuit breakdown after only using what amounted to a few units of prana.
An accident like that should have been impossible for her and even if it had occurred it should have been a minor problem. Instead it had lead to having to rely on her two maids to help her and spending the entire night bedridden and in pain.
It did not make sense. It would never happen normally. It was all that horrible Servants fault.
Beserker was ruining everything for her. The giants enormous demand for prana even when dematerialized was like a millstone dragging her down at all times. This to made no sense. She was a homunculus of the Einzberns, she should have more than enough magical circuits to support anything and have prana left over and she did. But it did not seem to help. Whenever she used him or his drew deeply from her power she felt like something inside herself was about to tear apart. She found herself despising the huge, ugly, stupid giant that she had been shackled to.
All this pent up feeling was leading more and more to morbid lines of thought.
There she sat feeling rather sorry for herself and thinking of nothing except her own misfortune when the room went a little darker. The last rays of the sun had just vanished from her window. She noted it absently and wen back to her sulking when the atmosphere in the room suddenly changed.
Mahail sat bolt upright in her chair and looked around wildly for the source of the strange prana that was invading the room.
She jumped to her feet and whipped her head around when she caught something out of the corner of her eye. For a split second she thought it was a pile of worms but the thought passed before it was even realized.
In the corner of the room furthest from the light where the shadows were thickest stood an old man in a black kimono.
"Keh! It is shameful." He scoffed in a hoarse voice.
"Who the hell are you!"
"Your Bounded fields were not even tricky to bypass. And your fortress is not even below ground. What has the Einzbern family come to?"
Mahail narrowed her eyes at the intruded who had the audacity to insult her.
"Your that creepy old man from before." Recovering from her shock now, though still greatly unsettled she composed her face and smiled. Beserker's disembodied spirit had flitted up to her room the moment she had called it. For the first time in a while she was glad to have him there. Whoever he was she could have that old man torn apart in an instant now. For some reason though, her fear did not abate.
"Your another Master then. Thought you could sneak into my living room and get away with it? Now that I've caught you I'm gona have Beserker pull your arms off." She finished with her best evil smile.
The old man gave her a rather dry look. "I did not come to play girl."
"Really? Why'd you come here then?"
"The Grail girl. Do you want it?"
Mahail paused dumbfounded. "What kind of stupid question is that?"
"I see. Very well. I suspect that even now you are beginning to feel the drawbacks of commanding a Berserker. Especially such a powerful one as him."
"What do you know about it?" Suspicion colored Mahail's voice. She had not told anyone about any of the trouble she had been having. Not even her two meddling Maids knew about it.
"Hmm? To me it is obvious. If even your predecessor had trouble with commanding that one then it would only be natural for a copy such as yourself to buckle under the weight... After all, Illyasveil-"
"What are you talking about?" Mahail snapped feeling a jolt of anger at that name.
"Ah." The old man grinned evilly. "I see, I see. They never told you did they? No matter."
"Told me what? What does my cousin have to do with this!"
"Why should I tell you?" The old mans voice was now as black as jet. One of his eyes opened wide reveling an inhuman orb, jet black with a staring white iris.
"Now listen carefully girl." Zouken Matou said taking a few steps forward into the room making Mahail shiver. "You have been wronged rather tragically. For you all depends now upon winning the Grail. Fortunately for you I am in a rather curious position. I have discovered the location of Grail. Unfortunately my own Servant is unsuited to attacking strong fortified positions."
"What are you getting at?" Mahail asked it even though she knew.
"I am going to give you the location of the Holy Grail. Afterward if you succeed I will tell you a little of your family history as a special reward. Please try and retrieve it successfully."
*Scene *
"What's going on?" Hayate strode through the line of mission control stations towards Shario's station while the operators moved in a fury all around her.
Fates brown haired friend sat in the middle of a large circular controllboard while half a dozen telacams filled the air around her, some flashing bright warning red."We are receiving an urgent distress call from a warehouse in the Western sector... # 7 its listed as."
Hayate looked down at the blinking dot that marked its position in the city for a second. So. The mystery antagonists were finally making a move of some sort.
"Alert Riot Force 6 and have them backed up with three supporting units! Put everyone else on high alert."
"Yes Mam!" Shario acknowledged. Pressing a button on her controls she relayed the order to the troops.
Her command sent down the line Hayate breathed in and felt the usual momentary sense of question as to wheter or not she had missed anything or not. Everything was in order... but...
"What is being kept in that warehouse?"
A few seconds of typing and frowning later a small file appeared on the telacam before her. "It appears to be a high security warehouse for housing experimental mass weapons."
"I see." Hayate said feeling a resigned sense of disappointment. So this was it. Why was it always about weapons? Why all those kidnappings and murders of innocence over getting their hands on some exiting new way to spread destruction? One that would be out of date within a year or two or useless against Mages anyway.
"Get me a picture of what's going on down there."
Shario typed away for a few seconds before shaking her head. "The cameras in the area of intrusion have all been disabled."
"Recordings?"
Shario brought then up but all that was visible from the picture was an indistinct shape hurtling out of nowhere and then a shock-wave before the cameras cut out.
"Some sort of robot?" Hayate squinted at the picture. Whatever it was looked big and dark. Much larger than any person. "Must have a lot of power."
"A heavy assault unit." Shario whispered looking at it carefully. Those bastards have a war bot. How in the Saints name did they sneak it into the city?"
Subaru threw the door to her room open and looked out. It was just after dinner and they had been preparing to go to to bed early. Next to her on the other side of the room Teana scrambled out of bed as well and looked around. "Oi, they didn't make us wait long did they?"
"Come on Teana!" Suburu shouted strapping her skates on. "Mach Caliber!" With a flash of light that lasted only an instant from everyone's perspective but her's Subaru speed off down the hall.
"Geze!" Teana grumbled throwing her shirt on over her head. "They could have at least waited till we had time to drill a little."
The whole group met in the briefing room where a large telicam floated, Hayate's face looking out at them from it while reinforced floated in the background. Carlo was the last in and arrived panting slightly but quickly moved into line. They were all clothed in their barrier jackets. Fate was not there.
"We are all here." Hayate said quickly glancing over the room.
"Where is Fate?" Teana interjected quickly.
"Fate has been running patrols with the other squads involved in this case for some days now. She has been called away to deal with a new disturbance that occurred around the Saint Church earlier this morning and work with the Numbers. She will be called in with reinforcements if anything goes wrong. Signum will be standing in for her today."
"What? Our first mission and we go without Fate?"
"Teana." Signum cut in. She stopped immediately.
"The disturbance is coming from a warehouse in the western sector of the city." Hayate said, the telicam changing to a map that revealed its location. A few minutes ago the warehouse security came under attack by an unknown assailant, presumed to be the Incident suspects. As we suspected earlier the enemy seems to be in possession of some form of combat robot. Vita and Subaru taking it down will be your priority. Signum give support as needed. The rest search and engage with caution."
Hayate stepped back from the camera and gave a sharp salute. It was returned and then they were off dashing towards the hanger bay.
*Scene *
Rin Tosaka sat in the chair in the upper story of the house. Under her closed lids her eyes turned back and forth in her sockets as if she was dreaming. She was in the act of monitoring the city from her familiars. "Oh shit..." She muttered to herself. Opening her eyes quickly she stood up. "Archer."
With a glimmer f light the tall dark skinned Servant appeared in front of her.
"Archer this is bad. Beserker and his Master are moving. They have already attacked a building." Walking over quickly to her chest of drawers she rummaged through it. When she had come through she had only a single set of clothes and it had taken a few shopping trips to set up a functioning wardrobe. She would need something warmer tonight.
"They could have uncovered the location of the Grail. Go tell Bazett, we are moving out."
Archer nodded once and then disappeared. Bazett and Lancer had gone out that night, but with Archers magnificent senses it should not take long to find them.
Rin threw on a red coat, this one so much like the one she had once preferred in high school. Then pulling open another drawer she grabbed for her gems. It seemed tonight would perhaps be the start of the war in earnest. However they operated the TSAB were sure to respond to a frontal attack of that sort, especially is it was indeed the location where the Grail was being kept.
Briefly tying the lace at her neck she bolted from the room.
It was the same all over the city. In the dark and hidden places the news was traveling like wildfire.
"Beserker is moving... Beserker is moving..."
*Scene *
Vivio sat on her bed with her knees folded up against her chest. It was night now and time to go to bed but sleep was impossible for her. She knew that at this very moment the Church grounds were being secured by all sorts of security measures. The defenses around Ixpellia's room had been tripled in half an hour. Now that entire hallway was blocked off to everyone except security.
To say it had been a day to remember would be a bad joke. After the disappearance of the stranger Gilgamesh it had been an uproar. Because of the strange nature of the security breach everyone in the room had been magically scanned for possible mind altering spell craft. When none had turned up they had all been psychoanalyzed within the hour. Even Carim had submitted to the intensive questioning.
And at the end not all was fine. Sein had been detained and nearly deemed unfit for duty when she had jokingly commented on the strangers good looks. In the end the planed deployment of the Numbers unit had been delayed by seven hours. Cinque had been furious.
Apart from that she had seen little. Because they were so young Einhalt Chantez and her had only been asked a few questions about what had happened and then allowed to leave after they were confirmed free of mind altering affects.
And then she had been sent to her room. She had been stuck there nearly all day. Einhalt and Chantez had been let in after a while but it was a crummy evening. They had sat and talked about the stranger and how close it had been, thinking up theory's as to who he was. Einhalt was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was connected to the royal family of the Saint Kings, and even brought forth the theory that perhaps he was one of the ancient kings. After all Ix was still around wasn't she?
They had spoken for a long time and decided that in the morning they would tell Carim everything about there encounter with the albino girl and Einhalt's sighting of the Olive look alike in the street.
Then it had been time for bed. Einhalt had declined Vivio's offer to sleep in the same room with her, and Chantez had her own quarters with the other Sisters so she was now alone.
And so she had sat in the dark alone for the past hour in a futile effort to get to sleep.
Shifting from her back to her side for what felt like the tenth time Vivio chewed on the edge of her lip a little. This had been the second time whatever mystery seemed to be going on in this city had come into contact with her... She wondered.
Just as she was beginning to feel sleepy something in the room changed. Instantly her body was as taut as a rope. A very familiar feeling had suddenly invaded the chamber.
Vivio sat up and slid off her bed looking wildly around the room for the source of the presence. There was nothing.
Suddenly right in front of her there was a flash of gold. The light condensed and an instant later Gilgamesh was standing in front of her. His dress and manner were exactly as it had been that morning, and as his terrible radiance filled the room Vivio took a step backwards.
Had he been invisible or was it a teleportation spell? Surprisingly even to herself she did not feel as much fear as she thought. Mostly just a sense of anger for what he had done to Ix..
"So little maid." He said in a sly voice as if he were continuing some conversation they had only stopped minutes ago. "Are you ready to pay?"
"Pay? For what?"
"Do not pretend to be stupid. You came in between a King and his prey, for that you must pay. Most do so with their lives."
Vivio blinked and took another step back. She had picked up a lot of faith in her Strike Arts ofver the years, but something told her that if this man wanted to he could squash her like a bug.
Gilgamesh smiled maliciously. "However, the king is not without mercy. In this case I have chosen to grant it." He turned his menace filled eyes fully upon her and once more she felt herself nearly buckle under the weight of them. His expression however was pleasant. "Vivio Segbrecht... I have spared you because I have found a modicum of interest in you."
"Segbrecht is... not my real name..." Vivio muttered feeling more frightened now than when he had threatened to kill her.
"Don't speak such garbage!" Gilgamesh's lip curled in anger. "I said I had a modicum of interest in you, the reason for this is thus. As far as I can see you are the last of the royal line that this place once revered. Your interest to me lies in that. If you fade from that my interest in you fades in turn, and I do not forgive people for ceasing to interest me."
"So you just want me because I'm descended from Olivie. Is that it?" Vivio found her voice rising. Segbrecht was Saint King Olivie's last name. Though she was descended from her using it had... arrogant connotations. Besides, Nanoha and Fate were her parents. One of the things both her parents had told her was that she should never depend upon her heritage. Furthermore it was for this reason that she had been kidnapped so long ago. To Vivio such an idea was not just an affront to everything she had learned, but a kind of personal heresy as well.
"Yes exactly." Gilgamesh said with defeating simplicity.
"Then you're a bad man!" Vivio clenched her fists, her anger overcoming the effects of Gilgamesh's dazzling presence for a moment.
"Bad does not apply to Kings, far less me. Besides complaining about why you interest me is pointless. I decide what draws my attention, you can only reciprocate."
"But your wrong! Who my ancestor is does not determine who I am!" Vivio insisted, repeating what her mothers had said to her so many times.
"I did not say that, and you are becoming boring. Quickly." With the last word the strangers eyes flashed again beating her outrage to the ground. The promise of death was carried in them, and Vivio felt her mouth go dry. She suddenly felt for the first time that the man who had invaded her room might really and actually live up to his word if she said or did the wrong thing.
Seeing that his audience was ready to listen again Gilgamesh continued. "Tell me Vivio, have you ever strongly desired something?"
"Sure... I guess." She said not sure about where this interview was going.
"And this thing, did you stretch out your hand to grasp it?"
"I... think so?" Vivio answer was more a of a question than an answer. The nearest thing she could think of to his question was her friendship with Einhalt and that had been more of a two way bonding after a little persistence from herself.
As if reading her mind Gilgamesh shook his head. "I did not mean simple things. Girl, have you ever stretched out your hand and grasped what others would not dare to grasp? To fearlessly pick your desire like a fruit from a forbidden tree because it is yours by right of position. That girl, is the essence of being a King."
Vivio stared up blankly at him confusion written on her face. To her it sounded as if he was suggesting that being a thief was what made a king.
Gilgamesh saw perhaps some of what was written on her face and a look of irritation flashed over his features.
"Vivio, do you know why I posses even the smallest fraction of interest in you for being descended from that King?"
He did not wait for her to answer but kept on going. "When I came here I was surprised to realize that such a land existed. I have always wondered about the existence of other worlds like the original you see, and when I discovered this place I was a little delighted. For a while now I have been exploring this place with interest. I decided to investigate the history of this world and when I did I noticed something that interested me..."
Despite herself Vivio found that she was leaning forward.
"It was a familiar face looking at me from out of a book." Gilgamesh smiled and pulled a piece of paper from his pocket turning it towards Vivio. She gasped. The paper was a page from what looked like a text book of some sort. On it was the iconic picture that no resident of the TSAB or anywhere in the civilized multiverse would ever fail to recognize. Saint King Olivie was peering out at her from the page, seated in her simple chair with her hands folded on her lap with a small smile gracing her face.
Something inside Vivio was falling into place, all history she knew revolved around the one in that picture, it was the savior of the civilized world, the Saint King venerated by countless, and her genetic ancestor. And here was one who claimed to have known her! "Y-You knew Olivie? Th-then Einhalt was right! You're*&^-!" Vivio eyes twitched as she trailed off pointing at him lamely. Gilgamesh was giving her an amused look she could not interpret. "That is something I am not going to simply tell you... yet.
Now Vivio, like I described to you, I possess a burning desire for something. A treasure that I have pursued for some time. You and your ancestor bear a resemblance to her to precise to overlook. For that reason I have taken interest in you."
Vivio was now standing with rapt attention. This was something that Einhalt had wished for all her life, to meet someone like this. While she had never wanted it with the same intensity as her friend she was now determined to store up everything she could of this meeting and relay it to Einhalt at the nearest opportunity.
"So, I decided to instigate you, and when I did what did I find? A common little girl with no aspirations or quality befitting of a connection to my treasure. A mongrel of a king in the making."
Vivio blinked slightly hurt at his words but the golden man showed no singes of caring.
"So girl. I have decided to aid you. Consider this your first true education. Be proud girl, few have ever received such a thing from me..." His gaze became distant for a moment as though remembering someone fondly.
"Wait... your going to teach me stuff?" Vivio asked her pulse speeding up. By now, whether it was her own excitement or the strange prescience that Gilgamesh possessed all thoughts of his previous hostility had completely flow her mind.
"Indeed." Gilgamesh said smiling wickedly. "In order for me to allow your existence you must prove that you have not forgotten your place. I will test your worthiness as royalty."
"My worthiness?" Vivio lit up slightly. She had always been good at the Strike Arts, if he was speaking about a test then she was ready.
"Yes, now, as you know this city has recently become a battleground. This is a struggle greater than your people know, it is a struggle between legends."
"Wait, then... you know whats going on?" Vivio asked her eyes going wide at the thought. She felt her heart flutter. All this mystery over what was going on and why, and this man knew!
"Oh yes. Though I am above it, its participants are known to me."
The golden man's hand shot out once more and he pulled her close making her flinch. "Now listen to me carefully girl. Some distance from here in that city there is a particular man. A sniveling feeble minded worm who dares to destroy my subjects without my consent and even desires to steal away my treasure. You may know of him, he is causing quite a disturbance here by preying upon the young."
Vivio gasped. "D-do you mean the- the one who's kidnapping the other kids?"
"The same. This dog makes his lair under the city streets in the sewer."
"Wait, you know where he is? W-why haven't you told anybody?"
"For a king the responsibility of weeding his garden does not fall on him. That is the duty of the gardeners. For you however this is a perfect test. Your heroic deed to prove the strength of your blood is higher than those simpletons around you."
"My mother says that I shouldn't... think about my ancestry like that."
"What the plebeians say does not change the ways of royalty. That way is and always will be the same. To take the troubles of others on yourself. For the commoner what they say is to preserve their own worthlessness, but one of royalty lives by a different way. It is your blood that you should do as you please. Your entitlement to smite those who anger you. What you have been told is nothing but the common filth seeking to pull the royal down to their level. They would take your blood and make it as worthless as their's is."
"To pull the high blooded down in such a manner." He ground out, the note of anger in his voice making Vivio's knees suddenly feel weak. "Such a thing is unforgivable."
"You must prove that your blood has not been pulled down so far." He said with sudden sternness. "Otherwise for a royal to exist in such a fallen state, you would be unworthy of life. Pride is your first lesson. Crush this worm and I may take more interest in you."
For anyone else Vivio would have regarded such a speech as lunacy, as some stranger she had never met blatantly contradicting all the teachings of those she loved and cared about with lies so preposterous that they were laughable.
But this man, this Gilgamesh was different. He was an ancient king, an even older one that Vivio now believed him to be. Every word he spoke was overpowering. His very presence seemed to suffocate her and inflame her at the same time. It was the inextinguishable fire in his eyes, one that burned low for now but could leap up in an instant. His words triggered something deep in her. As he spoke she was pulled back in time, the inherited memory's of her ancestor wrenching her backwards to a time when Kings waded into the battle, and crushed the skulls of the rebellious peasants beneath their iron boots.
All this combined in a moment with something else, something that had been brewing in her for a very long time. She could fight. She knew the Strike arts better than any one else save Einhalt. So why wouldn't they let her fight?
Her mothers had been doing it when they were three years younger than her and yet they insisted that she study in school. Gilgamesh's words burned, bringing something to the front she did not even realize had existed before. Thoughts she had only contemplated before in subconscious dreams suddenly leapt to horrible life.
All her schoolmates were in awe of her. The Saints Church followers called her Majesty, her mothers fought over her with a mad scientist for the fate of the world. She knew magic, in a personal sense she was powerful, more so than many adult Mages.
She was special. So much more special than any one else around her, the blood of Olive was in her veins. Why she could even look like an adult if she wanted to.
She had never looked at any of it that way before...
Whatever it was her face betrayed of her thoughts Gilgamesh picked up on instantly. He laughed merrily, a deep rich sound that made her heart race.
"Wonderful! It seems that something of your blood has survived your upbringing."
Go out." He said his voice suddenly echoing with command. "Show me if the royalty of this place are of any interest to me."
Vivio nodded softly and looked out the window. The moon was high in the sky and the night was bright with few clouds. It seemed to draw her to the window involuntarily.
She pulled the window open and popped the screen out of its place. The spring night air wafted in filling her lungs and igniting her sense of wonder even more. Her every nerve was on fire. Her it was, the first time she would really stray from the beaten path set by her parents...
Glancing back into her room at the man who was still watching her with a smile a sudden question popped into her mind. "Hey." She piped up. "There should be a guard right outside my door. Why weren't we ever interrupted in all that time?"
Gilgamesh smiled. "Don't worry, I have not disposed of your guard. That would just be troublesome latter." He produced from seemingly nowhere a tiny golden bell which she noticed was ringing softly. "When I do not wish to be overheard none hear. For a true King such details are nothing."
With a deft node she turned her head back towards the night and sprung from the windowsill.
She hit the ground lightly feet first with perfect form and looked around. Whether by some strange chance or by the design of the golden stranger in her room none of the alarms which were undoubtedly in place went off.
She would do it. She was going to find this villain and put him down for everyone, she would be the hero that her mothers were. She would save everyone.
Looking from side to side to see who was watching she slunk away from the front of the church, and then speed off under the trees.
For a while there was no sign that her escape had been observed. Then from another room in the church, facing the woods a second window slid open and from it shot a small figure so much like hers.
The moon caught the figures hair as she jumped reveling long gray pigtails for a second. Then the other girl hit the ground much as Vivio had and sped after her, disappearing into the woods in silent pursuit.
From his vantage point at the window Gilgamesh watched the two girls running towards the city with his hawk like eyes. He gave a small chuckled and then disappeared in a glimmer of gold.
Tonight would be an eventful night.
