Lyrical Nanoha: Belkan Pride
The Lyrical Nanoha series isn't mine.
Chapter 1: Haunting
Belka, the country of prosperity and kindness. The nation of the planet Reverie was well known among many stellar systems and was seen as the ideal location to live one's days. The king and queen were supported by the best of warriors and advisors known as the Knights System. To each Royal family member was given a special Intelligent Device. To the Queen was given a spellbook and her husband, a sword of incredible power. However, the peace would not last.
The Rebellion of Judas, the second in command of Belka's army as well as their research and development staff desired the crown for himself as well as the Queen. The false promsies he made to those willing to follow prompted all out civil war where despite the superiority of the King's most trusted and the Queen's personal guardians, defeat was inevitable. In a last ditch attempt to buy the Queen time to escape the planetary system, the most powerful Knight of her Device was transferred to her husband's to replace his lost Knights.
The night was clear and the stars shined in the sky. Among the pillars of the finely ornate ampitheater stood one man leaning comfortably against the huge stone support. In his hands was a single scroll with the royal seal of the family broken in half from where he had opened and read its context. Footfalls echoed throughout the empty marble hallways before four figures appeared and approached him. Without looking at them, he sighed and continued to stare up into the skies above.
"My Lord? What's troubling you?"
He turned to look at the woman who spoke. She was so formal, yet compassionate in her own way. She had the traits of a leader and knew she had what it took to command effectively. Her device shined on its chain around her neck.
"I wanted you four to join me this night. You, who have followed me faithfully to this point in serving our Mistress. Levantine!"
"Jawohl?"
"Graf Eisen."
"Ja?"
"Klarer Wind."
"Yes?"
"Zafira."
"Yes sir?"
"Serve the Wolkenritter well from here on out. Protect and guide them in times of struggle. Comfort and succor them in periods of grief, and shine upon them in their hours of victory. I will not be with you as I have been upon the rising of the sun this day."
The devices responded affirmatively as the group of knights were dumbfounded. Vita spoke up vehemently.
"What?! Why are you leaving us?! No, you've always been the leader of the Wolkenritter and took the greatest pride in serving the mistress of the Book of the Night Sky!"
"Vita."
His voice held a finality that demanded no argument. The small red haired knight quelled her questions and stood with clenched fists as she stared at the ground in frustration and confusion. Signum held her tongue in silent introspection. It didn't make sense for him to suddenly leave them. Why was it? Did it have to do with the scroll with the broken seal in his hand? Shamal seemed to think the same thing as she stepped forward.
"Sir Omega, who ordered this? Was it a member of the council of elders?"
"It was as you suspect Shamal, Knight of the Lake. Unfortunately, the front doesn't go well and war is upon our homeland's capital. Due to my device's nature and my own combat ability, I've been reassigned as a part of the Excaliber Knights."
The news revitted itself in their minds. The Excaliber was the sword wielded by the King himself and only the most formidable of Belkan Knights became part of its offensive and defensive network. They were the Knight of Rounds, a select group of Thirteen Knights to support the King just as they were assigned to keep guard over the Queen who possessed the Book of the Night Sky. The fact that he was being moved away from the Queen in such dire times was ominous indeed.
"To which seat have you been assigned Omega?"
The newcomer made the group as a whole bow on one knee. Through the darkness appeared a beautiful woman with long brunette hair and a kind smile. She held their origin in her hands; the Book as many of the nation simply referred to it as. To her left stood their administrations program controller. The group simply called her Sky after the Book's final name. Her red eyes were filled with concern. She too had received the order to let him leave her base program and transfer him in the morning.
"My Queen, I've been informed that the seats no longer matter."
"Oh? Why is that Omega?"
The commander flinched and swallowed, knowing that his answer was not to give.
"I've been ordered by your husband the King, not to disclose that information my Queen."
The woman sighed and slumped her shoulders before shaking her head slightly. Walking over to him, she bid him to stand before her. Entreating the others to do so as well, she gave him an authorative stare and stood firm before him.
"I understand your order Omega, but I am your liege until dawn. Tell me why. I can see the enemy upon our homes, the situation is bleak and I suspect that my husband will order me away from the capital soon. I'd rather know the real situation rather than hope for an impossible salvation. Are we on the verge of destruction?"
His jaw tightened before he broke down to her sincere plea for the truth. Opening his mouth, the words uttered made spirits fall and angels weep.
Signum's eyes shot open and she groaned in emotional agony from the memory. Clenching a fist, she pounded her pillow once as she grit her teeth. That was the only memory of their past that truly disturbed her. The truth of that night and the following days wasn't pretty. She had kept silent when the dreams had started shortly after the Jail Incident four years ago. This was the first time in months she'd had it. When Shamal had confided in her that she too had been recalling that fateful night, Signum opened up and told her that she too, had been plagued by it. Oddly, Vita and Zafira never began to dream what they had and both of them suspected that it probably had something to do with the previous Reinforce before she had sacrificed herself for Hayate and them.
Getting dressed, she left her room and walked through the empty halls while fingering Levantine in his pendant form. Stopping to get herself a drink, she reflected on Omega's last order to her before he was transferred to Excaliber.
"Signum. I want you to take command. You are prepared to fly on your own. Hmph, you always were my favorite pupil, may Levantine serve you well. Never betray your gut feelings, if it seems impossible, don't hesitate to retreat, don't push yourself to the extreme unless no other choice is available, and . . . smile a bit more, it suits you more than you think."
"How can I smile when such tragedy surrounded us back then? We failed to protect the country, our Queen, Reinforce, we nearly lost Mistress Hayate. I lost you."
"Who are you talking about Signum?"
The pink haired knight started and looked over her shoulder to see Fate standing behind her with Rein Zwei. Hayate's partner floated over to her and placed a small hand against her cheek. The blonde woman joined her at the railing and looked down at the lit area below them.
"You looked haunted Signum. That's not quite like you. You're introspective and quiet, but not sullen. Now that I think about it, you've been like this for a while now. Shamal too on occassions."
The Knight smiled and chuckled quietly. Of course Fate and the others would notice. They were all close. Clasping her device in her palm, she looked up into the sky. Tonight was clear and quiet, much like that night had been. Turning to face them, she began to tell them of the night in her dreams.
Somewhere stellar systems away, a cloaked individual smiled as he uncovered a delicately silk wrapped sword in a navy blue and gold scabbard. The cloth was soaked through, yet the weapon was flawless. He knew the legends of the weapon in his hands and desired nothing more than to claim power to overthrow his oppressors. Clasping the grip of the handle, he pulled to no avail. Grunting, he struggled to free the sword from the sheath to no success. As he was about to give up on the thing, a light glowed from the device. Three individuals stood before him with weapons drawn. One was a man with regal armor and raiment with a highly polished longsword with a strangely designed cross guard with vents on either side of the center of the guard. The next was feminine in nature with a greatbow at the ready, counter balance rods hid her twin catridge load system while the last knight stood with no visible armament, yet he seemed the most dangerous to face.
"You who lay hands upon our King's sword, why do you desire power? For whose sake will you take up arms for?"
"To quell my oppressors. For my dead family and friends!"
"To defeat an evil, you would commit evil?"
"It is the only way. Would there have been any other do you think I'd been hunting for this?"
The three glanced at one another in speculation.
"What say you Tigra?"
"Astra, you were the one to carry out his Majesty's last wish, you have more say in this than I do."
The man with the long sword looked to his other counterpart with curious expression.
"What say you my friend?"
" . . . Need you ask?"
With that, the sword flashed with brilliant light, blinding the man before them as the weapon came free from the scabbard and hefted itself upright. Reaching out, the man took the weapon in hand and looked at his reflection in the blade.
"You have my thanks. Now to finally head home . . . to Midchilda."
The ending of the Rebellion of Judas as recorded among the files of Belka, told of Belka's fall. The King ordered his last remaining Knight to throw his sword into the lake with spawned the sword so Judas would never find and use it against the innocent. As the knight left to do so, Judas approached and slew the ruler, but not after taking fatal blows from the Queen's former guardian. Judas would later die searching for the weapon, whose sheath could have healed him. Upon learing of both factions' leader's deaths, the world mourned for heroes lost and foolishness unbound. The planet was abandoned and the wilderness alone ruled the planet's wasted terra.
Thus was the fall of Belka, the fate of her Queen, never known until the Lost Logia of the Book of Darkness.
I felt the desire to write a story for the background of The Book of the Night Sky and the Wolkinritter. How did it become corrupted to begin with? Why was the Belkan civilization the only ones with the Catridge Load system before StrikerS? What of other Knights of Belka and their power, their past glory? Review please?
Yes, Astra, Tigra, and Omega are all keeping with the Nanoha tradition. All three of them are models of the Opel cars.