Drifters

Magic: Those who have a strong enough Linker Core can properly wield magic, those who study and teach Magic are called Mages or Knights depending on the practitioner's style.

Record 02: Rough Welcome

It hurts…

Every single fiber in his body hurts. Yet, Angeal doesn't see anything wrong with that. He was finally given the release that he craved by the person he trusted the most, his student: Zack Fair. He can only smile that soon his life will come to an end. He will be free from the curse he and Genesis have carried unknowingly.

"Zack…" Angeal called out.

Angeal watched his student stumble towards him, eyes widening in surprise. He watched those blue eyes water.

"Angeal…" Zack landed on his knees next to him, "Oh Goddess… Angeal."

"You did well Zack." Angeal smiled at Zack, deep inside he knew that what he just did was one of the cruelest thing he could to the boy. Yet, he couldn't help but feel proud of his student; he managed to defeat the monster inside him. "This is for you."

In his hand Angeal handed to Zack his pride and honor, the Buster Sword. There was no other he could trust with his weapon. He could feel his life diminishing from his body, he had to go.

"Zack," Angeal gave his student one last smile before closing his eyes. "Protect your honor always."

After that, Angeal couldn't feel anything anymore. He let the feeling of emptiness and serenity fill him before he became one with the Lifestream. This will be his way of repenting his sins. However, he did not expect landing on a hard surface.

Angeal noticed something was wrong. He was still in pain, which was odd since he was supposed to be in the Lifestream. He was supposed to no longer have a physical body to feel pain with. He didn't believe that there would be a surface to land on in the Lifestream either. Deciding to find out what happened he opened his eyes and found himself looking around. He was starting to wonder what happened.

Angeal was in a white endless hall, hundreds of doors were closed side by side. He looked down at himself, only to find that his skin and hair color were returning how they were before the incident, his clothing was almost in shreds but still wearable. Even his injury on his chest was gone only to be replaced by a large scar. He was back to normal almost, except for the pain on his entire body.

Angeal started to walk towards the right, looking for a way out of his hallway. He tried some of the doors but they were sealed shut. No matter how hard he tried the door wouldn't budge. He continued walking in what felt like hours, there was no end.

Finally he saw something in the distance, someone behind a desk. Angeal let out a small sigh of relief, he finally found someone else. He picked up speed toward the person behind the desk. When he was finally at close range with the man, the man started to type something.

Angeal came to a complete stop when he noticed his name on one of the screens, it contained his personal info. He kept looking at the screen watching as it pulled up every single piece of information that there was on him.

AB0343-0825

Angeal Hewley

SOLDIER 1st Class Commander

Age: 26

DOB: AB0317-0519

Blood: O

Home world: Gaia

Weapons: Materia Bracer, EV-G Cells

"Who are you?" Angeal asked, "Where am I?"

Angeal was starting to get uncomfortable with the amount of information the man had on him. When he saw the bottom of the screen two words were slowly typed.

Contract Approved…

Angeal didn't have time to hear a response as several chains wrapped around his body. Angeal tried with all his strength to break the chains but even with his SOLDIER strength it was impossible to break free. He was pulled back towards an opened door that appeared out of nowhere. And just like that the honorable SOLDIER was pulled into the unknown.

x-x

When Angeal felt solid ground once more he felt so tired. He opened one eye slightly to see two children looking at him curiously. The children wore brown tunics with black pants; they had blond hair and green cat-like eyes.

"Are you okay?" The older of the two asked something in a language that Angeal didn't understand.

"Brother… Is he alright?" The youngest asked.

"Where am I?" Angeal asked.

Angeal wanted to listen to more of the conversation and talk to the children but he felt so tired. He wanted to sleep the dull pain that still lingered. He closed his eye and let the children do as they pleased.

"He's no ordinary man." The older child mused.

"What is he brother?" The other child looked at the other with confusion written all over his face. "He talks funny."

"That Language he spoke in." The older child began, looking down at Angeal's unconscious body. "He is one of the 'Drifters'".

"What are we going to do!" The second child started to panic.

"I think we have no choice but to take him to the castle ruins."

And with that each child took one of Angeal's arms and hung it over their shoulders. They started to drag the man towards their destination. Angeal was too heavy for the children to drag him at a steady pace.

After a couple of hours they arrived at their destination. The stone ruins showed that it was once a grand castle. Most of the towers were demolished and the main building only had one floor intact. The children were panting heavily, due to dragging Angeal all the way the castle ruins.

"He's way too heavy." The youngest complained.

"We're almost there," the eldest said, taking their time before they kept dragging towards the castle. "We need to leave the man here before the Lord of the Land finds out."

"Stop!" A deep voice echoed through the forest. "Don't move."

Both the children froze in their tracks, the youngest started to shake.

"We don't want trouble." The eldest explained. "We brought him here."

"He's a Drifter like you."

Both children pointed at the unconscious body. Slowly, they backed away and started to run into the forest; leaving Angeal alone with the man. Zest dropped down from the trees and walked closer to towards Angeal.

"It seems that this man has some traces of Magic in his body," Zest analyzed him. "He doesn't seem like a warrior from this world, he must be like us."

Zest picked up Angeal and hung an arm over his shoulder. He carried him inside the castle ruins. There Hayate was meditating to sync herself with her Tome. Hayate opened her eyes and saw Zest carrying Angeal.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know but two children from the village brought him here. "

"Is he alright?"

"It would seem that this man is only unconscious." Zest placed Angeal on a bed of hay. "I better look for something to eat for later; he will be hungry after he wakes up."

Zest headed out the castle ruins leaving Hayate alone with Angeal.

"He's just like me." Hayate mused, "He came from another world."

x-x

Angeal watched Zack land on the training mat once again. He was helping Zack in his hand to hand training when once again Zack lost focus and left himself to be wide open. Looking at the clock Angeal decided to end lesson for the day. It was better for Zack to think what he did wrong before they continued.

"Zack you need to focus." Angeal held out his hand to help his student up. "I think it's best to end the lesson here."

"But Angeal," Zack stood up and stared at his mentor. "I almost had it."

"Think about it and try again tomorrow."

After leaving the training room towards their shared apartment Angeal decided to ask Zack a question that he asked when they first started the mentorship program.

"What is your dream Zack?"

"I want to be a hero." Zack replied, just like that first day. "Just you watch one day I will be able to fight side by side with you!" Zack exclaimed.

Angeal had known the boy for a few months but that determination that Zack had was the reason he chose him as his student. Something in Zack's voice told him that he had the resolve to do it. And it was his duty to get him there. Ruffling the boy's hair Angeal gave Zack a smile.

"I can't wait."

"Zack!" Angeal quickly sat up from his dream. He was not in Shinra anymore but in some ruins. The campfire was the only thing that gave light to the otherwise empty room. He found that his shirt was missing. He looked around to find someone around, his sensitive ears picked up some light footsteps.

"It seems that sleeping beauty is awake." A light voice taunted.

Angeal turned around to see a woman around his age holding his shirt and a brown book with a gold cross on it. The woman was wearing a button-up white shirt with a blue skirt. She had brown hair that stopped below her shoulders with two yellow hair clips and one red X-shaped hair band. She looked at Angeal with her deep blue eyes.

"Where am I?" Angeal asked once again.

"I don't know," Hayate responded. She handed back Angeal his shirt after repairing the damage it had. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Angeal took back his sleeveless shirt and put it on, "Who are you?"

"I should be asking the same question: who are you?

Angeal didn't answer he only stared back at Hayate, he could trust a stranger with his name. This didn't seem right; he was supposed to disappear into the Lifestream. Yet, here he was still alive.

"A silent one, huh?" Hayate sat across the campfire and game Angeal a smile. "My name is Hayate Yagami, ex-Commander of the Section Six."

Angeal didn't know what "Section Six" was. There weren't any women who held a military ranking back home, except for Scarlet but she didn't count. So hearing that this woman was a commander, the same rank as he once held was unsettling to say the least. It would only seem fair that he would introduce himself as well.

"Angeal Hewley."

"Well Mr. Hew—"

"Angeal." He corrected.

"Alright, Angeal." Hayate continued, "Where are you from?"

"Banora." Angeal whispered; Hayate almost didn't catch the name if she wasn't listening.

"No, I mean from what planet do you come from?"

Angeal was confused, what did she mean 'What planet?' There was only one Gaia. Still deciding to follow along with Hayate's game of 20 questions he decides to answer. "Gaia."

Now it was Hayate's turn to look confused, this place was getting more mysterious by the day. First Zest and now this, this really was starting to give her a headache. Still it was better to tell Angeal now then to find out later by some other means. While they were stuck in this new world, they have to work together. It only felt right that Angeal knew the truth about Gaia.

"Angeal…" Hayate began. "I think I heard you wrong. You said that your home world is Gaia."

"That's right." He folded his arms; he really did not like the tone of her voice. "Is there a problem?"

"That can't be right." Hayate shook her head.

"What are you talking about?"

"Angeal… Gaia has been an uninhabited planet for more than 100 years."

x-x

"I told you that going into the forest is forbidden!" One adult growled. "Especially having contact with the Drifters."

"But father," one of the children protested.

No buts!" the man interrupted. "If the guys at the Lord's service find out they will kill you."

"Yes, father."

"Do not involve yourselves with them, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes father," both the children replied.

"Now go to your rooms and stay there."

One the children let to their rooms the man was by himself. He sat down on one of the chairs and grabbed a glass of water. He was worried about the children, if they find out about the children got in contact with a Drifter then this village is done for. If anything, he just hope if they came to kill them all that it would be quick. At this age in war that was the most the poor could ask for.

x-x

A group of men were scattered around a small village in the middle of the night. They looked at the village with smiles full of malice.

"It's too bad that it is before harvest." One of the men said.

The clouds cleared out and the light of moon revealed the men who were outskirts of the village. Each soldier was dress in heavy armor. Their helms hid most of their faces, only their mouths and eyes could be seen through it. Each held in their hands either a sword or a bow and arrows.

"I almost feel bad for them." One of the soldiers said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Dirty peasants." Another added. "They should all just die."

"That's enough!" A voice rang though the field. "We have work to do."

And so the soldiers started to march down the fields and towards that small village.

Record 02 End. Record 03 holds period ****-**** 0110 hours, Stand by Ready…