Chapter 52: The Holy Swords pt3
Alduin's home kitchen, midnight.
"So," began Alduin, sitting at the head of the kitchen table, surveying the gathered group. "Here we can speak without unnecessary witnesses."
In the semi-darkness of the kitchen, the blinds tightly shut, six beings sat around the table, appearing as ordinary humans. Odahviing sat to the right of Alduin, followed by Krahnahkriin and Kreinzulfen. On the left sat Viinturuth and Midgarstrun, their gazes focused on Alduin, the eldest and strongest among them.
"Milord," Odahwing was the first to break the silence, "Why are't we gathering in Sovngarde?"
"The questions we are going to discuss are beyond the Dovahkiin's competence and relate to the Dovah as a species. That is why we are here."
"But you made Dovahkiin one of us," Viinturuth reminded him.
"She knows too little about the Dovah to have a say in matters affecting the entire pack. Moreover, one of the questions directly pertains to her kind."
"Is she a threat?" Midgarstrun asked.
"Not anymore. But other dragonborn might become one," Alduin answered.
"How so?" asked Odahviing.
"Patience, Odahviing, I'll start from the beginning. As you all remember, I didn't awaken all the Sleepers after my return from my first exile. Of those I did awaken, only twelve fragments remain. Krahnahkriin, Kreinzulfen, and Viinturuth were among them. In addition, nine other fragments of Dovah souls wander Nirn," Alduin paused for effect.
"Only twelve?" Krahnahkriin furrowed her brows, "That's too few."
"I see you're beginning to understand. Over the millions of years that have passed since the Heart of the World stopped, anything could've happened to them. It's quite possible that the bodies of our sleeping brethren have been destroyed. The cause could be anything from human activity to natural forces," Alduin stated, and a sinister silence filled the kitchen.
"How many?" Kreinzulfen asked.
"Unknown. The shoreline has changed, and comparing the land now to the land of the past is no easy task. Therefore, Kreinzulfen, use your connections in the mortal mages' association to find information about the barrows and ancient artifacts. You might stumble upon information about the ancient ruins of the Dragon Cult and the Ayleids. Midgarstrun will assist you. Odahviing, Kranakrin - help Kreinzulfen, but be ready, I might have a different task for you. Viinturuth - continue teaching Morgana, but also be prepared to respond at a moment's notice."
"Yes, Milord," the Dovah chorused.
"Now, another issue indirectly related to our numbers and the dragonborn. A situation might arise where we will have to reproduce like mortals…"
"Wouldn't that lead to the birth of the dragonborns?" Viinturuth asked Alduin.
"The likelihood of this cannot be ignored. Previous Dovahkiins possessed just a particle of the Dovah soul in their mortal bodies, but the child of Dovah and a mortal will have Dovah's blood in their veins in addition to their soul."
"This is unacceptable," protested Odahviing. "In this way, we will create our killers who will be stronger than before."
"From two Dovahs, a Dovah must be born. However, we are too few," Kranakrin pondered thoughtfully.
"Therefore, we need to find the Sun Scroll. By reading all three Elder Scrolls, we can find a way to avoid the birth of Dovahkiins. In the meantime, you have tasks to attend to. Also, Kreinzulfen, I need information about the Sacred Gears."
"It will be done, My Lord."
----
"The next morning, Alduin cheerily closed the front door, ready to head towards Kuoh Academy, whistling a catchy jingle from a fast-food commercial featuring a buff actor. However, his day took an unexpected turn right from the start.
"Good morning, Tatsumi-kun," Akeno greeted him, standing next to his gate.
"He... ahem, Akeno? Good morning," he returned the greeting, "What brings me the honor of seeing you so early?"
"We were interrupted at a very interesting point last time," Akeno smiled, taking Alduin's arm, "And you've been avoiding me for a whole week."
"Avoiding?" Alduin asked in surprise as they began to walk towards school.
"You haven't visited the Occult Club even once, so I thought I'd check if everything was okay with you," Akeno said, drawing a bit closer to Alduin and playfully licking her lips.
"Sona has been trying to re-educate me by overloading me with work," Alduin sighed sadly, but then grinned, "The key word being – trying."
"Oh my, I like that attitude," Akeno replied.
"Oh? I was told I was too wild," Alduin said, glancing at Akeno's chest, which she was pressing his hand against as if she'd plummet into the abyss if she let go.
"This wildness," Akeno winked at him playfully, "It can be very appropriate at times. Like during the visit of Riser Phenex, for example."
Alduin grinned, looking at Akeno and trying to recall a similar scenario in one of his brother's adult magazines. He was completely certain it was there.
In such peaceful conversation, Alduin and Akeno reached an intersection where they met Issei, Rias, and Asia who were heading from Alduin's parental home in the same direction as them. Seeing his brother with the second beauty of the academy practically hanging on him, Issei looked ready to weep tears of blood.
"Tatsumi! You bastard!" Issei roared, menacingly advancing on his younger brother, "You said you didn't like big breasts!"
"Speaking of wildness," Alduin said to Akeno, shifting his attention to his brother, "Unlike some people, I unfortunately can't point to because my hands are occupied with other things, Akeno has the perfect body proportions for her height."
"Don't upset Rias, Tatsumi-kun" Akeno said with a smile.
"Ah, all the joys of life have been taken away from me," Alduin shook his head, "Begone, demon of lust," he said, crossing Issei with his left hand.
"Ouch!" exclaimed Issei, clutching his head.
"Akeno, stop pushing others to make fun of my sweet servant," scolded Rias, hugging Issei, who immediately forgot about his headache.
"Divine punishment will descend on your sinful head, my foolish brother. Such a shame there is no one to burn your porn and drag you on boss raids. By the way, we got the paired axes you've been queuing for since April last year"
"See, Rias, I don't even have to push my dear kohai into anything," Akeno said, smirking triumphantly.
"Gremory-senpai, are you aware of the grill chicks that's supposed to appear in our school cafeteria?" Alduin asked, resuming his stride.
"What?" Rias asked, puzzled.
"I'm talking about Ravel Phenex and her older sister," Alduin explained.
"Onii-sama said that Ravel Phenex will arrive this evening, but he didn't say anything about her sister," Rias didn't get to finish because she tensed up slightly. Issei and Asia's reactions were more pronounced.
Noticing Akeno's tension, he followed her gaze and saw two figures in strange, worn-out cloaks, with swords on their backs. Both swords gave off something like a combination of "Turn Undead" and "Banish to Oblivion" spells. Shrugging, he passed them by, towing dremoras, and headed for class.
----
"Hallelujah, sisters, the God of Destruction and the Firstborn of Time has graced you with his presence. Admire me!" Alduin shouted, entering the student council during the big break.
"Tatsumi, please stop spouting nonsense."
"Nonsense? Sona, I am deeply wounded," Alduin dramatically raised his hands to the sky, "May God forgive you for your neglect of carnal pleasures."
"Tatsumi," Sona said, wincing, "we have visitors from the Church. Please refrain from making such statements."
"You mean those two idiots standing near the school with swords radiating a holy aura?"
"So, you've seen them already. They want to talk to Rias and me. But I told them to talk to Rias alone." Sona said.
"Decided to push the problem onto your friend, have you? Oh, you sly little thing," Alduin said, approaching Sona and starting to pinch her cheek, "Now you're behaving as a biblical devil should."
"Don't you dare lecture me," Sona snarled, hitting Alduin's hand menacingly. "Just do your job."
"Hey! Where did all this waste paper come from? I burned it all yesterday!"
"Parent's Day is approaching, Tatsumi, and you're the only council member who hasn't done your job," Sona lectured, smirking maliciously, "Knowing your aversion to work, Tsubaki replaced the documents with their copies."
"Why am I supposed to be preparing for Parent's Day?" the boy asked, sitting at his desk.
"I so decided. Do it."
"Just you wait, I'll bring democracy here. Actually, why wait," Alduin's eyes sparkled, taking a pencil like a magic wand, "Expecto Petroleum."
Black sludge flew out of the pencil, splashing onto the floor.
"Tatsumi! Clean it up immediately!"
"No way." Alduin smirked and thought, 'Let's see how I've improved my skills in the Illusion school.'
Suddenly, the air in the room began to vibrate, and a black puddle started morphing into a humanoid figure. A few seconds later, a lean African-American man in a high-end suit was standing in the Student Council room.
"Greetings, my name is Barack Obama," the man began speaking to Sona, "I've heard that democratic values are not welcomed here. I suggest that you invest all your finances in the U.S. economy, or we may have to consider humanitarian bombings of your country."
"Tatsumi, get THIS out of here!"
"This? Not only do you deny democracy, but you also don't acknowledge black rights? This won't be simply solved by bombings, now i lean towards the occupation of your country by our allies."
A powerful jet of water swiftly turned the African-American man back into a black puddle. Beneath it, a magical circle lit up, incinerating it. Satisfied, Sona turned to her secretary, only to find him with a Harry Potter book in his hands, performing strange pencil movements that looked like wand waving.
"Don't you even dare!" Losing patience, Sona exclaimed and headed toward Tatsumi to snatch the book from him.
"You should have just worn a white robe with a hood, " he said, looking up at the student council president. "That would have made him disappear instantly."
"Tatsumi, I understand that you have finally found those you can comfortably practice magic with. But please, do it outside of school. I think you, Momo, and Reya can learn a lot from each other by training together in school in the evenings," Sona suggested.
"Sorry, president, but being a magician is walking arm in arm with death. Therefore, I study the arcane art alone..."
"Tatsumi, that's not wise…"
"I think i read something like this in the Type-Moon comics," Alduin interrupted Sona, chuckling inwardly at the expression on her face.
"Tatsumi," Sona began, removing her glasses, "Are you saying that you learned magic from manga?"
"Yep," Alduin replied, grinning contentedly, remembering all his agonizing attempts to relearn magic in a new way after being reborn.
"That's it. I don't want to hear this any more," Sona sighed, throwing her hands up in the air.
"Sona," Alduin spoke in a voice that no longer had the previous playful tone, "When will the church officials talk to Gremory?"
"In the evening, after classes," she answered.
"Understood," he responded thoughtfully, "In that case, I'll skip the usual student council meeting."
"Just try not to make things worse." Sona, taking her seat, cautioned.
Alduin just smiled at her in response.
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