Until death?

by Andur

  “It is not allowe..” “And I don't have to! I will twist out their hearts in the first second of the battle with a mere thought!” I interrupt him.

  “This isn't over!”, He turns around and leaves without saying goodbye. Hmm. Not very respectful.

  I jump out of the chair and correct my attire. Then I walk back to my library. Ahh, I still have so many books to read!

  “Would you really have done it?” Arthur asks.

  “Everybody is allowed to make mistakes in his life. Just don't make any of them twice.”

  26 - I want my own toys!

  "I want the mountain range in the north of midpoint and a workforce, sworn to secrecy." I proclaim in the living room.

  "...."

  "What do you need a mountain for?" -Ireth asks shocked.

  "I want to set up my own research institute there. It is an old volcano and there are many metals like iron inside the volcanic rock." I explain.

  "But we have the house of Cygnus who can do the research for us." -Arthur

  "That's true, but there is much knowledge which I don't want to distribute to the public. I trust Cygnus, but I would feel much better if I could keep it in my own hands. The latest design for the new power plant belongs to that category." -Me

  "I guess we could organize it. But what about the money." -Nicol

  I drop a stack of papers onto the desk.

  "I already calculated everything. We will shut down the old royal power stations, which support the city and replace it by my new power plant. They are coal based and outdated anyway. My new power plant produces energy much cheaper and we can just keep the old price and finance the project with the saved money." -Me

  "Hmm." Katrine looks suspiciously at my papers.

  "On top I want to set up some surprises for the guys from Meltheim and Tulhelm. They were too silent since Odlef ran off. It bugs me." -Me

  Yes. It has been a few months since the incident with Odlef. My parents are back already and I and Celes are in the middle of our second school year and eight years old by now.

  But strangely enough there was less action than we anticipated from the Meltheim side. They just heightened the prices for their materials.

  The other disturbing thing is that Sarda and Senda are gone from the school. They were studying abroad anyway and all the notification the school got was that they went back home.

  Strangely enough Iris is still here. Though she seems to be pretty isolated during fighting lessons by now.

  The north is just one big black hole of information by now. Of course there is still the official stuff, but the buggers have somehow managed to cut off every intelligence my parents could get in other ways. Including stuff like material and equipment distribution through the area.

  My parents cannot complain, because they fulfil their responsibilities in every aspect to the letter.

  “You just want some toys to play around with!” -Celes

  “That is the other reason.” I will try to be frank here.

  “Why not, it is not like I don't believe that Angrod couldn't manage something like that. And we have given in to Celes's technological development plan too. Compared to this, giving Angrod a single facility to play around with can't cause that much trouble.” -Nicol

  The rest of the parents nod and I put up a devilish grin. Celes just shakes her head but doesn't say anything. When everyone is gone, she sits down in front of me and stares at me.

  “What?” -Me

  “Could be my question. What are you planning? I want to know too.” -Celes

  “I am planning to do exactly what I said. A facility with state of the art technology, to counter everything Meltheim and Tulhelm may throw at us.” -Me

  “You know that it's bad for a world if there is too much innovation? That's why we fought in first place! I hope you won't give this worlds people too much knowledge and power!” -Celes

  “Hmm. Maybe? I wonder.” I answer.

  “ANGROD!” Celes is now seriously angry.

  “It's just my very own toy, so don't freak out like that. And the facility will have every security and secrecy possible.” -Me

  “I hope that....” Celes has now a complicated expression, while looking at me. Then she jumps up and leaves the room, leaving me alone.

  I shrug my shoulders and take up one of my books.

  ***

  I am sleeping. Ah, its so nice. Being able to sleep and dream of good times. I grip my encyclopedia tighter to my chest.

  Strangely it keeps slipping away hmmmmm. Hoh, something seems to creep around inside my bed? Strange, do I have a pet?

  Something inside bed?

  I shoot straight up and awake to bump my head into something.

  “OW! MmhhhmNMEMNemn” Someone shuts my mouth with his hands.

  “Shhh! Or they will hear us!” -Celes

  “Wmat mare mou moing mere!?” -Me

  “Give me that book, I need to see those plans for the facility!” -Celes

  “No?” I press the encyclopedia tighter to my chest. Apparently Celes has mistaken it as the blueprints, which I obviously hid much better.

  The encyclopedia Celes found when she first rummaged through my room helps me to sleep easier. Yeah, yeah just laugh at me. Others have a favourite plush toy, a favourite pillow or someone of the other gender they can hug.

  I have a favourite book! And I hate pillows! I just can't sleep with something so soft under my head.

  “Give me that plan! You are obviously planning something stupid, or you wouldn't need to hide it! It's even bad enough, you need to keep it with you even in bed! I knew that there was something fishy about this!” She grabs my book and starts to pull.

  But I resist and pull on my end too. The witch wants to steal my favourite encyclopedia!

  “Never! You will never get it! Only over my dead cold body!” I grasp it tighter. I am still sleepy and the gears in my head haven't started to turn properly.

  Celes locks me down with her legs to get a better grip, trying to use the leverage effect to get a hold on the book. Her tail wriggles around me and tries to twist off my fingers.

  “Give it! I won't allow you to lure this world on to destruction too!” -Celes

  “Wawawa! Never!” I try to push her away with an arm, when the door opens and a tired looking Nicol looks into the room.

  Now I become aware of our position, which could be misinterpreted very easily.

  Nicol looks at us for two seconds and then smirks in a very dirty way. He raises a hand to his lips and signals us to be quiet.

  Then he slowly closes the door.

  NOOOO! IDIOT FATHER! THAT'S EXACTLY THE WRONG THING TO DO!

  I didn't sleep much this night....... and I guess Celes got to check another item on her list.

  27 - Failure and an abandoned child?

  It is the end of my second school year and my project is developing quite fast. I took full advantage of this world's building capacities.

  By now I also know why Margiere is so interested in levitation. It's actually quite simple. The people of this world are using magic devices for almost all aspects of work.

  There are no cranes on construction sites. Instead everything is just levitated into the proper place. There is almost no use of electricity. Something I wish to change as soon as possible.

  The heavy use of magic devices is a serious factor in their resource problems. I will have to replace most magic devices by something that relies on pure science.

  But for now I am playing around with a magic device for myself. It's a wristband with the newest state of the art technology. I call it an assistant casting device. You can put it on and then it taps into your mana pool.

  By recording one of your spells, you can set it now to activate the recorded spell on a pre-set condition. For example you could record a healing spell and activate it on the condition of being wounded.

  Pretty convenient if you ask me.

  I have many other projects, but I made this one
my first priority in order to raise the fighting force of my facility's security. Imagine a trained guard to being able to cast healing, beside being an idiot, who never even looked into healing arts before.

  Yes. That's right you can record a spell and then give the device to someone else. He can cast your spell through the device, despite of having no idea how the spell works.

  And that is the main reason for this invention!

  Mwahaha! And I will use it to record the stupid raccoon geezers ability! The cheat will be mine! I will be an immortal cheat character too!

  Right now I am standing before Tongord and the lesson is about to start. Everyone is here, though Sven, Gabriel, Sandra and Iris have already started to train.

  “Teacher Tongord? Could you please put this on and activate your regeneration ability once?” -Me

  “What's that?” Tongord asks with a suspicious look.

  “A spell recorder. Something I am developing. Nothing can happen, I have it already tested by myself.” -Me

  “Hmm.” Tongord puts it on and activates his ability. Then he takes it off and gives it back. “Here.”

  I take the wristband. Hahaha! Now I …. HUH!? Nothing is recorded?

  “Hmmm, that's strange. I thought I had made no mistakes.” I talk to myself.

  “Nyahaha! Angrod is too smart for his own good! Tongord's regeneration is an innate ability and not a spell. He doesn't need to generate a magic formation which could be recorded. So it is obvious that there is nothing your device could record.” Tanja shoots at me from the side and my mind freezes.

  “AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!” I scream. How could I make such a basic mistake! All my work for nothing. I don't even need such a useless device because I can insta cast everything I need anyway. Ugh.

  I fall to my knees and drown in self-pity. Haah, no choice here. I can just as well throw the thing to the dogs.

  “Celes? I know its late but I have a present for you.” -Me

  “Huh? Huh? A present? For me?! From you!?” Celes is shocked.

  I put the wristband onto Celes hand who is standing beside me. “There is shield magic and healing magic recorded inside this, all you have to do is to pour your mana into the device and think either “heal” or “shield” for it to activate.”

  “Oh? Uh? Could it be that you made this especially for me, because I am so bad with magic spells?” Celes suddenly starts to cry.

  “Ahem....” No? Why would you interpret it that way?

  “Oooh! Angrod, you really still have feelings for me after all. I had almost given up hope after you didn't show me those blueprints! But they were my present and you didn't want me to see them in advance! And even going to your knees for this, it is almost like getting a wedding ring! Thank you!” Celes gives me a big hug.

  Huh!? What? I don't get it! I... How can my actions be misunderstood like this?

  “Tanja let's test this immediately!”

  Celes and Tanja run off to do a training match. NOOO! Let me explain!

  That leaves just me and Tongord here. Wait a moment! Jus...

  “I guess I will give you a hand then!” Tongord rolls up his sleeves and grins at me.

  …....

  ***

  It is evening when we come home and find our parents with grave expressions in the throne room. The little Iris is standing in front of them and looks even more frightened than she normally is around Celes.

  “What is going on here?” Celes asks and they turn around.

  “Ah, you are coming exactly at the right moment for the latest news.” -Arthur

  “The house of Meltheim and the house of Tulhelm together with some smaller houses in their vicinity have declared independence. The entire north is in rebellion.” -Ireth

  Well, fuck....

  “Now we know why the house of Meltheim completely retreated from Midhold. Taking all their staff with them and closing down their residence.” -Nicol

  “The only question we have, is why this one is still here. We send a few guards to the Tulhelm residence to fetch them. But they reported that it was completely abandoned with only a small part still in shape. Apparently Iris has lived there alone for quite some time, while only a skeleton-crew of employees kept the outward appearance.” -Katrine

  Oh, that's actually quite the story. I scratch my head and try to think about the implications.

  “So what do you have to say for yourself? Nicol asks Iris who seems quite pale by now.

  “Where.... where should I start?” She asks.

  “Starting at the beginning is always the best.” Arthur urges her on.

  “I.. I was never that much in politics. But one day my parents started to command me to suck up to Angrod. They wanted me to cause an incident at the introduction party, but I refused. I hate their way of doing things.

  It made them mad like hell and then this whole duel-incident with Sarda and Senda happened. I think they were instructed in similar ways. Only in their case, they didn't refuse.

  When my parents got really nasty, I tried it at the school with all my might. But Celes gave me a beating. I was too afraid to go near Angrod again. Then one day my parents told me not to go to school.

  I refused again because I hate their games. And then that terrorist attack happened and the terrorists tried to abduct me. I tried to resist them, but failed. Then I got saved by Angrod. I am sorry for not thanking you, but I was afraid.” -Iris

  She takes a frightened look at Celes.

  “And... and when I came home that day, I found the whole residence abandoned. And one of the employees told me that they were just instructed to keep the garden intact.

  In my room I found a letter from my mother, telling me that I am a disgrace and that I can stay in the residence until I am done with school. And if I would tell anyone, they would send assassins after me.”

  Iris has now tears in her eyes and is really trembling. Wow... though. Isn't it strange for someone her age to give such a thought out explanation?

  On the other hand, she had more than enough time to think about her words, if a situation like this should come to be.

  If that is all true it's quite the heavy stuff. For parent to do that to her own child that mother should actually be shot on the spot. There is a heavy silence in the room.

  “Angrod?” -Celes

  “Hmmm?” -Me

  “I need some nukes!” -Celes

  “How big?” I grin. Unfortunately I am just kidding. This world doesn't have any production of nuclear fuel. Building it up would require quite some time.

  But what should we really do in this case. Unfortunately I have no idea.

  28 - What to do?

  We are currently in our private rooms and our parents and Celes are staring at a map, racking their brains. The situation is complicated to say the least.