Here we are at Chapter 22. Time to see if Hiei and the others can save Yukitsuki before it's too late. I do not own Code Vein. They belong to Bandai Namco. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 22. Enjoy.
Chapter 22: Heart of Magic
In the chamber where the ritual is currently taking place, Hiei confronts Jorus and the rest of his little cult. Jorus has the magic gemstone hovering above Yukitsuki's heart.
"Let Yukitsuki now and I will spare you a painful death!" Hiei growls.
"Why can't I have one moment of peace when I'm working," Jorus shakes his head. "Deal with her. I still need time," Jorus sends out a few of his followers to attack Hiei.
Hiei yells as she charges at them. Back outside the chamber, the rest of the rescue team continue their own battles. Iris crosses blades with Ookami, the two warriors trying to push the other back.
"I don't understand it. Why is a beastman like you working with fanatical zealots from the church. They've always looked down on your kind. On any race that wasn't human. So why are you fighting for them?!" Iris asks.
"I don't fight for the church. I fight for no one but my master. Nothing more," Ookami replies monotonously.
"Who is your master then? Who is trying to take my daughter?" Iris demands.
"You won't live long enough to find out," Ookami replies before headbutting her in the face.
Ookami thrusts his sword at her neck, but Iris parries the strike. Hana jumps in from behind, firing her spider silk. She snags Ookami's left arm, holding him back. Iris moves in, swinging her sword downward. Ookami blocks with his blade held in just his right hand.
"Spirits of fire, burn away my-Ah!" Anelia tries to conjure a spell, only for the woman from before to get in the way. "You know, you're really annoying,"
"I underestimated you last time. I won't make that same mistake again. By the way, you can call me Margaret. It's the name of the woman who will kill you," Magaret smirks before throwing a knife at Anelia.
Anelia ducks as the blade flies by, "I was right. You are annoying,"
"Spirits of water, strike true in the path ahead... Aqua Javelin!" Sophia fires off spears of water at the assassin. Margaret jumps back and the water spears explode when they hit the stone walls. "You might be able to handle yourself against one mage, but what about facing off against two of them?" Sophia taunts her.
Margaret grits her teeth. She almost forgot about the other duke's daughter they had to worry about.
...
Back in the chamber, Hiei swings her blade down, cutting down another foe. The bodies of several opponents lie dead around her.
"And now for you," Hiei glares at Jorus as she steps over the dead bodies.
"A pitiful bunch, truly. But, they bought me the time I needed. You're already too late," Jorus says.
The gemstones float down and start entering Yuki's body. Yuki screams in agonizing pain.
"Yuki!" Hiei rushes in to save her.
"Burn!" Jorus blasts a torrent of crimson flames at her.
Hiei jumps back from the flames, but continues her approach. She jumps towards Jorus, but he only smirks.
"Thunder!" Jorus hits her with a powerful electric shock from above.
Hiei falls onto one knee and can't help but watch as the gemstone completely enters Yuki's body. Yuki's screams first get louder and scarier, but then suddenly they stop altogether.
"Yuki?" Hiei mutters with worry.
Jorus snaps his fingers and the chains on Yuki's limbs break off. Yuki slowly sits up, but doesn't respond to Hiei's words.
"What did you do to her?!" Hiei glares at Jorus.
"I helped her become what she needed to be. A saint to guide the people down the proper path... A saint that will obey any and every command I give her," Jorus replies.
Yuki stands up and gazes upon Hiei, but her eyes are dull, empty.
"Yuki? Yuki, it's me, Hiei. I'm here to rescue you. Yuki!" Hiei calls out to her.
"She is no longer the Yukitsuki you once knew. She is mine now. Yukitsuki, destroy this heretic and show her the proper path," Jorus commands.
Yuki raises her hands and a torrent of ice shards surge towards the kitsune. Hiei jumps to the side to evade them, but that was merely the beginning. Yuki attacks again, only this time with dark flames.
"Spirits of fire, burn through my foes... Flame Blaze!" Hiei swings her sword, meeting the dark flames with a blast of her own.
The two fire attacks cancel each other out.
"Ah, I guess Yukitsuki's power with other elemental magic, even with the gemstones inside her heart, can't equal her natural talent with ice magic. I'll see about fixing that later down the road. For now..." Jorus watches as Hiei does her best to evade Yuki's magical onslaught while trying to figure out a way to save her beloved.
...
Back with the others, Iris and Ookami continue their duel. He had already freed himself from Hana's silk. The arachne decided to get up close and personal with him with her daggers. The two of them together managed to get him on the defensive. Ookami decided to change things up a bit.
"Spirits of flame, consume my foes in your embrace... Flame Slash!" Ookami swings his sword, unleashing a burst of blue flames.
"Spirits of water, quench this land with your embrace... Aqua Burst!" Sophia comes in with a surge of water.
The two magical attacks collide, but Sophia's water pushes back the wolf man's flames.
"You're good with a sword, but magic isn't your forte, is it?" Sophia taunts him.
Meanwhile, Margaret attacks Anelia as she dodges her air cutter blades. However, Hana drops in from the ceiling, nearly cutting her down with her daggers.
"Annoying little insect!" Margaret seethes.
"I'm an arachnid. Totally different kind of animal, you bitch!" Hana retorts.
As they fight, Anelia notices something, "Wait... where did Veronica go?" she looks around, but the demon princess is nowhere in sight.
...
Back in the chamber, Hiei continues to evade Yuki's attacks. The few remaining servants of Jorus who were in the chamber were not as lucky. By the time Yuki's onslaught halted for the time being, she, Hiei, and Jorus were the only ones still standing.
"Impressive display of combat and physical ability, kitsune. I must admit, I wouldn't mind adding you to my flock as well. At least that way, you could be with your beloved Yukitsuki for enternity," Jorus strokes his beard.
"Some holy man you are. You're just a sick pervert who only sees people as expendable pawns for your twisted delusions!" Hiei bites back.
"Twisted? Of course a nonbeliever like yourself would see things that way. You've never truly believed in the goddess and her majesty. That's why you and the rest of your kind; your Dragon Alliance, are known as heretics. But now, with our saint who will obey my command, I will correct all the mistakes of this land. All will be as it should be, under the watchful gaze of the goddess herself," Jorus raises his hands into the air.
"Goddess this, goddess that, don't you ever shut up. If people want to believe in her that much, they can if they want to. But, it has to be their own choice. You can' force people to believe in one god over another. That's not faith, it's indoctrination. Worse, it's practically conscription. It's the same with position. You can't force someone to become your saint, especially if that means making her your slave. You have no right to decide Yuki's fate. And neither does the goddess herself. If even the goddess believes she can decide Yuki's fate on a whim, then I'll raise my sword and cut her down along with anyone else who seek to harm her!" Hiei says.
Jorus loses his smirk, "Then you may die at the hands of the saint you care so much for. Yukitsuki, kill her,"
Yukitsuki raises her hands and a blast of holy light flies towards her. Hiei dodges the blast, but it follows her, forcing her on the run. Yuki fires off several ice shards this time. Hiei slashes through them, but notices Jorus raising his hand.
"Burn!" Jorus lets off a blast of crimson flames at her.
Hiei's flame fox tails appear, "Spirits of flame, engulf all who stand in my way... Crossfire!" she swings her blade down.
Her crossfire technique clashes with the crimson flames, but Jorus' flames prove to be strong enough to break through. Hiei gets hit and crashes into the wall. She struggles to get up as Jorus smiles again.
"As fun as this has been, I am a busy man after all. Yukitsuki, finish her," Jorus commands.
Yuki raises her hands, conjuring up more ice shards.
Hiei raises her hand to her, "Yuki... please... I don't want to... lose you,"
Suddenly, crimson flames explode from the second pair of doors behind Jorus and Yuki. Yuki moves her ice shards to block the flames.
"What the Hell is it this time?!" Jorus is losing his patience.
"Sorry, but this farse is so stupid that it's making me want to puke," the flames disperse, revealing Veronica as the culprit.
"You... I was wondering how these people managed to find this place so quickly. So, you were the culprit, Veronica," Jorus seethes now.
"Veronica..." Hiei staggers to one knee.
"Sorry about arriving so late to help. I had to pick up something first that would help us with saving Yuki," Veronica holds up an old-looking book.
"Those are... how did you find those?!" Jorus yells.
"Please, you honestly think I wouldn't be able to retrieve MY research materials? Even after you stole them from me?" Veronica turns her attention to Yuki. "You IDIOT! Do you have any idea what you've done?! What you're trying to do?!"
"Oh please, I know exactly what I'm doing. The process was completed without any issues," Jorus argues.
"Of course you would think that, considering how blind you are. Forcing that many different kinds of elemental magic stones into a single human body is too much. You'll end up destroying her from within, you moron!" Veronica yells.
"What are you talking about? She's perfectly... what?" Jorus stops when he takes a second look at Yuki.
Yuki is crying, but they're tears of blood. Magical energy starts to sputter out around her body.
"Yuki... what's happening to her?!" Hiei looks very concerned.
"The magical energy within her body isn't stable. To make matters worse, this idiot screwed up the process, AGAIN! We need to work fast, now!" Veronica says.
"No, keep your dirty hands off of her. She is my saint. My key to restoring this land under the eyes of the goddess. She's mine to wield as I see fit. Thunder!" Jorus fires off a blast of lightning at them.
"Oh, get over yourself already!" Hiei intercepts the attack, stabbing her blade into the ground.
The lightning hits the metal blade before going down into the earth below. Hiei picks up her blade and runs towards Yuki.
"No, destroy her!" Jorus commands.
Yuki tries to raise her hands, but something is forcing her to do otherwise.
"Yuki, it's me, Hiei!" Hiei calls out to her.
"Don't you dare-AHH!" Jorus gets blown away by a blast of wind from Veronica.
"It's over, you idiot. She's not your saint, your tool, or whatever you want her to be. Now then, I owe you some payback for stealing my belongings, but I think I'll focus on getting payback for you hurting Yukitsuki first. Burn!" Veronica fires off her flames.
Jorus gets consumed by the flames, but when they die down, the man has disappeared.
"Damn it, he got away again, that slimy little snake," Veronica curses.
"Yuki! Yuki! Please, answer me!" Hiei screams as she holds Yuki's arms.
...
Back with the others, their duels against Ookami and Margaret have yet to see a conclusion. Despite being outnumbered, the two are clearly skilled fighters.
"Just give it up already. You'll never win at this rate!" Iris demands.
"Sorry, but you're not the only ones with something on the line here. We do as you say and we're as good as dead," Margaret replies.
"Why are you fighting for these people? What do you gain from all of this?" Anelia asks.
"Life, and hopefully death," Ookami replies.
"Speak for yourself," Margaret mutters.
Before the fight could continue, Ookami and Margaret glance back in the direction of the chamber.
"Looks like this fight will have to continue another time. Until then, bye bye for now," Margaret throws down a smoke bomb.
The girls can't pursue them in time and watch as the smoke dissipates to reveal their two opponents have already disappeared.
"They've escaped again," Sophia notes.
"That's not important. Come on, we have to rescue Yuki," Hana says before the group race ahead towards the ritual chamber.
...
"Yuki, come on, speak to me! Tell me what's wrong! Yuki!" Hiei shouts.
"Hi...ei... it... hurts... so... much!" Yuki cries as blood starts leaking from her nose now.
Just then, the door gets kicked open and in comes Iris's group.
"Yuki!" Iris yells.
"Hiei, what's happened to her?!" Anelia pleads.
"I don't know. Lady Anelia, heal her, quickly!" Hiei begs.
"Spirits of light, bath the innocent in your warm embrace... Heal!" Anelia casts a healing spell, except... "Something's wrong, it's not working!"
"That's because her body has too much magical energy in it right now. All you're doing is giving it even more," Veronica says.
"Veronica, do you know what's happening to Yuki?" Hana asks.
"That idiot zealot put multiple magic gemstones inside Yuki's heart. He had no idea what he was getting into, especially since he didn't read my research properly. We can't solve this through normal means," Veronica explains.
"Mo... ther... please... help," Yuki begs.
"We're here, Yuki. Everything's gonna be okay," Iris tries to soothe her, but her expression betrays her turmoil.
"Lady Veronica, please save her. I do whatever you want, or pay any price. Please, save Yuki!" Hiei begs, tears falling down her face.
Veronica sighs, "There's no need to go that far. I know how to save Yukitsuki. But, if this is going to work, I need everyone to do exactly what I say. This will be a delicate process, and it must be handled with care. Is that clear?" Veronica says. When she gets no rebuttal, she nods. "Okay, first get Yuki back onto the stone table there. Then, draw this magic circle exactly as it's written," Veronica instructs them.
The others do as they're told. Yuki continues to moan in pain and agony, which is just as torturous to everyone else. Once they finish the job, Veronica stands before Yuki on the table.
"Okay, I'll handle the rest from here. All of you, leave the chamber at once," Veronica says.
"What? But, we can't leave Yuki like this," Sophia says.
"Do you want me to save Yukitsuki or not?!" Veronica exclaims, shutting her up. "I will save Yukitsuki, but I cannot allow for even the slightest distraction to get in the way. It has to be me and her alone for this to work. If you have questions, I'll explain later. Now leave the room,"
With no other choice, the group leave the room, with Hiei being last after giving Yuki a lingering glance. Once the door closes behind them, Veronica turns to Yuki.
"Who... are... you?" Yuki asks, her strength failing.
Veronica smiles, "As strange as this sounds, someone who cares about you very much. Don't worry. You can trust me. I'm going to save you now,"
She raises her hands to chest level and closes her eyes. Yuki watches as she begins speaking some kind of magical chant. However, the words are unfamiliar to her. They don't sound like the human language. This goes on for a few moments before Veronica's body and Yuki's start to glow.
"Alright, here goes nothing," Veronica mutters before she crawls on top and straddles Yuki. "All that I am, I give to you. But, for now, let's just start with one piece of me,"
Suddenly, a white, glowing ball of light comes out of Veronica's chest and slowly enters Yuki's. The pain that had consumed Yuki's body begins to weaken and her screams die down. Her eyes focus on Veronica's. For some reason, she feels warm when she stares into those eyes of hers. Soon enough, the light from Veronica's chest finishes flowing into Yuki's.
"Now, to fix what that idiot messed up," Veronica mutters.
She raises a hand and places it on Yuki's chest. As she raises her hand, the magic gemstones that were forced into her heart slowly come out. With each inch that comes out, Yuki feels more and more relief in her body. The stones are out completely after a moment and then Veronica waves her hand around the stones. They float around the ice gemstone. The others break into dust and then cascade over the ice stone. Their magical properties change to match the ice stone.
"This way, you won't have the same issue anymore. If anything you'll become much stronger now," Veronica says.
The new ice gemstone floats back down into Yuki's chest. At first, Yuki was scared of feeling more pain, but she felt nothing of the sort as it entered her heart. Instead, it felt like a piece of her that was previously missing had suddenly returned. The light around their bodies fades away. What's more, Yuki's hair color changes again, only this time, it turns completely white. Not just the undertones, but every last strand.
"Feel better now?" Veronica asks, sweating.
"I... think so. Just... I'm very tired," Yuki breathes.
"That's to be expected. Don't worry, everything will be fine now. We'll talk again soon. For now... I need to rest," Veronica says.
She leans down to give Yuki a quick kiss before collapsing off of her and onto the floor.
A moment later, Hiei and the others return to the chamber, "Yuki, are you alright?' Hiei asks.
"Hiei... everyone... I'm fine now... Just really tired," Yuki says.
"What happened to Veronica?" Hana asks as she looks over the demon princess.
"She saved me... But, it seemed to... take a lot out of her. She's passed out," Yuki explains.
"Is she the reason your hair is all white now?" Sophia asks.
"Yes. Again, she saved me," Yuki replies.
"I see. It seems we are in her debt," Iris notes, glancing at the sleeping demoness.
"Mother... I'm really... tired," Yuki mutters.
Anelia strokes her head, "It's okay, Yuki. You just get some rest now. We'll talk later,"
With permission given, Yuki finally succumbs to exhaustion and falls asleep. Everyone else is just relieved that Yuki is alive and safe now. It has been a very long day for everyone.
And that's the chapter. Hiei and the others save Yuki, but her captors have once again escaped from facing justice. What will happen next? Until then, please Read and Review.