Ashes of the Golden Tiger
Chapter 3
The Displacement
Don't forget, that
A heart cannot die
Don't forget,
That dreams aren't,
Predictions of the future.
Around 20 years ago, a boring team searching for rare rocks and oil that performed deep drilling off the Russian coast in the artic sea, struck upon a mineral never seen before. The density of this newly discovered material defied comprehension. As well as the luminosity it displayed. Vibrant colors swirled inside this rock, as if it didn't belong in this world.
After many months, teams from the U.S, the European Union, and the Asian Commonwealth were sent to investigate these strange objects. They grew to call these objects "Aura Stones."
The world was never the same as multiple depots where found around every country, sparking a globalization never seen before. As if the first location was the catalyst, many countries grew greedy and started trying to harness these rocks.
Furthermore, they found that they could provide a better manner of energy that even nuclear fission. Increasing the value that they possessed and surpassing the price of gold per weight in just a few months.
Another point of contention seemed to be an invisible barrier similar to the ozone layer, that covered all of earth and slowly accelerated the discovery of this new elemental force. It couldn't be seen, however everyone's health seemed to improve worldwide slowly and gradually. This event started to be called The Displacement. It seemed like humanity was ready to reach another peak of evolution.
Certainly, there were many people that felt as if this signaled the apocalypse, yet no meteors rained down from the sky, the volcanos didn't erupt in a cacophony of fiery destruction. The oceans didn't boil around the world. For all intents and purposes this layer of energy invisible to the naked eye, seemed to share a symbiotic relationship with the planet and atmosphere.
They began calling it the Od Laguna barrier, some scientist coined the name and everyone rolled with it. It seemed like the Od barrier affected certain individuals more than others. Alongside, the Aura stones these combined to create something never seen before.
As well as how these stones seemed to affect certain people, imbuing them with an ethereal property. After several more months and scientific research, they found out that certain people resonated with these stones. Therefore, these new individuals where called Luxians. They possessed physic defying abilities that could only be speculated as to powers beyond the ability of science to explain at the moment.
Some individuals could with a single sword strike, cut anything that stood in their way. Others, could manipulate the very ether and fabrics of the universe to disappear and reappear at will. Moreover, there were rumors of an individual who could even raise the dead.
Some called it witchcraft, others said these Luxians are an abomination that must be cleansed. After a year of turmoil the governments established these individuals as protected by the highest hierarchy. They were of immense interest to the state.
Most of these individuals are recruited into top tier schools of the new branch of study, called Magicka. However, not all individuals decided to join these academies, and instead offered their services for countries with ruthless ambition towards domination.
It had been many decades since the last Global war. Yet, with the discovery of this new seemingly boundless source of energy that enhanced people beyond abilities previously seen, countries decided that with their teams of Luxians, they could rise up and oppress their neighbors.
Despite the United Nations best attempt to stop the escalation, the Third World War started. It lasted four years, and this is the tale of one young man that ended up saving the world while damning himself in the process, leaving a blonde haired girl crying at his absence.
(14 years ago)
The sounds of gunfire resonated throughout the cracked streets of Berlin, the tattered corpses of civilians scattered throughout the walkways ignited a fire in a certain black haired youth's fearsome eyes. Buildings had been torn asunder, the pavement looking as if a god had descended on the pavement.
The city was in chaos and had been evacuated as promptly as possible, however the death toll had surpassed thousands already. The army had been destroyed nearly single handedly by two individuals. One that the captain of this special strike team had been facing for nearly an hour. The other was being taken care of by the strongest individual ever found since the Aura Stones where discovered, a certain flame haired youth who commanded the strength of ten thousand men in one body.
It was the results of their training and abilities that had kept them alive for so long. Yet, he looked behind him as his purple haired friend who's spirits were busy re attaching his arm with the help of Felix Argyle. Juulius had tried to fight against this being of catastrophic proportions while his sniper took care to end her life.
However, it backfired as with nary a glance she sent a tendril of shadows and separated one of the strongest people the captain knew from his sword arm.
He clenched his fist and his teammates paused behind them. A nimble blond haired boy with a scar on his face spat on the ground as he angrily spoke:
"Fuck dat cunt. Oi, Cap'n lemme have a go at her, I'll make sure my amazin' self tears tha' witch to shreds. Too many people are layin' dead on tha streets, she's gone too far and I can't stand ta see this vile shit any longer."
The black haired man looked at his shield, his guardian that had protected him and the rest of the squad time and time again and he shook his head minutely. While that silenced the blond haired boy he was quickly analyzing the actions he could take.
He had his sniper, Shaula perched on a rooftop nearly a mile away while she concentrated on receiving orders from him. As well as his best close combat teammate Garfiel Tinsel, aka the Golden Tiger. Furthermore, he was receiving help from the Valkyrie Crusch Karsten, and to top it off he also had Julius Juukulius, an all-rounder that excelled in any combat situation. The addition of the best neurosurgeon who had manifested an Aura that allowed for healing that defied modern medical treatments certainly didn't hurt his chances.
Natsuki Subaru checked his glock and his custom assault rifle, a FN FAL 50.00 that had been heavily modified and was loaded with anti-aura bullets. The bullets were a new invention as the technology boom exploded with the introduction of Aura stones as the new source of energy.
He made sure him and his companions were all locked and loaded, while he gazed down the sights of his FAL and gritted his teeth. He struggled to maintain his composure, since he was looking at his former friend.
A women with flowing silver hair was standing in the middle of the street, gazing blankly at her surroundings. Subaru hesitated but he wasn't going to let anyone get hurt. If he could reason with her he could perhaps de-escalate this lethal confrontation. He spat on the ground and closed his eyes, frustrated that the colors hadn't returned for his teammates.
Yet, he could see her colors as sharp as the morning rays of sun he used to enjoy in the past. A swirling cloud the color of sangria surrounded her, he already knew only he could see it. He didn't know what it meant, but it caused a pang of loss in his heart at noticing that it seemed like a bubbling dark miasma was slowly invading her aura.
She looked to be struggling and holding the corruption at bay, however he already knows that there won't be a way for her to win this.
He hesitated and looked back at Juulius, Garfiel and Crusch. He only saw different palettes of grey and white, never again had he seen the brilliant yellow of his guardian, nor the vibrant verdant aura of the Valkyrie. It cost him a lot to even remain here and care for people, when all he wanted to do was give up and lay down as the world burned.
However, he thought about his sister Beatrice, and his parents Naoko and Kenichi, and he firmed his resolve. He had learned that if the corruption was allowed to be complete in his friend, then simultaneous triggers around the world would activate, leading to the Od Laguna barrier to swiftly corrupt the whole world.
He shuddered at the possibility that if he didn't act alongside his teammates. Then the corruption would infiltrate everyone who had the potential or were already Luxians. He sighed and stepped out to talk to his old friend, ignoring the panicked grumblings of his team, with a firm shake of his head he looked at them and mouthed:
"I got this, tend to Julius and tell Shaula to await for my signal."
"But cap'n, tha's suicide, she'll rip ya limb from limb and gut ya like a fish. Don't matter that yer used to be intimate with her, she's too far gone cap'n."
Garfiel replied while not wanting to lose another friend to this damned war, he was grateful his sister was tending to the wounded back in the infirmary tents. Where the population rushed to as they were the designated Evac points.
"Garfiel is right Natsuki-sama, we need to press our advantage and strike her down while she is still fighting the corruption. I fear that all we have toiled for will be lost if we don't finish her off. She used to be my friend as well, she wouldn't want to remain in this state."
The Valkyrie replied with worry etched in her amber colored eyes, that swirled with worry for the man that she fell for, yet she knows that he is too damn stubborn in his ways.
She wished she could take his place, and strike this menace to the world down with her sword, yet one glance at her proud katana was all she needed to know that she wouldn't be able to provide much assistance.
Her sword lay broken, and all it took was a mere touch by their enemy and if Natsuki Subaru hadn't acted quickly she would've laid on the ground shattered. The tendons in her right arm and left were severed, yet her friend and teammate Felix had been able to stop the bleeding from ending her, she cursed her weakness.
She felt a hand cup her cheek and her breath hitched, as when she looked up she say the man she loved staring at her with the most emotions she had seen of him since the 'incident'.
"Crusch-san, I don't want to risk the people I care for anymore, I need to take care of this…" He paused as he mustered the best smile he was able to conjure due to the circumstances, then he continued solemnly: It's only fitting that things ends as they began. With just the two of us. Goodbye, Crusch, I'll always cherish your help and the support you lent me when I was at my weakest."
The Valkyrie's eyes turned moist as tears finally fell free, to continue their path and join the other streams of water, due to the heavy rain falling down no one but Subaru noticed. Yet, he had already looked away from her and to his stalwart shield.
Garfiel Tinsel considered himself a strong man, capable of shouldering great burdens, however the look his Captain gave him nearly broke him in half. A look filled with such loss and grief, for he was one of two people that knew that Subaru had lost all colors, and only saw his family and this women in front of them as shining beacons.
He knew Subaru didn't mean to be rude, or ignore them, he had broken down to Garfiel that ever since the death of their brother Otto Suwen, he had slowly lost the ability to retain color of the world, and it filled him with such rage as if it was a cruel prank from Kami-sama. He felt his empathy leaking out for each color he lost, filling him with apathy at the world, a disregard to the people he treasured just scant months ago. His biggest fear was that his captain would attempt to kill himself once more, he shivered at the thought of when he and Beatrice found him with a gun to his head, ready to end it all. Thanks to their quick reflexes they were able to make the gunshot divert to the wall, barely glancing his forehead.
Yet Subaru only cried for being denied his chance at freedom. After the events that had transpired which took his brother from him and several close friends, he simply hadn't been the same. However, he pulled himself up and promised to never commit such acts, and so far he had proved his desire to live.
Despite his condition, he kept being the Natsuki Subaru that he had befriended in school, all those years ago, and he would die for his brother. He wanted to jump up and rip this woman to shreds, yet even he could feel how unusual her abilities where. As fellow Luxians, it seemed like he just wasn't a match. Even if he harnessed his earth aura and tried to transform into what he called his beast mode, at best he could delay her.
No, if anyone had to face her, he knew who it was to be. The former lover of Natsuki Subaru, who had become unhinged and a threat to anyone around Subaru, could only be vanquished by his Captain. He sighed as he tried not to cry, however just like the green haired women next to him, he couldn't stop his tears from joining hers.
"Garfiel Tinsel, as your Captain and brother I am relaying my last orders. Are you ready soldier?"
The firm and determined tone of Subaru's voice was unwavering, even as he prepared to leave his friends and end this goddamn war. For his family, his friends, and the world. He needed to do one last thing and he gulped as he didn't want to die dammit!
Yet, he cannot let the miasma by her be released, if it corrupted Od the world was lost.
The blonde haired tiger boy looked and wiped his tears away as he gave a resolute expression. He got clapped on the shoulder by Subaru as he spoke:
"When the war is over, go investigate Vincent Abellux, I have a feeling that he had a part in making this corruption happen. We never saw his people under the influence of the miasma. Which tells us that he has either weaponized it and knows how to shield his soldiers, or that he can direct it. Nevertheless, proceed with caution."
Here he stopped speaking as tears of his own came out and he emotionally finished:
"Pleas… Please take car… care of Beako…."
His throat stopped working as he pulled himself away from his brother, who saluted and proclaimed:
"My amazin' self would rather die than bring ya disgrace, cap'n. Go forward and strike true, I'll make sure tha munchkin never feels to alone, and it was an honor to be your bro, Subaru…"
Garfiel and both Crusch wanted nothing more than to knock him unconscious and retreat, yet they could feel their skin tingling, as the power kept on growing more and more unstable. The silver haired woman seemed to be coming out of her trance state, and her amethyst eyes once more focused on the world surrounding her.
Subaru noticed this and hurried his steps as he walked calmly and methodically, emptying the clip of his Assault Rifle filled with Anti-Aura bullets, each one hitting the target, yet the seemed to do nothing.
As he was shooting he heard a garbled voice in his ear, courtesy of his communication headset:
"Master! What're are you doing, let this first class lady take care of the target! PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU ONCE MORE!"
He heard his sniper crying and he shook his head as he wiped a tear from his eye. She had come to his attention when Aura started being widespread and always called him her master. At first he thought she wasn't all there. Yet, he had never seen a finer sniper, who could redirect her Aura and cast an artillery barrage the likes could destroy a whole high rise building. He recruited her and pampered her when able, and he had forgotten how attached she had gotten to him.
With a quick verbal command as he kept shooting he replied:
"Shaula, as your master I order one last thing. When the time is right use the "Meteor" . I don't want any chances, you'll know when's your chance! I'm…. sorry for leaving you again, please help Garfiel if you want to honor my memory. Goodbye, Shaula."
He crushed his comm piece and threw it away as he briefly paused to reload. He looked at the damage he had done and cursed, all he saw where shadows everywhere.
After spending two clips methodically shooting and having pierced her heart and brain several times, he threw the rifle away as he pulled out two Nano carbon Tomahawks, the part where the handle meets the blade had an N. etched into it.
He calmly yet unhurriedly walked towards what he considered his death, and when facing his past lover, he auraged to make a small smile. With a breathy chuckle his eyes narrowed and he said:
"Last time I saw you, you were carted away in a body bag, Satella. Wait no, it's Ella isn't it. I saw Satella die, and she whispered thank you for saving the world of you. Apparently, you're tough to kill."
She looked at him impassively, dark tendrils of shadows surrounded her, clamoring around her body as if she ruled all the darkness in the world. She struggled for a bit to reply, but when she did it cleaved his heart:
"My beloved, everything I did was in order for us to be together, no one grieves Satella's death more than myself. Yet, don't you feel this wonderful ability surrounding us? Just give in my love, give in and we can both relish this Welt. We can be rulers, no longer needing to follow society's standards. For we are more, we are Luxians, and two of the most powerful I dare say. No more will we be weak and vulnerable as when we were attacked by that fanatical demon. No more, will my sister Emilia be sad for we will finally be together, as the family we should've been Natsuki Subaru."
Subaru's mind grew sick with the thought that this pale imitation of the women he loved treated everything with scorn and contempt but him. He gritted his teeth and shouted"
"WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT!? OTTO IS DEAD, AND FOR WHAT?! AS WELL AS P….." He stopped his tirade, as he knew she was too far gone. The corruption isn't her fault, he knows who has manipulated events for these circumstances to happen. He closed his eyes and reached up for a memory when he, Satella, and Beatrice went to eat ice cream.
Wiping away the smudges on her face while his sister pouted adorably, hearing the silver bell like laugh of his lover. All while the three of them where under the cherry blossom trees. What he would give to go back to those moments, he doesn't know. He would move heaven and earth to go back to the time when the sickness inside Satella started spreading, and cut it at its root. Yet, the world is made up of regrets, and there is no cure for it.
As she looked at Subaru. The emotions that ranged inside her mind were muted, she knew that she needed him desperately, to feel complete. Ever since the situations and unfortunate scenarios of her needing to dispose of enemies that dared look at her beloved. She had been unhinged and out of control, she didn't want to, not anymore.
Yet, the miasma alongside the death of her other half threw her in a bind, she could feel herself drowning, yet she had no way to stop. Death begets Death. Nothing will ever be the same. She looked up at the sky and with her enhanced vision could see the faint shimmer of Od, that she was corrupting unintentionally.
She wanted to stop this corruption, since with her end it would signify the beginning of a new future, albeit one without her and her beloved. She cried tears that evaporated as soon as they fell from her face. She stumbled when she felt something pierce her chest, she looked down and saw one of her beloved's Tomahawks cleaved inside her sternum.
She sighed as the shadows automatically removed it then threw it back at Subaru, who grasped it. And with both the former lovers in tears at the event that needed to happen to restore order, they decided to end it and rushed forward at each other.
Garfiel, Shaula, Crusch, Juulius, Felix, and even a certain flame haired man could feel when they collided since it shook the very city to its core, as if earthquakes suddenly manifested out of nowhere. Shaula while crying deployed their secret weapon Meteor. A small anti matter projectile infused with her Aura that would eradicate anything in a 300 ft radius. Subaru was worried that if launched without someone distracting Ella, she could've had shadows consume it.
The last thought that rang in Subaru's head was a wish to communicate with his sister one last time. And with that thought he and Ella disappeared, alongside anything in the radius of the explosion. As if they hadn't even existed, such was the capability of Meteor.
(Present Time)
A blonde haired young woman dreamt all of this as if she was looking through the perspective of her beloved brother, and even in her dreams, nothing but tears had been shed at the memory that she shouldn't have ever had. The helicopter rumbled along quietly, as Mimi wiped Monarch's tears who had curled up and was sobbing to herself. The mood felt sorrowful, as if the trio had interrupted on the mourning of an anguished victim. Ricardo shook his head and sighed as he knew that whatever had her crying, had to do with one of the few people he respected more than his boss lady.
With gentle stirring they landed in a clearing close to a cabin. Monarch got up groggily alongside Mimi, Hetaro, and Tivey. She felt nothing, for she didn't want any emotions showing on her face, she couldn't handle seeing him react to her pathetic self.
Yet all those thoughts melted away when the door swung open and a voice was heard that warmed her soul:
"Oi, ya gettin' shorter each time I see ya, Cap'n woulda been panickin' that ya don't eat enough."
Tears blurred in her eyes as she couldn't help herself until she felt herself in a warm embrace, as a pair of strong yet gentle arms soothed her. She relented and broke down crying as she returned the hug back, while she was patted on the head just as her brother used to do so long ago.
"It's alright let it all out Beatrice, welcom' home."
Author's Notes:
Well here's chapter 3, I kinda wanted to do an exposition on the war and such from before. Forgive me if the info dumping seemed like too much at times, but here we are.
Well this story is progressing quite nicely, I plan on two more chapters maybe then I'm switching back to Harmony to try to finish Arc 1 of it. Afterwards, I want to start Stalker arc 2. I haven't forgotten Shaula fans mates, and Sagebaru will be getting a chapter next week as well.
I forgot how long it's been since I wrote Garfiel's speech.
Also this won't be the only episode that will touch on the war, or the only chapter depicting the scene. The story is building as I go, so thank you and patience you amazing readers.
Everyone stay safe out there.
Oh yeah Welt, is World in German. Just FYI.
Till next chapter!
