Author's Note: I'm new here, and this is my very first fiction to be published here, therefore, I will need every little help I can get to get improved. Just to warn you all, this story is based on another SO3 fanfiction titled Two Soldiers: Fire and Ice authored by Artemis' Bow (yes, this is a fanfiction of a fanfiction), hence, there will be some shoujo-ai implied as well. This is only a prologue, so it's (very) short in nature. Please read and review. Enjoy.
Disclaimers #1: Star Ocean characters, names, and its related properties are the rightful properties of Square-Enix. I don't own any of it except a copy of the game, and my own original characters in this fic.
Disclaimers #2: Once again…this is a fanfiction of a fanfiction. A credit to Artemis' for her excellent work which forms the groundwork for me to tinker with, her approval, and on the top of that, her encouragement. Without those, I'll never have the courage to publish this.
The Third Soldier: Another Heart
Prologue
Palmira Plains, Aquaria, halfway to the riverfront village Arias, three days after the destruction of the celestial ships in the skies of Aquaria-Airyglyph border.
An Aquarian female soldier stepped up a hill. Her jet black eyes scanned her surroundings, looking for any possible problem that might hinder her cause.
"The road ahead is clear. At this rate, we should be able to reach Arias before sunset." She lifted her voice, as if talking to herself, then looked back to see another soldier of her company, "Sisera, tell the men to get ready. We'll march soon."
"Yes, ma'am."
At the blow of the adjutant's horn, a rank of 200 men rose to their feet. Most of them are fresh soldiers who hadn't actually tasted war at its fullest. Yet, they were destined to head to a place which once had been the fiercest front line during the Aquaria-Airyglyph war—Arias.
Fortunately—or unfortunately, depending to whom you're talking to, whatever they were going to do there was far from warring Airyglyph.
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"Commander Yvikka?"
The dark-haired commander looked up at the soft voice beside her, and was slightly perplexed upon finding her adjutant's almost-lost look on her face.
"What is it? Is something bothering you?"
Sisera, the adjutant, slowly shook her head, as if trying to get something off it.
"I just want to ensure once again: It is the Shield Legion which is in charge of Arias, correct?"
"That's correct. Why do you ask?"
Her adjutant sighed, her amber-colored eyes locked to her commander's jet black, "Then why would we, the Chain Legion, be the ones sent there? Wouldn't it be more appropriate if they send another company of the Shield Legion?"
The question was met by a shrug from her commander, but from the looks of her face, Sisera was certain that Yvikka had a guess about it.
"I don't know that for sure, but I am sure that this must be Magistrate Laselle's idea."
"Laselle?"
"Yes. Try think about it a bit. If a company of the Shield Legion was to be the relief force for Arias, that company would have to be from the Aquios garrison. Magistrate Laselle probably saw that as 'security compromise', therefore, he decided he couldn't afford the attempt."
Sisera frowned upon the answer. Her face was anything but pleased.
"That makes sense," the brunette adjutant sighed while faintly nodding her head, "When Laselle is around, nowhere seems to be safe enough to him."
Sisera then glanced over at her commander, and decided to get some other piece of her mind off.
"And it seems that you are... unusually pleased with that, commander," she asked teasingly.
The commander smiled, giving her adjutant another teasing look of her own, and replied with a smile.
"Why should I be displeased either?"
While the answer had genuinely made her adjutant become reluctant to ask any further, Yvikka was truly happy beyond words for she was given the taskof Arias. She was happy for she had been given the chance to work closely with some certain persons who had always fascinated her.
End of Prologue
