Drifters
Ancient Belka: An ancient empire that used magic. This style of magic refers its users as Knights. In modern times it is consider a lost art.
Record 07: Blue Requiem
The sky was black with no stars; the only light was the full moon, tinted crimson from the blood spilled there. Here was their new kingdom, the once proud kingdom of Carneades, now turned into ruins. Breaks were setting into their new kingdom while those who were stronger were training for when they move out to the other countries. At the center of the kingdom there was a large castle. The castle was quickly rebuilt for their Sovereign; the center tower was the largest almost touching the sky.
A man found himself in this new place; with blurry he remembered meeting a woman before he came here. Now that woman was gone and he was in some unknown location.
The man was tall and slim, he had shaggy light auburn hair and tanned skin. A five o'clock shadow. He had on a black suit with a light blue button up shirt and no tie. He had a pair of sunglasses on.
As the man walked around the castle he noticed that the people there were mutated into something else. He saw from humans with scales like a serpent to animals that he has never seen before.
He reached the wooden doors. He pushed the huge doors to enter the throne room. There two guards who had a crocodile-like appearance pointed spears at him.
"Who goes there?" The first guard growled.
He laughed "Wouldn't you like to know" he smirked and tried to pass but was stopped
"You are not to pass Norm." The second guard pointed his spear at the man.
"Well if you won't let me pass then I'll just have to go through by force!" he snarled and got into a fighting stance "Show me what you got!"
"We will not let you get close to the Sovereign!" Both guards took their stance.
"You will forfeit your life!"
"What is he talking about?" The second guard asked as the first lowered his spear.
"He must be like the commanders." The first explained. "We have to let him through."
"What! Why?"
"Sovereign's orders." The first growled. "You may pass Turk."
"Thank you gentlemen glad we settled this" the man then walked past the two guards' chest puffed out being cocky.
The man walked into the castle until he arrived at the end to throne chamber. He saw looked at the person who was sitting on the throne. It was a child no older then 12, she had a one piece black dress with long black hair. Her eyes were ruby red. On her left there a cloaked woman. She had a strange gold and silver staff with a purple gem on the top.
"Wow are you the Sovereign the guards were talking about 'cause your kinda young to be ruling this place!" the man smirked
"How dare talk about the Sovereign like that." The cloaked woman said in a monotone voice.
"It's alright, Seeker of Life." the young child looked at the woman. "Let the fool talk."
"Hey I am no fool kid!" The man growled "You know you shouldn't talk to adults like your better than them!"
"I welcome you to my castle, Rex." The child continued.
"Wait, how did you know my name" Rex asked surprised
"I know a lot of things Mr. Rex." The Sovereign got off her throne. "Now I need to ask you which side are you on?"
"Um I don't know what you're talking about" He let out awkwardly "Wait what you know about me!" Rex yelled wondering how she could know him
"I know that act of cowardice toward that one woman who brought you to this place." The child smiled. "Will you join me?"
He glared at her "I didn't act cowardly I would do anything for her!" Rex yelled "Why should I join you?"
"You can join me and save this world of its darkness. Or you can die here." The little Sovereign looked at Rex. "Your choice."
"Fine I'll join you" Rex sighed then muttered "Little brat"
"Great, it would be a shame to kill someone so weak as yourself." The girl smiled. "Now that we got tha"
"I am not weak!" Rex screamed! "Prove how I am weak damn it!" Rex raged
"As you wish." As soon as those words left her mouth two monstrous hands wrapped grabbed Rex. The man noticed that those arms came from behind the small girl. He found himself held tightly as he was used as a wrecking ball, smashing each door open.
Once they arrived at the courtyard the monstrous hands threw him aside like a rag doll. The small girl floated in the air, her arms crossed.
"Show me your strength Rex." The Dark Sovereign said solemnly.
"Fine you want to see strength I'll show you strength!" He yelled as he went through his pockets to get out his weapons. He then slipped on a set of brass knuckles on each hand "Prepare to have some nasty gashes and maybe lose an eye" he smirked as he charged at her ready to punch her in the face
"You're too slow." The small girl dove under and let her hand pass through his chest. Rex stood frozen in fear; he could feel her hand inside his body. As she pulled away she hand in her hand a large blade painted crimson. "This blade is the Examina Blade, it holds a fragment of your soul."
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Rex asked not understanding what she meant
"And when I return this into your body..." She spun once before letting go of the blade, the blade raced through the air. Rex caught the blade with his bare hands, trying to keep it away. The small Sovereign sprinted and kicked the guard of the blade, causing him to lose control and the blade pierce through him.
"What!" Rex yelled "What will happen!" he looked scared he wished he was home working with the love of his life in that moment
"Shatter, farewell Rex..." The small girl snapped her fingers. The blade let out a crimson glow before it swallowed Rex into the light. When a small done surround Rex the Blade exploded. A dust of dust made it difficult to see.
Once the smoke cleared Rex was on the ground, not moving.
"Tuner of Kyrios." the girl called.
A new cloaked figure appeared from the shadows. She had a five spiked staff going in a horizontal arc. In between them there was a magical midnight blue blade. The pole was black and the end was a red spike.
"Yes your highness?" the cloaked figure bowed before the Sovereign.
"Take this man into one of the chambers, he is one of us." the girl explained. When he wakes up we will begin our contract."
"Of course your majesty."
The young woman picked Rex up with ease, teleporting herself to another location. before the cloaked woman could disappeared the small girl held her arm.
"Bring the Keeper of the Kingdom back; I want him to be partners with this man."
"What will be his title?"
The cloaked woman asked.
"Empty Heart..." The small girl whispered.
So Rex was taken away in this new world, to a world unknown.
x-x
Angeal was still skeptical about the leaving the soldiers to Hayate. He wasn't sure how strong she was but still, even she would have trouble keeping up with so many soldiers. Now all three along with the villagers are on top of hill close the ruins but still far enough so that the women and the elderly would be safe if a fight broke out. Angeal looked at Hayate who are waiting for something. It was the second say and still no signs of an army.
"So how's training with these guys?" Hayate asked.
Hayate might have assigned him the commanding role but she is more in control that he is. Angeal doesn't feel that there is anything wrong with that but why did she assigned herself as a front line fighter when she's basically running the show?
"Zest is teaching them about control with staves." Angeal explained. "I will start teaching them hand to hand combat afterwards."
"Great, later Zest and I will teach them and you about magic application." Hayate leaned against a tree. "Though I am not sure how well that would go due to all the mathematical equations involved. " She placed her index finger and her thumb under her chin. "Maybe I could teach them how to use bows; I still have memory of that."
"Mathematical?" Angeal was confused, what did math had to do with magic.
"That's right; you are really not familiar with my type of magic." Hayate summoned her Tome. "Tell me how advanced was your world was before you came here?"
"We had Mako reactors which gave us electricity. ShinRa control pretty much everything and the only good jobs were at ShinRa." Angeal answered. "We had vehicles that run on Mako."
"What is Mako?"
"The lifeforce of the planet; granted it wasn't the best resource but that how things worked in ShinRa. I was part of a military group called SOLDIER; we were the enforcers of ShinRa."
"I see," Hayate looked at the sun in the sky, it was at its highest, and that meant that it was close to noon. "So there is no way you guys would have heard about Ancient Belka."
"I'm afraid I do not know what that is, apart from the magic you showed me yesterday." Angeal shook his head.
"I guess we could start early." Hayate mused, "Magic application is the process of gathering mana from the air. We, mages, breathe in mana through our linker cores. A linker core is a magical organ that links together mana and processes it into spells."
"I see," Angeal didn't know about having this 'linker core' but since he was talking to a real mage he couldn't doubt it. "So do we all have this linker core?"
"That's right, though its type of magic and how strong it is varies between each mage." Hayate closed her eyes; she held out her hand and concentrated. A small glowing white orb was floating in her hand. Angeal noticed that it was the size of a materia sphere. "This is my linker core."
"How did you summon yours out?"
"Training," Hayate answered, she let her linker core absorb back in her body. "There are spells that forcibly remove linker cores but they are rare."
"I see…"
"Did Gaia have any way to use magic?" Hayate asked.
Angeal raised his left arm and let the bracer shine in the sun. On the bracer there were four spheres one dark green, one light green, and two yellow green. Hayate sensed something familiar in those spheres, almost like...
"We use these spheres called materia to use magic." Angeal explained. "They are artificially crystallized mako, it draws the power from the Lifestream and shapes it into whatever it is designed to do."
Hayate thought back to when she was in Gaia, before she was summoned to this world. Those materia look familiar. Then she remembered, those look like the lost logia she sealed away. Hayate looked at her Tome and then at Angeal's bracer.
"Release lost logia 3463X01." Hayate ordered.
"Releasing 3463X01…" The Tome responded.
Angeal flinched when he heard the voice, he looked around and saw that the Tome in Hayate's hands opened and flipped though its pages. Once it stopped the Tome summoned what looked like a white materia. Hayate took the white materia with her free hand and closed her Tome. She looked at the sphere then at Angeal.
"Is this thing a materia?" Hayate asked. "I found this on Gaia before I was summoned here, since you know about Materia maybe you could tell me what kind of Materia is this."
"It certainly looks like a Materia." Angeal took it off Hayate's hands to thoroughly inspect it. "But it's not one I have seen before."
"Well I guess it might be some kind of rare materia then." Hayate took the materia back and opened her Tome. "Place seal on 3463X01."
"Sealing…" The tome absorbed the materia back into its pages. "Sealing complete."
Hayate put away her Tome and looked at Angeal, "Sorry I got sidetrack for a moment. So do you have any questions?"
"You said something about mathematics, what do they have to do with your magic?" Angeal asked.
"You see, magic to us is a lot like a computer." Hayate explained. "Each use of magic requires complex energy computations to achieve the desired effects.
"So your spells are computer programs?"
"That's a good way to put it, mages keep those equations here." Hayate tapped her head. "The spells can be both stored and calculated either within my brain or in my Device." Hayate summoned her Tome once more. "The purpose of the spells is to simplify casting magic by preparing and storing common formulas beforehand, so I can be use them in combat. This book here is a device."
"It talked before, I only seen AIs in the VR rooms back in ShinRa." Angeal looked at the Tome. He raised his eyebrow when Hayate offered him the Tome. He opened the Tome and found it to be just like a normal book with foreign writing. "It seems like a normal book to me."
"Yes, however that is a storage device." Hayate chuckled. "It stores my spells so I can use them in combat; it has a limited AI to assist me when I need it. Most devices look like jewelry in standby mode but turn into efficient weapons when activated. A good example is Zest's spear, it is a ring in standby mode but it is a spear when it's activated."
"Is it really complex?"
"It's difficult to concept at first but once you get the basics then it's easy to learn different spells." Hayate took back her Tome from Angeal. "It's more if you can get the theories involved, so other than healing I doubt that I can teach them anything."
"Still that is better than nothing" Angeal looked back at the small village. "I need to get back with Zest, it's time to start teaching them the basics."
"Alright then get to it." Hayate waved as he was walking back towards the group. Angeal wondered how she can be so cheerful under all this mess. All they needed to do was give these villagers the basics to survive before they can move forward with Hayate's plan.
x-x
Scopio took out his crystal ball, it has been a couple of days since they escaped from Carneades. He was with three drifters and one of his assistants and not one clue as to where they were going. Now he had to come up with a plan to get the Drifters from the south and these guys to meet up. He looked at the three Drifters he had with him.
There was Gabranth, the man in full armor. He is a quiet man, doesn't talk much, the only one who he would have a conversation is with Aerith. Its seems that he is without a weapon either, so when they get to a major city the first thing that he had to do is get a weapon for Gabranth. It would be best if he got him the weapon he used when before he arrived to the world.
Vicious, the man with long hair and green hilt kanata, is loud and cocky. He is currently training Aerith with magic techniques. He is the only one who has a weapon at the moment. While he said that the only way to get an army was to take over the kingdom of Orte, he had no idea other than go and take over by force.
Last was Aerith, she was the most helpless of the three. She knows a bit of healing magic and Vicious is teaching her his techniques in magic. However she is not a fighter, she is healer, and Aerith said it herself. Gabranth and Vicious are training her to fight without magic since yesterday and hopefully they would find her a suitable style for her to defend herself.
He channeled his magic on the crystal ball and focused on a specific signal. After a few moments he finally found a connection with that person.
"Olmine can you hear me?" Scopio asked through the crystal.
"Master, thank the heavens you're alright." The voice on the other end cheered. "I was so worried when you didn't answer two days ago."
"I'm sorry Olmine, but I had to find a suitable place to use my magic." Scopio looked behind him and saw Gabranth and Vicious coming to listening to the conversation. "So what is your situation on your end?"
"Crazy! These Drifters are planning to take over the kingdom of Orte, can you believe it!" Olmine started to panic. "A major troop is coming our way in a day or two and these Drifters are teaching the young villagers how to fight."
"You said that they're planning to what!" Scopio was surprised, it seemed that someone the same idea as Vicious.
"Hey kid put that person who thought that on." Vicious ordered.
"Who are you?"
"I am the guy who is going to kick your ass if you don't!" Vicious growled.
"Forgive him Olmine," Scopio apologized, "He is one of the Drifters that I found."
"I understand, though he doesn't have to be so loud." The crystal ball quiet as Olmine was looking for the person. Scopio wonder what kind of man was the one who thought of that plan up. Whoever he was he must be insane of a great battle tactician.
"Hello?" Another female voice came on, "So who wanted to talk to me?"
"Who the fuck are you? I asked for the guy who thought of taking over a kingdom, not some housewife." Vicious sneered.
"I'm the one who thought of the plan loudmouth." The woman's voice was full of energy, almost as if she was toying with him.
"What did you call me!" Vicious growled.
"What is your plan?" Gabranth interrupted. "I assume you do have one."
"Yes, however, I suppose it is good if we introduce ourselves." The woman's said.
"My name is Gabranth… fon Ronsenburg." The armored man introduced himself.
"It is nice to meet you Mr. Ronsenburg. My name is Hayate Yagami." The woman introduced herself.
"So what exactly is your plan?"
"You see the kingdom of Orte is the weakest of the three kingdoms that are still standing." Hayate explained. "Right now there is no balance between the people, the government and the military. Most of the soldiers of the Orte have gone to the battlefield with the kingdom of Gandal. The government is placing all their attention and resources on the war. And all the tribes that surround the area are sick of them. This kingdom is ready for the slaughterhouse, to be honest."
"How can you be sure of that?" Vicious said, "Have you faced their military?"
"Yes, and they are not much to talk about." Hayate said, "Seriously, if someone with enough strength goes into the capital of the kingdom, then they are doomed."
"You really believe in that?" Scopio asked.
"Yes, it isn't much but it is a start to the military power that you need."
"What about the troops that are still in the front lines at Gandal?" Gabranth asked.
"Those we need to fetch ourselves." Hayate sighed. "With no way to communicate that is the only way."
"So what do want to do woman?"
"I say the more power the better, I need the three of you to come to where we are located." Hayate ordered. "According to Olmine we are located in the south of the Orte kingdom, in the cat-like Half tribe."
"We well be there in two days tops." Scopio added.
"That's fine; just get here as soon as you can."
With that the transmission went off. Gabranth turned around and walked to where Aerith was. She also heard the conversation, but didn't say anything to Hayate. She felt that if she wasn't of any use then she might as well stay out of their way.
"So you heard?" Gabranth asked.
"Yes," Aerith took a deep breath. Since she started to train with Vicious he has been brutal. She only has been given rest once this morning and that was because Gabranth stood up for her and ask for a break. "Do you think that we can win this war?"
"I do not know." Gabranth started to set targets for Aerith to fire at. "However, we must act with haste. We don't know when the enemy is going to attack and we must be ready for it."
"I know." Aerith stood up and brushed off the dust from her pink dress. "Do we start again?"
"Yes, where did Vicious left off?"
"We were in the middle of training with black magic." Aerith responded. "He was teaching me how to use lightning magic."
"Alright." Gabranth stood behind her, talking her arm with his left hand. "Using lightning is more difficult than using any of the other core elements. Since lightning is unstable by nature. You need to focus your mind and imagine a storm."
"Alright," Aerith closed her eyes, "now what."
"Now control your mist from within and focus that energy to your dominate hand." Gabranth ordered. Lightning crackled in her hand. "Now fire."
At command Aerith let go of the mist that had build up in her hand. Lightning flew through the air and hit one of the rocks that were set by Gabranth. "I did it!" Aerith jumped in joy.
"Good now practice that spell for now until lunch." Gabranth instructed.
"Hey Gabranth?"
"Yes, Aerith?"
"Aren't you hot under all that armor?" Aerith asked.
"I've worked in the desert for some time." Gabranth shrugged. "I got used to the weight of my armor."'
"I see." Aerith focused her attention on her spellcasting. "Will you take of your helm at least once, besides when we eat?"
"I don't see why not," Gabranth pulled off his helm revealing short blond hair and blue eyes. "I need to talk to Vicious for a minute, you keep practicing."
"Yes, sir." Aerith shot another lightning spell. "I will do my best."
Gabranth walked over where Vicious was, under a tree taking a nap. Vicious opened his eyes when as soon as he heard Gabranth's footsteps. "What do you want?"
"I wish to talk about Aerith; I've seen how much she is improving." Gabranth leaned against the tree. "Don't you find it strange?"
"Not exactly," Vicious closed his eyes. "There have been a few prodigies out there in Ivalice that have been gifted with magic. Maybe this Aerith is compatible with our casting style, I mean the Aerith from our world was a powerful caster with her weapon and rings."
"Yet I have noticed that her spells are stronger than normal, for a hume at least."
"it is," Vicious frowned. "Her normal fire spells are as strong as a Fira spell."
"Should we move her to the secondary level spells?" Gabranth asked.
"Might as well, since she is passing through spells like crazy." Vicious sighed. "You take care of the black magicks and I will teach her green magicks."
"All right." Gabranth nodded, he looked at Aerith who was still practicing. "Why do you think we were summoned Vicious?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I mean that the last thing I remember was going against Vayne Solidor and then everything else is a blur. Next thing I know is I landed on this new world and the first person I saw was Aerith. I do not see a point of summoning an innocent young woman, so why?"
"The hell I would know." Vicious frowned. "My memory is hazy as well, I feel like I'm forgetting something but I don't know what."
"Do you think we will find out why?"
"All I know is that I want to go home when this is over. I don't like it here, it's too dull with no monsters to hunt."
x-x
After dinner Scopio decided that they should move now if they want to reach the next big city by midday. So everyone was in the wagon. Aerith was currently sleeping, thoroughly exhausted from training. Scopio couldn't tell if Gabranth was sleeping or not, with the helm on. And Vicious was snoring away, Scopio had to wonder how many hours would does the man need to sleep.
To get where Olmine is they would need to pass through one of the cities in the kingdom of Orte, this city was known as Voile City, for their blooming violets. There they could find a blacksmith and they can design Gabranth his swords. From there it would be straight forward, provided that the rains haven't made the path harder to get by.
Scopio noticed a tree falling; he pulled the reigns, forcing the horses to halt. Scopio looked at the fallen tree, its trunk was very thick and at the end there were scorch marks. Scopio noticed a hostile aura behind him. He summoned a round shield with strange writing on the edge to protect himself from the blazing heat. The cloaked man noticed that it was similar to the magic circle that the Seeker of Life used.
"I found you Drifters." The cloaked man stepped out of the shadows. "In the name of the Dark Soverign you must die."
The cloaked man raised his palm and fired a blast of fire. Scopio's shield started to crack at the pressure the fires was hitting the shield. A lighting blade cut through the shield before it could fully eat the shield. The cloaked man looked at the man who threw that attack. It was Gabranth.
"You!" The cloaked man growled. "I will kill you first Judge Magister!"
The man took pulled out his large broadsword from his back and swung down. Gabranth placed a shield around the wagon. The cloaked man pushed forward, causing the shield to crack. Gabranth gathered lightning in his left hand and aimed it at the cloaked man. The blast sent the man flying against the tree trunk. Before he could get off and fight the cloaked man a hand caused him to sit back down.
"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" vicious growled. "You don't have a fucking weapon; I'll take care of this piece of trash."
"Who the hell are you?" the cloaked man asked.
"I should be asking the same thing, who are you?"
"The man pulled off his cloak. The man was had on light brown coat under Platinum armor. Top of his armor was open revealing a Viper skin under-armor. The man was tan had short born hair which was combed back with the tips spiked and a brown beard. All three men looked at the stranger's eyes. They were black with white irises.
This man was an END.
"I never thought I would face you." Vicious smirked as he drew his katana. The first battle was about to start.
Record 07 End. Record 08 holds period ****-**** 0000 hours, Stand by Ready…