I got chapter 2 done way before the deadline! Same with this chapter! And again, they just keep getting longer! I've realized these chapters are gonna end up building up a word count between 3000 and 5000 eventually (I remember when my chapters in TSAT were only around 2500 in length, my goodness!)
I don't own MFB, and all OCs belong to their respective creators.
Chapter 3 Illusions of a peaceful dream
"Tarot, huh. It's been over 5 years since I last visited this kingdom. I wonder how my brother's gonna react to me being here."
Ranmaru Fukami gazed over the Arcane-looking buildings as he walked down the street, his familiar close to him. the 19 year old prince of Serene felt his heart pound as he walk within the maze of paths that guided his way to the palace, and possibly another location that at the moment seemed easier to navigate to.
"They built onto the alchemist building over there. Same with the enchantment building that Ryutaro would always show me when we lived together under the same roof." The Serene native stated as he tried to find his way, before recognizing a building a few feet from him, "Well I could never miss that building, no matter how crowded this streets get."
With that said Ranmaru made his way over to the building, looking over the ancient architecture of it's design in the process. Like many of the buildings in Tarot, this one was a light gold color from the sandstone-like material used to build it, with light purple and blue runes etched into the side of the wall that faced out towards the street. Next to it, multiple lanterns of purple and gold were currently unlit rested on the windowsills, each one marked with either a sun, a moon, or a star marking. A sign was above the doorway that read Winter's appraisal shop neatly in silver.
There was a chill in the air as Ranmaru entered the building, but it was a welcome chill giving the person inside. Sitting at a desk was a young woman, possibly the same age as himself, with tanned skin, greyish-blue hair that reached her waist, and blue eyes that were currently pouring over old books with the use of her glasses. She wore a dark blue dress with purple and gold mages robes, signifying the colors of a Tarot court member.
"Whoever came in, I apologize, but I'm closed for today. I have a lot of work to do today before I meet with the queen in the afternoon," The pale haired woman stated, placing a stone next to her in a velvet pouch.
"Not even enough time to visit with an old friend Arc?" Ranmaru asked, and a grin broke on his face as the woman slammed the book down and tackled him into a hug.
"Ranmaru Fukami! My goodness it has been way too long! Where the heck have you been all this time!?" Arc exclaimed, nearly knocking the other adult out as she punched him in the stomach.
"Back with my father in Serene. With my brother the prince of Tarot, our parents thought it was easier for one of us to live with each parent."
"Giving your family situation, I can see that. Why is your family so complex?"
"Don't ask me, I have no clue. I heard it has to do with the two being the only ones left to inherite the throne in their kingdoms when they were younger.," Ranmaru chuckled as he sat started to sit down.
"Here, don't sit down, We'll go head for the Palace. I'm need to deliver this to your mother today." Arc explained as she gestured to a blue velvet pouch that was in her hand, "It's the charm for the Paladin of Spectral. Your brother was chosen for our kingdom."
Ranmaru's eyes widened. "You're kidding! My father's gonna be shocked when he hears that. I was also chosen as the Paladin of Psychic, right Lyko?"
Both adults looked down at the male's familiar, a half fox, half wolf breed with dark colored fur and red eyes. "This is definitely a stroke of fate Ranmaru. What a perfect way to reunite with your brother after so long," Lyko stated in a rough voice.
"How long has it been honestly?" Arc asked the male as they walked out into the streets, closing the door behind her.
"Almost 8 years. It's hard to believe it's been that long. I remember when we would sneak out at night just to watch the flowers that grew at night bloom." Ranmaru pointed out.
"You mean those Luna Roses, right? It was something I remember you two slipping out to watch. You guys never made it to the moment they would bloom, but just seeing the pale blue roses glow, seemed to give Ryutaro some peace of mind. He was very uneasy growing up here."
"He mentioned it in letters he sent to me over the years. It wasn't the whole living apart in the kingdom. If anything he loved living and growing up here in Tarot. But the whole assassination attempts on mages here from unknown groups set him on edge. The latest letter even said he felt safer when I was here being with him and mother." Ranmaru paused as he tugged out the letter for Arc to read.
"That's no surprise Ran. You were acting as how an older brother acted. Very protective. But over the past year the attempts on your mother's life and the mages in her court, myself included, have been more frequent. I've been targeted a few times."
The prince of Serene's eyes widened as he turned to the other adult. "You haven't been hurt badly have you?" he asked, and Arc shook her head.
"Just a few scars, nothing too hard for me to handle. I'm a lot stronger than I look when it comes to fighting against assassins. I learned my combat from you of course." The mage pointed out as a sly smirk escaped her lips, "You nearly freaked out there Ran. You alright?"
Ranmaru grew a bit red as he nodded. "I'm fine, just dealing with relief and panic mentally clashing."
"Really? Seems like you were blushing there for a second."
A near sputter escaped the Paladin's lips, and the blush grew. Arc cackled as she placed a kiss on the other's cheek. "I'm kidding Ran. It's good to see you back here in Tarot. Me and Ryutaro missed you a lot here." The mage stated as she patted the other on the back.
Ranmaru took a deep breath as his face returned to it's normal pale color. "I missed you too Arc. A lot more than you think," The prince whispered as they reached their destination. The castle in front of them was made from dark metal with large pieces of Amethysts, Aquamarine, and Rainbow Quartz that floated in the air. Hundreds of silver and gold runes were etched into the walls, some of them glowing with a bright light like the lanterns that hung in the streets.
"The castle's really changed since the last time I was here. The floating crystals are a nice touch too. Reminds me of Serene actually. There are shards of blue goldstone and amethyst that a person can see when they walk into Serene. It's to help the people tune in to their psychic element when they're young," Ranmaru explained, "Ryutaro would be fascinated by the site of it."
"Just hearing that fascinates me! You know how I love my history on other kingdoms, almost as much as Ryutaro's girlfriend does." Arc pointed out as they walked, and Ranmaru nearly tripped in shock.
"G-Girlfriend!?"
"That princess of Eterna who use to play with you two, remember her? She and Ryutaro are really close."
"Oh. Well, I'll allow it then. Those two were just as inseparable as I was with my brother."
Arc chuckled as they walked down the corridors of the buildings, a gleam of amusement in her eyes. "Always the overly protective brother, huh Ran?" The mage asked as they stopped at a door, and Ranmaru watched as the woman knocked on the door, "Ryutaro, it's me Arc. I have someone you might wanna meet. He's the Paladin of Psychic."
"Hang on a sec!"
There was the sound of rustling behind the door, followed by a crash and a bit of muffled swears. Arc gave Ranmaru an amused glance as he raised an eyebrow. "What exactly was that?" The paladin asked.
"By my guess, the artifact I restored for him. Again."
"You make it sound as if that's normal."
"As normal as life is as the kingdom's royal, curator, restoration specialist, and an alchemist. You have to remember I balance a lot of responsibility with my job."
"You have a point."
There was a click as the door in front of the two was opened, and Ranmaru felt his happiness grow as his brother appeared in the line of sight. The other hadn't physically changed much, other than the fact that his hair was extremely unkempt, and his outfit consisted of dark blue and silver mages robes, signifying his position as an arcane mage. Tarot had two main types of mages, each studying spectral magic.
The concept of Spectral magic had two catagories, arcane and spirit. Arcane magic focused more on the energies of magic at its purest for, while spirit magic focused on the energy of magic from one's soul. It was the reason both Tarot and Serene got along so well outside of the family. Both kingdoms touched up on the magic, though in modern times like these, the names had changed. The spirit magic category ended up becoming the ancient basics for psychic magic now in his kingdom, while arcana magic was now just called spectral magic and was favored more in Tarot than in the other kingdom.
"Sorry about that Arc. I'll send the vase to you as soon as I..." Ryutaro trailed of as his eyes widened at the site of Ranmaru, before tackling the other into a hug, "M-My goodness, my dreams were right! Ranmaru!"
Ranmaru just chuckled as his brother pulled away, his excitement showing in his eyes. "You haven't changed much since I left. Well other than your position as Paladin of Spectral elements.
"I could say the same to you. To think we've both become paladins of the elements alongside Titania! It's so nostalgic!"
Arc chuckled as she tugged both men into the room. "We are catching up today, starting with one thing! Anyone up for tossing rune stones in the fountains?"
"So what exactly is my duty, my king?"
"Escort the Paladin of Water to Vivia, Atlantia, as well as act as a bodyguard to the other paladins of the elements. There will be others who will be doing the same job as you from other kingdoms, so do not feel like you are overwhelmed with doing jobs with others. I know this is your first time out of Aquos, but I assure you it is a nice change in pace for you."
Atlantia nodded as she walked down the aquamarine hallways of the her father's palace, admiring the crystal bubbles that floated in the spaces above them. The princess of Aquos was 17 years old and stood at about 5'8 in height with dark blue hair, tanned skin, and silver eyes that were half piercing, half welcoming to those around her. Her outfit consisted of a dark blue Grecian styled dress decorated with pieces of blue lace agate on the upper half, and was modified with slits at the upper half of her legs for more mobility in combat, a light blue scarf tied at the waist to keep it in place. A multitude of dark blue, runic tattoos decorated her shoulders and arms, and a pendant containing a piece of a green stone of some sort hung from her neck.
"I have been told that Cryos is not much different, other than it being a lot colder than our kingdom when it comes to the seasons," Atlantia stated, looking up at her father. The king of Aquos shared her physical traits with the exception of light blue eyes that were filled with wisdom over the years of being a ruler.
"It is much colder. I imagine you will have a hard time adjusting to the climate in other kingdoms. Cryos and Pyra are very different in temperature when it comes to climate. But you will endure, as I did when I was your age." King Miroc pointed out, and Atlantia gave a brief smile before nodding in the agreement as they reach the door, before knocking on the it briefly.
"Please Enter."
Atlantia followed her father's lead as they walked into the room. "I trust you are adjusting well to your duties as the Paladin of Water here in Aquos, Aurora?" King Miroc asked as they closed the door behind them, and the princess got a good look at the woman who she would be in charge of protecting from now here on out. Aurora was a young woman about a year older than her although a bit shorter than her, with porcelain skin, violet eyes, and flowing silver hair that reached just above her knees and framed her face. She had an hourglass figure that was currently wrapped within A strapless, knee-length, midnight-blue/black gradient dress with glistening, crystal accents on her skirt, alluding to a starry night sky, and small, silver embellishments embroidering her waist. She also wore a pair of black kitten heels, and around her neck was a rare, black tanzanite pendant in the shape of an 8-point compass rose along with a matching anklet.
"I am adjusting very well, your majesty. I am honored to have this role as your chosen," Aurora replied as she stood up to greet them, "May I ask who this is with you?"
"Of course. Atlantia, I'd like to introduce you to miss Aurora Evangeline Midnight, the Paladin of Water. Aurora, this is my daughter and Aquos best knight, Atlantia Lycoris. She will be your guard for the paladins of the elements, as well as your escort. I took into consideration on your feelings of this, and I assure you my daughter will be a good companion to her on your journeys in the other kingdoms," King Miroc explained as the two women shook hands.
"It's very nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Atlantia agreed, and both of them must've felt awkward over the situation as her father left the room. The two women stood there in silence for a few moments, trying to figure out what to say or do.
"S-So... What's it like being the princess of Aquos?" Aurora asked.
Oh thank goodness! "W-Well, I'm not sure how it is in other kingdoms, but for me it's anything but just sitting around. I decided to be a knight because I can't stand sitting still while life passes around." Atlantia explained, relieved that the other felt the same as her in this situation, "What about being a Paladin of Water? My magic isn't as strong compared to the other members of father's court, so I decided that I would allow myself to be the knight for the Guard of Elements, the people who act as bodyguards for the Paladins."
"Honestly, I'm not quite sure. There really isn't much difference to my normal life learning magic."
"I understand that." Atlantia paused as she hummed for a bit, trying to figure out what to say.
"Do you sing?"
Well that was definitely an interesting question. The princess of Aquos thought as they continued the conversation. "Not entirely. I do more dancing compared to singing, as some of my attacks and spells combine graceful movement and magic. I do play the flute though."
"Really? That's interesting." Both women chuckled as they tried to figure out what to say. "You have to excuse me for my actions, I'm very..."
"Anxious when it comes to conversation? Same here. I have a hard time talking to people other than my father and some of the knights I train." Atlantia admitted, "I've learned to try to overcome it by doing what I like best. Would you like to practice some of the instruments with me? It's been a while since I've been in a duet with someone."
"I'd really like that, if you don't mind."
"Of course not. Shall we go?"
"I apologize for making everyone wait. We had been waiting for out newest recruit to join us and she just recently arrived not an hour ago."
Chrona watched as everyone turned to the door as she and the king of Obscure entered the meeting room, everyone standing up in respect for the two figures. Caspian was a man almost twice her age, with pale skin, short cropped ginger hair, and icy eyes with a maniac gleam in them.
Next to him, a young woman about a year older than her walked in with a vicious smirk, almost identical to the one on Caspian's face as the trio sat down. She had pale skin, though it had more color than Noir's, with dark green eyes and ice blue hair that was tugged into a bun high above her head. A pair of knives were attached to the woman's dress, which was a light blue one that had slits at the hips and a dark blue fringe. Along her neck was a shark tooth pendant, with a blue crystal attached to it.
"About time. I was wondering what was taking so long," Shiro stated as he looked over to the young woman who accompanied them, "Who's this woman? Looks ready to tear someone to pieces."
The woman glared at Shiro as she pulled out her knife, but was quickly stopped by Chrona shaking her head. "Name's Nozomi Fubuki. And you're dead meat if you get in the way of me, little swallow."
Shiro flinched at the words coming out of Nozomi's mouth. He knew insults from Stratos like the back of his hand due to living there, but the deadly glare and dangerous appearance set the male on guard. And people say I have a temper. At least I let it loose on people who deserve it.
"Now that we've gotten that out of the way, we can begin out meeting," Chrona stated as she looked over at Noir, "How was your mission in Tempora?"
Noir gave a half scoff, half laugh as she smirked. "Piece of cake with my conceiling shadow technique. I found out 3 of the Paladins of the Elements in one trip. They didn't even know I was listening to them at all." The scythemaster stated as she popped a piece of licorice in her mouth, forcing Shiro to gag. How she can eat that stuff and not find it gross is beyond me...
"Excellent work Noir. There is a reason you are my second in command." Caspian praised, making Noir beam with pride, "I think you are ready for you most difficult method yet. Chrona was telling me how the other kingdom's sensed Nocturne's energy and are now gathering their chosen Paladins of the elements. I am tasking you with the job of guarding ours in order to spy on their progress."
Noir's eyes flashed with excitement as she gave a manic grin like the ever-present one on her King's face, while Shiro shuddered as he grew puzzled. "We're not recruiting the Paladin of Darkness then?" The Stratos native asked.
Chrona shook her head. "I'm afraid while she is ambitious, she is too kind and doesn't hold a grudge long, unlike some of us here. We figured it would be easier to have someone who can blend in the shadows, much like Noir here can." The female mastermind pointed out.
"What does it matter? We're gonna be making our entrance to the world against them eventually. Why keep us in the shadows?" Shunjou asked, a bit of venom in his voice as he spoke. The Cryos native was 16 years old, with fair skin, sharp teal eyes, and messy, dark red hair. Despite the venomous personality, the male was rather good looking, catching the eyes of more than one or two of the women in their order.
"For information purposes, Mister Inori. We need information on our opponents in order to properly dispose of them. The more information, the better," Chrona explained, turning back to Noir. "Is there anything else you would like to add on to your mission Noir?"
Noir grinned. "Just one thing. I was on my way back from Tempora when I saw glimpses of the Paladins of wind and Ice talking to the queen of Cryos. It seems that Lucas Mckandless has chosen to become the Paladin of Ice in exchange for protection against Obscure.
The air in the room grew cold like death as everyone turned to the king of Obscure, Caspian's manic grin growing larger by several degrees. "So that's where my son has disappeared to all this time. Well done, Noir. Something like this earns you a special reward. I believe there has been a scythe that you have yearned to wield?" The king asked, appealing to his second in command's likes.
The scythemaster's eyes sparkled with sadistic happiness as she rushed out of the room, her black hair flowing behind her like a shroud of darkness. Chrona chuckled as she turned to the rest of the people in their order. "If anyone else has nothing to add, then I believe now is a good place to finish up this meeting." The green haired woman stated, and a wave of murmurs escaped the rest of the other members of their order as they filed out, leaving Shiro, Chrona, and Caspian alone in the room, "You seem very pleased with this meeting Caspian."
Caspian smirked, his black mamba familiar snaking around his seat as he spoke. "Of course. I lost track of my youngest son when he ran away. Hearing that he's the new Paladin is very good news," The king of Obscure pointed out, allowing his familiar to curl up his arm as his second in command returned with a scythe made from pitch black metal and adorned with jewels, "Oh, Noir? Can you pass a dear message to Lucas next time you run in from him? Tell him it's from his dear father, the King of Obscure."
"Of course, your majesty," Noir smirked as she reclined her back on the wall, "What do you want me to tell him?"
"Tell him that whether he wants to or not, he will not escape me or his fate. He will be next in line for the throne of Obscure. Whether he wants to or not."
I imagine Ranmaru to be quite tsundere when it comes to romance. He's fine with normal conversation, his friends and family, and just talking in general. But say one thing about his crush on Arc, and his face turns brighter than my favorite red anime shirt. That being said... *Looks out to viewers* Queen! I understand why you like writing Caspian! He's more evil than all of the main villians of beyblade combined! :D
Aurora belongs to Nightlingale, Caspian belongs to my dear friend Queen, and Shunjou Inori belongs to Niconiconyx. If I'm writing your OC wrong, please don't hesitate to tell me so I can fix it in the future. I want to make this a story you guys would enjoy.
So next chapter we'll probably see the paladin of dark, See some of Obscure's daily life, meet the Paladin of Fairy, and finish up in Tempora with Koto and Koji on something related to the plot. In the meantime, we'll see glimpses of who will be the bodyguards of each paladin (This is where more characters from the anime are gonna show up more, don't worry.). Also, if you guys are on deviantart as well, I might just start drawing character designs for both the characters in the anime and OCs if you guys want me to. And if you guys have any questions on the kingdoms, don't hesitate to ask. It may be a bit before I answer due to my family, but I'll get to answering them as soon as I can.
For my question of the day, what is your favorite element in this story right now?
That's it for this chapter. Until next chapter, this is Warrior signing out! See ya on the other side of the nexus!