WolfGear Presents: Negima? The mage and the Gunslinger
Pairings: Negi X ku-Fei Kaede X OC
Chapter 67: freeing mother earth
I don't own Negima
Silence filled the air as Father and Son stared each other down. Negi and the others waited for Jack to start yelling at John for leaving him all those years ago, but Jack had already lived a life time without his father and had seen the future between his and his own son. He hadn't experienced it himself but having your son die and leaving only the regret that he couldn't apologize for the hurt between them. Jack decided that he didn't want that, he didn't want to fight with his father when it could be this very day that one of them dies.
Slowly Jack stepped closer to his father and embraced him. "I missed you."
John stiffed, this was the last thing he had expected. He had thought Jack would punch him or try to roast him just as he had tried to do to his father. He then just dropped it and hugged his son back. "I know and I'm sorry." Jack pulled back and gave a smile that warmed his heart then the world spun as he fell to the ground his cheek throbbing in pain. Jack had punched his father in the face.
Jack kneeled down to his father's prone form. "That was for leaving me and Jesse. From now on you'll be here with us right?" Jack threaten cracking his knuckles. John couldn't help but laugh he knew he wouldn't be left of with just a hug.
"Don't worry son. I'm not going anywhere, everything I want is right here, now let's go get your sister back." He said getting to his feet. However before they could move on there was one more thing to address. "Could take the children back to earth? I don't want to sound insulting but the enemies head are too dangerous for amateurs." John pointed to Setsuna, Konoka, Sayo, Fuuka, Fumika, Chachamaru and Kataro who had broken his arm from Obscurum's attack. "Sorry but you have to leave. Kaede and Ku Fei you two must talk with your partner's on what to do, your strength is bond by the Pactio, so it maybe more helpful if you stayed as for the rest I'm afraid you don't get a choice."
"What!"
"Be quite!" John shouted dangerously. He refused to allow them become casualties. The enemy was not just the Mage of the Beginning, it was also Shihime Aka Asta McCoy and her four kings of darkness just shear surge of power could flatten any of them into a pancake.
Jack walked next to his father and nodded. "He's right. It's time for you guys to go home, this has long since stopped being a safe adventure and for everyone's safety you have to go back to Mahora. Kaede what do you want to do?" Deep down his protective instincts wanted her to go back but that would stress their bond, if she was close to him the contact would allow to her send her strength to him and vice versa, plus she might feel insulted if he told her to go back.
She felt her heart flutter when Jack asked her what she wanted to do, it was touching that he trusted her enough to stay and fight by his side rather then send her away like the hero's in some of the old tales her parents told her. Flexing her muscles as Konoka finished healing her injuries she knew what she wanted to do.
"I'll stay by your side Jack, no matter what." Jack kissed her passionately and lifted her of her feet, even if she would be in danger he was glad she would be here with him, so then he could at least be there to protect her if needed.
Ku watched Kaede and Jack say good bye to the twins as Eva gathered them together. It was a no brainer that she wanted to stay and fight, but would Negi let her? That would probably hurt her more than any punch ever could.
Feeling Ku's conflictive feeling through their bond Negi wrapped her in his arms and held her close. "I don't want you to get hurt, but I know that it is your nature to want to fight, so if you want to stay I have on condition, though I wanted to wait till later to do this in a more formal setting." Negi leaned in close and whispered into her ear "Ku Fei will you be my one true partner?"
Ku gasped in surprise! He finally did it! He finally asked her to be his partner his only partner. Negi had told her that with probationary contracts that a wizard could almost have an infinite number of partners, but a true Pactio contract was once in a life time with only one.
"About time," Jack yelled, "I hate to rush this touching moment but we have a world to save, so I'll set up the rune for you guys." Using levitation to fly over the adoring couple Jack ignited his hand in a blaze of flame and with expert skill of a rune expert scorched the ground around the two in the complex seals of the True Pactio circle. Since Negi wasn't under a spell like he was when he and Kaede formed their pact, they wouldn't need the world tree for a boost. "It done go ahead and smooch!
Negi blushed at his friend brashness, Jack was as subtle as a falling hammer, but none the less he stared into Ku's big green eyes and leaned in close.
"Are you sure?" He asked one finally time.
"If you don't I'll never forgive you." Ku replied smiling.
Smashing their lips together passionately the rune circle light up with the familiar pink color power that was Pactio. The energy surged up ward spiraling around the two lovers, while the people on the sideline shouted cat calls as two cards floated down from the sky. On Negi's card was a picture of him clad in ancient armor holding a broadsword, Ku's was of her in Amazonian armor caring a three piece staff with blades protruding out each end.
"Cool!" Ku exclaimed boiling over with excitement over her new weapon and the fact that she and Negi were now technically engaged.
Negi watched his love coon over her new weapon, already twirling in highly advance martial arts moves, not only was the staff more lethal than her old one, it still retained its ability to change its size at will and each section could change individually. He then began inspecting his own weapon and gasped in disbelieve. The sword he was holding was none other than the legendary blade Excalibur! The very sword wielded by King Arthur himself!
Gingerly he touched the rune mark engraved on the blade they seemed to speak to him, but it was as if he was listening through a solid brick wall.
A hand clamped down hard on Negi's shoulder making him jerk in surprise! "Negi its time to get going," Jack told his friend. Negi had acquired a very powerful weapon one made up of magic to old that its true power was lost to the ages and magic like that tended to have a will of its own. Negi would have to be careful less he becomes the swords servant rather than its master.
Nodding dumbly Negi followed after the group with Ku in hand to the top of the tower. The time has come to end this game.
Meanwhile beneath the tower far below the earth a certain Mage was franticly running around trying to find a solution to this current situation. He had fused the last of his subjects into one entity and now they were all gone in an instant! He hadn't predicted the arrival of John, Ray, or any of the old heroes, including his own daughter of darkness Evangeline. This was bad the plan was going to be ruined! And he knew better then to try and face off against these odds alone. Each one of his opponents was powerful in their own right and once they released the girl it would all be over. Unless… he thought looking over to the three capsules unless he released them the three underlings of Shihime's that he had sealed, but could he control them? He was having a hard enough time controlling her and her power kept building and building, so much that it was an effort to retain control of her.
He would have to risk it, he concluded, with a chant the sealing spelling containing the three dark kings dissipated and that's when the felt something cold rip through his guts.
"Thank you for releasing them. That spell of yours would have lasted two hundred years even if I had killed you and I don't have that kind of time. But now that the seals are broken I can finally vent my hatred for you in the most unpleasant yeah I can think off." Shihime whispered seductively in the Mage's ear. "Starting by cutting away that ridiculous contract spell you placed on me. You see these claws sticking out of your belly? These were a gift from my brother; they are the slayer's claws or cuimnebbanc for soul rippers in my native tongue. Now disappear into oblivion you foolish mortal!"
In a single slash the Mage of the beginning was no more leaving only the body of its host behind one Nagi Springfield. "Dracula take him back to the castle and prepare him for experimentation. I have some ideas for this one." Shihime smirked evilly at the hero's limb form.
Dracula threw Nagi over his shoulder like sack of potatoes and bowed to his master. "At once my lady and with that he disappeared into darkness.
Shihime looked at her remaining minion and smiled revealing a set of sharp fangs. "The rest of you come with me and help me greet my brother's descendants."
The climb to the top of the tower was very dull actually. The group had expected to face fierce opinion, traps, more Fate clones, you know the stuff that usually happens, but there was none of that in fact the tower had seemed to have lost its luster. The hum of magic in the air was gone the formerly elegant walls of the fortress were grayed with age and looked ready to crumble. They didn't know if this was because of poor up keep or something else entirely.
John stepped in sync with his brothers looked to Ray. "I don't like the looks of this."
"John's right way this is way too easy," Thomas chided. He felt a sinister presence in the air, but not that of the mage or his lackeys. This was something far more evil.
Ray nodded in agreement, but he wasn't about to jinx anything by invoking Murphy's Law. "Let's just get Jesse and go from there. She's waited too long for us old folk to pussy out now."
John became stern faced at the mention of his daughter. He knew Ray was right, even if hell itself lied before them he would walk through it with no hesitation. His expression softened when he looked at Rubi who traveled just ahead of them. Even knowing she wasn't Abi it still tore at him to see his wife's face again. He briefly wondered if would be ok for him to peruse her, but stopped himself before he could thing any farther. First he had to fix his relationship with his kids first, and besides if he tried to pursue Rubi just because she looked like Abi then he might as well not bother, because there was no way she would except him if he was chasing after her sister, which she was not.
Coming up behind the three brothers were the young lovers. Kaede had her arm wrapped tightly around Jack's, she still felt a little guilty at sending the others back, but it was for their own good really, but the look of hurt on her friends faces still stung. They seemed betrayed by the fact that they were told flat out they were too weak to come with. She knew it would take a while for Setsuna, Sayo and Kataro to recover from that one.
Feeling Kaede's guilt through their link Jack spoke up. "I would have rather have them be angry at us rather than let then let them get hurt or worse because we allowed them to stay. When we get back we can apologize." He reassured her. Kaede felt her heart lighten at his works and nudged closer to his warm. Their bond was stronger than ever and even on the eve of anticipated battle she felt calm and at peace. Peeking behind her Kaede looked at Negi and Ku enjoying a similar moment.
"Time to look alive we're here." Rubi announced with a charged fist of flames she blasted the doors wide open! What they saw baffled them.
Lying in the center of gaint rings was Jesse passed out cold, but that wasn't what was baffling, the fact that just like the rest of the tower the barrier the rings formed was gone and vines had grown around in protective cocoon around the girl.
"Jesse!" John, Jack and Ray quickly ran to the girl's side. Tenderly John lifted her limb body and hugged her close a single tear formed and fell from John's eye. He had her, he had her right here in his arms for the first time in years, even if she still slept she was alive and back where she belonged.
She felt warm. She had been so cold for so long that she didn't think that she'd ever feel warmth like this the warm of being close to someone who loved you. Lazily she opened her eyes and saw the grizzled faces of her father and brother smiling lovingly down at her. She couldn't help it and cried tears of joy at the sight of them.
"Daddy, Jack!" Jesse sobbed as her father pulled Jack in to their little huddle; Jesse saw some more familiar faces and some new ones. "Uncle Ray, Uncle Thomas, Auntie Rubi!" The other two cowboys tipped their hats and smiled at their niece well Rubi waved with a matching smile.
Ray removed his hat and step closer to his niece. "It's good to see you again kiddo." He said ruffling her hair to make sure it was really her and to confirm to his old eyes that she was real.
Jesse smiled. "Good to be back, who are they?" She pointed over to Kaede, Ku and Negi.
"Oh yeah the tall girl is Kaede she is Jack's girlfriend and the other two are Ku Fei and Negi most likely they will be your brother's future in laws." All eyes turned to John at his insight. He shrugged, "What dad let me see into the oracle for few seconds."
Suddenly the sky darkened to a purple ting making everyone be on their guard. Four black rifts tore the fabric of reality and out stepped Shihime and her minions.
"Why what a touching reunion, it makes me so glad that my brother's little Chibis are back together again." Shihime foreign to cry and then grinned evilly. "Now we can finally conclude age long scheme."
"What are you talking about?" Jack demanded hatefully, his body ablaze with scorching flames thinking of the defeat the Princess of Death had given him in their last encounter.
Shihime gasped. "Oh you don't know? Jake and I had been planning this for over three decades and you all while not originally part of it now play a role." She looked over to John more practically his pocket. "And he even managed to deliver the seed without your even knowing you had it."
In a flash she disappeared and reappeared holding a small seed in between her fingers. "The seed of the Yggdrasil Tree or the world tree for some of you, now little seed it's time for you to grow!" Grasping the seed in her hand an aura of dark energy erupted from the Death princess and towered into the sky far off in the distance a tower of light formed.
"Did you know that this is the northern pole of the planet?" Shihime's voice echoed. "And on the opposite is the southern pole were Jake is with other seed and now it is time to breed life into this planet!"
Roots sprang up from the ground twisting and growing wildly around the tower eventually the roots began to take shape and within a minute a tree the size of the world tree now stood in front of the group. The bark was black as night and the cherry blossom leaves were the color of blood, while the in the south a tree of white with leaves of silver stood tall.
"Now it is your turn." Shihime bellowed. Roots sprang out of the ground grabbing hold of the McCoy family and transforming them into their Magic Erebea modes. "For one to create on must first destroy, so Vulcanus is first." Jack's power spiked as a circle of fire formed around the base of the tree.
"No don't!" He yelled, this spell its… its
Shihime laughed "Yes universitas terminus flamma (World ending flame)" The circle expanded and grew to the height of the dark world tree and then like a tidal wave flooded the world in fire. The fire consumed everything the very fabric of the magical world was being burned away, trees, landscape, oceans, people everything was engulfed in a blink of an eye.
Author's note
You have no Idea how long I've been waiting to get to this chapter and I know some of you have been waiting too. I am sorry you guys have to wait so long for these updates and I'm still not 100% satisfied with the results but you know how things go.
Also if some of you are wondering the spell used here World ending Flame is the spell that Alternate future Jack uses to destroy the world, I would reference what chapter that was in but I'm feeling lazy. So probably next week end or two I'll have another chapter unless I get a job by then.