”Get ready for everything, Tia.” Nanoha adviced in her barrier jacket and Raising Heart ready for combat.
”Yes, captain Nanoha.” Teana was overparanoid about what they were facing. Aren was a person that could split the seas just by asking for it. You couldn't expect anything less from the knights.
After a short walk they arrived in a wide hall filled with pillars. There were total of five strong torches in the sanctum. One on each side and one in the roof, which was filled with different equipment, mostly weapons though, hanging from it. Knives to shields, Teana thought she saw a spoon there too. The entire hall was covered with metal, shocking the two of finding such place deep within an anchient temple. On the other side of the wide hall there was a high platform with a person on it.
”Good day, dear warriors.” Sitting on the high platform, he welcomed with open arms.
”Identify yourself.” Nanoha ordered, aiming her staff.
”Whoa!” The man stratled. ”The hostility.” He lifted himself up. He had a cloth around his waist and a white barret in his head. His other clothing didn't match this, as had a full black monk robe with the hood down.
”Well, that's why you and us are here.” Nanoha stated slightly amused.
”But shouldn't we do the speech between the baddie and the goodies?” The black monk suggested with large arm movement. ”You know, the one where I laugh 'Rwahaha~' and you go 'How could you?!'.” He acted overdramaticly.
”I was told that I couldn't befriend you with words.” Nanoha smirked. ”And you haven't done anything yet...” She added.
”Aaaw... I was so looking forward to it...” He frowned. ”Then, I shall introduce myself.” He made an unnecessary cough.
”I feel no fear as I am stuck in life.” A small step back.
”An open wound, where logic leaks from reality.”
”A tear in mortality, kept closed by the chains of time.” He brought his hand to his chest.
”This is who I am. A Selshin knight, Same Myes.” The man bowed deeply and noticed his loincloth. ”What the hell is this still doing here?!” He ripped it off his waist and did the same for his barret.
Teana now noticed that the man had fairly short, blond hair.
”How about you?” Same bent over for another deep bow.
”I am Takamachi Nanoha, Combat Instructor for the Riot Force 6 of Time-Space Administration Bureau's Special Management and the Captain of the Stars squad.”
”I am Teana Lanster, 2nd Class Private of the same unit and Stars-04 of the Stars unit.”
”Maybe I should do it formally as well.” Same scratched his chin and raised to bow again. ”My name is Same Myes. I am the Dark Age of the Book of Darkness 2.0. A T4 acolyte of Lucine...”
A silent and swift object flew behind Nanoha and took her ponytail with it.
”Huh...?” Nanoha turned around to see her brown hair fall down.
”My barrier didn't even flinch?!”
”...a Manipulator of Shadows and Souls.” The shadows of all weapons hanging from the ceiling rose up and aimed at Nanoha and Teana. ”Nice to meet you.”
____________________
”Hum...” Subaru hummed as her partner was rather silent.
Baby, I wanna be your girl
Baby, all I need is you...
”Be serious!” Vita yelled at the calm Subaru.
”Sorry, Vita-chan.” Subaru's vision trailed at the corridor they were in. ”Ah look... a room.” She stated after the corridor widened into a open hall filled with blue lights.
”This is...” Vita's eyes widened
”Oh, pretty.” Subaru approached a blue light.
”DON'T TOUCH THEM!” Vita screamed and swung her Graf Eisen on Subaru's way.
”Sorry...” Subaru pulled her hand back stratled.
”Vita-chan?” A male voice asked from far away in the hall. ”Is it really you Vita-chan?”
”Yes, Linque-san.” Vita remembered perfectly this man. The leader and tactician of the knights.
”How long has it been?” Linque reminenced his lost life. ”I see you brough a pretty lady with you.” He complimented after noticing Subaru. ”I am Linque Cedoz, Recorded Age of the Book of Darkness and an acolyte of Crondo.”
Subaru expected the man to pull a rose out from somewhere. He was like one of those people in Nanoha's manga. He had long white hair hanging behind him without any hold and his face was strangely attractive and calming. He was wearing a long red robe-like jacket, wine red shirt and straight pants with shoes to match.
”A Manipulator of Time.” Vita continued.
”You remember well, Vita-chan.”
”Time?” Subaru whispered to Vita. ”You mean he can stop time?”
”To a certain aspect.” She fixated her eyes on the red man. ”They can store time of actions in time and use it when they want. But it's much more complicated than that.”
”Yes. You remember very well.” Linque pulled two carved swords from his jacket. They were beautiful and anybody seeing them could tell they were masterpieces. ”But... you really think that in these 382 years, we haven't met, I wouldn't have thought up new tricks?”
Vita laughed at the man. ”No I don't. But don't think that I wouldn't have either.” She smiled, readying her mallet.
”I'm waiting with interest.” He smiled and the two old friends engaged combat.
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”Fate-san, I think I heard something.” Caro told slightly trembling.
”Don't worry.” She patted her head. ”Everybody will be fine.”
”Right!” Caro cheered suprisingly easy.
”Caro isn't ready for battle like this. She would be an easy target.” Fate thought. ”Caro, when we get there. Support me from hiding, okay?” She planned.
”I understand. That's what I do best.” Caro gave a big smile at Fate. ”Supporting I mean.” She corrected, shaking her head.
”Haha~ I know.” Fate gave another pat on Caro's head and entered a large hall.
It was well lit and you could easily see a girl, around Caro's age, on a low pedestal in the center. She had pink dress, almost identical to Caro's and you could have mistaken the two as sisters if she didn't have black hair.
”Little girl, you are a knight, right?” Fate checked as she was relucant to attack a 10 year old.
”...” The girl inspected Fate fully from head to toe. ”Nope.”
Fate knew when children lied, no matter how good they were but this was just too obvious.
”Then can you tell me why are you here?”
”Waiting.” The little girl stood up on the shrine she was in. ”Waiting for fate.”
Fate was shocked slightly as the girl called her name but discarded it as a coincidence. ”Very deep for a ten year old.” She praised.
”Tha- Hey! I'm not ten! I'm eleven!” She corrected. ”Actually much more...”
She really was a child. A child stuck in this.
Fate chuckled for a moment. ”I am Fate T. Harlaown. What is your name?” She introduced herself.
”I am Lanlai Genran. Blessed Age of the Book.” The girl bowed deeply making her hat drop, which, too, was nearly identical to Caro's. ”Good to meet you!”
Fate was slightly amused as the girl picked up her hat and gave another bow, now keeping the hat on her with another hand.
”You must be aware what this is about.”
”Yes...” The girl fell silent as it seemed she didn't enjoy combat. ”I must kill you.”
In an instant the girl was surrounded in fire and second later a horned beast showed up crouching. To Fate it looked like a were-lion with blazing red fur, dripping sparks, in it's back and joints, dark brown skin and massive backwards curved horns. Raising up the beast looked at Fate with demeading look and showed it's superiority with a bellowing roar deafening her.
”Prepeare yourself, mortal.” The beast ran swiftly towards Fate.
____________________
Miachell sniffed the air before she heard the sound of two distant footsteps. ”Couldn't be.” ”Two warriors enter the lair.” She announced from her pedestal. ”Signum and a young boy.”
Erio heard the voice but couldn't see where it came from. The walls echoed and it was dark everywhere else but the center.
”Miachell.” Signum lifted Leavantein. ”Keep yourself on toes Erio.” She adviced, knowing the woman.
”Suspicious as ever, Signum.” Miachell appeared from the shadows. She had shoulder lenght curled brown hair and her eyes looked like they could pierce walls. Despite her serious look, it seemed like it was the most natural thing for her.
”With creatures like you, I'm not taking any changes.”
”What happened to the continous 'You're human' talk?” She titled her head.
”You failed in it.” She continued to taunt.
Miachell moved to the light in the middle, flexing. She had a decorated robe on her that was more like an all around cape with loose sleeves. ”You know... I took those words to heart.”
Quickly she lept at Signum and swung her hand at her, which was quickly caught by Leavantein.
”Partial transformation?” Signum praised.
”Yes.” The two woman parted leaving comfortable space between themselves.
Signum noticed how the woman's hands were turned into giant paws. Similar to what Hayate had in her closet just with bigger claws.
”Erio.” She readied Leavantein for another strike. ”This is my fight. You stay away.”
As a knight in training, Erio understood what Signum meant and walked away from the two woman.
”So you do trust me.” Miachell lifted her hands for an unknown stance. ”Normally you wouldn't leave anything unprotected around me.”
”As long as your head is human he will be fine.” Signum jumped towards the woman. ”And when it isn't, it will be on the floor.”
Miachell easily parried the blow and swept her other hand toward Signum, who blocked it just as easily and slid backwards from the force.
”I better be careful then.” Miachell spun and leaped towards Signum.
____________________
”Hayate! All connections have been lost to the unit.” Shari informed Hayate.
She was in charge of this operation from Claudia. Chrono still wanted to keep his battle seat so she stood in front of it.
”Keep everything on stand-by. We can do nothing from here.” She ordered, worried.