Chapter Fifty-Three
Death Stalks Mahora
Clockwork chuckled as he dropped down from the rooftops. He could sense it now. Muse was dead, as was Maiden. Seeker was unlikely to bother him, and Chaplain seemed to be avoiding him. That made this all too easy.
He first detected the presence of his weaker quarry a minute ago, and had easily reached the position from where he would strike. He could see them far below, hurrying towards the World Tree in a group, confident they could deal with any threat. And being escorted, was a girl. Chisame Hasegawa. Bringing her here…sheer idocity. Clockwork's attuned senses could easily discern the babbling voices. He knew they were afraid, and hiding it well. They were worried, suspicious. The girl was angry, and did not want to be here. Yet she had to be, for her artifact had a limited range of locating the hacker…
So it was Seeker they were seeking? Just how ignorant were these people? Here he was, attempting the most daring and epic coup d'etat in the history of existence, and they were worrying about a hacker and some fires? Then again, they didn't know him…
Well, it wasn't that important anyway. If he had wanted recognition, he would've been Muse, not Clockwork. However, chance had come through for him. And he would do his best to exploit it. And for that, he needed life. The girl's life, to be more precise. He wondered if he could pull it off. It had been a time since his strength had been tested, and even longer for the unwilling Ezekyle. About three centuries in fact…
"Something's wrong," whispered Seruhiko. Gandolfini sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose violently.
"Something's always wrong. As if the fires and wreckage weren't enough of an indication…"
"No, seriously, look. Is it me, or are we losing color?"
Gandolfini glanced over his glasses, and frowned. Seruhiko was right. Color was leaking from his sight, turning everything into a bleak sepia tone. This was something new. "OK, I'll admit, I'm slightly worried now…"
"What could be doing this?" asked Negi nervously, glancing at the older mages.
"Never encountered its like. No trace of magic either," reported Gandolfini, glancing about. "Still, I suggest we stop here."
"I'll second that," commented Seruhiko, looking around nervously. "Miss Hasegawa, activate your pactio now and-"
There was a stifled yell, all they ever heard. Spinning around, they managed to catch sight of Miss Hasegawa being enveloped by dark tendrils. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she stared at the teachers pleadingly. With a brutal suddenness, she was yanked upwards, away from the stunned teachers. They watched her flying upwards, coming to a stop above…
"Luke?!" exclaimed Negi, staring at the youth in shock.
"Ah, you must be Professor Springfield. A pleasure to encounter you at last," replied the boy, exactly like Negi remembered seeing him last. Well, except the massive black tentacles erupting from his back which were currently holding Chisame hostage.
"What are you doing?!" demanded Gandolfini, his guns appearing in a flash.
Luke smirked at them. "I don't need to explain myself to the likes of you. All you need to know is, the time you have known is at an end. Today, I free us all."
"Luke…what are you?" queried Negi, his eyes wide as he regarded the tendrils of blackness stemming from Luke's back.
"First of all kid, my name is Clockwork. Second of all, I am what I am. And before you ask, I know what I'm doing, but don't expect me to ruin the surprise."
"What are you doing with my student?!" demanded Negi, gripping his staff tightly.
The boy calling himself Clockwork sighed. "Never one to think things through. Figures. You're still impetuous at this age. I would've thought your experiences during the Mahorafest would have taught you something. As for what I'm going to do to your student, Miss Hasegawa is about to be crowned."
"What?" asked Seruhiko, confused. Next to him, Gandolfini was already muttering a swift incantation.
"She is a rare thing, and I will reward her. She has been chosen for a great honor," said Clockwork with a grin, rearing the tentacles back, drawing Chisame closer. "I am going to make her a martyr of my cause."
The teachers could only stare in horror.
Clockworks vile laugh echoed around them as Chisame Hasegawa simply…dissolved into sand. The particles stayed floating in the air, before scattering away and flowing into the boy, briefly forming a demonic outline about him. It was seven foot tall, armored, and bore antique helm decorated with horns twisted into an infinity symbol. Time seemed to have frozen for a moment. The creature laughed at them before vanishing in a swirling cloud of dust, its words the only mark of its passage.
"So much for your defense."
The teachers were still frozen in shock at what had just occurred, Negi gaping at the space where his student…his partner…someone who had been with him through so much, despite her protests…someone he had sworn to protect…vanished. Abducted by some demon no one had sensed. Seruhiko was unable to speak in horror, and Gandolfini was rigid.
They had just failed in their duty as mages. And as teachers.
Clockwork laughed at their dumbstruck horror, before clicking his fingers and vanishing.
Leaning against the tree, Darkside hummed to himself some ancient tune, his mind running over the lessons he had had before his promotion, trying to remember anything that could come in useful. Nothing in particular came to mind. And he couldn't use omniscience on his target either. Figures. He groaned quietly as he tried to think of something to do whilst he waited for his quarry. He was bound to come to the World Tree eventually, of that he was sure. But if he could take care of him sooner, it would be just plain better. He really wasn't suited to field work, he was more of a weaver, one of the tellers of tales. Not a character in one. Why couldn't they have sent someone else?
Fate. Simple as, he reminded himself grimly. He was fated to do this assignment, and anything else the Mistress came up with, until the end of time.
Kaede finally stopped her sprint, right back where she had begun, at the World Tree plaza. She frowned slightly. This whole evening was becoming too surreal. First, Luke's disappearance. Then the attacks. Then Izashima's confession. Then fighting that strange cyber-warrior. And still nothing. Luke had vanished from Mahora. Even her shadow copies hadn't managed to locate him. In her mind, it seemed more and more as if all the incidents were linked somehow. Only one emotion was left to her now. Anger at being exploited.
She gazed at the World Tree, remembering how much of this was caused by its existence. Not only Chao's plan, but now this too. She knew of Luke's note, though he surely wasn't aware of that. He was the root of all this, and he would have to answer for it. Mahora was even now being consumed by devastation, and nothing could be done to stop it. Fires were raging out of control and-
"Excuse me," coughed a voice politely.
She turned, kunais appearing in her hand, barely catching a glimpse of the speaker. She saw black horns and armor, and knew what to do. The daggers flew through the air and embedded themselves in the being's chest.
Clockwork looked down, surprised. "Well, that's one hell of an unfriendly greeting."
Kaede's eyes widened slightly as he casually reached up and yanked the throwing knives out of his chest, throwing them aside. Clockwork grinned as he saw Miss Nagase's eyes narrow once more into slits, cold and furious. When she spoke, he could detect a note of hurt in her voice. Or was it disappointment? Whatever it was, it was almost blanketed out by the feeling of surprise and anger. This was almost too perfect. Giving into one's emotions was the quickest way to perish on the battlefield.
Of course, he could always humor her…nothing wrong with messing with an opponent's mind, or letting them appreciate your brilliance in tactical planning.
"Who are you, de gozaru?" she asked, almost in a whisper, glaring at him.
"Ah yes. Finally some courtesy! My name, my lady, is Clockwork, Master Corsair. At your service," he finished with a bow and a smirk. The kunoichi simply stared at him disapprovingly.
"And Luke?"
"A name I went by once. Nothing more. Call him a…dream, if you will."
"So it was an act?"
"Well, you could say that…"
"Thank you, de gozaru," she said simply, drawing her shuriken and launching herself at the enemy.
Clockwork sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. "Always with the violence. Fine go ahead and make my job easier for me."
