Author's Note:
I started writing this story over 5 years ago, back in high school. The quality of my writing has changed since then, so I will probably rewrite the early chapters to fit my desired quality after I finish the story. Thank you for reading.
500 years ago, at the Schwartzwald Republic, reknowned scientist Zenit Zerter Lighthal founded the Lighthal Laboratory. Before the great city Lighthalzen was built, the Lighthal Laboratory was built at a remote valley somewhere in the Republic, away from the rest of civilization. Many scientists conduct their studies here because of the remote location and the amount of equipment available from Lighthal's investments. Most of the research here was for the advancement of civilization, but some of the experiments were of questionable nature…
At a bedroom somewhere within the facility, a scientist was busily poring over various notes. He didn't notice as a few of the notes on his desks suddenly vanished as a shadow passed over him. He started a bit, looked around, shrugged, and resumed his work. The shadow swiftly passed through the facility's hallways and out the front doors. The shadow stopped moving as it reached a dense cluster of trees outside the facility. It moved into the light of a clearing, revealing a blue-haired male assassin. He took out the notes he stole from the facility and carefully studied it.
"The secrets… of life?" said the assassin as he read the scientist's notes. His face became very serious the more he read. "I better show this to Rekenber." He pocketed the notes and disappeared deeper into the forest.
The Rekenber Corporation is the biggest corporation in the Schwartzwald Republic. It is well known for having forwarded the Republic in terms of commerce and technology. Lighthal's Laboratory was not under the Corporation's control or at least not yet. In the main building of the corporation, in an office at the highest floor, two individuals were arguing. One was well on in years and was dressed like a scientist. The other was a younger person who wore a suit, and despite his young look, he had an aura that demanded respect. The former is Zenit Zerter Lighthal, scientist who founded the Lighthal Laboratory and the latter is Sir Rekenber, the founder of Rekenber Corp. Lighthal had raised a fist towards Rekenber, whose back was turned on Lighthal. He said in an angry voice, "How many times do I have to tell you? The reason I founded the laboratory is for me and my fellow scientists to conduct research in peace! I will not sell my laboratory to the likes of you!" Rekenber faced Lighthal and said in a businesslike voice, "My good friend, I know that you are conducting research for the betterment of the Republic and you would like to be left well enough alone, but wouldn't it be better if you had financial support from me?" He approached Lighthal and offered him a glass of wine from his desk. "It's for both our interests…" He raised his own glass for a toast but Lighthal put his glass down and resumed his stance. "You just want to gain profit from my research! And as for financial matters, I can handle myself thank you! There's nothing you can do to…" Lighthal's words were cut short as an assassin suddenly appeared in the middle of the room.
The assassin approached Rekenber and whispered something in his ear before showed him some notes. Rekenber appeared amused as the assassin finished reporting. As the assassin turned to leave, Rekenber placed a hand on his shoulder, saying, "Guile, perhaps you want to witness this." Rekenber handed the notes to Lighthal and Lighthal's eyes widened as he read the notes. "Y-You… you've been snooping around my laboratory!" shouted Lighthal, pointing at the assassin. "You're finished Rekenber! As soon as the public hears about your trespassing in my laboratory you'll…"
"On the contrary my good man," said Rekenber with a smirk. "You're the one who's finished. Judging from the contents of those notes you hold in your hand, your researchers have been conducting illegal experiments… And apparently your researchers have obtained a test subject from Izlude." Rekenber took the notes from Lighal's trembling hand, flipped through it and showed him the picture of a young blue-haired female swordsman. "Egnigem Cenia, a female swordsman. You have been conducting Life Experimentation tests on her." Rekenber casually replaced the notes on the table. "If you don't want this little mishap of yours to go out, I suggest you agree to sell me your laboratory." Lighthal's expression became pale at Rekenber's statement. The assassin's indifferent gaze was not helping either. "It's your choice Lighthal," said Rekenber. "Whether you accept my offer or not I still get your laboratory. I will repossess it from you as, ahem, punishment for inhuman research." Lighthal collapsed in front of them and said weakly, "I… didn't know about this… 'Life Experimentation'… I… just wanted a place to hold my research…" He looked up at Rekenber and pleaded with him. "Please, allow me to resign from being a scientist entirely! J-Just… let me go in peace." Rekenber smiled and replied, "Yes, of course. As a bonus, I'll even resume any research you hadn't finished. I'll even credit them to you." Lighthal held up a hand. "No…" he said. "I'm through with this research thing." With those words, Lighthal stood up, still trembling, and left through the door.
Rekenber scratched behind his ear and addressed the assassin. "What do you think about this Guile?" The assassin, whose eyes followed Lighthal through the door, turned to face Rekenber and said, "I'm just thoroughly shocked from what I found out about their research. By the way you didn't have to be so hard on Lighthal; I don't think it was him who spearheaded this research."
"Hard on him?" repeated Rekenber. "You're the one who was glaring at him like you were going to kill him." Rekenber took the notes left behind by Lighthal and handed them to the assassin. "You hold on to this for a while. Oh by the way, Lighthal's lab is already ours, I think you better go down there and check on things. Oh and find that little swordsman girl…" Rekenber looked at the picture of the swordsman for a few seconds. "Believe it or not, I genuinely care for the victims of…"
"Your victims?" interrupted the assassin. Rekenber looked dumbfounded for a second before laughing and saying, "Good one Guile. Well go get your party or whatever and scour the laboratory for incriminating evidence of Life Experimentation." The assassin nodded and left through the door. Rekenber sighed before saying to himself, "Eremes Guile… You had better watch your words."
With Lighthal's inhumane research discovered, Rekenber Corporation now had the Lighthal Laboratory within their grasp. Eremes Guile, along with a group of other adventurers, were given the task of escorting the laboratory's researchers out and to find any evidence of the research Eremes had found.
Eremes and a knight burst through the front doors of the laboratory, much to the surprise of several scientists. He immediately commanded them to vacate the premises. One of the scientists however, objected, prompting Eremes to drag him out by the collar of his lab coat.
"What are you doing?" screamed the scientist as Eremes pushed him out of the front doors.
"Answer me. Where are you keeping the test subject of your horrific experiment?" asked Eremes in a dangerous voice. A knight tapped Eremes's shoulder and told him, "Don't frighten them."
Eremes brushed off his hand and said, "I'm just trying to find out what we need to know as soon as possible." Eremes faced the scientist once more. "Where is she? The lady swordsman?" he asked in a relatively less threatening voice. The scientist trembled as he answered. "S-She's… at the second level. In one of the prison cells…"
"Prison cells?"
Eremes pushed the scientist aside and sprinted through the entrance hallway of the facility. The knight mounted his Pecopeco and went after him. When Eremes reached the second level, he stopped suddenly, horrified at what he saw. Prison cells, like the ones seen in jail houses, lined the hallways. "This is where they keep their test subjects?" cried Eremes. "This is inhuman!" Fearing at what he may find, he walked along the hallway checking each cell carefully. The knight finally caught up with him and said, "Eremes wait up! The others didn't even get here yet!" However when the knight saw inside one of the prison cells, he fell of his mount, saying, "No…" There was blood. Clearly distinct blood was spattered on the wall.
"Seyren," said Eremes quietly. "Can you check along the other way? We'll find her faster… if we split up." The knight slowly got up and solemnly nodded. He remounted his Pecopeco and slowly trotted off into the opposite direction. Eremes continued his slow survey of the horrible place. The atmosphere was absolutely tense. After their discovery of blood in one of the cells, nothing else seemed to matter. Eremes stopped before reaching the last cell. Fear spread throughout his mind as he wiped a drop of sweat that trickled on his forehead. He breathed deeply and peeked into the last cell.
It was horrifying. The body of a blue-haired female swordsman was sprawled facedown on the floor, on a pool of blood. Eremes knew at once she was Egnigem Cenia, the swordsman he saw on the research papers. Her wrists were bound together by a pair of blood-stained handcuffs. Eremes gasped and lifted Egnigem up. She was breathing but only just. He called out to Seyren, "Seyren! Seyren! Get Margaretha! Hurry!" When there was no response, Eremes cursed under his breath and tried to revive Egnigem. He tried cutting through the handcuffs with a dagger.
"Don't die on me…"
Egnigem opened her eyes a fraction and watched Eremes's efforts. Eremes noticed that she was looking at him and told her, "You're alive… It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay..." Egnigem trembled slightly, her breathing labored. "Damn it… where are you Seyren?" He dared not leave Egnigem to get help but she was hurt too badly to be carried. He frantically tried to think of a solution as he looked at Egnigem's face once more. She had a look of childlike innocence that stirred up something inside Eremes, reinforcing his desire to want to save her. Before he could do anything else however, Egnigem spoke in a very weak voice that shattered Eremes train of thought.
"I don't want to die."
Egnigem closed her eyes and stopped trembling. Eremes had a strange look in his eyes. An assassin, trained to kill, had to hide his emotions. He mustn't feel sorrow. He mustn't feel grief. And yet, as he looked upon the now lifeless body of a swordsman he never knew, he felt a feeling that he thought he had lost a long time ago. He quietly cried; a river of tears streaming down his face and silent sobs that couldn't be heard but could felt filled the hallway. He gently lifted up the swordsman and carried her out of the cell. A priestess came running towards him as he came out. She stopped short at seeing the body, but then she regained herself and said, "Eremes… I'm sorry… if only…"
"There was nothing you could've done Margaretha," said Eremes quietly. "Nothing any of us could've done…"
Tears streamed down Margaretha's face as Eremes laid down Egnigem on a clean bed in another cell away from the bloody mess that was her cell. Margaretha stood over the body and continued crying quietly.
Eremes gathered his strength and faced Margaretha. "I'll go and find Seyren… can you watch over her until I get back?" Margaretha nodded quietly without looking away from Egnigem and Eremes left without taking another look. He made his way to the opposite hallway were Seyren headed off to, and found him just standing next to his mount at the intersection of another hallway. Eremes called out to him.
"Seyren!"
The knight looked at him. His expression was hard to read. He then looked back at the other hallway. Eremes, fearing the worst, approached Seyren slowly. When he was standing next to Seyren, Eremes steeled himself and faced the direction Seyren was facing. It took him a lot of effort not to vomit.
It seems that Egnigem wasn't the only victim of this terrible research…