0713MM: Hey guys! I welcome you to the 27th chapter of The Silver Valkyrie! I do not own Black Clover, nor its characters. Some of the OC Spells used in this chapter are owned by Warmachine375. Chapter start!^^
Chapter 27
William's communicator was buzzing not long after he got up for the day. Funnily enough, he was still in his pajamas when he entered his office and answered the call.
"Hello?" William asked, tiredness seeping into his voice.
"Hello Captain William." Eva replied in a casual tone of voice. William felt uneasy talking to this woman. He could recall her vaguely, but that was it. He remained silent, which Eva took as a means to continue talking. "I've found the location of a magic stone. It's one of the caves within the Earth Grand Magic Region. Surely this would interest the best Magic Knight squad in the entire Clover Kingdom, no?" At this, William gaped in surprise.
"...Is that right?" William, recovering from his initial shock.
"Yes it is." Eva replied. William heard a blip as something came through on his end. "I've just sent you the coordinates to the magic stone's location. If you are to take this mission, I'd suggest bringing a group of 4 that trust each other."
"I already have the 4 mages for the job." William replied. If he looked closely, he'd notice Eva's lips curl into a dark smile.
"Excellent." Eva remarked. "Might I ask, who these 4 mages are?"
"Yuno, Klaus, Letoile, and Mimosa." William spoke.
I knew it! Eva thought. With Yuno going, this makes getting him so much easier!
"Ah yes… A fine team of 4 indeed." Eva agreed. "I too will be sending a mage to the magic stone's location. Consider it a little competition, if you will." Once again, William felt uneasiness wash over him after Eva's words.
Something doesn't feel right. William thought. Maybe I'm just worrying too much.
"...And when should I send them?" William asked hesitantly.
"Oh whenever you're ready to." Eva retorted. "The mage I'm sending may or may not get there before your 4 do, however. Regardless, I just wanted you to know of the magic stone's location."
"I thank you, I suppose." William spoke, uneasiness in his voice. "I'll go see if the 4 I'm going to have to go on this mission are up." Eva nodded, then ended the call between her and William. William sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What have I gotten myself into…? This isn't even an official mission from the Wizard King." He sighed, then glanced over at the load of paperwork on his desk. "Time to get to work. At least until Yuno, Letoile, Mimosa, and Klaus wake up."
Speaking of the blackette new recruit, Yuno woke up to the sound of his alarm. He groaned as he pressed the stop button of the alarm, which was on his bedside table. Soon thereafter, he sat up in his bed and looked up and out the window. He could see sunlight rays coming in through his window.
"Huh. I guess the heat of the sun, minus my alarm that Klaus insisted I have." Yuno spoke to himself, grumbling the last bit out because he honestly didn't see the point of having such a device. But because Klaus is his superior, he had to obey. Granted, it was a request by his superior and not an order, but he figured it was better agreeing than arguing with him.
"Still… Despite how much of a hard time I give Klaus, he's pretty alright." Yuno muttered to himself as he officially got out of bed and got dressed for the day. As soon as he put his Golden Down squad robe on, Yuno heard a knock on hsi door. "Hmm? Who'd be knocking on my door this early?" He goes over to the door and opens it to reveal Klaus, Letoile, and Mimosa.
"Oh good. Glad you're up, Yuno." Klaus spoke, handing the Wind Magic mage a banana muffin. "Captain Vangeance called me not too long ago. Said he had a mission for the 4 of us." At that, Yuno raised an eyebrow.
"This early?" Yuno questioned. "It's what? 8:30 in the morning or something?"
"Klaus said that the Captain wants to debrief us on the mission this early." Letoile replied. "I'm not sure why myself. But you know, Captain's orders."
"Right." Yuno nodded as he took the muffin from Klaus. "Then let's go."
"My thoughts exactly." Klaus nodded.
"Maybe we should let Yuno eat his muffin first." Mimosa spoke.
"No time." Klaus replied. "He can eat it on the way."
It didn't take the 4 too long to reach William's office. Klaus knocked first before entering, followed by Yuno, Letoile, and Mimosa. William turned his chair around to face his 4 squad members.
"I'm glad you 4 could make it to this mission debriefing on such a short notice." William told them.
"It's no problem, sir." Letoile nodded.
"I'm only up this early because Klaus insisted that I have an alarm set." Yuno grumbled, causing both Mimosa and William to chuckle lightly, while Klaus adjusted his glasses, a disapproved look on his face.
"Because if I didn't insist, then you'd be sleeping until 9 or 10 in the morning." Klaus told Yuno. "It's best that you go to bed early so you can be refreshed for whenever you're needed on a mission."
"Should we consider giving Yuno a reminder to go to bed at 9pm? Or perhaps even earlier?" Letoile asked in a joking manner. While William and Mimosa chuckled, Klaus and Yuno deadpanned.
"As much as that is a good idea, I am going to advise against it." Klaus remarked. "Anyway, sir, the briefing of the mission."
"Yes, right." William nodded as he passed some papers over, to which Klaus grabbed and skimmed through them. "My sources told me that there is a magic stone within the Earth Grand Magic Region. I want you 4 to head there and retrieve it."
"A magic stone in a Grand Magic Region?" Yuno repeated. "I mean, anything is possible, but why would one be there?"
"It is a good place for it to be hidden." Letoile pointed out. "Most mages wouldn't dare to enter a Grand Magic Region unless they had enough experience with their own magic, as well as being trained in such."
"Good explanation Letoile." William nodded. "I would normally send you off with proper equipment, but as long as you keep your Mana Skin up, you shouldn't have too much trouble entering the Grand Magic Region."
"Thank you sir." Klaus nodded. "Anything else before we head out?" William was about to say something, but Letoile spoke up.
"I can use my Compass Magic to guide us there." Letoile told Klaus.
"Very well." Klaus nodded. "I'll use my chariot to ride us there."
"Oh yes! Riding your steel chariot is great!" Mimosa smiled. "We'll be going now, Captain!" William nodded, watching the 4 leave his office. Once the door closed, William turned his chair around so he was looking out the window of his office. Even though he didn't show it on the outside, on the inside, he was worried for his squad members that he sent on what could very well become a death mission.
I fear the worst for them. William thought. But I have to have hope that they'll come out alright.
"We've about reached the halfway mark in our journey." The 4 had left the Golden Dawn base around 3 hours ago. It was soon to be midday.
"Did we pack enough rations?" Mimosa asked as Klaus followed Letoile's instructions.
"We should have." Letoile answered. "Hey Yuno, did we pack enough?" Yuno glanced at Letoile, then at the bag that held their rations, then back at Letoile.
"Yes, we did." Yuno replied simply.
"Good." Klaus replied.
"Not that far from a point where we can just walk the rest of the way." Letoile spoke as she helped do the navigation.
"That's good." Mimosa smiled. Yuno kept a neutral expression on his face as they continued towards the Earth Grand Magic Region.
"Because this is a Grand Magic Region, the mana will start to get really dense." Yuno noted. Klaus glanced at the other 2 girls, then back at Yuno, adjusting his glasses before responding.
"That is correct." Klaus replied. "How did you-?"
"Turn left!" Letoile shouted. "Turn left!" Klaus turns back to face the road of the sky and cries out and gets his steel chariot to evade the mountain that they almost hit.
"...Pay attention to what's around you next time, Klaus sir." Yuno deadpanned. Klaus groaned loudly and Mimosa stifled a laugh.
"I appreciate a confidence boost, thank you." Klaus retorted. "Anyways, we should probably park the chariot down on the ground. I can already feel the mana getting dense around here."
"Good idea." Letoile agreed. "Because we're closing in on the entrance to the Earth Grand Magic Region."
Klaus soon landed his steel chariot at the border of the Earth Grand Magic Region, then it dissipated as Klaus, Letoile, Mimosa, and Yuno got out of it. Mimosa brushed her clothes with her hands, then looked around.
"Whoa…" Mimosa breathed. "So this is what it's like to be in a Grand Magic Region."
"Very dense." Yuno mused as he looked around. "Now where's the magic stone?"
"Besides the obvious glowing in one of the caves?" Letoile asked as she pointed to it with one of her Compass Magic needles. "It's just ahead of us. Going straight. Or north, rather."
"Yes. Let's-" Klaus began before several blood spears impaled him multiple times that then pinned him to the ground. "Nnngh…! Wha…. What the hell…..?! Ack…..!" Letoile, Mimosa, and Yuno turned to see Klaus on the ground.
"Klaus!" The 3 Golden Dawn members called out. Mimosa soon ran to Klaus to heal him with her Plant Recovery Magic: Princess Healing Flower Robe spell.
"Ahahaha! How fascinating! I didn't think my sneak attack would work!" Yuno and Letoile looked up to see a black-haired and red-eyed woman floating above them. Or rather, riding what appeared to be a red carpet. She wore military clothes, a white trench coat over her brown tunic, as well as an eyepatch over her right eye's socket.
"Who the hell are you?" Letoile demanded as she got her grimoire up to prepare to use her Compass Magic.
"The name is Vanica." The woman, Vanica, replied. "Vanica Zogratis." She glanced down at Yuno, her lips formed a dark smile.
Ahahaha! The son of King Loyce and Queen Ciel Grinberryall of Royal House Grinberryall! Vanica thought gleefully. This'll be so much fun!~
"I don't care who you are." Yuno retorted nonchalantly. "You're going down. Letoile!"
"On it!" Letoile remarked as her grimoire flipped through a few pages before it stopped and glowed. "Compass Magic: Another Atlas!" At her call, a giant compass appeared in the sky before encasing herself, Yuno, and Vanica inside of it. Vanica looked around while inside Another Atlas.
"Yuno!" A small fairy wearing a green dress and had yellow eyes appeared next to the male blackette. "Use my power!"
"Yeah." Yuno nodded. "But first…" He flew towards Vanica at fast speed. His appearance changed as the small fairy, who Yuno called Bell, despite her real name being Sylph. One green wing sprouted out of his back, half a crown appeared on top of his head and his left arm changed to that of a Wind Magic claw.
Over the past 2 months, I've been training so I can become stronger. Yuno thought. I won't let Asta take the lead in our rivalry! Once Yuno was in range where Letoile's own spell wouldn't cancel his own, he raised his right arm up.
"Wind Spirit Magic: Spirit Storm!" Yuno declared; firing a beam of Wind Magic energy straight at Vanica from point-blank range. Vanica took the attack and flew backwards and hit the wall of Letoile's Another Atlas spell. She coughed up a bit of blood from the impact knocking the wind out of her. Unfortunately for Yuno, Vanica recovered quickly and smiled darkly once again as if nothing had happened.
"Aha! I see how your spell works!" Vanica spoke towards Letoile. "Fascinating! Fascinating indeed! So long range spells are out. Then how about this?" Suddenly, her hands merged into 2 blood claws. "Blood Creation Magic: Consuming Claws!" She then swung at Yuno, who evaded with ease. Letoile glanced down at Mimosa and Klaus, then back up at Yuno and Vanica fighting.
"Dammit…! Me and Yuno's strategy backfired…!" Letoile clenched her teeth. "In that case, I'll have to join the fight if I am to ensure our survival…!" She swiped her right arm from left to right. As a result, several compass needles appeared around her. "Compass Magic: Needle Storm!" With a snap of her fingers, all the compass needles around her flew towards Vanica in hopes to severely injure there female opponent. Vanica on the other hand, just kept grinning and laughing like a child as she evaded the compass needles from Letoile, as well as a Wind Magic: Crescent Moon Sickle from Yuno.
"This is too much fun!~" Vanica smiled. "Make this more fun and enjoyable, will you?!"
"This bastard…!" Yuno growled. Vanica's smile just widened as she activated Blood Magic: Bloodlust Frenzy. Letoile continued firing Compass Magic: Needle Storm at Vanica. But like last time, she evaded the compass needles. In a flash of bloody light, Vanica appeared in front of Letoile. Letoile gaped as she grabbed 2 needles from her spell and parried Vanica's slashes with her bloody claws.
"Ahaha! This is getting good!" Vanica grinned as she slashed at Letoile again. But this time, when Letoile parries, her needle swords break in 2; thus causing her to drop them. Vanica then slashed Letoile across the chest; thus causing the greenette woman to cough up blood as she began to fall towards the ground. To Letoile, Yuno, and Vanica's surprise, it was Mimosa who caught the falling Letoile, thanks to her Plant Magic. However, Letoile's Another Atlas spell dissipated.
"I got you Letoile!" Mimosa told her squad member.
"Thanks Mimosa…" Letoile breathed as she crawled over to Mimosa's Princess Healing Flower Robe to get herself healed. "I just hope….You can handle Vanica by himself…"
"Nnngh…..!" Klaus grunted as he sat up and noticed green and red lights flashing in the sky. "Yuno…!"
"Wind Creation Magic: Wind Blades Shower!" Yuno declared as several wind blades flew towards Vanica. Vanica just laughed like a child as she evaded Yuno's wind blades. Or at least, that is what she initially thought. One of them grazed her cheek, splitting the skin and causing her to bleed.
"Ahaha! That's good!" Vanica grinned. "But let's make this a bit more private, hmm?"
"What are you talking about?" Yuno questioned.
"Blood Magic: Bloody Twister!" Vanica declared. At her call, a twister of blood rose up and began to spin around the 2. Preventing those like Klaus, Letoile, and Mimosa to intervene.
"Oh no! Yuno!" Mimosa cried out as her grimoire flipped through a few pages before stopping. A large flower cannon appeared behind her. "Plant Creation Magic: Magic Cannon Flower!" The flower cannon fired a green beam at the Bloody Twister spell in hopes to destroy it. Unfortunately, the attack spell didn't do anything to the twister of blood.
"Yuno…!" Klaus whispered.
Yuno looked around the bloody twister in slight confusion.
"Why am I…?" Yuno began.
"Why are you in my Bloody Twister spell?" He turned to face Vanica, who was floating across from him. "It's as I said. I want privacy between us. Is that so wrong?" Yuno gave Vanica a blank stare.
"For what?" Yuno finally asked. Vanica just laughed before her lips formed a dark smile.
"Aha! To give you a history lesson!~" Vanica retorted gleefully.
"...I'm sorry, what?" Yuno frowned deeply. Vanica's gleeful smile widened, albeit filled with some concern.
"I see. So you weren't told of your family origins." Vanica remarked. She then spread her arms out. "Then don't fear! Professor Vanica is here!~"
"...What family origins?" Yuno demanded. "What are you talking about? I'm from Hage Village. If you're trying to say that I'm of royal descent, then you're sorely mistaken." At that, Vanica began to laugh like a child.
"Ahahaha! You truly are lost, dear boy!~" Vanica grinned. "Then allow me to explain! It all began 16 years ago…" She put her right index finger to her chin and went into a thoughtful expression. Soon thereafter, she snapped her fingers. "Well if you want to be super technical, it's more like around 20 or so years ago, but I digress. Now! Onto the funsie story time! Ahahaha!~" Yuno was about to say something, but he went silent as Vanica began.
Flashback, 16 years ago…
The Spade Kingdom at this time was a peaceful country. Despite this, the military force of the Spade Kingdom was massive. The Royal House Grinberryall knew that even if they were peaceful, another country could attack them at any moment. But due to the harsh winters the Spade Kingdom endures, as well as the Grand Magic Region at its border, the chances of an outside force attack was highly unlikely anyway. Unfortunately, for King Loyce and Queen Ciel Grinberryall, they had no idea that there enemies would be from there own military force.
The Spade Kingdom was filled with darkness in the sky. But, when Queen Ciel gave birth to Yuno Grinberryall, it was as if light (figuratively and literally speaking to a degree) shined down on the castle.
"The Prince of the Spade Kingdom will surely lead our country into a brighter future." A Spade Soldier replied.
"He sure will." Another agreed. "Speaking of which, there Highnesses want us to protect the 3 of them. At least until Queen Ciel recovers."
"Is that right?" A voice spoke behind the 2 Spade Soldiers. The 2 gaped, then turned around to see a woman with black hair that goes a bit below her mid-back. She wears earrings. She has 2 scars going from her forehead on both sides of her face down in straight lines. She wears the Spade Royal Family clothing. Next to her was her daughter, Vanica Zogratis, who had a wicked smile on her face.
"I-It's Eva and Vanica Zogratis!" One of the two soldiers gaped as they got out there grimoires. "Traitor!" Eva just laughed darkly.
"Traitor hmm? I believe the only traitors here are there Majesties." Eva remarked. "I've grown tired of sitting around. Our first coup failed due to the readiness of you soldiers. As a result, my husband paid the price." Her grin widened as she strided closer to the 2 soldiers; the smell of fire and smoke soon reaching the trio's noses, but Eva utterly ignored it. "And do you want to know why I've grown tired of this peaceful nonsense? It's because no matter how much I as a single mom work for this bloody kingdom, in addition to my 3 children working in this kingdom's military, it doesn't bring in enough money to pay for everything!" She lifted her fingers up so she could list the things off. "Food, water, the roof I and my 3 children live under, you get the point!" She unsheathed her sword from her grimoire and pointed it at the 2 soldiers. "On top of that, I've heard rumors that the Diamond Kingdom has stopped trade with us!" Before the 2 soldiers could unleash there magic, Eva impaled the 2 in less than 5 seconds; thus the 2 died instantly. Eva cleaned her sword, then turned over to look at her daughter. Vanica glanced back, then nodded, as if understanding her mother's command. And with that, the 2 went there separate ways inside the Spade Kingdom Castle.
Vanica soon caught up with Zenon, who was finishing up his own little battle with 4 Spade Soldiers.
"Aha!" Vanica laughed. "This is fun now, right Zeny?~"
"Yeah." Zenon nodded.
"Ahhh! They're too powerful!" A Spade Soldier cried out before being blasted by Vanica's Blood Magic: Blood Fire spell to death.
"Let's have a little contest, Zenon!" Vanica cheered. "Whoever kills the most Spade Military Soldiers gets one of the Royal's Crowns!" Zenon stared blankly at his sister and he impaled another set of 5 soldiers with his Bone Magic: Eternal Fangs spell.
"...You do know that only Mother will get to wear the crown, right?" Zenon asked his sister as they traversed through the flaming hallway, killing soldier after soldier along the way.
"Ah true." Vanica remarked. She glanced out the window and took notice of one of the Spade Military Generals fleeing the castle with a bundle in his arms, followed by a red-haired man. She crossed her arms and pouted.
"Phooey. We didn't get the baby." Vanica pouted. But soon her pouting returned to her insane smile. "No matter! I'm sure we'll see him again sometime!~" Zenon only nodded in response as the 2 continued there carnage.
Flashback end
Yuno stared at Vanica with utter shock and anger; clenching the pendant around his neck tightly with his right hand. Vanica took notice and grinned.
"Ah yes! The gift your Father, King Loyce, gave you as a baby." Vanica noted. "But now that we've met again, it's time I bring you back home!~"
"...YOU'RE LYING!" Yuno roared angrily as he flew at Vanica at high speed. Unfortunately for him, he did not notice that his grimoire had begun to change. "Wind Spirit Creation Magic: Spirit of Zephyr!" Vanica flew backwards and fired blood spears at Yuno, who cut through them with ease. "And IF what you say is true…... I will never forgive you!" Vanica just continued to laugh like an insane child at Yuno's immense anger, and also, despair. She could feel it radiating off of the teenage boy. Even if he himself didn't realize it. Nor did Yuno not realize that he had fallen into Vanica's trap. She wanted him to fall into despair. And he had just done so. Yuno continued swinging his sword at Vanica, but then he stopped after feeling something incredibly hot touch him. He screamed in pain and agony as he dropped his sword, which disappeared soon thereafter and he clutched the spot the he felt the flaming sensation hit.
"AAAAAHHHH!" Yuno screamed.
"Blood Magic: Blood Fire!" Vanica grinned as she approached Yuno and swiped his grimoire from him, which now had a 5th leaf on it and its color changed to black. "And I thank you, Yuno! You've done exactly what I was hoping would happen! Looks like telling you that story really paid off!~" After Vanica took Yuno's blackened grimoire, Yuno's Spirit Dive was undone. Sylph/Bell, was now half blackened. Yuno weakly raised his head to see Sylph in her current state.
"B-Bell….!" Yuno whispered. "Get…. Get out of here…"
"No way!" Bell snapped. "I'm sticking by you! Even if I lose my natural mana touch! Which won't happen anyway!"
"Touching, but futile." Vanica spoke nonchalantly as her Bloody Twister spell disappeared. "Either way, you've lost; Prince of the Spade Kingdom." She raised her right hand up. "Blood Binding Magic: Blood Constriction." Suddenly, Yuno was constricted by multiple blood bindings around his body.
"Steel Creation Magic: Spiraling Lance!"
"Plant Creation Magic: Magic Cannon Flower!"
"Compass Magic: Needle Storm!" Klaus, Mimosa, and Letoile all launched there attack spells towards Vanica to make a powerful attack force.
"Give Yuno back to us!" Klaus shouted. Vanica just stared blankly at the 3 attack spells coming towards her with a very disinterested expression.
"*sigh* Blood Magic: Red Beast." Vanica spoke dually. A beast made of Blood Magic appeared from the blood strings on Vanica's back and bit into all 3 attack spells simultaneously; thus destroying all 3.
"Dammit…!" Letoile gnashed her teeth. "If I can just trap her in-"
"Blood Magic: Bloody Spear Rain." Vanica interjected. At her call, several blood spears rained down from the sky and impaled all 3 of them. While Klaus and Letoile coughed up blood before crumpling to the ground, Mimosa managed to evade by using a plant vine she attached onto Yuno's leg and climbed upwards. At this point, Vanica had deactivated her Blood Magic: Bloodlust Frenzy. Vanica took notice of Mimosa riding Yuno's leg as she began to fly away with the bound Yuno in tow. Instead of trying to get Mimosa off of Yuno, Vanica just outright ignored Mimosa.
"I won't let you take Yuno away!" Mimosa vowed.
"Mmm… A little too late for that dear." Vanica told Mimosa. "But if you insist on getting in my way, then so be it. You'll just be coming with me back to the Spade Kingdom." Mimosa gulped out of fear.
Shit! I didn't think this through at all! Mimosa thought. She looked back to see the specks of Klaus and Letoile's bodies.
"Klaus….. Letoile….. Please be alright….." Mimosa whispered to herself as she and Yuno were dragged away in the sky by Vanica to the Spade Kingdom.
0713MM: And that does it for chapter 27! I apologize for the Spade Kingdom flashback Vanica was explaining to Yuno wasn't the greatest. To make up for this one, there will be a few more Spade Kingdom flashbacks as the story progresses. So look forward to those, as well as the next chapters.^^