A/N: I found that every time I tried to type 'Index' I put down Last Order instead...
"Index Librorum Prohibitorum," Aleister Crowley said.
"Wha—Who are you?" Index asked, heart pounding in her chest, the child terrified at the strange man who had entered Touma's apartment without her noticing.
"I require your cooperation," Aleister said, ignoring her question.
"No."
"Allow me to correct myself. That was not a request, but an order. And I do not need you, but rather the books within you," Aleister said, hand reaching out for the girl.
She squirmed back, gripping the sheets with her tiny fists. Where was Touma when she needed him? Index looked around desperately for a weapon. Magicians were bad people. Magicians who wanted the grimoires within her were pure evil.
"Sleep," Aleister lay a hand on her head, setting the compulsion on her the moment his hand came into contact with skin.
Index slumped, eyes fluttering shut despite her best attempts to keep them open. Aleister glanced at the girl for a moment, still trying to remember which grimoire contained information for sealing Lucifer. It was quite troublesome that the Red Dragon contained the spells required to summon and control the fallen angel, even to dismiss it. But the author or authors neglected to include the method of sealing it.
He supposed he should think of it as he returned to the Windowless Building with Index in tow. Aleister glanced at the growing black spot in the sky. It didn't look like he had much time to work anyways.
Hmmm… Was it The Book of the Secrets of Enoch? The True Form of Angels in Different Shapes?
No, he was quite sure it was one of Solomon's books. But which one?
Aleister was still thinking when he arrived, barely registering Accelerator's futile attacks on Celeste's body.
"You might want to try mixing two spells," a new voice commented.
"I suppose. The Lesser Key of Solomon and the Testament of Solomon, I suppose," Aleister replied, not even fazed at Aiwass' sudden appearance.
"When I said I would appear again when something interesting happens, I didn't expect it to be this soon," Aiwass said, staring up at the black hole.
"Life is always interesting in Academy City," Aleister told him, indirectly quoting the saying that the citizens of the scientific city always used when something strange occurred.
The two watched the fight—if it could even be called one, considering how one sided it was—for a long moment, in a somewhat philosophical mood. They already knew it was impossible to simply use the spell on the girl, even without the complications of creating a new spell out of two old ones. Lucifer had to be bound and the barrier around it broken through before Aleister performed the spell, in order for it to affect the fallen angel.
Aleister sighed. "If only Accelerator would use his angel form…"
"He will not hurt the girl. He is not like you," Aiwass countered, voice mild.
"Accelerator, please use your angel form," Aleister called out as Accelerator once again slid back, his attack bouncing harmlessly off the fallen angel's barrier.
"Hah?! Hell no!"
"Just get past the barrier and restrain her. I am not asking you to harm her," Aleister said patiently.
Accelerator visibly hesitated. He glanced at Tsuchimikado, as if asking the more trustworthy magician if he could listen to a complete asshole like Aleister. The blonde smiled helplessly and shrugged, before nodding. Not completely satisfied, Accelerator raised an eyebrow at Aiwass—when had it appeared anyways?—and Aiwass nodded in agreement.
Accelerator sighed, aggravated. It wasn't like he could activate and deactivate those wings at will. But apparently Aiwass realized that, because an icy hand fell onto Accelerator's back as the boy turned around, the light touch almost painful even through the shirt. Accelerator stiffened, and suddenly liquid fire ran through his veins. His mouth opened in a silent gasp, his eyes wide from the strange sensation. It was painful, yet it wasn't pain.
Out of the back of his mind, he realized this was what it must feel like to have the wings forced out rather than him using them naturally. When the burning finally died down, he glanced back to see the angel wings that were becoming so familiar, pure white just like the last time he used them. He shifted them experimentally, and smirked.
And once again, he moved. This time he clashed with the protective barrier wings first. He was rewarded with a shocked look, purple eyes wide as they turned to face him. Then her eyes narrowed. Senseless words—to him, at least—spewed out of her mouth faster and faster. He didn't have to look up to know the spell was progressing at a much quicker rate than before.
Accelerator bit down on his lip, scowling furiously as he gave one last spurt. Something seemed to shatter, and he was through. He reached out, grabbing the girl's arms to keep her from moving and repelling him with a new barrier.
"Good. Get out of my way and keep her still," Aleister's voice said.
Accelerator shifted, turning her so her back once again faced Aleister. He hoped the magic would work even through the black wings on her back, but it seemed like Aleister didn't think there would be a problem, because the irritating half smirk formed on his lips.
The man dropped Index onto her feet and placed a hand over her closed eyes, his other arm around her waist to keep her standing.
"Grimoires awaken," Aleister commanded. "The seal of Lucifer."
Index began to speak, her monotonous voice resembling that of a mechanical doll. Aleister cocked his head, eyes closed, listening for a long moment. And when his eyes snapped open, his voice droned in, and the masculine and feminine voices wove the spell.
Accelerator couldn't help but shudder when a magic circle formed under his feet, placing the two pairs of male and female within the area. Celeste screamed and began to struggle, and Accelerator gritted his teeth, tightening his grip until he knew her pale skin would bruise. He had to remind himself that it wasn't Celeste, it was Lucifer.
Tsuchimikado watched from outside the circle, feeling a little pity for Accelerator in the situation. If it had been his precious little sister screaming like that, he would have let go for sure. He found a new admiration and respect growing for the white haired boy. A few seconds into the spell, Tsuchimikado glanced up, and felt his body sag with relief to see the magic circle fading, the sky returning to a normal color.
The lights in front of him slowly faded as Aleister and Index completed the spell—Tsuchimikado wondered if Touma would hit him if he found out he had let someone use Index and the grimoires inside her—and the magic circle under their feet shone powerfully one last time before completely dying out. The remnants still remained on the sand though, as if scorched in, and Tsuchimikado found himself thinking they were lucky that it was sand and easily scattered instead of cement or tar.
He glanced to the side, to see that Aiwass had vanished now that everything interesting had stopped. His lips quirked.
"After this, I will not be capable of leaving the Building for a long time," Aleister said. "But I should not need to. The spell is done. Lucifer is sealed inside her. It is still there, but will not come out on its own again. Now it is up to her whether she awakens or not."
Accelerator nodded absently, only a quarter of his mind paying attention to the magician. His eyes were trained on the girl slumped in his arms, once again unconscious.
She would wake up. Celeste Crowley was strong. She had to wake up.