CHAPTER 45: SWORD
(Severus POV)
"Grrr… you weren't kidding when you said that, were you, Ilya?" grumbled Alice, who was still wincing in pain, having her Magic Circuits forced open . "It really hurts…"
"That is to be expected, I did warn you about it after all," said Ilya, who was trying to sound monotonous as a teacher should, but the slight break in her voice gave her worry away. "Though I also told you you can opt not to if you really didn't want to do it. I did tell you it was dangerous."
"There's no way I'm backing out," replied the former Gryffindor, determination in her voice. "If Rose can do it… there's no way for me not to be able to as well…"
Severus had watched the ordeal, and to say that he was surprised would be an understatement. No. In fact, he was quite amazed with their reactions.
The moment Ilya told them about how being a magus means to walk with death, as well as explained to them all about her magecraft, the raven-haired young man had expected the two females to look either shocked or horrified. Magecraft, from its very definition and practice, was not only dangerous; it was, as far as the current standard of magic was concerned, undoubtedly a form of Dark Arts. Being an unknown and rarely practiced branch of magic, it could only fall under that particular category. And now that Ilya had revealed this aspect to them, Severus had actually expected Alice and Rose to feel disturbed, to have doubts, and there was even the chance that they might end up leaving. And yet…
They had taken in this piece of information much better than he had anticipated. While he was inwardly pleased with this fact, Severus could not help but be surprised by the overall way they reacted. The two had accepted things quicker and better than he (and he was sure Ilya as well) had hoped they would.
So this must be what friendship is all about, thought Severus to himself.
Friendship. There could be no other reason. It was the only possible explanation for their open-mindedness and acceptance. Severus, having been around Alice and Rose for a little while now, could tell that each of them, while having some similar traits(specially their love for fighting using other weapons than a wand), had an overall different view of things, which is also probably one of the reasons why the black-haired girl was normally in constant bickering and argument with the blue-haired female. Each person, after all, has his or her own perspective of things, and normally this is what cause conflicts. Even Severus himself, while always yearning for acceptance, was actually an anti-social person at heart, who normally disliked staying in the company of others, especially if they have different interests which they want to talk about. And yet…
They had remained together, and had even become closer to each other. They had now formed strong bonds of friendship and comraderie which even Severus, had it not happened in reality, would never have believed to be possible. And the only reason for something so unlikely to have even happened…
It was because of Ilya. Yes, there was definitely something about her, and it had nothing to do with her abilities or her magic and magecraft. She was kind, and a good person at heart. She can be dishonest at times, yet that only seemed to add to the mystery that surrounds her...
She was protective of the people she cared about, the people she considered family. Ilya was extremely loyal to her friends, and would undoubtedly do everything in her power to protect the people she cared for…
And also, as Severus noticed, Ilya had charisma. Once someone got to know her a little better, it was difficult for them not to like her. At the beginning of the term, most of the students, even the Ravenclaws, as well as the teachers, had been distant, undoubtedly due to the grand spectacle she had caused, as well as the rumors that circulated around her. Yet now, as a little time had passed, the barriers had been dissolving, and she had now gained the full acceptance of her Housemates. Had she decided to go to any other House, even Slytherin, the raven-haired young man could not help but be certain that she will also be able to gain many friends there. It was only a matter of time before everyone in Hogwarts finally saw her for who she truly was: just another, normal girl. Still…
"Hmmm… I am not yet completely certain, but it seems that fire is your element Rose… and yours seem to be water, Alice…" commented Ilya in her 'Professor Emiya' voice, currently observing their two female friends, glowing lines appearing all over their body (Rose's was reddish, while Alice's was bluish like Severus').
Ignite, thought Severus, as he imagined lighting up a cauldron, activating his own Magic Circuits, before resuming his sword practice.
Now that Rose and Alice were starting to learn magecraft, he needed to speed up his training as well. Having seen them handle weapons, as well as sparred with them, Severus knew that both females had more training and combat experience than him when it comes to non-wand battles. While he currently still had the advantage, if he did not hurry, Alice and Rose were bound to surpass him, and that was something which the raven-haired young man could not allow.
In the past few weeks, he had given attention to trying to master his elemental affinity, wind, and somehow he seemed to have made some progress. However it was not enough. He still had a long way to go…
Yes, Severus Snape was a genius when it comes to inventing spells, and he was quite a fast learner even with magecraft, yet when it comes to aspects not involving magic, like sword fighting for example… well, his pace was not as fast. Still, the raven-haired young man was doing the best he can at whatever it was he had to do, and perhaps… combining everything he learned, magic or not, and using them together…
Might just do the trick…
-BREAK-
(Dumbledore POV)
"Haaaa…..huuummm… oh, excuse me," said Dumbldore apologetically, as he yawned.
It was three a.m, Friday morning. Albus Dumbledore, along with other members of the Wizengamot, were currently in the court room, waiting for the session to take place. One of the members had called for an emergency meeting, and so, despite it being very early in the morning, when most people would still be asleep, the members of the Wizard High Court had no choice but to comply by coming. Even Dumbledore, who was the Chef, had to follow protocol, as any member of the Wizengamot had the right to call for a meeting whenever they want, which was indeed, convenient.
Soon, the man responsible for this early wake-up call had arrived… and many of the wizards present could not help but feel annoyed and irritated at the sight of the person.
"Ah, Cornelius," said Dumbledore in his normal cheerful greeting, as he assisted the man, who seemed to be still half asleep. "So what is this urgent matter that cannot wait for the daylight hours to arrive?"
"What?" replied Fudge, who was obviously still in the daze. "I do not know what you are talking about."
"But did you not write this letter, Cornelius?" asked Dumbledore, as he handed a letter to Fudge, which apparently was the same as the one which the other Wizengamot members present received."
"Dear Merlin! They printed the wrong time!" exclaimed Fudge. "It was supposed to be seventeenth of September, 3p.m. in the afternoon, not 3a.m. in the morning! Still, I'm sure I checked these before I sent them out. Someone must have changed it… probably as a practical joke." Groans could be heard from among the members of the High Wizard Court, as realization dawned upon them.
"I see," said Dumbledore calmly. "Thank you for enlightening us, Cornelius. Everyone, as you can see, there has been a bit of error in the time printed on the letters. Please just inform everyone else about this mistake." And without another word, the Headmaster began walking swiftly towards the nearest fireplace.
"Albus?" inquired Fudge, but the silver-bearded man feigned not to have heard, as he hastened his steps.
This wasn't an accident… it was intentional… thought Albus Dumbledore gravely, as in an almost run, he rushed towards the fireplace, sprinkled himself with some floo powder, and shouted at the fireplace to bring him back to Hogwarts. He had an ominous feeling about the whole affair, and decided to go back to the school as at once…
"?!"
The Headmaster was surprised. For some reason, the Floo Network did not acknowledge his request. He tried again, yet it still didn't work.
"The Floo Network's currently undergoing it's weekly maintenance, Albus," panted Fudge, who had just caught up with the silver beard. "You do know that right? It's the weekly schedule."
The returning students… the mistake in the letter… and now the Floo Network…
The old Headmaster could not help but feel immensely worried, as he grabbed the nearest broomstick and started flying, intending to Apparate in front of the Hogwarts gates, at a spot that was not enchanted with the school's anti-apparition system, once he got close enough…
-BREAK-
(Ilya POV)
"ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"
It was not exactly the best way to start the day. Like always, Ilya and her friends were always up early for their early morning jog. It had already somewhat become a routine for them, and now that they have official permission from the Headmaster, they no longer needed to be careful about not getting caught on their way to the lake. This time, however, as they headed out into the courtyard…
"KYAAAA!" screamed several female voices.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN?!" shouted Alice, Rose and Severus together.
"ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"
"By the Root," cursed Ilya.
For in front of them, stood a giant of a man… no, it was definitely a giant… a towering monstrosity. It was probably between twenty to thirty feet tall, large and formidable, its savagely muscular body exposed for all to see. On its head was bronze helmet, and while they cannot yet see its face, as its back was turned to them, Ilya was sure that it was wearing an angry, vicious expression on its face, as numerous spells were sent at it, though they seem to merely glance off its tough skin.
Ilya could not help but feel somewhat awed. The sight, while not exactly pleasant, felt somewhat nostalgic, as it reminded the silver-haired girl of the Greek Hero Hercules, who had been her servant Berserker in the fifth Holy Grail War… only this time, the thing before her was even bigger and more monstrous than the Mad Warrior. For Berserker, while ilya was sure he would not be outclassed in overall performance, was a dwarf compared to the titan that was in front of her right now.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF MERLIN ARE YOU KIDS DOING HERE? GET BACK TO BED!" shouted an authorative female voice, which belonged to Professor McGonagall, who was wearing her tartan night gown, before completely removing her attention from them, as she sent Stunning Spells at the monstrosity, to no avail. As Ilya observed, there seemed to be some sort of protective enchantment surrounding the giant, not to mention the fact that it seems like the teacher was holding back.
That came as no surprise. While one of its enormous hands held a weapon… a massive, metallic, club, covered with spikes… the other hand… held a little blonde girl…
"MERLIN BE DAMNED!" shouted Professor Flitwick in an uncharacteristic growl for his small size, as he broke the Earth in front of the giant to try and stop its advance, though it only served to slow it down for a bit. The huge towering figure seemed to be in a hurry to get away from the castle, and it was heading in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
"HRAAAAAGH!" roared another voice, as a another huge figure, though only a fifth in size to the monster, attempted to tackle the titan, only to find itself deflected by whatever invisible enchantment has been placed around the giant. It was the gamekeeper, Hagrid, and unfortunately, his attempt ended with him rolling to one side helplessly.
The situation was not good. Judging from the huge cracks on the ground, it was apparent that the giant had been bringing down its club from time to time, probably to crush the little insects that were the teachers, which were annoying it. The Professors who were currently there were, McGonagall, Slughorn, Flitwick, Sprout, and Sinistra. While Ilya was sure that they probably had more powerful spells in their arsenal that can break through the enchantment, they were undoubtedly holding back, reluctant to use their full power, as the titan had a hostage in its grasp. Analyzing the situation, whoever the girl was was probably someone important, as the giant, in all its insane rage, seemed to be making sure to keep the girl alive, and it was probably under strict orders to do so, probably under threat of death or pain (and whoever can threaten such a monstrosity and make it fear for its life, enough for it to obey, must be someone powerful indeed.).
And now, with the teachers being the way they are (being pathetic), in just a little while, the giant, slowly winning its struggle, will probably be able to reach the Forest and escape with its hostage. No, that cannot be allowed to happen. The silver-haired girl knew that there was only one option available. How it managed to enter the castle, who could have helped it, how it remained undetectable, all these questions can be answered later. For now…
I guess this is the only way, sighed Ilya to herself, as she took one step forward, but found her arm grabbed firmly by another hand.
"Ilya, where do you think you're going?"
"Sev, please let go," said the white-haired girl, as she faced his boyfriend, worry written all over his face.
A painful, preciously painful moment passed, as the two looked each other straight in the eye, emerald eyes on pearly black ones, as Rose and Alice looked at her as well, with a similarly worried expression on their faces.
"Please, there is no time, I'll handle this," said Ilya pleadingly.
"You're not doing this alone," said the raven-haired young man, as their two other companions nodded in agreement.
For a moment there was silence, as Ilya contemplated on the situation…
"I have to… it's the only way…" said the white-haired girl quietly. "Please… trust me…"
Another painful moment passed. And then…
"All right, I trust you Ilya," sighed the raven-haired young man, as he loosened his grip on her arm. "But please promise me… try not to get yourself hurt…"
"I promise," said Ilya sincerely, as she started running towards the monstrously huge creature that was continuously heading for the forest.
-BREAK-
(Ilya POV)
Ilya contemplated on her options. On one hand, she could try and launch a barrage of blades at the giant, but then, the monster did have a hostage in her clutches. One miscalculation could mean her death, and the silver-haired girl was not about to let it happen. Therefore…
Ilya sighed. It was the only way.
"MS. EMIYA! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" screamed Professor McGonagall, but the silver-haired girl ignored her. Giving her any attention would only waste time.
Ilya was now standing in front of the giant, with her back to the Forbidden, the monster's escape route. There was about twenty meters between them, and under normal circumstances, the beast could close that gap in two seconds. However, the teachers were slowing it down, and thus she had an opening…
There were many weapons in her arsenal, so many swords and blades stored in her Reality Marble, that it had already reached the point when it was impossible to count. And for the particular situation at hand, there was one sword that was suited perfectly.
The silver-haired girl closed her eyes.
"Trace on…"
While it was true that she can Project swords almost instantly, it still took her a while to Trace some of the more legendary weapons in her arsenal, especially if she wanted them on a level of near flawlessness and perfection…
Ilya had actually also thought of using Kanshou and Byakuya, as they were among the higher level Noble Phanstasms which she could project instantly, but the method of using them in itself was the problem… the technique "Three Wing Crane Realm," while Ilya could already perform it, would not be a good idea. If it was Archer, he would have been able to fully control the blades in such a way to ensure that the technique would be initiated calculatedly, harming only the target. However, while Ilya is able to use it, she was still not at that level of control, and therefore using it would endanger the hostage. Therefore, there was only one other option available…
Judge the concept of creation.
Imagine the basic structure.
Replicate the material composition.
Imitate the craftsmanship.
Sympathize with the experiences of its growth.
Remake its history.
Excel in every manufacturing process.
A bright light shone momentarily, as the weapon materialized in her hand.
It was a sword. A golden sword, with a beautiful, jewel-embroidered hilt, the blade of which was one of the finest in history…
"ROOOAAAARRRR!"
As if it sensed the imminent danger, the giant, which was originally moving fully straight forward, now shifted its course sideways, to avoid the silver-haired girl who was now wielding a golden sword. However…
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA," shouted the silver-haired girl in battlecry, as she charged towards the towering monster.
"ROOOAAAARRRR!"
THUD!
The titan had sent it club flying towards Ilya. Unfortunately, while it was not exactly slow, the movement was predictable, and was therefore easy for the silver-haired bullet to dodge…
SLICE!
"ROOOAAAARRRR!"
In one powerful bound, the silver-haired girl had chopped off the giant's arm, which was holding the blonde girl hostage, as it fell in a bloody mess, the hand itself serving to cushion the fall of the hostage.
But in the time it took for the girl to land, the giant had once again lifted its club, and was about to swing it downward once again.
"Tch."
The giant seemed to have lost all sense of duty, only its survival instinct remained. Unfortunately, Ilya could not avoid the next swing. If she did, the blow would be in direct collision course with the unconscious girl, and that would only mean instant death for her...
The silver-haired girl, knowing it was the only way, focused all the prana she could into the sword, making it glow a dazzling golden light…
Saber, please lend me your strength, prayed Ilya in her thoughts, as she readied herself in a stance, before lunging forward…
"CALI-"
The giant swung down its club, with all the force it could muster…
"-BURN!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Alright, another chapter out.
Not much to say this time, except that I'm really busy, though I promise I'll try and update at least once a week.
Anyway, like always, I hope you enjoy reading this chapter...
Later then, people...