Welcome back to another round of LoCG! Last chap was quite the ride eh? Well hope your up for more, cause that little cliffhanger willl. Stay a cliff hangeeeerrr! I mean, why would I continue that when I can address what everyone else is doing first?
Anyways it's review time
Whwsms:{I'd say he's broken, now that doesn't mean he can't be fixed. But it does mean he'll be changed forever.}
Spirito1987:{nice to see a new reviewer, hello there, and… hey I think it's clear she's coming to terms with that… though you should see more of that progression here.
Technically Othinus almost broke Touma, he was committed to killing himself but if you recall Othinus didn't want him dead. Meaning she was gonna resurrect him so he failed to die. Besides will brought him back from the brink, when I say broken, it's more than that.. but I get what you mean.}
5had0wHand:{ is experiencing technical difficulties please check back later
It's certainly cruel of Index thats for certain.}
VLUPURN:{YES! Was certainly hoping for that kind of impact
Now now, remember Index is still holding herself back, they have a chance cause she hasn't forgone all her humanity yet.}
Mr?{Damn when the main man himself says that, you know your doing well
Thats actually how I played it out in my head when I wrote it, Touma figuring out it as his memories flash in his mind.
Um no, her being an MG wouldn't alone do it, I mean she's doing it to protect him. But finding out how she did it, I did imply he would attempt that there back before he fought Celt. And.. YES! It wanted it to hit hard, I'm so glad that it worked the way I wanted to.
Irony is one of the greatest tools of writing when used properly, so yeah It's always those closest to you that hurt you the most. And well, glad your looking forward to more!}
DarkMatter69:{"You were supposed to protect Kamijou Touma not break him!"}
BlueJack22:{I hope it was satisfying}
Tommthecommie:{hello comrade!, Indeed even then Othinus only almost broke him. He was still a functional person, just near breaking point. Index, well he's pretty much unresponsive now.
Oh fuck did I typo? I'll fix that when I can
Pretty much, I mean I did namedrop Aiwass as taking note of this
Glad shocked you}
Guest:{Is it tho? I hinted to it alll the way back in like… chap 20 or something when Touma pondered what would happen if Index killed Othinus or something similar. So, if anything I've built this up over the entire story.
So mind explaining your reasoning? Cause I asked for constructive criticism, this means both point out the issue, and explain why you feel that way about it. Sometimes suggesting how to improve it.
Also I'm curious as to why you thought this way}
Yes, that is a temporary cover your seeing, I'll be waiting for the official one, but I hope it holds the proper feel I'm going for with it. Anyways remember constructive criticism is both encouraged and desired.
With that out of the way, let this tale of an infinity commence once more.
Chapter 54
Ships of damnation
And temptation of the Library
Explosions echoed from deep beneath the sargasso as a wall of rotted planks, soil, and fiberglass fell away.
Wiping her brow Shutarua breathed a heavy sigh.
She didn't know what to think. So much had happened in the past few days that she had become lost.
Yet despite that, she could trace it all back to one person.
Celt Eislyn
Yes, she was sure that's where all of this had started for her.
Celt entered her life at the beginning of March during one of her lowest points. To be honest, Shutarua had been lonely. She had been ever since Endymiyon, wanting to talk to the boy who had saved her.
It didn't matter if it really came from her or Arisa however because they were both too ashamed to face him. Whatever Arisa's reasons were for it, Shurtaura wasn't sure. But she just couldn't bare to selfishly take up his time after what she had done to him. Even just seeing him across the street was enough to make her turn and run into the nearest alley.
Even then, she still nearly brought up the courage to talk to him on three separate occasions.
First was after world war three, but seeing Index laying her head on his bed had been too much for Arisa. So she had fled, unable to bear seeing her friend's face.
The second time was after Denmark, she had barged into his room in a panic. But when she saw the state of his body, Shutaura had felt sick. So she had fled once more, unable to express her pain to him.
The final time had been shortly after Operation handcuffs. She had done things she had not felt comfortable with. But when she heard the report from Anti-skill about the state he was found in, she couldn't even bring herself to visit his room.
She was about to reach her breaking point when Celt had appeared. Like a siren luring her away. It was the perfect way to distract herself from the pain she felt in regards to the boy.
At first they had just chatted casually every now and again. Before then hanging out visiting stores as they talked about art and music.
Eventually however, Celt had asked Shutarua if she would date her.
And Shutaura had accepted, for once in a long time. Shutaura had felt alive; she genuinely enjoyed being with Celt. They'd watch movies together, eat at fancy restaurants.
But most importantly
They'd write songs together, Shutaura and Arisa had found their muse. They just hadn't realize how literal that was. And before she had realized it, or had time to know what happened.
She had been placed under the Leann Sidhe's spell.
It had only been once Kamijou Touma had reignited the feelings Arisa had for him. And forced them to face the person they had been avoiding, that they had been freed.
She had been furious with Celt, she had lied to her. Used her, all so she could kill Kamijou Touma.
And yet the very boy she had tried to kill, had stood in her defense.
Just like he had done for so many others.
But Shutaura had never had the time to register any of those feelings before Ainmire killed Touma.
She wasn't even allowed to feel grief as she saw Index. Arisa's friend, become a monster, confusion, pain, betrayal, even disbelief. All of these feelings were ones she had felt but never been able to internalize.
Only now did she have the time to process these emotions. So she did, she took the time to think on each one in detail.
With Celt, while she felt betrayed and heartbroken by her, as she had lied and tricked her to achieve her own goals. A goal that included killing the very boy Arisa held feelings for. She also felt sympathetic to her, Celt had thought Touma was a threat to the family she had obtained. And not just a regular threat, one that could erase them and would. So she had done the wrong things for what she felt were the right reasons.
And even Celt had been betrayed and lied to, was Shutaura mad? Of course, she was pissed with Celt, but she couldn't say she hated or even disliked her. Even after she had learned how she had lied about her feelings to her.
There was also Index, Shutaura didn't really know that nun. But Arisa did, and even she had felt that primordial instinctive fear when those purple eyes had looked her way. The gentle kind nun Arisa had met was gone, all that had remained of her was her hunger.
And that had terrified Arisa, she had seen her friend become a monster. A monster willing to do anything if it protected Kamijou. A monster that would kill and consume living beings. A monster of such vast power she couldn't even fathom it.
At the meeting before the man Ollerus had shown up. Index's mere presence had caused them to freeze. Shutaura and Arisa's heart had stopped, hearing her voice.
Index had become a monster, and Arisa couldn't take it. She wanted to do something, anything to save her. But Shutaura wasn't sure she could. What Index had become, was only getting worse by the hour.
And finally, most importantly, there was Kamijou Touma. He had appeared out of nowhere and forced her to face him in the worst of times. Not only had she been tricked and used. But she had been tricked and used to help kill him.
She would have been overwhelmed by shame had it not been for the fact he only showed her worry. This wasn't like the fact she was part of the darkside. It was different from operating handcuffs. Even the shame of Endymion could not compare to that moment.
Back then, she had been doing what she felt was right. But this time, she had been blinded and fooled into helping kill someone she had owed so much. She had wanted and desired so badly to break down and confess her pain to him at that moment.
But she had never gotten the chance
As Ainmire had killed him, and in that moment. They had felt as if someone had taken a chainsaw and carved her heart out. Shutaura's feelings were amplified by Arisa's own, and they had felt cold, and worse.
Shutaura knew it was her fault.
Had she just pushed passed her fear and guilt, had she just been just a little braver. Had she just talked to that boy even once, he wouldn't have died. Celt would have never ensnared her in her trap of flattery and false affection. She'd never have given Celt access to the power of AIM. She'd have never given Ainmire the chance he needed to kill Touma.
It was her fault, she knew that, Touma's death was her fault. Even if Index had resurrected him, it didn't change the fact that he had indeed died.
She feared facing him again, the shame threatened to overwhelm her. She wanted nothing more than to just curl up in a ball and hide from the world.
But she wouldn't, as that very action had been what led to Touma's death in the first place. Her motions became more confident as she moved to the next wall. Finding the correct spot and identifying the points she needed to detonate.
She wouldn't hide anymore, she'd do everything she could to see him again.
And then?
She'd confess her sins, her pain, her suffering, her crimes and wrongs to him. She'd accept any judgment he gave to her. She'd cry into his arms as she did so, and when it was over.
She'd thank him.
Looking around the room as she placed a few wires in another section of the wall of the pit below the sargasso. Only now did Shutarua notice something off.
They had lost contact with Stiyl's group a few minutes ago so…
Where was Index?
"I don't like this," a voice said nearby, a flash of white-green light came from it's direction.
Standing at the opposite wall which she had just vaporized was Mugino. Her and Shutaura were digging out the bottom of the pit that had been dug in the Sargasso. It was where the final act of the sealing ritual would happen and needed to be quite large.
"What do you mean?" Shutaura asked as she blew the wall out using her ability.
Mugino spat as she created a spiraling sphere of photons. "That damn nun's yet to show up and it's making me uncomfortable. What the fuck is she up to now," a drop of sweat ran down her brow as she carved another chunk of the wall.
"Ah, thats what you mean," said Shutaura repeating her prior action. "I agree, we've not heard from Stiyl Magnus's group. Yet had Index killed them, she should have shown up here. So either she sees no need to bother us, or.."
"Or something happened and she can't just show up," Mugino finished. "Let's hope it's the latter, as that means we have more time."
Nodding Shutaura blew another chunk of the wall out. Squinting slightly, Shutaura thought she saw movement.
Before her eyes went wide and she leapt back. Barely avoiding the jaws of a..
Bed?
Yes it was a bed, a bed with eyes, arms, legs and teeth.
"The fucking hell!?" Mugino swore as she fired multiple beams at the bed monster. "Was that a Tsukomogami!?" she asked.
As if to answer her question, more furniture, tools and other such appliances began to tear themselves from the wall and move to attack.
"It would seem so," Shutaura said as she prepared a few disks.
Tsukomogami, or tool spirits, were a youkai that formed from either poorly maintained objects. Or ones that reached 100 years of age.
And this place easily had both.
Then stepping out of the shadows translucent human figures soaked head to toe. A few held ladles and some held buckets filled with water. Water would drip from the figure's bodies constantly.
"Say, Mugino… wasn't there a spirit relating to dying at sea?" Shutaura said.
Growling Mugino chuckled "Funaryuereil" her grin was strained as she paled "and this is a ship graveyard"
Shurtaura paled as well as the Funaryuereil kept emerging. Quickly grabbing the communications device she went to call for help but.
"We Are under attack! Shit! Whats going on!?" a panicked voice came from the speaker.
Shutaura swore as she tumbled out of the way as a Tsukomogami leapt at her. The Funaryuereil merely grinned as they would dump water into the room before vanishing to gather more.
Laughter cut through Shutaura's thoughts as multiple Tsukomogami were destroyed.
"What the hell are you laughing about Mugino Shizuri!? Have you lost it!?" she shouted at the number four.
Mugino merely grinned as she vaporized more Tsukomogami before she slammed the glowing spheres of photons into the growing pools of water. "Don't you see! Crow Leader!?" she shouted as steam exploded outward.
Shutaura looked confused as she kicked a stool Tsukomogami out of the way. "What are you talking about!? We're about to Die!" She shouted as the annoyed shouts and roars from the Funaryuereil resounded in the chamber.
Mugino's grin widened as she created a blade of light in her hands and leapt across the air to cut through a large bathtub Tsukomogami. "That nun bitch only sent things like this at us last time to delay us. Meaning," she pointed to the back of the chamber where water had begun piling up.
Light exploded out from there and steam erupted out tearing out large chunks of the area while also destroying multiple Tsukomogami.
Shutaura's eyes widened in realization as she used her ability on another Tsukomogami causing the metal in it to explode. "Something happened and she needs more time!" she smiled as Arisa spoke in triumph, "Way to go Kamijou-kun!"
…
Snow and dirt were kicked up into the air as the sound of blades clashing resounded through the Russian landscape.
It had only been moments after Index vanished that they came. Rising from the ground frostbite blue and bone thin. Carrying blades, axes, shields, and wearing light armor.
Draugr, the fearsome zombie-like undead of Norse mythology.
Gritting her teeth, Kanzaki kicked one towards stiyl who ducked. Whipping around he sent a blade of fire through it and a few behind it.
But they weren't all that they had to deal with. Steam burst from behind Stiyl as the snow evaporated. Stiyl barely managed to maneuver Gleipnir around in time as twin burning axes slammed into the chain.
"Gah!" Stiyl grunted as he felt the heat from the black flaming humanoid sear his skin.
"Stiyl!" Kanzaki shouted as she kicked the Musphelite off of him.
"She's trying to delay us again," Stiyl grunted as he burned through another Draugr.
He bit his lip as he dodged an attack from an amorphous black sludge creature with many eyes and mouths. Returning fire with a flame spell, the Shoggoth shrieked and backed away but did not retreat.
'Damn it Kamijou Touma! what the hell was that? You can't just appear out of nowhere and ask us for help! I asked you to save her, don't turn around and ask for my help!'
He was confused, annoyed and furious, when all hope had felt lost for him. Stiyl did the one thing he felt he had to and prayed for Kamijou Touma to save Index.
Then the bastard just appears out of nowhere, saves his ass. Then as if to confuse him, asked for him to help him do the very thing Stiyl just asked him to do!
'I tried to kill you, you bastard! What the hell are you doing putting your faith in me!?' he demanded silently.
For a moment his eyes widened as he remembered something from months ago.
"If you stretch out your hand, you can reach it! Just do it already, magicians!"
Bending backwards from a draugr's strike he realized something. 'Do… Do I respect him that much?' Stiyl asked himself. 'Have I been putting him on a pedestal without realizing it!?' he asked himself.
"Bad luck, scarecrow"
'Come to think of it' Stiyl thought as he turned to the side as a Musphelite tried to hit him. 'I've been putting my faith in him for a while now'
With Orsola
"Take this, and keep it close if you don't want to die!"
Hadn't he given Kamijou that cross knowing it'd end up with Orsola?
Even in america with R&C Occults
"You go do your own thing. As long as you're harmlessly wasting time on that 'secondary concern' we won't interfere"
'Hadn't I said that knowing he'd find a way to save everyone in LA?' Stiyl realized.
He bit a lip as he blasted a draugr with fire destroying it. 'What the hell? Do I respect him that much?'
Deflecting another strike with Gleipnir he rolled to the side as the shoggoth attacked. 'Beyond that right hand he's just a normal highschool boy. It doesn't matter that he's defeated me, fought Aqcua and even Othinus. Even if he's willing to fight the world for someone's smile including those who've tried to kill him.'
He took a breath as he created a ring of fire around him before ducking out of it leading a group of draugr to burn. 'He's seriously just a normal higschool boy, one who even after all I've done to him, despite me trying to murder him. Still trusts me enough to help him save Index'
He felt a pang of guilt for all he had done to the boy as he barely avoided a Musphelite. Seriously, what the hell was he thinking when he treated that boy so unfairly?
'Did I seriously expect him to be able to save Index on his own? What kind of arrogance is that!? Believing him to be some grand hero! It's because he's a normal highschool boy at heart he can do these things. That's just who Kamijou Touma is!' He gritted his teeth in disgust at himself 'And that's precisely why Index loves him so much'
Glaring he swung the spiked tip of Gleipnir cutting through a group of Musphelite and draugr. 'Kamijou Touma, I hate you, and I doubt that'll ever change' his eyes grew determined as he bent down. 'But for this one thing, I can say for sure… I'm with you every step of the way.'
Stiyl leapt backwards, flame coiling in his hand. "Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust, sparks of musphel! FLAMES OF SURTUR!" he shouted.
A column of flames burst from his hand as he swept it across the battlefield. Dragur and the shoggoth all shrieked in agony as they were burned. The draugr crumbled to dust as the shoggoth forced itself to reform.
However the Musphelites were unharmed, and more draugr crawled out of the ground.
"They just keep coming loves!" Celt grimaced as she barely dodged an attack from a musphelite. She danced around it drawing something in the snow.
Slamming her foot down the drawing lit up, jaws of a dragon like creature made of the snow, clamped shut around the musphelite.
Shrieks came from inside as the musphelite was smothered. However the snow evaporated, sending steam everywhere and knocking Celt back.
"Ah!.. darn, I don't think I'm gonna be much help, loves," the Leann Sidhe said.
"Yeah, that's not gonna matter if they just keep coming!" Fiamma shouted as he ducked from the Shoggoth and carved through part of it. Looking up he groaned "Great! Now what!?" he shouted.
Slowly making their way towards them out of the storm. Were large black wolves with glowing red eyes.
"Wargs!" Brunhild shouted as she carved through a few Draugr's heads and part of the Shoggoth.
Wargs were evil wolves said to be descendants of Fenrir. All larger than a horse, they howled and charged in to attack.
A series of white explosions tore through a few but they managed to get past.
"Damn it! Dumb mutts!" Birdway shouted as she leapt out of the way casting a few bolts of fire with her wand at the surrounding draugr.
Brunhild kicked a warg into another as she dodged a strike from a Musphelite. "I thought you liked dogs! Considering how much you like Mark!" she mocked Birdway
"Time and place" Ollerus said as Silvia blocked a warg's jaws.
A loud low feline growl was heard and Stiyl whipped around.
Two large yellow eyes were trained on him as he saw a large white cat the size of a house slowly make its way to the group. "Great! Now we got a big cat too!" he shouted.
Kanzaki pushed a warg off her into the attack of a Musphelite as she decapitated a draugr. Looking in the direction Stiyl was, her eyes widened slightly "That's not just any 'big' cat Stiyl, when was the last time you got new clothing?" she asked.
"Do you think I ever have time to go shopping for clothes?" Stiyl mocked.
"Stiyl That's the Yuel cat!" Kanzaki shouted just as the Yuel cat leapt to attack Stiyl.
Birdway's face paled as she backed away from the house-sized cat. "The Yuel cat!?" she shrieked as she sent a few explosions its way.
She merely succeeded in changing its target as it leapt onto her and clamped its jaws around her. Trying to swallow the small cabal leader.
A large blade slammed onto its head causing it to meow loudly and let the girl go. Brunhild caught her as Silvia intercepted the yuel cat. "Really? You got 0 new outfits before christmas?" she mocked.
"I'm the leader of the dawn colored sunlight! I don't have time for that kind of shopping!" she shouted, sending a few bolts of fire at the surrounding Draugr and shoggoth.
Fiamma turned to strike another blow at the shoggoth when he was smacked from behind. He was sent hurtling into Stiyl and the two of them slammed into the ground near Celt.
"Fiamma!" Ollerus shouted.
"Stiyl!" Kanzaki cried out before her lapse of concentration caused her to be bitten. Crying out in pain, Kanzaki was thrown by a warg into the oncoming club of a troll. She was smacked and sent flying. Landing directly into Stiyl and Fiamma who were trying to get up.
A low dumb laugh came from the direction Stiyl had been smacked from as the Troll that had hit him raised its own club.
"Trolls too!?" Birdway shouted annoyed as the Yuel cat pounced. It smacked her with its paw when she was distracted. Birdway was knocked back and panicked, allowing a large bear to smack her.
She was sent flying as the bear changed into a humanoid form. It held a half aware grin as Birdway was slammed into the clearly growing center where Stiyl, Fiamma, and Kanzaki were. Knocking them all down once more.
"Joutens!?" Brunhild asked in shock but the shoggoth's sludgy mass rounded behind her. "SHI-" she began before it slammed into her. Sending her hurtling into Birdway causing the young cabal leader to lose her breath.
"Shit, Ollerus, sorry bu-" Silvia started to say but a large axe from another Jouten slammed into her. She and Ollerus smacked right into Celt who had begun to draw in the snow again. This sent her careening into Brunhild along with them.
Stiyl gasped for breath on the bottom of the pile of dazed magicians. This wasn't normal, it was clear Index was controlling all of them. Most of these creatures wouldn't know to take advantage of their tired and stress-addled minds.
Trying to push himself up, Stiyl saw another creature begin to approach in the storm.
Slowly swaying side to side as it walked, each step thumping loudly on the ground.
Was an old Russian cottage with chicken legs.
"Baba yaga as well!?" Stiyl cried out as their opponents closed in.
But the house of Baba Yaga stopped moving. One leg lifted as the other creatures prepared to make the final blow on the weakened magicians.
Titling the front upwards and slightly to the left much like a chicken. The house seemed to look into the sky.
A white light streaked down from the heavens and slammed into the ground. The shockwave blasted the shoggoth apart. Tore the Draugr to pieces, extinguished the Musphelites. And sent the Wargs, Yuel cat, Trolls, and Jouten's flying.
White wings cleared the snow and fog and there, floating above the ground. The hut of Baba yaga nowhere in sight behind him. The number one of Academy city hovered, Qliphah levitating right above his shoulder.
He glared at the mythical beasts as he spoke. "Stay away from the damn hero's friends"
The angel of death had arrived
…
Hunger
That is what overwhelmed Index as she wandered the alleys of Academy city's district 10.
It was only moments ago that she had left the fields of Russia.
She needed to feed again, sealing Touma back up inside her, had used up nearly all of the energy she just obtained.
Yet despite this, she had not returned to the 'new world'.
This was not in fact, a mistake.
No, even with hunger permeating every part of her body, Index's mind was perfectly clear.
She was here for a reason
Gods were inefficient; the energy it took to absorb them outweighed the amount she got from them. Because unlike her, the gods didn't hold their phases within them.
However, espers held their personal realities within them. Index theorized that she could use them in place of a phase.
If true, it would mean that devouring espers would be much more efficient.
Leaning against a wall, a pang of guilt went through Index's heart as she watched a group of students pass by nervously.
They weren't afraid of her heck, they didn't even know she was there.
But they were afraid because of her.
Was she really willing to eat these people?
Index gulped her mouth dry as she asked herself that question. And then, what about Othinus? she thought.
Was this something Othinus would do? Would Othinus be willing to devour innocent human beings to protect Touma?
Shortly after denmark, Index was sure she would have. Othinus would have been willing to destroy the universe to protect Touma.
But now that Index thought about it, Othinus would never do that by the time she had eaten her. Othinus would do quite a bit to protect Touma, heck she even was willing to bind his soul to her if he died.
But kill innocent people to fuel her power?
Index shivered, realizing what she was thinking.
Othinus would never be willing to devour innocent people.
Not because she would be pained by it or she'd regret it.
But because Touma would be hurt by it.
Touma would never approve, he'd throw himself in her way to protect them. Begging her to stop and rethink her decision.
A tear rolled down Index's cheek, was she really willing to cast aside all her vows and eat these people? People she had made terrified and cowering?
Was she really willing to do something even Othinus. The Odin, who betrayed her family and murdered hundreds. Would not be willing to do? would she be willing to shatter Touma's smile to protect him?
She felt weak at the knees as she thought about their tear filled faces.
But, if she wasn't willing to commit to it?
What was the alternative?
An image of Touma's broken body lying on the ground bleeding out. Flashed through her mind and she resolved herself.
Yes, she was.
In order to protect Touma
So he would stop fighting.
So he would not die
So she would never lose him.
She would eat anyone, and anything.
She would become a monster, even if she had to watch Touma cry. Even if Touma hated her and never forgave her. So as long as he was still alive, safe and healthy. So as long as she could hear his voice!
She would be willing to go as far as she felt necessary.
Her eyes landed on a delinquent heading in her direction.
Trick, that was the name he went by, she recalled having met him in her reality.
She took a shaky breath as she prepared herself for what she was about to do.
The Devourer had found its prey.
