I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*
M for mature topics. No children allowed. *
The Broken Boosted Gear
By Try Another Time
Elaine had been patiently waiting for the return of the siblings for three whole days. Three days had gone by and the siblings still didn't show up.
"Why did I let them go on this supposed special mission? Uther is going to kill me if they don't come back by today." The Pendragon siblings had told her about a small mission that wasn't going to take long but they didn't say what place they were going to. It was due to the blind trust that she had in them that they were able to do this but now she was cursing herself for being so lenient with them.
She was the maid of the house but she also was in charge of Le Fay's education. Although Elaine was only ten, she was practically the only mother figure that Le Fay had due to her mother passing away at a young age. Le Fay was someone important to her and if at some point she was fired from her job she had confidence that their connection wouldn't disappear. The same could also be said with her relationship with Arthur.
The boy was so charming and since the first moment they met, they had been developing feelings for each other. Although she knew that it was never going to work for them, she had been falling in love with the young heir of the family. He was the heir of the Pendragons and one day he was going to marry a respectable lady that matches his social status but she still had hope in their relationship.
"No, I won't. I will do anything to make this work. I will get stronger and one day I'm going to fight my father for the right to choose my own bride. I choose you, Elaine." Arthur's words were always in her mind.
"Arthur, Le Fay, where are you?" Elaine sighs before going back to work. She was organizing the books within the family library at that moment.
Then she saw a teletransportation circle in a different part of the library. She approaches it and recognizes the crest as the one of Le Fay and her fears began to disappear.
Within instants, the shapes of the siblings and one French maid appear.
"Arthur? Le Fay? Who are you?" Elaine summons her staff and prepares herself for the possible confrontation.
"Elaine, she is not an enemy. Arthur needs help so please focus on him. I need to go back. Raynare we can return." Le Fay said as she and Raynare moved away from Arthur's unconscious body.
"Le Fay don't you dare go away!" Elaine said as she rushes to Arthur's side first.
"I'm sorry. I need to do this. I promise to be back." Le Fay said.
Elaine watches in anger as her student and 'daughter' disappear alongside the French maid. "Le Fay!"
Back in the entrance of the forest.
Kuroka and Issei sat down on the sand while they waited for the other two to return. Kuroka was still coming to terms with what she had seen. She had never expected something like this from Issei and it was hard to accept it.
"Issei was that the right option? Did you have to go so far?" Kuroka asked.
"She is six and playing the hero. Putting her life at risk for the sake of a nation and without really understanding the curse. A child her age shouldn't be thinking that way nor should she offer herself like that to nobody. You wouldn't want Shirone to do the same. Just thinking about it is making me mad." Issei said.
"…" Kuroka stays quiet and thinks about his words. Shirone doing something like what Le Fay did would be insane and she would surely slap her right on the spot if something similar happens with her. "But why not just ignore her?"
"She was going to enter the forest anyway. She was insane enough to do it with her brother and if I said no, she was going to get herself killed. I wasn't going to have her death on my mind and I can't just bring her inside the forest because it is the right thing to do. There is nothing right in this situation except for her to give up and turn away but she wasn't going to do it. What's done can't be changed and I'm going to make sure that she learns to appreciate her life. I don't care if she is the descendant of King Arthur, a child shouldn't be acting this way." Issei turns to look at the nekomata. "I might seem harsh but I dislike the fact that a child such as her can just offer her life like that. I'm the Welsh Dragon and she offered me her body, mind, and soul for the chance of reaching the source of the curse. I was six when I lost my humanity and I didn't have a choice. Le Fay had a choice and chose to sacrifice her life and future without a second thought."
Kuroka keeps reflecting. She knew about his past and he had saved her once. He cares deeply about the lives of others and had chosen to save the siblings from certain death but Le Fay's actions seemed to trigger his anger. Then she decides to see what he would do if she tried to do the same. "If I tried to sacrifice myself for Shirone again, what would you do?"
"I would interfere. You put your life at risk once for her because you didn't have a way out then but now you have choices. I'm your ally and your life is something that you should care about. If Shirone was in trouble once more I would do anything to make sure that she was safe and you wouldn't need to put yourself at risk."
"You wouldn't ask for a price after that?"
"I wouldn't. I'm your ally, not your owner. Although devils now think that I own you based on what Sirzechs and I did, it is not like that. I did what I did for your sake and just that. In the future when you're capable of protecting yourself you can choose what to do with your life. You can leave me and follow your own path."
"What if I want to stay with you?" Kuroka asks as she lets her mind run wild without restraints.
"If that's your choice I wouldn't be against it. You can follow me for as long as you choose to." Issei says in a calm tone.
Kuroka blushes and hides her face away. She couldn't believe that this boy was this mature but her expectations with him kept being put to test.
Before the pair could continue their conversation, Raynare and Le Fay came back.
The blond face showed a determined smile as she held her staff. Her injuries had been taken care of by Kuroka's abilities and Raynare had taken care of bandaging the rest of her more serious ones. Her witch outfit which seemed similar to a school uniform had also been repaired by Raynare thanks to her training under Grayfia.
"A perfect maid should be capable of everything." That principle was drilled into Raynare's core and she wouldn't be able to make it disappear that easily.
"Don't smile. I'm still mad at you. Also, give that magic staff of yours. You're not going to need it once we get inside." Issei said.
"Why? I can't defend myself without it." Le Fay said.
"This is why not many beings ever reach the core of the curse. There is only one rule that the curse follows and that is no engagement. Ignoring every apparition is the only way of safely traversing the forest. You two survived by a small margin and I doubt you were going to get farther by mindlessly attacking and engaging every enemy that appears before you. So, give me the staff and follow my orders, my dear bride." That last sentence had a hint of anger and his face clearly showed his dislike for the situation that Le Fay had created.
Le Fay feels a child running down her spine and after seeing his face she can clearly understand that she was still deep in the danger zone. Her new 'husband' wasn't happy with her and it was going to take some time before the situation cooled down. "Understood darling." She says although she doesn't get a positive reaction from him. She gives him the staff and lowers her face in shame.
"Good." Issei grabs the staff and puts it away. "Now give your hand and stay close to me. No jumping, no evading attacks, no screams, no engagement with the apparitions. I need to reach those corpses as fast as possible and I don't want to have to exit and re-enter the forest once more. So, if you feel like you need it, just close your eyes, and let me know if you can't keep going at some point. I'll try to figure something out."
Le Fay nods and grabs his hand. " hIs hand is hot and not much bigger than mine but he is so strong. I have never met someone like him."
With Le Fay attached to his right hand, Issei offers his left one to Kuroka and she offers her own to Raynare.
It was time to do this once more.
Later that night.
After walking for many hours and ignoring many apparitions, the group has decided to settle down for the night. After collecting some bark and dry wood, Issei had created a small bonfire. Raynare was the person in charge of the dinner and after getting the tools, ingredients, and spices she began to work on the dinner for that night.
As they sat around the bonfire, Le Fay took the chance to get to know the group. After a long day in which she had to force herself to go numb, she needed something to distract her mind.
"So, your name is Issei, she is Kuroka and the maid is Raynare?" Le Fay started.
"That is true," Issei said while he enjoyed the heat of the fire.
"I think you're the youngest wielder of the boosted gear. How did you become a dragon? I have never heard about a user becoming a dragon only by possessing the boosted gear."
"I'm not the possessor of the boosted gear. Since you're my bride you need to understand who I am." Issei said before he began to tell his story.
The minutes went by and Le Fay went silent as she heard the cruel reality behind the boy that stood before her. She had no idea that the boy in front of her had lost so much. "You're eight and all of this happened to you?"
"Yes. I lost my parents, my humanity, my past. Everyone I ever knew except for a childhood friend believes me dead and I am practically dead. Right now, I'm just the aftermath of that event and one of two pieces of the Welsh Dragon. I wasn't given a choice and yet you offered your life that easily. Do you understand why I'm so angry with you?" He looks at the girl. "I didn't ask for any of this but I accept it and continue to move on."
Le Fay feels the weight of his words. Then she looks at Kuroka. "And you're a stray devil following him because of the bounty on your life."
Kuroka nods. "We haven't had any attempts against my life yet but we can expect them at some point. They know that Sirzechs gave the Welsh Dragon 'ownership over me' but that is not the reality. I'm leaving my life in his hands for security and it might not be permanent."
Le Fay nods and then looks at Raynare. "But you are similar to me. You're following him because of your connection to Grigori. For the sake of your home."
Raynare shakes her head in disapproval. "You're a child, I'm a fallen angel many times older. This is my job and when Welsh-sama gets his revenge I might leave his side. You're six and offered your whole self as the payment for this mission which is impossible. I have been alive for centuries and only those that entered the forest had ever been affected by the curse. This is blind heroism syndrome. You're still a kid and you should remember it but now you have sealed your future. I don't blame Welsh-sama for choosing to do this and still being mad at you. He asked you to leave and forget about it but you kept pushing on. You might not feel its effect now but in the future, you will understand the things you just lost."
Le Fay feels even worse now but she holds the tears back. She was educated by her father to not back away after deciding to act for the sake of England. She was educated to put the future of the nation over her own life. The will of the house Pendragon was to put your own life after the nation. "I made a choice and as a member of the Pendragon family I won't back away."
"That's the problem you no longer can. You will understand one day. For now, let's just eat dinner and go to sleep. I will take the first turn for three hours then Raynare for two and finally Kuroka for another two after that we will start moving once more." Issei says.
Dinner takes place and Issei thanks Grayfia from the bottom of his heart for training Raynare so well. Then the time for sleeping comes.
Kuroka gets close to Issei and settles down next to him before one of his wings covers her. Raynare takes the other side and leans into his arm before her own wings act as her sleeping sheaths.
"Why are all of you sleeping so close to him?" Le Fay asks.
"Heat and protection. Nights are cold and the closer we are to him the less cold we endure. There is also the danger of enemies so lower your voice and get close to him." Raynare says before she closes her eyes.
Kuroka is already purring like a cat from under Issei's wing.
"Le Fay come here and stop wasting time." Issei pats his legs.
The blonde understands and settles down in between them with her head using his chest as a pillow. Another one of his wings covers her.
"You're my second mate now and although I'm still angry I won't let you endure the cold. Close your eyes and leave the rest to me." Issei says.
She nods. As she settles down, she feels the heat that his body produces. "It's warm." Before long Issei is the only one awake.
They had been walking for many hours and after facing many apparitions they were finally able to enjoy some rest. But that was far from the truth, Issei could still see and hear them around. They were like predators waiting for the chance to attack.
The curse was strong and since the last time he came to this place many more victims had fallen to it.
Issei knew he needed to stay calm and don't let this place get the best of him but he also had doubts. Since he met Le Fay, he had been thinking about it. "Can this thing be even worse than what I remember?"
He didn't have the answers but once they reached the corpses of the deceased gods they were going to find out.
Days after.
Days and nights went by as the group continued to advance through the forest. The enemies continue to increase in severity and numbers. More than once they had to close their eyes and just let Issei be their only guide which leads us to this moment.
"Ddraig, fight me! You can run away from me." A phantasmal Albion said as he tempted the boy.
"Kuroka you can't escape me. You and your sister are my property." The dead illusion of Kuroka's former master floated in front of her.
"The bookworm came out of her hole. I can't believe that you think you can ever face me." The image of Kokabiel appears in front of her which leads to Raynare having a hard time keeping it together. She hated his guts like any fallen angel and couldn't wait for the day he had to pay for his betrayal. "And you child, you should have died alongside your parents that night. They screamed in pain as their bodies burned to a crisp."
Issei was keeping her emotions in check but they were starting to rise to the surface. The boy knew that he wouldn't be able to endure this for far longer. It was the first time he was seeing the fallen angel and his mind just wanted to blast him to kingdom come.
Le Fay who was also watching all of this didn't know what to do except to continue to walk. She had her own demons that she had yet to overcome.
"Le Fay, the witch."
"You are a waste of resources. How can the Pendragons have a daughter like you?"
"You will never reach the gloriousness of your brother."
"Imperfect. Childish. You will always be under his shadow."
The many ladies of other noble families tempted her to react. They really knew how to trigger her switch and she was getting close to exploding in anger. How many times she wished for the chance of blowing their stupid faces into oblivion but Elaine had advised her against it.
This situation was really testing each of their wills to ignore their emotions and not a single one was having a good time with it. The group had been walking for at least 5 days and they were inching closer to the corpses of the dead gods. The scent of the blood was so strong that even Le Fay and Raynare were able to smell it.
Issei kept dragging them alongside him. "Keep moving and focus on me."
"You can't leave me behind Ddraig."
"I was the one that killed them."
"Bookworm we both know you will never truly become a respectable fallen angel."
"I will come back for Shirone and finish what I started."
"Pathetic excuse for a member of the Pendragons."
The group kept walking and chasing the end of this trap. Apparitions kept trying to incite them to engage but they continued until everything went silent. The apparitions were forced to stop by some kind of unseen barrier as the group continued ahead.
"Keep moving and follow the scent. We are almost there." Issei said.
"I feel like throwing up. I have never smelled something so disgusting." Le Fay covered her mouth and nose.
"Suck it up. This is the thing you wanted so don't start crying now." Kuroka replied. She was hating every second of this particular part of their trip but she wasn't going to be the one that messes it up for Issei.
Raynare said nothing and just took short breaths as she kept her explosive character in control. Seeing Kokabiel and hearing his voice had affected her as much as it did to Issei. She hated his guts because he was her former superior. An important part of her faction and he had thrown all that away for his selfish goals.
The group began to see how the fog dissipated in front of them and it wasn't long before the group saw the place in which the curse had begun but instead of the dead gods' bodies, they saw something completely different.
A bloody black cocoon stood in the middle. Blood dripped from its outer layer and it also produced the insane rotting scent that the group had been following for several days.
"This is not what I was anticipating," Issei admits before turning his sight towards Le Fay. "You might be right about your fears but I doubt you or your brother could take care of that thing. We don't even know what it is so please stay away from it and don't try anything that might worsen the situation. Raynare, can you take a look at it?"
Le Fay nods after seeing the fact that Issei is looking quite concerned regarding the cocoon. They had traveled through the forest for days by this point and finding an unknown object wasn't the goal they expected to reach at the end. She felt slightly happy about being sort of right regarding the curse but this new development wasn't one that deserves any kind of celebration. "Keep it together Le Fay. This is far from over."
It was like looking for a lost active grenade on an old battlefield and instead of finding just one they had found a whole field that could be filled with then. A problem on top of another problem.
The curse was still active which meant that this cocoon had to be the source but how it came into existence was a different mystery.
Raynare approaches the cocoon but keeps a certain distance for security reasons. As a former assistant of Azazel, she knew that things like this couldn't be handled carelessly. She lifts a finger to her right ear and begins a call with Grigori after activating a small magic circle. "Alcoholic-sama are you there?"
"Is that what you're calling me these days? You truly have a way with words. How are you Raynare?" Azazel asks.
"Doing well but right now we might be in trouble. You remember the curse on Gael island, right?"
"Are you there right now? Did your little group find something?"
"We are and we did find something. We have been traveling through the cursed forest for several days while trying to reach the source of the curse. Instead of finding the corpses of the dead gods, we found a bloody cocoon. I need your advice."
"A cocoon you said. Is the curse still active?"
"Yes, and strong as ever. We were following the scent of the rotting flesh of the corpses but instead of finding them, we found the cocoon. What should we do about it?"
Azazel goes quiet for a few moments before he replies. "Can you see its insides?"
"No. It's completely black and it sort of beats like a heart. I don't want to get any closer to prevent an accident. Do you have any suggestions?"
"I wanna say I do but I am not really sure what to expect. This is a curse born out of hate between two gods and is something that we can't easily erase. It would be troublesome if we left the island unattended for much longer within the human world. Is the kid there?"
Raynare looks at Issei and gives him a sign to get closer to her. "He is."
"Ask him if he can create a dimensional rift big enough to suck the island into the dimensional gap. Is the safest place for us to take care of that thing. We didn't do something like this in the past due to the fear of worsening the situation and the lack of ability to remove or eliminate the corpses from the area. But now this requires drastic measures. If that cocoon opens in the human world, we might have a catastrophe that could lead to severe consequences. This is something he has to do for the sake of the human world although we might have Great Red's anger afterward. Destroying that island and the cocoon might be the safest way of ensuring that whatever is inside the cocoon doesn't create more problems for us." Azazel said. "Don't worry about the human world and leave that whole task to us."
Raynare looks at Issei. "Welsh-sama we might need to transport the whole island into the dimensional gap. It seems that we might need to destroy the cocoon before it hatches."
Issei sighs. "Let me just retrieve the treasure and then we can start to figure this out. Luck is not on my side like always."
Raynare nods and the other two members of the team follow him as he walks towards the place where he buried a certain artifact many centuries ago.
For now, they were able to ignore the cocoon but Issei was already expecting the worst possible situation. Whatever was inside that cocoon was going to come out and regardless of his own desire he was going to be forced to fight it.
Problems were going to chase him down no matter where he went.