Welcome to the next chapter!
Darth Simp; Yeah, it's gonna be quite emotional between Mariella and Venta this chapter, learning a bit more about them. She did yeah, she wishes for everyone to add sama to Venta's name. I could see Mariella doing something like that yeah. He could know about human Fana yeah.
helios darkus; We'll learn more about Venta's past in this chapter. Yeah he could have a weapon like that. Would be a cool weapon.
justinmll1971; Yeah, I'll do a Fairy Tail fic again.
foxxfire716; Yeah, it could be like that, we'll see a bit more of his story in this chapter.
wellingtonlucas282; Thank you!
ShadowUzumaki55; Yeah, they surely did~ Klaus and Luck did their best. Mars is yeah, we'll be seeing Mars pretty soon.
Silver crow; Thanks. Yeah, we'll see the fight between Mariella and Venta in this one. We'll learn more about Venta in this chapter yeah. Mars was yeah. Glad you liked the Mimosa and Noelle scenes. We'll learn more of his backstory soon. Venta did yeah. Yuno and Klaus surely did, with Asta and Luck soon joining them to fight and beat Galleo. Mariella did yeah. Venta wouldn't need a blackhole to deal with crystal puppets. Some know of his backstory, not all. Fana could do yeah. We'll see what happens with Mars pretty soon. Maybe Venta could help them out. Venta doing that would be pretty cool. Elf Fana doing that would be pretty funny. I could see Sally doing that. That would be cool for a manga panel. Venta could do that with Moris yeah. He could name Mariella and Mars that yeah. Maybe the Earth Spirit is with them yeah. Thanks for the harem suggestions. I could see Lolopechka having that. If he did, yeah he'd have one.
Noelle fan; They are yeah, they're very determined. Galleo is yeah. We'll see what happens with Mars and Mariella. Yuno will be getting bell very soon. Thanks for the harem suggestions.
Guest 1; Thanks! We'll be getting some information in this chapter yeah. I'm sure some will be shocked. That would be pretty cool if he did inherit that. Yeah, he could do that.
Guest 2; Yeah, it could be. We'll be learning more about him pretty soon!
Guest 3; He could do a team up like that, would be pretty cool. Yeah, he could be like that. Those are cool inspirations. Thanks for the suggestions!
Guest 4; I'm sure in a sense they are like that. Yeah, his Devil could be quite like that. I could see Elf Fana being like that.
Guest 5; When the situation calls for it, we'll see Venta go into such a mode. Yeah he and Yuno could have a battle like that. That would be cool if Venta had a pet like that.
Guest 6; Yeah, I could see them becoming future members. Yeah, things are getting quite intense within the Manga, can't wait to see what happens during this arc. Maybe Noelle will get it again one day. Yeah, that's how it is with the Devils world. Maybe the Devil with Time Magic will appear at some point.
Guest 7; We'll learn more about him here. Yeah, it could be like that. That would be an interesting situation between those two characters. Yeah, he'd stay with the Black Bulls. Maybe he might go to the Diamond Kingdom at some point. Yeah, his parents could have had that kind of Magic.
Guest 8; Yeah, God bless Noelle hehe.
Guest 9; Sometime after this arc with Dorothy and Venta. Yeah, it could be like that.
djinn; Thanks!
Guest 10; Thanks for the suggestions!
Andrew123456; We'll find out pretty soon.
Guest 11; Yeah, I've been thinking of doing a Sekirei fic lately, so that would be an interesting Sekirei fic to do. I could see Miya being quite like that yeah. I'm sure Miya would be like that if he winged Uzume yeah, thanks for the suggestions!
With those reviews out of the way, it's time to start the chapter!
Venta vs Mariella!
A quite young Mariella was walking away from the Kingdom that she had known, to train. It was pretty far from the Kingdom, but she had heard it was a good place to train, and she thought that if she wished to rise through the ranks one day, that she'd have to get in some training.
However, that day wasn't her lucky day.
As while training, she suddenly felt a presence behind her.
She turned to see Mage's of a rival Kingdom sneaking up on her.
She pulled back, while they smirked towards her.
"Diamond Kingdom scum, a little far from your home, aren't you?"
One of the Mage's said sickeningly, causing the young Mariella to look on with fear.
She tried to move, when chains came out of the earth, and bound the young girl.
"Because of your Kingdom, my family died."
Another of the Mage's spat out, with Mariella struggling to break free.
But couldn't due to the tightness of the chains.
"Lets kill her."
"Is she even worth it? She's a kid."
"She's a kid of that wretched Kingdom! She has to die! All of them are the same! Evil!"
The Mage snapped, Mariella shook side to side.
She couldn't get out of the binds.
The man with chains came closer and closer to her, a dark look on his face...
"Gwaaaah!"
When suddenly, he received a blow to his upper body, smashing him deep into the ground.
"You shouldn't pick on kids, you know?"
A voice rang out through her ears.
It sounded like a child's voice.
Mariella looked, and what she saw surprised her.
A young boy, maybe a year or two older than her, stood wearing what looked like worn out clothing.
However, he had the brightest smiles on his face, a smile that made her feel secure.
"Who the hell are you kid?!"
"That doesn't matter, leave that girl alone."
"Hah! Yeah right, who's gonna stop us huh?"
"Me."
The other Mage turned his hands to the boy and gathered water within his palms to fire at the young man.
Said young man dashed forward as the Mage fired off blasts of water.
The boy used quick movements to avoid the blasts, and when getting in close, tightened his hand.
"Have this."
With those words, he ended up nailing the man in the stomach.
"Gwaaaah!"
He spat out bile before the small boy leaned back and kicked the man in the face, sending him flying up into the air, and then came crashing down.
Mariella watched on as the boy approached her, and grabbed the chains.
"Seems strong, huh."
The boy said kindly, before pulling the chains with enough force that Mariella managed to get free of them.
When she did, she looked at the young man, and her mouth became agape.
"Y-You're..."
She couldn't get out her words, as the boy smiled.
"It's a long way from the Kingdom. Did you come here to train too? I usually come here, nice and quiet, and full of surprises."
"Y-Y-Yes...a-and yo-you..."
Mariella looked star struck, as the young man offered his hand in a polite gesture.
"Nice to meet you, my name is-"
"I-I know who you are! Y-You're...the Prince!"
The young boy scratched his cheek with slight embarrassed.
"I usually go by Venta. What's your name?"
"M-Mariella your Majesty..."
"Please, don't call me that. Just Venta's fine. And nice to meet you, Mariella-san~"
Mariella looked on, baffled that someone like him, had not only saved her, but also was speaking to her casually.
However, what she didn't know was this was the beginning of a life long friendship between the two of them...
Facing down Mariella, Venta flexed his fingers, as did Mariella.
While facing him, the ice around Mariella was increasing. Freezing the floor, and the areas surrounding her being.
Venta himself also had the gravity around himself increase, the ground being torn apart, with rocks and debris beginning to float, and within moments, the debris and rocks floated higher and higher into the air.
All of it combined made Mariella wonder how she'd get around such a force.
Mariella's eyes felt conviction yet that also seemed to be something that she had to put effort into maintaining, as she also felt confliction at the same time, not wishing to do things such as this.
"The Diamond Kingdom needs you Venta-sama, and if you don't come back by choice, then it is time for me to take you in immediately. So I suggest that you come quietly, I have grown stronger the time we've been apart, and my duty is to bring you back."
Venta was intrigued to see this power that she had accumulated, and if she was even stronger than last time.
"I'd like to see your new found power."
Mariella steels her resolve, and claps her hands together.
"Ice Creation Magic, Frozen Daggers!"
From a movement of her hand, several daggers of ice form in the air, and shoot towards Venta.
Without moving his body, not even an inch, Venta's Magic spreads out and as the daggers come in close.
The gravity that was intense began causing the daggers to fly upwards, and due to that, flew so high that they missed their target.
"Not very assassin like to attack head on."
As he said it, Venta moved his hand back, and grabbed a knife of ice that Mariella had secretly made to attack from a blind spot.
Crushing it within his palm, he points his hand forward at the young woman.
"My turn."
Venta's Gravity Magic activates, and after he says "Gravity Magic, Shockwave!" a powerful wave of gravity is directed towards Mariella.
The girl gasps, and slams her hands down, creating a massive shield of ice to defend herself against the strong attack.
"Venta-sama's Magic is still very deadly as always, I have to be careful or one good shot will finish me off."
The ice and gravity clashed together, with Mariella seeing the ice being blown away with the gravity having now shifted towards her direction, therefore it was using the crushing aspect of gravity to break through the ice more and more.
Creating a dagger, she dashed around, and came at Venta from the left.
Swinging the dagger up close, Venta dodges back, and then points his finger out, summoning gravity and shot it forward.
"Venta-sama...so fast..."
Mariella avoids but sees the ground that she dodged from having been torn up in a small hole.
She then looked to see Venta was now firing his finger like a gun, and shot off small gravity projectiles towards her, which she began to dodge out of the way, while Venta snapped his fingers, and caused the ground around him to lift up in chunks.
"Gravity Magic, Bullet Barrage."
With a movement of his fingers, he causes the stone and materials he was lifting up to crush together and form bullets out of the different materials, then she watches as Venta fires off the bullets at high speed, going faster and faster for her.
"I-Ice Creation Magic, Frost Shield!"
Ice in the form of what looked like an icy structure resembling that of a mirror albeit didn't show much reflection back.
"Hesitation in your voice Mariella-chan? I wonder why you're hesitating, isn't it your duty to bring me back?"
"I hold no hesitation in fighting you Venta-sama. For the good of the Diamond Kingdom, I shall bring you home!"
Venta watches as the bullets of stone and other materials come in close with the ice, connecting with it, the bullets hit the ice, and began to freeze in place, Venta smiled to see that as Mariella created two ice daggers, and launches them towards Venta.
"Hah!"
Venta catches one between his fingers, and then launches it right back towards her other one, adding his gravity to make it lighter, and heavier at the same time to make it faster, yet more destructive, which shattered the ice she threw, and pierces the ice shield she made.
While not breaking, she still did see that it gained a hole within said shield of ice.
Exhaling, Mariella creates another dagger of ice, and rushed in closer. Using her impressive agility, as Venta caused the earth to rise out of the ground into pillars via his Gravity Magic, she was able to get around them.
As she got in close, she heard cracking sounds coming from behind her, she turned to see the ground that she dodged was lifting up into the air so it was floating, and was forming above her, Venta used his Magic to compress the objects into one structure, looking like a giant hand as Venta spoke.
"Gravity Creation Magic, Fist of the King!"
Mariella gasps as the giant hand comes down towards her.
She uses her ice to slide backwards, as the giant hand smashes in to the ground. The impressive shockwave rings out, the ice all around shattered, as did the ice Mariella was riding on, bringing her up from the ground and into the air due to the pressure.
Venta then clicked his fingers, and the gravity broke the stone hand up, and turned them into chunks, shooting them out towards Mariella who grits her teeth, and opens up her grimoire, flipping through the pages, until stopping at a certain spell.
"Ice Magic, Ice Slicer!"
From the surrounding areas, spikes of ice shoot out, and begin stabbing into the different debris being launched towards her, and taking them out while she flips in the air, landing on the ground safely before she could be hit.
However as it was, Venta cups his hands together, and then releases a shockwave from his hands, shattering all of the ice spikes that she had, continuing on for her body, so she once more creates a giant shield of ice, protecting both herself, albeit with the ice being carved through more and more, with Mariella gritting her teeth at the sight before.
As the gravity stopped, she exhales, and pulls back.
"I shouldn't expect anything different from you after all Venta-sama. This kind of tricks would have worked on other Mage's that I've fought before. But not you, you haven't even shown anything other than a relaxed stance as we've traded blows."
"So, when are the kid gloves gonna come off Mariella-chan? Not holding back on me, are you?"
Mariella was surprised for a few moments.
But then she gains a stoic face, and shakes her head.
"No, I was testing to see what I can and can't get away with. It seems that I will have to be on the ball even more than I had initially planned. But it doesn't mean that I have lost yet. So, allow me to show you your Majesty. The power that I've acquired since you've been away!"
Venta watches as ice forms around her. More and more, the ice becomes rather dangerous looking.
But to Venta, he remained calm and in control, as he snaps his hands side to side, flexing his muscles and prepared to fight next…
As that was going on, Asta, Luck, Klaus, and Yuno were fighting side by side against the hoard of creatures that had been left for them. Nero flew up high and looked at the mess that was going on below them.
She could sense Venta was in the middle of a fight by now, so she decided to stay. She also couldn't sense anyone in the immediate vicinity so she didn't say anything about that,
"Geez, there's a good few here."
Asta complains as Yuno causes wind blades to penetrate the upper body of one of the beasts, then using some to pin it down to the ground, with Klaus unleashing a steel drill that managed to drill right through the creature.
"This tactic is going to slow us down towards the dungeons treasure."
Klaus complains as Yuno glances at him, before Luck gets above one of the creatures, and slams his hand down onto its head. Releasing a close and personal bolt of lightning that ripped right through the enemies body, it dropped to the ground and left Luck standing with some sweat rolling down his face.
"Phew, I'm getting a bit tired now."
For Luck to admit that, Asta knew that he probably was still feeling the effects of what was going on from the fight with Lotus and then now these beasts as well as briefly dueling against Galleo who thankfully was still knocked out for the time being.
Asta herself was still rather sluggish from what Galleo had done with her, and her movements were slowed to the point it was noticeable.
"Maybe that's what the enemy wishes for, if there are any left. Plus there are what's going on with Mimosa-san and your squad friend Asta."
"Yeah, but I know Noelle, and she'll do her best!"
Asta, brandishing her sword, rushed forward, and sliced at a beasts claws, and took them out completely.
"Yes, so will Mimosa-san."
Yuno then uses her winds to lift Asta up high, allowing her to come shooting down with her sword, and cleaving an enemy in half, dispelling it out of existence, but then another comes running up towards her.
She winces as she knows she wont be able to defeat it as she wasn't fast enough…
Thankfully, Luck came sweeping in, kicking the creature in the face, giving Asta the time to turn and stab into said creature, before swinging down, using her special sword to cut down the enemy completely.
"That was a close one, thanks Luck!"
Luck, with his perpetual smile, shakes his head side to side.
"It's okay! But like, we are being pushed back, these beasts aren't super strong, but they are durable, and if they get an attack out, we are gonna be finished off! What should we do Asta-san? Your special sword seems to work!"
"What is that blade anyway? I thought you weren't a being with Mana."
Klaus inquires, so Asta answers immediately.
"It's Anti Magic, you didn't know?"
Asta wonders, but Klaus looked shocked to hear that.
"A-Anti Magic?! You wield Anti Magic?! Is that even a thing?!"
"Yes, I'm wielding it~"
Asta happily said with a large grin spreading on her face, while Klaus takes in a shallow breath, trying to regain his thoughts about all of this.
But it was quite difficult to do so.
Back with Venta and Mariella, the female of the two allowed ice to form a structure before her as she recites a spell.
She formed what looked like a spike shield, as Venta let out a small breath, his Magic increasing around him all the more.
"So, still want to keep going?"
"You said it was a warm up, yes?"
Venta nods.
"Yeah, I'll show my power now if you want to keep going."
Mariella exhaled, then launched the spike shield for Venta's form.
Raising his hand, he stopped it mid air, and then crushed his hand, with the shield shattering, but Mariella planned for that, so she dashed through the already shattering ice shards, and got in close, swinging her leg from the right hand side.
Venta blocked with his arm, as she aimed her hand towards his upper body, firing off an ice shard at close range.
"Not bad, your physical strength has increased a good deal."
Venta praised, and used his other hand to catch it then break it.
He then thrusted his palm towards her, releasing a gravity shockwave, sweeping Mariella up in it, and then brought her back several feet, and as he did, he got below her, punching upwards.
With the punch, the gravity shifted, and went up with his punch, aiming it all towards Mariella who crosses her arms, taking the intense gravity change which flung her high into the air, Mariella winced as her back hit the ceiling.
As it did, Mariella's own trap activated, and caused vines to appear, wrapping around her limbs to Mariella's shock.
"I thought you'd try for some traps, so I switched it up a bit."
Mariella panted as ice came from her, freezing the vines in place, then she brought out of them with brute strength, flipping in the air, as she came down towards Venta, ice dagger in hand and used the momentum of her movements to slash down.
Venta dodges, and then sends a kick her way, which she catches with her arm, even then she felt the heaviness behind the kick, the ground below her breaking, but she kept up her form, albeit with some throbbing running through her arm.
She pushes his leg back, then she allows her grimoire to fly through some pages.
Forming jagged ice to capture him, she shot it forward. It crept across the ground at a high speed, managing to come inches from Venta's face, before he allowed his gravity to sweep through the area, all of the ice shattering, and being sent towards Mariella who swiftly dodges the remains of the ice before it could touch her.
Letting out a pant, she watches as Venta stares at her with curious eyes.
"There's a few things I'm trying to work out. Maybe you could help me out with that? One being, what's the point in targeting Nebra Silva? If this is about me, then why didn't you come for me directly? Simply trying to cut my ties with the Clover Kingdom perhaps? And if so, why start with her?"
Mariella bit her lower lip, placing a hand on her rapidly moving chest.
She thought about how best to answer the question, as it wasn't truly her idea to go after Nebra Silva.
"Nebra Silva, she was someone that had to be targeted. She is someone that..." Before she could continue, they both felt a shaking of the building. "...Venta-sama, your Clover Kingdom allies, it seems that they are fighting right now. Roughly I might add. I have felt the area shaking. Or, perhaps is that your Magic Venta-sama? Either way, I'd like to know a few things myself."
"Hey, I asked first, so you could answer mine then I'll answer yours."
Mariella tilted her head.
"Acceptable. So, you asked what I am doing here? Is that correct?"
"Well, yeah. I want to know why you're doing these things. If I recall, agreeing with such Diamond Kingdom practices wasn't how you originally felt, yet here you are, targeting people from the Clover Kingdom. Don't you recall the times we spent together? And spoke about how the Diamond Kingdom's future has to move away from conquest like this?"
"But even if you say that...you still...you still...haven't come back to the Kingdom. Did you forget-"
"I never forgot about the Diamond Kingdom."
Mariella furrowed her brows.
"You're with the Black Bulls. Fighting for the Clover Kingdom."
"Yes, following a man that I respect greatly. A man that gave me many things. What I fight for, is people, all people that can't fight for themselves, those innocent people dragged into situations that they shouldn't have to be dragged into."
Perplexity washed over Mariella, as she absorbed the information.
She stared at Venta's eyes, seeing if she could understand more.
"But you're the rightful heir to the Diamond Kingdom."
"Yes, and look what the Diamond Kingdom's become. To think that it has come to experiment on children and send them out, brainwashing and kidnapping innocents among other things, it's difficult to think about it, much less even remember. Those like Mars, and...those poor children that were killed. Those that have suffered at the hands of such a force."
Venta finished off, giving a sad tone.
Mariella placed a hand to her chest, and thought about what he said.
"...Yes, the Diamond Kingdom has fallen to such a low place. The practices of the Diamond Kingdom, the experiments on the children, and what's going on with the current King of the Diamond Kingdom. It is in shambles Venta-sama."
"Then if you know that, then why are you..."
As Venta was going to ask, Mariella suddenly turned her head down.
Emotions began bubbling to the surface.
She was someone that didn't express emotions the most readily.
Mariella shook her head several times, facing Venta with a serious expression on her face, trying to keep back the emotions bubbling deep within her, ones that she couldn't let go onto the surface.
"Venta-sama, I cannot stop. Not you have to come back to the Diamond Kingdom, you have to come back to me."
When she said that last part, Venta felt genuine emotions coming from her.
Venta watched as she rushed him, so he exhaled and readied to fight once more.
As that was going on, Noelle and Mimosa continued through the dungeon together at a rapid pace towards their squads.
Managing to make it close to where they sensed the others, they prepared to fight once more, going toe to toe with the enemies before them.
However, something still was on their minds, and that was about Venta, and what he would be doing right now.
How he would be fighting strong enemies, the girl in particular.
"You know Noelle, what do you think that Venta-kun is going to do with her?"
"You mean, Mariella-san?"
Mimosa nods.
"Yes, it seems that they have such a good relationship. Though I am curious, if Venta-kun is from the Diamond Kingdom, and how they treat him, maybe he's royalty? If he is...I'm sure that Nebra-san is going to be excited. Though I understand why he'd want to keep that to himself."
"Hmmm, what do you mean?"
Noelle mused, so Mimosa explained.
"If you think about it, a member of a different kingdom, is on a Clover Kingdom Magic Knight Squad, and has risen through the ranks to become a Vice Captain. Even more than simply being the Vice Captain of the Black Bulls, he's also potentially either Noble or Royalty of a rival Kingdom? I can see some not so nice people within the Magic Knights being against such a thing. To me, it doesn't make a difference, but I can see others saying some stuff, though I am sure Venta-kun wouldn't be bothered what those people thought of him."
Noelle could understand what Mimosa was saying.
She could see that some of the Clover Kingdom would hesitate to be around Venta if they knew the truth, though she also knew that Venta himself wouldn't mind what others thought of him.
Some of course wouldn't care.
She knew Yami knew, and she believed he probably didn't care either way where Venta came from, the same for the Wizard King, and she knew others wouldn't care about Venta's status as a Noble/Royal of the Diamond Kingdom.
She did wonder how Asta was going to take it since she always said that she wished to marry the young man.
She also wondered how Nebra would act when learning the truth.
It did make her want to know who else was aware, that at least he was from the Diamond Kingdom.
"Venta-kun being Nobility or Royalty from the Diamond Kingdom...it's kind of amazing at the same time makes me want to know about him even more. Like, how did he come to become close with the Clover Kingdom? How did he meet our Captain?"
Mimosa could see the question was also playing on Noelle's mind.
It did make her think about what would be best to think about first.
"They're good questions, I'm sure Venta-kun will say if we ask. He did say that we could ask anything when we finish this mission, so that's what I'm going to do. Venta-kun will tell us, and I also agree, I'm super curious about his past even more."
"Me too, I'm excited to see and hear more about his past."
Noelle and Mimosa shared their thoughts, as they continued on.
So much so little time.
But they pushed on, knowing the others might need them, so they had to get there as quickly as possible...
Back with Mariella and Venta, the former charged, and got in close, when she tried to slice him, he leapt above her, and got behind her, grabbing her by the back of the cape she wore, then with one fluid motion, launches her away.
"Aah!"
As her back hit a wall, Venta moved his hands, carving into the sides of the wall she hit, and had the earth shape around her.
While not using Earth Magic, he still could apply pressure, and shape the ground in various ways thanks to his gravity.
When restrained, she tried to move, but to no avail.
"So, going to talk to me?"
She grunted to try and move.
But she couldn't, so she looked towards him.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I want to hear the truth, your truth."
Mariella couldn't look him in the eyes.
It was too difficult for her to even try that.
"...I came here to bring you back to the Diamond Kingdom."
"And that's worth risking the lives of others, is it? Attacking Nebra-san, and Catherine-san, who is...well, I'm not entirely sure what her deal is, and then you attack others like Asta-san and the others."
"Yes...but, Venta-sama is with the Clover Kingdom now, and..."
"Did you think I forgot about the Diamond Kingdom? Those that are currently running the Diamond Kingdom, it brings shame to my heart that it has turned into such a situation that they've committed atrocities. I couldn't look at the Diamond Kingdom again when I truly found out the secrets that it concealed. The Diamond Kingdoms situation has always been on my mind, you never left my thoughts Mariella-chan."
Mariella felt touched by that.
She could feel it spreading within her.
But at the same time, she knew she had a mission to do, and she had to do it quickly.
While thinking about it, and what he said, her mind cast back to a fond memory that she had…
The young Mariella, who was currently wielding a dagger, tried to run for a target, when she suddenly felt something below her.
It caught her off guard, and she fell onto the ground, with a young boy in the distance adopting a small smile.
"Mariella-chan, keep going~"
Mariella gained some encouragement which made her happy, and looked up towards the boy.
"Venta-sama..."
"Hehe, no Venta-sama. I hate it when people call me that."
Mariella shook side to side, rushing closer, and bowed.
"Venta-sama, don't say such things! People need to have the proper respect if you're going to become the King one day!"
Venta runs a hand through his hair.
"Perhaps, but you know what? While it seems my future is set, there's other things I want to do."
"Like what?"
Mariella asked, so Venta explained.
"I wanna go and explore. The world around me. What's happening in other places, the Kingdoms that are all around us. Aren't you curious about what's out there? I want to see all of it, and experience all of what the world has to offer."
"Venta-sama, speaking like that, people will assume you don't want to be King. You do, don't you?"
Venta's soft smile caused Mariella to blush lightly.
"I want to do a lot of things. But, I don't just wanna be the King for the sake of it and simply sit there, I want to show the Kingdom good leadership, and right now...I need more time before I can since I am young. Being a leader, and being a King, those people need to be strong assertive people...I want to show the Diamond Kingdom that I can be there for them and be that for them."
Mariella pulled closer, her eyes meeting with his own.
"Venta-sama, if you become King, you're gonna need a personal guard."
Venta nods.
"Yes, it is a big decision after all. But who's best..."
Mariella adopts a very small pout, and pokes his cheek in a semi playful, semi serious manner.
"So, it wouldn't be me?"
"Hmmm, maybe~"
Mariella puffs out her cheeks in a cute way, and turns her head.
"Venta-sama, joking like that."
Mariella turns back, seeing that he was giving off a playful goofy look.
Mariella fell back, and giggled, while Venta did the same thing.
"D-Don't do that! As your subordinate, I shouldn't be laughing right now!"
"If you're my subordinate, then you have to laugh sometimes~"
Mariella places her hands together, and moves closer.
"Venta-sama, is that a royal order?"
"Ah, more like a suggestion I suppose. But everyone should be able to have a life filled with smiles and laughter. The Diamond Kingdom...it needs to be helped, I wanna become the shining diamond that the Kingdom can look to, and feel secure with. That's why, I need more experience yet."
"Then Venta-sama, why don't we go and explore together? As your guard, I want to have experience too, and become someone that will stand before any enemy for you."
"Well, if you're standing there, then don't forget I'll be there too."
Mariella tilts her head.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I wont be sitting on my hands, and leaving everything to my subordinates, I am going to be fighting on the front lines too."
Mariella was surprised to hear such things.
It was unusual for royalty to say such things.
"But as future King...you can't do that."
Venta folds his arms.
"Why?"
"Because you're needed to rule!"
"And if everyone perishes, then who do I rule?"
Mariella paused, and thought about what he said.
He brought up a good point that she hadn't even really thought about.
"W-Well, as long as you don't get yourself hurt..."
"Geez, are you my guard or my babysitter~?" Mariella purses her lips, as Venta leans closer. "Mariella-chan, I'll make a deal with you. If you become my guard, and I become King, then we'll always support each other, okay?"
"Venta-sama...I am merely a lowly member of this kingdom, you don't have to make any deals with me. I'll happily follow any of your-" Suddenly, he lightly tapped her on the head, and she let out a cute cry. "-V-Venta-sama?"
"Don't say such things, I don't want you to simply follow my orders. I want you to stand beside me, as my partner. We'll go into battle together, and make the Diamond Kingdom better, right? Lets make it a place that can thrive, not survive, and join with the other Kingdoms. I'm telling you, one day it could happen, I hope so anyway. We don't need to war with others, we can combine resources and live happily. It might take time and it could be difficult, but it's better than being enemies. So, what do you say, Mariella-chan?"
Mariella's cheeks turned redder and redder.
Her eyes became half lidded, as she wrung her hands together.
Peering into his eyes, she mentally declared that she'd always follow him, no matter what.
That she'd fight any enemy that came after Venta...
But more importantly, that she'd always be beside him.
Snapping back to reality, Mariella stared at Venta with longing eyes.
Remembering the past brought her much joy.
But it also brought her pain at the same time.
Seeing Venta before her, was hard.
It made her want to speak to him like the old days.
That's why her convictions in bringing him in had to work out.
So she pushed her feet deadly on the ground and took aim towards Venta as her Mana began to swell.
"Ice Creation Magic, Frozen Daggers!"
Chanting a spell, she created many daggers of ice, more than she had beforehand, and launched them towards Venta, who snapped his fingers, and created bullets out of the rocks and stone around, before waving his hand and allowed them to fire off at high speed.
Clashing violently with one another, the ice and rocks dispelled one another's assaults, as Venta saw Mariella vanish from sight.
He didn't even have to think she'd come from behind, it was an instinct that he had, so he turned to see Mariella stood there. However, rather than attacking, she was using her ice to begin freezing the area around Venta's form.
The ice threatened to grow on his skin, but Venta had different ideas about it, and unleashed his Magic in a shockwave, shattering the ice, then propelled himself forward, the speed he went blind sided Mariella.
"No!"
Mariella created ice to form a snow flake like shield, only for Venta to increase the gravity around his fist, before swinging it out. The heavy fist smashed through the ice, and continued for Mariella, who grit her teeth.
But then she directed her hand upwards, with a trap shooting out for Venta's body. It looked like vines that had deadly thorns on them, Venta didn't even bat an eyelid, as he opened his hand, all of the compressed gravity changed direction and shot upwards, the shockwave blasting the vines away, and the aftershock also caused Mariella to be flung back.
Flipping, she landed on her feet, as Venta got before her, so she quickly jumped back, as Venta smashed his fist downwards, creating another shockwave of debris. She saw the ground being torn asunder by his sudden movements.
"Venta-sama! Your power is…!"
Mariella had to keep running back, avoiding the worst case scenario by being caught up in such a thing, and then she summoned ice in the form of daggers, launching them towards Venta, only for the boy to move his fingers upwards, and caused the ground itself to be uprooted, and had the floating debris to act like shields, stopping the progression of the ice daggers.
"Have it back."
With a movement of his hand, the debris turned within the air, and came towards Mariella, who with impressive agility began dodging out of the way more and more, with one of the stones appearing before her.
She didn't have a way to dodge out of the way of it at all.
She couldn't freeze it.
She couldn't do anything.
But to her shock, it simply shattered into very tiny pieces that simply washed over her skin.
Perplexity took over her, and she stared at Venta for a few moments.
"No..."
Mariella pulled back, only to see that she was stood on unstable ground.
Tightening her hand, she turned it towards Venta as she summoned her ice.
"Ice Creation Magic, Wolves."
From her ice, Venta watched as wolves made out of ice began to rise up from it. With sharp fangs, and claws that looked ready to tear through anything that would get in its way, Venta's eyes fell upon Mariella.
"Ice Wolves huh. What an interesting kind of skill to have. Quite different to what I'd imagine. Though at the same time, I can understand why wolves. You did want to become my guard after all, head guard if I'm not mistaken."
"Yes, that's why, I'd like for you to come back with me. I shall use my powers to fight you here and now!"
Mariella thrusts her hands forward with Venta looking on at the differtent wolves of ice.
Summoning his gravity around his fists, as one wolf came in close, he punches right and shatters the ice, then he swings his fist out for the left, catching the wolf in his gravity and sent it towards the other enemy coming in hot and heavy, breaking the pair of ice wolves together.
Mariella was astonished to see what was going on.
How fast he was going as he began breaking the ice wolves apart.
How he was able to do it swiftly.
So she summoned ice, more and more, until it became a huge ice berg, and after chanting a spell, she launched it forward.
"Have this! This will finish it!"
Venta watched on, and saw it coming in.
He then placed his hands together, and compressed gravity more and more.
Until it became a sphere like structure in the air, a small sphere that had everything being pulled towards it. The ground, the ceiling and everything close by also was being pulled towards it, while Mariella looked on in disbelief, and worry at the same time.
"Gravity Magic, Gravity Bomb."
Moving his hand out, the gravity shot across the ground and came up towards the ice.
Clashing together, Mariella watched as the sphere pulled everything towards it, and when close by, the sphere released all of the compressed gravity in all directions.
Carving into it deeply, the gravities shockwave smashed through the middle of the ice, and because of the ice being split in half, it lost its momentum and shattered into two distinctively huge ice chunks, that split right down the middle, and harmlessly went by Venta's left and right hand sides, before the ice fully shattered.
"If you don't dodge it, the spell will catch you up in the gravity wave."
Venta warned Mariella.
The young girl saw the wave coming in close, so she began moving.
Mariella dodges.
However, as she did, she felt something pulling her back.
It was Venta who held up his hand, and everything was beginning to pull towards him as he said "Gravity Magic, Attraction." with Mariella's eyes widening.
"V-Venta-sama, no way!"
Feeling the incredible pulling power, she felt her body being brought back by it.
She tried fighting it.
Firing ice at it.
Freezing her own feet to the ground.
But the gravity surging power was pulling it all into itself, and then Venta would simply break it with compressing gravity against the objects.
She was having trouble in making it stop before it was too late.
She couldn't stop it.
However, as she did, Venta appeared before her, dispelling the gravity and held onto her hand, as she fell backwards.
His eyes met with her own.
"This is the end, Mariella-chan."
Mariella looked at him with broadening eyes.
Regret came over her.
She had lost this fight.
She couldn't do what her duty had told her to do.
She wouldn't be able to bring him back.
As that was going on, Asta and the others were gaining ground on the others, but were also exhausting themselves due to the sheer number of the creatures. It was difficult to keep up with the enemies that were before them.
"We have to keep going!"
Asta yells with excitement albeit with her body still feeling heavy from the poison inside from Galleo, and slashes another enemy, taking it out.
Though as she did, she felt her hands shaking.
She was tired right now.
The same could be said for the others.
With Yuno, Klaus and Luck also becoming more tired.
The enemies were dwindling, it was true.
But even with the fights they had been in beforehand having tired them out a good bit, they wouldn't give up, and pushed through their tired states.
"Wind Creation Magic-"
While chanting a spell, one of the creatures came up to slice Yuno, only for Luck to dash in and grab Yuno, pulling her out of the way before anything else could happen, then Asta leapt up, coming down with a giant swing of her sword.
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Yuno watched Asta cut through the creature, managing to finish it off all together.
But even then, Asta lost her balance as she came down, fatigue was taking over her.
When Asta slips on one, she falls forward as one of the creatures tries to come up and crush Asta with its paw.
Yuno yells "Asta!" and summons her wind, but has to deflect a blow from another creature trying to slice for her, so she pushed back the enemy with her incredible winds, Klaus comes up and pierces through the creature with a steel drill like lance.
Luck also managed to take down another, but panted hard and saw that Asta was going to be crushed, Nero also saw it and was going to intervene, when something that sounded like rushing water filled her ears.
When Nero turned to see...she understood the situation perfectly.
"Water Creation Mage, Sea Dragons Nest!"
Forming around Asta, was a large dome of water, with Noelle appearing beside her.
Asta looks surprised, as the paw of the creature was stopped.
"Noelle!"
Noelle looked on, flipping a hand through her hair, as she turns towards the entrance of the room, seeing Mimosa stood there with a large flower gathering energy and aiming towards the enemies that were before her.
"I've got this!"
Using her spell, Mimosa fired off her Mana through the flower, and ripped right through two of the creatures, as Noelle aimed her wand forward, releasing a strong ball of water, smashing into the side of a creatures face that tried to escape Mimosa's attack, and blasted it right into the line of fire, showing the effectiveness of the girls combined efforts.
"It seems that you're doing well."
Klaus observed as he pushes his glasses up his face.
Noelle nods, and looks around.
"These are nearly done, lets finish this off as quickly as we can, then lets get to finishing this dungeon off."
With a strong sense of camaraderie, it was time for them to keep going.
So that's what they did, the group worked together, and with the added Magic's of both Mimosa and Noelle, they all managed to take down the enemies, and finished them off for good.
When they did, Asta threw her head back.
"Future husband...you'd be proud...we did it all..."
Noelle went to speak, when Yuno did instead.
"Even though we're tired, we should keep going, and get this dungeon cleared, before any other Diamond Kingdom mages show up."
Noelle and Mimosa wondered how the battle with Venta and Mariella was going.
They wished they could know what was going on.
But they still had the dungeon to do, so they were going to quickly do it, then go and see what was going on with Venta.
As they all began once more, a mysterious enemy looked on from a distance.
His eyes going between them, and the tied up Spatial Mage.
Seeing that he had failed, the Mage with crystals beginning to form around him, was quietly beginning to plot out his next move...
Having been defeated by Venta, Mariella panted several times. She looked up towards Venta who stood before her. His eyes softly reached for her own. His eyes and hers met one another's, and he bent towards her.
She looked on, as the sadness her pain was causing her began to fall from her eyes.
Running down her face, two single tear drops, which fell down to the ground, before she dispelled them, mentally scolding herself from doing such a thing, she was a trained assassin, she didn't want to shed tears, show emotion right now.
"Mariella-chan..."
He tried to speak to her.
But she kept looking around the ground.
She didn't have the ability to look at him for a good few moments.
Many thoughts filled her mind, wishing that she could settle on a single thought, but that proved to be extremely difficult in doing so.
Many questions ran through her entire being.
She didn't know what to think.
"Venta-sama...I'm...I'm..."
She tearfully began, unable to look at him or else she'd truly lose to the emotions inside of her, and had to look away.
Venta breathed through his nose, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.
She looked towards his eyes once more, and saw the kindness that she remembered being directed towards her.
One full of warmth, love, and acceptance as well.
She wished that she had this feeling for a long time.
That she didn't have to feel so cold inside.
That she could have experienced this all the more.
"The Diamond Kingdom...it's situation is bad. We both know that to be true. The King's health, and how he's been manipulated. Then there's people like Mars, being controlled and not remembering the past. It breaks my heart, seeing the kingdom fall to such a place."
Mariella could definitely agree with such things.
She also felt disheartened by what was going on.
Mariella thought about the best thing to say now.
She had so much to speak about, but one thought kept coming to her mind all the more.
"Venta-sama, you could become the King, and you could restore the Diamond Kingdom back to its former glory. I believe you could do it. Maybe even more than before, we can do it, I would support you all the way as the rightful heir to the throne. I thought...many thought you had been killed...I was devastated...I felt like I..."
Mariella had such faith within him.
It was rather touching to Venta, he couldn't express how good it felt.
"Yes, they made it out that way, to take over the Kingdom. I'm sure you know of Moris, that...lets call him scum, shall we?" Mariella hiccupped with a small laugh. "In the past...after I found out what he was doing with those kids, of course I wasn't going to stand by...but you see, he is a coward, and crafty, a dangerous combination in its own way...I had planned to take him out of the Diamond Kingdom once and for all...however, plans didn't go that way..."
Venta began speaking to her, and as he did…
She was surprised.
Shock came over her.
But at the same time, things were making sense.
Hearing everything that he had to say, the pieces were filling in for her now.
What had been going on, and why he had done things certain ways.
Something that she didn't understand beforehand, was now fully understood by the young woman.
"...So you see, with those circumstances...that bastard Moris...there's so many things to tell you, I can't tell you all right now due to us having limited time..."
She looked over Venta, and then his grimoire, then his eyes.
Looking deeply into his eyes, she cupped her hands to her chest, and felt deep pangs of sadness.
"Venta-sama, all this time, all alone...I can't believe all that happened to you..."
"I wasn't truly alone, I have a great companion, someone that I cherish like I cherish you and am helping out who also in turn is helping me."
Mariella felt a pulse through her heart.
Warmth began to spread within her as Venta continued.
"I gained more comrades...friends, who have been really great getting to know, and become closer with. I heard of your exploits, Mariella-chan. I was so happy to hear everything you've done, but not speaking to you, knowing that if I did, putting you in danger like that wasn't something I wanted to do, so not being with you...broke my heart."
Hearing that, Mariella went quiet as she processed the information that she was receiving.
How it made much sense to her, what she understood to be true, and what she had heard now.
"…Venta-sama, I...I...I..."
Tears began running down her cheeks.
She couldn't even get out the words that she desperately wanted to say.
Mariella placed a hand on her own face as Venta continued.
"Due to what happened, I needed to become stronger, and better. I met with my Captain, he taught me a few things, and he...that man, he's someone that is so weird, he's rather funny...yet, I respect him so much, for what he's done for me, I'd follow him into any battle."
"Venta-sama, you...the Diamond Kingdom...I don't want to serve anyone other than you. Being your subordinate, being right beside you through everything. We need a great leader. Venta-sama...you, I want you to be that leader...Moris can go and jump off a cliff for all I care..." Venta snorted at that. "...I want to serve a Kingdom, that is ruled by you, a Kingdom that I know would never do what Moris has done."
"Mariella-chan...even after all this time...thank you for believing in me."
Venta adopted a gentle smile, and pulled closer.
She in turn also did the same thing, and collapsed onto his chest.
She didn't begin crying fully, until that moment, when she broke down.
Her tears flowed out, and fell onto his shirt.
He in turn kept petting the back of her head.
Neither said anything for a while, Venta didn't want to disrupt her time, and knew they had a lot to talk about.
However right now, this was a good long time coming.
Something Mariella needed.
Simple comfort that made her feel better about many things.
Being with Venta again after so long...she was able to find happiness that seemed to have evaded her for a good long time now.
End chapter!
So this chapter focused on Mariella and Venta, giving some of their time together in the past, and what Mariella is feeling as well as Venta. Some flashbacks to their best, how they met, and how they got along, with Venta explaining some stuff to her about what's been going on, and leaving some hints as well.
The others were also busy finishing off the rest of the pets that Galleo had left for them, working well together, and now they're on their way towards the treasure, but Mars is watching them, so we'll see what happens with that next time!
Well, until next time, thanks for reading!
Venta; Mimosa, Vanessa, Secre, Dorothy, Rebecca, Asta (fem), Yuno (fem), Noelle, Elf Fana, Mereoleona, Nebra, Sol, Sally, Grey, Charmy, Charlotte, Mariella, Lolopechka,