Out of Near infinity you have chosen me , hello again for those returning. And welcome to any new readers My writing has slowed down a bit due to catching Covid a few weeks ago but luckily I got a backlog But I will be needing to refine and fix up the chapters that I wrote during that brain addled time before I can write a new one or post them, luckily won't need to worry too much for a few weeks. Now onto our reviews
Touman the tankman: first, can I just say that is a fabulous name. Second thanks Im glad your enjoying it. Yes I was actually inspired by my mother's story to use Celtic fey and when I began doing research it just clicked. Ah yes that was kinda the point of the prologue bit it builds anticipation as you know that it'll happen but you don't know when so it sits in the back of your mind. Yeah despite I wanted to establish early on that Index does indeed care for Touma despite her behavior and what people think. She does think she's a nun despite at least in my eyes that being a coverup for her real identity. And Touma is one of the things she's most attached to. Glad I could inspire you too, oh Haven't seen you on Kamachiland even after I sent the discord invite did.. did I send you the wrong one?
Whwsms: glad to see you again and indeed her intervention did. Oh no I think your forgetting she's in Touma's school now I actually checked the scheduling for when Japan school years start and well, its a new school year. But If you recall in the first few chapters Touma complains about her being in his class and about someone he can't remember
Now then let this tale of infinity commence once more
Chapter 11
A Promise from the Sea
"Lets talk," Tsuchimikado said to Muireann as she slowly took her hand away from her daggers hidden In a sheath by her thighs. "I know you and a group of fey have come here to kill Kamijou Touma, and Index Librorum Prohibitorum. The two who you felt were the biggest threats to your existence." he paused and waited for her to respond.
Muireann frowned and spoke "Yes, we had learned that they were on a mission to destroy all supernatural creatures. Or we thought, I now know that, that was a lie by our supposed trusted informant."
Tsuchimikado nodded behind his sunglasses "Indeed Kami-yan is too kind to even be capable of thinking that. But that's not what i'm curious about" he spoke before the expression on his face grew serious. "I'm wondering how a group of fey even managed to enter this phase, your kind isn't native here." He looked at her with a cold calculating gaze.
Muireann look at him slightly offended "What do you mean? I was born in Scotland to a Selkie father and a human mother. My mother met my father after her parents died in an accident around 18 years ago. She was walking along the beach before she broke down crying at the water's edge. She said that her tears were swallowed up by the ocean and that that's when my father appeared. He told me he heard my mother's cries and felt her tears and the hurt that it held. He said he couldn't bear to watch my mother cry like that so he came to comfort her. And before they both knew it they were married." she smiled as she spoke of the meeting of her parents. "Two years later they had me, so I am absolutely native to this phase as you call it Tsuchimikado Motoharu, the spy for hire."
Tsuchimikado looked thoughtful "seven tears dropped into the sea summons a male Selkie to become the groom. Huh, interesting So your father was unintentionally summoned by your mother into this phase and became her husband? If you're his child why don't your fingers have webbing?" He looked at her skeptically.
Muireann rolled her eyes "Of course I have webbing, It's not always visible though, only when I need it." she then splayed her hand in front of him and a translucent film was seen spread between each of her fingers just below the first joint. "Though if you're gonna ask about the other fey I couldn't tell you they found me around a month after my mother died during World War three, I suspect my father met a similar fate."
Tsuchimikado sighed "Well If you don't know then I'll have to ask someone else what will you do in the meantime?"
"I.." Muireann paused "I'll stay here and wait for the Imagine Breaker to get out of surgery. I need to apologize to him, and make up for what i've done to him" she gripped the edges of her Seal fur coat as she spoke
Tsuchimikado shrugged "Well It's likely you won't be the only person to come and visit him, and I suspect the others will want to have a word with you" he got up and headed off to leave. "By the way, what do you think of Kami-yan?" he smirked when he said that.
Muireann was taken aback and her cheeks tinted a shade darker. "Where is that coming from!?" she snapped. "I, I mean yeah he's nice, cool and a guess a bit hot, my kind of guy." she took a breath. "But I don't really know him so I can't say anything more than that. Need at least a month of dating before I even consider letting him take my seal coat. Im not that easy to win over" she smiled nervously. "But maybe, I would like to get to know him so a date wouldn't be out of the question."
Tsuchimikado shook his head and left saying "You'll have a lot of competition then, damn Kami-yan disease."
Muireann sighed and hung her head "I know, I know"
2 Days Till Touma's demise
After the maiden abandoned the grindylow siblings and Gentle Annie Index, Hyouka, Itsuwa, Othinus, and Misaka decided to try and find Touma. After breaking into the hole in which Touma fell into, they found him gone, and no sign of the Selkie either. Knowing full well they couldn't just leave Gentle Annie and the Grindylows unguarded they decided to restrain them with a combination of physical and magical methods. Misaka then used a set of metal cables to carry them with them. After searching the sewers for hours they came to the conclusion he wasn't there, even the trail of blood they found ran cold shortly after they followed it. Now panicking they prepared to search the city but were interrupted by a phone call for Misaka who was Informed by Komoe that she got a call from the hospital in district 7 saying they had checked in Touma an hour or so earlier. They ended up rushing to the hospital but were stuck waiting outside due to Gentle Annie and the Grindylows until early next morning when the Other Amakusas were able to take charge of them.
Upon entering the room Touma usually was in, they saw him asleep in the bed with the Selkie girl Muireann in a chair next to him with her head on the bed sleeping as well.
Itsuwa went to leap at the Selkie her spear somehow already out but was held back by Misaka, Index and Hyouka "That Selkie tried to murder Kamijou-san!" Itsuwa hissed at them
Othinus who had climbed off Index and was heading towards the bed spoke to Itsuwa "If she was still trying to kill him she wouldn't be sleeping next to his bed like she was up all night waiting for him to wake up." She then climbed up onto the bed and positioned herself next to Touma's sleeping face. "I think she's on our side now"
Itsuwa began to settle down and Misaka spoke as she and the other let go. "So your saying the Idiot did as he usually does and changed her mind?"
Index smiled to herself as she took her seat next to the bed near Touma's face. "Touma will always be Touma, and part of that is winning people to his side" she then glared feeling a painful squeezing in her heat that always appeared when Touma was with another girl "But Touma, I'm gonna have to punish you again for running off and getting hurt for another girl again" Touma's sleeping face took on a expression of dread for a moment before growing relaxed again.
Itsuwa sighed and put her spear away before closing the door behind her. "Fair enough, But I'm keeping an eye on her" she then looked at Hyouka and blinked, rubbed her eyes and looked at her again. "Um, Kazakiri was it?" she asked.
Hyouka looked at Itsuwa and her form glitched. "Yes?"
Itsuwa blinked again and said "Are you alright? You seem to be, how do I put it? Fuzzy" she frowned slightly
Hyouka blinked and her form once again fuzzed out for a moment. "Ah im just becoming unstable don't worry It'll just mean I won't be able to speak to you for a bit, I'll still be here"
Index waved to Hyouka smiling "Bye Hyouka, till next time then"
Hyouka nodded and said "Until next time Index I'll still be watching you and Kamijou-san." her form then flickered one final time before disappearing.
Misaka's jaw dropped and she scratched her head. "The hell did I just see? Sure it's not the weirdest thing to happen, but still." Then a groan came from the bed
"Am I dead? No? Such misfortune" Touma spoke groggily as he opened his eyes. His movement woke Muireann who looked at him with a relieved expression before it turned to fear when she glanced around the room.
"Please, don't hurt me, I'm sorry for what I did. I know that apologizing isn't enough but let me make up for what I did to Kamijou-sama" Muireann bowed her head as she spoke quickly.
Index's heart felt cold when she heard what Muireann call Touma "Touumaaaaaaaa!" she said her thoughts echoing what she felt 'She called Touma, sama? I know enough about japanese honorifics to understand what that means!' before she then bit onto Touma's head
"Such Misfortune!" Touma shouted as he fell to the bed desperately trying to pull Index off but failing
Othinus in the meantime turned to Muireann whose face was in utter shock at the display "No need to worry Selkie, we know so we won't hurt you. So you better make up for what you did to my human."
Muireann nodded meekly and spoke "I'll do everything I can to make up for what I've done I swear by Fand I'll make it up by hunting down the bastard who set us on this path to begin with, and by watching after Kamijou-sama." as she spoke she used a sharp nail to carve the runes Ehwaz, and Naudhiz and then Thurisaz and Isaz above her heart. They glowed slightly before fading.
Othinus's eyes widened in shock "Do you realize what you just did!? You've casted a binding spell, You now Need to fulfill those promises or you will suffer frozen agony." Othinus's words were harsh and direct.
Muireann smiled solemnly and said "I do know that, but what I did was unforgivable. I trusted the words of someone I did not know and attacked a innocent person no, a hero and caused him pain, hurt his friend and even planned to hurt his family if I needed to. This is the least that I deserve for that"
Misaka's face grew grim. "So what you're saying is she's basically made it so she can't not complete those tasks she set herself or she'll freeze to near death?"
Othinus nodded "and worse what she physically said doesn't matter, it's what her intent through saying them that affects what will trigger the spell. So if her Intent upon saying she'll 'Make them pay' is that she'll kill whoever tricked her and her fellow fey." Othinus grit her teeth. "She'll need to kill them or she'll suffer that frozen agony."
Misaka's eyes grew wide, Index was looking at the floor and Touma was looking at her in shock. Muireann laughed. "If that's what I meant, yes don't worry though I won't have to kill anyone."
Misaka then hurriedly spoke "but even then couldn't you just negate it with your right hand?" she turned to Touma who looked away shamefully
"No, I can't and she knows that" he gritted his teeth as he looked down Index Itsuwa and Othinus stayed silent.
Misaka looked puzzled "why not? It's supernatural in nature and your hand negates magic too, so what's stopping you?"
"Muireann is Misaka, yes her binding spell is supernatural. But so is she, if I try and negate the runes, I'll just end up killing her. slowly, painfully and without exception." Touma glared at Misaka with pain in his eyes before turning to Muireann. "So don't you Dare do anything that will get you killed Okay!?"
Muireann's eyes grew shocked and a bit guilty but also seemingly happy and Index noticed a slight reaction from the runes mana. "Very well Kamijou-sama I won't do anything I know will get me killed."
Touma smiled and said "Good" before the door opened and a Doctor who's face looked similar to a frog's walked in
"Honestly Kamijou, stab wounds? This is like the fourth time you've been brought in for such injuries" the doctor known as Heaven Canceller spoke while smiling and holding a clipboard likely with the medical report. "Now I know you girls would like to know he's okay, but I'd like to speak with my patient alone please" he said, turning to Index, Othinus, Misaka, Itsuwa and Muireann. Index and everyone but Muireann complied and headed towards the exit Index stopped before leaving and turned and narrowed her eyes at Muriean.
"Listen to the doc, you can trust him Muireann" Touma said to her smiling.
Muireann nodded "Yes Kamijou-sama" she said before joining Index and the others outside where they were to wait.
The door closed and Itsuwa sighed. "I guess now we wait."
