Disclaimer: Black Clover is owned by Yūki Tabata, Studio Pierrot, and Shonen Jump.
Saga 14: Slow Ride
Secret Dark Elf Village, Gallows Forest, Clover Kingdom (Midnight)
Note: All the conversations between the Demons and the Dark Elves for this section will be spoken in translated Daemontongue. Because I am not double-tonguing like last time, not only for my sake, but the readers's as well.
You're welcome.
The whole treetop village was deathly silent as this unfamiliar figure was sitting at the center of their plaza cross-legged, right in front of their leader, spoke in a familiar tongue, and is demanding to talk.
"You want to talk?" The leader growled out. "To hell with that. Just what the hell are with those black wings on your back?"
"You wish me to introduce myself?" The Fallen Angel spoke to the leader. "Then allow me to get started. But first, would you sit down? I'd like to talk while facing you eye-to-eye."
The leader then sits down cross-legged in front of the sitting winged figure.
"My name is Claudius Nero Bael, and as you to can tell from the wings on my back, I'm a Demon."
All noise dies around the secret village.
"A Fallen Angel, specifically."
"I don't believe you." The leader responded in a monotone voice.
"Right back at you." Claudius shot back at the leader. "At least until I met him." He points toward Leif. "So can I get your name?"
"If you insist." The leader grumbled. "I'm Thor." The leader stated.
"It's nice to know your name, Thor." Claudius responded.
"What do we have here?" An old, creaky voice croaked out.
The crowd disperses to reveal a hunchbacked elderly dark elf with a leather eye patch over his right side. Attending the elder was an eerily-familiar looking female dark elf.
"Milord, why does that dark elf look like that Eye of the Midnight Sun member that got away a few days back!?" Claudius alarmingly stated to his Prince in the link.
"Just play it cool for now." Astaroth telepathically responded.
"Grandfather!" The female dark elf spoke. "It's late, you should be in bed right now."
"Fret not, Sinmara." The elder spoke out. "I'm well."
"Elder Odin!" Thor cried out. "What are you doing here?"
"Please, call me grandfather." The elder responded.
"Grandfather!" The two younger voices cried out from a distance.
"See? Like that." The old dark elf addressed to Thor.
From the crowd, two teenage dark elf boys emerged, both of them also looking very eerily-familiar.
They look like Patry and Vetto if they aged back down to their adolescence.
"Okay. This is bullshit." Claudius deadpanned telepathically.
"I agree." Astaroth telepathically stated.
"Is something the matter?" Thor asked.
"If I said nothing, you wouldn't believe me, would you?"
"Depends on what you say next, the answer might vary." Thor's hand then moves closer to his blade.
"About those two kids." The Fallen Angel points toward the two. "What are their names?"
"I'm Baldur!" The Patry-lookalike beamed.
"And I'm Tyr!" The Vetto-lookalike also beamed.
"Apologizes." Claudius spoke to the two kids. "It's just that the two kids look a lot like the people that me and milord have just recently-"
Claudius stops mid-sentence.
"Oh hells below no..." He muttered.
"What is it?" Thor stated to the frozen Demon.
"Someone get me something to write with." Claudius spoke in a dull tone.
"Will this do?" Sinmara then hands the Demon a small knife and a board of wood.
"It'll do." The Demon then starts carving something onto the board.
"Wait Claudius, what's going on?" Astaroth spoke out.
Claudius then stops writing.
"Oh son of a bitch."
"Well, what is it?" Thor spoke out.
"I think I just figured out how the dark elves came into existence came into the first place."
All noise dies around the whole village.
"Well now." Odin spokes his beard. "Care to explain?" The elder spoke out in a menacing undertone.
The Demon then takes a breath before speaking. "For starters, I am over a millennia old. And I've seen all events transpire before my eyes, including the elf village massacre."
The dark elves gasp in horror.
"Then if you were there, why didn't you help us?" Thor asked in a growling tone.
"Okay, three things." Claudius stated. "First, I'm a Demon. I don't help people. I screw them over. Second, the whole situation was not caused by me, my kind, or even a human. And third, even after you said everything, now you're asking for our help?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN A HUMAN WASN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR ANCESTOR'S NEAR EXTINCTION!?" Thor roared out. "WHO ELSE BUT THOSE BASTARDS COULD'VE SENT OUR KIND SPIRALING DOWN THIS HELLHOLE!?"
"Few things." Claudius stated. "First, who here knows an elf that goes by the name of Raia?"
Only a few hands were raised in the air.
"I'll get to the point; he was responsible for your former kind's demise."
Gasps of horror fill the air.
"Explain." Thor uttered. "Explained why one of three apostles of Sephira was the one that nearly killed off our kind." His voice becoming deeper in bottled rage.
"Two reasons." Claudius stated. "First, he was hiding the fact that he was a half-elf the whole time."
"How exactly?" Odin strokes his beard.
"[Copy Magic]. Make of that what you will." The Fallen Angel coolly stated.
The whole village murmur in confusion.
"Second, he made a contract with me, condemning his own soul to Hell in exchange for one favor from my kind."
"SO IT WAS YOUR FAULT ALL ALONG!" Thor then drew his blade from his belt and points it toward Claudius's face.
"In my defense, I did not know that he was going to summon our king in the first place." Claudius assured. "That aside, was there a rain of light upon your ancestor's village on that day?"
"WHAT RAIN OF LIGHT!?" Thor roared out. "ALL THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE HUMANS FOUND THEIR VILLAGE AND BURNED IT TO THE GROUND!"
"I knew it."
"KNOW WHAT!?" The leader roared out.
"Allow me to explain." The Demon then hands Thor the wooden tablet. "Before we met, there was an insurgence group within the Clover Kingdom dubbed the Eye of the Midnight Sun. Their leader was Licht, or correct me if I get his name wrong, a reincarnated Patry."
The collective eyes of the dark elves open wide in shock.
Especially Baldur's.
"You mean my family's precursor?" The boy's voice trembled.
"So that explains why he looks so much like him." Astaroth offhandedly mentions.
"Okay, so what does that have to do with our existence?" Odin spoke out.
"I'll cut to the point; I think me and my faction might've accidentally altered history."
The concept of sound goes extinct.
"HOW!?" The whole village then resurrects the sound back to life.
"Okay folks, you better braces yourselves." Claudius warned. "This might get a little... convoluted."
"This outta be good." Thor snarked.
"So, milord." Claudius turns to Astaroth. "If I recall correctly, the [Copy Magic] user was wielding a sword of light, correct?"
The Prince nods.
"Can you draw on what it looks like?" He then hands the knife to Astaroth.
He then traces a shape that looks like a line with saw-like teeth on its sides.
"Thought so." Claudius confirms the shape. "I saw rain of light being completely composed of light constructs shaped like this."
"And what does that have to do with us?" Thor pointed out.
"He copied it from the leader, correct?" Claudius ignores Thor in favor of his lord.
"Yeah, I saw it myself."
"GET TO THE FUCKING POINT!" Thor roared out.
"Simply put, Patry was the one responsible for the rain of light that I saw a millennia ago, but that would mean that same magic should've been sent back in time." Claudius's head then begins to emit smoke.
"So that would mean-"
"PATRY ACCIDENTALLY CHANGED THE PAST BY THAT RAIN OF LIGHT AND WE'VE ACCIDENTALLY SET THE TIMELINE BACK TO ITS PROPER COURSE BY KILLING HIM BEFORE HE CAN DO IT."
Claudius then falls flat on his back after overheating his brain.
A splash of water drenches the collapsed Fallen Angel.
"Thought you needed it." Sinmara stated while holding an empty bucket.
"Thanks." The Demon then sits back up then shakes off the water off of his form.
"So what you're saying is that one of the elves that reincarnated to this current time accidentally sent a rain of light back into his past." Thor stated. "Explain."
"Gladly." Claudius then shakes himself off before addressing. "First, an attack of that scale can only be achieved by either an elf or a four-leaf human, but if the four-leaf released an attack of that magnitude on a village, then he wouldn't have been able to defeat King Apocrypha due to his reserves of mana being spent."
"That... makes too much sense." Thor tried to retort, but fails.
"Second, I don't think that Patry intentionally set the rain back in time, unless he was that far-gone." Claudius addressed. "I've seen that he was far gone as Licht, but even then, there were still bits of sanity left within him, so that leaves only two possibilities."
"One is that someone used [Time Magic] to send that attack back in time in sometime in the supposed future."
"The other is that an event beyond logic happened that caused the space-time continuum to be distorted, warping history in some sort of a metaphysical hiccup."
Silence.
"I think the former sounds a bit more plausible then the latter." Thor stated in a defeated tone. "But seriously, did the humans become so adept at using magic to the point that they're possibly capable of manipulating time itself?"
"In my bird form, I've heard a few rumors floating around that the current Wizard King is a master of [Time Magic]." Claudius confirmed.
Thor then looks helplessly at the elder.
The elder solemnly nods at Thor.
"About the alliance." Thor stated to the Demon.
"Speak no more." Claudius cut off Thor. "How many anti-birds are in these woods?"
"They're everywhere, why?" Baldur stated.
"He's taking the whole revelation pretty well." Astaroth remarked.
Claudius then snaps his fingers, sending a resonating snap throughout the whole woods.
Every single anti-bird in the branches of Gallows Forest concentrates around Claudius.
He then snaps his fingers again, and every anti-bird around him transforms into a black-winged humanoids.
Every one of them transformed into Demons before the dark elves.
Fallen Angels, specifically.
"Fret not." Claudius stated to the dark elves. "We Demons need not of food or rest, so do not fear of sharing your bounty."
The dark elves collectively sigh in relief.
"Wait Claudius, then why do we have food and water back at our hideout?" Astaroth stated.
"Bait." The Fallen Angel. "The animals that we drain of fat and bones aren't going to hunt themselves, now aren't they?"
"Got it." The Prince stated.
"So..." Claudius then turns to Thor. "Do we have an alliance?"
The leader sighs in resignation. "Fine. But you better not get us all killed."
"Trust me." Claudius assured. "I am the Demon King's tactician for a reason. Hell, I've already planned for the a raid for a nearby village in the Forbidden Realm in my head during the whole discussion."
"And where would the raid take place?" Astaroth asked.
"Oh some little hamlet dubbed Rayaka Village." The Fallen Angel stated. "Worst case scenario, a few novice magic knights will be around, but even if they turn out rather dangerous for their rank, I have contingencies if things go south." He then turns back to Thor. "So, you folks interested?"
"We're listening..." He says with a bloodthirsty smile. "... For methinks that it was about time we headed outside."
Black Bull's Base, Common Realm, Clover Kingdom (Morning)
The sun rises over forest where the Black Bull's base lie.
Yuno, still in his bed, takes off his sheet when the sunlight beats over his face through the window.
"Morning already?" Yuno grumbled out as he tires to get up.
Keyword being "tried".
Yuno's body suddenly goes limp, hits the stone floor, and every single muscle fiber in his body goes into a spasm of unspeakable agony.
"AGH!" Yuno coils his body into a ball, squirming on the floor.
"Yuno!" The door opens, revealing Jericho. "Yuno, what's going on?"
"My body..." The youth gritted out. "... hurts... everywhere... like if... was on fire..."
"Oh dear..." Jericho groaned out. "Muscle cramps?"
"... Why...?" He gasped out.
"Later. For now, I'll get you to the kitchen where there's water." The burly youth with a mullet picks up Yuno in his arms and runs out the door.
(Few minutes later...)
"Feeling better?" Jericho asked as Yuno who was currently downing his third glass of water.
"It's not hurting anymore..." Yuno gasped out.
"My god kid." Captain Yami smoked out. "Didn't I tell you to not rush it?"
Yuno remains silent to that remark.
"Normally, I would tell you to go back to bed and let your body heal, but the three of you have been given orders from the upper brass as your first missions, so I guess sitting out isn't an option now, isn't?"
In truth, he was lying.
The mission did not come from the top, but rather, it was a mission from the common request board that Captain Yami and Magna agreed to the employer, after the two lost a card game to him.
If he had to choose between being reasonable or honorable, the answer would vary on the current situation.
And right now, he needed to keep his word to the employer, the Saussy Village's Elder.
"Yuno, Jericho, and Noelle." The Captain stated. "You three will head out to your first mission this afternoon with Vice-Captain Magna to evaluate your performances, understood?"
"Yes Captain!" Jericho salutes.
"Very well." Noelle flips her hair.
Yuno slightly nods.
"And Yuno." Captain Yami speaks to the youth. "Don't rush it."
"Yes Captain." Yuno speaks in a soft tone as he then begins eating the pile of food sitting right in front of him.
"Don't hold back, you hear?" Charmy spoke to the youth.
Yuno wordlessly picks up the utensils and begins digging into the food.
The amount of eggs, meat, cheese, and vegetables was enough to make the most well-fed of nobles barf.
Captain Yami then shoots a glare at the youth.
Yuno then remembers his advice.
"Don't rush it." He repeats under his breath.
"You're getting there kid. Keep at it that way."
The boy then steadily eats through his oversized breakfast omelette. Starting with the sauteed mushroom.
"So..." Jericho spoke to Yuno. "Do you know what the Magic Knights do?"
"Well, I know for the fact that they didn't show up when my brother was mutilated."
"Harsh."
The whole room goes still.
"... Anyway." Jericho stated. "Aside from that, can we get the second opinions from the other members?"
"THEN ALLOW ME!" Magna roared out. "OUR JOB IS TO HANDLE DOMESTIC SECURITY! IT'S THE WORLD'S MOST MANLIEST JOB, DAMMIT!"
"Anyone else?" Jericho stated out.
"Well..." Vanessa mumbled. "We... protect people? Something like that." She then tries to pour wine into her cup but the bottle itself was snatched away by Jericho.
"It's too early in the morning to get wasted, Miss Enoteca."
"Hey, last night was only 10 hours ago." She responded.
"Please get that looked at." Jericho then puts the bottle far from her reach. "Anyone else?"
"Well..." Luck mused. "It's a kind of job where we can beat up bad guys as much as we want and don't get in trouble for it!"
"Don't remind me." Yuno droned.
"Anyone else that's less bloodthirsty?" Jericho mused.
"It's a job where my little angel Marie is proud of me of having." Gauche speaks while holding up a picture of a little girl and nosebleeding, as usual.
"Anyone else?" Jericho groaned.
"(Well, it's a kind of job where we get to make a difference.)" Gordon mumbled.
"Egghead, translate." Captain Yami stated while sipping on his cup of coffee.
"He says that it's a job where people can make a difference." Jericho stated.
The other Black Bull members murmur as they've gained a new perspective on Gordon.
"Alright, umm... anyone else?"
"I'll go!" Charmy's hand then shoots up. "I dunno much, but as you're a Magic Knight, you'll never have to worry about going hungry!"
Yuno then feels a heavy breath blowing on his back. He turns around, only to see Grey's hand reaching for his shoulder.
Grey then transforms into Yuno.
"You'll be just fine." Yuno!Grey stated.
"Alright, enough chit-chat." Captain Yami stands up. "I'm gonna go take a shit."
(Few Hours Later...)
Noon hits, and the three recruits are lined up outside the base, and Vice-Captain
"So, Vice-Captain Magna," Jericho states. "What would be our mission today?"
"Glad you asked, Erico!" Magna mispronounces Jericho's name. "Today, you three are given the honor of slaying boars that have been fucking up Saussy Village's crops!"
Noelle tries to speak against it, but upon glancing at Yuno, she decides to keep her mouth shut for the sake of her well-being.
"So!" Magna barks out towards the three. "Which of you knows how fly a broom?"
Only Noelle does not raise her hand.
"Welp." Magna then scratches the back of his head. "Guess I'm gonna have to break out my baby then."
"Baby?" The three collectively thought.
"All of you come with me to the back." Magna gestured.
Yuno and Jericho grab their brooms, and the three follow the Vice-Captain to a brick shed at the back.
Magna opens the wooden double doors, dragging out a broom with a broad black leather seating that can fit up to three people, and topped with a bull's skull wearing an oversized pair of shades.
Simply put, the Vice-Captain's custom broom was the perfect 1/1 refection of his personality.
"Say hello to my little baby, CRAZY CYCLONE!" The Vice-Captain declared loudly.
Noelle tries to say something, but cuts herself off upon seeing Yuno.
"Noelle?" Yuno asks the silver-haired girl.
Noelle yipes in surprise.
"Are you alright? You look... rather fidgety."
"Vice-Captain? Permission to speak freely?" Jericho asks.
"Make it quick."
"Thank you." He then turns to Yuno with a scolding look.
Yuno looks at him in surprise.
"Is it obvious?" Jericho states to the youth. "After what you've pulled yesterday, your mere presence terrifies her."
Yuno opens his eyes wide in shock.
He then turns to Noelle, who in turn, backs away trembling.
Yuno tries to make up for it. "You could ride with me if you want."
"No... that's all right..." The girl spoke in a sheepish tone. "I'll be fine with riding with... Magna's broom."
"Uhh... lady Noe?" Magna pointed out. "You do know that Jericho's there, right?"
"I know." She replied. "I just don't wish to be an inconvenience, and I know that you went through all this for me..."
Magna then turns to Jericho for help.
"Do what the lady says." The mulleted man responded. "We don't have all day."
(One painfully quiet and awkward flight to Saussy Village later...)
Saussy Village Outskirts, Forsaken Realm, Clover Kingdom (Late Afternoon)
"[Wind Magic: Air Bubble-Separator]!" A sphere of wind surrounds the boar's ember-crowned head.
Yuno balls his hand, the sphere closes in, and the boar's head slips off of its neck.
"That's three..." Yuno heaved.
"[Fire Magic: Exploding Fireball]!" An explosion of flames was heard from the distance. "Hell yeah! That's five!"
"[Platinum Creation Magic: Glitter Darts]!" Sounds of small objects piercing through flesh and bone was heard. "Yuno! You holding up there just fine?"
Yuno tries to say something, but his throat was too parched to say anything.
"Here." Yuno looks to his side, and sees Noelle handing him a pouch of water.
Yuno takes it from her hands, rips open the cap, and swigs on it.
He then hands the pouch back to Noelle. "Thanks." Yuno spoke to the girl.
The girl then makes her way without saying a word. He then sees her trying to shoot [Water Magic: Naga's Fang] toward the charging boar, only for the shot to arc downward, sending the boar flying off of its hooves, towards Yuno's direction.
"[Wind Magic: Crescent Moon Sickle]!" A crescent blade of wind splits through the flying boar in half.
Blood and guts rain on the unsuspecting youth, not that he was expecting anything.
"Alright!" Magna cried out. "I think that's all of them-"
"VICE-CAPTAIN! BEHIND YOU!" Jericho cried out.
Behind Magna, an exceptionally large boar with a mane of fire comes charging in towards the unsuspecting Vice-Captain.
"[Steel Creation Magic: Ranger's Bow]!" Numerous steel arrows pierce the boar's side, keeling the alpha over dead.
"Old man Seyhe!" Magna cried out towards the figure with the bow and arrow. "You saved my bacon back there!"
"Heh, no problem, you punk." The elder then slaps Magna on the back. "So who are these fine folks that you've brought to our humble abode?"
"They're the new members of my squad!" The thuggish youth stated. "And hear this, I got promoted to Vice-Captain!"
The old man lets out a fit of laughter as he continues to smack Magna on his back. "You don't say!"
"Dead serious, you old fart!"
The two then bellow out fits of laughter.
The three novice Magic Knights see a resemblance between the two.
"So?" Magna spoke to the three. "Ya gonna introduce yourselves?"
"I'll start." The mulleted youth stated. "I'm Jericho Platnia. Magic Knight-in-training, scholar, gentleman, ex-royalty, and aspiring diplomat."
"Phahaha!" The old man bellowed out. "This boy dreams big as his whole body!"
"Thank you for the compliment." Jericho stated.
"I'm Yuno." The black-haired youth stated.
"And I'm Noelle." The silver-haired girl stated meekly.
"Well." The old man stroked his graying goatee. "Those are some fine folks that you're leading."
"Proud of it." Magna replied enthusiastically.
"Don't let em' down, you hear?" The old man stated.
"FUCK YEAH!" Magna roared out.
"Now then..." The man approaches toward the pile of boars. "Would you four like to stay for dinner?"
"Excuse me?" Yuno stated.
"Well, it's not these boars aren't going to eat themselves, you know." Elder Seyhe stated. "Plus, think of it as a bonus from your employer."
"You three outta try Saussy Village's signature pot roast!" Magna stated. "The thing tastes like if you've seen the face of God!"
"Well, if the host offers, the guest accepts." Jericho stated. "It'll be rude not to."
Yuno wordlessly nods. Noelle fidgets.
"Alright then, it's settled!" Magna stated. "I'll show you guys around the village before supper starts!"
Rayaka Village Outskirts, Forsaken Realm, Clover Kingdom (Evening)
The sun has now begun to set.
Darkness blankets over the skies.
The people are now in their respective shelters.
Thinking that they're safe.
Except not really.
In the woods surrounding the village, a dozen cloaked and masked figures prowl the unsuspecting village under the cover of the night.
Upon nearing the gates of the village, the figures gesture towards each other.
Upon all of them nodding in agreement, the figures all disperse in different directions, with one approaching the gates.
"Excuse me." The village watch asked the masked figure. "Are you passing by or-"
Before the man could finish speaking, he finds a knife inserted into his throat. The figure retrieves his knife from the gargling corpse.
The other village watch atop of the watchtower tries to ring the alarm, but two other cloaked figures slit their throats before they can respond.
The village was now defenseless.
The figures then draw their knives and light their torches.
"Zaburz, we gajup."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: Quick question, who here tried to explain multiverse theory and butterfly effect at the same time, in writing?
Because for me, I dread the fact of doing it again, because I know I've planned for it in this fic.
God fucking help me.
Because I just went through explaining a temporal triple whammy.
So now, the recap;
Fallen Angels and the Dark Elves now form an alliance after accidentally catching the first temporal butterfly.
Yuno's dogmatic persistence is already starting to take toll on his body.
Noelle has now developed PTSD towards Yuno after his little "outburst" and now her canon personality went almost 180.
Jericho is trying to keep Yuno and Noelle's heads together so that they don't blow it on their first mission.
And now Magna's hometown is being raided by mysterious figures (If it wasn't obvious enough who, then God help that poor fuck).
Hypothetical Voices (For funsies):
Thor: Yoshimasa Hosoya (JPN), Christopher Bevins (ENG)
Sinmara: Saki Ogasawara (JPN), Trina Nishimura (ENG)
Odin: Kenchi Ogata (JPN), Charles Campbell (ENG)
Baldur: Miho Masaka (JPN), Derek Stephen Prince (ENG)
Tyr: Yuuto Uemura (JPN), Alejandro Saab (ENG)
So what do you guys think of this chapter?
Please leave a comment or a review, for I like to know what my audience is thinking.