Drifters

Summoning: The art of summoning creatures of being to assist in battles. While it is universal in any magic format, it is difficult to do so without necessary equipment. This is why it is considered a lost art.

Record 10: Silver ore

Hayate stood afloat on top of the village; she knew what she had to do. She hated to kill but it was a necessity to do so, the Halves needed them. She had to gather them up in one place and to do that she had to make herself live bait. However there was one other thing she had to do before she got started. She opened her book and let its pages flip toward on their own. When they arrived on that specific page she raised her book high in the air.

"Gefängnis der Magie," the Tome of the Night Sky echoed. A dome of energy appeared at the center of the book and expanded. The night sky turned pale gold and the clouds turned light red. This was to make sure no one would escape and that everyone could hear her.

Hayate landed on the ground release her wings; they weren't going to help her in this plan. She started to place her plan in motion; she started to run around the village to attract attention. She ran into a group of soldiers, the soldiers took out their swords and started to sprint towards her.

"There's a Drifter, get her!" one of the group growled.

"Pfrede," Hayate gathered wind with her mana on the bottom of her feet and let them propel her away from the soldiers. However at the next turn there was another set of soldiers. They were coming towards her. That would make this a lot cleaner.

After running around the village Hayate finally ended up at the center, where she first met the entire village. Almost every soldier ended up at the center due to chasing her around. Hayate looked at the man in full armor on a white horse. The man looked like in his fifties; he had long gray hair and brown eyes. There was a scar running through his left eye.

"Drifter, it's nice for you to join us." The man said.

"Let's stop the formalities." Hayate crossed her arms. "No tell me why you are hunting down the Halves who lived in this village."

"You have no knowledge of how this world works Drifter." The man chuckled, "you see out of all three races the Norms are the purest of them all."

"Yet that doesn't entitle you to treat them as slaves." Hayate glared at the man.

"On the contrary Drifter, those abominations should serve the perfect race." The man extended his arms at the sky. "Our Father, the founder of the kingdom, willed this. And we, as his children, should obey his wishes."

"You make me sick." Hayate spat.

"I did not expect a Drifter to understand." The man snapped his fingers, "I expect you to die."

"This is a warning to every soldier here," Hayate shouted over the man. "If you value your life then flee from this village and tell others to not bother them!"

No soldier made an effort to move and Hayate let out a small sad sigh. It was truly a pity for her to do this but they left her with no other choice. The man snapped his fingers once again and archers shot their arrows. Hayate closed her eyes and counted to three.

'3… 2… 1…'

Hayate summoned her wings and shot up into the air before the arrows could even touch her. Once she was high on top of the village she summoned her Tome and her staff. Hayate raised her staff and her white Belkan triangle insignia was underneath her feet. Another Belkan Triangle appeared rotating on top of her head.

A black sphere appeared above Hayate and in front of the second Belkan magic triangle. The sphere grew bigger and bigger until it almost at the size of the village. The sphere crackled and emitted black lightning-like energy.

"In an ancient land, sink into the darkness." The large black sphere collapsed in on itself making it smaller with each passing moment. The black sphere was at the size of a baseball when it was complete. Hayate looked down and saw that some of the soldiers started to run away. "…Diabolic Emission!"

The black sphere rapidly expanded, covering every inch of the village and every soldier that was trying to escape. The spell didn't spare anyone. Each one of the soldiers felt the pain running through their veins. They could see their flesh starting to eat away. They stumbled until their legs gave away. The man on the horse was the farthest from the center of the spell. The horse's legs bend and threw its master off its back. Each soldier just laid there and awaited death to come.

When the spell ended there was a bunch of empty scattered armor in the village. However there were no bodies left. This was the true power of Diabolic Emission, it had the ability to damage and eat away flesh but the environment was safe. This was what happened to those who didn't have a Barrier Jacket or Armor. This was the power of Ancient Belka, a magic made for war.

Hayate looked at the now empty village once more time before turning to sharp power she was sensing. Hayate sensed the powerful blows coming from where Angeal and Zest were. She had to see if they needed any help.

"Give me wings to soar in the sky."

"Sleipnir."

Hayate's wings doubled in size, she felt herself lighter. She took a deep breath before she started to fly towards the ruins, hoping that she would get there soon, before something happens. She sensed another mage around the area but Hayate gave it no thought, right now Angeal and Zest were her top priority.

x-x

Scopio was currently working on the horse's reins to control it. All of them has sensed and END in the area. He had to get there before something bad happened to them. He had to protect the Drifters, that is his mission.

"Scopio what's wrong?" Aerith asked.

"Shit," Scopio commanded the horse to move to the right. Everyone could see the black wall heading right for them. "Whatever you do don't touch it."

"What the fuck is that?" Vicious held on tight as the wagon started to go faster.

"It's a powerful dark spell." Scopio looked back for a second before he increased speed.

"It looks like a gravity spell from our world." Gabranth added.

"If we don't hurry up then we are going to end up that thing!" Vicious placed his hand on Aerith's shoulder and pushed her down to the floor of the wagon. "Stay low kid, we don't want ya to fly off."

"That hurt," Aerith rubbed her shoulder as she felt the surge of magic getting closer to them. Scopio was already pushing the horse to the limit; it was all left to luck now. Even then, the dome of concentrated magic was getting so close they would not make it out of it. There was one other thing that he can do.

"Gabranth, do you know how to handle a horse?" He asked.

"Not exactly, but they seem to be like chocobos from our world."

"Close enough; get close to the front of the wagon," Gabranth was at the edge, behind Scopio. "Take care of them until we get through this." He handed the reins to Gabranth as he stood from where he was.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Vicious asked. "Are you trying to fall over?"

"Let me concentrate, Vicious." Scopio growled, a light blue magic circle appeared under his feet. The circle was slowly rotating. "Circle Protection!"

A light blue barrier surrounded the horse and the wagon as the black energy swallowed them whole. Inside the black energy all they could see was black static. The blue barrier was holding but a few cracks were starting to be visible. Scopio couldn't hold this barrier much longer, this was a powerful spell. He had to give it his best or the hope of this world will be gone if these three died.

"Idiot," Vicious murmured under his breath. "Faith!"

Scopio felt himself blanketed by warm light, he looked at Vicious' hand, and it was also glowing white. He felt his mind was clearing up and his Linker Core was absorbing mana more efficiently. The strength of the barrier intensified. It felt like forever before the thick black static like energy started to disappear. Once the energy was gone Scopio put down his barrier.

Gabranth slowed the horse down as the danger passed. He looked at Scopio and then at Vicious, he knew what the man did but he didn't expect that the effect were so strong. Aerith sat up once she saw that everything was safe. "Are you alright, Scopio?"

"Yes, I am." Scopio let out a breath of relief that he had been holding. "I just want to know what you did to me that powered up my magic?"

"Faith," Gabranth answered. "If Bravery is strength of the body, Faith is the strength of the mind. These are the two fundamentals of green magicks. Faith clears out the mind, allowing the power up of spells."

"I never felt my Linker Core take in magic so easily." Scopio sat back down and took the reins from Gabranth. He went at a slower pace to give the horse a break. "You must teach me that spell."

"I don't know if I can." Vicious interrupted. "It might be that out magic might not mix with what you're using."

"That might be true, I don't know how well Mid-Childa Magic will react if I try casting that spell." Scopio continued looking ahead. "However it would be a good test run to try it once."

"Yeah, yeah" Vicious leaned back as the conversation was getting boring. "We'll try that out some other time."

"I am just glad that everything turned out alright." Aerith smiled.

"Yes, now we must find Hayate," Gabranth looked around. "We should be getting close."

"How do you know?" Aerith asked.

"If you close your eyes , you will be able to feel them."Gabranth explained. "And someone else."

Aerith closed her eyes and tried to feel the aura in the air. She felt one moving toward where they were heading and two were ahead. However there were two others, their energies felt darker, almost like… "There's an END with two of them."

"No fucking shit," Vicious growled. "We know that. We need to get there fast."

Scopio was about to say something else when he felt someone trying to communicate with him on the crystal ball.

"Olmine what's wrong?" Scopio gave his crystal ball to Aerith.

"Mas… Don… do." Olmine's voice was filled with static, similar to the one in Cardeanes. "END… Fight… An.. Ze…"

"Where is Hayate?"

"Sh… fig… sol… scared." The voice responded. They just couldn't understand what she was saying.

"We'll be there soon, I Promise."

"Try."

Vicious looked at the crystal ball in Aerith's hand. He couldn't understand what that woman was saying to them. Though, there was one he did understand, an END was there. A large grin appeared on his face, he would have another strong opponent to fight with. He couldn't wait. Vicious felt the END and two others really close by. Once they made it out of the thick forest and into a field at the center they encountered the fight before them.

As Vicious tried to touch move his hand forward a barrier pushed back his hand. Vicious looked at the small burn from the barrier. "Tch, it's blocked."

A few of the trees were burning from fire magic, that Vicious was certain. He looked at the two fights before them. The first was about to end, a Break with four arms and one eye was spreading a fire wall in front of him to cover himself from his opponent. The man with the brown trench coat and the spear rushed it at such speed that Vicious almost couldn't keep up with his movements. In a fragment of a second the man was behind the end. The END moved only an inch and he fell apart. His body was split in half vertically. All the guts and blood were splattering everywhere. Blood was on the man who killed the Break.

'Not bad,' Vicious thought as he looked at the burns the man had. 'He made a clean cut.'

Aerith looked at the blood and buts from the Break, she rushed to the back of the wagon to throw up what she had eaten earlier. She closed her eyes but the gruesome image was still there. This was so different than when she was with Cloud and the others. With them they used to knock their opponents out or if it had to be, kill them. But this was different; this was the true feeling of war. The thought of the blood and guts made her stomach churn.

Gabranth glanced at Aerith before looking at the second battle. Two men dressed in similar uniforms were fighting. Gabranth recognized that the one with the scar on his cheek was an END. He watched at the END slammed a powerful lightning attack that the other couldn't fully block. He watched at the man was sent flying and slammed against a tree. The man tried to struggle but the electric shock was enough to stun him.

'It is over, the END won.' Gabranth thought, he wondered why the other wasn't helping the man. They couldn't since a barrier is blocking their path. He looked at the sky and noticed a shooting star falling at their direction.

x-x

Angeal couldn't move, he was still stunned from that lightning attack. He looked up, if he was going to die he would look strong, he would stand tall. Zack swung down to finish Angeal off when a white triangle shield appeared between them. The sword was completely blocked by the shield, Zack jumped back as a four red kunai flew down. Angeal looked up and saw Hayate floating in the sky, in her hands was her Tome of the Night Sky and a golden staff with a cross as a head. A Belkan triangle was rotating under her feet.

"That is enough." Hayate looked at Zack. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. END."

"Don't interfere Drifter!" Zack growled. His hand started to glow light blue, he fired a bolt of lightning from his palm. Without missing a beat Hayate placed a shield in front of her to block the lightning. The END took off and rushed forward towards Hayate. She pointed Schwertkreuz at Zack, her body started to glow white. She dove in at Zack's direction and was picking up speed.

"Maneuver A.C.S.!"

Both warriors clashed, their weapons screeching as they passed each other. Zack spun around in midstrike to attack but Hayate was out of his reach. She dove and crashed on the ground and changed positions. Hayate was on the ground and Zack was floating in the Air. Zack dove down and thrust his sword at her. Hayate, on the other hand stood still, she had to time it right or she would be killed by the END's sword.

'3… 2… 1… Now!'

Hayate opened her Tome and flipped it around so that the pages would face Zack. Zack's blade was inches from Hayate's Tome. When his sword touched the book he felt a strange surge of energy rushed into him. It felt as if time stopped, Zack was frozen in midair. He couldn't move, seconds later he was absorbed into the book.

Angeal's eyes widened in surprise, Zack was absorbed into the Tome. Was this the power of Belkan Magic? How was it possible for person to be absorbed into a book? He felt his muscles regaining feeling, the affects of the Hell Lightning attack from earlier was wearing off. Angeal stood up and leaned against the tree, letting his body get back into action. He saw that Hayate's book opened once again.

Zack was sent out flying from the book. He didn't understand what just happened, we was about to strike her with his sword and then he was teleported to somewhere dark. Zack felt his body numb; he couldn't control his body at the moment. Hayate saw it as the perfect opportunity. She spun her staff over her head and pointed it at the body in the air. A Belkan magic circle was under Hayate's feet. "Claíomh Solais!"

She fired at white beam from the tip of her staff. The beam was flying through the air and headed towards Zack. He was hit directly before he could dodge the attack. The beam spread around and enclosed Zack in a sphere of magic. He could feel the magic passing through his flesh, the pain from the magic passing through his body. The attack sent him spiraling down to the ground.

Hayate was surrounded by 12 white double edged swords, each were made of condensed magic. All 12 flew into the air and headed towards the man who was falling to the ground. Angeal couldn't help but look away, he had experienced the death of fellow SOLDIER but Zack was another story. He just couldn't see him die, even if he was not the same Zack that he knew.

Before the swords could even touch Zack a purple Mid-Childan magic circle appeared around Zack. In seconds he was teleported to another location. Hayate couldn't sense him anymore. The blades of magic clashed with each other before they shattered and disappeared.

"He got away." Hayate muttered as she put away her Tome and staff. The barrier surrounding them started to disappear; the burning trees were reduced to smothering ash. Hayate looked at Angeal and Zest; both had several injuries that needed to be treated. Zest had several burns on his face and hands; most of his trench coat was in shreds. It was more because he was low on energy than the battle itself. His armor was on its limits.

As if proving her theory true his armor disappeared and turned back into his old clothing, which consisted of brown slacks and a white dress shirt. Zest started to walk towards her direction, not minding the blood on his face.

"Are you two alright?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, just need the effects from the lightning attack to wear off completely." Angeal answered, "Please look at Zest first."

"Alright," Hayate looked at Zest. "Let's get you clean up so I can treat those burns."

Zest nodded and followed Hayate to the ruins; he took one step before noticing Hayate looking at the forest. Zest finally sensed someone there. He summoned Ascalon and pointed it at the direction that Hayate was facing.

"Relax Zest, they're not enemies." Hayate continued on her way. "You four are free to follow us to the ruins. I need to treat their wounds."

Angeal's legs still tingled from the stun but he was able to walk. From the forest he saw four people coming out on a wagon. Olmine ran up to the wagon and hugged the man in white.

"Master, I am so glad that you're alright." Olmine was shaking, "I didn't know what to do and…"

"Its alright Olmine, you did what you could." Scopio patted her on the back.

"Who's this?" Angeal asked as he approached the wagon. He was three others. There was a young woman in a pink dress, a man in full armor and a man in a black suit with a katana on his back. The two men looked back at Angeal; both raised their eyebrow at him.

"My name is Scopio," The man introduced himself. "I am the head of the Octobrist organization. "These three are Drifters just like you."

Scopio signaled Angeal and Olmine to get on the wagon to meet up with Hayate. Once they started to move the man in the suit glared at him.

"So what the fuck was that about?" the man growled. "What was holding you back?"

"Excuse me?"

"Vicious please stop." Aerith interrupted. "Leave him alone." She got close to Angeal and started to heal his wounds. She let the energy go, it wasn't much but it will calm the pain the man was feeling.

"Tch," Vicious scoffed and looked away. The other man glanced at Angeal before looking ahead. He didn't know what to make of these people. However, the young woman looked familiar, if only he could remember from where. The healing magic that she was using was easing the small pain and the numbness.

"So besides the surprise visit from the END, how have things been?" Scopio asked.

"Angeal, Zest, and Hayate have been teaching the villagers ways to defend themselves." Olmine answered.

"Do you believe that they will be fine on their own?"

"We only taught them the basics, they seem like natural warriors. They picked up what we taught them quite quickly." Angeal looked ahead, "I think a few days and they will be able to fight on their own. However we will need to find a place for them to stay."

"What about their home?" Aerith asked.

"Ask Hayate, I don't know myself." Angeal shrugged.

"In any case we must get together and plan what to do next." Scopio stopped the reins when they were in front of the castle ruins. Everyone got off and entered the chambers. Angeal was the last one to enter, before he did he thought back at the fight from not too long ago. The last words Zack said to him were the ones that struck him the hardest.

"Let me become your executioner a second time…"

'Why did Zack say that?' If only he could remember what happened before he came to Skyra. But no matter how much he tried it was all a blur. He couldn't remember a thing, not a single thing. Zack's wings, they were exactly the same as his own. Though he hasn't had the need to use them and if he has anything to say about it then it will stay that way.

He doesn't need his new comrades to think of him as a monster. After all he was not normal. He was just a science experiment back home. He didn't have a choice back then; he wanted to just end it all. Angeal doesn't remember when that feeling disappeared but he hasn't had his mind darken by his thoughts so far. It seemed that for the first time in a long time that his mind has been completely clear.

Yet, for some, he felt that Hayate and Zest wouldn't really care. Even if he told them the truth they wouldn't care. Hayate had summoned wings of her own, six of them, when her clothing changed. From what he had seen, Zest was the type of man that doesn't care what others looked like.

It was better if they didn't know.

Record 10 End. Record 11 holds period ****-**** 01:57 Stand by Ready…

AN: I know this Hayate is a little different than normal Hayate but that will be explained soon.