So here we are with the eleventh chapter! Well, I know I said that it would take less time to post this time, but a series of unexpected events has befallen me... so excuse me! XD
So ... I do not have much to say ... so I leave you to the chapter! Good reading!
Chapter 11 - The White Knight
(Eva's Group)
As they left the crypt, they found the corridor in a terrible state: fragments of bones, skulls and other parts of skeleton were scattered everywhere.
It seemed that a typhoon had passed, but now everything was silent.
Then, a scream of pure terror echoed in the tunnels, followed by several explosions.
"This way!" Nagase exclaimed, with a fainted Yue still in her arms, quickly taking a variety of galleries.
After a long minute of running, they found the source of that scream: their guide lay on the floor with his throat torn out. In hand he was still holding a short stick of bone, as well as a small and scratchy transmitter.
A little further on they heard a shrill laugh, then a violent earthquake shook the walls and opening up a big hole in the ceiling.
A light beam cut through the darkness that surrounded them, and was interrupted only for a moment by a large body that covered it by passing it.
"Finally you arrive!" said a familiar voice chuckled at their feet.
"Damn, what a sight! They were ages since I saw another vampire! Especially so powerful and evil! You had to see how it has opened a second smile at that wiza... Oh! Master! You're there too."
Eva silenced the doll with a kick that sent her to the feet of Konoka, where it was collected by her.
"Quick! Let's follow him!" Takamichi commanded, jumping out of the chasm created by the beast.
As they went out, they were dazzled by the sudden light of the sun at mid-morning, and as the vision cleared, they saw only a black cab disappear down the road.
People were running all around them, which had emerged in the middle of a square, next to a large fountain.
"Damn! He escaped!" Eva railed.
"We'll deal with it later! Now back at the hotel: here soon will be filled with wizards!" Mana seriously interrupted, stopping a taxi across the street.
"So, little evil doll, now you tell us everything that the brat has sealed inside of you six hundred years ago. No turns of phrase, there is not the time."
They were all sitting in a circle around Chachazero, on the carpet in the hotel room, when Eva began the questioning, convinced that she must use all her resources to get decent answers.
For the whole trip the doll had maintained total silence, with her grinning smile on her face.
The voice that came out in response surprised everyone. It was incredibly familiar, though somewhat different, a bit less shrill: it seemed to belong to Negi.
"If you're listening to this message firstly I thank you for what you are doing, but for temporal safety reasons, to proceed I need you to confirm the current period: are you in the year of the Lord two thousand-fifth, according to the Gregorian calendar?"
"Yes." replied the girls dry.
"It's the Mahora school festival ended less than seven days?"
Again the answer was yes.
"Excellent! Now listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. I do not have enough time to repeat the whole thing a second time, then execute my instructions precisely. Well! Let's start."
(Negi's Group)
The crossing of the front line was not at all been simple: on several occasions they had to work around armed platoons or outright battlefields.
As usual, every day, that they were riding or during breaks, patiently Negi supported by Marcu held lessons: teaching and explaining the arcane arts to the interested girls and William or they corrected their spoken English, that the teacher found himself clearly see better than when they started.
After some initial reluctance, even those who already knew the magic had begun to follow with interest these insights, often intervening with targeted questions. To her great disappointment, as well Chisame had become involved in that absurd pastime, encouraged by an exuberant Chao and an insistent Kamo. William, on the other hand, immediately dived into the new field of study with joy, as well as Little Eva.
Now all they were able to invoke spells for beginners, so the teacher had decided to move on to something a bit more advanced, as some spells of protection.
"I have to say that France is really great to cross!" exclaimed Kotaro.
It was now past one month since the group of Mahora had landed in medieval Europe.
At the time they were in sight of the city of Lyon.
"Yes." Marcus replied, with a smile "But now we are close to the border of Milan. If the pitch is available on the Alps, we'll halve the time to get to Venice."
"To this I can provide now! It is enough cast a spell of divination!" Negi said, beginning to recite the formula.
"Yes. According to the words of the spirit, it is possible to pass on horseback without too much trouble." He continued after a minute of concentration.
"Hooray..." Chao said with false enthusiasm "How wonderful... we will embark earlier than expected... I can not wait..." she continued sarcastically.
"Oh! But shut up!" Chisame silenced her "And think rather to run the damn clock when we arrive!"
"Come on! Do not fight!" the teacher interjected.
"Now start, let's get into town before they close the doors."
It took another four days to reaching the pass.
Although it was a rather busy trade route, from that the innkeeper of the inn where they were housed said, they had not yet crossed any caravan on the road.
The climate had become more and more cold and windy with increasing altitude, and already the first snows began to be seen on the steep slopes of the mountains.
The scenery was breathtaking: they could see the green plains behind them for miles. If they tried, they could distinguish the various cities from which they had passed.
In front of them however, loomed large blocks of granitic mountains, gray and gloomy.
The pitch was nothing more than a dirt road barely wide to allow passage of a cart.
The wind produced a gloomy howl that was whipping the narrow passage between the peaks.
"A cheery place!" Kotaro said with a whistle, earning a dirty look from Chisame.
"I-in fact, this place puts a little shiver..." Ako confirmed, with a slight tremor in his voice.
"Do not worry, Miss Izumi! This is just a passage a bit cramped, but after I assure you that it will open in a valley far more comforting. But let us go!" Marcus told her, going.
The steep walls loomed over them as they advanced, blotting out the sun and denying them that little bit of direct heat which so far had them warmed, and throwing them in an eternal twilight.
As announced by Marcus, after a few hours of trip the walls opened, allowing them to travel side by side, with more space at their sides.
The night fell quickly, and the travelers found shelter in a spacious natural cave on the road, that stretched in the heart of the mountain in which it opened.
Having tied the horses and gave them the fodder, well the boys sat down to eat a simple dinner, as well as from one month to that part they did.
While they were eating, they saw spirals of steam rise from a deeper part of the cave.
"They look like the vapor of the thermal baths... aah! How I miss a shower!" complained Ako.
"It's true ... phew! I also would like to give me a clean as it should be!"Setsuna agreed.
The other girls expressed themselves with nods.
"Enough! I'm going to see!" Chao jumped up after a few seconds.
"I'll be right! "She said, running away.
After a few tens of seconds they heard an exclamation of surprise.
"Girls! Come! Here is truly a source of hot water, ne!" echoed the voice of the Chinese from the bottom of the cave.
Incredulous, the other girls rushed towards the classmate, but while the boys were getting up to follow them, Chisame stood in front them with hands on her hips.
"Where do you think to go?" she asked, with the air of someone who knows a lot.
"You do not think to take a bath with us girls! And the idea to peek do not even jumps to mind!" she said.
With a lightning movement she gave a ram at a point about thirty inches from her, where a groan of pain arose.
"And keep at bay the rodent here. If I find him in the water, I swear that I turn him in a pair of gloves!" she said, picking up Kamo, who was trying to pass beside stealthily, before his tail were intercepted, and threw it in the hands of Negi.
"Well, see you later!" She concluded moving away.
"Sometimes she makes me really scared Aniki..." the ermine said, rubbing his tail "Almost more than the big sister ..."
"It will mean that we have our the whole evening, gentlemen!" Marcus sighed, sitting down again with an amused expression.
Setsuna relaxed while rested her back to a boulder and slid slowly into the water, dimly lit by some magical spheres.
With a sigh, she closed her eyes and let the warmth enveloped her, melting the tension and the stress caused to her by this new and upsetting world.
"Lady Konoka ..." she muttered, thinking back to her protected -no- to her friend.
She felt discouraged to the idea of not being able to see her again for another two months or more.
A splash of water hit her in the face, making her do a jump. Eva chuckled, amused and spurted again.
The swordswoman was dumbfounded by such a childish behavior by the the little girl, but then she remembered that at that time, she was actually just an infant.
She smiled, looking how Chao appeared silently behind her and grabbed her, making the tickling.
That break was definitely what was wanted: even Chisame seemed more quiet.
Chachamaru, closed in her usual silence, also watched enjoyed the scene.
The Shinmei did then to come back to relax, but as she tried to lean on, she fell back into the water.
Astonished, she stood up: the rock against which she was leaning a little before had disappeared.
Frowning, she looked around. A warm breeze lifted the hair on her neck: it was extremely nice.
With a note of wonder, she noticed that a sudden silence had fallen on the pool.
Something wet and sticky dripped on her neck, then slide down to her back and causing her a chill.
Slowly, and with wide eyes, she turned around.
She found herself staring at a series of sharp fangs long as her hand, from which dripping a thick drool.
A whiff of rancid breath came out from the jaws and ruffled the hair of the girl, now definitely terrified.
Two evil eyes, topaz color, watching her hungrily from behind the monstrous fangs.
Setsuna saw her companions on the edge of the pool, watching her undecided whether to intervene or flee.
Gathering all the courage and calm that she possessed the swordswoman moved imperceptibly one hand, hoping that her companions caught the message to leave.
Chachamaru did not seem to have the slightest intention, but seeing the terrified expression of her future Master, she decided to move away in silence.
-Well...and now...What I am supposed to do?- she wondered to herself, with a lump in throat.
The monster looked at her for a few seconds, then its jaws parted and a long forked tongue came out.
With a slow upward motion, the being slid it over the entire body of the swordswoman, who forced herself to stand motionless and to not scream only thanks to a huge effort of will.
After the creature was satisfied, the tongue was withdrawn, leaving Setsuna covered with a layer of sticky saliva.
Tilting the big head to the side, the monster took a step forward, bringing his massive body in front of the swordswoman: it was entirely covered with large black scales, instead of the front limbs, there were a couple of large wings folded, on which it rested.
The face resembled that of a large reptile, full of bony ridges and spikes.
A long barbed tail was shaking rhythmically the water.
-A wyvern! - Setsuna realized, slowly backing away a step.
The noise of a race echoed in the cave, and then stop a few steps away from her.
"Setsuna!" she heard herself called by the voice of her teacher.
Trying not to make sudden movements, the girl looked in the direction of the magician with tears of joy streaming down her face: with him there were Marcus and Kotaro, ready to do battle: the first with a long and decorated dagger in hand, the other with his claws extracted.
Shortly after, she saw William and girls.
Even the monster had turned to face the newcomers.
"I should imagine that such an aberration had made its nest between these peaks. This explains the non-use of the pass." said the Welsh wizard.
"W-what do we do, Mr. Marcus?" Negi asked, realizing the size of the creature.
It was in fact pretty much like the great dragon under the Mahora.
"I will entertain this abominable creature. You worry about your friend is away as quickly as possible, sir Negi. I would ask instead sir Kotaro to make retreat the other girls and William." quickly replied the man.
Setsuna stared at the Wyvern: it seemed undecided on what to do.
It had his head tilted and was testing the air with its tongue.
However, as it noticed kotaro give his shoulders to stave off the non-combatants, the swordswoman saw the monster muscles tense, ready to make it take a leap.
"Professor! Mr. Marcus! Go awa... "she began to scream, but the two anticipated.
With astonishing speed, Negi made a perfect Shundo that led him to her side then, taking her in his arms, he performed a second one earning him the entrance to the hallway to the main cavern.
Igne Sancta, Daemonium Fugit... Mea flamma est ardens mea arma, et voluntatem in mea immobilis gladium! Qui contra voluntatem ardet, et protegam eorum qui iurasse! Invoco te, armari miles! in the meantime had finished reciting Marcus, attracting the attention of the wyvern.
A strong burst of light flashed into the cave, momentarily blinding everyone.
As the view returned to normal, Setsuna was amazed at the sight of Welsh.
He was completely covered by a knight's armor the purest white she had ever seen.
From the sides of the winged helmet, behind the rich gilded decorations , two sapphire flickering tongues of fire flowed out.
On the back, above a heavy blue cloak, a large shield of the same color of the armor represented on it a stylized sword superimposed on a blue sun.
In his hand instead , the dagger had become a long shiny sword, wrapped in the same flame of the helmet.
As she stared fascinated by the spectacle, she felt something come gently resting on her shoulders: it was the cloak of Negi, who with a third instantaneous displacement stepped to the side of the knight.
Even the Wyvern, which recovered from the stunning, jumped with a mighty roar, throwing itself more rapidly than might be expected from its size on Marcus.
These dodged it by jumping to the side, and quickly was back on his feet.
With a scream, the man charged the beast, hitting a side and opening in it a deep gash. Negi released at the same time a series of magical darts, which shook the monster.
The latter, in reply, flicked his tail towards the little magician, who managed to deflect it with his stick at the last moment.
Marcus went to attack again, this time aiming for the long serpentine neck of the beast.
The wyvern avoided the blow quickly withdraw her head back, but the knight, instead of hitting the void, he diverted quickly the lunge, turning it into a powerful thrust straight into the chest of the dragon discovered.
Setsuna could almost see an expression of surprise in the eyes of the being that, after a few seconds of immobility, crumpled to the ground without moving.
The crystal clear water of the pool became tinged of a dark red rapidly.
Another burst of light, and Marcus was as before, with even the dagger into the creature's chest.
Of his armament, no trace.
"Wow... it was fantastic, Mr. Marcus!" Negi said "But how did you do? The armor, the swo..."
"A... Moment..." the man interrupted him panting.
Slowly, he leaned with obvious effort and sat on the body just shot down of the wyvern, to catch his breath.
"It's a spell... unique of my order." he said after a minute.
"I am a member of the Knights of the Celestial Blade, an order as old as secret, consisting of only magicians. For this I have never said a word. The Order is very active on the point of view of the extermination of the aberrations and the evil beings that harass our beloved lands."
Setsuna clutched in her cloak and approached.
"Anyway, it was great! But why you did not invoke the spell also in Castel Grey?"
"I never imagined the true power of that beast, and this is an evocation that requires a considerable amount of Mana to be maintained. Not being a magician of great potential, I have to be very sparing in using it." smiled the man.
"Now, come back to your companions. They will be worried. And you, young lady, you'd better recover your clothes and those of your friends, otherwise you risk some illness!"
-End Chapter-
Like last time, I place here the translation of the spells of the chapter!
I hope you find it useful!
Latin: Igne Sancta, Daemonium Fugit... Mea flamma est ardens mea arma, et voluntatem in mea immobilis gladium! Qui contra voluntatem ardet, et protegam eorum qui iurasse! Invoco te, armari miles!
English: "Igne Sancta, Daemonium Fugit... That my flame becomes my burning armor, and my will my unshakeable sword! Burn those who oppose my will, and make shield to those who you have sworn allegiance! I invoke you, armament of the paladin!"