Chapter 26: Defense of the AZRAEL
Emiline's View
"Emiline... it's time I told you the truth."
The truth? What kind of truth?
"What do you mean, the truth?"
"Before we continue your spiritual training, I must tell you about our origin."
"Our?!"
Anima sprouted a stalk from the white floor and sat on it. She formed four thin trees behind me that were clumped closely and bent them into a chair shape. I decided to sit down on it. She used her magic to create an ordinary coffee table, snacks and tea included. I grabbed a cookie and I ate it.
"Emiline, do you remember your father?" she asked.
"Yeah, he was a scientist, right?"
She nodded. A screen appeared beside her, showing an image of my dad.
He looked like he was in his mid-20s, but he told me he's actually 45. His hair is blonde, styled in a clean yet somewhat messy style and his eyes are red. He wears a pair of circular glasses and usually wears a lab coat with black collared button shirt that has the upper buttons unbuttoned. Under his shirt are a pair of black trousers with chestnut colored loafers.
The sight of dad was refreshing. I just wonder how dad is doing?
"Anima, do you have any knowledge of his current sitch?"
She shook her head.
"I am a Magi of Life, ask your friend, Holly, about your father."
I nodded to this.
"Continuing on, have you ever wondered how he managed to seep your soul into your artificial body?"
I shook my head. I thought he transferred my brain into that new body. But Soul?! Did he know about the Rukh?
"Did he know about the Rukh about before I was born?"
She nodded.
"Your father was a scientist working under Zalam. He was a happy scientist who enjoyed creating life through artificial bodies. When he met your mother and got married, he left the science department to live a life in peace,"
"Who's my mother?" I asked.
"Her name was Anna Mandelin, she had your eyes too, but she died when you 'died' again,"
"How did she die?" I needed to know. I never knew about mother.
"I killed her, because..."
"Because?!"
Her eyes stared at me sternly; staring into my dilated pupils.
"I'M your mother."
This is a huge revalation. My mom is Anima herself. I didn't know what to think anymore.
"Emiline, my daughter, I had to keep myself safe from Zalam's powers. Like the darkness, it absorbs anything. Her goal is to absorb our powers and eventually enshroud the world in complete abyssal darkness. I thought being a part of your would help me recover my powers, but it was a trap. Zalam had already placed a seal in your head that slowly absorbs my power. Were it to be faster, my ego would soon take over hers quickly."
"Couldn't she have just absorbed you right then and there while leaving your ego?" I asked.
"Your father is also friends with Holly and she used her Light powers to repel the darkness. The only way she could enter without getting hurt was through your artificial body. He managed to sneak in a limb before it was too late."
"That makes sense."
A screen appeared in front of her and it displayed an image of what looked like a dark ruin.
"It's time I told you about Alma Torran..."
The screen transformed into a glowing orb and she put it on my head. The vision of her faded and it was replaced by an image of a wilderness full of bizarre animals. The sight of these animals were quite disturbing yet enticing at the same time. Pig humanoids, hydras with creepy human heads, and many bizarre creatures ran around the world.
"This is Alma Torran, before Solomon ruled it..."
Time skipped, and it shifted into a scene with the animals brutally murdering each other. The blood and the gore was a horrifying sight.
"As soon as numbers grew and lands were dominated, the beasts clashed each other and Alma Torran went into chaos. The strong reap the weak and gain their territory."
An image of a crevice appeared before me. A group of what looked like humans were hiding in the midst of the savage chaos.
"As you can see, humanity was the weakest race of this world... not until King Solomon came in."
Flames engulfed the whole area and revealed a grand kingdom with many people praising King Solomon, his Magi, and 72 Household members. The Magi of Life giggled for a bit.
"Before you ask about where we are, it's time I told you how Alma Torran was created..."
Darkness consumed the kingdom and showed Anima, with a ring made of vines floating behind her. A lady with white hair and a ragged gray dress came out from behind her with a wreath of bones floating behind her head. A man with golden armor and a red cape appeared behind the other female, with what looked like a metallic sun symbol floating behind him. The last person to appear was Zalam, clad in a black dress. Her purple hair blended with the darkness and a ring of two conjoined moons floated behind her head.
"We are the creators of Alma Torran. We were the first to be born, each gifted with a power that "
"Life."
I suddenly found myself in a lush forest filled with green forests and lush plants. Many innocent woodland animals pranced around me, much to my joy. A series of dust and Rukh formed in front of me and shaped into Anima.
"The Aspect of Mending and Renewal. I was the one who created life and the world."
Soon, all of the trees and animals died out. I was surprised by this sudden shift of events. I looked behind me and saw the lady in the ragged dress.
"That is Ereshkigal. She shepherds the dead and is the embodiment of death and expiration. We already knew that living forever is a hard burden for the living, and Ereshkigal brought death, aging and disease in this world."
"She looks quite creepy and forlorn," I said.
"She may look like it, but she's quite a sweetheart."
The living and the dead were in quiet yet blind harmony. There was still darkness. Suddenly,a brilliant light illuminated the whole area, revealing all of the green trees, the yellow ones, the living and dead animals. Appearing before the two Magi was a man with pure white hair that reached up to his ears. He wears golden armor and dons a red cape. His looks could make any woman gawk over him.
"Saura is the Magi of Light. His ever happy face as bright as the sun as well as strong perception made him worthy to use the power of Light, which is the aspect of truth and discovery."
"I'm guessing that with light, also comes shadows?"
"Yes," she replied,"You are correct."
"Light also has a shadow, and that's the same with Saura. The shades from his light formed a governor of the shadows and the night: Zalam."
"I'm guessing since she's some sort of second banana, she was fueled by envy to do evil deeds?"
She shook her head.
"None of us were what you described as 'second bananas'. We all played a crucial role in creating Alma Torran. Both Ereshkigal and I continued the cycle of life and death, and Saura and Zalam were the ones who created the sun and the moon of Alma Torran."
"Now that I know about the origin of Alma Torran, how did Zalam find my world?"
"Moments prior to Alma Torran's fall to the Medium, Zalam, escaped and Solomon had used the last of his magic to protect his Magis. After the Black Sun rose over Alma Torran, most of humanity actually left to the world he created. Solomon and his Djinn, Ugo were the few survivors. The rest of Solomon's Magi disappeared, and the only Magi he had left was us. We were about to be sent to his world, but a rogue albeit loyal Household member, Orobas approached us. He told us of the whereabouts of Zalam. A world similar to ours. Solomon has said that the origins of that world remain unknown and remain debatable to many nations. This world also is a world without magic, so technology had a higher development rate; a perfect world for Zalam to prepare a powerful army, according to Saura."
"But why did she want to create an army and invade this world?" I asked.
"...I don't know."
Tenzen Plateau
"Lady Hakuei, Lord Kouha, it's nightfall, we should take a camp here," Dorji commented.
"Aye," Hakuei said.
In a few hours, the whole expedition army and vanguard had already set up large groups of tents, with Kouha being the fanciest due to his vanity. They were to head to the Magnostadt coast in the east and head toward Sasan to fight AZRAEL and take over Sasan. While the soldiers, Households, and Magicians conversed with each other casually, Kouha and Hakuei were in his tent, discussing about AZRAEL.
"So, have you heard anything new about AZRAEL?" Kouha asked.
"No, but I really hope that AZRAEL won't come to us next. I've heard from Intelligence that AZRAEL are a military army that come from a distant future."
"Heh, I heard they only relied on technology. Nothing Leraje can't cut through," Kouha said as he laid back on his seat.
"I suggest you should take that back, little brother. The soldiers have bested Sasan, a powerful nation with a powerful King," Hakuei warned.
"First of all, please don't call me little brother. Second, they were preemptively attacked, so if we were to attack them, maybe it would be different. A LOT."
*gunshot*
The Prince and Princess immediately got up and ran out of the tent, toward the source of the noise. All of the soldiers equipped their spears, swords, and other weapons. Hakuei and Kouha stood in front of the soldiers and saw a man in black armor holding a pistol. A small group of soldiers holding assault rifles stood behind the leader and aimed at the soldiers. Hakuei and Kouha readied their weapons in case they would attack.
"Turn back, Kou Empire troops, lest it cost your life and your nation."
"Who are you people?" Kouha shouted at the soldier.
"My name is Leo Yan," he introduced himself, "That will be the last name you'll hear if you don't turn back."
"Why are you doing this, Leo? Why are you conquering nations brutally?" Hakuei questioned.
Leo shook his head, as if he has heard this many times before.
"I'm pretty sure you don't wish to fight right now, Lady Hakuei, and you, Lord Kouha, wish to not send your forces to such a reckless death."
He extended his arms to both sides and walked forward a few steps.
"So, do you want to continue your advance and break your moral limits, or will you turn back?"
Hakuei had a visible sign of annoyance, and the Crimson butcher of the Kou Empire didn't want to see his stepsister have that face.
"Well, you guys seem to be in a pickle. Care if I make a proposition?"
Kouha, though annoyed as Hakuei, raised a brow in the midst of that infuriated and annoyed face.
"If we beat the strongest, that means we beat all of you," he gazed at the Kou soldiers with a haunting stare,"I can sense their fear."
He twirled his gun and aimed upward and fired a shot. He twirled his firearm back into his holster and pointed at the two King Vessels.
"If you two decide to fight, then you guys have a chance to reload your Magoi twice," he unsheathed what looked like a sword handle on his left hip, revealing a purple energy sword,"and no interference from your Magicians or Household, but you can ask them to reload your Magoi."
Kouha stepped forward and rested his large sword on his right shoulder; a sadistic face on his unblemished face.
"So, you think you can stop us?!"
"I don't think so..." Leo said in a stern voice.
Hakuei had a skeptical look on her face.
"I know so!"
Suddenly, a large earthquake was heard and a humanoid automaton, the size of the Black Djinn in Magnostadt, rose out from a black portal. The physique of the robot resembled what Kouha described as "similar to brother En". The head resembled a gladiator helmet and his body is armored in large metallic plates colored black. The trims of the robot are a metallic purple.
"Heh, so you made some sort of contraption to combat against Households?" his Metal Vessel shone a dark aura,"Nyoi Rentou!"
He planted his sword on the ground and used its growth to elevate himself until his body met up with the head of the robot. He stared at the head of the automaton with a sadistic smile.
"Oh the large amount of carnage I will deal on your putrid material," he leapt forward with his shrunken blade and did a front flip before swinging downward with his sword.
As soon as his sword pointed toward the sky, he activated his sword's power again, making it grow large. The large sword crashed toward the mech, but it fluidly dodged it, much to the man's surprise. The gargantuan fist of the robot was about to punish to 18-year old man, but was guarded by a shield of wind. Hakuei was the one who formed this shield. She equipped her Djinn, and now wields her signature feather spear.
"Hakuei," Kouha said softly,"Thank you."
He consumed himself in Leraje's power and soon transformed into a different being. His black sword has become a pink scythe and his hair has become purple and more feminine. Wings composed of pink crystals sprout out behind his back, and his arms gained light purple scales. His clothes have now shifted into a robe wrapped around his waist.
"This thing looks way smarter than a Black Djinn," Hakuei noted.
"Then I'll just have to slice it quickly," he quickly dashed with extreme speed, but was immediately shot down from an unknown explosive.
Kouha dropped, but quickly recovered shortly.
"What the hell? Are you chums in league with the Reim Empire?"
"Do you really believe we are in league with the Reim Empire?" said a heavy weapons man, holding a bazooka.
"Nrgh!"
Hakuei's arm felt a sharp pain from a mysteriously fast projectile.
"We are not from your world, King Vessels," said a female sniper.
"Magul Al'Hazard!"
A large tornado was formed and knocked away the ground soldiers. Some have been thrown far away, effectively reducing the number of opponents. Some fell from a large height, but were still able to move thanks to their shock absorbing technology. Hakuei was merely surprised at the durability of the soldiers.
"How did they survive from such a height?"
Leo did a few signals to the remaining soldiers. Two of them nodded and put their joined their hands with their palms sticking out. Leo pressed a few buttons on his wrist, activating a jet pack. He leapt on the soldiers' hands and leapt high into the air. When he was at a safe distance, he activated his jet pack and shot toward Hakuei. He clashed her spear with his energy sword, but the White Princess kicked her away and shot him with a focused wind blast toward his chest, blowing him away harshly.
"Who should we focus on?" Kouha asked.
"I'll try wiping away the forces," Hakuei said as she raised her spear into the air, "You should focus on the giant."
Hakuei focused her powers and created four large tornadoes surrounding her. She started to spin around with her spear extended outward, forming a large tornado around herself. The five tornadoes sucked in the army of mysterious soldiers and tossed them faraway. Leo, the shock trooper, and the sniper were one of the survivors.
"Soiree, arm the Magoi Suppressor," Leo commanded.
"Roger," the Sniper pulled the bolt, releasing a used bullet and inserted a bullet with a black glow into the bolt.
"Ross, activate the Sirocco and defend the Netzach."
"Aye aye, Captain."
Ross, the shock trooper shot a rocket into the sky. Suddenly, a UAV zipped through the air, holding a large crate larger than a human. It dropped it right on top of Ross, but he used his arms to carry it. The box merged with Ross and he suddenly transformed into a quadrupedal battle mech with two machine guns in front of him and four "boxes" of rocket launchers, each with six barrels. The robot leapt up high and started to fire bullets at Kouha as he was charging toward the Netzach. Kouha heard the fire and immediately enlarged his scythe to block the bullets. This was a bad move on his part. The Netzach threw a mighty spike with both hands on his exploited body, sending him down to the ground. His magicians quickly ran to him and fed him the Seventh Element.
"Lord Kouha, let us help you fight hi-" Junjun was shot on the leg and fell down to the ground. She was hit with a numbing dart.
"What kind of alien technology is this?" Junjun questioned as she held her numb leg.
"If you dare try to assist your Lord in combat, I'll aim an actual gun to your head," Leo said sternly.
The commander looked at Kouha, who is now recovered fully.
"How about this, kid: I'll not use the robot, but if you beat me, I guess I'll have to withdraw,"
"How about I kill BOTH of you!" shouted Kouha as he charged head on toward Leo.
He attempted to swing at him, but he dodged with a simple sidestep. He aimed his gun at Kouha and fired at his hip. The prince felt pain in his abdomen, but he continued to charge at him. He didn't charge in with the blade, but he charged with the hammer. He did an overhead swing to Leo, but he hit the ground as the Commander leapt backward. Kouha smiled mischievously as a burst of power erupted underneath Leo. He was suddenly launched into the air and Kouha came in for the kill. Leo recovered in time and clashed his energy sword with his scythe, much to the surprise of the androgynous man.
"How is your sword able to hold against my weapon?" Kouha said with eyes wide as discs.
Leo smiled madly and quickly did a front flip forward. Kouha was behind him and he immediately kicked him away from him. While most Djinn Equipped Kings gained superhuman sturdiness, Kouha is surprised that one without Djinn Equip could equal a King Vessel like him. Suddenly, Hakuei appeared and clashed blades with him. She peppered him with heavy swings and lunges while he parried most of them with ease.
"Right," he swung to his right in response to her diagonal swing downward from the left.
"Center," her lunge missed as Leo sidestepped.
"Left," he clashed the swing from her right.
The sound of an approaching tornado was heard. Leo's eyes expressed sudden surprise.
"Shit."
A curved tornado socked him upward as if the wind was a boxer. As the wind dissipated, so did he. Hakuei was surprised from his sudden disappearance.
"What are you people?" Hakuei said.
*clang*
Kouha stood behind Hakuei's back, using his slightly enlarged scythe to block out a sword swing from Leo. Kouha looked behind him and smiled at his cousin.
"I've got your back, cousin," Kouha said.
Suddenly, a shot was heard in the distance. Kouha felt the same sudden sharp pain on his arm and soon, his Djinn armor dissipated. His left arm now had a bullet wound that caused intense swelling, and that swell seemed to block out his Magoi flow.
"Kouha!"
"Relax, princess, Kouha's wound will recover in a few hours," Leo said calmly, "And since he can't Equip his Djinn, we'll spare him as we deem him defeated."
"Don't you dare mock me like that you bastard!" Kouha grabbed his sword and charged at him recklessly.
Kouha tried to swing at him five times, but his swings were rugged and predictable, making Leo's dodging and parrying much more easy. He knocked him down with a kick, and the prince lay on his bottom. His attempt to get up was halted by a girl with short blonde hair wearing similar armor to Leo. A large sniper rifle rests behind her and she pointed a pistol to his head.
"Once I pull this trigger, your head will explode," she simply said, "Don't move. And neither you should interfere, princess."
Kouha gritted his teeth in anger and defeat. When he turned his head to his assistants, he realized that a small group of soldiers held them at gunpoint. They all put up their hands.
"Don't even think you can recover your Metal Vessel by their magic. Your Magoi flow to your sword is blocked."
It was only Hakuei left, and clearly, she was outnumbered. A shock trooper in a mech suit, a sniper pinning Kouha down with a pistol to his head, an army pointing their guns at the rest of the army if she were to go against their rules, and Leo, a powerful swordsman who can match a Djinn Equipped King.
"Screw the rules..." Hakuei said with an ecstatic smile.
Suddenly, she, Kouha, his magicians, and the whole army were surrounded by a tornadoes. They were in the center, keeping them safe, while the soldiers were blown away to far distances. Leo was the only one left, and boy did he have a surprised look. Hakuei leapt toward him and attempted to hit him with her spear, but he dodged and was about to slice her back, only to be swatted away by Kouha's sword. Even when he used the sharp edge, that armor still absorbed most of the damage, leaving only a small scar on its hull. Even with that damage, Kouha was still strong, and his assistants used strength magic on his sword to increase the damage output.
When he was close enough, Leo used his jet pack to halt his knockback and he flew to the Netzach. Ross hovered beside him in Sirocco with Soiree hanging on the roof of the vehicle.
"Even if my army is thrown faraway from here, we're still here," Leo announced.
The Netzach revealed two Gatling guns from its shoulders and aimed it at Hakuei and the rest of the army.
"This machine gun will tear all of you to shreds, so leave now, and I promise you and your army no further casualties."
"Quit the honorable act, you bunch of tyrants!" Kouha spat.
"You're one to talk, girly boy," Ross commented with a snarky look on his face.
Suddenly, a large woman appeared beside Kouha. He turned and saw her. Her figure was slightly muscly, yet retained female curves. Her blue hair reaches to her neck and her eyes are as blue as the ocean. She wears a white ragged poncho, hiding her simple leather armor that covers her left breast. Underneath is is a white shirt that extends to her upper abs and accentuates her slightly muscly hourglass figure. She wears white shorts and has blue furry greaves. Standing at 6'3 and holding a Unicorn Horn, she smiled confidently as she faced the robot.
"W-who are you?" Kouha questioned to the Imuchakkan lady.
No response, just a smiling face staring at the gargantuan mech.
Author's Notes
So here it is. Last week, I still needed to rest after my 3-day camp. Also, I had to deal with school projects and tests as well as finish my Writing Class assignments. Next week, I promise another chapter. It may or may not be late for my Friday deadline.
Also, one review is enough for The Wild and The Mild to continue. I really doubt that I'd even exceed 10 reviews in any of my fics, but it's still possible.
Also, thank you all for reading this. Thanks to your support, I managed to reach 2k views on Abra Cadaver :D