Not mine, not even the plot! These are just translations.
Summary:
We now enter the main part of the story. It continues from Natsuki's promise in their previous lives to be the one loving Shizuru. We now move to a somewhat Mai-Otome world with a magical twist. Do however, keep in mind this is an Alternate Universe (AU) so do not be surprise if things are different from Mai-Otome.
Note:
I've taken the liberty to include remarks to clarify certain scenes for those who are confused or would like details. (Please ignore if your imagination managed to fill in the gap because these remarks are just my own deductions and might not reflect the author's original intent) These sections are marked with (-#-); refer to bottom of chapter for details.
Entangled Love
Chapter 6 - Eternity (Part 4)
Authored by asuka
Translated by glowie
After hearing the report, the High Priest stayed quiet... noone spoke a word.
The atmosphere within the room was laden with the gravity of the matter.
After what seemed like a lifetime, the High Priest finally broke the silence.
"Shizuru, are you positively sure that the guardian is missing?"
"Yes."
"The guardian that had been protecting the Seal Stone since the beginning of time... to think that it..."
"Teacher, what would happen if the guardian is not around?"
Akane asked. She's the newest among the five who inherited the power of the columns and is the only one who didn't grew up along with Natsuki and the others. Naturally, she's the least experienced of the lot.
"The Seal Stone had been guarded by the guardian since the very beginning. It was said that its main purpose is to suppress an ancient evil. But as to what it really is even I do not know."
"I have placed a kekkai around the sacred place when I left. It should hold the black fog in place but it will not hold forever."
Shizuru said, worry evident in her usually calm demeanor. It greatly troubled her that the guardian she only had the privilege of meeting once is now nowhere to be found.
"The guardian's power transferring processes is quite similar to that of the columns. I would have known if it had taken place. Thus, I believe the guardian, Zeitlos should be alive. The utmost urgency right now is to locate Zeitlos as soon as possible! We need to hurry before it is too late."
"Understood. We will leave immediately."
Natsuki swiftly rose from her seat as soon as the words left her mouth. A woman of her words, she was always quick to act.
Just as they were getting ready to leave a commotion outside the meeting room caught their attention. The door suddenly flung open. Appearing before them is a far from composed Lazuli, the captain of the guards. Dropping down on one knee she said. "Please forgive my rudeness. Due to the gravity of the matter, I have no choice but to interrupt the meeting."
"No harm done. Please rise before you proceed."
"Hai." Lazuli obeyed, standing up she continued. "The King and his dragon knights had taken off towards the scared place."
"What!?" Shizuru exclaimed.
"If the dragon knights broke through my kekkai... the fog... I dare not imagine the damage it would cause!"
"Lazuli, gather your troops and seal the academy. Do not allow anyone to leave the area." (-1-)
Natsuki calmly ordered.
"Understood!"
Upon receiving her orders, Lazuli quickly left the room.
"Teacher, the four of us will leave now. I'm leaving the academy in your hands."
"Hai. Please be careful."
With this, the four bid their farewells to their teacher before rushing off to their dragons.
None of them could have thought that for one of them, this was to be a final farewell.
"Arghh!!! That baka! What was he thinking? Dragging his bunch of stupid knights over there!"
As soon as her dragon took off, Natsuki threw all the reserve she had to muster in front of her teacher to the winds and started a string of curses she had been holding all this while.
"I guess, it's up to our Natsuki to rescue the 'king' ne?"
"Shizuru... How could you still laugh at a time like this?"
Glaring was all she could do to a still smiling Shizuru.
"Sigh... at this point in time, even if I were to worry; it wouldn't have help the situation a single bit. In that case, I might as well face it happily. No? Hopefully, we can reach them before they broke through my kekkai."
Casting aside her playful tone, Shizuru suddenly looked seriously towards Natsuki. "However, if... the kekkai was breached, Natsuki will need to buy me time by holding back the black fog so I can re-cast another."
"I understand."
Knowing the seriousness of the matter at hand, the four did not speak further but each concentrating on urging their dragon to carry them to their destination in the shortest time possible.
Finally, the horizon opened up to reveal the sacred place. However, upon seeing the monstrosity of the black fog encompassing the whole area sent shivers up their spine. Their worst fear had come to pass.
Upon nearing the eerie fog, they were greeted by sounds of battle; their nostrils were rudely invaded by foul stench of blood. Wave after wave of crimson rain found their way onto the ground below as one after another, the battered lifeless body of the knights fell from the skies.
Those turned, whose mind was corrupted by the black fog were savagely hacking whatever that moves or whatnot, driven with the need to kill and destroy. Caught within this mindless massacre, those still sane were purely relying on their survival instincts, swinging their blades in response without any reserve towards those whom they were chatting with minutes earlier, against those whom they had shared a drink with the night before. The blood on their wounds and the tears from their faces inter-mingled but their inflictor continued their brutal onslaught of metal against flesh. Stroke by stroke it sank in without mercy or hesitation.
The heart-wrenching cries of the dying soldiers accompanied by the hollow howls of their bloodthirsty ex-comrades filled the morning skies with its spine-chilling rhythm, piecing together an eerie song of death.
Presented with the visage of hell on earth, the columns were stunned speechless.
"Shizuru! Will you be able to restore those that were turned?"
"Yes I can but I will need time and I would not be able to restore them all, maybe a few. But more importantly, I do not wish to do so..."
Her voice dropping to a whisper. Shizuru still clearly remembered the scenes that took place when she "saved" Soer yesterday. The moment his mind was restored, Soer went mad. He couldn't accept the fact that he had killed so many of his comrade. In the midst of his rampage, he attacked Shizuru and was killed by Roeun on the spot. Shizuru couldn't find any comforting words for the grieve-stricken captain who was begging for her forgiveness.
She was greatly disturbed by the incident. But as usual, she had chosen to keep it to herself. Despite finding Shizuru's quietness unsettling, Natsuki did not press her for an explanation.
"First the 'king', after which we will save whom we can."
Natsuki commanded without any hesitation. Although the 'king' had brought nothing but trouble, he is still the king. The country could not function without one. Her immediate concern is to ensure his safety.
It wasn't hard to find him. A circle of protection was formed around him; his loyal knights, determined to protect their king till their dying breath, made it easy for the columns to spot him. Saving him however,is another matter for this is also where most the action is taking place.
Summoning her powers; a blue light illuminate from her palms causing the temperature around her to freefall. With a flick of her arms, a thick wall of ice rose from the ground effectively cutting off the king and his knights from their attackers.
"Bring your men and leave this place immediately!"
Continuing her barrage of ice, she encased the crazed attackers with prisons of ice, freezing them on the spot. No matter what, they are still pretty much alive. If possible, she do not wish to kill them.
"Natsuki... I..."
Philip the Third was in a disheveled mess. His silvery white hair was damped with blood and his somewhat handsome face hung low in shame and remorse.
"Go!!"
She bellowed. Natsuki do not wish to hear another word from this person.
As if still wanting to say something... he lingered, hesitated until his loyal knights resorted to drag him away from the fray.
What's left is to clear the place, save the survivors and to hold back the frenzied attacks of the turned. The fought hard to hold back the attacks allowing Shizuru to recast her kekkai. Everyone was exhausted when it was over. All of them drained, both in body and spirit. Their magical powers almost depleted.
It wasn't until now that Natsuki noticed someone was missing.
"Mai? Where's Mai?"
"Ohh... a messenger sent news of the academy being attacked. The academy's kekkai was compromised. She had rushed back to help."
Akane replied.
"What!? Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
"Because Mai said she could handle it alone..."
"Handle it alone?! She's always very careful... why is she so rash this time?"
Scared out of her wits by Natsuki's show of anger, Akane seek refuge behind Shizuru. Her head cowering while she grabbed unto the corner of Shizuru's sleeves.
"Natsuki..."
Shizuru called out the name of the raging beauty. Upon hearing her gentle voice, Natsuki's fury was effectively halved.
"Actually, the messenger was looking for Shizuru but Mai, noticing Shizuru's exhaustion after rebuilding the kekkai volunteered to go back first to help, giving Shizuru some time to rest before rushing back to fix the academy's kekkai."
"... Baka!"
She growled as she leaped unto her dragon and rushed back towards the academy.
The two looked towards each other briefly before they too got up unto their dragons and followed Natsuki's lead.
As a bright column of red light tore towards the sky, Natsuki was overwhelmed with a nauseating dizziness. Her heart stilled and her mind went blank. It took all she could muster to hold herself steady in her seat so as not to fall off her dragon.
Shizuru squeeze shut her eyes in pain whereas Akane sobbed uncontrollably.
All three of them knew too well what that column of light signifies. That was a sign that a transfer of power had just taken place, a transfer of power from a fallen commrade to its new vessel. They themselves were once participant in such a process, when they were the recipient of the power from the death of its previous owner.
There could only be one person wielding the power of each element. No matter how heavily wounded a column would be, as long as they are still alive, the power transfer would not happen. The emergence of this column of light could only mean one thing. Mai Tokiha, their dear friend and comrade, the orange-haired and purple orbed maiden is no longer with them.
Only when the three reached the academy, did they found out that the kekkai protecting the academy had been broken through. The walls surrounding the perimeter lay in ruins while littered on the ground were bodies of the patrolling soldiers and escort guards. Found amongst these are darken bodies of turned victims. What unnerved them was the discovery of common peasants, apart from the expected dragon knights, among the many turned bodies.
They are however thankful that the damage was somewhat contained on the outer defense forts. The academy, sitting in the center, seemed on the most part untouched. Although there were students who were wounded, there were no casualties.
Upon being notified of their return, Lazuli immediately rushed over to them.
"Forgive me! Due to my incompetence, I've failed to ensure Mai-sama's safety..."
Lazuli was kneeling on the ground, her body shaking from grief and anger, her voice deep with regret and self-reproach.
"I am not interested in your excuses! Tell me! How did she die?"
With one hand she grasped unto Lazuli's collar and lifted her off the ground. All her grieve and anger now directed towards Lazuli; the air around her crackles with magical surges, threatening to unleash their wrath upon the captain.
"Natsuki, please..."
Shizuru approached the two and held Natsuki tightly from the back. Trying desperately to calm her down in case she do something she will regret later.
Lazuli rubbed her neck and cleared her throat before she shook her head towards Shizuru to indicate that she is alright.
"... Not long after you left, a group of turned victims attacked us. At first their numbers were negligible and were unable to break the kekkai but they then started killing each other; Spilling blood all over the holy seal, tainting it. The kekkai broke soon after. Once the kekkai gave way, they rushed in and started attacking anything that moves. More and more turned victims swamped in and most of them are peasants staying in the outskirts. Among these were relatives and friends of the soldiers. Most of our soldiers were reluctant to fight their loved ones and because of this, things quickly spiraled out of control. By the time the soldiers face the cruel fact and started to fight back, we were already in deep trouble. Everything was working against us. I was against sending for your help but seeing the desperation of the situation, I had no choice. If they had breached the final defense line and entered the academy, all the defenseless kids... I am so sorry. I did not anticipate things would turn out this way."
Lazuli knelt down again, head hung low in remorse.
"... Forget it... get up. It was never your fault."
Natsuki's low and always commanding voice for once sounded so weak and resigned.
"What happened after that?"
"Upon seeing Mai-sama's arrival, to be honest I was quite surprised as who we needed most was Shizuru-sama who is adept at creating kekkai, even if Shizuru-sama were not able to come it still shouldn't be her alone. This question kept bugging me until... when I last saw her, before she left she told me. 'Akane, being new with her powers is still not familiar with it; whereas Shizuru must stay beside Natsuki, Natsuki will be safe with Shizuru's kekkai protecting her. Thus, I came back alone.'"
"Mai... baka! You should know that your element is pure offense, you wouldn't be able to use it to defend the academy well."
Natsuki chocked upon hearing the truth, she'd never guessed that this was her reason for coming back alone. To think that she even blamed her for her rashness.
"Mai-sama wanted us to retreat. I was too caught up in the situation to question her and obeyed as she instructed. When I rushed back I saw a huge magical glyph with Mai-sama in the center. I wanted to stop her but I was too late." (-2-)
"... She... she actually used the forbidden spell."
Feeling all her strength had left her, Natsuki would have fell to the ground had Shizuru not held her up.
The forbidden spell is a powerful destructive spell meant only as a last resort. So great is its power that it will consume it's conjurer, feeding on their very life force, until nothing is left.
"How could you do it Mai? To the extend of denying us the chance to give you a proper burial."
Freeing herself from Shizuru's embrace, Natsuki staggered towards the academy.
Although Shizuru also grieved for their friend and is very worried about Natsuki, the situation did not allow her time to think about it further. She is needed to restore the academy's kekkai and she needed to do it quickly. She could only watch as Natsuki moved further away from her.
Ignoring everyone she passes, Natsuki made her way to her office.
Holding the pot of red tea prepared by Mai; the pot of tea which she had casually set aside upon Shizuru's return.
Firmly, dearly she now held it close to her chest.
Teardrops fell, one by one, they dripped upon the teapot made of clay.
"I am sorry... I am so sorry. I didn't even have the chance to tell you... The tea you made... they are delicious... Mai..."
Hugging the teapot, Natsuki sobbed. However, no matter how hard she wept, that person is no longer able to know.
TBC
Notes:
Sorry for the delay. Wanted this out earlier but was caught with TRYING to understand how to setup my LJ. Arggh... I just wanted something simple. Anyways enough of that. Hrmm... we're nearing the end... the next chapter is the last and it is long.(for my standards) I MIGHT break it to 2 chapters so I can upload it earlier but that will mean a long wait because I have to get the surprise ready by the time I upload the last chapter. Decisions... decisions...
Ohh.. about this chapter... I hope Mai lovers are faring well... (Naolin?)
2x Ohh... thanks for those who suggested names... am especially thankful to Chichibabung for suggesting to look up other languages. LOL.. silly me.. why didn't I think of that earlier? -blush-
As you can see, I've decided on the name Zeitlos... k.. i know.. it doesn't sound smooth but meaning wise, it's what I'm looking for. Basically it means timeless in German.
Also, I apologize for taking the easy way out and use the word "TURNED" for the people who are berserker-fied. Ahh.. I hated to just use "turned" to describe them but I can't think of any right now. (I kept thinking about vampires whenever I hear that word... hehehe..)
Last but not the least. Thanks for reading and taking the time to review. :)
Remarks:
1. The academy is more liken to a city than just a school. Lazuli is under the command of Natsuki and is in charge of security within the academy. She heads the guards with the academy. Roeun on the other hand is in charge of perimeter control. He heads the soldiers.
2. I don't like the way I describe the magical seal. If you've seen Fate/Stay. It's liken to what Rin used to summon Archer but way bigger. The author uses the word "Ultimate". But describing it as the Ultimate Magical Glyph sounds soo... err... fightinggameishlike for me. I am reluctant to use seal and felt glyph is more accurate. (I am a Final Fantasy fan.. go figure) But I am open for suggestions. Please let me know if there's a better word. It will so help me in future translations. Thanks.