A/N: Okay, it's time I come clean.
This fic is actually a loose crossover between HxH and The Black Company by Glen Cook. I say loose because I've only read the first two books of the series. So though I've lifted some concepts directly, such as those of a 'free company', the' Taken', and buried sorcerers, the parallels stop there.
Of course, you do not need to have read the Black Company to enjoy or understand this fic. (I mean, we've made it this far, haven't we?)
So here is the official disclaimer: HxH and its characters entirely belong to Togashi-sensei.The concepts I'm using from the Black Company belong to Glen Cook.
How I've chosen to combine them, however, is entirely my own ideas.
If there's one thing consistent within the murky annals of history, it is the tumultuous rise and fall of power.
Before the Anarchy Wars, a dynasty of wizards had held itself rigidly in place for six generations, governing half the Yorbian continent with two iron fists. Despite that, the rule of the last Queen Regnant had been hailed as the Golden Age of Magic. Laws curbing its use had been lifted and wizards flocked to the continent to test their limits and push the boundaries. Shaking loose from old restrictions, hundreds of thousands of new rituals and spells were discovered and created. The erudition of magic grew exponentially, and with it came new understanding and new forms of mastery over the art.
However, the Queen had only liberalized the laws for her own selfish pleasures. She began to be known as the Chimera Queen, aptly named after her morbid hobby of alchemizing her children and hybridizing them with wild beasts and exotic animals to produce some of the strangest, most vile creatures the world had ever seen. Creatures that left her citizens curdled with equal amounts of fear and disgust. These chimera children were all born magicians, fueled with a primal instinct to destroy everything in their path. She died giving birth to the son that would eventually usurp the throne from his sibling.
The new King had been born with magical potential that far outweighed any of his ancestors, and though he was vastly intelligent, he was equally ruthless and held no value in human life. His rule plunged the kingdom into a dark age that left his citizens scrabbling at the dirt to stay alive.
Sedition was only natural and to assure his position, he captured ten of the most powerful wizards of his era- his siblings, his generals and even some of his enemies - and broke, bent and bridled them to his will with a terrifying seminal spell that only a wizard of his caliber could inflict.
These wizards became known as the Ten Who Were Taken, and were unstoppable wherever they went. They carried the King's will and stomped down any rebellion with a grinding force that would leave entire provinces derelict and uninhabitable for years. The memory of their malevolence was forever engraved in the land. Centuries later, people still shuddered at their name.
And Leorio was face to face with 3 of them.
Two figures had risen from the coffins, surrounded by a cloud of dust and smoke. One was a swarthy, lean man dressed in a brown rags with a hood that obscured his face. The second was a dwarf of a man, covered in dusty, khaki robes.
Leorio stumbled backwards, fell on his rear with only his arms for support underneath him. Claws jumped out from behind him and landed in front of him in a crouch, serving as a barrier between him and the newly resurrected.
To his left, Chains had collapsed, completely insensible. Fisher on his right wasn't much better. He was on his knees clutching his head in his hand and hadn't yet registered the new presences. With a dry swallow Leorio realized it was just barely him and Claws against the most powerful sorcerers the world had ever known.
"Please don't be alarmed!" Clairvoyant was trying to reassure them and failing stupendously. Her light was the only one that was still able to shine, casting their surroundings in aquamarine glow.
"Oh hell no!" Leorio said from his spot on the ground. He tried to crawl back but his arms only shook uselessly beneath him.
"Just let me explain."
"We saw the King's symbol! There's nothing to explain," Claws hissed. He had bared his arms, and his nails had grown and curved into impossibly sharp talons. Leorio still didn't feel safe.
Clairvoyant tried to take a step towards them, but something in Claws eyes must've dissuaded her and she took a step backwards instead. Behind her, the two other Taken were reorienting themselves. They moved slowly, jerking like stiff dolls. Bones audibly cracked into place after 200 years of accumulating rust and grime. Leorio felt like retching just listening to it.
Their eyes finally adjusted and they looked hazily around at the earthen chambers, eyes passing unconcernedly over the senseless bodies of his friends. They stopped when their gaze came on Clairvoyant.
"Clairvoyant! What's going on?" the smaller one demanded in a hoarse voice. He had a round, snub-nosed face and an irate expression that seemed permanently engraved into his features. Clairvoyant turned to face them, strode over to the coffins and wrapped them both in embrace.
"Oh it's been so long," she sighed into their ears and drew back to smile at them.
"What has? Where are we? Who are these blokes?"
"Um, I think we've been asleep," said the taller one. His features were indiscernible under his cowl, save for stray strands of blond hair that stuck out.
"Well, that explains the bloody coffins. How long, eh? Like 4, 5 years?"
"200 years," she informed them.
They stared at her, like they were expecting her to throw confetti and say 'April Fools!'
"Well, fuck," said the tall one when she didn't.
Fisher had finally recovered from his burnout. He got to his feet and looked around him, at Chain's unconscious form, at Claws standing guard over Leorio, then to where the three Taken were reunited.
"Um," he began.
"How rude of me," exclaimed Clairvoyant, suddenly in good spirit. "I haven't introduced you. Fisher, these are my friends. This is Corpsebinder, and this is Shadowwalker. Boys, this is Fisher. Those two over there are Doc and Claws - I think it's fairly obvious who's who. The one getting up there is Chains. They are the wizards who revived you. We owe them so many thanks."
"Weren't the Taken killed by the Trinity?" asked Fisher.
"Kid, revise your history," said Corpsebinder crossly. "We weren't killed. Just chained, buried and damned."
Chains was coming to and had managed to get onto all fours. But he was pale and shaking terribly. Claws looked behind him to Leorio and he nodded. Claws rushed to Chains' side and steadied him until he was sitting upright, though still had to lean heavily on Claws to do so.
"What… happened?" he asked, still dazed.
"You, uh – We may have revived the Taken." Claws told him slowly.
"The hell?"
Corpsebinder scoffed loudly. "May have? Kid, look at us. We're well and truly kicking. Oh and of course, thank you for that. No need to look so scared, kiddo. We're in your debt."
Claws only glared at him.
"Umm, I do not think Dollface would be happy with this," Fisher spoke up, eyes still wide with bewilderment.
"Dollface?" enquired Shadowwalker.
"We should sit down," said Clairvoyant, "and discuss all this."
"I can't believe this," said Leorio, speaking his mind. "Are we seriously about to sit down for tea with the Taken? What's next? Do you guys want giant man hugs as well? Is the King here too? Does he want some home baked cookies and a fair game of miniature golf? I'll – "
"Man sure talks a lot," interrupted Shadow.
"No one hugs the Taken," said Corpse solemnly.
"Komugi does."
"That's a blinking good thought there. Let's revive her next, shall we? I could use a hug."
"Ahem," Clairvoyant cleared her throat. "There are more important issues at hand," she said impatiently.
Leorio was slowly feeling his strength returning. He sat up straight and turned to Claws, "How long were we at it?"
"About six hours."
Claws was still in a defensive position, though most of the tension had left the room. The seven of them were interspersed around the chamber with The Taken in the centre, sitting casually on the broken coffins. They were very collected despite being just resurrected after 200 years. One might've thought they had just woken up from a nap.
"We missed lunch," reported Fisher, relaxing and sitting down cross legged.
"Really, is that's what's on your mind?" snapped Claws.
"Well, I'm starving too," said Shadow. "In fact, I'm willing to bet I'm hungrier than you lot are."
"Take you up on that," said Corpse. "I could wipe clean the entire palace kitchens, and mind you, that's a lot."
Clairvoyant began tapping her foot. "Please," she said, beginning to lose patience at their cavalier. She turned to Chains and Claws. "Are you alright, Chains? That spell you pulled at the end must've been strenuous."
"I'm okay," he said. "Just a little … shocked. Really, Claws, I'm okay. You can let go of me."
Claws let go of Chains' arm where he was holding him and helped pull him up to his feet. He didn't waver but he didn't move either.
"Hmm," said Shadow observingly. "How deep in were we interred?'
"Three barriers, and a lock," Clairvoyant replied.
"Holy shit. And they're not comatose? That's pretty darn impressive. Okay, we're back. So now what?"
"The Royal Guards were released along with me. I think it's clear what their aim is."
"Aw man. Can you put me back to sleep? I think I preferred that."
"I'm sorry," interjected Leorio. "Back up a little there. Who's doing what now?"
"We need to go over this from the beginning," Clairvoyant sighed. "Once you're all rested we should return to the Association to confer."
Chains was whispering something to Claws.
"Don't bother," Corpsebinder said in response to whatever he was saying. "You're physically and magically drained and we're some of the most powerful wizards there are. If anyone's going to be buried alive, it's you."
"Don't threaten our new friends here, octopus." said Shadowwalker
"Bugger you. He wanted to collapse the cavern so we couldn't get out."
"Listen," said Shadow addressing Chains, widening his arms amiably "Believe it or not, we're the good guys!"
"Pardon me if I have trouble doing so."
"You're excused. But we're not called the Taken just for aesthetic. Yes we were powerful – still are, mind that – and the King wanted power on his side. And what the King wants, he gets – err, takes. We had no choice in the matter."
"Then how do we know you aren't still tied to his will?"
"King's dead, ain't he? Dead men don't have wills. We are as free as sparrows now." And he fist-bumped his undead companion.
"I still don't believe this," Leorio said. He was starting to feel dizzy.
"You aren't looking so good, my friend. Is there a doctor in the house?"
"That would be me."
"Well shit. Any one got any food? That will fix you up. In fact we could all use a meal. Hey, why are the kiddos still okay?"
"I didn't take part," said Chains tersely.
"Okay, and you?" Shadow looked at Fisher.
"Umm…"
"Ooh, modest, huh? I like that. Man, looking at you, I'd say you're strong enough to be Taken. Not that you'd want to be of course. But that's a compliment."
"Um, thanks?"
Clairvoyant and Corpsebinder had been discussing something quietly until just then and returned to the main conversation.
"We realize you may not intend for us to ever leave this chamber, after knowing who we are," said Clairvoyant. "So we propose a capitulation."
"Ha!" exclaimed Leorio, to his own surprise. "The Taken, surrendering to us. This is a fine story for the ladies. Anyone got a camera? This needs to be recorded. Pics or it didn't happen, right?" He was high on the sheer incredulity of the whole situation.
They all ignored him and Clairvoyant materialized a length of golden cord.
"This should suffice?" she asked.
"You aren't telling us that that's enough to detain the Taken," said Claws suspiciously.
"No, but it does make it a little difficult for us. That's Aterian rope," pointed out Corpse.
"I still don't understand what's going on," said Fisher.
Leorio took a breath and summed it for him. "Lady here paid the company a whopping amount of gold as long as we didn't ask what the job was. Company agreed and sent her with three of their most powerful wizards – and Claws - into a deep tunnel underground where her friends were buried. Somehow or another she convinced us to commit this atrocious act of necromancy- Fisher, it's on you for the record. It turns out Lady's friends were the Taken, and also Lady is a Taken. We've revived the Taken, hell to us. Taken here have some sort of goal to achieve on account of some other Taken were also revived before just now. They still want us to help them so as a show of trust we're going back to camp with them in ropes and we're holding the reigns. Make sense, Fisher?"
"Oh ok."
"You can freak out now."
"No, I don't think they're bad people."
"Trust really is a luxury for the strong," muttered Claws.
"Clam it, Claws. If they were going to do anything to us, they'd already have done it. Besides, we might do some good! What if those other Taken are going to revive the King now or something?"
"That's exactly what they're going to do," deadpanned Clairvoyant.
Silence descended like a hammerweight.
"Holy fuck," said Leorio for the second time that night.
A/N: And with that, I officially kick the plot ball.