Lyra stood there shocked with the rest of platoon behind her.
Unbelievable.
That was the only word Lyra was able to think.
The group had followed Felli's description down to where the shelters were located. They were hoping that they would find survivors and some answers; however, what they found was something the group was not expecting.
There was a strange scent that filled the area. The deeper the group went into the area, the worse it got. For that reason, Felli decided to stay above surface, where the stench wasn't as bad. The rest of the group followed her flakes and they soon arrived to a sealed door. What concerned them, was the fact that the stench was the strongest by the door.
"This is disgusting…" Sharnid remarked, one hand covering his face. With some force, Sharnid and Layfon managed to pull the doors apart and what they found, shocked them all.
There before the group laid piles of dead bodies. Lyra had to do all she could to keep herself from vomiting right there. Based on the smell, the bodies had been dead for days.
With a hand covering her face, Lyra slowly entered the room. It was dark in the shelters. The room was very big. It was a decent sized shelter, but instead of being filled with survivors, there were dead bodies before them, all in the same colored uniforms.
"These are all Military Artists…" she muttered. Not being able to stand it, she walked back to the rest of the group and told them what she confirmed.
"Well that explains the Military Artists, but then what about the other people?" Sharnid asked.
Nina stared at the bodies, thoughtfully. Lyra could see how it was affecting her. To just see a large amount of dead humans, just thrown into a room to rot, was disturbing. Lyra could understand. This was the first time for her as well. Up until now she had only seen the military artists fighting. While Savaris did put her through some harsh training even forcing her outside the city a few times, she had never seen something like this.
"Gah, I can't stand this," Sharnid suddenly remarked and started to walk back. Lyra, Nina, and Layfon followed him, not wanting to discuss it down there more.
"Just what happened here?"
"Well we know half of the riddle. There's still more and we can't risk leaving it unsolved," Layfon muttered.
Nina just nodded her head, "we'll stop here for the day. The sun is about to go down. Let's meet up with the other team while there's still daylight," she decided, as they reached the top where Felli stood waiting for them.
The stench wasn't as strong now, but it was still disturbing.
"The fifth platoon has given us instructions for a rendezvous," Felli reported.
Nina nodded again, "okay then. Tell them we're coming."
They followed Felli's description.
Lyra took up the rear and was about to follow, but hesitant. She couldn't help but think of the bodies. She couldn't understand why they would be tossed in like that. Whoever did it, was in the process of trying to cover up, but ran out of time.
Or did they?
"Lyra, you coming?"
Lyra turned to see Layfon had stopped and was looking at her expectantly. Lyra just nodded her head and followed.
-x-
"Hey, Goru."
"Hm?" He observed his surroundings as he replied to the voice coming from above his shoulders. He had divided his platoon into three teams. The team with the Psychokinesist had stayed behind to wait for orders. Gorneo and the other team had begun their investigation of the area.
"If we set traps here, that can be explained as an accident" Shante suggested.
Gorneo stopped walking.
They were on a street lined with shops and empty of people. Debris littered the street.
"It's almost impossible to ambush a Heaven's Blade successor."
"About that, we'll never know if we don't try."
Shante swung her legs before Gorneo's chest, but he paid no attention to them.
"Saying we'll never know if we don't do it, shows you're still not mature enough."
Shante pouted and let out a whine of protest.
Gorneo's nose stirred. Something smelled rotten. There was the smell of blood mixed in it too. That didn't surprise him, since he had seen crowds of flies gathering in fast food shops, but blood…
He understood after looking at the black substance spread here and there on the street.
Something horrible and tragic did happen in this city.
Military Artists and Psychokinesists had fought desperately against filth monsters and had failed. The filth monsters had entered through the air shield and spread out in the city to enjoy food other than pollutants.
But, even so…
"Why are there no corpses?" he wondered out loud.
The residents must have hidden in a shelter during the attack, then their corpses should also be rotting there quietly.
"It's strange there aren't any Military Artists' corpses here."
He could tell there were quite a number of Military Artists in the fight even though he didn't know how good they were. Traces of intense fighting remained everywhere, but not one single corpse… not even a sliver of flesh was in sight.
"As if someone's cleaned this place," Shante said in a low voice.
In a city devoid of the living, just who…
The Psychokinesists of his platoon had relayed a message from the seventeenth platoon saying they had found something interesting and were now investigating. Gorneo just responded that they would discuss their findings once they rendezvous.
"Oi, Gorneo."
Shante's voice called him back to reality.
"Hm?"
"What is we targeted one of the weaker ones in the group? If we held them as a hostage then that—"
"If we attack any of them then that would involve the entire platoon," he remarked.
"But then that would put pressure on the guy," Shante insisted, "Those guys are all weak. We've seen how they barely cooperated."
"That was before, but remember they just got a new recruit?" He reminded her.
Shante just scoffed, "what her? Please. She's almost as worse as the rest. I mean had you not stepped in, she wouldn't even be alive right now."
"Yeah but don't you remember what she did afterwards?"
He felt Shante tense, as she remembered.
After stopping the filth monster and having Shante move her, Gorneo had defeated the filth monster and then turned to see if she was all right.
However before he could do anything she was suddenly emitting a vast amount of kei. The way she released the kei as she charged through the filth monsters was a very familiar method. It reminded him of how the Luckens's Military Arts program taught.
Gorneo wanted to believe that it was just a mere coincident that she managed that, but the move she used and how it was executed. His presumption had to be correct, but he wouldn't know until he studied her fighting style more carefully.
"You know we could always set a trap for one of the others and then have it he saves them and gets caught up as well? If not him then at least the girl and get your answers," Shante offered.
Gorneo sighed, shaking his head, "It's not going to work Shante…"
"Well at least get your answers! You said so yourself that the way she found was similar to your family's technique, but if that were the case then why was she here?"
Gorneo just closed his eyes. Once again he shook his head, "I can't do that."
"It's because she's associated with him."
It wasn't a question, but more a statement.
"…Not necessarily…"
"Is it all right to leave that guy because of it?" she returned to the original topic.
"Of course not. I'll never let that guy go, but I'm not going to involve the others. My problem is with him. Not the others."
He'd never forget the shock he had when he heard of the news from the letter. "That guy killed Gahard-san. The Military Artist Gahard-san."
If that was the only thing, Gorneo might have swallowed his anger with a sigh.
But, it wasn't like that.
The letter had explained in detail the cause of the event.
"That guy is an insult to Military Arts. I'll never let this go."
Layfon participated in underground matches as a Heaven's Blade successor, and he planned to kill Gahard, who wanted to expose his foul deeds, through legal means. Gahard wasn't dead, but the loss of his arm had caused some unusual reaction in his Kei vein. For a Military Artist, this was the same as being crippled, to never be able to use Military Arts again.
"Her Majesty is too kind to only exile that guy from Grendan."
Having committed the crime, Layfon had appeared as a Military Artist in Zuellini. Although nothing had happened so far, this didn't mean the same thing wouldn't happen again.
"I can't stop him."
"Goru, I'll help out too."
Gorneo shook his head. "Even though his heart's rotten, he's still a Heaven's Blade successor. I understand that. I can't let you face that kind of danger."
"Moron!" Shante pounded her fist down on his head. She then jumped off of his shoulder and stormed off.
The fifth platoon decided to meet up where the Military Arts dormitory was located.
Nina had decided that they should check the corridors and ordered Lyra, Layfon, and Sharnid to check the vicinity and make sure it was safe, while she headed off to talk to the fifth platoon's captain about allocating rooms.
Lyra attempted to sustain a yawn, which was threatening to escape. What stopped it was the horrible stench of the outdoors, as she exited the building. She finished up scouting the area she was assigned and was now heading back outside to where Felli was supposed to be. Passing through the main doors to the outside, Lyra paused in her steps when she heard a grunt of displeasure.
"Ah..."
Lyra looked up and saw that Shante was in the area. It seemed she was checking the area like Lyra, Layfon, and Sharnid had been. On the other end, she noticed Felli was standing there.
Felli narrowed her eyes to look at the other icily. Lyra couldn't help but get an uneasy feeling.
The moment when the two gazes met created sparks between them. A number of flakes soon surrounded Felli. It seems Felli was responding to the girl's hostility.
Shante's hand was on the Dite in her harness. Keeping that pose, she looked as if she was about to brush past the two.
Lyra slowed her steps, but stayed alert in case Shante tried to attack. She wasn't sure why the girl was so hostile towards them all. Was there some sort of feud from before Lyra came?
"Hey!" she called when the two neared each other.
"You, do you know that guy's true face?"
This question made Lyra stiffen.
"What do you mean?" Felli asked.
Shante stopped and looked at the Felli with disbelief. "Seriously? Or are you pretending? I've heard of what that first year guy is like."
Although Felli planned to ignore Shante, she had failed to cover up some of her outrage. Lyra bit her lip and glanced at Felli, unsure of what the girl was thinking.
Felli stayed quiet, waiting for Shante to explain. Shante just growled at the two, "humph, you know of it but you guys are still using him. In that case, the Student President also knows already."
"I don't understand what you're saying," Felli replied.
"Using that despicable guy to hide the truth at this stage, do you think we're so untrustworthy?"
Lyra instantly understood what was going on. She was talking about Layfon and his underground matches.
But how did she know that?
Lyra then tensed. Of course it was the Fifth platoon captain that must have told her. He would know the news. After all, he was from Grendan as well. He must have kept up with the news. That would explain why the man gave off such a cold vibe whenever he saw Layfon and that would explain why she felt uneasy around him. Lyra stopped in her tracks. She was now standing a little off from the two.
Looking over at Felli, Lyra realized that the Psychokinesist didn't know any of this and frowned. She wasn't sure what Layfon was doing, but if he hadn't told anyone, then it was probably best not to let Shante speak more.
Shante was about to add more, but Lyra took a step forwards and was about to let her presence be known, however, before she could, Felli spoke.
"If you're covering up your tragic failure two years ago, I think you need to take it out on someone else."
Now it was Shante's turn to step back, "what?"
"He would be able to live peacefully as a student in General Studies if you guys weren't so weak," she went on, "isn't it because of your immaturity that we are facing the situation we're now in? Military Artists who can't guard their cities are useless. Look long and hard in the mirror and see how much strength you have before you say anything else."
"What? You...You, damn you..." Shante trembled and snatched up her Dite, Lyra's hand instantly went for her DITE, but a voice stopped her before she could say the keyword.
"Stop right there."
"Goru!? But!"
"Don't start a fight here."
Lyra looked up to see Gorneo had appeared. He and Nina must have finished allocating rooms to sleep in.
Shante let out a growl and then started to pout. She stuffed her Dite back into the harness and stomped hard on Gorneo's foot before disappearing out the door.
Gorneo received the attack casually and apologized to Felli, "I'm sorry. My teammate's been troubling you."
"…No," Felli answered after breathing in deeply.
"But, that is also my doubt. Shante's only conveyed my feeling, that's all," Gorneo added.
"Are you from Grendan?"
"Yes. I'm Gorneo Luckens. I'm the younger brother of Grenden's Heaven's Blade successor, Savaris Luckens," he replied.
"…I see. What I just said are my own feelings. They aren't my brother's opinions," she went on.
Gorneo nodded, "I understand. About that guy…they're just my own feelings too. I hope you understand."
"…You don't look like you accept my take on things."
"I can't accept it," he replied. He then looked up to where Lyra was standing. Their eyes met and she narrowed her eyes, but she stayed quiet. Gorneo just turned his head and he walked away to join his platoon again.
"…How displeasing," she whispered. She then turned towards Lyra, who then tensed under her sudden gaze.
"You just stood there and watched," she commented.
"Well I was going to step in if she made a move. Until then I decided to stay quiet so she didn't feel threatened and attack for that reason," she explained. Lyra wasn't sure if that what Felli said was a statement or not, but she still felt she needed to justify herself.
"And yet you had the urge to say something in Layfon's defense as well didn't you?" Felli asked.
Lyra blinked, unsure of what to say. From how Felli phrased the question, she wasn't sure if it was right or wrong to have stayed quiet.
"It makes sense as to why you would though. After all, you and Layfon are good friends right?" Felli asked. This time Lyra knew it was a question.
Lyra just let out a sigh, as she brought a hand up to her head, to scratch the top of it, "well yeah. I guess so," she replied.
"You guess?" Felli repeated. The response seemed to be one that she didn't expect.
Lyra thought about how she wanted to word what she wanted to say. Without knowing just how much the group knew, she wasn't sure what she should be saying and what she shouldn't be. She wasn't even sure what Layfon's intention was as well.
"I would have loved to object, but I didn't want to start a fight," Lyra explained.
"And if she had attacked?"
"Well obviously I would have stepped in then. I'm not going to sit around and watch while some wild redhead attacks my friend," she replied.
Felli just stared at Lyra for a few seconds before closing her eyes and nodding once.
"I see…"
Lyra wasn't sure what Felli meant by that response. Perhaps using the word 'friend' was wrong. It probably would have been better if she used the word comrade. After all, the only time the two hung out was when they had practice. Lyra sighed, fixing her glasses. She felt she was just over thinking the matter and turned in the direction Nina was coming.
"Sharnid and Layfon still searching?" she asked.
Lyra nodded, "I guess so," she replied, "I mean I didn't sense anything wrong in the area I scouted so hopefully it was the same for them.
Nina just nodded, "let's go find them then and then we'll eat before deciding who should sleep where and who will keep first watch.
Lyra nodded and watched as Nina entered the building. Felli followed next. Lyra was about to follow as well, when she felt a sudden force of pressure. It only lasted a split second, but it was enough to make Lyra spin around and face the direction she knew it came from. Scanning the area, Lyra didn't see anything. Lyra frowned, not liking the feeling she was getting.
A call from Nina made Lyra turn her attention back and she followed her captain in.
From inside the common room of the seventeenth platoon floated the aroma of food.
Layfon had decided to that he would make something from the edible ingredients he found in the grocery shop in the city. He had now situated himself in the kitchen preparing a meal.
Lyra had come out from one of the rooms and saw the seventeenth platoon was now sitting, relaxed in the common room. The smell of food made her realize Layfon was in the kitchen and she headed there.
"Need some help?" she asked, knocking against the counter by the entrance twice.
Layfon looked up from the vegetables he was cutting and smiled, "oh hey. You can if you want to. I need the fish to be cleaned. Do you mind?"
"Of course not. I'll get right on it," she replied and walked over and washed her hands before grabbing a knife and went to work.
The fish, Layfon had found in the cultivation pond. He had made sure that there was no contamination to the fishes before catching them.
Lyra quietly cut the fishes into the strips that Layfon had instructed her to.
It was quiet, as the two worked. For some reason Lyra felt tension in the air. It was because they both knew that the topic had been brought up again. It was a topic both had promised they wouldn't discuss with one another. The fact that it was now released to the other platoon members, made it hard to stay silent, but neither wanted to bring it up.
Lyra attempted to break the tension, as she began to hum to herself. As she started to place the fish in the pan, she suddenly started to laugh.
Layfon blinked, not expecting the sudden laughter, "what's so funny?" he asked. He stood there confused as Lyra bit her lip in attempt to control her sudden outburst.
"I just remembered the argument we had over the amount and types of flavoring we wanted to add," she explained, laughing again.
Layfon looked at her confused until she began to explain again. Soon he was smiling as well.
Their father had to leave the orphanage for a few days due to work. Because they were the older ones in the group, Layfon and Lyra had decided they would make the food while Leerin and a few others watched the younger kids.
Preparing the food was no problem for the two, however when it came to adding the flavors, the two couldn't decide. While Lyra thought that extra spice wouldn't be harmful, Layfon wanted to make it bland. In the end, the two decided to make two separate meals one with the extra spice and the other that was bland.
Layfon sighed, as he shook his head remembering the time. He then looked over at Lyra and then chuckled.
"Even now I feel that hasn't changed," he remarked, watching her measure out the crushed, red, chili pepper.
Lyra blinked, "why's that?"
"I still think that's way too much spice. Lessen it," he ordered.
Lyra looked down at the spoon full of the crushed chili pepper, "this looks fine to me."
Layfon shook his head, "no. That's way too much. Lessen it!"
"But Layfon!"
"No Lyra!"
And that's how the rest of their cooking would have been spent had Nina not decided to enter, wondering what the argument was over.
Once she manage to mediate the two's disagreement, she then left and the two resumed cooking and finally dinner was made.
"Nina, I don't know how you did it, but you've managed to recruit two of the best members," Sharnid remarked as Lyra and Layfon brought out the dishes they made and placed them on the table.
Of course Sharnid was talking about the food before them and not actually their skills in the Military Arts field.
The meals were simple, but it was better than the cold food they had brought with them.
Nina nodded her head, as she walked over and took a seat, "this way now we don't have any problems."
Lyra paused in her process of sitting down, "problems?"
"It's going to take one week for Zuellini to resupply. During this time classes will be suspended. I want to use that time to strengthen out team," she explained.
"And that means training…" Sharnid said, unwillingly.
"We've accumulated some prize money so we have a lot to spare. I was told about a good location in the produce area. I wanted us to train over there, but my concern was about the food," she explained.
"Now that we have two chefs, this should be no problem," she added.
"Nina, you saw what just happened in the kitchen. Do you think that's a smart idea?" Layfon asked.
"Well just make a dish each. That shouldn't be a problem," she decided.
Lyra and Layfon glanced at one another. Now the problem would be deciding what each should make.
Sharnid noticed the glance that Lyra and Layfon gave one another, "suddenly, I get a feeling it's not going to go well…"
Nina frowned at Sharnid's remark then let out a sigh, "well we'll discuss this more later. Right now we should rest a little bit while we can," she decided.
The group nodded their head. Everyone helped in cleaning up the table and washing the dishes. As soon as it was done, Sharnid had Felli left the room. Lyra was going to help Layfon pack away the dishes, but Nina stepped forwards.
"It's okay Lyra. I'll help Layfon. You can go rest now."
While the captain said it as if it were an offer, Lyra knew that was more of an order.
"Okay…"
Now Lyra sat on her bed, cleaning her glasses. She had left them outside of the bathroom while showering and now that she was back in the room, she realized just how dirty they were. The glasses had fogged up from when she wore them under the helmet. Once it had been confirmed that the air filters were working, they had taken their helmets off, relieving Lyra and her glasses, but she wasn't able to clean them properly because of her uniform.
Lyra sighed as she lifted them towards the small light to see if there were any spots. Now she understood what Sharnid meant when they would get annoying real fast. Yes, Lyra knew having glasses would be troublesome, but she thought that would only be when in battle.
Even now, when just walking and investigating, the glasses were troublesome, getting stained and dirty from the rotting smell and air as well.
Luckily the electricity was still working in the building, meaning they had air conditioning and filtering so the rotten smell didn't get into the building.
Lyra let out a huff of breath on her glasses, allowing them to fog, before wiping them again. The door opened and in walked Felli. The first thing Lyra smelled was the fresh floral scent, which must have been what Felli used to wash her hair.
"Hey there," she greeted the shorter girl before turning her attention back to her glasses.
Felli nodded her greeting and then sat down at the end of her bed and began drying her hair.
Because there weren't enough rooms and the fact they weren't sure of the danger in the city, Nina had decided that they should share rooms. With the uneven numbering in the group, they decided the girls would share one room and Layfon and Sharnid would take the other.
Nina had decided to take the first shift in watching. After helping Layfon clean up, she headed straight for the position where she would keep watch.
It was quiet for a bit. The only sounds heard were the sounds of the brush running through Felli's hair, as she attempted to unknot it.
Lyra was now lying in her bed, with her glasses next to her. Her eyes were starting to droop, as she focused on the pattern of Felli's strokes, as she combed her hair. She would have fallen asleep like that too had Felli not spoken up again.
"She was talking about what he did in Grendan wasn't she?"
Lyra opened her eyes, hearing the question. It took her a second to realize what Felli was talking about, but then realized that it was continuing from what Shante said earlier that day.
"While you were recovering in the hospital, Nina discovered Layfon's past involvements in the underground matches."
Lyra nodded her head. That would explain why Nina seemed a little distance and also why Layfon seemed distanced as well.
She then sighed.
"Do you approve of what Layfon did?"
Lyra shrugged staring at the dark ceiling, "I really can't answer that."
Felli blinked, hearing this, "I don't understand."
"I can't really explain it. What Layfon did and why he did it, was very stupid, but that's my opinion and it doesn't matter," she replied. She glanced at the door again.
Something was wrong. She could tell, but if it was danger, then whoever was keeping watch at the time would have said something, but then Lyra realized. This feeling… it was the same feeling she had gotten many times before and it meant there was trouble. In a way it was a good thing. Now Lyra would be able to get some answers.
"Is it that you don't care for Layfon?" Felli broke through her thoughts. She didn't seem to notice anything was off, which confirmed Lyra's suspicions. The city's condition was partially because of the filth monsters.
The question could have been taken two different ways, but from the way Felli looked at her, Lyra had a feeling she knew which way she meant it.
"Layfon and I lived in the orphanage together and so I grew up thinking of him as a brother. Even though what he did was wrong and most certainly did not approve of it, I still think of Layfon as a brother and for that reason, I have to accept what he did and move on," she explained.
It was silent for a bit, as Felli tried to comprehend what Lyra said. Lyra knew it was going to take her some time. For someone who did not like his or her sibling much, it would be harder for her to relate to Lyra's way of thinking.
The silence was interrupted when a knock on the door soon came and then it opened to show Nina.
"Lyra, it's you're turn now."
Lyra nodded her head and then stood up and put her glasses on.
Not wanting the psychokenesises to be burdened, the two groups decided they would take turns keeping watch.
Lyra decided that she would use her turn to figure out why she was getting the strange feeling. She let out a sigh and started towards the spot where Nina had been. It was right outside of the Military Arts dorm. As she walked over and sat down, Lyra breathed in the air. The air wasn't the best, filled with the bodies rotting and leftovers from the filth monsters, but she still did so to relax herself. The recent conversation with Felli made her true feelings rise again from the topic, but Lyra did her best to stay quiet about it.
In Lyra's eyes, what Layfon did was unforgivable and Layfon knew she thought that. But still… the two had pretty much grown up together in the orphanage and with Leerin, the three were known to stick together. While Lyra began to think of Layfon as a brother, Lyra could tell something more was forming between Leerin and Layfon. It amused Lyra to see that relationship forming. But that was another reason, Lyra decided to discard her opinion.
When Layfon's actions were discovered, many people turned against Leerin, and their father, whom were the only two that supported Layfon. Lyra initially wanted to side with the group that was against Layfon, but she couldn't betray Leerin and her father. They were the two that helped Lyra the most, welcoming her to the orphanage when she first arrived to Grendan and then also when she learned the news of her brother, they were there for her again, comforting her. Now it was her turn to support them through the rough times. While Lyra now couldn't physically support them by being there, she knew that by staying friends with Layfon, it would relieve Leerin a lot.
Also it wasn't that Lyra wanted to hate Layfon. He had done a lot for her as well, training with her, encouraging her to get stronger when she felt she couldn't. Lyra didn't want to just throw away everything that they had just because of his stupid decision.
Lyra then let out a sigh, breathing out the disgusting air she had taken in. She needed to stop thinking about that. It was her turn to keep watch. She focused her attention to the city. It was badly beaten with buildings collapsing or on the verge of collapsing. Every now and then they would hear an echo of one that finally lost its strength and fell.
Lyra then heard an echoing of footsteps appear at the far end of the building. Her eyes narrowed, as she tried to focus, but couldn't make out anything. Instantly Lyra was up and walking towards the noise. The pressure she had felt earlier wasn't there, but even so she stayed alert, knowing that this could be trouble.
Then Lyra saw a shadow appear. Lyra wasn't sure what to make of it, as the different lighting was deforming the shadow from its original shape. She instantly restored her DITE and prepared for what was about to appear.
