BUT WARNING B/F READING:
there's a bit of homophobia in this chapter, it's not overt, but you'll know it when you see it
and yes it's from the character you think it is
Location Unknown
Tuccia's abilities were based on illusions, but the key to defeating illusions was knowing that they weren't real. Zora was dodging Tuccia's attack spells in the cramped dungeon. What he needed was to get outside to have more space to work. Being injured and poisoned meant that his body was working overtime to compensate and having to break his grimoire out of a magical prison took a hit to his mana.
"Ash Magic: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust" shouted Zora, as he used his magic to bust through the wall, hoping it would go outside to open spaces. He laid easy pitfalls traps on his way out, hoping that she didn't notice. He was lucky today, of course, as Tuccia chased after him. He sensed Magna's and Luck's mana nearby and heard the tell-tale sounds of the Black Bulls fighting.
"Not so fast, boy! Storybook: Monsters in the Dark," said Tuccia, as a mana rippled through the ground. Various monstrous creatures were formed from the ground, not unlike Sol's golems, but these creatures had color and looked like they were sentient.
Zora counted thirty monsters. Due to his traps, five were immediately taken out, but it left twenty-five 10-foot tall creatures with battering rams for arms coming at him. He cursed loudly. These were just illusions but they felt very real. Zora wondered at the difference in tactics from their previous fight. Perhaps, if she used someone as a puppet or avatar, she was limited by their person's body.
His own body was weakening under the strain of its aches and pains. Zora knew that his friends were here, so that knowledge allowed him to be a bit reckless. He turned to the new spell page in his grimoire. "Ash Magic: Obliteration Circle!"
Zora watched fascinated, as his new offensive spell wiped out Tuccia's monster spell. The spell didn't just destroy the creatures by anything else in its wake, including the grass and nearby trees. It took a good chunk of his mana for the spell, as everything started to ache even more. But he had to hold on in order to get Tuccia.
"Such destruction," said Tuccia, floating in the air, unfazed by his spell. "Storybook Illusion: Red Queen Armor!"
Zora sneered as Tuccia's fluffy, bright dress became red and silver armor, with a crown on top of her head. It looks similar to Noelle's Valkyrie armor spell. Willing himself forward, despite his eyes going out of focus momentarily from the unknown poison coursing through his veins, Zora said, "Ash Magic: Obliteration Bullet!"
When he was back home, he was going to have to undergo some training with Mereoleona, because these new spells took too much mana and strength out of him. This spell was derived from the one that was like an explosion, this spell was a precision cut of an assassin's blade. Zora doged when Tuccia threw ruby shards at him, as she dodged his ash magic.
This fight was dragging on too long and Zora was running out of mana. But he wasn't going to lose. He wasn't gonna let this Tuccia get near Kirsch or his friends.
"Stay still!"
"Not likely," said Zora, several bullets of his "Obliteration Bullet Ash Magic" spell hit the red and silver armor of Tuccia, causing it to slowly evaporate into ash.
Tuccia sneered. "Storybook Illusion: The Art of Healing! " The armor came back, negating Zora's magic. He cursed.
But then, he heard a familiar voice shout from above.
"Demon-Dweller Sword: Black Slash!" Asta came barreling out one of Finral's portals propelled by Luck's lightning and Magna's fire and landing the hit on Tuccia in one fell swoop. The power behind Asta's move knocked Tuccia out cold without much fanfare, having her crash into the ground, cratering it on impact.
Zora grinned as Magna, Luck, Finral and Bennett Vermillion exited Finral's portals, "You guys are late!"
Magna and Luck shouted in unison, "Zora, you bastard!"
"Screw you too, assholes," said Zora. He collapsed on the ground. Grimacing, he noted that none of them knew healing spells, "You idiots didn't think to bring a medic?"
"Always a critic, Zora," said Finral, coming over to him. Finral smiled down at Zora. "Man, we were worried. You never call for help."
"I got poisoned, by the way," said Zora, as the adrenaline from his capture and the fights wore off, the poison made his arms numb.
Face of panic, Finral opened a portal and shouted, "Guys, move it, he needs a doctor!"
And that's when Zora finally let himself pass out from exhaustion.
Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
House Vermillion Homestead
Conference Room One
Afternoon
Working on two hours of sleep, Kirsch didn't expect that his conversation with his father mere hours ago would have him in one of the family conference rooms at the Vermillion Homestead the same day. His Uncle Aldebrand worked quickly. Lord Cornelius, Lady Priscilla and Lady Prudence of House Esmond were sitting across the table from Kirsch, Kirsch's parents and Uncle Aldebrand, none of whom were very happy at the moment. Red-faced Lord Cornelius looked about to have a freakout.
"Repeat yourself, Lord Aldebrand. I don't think I heard you quite correctly," said Lady Priscilla, her glare made Kirsch look at his clasped hands in front of him.
To his credit, Uncle Aldebrand wasn't deterred nor intimidated. Considering that his uncle argued countless verbal battles in the cutthroat Magic Parliament regularly, Kirsch expected nothing less of his uncle.
"As of this moment, my nephew Kirsch will not be marrying Lady Prudence," said his uncle. Kirsch didn't know how his uncle was going to get him out of this engagement. "It has come to my attention that Lady Prudence's actions as an assistant professor in the University are not as spotless as we had hoped."
"Excuse me? How dare you sully my reputation as an academic with baseless rumors," shouted Lady Prudence, standing up, but not shouting.
Uncle Aldebrand stared at Lady Prudence. "Your Philosophy Foundation, for one, is spouting some dangerous ideas that are the antithesis to the morals and beliefs of House Vermillion. Not to mention the fact that there is evidence of bullying and harassing other professors and even students."
"Outrageous," sputtered Lord Cornelius. "My father and your father had an agreement!"
"And if my father were alive to hear that the woman who was supposed to marry one of his grandsons was advocating anti-monarchist ideas, he'd come down much harder on you than I am," Kirsch's wonderful and amazing uncle retorted.
"You're accusing me of being an anti-monarchist," said Prudence, whose voice was getting higher and higher.
"I have evidence," said Aldebrand, plainly. "It'd be very interesting news that I'm sure that Damnatio Kira Clover would love to hear." Mentioning that guy's name shut the Esmond family up very quickly. Everyone knew the reputation of the highest judge in the land. Damnatio Kira Clover was ruthless in his need to protect the Kira Clover-led monarchy.
Kirsch was impressed. He looked at his mother, who betrayed nothing on her face. His father pretended to be confused. Did his parents and uncle actually anticipate Kirsch not wanting to get married and prepared in advance?
Lady Prudence snarled, her true colors showing once she was confronted, and pointed at Kirsch. "This is all your fault! Just because you're in love with some peasant, another man no less, you're going to ruin my life. What a coward that you couldn't break the engagement yourself that you got your mommy and daddy and uncle to do it for you."
Kirsch was going to say something, but his mother Nickole was out of her seat instantaneously and almost launched herself at Lady Prudence had his father Sazerac and his uncle Aldebrand not stopped her. Kirsch just stared as his father and uncle struggled to sit a feral Nickole Vermillion back in her seat.
"Nickole, violence isn't the answer," said Uncle Aldebrand, cautioning his stone-faced, yet furious mother who was about to hurt someone named Prudence.
"Neeks, baby, please, let's not get you arrested again," asked Sazerac, mildly, as Nickole grumbled in her seat.
"Mother, it's alright," said Kirsch, tentatively. "I don't care what she thinks. Don't get yourself in trouble for my sake."
"Watch your tongue, little girl," said his mother, venomously and a promise of pain, ignoring Kirsch, his uncle and his father.
The room went silent as Lady Prudence composed herself. "Harmless threats from a washed-up old lady don't scare me. Where did you get your so-called evidence, Lord Aldebrand?"
"From me," said the one and only 4th Class Senior Magic Knight of the Azure Deer, Clarity Esmond, entering the room, followed by another noblewoman that Kirsch hadn't met yet. Talk about a dramatic entrance! Clarity was right on time and Kirsch didn't even know she was coming.
"You! How dare you betray your own family," shouted Lord Cornelius. "You're no daughter of mine!"
"That's fine, you're no father of mine," said Clarity. Kirsch could have hugged her. Here was someone that Kirsch didn't expect to stand up to anyone with her mild disposition. Did Clarity really go out of her way to help Kirsch not make a monumental mistake? He owed her big time. "And none of you treated me like family in years. My home is in the Azure Deer squad."
"No one will ever marry you," sneered Lady Priscilla.
"You're amazingly unpleasant," said the blonde-haired and purple-eyed noblewoman, mildly. She looked at his uncle and smiled. "Sorry, we're late. Walter wanted to get the ink-stains out of dear Clarity's dress." Walter, as in Rill's butler, that Walter? What was happening?
The Esmond Family looked confused in that angry sort of way.
"Thank you for coming, Lady Clarisse," said his uncle.
"Are you Rill's mother," asked Kirsch, shocked.
"Yes," said Lady Clarisse Boismortier, cheerfully. "And I came to officially claim Clarity as my daughter-in-law. Neeks told me about poor Clarity's horrid family and I just couldn't stand the thought of this sweet girl with them." Clarisse made a show of hugging Clarity close.
Kirsch saw the family resemblance between Clarisse and Rill now. "I'm a little confused, what's going on? Mother, Father? Uncle?"
"What is this travesty," demanded Lord Cornelius.
Uncle Aldebrand cleared his throat. "Lady Clarity came to Nickole, concerned about the upcoming marriage between Kirsch and Lady Prudence. With the initial information, Nickole came to me. I had Clarity get me actual evidence, but I knew that it would put her in danger. So, Nickole spoke to Captain Rill, who in turn went to Lady Clarisse, which he said he was going to eventually do anyway. The Boismortier Noble House is more than enough to protect Clarity." It was true that the Boismortier Noble House was one of the oldest of the noble families—they had nearly been around as long as House Vermillion, House Silva and House Kira Clover. The Boismorter had been a close ally of the Vermillion for years.
Simply said, Clarity was under House Vermillion protection from any backlash from the Esmond House by being Rill's fiancée. Clarity was double lucky because she's in love with Rill and he is with her.
Lord Cornelius sneered, "Then, we have no choice. Prudence will stop her club at the University and the marriage won't proceed as planned. I expect monetary returns for the wedding things already purchased. In turn, Prudence won't get in trouble?"
"Correct, so long as she behaves herself," said Uncle Aldebrand.
With that, Prudence and her parents agreed to the terms and stormed out of the room, leaving everyone relieved that it worked out. Kirsch, however, had one concern. "Is this going to be bad for us in Magic Parliament, Uncle?"
"We're House Vermillion, Kirsch, so we shall endure," said Uncle Adlebrand. "Now, on a lighter note, I'm hungry, who's ready for lunch? Solace made enough for everyone." Lady Clarisse, Nickole and his father followed Uncle Aldebrand out of the room, but Kirsch stayed in his seat.
He was free from marriage with that woman. He breathed a sigh of relief. Clarity was still standing there. Kirsch got out of his seat. "Can I hug you?"
Clarity's eyes widened and nodded.
He hugged her gently and briefly. Kirsch said, earnestly, "Thank you, Clarity. You're very brave. If you ever need anything, don't ever hesitate to ask me."
"It's not me that you should be thanking, Vice-Captain Kirsch," said Clarity, awkwardly.
Kirsch looked at her confused. "What?"
"Ah, it was Mr. Zora's idea for me to go to Lady Nickole and tell her what I told him," said Clarity, smiling brightly at the thought.
"Zora did," asked Kirsch, heart hammering in his chest. Zora gave Clarity the push to set the whole chain of events off to save Kirsch from marrying someone he didn't love and who didn't love him? Why Zora? What does Zora do things like this that just make Kirsch love him even more? Kirsch wanted to see Zora so badly.
"Yeah, he even told me what to say to her," said Clarity, nodding. Clarity smiled softly at Kirsch as she knew something he didn't. "I hope that Mr. Zora comes home safely."
"Me too," he replied, dumbfounded.
With that, Marx's face appeared before him via the man's communication magic. Kirsch startled.
"Zora's safely home. He's in the infirmary with some minor injuries, Vice-Captain Kirsch. He's taking visitors now," Marx said, as calmly as possible.
Kirsch grinned. "Yes, thank you!" Then, Marx was gone as quickly.
"Oh, wonderful," said Clarity, pleased. "Go, Vice-Captain Kirsch! I'll tell everyone the good news."
"Thank you, Clarity, really."
Kirsch rushed out of the room and his destination was the Magic Knights Headquarters' Infirmary. Zora was back and he was safe. The happiness bubbled up inside, despite knowing that it was going to be awkward.
It didn't matter. Kirsch was going to see Zora. And that's what really mattered.
Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
Magic Knights Headquarters
The Infirmary
Kirsch's bravery left him once he got to the door of the infirmary. He hovered outside, not ready to go in yet. Pacing back and forth, he debtead internally the pros and cons seeing Zora now and waiting until he was out of the infirmary. Kirsch undoubtedly wanted to see Zora as soon as possible to alleviate his stress and worry. But on the other hand, they hadn't spoken since the Grimmtowne mission.
Oh, and there goes Kirsch remembering the damn kiss again. He covered his face with his hands and sighed.
The door opened suddenly causing Kirsch to stand up straight and pretend he just got there. It was Captain Yami Sukehiro exiting the Infirmary. The Black Bulls' Captain raised an eyebrow at Kirsch. No wonder the Black Bulls respected him, the man looked as though he saw right through Kirsch. It was terrifying. Drawling, Captain Yami said, "Zora's up. Doc's been done with him for a while now."
Kirsch nodded. And now, Kirsch had no choice but to enter. He couldn't seem like a coward in front of Captain Yami. "Thanks."
"Yeah, okay," said Captain Yami, shaking his head.
Kirsch entered the infirmary quickly so he didn't have to make any awkward small talk with Captain Yami. The first bed from the door, however, Zora sat up in the bed at Kirsch entering the room. Maskless for once, there were bandages on Zora's head and torso. He looked paler than normal.
"Hey," said Kirsch, smiling awkwardly.
Zora stared at him, blinking quickly, before saying, "Hey."
Powering through the awkward, tense air in the room, Kirsch took a seat on the chair next to Zora's infirmary bed. "I'm glad you're okay, Zora."
"Yeah, thanks," said Zora, nodding. Grinning, he continued, "So, you're never gonna believe what happened."
Kirsch's eyes widened. "What?"
"Tuccia used an avatar at Grimmtowne," said Zora. "We didn't notice, but it got her out and the person we captured was a fake." Thus, Zora launched into the story about his mission and the events that led up to the capture and the battle against the real Tuccia. How Zora obtained new spells and how Asta gave the final blow with his Demon-Dweller Sword.
Kirsch was impressed. "You broke a seal on your grimoire from another room! That's amazing."
Blushing from the praise, Zora said, "The properties of my grimoire make it a bit unstable. Perfect fit for me. I'm just glad we got Tuccia for good now. She was way too interested in eating you."
"Ugh, why are the bad guys always so weird," asked Kirsch, thinking of Sally's obsession with Asta and so on and so forth.
"Dunno," said Zora. And to Kirsch's surprise, Zora changed the subject. Zora stared at him with a hard look. "You haven't slept. Aren't you supposed to be taking care of yourself?"
Kirsch winced at the reprimand. "Ah, well, there was some business with the engagement." Kirsch was going to have to tell Zora at some point how worried he was and that's why he didn't sleep. For now, he needed to tell Zora somehow that Kirsch was officially single and maybe try to confess again.
Zora's face shut down, though, at the mention of the engagement. Kirsch never noticed before now that Zora must have done it the entire time the engagement was mentioned, but without his face mask, Zora was easier to read. "Is that so?" Zora's voice was quiet.
Kirsch smiled. "Yeah, but I rushed over once I heard you were here. I wanted to see you." Then, he realized he flubbed by not immediately saying the wedding was off. Kirsch knew his face had to be red. "Sorry, I'm making this awkward."
Shaking his head, Zora said, "It's fine."
The cute red blush on Zora's face said otherwise. This was a disaster. Kirsch just couldn't keep it together around Zora Ideale.
And that was the thing. This was the moment. Kirsch had to confess again. But he remembered the first confession and how the moment that Zora left Kirsch's room that day that Kirsch cried for hours in heartbreak. He remembered the kiss from Grimmtowne and how Zora apologized more than once, which broke Kirsch's heart all over again. There were so many things he wanted to tell Zora, but words left him.
"Don't get married." Zora spoke those words.
"What," Kirsch asked, startled.
Zora met Kirsch's gaze and said, without an ounce of hesitation, "Don't get married. Stay with me."
~to be continued