Chapter 2 - Fatalities
"...Arhg!"
Gasping and scaried, Julian wakes up after another nightmare...even more terrifyning than the last one, if possible...
He rises the sheets and sits in bed, recomposing himself while drying the small drops of sweat in his forehead so that he could think. This time everything was becoming clear.
The images were forming little by little in his mind, fast and distorted. More precisely distorted faces.
He remembered being in a big crowd, all terribly distorted and disfigurated...while incandescent flames fell in them,
desfigurating them even further...
All that could be heard were all the screams and desesperation calling for his name, calling for help.
"Finally..." He says, recomposing himself. "I managed to remember what was scaring me so much!I have to tell this to mr. Dimitri!"
He stands up quickly and goes to the bathroom so he could get ready. But he stops brusquely when hearing a very peculiar sound coming from outside the house.
"But...what's that?" He thinks with himself, going to the bedroom's window and opening it. Then he sees the strong rain that fell in Autonoe. In the street ahead small streams were forming, going directly to the culverts because of the rain's intensity. A caractheristic smell of umid soil invades the place. "Weird, it's not even the right season."
Julian looks at a small calendar with several marks ink-made in some dates.
Actually, there was no rain in Autonoe, at least, not like in Earth. This natural phenomenon was so rare that dates predicted by scientists were possible.
And it wasn't one of these dates...On the contrary, it was very far of such time.
"Mom?" Julian speaks, calling her, going to the livingroom. "You saw what an odd thing? This rain so strong and out of place!
Isn't that wei..." The boy stops talking when he perceives the worried look in his mother's face, paying attention to the
television device, tuned on some kind of news. "Mom, what happened? Are you okay?"
"Julian..." She says. Without taking off the look in her face, she points to the screen. The young man pays attention.
"We stand here, in front to Autonoe's Palace where today, about two am, passed away the president of Autonoe's republic,
Luchenko." A woman says on the screen, with a microphone and a dark suit. In the back the rain could be seen falling in the
Palace's gardens as well as many others reporters. "The president had been suffering for some time now of an acute pulmonar degeneration, that claimed his life today at dawn."
"Wow..." Julian gets surprised with what he listens. The Autonoe's president, dead! Actually, despite the surprise, that has little real impact over him because Luchenko never showed his face to the public. Order from the complicated method of Autonoe's government. "And to think that we never had the chance to know him. What a loss..."
"But he did much for all of us." The boy's mother says. "He gave us much importance, differently from the previous presidents that had their eyes focused just in those that lived in downtown."
"Yeah, I studied a little about him. But not even in the books there were any image of him. I had a certain curiosity to see how he is." He says focusing again in the screen. In this very moment he sees something that grabs all of his attention.
The same reporter, as many others, interviewed Anna...
The girl can barely speak to the reporters because of her shock, with her loyal guard Subaru next to her.
For some moments Julian had forgotten that the republic's president was the father of the girl for which he dedicated so much love...and still dedicates, even if against his will.
She seemed more beautiful after so much time far away from him. Despite of that seeing her remembered him of that
dreadful day in which she left him alone in that place. Alone, with no one to rescue him, while she went away in safety.
Alone, to die...
"Ahn...but what am I doing?" The boy speaks to himself, shaking his head. "That's not the time to think about that. She must be very shaken with her father's death. I know because I think it would be the same for me if my mom died." He thinks.
The young man's mother observes the attention her son shows to the girl in the screen.
"Julian?"
"Yes mom?"
"Do you by any chance know this girl?"
"...Why do you ask?"
"I noticed the way you look her. Like if you had seen her before." She says smiling a little. "Am I right?"
"No mom..." He continues. "She just reminded me of someone I knew... Nothing else."
"Hum..." Julian keeps looking straight to the screen while his mother gets a little suspicious. Soon the reporter spoke again.
"The president's burial will be realized exactly at midday. Even with the unexpected time in our town. This is a convocation for all Autonoe's citizens to pay a last homage for Luchenko."
"Are we going mom?"
"Of course my son. Is our duty as citizens go to our president's burial. Unless you don't want to go there..."
"No, no! I'll scort you."
The mother smiles and hugs her son like if touching the most precious thing in her life. The boy returns the gesture.
thoughful.
And the rain keeps falling...
Not far from there, in a small lab, there was another screen tuned in the tragic news of that day. Under the strong sound of the rain outside, Keinzer watched the reporter speak, sitting in one of the chairs and holding a coup with a hot drink,
possibly coffee.
"Yaaawn!" Another person speaks, yawning as she enters the room. "Hi Keinzer."
"Hi Alexis..." He says without taking his eyes from the screen.
"Hmmmm..." Streching her arms' muscles, she approaches Keinzer. "What's going on?"
He points to the screen in silence and drinks a little. Alexis pays attention to what the reporter spoke. Something about a burial or anything like that.
"But...who died?"
"...Luchenko."
"What!" She says shocked. "But how! He came here yesterday to speak with Dimitri and seemed so well!"
"If you say so." Keinzer says in a dry voice, putting the coup over the table. "Things are gonna get tougher with Luchenko dead."
The scientist rubs her eyes and watch the rain outside like if already understanding what it was all about. She watched the drops falling in the glass of one of the windows, thoughtful and with sad eyes.
"Keinzer..."
"Yes?"
"When is he showing himself?"
The scientist sighs and takes the coup in his hands again, shortly before speaking.
"In a few hours, probally on the late afternoon." He answers, taking another sip.
"I hope they stay alright." She says when sitting in another chair there. Keinzer remains watching the screen, in silence.
"And...where is Dimitri?"
"When I woke up I didn't found him here. Possibly he heard the news about Luchenko's death before us and went to the palace."
"Highly likely. How very typical of him..."
"And how about you?" Says Keinzer, putting some papers over the table.
"What about me?"
"You dreamed with 'him', didn't you?"
"By the look in your face I think I'm right."
Alexis had an clear look of tiredness in her face. A night really restless. Her hair was more ruffled than normal and big bags were under her eyes.
"Yes I dreamt with him..." She says, laying her head in her arms over the table. "It was horrible. I couldn't close my eyes all night, that's killing me!"
"I noticed..."
"But even if I hadn't dreamt I'm too much nervous already with everything that happened and will happen to go back to sleep..."
"Calm down." She says. "Everything we can do now is wait..."
After that, she slowly turns her head and resumes watching the rain...
Between the huge columns of the government's palace dozens of voices could be heard. A great crowd made of ministers and others politicians could be seen in the place as the first ones to see the president's body, kept locked in a big coffin in the center of the great hall. The air had and thick and heavy feeling.
Exatamente na entrada do palácio, um aglomerado de pessoas tenta de todas as formas chegar a uma única que estava ali. Eram dezenas de repórteres e câmeras, tentando conseguir nem que fosse uma pequena palavra da adorável filha do presidente, Anna. Esta, encontrava-se em prantos, limpando as lágrimas com um lenço de seda branco enquanto Subaru a acompanhava ao seu lado, praticamente estática e, talvez pela primeira vez, com uma expressão pensativa, enquanto olhava para Anna.
Exactly in the palace's exit people agglomerated, a greta number of reporters and cameras trying to get even a small word from the lovely president daughter, Anna.Sorrow was written in her face as she dried the tears with a white handkerchief made of silk. Subaru was right next to her,pratically paralyzed, and perhaps for the first time with a thoughful expression as she looked at Anna.
"Miss, please, tell us when you knew your father passed away?"
"Were you the first to find the body of our deceased president?"
"How are you reacting to all this?"
"...sob...I'm sorry but...sob...I can't talk about my father anymore. I feel a terrible pain in my chest when I remember him, so happy,just a few days ago. With your excuse gentlemen..." She says, turning her back to the reporters and going inside the palace. They ask her to stay a little more for they had more questions. But Subaru puts herself between them and the princess, firm and with a serious expression.
The reporters back off when they notice that she isn't going back and stay under the strong rain, watching any movement in the palace.
Inside, Anna was complimented by all the people and important politicians by which she passed. Subaru tags behind, careful,
but still thoughful and somewhat 'distant'.
"Princess Anna, I met your father some time ago. I'm really sorry, he was a good person and very respected." A man in aristocratic clothes says to Anna.
"Thank you sir...sob..."
"My dear Anna, as one of the Autonoe's ministers, I would like to give you my deepest regrets." Another man says, showing a monoglass in the right eye, approaching from the girl.
"Thank you very much sir...sob...I'm sure that, whenever my father is, he will be watching us."
Anna stay a few more minutes speaking with some important politicians and people there and soon realizes that Subaru wasn't behind her as usual.
Surprised, she rolls her eyes quickly in the hall searching the Tecnomage and portraiting a frown when seeing the same in a corner of the hall, going somewhere else.
"subaru!" Anna says, running to her.
"..." The Tecnomage stops right away and turns to the girl.
"What does that means? You should be taking care of me as you always does! Remember that you can't leave unless I give you orders for that."
"Let's go right now! We have to leave. I can't stand anymore all this people saying they're sorry!"
Without saying anything Subaru nods and returns to follow Anna, with a very distant look in her eyes.
Soon both climb one of the palace's stairs and enter in the great and luxurious Anna's bedroom. She locks the door and sits in front of a big mirror, loosening her hair and puting a wet cloth in her face to refresh her. Subaru stands watching Anna,
with her back to the door.
"Argh! I can't stand it! Having to cry like that ruins all my makeup! I hate that!" She says dryly, drying the tears.
Even hearing Anna speaking like this doesn't affects Subaru. On the contrary, it seedmed like her attention was somewhere else. The girl notices that Subaru hadn't even heard what she said.
"Subaru, what's the matter with you today? Am I mistaken or you aren't listening what I say?"
"..." The Tecnomage fits back the girl with a serious expression.
"I don't understand you sometimes. You know, I think you're getting old. Maybe you're an old model, I don't know. Anyway, That's one of the reasons for which I want That those stubborn scientists build some more like you and even upgraded.
You understand me, don't you Subaru?"
The Tecnomage just listens. It was impossible to know if she reacted negatively to anna's actions, because Subaru never showed a different expression of the one she had now in her face. Rare were the times she smiled(and these were just a small lift in the corner of her mouth) or got angry(only a movement of her eyebrowns. And that was when Anna was threatened...).
After cleaning her face and a few touches in her makeup the girl stands up, ready once again. But before that she goes to the big window in her room and opens the curtains. Trough the glass, she sees the rain falling outside, suspicious. She knew it wasn't the time for such strong rain...
"Miss Anna?" Someone says outside the door. "More reporters came. They are calling for you, wanting to ask questions."
"Oh, good! Tell them that I'll there shortly!" She says excited.
Subaru notices the girl's enthusiasm... But only opens the door for her pass through.
Both then go downstairs and to the palace's entrance. Now there were a lot more reporters and soon as she comes closer several microphones literally fly next to her mouth.
"Miss Anna! A question please!"
"Miss! A word to the press!"
"Here Miss please!"
"Calm down everybody please. I'll speak with all of you...one at a time." She says smiling. "You first."
The girl points one of the reporters posted there and he quickly speaks, anxious for an answer.
"Miss Anna. with president Luchenko's death, what's the fate of Autonoe's government?"
"Well, now I'm legally the responsible of the govern of our dear Autonoe. Of course, it isn't necessary to say that I'll make my father's legacy hold on for the years to come."
"...About the government, there's no reason to worry about." A feminine voice speaks behind Anna.
The surprised girl turns around and sees one of her servant ladys, Rebecca(the woman that previously appeared in the comunication's room).
"Rebecca...?" Anna says, not believing what she saw.
"And you would be...?" The reporter asks.
"I'm a faithful friend of princess Anna gentleman. There's no one better suited than me to say that Anna will be an excellent president for our nation! And surely will count with my total support!"
"..." Anna was speechless...Didn't knew what to say or how to react before that.
"Miss, do you already have a goal for your government?" The reporter asks Anna. She is once again interrupted by Rebecca.
"Princess Anna is a resilient person that fights with all of her strength for the nation's objectives. In other words,
she's someone that does everything to reach her ideals! Anything..."
Anna and Rebecca fit each other for a moment, the second smiling in a ironic(or cynical) way. Anna couldn't speak, just answer with a look of loathing at rebecca because, apparently, she knew everything about Luchenko's death. It would be too dangerous to speak something unpleasant in front of so many cameras...
A little far, no one, even Anna, had seen that Subaru wasn't near the main entrance anymore.
She was now in front of the big door for the president's room with the same thoughful look of before.
Taking care for that nobody noticed her presence she opens the room's door and enter, closing the door behind her...
She slowly approaches the bed, or, to be more precise, the desk next to it and takes in her hands the pictureframe who were there sometime already.
While looking at the photo with a somewhat sad expression, she starts remembering some things...probally what was making her so distracted...
FLASHBACK
"...And that is why I want you to keep an eye on Anna during my travel Subaru. You're the person I trust the most here and because of that I leave her in your hands."
Luchenko puts many clothes and items in several suitcases. He would pass some time out.
Near him, in the bedrrom, was Subaru next to the door, watching the president packing while noding in answer to the last order.
After packing everything he closes the ziper and get ready to leave the bedroom but momentaneously stops when remembering something.
"Huh...Almost forgot." He gets the picture above the desk and sits in the bed, passing his fingers through the photo and smiling. "My dear...how I wish you were still here living by my side."
Subaru just watched.
"How I miss you..." Luchenko stands with the pictureframe in hands and starts thinking in some things. Things that make him smile. "There's something I never told you Subaru..."
"...You know as well as I do that my wife isn't among us anymore. And also knows very well that...I loved her very much."
Subaru smiles...and says an 'yes' with her head.
"You know Subaru...Your creator, Dimitri, is a big friend of mine. A childhood friend, I must say. When he created you for our family he didn't made only a bodyguard for us, but someone very special." He says, putting one hand in the Tecnomage's shoulder.
"..." Subaru fits the president intensly, with shining wide eyes...
"Did you knew that..." He walks backwards with his hands beside him while speaking. "...Dimitri created you in the spitting image of my dear wife?"
"yes.." He says still smiling. "You're identical to her, just equal...Even your beauty is like hers..."
"..." Subaru blushes a little, still looking at Luchenko.
"But I don't want you to think that is the resemblance that makes you special to me." He says coming closer to the Tecnomage.
"You are part of our family since you were created. Takes care of my daughter as no one else and I feel safe with you near her. I'm telling you all this because I was trying to think in a way to thank you...and this was the only one I found."
Subaru stares in a different way at luchenko. While he exhibits a smile, she shows eyes full of kindness and cheeks red as a tomato.
Subaru comes closer and, very red, kiss the president's lips lightly, without taking her eyes off his. Luchenko remains frozen, just watching what she was doing and how gracious was the way she came up to the edge of her feet so she could reach his mouth.
After a few seconds she parts off with a small 'pop', quite red. She looked at him as if didn't knew what she was doing,
even if blushing that much.
"Subaru, what was that?" He asks smiling as before.
"Thank you..." He follows. "...You're trying to make me happy Subaru. But...I'm already quite happy with my daughter and with you by our side and, with my wife..." He says, always with a friendly and relaxed smile in his face. The Tecnomage sees how much that man was devoted to his woman...even after her death...
"Well! I think I have to go now!" He says, grabbing two of the suitcases. "Give me a hand, will you?"
She gets all the remaining 10 suitcases right away and follows Luchenko. Both exit the room and go towards the palace's exit. There a transport awaited the president. Two men start to put the baggagge inside the vehicle.
Luchenko opens the door and a little before enter, turns to Subaru.
"There's something else I forgot to tell. You don't look just externally like her...is as much sweet as her."
"...!" Subaru blushes again.
"Until next time...and please, put this back in place, will you? It's very important to me." He says, giving her the pictureframe.
Shortly after the vehicle departs and Subaru spends some seconds watching it fly away...
END OF FLASHBACK
The picture in her hands showed Luchenko next to a young woman IDENTICAL to Subaru. Unless, of course, by the clothes and appearing to be more mature.
Besides that, each detail was exactly the same.
Feeling a light pain in her chest, she removes the photo from the pictureframe and hide it in a small compartment inside her own body. Next she goes out the room, making sure nobody saw her...
A few hours later, a huge crowd could be seen in a open and distinct place. Despite the rain, this place had a layer of transparent metal that prevented any infiltration by the strong water falling down.
It was Autonoe's cemitery. More precisely, the greatest marker in the whole place...
The grave remained open, a sign that president Luchenko's body hadn't been buried yet.
"Julian?"
"Hmm?"
Julian and his mother had just arrived in the great cemitery. It was the first time both saw so many people gathered together, for even the city's center hadn't been so crowded.
The boy seemed to search someone in the crowd, until his mother perceives this and calls his attention.
"Who are you expecting to find? You won't stop looking everywhere..."
"Eh, sorry mom, is that I was thinking if mr. Dimitri wouldn't be here. I wanted to talk with him."
"The nightmares?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, if we see him, we can talk with him. I'll let you know if I see him around."
"Okay, thanks mom." The boy says while kissing her face.
"Look what a coincidence..."
"Ah, Elliot!"
Julian whirls around as soon as he hears someone speaking behind him and sees his friend from the Institute, followed by a mature woman, very probably his mother.
After exchanging greetings the boys start talking with eachother while both women do the same.
More people start coming.
"It's a pity that all this happened. We never got to know him..."
"Yeah..." Julian agrees. "I said the same to my mother. Autonoe's government is a weird one. Okay, it's for the president's safety, but, coming to the point where us,the people living here can't see who he is...it's very strange to say the least."
"And for who it isn't?" Elliot completes. Crossing his arms and looking up, he watches the strong rain flowing in the metalic dome covering the graveyard. "Weirder than that, just this rain out of season."
"Yes, it seems like everything planned to start at the same time."
"But changing the subject, how was your visit to mr. Dimitri?"
"Oh yeah! I told him about my problem and everything he said was to make an effort and try to remember what these nightmares showed. He also said that's very likely that it be an side effect of my biomechanical parts. And he explained me about nanotechnology as well."
"Wow, so the visit was worth it!"
"Definitely."
"And...did you dreamt again?"
"This very night. With some effort, this time I could hold on some images from it in my mind."
"Great! So you have to talk with Dimitri again as fast as you can!"
"It's...just that today that's going to be a little hard..." Julain says, looking to his sides and at the peoples in the funeral.
"Point taken, and now that you mentioned it..."
Elliot points at the graveyard's entrance where a slow vehicle could be seen. The people clear the way and remain silent when the vehicle that carried the president's coffin passed. The boys and their mothers stay make a line side by side, with their heads low and eyes closed in respect.
"...Was thinking something..." Elliot whispers.
"...What...?"
"What's gonna happen to Autonoe's government without any president?"
"Maybe they'll pass the job to the president's..."
Next, six men in suits remove the coffin from the car and carry it slowly to a big pedestal...At the same time, others people appear with instruments at its sides and, as soon as the coffin is lowered, Autonoe's hymn starts to be played. All focus on the music.
A great double line starts to be formed while the hymn is played. People passed by one by one next to the coffin, to see the president for the first, and last time...
About five minutes later, Elliot and his mother watch the president. The boy takes a serious look at the body, without any real emotion for it was of someone unknown to him. The boy's mother makes the same, allowing Julian and his mother to see it soon after.
Julian's mother is overcome by emotion when seeing the body and can't avoid some tears, even if never having seen the president in her life. The boy comforts his omther, caressing her shoulders, in a gesture for her to calm down. Next, Julian approaches the coffin and looks at the body.
"...Julian?" Elliot says, next to his friend, just as the mothers leave the vicinity of the coffin.
The boy remained frozen in front of the body, with the eyes wide from surprise.
"What's the matter with you? Why're you like this?"
"So? Come on, talk it out!"
"The president..."
"What about him?"
"...When I went to mr. Dimitri's house, he was there."
"What?" Elliot gets equally surprised. "That means you met the president!"
"Well, not exactly. When I saw him I had no idea who he was, and he didn't told me, even hiding that was the president, saying he was just a friend of mr. Dimitri." Julian explains.
"But why would he do that?"
"No idea. Maybe for safety..."
"Maybe. But if what you're saying is truth, so you ironically met the president of Autonoe one day before his death!"
"Yeah...seems so..."
"Ok, now let's get outta here, the people are getting impacient with you blocking the line."
Both boys back off from the coffin. Julian still couldn't believe that the man he saw at Dimitri's house was president Luchenko.
But what worried him the most was what he could be doing there..."
"Hi kid, don't you greet anynore?"
Julian and Elliot stop for a moment and see a man come closer. He also weared a black suit like the others.
"Mr. Keinzer!"
"So kid, How are you?" The scientist says coming closer the boys.
"Fine, thank you. That's Elliot, a friend of mine."
"Nice to meet you Elliot." He greets him smiling.
"The pleasure is all mine sir! I've already heard about you sir, you're one of the persons that works with Dimitri, isn't"
Elliot says, a little excited.
"yes, although our fame normally has something to do with Dimitri..." he says, laughing soon after, just kidding. "Not expected to find you here, between all this people."
"Yeah, just a coincidence. By the way, mr. Dimitri came as well?" Julain asks.
"If he came wasn't with me. I don't see him since today's morning, when I woke up. He must have known what happened before us and came earlier. It's gonna be a problem find him here..." Keinzer says, looking abroad the crowd. there were too many people in the place.
"Damn, I wanted to talk with him. By the way, I have to say something sir, yesterday I went until the lab and spoke with Dimitri and Alexis. But also, the president was there! In person! Do you know by any chances what he was doing there?" The boy asks.
"well, as you must know, I was exhausted yesterday so I slept, or tried to, almost all day. As far as I know Luchenko was a great friend of dimitri and probably was there to speak about matters concerning his projects. It's all I know." He speaks.
"Actually I didn't knew him well enough to speak for sure."
"I see..."
"May I...make you a question?" Elliot says.
"Of course! Since it be one I might answer, hehehe!"
"...What do you think is that?" The boy asks, gesturing to the sky.
Keinzer looks up and undoes the simle in his face little by little. He thinks for a moment what to say.
"As you know, it isn't the right season, specially such a strong one and that is lasting several hours..."
"Indeed it is... a rare phenomenon!" He says, babbling a little. "...Very rare!"
"We're working to find out the why of this happening so out of time. Don't worry! As soon as we find something, we'll let you know!" He says to the boys.
Julian and elliot both rise their eyebrowns, trying to figure out the reason fot the scientist's...uneasiness, visible to anyone there.
Just a few meters from there, after everybody else had seen the president's body, one more person arrives. Two, actually.
"Dad! Dad! ...sob...Why?"
Anna and Subaru were the last persons to arrive the place and to look one last time their beloved president. The girl supports herself in the transparent coffin, sobbing. Subaru just stays by her side, looking to the body...
"Wow, see who arrived..." Elliot says to Julian and Keinzer.
The three saw the whole scene. In the middle of all the cameras' flashes, Anna rise her yes momentanously and watches the three, focused. So much that stops crying for a moment, staying silent and serious.
"What's she looking at?" Elliot asks.
"At us." Keinzer says seriously. Julain is the only one to remain silent, for he also stared at the girl...
After some seconds staring them, Anna resolves to leave the coffin so it could be buried. Like before, she starts sobbing and making a scene escorted by Subaru.
About a couple hours later the president's body is finally buried. The place slowly gets emptier, and soon only one person remains, staring paciently at the grave.
After some minutes, she departs...
And the strong rain keeps falling...
"I can't accept this! I can't!"
Anna and Subaru, after the burial's cerimony, were back to the palace, more precisely in the bedrrom of the first. She walked from one side to another, quite nervous, with her hands behind her back and thinking.
"So it is that me, Autonoe's princess, won't be paid attention by those scientists when I ask what I want but freely talk with a boy like that...that..." She remains still for a moment, trying to remember the boy's name. "...Humph! That doesn't matter!"
Anna goes to Subaru and stops in front of her, her arms crossed, in a serious way.
"Subaru...listen to me! I want you to go to those scientists' house and see waht's happening overthere. See what this kid knows that I don't know! Humph, if someone like him knows something, I have much more right to know it as well! And one more thing...If you find out that they are scheming against me, kill them, if necessary! That's a order."
"..." Subaru remains still. For some moments she was unsure if she should obbey those absurd orders or not!
"What are you doing frozen! Go! Come on!"
"..." The Tecnomage nods slowly and then goes by the window's room. Surrounded by a strong energy, she flies in direction of the place said by Anna under the strong rain.
Anna watches she moving farther wawy, while lightning starts to croos the sky...
End of afternoon...Almost seven pm...
"Julian...are you sure about going out? With all this rain and lightning..."
"I have to mother...I have to speak with mr. Dimitri about this night's dream. How I didn't found him in the funeral, I'll have to go until the laboratory again."
Julian was getting ready to leave. Quite dressed, with a rain coat and an umbrella. In this very moment the doorbell rings.
"But who could it be at this hour?" The boy's mother asks.
"Ah, It's Elliot mom. We're going together to the lab." He says, opening the door and the umbrella soon after.
"Very well, take care my son, and please don't be late..."
"Don't worry, we're going to be okay." He says smiling. "Bye, I'm going!"
He closes the door behind him and opens the umbrella totally. Besides the rain there was the strong wind and almost took away the object from the young man's hand. Quickly he meets with the friend in the front gate, also dressed up and using an umbrella.
"Argh! Better be going if we don't want to be taken away by all this water!" Elliot says a second before the wind wet his face.
"Hehehe! Let's go then!"
The two go in the lab's direction that wasn't (very) far from Julian's house. The issue was that because of the rain the streets were almost flooded and the colectives weren't working due to failures in the magnetic circuits in the roads.
With water reaching a little above their feet, they keep going despite the violent thunders in the sky. It was the end of the afternoon but it was dark alreay and the only sources of light were the houses and poles nearby.
Minutes of much walking later, both arrive to the lab. Light coming through the windows could be seen.
"...mr. Dimitri!" Julian shouts in the interphone, protecting his eyes from the rain and wind. "It's me, Julian and a friend of mine!"
The gate opens with a snap and they enter.
They close their umbrellas and swirl the door handle, entering as fast as possible.
"Shit, what a rain!" Elliot speaks, closing the door.
For Julian and Elliot's surprise, the place was upside down! Several papers were scattered everywhere and some glasses were broken in the floor, their substances spilled.
There were two bottles of some alcoholic beverage above the table, being one empty and the other fallen down, almost all of its content spilled.
"But...what happened here?" Elliot asks.
"Mr. Dimitri? Mr. Keinzer? Alexis? Anyone?" Julian calls.
From the hallway leading to the scientists' rooms appears one of them soon after of Julian's shouting. Trembling, with a cup of ice in hands and still wearing the same clothes from the funeral, but all crumpled up, Keinzer showed clear signals that he was the one that drank all of it.
"Ju-Julian..is you?" He says while rubbing his eyes.
"Mr. Keinzer! But what happened to you? Why are you drinking like that? And what is going on here?"
"Heh..." The scientist sits in a chair and heps himself with the rest of the liquor. "How about a toast..."
"A toast to what?"
"...The end of the world!"
"...what?"
Julain comes closer and grabs Keinzer's cup, putting it above the table. Then he shakes quickly the scientist so that he came back to himself.
"But what do you mean by that? And where are the others?"
"...They...they...aren't here."
"But why!"
"It got something to do with the rain, isn't?" Elliot risks.
"...Yes..."
"What about the rain? Come on talk!" Julian seemed very nervous.
"...Well..." He rises, visibly calmer. "We found out that this rain isn't a natural phenomenon, but of magical origin."
"What? How's that?"
"There's a thing I haven't said about Luchenko Julian..."
"And what is it? What does he got to do with all?"
"Luchenko was born in Elencia, the other continent of our world Pasiphae. He posessed magical powers, like all people from Elencia..." Keinzer spoke this and the boys just payed attention. Outside, the thunder still roared, while the wind and the rain remained strong. The lamp iluminating the room started to fail, blinking randomly.
"...From what I could gatter, he participated of the Old Great War against the warlock Loknath..."
"Old Great War?"
"A war between Autonoe and this warlock fought many years ago, a very powerful one, intending to conquer Pasiphae." Elliot speaks. "Autonoe allied with Elencia to defeat him and lock him forever in a forgotten place. At least that's what I remember from my studies."
"Hmm..."
"Exactly... the problem is that..." Keinzer goes to the window and watches the street and rain outside. "...this warlock,
before being sealed, condemned Autonoe's people to a curse. More precisely, the rain."
"But...what does Luchenko have to do with this?"
Keinzer turns to Julian, deadly serious.
"Luchenko was a powerful mage that, with his magic, neutralized Loknath's curse. But now with his death..." The scientist gulps dry, looking down. "The curse is free..."
"But it's only a rain." Elliot says, not understanding. "It's strong okay, but, can it destroy with all?"
"You don't understand boy!" Keinzer grabs the cup and throws it against the wall, smashing it in pieces! "...The rain is undergoing some kind of transformation...Its ph level is diminishing monstruosly fast!"
"..." Elliot gets impressed and with wide eyes.
"Well, what does it means?" Julian asks.
"...That the rain is going to become some kind of...acid or something like that." Julain finishes.
"It can't be! Is that serious?"
"Do you think I would joke about it? Look!"
Keinzer points the window and the boys move to take a look. Thay notice the vegetables and nearby trees were completely whitered! Even the grass seemed to darken, like if burned.
"...No..." Julian had a look of despair...Now began to understand what were those faces in his nightmare...They were the people of Autonoe under this terrible rain!
"Soon the rain will be so powerful that it will dissolve even bones...and the concrete from buildings and houses. Everything will be destroyed!" Keinzer says, sitting in the chair. "Unless..."
"Unless...?" Julian launches himself at Keinzer, even more deseperated. He grabs his collar with his hands. "Come on! There must be something we can do! If there is any say it! I don't want my mom ending that way! Speak dammit!"
"...The only able to do something is Dimitri, for he is a Tecnomage with very advanced powers. But how you can see, he isn't here right now." The scientist says, releasing himself from the boy's grasp.
The boys take an step backwards...indeed, Dimitri wasn't there, and no one had a power like his.
"..." Elliot, that kept himself thoughful and quiet, rises his head. "...But, Julain also is a Tenomage, isn't?"
"Yes!" Julian shouts. "I'm also a Tecnomage! I may not have the same powers that mr. Dimitri has but I'm willing to anything to save Autonoe and my mother from this fate! Tell me what to do! Pleas!"
"..." Keinzer, still seated, sighs deeply while staring at Julian...
An only vehicle flyed low above the flooded streets of Autonoe. Inside it were Keinzer and both boys with Julian in the front, getting ready, and Elliot in the backseat. Both watch the city being invaded by the water and the very strong wind while Keinzer is focused in driving as fast as possible. the water in the streets is thrown violently to the sides when they pass.
"Where are we going?" Elliot asks.
"For the city's center." Keinzer says without taking off his eyes from the 'road', accelerating.
"And what exactly I have to do?" Julian asks.
"The warlock Loknath stored the curse in a 'recipient-stone' and implanted it in the city's center, underground.
Remember the incident with the uranium?"
"What about it?"
"All a lie." He says. "What caused that accident was the energy from this 'magical recipient', that has an especific name by the way. It's called 'Limiar'."
"Limiar..." Julian whispers, thinking about the whole uranium history. "I can't believe that was fake...!"
"The government tried to cover it so the population wouldn't be scaried. And because of it, blamed the uranium that we use for industry." He brakes suddenly the vehicle. "We're here. Let's get out, quick!"
The three quickly get off the vehicle. Elliot and Julian watch, perplexed, in the middle of an avenue in the city's center,
a enormous sphere of shining purple energy. Keinzer opened the vehicle's trunk and retrieved asome kind of metallic rope with a hook.
"here, hold this, quick!" He says to julian, giving the hook. THis holds it and locks it in his clothes, after being sure it was tied tight enough.
"What I have to do after all?"
"You must retrieve from inside that thing the Limiar's fragment expelling all this energy. I'm going to be frank with you, I don't know what might happen, so, if something goes wrong, I'm gonna pull you out!" Keinzeer explains. "It's impossible to me or your friend to enter! That enregy would kill us in seconds!"
"You're really gonna do it? It's very risky!" Elliot says, protecting his eyes from the energy's light.
"..Will. I have to!"
"Great!" Keinzer says, unrolling a little more of the rope. "So go as fast as you can!"
Next, Julian turns and throws himself against the globe of shining light. Elliot holds the rope while Keinzer handed the switch that released or pulled the metallic rope.
The wind in that location is so strong that the boy tied in the rope literally flies in the air, in the energy's direction!
As soon as he collides with it, much lighning can be seen in the sky while he tries to penetrate inside the light, repeling him! He could see with much dificulty a small and shinig core, probally the such Limiar.
"Come on kid...you can do it..." Keinzer says to himself.
Julian forces entrance in the globe but it was impossible! The energy repeled him in such a way that he couldn't get even close from the Limiar. Soon the energy drives him back, launching straight against the wall from a nearby building in the other side of the avenue.
"Argh!"
"Damm it! We're gonna pick you up Julian!" Elliot shouts.
"NO!" The boy screams.
"...But you're going to die like that!"
"...I...won't..." The boy now had recovered from the blow. Now, in the surface, with water reaching his knee, he tried to force the globe, protecting his face from the rain and wind. "I won't die!"
The boy launches himself again against the globe and punches it hard, forcing his entrance. Once more the globe starts to repel him with a huge strentgh!
"He won't handle it!" Elliot says.
"...Look again kid..." Keinzer says to elliot. He turns to look at his friend.
Suddenly, the boy's right arm exhibits small luminous marks around it, like if expelling energy as well. Next, his arm starts to penetrate slowly in the globe and get closer and closer to the limiar, the core of all that energy.
"You won't knock me down!" He says, while his hair was tossed wildly with the powerful wind inside the globe.
"That's it kid...keep going...not much now!" Keinzer speaks to himself.
Near there...taking cover agains the wind, Subaru watched it all, impressed with the boy's strentgh...that finally touches the Limiar and takes it into his hands, causing a great explosion of light.
"ARGH!"
The light blinds all temporarily and soon after disappears...leaving only Julian in the ground, with the crystal's fragment in his hands. The energy globe vanished.
Elliot runs until the boy and gets him up.
"Man, are you okay? Say something!"
"...Argh...I'm okay." He says a little dozed, with the object in his hand.
"man you did it...You're incredible! How did you did that?
"Eh...I don't know..."
Keinzer watched them from the car, smiling. And also...watched some kind of energy...growing behind them...
"Let's get outta here..." Elliot helps his friend to stand.
"What?" The boy questions when seeing Julian stops for a moment.
"...But what's!"
"Argh!"
A huge ellipse appears behind the boys and sucks with an great strentgh. Water, some rubble, trees and the boys start to be dragged! Even Subaru, as far as she was, feels the pull towards the energy.
The boys are rised from the ground, but julian quickly holds the mettalic rope with one of his hands. Elliot grabs his leg, while his other hand holded the shining Limiar.
"Mr. keinzer!" Julian screams. "Pull us!"
Despite Julian's call, keinzer just sees what's going on...with his hands on his back.
"Mr. Keinzer! What're you doing! Pull us! Fast!" He says, holding the rope while his hand bleeds with the wind's strentgh.
"Julian...you did a good work here!" The scientist says, taking some kind of laser knife(literally) from his back. "But if you want to save your loved ones...Find the other Limiars! You can do it! I know you can!"
"Mr. Keinzer!"
"Good luck...!"
Then, the scientist cuts the rope and Julian and Elliot are dragged to inside the energy violently.
Keinzer puts the knife and what's left of the the rope in the trunk and gets ready to leave...When something calls his attention. Another enters without hesitation inside the energy, dissapearing together with the boys...
"Humph...Subaru..." The scientist says, entering the vehicle and leaving...with some dificulty to gain speed.
Soon...the energy slowly fades, taking the three with it...