Chapter 38: The Nightingales
As I stared at the empty circle at the top of the chair for a moment I just figured I had another thing to dedicate my time to later. If I ever got time. Sitting in the seat I was able to see the many individuals lining the walkway to the throne.
"My Nightingales, You who have served me all this time. Guarding the Twilight Sepulcher since the Merethic Era. I wish to extend my thanks, unlike I have done in the past. To those who have served in keeping the shadows roaming the world, I thank you."
She sat elegantly on her throne as she spoke, Her back straight as she gazed upon her Nightingales. It seemed to take them by surprise when she said those words.
"For so long, it was that to serve me as a Nightingale was to be, a transaction. As it still shall be. But a new duty shall be upon your shoulders for time immemorial. As all have heard, I have a new son. The Lord of Mysteries, Azarius Noct Emiya, Is and forever will be my son. As such, the safety of him will be your responsibility, if you are in contact."
Leveling a gaze upon the Nightingales she said, "I do understand this is unprecedented, But as always this is a transaction. In your service, if the chance arrives, you could be relieved of one important clause in our agreement. To assist with my son's well being could cause for grounds to have your souls released from my grasp."
A shudder ran through the men and women. Though not as strong as such a revelation should have caused. A smirk dawned on my mother's face as she noticed this as well. Crossing her legs on her throne she continued.
"I see... some of you have come to like the new changes then. I am, Aware my realm wasn't the kindest to mortal souls before. After all, when is a mortal ONLY a shadow? It seems that quite a number of you have come to accept the new accommodations as well? It seems we will have to change the deal..."
Resting her head in her palm as she leaned on her throne, she thought for a moment, Her hand gradually wrapped her chin.
"A better idea... Hmm. Oh, Let us keep it simple then. A wish... Within reason of the task performed, of course. A wish to be pursued by myself or if he so chooses, my son. Now, while this may seem unfair to some, I give him the prerequisite to summon you all. A random choice when he is in need. It all depends on your luck."
The smirk on her face as she said that was in it's own way funny.
"Do you have anything to add, my Lord of Mysteries?" The smirk never left her as she saw I understood her "Joke".
"Thank you all in advance if I need your assistance." Slightly nodding my head to the group of legendary thieves. In truth there were no better examples of them after all.
A particularly bold woman from her looks, stepped forward and said, "I am for this arrangement, my lady. For many years have come and gone since my passing. To once more prowl the nights would be... lovely." The sultry voice carried a hint to her origins.
The High class tone of her voice spoke of her time among nobility, and her particularly tall stature led to me believing her an Altimer. At least for now.
"Anna Lexium, Your service was an interesting affair. I still remember those foolish mortals believing until their own deaths that the others were responsible for the theft of their families memorial artifacts. So it seems you wish to be of use?"
The woman bowed with an arm raised to her breast in salute. "The changes to your realm have brought with them desires and feelings I have not had in millennia, My lady. For so long I was "Lost" in my shadows. They were consuming me. I had resisted for these long years in silence. Thanks to the lord I have been, freed, And enlightened."
As she straightened her stance her shadow danced around her. "Such is your grace, my lady."
"ahh, yes... Your minds are no longer tethered as deeply to the shadows now. While I will not call what was done as a mistake, Know that for now you gain what I have deprived of your, mortal souls. Nothing more, nothing less."
The woman stepped back into the lines.
"Now, it is time to give a gift to my son. As you all carry my armaments, the raiment of your stations, They are birthed from the very shadows themselves."
Standing up she reached for the cloth draped from the celling around us. Gripping a piece she ripped it, though no sound carried from it as shadowy tendrils clung to the piece before separating and reforming themselves. Leaving in her hands a strip of cloth.
Looking to me I got the message and stood up and walked to her. Nox left my shoulder to rest upon my mother's throne with his sibling.
Holding out an empty hand she signaled me through the bond to place my own hand in her's. Following the instructions she gripped my hand gently with a small smile.
"My raiment for my nightingales is to protect them. To aid in their endeavors in the shadows. To grasp their power when necessary to defend, and attack." With her other hand she guided the strip to wrap my hand. The sleeve of my own mage robe gave way, disintegrating the right sleeve.
In it's place was the cloth as it wrapped the arm. The way it looked was as if Shirou's shroud was wrapped around my arm again. Only this time the cloth was as black as the night sky.
The cloth wrapped around snugly but allowed movement easily enough as I tested the mobility of the arm. Opening and closing my fist showed no real changes.
"I took my own inspiration from your brother's cloak." Sensing my thoughts she answered accordingly. "While his maybe of the holy attribute, the power it holds is unsuitable for you. I have taken the liberty to make this from the cloth of shadows."
The nightingales watched on silently as she paced to the draped cloth. Placing a hand on it she said, "They were created for me from a powerful mage who thought to earn my favor to betray me. He himself failed to realize his own folly to believe a normal mortal can control the shadows."
Turning to look back at me, she said, "It serves to help in your grasp of the magic inherent in shadows. It will hide you when you need to, To evade even the direct gaze of the other Princes. It is my birthday present to you my son."
That hit me like a truck on a freeway. My confusion was evident as even I didn't know of how the calendar worked in this universe. She sensed it and moved to behind me. Grasping my shadow clothed hand she raised it.
"When we were connected I was given by mundus all information I would require. Through shadows I see. Through possibilities I discern. So, upon this I discovered your body's birth. The 20th of Frostfall" (oct 20 for those wondering)
"I had spoken with your brother as well to decide the name. Since he carries the Shroud of Martin, You carry the Shroud of Nocturnal. May it hide you in shadows and carry their luck."
A happy smile grew on my face, multiple things were explained as my brain was still processing the information. The date in terms of the year, a new artifact, and most of all my birthday. It also served as to the reason why she wanted me to come here.
"I thank you all for coming, we shall retire, for now." She spoke to the Nightingales. They bowed as shadows climbed around us and swallowed us. When they peeled away we were left in front of the cabin from the beginning. leading me inside she had a table set for us.
I enjoyed a nice meal with her, thanking her first and foremost for her gift. And as the time went by and my mind was tired we went to sleep. Of course since I was her son, she insisted we had to be in the same bed. While I'm pretty sure she didn't need sleep though.
Needless to say it was heavenly! but i couldn't properly enjoy it either as my mind and body were inflicted by my state as a child. It was soft though.
The following "morning" not really a way to tell time in her realm, if it was even a thing. led to me taking some time to find out what the shroud did.
The main ability was to hide. This was based on how much "Shadow" was around me. The Shroud actively "grabbed" at them and attached them to me. Growing itself to look like a coat except for the arm itself. I was also able to shape the coat as well.
The second ability was a boost when I was undetected. When there were no eyes on me I felt a strange empowerment. It improved my strength.
The final ability was probably one of my favorites. Using the Gathered shadows offensively allowed them to be shaped around the shroud as a claw. This was because it allowed for an ease of use when using shadow magic. With Azazel to act as the guide and my will to form them I now had an offensive form of melee combat.
Also more training, but who cares! New toy! weapon.... definitely weapon.
There were also defensive enhancements when wearing the artifact. Though my robe now didn't have a sleeve for now, I could cover it up except the hand. I did get the feel from the artifact it didn't like being covered.
Nevertheless, by "noon" I went back to the shivering Isles. Sadly for me, what was a day in the Evergloam was a few in the shivering isles. So I missed the appointment of a new Duke of Mania Throgor, And the defection of the Duchess Syl. He also was moving about now to retake the Fringe. Shirou was with him as backup.
For Granny she decided to explore a bit around the isles. Had taken it upon herself to gather materials that she could use. The hardcore old woman made even veterans quake in their boots when she got serious, was practically on a war path after finding one of the settlements that made most of Sheogorath's cheese supply was destroyed though. Turns out she actually loved the stuff.
Kinda explains why Sheogorath was tolerant of her antics now that I think on it.
Since I was left to my lonesome I went back to practicing. Especially because I was finally a Magician. This led to a whole new can of worms when training with the Dedric sisters, not that they would agree to such a name.
Flashing around with fire jump and flame control was cool, at least until it was overused and drained my smaller pool of spirituality. I could comfortably jump a dozen or so times before the dizziness set in. That was without using air bullet or any other abilities.
Damage transfer was also one that used a lot of spirituality. Even on lighter wounds such as scrapes and bruises. Bigger wounds meant more spirituality to compensate.
So in the end I learned my first "real" shadow spell to make up for it. Rather than just manipulations, I learned shadow blink. Which made me a nightmare to fight against. Even going all out with their experience the two Dedra found out just what it means to fight a harasser. Flame blink for a flashy entrance stole their attention, only to be subverted by shadow blink when they thought they could corner me.
Then came the Shroud's abilities and they just tacked on the stupidity that was my fighting style. An extremely evasive, borderline rage inducing, and all around deadly style of assassination that did not allow someone to breathe easy.
That was before you added in Amentia. With Amentia, it's own brand of insanity, I had just the push to actually fight evenly with their experience. But I still took the time to train in close combat. To fight sword against sword. Or at least dagger against sword.
Now there was hand to hand combat also included in our lessons. Though the Dedra sisters were more occupied with revenge some of the time in those lessons.
All's well that ends well at least though. The end of the week without Granny to guide me nor Shirou, I still accomplished one of my greatest feats. A successful reinforcement!
While It may not have been on myself, I was able to reinforce the training swords I was always using. The first step for my child self in the process of magecraft.
There was also the random thoughts of what kind of magecraft I wanted to create on my own. Projection or Tracing was a very well established form of magecraft that I was and am inheriting. But for my own form I wanted something special.
In the end I took advice from one of my senior reincarnates. Reenactment of myth. Since Myths are inherent stories that have happened in the past and their very essence caries mysteries, what about say an event that is happening right now?
So, the idea took root. I just needed to figure out how to accomplish this goal. I would need three things to do so.
First a Focus to act as a bridge to the event. Second is the strength to invoke the concept of the "Myth". Third and finally I would need to dedicate and understand a string of Dedric runes to support and invoke simultaneously the event.
The first stop on the list, A relic of Order. In the end, I need the Sword of Jyggalag.
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Woe to the heralds of Order!
Stones shall be our weapons!
Donate, so we can stand strong in the face of their onslaught!
AN:// Hope you like this little tidbit for background on Nocturnal's nightingales. As well as the third artifact he will hold. I do have a surprise for our final artifact. Hint, Dedric artifacts change with their users.
Love you guys!
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