The Children of the Pactio
Chapter One
The aroma of breakfast was in the air and reached Negi's nose. He inhaled the delicious scent of eggs and sausages, "Mmm...It smells great." Negi came down from his loft to eat breakfast.
"Good morning Negi-kun." Konoka greeted him as she prepared Negi a dish, "Good morning Konoka, I take it that Asuna has already left to deliver the paper."
"Yeah, eight minutes before you woke up." Negi sits down and starts on his breakfast.
"As usual Konoka, breakfast was delicious." Negi says with a smile.
"Why thank you Negi-kun." Konoka responded with a blush as she takes her and Negi's dish to the sink.
"Well, with breakfast over, I'm going to go and take a bath before class starts." Konoka says with her towel in one hand and a bucket filled with soaps and shampoo in the other, "How about you Negi-kun?"
"Umm...I think I will take a shower in the bathroom here."
Negi prefers showers over baths. For one, he scrubs his own hair at a soft and gentle pace, rather than hard and rough like Asuna's. Second, he doesn't have to worry about any of his students coming in 'by accident'.
As he dresses in the bathroom, he hears two muffled voices coming from the bedroom, "I guess Asuna's back from her newspaper route."
After Negi puts on his pants and shirt, he comes out of the bathroom and sees Asuna talking to Konoka, who had a shocked look on her face. "Hello Asuna...is something wrong?"
"Hey Negi, I was just telling Konoka what I saw on my route today." Konoka, who was wearing a towel, pats on the couch, indicating Negi to take a seat next to her, "Come here Negi-kun, you have to listen to what Asuna saw."
Negi, always the gentleman, didn't refuse Konoka's offer, of course he was very nervous to sit next to a girl wearing only a towel, "So...uhh...w-what happened As-asuna?" Asuna decided to start from the beginning for Negi, "Well, like I was telling Konoka, what happened was this..."
One hour ago
The paper route is nothing new, just the same, old, plain route. 'Professor Takahata wasn't even outside his house to receive his paper.' Asuna quietly thinks to herself. Asuna had a gloom look on her face as she puts another newspaper in a mailbox.
From a distance, she can hear police sirens.
Couple of more papers delivered the sound gets louder. As Asuna turns the corner, she sees police cars, fire trucks and small group of people gathered.
Always one to butt-in into other people's business, Asuna goes to see what happened.
As Asuna approaches, she can smell burnt rubber. She reaches the group and tries to find out what happened, but all she can hear is people asking, "How did it happen?" and "Did anybody get hurt?"
Asuna decides to ask one of the officers at the scene to find out what really happened, "Well, we're not sure," the officer answered her "it looks like some sort of an explosion, excuse me." The officer went over to keep people from crossing the crime scene tape. Asuna moves away from the crowd to get a better view.
As she gets a good view of the accident, she becomes shocked at what she sees. Not one or two but seven craters all the same size and perfect circular shape. She takes out her camera phone and takes pictures of the craters, "There's no way the others would believe me."
As she is taking pictures, from the corner of her eye, Asuna spots an odd figure. Standing a few feet away from her, a hooded figure viewing the craters wearing all black.
Black hooded sweater, black jeans and black sneakers. The figure stretches out his arm and places his hand above the one of the craters. Asuna decides to take a picture of the mysterious stranger.
The shutter sound coming from Asuna's phone snaps the hooded man to attention from the crater and looks at her. Asuna gets a shiver down her spine as the man's hooded face just stares at her.
The man withdraws his hand and tucks both of his arms in his sweater pockets. He turns his back to Asuna and starts to walk away from the scene.
Asuna decide to follow him. She knew he wasn't there just to see. She followed him staying a few feet away, not wanting to let the guy know she was stalking him.
The mysterious man kept walking and was now five blocks away from the accident scene. As he was walking he turned his head to the left and saw Asuna following him and he stopped walking.
Fearing that the man has spotted her, she hides behind a trash can. She peeks out from behind the trash can and sees the mystery man just standing there.
The man takes one more glance behind him and begins to run. Knowing that he had indeed seen her, Asuna chased after him, 'I think he knows something.' Asuna thought to herself.
She was about four feet away and closing in on him. She kept up with every turn he made. He was so close, just a bit more and she would get him.
The mystery man did something that took Asuna by surprise, he turned his whole body around and faced Asuna.
He was running backwards.
Asuna couldn't believe it, the man she was chasing was now running backwards. He didn't even bother to turn around, he was so confident that he didn't need to see where he was going.
The mystery man raised his hand and waved at Asuna, and then he turns back around and faced forward.
With a swift motion of his arm, he point up and then down, small electrical sparks came from his finger as a ball of wind formed around his feet. Asuna felt a gust of wind hit her in the face as the mysterious man run faster than before.
Asuna couldn't keep up. She stopped running as the mystery man kept on running as he shrank into the distance.
The mysterious man, who was he, what was he doing at the accident site and why did he run away when Asuna followed him? One question was on her mind, 'Was that guy a... wizard?
"WHAT?" Negi and Konoka both yelled out. "Could there be any other explanation?" Asuna asked them.
"Asuna, are you sure you didn't make this up?" Negi asked her.
"Yeah Asuna," Konoka said "your story sounds a little far-fetched."
"What?" Asuna said in an angry tone, "You two don't believe me?"
Negi and Konoka both looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. "Okay fine, don't believe me. I'll just go and take the proof with me." Asuna said while holding her cell phone in her hand.
"Okay Asuna, we believe you. Now let us see the pictures." Konoka pleaded with her.
"Now that's more like it." Asuna said with a smile. She tossed her phone over to Konoka.
Konoka flipped open Asuna's phone and went straight to the photos, "Look Negi-kun, Asuna was telling the truth."
Negi looked at the pictures Konoka was looking at on the phone screen and saw the craters Asuna mention in her story. "See, those are the seven craters I was talking about."
"Well maybe it was a gas explosion that caused those craters." Konoka explain to Asuna. "But, that can't be it. I thought-"
"Asuna's right. It wasn't a gas explosion." Negi said cutting off Asuna. She and Konoka looked at Negi, who was now studying the picture and had a serious look on his face.
"If it wasn't a gas explosion what was it Negi-kun?" Konoka asked him.
Negi took the phone from Konoka, "I don't know, but craters are caused by the ground getting hit by a powerful force from above." Negi looked at both of them. "Gas explosion just make a gaint hole." Negi pressed the next button on Asuna's phone and came upon the picture of the mysterious hooded man, "Asuna, is this the guy you chased?" Negi turns the phone towards Asuna.
"Yeah, that's him. He was super fast." Asuna confirmed Negi. "Let me see, Negi-kun." Negi passed the phone to Konoka. She looked at the picture of the hooded man and at his stance.
"What do you think he was doing?" Konoka asked Asuna. "I don't know, but when I was chasing him and when he turned around and waved at me, even though his hood was up and I couldn't see his face, I had a feeling he was smiling at me." Asuna told Konoka and Negi.
Negi took the phone back from Konoka and looked at the picture, 'What was he doing there? Did he cause this?' Negi thought to himself.
Negi closed the phone and looked at its clock, "AAAHH!" Asuna and Konoka were startled by Negi's scream, "What's wrong Negi?" Negi got up from the couch and went for his clothes, "We got fifteen minutes before class starts!"
They both looked at the clock in the room, "AAH! I didn't even get dressed yet. Asuna your story took too long." Konoka said while looking through her underwear drawer. "I'm sorry you two." Asuna apologized to Negi and Konoka.
A word of advice for those walking by the grounds of Mahora academy around eight a.m., before the train arrives at Mahora station, clear the path unless you don't want to get caught in the stampede of 3,000 girls.
From the alleyway, between two shops, two hooded figures in white cloaks watch the sea of school girls running towards the academy, "Do you see him, Ototo?" asked the first person, he was taller than the other hooded person.
"No I don't Oniisan." The shorter person said to his older brother.
Both of them were combing out the crowd of girls trying to spot somebody. "Maybe we missed him and he is already... No wait, here he comes, hide."
Both of the cloaked figures hid in the darkness of the alley as they saw Negi run with Konoka and Asuna. They saw him running by the alley, "Unbelievable." Oniisan said. "I know I can't believe he was ever that small." said Ototo.
"Hey, who is the girl on the roller-blades?" Oniisan asked his little brother. "Oniisan, you don't know?" Ototo said to his big brother, to which he shook his head, "I have seen the old photos Oniisan, that's Konoe Konoka."
"What?" Oniisan couldn't believe his ears, "She nothing from the Konoka we know."
"Oniisan please remember, right now, she like all the others are inexperienced and they are still kids."
His little brother was right, "Alright Mr. Know-it-all tell me, who is the red-headed?"
"Ugh...that's Kagurazaka Asuna." Ototo said with a little annoyance, "Honestly, what do you do in your spare time other than training with you-know-who."
"When you get older, you'll understand." His older brother said, "Anyway, I think that's the girl that was chasing Aniki, he said she was fast."
They both watched the girls and Negi run towards the school, "Well Ototo, I guess you have the first shift, then me and then Imoto-chan. Aniki is investigating the accident scene today, it could help us find Oublie and end this fast without interfering with the past."
Oniisan started to walk away, "Where are you going Oniisan?"
"I'm going to get some breakfast, you should do the same thing before you start your Shift." Oniisan said to Ototo, "I'm not hungry."
"Ototo, if there's any trouble call us, don't interfere with him or any of the others and don't do anything stupid, got it?" Ototo looked up to his older brother, "I won't, and I'm not you."
Oniisan gave a small chuckle and left by jumping high into the air. Ototo just stood there after watching his older brother's high jump, 'Oniisan, at times you can be such a baka.' Ototo thought to himself.
'I think I can get a better look of the campus if I go to the roof.' With that, he too jumps from the ground for the alley to the roof of the shops and run along them to the school.
Unbeknownst to the both of them, they were not the only ones spying. From high above the clock tower, two other hooded figures we watching all the girls run to the school and saw who they need to see, "There he is, just like the mistress said he would be." One of the figures said in a masculine voice.
Both of the figures were wearing black and gray cloaks with their hoods up.
The first figure was an average height male about six feet tall, while the second figure was nowhere as tall as him, but he was very wide, "So, do we attack now?" asked the second figure, his voice was gruff, low and harsh.
"No, no, not yet. We don't want to hurt those innocent girls." the first man said.
The second man laughed at what his friend said, "Ha-ha-ha-ha, since when do we care about the innocent people?"
"It was the mistress' orders." the first man said.
He placed his hand on his short friend's shoulder, "Eton...you know what you are going to do." His tone had some seriousness to it, "The first chance you get, execute the plan." Eton nodded his head, "No problem."
The first man walks to the edge of the roof of the clock tower, "Eton, if you screw this up, you will have to answer to the mistress." with those final words, he jumps off the roof and disappears.
Eton looks to the school as one name escapes his lips, his voice filled with hatred, "Negi Springfield"
"I can't believe we made it." Negi said out of breath, Asuna and Konoka were right behind him, leaning on the lockers for balance. Konoka agreed with Negi, "If it wasn't for Asuna-" "How many times do I have to apologize?" said Asuna cutting off Konoka.
"Asuna, Konoka, go ahead to class, I will be along shortly."
"Okay Negi-kun." Konoka said as she and Asuna headed off to the classroom.
Negi goes to his locker, when three people approach him, "Good morning Negi-kun."
Negi turns around and sees Saotome Haruna with a smile on her face and Ayase Yue and Miyazaki Nodoka behind her, "Good morning Negi-sensei." "G-good morning N-negi-s-sensei."
Negi smiled back at them, "Oh, good morning girls, I hope you three had a good night's sleep."
"We sure did Negi-kun," Haruna said, turn around and faced Yue and Nodoka, "but I think sleeping with a British teddy bear would have made it a great night's sleep, right girls?" Haruna whispered to Yue and Nodoka, which both had a full face blush.
"Nodoka-san, Yue-san, you're both red, do you have a fever?" Negi asked the both of them.
They both shook their heads, "No, we're fine sensei." they both still had a bit of a blush, Haruna just smiled, 'This is so much fun.'
They followed Negi to the lockers. Still unable to reach his locker, Negi stands on his tip-toes, trying to reach the locker, Nodoka, along with Yue and Haruna watched Negi's struggle.
Deciding to give the poor boy a break, Nodoka offered to help him, "Negi-sensei, let me hel-" but she didn't finish her question, when somebody already grab the locker's door and open it for Negi.
He looks at the person who help him and it is none other than Yukihiro Ayaka, "Why, Good morning Negi-sensei." Ayaka said with a pleasant voice and her face so radiant.
"Good morning Iincho-san, thank you for helping me." Negi politely thanked her. Ayaka smile got brighter, "It was no problem Negi-sensei, and I couldn't just stand by and not help." Ayaka said staring daggers at Nodoka, Yue and Haruna.
'No, I was about to help Negi-sensei.' Nodoka meekly thought to herself.
'I couldn't help Sensei, because I can't even reach up there.' Yue thought to herself. While Haruna thoughts were different than those of her friends, 'Nodoka was so close and you had to steal her chance Ayaka.'
"Well Negi-sensei, please allow me to escort you to our classroom." Ayaka offered after Negi put on his school shoes, "All right Iincho-san."
Nodoka, Yue and Haruna walked behind them and watch Ayaka having a conversation with Negi, "One of you will have to do something." Haruna whispered to Nodoka and Yue, "What do you mean Paru?" asked Yue.
"What do you think I mean? Ayaka is going to steal Negi away."
"That's not true Haruna," Nodoka said,. "It's true that Negi-Sensei cares about Ayaka, but then again he cares about all of us."
"Nodoka is right Haruna," Yue said, "To Negi; Ayaka is nothing more than a student and friend."
Haruna couldn't believe her friends, "I just hope for your sake, you're right." Neither Nodoka nor Yue would admit it, but there was a very small pang of jealousy as they saw Ayaka talking to Negi.
As they entered the classroom, Ayaka, Nodoka, and Haruna took their seats, Negi saw Asuna and Konoka were already in their seats. The whole class rose and bow to Negi, "Good Morning Sensei." His class greeted him, "Good Morning girls."
Before Negi could get the lesson started, he had to take attendance, "Sayo Aisaka", "Here Sensei" the resident ghost-girl call out. "Kazumi Asakura", "Here Negi-kun" Kazumi said giving Negi a wink, which caused him to blush.
This went on until he reached student #10, Karakuri Chachamaru. 'She's not her,' Negi thought to himself 'and if she not her, that means...' Negi looks to the desk Evangeline usually sits, 'yeah, Eva-san is not her either.'
On top of the roof of the Mahora building, was Karakuri Chachamaru being a sentry, watching the field from above, while Evangeline A.K. McDowell was taking a nap in the shade made by the staircase, 'I wonder what the boya is teaching today?' Evangeline thought to herself.
Chachamaru moved from her spot and walked over to Evangeline, "Master, may I ask you a question?" Chachamaru said to her.
"What is it Chachamaru?" Evangeline said to her with her eyes closed, hands behind her head.
"Do you think it was a good idea to cut Negi-sensei's class?"
Evangeline open one of her eyes and looked at Chachamaru, "If you miss him, why don't you go back to class yourself?"
Chachamaru blushed what her master had said about her missing the young professor. She answered Evangeline like she always does, "I always obey master's orders."
Evangeline closed her eye and went back to her nap, "How foolish."
Neither Evangeline nor Chachamaru could sense it, but they could hear the faint sounds of footsteps coming from the other side of the staircase. "Chachamaru?" Evangeline said, "I understand master." Chachamaru said and bowed her head, like she knew Evangeline's unsaid command.
From the other side of the staircase, the small hooded boy was quietly walking up against the wall, not want to let anybody or anything knew he was there. He was unaware of the little vampire on the opposite side.
'There is a tree right outside his classroom,' the small boy thought to himself, 'I can watch him through the windows and the leaves can give me the perfect cover.'
He moves closer to the edge of the wall and sticks his head out to see if anybody is there, 'Okay, across the roof and...' the boy stopped his thoughts when it gets darker.
While his left and right had sunlight, it seemed it was only dark where he was standing. He turned around and lift his head and saw Chachamaru standing right behind him, 'Oh, crap.'
Chachamaru grabbed the boy and wrapped her arm around his neck. The boy tried to break free from Chachamaru's grip, but the robot proved to be stronger than him.
He heard chuckling coming from the other side of the staircase and saw a small blond-headed little girl come into his sight.
Evangeline saw the small intruder in Chachamaru grip, small, the same height as Negi, wearing white robes with the hood up, covering the face. The child's feet dangling a few inches off the ground, "I must say, I'm a little disappointed, for someone to able to enter the magical barrier undetected is a pretty good skill, but I was expecting someone taller. Who are you?" Evangeline asked the small hooded figure, but she got no answer.
Evangeline walked slowly to the child. "I asked you a question, Who are you?" she asked him again, "What are you doing here? How did you avoid being detected? Answer me." The kid wouldn't give her a single word.
She kept watching as the hooded intruder struggled to get free from Chachamaru's hold. Evangeline was now right in front of the little intruder, "If you were trying to spy on me, you failed." Evangeline said giving the figure a wicked smile. "Still non-responsive I see. Well I don't to hear your voice to recognize you."
The small hooded boy saw Evangeline's hand reaching for his hood. If she saw his face then he has jeopardized the mission and his brothers and sister would be real angry at him. He was still in Chachamaru's grip and couldn't break free. He thought up a plan and hoped it would work, "Wait!"
Evangeline pulled back her hands, she got startled when the hooded intruder yelled in a boy's voice, "Well, it's seems that you decided to speak up after all. You don't want me to see underneath the hood, right?"
"Yes." He answered her. Evangeline's grin got wider, "Do you have anything you would like to say?"
She was right in front of him, it was now or never.
Evangeline leaned in to hear what he was going to say, "I am really sorry about this."
Evangeline was confused at what he said, but the feeling of confusion was replaced with the feeling of pain as the hooded boy swung his leg and kicked her across the face and sent her falling back.
"Master." Chachamaru's worry for her master was exactly what the boy had hoped for. Chachamaru's grip around his neck had loosen, which gave him the perfect opportunity.
He grabbed her arm and all of his strength pulls down himself down along with Chachamaru. As his feet touched the ground, he grabbed the collar of Chachamaru's shirt with one hand, her skirt with his other hand and threw her over his head and land right on Evangeline.
Evangeline's left cheek hurt so much, she placed her hand against it was red and a little swollen, 'That bastard, he is going to pay dearly for that.' She turned her head towards to the boy, but only got to see Chachamaru coming right at her and land on her.
Chachamaru quickly got off of her Evangeline and pick her up, "Master, are you alright?"
Evangeline was in daze, but gathered the strength to stand up by herself, "Of course I'm not alright you idiot," Evangeline sound irritated, her hand still on cheek, "I got kicked in the face and you land on me, nearly crushing me."
"Master, I didn't mean to do it on purpose." Chachamaru tried to explain it to her, "That mysterious young boy threw over and made me land on you."
Evangeline wanted to hurt the boy so badly, that he won't forget the pain for any time soon, but when she looked to the spot where he was standing, he was no longer there, "Where the hell did he go?" Evangeline looked everywhere around on the roof to find him. "Chachamaru, scan the area and find him."
"Yes master." Chachamaru obeyed Evangeline's order and her antenna ears open at the top and two small rods started to scan the roof, shinning red light as they turned in a circular motion.
Evangeline walked over to the end of the roof. Her cheek was throbbing with pain; she wiped the blood coming from her nose. She was extremely angry for what he did to her, "When I find him, he is going to learn not to mess with the Dark Evangel."
"Alright, I am going to assign you some homework." the whole class groan in disapproval at what he said, "Come on now, it's simple, just read the next passage in your Neo Horizon text books and do the exercise at the end."
The school bell rang and the girls stood up and bowed to Negi, "Class dismissed."
Negi started to gather his lessons notes into his folder, Ayaka approached his desk, "Negi-sensei, I must say I learned so much today because of your lesson."
Negi smiled and blushed a little, "Well, I'm glad to see the lesson did what it was meant to do." Ayaka was still at Negi's desk, "Was there something else you wanted Iincho-san?"
Ayaka smile got brighter, "Sensei, I was wondering if you can help me. There are some parts that I don't understand from yesterday's lesson and I would really appreciate your help, in fact, why don't you come over to my room." The whole class was now listening to the conversation between the two.
"Chizuru will be at her astronomy club and Natsumi has her theatrical club, so we'll have the room all to ourselves." Negi was at full cheek blush, he didn't know what to say, he didn't want to be rude, but he didn't want to be alone with Ayaka. Before he can give her a proper answer, someone butted in.
"Negi-kun, won't you come to see me practice?" Sasaki Makie said as she run up to Negi's desk.
"He is going with the members of the strolling club, right Negi-sensei?" The Narutaki twins also got into the conversation, as well as the cheerleaders, "Negi-kun, we have this new routine, don't you want to see it?"
Nodoka, Yue and Haruna watched as the girls seemed to be asking out Negi. Haruna turned to see Nodoka and Yue, expecting one of the two to ask Negi to the library or something, but neither of the two moved, 'Oh...I'll do it.' Haruna thought to herself.
"Negi-sensei," Everyone turned their attention to the door and saw Minamoto Shizuna standing at the doorway, "What is it Shizuna-sensei?"
"The Headmaster would like to see you right now," Shizuna sounded worried.
"Right now?" Negi asked, "Yes, and he wants to see Asuna, Konoka and Setsuna as well." Shizuna sounded even more worried.
As soon as Shizuna left, the girls began asking questions like, "What did you do?", "Why does the headmaster want to see the four of you?" and "You're not getting fired are you Negi-sensei?"
"I'm sure it's not too serious." Negi said to them, "We are going to see the dean; girls remember to do the homework I assign you." Negi said as he walked out the classroom with the other girls the headmaster wanted to see. What could it be this time that the headmaster needed to see them all together?
When they entered the headmaster's office, they saw him at his desk, sitting in his chair, his hands folded together and his head down, it looked like he was praying.
Chachamaru was by the couch, which they saw Evangeline laying on it, with tissue up one nostril and was holding an ice pack to her right cheek.
Negi was worried now, "You called for us Headmaster?" Negi timidly spoke out.
Negi's voice broke the Dean's praying-like trance, "Oh, Negi-kun, I didn't hear you come in," the dean then noticed the girls, "and I see that you brought the girls I mentioned." There was no smile on his face, Konoka took noticed of that.
"Grandfather, is everything all right? Something seems to be troubling you." Konoka's voice was full of fear.
The headmaster looked at Konoka's face and saw her worried look. He looked at the rest of the people in his office and knew this was not the time to pretend all was fine, "Something is troubling me; tell me do any of you know about the incident that happen in the Mahora suburbs today?"
Asuna was the first who answered, "YES!" her loud answer break the uncomfortable silence in the room. "I mean... the site of those craters, right?"
The headmaster leaned forward in his chair, "I don't think I mention anything about craters." Asuna felt like she had put her own foot in her mouth, "What do you know about it Asuna-kun?"
Asuna looked down at the floor as she answered the dean, "Well, I don't know much about it, just what I heard on the radio." she finished saying with a nervous laugh.
The headmaster looked from Asuna and then to Konoka. He knew his granddaughter wouldn't lie to him, "Konoka," Konoka looked at her grandfather, knowing he would want to know the truth, "Is Asuna telling me the truth?"
Konoka felt everyone's eyes on her, her knees were trembling, her hands were shaking and she felt like she was about to wet herself, "We...That is, Asuna...today on her...paper route..."
It took on more look from her grandfather for Konoka to break like a dam and the truth run free, "Asunasawthesitetodaywhenshetodeliverthepapertodayandshetookpicturesandtherewasthisman..." She was talking so fast, that the people in the room could only pick up a few words.
Her grandfather calmed her down, "Can please start from the beginning? It's very important that you tell me every little detail."
Asuna knew that the dean really wanted to know what she had seen and decided to the same thing she told to Negi and Konoka in the morning.
After recapping what Asuna saw at the site, the dean had to take in what she said, "Are you sure the man is a wizard?" Evangeline said looking through the photos on Asuna's camera phone. "I don't know, but I think he used the same spell that Negi uses that makes him run fast."
Evangeline passed the phone to the dean and saw the pictures, "What do you make of this Konoe?"
The dean looked at each pictures carefully. After doing so, he put his hand back together and rested his chin on them, "When I heard of the incident today, I sent one of the mage teachers to investigate." Everyone was around his desk as he continued, "He reported back and told me that he sensed magic."
Everyone was shocked at what the dean had just said, but he continued, "The first one he sensed was very faint, but he did pin-pointed it and it was coming from the craters. But the second one came from the direction Asuna's mystery man run to."
"Headmaster, was the teacher able to find him?" Negi asked.
"Unfortunately, the trail seemed to have just stopped in the middle of the streets, so we couldn't find the person." The dean said.
Asuna gave a disappointed groan, hoping that they had found the guy.
"So headmaster, do you think this one person caused the craters?" Setsuna had asked him.
The dean shook his head, "I don't know, but I don't think he came alone."
If it was possible, the look on everyone's face went from surprised to frighten.
Negi was the first to snap back to normal, "Headmaster what do you mean 'He didn't come alone'?"
"Calm down Negi-kun, I just meant to say that Asuna wasn't the only one that had an encounter with a hooded individual today." The dean said looking at Evangeline.
They all looked at Evangeline, who was still nursing an ice pack on her cheek "So, it's my turn to tell a story, eh?" She walked over to the couch and had a seat, "I might as well tell you, before the old man gives me the evil eye as he did Konoka." Everyone took a seat around Evangeline to hear her story, "I was on the roof with Chachamaru..."
After Evangeline had told the events of what happened to her and Chachamaru, it took a minute before Negi asked the question that was on his mind "The roof is where you go when you skip my class?" Everybody just fell to the floor at the stupid question.
Evangeline smack him at the back of his head "THAT ISN'T IMPORTANT!" her yells went throughout the room, "What is important is that the boy entered the barrier without me detecting it and he obviously didn't want me seeing his face."
"So, it was that boy who did that this to you?" Konoka asked Evangeline.
"Yeah, that kid had a kick like a mule." she moved the ice pack from her cheek; the swelling was starting to go down.
"You don't say." Negi said, rubbing the back of his head where Evangeline had hit him. He turned his head from Evangeline and to Chachamaru, "What about you Chachamaru-san? You're not hurt, are you?"
The professor's concern for Chachamaru, had caused her to blush, "I'm quite alright Negi-sensei." she said looking down so he wouldn't see her blushing.
"Of course she's alright, she landed on me and besides it's not like she can feel anything." Evangeline said annoyingly.
"Eva-chan, that's mean." Konoka said.
"Whatever." she replied. No one could see Chachamaru's hurt expression.
The dean cleared his throat to get their attention, "We have a serious problem here, don't you all agree?" They all nodded their heads, "There are two people who can conceal their magic, which is going to make them difficult to find. They have caused some destruction in the town and we don't know how many there could be."
"What do you think they were here for Headmaster?" Negi asked him.
The dean shook his head, "I don't know, but if I had to guess, I'd say it's the Kyoto incident all over again."
"You mean, they could be here for Ojou-Sama?" Setsuna asked alarmingly.
"Maybe," the dean said, "but, I don't want to take the chance and find out. Like I said we don't know how strong they really are and how many there are."
He looked at the students in his office, "Negi-kun, Asuna-kun and Setsuna-kun," They looked at the dean, "I want you to watch after my granddaughter, understood?"
"Yes sir." They said as if addressing a general.
"Do you have any plans this afternoon?" He asked them, to which Negi responded "I have practice with Eva-san."
"Good idea, you will all go to Eva-kun cabin." He told them, "In fact, you may have to stay overnight."
"Now wait a minute," Evangeline said up to the dean's face, "It's bad enough that the boya and his friends come to my place and train, but now you expect me to let them sleep my cabin, eat my food and use my bathroom?"
"Well, yes." The dean told her, "If the person knows where Konoka goes to school, then he might know where Konoka lives."
He got off of his chair and walked around his desk to Evangeline and Chachamaru, "With Chachamaru there to assist Negi-kun, their strength is better."
Evangeline looked away from the others and out the window, "Alright fine, they can stay," everyone had a smile on their face, they were grateful. Evangeline then looked at Negi, "Besides, if I get thirsty in the middle of the night, I can come down and have a little sip." she said licking her lips.
Negi felt uncomfortable at the moment.
They left the school, Evangeline in the front with Chachamaru next to her, Negi next to Konoka and Setsuna and Asuna follow behind them.
"So with these new people, what do you think they'll want Konoka for this time?" Negi asked to no one in particular.
"Who knows?" Asuna answered, "Probably the same thing as last time, make her a mindless slave and use her power to summon a demon."
"I'm not going to let that happen." Setsuna said bravely "Whoever they are, they are not going to get Ojou-sama." They all stopped walking at looked at Setsuna.
Konoka smiled with a blush on her face, "Se-chan, you really care about me, don't you?"
Setsuna was caught off guard at what Konoka had said and had a blush herself, "I...uh, I do...we should continue, right?"
Everybody was holding in their laughs and continued towards Evangeline's cabin.
They saw the cabin as they exited the woods, Evangeline took a little moment before they got any closer to go over the rules, "Now before you came inside, wipe your feet, don't touch any of my potions or dolls and you'll be sleeping in the-" Evangeline stopped going over her list, when she sensed something.
Negi, Setsuna and Chachamaru had sensed it too.
"What is it you guys?" Konoka asked, worried because they'd stopped and they had such a serious look on their faces.
Asuna was worried as Konoka, "Are you four okay?"
Negi turned and faced Asuna and Konoka, "We sense magic and its close." No sooner that said that, everyone started to get ready for whatever was coming.
Negi had his staff in his hands, Asuna with her card in one hand, Setsuna moved closer to Konoka and her hand on her sword's hilt and Chachamaru in her fighting stance.
As the magic was getting closer, they looked all around to see where it was coming from, the forest, near the cabin and by the river, nothing.
They could sense it, but not see where it was coming from or what was giving it away.
"Anybody see anything?" Evangeline asked.
They all shook their heads.
It was getting closer, "This is ridiculous." Setsuna said, staying close to Konoka, "If it's not coming from the woods, the river, or by Eva-chan's cabin, where is it then? Underneath the ground?"
Her little joke gave them an idea, if it wasn't coming from the forest and it was impossible for it to come beneath them, which left one place. They all turned their heads and looked up and they saw a dark object falling from the sky.
It hit the ground with a powerful force. It shook the ground and everyone tried to keep their balance. A dust cloud was formed by the dark object, everyone huddle together and were curious to what had landed.
As the cloud settled, they saw like a huge rock, covered in a black cloth and then it spoke, "It's about time." It said in a low, harsh tone, "Do you know how long I've been waiting?"
Negi was the one who spoke first "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked gripping his staff tightly.
"My name is Eton." He said, "But that doesn't matter, because you won't remember it for long. As for what I want, is to kill."
They all gather together around Konoka, creating a barrier around her "I won't let you lay a finger on Ojou-sama." Setsuna said in a strong voice."
"Ojou-sama?" Eton said, "No, not here for the girl. I'm here to kill you, Negi Springfield." All the girls in the group looked at Negi with a scared look on their face at what Eton said.
Negi was a little shaken at what Eton said, "Me? You're here to kill me? But why?" Negi asked him.
"I have my reasons." Eton said to him.
Asuna, Setsuna and Chachamaru moved in front of Negi to protect him "If you want him, you will have to go through us. Got that Shorty?"
"Shorty?" He started to lift his body. His bones made loud cracking sounds as he straighten himself up. He was getting taller and taller; he passed the girl's height. When he stopped fixing his body, his black cloak fell off him and he showed his true form.
He stood eleven feet tall, had muscular arms, chest and legs that were cover by a pair of jeans that seemed that were about to split in two. Gray skin, no hair, but had what looked like a shark's fin on the top of his head. Razor sharp claws and teeth that was too big for his mouth. His eyes were black as coal, no pupils' just dark eyes. "Who are you calling Shorty, Shorty?" Eton said with an evil grin.
The girls and Negi were taken back at what they see, a giant demon who was here to hurt them and kill Negi. "It's going to take more than muscle and size to stop us, Adeat." Asuna said calling on her weapon.
"Kagurazaka Asuna, you can negate magic spells, so I'll use brute force on you."
Eton shifted his sight from Asuna to Setsuna, "Sakurazaki Setsuna, student of the Shinmei-ryu school and a winged hanyo. After I defeat you, I'll rip off your wings and keep them as a trophy." He said as his grin got bigger.
"You know us?" Setsuna asked him
"I know all of you," Eton answered back and looks at Konoka, "Konoe Konoka is the granddaughter of the dean of Mahora Academy and is a healer mage, so not much of a threat."
He then looked at Chachamaru, "...Spri...no, Karakuri Chachamaru, an android powered by magic."
His gaze then fell upon Evangeline, "Evangeline A.K. McDowell, also known as the 'Undying Mage', 'The Dark Evangel', 'The Apostle of Destruction' and so many other names. I should be honored to be in your presence."
Evangeline smiled back at Eton, "Well you should be, because there is no one that can defeat me."
Eton just laughed "Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha...you misunderstood me. I said 'I should be honored', but I'm not. The 'Thousand Master' sealed away your magic and you are stuck at this school and it's ground, so basically you are as dangerous as a normal ten year old girl." Eton saw Evangeline anger in her face and he continued to laugh.
Evangeline just can't stand anyone laughing at her. Worse to mention Nagi's alias and making her feel like a weakling was enough to push her over the edge and she charged at Eton.
"Master!" Negi and Chachamaru both tried to stop her.
Eton picked her up with his hand, "Such a cute little thing, aren't you?" He said mocking her.
"Let...me...GO!" Evangeline demand.
Eton nodded, "Oh, sure thing," and he threw her into the river, "How's that? Aha-Ha-Ha-Ha."
"Evangeline!" Her friends cried out. While Konoka went to save Evangeline, Chachamaru charged to Eton, jumped and punched him in the face with all her strength.
Eton didn't even flinch and he grabbed Chachamaru's arm and held her by it, "So low-tech, you should be more powerful than this." He threw Chachamaru against the wall of the cabin at full force and her right leg broke off at its hinges on her knee, sparks flying out of there.
"Alright, who's next?" Eton asked and saw Asuna and Setsuna coming at him through the air, wielding their swords in their hands, about to strike his head.
As quick as lighting, he transformed his right arm into a sword and blocked their attack, "Close, but no cigar girls." He transformed his left hand into a war hammer and slammed it into Asuna and Setsuna.
They both fell up against a tree landing on either side of Negi, both with broken ribs and coughing up blood, "Now that the little girls are out of the way, we can finish this Springfield." Eton said as his arms changed back and began to walk towards Negi.
The ground shook with each step he took. He was getting closer, Negi gripped his staff harder and used a spell, "Sagitta Magica Series Lucis." and seven arrows of light came out of Negi's staff and shot right to Eton's chest.
Eton looked down at his chest. Completely unharmed, He looked up and smiled at Negi, "Do you want to try that again?" He asked him.
"Sagitta Magica Series Lucis." Another set of arrows came and shot Eton in the chest, still no damage.
"One more time." He told Negi.
Negi didn't know what was wrong, his arrow are much stronger than this, "Sagitta Magica Series Lucis." The arrows still didn't leave a mark on Eton. Negi was getting tired.
"Negi-sensei, stop. He is just making you use all of your magic." Setsuna said through all the pain.
Eton nodded, "She's right Negi." He lowered his hand and flicked him into a tree, as if he was a bug.
Negi felt as if a car had hit him. His back hurts; he can't move his right arm and his bleeding from a cut on his forehead. His staff flies over near the river, where Konoka had retrieved Evangeline.
Eton was now in front of the Negi, "The reason it didn't work, is because my skin is stronger than diamond." he told Negi as he pounded his own chest.
Eton transformed his arm into a sword again, "I have waited so long for this day."
Negi struggled to sit straight, "What did I ever do to you?" He asked Eton.
Eton shook his head, "Nothing... well nothing yet, but you will." He raised his sword-arm into the air for the final strike.
"NEGI!" His students screamed all unable to do anything. They were about to lose their most precious friend.
Negi saw the sword come closer. It will all be over in a matter of seconds; he closed his eyes and waited for the pain, 'Father.' Negi thought out one last time, as a single tear fell from his eye.
'CLANK!'
Negi heard the sound. It was taking a long time for the sword to hit him. But when he opened his eyes, the sword had stopped midway. It was being block by a staff much similar to his, except it had a blue orb at the top of it. Negi saw who was holding the staff, somebody in white cloak.
This person had just saved his life.
Author's note: Who saved Negi? What will happen to the girls? Why does Eton want to kill Negi? Read on to find out what's going to happen.