Velvet Abyss

Authors Note:  My sincerest apologies if the writing in this chapter is weak or laden with mistakes i had to rush it out.  I hope you'll forgive me.   I'm really excited to finally move the story out of Shikishima village which has been the setting since the third chapter. 

His words meandered around inside of Mari’s ears and she took her time to digest his words, being sure to compose her thoughts with thorough deliberation, mulling it over before offering a reply.

“You want me to travel halfway across the world to attend a magic school?”

“Precisely.”

“Who the fuck do you think i am Harry Potter?”

"Harry Potter?” Yoshiki asked

“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t get it.”

Yoshiki raised a valid argument my mastery of void magic was rudimentary all I could manage was to call upon it in a rage and even that was highly unreliable, I mean her power couldn’t even save the one Mari loved.

Even though Mari still felt distrustful of Yoshiki, his strength and expertise with magic was clear. He disposed of her pet like it was child’s play.  Mari had found her reason to soldier on, revenge against those pious pricks would be her driving force.

But she would need to bite the bullet and admit to her own weakness and surround herself with allies united by a single cause, the annihilation of the Hyogo Kingdom, and by extension the corrupt church of Flanade.

 Seijuro, Daphne and Maya were names that Mari had seared into her heart and she would not perish or leave this world until she had seen their demise with her own two eyes and she would play any part required of her.

“I’ll go.”

“Just the answer I was hoping for.”

‘When are we leaving?”

“We? You seem to be mistaken there’s no we.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“Nope, you’re on your own kid.”

“How the hell am I supposed to get there, I’ve never left Shikishima, let alone been to another country.”

 “Oh yeah, didn’t think of that guess your screwed.”

“I swear I’m going to kill you for real old man.”

“Hey, I’m only 40, I’ll have you know.”

“Wow, you’ve aged well I thought you were at least 100.”

“Little Shit.”

Yoshiki stood up in a huff his muscular arm outstretched his vexed expression turning a stoic  

“Don’t threat you won’t be travelling alone.”

“Hmm” Mari said.

A dark circle cropped up on the ground as the air vibrated intensely, prompting Mari to flinch reflexively.

The circle’s radius increased exceptionally tripling in size. Whatever Yoshiki was conjuring took immense amounts of Ballum even a novice like Mari could recognize that.

“Spirit Magic: Dulcis Amicas"

The circle collapsed into its original size and a figure materialized from the circle’s center bathed in blackish light, Mari could only gaze on awestruck by what was unfolding as the light flickered and vanished leaving a body standing where the circle had been.

The figure was a woman tall and thin with snow white hair and calming azure eyes she stood a good few inches above Mari she was garbed in little more than a black dress. Mari was dumbfounded. He could materialize a person out of thin air.

“What the hell is that?”

“Not what, whom.”

“This is my familiar, Hinamori .”

“More commonly known as”

“I’m Hina pleasure to meet you.”’

Hina twirled before introducing herself playfully her lips parted into a saccharine smile even Mari would be hard pressed to deny that she was cute maybe she should look at contracting her own familar if Velvet would allow it.

“Hina will be your guild on the path to Edelgard.”

“How long will it take to get to this stinking city?”

“Oh, three weeks give or take.”

“Three weeks?”

“Yeah best get that ass of yours into gear.”

“Yeah, the sooner we leave the sooner we get there.” Hina said .

“Fine, I can’t argue with your logic there’s just one thing I need to take care of first.”

“Take your time.”

Mari moved to the sleeping quarters slowly making her way through the empty corridors she realized in her entire two-month stay that she had never once ventured into Shinobu’s room all meetings activity had taken place in Mari’s for she was less likely to be disturbed.  

Mari rummaged through all the rooms until she came across the room she believed to be Shinobu’s though there was only one sure way of telling.  Mari knocked on instinct before entering, wanting to respect her deceased lover even in death.

“I’m coming in.” Mari said after gently knocking.

Shinobu’s room was practically identical to Mari and was tidy to a fault it was almost early how well maintained her room was like in her previous life Mari had been a first class slob some traits are so ingrained that not even death and reincarnation can change them

Just as Shinobu had said there was a brown cabinet placed conveniently in the right corner of the room, Mari approached the cabinet fell to her knees and placed her hand on the silver handle of the bottom draw.

Her heart was beating out of her chest and she had broken out into a nervous sweat her mind was a flutter with a thousand conflicting thoughts. what might Shi have left behind. Part of her didn’t want to open the draw and leave well enough alone.

But she wasn’t about to deny Shi’s last request she’d take whatever it was with her as a reminder that Shinobu had lived and as a physical expression of their love.

Mari pulled the draw open with a swift jolt and what she saw caused tears to stream for her eyes once again.

“Shi.” Mari whispered.