Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Kodansha USA in the United States, NOT by me.
Other characters are also the property of their respective creators and owners, not me.
Some characters created by kafka'sdragon for his 'Markham Chronicles Negima' story are used here with his permission. Kafka'sdragon often contributes ideas, paragraphs, or entire sections of a chapter, and such help is much appreciated.
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"Today I'm going to speak about the concepts of 'Equivalent Exchange' as they relate to the use of magic..."
-Professor Elrick Edward, Tantalus Magorum
Mage War
Chapter Thirty-four: Let's Fight Again Someday!
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(Summit of Mount Fuji, Japan, late February, 2022)
Immunity to such things as extremes of cold and heat was a useful benefit of being a Count-class; or as some might say; a 'Royalty-class' demon…
Sitting on one of the many volcanic snow-covered stones atop Mt. Fuji; Count Wilhelm von Herrmann gazed calmly up at the stars shining high above…
Oh; they weren't really that much different on the Mundus Demonicus; but it was only possible to see them so clearly here on the Mundus Vertus… Or if he cared to visit the place; the Mundus Magicus…
If what he wanted to do succeeded; his kind might not be able to travel as freely as they once did between the three worlds of this star system; but they would at least no longer be forced to do so…
A great deal of fighting had occurred on the three worlds over the idea of slavery…
…for the most part such things had been settled; though there were still minor conflicts…
One world had mostly rejected slavery; the other had adopted slightly different, lesser forms of the pure concept.
What two of the worlds held in common though was a complete disregard for the feelings of those from the third world. People on both the Mundus Vertus and the Mundus Magicus held no compunction against forcibly summoning people from the Mundus Demonicus; and then using those they summoned to do their dirty work.
His greatest desire was to put a stop to that…
Of course there were those who might have agreed with him; might have even helped him; but who had their own reasons for choosing not to do so…
As one such approached up the last of the trail to the summit of Mt. Fuji; Wilhelm stood so as to greet his guest properly…
…seeing an item newcomer held; Wilhelm smiled slightly with satisfaction before executing a courtly bow; "Welcome; Negi Springfield. After the unmistakable proving of your manhood with Miss Okochi; I most certainly can no longer call you 'Young Negi.'"
Trying hard not to let emotions get the better of him, Negi shifted his mage staff into a more prepared position. Before he could say anything; spell or otherwise; he was interrupted as Wilhelm stood back up; a deadly serious look on his face…
"Negi; 'of my own volition;' I have NEVER harmed the innocent; and I don't intend to start now."
Following a moment's hesitation, Negi relaxed and rose into a less-confrontational stance. "Have you summoned me here for polite conversation then? To joke about the cure you wrote of? If you've never harmed innocents on your own; what about the reason you summoned me here?"
Wagging a finger as he did so, Wilhelm began shifting his position slightly. "Of course not; I simply wish to negotiate in the manner of gentlemen, and as far as why I summoned you here; that was not I; otherwise there would be no cure to speak of… Quite a shame really; those who cannot achieve perfection with that particular spell like I have."
Halting when he was silhouetted by the moon, Wilhelm extended a finger towards Negi's mage staff, "I don't suppose you'd hand that over to me; would you? I think it a small price to pay."
The moon and the sun were not normally the same in a fight; but Wilhelm was more of the night than the day; so Negi shifted off of being directly in line with both. "Are you serious…? Why would I give away something so important to me…?!"
A disappointed look on his face, Wilhelm shrugged and sidestepped twice. "Not even a sliver of the wood then?"
On the verge of moving himself, Negi glanced down and noticed several flytrap spells. All the obvious next moves were also 'mined,' so he simply flexed his knees and leapt into the air with the aid of the staff. As if he expected that, Wilhelm was unsurprised to suddenly find someone standing face to face with him. "So; 'Gentlemen' sew magical mines before they negotiate?"
So close; it was easy for Wilhelm to snatch up Negi's left arm before sliding the sleeve towards the elbow, "Do 'Gentlemen' load up on pre-cast spells before they negotiate?"
As his arm was released, Negi slid the sleeve back over the markers for the spells he'd prepped and stored on his forearm. "Touché…"
Turning, Wilhelm walked over towards the western lip of the summit. "I'll tell you what Negi; let us proceed to someplace different for further 'negotiation.' I propose the forest down at the north-western base of this mountain. It should be quite suitable for our purposes. In case it worries you; after I leave all my traps will dissipate; so no need to be concerned anyone might come up here and be harmed later."
In an instant Wilhelm was gone… Leaping onto his staff, Negi followed down the side of Mt. Fuji like a rocket on reentry… In a seeming instant he was swallowed up it the pitch-blackness of the forest that had been pointed out from the summit.
Considered haunted by the many sprits of those either abandoned to die in its depths; or choosing to end their lives there since the lava field it developed on was formed by Mt. Fuji's eruption in the 800's; Aokigahara Forest was quite the appropriate place for a magical battle involving a demon…
Executing a barrel roll before pulling up as if reigning in a horse, Negi just avoided a physical slash at his face by Wilhelm's demon-form claws…. Just a thought was all it took to send a barrage of sagita off in his attacker's wake, causing the demon to fade back into the darkness…
"Excellent Negi…! Excellent; it's obvious considering everything else you've been involved with that you haven't neglected your magical studies."
With the voice seeming to come from all around, Negi mentally rolled an eight-sided dice and shot off in the indicated direction… That he wasn't immediately attacked confirmed that it was a correct choice. A second thought scattered a flutter of dark-colored ofuda papers in his wake. Taking a clue about using such things from both Konoka Konoe and Haruna Saotome; he had over the years meticulously prepared dozens of magical tags. Stored as a matter of convenience in a hammerspace spell inked onto his arm, the tags quickly formed into dark-furred stoats which ran off and disappeared in the darkness…
Having missed with his first attempt to secure what he wanted; Wilhelm now patiently moved in a random pattern through the closely spaced trees of the forest. That Negi had not sought him out over Dewin Ilan as he grew older likely meant he had matured beyond his childhood feelings about that incident; though responding to the summons to Mt. Fuji meant he would still grasp at any straw which promised a cure for those who had recently been moved to the village for safekeeping. Obviously the young man understood the differences in the spells which had been used…
Rustling in the leaves near his floating feet caused Wilhelm to look down for a moment, but there didn't seem to be anything there… Feeling a 'twang' on one of the sensor threads he'd been spreading as he moved, he turned and rushed off in that direction…
As much as he'd chosen this place partly to disrupt Negi's vaunted ability with the shundo instant-move technique with the closely spaced trees; Wilhelm rounded one and found himself on top of the young man without the time to use his prepared move… A normal magic-boosted punch thrown instead sent Negi flying; but didn't feel as if it connected solidly…
Even with the warning he'd had; Negi still felt his nose break under the barely turned-aside force of Wilhelm's blow. A desperation dodge nearly wrapped him around a tree, but he still managed to disappear back into the darkness. As much as it might prove a disadvantage in the long run; he reached up and sealed his bleeding nose with a local stasis spell.
Executing a ninety-degree turn he went around a large tree, then began working to draw Wilhelm back across the field of ofuda ermines.
As disappointing as it was, Wilhelm came to the end of the faint trail of blood. Whatever he'd managed to do to Negi, the mage had wisely made the effort to staunch the wound. Switching his concentration back to the sensor threads; he realized some were shorter than they should have been…
Just as he was about to try and find out what was happening a barrage of sagita lit up the forest like a huge fan of lighting…
Wilhelm stepped into Negi's attack and easily defended against it.
In the eerie shadows cast by the light of the bursting sagita, he thought he saw someone sitting against a nearby tree, watching what was going on… The last flash revealed it to be a corpse; the leftover husk of a human whose presence was nothing more complicated than their being another addition to Aokigahara's gruesome body count.
A brief, unexpected hesitation in Wilhelm's pursuit after the Sagita attack caught Negi off guard… Turning and expecting to find the Count close on his heels; he blinked in surprise and nearly ran into a tree; doing that though unknowingly saved him from tripping another of the sensor threads he'd so far failed to notice…
Hearing a shout made Wilhelm think Negi had hit a tree, but not feeling the human mage cross one of the sensor threads was completely unexpected…
Turning and magically reaching out for some clue; he was suddenly confronted by a pair of closely-spaced glowing eyes... obviously belonging to some forest creature; he ignored the thought which suddenly tickled his mind when Negi appeared and unleashed a miniaturized Lightning Axe spell. Defending against the attack burned off his leather coat up to the shoulder, and gave him reason to smile wildly… "THAT'S THE SPIRIT NEGI! GIVE ME EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT! DON'T HOLD BACK LIKE YOU DID AT MAHORA!"
On the verge of following through with his attack, Negi had a sudden sense of danger and lashed out with a hand-block that just turned aside an attack by the pointed tip of Wilhelm's demon-form tail… After wiping at and looking at the blood on the back of his hand dripping from a new facial cut caused by the attack; he gave Herman a look of approval. "Nice move… Hopefully you wouldn't use something so ungentlemanly as poison?"
Quickly withdrawn, Wilhelm's tail was reabsorbed into his human form. "Maybe against someone else, Negi; but this is a battle between men. Traps and snares are perfectly permissible of course; but poison would be cheating."
Wilhelm chose that moment to shrug and seemingly relax; however it would be foolish to fall for such an obvious baited trap. In all likelihood; the Count was using the break to remotely reestablish the sensor threads Negi was beginning to suspect were the cause of his being so easily tracked before each of the demon's attacks… quite fair of course, since he was using the ofuda ermines to the same purpose. "Since you don't seem to hold a grudge against me, Count; what's the point of all this anyway?"
As a thread he'd just repaired suddenly broke again, a tick formed at the corner of one of Wilhelm's eyes. He was beginning to suspect what was going on, but the answer still eluded him for the moment. "Just a fight between men, as I said… You don't approve? Think of it then as a last chance for revenge for Dewin Ilan; even though it seems you no longer hold a grudge over that."
Such a truthful comment was cause for Negi to shrug. "I've learned there are more important things than revenge…" hearing such words spoken aloud suddenly made Negi look at Wilhelm in a different light… "…but of course I'll still fight if it means the chance to help my friends."
Nearly ready to go once more, Wilhelm slowly began tensing up to attack. "How about the Princess…? Did the two of you ever get together?"
Not missing what was happening; Negi still reached up and put a hand behind his neck in a gesture of embarrassment, "Asuna…? I think she was my first crush; and I trust her more than anyone else; but now I don't believe there was ever really anything romantic there."
Genuinely surprised, Wilhelm let out a hearty laugh, "Oh…! That's rich… Perhaps she realized even back when you first met what a randy goat you were…?"
Another attack was imminent; it was easy to sense that much; but considering the Italian gambler and womanizer he had found out might possibly be an ancestor; Negi couldn't disagree with what had been said. "Unfortunately that might just be the case…"
Like a clap of thunder; the tree Wilhelm hit instead of the dodging Negi exploded in a shower of wooden splinters. He followed up with a barrage of dark sagita; easily blocked by lightning sagita.
One last flash again revealed to Wilhelm the form of a small animal; and in that instant he understood what was bothering him… ("There are no animals native to this forest…") …that realization made him smile slightly, and gave him the final piece of the puzzle he needed to implement his endgame…
Unlike before, Wilhelm began to stand his ground; waiting to receive attacks instead of chasing down his opponent to deliver them. That seemed a bit out of character; but it was also an effective strategy… Not spending energy on movement meant that much more for defense…
Negi hadn't originally intended to use the attack he began to prepare; but considering Wilhelm's defensive posture; there might not be any other choice…
Sensing the buildup of energy, Wilhelm smiled and let his tail come out once more, but kept it concealed beneath what was left of his cloak.
Wilhelm standing relatively still had let Negi gather the ofuda ermines; when he was ready to launch his attack; he set them loose…
Out of the concealment of the dark forest and the detritus scattered about on its floor; Wilhelm was startled by the appearance of dozens of dark-colored ermines. The creatures swarmed up his body and began biting and scratching with all their might. Individually it might not be much; but he had heard once that a swarm of vampire bats could fell a wildebeest or even an elephant if they drained it of enough blood…
Just as he knocked away an ermine that even had the temerity to bite him on the nose; Wilhelm looked up and saw his potential end streaking down out of the forest canopy… "NEEGGIIII…!"
Multiple-effect magical lances were released in the moments before Negi activated the main lance, centered on his mage-staff.
Designed to cancel out the power and defenses of even the strongest demon: some of the lances were deflected at the last moment by Wilhelm physically or magically; but by design it was impossible to stop them all… Smashed to the ground; the Count had an extremely satisfied look on his face as both the potential severance of his corporeal connection to any world and death looked him in the face…
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(London, Heathrow International Airport)
As the terminal at Heathrow appeared in the window of her taxiing aircraft; Ku Fei recalled a conversation from long ago...
Dressed in a long cloak that covered whatever else she might be wearing, Chao Lingshen was smiling in her usual manner, "Ku... you're kind of dumb, but you're honest and loyal."
Almost, but not quiet, the comment nearly went over Ku's head, "What?"
Unworried, Chao continued to smile, "I want to thank you for being my friend for the last two years."
Giving an annoyed huff, Ku glared at Chao, "You call me dumb all of sudden?"
Now Chao gave a shrug and her expression became melancholy, "Not really; just making a general comment… I was going to leave without saying anything, but I think I will anyway..."
Suddenly curious, Ku waited for Chao to speak;
Now Chao's expression became serious, "There will be a time Negi will do something stupid; and you'll need to go to Wales to stop him."
("Whales…? What…?")"I go to ocean?"
Despite Ku's earlier comment about being called 'dumb,' Chao had to grin internally. The 'ocean' comment was kind of dumb, but she knew Ku would figure things out when the time came… "I can't say anything else; just that it's important you stop him... As long as you remember that; everything will be fine..."
Steam seemed to rise from Ku's head for a moment until she finally shrugged and clenched her hands with determination, "Not sure what you mean; but I will remember!"
Turning to leave, Chao hesitated for a moment before looking back at Ku; "Actually; there's one more thing I'd like to tell you..."
Chao's 'One more thing' had been that she was leaving Mahora... Ku had blabbed that out unthinkingly; but had managed to keep the other thing a secret for nearly twenty years...
Looking at the clock on the seat's entertainment system, Ku saw it was an hour local beyond the time designated for the meeting on Mt. Fuji by Wilhelm von Hermann. Unless Negi was now dead on the side of the mountain, he had likely defeated the demon, and would soon be on his way to Wales.
Before even leaving Tokyo for England and eventually Dewin Ilan in Wales; Ku had contacted Negi's grandfather Stephan Dilane with Satomi Hakase's assistance, and had provided a basic explanation about the situation. Though Dilane had retired and Nekane Springfield was now the Dean at Meldiana, the old mage had agreed to give all the help he possibly could…
Chao had once called her 'dumb;' compared to Negi she probably was, but that didn't mean he always acted in a manner equal to his intelligence…
The note the Count had left in Akira's hospital room promised a cure for several people who had been petrified and were currently in safekeeping at Dewin Ilan; however there was an unavoidable price that must be paid...
…Ku had come to Wales to make sure Negi never paid that price...
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(Aokigahara Forest, base of Mt. Fuji)
Having been smashed to the ground by Negi's spell; Wilhelm von Herman was in incredible pain, but as splinters of wood and disturbed leaves settled to the ground around him; he wore a contented expression on his face… "Excellent Negi… I knew I could get you to show me the spell you nearly killed yourself to learn…"
Wilhelm's body was pinned to the ground by numerous spell-lances, but the main lance had been diverted at the last moment and stabbed into the ground inches from his head; close enough that several locks of his human-form hair had been severed… "I had to use it… otherwise this would have gone on so long people might have started wondering what was happening… I expect you also knew I wouldn't kill you; if I had, I might not have been able to get that cure you promised."
After a single nod, a glow started in the only pocket of Wilhelm's clothes that was still intact. As Negi stood up and the main lance of his spell dissipated, a small amber-colored stone came out of the pocket and floated up to eye level. "There you go; go to Dewin Ilan and crush that in your hand. Those you seek to help will be healed. Beware though of what the price will be…"
Reaching out, Negi took the stone and stared at it for a bit, then turned to look down at Wilhelm. "This reminds me of the stories about Philosopher Stones. Does that have something to do with the price you speak of?"
After a single wracking cough, Wilhelm nodded. "Exactly right; it isn't a cure requiring an equivalent exchange, but it will require an exchange. I'm sure you understand what I mean."
With a wave of his hand Negi dissolved the remaining spell lances before turning and departing without another word.
As badly wounded as he was, almost an entire day passed before Wilhelm could even think to roll over and try to stand. He could sense local humans in the distance, coming to investigate the bizarre flashes they'd likely seen in the forest the night before; but he would be gone before their presence ever became an issue.
Finally rising to his feet, he went over and bent down to pick up the severed tip of his demon-form tail.
Cutting off the energy he'd been feeding the appendage to keep it from dissolving, he watched it fade in a puff of brimstone smoke and caught the small sliver of wood which appeared in its place. As expected Negi had blocked the tail's attack with his staff; severing the end with the raw strength of his magic… and unknowingly allowing the real purpose of the attack to take place…
Instead of a splinter from the rough-hewn but usage-smoothed mage staff Negi had inherited from his father; Wilhelm held a sliver of extremely dense ofuda tree heartwood that was lacquered and brightly polished on one side. Taking a small cloth-lined box out of the same pocket Negi's stone had been in; he carefully stored the sliver inside before returning the box to the pocket.
With a snap of his fingers, Wilhelm restored his human-form clothes before going over to retrieve the matching black leather hat from where it lay on the ground.
After settling the hat in place, he glanced down at his shortened tail before letting it be reabsorbed back into his human-form body…
"Man; that really hurts…"
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(REI Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, Beanstalk Space Elevator Groundside Business Complex)
Muzak poured out of the elevator's speakers as it continued to descend. Chisame Hasegawa, Robotic Evolutions Incorporated's vice-president in charge of marketing, grimaced as she wondered why a multi-national company worth millions couldn't afford something better than old TV show tunes. Reaching the bottom floor, the doors opened and the thirty-something corporate officer stepped out, thankful to have escaped another rendition of the Kamen Rider theme song.
Purposefully, she advanced on the white coated figure seated at a work bench in the otherwise uninhabited research lab. "I thought you'd be down here," Chisame remarked in an annoyed tone as she held out the most recent letter she'd been given by Kurt Gödel for Satomi. "It's so dark; don't you feel like a mole?"
Spinning the chair about, Satomi Hakase saw the letter and snatched it out of its holder's hand. After what was initially just a business meeting in New Ostia nearly ten years ago, she and the Governor General had taken a surprising liking to each other. After opening and reading through it once, she glanced up briefly before reading through it again. "I like it down here, what brings you to my sanctum sanctorum?"
Such a proclamation by REI's president and chief "mad scientist' wasn't the least bit surprising. "The annual board of directors meeting was going on," Chisame answered, "and we were wondering if you'd grace us with your presence."
"We are supposed to discuss the purchase of Trinity Motors Corporation, as well as details about the progress towards completion of our company's modules for the Mars mission spacecraft," she reminded her friend.
Finally setting the letter aside and then tapping forefinger to chin, the still pig-tailed after nearly twenty years executive gazed at her. "That was today?" Hakase asked and then continued with, "I completely forgot about it."
"Why am I not surprised…" Chisame muttered under her breath. In a louder voice she asked, "So what's more important than the things I mentioned?"
"I was researching for the EVA project," Hakase answered. She noticed a puzzled expression cross her companion's face, she continued, "The project related to the Maru's ability to function as surrogate mothers; I was cross referencing potential genetic donors and…"
"And what…?"
"Let me show you," Hakase said and then turned back to the papers strewn across the tabletop. Reluctantly, Chisame walked forward so she could stand and look over the other woman's shoulder. "I was checking myself as a suitable donor with Negi Springfield."
"So," Chisame responded as she glanced at the reams of data.
"So, we're too close genetically to be viable donors."
"Say that again."
"Negi's and my genetics are so close that we could be related within a generation or two of each other," Hakase explained.
"How could that happen?" Chisame asked aloud. "You don't suppose his father was sowing some wild oats do you?"
"Not impossible," Hakase replied. "But in checking other acquaintances of ours I found that Ku Fei and I also share a similar match, one she doesn't share with Negi."
Now it was Chisame's turn to wear a shocked look. "That doesn't make any sense."
"You're telling me," Hakase said. "I'll have to figure it out later, but in the mean time I need to find a suitable pair of donors."
"You know …" she said with a sly grin, "you and Negi are compatible."
"Oh! No way in Hell!" Chisame vehemently exclaimed. "No way are you going to mix my genetic material with that little gigolo's!"
"It's not like you have to do the deed with him," Hakase told her. "We'll mix it in a test tube."
"No!" she flatly declared.
"Oh come on, this is for Chachamaru; she's already volunteered for the first practical experiment," the other coaxed. "I know your husband won't object."
"I don't care whether that big lummox would object or not!" she responded. "It's not his decision! Keep this up and I will ruin your life!"
"Okay. Okay," Hakase relented. "Have it your way."
Picking up another folder, the scientist opened it and glanced inside. "I wonder if Madoka-san would be any easier to convince."
"You're not thinking of using her as a donor are you?" Chisame asked.
"No. I was hoping she'd talk to her husband about being a donor in Negi's place," Hakase answered. "Chachamaru always did have a soft spot for Professor Markham."
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(Dewin Ilan, Wales, England)
"I don't care about what's going to happen to me Grandfather! I'm going to help my friends because I failed to do so before, and that's that…!"
Activating his passkey spell and opening the door to the basement where those who had been attacked by an Eternal Petrification spell were placed for safekeeping; Negi led the way down the stairs with his grandfather Stephan Dilane close behind, "…besides; I'm not the weakling I was all those years ago when Dewin Ilan was originally attacked; and I'm definitely stronger than that time that shall not be mentioned; I've refined my Magea Erebea; so there's a chance I'll be able to resist the side-effects of the reversal spell despite how strong they may be."
Painfully aware of the incident of which Negi spoke, Stephan thought about arguing seriously one last time for his grandson to not proceed, but in the end, relaxed and gave up… the boy was as determined; and foolish; as his father Nagi had always been… "Negi; I'll give you one last chance to not do this. Let me have that stone; let me try to figure out some way to use it without incurring the price it may demand of you…"
"No."
For a moment, Stephan held Negi's gaze, then nodded and stepped back. "Very well then…"
The last thing Negi saw as he started turning back around was a flash of dark skin and blonde hair belonging to someone he hadn't realized with any magical or physical sense was even present…
With a shocked expulsion of breath, Negi folded over the fist Ku had planted in the center of the breadbasket of his chest. Rendered completely unconscious by the force of the punch, he went limp and dropped the stone he held, which bounced and clattered briefly across the floor. "Idiot… Why you constantly revert to only doing dangerous thing by yourself… That one habit you still not grow out of…"
As Ku Fei went over and carefully placed Negi next to the stairs leading to the surface, Stephan held out his mage staff. Like a loyal puppy, the stone Negi had dropped jumped from the floor and came to rest in his unoccupied hand. Turning to leave he found the Chinese woman standing there with her hand out. "Are you sure about this Ms. Fei?"
After a quick glance back at Negi, Ku pointed towards several of the petrified persons. "They have person waiting for them; or important task waiting. Me…? I just wandering martial artist with no firm future… I already leave letter for my family, so no worry there…"
Despite her words, Stephan could see now that Ku's hand was shaking…
"…besides; If I don't stop stupid Negi permanently; I'm sure he try again; and… and I break promise to old friend as well If I don't…
Following a small nod, Stephan gently lofted the stone into Ku's hand. "You're right about Negi; even if I sealed that stone behind my strongest wards; it would only motivate him to attempt to break them. The only way to stop him from trying is to use that thing up…" even though he'd only touched it briefly, it was easy to discern how the stone was supposed to work, "…whenever you're ready, hold the stone out and crush it in your hand."
Nodding as she snatched the stone out of the air, Ku took a step forward, then suddenly turned and knelt next to Negi once more… Stephan politely turned away as she leaned in close for a kiss… ("I see you again someday soon Negi…")
After Ku finally stood back up, Stephan watched as she went over to the people that had been pointed out earlier. The stone Negi had received from Wilhelm von Hermann was then unhesitatingly held out and crushed in her fist…
With a flash; a series of complex spells he would certainly remember and pass on to Konoka Konoe activated; just as quickly those Negi had come to save were cured of their petrification, and the basement held a single new resident…
Knowing the spirit-forms of Stanley Seagrave and Deirdre Cocolova and the others from Dewin Ilan would take care of their new companion; Stephan set about removing all those who were still unconscious from the basement, as well as wondering exactly how he would explain to Negi why he had allowed what just happened to happen…
tsuzuku
Author's Notes:
Various events which seem unexplained actually are; either in kafka'sdragon's Markham Chronicles Negima; Ala Alba in the World of Magic, or Chao Lingshen: Coming Home. While of course I recommend reading those stories; rest assured what happened in this chapter will be made clear later on in Mage War.
Aokigahara Forest: (ref: wikipedia) In 864 Mt. Fuji erupted for ten days, creating widespread death and destruction. A part of the resultant lava flow and ejected ash was eventually covered by the approximately fourteen square mile area of the Aokigahara Forest.
Despite signs asking distraught persons to rethink what they might try to do; as well as (usually volunteer) patrols seeking to find persons who have not yet committed the act; the number of bodies recovered in an annual organized sweep for such often reaches into the low 100's.
Rolling an eight-sided die: Basically to choose between the four basic directions; North, South, East and West; and the four secondary directions; North-east, South-east, South-west, and North-west.
Next: Nothing earth-shattering...