Chapter 9: A Ghost of the Past

Sometimes, staring at mirrors was all that was needed to give you nightmares. The ones in the carnivals which would enlarge your image and twist it into your worst fears. That was what Jayden felt like he was seeing, a mirror, twisting the image of his machine into something from one of those horror flicks you would watch. Mechanical Zeal corpses lay on the floor surrounding the new white entity. It's ghostly blue blade still extended, the very blue glowing crevices that were carved in it's armor would form a demonic grimace on it's head. Those evil blue eyes glared at Jayden from the side, almost burning him on the inside.

"Alus Omen! But...isn't that...?"

"Windbreaker's machine. Windbreaker, the hero who stopped the crisis from happening again 18 years ago..." Jayden would finish Jen's sentence, as if he could read her mind. The very hairs on the back of his neck were standing up like needles and his face had drained of it's color just from looking at the machine. He didn't know why, it was only an image after all. But a sense within him began to lurch and turn upside down, he felt an aura emanating from the machine in front of him. A dark aura shrouded in pure evil.

"But I thought Windbreaker was supposed to be dead, and what's with his machine? It looked much different in the text books back at the library." Jen could also feel the sense of hope being drained from her just by looking at the machine.

"Jen...we'd better get out of here...fast!" Jayden managed to speak, almost mustering all of his courage to talk as the white demon began to turn towards them.

"But, why? I thought he's supposed to be on our side?" Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Well, it doesn't look like he's on friendly terms with us!" Jayden stammered backwards in his cockpit seat as the white machine began flying towards them at an incredble speed. The demon already had it's blade arm poised to slice the unfortunate souls. Luckily, Jayden had come to terms with the current events and brought his own ghostly blade to parry.

You...continue to fight...why? Why do you continue to hurt innocent lives! Why do you fight for those who would dare intrude on the peace that we have worked so hard for!An enraged male voice crept into Jayden's mind. Jayden was suddenly taken aback from this. Neo Omen's arm started to shake as Jayden's concentration began to shatter. In a desperate attempt to fend of Alus Omen, Jayden, with all the might in his mind, pushed the blade away. Alus Omen spun around with it's blade and immediately slashed at the unprepared Raven. Neo Omen had reacted in time to avoid being sliced in half but a body cleaving cut had been freshly made into it's core from right the top right corner to the bottom left corner of it's torso.

! I didn't think I'd have to face off against him myself! Suddenly, a light purple AC with both it's beaming purple blades extended, charged at the white demon with it's red flickering boosters behind it. Haven made several slashes at Alus Omen, most of which were either parried or dodged. Retreating backwards just enough to avoid one of Alus Omen's slashes, the light purple AC fired several rockets from it's back units. The shots however, were futile as Alus Omen would dodge the shells from side to side and brought it's left arm blade around to cleave it's attacker. Haven had bounced the attack away with it's own beam blade only to have another unexpected blade to strike it's left side. While Jen had been parrying Alus Omen's first slash, it had brought it's right arm blade in a vertical slash to severe Haven's left arm. Haven retreated back to a safe distance, and watched the event that occurred afterwards, a solid blade was protruding from the core of white demon. The glimmering blade slowly pulled out, and Alus Omen boosted away, also retreating to a safe distance while turning to face it's attacker, Neo Omen. It landed on the ground with a hard thud, a smoothly went into a kneeling position.

You...could never defeat me...because...you lack the conviction to...The same voice suddenly crept inside Jayden's mind once again. His face went pale, his head started to hurt like a thousand hammers were beating on it, and yet, he could clearly hear and understand the voice, now dying off and fading slowly. If...this is the path you have chosen...then surely...you shall face your fate...The voice faded, and the white machine began to surge with brilliant colors. It's shoulders fell slowly as it's dying gaze began to fall towards the ground, almost as if it was truly breathing. An explosion would be the end of the machine, a brilliant display of small fireworks replaced the once demonic machine. In the aftermath of the battle, only smoldering smoke and rubble was left in the area, along with littered mechanical bodies. It looked like a graveyard for machines. The only living soul among the lands were two Ravens, still tired from their previous battle.

What...could he mean...and...how did he...how did I...this doesn't make any sense! Jens voice, small and lacked of it's usual energy spoke.

"Jayden...we should get back to the base quickly...transports should be waiting for us. Could you help me with my AC?"

"Oh! Uhh...yeah, sure!" Jayden answered, almost uncertain what to say.

Beatrice had been caught up in watching the battle that she had not noticed how much time had went by. Darkness had crawled across the horizon. It was night time, the time where darkness would roam the lands freely. Oh! Crap! I forgot all about Scion! He's probably back at the base waiting for me!

Strolling down the empty hallway, a tall long-haired blonde man with a calm look on his face would walk by a door. He walked with a straight spine and his hands behind his back, his shoes tapping on the tiled floor. The door which he had walked by slid open with a swish, revealing a man with pure white hair. His white hair would hang downwards to the top of his neck, part of his hair covered his right eye. His hair was as pure and white as snow, and yet, it seemed to be pitch black as the shadows would cover almost all of his hair except for the edges in which small white outlines could be made out. The left eye was a fiery orb, almost the color of blood red would paint his irises. All of this stood out from his black attire. His skin was as pale as the moon when it shone in at night. The white haired man had the same calm expression as the other.

"Ah, I didn't think you would be awake at this hour..." The tall blonde man said with a smirk of amusement on his face.

"..." The white haired man still retained his calm expression. His bloody gaze would capture the tall blonde man in it's lenses.

"I'm sending you to Lakeside City tomorrow...is there anything you would like to say?"

"..." The man glanced down the hallway, almost speaking in silence with the movements of his eyes.

"So, you think Sphere is trying to use a cloning technology to create and army?"

"..." The white haired man merely averted his calm gaze at the tall man in front of him.

"I see...that could pose a problem...in any case, it would be best if you go to Lakeside City to investigate. I've heard rumors of certain Sphere operatives walking around the streets."

"..."

"What's the problem?" Raising a brow curiously, the tall blonde man asked the white haired man as if he had even spoke. But the man had never even spoke a word, not even open his mouth.

"..." Utter silence and a calm fiery stare would be the reply to the man's question.

"I see...but you eliminated all the spies right?" The shadowed man nodded his head slightly in response.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that, you just worry about the mission I've assigned to you." Walking away with a straight back, hands behind clasped behind, and the tapping of his shoes with the ground, the tall blonde man had left the other to stand around to gaze through the hallway. Complete silence filled the corridor as the silent man transifixed his gaze down the hallway, unlit and hidden in the shadows.

"..."