Chapter 4: The Marionettes

Catherine: Come out now. [said a very calm voice]



And slowly, there were small marionettes erupting from the ground. They were different looking from each other. There was a lady with long wavy brown hair wearing a black dress, an old man wearing suspenders and a rifle in his arm, a woman floating in midair in a french-maid outfit holding out a broom, a man with a lantern in his hand and a larger creature with clenched fists.

A gunshot had hit Bach's hair making him twitch, giving time for Misia to escape. Then he felt a sort of a shock making him numb for a while.





Bach: Argh. So Torsche continues to interfere.



Stein: I will not forgive you for what you have done. Give me the crests.



Bach: Can you not see Stein? I will give you time to think. I have all the time in the world... but your time is limited. I give you 7 days to hand over your part of the crest.

Stein: If we do not do that?



Bach: [takes out a ribbon from his coat]

Stein: That's Irmgard's



Bach: I will see you in 7 days. At the Old Lighthouse.

[A warp gate appeared behind Bach. He went inside and disappeared.]



Stein: No!

Misia: Lord Stein!

Stein: Misia... It's nice to see you again. It would be better if circumstances weren't as such.

Misia: I agree. I'm sorry Lord Stein. Lord Bach freed me from the Joaquin Prison. I thought I could trust him, so I led him to you. I am so stupid.



Stein: It's okay. Perfectly understandable. At this dire times, we are looking for friends. The ones we expect are those who don't turn up, and we see the most unexpected to be the ones to lend us a hand... [stares at Catherine]

Misia: Thank you Catherine.

Stein: But Lord Bach. He has never used space magic before. What could that be?

Catherine: A darker magic assists him...



Stein: Catherine?

Catherine: I was sent by my Master to personally accompany you to him.

Stein: What is happening? Why does Dr. Torsche concern himself with us?

Catherine: He will explain to you fully. Let us make haste for it is almost evening. Dark magic is strongest at night.



Stein: I understand.

Catherine: Let us rest at Auch, and from there... to my master's mansion.