Buck. Buck. Buck. Buck. Buck!
Sunset raced along the shore towards the pier, cursing herself again and again for not having a faster way to get to the middle of the lake. She could see Negi facing the demon down, channeling power for some spell or another. Another boy stood behind him, bound in magic. A distant figure hovered near the demon’s shoulder; Sunset couldn’t make out the details, but she was willing to bet every bit she’d ever owned that it was the onmyou with Konoka.
Sunset reached the pier just as Negi released his spell, a massive ray of wind magic streaking out to strike the demon in the chest to no effect. Sunset winced, upping her pace as she saw her teacher collapse to his knees. That wasn’t an insignificant spell, she thought. If that didn’t do anything… damn it! How are we supposed to fight against that? And where the heck are Asuna and Setsuna?!
The bonds holding the other boy shattered, and he began to approach Negi. White hair, Sunset thought, pulling out her wand. First things first, focus on what you can do. That demon isn’t doing anything yet; with any luck, he needs a few more minutes to orient himself. “Equis Equis Alicornus,” Sunset chanted, cocking back a fist as she focused on the white-haired boy. “Ianuae Magicae.” A flash of light, an instantaneous sensation of sub-arctic chill, and Sunset’s fist went flying into the white-haired boy’s gut.
It was like punching concrete! Sunset hissed, holding her right fist close to her chest. Still, her blow had sent the boy flying, and she now stood between him and Negi.
“N-N-Nichi-”
“Less stammering; more strategy!” Sunset snapped. “Tell me you have a way to stop this thing!”
“Are you kidding, Nichi Ane-san?!” Chamo shouted from where he crouched at Negi’s feet. “That thing’s a god! A god! There’s no way we can-”
“It may be powerful, but it’s no god,” Sunset countered. I’d know; I was practically raised by one. “We need Setsuna over here now. Demons are her specialty, right?”
“That’s it!” Chamo looked up at Negi. “Aniki! The pactio cards! You can teleport Asuna Ane-san and Setsuna Nee-san here!”
“Whatever you’re doing, you’d better do it quick.” Sunset held up her fists, glaring down the pier at the white-haired boy as he approached again. “Something tells me that this one won’t give us a lot of time.”
“I must admit, that was a wonderful strike,” the boy said, casually walking forward, his arms at his sides. His expression was bored, but there was a calculating gleam in his eyes. “Tell me, was that some original spell, or an ability of your artifact?”
Sunset slapped a smirk onto her face. “As if I’m going to tell you any of my secrets. What’s your name, kid?”
The boy simply shrugged, continuing his unhurried approach. “I see no reason to tell you. In any case, I won’t be falling for that attack again.”
You didn’t fall for it the first time! Sunset’s eyes darted to his stomach where his clothes weren’t even ruffled. Your barrier is insanely strong. That punch didn’t get through at all! “Well, good thing that’s not all we’ve got up our sleeves.”
“Summon!” Sunset took a step back at Negi’s shout, making sure that she was firmly between the two boys. “Ministra Negi, Kakurazaka Asuna, Sakurazaki Setsuna!”
In a flash of light, the two girls appeared to either side of Sunset: Asuna on her left with her fan, and Setsuna on her right with her katana. “Setsuna!” Sunset barked. “On the demon; get Konoka out of here. Asuna. Springfield. You’re with me. We’re taking this kid down. Hard.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” The white-haired boy lifted a single finger and began to chant. “Vishu talri shutal vangait.”
“Setsuna! Go!” Sunset held her wand high and began to chant. “Equis Equis Alicornus.” Everyone back at headquarters was trapped in stone. I’ll bet every bit I’ve ever owned that it was this kid’s doing. Let’s hope he keeps to the same element. And that this spell works.
“Bashirike galiote meta octo podon kai cocoon onmetin wanen tou eve ton…”
“Lapis de spiritibus, et oriri defendat ab aeterna custodia.”
The white-haired boy brought his finger slashing down to point at them. “Kutanon parailsan!”
Sunset threw her arms out wide. “Caverna reguli exempla gradiamur.”
A coat of green energy shimmered into being around each of them just before a cloud of ashen gas exploded outward, obscuring everything from sight. Sunset winced, feeling the enchanted gas attempting to penetrate her shield. Good. The Cockatrice Ward worked. Now let’s just see if we can take care of the brat. “Setsuna!” she hissed, not wanting the boy to hear. “Go!”
Setsuna nodded, turning and vanishing into the haze. Sunset quickly grabbed Asuna and Negi just as a figure began to make its way through the smoke and, with a quiet incantation, teleported them further down the pier.
“There,” she said, releasing them and turning to glare back at the haze a couple hundred meters behind them. “That’ll keep him confused for a bit. Long enough for Setsuna to get to Konoka at least.”
“That was amazing, Nichi Ane-san!” Chamo shouted from Negi’s shoulder. “What was that spell? How did you know what he was going to do?”
“Because someone that far out of our league isn’t going to concern himself with being clever with his attacks,” Sunset muttered. “And we got lucky with that spell; I threw it together on my way down the mountain after seeing everyone up there trapped in stone. I’m just glad it worked.”
“U-um, about that,” Sunset turned to look at Negi, her eyes going wide as he cradled his right hand with his left. Most of his hand was encased in stone, leaving only a little of the palm exposed. As Sunset watched, it crept up another couple millimeters. “I… I think it needs a little more work.”
Sunset grit her teeth, cursing herself out in her head. “How long can you hold it back?”
Negi shuddered but forced himself to his feet. “Maybe ten minutes. More if I could just rest, but that boy will notice that we’re gone any moment.”
Sunset looked from his hand to the rapidly clearing smoke and back. “I don’t think this will take only ten minutes.” She grabbed his shoulder and forced him back down to his knees. “Let me and Asuna handle this; stay here and do what you can to keep it from spreading.”
“Yeah, leave it to us, Negi!” Asuna rested her fan on her shoulder and gave him a cocky grin. “Your nee-sans have got it from here!”
“B-but, I can’t-”
“Yes you can.” Sunset leaned down, getting right in Negi’s face. “That smoke is going to clear in the next ten seconds. You just used a massive amount of magic in a single attack against that demon. And that’s after running all the way down here and being accosted by a small army and Kotarou. That kid won’t hesitate or go easy on us just because you’re injured, and as soon as he sees that Setsuna is gone, he’ll want to take us down as quickly as possible. So tell me, Springfield, do you see any way to contribute to the fight that won’t result in us having to save your hide?” She straightened up and turned away before he could answer. “Just let us handle this one; you can be the big damn hero next time.”
The last of the cloud cleared and the white-haired boy began his approach down the pier. “Ah. There you are.” His eyes narrowed. “And where is the Shinmeiryuu?”
“I’m afraid that gallant knight is off rescuing her princess from the evil summoner’s tower,” Sunset answered, raising her fists.
“Guess you’ll just have to deal with us,” Asuna added, pointing her fan dramatically.
“...I see.” He looked over his shoulder as he approached, gazing up at the massive demon which continued to slowly rise out of the water. “So you snuck her away to confront Chigusa-san. No matter. I shall take care of that momentarily. But first,” he turned back to face them. “Time to tie up loose ends.”
“Be careful, Asuna,” Sunset whispered. “This one’s dangerous. Way more dangerous than anyone I’ve fought in a long time.”
“More than Eva-chan?” Asuna hissed back, surprised.
Sunset nodded. “Evangeline was just playing with us. A cat that toys with its food too much will often find itself bitten. But this guy? This guy’s looking to end this fast. In that respect, he’s far more dangerous than Evangeline.”
“Is that so? I can’t exactly let that stand, now can I?”
Sunset tensed, her eyes darting around even as she kept herself facing that white-haired boy. “Evangeline!” she hissed. “How are you here?”
“Oh, I’m not,” Evangeline’s voice replied. “At least, not yet. I’ve been watching you, though. And I must say, putting up shields and running away is hardly how I expected Tenko-hime’s student to fight.”
“Tenko-hime?” Asuna asked.
Sunset grit her teeth and ignored her. “Is that all you came to do? Goad me? Because if so, I’ve got bigger issues than you to deal with.”
“And that right there is what I can’t let go,” Evangeline replied. “You think that that little upstart is more of a threat than me? I’m insulted. But you know, because I’m such a nice person, I won’t hold it too much against you.
“One minute, my little pony. If you and Asuna can last for one full minute against him, I’ll handle the rest!”
Sunset glowered at the white-haired boy. “I’ll show you one minute. Ianuae Magicae!”
Another flash of light placed her behind the boy, her fist swinging for his head. He sidestepped easily, grabbing her wrist and flinging her forward at Asuna, who had just started forward to help. The two girls went rolling down the pier, grunting in pain. Sunset recovered first, getting to her feet just in time to be hit in the face by her teacher as he was sent flying back as well.
The white-haired boy dashed forward, closing the distance in an instant and kicking the recovering Asuna down through the pier. He followed up by grabbing both Negi and Sunset and throwing them in opposite directions out over the lake.
Sunset crashed hard into the water, skipping a couple of times before finally sinking beneath the surface. She recovered quickly, kicking her way upward and surfacing just in time to see Asuna get thrown into the lake as well, her and Negi’s startled cries hinting at just what - or who - he’d thrown her at. With that, he turned and began walking back up the pier.
Oh no you don’t! Sunset began chanting her teleportation spell again, only to pause with horror as she realized that her wand was no longer in her hand. Buck! Did I drop it in the lake?! There’s no way I can find it in time! She began swimming furiously towards the pier, cursing herself out all the while. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! If only I had wings! If only I could fly like Springfield or Evangeline or Chachamaru or… Sunset’s mind went blank, even as she continued swimming. No. No, that’s a horrible idea. That’s a horrible idea, Sunset, and you’re going to get yourself killed if you try to do it. You are not going to freaking try to-
Sunset hauled herself onto the pier and turned to face the white-haired boy, who had almost reached the end. Screw it. You only live once. Sunset took off at a run, pouring as much magic into her bronze boots as she could. With a somewhat-heroic and slightly-manic shout, she shot fire from the soles of her boots, rocketing herself forward down the pier where the boy was just starting to turn back to her, a slightly curious look on his face.
A look that Sunset only caught a glimpse of as she went flying past, wildly and uncontrollably, until she flew off the end of the pier and smacked face-first into the giant demon’s surprisingly well-sculpted abs. She ricocheted off of him and fell back into the water, thankfully much closer to the pier than before.
“I will confess,” the white-haired boy said as he made his way to the edge of the pier and looked down at her, “I did not anticipate that.” He pointed a single finger at her. “But no matter. You will not be a nuisance for much longer.”
Sunset shook off the pegasi that were circling her head as she treaded water. “You… you think I’m a nuisance now?” Just keep talking. Keep him distracted until Asuna and Springfield get here. “Just you wait. You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Her vision cleared and she glared up at the boy and declared with all of the bravado she could muster, “I am Hikaru Nichibotsu, and someday soon, I’m going to beat some emotion into that stupid, stoic face of yours.”
The boy cocked his head to the side, gazing at Sunset as if she were simply a mildly interesting insect that he had found. “Hikaru Nichibotsu. I will remember that name when they pull your statue from the bottom of the lake in a few hundred years.” He raised his hand to the heavens…
And stopped as he felt someone grab it. He and Sunset stared in shock to his side. There stood Negi, his good hand keeping the boy’s arm in the air while his other curled into a fist. “Asuna!” he shouted. “Now!”
Asuna rushed forward from behind, striking out with her fan and ripping through the white-haired boy’s magical barrier like it was wet tissue-paper. Negi poured magic into his fist, letting out a bellow of frustration as he slammed it into the boy’s unprotected face. The boy spun as he dropped to his knees, and Sunset could see that his eyes were wide and unfocussed.
Holy buck, he did it. Sunset quickly pulled herself out of the water and rushed around to stand by Asuna and the barely-standing Negi. “I can’t believe you seriously just punched him in the face.”
“Nor can I.”
Sunset’s blood ran cold. The boy’s voice, which heretofore had been a near monotone, now carried an undertone of wrath. “This,” he muttered, getting slowly to his feet, “is the first time someone has actually managed to hurt me.” He turned, his eyes wide with an energy that Sunset had never seen before. “Negi Springfield!”
“No!”
“Negi!”
Sunset and Asuna both threw themselves forward, desperate to get between the boys. In the second before the white-haired boy struck, Sunset could tell that they would be too late. And this time, he didn’t look like he was just going to send Negi flying. There was nothing she could do.
The hand with blood-red nails that reached up from the boy’s shadow had no such limitations. The boy’s fist was halted an inch from Negi’s chest. The boy looked down, his eyes going wide as a blonde-haired demon began to pull herself out of his shadow.
“Looks like you’ve been taking care of my boy,” Evangeline said, her voice thick with amusement. “Amateur.”
Without even the slightest hint of effort, Evangeline tossed the boy across the lake, sending him hurtling off to the distant shore. She turned and smirked at Negi. “Now we’re even, boy.”
“E-E-Evangeline-san!” Asuna shouted. “H-how did you-”
“Less how, more what,” Sunset snapped. “Blood-sucker! Can you deal with that?” She pointed up at the demon who was now turning to lear down at them.
Evangeline scoffed, throwing her long hair over her shoulder as her tattered black cape billowed behind her. “Please. A child like this? It’s not even a challenge.” She placed a finger to her ear, where Sunset noticed a radio earpiece rested. “Chachamaru. Is the barrier shell ready?” She nodded after a moment. “Good. Do it.”
A sound like a rifle blast went off, and the demon was immediately surrounded by a shell of crackling magical energy. “You’d better step back,” Evangeline said, rising into the air. “You did pretty well, but you’ve all got a lot to learn. Listen up, boy.” She turned to smirk at Negi and held up a single finger. “In a large-scale battle like this, a magic user has only one role: high-powered artillery. In other words, firepower is everything.”
“He tried that before,” Sunset said. “It didn’t even scratch him.”
“Well then,” Evangeline turned and began to ascend rapidly through the air. “I guess I’ll just have to show you the ultimate power of an ultimate mage.” She rose to about half the height of the demon before turning around and pointing at them. “Hey! Make sure you get a really good look!”
“Great,” Sunset muttered as Evangeline continued to rise. “She’s going to show off.” She turned and started running down the pier. “Let’s go! We don’t want to be at ground zero when whatever she’s concocting goes off!”
“R-Right!” Asuna and Negi began to run as well, all three looking back over their shoulders as Evangeline began to chant, her voice cutting through the night effortlessly.
“Lic lac la lac lilac! Queen of Eternity, bound unto me by contract, I call upon thee! Darkness that is forever, Eternal Glacier!”
The water around the great demon froze instantly, shooting up into great spires and spikes of ice. The colossus roared in agony as its entire body slowly froze.
“Wh-what?!” The tiny figure of the onmyou shouted frantically from where she hovered over the demon’s shoulder. “Wh-who the hell are you?!”
“Kukukuku. You’re out of your league, woman!” Evangeline’s grin was all-consuming as she leered down at the demon below. “This is a 150 meter four-way absolute zero field-effect freezing spell! Even a giant monster like that can’t defend against this! I am the vampire Evangeline, Gospel of Darkness! Evil mage without equal! Ahahahaha!”
“Eva-chan is getting… really into this, isn’t she?” Asuna asked as they came to a stop half-way down the pier, staring in mixed wonder and horror at the vampire’s work.
“If you didn’t believe she was evil before,” Sunset muttered, “the long-winded braggadocious monologue is all the evidence you need.”
“All that lives must face death!” Evangeline shouted, raising both arms into the air as the demons head froze last of all. “I shall bring you peace!” With a twirl of her cape, she spun around and began her slow descent, holding a single hand up to eye level, fingers poised to snap. “Cosmic Catastrophe. Break.”
SNAP
The demon shattered into a thousand shards of ice behind her as she slowly lowered herself towards the pier.