AN: Yes folks, I'm still alive!
I know it's been 4 months but to sum it up, situations in my life changed and I had more work on my hands which left me either too exhausted or barely any time to write like I used to. Then along came May when I ended up getting tested positive for Covid. I was quarantined, then had to get hospitalized for a week before being brought home and quarantined again so I can focus on recovering.
Overall, it hasn't been fun.
During that whole time, it was difficult for me to focus on one story so I worked on multiple which is why I'm updating three of my works this time. There was so much I wanted to do this year but it all got stifled, I still want to write more but everything that's happened I have no clue when I can have something new to post.
But anyway, once again, thanks so much for the support and I hope you guys continue to enjoy what I write.
CHAPTER 13: Accept Fate
The skylight window was illuminated by a flash of lightning as rain continued to drum against the pane. It would've made Stella nervous about stepping outside but at this point, she was far from caring.
In fact, she felt too burnt out to being able to stay angry or hurt. All she felt was the irritating mystery of why she even bothered to give that guy the time of day. One thing for sure, she didn't care if Ikki considered him a friend because as far as she was concerned, she wanted nothing more to do with him.
With a tired huff, she roughly grabbed her bag and turned to exit when she let out a startled yelp and froze.
Bruce was standing by the doorway, completely soaked in his academy uniform as lightning momentarily cast intense brightness and shadows over him. He looked towards her, panting slightly from running all the way here while his hair was now unkempt and plastered over his forehead.
Stella's eyes were wide with both disbelief and bewilderment.
"I thought you wouldn't come." she said in a low voice.
"Well,...I'm here now."
So he was and she wasn't sure whether she should be angry or not. Stella then took a moment to look over him and grimaced.
"Jeez, you're soaked to the bone. Where were you anyway!?"
The older student remained quiet.
"Fine, don't say anything." Stella scoffed while rolling her eyes.
She felt that despite his behavior, she couldn't just leave him in this state and an idea came to her.
"Um, hold still for a moment." she instructed him while awkwardly grasping her elbow.
Bruce raised a questioning brow at her but she didn't explain herself. Instead, she stood in front of him and then closed her eyes to concentrate. Suddenly the surrounding air burst into small swirling flames and embers danced around them as a fiery red aura enveloped both of them.
Stella seemed to have noticed the way he actually jumped a little in surprise and spoke to assure him.
"Don't worry, I adjusted my Dragon Breath's temperature so it won't burn you. As long as you're within range of me you can use it to dry up."
He held his arm up in the air experimentally and could feel the radiant heat like he was basking in front of a bonfire. It was quite impressive but he also wondered about the odd twitch he felt which he wasn't sure if he imagined it or not.
Recalling all the things he read about Stella Vermillion, Bruce remembered reports that claimed her flames could reach temperatures hotter than the sun, that she could scorch a whole arena and cleave a mountain in two. Sheer power and might associated with an A-rank prodigy.
He was certain these writings were wildly exaggerated but now he considered that they perhaps had a sliver of truth to them.
"Much obliged." Bruce said as he suddenly took off his jacket.
"H-hey! Don't take your clothes off all off a sudden! What are you, an exhibitionist!?" Stella spluttered as her cheeks went red.
"You can't expect them to dry faster with me wearing it, can you?" Bruce asked with a smirk as he was half-way removing his black undershirt.
"Erm,...I...ah..."
She struggled to get her words out before finally grunting in frustration and pointed to the corner of the bench.
"Urgh, Fine! But just sit over there and keep your distance!"
Bruce shrugged and did as he was told, making sure to lay his jacket and shirt flat against his side of the bench first. The Crimson Princess let out a breath before plopping herself on the other side of the bench.
Bit by bit, Stella felt the ticking minutes bite into her nerves as Bruce sat quietly waiting for the water on him to evaporate. What made the whole thing worse was that she was awkwardly aware that a topless Bruce was sitting just a few feet away from her. She glanced up towards the skylight to see the heavy rain continuing to drum against the glass.
"Damn this rain." she said. "We get a lot of rainy days in my country but not like this."
What she said caused Bruce's brows to raise and then turn his attention towards her.
"Your country...what's it like?" he asked.
"Hm?" Stella looked towards him.
"I've read a lot about the Vermillion Empire but I'm genuinely curious to hear a first hand account."
Bruce meant it. Since first hearing about the Vermilion Empire, he did enough research to find that the historical presence of Blazers had changed much of eastern Europe compared to what he already knew.
For starters, what should have been modern day Germany ended up being three separate countries.
After the age of Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Empire found itself being pushed back by a stronger and more ruthless nation, conquering, absorbing and allying with several kingdoms in the east. This "Prussian-Bohemian Empire" would eventually become a country that was today called Kradelland.
But in the 1500s, there was an uprising within the empire. The Duke of Vermillion, at odds with their tyranny, fought for his people's independence and the end result of a long bloody war was northwestern Kradelland splitting to form the Vermillion Empire.
The location of Vermillion was also something Bruce found interesting. Apparently, it originally started out as a viking trading settlement in the Jutland peninsula, allowing for a mix of various European cultures. The country itself was nestled between Denmark, Germany and Kradelland, comprising of the Schleswig-Holstein area and stretching all the way down to the Altmark.
Both Vermillion and Kradelland are only two countries in Europe that had retained absolute monarchy.
Stella blinked in surprise, completely not expecting him to actually have an interest in her opinion.
"What's it like? Well,..." she pursed her lips, trying to come up with a response.
Then her lips curled up as the answer came to her naturally.
"It's the best." she said.
The red haired princess spoke with enthusiasm about the natural beauty as well as the man-made sights. Bruce felt satisfied that at least he got her mood to brighten up a little.
"Sure, it's not a that modern of a country but you know what really makes it the best? It has the most loyal people you'll ever know. Even after all these years, my people remembers the kindness from my ancestors and the support we have for each other."
Stella continued to speak while smiling proudly.
"You see, they're not just my people, they're my family; 'We are one nation, We are one family', that's our creed."
"That's why you want to be a Mage-knight?" Bruce asked.
She nodded with a 'Mm-hm'.
"Well, it's not just that. The thing is..." Stella trailed off, frowned and then pulled her face away with a sigh. "Forget it, you'll laugh."
"Princess..."
She returned her gaze to him to see the corner of his lips tilt upwards slightly.
"Do I look like the laughing kind to you?"
Stella couldn't help but briefly chuckle.
"Alright, I'll tell. I used to be very noisy as a child, constantly crying and throwing tantrums..."
Bruce hardly needed to imagine.
"It got worse after my powers awakened. So to calm me down, my parents had stories read to me. Stories about the Duke of Vermillion, Knights...Heroes, that kind of stuff. I felt inspired and I guess with Rebellion out there and the problem at the borders, I always imagined myself out there fighting the bad guys and defending my country."
In a way she reminded him of Barbara, Jim Gordon's daughter, who had inherited her father's idealism but not necessarily his faith in the system. She was also headstrong and wanted to 'jump into the trenches' like her father but Jim's over-protectiveness saw to it that she wouldn't have a chance in law enforcement. So she turned to her computer hacking skills instead, which was how he encountered her.
Bruce always felt she was too smart for her own good but she had a good heart. He could imagine her and Stella getting along.
But there was something that Stella said that caught Bruce's attention.
"By problem at the borders, you mean between Vermillion and Kradelland? The territorial 'War' over the Altmark Gas Fields, correct?"
It was another thing about this world that Bruce found ludicrous. Both Vermillion and Kradelland were members of the League of Mage-knight Nations and the LMN had a particular rule for countries under their legislature to solve conflicts between them.
Basically, in agreement to pool military resources in the event of an emergency, countries are prohibited from using conventional weaponry in warfare. Instead disputes would be resolved by duels between Mage-knight representatives from opposing countries. In other words, this 'War' is a tournament held every five years, similar to the Sword Art Festival.
It seems that's how everything goes around here.
"Well, our two countries had always been at each other's throats but about thirty years ago, Daddy..."
Stella corrected herself with an embarrassed expression.
"I mean King Sirius, marched into Kradelland alone, fought anyone who got in his way all way into the throne room where he said to King Clef...'Hey you! If you hate so me much, then we should just fight each other as much as we want! How about we just bring back the war from hundred years ago? How'dya like that!?'"
She acted out with exaggeratedly with the deepest voice she muster.
Bruce looked at her with disbelief, it was so absurd that he couldn't fathom that she was being serious.
"King Clef was so stunned and realized that he couldn't hate someone with such gall. And so the relations between our countries improved and my sister became good friends with the Kradelland's crown prince."
"I find this whole story highly suspect." Bruce said with doubt.
Stella rolled her eyes at him but decided to let that slide.
"Anyway, what about you?" she suddenly asked.
"Me?"
"What's your home like?"
Bruce felt his whole body flinch at that question.
"I mean, I've heard a lot about the US through movies and TV shows but I've never actually been there." said Stella.
He turned his gaze away from her and remained quiet, prompting her to look at him curiously. What could he say? There is no Gotham in this world's New Jersey and besides, he can't afford to say too much.
He should end the topic here or just walk away.
But on the other hand, he did share a half-truth with Ikki. He supposed he could do the same with her.
"I come from a city." he finally said, hoping she wouldn't press for details.
"This city...has one of the most highest crime-rates in the country. Corruption had ingrained itself so deep that the city officials and the police encouraged criminal activity to spread like wildfire. The mob, gang bangers, killers and psychopaths all felt like kings who could get away with anything. There were nights so bad, families would pray that they'd be able to wake up tomorrow alive."
"That's horrible!" Stella gasped.
"It was." Bruce nodded. "But things are getting better now. That pride you feel for your people? I feel the same way about mine, the honest hardworking citizens. They are made of sterner stuff, they'd have to be to live there, they just needed someone to fight for them. For all its faults, I care for my city and its people...It's still my home."
The rueful nature of his voice wasn't lost on Stella.
"Could he be homesick?" she wondered with wide eyes.
It was the first time Stella had seen Bruce open up like this and she wondered if his cold defensive attitude was result of him growing up in such a city. She pondered this as silence returned between the two of them, with only the drumming of rain echoing in the hall.
"You know..." Stella finally spoke. "You're welcome to come and visit Vermillion if you'd like."
She tilted her nose up in a proud haughty fashion.
"Consider this an official invitation from the a member of the royal family. You should feel honored to be my esteemed guest!"
"Hm." Bruce smirked. "I might take you up on your offer."
After saying that, Bruce touched the jacket he laid next to him.
"It's dry now." he stated.
"Oh."
Stella blushed a bit from embarrassment, not realizing they spoke for that long. She felt kind of bad that it was over, this the closest Bruce and her had to having an actual conversation.
"Well,...um, we better get started then."
"Alright, I've been thinking about your match with Saijou-senpai and I think I know where you went wrong."
By now, Stella had led Bruce to the middle of the practice ring where she paced in front of him as she spoke. Bruce once again had to keep his pride in check; not every adult would be willing to let a teen girl lecture them like a college professor.
"Lucky for you, the wise and beautiful Master Stella is here to offer you some helpful hints and advice!" Stella winked while thrusting a thumbs-up at him.
Unfortunately, his hopes that she'd forgotten about the whole 'Master Stella' thing had been shattered and his look of disappointment had gone unnoticed as she continued on.
"First, the way you handle your Mana, you're going about it all wrong."
"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.
Stella immediately frowned at him and wagged her finger in a reprimanding way.
"Uh-uh! You should say 'What do you mean, oh great and wise Master Stella?'"
For a few seconds Bruce scowled at her intensely but Stella didn't seem back down, leaving him no choice but to roll his eyes and go along with her demands.
"What do you mean, oh great and wise Master Stella?" he parroted her with dryness and zero enthusiasm.
"I'm glad you asked, my student." Stella responded with a smug smile.
Much to Bruce's chagrin, the girl was starting to enjoy this situation way too much for his liking.
When Stella raised her hand up and engulfed it in flames, Bruce once again felt that odd twitch within him. It definitely caught his attention this time but he decided to think on it later and listen to what Stella had to say.
"I learned a long time ago that you can't just force your magic to work." Stella said. "Back then, the flames were my worst enemy. The more I tried to control it, the more it would fight back. My old teacher back in Vermillion, Master Dandalion, said it was like taming a dragon."
She then stretched her arms wide in a diagonal angle and Bruce watched as the flames around her hand flowed down her arm, over the back of her shoulder and neck and then finally gathered to her other hand.
"So he told me 'why not try befriending the dragon?'. A Blazer needs to be in total harmony with their Mana, you have to sorta have to move with it...go with the flow." she said before extinguishing the flames and looking him. "Know what I mean?"
"I think I do." Bruce said though only having a vague idea.
"Secondly, you need to give your Noble Arts...names!"
Bruce grimaced.
"What?" he asked, looking at her weirdly.
"Further more, it's more effective if you call out the name out when you activate them."
All fired up, Stella pushed her elbows back with clenched fists.
"So just yell it out, loud and proud with a lot of feeling!"
"How is that even work in battle!?" Bruce balked. "That's like me tipping off my opponent on what my next move is going to be!"
"Will you just listen and work with me here?" Stella huffed with exasperated annoyance.
With that said, Stella walked to the corner of the ring where her bag was and after retrieving something from it, she returned back to Bruce.
"Okay, now the first thing we're going to do is work on your control."
Bruce already figured out the contents of the small box she carried before she opened it and to his dismay, he figured right.
"The clay again..." he rasped.
"Yes Bruce, the clay again." she mockingly echoed him. "C'mon, this is basic stuff."
"Princess, this isn't going to work."
"Master Stella." she corrected.
Bruce's throat suppressed a growl as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He could already feel his temper rise and a vein throb at one of his temples but he took a breath and calmed himself.
"This isn't going to work,...Master Stella." he grunted. "I've already tried it with Arisuin and-"
"Forget about Alice! I'm your teacher now, remember?"
"Well, can't say I didn't try to warn her." Bruce thought as he raised a palm and concentrated.
Fifteen seconds later, the result was just as he expected.
"Told you it wouldn't work."
Poor Stella stood like a statue with her lips squiggled in disgust as she shakily raised her hands to wipe the splattered clay from her face and hair.
"It's fine, it's fine." she breathed out, trying to calm herself as she cleaned her face.
Refusing to be deterred, Stella pumped her fists in fiery determination.
"But we're not giving up yet!"
"We?" Bruce asked dryly. "I don't recall echoing your optimism."
"Oh come on, Bruce. What happened to the cool super-smart guy who's good at figuring out stuff?"
Bruce couldn't help but smirk slyly.
"So you think I'm cool?"
And right on cue, Stella's cheeks tinged before she reacted with ire.
"Quit dodging the issue! I don't think you actually have a problem with control like you think you do!"
What she said actually took Bruce aback and he looked at her inquisitively.
"See? I can be observant too." she smiled smugly. "What if I told you...that you've actually been using magic pretty efficiently this whole time without noticing?"
This immediately made him frown.
"Explain..."
He stopped himself as Stella raised a finger which prompted him to hold a palm up with his eyes closed, urging her to say no more.
"Ahem." he coughed. "Please explain,...Master Stella."
The Crimson Princess smiled in satisfaction and then spoke.
"You know about Mana Defense and Mana Emission, right?"
"Of course." Bruce nodded, remembering that he did read up on the subject.
"Now think about everyone you fought so far. Or better yet, think back to your battle with Saijou-senpai. Don't you think it's weird that you were able to beat up a C-rank with just your fists?"
The dots connected in Bruce's mind as he thought back to his previous battles with Iwadare, Nene, Ikki and then finally Saijou. His eyes slowly widened as it became clear to him and he wondered to himself why he didn't notice it before. Was it some kind of involuntary instinct?
"I think I understand where you're going with this." he murmured.
"Right." Stella nodded. "Mana doesn't just stay inside you, it actually flows around you like a skin tight suit of armor, that's Mana Defense."
To further emphasize her point, Stella activated her 'Empress Dress'; surrounding herself with a field of flames.
Once again, there was that twitch that Bruce felt. His eyes narrowed, it was unmistakable this time and he was left to wonder what it could possibly be. Luckly, Stella didn't seem notice his troubled expression and continued to speak.
"My own Empress Dress works the same way, all I've done is just use my flames to power it up. But now, you can see what it looks like."
She then deactivated her Noble Art before resuming her explanation.
"To sum it up, a Blazer wouldn't be effected by regular physical attacks but with every punch you land, you're actually concentrating your Mana to your fists and breaking through their defense." she concluded.
Bruce recollected his previous his previous research and reminded himself that Mana Defense was basically a defense mechanism that Blazers use unconsciously.
In addition to what Stella said, the strength of this force-field-like barrier depends on the amount of Mana a Blazer has. An E-rank knight, for instance, will only receive bruising from a fired bullet but knights as high as B-ranks can tank much more powerful blows. He could only imagine how durable an A-rank would be.
"So you see, you DO have control but something is stopping you from having TOTAL control." Stella said as she shook a pointed finger towards him. "Something...that's not allowing you to be one with your magic. We just need to find out what that something is."
Bruce 'hmm-ed' and nodded, the information wasn't particularly useful but it did offer some insight on where a solution could be found.
"Alright, so what's next?" he asked.
"Well, while we're on the subject, why don't we go over Mana Emission?"
Stella gave him the gist of it. Basically it was a technique where a Blazer use their Mana within them to enhance their physical attributes. For example, they can increase their base speed to superhuman levels by flowing Mana in their legs or increase their strength by flowing it into their upper bodies and so on.
Like with Mana Defense, this was something that Blazers did unconsciously but a perfect understanding of this phenomenon can allow some Blazers to have an edge over others.
"But, did you know that you could use Mana Defense the same way as Mana Emission?" Stella asked with an excited grin. "Here, let me show you."
The young girl took a few steps away from Bruce to put some distance between them.
"Now summon your Device. Go ahead. " she called to him.
Bruce wasn't sure what she had in mind but he did as he was instructed.
"Serve my will, Laevateinn!"
On cue, Stella's faithful golden sword materialized in her hands and with it, she took a fencing stance.
"Now come at me!"
He looked at her questionably, wondering if she was being serious. She gave an urging nod, grin still on her face.
Figuring that he might as well humor her, Bruce rushed at her with his sword primed for a slash. With her stance, it should be difficult to parry such a wide attack. But Stella aimed to surprise him.
"There!" she cried and thrust the point of her sword forward.
When the tip of Laevateinn met the edge of Branwen, Bruce was suddenly hit by a powerful repelling force. Powerful enough to almost send him off his feet and flying back but luckily, he orientated himself to prevent from being blow away was was instead sent skidding back on his feet.
While Bruce was indeed surprised, he was able to piece together how she managed to pull off that feat.
"You projected your magical barrier and used it as an offense. Clever."
Stella nodded.
"Yup. Master Dandalion taught me this too. His Device was a rapier called Lionheart, I always wondered how he could parry Laevateinn with such a thin blade. Well, this was how."
She said so as she raised the tip of Laevateinn up.
"Your Device is an extension of you, so it shares the same Mana. The trick here is to focus all your Mana at that exact moment on one single point. Why don't you try now?"
With Stella's help, Bruce did try his hand at this technique and then over the next few minutes, the two of them went over various different methods of Mana usage. Bruce wouldn't admit it out loud but he was starting to feel encouraged about Stella's lessons.
Thanks to his firmer grasp over the concept of Mana, he could now enhance his strength and speed beyond his base performance; this could prove to be useful when out in the field. He also had a better feel for his Mana, sensing it around and within his body.
Unfortunately, that was as far as his progress went and the usual roadblocks reared its ugly head. When it came to Bruce voluntarily controlling his Mana or his Noble Arts, try as he might, things didn't go quite as well. In fact, there was little to no improvement of Bruce's control over his powers.
His previous feelings of encouragement began to fall apart and gave way to disappointment and frustration.
"Well? What now, 'Master Stella'?" Bruce asked with a cynical tone.
Stella would've been annoyed by Bruce's remark but she knew that she'd probably act the same way in his shoes. She bit her lip and racked her mind, being just as confused as he was, and didn't understand why his problem persisted. She was sure that they were on the right track. Were they wrong? Was she wrong?
"No." she told herself. She knew that something was holding him back, but what? What more could she do? What would Master Dandalion do?
As if to answer her, she recalled his words from long ago.
"When in doubt, go back to the basics."
"Go back to the basics..." she whispered to herself.
But she already covered the basics. What could be more basic than...?
The young girl's eyes slowly began to widen as she was struck by what she could only describe as a eureka moment.
Catching Bruce off guard, Stella suddenly grabbed the sides of his arms in an imploring fashion.
"Just one moment, wait right here!" she said before turning and rushing to her gym bag at the corner of the ring.
Bruce waited as she rummaged through the contents of the bag until she found what she was looking for and brought it to him.
"What...is that?" Bruce asked with a bewildered grimace.
Held in Stella's two hands was a medium sized stuffed doll depicting a girl with long greenish blonde hair that was tied in two braids.
Judging from her clothing and long pointed ears, Bruce assumed that it was some Tolkien-inspired fantasy character; in particular, an elf. Her proportions were 'chibi-styled' with her large face bedecked with cyan oval buttons for eyes and a stitched U-shaped smile.
"Her name is Ly-chan*." said Stella in a protective fashion. "And she's a doll obviously."
"I know it's a doll but why did you bring it here?"
"You know how stuff like Golem Clay and our Magical training tools work, right?"
Bruce nodded.
"Arisuin said that they work like a conduit, correct?"
Or more precisely as Bruce would learn, there were certain materials in this world that can conduct and even store Mana. It had allowed for the development of various technologies to help study the nature of Mana and Magic itself.
"Right. Ly-chan is made of the same stuff, she is specially made for Blazer children. My father bought her for me when I was just a toddler."
"And you still have it with you since then?"
Stella reeled back as her face flushed red with embarrassment.
"T-t-that's not important, okay!?" she exclaimed in a flustered state.
Bruce guessed that she probably still had an emotional attachment to the doll and honestly, he found it kind of silly and cute. At any other time, he probably would've made a comment about it at Stella's expense. But right now, he'd rather just listen to what she had to say.
"Remember that story I told you about? About how I needed to be calmed down?"
"What about it?" asked Bruce.
"Because of how powerful my flames were, I was taken to the Vermillion Magic Institute. They said that for most Blazers, utilizing their Mana is second nature because their magic is a reflection of their souls."
Stella pursed her lips in thought, trying to think of an analogy of how explain this better.
"Think of it this way, a Blazer's magic is like their shadow. They're always together, well acquainted and are perfectly in sync. But sometimes, for some young Blazers who's powers had awakened too early, their 'shadows' are like total strangers. That's what my master said to me, remember? Don't fight the beast, befriend it."
"Fine but what does...'Ly-chan'" Bruce rolled the name slowly off his tongue like it was an alien word. "...have to do with this?"
The red haired princess held the doll out towards him.
"Ly-chan is the key, Bruce. She's not just a toy, she helps child Blazers 'introduce themselves' to their 'shadows'."
He was starting to get a foreboding idea of what Stella was proposing and the whole thing ballooned his dismay to uncomfortable proportions.
"You've got to be kidding me." Bruce grunted.
"I wouldn't joke about this, you dummy!" Stella huffed with exasperation. "Don't you see? That's why your magic isn't in sync with you!"
"Hm."
The sound Bruce made didn't sound the least bit enthusiastic but a combination of morbid curiosity and the resignation over the fact that he had already come this far had urged him on.
"So...what do I have to do exactly?" he asked.
Stella laid the doll on the ring in a sitting position about three feet away from Bruce and then stepped back away from it.
"It's easy. Just like with the Golem Clay, you need to concentrate and let her absorb your Mana. She will then ask you simple questions and you answer them."
With heavy doubt, Bruce stared at Stella silently for a few seconds before speaking.
"Just like that?"
"Yup, just like that." Stella nodded with a grin.
He looked back and forth between the teen girl and the stuffed doll that seemed to be looking back at him with its blank blue eyes and its smile unchanging.
Slowly, but hesitantly, Bruce raised his open palm toward it. He concentrated on his Mana but then suddenly dropped his arm and was on the verge of turning around.
"This is ridiculous." he muttered.
Stella quickly rushed and got in front him.
"Come on Bruce, don't give up now." she beseeched.
For extra effect, she clasped her hands and gave him the biggest and cutest puppy-dog look she could muster.
"Please? For me?"
It seemed to have worked as Bruce sighed and relented, turning back towards the doll and raising his palm back up.
Like with the Golem Clay, a soft blue glow began to surround the doll and it took a few seconds before something happened. Luckily it didn't explode like the clay but instead, the doll's cyan eyes lit up and a woman's voice emitted from her like it was from a small speaker. It sounded prerecorded and it spoke like a lady reading a story for kindergartners.
"Why hello there. My name is Ly-chan, I'm an elf from a village in a fa~r away land." a gentle voice sounded out. "What's your name?"
"I can't believe I'm doing this…" Bruce groaned to himself before answering.
"Bruce Wayne."
And for several seconds there was nothing. The blue glow remained but Ly-chan remained silent and still.
"So much for being a talker." Bruce looked at Stella and commented.
"Yeesh Bruce." Stella rolled her eyes. "You sound like you're off to the gallows or something. All you have to do is give her a sincere answer, you can even just say it in your head if you want."
"Sincerely..." he echoed, looking at her with doubt.
He then slowly turned his sights back to Ly-chan and tapered his eyes with focus.
"Batman." he said in his mind.
"Oh that's a wonderful name!" Ly-chan chimed.
Bruce was already certain that the doll could only speak with whatever recorded voice-lines it had but was still glad all the same.
"It's nice to meet a new friend. Do you have any other friends?" the doll asked.
His mind went to Jim, then Harvey and even Barbara. Then, more recently, Kurono, Ikki and Stella. But were they even friends? Or more like allies? He cared about them, trusted them...but not with his secrets. What kind of friend would do that?
Then there was Selina. He wasn't sure what they were, it started out more as a want, a need, a fatal attraction. But eventually, he knew it became something more and under a different circumstance, he would've seen a future with the two of them together. But that ship had long sailed.
In the end, Alfred was the only one he had been truly been open with.
"Friends are good aren't they?" he heard the doll suddenly speak. "I get scared at the thought of being alone. Tell me, what are you afraid of?"
The people he cared about slaughtered, the innocents dead, his city burning in chaos, his failure to keep his promise.
He internally shuddered that it wasn't too hard to imagine.
"Is there anything that makes you really angry?"
The vile scum that took pleasure in the suffering of the innocent, that had no regard for life, that lived in opulence at the cost of others. Them, who freely violate justice and think they can get away with it.
Again, wasn't too hard to imagine.
"What is your happiest moment?"
Bruce's eyes popped open and for the first time in his adult life, he froze like he was at a total loss for words.
He snuck a glance towards Stella and noticed that she was staring at him curiously. Then he looked back towards the doll, contemplating his answer before closing his eyes and concentrating.
His happiest moment? The only thing he could think of was...
Underneath the Deco-style theater marquee which glowed against the bold black lettering alongside the neon lights, a family of three stepped out into the cold winter night on the side of the road.
The matriarch of the three, Martha, was initially worried that her son wouldn't have a good time. After all, it was a PG-13 movie with sword fights and a bit of sensuality, surely they could've taken their eight year old boy to something more kid-friendly. But her husband, Thomas, didn't think it was a big deal; he was from a generation whose parents paid no mind to what kids brought home from the video store.
To her relief, he was right. Bruce appeared to be having the time of his life. The young boy was already skipping ahead of them, mimicking fencing motions while quoting scenes from the movie.
Thomas slipped his arm around Martha's shoulders and the two parents smiled in happiness as they watched their son laugh with excitement, they could see that he was finally behaving like a kid.
They knew that despite everything they had given him, Bruce had a reputation of being a sad and lonely boy who was never good at making friends. The other children in his school were either envious or schemed to take advantage of him, creating an environment that caused him to become distrustful of others. As pathetic as it sounded, his parents were the only true friends he knew.
It was a deep regret that Thomas and Martha shared, that they were too blinded by their own responsibilities to notice his plight, that they couldn't be the parents he needed.
And so, for one night, Thomas and Martha canceled all their meetings and held off all their calls. This night would be Family Night and be only about the three of them.
It was what made Bruce so happy, it wasn't just that he had fun, it was that the three of them had fun together...it was all he could ever want.
"Where is Alfred? I thought he would be here by now." Martha asked.
Thomas chuckled sheepishly in response.
"Sorry about that. I had him run a few errands for me." he then gestured towards a block of buildings in front of them. "He probably has the car parked on the other side of that block."
Young Bruce looked towards the cluster of buildings and spotting an alleyway that cut through the block. Immediately, an idea came to him and he spun excitedly towards his parents with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Why don't we take that shortcut over there and surprise him?" he proposed.
His parents were taken aback by the suggestion and their eyes drifted towards the alleyway hesitantly. While Park Row was home to some popular attractions, it also had quite a seedy reputation.
Thomas was about dissuade his son from such an idea but Bruce, in a fit of hyperactive impulse that was common for a child, suddenly dashed off towards the alley in excitement.
"C'mon! Let's go!" he laughed.
"Bruce, wait!" Martha called out for him.
Bruce made it almost halfway through the alley, unable to wait and see the look on Alfred's face when he finds them waiting for him. But his momentum was cut short when his foot tripped on one of the fallen wooden boards that littered the side of the street, causing the young boy to fall flat on his front with an "Oof!".
He winced as he pushed himself up but then froze at the sight before him. The alley was deserted with barely a sound; it was claustrophobic, cluttered and the overhead street lamps did nothing to chase away the shadows that clung to its surface. The young boy was struck with foreboding feeling like he was lost in a nightmarish forest like some of the horror stories he used to read.
"Bruce!" he heard his father's voice behind him and turned to see that both his parents caught up.
"Are you alright, son? Are you hurt?" his father asked as he helped him up.
Martha knelt down and held him by his shoulders.
"Don't you ever run off like that again! You hear?" she admonished him with worry.
"I'm sorry." he whimpered.
Thomas sighed, just being glad that nothing bad happened.
"It's alright. Let's get back before..."
He trailed off as the sounds footsteps echoed from the dark passage in front of them. The three of them looked to see a shadowy figure approach them. Even when the person neared the light of the street lamps, the cast shadows still obscured the majority of his face.
If Bruce's parents didn't know any better, they would've thought it was someone who saw their child's fall and came to check if everything was alright. But when they saw the glint of the handgun's barrel pointed at them, any possibility of that notion had crumbled.
"The lady's pearls, give it to me." the man demanded.
Bruce and Martha were petrified on the spot while Thomas extended as arm over them from his position in a futile attempt to protect them. With his other hand, Thomas held up an assuring palm in an attempt to calm down the nervous mugger.
"Hey, take it easy." Thomas said.
Bruce's heart pounded so deafeningly as the man pointed the gun sharply towards his mother. His breathing grew rapid as everything around him began to slow down.
"I said I want the pearls! Now GIVE IT TO ME!" the mugger yelled.
The young boy's heart thumped harder and harder, everything blurred as his father jumped in front of the barrel until...
With the flash of the muzzle and the gunshot reverberating through him, Bruce hunched over, clutched his head and cried out as again the bolt of pain over took him. It felt different this time, it was a suffocating feeling like he was being crushed from within.
His heartbeat felt louder and pounded painfully in his ears as the images of his parent's corpses flashed again and again in his mind...or were they? Interlaces with his memories were images of a blood soaked blade and a dead man and woman whom he had never seen before.
"Bruce! Are you alright!?" he heard Stella cry out in concern.
That was when Bruce noticed the tendrils of black smoke trailing from his body.
"Please, tell me what's wrong!" Stella stepped to approach him.
He quickly turned away from her, still hunched in pain, and shakily held up a palm to tell her to stop.
"S...st-stay back..." he hoarsely called out.
Stella stiffened and froze in her tracks, distress and guilt etched on her face.
"What have I done?" she thought.
She realized that this was all her fault. She pushed him too far without even realizing the nature of his powers and now he was hurt because of her.
This line of thinking caused a memory of Stella's to suddenly resurface in her mind. It was of a time where back in Vermillion, when she was at the cusp of teenage-hood, she had a heated argument with her father in front of her mother and sister.
He had finally put his foot down at forbade her from pursuing her goal of mastering her flames and becoming a Mage-knight, even threatening to lock her in her room. It was out of concern of course, he dearly loved his second daughter, perhaps a little too much, and hated that she kept putting in herself in harm's way.
But at the time, she didn't see it that way and in actuality, neither did he. Both were too stubborn and just wanted to win their argument.
"Daddy, I know what I'm doing!" she yelled at him defiantly. "I need to think for my people!"
King Sirius gritted his teeth in anger and bellowed back.
"That's exactly what you're NOT thinking about!"
She flinched and was frozen on the spot and at that time, the king knew he had the upper hand.
"What about the servants that you nearly burned!? Aren't you not going to be satisfied until you burn the whole damn palace down!?" he yelled.
Despite their argument long behind her, those words lingered in her mind since then and were now accompanied by something Shizuku said just today:
"Oh please! You only think for yourself!"
She began to ask herself if they were right, if she was so caught up in her own goals that she didn't realize how it would affect others around her. She asked herself: What would Ikki even think of her? What would anyone think of her?
Bruce's breathing finally slowed down, the pain in his skull vanished like it had before and left only a dull headache. He turned back towards Stella with the intention of calling off this whole thing, expecting her to argue with him, but he then froze when he saw the sight of her.
She stood with her head hanging and her bangs obscuring her eyes, in a total state of misery.
"I'm sorry Bruce." she said with a low voice.
Bruce blinked in surprise, wondering why on earth would she be sorry.
"Princess...?" he asked.
Then something caught his attention, for most people it would've gone without notice but it didn't escape his. There was a small droplet on the ring floor by her feet, followed by another and then another. She slowly lifted her face and he saw the source of it: tears that freely flowed from her eyes.
"I know you might think I only wanted to do this for my own gain. But...I really wanted to help you...t-to be better. I-I never wanted to...to cause you any..." Stella voice began to crack, on the verge of sobbing.
The former billionaire remained rooted on the spot with wide eyes and his jaw slightly open.
"This girl..."
"I...I should go." Stella sniffed as she turned to walk away. "I wasted enough of your time."
But before she could take a step, she felt her hand suddenly grabbed.
"Stella, wait."
She looked back to see that her hand was indeed is the grasp of his.
"Eh!?" she gasped with surprised eyes and tinged cheeks.
"Did it all mean nothing?" he asked firmly, his eyes narrowed in seriousness.
Stella blinked in confusion, caught off guard and not knowing what he was referring to.
"You trying for three years to control your powers? Becoming an A-rank? What about your dreams of being a knight? A hero to your people?"
Hearing her breath hitch, Bruce finally released her hand and allowed her to fully turn towards him with an astonished expression.
"You told me, the only reason you made it this far is because you didn't want to give up. So I'm asking you now,...as your student, to not give up on me either."
The princess's ruby eyes locked to his and could actually see that he was being earnest. The fact that here he was not only encouraging her but also asking for her help left her stunned.
"But...what more can I do?" she asked.
Bruce crossed his arms and furrowed his brow for a few seconds before answering.
"Have a duel with me."
Stella reeled back in shock, not expecting this.
"What!? W-why?"
"Because I think I finally understand what I need to do."
After the ring was cleared up, Stella and Bruce stood facing each other from the opposite ends of the square platform. Both Branwen and Laevateinn were already summoned in their hands.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" Stella asked.
"I am." Bruce nodded.
"But I still don't understand why."
Bruce took a moment to think about his next words, unsure if she'd understand. Hell, he wasn't sure if he understood it either.
"There's two reasons. One of them is that you were completely right about me."
Stella blinked in surprise.
"I...was?"
"You said that there was something holding me back from having total control. That something...is me."
The red-haired girl's jaw fell in shock as Bruce continued to explain.
"Look, I can't tell you my reasons but the fact of the matter is that I never wanted to be a Blazer."
More accurately, Bruce was holding out hope to eventually find a way to reverse his 'condition'. Perhaps these feelings came about from soldiering on and setting aside his fears of Gotham being left unprotected but deep inside he wished he had never touched that damn sword.
And it was more than just being whisked away in this alternate universe. How many times before had he felt himself teetering over the edge? Every night when he puts the suit on and witnesses the horrors and evils in his city, he often wondered how long would it take before he loses himself to his own darkness and be consumed by his own rage.
And with magical powers added to mix...he knew it could be disastrous.
"Trying to control my magic was just a means to an end for me, that included being part of the Sword Art Festival. I know I'm being vague here but I realize now that I need to accept this part of me, for better or for worse."
It wasn't that Bruce thought of Blazers as anything less but he valued his humanity. He felt if he took this one step, he would be changed forever and there was no coming back from that. He had seen what a sense of power could do to a person, he had seen it in Bane. Could he go beyond the point of no return?
That premonition of the Joker he had pretty much answered that for him.
"Wh...what's the other reason? You said there were two." Stella asked him nervously.
There was a moment of pause before Bruce answered.
"It's a hunch, I can't say more than that."
Stella sighed and lightly ran her fingers through the front bangs of her hair.
"You're not making much sense, Bruce."
But she then looked at him seriously.
"I'm not like Saijou-senpai or Saikyou-sensei. I can't promise you that I'll hold back."
Bruce gave her a knowing smirk.
"And I don't want you to, promise or otherwise. Besides, we might actually face each other in the Selection Battles so don't expect me to hold back either."
Seeing her conflicted expression, Bruce dropped the levity and gave it to her straight.
"It's the only way this will work."
"And you won't tell me how." she stated rather than asked.
"You're going to have to trust me on this. Will you?"
The Crimson Princess asked herself this. Unlike Ikki, he wasn't forthcoming about himself or his motivation.
And yet despite this, damn it all, she did trust him. Because he was now more than just Ikki's friend. He was her friend too.
"Alright, I will." she said as she readied her sword.
Bruce held up his own sword as well and for a few seconds they remained fixed at their spots, eyes tensely focused and planning their angles of attack, until finally the two charged at each other.
With an accompanying rapid symphony of 'CLANGS!' echoing in the training hall, the golden blade of Laevateinn met Branwen's sliver edge in arcs in between tos and fros of dodging. Stella didn't want to admit it but she was actually enjoying this and couldn't help but feel like they were a duet in a ballet.
She compared him to her bouts with Ikki as she got a good feel of his fighting style and noted that while he has the same finesse and refinement of Ikki's swordplay, his strike were more fierce and hard.
But Stella can hit much harder.
With a grin, Stella pushed against Bruce in a blade lock and Bruce found his feet skidding back against the ring floor. It was strange that an older man like him was being overpowered by a teenage girl but Bruce was aware that she was no ordinary girl, her magic can augment her strength to superhuman levels.
"So this is the might of an A-rank." Bruce thought.
On any other day, Bruce would consider putting other strategies into play but this time...
Bruce pumped as much Mana into his upper body as he could and dug his heels while pushing back. Stella's brows shot up seeing him shakily hold her in place, it was obvious that her power still dwarfed his but the fact that he was able hold his own against her was impressive. Not that it mattered, she had plenty of strength to spare and then some.
The temperature around Stella suddenly spiked as flames suddenly enveloped Laevateinn which pushed back down against Branwen, Bruce quickly turned his sword's flat side to her while pressing his palm near the tip. This time Bruce found himself straining harder against the pressure she applied.
He found it no wonder that Saijou said that he stood no chance against her, there was a clear difference in class between them. Hell, he starting to feel the same about her himself.
As the fire around Laevateinn intensified, he felt the twitching feeling return as he expected it to. But what now? How was this helpful? What could it mean?
Bruce wasn't lying when he said he said this was just a hunch, he rarely operated strictly on hunches but just this once he was going to have to leave his reasoning at the door and embrace something that has escaped his full understanding. And so, he looked deep into himself and asked: was it ready?
"Not yet…" he concluded.
The flames began to heat up the metal of Branwen and a grunt of pain sifted through Bruce's grit his teeth as he felt the skin of his palm being burn with smoke seeping its contact. But regardless, he didn't give in.
"Fine, I'll give it all the time it needs." he thought as he pushed back harder.
"What is wrong with him!?" Stella thought as her jaw dropped in astonishment. "How can he handle this much pain!?"
Were their Devices not summoned in Phantom Form, he hands would've physically been charred but the feeling of being burned alive wasn't any more pleasant and yet here he was standing his ground. Once again, she found herself seeing why Ikki held this man in high regard.
She tried to increase her strength but at that moment, Bruce suddenly moved to the side and pivoted his both arms to allow Laevateinn to slide and scrape against the flat side of Branwen; causing Stella to stumble forward and off balance.
As she did, he viciously launched his elbow against her forehead. The impact was enough to send her head and upper body angling back, allowing him to also kick at her abdomen and then follow up with a slash of his own.
But before his blade could meet its mark, Stella recovered and guarded against his attack by angling Laevateinn in time.
That blow he used with his elbow was strong enough to fell even the toughest of thugs but he knew that with her Mana defense, she could take it. Though it must've hurt, Bruce could see that she looked very peeved and bruise was beginning to form on her forehead.
"Fighting dirty, huh?" she spat. "Well, I can fight dirty too. Empress Dress!"
Bruce knew what was coming and immediately jumped back just as a fiery field ignited over her body. The heat intensified to hellish levels and in a flash, Bruce saw that burning town he had seen in his dreams.
What could it mean? He didn't have time to ponder as Stella charged at him while bringing her blade down. He jumped to side, trying to keep his proximity away from the fiery field, and used the length of his sword to strike at her with just the tip. All it managed to do was tear at her uniform and so, Stella swung Laevateinn at him again. It made contact but the result was her being hit by a repelling force which sent her back with her feet skidding on the floor.
"What the...!?" Stella thought in bewilderment before charging at him again with another swing of her sword.
Again, she was repelled back a distance away from him and it was this time when she realized how he was pulling this off.
"Master Dandalion's technique?"
Had she not been too focused on landing a hit, she would've silently commended him on his ability to master what she just taught him. Stella launched herself into another attack but to no avail as she found herself being pushed back again.
"You can't keep this up forever!" Stella called out to him with irritation.
"And you can't see too well, can you?"
She bit her tongue hearing this.
"Wha!? How did he know!?"
Her Noble Art, Empress Dress, was indeed powerful and a valuable technique for area control but it had one fatal flaw: it limited her range of vision. With the flames over her eyes, she can discern her opponent's general location but that was pretty much it; she can't pick out specific details and was severely disadvantaged at close quarters combat.
It was actually something he noticed back during the hostage crisis in the mall, when he saw her use it to protect that child. That was how Bruce was able to execute Dandalion's Mana technique without fail, because knew that Stella literally couldn't see it coming.
Seeing that this was going nowhere, Stella decided to try a different approach; this time, taking a page out Ikki's playbook. This would require a bit of timing and so, with a new plan in mind, she charged again.
Bruce was ready for her and focused his Mana on the point of Branwen as he did last time. Both their swords were primed as Stella neared but just as Bruce was thrust his blade forward, Stella kicked the ground and leaped backwards, catching him off-guard. In mid-leap, the flames around Stella flowed into the length of Laevateinn, turning it into a brilliant blaze of heat and light, which she pointed forward as she landed.
"Eat this! Dragon Fang!"
Those concentrated flames shot out from her blade and before Bruce's eyes, it molded itself into a certain shape. The front of it morphed into a reptilian head with an open maw and horns that grew from the top of its flat skull. No doubt about it: the fiery construct was a dragon with a serpentine body and it undulated ferociously towards Bruce.
He barely managed to roll out of the way from the fiery beast but then he found he wasn't out of the woods yet, the dragon twisted itself around and quickly snapped it jaws at him like it was alive. Bruce dodged again and pushed himself into a run as the thing gave chase.
Stella knew that Dragon Fang was deadly and would relentlessly pursue its target but she was looking to put an end to this and so, she decided to head Bruce off by charging right towards him with Laevateinn held in one hand.
Little did she know that this was an opportunity Bruce had been waiting for.
"Nowhere to run now!" she called out.
Bruce sped up and actually rushed towards her and before she could even react, he grabbed the lapel of her uniform and her sleeve before falling backwards with his foot against her upper thigh, flipping her behind him in a Tomoe Nage-style throw.
The Crimson Princess collided with her own Dragon Fang, resulting in an explosion.
Bruce rolled up into a crouch to see Stella fall in a heap on the ring floor with thin trails of smoke rising from her body. Just as he stood up, she stirred with a groan and pushed her self up using Laevateinn as a prop. There were slight char patches over her body and she looked winded but she was far from defeated. However, that didn't mean that she wasn't amazed.
"I don't believe it." she panted. "You haven't used your Noble Arts and yet you still..."
In truth, Bruce got the idea from witnessing Bishou's attack against her during the mall incident and basically used the same concept of turning her own power against her. Obviously, Bruce couldn't divulge that and so he remained silent.
Stella turned fully and faced him, her previous battle aggression faded and she regarded him with a sincere tone.
"You're a remarkable person, Bruce. Even with the odds stacked against you, you still manage to find a way."
She realized that both Ikki and Bruce had shown her that she has a long way to go as a Mage Knight and in honesty, that thought made her happy. But then her expression and tone turned serious.
"But you won't get anywhere like this. You have to accept who you are and if I have to unleash my full power to make you do then so be it."
With those words, Stella suddenly pointed her Laevateinn up at the air.
"Pierce the blue sky, blaze of purgatory!"
The air around Laevateinn's blade ignited, swirled rapidly until in burst in a huge fiery eruption. What was atop of her hilt was no longer a blade, but a pillar of fire that extended all the way to the roof of the building.
It was an awe-inspiring sight, burning with more fury than what Bruce had previously witnessed; the color of their heated surroundings were dominated by a dark orange hue and embers danced about like playful spirits.
It was Stella's most powerful Noble Art. She knew full well that it would take time to unleash its full power and the last time when she faced Ikki, he used the speed of his Ittou Shura to blindside her. So imagine her surprise that Bruce remained still as if ready to receive her attack head on.
"Well? Aren't you going to attack me while I have my guard down? Or are you going use some other tactic of yours?" Stella called out over the roaring inferno.
"No. Not this time." Bruce said.
Feeling the vibration within him at its peak, Bruce slowly closed his eyes. If there was a time for this to work, it was now. The blade of Branwen every so slowly began to glow.
"I don't understand this world. I don't think I ever will."
Young Bruce stood where his nightmares usually lead him, in the middle of a dark cavern. Darkness surrounded him, stalactites loomed over him and he could feel the chill from the ground even through his shoes.
"I don't know if this part of my own magic or am I having some kind of psychotic break. But regardless, our mission remains the same." the boy spoke in a tone and demeanor that didn't belong to his age.
The boy turned his steely eyes towards the other presence in the cave.
"But we're going to have to make some changes."
A black monstrous shape towered over him, resting on its protruding thumb-claws and its wings folded up like a sharp switch blade. The bat surged at the boy with a snarl, eyes and maw like red pits, but young Bruce wasn't fazed this time because he knew that what he was facing was something he was all too familiar with.
"To be the Batman..." Bruce spoke, looking straight into the creature's eyes. "Is a precarious balancing act. I molded you out of the festering rage left by my parents' murder and as much as it burdens me, I still NEED you: I need your hatred to give me strength, to strike fear in my enemies, to keep me going. But you need me to keep you in check, to remind you that there's a line we don't DON'T cross."
The bat hissed in a begrudging manner and then noticed Bruce turning his gaze elsewhere and followed it to find, much to its displeasure, the third presence in the cave.
"And now, we need you."
Standing there, sharp red slits for eyes staring at them coldly, was the large shadowy raven.
"We need your power to do what is necessary. In return, as long as it's on my terms,...I can give you resolution."
At Bruce's last words, the gigantic bird cocked its head towards him curiously.
"The flames, it stirs something in you, doesn't it?" the boy asked.
A fiery border suddenly ignited between them and spread around the cave, turning their surroundings into the burning town Bruce had seen before. The raven looked around and squatted defensively. Bruce knew this wasn't just something related to fire, he had been around it plenty of times and felt no reaction. It was something to do with Stella's flames, something related to her power.
"Fear? A thirst for vengeance perhaps? I don't know the history behind the sword or it's original owner or why the people who brought me here want it so badly but I do know that something horrible happened to her a long time ago and I'll do everything in my power to find out what it is."
The bat behind him screeched furiously in protest.
"I know." Bruce responded as if he understood it. "The balancing act will be much harder from here on out. If I'm not careful, I can easily topple over the edge."
Young Bruce's gaze dropped in a contemplative manner, grasping the fact the he really was at the threshold with a choice before him. It was a decision which he might later regret but there was no going back now.
"But for the sake of the mission, if the two of you are willing to co-exist then I'm willing to take the responsibility. Are we in agreement?"
The two giant shadow entities glared at each other, looking like they were about to attack again until finally they gave a short nod.
"Then let's get to work."
"KATHARTERIO SALAMANDRA!"
With those words, Stella brought down the pillar that would surely destroy everything in it's path but Bruce remained rooted at his spot.
With his eyes open, Bruce's body glowed blue with Mana and around the surface, the black wisps of smoke fanned from him like the rays of an onyx sun. Gripped with both his hands he held his sword out to his side as the shadows and smoke flowed into it. The blade turned pitch black and then began to rapidly increase in size; bigger and bigger until was as huge Stella's pillar: a long massive dark void that Bruce swung up with all his might, black smoke trailing like something unholy.
The two constructs met in a blinding flash.
Stella was shocked, seeing not only her Katharterio Salamadra being held in place but could feel the heat and fire being sucked away into Bruce's black construct. However, this wasn't one sided: Bruce could see his own construct began to fade as it ate away her power. They were like two opposing forces and before long, both their constructs had dissipated; leaving embers and black wisps while their weapons were back in their base form.
"What...? How?" Stella wondered in absolute awe.
"He...he parried Katharterio Salamandra! No one should be able to do that! Does this mean his powers have awakened!?"
Although her most powerful Noble Art took a lot out of her, there was still some reserve of Mana deep within her.
"I-I have to know for sure!" she thought.
Five spheres of light and heat materialized behind her.
"Burn to Dust, Broken arrow!"
She pointed her sword forward like she giving a command and the spheres, waiting in air behind her, followed her orders loyally by shooting out with such force that their shapes stretched long and thin much like the Noble Art's name sake except not quite broken.
Bruce reacted the same way he did from that night with Iwadare, swinging his sword to conjure up five of his spinning projectiles that this time, flew true and intercepted Stella's; canceling out both their attacks.
"Bruce..." Stella said softly in astonishment. "You did it."
Bruce gazed towards his own sword as she said this.
"I...did." he commented.
Even though he planned it, he could hardly believe that it actually worked.
"You did it." Stella said again as wide smile graced her face.
With Laevateinn dismissed, the young princess couldn't help but bounce with her fist held up as she began to cheer on the spot.
"You did it! You did it! You did it!"
And then unexpectedly, with Stella still caught up in the moment, she surprised Bruce by suddenly running up to him and tacking him in a hug.
"You did it!"
MUNI~!
Bruce's body stiffened as Stella embraced him so tight that he felt her large breasts squeezed against him. Feeling awkward about the situation, he coughed with frown before speaking.
"Stella, you're too close to me."
Stella's eyes opened with a blink before realized their position and quickly jumped back with a start and a slight blush on her cheeks.
"AAH! S-sorry, I got a little carried away."
Despite that moment of embarrassment, Stella recovered from it and didn't even notice Bruce sighing while slowly shaking his head in exasperation.
"This is great, we actually made a breakthrough and I actually helped someone! I can't wait to tell Ikki!" she gushed excitedly.
She almost rushed out of the training hall to do just that but then stopped herself and turned towards Bruce, with an eye close in a mischievous wink and a finger raised.
"Now, aren't you grateful to have a wonderful and talented teacher like me?" Stella asked teasingly.
Bruce nodded and to Stella's surprise, he smiled. Not one of his usual smug all knowing smirks, but an actual genuine smile.
"Yes. Thank you, Stella. I couldn't have come this far without you." he said.
Her eyes grew large at his response and her cheeks tinged again.
"Well,...um,...you still have ways to go!" she blurted out before acting high and mighty again. "Your technique and control needs refinement. As your teacher, I say we pick this up tomorrow after class. So no slacking!"
"If you say so." Bruce responded, trying not to roll his eyes.
Despite her behavior, Bruce had no problem with her proposal. After all, refining his magic with the help of an A-rank could be beneficial.
"And..."
Stella quietly spoke out and Bruce looked at her curiously wondering what else she had to say. Her lips slightly curled as she spoke with her hands behind her back.
"You should smile more often, it looks good on you."
With only those words said, Stella turned and exited the hall. Now that he was left alone, Bruce peered again at the sword that has now become a part of him. Since he started out on his mission, he had taken many paths throughout to aid in his war on crime and now he had taken another. He could only hope that he made the right decision.
A few minutes ago...
The rain had already diminished over Shibaura wharf, leaving the area darkened with ebbing thunder clouds and a coat of moisture that glistened over the arrangement of metal shipping containers.
These metal containers were not intended to be loaded or unloaded on the docked ship. No, they were fort walls, an impregnable stronghold for another criminal group in Tokyo: a Russian mob known as the Dragunov Mafiya. Many of Dragunov's foot soldiers found themselves rallied because at that moment, their stronghold was under siege.
It wasn't by the police nor a rival group nor even by the Mage-knights from the LMN, the Mafiya were equipped to handle any of them.
And yet there they stood trembling at a distance with their guns drawn at the source of this intrusion but none of them mustering the courage to move or pull the trigger.
Before their sights, the wharf's apron was littered with the bodies of men, all scattered around, not an army or even a squadron, but a single person.
An army would've been merciful, anyone else would've been merciful.
As they felt the pressure around the area nearly choke them, they knew they were outmatched; that this person was their judgment, their bringer of death. A goddess that looked like she literally descended from the heavens.
Bathe in an ethereal glow, she stood at the epicenter of the carnage with two wide ornate swords held by each hand. With long shimmering white hair flowing to her back and eyes that shone like brilliant platinum, she wore a silver costume similar to a Valkyrie's comprising of a headpiece that had white feathers on both sides and a bikini-style armor that showed off her voluptuous figure and large cleavage.
Everyone in the criminal underworld knew her name, often whispered in dread. Twin-Wings Edelweiss, the world strongest swordswoman.
"Sh-sh-shoot her!"
One of the gunman managed to yell out and the men let out a torrent of bullets fired from handguns to assault rifles but Edelweiss remained rooted on the spot, her calm expression unchanging.
Before their eyes, rapid streaks of white light flashed around her in angled convex arcs. It was like the bullets were being deflected by some kind of force field. But it was only when they stopped firing and noticed the small metal fragments scattered on the ground did they realize what she actually did.
Every single one of those bullets were sliced cleanly in half.
"H-how is that possible!? She was barely even moving!" another gunman gasped in shock.
After that was said, Edelweiss spread her blades out like her namesake and launched herself forward. So fast and so silent she was that they didn't even notice her skidding to a halt behind them until their guns came apart like sliced fruit and blood spurted from their sides. She straightened up as they fell, them being nothing but ants to her.
"So you are the legendary Twin-Wings, yes?" an accent-laden voice called out.
Edelweiss peered towards the ship where she saw someone descending gang plank. He was a Blazer: a well-built man with short blonde hair, wearing a fastened black long-coat and was carrying a large battleaxe that rested on his shoulders.
"I've heard the stories about you..." he drawled with a mocking grin. "About the Baltic Crisis thirty years ago where you slaughtered over a hundred thousand soldiers including the ones from the Motherland."
The silver-clad woman realized that he was referring to the fact that he was Russian. Back when she was a mere teenager, on her Estonian homeland, she had defeated both armies from the Union-affiliated Russian Empire and the League-controlled Latvian Region.
The man expected a response but she only remained silent with her glowing white hair continuing to sway in the wind. This prompted him to stand before her and continue to talk.
"Oh but don't worry, I'm not here to wax poetic about pretentious patriotism, I've made quite a comfortable living in this country. But I will say, that despite how much I think your feats are exaggerated, I am interested in your title."
She figured as much, as the world's strongest swordswoman, her title of the Twin-Wings is prestigious among warriors. As a result, her status attracts challengers from all over the globe, all with grand ambitions to prove their mettle, dethrone her and yes, collect the huge bounty that was on her head.
Honestly, she found it quite tiresome. Even back in her home, at the summit of Edelberg, these people constantly pestered her.
"World's Strongest Swordswoman? Don't make me laugh!" the Blazer scoffed and readied his axe as his arms glowed blue. "Once I'm done with you, it will be MY name respected the world over. Arkady Volkoff, better known as 'Burning Vulcan'."
With Mana pumped to his arms he swung his axe at incredible speeds but Edelweiss easily sidestepped it. He tried and again, but it was the same each time until he finally got her in a position he wanted.
"Take this! Meteor Chop!"
With his activated Noble Art, which surrounded his raised axe-head a fiery aura much like a falling meteorite, he brought down his weapon with tremendous force that would surely cleave anything that stood in its way.
An exception came with a loud CLANG!
Volkoff's face stretched in surprise when not only did the Twin-Wings react quick enough to stop his attack but was more than strong enough to hold his axe in place with her crossed swords. Her narrowed platinum eyes sent a shiver through his body.
No, it was more than just a shiver; he felt some kind of vibration that shook his organs before blood suddenly spurted from his mouth, nose and eyes. His ruptured arteries caught him off-guard and that was enough for her to spin her body with her back to the ground and kicked up to knock the battleaxe out of his hand before then rolling back on her feet in one fluid motion.
With the tip of her sword an inch from his neck, Volkoff fell to his rump and crawled backwards in fear, his bravado completely forgotten.
"P-please...don't kill me." he begged.
"I'm not here to kill any of you." her voice echoed gracefully like song. "I only want information."
Volkoff paused but then nodded vigorously despite the blood still leaking from his nose.
"Yes!Yes! I'll tell you anything!"
"The man who looks like a bat. Has he been here?"
That question caught the Russian Blazer off-guard.
"What? You...y-you mean the Batman?"
Suddenly, a histrionic laugh sounded from behind the swordswoman.
"Oh-hohohohoho! So THAT is what this really about."
Edelweiss glanced back to see a lanky individual that wore a dark jester outfit with a striped jester cap and dark green ruffles around his neck. His face was framed by two long bangs of black hair and was hidden behind a mask that had a black laughing smile.
"Hiraga-kun." Edelweiss addressed.
The one known as Hiraga scampered closer in an imp-like fashion.
"But I'm ever so curious, Edelweiss-sama. What made you think he would be here?"
"He goes wherever there are criminals, it seemed like a logical conclusion. But why are YOU here?" she asked looking at him with suspicion. "Aren't you supposed to be with your classmates?"
Hiraga's movements became more animatedly exaggerated, pointed in finger in the air with realization.
"Ah yes, a message from Wallenstein-sensei: You are to go to Yamanashi, near the Saiko Lake."
Edelweiss remembered that area was where Wallenstein intended to use Rebellion resources for a 'Training Camp' of sorts to recruit more students for the Akatsuki. Or to use intended terms, it was basically like an entrance exam.
She also remembered that there happened to be a certain person who was currently residing in the area.
"Hmph." Edelweiss uttered softly with her lips curled. "I am to serve as a distraction then? Tell him I already have orders from-"
"What if I were to tell you that this order came directly from Great Leader Tyrant?" Hiraga interrupted.
This sent the silver-clad woman into silence. Edelweiss was usually good at masking her emotions but Hiraga could notice the conflict etched in her eyes and laughed out in glee.
"Hehehehe! This mission of yours was more to you than just an order, wasn't it?"
She still didn't say anything but that didn't stop Hiraga from continuing to speak.
"You fascinate me, Edelweiss-sama. I heard, that since being abandoned by your own country, you became a mere 'sellsword'. A wandering Ronin who lost her meaning in picking up her blade, a warrior without a purpose! And yet here I see you more driven than you've been in years. I wonder what is about this Batman that held your personal interest? That has you so-"
Edelweiss wasn't the least bit interested in his monologue and paid him no mind but as he prattled on. But something caught her attention. It wasn't what he said, it was something else entirely. A feeling, like a surge that crept over her body.
Suddenly, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped and then without warning, she about faced and leaped. The amount of Mana pumped in her legs propelled her high enough to jump atop of the wall of shipping containers before she then leaped again, disappearing from Hiraga's view.
"Now that was quite rude." Hiraga chuckled incredulously.
Though despite his remark, Hiraga did internally shudder at the thought that something had disturbed her. What could possibly effect the World's Strongest Swordswoman in this way?
"Oh well." he shrugged and turned to Volkoff. "At least I get to have a new toy to play with."
Hiraga unfurled his fingers and above his palm appeared a ball of steel wire that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat. It was his Device, Black Widow.
Volkoff pressed himself back as the masked jester approached him with a sinister chuckle.
"Hohoho, don't struggle now."
Meanwhile, Edelweiss soared up through air with her white tresses flapping in the wind until she was over the rooftop of a building where she landed before launching herself again; propelled by the power of her Mana, leaving glowing blue particles in her wake.
With continuous leaps, she ascended from high ground to even higher ground. Rooftops, ledges, any platform she spring from until she finally stood on her tip toes upon the very tip of Tokyo Tower.
"I felt it." she thought. "I felt it for just a moment but it's gone now."
The city laid out spread before her: a sea dark blocks dotted with light, divided by golden glowing roads that wound like rivers. With it all in her sights, she tied to key in on the source of this sudden spike in Mana, but to no avail.
"The Batman...he must have synced with her magic. Isn't...Hagun Academy in that direction?"
Unable to be certain, she released a defeated breath. She reconcile herself that although she had to give up her search at the moment, she would be sure to resume it once she got back from Yamanashi.
As Hiraga's words came back to her mind, Edelweiss's features melted into melancholy. Her hair danced in the wind and the last drops of rain splashed against her cheek.
The boy known as 'Pierrot' was right about her, she had never been this driven before. Not since she was left disillusioned by the state of the world. Not since what happened to her master, the only man she truly cared for. And not since what happened to...Regina.
She felt that the notion that Desperados like her had broken the chains of fate was a lie. Even she was at the mercy of the fate of the world and the ghosts of the past.
"Regina...why does your power dwell in him? How long must your cursed spirit remain on this earth?"
TBC
AN:
*The doll is based on Lyrule from Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu! which is another work from Riku Misora.