"...through the Mirror of Fate Gabriel was able to travel from the Castle of the Damned into the land of the Necromancers, ruled by the final of the Three Lords of Shadow The Dread Necromancer." The Toy Maker did have one request for his guests. He had been devising a play telling the story of his master's journey into damnation and now he needed critiquing, not on the events of the story itself for those had been lifted straight from the texts, rather the craftsmanship and choreography of his puppets. "Immediately Gabriel saw the main base of operations of the Dread Necromancer, the fossilised remains of a Great Wyrm that had been sticking out of the side of the Mountain at the Centre of the Territory, Mount Doom!"
"That looks like the Dragon skeleton we saw on the way over here." Indeed the scenery board that the Gabriel Belmont puppet had been standing in front of had a familiar mass of bones stretching across it. "Do you think this 'Mount Doom' is part of the castle too?" Olivia had been paying rapt attention to the contents of the play, she's never been to one before after all.
"By the sounds of things the only way to enter is through the castle itself." Which meant it was effectively part of the castle now even if it wasn't before, at least that Angelica's understanding of the hell realm. "What do you think Leon?"
Leon was sitting off to the side looking at the play intently.
"I think the Gabriel Puppet's movements look a little clumsy." Leon wasn't participating in the discussion about Inferno. "Maybe I should let him watch as I scale the mountain and let him get a better idea of how climbing should work." Leon had been taking several notes for the Toy Maker. "Leon we're talking about the castle here!" Angelica snapped in annoyance.
"Short answer is, I don't know." Leon stated bluntly. "There are a bunch of different factors that dictate where Inferno connects to in Midgard but physical proximity is the biggest. Whether this 'Mirror of Fate' still exists or not has to do with the whims of the castle and its Lord. I do know that somewhere in this castle is that thing-" Leon indicated the stage which had changed its background as Gabriel was now climbing/grappling the Dragon Skeleton. "-so this Lord of the Necromancers or his forces have already been absorbed into the Castle." Leon and the Girls finished watching the play, watching the final battle taking place between Gabriel and another puppet introduced as Satan.
Satan: The Fallen Lord of Inferno.
Formerly an Angelic Lord serving a high ranking God in Paradiso, his ambitions however led him to lose his Lord and Father's favour.
'Sadly' his best efforts to the contrary Satan was one of the casualties of the Shattering War. None knows the Fallen Demon Lord's ultimate fate, or those that do aren't sharing. Some believe his soul was destroyed, others say that he has been taken prisoner by one of his rivals, most believe that he is simply biding his time until he can be resurrected.
Excerpt from Lemegeton's Guidebook of Demons
The Play ended with the tear jerking reunion of Gabriel and his wife, the artefact he had been looking for, the Mask of God, while it does allow one to commune with the dead it sadly cannot resurrect them.
"...thus Young Gabriel and his wife would remain separated, so long as he lives. Sadly fate is especially cruel to our Lord, and he would ultimately be banished from death." The Curtains closed. "But that is a tale for another time." The three members of the audience clapped at the curtain closed, the Toy Maker walking out of the control centre he had been operating to control his puppets and the stage and took a bow.
"Bravo Bravo!" Olivia naturally led the congratulations for the Toy Maker. "Our notes for you." Leon stated as he handed a note book in one hand. "And the armour designs as part of the trade." Leon stated with a second notebook.
"Well I have no interest in weapons. That's the other one." The Toy Maker accepted the gift he was given in the spirit it was given, and reciprocated with his own notebook. "Hopefully my work serves you better than I."
Olivia looked at the Toy Maker's notebook with a hungry glint in her eyes.
"Just remember that we need to give it to Nick." Leon handed Olivia the notebook to read. "Thank you very much!" Olivia gave a light bow as she put the book away. "Well I think we've had enough excitement for one day." Angelica let out a languid sigh as she stretched. "Let's head back for now. That was just the stress reliever that I needed."
"Allow me to offer my assistance." With the Toy Maker's Dragon puppet the three of them had a much easier time getting back to the Traveler than they did getting through the Guest House, thus they were able to get back to the ship rather quickly arriving at Leon's room. "Don't worry I'll have you back in no time." Leon went to the Gramophone and prepared to flip its record, however Angelica stopped him and took the record from him and put it away. "Livia, I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave." Angelica pushed Leon onto the bed, already undressing herself.
"Right." Olivia gave a knowing but awkward smile to Angelica as she took her book to leave.
"Now that you've healed some-" Angelica's armour was designed so that she could get dressed and undressed completely by herself. "I can have my way with you for a while."
Catalyst Crystals are the crystalline organs found inside of an organic body which is responsible for generating magical energy. When these crystals are formed magical sigils appear on the surface and on the surrounding flesh, of which I've been able to identify eight: Altas, Infinis, Nega, Sum, Yin, Yan, Ogama and Dako, other wise known as Balance, Eternity, Force, Peace, Youth, Wisdom, Order and Chaos. Each Sigil corresponds to another, their equal and opposite, one appearing in the crystal and another in the surrounding tissue, this creates a positive and negative reaction conducting mana from the catalyst crystal and into the surrounding flesh where it can be formed into spells.
What magic the Catalyst is capable of casting is decided by it's colour, Fire Red, Blue water, Green Wind, Brown Earth, Yellow Lightning, Black Shadow and White Healing. I have researched the catalysts extensively, using the monsters that have come to the castle as my research materials and I have been able to duplicate this phenomena artificially, encasing the crystal in a metal shell and engraving the inside of the shell with the appropriate sigils above their opposite in the crystal catalyst. The shell has a series of pumps attached to the outside of it, which pumps specialised mana retaining fluid throughout the body which through the sigils is filled with mana. Through this my puppets with the Magius Engine installed are able to use spells, under the control of the soul I've implanted into the puppet of course.
The Toy Maker's notes on the Magius Engine
Olivia had returned to the compound and had taken over one of the writing desks in the library, she was in the midst of copying the notes she took from the Toymaker. Luxion, Sarah and Nick were all in the middle of reading the information in question, forming their own hypotheses and plans based on the technical specs that they had just been given.
"It would appear that we now have the first half of the equation." Luxion summarised the group's thoughts as they turned to Nick.
"I suppose the second half is my job then." Nick cracked his neck as he went to retrieve the weapon he left leaning against the wall, a massive ballista that was more appropriate for use as an armour's weapon or a ship mounted weapon.
The Cassiopeia: The anchor-like weapon once wielded long ago against the Infernal Demon Kraken, until its wielder was defeated and sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
The weapon itself remained embedded in Kraken's body, absorbing magic power over centuries. There's also tales of this weapon's use from Japan, where a Heike general in the late Heian period is rumoured to have taken it into battle against the leader of a race of demons hiding near the ocean floor, but the truth remains unclear.
When swung, the sharpened tip is shot out on a thick chain, enabling the wielder to crush enemies from a distance, and thanks to the modifications done to it it's also a effective balistae.
Excerpt from Rodin's Weapons Catalogue
Kraken: A giant, cephalopod-like Infernal Demon who lives in the swamp known as Stygia, a swamp filled with the ichorous blood of demons and located on the far rim of Inferno.
Usually lurking at the bottom of the swamp, Kraken is said to only rise from the depths and appear on the "Day of Tears", a day that comes only once every thousand years when a rain of blood falls.
However, almost no one has ever seen its full form. It has ten tentacles, with two of them ending in sharp, anchor-like hooks that it uses to tear into prey, and its body splits open like flower petals to reveal a giant, voracious mouth.
Excerpt from Lemegeton's Guidebook of Demons
"Then I'll handle the third part then." Sarah stated as she was already perusing her list of contacts for potential customers. Nick with his shadow Affinity was the one who could survive the ultra mana rich environment of the ocean's surface and below, and paired with the Aquatic Kraken he was best suited to go to the surface and hunt the monsters therein and take their corpses back to the sky, with their catalysts inside.
There the three of them with their respective armour manufacturing facilities would take the materials Nick will collect and start building based on the Toy Maker's notes. Sarah's main job would be to get into contact with her customer base and having them provide the funds and raw materials to build custom arms and armour for their use increasing Holfort's military power and getting funds at the same time.
Angelica and Olivia spent as much time as they could on the Bernhard with Leon, Angelica's butt was starting to hurt but results spoke for themselves when a ship monster attacked them.
"You've improved." Leon commented watching the blast of fire that Angelica had produced to eliminate the monster in question, the one that had been thrice as large as usual.
"Yes. I suspect that your theory has born fruit." Angelica stated, even as she rubbed her rear.
In simple terms, the mana condensing accessory uses the fluids exchanged during intercourse to absorb and condense mana into a denser form, and until that peaked pregnancy wouldn't be possible for Angelica. So long as they weren't having sex for conception Leon proposed that Angelica's main priority should've been consuming as much of Leon's fluids as possible, in other worlds orally through her mouth and anally through the Colon, the main job of which was to absorb fluids into the body. That was the clinical explanation Leon gave Angelica, personally though she strongly suspected he just liked tormenting her, especially seeing pain, pleasure, and confusion war on Angelica's face. The down side was that as Angelica uses up this ultra dense packed mana she doesn't get it back until she has had sex again, something that she surprised herself with how much she enjoyed it. No wonder the girls at the academy were always bragging to each other about their slaves.
"I can see Alzer from here." Angelica stated as she looked on at the horizon, to the Sacred Tree that was looming over the cover of the clouds, a giant fluff mass of tree branches supporting multi-coloured leaves like some kind of avantgarde painting.
"You're giving the opening speech this year too aren't you?" Leon asked as Angelica let out a sigh.
"So I am." Which means neither of them were going to be seeing each other until tonight. "What are you going to do with them?" Angelica asked looking at the boat that the Bernhard had been dragging behind it.
"They are here to be punished after all. I will meet with the consulate and figure out what they are planning to do to punish them while they are living here, needless to say if things are not sufficient I will have to intervene." His usual attitude be damned, right now the Five Fools would be the easiest part of the headache Leon would be dealing with.
"You'll be handling them yourself?" Angelica was surprised by the statement. "You must be anticipating something truly awful." Angelica asked sounding legitimately concerned.
"You can say that." Angelica and Leon went their separate ways.
The ship soon docked in Alzer, joined by a group from the local Holfortian Embassy, led by a woman who looked familiar. Leon opted to jump off the ship instead of just climbing down.
"That's right, the Fields are border lords with Alzer." Leon noted the appearance of a mature woman with purple hair and relatively attractive features, relatively he says but the familiarity to Brad gave Leon a bad taste in his mouth.
"You are correct. I am Frankie Fou Field." The woman bowed to Leon.
"Have you been made aware of what your family's idiot has been up to?"
"Given the benefit of hindsight breaking up with-"
"Know that if your efforts are below satisfactory I have been given the final say as to how the six of them are going to be treated." Leon had opted to cut out the bush beating.
"There is a small mansion that has been prepared for us to keep an eye on the six of them." Frankie explained simply as she bowed apologetically.
"'A small Mansion?' These idiots threw the country into havoc, attacked church officials and have been general pains in my ass and you are saying that they get to live in a mansion while they're living here." Oh hell no. "Marie!" The pint sized girl immediately ran out after having been called and stood ram rod straight at Leon's side, saluting him as she mentally begged for mercy. "These folks will take you somewhere to change your Dia into Alz and after that you all can find an apartment for the six of you live in while you're here." Marie gulped at that statement. "The fools can stay in the boat until you've figured out the budget for the next year." Marie's soul was sucked from her body as her jaw dropped in horror at what Leon was saying.
"Why...?" Marie plus her band of idiots would be idiots were going to be paying rent and earning money by themselves until such a time that they have returned to Holfort, meaning that going by the existing pattern Marie would be supporting all six of them by herself, again.
"I'll receive your report about it later." Leon looked around, spotting a limousine and a woman who was dressed as the driver holding up a cardboard sign that simply read 'Blackmore.' "I have business that I need to deal with while I'm here." Leon walked to the Limousine, bar the unlikely scenario that he was being ambushed by the Forest of Ladies or pirates or some other asinine survivors from the people Leon had killed then this was likely sent by his cousins in the Raults. As Leon was thinking about the woman there to escort him raised her heard, revealing strands of blonde green hair and a familiar face.
"Hello Leon. It's nice to see you again." Louise Sera Rault gave a warm smile at Leon.
"Hello Louise." Leon would prefer the assassins.
Louise Sera Rault is one of the major antagonists of the Second game.
A bully who spends her time tormenting Noelle in her day to day life, and the daughter of Alzer's prime minister Albergue Sera Rault, which also makes her the daughter of the murderers of Noelle's parents. As much as the players may have not mourned her death her demise pushes her father off the deep end, who in the game's finale fuses with Alzer's Sacred Tree and goes on a rampage. Much as I am reluctant to do so I must recommend that Louise be kept alive at all costs, with the alternative being to deal with the second game's final boss.
Excerpt from Diary 2
Alzer was one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world, this stemmed from their energy production through their Sacred Tree, but the advance the technology that came as a result also extended to their medical technology. Inside of this first class hospital was a young man with dark green hair, laying about motionlessly on a bed while a tube down his throat worked desperately to keep him alive. The room was first class, aside from the flowers sitting a vase on the window sill the room was un-decorated, men wielding high calibre rifles were standing outside the door and high class equipment was on the inside. Nurses who had been working at the hospital for two decades and trained in the use of healing magic entered and exited the room for daily treatments that would keep the young man's muscles and other tissues in good shape for the foreseeable future. In simple terms he was receiving the best possible health care that one could receive in this entire technologically advanced country that was also supported by magic.
"Hello Mr. Leos. Time for your massage." The Nurses are encouraged to talk to the coma patients in the vague hope that they would stimulate their minds while they were asleep. Frankly speaking she didn't have a lot of hope for him, he's been here for a decade already. She's heard a rumour that someone was being flown in to try some new treatment on him but she didn't have her hopes up very high. "Shall we start... with...?" And then a loud boom echoed out from the hospital room across Alzer.
"I can't thank you enough for trying to help us Leon!" Louise bowed her head again in the back seat of the Limousine. Even if she was dressed as a driver that didn't mean that she knew how to or intended to drive.
"Leos is family after all. The Clan's numbers are still small." Leon and Leos were never that close. Even if you say that Leon lived in Alzer for a period of time he mostly just lived in the Compound, Leos in the mean time wasn't even healthy enough to play outside with Louise let alone visiting. "Frankly speaking Alzer is sleepy compared to the crap I've been dealing with in Holfort." Leon very much intended to treat this exchange program as a vacation in a nice sleepy town where he wouldn't have to worry about harassment or people and monsters trying to kill him.
A loud explosion echoed out, the Limo stopped as a mass of ice and a ball of fire streaked across the sky above them. That would be addressed later for now there was a matter of the giant hole in the hospital that they had come there in the first place for, and the beetle like demon that had appeared in the courtyard.
"A Blitz? The hell is that doing here!?" Leon asked as he looked at the monster rampaging in the courtyard with suspicion.
However Louise's train of thought was in a different direction.
"Leos!?" Louise knew very well where Leos's room was located in that hospital, and that it was not too coincidentally lined up with the area that had now been destroyed. "You-!" A witch's hat appeared on top of Louise's head, and a wand resembling a bird's leg appeared in her hand. "-BASTARD!" Louise swung her arm down and a huge bird monster appeared from thin air to pounce on the demon before pecking at it and tearing it apart, the lightning monster disappearing into shadows as a result.
Ziz: Legendary bird of the Apocalypse.
A demonic bird heralded as one of the Harbingers of the apocalypse, a Malevolent witch attempted to seize control over the creature while it was still in egg form using a space manipulating spell to fuse with it's body. Instead the Witch ended up being dragged on a wild bucking bronco ride in the form of a giant bird with no way of controlling anything happening beneath her waist.
When not fighting for control the two are a surprisingly effective team, the witch uses her power to manipulate space allowing the bird to strike from a distance with the power of its physical body, in the mean time the bird protects the witch with it's physical body and feathers that are like strands of steel.
For now the creature has yet to reach their full size and potential, so perhaps the true apocalypse is still a way off yet.
Excerpt from Lemegeton's Guidebook of Demons
"Die! Die! Die!" Louise continued to scream as she constantly called down the pecks and claws of the demonic bird that she summoned onto the head of the demon that came out of the hospital.
"Enough!" That said, Leon stopped her, grabbing her by both of her wrists in the process. "We're wasting time! There are people inside of that rubble we need to dig out, possibly including your brother. I estimated at least two things resembling demons flying away from the hospital at the time of the explosion. We need to catch them and find out why they attacked the hospital." Louise needed a moment to calm down from her panic attack/psychotic break.
"Yes. You're right." Louise recalled her bird as she prepared to go look for her brother. "We'll need the twins shape shifting, and the dogs to help look for people too!"
"That's gonna be a problem. Most of my demons are still recovering right now, the only demon I have right now is me and a big building." In which case. "It's better for me to use time magic to force the hospital back to the way it was before, then we can pick through the whole place bit by bit and rescue all the people inside." Louise nodded, she wasn't in the best condition to think rationally or use delicate magic right now. "You need to call your father and get somebody to go track down those other demons that just went through Alzer." Leon on the other hand was coolly giving logical instructions to resolve this crisis in the least amount of time with the fewest casualties, something that made Louise equal parts relieved and concerned.
"What exactly did they put you through over there?"
Leon wasn't coming back to the embassy, this was a feeling that the Five fools plus Marie had sensed as they waited inside of the Holfortian Embassy as their fates were being decided upon. Eventually Brad's aunt Frankie returned.
"The six of you are being put up in a low income home inside of Rault Territory." Frankie's voice was smooth and pleasing with a Foreigner's approximation of a French accent, or rather a Alzeran accent. "It's within walking distance of the school, and within walking distance of this." The Field woman dropped a pamphlet onto the desk separating them, if Marie's limited knowledge of Alzeran was accurate it read 'Job Seeker.' "You will be working to make the pitifully low rent and other expenses of the apartment that you will be living in, which will be divided six ways, as well as continuing to pay off your debt to the Winchester girl." Marie once again cursed the day these idiots thought it was a good idea to pick a fight with those monsters. "The five of you will not use the last names of any of your families, though you may use Lafan, nor may you use the Fou, Fia or Rapha titles." So Holfort had already decided that she had married these idiots? Great. "If any of you do, we'll know about it."
A familiar grey orb with a red lens appeared from thin air.
"Hello Lafan." Marie tensed up at the sight of her executioner.
"Hello Luxion." Marie replied weakly, fear clear on her features. Already the Five Fools were planning on how they would smash the orb, which is why they would never see it again.
"You'll be attending the Archaeology course at the school, as well as Maths, Alzeran, Science and Gym, you are going to maintain a 90% or better average." Not a request, not even a demand, but an immutable fact that would see no compromise, and not because the professors or other agents inside of the school would be going easy on them or fudging their grades. Fantastic. "You may not contact your parents or other members of your families for support other than me. Even then if you have not met the bare minimal requirements that have been set for you all, you will have none of mine. I have no idea what happened to you people that turned you all stupid." Frankie leaned into Marie's face and glared at her like she kicked her puppy. "But you will correct your idiotic behaviour one way or another, or you will be left on the streets of Alzer to die like dogs." As she said that, the room went dark. "In the interest of preventing anymore diplomatic incidents, I'll give you a list of people to avoid." Marie had an especially strong feeling that Frankie was talking to her as six semi-familiar crests appeared on a projector screen.
Much of Alzer society is defined by its connection to its Sacred Tree. We've already discussed the tree's importance to the Military and Economy of Alzer, but not it's connection to the people.
There are five different tiers of Sacred Crest, each of them given to a member of Alzer's nobility through which they can control parts of the Tree. At the top of the tier list is the Guardian Crest. The Guardian is tasked with protecting the Sacred Tree from all threats external and internal, as such only they are able to wield the tree's full power and only they have the authority to take away another person's crest.
His number two is the Priestess, if the Guardian is a warrior intercepting and eliminating threats before they can reach the tree proper then the Priestess is the caretaker listening to the tree and taking care of it's needs and getting it the supplies it needs to continue to function, technically speaking it's a higher rank than the Guardian, because unlike the other crests that are inherited only the Priestess can appoint the Guardian.
Below the Priestess is the six great families of Alzer, six noble families who rule Alzer with an Iron Fist through the power of the Sacred Crests, though each family has it's own unique crest each of the families are considered to be equals to one another.
At the bottom of the Hierarchy is the branch families, the cousins to the great families who serve as the commanders for their armies, making up for a lack of individual power with Quantity and Alzer's superior technological base.
One thing that remains true across all the crests is that they provide their wielders with perfect health and an unlimited mana supply, even when you ignore their ability to manipulate the Sacred Tree itself they remain a threat like mass produced Olivia's on their home turf.
Excerpt from Diary 2
"The members of Alzer's six great families are not to be trifled with. Not for any reason, not at any time. Do not make any verbal agreement with them. Do not accept any challenge from them. If you see their hand begin to glow then you are already dead." The Light's turned back on as Frankie finished with her explanation.
"Is this really necessary?" Jilk had a look of disbelief on his features. "I know Alzer has a reputation but-" Suddenly the floor split open, tree roots wrapped around the group of Six's necks and suspended them in the air by their necks leaving them to kick their legs in a struggle.
"Dead." A cold and dispassionate voice echoed out from behind them as its owner walked around him. The room seemed to drop several degrees and notably darkened, the dark grey on dark green haired man's eyes seemed to glow as he seated himself at Frankie's desk and rested his chin on his hands. Marie recognised the middle aged man as Albergue Sera Rault, Prime Minister/Defacto ruler of Alzer in the absence of it's Guardian/Priestess power couple, main Antagonist of the Second instalment of New Age Lovers. "Quite frankly I don't appreciate Mylene shoving six problem children onto me-" Thanks to the very woman whose office he was in, the Five Fool's reputation extended all the way to Alzer. "-if you weren't a package deal with my wife's Nephew we wouldn't even be having his conversation to begin with."
"Wait Leon is your-GAK!?" Julius's highly relevant question was interrupted by the root around his neck tightening.
"I don't appreciate being interrupted." Albergue released the choke hold on Julius before he continued. "And contrary to the opinions of my country men: I don't like war either. It's pointless, idiotic, and drags my country's name through the mud. So try not to get the life sucked out of you while you're here." With a snap of his fingers Albergue retracted the tree roots. "You are dismissed. Get out of my sight!" With that the six foreign exchange students ran out of the room, and Albergue breathed a sigh as he released his tension.
"Oi what's with you?" Frankie took the liberty of asking her friend what was bothering him. "You usually save a look like that for the Fievels."
"Apologies but the Hospital where Leos was being kept was attacked by a group of Demons." Albergue explained in a tone of voice that you'd use to apologise about a light cough he was suffering from.
"Damnit Albergue!" Frankie snapped with clear exasperation. "Is Leos okay at least!?" "I do not know. He wasn't in his bed when the hospital was searched, and the life support equipment was still there so I doubt it." Frankie walked around to Albergue's side, pulling open her desk and planting a bottle of Jack and a pack of cigarettes on her desk.
"A normal person would be at home with his wife and daughter by now." Frankie shook a cigarette loose from the pack for Albergue to take.
"There is nothing more that I want to do right now than go home and curl up on my bed and cry." Albergue explained as he took a cigarette into his mouth and lit it with magic. "Unfortunately I can't." The burn of the cigarette was neutralised by the Sacred Crest, another reminder of the duties that he would have to attend to. "Alzer won't wait for me. Every moment I spend at the head of this hellish country saddles me with some fresh mess that needs to be dealt with. Case in point." Albergue leaned forward, a murderous glint in his eyes. "I have to track down some irresponsible punk who let their pets loose in the middle of the hospital that my son has been staying at."
Review Section:
RonaldM40196867: Vampire, the 'body slowly rotting away' thing sounds a lot worst than 'never see daylight again.'
Dakota Bruder: Not my most subtle bit of foreshadowing. Mezuki: House headed Minotaur Demon, Mezuchi: River Dragon.
RedRat8: You'll notice that Erica hasn't revealed their past life relationship to Marie as of yet, at least in my story, nor has she treated her with any sort of fondness.
LaughingMan: Honestly? The worst thing that Erica would let Luxion do to her is let Marie know who Erica is, and that she wants nothing to do with him. It's not like Cereza or Jeanne had time to give anyone a lecture on the forces trying to kill them. Doable perhaps, if he gets away from the main Harem long enough. Let's just say for now it was a good thing Luxion axed that project, for everyone involved. It was.
Guest: RIP.