Siblings & Mages
Hello again, hope you enjoy this chapter. Now I'm going to be honest, in saying I have not been able to find much about Louvre, other than him hording Mystic-codes, him having two children with the same name, and him dying at his own party. Which is the reason I'm writing this with him, since it gives me a bit more freedom with the start of this arc. So, warning if I do get something wrong about Louvre, I have spent the past week double checking everything I could find on him. With that said happy new year, haven't got a resolution this time.
Airfield, Norway, Saturday October 29th 2000
Alexander, having checked his equipment upon landing, disembarks the plane, and is immediately ushered into another car. His frustration having calmed down along the flight, Alexander ignoring the unexpected sight of Barthomeloi being in the same car says. "So where are we?"
Barthomeloi looking at him with an air of superiority answers. "This is the closest Airfield to the suspected location of Louvre." sighing Alexander looking away from her says "I'm not even going to bother to point out what's wrong about that statement."
"I would assume you mean the juvenile question of why I would bring you along if I was aware of Louvre's whereabouts." she says lightly resting her ridding crop on her lap. Shaking his head, no he says "No, I know that you want me to try and find his lair, not just the area it could be."
"I suppose there must have been something that drove Zeltretch to you." she says in almost praise. Shaking his head Alexander asks "So why are we even in the same car?" Gritting her teeth slightly she answers with "As much as I would rather otherwise, I must be more cautious with this hunt Louvre has escaped me before. It would not do to make him aware of my presence." she explains causing Alexander to shake his head involuntarily.
"No, if anything he might come out of his lair with whatever item he has that makes him so confident in fighting you." Alexander says before leaning back and saying. "I really need to learn the heaven's feel." Barthomeloi scoffing at him says "I highly doubt anything that... thing has could let him even the odds against me, almost as much as I doubt your ability to use the Third Magic."
"You can use a downgraded form of any true magic; it'll just be a very expensive mage-craft." he says turning his attention to outside the window. "That still does not alleviate my doubt of your ability." she says idlily checking her ridding crop, before noticing something along Alexander's arm.
"Why is your arm glowing." she asks in a way expecting an answer. Alexander rolling up his sleeve and looking at the glowing circuit patterns says "No clue, but it's Prana heavy, haven't been able to turn my circuits off since Adienfugre because of it."
"How are you still alive?" she asks her surprise clear in her face, before quickly schooling her features. "How is it that you're still functioning with your circuits in such a state." She says this time with her same superior demeanor.
Sighing Alexander says "If I focus, I can lower the unit's its producing, so besides being really hot all the time I'm fine." showing her the circuit-like patterns running up his arm. Taking a second to observe it before saying "The phenomena bares a passing resemblance with a crest."
Nodding he says "Yeah that was one of the first things I've noticed with it, but after extensive testing I've concluded that it's not a crest, still not sure what it is." nodding Barthomeloi welcoming the momentary distraction.
"Interesting, if I wasn't sure, it wouldn't pass the Kaleidoscope I would see to a designation placed on you." she says still studying the glowing pattern. Alexander taking great effort to not discharge his pistol says "I would sooner cut off my own arm."
"You may rest assured I would not do that; you may figure out its secrets given time." she says once more in almost praise. "So how far is the airfield from your destination?" Alexander asks, idly looking out the tinted window.
"It should only take six hours." she replies. Sighing Alexander says "Great so six hours till I'm faced with an unknown number of dead apostles." Barthomeloi checking her gauntlet, looks up slightly and says. "We could discuss politics for the remainder of the journey."
Alexander starting to chuckle says "Yeah, the two of us, a random mage, who barley participates in the democratic faction, and the leader of the aristocratic faction." Barthomeloi's lips pulling up in a slight smile says. "I would have figured you an active member of the democratic faction, however if you would rather discuss another topic, I would very much like to know what item Zeltretch is having you study." she says gripping her mystic-code ever so tighter.
"Not like I care if you know." Alexander says throwing her the case. Her eyes widening for a fraction of a second before schooling her features she asks "You do not care if I know the very reason for your sponsorship to the clock tower?"
"Nope." Alexander says briefly as Barthomeloi opens the case and looks inside. "A class card!" she shouts in slight surprise. "Technically a servant card but who cares about the slight difference." he says before Barthomeloi takes a second to let her shock fade.
"I believe Zeltretch, has held many of these cards, what makes this one so important?" she asks looking over the card. "Its class is Avenger, an extra class added during the third Heavens feel, and since so far servant cards have only appeared in the usual seven classes, I was assigned to figure out its identity and how it was made."
"Are you aware of its identity?" she asks to which Alexander shrugs. "It's likely a mage that fought in World War 2, or unlikely, myself." Barthomeloi immediately snapping her eyes up to Alexander demands. "And what leads you to such a conclusion."
"Since handing someone a class card with the Heroic Spirits identity being themself is something Zeltretch would do, and while unlikely it's possible my other self-became a counter guardian." tutting slightly she says "The agents of Alaya are not proper heroic spirits."
Shaking his head, Alexander says "They still can be summoned for the Heaven's feel." Barthomeloi handing Alexander back the card says. "Take great care of that, I dread to imagine what that could do in the wrong hands." scoffing Alexander says "Overwrite their soul." before he sighs once again having spoken involuntarily.
Skorovas, Norway, Saturday October 29th 2000
Alexander looking out the window to the small town going past, he turns his attention towards Barthomeloi and asks "So why are you so sure Louvre's lair is near this town?" the brown-haired magus looking out the window anticipation for her hunt clear in her eyes, responds. "This quaint town is very close to the lake Louvre fell into."
"And his castle is built on top of it." Alexander says his voice taking on a much deeper tone. Barthomeloi, with a bloodthirsty smile appearing on her face says "It would seem you have already narrowed it down even more; I would have thought it to be in the land surrounding it." she admits, her eyes clouded in her hatred of dead apostles and her anticipation of killing louvre.
Sighing deeply Alexander says "I'm not even going to ask if this means I can leave." already knowing it to not be enough for the brown-haired magus. "Do not worry I would not let you fall against a mere dead apostle, as much as I will not allow you to fight against it either."
Alexander checking his equipment once again asks "What about his children?" her gaze breaking from the window to Alexander "You have mentioned that before, what do you know about its children?" she asks with a great amount of disgust when mentioning Louvre's children.
"Maybe he knew more, but all I know is that Louvre has two dead apostle's that share his blood, a male, and a female. Both named louvre as well." Barthomeloi taking a moment to think it over, before a pained look crosses her face as she says. "The three together may actually pose a threat to me."
"Wow that must have hurt your pride." Alexander says before sighing and saying "I couldn't control that." Barthomeloi shaking her head says "I will not hold you accountable for what your corrupted persona says, it is a mere side effect of your craft." she says checking her mystic code once again. "Thanks, wait a second what day is it?" he suddenly asks. "The twenty ninth, why?" Barthomeloi asks curious by the sudden question. "Okay the twenty ninth is a waxing crescent, I thought for a second there that you were trying to hunt louvre during a red moon." he says letting out a breath of relief.
Looking out the window she says "Yes, it is a shame that I could not chance Louvre escaping, I would much rather battle it at its strongest." she says her gauntlet curling into a tight fist. "To be honest I'm glad, since I doubt my chances against any dead apostle, let alone one under a red moon."
Scoffing Barthomeloi says "Any harm coming to you during this hunt would be a blow against my pride, almost as much as if I let you fight against a mere Apostle, if louvre was one of the twenty-seven, I may understand such a necessity."
"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail, it's not that I don't think you couldn't deal with every dead apostle in his castle with ease it's more being prepared for the worst." Alexander says as the car pulls to a stop. "It would seem this is as far as this machine can take us." she says motioning for Alexander to open the door. Sighing Alexander opens the door and says. "Don't make a habit of bringing me along on hunts Lorelei." Alexander says his voice taking on the same deep tone. "I barely tolerate your presence on this hunt as is, if not for your usefulness in finding Louvre you would be back at the Clock Tower."
Nodding Alexander says "So when we get to Louvre's castle do you want to go in loud or-" he starts only to be interrupted with her saying "To sneak around Louvre's castle is beneath me." she says almost insulted by Alexander's mere suggestion. "Loud it is." Alexander says grabbing the large case from out the car. Waving his hand, he says "Lead the way."
Barthomeloi turning to the driver says "Stay in town, this should not take long." before walking off towards the woods. Alexander following while his eyes dart cautiously along the forest. "Something seems off." he says his eyes darting around the area trying to determine what's odd.
"I am hunting a dead apostle." Barthomeloi responds dryly. "No, he may be the cause, but still, it doesn't make sense the town didn't make a road directly to the lake, Louvre could have placed a bounded field on top of his lair. It wouldn't make sense to waste resources to make an entire lake a bounded field let alone the area around it." Alexander starts his hand resting on over his pistol.
"If you are going to make a point, you should hurry up." Barthomeloi says her hand gripping her mystic-code just the bit tighter, as the taste of a fresh breeze appears on the tip of his tongue. Unholstering his pistol Alexander says. "At worst, we've walked into a trap, and at best... Louvre knows we're here."
"All the better." The brown-haired magus says a bloodthirsty smile spreading across her face. As Alexander grabs sets his case down, and grabs a marked magazine and loads it into his artificial phantasma.
"Lead the way." Alexander says as Barthomeloi and him start to carefully walk towards the lake where louvre's castle resides.
Daudsjøen, Norway Saturday October 29th 2000
Lorelei and Alexander, having cautiously trudged through the forest surrounding Daudsjøen. Only growing more warry with each step taken further towards Louvre's castle. Alexander's eyes darting around the surroundings watching for any sign of a familiar or dead apostle, his tongue clicking every so often attempting to taste for unfamiliar prana.
Barthomeloi, on the other hand, is striding forwards with confidence in her skill moving her forwards, the only sign of her readiness being her tight grip of her Ridding crop. Her eyes moving about her surrounding at a much slower pace, keeping an eye out for any opponents.
"I would have expected to encountered some traps by now." Alexander says his eyes darting across the ground looking for any signs of mage-craft, since he knows, louvre wouldn't think to use mundane traps.
"Louvre could be building up his defenses, or attempting to flee." the brown-haired magus replies, her eyes not moving from their search. As she steps through the last rows of trees to the sight of an idyllic lake, almost entirely untouched, with next to no sign of human interference.
"Silver, does this look familiar." she calls out looking around the lake. Alexander walking from the trees close behind looks out to the lake and takes a moment to think about it. "It does feel like I've seen it before, but something's off." he says crouching down and putting a hand onto the ground beneath him.
"Depend," he says sending his prana down his arm and into the ground stretching it as far as he can. His prana latching onto a bounded field he looks up to Barthomeloi and asks "Just to be clear you're going loud, right?"
Looking at Alexander from the corner of her eye she says "Yes." nodding Alexander says "Rend," as the prana latching onto the bounded field gathers around a weak point and he starts to pull on it ripping it apart tearing a hole through the illusionary bounded field, revealing the stone walls of the castle.
His eyes glazing over as from his trance Alexander says "End." as he attempts to shut off his circuits. And looks up as Barthomeloi says "A bit brutish, but effective." she says as she raises her ridding crop, and swings it sending an invisible slash of wind outwards, that completely decimates the stone walls on top the water, and shredding what remained of the bounded field revealing the castle on top the water in all its glory.
And opens a large hole beneath both of them, to which Alexander narrowly avoided having moved before it opened up, and Barthomeloi also avoided thanks to her grasp on wind mage-craft. "Guess they did have some defenses;" Alexander says looking at the large crater.
Suddenly turning Alexander leans back as an ornate silver spear lunges through where he just was. And he quickly fires his pistol, managing to hit his attacker's arm. And giving him a brief window to view his opponent, a youngish looking woman, with deep black hair and dark red eyes, which are widen in fear as she starts hyperventilating and taking steps back while shaking. Barely able to hold onto her spear.
"What did you do?" she asks hysterical as Alexander sees Barthomeloi in the corner of his eyes dealing with likely his attacker's brother. "Ansuz" Alexander answers simple as the time around her bloody arm seems to reverse, and the bullet is pushed out, and with a few calming breaths she says "A god, clever didn't know anyone could use those runes these days."
Widening her stance as the female louvre turns her body to the side, grasping her spear as she smiles languidly. As Alexander quickly fires off two more shots, each deflected off the spear with casual ease. "Protection against arrows?" Alexander asks able to tell the difference between her past movements and her deflecting the bullets.
"You have a good eye." she says as she stands her ground not moving to close the distance and attack. Alexander taking note of that, sets his case down, and opens it. Grabbing one of the grenades marked with Sowilo.
Grasping the safety handle Alexander keeping his pistol ready pulls the pin with his teeth and using a bit of prana to power the rune he reaches back and makes to throw it towards the female Louvre, but throws it behind him towards her brother.
And rolling forwards under her stab, as he shoots her in the leg. Causing her to start shaking in fear as she backs away before eventually pulling herself together to heal her leg, once again forcing out the bullet.
Alexander taking note of the weapon's potential weakness stands back up, making sure to keep an eye around him for things to use. As Louvre turns around to see her brother rushing back to the walls of the castle.
"Good, now I just need to kill you and help brother and father kill Barthomeloi." she says turning to look at Alexander her grip on her spear tighter as she looks over to him, and charges forwards in a burst of speed unlike anything previously shown in their brief fight.
Which Alexander barley manages to turn out of the way, the spear scraping against his Uruz strengthen and reinforced sweater. As he fires hitting her in the foot, and he quickly stabs her in the arm carving Isa into it, and with a little prana freezes her, and quickly runs away as she's frozen in both fear and ice, as he sprints towards the castle Barthomeloi was led into.
Omake, Notes.
In a desolate plain, a brown-haired child kneels before a crate, with a gun inside, the child looking at the paper within the crate as he reads it.
Hello to you last Human, or should I say Gun God. Not that you'll know that name or what this gun infront of you is. For some background what's before you is the Atlas super weapon the black barrel, a powerful weapon more than capable of helping you avenge all that you lost. Know out of everyone in this world you're the only one who can use this, not because you're some chosen one or because the black barrel was made for you, but because you're a human, not an Ether Liner, or an A-Ray. But because you're just a regular human. The last regular human actually. So, take this weapon Gun God and earn your title.
P.S if you're not Gun God, by way of you having no idea what Ether Liner's or A-Rays are, please leave this note and weapon where you found it, also if you know what the black barrel is and have no intention of giving it up, this weapon will be needed after the rest of the Types show up, yes, the rest of them and they don't have true magic so the black barrel is Humanity's only hope, bedside's Sword Emperor, I guess.
And that's it, just a short little omake of Gun God who's name I think is Godo, which by the way if you haven't read notes read it, it's pretty good. Anyways back to the story, Alexander has had some time to settle down so he's not as trigger happy, but now he has to charge into a dead apostle's lair... with Barthomeloi Lorelei so I'm sure nothing will go wrong with that. "Cough E-Ranked Luck Cough" and just a bit of an explanation of the main rune he used in this chapter, Ansuz now Ansuz or a god, is the same rune Cu used to burn down the church in UBW so I'm sure you're wondering why didn't it burn Louvre, which by the way is very difficult to differentiate between, well Ansuz or a god is based off of how the user views a god. Enough about that though. So, I'll start working on the next chapter.
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