PREFACE:As for me, this chapter contained some minor hints of bullying. Well, it's not much supposedly to be given it a thought but that crime itself is uncomfortable to others, and I am concerned by it. I am just worrying too much. But don't worry! I balanced it with fluffs and sweetness of our beloved characters. Read on!
Syndra rubs her temples as she got up, the floor she rests on is cold and dry, literally enough that sends shivers down to her spine.
"What happened? I have touched the orb and it-" She gasps on what is ahead.
What she have witnessed is all but a blur, in other words, she is in a city that all people are like glitches of some kind, and everything is a projection. She stood up quickly and glanced around, the place where she is now is familiar and discovered.
"What the-!? I am outside The Placidium?! I am at the infirmary!" She glances around and hovers.
As she moves pass by the people, she crouches down that a civilian went straight pass through her, she is in complete shock on what she have seen.
"What?! Did I just got passed through that civilian?! What the hell is going on?!"
Continuing her move, she went to Northwest leading to the infirmary, however, she never quite expected on what she sees, instead of the infirmary, she stumbled across a temple. She is terrified on what is going on, she thought that she may be dreaming or worse, it could be something that leads into this kind of scene.
"The infirmary is supposedly here! Where is it?!" She looked to sides to investigate.
"It must be THAT orb.. but how will THIS lead me to something?!"
The whole town is bustling and completely lively than on what she sees on the present, she strolled around, passing through the civilians like a ghost. She have decided to go to a higher place to investigate, so she went to a slope.
Without her knowing, she saw a house located on the slope along with some temples few yards from it, her heart skipped a beat that the house is indeed Irelia's because she familiarized on the structure.
Immediately, she went towards the house. The only thing she have seen is a girl running towards her along the way, swiftly like an excited kid though the girl passes through her.
"Hmm.. what an adorable little girl. Is there a community here? Temples are around the place." She kept looking around for clues, not until she heard the kid speak.
"Father! Zelos went out again!" The girl shouted on a man that is fixing a fence.
"Again? That boy never learns.."
"I will be off now Father! Divine Soraka would teach us about Transcendentalism, so I must not be late." The girl finishes, she waved at her father as she run.
"Wait..Divine? Soraka? Is that the goat-lady who has a horn today? Transcendentalism.. that subject is familiar since I is held by those putrid elders." Syndra stated.
Before she proceeds to the house, the girl's father shouted a goodbye that surprises Syndra.
"Take care, Irelia! Don't be late!"
She quickly rotates herself back to the girl's father and gasps.
"WHAT?! W-wait! Did..did he just said.. Ire..lia? Don't tell me that GIRL is IRELIA?!" Syndra blushes as she froze on what she have learned.
"No! Wait for me! Little Irelia!" Syndra glides quickly and tried to catch little Irelia though she stumbled upon an endless sea of people that are busy working.
"W-Where is that little thing?!" She looks around to see Irelia.
"This stupid..PEOPLE! Get out of the WAY!"
She is getting nowhere despite on the people that blocks her way. Annoyed, she flew up high to for her to view the city more, she looks every corner of the houses and alleys just for her to catch Irelia's running phase.
Up on the cliff, she saw Irelia climbing on a steep slope, she flew up close to the girl's side and watches her climb.
A form of a small chuckle made it's way to her lips as she leisurely watches Irelia, she never knew that Irelia can do such thing as climbing a slope at the very early age.
"Hello. Little Fool Captain Irelia." She greeted, she floats as she follows Irelia's speed with it.
"Oh..she can't hear me?" Syndra positioned herself in front of the girl.
The girl focuses climbing and balancing herself to make a momentum while climbing.
"Ire..lia?" She waved in front of the girl's face.
"Tsk..how come she can't feel me? This is a iste of opportunity to see her at the young age." She crosses her arms and tantrums.
"Ngghh..! Come on! Notice me!" Still, she again pesters the girl even though it is only a projection.
"What am I doing? I know this is a vision in which THAT orb wants me to see."
She sighed and let Irelia went off.
Giving up on doing something ridiculous, she followed Irelia instead, they have reached the school that Irelia studied Transcendentalism. Syndra is so surprised to see that it is also included on her memories from her childhood. Every corners of the school is the same as she remembered.
"No..This school.. I have been here before." Syndra murmurs.
"Before I is held by those elders, I is studying here in terms of magic.. Don't tell me.."
Shaking her head, she saw Irelia went inside. The school is more like a meditation facility for students, the center of the school has a huge garden with an open space above, at the center is a cherry blossom tree standing erect. To be honest, the school is so quiet that only footsteps and rustling of trees can be heard.
She lost her track on Irelia, with this, she have decided to stroll around the school.
"Never thought I could get a glimpse of this school.."
"What could that orb wants to tell me?"
"Is it telling me about Irelia's past? Or is it something..?"
She ended up on the garden filled with plants and surrounded with calming waters, she positioned herself in the middle and sat.
"I could spare to meditate while I wait her."
After few minutes of meditation, Syndra stood up and saw students are coming out from the classrooms, the wooden hallway creates more solid sound from their footsteps, every sliding door were all opened and students went outside, she looks around to see Irelia but she is nowhere to be seen.
Since Irelia is not around, she flew up high from the school, the students are much like ants on how she described it, she looks around, again and again until she saw a crowd of students at the back of the school.
Interested, she scuttles towards the crowd and see what is going on. What she sees are students that kept taunting and nagging an another student, she can't see who it is, all she have to do is to watch.
"What are you doing? Do you want to get cursed?"
"No I am not!"
"Then why do you want to touch her head?"
"Her hair looks pale and I feel that I could get a strand because on how it is fragile!"
The kids laughed on the statement, Syndra wondered what makes them say that.
"What are they doing? I feel uncomfortable with them." Syndra said, she crosses her arms and watched.
"Hey, tell us. Did you just dyed your hair?"
"Hey, we are asking you!"
"Leave me alone."
"Oh she speaks! We thought you are deaf!" The kid stifled a laughter.
"...Leave me alone!" The student suddenly anticipated to run.
"Hey! Where are you going?! You haven't answered my question!"
All kids pulled the student, the student grunted as pain courses through her body, her regalia is pulled and so does her long, white hair.
Syndra is paralyzed on what she sees, the student that is being nagged and taunted is none other than..
By the looks of the girl's features, the only that is intriguing is the hair. The only person in Ionia who had this kind of hair color is her; even the townsfolk familiarizes the Dark Sovereign by her long, silver hair. And this means that, this girl is her. Her little version. But why didn't she have known this before she have seen the scene earlier? Of course, she forgets her past that irritates her, in spite of certain discrimination of her well being to the society. That is why she is held by the elders, to look out for her.
"Let me go!" The girl sniffed as she struggled.
"Do you think you can get away? Answer our question first!" One student insisted as he pulls her hair hard.
"No! I- I didn't!" The girl answered with fear.
"Liar! Tell us the truth!"
"I DIDN'T! NOW LET ME GO!"
One student pushed her and made her fall, her hair drapes her face, her regalia; which her uniform, is soiled with dirt, the kids pointed at her and laughs, they pretend to get scared on what they saw.
"Look! Her colors revealed!"
"She is indeed a witch!"
"WITCH!"
The girl is helpless and cried, she mewled and weeps as she is verbally bullied by the kids.
Syndra gritted her teeth with anger, how come she felt so mad while she sees this scene, she remembered something that she shouldn't have, her fists formed with pure purple, malevolent aura, she raged as her spheres orbited, she summoned a sphere and ready to hurl it on the kids even it is just a projection. Her anger turned into tears as she remembered that very most day in the past that she is indeed bullied. And it perfectly resembles this scene in front of her. Before her madness reached her consciousness and is about to attack the projection of bullying kids, a voice came to stop the rants.
"Stop it!" Came from a girl running in distance. It is Irelia.
"Wait." Syndra mumbled, her mind suddenly clicked from her past that could lead into..
"Could you please stop this?! She did nothing!" Irelia protested. She blocks the view of the kids by putting the girl behind her.
"How polite. Who are you? Her savior?"
"I am! So leave us alone!" Irelia added.
"Weirdo."
"So you will be in friends with a witch?"
"She is NOT a witch! How dare you!"
"So you are picking up a fight huh? Bring it!"
One kid surged towards Irelia and tries to punch her, but with Irelia's reflexes she parried the attack with the back of her hand, she placed her right hand on the joints of the kid's arm and pushes inward as her hands meets. The kid screamed in an excruciating pain from his arm, he backs away and cried.
"It hurts! Arrghhh!"
"Serves you right.." Syndra smirks as she watched Irelia in action.
"Idiot! I know her! She is the daughter of a swordsman with a floating blade!"
"WHAT?! Why didn't you have told me earlier!?"
"You are not looking to your actions! Idiot!'
"I-I'll report you!" The kids scampered away, leaving Irelia and the girl behind.
"Report me, I don't care." Irelia turns away and faces the girl.
Irelia crouches down and wipes the girls tears, she shoved her hair that hides her sorrowful face.
"It's okay, I drived them away. That kid is a weakling."
The girl continued to sob, she is on the ground, kneeling from the attack, her clothes were covered with dirt but not too shabby
"Don't cry. Well..if you don't stop crying.. I-I will cry too."
Syndra weakly smiled as her tears flowed to her eyes. She is so impressed on her life that she is saved by the rival she yearned for defeating. And she made a conclusion that the voices she heard from her reminiscent came from this girl she have formed a friendship once. In fact, she just can't believe either.
"Really..How come you have a good heart?" She silently whispered then she went back watching her young self and Irelia.
"Why will you cry..?" The girl asks.
"Because I feel...bad. I feel pitied on people who are treated like this even they did nothing wrong.." Irelia whispered.
"They always making fun of me. They won't stop pestering me. At class, they treat me like a witch because of how I lift objects using magic and..my hair."
"No, they are wrong. You are not a witch, you are a human..like me!" Irelia made a cheeky smile though tears running from her eyes.
"See? A human can feel any emotions whether we feel sad or not. Can you smile for me?" She added.
"You are nice.. I never thought you would say that to me." The girl chuckled.
"Well.. That is what my father said!"
"What did he say?"
"He said that a smile can wipe out any sadness in our hearts!"
"It worked to be honest!"
"Yes~!"
"..Thank you." The girl thanked Irelia, she fidgeted and bashfully glanced at her.
Smiling at the two little versions of her and Irelia, Syndra blushes while she calms her senses, the memories she kept is coming back at last. The two kids finally stood up and leave the school's premises, following them as they walk towards a temple.
"I have forgot!" Irelia started.
"What is it..?"
"Call me Irelia."
"Irelia.. Such a nice name."
"Thank you! How about you?"
"..Syndra."
"Syndra.. Sounds majestic."
"Really? Hehe~ Thanks."
"So Syndra.. You live on a temple?"
"Yes, I lived with the elders.."
"You look unwell.."
"Well..I still hear those kids taunting me."
"Don't mind them.. Why don't we go home together? Since we walk on the same way."
"R-Really? Y-You..you will walk with me?"
"Yes. It is for the best for me to track down those bullies."
"Hehe~"
"What's wrong?"
"You sound like a guard.."
Little Syndra laughed after she joked on Irelia, on the other side of their walk is the adult Syndra that also laughed respectively.
"I remembered this.. I can't believe it." She shakes her head and went back to watch.
"Hmmpph.." Irelia pouted, which is cute.
"Cute.."
"What?"
"..Nothing!" Little Syndra runs away and waved at Irelia.
"I'll see you tomorrow!"
"See you!"
Irelia smiles and proceeds to her way towards her home, Syndra followed little Irelia along the way, she can't stop smiling on what happened, remembering those times with Irelia at her side.
Happiness. This emotion is written on little Irelia as she made her way to the pathway to her home, she reached the porch and opens the door.
"I am home!" Irelia called. She fixes her shoes and placed it neatly on the side of the door.
As Syndra followed Irelia, she heard a sound of clashing swords coming from a door, she took a chance to peek on what's behind the sliding door, she saw two men sparring together, the young man draws breaths and collected his stamina on the next attack, unfortunately his attack is blocked with a single evasion of the older man, he pats the base of the blade on the young man's shoulder.
"You lost your focus. You need to pay attention to your enemy, Zelos."
"I..Understand.."
"Little did I know that a young girl will be able to surpass you someday. So you better train your skills more or else your sister may reach you."
"Yes.. Father!"
"Hmph.. Still, I am impressed on how you stood resolutely. I thought Irelia is the only one who has the ability to do that, but I see some of it in you." His father praises.
"Heh, she is too serious when it comes on this. Someday, she'll end up becoming stronger than me."
"That is why you have to train more, try becoming like your father.."
The man grunted and sluggishly looses his balance, Zelos caught his father on both of his arms and called him.
"Nggh.."
"Father! W-what is happening to you?"
"I want you..to keep this a secret from..your sister. My time is..running short, I guess."
"Don't tell me-"
"I need you do a favor.. will you do it?"
The young man nodded.
"If ever my life calls me, I want you to stay..close and protect your sister.. She is too young for her to understand this.. That is why, I am ordering you.. to become strong, not just for the safety of your sister but also for..Ionia. Do you understand?"
"Yes. Please count on me."
"Also.. after I die, take my blade and keep it hidden, my blade is considered as my honor for my family."
The man points at the four, floating blades and glanced back to Zelos and reminded him.
Syndra learns more information about Irelia's family, she rubs her chin and thought on things that could possibly connect to the clues she have gathered on that day she had spied Irelia in her home.
"So..those two men are the ones whom I have seen on the picture that Irelia talks about.. What happened to them? The promise that this man vowed is broken on the fact that Irelia is living alone.." She summarized the information she have gathered.
"Call Irelia after few minutes, I will prepare our dinner, you must rest now, Zelos." His father reminded as he went out the training room with a blade following him.
"Wait..that blade, is that what the Irelia uses? It is floating.. Is her family has the bloodline of having this kind of power?" Syndra rhetorically asks, the man passes through Syndra and proceeds to the kitchen, while the young man fixes the equipment of the training room.
After she stays to gather information, she have forgotten Irelia, she saw stairs that leads to some rooms that she haven't been, one room illuminates on the farthermost part of the hallway, she glided towards it and enters though she just only passes through the door.
The room is organized and maintained, the cleanliness of the room is seen as she can't see any speckles of dust floating around, the bed is made neatly and books are placed accordingly on its size, one thing that interests her is the little Irelia sitting on a chair and writing something, she smiles as she take a peek on what she is doing. The girl is writing a long sentence on a thin notebook using a quill pen and ink. She made a decision to read the contents.
This day is fun! I have managed to answer Miss Soraka's questions about Trancendentalism, Father's lunch is so great! I wonder if he can make some more.
"How mundane.." Syndra chuckled. She continued to read the contents of the note while Irelia is writing the rest.
After Miss Soraka's class, we are transferred to the Spiritual Hall where our mana is tested. We formed by groups, though I am usually left out..
"...Poor thing, if only you are my classmate there, I will not hesistate to pair up with you." Syndra feels sorry on what she have read, then she proceeds.
The class ends at 4 p.m., my teacher asks me to deliver some papers to Miss Soraka before I go home, so I accepted the task and finished it immediately, Miss Soraka is so nice! She rewards me with a smile and casts magic on me, she said the stars will guide me along the way whether I feel troubled throughout my day.
"Hmm.. It seems that the goat-lady is indeed nice to children." She smirks and continued to read.
As I walk towards the exit, I heard some loud noises coming from the back of the school, I went there to investigate. What I have seen were kids, laughing to a girl, she is also a student like me, what's wrong with them? It feels so wrong, I heard the girl pleads to let her go but those puny kids kept on pestering her.
Syndra fell silent and continued to read, she saw how Irelia is shaking while she writes the whole thing.
They say she is a witch because of her hair, what's wrong with it? Her hair is so nice and mysterious! I feel angry after they have pushed her and laughed at her like they have seen a comedic scene. It is not funny, it is humiliation. So I went there and tried to save her. One kid went smug and challenged me, if he has fists then I have my defense, I have applied the teachings of my father and defend the girl student, and look what happens! He cried like an idiot who lost a bet. Well, serves him right, all of them ran away and I went back to see the student if she is okay.
Laughing at what Irelia wrote, she is proud to Irelia on how she elaborated the scene that had happened, she is entertained on Irelia's story completely as she summoned a sphere for her to sit leisurely.
"Heh, how come she thinks so mature at that age? I can't believe she have explained the details correctly. Oh..Irelia. So, what's next?" She leans forward and read more.
I introduced myself to her, she said my name is nice, and I asked hers. Her name is Syndra, I really love the sound of her name. So..Syndra said she can lift things with magic, how wonder it looked like? I can't wait to see it! To be honest, this day is so great! I have formed a friendship with a mage! I can't wait to tell this to father!
"How sweet." Syndra blushed as she chuckled. She went back reading the rest.
Maybe I should invite Syndra to play with me, I am sick of playing with Zelos, he is always clumsy! How come he got slipped on the grass on that day while we played tag on the forest? One time, I beat him on a disc throwing contest; which my father called, instead of hitting the frisbee on the dummy, it went straight towards father! Is his luck running out? Well.. sorry, Zelos.
Snickering on how Irelia explains everything, she laughs at that stanza of the note, she knows that Irelia is joking to her brother but as she analyzed it, she feels a strong bond between the siblings.
"Irelia! Dinner's ready!" A low voice echoed from outside her door.
"Coming!" Leaving her door open, Irelia swiftly went down and proceeds to the dining area.
Syndra is left alone inside Irelia's room, she crosses her arms and legs as she sat comfortably on the sphere, she is indeed fascinated on how Irelia treats her like a normal human does, she shakes her head, ignoring the bullying that she have experienced, what she have to expect to see is the bond between her and Irelia shared on the past because she felt it will come back to her despite it is only a living memory that needs to remember.
She started to wonder why she and Irelia are rivals to begin with despite of this friendship they have attained before.
"Seriously. This is unbelievably absurd.." Syndra smirked, she is speechless on how she and Irelia are likely related before. "She is my rival because on how she acts like a dog by the elders' commands. And as for myself, I included her as my enemy since she works with THEM. Yet, this is contradictory on how I see her right now.."
As she reminiscences on the events she have shared with Irelia, all of her surroundings brighten, the room is fading inch by inch.
"Now WHAT?!" She got up from sitting, and glances around, everything is getting blurred, the door leading outside vanishes, and then a sudden spark of light flashes in front of her eyes, she shuts her eyes and blocks the glare from the light.
And then, Syndra is trasported into a dimension which is still the same but it is advanced within few days ahead.
NOTE:For those who don't know, Transcendentalism is a some kind of spiritual exercise, there is a school that is located at Irelia's province that is stated in the lore. The school is legitimately called as The School of Transcendentalism led by Soraka.
There could be a possibility that Irelia and Syndra might had been known each other or possibility of being classmates because their abilities has the same name as Transcendent, factors are:
1. Syndra's passive (Transcendence)
2. *Old* Irelia's ultimate (Transcendent Blades)
This chapter will definitely turns a serious fluff as the story goes on. More fluffs to the next chapter!
