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 \}

[( 6th Turning of Fate )]

:: FLEE ::
{A Pursuit from Death}


The night shrouded the slumbering forests. Creatures and critters of the silent hour roamed the lands as their own. Despite both the peace and control over their realm…they had no power against a force that was greater than their own existence.

"After it!"

Groups of men in silver coats, thick boots, and armed with tranquilizer-crossbows swept throughout the area. Under the darkness, they examined ever nook and cranny of the environment around them. They ploughed their way over fallen logs, trampling the earth and other living entities, and shadow-hidden shrubs; all of them relentless in their search.

"Where could it have gone to?" muttered a silver coat.

"How should I know? We don't even know how it escaped in the first place!" snapped a second.

"Oh? Don't you remember? You're the one who thought, 'oh that thing is so quiet, wonder if it's dead' and all, and just when you opened its cell to check, that thing blasted both of us into the wall! That's how!"

"But it's as blind as a stinkin' bat! There's no way it could run that fast through a woods like this…Even I ran into a bush or two, plus a stupid racoon!"

"…Progress?"

"HAH!" The two silver coats jumped with a cry and whipped around, crossbows aimed. Without warning, their weapons were fried by a pair of black lightning that tore down from clear night sky. They gazed dumbfounded at their smouldering weapons – nothing more than a heap of grotesque black mercury – and directed their undivided attention to someone before them.

It was a young man, clad in a heavy purple coat with a cloth-mantle over his shoulders. His body framed was stiff and rigid, literally a statue brought to life, with his white-gloved hands crossed behind his back. His hair was spiky dark brown, standing slightly on their ends combed-back. The most peculiar thing about him: was a crimson blindfold that wrapped over his eyes, with a small corner draped over the tip of his nose. His voice was deliberately slow and toneless with a chilling echo.

"…Where?"

The two silver coats shivered.

"W-we-we're still looking," gulped the first.

"Not a clue – yet…" uttered the second, "Y-your orders…Sir Thor…"

Thor exchanged a direct glance at each silver coat – despite the blind fold he had.

"…Continue."

With a light sigh, and weapon-less, the two crisply returned back to their orders.

That was when a single sentence caught Thor's silent interest, "Over here!"

[******]

A thin and slender figure darted through the darkness. Despite the lack of light, it was able to guide itself through the dense woods with faint pings of sounds it gave off. Though it did not run into any trees, it would often or not trip over something in its maddened rush.

They were coming, it thought, they were after it. Caring not for its increasing lack of stamina, it kept pumping its legs to move faster. It heard marching behind it and fear crackled up its spine. It kept going, ignoring all the pain in its body. With one last ping it waited for something to return to its ear as it ran.

Nothing answered.

Instinctively, it skidded to an abrupt halt. In time, the figure had stopped before the edge of a cliff. It was trapped as fear surged through its body, struggling to think of what to do. There was no time for it though…

"There it is! After it!"

The figure jumped on the spot and dared not turn around. It blankly stared over the ledge, nothing but an empty abyss of utter darkness. Before it could make a decision though, it heard something.

SHING—TOK!

The figure bucked forward, by an invisible push from behind. It was a tranquilizer dart and it struck true into its shoulder blade. Fatigue flooded into its body and its consciousness wavered dangerously. It could not last much longer.

It was either death…or them…

Without a sound, and a final prayer, it tipped forward…casting itself into the welcoming abyss.

"Hey where did it – Huh? Wh-whoa! Dead-end! HOLD IT!" Silver coats skidded to an abrupt halt; the barely visible lines of the incoming cliff catching their very attention. One by one, they stacked into each other in their brake and the last add-on almost made the unfortunate leader teeter right over. By luck, his comrades caught him by the sleeves and yanked him back to safety into mother earth's bosom.

"Curses…" …cursed the 'lead', "it fell over the edge."

"Perfect, just perfect…Now what?"

"There's no way I'm going down there…it's too creepy…"

"…It fell?"

The silver coats, simultaneously, jumped and spun about. Thor came up from behind and walked right through their parting lines. He kept walking forward, his booted toes skimming over the very edge. Before the others could stop him, he had already come to a calm and steady halt. He was quiet, and the silver coats somewhat respectfully held whatever peace they had. Thor looked left and right below him, his blind-folded gaze examining the darkness.

"…Lost?"

"Y-yes…Sir Thor…" answered the lead silver coat. He stepped forward, "W-why don't we return back to base? We still have plenty more where that—" He gagged as a powerful white-gloved hand took him by the throat. In seconds, he found himself dangling over the edge, "Si-Sir Thor?"

"…Your…fault…"

"I-I know it is my fault for the experiment's escape, b-but please! Give me another cha—AAAAAAAAAA~AAAAAAAAAAH~!"

Black lightning scorched the silver coat's body, practically ripping the very darkness apart in its wake. The others backed away from the unmatchable fury of the expressionless Thor, as he remained unfazed of the body wildly dancing under his grip. The lightning flickered out of sight, the smoking corpse finally hanging limp at hand. Without a word, Thor released the body over the edge, as if casting dirty laundry into a deep, deep, basket. A foreboding beat later, he turned to face the others; strands of black electricity dancing from his ready finger tips.

"…Any more…faults?"

Every quivering heads madly shook.

Thor returned his hand behind his back, quietly answering with, "Return…" In a flash, the surviving silver coats fought their way past each other to leave the forest , as well as his presence.

Thor cast one more 'glance' over the edge, his 'gaze' lingering.

"Experiment #22…You will be…found…"

つづく


[By: ~Emerald Sonata~]

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