Review Responses:
Magic126: Well, no really dies by their hands sadly... cuz I need them in future chapters unfortunately. You're so right about the Black Bulls. I could probably join and they wouldn't complain about my lazy habits lol.
Evergone the Great: They really do... then again they're like all nobles, so they would strive for the best accommodations.
AmericanNidiot: Mereoleona would definitely be proud of him... though Delphia is probably gonna have to go through more training with her if she hears what happened to her ^.^||
LoneTaker: Yup! Nigh-embowelment was chosen! I have my reasons. Plus I wanted Delphia to have all her limbs in the end. As for the tracks, don't really have one yet... maybe if I listen to the songs more.
NOW ON WITH THE STORY!
Coddiwomple Trivia #9: Delphia has received several public proposals, but ended up turning them down rather harshly without realizing by revealing her suitors' intentions.
"It seems he lost his mind in the face of our numbers."
"Whatever. He's about to die anyway."
Asta's eyes sharpened as the blasts of magic were shot towards them. Swinging his sword, he used the momentum to increase his speed as he cancelled out the spells.
"There's no use in fighting," Scar-face proclaimed.
"You need to learn when to give up," Rades cackled.
"Ah, so that's him," the woman in glasses breathed as she watched Asta's negating abilities in action.
"So this is the anti-magic brat our master spoke of."
Asta finally got a moment to catch his breath as the attacks stopped. His mind flashed to Fuegoleon's words.
"Your exuberance may be your greatest weapon, but keep a cool head, too. If you truly wish to become the Wizard King, that is."
"Keep a cool head... Right, sir?" Asta smirked, "I'll stay calm... while I kick their butts!"
"This little-"
Flame Magic: Exploding Flames
Fire Creation Magic: Leo Rugiens
The mages dodged the fireballs and blasts of flames, clicking their tongues in frustration as many were forced to cancel them out with their own mana bullets. While the younger Vermillion's spell was more manageable to dodge with his lack of directional control, it was the elder sibling they had to look out for. He had not only the accuracy to attack them all at once, but the intensity of his flames would be enough to turn them to ash!
"You think I'm going to let you people throw your weight around after what you did to Delphia-san?!" Leopold's hands were encased in flames as he swiped at their opponents, "Let me join you, my rival!"
"Sure! Go right ahead!"
Fuegoleon nodded his head, approvingly, "I couldn't have said it better myself, Leo!"
The duo worked in tandem as they struck at the mages in a full-frontal assault with the Captain supporting them from behind.
They say beasts are more formidable when they're wounded. These three... are dangerous!
"What the hell are you doing?!" Rades scowled, "Hurry up and kill them!"
"Noelle-san!"
The group turned to the newest guest, her eyes widening as she realized the situation at hand.
"Mimosa!" Noelle gasped.
"Another one?!"
Valtos's eyes narrowed at the arrival of another Magic Knight. Impossible... they should have all been distracted by the other mages! Summoning a portal to appear behind the girl, he gathered mana in his hand for an attack.
At the same time, the five mages stood equidistant from each other once more, surrounding the Magic Knights, "They aren't our targets... But we'll kill them now!"
"Mimosa, behind you!" Asta warned.
The Vermillion girl turned on her heel, eyes wide as she saw the attack, but before it could hit, it was blocked by a sphere of water, while another formed around Asta, Leopold and Fuegoleon, defending them from the five's magic.
"Noelle!" Asta called, recognizing her defence spell.
"Don't think that you can kill my friends so easily!" The Silva declared.
"Wow... that's quite the defensive spell."
With the spell in place to protect her, Mimosa ran, the protective barrier moving to encase the three girls as she knelt beside Delphia's bloody body.
"Mimosa, please take care of Lady Rotta!" Noelle begged.
"No... How could something like this happen to someone like Delphia-san?" The young Vermillion was in disbelief as she cast her recovery magic.
Scar-face clicked his tongue, seeing as the Magic Knights now had a recovery mage on their side. With a Magic Knights' Captain, this battle proved to be more trouble than it's worth.
"Judging from your appearance, you must be a member of the royal Silva family," One the of mages observed as their grimoire flipped open, "In that case, I'll use my grimoire against you. I wouldn't want to be rude."
Tree Creation Magic: Magic-Draining Roots
Roots began to grow, encasing the spheres of water.
"Asta!" Noelle warned.
"I know!"
"What are you planning to do?" Leopold narrowed his eyes.
Fuegoleon's eyes were concentrated on the roots. Tree Magic... it's similar to William's but nowhere as powerful.
The Magic Knights watched in shock as the roots seemed to suck the water, deteriorating the defence spell.
"No..." Noelle gasped, "They swallowed my torrent."
Without the spell to defend them, Asta and Leopold moved onto the offensive, aiming to take down the mages one by one.
"Your fighting instincts are admirable," The scarred man complimented as he manifested a dozen miniature vortexes.
Wind Creation Magic: Tornado Needles
The vortex elongated, creating needle-shaped spears as they struck through Leopold and Asta. The duo was shocked at the spell's speed and power, grimoires and weapons falling uselessly at their sides as they passed out from the shock and pain of their sudden wounds.
"He's-"
"-too fast."
"Asta! Leopold!" Noelle cried out.
The two royal girls were too distracted to notice the portals forming around them when a tower of flames suddenly surrounded them, blocking the possible attack from harming them. The moment he allowed himself to focus elsewhere, the wind user used the same offence to take down Fuegoleon. The Captain grunted, falling on one knee as he remained conscious, focusing his magic on protecting the girls.
Mimosa and Noelle were shocked. "N-no way..."
The mages smirked at their fallen targets. "Now, let's end this."
Just as the wind user was about to strike the finishing blow, his attack was thwarted by a shield of mercury.
Noelle's eyes widened at the familiar magic, brightening as she caught sight of the other Magic Knights gathering around them.
"E-Everyone!"
"The Magic Knights..."
Alecdora landed lightly on one of the roofs, glaring at Valtos.
"How dare you attack the Royal Capital!"
The spatial user stared at the group in shock.
"Impossible... They had several groups of mages to hold them back, yet they managed to gather so quickly? How did they even know?" He wondered before his eyes trailed to the frail form of the infamous Augur. She couldn't have expected all of this!
"We really didn't want to, but we all worked together to capture and restrain our opponents," Alecdora admitted, though he recalled the short orders they had all been given by their strategist before she was wounded.
"Magic Knights, come in."
Alecdora responded quickly, clicking his tongue as he dodged the spells once more, irritation growing. He had to stay on the defence to protect not only the civilians that have yet to evacuate but Mimosa as well.
"Your rendezvous point is the central district. Lead the enemy and restrain them. Head to the north district once your objective has been cleared."
Alecdora frowned at the vague instructions but confirmed the orders were heard and began to subtly lead the mages away from the east district.
With the sudden news of Delphia's attack, Alecdora and the others were quick to complete their objective, combining their magic to attack and restrain their opponents.
The sand user stared at the strategist's pale form, eyes narrowed in both respect and disgust at her state.
She made it, so she was the only fatally wounded mage... even unconscious, she continues to prove to be a major obstacle for our opponents.
"I suppose you could call it super compound magic," The sand user mused, recalling the mixed attribute prison they had created to restrain the mages.
"Joining forces once in a while isn't so bad," Hamon chuckled.
"Well, I guess men aren't completely useless," Sol admitted reluctantly.
"I'll acknowledge their abilities. Nothing more," Charlotte added.
Solid clicked his tongue, "I'm never working with them again."
"We really don't play well with others," His sister agreed.
"But our nine Magic Knights squads exist solely to protect the peace of the Clover Kingdom!" Nozel declared.
Klaus knelt beside Asta, shaking him, "Hey, wake up!" Noticing Asta was gritting his teeth from the pain in his wounds, the older knight sighed in relief, "They put Lady Rotta and the others in such a state. Who..."
Valtos frowned as he surveyed the assembled knights, jumping through a spatial portal as he appeared beside his allies.
"It'll cost us if we keep fighting. Let's retreat." Valtos instructed.
"Don't be in such a hurry," Nozel glowered, "You still have much to answer to. You won't leave until all your acts have been paid in full."
Mercury Magic: Silver Rain
The mages cursed, staring up at the countless droplets of mercury that formed above them.
Gel Magic: Sticky Salamander
"My magic will just pierce through magic like that," Nozel scoffed.
The glasses woman grinned as she took out a large needle, piercing it into her spell.
"And then... Dark Magic Item: Special Properties Plus Alpha... absorbed!"
The knights watched in shock as the giant salamander seemed to absorb the droplets of mercury as they fell.
"They managed to deflect the Captain's magic as if it were nothing!" Klaus gaped.
What... is that magic item? Nozel frowned.
Klaus gasped as one of the salamander's arms came crashing down upon Asta and him. Rather than being crushed, he was shocked that it took the boy from his arms, capturing Asta and taking him to the strange female mage.
"Remember this, Magic Knights," One of the mages began as spatial magic began to rise around them for their escape, "We are the Eye of the Midnight Sun... The ones who will destroy the Clover Kingdom."
"Asta!" Noelle cried out, as one of the squadmates disappeared from her sights for the second time today.
[TAROT*CARDS]
"We have to save him!"
"Noelle, we can't," Klaus insisted.
"But-"
"It's unfortunate, but we have no way of tracking them."
"Yes, but-"
"No," Nozel affirmed as Noelle turned her attention to him, "Right now, strengthening the royal Capital's defences takes priority. There's no guarantee that those were the only enemies. We don't have any time or magic to spare on someone like him."
The Captain turned, stepping closer to the youngest Vermillion as she healed both her cousin and their strategist. Fuegoleon stood by their side, watching. His wounds proved to be only a minor inconvenience after Mimosa took care of them.
"How are they doing?"
"The best I can do with my magic is first aid!" Mimosa admitted, "Delphia-san needs to be taken to the medical ward for more advanced healing magic, or she'll..."
Solid clicked his tongue, smirking, "Some strategist she is. She didn't even see this coming. How pathetic."
Nebra snickered beside her brother.
"It makes me embarrassed to even think she has a connection to the Royal House of Silva."
"Solid-niisama, how could you say that?" Noelle breathed in disbelief, angered on behalf of her injured vice-captain.
"We are Magic Knights. Our existence is pointless unless we win." Nozel preached.
"Nozel-niisama..."
"That's right! This is going to ruin the great Augur's reputation-" Solid sneered.
The group gasped, staggering as an overwhelming amount of mana suddenly pressed down on them. The Silvas gulped nervously, seeing that not only had their eldest lost his composure, but the Captain of the Crimson Lions had as well. Both glared at the youngest Silva son, causing him to stumble back into his elder sister.
Both Captain's stood tall, side by side, intimidating all present as they allowed their mana to expel in waves.
"Solid, we were held back by mages who couldn't be considered worthy opponents, yet they managed to distract us. We are even less than she is," Nozel glowered.
Fuegoleon was silent, but the flames in his eyes were more than enough to convey what he wanted to say. They didn't say anything, but the Magic Knights present agreed that at that moment, a silent stare down from the angered lion was far more frightening than a lecture from the eagle.
"Right," Solid nearly whimpered as he shifted closer to Nebra.
"Magic Knights. Report your status."
Hearing the familiar voice of the Wizard King's advisor, Alecdora's eyes widened as he took out the communicator, relaying a short report.
"Reinforcements had been stalled outside the Noble realm due to similar attacks. No fatal injuries have been reported. All captured perpetrators shall be taken to the prison to be interrogated. The barriers have been reactivated. Magic Knights have already been deployed to secure the Capital. Report to headquarters to gain further instructions. These are your orders, per Delphia's instructions."
The group stared at the device in shock, their eyes straying to the violet haired mage. Was this the conclusion she had foreseen? How much of this battle did she have a hand in manipulating the outcome?
Despite her grim state, the younger mages couldn't help but stare at the woman in awe.
So this was Augur of the Clover Kingdom. The Magic Knight who formed strategies like it was nothing. The woman who played the battle like it was a chess game. The person they called the Virago of Fate, the warrior that stole the threads and weaved her own fated tapestry.
[TAROT*CARDS]
A solemn atmosphere surrounded the gathered Magic Knights as they waited outside the medical ward.
"Delphia-san... Leopold-san..." Mimosa clasped her hands in front of her, concern coursing through her as she stared up at the building.
"I hope they wake up soon," Sol muttered.
"The magic barrier has been strengthened, and other Magic Knights have gathered to scout every inch of the town to ensure there are no more enemies," Alecdora reported as he and Hamon joined the group.
"I'm sure the royal capital is fine now," Hamon assured, "We're also looking for that awfully loud- er, lively Black Bulls boy."
Noticing how down Mimosa and Noelle became at Hamon's words, Klaus spoke up, "He wouldn't die so easily! Curse you, Asta. I'm going to punch you when you get back."
The group perked up as they sensed an authoritative source of mana coming.
"This magic..."
They gasped as the Wizard King appeared before them.
"Hey, everyone. Great work."
"T-The Wizard King?"
"Asta!" Noelle gaped, seeing her squadmate being carried like a sack by Julius.
"H-Hey, guys. Looks like you're all here."
Mimosa, Klaus and Noelle expressed their gratefulness for Asta's reappearance in their own ways before the group reported the attack and their findings to Julius.
"I see..." The Wizard King sighed, "Despite how profound her abilities are, even Delphia cannot keep our numbers completely safe from harm. That was a miscalculation on my part."
"No, this was due to our inexperience," Charlotte disagreed.
"We've confirmed that the pendent Delphia had taken from me was missing," Fuegoleon admitted with his arms crossed and eyes closed, "It seems that rather than keep the enemy from their objective, Delphia has planned to become the only fatality to keep the enemy from attacking the capital once more."
"Pendent?" Julius questioned.
"Could that be what they were after?" Charlotte wondered, "Who in the world could they be?"
"From what they said, they appear to be a terrorist group with a grudge against the kingdom. But it doesn't seem to be that simple."
The jewels embedded into that stone slab... Was Fuegoleon's pendent a part of that? It had several holes that were still empty, but what happens when they gather all of them? Julius's thoughts strayed to the warnings and visions Delphia had been having as of late. Is this the beginning of what you've seen?
Doubt swirled in the man's gut as he rethought the possibilities of this battle. Maybe I should have asked for more insight from Delphia rather than follow her plan to leave the capital...
"We'll get details from our captives later," Julius informed, "In any case, people look to the Magic Knights for one thing... Peace in the Clover Kingdom. To reserve that, we'll keep fighting with everything we have."
"Yes, sir!"
The group tensed once more as a spatial portal formed beside them. Their eyes widened as a rugged captain came stepping through, followed by the spatial user.
"Oi," Yami's eyes were narrowed, smoke billowing around him from his cigarette as he glared at the group, "What's this I hear about my vice-captain being hurt?"
Finral was unusually grave as he nodded at his fellow squadmates who stared at the two in shock of their sudden appearance.
"Let Marx and I check on Delphia's condition first," Julius offered, "There is something we must check before we continue this conversation."
Yami clicked his tongue before nodding his acquiesce.
[TAROT*CARDS]
Memory Magic: Plongée en Mémoire
[ Memory Dive ]
A dome formed above Delphia's unconscious form, connecting to a circular plate before branching off into several other ones as Marx cast his spell. He kept it focused on the last few hours, searching for the moments after Delphia's disappearance and any sign of her attacker's identity.
He frowned, brows furrowing in confusion. Julius' eyebrow quirked, noting the change in his advisor's posture.
"Have you identified her attacker?"
Marx stared at the violet haired mage in confusion as his spell faded away.
"It's not there."
"She didn't see them?"
"No... all her memories of the attack... they're gone."
[TAROT*CARDS]
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, PHIA-SENPAI'S MEMORIES ARE GONE?!" Asta yelped, "DOES SHE NOT REMEMBER US?! PHIA-SENPAI! I'M ASTA AND I'LL BE THE WIZARD KING!"
Noelle slapped the boy's mouth, an irk mark on her forehead.
"Would you shut up, Bakasta!" She scowled, "This is a medical ward!"
The ash blond's apologies were muffled behind her hand, while the other occupants sighed at the two's bickering.
Julius had dismissed the group of Magic Knights before joining the Black Bulls, Fuegoleon and Nozel. They were gathered into the room that Delphia was now resting in.
Marx cleared his throat, stopping the antics between the two before he began. "It's nothing as serious as that. It appears that when Delphia was attacked, the perpetrator took steps to hide their identity."
"It seems that the enemy has a mage that can altar memories and erases them, much like Marx-kun," Julius explained, "However, her missing memories isn't the most troubling issue at the moment."
Nozel and Fuegoleon frowned from their places by Delphia's bedside.
"Recently, Delphia has been plagued with vague visions that she has been slowly piecing together. With her abilities, I had in full confidence, given her control of the kingdom's protections, changing and adding to it as she sees fit. We have been able to defend against smaller, similar attacks that we assume are also the work of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. I worry that the kingdom is not prepared for what Delphia has seen with her out of commission."
This stirred a tension among the mages present, many still high strung due to the recent attack. Nozel frowned, glancing at his vassal's vulnerable state.
"Out of commission?" The Silva repeated, "How long did Owen say she will be unconscious?"
Marx and Julius shared a grimace before the latter sighed, staring at the assembled mages seriously. Their hearts collectively dropped at the news they were given.
"We don't know when or if Delphia will awaken."
A/N AND I STOPPED IT THERE! Sorry not sorry! Gotta keep the tension going! It's around 8PM, but like a promised, here's an update!
Now I created Marx's spell {Memory Magic: Plongée en Mémoire [ Memory Dive ]}. Basically it allows him to search through the memories of his targets. The con of this spell is that he has to manually search for the memories.
Thank you all for your reviews! They really keep me motivated to write and be confident in my work!
Question: Who do you ship Delphia with? I have an endgame but I'm curious what y'all think.
UPDATED: 24/06/20
