Author's Note: Before I get started, I would like to thank my reviewers. Thank you to Ragnarok for helping me rethink how I was going to expand Yunno's role. I am well aware of just how powerful he is, and I hope to show that later.

Hopefully the next chapter will come sooner.

Chapter 2: Meeting of Faith

She thought the nausea from warping was bad. At this point, she would gladly warp across the universe and back, as that would be relaxing compared to this. Warping at least didn't make you feel like the most horrible being on the planet.

She wanted to throw up. Every second felt like an eternity. Whatever this field was made of had broken through her barrier after touching it. No, broken wasn't the right word. It was more like this black ooze seeped through her barriers and was trying to consume whatever it could.

Feelings of pain and hatred clawed at her mind. She had no idea what this blackness was; all she wanted was to get away from it as fast as possible.

[Master]

A familiar voice resounded in her ears as pieces of her Barrier Jacket exploded outward, giving her room to move. With muscles trained from years on the battlefield, Nanoha launched herself forward and out of the black ooze.

Light filled her vision as she tore out into the open. Being able to quickly assess her surroundings and act was one of the skills she was proud of. Without a second thought as to her condition, Nanoha dropped into a roll and readied her weapon upon hitting her feet.

A quick glance through blurred vision placed her on the outskirts of the city and within walking distance of the nearby town. The area thankfully was deserted as well.

Several sharp gasps from behind her alerted Nanoha to her team's situation. Without looking behind her she could tell what happened. Two of her group had collapsed upon exiting the field, while another one was stumbling about trying to get their bearings.

Two figures quickly jumped into position in front of her. The sound of heavy armor hitting the ground to her left confirmed that the blond girl, Nala, was relatively unharmed. On her right, the sound of a sword being drawn alerted her to Roland's presence. A heavy thud behind her signified the final member of her unit, Johan, taking up position between her and their fallen comrades.

"Yunno-kun!" Not daring to shift her gaze from the open area in front of her, Nanoha yelled to her partner. She wouldn't show it, but she was relieved when she felt a pair of small feet jump off her back.

"On it." Without wasting time, the shapeshifter opened the largest healing circle he could muster. Within seconds, Nanoha could feel her Barrier Jacket start to reform and vision return to normal.

"What the hell was that?" Looking over her shoulder, Nanoha could see Johan propping himself up with his axe. Alice was using her staff for support behind him as she tried to move her comrades away from the edge of the field. A nod from Nanoha was enough for Roland and Nala to break formation and go help their comrades.

Once she was sure that they weren't in any immediate danger, Nanoha slowly got to her feet. "I'm not sure." She looked back to see how everyone was doing. Roland, Nala, and Johan seemed to have suffered the least damage from jumping through the field. Alice, the groups gunner, was still propping herself up with her staff, though Nanoha was impressed with how she still tried to help. The two that fell unconscious, their Full-Back Michael and their sniper Tom, were both just starting to regain consciousness.

Looking back at the black field they had all jumped through, she felt a strange uneasiness. Whatever was inside the field felt completely… evil. That was the only word that came to mind, and it seemed to fit. Stopping to think about it, if that field and whatever it was made of was that powerful, why were they able to enter the city at all.

Turning her gaze to the center of the healing circle to look a Yunno, who had changed back into his human form, she could see he was most likely wondering the same thing


"Well, what's the situation?" Nanoha turned around as three of her unit stepped into the barrier. It had been close to an hour since they had managed to break into the city. Deciding that they needed to know what was going on, Nanoha had asked the three members of her unit who had recovered first to search the immediate area.

"It doesn't look good Captain. Actually, it's a bit… unsettling." Roland was the first to speak up. At seeing his captain's curious look, he started to continue only to be cut off.

"Unsettling? Are you out of your mind? It's downright creepy." Nala rubbed her arms like she was shivering, her armor clinking with every movement. "The entire place looks deserted. There are broken windows and gouges in buildings everywhere. I'm also pretty sure I saw a pool of blood inside one of the stores." She violently shook her head, obviously bothered by what she saw.

"Come on Nala." Johan laughed at his teammates actions. "You saying a Modern Belkan is 'fraid of a little blood?"

"Shut up!" Nala turned towards the axe-wielder. "That wasn't just 'a little blood'. It covered nearly the entire floor. Who wouldn't be freaked out seeing that?"

Bringing a hand up to massage her temple, Nanoha groaned. Leaving the two Belkans to argue, she turned to Roland. Or more specifically, to the ferret sitting on Roland's shoulder.

As soon as Michael was able to stand, Yunno had left him in-charge of the barrier and had gone with Roland to gather information.

"Yunno-kun. What did you find?"

Without a sound, the brown ferret jumped off the Lieutenant's arm and began glowing. An instant later, a man dressed in green landed in front of the surprised knights. Nanoha had to stifle a giggle at Nala's shocked expression before remembering she had reacted in the same way.

The librarian adjusted his glasses before speaking. "Enough. There wasn't enough time to do a full sweep of the city, but I did manage to find something." He waited for Nanoha to nod before continuing. "I found several groups of humans hiding out among the city, most likely hiding from whatever caused this damage. Thankfully, I was able to find them thanks to some circuit mages hiding with them."

Nala and Johan had stopped arguing to listen to Yunno's findings. Judging by the impressed looks on their faces, and a whispered 'wow' from Michael, whatever they had expected from the young librarian, this wasn't it.

"I see. Anything in the town?"

"One or two smaller groups. Unfortunately, I don't know if there are anymore than that since I couldn't find any circuit mages to lock on to. But I did manage to locate our rogue mage hiding out at the town's temple." Nanoha raised an eyebrow. She had received some information regarding Youkai while on board the Augustine, and hiding away from humans didn't seem logical based on what she had learned about them.

"Um." Before she could question Yunno about that, a voice from behind her caught her attention. Nanoha turned around to see Alice raising her hand like she was back in school. "Captain Takamachi. This is looking a bit bigger than we thought it would be. Wouldn't it be better if we called for backup from a rescue squad?"

She could hear Roland grit his teeth. "That's…" While Alice's idea was correct, the situation made that too risky, and a look above them said why.

The black field surrounding them darkened the entire city to the point where you couldn't tell day from night. "I don't think that will work." She turned her attention back to Roland.

"This black barrier cuts off all communication with the outside. So one of us would have to go back out just to send a signal. Then again, it's likely this field is easier to get into than out of." Nanoha nodded in agreement. Pride in her former student swelling in her chest. It was good to see the observation skill she beat into him hadn't gone to waste.

Nanoha. A voice that wasn't her own invaded her mind. About that Youkai signal, there's something you should know. Nodding her head Nanoha asked him to continue. According to my scans, there are at least two of them. One of the signals is moving around town at a rapid pace. I have to assume whoever or whatever it is has flight capability.

The news was shocking, but she didn't see why Yunno was being so secretive about it.

That's the other thing. She could hear him grit his teeth in her mind. The one that's flying would qualify as an A rank mage. At minimum.

Great. She knew this was going to be a problem. And the stationary signal?

Her answer was a single letter. S. She realized this was again at minimum.

Now she understood. Learning that they would be going up against an A rank mage with magic they didn't know about would be enough to worry even experienced mages like herself. The mission itself had already taken a bad turn. It was up to her to now manage the information they did have.

"Alright then." Nanoha reformed Raising Heart and stepped towards the edge of their protective barrier. "Our mission hasn't changed. We are to ensure the safety of anyone in peril and lead them to safety. We don't know how many people, mages or otherwise, are in the city. Roland, Johan, Alice and Tom. The four of you will head into the city and find anyone you can." She turned towards the their Full-Back. "Michael, I want you to stay here and find a way back through this wall. Nala will stay behind for defense." Ignoring the blonde's groan of frustration, she continued. "Again, everyone will be grounded unless absolutely necessary. Roland I'm leaving that decision in your hands."

"Flight is your greatest weapon here. Use it only when absolutely necessary." Always save at least one trump card. That was one of her own personal rules, and something she would always try to teach to her students. "Communications will stay open at all time."

"And you, Captain?"

"I'll head into town and see what I can find out about our mystery mages." She knew they caught onto the plural usage. Before anyone could ask, she continued. "Yunno- kun has spotted two signals, a mobile A rank mage and a stationary S rank mage. I'll go and survey the situation."

"Wait, Captain Takamachi." Several of her squad stared at her as though she just grew another head. Nala was the first to say something. "You can't go alone. It's suicide. Let us go with you."

The ace shook her head. "No. We need you to find a way back through this barrier. Besides, I didn't say I was going alone." She smiled at the blonde librarian who simply scratched his head in exasperation.

Seeing everyone relax slightly, she nodded. "Remember, keep all communications open. I expect reports at regular intervals."

With a final salute, the four soldiers ran out towards the city. The armored woman walked back towards the barrier to try and help her friend in any way she could.

A small weight on her shoulder was all she needed to know her partner was ready. With mental confirmation from her device, the Ace of Aces turned towards the town and started running.


"But, it really is something to see it yourself." Footsteps echoed down the street. It didn't matter where she looked, all she saw was destruction. Floral shops, bakeries, restaurants, and clothing stores lined the street. What used to be a bustling shopping district was now reduced to broken-down buildings and, in one case, rubble.

"It's even worse in the city itself. Most of the damage in the town seems to be contained to just the shopping districts." Nanoha nodded her head, only to feel tiny paws grip the back of her jacket. She sent a mental apology while Yunno repositioned himself on her shoulder.

That reminded her, "Yunno-kun?" She shifted her hair so it wouldn't hit him again as she looked at him. "Why are you in your ferret form? Wouldn't it be easier if you were walking on your own?"

"Eh?" She didn't know how a ferret could look confused, but Yunno somehow managed. "What do you mean?"

She stopped to look into one of the many restaurants. The sign was half destroyed, but it looked like they were promoting some kind of curry dish. "Well, I mean, wouldn't it be easier to help me search if you were in your human form?"

"I guess." Yunno brought a paw up to his chin. "Then again, I think I'll just stay like this for now." Seeing Nanoha's confused look he continued. "According to our data, the mages on this planet use animal familiars for reconnaissance purposes. So if I stay like this, I just look like an ordinary familiar. Plus, this way I don't have to worry about keeping up with you on foot."

She had to agree with the first point. The second point however, "What do you mean 'keep up'?"

"Nanoha, just how far do you think we've traveled so far?"

Pulling her head out of the store she was looking in she looked back down the road. "Um, about two miles. Why?"

"And where do I normally work?"

"The Infinity Library." She wondered where he was going with this.

"Do you really think a librarian would be able to cover the kind of distances you expect from active soldiers?"

"Erk." That's right. She forgot.

"And before you say anything, yes I do run around the library all the time. But I also have flight, which as you recall, is not allowed."

Ugh. He had a point. Nanoha brought a hand to her head and sighed. "Sorry."

Her cheeks burned as Yunno laughed at her. "Don't worry about it. Besides, it feels kind of nostalgic."

"Nostalgic huh?" She had to admit she had the same feeling, but the way he said it seemed a bit… off. The last time they had worked together like this had been when she was nine years old after all.

Yunno, somehow able to sense her discomfort, decided to change the subject.

"By the way, Nanoha. This is your first time leading a team like this right? How does it feel?"

She tilted her head back and crossed her arms. "It's a bit weird. I'm used to directing cadets for training exercises, but directing them for situations like this is a bit different." She opened her eyes and smiled. "Then again, I did get a few pointers from Hayate-chan before I left." A light blush colored her face.

Before Yunno could ask what she meant, a feminine voice resounded through his mind.

[Warning: Unstable magical signature detected.]

Nanoha snapped out of her daydream, and brought her device into a ready position. "Raising Heart, you find something?"

[Yes. Sensors reconfigured to locate magical circuits.] Nanoha and Yunno nodded. [Unstable signature detected in close vicinity.]

Over there. Dropping her stance, Nanoha moved towards a nearby alleyway, her footsteps echoing down the street.

Reaching the alleyway, she stopped and instinctively jumped backwards. The smell coming from within was overwhelming. Holding her breath and covering her nose, she inched closer to the wall. A horrible crunching sound from inside stopped her from moving any farther.

What is that? She didn't dare answer her partner, even telepathically. Gathering her courage, she stepped inside the dark alleyway.

The smell was even more horrible inside, and the amplified noises didn't make her feel any better. Each step forward made her want to run away, and the crunching and… were those slurping noises, certainly didn't help. Then it hit her.

Chewing and slurping. Is someone eating something? Her answer came when her next step splashed something around her.

Red. Spots of red littered the ground. "Blood." This isn't good. Fighting down her unease, Nanoha turned the corner and stared at the sight before her.

In the middle of the alleyway were two people on the ground surrounded by a pool of blood. One figure, a young man, lay on his back as another man was crouched over him. Both were covered in bruises and blood, and the one laying down occasionally twitched. The figure that was crouched down lifted his head, and brought it down on the young man's neck.

She reacted. [Axel Shoot.] Five balls of pink energy appeared and shot towards the offending creature. With a loud crash, the orbs slammed into the man's body and flung him into the wall, cracking it.

Without another thought, Nanoha rushed to the fallen boy's side. Uncaring about the blood around her she knelt down to see what had happened. She wanted to scream.

Bite marks and torn flesh were visible all over the boy's body. She had to force down the bile rising in her throat at seeing his worst injuries, if you could call it that. His arm looked like it was chewed down to the bone and the sight of his throat forced her to look away.

"Dammit." The worst part was seeing the boy's still open eyes.

Nanoha! Yunno's voice ripped through her head. She looked over just in time to see something slam against a large green shield. She jumped back only to hear whatever had just hit the shield crack loudly.

"What the…" The blood-soaked being in front of her roared, or did the best it could while missing part of it's throat. The arm that had hit Yunno's shield was twisted at an odd angle, no doubt broken from the attack.

Putting some distance between her and the creature, Nanoha leveled her device and fired another volley of shots. The shooting spell flew through the alley and connected with it's targets. A sickening crack echoed as the being's head snapped backwards.

She immediately regretted stopping to wonder if it was dead, as the being's head snapped back into position and it rushed forward with it's good arm. Swatting the arm away with Raising Heart, Nanoha forced magic into her legs and jumped out of the alleyway, leaving an after image in her wake.

Three more bullets hit their target, but each bullet did nothing more than knock the creature back. She knew what was wrong. The magic developed by the TSA is designed to inflict magical damage and overwhelm the target. However, if the target doesn't feel any pain or weakness, then magical damage will be absolutely useless.

"Damn. I don't have a choice." Leveling her device with her target once more, Nanoha invoked a magic circle beneath her feet. "Inhibitor bre-"

"Disappear from this world."

A flash of light blinded her. She could briefly see a piece of paper strike the creature before it exploded in flames. A horrifying screech filled the air as the creature burned within green flames.

Dispelling the magic circle under her, Nanoha turned to look for the source of the voice. A quick sweep down the street saw something floating at the top of her vision. Shifting her gaze skyward, Nanoha saw a young girl with green hair floating in the sky.

The girl looked around the same age as Nanoha and was wearing a long blue skirt and a white shirt with long sleeves that were sticking out of… a black leather jacket. Excusing the jacket, Nanoha couldn't help but be reminded of a shrine maiden from back home. The gohei and talismans she was holding helped solidify the thought.

"And may the Gods grant you peace." As though finishing a prayer, the green haired girl landed on the ground and smiled.