Hi!
I know I have not updated for the last… 2 years…
Godfucking damnit!
Ok. I'm very, very sorry for no update in these last years. Believe me when I say my life has been a fucking tornado of bad decisions, indecisive behavior, and bad luck. Yeah, the perfect excuse to no update. Man, how I wish that would be a lie.
*Sigh* Anyway, I've revised the fanfic and I know I could have done better the first chapter. So, here it is!
Also, my notes for the course of the story got lost after my old laptop crashed due to an electric shock.
Fortunately, I have the draft of the second chapter in my cell phone. Yeah!
So after this chapter, I really hope I have done the next chapter.
And for the few followers, I got for the first chapter.
Thank you very much. You don't know how much means to me when someone likes my works and asks if there would be a continuation.
A writer without readers isn't a writer.
Enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Aldnoah Zero and Highschool DXD belong to their respective owners and writers.
"Speaking"
"Thinking"
Noises or sounds
The Space was silent, dark and infinite. Filled with millions of stars, planets, and galaxies. If Slaine could describe such thing in a simple way, it would be, vast and beautiful. A place that had become into his second home and into the battlefield for the United Forces of Earth (UFE) and the Vers Empire. A war for the survival of both planets.
When Slaine took the position of Main Commander after Saazbum's death, several of the Counts who previously saw him with contempt and a big sense of superiority above him for the simple fact of being a Terran. He was recognized as an equal and even superior after he destroyed one of the multiple military bases hidden among the Moon' remnants.
CRACK!
Several parts from Tharsis started to fall as multiple screens appeared indicating the Kataphrakt'sseveral damages.
"Haha…even after all this conflict, the Earth remains being beautiful…"
His gaze was fixed on the blue planet. His and Vers original homeland, the cause of the Interplanetary War that has cost many lives from both sides.
"When did all this begin?" Mussed Slaine. Was it when he talked to Princess Asselyum about the beautiful blue planet? When he crashed in the Royal Palace and she saved his life from drowning? Or when Count Crutheo's warnings about visiting the Earth were not heard due to the Princess's stubbornness to visit the place she always talked and admired (caused by his teachings)?
But no matter how many times he looked into the situation of wondered about possible preventions. The war would have occurred, one way or another. Sooner or later Count Saazbaum's plans would have gone into action. The death of the princess was just the trigger to start the second war. Even if she did not go to Earth, Saazbaum would kill her otherwise and blame the people of the earth upon death and his goals could have become true.
Or the real cause was the Vers Empire's most important power and jewel? The Aldnoah.
"Aldnoah. The Power of God and miracles…What a lie." Slaine spat some blood from his mouth as he thought this.
Of course. The ancient technology left by the Alien race was indeed a miracle that revolutionized the science and physics. But it didn't mean it would be shared with everyone. Slaine remembered all the times the Princess Lemrina showed hatred towards her bloodline. The Counts that looked with hate and superiority against Earth's inhabitants and the difficult life the people from the lower class suffered. According to what Harklight had explained to him when he asked about his past and family.
"Family."
Slaine has lost count about the many times he wondered how his life could have been if his biological father was still alive. Maybe Slaine and he could have escaped Vers and started a new life in Earth. Perhaps, they would have joined the army, if not, at least they would have a peaceful one. But those were illusions and an amount of "ifs".
Nothing will change the fact that his father abandoned everything for his research (including him), and that he killed his surrogated father the Count Saazbaum.
How he hated the man for shooting the Princess and his plans to bring war and mayhem on earth. Although he was the mastermind behind the plot to kill the Princess, he had to admit when the Dioscuria exploited, a small part of him felt sadness at the death of the Count. The revenge thirsty Count has been the closest thing to a father in his life.
Slaine barely remembered the few happy moments he shared with his biological father. Most of his life on Earth was spent in different parts of the world. Constantly moving from one country to another, barely interacting with people and being ignored by his father.
While Slaine was a child, he was not blind to know why his father was so centered in his research and the reason for the constantly moving. Slaine still could remember the awareness and panic in his father's eyes when they went out of the building they were staying or when they were moving out to another state or country.
Before they left the Earth and during his stay in Vers, his father will work with such concentration in his laboratory that Slaine will not see the man's face for a great number of days. He even went so far to even ignore his and Slaine's birthday, special days and Christmas!
"To think that your real goal was-" BLUGHT. Slaine's thoughts were interrupted when a large amount of blood began to flow from his mouth. He felt with clarity that a pair of his ribs were broken and one lung was punctured.
There was an abrupt shake. The wire holding the Tharsis's arm snapped and the unit started to fall to Earth. If he didn't die for internal hemorrhage, the reentry to Earth will burn him or the fall will surely kill him. Slaine knew his fate was sealed.
"Princess Asselyum, Lemrina, and Harklight…I am sorry. I failed you. All you trusted me and I spat on your wishes and dreams." Slaine started to cry in his self-loathe. Through his tears, Slaine saw the infamous orange kataphrakt, piloted by Kaizuka Inaho (Orange). His old swear enemy and temporal ally. Sometimes Slaine wondered how things could have been if Kaizuka didn't shoot him after they fight against Countess Femiane.
Perhaps, both may have decided to protect the Princess together and the war could have been a lot different. But Kaizuka made clear that he was his enemy. After all, Kaizuka expressed he could exploit the Princess for his own purposes. Despite Slaine loathed to kill for pleasure, he found comforting to have shoot Kaizuka to the head. After all, it was payback for the Princess and the torture he endured at Crutheo's hands.
All of a sudden the orange kataphrakt grabbed one of Tharsis's hands. Some of the winds and ailerons from the orange kataphrakt twisted and moved. The fall's speed and direction started to change.
"What are you doing Orange?" Slaine yelped. "I will act as a parachute. This will stabilize your descent." Inaho replied flatly. "You intend to die with me?" Slaine asked confused. "The kataphrakts are high-density units. They will serve us as a shield for our entry into the earth." Inaho didn't answer his question.
"Why are you trying to save me? You are going to commit suicide idiot!" Grunted Slaine. He couldn't understand it. "Why is Orange doing this?!" He wondered. Orange probably had people on Earth who cared for him. Family, friends, hell maybe he has a lover waiting for him. So, why, why risk all that to save a person who cheated, stole, manipulated and killed for personal reasons?
"Orange has better reasons to fight than me. If trying to save me means to sacrifice all that, then.." Mused Slaine. With what little strength he had left, he moved one of Tharis's arms and started to hit the orange kataphrakt's arm. "Slaine Troyard. What are you doing? Our fight is over. There is no sense to continue the fight." Inaho heard across the com channel Slaine's laughter. It was full of bitterness and sadness. "I am not fighting Kaizuka Inaho. All I am doing is something I could not do with the Princesses and myself." Inaho was surprised to listen to his words. "What is it?" Slaine smiled. The first genuine smile he has given in years.
"To save someone." As if the Tharsis would fulfill the last will of his master, it gave the last punch and freed from the Terran kataphrakt. The Tharsis descended faster before Inaho could grab him again. "What did you do?! With this, it is sure you are going to burn before you reach the surface. Seylum wan-" But Slaine interrupted him. "Shut up." Slaine severed the transmission before Inaho could have said something else. He started to lose sight of the orange kataphrakt. "At least I will die in my homeplace." He started to cough blood. "Or before I reach it," He said grimly.
It's common knowledge that when a person is about to die sees, they see their life pass before their eyes. But all that went through Slaine eyes were the happy moments he shared with his father, Asselyum, Lemrina, and Harklight.
Slaine felt cold as his vision blurred. His breath started to slow down. Before he could pass out, Slaine felt as if a someone was embracing him. The gentle and warm embrace started to turn on.
"So I'm going to die carbonized…" The idea vanished from his mind when a white light manifested inside the cabin. Slaine abruptly opened his eyes and saw that the light originated from his chest. More precisely, it came from his old amulet. "What-" Whatever was about to say Slaine died in his throat and instead he started to scream from the unbearable pain and heat. The white light suddenly expanded and embraced his body. His screams filled the cabin as the light continued to get bigger
Inaho watched how the Tharsis fell away towards Earth. The Princess, no, the Empress had asked him Slaine's Toryard salvation, and how he failed his former lover's last task.
"I'm sorry Selyum-san. I couldn't save him." Inaho watched as the Tharsis continued his descent and entered the atmosphere. A familiar and loathed feeling appeared in his heart. It only manifested when his sister Yuki was injured, when Seylum was shooted in front of him and when his friend Okisuke was killed by the Nilokeras's barrier.
"Here Deucalion to Mustang-00. Answer." It was Captain's Magbaredge voice. "Mustang-00 to Deucalion. I confirm…Slaine Saazbaum death." Silence filled the audio channel for a few seconds until there were cheers congratulating him and everyone for their hard work. Inaho felt a slight twist in his guts as he heard the cheers to him. It was necessary for the Captain's intervention to restore order.
"These are good news Mustang-00. Some remanents continue the fighting, but nothing we can deal with minimal force. Mustang-00, return immediately-" The Captain was interrupted by the cry of someone of the crew in the bridge. "Captain! There are strong signals of energy!" Everyone got alarmed. Perhaps, it was a new kataphrakt or a new weapon they had not seen, a last show of defiance from the Martians?
"All units return immediately to Deucalion!" Inaho was about to obey when his unity detected the sudden anomaly. "Captain, it appears to come from..Tharsis?!" Inaho shouted surprised. In the distance, a giant ball of white appeared near the Earth's Orbit.
"Nao! Get the hell out of there now!" Screamed his sister. As fast as his kataphrakt allowed, Inaho moved through the asteroids and scraps from the battle. Inaho's apprehension grew according to what appeared on the monitor. The energy levels were incredible.
Knowing he wouldn't reach the Deucalion in time, Inaho took cover behind an asteroid. He just took cover when a cry was heard in the broadcast. "Everyone, take cover!" Trough a hole in the asteroid, Inaho saw something he has never seen. A beautiful and gigantic mass of light began to form. From it, several vines of light born and circle the light ball slowly, forming spires around it. From them, small fragments detached and floated away for few moments before they disintegrated in the vast blackness of space. The beautiful moment ended when suddenly the ball of light shrank.
The ball disappeared releasing a gigantic force that tossed aside the many kataphrakts that didn't take cover. The landing castles also felt the tremendous force along the UFE Deucalion ship.
When the communications were restored, the UFE among the Vers Empire received several reports indicating grave damage from shuttles and units from both sides.
From that day to the present, no one knew what the hell exactly happened.
Eight months later…
"…and through great efforts, the UFE has managed to restore order at South Africa. In other news, thanks to Doctor's Troyard new revealed notes about his research in Aldnoah, scientists are having a great time. A future with free access to Aldnoah seems to be closer!" Exclaimed the male TV presenter.
"You are right. It is also thanks to Empress Asselyum that all this is possible. Also, it surprises me that Doctor Troyard was Count Slaine Saazbaum Troyard's biological father. Kind of ironic, don't you agree?" Said the female presenter to his partner.
"What makes you said that?" The man asked with a slight ignorance sense. "That the scientist, whose research is helping our world's reconstruction was the father of the man who orchestrated the Empress assassination, and the main cause for the Second Interplanetary War," the woman said as if she was stating the obvious. The two presenters continued speaking about the deceased Count and his works during the war for another few minutes.
"Well, now we are going to enter in commercials. So people, remember that coming back from them, we are going to talk about the peace world tour that the Empress Asselyum is making and-" the TV turned off abruptly.
"It's time for breakfast Yuki-nee. Please, dress up and wash your hands" Advised Inaho to her sister, who was wearing her yellow pajamas. "Come on Nao-kun! It's just the first day. No one would mind if I-" Yuki was cut off by his brother. "But I do mind Yuki-nee. It's the first day and that means the first impression you would give to your co-workers, sister." Inaho lectured her big sister. She gave him a pout, get up from the couch in their living room and she climbed up the stairs. Inaho sighed and returned to the kitchen to finish their breakfast.
While he was doing the last preparations, his train of thought went back to what was being said about the Count Troyard. "In these times, everyone would accept whatever is being said to just continue with this sense of peace."
To a certain degree, the incrimination of Slaine Saazbaum Troyard about the Empress's assassination attempt and instigation to the Second Interplanetary War didn't sit well with Inaho. He wouldn't call it empathy or pity, but a sense of respect for his cunning and leadership among the Martian ranks despite being a Terran.
Inaho heard her sister coming down the stairs. He stopped thinking and took his seat. Both of them gave the 'itadakimasu' and started to eat their breakfast in silence. After finishing, they left their dishes in the sink to wash later. They quickly went to the bathroom to brush their teeth and then they left the house.
Yuki started the motor and left their house behind. They lived on the outskirts of the city, so it took around forty-five minutes to reach their workplaces. After a quiet ride, the pair of brothers reached the city. Yuki left Inaho at a tall building while she continued on her way to her work.
Inaho continued on the army, but instead, on being in active duty, he took a desk job, filing reports and administrative stuff. And he wasn't the only one that did the same on the last months.
Calm along with Nina went back to Canada. Calm continued working for the UFE on Canada while Nina decided to drop it and continue with her studies. Inko and Rayet as well left the UFE and continue with their studies on Japan. From time to time, Inaho and Yuki will visit them in the next city. They will gather at a restaurant or in their apartments.
It has become a common routine.
Inaho didn't know if this peace would last. But for the first time, he dared to hope for these peaceful and predictable days too long last.
Tired couldn't begin to describe how Asseylum Vers Allusia, Empress of Vers has been feeling for the last three weeks. Between attending numerous conferences with the higher-ups from the UFE, the inauguration of new hospitals, and many, so many graveyards to visit to honor the fallen from both sides of the last war, they have taken a toll on Asseylum's mind.
She just returned from one of her appointments. When she was about to review a few documents from her desk in her personal office, she found a letter with the Vers Crest on it. Instantly she knew it was from the Counts that they still keep their castles on the country she was currently in.
Once she read it, the constant tiredness became into putrid nausea and rage.
You shall have our loyal support if only you grant total absolution. All blame for our actions under Count Sazbaaum shall be transferred to the dead Terran impostor. In exchange, we shall withdraw our forces and castles from Earth and return to Vers.
"H-How-How dare them!". Asseylum screamed angrily.
Asseylum's hands formed fists as she tried to not tear the paper with the nefarious message. Since the end of the war, she had been trying to made the remaining Counts to leave the planet in a peaceful way, and sadly, there hadn't been big results. And now, the solution lied on tarnishing the memories of her dead and first friend on Mars, and the absolution of those truly responsible from the last war.
"I-I brought this on me and the Earth. If only…if only I hadn't been foolish, maybe things would be different. Maybe they…" Asseylum thoughts were interrupted when she felt a hand rested softly on her shoulder.
"You look upset. What happened?" It was Klancain. Asseylum didn't trust her voice. She gave the message to Klancain as she took her seat.
"I-I see."
For a moment neither said a word. The Empress was furiously thinking of many alternatives instead of the one within the letter. Sadly, Asseylum knew that they would end up being weak or in another conflict.
"What do you suggest?" Asselyum asked, her voice slightly agitated. Klancain remained silent for a few seconds. He took a deep a breath and looked directly towards Asseylum's eyes.
"I think you should accept their offer." Klancain awaited for Asseylum's angry counterargument. It didn't happen and that worried him. For the last few months, if the Empress caught the slightest badmouth from someone concerning Slaine Troyard, she will either cry or yell in anger for a good amount of minutes in the privacy of her personal office. Recently, anger had become the main emotion.
Klancain knew he had little seconds to spare before the Empress denied vehemently the Count's proposition.
"I know what they are asking is to tarnish the good memories from your friend. But you can't negate this opportunity Asseylum. I may haven't know Troyard like you did, but, I don't think he wouldn't have minded this option. For as cruel as it is. This could be the only option you have for the situation to not end in another war." appealed Klancain. And he truly meant it.
"I know," she sighed, "but you must understand that I am… reluctant."
Asseylum put her elbows on the desk and took her hands to her forehead and started to massage it.
"Klancain. Would you mind if you give me a few minutes alone?" Asseylum muttered.
"Yes, your Highness." Klancain gave a bow and left the room. As soon as the door clicked, Asseylum put down her hands and started to cry openly on the privacy of her office.
"Slaine, I'm truly sorry," Asseylum tried to control herself, "no matter what I do, I always end hurting you."
In a different plane of existence, there was a person floating aimlessly in the endless kaleidoscope space, this place was called the Dimensional Gap. The person enjoyed the silence that the strange place offered. There was no sound or perturbance that bothered the person.
WOOSHH
Or that used to be the case.
The person in question was a cute young girl with long black hair down to her hips and gray eyes. Her name was Ophis and she was the Ouroboros Dragon or better known as the Infinite Dragon God.
She abruptly opened her eyes and directed her gaze towards the intruder. It was a massive red Western Dragon with a horn on his snout and two sets of wings.
Its name was Great Red also known as the Apocalypse Dragon or the True Red Dragon God Emperor.
"How troublesome," fumed Ophis. "Baka Red should just disappear." Great Red didn't show to had heard her, and if it was the case, it would have ignored her.
Ophis decided to ignore it. She needed to be in another place and a fight with Great Red would take a long time. Ophis was about to teleport herself when she felt a strange perturbance.
The Dragon God knew that from time to time, other beings used her home as a way to travel faster. So it was common to feel disturbances on the void world. She ignored it until she felt another pulse, but much stronger than the last time. Curious, she started to follow it. The anomaly will release a new pulse every few seconds, each stronger than the last one.
Ophis followed it until she reached what appeared to be the remanents from an old structure. From the position of the remains, it appeared to have been some kind of gigantic tower from centuries ago.
The Dragon God ignored the ruins and started to navigate between the debris of the old tower. It didn't take too much for Ophis to locate the pulses' origin. She found herself in front of an enormous door. It looked hard and heavy to move, but such things didn't stop Ophis. With her little hand, Ophis pointed to the door and from it shot a thin and little black beam energy. The door exploded as soon the thin beam touched it.
Without bothering the dust, Ophis advanced and what she found inside it surprised her.
On what appeared to have been an altar, there was an ash blonde haired young man wearing a red long coat with matching pants and long black boots. Once Ophis was near the young man, she noticed some blood stains on his clothes and on the floor.
"A transportation failure?" Ophis wondered. She knew that sometimes a novice mage would attempt to travel faster through the Dimensional Gap. Most of the times it would end on failure, resulting in the mage death due to being exposed and devoured by the nothingness in the Dimensional Gap
"But, how is he still alive? I don't sense magic." Normally, a mistake on the mage's side will lead them to spent all their magic reserves and left them without a protection to the nothingness in the Dimensional Gap.
Ophis got closer to the young man until she was at his side. Once close to him, she noticed a strange object at the young man's neck. "Mmhh. It was an amulet that kept him this long alive." After seeing the cause of the pulses, Ophis' curiosity was satisfied and decided to leave, not bothering to left the young man to his death.
She just reached the entrance when a series of strong tremors shook the chamber. Because the ruins were too old, it wasn't' a surprise when everything started to collapse. In a few seconds, the chamber became added debris to the ruins.
From the remanents Ophis got out and angry. The culprit from the collapse was anyone else than Great Red itself.
"I, am too angry with Baka Red," barked Ophis. She didn't know when Great Red decided to follow her, she would have detected him, but somehow it managed to elude her.
Ophis started to charge an energy beam towards Great Red as payment for its previous "trick". She knew she hadn't a possibility to win against Great Red, but it didn't mean that it could mess with her and left like nothing happened.
"Great Red..you..!" Ophis stopped when a golden beam of energy shot towards the red dragon.
As soon the beam hit Great Red's side, it stopped on its tracks and stayed like that for almost a minute. Ophis started to search the source's beam and she was astonished when her eyes landed on the young man she previously found. He was floating hundreds of meters from her. Around him, there was a golden energy that surrounded him.
"Did he do it?" marveled Ophis. Suddenly Great Red gave a strong shout and directed its attention towards Ophis.
"Baka Red, though I did it?" Great Red gave another angry shout, affirming Ophis' question. "Unfortunately, I did-" Ophis was interrupted when another beam, stronger than the previous, was shot, but this one full impacted on Great Red's face.
The Infinite Dragon God along with the Apocalypse Dragon came to a halt, trying to comprehend what just happened. Slowly, Great Red directed its gaze, and in its eyes showed anger towards the one who dared to attack it. The energy beam barely leave a scratch on Great Red's face, it could disappear it with a simple thought, but to attack it literally on its face, it was a sign of reckless or stupidity
At that moment, the young man earned Ophis' interest. She knew that if she didn't act right now, Great Red would dispatch to oblivion the young man. Quickly, she flew to him and grabbed him before Great Red's fire reached them. They barely escaped for milliseconds.
The Apocalypse Dragon stared at the nuisance and Ophis previous spot. It released an angry snarl and continued its flight.
"Where am I?" Wherever he saw, there were many colors around him. "Am I death?" his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Almost. But, I, have saved you." The young man directed his sight towards the voice. It came from a little black-haired girl wearing a revealing dress.
"And for that, you must serve me." As soon as he heard those cold words, the young man succumbed unconscious.
"Sometimes life gives you a second chance, or even two! Not always, but sometimes. It's what you do with those second chances that count."
"And if the circumstances are not the best? What happens when everything turns for the worst?"
"Well, you could always try with the oldest lie on the world."
"Which is…?"
"It is very simple, it is hope!"
Two almost broken men on a wrecked tavern.