Boyzilla: Hakuno(f) is my favorite Master so I already have a clear inclination for any Master-Servant duo including Hakuno... As for Tamamo, she's just... funny, sexy, endearing... and so dangerous, selfish... the mixture has made her irresistible. So Hakuno + super-kitsune, it's really fun writing their interactions.
Ah, obviously you misunderstand something (the fault to the technobabble of chapter 24, I guess).
*coughs in his fist and takes a teacher's voice* So the invitation Hakuno just received was not sent by someone who wants to destroy the big cannon... but by its maker. Assad Babil (the lion of Babylon, in Arabian) works for neo-Babylon, as the name might imply! So, the cannon maker asked Hakuno to join him to fight Kimata. But there is little chance that our adorable Hakuno will collaborate with one of this story's villains... which does not mean that the meeting between Hakuno and the bad guy is not interesting (and that there is nothing to learn, of course).
Andy es -unfortunately- Hakuno faces the problem reduced to her own personal faculties. No photonic crystal supercomputer the size of a moon to help her. She will therefore have to triumph over the event on her own * sound of a slap*... ouch... Um... I mean with the help of a super-kitsune wise and beautiful, and powerful. So everything will be over quickly, and the two heroines to go to Copacabana for their honeymoon! *In low voice* (better?) (Niahh, tamamocertified Happy Ending!)
The Darkness' Rider
The super-stretch limousine had just stopped in one of the great avenues cutting out Big Apple. At this end of Manhattan dominated by a forest of skyscrapers surrounded by flying cars, the dark ravines extending to their feet saw the sun only at the zenith. The place was dark and cold, the snow was accumulating without being able to melt. Kuroe Yamada went out first and reached out to Hakuno Kishinami to help her down. As the driver turned on the limousine, Kuroe looked up at the skyscraper where Mister Ahmal had set up his offices.
"A man built his house to the measure of his ambitions," murmured the Japanese businessman.
Mister Yamada was tastefully dressed in a neutral color suit on a silk knit tie, a white shirt, and brown leather derbies. As for Hakuno, she wore a lilac angora sweater matching jeans and boots.
When they entered the offices of Mister Ahmal, secretaries and employees turned their eyes to the newcomers. In these large New York business offices we often saw Japanese businessmen... but the vision of this adorable teenager with big and liquid brown eyes and long straight hair milk chocolate color was... at the very least unusual. She was the one standing out among the splendid woodwork and paintings adorning the waiting room. In fact, Hakuno looked like a tropical butterfly in the middle of the ice.
For Mister Ahmal's employees, Hakuno's face was probably not very expressive. However, the teen girl's discomfort did not escape the invisible shadow that followed her step by step:
[Have no fear, you are the most beautiful, Goshujin-sama, and your humble wife tells you so. In fact, it is jealousy and lust that make everyone look at you! Pay attention to this Tamamo no Mae. She swears that if they do not soon look away, she will burn the building to its foundations.]
Of course, it started with a good intention, once again Casko wanted to protect her, but Hakuno hastened to calm her down. The problem with the kitsune was that she was very literal. When she said "burn to the foundations" she really meant to reduce the building to a fiery pile of ashes! With all the employees still inside!
The young Master was still speaking to her via the mental link when a voice was heard:
"Ah, mister Yamada! Good to see you again."
The Survivor of the Moon turned to watch Farouk Ahmal shake hands with the Japanese businessman. He then greeted Hakuno with more embarrassment:
"Uh... hello miss Kishinami... "
Not understanding the reason for the embarrassment of the Levantine businessman, Hakuno makes a head tilt.
Immediately the whole room seemed to hold its breath, except for a few young secretaries who began to speak to each other while giggling. As for Tamamo, she uttered an enamored meow:
[You are too cute when you do that! Why am I Astralized!? I would like to hug you and...]
But Hakuno was already not listening, used to Caster's insane rambling!
But the most amusing reaction was that of Ahmal.
The Levantine began to wring his hands as if they were embarrassing him and he did not know where to put them. Turning his eyes to Kuroe, he sought help that the Japanese refused. Deep down, this member of the resistance was too happy to embarrass one of the lackeys of the global plutocracy.
"Didn't you ask for Hakuno? Well, there she is!"
"Yes... yes, I understand. But does she have experience with this kind of transaction?"
Tamamo's mental voice responded with anger:
[She knows how to do everything. And even when she doesn't know, she learns fast. Give her three days and she will teach you your trade!]
—but of course, only Hakuno heard it and blushed slightly from the absolute faith that Caster placed on her.
Kuroe Yamada dismissed Ahmal's remark with a gesture of his hand:
"In any case, I know what Assad Babil wants".
He opened his briefcase and pulled out bundles of computer listings:
"Stamping machines; flow-forming machines; strapping machines; fiberglass plaiting machines and oleo-hydraulic presses."
Within a few seconds, the Lebanese merchant remained petrified with astonishment before regaining his grip and sending an admiring gaze to Kuroe:
"I don't know which intelligence service you have, but now I know why they say it's better to be your friends than your enemies."
Hakuno nodded in reaction. If there was one lesson she had learned from her stay in Seraph, it was that one could only survive with accurate information about one's enemies. A short stay in cyberspace allowed her to consult the newspaper archives... after all, as Chihiro Yamada explained to her 70% of "sensitive" information is already known to reporters. All the difficulty was getting access to the information held in protected computers... but Hakuno was a Spiritron Hacker and a Moon Cell Grail War veteran, no computer of human design could resist the young Master. Then she searches the archives and cross-checks the information. Normally, a long and tedious work... except for someone like Hakuno, after all, she had a certain talent for finding anomalies... and it was much easier to find information hidden in a mountain of useless data than to find a flaw in a Servant's attack scheme.
Cheerful, the fat man hastened to take his visitors into his office. Sitting on the other side of a huge minister's office, Farouk Ahmal appointed two leather chairs to his guests. Unpacking his briefcase with a carefree gesture, Kuroe Yamada displayed photos of various construction and assembly machines used in aeronautics in front of him while asking questions to Ahmal. The purpose of this diversion is to retain the attention of the Lebanese. The briefcase actually has a built-in recorder, triggered by its opening, this gadget now recorded the entire conversation.
"We believe your real customers would be the Nassr State Enterprise and the Saad Establishment, for their 144 and 1728 projects to upgrade their medium-range missiles."
"My only client is Assad Babil International, Mister Yamada. What our client wants to do with this equipment is out of my hands. But I want to make it clear right away that the machines you mentioned are not all that Mister al-Adouhi is asking for."
The conversation took a turn that did not bode well. After a brief moment of waiting, the Lebanese spoke again:
"You are resourceful, Mister Yamada. I know that you have surrounded yourself with marvelous technicians. My client would like you to supply him with two hundred inertial platforms, consisting of three high-precision gyroscopes used as accelerometers. This autonomous guidance system must be capable of being programmed on the ground according to the three rectangular directions of space and a given distance. Quotes will be specified later."
Tamamo's mental voice intervened, for once the kitsune was serious:
[Inertial platforms! A device like the one Farouk Ahmal is asking for coupled with modern calculators could make the "point by the estimate" to the nearest ten or thirty meters. Such an improvement would make the arsenal of missiles employed by Neo-Babylon from the status of "terror weapon" hardly capable of being used on targets smaller than cities, or possibly large targets like airports, to that of "precision weapon" used to hit a specific building (hospital, barracks, ministry, refinery, factory etc...)]
[How do you know all this?] Did Hakuno marvel.
[The Grail teaches Servants all their knowledge of the modern world. And since the Grail that called me is a technological monster... I'm discovering talents I didn't know I had for current technology.]
While the two girls were chatting, Kuroe Yamada continued to negotiate with Ahmal, asking for guarantees on the exchange terms. The terms were very usual, Ahmal would be their trusted man (or trustee). Nominally buying the equipment from Allied Industries, he will resell it to Saad al-Adouhi. Taking all the risks of the operation if the Office of Export Enforcement got involved, he asked for 5%.
Very honest indeed. The matter became complicated when Yamada asked for the method of payment.
"Thirty bars of gold, on a mark-to-market about sixteen million dollars. 5% for me, 5% for Saad al-Adouhi. But you will have to go to Lebanon to get them."
Yamada seemed surprised by the amount proposed. Through the Master-Servant link, Hakuno "heard" also an audible gasp from Tamamo. As she was concerned, Hakuno asked her what was wrong. The Kistune replied:
[Even though I'm not what you might call a 'talented economist', I do not estimate the equipment and transport at a cost of more than ten million (even taking into account the intervention of Allied Industries technicians). If we are offered such a price it is probably not unrelated to the embargo of the U.N. Still, Neo-Babylon proves to be extremely generous. Too much! They hide something...]
Farouk Ahmal and Kuroe Yamada had signed an initial contract and prepared a quote. Nevertheless, the most important was yet to come. Ahmal was a simple intermediary, a straw man, even though he was the client Allied Industries dealt with... officially.
A new appointment had been made for the next day. This time, it was not Ahmal they were going to meet, but Saad al-Adouhi. Nor was it the final recipient of aeronautical construction systems and aeronautic guiding systems commissioned to Allied Industries.
It was another intermediary, the real client could only be the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
However, Hakuno Kishinami was not particularly interested in all these political, technological, or military issues. She understood nothing of the complicated diplomacy of the states that still survived in the early twenty-second century.
The only question that tormented her was how Saad al-Adouhi was able to learn that she was a Master. The most obvious answer was that he was himself a Master. But it was also possible that he was just another figurehead manipulated by a Master.
Hakuno rolled back into the comfortable seat of the limousine caught in the traffic jams of New York.
She never thought that one day she would consider the stakes and the rules of the Moon Grail War as "simple", unfortunately... The Last Master of the Moon felt as if he was struggling in a swamp filled with fog. She was moving forward with difficulty, wandering without knowing where she was going. From time to time, she heard the sounds of fighting where she saw silhouettes behind the mists. But she never knew until we attacked her if it was about other Masters, Servants or a fight that had nothing to do with the Grail War.
As she reflected silently, the limo parked in front of the Plaza Hotel. A man in uniform opened the door and she found herself in the huge white hall decorated with Italian marble and statues.
Kuroe Yamada joined the counter:
"Have I received any messages?"
The employee glanced at a computer screen and then shook his head:
"No, Mr. Yamada, but two people came to see Miss Kishinami."
"Me?" surprised Hakuno." Who is it?"
"I don't know. Two colored people, a man, and a woman. They refused to leave a message but they say they'll be back tomorrow."
The employee seemed to think for a moment:
"If it helps, they didn't say their name but... The woman was called 'Master' by the man. And she called the man 'Lancer', maybe proper names or... a joke."
[Goshujin-sama, as always you are incredibly popular. But I saw you first] giggled Caster. [Your kitsune spouse is incredibly lucky, nyaah!]
The waiting room was covered with polychrome mosaics. Small rectangles of enamel formed a dazzling geometric fresco based on ferns that climbed on walls as supported by earthenware lions. Far from the benches surrounding the usual coffee table, a model reproduced the magnificence of Babylon in the time of Nebuchadnezzar II. The ramparts surrounded by high towers were enameled with blue and yellow frescoes decorated with figures of lions and bulls. Small signs written in English named the buildings: Northern palace; Southern palace; hanging gardens; Ishtar gate; Ishtar temple; ziggurat; processional way; Marduk temple...
"Do you like it?"
Focused on the model, Hakuno had not heard the man standing at the threshold of the corridor arrive. The teen girl looked at him without showing any emotion. His hair was frizzy with a thick beard, his skin was cracked, a wart on his cheek, he has an evil I don't know what in his eyes of ember. The man had a forced smile:
"You seem very interested in the model."
"Uh... yeah, a lot."
"It is based on the plans of the excavations carried out by the Germans from 1905 to 1914 (1). The ceramics on the walls are a reconstruction of those in the throne room of the Great Kings of Babylon."
"Thank you for your explanation, to whom do I have the honor?"
"Saad al-Adouhi."
Hakuno bowed politely while Kuroe Yamada and the Neo-Babylonian exchanged a quick handshake.
The trio went to the vast office and - to the great surprise of Hakuno- Tamamo no Mae materialized. Standing in front of her master, she held several ofuda in her hand. Her gaze was turned to Saad al-Adouhi. The kitsune was worried, furious, and defiant. Without turning around, she spoke to Hakuno:
"Master, this man is a Servant!"
The Neo-Babylonian spread his arms in an appeasing gesture:
"Calm down, Blue Caster. I don't want to fight with you... not today, not here anyway."
He smiles with confidence:
"I doubt my Master appreciates me destroying a building in the middle of New York. So don't worry, I've asked you to come so that we can have a quiet discussion. I have an alliance proposal. We have common enemies, especially Master Kimata and his Servant Black Caster. The rules of the Grail War allow alliances between Masters. So, will you listen to me?"
Hakuno touched the arm of Tamamo who turned half:
"It's good, Caster. Let's listen to him."
Hakuno presses her hands on her chest and then nodded her head with a determined look before taking a step forward to stand beside her Servant.
"First of all, which Servant are you?"
The Heroic spirit they knew as "Saad al-Adouhi" bowed slightly:
"I am the Rider-class Servant of this Grail War. Of course, I would not give you my True Name."
Again Kishinami nodded, it was quite normal.
"You're the one who fought Berserker in the Sioux Reservation?"
"And who saved Ruler, yes."
Hakuno made a Head tilt:
"Why?"
If Rider was troubled, he did not show it:
"Why did I save Ruler? Wasn't it normal to protect the referee of the Grail War? At least if you want to respect the rules of war, as my Master do!"
But Hakuno was not as inexperienced as her appearance might suggest. She knew that Ruler was not there to help Ruler.
"No, why were you looking for Berserker."
Rider smiles after a nod of appreciation:
"You're right, Caster's Master. We have another common enemy, CFRT a French company specialized in tunnel drilling and mining equipment rental. The CEO is the Master of Berserker."
As the Masters used to invoke their national heroes, it was a further indication that Berserker was indeed a French Hero of the Hundred Years War, someone whom Jeanne d'Arc respected and whom she had to force herself to fight.
"You have killed innocent people."
"The tribal policemen? They were embarrassing witnesses; the rules of the game were to eliminate them. Remember, I could have killed you too, Hakuno Kshinami... and I didn't."
Until then, Tamamo made heroic efforts to contain her true nature... an explosive one to say the least, but this remark was the last straw that broke the camel's back:
"I would like to see you try, Rider. My adorable Master and I have defeated many adversaries and even a god, we do not fear you!"
There was a moment of silence as the two Servants measured themselves and for a little lightning would have been born where their eyes met.
Luckily, Kuroe Yamada had not lost his composure despite the latent power that was gathering in the room:
"You talked about an alliance. What do you want from us?"
With a sharp gesture of one hand, Rider chases the young secretary who occupied a small table in the corner. When she closed the door, Hakuno still had time to intercept her frightened look. Which was understandable, didn't a magical fox-girl just appear out of nothingness in the office she shared with her superior?
"Sit down! Let's behave like civilized people," said Rider, pointing to chairs. Then pulling a folder from a wall briefcase, it took place in front of Hakuno, Caster, and Kuroe. "Mister Yamada, tell me about the material you want to provide me."
"Machine tools capable of creating or modifying ballistic missiles."
"What kind of missiles?"
"This is a batch of machine tools that can be used to build parts and shells utilized in rockets or aircraft. But you need to know better than I do, these are your specifications."
With a broad smile Assad Babil's regional director looked at Kuroe:
"Neo-Babylon has an important need for long-range vectors, but we have little confidence in you. However, if you help us standardize the mass production of our new 900 km range missile, we can offer you to collaborate with us on a major project. I want to talk about our project 395."
"Project 395," asked Hakuno, tilting her head.
"Last December 5th," replied Rider "we launched a three-stage intercontinental rocket named al-Abid. We also have a two-stage projectile with a range of 2,000 kilometers, the Tammus II. These two weapons are still in the pre-series stage. But thanks to them we can certainly win the conflict that is about to begin."
There was a long silence.
"What conflict are you talking about?" asked Kuroe.
Rider had a rather contemptuous smile:
"You have associated yourself with a Master, you must know what the Grail War is. But this war is different from all the others. The Masters of Black Caster and Archer wants to bring the Earth back to the age of the gods, the Master of Berserker made excavations in a city dating from the dawn of this world. He found there Very Ancient Things (2). He wants to use these creatures that the Elder Gods had sealed as a weapon. My Master had sent me there to prevent this, and that's how I met Hakuno Kishinami. The goals of Assassin's Master are very mysterious, but I hope you can help me understand him, Miss Kishinami."
Hakuno made a new head tilt:
"Me?"
Kuroe and Tamamo looked at her with adoration, because she was too cute. But Rider was visibly immune. He burst out laughing:
"You mean you don't know Assassin's Master?"
The young Master shook her head, surprised.
"You're wrong! You know him... it's just he must have 'forgotten' to tell you he was a Master."
This time, Tamamo no Mae reacted:
"What are you talking about, Rider!?"
"Blue Caster, you let a Master, a potential foe, approach your precious 'husband' without suspicion, I do not congratulate you for your negligence."
Again, the tension rose between the two Servants.
Hakuno intervened again:
"Let's make a trade."
Rider looked at the teen girl with interest, raising an eyebrow without saying a word. Hakuno insisted:
"Each of us knows something that the other wants. Exchange: the name of Assasin's Master against information about this Master. Fair enough?"
Rider agrees with a nod:
"Assassin's Master is Professor Llewelyn Petrie-Smith." (3)
There was a silence, and then Tamamo rose:
"What proves to me that you're telling the truth?"
Rider replied with an ironic smile:
"And I would waste my time making you talk about an individual that doesn't interest me? Think before you speak mischievous fox!"
The kitsune would probably have thrown herself to the throat of the other Servant if Hakuno hadn't held her by the arm.
Rider offered an ironic smile to Tamamo who was boiling with rage, then turned to Hakuno:
"Now it's your turn to honor your end of the bargain."
The Survivor of the Moon began to recount everything she had learned about Llewelyn Petrie-Smith during her expedition in the Superstition Mountains.
"Interesting," ends up saying Rider. "In fact, Petrie-Smith manipulates you and Ruler beautifully. Thanks to your help, he was able to prevent Berserker's Master from seizing the tablets of the gods or liberating Ubbo-Sathla. And he even let you face off with Archer and Master Ausblach without helping you. You took all the risks and it's Petrie-Smith who has received all the benefits of your association."
Hakuno bit her lower lip, unable to contradict him. After all, she had even resorted to the help of the archaeologist to understand that Archer was Ramses III... Petrie-Smith had learned a lot from her but had delivered nothing in return. It was not very honest behavior...
Rider seemed particularly pleased with her reaction. He addressed a wry smile to Caster which did not help to raise her bad mood. Tamamo no Mae hated being used... in fact, no word could explain how much she hated being manipulated. It brought back too many bad memories of the poor and innocent Mizukume thrown after use by the ungrateful Emperor Toba. But perhaps the worst that it was someone she instinctively hated and who liked to belittle her in front of her cute Master who teaches her that they are used as mere objects. Tamamo had rarely felt so humiliated, and she could not decide if she was angrier at Petrie-Smith, Rider, or... her own blindness! During the attack by the Body Snatchers on the archeologist encampment, Petrie-Smith had appealed to the power of the Enochian archangels... with the drying up of the leys-lines, he had made this formalcraft invocation using his own od, since he could not draw mana from the planet. It should have been impossible. No human of this eon have sufficient od for this... unless Petrie-Smith tapped into the magical power of a very powerful supernatural creature like... a Servant!
Rider went on to say:
"You obviously can't tell me anything about Assassin, since you've never seen him before. But... I wouldn't say the information you've given me is useless, Master Kishinami."
The young teen blinked:
"Useful?"
"Very useful, Master Kishinami. I now know who the most dangerous Master of this Grail War is. You don't often meet Masters who can defeat Servants and an Ancient Ones just with their intellect and a few sweet words... and without the victims even noticing it."
Like the day before, Hakuno was sitting in the back seat of the limo rented by Kuroe. Even more than the day before, the teen Master felt overwhelmed by the extent of the conflict she was involved in.
Rider's words came back to her, refusing to leave her alone.
A world war in preparation... maybe-be the last war of humanity because some camps wanted to use as a weapon the vestiges of the antediluvian civilizations as the creatures imprisoned by the Elder Gods or tablets containing the secrets of the gods of the universe that had preceded ours. But, even worse, Archer and Black Caster's Masters... perhaps also Berserker's Master... wanted to end the Human Order and restore the Age of Gods. In other words, they wanted to cause the end of the world!
The limo parked in front of the Plaza.
Kuroe Yamada and Hakuno Kishinami crossed the large entrance hall towards the counter occupied by the hostess.
However, before they arrived they were intercepted by two people who had waited for them seated in the comfortable chairs of the hall.
"Anni soroma (4). Excuse me for disturbing you, would you be Hakuno Kishinami?"
The one who just spoke was a beautiful African woman. She had a face with powerful features and had circular scars on her cheeks and forehead. Her clothes consisted of a batik dress traditional in Sub-Saharan African countries and a headdress of the same fabric.
She was followed by a fairly small African with slender limbs. His appearance was rather inconspicuous, especially dressed in fairly classic Western clothes. But this impression faded when one realized his royal maintenance and especially when one saw his eyes... they shone with strength and quiet wisdom, like those of a man who had braved destiny and triumphed!
[Goshujin-sama, the man is a Servant!]
Hakuno nodded involuntarily, she had not needed the intervention of Tamamo to recognize a Hero. Most of them had in them that brightness which she discerned in the little man who accompanied the woman.
She nodded her head:
"Hello. I am Hakuno Kishinami. I guess you are Lancer and his Master."
The young woman bowed slightly:
"Could we talk?... without anyone being able to listen to us. This is very important."
Lancer spoke:
"Young Master, I give you my word of honor that we are talking here. If the blood runs, it will not be our doing."
Hakuno nodded to the African woman:
"In my apartment?"
"Thank you. By the way, my name is Kadidia Falouma."
In the magnificent lounge with white walls and cream-colored sofas, Hakuno's guests did not seem out of place. Lancer sat with legs slightly apart, one leg folded. The pose seemed to be studied... and in fact, the young Master remembered something similar that she had seen in the Moon Cell library, a Sub-Saharan African king facing his council, holding a fly-swatter in one hand and sitting on his throne in the same position.
Lancer turned to his Master and nodded his head in a dignified way. Kadidia replied identically and then turned to Hakuno.
The latter was sitting on the sofa facing theirs, at her side stood Tamamo, whom she had presented as "Blue Caster".
"I hope you'll excuse me for getting right to the point, Master Kishinami. However, we don't have much time. You're here because Rider offered you an alliance, right?"
Hakuno simply nodded.
Kadidia seemed to darken:
"And he offered you gold, a lot of gold in exchange for your help."
Hakuno exchanged a look with Tamamo, remembering that Tamamo had told her that Rider was too generous, to be honest. Again, the young Master nodded. Kadidia looked at Lancer, and it was he who spoke in a deep and sweet voice:
"As you can imagine, my Master worked with the Global Plutocracy before the start of the Holy Grail War. In particular, we were allies of Neo-Babylon. As a 'developing' country like us, they pretended to be our friends. The camp that we represent, my Master and I, is fighting to save Sub-Saharan Africa, a vast continent abandoned to diseases, illiteracy, and poverty, plundered by megacorporations. Yet Africa is not poor... far from it. So, my legend is that of a very rich man. So, as a Servant, I own the skill Golden Rule A+ rank. The gold that is offered to you has been taken from the peoples of Africa. In exchange for our participation in the Grail War, we had to help finance the other Photonic Computers necessary for invocation. Nevertheless... we have been fooled!"
Tamamo frowned:
"Yet here you are!"
Lancer nodded:
'Yes, but the other participants took advantage of the fact that none of our allies are competent in photonic computer programming. They sabotaged my invocation program. As a result, my characteristics were degraded. I have not been summoned to my full power... in fact, I am probably the weakest of the Servants involved in the conflict. I have no chance of winning. Once again, the people of Africa have been eaten by the Global Plutocracy!"
On the couch, the foxtail of Tamamo was beating softly, a sign of anger:
"I tend to believe you, Lancer. Nevertheless, we've had a difficult day fruitful in revelation... We too have been eaten up by the other participants in this Grail War and it is becoming difficult to know who our friend really is."
"You want proof that you can trust us?" questioned Kadidia Falouma.
Tamamo nodded her head and after a moment of reflection, Hakuno did the same.
Lancer will sigh softly:
"I will give you my True Name. I am Soundatia Keïta(5), the first emperor of the Empire of Mali."
Caster folded her eyes:
"And what proves to me that you're telling the truth?"
But her Master intervened:
"I can check. I just have to go into cyberspace."
Tamamo seemed surprised at first... then understood with a moment of delay. And she made her face, and struck her head with a wink:
"Of course, I forgot..."
Cyberspace was a huge network of translucent corridors crossing in the infinity of a data' sea. Suddenly in one of these corridors appeared four whirlpools of violet particles which gave birth to two Masters and two Servants.
Caster and Kadidia Falouma appeared under the same appearance as in the real world.
However, Lancer was now dressed in a large blue-cloth djellaba and a veil that masked his face and reveals only his eyes.
As for Hakuno, her avatar was dressed in the brown uniform of the Tsukumihara Academy with a black turtleneck and black tights.
They had just appeared that a bell was heard.
The buzzer came from the Portable Terminal. Opening the Matrix tab, Kishinami discovered several "new" icons attached to the Rider, Assassin, and Lancer tabs. She pressed the first two. Matrix 0 had gone to 1 in both cases. Rider was now shown in the form of "Saad al-Adouhi" except... that the Servant was dressed in a strange and colorful dress and wore a gold tiara. The outfit reminded Hakuno of a bas relief representing a Babylonian king. Rider's Master, on the other hand, continued to appear as an empty grey figure.
As for Assassin... the Servant's picture was still grayed out, but the Master's picture was one of Llewelyn Petrie-Smith.
She then looked at the "Lancer" tab and...
Matrix E Rank!
The Portable Terminal never displayed "Matrix E Rank" as long as there was doubt about the identity of the Servant or the Master. Hakuno Kishinami flipping through the different pages of the virtual folder and Lancer features turned to be surprisingly low...
The young Master sighs:
"You told the truth, Lancer. I'm sorry for you..."
The warrior of the desert and the savannah answered, bringing a hand to his lips, and to his brow, and to his heart in a form of greeting or thanks that Hakuno had never seen:
"It is written, Allah wills it. I was born handicapped, but that didn't stop me from getting revenge on those who had stolen my kingdom. Will you help me?"
Hakuno replied with a simple nodding, she was a woman of few words...
Author note: In any plot, the author goes through two phases of development.
The first phase is called "the problem". It is in this part that we develop the history of the universe, the starting point and that we pose the problem that will be solved.
The second phase is "resolution".
It is in this phase that the problem will gradually be resolved.
The 26th chapter of "Music of the sphere" is the last chapter of the first part. The plot and the universe are set, now we are going towards resolution.
Will Hakuno be able to prevent the end of the world and the return of the banished gods?
(1) Inspired by Cstésias and Strabon, this model shows the hanging gardens... except that they were created by the Assyrian king Sennacherib in Nineveh (the confusion between Babylon and Nineveh is common among the authors of Greek antiquity). In any case, the walls of Babylon - where two chariots could cross each other- were already counted among the wonders of the world.
(2) See chapter 10: "Ancient Ruins" for a description of the antediluvian city and the imprisoned creatures.
(3) See chapters 12 to 20.
(4) Good day (in Bambara a Malian dialect).
(5) The founder of Mali is Emperor Soundiata Keïta, born in 1190. His story came to us through a tale transmitted by griots (bards accompanied by Cora, a type of lyre). It all starts with a king of Manding (a kingdom spanning part of Guinea and present-day Mali). The king was prophesied that he would marry an ugly woman and that he would be born a child promised a great destiny. Of course, the child who is born has to face hard trials. Born handicapped, the boy (Soundiata, obviously) only succeeds in walking at the age of seven. When his father died, Soundiata was exiled by his older brother. The king of Sosso, a neighboring kingdom, invaded the country and killed all the sons of the previous king except Soundiata. The young man comes back to take his inheritance hence his surname Keïta ("kien" means inheritance and "ta" take). Soundiata Keïta first seized a neighboring country, the Fouta-Djalon, and then defeated the king of Sosso at the head of a coalition of small kingdoms worried about the Sosso's appetite for power.
This is the foundation of the empire of Mali. When Soundiata was enthroned as emperor of this new country, slavery was abolished. The legend says that after that Soundiata wrote a text that is the first declaration of human rights (in 1235!) In 1240, he seized the city of Koumbi-Saleh, capital of Ghana, which he razed. One of his lieutenants conquered Bambouk.
In addition, Soundiata Keïta created an efficient administration based on provincial governors with local control of the army. Soundiata will develop the exploitation of gold, and promote the cultivation of cotton. Under his reign, Islam and animism will coexist in peace through an edict of tolerance.
His death in 1255 may have been the result of a conspiracy or an accident.
Despite the conflicts of his youth and two wars after his coronation, Soundiata Keïta left in history the image of a talented organizer and a pacifist. However, he conquered an empire that stretches from the Sahara to the equatorial jungles, from Guinea to the Atlantic.
Unfortunately, outside Africa and despite its brilliant achievements, Soundiata Keïta remains a total stranger. But who said that history was just? It is so much easier to see the inhabitants of sub-Saharan Africa as "savages" without culture.
It is easier to depict them like cannibals barbarians living naked in huts if we want to plunder, plunder, condemn them and ensure that the media remain silent. In France, there is a proverb: "Whoever wants to poison his dog says he has rabies".