Echoes Beyond Time

Part 1

Author: Shamise

Disclaimer: I dont own Soul Nomad and the World Eaters.

Notes: This story takes lace after the whole timeline in SN. I might work on the plot to this and make it a multi-chapter ic, but as of now, it is a two-chapter fic. Enjoy! (this chapter is also unbeta-ed. so, please forgive any grammatical errors.)

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"Mama? Mama?!" Revya's throat burned, clouded by the smoke that hovered in the air. Confusion and fear made the little ten year old frantic in her search. Her mama would know why the mean strangers were burning the houses, and why her dad wouldn't wake up to protect them.

Quietly, she sneaked past a group of the mean strangers, ignoring their crude comments on how poor and useless this village was. Useless? How could they be useless? There was always enough crop produce to last a year and they even had their own guards!

Casting a glance at the strangers, she noticed that they were starting to herd up the children and the women into a small circle out in the open. She didn't really see the reason to this, but it kept their attention off of her. On a second thought, she scanned the faces of the people gathered there, looking for her mama. Most of them were people she knew but never really talked to, and there were a couple of kids that she had played with before too. But her mama wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a clammy hand reached out for her from a darkened doorway, silencing the scream that was forming in her throat. Another hand joined the first and dragged her into the shadows of a house. Millions of thoughts buzzed in her head. Who caught her?! She kicked and struggled, praying that she would get loose.

"Stop moving, Revya!" a familiar voice commanded harshly into her ear. "Do you want them to find us?!"

'Mama!' Revya nearly burst into tears in relief at her mama's voice. She promptly stopped kicking and turned around to embrace her mama when the woman's grip loosened.

"What's going on, Mama?" she asked when the hand was removed from her mouth. "Why are they burning our houses?"

"They're bandits, Revya. Mean nasty people who steal from the weak and defenseless. They kidnap children and kill their parents to make money."

The word 'kill' make Revya shiver. The only kind of killing that went on in her village was for cattle. Senseless brawls were punished severely and unwarranted violence was near non-existent.

"Listen closely, Revya. We have to get out of here. If those bandits catch us then its all over. Do you understand?"

Revya nodded her answer, feeling unsure and nervous about what was going on. She had never heard her mama be so serious before and it was scaring her. "Wait," she called as her mama started to lead her through the house. "What about Dad? He won't get up. Isn't he coming with us?"

"He won't get up?" Her mama looked so sad at her words. "Was there blood nearby?" Revya answered yes, she had thought that he had only scraped his arm getting out of bed. "Then…he's already rejoined the cycle, Revya. We'll have to go on our own." Her mama's voice was thick with tears as she said that, and she tightened her grip on Revya's hand. Revya stood there in shock. Her papa was dead?

Before she had any chance to think it over a shout from outside the house made her mama tense up. The crackle of a fire being started and the smell of fresh smoke poured in through the door and window. Her mama yelled a curse and pulled Revya into the kitchen, when the fire had not yet spread. Revya coughed as the smoke followed them. Mama grabbed two knives from a drawer as they passed and they ran for the back door.

Shouts sprang up when they emerged from the back of the house. Revya was dragged at a breakneck pace as they fled from the pursuing bandits. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stumbled, fear gripped her heart tightly. Mama suddenly stopped, spun around, knelt down on one knee and held Revya tightly to her chest.

"I'm going to distract them, Revya." she whispered into Revya's ear. "When I do, you must run away. Fast. Faster than you have ever ran before. Don't worry about me; I'm going to go get your papa. You must live, Revya. Do you understand?"

"B-but-" She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell her not to leave her behind. She held on tightly to Mama's waist and trembled.

"No 'buts'!" Mama's eyes softened at Revya's look of fear. "You'll be fine. Mama and Papa are gonna get an angel just for you. We will always love you, never forget that!" She paused to stand up and face the upcoming bandits. "Now run!"

Revya stood frozen, heedless of her mama's words, and could only watch in horror as her mama charged at the bandits with a war cry.

The red-haired Sepp bandit, startled at the sudden display of aggression, reacted defensively. He lifted up his weapon, a rusty saber, and Revya's mama ran right into it, taking a swing at the bandit's throat with her dying breath.

Revya's eyes widened as her mama sank to the ground, her expression triumphant yet surprised at the same time when her knife cut a deep gash in the bandit's throat. Her green eyes dulled as her life slipped away and she whispered one last word for her daughter.

"R…run…."

A heart-broken scream tore through the air, and it took a moment for Revya to realize that the sound came from her mouth. Her mind was incapable of thought and the only thing she could see was her mama's lifeless form lying on the ground. "M-mama?" Revya's voice trembled and her hand reached futilely for her mama. No. She couldn't be dead. Mama couldn't be dead!

The bandit who killed Revya's mama cursed and a healer rushed up immediately. Another bandit, this one a green-haired Sepp, advanced towards Revya with a demented grin on his face.

'Run, Revya!'

She flinched as the Sepp bandit reached for her and she immediately turned tail and ran. The Sepp bandit laughed and gave chase, obviously enjoying her terror. She dodged burning houses, her lungs aching for air as the smoke dried her throat and cramps attacked her muscles. An arrow suddenly whizzed past her ear, she stumbled in reflex and the small split-second pause allowed the Sepp bandit to catch up. Revya screeched in pain and fear as her arm was grabbed and she was yanked back.

"Aw, com'on little lady. Don't' be like that." He sneered as she struggled vainly in his grip. "We just wanna play-Ouch!" Revya, in her desperation, had swung at him with her knife and she actually managed to cut the bandit on his left arm. Instantly, the Sepp bandit's taunting demeanor vanished. His face turned livid and he barred his teeth at her. He violently tossed Revya to the ground. She scrambled to turn over and run, but fear was clouding her mind and she couldn't coordinate her limbs enough to actually stand up.

"Bitch!" He screamed. Revya sat frozen on the ground as the Sepp bandit lunged at her with his weapon. She closed her eyes tight, not wanting to watch as her death approached and she prayed that her mama or papa would come to rescue her.

The swish of metal cutting though the air and the scream that followed made her heart stop. She tensed in suspense, waiting for the pain to start. Wait a minute…her mouth wasn't open. So how was she screaming?

"Aww, don't tell me that you're down after that? I only cut off your hand, I can't hurt that bad."

Revya's head snapped up at the unfamiliar voice. The Sepp bandit lay kneeling on the ground just a few feet from her, holding his arm…which was missing a hand! Her eyes widened at the sight of the severed hand laying just a few inches off to the side.

"Damn you." The Sepp spat, his eyes focused somewhere above her head. "She's my catch. How dare you interfere!"

"Your catch? I seriously doubt it, cow. I've had my claim on the kid since before your mom was born" The Sepp snarled at the stranger's response and stubbornly reached out with his good hand for Revya, malice and hate clear in his eyes. Revya flinched back, and gasped in surprise when her back collided with someone's legs.

A metal pole suddenly stabbed at the ground in front of her, distinctly separating her from the Sepp bandit, and in turn, trapping her against the stranger's legs. The Sepp's glare was directed upwards and Revya found herself looking in the same direction.

The weapon was a scythe, its blade tinted red. The person wielding the scythe was a blue-eyed man with gray-colored hair that did not match his youthful appearance. His body was mostly hidden from view by a dark brown cloak and his skin was a little more pale than what she was used to seeing. His whole being oozed smug arrogance and she couldn't help but feel as if she had seen him before.

The man noticed her gaze and he glanced down at her, giving a smug grin as he did so. "Hey, kid. Long time no see." His voice, though rough, made her feel safe; which was weird because she had no idea who he was. "Uh-oh, looks like reinforcements are here."

It took Revya a few moments to look away from the stranger and back at where the Sepp bandit was laying. A healer had come over and was trying to stop the blood flowing from his severed wrist. Many more bandits were lurking nearby, weapons at the ready.

"Oh-no! Looks like the widdle baby bandits want to play." Revya flinched when all the bandits collectively took a menacing step forward. What was with this guy?! Was he trying to get himself killed?!

"What is your business here?" A lavishly dressed bandit, obviously the leader, demanded. "Are you with the knights?"

"K-knight?" the stranger chocked offensively. "What the hell do you take me for?! Do I look like a pansy ass knight to you?!" Revya shivered in fear at the stranger's tone. He barely sparred her a glance longer than two seconds, but in that time his eyes seemed to…change, soften. "Tch." His attention snapped back to the enclosing bandits.

"If you're not a knight, then what business do you have here?" This question only seemed to rile the stranger's temper.

"Good god! Are all you mortals so stupid? Or is it just you cows? My 'business' is the kid here. I'm taking her back with me. Did'ja understand that? Do I need to talk slower for you?"

Revya winced when the bandit's leader tensed. With a flick of the Sepp's wrist, a trio of bandits came rushing at them. She ducked into a ball, praying that whatever happened next it wouldn't be painful. The man above her whispered, "Finally, some action." And stepped over her in what could be mistaken as a guarding position.

Revya could only watch with stunned silence as the stranger dispatched all three bandits with ease. He barely had to move two feet from her too.

"Aww, come on! At least give me a workout!" his lazy pose only taunted the bandits more and soon enough there were multiple groups of them trying to take him down. The scythe spun through the air, hacking down weapons and limbs that got too close. He was laughing the entire time and looked like he was at a festival and not in the middle of a bandit raid.

The bandits were down to a dozen people now, including their leader. None of them wanted to advance any further and they looked at the stranger with wariness now.

"Done already? And I was just getting warmed up!" he took a menacing step forward and sneered when they flinched. He turned around and swaggered back to where Revya was. Revya, startled at his approach, rolled onto her feet and tried to run away.

"Where're you going?" The stranger grabbed her arm as she ran, immediately stopping her escape. She struggled as hard as she could, but nothing she did would loosen the stranger's grip. "Chill out would'ja, Kid? You act like I'm gonna hurt you, hehe."

Revya could only stare at him incredulously. Of course she thought he was going to hurt her! He just maimed and killed a whole raiding party of bandits for no reason! How on earth was she supposed to 'chill out?'

The stranger couldn't help but snicker at her expression, and Revya felt her pride rise. Who was he to mock her tried emotions?!

"Ooo! Finally, there's some fire! For a moment there, I thought the rebirth-cycle really messed you up this time." The stranger exclaimed. "Too bad I have to knock you out."

W-what?!" Revya squeaked.

"Oh, don't sound so surprised. Honestly, with the way you tried to take off earlier I'm sure that you'll try again as soon as possible . And it's just a hassle to kidnap someone who will try to run away." Revya leaned as far away as she could, fear creeping into her eyes, "D-don't give me that look! You're gonna make me sick!" The stranger's grimace would have been comical if not for the situation.

She flinched when the stranger's hand reached for her face and she struggled as deft fingers found a specific nerve. Just the right amount of pressure was applied and Revya was out cold.

"Sleep tight." he whispered to the now unconscious Revya. He was rather surprised that he had found her. In her past lives he had either found her when she was old or when she was dying. Luck was on his side this time. Heh, it had nothing to so with luck. He just annoyed the hell out of Haephness until she got sick of him being up there.

With uncharacteristic softness, he lifted the Kid into his arms. Now that she couldn't move, escaping would be just a little bit more challenging. Wielding a scythe mostly required two hands, but he had enough experience to make do with one. He hoisted the Kid over his shoulder -- like a sack of hotpods -- and glanced back at the bandits. It looked like they were getting their second wind, so it was time for Escape Plan B.

using his scythe for dramatic effect, he pointed in some random direction and yelled. "Look! It's the Grand Cordon!"

And when everyone's head was turned he ran like hell in the opposite direction.

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