Fate: Intertwining Stars
Fate Chapter 4: Mundus Magnus and the Underworld.
-Negi-
Father was the only one who knew of my decision to travel to Mundus Magnus. With my commission as teacher at Mahora Academy terminated, all my preparations for the last two weeks are done. Asuna-san made me realize how week I was even with Magia Erebea I was week. I still had a lot to learn, there still room for growth. It was time to train, in the Magic world.
Finally, I was back home at Whales, I dropped my bags and smiled at the horizon as I watched my town from afar. After the incident in old Ostia a few months ago we were able to revive everyone from my old village. Konoka was able to use the Great Grand Master Key in order to revive the towns people. And now my new home in whales has become even larger.
"NEGI!" I heard my name from afar and I found Anya running towards him with her mother in tow behind her.
"AHHH!... ANYA!" I smiled and waved at her.
I grabbed my bag and the rest of my gear, I started walking towards Anya. I was greeted with a very cheerful Anya and her mother. We exchanged formalities and small talk as we made our way into town. Because of the massive population boom of the town it has become even more lively. Beside the fact that the magical academy was here it was also the closest town and favorite rest area for travelers to and from Mundus Magnus. We made our way to a big restaurant and there waiting for me was Nekane and a few other people from his childhood home, the headmaster of the magic academy was also there.
Unfortunately our reunion was short and the only reason I needed to see the magic academy head master was to officiate my resignation as a homeroom teacher at Mahora Academy. I spent the night with Nekane and Anya, it was sweet reunion although it was short at least I saw Nekane and Anya before I left for Mundus Magnus.
The air was cold and the sun was covered with blankets of clouds, the morning was so nostalgic. It felt like all my adventures with my students from Mahora academy was just a dream but I knew it was all real. Nakane was already busy making breakfast and Anya was still asleep. The smell of English food was filling the house and my stomach couldn't wait to eat Nekane's cooking again.
"Is it morning already?..." Anya finally woke up, I saw her rubbing her eyes as she asked her question walking down the stairs
"mhmm..." I responded with a smile It took a while for her to realize where I was, she eventually focused her gaze on me.
I was sitting at the table reading a book, waiting patiently for the food that Nekane was so diligently making. Anya also sat down, put her head on the table and started mumbling. She sounded sleepy but she was wide awake, because she knew this morning was when I leave. All night she tried to convince me to let her come with me but I told her I needed to do this alone. Nekane understood my feelings and convinced Anya to let me do this alone. Anya let up but she insisted that she and Nekane accompany me until the Magic Gate.
We finished breakfast and I got ready real quick, I had all my gear with me withing minutes. Nekane and Anya both got their clothes as well, they got their cloaks on. We got out of the house and made our way to the Gate entrance. It was still pretty early so the fog was thicker than usual. We made our way quickly through the fog, a few minutes later we can finally see the top of the Stonehenge. W were met by some guards and port authority personnel. They greeted us and checked our identities before letting us in closer to the gate. The port authority greeted us as he got ready to activate the transport. Nekane and Anya stayed behind as I made my way to the center of the Stonehenge. I got in the middle and looked back at them, smiling at me with encouraging emotions. I waved back at them while smiling and slowly a light surrounded me and particles of magic charged ready to send me to the magic world.
-Shiori-
The day was boring as usual, ever since Fate left us here to live our daily lives just like normal girls nothing exciting has happened for a while. I can't even go to the old world, I can't see Negi-sensei. Since he finally finished his work with the council and the establishment of the Mars Elevator he never visit us anymore. I guess he is pretty busy again back at the old world, he is a teacher of those girls after all. Lately we've been trapped in the Revived palace of Old Ostia. Since the return of Arika-sama, and the miracles that Negi-sensei pulled off, Old Ostia was once again floating in the sky. And the old city was burning with life again. It was filled with life and slowly growing again. Humanity once again had a home to call their own. Dividing the rift and separating The empire from the confederacy. Being in the middle made them the arbitrary force that halts any signs of war or conflict between the two. Fate-sama was able to talk Negi and Arika-sama to take us in as servants only to be taken in as friends. They allowed us to stay at the palace for free, without being servants Arika-sama did ask us to do missions here and there to investigate any signs of conflicts or any trouble at all. But lately everything has been quiet and Life has become so boring.
"Hmmmmmm..." I buried my face in the pillow, "why can't there be anything exciting anymore."
"You're hoping Negi-sensei will come here again don't you?" Homura commented with a smug smile she was accompanied by Shirabe.
"Geez," I sat up and pouted, "Way to ruin my mood so early."
"Shirabe and I already know Luna," They both smiled at me, "After all isn't that one of the ways your cover can be blown when using your pactio card from Fate-sama, and as I recall, your cover was blown by Negi-sensei." she giggled as she made the comment.
I blushed as she said that, "Well I can't help it, I mean, he's such a gentleman, who doesn't want a fighting gentleman."
"He is British or something like that. At least that was what he told us earlier," Shirabe made a comment, "it is only appropriate for him to act in such a manner."
"hehe..." I was blushing I knew I was, "well there's a lot more reason why I started liking him, there's more to him than just being a gentleman."
The days grew longer and more boring, I convinced Shirabe and Homura to accompany me and head for the market. We got to the market and saw how festive it was even though it was just an ordinary day. It seems like people are still rejoicing at the fact that The Ostia was revived thanks to Negi. Lady Arika, the heralded queen of calamity was also openly accepted by its people as the queen once more. It seems everything In Mundus Magnus was going pretty well, there was peace and the populace was happy. It seemed like nothing could destroy our perfect world now.
We became so enchanted by the festivities that we forgot to pay close attention to our surroundings. Homura and I didn't realize that Shirabe was already lost in the crowd.
"Wait Homura," I searched for Shirabe without avail, "where's Shirabe?"
"huh," she was surprised at my question, "wasn't she just beside us a second ago."
"well she isn't here now."
We got moving and began to search, Homura activated her ability and flew through town in search of Shirabe. I ran back to the palace to find Koyomi and Tamaki and ask them for help. I didn't exactly know what was going to happen or if Shirabe was in danger so the more the merrier. I finally got to the palace and found the two, I informed them of the situation and we split up to find her. We all realized that if it was someone else it wouldn't be too troublesome but it was Shirabe. People still knew about her horns powers. If it was Shirabe then she could be in some serious danger. I was jumping around keeping my senses strong, I knew the level of her power and I can sense her but for some reason I can't sense her anymore. I sensed Homura flying towards me.
"Shiori!"
"Did you find her?"
"We have a problem."
"Damn, how many?" I knew it, it was big trouble after all.
"A few heavily armed men but they're moving fast, they have a ship."
"Get to them, ill be right behind you."
"I don't think ill be able to deal with them myself." With the speed their going, and the strength of their numbers I decided not to go find Koyomi and Tamaki
"If I go get Koyomi and Tamaki we'll be too late, we'll have to do it ourselves."
"Okay."
Homura grabbed me and she boosted through the sky like a bullet heading right for its target. It didn't take us long to get close to them, I could see a small ship in the distant dashing through the clouds. All of a sudden a light came from it and shot at us. Homura was able to evade even though she was carrying me. They were shooting magical beams at us to try and slow us down. This was bad.
-Negi-
The sky was just perfect, the clouds were cool and the sun radiated a very soothing warmth. Father told me to visit mother but it just felt strange because mother was somewhat distant towards me. He did say she was just very uncomfortable since she did not see me grow and she just not sure of how to deal with children. I was also appreciative of the fact that he kept my leaving to himself and did not tell anyone else. I saw a huge cloud in front of me, Ostia was just beyond those huge clouds. I decided to fly through it. I increased my speed and blasted through the clouds, I broke through and right in front of me. Just beyond the horizon I could already see the enchanting floating islands of Ostia. Its magnificence still captivating every time I look at it.
At the corner of my eye I saw a beam of light shoot in the sky all of a sudden. I tried to find the source of it and then again I saw another one. Right where the beam stops I saw a ball of fire flying towards the ship where the beam came from. A closer look and I realized it was Homura, what is she doing and she was carrying Luna. I shifted my body and made a tight turn with my wand. I blasted through the sky trying to reach Homura and Luna. Another beam shot at Homura and struck her right on the shoulder, I saw it hit and she dropped Luna. Luna was falling and I need to reach her.
I dashed throught the sky to reach Shiori before she plummets to her death. Closer...closer...closer... Gotcha! I reached her only meters from the ground and got her on my arms, she had her eyes closed and she was clonching her teeth and her hands were in a fist as if ready to fall to the ground.
"ehhh..." slowly she opened her eyes and relaxed, "N-Negi-sensei?!"
"hehe... Yo Luna... How have you been?" I smiled as I greeted her.
"well... we're in a little bit of a pinch hehe..."
"I can see, need a hand?" as I asked her I didn't wait for a response before shooting up into the sky towards the speeding ship.
"Homura!" Luna yelled at homura as we got closer to her.
"Negi-sensei?!"
"Yeah he caught me by surprise too," Luna got off my arm and sat on my staff.
"fufufu," I was puzzled when Homura looked at Luna and smiled.
"..." Luna blushed and it got me even puzzled.
Shiori and Homura explained to me the situation, "okay, Homura you try and go after the engines, ill try to get Shirabe out of there. I dashed through the clouds trying to catch up to the speeding ship. They kept firing magical beams at us, so far they've been easy to evade. I summoned my wind missiles and shot many o them right at the deck where the people shooting at us were. I got close and so did Homura, she started firing her fire at the engines but it was blocked by a barrier.
"Sensei!?"
"Tch!" Homura got closer to me.
As we were talking a much larger beam shot out from the ship. It caught Both Homura and I off guard.
"Homura watch out!," I grabbed Luna and tossed her right at Homura.
I shot a thousand winds right and crossed them at my right hand as the beam struck right at me. Simultaneously I activated a triple magic barrier, it was useless the beam was just too strong. Before I knew it two of my magic barrier were already broken, the beam was weakening but so was my barrier. The beam stopped but not before my barrier broke and I braced myself as the beam struck me without a magic barrier.
All of sudden I realized it was Homura that was holding me. I opened my eyes and all I saw was Negi right in front of us shielding us from a large beam of light. Homura decided to get us out of the way and fly underneath Negi just outside the beams width.
"Hamura what are yo..."
"If we dont get out of the way we could still get caught in the blast, what Negi is doing would have been pointless, he's trying to protect us," Homura interrupted me before I could finish my question.
I looked back at Negi and saw something shatter right in front of him, if I was to guess tat was a magic barrier shattering from the beam. Then another one shattered and The light consumed Negi-sensei.
"Negi-sensei!"
The beam stopped firing as Negi's final barrier broke. Negi was gone, we couldnt find him.
"There!" Homura pointed at something falling down from the sky, it was Negi
Homura dashed towards Negi, with me in her arms it was going to be hard for her to catch Negi. Instead she decided instead of stopping his fall she would just try to slow it down. She was able to slow it down enough so as to not hurt Negi anymore than he was. It was a horrible sight, half of Negi's body was charred, it was burned badly. He could barely move and he was unconscious.
"Homura! Shiori!" from afar we could hear our comrades calling from us.
WE could see royal guards right behind them, at least there will be people to help us.
Note:
Sorry the first few chapters are kinda slow, from here on out its more action so stay tuned folks.