Everything written here – characters, technology, setting, combat system, and so on – are under the direct ownership of Emerald Sonata…and the GAEA ALTERIUS.
Any non-original subjects will be tagged with '*' next to it and will be given proper sourcing.

[Inspired by Kamen Rider Ryuki and Kamen Rider Blade.]


「ハロー・パナシア」
HALLOW PANACEA
{/ First Genesis \}

[( 1st Turning of Fate )]

:: INHUMAN ::
{A Heart of Clove}


The next morning cascaded over the town of Faiora. It was filled with its citizens as they went about in their daily chores, work, and simply strolling about. It was peaceful, all except for a pair of feet in short-heeled shoes that stormed across the cobblestone grounds.

Liera Van-Haissen was not in a good mood. The expression on her face was her testament. Countless of times, she would bump into pedestrians and not utter a single apology. The said victims thought twice to approach her as they all saw her pendant hanging around her neck.

She was a Mayji, in particular a Sealer type. Mayjis of Malphaea were ones who have a strong and direct connection to this world's soul energy and power, called Majikka. The general types were trained to harness the basic powers of Majikka, and eventually they would level up to higher classes of the academic hierarchy. There were: the Forger Mayjis, special units that use Majikka for military purposes; the Sage Mayji, those who's Majikka are vast and element-based; and the Sealers, her category.

Sealer Mayjis were knowledgeable in the art of Confinement Majikka, a technique recently developed 100 or so years ago. Malphaea was plagued with all sorts of beasts and monsters and if the Forger Mayjis couldn't take it out, it all falls under the Sealers' jurisdiction. She, and several others, was in charge of sealing monsters that cannot be destroyed by normal means. Once sealed, she can then use them as her summoning creatures and against their own kind to balance the tide of battle. This even gave her a higher status than the local authorities, the Enforcers.

There were two such sorts of creatures that she knew they were not easily destructible. The first of the two are known as Gauss. Bluntly put, they were living war machines. They were mechanikka breed, 'living metal' as translated from the Ancient Language, that thought of nothing but destruction. They were all from the Dark Kingdom Era, 500 years ago. It was a dark history where such creatures surfaced onto the world and wreaked chaotic havoc on a grand scale. Other righteous kingdoms fell, cities went up in blazes, and people were mercilessly slaughtered. Nothing could stop them…until confinement Majikka was discovered. Sealers during the dark past were able to capture and as well as alter them, making them fight for their Summoners and allied forces. Though such horrid history has come to past, there were still hundreds of them that still exist to this very day.

The longest ones living, however, are the real threats to Liera's world…Cloves.

Cloves are an unknown creatures that were born in the form of a female human being. Their entire race was all human-females and they would infest the blessed lands of Malphaea like parasites. Liera hated them – every single one. Cloves have proven themselves to be a great threat against humanity, as they have super-human strength and fighting prowess. Their powers were unmatched and they have proven to be difficult to capture or subdue. Worst of all…they had the power of immortality. Though immortal, they are not invulnerable, reminded Liera. They can still be killed by normal means, however it means doubling the effort. She despised them because they were a mockery of God, monsters in human-girl shells that plagued other's lives with their threats of chaos and melancholy. Not to mention the farmer she met last night who stuck a gun to her head; he was certainly ticked when one of those monsters ruined his farm grounds.

She will get the one that escaped her grasp, even if it's the last thing—

BUMP!

Without warning, she bumped face-first into somebody and tumbled to the ground. Landing on her bottom, she hissed as she felt the bruise from last night acting up.

"OW! Hey, watch where you're going!"

"Ah…I'm sorry about that…"

Liera's eyes open to glare at a young man, at the age of 18, standing before her. He had a slender and sturdy body frame and his expression was casual and gentle. He had short, and stylishly-windswept, moonlight silver hair. His blue eyes shimmered like the clear dark night, holding countless knowledge and experience behind his gaze. He was clad in a closed-up black fleece jacket, matching black pants, and dark brown traveling shoes. He held forth a helping hand to Liera, who simply leered at it and before at the young man.

"Yah," he greeted and gestured his hand, "My sincerest apologies, Miss. Here." Liera, noticed that he held out the wrong hand. Or so she thought. She realized that he was left-handed. Ignoring the trait, she gave him her right hand. In her rise, her eyes fell onto something wounded around the boy's left wrist. It was some sort of crooked-V ornament sewn to an elastic arm-band. It reminded her of a pair of beetle-pincers. The ornament was hollow across the top, as if something of the matching shape could be inserted into it. As well, he also had a dark blue belt around his waist with a round silver gemstone across the right side of his hip. Not keeping it in mind, she patted the dust off her Sealer's garment and cape; all doing so with a frown. "Are you alright?" he asked with a cheerful tone.

"Peachy…" she sneered. Not wanting to waste time, Liera brushed right passed him and continued on her grouchy way. The young man was neither angry nor surprised.

"I'm really sorry for bumping into you."

"Whatever…" grumbled Liera.

"Is there anyway I can make it up to you?"

"Why bother?"

"I think it would make you feel better, wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm…" When Liera turned, she gagged with shock. The boy was walking along side and she never realized it till now. "I-I'm perfectly fine! Leave me alone!"

"But if I did, wouldn't you be lonely?" wondered the young man, casually.

"No! I'm fine being alone! Now beat it!" Liera had hoped she had made it clear, emphasising her command with furious eyes. The young man was unfazed and he continued to walk with her. Chills and warning signals started to flare in her mind. She even had an inkling urge to 'knock' some sense into him.

"Why don't you call out your Clove to accompany you?"

That is when Liera's temper snapped. Her pace slowed into a halt. The young man continued for a step or two, before noticing the girl's reaction. Casually, he turned to face her. Liera levelled her eyes, narrowed and burning with silent rage, with this mere boy.

"What was that?" she said in a controlled voice.

Not feeling her rage, the boy just slipped his hands into his pockets, "Why don't you summon your Clove to keep you company. Maybe she can help liven—"

"They're animals," muttered Liera. The young man recoiled, but his expression did not falter. The Sealer stood up straight, hands on her hips, "They may look like human girls, but they could never hide the fact that they are nothing but animals. They hunt like them, they act like them, and they live like them. Nothing will ever change the fact that they could ever be, or even dream to be, like humans…" She then took one stern step forward, glaring at the young man in the eye, "What makes you think they are even worthy enough to 'keep me company'? Now, get out of my sights…"

With that she stormed away from the young man. This time, she glared daggers at him to keep him from following. The young man obliged, but his eyes said otherwise.

"You're wrong…" he said to himself with a faint smile, "very wrong."

[******]

"Why that no good for nothing – senselessly idiotic – imbecilic—"

Liera went on cursing the young man under her breath as she slipped into a nearby market place. She wanted to lose herself in the crowd to avoid that person from following. Also, all that ranting worked up an appetite for her.

"Just who in the bloody world would have the right mind to even think that Cloves could be more than lowly creatures…" With a deep breath, she approached the tender of a fruit stall.

"Oranges…lots of them…" she mumbled. It was her favourite fruit. Its very sweetness always made Liera's day better as well as simmer down the temper of hers. She received a small woollen bag of them and paid the tender. In the exchange though, her mind clicked into place.

How did that boy knew she had a Clove? True, she was a Sealer…but not all Sealers would have a Clove under their ownership. She did have one or two, but there was no way a non-Mayji could have seen through her. There was definitely something up with that guy. For now, she wanted to forget everything and just relax.

The girl sauntered over to a nearby bench, near a vegetable stall, and plopped down with a cross of her legs. She peeled away an orange skin and took a nice piece out of the whole, enjoying its juicy and savoury taste. A chill of pleasure stunned her jaws. She even surprised herself from the loud munching she was…Heh? Munching?

Liera stopped for a second. She took a bite from another piece of orange and listened. It…was not the culprit of the 'munching' sound. She heard it again when she gulped down her bite and turned.

The exciting crunching sound came from a girl, at the age of 17, who was crouched in a human-ball before the vegetable stall that Liera sat next to. The Sealer raised an eyebrow, wondering how peculiar that a girl at such age could be so…small. This girl had long silky black hair that went several inches passed her shoulders. She had a round child-like face, her complexion of sheer bliss radiating a rich peachy-cream color. The girl was donned in a sleeveless black leather dress, with a long tail-skirt that would reach to her ankles if she was standing to her full height, matching leather shorts, gloves, and black shoes. Liera cocked her head to one side as she heard humming coming from this girl. The most unique thing about her was the fact that she was eating a…

"Scallion?" uttered Liera, confused. She turned back to her thoughts and took another piece of orange to plop into her mouth. Scallions…why does it ring a bell? Why does it make her feel like she wanted to rip something apart, bury it, and set the whole thing on fi…Hmm?...Wait…Oh…Oh…Liera's then eyes narrowed.

Oooooooohhh…

"You…"

The girl perked her head up, opening her amethyst-purple eyes. For some unknown reason, that voice sounded cold and familiar. Oblivious, the girl turned with a half-eaten scallion clamped between her lips. She blanched, her entire body freezing over, and the piece of scallion fell off her lips.

She saw an extremely frightening young woman, who crushed a bag of oranges in a single skull-shattering grip. A foreboding smile of menacing anger whispered across her face.

"You…are…so…dead."

[******]

The young man traveled down the town streets. His hands were in his pockets, his expression was silent, and he was deep in thought. As if he had struck a mental barrier within his thinking, he sighed.

"GET BACK HERE!"

The young man snapped out of his daydreaming and turned. He was met by a spray of water, a blast of fire, a torrent of wind, and flashes of lightning. The next thing he knew a flying body struck into him and they both tumbled across the cobblestone ground. When they rolled to a painful stop, the young man found himself carrying something as he sat up.

It was a girl in a black leather dress, gloves, and had long black hair. Her glimmering amethyst-purple eyes fluttered open with fear and she whipped her head around, as if on the look out for something extremely dangerous. Then her eyes met with the young man's.

They both fell silent, each other's sights locked on one another. The young man barely believed he could see such beauty in the girl's eyes, while she saw something warm and comfortable in his.

"Ha-ha! I got you, you little…IDIOT! LET THAT THING GO!"

The two snapped out of their trance and turned. The girl instantly flung her arms around the young man and squeezed his neck in absolute dread, with eyes as wide as saucers.

Liera was standing before them, her sceptre levelled at the ready. Her hair was slightly matted against her forehead – an accidentally misfire of her water attack – and she was practically panting from both anger and exhaustion. Her eyes burned for the need to seal something, in order to heal her pride.

"You again!" she snarled.

"Oh, it's you…" blinked the young man and grinned, "Yah."

"Shut up! Do you have any idea that this thing is a monster? Let it go!"

"A monster?" The young man glimpsed at the girl, who worriedly stared at him. His answer to Liera was, "She doesn't look like a monster. Besides, she's way too cute to be one."

The girl was surprised by his response, her cheeks tingeing pink. Liera, on the other hand, had a deadly aura that was burning ten times stronger than before.

"She? She? She?" the Sealer seethed, "THAT THING IS A BLASTED CLOVE! CAN'T YOU TELL?"

The young man turned to the girl, "Are you a Clove?"

The girl paused before rapidly shook her head; a child declaring her innocence.

The young man understood with a nod, "She isn't a Clove." Once again, the girl in his arms was awe-stricken by his reply.

Liera was in a very obvious state.

"What?" she uttered, her voice toneless.

"She said it herself. She isn't a Clove."

"She – didn't – say – ANYTHING!" Liera stormed forward, looming over the two. The girl buried her head into the man's chest, not daring to even glance into Liera's frightening eyes.

"I asked. She answered," replied the young man, coolly, "And I believe her."

"WHAT KIND OF BLOODY EXCUSE IS THAT?" snapped Liera, "Look at her left shoulder!"

"Why should I?"

"All Cloves have a birthmark of a pink clover across their left shoulder! No matter how much they deny it, that very mark is the truth of what they are!"

The girl shivered with fear. As quietly as she could, she tried to bury her left shoulder deeper against the boy's chest. It was when a single word shattered the dread in her heart…

"No."

Liera choked.

The girl froze. She hesitantly looked up at him, this young man that was defending her. She could not understand why he was doing this. Neither of them knew each other…at all. Still, she felt extremely grateful for his trust. The Sealer's eyes were solidly on the young man, who kept his casual expression. He backed up his words with a strong glint in his eyes.

"What was that?" she asked in disbelief.

"She isn't a monster…I believe her…" The young man turned to give the girl a light pat on her other shoulder and a soft smile, "It's okay. You can go."

He helped the girl up to let her balance in a crouch. The girl hesitant for a second, watching him. The young man answered her worried thoughts with a light nod. Quickly, the girl bolted off.

A pair of hands lunged and bit down onto the young man's collar. With a forceful yank, he was lifted up to his feet. His eyes met another pair that vouched for destruction on a grand scale.

"Just who are you…" Liera demanded, a sneer ripped across her face.

The young man straightened with a chuckle, "My name is Naiz…don't forget it."

[******]

The girl kept on running, doing her best to avoid other people as she kept on scampering away like a frightened animal.

She did not know what to say…no one had ever stood up for her besides herself or other Cloves, her Sisters.

In a flash, however, her escape was cut off.

ffffffff,iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii,IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII – BOOM!

A massive being fell from the sky and crashed straight into the ground, a blast of dust and debris everywhere. The girl shrieked and came to an abrupt stop, skidding until she fell back onto her bottom. A veil of smoke rose from the crumbled crater, a dark and large figure forming behind it.

Then the smoke was sliced apart by a pair of magnificent steel wings, casting foreboding shadows over the girl's frightened face.

つづく


[By: ~Emerald Sonata~]

Unmeito tatakau. Kyuusei kourin.
{"Battle Fate. Advent Salvation"}