Vetto tilted his head in confusion, "um, I've spent a lot of time around animals, but I've never heard of a type of bird that can talk before" he said. "Like I said, you'll see tomorrow. For now, go have some dinner, and then choose your bedrooms. Tettia and Fana can sleep together if they want, being the only girls, you can sleep in the same room as your brother, or you could choose to stay in the same room as your future husband. Aside from that, everyone else can choose whatever bedrooms they'd like" Bethany said, standing and stretching. "Goodnight everyone. I hope you're able to have good dreams tonight" the Card Mage said, before yawning and leaving for her room, "hopefully my Magic will be fully restored by tomorrow, we still have quite a bit to get through" she muttered to herself.
Everyone looked at each other, "well, I'd say this whole day has been- enlightening, despite the pain it has brought as well" Vetto said, yawning. "Yeah, I can't even believe this day actually happened. We've already seen so much here. Bethany said that tomorrow's viewing will reveal the truth. We need to pay strict attention, so the more sleep we get today, the better" Lemiel replied. Everyone agreed, before beginning to depart to there rooms, but Patry didn't move. Licht turned to see the boy clenching his pants in his fists, "Patry?" he called, making the boy turn to look up at him, "yeah Licht?" he asked. "Are you coming to bed?" he asked. Patry nodded, "but not right now. I have a lot on my mind. I think I'm going to stay out here for a while and think on it all for a bit" he replied. Licht frowned, "do you want me to stay with you?" he asked. The young Elf shook his head, "mhm, you go and get some sleep, I'll go to bed in a bit" he replied. "Okay, if you're sure" his Leader replied. After that, everyone had left the room, and Patry was the only one left.
He sighed and closed his eyes, "We will stop it, and save our future" Patry opened his eyes again and looked up, "I swear- I'll make sure our future is bright" he said, clenching his fists in determination.
Black Clover
Eventually, Patry climbed into his bed, still wide awake. He'd tried, desperately to fall asleep, but his head was still too crammed full. Suddenly the door opened, causing him to shut his eyes. Patry's sharp ears picked up the sound of the door closing and light footsteps moving closer to his bed. "Patry, are you still awake?" came the soft voice of his leader. Opening his eyes, the boy found Licht standing in front of him. The adult Elf knelt down in front of him, "hey there, can't sleep?" he asked. "How did you know?" Patry asked softly, so as not to wake anyone else. "I couldn't sleep either, do you want to come and sit with me for a while?" he asked, just as soft. The boy stood up, "yes please" he replied. The two went out and sat in the Veiwing room in silence, "my head is just so full of thoughts, I can't fall asleep" Patry said eventually. "Mine too. but I know we'll all do everything we can to stop this future, and make a better one" Licht replied.
"Do you really think we can? I mean, without Asta and his Anti-Magic- what if we, we can't stop him? I- I, can't-" the boy began to shake, causing Licht to look over at him, "Patry" he said softly. "We have to believe in our own strength. We have to have hope. If we don't believe in ourselves, we've already lost the battle, understand?" the man asked. Patry nodded, "yes, I understand" he replied. "You know, I've always kind of seen you like a son to me" Licht said, causing the younger Elf to blush, "r-really?" he asked. His Leader nodded, "yes. Will you promise me something Patry? When Yuno is born into this new world that we're going to create, will you be his older brother?" Licht asked. Patry's eyes widened, before he closed them and gripped his shirt over his chest, "yes, I'd be happy to Licht" he replied. The man smiled at him, "thank you" he said gratefully.
Black Clover
The next morning everyone sat together eating breakfast. "So, is everyone ready to watch the next clips? It's the ones we've all been waiting for" Bethany said as she ate some hash browns that she'd cooked for herself. "Yes, I think we're ready now" Licht replied. "So, this will show us what we need to know about that day? What really happened?" Lemiel asked nervously. Bethany nodded, "yes, it will, I promise you that your Highness" she said seriously. "This viewing will show us what we need to know to stop it!" Tettia said in determination. "Right!" Licht nodded, taking his future wife's hand. Everyone nodded at each other, "well then, let's hurry and get to the Veiwing!" Raya exclaimed. Soon they had finished breakfast and gotten comfortable in the Veiwing room. The human Card Mage looked over everyone, "right, let's go!" she said, starting the clips.
"What? but you- I mean- you're a- how? Why? What? I'm so confused!" Finral stammered in a panic, "did you not hear me?" Nero asked, "what's happening?! Nero's a bird, and birds don't talk, so how in the heck are you talking to me right now?" he demanded to know. The Mages around them were kneeling in reverence, "the bird just spoke!" one of them said, "it must be a Spirit! A noble spirit!" another exclaimed. "Nero! What's going on here? Since when have you been a talker? Wait I know, I'm still asleep aren't I?" Finral asked. "Kindly pick your jaw up off the ground. I need a portal at once!" Nero said. "What?! now that I'm past the initial shock, maybe go back to not talking!" the young man said. Latry was shown again, "as it stands, the humans ho are still possessed by Elves may not be able to change back." Nero explained, looking over at Latry/Langress. "Huh?" the young man asked in confusion, "that's not the worst part" Nero said, before turning back to the Spatial Magic User, "anyway, I need you escort me to the demon's bones immediately!" she ordered once again.
"Wow. Weird day" Finral said.
Black Clover
Yami cut the arm and wing off of the Devil and landed on the ground. "Now Heal" the Word Devil said, his arm and wing forming back together. He laughed, "one good cut deserves another. Tempest of Blades!" he called, the weapons shooting out at the human, who blocked with his own sword, "haven't you ever heard of a fair fight pal?" Yami demanded. 'This Devil's got some dirty tricks' he thought as he jumped out of the way of a hail of deadly steel. 'Not only can he make anything he says manifest as magic, he can summon objects, move 'em, and manipulate 'em however he sees fit. That 'Tempest of Bades technique is pretty much all those things at once. This is ridiculous!' he thought as he continued to block the attacks, 'he withered Charlette briars, healed himself, and messes with us in every other way he can think of. But since he hasn't straight up ordered us to die, that must mean he has some limitations. Damn it, this is such a pain in the ass!" Yami thought to himself.
"I must agree with him on that, that whole situation would definitely annoy me" Raya nodded. Bethany agreed as she continued to eat.
"Charlette!" he called down to the Elf, "it's Charla!" she replied in annoyance, before using her Briar Magic to ensnare the weapons. 'Earlier-' she thought, remembering to when he withered her briars, 'not all of my briars were affected by his attack, perhaps they were out of range?' she pondered as she blocked the hail of steel trying to turn them into pincushions. 'His Magic capacity might have been a factor as well. Could it be that he's putting such a massive amount of magic power in his words that our own spells are being overwhelmed?' she thought. Then the Elf turned her sword into a ramp for Yami to run on, as he managed to dodge another hail of swords that tried to pierce him. 'All we can do is weather his attacks while we try to figure out what his weakness is!' He then jumped off the top, 'I did notice one thing though. No matter what he says, his words can't block my Dark Magic' he man thought, sending a slash at the Devil, who jumped into the air to avoid it. 'Yep, he jumped outta the way. Now I just gotta land a good hit on him'. Yami landed, before noticing Licht intercept his attack with his own sword and knock it back at the Devil. "Not too bad!" the human complimented.
"That was so cool" Patry gushed, beaming. "And that's without you being fully awake yet" Raya chuckled.
The Devil cackled, "for someone who's essentially still asleep, you seem to be moving around quite a bit!" he exclaimed.
Raya paled, "oh my god, tell me I did not just agree with the Devil?" he begged, before gagging dramatically, "uughah! I can't believe we said the same thing!" he groaned. Licht smiled, "I appreciate your compliment much more Raya" he said.
'He's right, Licht can't use his full power yet. For now, the fight appears balanced, but soon…' Charla thought. "Tempest of blades!" the Devil cried again. Charla blocked with her briars, while Yami used his sword coated in Dark Magic, "there's no end to these damn things!" he grunted as he deflected each sword, "man, this freak is even stronger than I thought." 'In terms of raw power he's got us all beat. I can't keep my magic goin' forever. And he looks like he hasn't even broken a sweat.' The Devil cackled again as Yami landed, "I'm enjoying your company, it's good to have something to keep me busy. Inhabiting my own body and playing freely with my Magic Spells is enough to make my heart dance with happiness!"
"Is it weird that I can actually imagine his heart really dancing?" Patry asked with a look of disgust. "Nope" Bethany replied.
"And of course, you helped me obtain the Five-Leaf Grimoire. Let's try it!" the Devil said excitedly as the book opened.
"Oh no, please, don't let anyone else die!" Patry whimpered, shrinking in on himself.
"I'll show you what Devil's are truly capable of!" he exclaimed, as the text inside rewrote itself to be a demonic language. Both Yami and Charla tensed, "Word Soul Magic: Sethnithandial sedimu nithgimu ore".
"What the hell!?" Vetto demanded, as everyone was shocked speechless in horror. "That Spell- it wasn't Magic from this world" Lemiel uttered shakily, eyes wide.
"Just when I think I've seen his worst move, he's got more!" Yami exclaimed in horror. The Devil cackled as a purple writhing mass began to emerge from the portal, "I am a being from another dimension, the likes of which you cannot begin to fathom!" he said as the Mass began to fill the whole room, "you're doomed!" he cried. 'What the hell is happening?!' Yami thought. "That magic. Is it from the world of the dead?" Charla asked. The Devil cackled as the mass spread quickly. Yami tried to use his Dark Magic to destroy it, but it just increased the amount of it. 'Cut 'em off and they grow right back!' he thought, before being forced to jump back to dodge it. He looked up as the mass loomed over him, 'yep, we're screwed' he thought as it slammed down on top of him.
Black Clover
Meanwhile, Asta and his group were still down below, but they could hear the explosions ringing out above them. "What is, that?" Patry asked. "No idea" Yuno replied quietly.
Black Clover
Meanwhile, Finral and Nero had just reached the Demon skull in Hage Village.
"What is that?" Lemiel asked in confusion. "The skeleton of a Demon that once rampaged in that area 500 years previously. These two viewings will explain about it" Bethany replied, looking sadly over at everyone present, before quickly averting her eyes again.
Finral sighed, sagging, "even with Spatial Magic, that was a long trip" he muttered. "Don't waste time" Nero said. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Stupid bird" the boy muttered, following after her as she flew deeper into the remains. A Sepherot was shown with-
"Hey! Those are all the Magic Stones we have in our Village" Vetto remarked, "but what are they doing there?" he asked.
"Take out the Magic Stones embedded within this monument" Nero ordered. 'Hey, all the Magic Stones that were stolen by the Eye of the Midnight Sun are inside this thing' Finral thought. "Are you sure I can do that?" the boy asked nervously, "make it quick!" the bird demanded.
Black Clover
Next the two were shown to be in front of a stature of Lemiel.
"Um, brother, why is there a statue of you on top of a giant demon carcass?" Tettia asked. "Don't ask me, but I assume we'll find out soon, am I right Miss Yuki?" the young man asked. Bethany nodded, "very soon" she replied gravely, "along with the truth about the Massacre of the Elves". Everyone became determined and turned back to the screen.
"Now. Place the stones into the statue" Nero ordered. Finral looked the statue over, "it's the First Wizard King." He said, stepping forwards and beginning to do as he was told. "Here goes" he muttered, as he placed the stones into the slots on it's belt. After he'd finished the ones on the belt, he stood up straight, "and now the eyes" he said, "almost done". After the last Magic Stone was in place, the statue began to glow.
I am so confused" Fana whined.
Finral gasped, "no way! What's happening?!" the young man demanded, as the stone began to crack.
"Wait, what? is that, Unsealing Magic?" Lemiel asked, having a feeling where this was going.
Black Clover
Meanwhile, Yami, Charla and Licht were still fighting the Devil and the otherworldly mass he'd summoned. The human jumped back, "watch out!" he called. Charla tried to hold the stuff back with her Briar Sword, but they were instead sucked into the mass. "Oh no. What's wrong with our spells?!" She gasped, "they're melting!" the Elf cried. 'Dark Cloaked: Black Blade Blunt Slash!' Yami thought, as he used a blunt strike of Dark Magic to knock Charla out of the way of the Mass. "That monster!" she growled at the Devil. However, because he was protecting his temporary teammate, the human couldn't dodge out of the way himself, and some of the stuff got on his arm. Looking down at it, the arm seemed burned.
"Oh God, that does not look good!" Fana winced.
'It's drainin' my magic and my physical strength!' Yami thought in shock. The Devil laughed at him, "soon you'll be too weak to carry your sword!" he mocked. "I've just initiated a devastating Spell that depletes the lifeforce from all it touches! And once it starts, there's no way to stop it! Eventually, it'll devour all of existence!" the Devil exclaimed excitedly.
Everyone in the Veiwing Room was utterly horrified. To horrified to panic, or even speak.
The mass began to travel down the hole that the Devil flew up.
Tettia gasped in horror, "Yuno, Asta, Raya, Patry, Minosa and your other descendant are still down there!" she cried, turning from Licht to Lemiel. This time everyone did panic, before Bethany once again intervened, "everyone, please, I promise that everything will turn out okay" she said, hoping to calm the Elves and human's down. Tettia was on the verge of crying, "but, but-" she whimpered as both her Brother and future husband tried to soothe her. The Card Mage knelt down in front of the woman, a gentle smile on her face, "I understand your terror, I'm a mother too, and if anything happened to any of my children, I'd be devastated. But Asta did manage to save Patry from being a Dark Elf, right?" Bethany asked. The Human Princess nodded, drying her eyes. "Well then, we have to believe that together, everyone can save each other and the world, okay?" Tettia smiled, but it was Raya who spoke up, "you have a way with words, you know that, right?" he asked with a smile.
Bethany smiled back, "well, I did talk most of my children down, or at least a lot of them. But I'm actually not so good at public speaking. I always even up talking too fast" she replied sheepishly. Everyone smiled a bit, before relaxing. "I don't think everyone would die so easily. We just have to believe in the future Mages, isn't that right Mrs Yuki?" Licht asked. Bethany nodded, "belief is a powerful thing. As long as we hold tight to it, our own spirits will be lifted as well" she replied seriously, thinking of the Guardians of Childhood. During her forays into different worlds, she met them as well as many other people and creatures. "And it's not just the future Mages we should believe in. We should work hard to believe in ourselves and each other too, especially all of you. You have a dangerous and deadly trial to overcome, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Work together. Believe in yourselves and each other, and you can save the future" Bethany explained with a smile. "Right!" Lemiel exclaimed cheerfully. Everyone nodded and cheered. Then the Card Mage continued the recording.
Yami narrowed his eyes, 'damn. This keeps getting more hopeless' he thought as Licht was shown.
Black Clover
Meanwhile, the mass had reached Asta's group down below. "There's something coming toward us!" Patry exclaimed in worry. The mass flowed down the hole, "what is that stuff!?" Yuno demanded in shock. "The Devil's power!" Patry replied in fear upon seeing it and feeling the evil Mana it exuded. All three of the other Mages leapt into the air. Patry shot Light Swords of Conviction at it and Yuno sent a Tornado Fang spell. Both spells got sucked into the mass and disappeared. "It's absorbing all of our spells" Yuno muttered in shock. Suddenly a bit fell onto Patry's arm, burning it, "It's not stopping! Stay back!" ha called. Mimosa screamed as the mass sped towards her and the prone Raya. Yuno and Patry sent spells to intercept the thing, but they were just absorbed and it continued forwards. Asta ran in, picked up both Minosa and the Elf and threw them out of the way, "gotcha!" he called. "Asta!" the girl screamed as the grey-haired boy became engulfed in the writhing mass.
"Oh no!" both Tettia and Fana cried at the same time.
"ASTA!" Yuno cried, horrified at the thought of losing his rival (and possible, probable friend). Suddenly the mass was cut away to reveal the Anti-magic user, yelping in relieved terror, "thought that woulda killed me for sure!" the boy cried. "Oh thank goodness!" Mimosa exclaimed in relief. 'Anti-magic works against that, too?' Patry thought in shock as he held his injured arm. 'And he isn't even injured'. "Guess it didn't feel like swallowing a loser with no magic" Yuno deadpanned. "This is so bizarre" Patry muttered in confusion. "Well I'm fine by the way, thanks a lot!" Asta replied, incensed. With the small breather they'd gotten, Mimosa was able to use Magic Flower Guidepost again, "oh no! I knew it. There's even more of that eerie magic power hovering above us right now!" Mimosa exclaimed in worry. "which means the people in the other rooms are in danger too. Asta and Yuno turned to look at each other. 'If anyone has the swiftness to get the possessed Magic Knights out…' Nozelle thought, as the image of a younger girl, also with long silver hair down up in two ponytails and pink eyes was shown.
"That's his youngest sibling, and also a member of the black Bulls alongside Asta. Her name is Noelle Silva," Bethany explained, "she's a water Magic user".
"We have to protect the Clover Kingdom from this threat without abandoning any of our own. "I'll go an assist everyone in the lower rooms. You'd better come with me Vermillion" the silver-haired man ordered. Mimosa nodded, "yes sir" she replied. Nozelle then turned to the Asta, Yuno and Patry, "you three seem to understand the enemy and what's going on above more than I do. If you can find a way to use Asta's anti-magic, Yuno Spirit magic and the Elf's Light magic in tandem with one another, you should make it to the main chamber. Get moving" the man ordered. "Right!" Asta replied, determined.
Black Clover
Meanwhile, the statue of the First Wizard King was still glowing.
Everyone was on the edge of there seats, wanting to know what this whole thing was all about.
"Now that your seal has finally been broken, I'm assuming my own seal will be released as well" Nero said, becoming engulfed in light. Finral turned to look at her in confusion, "huh? Nero?" he asked. "What a pathetic state you're in. if only my spell had worked more completely" the bird said regretfully. "No, without your help I couldn't return at all" the former stature said, as Nero began to change shape.
"No way" Raya said, eyes wide as he turned to the human Prince, who was staring at the screen with wide eyes.
"Huh?" Finral asked in confusion again, turning bac to the 'statue' again. 'Nero' finally finished transforming, "It's good to see you again, my Prince" she said.
"Wait, that voice! Secre!" Lemiel exclaimed in shock.
When the light cleared, Lemiel was shown the be standing there, smiling. However, parts of his body still seemed to be made of stone, and his eyes, while blue, were clearly the Magic Stones. "At long last" the young man said. Finral stepped back in shock, "you're the first Wizard King." He breathed. "that statue- it was you the whole time?" he asked, "and how did Nero-" he began before yelping. The being standing there, definitely wasn't a bird. Nero had been replaced by a young girl with shoulder-length black hair and red eyes. She wore a black dress, the bottom of which looked like feathers and she had two black horn on her head.
"It is Secre! But why does she have horns on her head?" the Human Prince asked. "You'll have to watch to find out" Bethany replied. The group of humans and Elves sighed, "is that going to be your response to everything?" Vetto asked. "No, only the things which will be shown, and the things which will be shown soon. For other things, I'm happy to explain, as I have done already" Bethany replied. 'It's true, she has given us a lot of necessary exposition over the course of the Viewings. I suppose we can stand to wait a little longer for answers' Licht thought.
"Hello! If I had known you were secretly a gorgeous young lady, I would have asked you on a date forever ago! But hey, there's no time like the present right!?" Finral asked, before deflating as the young woman just stared at him, "yup. Cool. Got it" he replied with a sweat-drop. "I sense an otherworldly Magic, emanating from the Shadow Palace. I see. He must have obtained a new body then" Lemiel thought out-loud as they looked out over the horizon. "Back to you guys. How'd you get here?" Finral asked, confused. The Prince turned to look at the young man behind him, "long agon she used her Sealing Magic to confine me within the statue when I was close to death, so I've been sleeping" Lemiel explained. The Magic Stone in his right eye glowed, and his Grimiore opened and began flipping through pages, before reaching one with a huge light arrow depicted in the picture.
"Oh! That's my Light Arrow of Swift Motion. It allows me to move quickly from one place to another" the current Lemiel explained.
The Arrow appeared in the sky above them, huge and bright, "then tonight, with a help of the Magic Stones, I was able to return, at least partially". 'His Mana's so calm, yet so powerful. It's even stronger than Elf Magic!' Finral thought with his mouth hanging open in shock. "As for her-" the former Prince explained as Secre took his hand, "the truth is, I spent five Centuries living as a bird." She replied. Finral blushed slightly and smiled, "uh, why are you holding my ha-" was all he got to say before all three shot off towards the Shadow Palace. As they flew, Finral could be heard shrieking the whole way. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-hhhhhhhh!"
Patry couldn't help it and had to stifle a laugh, but he couldn't manage to smother his smile. Lemiel also smiled slightly, "I don't blame him, when I first tried that spell, not only was I screaming the whole time, I couldn't control the direction, the distance or even stop in time. I ended up smashing through a lot of things in our Kingdom as well as a bunch of trees when I tried to practice in the forest and blew a 20-meter furrow into the ground when I tried to slow myself down" he explained. Everyone laughed at the imagery. "Oh my god, remember that time when you were too close to the lake?" Tettia asked, still laughing. "I ended up slamming into the lake, zooming through it, then ploughing through the dirt and grass on the other side. The mud and grass stains were so caked on by the time I managed to stop myself that my shirt had to be thrown away!" Everyone laughed more, "well, *chuckle* at least you weren't hurt" Licht replied, also chuckling despite himself. "No, I just had to have 20 baths to get all the mud off" the young man replied with a shudder, wrapping his arms around his midsection.
As they approached the Shadow Palace Secre held out her hand, "Sealing Magic: Inverse Release!" she called as the gate to the structure opened. As she and Lemiel sped through, she let go of the Roulcase' hand. "Huh?" Finral asked. "Now then, wait for your friends! And thank you for setting me free!" Lemiel called, as the young man began falling to the ruins of the building below.
"Brother! What is wrong with you! Why did you drop him from that height? Don't you know that could have killed him!?" Tettia demanded angrily. The blond young man held up his hands in surrender, "hey, it's not like I've actually done that yet, and besides, the Devil is trying to destroy the world! I think I'm entitled to be a little scatterbrained after having just woken up from 500 years of suspended animation and then having to immediately deal with the Devil Tettia" he replied, hoping his sister would accept the explanation. She narrowed her eyes at her twin, before sighing, "fine I forgive you- this time. But if this does end up happening again, I expect you to at least put him down in a way that's safer, alright?" she asked. Lemiel placed one hand on his heart and held the other up in the air, "I swear on my honour as Prince, that I will be sure to be more careful next time if this happens" he promised. Tettia sighed again, "let's just get on with this" she replied, turning back to the viewing. Lemiel sighed in relief. But then he caught Licht staring at him 'you dodged a hit there. Make sure you are more careful in the future, even in our new timeline. I'd rather prefer to have a living brother than have my wife murder you' is what his gaze seemed to say.
Lemiel and Secre then entered the Shadow Palace. "You've been waiting for 500 years, I'm so sorry" the Light Mage apologised.
"Yeah, there is no way that she did not go insane after being trapped as a bird who couldn't speak to anyone for five hundred freaking years!" Raya said, "I know I would" he replied. "I'd probably be okay, what-with all the other animals around, but yes, not being able to speak to another Elf or human for that long would probably make me go mad after a while" Vetto added. "Loneliness and isolation can be as much a form of torture as stabbing someone with Iron Lances. Just ask my daughter here" Bethany agreed wisely as a Tsukuyomi Card floated into the air, which she tapped with her staff. A glowing golden girl, about 12 years old in appearance appeared before them. She had long golden hair, wings sticking up out if the top of her head and a crescent moon in the middle of her forehead. She held a red winged-heart in her arms. The girl bowed, "it's a pleasure to meet you all. I am The HOPE Card. Before I became one of Bethany's children, I was very different, in both appearance and temperament." HOPE explained.
"What do you mean? Different in what way?" Patry asked. The HOPE closed her eyes in regret. "When I was first created by Clow Reed, he made me a negative force, created to counteract the positive energy of my friends and siblings. But because my Magic was so wild and uncontrollable, not to mention dangerous, my Master was forced to seal me away. When he died and his house was torn down, my seal was released and I was able to manifest myself again. But the years and years of isolation and lonliness had torn me apart inside. I went on a rampage, trying to get my siblings and friends back.
I didn't care what I destroyed, or who I hurt or killed. I just didn't want to be alone again. When Bethany eventually confronted me, she told me that I didn't have to be alone. That she and my siblings were already a family. And she wanted me to be a part of that family. Because she loved all of us and the fact that I had been left to suffer for so long broke her heart. In the end, Mother found a way to save me, and keep from losing her love for her fiancé." HOPE explained.
"Wow, I can't believe you went through all of that" Raya asked in shock. "Well I couldn't just leave her to suffer alone for eternity because of the way she was created! EMPTINESS never asked to be created the way she was. All she wanted was to be with her friends again. So she lashed out through her despair at being kept from them. Sound familiar?" Bethany asked, turning to Patry. "That's just how the future version of me acted." He realised. The young woman smiled, "besides, destroying everything or not, she was, is still my daughter. It's my job to keep her from doing the wrong thing and to correct her when she's wrong" she replied. "So yes, I'm very surprised that after 500 years of being alone, not even able to talk to others, that Secre didn't go crazy from the intense loneliness and isolation she would have felt" Lemiel frowned deeply, "I see, I never even thought about that. I'm a terrible Master and friend" the blond sulked. "Don't worry, she won't have to go through any of that this time, right?" Tettia asked with a smile. Her brother perked up a bit, "yeah" he replied.
"No." Secre replied, tightening her grip on her Princes hand. 'The most important thing, is that we make sure history doesn't repeat itself' she thought as a flashback began.
(500 years ago) Clover castle was shown with a younger Secre walking down the halls. A voice over from her was then heard: "As a noble, I should have been born a powerful mage, but my magic was only good for opening and closing things, so other s looked on it with contempt. And I was assigned to serve an eccentric Prince, whose magic was amazing, even for royalty." 'He's probably a snob' she thought in annoyance. But when she reached the room where the Prince was supposedly working: "why hello there. You must be Secre, right? I'm sorry. I would have come to you, but I've been so buried in my research lately" he said apologetically. "Tell me, what's your magic like?" Lemiel asked curiously. "But he wasn't what I imagined at all." "Sealing Magic? I've never heard of that before! It must be rare. You're so lucky!" the young man exclaimed cheerfully.
"And there you go again, what did Bethany call it? 'geeking-out?' over magic" Tettia said, making Most of the other Elves laugh. Even Licht had to smile. When the human Prince saw this he glared half-heartedly at him. "Heh, no offense Lemiel, but you do tend to do that a lot" the Elf Leader replied with a smile. Eventually Lemiel just pouted, glaring at the screen, as it mocked him with his own grinning face.
"How can we put it to use? Thinking about it is so exciting!" the Prince exclaimed as Secre just stared at him in slight shock at his excitement over this. "All it does is open and close locks. It's shameful" she replied. "Hey, don't say that! You're sealing yourself off from the possibilities!" Lemiel replied.
"Oh god, I can hear the 'b-dum tsh' of a drum-set right now" Bethany groaned. "Oh come on, you too? it was funny!" Lemiel replied, crossing his arms. Tettia smiled awkwardly, patting his back, "there, there" she said soothingly.
"I hope you don't think you just said something clever" Secre deadpanned. "Aw" the Prince replied, deflating. "also, you're clothes are strange" she added. "What? but I made them myself!" Lemiel replied, shocked, but not sounding offended, "you don't like them?" he asked. "More importantly…" the young woman said, "don't change the subject!" Lemiel replied, just slightly forcefully, but barely sounding different from his usual tone. "what is it you need? I'm supposed to be your servant after all" Secre asked. The young man then stood up, seeming to drop the subject of his clothes immediately, "good question. Right now, I'm trying to make some magical tools" Lemiel said, turning to look down at them. "Magical tools?" Secre asked in confusion. "That's right. With these, even someone born with any magic can use all kinds of spells" he explained.
"Oh! I understand. So if we can change the future and those tools get mass produced-" Fana began with wide eyes. "Asta may not even need Licht's former Grimoire and Anti-Magic" Vetto finished. Bethany nodded, "that's right. However, sometimes time has a way of correcting itself. I took a big risk in doing all of this in the hope that you could all make a better future. Of course, all of this will still happen, only now it'll be in an alternate timeline. But your specific future can be changed, it'll just be difficult. And the alternate Asta may indeed be able to use Prince Lemiel's tools in the future. But first we must make sure that future can happen" she explained. Everyone agreed, "right, let's get back to watching" Patry said.
"I think it'll be a good way to make our society more equal in the future" he finished. "Equal? You're dreaming" Secre replied in disbelief. "It can be done, with the help of my "Magic items". I'm sure your ability will be a huge help in making them!" he said, before a thought occurred to him and the young man turned to look over at the girl, "I know. Can you seal magic into objects?" the Prince asked. "U-um, y-es" Secre replied unsurely. "Wow, really? That's perfect!" he exclaimed in excitement. "And so, I helped the Prince with his magical inventions." The screen showed various scenes of the two working together.
Everyone laughed of the scene of Lemiel stuck under huge boxes and glass objects. "How did you even manage that?" Vetto asked through his laughter. The blond young man rubbed the back of his head, "um, I was trying out an item I'd made that could pull things towards it's wielder. It, kind of worked a little too well" he replied with a blush. "Do you always test these things on yourself?" Licht asked. Tettia shook her head, "oh, don't get me started. One time, he tried to create a magical tool that would suck up dirt and mess from the floor. It sucked up the mess alright, but it also sucked up the rug and the blankets and the chairs and the table! We had to replace everything ourselves, Father was furious" she replied with a slight glare. "I said I was sorry! I only wanted to make cleaning easier, that's all" her brother replied, looking down guiltily.
"I'd never met anyone else like him in my whole life. There were some members of his family who resented him because of the progressive ideas that he championed." Secre explained as the screen showed the Prince talking to some commoners on the street, all of them smiling, while nobles, obviously Lemiel's family watched with distaste. The screen changed to show both Lemiel and Secre in the young Princes study, her watching him while he designed a new invention. "But he didn't let that bother him. He remained strong and honest, never compromising his beliefs."
Black Clover
One day, the young woman was walking through the castle, before she noticed both Lemiel and Tettia flying away from it, using the latter's Wind Magic to move silently.
Black Clover
"I've noticed that he and his sister, Lady Tettia, have been sneaking out of the castle quite a lot recently"
"Oooh, busted!" Raya teased, while the two Royals blushed, "how did we not notice her following us?" Tettia muttered. "I'll have a talk with Secre when this is all over. I don't mind he following us to serve me, since that is her job, but just randomly following us around is a little creepy" Lemiel said.
The Sealing Mage peeked out from behind a tree, 'what could they be doing here?' she thought in confusion. She watched as the two walked up to Licht, Raya, Vetto, Fana and Patry. Secre gasped, 'they're meeting with a group of Elves?' she thought in shock. "Phenomenal Magic talent, similar ideals, the same Four-Leaf Grimiores. For the first time, the Prince had found a peer, in Licht, the Leader of the Elves." The screen showed both young men smiling as they talked, laughing together. Once again, the scene of the young human man talking to the Elves was shown. "Let's foster understanding. Your Elvish Mana really is a remarkable thing! If we combine that with our own Magic item technology, this land will be safer and more prosperous! Let's all work together, hand-in-hand!" he said happily, as Licht and Tettia smiled at each other while holding hands.
Black Clover
"His items stored and distributed magic," Secre explained while the item in question was shown, along with the Magic Stones. "And their Magic Stones amplified spells by linking to another world. By combining his work with the Elves resources, the Prince developed Magic Item technology ever further, and world he'd dreamed of, where both races could live I harmony was becoming a reality" she said as the Elves, Lemiel and Tettia were shown all taking together happily. "He and Licht were best friends. And soon, they would become family as well" the screen then faded to black.
"This time, we will all be a family, I won't let some bastard Devil get in our way!" Lemiel growled, becoming furious just thinking about that evil, twisted bastard. "Easy now Brother, it's okay. We'll all work together to find a way to stop him" Tettia replied, trying to calm her twin down before he blew up the room accidentally.
"I'm sorry Tettia, but it looks I might have to arrive late to your wedding. Father has summoned me to the palace that day and I can't refuse" Lemiel explained. The two were shown to be talking in an isolated wing of their castle, "I know you're disappointed that he and the others don't approve of this, but please, don't worry. I'm sure they'll come to understand someday" the young man assured. "Yes, and it's alright, even if you're late to the ceremony, Licht and his family will be so pleased to see you there" Tettia replied. "But, it's likely that even then, his plot was already in motion" Secre said ominously. The screen faded to black.
When it came back, Lemiel was shown to be walking through the throne room, 'why did Father call me here? We didn't mention the wedding to anyone, so it must be coincidence. I should hurry, or I'll miss it.' He thought. The young Prince looked around in confusion, 'where is he?' "I'm here Father, you wanted to speak with me?!" he called. "Now, Bind!" a familiar voice called.
"What!? he was there?!" Raya exclaimed as everyone gasped, and Tettia gripped her brother's arm in worry. Despite remembering what had happened to her and Licht and all the others that day, she couldn't help worrying about her brother as well. Everyone sat tense and focused on the screen.
Lemiel gasped a split second before he found himself floating in the air and tied in the Devils binding spell. "What's this? I'm trapped!" the young man exclaimed in shock, as he tried to break the bindings with his physical strength to no avail. The Word Soul Devil, possessing the body of a human man cackled as he walked out of the shadows, "good day my Prince" he said mockingly. "Minister?" Lemiel asked in confusion, 'no, that villainous mana doesn't belong to him' he thought. "Who are you?" he asked. The Devil laughed again and the bodiless Devil appeared from the shadows, "who, me? Despair, hatred, disloyalty, death- any number of awful things really. Use whatever name you prefer" he replied. The Prince gasped in horror, 'I've read about this being. A soul from the other world with evil Mana. A Devil!' he thought. "Where's my family?' Lemiel demanded. "Who knows? Perhaps they've gone to confront that other race that's plotting to use your unwitting Princess to topple this entire kingdom, but that's only a guess." The Devil replied.
The current Lemiel clenched his fists around his chairs arms. "So that's what he told them to get them to attack you" he growled. The Elves were frozen to their seats, now they had complete, undeniable proof that the Human Prince hadn't been responsible for their death and hadn't betrayed them at all. Every one of them felt awful, the guilt now crashing into them. Licht meanwhile placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. When the young man looked up at him, he saw the Elf's radiant smile, "I knew you weren't responsible for it. You were never that kind of person, always so kind and honest and caring. Even when it looked like you had betrayed us, I never lost faith in you Lemiel, my friend, my brother" Licht said. The young man had tears in his eyes, desperately trying to keep them from falling, "Licht" he whimpered, deeply touched by his best friend's belief in him.
"Imagine how surprised the Elves will be, when a monstrous act of human violence befalls that little wedding ceremony that only you were supposed to know was happening" the Devil continued. Lemiel glared in horrified fury, thinking of Licht, his sister, unborn nephew and all the other friends he'd made among the Elves. "No, let go! Now!" he demanded, Light magic crackling around him as he struggled harder than ever to free himself. The Devil cackled as his human host toppled to the floor, dead, "what an impressive spell! That's why they call you the best!" he said, as he floated through the air. "Unfortunately, I was prepared for that, so even you won't escape from those bonds so easily. As soon as I obtain my body and Grimoire, I promise I'll come back to play with you again" he said as he floated out through the window. "Wait!" Lemiel called in anger. Gritting his teeth, the young man realised that there were only two things that he could do right now. 1. Call for help, and 2. Pray that someone was still here, could hear him and could release him.
"Help me! Isn't anyone here? Please!" he begged desperately. "Prince!" Secre replied as she came running in when she heard his voice. "Thank goodness" Lemiel replied, sighing in relief. "oh no! what's that?" she asked in confusion. "I've been trapped by a Devil!" the young Prince replied. "I knew you would never do such a thing. I'm not sure why, but the magic item we created was stolen!" Secre explained. Lemiel grit his teeth in anger, "quick! Use your sealing magic! Get me out of these restraints!" he ordered. "Of course! Sealing Magic: Inverse Release!" Secre called, the spell causing the bonds holding Lemiel to fade and vanish. The next thing that could be seen was a beam of light shooting out of the palace.
"Oh God, I'm not gonna make it in time! I'm so sorry!" the human Prince sobbed, burying his face in his hands so he wouldn't have to see it. Both Tettia and Licht wrapped their arms around their Brother, "It's okay, you tried your best in this future, and in the one we'll create, we will all destroy that Devil. Our world will become what you and Licht dreamed of. So please, don't blame yourself, okay?" Tettia asked. "Listen to her, we have the chance to stop all of this, but if we fall into despair, we'll never have the strength to change it!" Surprisingly, it was Patry who spoke up. The young man turned to the teenage Elf, to see him holding his hand out, "we have to be strong now, we can't break here" he said in determination. Lemiel wiped his eyes and took the young Elf's hand, "yes, you're right of course. Thank you, everyone" he replied. Everyone grinned, before turning back to the Veiwing.
'Come on! Fly faster!' he thought, 'Tettia, Licht, hold on!' he begged. Both he and Secre gasped in horror when they saw the scene ahead of them. There was their item, floating just a little-ways away from the Wedding Venue. And the Wedding itself was nothing but flaming wreckage. "There's the device we made!" the Prince called. Lemiel's eyes widened in horror when they'd reached the Wedding. Or what should have been the Wedding. Flames consumed everything around it, while almost every Elf lay dead. And in front of it all- kneeled Licht, his dead wife and unborn child held in his arms. The two humans could only stare in absolute horror, "no" Lemiel rasped, utterly horrified and heart-broken. The Elf Leader gasped suddenly, as though woken from a dream- or a nightmare. That's when Secre gasped, noticing something. Licht's Grimoire was shown then, the Four-Leaf Clover on it's front had turned black and gained a fifth leaf.
'That's, a Five-Leaf Grimoire' she thought in horror. Lemiel stared at the scene brokenly, before his friends voice brought his out of it, "I knew it" Licht said. "Knew what?" the blond young man asked. The Elf looked up, his left eye tinted red and it's veins more pronounced, "deep inside. I knew you weren't responsible." He replied, as his eye returned to normal.
The current Lemiel let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. Licht offered his had to his friend as well, who took it gratefully.
'Has he regained control of his heart?' the Devil's Spirit thought in astonishment. "Please forgive me. I should never have harboured any suspicion of you, not for a second" Licht said. "Don't bother resisting! It's too late now, relinquish your body to me!" the Devil said, attempting to possess the Elf, but a bright light pushed him out. "You are the future we all believed in." Licht began as tears ran down his face. "You represent hope" he added, as the 11 Magic Stones he'd donned as part of his ceremonial robes for his Wedding were shown to be glowing.
All the Elves froze in absolute horror. "Licht, what the hell do you think you're doing!?" Raya screamed at his friend. Tettia was shocked. Aside from when the Devil first appeared, she hadn't heard the lazy Elf shout once. "I'm doing the only thing I can to stop that Devil from using my body to hurt and kill more innocent people Raya. Tell me, what would you do in my place?" Licht asked, stern and fierce for once. This shocked his friend so much that he froze in place, "I have a feeling that I know what I'm doing in this Veiwing. And I don't want to do it, then or now, but the alternative is so much worse-" tears formed in Licht's eyes, "I can't- I don't want to- but I have to, for the sake of everyone I've ever loved, I owe it to everyone who was killed by that monster to do everything I can to stop him" he replied, as he choked on a sob. Tettia immediately went into caring wife mode, despite the fact that they weren't even engaged yet and wrapped her arms around her future husband, trying to sooth him.
Raya closed his eyes in agony, unable to look at the screen anymore.
"What are you-?" Lemiel breathed, still horror-struck by the death and devastation around them. "Right now, my body is filled with an overwhelming amount of negative mana. I can't control myself, but we mustn't let that Devil succeed." Licht explained. "No, Licht" his friend begged desperately. The Magic Stones glowed under the Elves robes, "in order to keep my body and power from falling under the influence of evil, I've absorbed even more negative magic" he said.
At this point, everyone had tears streaming from their eyes. And yet, no one could bring themselves to speak out and stop the Veiwing.
"The Stones! He used the highest form of Forbidden Magic on his own body?" the Devil asked, shocked. "Stop it! You can't do this!" Lemiel demanded. "I'm sorry, but I have one last selfish request," Licht said, as he gently placed his dead Wife and unborn child on the ground, "and only you can grant it. I beg of you" the broken Elf rasped, tears still streaming down his face uncontrollably as his heart broke inside his chest at all of the pain that he was not only feeling, but had caused to such kind, selfless people. Suddenly two triangular red lines spread down his cheeks and light erupted from his form. "This isn't the answer!" Lemiel cried, desperate to save at least one person that he loved, but alas- The same three red rings that Patry had seen just before he died appeared in the sky as huge explosions wracked the area.
Everyone could only watch the scene in horror, Patry was practically bitting his hand to keep his cries silent.
From out of the smoke appeared Licht, now a huge four-armed, winged Demon. "Lemiel. I need you, to kill me!" he begged, as the Clover Kingdom was shown in the distance. The screen turned black.
No one spoke, or moved. Hell, everyone felt like they could hardly breathe. Bethany took out The Thunder Card again and used her Son to get their attention. When everyone had turned to her, she grimaced, "so, we have two options here. Option one: I let you all calm down and get everything off your chests in my Raging rooms, or two, we continue on to the next one, and then I let you all unwind. It's your choice, especially since every time I've tried to let you all relax after a big Veiwing previously, you've all bitten my head off, demanding that I play the next one immediately. So-" Bethany offered, but mentally she was counting down, 'five, four, three,' she placed her hands over her ears, 'two one-' "PLAY IT!" everyone demanded at once.
The young woman held up her hands in surrender, "okay, oaky" she replied, pressing play on the next episode.
To Be Continued