-pg141- Narration In the third year of the Heisei dynasty this land was plunged into chaos. The people were controlled and oppressed by monsters... Near the base of a mountain. Kid Sensei! We'll get some water from the spring in back. Harp Thank you! Please do! Kids Sensei! We'll be down in the pasture! Harp Be careful! Whew... Monica Sensei! Sen-seei!! Harp What's wrong, Monica? Monica Mary... I can't find the little lamb, Mary... -pg142- Harp Oh, Mary ? Kid Yes! I've been looking all over for her, but she's not here! If we can't find Mary I'll... I'll... Harp Now now, It'll be okay, Monica! She's prolly just hiding somewhere in the forest. Mm ? Mary is Monica's favorite lamb, isn't she ? Please! Everyone, let's look for her! Kids (It'll be fine! Don't worry!) Harp Mary! Where are you ? Come out come out! Mar... Mm ? Narration And then, we met the power that would bring peaceful days back again. Yes, it was then... -pg143- Side Story 1 Aria: Gifts for the Magi Narration That we met him. -pg144- Harp Wh... What a gorgeous man... I didn't think a man like this could exist... What devilish disguise does he conceal ? Why is he in our mountains ? Oops... Ah...um... Yes, that is... -pg145- Hamel You hungry too ? Harp AAAH!! Mary-chan! What has he done to you! Hamel Look! Yummy! Harp WAAAH! Oboe M-my GOD, Hamel! You're doing it again! Hamel What ? I only ate a wild lamb! Oboe Idiot! That's NOT a wild lamb! It's domesticated! Hamel Well, how was I supposed to know ? Munch, munch, munch... -pg146- Monica Eh....eh... Ehhn... Harp There, there, Monica; don't cry for long... Oboe I really feel sorry about this... Harp No, that's okay... Good girl! Monica! Mary...she's in heaven now, isn't she ? Mary wouldn't want you crying while she's in heaven. So, you shouldn't cry. -pg147- Hamel I dunno if Mary's in heaven, but she sure was nice and juicy! Oboe HAMEL! Monica WAAAH! Oboe I apologize for his unspeakable rudeness! Harp Oh, no, really... Hamel If you want, I could check and see if there's enough meat left for you to have a taste... Oboe ASSHOLE! Monica WAAAAAH! WAAAAAAAH! Harp There there... -pg148- Kids Wow... Pretty music... Beautiful music... Harp Th...this is... Magic music !? Kids Wow! That rocked! You're good, oniichan! But you're a strange musician! Prolly a travelling performer! Yeah! I'm sure that's it! Oboe Ho ho ho! No...we're just in the mountains, on foot... We just happened to pass by here. No real reason. I wonder why... All these children live near all these mountains... -pg149- Oboe All these children we see around here...are they all yours ? Why are you here ? Kids She's Harp-sensei! She's my sister! Oi, she's your mother! We don't have a father. Don't get her mad! She's really scary! Like an old witch! Be quiet when we need to study! Harp Hey! You little... Because of the monsters, their homes were viciously... They came into the mountains, where we live off our pastures. It's terrible, but they're safe here. -pg150- Kid But...I heard a weird story! Recently there's been a monster pillaging in the area... I heard about him down in the town! Other kids We should be careful. Monica Sensei, I'm scared! Harp Nothing will happen, kids! We'll just see how it likes my Magi Staff! Oboe Magi Staff ? You're a Mage ? Harp Uh...yeah... I'll show you; the magic of Sfortzando. I went to a magic school there. -pg151- Hamel Did you graduate ? Harp Were you BORN that rude ? Kid Sensei's scary... Harp All right. If that's how you want it... I'll show you my REAL power. These two eggs... Watch closely. I'm ready. Maaze Shi Isu Maaze Shi Asu Mikaasu Ririsu Dii A Ra Eea E Reme By the power of a mother's love; I call upon thee, Oh Great Mother Goddess Gaia! Spirits of the Air, become parental love! Clear the air, allow the pulsing heat that sleeps within the earth to rise! Join the power you conceal with ours... -pg152- Kids Oooh! Her body's glowing! W-wow! Amazing, sensei! You can use magic! Oboe Th-that girl... She can't be... Harp Let my power now guide those lost ones here! KAAAAHH! -pg153- Harp These eggs should be just about ready to hatch now! Kid She really did it! (I knew she could!) Harp Ho ho ho! That's my egg charm! It's so simple! Hamel And exactly how does that work on monsters ? Harp Mm, how! My ultimate spell is a spell of prohibition, so... Oboe Her...her ultimate spell... A spell of prohibition !? Harp HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! -pg154- Harp Yep! The weather tomorrow will be partly cloudy! 20% chance of rain! Kids Wow, neato! Sensei's 'Weather forecast' must be the most powerful spell there is! Harp That spell of prohibition can be extended to predicte the weather as much as a week in advance! I wouldn't be surprised if you could get up to 10 full days if you do the spell in a trance! Hamel (Did she really graduate ?) Usually an egg charm... Heats the egg, which should make is spin very well. But these merely spin slowly; and they show no sign of hatching! -pg155- Harp Ah, Dammit! I wasted three years memorizing that spell! Kid (Sensei, the weather...) (Sensei, get a grip!) (Sensei!) Hamel (Oh, yeah, SHE's a Mage.) Why, your 'Mage' arts are mere garbage! (Moron!) Harp WHAT! My spells may be weak, But I have a Mage's powers! I may not be much good, but... You... How to put it...I sense evil in you. Much more than is usual. -pg156- Harp I am a Sfortzando Magi. You use that devilish instrument to play magical music that bewitches people; you've come to this place to bring disaster on us all. That magical music you played a few minutes ago... You are no mere travelling player! That weird black costume... The black crow that knows the speech of humans... You project an ominous aura. You are evil; please leave. Kid Sensei... Hamel You intended this from the start... You're only causeing trouble. Garbage Mage-san! -pg157- Kids We're sorry! Don't think bad of sensei! She's only trying to do what's best for us! We've all lost... Both parents. They were all in the town below; monsters killed them. We're all that's left. At the time, Harp-sensei was travelling, training to become a Mage... -pg158- Harp Hey! Cheer up, kids! From now on, you'll come and live with me, where you'll be safe! Okay? I'll be your teacher! Mm? Kids She really is very, very kind! Yeah! She is! I love her! Me too! I love her! Harp Hey! What are you doing ? -pg159- Harp Hurry inside! You'll catch cold! Please, you hurry too! Hamel Hmph. -pg160- Harp I am sorry. To do this... But, that man... Where and what is he... Monster Heh heh heh heh... Harp Eh ? AAAIIIIEE! Kids Wh!? Wh-what is it, sensei!? -pg161- Kids A monster! Monster BWA HA HA HA! This is good! Soon, I'll be full of tasty little brats! -pg162- Kids Sensei! Sensei! Harp A...all of you... G-get away... Monster Shaddup! Harp No! Monster BWAHAHAHA! Harp Sh... -pg163- Monster Do what I tell you, you little shits! Harp Oh spirits who dwell within the Earth, feel my love... I am known as Harp; bestow all thy power on me. If this doesn't work...it is the strongest attack spell I know... With that power...In a flash of light, tear the figure of darkness before me into tiny pieces! Monster Mm ? Harp Now! Flash spell!! Monster Wh!? -pg164- Monster My eyes! My eyes! Harp Now! While he's still blinded! Everyone, run! What now ? Everyone! Hurry, run! Kids We won't! That's right! We won't run without you! Never, sensei! Sensei! Sense-i! -pg165- Kids Let sensei go, Monster! Let her go! Harp Stop it, children! Run away! This is your sensei's command! Hurry! PLEASE! Kids NO! Let her go! Monster Th...these... Shit brats! -pg166- Harp NOOO! Kids Sh...shit... Monster! Let sensei go! Let her go! Monster Shut up! Pipsqueak pissants! Arr! -pg167- Harp STOP! Monster Shaddup! Kids Sensei! Monster ARRR! -pg168- Kids Stop! Stop! Sensei! Monster Hee hee hee...fools. Harp P... Please... Do...what you like...with me... But...the children...don't... Monster Heh heh heh...are you stupid ? Brats taste too damn good to save! Harp N...no! Monster No peace of mind! For what you did to my eyes, I'll make sure and eat every single one! -pg169- Harp These children...have no parents! And even so...they're risking their lives, trying so hard... I... I must protect them! Great mother goddess Gaia, call upon the pulsating skies; Silent earth, and whispering water; and the fire that warms us...please, listen to my heart. These children... Monster Mm? Flash my eyes again ? Quack wizard! Harp I was never able to master this spell in wizard's school... This is the strongest prohibition spell, the spell of sealing... Archmage Harp, this spell can change your entire body into fire, burning you alive. It is the greatest spell...at least, the last spell. Harp Archmage-sama! Can I ? Really use it, even for their protection ? I don't know... Red lotus fire, I offer myself to thee; bestow upon the demonic forces before me the fate of destruction! -pg170- Harp The spell of self-sacrifice, turning me into a bomb! Everyone... Monster Wh ? Harp Goodb... Kids Wh...what's that ? Music... Riding the wind... But... What pretty music it is... -pg171- Harp What ? This music is... H-him! That man ? This music... It enters my heart... Lord... These children... -pg172- Harp They are my joy and my desire... I will... I will... -pg173- Harp Protect them! Eh? Th-that was ? I did... Magic that powerful ? -pg174- Kids Sensei! Sense-i! Harp Kids! I guess...that was because of his violin. -pg175- Oboe Hohoho...It seems your violin... Managed to reach them. JS Bach's 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' ?... Named so because such beautiful music exalted man's joys and desires... What that girl felt in her heart for those children...What wonderful things people's hearts can be when opened. To be a full-powered mage... Hamel What do you mean, Oboe ? I was only playing the violin because I couldn't sleep. -pg176- Oboe Ho ho ho...Same old anti-hero. I know what you saw in that girl. Hamel Shut up and eat yer bread. Narration Later, she got a letter from the Arch Mage... Hamel (Stupid lookin' moron.) Oboe (Good bread.) Narration It described the hero who defeated the enemy: Black clothes, black crow, and a huge violin that played astonishingly beautiful music. Notes BGM Handel, Aria from Concerto Grosso in B Minor, Op 6 No 12 Appeared in a Special Edition of a Fresh Gangan in 1992: The Special Spring Vacation Issue Narration And... Harp ARGH! I don't know why, but my body feels like hell! Kids Sensei! Hang on, Sensei! Don't die, Sensei!