Flowers for You, Magic for the Sky | Chapter 21

[healingbonds]

​​Chapter 20 << | index | >> Chapter 22


Nero: ............!? What happened!? Why did it suddenly change direction......!?

Cyan: Wh—......

Nero: Cyan! Watch out! It’s aiming for you! Get out of the way......!

Cyan: .............!

Nero: Hold it, you damn bird......!
(Boom)
.........Guh, it shook me off......!

Murr: << Eanul Ranbul >>!

Shylock: << Invibelle >>

Nero: ......That was close! Thanks! Murr, Shylock!

Shylock: Not at all. Now where is she.......
.............! Watch out!

Cyan: ......hh, come to me.

Nero: ......Cyan!? Why aren’t you running!?

Cyan: ......He won’t attack me.

Nero: Cyan!

Cyan: It’ll be okay. Because I have the umbrella of luck......

Nero: Cyan......!

✦✧☾✧✦

Heathcliff: ....I’ll draw in the Minotaur! Riquet, prepare your lantern!

Riquet: Yes!

Shino: Stop messing around....! I’ll..... ......!

(Roar)

Heathcliff: << Repsevaivulp Sonus >> !

Shino: << Matztzāh Sudipas >> !
Did that do it....!?

Heathcliff: ......! It’s headed towards Mitile!

Shino: Mitile! Watch out!

Mitile: Y-yes! ......!?

Viridian: Don’t look away. This is the end.
<< Volo Habe.... >>

(Roar) (Crash)

Mitile: .......! It’s attacking her, not me!?
Watch out....!

(Roar)

Viridian: ........!? Aaaaah......!

Mitile: ..........!

Riquet: The Minotaur attacked the little witch....!?

Heathcliff: She’s.... Not a witch!? Her body is like a wooden doll.....

Viridian: .....Why, Father......

Mitile: Ah......!
.......Ahhh.....!

✦✧☾✧✦

Aureolin: ............!? Stop! Let go of me......!

Arthur: Aureolin!

Oz: Where are you going, Arthur!?

Faust: The briars are dragging her towards the wall......

Lennox: She’s being swallowed into the wall......!?

Aureolin: But why, Father.......!

Arthur: Aureolin, give me your hand......!

Oz: Arthur, let go! The castle will swallow you too.

Arthur: I won’t let go......!

Oz: She is merely a puppet!

Arthur: I don’t care if she is! Can’t you see how pale and terrified she is!
I couldn’t possibly let go of her hand!

Faust: ............
<< Satillquinart Mullcreed >>

Aureolin: ......hh......hah.......

Arthur: Aureolin’s body went slack...... Faust, what did you do to her.......

Faust: ............

Arthur: Faust!?

Lennox: ....This magic functions as an analgesic and a hallucinogen. It’s used to provide soldiers with peace and quiet in their final moments when they have no hope of recovery.

Arthur: .............

Aureolin: ......Hah....... Am I truly a puppet.......? .......I......... What will happen to me......?

Faust: Do not worry. There is nothing to fear. Just quietly close your eyes.

Aureolin: Quietly.... Close my eyes.....

Faust: That’s right. You’ll meet the person you want to see.
Aureolin. I pray that your heart may rest in peace. God is watching you — as are we.

Aureolin: .....I think.... I had an older sister..... Her hair and eyes were the same color as mine.....

Faust: You will see your sister.

Arthur: ......Her fingers..... They’re turning into twigs......

Faust: Arthur, let go of her hand.

Arthur: ............

Lennox: Prince Arthur, come this way.

Arthur: ......I’m sorry......
I’m sorry I couldn’t save you......!

Aureolin: Thank you...... ......For holding my hand.......

(Sound of snapping twigs)

✦✧☾✧✦

Violet: .......hh...... ughhh.......

Mithra: The Leviathan is sinking its teeth into her......?

Rutile: What is happening? Did they turn on each other......?

Snow in the portrait: Obsius is a wizard skilled at using puppets to mesmerize and control magical beasts.

White in the portrait: He must have prepared these girls as sacrifices for the beasts right from the start.

Figaro: Oh dear.......The girl’s limbs are turning into wood.

Violet: ......ghh.......

Rutile: .......Can’t we save her?

Snow in the portrait: Save her? Earth to earth, ashes to ashes — that’s all this is.

White in the portrait: The Leviathan’s strength will only grow after consuming that girl. That is what we should worry about.

Figaro: You two are as unfeeling as ever.

Snow in the portrait: Still, our encounter must have been the hand of fate at work. Violet.
I will listen to any last words you have.

Violet: .......I remember now, just a little...... I was a Northern witch.......

Snow in the portrait: How pitiful — you were killed by Obsius so he could use your mana stone. Shall I take revenge on your behalf?

Violet: ......A Northern witch would never ask anyone to avenge her.

Snow in the portrait: Forgive me, prideful witch. It is fitting that you die all alone.

Violet: ......Fufu......
......hh....... Aaahh......

(Sound of snapping twigs)

Figaro: Oh dear, the poor thing......
Mithra. Open the door in space for me. Leave Cain and Mitile to me.

Mithra: Isn’t it faster for me to go?

Figaro: If Mitile is in a critical condition, you wouldn’t be able to heal him.

Mithra: ...........

Figaro: Don’t make me say it, Mithra. Only you or Oz can defeat the Leviathan, the demon of the seas.
I’m counting on you.

Mithra: Fine.

Figaro: They should be preparing the tools to seal away the Leviathan. It might take a little more time to gather everything.
Once the door is open, I’ll leave the tools with you, and then Rutile and I will make for the castle.

Mithra: You’re taking Rutile with you?

Figaro: We don’t know how many people are in critical condition. I need an extra hand.

Mithra: ............

Rutile: Don’t worry, Mister Mithra! Mitile and I will be all right.
We won’t leave you behind.

Mithra: Huh? It’s not like I’m that worried about you. I’m just concerned for my magic.

Rutile: I-I’m aware of that, but.......

Mithra: ............
Rutile. Please stay safe.

Rutile: Yes!

Snow in the portrait: Figaro dear, you too.......

White in the portrait: Stay safe, okay?

Figaro: You make it sound like an afterthought. Geez.......

✦✧☾✧✦

Scarlet: Lalala~. Lala~......
Ah...... Ah, ah......

Rustica: Your singing voice is lovely. Please, do carry on.

Scarlet: .............

(Sound of twigs snapping)

Rustica: Good night, wonderful lady. Sweet dreams......
............

✦✧☾✧✦

Chloe: ....Rustica! Are you okay!? What happened to the lady!?

Rustica: She was absorbed by the castle.

Chloe: By the castle....!?

Rustica: I cast a spell of sweet dreams so that she would not feel pain in her final moments. She sang me a beautiful song.

Chloe: .....I see..... I can’t believe she was absorbed by the castle.....

Rustica: Is Cain all right?

Chloe: .....I can’t say he is. We need to get him to Figaro right away.... But Owen is looking after him.

Rustica: I see.

Chloe: Hey, Rustica. Owen said that Cerberus tore Cain apart, right?
But I think he’s lying. ....Or, more like, I don’t think he did it on purpose.....

Rustica: Why do you say so?

Chloe: .....I don’t know how to explain it, but..... He’s earnestly praying for Cain. ....I think.

Owen: Hey.

Chloe: Woah, you surprised me.

Owen: So Rustica is back? You should’ve told me right away. Did you finish off that woman?

Rustica: We said goodbye.
Chloe and I found an entryway to the castle earlier. The briars had melted from the mysterious acid rain.
Sir Figaro might be inside the castle. Let’s take Cain to him. Owen, could you help us out?

Owen: Fine. I will.

✦✧☾✧✦

Nero: Cyan......!

(Cawing, sound of twigs crunching)

Murr: She got eaten by the Basilisk!

Shylock: Her limbs...... They’re transforming into wood, like a puppet......

Bradley: I told you that girl wasn’t real flesh and blood. She’s just a well-made puppet.
Her mana stone got busted into pieces...... It came from an Eastern witch, huh. I can smell Oz’s blood mixed up in it too.
And now it’s all in that bird’s stomach. This is some real powerful magic......

Shylock: ......Did the Basilisk grow stronger after eating her......?

Murr: It grew even bigger!

Nero: ........... You’re fucking kidding me.......
Brad!

Bradley: Yeah!

Nero: I’ll bring down that bird! Give me your best shot!

Bradley: I got you. Get out there and kill it!
<< Adnopotensum >>

Shylock: ......Bradley’s rifle transformed into a pistol......

Murr: It’s Bradley’s speciality — reinforcement magic! Wow, I’ve never witnessed this move at its ultimate stage!

Shylock: Shooting someone in the chest at close range like that...... Requires an incredible amount of trust.

(Pistol cocking)

Bradley: Let’s do this, Nero!

Nero: All right!

Bradley: << Adnopotensum >>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: (Nero......!)

One by one, the girls transform back into puppets and scatter into pieces......
Amidst those sorrowful scenes, I catch sight of Nero, fury stark on his face.
With the full impact from Bradley’s bullet, Nero is faster than any beast or bird.

✦✧☾✧✦

Like a fish swimming through the dark night, he gives chase to the Basilisk, now even larger.

Nero: << Adnodus Omnis >>!

As Nero chants his spell, his magical cutlery circles him, like servants standing to his will.
With a snap of his fingers, he sends an army of countless forks raining down towards the Basilisk.
The enlarged Basilisk spreads its powerful wings and flaps furiously.

(Gate of Babylon sounds)

Nero: ............!

Violent winds from the Basilisk’s wings blow the rain of forks off course and throw Nero off balance.
Regardless, Nero rights himself and gives chase to the fleeing Basilisk, his flight path a plunging downwards descent.
Wizards riding their broomsticks materialize on both sides of Nero.
Murr and Shylock.
In true Western fashion, they soar through the sky with smiles on their faces, even on a night like this.
They can find joy in anything — terror, sorrow, or even loss.
So that they can love themselves tomorrow.

Shylock: That flapping is quite a nuisance. It makes it difficult to get close.
Let us rob it of its balance.

Murr: I’ll make it dizzy!

Nero: I’ll close in and finish it off. Leave it to me. I’m used to dressing chicken.

Smiling, Shylock hands something to Nero.
—A pale blue umbrella.

Shylock: This fell from the girl’s hands before she turned to wood. I recall seeing it before.

Nero: ............

Shylock: It’s time to settle your score, Nero.

Nero silently accepts the pale blue umbrella from Shylock’s hands.
The lone umbrella linking Shylock and Nero’s outstretched hands almost looks like a bridge suspended across the night sky.
Murr flies through the pale blue arch, whizzing by like a shooting star.

Murr: Here I go~!
<< Eanul Rambul >>!

Brilliant fireworks explode and bloom across the overcast night sky, filling it with cheerful noise.
Boom! Boom! The fireworks resound like the beating heart of the castle trapped behind briars.
"I’m still alive."
"I haven’t given up yet."

​​Chapter 20 << | index | >> Chapter 22