Disclaimer- I don't know Negima.

Last chapter before Epilogue! :)

Enjoy!

"Colonel-han?"

"Yes?" said Al patiently. These girls were like toddlers, always asking questions.

Konoka pondered on how to phrase the sentence. "How did you end up bound to the library here?"

"I knew you'd come to that eventually," he sighed, a sigh that was only sighed by those who had suffered with the attentions of pubescent girls. "I'll have to tell this story through another man's eyes for most of it, as I wasn't conscious for a good deal."

"Wow," breathed Asuna. "That must've been one scary battle to take you down! I can't even imagine it!"

"That's very kind of you," smiled Al. "I wasn't alone, of course. Nagi and Arika-chan were with me as well. We were in Istanbul at the time..."

"What?" exploded Chisame. "You mean you really did know where Nagi was all this time?"

"No...in hindsight, it really was rather obvious, and I did have my suspicions...but in the long run, I was blind-sided, an event that doesn't happen often."

"Just tell the story," urged Konoka.

Al paused. "I don't want to tell this story twice. Why don't we invite Negi and Setsuna down to hear it too?"

"How long will that take?" asked Asuna irritably.

"Only a little while. I already asked them to come today," chuckled Al.

The girls glared at him for his joint intuition and presumptuousness. Five minutes later, a very serious-looking Negi and Setsuna burst in the door.

"Colonel-san?" yelled Negi. "Are we in time to hear the story?"

"Please, take a seat, help yourself to food..."

"Start the damn story!" bellowed Chisame, and Al looked slightly taken aback.

"Yes, yes...this was only ten years ago, as, like I said, we were in Istanbul," began Al. "I had taken to resting my real body, as we'd been in a series of strenuous battles before that, and was using a shadow of myself, the kind you saw in Mahora Budokai...I still wonder if, maybe I'd been there in person, things would've turned out differently..."

"Al!" yelled Nagi, his voice hoarse with the strain of battle. "Al, please, help! I'm sorry, but where are you?"

Al panted slightly, his hologram body flickering in and out of view. "Where's Arika?"

"I-I don't know! It's the Lifemaker, Al, the Lifemaker!"

Al thanks whatever deity there was that Arika had already given birth. This would've much worse if she was still carrying little Negi.

It was already bad enough- his real body was in pained convulsions a mile away, blood spurting from several injuries, while Nagi was getting increasingly hurt, and he wasn't even sure where Arika was in the mass of demons.

"Nagi!" called a distinctively female voice. "Nagi, I'm here!"

Al winked tiredly at Nagi, who grinned broadly at the sound of his wife's voice. Al stood his ground in front of the demons, refusing to let a single demon pass between them. His mind was slowly going black, fading in and out of consciousness, and he knew he was going to lose control of this body soon.

"Al! Al, we're in trouble!"

Al swallowed, feeling his Adam's apple bob. "Yes. I agree." he said quietly, his breathing shallow.

The Lifemaker. The Lifemaker was in front of him, and it had the body of Filius Zecht.

Al's jaw was set despite his terrible fear. This was the ultimate desecration of his closest friend. This was blasphemy, and although he could not be called a god-fearing man, this was wrong. This was more wrong than Al's own immortality, more wrong than anything he'd ever seen.

"Does this make you angry?" asked his friend-no, the Lifemaker- in Filius's monotonous voice. "Do you like seeing your own friend, Albireo?"

It sickened Al to hear Filius speak his name in that state.

"You want to hurt me, don't you? You want to break me, rip me out of this body, don't you? Why don't you give it a try?" taunted the Lifemaker.

Al forced his head away from the terrible sight, and was relieved to see Nagi, helping a limping Arika heading their way. Nagi must've seen something in Al's eyes, because he clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder reassuringly. Then he saw Zecht, and his eyes widened.

"No," he whispered.

"Yes." sneered the Lifemaker, and he stabbed Arika through the chest.

"NO!" screeched Nagi, his voice like a wounded animal. "You bastard!"

Nagi and Al ran to her side, but just as Al was going to begin healing them, Filius's body appeared at their side. He grabbed Al's arms and, with a quick snap, broke both of Al's hands. The pain hit him, and his hold on the fake body wavered.

"You really think that's going to stop me?" he asked pleasantly, his voice not betraying a sign of the extreme pain he was in.

Filius's body chuckled. "Not at all." He then split the fake body down the middle, right in front of a horrified Nagi and Arika.

"Where's the Princess?" asked the Lifemaker calmly.

"She's right here!" yelled Nagi defiantly, holding his woman.

"Not her. The real Princess. The one you call Asuna."

"Nagi..."

"Yes, Arika?" said Nagi, scared.

"Punch him. Punch him really hard." she whispered, and Nagi obeyed her orders, giving her hands one last squeeze.

It took Al a good ten minutes to get his real body to the scene of the battle, and when he did, Nagi was fighting the Lifemaker, and Arika was lying on the ground, holding desperately onto life. Al rushed to her and placed his broken hands on the wound, pouring healing energy into her.

"Thank you, Albireo-san," she said weakly. "How's the fight going?"

"I'm worried."

He wanted her to tell him that he was a fool, that they could beat him, but she did no such thing.

"Albireo-san?"

"Yes, Arika-sama?"

"I have a plan."

Her eyes were grave, and he nodded. He had had the same idea, but he didn't want to take this course of action.

"Are you prepared, Arika-sama?"

"Yes. And you? This will not be pleasant for either of us."

Al smiled, a genuine smile, and Arika was surprised to see that his real smile was so sad. "Yes. I have done more painful things."

"Not many, even in your long life."

"No, not many." he admitted.

Arika's beautiful eyes met his, and she grasped his hands. "Remember me, Albireo Imma. Please."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I will never forget you, my liege."

"Your loyalty always surprised me. I thought that an immortal man would have better things to do...but you never abandoned me...I...I have only seven soldiers..."

"...But they are the strongest seven." he finished. He kissed her forehead, then stood straight and tall.

"Albireo," called Nagi. "How is she?"

"I am very sorry, Nagi," he replied. "But we have a plan."

"What?" he said incomprehensibly.

"You will have to say your final goodbye."

"What?" cried Nagi. "Al, you were supposed to save her! What the hell, man? What-no, you're kidding-I-"

"Don't ignore your opponent," growled Al, creating a huge magical seal in the air. "Nagi, you need to get out of here. You need to leave."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sealing the Lifemaker."

"Where? Not in Arika?"

"No. But she is dying, and I need her power."

"Seal her in me! I have the power!"

"Only I can do this. I have a connection to the Lifemaker that you cannot replicate. I am very sorry."

"If I die..." whispered Nagi.

"Hmm?"

"If I die...will you use our artifact to show Negi what I'm like?"

"You life is not in danger here."

"Just promise me!"

Al nodded slightly, although he doubted he would be in any shape to do that anytime soon. He would be a little preoccupied battling the Lifemaker's soul.

He rose into the air, and Filius Zecht's body greeted him. "Hello, Albireo. You think your plan has escaped my notice? You think you can handle me?"

"With the power of a queen I can." he replied calmly.

Filius's body raised its eyebrow. "We'll see."

Al ignored the taunt and began chanting the Latin words for the extremely intricate spell he was winding around the Lifemaker, himself, and Arika. Looking down, he saw the Nagi was still there, holding his woman in his arms. Nagi would leave when he had to, he was sure of it...or at least he hoped so.

The Lifemaker continued to taunt him, talking about Filius and his past, bringing up memories long forgotten, but Al ignored him. He hadn't gotten to two thousand years of age without a lack of concentration.

He finished the chant and watched the tendrils of magic wrap their way around him, Arika, and the Lifemaker.

"So you're binding the three of us?" growled Filius's body.

"No," replied Al sweetly. "Just us. Arika must be dead by now."

Nagi was still there, but the spell didn't include him.

"You really think you can hold my power?" said the Lifemaker, amused. "I created you, after all."

Al met his gaze. "Yes. This spell came from a man more powerful than I- Filius. I trust in its ability to bind us together."

"Are you sure you want that? You will not survive intact."

"You are nothing more than a monster who creates monsters. As a monster, I must do my part in ridding this world of your presence."

Filius's lips cracked into a grin, and it was the last thing Al saw before the world went black.

Konoemon whistled a merry tune, flipping through the pages of the pornographic magazine he had hidden under his desk.

Shizuna, a college student interning for him, stuck her head through the door. "Headmaster, there's a call for you."

"A call for me? Ignore it, please."

"It's from Istanbul."

Konoemon's head perked up. "Istanbul? Isn't that where Ala Rubra are now?"

"It's about them, sir. It's a hospital in Istanbul, and they say they have an unidentified female corpse and an injured man in their care. The man's contact information in his robes led them here."

"Only two? It has to be Arika and Nagi..."

Shizuna shook her head. "Not the Thousand Master. The injured man has blue hair."

"Albireo! He's injured? I didn't know it was possible!"

Konoemon jumped to his feet with amazing agility for a man well into his seventies. "Book us two tickets to Istanbul right away."

"I already did, sir." smirked Shizuna.

Konoemon was already out the door. What the hell was going on?

The doctor led Konoemon to a private ward deep into the large hospital. "Mr. Konoe," he said in English, a common language. "We'd like to speak to you before we allow you to visit him."

"What about the corpse?" asked Konoemon, worried about Arika. "Can't I identify it?"

"Later, please," pleaded the doctor. "We're having trouble restraining the patient. A group of hikers found them in the mountains, and they were transferred here. We're the best hospital in Istanbul, but his injuries are incomprehensible...they heal themselves and them reappear an hour later...I can't describe it..."

Konoemon reached up to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's fine, I understand. If it the man I think it is, he suffers from a very unique condition."

The let him into the room, and the first thought in Konoemon's mind was that he had never seen Al look so vulnerable. He was pale, hospital gown barely covered his sweat-coated body and his hair was loose and knotted from his convulsions. He was calm now, but Konoemon could see the sweat and blood that had soaked into the hospital gown. He approached Albireo to see what was wrong, and Al let out a low, gurgling moan. Konoemon stepped back in alarm. That voice had been more demonic than it had been Albireo's, and as he watched he began shaking violently. That was only the beginning- soon Al was screaming so hard and loud that his voice cracked, and began dry-heaving at an intensity that led Konoemon to believe he had emptied the contents of his stomach long ago. Blood began spurting out of his abdomen, although Konoemon couldn't see an injury.

He put his hand on Al's bare shoulder, and Al wrenched it away, snapping his bared teeth at him. His eyes were open, but he could not see Konoemon. He was in a pain so incredible that in was on another level, otherworldly in its accessibility.

Shizuna burst into the room. "Arika's dead! Headmaster, I can't believe it!"

Konoemon nodded sharply. "We'll send for her body. It is a great loss, but we must deal with the living right now."

Shizuna's eyes widened when he saw Albireo writhing on the bed. "Is that Al?"

"Yes. I believe he has taken a demon into his body."

"But...what demon could possibly be strong enough to do that to Albireo?" gasped Shizuna.

"I don't know," Konoemon lied. "You must not breath a word of this to anyone."

"I understand," nodded Shizuna. "What do we do?"

"We're going to bring him with us," decided Konoemon. "I should be able to help him. Mahora's magical staff is strong, if we need to we can use them."

He approached Al again and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He was deathly white, and as he drew his arm back Al's hand reached out and gripped his tightly. His mouth opened and his eyes stared at him, like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Konoemon pried Al's wrist from his and growled, "Doctor! This man's wrists are broken! You didn't treat this, did you?"

The doctor entered nervously. "N-No, I'm sorry, but we couldn't get near him. Every time we tried...I'm not a superstitious man, but I felt like evil was pouring out of him. We thought he was a demon."

"No, he's just fighting one..." Konoemon sighed. "I'll carry him."

Konoemon scooped Al from the bed, hospital gown and all.

"W-What're you doing?" asked the doctor.

"We're transferring him to our hospital," reassured Konoemon. "We're the only ones who can treat him."

Konoemon cradled Al in his arms. Konoemon wasn't a big man, but Al looked fragile in his arms. "He's so light. I don't think he's doing very well. He's burning up." Konoemon propped Al's head up and blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth.

"Let's get going. I'll visit the morgue first and pick up Albireo's clothes."

'They're bloody..." protested the doctor, but they paid him no heed.

"I'll meet you out front. I have to get Al a passport, because I'm sure he doesn't have one. I have to secure a plane, too." informed Shizuna.

"No need. Ricardo's got one in the station here. We can use that one."

Shizuna agreed, although he secretly thought it was ugly.

They flew express to Mahora as quickly as possible, Albireo draped over a table in the back. Konoemon attempted to feed him but ended up getting a metal spoon bitten in half and very nearly mauled.

They immediately got Al to their hospital, and Konoemon paced the room, trying to figure out what to do. His only real option to alleviate Al of his pain would be to bind him to the World Tree, but that would be a long-lasting seal, and Konoemon didn't know how Al would feel about it. On the other hand, Al was in obvious agony and could potentially die. Al's life being in danger was not something the older man was accustomed to, Konoemon was sure, and he wanted to get the man back to his calm and sarcastic self as soon as possible.

So he waited for Al to wake up. He had to ask him what he wanted to Konoemon to do, and Konoemon was a patient man. Al had been his first friend, the first man to ever listen to him, and he was finally going to repay him.

When Al opened his eyes all he saw was a haze of blood. He blinked, and the blood ran down Al's face and onto the bed he was laying on.

Bed? He was on a bed? Where was he?

Arika! Nagi, the Lifemaker! What had happened?

"Albireo," came an voice to his left. It sounded familiar... "You're awake already?"

He choked on his words, bloody spit clogging his throat. "Where's Nagi?"

"I don't know. We didn't find him."

"You...didn't find him? But...he...didn't...die. Arika..."

"She's dead."

"Lifemaker..."

"It was him," confirmed Konoemon grimly. "Al, you're not going to be conscious for long, so I need to talk to you. Remember the home you built here a long time ago?"

His mind was so full of pain and sorrow that he had trouble concentrating. "Yes...I think so."

"Try to remember. I want to seal you under the Library, down there. The magic of the World Tree will help you recover, but it will take time."

"I...have...plenty of time." he choked out, the back of his eyeballs sizzling with heat. "You...may proceed."

"Are you sure? You will be in an unbelievable amount of pain-"

Al grunted as his organs were slowly being fried. "I'm...in pain...already. Do what you have to."

He passed out, and Konoemon gritted his teeth. This was not going to be fun.

Konoemon watched over Al personally for almost six months, even though Al was rarely conscious during this time. He cast a sealing spell over several weeks, casting a little each day, strengthening the spell and caring for Al, who was frequently dehydrated and delirious with pain. He ran his school only through name during this time, trusting the care of Mahora to others for the first and only time in his life. Albireo Imma had nurtured him to become the man he was today, and Konoemon wasn't going to let him suffer.

He thought that, and yet Albireo suffered greatly during this time. He was in a state between life and death, a state no mortal has or should ever endured. His endless battles with the Lifemaker took a huge toll on his strength, and Konoemon was aware that his willpower must be immense if he could continue to fight battles he couldn't possibly win. Konoemon's sealing spells slowly sealed the Lifemaker away, and Albireo's condition began to improve, but it saddened the old man to see his old teacher and friend like this.

But life got to him- Eishun visited him with Konoka, and Shizuna took a long vacation and Asuna caused problems at school just as Evangeline decided to take both a metaphorical and literal piss all over the Mahora's campus. Konoemon's hands were full, so as Albireo got better he was visited less and less. Konoemon would never know it, but the most painful moments of Al's recovery occurred when he wasn't there- when Albireo threw up so much that he couldn't move for days as the demonic energy dissolved his stomach, when both of Albireo's legs broke because of the pressure of the Lifemaker's energy. Albireo didn't begrudge Konoemon- he was perfectly aware of the duties belonging to a father, grandfather, and head of the biggest magical school in Japan. He suffered quietly, making sure to appear healthy and happy when Konoemon visited him. And he was happy to an extent- he was living in the house he had built for himself, reading books on every conceivable subject, and altogether living a quiet, simple life in order to keep the world safe. He was fine with this outcome, although he sincerely regretted Arika's death and Nagi's disappearance. Now he could only wait for a chance to fill his promise to Nagi and repay Konoemon for all he had done for him.

Ten years wasn't that long of a wait, not if you really thought about it. A small price to pay for saving the world.

Al finished his story and looked at Negi with amusement. "Why are you crying?"

"Y-You're so brave, Colonel-san," he stuttered. "Doing all of this to save everyone. And my mother...she died fighting. I'm so...proud of her..." Negi would've dissolved into a complete mess if Chisame and Asuna didn't knock him on the head. He recovered to smile and say, "Thank you, Colonel-san, for telling me this story. It makes me love my parents and repsect you even more."

"Wow," said Chisame grumpily. "You really drew the short end of the stick in life, didn't you, Colonel-san?"

"The price that comes with longevity."

"The others didn't really have to suffer, but you were stuck down here in pain for years and no one even knew."

Albireo didn't react. "That does not bother me much, I-"

He was cut off by Konoka, who, using Haruna's definition, glomped Al. "It's so sad! You've gone through so much!"

"I don't tell you these stories for you to pity me," reminded Al.

"Then why do you tell the stories?" asked Asuna.

"Because I am bored," replied Al sweetly. "And you happen to be nearby."

"Jerk," mumbled Asuna.

Setsuna stood up and bowed. "Thank you for your hospitality and your gift in telling us this tale. I must take my leave."

Konoka clung to her arm. "Don't go without me, Secchan!"

"See you soon, Colonel pervert!" called Asuna.

Albireo raised his teacup and expected them all to leave him alone once again, only to see Chisame still sitting at her seat.

"Don't you have to go?" he asked curiously.

She shrugged. "And do what? Update my website? I thought I'd stay here for some company."

Albireo's smile had never been more genuine.

Basically, he continues to tell them stories, but you guys don't get to hear them. XD One more chapter! :)

Reviews are love! :)