Got some free time this morning, so here's a new chapter! ;-)

Neptunia Guild Files: Fate/book one

A Hyperdimension Neptunia Fan Fiction

by Derald Snyder

Section 26: Rescuing Jeanne

"More wyverns! Run!" Tamamo cried, combining her ice and fire magic to create a fog that would hopefully blind the winged reptiles.

"I don't think that's going to work for long!" Nero grunted as she followed her friend. Sure enough, the wyverns simply flapped their wings to dissipate the fog, before reengaging the chase!

"In here!" Tamamo pointed to a nearby building with a single door. Thankfully it wasn't locked, allowing the two to quickly slip inside! One wyvern tried to follow, but it's body was too big, only able to poke it's head through the door! Nero swiftly took advantage of this, stabbing through the roof of the fiend's mouth and piercing it's brain cavity! Fortunately the other two wyverns weren't smart enough to learn from their brethren's mistake, allowing Nero to dispatch them in the same manner. "Phew, too close, mikon..."

"Just how many more of these winged fiends will we have to deal with?" Nero complained as she sheathed her sword.

"It might be a sign we're getting close," Tamamo pointed out as they exited the building, closing the door behind them. Closing her eyes, she focused her senses... "Ah! This way, Nero!" They jogged down the street, turning into an alley and eventually ending up at another door, which was locked tight.

"Is Jeanne in there?" Nero inquired.

"Well, I'm sensing a really strong magic signature beyond here... though it feels like it's way inside," Tamamo explained. "But I'm also sensing another, weaker signature in there..."

"Gilles?" Nero guessed.

"Could be."

"But I thought he was looking for that cursed sword?"

"Maybe he came back to check on his captive, mikon," Tamamo pointed out. "Alright, I'll freeze the lock, and you kick it open. And don't ignite your flame sword unless you have to. We might be able to catch him off guard if he thinks it's a normal sword, mikon..."

"I understand," Nero nodded, watching as her friend placed a hand on the deadbolt lock, coating it in a layer of ice... "Alright, here I go!" She kicked at the door, but it did not give. Nero then resorted to bashing the lock with the hilt of her sword, eventally busting it open. "Phew, we're in! It's nowhere near as easy as it looks on television..."

"Don't believe what you see on the screen," Tamamo deadpanned. "Well, let's go..." The two slowly crept inside, proceeding down a narrow hallway. Checking a door on the right side, Tamamo shook her head. "Booby-trapped. Let's try another one..." They crept further down to another door... "Okay, this one's just locked, mikon." So she again froze the deadbolt, Nero breaking it open like she did before, the duo quickly entering...

"Well, well, color me impressed," a high-pitched male voice spoke from the darkness. "Seeing through my trap so easily... not to mention the wyverns you had to deal with on the way here." A man emerged from the darkness into plain view, wearing dark robes with a red and black striped collar, and holding a glowing tome in one hand. He had slicked-back black hair, gray skin, and his black eyes looked as if they would bug out of his skull at any moment. "I applaud you, rookies from the Guild..."

"You must be Gilles!" Nero accused.

"I am indeed, Gilles de Rais!" the sorcerer confirmed. "The one who shall bring judgement upon all pro-gamer supremacists!"

"Not all gamers are like the ones that burned your hometown, mikon!" Tamamo protested. "I don't play video games either, but it's stupid to hate those who do!"

"SILENCE!" Gilles boomed. "You were not there! You cannot in any way equivocate with what Jeanne and I suffered! Had it not been for her magical gifts, she and I would have been ashes with the rest, even though we did no wrong! But now, with the power I have achieved, I shall finally make them suffer as we suffered! It is righteous retribution!"

"It is naught but petty vengeance!" Nero countered. "That dark tome you hold is messing with your head! You must cast it aside!"

"It can mess with my head all it likes, as long as I achieve my goals!" Gilles cried. "And now, you shall experience its power firsthand!" With that, he opened the tome, materializing dark creatures with spiked tentacles! "Devour these fools!"

"Oh no, you don't!" Nero cried as she easily cut one in half with her sword. Tamamo managed to freeze one solid, then break it to pieces with a swift kick! A few more tried to jump on her, but she used wind magic to knock them away!

"It is futile! No matter how many you destroy, I can summon many more!" Gilles proclaimed.

"Then we shall destroy you!" Nero exclaimed, her sword igniting, slashing and sending a fire wave directly at the evil caster!

"Gahhhhh!" Gilles screamed as he was engulfed in flames! "A flame sword?! Curses!" He focused dark magic on himself to smother the flames, only to get the wind knocked out of him by a double-footed drop kick courtesy of Tamamo! "Guh-! No...! I cannot fall here! Not yet!" He promptly vanished in a flash of light, leaving Nero and Tamamo to easily dispatch the creatures that were left behind.

"That was easier than I thought... Oh!" Nero gasped as the darkness in the room suddenly lifted, revealing a woman with braided blond hair tied up at the far end! "Look! She has an intricate tattoo on her back! Could it be...?" She and Tamamo promptly ran up to the restrained woman.

"Are you Jeanne, mikon?" Tamamo asked, getting an 'Mm-hmm!' in response as the woman turned over, revealing that her mouth was gagged with duct tape! Nero grabbed at one corner, pulling it off...

"Mmmmmyyyyooowww!"

"Oh dear, my apologies," Nero grimaced.

"...is okay," Jeanne gasped in relief, blinked as her eyes focused on the blonde. "...Artoria? No, you're..."

"Nero Claudius, codename Red Saber! We have come on Saber's behalf to rescue you!" Nero proclaimed.

"We're the new recruits she was talking about, mikon," Tamamo added.

"New recruits...?" Jeanne said in confusion, doing a brief double-take upon seeing Tamamo's fox ears. "A-a kitsune?!"

"Don't worry, she's one of the good ones," Nero assured her, drawing a miffed look from her friend. "Anyway, if you're wondering where Saber is, she and the others went with your cousin Joan..."

"Cousin?!" Jeanne sat up in shock. "I don't have a cousin! My entire family perished in the fire that claimed my hometown!"

"WHAT?!" the two cried in shock.

"Th-then, who's that Joan character?!" Tamamo cried.

"It must me that evil clone of me that Gilles created!" came the response.

"Evil clone?!" Nero gasped, she and Tamamo exchanging a glance in horrified realization. "It's a trap! She's luring them right into Gilles' clutches!"

"Did they say where they were going?!" Jeanne asked frantically.

"Something about finding your La Pucelle sword, mikon..."

"La Pucelle?! No!" Jeanne cried in dismay. "If she gets her hands on that... quickly, untie me! We no time to waste!"

"Understood!" Nero agreed, using her sword to start cutting Jeanne's binds...

*To be continued...*

It's a race against time! Will Jeanne and the others be able to catch up and stop Joan's wicked scheme? Or will Saber and co. perish at the hands of La Pucelle?! Find out next time!