The first chapter...and I have nothing to say, other than read and enjoy!
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Disclaimer: Insert disclaimer from prologue.
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Chapter One: Beginning of the End
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It's all around
Getting stronger, coming closer
Into my world
I can feel
That it's time for me to face it
Can I take it?
Though this might just be the ending
Of the life I held so dear
But I won't run,
There's no turning back from here
~Within Temptation, Stand My Ground~
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The entire time spent getting to Saharr was, in Dawne's opinion, much too quiet. Opting to take the cruiser from Atmosia, thus allowing her to conserve her energy, she didn't expect how much time it would truly give her to think.
Already, she had formulated countless plans of action for the multiple situations that could arise upon her arrival.
Unfortunately, she could think of no other possible action/reaction equations to ponder for the rest of the trip.
It now seemed she could put it off no longer - she would have to read the book her creator had given her during his dying moments...if only to save herself from boredom. Materializing it from the carrier crystal it was held in, she steeled herself for whatever it might reveal.
-Entry 1- Our research is nearly complete. However, it is far from flawless. Our initial plan was to create but one being. To make this project a success, we will have to make four. We are still unsure of how this change will affect the initial data, but all of us feel confident that the project will be a success no matter what.
-Entry 2- We've made an astounding discovery! The crystals located within Terra Myst are, indeed, affecting the cells that shall form our creations! Each one is reacting to specific elements. Take, for example, Subject One : it has a strong affinity towards water and ice based crystals. More observation is required on this matter.
-Entry 3- Confusion. That is all I can say about the general atmosphere. Subject Two appears to be aligning elementally with...well, all the elements. The other three only have two possible true alignments, whereas this one...Also, it appears to have a white glow around it...almost as if it aligns with another element that is purer than the others...We can know nothing more about this until all four mature a little more...
Dawne stopped there. She could agree with the last entry - she, too, was suddenly confused. Were there others like her? Was she created after these four?
Or was she one of these four?
"Terra Saharr approaching." a voice said over a speaker system. Sighing, she willed the diary back into the crystal, picking up her blade from the seat beside her and standing up.
The mission came first, she told herself - all her questions would have to be answered later...
"Oi, Dawne!! Din't think we'd see you arahnd 'eer!" came a familiar voice as she walked through the streets of the main section of Saharr, one that could only belong to a certain Saharran sky knight. She stopped and turned around to face the voice; sure enough, it was.
"Good day, Blister." she said calmly, walking over.
"Wat brangs you 'eer?" the man asked.
"Another mission. Surely you've heard from Aerrow..."
"Dahn't rahlly 'ear frahm 'im any mahr." Blister said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Cahm ta think of it, nobody rahlly does."
"I see..." Dawne stated, hiding her sorrow. Had Aerrow changed so much as to rarely contact those who were so close to him?
Her gaze switched from Blister to a hooded figure approaching them from behind the large man.
"Som'thin wrong?" the sky knight asked. Dawne nodded in the direction of the figure, causing Blister to turn and also watch their approach.
"Are you Dawne Eagleheart?" the person - now known to be a man, from the voice - questioned upon reaching the pair.
"I am."
"Then there is much to discuss regarding your mission." With that, the person turned and began walking off. Dawne glanced apologetically at Blister before following.
"So, that's de life o' a mahrcenarhee?" Blister muttered, following the pair with his gaze until they disappeared into a nearby bar. Sighing, he went about his own business.
The pair sat down at a table in a far corner - dark, out of sight, out of ear shot, the ideal place to discuss a mission. A waitress came by, and they both ordered the same thing - black coffee. They waited until their drinks arrived before they began talking details.
"So..." Dawne started, tracing her finger around the rim of her mug, "the guild master told me I was to expect a long term mission."
"You've been granted temporary dismissal by the mercenary guild for this." the man said. "I've already handled the minor details with him, so you will have nothing to worry about."
"Just who the hell are you, anyway?" the silverette growled quietly. She was already a bit upset that her visit with Aerrow was cut short, now this guy just shows up and tells her he's managed to get her temporarily dismissed?
"I'm afraid I can't tell you just yet. However, you may be interested in what I have to tell you..."
Aerrow was quite surprised when Zack of all people contacted them, asking to meet up with them on Atmosia. They headed that way immediately, and all were in shock when they saw he was not alone.
His entire group - although small - was with him, as well.
"Zack, you...wanted to see us?" Aerrow asked softly, a bit worried.
"Yeah...hey, wasn't Dawne supposed to be with you?" the black-haired warrior questioned, looking for the silverette anxiously.
"She was called off on a mission." Piper replied, noticing how frantic Zack seemed.
"It seems you're fears were well founded, then..." the blond standing not too far away from Zack stated. His blue eyes glowed similarly to Zack's, his blond hair spiked naturally compared to Finn's gelled ones, and he wore a modified version of the uniform Zack wore. A gleaming, silver wolf-shaped buckle on his shoulder guard matched the single earring he wore on his left ear. A long sleeve covered his left arm, for what reasons they could only begin to guess. What caught their attention most was the large blade that hung from a holster off his mid-back - it looked more like it was formed from multiple blades.
"And you are...?"
"Cloud Strife. The captain of this group."
"You're not a sky knight?" Junko asked.
"The Silver Wolves is a mercenary group, not a squadron." came a voice from the shadows, causing the group to nearly jump out of their skins. Turning to look, they found themselves met with the sight of a man dressed fully in black leather, the only other color provided by the tattered red cape, the red piece of cloth tied around his forehead, and the glinting golden claw that made up his lower left arm. Gold-colored steel covered the tips of his boots. Although the top of his cape covered most of his face, the Storm Hawks saw he had pale skin and crimson eyes. Long, jet-black hair just seemed to add to this man's air of mysteriousness.
"Uh..." Aerrow felt very eloquent just then.
"Vincent. Vincent Valentine."
"He's not as threatening as he looks." came a fourth voice, one they could not find the source of. "Look down." They did, only to nearly pass out from shock. A large cat-like creature, red in color, had stalked up to them, and was now talking to them. The tip of its tail had the appearance of being on fire, it had two piercings in its right ear and one in its left, what looked to be bracelets on each of its ankles, feathers and beaded strands of hair hanging next to its head, and tattoos across its body. Its right eye was gone, replaced by nothing but a X-shaped scar.
"It-It talks!!!" Finn yelped.
"I am Red XIII. Or Nanaki, as I was first named. I will go by whichever you choose to call me." the leonine creature said, choosing to ignore Finn's comment.
"Well, now that introductions are out of the way," Cloud started, "perhaps we should get down to business."
"Dawne really went on a mission? Just now?" Zack asked.
"About an hour and a half ago." Piper replied. The other Storm Hawks rolled their eyes - trust her to know that.
"It would seem we have little choice, then..." Cloud said softly, turning to his own ship.
"Choice?" Aerrow echoed. "What does he mean by choice?!"
"We were hired by the Sky Knight Council to track down Dawne. There is reason to believe she is now a threat to Atmos." Vincent answered bluntly.
Dawne felt her world crashing in at the news. This couldn't be happening to her again. She'd spent every moment until three years ago running for her life, and she would have to run again?
"I know this is hard to take..."
"You think?" the silverette snarled. She closed her eyes, resting her head on her arms.
"Iridessa..."
Dawne's eyes shot open and she stared at the man. Something within her felt like it was weakening.
"What did you call me?"
The young man was about to answer, but suddenly turned his attention to something else.
"I've just been informed that there are people headed this way to capture you. It would seem that the order has reached here sooner than we expected."
"We? Who's we?" Dawne asked.
"There's no time. It will all be explained later, once we reach Terra Myst."
Dawne merely nodded, following the man as he left through a back door.
As soon as they were out in the back alley, two others dropped down to join them.
"This her?"
"Yes. Now, we need to hurry. We make for the rock outcroppings. At nightfall, we head for Myst."
With no other words between them, the four made a run for the desert.
As always, reviews are welcomed!! Flames shall be used to toast marshmallows for s'mores.
