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Northern Wizards were despised. They’re usually the most powerful, and then the most fearsome— few got along with anyone else, preferring to keep to themself. They stayed alone. That’s how it usually went.
But Chougi is no longer a Northern wizard— or so he said to himself, hopes low, but still present, once he moved to the East. Everyone kept to themselves in the East, sure, but humans… will always be humans.
Hating wizards. No matter where they came from. He was feared. They knew he was a wizard from the North.
But fearful and spiteful these pathetic humans were, the villagers of the town Chougi resided in had the audacity to ask him for his help to slay the terrifying Mountain Witch.
Rather, they sent a little boy, hair dark blue, and a smile akin to an angel’s, to ask him. As their “offering”. As their sacrifice.
But he realized.
The little boy was a wizard, too. And the most kind-hearted wizard he’s ever met— wizards that kind and stupid only came from the Southern Country. Perhaps he had lost his way when he was born to come here.
Of course, despite how terrible Chougi liked to think he was, he wasn’t about to abandon a little wizard in a place filled with cowards. So he “accepted” their offering, their sacrifice. He’ll just raise the boy, turn him to stone, and eat him. That’s what they wanted, right?
“Is the Mountain Witch a bad lady?” The boy had asked, “She’s powerful, and uses those powers to protect us from the beasts on the mountain.”
Chougi never knew how to respond, only silence as he begrudgingly patted the boy in the head. No, she’s not a bad person. She’s a fool if anything. To continue to serve humans despite receiving nothing in return.
“Keep walking, Kenshin.”
The Mountain Witch doesn’t have a name, but the previous Sage dubbed her the “Yamanba”. They taught this to Kunihiro, teaching him that it shares a name and concept as a youkai back from their homeland. He didn’t quite know what it meant, but he went with it. It sounded a little too familiar though, although he couldn’t figure out why. But this mountain crone was a powerful witch.
If she was turned to stone, then the one who killed her can only be another wizard, or the Great Catastrophe itself.
Kunihiro looks up at the moon, a hand on the hilt of his sword, and he shivers.
The moon is beautiful again tonight.
The Mountain Witch didn’t put up a fight. In fact, she had taken Chougi’s hands, dipped her head, and begged him in a raspy and crackly voice that she became tired of living.
He scoffed and told her that she’s better off going to the Forest of Dreams if she wanted a peaceful death.
Kenshin looked on fearfully, burrowing his face into Chougi’s robes, avoiding eye contact with the wretched mountain crone, white and dried out hair flayed about her body, making her almost unrecognizable.
Perhaps, this way, she at least wouldn’t die alone.
A fate that many wizards and witches alike feared meeting.
Chougi’s different. It’s a fate he didn’t mind. He’s used to it, anyway.
Being alone. No one by his side. It’s just how it should be.
Flos glacies, he murmurs, and the witch is seized, blades of ice piercing her in the chest, and eventually her entire body becomes encased in ice, turning into what would be a lovely sculpture…
If the witch was beautiful, anyway. But she’s ugly, so it looks nothing too ethereal. He snaps his fingers with his right hand, and the ice shatters, the sparkles it leaves behind consolidating into a mana stone.
With a free hand, Chougi holds the top of Kenshin’s head tightly, pressing the young boy into his back. This isn’t a sight that he should be seeing. Would this be what he does to Kenshin in the future? Poor, sweet Kenshin. A boy who knows little about this world, yet knows more about humans than Chougi ever will.
Maybe it’ll change when he grows up, becomes less naive, and harder to feel bad about killing.
“Chougi,” the little boy speaks up, hands trembling as they cling onto his cape, “is it over?”
“Yes,” Chougi answers in a gentle tone, releasing his hold on Kenshin. He steps forward, collecting the mana stone that the witch left behind, and then… he places it in his mouth, swallowing it.
“Return to the village, Kenshin.” He orders, eyes downcast as he finally turns around, “those dumb villagers probably expect me to come back, and they’ll try to kill me next.”
“No,” Kenshin returns, stepping away from Chougi’s robes, and then walking in front of him, looking up at him with bleary eyes, “I want to become a strong wizard like you. You said I was a wizard too, right?”
“That’s right. That’s why no one wants you. That’s why no one will love you. And that is why it’s better for you to get used to being alone,” Chougi murmurs, crouching down and pinching at Kenshin’s cheek, pulling and stretching it out. “Got that?”
“Bwehhh.” Kenshin whines in response, batting at Chougi’s hand, “and you should teach me magic so I can… uh… get used to being alone without anyone’s help.”
Chougi smirks.
“Fine.”
Maybe it’d be a waste to turn him into stone.
They’ve failed this time in their fight against the Great Catastrophe. It’s a surprise that Kunihiro wasn’t turned into stone, but, of course… he had lost so many friends in the process. Usually, the Southern wizards are the first ones to go, always acting so selfless and self-sacrificing, taking the cover for their comrades.
Nansen was different. He was prideful, and while he cared for others, he knew better than to put himself in the line of fire. Hell, Kunihiro found himself protecting the Southern wizard, which earned him the protection of one of the other wizard’s cats.
That way we’re equal, nya!
Sometimes, Kunihiro wondered if Nansen was secretly a Western wizard. Either way, in the previous sage’s place, came a new sage. As they’re getting used to their job courtesy of some of the other wizards, they’ve performed the summoning ceremony.
Two new Eastern wizards appear, but… only for a moment. At that moment, his eyes meet with the other wizard’s, a frosty and icy blue, silver, almost snow-like hair. And by his side is a younger wizard, with blue hair and a kind smile.
“I will not do your bidding, Sage. Find someone else.” The blue-eyed wizard says in a soft, but harsh voice, murmuring his spell and disappearing with the other tiny wizard immediately in a puff of smoke.
“What was his problem?” Nansen remarks, scratching his head, “Do ya think we’ll have to fetch those two? I don’t wannya…”
“That’s… up to the sage,” Kunihiro replies with uncertainty, eyes portraying a look that’s dreamy and far away.
Rumors of the Mountain Witch continued to circulate throughout Eastern country, based on murmurs in a local diner. The owner clicks his tongue at the news but keeps a straight face otherwise.
Nansen declined his invitation to tag along, saying something else came up— whatever that meant. Either way, Kunihiro figured that he would be the one to embark on this fetch quest alone, although he wished at least his brother would tag along. No matter, though, it looks like it’ll be up to him to get the Eastern wizard. He seemed so familiar, after all— Kunihiro doesn’t know why … he’s lived a couple of centuries by now, but most of it was spent as one of the sage’s trusted wizards.
So… why. It seems like their fates were connected, somehow. But the other wizard— Chougi, he’s learned from Mikazuki, a Northern wizard. When Kunihiro asked for more information, Mikazuki simply laughed, took a sip of his tea, and said that having his fortune told would… cost him.
Kunihiro kicked him in the leg and left.
Although, he’s aware that he feels like something’s missing— even the previous sage was surprised with his name, saying it was a Japanese name. The Yamanba … and so now he will go to slay her successor, a new aptly dubbed Mountain Wizard. Apparently, he had an apprentice, and well…
It definitely matches Chougi. Without a doubt, really. So, Kunihiro came to this diner with a bunch of abhorrent wizard hunters, outfitted with magic tech from the Western country. He passed off his sword as magic tech, and obviously, these guys weren’t skilled enough to realize that he’s a wizard— well, his cloaking magic came in handy— although, he’s getting some looks from the diner’s owner, who had light blue hair tied back in a small ponytail.
Maybe he’s a wizard too. But Kunihiro doesn’t say anything, poking at his blazing potatoes before popping each slice in his mouth and chewing. As he listens to their plans, Kunihiro draws the tattered white cloak over his head, his heart wincing with the prick of nostalgia again.
Either way, they were in the process of creating a plan to encircle Chougi, seizing the apprentice wizard as a hostage or whatever.
He’ll just have to make sure he foils their plans.
So, apparently, Chougi was more than enough to stop the wizard hunters in his tracks. He would applaud them, if not for the fact that he could sense that his magic was used to kill. Kunihiro quickly deflects with his sword, drawing away from the rest of the group. He sighs, eyes swirling about and seeing all of the hunters encased in ice.
Ice magic, huh? Mikazuki mentioned something about Chougi being a Northern wizard who moved to Eastern country, and it seems like his magic reflects it. He wonders what the little wizard’s specialty is— Chougi was his teacher, right? Perhaps ice magic as well. He’s definitely further than producing sugar crystals.
But, this wasn’t a time to think!
“Non mihi solum!” Kunihiro chants his spell in retaliation, his sword glowing and then he slashes wildly in the air, each blow manifesting as light magic and blasting into the frozen wizard hunters, melting through the ice and releasing the wizard hunters, although it knocks them back unconscious.
Maybe he should’ve brought someone else along who had the basic knowledge of memory erasure, but… well, what’s done is done. Perhaps the trauma would be enough to scare them off from wizard hunting. He glances at them with no emotion in his eyes, and so he treads on ahead.
The mountain grows cold. There’s not much he can do, although he takes out his lamp, whispering his spell again and lighting it, his meager lamp emanating some heat to keep him warm. To think that there’s such a place in the East that could grow so cold… regardless, Chougi couldn’t have been far.
But it’s been a long ordeal, clearly as the moon’s suddenly so big in the sky. Kunihiro glances up, his breath hitching and his movements growing languid and slow. Shit, not his bizarre injury kicking in now— when he was so close.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it. Why is it you? Why is it always you? ” Kunihiro hears after he’s closed his eyes, body flat on the ground, and white cloak relatively dirty.
It’s really cold. But it’s so familiar.
Kunihiro dreams, and it’s not quite turning into stone, but something different— the same cloak he wore right now, the clicking of his tongue, the blood in his mouth, and the fissures in his body growing bigger until he shattered.
Chougi is there, with the same piercing blue eyes, although they’re blotted with tears. He had gnashed teeth, a bloodied face, and a hand reaching for his.
But Kunihiro couldn’t take it, already breaking into pieces, turning into fragments of steel.
We’ll meet again.
Kenshin busies himself in the corner of the house, pretending that he’s not there— well, not like it does much. Chougi knows he’s still there. He clicks his tongue but doesn’t do anything to scold the boy, who already graciously covered the idiot central wizard with a blanket, and left him a cup of hot water.
Who taught him such hospitality? Chougi certainly hadn’t.
Either way, the scene is unfortunately nostalgic. He doesn’t remember his past before he was born into this world as a wizard, just an annoying amount of memories pop in his head. And when he saw him at the Magic Headquarters when he was summoned by the Sage’s ritual, he knew he had to leave. Kenshin was eager to be one of the Sage’s wizards, but honestly, it’s a pain in the ass for Chougi. He just had to leave whenever he saw this dumb central wizard.
Yamanbagiri Kunihiro, the one who stole his name in their past life. The fake that became more well-known than him , the original Yamanbagiri Chougi. It also seems like the current Sage is from the same country they were from, Japan. It’s strange now, to remember this much about his past life. How bothersome, that he’s meeting this fake again in this life.
Chougi sighs, wondering if he should rouse the other wizard up by spilling the hot water on him. Might be good to burn him a little. Or maybe…
“Flos glacies,” He murmurs, and a frosty wind manifests from his fingers, and he flicks it toward the blond’s direction.
That startles him awake, and he sneezes.
Kenshin scrambles over with a handkerchief, offering it to the central wizard. “Are you okay, mister?”
“I… am fine,” he mumbles in response, accepting the handkerchief graciously and blowing his nose. He then glances up, casting his tattered cloak aside and shakes his head like a dog who just received a bath. “Why did you two leave at the summoning ritual?”
Chougi doesn’t answer, scoffing instead.
“Don’t mind him! Master Chougi is just… um… shy?”
Chougi doesn’t glare at Kenshin for that, but he’s quick to glare harder at the other wizard.
“Sure…” The central wizard sighs, and he offers Kenshin a smile, “well, I’m Kunihiro. I’m one of the Sage’s wizards, summoned as a Central Wizard. It’s nice to meet you.”
Kunihiro sure acts like a central wizard, huh, Chougi thinks bitterly. In their past life, Kunihiro lacked much confidence at all, breaking before he could ever take that journey that would supposedly make him overcome his insecurities.
Chougi doesn’t remember much of what happened after that, but. Whatever. He didn’t care to know.
“I’m Kenshin, an Eastern wizard… and Master Chougi’s apprentice!”
Chougi ruffles a hand through Kenshin’s hair, but then finally opens his mouth, “Chougi. Looks like I was summoned as an Eastern wizard, but I’m from the North.”
“Makes sense… I heard about you from Mikazuki,” Kunihiro shakes his head, “do I know you from somewhere else?”
Chougi feels a chill galvanize his body, and he freezes. He… doesn’t remember, does he?
“No,” he responds immediately, “why are you here?”
“Oh, really… it’s just that you seem familiar.” Kunihiro shrugs, but then blinks, “yes, I wanted to let you guys know that we’ve decided that all of the Sage’s wizards should live at the Magic Headquarters to prepare for the next battle with the Great Catastrophe.”
“Maybe for weak wizards like you, but I’m fine.” Chougi narrows his gaze, crossing his arms.
Kunihiro scoots a little, then gestures toward Kenshin, “don’t you want him to learn from the strongest wizards?”
“No.”
“I do!” Kenshin chimes in with sparkling eyes, “mister Kunihiro, can I really become super strong if I come?”
“Yep, the strongest.” Kunihiro returns good-naturedly. Chougi wants to stab him with his ice magic so badly right now.
Chougi then pauses, and then glances down at Kunihiro with a small, but condescending smile, “very well. I will go with you… but you must make a promise to me.”
“Huh? I… can’t do that. You know that wizards can’t make promises,” Kunihiro blinks, sitting up straight and tilting his head to the side. “I mean, it depends on what it is…”
“Don’t turn into stone. Easy enough, right? Not like you’ll be able to use magic if you’re dead, anyway.” Chougi says simply, turning his head and looking away. Kenshin seems to be smiling, though.
Kunihiro pauses, “I don’t… what do you get out of making me promise that?”
“Alright, then I’m staying here with Kenshin.” Chougi replies childishly.
“Don’t do that,” Kunihiro grumbles, but suddenly seizes Chougi’s hands, holding them tightly. He looks at him with those same sincere green eyes he remembered— those stupid green eyes. “I promise that I won’t turn into stone.”
Promise that you won’t leave me alone.
Chougi’s lip quivers, but he shakes his head again, and lets out a sigh. “Well, now we can go. To the headquarters.”
“... sure,” Kunihiro returns, uncertainty tinging his voice again, but he summons his broom by his side. “You should tell me why you wanted me to make that promise, though.”
“No.” Chougi mutters, manifesting his own broom, and looking over at Kenshin to take out his own.
Kenshin complies with a wide grin, and soon the three start to fly.
Ugh, seriously. Wizards were meant to be alone, but yet…
Chougi, for a moment, smiles.