I'm back! Yay! Here's chapter 1! Leave comments! I hope everyone enjoys it and if there is something I need to fix, don't be afraid to leave a comment!
Chapter 1 Albonia: The Red Land
I see what others can't see;
I hear what others can't hear;
I feel what others can't feel;
I've lived centuries that no one has lived,
Longed for days that no one has longed,
And missed for eternities for those who I can't see.
I am me.
I am A.C. Alphonse.
I am the immortal.
~City of Hori, Albonia~
9:00 am
Year 23AB
Michael Armstrong is a 19 year old prodigy from the military. He was born in the city of Hori, Albonia, on the south side of the city, where hobos and rats only ruled. As a child he was forced to become a brigand and relinquish all morality he had. He worked unsanitary jobs that took the life out of him but fed his only family, his mother and baby sister. When things seemed to come around, Michael was struck with the worst things in life, the death of his mother. As if things couldn't get worse for him, he was forced to give up the only thing that mattered to him, his younger sister, Rosetta.
At the young age of 14, Michael gave his 9 year old sister to a foster home, were she was adopted immediately by a rich aristocrat family named the Jones. Months after that horrible experience, Michael met the famous, back then, Lieutenant Colonel, Maximilian Lysander.
Michael breathed in heavily, remembering the past had made him tired. He was patiently waiting outside the five floors and 63 acres of a home that the Jones called. Though he was looking very calm from the outside, he was actually feeling anxious and a bit desperate. Today was a very special day, not only for his sister who was entering the sixth grade, but also for him. Today was the day of conscription for the military. Since he was a part of the wing, or exceptional team, of the famous colonel Maximilian Lysander, he was forced to be present; an order he was already violating.
The only time he would have to spend time with her would be during her school entrance ceremony, which was only an hour and a half, and then he would have to run to the military base.
He was completely lost in his thoughts that he didn't even noticed when his sister came running out of the house and tackled him with a bear hug.
"Wow!" he was startled.
"Mikey!" she squealed.
"Rossi!" he screamed out once he realized it was her. He picked her up and embrace her tightly.
"I've missed you so much!" she cried.
"So did I! Damn it, you've gotten tall and heavy!"
"No I haven't!" she whines as he let her down. "But I have gotten taller."
"Yeah, you'll probably be a six footer as well," he playfully said to her. Michael was a tall lad of 6 feet and zero inches, he was also muscular and very good looking.
"Let's hope not," he recognized the voice from a far, "It would ruin your cuteness."
"Yep!" she said cheerfully, running towards the guy who was coming out from the mansion, "I rather be small and cute!"
"Wendell," Michael said his name bitterly. He smiled at him knowing very well how much he disliked him.
"What are you doing here?" Michael asked, "I taught you were up in the north."
"I was, I came back a few days ago."
"He'll be coming along as well," Rossi said.
"Really?" he asked annoyed.
"Yeah, he came back just for me!" she said happily. She grabbed onto both of their hands and pulled them to get moving. Her school was a few minutes away and even though she had a personal driver, she decided to go walking so she could have more time with Michael and Wendell.
"Nice uniform," Wendell mentioned.
"Oh, thanks," he said plainly.
"Yep! Doesn't he look awesome in it?!" Rossi squealed. Michael was wearing his usual formal military uniform that consisted of dark navy blue color with white or silver. His long jacket was navy blue with silver straps along the edges of the sleeves and the zipper. He had three white buttons and each had a strap that went to the opposite side that attached to the other button. He had an elegant white with silver scarf on his neck that emphasized a fancy look. He had the nation's symbol attached on the buttons and the belt that went around his waist. It was a silver sword with a cross on the handled, with angel wings on each side, and two poisonous snakes entwined on the sword. He had black pants with black boots and some silver on the sides.
"Of course," Wendell said with a bored look in his face. This was one of the many characteristics Michael hated about Wendell. He taught too high of himself and taught that others weren't good enough for him to be interested. He was staring at him with a deep gaze while he taught of the many insults he could throw at him.
"What's the matter?" Wendell asked realizing that he was staring at him.
"Nothing!" he looked away. The three were quietly walking down the sidewalk with no conversation in mind and a weird atmosphere started to form. Yet, it didn't take Rosetta no longer than ten minutes to bump into some school friends and run off to meet them and leave Michael and Wendell alone.
"How long have you been in the military?" he asked him.
"Not that long I guess."
"What are you talking about?! I've heard that you were accepted in the military at the age of fourteen."
"Not officially, I was just under the wing of the colonel Lysander."
"Really?" he looked at him with wondering eyes, "When did they made you a soldier?"
"At the age of seventeen," he answered.
"Really?!" he looked at him very surprised. According to the law of Albonia, men and women were only allowed to join the military at the age of eighteen and above, so the information had shocked Wendell a little bit more than it should had.
"Seventeen?! Why?!" he said with a shaky voice.
"Calm down, there's no need to get jealous," he joked, but to tell the truth, it made Michael feel pretty good about himself. If his memory served him right, when Wendell was young, he had pleaded to his parents to let him join the military. Unfortunately, his parents were terrified of the simple idea of him dying at any given moment and practically abolished his dream and crushed it to millions of little pieces. Poor Wendell had practically fought so hard with his parents, but in the end, the only thing he got was being send up to the north to study law. Michael smiled wickedly, he was pleased to know that he had something that he didn't.
"I don't mean to get jealous," he said and poorly faked a smile at him. "I do admit that I was very unhappy for not realizing what I wanted so badly. I was very young at that time, and if it weren't for my parents, who denied me so many times the chance, I wouldn't be in any mess, unlike you," he said cheerfully and speed walked away from him.
Unlike me? Michael couldn't understand what he meant, until he remembered the time he told the Jones that he was joining the military. At that time he was only fourteen and a half and Wendell was seventeen, about to turn the age required to join the military. He had arrived to them, some days after it had been decided that Wendell was going to the north to become a lawyer, he was wearing torn pants, a stained shirt and no shoes. He had only mentioned the idea of joining the military to the Jones and they were already happy with the thought. They didn't even react the same way they did with Wendell. Even little Rosetta didn't cry for him, unlike the way she did for Wendell.
The memory of his times as a slum boy brought back the disgusting acrid taste of what it felt like to be poorer than a dog. His pleasing smile faded, and for the sake of things he decided to change the conversation and once he catched up to him, he asked, "That's good to know. How was Salitis? I've heard that it's always freezing up north."
"Yeah, it is, everything is covered with snow and the nights are just as cold as it is hot in the south."
"Not much of a description, huh?"
"Quit it," he said with a loud angry tone.
Michael looked at him with an insulted expression, he was about to open his mouth and express what he truly felt about that vainly asshole, but he was stopped by the presence of his sister and her three friends.
"Wendell," she spoke to him, "These are my three friends, Marie Vershinin, Jacques Bosch, and Pasha Blaze, do you still remember them?" The three girls smiled kindly at him and with a little blush in each of their cheeks.
"Of course," he answered.
Marie with the blond hair and blue eyes said cheerfully, "its nice seen you again Wendell!"
"Yeah! The last time we saw you, you left to Salitis. I'm sure you've done much since then," Pasha with black hair and pretty brown eyes said.
"Well, you can say I've done many things here and then."
"Yeah he has!" Rosetta said excitedly. Michael looked at the three girls a little confused, he didn't know who they were and how long had they known his sister. He stood out of the circle with a patient and calm look, though in the inside he felt unconfident and worried, yet, he seemed unharmed, something that he owed the colonel for.
"Who is this?" Jacques with red hair and green eyes asked.
"Oh," Rosetta backed away from the group and stood next to him, "this is my brother, Michael Armstrong," she said proud.
"Brother?" Marie asked confused, "I taught you only had Wendell."
"Yeah, were you lying to us?" Pasha asked.
"No!" Rosetta pleaded, "Wendell is my brother, just not related by blood," she said slowly. "Michael here, is my brother but related by blood."
"Oh!" the three girls exclaimed. Now the three took a better look at them, they had the same black-blue hair, the same blue eyes, and the same ideal nose. Unlike Wendell, who had brown curly hair, hazel eyes, a pinched nose and flat lips.
The three laughed and the one with red hair said, "You guys do look alike."
"Wow! Is that a uniform form the military?" Marie asked.
"Ah, yeah," he said uncertain of what to say next.
"Cool!" Pasha squealed.
"So, like what wing are you under?" Jacques asked.
Michael wasn't very good when it came to speaking about himself, especially if it dealt with the colonel, a man who he owed his life to. Yet, the expression that Wendell was giving him was enough for him to get motivated. "Guess who?" he bent down to see the girls face to face, a small action that made them blush.
"Hugh R. Rayleigh?!" Marie blurted out.
"Gila Stromberg?!" Pasha yelled out.
"Ronnie Lancelot?!" Jacques said.
"Closed but no," he said.
"Darin Maddor?" Marie said.
"Heavens no!" he shake his head violently.
"The Hero," Pasha said uncertain.
"Yep!" Rosetta jumped up.
"Lysander?" the three looked at each other.
"That's enough!" Wendell said a little more abruptly than he meant. The three girls and Rosetta looked at him surprised. "You'll miss your entrance ceremony if we don't get a move on."
"Oh! That's right, come on we have to go!" Rossi grabbed on Marie who then pulled on Pasha and so on. It was time for their new year in Bloomsdale Academy, a fancy school as its name. Michael made a face at the school, which he could already see from where he stood. It was ginormous and glamorous looking. The school had practically more acres of land than the home of the Jones. The main office was located in the heart of the whole school and it was surrounded by smaller buildings that made up the other teachers offices. The classes were set up in different parts of the land, it was set up to look like a university.
He looked around the streets and the giant fence that was set up around the school once they had reached it. He wasn't impressed by the giant fabulous school because he had seen better buildings that looked like mansions. He was thinking of what Wendell had said earlier to him, not the part where he insulted him, which was most of the time, but when he said he wasn't in a mess like him.
Lately there had been awful rumors going around about the Xildana's and their return. The last great battle against them was 30 years ago. Where the colonel, Maximilian Lysander, had served. He had gone there as a prodigy rookie that had climbed the ranks of the military in short time. When he was younger, he remembered when he asked the colonel how it was when he went to war against them. He told him that it was hell, just like that, the only word that could describe what he saw.
"Michael?!" Rossi called out to him. He snapped out of his daydream and looked over at her. "What's up?"
"You coming or what?"
"Uh, yeah," he said and walked through the gates of the school. Rosetta and the other three girls ran up to a lady dressed in a red suit. She carried a list of names and after checking them in, pointed to a door that led to the back of the stage. The usher at the entrance took their names and led them inside to their seats. The usher led them to two seats that happened to be next to the rich family, Vershinin.
"Wendell!" Mr. Vershinin exclaimed.
"Mr. Vershinin," he said politely.
"Oh, please, call me by my first name, Dave."
"It's a pleasure seen you again boy," he gave a small chuckle, his greasy, red cheeks moved as he laughed.
"You have grown up so much Wendell since the last time we saw you," Mrs. Vershinin giggled. The Vershinin were a rich, very rich family that had economic and social relationship with the Jones. They owned the most powerful bank in the whole country and half the population of Albonia had their money stuck away in their banks. Not only that, they were considered "givers", people who gave money to the government that went specifically to the military.
Michael eyed them from the corner of his eye. He had never met them before, but he had heard of them. They were the ones who gave more money to the military than any other aristocrat. Dave Vershinin was a plump man with a greasy face and a complexion like Santa Claus. He was dressed in a black suit with a red bow that made him look like he was choking. He sat sprawled in his chair, a little bit choking because of the bow and his weight. Mrs. Victoria Vershinin was a skinny, bony lady with red hair and green eyes. She wore a red silk dress with pure silver jewelry and expensive looking shoes. She sat next to her husband leaning on his shoulder and holding a small fan. Michael guessed she was around 49 or 50 years old, judging the evident wrinkles around her eyes that she tried to hide with makeup.
"Tell me, what have you been doing Wendell?" she asked.
"Well I'm studying to become a lawyer. I went to Salitis some years ago."
"Oh, Salitis! They have the best in all the country!"
"Yeah, they do, it's just too bad that it's always freezing up there."
"Ha, ha, ha! You're right about that!" she laughed a little more than she should have.
Michael didn't put much attention to them, their conversation was boring enough for him to hear more of it. Instead he decided to put his attention to the rushing staff that went here and there trying to put everything together for the ceremony. Out of the whole bunch, seven of them caught his attention, four guys and three girls. Their faces looked exhausted and they had bags under their eyes.
"What is your name boy?" he heard someone call him. He turned to Wendell to see him pointing to the Vershinin with his eyes.
"What was that?" he asked.
"What's your name, I see you are wearing the military's uniform," Mr. Vershinin said.
"I'm Michael Armstrong."
"Armstrong, seems like an appropriate name for someone in the military. I am Dave Vershinin. I'm sure you have heard of me, but if you haven't, I'm…"
"Oh, I've heard of you Mr. Vershinin," he interrupted him. "Who hasn't, you are one of the richest man in the country."
"Of course I am," he said snobbishly. "I am also a giver, I give money to the military."
"Yes, I know, your last donation was, how do I say this, a life saver."
"Oh, really?" he heaved up proudly to settle in his seat.
Michael nodded yes, "I was in Takelot a year ago I believe, and we were low on resources in MB46. The northerners were giving us a hassle at the time. If it weren't because of your donation we could have never made it out."
The old fat Santa jiggled excitedly, his greasy cheeks turned super red and he seemed even more prideful. Michael smiled respectfully at the couple, being nice at them and gaining their trust meant profits to his wing. The Vershinin were rich bastards but also very cheap, if it depended on giving up all their money to save their lives, the two would probably be dead. If it weren't because of Santa Claus, he and his wing wouldn't have had so much trouble with the north. Mr. Santa was order to give 2.5 million to MB46, or military base 46, days before the north attacked the Wall of Verkyns.
The wall of Verkyns was a giant iron wall that was placed along the border line of northern Takelot, and Salitis, it also ran down to Alara, Geta, and Ramesses, to protect them against the Cyrus desert and the Xildana's. The Wall wasn't just a simple wall, it was a fortress, only ruled by the strongest and most cruel soldiers of the military. The northerners are the people from the other countries that surround Albonia and its land. In Takelot, the three nations Bergos, Gentek, and Itxoccotl, constantly attack the wall, but they never get through.
"Oh! My dear!" the old hag grabbed her husband's head in an effort to kiss him but his giant belly was in the way, so instead she kissed his sweaty forehead. "So brave!" she squealed.
"Yeah," Michael said sarcastically.
"But, Armstrong," the old hag said to him, "You seem familiar. Aren't you that boy, that boy that got admitted to the military at a young age?"
"Um, yeah, I am," he said slowly.
"Ah! Ha! Ha!" she started laughing too loud. "I knew it! I never forget a face when I see one!" she opened her fan and started to blow some air to her face and neck. In a swift brief movement, as her fan covered her, she passed two fingers in her cleavage and then looked him in the eyes with a naughty expression.
"The first time I saw you was the time I went to headquarters with my husband for some business!" she continued. "Oh, you were so young at that time! You were with that colonel!"
"Lysander," he said confused. Is this women trying to seduce me? He asked himself.
"Yes! The famous Lysander!"
"You are under Lysander's wing aren't you?" the old man asked.
Michael nodded, "Here's my card, tell your colonel to contact me if he wants to make some business with me," he gave him a white card with his name and phone number.
"Of course he will."
"Well, then that means will be seen each other constantly," Victoria winked at him.
"Yeah, I'm sure the colonel will be doing all the work," he sat back in his seat. The ceremony was about to begin.
~City of Hori~
Outskirts of city
9:00 am
Year 23AB
It had taken five weeks to violate the security and military of Albonia, but finally it had made it inside the nation. Going through the country Igaram to Siamun, the only land that was not surrounded by the Wall of Verkyns. The nation of Igaram had once had an alliance with the nation of Siamun, until Albonia conquered it. Unable to beat the power of their military, Igaram made an alliance with Albonia, to protect the once powerful nation of Siamun. In return, Igaram is forced to come to aid to Albonia in any time of need or war.
Fortunately for it, the sewers of Siamun and Igaram were connected, probably in the past, both nations had a friendly alliance. Once inside Siamun's sewers, it traveled across the country all the way to Albonia through the sewers. To the busy city of Hori a few cities away from the capitol.
"This is it," it said as it climbed out of the sewer. "I'm finally in Albonia. Now…to the capital!"
Like it, huh! I know you do! Watch out for the mysterious "It"!
