Magister Negi Magi is owned by Ken Akamatsu and Kodansha Ltd. Tokyo in Japan, and by Funimation and Ballantine - DelRey in the United States, NOT by me.

I apologize for the sudden change, but due to the official lack of such, and because of events which occur this chapter, I have given Fate's Demon Mage a name; 'Irkalla.'

Song lyrics found on a public access website. They are owned by the group 'Queen,' as well as related companies and entities, not by me.

SPOILER ALERT! AU story occurring after c189.

(-)

"Obviously, some changes to the examination procedures will have to be made."
-Whelby Marcus. Chief Mage Healer, New Ostia Arena. Quoted by: Kazumi Asakura. Author of: "One Million Steps : A Journey to Megalo-Mesembria and the World Beyond."

(-)

Ala Alba in the World of Magic: Tales From the Fireside.

Chapter Forty-One: Six Armies in New Ostia. Part 03. (Day Seven.)

(-)

(Ariadne.)

As the sun rose slowly over the horizon, Jacobus Rakan sat alone on the highest point of the New Ostia Arena. Or, depending on how you defined it, nearly alone.

Sitting beside Rakan as he nursed a drink and watched the aurora-like display of energy over Old Ostia was one of Kazumi Asakura's Oculus Corvinus spy golems. Except for a short time on the second day of the War's End Celebration, the golem had been where it was now, waiting to record arena battles, or anything else its Mistress deemed necessary.

Negi Springfield had come to find him the previous night. Saying he would pay any amount Rakan might demand, he had asked him to watch over New Ostia while he and several of his Ministra went into Old Ostia to try and save his student, Ministra, and friend, Asuna Kagurazaka. Much to the surprise of Nagi's son, he had agreed to do so, saying only that they would discuss the price later. Afterwards, he had taken a bottle and come to the one place where he knew no one would be able to bother him, where he would be able to see into the ruined city, and where he would be able to talk to an old friend.

Finishing his drink, Rakan set the tumbler down, then picked up and activated the golem's communication function. "Golem six."

After a short pause, the connection was made.

"Golem Six. Go ahead."

Recognizing the masculine voice, Rakan gave a small smile. "Hey Cabot. You still working for Kat?"

"Yeah. navigating this 'nice safe ship' all over the place pays better than fighting in the arena. Hang on. I'll go get the Captain."

As he waited, Rakan watched as various work crews started coming in to prepare the arena for the first of the day's three matches.

"Adenaur here. What do you need Jack?"

Reaching back, Rakan scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry about what happened in Granicus Kat."

A sigh came over the connection. "Well, you do that every time the Prophet comes to Granicus, so we were ready for it."

Even though he knew Adenaur couldn't see it, the look on Rakan's face grew serious. "Did you ever make up with the Chairman?"

Adenaur's voice, when she answered, held a tinge of irritation. "... No."

"Never have forgiven him for missing that meeting with your parents to go buy those slaves, have you?"

"... No. ... Why are we talking about this, Jack?"

Leaning back on one arm, Rakan stared up into the morning sky. "You do know most of them were orphans, and might have gone to mine owners or worse if he hadn't picked them up, don't you?"

Now, Adenaur's irritation softened. "... Yes. I know."

"With what may happen, you should have made up. I know you still like Joseph, I can tell by the tone of your anger."

A tired sigh now sounded over the link. "... What about you and Theodora, Jack? I know she doesn't care about you being an ex-gladiator."

Turning slightly, Rakan could see across the arena and into the private suite reserved for the Third Princess of the Hellas Empire. "Palace life would be too stuffy for me. Besides, I don't think she likes me beyond being a friend. She's had the hots for Taka ever since the Ala Rubra sent him to the Hellas Empire as our representative."

"Maybe she was just trying to make you jealous."

"Maybe so..."

"... Jack..."

"Yeah..."

"What's happening isn't the Ala Rubra's fault."

Now Rakan stood, and his hair began to blow in the breeze. "Maybe not, but now Nagi's kid has to clean up our mess."

"..."

Moving over to the edge of the arena, Rakan looked down and saw Joseph Dolnegus and his entourage leaving for the contest at Pinhe Lake. "By the way Kat. Did you tell Negi who you are?"

"No. Several of his Ministra suspect who I am, but they're wrong, of course."

As the activity below him increased, Rakan thought about the pretty young girl, now ten years dead, who had slapped him on the Orca bus so long ago. "I've got things to do here Kat. Hopefully nothing will happen, but you know how that always goes for the likes of us."

A nod, felt but not seen, came over the link. "Come for a visit in Ariadne Jack, when this is all over with."

Answering with a nod he knew Katrina couldn't see, but would expect, Rakan severed the link.

(-)

(Mahora.)

Slashing loose and cutting away part of her kunoichi hakama, Kaede Nagase quickly used the strips to bind a wound in her left leg.

After two days of cat and mouse games in and around Old Ostia with her nemesis from the gate port, she had finally permitted a momentary vulnerability as part of the plan for her end game. Unfortunately, Irkalla's frustration had inspired him to a previously unseen level of speed, and he'd managed to wound her more deeply than expected. Only by the grace of her own skills, luck, and the Caerulum Tonus had she been able to escape and gain enough time to deal with the wound.

Even now, as her blood began to soak through the improvised bandages, Kaede heard the Demon Mage rampaging outside her artifact. Slashing, tearing and wreaking havoc upon the surrounding terrain in his driven attempts to find her. Irkalla had to know she was close, he could probably smell her blood, so it was only a matter of time before the Caerulum Tonus was hit and she was forced out of hiding.

Blood began dripping onto the Tatami mats of the artifact house, telling Kaede a disquieting truth. Irkalla had wounded her so badly she might eventually bleed to death. Tearing off more cloth, she wrapped it around her leg, then used a Bo-spike to tighten the wrapping to increase the direct pressure on the wound.

Finally, the bleeding slowed, though it did not stop. That was acceptable, since Kaede knew she wanted a little blood to draw her enemy in. Mat'tari had come to her thinking she was a helpless morsel who had no real chance against a dragon. Irkalla though... she was the spider, and he a wasp. Unless the appearance of vulnerability was there, he would never come willingly into her web.

(-)

After smashing another bus-sized boulder into dust, Irkalla paused to vocally vent his rage towards the open sky. Never in his life had a human, much less a Normal Worlder, lasted so long against him.

As maddening as the situation was, he had developed a certain grudging respect for Kaede Nagase.

Female mages were sometimes given the appellation 'Witch,' but this young Ministra of Negi Springfield truly deserved that title. Mundane though she might be, Kaede's ability to avoid him, while still inflicting numerous nuisance wounds, bordered on the super-natural. He would think he had her, only to discover some rock, or an Ofuda tag clasped within his grip. He would track her movements. only to find nothing at the end of the trail but the same faintly sensed presence which had existed in the alley outside the Argyre Legation. Even when he'd definitely had his hands on her, a judiciously used Bo-Spike, aimed at his eye, had forced him to let go, and she'd slipped away again.

Unfortunately for Kaede, their game was nearly at its end. Despite the fact the girl had escaped once more, he had wounded her as she did so. He could smell the wonderfully intoxicating odor of the girl's blood on the light breeze. With victory so close, if he needed to reduce everything around him to charred ash to find her, he would do so.

A sudden movement at the edge of his senses drew Irkalla's attention away from his search. Something was out there in the ruins... some presence he'd not felt since...

Almost literally at his feet, Springfield's Ministra burst from her hiding spot beneath a tattered dirt colored cloth and ran off. Momentary hesitation over the unease cause by the newly sensed presence gave Kaede a few seconds to open the distance between them, but he did not delay beyond that to follow.

Bounding around and across the splintered pillars of rock, knife-edged cliffs and dry stream beds covering the terrain she'd been fighting in over the last two days, Kaede ran with the desperation of someone just wanting to escape. Irkalla followed her, closing the distance until the maneuver needed to avoid a slash at her back caused the injured leg to collapse. Unable to arrest her fall, she tumbled out of control down a rock-strewn slope then over the edge of a water worn cliff.

Drinking in the delicious aura of panic he could feel radiating from Kaede, Irkalla brought himself down to a landing on the cliff she'd just fallen over. Leaving a trail of blood behind her, he watched as she scrambled to climb out of the sand filled watercourse. Holding out his hand, he began firing small groups of Sagita, herding the wounded girl until she found herself pinned up against a high pillar of rock.

Putting her back against the stone, Kaede drew a Gladius blade from its sheath and prepared for a last, hopeless act of defiance.

Lightly lifting off and floating down into the dry stream, Irkalla readied his claws for the long delayed, but inevitable end to the battle. "You've proven a worthy opponent, Kaede, Ministra of Negi Springfield, but this ends here."

Shivering from fear and shock, Kaede watched helplessly as the Demon Mage drew closer. Seeing the promise of a bad death in Irkalla's eyes, she altered her grip on the Gladius. Raising it into the air, she made as if to use it on herself. When the Demon Mage suddenly rushed forward, afraid she would rob him of his victory, her expression became one of triumph. "Yes. It does."

Stabbing the blade into the ground at Kaede's side produced an audible 'TUUNGG!' of something under tension snapping.

Accompanied by the crash of falling rocks, ropes running through the eyelets of Bo-spikes set firmly in the stone pillar snapped a weave of ropes out of the sand behind Irkalla. Studded with sealing Ofuda, the simple net prevented any escape until it slammed him into the now empty spot just vacated by the not so helpless Kaede.

With Irkalla shouting and promising an even more dire fate for her, Kaede took out and readied the shuriken-chain jutsu she'd used against Mat'tari.

"Bakusa! Bakuenjin!"

Flying out, the shuriken-chain jutsu wrapped itself around Irkalla and the pillar of rock, then proceeded by one last curse from the Demon Mage, detonated.

With the deafening sound of shattering rock drowning out everything else, the top of the pillar lifted slightly, then fell straight down onto its no-longer stable base. Immediately beginning to tilt towards the dry streambed Kaede had just crawled out of, it quickly gathered speed, then stuck the ledge on the far side. Crushing a large section of the cliff, it raised a blinding cloud of dust and sent out shockwaves causing secondary collapses all across the surrounding area.

As the echoes of falling rock began to fade, Kaede stood up from where all the shaking and rumbling had left her prone on the ground. Beneath the jumbled pile of crushed rock now filling the stream bed, nothing seemed to be moving. Using such a 'normal' attack had been a long shot, but anything more sophisticated in a magical or mystical sense might have been noticed. Mat'tari would certainly have been crushed to death by such a trap. With the dust continuing to settle, it slowly began to seem as if Irkalla had succumbed to the simple application of mass inherent in such a brute-force attack.

With a clack, a small rock fell down from the pile of ground-up basalt. Readying her blade again, Kaede tensed up and prepared to resume the fight.

Another stone fell from the pile, then an amorphous black form exploded from beneath the rubble. Kaede stabbed with her weapon and felt it bite deep, but that didn't prevent Irkalla from sinking the razor-sharp 'teeth' lining his gaping maw into her right arm and shoulder...

(-)

(Kosmo Entelechia. Separatists.)

Assigned by the Argyre Legation to make sure no one bothered the girls of Damashi in their suite on the last day of the War's End Celebration, Va'Chir was a Rhinoceros-man who had worked security for various clients in Argyre for nearly two decades.

Seeing a dark-skinned, spiky-haired man he didn't recognize enter the hallway containing the suite he was standing watch over, Va'Chir moved to intercept him. "Hey pal. Nobody is allowed in this hallway except guests and arena staff."

Despite the fact he was clearly out-matched him in height and mass, Jacobus Rakan gave the Rhino-man with the gold-capped horn a contemptuous look. Reaching up, he removed and pocketed his sunglasses, then much to the Rhino man's surprise, grabbed him by the collar and lifted his massive bulk off the floor. "Buddy. I OWN this arena. I can go where ever I feel like going!"

(-)

A crash nearly the equal of Master Averruncus 'Pillars of Hades' attacks crashing to the ground startled Koyomi Karenda and caused every hair on her tail to stand on end. Along with Shirabe Shido and Tamaki Ryushin, she had been making final preparations for her part in Master Averruncus plans in New Ostia. Now though, considering the shouting and other sounds of battle coming through the door of their suite, it seemed as if every member of the Ala Alba had come to try and stop them before they did!

Several heavy impacts, as if something were being slammed repeatedly to the floor, sounded just before the noise outside their suite ceased. As Shirabe signaled for Koyomi and Tamaki to ready their artifacts, all three of them could hear the sound of something massive being dragged across the floor in the hallway outside. There was brief moment of silence, then footsteps and a polite knock on the door.

After a worried look to Koyomi and Tamaki, Shirabe went forward to open the door. When she saw the one person she didn't expect filling the entrance, she immediately started backing up as he bent down to step inside.

Straightening his jacket, Rakan gave a bow of greeting to the three girls before him. "It seems there's been a most unfortunate disturbance. Since your security man is indisposed for the moment, I, Jacobus Rakan, am here as a replacement to escort the Ladies of Damashi to their viewing of the last match of the Nagi Springfield Cup."

Thinking about how convenient it was her target had come to them, Shirabe was about to order her two companions to activate their combined artifact when she glanced back and realized they where clinging to each other and cowering behind her.

Grinning at the defiant Shirabe, standing there all alone with her artifact violin, Rakan finally gave the girl a very proper but exaggerated bow. "In order to prevent any further 'incidents,' I would like to suggest the three of you to come sit with me in my private suite."

Lowering her violin, Shirabe glared briefly at Koyomi and Tamaki, then turned towards Rakan again. "Why should we?"

Standing up, Rakan moved a step closer to Shirabe. "Personally, I'd prefer not having to fight pretty girls. If it means I get to pin down three of the Kid's enemies though, then I'll pound them into the ground, and have a clear conscience doing it."

Hating to give up without a fight, Shirabe finally conceded to the looming menace Rakan represented, desummoned her artifact, and put the card away. "Very well then, after you."

Being extremely sarcastic with his body movements, Rakan bowed and shook his head again. "Oh no. 'Ladies' first. I insist."

After Koyomi and Tamaki all but ran out the door, Rakan stood back up to follow Shirabe. "I don't supposed you'd be willing to tell me where Salamander girl and that cute little Miss Side-ties are, would you?"

Shrugging and shaking her head, Shirabe returned Rakan's sarcasm through a raised eyebrow. "I have no idea! They went out earlier, and just haven't come back!"

Following the three Damashi girls down the hall and out onto the concourse leading to the private suites, Rakan gave a soft chuckle. "Ah well. Guess I'll just have to complete my collection later." With that, he began spinning a pair of red-lace panties around his right index finger.

Considering they had originally been inside her garter-belt straps, the only thing Shirabe could believe as she suddenly flushed bright red and reflexively pulled down on her skirt, was that Jacobus Rakan was as inhuman as Koyomi and Tamaki had made him out to be.

(-)

Pacing back and forth in the basement room of the Argyre Legation when Shiori had her Sprite Management System, Homura King fumed at pointless nature of the job she'd been given. Shirabe had explained to her keeping an eye on Shiori was important, but all she saw was a worthless Eru-Jin who'd done nothing but blink ever since yesterday.

Images of what seemed to be ocean going ships flashed continuously on all the holographic displays surrounding Shiori. Instead of the normal Dragons and other such she'd seen before, Homura saw fighting that seemed to be based upon the history of the Normal World.

"heh...!"

Starting at the soft sound of Shiori's voice, Homura noticed that the Eru-Jin's previously neutral expression had changed to a smile. Looking up at the holo-images, she saw one now showing nothing but a blizzard of black and white static. Why that would make Shiori happy was completely lost on her.

Getting ready to resume her pacing, Homura noticed one small image before Shiori that was completely stable. Instead of chaotic images of fighting or static, the holo-image displayed a map of New Ostia and all the major cities which surrounded it. Overlaying the map were lines connecting all the displayed cities to each other and those beyond. Moving around to the other side of the Sprite Management System, she leaned down for a closer look at a tag pointing at New Ostia.

'Chisame Hasegawa. New Ostia Arena. Visitor's Wing. Room 571. ?'

Grinning, Homura stood back up. Shiori could continue playing her games. She would go take care of Springfield's fools and prove to Master Fate who was really the more useful as a Ministra!

(-)

(Mahora.)

Concerned with a Stealth program he thought he'd detected moving through the server after the retreat of the Eru-Jin Shiori's fleet, Daiko set his A.I. attackers to patrolling for it far and wide within the Eos server. So focused was he on the task he only gave V-Chao the barest of notice when she took all the heavy attack programs and big A.I. carriers and departed for Megalo-Mesembria's servers.

One of his small A.I. carriers shattering instantly under an attack he didn't see coming told Daiko he now had bigger problems than that represented by a single loose stealth program.

Looking out from the bridge of the scout program 'ship' he controlled his small fleet from, Daiko saw the enemy ships V-Chao had been sure was going to Megalo-Mesembria entering the Eos servers from the data stream leading to Tristan. With V-Chao gone, his small group of programs was all that stood between Mistress Chiu and the serious threat those programs represented

As a Data Sprite, Daiko knew he shouldn't really be able to feel fear. Seeing in the Eru-Jin Shiori's fleet of programs the potential end of his electronic life, he wished he could acknowledge fear. That way, thoughts about running away could at least be given serious consideration.

Swiftly moving tiny paws across his control panel, Daiko modified the programming of every ship in his fleet so they would continue attacking, even if his own ship went down. Next, as another of his small A.I. carriers was hit and began sinking, he set up direct links to Mistress Chiu and V-Chao. To his Mistress, he began sending warnings, to V-Chao, calls for help.

With nothing left to do that might delay the inevitable, Daiko turned his scout programs towards Shiori's fleet. Behind him, the small A.I. carriers continued on. Having no real fighting potential except that represented by their groups of A.I. attackers, they would run towards Argyre until they reached the server and came under Mistress Chiu's direct control, or more likely, were destroyed.

Selecting the massive ship representing Shiori's Sprite Management System as his target, Daiko divided the rest of his scout programs and small groups of A.I. attackers between as many of the other ships as possible.

As the scouts closed the distance, Daiko could see that the A.I. attackers were providing some distraction, but their numbers were being steadily warn down, so that couldn't last. Just as another scout turned to use its only real weapons, a trio of virus 'torpedoes,' against one of Shiori's few remaining firewall cracker programs, the little ship was hit. The virus attacks went into the water and were on their way, but the program which launched them was hit again, in an instant, it rolled over and went down.

Dodging the increasingly accurate fire of Shiori's ships for all he was worth, Daiko still kept an eye on the white streaks of three viruses traveling through the virtual water until two of them hit the firewall cracker. When the columns of water raised by the impacts faded, part of the program's virtual image had been destroyed, and it no longer moving. Satisfied, he returned his attention to Shiori's Sprite Management System.

Coming as close as he dared, the dark muzzles of the gun barrels representing the attack routines on Shiori's control system growing increasingly large before him, Daiko finally turned and launched his ship's double quintet of virus attacks. As soon as they were away, the Eru-Jin fired, and he knew no more...

(-)

Shiori had obviously learned from the battle in Eos, and was quick programmer. When her fleet entered the Megalo-Mesembrian servers, it was proceeded by a small force of mini-A.I. attack programs.

Not feeling threatened in the least, V-Chao sent out her own A.I. attackers and made short work of the enemy. With that taken care of, she directed her fleet to start closing with Shiori's. ("Once I take care of those programs, Chisame should be free to do her work.")

As every A.I. attacker and heavy attack program she possessed began moving towards their targets, a message came for V-Chao from Daiko back in the Eos servers. He was under attack, and was requesting immediate reinforcements. Believing the message represented nothing more than the Sprite Mouse's overly cautious reaction to nuisance attacks, she acknowledged the message and continued on her path.

As V-Chao watched her A.I attackers begin swarming Shiori's fleet, Daiko's requests for reinforcement became increasingly strident.

Eventually a message came in from Chisame herself, wanting to know where it was exactly V-Chao was. That caused serious doubt about what she was doing. If Daiko was in such bad shape Chisame was asking what was going on, then maybe the fleet before her wasn't the Eru-Jin Shiori's main group of attack programs after all...

Before she could do anything else, a gonging alarm began to sound. Quickly scanning her controls, V-Chao saw something she and Chisame had believed Shiori wouldn't actually try. Thinking the Eru-Jin would want to keep all her potential routes into Argyre open, they had never expected she would use her processor overheat virus against an entire server! If the Megalo-Mesembrian servers failed with her in them, there would be no recovery from the resulting crash.

On the verge of electronic panic, and with no time to even consider saving any of the attack programs she controlled, V-Chao scanned for any connection she could use to escape. Reaching out to the first one available, she grabbed hold of it just as a flash in the distance heralded the complete failure of the Megalo-Mesembrian MahoNet servers...

(-)

(Megalo-Mesembria.)

Even after a visit by an agitated and demanding Mage Councilor with an unusual commission in the capitol guard unit, Usa-Jin Feltham Forbin didn't care who wound up in control as long as he could stay on as the supervisor for the MahoNet system servers in Megalo-Mesembria. Oh, there were a few smaller systems, several agencies within the government had them, and a few businesses, but those were nothing compared to those which served the city as a whole, and were responsible for connecting it to the rest of the Magic World. Built and installed under his direct supervision, he knew every inch of the electronic and Sprite circuitry backwards and forwards.

Feltham also knew every sound those systems were, and were not supposed to make. Returning from a short break, his refined hearing instantly detected an increase in the speed of the processor cooling fans. Rushing to his control station, he sat down and began working rapidly to find out what was going on.

Just as a system status window came up the processor overheat alarm began sounding its shrill warning. As Feltham stared in disbelief, a red flashing light came on, indicating an imminent meltdown of the processors. Reacting instantly, he flipped up a cover and smashed down on the switch which should have immediately shut everything down.

Nothing happened.

Desperately, he pried the switch up and hit it again.

Again nothing.

Before Feltham could try once more, he detected the faint scent of ozone, A cooling fan somewhere in the system threw a blade and tore itself to pieces, then the room he was in went completely black.

"No..."

Even though the emergency lighting failed as well, Feltham knew what to do by feel even in pitch blackness. After three tries attempting to restart his control panel by itself without connecting it to the main servers, he gave up. Standing, he made his way out into the lobby just as a pair of assistants came running to find him.

"Mister Forbin! What happened?"

Looking back at the closed door leading to his now quite dead system, Feltham shook his head. "Nothing we can fix right now." As the pair stared at him in disbelief, he began walking. "Come on. Whoever wins out there is going to want access to the MahoNet. The old system hasn't been disassembled yet. Let's go get it up and running again."

(-)

(Mahora.)

"Okay kid, you know the drill by now."

Holding out his arm, Kojirou Oogami watched as a Mage healer working for the New Ostia arena took a tiny blood sample, then began testing it while his investigative Sprites began an examination of his pastille disguised body. Even with that change, he was still who he was, so there were no real worries.

A short distance away, a second Mage Healer completed his own tests, and Nagi was confirmed as 'real' to the arena official responsible for making sure of such things. Rolling down his own sleeve as the first doctor finished, Kotaro gave a sigh of boredom as both Mage Healers and the attending official left the room. As they departed, the official uttered a spell, and the door sealed itself as it closed. Leaving the room now meant an automatic forfeiture.

With no other reason to keep up an act, the Dopple Nagi sat down to conserve its energy before the match.

Leaning up against a wide locker, Kotaro raised a hand and began examining his claws. What he planned to do could easily backfire. If he was wrong, and the fake they expected was on team Argyre was a real person, Natsumi would probably never forgive him... Startled by the sudden mental image of Natsumi running away from him out of fear, he shook his head as a way to clear such worries away. Straightening up, he went over and sat down next to the Dopple Nagi. "Hey. Can you really understand what might happen out there?"

Turning to face Kotaro, the Dopple Nagi nodded. "Perhaps I do not know fear as you might, Master Kotaro, but I am still part of my creators, Master Saotome and Master Ayase, as well as everyone else who helped them. Some small part of how they perceive things is a part of me, so I know 'of' fear. In any case, my programming is everything. I shall not hesitate. I only hope I may fulfill my creators expectations fully."

Hearing the roar of crowd coming down the tunnel from the arena increase, Kotaro knew the Ma-Jin Eris was walking out to do her job as the official fight announcer. Standing, he looked down at the Dopple Nagi. "Just hold out as long as you can. No matter what else happens to me, you've got to keep Fate in the Arena for as long as possible."

With a nod, the Dopple Nagi stood, then moved to lead Kojirou up the ramp to the arena, as was proper for the leader of Team Granicus.

(-)

(Kosmo Entelechia. Separatists.)

With nearly everyone in the central Arena itself, or watching what was about to happen in one of the many places one could do so around the veranda, Homura found it easy to enter the arena itself, and with just a little magic, to access the Visitor's Wing containing the room where Springfield's MahoNet Ministra should be.

After ducking into a vending area to avoid the notice of a room-service employee, Homura went back out into the hall and quickly padded her way down to room 571. Across the hall seemed to be a bunch of drunken fools watching the finale on the HD viewer in their room. Such persons were no real threat. Even if they noticed something happening in their inebriated state, she would be gone before they could do anything about it. Holding out a hand, she closed her eyes, then reached out with her heat-sensing abilities.

Two people were in the middle of the room, leaning up against some kind of table. If what Shiori said was right, that should be the Hasegawa girl and her metal golem helper. A few other people were also in the room, but Homura didn't care. So what if a few more of Springfield's Ministra or allies fried?

Clenching the extended fist, Homura took hold of every bit of air within the room. With just a thought, all of it suddenly superheated. In her mind, she could see what would be happening inside the room. Faster than it would be possible to even scream, everyone in the room would die as every bit of oxygen, including what was in their lungs, spontaneously combusted. Anything else that could burn would also ignite, simply adding to the carnage.

Maintaining her control over the magical flames to keep them contained within the room, Homura began to laugh softly at the thought of what Negi Springfield would find if he lived long enough to return to the room before Master Fate's plans came to fruition.

(-)

(Megalo-Mesembria.)

Waving to everyone in the arena, Eris thanked the foresight of Chairman Dolnegus in insisting she include sound suppressor spells in her personal magic defenses. Even with the spells at full power, her ears had still been ringing slightly after the first two rounds of the day. She would probably have to go spend some of her money on a healer after the finale, but at least she wasn't hurting from the noise of the crowd like she would have been without ANY protection! "Hey everyone! Here it is at last! The finale of the Nagi Springfield Cup! You know what that means!"

In a flash, except for a few murmurs, the arena crowd grew quiet. Slowly at first, as different areas of the arena got started before others, a beat began to build...

Thump-thump-clap,
Thump-thump-clap,

Around the arena, the beat began to grow louder...

Thump-thump-clap,
Thump-thump-clap,

(In a section of the arena near where Team Granicus would come out, three girls and one doll looked on in confusion, until the one with spiky red suddenly realized what was happening and began cajoling the others into joining in,)

Thump-thump-clap,
Thump-thump-clap,

When the beat grew to the proper volume, Eris raised her microphone.

"Buddy, you're a boy makin' big noise playing in the street
Gonna' be a big man some day
You got mud on your face
Ya' big disgrace
Kickin' your can all over the place
Singin'..."

Enthusiastically, the crowd answered her.

"We will, we will Rock you...
We will, we will Rock you..."

"Buddy, you're young man hard man shoutin' in the streets
Gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on your face
You big disgrace
Wavin' your banner all over the place..."

"We will, we will Rock you..."

With a little jump, Eris pointed sharply towards the crowd. "SING IT!"

"We will, we will Rock you..."

"Buddy, you're an old man poor man pleading with your eyes
Gonna' make you some peace some day
You got mud on your face
Big disgrace
Somebody better put you back in your place..."

"We will, we will Rock you..."

Now Eris stabbed her finger towards the other side of the arena. "SING IT!"

"We will, we will Rock you..."

Now Eris pumped her arm. "EVERYBODY!"

"We will, we will Rock you...
We will, we will Rock you!"

"ALL RIGHT!"

Lowering the microphone as an electric Bass began to play over the arena sound system, Eris closed her eyes and began moving slightly in time with the continuing 'Thump-thump-clap,' beat. When the music ended and the beat slowly shifted back into cheers and applause, she opened her eyes and pointed over towards where Team Argyre was coming out of their entry. "On this side of the arena... TEAM ARGYRE! In all recent history of the Nagi Springfield Cup, you won't find a team with a greater reputation as tournament 'Bad Boys' than the pair from Argyre!"

Even though Team Argyre's reputation meant some booing and cat-calls, enough general enthusiasm for the tournament itself existed that such things were soon drowned out.

After a short pause Eris shifted her focus and pointed in the other direction. "On this side of the arena, we once more have Team Granicus! With a reputation for chivalry and fair play, Team Granicus has certainly established itself as the 'Good Boys' during this year's Nagi Springfield Cup!"

When the crowd calmed enough for her to speak again, Eris pointed up towards a normally empty private box which was now covered in the heraldry of Megalo-Mesembria and the Governor-General of New Ostia. A tall, platinum-haired man with glasses, the Governor-General stood and began waving to the crowd. "As is his Usual practice, Governor-General Godel is here on this, the final day of the tournament, to award the title after it has been decided!"

Finally sitting, the Governor-General indicated for Eris to continue with a wave of his hand.

Nodding, Eris glanced at both gladiator teams. Seeing they were ready, she turned and started moving towards her safety area. She'd not gone two steps when she felt the whisper of a breeze as something passed across her back...

A sudden, unexpected silence descended instantly over the arena. Turning first towards Team Granicus Eris saw Nagi standing there, ready to fight, but alone... Looking towards Team Argyre, she saw something that made her have to fight to keep her lunch down... Kojirou Oogami had Shundo'd across the arena, transforming into a huge, wolf-like creature as he did so, knocked down the sand user from Argyre, and ripped the boys head off in the jaws of his previously unseen form...

tsuzuku.

(-)

Author's Notes:

Golem Six: Sixth of Kazumi Asakura's Oculus Corvinus Spy Golems. Golem Six is on the Estimated Prophet, Golem Five is on top of the arena, Golem Four was originally going to leave the Ala Alba team in Old Ostia, but after Setsuna Sakurazaki's victory against the Crow Tribe, it remained with her on the Crescent Hawk. The other three, including the Sayo Special, (Golem One,) are with Kazumi.

"Bakusa! Bakuenjin!" Kaede's explosive ofuda studded chain-jutsu used against the dragon in v23, c206 of the MSN manga. (DelRey version.)

Feltham Forbin: Amalgam of two persons involved in the creation of the fictional Super-computer named; 'Colossus.'

'We Will Rock You!' Because the imagery of tournament fighting, ('A Knight's Tale,') and to a lesser extent, gladiatorial arena fighting, ('Gladiator,') this seemed an appropriate song insert!

Chapter 42: Nautilus down.