Chapter 1 - The Leader Should Always Be Woken Up First

She stared at it, fear gradually swallowing her whole. The intense light flashed before her crimson eyes almost too dangerously. The fire grew and grew, towering over her, engulfing the stronghold that stood before her. Frightened and scared, her whole body was paralyzed.

'Can you see it, little girl? Can you see it burning?
Don't be scared dear, it is but a passionate flame,
Dancing with no end around the mighty fortress,
Protecting all that is right, flaring out so greatly.'

The verse kept repeating itself, like a broken record in her ears. But no matter how many times she heard it, no matter how much it kept telling her to suppress her fear, she couldn't do it.

The fire was just too hot.


She yawned once more as she dragged her feet on. Six of her fingers were up; she had been counting how many times she had been yawning since dawn. It was usually rare of her to feel worn out when it was so early in the morning.

She was Elaine Sieghart the just-an-average high school girl. Well, if you considered the fact that her blood had been from an old line of red haired and red eyed honoured knights and her athletic abilities were far from ordinary part of her averageness. Other than that, she didn't stand out more than the normal. She wasn't a direct descendent to the family so there was no need to worry about family lineage and traditions as a knight And she didn't need to worry about her social ranking, seeing as a side branch of the family was practically the same as commoners.

She was just ordinary.

The red head stared up into the sky. A jaded sigh escaped her. Other than wasting her time counting how many times she had sighed, she had also been trying to encrypt the true meaning of the dreams that had been visiting her.

So that makes another odd variation in her averageness – She was having weird dreams. Although she had them, they were always but a blur when she wakes up. The feeling of losing the ability to even reminisce them was like digging up an empty hole inside her. It was psychologically agonizing in many ways.

"Elaine, are you alright?" A light pat on her shoulder and she turned. The first that caught her crimson eyes were dull gold eyes that stared back at her calmly.

"I'm always alright!" She huffed, flicking of the cold hand on her shoulder. She didn't dare to tell the truth to him, to anyone. Elaine had a pride to defend from no matter who it was. Though, she did feel a tiny bit of regret when she was lying to her best friend.

Her best friend (or sometimes referred to as her childhood friend) was the white haired beau, Naoto Hastern; the ever so calm looking cool high school guy that you'd expect to find in those romance comic books who was actually a typical scaredy cat with absolute zero confidence in himself. Literally speaking, his personality destroys his image (it was still a wonder to Elaine that he's popular amongst the other girls and even more to know that he was still single). His older sister, Sibil, was a huge contrast to him – she must have taken all his confidence when she was born. But one odd thing in his appearance was that black long bag he had strapped on his shoulder. She assumed it was his bamboo sword or whatever they called it.

"Oh.. Okay." He whined with a disheartened tone, but immediately the teen lit up. After years of being Elaine's friend, he knew how each gear ticked and how every pendulum swung in the girl's system. She was what they called a Tsundere; a kind of stereotype which described a person had a cold and mean personality on the outside just to cover up the cute and frivolous personality in the inside. "Well, Elaine. Have you changed your mind on joining the kendo club?"

Ever since the two started their high school lives, Naoto had been asking her to join the school's kendo club with him. She expected such a thing to happen (Well, not the part that he who had no confidence in himself was very interested in things as kendo). Especially when she knew he had always one who was close to his inner child and loved all that was fantasy and adventure and what not. Furthermore, he was keen in making her join in the fun all the time (though, Elaine rather not admit to this).

"As much as I'd love to, I have to say no thanks. Being in the basketball club and the football club is enough for me." The red head sighed heavily. With her well known background in the field of athletics in her middle school years, she was suddenly bombarded with invitations to join numerous sports clubs – even before she started going to high school. Intentionally, she wanted to just go with the track and field club but both the manager of the football and basketball club managed to force her into theirs. "If either Feira or Diana found out I was in another club, they'd murder me."

Naoto shivered just from hearing the names of the infamous twins of East Noire high. Rumours states that they were two sisters who annihilated a huge gang of delinquents single handed, unarmed. And after coming out victorious that same night, they made sure that they ruled over the delinquents with their iron fists.

"Well, forgetting all that. Can you lend me your history notes?" Elaine muttered, immediately changing the topic, knowing that even thinking of those girls creep her out as well. Naoto stared at her.

"… You were busy playing games last night, weren't you…"

"They're that addictive!" The girl protested as she snatched the papers off the white haired teen's hand after he took them out. She would never admit (gosh, there are actually a million more things that she will never admit to) to the fact that she had forgotten they had a test that day and she spent the night before playing games.

She did have a good reason though.

Elaine spent that whole night trying to shift all her attention from her dreams to something more productive (and gaming seemed much better than daydreaming). Actually, other than trying to see the meaning in the dreams that visited her, she had been trying everything to get rid of those dreams that kept bothering her nearly every night. Ironic isn't it?

The girl sighed once more after concluding games might not be a splendid idea than she thought it to be. She let her eyes explore the neat handwritings of her best friend, not noticing how Naoto looked at her worriedly.

As well as not noticing a pair of slate grey eyes trailing after them. These grey eyes were smiling with glee. Below them was a childish grin that was full of satisfaction. "I finally found you, my descendant~"


"Freedom~!" Elaine squealed as she jumped out of the classroom, stretching her arms out. After spilling out all the information she managed to cramp into her head in one amazingly difficult history test, she was relieved from all that stressed her.

"Elaine, that was but one test. Not an exam."

"Don't destroy her moment." Naoto lightly pushed away a classmate, letting the red head enjoy the taste of liberty from the academic battle today, as well as the end of the war that was the school day. He then herded the girl towards the other end of the hallway. She was gleaming brightly with her smile, radiating easing warmth. He smiled. Today, he decided, was a good day to do it.

He had to tell her sooner or later. The affections he had for her.

"Elaine. You've got your football now, right?"

"Yeap. See you after school~!" She chirped, still in her good mood, forgetting the fact the manager was one of Hell's scariest spawn.

He chuckled at the way she ran off, deciding that after school he'd do it. He'd tell her. But his smiling expression soon faded into seriousness as he caught a glint of grim right at the corner of his eye. Naoto gave one stare at his side, at the school gates. There stood a lone black haired man, hair tied back neatly, smirking back at him. Yellow eyes just glowed at him with deception and demise.

"… Today was a good day…" He growled to himself, heading towards his locker, unaware of the other students backing away from him because of his deathly glare and menacing snarls.

From the outside of the school, the older man snickered. His fingers twitched with one desire. If he was able to anger that kid with one smile, what would happen if he..

"Let's see what you'd do if I touched that wee lass…."


The nonsensical chatter amongst her female comrades wisped into one ear and out the other. Frankly, Elaine didn't really care much about them as she poked out all of her buttons and took off her white shirt, leaving her with nothing to cover her top but her undergarment.

"Aww… There's still nothing there, Miss Flat-Boarded." An irksome giggle on her left. The red head merely growled back without having to glance who it was. She knew that the only girl who had a problem with her in the club was that good-for-nothing Wynona.

The rest of the girls in the club had nothing against the red head, but it was only her who loved to pick on her. Sometimes she thought it was just because she was personally recruited by Diana that Wynona hated her. Though the rest of the time, she knew the blue haired just hated her guts. Elaine snorted. "Well, I may be flat. But you'll still be the shortie who looks like an old stripper."

"What did yo-"

"That's enough chit chat!" The gray haired Diana had clapped her hands sternly, commanding the whole lot to move out quickly. As Wynona snarled and slinked away in her gear, she left Elaine to peacefully change. But it took the red head a while to notice that she was the only one who had to slip into her gear.

As she hastily put on her shorts, she heard a hum. She had thought she was the only one left in the locker room. "It's the Savior of Bermessiah, charging forward~"

"Who's there?!" Elaine snapped as she twisted herself, easily recognizing that the voice was not any of the usual girly tones she'd hear in the room. Realizing that it was deep and husky; it was but a man's. She saw none but a lazing black haired messy man, whistling the rest of the song. Elaine was outraged as a man had entered a girl's sanctum in the school. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!"

"Huuuuh….?" A sleepy reply seeped out of his lips. He blinked lightly to her, revealing his silver eyes that saw through her. But the next thing he knew, he switched gears into his alert mode and jumped away from the bench, avoiding a heel kick from the teen. "Woah there, Red! It's me!"

Elaine took a good look at the sheepishly grinning man. He had that distinctive look that made her feel nostalgic. Even the way he called out that nickname that he had selfishly made for her was misty. But there was no mistake that he was but a guy who had invaded her privacy.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?! Answer or I'll kick the daylights out of you!"

"Harsh much? And after how much time I spent trying to find you." He whined after getting snapped at, rubbing his ears lightly. "Well, you were never the type to listen to other's explanations… Then again.. I don't like explaining things so…" He skipped lightly to Elaine with a speed she couldn't follow. As they were an inch apart, he smiled childishly. Elaine merely snorted in disgust to the smell he currently possessed. "I'm just going to help you wake up~!"

Though as gentle as his pat on her forehead seemed it felt like an explosive impact had just hit her brains out. As much as she wanted to scream in pain, nothing came out of Elaine's throat. Because there was a sentimental feel to it all that numbed everything. She staggered back, collapsing onto her knees. Her red eyes were still looking at the nostalgic grey.

"Sorry. Currently I can't do more than to bless you with that song of hope, Elesis, but I have high hopes you'll do fine with it." The man gave a dry chuckle as he walked towards the window. He climbed out and jumped away. At that instant, the girl picked herself up and went after him.

But when she stuck her head out of the window, it was lacking of any souls. She sighed. What had just happened? Questions zipped around her mind. Who was he? Why was he so familiar? What the heck did he just do? Why did he just call her Elesis? Who was Elesis?

"Elaine!" She jolted at the call of her name by the manager. She didn't want to risk being called another time as she hastily buttoned up her shirt and ran out, shoving all her worries to the back of her mind to be revisited. But there was still one thing that troubled her the most.

Why were there regrets in his eyes when he did that…?


As Elaine's eyes blinked open slowly, a feel of nostalgia washed over her. She tilted her head and saw the grassy floor she lied on. Beyond was a large calming flowery field with an amazingly comforting blue sky. To her, it was a beautiful scene in contrast to the high raised buildings that surrounded her in the town she lived in.

Her fingers softly moved and she felt leather. Gradually she rose up, discovering her gear was already put on her. Her steel gauntlets were on – they were black plates with red and gold rims. And so were her steel armour. She pushed herself to sit up.

On her lap, a pair of swords lay there. Both waiting eagerly to be wielded by their master. They were awfully agonizing to see; they were weapons for war. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but smile. Because these swords also possessed a powerful sentimental memory she felt she could never let go of.

The red head flinched when she saw specks of ashes being played with the wind. A sharp inhale told her it was definitely smoke. Once again, fear was creeping on to her as she hesitated to turn to the other side.

It was all too vivid. There, stood the stoned fort that loomed over her. And so were the flames that blazed around them, haunting her dreams again and again. They were fiery, yet they put her frozen on the spot, unable to do anything but to cower in its might.

'It is the Savior of Bermessiah, charging forward,
In her hands, she wields the both the sword of just,
and the sword of compassion, her weapons of war,
With her flaming spirit, she burns down her enemies,
mercilessly into crisp, leaving tiny embers fluttering,
for the sake of her beliefs, her friends, she blazes on.'

She blinked to the new verse that slipped into her ears. They were calming and soothing, almost too beautiful for her to listen to. That empty hole that she had been desperately trying to figure out practically seemed to have been filled with nothing but that song. She even forgot the flames that burned before her.

'Elaine… Set me free...'

Elaine flinched when she heard her name being called out so sorrowful, desperately getting her attention. It was weak and soft, but she felt a prideful strength that had lightly been entwined in the voice.

'Elaine… Call my name…!'

Her lips seemed to have opened by themselves, her mind retracing to where she had heard this voice from, so she can reply to her call for relief.

'Elaine…'


"ELAINE!"

Elaine jolted into a sitting position as her name was screamed out, breathing rapidly. Immediately, she saw the source of the exasperated voice. Naoto had the most worried and pale expression. And to add more, he breathing heavily, sweating all over in his kendo gear. There was even a slight revelation of his pure chest.

"… Y-yeah?" The red head questioned shakily as she tried to calm herself, blushing away from the sight of his skin. The male teen took a few seconds to see that she was alright and sighed in relief, staggering towards her.

"Dear Starklin, I was so worried when I heard that you had fainted. I'm so glad you're alright.." Unintentionally, he hugged her. Elaine could feel his hand trembling dangerously, his fingers grasping on her tightly in desperation. His heartbeat was thundering loudly as well, having a hasty beat she couldn't follow.

Although, she herself had no idea what had happened, she just patted him back reassuringly. "Hey. I'm always strong enough to be alright."

"But she isn't as hard headed as everyone thinks." Another voice got the girl shoved away from his embrace. Naoto had retreated and avoided all eye contact. But his red ears had told Elaine that he had become terribly flushed. She didn't mind it. She herself was flustered as well, by the sudden intimacy. She then noticed the white blanket over her, and soon her nose started to detect the smell of medicine.

"I'm in the nurse's room?" Elaine looked up to see at the end of the bed, was Diana biting on a lollipop by her incisors.

"Where else? You got knocked out after Wynona kicked the ball too hard towards your head." The manager then proceeded to crush down the lollipop with her teeth into smithereens. "Honestly, if she's going to take out my ace, I'll make her suffer far deadlier consequences than removing her from my football team…"

As the other two stared at her with a mixture of disbelief and fear, Diana walked towards the door. Before she left, her head turned to Elaine, then Naoto then Elaine again. Her eyes were covered by her long messy fringe so they couldn't make out whether she was really looking at them seriously or giving them a bored look. "I'll make sure my sister knows you won't be coming to basketball practice tomorrow after getting a headshot like that..." The girl then flicked her hand lightly at the two. "And whatever relationship you two have.. Please keep it to yourselves.. It's too… Cute…"

Before the either of the two could protest back, the manager had shut the door. Red and gold eyes blinked blankly at the entry of the infirmary. They had never imagined that the hellish woman even had any intention of being kind, let alone have a girlish side.

Immediately, Elaine jumped what she had just said about them; about this 'relationship' she had with Naoto. She turned red in a heartbeat at just at the thought of the word. Who knows what she'll turn into if she even gives thought to such a thing happening between her and him. Then again…

Elaine hesitated as she took a glance at the male teen. He was flustered - even his ears were red - with a hand scratching his nape lightly. Slightly looking back at her, he smiled sheepishly.

"Um… Elaine..?"

"Y-yeah..?" She stuttered back, suffocating in the silence that surrounded them but the extreme thumping of their heartbeats. Elaine was certain she couldn't just hear her own. She heard someone else's; she heard Naoto's. Could it be…? But they had always been best friends for years. And he didn't seem to show any hints of interest towards her in any sort of way. Unless they were just too hard to discover or she was too dense.

Naoto stuttered. "Please… Can you tell me everything…"

"… Huh?" the red head stared at him dumbfounded.

"Well… Lately, I see you always having something in mind, and always so sleepy. I know you told me you're alright, but I also know you're just saying that to not make me worry." The gold eyes of the white haired teen kept staring into her red eyes, unwavering for anything else. "And from the way you were struggling and shivering when you were sleeping just now, I can't just let this go anymore."

Struggling? Shivering? Now that was a first for Elaine to hear. Was it that dream again? The dream she couldn't remember every time she woke up? No…

This time, she could recall each second she was in the dream world. From the moment she laid eyes on the grassy field to the burning flames. Until the moment she heard her name desperately called out by another.

"I… I'm not so sure what's going on myself Naoto…" Elaine sighed gravely, ignorant to how she was going to tell this tale to her friend. How could she explain everything that she had just experienced in the dream world so easily? And to only recall everything that happened now? Was it the work of that weirdo that appeared in the locker room? When his picture appeared in her mind, she thought of how much he looked so familiar.

"Then tell me in a way you see fit, Elaine. Because no matter what, I want to help you." Steadily, cold fingertips brushed onto her hands. Naoto's hands grasped for hers, gaining her undivided attention. "You're always there for me, and now it's my turn. I'm your best friend, Elaine."

"Ah… Young love~ So innocent and so pure~" A sentimental hum coming from behind them bewildered the two as they immediately broke apart, turning to see who dared to intrude into their private together time. It was but a black haired sleek man, gleaming brightly to the two people from the windowpane. Instantly, Naoto stepped forth; one hand protecting Elaine, the other reaching out for his bamboo sword that had been leaning on to the wall all this time.

"What do you want?!" The white haired teen barked, followed with a threatening growl, as he took his combat stance with his sword. His aggressive side was one that had astonished the girl. Elaine had never even seen him remotely irritated, let alone get angry. And now he was just furious at the sight of this man.

"Oh come on. We both know we want the girl…" He chuckled in his deep voice. "It's just that…" His hand gradually pulled out a sledgehammer from thin air as he climbed in the room. "Unlike you, I intend to let her sleep longer, if you know what I mean."

"Elaine... Get out of here." A dark low mutter from Naoto startled her. His voice was hazardously threatening, yet the girl merely jumped out of the bed and grabbed a stool, knowing all the dangers she was facing here with her friend.

"And leave you behind with a stick? Naoto, you know me well enough that I don't abandon my friends." Elaine made a dry laugh as she held the stool tightly, ready to swing it violently. She felt that she was insane to be going against a guy who was actually wielding a huge war hammer in this day and age, with a stool. Yes, a tiny metal and plastic stool. But on the other hand, Naoto had a bamboo sword against that guy and he's not really the crazy type, especially when he didn't seem as amused as her.

"… Fine…" He grunted as shifted forward, eyeing on his opponent closely, blocking out everything else. "And for the record Elaine, it's a shinai. Not a stick." As his eyes locked on to his enemy, Elaine could feel the aura around him transform into something refined and professional - as if he were to become a real samurai.

Breathing in, Naoto kept his composure, searching for all possibilities to strike the older man before him. There were only four types of cut in kendo; all of which stuck the opponents' vital points; the head, the wrists, the stomach and the neck. Using that information as his basic strategy, he scanned the older man for anything that would help the white haired teen.

It didn't take him long to notice that there were leather gauntlets, translucent under his long sleeved white shirt. Naoto crossed out the possibility of using the wrist cut, followed with the erasing of the neck cut. There was no way he would pull of such a dangerous and difficult move. The kendo practitioner decided to just try to strike the other with a cut at the head, but kept in mind to strike the stomach in case the first didn't seem possible.

Just the sight of muscles tensing, Naoto slid forward automatically and swung his sword. The instant he saw the older man lifting his arms, he knew the best form of assault was the cut at the stomach. "DO!"

"Gwaaargh!"

"Elaine! Let's go!" The stool banged on the ground as Elaine's arm was dragged away so suddenly by her comrade. Naoto pulled the girl forcefully with him as they dashed towards the door and out. Without a single turn back, they kept ran.

"Naoto…!"

Finally, Elaine wheezed out after struggling to get her breath. The white haired teen grunted, slowing his pace as he scanned the atmosphere. Because the only thoughts that had been occupying his mind were to get the red haired girl away from that man, he had failed to keep track to where he had taken her. But he thanked the fact his legs had brought him to the school's dojo – it was his territory now. Realizing he had been holding on to the red head the whole time, he jumped back feeling flustered. "S... Sorry Elaine…"

On the other hand, Elaine merely stared on to her own wrists, fazed and perplexed. They were red and slightly bruised; she couldn't believe Naoto had such strength in him. She knew Naoto had only joined kendo since high school started, which was just two months ago, but to see that he actually had that much power in him was too hard to believe. And to even recall the speed of his movement when he slashed the hammer wielder was simply impossible – it was all too sudden.

He used to be the weak, shy guy. Now, he was just...

Naoto was grabbing his armour and fixing it on himself as fast as he could, preparing for battle. By his side was not the bamb- the shinai he had been wielding just moments ago, but a sheathed katana. Standing firmly without fear, he was like a different person all together.

And then there was that black haired man with the war hammer. What did he want with the both of them? Or to be specific, what did Naoto and he talked about…? Her sleeping longer? Just like the other guy – the messy old one that smelled bad – he said something like he was waking her up… No wait…

"Tell me, Naoto… All this talk about waking me up… Does it have to do with this person named Elesis?"

Naoto blinked at her. He then sighed as he pressed the bridge of his nose. "I tried so hard to prevent this to happen to you… But I guess the inevitable can't be denied…" His gold eyes stared deeply to the red eyes of the girl. "Elaine… You're the reincarnation of Elesis Sieghart of the Ruby Knights. And I've been protecting you whist Elesis was still 'sleeping' until the day comes that she is needed in this world once more."

"Okay, I believe you."

"I know it's hard to believe but- Wait, you believe me?" Naoto blinked, dumbfounded.

"It's hard not to after all the nonsense I'm going through right now." She nudged the white haired teen gently. "Look, I don't know the details, but I can tell the guy with the war hammer is the evil one and what I do know is that the only way now is to wake this 'Elesis' up, right?"

"… It's not that easy, Elaine…" Naoto's face was grim. "It all occurs in the dream world. You have to find a way to open the door that connects you to their soul first before you can call out the soul of your past self. She will then be able to be awaken from her slumber, but only if you were to allow it and to accept this destiny." He groaned uncomfortably as he said the latter, now lightly holding onto the girl's shoulders. "Elaine… If you do this, your destiny will change drastically. You won't be able to live a normal life. You'll have to give it up for the sake of the world…"

It didn't take more than a second for her to decide her fate. A kind of spark ignited in her eyes. "I'll do it."

Naoto groaned in reluctance once more, but he couldn't help but comply with the girl's conclusion. "I bid you good luck then…" He laid the palm of his hand onto Elaine's forehead. "And…"

"And wha-"A light soothing ring jolted the girl as she slowly fell into deep slumber before she could question what he muttered to her. The kendo practitioner exhaled as he laid her on the ground gently, a sorrow grin on his face. His expression immediately became that of an angry predator as he turned to what was behind him; His war hammer wielding enemy.

"You know, I wonder." The man smirked as he stepped closer. Gradually his whole body became bulkier, muscular and green. Naoto twitched in disgust to his enemy's transformation, his right hand fidgeting to withdraw his steel katana. Standing before him, was the Orc Lord's true form. "You choose to remain in that weak human's body. And to add more, you waste it on aiding that brat. If you with us, you could be free from everything's that bounded you down."

"Well, why don't you wonder more? I mean, I myself still wonder why you are still working for that bloody woman! Even when you know that she had already used you as mere, disposable pawns." Naoto smirked as he saw a vein snap in the humongous orc's head. As the giant orc rushed forth with his war hammer, the kendo practitioner lunged and unsheathed his katana to counter his assault.

Inside, he prayed that Elaine would be fine. Inside, he hoped Elaine would quickly wake up Elesis.


The ancient stronghold was overwhelmed by the burning fire that circled around it protectively. It towered over her with its massive walls that stood firmly. This time, Elaine did neither falter from it nor did she fear it. She stood before it confidently.

"Elesis! That's your name, right?! Come out!"

There was no response. The red haired teen heard nothing but the crackles of fire burning away. She tried to call out once more.

"Elesis Sieghart of the Red Knights!"

She flinched as she saw the way the flames danced started to rage violently without leniency towards any being. Elaine hesitated, but she held her ground. She remembered the song that had been sung soothingly into her ears. They told her not to fear it, that it was but a flame of passion.

As the flames took form of a human, she knew who it was. But she was just baffled.

'The Savior of Bermessiah... Looks exactly like me!' Elaine gawked at the woman who strode towards her from the flames, unharmed from the heat that surrounded her.

"I thank you for calling me to this world." She bowed curtly, radiating a prideful aura. "As you have said, I am Elesis Sieghart of the Ruby Knights." Elesis then grabbed hold of the other's shoulder firmly. "And I can tell you are in need of my aid right now. As we speak, that Naoto person must be protecting your body from that man."

"How do you-"

"I was already released from my neutral state the moment the old man had tapped us. And since then, I've been waiting for you to call my name, to release me so I may rise from my long slumber. I know the situation well enough to know what we both need to do." Seeing the young red head in confusion, Elesis groans. "Just let me take over."

"Hmm…?" Elaine was surprised to how sudden the knight suddenly burst into embers that fluttered around her. As they lightly landed on her, she felt warmth like no other and without hesitation, she welcomed it.


Her eyes blinked with a fiery passion. She stood immediately, seeing that she was in a world unfamiliar to her. But the sound of sword clashing with hammer immediately caught her attention. Hastily, she picked herself up and ran towards the direction of combat, but only stopped when she saw a pair of katana leaning in wait for her on the wall. Though her preference was a slightly heavier pair of swords, she still made a silent thanks to the white haired kid and grabbed in anyways.

Just outside of the wooden structure, she stared at the serious fight between two forces. No, she thought as she lunged forth. Using the steel swords, she blocked the heavy blow of the war hammer and forcing them back.

"A one-sided battle... How low can you get, Orc Lord?!" She spat as she went back into her fighting stance. But she didn't fail to take a peek behind her. The snowy teen was staggering, beaten up, injured and exhausted. Despite that, he still stood his ground, unwilling to be pushed around any further.

"Elai… No… It's Miss Elesis, right…?" He choked out the words, accompanied with blood. The red headed girl gave a mere nod.

"Get some rest. I'll take over." She commanded back, still glowering at her opponent. Only the weak sounds of footsteps going away from the field of battle calmed a portion of her nerves.

"Elesis Sieghart," purred the Orc Lord, "it's been centuries since we've last met, haven't we?"

"Yes, I could remember the day we last met. Our lot was beating the crap out of yours, right?" Elesis replied dryly, uninterested in rejoicing the moment of their reunion together. Leaving the large orc taunted, the knight in high school clothes circled around to pin point any openings made by him.

She was definitely glad the body she possessed now was physically fit (though still far from her standards) as she skidded and rammed both swords onto the bulky figure, forcing the orc to flinch in the sudden strike. Without any intention to cease there, she continued to land a chain of hits, digging the wound deeper.

"Raaaah!" The Orc Lord swung around his hammer brashly, swatting the girl away from him. She slammed straight to the dojo's wall, cursing the fact that no matter how fit this body she had was, it was still fragile from heavy blows. It wasn't a good trait to have considering she was a knight - a heavy tanker who kept the front lines from receding.

But her natural instincts in battle still seemed to be in top notch as she hastily rolled away from the sudden strike of the iron hammer. Picking herself back up, she could almost hear the Orc Lord in muse to her current state.

"You know, Orc Lord. This is the second time we meet and you still haven't noticed something…" She growled darkly as a flame ignited inside her. Tightening her grip on the swords as if they were her precious signature weapons, the Ssangeom, Elesis bellowed, "No one underestimates me! Elesis Sieghart! The leader of the Ruby Knights! The Savior of the Grand Chase!"

Leaping up, she swung the blade first, crushing his head, following by another blow on his shoulder. Entering a state of senselessness, Elesis began slashing and hacking the monster violently and barbarically, her fire growing madly inside her.

"Chaos Savior!"


Gold eye could see it. See the striking, passionate flames eating up the enemy mercilessly and flaring out to show its mighty power. How long had it been since he last saw those flames? That burning spirit that only heroes of old seem to possess in themselves. His eyes felt heavy as it gently shut, his energy seeping away to aid his constricted chest.

Yet he forced himself to stay awake; the drive to watch the girl beautifully dance with her fiery soul, skillfully playing around with such dangerous yet gracious swords of war.

But the exhaustion seemed to pull him persuasively into the depths of the darkness of slumber, his mind could not stay long with the pounding throes in his upper body. Gradually, his vision of the beauty before him blurred away into nothingness.

"Hey? Hey, are you alright?" Her voice was stern, yet entwined with concern.

"… I just need some sleep… Miss Elesis…"

"Ditch the 'Miss' please. I'm just a knight."

He chuckled lightly. She was still the same from before. He couldn't help but smile peacefully.

"You… Who are you…?"

He mouthed his name, but he swore he heard nothing that resembled his voice. Gradually, he began to realize he felt nothing of himself as well.

"What did you say?" Slight rustlings and heavy clangs found themselves slinking into his ears, though they steadily blurred. "H-hey! Are y..u sur..e you're alri..ght?!"

"Oh… ap! You're re… jured! … is hor... ble! D-don't wo…! I'll ge… to som…. re safe! H…ld on!"

Then there was just nothing.


The beeping sounds rhythmically filled the white room of the sleeping snowy haired beau. Next to him, an older similarly snowy haired girl stared at him; her face obviously showing her overflowing emotions. Abreast to her, a red haired teen held on to her hand tightly, sharing the same wounded feelings.

"How... Did my brother end up like this Elaine…?" The older girl's eyes was naught of life, staring at her brother, hoping that he wound just wake up and take off all those bandages and tubes around him and tell them that all this was but a dream.

"… He was protecting me…" Elaine muttered before she turned the girl towards her, looking straight into her soft blue eyes. "Sibil, I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me, none of this would happen and-"

"Stop, Elaine…" She gently brushed away the younger girl and went back to look at her pale older brother, sleeping without worries. "If this happened because he protected you, then don't blame yourself." Sibil stuttered, desperately holding back more of her tears. "I know Naoto enough to understand why he would die for you… I'm just.. Shocked that it's happening so soon…"

Elaine kept staring at her. "What do you mean.. He'd die for me…?"

"Elaine… He likes you… Naoto really likes you…"


Elaine walked home alone under the sunset, gazing blankly at her stretching shadow. She could only think of the last words that Naoto spoke to her, before she fell asleep to bring back the ancient hero that resided in her body. Though she didn't hear them, the more she replayed the moment in her mind, the more she could tell what words came out of his mouth.

'I love you…'

He loved her and he was dying for her. It crushed her inside.

'I apologize for your loss…' A voice inside of her spoke. The voice that belonged to a soul trapped inside of her. The soul of this so called Savior, Elesis Sieghart. 'If only I noticed the deep blow in his ribs, none of this would have happened.'

'Well, it did happen.' Elaine snapped back in frustration. But immediately she breathed in deeply to calm herself. 'Sorry… I..'

'I understand. It's unfair for you, someone unrelated to all this mess, to suffer like this...'

'Nothing else can be done now to change that.' Elaine sighed. Then her expression turned into that of a determined warrior as her grip on the black strapped bag tightened, on Naoto's sheathed swords. '… But it doesn't mean there's nothing else we can do now, right? Miss Elesis Sieghart?'

'Just Elesis would be alright.'

'Elesis… Tell me everything you know. Tell me about why this is happening. And who you really are.'

'About whom we really are.' The older soul corrected with a gentle chuckle. 'We are the Grand Chase.'

Chapter 1 - End


A/N [When I first posted it]:

Well, there's chapter one =D

So we start off with a girl named Elaine, who is the current container of Elesis Sieghart =D

The reincarnations of the Grand Chase will have the same appearance - though some of them may seem older or younger, depending on their status are in the modern world.

Though they don't have the same names because of 1-It'll be way too easy for them to realize that they part of the Grand Chase, 2-What are the chances of a parent naming their child after a person in a fairy tale or something? [Note that in this modern Aernas, GC is a fairy tale].

The reincarnation and the former chaser will share a body, communicating with the other via thoughts.

Naoto happens to be an OC I've grown attached to -w-" So I still kept him in this rewritten version.

Which reminds me to say that all relationships, pairings, whatever will play a part in the plot, ie. I'm not pairing them up out of pure fun or shit like that. Even I know I'm tempted to write out some ZeroxSieggie action somewhere (actually, I rather write it everywhere hahahaha *shot*), but this kind of fic deserves something like professionalism... and shit like that... So yeah... No random pairings and shit... (screw me... why did I decide on this shit?!)

*Oh for anyone's info, Kendo is the way of the sword, a japanese martial art. It's quite similar to Lass' striker moves except Lass practices the Art of Unsheathing the sword, which is a much advanced form of fighting in Kendo. For training, they use either a shinai (bamboo blade - you can just unequip Elesis' sword to see her holding it in game) or a bokken (wooden sword).

They shout the type of cut they're going to use against their opponent as a means to respect their opponent and give them a chance to defend himself (so from above, Naoto had said 'Do' which meant he was going to strike the stomach - though the guy knows nothing about kendo so it's his fault he got hurt). Samurais are like this - they are honorable men who fights straightforwardly and don't trick enemies like ninjas. That's why most samurais do not like the way of the ninjas where illusions and deception is usually used.

Ironically, Lass utilizes both ninja and samurai styles of fighting... -w-" Oh Lass.

Hehehe~ learning something new is definitely fun~!... Meh, I just want to spread the love of Kendo to the world with that =D

Guess that's all from me for now...