Here it is. The second half of chapter 13. This one is a little shorter than the first because it was originally going to be one chapter. As such I am posting them together. Anyway. I hope this feels like a good addition to the characters and that it makes sense as I explain it. There are a few more pokemon references as well as a few tinkerbell references to be found. Finally I know this can get a bit boring and repetitive but it's still true so remember, the more we all stay put and self-isolate, the less stress is put on the health workers combating this global pandemic. So please, be calm, be respectful, be careful, stay positive and remember, we love you all.
Adrianna was standing with her guide Hikari when Romulus, Tannin and their guide Lucas disappeared.
"So a Sphinx isn't a good familiar?" She asked Hikari.
When she'd first stated she wanted a familiar she could converse with, and made mention of the Sphinx.
"Not really for beginners." Hikari said. "Most Sphinxes can only really be contracted as adults if you want them to be able to converse from the beginning. And if that's what you're going for, better to wait until you are a little bit older before you try and bind an adult Sphinx."
"Ok." Adrianna said. While she wasn't as set on a chimeric familiar as Romulus was, she was a little disappointed. She turned to stare into the woods, a confused look coming across her face.
"Adrianna?" Mephisto asked, drawing her attention back to her guide and teacher. "Is something amiss?"
"No Lord Mephisto." Adrianna gave her head a quick shake to clear her mind. "I just thought I saw something."
"Oh, anything interesting?"
"No, I think I'm just imagining things."
"Very well my girl. However, perhaps you should return your attention to the Lady Hikari?"
"Oh right. Sorry Ms Hikari. I got distracted."
Hikari smiled, giving her and understanding look.
"It's no problem Adrianna. Now, as we were saying, since a Sphinx is not a good choice for a first familiar. I recommend that we try and come up with some alternatives, then we can go looking for them once you've decided what you are looking for."
"Ok." Adrianna smiled excitedly before her face fell slightly. "But, I'm not really sure what species of familiar I want."
"Not to worry." Hikari tried to lift her spirits. "That's what the other guides and I are here for. I'm sure we'll be able to find a good familiar for you. Now tell me, aside from the ability to speak, what were the qualities you were looking for?"
"Well I don't want something that relies on brute force." Adrianna said before smiling wider. "I have Romulus for that."
Mephisto put his hand over his mouth to stifle his chuckles.
"I want something that can do magic, preferably something that can learn a wide variety so that we can train together."
Hikari pondered for a moment.
"Well, there are a few species of spirits and sprites in the familiar zones that can learn magic, but most are restricted to a single type of elemental or attribute of magic. We can see about finding a tribe of fairies or pixies, but those can be rather capricious."
"Fairies and Pixies? I haven't read about them much in the familiar guides. They're more part of pagan European mythology."
"They're not in most of the familiar books since they move around quite a bit, and are one of the more recent discoveries in our familiar zones. They're fae-type familiars, and some of their magics are said to be esspecially effective against certain dragon-type familiars."
"Wait. They're good against dragons?" Adrianna asked, eyes lighting up.
"Some are, depends on if you can get the right kind of tribe."
"I wanna go and find some fairies."
"Looking for a way to weaken little Vali, Adrianna?" Mephisto asked humorously as the teleportation circle appeared beneath them.
"Yep."
I a flash of light, the three found themselves in a luminous section of the familiar zones. The moon shone through gaps in the tree tops and provided light, but they were not the main source luminescence. Instead, various fungi, mosses, plants, insects and even animals roamed around, emitting light that turned the area into a dazzling light-show.
"Wow." Adrianna marvelled at the colors and brightness of the lights.
"I do love this section of the woods." Hikari smiled and looked around. "Most of the creatures here aren't familiar candidates, though we do get some who pass through here, so until a while ago no one really came here accept to watch the plants and the animals. We only recently found the different fae species living here by accident. Master Redmond has been trying to catalogue all of the different creatures into our familiar-indexes."
"Interesting." Mephisto acknowledged. "How has Redmond been doing with that? He's been working on the familiar-index for at least the last twenty-two years."
"Quite well, but as you know, there's always more to discover, and the Pillar familiar forests are still waiting for us to catalogue."
"Are they, I was under the understanding that they have their own familiar master."
Hikari scoffed.
"Just one. Some man-child called Satoshi or Zatouji or something. He seems to be under the opinion that he will be the one to defeat guild-master Redmond and collect all the different familiar forms, though he never seems to actually collect that many, and many of those he does contract he releases once they become creatures of significant power."
"Well, I suppose then he'll eventually have to accept defeat."
"In the end it doesn't matter. He can claim whatever he wants, but Master Redmond has grown the Familiar guild more than anyone could have expected."
"Agreed, I never would have guessed that that boy from Palette village could have become so proficient with familiars."
"Thank you Lord Mephisto."
The trio waited a while, watching to see if what kind, if any, fae might show up.
Adrianna watched the glowing forest, looking around, trying to find the fae that Hikari had mentioned. Time passed, and nearly half-an-hour into her silent vigil she was distracted. There was a rippling, a pulse in the light. It was as if something was there, but something that only she could see. It hovered on the edge of her sight, and she almost thought she caught a glimpse of something like mist when if disappeared. Looking around to see if she could find the rippling thing, she sound that the forest was once again clear of any irregularities.
It was only a moment later that she saw something moving on the glowing forest floor.
"Are those it?" Adrianna asked, pointing to a group of small creatures that were waddling amongst the mushrooms.
Hikari leaned forwards to get a better look before shaking her head.
"No Ms Adrianna, those are a group of small oni. Useful familiars, very popular amongst reincarnated devils, but not esspecially intelligent, and not proficient at all in magic. We should just wait and they will move on, or another applicant will contract them."
The night wore on, the moonlight and the bioluminescence lighting the area as they waited.
"Are you sure this is the right area?" Mephisto questioned, leaning against a tree trunk and occasionally observing the plants that lit up at various times.
"Not entirely. The fae are still new to the forests so we haven't had the time necessary to chart their habitats, that is if they even have an established home."
"Then should we not move to see if we have better luck in other places."
"No Lord Mephisto. Fae-type familiars are incredibly picky, and trying to go out and search for them might just send them fleeing from us rather than get them to approach. Gods forbid we stumble onto a major grouping of fairies or pixies, we could be teleported half way across the forests if we aren't careful and they know the right magic."
"I think I see them!"
Adrianna interrupted, seeing a group of slight-winged miniature humans fluttering through the air.
"Wonderful. I think that's a minor grouping of pixies, perfect for a first familiar of that type." Said Hikari.
She gestured for Adrianna to follow as they moved closer.
"Now remember." She whispered so as not to alert the fae. "Fae familiars must be convinced to join you, they cannot be forced, otherwise the pact cannot be solidly made. They must accept you."
"Ok. How do I convince them?" Adrianna whispered back.
"There isn't a single method as far as we can tell. We've only really gotten a few looks at fae familiars. Most just contract with human magicians in the above world."
The two came up close to the pixies.
"Now go and greet them." Hikari instructed. "Be polite, but firm. Try to find out what they want and convince them that forming a pact with you is the way to get it."
Adrianna emerged from where she and Hikari had been crouched, immediately drawing the attention of the pixies.
"Who are you?"
The voices of the pixies were strange to Adrianna. All she could hear was the ringing of sleigh bells when the pixies talked, but she could also hear their words echoing in the air, almost as an afterthought.
"I'm Adrianna. I wanted to meet some fairies and pixies." She took a step closer, which made the pixies collectively flutter back.
"We know of your kind." One of them said. "You beings always come to the wood during this time to capture beast and bend them to your will. Not us. We will not bend."
"No." Adrianna brought up her hands in a gesture of non-aggression. "I wanted to ask if you would be my familiars. I don't want to force you."
One of the pixies with short blonde hair done up in a bun and a green dress that seemed to be made of leaves, approached.
"You want to make us your pets?" She asked, indignant.
"No I don't. I wanted to ask if you would join me. I'm asking if you want to join my group. You could have whatever you needed, and you would just need to help me when I call."
The blonde pixie was joined by another, this one slightly taller, with black hair in a ponytail and a dress made of purple leave.
"Yeah, I don't think so."
"We should at least take her to see the queen." The blonde pixie said.
"I'm telling you, it's a bad idea." The black haired one admonished.
"Oh come on, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Uh, she captures us, turns us into slaves? Or worse she makes us her pets."
"Well I say we should at least let the queen decide."
"Ugh, fine. But when this ends up bad don't say I didn't warn you."
The blonde one turned back to Adrianna.
"Come on, we'll take you to meet the queen."
The group of pixies fluttered around them, forming a teleportation spell, around an excited Adrianna, an ecstatic Hikari, and a curious Mephisto.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the apparent home of the pixies, which appeared to be a large oak tree whose leaves glowed a luminous green in the night. Adrianna, Hikari and Mephisto floated up to a large area in the branches, where numerous pixies congregated.
"I was wrong." Hikari gasped as she saw just how many pixies roamed around. "This isn't a minor pixie tribe. Based on the size of the tree and the number we see here. This is probably a pixie village. I wonder if they occupy the whole hollow?"
"My lady, we've returned from the mushroom gardens, and we have guests." The blonde pixie announced. The gathered pixies stopped whatever tasks they were performing, choosing instead to observe the new visitors.
"Guests little one? Why have you brought guests to our hollow?"
From somewhere up in the tree's canopy, another pixie descended. This one was taller than any of the other pixies of the group, and dressed in a way that certainly seemed to denote royalty. Her dress seemed to be made from pure golden light, and her wings were golden in colour as they gently flapped.
"This girl said she had a proposition for you my queen." The blonde one said.
"Does she? Well then, I should hear her out."
Adrianna came forwards a bit, but seemed almost distracted, occasionally looking off to the side.
"My lady." She started, before stopping suddenly.
"Child?" The pixie queen asked, following her gaze and gazing out from the tree. "Noooo..."
She spun back to Adrianna glaring.
"You led it here."
Adrianna broke from her stupor, looking aghast at the queen.
"N-no, I would- I would never. What is it?"
"A shadow." The queen growled. "Come to feed on our power. Begone child, and the rest of you as well, that shadow has been bound to you by its master. We cast you to the place where the shadow and its master have come to dwell."
"No, wait." Adrianna tried to say something, but the pixie queen and her subjects gestures with their hands and a teleportation circle appeared around Adrianna, Mephisto and Hikari.
Just before the circle activated, Adrianna could see a shadowy figure illuminated by a fourth teleportation circle appearing around it. The shadow tried to lunge forwards, grabbing at the pixie queen, but it was too late.
Suddenly they were in an entirely seperate portion of the familiar zone. Surrounding them was a range of ominous looking mountains, who's height and number caused even the moonlight to be obscured.
"Where are we?" Adrianna asked.
"The shadow mountains." Hikari breathed, a hint of fear in her voice. "A bastion for dark and evil-familiars. I'd say we won't have long before we're attacked by some creature or other. We must leave now."
"Wait." Adrianna stopped Hikari before she could cast her spell. "The pixie queen said I have some kind of shadow bound to me, and that it was sent by some master. This is where she said it came from. We need to catch it."
Hikari turned to Mephisto, silently asking for support to get them away from the mountains.
"Adrianna's logic is sound. If this shadow was bound to her that has come from this area, and it is preventing her from finding another suitable familiar, it makes sense that we must first remove it before she attempts to contract any more."
Hikari looked between the two, before sighing.
"Very well, but we must do this quickly."
What do we have to do?" Adrianna asked.
"Well first we will need to draw out the spirit and capture it. The familiar binding spell should suffice for this, after all if the shadow is from these mountains most likely it is a creature that can be made a familiar. Then we can discover what kind of shadow it is. That should allow us to find out what kind of creature has bound it to Adrianna."
The preparations were done quickly, and soon Adrianna found herself in the centre of a familiar contract spell circle. As the spell activated she saw a ghostly tether form around her, leading off into the darkness.
"There you are."
She grasped onto the tether, using her magic to drag whatever it was that was connected to her into the circle's light. A shrieking sound echoed from the shadows and little by little, a dark figure was pulled into the light. Adrianna slowly dragged the spirit into the circle, before she backed out of it. The spell was soon completed, and Adrianna got a clear look at what it was that had cost her a contract with the pixie village.
"By the gods." Hikari whispered. "It's a wraith."
"This can't be right." Mephisto observed the spirit that was still trying to claw its way out of the bright circle of the contract spell. "What would bind a wraith to young Ms Adrianna"
"A Wraith? What's a Wraith?"
The older man and woman exchanged concerned glanced before Hikari answered.
"Wraiths are spirits who died in pursuit of power some time in the past. Their ambitions and desire for power, in whatever form it took, was so powerful that it compelled them to become spirits. Once a wraith is formed their base instincts become the urge to seek out and bind themselves to various sources of magical energy in order to fuel their hunger."
"But the pixie queen said that something else bound it to me."
"Did she?" Hikari asked. "I could barely understand anything she was saying. If that is the case this is perhaps even more worrying. There are few things that can command a wraith and only one of them that can force them to bind themselves to another being. We're looking for a Lich, and a rather intelligent and perceptive one at that to seek out Adrianna so far from their homes."
"A Lich?" Mephisto asked, looking more concerned than before. "You think a Lich has chosen Adrianna for a target?"
"Either that, or it fed off of her as a wraith and is compelling others to do the same."
"But it can take decades for a Wraith to feed off of enough magical energy to become a Lich. Surely we're not looking for a succession line."
"We won't know until we find the Lich."
"Can either of you tell me what a Lich is?"
Adrianna was now annoyed. Not only had this ghost prevented her from possibly contracting with a tribe of pixies, which would have been great if it meant she had something that could kick Vali's but, but now Mephisto and Hikari were talking about her as if she wasn't even there. Added to that. The Wraith she had captured was still trying to escape, which was getting annoying on its own.
Mephisto looked down at the girl, noticing her annoyance
"My apologies Adrianna. Liches are powerful spirits who are something like an evolved form of Wraiths. As you know, a wraith will feed off of a source of magic to gain power. However, once a Wraith manages to sap enough magic over its... lifetime? death? undeath? whatever the term, if it amasses enough energy the Wraith will become capable of generating its own magic, and as such will be able to perform magic itself. That is a Lich. An undead spirit that had gained a massive amount of power. Normal Liches can match the higher echelons of middle-class demons. The Liches that are the truly old and ancient of them, or those that have gorged themselves on high-quality sources of magic can even rival high-class demons."
"You said something about a succession line too, what's that?"
"When a Wraith feeds on a powerful source of magic and becomes a Lich Adrianna, they sometimes direct other Wraiths to feed on that same source, creating more Liches, all of whom owe their power to that same source, and spread the word to create more Liches who fed on that source. In this case if the Wraith was bound to you by a Lich, which seems likely, we might be looking at a succession line with you as the source."
"But the queen said that she was sending us to where the wraith and its master came from. The Lich has got to be somewhere around here."
"Right. If the queen sent us to where the wraith bound to Adrianna and its Lich master originated, it's possible you have one living in the familiar zones."
"Impossible." Hikari said. "There's no source of magic great enough for a Wraith to feed on here, let alone one that would allow it to evolve into a Lich."
"Except for the Dragon King that is said to frequent these areas."
Hikari's face drained of color and she looked around.
"A Lich that has fed off of a Dragon King. We need to leave. This is too dangerous."
"Agreed." Mephisto nodded.
"But Lord Mephisto." Adrianna said. "We need to find the Lich so that we can capture it."
"A Lich that might have used Tiamat as a source of power is more than we are prepared to deal with at the moment Adrianna." Mephisto scolded. "While I am near certain we are powerful enough to deal with it, it is best that we retreat for now and return with more power on our side. We will go and retrieve Tannin and that should be all we need to return and deal with this problem."
"Ok." Adrianna looked around, the mountains were filled with magic and power, even if it was a little dark. She could see why a magic familiar would chose to stay here. A trio of teleportation circles appeared under Mephisto, Hikari and Adrianna feet. In a flash of light, Mephisto and Hikari disappeared, but Adrianna's circle glitched and cracked before shattering completely. Whirling around. She saw that the contract spell holding the Wraith was gone, and next to the shadowy ghost was a large, skeletal creature wearing an elaborate set of robes.
'Come' The Skeletal creature's voice was different from the pixies, but not the same as the spoken word. Its teeth clattered together while forming the words, and Adrianna wasn't sure how it was speaking without lips or a tongue. Still, she could feel her curiosity swell, and decided to follow. After all, if she could figure this out herself that meant that Lord Mephisto and Lord Tannin wouldn't have to.
Another teleportation circle formed underneath Adrianna, the Lich and the Wraith before it whisked them away further into the mountains.
Mephisto and Hikari appeared back in the clearing they'd started their excursion in. Standing in front of them were several groups of devils, likely waiting for a guide to return so that they could begin their own excursions.
"We will need to speak with Redmond immediately." Mephisto told Hikari. "Come Adrianna, we must- Adrianna?"
The old devil looked around, trying to find the girl. When it became apparent that she was not with them, he held out his hand. A small teleportation spell manifested in his palm. I began to activate, before it too glitched and shattered, becoming an explosion of lights.
"It seems Ms Adrianna's teleport spell was intercepted and disabled. Likely the work of the Lich."
Hikari was off to the side, beginning to panic.
"No, no, no. This can't be happening. We need to go back and get her."
"It's no use." Mephisto. "They've locked off the area from teleportation spells. I will be able to break through it in short order, but until then Ms Lorelei is on her own. Hopefully she does not move from her place. Come, we will fetch Tannin and Redmond, by then I will have worked through the counter spell."
Mephisto walked out of the clearing onto a path that lead to a large building. Hikari soon rushed to catch up to the old devil as the two reached the path's end and entered into the building. Sitting in the lobby, looking bored out of their minds, Tannin and Romulus seemed to be doing anything they could to not give in to their boredom. As soon as Mephisto entered however, both males, dragon and devil, nearly jumped out of their seats and made their way over to the old devil.
Romulus arrived first, and began to spout information at a rate that Mephisto could barely comprehend before slowing down when he didn't see his queen.
"Wait." He paused, and took a breath. "Where's Ari?"
"Yeah, where is the little witch Mephisto?" Tannin followed up behind the young boy.
"No time for explanations I'm afraid." Mephisto waved for them to follow him as he made his way towards Redmond's office. "Ms Lorelei was separated from us in the familiar zones by a Lich. We believe that this Lich has fed on Tiamat to undergo its evolution. My magics will have worked through the blocks it set up within a few minutes and I would prefer that I explain this matter with master Redmond in attendance, so we do not have to recount this story multiple times."
Tannin's eyes widened over the course of the explanation. Picking up his pace he walked past the group, getting to Redmond's door first and nearly smashing it open.
"What the hell? What are you doing here?" Redmond demanded as Tannin barged into his office. Mephisto followed through the near broken door, followed by Hikari and Romulus.
"Master Redmond, we have a problem, and I believe that you can help us. Do you know how to track down a Lich?"
When the glowing light finally faded Adrianna found herself in a large cave. The insides were carved and looked more like a grand mausoleum.
"Who are you?" She asked.
The Lich turned to face her, retreating into the cave, it answered.
'I am a Lich.'
"I know that, I mean who were you when you were alive. Do you remember?"
'I do not. I remember sand, I remember war. I remember pain. I remember death. I fought on a horse. I killed many people.'
"Oh."
She was suddenly much more nervous about the skeleton. Logically she knew she shouldn't be. Lord Mephisto's explanation of what a Lich was should have clued her in that whoever they were in life they weren't innocent. But to hear the Lich itself speak about its actions while alive was something else.
"Why did you send the Wraith?"
'You fed me before. I was grateful. You needed a companion. I wanted to give one.'
Adrianna was shocked. Mephisto had mentioned something. A succession line?
"When did you feed on me?"
'You were young. I was hungry. You were powerful. A great well of magic. I fed. I grew. I changed. I evolved. You helped me evolve. You helped me grow.'
Adrianna looked around. There was a large stone dias with a stone slab atop it. On top of the slab, she could see a book.
"What's that?" She asked, moving further into the mausoleum.
'A gift. You needed familiars. Wraiths are good. But need more. The book will give more familiars.'
She climbed the dias, seeing the tomb that was resting there. It was a simple book, with characters and bindings she recognised as being from East Asia. Japan maybe?
"Where did you get this?"
'I used magic. I found the book. For you.'
She turned back to the Lich, thinking.
"Why do you care? About me I mean?"
'Do not know. Your magic is different. Made me think. Made me change. I understand you are different. I understand I am different. I want more like me. More who are different. I send more Wraiths. You give them power. You give me power. We make more Liches. Together.'
The Lich waved its hand, and all around her, dozens of shadowy creatures emerged from the shadows. They circled around her, and suddenly she felt them pulling at her magic. Nothing major. Almost unnoticeable, but when she paid attention she could see the amount that was being taken was split between the many Wraiths that surrounded her and the Lich.
'They take. They feed. Not much. More as you have more magic. More as you grow stronger. You give them power. You give me power. We serve. We are your tribe.'
She pondered for a moment. The Lich had been able to bind the Wraith to her without her knowledge. It'd managed to disrupt her teleportation spell, It had even used magic to bring her this new magic tome, and she knew it was a magic tome. She could feel it.
But at the same time they had stoped her from forming a contract with those Pixies. They'd cost her a contract with familiars that could use magic.
"Wait a minute." She observed the Wraiths and Lich.
The Lich could use magic. Powerful magic if Mephisto was right. It had stopped her spells, It summoned more of its former kind, and they would eventually become Liches themselves.
"You can use magic?" She asked the Lich.
'I can.'
"Can they all use magic?"
'If they evolve. If they grow.'
"And I can feed them. Will they take a lot of power?"
'They will take what they take now. More as you grow. Only when you become stronger. They will take more.'
"That sounds ok. Can they think? Can they make their own decisions?"
'If you feed them. Now they are only hungry. They only want magic. If you feed them they will change. I changed. They will be like me.'
"Could you- could you become my familiars?" She raised her voice so that the other Wraiths around her could hear.
Sound erupted around her. It was as if a thousand gusts of wind were blowing around them. The Lich clacked their teeth together, silencing the Wraiths surrounding them.
'They will. If you feed them. I will. If you feed me. If you and I. We make more of me.'
"Ok. Well then, how about this? I'll feed you all magic, I'll take you all with me and you can join my tribe. In return, you'll all become my familiars and help me out when I call. Then when you all become Liches you can bring in more Wraiths and still feed if you need it?
Adrianna smiled, holding out her hand to the Lich.
"Deal?"
The Lich looked hesitantly at the hand. It flexed its own skeletal fingers, listening to the bones clink and clack against each other. The Wraiths around them were speaking to it, and as the puffing gusts of air sounded out through the cave it reached out and grasped her hand to shake.
'Deal.'
"Ms Lorelei!"
Both Adrianna and the Lich turned to look towards the entrance of the cave. Standing there, alongside Tannin, Romulus, and the familiar guild-master Redmond, was Mephisto. The assembled group was watching the scene. Adrianna stood there. Surrounded by Wraiths who were feeding off of her, shaking hands with a Lich, while holding a book none of them recognised close to her chest.
"Lord Mephisto, guess what?" Adrianna smiled, gesturing around her. "I found my familiars."
After explaining with her new Lich, and performing the needed rituals to bind the Lich and Wraiths to her. Adrianna found herself sitting alongside Romulus in the familiar guild's master's office, passively listening as Redmond shouted at Mephisto.
"That's two! Two serious rule infractions by your students in one night. You're lucky there were extenuating circumstances or I would permanently ban the both of them from ever setting foot in my forests again!"
Adrianna turned to Romulus.
"You broke the rules too? Why am I not surprised?"
Romulus knocked her with his shoulder.
"Not really. Tannin and I just got a new guide and Mr Lucas had to go back."
"Really? Who'd you get for a new guide?"
Romulus smirked and leaned in close.
"Tiamat."
Adrianna gasped, looking wide eyed and slightly jealous.
"The Dragon King? The Chaos Karma Dragon? That Tiamat?"
"Yep." Romulus popped the 'p' and puffed his chest as he bragged.
"That's so not fair." She huffed, pouting.
"Oh stop complaining, you just signed a contract with like a hundred different familiars."
"fifty-six, not a hundred."
"Still. That's fifty more than I got."
She shrugged.
"Well you got Qilin and Kirin. I know they can be as powerful as some high-class demons."
"Yeah, and all your Wraiths could become just as powerful as my familiars if you keep feeding them magic."
Adrianna smiled.
"I know. I'm still a little sad I didn't get to contract that Pixie tribe, but I guess this is just as good, and they probably don't need as much to be kept happy."
Romulus looked at her concerned for a moment.
"Are you ok? I mean, All those Wraiths and that Lich, they're all feeding off of you right?"
"Yeah."
"Do you feel alright? They're not taking too much right?"
Adrianna shook her head and leaned her head against Romulus' shoulder.
"Nah. We agreed they wouldn't take too much of my energy until I got stronger. Right now they're still just taking a little."
"Ok. Just be careful, alright?"
"Are you kidding? I'm always the one telling you to be more careful remember."
"Yeah, but that was before you signed fifty familiars that all drain your magic."
"Fifty-six."
"Whatever... Do you think they'll be done soon?"
Romulus nodded over to where Redmond was still arguing with Mephisto. Tannin had also entered into the argument but even if he was a Dragon King Redmond didn't seem intimidated.
"Master Redmond, surely you cannot blame us for the events that transpired with Ms Lorelei, I showed you that her transportation circle was tampered with by the Lich."
"She still followed the Lich back to its cave, and you went against the advice of your guide Hikari when you refused to return and instead sought to capture the Wraith."
"Ms Hikari agreed that we should make separating the Lich from Ms Lorelei oue top priority. It is neither her fault nor ours that events took the turn that they did."
"I understand that, but this still should have been done here, with proper safeguards and without the possibility that there was a Dragon King fed Lich waiting to pounce."
"And so this seems to leave us at an impasse. I have explained the situation, all I am waiting for is to negotiate whatever punishment you decide upon."
Redmond sighed, rubbing his brows. He fell backwards into his plush chair, letting out a soft groan.
"We both know how this is going to go Mephisto. I tell them they're banned permanently, you threaten legal action because of the lapse in Ms Lorelei's security, I dispute the claim based on you over-riding my guide's authority with your own. We go back and forth until be come to an agreement, but I'm tired, this night has dragged on too long already, so I'm going to give you my best offer."
He stopped massaging his forehead and leaned forwards, folding his hands in front of his face.
"I'll ban them for a year, they and anyone they induct into their peerage can't enter our forests until that year is up. In return you sign away the ability to press legal charges against us. I'll have the papers drawn up by the morning."
Mephisto simply smiled, nodding his head.
"Of course Master Redmond, I only hope that this hasn't soured your opinion of the Titanius clan."
Redmond offered a withering glare.
"His clan might have some serious influence nowadays, but I won't offer special treatment. If anything this is just me bring too tired and this being too complicated for either of us to push a claim of the other's wrongdoing."
"Of course my friend."
"Now, you and yours have got your familiars. The ban starts tonight, now go home, I have a whole parade of whiny demons who will no doubt be disappointed in what they've caught tonight, or rather, what they didn't catch."
"Goodbye Redmond, have a good night."
Mephisto waved his hand, and a small magic circle appeared in his hand. As the light of the circle faded, there was a large, ornate bottle in his hand. He placed it on the table, pushing it over to Redmond.
"A final gift for the year my friend. I hope you still enjoy this vintage."
Redmond picked up the bottle, examining it and glancing back at Mephisto.
"I'll still be coming over to finish the registration of those kids' familiars."
"Well then, we can drink then. Until next time."
With those final words said, Mephisto ushered his queen and two wards out of the familiar master's office and out towards the lobby so they could teleport back to the Titanius estates. The time had passed quite quickly, and as the latest batch of excitement with his students had lasted so late in the night, both Romulus and Adrianna were beginning to feel the effects. Already eyes were drooping and yawns were being let out.
"Well, I suppose it's time for the two of you to retire." He said, patting Romulus and Adrianna on their shoulders. "Come. Let us head back to the compound."
In a large magic circle, and a flash of light. The four disappeared, back to the Titanius clan estates.
Wooo, this is the end of the familiar sub-arc. I hope you guys are ok with it. Finally we have some established familiars for both Romulus and Adrianna. Now if you guys don't remember for the last chapter Romulus got three each of Qilin and Kirin, an adult and two foals each (foals are baby horses and as horses are similarly quadrupedal I think the term is accurate). Adrianna has gotten a lot more familiars but for now with far greater versatility with less power. If this will change I'm not sure. I kind of want to keep the Kirin and Qilin as more powerful than the Wraiths and Liches but their powers could change based on which of the two is stronger.
Now for the pokemon references.
Hikari = the name of the female trainer in diamond/pearl/platinum and the japanese name of dawn from the pokemon anime. (or the other way around depending on if you watch the dub)
Fairy-type familiars = fairy pokemon. A type of Pokemon, they are super-effective against dragons, which is also mentioned.
The pixie tribe they encountered is based on the tinkerbell movie series. If you haven't watched it, I can recommend it as much as I can about a series of movies about fairies. It's actually not bad. I recently got on a nostalgia trip, and aside from watching like two seasons of winx club, x-men evolution, pokemon advanced, and a few others, I've found that there are a lot of good and bad parts to many of them. Anyway, the blonde fairly is obviously tinkerbell, the black-haired cynical one is based on Vidia (look her up) and the queen is based on Queen Clarion (look her up too).
I actually came up with the way Liches work in this universe based on Warcraft. Shades are units that are acolytes who sacrifice themselves. The first Lich Kel'thuzad was the spirit of a necromancer, who gained his powers from a powerful source of magic. (the Sunwell and the Lich King) In my version, Wraiths are the ghosts of ambitious or powerhungry people, they then drain power from sources of powerful magic until they are reborn as Liches. I wonder if anyone can guess who Adrianna's first Lich is. I hope you can, but if you can't that's fine.
Next two chapters are the last of this arc, and finally Romulus is going to be introduced to some of the main players of the DxD light novel series proper. Also, we see that for all Romulus is powerful, he isn't invincible or infallible.