Shift

[Andromeda]

A new wind blew through the open fields of Atlantis. The course changed from the reluctant end with Miltiades to a new danger. Well-worn flat stones laid out an intricate pattern, yet of no purposeful design. Mixed amongst the stone, large rock slabs jutted up a full four meters creating walls and in some places pathways.

Equally unaware of his friends conditions, Yuki forced himself to keep stepping back to avoid being clipped by a rising stone wall. Each time he tried to give himself the pause to concentrate on creating his laws something interrupted him. The latest came under one of his feet nearly knocking him off balance with its speed. He staggered back against the neighboring wall. ‘Damn! I can’t even get a second to stop to think! I swear he’s purposely trying to keep me from using my Kasuo-ryoku!’

Chapter 120 – Labyrinthine Doubts

Yuki stood back up straight getting his footing. Behind him, walls already prevented his escape. ‘I’ve got to get out of this and find that annoying bastard!’ He ran out for the open area he saw dodging a few of the walls created. It felt like he gained ground as less surrounded him. ‘I’m almost out!’ However, several walls quickly came up at once to dead end his path. His fist pounded against the erected wall in frustration. ‘So close…but I guess he won’t be making this easy…’

Stuck for the moment, Yuki tried to take the time to plan a new course of action. Waiting as always remained a dangerous taboo for him. Metal spikes from the solid stone shot up at Yuki. He narrowly avoided the spikes, but his tunic was less fortunate, taking a few tears in the process. ‘He really isn’t letting me stop!’ Yuki bounced around the narrow hall to return to hopefully safer ground.

The moment he came to a stop his foot suddenly gave down depressing a raised stone block. The grinding from the stone against stone was enough for him to panic and jump away. He managed to dodge the set of five small arrows as a result. Yuki let out an exclaimed yelp of surprise when he saw them pass in front. ‘What sort of field is this?! It’s like it is a maze with traps that are overused in adventure stories!’ His question soon answered itself when he realized that was exactly what it was. ‘Damn it! And if I can’t concentrate on my powers he’s going to kill me before I even get to him! This is such a lame way to die!’

Not wishing to remain blocked in the dead end corner, Yuki rushed off to back track where he knew another exit waited. ‘I just have to get out…’ Less than careful footwork set off three more traps in the process varying from sharpened metal shooting out to crushing walls. The only thing that saved him was that he kept ahead of everything. At the end before turning the corner, he looked back feeling the pounding in his chest from recklessness that leaked to his heart. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t do that again…’

However, he turned his eyes back to his new direction and saw some of the maze not constructed yet. He ran for the exit not considering traps, despite his previous thoughts. The stretch of hall did not try to attack him and he saw open fields approaching him. A new wall started to break up attempting to block him, but he was not going to give up. Yuki lunged for the wall hoping to clear it, but hit the wall painfully in the face. His hands nimbly grabbed the top of the wall still rising. ‘Not quite as planned, but this will work!’ Yuki lifted himself up to the top of the wall.

New height on the maze gave him a better view of what he had to deal with soon. In the distance, he saw the Atlantean that trapped him to begin with in his field. He could not see well from the distance, but he saw a heavily cloaked with metal plates reflecting the sunlight back at Yuki. ‘He’s oddly armored for not even trying to come after me. I wonder—’ The sudden displacement of his feet cut off Yuki. “What?!” Yuki fell back down to the stone floor. He rolled away minimizing the damage and fell into the adjoining hall. “What just happened?” In front of him, the wall that he had stood on was no longer present. He could see into the other hall. “Right…annoying powers…”

At the center of the maze, Antipas stood calmly monitor everything with the reach of his field. The current progress of Yuki had him very intrigued. ‘He’s quick on his feet even without his laws and he already found one of the weakness too… He’s definitely a dangerous one… I must bring him down in the labyrinth if possible…’ He introduced the next step to the maze, withholding it to conserve on mental strength.

A new groaning of stone scrapping against stone from above alerted Yuki. He looked up to see his sky quickly disappearing from him with a ceiling introduced. Yuki clinched his fists together at the new sign. ‘Making this even more difficult for me? Now I can only find an exit.’ No longer interested in staying, Yuki hurried off down his new hall. Becoming more aware of the traps, he proceeded through with greater caution. Unfortunately, they were not always easy to spot. He had to dodge large axe like blades swinging through. ‘He just a book of clichés…but I guess if it is effective…’ Yuki trudged onward.

Yuki struggled to find his bearings in the maze. The more that he navigated the halls the more it became uncertain if an exit was near. His lack of a view of the sky made his sense of direction even worse. Only complicating matters were the traps. He had so much focus on staying alive and not triggering a trap that Yuki forgot where he came from in the halls. ‘This maze can’t be that big. It still has to all fit into that guy’s field… Am I going in circles?’

Back in the center, much of the walls disappeared to make room for the parts of the maze necessary. It gave Antipas far more room and allowed him to keep making steps towards Yuki to ensure that he remained his field. Even if the traps had not injured Yuki yet, he just had to wait it out until he made a mistake. ‘As things are I can keep him completely directionless by removing walls and making new paths.’ He raised his hand to his chin thinking for a moment on the situation. ‘I may have to add something else soon if I can’t trick him…’

Dodging traps for Yuki become easier the more he experienced each type. He had not stumbled across a new one for a little bit. It gave him a growing sense of confidence in the maze. Unfortunately, the exit still eluded him. ‘Where is the stupid exit?! I’ve got to be getting closer!’ Yuki darted around the next corner wanting, but not hoping for the end. The hall looked just like the last one.

Settling in more to the trapped feeling with potentially no escape brought Yuki to a pause. He found what seemed like a safe spot. His mind had been wondering lately, but he forced himself back on task. However, the reprieve made him go back.

A pale green film appeared just beyond the circle everyone unintentionally created. Clanging of swords against the sphere echoed dully through the space. The noise put the group on alert not seeing anything further. No one spoke another word scanning the area out of the barrier to understand what happened. They no longer questioned Yumi. Apologizes waited however, they had their new guests needing attending.

‘She saw it somehow…’ thought Yuki, remembering the brief events before the enemy split them up. He had not given Yumi must consideration when it came to having abilities. Yuki had never seen her use them. ‘Yumi seemed to have a good handle on the group, but I guess I didn’t pay that close attention. What sort of powers does she have? Saki’s got speed and strength and Haruo got those animals. Everyone’s different…’ But he knew that Saki and Haruo could handle themselves if pressed. He had seen Haruo fight, though reluctant he knew Haruo to be tough. As for Saki, he knew he never needed to worry. Yet Yumi was different.

Breaking to recover was not in the cards for Yumi. A battle cry from a guttural feminine voice directed towards her snapped her eyes around. Instinct saved her in the last moments as four long strangely shaped swords flew at her colliding against a small square of a barrier reflexively erected. The mass and velocity of the weapons knocked her back sending her careening through the air out of control. Trails of dusts drew lines through the air following her arc.

Everything happened so fast in front of Yuki that he did not even have a moment to try to stop or shout for Yumi. She was gone. They separated him from her and others. Inside the maze field, he knew nothing of the outside world or if his friends were hurt. ‘I wonder if Yumi is safe? I have to deal with this guy and make sure she’s safe! She’s not like Saki, Seiji or Haruo.’

Yuki looked around the hall remember the bothersome situation that he had in front of him. ‘But I have to figure out a way out of this before that…’ He pushed off his back from the wall, no longer leaning. His fist tightened forcing determination back into his body. ‘Alright! I’ve got to stop standing around here doing nothing! Being somewhere safe won’t get me out of this maze any sooner!’

After declaring his resolution, Yuki started down the hall. He made it as far as the next turn before he came to a stop. His features turned flat for a moment with his thoughts finally catching up to reality. “If there’s traps I just have to stand still and I won’t be hit! I’ll have the time I need to concentrate!” Yuki gripped his head in his hands angry with his own absentmindedness. “Why didn’t I think of that sooner?! I’m such an idiot!”

Panting a little heavy from getting excited with his stupidity, Yuki finally calmed down. “Just need a few moments to focus.” His breathing evened out as his mind began the construction. The laws were still new to him, so it took him longer to sort everything. ‘…a little longer…’ He needed more time to focus. Time dragged on slowly, even longer. Yuki went longer still in silence.

A sudden headache shot into his head followed by lightheadedness. His feet buckled a little staggering him dangerously close to a trap. Yuki threw out his hand against the wall for support to stop his movement. His free hand pressed to his face grasping at the pain. ‘What the hell? I…’ It felt like someone took sandpaper to his skull sending the vibrations through him.

Finally opening his eyes, a haze surrounded him. ‘What’s going on? I can barely see!’ Yuki slid down the wall collapsing to the floor. The pain in his head lessened a little as he could open his eyes more. From the stone floor, he saw an end to the blur that covered his eyes. A thick fog hovered in the air in the hall, carrying a foul dark red tint. Yuki slowly turned his head up trying to understand the situation. ‘Is that what’s…making me…feel like this?’

Yuki forced himself to his feet and felt the resurging wave of pain through his head. The quick rise ran the stabbing to the backs of his eyes making him fall backwards in surprise. A low yelp came from Yuki before he realized that he set off a trap by accident. Several spinning blades lowered from the ceiling quickly in descent for him. Nothing in his mind thought straight. He rolled through on reflex, still grasping at his face. He awkwardly avoided three of the blades, but the fourth dug into his forearm soaking in blood from him. The pain from the wound went completely oblivious to him as he tried to clear the area.

Arrows, spikes, crushing walls and blades all came after him in his haphazard escape. There was too much for Yuki to see and avoid with the grating in his head distracting him. Only his speed kept him from coming out worse. He collapsed to the floor beyond the fog and in a non-trap laden section of the maze.

The tunic on Yuki had a series of cuts and tears with blood soaking into the edges. Yuki came out with only minor cuts. Even the first slice on his forearm did not look nearly as bad after investigation. ‘Got lucky…’ He propped himself up against the wall to take a moment to recover, but the red fog starting to build around him again. ‘Damn! Got to move again…’

Antipas continued to analyze the situation. He adapted the maze as he followed Yuki’s movements. “It took him longer to realize that he could stand still… Hmm, was him discovering the weakness before a coincidence? Well no matter, he’s starting to realize that I won’t allow him to linger long enough.” The slower less direct route was safer for him. He heard what happened to Eusebios in his encounter with the rogue MP user. Protecting himself from the danger that he presented was more important than a fast victory. ‘This victory will show my worth to the Captain.’

While the young man in his very early twenty was skilled, graduating the academy gave him the only proof of that skill. Antipas had barely even received his posting to the South Gate before the incursion. Among all of the other members, he was simply the new guy still green. The opportunity to play a critical role in saving Atlantis from the greatest threat since the rebellion more than twenty years ago would be no better accolades for him. ‘I don’t know what your reason for invading was, but I’ll capture you and protect the peace! This may be only a reconnaissance but I won’t let this chance pass! I’ll come back alive and with a prize!’ Antipas reflexively clinched his fists together feeling the tension building from his thoughts.

Staying ahead of the red fog proved as difficult as avoid setting off the traps. Yuki felt a consistent lingering feeling of unease swimming through his head. It did not build up as strongly as the headache he felt before. He assumed that even in areas he thought to be safe still had some of the fog. ‘This fog is even worse than the traps! Even if I wanted to try to focus while on the move, this ever so slight headache is making it difficult to concentrate!’ His frustration made him slip up and triggered a crushing wall to come in front of him.

Yuki stayed back letting the trap go, but a brief thought. ‘I wonder if there’s anything behind it that I can use as a shortcut…’ He did not get much of a look before the wall returned back, but all he saw was darkness. ‘Figures with these powers, making something impossible is possible.’ The strengthening of his headache signaled the dead end and his need to move. Yuki did not move as cautiously trying to stay ahead of the cloud forcing another trap. It took him by surprise making him slow to react. He jumped onto the wall using the gaps for traps not sprung yet for foot and hand holds. ‘…damnit…’

Once the spikes from the floor fell back, Yuki let out a sigh and relaxed his body against the wall. Unfortunately, the wall held another trigger, which he realized a moment too late. “Come on! You’ve got to be kidding me!” Yuki quickly scrambled along the wall escaping the arrowed shot from the gaps he, a moment before, used as handholds.

He kept climbing along the wall, forgetting to get back down. “This is so lame! Why do I have to keep setting off traps? This is already getting old! If you can’t come up with something new switch to someone else! I bet Saki wants some screen time!” Yuki came to a stop after clearing three lengths of halls. “Why can’t I just defeat this jerk off-screen and move on to something more interesting!” Silence laughed in the empty hall at Yuki. ‘Damn, this would be more comedic with a second person to retort against…’

Another sigh came from Yuki with his rant completed. Yuki looked around the hall trying to figure out where he had taken himself. “In all of the yelling I sort of forgot where I was going…” He saw the ground below him and a thought suddenly came to him. His eyes scanned the hall quickly. “Hmm…I see…”

“Where is he?” questioned Antipas. He scanned his maze in search of Yuki, but could find nothing. The labyrinth did not allow him to see Yuki, but he had other methods. He tracked him without fault since the beginning, yet he had lost the signal. Antipas began moving and shifting walls trying to turn him up. Nothing he attempted gave him any success. “What’s going on?!”

An explosion like roar blasted through several walls throwing smoke into the air. The smoke threw all the way back to Antipas blowing against him and blanketing the field. He threw up his arms to keep the smoke from his eyes. “What?!” Once the smoke lowered to the ground clearing up much of the field, Antipas could see through the ruined walls. Antipas’ eyes widened suddenly. “How’s that possible?!”

Through the rubble standing in a field of knee high grass, Yuki bore his fighting clothing with a faint glow about him. His arm remained extended out in front of him. An eager smirk rose on his face with his freedom granted. “Time that I put an end to this!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Through the rubble standing in a field of knee high grass, Yuki bore his fighting clothing with a faint glow about him. His arm remained extended out in front of him. An eager smirk rose on his face with his freedom granted. “Time that I put an end to this!”

Antipas staggered for a moment as he realized what must have happened. ‘He’s activated his field! I can’t let him move!’ The walls destroyed by Yuki disappeared. The young Atlantean took several steps forward closing the gap with Yuki a little. Immediately, the entire maze disappeared and four new walls appeared around Yuki. Behind the new walls more re-enforcement surface along with a thick ceiling. The thickness of the walls prevented the sounds of all of the automatically triggered traps from behind heard. ‘I’ve got him!’

Suddenly, a deep rumble erupted from the earth. The walls surrounding Yuki vibrated and shattered in an instant from all sides. A new cloud blasted out from Yuki kicking debris over the area. Masked by the smoke, a dark figure began to emerge. “Don’t think such an attack will work on me!” Yuki stepped out of the gray clouds carrying a narrowed face. He raised his fist up fortified with his determination.

“It’s not possible!” Antipas exclaimed, taking a step back. The unease of the situation settled into him. Nothing stood between him and Yuki anymore. “Those were double thick walls! Even if he broke a single layer…” Another step in approach from Yuki ran an uneasy chill down his back. A reluctant realization slowly began to surface for Antipas. “…can’t be…”

Yuki stared down across the mixed field of grass and stone finally seeing his opponent unhindered for the first time. The Atlantean was young, in appearance seemed not much older in age than Yuki. It made Yuki wonder how much difference there might be in their years. He had shortly cut light brown hair matching in length to his jaw line and hanging tightly. ‘A trench coat? With metal plating? Looks heavy…’ Yuki did not understand why he wore such a heavy looking coat coated with rectangular strips of metal along most of the surface. Even with the coat on it looked very thick, almost baggy as though it was not the only layer of clothing. It hardly seemed suited for close-ranged combat, a thought that Yuki found fortunate.

The more that he stared at the soldier and field of his, it made him understand something. ‘The mazes and traps… along with the heavy cloths… he never got close and even now is keeping his distance…’ Yuki narrowed his eyes a little to keep up his stern appearance in the lull between rounds. ‘So does that mean he’s the type that isn’t good at close-range combat? He’s trying to use his field to keep me away and injury me. This could be better for me…’

Tension tightened up inside Antipas. His hand squeezed harder, pressing and scrapping. ‘How… how… The reports described his law as being effective against organic matter, but not having destructive power…’ Antipas looked around at his field, the stones arrayed before him. His eyes asked a question that had no answer. ‘…and the escape…did he manage to activate his field inside my field somehow?!’ So many questions filled his thoughts and Antipas no longer knew what to think of his foe.

“You seem confused,” commented Yuki, a little confident grin appearing on his face.

Antipas’ eyes widened for a moment. He understood Yuki. ‘The soldiers from Skoupa had remarked the use of a foreign language, an Asian language…they believed…’ There was no doubt in that he spoke perfect Atlantean. ‘…a language law, why didn’t they use it before…’ The questions seemed to pile on top. “Who are you? And how did you escape?”

“So many questions!” The slightly flippant tone Yuki carried only made Antipas’ features narrow more. Yuki easily noticed it, a little disappointed at not having the mood lightened. He gave him a little dismissive hand wave. “Fine, I guess it can’t hurt to answer. Name’s Yuki Hayashi.” His foot tapped against the grass covered earth casting a quick gaze to the stone field. “The other question’s a little more involved.”

Yuki raised his hand up to his head with his index finger pointed against his head. “You really had me going around inside that maze of yours. Couldn’t think straight, but I eventually realized that was your purpose, wasn’t it.” A knowing stare aimed down at Antipas.

The keen observation set Antipas a little off balanced. ‘That shouldn’t be too surprising…he should figure that out eventually…’ Yet his question remained unanswered. “That doesn’t answer how you escaped though.”

“I’m getting to that,” Yuki quickly replied. He waved his hand down with the palm faced to the ground. “So impatient…” His eyes scanned the area taking in the view of the surroundings. A few moments earlier walls covered the area and he desperately tried to escape. “As I said you weren’t giving me a lot of time to think. So it took me a while, but I came to a realization. You were able to track my movements and make it so that I couldn’t escape. You set me in circles. With that field of yours you can manipulate the walls any way you want, right?”

Another correct deduction sent a spark through the soldier’s left leg. “That’s basic field manipulation, that isn’t surprising.”

A slight grin pulled up on Yuki’s face. “But there’s something else. During one of the traps that I evaded, I suddenly understood something. You can’t actually see me, physically anyway. I thought you might be sending the poison fog after me watching or have it automatically seeking me. But it isn’t. You do control where it goes. Yet you can only watch me from the ground.”

“What are you getting?”

“The way you are able to track me is by my contact with the ground. Probably weigh or contact sensitive. You probably use some map to display the feedback like radar.”

Antipas eyes widened in shock. He could no longer hold back his surprise and stepped back feeling the support in his legs giving. ‘Impossible! No one’s managed to figure out how my field works the first time I use it!’

Yuki threw out a casual hand wave. “After that it was pretty easy. I just climbed along the walls and while you frantically searched for me I waited for an opening to appear. And poof, I’m here!”

‘He climbed the walls?!’ Each answer became more improbable. Yet it all made sense, something that he hated to acknowledge. ‘If he actually did that…then that would mean that he’s strong and athletic to achieve that…intelligent and skilled…a dangerous combination, Captain…’

Chapter 121 – Stubborn Resolve

Crossing his hands, Yuki leaned a little forward. “Since I’ve taken the time to explain things to you… You ready to fight now? I’ve got to get back to my friends. So I can’t waste any more time with you.” Yuki narrowed his eyes and hardened his features, no longer carrying the casual attitude from before.

The quick change in atmosphere wound an invisible cord around Antipas’ back. Each second that ticked away tightened on his spine. While he had technically been engaged in combat against Yuki earlier, the situation changed with Yuki freed. This would be the first time that he actually faced off against another MP user that was not a training match. He may have fought with other MP users in the academy, but their training focused on dealing with a normal human. It was a rare occurrence to have to deal with a rogue MP user. Even the most experienced soldiers that wore the white uniform may only have a few engagements against a MP user.

Antipas knew that he could not make any excuses. Yet he could not help the uncertainty that overwhelmed him. His eyes met with Yuki. ‘The look of fearlessness and confidence… his eyes…they’ve seen fighting…’ Antipas shook his head and tried to pull his focus back in. ‘I can’t let him get to me… I’ve got justice behind me! He’s disrupting order! I can’t lose!’ The weakness in his legs vanished and the strain on his back released for Antipas. He had to fight, to protect.

A raised hand summoned up numerous stone walls to be placed between them. He added strength to the walls remembering how Yuki broke through so easily before. Additionally, he sharpened his traps, all set to be automatic and constant. Defense could not win, he knew. Pings echoed around the walls from his traps hitting or releasing. Only a few seconds later the nearest two walls to Yuki exploded with the third wall taking the hit.

Even though his defense held, Antipas was not certain if the walls had actually slowed the damage or if it was just because of getting closer to the core of his field. In the end, neither question mattered to him. He had to strengthen his defenses or Yuki would reach him. ‘Such destructive capabilities… I’ve got to keep up with him!’ More walls broke the floor to halt the progress of Yuki’s advance.

None of the walls managed to slow down Yuki for long as they all mysteriously crumbled before Yuki. Antipas kept his vision blocked by the walls. So he had no view of what Yuki had for laws. He just kept the walls moving.

Sudden flashes of light appeared across all before it crumbled to debris. Following in series, all of the walls before Yuki collapsed. He marched through the debris filled earth and billowing clouds. “I could have run around all of this by now, but I’m giving you the chance to realize this is a pointless. Run now before I actually strike in earnest.” All of the remaining walls ignored by Yuki suddenly exploded with flashes of light before turning to rubble.

Taking a step back, Antipas tried to withhold his surprise. ‘None of the walls can stop him! And the traps aren’t doing anything to him! Why can’t I touch him?!’ A thin stroke of panic painted his face before he raised his hands up towards Yuki. Two stone square pillars rose in front of Antipas. From the faces of the pillars that looked at Yuki stone extruded from the surface.

Yuki’s face lowered a little darkening out his eyes. He ground his teeth together and opened his hands with energy rapidly amassing. Two semi-transparent swords formed in mere moments. Yuki charged forward breaking some of the ground where his feet started. It put him ahead of the two converging stone rams. He stabbed the blades of his swords into the elongated structure letting them run through the length for a few steps before disappearing from his hands. The stone grew lines of light along the sides weaving around until shattered to chunks of debris.

Crumbling in front of him, the pillars disappeared as his last line of defense. Antipas jumped back with the ominous approach of Yuki. ‘What is that strange light? Is that his law, the power that defeated Eusebios?’ The choking feeling in his spine resurfaced along with a frightening chill.

“Understand now? Escape and I won’t pursue you.”

Antipas leaned back a little feeling how serious Yuki was in his words. However, he fought to straight out his back and level a determined glare towards Yuki. ‘The Captain said not to die, but these people…they’re…’ He tightened his hands into fists and pushed himself back forward. “I’m a soldier of Atlantis! I won’t back down when you destroy and spread fear!”

A twitch in Yuki’s eyebrow responded ahead of his words. “How blind can you be?! You caused more damage to your own country than us!”

“It was your invasion! We’re just trying to live in peace! We don’t want anything to do with your world!”

Yuki skin wrinkled around his eyes and nose. ‘So stubborn! You’re the ones trying to kill me when I just want to live in peace! You hurt my family and my friends!’ The nearly invisible glow around Yuki shimmered brightly for a moment becoming a little opaque. “Fine! No more talk then! You’re going down!” His hand shot up straight aimed at Antipas with the energy that surrounded him glowing and becoming more opaque. Before it became solid, it disappeared and a sudden explosion impacted Antipas’ shoulder.

The force of the impact nearly knocked Antipas off his feet and covered his shoulder in a small cloud. However, the smoke disappeared almost immediately blown away by a strong force. A similar explosion blew up on Yuki’s arm sending him back forced his knee. “Huh?!” Yuki caught his arm with his other hand feeling blood trickling down over his fingers. ‘Broke through my defense? How?’ He looked back at Antipas in search. The shoulder he hit no longer held the rectangular metal plate and the trench coat cloth burned away, but underneath was another layer of clothing. A little green of the material broke through before all of it regenerated including the metal. ‘He took my attack? But the attack he just made on me…’

Walls surfaced again in front Yuki. Antipas regained his stance and worked on entrapping Yuki once more. ‘It was a big risk, but looks like I finally stopped him! Just need to capture him for the Captain now…’ The last of the pieces slid into place for him, but the familiar light appeared again. Knowing the next step, Antipas stepped away as his walls fell away for Yuki. “Still have some strength? I’ll wear that down too!”

Even more walls than usual appeared around Yuki. His still good arm tightened back and lowered touch into the grass of his field. The blades of grass shined for a moment before all of the stone shattered. Yuki stepped back up and walked forward. “Enough of these weak attempts…” Wall continued to come up, but Yuki kept walking. The closer he approached they began to vanish. Yuki continued to move towards Antipas until one stubborn wall remained. He rammed his fist into the wall shattering it to pieces.

“Impossible!” shouted Antipas staggering backwards. His eyes widened in shock to see Yuki unhindered by any of his moves.

“Don’t you get it?! You’re too weak for me! I can neutralize your field by just moving towards you!”

The answer for Antipas that came only made his eyes widened more and pupil’s shrink in size. ‘How can he be that strong?! I’m not weak!’ Antipas tried to keep from shaking before Yuki. “That’s impossible! You can’t be that much stronger!” Confusion and panic pumped into Antipas. He blindly charged for Yuki. “Justice will triumph!”

Yuki narrowed his eyes and raised his hand up shooting out another blast him from his palm. The force from it knocked Antipas off his feet, already unstable. Immediately after falling, the location where Yuki hit blasted back into the sky disappearing at the edge of his field. ‘…thought so…’

Antipas pulled himself back up to his feet. His chest heaved with the panting from his shortened breath. While the damage to his cloths disappeared, he still felt the physical force it struck with on his body. He took two hits and his body already shook. One of his eyes winced in pain slightly blurring his view of Yuki. “You might be stronger…but…you can’t break my last…defense…”

His good hand remained held out towards Antipas. Yuki’s determination remained unchanged. “Your defense means nothing to me!” A quick shimmer around his hand highlighted the signs of a new attack. However, the air sparkled rather than a larger gathering like before. Shards of light sped towards Antipas striking his trench coat. All of the metal glowed brightly before disappearing and returning a hail of light back at Yuki. Ripples echoed over Yuki’s transparent armor before another response of larger pellet sized blasts rained down on Antipas.

The blasts ripped through the coat and ate down into his deeper layers. Antipas flew backwards lifted from the ground by the numerous impacts. His body skidded across the stone of his field slowing him down. The morning sky lightly covered in clouds presented to Antipas’ eyes as the last thing he saw. ‘…too strong…’ Stone faded away giving way to grass.

Yuki approached Antipas kneeling down at him. A faint gaze of sadness filled his eyes seeing the soldier. He released his field and placed his good hand on the young man’s chest. A green glow came from Yuki’s arm surrounding Antipas. Once Yuki finished he stood up and scanned the battlefield. He saw Yumi and Seiji’s battles had already ended, but his surrounded friends back at camp. “I’m coming everyone!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

The hot volatile air that had blown through warming up the brisk morning cooled out and disappeared to the deeper hills. A chilly breeze replaced its predecessor. Each moment brought a release of tension from the atmosphere. Some still struggled to remain lit, but the momentum already changed direction. The view that he had made that regretfully expected outcome very clear.

Simonides watched all three fights with great interest. While his men had lost, they had carried out the tasks given to them. Additionally, it confirmed something for him that he already suspected. ‘These intruders are naïve…they spared their opponents…’ He had more of his men behind him in preparation if his men’s lives were in danger, but his gut told him he had nothing to fear. His intuition validated itself before him.

A new concern also came from the battles that he prepared for the intruders. ‘Miltiades managed to draw out another MP user, but there’s something about that black figure’s powers that I can’t explain.’ Simonides did not have the vast knowledge of how they used and controlled their powers, but he felt certain that what he saw should not have been possible.

Antipas fight was the only battle he followed clearly. ‘Both fought as I would expect from MPs. I saw the boy’s field and the interference zone. But the others…I saw no fields and not even a region of conflict. Even if they withheld their field’s appearance, it still creates a field of influence. Yet they had abilities impossible for normal humans. Even the headstrong boy could not have survived all of the hits he took without some protection.’ Too many mysteries still surrounded the intruders for Simonides to feel comfortable with his enemy.

He stood up from the hill no longer needing to watch as closely. The battle was almost at an end and the next objective began. A motion from his hand signaled to his men to prepare for the return. Those that fought would need healing. Simonides rubbed his hand against his chin not liking the feeling that his gut gave him. ‘I need to know more about them before I can take them down. Abeiron, it’s time for you to move.’ He turned back towards to the fields casting his gaze to the large gathering of his men surrounding the rest of the intruders. ‘This is a critical time, don’t fail!’

Chapter 122 – Third Stage

Surrounded by nearly a dozen soldiers, the four students all carried varying expressions. Haruo remained disinterested with a flat emotionless face as though it did not involve him. A very clear stance from him made it certain that he had no plans to fight as he remained still the entire time through the staring. Fumiko did not even seem to acknowledge a threat to her life. Her eyes held a devoid gray color too absorbed by something else. Yori acted as if he could handle himself, but the shaking in his legs gave away his feint at stoic stature. Only Saki looked ready for every single one of the soldiers and left the proof to back up her boldness.

Saki gritted her teeth in annoyance for more reasons than she wished to count. Her eyes panned around the soldiers, still left a little uneasy by her opening volley. “I can’t believe Chiharu left like that! We’re supposed be a team! We stay together!” Another look around at her friends counted each of them.

She worried the most about Fumiko, who had been very quiet ever since leaving the village. Saki knew that Fumiko could handle herself, since she survived against the soldiers in the village. However, the state that she seemed to be in Saki did not know if Fumiko even understood her current situation. ‘What’s the matter with her?’ The more that Saki looked around at the soldiers the more that she understood. ‘This is still very new to her…I guess I shouldn’t be surprised…’

Caught in the middle of something that tied him down, Yori found his eyes constantly staring away from the soldiers. Each shifted movement from the foreigners made him flinch and reset back. Yet as the seconds calmed between moments, he would continue to gaze away in the distance. ‘…sister…’ He wanted to leave everything behind and race over to her. She may have saved him before, but she was still his sister. He made a promise. ‘I’m supposed to protect you, Yumi…and yet all I can do…’ A cool wind tickled his neck and lightly gripped everyone’s cloths turning his eyes back.

Yori squeezed his hands seeing his trapped situation. Sweat built up on the insides of his palms and down his back. Even in the chilled air, his body could not draw away the heat. ‘I’m trapped…there’s so many of them! More than last time!’ His mind flashed through the events quickly. The painful reminder only made his body sweat faster. ‘I was only trying to fight one soldier then…and I…’

He tightened his neck and shoulders with tension. The stiffness soaked into his bones spreading until only numbness remained. ‘My legs…won’t move!’ Yori fought with his body. Any attempt he made ended with the same failed results. The paralysis grew stronger refusing to relinquish any control. ‘Damn it! Why can’t I do anything?!’

Saki had finally had enough of the waiting. She would have finished everything much sooner, if it had been her choice. She hated to have things dragged out more than anything. All of the fighting that they found themselves slowed them down, when she could end it all shortly. Her eyes quickly took in all of the soldiers that surrounded them to make sure of her path. In an instant, Saki disappeared from everyone’s sight and then reappeared back in same spot with only her hair blowing around sharply.

Surprise rose up on Simonides’ forehead witnessing the display. He looked through his binoculars closely and then above them with his own eyes. It took him a moment to believe what he saw, or did not in his case. ‘…nearly a dozen men…taken out in mere seconds…’ Simonides had to zoom in his view a little to check once more. Only Abeiron remained standing, likely not a target.

Pausing to think, Simonides straightened himself out and lifted from his voyeurism of the battlefield. ‘It had to be that girl, another one confirmed… To be able to take out so many, so fast…’ His eyes lowered slightly pulling in the edge of the field with his unconscious men. Even from the distance of his hill, he knew that they were all still alive. ‘…and left alive, just like before…a very naïve enemy…’

Simonides glanced back over his shoulder at the remains of his advance team. They already had preparations for field healing nearly complete. Their hands soon would be full. However, before he fully turned back the horizon caught his eye and something in his mind. He recalled the South Gate incident that started it all. The state of all of his men in the search party held the same familiarity of what he saw. ‘So she was the one. She was able to handle that many of my men then without any of them being able to respond…’

The thoughts of strategies with the Japanese girl in his plans all fell apart. Each tactic that he thought of seemed to be pointless, at least for a normal soldier. Such a thought turned his mind creating new tactics. ‘She will definitely be the most difficult one. An invisible enemy...’

Turning away from the field, the Captain signaled to the remaining White left in his team. The sole purpose for him was to be the healer for the team. Unfortunately, plans required flexibility. “The recon team is nearly wiped out. I’m going to need you to provide support for their retreat. Leave immediately and ensure the safe return of all of the men.”

“Understood, sir!” he barked. The young man, in his late twenties, activated his field and disappeared into the air. A silent run and disguised field left him able to sneak into the battlefield.

Abeiron forced his eyes to narrow to hide his surprise at the scene before him. He hardly believed what he saw and he still did not know what happened. His men laid before him unconscious in a far too familiar scene for him. ‘Another MP in their group? This is going to make things more difficult…’ Off in the distance, he already noted that the other battles have concluded. He knew what the meant for him, but with all of his men out, he had to change the plans.

Waiting, Saki gave the remaining man a chance to run away. She hoped that the resounding defeat of the rest of the men would make him rethink his plan to stay. However, the more that she looked at him it became certain that he did not intimidate easily. ‘Had hoped that this would make them think twice about coming after us and leave us alone for the rest of the journey. Guess I’ll have to make a bigger impression…’ Saki disappeared suddenly again.

An explosion off dirt blew into the air along with smoke only centimeters away from Abeiron. The blast was strong enough for him to feel the earth shake through his legs. He took a step back trying to hold his body’s support, while understanding what happened. Another blast sounded off to his left flank and then to his right. All around him smoke flew up masking out the green fields. ‘What’s going on?!’ As much as he tried to keep his stoic and steadfast stance, it crumbled from all of the quaking. He fell back to the grass only propped up by his hands.

Soon the pounding stopped and the smoke began to clear out. Through the thinning gray veiling a shadow appeared. The girl from before with a deadly serious expression chiseled into her features. A little smoke seemed to be rising from the back of her hand as well, still held tight in a fist. ‘What she doing?’ Abeiron looked down at her feet where the clouds of dust seemed to be coming from. His eyelid widened a little as he fought his surprise.

‘It can’t be…’ A small trench ran a semi-circle at his feet. All of the grass held a deep chasm cut straight through. ‘…she did that? What sort of field trick is this?’

Saki did not wait any longer in her foreboding stance. She leaned down and gripped the Atlantean by his neck. The lack of a sturdy appearance in their uniform forced her to go for something she knew would hold. Her hand did not squeeze, simply held him. She lifted him off his feet and into the air until his head was much higher than her own. “Understand?”

“It’s a bit disappointing…I would have thought you’d finish them all off a long time ago,” remarked a young voice from behind Saki.

Still holding onto the man, she turned her head bothered by the snipping tone. “I would have taken them all out if I had been allowed to go first!” shouted Saki not even taking note of whom she spoke to anymore. “But because I was left for last I couldn’t do anything! I swear someone is conspiring to make things more difficult!” A heavy breath exhaled from Saki as though she had been holding it all in for some time. She blinked once finally seeing the person in front of her. “Chiharu? I thought you left.”

“I did,” she quickly replied. Chiharu cast the bloody body of Seiji at Saki’s feet without further word.

The sight of an utterly broken Seiji made Saki lose her breath for a moment. She dropped the man that she held no longer thinking about him. “What happened?” Saki looked back at Chiharu demanding an answer.

“He lost.”

“He lost? How?!” Saki jumped over at Chiharu. The short unhelpful answers grated against her skin. Seiji was hurt and Chiharu did not even look concerned. “Speak, damn it!”

Chiharu remained with the same flat emotionless features. The height and presence of Saki did not make any impact on her. “I’d suggest tending to his injuries rather than yelling at me.”

A quick glance down caught all the blood that covered Seiji. He needed help quickly, but she could do nothing for him. Saki looked around the area trying to find her. “Where’s Ayumi?! Why isn’t she here? She should be with us!”

“She disappeared after the initial attack.”

“What?!” Saki frantically cast her head around the area in desperate search for Ayumi. She could not believe that she disappeared leaving them to fight. However, the coughing from Seiji pulled Saki back. She knelt down at his side trying to figure out where to start. ‘There’s so much blood!’ Her hands tried to stop the bleeding from the numerous wounds, but none of it mattered. Saki lifted her head back towards horizon looking to the distance. “Yuki! We need you!”

Saki’s panic filled voice carried over the fields and found its way to Yuki as a distant weak voice. He did not understand the words, but the emotions made it to him. While he ran back to his friends, he saw the situation changing. The forms shifted and new ones appeared. He felt an uneasy pull in his stomach that made him run faster. ‘I’m coming everyone…’

It took him another minute or more to reach their camp. He felt as though it had been a year since he had seen everyone. “Is everyone safe?”

“Hurry, Yuki! Seiji needs help!” Saki presented Seiji’s body with the blood that covered her hands and cloths. A weak cough came up from Seiji spraying some blood into the air.

The sight of Seiji made Yuki freeze for a second. ‘How’d this happen?!’ A moment past where he thought back to the school and to Kazuhiro. His memory made him panic and rush over to Seiji. “Seiji!?” Yuki looked over at Saki, equally scared as him. “Don’t worry! I’ll heal him immediately!” His eyes closed for a moment before he activated his field. A glowing hand from Yuki rested on Seiji’s chest spreading out over his body. ‘I won’t lose another friend! Not to them!’

Seiji coughed a little more in response to the healing, but his color looked better. The tears, wounds and broken bones began to mend and close up. His blood remained behind, but his body no longer shook. A long sigh came from Seiji before his eyes opened fully. He looked around from the ground seeing Yuki and Saki staring down at them. “That sweat or tears I see?” he smirked weakly, still feeling lightheaded from the blood loss.

Saki coughed a little through a pale grin. “Sweat, who’d cry for an idiot like you!”

“Yeah…”

Yuki fell back to rest on his folded legs. He looked around taking in all of his friends to see if any of them had injuries. However, two still were missing from the group. “Where’s Ayumi and Yumi?”

“Ayumi hasn’t been seen for a while,” commented Saki.

“The other one is over there,” Chiharu reported, pointing her finger out across the field.

He saw Yumi’s small figure alone in the distance. Yuki did not know if she was hurt or fine, but his eyes looked back down at Seiji. He quickly turned back to Chiharu. “Bring her over here, please. I’ll heal her injuries, if she has any.”

“Tch.” Chiharu crossed her arms immediately disinterested in the conversation. She looked away from the ground. “The girl’s fine. She can walk back on her own.”

Yuki’s hands closed tightly into fists. His head tilted forward blacking out his eyes as his body shook. Saki reached out for him, but he stood up ignoring her. He marched over behind Chiharu and grabbed her shoulder. “Get her now!” yelled Yuki. His voice rang so deep and heavy that none of them had ever heard him so serious.

Chiharu threw off his hand with her arm and spun around throwing up her leg at his head. Her eyes widened a little seeing that he stopped her with his arm. He glared down at her casting a stern and unyielding presence. He made her feel small and weak for the first time for him. A cold sweat built up a little on her neck as she kept staring at him. She lowered her leg and began to walk off. “…fine…” Chiharu disappeared from their sight.

“Yuki?” Saki stood behind him placing her hand on his shoulder. She could not believe that he raised his voice to Chiharu. ‘I haven’t seen him so…’ The silence between them developed into an awkward lull where she knew nothing to say to him, but felt she had to say something. Anything she could find to ease his tension. “Yumi’s fine, she said. She’ll be okay, Yuki.”

“I have to see…for myself…”

“Yuki?”

“Here she is,” rang Chiharu, hiding the slight annoyance sprinkled in her tone.

Yumi laid in the grass with blood dripping from numerous small wounds, but still breathing strongly. She was unconscious, but only seemed to be tired. Yuki tended to all of her cuts received from the blades. Even after he finished he remained at her side waiting for her to wake up. Everyone said she was alive, but he would not agree until she told him herself.

A short time passed before Yumi stirred and groaned. Sore muscles snapped through her body making it difficult for her to move, but she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Yuki staring down at her. She restrained the redness in her face mostly through the dull pain she felt. “Yuki?!” It still did not stop her from jerking up in surprise before balling up in tightness. “I’m alive?” He gave her short nod.

All of the memories of her fight flooded through her mind. The emotions, desperation and fear all recalled to her. It made her body shake. ‘I’m alive! I survived! I…’ Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

“Yumi?!” Yuki leaned in resting a hand on her wrist. “What’s wrong? Are you still hurt somewhere?”

Yumi shook her head slowly smiling at him. “No, I’m not hurt. Everything’s good.” She saw that Yuki did not fully understand her, but she could only keep smiling. The darkness and pain faded away. Her hands wiped away the tears as she recovered. She looked around at everyone gathered around the camp, but she did not see one person. “Where’s Yori?”

“Huh?” Yuki looked behind him and over at the others in search of him.

Saki shook her head. “I saw him here before!”

“He can’t just have disappeared!” shouted Seiji.

A pale fear lifted to Saki’s face as she stared back at Yuki. “In all of the confusion, you don’t think he was…”

Terror gripped her face and body. “Where’s my brother?!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Terror gripped her face and body. “Where’s my brother?!” Yumi clutched onto Yuki’s tunic digging her fingers into the fabric. The happiness that existed in her heart a moment before completely vanished. All that filled her eyes was sad, cold tears.

Yuki lifted his hands towards Yumi, but stopped. He did not know what he could say to her. Any words that he thought to try to comfort her rang hollow to him. The only thing he could do was let her cry and be next to her. He looked up over at Saki not saying a word. Their eyes connected and that was all they needed.

She nodded to him and disappeared. Around him, Chiharu and Haruo kept their distance in silence, while Fumiko remained departed resting next to Seiji. The only missing one from the group was Ayumi. No one knew anything about her whereabouts. In the quiet still, the disappearance of Yori made them wonder if they took Ayumi as well. Their only sighting of her was from Chiharu, who only saw her vanish.

Any feeling of victory they had spilled out with the new mood. A heavy weight seemed to fall upon everyone. They had no urge to move. Fatigue and soreness filled in where certainty and resolve used to be.

Saki returned after several minutes looking a little short on breath. She leaned over with her hands propped off her knees. “I’m sorry…”

New despair sank into Yumi. “…Yori…”

Chapter 123 – Captured Souls

Late morning became early afternoon as time resumed a faster pace of travel. The fields had workers from the nearby villages tending to crops. Awkward smoke rose in the distance from Skoupa, a faint reminder of the chaotic night. Further away border villages took note of the gray clouds and already sent messengers to learn of their neighbors. Rumors only began to spread out to the next village in a slow web.

No longer possible to hide, the amassing encampment of the South Gate soldiers had soured the mood of the region. Their focus remained on gathering. Only a few soldiers wandered into the village looking for supplies or visiting family members. Nothing happened yet, but all of the villagers remained uneasy of their presence. They trusted the military to protect them, but quickly feared their arrival.

In the camp, there was shouting and running around. The men from the advanced team with the Captain had returned. Stretchers carried all of the Blacks, normal humans, over to the medical tent. While none had life threatening conditions, Simonides ordered an examination of everyone.

The only White still with the mental energy to transport everyone back, Heber, leapt down out of the driver seat. He scanned through the long covered flatbed of soldiers. The vehicle floated off the ground with no wheels, it made for a safer trip. He performed treatments on everyone, but he still had their safety in mind on the ride back.

Two men carried the stretcher for Antipas past Heber. He gazed down at Antipas sleeping off his fatigue. When he arrived to retrieve Antipas from the battlefield, he found his condition strange. It bothered him on the ride back, but he never brought it up to the Captain. He saw the deep calculating thoughts that entrapped the Captain for the entire trip. Once the last of the soldiers departed, the Captain finally came out of the back of the vehicle, helping in the moving of his men. Heber dropped his field and approached him. “Captain…may I speak?”

Simonides shifted his eyes up at Heber before tilting his head. “What is it?”

“There’s something about these rebels that doesn’t feel right.”

“Hmm…” He kept his face stern trying to hide his own concerns and thoughts. Heber spent a little too much time around him. He became accustom to detected minor details from him. A habit he claimed helped him when tending to the wounded or suffering.

“Sir, Antipas had no injures even though he fought with the rebels. His condition means that he lost, but why doesn’t have any injures?” He saw the Captain still refraining from speaking. “Eusebios came back the same way even though he reported being gravely wounded by his opponent.”

“As observant as always, Heber.” He started walking away in the direction of his personal tent.

“But you already know all of this, don’t you Captain? And it’s troubling you!”

Simonides paused keeping his back to the man. “Don’t forget our positions.” He lifted his leg to resume his pace, but did not make it fully before the last pause. “Though tired, I would imagine your assistance with examination will be aided by your presence.”

The departure of Simonides left Heber alone in western edge of the camp. He knew that frustration at the denial did him little good. While a little cold, he could be of use with the men. They all had been soundly defeated. He could only imagine their morale and fatigue. Heber turned and walked off in the direction of the medical tents.

Brushing the tent flaps aside, Simonides stormed into the sparsely filled tent. The terse conversation with Heber had him a little edgy. He had a lot on his mind, as Heber knew too well. All of the tactics he had spun around. The battle gained him a greater understanding of their enemy, but his gut has an uneasiness that he could not shake. He did not know how it related to the numerous questions and concerns that he still had.

He dropped himself in his chair with a wooden desk set near. His questions made him start from the beginning to reset everything in his mind. ‘One day ago they intruded through the barrier. No clear sign that it made any affect on them.’ The lack of affect by barrier only meant that they received help. ‘The rebel MPs granted them access.’ An important question came with the thought of rebel MPs. ‘Were they trained by the military or ones that evaded our scouting?’ Citizens that displayed the Meso Prosecho required military service. A subject often centered at the core of rebels.

New information from the battle revealed light to something that previously eluded him. ‘The teen girl that disappears…her powers are the reason the search party were taken out. An invisible enemy is dangerous. I’ll need to have them create a specialized field to deal with her. She’ll be more important to stop than the others.’ He saw how fast that she wiped out his team. None of his men could react in time. Her powers used on his men still left him a little confused, but knowing that bit of information would change the next encounter.

‘The rough teen that relied on strength has been figured out. He showed only high offensive and defensive powers, but they can be broken. He’s too slow to be able to do anything.’ There did not seem to be anything more need to continue investigation on him. Even in the worst situation, it all remained the same. Simonides knew that he could capture him.

Photine’s battle let him feeling uncertain. She lost the battle, but it seemed to be having too many peaks. The unstable nature of her opponent made him question if he knew everything or if there was still something he missed. ‘Several times it looked like she was losing only to turn it around and suddenly become stronger. Is it her method of fighting to draw in the enemy or inexperience? Either case, she has some powerful abilities. While Photine was a good match, I’m going to need to find someone with something else…’ He thought through the list of Whites under his command. A few names came to mind.

The remaining fight he saw as the most straightforward. The others gave him some uneasiness and left his gut with a feeling that he could not calm. However, Antipas’s battle went as he had seen past battles between MP users go. ‘The teen was unable to use his powers because he had no field up, while the others immediately had their fields. That means inexperience, yet what I saw makes him possibly the most dangerous one of the group. He’s defeated Eusebios and Antipas. Eusebios received personal training from the General.’ The defeat of two talented MPs with little effort came with great implications. ‘I watched him take down Antipas’ barriers through sheer field influence. If I use that as a measure of his field strength only the Omega Division has the personnel strong enough to surpass him.’ Simonides contemplated the dilemma further. ‘If I can’t beat him through power, then I’ll have be smarter. Antipas is the right direction…’

One new unknown came out of the fight. The black clothed figure that rescued the headstrong teen only briefly displayed their powers. Simonides did not have much chance to gain much. He knew the next encounter that he needed to draw the black one out again to learn more. ‘They were skilled enough to handle Miltiades, though it was only after a prolonged fight. The appearing out of surfaces is a strange power to use. But they’re strong for their size to be able to carry the brute.’

Three of the intruders remained a complete mystery to him. None of them took part in the fighting. The number of MP users actually had him a little surprised. He did not expect to find so many rebels free. ‘The rest are probably normal humans, but they must serve another purpose or they would not be here. That purpose I will find out…’

Simonides stood up taking note of the time that passed. ‘…lost track of time…’ He walked out of his tent. His eyes had to adjust a little catching the afternoon sun. The camp remained busy with his men still putting the site together for the late arriving soldiers. He still had to wait for the remaining troops from the furthest reaches of his border before he could launch his full strength. Numbers did not always make the difference, but the strength the rebels called for everything he had to put them down fully.

Across the grounds, the medical tents looked calm once more. The Captain made his way to the tents. He checked on all of his men as they left the transport and they deserved another visit. They all followed his orders and came back alive. He could not ask any more of them, especially against such a foe.

The first tent he entered held Abeiron’s team. He sat down on the box next to one of the beds. Simonides learned that Abeiron already made his stops to his men earlier. While none of them had severe injuries, they did all receive a strong trauma to knock them out. The doctors insisted on some rest before resuming duties. His presence in the tent seemed to raise the spirits of the men. Speaking with each individually, he saw how their defeat left them all feeling useless. They told him that the Commander said they all served their orders and should be proud, but Simonides knew such feelings did not change easily. When he left, their eyes held a stronger flame than before.

His next stop ran very similar as he made the rounds to all of the regular soldiers that participated in his information gathering. He re-enforced to them all that their work helped him. Even the work that they did ensured their later victory.

Simonides’ final stop came to the ones holding the Whites. He knew them to be the most exhausted mentally and physically from the fighting. However, they also fought the hardest against the enemy so they had some questions that only they could answer. His arrival in the tent alerted the three of them. “Be at ease,” he ordered with his hand motioning them to remain still.

Stubbornly ignoring the order, Antipas tried to push himself up in an attempt to stand. “…Captain…I…” The soreness caught up to him and made him slip back into his cot.

“You three worked harder than anyone. You deserve the rest.” Simonides stepped into the center of the tent making sure they all understood his order. “I won’t keep you for long.”

“I’m sorry, sir…I failed…”

He raised a hand back up to stop Antipas from apologizing any further. “Success isn’t always measured in victories. Your objective was not to beat them, but to gather information. And you all succeeded.” The looks from around the tent were just as clear as what he saw from the others. None of them had known a real challenge or defeat. The border patrol, while important, was highly routine. Capturing and returning the random intruder was all they needed to practice. They expected to win again, even knowing the risks. Told they succeeded and still lost did not improve the mood.

The Captain crossed his arms leaning against the center pole. “There’s something I need you answer. It’s important.” His grave tone snapped them all out of their distant haze. “Having fought with them, what are your assessments of them? What sort of individuals are they?”

His question left them all in silence for a moment. They gathered their thoughts and replayed the battles in their minds. Miltiades broke the empty void first. His battle left him with very strong impressions. “The one I fought was very strong and not just physically. He seemed to have a determination and resolve to keep going, which might even blind him. It was a heavy feeling, but it also felt…” He looked over at the others before back to the Captain. “I don’t know if it is the right word, but if I had to say it…pure, almost innocent.”

“I felt similarly, Captain,” replied Photine. She drew herself up from the cot a little. “The girl almost did not seem to fit the battlefield at times. Yet when she became serious, there was something else I saw in her eyes. The innocence disappeared, replaced with a strong resolve and will.”

“I was able to speak to mine,” Antipas commented. An uneasy chill came over him still remembering the events. “He said his name was Yuki Hayashi. I don’t know any Atlantean with such a name, even if he was nobility with a last name. My impression is a little different from the others. He seemed confident and almost arrogant at times as though he knew that I was no challenge. He puts a lot of faith in the strength of his powers, but he’s capable. He seemed to be highly intelligent to figure out the laws of my field from a single battle.” He leaned his head down thinking about the end of the fight. The feeling still lingered. “But he was naïve. He told me to retreat and that he wouldn’t follow.” The young soldier looked back up at Simonides with confused eyes. “What sort of person is that soft when fighting?”

Simonides had a name of one of their opponents, more than he hoped. ‘Yuki Hayashi…maybe he isn’t inexperienced like I thought…I’ll have to be careful with him…’ He pushed off the pole and scanned around at his men. “Thank you. Our enemy may be determined and believe strongly in their cause…but what we stand for is even stronger! Our resolve is stronger than theirs! The peace of Atlantis is in our hands and because it is we can’t fail!”

“Yes, sir!” all three shouted.

“Now get rest.” The Captain stepped out of the tent and looked about the camp. Purpose filled his eyes after his talk with his men. However, his search did not reveal what he sought. He marched between his men and propped tents reaching the south side of the camp. A larger tent stood before him with two guards flanking the tent flaps. Short swords and shields decorated their sides with well-defined muscles accenting their uniforms.

He stared at the two soldiers with a firm expression. “Is the Commander inside?”

“Yes, Captain!” The guards stiffened their backs even more than they already had when Simonides came within sight.

“Very well.” Simonides stepped forward drawing the flap to the side. The tent interior lightened a little with the sun bleeding through. Only one other light illuminated the chamber and it hung from near the top of the center wooden pole. No furniture or weapons lined the space. All that he saw was the back of Abeiron.

The Commander tilted his head over his shoulder a little noticing the entrance. “Captain.”

Simonides walked around the man and over to his flank. He looked down at the chair and the figure tied to it. The young teenager’s arms pulled back behind the chair tied both to the chair and together. His tanned tunic held together through the rough treatment. “He say anything?”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Darkness fell upon his world so suddenly. A cold hand wrapped his eyes closed leaving him blind. Numbness surrounded his body losing any sense of weight. Balance collapsed next for him until he felt turned around and spun upside down. Any sense of direction disappeared along with time. He no longer knew what happened to him. The world had vanished utterly.

‘Brother!’ yelled a voice repeatedly, that only became clear recently. The voice sounded desperate and panicked pulling at him. He did not recognize the voice, but it gave him a direction again. ‘Brother!’ Repeating as it had before; he tried to search for it with his mind becoming more aware of his surroundings. His body suddenly gained weight and feeling with his eyes opening.

His eyelids widened a little in surprise and confusion. ‘Where am I?’ Adjusting to the new space, he could finally make out shapes. The entire region he floated in stretched on as far as he could see. In the distance, a bright light shined providing illumination to all. It carried warmth, baked his skin, and soothed his muscles. About him as he scanned, he saw scattered furniture, toys, papers, dolls and cloths. It looked as though someone had shook out an entire house and left it to gather.

The strange space distracted him dragging him closer and losing the voice. He took hold of the edge of a table finding that it held him still. ‘What is all of this stuff? Why is it here?’ Near him, a smaller accessory shifted around as though on a current. A passing doll bumped into his hand. Before it rebounded too far away, he grabbed it. ‘This is familiar…’

‘Brother!’

‘Huh?’ He spun his head then body around. The voice became deafening loud suddenly. It pulled at him again. He felt compelled to follow the voice. The table shrank away as he floated towards the sound. ‘Who’s calling to me?’ Each second made the feeling strong until it pounded in his chest. ‘I know this…why can’t I remember?’ He moved to the light, but it never seemed to get any closer to him.

‘Brother!’

‘Argh!’ A needle like pain stabbed him in head making him stop. He turned around feeling a dark chill breathing down his neck. All of the light from behind no longer existed, not even shadows. He looked down at his feet seeing gray where he stood. It suddenly felt as though a blizzard blew in freezing the air he tried to breath. ‘What’s happening?!’

‘Brother!’

He turned back feeling the desperate pull of the voice. The eerie void behind him did not make him want to stay. He tried to escape, but it followed him and seemed to be gaining on him. His eyes caught the blackness encroaching at the ends of his vision even staring forward. ‘I can’t out run it!’ The light in front of him began to fade, losing out to the overpowering crushing pressure. However, close to him he saw an outline of something still blurred. ‘What is that?’

‘Where…’ The voice seemed to cut off or come through muffled preventing him from understanding the rest.

His hand reached out towards the object trying to see it clearly. Everything became dark again with only a small flicker of light from the object. In the empty void, he could see it better. It gained form appearing like half of a star.

‘Where are you, Brother?’

An outside force grabbed him away before he could grab on to it. He strained at the pressure trying to get back. He did not understand what was going on. Nevertheless, he knew he needed to reach it. The force was too strong for him. It was all nearly gone. ‘Yumi!’

Chapter 124 – Dividing Paths

“Brother!” gasped Yumi, throwing herself up. She looked around trying to get her bearings. Next to her, Yuki rested with his head tilted down and eyes closed. ‘He’s been here the whole time?’ Time became lost to her after she started crying. She did not know how long it had been, but felt as though hours had passed. Yumi stretched up her hand towards Yuki’s face feeling a little comfort from seeing him.

“Where the hell have you been?!” snapped a distant voice.

It was enough to make Yumi jump. She immediately retracted her hand thinking that they were speaking to her. However, as Yuki started to wake and she looked around at the camp she realized what happened.

Seiji towered over Ayumi, having only suddenly appeared. The time of recovery for him had restored his energy and anger. Ever since they realized that Ayumi was missing no one knew what happened to her. Her sudden appearance took everyone by surprise, but it did not stop him from demanding an answer.

She tossed some new cloths to the grass to land at their feet. “I was out finding new cloths. Knowing you, I figured that you would be needing some new ones.”

“You went shopping?!” he shouted incredulously, “Why did you leave in the middle of a fight?”

Ayumi picked up the long tunic that shaped a little more like a dress. She carried it over to Yumi seeing the blood that coated the one she wore. After she finished, her eyes caught Seiji glared down at her still expecting an answer. “My presence isn’t needed. There were enough of you to deal with them.”

“That isn’t for you to decide! If we’re attacked, we fight together!”

Yuki felt the shaking from Yumi’s body. He saw the worry building up from the two arguing and the other problem that weighed on her. “Enough!” he shouted over both of them. Once he had their attention, if only partially, he held a hand on Yumi’s shoulder. “We have more important matters. Ayumi’s safe, but we’re still missing someone!”

“What are you talking about?” questioned Ayumi. She counted through everyone noticing the quick flip of emotions. The air became cold and still, almost surprisingly so. “Where’d the brother go?”

No response came to Ayumi’s question. They had all been avoiding the subject as much as possible knowing the reactions. However, Yuki knew that someone had to tell her. He carefully let Yumi go and stood up. “We can’t find him… He’s been missing since the end of the fighting.”

An awkward stirring from Yuki’s last words filtered through everyone. Ayumi narrowed her eyes from her observations. She felt a difficult pull inside that she ignored. “Where was he the last time you saw him?”

“Near me,” Saki stated quietly stepping forward. “He did not move for most of the time they had us surrounded.”

“How did he disappear after the fighting finished?”

Yuki’s eyes glanced over quickly before meeting Ayumi’s gaze. “I was healing Seiji and Yumi. We were focused on that…”

“So they captured him?” She spoke the word that everyone else had been avoiding. While she knew it to be a land mine, they could not ignore the truth forever. They needed to face it head on if they were to move past it. “It’s regretful, but you knew this could happen. We need to move on.”

“What?!” exclaimed a few of the teens.

A painful gasp came from Yumi making Yuki turned back towards her. He took a hold of her when her body lost the strength to support her. His eyes slid in their sockets towards Ayumi in disappointment and anger. If he were not with Yumi, he would have confronted her.

Acting as a stand-in, Seiji barged forward, no longer feeling the lightheadedness from his blood loss. He grabbed the fabric of Ayumi’s tunic and lifted her up off the ground to come to eye level with him. “You cold unfeeling—“

“Seiji!”

The angry teen turned his head still holding onto Ayumi. “Yuki, you can’t be serious! I can’t let her so selfishly dismiss what’s happened!”

“…I know…” Yuki’s head fell down darkening a little with his thoughts. His hands shook a little, even while he tried to keep himself together. “I’m angry too, but…”

Ayumi’s flat expression remained unchanged, even restrained by Seiji. She lifted her hand up to his wrist gripping it tightly, but realized that his strength exceeded hers. “As a soldier, emotions only cloud your judgment.”

“Shut the hell up, right now!” snapped Seiji. “You’re not one of us! We aren’t soldiers!”

A slight thinning of her lips to a grim touch washed over her briefly. “We have a purpose. A goal that doesn’t have the time for us to waste.”

The hand that held Ayumi up began to shake. Seiji’s hand tightened audibly for Ayumi to pick up. “Your goal doesn’t matter right now! Someone’s been taken! It’s more important to rescue them! Any time lost you can make up with your powers!”

Amongst the yelling, Yumi felt like she shrank away. They were worried about her and thinking about her. They wanted to help her. Yet she remained distant. She wanted to do something, but felt so helpless. Ever since Yori disappeared, she could not find her strength. Even at that moment, she relied on Yuki’s aid. ‘…Brother…where are you?’

‘Damnit! Why are you acting so helpless?’

Yumi turned her head within her mind remembering the voice again. The same voice that spoke to her during the fight she had with the Atlantean woman. ‘It’s you!’

‘So annoying…why are you doing nothing?’

‘Huh?’

‘You know what I mean!’

‘But…what can I do?’ She thought through all of pasts where she tried to be assertive. She wanted to change, but nothing happened. Everything remained the same for her. ‘I’m not…’

A loud sigh came from the disembodied voice. ‘I’m really getting tired of this! You can’t keep shrinking back to this hole when things get a little difficult! Stop making others stand up for you!’

Yumi staggered a little from the forcefulness of the tone. No one had ever been so direct or piercing with their words. She knew the truth that they spoke, but still hesitated. ‘I didn’t ask them to… They’re doing it on their on…’

‘So that makes it alright for you to not do anything!? I thought he was your brother!’

‘Yori is my brother!’ The tone in Yuim’s voice sharpened a little in response. She leaned forward a little not quite lifting from her folded legs. Her back straightened a little more bothered by the voice.

Even though there was no body the tone of the voice almost sounded like they shrugged in disbelief at Yumi. ‘Really? I find that hard to believe. Does a sister just cower away making others speak for her when she has the power to do something herself? Doesn’t sound like a sister to me.’

Yumi jumped up to her feet no longer able to remain still. She threw out her hand in the best direction of the voice. ‘I am his sister! And I would do anything I could for him!’

‘I only believe actions, not words!’ The condescending tone in the voice stayed as strong as before. Almost a mocking grin seemed to surface in the words.

‘Then I will!’ She disappeared from the space of their communion.

A vague shadow surfaced from the void with no clearly definable form. ‘Such a troublesome individual. Was that good enough for you?’ The anticipated response never came to the voice. Starting to fade away into the air the shadow had almost completely dissipated. ‘You won’t be able to remain quiet forever…’

Yumi’s eyes snapped open with reality slamming into her chest enough to make her gasp and feel as though something knocked the wind from her. She took in a deep breath and examined her surroundings to make sure that reality had returned. In front of her, Seiji still held onto Ayumi and Yuki held back staying at her side. They still fought as though almost no time had passed. Yumi felt the strength suddenly surge through her body. ‘I’ll show you! I’m not weak! I’m here now and I can’t be useless!’

When Yumi pushed off Yuki’s hands, it pulled his attention back to her. His face changed to confusion seeing the shifting emotions in her eyes. “Yumi? Is something wrong?”

“No,” she sternly stated. Yumi stood up once freed from her crutch in Yuki. “This is something I must do.” She walked over to Seiji and Ayumi locked in a debate still. His voice yelled over top of Ayumi’s calm even tone. Yumi lifted up her hand between the two and placed it on Seiji. “It’s time to let her go.”

Seiji’s eyes widened in shock that Yumi would be saying such words to him. It made his hand tighten further onto the tunic. “Did you not hear what she’s been saying?!”

“Yes, I’ve heard. And she’s right.”

“What?!” shouted most of the group in unison. Even Ayumi gave her a questioning look while still having the calculating expression buried behind. Yuki ran up to Yumi putting his hand on her shoulder trying to understand her.

Yumi looked over at Yuki. “Ayumi’s right. You have something important that you need to do, Yuki. Which is why I will go and find my brother alone.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

When Yumi pushed off Yuki’s hands, it pulled his attention back to her. His face changed to confusion seeing the shifting emotions in her eyes. “Yumi? Is something wrong?”

“No,” she sternly stated. Yumi stood up once freed from her crutch in Yuki. “This is something I must do.” She walked over to Seiji and Ayumi locked in a debate still. His voice yelled over top of Ayumi’s calm even tone. Yumi lifted up her hand between the two and placed it on Seiji. “It’s time to let her go.”

Seiji’s eyes widened in shock that Yumi would be saying such words to him. It made his hand tighten further onto the tunic. “Did you not hear what she’s been saying?!”

“Yes, I’ve heard. And she’s right.”

“What?!” shouted most of the group in unison. Even Ayumi gave her a questioning look while still having the calculating expression buried behind. Yuki ran up to Yumi putting his hand on her shoulder trying to understand her.

Yumi looked over at Yuki. “Ayumi’s right. You have something important that you need to do, Yuki. Which is why I will go and find my brother alone.”

If the first statement from Yumi was not enough to put everyone into shock, her second nearly put the group into a coma. While the methods of expressing their shock varied, it was all the same. No one expected to her to say such a reckless thing. It completely defused the tension from before, even if it might have replaced it with something even worse.

Not understanding Yumi at all, Yuki’s hand became heavy on her shoulder. Panic already spread through his face and into his hand. “What are you saying, Yumi?! You can’t do that! It’s too dangerous! We’ll go together to get Yori back!”

“He’s right!” added Seiji. He finally dropped Ayumi to the ground, no longer interested in their argument. The concern of Yumi convincing herself that she needed to rescue Yori on her own made him turn to face her. He had to stop her from doing something foolhardy.

Saki stepped up joining them. She saw the look in Yumi’s eyes built with determination and resolved to turn to confidence. It worried her the look that she saw. “Yumi, you don’t have to do this alone. This isn’t a burden you have to bare alone. Ayumi doesn’t speak for everyone.”

Yumi shook her head lightly. “I know, but what she says is correct. There is something even more important than just my brother at stake. It’s only been a little glimpse, but it is clear that there are wrongs being done here. Soldiers are meant to protect, not scare its people. We don’t even know what the rest of Atlantis is like or feeling right now. Ayumi feels strongly that they need his help and I don’t doubt those feelings.” She tilted her head towards Ayumi carrying a slight smile. All Ayumi returned was a small narrowing on her eyelids and quickly shifting her gaze away.

Still not convinced, Yuki pulled in front of Yumi to make sure she saw him with no distraction. The moment that his eyes met her a little hesitation suddenly bubbled up in his heart. ‘She’s got that determined look in her eyes like before…when she took charge…’ He realized then at that instant he could not look at her. His head fell down hanging at his shoulders. The shaking did not cease for him. “…but none of that matters…to me… …saving your brother’s more important to me…right now…”

She lifted her hand up to rest on his wrist and forearm. “Thank you, Yuki. But I can’t let you make that decision.” A sudden blast of wind raked along everyone’s clothes, sending ripples through the material. Yumi knelt down as Yuki collapsed over her shoulder. She looked over to Ayumi calling her in silence. Slowly, Ayumi approached with caution. Passing off Yuki, Yumi stood up to leave him in her care. “I trust you to make sure he stays the course.”

“…yes…” Ayumi looked down at Yuki seeing him unconscious. She was not entirely certain what to make of the situation. Everything returned to the order she wished. Yuki was given to her.

In the surprise of the scene, most of them could not react. However, Saki broke free from the stunned effect and rushed over to Yumi’s side. “You don’t even know where he is! Are you going to search the entire countryside for him?!”

Yumi looked back at Saki smiling at her. “No,” she calmly spoke with her head shaking. “I know exactly where he is.”

“What?! How?!”

“It’s my power, I think…” Her hand raised a little to her gaze with her head turned back forward. “I’m still figuring it all out, but I can sense him out there. I just have to follow the feeling and I’ll find him at the end.”

Saki threw her arm out swiping at the air with her words. “If that’s the case you don’t have to go alone! We’ll go with you and be back on track in no time! I can do it myself! With my speed we won’t waste anytime!”

“That’s a pretty broken power,” commented Seiji. He finally came out of his paralysis and stepped out into the conversation. “It’s not very sporting considering they’re all just a bunch of normal humans.”

She turned her head back towards Seiji quickly. “To hell with fair play!” snipped Saki, not in the mood for Seiji sense of honor.

“No, he is my brother. This is only something for me to do.”

“Yumi!” Saki turned to face Yumi only to be blasted with wind. The force was enough to kick up dirt and make it difficult for her to see. She had to hold up her arms and squint her eyes. “Yumi!” Saki shouted through the cloud to no avail. Once the wind calmed and she could see again nothing remained. Yumi was gone. “Yumi!”

Chapter 125 – Choosing Paths

The force that pulled on him stirred awake his mind. It felt as though he had been ripped from his home. He wanted to return, but knew it to be impossible. Still groggy from the experience, it took him a while to fully wake up. Once awake, he lazily scanned the environment. His lightheadedness persisted in spite of his alertness rising. ‘Where am I?’

Yori tried to get up to move, but found it impossible. It took him several vain attempts to actually realize the futility of trying. The futility did clear the rest of the hazy from his mind making everything suddenly sharp. He felt his arms stretched a little and pinned in an awkward position for him. His arms were behind him. An abrasive touch to his wrists when he twisted his arms told him enough. ‘I’m tied up! What happened to me?’

Upon the realization of his situation, Yori tried to pull at his arms again, but found the bonds too tight. Escape seemed out of reach. ‘Where is this?’ Yori looked around the space in search of anything that might help him. Unfortunately, the entire room was empty. All he saw was canvas lightly billowing with passing winds. ‘A tent? We don’t have a tent, unless this is Hayashi’s doing…’ The longer that he considered the more he ruled the option out.

The situation drew on and he came to the only logical conclusion, one that he dreaded. The mere thought had his body shaking and his stomach churning in fear. ‘…I’ve been captured…’ Once he understood, he started to think back. He needed to know what happened. Unfortunately, his mind blanked on him. ‘The last thing I remember was being surrounded by the soldiers and then them dropping…but what happened after…’

Any more thoughts would have to wait for Yori. The flap of the tent slid apart bleeding sunlight through on his face. It’s bright light blinded him until a shadow stepped forward. In the sun, all he saw was a darkened figure approach before the light cut away. He caught sight of another figure in the gloom of the tent, but they disappeared out of sight behind him before he had a chance to fully see. The more important figure stood before him less a meter away.

A black uniform became clear to Yori with his vision returning back to familiarity with the darkness. The man stood tall. Well formed muscles exposed on his chest and arms showed him to be trained and physical. Yori did not know if his own fear made the presence feel even more imposing than the man’s stature. The closer he focused on the face the more he knew he recognized it. Short closely cut dark blonde hair hugged his head and narrow piercing eyes of deep blue, same as before. ‘He was one of the soldiers that attacked us! Did he capture me?’

Abeiron took a half step forward leaning down to the seated Yori. The appearance of Yori made his feature harden a little to cover up the truth. It unsettled him. He knew that rebellious factions existed in Atlantis that hated the military, but he never believed that they would recruit children to their cause. ‘The rebellion nearly thirty years ago was said to have had children, mostly MP users, but…’ He watched the changing expressions on Yori’s face trying to understand his foe. ‘If this is the preamble for rebellion why would children already be involved? Is it because of the laws?’ The longer that Abeiron thought the more he dragged himself in circles questioning unnecessary things.

He closed his eyes briefly only appearing as a blink, but it cleared his mind. Forcing focus back, his mind centered on Yori, a teenager. The one point of unease remained; they had taken a child prisoner. All they ever had to deal with on the border were the lost scientists to safely return back, adults. ‘I won’t question the Captain, but interrogating a child seems like something a villain would do. But he’s right that we need answers and none of them looked to be an adult… What is this invasion of theirs?’ His questions reminded him of their purpose. They needed to understand the situation so that they could deal with it.

A glance over at the White in the corner giving him a nod in silent told him all he needed. The field was finished. Abeiron narrowed his eyes further forcing a darkly serious tone from his voice. “Regardless of whatever language you speak I know you can understand me.”

Surprise entered into Yori’s eyes from the declaration. ‘How does he know I’m still wearing the translation earring Hayashi made for me?’

“While we’re here there is no language barrier for anyone. So silence based on language is not valid. Also know that this field has a regenerative effect, so injures will be healed over time.” Abeiron leaned in closer to Yori to impress the graveness of the situation. “You may just be a child, but you should be old enough to understand your situation.”

Yori leaned into his chair as much as it allowed. He felt the pressure that the man exuded. It was heavy and suffocating. Sweat built up on his back making him stick to the wood backing. He was just a high school student, one that had never been in a fight in his life before coming to Atlantis. Yori felt the compulsion to start blathering immediately, but the thought of his sister made him restrain himself. ‘Anything I say could hurt her…I might not have been the brother she needed lately, but I can at least protect her in this way…my only way…’ He fought to build up as much resolve as he could to fortify his mind and body. ‘I need to do something to delay them…’ Yori hoped that speaking would give him the grounding and strength needed to endure. His face struggled to become stern as fear still periodically spread through him. “The Geneva Convention prevents mistreatment of civilians.”

“The moment you entered our territory you were trespassing on foreign soil. When you attacked the soldiers you became combatants. You aren’t civilians anymore. You’re terrorists.”

The shock caught in Yori’s mouth made him forcibly close it to not give away his surprise. He had unfortunately already revealed himself too much. ‘Terrorist? You can’t be serious! That’s a huge leap to make so quickly, but…I guess in their mind that is what we’re doing…’ Yori did not like agreeing to the accusation. He only thought of himself helping his sister, he only ever defended himself when attacked. He made no provocative moves and Yuki was here to stop the attacks. ‘They started everything.’ Yori knew that he could not say something like that though. “But regardless the articles—“

“Don’t apply here. We never were party to the treaties. Our existence is an invisible one. Anything that happens here will remain here.”

‘Doesn’t apply?! You can’t be serious? How inhumane are these people?!’ Yori fought with his complete disbelief of his situation. He thought he could call their bluff as an empty threat, but he found himself cornered. There was no hesitation he saw in the Atlantean officer before him. ‘They really are going to torture me for information!’

‘As a child, scaring him should be enough. It’s a little rough, but it’ll pull out the information we need.’ However, fate did not grant his hope.

Time slowly dragged on between Abeiron and Yori in a battle of patience, fear and wills. It was a battle that Yori knew he was losing. All the pain seemed simple and brief as it all vanished soon after he received it. The regenerative field worked as he was told, his body would always be ready for more. Unfortunately, his mind did not recover or his heart. The toll that he took and yet unable to feel true relief from pain left him in knots of twisting exhaustion. He simply wanted it all to end, but held wearily on to the thought of his sister. ‘I must protect…her…’

The tent flap opened, the light came even more painful for Yori to take even though later in the day. He saw nothing well with the sweat that covered his face and hanged off his brow. A new arrival added a mix of uncertainty and dread with a pinch of hope. It could be over for the moment or a sign of things worse to come.

The Commander tilted his head over his shoulder a little noticing the entrance. “Captain.”

Simonides walked around the man and over to his flank. He looked down at the chair and Yori tied to it. Tied both to the chair and together still held firmly, he saw no signs of it loosening. Scanning over the body of the teenager, the tunic held together through the rough treatment, but his body looked fine. Sweat covered nearly all of his exposed skin. His breathing came swallow and at small paces. “He say anything?”

“Nothing helpful, sir.”

“I see,” he spoke in measured tone. He gave a motion to Abeiron tell him to step aside. Simonides stood in front of Yori staring down at him. His hands came to rest upon Yori’s shoulders as he bent down coming to eye-level with the child. “Your will is strong. You do honor to your cause for resisting this long. However, understand that this is merely a prelude. We have ways to force you to talk and we can make them painful. I’ll give you this last chance to speak before my generosity is spent. We will put an end to your rebellion.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Time was the least of the worries that the moment. A cold hand felt as though it reached out for him and began to throttle him. Even the touch was enough to turn his skin to ice and down to the muscles. His throat locked up unable to speak. Through witnessing combat, pain and fear, he thought that it provided him some amount of insulation from it. The seemingly hours of interrogation should have harden him. Resolve to protect should have been enough. He thought the presence of his captor staring down at him prepared him.

All meaningless, he realized in the moment.

Yori did not expect the absolute terror that he felt as the new soldier stood before him. The feeling that he presented was on a completely different level than the others. He felt the seriousness of his situation before when it became clear that they would stop at nothing to get what they wanted from him. They instilled fear within him then and he felt it become an uncomfortable companion to him in the endless repeating of questions he did not answer. The edge it held over him dulled and turned blunt. It had to be the worst he believed and from there could only get better. There could not be anything to imagine worse than the feeling that so thoroughly permeated his body through each pore.

Such fear seemed small and insignificant to what he faced. A second even deeper feeling made him question naively if there could possibly be any further to go. Once proven wrong he felt he had to accept that it could be even worse than even in that moment. The realization that it brought shattered him completely. The light at the end vanished and all he saw around him was utter darkness with a boundless pit that never knew an end. He could not even sweat his fear away.

The new man that stood before him carried himself in a different manner than the rest. He had a sense of command and experience that went beyond anything that Yori could possible dream. In those few moments before he lost sight of everything, Yori understood it all. The words spoke with absolute truth and conviction, no thread of hesitation. Before him stood a man driven and serious, no longer seeing him as a child or foreigner, but simply a threat.

Yori did not compare.

He did not know if he could stack his resolve against him. The decision he made to protect his sister in his own small way disappeared from his grasp. His hands could only take hold of air as they scrambled feebly to keep hold of even a grain. ‘…sister…I…’ It all faded away from his sight. Any image of her in his mind shuttered to black. ‘…come back…come back!’

Externally, Simonides watched the silent change in features on Yori’s face. The stone expression for himself remained constant. He could see the kid’s resolve crumbling away. ‘It’s only a matter of time now…’ An extended index finger motioned to the White in the corner acting invisible to the whole conversation. He turned halfway away from the chair and the Commander looking at the tent flaps. “Get Athene and prepare the interrogation. I want you to start in thirty minutes.”

Abeiron stiffened a little accepting the orders. “Yes, sir!”

Simonides turned his eyes back down to the broken teenager. He purposely made sure of speaking aloud for him to hear, though uncertain if the words made it to his mind. ‘They seem largely too young and inexperienced with the reality of the world. They’re still just children. A real taste of reality will be enough to break them. Then I’ll have the answers I need to put an end to all of this. Everything will be normal soon…’ The Captain walked out of the tent first with his departure releasing some of the tension in the air.

Chapter 126 – Questioning Resolve

A strange pressure fell over Yumi in the middle of her walk. She came to a pause and looked forward, though her eyes already faced the direction. Rather than just peering ahead, she focused away from the physical and inward. The familiar feeling that she had been following to her brother changed suddenly on her. ‘Brother?! Something’s happened…’ She tried to search within herself, but did not understand her feeling.

The powers that she became fully aware of possessing, finally, still came as new and foreign to her. She let most of it run on its own without thinking too hard about control. Any focus she had came from how determined her mind was at the moment. Her confusion shattered the narrowed line she had been holding. ‘It was just there… Where’d it go?’ Yumi threw out her hand grasping at the air thinking that it would help her focus, but only made it all disappear faster.

Yumi ran forward in the direction that she believed her brother to be, but it all felt empty. Her certainty of knowing became a question rather than a statement to herself. It felt like she no longer stood on a straight road, but a forest. All the trees looked identical and the horizon shrank away masked by the density. ‘Where are you, Brother? Brother!’ The awkward feeling of being in empty surroundings overcame her. She spun around trying to get a sense of her direction. She did not want to be lost. ‘What’s happening?!’

Striking her head from behind, a spark wiped everything from her thoughts. The space returned to her vision and focus. Grass surrounded her on all sides and only a sparsely planted tree existed. Her mind turned sharp and alert as she knew the feeling that she received. ‘Someone’s coming! It’s like before, but it doesn’t feel hostile like an attack…’

Her returned focus found her powers responding to her requests. Yumi spun around on the heels of her feet to face the feeling that she sensed. A barrier erected quickly around her and her hands came up. She tried to imitate the stances that she saw Yuki carry during his fighting, but it turned out too loose and weakly held. “Who’s there?”

Silence returned to Yumi for several moments as she felt the tension tighten the muscles in her back. It quickly leaked into her shoulders the longer she waited. ‘Where are they? I know I wasn’t imagining it!’ Yumi scanned the fields and hills in search of the warning. She began to turn her head considering that her direction might be off. However, the sudden darkening of the sun and shadows cast through her space forced her back. ‘There!’ Yumi tried to prepare herself for whatever she saw, but knew internally that she lacked the experience. She did not believe that she should expect a fight, so that gave her some comfort.

Before her three figures appeared outside of her barrier, not immediately clear due to her sight not being ready. They did not give her a chance to take it in fully before speaking to her.

“Damn, I know you’re determined, but no need to be aggressive!” remarked a male voice.

A calming female voice replied to him, “We did just appear behind her. I think you would be startled too.”

“Huh?! What are you…” Yumi’s surprise cut off her words before she could finish speaking. She finally saw who stood before her. The shade from their features disappeared and Seiji, Chiharu and Fumiko gathered in front. Her barrier disappeared immediately along with the support in her legs. She staggered back a couple of steps not certain her eyes held the truth. “How? Why?”

Seiji leaned in with a step looking angry, suddenly. He extended his hand out pointing at her almost touching her nose. “The hell’s the matter with you?! You think we’d just let you go off on your own in some foreign land? Hell no!” His eyebrows narrowed further to accent his anger. When he finished he almost ended up in her face.

Fumiko reached out and grabbed Seiji’s shoulder pulling him back away from Yumi. She looked down at him trying to eliminate the scary face he wore. “What do you think you’re doing?! You’re scaring her!”

“I’m just setting her straight!”

“Then do it in a manner that isn’t going to frighten her! She’s not Yuki!”

He took a step back from Fumiko and glanced over at Yumi. She had her hands up close to her chest and looked ready to collapse. The more he looked her the more he started pull away. “W-Well I-I…” He looked back at Fumiko’s stern face and then to Yumi again. “I’m sorry!” Seiji retreated to the back of the group after his apology.

Fumiko stepped out towards Yumi. She softened her expression to comfort her. Her hand patted Yumi on the head easing her back to the group. “Seiji means well, I guess.” She casted a quick gaze back at him before focusing on Yumi. “You feeling better?”

“…yeah…” Hesitation persisted for Yumi, but he began to come out of it with Fumiko. A calming presence from her eased her body after Seiji yelled at her. However, she looked around Fumiko seeing Chiharu and Seiji still present. She looked up at Fumiko confused. “But how did you get here and why? I said—“

“That you’d do this alone,” interrupted Fumiko. Her tone came sharply and quick, but lacked the bite that Seiji attacked with earlier. “There is one thing that he was right about. We weren’t going to let you go off on your own. We’re coming with you.”

Yumi pushed a little forward pressing her hands into her chest. She did not want to get everyone else in trouble because of her selfishness. “But what about the reason we came here? Yuki can’t come with me! You have to tell him to go back!”

The tall teenager nodded back to Yumi. “You’re right. Yuki does have something he needs to do. Which is why he’s not here.”

“He’s not?”

“Nope, we’re splitting up into two teams.” Fumiko raised her hand up to Yumi showing two fingers. She then counted the first finger alone as she spoke further. “One, Team Yuki will continue on with the same goal as before. To reach the capital and put an end to all of this fighting. The other, you,” stated Fumiko point her finger at Yumi, “Team Yumi will backtrack to find your brother and rescue him.”

“Huh? Team? Me?” Yumi backed a step away from Fumiko trying to take in all that Fumiko told her. She looked around Fumiko again to get a sign from the other two that they agreed. Seiji nodded to her, albeit in a hesitant and shy manner that she thought was a little out of character for him in an almost adorable way. Chiharu met eyes with her, but immediately turned away with not so much as a grunt of annoyance. While a little loose, it did seem as though they all made their decisions. “Why me?”

Fumiko tapped Yumi on the forehead smiling a little. “You should know that already.” The confusion in Yumi’s face made it clear to her that she still did not see it. She needed more time. “This is your brother that we’re rescuing and you were the first one to move. It only makes sense, doesn’t it?”

“But I’m not that strong to lead.”

“I don’t know about that. I think you’ve been doing pretty good for someone that’s trying to change herself.”

Yumi jumped back a little surprised by the directness and accuracy. She did not think that anyone noticed. She did not want anyone to notice. “What are you talking about?”

“You can hide things from people, but eventually they notice. However, most of this is a conversation for another time. This is your show, Yumi. So you’re in charge. Besides, you said you knew where they were keeping your brother. I think it makes sense that you’re the one that leading.”

The direction of the conversation turned a little awkward for Yumi, as she got the sense that Fumiko really did know more than she was willing to tell. Yumi became a little worried and self-conscious in the presence of Fumiko. She needed to be careful and not reveal too much more to her. The longer that she stared at the three the more she felt a little at ease. Going alone into the lion’s den was something that already she set herself to doing. However, the thought of going with friends made the idea almost appealing. She allowed herself a small smile. “Alright! Let’s save my brother!”


‘Yumi…sister…’ Yori felt his tired heart pounded painfully in his chest. Fatigue came in heavy waves stronger than before. His body did not feel as though it could support him any longer. He did not have any energy before, but the drained sense he had penetrated deeper than he thought possible. Only the chair that restricted him was enough to keep him from lying on the floor as a mass of muscle and bones. It made him wonder if death felt similar.

The image of the man from before flashed before him. Thinking of the man’s word sent sparks of electricity through his bones. ‘…that man…he’s different… can I? Against him?’ His presence alone made him shake once again with just mere thought. He sensed some hesitation still in the one that interrogated him before. A little piece that gave him the strength he needed to come through with enough persistence. However, he received no such feeling from the other man. The cold and driven stare told him enough.

Beyond the lingering presence, something worse and deeper concerned him. In that moment, he became uncertain of his position. He found the only bastion of hope for him, the purpose, was to protect his sister. He did not know what they planned to do to him after it all came to an end, but he found comfort in knowing that his silence would keep her safe. Yet his mind hesitated then for a moment. He questioned if he should remain quiet. Yori did not know if he had the will to endure whatever the man planned for him. The certainty of them finding out what they wanted turned him to doubt the need to withhold still. Did it really stand simply as inevitability?

Even the thought of it for a moment made him hate himself. He had forsaken Yumi, his sister, his family because of his fear. She abandoned him because she knew he turned his back on her. He hated himself. ‘How could I do that to her? How can I ever face her again?’ Yori hung his head on his shoulders. A color deeper than black painted his face. The weight on his body felt suffocating.

‘How do I hold out against what they bring out next? I believe him when he says that they can make me talk, but I don’t want…Yumi…’ The certainty of what he could say made him shake. He did not know if his resolve could hold out. He did not want to fail Yumi a second time.

The tent flap opened once more and shadows crawled along the ground. Although the sun made it a little difficult to cleanly make out those entering, he did not have to guess. First in to the tent was the man that interrogated him before. Next, the man, that gave him a new measuring stick for fear, entered. Last was an unknown, but tall woman dressed like the others he saw Yuki fight. She wore white and a very narrow piercing gaze. The woman carried a very unsettling pair of eyes, small nearly dots. Yori did not even know her name and he already felt the oppressive presence that she gave off in the room.

Simonides stepped in front to directly address Yori. He pressed his hand to the kid head and made sure they made eye contact. “This will be your last chance. The next time I’ll make sure you suffer.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Slowly setting into the comfort of the hills, evening slowly began to arrive in Atlantis. A calm breeze passed through the clouds keeping the air from turning stagnant. The rest of the land seemed to be carrying on as though the day was as normal as the day before. Even the smoke that hovered in the distance faded away. No reminders remained of the events from the night. Atlantis moved on, but they could not forget.

Even if she had acted assured and ready for their endeavor, underneath it turned into a raging maelstrom. She felt a little unease by taking on the challenge of saving her brother alone. Yori was her brother, it should be expected that she would go. The additional of her friends traveling with her with the same goal changed everything. They made her leader and left her the responsibility, even if they did not mean to do so in a callous manner. Knowing that anything she did affected everyone with her sent her past simply fretting and nervousness.

The weight on Yumi’s body felt worst than she remembered. Her chest tightened and hammered on her through her pounding heart. She did not even know if sweat covered her or the heat overwhelmed her. Between the moments when her mind was not spinning with all of her fears, her legs ached refusing her. She never felt such pain before, but she knew the risks to be higher than in the past. Her success and strength did not mean so much previously.

An anvil suddenly dropped on Yumi’s shoulder shattering her body and delicately managed balanced. She let out a yelp of surprise and turned to find Fumiko’s hand on her shoulder. If the hand had not been resting on her, Yumi would have collapsed to the ground as a puddle. Her reaction took Fumiko a little back, giving her the time to recover her breath. “I-I’m sorry! I-I was distracted…concentrating…”

Fumiko gave her a small grin, “You looked a little tense.”

“Wah! I-I…”

“You don’t have to stress. We might have forced it upon you, but we can protect ourselves. So don’t think you need to bare everything alone. We’re all friends here.”

Yumi felt a little relieved by Fumiko’s words. She looked around behind them at Seiji and Chiharu behind them. The two kept silent for the entire time since meeting Yumi. It did not take the strange intuition that Fumiko had to see that they did not look pleased with the situation. Everyone knew that they were always at each other’s throats when a moment of calm came. The only thing keeping them in line was a purpose to their travel. Even with a purpose, both remained more than a health distance apart from each other of at least two meters. They looked to be trying to flank Fumiko and Yumi with their position. The sight made Yumi giggle a little forgetting herself.

Seeing the two in mute disagreement, Yumi returned to her question from earlier. They seemed out of place and least likely to actually agree to be together. She looked over at Fumiko again. “You never did completely answer my question. Those two don’t get along very well, but they came along. How come?”

“Yeah…” Fumiko sighed thinking about it for a moment. She tilted her head back looking at the two of them. The events replayed quickly through her mind trying to sort it all out. “They’re like an older brother and younger sister sometimes, though I doubt you want to tell either of them that.”

She gave Fumiko a quick nod of agreement. “So what made them come?”

“If you can believe it, Chiharu was the first to speak up.” She thought about the scene, still trying to sort out the reasons for herself. “Chiharu’s a difficult one. She’s very transparent most times, but there’s a hidden layer under it all that she does a surprisingly good job of masking. I’m not sure if we’ll ever know her true reasons, but she is motivated despite her front of disinterest.”

“I didn’t know…” Hearing the analysis from Fumiko made Yumi look back at Chiharu to see her in a different light. She had not tried to look very deep into the young girl. In some ways, she saw her as someone that needed to be protected for being a couple years younger than everyone else, but at the same time she did not think Chiharu wanted the help and acted as though she was more mature than anyone else. It was only surface substance, if Fumiko’s words held any truth. Yumi did not know what to think of her anymore. “So what happened?”

Fumiko tilted her head back thinking about the scene. “Well I guess we have some time to kill.”

Chapter 127 – Intrusions

“Yumi!” Saki turned to face Yumi only to be blasted with wind. The force was enough to kick up dirt and make it difficult for her to see. She had to hold up her arms and squint her eyes. “Yumi!” Saki shouted through the cloud to no avail. Once the wind calmed and she could see again nothing remained. Yumi was gone. “Yumi!”

“Where the hell she go?!” shouted Seiji looking around the area. He ran about the close proximity trying to figure out where she had gone. Even in the distance, he found no trace of her. “How can she just up and disappear? She’s not supposed to have powers like that I thought!”

Saki disappeared from sight as quickly as Yumi had. She left no words for the stunned and frustrated Seiji. Fumiko had pulled herself out of the daze that surround her mind and forced herself to focus. All of the things happened so fast she did not have any choice. She needed to have her head on straight for everyone. Seiji came back to the group yelling and grinding his hands together with Saki’s disappearance. “Calm down, Seiji. She probably just went to find Yumi and bring her back. She’s not leaving.”

“I know that!”

The volume of his voice made Fumiko lean a little. She felt unnerved by seeing him so close to her. Even though she had gotten used to him in the group and called him a friend, she still felt a little uneasy with him. Unlike the rest of the group, he had a very rough thug like appearance. His temper broke far too often and his strength made that even worse. She did not like it any more than seeing Chiharu baiting him. Keeping the two apart seemed the best, but Fumiko had no control over either. “You going to calm down then?”

He glared her seeing the teetering look that struggled for unflinching. It took him another moment, but realized that his presence created an imposing aura. Seiji backed off from Fumiko and parked himself a safe three meters away with his arms crossed. “…damnit…” he muttered quietly, other words came out, but none of them had any volume or intelligible.

Fumiko waited out the seconds that turned to minutes for Saki to return. She looked around at the group trying to place everything and fully take in everything. Yuki remained unconscious in the arms of Ayumi. The Atlantean girl stayed quiet after all of the arguing, if for only because she got exactly what she wanted. Chiharu and Haruo looked as distant and anti-social as they always did. She wished that she could do anything about the two of them, but other matters needed her. Saki returned and empty handed. “Did you find her?”

“No…I don’t know where she is. She’s just gone…” Saki hung her head down after she said her words as though they were the only thing keeping her moving. She dragged her feet over to Yuki’s side dropping down to her knees. “…sorry…Yuki…I’m sorry…”

Staring at them was too much for Fumiko. She turned away looking over at the rest of the group. ‘Disappeared…she’s got to be out there…somewhere…’

“Speaking of which,” spoke Fumiko, in the middle of her recollection of the events for Yumi. She leaned a little closer to Yumi as though she wanted to keep it a secret. “How did you manage to evade Saki? She’s so fast I can’t imagine you being faster than her.”

Yumi leaned back a little surprised by the sudden change of subject. Her face turned a bit red feeling as though complimented for keeping out of Saki’s hold. The more that Fumiko leaned in with intense curiosity the more Yumi became embarrassed. She lifted up her hands to her face trying to divide them. “It wasn’t anything that special. Honest.”

Fumiko narrowed one of her eyes questioning her more with her gaze. “What did you do?”

“I flew.”

“Flew?”

She nodded softly to Fumiko. “Yeah. I knew I couldn’t outrun Saki. I’ve seen her move. But she doesn’t think three dimensionally. So I just kept myself in the air until I was safe.”

“Until you were safe? But wouldn’t we have seen you, even in the sky?”

“I had some of the dust surround me to make it look a cloud. Eventually, I found a tree and hid there until I knew Saki had returned.”

“You knew when Saki returned?” Fumiko became increasingly more interested in the story that Yumi told rather than her own. She leaned in further wanting more answers and making Yumi uneasy.

Yumi tried to step away, but Fumiko flowed with her movement. Telling her how she escaped their friends made the embarrassment grow. She felt bad about what she did already and Fumiko questioning only seemed to make it stick out for her. Yumi wanted the question to stop. “W-w-well-what about you? Wh-wh-what happened after Saki came back?”

“Huh?” The question made Fumiko stop for a moment. She realized that she forgot the original purpose of their talk. Once she remembered herself, she returned to her old position inviting Yumi back. “Right! Sorry, guess I got side tracked. Well we waited until Yuki woke up, since we did not think that any decision made with him out would not be fair. We had to wait for a while, you really did a number on him, Yumi!”

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean—“

“It’s okay, I’m just teasing you.” Fumiko waved her hand down to dismiss her previous comment. Her eyes turned towards the back of their group to Seiji and Chiharu. The thought of them brought her focus back. “Anyway…”

“Now that you’re awake, we can go after her together!” Seiji declared staring down at Yuki. His voice did not have any intention of making it a question. He stated it as a fact as though everyone already came to the same conclusion.

Ayumi leaned in around Yuki, still holding him from when Yumi gave him to her. She had a very protective look in her eyes, one only matched in intensity by Saki. “She made her choice. You heard her! Yuki’s got to get to the capital to put an end to this! That was her wish!”

Seiji stepped in leaning down to her almost. “Don’t give me that crap! You’re not even interested in how Yumi felt! You’re just going along with what she said because it agrees with what you want!” He started to go for Ayumi to grab her once more, but a different from a new side stopped him.

“If you’re so concerned why don’t you go with her,” remarked Chiharu in a flat tone. A brief contest between the two in Seiji trying to reclaim his wrist from Chiharu occurred with Chiharu holding out. Once Seiji saw that taking her strength lightly gave him no ground, he ripped free nearly taking Chiharu with him. She sidestepped with the motion to land on the other side of Yuki with her body between the two. “The rest of us can go on without you. I imagine it’ll be more peaceful time with you gone.”

“I’m not in the mood for your childish games, brat!” He took a firm step forward to stand inside her space and towered over her for extra measure. The stance did nothing to intimidate her, a point that went entirely ignored by Seiji.

The scene quickly escalated for everyone involved. It made Fumiko step back in worried that their emotions and egos would keep them from the important issue. “Enough!” she yelled as loud as she could, but saw it change nothing. She made further attempts, but they proved as fruitless as the first. ‘Should be small…shouldn’t need to worry…’ Her final answer came with her arm rising to meet the middle between them. Small tendrils of light whipped around her arm tying together at her wrist and turned to a red glow of fire. The fire burst from her hand in a long column that toasted everyone’s face a little.

Everyone involved shut up immediately and turned with rusted necks to stare in disbelief at Fumiko. Stray burnt hairs flowed in the air as the embers faded. The slightly burned faces suddenly turned a little blue seeing the towering presence of Fumiko before them all. “Enough fighting!” screamed Fumiko, even though she had everyone silenced. Once she released her yell, she calmed down feeling better. “Now I can see that no one here is going to be able to agree on us going as a group anywhere. So let’s take Chiharu’s suggestion—“

“Now wait a—“ Seiji stopped himself just as he interrupted Fumiko. Her glare at him promptly shut him down and made him back a step away.

“Let’s take Chiharu’s suggestion and take it a little further. The only way to make everyone happy is going to be splitting up into two teams.” She looked down at Yuki, who looked equally terrified despite not having said a single word. “Unfortunately, Yuki you’re not going to get a choice in the matter. To satisfy Ayumi, you’re going to need to head to the capital.”

Yuki held his words while his mind ran through everything. He had already tried to convince Yumi and with Fumiko telling him little chance remained for him. His head tilted up towards everyone. “But who’s going to find Yumi? We don’t know where to find her.”

His question brought a new silence to the group. Saki’s attempt failed leaving them with no options to locating Yumi. However, an unexpected answer came from Chiharu. “I’ll be able to find her.”

The certainty in Chiharu’s voice had them all curious, but Fumiko beat them to the question. “How will you be able to find her?”

“I can use my powers and skills in tracking. Additionally, I have general direction where she’s going.”

Fumiko accepted her confidence and moved on to the rest. “Chiharu is going to be in Yumi’s group. I’ll go as well. I assume that Ayumi is going to be with Yuki.” She did not need a confirmation from the look in Ayumi’s eyes. “Well then, what about everyone else? Who’s going with us?”

“I’ll go too,” spoke Seiji. His voice had calmed down and he seemed in control once more. He looked over at Saki almost glaring again. “You’ll make sure he stays safe, right?”

Saki glared back a little looking like she took his question as an affront. “Of course, who do you think I am?”

Yuki raised his hand up interjecting between them. “Hey you two, I am right here. I’m not defenseless, you know. I can take care of myself.”

Saki and Seiji both leaned together to stare down at Yuki. “If no one watches you, you’ll try to take everything on yourself and do something reckless!” Their unison voices made the others almost start to laugh a little. Yuki’s eyes flitted about becoming a little embarrassed with the situation. He had no response for them, as they both knew him too well.

Fumiko looked over at Haruo, ever quiet and detached. “What about you?” He stepped a little closer to the back of Yuki making his stance clear. “I see.” She looked over at the others feeling good about the solution. “So Chiharu, Seiji and myself will locate Yumi and rescue Yori. Once we’ve done that we’ll do everything we can to catch up to you.”

Yuki stood up looking very serious. His eyes narrowed with his expression. “We’ll meet back outside of the capital. Promise me!” He put out his hand with his open palm faced down jutted straight for them.

“Definitely!” replied Seiji slapping his hand down on top of Yuki’s hand. He finished his response with an eager grin.

Fumiko added her hand to the center along with Saki. They gave a firm and agreeing nod to Yuki binding their promise. The others left themselves out not interested in the childish notion of the promise. Seiji did not take no for an answer and pulled Chiharu, complaining, to put her hand in. Saki followed up with Ayumi taking a card from Seiji’s book and dragged her forcibly. Yuki pulled Haruo along, only slightly reluctant.

Yuki looked around at everyone seeing them all as a group, his friends. “It’s a promise! Everyone comes back safe and we all put an end to this!” He smiled to everyone, feeling the infectious nature of Seiji’s enthusiasm. It slowly built around to the others with even Chiharu looking a little flushed and Haruo less stern than before.

The conclusion to the story made Yumi feel warm. She could not help but smile a little herself as Fumiko finished. ‘Everyone’s together…I’m glad!’ Yumi turned to Fumiko wanting to say something to her, but suddenly forgot her words. A stabbing pain ripped through her head making her scream aloud startling everyone. ‘What’s…happening…’ The wave of pain passed as quickly as it came, but returned equally intense. She could no longer stand, the pain leaked through her muscles. Yumi collapsed to the ground unable to control the burning agony that coursed through her veins like fire.

Her hands crawled over her head and pulled at her hair. The source of the pain remained in her mind. It felt like a barbed wire rammed through her eyes and stirred in her brain. She scratched at her head trying to relieve the suffering. It shifted around bumped coarsely through her and splitting her skull. Through all of the screaming of her voice and the yelling pain, she heard a voice. ‘Brother! Why are you in pain?!’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

The tent flap opened once more and shadows crawled along the ground. Although the sun made it a little difficult to cleanly make out those entering, he did not have to guess. First in to the tent was the man that interrogated him before. Next, the man, that gave him a new measuring stick for fear, entered. Last was an unknown, but tall woman dressed like the others he saw Yuki fight. She wore white and a very narrow piercing gaze. The woman carried a very unsettling pair of eyes, small nearly dots. Yori did not even know her name and he already felt the oppressive presence that she gave off in the room.

Simonides stepped in front to directly address Yori. He pressed his hand to the kid head and made sure they made eye contact. “This will be your last chance. The next time I’ll make sure you suffer.”

If Yori could lean back in his chair, he would have at that moment. The ominous presence of the man grew twofold for Yori, making him realizing that he should no longer have expectations on his limits. ‘…what do I do? Can I…’ Yori felt a new layer of sweat cover him as his mind spun in fear. He did not know if he had the will to resist whatever they had planned. If the situation was normal, he thought that he might stand a chance. Yet there was nothing normal for him. They could literally make anything they needed to break him, that single thought spread unending fear through his body.

Time passed quickly at an unknown pace to Yori. He became entranced within his paralysis. Not until a heavy hand firmly gripped his shoulder did Yori snap back to reality. His eyes blinked removing the last image and updating the surroundings. The placement of everyone changed and he knew that he entered a different moment. The woman left his sight and the first man he spoke with held to the corner. Only the fear inducing man still held a spot similar to before. Yori suddenly gasped on air realizing that he had held taking in a breath.

The Atlantean leaned in a little further to Yori. “So you’re silence means you plan to resist.” He looked up over Yori’s shoulder at the woman preparing behind him.

Still trying to catch up on everything, Yori did not even know how much time had passed. Everything suddenly seemed to move quickly beyond his pace. They forced him to follow with the pace they dictated to him. Realization came late, when he understood the meaning of the man’s words. ‘…but I haven’t even decided yet!’ Yori felt like the path in front of him shifted and forced him down it with hands shoving him the entire way. He wanted more time, but felt guilty in thinking that he should need any for such a decision. Each second he hesitated, the longer that he hurt his sister. ‘…Yumi, I must hold strong…’ His back stiffened a little and straightened as he prepared himself and presented his captors with a decisive stare.

‘He’s really going through it…didn’t think it would come to this…’ thought Simonides. He preferred to have just scared the kid into answering his questions rather than having to resort to such brutish methods. The full abilities of Athene had never been required in an interrogation. A simple intrusion would always be enough. Usually, the pain attributed to the resistance was enough to break those considered unbreakable. Simonides imagined that with the powers, a completely safe method without pain was possible, but interrogations rarely worried about the delicate nature of the individual. The sight of a teenager made him question his resolve to carry out, but he knew he needed to be serious to end this. ‘They’re all just kids and we’ve already fought them. This shouldn’t be any different.’ He gave a nod to Athene to begin.

Uncertainty to the degree of pain made Yori’s anticipation rise further. He rolled his fingers roughly against his palms, doing anything to calm himself and prepare. The restricted movement of his body made the unease turn into a foul substance within his stomach that threatened to enter his throat. Yori swallowed roughly trying to keep everything down. ‘…sister…’

A red ring waded through the ground expanding beyond the tent to disappear from sight. The ground remained unchanged, but behind Yori’s chair, a wide metal tube extruded up from the surface. As it continued to grow taller, a base formed and bolted itself into the ground for support. Once the tube reached shoulder height new extrusions erupted from the metal. Plastic like arms formed stretching out and gripping firmly to Yori’s shoulder, the contact made his body jump however little possible. The top of the tube ended behind the head and spread out into a wider mouth opening. From the opening sprung more than a dozen wires with small circular discs attached to the end. Moving around like tentacles of a squid, the wires spread around all sides of Yori’s head hovering in position.

On the final confirmation signal from the Captain, the wires dove in burying under the hair. Yori looked only slightly disturbed by the action and almost confused expecting something worse. However, he let up too early. His head jerked back suddenly in pain as all of the wires injected needles through his scalp and making pinging contact with his skull.

The slight scrapping of the needles against bone did not unnerve him the most from the experience. Rather, the echoing that pulsed through his brain threatened to unhinge him with sensation that he could not quantify. It did not feel like a headache or painful and certainly not pleasant, but closer to water being poured directly on his brain and blasted out to leave everything ringing. The sensation left him unbalanced and ready to fall over. He felt as though he hung on the side of a wall with only the chair that kept him from falling, yet knew it not to be true. His sense of direction changed again almost as quickly leaving him on a steep slope, the sudden shift made him want to throw up. ‘This can’t be all of it… disorientation, no it probably hasn’t even begun…’

Assumption turned to certainty for Yori. The sensation calmed and his balance started to return, but a stabbing pain rammed through the back of his head. Yori coughed and gasped in surprise. It felt as though a spear had been plunged through his head and poked at the back of his eyes. He wanted to lift his hands up to feel if any of the pain he felt was real, but he could only hope. His body felt as though it emptied a liter of sweat in seconds as the pain continued in pulsing fashion so that he could not become even a little accustomed to it. It undulated through his brain cutting, stabbing, poking and scrapping as it dug deeper.

Further in the pain traveled, the more he knew it began to search for the answers that they sought. ‘I can’t…let them…’ He did not even know if a scream came from his mouth as the digging continued. The more he wanted it to stop the worst it became. Yori was certain he had to be screaming. The screeching in his brain ripped him from his all of senses of reality with only pain as the feeling left. ‘…Yumi!’

Chapter 128 – Breaking Through

A stabbing pain ripped through her head making her scream aloud startling everyone. ‘What’s…happening…’ The wave of pain passed as quickly as it came, but returned equally intense. She could no longer stand, the pain leaked through her muscles. Yumi collapsed to the ground unable to control the burning agony that coursed through her veins like fire.

Her hands crawled over her head and pulled at her hair. The source of the pain remained in her mind. It felt like a barbed wire rammed through her eyes and stirred in her brain. She scratched at her head trying to relieve the suffering. It shifted around bumped coarsely through her and splitting her skull. Through all of the screaming of her voice and the yelling pain, she heard a voice. ‘Brother! Why are you in pain?!’

‘…Yumi!’

Yumi’s head snapped back and her eyes opened wide, but the sky did not enter her vision. She saw a lowly lit tent and two figures in front of her. It felt like she sat in a chair and an oppressive force slammed down around her. ‘Where am I?’ Another bolt of pain through her head made her jump a little. ‘…the pain…’ Her vision turned down seeing legs rattling at the legs of a chair she had never seen before with a body that she recognized, but knew not to be her. It only took moments to make the connection. ‘Yori!’ In that instant, she felt that she stood next to him and saw everything. She had finally returned to him and felt safe again. However, darkness fell over her suddenly and she lost sight of everything. ‘Yori! Where did you go!? Come back! Brother!’ Yumi threw out her hands trying to grab on to him, but found nothing. Emptiness surrounded her and she was alone, again.

A dot of a light sprung free from the endless void to give her direction. She stretched up towards it, as it grew wider to fill her view. Yumi jerked forward suddenly in darkness again screaming. “Yori!” The darkness around her did not feel as impenetrable as before and gave her warmth. She looked around seeing a fire set and the outlines of her friends. “Huh?”

“You’re awake,” spoke Fumiko, the nearest to Yumi. She shifted her position a little to approach Yumi now that she woke. “You had us a little worried.”

Yumi searched around trying to find her brother. ‘I just saw him! I know it! But he’s gone…now…’ Her shoulders collapsed a little with the hope she had fading away. It took her another minute to sort her present reality and past. “What happened?” she asked, once she felt certain of where she sat.

“You screamed in pain and collapsed. You fell unconscious soon after.”

“Unconscious? How long have I been out?” She stood up quickly realizing that the daylight had long since disappeared. All around her, the stars in the night sky surrounded her providing an unfamiliar view. Her legs felt weak a moment after the rush passed away and she stumbled. Fumiko ran to catch her quickly enough before she hit the ground. “Ugh…I feel so lightheaded suddenly…”

Fumiko grimaced a little at the carelessness. “You probably shouldn’t stand up so quickly. You’re still not fully awake.”

“But!” Yumi struggled in the hold wanting to stand back up. She had to keep moving. “My Brother’s out there still! I can’t stop!”

“You can’t rescue him if you’re unable to walk!” snapped Fumiko. Her voice got the attention of Yumi and froze her in her arms for the moment. “Rest a little and we’ll continue once you’re ready. You won’t do him any good as you are now.”

Yumi wanted to protest further, but between the glare from Fumiko and the loopy feeling in her head, still she relented. “…alright…” Fumiko eased her back down to the grass. Once seated, she pulled her legs up close to her chest. Across from the campfire, Seiji laid back away from the light making it difficult to tell if he was asleep. Chiharu leaned forward with her legs crossed and eyes closed. Her body looked completely still with not even a breath disturbing her. Yumi did not even know if she was alive.

With Yumi settled down, Fumiko felt that she could relax and sat back down at the fire. She saw the distant and unsettled look of Yumi as she tried to figure out what happened. The abruptness of her episode made them all confused and wanting answers. Fumiko leaned a little closer to Yumi, not wanting to bother the others. “Are you in pain still?”

It took Yumi a moment to notice that Fumiko asked her a question. She tilted her head up towards Fumiko slowly. “No, I’m fine now.” Yumi thought about it, the scene from before that had her screaming. Each stabbing and ripping felt completely real and yet it did not even feel like it happened. “I… I…”

“Do you know what caused it?”

“No… I’m not sure it really happened.” The longer that she thought about it the faster the sensation evaporated. She tried to hold on tighter to the feeling as much as it scared her, but it fled from her. “I don’t know if it was me.”

Fumiko tilted her head to the side in confusion. She did not expect a simple answer, but the responses from Yumi made less sense than she thought possible. “How could it not be you? You were in pain and screaming. I’m pretty sure that means something happened to you. Was it one of the enemy maybe? We didn’t see anyone, but maybe you felt something like before?”

Yumi shook her head. The feeling that she had before when attacked did not have the same feeling. “No, it wasn’t the same. I don’t understand all of my powers very well, but those I think are premonitions that I have. I feel what will happen if I don’t act. This wasn’t the same.”

“Maybe it was them using their powers to cause you pain.”

“But they didn’t attack. It would not make much sense if they just stopped.”

“Perhaps they wanted to delay us?”

“I guess…” Yumi searched through the remnants of what remained for her. ‘I remember thinking about Yori then, but why?’ Her brother had come to her suddenly when she felt the pain. It felt like a reaction or instinct to her. She did not understand why she thought of him when the pain hit her. “It can’t be a coincidence…”

Yumi’s voice barely made it to Fumiko, but she put together the words. She had found something. “What is it, Yumi? I remember something?”

“I’m not sure, but I thought of Yori when it happened.” Her mind scoured over the pieces. She recalled the strange feeling she had of being with her brother. The tent came back to her and the people. “I saw that man!”

“Who?”

“He was standing with the other soldiers that attacked us. I saw him with Yori! I know it!” Yumi stood up on her feet feeling energy back in her body. Yori was alive and she stood next to him. She turned over to Fumiko more certain about where he was than before. “I know where my brother is!”

Fumiko rushed to her feet trying to slow down Yumi, sensing that she might run off. She grabbed on to Yumi’s shoulders to ground her. “What’re you talking about, Yumi? Who did you see?”

“I know, Fumiko! It’s clear to me! I was with my brother!” Yumi nodded reaffirming her certainty to herself. The confusion on Fumiko’s face did not even process through her head. Her mind completely narrowed to a pinpoint on the connection her made. “He’s tied to a chair in a tent. I felt it. I saw it! The soldiers had him. They’re trying to get him to talk and he’s struggling to hang on! I have to get to him now!”

“Yumi! Get a hold of yourself! You’re not making any sense!” Fumiko found that she needed to use her strength to keep Yumi from moving. She struggled in an absent sense with her, as though not really seeing Fumiko. “Yumi?”

“He’s waiting for me! I have to go now!”

A solid wind pounded into Fumiko knocking her off her feet. Fumiko did not know what happened in the next moments with her head reeling. She looked through blurry eyes from the grass to see the feet of Yumi march off from the camp. It took her even longer to pull herself back up to her feet, the pain in her stomach still lingered. ‘What was that?! What got in to her?’ Fumiko turned over to Yumi in the distance. “Yumi! Come back!”


A white square room surrounded Yori with a simple white table and chair. He sat before it with his hands resting in his lap. All of the pain disappeared, but he did not know when it happened. Yori searched around the empty room seeing no windows or doors. It was a solid seamless room and even the bright light of the white made the table blend with the room. He was not certain where the table began or ended. He was not even certain if the table was still in front of him. ‘Where am I? I am still being interrogated?’

‘This is the beginning,’ stated a woman’s voice.

Yori flipped around trying to find the voice came, but saw no one behind him. When he came to look forward a woman stood before him that he knew had not before. He narrowed his eyes trying to understand where she came from. “You’re…” The longer he stared at her the more familiar she became to him.

“Yes. And I have already accessed everything within your mind.” The white room suddenly flashed and hundreds upon thousands of panels displayed around the walls. Images played in motion clustered one on top of another. Each one housed a memory of Yori’s. Everything that made him stood completely open. He already had lost.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

A white square room surrounded Yori with a simple white table and chair. He sat before it with his hands resting in his lap. All of the pain disappeared, but he did not know when it happened. Yori searched around the empty room seeing no windows or doors. It was a solid seamless room and even the bright light of the white made the table blend with the room. He was not certain where the table began or ended. He was not even certain if the table was still in front of him. ‘Where am I? I am still being interrogated?’

‘This is the beginning,’ stated a woman’s voice.

Yori flipped around trying to find the voice came, but saw no one behind him. When he came to look forward a woman stood before him that he knew had not before. He narrowed his eyes trying to understand where she came from. “You’re…” The longer he stared at her the more familiar she became to him.

“Yes. And I have already accessed everything within your mind.” The white room suddenly flashed and hundreds upon thousands of panels displayed around the walls. Images played in motion clustered one on top of another. Each one housed a memory of Yori’s. Everything that made him stood completely open. He already had lost.

His eyes darted around the room trying to take in the deluge of information. He did not know if it responded to him. The sight of each memory placed out before him unfiltered made him feel naked. He wanted to hide in a corner or under the table. Yori did not expect to face his defeat so quickly. ‘What does she know? How much has she already taken from me? Does she know everything?’

‘You’ve already revealed everything to me.’

Yori jumped a little hearing the voice in his head again. ‘You can hear my thoughts?!’

‘Of course.’

The room suddenly grew warm quickly for him. It felt like someone stared at him from all sides and looked inside. She pierced through him knowing his thoughts. He had no safety. He tried to bury his thoughts deeper into layers beyond her with subtle touches. ‘I just have to distance myself more…’

‘It doesn’t matter how deep you try to go. I’m already there. There’s no part of your mind that I’m not already attached to.’

He wanted to say that it was impossible, but knew better than to say anything. Her powers made everything possible, even what she claimed. Yori saw no escape or freedom. The room she stuck him had no exits, even without the restrains. He did not know what he could do. He could not protect Yumi in such an absolute control. His eyes flipped around the room trying to figure out his situation.

“You’ve no escape.” The woman pulled herself free from the bleached light of the room as though she air concealed her. Split from the room to become an individual, she appeared bathed in luminescent blue cloth draped over her body in a complex woven dress. The glow gave the material a soft furry like appearance despite being smooth. A windless breeze kept her dress in constant motion. She stepped within a meter of Yori stopping near the table. “Now let’s talk about your sister, Yori Mizuno.”

Chapter 129 – Room of Deceit

The moment that he heard his sister mentioned the walls changed their images. Everywhere he looked he saw Yumi displayed before him. His memories varied from recent to far into the past for him. The sight of her around him made him sweat. ‘…Yumi…’ It might not have been his real sister, but all of the eyes felt like they stared at him in judgment. His actions hurt her and he already gave them everything. He did not even know how or when it happened.

Yori turned his head away from the walls, but even the floor held captured memories. He could not escape it. She would not allow him a moment of reprieve. His eyes slowly pulled up, no longer knowing where to look. Once level with the wall again, his eyelids widened sharply catching a large image of Yumi staring back at him. She seemed to focus on nothing but him. Yori jumped up startled by her presence. The chair fell over in his haste bring him to look back down. It was enough to snap him out of his gaze with Yumi and turn all of his stored confusion and guilt into fear. He ran for the opposite side of the room hoping to put as much distance between them as he could.

He looked a little over his shoulder back at Yumi. She seemed to be getting closer to him, somehow projecting herself out of the image. Yumi stretched out to him warping the two dimensional image of her. The more it stretched the more horrific Yori’s face turned until he could only turn away to where he ran. ‘I’m so sorry! Forgive me!’ Yori stumbled in his fleeing and collapsed roughly to the ground, his nose a little bruised.

“Ugh…”Slowly, Yori pulled himself up with the pain having wiped his mind of its concerns. It took him a few moments to focus his eyes on the ground. He found the white glow of the room no longer present and Yumi’s face missing. “Where am I?” Yori forced himself to concentrate on the ground, his mind suddenly feeling very light. His hands rubbed against the floor feeling a smooth grain of tiles and particles of dirt. The tiles continued out of sight, as he looked further away and walls nearby. “A hall? It seems familiar…”

Yori rubbed his hand over his face trying to push through the lightheadedness. “…so dizzy…”He pushed his back against the wall and supported himself to rise to his feet. Once he stood, he felt a little better, but still had to concentrate to keep focused. “It doesn’t end…”he commented, when he saw the hallway continuing until only a dot in the distance. It did not matter to him. He needed to move. Keeping one hand supported against the wall, Yori began walking slowly down the hall. His mind did not even consider the passage of time, his legs just kept moving as though stopping meant the end. Yori believed that an end existed. It kept him moving.

The further he went whispers began to appear in the hall even though he saw on people. They grew stronger the longer he continued. It made him more certain that an end existed and something awaited him. He heard a multitude of voices around him, but he could not separate any of them. They existed as a mass. He felt as though they belonged to children.

A faded image of a student passed his eyes just on the edge of his periphery. His head snapped behind him trying to see who the student was, but they were gone. ‘Am I imagining things?’ Yori focused ahead of him, but caught a gasp in his throat. The empty hall had filled with ghostly images of students. ‘What’s happening? Why are there ghosts? What’s going on?’ Yori’s confusion pushed him onward.

His hallway became crowded and even hovering by the wall no longer kept him out of the way. He had to push through them, but when he pressed his hand, it passed through. Yori stumbled through the student collapsing to the ground. The voices around him grew in volume. Their feet clattered along the tile. Then something bumped into him suddenly. He fell to his back and his eyes closed for a moment. However, when his eyes opened the students were solid. The hallway no longer continued endlessly. Windows and doors lined the walls and the sun beamed down on him.

Yori no longer felt weakened and pulled himself up, but a weight kept him from moving too far. He looked down to see Yuki dazed in his lap. The position made Yori feel awkward and annoyed. “What’s going on, Hayashi?! Why are you here?”

“Huh? Who are you?” Yuki rubbed his head, not completely focused. Once he stopped tending to the bump on his head, he looked up at Yori’s face. It only took him a second to see the second year bars on his collar and realize he ran into an upperclassman. “Sorry! I didn’t see you! Are you hurt?” Yuki pulled himself up and offered a hand to Yori.

“I’m fine, Hayashi,” Yori curtly spoke, as he stood up on his own. “This is a school hall. You shouldn’t be running.”

“Normally yes, but when you’re getting chased you sort of have to run.” Yuki laughed a little to himself. He patted down his clothes to knock off the dust, but stopped in mid-motion. His eyes focused on Yori suddenly. “How come you know my name? Do I know you?”

“What are you talking about, of course I do!”

Yuki leaned in lifting his hand to this chin in his investigation of Yori. He got a little too close to Yori, who pushed him away. “I don’t remember! Sorry!”

“Get back here, Yuki!” yelled several students from the end of the hall.

The voices made Yuki turned his head away to respond. When he saw the three boys charging down the hall for him Yuki jumped. “I thought I lost them!” Yuki looked over to Yori and clapped his hands together in apology. “Sorry, but I’ve got run again!” As his last words, Yuki departed in a sprint keeping barely ahead of the students chasing him.

Yori stared at the scene deeply confused. ‘He doesn’t remember me? What’s going on?’ He looked around at the school certain beyond a doubt that it was his school. ‘This is our school and I recognize others…’ His eyes scanned the hall as his feet began moving again. Everything was in the places that he knew it. ‘…is this a memory? Did I step into a memory? From before we met?’

A bell rang through the school distracting Yori from the hall. He turned his head almost instinctive thinking that he needed to be in class. However, he corrected himself knowing that he could not be at school. ‘Right, I’m being interrogated. I didn’t escape…she’s somewhere watching me probably…I need to find her…’ Yori began to move again still feeling a little distracted. ‘I can’t let her see this…if I can help it…’ When he focused his eyes back on the hall he saw that it was empty. The students all disappeared, almost too quickly. He turned around and around trying to find any of them, but none of them were around, even in classrooms. Yori ran up to the window in the hall to look outside.

When he looked down at the school grounds, he saw a small group, the only ones present. He pressed his hands to the glass the moment he recognized them. “Yumi! And she’s with Hayashi and the others! What’s going on?!” Yori spun his head around looking for the stairs. He had to get down there to them. There had to be a reason for them, something was happening.

His sense of distance and time disappeared. He was not certain if it was because of the memory or the effects of his focus, but he ran regardless. Yori held no concern for any of it. He had to protect his sister from that woman. He had to stop what was happening before they learned everything, if they had not already. ‘Yumi…I’m sorry…this is all my fault…if I hadn’t stubbornly insisted on going with you…’

Once Yori reached the grounds none of them were in sight. He searched around from them and found nothing. But he suddenly heard laughing in the distance, a familiar voice. Yori’s head perked up and he dashed in the direction without consideration that it might not be his sister. The voice continued, but grew more distant on him forcing him to push his legs harder to keep up. Each turn seemed to have the hope of seeing them, but always empty. Only the sound of the laughing kept Yori going. He lost all sense of where he ran or if he still remained in a memory. Nothing mattered to him anymore. ‘…sister…’

Around the next corner, Yori came to a stop. He caught up. “…Yumi…” She stood within reach of him, but her back faced him standing with Yuki smiling. Yori froze unable to move watching them. They began to pull away from him. He watched them all disappear before his eyes. Yori did not know why his legs refused him, but once they vanished his body suddenly shook dropping him to his knees. She left him, again. ‘…Yumi…’ His head tilted up staring at the building before him. The sign above the door said ‘Mi Hana Shop’, a phrase that did not immediately come to Yori. He focused too strongly on his sister.

Yori pushed himself back up and forcibly marched over to the building. The door opened for him. Inside, he saw an empty front desk and no sign of his sister or the others. Ignoring manners for intruding, Yori walked deeper into the interior. All of the smaller rooms he found along his search were empty. ‘They have to be here somewhere… I know I saw them enter…’ Further down the long hallway, he heard voices speaking in the distance, once more. He hurried in the direction until he came to the corner from where heard them. ‘Yumi! But that woman… What’s going on?’ Yori hugged the wall keeping out of sight, suddenly feeling the urge to be cautious.

“It’s important that you don’t fail,” spoke the unknown woman. She looked like a regular businesswoman, except for the fact that Yori could tell that she was not Japanese. The features and hair made it clear to him that she was Western, possibly European. “They’re ripe for rebellion right now.”

‘What’s she talking about? And to Yumi and the rest…’

“I know,” Yuki said, nodding his head to the woman.

Yumi agreed with him, looking over at Yuki. “We can’t let them get away with it any longer. They’ll pay for the injustices that they’ve committed.”

“Right. When you arrive, you’ll be met by those in the resistance. They’ll let you in.”

“Won’t they know we’ve entered?” questioned Yumi.

“Yes, it’s likely that they’ll send a patrol to investigate. But you’ll be able to handle them.”

Yuki comforted an uncertain Yumi. “Don’t worry Yumi. I’ve taught you how to use your abilities. You’ll be fine. You just have to trust in yourself.”

“You’re right! We have to do this!”

‘What’s going on? This isn’t right!’ Yori fell back against the wall suddenly feeling out of breath. His chest heaved and his body struggled for air desperately. He knew that could not be his sister. It did not make any sense. It had to all be a lie. ‘What memory is this? It can’t be true!’ Yori felt his body warming up and his cloths becoming stifling. He wanted to escape, but his back felt glued to the wall. ‘This is wrong! Yumi’s not…she’s…I don’t remember this!’

The image of Yuki and Yumi together burned in his mind. They were together and she looked happy. He did not understand it. It did not seem possible. It was all wrong. It had to be wrong.

There was no possible answer.

Yori shook his head side to side trying to get all of the lies out of his mind. ‘This isn’t right! It’s wrong! This never happened!’ He tried to convince himself what he heard and saw did not exist. His hands clung savagely to his head wanting to remove everything. ‘Why?! Yumi?! Is it because I betrayed you? You…’ When his breathing reached its limit, Yori collapsed to the floor pale and almost unconscious. The only word from his mouth repeated endlessly was her name.

Struggling to remain sane, Yori pulled himself crawling on the floor away from the trickery. He slowly made it back to the entrance of the business before collapsing once more out of breath. On his back, he stared up at the exterior of the building. ‘So disgusting…no taste…’ he thought, when he saw the building, ‘Why would she be here… at this karaoke shop…’

The longer that he stared at the sign the more it seemed to stare back at him. The name repeated through his mind as his words trigger a new path. A flash of an image of his sister talking to him about the shop came to him. He remembered something about it. ‘Yumi told me about this place. I remember, she went here with Hayashi and the others. I remember her telling me about it. They played at the beach…it didn’t make a lot of sense then…but this is the place…’ Yori focused on their conversation to remember what she told him about the day. Most of what he remembered was just that she spent the day with Yuki, a fact that bothered him. He ended up focusing more on that than the rest of the details. He could not remember if he heard all of what she told him.

Yori widened his eyes sharply to a realization. “It’s wrong!” His breathing returned to normal and he stood up freely. He stared back at the hall and desk finding attendants of varying ages and heights talking to everyone. “The events are wrong! Yumi didn’t have powers then! This is a false memory, but why? Was it a trick by the woman?”

Suddenly, something pulled Yori away from the ground, buildings and even the world. It all quickly fell out of sight. His world fell into darkness. Yori floated away to an end that he did not understand. The void he found himself contained in had a strange unfamiliar feel to it. Even in all of the confusion from before he felt certain that he was still in his world, for lack of a better word. The sense of his world no longer existed. He truly felt disconnected.

The veil ripped away from his eyes and bathed him in light. Green hills and forests surrounded him with a small town coming into sight. None of it was familiar to him. ‘What’s happening now? This can’t be a memory of mine?’

A young girl ran up to a house in the block of homes that Yori found himself standing in. She met an older boy, in his teens, and they ran back out into the stone road. All he heard was the boy calling out to the girl. “Slow down, Athene!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

The veil ripped away from his eyes and bathed him in light. Green hills and forests surrounded him with a small town coming into sight. None of it was familiar to him. ‘What’s happening now? This can’t be a memory of mine?’

A young girl ran up to a house in the block of homes that Yori found himself standing in. She met an older boy, in his teens, and they ran back out into the stone road. All he heard was the boy calling out to the girl. “Slow down, Athene!”

Yori reached his hand out towards the two children as though he wanted to stop them, but knew them to be too far away. Watching the two run off down the road through his fingers made him feel as helpless as he did confused. The scenery did not seem familiar to him and the children were no one he remembered. If the houses looked Japanese, then he could have thought the rural quality to be from a countryside town he visited when he was younger. However, they did not match anything in Japan. ‘They look European…sort like…’

His eyes widened in shocking realization as he took in the town in more detail. The thatched roofs for some homes, stone masonry for others, each he saw before. The architecture looked identical to where had just come from. He could not believe his eyes completely. It did not make any sense to him that such a place would be in his mind. Recent memory or not, it did not add up. ‘…this is Atlantis!’

Chapter 130 – Crack the World

“What’s going on?!” Yori shouted to the sky. His head tilted towards the clouds as though seeking an answer from them. It seemed stupid to expect a reply, but if the woman created the illusion then she might have answered him. Silence told him that he should feel awkward for the scene. He flipped his eyes side to side a little paranoid someone in the illusion saw him, but that did not seem to be the case. It felt to him that the children were the only others in the world.

He ran off down the road after the children. ‘If it’s just us then there must be some meaning to this! I have to figure this mystery out!’ Yori searched down alleys and around homes with no success. He knew that they had to be around the town somewhere. Desperation built in his muscles urging his legs to move faster to find them. Everything around him was foreign and he wanted answers. ‘If I find them maybe I can figure this all out!’ It turned into his only hope. He had left a fake memory to fall into what he could only assume to be an illusion created to confuse him. He did not even know if they stole everything from his mind. The woman claimed to have full access, but Yori questioned how truthful those words were after what he saw.

Wandering around the town gave up no answers for him. The children were nowhere in sight. The town itself did not seem anymore familiar to him after the search. He hoped that enough looking might reveal the town they stayed in briefly, but nothing about it he recognized. He only had two outcomes from his investigation. ‘Either this is a completely fabricated memory meant to be the next stage in the interrogations or this is a composite of my memories to create something new, which also might be the next stage as well.’ Each option had their merits, but Yori did not want to settle on one until he understood his situation better.

With the town exhausted, he went out into the fields. While he hoped that they did not double back at some point, the only remaining place unsearched was beyond the town. Yori knew that a lot of unexplored ground existed outside. Therefore, he just pointed himself in a direction and went rather than over thinking the problem.

“Looks fairly generic,” he sighed with disappointment. He knew that he should not have expected anything to look familiar to him. If his hypothesis was correct as he was in Atlantis, then he did not have enough time in the land for anything to be familiar. One hill and one tree looked just like every other one. “Hopefully, they’re around here.”

Yori walked aimlessly for a time that he could no longer count. He did not even know if any sense of the word, time, existed. The sun did not seem to change regardless of where he went or for how long. He wanted to give up his fruitless search, but trudged on with only the hope of answers at the end.

In the distance, the voice of children pulled Yori away from his line of sight. He had found them at last. He ran as hard as he could in the direction not want to be late and find them missing. Over a hill and in a large field of flowers, he found the two children he saw before. They sat in the field picking flowers and laughing. He felt the scene oddly cliché, even for an illusion. “You can’t be serious…what sort of meaning is this supposed to have?”

Uncertain on how to continue, Yori took careful steps not to disturb the two if they could be aware of his presence. The two seemed in their own world with not a care to anything else. Closer to them, he started to make out their conversation.

“When’s your daddy coming home, Athene?”

“I don’t know. Mommy says that’s working hard for the King.”

“My mommy say’s the King’s bad!”

“But mommy says without the King we’d all die!”

“But if the King is gone there will be another King.”

“So even if the King is evil, we’ll get a new King that’s good?”

“Definitely!”

‘What do they mean?’ Yori paused outside of the flowers. He remembered the conversation he eavesdropped on in the village the night before had similar words. It did not add too much to him yet, but it coming up again made him certain the King had a greater significance to the country than Ayumi let them to believe. He could see her desperation, but she never explained herself. He needed to understand the role the King played. ‘Why will everyone die if there’s no King? The land will still be here even without the King. So what happens? And an evil King and good King?’ Yori pressed his hand to his forehead feeling his mind going in circle just like before. ‘Nothing is making any sense. This is all too vague! I need a clear answer!’

Yori turned his cautious away and started in for the children. Even if he was in an illusion there seemed to be the chance for answers to what Ayumi hid from them. He had to know. He did not care about the risks. “Hey! You—“ Before Yori could say anymore an explosion drowned out his words. The children stood up looking straight at him in shock. He felt as though their stunned faces accused him of the noise, but he quickly learned otherwise.

The girl started to cry running part way through the flowers before stopping. “The town’s on fire! Mommy!”

“…mom…” whimpered the boy unable to move from his spot.

“Mommy’s in danger! I have to find her!” She began running again passing Yori as though he did not exist. The boy chased after her once he realized that she ran off.

Ash, screams and heat so uncomfortable that it made his skin crawl washed over Yori. He had not turned around yet, but it felt a though the town stood behind him. He knew it not to be possible, but he looked over his shoulder. “What?!” When he saw the town burning close enough to glaze his eyes he staggered back facing it fully.

Townspeople fled in all directions from the spreading fires. Whatever explosions started it, the center of the town held a large crater. Stone and earth debris laid strewn everywhere. The blast that occurred sent pieces into other homes wrecking more outside of the radius. Cries and screams of pain echoed through the roads from the injured or dying. Anarchy existed and no one knew why.

“What’s happening? Why is the town burning suddenly? Is there an attack?” Before Yori could get any answers the town shift on him. He found himself standing back at the home when he first saw the girl. She cried knelt in front of what remained of her house. Something crushed half of the walls and the roof collapsed inward. Beams of wood stuck out while a large chuck of stone rested within what used to be the primary room. Yori saw blood thrown around the walls and debris with only a hand visible. He averted his eyes away understanding the scene too well.

“Mommy! Mommy!” A black veil ran over Yori wiping away all of the horror that surrounded him. The girl disappeared and all he heard was her voice repeating. “Come back! Mommy!” Her voice soon faded away to the other unknown voices.

“It’s that girl!”

“The one that survived!”

“She’s from the town that they attacked!”

“The rebels…”

Yori felt the voices pounded in his head making him wrench his eyes closed. He could not shut out the voices. ‘Rebels? What’s…happening…ugh…sister…’

“Welcome to the Military Academy! Your conscription papers have already been processed. After you finish your basic training you will report to the Academy for Meso Prosecho. Good luck, Cadet Athene!”

“Yes, sir!”

“You hear she’s from the town that rebels wiped out during the rebellion?”

“They say she’s the only that survived!”

“Who are you?”

“I’m the new graduate from the academy. I’ve been assign to the South Gate.”

‘Academy? Different voices…from before…’ He wanted it to end. He did not know much more his mind could take. It all moved too fast for him.

“Right, I heard about you from the Captain. Can’t believe they’re sending us children now.”

“I’ll pull my own weight, ma’am!”

“You better. Rumors are you the prize of the Academy and that even General Alexander himself says you have great promise. You better live up to such accolades.”

“I will, ma’am!”

“You act confident, but we’ll see how long that lasts. I don’t know what Command is think putting an eleven year old in charge of a squad, even with your marks. I’ll be watching you, Second Lieutenant Eudokia.”

‘Eudokia?!’ Yori’s opened once more with the pain suddenly ignored. He knew that name. ‘That’s Ayumi?! What’s going on?’ The void disappeared for him as though in response to his request. He found himself standing before a tall stone complex. Stone columns lined the outer walls acting as support and decoration to the inner main walls. The structure spread out in grander size than he had ever seen in illustrations of the Ancient Greek buildings. It made him wonder if perhaps similar structures did exist, but time took them away.

However, he knew he could not focus on the building. Yori turned his eyes down to the courtyard they stood in. Soldiers walked on patrol at the outer perimeter, but none of that mattered. Before him, he found something that he did not expect to see. A young child, in the White Atlantean Military uniform, that seemed to match Ayumi at a younger age stood in his sight. Across from her, the tall woman that he remembered seeing in the white room. “What’s going on? Why am I seeing this? Is this real?!”

“I understand! I’ll meet your expectations, Lieutenant Commander Athene!”

‘Athene…the same name as the girl…’ Yori began putting all of the pieces together the longer that he watched. All the scenes before came together for him. He understood what happened. ‘The woman from before, that’s interrogating me. This is her, Athene is her name. These must be her memories! It wouldn’t make sense for her to show me fake memories of herself. So this must be real, but why am I seeing this?’ The conversation between the two in front of him had already ended, but he was too absorbed in his own thoughts to pay it any mind.

He felt like he was getting close to a breakthrough. Yori traced his path since meeting the woman. He needed to see the full picture to understand the reason. His first thoughts assumed this all had to be a part of the interrogation method, but he ruled that out. Showing her memories for extracting information made no sense. He knew that much. ‘She claimed to have already have access to everything. But now that I think about it, it doesn’t add up. Why would she say that and then go about everything else. If she was already inside my mind and could reach what she wanted, she did not need me. She used that to trick me! She wanted to use me to guide her to it!’ Yori nodded to himself liking the direction.

His reasoning felt correct. A strange sense of an exterior push gave him an odd feeling of understanding than he thought, but he went with it. The pieces connected together perfectly. ‘The fake memory must have been an attempt by her to drag out information. She probably made a construct from what she did have access to create it. But this…’ Yori looked around him at the South Gate Headquarters. He knew none of it and the appearance of events from the past that he had no knowledge added a new direction. The direction it sent him in did not make him feel comfort. If his deduction was correct, then it brought up an entire series of new questions.

Yori found his answers leading to even more questions. ‘Why am I seeing Ayumi? Why see this woman’s memories? Is it because of me? I know Ayumi so related memories are surfaced? But if this is what I think it is…then why am I even here? How did this happen?’ He searched around hoping to find Ayumi still and possible a new path to follow. She had to be the key to everything. Ayumi was the reason they stood in Atlantis and for dragging Yuki to be the new King. She was the center. She had all of the answers. ‘I can find my answers here!’

Excitement built up in Yori with the anticipation of knowing that he could find what he sought. ‘That’s it! I’m searching! I’m searching through her!’ The epiphany hit him suddenly and hard. It shot him out of the memory that he stood in. Yori found himself in a white room much like the one he started in. However, the memories on display were not his, but the woman. In front of him larger than the rest expanded to fill as though beckoning to him. As he stared at the image, it started to bleed into his mind. Yori’s eyes widen in shock and realization. “It can’t be…all this time…have I finally grasped the truth?!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

A peaceful life existed, uninterrupted by the chaos of random chance or the cruelty of such undesirables known as fate, or simply referred to as reality. None of the worries had a place. It was a happy time. It was earnest and sincere in truth. The hope of anyone shined through deep down. No one could deny such a wish. They looked content.

Just another night for them, the Mizuno family ate dinner around the table as they always did. Their father came home from work a little tired, but always had time to listen to Yori and Yumi’s day. He let them entertain him, while they waited for dinner to finish. Mother always had tremendous energy appearing as a shining light regardless of the day. She worked as tirelessly as her husband, but showed no signs of fatigue. Dinner came as prompt and loving each night. That night was no different.

Yumi finished eating what was in her mouth letting herself speak. “And then I saw a girl go up to brother during lunch in the hall!”

“Oh my, you are getting to that age,” their mother replied holding her hand to the side of her face.

Yori’s face turned red, having difficulty openly denying her. He managed to find his words quickly. “Yumi! I’m the President, she was talking to me about club problems!”

She grinned back at her brother looking a little mischievous like a cat. “Oh you sure that was all? She had a glow about her, you know!”

“W-what are you talking about?!” Yori forced down his flush face as he failed to hide his emotions. “Since when did you become such a gossip!”

Their father smirked and patted Yori firmly on his back. “That’s my son! You always did have a face that captured the girls! You’re going to be quite the playboy when you go up!” He laughed heartedly about the thought.

A flash of light shot across the table, but stopped with a spark. He caught a pair of chopsticks between his fingers aimed at him from her. “Now Atsushi, darling, you need to be careful of what you say. Don’t put such thoughts in his head.”

He smiled with sweat dripping down the side of his head seeing his wife staring at him. “I wasn’t trying to push, Kotone, dear!”

Yori’s face almost turned purple with the red flush blending with the blue terror from the table. He sipped a little of his miso soup trying to calm himself back down. “Should you really be saying anything to me though, sister? When you still haven’t been able to confess to him?”

Taking her turn to be embarrassed, Yumi’s entire face turned deep red in an instant. She threw up her hands in protest, angry that he brought it up again. “W-wh-what?!”

“You too, Yumi?”

“W-w-w-we-well…I-I-I-I…” She began pushing her fingers together fidgeting in an attempt to push her embarrassment away.

Chapter 131 – Lies in the Truth

Outside of the memory, Athene stood watching everything. She had seen scene after scene of memories play out similar for her. All her searching gave her nothing. She wiped it away with her hand and scanned through the myriad of images present to her. ‘More of this? I have all of his memories… I even am using him to focus my search on the things he is trying to protect the most. So why am I getting useless memories?’ Her hand pressed against her head feeling the tinge of pain that she assumed to come from mental fatigue.

She pulled up another memory from him that appeared tightly guarded. It began to play for her and drag her in. Athene did not immediately notice the passing of time within the space until she realized the memory was pointless, again. She never found anyone in her interrogations to have such a resistant mind. ‘He keeps sending me away… How is this possible? I should have control!’ Another pain in her head reminded her of the shortening on remaining time. It became stronger and more distracting for her. She did not remember the last time she spent so long in a person’s mind. It never lasted so long for her. ‘I keep going in circles…’

The kid’s memories laid out for her. A countless collection of years, she had no time to search individually. She needed a new approach. ‘If his guarded ones are false…then I need to look elsewhere…’ Her hand shuffled through filtering with her new perimeters. A small section disappeared from her sight with new memories surfacing to the top. Unfortunately, she found too many. She groaned quietly to the pain that echoed louder in her head. ‘I’m running out of time…’ Athene waved her hand over the collection trying to feel out an accurate choice.

An image came forward and passed through her hand. It struck her arm with a jolt of pain that she yelped in surprise from. She tried to push away the memory, but it forced its way through her. The stabbing in her mind suddenly turned unbearable. She collapsed to the ground panting heavily at the pain. ‘So…strong…can’t be…already…’ Athene focused her vision on her arm, where the pain originated. It grew away from her slowly taking shape.

“So you’re finally figuring it out, huh?” the voice said with a slight mocking tone.

She widened her eyes in shock to hear something that had awareness within the space. “How? Wait…the voice…you’re…”


A clapping noise came from the vague shape as it began to look human. “That’s right! Bingo!”

“But how? You’re…”

“Because of your arrogance. You’re so confident in your abilities that you can’t imagine anything that could reject you. You can’t fathom the slightest possibility that there is something other than you. You reject the idea before you even give it a chance. Because of your arrogance, I’ve won.” The figure began to laugh loudly at Athene.

Her shock turned to anger. The pain subsided enough for her to get back her body. She raised her other hand to grab the form that stood on her upper arm. “What nonsense are you spouting?! You can’t do anything to me!” The figure in her hand shifted position to stand on top of her closed hand. It sat down on her hand nonchalantly.

“I’ve already done everything.”

She grabbed with her other hand trying to crush the image. She just needed to wipe out the phantom in the memory and focus back on the interrogation. However, it appeared above her hand again. “I will—“

“I’m not even the real one!” The figure laughed again nearly falling over. “I’m just a feint. A program left to keep you busy. You didn’t even realize it, not even now when you think you’re starting to understand. You don’t! This is hilarious!”

“What are you talking about?! A normal human doesn’t have the mental training or strength to create such a thing!”

“So arrogant, even now. I guess I was giving you too much credit when I said you started figuring it out.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let me give you a hint. You should protect your own mind a little better rather than lecturing me on mental training. Its open bare like a book asking to be read.”

“What?! You can’t…”

“Heh, looks like you’re understanding now.” The form laughed again before disappearing into dust. “Too bad for you it’s already too late. We’ve got everything we need!” It laughed once more before completely fading away.

“It can’t be!” Athene looked around the space to see it all disappear around her. All of the images faded, fakes in the thousands thought to be impossible. Layers of the void peeled away. She saw levels upon levels unfolding in front of her. An unimaginable degree of complexity far more intricate laid out before it. It was not a matter of navigating a maze with pitfalls. She could not hope to breach such a defense. Athene saw it all in an intense moment that seared mind’s eye and blinded her.

She screamed aloud and fell back in the tent panting heavily. Her eyes saw nothing but white, yet she knew that she returned to reality. Her head ached worse than the strongest migraine she ever felt. She wanted to pass out and felt her body might grant her request soon.

Simonides and Albeiron jumped from their spots and rushed over to her side in confusion. Only a few minutes passed for them, but at the end Athene looked to be struggling with a great pressure slamming into her. They did not understand what happened to her. It forced them to watch and hope she found what they needed.

“Are you hurt?” Simonides asked, as he lifted her off the ground.

She grabbed out to the Captain’s hand taking his wrist. The pain overwhelmed her and she felt everything slipping. Even the brief glimpse of the world she saw faded. She had to remember long enough for him. She tightened her hand on his wrist and pulled herself up. “C-captain…I!”

The sight of the grave features in her face made him want to pull away, if not for her hold. Simonides did not know what possessed her to burst out. “You need to rest. We can talk once you’ve recovered.” He tried to release her, but saw her body shaking. She gripped his wrist so tightly he felt his fingers tingle with the blood cut off.

“NO! I must…tell you!”

Simonides leaned in trying to make it easier for her. Watching the desperate tone of her words, he could not ignore her. A bit of morbid curiosity filled him wanting to know what affected her so strongly. “What is it? What must you say?”

“I-I saw it! Their world…it’s not like us!”

“World? What do you mean ‘not like us’?”

“Be…careful…he’s…”

She drew him with her words. He felt himself becoming as desperate as her. The secret she learned, he had to know it. He needed to understand. “What is it? What about him?”

The vision vanished quickly on her. Only pieces remained as it cleaned itself up. She could not see almost anything of what she discovered. It all fell from her grasp faster than she could pick up. Athene coughed and wheezed as her body started to feel distant. “H-he-he…knows…every…thing… …no… …long…er… …hu…” All strength remaining her body disappeared. What remained of her collapsed in Simonides arms as she went unconscious.

“Athene! Athene!” Simonides felt his heart pounding in his chest. The pain she was in confused him and spun him around. He never saw her have difficulty with any interrogation. Questions popped up in his mind. He looked down at her feeling that her body still retained the warmth of life. She breathed still. ‘Damn! What’s going on? Nothing makes sense!’

He stood up picking up Athene in his arms. While she was older than him, he still worried about her like all of the men under him. It did not matter being the senior or not. She was his responsibility as the Captain. He looked over at the chair with the boy. “Check him! Find out what happened!”

“Captain…” Abeiron jumped a little not expecting the volume and intensity in his voice. He ran over to the kid that leaned over in the chair. While he did not move, Abeiron could see that he was unconscious as well. His body slumped in the chair with only the bindings holding him down. “He’s alive, but out cold.”

Simonides turned his head looking away from the scene. He cursed the situation and misfortune. Nothing went according to plan. “Have the guards stand watch inside the tent. I want to know the minute that this kid wakes up! I have a lot of questions that he’s going to answer!”

“Yes, sir!” Abeiron went stiff as he watched the Captain march out of the tent. It had been a while seen he saw Simonides acting so strongly on emotions. During his earlier years in command, he saw him lose control and slip out of his strict regime. But years gave him experience and better control. ‘This whole incident is affecting him…I wish I had answers for him…’

The Commander stepped out of the tent long after the Captain left. Outside, the guards stared at each other a little perplexed by the way the Captain walked out. Abeiron cleared his throat to bring the two to attention. “You’re to stand guard on the prisoner inside the tent. Watch him closely and the moment he wakes up send a messenger to me, immediately. I want to speak with him. Understood?”

“Yes, Commander!” The guards turned and stiffly marched into the tent setting themselves up inside.

Once they disappeared, he let out a small sigh. His heart had not stopped pounding since he saw Athene in pain. He needed answers as well. ‘l’ll get you the answers you want, Captain. I won’t let you bare this alone.’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Fumiko rushed to her feet trying to slow down Yumi, sensing that she might run off. She grabbed on to Yumi’s shoulders to ground her. “What’re you talking about, Yumi? Who did you see?”

“I know, Fumiko! It’s clear to me! I was with my brother!” Yumi nodded reaffirming her certainty to herself. The confusion on Fumiko’s face did not even process through her head. Her mind completely narrowed to a pinpoint on the connection her made. “He’s tied to a chair in a tent. I felt it. I saw it! The soldiers had him. They’re trying to get him to talk and he’s struggling to hang on! I have to get to him now!”

“Yumi! Get a hold of yourself! You’re not making any sense!” Fumiko found that she needed to use her strength to keep Yumi from moving. She struggled in an absent sense with her, as though not really seeing Fumiko. “Yumi?”

“He’s waiting for me! I have to go now!”

A solid wind pounded into Fumiko knocking her off her feet. Fumiko did not know what happened in the next moments with her head reeling. She looked through blurry eyes from the grass to see the feet of Yumi march off from the camp. It took her even longer to pull herself back up to her feet, the pain in her stomach still lingered. ‘What was that?! What got in to her?’ Fumiko turned over to Yumi in the distance. “Yumi! Come back!”

The further away Yumi got the more Fumiko knew she had to move, but her eyes stared down at the camp. She could not leave the two of them behind even with Yumi getting out of her sight. Fumiko had to be quick. Her hand reached down for Chiharu to wake her up, but before it came within reach Chiharu’s hand snapped out grabbing her wrist. Chiharu’s head flipped up to glare at her quickly with dark intent before it switched to neutral. “We need to move! Yumi’s awake and I can’t stop her!”

Chiharu stood up quickly, but rather than exchanging glances with Fumiko she stared at the ground. “Why is a fire lit?” Her eyes slid up to Fumiko, but did not find her. She turned herself to look at her flank. Already waking up Seiji, Chiharu kicked the fire and stamped it out. “Why did you make a fire?”

“Hey, Seiji! We’ve got to go!” Fumiko slapped him a couple of times after she found that shaking him did nothing. It seemed to get him to stir a little, but nothing that made progress. She let out an exasperated sigh. Her hand closed up loosely before glowing threads of energy wrapped around her wrist. The threads ran around her fingers into her palm building into a small flame that enveloped her hand. Fumiko then redirected her hand opening her fingers back and pointing her index finger at Seiji. The flames all gathered in her index finger and shot out like a beam as it hit his butt.

It took a few moments of burning, smoking and searing to reach the pain centers of Seiji. Once he became alert to the fire on him, he jumped up quickly and ran panicked circles around the camp. The smoke trailed around him a little before he snuffed out the flame by sitting down. While his hand rubbed the burn, he glared over at Fumiko knowing who attacked him. “What the hell was that for?!”

“Yumi’s awake and leaving! We need to move!”

“But why did you burn me?!”

“I don’t have time for this…” Fumiko picked up her bag and staff. She started to run after Yumi in the distant direction she remembered her leaving. Seiji and Chiharu quickly caught up taking up her flanks on each side.

“Why was a fire made?” demanded Chiharu, still insistent on an answer.

“No, why did you set me on fire!?”

“Don’t you know that the enemy could see the fire and could have attacked us?”

“I think you burned all the way through my clothes!”

“You need to think more about the situation. Remember that you’re in enemy territory.”

“This is going to leave a mark!”

Fumiko’s body shook listening to their complaints. They did not have the time to whine about small details with Yumi ahead of them, again. She tried to shut out their voices, but they continued. Even in her silence, they did not understand. After a minute of their bickering, she reached her limit. Both of her hands suddenly lit up with flames that towered over her head. She stopped and looked at the two of them with the deepest glare of a demon that she could muster. “I can make a bonfire that everyone in the country can see if you don’t shut up! And I can turn you into barbeque if you’re so worried about your skin! There’s more important matters right! So shut up and run! Got anything else to say?”

The two turned dark blue before Fumiko’s image and shied away from her presence. She glared at them waiting on a response. When they found themselves unable to answer, they simply shook their heads. They did not want to increase her wrath further. Fumiko nodded pleasantly to them and ran faster after Yumi. Seiji and Chiharu sprinted to catch up.

Chapter 132 – Reasons for Action

Despite their efforts, catching up to Yumi turned out to be not as simple as running after her. It did not seem possible, but she maintained a surprisingly fast pace that had the others confused. They kept her in their sights, but nothing more seemed to be achievable.

Seiji’s frustration in the situation came out in his heavy breathing. He paced it poorly staggering him, but refused to let it slow him down. “Damn…girl… I thought we were a team!”

“I don’t think it’s that,” remarked Fumiko, with a light shake of her head. She thought back to their conversation when she woke up. A lot of what she heard did not make a lot of sense to her, even after having more time to consider it. However, the confusing words made her reach one conclusion about Yumi. “I don’t believe her actions now are conscious ones. She sounded consumed, almost possessed by her own words. I think something different is at work.”

“The hell you saying? That doesn’t make any damn sense either! You saying they got something to do with this?”

Fumiko let out a sigh after hearing him. She wanted to pause and slap him for his stupidity, but did not have the time to afford him. “No, I think it’s her own powers. She never really explained much about them to us, but the little I’ve seen makes me believe it’s more of a mental type.”

“How the hell does that help us?” he complained. A short burst of speed pushed him back into a tie with the rest of them. His emotions slowed down his legs pulling him away from them, but he needed to keep with them. The explanation tried his brain.

The lack of understanding forced Fumiko’s hand. She slid to a stop, her feet grinding into the grass. Her hand came out and grabbed Seiji by his tunic. “How simple minded do you have to be to understand this?! She’s still new to her powers! So she doesn’t have full control over them and so she balances between losing that control and being controlled by her powers!”

“What makes you think you know so much?!”

“This is the basics! Don’t you read at all? All protagonists with power go through a period of exploration where they walk a line between rising with strength or being consumed by the darkness of power!”

Seiji narrowed his eyes suddenly after hearing her response. The answer sounded too familiar to him. His face turned flat and he pointed his index finger at her. “What’s with you? You’re sounding like Yuki right now.”

Fumiko turned a little red with embarrassment, but dispelled it quickly with a redirect of emotions. “I’m part of the Literature Club!” Her hand gripped on to the fabric of his cloths tighter. “We look at this stuff routinely!”

“You sure it’s not the Manga Club?”

“I read fantasy! Got a problem with that?” The eyes in Fumiko underlined a desperation of her defense that went beyond simply Seiji questioning her reading habits. Thick as Seiji was, he saw the look in her eyes and backed away from pressing the issue.

“I do,” replied Chiharu, tone deaf to the situation. The answer did pull the two in her direction though, as she wanted. “The girl’s getting out of sight.”

“Crap!” Fumiko casted away Seiji and turned to confront their continuing problem.

Chiharu raised her hand up to the two to stop them. “I’ll go ahead and stop her. I believe your analysis of the girl is accurate.” She tapped the tops of her shoes against the ground, in a testing manner. “While my speed is not that of the Furukawa girl, I’m confident I can reach her.”

“But what about us?!” questioned Seiji. He stepped out around Fumiko to approach Chiharu. Their difference in speed was something he understood, but did not plan to let it stop him from try. “We’re a group, a team. We should stick together!”

“Weaklings only slow me down.”

The response hit the cord on Seiji and triggered his anger. He thought he could get along with her, but she kept pushing his attempts. Lost to his reason, Seiji charged for her. However, she disappeared before him leaving him to stumble around when he realized all he caught was the air. He quickly recovered and spun around in anticipation of a counter, like always. Yet nothing came for him. The silence made him realize. He pounded his fist into the ground making the earth quake a little. “Damn you, brat!”

Closing the distance quickly, Chiharu found the back of Yumi in sight. It put her within hearing the mutterings that came from her. None of it mattered to Chiharu, just endless words of no meaning to her. She found their sense of team a little troubling with the lack of discipline that they showed. Such weakness would only bring their collapse. Chiharu did not understand it. She focused on her target and sped around in front.

Popping out of the air, Chiharu stood in the path of Yumi’s constant pace. She noticed that her feet did not move, but hovered instead. ‘Explains one thing. Her mental energies must be greater than her physical ones…’ Only a few moments of thought spared Chiharu before she felt a blast of wind. Before anything serious could happen, Chiharu jumped backwards and kept Yumi in her sights. She narrowed her eyes to scan her closer. Working from the theory, an absent sense of awareness did seem present. It provided the amount of confirmation she needed. ‘l’ll just need to provide enough shock to snap her awake.’

Chiharu lifted her hand up with the palm spread flat towards Yumi. The next anticipated blast came after her. It slammed into her palm before disappearing. Surfacing in front of Yumi, the sudden wind blew at her cloths, but a dull shine along with a ping echoed outline a barrier. ‘Damn, her barrier and reflexes…thought that would catch her off guard…’ Another round came for her, forcing Chiharu to dodge out of the way. The blasts kicked up grass and ate earth after missing their targets. Chiharu could only keep up with her speed, disappearing with each dodge.

“…I’ll find him…Brother…I saw him…I’m coming…”

The futility of offense and defense quickly became apparent to Chiharu. All she accomplished so far was keeping pace with the girl. ‘Endless muttering…’ She dodged around the incoming blast, still picking up the words between explosions. ‘…wish she’d stop…can’t attack with the barrier…’ Chiharu gritted her teeth and sped around the next blast. ‘…brother this and brother that…’ She needed a new approach. The stalemate became boring for her. Chiharu came to a stop in front of Yumi slamming her hand against the barrier and digging her feet. Grass and dirt burst up around her boots from the force. “Enough about your brother all the time. I don’t know what’s more annoying to watch, your brother complex or your unrequited love for that weakling.”

“…I’m coming…he’s in pain…”

Chiharu’s knees buckled with the strain forced upon them. She tightened her features bothered by the last resort she came up with. ‘I’m not really suited to this sort of battle…’ Her mind wandered trying to find an angle of attack. The memories that surfaced sent her back to the night in the forest. Images of Saki appeared to her. Her thoughts of Saki rattled her concentration and ripped her away. Chiharu cursed in silence as she struggled to regain control. ‘…she’s the person for this…not me…’

“…I saw Yori…they had him…Brother…”

‘…just doesn’t stop…’ The persistence of Yumi felt a bit like trying to stop a train. Chiharu did not know how to do something that was impossible. However, her confidence in front of that idiot muscle-head would not let her walk away. ‘…I’d never hear the end of it from him…’ She straightened her legs and forced them down into the ground further as she leaned into the barrier. The mocking face of him gave her more determination.

“…I’ll rescue you…I won’t let them…”

“Can’t you say something else? This repetitiveness is getting boring.” Her rhetorical question went unanswered, as expected. She did not know why she tried to speak with the girl. Anything she had to say came out empty. She had no significance to her. Chiharu gritted her teeth against the stress that began to build up. “So annoying…”

“…Brother…I can hear you…”

“Talking is not going to work…” commented Chiharu. She pressed her shoulder into the barrier gripping tighter onto the barrier. ‘…so much for a different approach…’ The unyielding train did not seem to have anything to stop it. Chiharu hated the thought of her inability. ‘…failing…again…is that all…I…’ She fought with her body to keep on track and not forced away. She needed someone else other than her. ‘…this is beyond me…I’m not…’ The pressure of the barrier crushed into her body shooting sparks through her muscles. Chiharu pulled her eyes back to Yumi. “The only one you’ll listen to is that weakling…”

“…Brother…”

“…isn’t that right?” A drop in Chiharu voice came with her words. The constant struggle with the barrier took its toll on her. She did not think she could continue further. Nothing could stop her, she concluded. Chiharu suddenly felt the full impact of the barrier against her in a moment of surprise. She lost all of her strength and legs collapsed. It cast her aside in the grass, broken. Chiharu coughed and panted. She stared at the night sky. “Why him? That weakling? Why did you go so far? Someone that’s out of place and scared. Just for him. That…that…weakling…why did I bother? Damn…Yuki Hayashi…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Chiharu’s knees buckled with the strain forced upon them. She tightened her features bothered by the last resort she came up with. ‘I’m not really suited to this sort of battle…’ Her mind wandered trying to find an angle of attack. The memories that surfaced sent her back to the night in the forest. Images of Saki appeared to her. Her thoughts of Saki rattled her concentration and ripped her away. Chiharu cursed in silence as she struggled to regain control. ‘…she’s the person for this…not me…’

“…I saw Yori…they had him…Brother…”

‘…just doesn’t stop…’ The persistence of Yumi felt a bit like trying to stop a train. Chiharu did not know how to do something that was impossible. However, her confidence in front of that idiot muscle-head would not let her walk away. ‘…I’d never hear the end of it from him…’ She straightened her legs and forced them down into the ground further as she leaned into the barrier. The mocking face of him gave her more determination.

“…I’ll rescue you…I won’t let them…”

“Can’t you say something else? This repetitiveness is getting boring.” Her rhetorical question went unanswered, as expected. She did not know why she tried to speak with the girl. Anything she had to say came out empty. She had no significance to her. Chiharu gritted her teeth against the stress that began to build up. “So annoying…”

“…Brother…I can hear you…”

“Talking is not going to work…” commented Chiharu. She pressed her shoulder into the barrier gripping tighter onto the barrier. ‘…so much for a different approach…’ The unyielding train did not seem to have anything to stop it. Chiharu hated the thought of her inability. ‘…failing…again…is that all…I…’ She fought with her body to keep on track and not forced away. She needed someone else other than her. ‘…this is beyond me…I’m not…’ The pressure of the barrier crushed into her body shooting sparks through her muscles. Chiharu pulled her eyes back to Yumi. “The only one you’ll listen to is that weakling…”

“…Brother…”

“…isn’t that right?” A drop in Chiharu voice came with her words. The constant struggle with the barrier took its toll on her. She did not think she could continue further. Nothing could stop her, she concluded. Chiharu suddenly felt the full impact of the barrier against her in a moment of surprise. She lost all of her strength and legs collapsed. It cast her aside in the grass, broken. Chiharu coughed and panted. She stared at the night sky. “Why him? That weakling? Why did you go so far? Someone that’s out of place and scared. Just for him. That…that…weakling…why did I bother? Damn…Yuki Hayashi…”

“…Yuki…”

“…urgh…losing to him…” Chiharu hated the thought that someone so small and weak held such importance to someone. She did not understand him. She saw how he acted. He relied on others. He dwelled heavily on decisions with regret. He hesitated when acting. He needed others to do things because he was not strong enough alone. He used people. She hated it. She could not stand it. It made her believed lost emotions bubble to the surface. Chiharu bit her lip annoyed in the situation.

“…Yuki…”

Bothered by the thought of losing to him, it forced strength back into Chiharu’s body. She felt her muscles responding to her and feeling returning to her fingers. Chiharu pushed on the earth, still feeling a sluggish action from her limbs. It took everything she had to stand on her feet. Her arms hung over her shoulders as her upper body leaned against her hips to keep from collapsing. “Damn him…I won’t lose to you…” A tinge of energy flowed through her. It put her legs in motion and turned to find the girl a short distance from her. “…I’ll show you…my strength…” Chiharu threw her body up to straighten out forcing away all of the fatigue and soreness. She forgot it all and sprinted over to put a stop to her.

In front of Yumi, Chiharu appeared with her hands out ready to hold down her barrier once more. This time she did not plan to let her past until she snapped out of the trance. She did not care what stood in her way. She would not lose to him. She was no weakling. Her determination built her resolve and channeled her strength. Chiharu felt better and focused. She still did not know how to stop her or get through, but none of it matter. It would happen she decided.

The next thing Chiharu heard was a squish sound and an odd feeling in her hands.

“Huh?” asked Chiharu, confused. She focused her attention forward to see how the situation had changed. No barrier existed and the girl’s face looked very red. Chiharu still did not understand.

Yumi hesitated in managing her words. She suddenly woke up not really certain of where she stood. The first she felt was Chiharu’s hands. “W-w-wh-w-w-what’s…Chi-Chi-Chi-C…”

Everything came flooding upon Chiharu at once. She realized that Yumi was awake already, but did not know when it happened. She realized that she did not need to do anything anymore. All of her efforts suddenly felt useless. Her resolve seemed unneeded and pointless. Worst of all, she did not know why her hands were holding something warm and soft. Chiharu let out a strange ticking sound from her lips before her head tilted stiffly. Her eyes turned to blank fuzzy white circles and her mind ran completely blank.

“…already lost…” Chiharu collapsed to her knees no longer having the strength she built up. Her mind remained clocked out.

“Chiharu! What’s wrong?!”

Chapter 133 – Understanding Each Other

After the ordeal of recovering and calming down, Yumi and Chiharu sat on the ground a comfortable distance apart. Yumi still became a little unsettled with Chiharu after what happened. Equally so, Chiharu fought her instinctual reactions every time she noticed Yumi become even slightly embarrassed. A few minutes of uneasy silence were enough for Chiharu. She crossed her arms and turned away as she stood up. “You need to control your powers better…”

Yumi stood up and bowed deeply to Chiharu’s back. “I’m so sorry! This is all my fault!” She barely remembered anything that happened after speaking with Fumiko. The connection with Yori became stronger she remembered and everything after she just saw him. None of the rest of the things that happened from what Chiharu told her sounded familiar. A pause between ran out again with Yumi’s uncertainty. “…if I could have controlled my powers…Brother wouldn’t…”

Chiharu considered leaving their words as they were, but once she heard Yumi falling back into the same pit she had to act. “There’s no point in dwelling on the past. What’s happened is done.” Some reluctance still filled her body, yet she still looked back. She finally noticed that Yumi still bowed in apology to her. The sight flustered her a little and she threw her head back away. “Stand up. I’ve no interest in your apologies. Save them for someone that cares.”

The harsh words washed over Yumi. She complied with Chiharu’s requests to straighten up. “…I guess…you’re right…” A little shake started to develop in Yumi’s arms.

A hand pressed against Chiharu’s forehead. She sighed bothered by forcing a deep retreat. ‘One moment she’s in charge and keeping the blockhead in line and the next she’s flustered and timid. I don’t get her…’ The actions from Yumi confused her. It made her have some very, very small, amount of regret in snapping at her. “Well those two should be catching up soon. Just rest and wait for them.” Chiharu walked off before disappearing into the air.

Long after Chiharu disappeared, Yumi reached out for her in futility. She dropped her hand in confusion with a tilt of her head. “Chiharu?” After a few moments alone, the solitude got to her. Even if she only had to wait for Fumiko to return, it felt lonely. She also knew that she had to find Chiharu before they continued.

She closed her eyes trying to concentrate. Her powers seemed connect to Yori, so she did not know if she could do the same for someone else. However, she knew she had to try. ‘Something was bothering her. Maybe it was because of me…leaving…’ Yumi did not know what she was doing with her abilities. She focused on Chiharu trying to remove Yori from her mind. ‘I need to find her…please work…’

Delaying in silence, her power seemed to refuse her. It acted stubbornly towards her locked on something else. She fought with it in a tug-of-war to compete for control. Yumi squinted her eyes looking around the field, in the hopes that it would fuel her powers. It all ended in vain. She dropped down folding her legs, but remained on her feet with her arms slung over her knees. “Does it not work this way? What good is having it if I can’t use it when I need to?” Yumi drew her finger through the grass. She had not quite given up, but did not push herself. She felt aimless. “I must have…she’s angry with me… I need to…”

Yumi rocked on the balls of her feet. She did not know how to find Chiharu. She vanished on her. It gave her no direction to even begin a search. “She disappeared…should I just start walking?” Her head tilted up at the rolling plains. “It’s night too…I’ll get lost…I don’t want to cause more trouble for everyone.” She thought about what she did to everyone. “I made them come after me. Even now, I’m making them chase me down...”

A sigh escaped her lips. “…came for me…” Yumi scanned around the horizon in the slight hope of seeing anything that might have been Chiharu. She found nothing, as expected. “Chiharu’s out there…she came for me…” Strength returned to her legs and pushed her up. She wobbled a little in standing, but her body straightened out. “…she came for me…I can’t…” Yumi began walking in the current direction she faced. “I’ll do the same! I can’t turn away!” Her voice turned to certainty in her steps. She kept walking not pay attention to her surroundings. The path she walked was straight.

It was a tree.

Yumi tilted her head in confusion again. “A tree?” None of what she did made much sense to her, but it felt correct. Chiharu was in front of her. “I’m not wrong am I?” She shook her head, preferring not to believe the doubt. Resorting to the only thing possible, Yumi searched the area around the tree thoroughly.

After an exhaustive, but obviously very short search, she plopped herself down against the trunk. Nothing found. Yumi felt certain that Chiharu was around, but none of it made any sense. Even finding nothing, her certainty did not waver a moment. Her own doubt could not shake it. “Chiharu’s here? Somewhere I can’t see?” She ran her hand over the bark of the tree searching aimlessly. Any further clues seemed unlikely. No recourse remained. “I’m sorry, Chiharu. I know that you told me I shouldn’t, but I felt it’s important. You did come to help me. And thank you…”

Silence came as she expected. She hoped wherever she hid that her words would reach her. Yumi did not know what else to say, but felt that she should not stop. “I know we don’t each other very well. We are all here through connections to Yuki. So I guess it’s expected that it would be difficult for all of us to get along easily. But I hope that we can. To Yuki, we’re all important friends…even though he may have only met some of us recently. It’s just how he is…”

“That’s so stupid and cliché. It’s sickening,” comment Chiharu. Her voice started from the very air with no body, but at the end, she appeared resting against the tree in the shadow of the moonlight.

Yumi jerked away from Chiharu’s sudden appearance. She did not know immediately what to say, but Chiharu acted as if nothing changed. The scene made Yumi feel like she needed to reciprocate. “But that’s nothing wrong with being like that. People are normally more distant and difficult to approach.”

“That’s because that’s reality. Someone like him belongs in his stupid manga he cares about more than his life.”

Yumi leaned back into her spot against the tree. She felt relaxed. “Who’s to say that has to be reality though?”

“A couple of words isn’t going to change things. People aren’t so easy to turn like in stories. Reality’s different. A good speech doesn’t change things.”

“It doesn’t have to be a speech. Just the words that you’re wanting to hear.”

“Isn’t that just being selfish then? Waiting someone else to tell you, when you can’t validate yourself.”

“Maybe so, but it’s not wrong to be a little selfish, right?”

“Is that a question or a statement to satisfy yourself?”

Yumi stretched her arms trying to deflect some of the attention away from her heart. She turned her eyes up to the moon briefly. “Maybe it is…”

“Bothersome,” sighed Chiharu.

A touch of melancholy coursed through Yumi’s veins. Past memories fluttered up inside her. She blinked her eyes to wipe it away. Her head tilted over to Chiharu. “You act tough, but you do worry about us. Thank you, Chiharu.”

Chiharu choked out a stifled puff of air in partial startled surprise. She turned her head away from Yumi not wanting to directly see her face at the moment. “…so boring…”

Yumi smiled seeing that she had caught Chiharu a little. “If we’re so boring, why you still follow us? You could leave.”

“This is training,” snapped Chiharu. She turned back around to face Yumi in a confrontation. “These new powers I have need a place to hone them. There’s people here used to using their powers to fight. So I’m just taking advantage of the opportunity.”

“Sounds like a conditioned response. It’s just an excuse that satisfies yourself, right?”

Caught between words, Chiharu narrowed her features prepared to bare her fangs. She did not expect for the weak wishy-washy girl to counter through her. She did not like the cornered feeling. “What about you? This isn’t a place for you. Why is it so important that you follow that weakling?”

“You’re right, this isn’t a place I should be. But I’ll follow him regardless.”

“Why? Why go so far?”

Yumi pressed her hands against her heart. The memories she tried to push away returned stronger than before. She could not avoid retreading the past. “Because he’s important to me…because back then…”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

It was a time of cherry blossoms carried on the great sea of the winds of spring. A time for new beginnings, where the life of the past was left behind to greet the welcoming future. The bright moments that looked forward to where chains of pain shattered to dust. Earnest hope stretched out with a warm hand to pull up those troubled. An inviting opportunity presented with no façade.

‘Aren’t we being a little overly optimistic in the naïve deluded way that adults think of children? Aren’t you just painting with unrealistic cliché metaphors and symbolism?’ questioned Chiharu. She found the whole need for such an introduction to a flashback entirely overused.

‘While overused, you can’t deny a classic,’ commented Yuki. He nodded in agreement with no one else. ‘There’s a reason it’s a classic, it’s never out of style. Why do you think so much fiction places the High School setting on such an important narrative pedestal?’

‘So this narration’s your fault? That explains a lot. What, get upset that you’re being ignored as the main character and it’s only the second arc of the story?’

‘You’re being awfully talkative for someone that pretends that they’re a misanthrope character.’

‘Careful, big words will hurt your brain and raise the reader demographic.’

‘After all of your philosophical talk last chapter can you really be complaining about such things?’

‘It’s your fault.’

‘Well we are preparing for a flashback. Oh is that your problem?’

‘You’re oddly observant today. I’d rather not have to suffer through another tedious flashback.’

‘The crux of the situation now! Don’t worry this won’t take long!’

‘That was said last time and it ran for a chapter and a half. I don’t trust you.’

Yuki shrugged his shoulder at Chiharu. He pointed his finger over at her. ‘Not a lot I can do about that. It’s already begun anyway. Once a flashback has been summoned, it can’t be denied! It’s the rules!’ Yuki faded away from the void leaving Chiharu behind. She sat with her arms crossed and not content with the situation.

Chapter 134 – One Tree in a Forest

Anyway, the flashback continued back on course without further interruptions. While potentially painted with over bright and hopeful colors, it was accurate that the setting was a high school. The need for a flowery entrance was no doubt due in fact to Yumi’s memories took her back to the entrance ceremony, barely a few months ago. A normal spring day for anyone that was not Yumi. In fact, the rest of the student body had already begun to split up to start for their class. It was only a half day, so spirits were high to still have free time soon.

Yumi, on the other hand, was nervous and uneasy with the new school. While always known as a shy individual and difficult to want to change anything uncomfortable, none of that was the reason for her nervousness. Her last year of middle school was no doubt the best time for her, even though it might have been difficult to actually tell to the outside observer. The reason was because the source of her stress had left. While there lingered some memories and self imposed pressures, she felt more comfortable. She had her best friends and the shadow disappeared from her path. Her school finally had felt welcoming to her and not oppressively judgmental.

Conclusions from her feelings would obviously make the assumption that she felt uncomfortable because of a new environment that she did not know. The unfamiliar, in truth, did provide her with some amount of unease, but that was only a small piece of the larger puzzle. The real source was the same as it always had been for Yumi. It remained unchanged and likely very obvious to anyone that knew her.

She entered the school of Yori, her older brother. Just like in middle school, everywhere he left a trail of amazement and pride. He was popular with most of the girls in the school, though they placed him on such a pedestal that few actually dared to approach him. He improved the school as part of the student council and all of the teachers looked at him as the model student. He had the grades, looks and rumored athletic prowess, though Yumi knew it was one of the few real failing points of her brother. His name meant something to everyone and her first mistake that she deeply regretted was acknowledging that he was her brother.

Thanks to the still clinging together Yori fan club at her previous school, Yumi remained aware of all of the accomplishments of her brother in high school. She had partially wanted to ask to attend a different school, but with their family situation, she felt it was too selfish. In his first year, he already rose to the position of President, rather unheard of for a first year. Those graduating members of his fan club that entered the high school with him made sure everyone knew about him. His popularity grew fast and his face and name easily became the most recognizable in the school. Even those not attending the school knew of him.

Yumi did not know how she was going to deal with it. It felt even worse than middle school. ‘The butterflies won’t stop...’ She rubbed her hand over her stomach. ‘…will I make it?’ The thought of asking to sleep in the nurse’s office came very tempting to her. She got in the habit of nearly living in the nurse’s office during her first year at the last school. It was not until she met her friends that she felt comfortable enough to stay in class. Her head tilted over to Kaede and Katsumi. ‘…at least we’re in the same class…I should be fine…’


Her homeroom class began to fill quickly after she arrived. She did not want to look eager, but she purposely reached the class as early as she could. A few students arrived before her, but it meant her entrance had less visibility. She hoped that if she just sat in her seat that it would diminish her presence. It only partially worked, as her friends sat around her talking to her about how they spent their time off.

Once the class filled, the opening of the front door seemed to signal the breaking of everyone. The few students still standing around chatting dispersed to their seats. Their teacher stepped through the threshold carrying a couple of notebooks stacked together under her arm. She set the notebooks on the desk at the side of her and picked up a piece of chalk. In silence, she wrote her name on the board for everyone to read. “I’m Michiko Kuniyoshi. While I don’t mind a little carefreeness, please remember this is a school and you’re here to learn. Thank you.”

After her introduction, the introduction began for the students. It carried around the room until it came to her turn. As much as she tried to reduce her appearance in the class, she knew introduction was not something she could avoid. The anticipation to the moment that they all heard her name renewed the churning in her stomach. It returned twofold stronger than before for her. When she stood up her feet wanted her to turn her to the door and flee for the nurse. The longer that she delayed speaking the more she noticed the eyes staring at her. ‘…do they already know? Are they judging me? Will they be disappointed?’

“Hey, Yumi!” whispered Kaede from behind. Her voice came in low and unheard by Yumi. It took her poking her in the back to get Yumi’s attention. She smiled up at Yumi giving her a reaffirming gesture. “You can do it, Yumi!”

Kaede’s reassurance improved her footing a little, but still left her a little nervous. Another whisper from her left pointed out Katsumi to her. She waved to her and nodded to back up Kaede. Her friends’ support returned her voice back to her. While her stomach did not improve any, she knew her silence could not remain. Yumi faced forward steeling herself. “Yumi Mizuno, I’m from—“ Her words stopped the moment she heard murmuring throughout the girls in the class.

“Mizuno?”

“That’s the same name, right?”

“Yeah, she’s his little sister. But don’t expect anything, she’s nothing like him.”

“Oh? I guess siblings are different.”

“Umm…err…I-I…” Yumi backed in her seat. She expected it to happen, but knowing did not make it any easier to deal with for her. The butterflies grew exponentially in her stomach until it felt like she wanted to throw up. It was almost too much for her to take.

A chair clattered loudly against a desk from Katsumi standing up, but she did not say anything. She did not get the chance. Someone else had stood up a moment before her. “Hey everyone! I’m Yuki Hayashi! Now I know you’re all excited with the start of high school, but let me assure you that despite my appearance pretty boys only exist in the stories you read. Don’t forget you’re all protagonists here, but don’t let it go to your head!” He struck a bit of an odd pose at his desk. The awkward and almost self-centered introduction pulled everyone’s attention away from Yumi and to him.

“What’s with him?”

“The hell? He some weird okatu?”

“Thought they were all introverted neets.”

“I wish he was.”

Ms. Kuniyoshi threw a laser targeted sharpened piece of chalk across the room speeding past Yuki’s head. The wake left a few cut strains of hair fall slowly. Behind him, the chalk burned a whole in the wall with a little smoke trailing off the impact point. “Don’t interrupt another student Mr. Hayashi! Everyone else quiet during the introductions. Am I understood?” The decisive display of force and command brought everyone back in line. Everyone involved sat down as quickly as possible and the next in line started their introduction.

Yumi did not pay attention any further to the class. Her nerves were completely shot. Her body swam in sweat and cooked from the rise in temperature. She felt relieved that all of the talking stopped. When she looked around at the rest of the students they did not even give her another glance. She thought that they would all be staring at her like an animal in a zoo. But none of it happened for her. They all seemed more interested in talking about the strange introduction from the rather short boy. She was pleased that they did not focus on her, but a little guilty that they made fun of him instead. She knew how it felt too well. Yumi tightened her hands together.

The conclusion of the classes for the day brought the end of her first trial. She prayed the next day ran smoother. However, she wanted to do something before she left. She let Kaede and Katsumi know to wait on her. Yumi stood in the emptying classroom feeling comfort by her seat and desk. Across the room, her gaze found him, Yuki Hayashi. She remembered his name from the introduction and could not stop thinking about him. She felt bad that took all attention directed at her. However, it confused her a little how he acted carefree and like none of it mattered. He carried a huge smile on his face while he talked to a girl. Yumi bumped into her desk not noticing it as she tried to begin her approach.

Their voices raised up as the girl put her arm around his neck. “I can’t believe you, Yuki! I thought you said you were going to try to keep a lower profile after everything from middle school!”

“I’m sorry! I just sort of acted.”

“Yeah, that’s all you do these days. Act stupid.” She stepped away from him crossing her arms bothered by his nonchalant attitude. After a few seconds, she spun back around and pointed her finger at him. “You know some of them from our school are here right? If you get too much attention—“

“I know! I’m sorry, Saki! It’ll all work out!”

“Hey, Yuki!” shouted another boy coming in from out of the hall. He jumped out and came down on Yuki’s neck putting his arm around him looking very friendly. Yumi recognized him from their class, but could not remember his name.

Yuki grinned back at him. “Hey, Hiroshi! You’re still hanging around?”

Hiroshi stepped off of Yuki. Yumi caught a momentary flinch in his expression as though something bothered him, but carried through. He set himself at a more appropriate distance leaning on a desk. “Yeah, Kazuhiro’s got something he wants to finish. So I’m just killing time.”

“Oh? Well we were about to head out. I was getting hungry, want to come along?”

“Yeah, I’ll bring Tatsuya and Kazuhiro with me, if you don’t mind.”

Yuki shook his head and welcomed him. “That’s fine! The more the better!”

No longer content to stand outside of the conversation, Saki stepped in leaning in on Yuki wanting some answers. “What’s going on, Yuki? I don’t know who he is. He your friend from middle school that I don’t know about?”

Waving his hands to deny the claim, Yuki backed a step away. “No, I just met him! He’s in our class! I’ve never met him before.”

“Then why’re you acting so friendly?”

“Well he’s my friend! Why not?” Yuki declared with a confused face, while stating it as though it was an obvious fact that even she knew.

“…Yuki…” She turned her gaze over to Hiroshi and glared at him. “You, who are you?”

Hiroshi twitched his eyebrow a little from the presence that Saki emitted. However, he recovered quickly and stood up straight, going rigid almost before her. He put his hand at his side and bowed deeply to her. “I’m Hiroshi Kuroda, ma’am! I’m your son’s friend!”

Saki blushed a little and backed away from him not sure how to react to him. “S-s-son? What the hell’s the matter with you?!” Her question fueled her annoyance and corrected her confusion. She jumped back into the fray ready to defend herself against him.

Still bowed, Hiroshi continued as though he was asking a parent for permission to date their daughter. “Well I only assumed the way you acted that you must be his mother!”

“Acted?!” A vein on her forehead started to pop up and grow quickly. Her fist shook in front of her as she stared at the back of his head pointed at her. She wanted to grab him, but restrained herself. “I’m not his mother! How stupid do you have to be to think a high school student could ever be?! And stop bowing already, its creepy!”

“Thank you for your permission!” Hiroshi rose up with a grin on his face. Before he had a chance to laugh, Yuki fell over in laughter. They looked down at him and the entire mood flipped again.

Yumi felt a little dizzy watching everything playing out. She did not feel like she had a moment to enter. They kept moving at their own pace out of her reach. On any other day, she would have left immediately. She knew that she did not belong with them. She was an outsider and her friends waited for her. On any other day, she would have shrunk away and locked away her voice in embarrassment.

It was not any other day, anymore.

“Umm…excuse me…” Yumi meekly spoke, with a voice that could not have penetrated through the volume of ruckus in front of her. None of them turned or responded to her. ‘What am I doing? I should just leave now! I can’t believe I’m doing something so embarrassing!’ After a few seconds of awkwardness for her, Yumi started to pull away.

“Hey, Yumi! I’m sorry about that!” Yuki shouted as he came out. He appeared in front of her with surprising speed. “Sorry, I couldn’t say anything sooner. I tried to stop them!”

“Wh-wha…I-I…” He came so close to her that Yumi did not know how to react. Her voice disappeared choking off everything inside her. The pounding in her heart rang through her ears almost louder than his words. She had never been so close to a boy. Her face turned red instantly carrying out to her ears.

Recovering from abandonment, Saki and Hiroshi came around to the sides of Yuki. Saki leaned in a little towards Yumi a little curious. “Who’s she, Yuki? You know her?”

“She’s in our class, Saki! Don’t you remember anyone in our class?”

Saki backed off a little surprised. “What?! Of course I do!” She looked around at them and then back at Yumi. Saki read the embarrassment on Yumi as frightened. She waved her hands in front trying to deny it. “I’m sorry! I do remember! I didn’t mean to scare you!”

“Saki!”

‘So they know about me too…everyone does…’ Yumi leaned down her head looking at the floor.

Yuki crossed his arms and glared over at Saki. “If you don’t remember that’s fine! Don’t lie to her if you can’t remember her! It’s just the first day, so I guess it’s not bad.”

The lecture from Yuki set Saki off to defend herself. She leaned in to Yuki. “I do remember! I wasn’t lying!” Yuki leaned over to her not believing her words and putting pressure on her. The long he stared at her the worse it got for her until she just gave in. “Fine, I don’t remember! She just looked scared!’ Saki turned over to Yumi and apologized with a bow. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it!”

‘…doesn’t remember?’ Yumi suddenly felt confused, but the attention from the three of them made her uncomfortable. She stared at the ground as the only way to manage her emotions.

“So who is she? Does she know you? She came up to us.”

“Already making the moves on girls, huh? Yuki?” joked Hiroshi nudging his elbow in his ribs. Saki quickly whacked him on his head for the words. He slowly rose back up, corrected. His hand rubbed the pain away from his head while looking over at Yumi. “She’s Yumi Mizuno. I think I’ve heard the name before.”

“Her name?” asked Saki, “So you know her, Yuki?”

“Nope, I haven’t seen her before today.”

“So what then?”

“She’s my friend!”

“Huh?” Saki stared at him trying to figure out if he was joking. However, the look in his eyes told her he was serious about it. “Is everyone in the class your friend?”

“If they want to be!”

“…Yuki…”

‘…friend?’ Yumi finally felt at ease to lift up her head. Her face turned red again staring at him, but she ignored it. ‘He wants to be my friend? He doesn’t know me?’ She stared partially in confusion and awe at him. Nothing about him made much sense to her, but she could not stop her eyes. ‘He heard my name, but didn’t say anything. He’s just looking at me as though I’m just another person.’

Saki leaned over to Yumi, still obvious to the conversation going around her. “Hey you need to speak up! If you don’t want this creep to be saying things like that you can tell him!”

“That hurts, Saki! I didn’t say anything I didn’t mean!”

Yuki’s protest pulled her away from him and dragged her to face him. She threw out her hand nearly running it up his nose with how close it came to him. “But you don’t just go around saying you’re friends with everyone! You can’t decide that for them!” After she felt satisfied with her rebuttal, she turned back to Yumi. Her hand came out to Yumi, but nowhere near as intrusive. “If you don’t feel the same, its fine. You don’t have to be friends, you can tell him.”

Yumi did not completely follow everything that happened, but she no longer felt the stress of the day in her body. Her heart still pounded, but she knew it was not because of nerves. She was comfortable and at ease, on her first day at a new school where her brother attended. Yumi shook her head lightly and found a small smile lifting up on her lips. “It’s fine with me. He’s right! We’re friends!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Story time concluded for Yumi and Chiharu, those that they waited for still had not appeared. Chiharu noted their absence, but it went completely ignored by Yumi. She focused on her memories. It felt a little like it re-enforced for her the resolve she knew she needed to have. The first encounter with Yuki was only the beginning, but it acted as one of many triggers. A very important and precious memory that she kept locked inside. She did not even know why she ended up so freely telling Chiharu. It was something that she kept to herself for so long. She had not even told Kaede and Katsumi. If she told someone she felt like it might turn out to be a dream and they would wake her up from it. She never wanted the dream to end.

As much as the flashback buried Yumi so deeply, Chiharu seemingly followed something like the law of physics with an equal and opposite reaction to Yumi. Her interest in the story left her bored and bothered. She did not understand why a couple of words could not have done the same thing. In the end, she also did not feel like she got any closer to an answer to the original question. On the contrary, it felt like they had strayed from the purpose. Chiharu had lost most of her motivation in the discussion that she considered cutting it short. Yet she found herself responding, which bugged her slightly inside. “I’m failing to see the point of that story.” Chiharu’s facial expression turned flat and disinterested with her words. “It’s insignificant to the matters now.”

The empty and course words from Chiharu nearly brought a tear to Yumi’s eyes. She turned a little child-like flailing her arms in Chiharu’s direction. “It does have meaning! How can you trounce over a girl’s precious memories! It’s my most important memory of Yuki!”

Chiharu became even more confused and slack jawed watching Yumi. She no longer understood anything the girl spouted. It was all just emotional gibberish. ‘I guess if I think about it as being tied to emotions then that might explain some of it. Still doesn’t make a lot of sense. Seems pretty pointless…’ A hint of curiosity triggered in Chiharu after the thought. She wanted to know more for some reason. “Precious memories? It was just a random encounter with the weakling. He’s always running his mouth with empty drivel that’s meaningless. You shouldn’t take him seriously.”

“You’re wrong,” Yumi said shaking her head. She closed her eyes thinking about the day and Yuki’s face. It remained as crystal clear to her months later with no decay. His expression etched in her heart. “I know I’m not really good at reading people, but there is one thing that I’m certain more than anything else. Yuki’s always serious.”

“Eh?” Chiharu tilted her head thinking the girl went daft in the brain. She questioned if she misheard the words. “What did you say?”

“Yuki’s always serious.”

“That weakling’s never serious, except for I guess when he’s fighting. Though I’ve heard he’s not serious then as well.”

“You’re wrong, Chiharu.” Yumi let a deep smile crawl over her face carrying a deeper emotion behind it. She opened her eyes and stared over at Chiharu unflinching. “It’s easy to miss, because Yuki’s always acting silly. But that’s just because people don’t understand it. I don’t know the whole story to Yuki, but the pieces I’ve seen tells me that he’s covering up a great sadness within his heart. Everything on the outside is just a mask.”

Chiharu turned back to her disbelief from listening to Yumi. She knew that she did not know a lot about the weakling, but she found it impossible to believe the words. None of it made any sense to her. ‘A great sadness? What sort of idiot would believe someone acts stupid to cover up their past?’ The thought started her hand shaking subconsciously. She leaned ever so slightly close to Yumi. “That’s ridiculous. There’s nothing in that weakling’s head, but air.” Chiharu raised her hand towards Yumi in a questioning accusation. “If you’re so bad at reading people, what makes you think anything of what you said it actually correct? You’re just providing material for debunking your theory. You’re making yourself an easy target.”

The words made Yumi giggle a little, which did not help Chiharu any. “Maybe, but he is a classmate. I’ve watched him for the last few months. So I’ve learned a few things in how he acts.”

“You sound like a stalker.”

“I’m not a stalker,” protested Yumi with a red face.

“Oh? And what makes you think he has such a great sadness as you claim? I’ve looked into his eyes and I only see stupidity.”

Yumi leaned in at Chiharu using her hands to support herself. “Then you haven’t looked deeply enough!” She spoke with unwavering certainty that ignored their proximity.

Chiharu leaned back a little set off balance by Yumi’s forwardness. It forced her eyes to shift away from Yumi, no longer wishing to make contact. She could not stand the thought of what she suggested. “There’s nothing to find.”

“You asked what I knew that made me certain.” The grave mood that Yumi exuded changed the atmosphere. She was serious the entire time during their conversation, but her words and stature altered. Any doubt disappeared and left zero room for questions. Yumi pulled herself back to sit in the grass. “He never talks about it. So most don’t know, which is understandable. Even I don’t know all of the details. But I know that he’s lost both of his parents. So he bares all of that inside, while showing the silly and careless exterior that you know. Before I learned that I already was starting to understand, but it is all just an act for him. Yuki is always serious in everything that he does and he’s always looking out for others.”

Chapter 135 – Difference in Reasons

Silence hanged between the two for seconds that felt like an eternity. Chiharu did not have a counter argument or even quick comment to deny the emptiness of the claim. The shaking in Chiharu’s hand transferred into her legs and slowly worked into her body. Once again, Chiharu did not understand. However, the point that she did not understand ended up as something completely different and unexpected. It left her a little surprised. She fought to keep her shock from bleeding into her eyes, threatening to give it away. ‘…doesn’t make any sense…can’t…’

Chiharu ran questions through mind. Countless denials threw out to try to knock away Yumi’s words. Yet Yumi’s face stared back at her not giving in to Chiharu. She wanted to push it all away. She wanted to call her a liar that knew nothing. She wanted to call her childish and drunk on love. She wanted to call her love blind. She wanted to say that it made her see things. She wanted to say so many things, but no words came out. Chiharu had no words. Her throat choked on them. It was uncomfortable.

She did not understand.

It fought back in a way that she did not plan. All of her angles closed off. It surrounded her flanks. Even her escape fell. Chiharu did not know what to do. She was stunned. ‘How…it can’t be…she’s wrong! She has to be wrong! It doesn’t make any sense!’ Everything that came from Yumi said she believed it to be an undeniable truth. Panic bleed into Chiharu’s thoughts. She wanted to scramble away. It made her feel small, again. The feel forced her to recall the instant that Yuki glared down at her. He had never looked more serious or determined in front of her. She gave into him then not understanding him.

‘He’s always serious,’ echoed Yumi’s words.

Chiharu shook away the thoughts. She wiped away Yuki’s image that made her feel like a child. She was no child. She left it all behind. ‘No! Go away! You can’t go back!’ Chiharu wanted to wrap her arms around herself. She wanted to run away. The thoughts that kept surfacing within her frightened her. She hated the feeling it brought out. ‘I left it behind…’

‘He lost his parents.’

‘That can’t be! You must be wrong! How can…if you…act like that…’ All she needed anymore was herself. She believed it. If she needed warmth, she could grab a blanket. If she needed to eat, she could cook for herself. If she needed saving, she would stand up for herself. She did not need any of it.

‘It’s all an act.’

Chiharu forced her eyes closed. It did not help her any. She hoped that it would prevent the thoughts from coming back to her. She prayed for the memories to cease. Memories were the past. She wanted none of them. She needed none of them. ‘How can anyone? It doesn’t make any sense! It has to be a lie!’

‘He’s just pretending to be silly.’

‘If all of that is true…if it’s true… The truth…’ The inkling that anything Yumi said was real pushed the shaking into her body. She could no longer ignore it. It overwhelmed her as she fled deeper into her mind for protection. She distanced herself from it. The further away from her the less she felt the uncomfortable sensation. It was just a sign of weakness and she had no weaknesses. She needed no weaknesses. ‘It can’t…’

‘I’m not lying.’

‘You are lying! It’s the only answer! It has to be!’

‘Why?’

‘Because if it’s true…if it’s true…’

‘Because if it’s true? What?’

‘No! It’s false!’

‘Because if it’s true then the answer you found might be wrong? You might be wrong? You might be lying?’

‘No! I’m not! I’m not lying! It’s impossible!’ Chiharu’s heart started to pound from the thoughts slamming around in her head. The further she escaped the louder and more penetrating the words became. She felt more surrounded than before. The only thing she had was the shaking in her body to comfort her. It sickened her. The detesting weakness sapped away her strength. It was stronger than she was. She did not want it to be true. ‘It’s impossible! He’s just a normal idiot who’s a busy body that has to get involved in problems that aren’t his!’

‘But it’s the truth. It’s not impossible.’

Chiharu could not take anymore. The voice of that girl in her head acted like it knew everywhere. It acted like it knew her. She knew nothing about her. None of them knew anything about her. They were all strangers to her. They acted like friends, but they would just as easily abandon her after it was all over. She only had herself. Chiharu shouted back at the girl in her mind, ‘It is impossible! Because if he really did lose his parents then he would never be able to smile again, even faking it!’

An image of blood covered everything. ‘It would not be real! You can’t fake a smile or happiness!’ Two lifeless bodies soaked in blood laid in a room. ‘You can’t act careless and still pretend to be a child anymore! When you lose your parents that’s it!’ A child too young to understand what happened stood in the doorway. ‘There’s nothing left! You have to grow up!’ A firm strong hand handed down a sheathed blade to the child. ‘You have to do everything yourself! If it was true he would never be able to be happy!’ Two gravestones rested in silence with the child before them.

Everything faded to black.

Chiharu was alone. The void in her mind finally became empty again. She could not even muster a thought. Her body stopped shaken, but it ran so still that it turned cold. She lost all of her energy.

In the length of silence, Yumi felt a little confused and apprehensive. She wanted to say something more, but felt that she might have over stepped. The usual pace of their back and forth stopped so suddenly. Yumi thought she might have hit a nerve on Chiharu, even though she acted so strong. She felt that she should wait for Chiharu. However, each second dragged on. “Chiharu?” The lack of a response or even an annoyed twitch concerned her. It made Yumi reach out for Chiharu, but stopped suddenly.

Chiharu gripped onto Yumi’s hand tightly awaking from her thoughts. She looked over to Yumi. The even controlled pace of her body restored confidence to Chiharu. “What are you doing?”

Some hesitation built up in Yumi at the awkward situation. It frightened her a little how Chiharu so quickly returned to the living. “Umm…you weren’t saying anything. So I was just checking on you.”

“I see.”

“Can you let go of my arm,” Yumi quickly commented between Chiharu’s words.

Chiharu complied with her request in unbroken motion. “I’m fine. I was just considering what you said.”

“Oh, but you were so quick to response before. So I thought I might have said something wrong.”

A slight twitch broke through Chiharu’s mask. “Nothing of the sort. However, back to the subject of the weakling. If you’re correct in all that you said. What’s your theory for why he acts stupid considering a tragic past?”

“Huh?” Yumi tilted her head a little at Chiharu. It surprised her that she came back to the topic after refusing to so stubbornly to accept it. She figured that Chiharu would have dropped it after the break.

Crossing her arms, Chiharu pressed her back into the tree. “I mean, if you think about it objectively, the loss of someone’s parents is significant. It is enough to change someone. With something so important taken away, I find it difficult to believe he could actually be happy or even pretend to be carefree. You’re forced to grow up quickly and stand on your own. You wouldn’t have the time to act like that.”

Chiharu continued to surprise Yumi. The response that Chiharu gave her was probably one of the longest periods of speech that she had seen. It confused her a little, expecting a short answer. Her answer made her question a little of what she said, sensing something else behind it. However, she did not want to hesitate in delivering a response. Chiharu was being serious and Yumi felt she should reply in kind. “You’re probably right about that.” Yumi leaned against the tree returning to their starting positions. “I can’t imagine what I would feel like if I lost my mother. I might never be the same again. But I think he’s able to smile and act silly because of his friends. He had those that supported him. If he ever fell down I’m sure Saki would be there to pick him back up. Seiji would probably punch him until he came back around.”

‘Friends supported him?’ Chiharu considered her words in silence. She did not feel satisfied with the answer. It still did not make any sense to her. They had the same situation, but different outcomes. She narrowed her eyes and turned a little away. “That sounds sickeningly cliché.”

Yumi noticed their friends in the distance, barely lit by the moon. She stood up dusting herself off. The time apart from them felt as if it left her drained, but also glad. She was able to talk with Chiharu. Yumi ran out a few steps waving over to them to get their attention. Afterward, she turned back around smiling at Chiharu. “I know it does. And it might not be the right answer, but that’s how I feel. I’m sure if something like that happened to me. Where I was in so much despair and sadness with no way out. He would be there giving me a hand to hold, because that’s who he is. He would do that for anyone.” She turned back around to watch Fumiko and Seiji running closer to them.

Chiharu doubted her words, regardless of how sincere she spoke them. “Anyone? You can’t save everyone…”

“True, but he’ll try to anyway.” She tilted her head over her shoulders looking back at Chiharu. “Even you. Because we’re friends.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

A long night had already passed, but plenty more of the time underneath the moon still remained. The four teenagers regrouped after the long run. Yumi apologized profusely to Fumiko and Seiji for her actions. Fumiko quickly accepted and dismissed Yumi’s need to apologize for the incident. Seiji gave in after Fumiko glared at him to stop scaring Yumi. While he did not seem be upset with her, a remaining sense of something bothering him lingered.

Yumi was simply glad to have everyone back and nothing bad happened because of her inability to control her powers. All of them continued their march to where the Atlantean’s held Yori. None of them felt in the mood to rest further. Their breaks before were necessitated by Yumi. ‘I’ve been slowing everyone down…’ Her conversation with Chiharu distracted her from the core problem. It still gnawed at her like a bug bite on the back her of neck, invisible and difficult to reach. It was always unsatisfied and festered.

A few minutes after their walk began, Fumiko, who had held back a little, noted the position of Chiharu in their group. ‘She’s closer…’ She looked over at Seiji to her right judging them. ‘She’s still the same distance from him, but something’s different…’ The distance Chiharu had always remained the same distance from everyone. Fumiko only had seen her get closer with Saki, even though it looked like she had mixed feelings. She felt a little change in the way Chiharu acted. ‘I wonder what happened between them… I’m happy to see her acting a little more comfortable with someone, but she’s still too distant…’ The thoughts running through her mind made her curious.

She did not immediately realize it, but her feet began to outpace Seiji. When she came close to Chiharu, it left her in an awkward position. While she wondered in curiosity, she did not plan for the next step. She felt nosy, but did not actually want to show it. The personality of Chiharu, she knew would react poorly to unwanted approaches. Even on the ship, Fumiko tried to improve their relationship, but she only got brushed away. ‘I thought at first, being the youngest in the group made her feel out of place, but that’s not the case with her.’ Fumiko combed her finger through her waist length hair considering her next action.

Unfortunately, Chiharu’s awareness was very high. She immediately noticed the difference in location of Fumiko. While she did not make a change in her body, she did speak to Fumiko behind her. “Is there something you want?”

“Ah?!” Fumiko jumped back a little, startled by Chiharu. She did not try to be sneaky, but she did not think that she had made any sounds. ‘…scary girl…’ However, her yelp drew the attention of the others. They looked at her confused and concerned that something happened. She flailed her arms flustered by her failure. “Everything’s fine!” Another moment of uncertainty passed before they gave in to her and returned to normal. Her failure made Fumiko sigh.

Not content with the outcome, Chiharu tilted her head a little back at Fumiko. “You didn’t answer the question.”

“…well…” The feeling of being put on the spot and the sideways partial glare ruined any chance that Fumiko had to form a sentence. She regretted approaching with no plan in mind. She wanted to tied up her curiosity and stuff it down a pipe to disappear forever. “…it’s nothing,” she managed before stepping away.

Chapter 136 – Approaching a Settlement

Unknown to Fumiko, a reason drove Chiharu’s position in the group. After all of the debating that the two had in private, some things only became more muddled for her. She still had questions. The love-struck girl bothered her. Chiharu did not feel satisfied with the outcome, especially with the unnecessary talk of friendship. ‘I don’t need that weakling’s help… He’ll just get in the way…’ She quickened her step to come beside Yumi.

Yumi had become more familiar with the presence of Chiharu after their talk. It made her more aware of her approach, that it did not surprise her to see her out of the corner of her eye. “Hi, Chiharu! Is something wrong? You normally keep to the back.”

Chiharu restrained a verbal tick from escaping her lips. It left her a little unnerved that someone so inexperienced and fragile noticed her with no reaction. The efforts and training that Chiharu worked for tireless years to refine. The girl was granted it with the slightest amount of effort. ‘…damn powers from that weakling…’ Yet another thing that she hated.

However, her presence did demand a response. Chiharu wanted her questions answered. She wanted to see the picture clearly. Her eyes slid over towards Yumi, while keeping her body forward. “There’s something that you never answered.” Chiharu acted as though she needed to keep looking natural and uninterrupted, like their topic was secret.

The strange response from Chiharu introduced her own curiosity for Yumi. She tilted her head over to her, but kept walking forward. “Oh? What is it?”

“You never answered my question. Why are you doing all of this?”

“Huh?” Yumi turned her eyes away in thought back on everything that they talked about. “I’m pretty sure I already told you.”

“I’m not talking about that,” she rebutted, though still remaining painfully vague.

Handed the abstract answer, Yumi felt like they were having to different conversations. It felt like Chiharu spoke with someone that knew exactly what she said. Yumi felt distant and divided from it. “That?”

“Yes.”

“What’s that?”

A sigh charged out of Chiharu’s lips. She managed to keep her features under control, but directed her piercing gaze further into Yumi. “Are you really this dumb and you just act intelligent?”

“Yup, I’m stupid!” grinned Yumi. She leaned over at Chiharu with an expression that would have done Yuki proud. “It’s all just an act. My brother’s the smart one.”

Chiharu tried to ignore the proximity and attitude, while forced to look at her so close. “Are you trying to mock me now?”

Yumi pulled back away, looking a little pleased with herself. “Just softening the mood a little.”

“I think the weakling’s starting to influence you.”

“You think so?” she asked, already starting to blush.

“I wasn’t giving you a compliment.”

“It’s fine!” After Yumi settled out from her excitement, she leaned back in at Chiharu. “By the way, you keep calling Yuki, weakling. Why don’t you call him by his name?”

Turned away quickly, Chiharu made the best of the closeness. “I don’t bother with those that are weak,” she stated in a grave tone.

“But Yuki isn’t weak at all!”

“Yes, he is.”

“Yuki’s the strongest in the group. What about the others then are we all weak to you?”

The cornered feeling that Yumi easily brought on came back. She hated such questions and how easily it occurred. “It’s a different type of a weak.”

“Oh? So you don’t think he’s weak!”

“Of course, he’s weak!” Chiharu leaned a little caught up with Yumi’s words. At the edge of the words, she found herself in a position she despised. She pulled herself back in to check. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the confused stare of Yumi at her. Her last statement fell easily into a paradox. The meanings lost their significance. In the end, Chiharu sighed once more. “You’re straying from the original topic.”

Yumi pulled back to rest at a straightened walking stance. “Huh?”

“My question.”

“Oh, right! But I already answered that!”

The repeated answer in annoying airheaded fashion made Chiharu want to fall over, but she resisted. It threatened her balance dealing with Yumi. Her actions still did not make any sense to her. ‘She’s being unusually absentminded. What’s with the change?’

In the rear of the group, Seiji and Fumiko carried on in silence. However, Fumiko watched the two girls going back and forth. She did not understand most of what they said, as they did not get too loud. The occasional shout or excited word came through, but it was not her intention to spy on them. Chiharu still had difficulty with her. It made it feel a little more at ease to see them. “They look like they’re getting along,” she commented to Seiji. It still confused her a little what happened between them in the short time they were away.

Seiji held his arms crossed for the last few minutes. He remained in the position since they started walking. A slightly furled brow also seemed permanently taped to his forehead. “They look like they’re fighting to me. I don’t think that they’re getting along.”

Fumiko shook her head lightly. “Arguing can be a sign of getting along as well, especially in Chiharu’s case.”

“Eh? That brat?” The thought of Chiharu made Seiji’s eyebrows wrinkle further.

“Chiharu keeps at a distance with everyone. She also limits her interactions. But she approached Yumi and is carrying on a conversation. Even if they might be fighting, it’s an important sign for her.”

“I think you’re thinking too much of things.”

Hearing Seiji made Fumiko giggle a little. “Not straightforward enough for you?” She glanced over at him and caught him turning away. “Well, it does go both ways. It seems that Yumi’s become more relaxed as well. It’s pretty clear why she came along, but she still isolated herself. She’s been using her brother as insulation from everything. Without him, she’s exposed.”

“Tch!” Seiji grumbled at all of the introspective talk occurring. His arms tightened up around his chest acting like a defense. “Done talking like a shrink?”

A dangerous thread came exposed to Fumiko. She ignored it previously, but could not help poking something that she knew that she should not. “Are you still upset that a frail girl like Yumi’s faster than you?”

Sounding like a branch breaking, Seiji snapped and turned to face Fumiko. “Who the hell would be upset over something like that?!” He stopped walking and tightened his hands into fists, though not actually planning to use them.

Fumiko expected such a reaction, giving her the preparation not to be startled by his aggression. “You know if you overreact it only makes it easier to read you.” She glanced over to the front of them. Yumi and Chiharu looked back at him. “Also, it seems you’ve gotten unwanted attention.” He did not immediately understand her words, but her finger pointing ahead of them redirected his eyes.

Once he figured out what his actions caused, Seiji straightened up. While he forced down his embarrassment, he played everything off as if nothing happened. A few awkward moments passed before everyone silently seemed to agree on ignoring the matter. Fumiko and Seiji resumed their even pace in the back.

Back in the front, the two’s interruption had been well timed, for Chiharu. They got off on a tangent and she found herself playing to the pace that Yumi set. It bothered her that she got distracted from the matter. She only wanted a satisfying answer and then to be left in peace for the rest of the walk. “Can you return back to answering the question?”

“Huh? What question?” asked Yumi.

The shallow formation of an angry vein slowly began to surface on Chiharu’s forehead. She reigned herself back in before it went out of control. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

Yumi smiled appearing innocent, while quietly agreeing with Chiharu’s statement. “But it’s been a while since I got to talk to a girl the same age as me.”

“We aren’t the same age! I’m in middle school.” Chiharu felt at the end of her rope. Every trained thread in her core was threatened by the actions of the girl. It dangerously teetered on the brink for Chiharu. Each answer worked tirelessly on her nerves to undo them. She did not know how much longer that she could last against the barrage. Chiharu exercised her hands by tightening and relaxing them to focus her energies away. Her calm center held too many vibrations. It did not make any sense. She needed more answers. “Why are you acting differently?”

“Hmm?” Yumi tilted her head over at Chiharu a little confused. She did not make complete eye contact.

“You’re not this flippant. You’re acting like how that weakling acts.”

The smile dropped from Yumi’s face. She pulled her head back in and straightened out. Her stature altered and fell in line with the sudden change in atmosphere around her. Yumi placed her hands behind her back and looped her fingers together to tie them off. “You’re right. Is it a little too forced?”

All of the changes caught Chiharu a little off guard. She narrowed her eyes trying to read everything that Yumi did. The new position that Yumi took only confused her further. She found more things that made no sense to her. “What were you trying to do?”

Yumi lifted her head up to the stars in the night sky. It made her mind run through the memories of the evening she had with Chiharu. “I guess it was an answer to your question.”

“Eh?”

“I guess that’s a little vague, huh?” She pulled her gaze back down to the dark plains that surrounded them. Her eyes moved to her side looking at Chiharu. “Revenge for your ambiguity from early.”

Chiharu raised her eyebrow a bit marking her confusion. It took her a few moments to filter through finally understanding everything to Yumi’s meaning. “You did all of this because of that?”

“No, I think you’re missing the point,” laughed Yumi. She pointed her sights forward again. “The vagueness, not the question. But I was answering your question.”

“How is all of that an answer?”

“Because I want to change myself!” Yumi turned her head back to Chiharu to meet her fully. Her features emitted the determined resolve of her choice. “That’s my answer.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

“I guess that’s a little vague, huh?” She pulled her gaze back down to the dark plains that surrounded them. Her eyes moved to her side looking at Chiharu. “Revenge for your ambiguity from early.”

Chiharu raised her eyebrow a bit marking her confusion. It took her a few moments to filter through finally understanding everything to Yumi’s meaning. “You did all of this because of that?”

“No, I think you’re missing the point,” laughed Yumi. She pointed her sights forward again. “The vagueness, not the question. But I was answering your question.”

“How is all of that an answer?”

“Because I want to change myself!” Yumi turned her head back to Chiharu to meet her fully. Her features emitted the determined resolve of her choice. “That’s my answer.”

Despite the night, Chiharu felt like the sun blasted her with a blindly beam of light. It did not make any sense to her. A glow seemed to be around Yumi that defied Chiharu’s mind. She saw a fragile and wavering strength that continued to be broken and rebuilt endlessly. Chiharu could see the old pieces of the foundation that failed reused as chunks in the new. It held countless pieces always recycled. Nothing was ever wasted. ‘What is this answer?’

Chapter 137 – Understanding the Answer

‘Change herself?’ Yumi’s words ran through her mind repeatedly. She did not feel that the girl made any change, even if it was her desire. Everything she saw showed her to be weak and easily controlled by emotions. The only thing she found worth something was her determination, but even that seemed to falter at times. ‘She always backs down when the slightest thing fails on her. She starts out strong and then collapses under pressure. She can’t change. You are who you were when you’re born.’

The return of silence from Chiharu pulled in Yumi. It made her fear she said something wrong to Chiharu again. She always expected a quick answer from Chiharu. She never seemed stutter in her response, but it happened before and again. Yumi leaned over to Chiharu hoping to get her attention. “Chiharu? Everything ok?”

Yumi’s voice roughly pierced through her thoughts and snapped her attention. Distracted in her words, Chiharu narrowed her glare for Yumi to push her back. “I’m fine. I’m just not satisfied with your answer.” She crossed her arms, locking herself back away from Yumi. The wall came up.

An awkward feeling filled the air around Yumi. She did not understand the sensation, but it made her pull away from Chiharu. The unease tried to drill into her stomach to ferment a sour liquid. Yumi fought to keep her nerves together. “W-Wh-what’s wrong with the answer?” Yumi pressed her hands together at her waist for comfort.

“It’s that.” Chiharu pointed at Yumi without actually moving her hands. It focused everything on her.

Startled a bit, Yumi pulled herself tighter. “W-what do you mean?”

“You’re weak. You collapsed too easily.”

“W-we’re all weak…”

Chiharu angled her head over to Yumi a little. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” She dug in her gaze. She planned to pull out the answer. The only option was to be ruthless.

Pressure from Chiharu did not help Yumi calm herself. She felt surrounded from all sides. Each direction had the eyes of Chiharu aimed at her. Yumi did not understand what she wanted anymore. She thought she gave her what she wanted. ‘I thought I was starting to understand her…but now…Chiharu’s so scary…’ Feelings and sensations no longer mattered. All it did was overload her. She had to find another way out. However, Chiharu did not look to be backing away from her. Yumi was out of answers.

“Already out of words?”

“But…I…”

“You’re already doing it.”

A wall stood before her blocking her path. Yumi had no place to return and no place to move again. Everywhere a barricade came down. She did not understand what Chiharu wanted from her. ‘She feels different from before…’ Chiharu refused to give a clear reply. She did not know what to do.

“You don’t even understand do you? You really are just dumb…”

Yumi pulled further away from Chiharu. She already went beyond uncertainty and confusion. She lost the chance to say anything. Her every turn threatened her with biting jaws of angry fangs. Yumi wanted it to stop. “Pl-please stop…”

Letting loose a puff of air, Chiharu tightened her arms. “Already making me the villain?”

“Why?”

“That’s what I want to know. Why you?”

“I-I don’t understand what you’re asking!”

Chiharu turned a little in their walk to face Yumi better. “Why are you doing all of this? Why do you act strong, but are actually a coward? Is it all for him? Because of some pointless crush? Why? I want a real answer from you.”

Yumi felt the slam of all of the words against her chest. Her past conversations with Chiharu ran mostly indirect and even when it seemed like they were direct there was still confusion left. It was the first time that Yumi actually felt that Chiharu was being direct and not jumping around words. ‘Was everything from before about this? She’s still bothered by it?’ Most of the nervousness in Yumi faded away. If it was a question such as that, she felt confident in an answer. “I did provide you a partial answer already.”

“You want to change yourself?”

A nod in agreement came from Yumi. She managed to smile a little feeling the warmth returning to her body. “Yes, that’s correct.” The image of Yuki painted through her mind as she thought about her words.

The tone in Chiharu’s voice cracked slightly as she spoke, “What do you think you can do with such weak and naïve ideas?”

She shook her head a bit at Chiharu. Yumi began to see that she really did not understand. Originally, she thought she might have been too young, but she did not know Chiharu’s past. Their chats showed her that Chiharu had maturity. She still lacked something else. What she lacked prevented her from understanding. Yumi knew that finally. “I guess it could be seen as that to you. But you sure that it is not you that are weak for not being able to see?”

“I’m not weak,” Chiharu immediately replied. The tone in her voice broke again in her words. Her arms tightened in further. Any further movement from Chiharu would begin popping her joints.

Yumi’s smile had weakened a bit seeing the unsettling stress from Chiharu. “There are different types of weakness. I think…” She needed to explain herself. It was clear to her that something still bothered Chiharu enough to keep pressing the issue. Yumi did not claim to understand her reasons, but she felt the importance of it to her. “I already know that I’m not very strong. I have to keep picking myself back up. I’m always doubting what I can do. The truth is that I probably shouldn’t even be here.”

“If you know this, then why are you still here?”

“I already answered that question four chapters ago,” Yumi quickly commented with a grin.

A quick glare jumped from Chiharu at Yumi. “I mean what makes you think you can do this. You know you’re weak and not suited to this. How can something so soft as the notion of change be your reason?”

“Well honestly a lot of it is because of Yuki. He’s the reason I want to change.” Some bits of nostalgia floated through Yumi’s mind calling her back. However, a low growl from Chiharu snapped her out of her memories. Yumi saw the looked of ‘no more flashbacks’ in her eyes. It made her sweat a little, but she pushed on. ‘I guess a lot of I didn’t really fully understand at the beginning either. It just sort happened…’

Yumi let her hands rest back her side. She forgot that they still walked under the moon towards her brother. The conversation with Chiharu completely absorbed her. “Back at home, I did not really mind being ordinary and normal. If anything I wanted that more than anything, but I knew I wasn’t. I was below average and I had to struggle just to try to be average. During all of middle school that was always my dream, just to be normal. And I thought I felt the same for high school too.”

“Don’t tell me, because of the weakling you changed your mind.”

She giggled a little at the thought, but shook her head. “No, I don’t really think he had much to do with that. After everything that happened with Japan changing, I didn’t know what to think. Everything had changed and I could no longer see things the same anymore.” Her left hand rose up to rest on her right upper arm to hold on for safety. She saw things that defied nature out of her window. Everything no longer had the same meaning, at least she hoped. It gave her a new chance.

Chiharu would have crossed her arms in disbelief, if she had not already. She could not even tighten anymore as a show. All she could manage was narrowed eyes to carry any further disbelief within her. “You’re saying he had nothing to do with it? That since the country changed you came to the conclusion?”

“I guess he triggered things or was part of it. But the changes happening around me definitely changed my way of thinking.” The impossible happened around her. People with strange powers surfaced in every corner. Nothing was as she knew. Her thoughts changed then. “I didn’t think much of it at first. All of it scared me too much. Even from the window of my home, nothing felt safe anymore. But slowly I felt something different. I started considering something. Back then I couldn’t give it words to exist. However, our last night in Japan I made my decision.”

“You made a decision?”

Yumi nodded back to her. “Yes, it was at the same time I decided I was going to help Yuki.”

“So it does come back to the weakling.”

“Eh? I guess…though they’re two separate issues.” Yumi stuck her hands out as if she held something between them and moved her hands to the opposite side. She wanted to keep them apart from each other. “I felt that if I was going to do anything, I needed to do something… Something possibly drastic and reckless, something that I might regret.”

“Isn’t that counterproductive?” The thought process of Yumi failed to make Chiharu understand her any better. She felt like she was getting the full answer from Yumi, but not the answer that fit. It only served to confuse her further. Questions swam in her head. Yet curiosity remained strong enough to keep from breaking off.

“Maybe so,” laughed Yumi. She could not deny the notion that everything she did was pointless. Even starting out she knew the possibilities. However, she did not stop and kept pushing forward. ‘Maybe that’s why the voice inside me comes out…when I find myself in doubt…I can’t turn away…’ Yumi fixed stares with Chiharu. She felt some of her determination returning. “But I decided to do anything knowing that. I needed to change I realized. The world around me had changed and though even before the changes occurred I did not necessarily fit neatly into its works… I knew that now I definitely wouldn’t… The world outside my home wasn’t a place for me. So I needed to be someone different to keep moving forward.”

“Someone different?” Chiharu raised an eyebrow in uncertainty. The longer she listened the less it made any sense to her. ‘I really don’t understand her way of thinking. You don’t just decide to change yourself. Training and discipline are the only way to improving yourself.’ She was not finding the answer she wanted. She had to correct her thoughts. “Change isn’t possible.”

“Huh?”

“You’re born who you are and who you will be. You can’t change that. You can refine what you’re given. You are you. Nothing more.”

Yumi closed her hands together with her fingers laced together. She held on tightly to them as though desperate to keep something from escaping. “I know I’m trying for something that is impossible. I’ve been who I have been for my entire life. So changing now seems beyond my limits, but even though I falter, stumble and fail I need to keep trying anyway.”

“For him?”

“For myself! My friends support me and know I can be more. So I have to believe as well in what they see in me. So I’ll do this for myself. I’ll become stronger and more confident.” Yumi made it into a promise rather than a dream or hope. She stood in a land where she could not let her weaknesses and fears keep holding her back. She was afraid and scared of the future, but she needed to keep trying anyway. Yumi jumped forward a little ahead of Chiharu and turned around to face her completely. “After all, we’re in the land where anything is possible, right?” A wide grin appeared on her face brimming with resolve. “Even the impossible can happen!”

Chiharu came to a stop still questioning the logic presented to her. She did not have the energy to debate the further irrational ideas with her. Nothing came as clear as she wanted with Yumi. Deep inside, she held onto hope to finding the answer that she needed for herself. The phrase that would solve her own questions, but her quest would have to continue. She knew it would not be so easy. “Logic only a fool can understand. No wonder you’re stuck on the weakling.”

“That’s fine with me for now!” Yumi still have some uncertainties about Chiharu and herself. They definitely did not see eye-to-eye on almost anything. She was positive that they would probably continue to argue and disagree about any decision. However, after everything that happened it still felt better having talk to her. She was not sure how much of it helped, but she no longer saw Chiharu as cold and distant. Even if only a little bit, she thought she could call her a friend and feel like Chiharu might not complain about the notion. Yumi was happy. ‘Everything will be fine! I’m feeling good about this! We’re a team!’

Seiji and Fumiko came to a stop next to the two girls. However, their reasons were not because they interrupted the march. They aimed their eyes forward to the distance. Fumiko was the first to speak, “Is that a village?”

“I can’t tell from here,” answered Seiji, leaning forward as though it helped him. “It’s too dark.”

Chiharu pulled her focus back to the attention that grabbed the others. The features on her face all became narrowed and intense. “No, that’s no village. It’s a camp.”

The sudden change in atmosphere finally reached Yumi. It pulled her around, curious to know what the others were talking about. Once she saw the same thing, her eyes widened and pupils shrank in disbelief. “A camp?! It can’t be!” She staggered back unable to hide her surprise.

“Yes, and judging by the size there are more than a hundred camped there.”

“How’s that possible?” asked Fumiko, taking a step back as well. “We would have seen something this big!”

“My brother’s in there?! How are we supposed to get him out of there?” Despair fell back into Yumi’s lap dropping her to her knees. The sight grew more expansive in her mind. Her brother stretched out of her reach. ‘How will I save him?’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Long confused hours passed since the surprising end to the interrogation. Only a small piece of new information came out of it. A piece that did not end have a defined edge. No edge or shape, it meant it had no hint or clue to how it fit together with everything else. Unfortunately, the piece was important and critical. Everything else used it to hold together. If it was not present, all of the rest of pieces already put together held no meaning. The significance of the piece demanded its use immediately. Yet in such condition, the piece had no means of use.

Such was the state Simonides’ mind was in since he gained the new puzzle piece. All he had was a torrent of dependent questions with no answers.

He could not sleep with such questions.

Isolated in his tent for the empty hours, he had enough of the restless. Simonides stood up from the chair in the mostly empty space. “I need more pieces. This won’t be solved on what I have currently.” He straightened his step and smoothed out his stance before exiting his tent.

Across the camp, Simonides waved his hand in acknowledgement of the soldiers that passed him. After they passed he turned to face the tent next to him. He still had to move ahead with the next stage of the plan, even without knowing all of the answers. ‘I’ve already set the pieces in motion. I can’t undo it now.’ Simonides pushed open tent to one of the many men’s tents that acted as their barracks for the camp.

“Attention! Captain Simonides is present!” shouted a lower officer that saw his arrival. It signaled a mad dash throughout the long tent. A few seconds passed to present all of the men in the tent standing out in front of their beds.

Ignoring the stillness of the room, Simonides walked in strict silence with each step in purpose. It made the tension in the tent increase, as none of them knew his reasons to enter the tent at such a late hour. He saw the looks in their eyes that followed him, while trying to maintain their discipline. Their unease did not surprise him. While they all trusted him, he knew, taking actions without notice made questions surface. The entire mission was one big question for them. He was not acting like the Captain that they knew. He knew all of this too well, but had too few answers for them. Confusion in questions was preferred to confusion in comprehension.

A gap in the even line appeared in his march. It stopped him, but not for the reasons the rest of the men thought. Simonides turned to look down at the man wearing a white military uniform. The blonde haired man with dark blue eyes, almost black, lounged in his cot with one leg crossed over the other. A book, with a thin ribbon bookmark dangling from the spine, covered the lower part of the man’s face. “First Lieutenant Vangelis…” he spoke with the expectation of getting his attention.

The man’s legs shifted a little acting as a response and signal of life. “…hmm…” uttered the man, still not acting in attention.

“You have new orders. Follow me.”

Vangelis’ book shifted a little acting like a twitch. “Oh? You don’t sound like a messenger. Since when did the Captain start going around speaking to the men directly?”

Simonides restrained his annoyed mood. He always had to deal with the man in such a frustrating manner. “Since when did lower officers not give the due respect to their Captain?”

“The same time I got stuck in this backwater posting.”

“This posting is important to the safety of Atlantis and you know that.”

“A bunch of pathetic researchers. It’s a waste of my talents to deal with lowly humans.”

Narrowing his eyes a little, Simonides prepared for the finished. He hated having to provide motivation to Vangelis. “Then you should be pleased with your new orders. I want you to gather a team of MPs and go deal with the rebel MPs.”

The book closed with a punctuated thud to accent the change in mood. Vangelis’ interest piqued. He lifted himself up from the cot to lean forward with his arm resting against his knee. An excited and pleasure seeking grin drew across his lips widened with his new attitude. “Oh? Tell me more, Captain!”

Chapter 138 – Silent Approach

The sudden change in atmosphere finally reached Yumi. It pulled her around, curious to know what the others were talking about. Once she saw the same thing, her eyes widened and pupils shrank in disbelief. “A camp?! It can’t be!” She staggered back unable to hide her surprise.

“Yes, and judging by the size there are more than a hundred camped there.”

“How’s that possible?” asked Fumiko, taking a step back as well. “We would have seen something this big!”

“My brother’s in there?! How are we supposed to get him out of there?” Despair fell back into Yumi’s lap dropping her to her knees. The sight grew more expansive in her mind. Her brother stretched out of her reach. ‘How will I save him?’ She did not expect to see such a sight when she came so close to rescuing her brother. Only a few attacked them, she thought that they would still be holding him. Yet she found something worse.

From their view, only so much was visible. The night made it difficult to see everything clearly. However, the fires around the camp put the scale into perspective for everyone. Small pools of light cast shapes and shadows around painting a rough scene. Numerous tents lined the field spreading out far. Moonlight only gave highlights to everything with its warm bathing glow.

Yumi feared their chances of finding her brother and getting out. ‘So many soldiers…Yori’s in there…’ She closed her hands and pressed them against her chest. The shaking in her muscles returned as a familiar companion.

“Yumi?” said Fumiko, a little worried. She noticed that Yumi disappeared from her sight. Turning around with the others, Fumiko found her on the ground. ‘She’s shaking…I’m not really sure what I expected to find, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised…’ Fumiko leaned down to meet Yumi. “Yu—“

“Already losing that empty confidence of yours?” interrupted Chiharu. She almost stood between the two girls, but made it clear that she did not want Fumiko’s aid. Chiharu crossed her arms staring down over them at Yumi.

Amongst the blanket fear threatening her, Chiharu’s words cut through to Yumi. When she heard Chiharu speaking, everything else in her mind ran blank. She forgot about the fear that already began to shackle her. “What?”

Fumiko pulled up her arm trying to get in front of Chiharu, but she protested her. “Chiharu! What do you thin—“

“Silence.” Her voice did not even rise above the tone, but still had the same impact. She noted the hand that pulled away with unease, but kept her gaze fixed downward. “Don’t act oblivious. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?”

Yumi did not know what felt worse the penetrating words or the piercing stare. Both baked her under pressure. She knew what Chiharu talked about in her words. It made her turn her head away. Nothing managed to come out of her mouth.

“Can’t say anything? You know it’s the truth. You’re just going to keep repeating this act over and over again.”

‘I really am all just talk, aren’t I?’ As much as she wanted to deny the words, the truth could never be covered over. She saw it all too well. Yet her fear was too strong for her to resist. She could not stop it. ‘…it’s too heavy…’

“This as far as you go? The impossible is the impossible. Otherwise it wouldn’t be called impossible.” Chiharu turned away from Yumi. Before she could continue, she found Fumiko and Seiji stared down at her. Their glares made her raise her eyebrow a little curious to their purpose. However, she did not let it stop her. “There’s nothing you can do. I knew you couldn’t do it.”

Hearing the words from Chiharu sent Yumi into shock for a moment. Her eyes widened and pupil’s shrank at having her words returned to her. It felt like a slap in the face. The sting still lingered even after the attack even though Chiharu did not touch her. Yumi subconsciously touched her cheek as she stared at Chiharu’s back. ‘…the impossible… I said I wanted to do it…but…Chiharu…’ The tall and imposing back made Yumi’s blood boil a little. ‘Don’t look down on me…I stumble, but I’ll stand back up!’ Yumi forced her legs to push herself up, still a little wobbly.

“Yumi?” questioned Fumiko, leaning over Chiharu a bit.

Yumi’s head tilted forward a little not quite hanging from her shoulders. Her forehead cast a shadow over her eyes blacking them out from sight. “…I-I…I-I…” She could not stop the shaking in her arms.

A verbal tick came from Chiharu’s lips. “Got something to say?” She kept her back to Yumi and faced ahead towards the camp. “Just because you stand doesn’t mean anything. You’re still weak.”

Seiji grabbed up a free piece of Chiharu’s ninja garb she wore to get her attention. He had enough of the kid mouthing off to everyone. He hated listening to her abuse, but he could take it. However, he had his limits when it was directed to another. “I’ve had enough of you! Just stop—“

“Chiharu!” shouted Yumi, interrupting Seiji. The volume on Yumi’s voice surprised Seiji and Fumiko. Yumi’s face ran red and her breathing shallow. Even after her shout it felt like it drained everything from her.

Chiharu flicked her hand against Seiji’s fist to bat him off. His distraction with Yumi made it easier for her to free herself. She tilted her head over her shoulder to Yumi. “What? Going to actually say something?”

“Yes!” Yumi fought to reign in her body’s shaking. She needed to keep standing on her feet. The dominating presence of Chiharu would not allow anything else. She needed the strength. “I’ll show you! I’ll show you that my way will work! So just watch!”

“Oh? And how long will that confidence last you before you lose it again? I’m not fighting with someone that wants to run away once things get serious.”

Each shard of truth thrown hurt in its own way. Her weakness turned into a weapon to slash her down before she took a step. It was all used against her. Yumi knew it. She knew she could not let it keep hurting. She stepped up to Chiharu desperately holding on her strength. “I won’t forget it. I will make the impossible happen.”

The confidence in Yumi’s words warmed to Chiharu. She heard them before too easily from her. It was not enough. Chiharu turned to face Yumi fully. “You always can speak with conviction, but that won’t last. You’ll fall—“

“I won’t!” She stopped Chiharu before she continued her abuse. “You think I’m weak. I am weak, but I can find strength in it still.” Yumi hardened her expression and faced the rest of her friends. They all supported her and depended on her. She had to start trusting in their faith. “You put me in charge, right? I’m the leader!”

Chiharu threw her hand back behind her pointing her finger at the two others. “They did, I haven’t. You have to prove it to me.”

Yumi stepped ahead of them looking from the small hill they stopped at before. The camp reflected back in her eyes. Their goal stood in front. She did not need hesitation anymore. “We need to find out the situation in there, right?” Her words bounced back at them with an intended recipient, even though not made expressly clear.

“That is the first objective for anything like this,” replied Chiharu.

“Then go in and find out what we’re dealing with. We’ll need information to make a plan.”

“Using me to satisfy your emotions isn’t wise.”

She turned back from the hill to look down at Chiharu. A clear and calculating almost cold look shined from her eyes. Her strength resurfaced. “I’m not sending you because you made me mad. I’m sending you because I know you’re the best suited this job. You can use your shadow ability to remain out of sight while gathering the information.”

A twitch flicked along Chiharu’s eye. ‘This is her strength that I saw before…however…’ Chiharu took a step forward bothered by something Yumi said. “What do you know about that? I’ve told no one what I can do.”

“I’ve seen you use it enough recently to figure out how it works. You can do it, right? Not going to back out.”

“Of course,” snapped Chiharu, “This is too easy.” Chiharu disappeared from sight already on the move. She looked forward to an interesting challenge.

Fumiko smiled a little realizing what took place. Yumi already started walking towards the camp. Even Seiji, confused as he was, began to resume following Yumi. However, he turned back to Fumiko when he noticed she did not move. He raised his hand up pointing at her with a flat expression. “What’s with the smile? You scheming something?”

“Hardly. Chiharu already did everything that I might have needed.” Fumiko laughed a little to herself. After she felt pleased with the situation, she moved on to catch up to Yumi.

Seiji felt lost with her response. The way the situation turned out bothered him. “Hey! What just happened?”


Inside the camp, Athene stumbled out of the medical tent. She woke up recently and waited for the doctor to leave. They refused to allow her to leave, but she had something more important to do. She tripped over the cords that held up a tent. The fall threw dirt up into her mouth and rubbed over her face. She tightened her hands in the grass. ‘Damn you…taking my sight!’ Athene staggered around the camp until she made it to the tent she desired. Her powers confirmed it for her when her sight could not.

Using her powers, a new tent flap appeared in the back of the tent. Directed by the new laws her made in her field, Athene guided herself to the tent. Her hand pushed through the tent separating the flaps. She knew he was near. “I’ll have my answers, Yori Mizuno!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Inside the camp, Athene stumbled out of the medical tent. She woke up recently and waited for the doctor to leave. They refused to allow her to leave, but she had something more important to do. She tripped over the cords that held up a tent. The fall threw dirt up into her mouth and rubbed over her face. She tightened her hands in the grass. ‘Damn you…taking my sight!’ Athene staggered around the camp until she made it to the tent she desired. Her powers confirmed it for her when her sight could not.

Using her powers, a new tent flap appeared in the back of the tent. Directed by the new laws her made in her field, Athene guided herself to the tent. Her hand pushed through the tent separating the flaps. She knew he was near. “I’ll have my answers, Yori Mizuno!”

Through her newly provided powers in her field, she detected the two guards. They laid on the ground knocked out. She did not want any interruptions, so she made her field put anyone inside it asleep. She had not expected to find them inside the tent. However, nothing would stop her. Athene stepped within reach of Yori, still unconscious. “You’re going to give me what I want! I don’t care what sort mental defenses you have. You’re just a normal human.”

Athene touched her hand to the back of Yori’s head. A shaking weakness in her legs threatened her concentration. ‘I don’t need a body, just my mind…’ Her hand firmly held to the back of his skull. Over her hand materialized a black metal glove. It extruded its edge over her wrist and past her elbow. The metal did not stop until it wrapped itself around her neck and half over her face as though protecting her. She lost all movement in her body, but she did not need it anymore. Glowing shapes of light lit up all over the surface of the all-consuming black. It became the signal for Athene.

She closed her eyes to calm herself down and remove all distractions. The field she used differed significantly from what she was familiar with using. It had to be. She knew to deal with the defenses inside Yori’s mind. She did not plan to go in unprepared like last time. Because everything she used was new, it made her nervous to keep the entire thing in her mind. ‘You will reveal everything to me this time. I will not have been blinded for nothing!’

Another moment later, the white blindness disappeared into a black void. The void melted away granting Athene sight for the first time in hours. However, she did not stand in the room she created last time. Her space was not exactly what she expected. She wanted the truth unfiltered and used her powers to grasp at it. Surrounding her was a massive array of doors and halls in all directions, even above and below. She floated free at the center. “Is this the place? What I actually seek?”

Pieced together from the air, Yori appeared hovering at a ninety-degree angle to Athene. The lack of a sense of direction or even gravity made her uneasy. She waited carefully measuring her defense. The last time she underestimated his potential. Athene did not plan to make the same mistake. Playing cautiously, she backed away a little. “Are you the real one or just another fake?”

Initially, plain and flat in expression, he changed in response to her question. A mischievous grin appeared on his lips. Yori opened his arms gesturing with them as he began to speak. “So the arrogate woman has returned. Didn’t have enough last time?”

“…you again…” Athene narrowed her eyes in his presence. She wished to find a difference between them, but apart from personality they appeared identical, an easy trap. “This won’t be the same as last time!”

“So it would seem. I see you’re protecting your mind this time. Maybe you can learn and see past your own arrogance.”

“Still mocking me. I’ll prove you to be the arrogant one.”

“Oh? If you get past one layer of this labyrinth’s defenses before you collapse from your weakened state then I’ll change my attitude.”

The piercing knowing look in his eyes startled Athene. ‘I’ve blocked access point into my mind! He shouldn’t know anything about my condition, but that look…’ She could not believe that he managed to already crack through her defenses. Athene staggered back as the avatar of Yori disappeared. ‘How is this possible? Am I really arrogant?’

Precious seconds drained away for Athene. The foreboding the place finally snapped her out of her daze. She came with a purpose and it surrounded her. Too many options presented themselves to her. ‘Where do I even begin? I’ve never seen such a complex mind before. Can I do this?’ The doubt that bubbled up inside her came too easily. She hated the feeling. It sapped away her resolve that she had from before. “No, I came for answers! I will have my answers!”

Chapter 139 – Demanding Answers

With renewed interest, Simonides led Vangelis out of the tent and away from them light of the camp. He went over the specifics on location and weaknesses of the targets. Once in the darkness out of sight from the passing patrols, Vangelis leaned over with a very eager grin. Simonides found the man very bothersome and undisciplined. He was not someone suited for military service, but the system was inflexible with those like him. They had to go somewhere, regardless of personality traits.

Simonides cast a cautious gaze to Vangelis to mask his mood. Despite his personal feelings about the man, the man did have talent and intelligence, though crude at times. ‘He’ll serve a couple of purposes. It’ll be a good measure.’

“So what else you got to tell me?” Vangelis asked bluntly. He already started to look bored again. All of the talking drained him of his interest.

“You’re free to pick who you want for you team, but Iole will be one of them.”

Disgust surfaced in Vangelis face at the mention of the name. “That Ice Queen? She’ll kill my fun!”

“This is a mission, I don’t care about if it is fun for you or not. I expect results.”

“Oh you’ll get results,” smirked Vangelis. His eyes slid around his face in thought. He focused back on Simonides after a few seconds. “You just want Iole to keep an eye on me!”

A flicker of surprise came from Simonides’ eyes from the comment. He did not expect him to reach the conclusion so quickly. “Think whatever you want, she goes. Find three other MPs for your team and leave immediately.”

“What’s the rush? You that eager to see some rebels killed?” Vangelis’ face darkened with the bloodlust filling his eyes. He raised his hand up towards Simonides. The tension in his hand wound his fist tightly together. “You have to savor these things.”

Simonides hardened his features to keep from cracking his true self through in front of Vangelis. “I expect that they will be coming here to rescue their comrade. They’re the naïve type. So I want you to keep them away until we have what we want.”

Faked sadness and disappointment painted Vangelis’ eyes. “Keep them away? I think you’re underrating me if you think I would lose to a bunch of teenage traitors.”

“Don’t get cocky, Vangelis. They’ve already defeated four MPs.”

“Don’t compare me to those weaklings! I’ll bring you all of their heads!”

“Capturing them is highest priority for your objectives. Only kill them as a last resort.”

“Tch, you’re no fun.”

The conversation started to come to an end. Simonides turned away to ensure that it carried no further. He already gave him all of the information need to find them anymore talking was pointless. “I’m not interested in your enjoyment.”

“You’re too soft. Traitors receive death in the end anyway.”

Simonides stopped for a moment, still keeping his back to him. “I’m sending a blood-thirsty killer to deal with a bunch of teenagers. I wonder which one of us really is soft.” He departed the man’s company returning to the light.


Traveling through the light blue moonlit-coated fields, Chiharu ran closer to the encampment. It grew larger the longer time passed. Even as she moved, her eyes scanned everything around her taking it all in. She calculated angles of attack and weaknesses in the defense. They held the advantage in surprise. Every opportunity needed to be taken.

Chiharu stopped within the shadows of a nearby tree. Ahead of her, the camp stood almost in range. She could see guards patrolling the perimeter. The scale of the camp looked grander up close for her. It brought her a little eagerness for the challenge ahead. ‘That girl’s pretty good when she’s serious… I’ll figure her out eventually…’ Retreating her body into the shadow, Chiharu vanished from sight.

Inside the void, Chiharu hovered in calm control of her actions, unlike the first time she discovered her ability. She knew nothing of what she had during her fight with the Higoshi Clan. Everything she used was from instinct, however after the fight she became determined to master it. She learned the limits and range of the ability in her short training. It turned into an extension of her body and just as natural. The only thing she wished she knew was why it happened, but understood that the weakling was to blame for it. A thought she detested.

From inside the shadow’s void between worlds, she slipped her sight through the multitude of windows. Though faint, the moon provided more than enough shadows over all of the camp. The further in, the fires lit made her progress even easier. It was all far too easy for her. A disappointing challenge presented for her. She wished something from it would give her a reason to try. Nothing tested her limits.

Jumping through shadows between passing patrols, Chiharu brought herself deep within the camp as her base point. Her range did not put the entire camp in her reach, but enough to begin her intel gathering. ‘Which one is it?’ She jumped around avoiding the soldiers. ‘They’re all too relaxed… The way they attacked this morning I would have thought they’d be more cautious.’

Even though she did not participate in most of the fighting, she watched it all play out. They took no interest in her. The underestimation would be something that she would make them all regret. She planned ahead to understand her enemy.

The longer that she watched through her portals the image of the military became clearer. ‘There’s almost none of them wearing those white uniforms. Most of their military force must be made up of standard soldiers. I would have thought that they would make more use of special types in their military.’ She still had much of the camp left to explore, but she found only ten of them. Three of them were ones that they faced before.

‘Maybe they’re keeping them in another part of the camp. I’ll need to search deeper…’ Chiharu continued her progress making note of everything. The layout of the camp came together in her mind. She recorded it all down mentally to take back. Even without their leader, her mind spun tactics and strategies for how to sneak in.

However, one thing still eluded her. The brother remained missing. She needed to figure out where they held him. ‘If my Shadow Prism could hold someone other than me I could end this easily. I wonder if in time the power will grow…’ Tossing away the distraction, Chiharu narrowed her vision to keep on task. She did not need to concern herself with unknowns.

Another few tents explored only revealed more sleeping soldiers through her windows. She started to wonder if he was even in the camp. ‘I haven’t seen any suspicious tents yet. There must be guards with him.’

Chiharu pulled back on her window hopping. She mapped out half to camp, but most of the tents remained unknown to her still. Her eyes closed as she made a mental image of the camp with all of the tents laid out for her. ‘I’ve already checked all of those,’ she commented, marking off tents. ‘That much still…’

She opened her eyes taking back all of the windows that surrounded her. The countless exits thanks to all of the light sources gave her almost too many choices. Chiharu turned her head around to look behind her. ‘One of these must hold what I’m searching for…’

Returning to her map, she marked off tents too large for holding a prisoner. She found some consistency in their use of tents. It narrowed down her options further. ‘Only three tents with what I have explored. I’ll need to eliminate these first.’ Chiharu took action starting with the closest window to her.

The shadow window gave her almost no vision on the interior of the room, just like the others. It was the reason why she could not mark them off as locations. She did not know their contents. Each had their risks, but trusted that she could handle anything. Appearing from the shadows of desk’s leg, Chiharu’s head surfaced with just enough room for her eyes to scan the room.

Most of the room was dark. Only a dim light leaked out to give enough of a shadow to form. The darkness of the tent gave Chiharu the most trouble. However, she clearly saw that it did not have the brother. She disappeared and moved on to the next window.

The same results returned to her.

‘Last one…’ Chiharu tapped her hand along her weapons belt. It eased the tension in her left arm a little. She did not know why she felt the need for such a self-doubting touch, but it worked. Ahead of her, the last window stood ready for her. Unlike the others, the room was well lit, eliminating good shadows for her. The only shadow she could use had something blocking most of the view. She assumed the light came from above.

Her head poked through the wide shadow scanning the room. The moment she found two collapsed bodies, her eyes narrowed in confusion. ‘Something’s not right…’ She only saw two others in the room, but nothing clear. Their feet were the only thing she could see from the vantage point given. Turning around, she figured out that a chair was the source of the shadow. It made it difficult to get out. However, she understood the layout of the interior better and could take advantage of the other obscured shadows. She picked the window for its cover, but other shadows did exist. The shadows from the bodies blocked all view for her initially, but made sense to her with the new information.

Chiharu pulled back and then jumped. As she surfaced, she got a better view of the body. ‘He looks unconscious…who are the other two I saw?’ The rest presented a lot of risk for her, but she knew she had to go for it. Chiharu slowly surfaced from the shadow taking in the interior. Her view expanded over the body and gave her everything she needed. ‘There he is…and the woman…what’s she doing to him?’

Suddenly, Chiharu lost her grip on the ground. She arm felt sluggish along with her body soon after. ‘What’s wrong with me? I feel so strange…’ Chiharu tried to focus her mind, but it only faded faster. She staggered out of the shadow disorientated. ‘Is this…those two…’ Her legs failed to give her any support. Chiharu collapsed to the ground. ‘…so tired…damn…’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Time’s value already disappeared the moment that Athene entered into the boy’s mind. She knew that hours could easily pass for her. Such time made her grateful the longer that she remained unable to move forward. However, it also brought her closer to her limits. Athene expected a challenge, but she could not remember his mind’s complexity being so great. The only thing she remembered from the encounter was the feeling of him being different. It told her not to underestimate him.

An invisible force threw her back to the center. All the open gates and doors closed up upon her rejection. Then as though to add insult to injury, the entire layout changed as it had before. “Damn…” The Atlantean woman panted slowly pulling herself up from the floor. Her appearance looked ragged and pathetic, but she did not care. Appearance meant nothing to her. She only wanted the answers that she demanded.

“How many times…” Athene dropped herself down sitting needed to catch her breath. She lost count of the attempts that she made to get through the teenager’s defenses. Every failure ejected her painfully with damaging feedback. It always changed immediately after as well. All she managed to do was figure out a pattern of how it made itself impenetrable. She felt like the defenses taunted her. A few times, she thought she found a way through with a noticeable method for cracking the defense only to see it change.

She tempted her body to stand, but her weak knees dropped her. It was getting worse for her. “…I’m not going to last for much longer…” Even with a perfectly healthy mind and body, she did not know if she had the stamina mental or physical to survive in his mind. She figured since it was only because her mind had protection through the use of her powers that kept her from being completely crushed. “…I have to find a way…”

Chapter 140 – Time Limit

Following behind Chiharu at some distance, the rest of the group with Yumi closed in on the camp. While never spoken, it was understood by everyone that they would wait at a safe distance from the camp until Chiharu returned. They reached the point for them to stop. They took cover near a small outcropping of brush.

Fumiko rested near the bushes with a full view of the others. She did not have the stamina of Seiji or the determination of Yumi. The only thing keeping her together was the fact that she tried to keep the team together. It allowed her to ignore most of the problems that plagued her mind. Before they split, ever since she left the village she had trouble focusing on anything. She barely even remembered the fighting that happened.

She saw the weakness that Yumi thought she held within that bred her uncertainty. However, Fumiko knew that Yumi would still be able to fight in the end. When pushed in the corner, she saw that Yumi would be able to survive. The problem was that she had doubts about herself. Yumi might have the appearance of being weakness, but Fumiko knew that herself had fallen into weakness. Her practice back home gave her the confidence she needed to believe she could survive. While not athletic or skilled with the gift of tactics, she faced down terrible things already.

The fear and terror she felt when she thought she might die stayed with her. She thought it gave her confidence and control. She thought it meant she understood herself better. Yet, her first fight that actually made use of her abilities forced her to discover how empty it all was.

Concentrating on keeping everyone together made her ignore it. She could not forget it. The waiting brought back her fears and slammed the weight down on her. Only a few minutes had passed and Fumiko already felt like the ground was water pulling her down to the dark abyss. ‘…so suffocating…I-I can’t let…it…’

Fumiko slapped her face sharply to snap her out of her problems. ‘…I don’t have time for this…’ She looked over at Yumi. ‘I need to stay focused for her. It’s only us this time. I don’t have the luxury for doubt right now.’

Amongst her thoughts, she lost a sense of time. However, across from her Seiji already looked ready to charge the camp. She prayed that the dangerous situation kept his impatience in check. They could not take the risk of going into such a large camp unprepared. ‘While we did win last time, it was not an easy fight. We don’t even know how many of those like Yuki are inside.’

While it did seem that Seiji’s better judgment held out over his instinct. As with anything else, it could only last for so longer before it eroded away. The continued absence of Chiharu mounted the tension for everyone. Seiji broke through the tension in his typical bull-like fashion. “The hell’s taking the brat so long! We should just storm the place and get the two of them out!”

Yumi flailed her arms a little trying to calm down Seiji, but failed to find the right words. Fumiko took a moment to sweat a little amused. ‘Even though he’s stupid, he does manage to find the right moments provide a distraction.’ However, she knew that she could not be amused with the scene for long. Seiji knew nothing of restraint, she learned, when it came down to running off his impatient nature. “If you keep shouting they’ll end up hearing you,” she commented, pointing her thumb behind her at the camp.

He gritted his teeth in annoyance, but also understanding. In reduced volume, he continued, “ We’ve waited long enough! We need to do something!”

“We need to wait on Chiharu to returned,” insisted Fumiko.

“Tch!” Seiji waved his hand in a dismissive motion at her mention. “She talks big and acts confident, but she probably just captured in her overconfidence. They probably know that we’re out here!”

“Getting worried?”

Seiji jumped back in surprise at Fumiko. “What?! Ridiculous!” He crossed his arms and turned away from her gaze. “She annoying and doesn’t think about anyone but herself! Why would I care what happens to her?”

“But she’s one of us!” Yumi protested. Her attempt to stand to join them came rushed and tripped her legs. She caught herself before she stood up, turning the action into an all-fours lean forward.

“The hell she is! She only came because she thought she get a fight out of it!”

“That’s not true!”

“Of course it is! Or have you missed the fact that she refuses to call any of us by our name?”

“…Chiharu…” Yumi lost her words again. She had never thought about it, but the moment he said it her mind went through everything that Chiharu said. She tried to find a single time that she actually said anyone’s name. Nothing came to her.

“I’m surprised you noticed,” noted Fumiko, “You always surprise me on the things that you’re actually aware of.”

“And your condescending tone is always just as annoying.”

Fumiko shrugged to him with a bit of a grin. “I can’t help it that you’re breaking your archetype every time that you do.”

“Enough with your stories.”

“I know it goes against your nature, but you need to be patient and believe in Chiharu.”

The arguing cooled off Seiji enough that sat down, though still not pleased. “I don’t know why you trust her.”

Yumi turned her head over their cover back to the camp. It looked no different to her from when they arrived. She could not tell if something had gone wrong with Chiharu’s infiltration. She imagined that if she was caught they see activity or hear something. The whole field remained eerily quiet. “…Chiharu…”

“Don’t worry, Yumi.” Fumiko placed a hand on Yumi’s shoulder to grab her attention. “Chiharu will be fine. She’s strong and smart.”

“I know, but…” She turned her head down as doubtful thoughts filled her mind. “…she could have been, it’s possible…”

“Don’t let what Seiji said bother you. He just worried as well and doesn’t have any other way to express it.”

“But he—“

“That’s just how he is. They have a complicated relationship. He’s probably more worried about her than even me…” Fumiko stared over at the camp losing her words.

“Fumiko?”


On the not quite opposite side of the camp (because nothing should be symmetrical), five figures in white uniforms stood gathered. Vangelis stood out in the group for his less conventional interpretation of their military uniform. It had everything that made up the uniform, but the loose pants had long cuts up to past the knees. The pant sleeves barely managed to hug his smoothly toned legs. Additionally, rather than wearing his rank badge as everyone did he used it to hold back his wild hair. It looked almost humiliated reduced to a mere hair accessory, and perhaps he intended it with such an action.

Vangelis surveyed his team. The woman that Simonides forced on him stood on the far left of the group. His team, the three others bunched together in confusion. Using his orders from their Captain, he demanded all of their presence with no further information. He could tell with the way Iole carried herself that she knew the mission. “You’ve been selected for a mission by order of the Captain. We leave immediately.”

“That all you going to say?” questioned one of the MP users, immediately standing defensive.

Turning a little aggressive in stance, the middle MP user spoke, “Yeah, how can we even trust what you say?”

“You just order us out here because you out rank us with no word.”

“I picked you all for this mission because I knew you all wanted a piece of the action. You’ve been bored with just routine catch and release patrols.” Vangelis leaked some of his unique enthusiasm into his words and motions. “You want something real, right?”

“What are you offering?” They began to become curious and interested in his words. The confusion faded from their eyes. A bit of the lust intoxicated them.

“You know the reason why the Captain in his infinite wisdom has removed all of us from such important tasks, right?”

“The attacks at the barrier and in Skoupa.”

He clinched his fist in excitement. “That’s right. The traitorous rebels, they have MPs with them.”

“Rogue MPs?”

“Yes,” smirked Vangelis.

The others looked around at each other. They might not have shared the deep pleasure that Vangelis had for violence, but they did stand out from the rest of the neat order that Atlantis worked to maintain. Vangelis acted openly without care or remorse for his attitude, but because what he did ended up getting results, he continued to get away with his actions. They did not have such fortune or confidence to pull such a feat off.

However, the meaning of his words sank into them. They knew what happened to rogue MPs. They knew the laws that put them in place and forced them into service. Their system was rigid for MP users. So they all understood what Vangelis thought about. While the thoughts of it were not the strongest in their mind, it did fuel them in a way that they had never felt before.

The notion of having a challenge and something different appealed greatly to them. Endless monotony of the status quo grated against them. It never ceased and at the end of their lives, it would still be the same thing. The only chance for something different or interesting was the rare chance of a real fight with another MP user. A fight that was not staged or training, but a true test of their mettle. It rang strong with their hearts. The only chance to be free came on the field.

They all quickly agreed in their minds and nodded. “We’re in,” they replied in unison.

“Of course you are,” Vangelis remarked arrogantly, “I picked you.”


Team Yumi still waited for the return of Chiharu. The time that passed worked against Seiji. He stood up a few more times in their waiting, but sat again in silence. It provided a distracting amusement to Fumiko.

Thirty minutes or an hour, none of them really planned for how long to wait. Yumi just sent Chiharu off and did not really think ahead of contingencies. She just assumed Chiharu would be back safely in a short amount of time. The longer time passed more worried she became until she could not take it anymore. “I think something’s wrong.” Yumi looked out to Fumiko and Seiji for their opinions.

“I’ve been saying that already,” Seiji said quickly, still holding a grudge.

Fumiko face turned flat looking at Seiji. “You’ve been saying that since we arrived. It takes time to scout out a place.”

“She’s just a kid, what does she know anyway?”

Yumi stepped in between them before they continued. “Yes, it takes time, but with Chiharu’s talents it shouldn’t be this long. I think something unexpected happened.” She looked over her shoulder to the camp. A deep longing feeling that ached in her chest pained her.

“But she went in so we could make a plan. We’ll be going in blind.”

Seiji rolled his arm around his shoulder as if he was warming up. “Plans are made to be broken anyway! We just charge in and deal with anyone that stands between us and Yori! It’s simple, no plan needed.”

“But we don’t know how many of those soldiers like Yuki are in there! It’s dangerous!”

“It’s dangerous either way. It’s just whether you know what you’re dealing with or not.”

Yumi stood up and turned to the camp. She made up her mind. Both her brother and Chiharu waited for them in the camp. They did not have anything but questions, but she could not delay them any longer. Resolve would have to carry her through. “We’re going in!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Yumi stood up and turned to the camp. She made up her mind. Both her brother and Chiharu waited for them in the camp. They did not have anything but questions, but she could not delay them any longer. Resolve would have to carry her through. “We’re going in!” Yumi began to walk towards the camp. She did not look like she planned to stop until she marched through the guard post.

Fumiko reached out a futile hand towards Yumi lacking the words. She did not think Yumi of all of them, at least while she was in control, would go off recklessly to attack the Atlanteans. However, it did not surprise her to see Seiji eagerly joining her. They left her behind. She needed to do something, quickly. Fumiko rushed forward to catch them. “Wait! We can’t just go in without a plan!”

“Of course we can!” replied Seiji. He turned his head over his shoulder to look back at her. “Who needs a plan? We’ll just plow through them all!” His hand tightened into a fist as proof of his strength and confidence in his words.

More than a little unimpressed by Seiji, Fumiko’s face turned flat to cynicism. “Need I remind you that you were the only one that lost to them the last fight? You can’t just plow through, they aren’t weak.”

A second paused for Seiji as though it actually seemed to have some impact on him, but he flipped quickly to excitement. “Then it’ll be a good time!”

She sighed listening to his endless enthusiasm for fighting. “I’d normally say I can’t believe you said that, but I’ve learned better to question your motives. The fact still remains we need a plan! Even if we are going in now!”

“And I said we don’t need one! The less thinking the better, it’ll just confuse me.”

“You actually realize that you’re stupid?”

“I’m not stupid!” protested Seiji. He fully turned to face Fumiko, no longer content to let her words just slide by him. “I just forget about everything when I fight. I don’t need strategy, just my intuition!”

“Your intuition…”

“You don’t have to worry, Fumiko,” replied a voice behind the both of them. It startled them and made them jump away from the voice. Once they focused, they saw Yumi standing in front of them. Fumiko looked over at where she thought Yumi ran off to only to find it empty. She looked back still trying to figure out what happened with Yumi.

“Wh-ha-what? You?”

“Why did you stop?” asked Seiji.

Fumiko nearly fell over at Seiji’s question. “That’s what you ask?!” She quickly forced a recovery back to the more critical topic. Leaning over to Yumi, Fumiko looked around trying to see if something was wrong with her. Nothing immediately jumped out to her. “Is something wrong?”

Yumi shook her head lightly. “Not at all. I just wanted to stop your arguing and assure you that I have a plan.” Confidence in her words exuded from Yumi’s voice. The unsure version of Yumi completely went into hiding to no longer be found anywhere on Yumi. The strange change she made occurred again. Fumiko knew she should not argue with the difference, since they need the way she acted now to see them through successfully. If she stayed like she was, Fumiko had no need to worry.

A plan from Yumi had Fumiko curious. The sudden walk away from them concerned her, but she was glad to know that she did not start taking lessons from Seiji. “What’s the plan?”

Chapter 141 – Treading Between Lines

“What’s the plan?” asked one of the members of Vangelis’ team. It came after their agreement, though it seemed an expected agreement rather than a mutual one. Even still, they discovered new interest and excitement in their job. Vangelis offered them something different and not ordinary. Anything different would have been welcomed for them, but this seemed more than they could hope for.

Relegating Iole to driving, Vangelis sat in the back of their specialized truck. It ran almost completely silent and unaffected by the terrain. Leaving no trail behind as well, the vehicle hovered over the grass blowing it gently aside as it sped away from the camp. The camp already was almost completely out of sight for them. Four chairs made a circle in the vehicle’s rear, making them all face the other.

Vangelis leaned a little forward to address the question, as he still left things out for them. “We’re heading out to the last known location. This is where they fought with the rebels.”

“But wouldn’t they be long gone from there? They are MP users. They aren’t going to leave a trail to follow.”

He shook his finger at them in disagreement. “No, from the information the Captain gave me, these guys are a bunch of naïve stupid teenagers. They have been moving in a purposeful manner making it very easy to follow them.”

“Aren’t they also traveling by some transport?”

“No, they’re going on foot.”

“You really certain that these guys will be a challenge?”

The longer Vangelis spoke, the more uncertain the group became. Everything he said made them out to be inexperienced and foolish. He noted the same things they were in front of him when speaking with the Captain. However, the results changed his mind. He was less inclined to believe the rumors of their defeat. The actually details on the fights spoke more than anyone could on words alone. “They’ll be of more challenge then you think. They have already defeated four MPs.”

One of them nodded, having also heard the rumors of the return team. “I heard they even defeated Eusebios, he was the first one.”

“What the little spoiled bastard that the General trained? I guess it just proves he isn’t the genius everyone thinks he is to be defeated by a bunch of rebels.”

Vangelis watched the exchange fuel their interest. He saw a little fear and excitement growing amongst the ranks. Some taste of fear he felt was a good thing to have. Fear would be good fuel to grow stronger and bring out the best. He wanted them sharper. All of their missions before dulled their senses and made them too complacent. It was the reason for their failures in the past. He would not see that happen again.

“This is not public yet, but Eusebios was defeated by one boy and soundly in less than a minute.” His words brought a stop to all of the talking. It had their attention. He removed a file from his bag at his feet. The papers inside turned a little in the loose grip. Placing the stack in the center on a knee-high pedestal, a light filled the chamber. Following the light, water like particles shot up and cascaded down around in a cylindrical wall. “This is all of the gathered information on this boy.” Along the wall displayed the file data in four copies perfectly fit to the flow.

It only took them all a few seconds to turn to surprise. They all leaned in pointing at the data point that turned all of their stomachs. “This can’t be right!”

“This is all observed data, some room for error is possible, but this is what is known.”

“How can a rebel have a field radius of greater than hundred meters with this data?”

“If he was in the military they’d have him in the Omega Division with rankings like this.”

“Is he the leader of the rebellion?”

“According to history, the last rebellion’s leader was a teenage girl considered a prodigy. It would make sense someone with great power would motivate others.”

“You’re being pretty casual about this.”

Vangelis dropped his foot down pedestal disrupting the particle flow. “You don’t have to worry about this one, he’s mine. I’m only showing you this data so that you understand how much distance to keep.”

They all looked at him a little surprised. They could see the confidence in his face that easily appeared as arrogance, but difficult to know. The data was imposing without even seeing the boy in person. It created images in their minds of the potential he could have. Such an image grew their fear stronger than they thought possible from mere text.

He retrieved several more files from the bag and removed his foot from the device. Vangelis slapped the files down. On top of the last stack of papers, more personal files of their targets appeared in the recovering stream. “You should be more concerned about those who you’ll be fighting.”

“But how are you going fight someone like this?”

Their persistent fear and worrying started to get to him. Even the amount of fear had limits. He leaned back in his chair relaxing with a smirk on his face. “I never said I played fair.”


Floating above the camp, Yumi gazed down at the movement below her. Everything still ran quietly in the night unsuspecting of what would happen soon. She tried to locate her brother from the vantage, but failed to get anything more specific. No doubt existed in her that he was inside, but she could see no further. The path she followed became weaker and muddied the closer she got. Almost like someone purposely blocked her. She did not give it much further thought. It only meant that they had to do things the hard way.

She hoped that she could find him and just pull him out without having to fight through everyone. Unlike before, hundreds of normal humans filled the area. They were all soldiers and she understood intellectually that they were different from civilians, but she did not like the idea anymore. Her brother was inside and she would do anything, even distasteful actions if necessary. ‘It’s about time…’

Yumi scanned the camp a final time for any hint of her brother. Her feelings gave her nothing, once more. She began dropping in altitude. The final scan also gave her the location that she would begin. ‘Time to do something reckless…’ Her chosen spot had three soldiers parked around a fire chatting. None of the words meant anything to her.

Her hands extend out aimed down at the ground. Behind the men, a few objects floated up out of their sight. She flicked her fingers triggering them into action.

Striking the back of the neck, the three men collapsed unconscious in their seats. Yumi dropped down to the ground, billowing a light breeze away from her. She immediately flipped her head around checking on all the surroundings. Above, she saw no one in the area, but checked again for certainty. Once secure, Yumi darted off to the nearby tent. ‘…brother…’

The tent was smaller than some she found, though she did not know the significance of the size for any. She hoped that the smaller ones had more of a chance in finding her brother. If necessary, every tent would be searched by her. Nothing would stop her from finding him. She channeled that fuel into her to wipe away any hesitation that remained in her body. ‘…it begins…’

Yumi slowly bled the flap until she got a view of the insides. ‘…nothing immediately…’ The search was still incomplete. She looked around from her vantage point trying to find anyone, but saw nothing. Cautiously, Yumi threw open the tent flaps and stepped in. The corner of her eye caught someone startled awake by her noise. She cast out her hand at the soldier summoning a barrier around them.

The Atlantean looked a little scared and confused. He shouted demanding an answer, but his voice did not make it out of the barrier. She never heard him. After he went ignored for a few seconds, he pulled out his sword from next to his cot and attacked the barrier. Only a small flicker of light bounced through the green layer like a ripple. He quickly realized his futility after a few more attempts. However, the search already finished.

Walking back to the exit, Yumi threw up her hand casually blast an invisible force at the man through the barrier. The force slung him up against the inside of the dome and a moment later back to the cot. His unconscious body dropped the sword soon followed by the barrier. “Not here. One down…”

Striding out of the tent with driven purpose, Yumi searched out for her next through narrowed eyes. Her area still remained vacant of new arrivals. She had more time free to search.

The next couple of tents ended in the same manner. One had an occupant, the other not. She continued her systematic search out only to meet face to face with a soldier. A female soldier this time, she leaned back a little surprised to find someone that she did not know exiting the tent. Once she went through the mental process to understand she found an intruder, the woman tried to back away to draw her weapon. However, a force dragged on the woman and threw her through the flaps of the tent. She collapsed roughly to the ground.

Standing above the woman, Yumi looked down for a moment before knocking her out. “That was close.” Yumi wiped away a little nervous sweat from her forehead. She was not certain how much longer she would keep up the stealth. The eventual expected end would come.

Yumi stepped through tent in search of a new place. While above, she tried to map out as much as she could. It was difficult to keep track of it all, but at least her sense of direction stayed long after her memory faded. ‘Where now…’

A new sound of footsteps alerted her to an incoming soldier. Another patrol she assumed. She shifted out of the light and moved around the tent keeping it between them. Watching over the fabric for the soldier to pass, Yumi waited in silence. A sigh of relief came out of her mouth once it seemed that she was safe again.

However, when she turned around to resume a number of shadowed figures stared at her. She slid a step back suddenly surrounded. “Oh, hey everyone!” she cheerful replied, raising her hand to wave at them.

They all greeted her politely, confusing the moment further. The moment did not last as they all reverted to being serious. Swords drew against her.

Yumi casually sliced her hand through the air, realizing that she was cornered. An arc flew from her blasting all of the soldiers away from her. She began to march away, not watching where they fell into tents and crates. However, the noise was enough to alert the immediate area of the camp. None knew what happened, but they all came to find out the trouble.

A disappointed sigh came from Yumi. “I guess this is as far as I go. It begins now!” Multi-layered and segmented barriers erupted from Yumi to surround her. Wind whipped up around her body gathering up loose dirt from the earth. Spinning around her, the debris grew larger as the force gained strength. Waiting no further, she sent it all away from her in a circle dispelling soldiers from all directions. Following the attack, the wind built up again around her glowing green over so slightly.

It drew into the sky like a pillar of torn wind. It sucked in everything near and cast away anything not. In the center, Yumi stared out with narrowed features carved in determination. She directed her hand out at the next incoming group of confused soldiers. “Come before me! All that would keep a sister apart from her brother!”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

A seemingly peaceful night neared its end. It only needed a few short hours before it could rest. However, rest would not come. Restlessness stirred into action and then the crimson veil fell. Splitting the horizon in two, a green pillar rose from the camp. All within the sight turned in questioning amazement. It became a beacon. A call to arms for each man and woman that stood before it.

Yumi’s display brought in even more soldiers toward her. Reacting without orders, it turned into utter chaos. The strictly controlled camp became ruined battlefield. Each soldier endlessly seemed to offer up themselves for Yumi. Yet none reached her.

Outside the camp, Fumiko and Seiji witnessed Yumi’s attack. They knew the plan, but the specifics had not been given to them. Fumiko turned a little worried at the sight. “I think that’s a little more than just a signal.”

Seiji pounded his fists together with excitement. Even though he fought in the morning, he already felt eager and restrained to have to wait so long. “I think it’s perfect! It’s the perfect tone to set!”

“Only you would think that way,” she commented, looking out of the corner of her eye. “I wonder if you’ve become a negative influence on everyone with your reckless behavior.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being reckless! You should have pride in it!”

She could only present a disbelieving expression to him, rather the excited one he wished to see. “Pride in recklessness? Sounds like only something you could achieve. Honestly…”

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like the brat!” He charged off for the camp’s entrance, as was their plan.

“I guess that would be a bit of a problem having two Chiharu, huh?” Fumiko worked up a bit of a grin, feeling a little better. She ran after Seiji to catch up to him. Ahead of her, the destructive sounds of Seiji told her that he already began. “Time to start!”

Chapter 142 – Night’s Struggle

Deep in thought, Simonides did not hear the noise from outside of his tent. He had matters that weighed heavier on him. The new mission he ordered he knew would buy him the time he needed, however he feared that even with the time he might not gain the answers that he sought. He still had too many questions about their intruders. They held too many unknowns.

‘I saw it! Their world…it’s not like us!’

The words from Athene still haunted him in his thoughts. He did not understand the meaning of her words. At the moment that she came out, he saw that she learned something. He considered forcefully waking her up for the answers such was his desperation. However, he waited. All he could do was wait. The waiting ate at him as much as the questions. He stood so close to answers. The mysteries that surrounded their foes might be unveiled finally.

‘H-he-he…knows…every…thing… …no… …long…er… …hu…’

Simonides tightened his fist against the table. “What does it all mean? What does he know? And what is he?” His prisoner turned into something more fearsome than he thought. The one selected was supposed to be a non-MP user. Since he remained in their custody, he did not have any reason to think otherwise. He knew if the boy had abilities, he could have easily escaped. However, something he could not plan for happened. “What is the answer here? Do I even know the right question anymore?”

“Captain! Captain Simonides!” shouted a familiar voice, through the tent. Barely waiting on an answer, the man barged through the tent. He turned toward the seated Captain. “Captain Simonides!”

The yelling finally snapped Simonides from his thoughts. He reset his expression immediately forced to abruptly become aware of the situation. Shouting from outside still had not made it to his notice. Abeiron distracted him. Through narrowed eyes, he glanced from his chair at the Commander. “What is it?”

“Captain Simonides! We’re under attack by an unknown person!” As though to emphasis his report, debris ripped through the Captain’s tent dividing the two men. The carelessly tossed block of wood cast out the lantern killing the light. However, through the collapsing tent cloth the warm moonlight bled through renewing the glow on Abeiron’s face.

He spun his head around through the hole in his quarters. The chaos finally presented itself to him and caught his eyes widening in surprise. Simonides stood up, his full attention gained. “How can you not know who is doing this?!”

“Sir, everyone that’s gone has been taken out! The identity remains unknown!”

Simonides stepped out of his tent through the tear. His men ran about in fear and confusion. None of them knew what was happening. ‘They aren’t used to being on the defensive…’ The sight of his camp so deeply penetrated bothered him. He did not think they would allow someone in so far.

“Captain!”

“Since when were you so useless Abeiron?” Simonides tilted his head back over his shoulder to the man. “Isn’t it obvious? It’s them. They’ve come for their comrade.” A column of fire blasted up in the distance after he finished speaking. The searing light darkened the shadows on his head to harden his features. It gave him a severe expression of steel resolve. “As I thought they would…”


Near the edge of the camp, a path of ruin laid out starting from the entrance. The men unfortunate to have been standing guard laid on the ground, unconscious from Seiji’s first punch. Following the signs of destruction, two more men had come out hearing the noise only to be dealt with equally brutishly. Afterward, it became more difficult for Seiji to handle them individual with care. He made use of a makeshift fence to wipe out a row of men before casting his weapon aside. It destroyed the nearby tent and signaled even more men to come after him.

Seiji eagerly took the fight to them and charged onward. The current path carved by him left more than thirty men unable to fight. None of them understood how outclassed they were. They charged for him in defense of their home and fallen comrades. Their only hope was that one of them could bring him down.

Catching up, Fumiko finished dealing with the soldiers that spotted her. Her fire was enough to make them turn away. It gave her a little relief to know that they did not press for a fight. ‘…it’s still under control…’ She tightened her hand around her staff to stop the shaking. In front of her, she found Seiji decking a few more soldiers. It made her sigh a little to witness the eager idiot fighting. “You really are true to yourself…”

He tossed a soldier off his back into a neighboring tent. His grinning face looked back at Fumiko. “All part of the plan!”

Distracting him, Fumiko was the only one that saw someone in a white uniform quickly approaching him with dark intent. “Seiji—”

Before Fumiko finished her words, Seiji’s fist ran through the man’s face. He flew several meters through the path before unintentionally being caught by a group of soldiers, the hard way. “Can’t sneak up on me!”

Fumiko touched her hand to her forehead feeling a little distress. “That was one of those like Yuki, be more careful!”

Seiji looked at her confused and then over at the unconscious man. He finally noticed the white uniform that stood out in the night, especially against all of the black from the standard military. “Damnit!” He slammed his fists into the ground pounding out a heavy tone through the earth as he depressed the dirt.

“Seiji?” Fumiko uneasily reached out her hand towards Seiji, though still several meters away from them. She did not understand his new outburst.

“I can’t believe it!” he shouted to the moon. “Punched him out before I had a chance to fight him with his powers!”

A drop of sweat fell down on Fumiko’s face upon hearing why he was angry. “You fighting idiot! Do you even remember why we’re here?!”

Taking a silent moment to recover, Seiji stood back up. Only the battle cries of a new wave of soldiers came from him in his silence. He spun his arm around driving it through them and sending them away. “Of course, I remember,” he replied, appearing oddly serious. “All the more reason I need to fight as many of them as possible. So she has less trouble…”


Mirroring an oddly familiar scene, deep inside the camp an array of at least twenty soldiers laid strewn about the grounds. Furious winds kept a constant stream of torrents bleeding off the tatters of fabric remaining from ruined tents. Further within the maelstrom of wind, rotating and shifting blocks of the green barrier that protected Yumi kept any foe from reaching her. Those that the invisible forces did not deal with faced cracking her defenses. It slowed them down until she personally dealt with them.

However, she had not moved for more than two minutes. Her defensive stance stalled her from her primary task. ‘I’m wasting time… I need to look for Yori and Chiharu…’ She scanned the area taking into the destruction. It took her a little bit of time, but she finally realized that all of the fighting she started meant that she put them in danger as well. Though it confused her a little that she had not seen Chiharu appear. ‘I guess this really does prove that she’s been captured, but how? I can’t imagine that she made a mistake…’

Yumi found a break in the fighting, with no soldiers coming after, to start moving. Her powers did not require her to be in a good position. So she felt comfortable in leaving her spot. ‘There’s some much destroyed already…I think I would have sensed him if he was amongst this…’ Yumi walked out of the radius of her destruction into an untouched part of the camp. The force of her winds still managed to loosen parts of the tents.

She found a random soldier in the area coming from a tent or running about, but it was strangely empty in her search. Yumi even used her powers to rip up tents, since stealth was pointless. It started to bother her. “Where is everyone? Shouldn’t I be meeting more resistance?” A cracking rang out to the side of Yumi. Even in spite of the softness of the noise, it alerted her. She saw one of her barrier pieces crumbling away. “What’s going on? My barrier!”

Suddenly, Yumi’s internal sensor went off and she spun around. Down across the dirt path stood a teenager in a white Atlantean uniform. Yumi immediately took a step back understanding that she had finally run into one of them. “Your…” Another piece of her barrier shattered suddenly for no reason followed by another. She darted her eyes around trying to understand it.

“So you’re the much talked about rebel,” commented the boy, “I won’t allow you to attack anyone else!”


“And that’s ten!” Seiji declared, as he hefted a three-meter long length of broken off piece of wood to his shoulder. He looked over his shoulder to see how Fumiko faired.

She threw out a couple of minor flames to keep the soldiers off her. Once freed up, she spun around to look at Seiji. “So you can’t count either? You’ve dealt with more than fifty so far!”

Seiji shrugged to her with the block of wood still on his shoulder, acting like it weighed nothing to him. “I didn’t start counting until ten ago.”

“Then why bother! I can’t—“ Fumiko came to a stop when he raised his hand up to her to interrupt her.

He turned his head back to the new arrivals. “Looks like we have more fun!”

“Fun?!” Fumiko clinched her fist to shake it at him. She wanted to punch him for thinking what just approached them to be fun. “How can you say that?! Those three are like Yuki!”

“Huh? They are?” Still not noticing, he looked back and forth at Fumiko and the three white dressed Atlanteans. “How can you tell? They all look the same.”

“Damn, short-term memory…there must be a limit to stupidity!”

“Oh! Are you talking about them wearing white? I just didn’t want to assume, you know! It’d be rude to be prejudice to base them on their appearance. That’s just good manners!”

“Ergh…” Fumiko forced out a frustrated sigh. She started to regret that she agreed to work with him. ‘I’m starting to understand Chiharu’s side of things…’ After requiring a few moments to recover, Fumiko straightened back up, though still not taking the situation as serious as she should have. She blamed Seiji’s stupidity for it. Fumiko rested her hand back on her forehead while talking to him. “Well normally, you’d be correct. And knowing that you actually have good manners is actually pretty surprising. You really do pick the strangest things to be good about…however…”

She hoped that talking it out would calm her anger, but it only seemed to be bottling it up. Everything pent up inside grew in pressure. If she did not release her emotion she might collapse (probably exaggerating, Seiji has that affect on people). Fumiko lowered her hand and started walking over to him. Once she stood next to him, she reached over and grabbed his ear pulling him up to her height. “Ayumi already explained it to us that all of those like Yuki are required to wear white uniforms! It’s the standard! So of course they are! And there’s three of them and only two of us! So get serious!”

“Damn it!” yelped Seiji, jumping away from Fumiko. “You don’t have to yell in my ear!”

“Yes, I do when you act this stupid! We’ve got three of them to deal with! It won’t be easy!”

Seiji pulled further away from Fumiko, as her image scared him more. He rubbed his bruised ear and looked over at the three white clad soldiers. “Well if that’s what you’re worried about…” Seiji lifted up the wood and chucked it quickly at the three soldiers. It ran between the two women in the group and disappeared from their sight, giving them a shock.

Crumbling into a broken heap of fabric and wood, the third figure was barely visible behind the hunk of wood that hit him. He did not have a chance to pass out, the impact did it to him before the fall. It left the two women for them, evening the odds. One stood surprisingly taller than the other and a fair competition for Fumiko and her unusual height.

“There, now there’s two!”

Fumiko slapped her hand to her face. “If you did that to one of them, you could have done that to all three of them.”

Seiji crossed his arms suddenly looking very proud. “What are you talking about, the other two are women. I’m not going to hurt them!”

She sighed again. Fumiko felt like she might die from sighing her life away. Her eyes glanced over at him. “You realize that you have to fight one of them, right?”

“Huh?” Seiji looked over at their two opponent and then the third further away, not in any condition to fight. He pressed his hands to his hand. “Crap! I can’t fight a woman! I should to have knocked out one of them out instead so I could fight the guy! But if I did that I would have hit a woman…”

“You really are something else…” commented Fumiko, through a flat expression. She did not have much more of a chance as a flame erupted at her side. Fumiko jumped away to put some distance between her and it. The flame immediately disappeared, but another jumped out at her. “…fire from nothing…” She glanced along the path at their opponents. Flames grew up to surround the shorter of the two women, completely engulfing her.

Fumiko’s eyes widened in shock to see the woman consumed by flames. However, it suddenly divided and calmed. It covered her body, but left her head and some of her shoulders exposed. The flames did nothing to the woman, in fact it looked like as though it became clothing to her. Another second later, the woman charged past Seiji and straight for Fumiko trailing embers behind her. The woman collided with Fumiko throwing her backwards through an already collapsed tent. Not letting up for a moment, the woman’s hand rose toward the spot where Fumiko collapsed. A tall column of fire burst up from the ground wiping Fumiko from sight completely.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Fumiko’s eyes grew wide with shock to see the woman consumed by flames. However, it suddenly divided and calmed. It covered her body, but left her head and some of her shoulders exposed. The flames did nothing to the woman, in fact it looked like as though it became clothing to her. Another second later, the woman charged past Seiji and straight for Fumiko trailing embers behind her. The woman collided with Fumiko throwing her backwards through an already collapsed tent. Not letting up for a moment, the woman’s hand rose toward the spot where Fumiko collapsed. A tall column of fire burst up from the ground wiping Fumiko from sight completely.

Seiji barely had a chance to react before it all finished. “Fumiko!” he shouted, turning to the flaming mass where Fumiko used to be. He began to move his legs, thinking that he could reach her. However, something collided with him while in motion. The force was enough to set him off balance and slide on his back into a pile of debris. His impact kicked up a small cloud, hardly providing any cover for him.

The hit did little to hurt him, but the dust in the air made him cough. “The hell?” Seiji rubbed his head in confusion as he pulled himself up. He searched around distracted from Fumiko. “What hit me?” His eyes scanned the area trying to locate what knocked him over, but saw nothing in the immediate area. Yet again, something came barreling at him near in his blind side, but he caught a flash of light off the moon. It alerted him and told him to dodge.

A moment later, the ground where he used to sit exploded into a chunky cloud of earth. Seiji slid away from the blast with his hands scrapping along the dirt along with his feet to keep his balance. “Again? What the hell’s going on?” His head tilted up from his all-fours position to make out his attacker. He knew two coincidences did not happen in such a place.

Standing up from the thin cloud, a dark gray figure rose to their full height. He could not see them clearly through the veil, but they were tall. Seiji felt certain they were at least his height, if not more so. “So it’s you. I’m not fighting a woman.”

Some force suddenly blasted the cloud surrounding the figure away roughly. The woman sped towards Seiji trailing the particles dirt off her body. Seiji tried to stand up, but found her to move faster than he thought possible. In between the seconds of the next strike, the woman calmly spoke to him, “Yes, you will.” Following her words, a loud percussive blast from her attack rang through the camp.

Seiji only had enough time to block with his arms crossed in front. However, he felt some surprise when he realized that he understood the woman and that the voice sounded almost child-like from her. “You know Japanese?!”

“No.” She did not let his surprise slow her down, even for her reply. Her eyes narrowed noticing the resistance that she received from trying to press her advantage. Not finding progress, she wound up unleashing a heavy barrage on him. Each strike pounded out expanding waves from the points of impact.

Even after the assault of more than a dozen strikes, Seiji remained unmoved. His arms trailed thin streams of smoke in the wake of the attack. He started to lower his arms down hoping that it would prove that it was futile. “Finished?”

“Hardly…” The woman took half a step back and lifted her arms up. Seiji had not focused on her attacks too much, but he finally understood something about her. Covering up all of her forearm, seamless metal formed a shape much like cestus. Cloth extended from underneath the metal wrapping up to the elbow. Despite the simple weapon, the metal had a complex and intricate design woven throughout the surface. However, the weapons did not remain for long.

A light flashed from her weapons blurring them out. Through the white glare, a dark shape expanded and grew from her arms. It continued to increase in size until it seemed impossible to hold. Wiping away with a sharp cut, the light faded and revealed the new weapons. Her weapons increased in size and thickness, at least tenfold, dwarfing her frame. The new appearance had that of a lion’s face with the mouth set in front of her fists.

She pulled her arms back with not even her balance broken by the sheer mass. Her fluid motions did not even make the new weapons appear unwieldy, despite their size. “I’m just getting started!”

Seiji blinked and then felt the smashing blow of the weapon against his chest as it broke through his arms’ defense. His eyes caught a bit of surprise as it echoed deeply through his body before launched through the air.

The woman watched him disappear from her immediate sight, but did not feel finished. She brought the other blunt weapon to bear on the ground. Cracking the earth from the crater-creating force, she flew up into the air in response.

Once more the weapons changed, but to a smaller size and design. They only covered up her fists like a glove. She threw out her fist turning around to punch the air. Blasting out a large ring of displaced air, it sped her towards her target. Her body arced through the sky coming to a fast uncontrolled descent to the ground. When she saw herself nearing the ground, she threw her arms in opposite directions vertically creating rings again in the air. It brought her to a sudden halt in speed, acting like a brake. Two meters away from the touching down, she pulled her arms back in and dropped down.

She changed her weapons again to yet another new weapon. The woman took a fighting stance waiting for Seiji to stand up.

Chapter 143 – The Caged Inferno

The Atlantean bathed in fire threw out her hand and arced it to cut through the air. Her flames set upon Fumiko immediately exhausted themselves. She took a few steps towards the scarred earth to investigate her opponent. A crack of red-hot wood snapped the silence. It made her flinch with caution.

Out of the ash-covered mound broke a darkened figure. The clatter of metal rang out with the rising of a staff. Fumiko swept away the ash that stuck to her. She let out a relieved sigh. ‘I guess I should be grateful that they use fire…’

“Still alive…” the woman commented, upon seeing Fumiko’s condition.

Fumiko turned towards the voice startled a little by them addressing her. Her earring gift from Yuki worked as she expected in translating the Atlantean Greek for her. ‘She probably expected it to take me out in one shot…’

“You won’t succeed.” She raised her hand towards Fumiko once again. “You’re already classified as traitors. Judgment or death are your only options.”

Tightening her hold on the staff, Fumiko felt the seriousness of the woman’s words. She knew that they faced such a fate, but it still made her hesitate. Her hesitation was enough wasted time for a response from the Atlantean woman. Fire erupted around Fumiko, completely enclosing her.

Fumiko gritted her teeth feeling the heat coming from the flames. ‘It’s hotter than before…’ She closed her eyes trying to calm her pounding heart enough to concentrate. The last time she fought scared her, but the feeling she had now was not the same. It felt a little like when she thought she was going to dying before Yuki saved her. She hated that it felt familiar. It leeched onto her skin and crawled into her pores. Fumiko wrapped her arms over her chest trying eject the fear.

The fight she had with the monster to save Mieko felt just as life threatening, but Fumiko knew it was different. Even when she was cornered by the two Atlantean soldiers when she thought she might die did not have the same feeling as the monster. It felt similar. There was something about humans that was more frightening.

‘I’ve got to get a hold of myself! I have to find Chiharu!’ Fumiko tightened her grip on her staff. The heat began to reach bothersome levels for her. It burned off the sweat from her skin before it had much of a chance. ‘…Chiharu…’

Orange-red threads wove down Fumiko’s arm into her staff. It made the metal glow building into an aura. ‘Concentrate…focus…’ Fumiko lifted the staff from rest and swung it through the fire. A visible cut appeared in the wall of fire that stretched around until it closed the loop. The loop grew in size blasting away the fire. Out of the flames, Fumiko stepped out, the metal ringing with her step.

Exhaling slowly, Fumiko struggled to maintain her composure. ‘…have to keep control…’ She blinked forced back images that threatened her stability.

The woman narrowed her eyes questioning what occurred. ‘Twice she’s survived my fire…what sort of field is she using?’ She took a step forward to strengthen the area of the field Fumiko stood. Motioning with her hands, new flames burst up from ground and bent to angle towards her.

Fumiko tried to run out of the path, but it changed course again. ‘…seeking me!’ She could not avoid it. Ignore futility, Fumiko continued to try to evade the stream of fire. Her attempts only delayed the inevitable. It came closer. While still dodging the flames Fumiko raised her staff returning the glow back to it.

Catching the flames on the headpiece of the staff, the stream came to a stop. It furrowed out barely held back. Vibrations from the resistance shook down the staff into Fumiko’s hand. She did not think she could hold back the force for much longer. Strength was not what she excelled in and she knew it. Fumiko’s eyes looked around at all of the unconscious soldiers. ‘…there’s so many people around here…’ She needed a solution.

Struggling with the weight pounding on her, Fumiko gripped her staff with both hands. She stepped into the force and pushed again. ‘…can’t lose it…’ The shaking began to make her hands numb. Fumiko fought with the flames summoning up the strength to swing her staff. Her staff deflected the fire away into the earth. It blasted dirt and debris away kicking up a cloud that blew through their battlefield.

Taking pause, the two stared at each other waiting for a move by the other. Around them, the shouting of soldiers running about confused surrounded them. Distant shockwaves from Seiji’s fight blended into the background.

Fumiko clutched her staff to feel her reality. Images from the past night began to haunt her inner eye again. The inferno that blazed without end left permanent reminders on her body. She still could feel the searing heat from it. She still could hear the bloody screams from it. It penetrated her being completely. ‘…I can’t…not again…’

The woman cornered her. She knew that she came in needing to fight back. In small doses, she found it acceptable. But she already saw what the woman could do with her power. She was barely able to hold her back. ‘If I don’t do something…but I…’ Fumiko looked down at her hand considering her flame. Flashbacks of the village blew through her. Snippets of the out of control fire that nearly burned down the village collided with her.

She shook her head hoping to remove the past. It already held her back from helping out her friends when they were attacked the last time. It paralyzed her. Nothing happened. She desperately wanted help them, but her could not risk it. Fumiko did not want to let it happen again. ‘…what am I supposed…to do…’

Her hand held open staring back at her head, tilted down gazing. The rational part of the mind told her what she needed to do. It already knew and kept yelling at her. Yet, it did not matter help how much she understand her situation. She could not stop the shaking. In fact, she had already tried before. ‘I can’t use my fire…not like before… This is the limit that I can do…’ She thought that her fire magic might counter the woman’s fire, but it failed her on all attempts. She could only channel it.

Doubt sapped her magic.

Her hesitation repeated the cycle anew. The enemy could see weakness in Fumiko and took advantage. Columns of flames and walls of fire sprouted up. Fumiko could only run away and block with her staff. She could not even feel that she maintained a stalemate. Her body only grew worse with each dodge and deflection. The numbness spread deeper into her arms.

Fumiko did not know how much longer that she could last. All of the running around tired her out. Her breathing quickly became haggard. When she was trying not to be hit by the fire, she was bent over recovering. ‘She doesn’t stop…coming…’

A blast of fire knocked Fumiko off the ground, still trying to recover. The flames quickly went out as she collapsed to the ground. Hitting the ground dazed Fumiko. She did not see the woman’s approach until she was already almost on top of her.

The woman aimed her hand down at Fumiko. “At this range, it won’t matter. My flame will be at its strongest.” In response to the woman, a new flame burst up, but held back from attacking. It hovered an imposing meter away from Fumiko. “Accept your fate. Resist and I’ll kill you now for disrupting the peace of Atlantis!”

She did not doubt the woman’s words. Fumiko stared at the inferno that looked eager to taste her flesh. Surrender turned into a consideration for her. She did not know what options she had. ‘…what would happen to me? They think I’m just another one like Yuki…’ Her mind divided on her.

Consideration filled her part of her and fear the other. She wanted an answer. She could not let herself use her flame, the risk was too much. It could hurt everyone, even her friends. However, Chiharu and the others were in struggling to rescue Yori. ‘I promised myself that I’d get serious. I failed them before… I needed to be part of the team for them.’ The thought of trying to convince herself made her want to laugh at herself. It proved how far her resolve carried her.

She watched Yumi sway between doubt and certainty, but come out ahead. When it mattered, she knew Yumi would act. ‘But none of them came as close as I did… I thought with this magic I could protect her. …yet now it scares me so much!’ The screaming echoed in her mind. It had stayed in her ear always ringing without end since the previous night. Sometimes it was softer and other times crushingly loud. Regardless, it remained with her, always a reminder. She did not want to hear another one. ‘I wish I was deaf…so I didn’t have to hear it anymore…’

Suddenly, a flash of a familiar image went through Fumiko mind. It made her eyes widen in shock. ‘Kimiko!’ Her body flinched thinking about her little sister. ‘…I failed…’ Chiharu appeared to her at the end of her thought. Fumiko jerked forward realizing her mistake. She slammed her hand into the fire that threatened her, startling the woman. ‘I failed you Kimiko, but if I did nothing again I’d fail her too. I’d be repeating my mistake! The one mistake that I wish I could undo, but never can! I won’t make that same mistake again!’

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Suddenly, a flash of a familiar image went through Fumiko mind. It made her eyes widen in shock. ‘Kimiko!’ Her body flinched thinking about her little sister. ‘…I failed…’ Chiharu appeared to her at the end of her thought. Fumiko jerked forward realizing her mistake. She slammed her hand into the fire that threatened her, startling the woman. ‘I failed you Kimiko, but if I did nothing again I’d fail her too. I’d be repeating my mistake! The one mistake that I wish I could undo, but never can! I won’t make that same mistake again!’

The woman’s certainty wavered a bit in the face of Fumiko. She did not understand what happened between the seconds. ‘Before she was only avoiding me, not being aggressive…yet now…those eyes…she…’ Fumiko’s expression changed completely and the look in her eyes was no longer a passive one. Before it seemed that she had almost a self-loathing internal attack focused purely on only Fumiko. The woman could tell that she was not in the fight.

Something happened to change it all. The hesitation and regret disappeared from her eyes. They became strong and fierce backed by something deep and unshakable. She could see that the fight was about to alter. It would no longer be the same battle. ‘What happened?’

Fumiko’s hand warmed from touching a stranger’s flame. Her resistance blast bits of fire around her creating flaming rain that fell to her side. The pressure slammed into her as it tried to force through her, but it no longer felt as strong. She arm felt lighter than before and the shaking disappeared. Even her breathing came under control. ‘I won’t allow it to happen again!’

Building her determination into strength, Fumiko pressed her hand into the fires. She channeled threads of her own magic into her hand creating a flaming aura that encompassed her hand down to her wrist. Magic streamed down her shoulder keeping it powered. Symbols and geometry shapes, the building blocks for magic circles began to form in the errant threads around her entire arm. It slowly glowed white and crawled over her skin.

It took her by surprise to see the appearance of something new. ‘What’s going on?’ She did not plan for it to take on such a form. Her arm still felt like it channeled magic, but it did not have the same feeling. She did not understand it. However, she went with it. Fumiko knew that she needed to use everything she had to deal with her opponent.

Using her new strength to stand, Fumiko ran her hand through the stream of fire lighting her arm up. She pushed too quickly and it spread out with a life of its own to coat her arm. Fumiko refused to hesitate, sensing that everything would be fine.

When it seemed that the woman’s fire would engulf Fumiko an explosion of light and fire erupted from her arm. All of the flames disappeared, snuffed out by the greater inferno underneath. Raging in the wind, Fumiko’s entire left arm was consumed, but not simply as though surrounded. It flickered with a transparency and volume that said it ran completely through.

Fumiko lifted her hand up to examine the transformation. ‘What is this? This has never happened before… Is this an evolution of my power?’ The meaning of it did not completely sink into her, but she knew she had to press her advantage.

She clinched her staff tightly in her right hand and charged forward. A wall of flames broke through the earth to stop her. Responding to her need, her flame hand came forward quickly spinning a flame and launching it at the obstacle. Fumiko sprinted through the flames as they collided and exploded. She trailed crackling embers off her clothes. Her staff closed with the woman swinging wide at a shocked figure.

Chapter 144 – Fueling the Fire

As cliché as it sounds, it ended in a flash. No reacting, it was all just instinct. The surprise caught the woman off guard. Even though it ended quickly, instinct also saved her. After the staff finished, it snapped her out of her paralysis. Flames summoned from the ground washed up to force Fumiko back and allow the woman a chance to recover.

The Atlantean looked down at her flame armor feeling something different about it. A long gash stretched the entire length of her abdomen. Her exposed skin showed in the gap, but no wound. Even if not wounded, it still shocked her. ‘She cut through my flames? Is her field actually stronger?’ She touched her hand to exposed part of her armor and ran her fingers across taking it all in. The slash sealed up behind her hand until closed and restored.

She pulled her head back up to look at the tall woman that opposed her. “Do you really think your cause is good? You people don’t even consider what your actions do to everyone else. Do you?”

Fumiko paused a little surprised that she started talking to her. She did not think that it would do much good with their language barrier. ‘It’s not like I don’t know. I’ve probably thought about it more than the rest.’ None of the doubts would help her accomplish her goal. She knew what she had to do.

“No answer? Silence won’t absolve you!”

A sigh escaped Fumiko’s lips. It was pointless, but if it satisfied her. “There’s no point to talking about it with the language barrier.”

“Yes, I know about that. Rumors were that your group didn’t speak Atlantean Greek. Which is why I’ve included a language law.”

“That’s right, I speak Japanese. So of course there’s going to be a barrier between us.” Fumiko spoke casually with the woman not noticing their conversation.

“Japanese, what’s an Atlantean doing speaking Japanese?”

“Because I’m Japanese, not Atlantean, of course.” She motioned with her hand dismissing the answer as something blatant. Another few seconds passed before Fumiko snapped back to the woman. “Wait you can understand me?!”

“Yes, I’ve removed the language barrier.”

It took a little bit longer for all of it to settle in for Fumiko. Their whole conversation sank into her. She immediately went on the defensive feeling oddly vulnerable. “So what did you want? Going so far as to allow us to understand each other.”

The woman tightened up her hands. Her flames on her body responded burned brighter and larger. “What I want…What I want is to stop your rebellion! Stop before you make anyone else suffer!”

‘Oddly emotional for a soldier…’ thought Fumiko. She had little knowledge of Atlantis other than what Ayumi allowed them to know. Much like Yori, she had many questions about the world that Ayumi came from. She knew well enough to know that they had different cultures and values. Their intrusion to those not involved could be seen in many different lights. Fumiko wondered if the woman’s conclusion was simply her own or one others came to as well. “I don’t know a lot about Atlantis, but I guess what Yuki’s doing might be seen as such. But right now I’m only here to rescue a friend.”

She narrowed her expression a little taking in Fumiko’s words. It took only a moment to think about it. “You’re talking about the prisoner. If that’s the reason you’re here then that even more of a reason why I must stop you! I won’t allow you to do anything to interfere with the Captain!”

“I’d be more surprised if you did just let me by. I pretty much already assumed us to be at an impasse.” Fumiko altered her stance getting the feeling that their fight would resume soon.

Fire sprouted up around the woman awaiting a command. “Agreed. Second Lieutenant Stamatia will be the one to stop you!” She motioned her hand around in front to pull the fire in by her arm.

“That’s pretty formal, introducing yourself. Very well, Fumiko Terauchi is the one that defeated you!” Fumiko brought her arm of fire up to bare while preparing her staff. ‘Knowing my enemy’s name…she seems pretty determined for some reason. I have mine as well… I can’t lose!’ In preparation, she began calling her magic. Threads drew down her shoulder intertwining along her arm as they gathered in her staff.

Stamatia watched Fumiko’s movements to judge the moment of her attack. They both wielded fire and it had thus far mostly ended inconclusively. The strike on her armor proved that she had the strength to match her. A point that Stamatia felt concerned about a little. ‘However, I haven’t begun to use my full power…’ Her fires responded to her thoughts and shot out as a raging river held back by a dam at the point of breaking.

Ready for the attack, Fumiko had a counter set up. The headpiece glowed brightly before it ignited into flames quickly producing several medium sized balls of fire. Using the staff as a launch, she swung it to release the fire.

Creating powerful winds on their shockwaves, the flames collided in explosions. Surrounding debris was cast aside freely. A few grunts sounded out from nearby soldiers that had the misfortune of being present. It took a little while for all of the dust kicked up to clear out, but they found themselves in the same situation as before, fire against fire. Both refused to give even a centimeter.

Fumiko slowly took in a careful breath. ‘I managed to meet her this time, but I can’t do that again… My casting speed is nothing like her ability to summon fire… I’m at a disadvantage like this…’ She knew that she could not even match her for quantity either, not without sacrificing power. Her eyes glanced over at her left hand for an answer. It gave her some hope, but still was unknown.

Some frustration surfaced in Stamatia after their last round. She put more into the fire expecting to punch through her defenses, but nothing happened. Their stalemate continued. ‘Since she’s serious now, am I starting to see what she is truly capable of doing? I’ll have to increase my flame…’

The new round started with the atmosphere changing again. More than a dozen streams of fire rose up to surround Stamatia. Each of them held the same size and intensity as her previous ones. She made a clear sign that she no longer planned to go easy on Fumiko. ‘I’ll show you whose resolve is stronger!’ Casting her hand out at Fumiko, the liquid like flames jumped into action.

Incoming quickly from all sides, Fumiko barely had enough time to cast enough for even one fireball. She knew she could not deal with so many. ‘This is the power of a Kasou-ryoku? Someone like Yuki…’ Fumiko fired off her spell at the most immediate stream to dispel it. The explosion was enough to wipe out two accompanying streams as well. She would have felt fortunate, if not for the rest that still came after her. ‘My other hand can…’ Her thought turned quickly into action as she formed and threw out a fireball from her flame hand in response. It took another few with it, but left with her more to deal with alone.

Fumiko took up her staff and swung away what she could, but it was not enough. She could not stop them all. They breached her defenses and slammed into her shoulder and arms. The force sent her flying backwards through a tent that had not managed to be destroyed yet. Their impact left some embers on her clothes, burning away sections.

Her sliding kicked up a small cloud, but Fumiko’s flame burned through it all. She stood up slowly out of the rumble. Patting out the remaining fires on her, Fumiko checked her condition quickly. Small holes appeared in her tunic and her skin looked a little red, but nothing serious. ‘I wonder if my attunement to fire provides me resistance…that would make the most sense…’

Examining her results, Stamatia stifled as much annoyance as she could. She did not think that with everything she sent that Fumiko would come out with so little damage. Their previous exchanges did not leave her to expect it to finish her off, but she hoped for something more serious. ‘Her field dampened me that much? But I was able to touch her… Just need more…’

‘I need a different plan…’ thought Fumiko. She pressed her staff into the ground to force her back into step. At home, she only practiced a few different things. Her awakening did not provide her with a good sense of what she was capable of achieving with the power she gained. Each battle she found herself discovering something new. She hoped that her new arm meant something. She just did not know how to make use of it. In its present form, she got the feeling that she was not fully utilizing it.

Changing tactics, Stamatia raised her hand up above her hand. It called up flames from all around the field. Pieces of the flames broke free becoming independent. More broke away as they grew in numbers. They transformed from spheres into simple arrows. “Let’s see you stop this!”

Fumiko gasped in surprise at the array of arrows in the air. She knew that she could nothing against so many. ‘I can’t counter that! I need something else…’ Her eyes flipped to her sides quickly trying to figure something out. The urgency of the situation raised her heart rate to a pounding. It crushed her ribs trying to escape.

She was out of time.

Stamatia launched all of the arrows at Fumiko. She did not wait for waves or feints, just pure simple numbers. It was an attack that went for large amounts of small damage rather than one larger one. The quantity made it impossible for them all to be taken out.

Staring at her opponent, Stamatia could see her attempting to prepare something even with them in the air already, but it was pointless. She had seen her speed and her arrows would get through. Even if a spell finished, it would not do enough to her numbers. ‘This’ll hurt…’ She watched eagerly looking forward to see the traitor on her knees.

As expected, Fumiko’s casting came too long and the arrows reached their target. She lifted her flame arm up in defense, but it was not enough for her. The arrows pierced through her flame and continued into her body. More arrows rained down on Fumiko quickly blotting her out from sight. Some of the arrows missed their target and exploded with the ground instead. It kicked up a cloud that masked everything out from sight.

The cloud cover delayed Stamatia’s answer. She wanted to know how much damage she caused the woman. It made her impatient in learning the outcome. Using her control over everything in the field, she created an explosion to blow away the veil. The forced wind peeled away Fumiko’s cover slowly layer by layer. Deeper inside a purple glow surfaced that could not be seen before. It grew brighter with more dust and earth in the air fading.

Stamatia took a step back in surprise once she finally saw Fumiko standing. Inside a purple sphere, Fumiko rose up appearing mostly unscathed by the attack. Ribbons of purple light wrapped the sphere slowly spinning around and rotating keeping up a complete barrier of protection.

Fumiko lowered her staff. The barrier faded away with her release. “That hurt more than I thought,” she commented to herself. Her tunic revealed new tears and burns where the arrows hit. They mostly left her skin untouched, but she felt soreness from them. “That gave me enough time…” She looked over at the flame on her left.

“Time for what?” questioned Stamatia, “I don’t see anything different.”

“Not yet.” She lifted her arm up to put it in front of her. “Even practicing I was never able to get it reproduce like I did the first time. I was only able to make a normal looking flame. But I know I can make it again if I just place my faith in my power. That’s why this happened!” Her arm stretched out aiming at Stamatia. The wind that blew through pulled at the trails of flames whipping it around.

Fumiko closed her eyes focusing on her arm. Not immediately visible, a different colored glow rose up out of the depths of the flame that made her arm. Threads and ribbons, filled with characters and symbols, lifted from the surface. Their source came from her shoulder disappearing underneath her tunic. They wrapped around digging into and coming out the other side of the flame. Magic threads spread through building into a stronger color. Her flame suddenly grew darker absorbing the hue from the magic.

A bit of wonder and curiosity held back Stamatia from acting when she knew that she should. She did not understand her hesitating, but she wanted to see what the talk was about. ‘What’s happening to her arm? Why is it blue?’

Opening her eyes, Fumiko smirked a little. It pleased her to see that her gamble paid off. The blue flame that she found before during her awakening resurfaced. She merged it with her arm. The heat and magic coming off it felt much stronger than before. “This is everything that I hoped for and more… I’d suggest a defense! If you don’t want to get hurt too badly!”

“Huh?!” Stamatia barely had a moment to react as Fumiko sprinted towards her faster than she thought possible for a human, even one with MP powers. She summoned up flames for her defense, but it did nothing. Fumiko’s blue flame blew them away with a single blast. The rest became a blur to her eyes. She could not follow her speed as she already appeared behind her.

Stamatia turned her head in shock. “Imposs—“ Pain snapped off her voice. Her flame armor along her shoulder and arm vanished. Blood sprayed up into the air left from a wide claw mark that left five individual slashed from her shoulder down her arm. Her eyelids grew wide as her pupils shrank in surprise.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Opening her eyes, Fumiko smirked a little. It pleased her to see that her gamble paid off. The blue flame that she found before during her awakening resurfaced. She merged it with her arm. The heat and magic coming off it felt much stronger than before. “This is everything that I hoped for and more… I’d suggest a defense! If you don’t want to get hurt too badly!”

“Huh?!” Stamatia barely had a moment to react as Fumiko sprinted towards her faster than she thought possible for a human, even one with MP powers. She summoned up flames for her defense, but it did nothing. Fumiko’s blue flame blew them away with a single blast. The rest became a blur to her eyes. She could not follow her speed as she already appeared behind her.

Stamatia turned her head in shock. “Imposs—“ Pain snapped off her voice. Her flame armor along her shoulder and arm vanished. Blood sprayed up into the air left from a wide claw mark that left five individual slashed from her shoulder down her arm. Her eyelids grew wide as her pupils shrank in surprise.

The pain in her shoulder knocked her to one knee. She gritted her teeth tightly, a long forgotten yet still painfully familiar position. The act of appearing submissive, she hated it. She endured it, but could not stand it either. Stamatia promised herself that she would never allow anyone else to face such shame. Yet she found herself back at the beginning.

Calling up flames from her mind, the field erupted into a wave of screaming fire expanding out from her. The flames burned hotter and taller than before completely surround her. She drove away Fumiko, forced to escape. It bought her time.

She sighed a bit as the pain calmed for her. The full release of the field eased up her mind. Unlike many MP users, she restricted her field heavily. It required a significant drain on her focus and mental energies to keep it up, but it was necessary. In full release, her field became a blazing wildfire that filled her entire field with the exception of her center. It made it almost impossible for anyone to step inside, meaning she could not be of use as a MP.

Fumiko retreated until the fire came to a stop. However, she could see that the fire ended far too abruptly and sharply to actually be the end. She still had little interaction with the powers that Yuki used, but what she saw fit with her basic it understand. ‘This is her limit…the edge of her field…she can’t touch me here…’ The last strike she thought turned the advantage back to her, but with the field changing she no longer felt certain. A forty-meter diameter mass of flame seemed a little impossible to just wipe away. ‘I’ll need to figure something else out…’

Chapter 145 – Flickering Flame

Nothing immediately came to her. She did not know enough about the properties of the mass. Using her blue flame hand, she began drawing magic together for a spell. If she needed more information, she would just have to get it the hard way.

Making use of the extra time she had, since her opponent made not movements, Fumiko gathered up more than she had previously. The blue flame grew to fill her hand fully. A white raging core flickered at the center through the layers of soft blues. Fumiko glanced over at the thick wall. She doubted much would happen, but she needed to gauge matters.

She threw it into the flames.

It did not immediately explode as it had before when connecting with another flame. The ball penetrated the outer layers punching a hole through. Eventually the blast came, the release of energy created a fierce scalding wind. It was as if a closed pot with steamed water had just been opened and the initial touch of it escaping burned the arm, however it had hundred fold the range and ten times the temperature of just boiled water. For Fumiko, the effects felt reduced significantly. She just stood there watching it all.

Before the field automatically sealed up the area, she witness a penetration of three meters and blast radius of at least five meters. Unfortunately, she still had twelve meters to even touch the woman. The defense that Stamatia erected did not make much sense to Fumiko. It allowed for little other action. ‘What’s she up to in here? Is this part of a new plan?’

The recovery time that the field bought her gave her the time to tend to her injury. She managed keep the bleeding to a minimum with her fire armor acting as a bandage. Since their powers did not actually work on themselves, she could not actually use it to seal up the wounds. However, she was thankful that the wounds were not as deep as she originally feared.

She flexed her arm testing out her strength and mobility. Most of her arm still functioned as she needed it to, but it was less important to her. She did not need the arm for her fight. It was all field manipulation, mental control. The worst it caused her was infrequent intervals of sharp pain with a general dull burn.

Through her field, she felt the blast made by Fumiko. The disruption in her flame echoed back to her. It reminded her of the position she knelt in.

Two shadows stood over her in self-entitled superiority staring down in contempt.

She stood back up on her two feet shaking away the image. Her mind pushed it as far back as possible. It surfaced at the worst possible time for her. Stamatia needed to focus on stopping the threat to her hard worked peace. She could not allow anyone to step on what she desperately struggled to achieve.

Laughter echoed in the back of her mind. It drew redness into her ears.

Stamatia tightened her fists, burning the flames brighter around her. The brilliance of their core focused her eyes forward. Drawing strength back to her body, she felt the lingering bits of pain fading. Her mind found focus and sealed the fire in her field. ‘I have to keep moving forward. I fight to prevent the past from repeating…’

Saving the last bit of fire, Stamatia began gathering it together. She knew with the barrier that she saw previously that numerous attacks had no effect. It left her with only overwhelming power. A battle wills to determine who held the strongest resolve. Stamatia needed a decisive strike that put control back in her hands. She believed in her power and justice. Her strength came from the countless around her that she bore injustice so that they could know peace again. ‘…a repeating past…’

She saw that Fumiko gathered up another attack with her blue flame. It only had been used a couple of times, but she already understood the dangerousness of it. The power that came from it was not the same as the past flames used. Watching Fumiko build up her flame made her see that she felt the same suddenly. They decided to put it all on the line to crush the other. Stamatia would not give up. She funneled everything in her flame and stepped closer. She needed all of the strength possible. All of the moments before would undo if she failed. She could not accept it. It would invalidate her existence. ‘I’m right!’

Blood’s familiar taste ran over her lips. The hard stone floor crushed against her face. Echoes rang back to her. ‘I’m right! Otherwise, it was all meaningless! I won’t let it be meaningless! I was saving them! This will protect them!’ A foot leaned on her head. Laughter poured through her ears.

In her effort to build up her resolve to face Fumiko, she unknowingly relived her memories. Painful scars remained both on her body and within. Their shapes carved her heart to the shape she held in her hands now.

She had to live out her early childhood during the ending years of the rebellion that threatened to bring down Atlantis. Throughout most of the period of the rebellion, the atmosphere was one of unrest and minor disturbances. However, the rebellion reached a climax while she was a child. A teenage woman deemed a prodigy of the MP arts became their leader and unified their cause in a way no one expected. The result became out right conflict with the military.

Stamatia’s family managed to largely remain unaffected by the rebellion during its active years. Their collapse came to a startling conclusion, one that left ripples throughout the country. Ripples Stamatia felt years later.

They found her when she was eleven. She entered the military academy then. ‘It was only a few years after the conclusion to the rebellion, but the King enforced heavy restrictions on all MPs as a result. They were the cause of the rebellion. So they had to be kept in check.’ Military training was harsh by itself, but Stamatia had to face the other aspect of her. One she could not hide.

Laughter surrounded her, but she could not see their faces. All she could see was the stone that made the courtyard of the academy. A heavy foot kept her head from moving and forced her skin to polish the stone. In the distance, a commanding voice broke through everything. It silenced the laughter. Everyone froze.

“What’s going on here?” demanded the officer. None of them gave an answer. They only stood at attention. He looked down at Stamatia trying to herself up. “Why aren’t you standing at attention? Don’t know you how to respect a superior officer?”

Stamatia fought with her legs to force herself to stand, but the pain bolted up her muscles. She bit through the screaming to keep her voice silent. It took her two more attempts before she managed to bring herself up. The man, one of their instructors, glared down at her. He saw no child before him only a soldier. It made his eyes unsympathetic and worse filled with distain.

“Nothing?” he remarked on the silence. The man turned away began to leave. “Just make sure I don’t see it happen. Dismissed!”

“Yes, sir!” snapped everyone. The cadets began to disperse, most having lost the interest in beating up a MP user. However, one made sure to accidentally bump into her as they passed by.

The force against her was enough to send everything off balance. All of the adrenaline that she mustered to stand for the officer faded. Her pain returned to with the scrapping of her broken bone in her leg. She collapsed to the stone panting heavily, her leg already discolored. They all left her alone in the courtyard without enough strength in her voice to call for help. ‘Someone’ll be by eventually… I just have to keep going…’

Nearly an hour later, another MP user found Stamatia passed out. Her untended leg caused havoc within her body. As expected of the MP, she awoke without injury or flaw. All that she felt was the fatigue and the sound of the laughter.

“How are you feeling?” asked the stranger.

She looked up weakly trying to see who helped her. The sun made it difficult for her to make them out, but they sounded older than her. “Yes, thank you. I’ll be fine.”

They helped her back to her feet. “You know if you used your power you can defend yourself. They don’t have the right to treat you like this.”

Stamatia turned her eyes away from the stranger. She already tried as they suggested. ‘I was hurt a lot worse when I fought back…I thought I was going to die…’ The memory impressed a terrible scar on her body. Her hand subconsciously stroked her stomach where they cut her deeply. She pushed away from the stranger and stumbled away. “I’ll be fine.”

“My name is Paian Orestis! You don’t need to be afraid! If we stick together we can look out for each other!”

A bit of shock poured through Stamatia. She turned on her stopped feet to look back. ‘A surname… a noble?!’ The honor of a surname meant the family or individual came highly respected. They were above the commoners, but not because of wealth. Something happened that the King recognized their value to Atlantis.

She could not believe that someone like that helped her and stood before her encouraging. She would have thought that they would back the King’s decree. It made her hesitate. A new thought she did not consider surfaced for Stamatia. ‘…is it possible?’

Stamatia thought she found a glimmer of hope. She was too young to do anything about the system. Her only conclusion was to pass through with as little problem as possible. Yet he offered her a different answer. He provided her a comfort. He helped many of the younger MP users that suffered from the same prejudice.

And the King destroyed even that piece of hope.

“Paian! Paian!” screamed Stamatia.

“Stop, Stamatia! You can’t go to him!”

“You’ll only be caught!”

Two teens, a little older than her, held her arms to keep her from running into the presentation grounds. There was nothing any of them could do. The King found Paian guilty of conspiring and recruiting insurrectionists. His honor was stripped from him and they left him to die a symbol to the rest.

Stamatia collapsed in tears along with the others that Paian helped. They hid away from everyone on the second floor of one of the training halls. She did not understand it. “Why? We’re the same as them!”

“Bastard! Damn King!”

“He’s one of us, too! So why is he treating us like this?”

“All he cares about is keeping Atlantis from collapsing! He doesn’t care what happens to us!”

“Did you hear that they passed more decrees against us MPs?”

“What?! How much more until they’re happy?”

“Do they want all of us to die?”

“No,” replied Stamatia. She wiped away her tears and stood up. It all happened too fast for her, but she came to her answer. ‘Paian…that wasn’t the way…the only way is…’ Stamatia took a few steps away from them with her back to them. “We exist and we’ll keep existing. I’ll take whatever they’ll dish out. The only way is to survive and change them from within. I’ll take it all until they’re tired. So no one else must!”

Night returned to Stamatia, leaving her memories behind. They re-enforced her resolve and flowed into her strength. She charged forward growing her flame larger. As she reached the range she desired, the ball of wild fire compressed. Her mind forced it into a dense energy. The mental energy she spent made her sweat with fatigue. “This is my answer!”

Fumiko finished her casting at the time that Stamatia launched her attack. The casting forced her to stand still and accept the closer distance. She did not know what the clash would be at their distance. However, she knew she could not have any doubt. Her blue flame burned with ribbons of magic spinning around and through it in a multi-latticed pattern. Symbols and characters churned about the swarming mass. “This is my resolve!”

Both women threw their flames at the same the time. Not even a second had to pass before the two massive spheres of fire clashed in the middle. The two energies fought and sparked turning into angry flares that whipped out limbs. Each limb wrapped around scrapping through like dragons unwilling to give in.

Neither fighter relented in their struggle. Everything came down to their wills. Even with the fires blasting out shockwaves, they did not explode. Their masters kept feeding them to keep them alive. The fuel made them glow brighter and rage unrestrained. However, one had to give eventually.

The signal to the end came with a prelude in the form of a quake. Breaking up the earth underneath and cracking out from the epicenter, all those around knew the moment was about to come. A few cracks of light broke out from the collision. The beams seared everything they touched. Smoke rose up prior to the explosion that erupted. It blinded everything in the area while sending gale force winds outward.

Waves of torrents pulsed from the cooling core of fire. Fumiko barely held on against the forces that threatened to cast her aside. The heat baked her skin. She was not certain what results would come from their clash, but it exceeded all of her thoughts. ‘Almost over…’

Fumiko read the blast correctly. It began to calm and the blinding light faded away. The battered, burnt and crushed environment around the crater of their attacks measured the destructive nature. Through the dispersing heat, Stamatia clutched to driven wood pole. Her hand extended for guiding support. “It’s all over!”

Her reaction came too late. Fumiko did not even know what happened until it was already done. Error was the only thing that saved her life. A spinning sword of fire disappeared out of range of Stamatia’s field. However, her face turned white in shock before blood sprayed across her face. The pain had not even reached her brain yet as she looked down to find her arm missing from the upper arm down. Her eyes widened and pupils shrank in horror-filled shock.

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Her reaction came too late. Fumiko did not even know what happened until it was already done. Error was the only thing that saved her life. A spinning sword of fire disappeared out of range of Stamatia’s field. However, her face turned white in shock before blood sprayed across her face. The pain had not even reached her brain yet as she looked down to find her arm missing from the upper arm down. Her eyes widened and pupils shrank in horror-filled shock.

Fumiko collapsed to her knees as the pain screamed through her body with such intensity that her voice could not even make a sound. It just turned her body pale and her mouth slightly agape. Nothing more processed through her brain for seconds. Pain locked up everything inside Fumiko.

Stamatia pulled herself up. Her body rang with bruises and her shoulder wound screamed at her once more. Blood renewed a drip down her body under her armor with her concentration thrown. The blast did more to her than she thought possible. It took her a while to completely focus again. She thanked that her head stayed together long enough for her follow up. Even clashing, she knew that she would not come out cleanly ahead. Something in her gut told her that she needed a backup plan. It took everything she had to hold together long enough after it to make her counterattack, but it still missed.

The wound she gave still was important. Their battle was over. She won with the last attack. The fight disappeared from the woman. All that remained was for her to be captured. ‘So exhausting…’ Stamatia stumbled a step, but recovered quickly. She had not run herself so close to the end in a very long time. ‘…my resolve is stronger… Nothing will stop me and I’ll take any pain on to see it succeed…for them…’

She felt her strength returning to her. Her posture improved and her step turned solid again. Flames came to her call loosely spinning around her, further signs of her recovery. Stamatia stopped a few meters away from Fumiko. Still not responsive, she looked down at her knelt opponent. Flames rose around Fumiko acting like bars for a prison, surrounding her. “It’s over for you. Face your fate with a little pride and surrender.”

Chapter 146 – The Stronger Flame

Directing men around the camp managed to establish a small semblance of order. However, the chaos in the distance worked against him. Simonides stood in the center of it all working hard to keep his stone face in front of all of his men. While he fore saw it in his plans that they would attack it the timing fell outside of what he predicted. Another mysterious occurrence troubled him.

He knew if they used their powers to immediately track them, they would have found them within a couple of hours. Since he expected an attack that soon, he had his men ready for it, however it never came. By the time night felt, he expected that they traveled on foot and would not arrive until at least the morning. The reason he sent out Vangelis was meant to delay them, as he knew their arrival to be an eventuality. He just need Vangelis to slow them down until he got the answers he need to mount a proper offensive, but their presence must have meant that Vangelis never found them in time.

The reason he let slide, as he had more immediate concerns. He needed to ensure the safety of his men while under siege from the enemy. ‘It’s fortunate that Stamatia, Galen and Nerine have engaged them. It’ll buy the time for us to regroup and prepare a counterattack.’ Once more, he found himself placing his men in an undesirable position. None of them had the proper briefing for handling their opponents. So they all went in blind. He trusted them, but a desperate enemy was far more dangerous than just one trying to survive. Anything could happen.

‘It bothers me why the fire user did not act in the last battle. The power even from this range is clear…’ Something about the situation did not sit well with him. His gut nagged at him. He had almost no information on the woman and could only connect her to the large flames reported in the Skoupa skirmish. ‘What is this feeling? What is it that I don’t know yet?’


It took Stamatia’s words to snap Fumiko out of her paralysis. She blinked and twitched, as the pain remained her that she still lived. Her eyes looked down at her arm, not remembering her condition. Everything from roughly the middle of her upper arm down was cut clean off. Loose drips of blood fell from the stump, as the flame sword did not fully cauterize her wound in the speed it ran through. She still felt as though she could move her fingers, even though her mind knew clearly that it was impossible. It all presented an odd disconnected feeling of understanding yet not fully grasping the situation.

“I see you’re snapped to now. So what will your answer be? Surrender or death, traitor?” She intensified her flames around Fumiko to emphasis her point and bring her attention to the matter at hand.

Fumiko gritted her teeth between the pain and situation. She did not know what she could do with only one arm, but she did not feel like giving up. ‘I have to find Chiharu. I can’t be stopped here… I won’t make any more regrets!’ Bracing her flame hand to the ground, Fumiko pulled herself up a little. Her body still felt unwieldy. She guessed the blood lose started to affect her. Fumiko channeled all of her determination into her face. “It’s hard to be a traitor of a country that was never yours.”

“So you’d go so far as to deny your homeland! Atlantis is far better today than it was twenty even ten years ago in the laws against MP. How can you still be denying the progress we’ve made?!”

“I don’t care about what progress you’ve made. It’s all meaningless to me. As I told you before I’m Japanese, so it’s irrelevant.”

“Still spouting that nonsense? You have the Meso Prosecho! That’s proof enough that you have Atlantean blood!”

“Afraid you’re wrong there too. It’s not too surprising, since it was pretty recent, but things aren’t the same outside of your world anymore.”

“Lies! It’s not possible!”

A choking laugh came from Fumiko. She finally had the strength to stand on her legs. The talking bought her all of the time that she needed. All she needed to do was prepare her mind for what she was about to do. It still scared her a bit. “Yeah, I can’t really expect you to believe it. We didn’t at first. But I guess since it was because of someone like you who did it, then I guess you could say your powers are the reason I have mine.”

“You aren’t making any sense. What sort of lies are you trying to use to con your way free?”

“It’s a shame. It’s all the truth, but that’s all the time I have to talk.” She lifted her up her flame arm to stare at it. Fumiko flipped her eyes back at Stamatia to meet gazes. “However, I don’t need words to free myself,” she smirked. Her hand tightened growing a new flame, smaller, but tightly controlled. It burned red rather than blue. ‘I know it’s a lot to ask, but Kimiko watch over me, please…’ Fumiko prepared all she could.

She screamed her throat rough drawing away the pain and securing herself. Her hand moved over to the stump and hovered for a second. The pause of anticipation built up anxiety inside her, but she pushed through. Her red flame lifted into her wound burning the edges acting to cauterize everything exposed. Fumiko coughed and screamed louder into the new world of pain. The seconds passed and she pulled away feeling enough time passed.

Fumiko panted heavily and stared back at Stamatia through the cage. She worked up a grin on her lips. “I should thank you. Your fire managed to keep my blood loss to a minimum otherwise I’d probably be passed out now.” Flames burst from around her arm building into a new spell. “So I’ll do so, by defeating you!” Fumiko slammed the flame at the ground in front of her and then slashed out with the blue flame arm. Small whiffs of fire fell around her as she made her escape.

Stamatia staggered back held in shock at what she witnessed. ‘How can she still have fight in her? What’s with that resolve in her eyes? Why does she think she can win?’ Blasts of fire around her rudely pulled her out of her stunned state. When she returned to reality she found Fumiko standing over her, the height measuring out an imposing stature. It immediately turned her eyes thin narrowing to brace herself.

Another fire burned in her hand. “I granted you a free chance to recover. Consider the debt repaid. I’ll show you no further kindness!” The pain from her arm began to fade to the back of her mind. She felt the focus of her magic coursing their body once more. Unity restored itself and felt even stronger. Ribbons of magic freely spun around her chest channeling into her arm. It made the glow from it brighter.

‘That arm of hers…’ Stamatia pulled away launching flames up from the ground at Fumiko. She released more of her field than she had previous while fighting. However, each stream was blasted away by Fumiko with a single attack. She needed more.

Fumiko felt everything flowing smoothly through her body. She did not even think that she spent time to cast her fire. The sensation felt strange, but almost natural. ‘Even after the last spell I still feel like I can cast again. I normally feel like I have to build up my magic, but it already feels like it is ready to go…’ Her magic never felt so close to her fingers before. She did not understand it, but was glad for it. ‘I’ll find you, where ever you are!’

New flames ignited from her hand ready to go. Stamatia took a few steps back trying to plan an attack. ‘Something’s different…’ Fumiko did not grant her much time to think. The new fireball forced her hand to summon a wall to halt the attack. Their impact blasted out wind. A stalemate again for the two, Stamatia did not think it possible. ‘After my attack…how… My resolve is stronger!’

Desperation on Stamatia behalf forced the release of even more of her field. She channeled rivers of flame around her. It pulled from behind her funneling in towards Fumiko as a massive column. Three more came up in quick succession. They all were larger than anything Stamatia used before. Their presence cracked the ground and set wood afire.

Not turning back, Fumiko built up her flame and released a brightly glowing blue flame at the first stream. They met quickly and fell to mutual destruction, but the other three remained unaffected. She felt the magic in her arm still ready and she fired off another spell of equal strength. Even after the second spell, her arm still roared for more. Fumiko granted its request tossing two more flames out. A fiery blast grew from the impacts with a shockwave that the wind rode.

She looked down at her arm. It lost a little of its shine, but still looked strong. ‘Is this the strength of this arm? I can use spells without the cast time?’ Fumiko glared over at her frustrated, but not finished opponent. ‘This will help me end the fight! I can keep up with her with this!’ The hand clinched a glowing fist in preparation for the next round.

Nothing happened again for Stamatia. ‘Damn it! She’s able to keep up with this speed and strength! I just need more…’ She could not stay in a stalemate any longer. ‘Time for something new…’ Walls of fire came up in front of her to stop the next attack that Fumiko launched. It gave her the time to bring up new streams behind her and mold them. Dozens of spinning discs hovered around her waiting for the cloud to settle out. However, when it finally did she found nothing. “What?!” Stamatia darted her eyes around trying to figure out with Fumiko disappeared.

“You didn’t think I’d just stand in the same spot did you?” remarked Fumiko, out of sight of Stamatia. “I’m winning this fight!”

Stamatia spun around behind her figuring out the direction of the voice, but it was too late. A new series of fireballs came at her, already close inside her. She instinctively raised walls of flames, but they had to be very close to her. The impact knocked her off her feet and sent her into the tents. It snuffed out all of the weapons she prepared.

The collapse released her flames again, forcing Fumiko away. She jumped out of the razed earth still partially enveloped within the flames. As she reached the peak of her jump, she dispelled the flames to recover a safe landing. ‘Almost had her there… Just need to get a little closer next time…’

Slowly recovering, Stamatia focused her field under her control. However, she still needed more time. She flipped her field into automated defense mode. It released partial control of it to her subconscious allowing her the time she needed to stand and prepare.

Finding the field back to normal, Fumiko took the chance to move again. She needed to strike while Stamatia was still recovering. It was going to be her only chance to end the fight. However, once she stepped into the range fire attacked her immediately. Her arm threw it off, but she came under attack again. She threw it off with a fireball and sprinted through. More streams trailed her forcing her to send them away. Just as she recovered, new ones appeared striking at her. ‘What’s with this? The reactions are too fast…’

Standing up fully, Stamatia began to take in the scene once more. It startled her a little watching Fumiko turn into a blur with her movements. She remained in her field and yet kept up with her defenses. It even looked like she was starting to make progress. ‘How is that possible? Even with adjustments to the physics of nature to reduce friction, drag and boost performance…it shouldn’t be possible to move that fast! That isn’t even normal for us!’ Stamatia suddenly felt a heavy weight come down around her shoulders. The words that Fumiko spoke to her came back to haunt her. ‘Is it true? Could she really be…different from us?’

Stamatia eyes grew wider as it all began to settle into her mind. She no longer knew what she should believe. Who was her opponent? New questions appeared that she did not expect. Her mind twisted into thorny labyrinth. ‘What do I do?’

Flashes of all those from the academy that looked up to Paian appeared in her mind. She fought for them to see that they had a better future than her. She struggled so that those that came after her did not have to face the same prejudice. She took their pain because she could endure it all. ‘I just have to fight… It doesn’t matter if it is lies or not! I have to stop her!’

Flames rose up dividing repeatedly to become weapons for her. She marched forward to meet her enemy. Fumiko stood between her and her answer. “I’ll grasp my own truth!” All of the spinning flame weapons launched at Fumiko, still in the middle of keeping up with the streams.

Out of the corner of her eye, Fumiko picked up the new targets. She flipped around on her leg to turn her into the attack. Her arm raked through the air leaving behind flames. It took the initial few weapons and exploded outward. The blast shot out like a shotgun shell spreading small pellets of fire taking out most of the spinning weapons. A fireball discharged to eliminate the remaining. Fumiko slid out in front of the defensive streams dripping her arm down sending out a blast behind her to naturalize the rest. The explosion accented her with a dramatic background that darkened her figure leaving only her staring eyes.

Realizing the pointless of the defense, Stamatia flipped it off. She knew the source of her troubles. “That arm of yours. Let’s see how you do without it!” A long sword of fire appeared behind Fumiko spinning up to take out her arm.

Fumiko rotated around and grabbed the sword with her hand. She crushed it under her palm. Her head tilted over to Stamatia unimpressed. “That won’t work again.”

“Oh?”

Suddenly another sword flew from behind Fumiko already in motion long before either of their words. Fumiko did not have a chance to evade. It sliced through her arm and disappeared, its job complete. A surprised look appeared on Fumiko face.

Stamatia smirked pleased to see her plan succeeded. “Without that arm you’re finished. This fight is over!” At the end of her declaration, Fumiko disappeared from her sight. Stamatia froze for a second before attempting to look around, but it was already too late.

Fumiko appeared behind her. She rested her flame hand on her shoulder of her fire armor and wiped out half of it in the process. “Yes, the fight is over.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Suddenly another sword flew from behind Fumiko already in motion long before either of their words. Fumiko did not have a chance to evade. It sliced through her arm and disappeared, its job complete. A surprised look appeared on Fumiko face.

Stamatia smirked pleased to see her plan succeeded. “Without that arm you’re finished. This fight is over!” At the end of her declaration, Fumiko disappeared from her sight. Stamatia froze for a second before attempting to look around, but it was already too late.

Fumiko appeared behind her. She rested her flame hand on her shoulder of her fire armor and wiped out half of it in the process. “Yes, the fight is over.”

It happened so fast for Stamatia that she froze for a moment with her eyelids growing wide. She did not know what occurred or how it was even possible. Her mind kept replaying the same two seconds repeatedly trying to understand. Nothing succeeded.

Finally, the pain of her shoulder wounds and blood dripping heavily down her body woke her up. Stamatia realized how close Fumiko stood and pulled away. She jumped back a few steps to what she thought would be a safe distant. Instinctively, her hand pressed against her bloodied shoulder trying to fight the stinging pain rising to the surface. Her eyes glanced at her armor. ‘She did so much damage to my armor at this range! It’s the strongest flame I have! How…how…why?!’

Appearing a little disconnected to the reality of the situation, it painted Fumiko’s eyes a dull empty green. She lifted her flame arm up, it eager to finish matters. “I should thank you, again. I’ve been able to learn quite a bit about what I’m capable of because of this fight. And I know now that you don’t have a chance of winning anymore.”

The declaration wiped away all of the shock that Stamatia held. Her eyes narrowed immediately in response. “You’ve become rather arrogant now that you think you’ve got the upper hand.” She pulled her hand away and re-ignited her armor to cover the gap. Stamatia summoned flames into her hands letting them engulf them fully to blazing into the air with trails that reached above her.

A short sigh came from Fumiko’s lips. She hoped the fight would have ended. The last counter should have been more than enough to establish her position. Fumiko did not understand why she insisted. ‘Fine, have it your way…’ She began walking forward slowly, but vanished from Stamatia’s sight a second later.

Flames exploded suddenly behind Stamatia and she quickly turned prepared to attack. She turned her defenses back to automatic to make up for Fumiko’s strange speed. “I told you, you’re arrogant! You can’t win! Not against me! My answer is correct!” Amongst her words, nothing appeared to her. She twisted her forehead a little in confusion only to have an answer a split-second later.

Flames blew in from behind Stamatia knocking her to the ground and destroyed the upper half of her armor. Only the fact that she laid on the ground kept her bare top from exposure. Fumiko stood over her with a hand still extended, flickers of fire floating away into the air. “I didn’t speak in arrogance, but confidence. I understood our differences better than you. This is no longer your fight.”

Dirt tasted disgusting. However, surprised a second time by the same move was worse. Stamatia gritted her teeth through the burning. While her armor absorbed most of the damage, some of Fumiko’s flame reached her. It gave her redness over nearly all of her back.

It hurt.

Her mind ran through questions and fears. Everything replayed for her. She lost.

Stamatia dragged herself up from the earth. She did not feel so beat up since her academy days. However, the level of pain she felt was nothing. Resting on her stubbornness, her body began to ignore the pain. It gave her the strength to stand back up. “I won’t lose! I can’t lose!” Desperation fueled her words rather than resolve.

Fumiko picked up on the changes in Stamatia. She had felt for a while that something laid underneath her in the way she fought. It did not feel right to be addressing matters in the middle of a fight. Therefore, she did not act on it, but their fight ended a while ago. A fact that Fumiko wished Stamatia understood. “I don’t know the reason for why you wish to keep fighting a battle that you’ve already lost, but doubt that dying will help it.”

She gritted her teeth again. Fumiko dismissed her reason. Fire burned up around Stamatia in response to her emotions. Rage boiled up inside charging the flame to grow hotter. It completely engulfed her body leaving only a slight glow from her eyes. Her appearance made her look as though she became fire rather than simply wearing it. “I won’t die! Nothing will stop me from insuring the correct path is taken! For that I’ll stop you and your damned rebellion!”

The air burned around Fumiko marking the changing atmosphere. It drained some of the oxygen from the space making it difficult for her to breath. “You won’t stop…” Winds spun around the field rapidly changing to the intensity of the fire. Fumiko drew upon her blue flame arm for a final attack. She saw the woman putting everything into it and holding nothing back. “…fine…I wanted both of us to walk away…”

“You’re naïve to believe this can be settled by words!”

“Perhaps.”

“Naivety is a weakness!” The field blasted up around Stamatia forcefully throwing chunks of earth to all sides. Flames roared in the full field released to lash out at all things. “I’ll show what it looks like to devote one fully to your answer! I will crush that weakness of yours and your rebellion!”

Flames surrounded and licked Fumiko, but she remained calm. It surprised her a little noting how at ease she was in the situation. ‘A day ago this would have scared me… A day ago I feared my flame… Now…’ She looked down at her arm. Dense magic ribbons spun around it fiercely. It glowed brightly building magic together quickly. ‘It’s a little weird being this comfortable, but I know what I must do.’

A large blue flame burst from her palm and expanded quickly to fill her hand. Filled with the volume of magic, the small size could not contain it. It spilled out to surround her hand. Long tendrils whipped around almost encompassing her arm. Winds blew up around her and clashed with Stamatia. The currents fought between them before the women even made a move.

Fumiko stretched out her arm to her side. The movement extinguished the neighboring flames of Stamatia’s preventing them from approaching. Even inside the caldron, none of them could reach Fumiko. Her eyes stared down with Stamatia almost acting like a measure of readiness. “Still hung up on the rebellion part…rebellion or not, I have someone to save. You cannot stop me!”

Stamatia raised her hand above her. Fire from all around her field flowed towards it channeling into a compressed orb. It sucked away all of the flames until nothing remained but the mass above her. She pulled her hand down almost struggling with the amount that she restrained from her field. It ripped at the seams in rage wanting a release. A headache sprung up the back of her head spreading to the sides. It pounded her skull in. She did not care about any of it. Any punishment her body wished upon her, she took.

The massive blaze in front of Stamatia threatened to come apart. However, it did not need to remain together for long. She directed and focused everything bit of it. Cracking like thunder, the flames charged free with a sigh of relief that shot out a shockwave.

In the moment before Fumiko released her fire, all of the tightly spun threads and ribbons of magic exploded outward. They expanded quickly to eclipse her body. A magic circle carved through the air and passed through her body. Blue flames roared free from her arm and completely engulfed her matching the amassed energy Stamatia gathered.

Red and blue clashed in the middle turning everything to purple light. The collision ate through the earth digging out an even greater crater than the last and eventually swallowing it whole. Their light filled nearly the entire camp. It pulled gazes from everywhere. Winds fled from the epicenter riding new shockwaves and breaking down tents.

Flames clawed and tore at each other digging into core. They expanded outward feeding off their masters. Purple tinted flames approached them. Neither of them faltered with the incoming inferno. Both stood their ground even after it surrounded them as if it became a life of its own. Fumiko and Stamatia disappeared from anyone’s sight.

Fires raged on.

Chapter 147 – Knocking Down

“Damn…” remarked Seiji, lowering his arms a little. Smoke rose from his forearms, but quickly faded away. The light from Fumiko’s battle made it outside the camp to him. He suddenly felt his tunic kick up in the wind. Seiji grinned a little imagining the awesome fight. “Looks like she’s really getting crazy over there… To feel it all the way out here... Must say I’m impress—” A fist cut him off and knocked him over to the ground, spinning a little before landing in a cloud of dirt.

Quickly, he stood up and rubbed his slightly red face. “The hell’s the matter with you?! I was talking!”

The tall woman kept a flat expression and held her metal clad fists up, always ready. “This is a fight. There are no breaks.”

“I already told you that I’m not fighting you! So just run off somewhere else.” He waved his hand at her dismissing her from the battlefield. “If you want find me a guy and I’ll fight them instead.”

It annoyed her that he refused to take her seriously. She pulled back her arm for another strike. “I don’t need your chauvinistic chivalry.” Not waiting for any sort of reply, she unleashed her fist at him. However, a shocked expression came across her face. Seiji’s hand stopped her punch with nothing more than his palm. She looked across her arm at him puzzled and found his features turned oddly serious. “Finally ready to—“

“Get down!” Seiji slid around behind her and pushed her to the ground. She protested him, but his strength beat her.

Making use of her elbows, she tried to knock him off her. “What do you think you’re doing?!” A percussive blast rang through her ears. Popping from changing pressures made her nearly deaf. Then the impact came tossing up the loose layer of dirt forced to ride the wave out.

Seiji stood up releasing the woman from his hold. The shockwave passed. He walked away looking back at the camp. Moments before, he noticed that the fire reached a climax. It started a chain reaction explosion that would be stronger than the weak power coming from them before. His instinct told him he needed to do something. “Damn…they’re getting reckless… Who knows how many that actually hurt…”

The woman did not know immediately what happened. It all occurred so fast for her that she played catch up. Her eyes scanned the surface around her and the horizon ahead, for as far as she could in the night. She slowly rose back to her feet and turned around. The sight of Seiji’s back caught her a bit by surprise. A small chunk of wood lodged itself in the small of his back with blood soaking into the fabric of his tunic. “Why did you do that?”

“Eh?” croaked Seiji, with a slight tilt to his head. He did not quite turn to face her, just enough to meet gazes.

She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. “You protected me. And injured yourself for me, your enemy.”

A sigh dropped from his mouth. She forced him to turn around having to keep explaining himself. “Because I wanted to.”

“That’s not a reason,” she snapped back, the tone in her voice starting to change. She always tried to keep herself in check and calm. It was her only guard to stop the others from thinking less of her.

Seiji gave her a shrug not having any more of a better answer for her. “I wasn’t thinking about it. You’ll just have to accept it.”

“But I’m your enemy. You don’t protect your enemy.”

“Enough of that!” snapped Seiji. He leaned a little with his words. It took her a little off guard. “Stop with the enemy this and that. You aren’t my enemy!”

She tightened her fists. He still did not see her as an equal to fight. “Because I’m a girl, right?”

Slightly bewildered, Seiji looked over at her. He shook his head at her. “What? No, that’s got nothing to do with it. If you were a guy you still wouldn’t be my enemy.”

“But I want to stop you from your objective. How can I not be your enemy?”

Seiji waved his hand to dismiss her reason. He walked up to her and pointed a finger at her to make his point. “You’re just a soldier. You’re following orders. I’ve got no problem with you.”

The Atlantean backed off a little perplexed by the answer she got. She did not expect him to actually think in such a way. It was oddly rational even though he did not seem to actually appear to be one that thought with his head. The picture she got of him only made things more confusing. She did not understand him. “Then who is your enemy?”

“The one that’s giving the orders to kill my best friend.”

“Huh? Who’s is that?”


“What my friend?” He looked over at her for an answer. She simply shook her head at him. “Oh, the one wanting my friend dead?” Seiji shrugged at her again. “No idea!”

She felt like she wanted to fall over that he seemed to answer to honestly without concern for how stupid it sounded. It did at least make her sweat a little. He only became more confusing with each word. “How can you be here with no idea who your enemy is? You don’t even know that they’re here.”

The thought had not really fully crossed his mind. He rubbed his head, scratching his hair a little. “I guess that’s possible, but we’re pretty certain that they’re here somewhere.”

“Why?”


“Because every assassin wore the same military uniform that you do. They were all Atlanteans with the same powers as you special types.”

Seiji’s words made her step back a little. She did not expect such an answer. Even though it did not make any sense to her, she saw in his eyes that he believed what he said. It muddled their situation further. She did not know what was happening any longer. “How can that be? No one leaves the barrier. We remain here protecting our privacy. What you’re saying doesn’t make sense. There’s no reason we would want to attack anyone on the outside.”

“I’m not too understanding of the whole situation, but my friend is the son of your late King. As it was explained to me, certain people don’t want him to inherit the throne. That is the reason for the attack.”

“That can’t be…” The lies became worse. She knew it was impossible, no matter how much he spoke them as truths. Taking a firm step forward, she leaned toward Seiji. “The King has no son. It is public knowledge that the Queen died before giving him an heir. So you’re lying. Whoever has been telling you this has been lying to you.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

The long night continued without giving up any luck for all involved. Far from the camp in the middle of nowhere Atlantis, the vehicle that carried Vangelis’ team parked for a stop. His team remained inside the vehicle as ordered. Staring around the horizon, he calculated his position.

He knew from their maps where they stopped, but it bothered him. The Captain foresaw them returning for their comrade. Everything Simonides told to him about them made him agree with the assessment. They sounded painfully naïve, enjoyable ones to crush. He looked forward to meeting them, but they found them nowhere.

Crouching to the ground, he ran his fingers over the pockets of earth. ‘We traced their course from Skoupa, but nothing…’ Vangelis gazed up at the horizon, the general location of their camp. They did not know where to find their captured comrade. The retreat even used a hover vehicle to leave no traces, to slow down their plans. ‘…hmm…’

More questions surfaced. ‘As he figured, if they traveled by vehicle, they would have reached camp long ago, even without tracks to follow. The camp sticks out, especially at night…’ His head turned back in the direction that he knew the battle took place. ‘They walked the whole morning, not even hiding themselves… Did they walk back?’

Standing up, Vangelis took a few steps further away from the transporter. He crossed his arms still letting his eyes do the work. ‘If they walked, then that could explain things… If they walked they could be anywhere along the route, especially if they’re searching… I would have thought we would see some sign of them…’

Settling into the bothersome back-up plan, he turned back to the vehicle. ‘No other choice… We’ll waste time just searching the area…’ He approached the passenger side door, noting Iole still obediently waiting. His hand knocked on the metal to get her to open the door for him. A second later, it swung open, but she held her gaze forward. “Follow the tracks to the battle site.”

“The enemy is not there anymore,” she replied without missing a beat.

Vangelis lowered his eyebrows a touch. “This is an order.”

“Our orders are to halt the enemy’s progress.”

“Unless you’ve suddenly found them, I see no reason to stay here.” He leaned into the cabin of the vehicle towards Iole. His hand pressed into the passenger seat. “A superior officer is giving you an order. Go to the battle site. We’ll pick up their tracks from there.”

Chapter 148 – Calculated Risk

Fumiko and Stamatia’s explosion rocked the tent of the temporary command center. The only thing keeping it from destruction was the fact that Simonides had three MPs stations around to dampen the effects of their battle. It spared nearly a fifth of the camp from the devastation.

Simonides kept his eyes focused on the display even though his mind turned focus briefly to the quaking. He bore witness to many duels between MPs over the years, but it still unnerved him the destructive nature that they could achieve. A disastrous scenario such as the one that occurred in his camp fell on his list of possibilities, but he still did not give it high odds. He counted on his contingencies halting their progress. They continued to leave him with more questions than answers. He had not found the correct way to fight them. Everything about them defied reality, even more than a MP user.

Once the shockwave passed, everything turned eerily quiet. All of the soldiers in the tent paused waiting for the fighting outside to roar back to full veracity, yet it remained silent. Seconds passed onto minutes before the tension eased up.

He stared more intently at the map in front of him. A MP user generated a battle map for him to give him a better sense of the chaos within his camp. Enough time passed since the fighting began that he turned his men’s panic around. His command restored a small amount of order.

In front of him, particles rained down creating a hemisphere with detailed topology and mapping of everything within the region. It did not identify individuals with names, as Simonides would have preferred, but simple dots with health conditions. He saw where his men stood and the fighting happened. The area of Stamatia’s fight remained unknown. Heat from their fight disrupted the readings leaving them with a large circle awaiting the results. Outside of the dead zone, another individual waited on his orders to respond to the outcome.

Still it bothered him to only see a small force. ‘Three intruders…where’s the rest?’ From the immediate fighting, he knew only three fights took place. He expected all of them in the camp, probably trying to sneak in. However, they found no one. ‘There are some unaccounted for, but we’ve found nothing…’

Two considerations came to him while he stared longer at the map. ‘They’re either disguising themselves and hiding within our ranks waiting or…’ Simonides stared at the placement of the fighting and position of anyone the map detected. He thought he started to understand the way they worked. Things happened within his forecast, but errors still occurred. The second option he dreaded more, since it meant that there was more still that he did not understand about them. ‘…they’ve split into two teams and this is all they set for a rescue… But what would the second team be doing?’

Waiting and responding was the only thing he could do at the moment. He knew if he made an action on only guess work the outcome could be worse. The number of MPs he had under his command were five short and four recovering. ‘Regardless of the situation, they’ve come into den of the lion… It doesn’t matter how strong they are… Everyone succumbs to fatigue… Well capture three more of them… They made a grave mistake falling for my trap…’


Seiji’s words made her step back a little. She did not expect such an answer. Even though it did not make any sense to her, she saw in his eyes that he believed what he said. It muddled their situation further. She did not know what was happening any longer. “How can that be? No one leaves the barrier. We remain here protecting our privacy. What you’re saying doesn’t make sense. There’s no reason we would want to attack anyone on the outside.”

“I’m not too understanding of the whole situation, but my friend is the son of your late King. As it was explained to me, certain people don’t want him to inherit the throne. That is the reason for the attack.”

“That can’t be…” The lies became worse. She knew it was impossible, no matter how much he spoke them as truths. Taking a firm step forward, she leaned toward Seiji. “The King has no son. It is public knowledge that the Queen died before giving him an heir. So you’re lying. Whoever has been telling you this has been lying to you.”

The new revelation gave Seiji pause. Most of the information he got from Yuki and did not think to question it. He figured that Ayumi told him it all, something that churned his stomach a bit. Even thinking about her made him angry. ‘She’s always doing her own thing without any regard for the rest of us. The only one that she wants is Yuki. Would she lie about that? Is there something else she wants?’ Seiji’s eyebrows twitched with the more that he thought.

It took him a few more seconds before he gave up the effort. A sigh escaped his lips as though expelling the troubles with the air. One truth remained. One truth he could not change or avoid. “It’s true that she’s probably lying to us about something. I don’t know if this is one of those things. For all I know you’re lying to confuse me.” Seiji crossed his arms, to show that he still refused to fight the woman. “The reality is that we are here now. If it is because of lies, I’ll deal with her after all of this is settled. The fact remains you’re holding one of our friends. So until he’s returned to us we won’t be leaving.”

She found his stubbornness continually frustrating. He did not believe her and refused to take her seriously. “So you’re just like everyone else. Treating me like a child.” Her hands rose looking ready to fight again.

“Huh?” Seiji tilted his head to the side not clear what the recent words from her meant. “What are you talking about? Why would I treat you like a child?”

“You refuse to fight me as an equal.”

“That’s got nothing to do with the other. My code prevents me from fighting women. I would never see a woman as a child.” He waved his hand dismissing her proclamation. “Besides, you’re like in your early twenties or something…”

“I’m fourteen,” she stated clearly.

Seiji nodded in agreement with her, not immediately hearing her words. “You’re fourteen, see! An adult…” His words caught up to what he repeated. It froze him for a second before he turned a little defensive looking back at the very tall…girl. “Fourteen?! Now you’re the one lying to me!”

She shook her head at him. The expression on her face did not change the entire time she stared at him. Her features gave no indication of deceit. In fact, some self-loathing sat behind her eyes.

It took him a little bit longer to take it all in. Even then, he still had trouble with the reality. He walked over to her suddenly looking very serious. She became defensive bringing up her fists to fight. Seiji reached out his hand towards her.

‘He’s ready to fight?’ She tightened her fists up. His presence built tension down her back. Her body still remembered how strong and quickly he moved when protecting her. It planted a seed of doubt in her muscles. She did not know how strong he could be when serious. The way he looked, she thought she might learn shortly. She wanted to strike first, but her arms froze up on her. Her eyes closed.

Seiji stopped in front of her and paused with his hand still held out. “Hmm…” He lifted his other hand up to himself. His eyes moved between them thoroughly examining…something.

The long pause of nothing happening tightened the tension through her body. It turned everything inside her rigid as though the slightly movement would send cracks through her skin to crumble like dry clay. After the waiting became too long, she opened her eyes, finding the courage. However, she suddenly felt the life disappear from her body at what he did. Sweat dripped down the back of head.

Finished, Seiji took a step back. His hand rubbed his chin in deep thought. He kept silent for nearly a minute. It created a new awkward tension around them until his eyes slammed open. “You’re…” He pointed a finger at her, but it quickly began to shake in front of her. Seiji pulled his hand back and braced both against his head. “I can’t believe it! You’re a year younger than me, but you’re already taller than me!” He collapsed to the ground at the end of the declaration. “…reality’s so cruel…”

She finally fell over once he finished. She saw his hand measuring out the distance in their height and could not believe it. After she saw it, she hoped he was doing something else, but the truth came out. It felt like a strange defeat. She did not understand him.

His reaction made her struggle to recover. “You’re bothered about height…” It did not make any sense to her. An unusual and unexpected answer came from him. He did not act serious when it seemed like he should be desperate. His manner was nothing like what she came to know from those in the military. He was so different from her. The sight of him made her wonder a bit in awe. ‘Is this what it’s like on the outside?’

Seiji still muttered to himself about the height. “First I had to deal with that crazy tall third year girl and now this one too and she’s younger… Why are all of the girls stealing my distinctive characteristic?!”

The Atlantean girl finally managed to stand up. It took far more strength than she thought necessary, but the strange boy defied logic. “Is it really that important to you?”

He looked up from his troubles at her. “You wouldn’t understand. I’m Japanese, it’s not easy to be this tall at my age! If I don’t keep up my work I won’t even reach two meters! Without my height what else do I have to make my character unique!?”

“Actually, isn’t height far too generic to be a unique character trait?”

Seiji’s mouth dropped open. His mind started to realize something it never considered before. “My height’s generic? I don’t have my height?” It turned his world upside down. He had an image that he was supposed to have. If he did not have it? If he lacked it? What did that make him? “I’m generic? Even Yuki had more strength then me when we were younger. My height is all I have to stand out.”

“Actually, you were stronger than me even then, I just made better use of what I had,” commented Yuki inside Seiji’s head. Yuki glanced over at someone else. “What? How else do you expect me to collect a paycheck after I’ve been unseen for more than twenty chapters?”

Everything began to sink in for Seiji. He slowly stood up. A shadow cast darkness over his eyes, leaving them unseen. Loose footing made him stagger a bit as he stepped forward. “…generic…” Seiji’s next step pounded into the ground cracking along his impression. His hand tightened up into fists. Pulling his head back to set a stare on the girl, he looked oddly serious for a fight, despite his code (and the reason).

Seiji threw out his hand and pointed his finger across at the girl. “What’s your name?”

“Eh?” she questioned, no longer certain if reality was stable with him anymore. However, the look in his eyes told her that he changed his mind. A fire in his eyes wanted a fight. “Nerine.”

“Well Nerine, you wanted a fight, right? Seiji Tsuji will give you one!” He tightened his pointing hand back into a fist. “No one calls me a generic character! I make you regret those words! I don’t care if you’re a woman or a girl! My code won’t allow such disrespect pass unanswered!” Apparently, his code included amendments about his character.

“What seriously?” yelled Yuki in disbelief. “We’re starting fight over how generic your character design is? I quit! Get yourself a different main character!”

Nerine (who finally had her name announced, she was really happy about that) lifted her arms up. She dropped into an offensive stance. Seiji still held a lot of unknowns for her. It meant that she needed to test him and learn about him. The skill he showed off earlier had her concerned. She needed to understand it, but the look in his eyes told her that he saw her as a serious opponent. It melted away her doubt that saturated her body earlier. She could fight.

No movement further from Seiji had her wait. She thought the fight would begin, but he made no action. ‘Why isn’t he taking up a stance of any kind?’ Her foot slid back digging up some of the grass as it pushed through.

“What are you waiting for? Come on.”

‘Is he mocking me by not taking a stance? I thought you were taking me serious!’ Nerine charged forward no longer able to wait on him. She would not let him look down on her. She would show them. She would prove to him. One arm came back tightening her muscles as she ran towards Seiji. The metal around her forearm and hands groaned a bit in her overly tensed state. In the last meter, Nerine unleashed her power into her fists channeling through the metal.

Her fist would show him.

Nerine suddenly stopped, but did not know why. She blinked once and looked closely at Seiji. Her eyes scanned down him at her arm. Cracking and groaning of the metal complained to her. She felt it pressing against her arm. It dug in making her flinch a little and weaken in her legs. Her eyes widened to see that Seiji’s hand caused it. “What?!”

Seiji looked across at her almost looking disappointed with her. “I thought you wanted a serious fight. Change to something stronger.”

To be continued…

[Andromeda]

Nerine suddenly stopped, but did not know why. She blinked once and looked closely at Seiji. Her eyes scanned down him at her arm. Cracking and groaning of the metal complained to her. She felt it pressing against her arm. It dug in making her flinch a little and weaken in her legs. Her eyes widened to see that Seiji’s hand caused it. “What?!”

Seiji looked across at her almost looking disappointed with her. “I thought you wanted a serious fight. Change to something stronger.” He dug his fingers through her weapon as though it was paper. It drove through his point to her. The crushed edges of the metal stabbed into her wrists drawing up droplets of blood.

Faced with her arm crushed with her weapon, she made it disappear and removed her hand quickly before his hold clamped down. Nerine jumped back a step with one hand nursing her light wounds. She glanced slightly at them, needing to keep her attention on him. ‘He’s acting more serious, but controlled his strength… That could have broken every bone in my arm if he wanted it to…’ New armored gauntlets appeared over her wrists ended in encapsulating her hand.

The new weapon was thinner than her last, but left no gaps in the metal. It was seamless and rigid with no movement in her hands. Tight design work carved through the metal giving it a smooth textured feel. While weak in appearance, it was stronger than the last.

However, Seiji doubted the sight of her new weapons. “I said to use something stronger. This is a serious fight you said.” He crossed his arms waiting on her to comply.

“You’re holding back your strength as well. You’d not being completely serious in this fight.” Something bothered her about him. Nerine could not place her feeling, but she did not think him to be the same as her. ‘That’s impossible though… But such strength, what possible law could he be using to do that and at such proximity? He would have to be several times my superior…but my field’s not disrupted by him at all… What is he?’

“I’m holding back for two reasons. You’re not coming at me seriously yet…”

The fact that she did not give her a second reason nagged at her. Her uneasy intuition only grew stronger. She did not know if she wanted to approach the other reason. For all her complaining about him holding back, she felt a noticeable difference in his presence. Intent to fight, which was lacking before, clearly came from him. He was ready for her. It surprised her how different he felt when he wanted a fight.

Nerine held up her arms as proof of her resolve for the fight. “I assure that these are much stronger than the last pair. You won’t break them so easily.” Amongst her uncertainty in him, she forced a hardened expression for him. She needed the fight to begin and him to believe her. ‘I’ve never met a person that wants a fight, but is so fair and honest about it…’

Chapter 149 – Forceful Wills

“Is that so?” questioned Seiji, still uncertain. He knew that she wanted to fight him for real since she started, but something told him that she still held back. Measuring her resolve, he felt her statement was an honest one. However, he knew that she still had more to show him. “Let’s see if you can keep up for a warm up, then maybe you’ll feel differently about holding back.”

His remarked narrowed her eyes further. If the words came from anyone else, she would have immediately thought them arrogant. Yet she felt an eerie sense that he was not one for audacity. She sensed he had confidence in his ability and not unduly so either. ‘I can’t let this strange feeling take a hold of me! I finally have my fight!’ Nerine tightened her hands within their metal prison. She pulled in all of her stray thoughts to focus solely on Seiji. Re-enforced in her determination, she closed her stance to prepare.

Nerine charged forward the moment she saw Seiji change his stance. He accepted her call. She brought her new weapons to bear on him. The moonlight flashed through her swift movement, but she came to a stop. It took her a moment to blink feeling confused. Her fist connected with him.

Two things bothered her. The fact that Seiji did not even block her attack made the first. Second came as the fact that it did nothing to him. She did not even feel a budge from him even though she struck him hard. Nerine would have been angry at him for not doing anything, if not for the fact that she made no progress against him. “Huh?” she uttered after all of the silence.

Seiji sighed a bit to himself. “This isn’t enough!” He tapped his hand against her metal gauntlet. The force was minor, but it knocked her arm away and set her off balance.

She gritted her teeth through the strain on her joints. The whole thing caught her off guard. Nerine jumped back and changed weapons again. ‘Still need more… how tough is he? I’ve been punching him for so long already…’ Bulky and projected with holes along the back and front of the almost cylindrical construction, her new weapon seemed to appear unnecessary large for show. She lifted her arms up with no effort and charged forward.

A burst of light from the back of the gauntlet increased her speed and force. Metal came out in front to protect her hands and create a driving force. The speed of her fist increased until it carried her body. Loose dirt kicked up in her wake. Nerine sped for Seiji.

He sensed something a little different about the new attack and the speed came to him as a special note. Seiji returned to his stance and brought out his hand. Her metal clad arm rammed into him pounding out a small shockwave of dust. The force shook his hand a little and dug his feet into the grass. It made Seiji grin a little.

After a few seconds passed, Seiji brought his other hand up and grabbed her enlarged arm. He spun on his foot rotating a full circle before releasing her off into the air.

Nerine flipped through the air uncontrolled from Seiji’s launching. Her eyes spun around seeing ground and sky almost at the same time. She thought her head would explode. Quickly, her body slowed down allowing her mind to catch up on her situation. Making use of the thrust from her weapons, she brought her speed under control.

Once she felt her body moved as she wanted and not by Seiji’s whim, the weapons changed. Her thin weapons from earlier appeared. She slammed her fists into the air hitting it to change her course. The force sent her speeding for the earth. Near the incoming grass, Nerine tightened her hand around the air sending off ripples as she used it to slow her descent. Her body came to a full stop centimeters from the ground before she let out to drop herself.

“There you go! Keep that up!” Seiji grinned and pounded his fists together. He took a few steps forward looking more eager about the fight.

The excitement in Seiji made Nerine narrow her expression. ‘I hit him with one of my stronger weapons and he just blocked it… I’m going to have to get him off guard…’ Nerine changed her weapons again. The new ones had spikes along the knuckles and straps around her forearm rather than metal. Most of the metal attached to her hand.

Seiji’s expressed dropped a little bit noticing the weaker looking weapon. The look in Nerine’s eyes changed his mind and made him curious. ‘She’s got something in mind. They don’t look that sturdy.’

Metal clattered together with the closing of her hands. Nerine dug her feet into the earth giving her as much of a boost to her start as possible. She shot forward charging for Seiji. ‘I have to be quick…’ Her legs carried her lightly over the field shortening the distance between them quickly. Striking out with her fist, Seiji blocked her as she expected, but it went exactly as she wanted. ‘This’ll work…’ However, she found a surprise after she pulled her hand back. No wound or blood appeared on his hand where she hit him.

It made her take a step back to reconsider. ‘I know he was injured before by that piece of wood… So why can’t I cut him?’ The unimpressed stare of Seiji annoyed her. Unwilling to accept the situation, she continued her assault on him. Nerine whaled on him with a barrage of punches. Each punch he stopped with the same minimal amount of effort. He did not slow down.

Nerine came to a stop after she found that nothing worked. She tried breaking through his defense, but nothing. When she went around to sneak behind, he was immediately there ready for her. All of her attacks did nothing. ‘Damn…I need something else…’

“Eh?” Seiji lifted his left hand up. A strange tingle went down and dipped into his muscles. When he tried to flex his hand, it responded slowly for him. He called on it again to test out the sensation. Each movement came slower and more sluggish. “You do something weird to me?”

The question took her off guard for a moment, but she quickly understood. It had worked on him. ‘I struck him so many times…it took that much just to affect him?’ Nerine watched his awkward motions, confirming it for her. “My paralysis is taking hold.”

Seiji threw out his right fist into the air at Nerine. “I thought you wanted a fight! This is supposed to be a clean and fair fight!”

“It’s hardly a fair fight with your strength, reflexes and toughness.”

He still could feel his arm, but it did not move as well as he wanted. It felt like he was surrounded by water. His hand closed into a fist. “Oh well, I guess this will make things more enjoyable anyway!”

“Enjoyable?” Nerine clinched her hands. ‘He really does just love fighting for the sake of fighting. Why is he even trying to help his comrades?’ She did not understand him. The idea was a frivolity.

‘Sending another child to me? What is the General thinking these days?’

Nerine shook her head and focused back on Seiji. The paralysis worked against him. She knew it would slow him down and weaken him. However, the amount of resistance he put up worried her. One strike should have been enough for anyone. She wondered if it was because she could not wound him with her spikes. A perfect moment finally came to her to strike back.

Weapons changed on her arms again. The ones she used to grip the air appeared, but slightly different. Metal on the front extended around in a ring over her wrist. It hovered in place, but held no attachment. Nerine spun around slamming her fist into the air throwing her forward. She let the force carry her off her feet as though she flew. Her fists punched the air at regular intervals to speed towards Seiji.

Slowed down by the poison, Seiji’s defense did not respond in time for Nerine’s attack. Her fist dug into his chest blasting out a shockwave that knocked him back a meter. He felt something from her attack that time. “Finally starting to take this seriously!” Seiji bounced back taking a swing at Nerine. His arm did not move as he wanted and she fell out of his reach.

Punching the air to change direction, Nerine slid out from under Seiji. She came out to his side. Striking him across the face another shockwave blew out from her punch. It sent him toppling over through the ground kicking up dirt as he slid. Nerine felt that she made a solid connection with him. ‘That had to hurt him…’

Seiji’s body disappeared among the clouded dirt. The dirt path that led to him held chucks of grass and trails of smoke billowing from the edges. “Hell, that was a nice punch,” he laughed. He stood up through the clouds letting it mask out the lower half of him. His hand brushed against his cheek that looked a little dirtied from her punch.

A glimpse of surprise painted across Nerine’s face. She knew that he was resilient, but she was certain her punch did more to him. ‘Just how tough is he?’ Nerine threw her arms back pounding out two large shockwaves in the air. She flew towards Seiji. Her fists sliced through the air crushing the air to stagger him. He took two punches to his chest sliding him back only centimeters. A wide swing for her forced her away. She jumped over him with the air punch. Everything she threw at him just kept doing nothing.

Nothing happened.

‘Is that all you’ve got? Why did you get sent here? You’re not suit to this task.’

Nerine gritted her teeth and put more power behind her muscles. However, it did not make it through cleanly. Seiji’s arm deflected a little of it. He laid in a counter with his fist aimed for her chest. She barely had time to react. The weapons on her arms immediately changed out for larger thick metal guards that completely surrounded her forearm and spread out to direct damage away. Her arms covered in front of her the moment his fist met her.

She felt nothing for the first second. The second moment everything went red and poured to black. Nerine coughed not knowing where she was after Seiji hit her. Numb pain spun around her body visiting any place it could and alerted itself at each junction. She felt surrounded by it.

Suddenly, she realized that she laid on the ground. The grass poked up around her. She did not notice it earlier. ‘What happened?’ It took her another few moments to gather her strength. Nerine pulled herself up and looked around searching for Seiji. More than ten meters away from her, she found him. “Such strength…”

Seiji lifted up his arm staring at Nerine through the free half of his vision. “I’m starting to adjust.” He slammed his fist into the ground causing it to shake. Earth broke apart and cracked into chunks that flew up in front of him. A crater a meter wide and half a meter deep appeared from the underneath is fist. “My strength as well…”

Some of his body still had some sluggish movements, but it did not affect him as much as it did before. Seiji threw out his fist at the confused Nerine. “Looks like you’ve got me to sweat. I think the warm-ups are over now. I want to see what you’ve been hiding from me! So let’s step up this fight!”

‘Do have any abilities that aren’t destructive in nature? Our duty is the safe capture of intruders not the execution of them.’

Nerine closed her eyes fighting through the pain. She pushed her body up. The time that she could not remember from Seiji’s attack left her staggering a little. Everything still felt whole for her. She felt lucky that she took no injuries from it. Her skin looked scrapped up and her back sore, but nothing more. She could still fight.

‘If you’re going to be part of the team you need to adapt. You’re useless to us as you are.’

She nodded silently to herself. The metal of her gauntlets warped from the punch that Seiji gave her. It managed to take the blow, but left an impression in them. “I need something stronger.”

Seiji tilted his head a little. He barely picked up the words from her. He wanted to stop holding back. His talks with Yuki made him understand clear enough, that in spite of their powers, they were still humans with a frail body. Seiji understood his strength well enough to know what that would mean against her. He felt a little grateful for the poison she gave him since it gave him more control over his strength than he had before. In fights, he always used everything he had without holding back, but he could not fight in such a way any longer. It would be deadly.

‘Just a useless child.’

A ripple in the ground poured out from Nerine’s feet. The grass disappeared from the area creating a large circle of dried dirt that stretched for a twenty-meter radius around her. “This is the first time in more than a year that I’ve used my field.”

Seiji grinned at the thought. He saw Nerine’s expression. It became determinedly serious. The fight he wanted approached. “I’m glad to hear that. I’m looking forward to this.”

“You may regret those words.” Suddenly more than a dozen weaponized gauntlets dropped from the air and crashed into the earth. The thick guards on her arm disappeared. One of the weapons in the field disappeared and surfaced on her arms. The metal spun out with a life of its own covering up to her shoulders. Sharp blade like edges covered the outside surface while her armored like gloves glowed. “These were meant for fighting other MP users. Their destructive potential is nothing like the other weapons I’ve used.”

To be continued…