Mechanical Menace

World 0-1: Journey to a Land of the Past:

The blizzard continued to blanket the mountain trail with frigid white as the lone figure marched her way up the ascent. In the expanse of whiteness, her standard earth wielder getup stood out; a black cap-sleeve shirt and black pants – both with silver accents – her silver boots, and all four of her black ankle and wrist weights. This particular uniform scheme had gone through elemental shrines and even warped through time. The large black, weather-retardant cloak from her time in the future went over her auburn, shoulder-length hair and shrouded all of her face but her mouth in darkness as it draped around her lithe, muscular form. Her normally perky and spirited expression was absent and replaced with calm intensity, for her current journey called for the utmost seriousness. And although her team had accomplished great victories as a unit, she undertook this particular venture on her own. Her lone travel partner returned home not long after the outset of their journey.

Though her partner left, it actually worked out in her favor in that it would make her harder to track as a person traveling solo. In fact, she intended for her cloak to keep her identity hidden. She could not risk anyone following her before she reached her goal.

The early July air of the far Southern Hemisphere chilled the mountain landscape in an arctic freeze, and the howling winds made for diagonal precipitation in randomized directions. Regardless, this being did not stop or turn back. Her mission was too significant to abandon, and she did not have it in her to give up. At just twenty-two years of age, she had emerged victorious in her elemental odyssey, her return home, and her crusade in the future; and yet, there was still much to do at twenty-three. What awaited near the top of the mountain range could shed light on the ominous presences that remain in the background.

The Master Blacksmiths, Arka Knight had said to her in the future. They're the ones who created all the Alkemei Pendants of Power, including the Master Pendant. You will have to find their forge, which I will give you direction to. No one else knows where it is. The Blacksmiths have been dead for eons. By the time I came into existence, their location had become lost history. It is only through some otherworldly assistance that I learned of its whereabouts.

The pink-gray sky overhead occluded the early evening sun in its entirety. A gust kicked up that threatened to roll her down the snow-covered trail, but she gripped her hood and pressed on. Despite her relatively light apparel, she did not shiver or seem bothered at all by the cold. Yet, the snow blowing all around had long since become an annoyance. Even though she did not mind the chill itself, she decided to pick up the pace, youthful but determined in her stride. She still had at least another two miles to go.

Arka Knight's words from the future reverberated in her head as she neared her target. The Master Blacksmiths dubbed it the 'Alkemei Vranzer.' It's supposedly the true very last Alkemei they ever made, and it was thought to have 'fate-altering powers.' But it was never used. It never left their forge, and its existence is entirely unknown – to everyone who's still alive, anyways. So if you find the city in which the forge resided, you will find the Vranzer. In this timeline, Kokoro somehow had discovered the ruins and destroyed the Vranzer along with the entire area. But in your time, the ruins still stand. Because of that, the Vranzer should still be there as well. Go and obtain possession of it when you return to your time, Kruna Daisy. And when you find it, do not let anyone else get a hold of it. Do not let anyone destroy it either; but if presented with a dilemma, destroying it is better than letting someone else take it. If you have to cement the Vranzer to your neck to make sure no one else takes it, then so be it; because if the Vranzer works, the results of it falling into the wrong hands could potentially be disastrous.


The snowfall let up and became drifting flurries as Daisy passed through the gated walls and entered the ancient city of the Master Blacksmiths. The earth wielder kept her hood on but lifted its shadow from her eyes as she glanced around to survey her weathered environment. It was a magnificent metropolis – or rather, it once was, and had now become an aged city in ruins. Daisy could not sense anyone nearby, making her wonder if the area was completely abandoned.

The Alkemei Forge resides within a city in the Snowhead Mountains, Arka Knight had told her. You'll have to brave the harsh cold of the southernmost region of the world to get there. The forge was run by eight blacksmiths – one of each element – who crafted not only some of the finest elemental tools around, but who also were the lone creators of the Alkemei Pendants of Power. These eight, the Master Blacksmiths, created many Alkemei of varying degrees of ability, utility, and rarity. The Master Pendant was made near the tail end of their lives. Though their intentions in making the gem were not at all analogous with what ended up transpiring, the Master Pendant is still believed to be the most powerful of the Alkemei ever created. At least, recorded in history. The Vranzer, the very last Alkemei made, could indeed surpass it.

Empty buildings, houses, and shops lined the streets. The architecture and technology was archaic, at least several hundreds of years outdated. Almost everything had been damaged in some way, whether from the course of time or from some attack. She hoped that Kokoro had not found this place already, but Arka Knight had said that the Kokoro of the future had annihilated the entire area. The city as it stood in her vision appeared as if it had suffered some mass attack ages ago, not in recent times.

"Anybody wanna tell me where the Alkemei Forge is?!" Daisy blurted out. Her rough, raspy voice disrupted the ambience of the vicinity. She stood still to give a quick look around in her periphery. The only movement she noticed was from that of the flurries. "No? Anybody wanna try and ambush me?" She heard next-to-nothing; and again, she could not for the life of her sense a single energy signature. With a smile, she said nothing more and resumed her walk; content to know that she really was the only being there.

Built around and on a plateau near the top of the Snowhead Mountains, there was no mistaking the importance that this citadel-like town of the Master Blacksmiths once had in the distant past. Many of the structural designs prominently featured all eight elemental symbols. A massive but dismantled stadium occupied much of the northern side of town. Most of the streets were wide and spacious to accommodate what was once a thriving, lively population. With its strategic, remote location in an otherwise intolerable section of the world, Daisy could see how the ruins had evaded modern knowledge and escaped society's awareness.

Following an extended bout of searching through the abandoned city, Daisy caught sight of something to the north and past the stadium. There was a huge building at the top of a short climb of stairs. She could barely make out a blurry sign of an Alkemei Pendant from where she stood. Pulling on the front end of her hood, she started on her way for what she believed to be the Alkemei Forge.


The ascent of stairs brought Daisy to the entrance of the Alkemei Forge. She went to push through the front doors, but they did not move. They were bolted shut and made of some combination of stone and metal. If Athelstan had come with her, he could have manipulated the door with ease; but since he had not, Daisy had to come up with an alternative means of getting in. Naturally, she took a step back and wound up to throw a punch and bust her way in. Despite the strength behind her hit, she only managed to bring about a dent and a loud thud that echoed back down to the city.

Why did I think I could just bust in, she muttered in her mind. It's so obvious. The Master Blacksmiths had to have made their forge as tough and impenetrable as they could to protect whatever's inside.

So instead of trying to find another entrance or some sort of key, Daisy slammed into the doors with another punch almost twice as forceful as the first. Her attack warped the doors a bit, but they still held up. She shook out her hand, for that last punch had made her knuckles sore.

"Why are you being so stubborn, you dumb doors?!" yelled Daisy. "You're frickin' centuries old! You should be weak!"

She stood there for a moment, as if waiting for the doors to respond to her. Now growing more impatient, she pulled some soil, mud, and permafrost from underneath the snow and compacted them around her left hand. With a swift, hardening action, she converted the earth elementals into crystal to make her signature Crystal Fist and charged at the doors to deliver a smashing blow. The doors ripped off the hinges with ease, granting her access inside. Smirking, she dematerialized her Crystal Fist and waltzed inside.

The Alkemei Forge was a single massive chamber with various areas and sections. The lack of lighting inside and the dark sky outside made for a very dim environment. The few lightstones along the walls did little to add illumination, but it made no difference for Daisy. The night vision ability earth wielders possessed ensured she knew what she would be doing regardless of the lighting.

As she perused through the chamber and scanned over the tables, aged equipment, and abandoned stations, one chest caught her eye. This chest in particular was unique in that while the entire city at the top of the Snowhead Mountains and everything in the Alkemei Forge had experienced advanced aging of several hundred – and possibly, thousands – of years, the chest did not seem to have experienced anything more than an accumulation of dust. It felt out of place; but at the same time, it felt as if it belonged there, as if it was meant to be there in that position, throughout time, waiting for someone to come across it and take what was within.

With a wide-arcing kick, Daisy snapped the lock off the chest, allowing the top to swing up and open. She bent over, almost tumbling into the chest itself, to pick up the lone metal box that sat inside and flicked open the tiny lever holding it closed. Within rested an Alkemei Pendant of Power much like those her and the other Kruna Yura possessed; a large, colorless gem – when not worn – encased in a strong metal frame and bound with a thick, durable cord. Daisy was not sure, but she felt the gem calling out to her; though not with the malevolent, wicked undertone the Master Pendant – or, as she learned in the future, the Alkemei Ankh – had. Despite no known being bound to the gem, it still seemed...sentient in some way.

"Put that back, earth wielder," said a spectral voice.

"That does not belong to you," said another similar, feminine voice.

Well, way to state the obvious, Daisy thought. She turned around to face the center of the chamber, where two holograph-like apparitions stared her down. They were both in some combination of ornamental robes, light armor, and suits; the tall man dressed in navy blue, light blue, and gold, and the broad but lanky woman in black, purple, and white. Radiant, neon blue orbs occupied their empty eye sockets as they hovered in the air.

"Who are you?" the male spirit demanded. "State your business in here."

Daisy pulled down the hood of her cloak to fully reveal her head. "I'm Daisy Sarasa, a Kruna. Why don't you state your business here? I don't recall asking to get annoyed."

"The opening of our sacred chest woke us," the female spirit said. "We are not any more nuisances than you."

"I am Nakima, Master Blacksmith of Water," said the male spirit.

"And I am Kali, Master Blacksmith of Shadow," said the female spirit. "Why are you trespassing on our sacred grounds?"

"Why are the sacred doors ripped from the frame and obliterated?" Nakima asked.

"It wasn't me," Daisy flatly said, eyes darting around the room. "It was like that when I got here... There was a blizzard earlier with gusty winds and...stuff."

"Fair enough, Kruna of Earth," said Nakima. "But for future reference, these grounds are not for you mortals or any of your kind. This sector in particular is our eternal resting place. Please return the Alkemei in your hands to its rightful storage."

"Sorry," said Daisy. "I need to take this with me."

"What? You dare steal from the Master Blacksmiths?" Nakima asked.

"If that's what you wanna call it, then yes," replied the Kruna of Earth. "I'm going to 'steal' from you guys. It's to my understanding that this pendant is supposed to be really powerful, possibly even more than the Master Pendant. That's why I need to take it, because the Master Pendant's in some very bad hands right about now."

"We expected as much," said Kali. "What you fools have done with the Master Pendant is none of our concern. What the Master Pendant became is not anywhere near what we eight had in mind for it. What you have allowed to happen to it is on your hands, not ours. Society has managed to survive up until now, has it not? The Alkemei in your hand must remain here. Please put it back."

"Oh c'mon!" Daisy yelled. "I didn't venture all the way here just to come up empty handed! What should it matter to you guys?"

"It is the Alkemei Vranzer, a special pendant to us that we must guard," said Nakima.

"It is the true ultimate of the Alkemei," said Kali. "As the final and most substantial of our Alkemei, we have to preserve its holiness, purity, and integrity. Before our passing, each of us eight Master Blacksmiths donated a portion of our life force to the Vranzer's power in the hopes that a part of us all would live on with our work."

"And because of this, the Vranzer rejects those unworthy of wearing it," said Nakima. "Our fellow brothers and sisters entrusted us to keep it safe from intruders like you."

"Nobody said anything about me wearing it," Daisy muttered.

"Doesn't matter," said Kali. "You're not leaving here until you put that Alkemei back. Please adhere to the wishes of us Master Blacksmiths. Just because you obtained possession of the Orianthi doesn't mean you have any right to take the Vranzer."

Daisy glanced as low towards her neck as her eyes would go, remembering that she did indeed have the Alkemei Orianthi, Pendant of Reanimation and the predecessor to the Alkemei Ankh, equipped at that very moment. Her eyes then drifted to the Vranzer in her hands. There was no telling what kinds of powers or abilities the Vranzer possessed. But at the same time, it looked so clean and pure; innocent, even. She unconsciously made a warm smile out of a deep inhale through her nose. If only for a brief instant, she felt as though the Alkemei's gem smiled back.

"We will not return to our rest until you replace the Alkemei Vranzer back in its casing and chest," said Nakima.

"Well..." Daisy murmured. "What if I put it on, and I prove that I can wear it?"

"You may try, but it will reject you and detach the moment you put it on," said Kali.

"That is a certainty, Kruna," said Nakima. "Don't be surprised when it falls off."

Without any hesitation, Daisy calmly undid her Orianthi and clipped the Vranzer's cord around her neck. Nakima and Kali stared at the Kruna of Earth, expecting their pendant to slip off her neck at any moment. Much to their surprise, it did not and remained attached to Daisy as she tightened the cord to make the pendant's fit firm and snug. The Vranzer's colorless gem then turned black, signaling its synchronization with Daisy's elemental earth energy.

"Alright, so how does this thing work?" Daisy asked, still fiddling with the cord. "Is this one automatic?"

"Kali, are you seeing this?" Nakima barely managed to ask. "How is this possible..."

"This is unreal!" Kali exclaimed. "We never thought anyone would be able to wear it! We didn't think any of us would be able to wear it!"

Daisy shrugged as she stuck her Orianthi into her Hammerspace Belt. "I just sorta looked at it and it just...I don't know, really. I just put it on, I guess."

Nakima and Kali were quiet for a little while, both dumbstruck over the development. They stared at the smiling Kruna of Earth before them and the Alkemei Vranzer that did not appear ready to fall off anytime soon. The thought of an earth wielder like her wearing the Vranzer baffled them, but Daisy paid no mind to their surprise. The comforting feeling the Vranzer inspired held her focus.

"Perhaps we misjudged you," Nakima said, quiet and composed. "Or, we may have misjudged our Alkemei."

"Could we really have done that?" Kali murmured. "And why her? I don't understand..."

"That's cool," said Daisy, her tone similar. "I know I'm not perfect, not by a long shot; and first impressions are not necessarily my forte."

"And yet, here you are, wearing our Vranzer," replied Kali. "I am beyond confused. Nakima, I say we just kill her like the rest that tried. This has to be a mistake."

"This is no mistake," Nakima responded.

"Then this has to be some sort of accident," said Kali. "The Vranzer must be misidentifying-"

"There are no accidents when it comes to fate," said Nakima. "And this is the Pendant of Fate."

"Does she look or feel like anyone of the elite from our time?" Kali barked.

"No, but she could very well be an elite of this time," said Nakima. "My dear sister, it may be time to let this Alkemei of ours go."

Kali frowned at him. "Are you telling me you're comfortable with letting our pendant, the only thing that remains of us and our brothers and sisters in this physical realm, walk after all of these years? And with a complete stranger?"

"The Vranzer will go where it needs to go, I'm sure. We know not of its true destiny."

"And if corruption shall befall it? Then what?"

"If the world should succumb to the malevolent shroud of the beings lurking in the background at this very moment, then corruption, decay, and plenty worse will overrun all – including our Vranzer. You remember what Osiris and the Shadow Queen did in our time, don't you? The current solution is not sufficient enough in the long-term. At some point, those threats must be silenced for good."

The two Master Blacksmith spirits looked at each other, Kali at a loss for words. Daisy just stood there, straight and tall, without a single bit of worry to be seen, reminiscent of a young child who expected nothing but the best. It took the two spirits a few moments, but Kali gave a nod to Nakima. He nodded in turn.

"You are a very curious one, Daisy," said Nakima. "Quite peculiar... I think we will entrust you with our treasure."

"That's great to hear," replied Daisy. "Thank you both. I really appreciate it. I'll take real great care of it, I promise."

"You better take care of it," said Kali. "If you don't, then you will have played a part in bringing your world to ruin."

Daisy peered down at the Alkemei around her neck. "So what's its ability?"

"That's a great question," said Nakima. "We don't know."

"What?!" Daisy screamed. "You mean you made it and you don't know?!"

Nakima nodded. "We made it with the hopes of it having fate-altering properties, but it never realized its full potential. Perhaps, seeing as how it did not reject you, you may know what it needs in order to awaken and cultivate its latent capacities?"

"Unless of course, now you question its value and worth..." Kali said.

"What? No way!" Daisy exclaimed, calm in her tone. "This is a great honor. I'm sure this Alkemei has some sort of nascent power that I just can't imagine until I witness or experience it for myself. Maybe it just needs some time and care is all."

Kali looked at Nakima, murmuring, "Time and care..."

A few moments passed, and Nakima and Kali both felt more confident in their decision to let Daisy walk with the Vranzer. What could potentially be the most powerful of all of their creations now sat strapped to Daisy's neck, though her lighthearted mood would not have suggested as much.

"Then the Vranzer is now your responsibility," said Nakima.

"You now hold the remaining essence of us Master Blacksmiths," said Kali. "Guard it with your life, Kruna Daisy."

The spirits of Nakima, Master Blacksmith of Water, and Kali, Master Blacksmith of Shadow, faded from view, returning to their slumber. When they were gone, Daisy found herself alone once more; only this time, she now had in her possession the culmination of a several months-long journey littered with more detours than she would have preferred. She sighed as she turned around to face the entrance of the Alkemei Forge, at ease but with many questions filling her mind.