Zero's Dog
Chapter 12
Author's Notes
I'm sorry for the long wait, with Christmas Break, Ive had to work and have had little time to write. Also my updates may start to come a little more far apart because i no longer have access to the laptop i was using to write with. But I have no plans on abandoning this story so fear not. Also season 4 of Zero no Tsukaima has started, we can only hope that it ends well. This chapter has some parts I feel a little iffy about the quality but shall leave it as-is. Please tell me what you think.
(Spoiler alert)
I have the fourth Void familiar chosen. Also I'm wondering if I should bring in another character (cough*Natsumi*cough) with him during the summon. No she would not be a familiar as well, just touching the familiar as he is pulled through the portal. Please answer with a PM and not a review. it wont be for several chapters yet though.
Pyromania101- i said he'd 'be scared witless at one point', not 'Eleanor will scare him witless'. No what will scare Kotaro is a sudden familiar 'mothering presence' similar to the one girl who terrifies him above everything else.
scott pike- I agree that they could ignore bad orders, but Negi might be a little more reluctant.
Wrathkal- Just a few days before your review, I read that crossover. I'll try for more development between Kotaro and the rest of the cast but keeping ten+ characters in the light can be hard.
PEJP Bengtzone V2- As much as I enjoyed the debate about magic in Halkeginia, Void users cannot use any other elements in this fiction. Negima-magic may become a possibility for them but I'm not sure yet. i'm also unsure about the connection between elf magic and Negima-magic but both incorporate spirits and I'll leave it at that.
Trace Carter- While your review is flattering, please don't send reviews asking me to update unless a month or more has passed since my last update.
Kotaro found himself quickly slipping into his new position as leader of Ala Caerula, or Knights of Undine as they were officially named. Wake-up early, do some early morning training with the surprising number of recruits who also rose early to train, more physical training after classes with one half of the recruits while Negi instructed the other half about magic in the diorama. After two hours of physical training, two days of magic instruction, they'd switch.
The hanyo learned after several hours of evading girls and catching glances of awe and jealousy from a number of boys just what had happened in the sphere, Negi showed them the match with Rakan. Kotaro was upset at the sudden amount of attention but was happy to discover that his fan club was smaller than Negi's herd of fans, predominantly wind-users, which followed him everywhere.
Louise's reaction to the fight was not unexpected, verbally belittling that 'brutal display of power'. The expression on her face was priceless as Kotaro told her that all of that 'Humanoid Typhoon's' power was the result of pure guts and determination as opposed to talent.
To the pinkette's dismay, she was prevented from training by one thing: a small, leather bound book that Kotaro had returned from the palace with when he'd been told to form a knight corps. The Founder's Prayerbook, an ancient and holy relic from the time of Founder Brimir and Tristain's most well-guarded treasure. Louise had been given the honor of bridesmaid to Henrietta at the wedding that would weld the alliance with Germania.
As bridesmaid, Louise was given the Founder's Prayerbook and the responsibility to compose an written edict to be spoken over her friend and 'that man' at the close of the ceremony. The wedding was two months away, "Plenty of time," Louise had insisted but Negi refused to give her instruction until she had completed the royal blessing, even barring her from the diorama to 'cut down on distractions', he said. "Right," she growled, "Because nothing is more distracting than a book with blank pages."
For all her pride Louise discovered yet another item on the long list of things she wasn't good at: poetry. She was caught trying, and failing miserably, to mix elegance with formality into a flawless masterpiece. She went to Kotaro for help and was turned away.
"I'm a fighter, not a poet, not a bard, not even a drunk lunatic trying to impress a lover," the hanyo had insisted, "I am a warrior. Let the battle be joined." He paused, "If you need help with making your words flow while staying honest, go to Negi. He's good at those kinds of things," Kotaro informed, "Just don't ask for it in song form," he added quickly.
(Scene break)
An hour after Kotaro's suggestion, Louise trudged back into her room. "Well that did a whole lot of nothing," she sulked, "The way Kotaro spoke of him, you'd think his tongue was made of silver or something." She dropped forward onto her bed.
"Maybe, it's just like luck," Derflinger rasped from where he leaned against the wall, "It's only unimportant until you need it."
"Shut up, scrap," Louise groaned, "Let's see you write an imperial blessing if you're going to presume to be so wise."
"As thrilling as that sounds, shorty, you're forgetting that I'M NOT HUMAN. Even if I COULD write, you would hate whatever I'd write, I'm a sword, a weapon. I get my point across quickly and with intent. Mincing thoughts needlessly is against what I am."
". . . Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Aren't you going to spout some useless poetic line about battle, war, or fate?"
"When you can have anything you want by uttering a few words, the goal matters not, only the journey to it." The sword said calmly. "Happy?"
"Where did THAT come from?" Louise said incredulously, feeling the words resonate in her heart.
"An old friend of mine and the best damn, swordsmith to ever exist. Haven't seen 'er in … fifteen… hundred years? 'Wonder how she's doing?"
"F-Fifteen hundred years?" Louise shrieked, "Well she's obviously dead."
"You don't give 'er enough credit. Boredom would kill that woman before old age. She'll endure forever unless somethin' works up the courage to kill her. And that woman can be scary."
"You're making this up aren't you?"
"Believe what you want, Pinkie."
Louise turned angrily back to the open book. "Why is everyone so useless? Won't help me with magic! Won't help with my edict! All because of this stupid book!" She prepared to chuck the ancient tome out the window when it began to glow. Curious, she opened it. Glowing runes appeared on pages that were once blank:
Foreword.
Henceforth, I shall record the truth I know. All materials in the world are comprised of fine grains. The four branches intervene with these fine grains and apply an influence, which transform them into spells. This was how "Fire", "Water", "Wind" and "Earth" became.
The gods bestowed upon me a greater strength. The fine grains, which the four branches bore influence over, are comprised of even finer grains. The power bestowed upon me by the gods, does not belong to any of the four. The branch I wield intervenes with even finer grains and applies an influence, transforming them into spells. A Zero that belongs to neither of the four. This so-called Zero is "Void". I name the Zero the gods have bestowed upon me "Void".
The one who is able to read this, will inherit my deeds, thoughts and objectives. They will become the bearer of this power. Be mindful, wielder of this power. For my brethren and I, who have died unfulfilled, you should strive towards retaking the "Holy Lands" stolen by heathens. "Void" is powerful. Yet, the incantations are of great length and consume much energy. Take heed, incantator. At times, your life will diminish depending on the power. Thus, I choose the reader of this book. Even when one not qualified wears the ring, they cannot open this book. Only when the chosen reader wears a ring of "The four branches" can they open this book.
Following, are my recordings of the "Void" spells I used. The first step of the very beginning. "Explosion".
"Interesting," Louise uttered.
(Scene break)
Kotaro focus shot northward as his instincts detected an abnormality. Moments later a speck of light appeared in the sky and grew in size till it looked like a mini-sun. Curiously, he hurled a lance towards the globe of light. Even with the Gandalfr Runes empowering him, the shaft barely reached the luminescent sphere. As the lance pierced the globe, the mini-sun exploded outward with a fierce roar that caused the very earth to tremble and quake. Within the span of a moment the light disappeared and the sound faded.
Piercing glares settled upon the hanyo. "Great going, Genius," one of the recruits muttered, "What if that killed us all?"
Kotaro turned in the recruits direction, "WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE RINGING IN MY EARS! COULD YA SPEAK UP?" He was holding his hands over his ears like a normal person would but since his ears were on top of his head instead of the sides, the pose was mildly humorous. "Note to self," he said, no longer yelling but still speaking quite loud, "Mini-suns detonate at the slightest touch. Next time I should use the buddy system." His voice was back to normal speaking volume.
"Buddy system?" one recruit asked, "Could you explain what that is?"
"Sure," Kotaro answered heartily, "Where I'm from hiking is a hobby for some people. When someone goes hiking or camping, etc. they're encouraged to have at least one 'buddy' with them for safety. After all if they were alone and encountered a bear, they'd need to outrun it. But with the buddy system, all they need to do is outrun the slowest member of their group," Kotaro joked.
The attempt at humor was not as well received as he'd hoped. Among his current group of recruits, there was about a 50-50 split between looks of revulsion and scowls of contempt.
"I'm kidding," Kotaro admitted, "The buddy system isn't to sacrifice a party member to escape potential death. It's so that if something happens, like your arm gets crushed under a boulder, there's someone with you who can help or go get more if it's too much for them alone. Without the buddy system, you'd be left to either die of thirst or amputate the trapped limb because it could take days for friends to realize that you've failed to return home."
"Why not just 'Levitate' the boulder off your arm?"
"Because," Kotaro started to answer, "And this may be a surprise to you, but magic is far less common than here. And it isn't tied to any social class. Science and technology are what people live with. Whatever you guys can do with magic here, like raise buildings, gather crops, and refine metals, my home could probably do it better with science and machines. The machine Professor Colbert made is a good comparison. Where I'm from machines like that can move cars, a kind of metal horse-less carriage, hundreds of miles in one day. When people become separate from their 'beloved technology' they become like you guys when you're stripped of wands: vulnerable."
"How are you so strong without using a wand?" another guy blurted out, completely derailing the previous conversation.
"It's because he's a demi-human," one whispered.
"No, I don't think so," Kotaro responded, "Though it might be part of it. I don't need a wand because I never bothered to go beyond the simplest of spells. Never needed to. I wouldn't even qualify as 'magic knight' like Negi, with how little magic I know. I'd fit better under 'magus killer' or 'hand-to-hand combat specialist'. Did that answer your question?"
"Which style is better: 'Wizard' or 'Magic Knight'? I can't decide."
"Personally," Kotaro stated, "I prefer 'Magic Knight' style because I think fights between men should be up close and personal, but one of the masters who taught me would probably say that after a certain point the differences no longer matter. Choose for yourself, either way you'll still be taught physical combat by me and magic by Negi."
"What was that type was that big guy in that moving portrait? Was that even real? Did that really happen? Or was it fake?"
"Well," Kotaro said, "How do I answer that? Yes it was real and did happen. But I don't know what type he was and even if I did, there's no way that I could impress upon you the sheer ridiculousness of how blatantly overpowered he is. He's like a force of nature. He wouldn't die if he was killed."
"Okay, okay, we get it but you don't need to exaggerate." One of the guys said.
"I wasn't exaggerating. It literally happened, but you'll have to ask Negi about that."
"Um… Sir Kotaro," a short-ish blonde haired boy with glasses piped up from near the back, "I've been wondering, why is it that we spend two days in that bottle learning magic and only two hours out here?"
"Well Mister…"
"Reynald, sir."
"Lay off the 'Sirs', Reynald. Makes me feel old. But anyway, you," he gestured to the entire group, "Are all teenage boys. The other group is entirely made of teenage girls. Since Negi n' I are sorta new to this whole 'training knights' gig, we decided that it'd be better to not have both groups in the bottle at the same time. It's hard to keep track of everyone and I'd rather y'all not spend that time makin' out with a girlfriend. It'd also take eight hours a day that either group would be training and you nobles seem to take leisure time seriously."
"That didn't answer my question?"
"Because Negi said pushing any more than two hours would kill you weaklings."
(Scene break)
Louise was still sitting on her bed when Kotaro returned. Since becoming a member of nobility, he could have chosen his own room to sleep in, but since Louise's room was free and there was less chance of a 'nightly visit' by an obsessed groupie or jealous boyfriend, Kotaro opted to stay.
Seeing the pinkette gazing directly into the blank book with sheer focus unnerved him a little. "It doesn't matter how long you stare at it, words won't just 'magically' write themselves."
"What do you know?" Louise growled, "They can and they did." She flipped to the front pages where the glowing writing appeared before and held the book facing her familiar, "See?"
"Wow," Kotaro gasped, "A blank page!"
Louise turned the book to look at it, the runic words were still there, though they'd long ceased glowing. "But they're right there," Louise insisted pointing back at the book. "See?"
"Louise," Kotaro spoke calmly, starting to get worried, "You are pointing at a blank page. Maybe you need some rest. Last time I worked too hard on homework, I could've sworn there was a pig juggling flaming skulls on a unicycle."
"But there are ancient runes written here, can you really not see them? They talk about the 'Void' branch of magic.
"Void?" Kotaro questioned, "You mean that element that everyone calls a myth and no one can use?"
"Yes"
"How does THAT help us? I mean, maybe you're affined to it because it's the only thing left to try but seriously?"
"It's true partner," Derflinger called from the wall, "Little Missy over there is, without a doubt in my blade, a user of 'Void'. Only a Void user can summon Gandalfr."
Kotaro was quiet for a few moments before he burst into laughter, "Louise the Zero, amazing how close to the truth that nickname is."
Two lone figures figure were in what appeared to be a philosopher's study. One was seated at a large table with dozens of chess pieces arranged in battalions.
The kneeling one spoke, "Master our spy has reported a mysterious explosion at the academy. Their report said just prior to it, a brilliant orb of light appeared in the sky."
"So," the seated man said while fiddling with a chess piece, "The void in Tristain has awakened? Can you confirm this?"
"Cromwell's assassin is also at the academy. I saw his hands back in Albion and there can be no mistake, he is Gandalfr."
"Good work, Myozthrirn, let us continue to observe them, yeeeeeeeesssss. Should their actions threaten to harm my plans, they'll be eliminated but not now. They may yet prove useful, yeeeeeeeeessss. You may leave."
"Yes, Master," the kneeler stood up and backed out of the room while maintaining her bow. When the door closed, she grimaced. "Gandalfr," she growled as she strode down the darkened hallway, "I don't care how powerful you are, if you threaten my beloved master I will end you." She ran her hands over the rings and pendants that adorned her and a brilliant glow from her brow cut through the darkness.
A week since the 'daytime star' incident, as it was dubbed, passed before a new rumor cropped up. Apparently a priest from Romalia would be visiting the academy. Kotaro was glad that someone else was the subject of gossip but was set on edge when Derflinger warned him that accusations of being an elf would be serious trouble.
That afternoon a dragon and rider were seen approaching from the south and all of the students gathered in the largest courtyard to greet the rider. As the white dragon touched down, Kotaro and Negi observed cautiously from the rear of the crowd. The dragon, Kotaro noted, was larger than Sylphid by a margin and the rider was garbed entirely in white as they dismounted.
When the rider was at last on the ground they removed the hooded cloak and mask that protected them from biting winds, and all of the girls swooned. The rider was a young man definitely still in his mid-teens. His spikey hair was a pale blond and had a shape that reminded Kotaro of Quintum. The rider's face did not leave questions as to why the girls suddenly started to fawn over him. His eyes, however, were peculiar in that his right eye was blue and his left was a dark pink. There was a gasp from a girl, a gasp of fear.
A ripple of muttering passed through the crowd, "Moon eyes," someone said.
"Great," Kotaro thought, "Not only are they cowardly, they're superstitious too."
The young man stepped toward the gathered students and flashed a smile that caused the fear of his eyes melt away in many of the girls.
"So handsome."
"His hair's beautiful."
"He's like a fairy."
Appearing to ignore the lovestruck comments, he addressed all of the students, "Hello, it's nice to see how warm a welcome students will provide for a stranger such as myself. My name is Julio Cesar. I was wondering if someone might point me to the headmaster's office."
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
The fangirls broke ranks and surrounded Julio each offering to escort him personally. Kotaro chuckled at the sight, "It really is funny when it happens to someone else. Three… two… one."
"Hey," a third-year boy yelled as he walked toward Julio, "This is a school, we don't need you here, Priest!"
The other students gasped at his rudeness. Kotaro smirked at how well he'd called it. the third-year's name was Pelisson and he was a well-known ladykiller within the academy because of his looks, but charming words were beyond him, so he took offense whenever girls gravitated to a boy other than himself. The fact that Kotaro and Negi were so popular had been his reason for avoiding the corps like a plague.
Julio smiled at Pelisson and replied, "I'm sorry, but I came here to see someone. Now please let me pass." His gilded words were polite and flowed without stiff formality.
After seeing the situation falling out of his favor, Pelisson saw the rapier sheathed from Julio's hip. He drew his wand. "A priest with a sword? You claim to be a warrior, don't make me laugh. I challenge you to a duel, right here, right now."
"If you insist. Ladies, would you please step back to a safe distance. I couldn't live with myself if a beautiful lady was harmed in one of my quarrels."
The crowd of girl swooned again and reluctantly separated from the priest.
"Hey, he's got a Gigolo talk too," Kotaro thought, "Maybe he can draw all my fan-girls away. I hope he stays."
Julio and Pelisson stood facing each other. "I'll give you one chance to leave, Priest," Pelisson growled.
"Then you'll be disappointed, because I'm here to stay until my business is done."
Pelisson's eyes burned with fury, "Draw your sword then."
"My blade is not for childish disputes. It remains sheathed." Mild irritation was starting to creep into Julio's voice.
"Your arrogance really pisses me off, but if you fight I'll make this short," the third year said as he raised his wand.
It happened in an instant. Kotaro heard Julio's voice speak one word in his mind.
"Pounce"
Kotaro's eyes went wide when his body tugged forward at the word. Negi seemed affected as well as his body also spasm-ed once where it was rooted. At the same time Julio's mount leapt into the air and landed on the third year, pinning him to the ground under one foot. A menacing growl emanated from the dragon as it bared its teeth at the immobilized boy. Julio walked up beside his dragon and looked down at Pelisson.
"No fair," the third year called, "Using a dragon."
"Since I cannot use magic, I use dragons instead."
Kotaro turned to Negi, "You heard and felt that too, right?" Negi and Chamo nodded. "Okay, Negi, you guard the bottle, no interruptions." He pulled his orange hat that he'd not worn since his first days in Halkeginia from his pocket.
"Wait, what are you…" Negi tried to ask but Kotaro was already gone.
"Now that that's over," Julio declared, "I'd appreciate it if someone would escort…"
Before he could finish, Kotaro appeared behind the priest with shundo. Faster than any normal human could react, Kotaro pulled his hat down over Julio's eyes and pulled him close, immobilizing the priest with his grip. "Your appointment with Osmond, is put off until after a 'little chat'." Kotaro opened shadow travel beneath their feet and sank into its depths dragging Julio with him. Just before he passed completely into the darkness, he heard the dragon roar and students gasp.
(Scene break)
"Now, Julio, you're going to hand over your ring and I'll ignore your little action," Kotaro told the priest who sat, bound to a chair, with him in the diorama sphere.
"You insolent whelp! What have you done? This is a profound insult to God and the Founder Brimir!"
"Whelp?" Kotaro parroted, "Whelp. Why is it that when any person who wants to insult me they use that word?" he asked himself aloud.
"You've just committed a grave offense and that is all you can say? You must not be known for your intellect."
"Yeah, yeah, just hand over your mind-controlling ring and you can leave as soon as we're allowed. And don't think that someone can help you, we're the only beings on this beach and the entrance is guarded by one of the strongest mages in existence. Time is on my side here."
"What? What mind controlling ring? I have no such thing. Why the Hell can't I sense Azuro?"
"Why don't I believe you?" Kotaro said insincerely as he yanked off Julio's left glove. Nothing. "Oh, that's right," Kotaro answered his own question, "The presence that you cast mentally," Kotaro moved to the right glove, but Julio put up surprising resistance to removing it, "I've had experience with mind control before, but seriously 'Pounce' was the best command you could come up with?"
Julio stopped struggling, his eyes narrow, "I don't know what you're talking about," he said coldly.
"Then the glove dies," Kotaro declared a he shredded the glove on his prisoner's right hand. But there wasn't a ring like Cromwell's there either. Disappointed, his eyes were drawn to a strangle collection of symbols and lines on the hand itself which seemed… familiar.
(Scene break)
Louise was baffled. She, like all of the other students, had been in the courtyard to welcome Julio. She witnessed Pelisson's rudeness and the utter defeat he'd suffered, those she understood. She even understood the swooning fan-girls. But her familiar's actions had her stumped. He'd ambushed and abducted the priest without discernible reason.
"No," she thought to herself, "He must have a reason, but what is it?"
"Let's see since he's been here he's beaten Guiche for two-timing, caught a thief, taught me some stuff, killed Wardes, and stopped a war. I'd think that he's a hero with good ideals, if a bit violent. So why would he suddenly attack a priest?" Her first answer was "Because he's an idiot," but that didn't quite add up the way she wanted to. "He didn't strike until after the duel and disappeared with him, so it couldn't be a challenge to duel as well, could it? Wouldn't he have simply called the challenge and fought there? Wait, he said 'little talk' so it's just exchanging words instead of blows," she thought hopefully. "But that doesn't sound reassuring the way he said it. I will MAKE him explain his actions when he returns."
Louise cut off her introspective and took heed of her surroundings again. She had unconsciously made her way to Negi's room and had seemed to have the right idea. Most of the students had the same idea and the hall was full at either end. She groaned at the impossibility of reaching the room.
"Wait a moment," she thought, ducking back down a few hall ways till she was certain of her solitude, "I could just go into the sphere from here." She thought with a smile. "Adeat." Her artifact appeared in her hands. Kotaro had said that she shouldn't use the Code of the Lifemaker needlessly but this was important, her family could get into severe trouble for the actions of her familiar. "Now what was that command again?" She'd realized that in all of the recent events she'd forgotten the teleportation command. "Um, Code of the Lifemaker?" she said uncertainly, hoping that the artifact's name would work as she imagined the inside of the diorama sphere. She saw her limbs begin to glow before she felt the familiar tug on her body.
(Scene break)
"So that's why I can affect you," Julio said smugly. He was no longer restrained and was holding his sword at Kotaro. "It seems that there are other beings than simply human and elf." His right hand was glowing.
Kotaro was backed away, glaring down his opponent. One hand was cradling his head, where his canine ears stood erect, the other holding Derflinger. His glowing runes would have been visible had he not done a partial transformation upon entering 'battle mode', and were concealed under a layer of fur. "Damn you Priest! What are you doing?" he growled.
"My, how the tables have turned," Julio gloated, glee reflected in his mismatched eyes. Then he charged.
"Stand still."
Kotaro's legs locked where they stood. With great force of will, Kotaro was able to reassert control and jump back to dodge Julio's sword. It had worked for the most part but the cut on his shirt and the thin red line one his flesh underneath indicated that the time spent willing his body to move allowed Julio to get one cut in at the last moment. His wound angered him greatly, though it was hardly more than a scratch and was just barely deep enough to draw blood.
Wounds generally were something he felt proud of, especially fresh wounds. He could show them off and say, 'I had to work this much to win that fight.' His natural healing abilities usually closed any wound he received within a few days without leaving a scar so the hanyo enjoyed the wounds from honorable duels while they lasted. This wound was different. It wasn't borne of a clean hit but of mental trickery.
With his mind being influenced, at least he assumed that his brain was being told to move his body, Kotaro couldn't use either his artifact or Kanka. "What are you? Some sort of mindbreaker? Face me like a man, damn coward!"
Julio chuckled. "Spare me your indignation, we were on YOUR battlefield to start with." He pulled back his rapier to thrust.
"Don't Dodge."
A yell originated behind Julio. "GET AWAY FROM KOTARO!" Following the shout, a chant started. The chant cast a fire through Kotaro's blood and all intent was stripped away except 'Protect the Master'.
The shout and subsequent chant caught Julio off guard and he instinctively thrust his sword as he rounded to face the second opponent. As he glimpsed them, he realized it was only a small, pink-haired girl, an academy student. But it was too late for him to stop the sword thrust, so he prayed for a miracle that she would survive, or that her passing would be swift and without suffering.
Just before the blade reached her, she was shoved to the side by Kotaro. The pinkette's chant was interrupted and she watched as the narrow blade pierced her familiar. She realized that that would've been her, and blacked out.
(Scene break)
When she awoke, Louise found herself lying on a table within a gazebo. Her first thoughts were of Kotaro's wellbeing and she shot to a seated position.
"Ah, she's awake," a voice to her right said.
Turning to the origin, Louise saw Kotaro peering over at her from another table. Sitting across from the hanyo, with his back to her, was Julio. Louise stood up and walked over to where they sat, mildly irked that Julio had been rude and not turned around in his seat to acknowledge her presence. As she got closer she realized Kotaro's right arm and Julio's left arm were tightly bound at the wrist by thick rope. When she passed Julio to join her familiar, she saw one eye was swollen and purple. The undamaged eye of the priest never moved from the intense stare it was giving to Kotaro. Kotaro was returning the stare with both eyes.
"Louise," the hanyo said cautiously, "There's probably something you should see." He flexed his left hand before making it a fist on the table. He tugged Julio and glared. A moment later the Priest complied, placing his right hand next to Kotaro's then flexing it.
"I don't understand, what's so…." She trailed off. On Kotaro's left hand were the Gandalfr runes. Julio's right hand bore similar runes. "Y-y-y-you're a…"
"Familiar, yes Louise."