Of Assassins, Samurai, and Magic
A/N: Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful holiday! Some of your have been asking about Hayate and Carim and Rein, along with what's happening with the plot. Here's my answer to you. Enjoy the chapter! XD
Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.
*** ~ Chapter 25: The Prophecy ~ ***
"Rein!"
Hayate jolted awake in disorientation. The brunette immediately jerked upright in bed, clutching at her chest.
Why she awoke, she didn't know. Why she called out the name of her little friend, puzzled her even more. Her room was pitch black, and soundless, as it should be in the middle of the night.
Weeks ago, Rein vanished without a trace. No one knew what happened to the little guardian. Signum, Vita, Shamal and Zafira spent the days after her disappearance looking for the little sprite, but to no avail. Eventually, they all stopped the searchings, hoping she would come back on her own. But they still waited.
The sound of flapping curtains.
Blue eyes darted to the balcony doors. The curtains covering them flapped in the wind, the faint outline of a person now clearly seen due to the soft moon light. The hooded figure stooped with perfect balance on the guard rail of the balcony, which over looked the middle district. Rose coloured eyes peered into blue ones.
"HAYATE-SAMA!"
The massive double doors to Hayate's room burst open, a flustered Signum sliding to a halt in the doorway with her Levantine drawn. The Captain of the Samurai immediately stiffened upon sight of the intruder, and darted towards them.
"Kisama!"
SLASH!
Hayate watched in fascination as the intruder flipped over Signum's strike and landed in a crouch just behind the samurai. In a flash of light, a pair of tonfa-shaped twin swords materialized in the intruder's hands.
CLANK!
Signum gritted her teeth, Levantine screeching against the intruder's weapons. When her first attack was evaded, Signum immediately spun around on her heel and brought her sword down in a vertical slash. That move would have cleaved the attacker in two had they not crossed their blades above their head protectively. Arms trembled as both of them struggled to overpower the other through brute force.
"Hayate what-"
Vita blinked. And blinked. And blinked again.
Having been woken up by the clatter in Hayate's room, the half asleep red head went to investigate the sound. Upon entering the Empress' room, Vita was shocked to find Signum locked in deadly combat with an unknown assailant closer to the open balcony doors.
"Eisen!"
"Giganthammer!"
The hooded figure lurched forward, throwing Signum off balance, to escape the deadlock with the samurai. Vita leapt into the air, her now massively sized hammer held high above her head, before she brought it down upon the intruder's head.
BOOM!
Shamal stumbled into Hayate's room a moment later with Zafira in tow, the entire upper floor rumbling and shaking from Vita's attack. The red head growled, glaring at the hooded intruder who had not only evaded her blow, but now stooped two feet away from her hammer unscathed. But before the intruder could do anything further, twin wires with crystal gems as counter weights, whipped into the air around them and ensnared them. The intruder's arms were now bound to their sides, rendering their blades useless. Shamal glared at the hooded figure, keeping her wires taut preventing them from escaping. Zafira growled menacingly.
"Schach-san, that will be enough," came a voice from the balcony.
At the command, the intruder's weapons vanished in a flash. Signum stood defensively between Hayate, who still sat in bed, as a second intruder walked into the room from the balcony.
"Everyone, please lower your weapons," Hayate commanded, sensing no ill will from the intruders. The last thing the Empress wanted was for her trusted body guards to do something they'd regret later.
Signum gritted her teeth at the brunette's command, lowering her weapon, but did not lower her guard.
"My apologies Empress, for disturbing you at such a late hour," the second intruder said. They drew back their hood revealing long blonde hair held back with a white headband. "I meant not to cause such a ruckus, but it was necessary."
"Carim-sama," Hayate said smiling.
The Wolkenritter stared at Carim in shock, all of them immediately looking to the first of the hooded intruders.
"I do hope my Keigo didn't cause too much trouble."
Shamal immediately withdrew her wires, the first of the intruders drawing back their hood to reveal short fushia coloured hair. "Shamal-sama," Schach said with a nod. "Your wire technique is as sharp as ever."
Shamal blushed in both embarrassment and pride. In her younger years, Shamal often sparred with Schach to keep her technique sharp. Schach was quick and agile, just what Shamal needed in training to ensure she had proper control over her wires when facing a tricky opponent. That was before the move to the imperial palace, before both of them had been assigned to their respective charges. The blonde attendant hadn't drawn her weapon since then, against such a skilled opponent no less, and knowing that she was still in almost perfect form made her smile.
Signum holstered Levantine, crossing her arms over her chest. Her normally stoic expression quickly fell into place. Despite wearing nothing but her sleep wear at the moment, that being a white robe with bamboo leaves printed on it, Signum looked just as menacing as she did in her full samurai armor. Vita's Graf Eisen returned to its normal size, the red head setting it down on the floor at her feet.
"I take it things have turned dire for you to visit me unannounced." A statement. Not a question.
Carim bowed her head and grimaced. "It is as you say Empress."
"Please," Hayate said. "Call me Hayate." A smile.
"Hayate-sama," Carim continued. "I must speak to you with the utmost urgency." A pause. "It concerns the Prophecy."
The Wolkenritter went stiff as boards at the mention of the Prophecy. While many people had forgotten the words of the first Oracle, the Oracle's words lost in the sands of time, there were a sparse few who remembered the original passages cited by the first seer. Unknown to all except Hayate and the Wolkenritter, Carim was the last remaining descendent of the original Oracle. While her gift was not as strong as her ancestors, it were no less accurate. Over the years the Empress had come to rely on Carim's advice in running the state, as her predictions were never wrong. As of late, the Prophecy had come to light again, becoming clearer as time went on. Something big was about to happen.
With the nod of her head, Shamal shut the door to the bedroom at Hayate's beckoning. The blonde immediately dashed off to the kitchen for some tea and biscuits with Zafira in tow. Turning her attention back Carim, Hayate motioned to the couch near the side of her room where many bookshelves filled with old tomes lined the walls. Hayate sat on one end of the couch with Carim sitting on the other end. Vita sat on the floor, near Hayate's feet while Signum stood just behind Hayate. Schach left her master's side, making her way to the balcony before shutting the doors behind her. She would stand watch during the conversation.
"During the night of the no moon," Carim began. "I received a vision of the most startling revelation."
The blonde reached into her hidden satchel, pulling forth a small bundle of parchment. Untying the bindings that held it, she pulled out a single sheet of parchment filled with script. She handed it to Hayate. "The saint is awakening."
"The… saint…?" Hayate looked at Carim questioningly before turning her attention to the words on the page.
The seed of shadow will poison the land.
The gate to the heavens will break.
Stars and Lightning vow for the celestials,
To destroy the seeping taint.
False celestials will seek life,
To awaken the saint in sorrow.
When saint cries and opens their eyes,
The land will be covered in light or shadow.
Hayate looked up from the parchment.
"I'm sure you can already see some parallels to that which is currently happening," Carim said solemnly. "Though, what it all means, that I am unsure."
Vita looked up at Hayate, noting the intense concentration on the brunette's face as Hayate studied the words again. Hayate handed the parchment to Signum behind her to read. Moments later, the samurai stiffened noticeably, Signum fighting with herself to not crumple the sheet of paper in her hand. It was then Shamal returned, with tea and a tray of pastries offering them to their guest. Zafira sat down next to Vita.
"What can we do to ensure the shadow does not envelop the land?" Hayate declined the tea offered by Shamal. Though she did take a pastry, something Nanoha had taught the imperial chefs to make in parting weeks ago.
"I believe the Saint is key," Carim replied, taking a quick sip of tea. "But despite the Prophecy, we don't know who or what that may be. Or even how it will awaken."
"What of these celestials mentioned in the prophecy?" Signum asked.
Carim shook her head. "We are still looking into that right now. I will let you know if we find out anything further."
"That would be appreciated," Hayate said with a small smile. Signum gave a curt nod.
Carim rose to her feet, setting down her now empty cup of tea. Dawn was quickly approaching, the faint shimmer of orange and gold now peeking over the horizon. "I must be taking my leave," she said. The doors to the balcony opened, revealing Carim's body guard.
Hayate stood up, motioning towards the door with her hand. "Perhaps this time you'll use the front door," she said chuckling.
By now, a unit of samurai was stationed outside of the Empress' chambers, having rushed to the scene when the sounds of battle first reached their ears. Shamal had calmly quelled their fears on her way to the kitchen, the samurai now standing at attention in the hallway.
Carim chortled, hiding her laugh behind her hand as she shot Schach a look. Her body guard blushed softly in embarrassment.
"Perhaps we should," Carim said. "Scaling the palace walls without being seen is hardly good on the back."
"Hayate-sama?"
Hayate blinked. "Huh? What?" She looked at Shamal in confusion. Hayate currently stood on the balcony watching the sun rise.
Shamal smiled at her distracted master. "I asked if you were cold," she said.
"Oh," came the reply. Then a smile. "I'm fine Shamal." Hayate turned back to the rising sun.
"Thinking about Rein-chan?"
Hayate nodded.
"I'm sure she'll be alright. She's a tough one."
Hayate smiled at the thought. What Shamal said was true. Rein may not have looked it, but she could certainly be feisty when the situation warranted it. Despite that fact, Hayate couldn't but be worried about her little friend.
"Shamal."
"Hai Hayate-sama?"
"Please fetch a messenger for me," the brunette said. "I would like to send a message to Scaglietti-sama. I will be turning down his offer."
"Hai," Shamal said. "I shall call for one immediately." Shamal paused after a few steps before turning back to face the Empress. "If I may say something Hayate-sama?"
Hayate nodded.
"I think you're making the right decision about Scaglietti-sama. There is still much we don't know about him. But even so, he's a dangerous man, too dangerous to trust."
"I hope you and I are right about that Shamal," Hayate said. Hayate waved a hand in front of her face shooting away a bug as she turned to follow her attendant inside. False celestials, huh?
Unseen to the pair, the bug shooed away by Hayate made a beeline for the forestry lining the waterway leading into the imperial palace. There, it landed on the palm of its master who was dressed in black, the assassin patiently hiding in one of the higher branches of the trees.
"Good work," the soft voice said.
The bug fluttered its wings in contentment.
"Our lord will be pleased."
"My lord."
"Uno, what can I do for you?"
Uno walked up to her master, stopping just behind the violet haired man on his left. "Lutecia has reported in. The Empress will be refusing your offer."
A maniacal laugh. "I expected as much." Another laugh. "You should have seen their faces when Deed sent that samurai captain flying. Oh it was marvellous! Marvellous I tell you!"
Uno smiled as her lord cackled again. Jail always did have a strange sense of humour. "What are your orders then, my Lord?"
A face splitting smile. "We shall proceed with the next part of the plan," Jail replied, turning his attention back in front of them. "Make sure your sisters are ready."
"Yes, my Lord," Uno replied, before taking her leave.
Amber coloured eyes stared at the small form strapped to the table in front of him. A form with silver platinum coloured haired. "Now…" he said. "Where were we?"
A/N: For those of you familiar with the StrikerS part of the anime series, you'll notice I tweaked Carim's prophetic abilities slightly. As there aren't two moons that align in this world, which is necessary for Carim to use her gift once a year, I have decided that her gift would best work under full moon conditions. But to limit her power becoming overused or too powerful, I have decided it will happen only when there is a lunar eclipse, something that tends to happen a few times a year. Carim refers to the lunar eclipse as the night of the 'no moon.'
For those of you unfamiliar with the non-English words, I have translated them below.
Kisama = You (usually used to show the speaker's extreme hostility / outrage towards the addressee)
Keigo = Body Guard
Wolkenritter = Cloud Knights (German)
Giganthammer = Gigant Hammer (German)
For an explanation of Japanese honorifics (eg. [name]-sama), please check out: http:/en[dot]wikipedia[dot]org/wiki/Japanese_honorifics