Zero's Dog
Chapter 13
Author's notes
I'm sorry for the long wait but I was unsure about how to go about this chapter. I've had several ideas but little luck getting them into writing. I planned on getting to Louise's family in this chapter but never got around to it. But that event shall take place within the next few chapters.
Negima ends in three chapters (*sob*) at chapter 355. It's been a long run and a great series but it will still be sad to see it end.
I was surprised at the number of reviews I got suggesting I kill Julio off. I'm not sure if events will bring me to write that or not, I'm still trying to keep several ideas at once.
I have a feeling that at the end of this chapter there will be either much groaning or much rejoicing by you readers, maybe both. As always, thank you for reading and please leave a review.
"Y-y-y-you-you're a…" Louise stammered upon seeing Julio's hand.
"A familiar," the priest answered, "Yes, Miss Valliere. Or shall I call you 'Void of Tristain'?" He reached across the table, gently taking the petite mage's hand in his and drew it towards himself. He bent forward, his lips briefly caressing the back of the pinkette's hand in a manner that Kotaro guess was a 'noble' kind of respect.
The hanyo filed that information away in the back of his mind for later use.
"You know?" Louise said incredulously. She was blushing that her hand had been kissed like a member of high nobility.
"The church of Brimir knows many things, Miss Valliere. We have been keeping tabs on Tristain and Albion since my master first summoned me. I cannot tell you who my master is and I'm certain that I'll be reprimanded for revealing my 'condition' so readily."
"Oh," Louise responded, looking aside in thought. Her gaze met Kotaro's and, as if she suddenly remembered, yelled, "And why were you attacking Julio? He's a priest of Romalia, if not for him being a familiar, you, me, and my family would all be tried as heretics, all because you had some 'macho' complex and he was taking your 'fangirls'!"
Kotaro was immediately defensive, "My fans have nothing to do with this. In fact, I was hoping that he'd be able to draw away my fangirls! But I saw him as dangerous and so did Negi. He's got mind control powers that had an effect on me during that 'duel' with Pelisson."
"He's got what?" Louise shrieked.
"It's due to my status as Vindalfr, 'The Right Hand of God' also known as 'God's Flute'. Just as your Gandalfr controls weapons, I control beasts, usually the magical kind but any kind can be manipulated."
"That makes sense," Louise said, looking at Kotaro's ears and tail.
"No it doesn't," Kotaro retorted, "Neither of my parents were mindless beasts, both were intelligent beings, human and yokai.
"I've not heard of this 'yokai' before but it does make sense that you'd be influenced by me, seeing as only humans and elves are unaffected. I could even affect Rhyme Dragons."
"So what do you mean by 'had an effect on you'?" Louise asked Kotaro.
"I mean," Kotaro started to say irritably, "That when he commanded his dragon to 'Pounce', my mind heard it too and my body started to carry out the command, against my will. I was able to stop myself and would've thought nothing of it except that Negi sensed it too. This was a 'end potential threat' plan."
"Excuse me," Julio cut in, "I'd like that everything said here be kept secret. For now the void should remain 'mythical'."
"One condition," Kotaro replied, "You, work on your control so you only influence your target. If you control me or any of my friends in the future, intentionally or not, without warning me beforehand that you lack control, you will find out just what happened to the last person to attempt breaking my mind."
"Fair enough," Julio answered, "I wouldn't want to hinder Gandalfr." He looked around with his one good eye, "So where exactly are we?"
"A sphere that's used for training, it's cut off from the rest of the world and can only be left after a full day has passed."
"Won't everyone be worried that a full day will pass between my abduction and my return?"
"I guess they'll worry," the hanyo replied, "But not for a full day, only an hour, time here is distorted that one day within equals one hour without. There's still about half of a day left before our first chance to leave so let's talk. You're obviously more versed in Void magic than anyone else here. What is it?"
"Void is the legendary branch of magic that Brimir wielded 2000 years ago…"
"Two thousand? Brimir lived six thousand years ago," Louise interrupted.
"I'm sorry, Miss Valliere," Julio responded, "But that is a flaw that has cropped up within the legend over the centuries. Brimir lived two thousand years ago, shortly after the start of history. The church has texts dating back to that time. But as I was saying Void was first wielded by Brimir and he united the humans and saved them for oblivion at the hands of the other races of Halkeginia. He had four familiars: Gandalfr, Vindalfr, Myoznitnirn, and one whose name remains unknown. They are also known as 'God's: Left Hand, Right Hand, Mind and Heart'. Before he passed, he left his legacy with Tristain, Romalia, Gallia, and Albion, leaving a 'Ruby' and treasure with each royal family along with the promise that one day a person of royal blood from each family will become an heir to the power of Void." He looked at Louise, "That 'Water Ruby' you wear and the Founder's Prayerbook are the items left to Tristain. Only one of Brimir's heirs could read it and not without one of the Founder's Rubies."
Louise blushed at Julio's declaration.
"Okay," Kotaro said, "You mentioned earlier that Romalia was watching for the Void to appear in Tristain and Albion. Does that mean that Gallia already has one?"
Julio shook his head, "We don't know, but we share the belief that the current king Joseph, incompetent though he may be, is cunning and we daren't alert him to the return of the Void by searching for their heir."
"So now that you know the identity of Tristain's Void Mage, now what? Do you have any guesses to who Albion's is?" Kotaro asked, his deeply buried curiosity fully roused.
"We only have three potential candidates listed because Reconquista slaughtered so many tied to Albion's royal family."
"And… who are they?"
Julio suddenly acted paranoid, glancing nervously to the surroundings, "Are you completely certain we're alone? Miss Valliere got in earlier."
"Relax, Cesare, she got in by a fluke related to her magic. My best friend is currently guarding the only entrance to this area from what I can guess is a huge angry mob. Nothing he can't handle. And if anyone else did get in, there would be an orange flash and little chime signaling their arrival. Now, the three candidates."
"Right," Julio sighed with relief, "The list of people related to the royal family is Wales Tudor, Mathilda de Saxe-Gotha, and Mathilda's half-sister Tiffania Westwood."
Kotaro immediately leaned over the table and grabbed the priest's collar with his free hand. Pulling him close, Kotaro asked in a low, threatening voice, "What do you know about Tiffania?" His was thinking back to the final two weeks of his Albion excursion.
(flashback start)
Kotaro crouched by the stream, splashing water onto his face to wash off the dirt and day old sweat. He was still adjusting to the new cape he wore. "This mantle of nobility is restrictive for my tastes but hey I now have political clout," he said aloud to himself. "It's kinda nice to know that I'll now be getting the respect I deserve, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for this 'nobility' crap. Sure I get paid for just being a noble and I can legitimately challenge others to duels but the whole 'napkin on the lap, fancy dances, arrogant snobbery' are not me."
He heard a gasp from his left followed by the sound of something hitting the ground. He turned to see a girl near his age standing between two trees thirty feet away. She had delicate features that made Kotaro think of an elegant glass figure that could shatter with the slightest touch. She wore a green sundress that reached mid-thigh and a wide-brimmed hat upon her head. As soon as she saw Kotaro notice her, the girl grabbed the brim, pulled it down against the sides of her head, and fled, blonde streamers trailing behind her, leaving her dropped basket behind.
Kotaro shundo-ed to where she had stood, picked up the abandoned basket and gave chase. "Wait!" he called out, "You forgot this." He was surprised to discover that the strange girl had put a considerable distance between them in the moment headstart she'd had. But he eventually found her in a clearing, facing him, a pencil-thin wand drawn. Beyond the edge of the clearing Kotaro could see a few cottages within the forest. He offered the basket and sent it back with one of his dog spirits.
The girl's eyes never left him, two pools of fear tinged with something Kotaro couldn't identify. "I'm sorry," she said softly, "You must forget ever seeing me." She started to chant.
Acting quickly, Kotaro used another shundo to disarm the scared girl. Immediately the fear became despair and she dropped to her knees, "Please don't take me away, the children need me."
"Why would I take you away? You're just a teenage girl trying to defend herself from a stranger. I was just following you to return that basket and maybe share greetings. Hi I'm Kotaro Inugami, what's your name?"
"Tiffania… Westwood," she timidly replied.
He handed the wand back to her, "Just curious, but what was that spell going to do? That chant didn't seem familiar and though it couldn't have harmed me, I wonder what it does."
"Couldn't hurt you? How did you know?"
In response the hanyo warned, "Please don't be frightened of what you're about to see," and he flicked up his canine ears from against his scalp and wagged his tail. "I'm half Inugami, dog spirit, any wounds I take heal within hours, even magic."
Awe blossomed in Tiffania's eyes, before she averted her gaze, "Do people know you're only half human?"
"Some do, there were a LOT of surprised people when they found out. A few even thought I was an elf, whatever those are, when my ears were first seen but that may have only been brief insanity 'cause I'd just kicked a noble's ass in a duel."
"You don't know what elves are?" Tiffania asked hopefully.
"Well, I've seen elves depicted two ways: either as short faeries that are handimen, similar to dwarves, or as tall, elegant, 'fair folk' who are long-lived and adept with magic. I'm guessing the elves here are the latter but I've never seen any of them, so I couldn't be sure. I wonder why people are so frightened by them. High power does not mean 'evil'."
"Does that mean you're not afraid of elves?" Tiffania's voice was soft yet thrummed with great hope.
"Why should I? The only accounts of elves I've heard were from humans who've probably never seen an elf or ever will. Not to mention that the stories only say that an elf has the advantage in a duel between an elf and a square-class mage. Square-class mages may be the highest rank and be skilled in their own right but even they are as children to me. Why should I share the fears of children?"
Tiffania's eyes were overflowing with hope but the rest of her face reflected very little of it. "Thank you for your kind words," she whispered, taking off the wide hat. The sun cast light on her completely, revealing two long pointed ears extending sideways from either side of her head. "I'm half-elf, half-human. Does that bother you, Kotaro?"
"No, regardless of who your parents are, you are you, and I don't think you would ever hurt someone out of malice."
"Oh thank you, Kotaro!" she cried before giving an enthusiastic hug.
"Omph," the hanyo grunted as two large soft objects collided against him. "That dress conceals these? Amazing. For all her petite frame these are huge. Is it like with camels, nutrients channeled into large reserves? Chizuru, you have met your match."
(Scene break)
In the end Kotaro had spent roughly a week in Westwood, the village that he'd seen from the clearing, with Tiffania. He was surprised to learn that she was the oldest resident and that she was the caretaker of the orphans who also lived there. Many of the orphans, mainly boys about to become teenagers, were leery of Kotaro for how close Tiffania got to him but the envy turned to awe after he demonstrated some of his physical prowess, like splitting wood without an ax (which had been hidden from him to make him look foolish when he went to chop firewood).
Kotaro learned of Tiffania's past and how her parents were executed for the mere fact that her mother was an elf. Tiffania herself only survived because she remembered a tune from a music box that made the knights forget about her when she chanted it. Since then, she'd kept herself isolated and cared for orphans who did not fear her. She too, was shunned by both races she was a part of, too elven for humans, not pure enough for elves.
The second night Tiffania sang into the evening, strumming a harp:
The left hand of God is Gandálfr, the ferocious shield of the lord. His left hand wields a large sword and his right hand wields a long spear, protecting me with endless vigilance.
The right hand of God is Vindalfr, the kind-hearted flute of the lord. He dominates all beasts of life, leading me through earth, sky, and water.
The mind of God is Myoznitnirn, the book that carries the crystallization of thought. It carries all knowledge and provides advice whenever I am in need.
There is one more person, but remembering its name gives me trouble…
Taking the four disciples, I came to this land…
During the song, Kotaro's thoughts moved unbidden to his home and how he might never return. Despite the growing sorrow, he steeled himself and let slip not a single tear.
(flashback end)
"Oh, you know her?" Julio asked casually as Kotaro continued to hold him threateningly.
"That's a secret, so how the Hell do you know her?" Kotaro growled. "You bastards better not harm her because of her elven descent or I'll tear a kidney and an eyeball from each and every one of you."
"Judging by your colorful language I'd say yes you know Tiffania," Julio said without losing any casualness in his voice. "We've been watching her for over a year now and are certain she's the Void of Albion. We want her to join us but every emissary we've sent has come back with two weeks of their memory gone."
"I'm thinkin' you might want a different approach. And 'join us' in what?"
"In reclaiming the Founder's birthplace, the holy land, of course. What else would we do to finish his legacy?"
"Well, good luck on your plan without Gandalfr 'cause I'm not fightin' a holy war. Just because a saint was born somewhere doesn't make that place any more special than any other place."
"I've heard you come from a vastly different world. Did you know that the best chance you have to return home lies in the holy land?"
"Doesn't mean I'll swim through an ocean of blood for you."
"You mean to tell me that you, Kotaro Inugami, 'Shadowmaster of the Eternal Howl' of the group Ala Alba, successor to Ala Rubra, and apprentice under Evangeline A.K. McDowell—"
"Apprentice to the Dark Evangel!" Louise shrieked, cutting off Julio. "Kotaro is this true?"
"Wait," Kotaro said, rubbing his forehead with his free hand, "You mean to tell me you know of Eva, as in the Doll Master, as in the Tidings of Woe? How long has she been known?"
"Of course, she's infamous but I always thought she was just a made up fairytale until now to make children behave. If she's real, then she's been around for eighty years, why?"
"I'm having a really bad feeling about this. Julio, does the name or title 'Lifemaker' sound familiar at all?"
The priest averted his gaze again, "Well…"
"Talk mister," Kotaro threatened. "Or how about Vespertatia?"
"Kotaro," Louise spoke in a concerned manner, "The Vespertatia disappeared centuries ago. There are few books that even mention them and even fewer people who'd even recognize that they were the oldest Royal family in Halkeginia, where did you learn that name?"
Kotaro severed the rope that he'd bound himself and Julio together with and stood up. Pacing around, he kept murmuring "Eva, Lifemaker, Vespertatia, Two moons".
Louise looked at Julio, "Shouldn't we help him?"
"Help with what?"
"SON OF A BITCH," Kotaro yelled.
"Um, Kotaro," Louise asked nervously, "What's wrong?"
The hanyo turned with a fake smile, "Nothing Louise, I just realized exactly where I am. And it PISSES me off!"
"Master," the woman called as she kneeled. The room was just like when she had last reported, with the addition of a third person, who set her on edge through mere presence.
It was a young, white-haired man by appearance but the piercing gaze that his eyes of icy blue delivered, commanded great authority.
"What is it Myoznitnirn?" her master replied.
"Our spy has reported involvement of Romalia at the academy where Tristain's void resides."
"Already? They must have known, yeeeeeesssss. What happened?"
"When the priest arrived, Gandalfr attacked him. Further details are unknown except that the priest was released with no unharmed save for a bad bruise over one eye. If we assume the worst, Gandalfr and his master have joined Romalia's cause. We must act if we're to succeed with ours, Master."
"We must?" the bearded man parroted.
"I'm sorry, Master," the woman replied, bowing deeply, "It is not my place to give orders."
"If I may be so bold," the white-haired youth spoke out in a monotonous voice, "But I think Myoznitnirn has a point."
"You do, Averruncus? I'm surprised, yeeeeeessss, you've never taken sides before. Why now?
"This Gandalfr is different from ones in the past, he knows of magic that has not been seen since our creator was sealed. While this would not pose a problem, he's gathering followers and teaching them. We are quickly losing an advantage. If the Voids of Tristain and Romalia have truly united, then we must ally or capture the Void of Albion and their familiar, Lifdrasil, before they are recruited to the other side.
"And how would we go about that, Primum," Myoznitnirn asked contemptuously.
"I'll leave that to your master, Myoznitnirn," Primum Averruncus answered, walking towards the door, "And I'd appreciate that you don't use my first name."
As he reached the door the man paused, "I leave Lifdrasil and Albion's Void to you while I prepare for our Master's return, but remember this, 'Dynamis' is a title, and though you may bear the part of the Master's 'Code', you are replaceable if you go against Kosmo Entelechiea's objectives. That is all."
Kotaro faced his opponent in Vestri Court. The newcomer's body was entirely concealed under a brilliant white jacket that gleamed like metal. The collar reached all the way up to eye level and a three-pointed hat covered the person's head to the low brow, providing only a sliver of space between jacket and hat where the eyes were. A crowd had formed around the duelists with bets being placed, mostly on Kotaro but some on the mute fighter in the mysterious jacket.
One week had passed since the 'incident' with Julio Cesare. When the priest had been released from the diorama, popularity of Kotaro plummeted. Ala Caerula members resigned in groups, dropping the recruits from over sixty, down to a mere ten: Kotaro, Negi, Louise, Guiche, Montmorency, Malicorne, Kirche, Katie, Reynald, and Styx. Styx was a slightly muscular, green-haired flame mage who, Kotaro learned, was one of the boys at the window when Kirche tried seducing the hanyo. He seemed agreeable, having little issue with Kotaro because of the way Kotaro had turned down Kirche. Styx the Brand appeared to dislike competition for the Germanian girl.
"Terra Terra Arget Lahm" Kotaro's opponent chanted, his voice muffled but familiar. "Δόρυ Πέτρας!" (pronounced: "Doru Petras!"). A lance of stone thrust up from out of the soil in front of the jacketed individual towards Kotaro.
Kotaro severed the spike with Derflinger, "So you want lethal force now? Fine by me," he said as he rushed forward. His palm-strike mid-chest would have severely wounded a normal person, even as he held back, but his target seemed unharmed. As the strike impacted, the jacket seemed to 'fragment' into hexagonal pieces and form a barrier, only to resume being like a normal jacket a moment later.
"Great," Kotaro thought, "An opponent who can finally stand up to me in close combat, and without even using barriers. He'll make a good successor. But I have yet to teach him hand-to-hand combat."
The crowd gaped that the unknown man had survived Kotaro's attack and was still standing. The metallic 'clang' from when Kotaro's fist collided with the seemingly indestructible jacket helped solidify their awe at the new guy, whose voice sounded familiar but identity eluded all but a few, who either knew beforehand or were in unable to speak as they laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
"Howl Burst Knuckle!" Kotaro shouted, striking again but with a Ki enhanced fist, sending his opponent across the courtyard and into the wall surrounding the Academy, creating a crater in the stone from the force. The silver jacket had once again taken a beehive-like design. The jacketed figure stepped forward after a moment's pause. "Bravo," Kotaro cheered, clapping slowly, his applause the only sound heard in the courtyard. "Surely, you've gotten a lot stronger since last time, though your 'Captain's Jacket' is probably the reason, eh, Gramont. But when'd you learn that Greek spell? There's no way Negi would start with Greek spells when Latin is a lot more common."
The high collar parted to reveal Guiche de Gramont's face, startling the crowd. "It's not uncommon for nobles to know Latin, so we skipped the language lesson and went straight to spells. After I completed magic archer, he lent me free reign with that big book of everything to search for spells that I'd like to learn while he helped the others with their spellcraft. Unfortunately, all of the earth spells I found, that he could help me learn, were in Ancient Greek. Except one, but that wasn't any stronger than an arrow of light. Do you know how hard it is to read Ancient Greek? A triangle makes a 'D' sound! Plus, he blocked off the petrification spells, letting me see only Lapis Niger, Pillars of Hades, Spear of Stone, and Tearing Earth."
"That still doesn't explain how you improved so quickly," Kotaro replied. "I mean, it's great and all that you're a lot stronger than that skirt-chasing pansy I thoroughly trounced my second day here," Guiche shrunk back a little and a few giggles eminated through the crowd, "But Sagitta Magica is a spell that should require seventy plus hours to learn, then there's the Greek language and spells. I'm seeing many weeks, if not months of training to learn all of that. It's been seventeen DAYS since your training with us has started, even with help from the diorama sphere I can't see that rate of progress as 'possible' and I've seen a human child master a sinister magic developed to be incompatible with humans."
"Well there was this scroll..." Guiche started.
"Negi!" Kotaro yelled into the audience, "Did you seriously create ANOTHER Magea Erebea scroll and leave it where ANYONE could find it? That could have killed Guiche! It still could!" Guiche 'eeped' fearfully at the statement.
Negi pushed his way through the crowd, "It was a simple phantasmagoria scroll," he scowled, "All it does is allow the ones who enter it to train their minds at a faster rate. Memories could probably be shared in the mindscape if multiple people entered at once but nothing else. I can't believe you'd think that I'd be that careless, after all these years of knowing me." He turned and started to stomp away, "Oh, in addition to the phantasmagoria, Guiche has been sneaking visits to the diorama with Malicorne."
"Really? Then I guess I should reward the dutiful students with a show of a couple techniques that I've not used since getting here," Kotaro said while reaching down, smirking as his hand entered his pocket. A moment later, he withdrew his pack of cigarettes, drawing curious gazes from the crowd.
Negi looked back. "How long have you been a smoker? You do know that it's bad for you?"
"Since Takamichi died, and yes. But, hey, I'm half-Inugami, my regenerative abilities probably negate all those nasty chemicals in cigarettes," he said, putting a cigarette between his lips, "And it's one smoke a month about. Ya know, to honor him."
"There are better ways," Negi offered.
"Yeah, yeah," Kotaro replied, turning back the Guiche. With a grand gesture the hanyo waved his hand across his own face and ignited the tube of tobacco. He drew deeply, savoring the bitter smell that had been ever-present on his master. He initiated Kanka. And pocketed his hands.
Author's notes (part 2)
Haha. Big Twist, Kotaro is on Mars in the past. How will this turn out? Please review.
Terra Terra Arget Lahm- Guiche's Activation Key