"Land, culture, and legacy all reduced to rubble. Once you've stripped them of all identity, the only thing that remains is their pride. Let's see how long it lasts before that too, is taken away."
"Fire!"
The soldier roared his command to send a barrage of bullets flying to the target in front of him. The Sentry Units that accompanied him followed suit by bursting ablaze with shells and energy blasts, inciting a scenery of hellfire.
As the smoke trickled from out the barrels withheld by the mechs, and the smell of gunpowder flourished within the area, a silence stood within the battle.
"Heh, guess that's it then. This job's a lot easier than I thoug—"
A streak of blue flashed across his eyes, interrupting his taunt.
"Huh?!"
His assurance was soon shattered after the wall of flames that stood in front of him dissipated away.
And just then, the sound of metal being punctured struck his eardrums. Snapping his head to the sight of the sound, stood one of the mechs completely destroyed. The barrel had been smashed off, its visor ran rampant with cracks and its torso had been severed, leaving wires splattered all throughout the metal tiles below.
"H-How?—"
Once more, that dazzling streak of blue sparked across his pupils, as the clangs of metal, and bursts of gunfire reverberated within his ears. Bit by bit, the mechs that emanated the only position of power he had began to crumble in front of him.
Watching each mech fall down pitifully in front of him, he backed away in fear, clutching his handgun and peering his eyes all over to sight his target.
Just for a bit, a harrowing silence consumed him, complimenting his angst. Clenching his teeth out of frustration, he yelled out to disrupt the silence from shattering the little ounce of fight in him.
"Show yourself already, you bastard!"
Just as those words left his mouth, the heat of a barrel pressed up behind his head. Cold red eyes fixated on him, his mouth prying open in response to the gesture. His hand loosened the grip of his weapon, and came flying down was the handgun he held onto for his last line of defense.
As the soldier's body locked up in fear, a calm voice met his ears, contrasting against the scenery of hell before him.
"Just a suggestion, you should probably run before I change my mind about this."
His delivery was cold, as it was blunt. Despite his voice being rather soft, his frank manner of speech almost felt as if it was challenging that tune.
The soldier stared off into the sight in front of him. All six sentry units laid dismembered on the ground, emanating the gesture of sheer defeat and sending a clear message. The sight alone made the blood within his veins run cold.
"Well? What will it be?" the voice continued.
The soldier shot himself forward rushing towards the exit door, the only strength radiating within his body being his legs. After all, that was the only thing he needed in this moment—his legs, which would carry him far away from the sight and room of defeat, or rather, death.
"Damn you terrorist! It won't be long until the government handles bastards like you!"
Nearly cracking a smile to the gesture, the young man that spared his life let out a sigh.
"Terrorist, huh? That's a new one, isn't it Copen?" a voice near him teased.
Next to him stood a white and red spherical floating support pod, donning blank yellow eyes. It's voice reminiscent of a young girl, one with attitude at that.
"Well, can't really wrong him can we? After all, we are disturbing some type of peace I guess," she sarcastically added.
Copen tightened his grip on his handgun. The word "peace" drove an irritable thorn down his stomach.
Staring off into the mechs that he had destroyed, his eyes drifted across the field of splattered wires, metal chunks, and bullet fragments. A slight rage trickled within his manner at the sight.
"Peace that's been fabricated, that is."
He tore his gaze off away from the scene, refraining from wallowing within it, and instead inquired his partner.
"Lola, how much longer before we reach the data center?"
"It should be right up ahead, boss."
"Let's get going then."
Making their way past the rubble that originated from their battle, Copen, as well as his partner wallowed within scenery around them, taking in the structure of the building they resided in. Silvery walls and tiles lit up and complemented by the soft blue lights stuck to the ceiling. Standing out heavily due to its polished exterior from outside, it seemed as if the interior design withheld that inviting and secure presentation.
Copen's eyes sharpened.
A sight to behold, one that surely captured the "peace" presented to them. Inactive mechs, ranging from the sentry units he had clashed against not long ago, to bomber drones, and armored tank robots wielding missile pods strong enough to destroy an entire building.
"Well this place is kept all nice and tidy huh?" his partner snickered.
"That's not surprising. Despite this being Minos territory, this area, and this district for that matter, is under heavy surveillance under Sumeragi. After all, this is the only district that leads to the so-called 'Gateway to Rebirth.' so to speak."
Lola groaned. "Ugh, who's naming these places? Gateway to Rebirth? It's just a tunnel! Can they get any cornier?"
Copen cracked a smile, "I'm sure they can."
As they continued carefully treading the halls of the building, Copen looked off into his partner's direction. A thread of hesitation coiled around his lips but he chose to break it and speak up. His eyes tightened and his throat ran a bit dry. Although a bit shaky, he parted his lips to speak.
"Lola, that soldier..."
At first, she hesitated to speak, but after staring into his expression, she spoke.
"He... was a human. I didn't sense a septima at all."
Shying his face away from his partner, his gaze locked back to the path in front of them.
"I see."
Although she couldn't see his face, Lola could immediately recognize the change that radiated off of him. His voice suddenly ran cold, and his demeanor contrasted the teasing they indulged within not long ago. Was it anger? Was it sorrow? Or even, guilt? Despite her being able to recognize her partner's emotions, she could never pinpoint what it was that he refrained from expressing. She stood silent, lacking the words to comfort him.
Maybe that was for the best, actually.
They made their way to a door donning a rather interesting design. In comparison to the doors they previously traversed through that contained blank, monotonous designs, this door embellished the very sigil that represented Sumeragi. The very icon of peace, evolution, and freedom.
Next to the door stood a control panel, which lit up in response to Copen's presence, prompting him to enter a security code for entry.
Copen's eyes darted over to his partner, "You're up, Lola."
"Alrighty boss, no problemo!" enthusiasm sprang forth from her voice.
Lola's eyes sparked with a bright green tinge. The blue tint that shined from the screen shifted to the same color of Lola's eyes, indicating that she seized control of the door's security system. Miniscule windows popped up on each edge of the panel, accompanied by multiple loading bars that soared across the screen.
What followed after was an inviting chime, one reminiscent of the sound of a bell, and then a message prompt.
"Verification Complete."
The metallic door that stood in front of them shot wide open, and a harsh breeze brushed upon Copen's cheeks.
"Bingo! Sumeragi really has to step up their game in security if they wanna keep up with me!" Lola taunted.
"Nice work," Copen praised her.
Before them sat a large computer terminal exuding a gleaming blue light, illuminating the color onto the silvery metal walls and tiles that encompassed the area. The room was rather small in comparison to the wide halls they stormed through.
Copen walked up to the terminal, randomly clicking keys that resided on the keypad, hoping it would elicit a response. However, the screen continued to be stuck on a static blue window.
He then hunched himself over, looking under the terminal to see if any authorization or identity verification methods resided within the computer.
"Hm, that poses a problem."
He spotted a small keycard slot. Next to it, was the Sumeragi logo imprinted on it.
Letting out a sigh, he lifted himself up into a standing position.
"Seems like a keycard is needed to access the computer, and we obviously don't have one on us."
Just as the statement left his mouth, he could feel his partner's gaze loom over him. That sheer smugness of hers.
Copen turned to Lola, nearly hesitating to speak, "If you could, please."
"Heh, what would you do without me?" she teased.
Once more, Lola's eyes shone green. The screen in front of them soon transitioned into a bright green canvas, inducing synchronization between her and the computer. Soon after, a large loading bar presented itself on screen, the rate it filled at being drastically lower in comparison to the door's hacking process prior.
"This'll take a little while, boss."
"No worries."
Copen stared off into the screen, as his mind began to ponder on matters elsewhere.
That is, until a flash of light shined in the corner of his eye, bright enough to sway his fixation away from the already beaming large screen.
"Huh?"
Next to Copen stood a large window, displaying the outside world. Just from the angle alone, he was able to deduce how high up they were from the ground. Peering through the window, stood a large solid structure, a white wall.
However, beyond that stood something far more profound.
A swarm of buildings polished and maintained, radiating a stern elegance. Lights that stretched and glistened across the clouds, challenging the azure skies that sat above. And aircraft that loomed over the structures that resided below it, enacting a strong sense of security.
A metropolis. A grand city. A powerful nation laid beyond Copen's eyes.
Concordia; home to the massive corporation, Sumeragi.
Copen felt an indifferent expression trickle within his eyes, a cold and sharp gaze strong enough to pierce through anyone and everyone that bore witness to it. The scenery before him was a sight that presented nothing but harmony. The colors, infrastructure, and presentation of the area was rather attractive. It was a sight that would be easy on the eyes for anyone.
But for him? It was sickening.
"...Must be nice."
He uttered those words basked in condemnation under his breath, refraining his partner from hearing him. Internally, he felt a rage surge up inside him, sprouting like thorns, but he knew lashing out wouldn't do anything within this moment. It was pointless.
"And, we're all good to go!"
Copen snapped his head back to the terminal screen, far, far away from the sight he loathed.
The screen lit up with the Sumeragi sigil on it, partnered with a loading bar that steadily filled across the screen.
Copen's eyes widened in surprise.
"Nice one, Lola. You're amazing."
Her voice became a bit shaky in reception to Copen's gesture.
"I-It was nothing.. hehe."
After the loading bar filled completely, the sigil soon faded, and came forth were four windows each labeled with a heading above them.
'Casualties and Reports,' 'Enforcers of Peace,' 'Concordia, the Nation of Rebirth,' and finally, 'Operation: Butterfly Effect.'
Copen pressed his finger into the screen, swiping away as he watched each window revolve around in a spherical manner.
"Say, boss.. is this..?" Lola's words started to drift apart.
Copen's eyelids tightened. The realization had struck him.
Turning his body around away from the screen, his eyes darted all over, observing the room he resided in once more.
"Yeah, without a doubt. This place must have been some type of training facility, or even classroom, for upcoming soldiers within their military. The data here... it's so carefully selected. Not only that, but..."
Copen peered harder into the screen. Swiping his finger in quick intervals to bring up the 'Casualties and Reports' window. He double tapped on the screen, which prompted a large window that filled the entire terminal to appear. Multiple tags appeared on the left side of the panel, containing various information, each attached to a day, month, and year.
"...Just as I thought."
Copen zoomed into the tag at the very top of the screen, showing the year of its recorded date to be "2144," the current year.
"This information... it's recent. Could it be that these data terminals run on a single network?"
"What makes you think so?"
"This building still resides in Minos territory. It's not as if they're using this building for any other means other than a checkpoint. So why does this specific terminal have this info?"
"So, you're saying what we're seeing here now... is what's possibly taught in the schools in Concordia?"
Copen hesitated, "Possibly, yeah."
Clenching his teeth, a familiar wrath from before burned within his chest.
"Even more so, it's probably intended for humans rather than adepts."
"...That would make sense." Lola's voice dwindled.
The two sat silent. Just for a moment, a thread of frustration wrapped itself around within his head. Every possible scenario that stemmed from this realization began to haunt him. That imminent fear of the unknown, rarely ever halting him. What was it like within the walls of Concordia? How were people treated? How were they educated? How did they live? This single computer containing loads of information was the only thing that could grant any to satiate his curiosity and relieve his angst. All he could was theorize, and even if his theories made plausible sense—no matter how cruel, it wasn't to say that the truth didn't affect him.
Copen clutched his eyelids tight, calming his mind and washing away the thoughts that began to clutter within his mind.
He sighed, then opened his eyes once more.
"Let's see what this is about."
And just then, Copen's eyes narrowed at the screen.
"This is…."
The window titled "Operation: Butterfly Effect" piqued his interest, entrancing him into a daze, contrasting against his hyperaware nature.
He double tapped on the window, prompting the system to enlarge the topic and grant information on it.
And as the screen was filled with words, his eyes focused at what stood before him.
Parting his lips to speak, he read aloud the very first line that summarized the topic.
"A plan proposed by the Sumeragi Institute of Human Evolution to ensure world peace for both humans and adepts."
A harrowing feeling slowly crept its way up from his chest to his mouth, instinctively causing him to grit his teeth to combat it.
Copen tilted his head over at his partner, staring into her blank yellow eyes. Something about that sentence wasn't right.
"You've got to be kidding me..." Lola's wings stretched upwards.
Fixating his gaze back on to the screen, he aimed to recite whatever else the screen withheld.
But before he could relay another word, a roar of thunder crackled behind them.
"C-Copen!" His partner cried out.
Not a single thread of thought rushed within Copen's head. The only thing that flung forward was his arm, as he held his gun pointed at the figure in front of him.
A highly concentrated thunderstorm sat in front of Copen. Almost as if the thunders above resided within a bottle, awaiting to burst beyond the glass and rupture hell onto the earth itself. Roaring bolts of electricity danced and sang as it cracked the floor beneath them, challenging the metal tiles that withheld the building.
Copen was ready to taunt whatever it was that sat in front of him, but before he could part his lips to speak, the tune of lightning dissipated.
"What?"
A warrior stood in front of them. A large armored black coat flowed over them, complimenting their ambiguous demeanor. Horns protruded forth within the mask that concealed their identity, an azure diamond crystal imprinted inside it. Within the mask sat hollowed eyes, and long strands of blonde hair that flowed outside the helmet.
If Copen hadn't spotted those strands initially, surely he would have mistaken his adversary for some type of humanoid mech, possibly new Sumeragi tech. But no, they were something far more profound.
An Adept.
The figure before him spoke, "I fail to distinguish whether you are foolish or brave for infiltrating Sumeragi Territory."
His voice was rough, and his delivery was cold. However, much like Copen's own tune, a softness that laid buried under a wall forged from a stern manner could be heard.
Copen smirked, although his smile wasn't one of genuineness.
"I'll take the latter, I could use a compliment here and there."
A tense silence stood between them. Despite Copen still withholding his gun towards his enemy, positioned and readied to pull the trigger, the Adept in front of him continued to stare off at him. Not a single sentiment of fear, or even indifference was represented through their stance
That silence continued to eat away at their stare off.
That is, until a question was granted to him.
"Why do you defy Sumeragi?"
Copen's eyes narrowed at him.
"Peace is only a step away, and that step begins with your kind complying with order."
There it was again. That damned word, peace. How many times had this word been used to justify and mask heinous actions? Over time, it's as if the word just continued to lose its meaning, diminishing time after time as it fell into the mouths of those who did nothing but exercise the opposite. "Peace" meant nothing to Copen if it was coming out of the mouths of Sumeragi.
"Fighting is unnecessary. Opportunities await you. Kneel, and pledge your allegiance to Sumeragi so that you will live to see another day. A life far greater than the one you reside in now will be gran—"
Before his enemy could finish their offer, Copen interjected.
"I'm not in the mood to debate with you."
The Adept stood silent.
"If you can't come to think of even one reason why I wouldn't bow a knee to the government, then having a conversation with you is already a lost cause."
Those words, harsh and sharp like blades shot forth. His delivery was cold, as his indifference radiated off his speech. A line stood between the two, and Copen made sure to highlight that line and accentuate their differences.
"Very well then," The Adept spoke.
A familiar thunder crackled below the adept, rupturing the floor beneath them. The black cloak he wore flew gracefully within the wind, revealing six scabbards that resided near his waist.
The sound of metal being unsheathed thundered within Copen's ears, and sat in front of him was a blade pointed in his direction. The Adept's stance was elegant as it encapsulated the craft of a true swordsman, as was his form, appearing unbreakable. Not a single opening laid within his stance.
"If this is the path you desire, I will not abstain you from pursuing it."
The eyes that sat hollowed and void of any life within his mask from before, now radiated with a bright blue tinge, replicating the sight of azure thunderous eyes.
"I appreciate the understanding," he sarcastically remarked.
Copen hunched himself over, ready to strike. Instead of withholding his gun pointed towards his enemy, he backed away, holding a more defensive form. Just from the sight alone, he could tell that his enemy wasn't one to be taken lightly. This battle wasn't going to be easy.
Lola began to panic, bouncing around behind Copen as if she was replicating the gesture of a person flinging their arms in a frenzy.
"W-Wait boss! Something about this guy's septima feels off, he means serious business! He hasn't even transformed yet!"
"It doesn't matter. I'll be able to beat information out of him if I disarm him."
Copen tightened his grip on his handgun and cracked a slight smile.
"Besides... I don't think we can outrun this one."
The crackles of thunder roared louder with each second. It was almost as if the Adept infused himself with the thunders above the skies.
"My name is Blade. I am the one that carries the very will of this nation, through blades and thunder. Under the order of Sumeragi and ensuring peace within this world, I will eliminate you."
A streak of blue shot forth, enclosing in on Copen's position prompting him to dodge. A blue flame erupted from behind him, bursting him up into the air, away from the thunderous projectile that soon dismembered the data terminal that sat behind him, removing the blue tint that illuminated the features of the room. Slinging his arm forward, he aimed his handgun at the target in front of him, prompting him to pull the trigger. Following after were seven concentrated energy blasts that erupted from his gun, spiraling and homing in on his enemy.
In quick succession, Blade deflected each and every shot with his sword, emanating the gesture of an elegant dance. The reinforcement of Blade's profound swordsmanship struck Copen just from sight alone.
However, just as Copen was ready to send another barrage of blasts towards him, the swordsman vanished from his sight.
"Copen look out!" his partner cried out.
Detached off from the handle, came flying was the blade forged from metal and embellished within thunder towards Copen.
"Wha—"
There was no time to react. The velocity at which the blade traveled at wouldn't allow even an inch of his body to move out of the way. His jetpack wouldn't activate in time for a maneuver.
Bracing himself, he held his arms clothed with red armor gauntlets up to his head for protection. The collision sent Copen flying into the large window that sat on the side of the room, bringing forth a forceful impact that slammed into his back, causing him to groan in pain.
Positioning himself on the ground, his eyes tightened, peering within the darkness before him to sight his target.
This wasn't a good situation. The only thing that would give away Blade's position would be the crackles of thunder and the luminosity accompanied with it. But it was oddly quiet.
Before Copen could boost himself off away from the window, once again, he heard the sound of metal be unsheathed.
"Where?!—"
Another metal blade that bathed in electricity came forth, piercing the darkness that sat in front of him.
This time around, Copen was confident in his ability to dodge before it would collide with him.
A blue flame engulfed itself behind him, as the momentum from his jetpack shot him to the side, effectively dodging the blade.
But something was wrong.
The blade's luminosity heightened, shredding the dark side of the room and bringing forth a bright light in front of Copen. The sound of lightning thundered within his eardrums, and just before he could position himself far away from the blade...
A thunderous bang sounded off.
"Copen!"
The glass that sat behind him shattered, and his body flew outside the building. Falling debris varying from glass fragments, metal chunks and concrete lumps fell beside him.
Dust consumed his face, and blood dripped from his forehead down to his eyes, staining his sight. But the wind that clashed against his falling body helped somewhat alleviate the impairment.
Static slowly crept its way within his vision. Consciousness began to fleet away, as the distance between him and the ground grew closer.
"Copen! Get a hold of yourself!"
"..!"
His eyes widened at the sound of his partner's cries. Blue exhaust rekindled from his jetpack, slowing his descent and allowing for him to hover, and energy capsules about the size of batteries flew out from his boots, falling among the debris.
The sound of a thunderclap struck his ears once more. The top layer of the building lit up with a soft blue tint, then exploded into a spiraling, uncontrollable episode of electricity, wounding the building and prompting more falling debris to hinder Copen's sight.
The sound of faint footsteps could be heard, which were accompanied by the cracks and shatters of glass, as well as the sizzles of thunder slowly creeping in. That melody grew louder and louder, almost as if the bolts of electricity were enclosing in on Copen.
An energy blast shot forth from his gun, clearing out the concrete that obscured his view, and there sat the swordsman.
A raging storm enveloped the adept, as he traced along vertically down the building, defying the gravity that would otherwise send him face down into the ground.
Copen opened fire, hoping the adept would launch himself off the building and into the air, where Copen ruled in terms of battle.
Sinking his white armored boots down further into the building, the swordsman rushed downwards, dodging each blast in quick succession.
Copen's eyes widened at the sight. From the very start of their battle, something was oddly familiar about not only the thunder he wielded but his very movements.
"Those maneuvers!"
Kneeling into the building for momentum, his white boots engulfed the very thunderous creed he manipulated effortlessly. The Adept shot himself forward, shattering the multiple layers of glass in the building beneath him, and puncturing the concrete that structured it. Despite appearances, his movement was nothing akin to a human. This swordsman, this adept, this warrior… embodied the very sporadic nature of lightning.
Copen didn't dare blink, and yet, he still failed to keep his eyes locked onto the swordsman.
The sound of roaring bolts howled within his ears, but where was the sight to accompany it? The only thing he could perceive was a sudden increase in debris and glass fragments.
But just then, he heard that harsh voice speak to him once more.
"This battle is over."
"..?!"
In front of him stood those cold, azure eyes accompanied by a large flash of lightning.
Much like a thunderbolt from the heavens piercing the earth, Blade enclosed in on Copen, knocking him out of the air, and slamming him into the ground, dragging both him and his adversary down into the dirt and rubble that sat beneath the skies.
Dust and smoke engulfed the area, and Copen laid on the floor, while his enemy stood tall.
"Boss!" Lola cried out.
Cracks ran rampant within his armor.
"Boss! C'mon get up!"
Dust and grime stained his face.
"Copen! Please!"
Blood flowed down his head.
"Copen, what are you doing?! Get up! Stand!"
Is this it?
Lola's wings stretched outward, flailing around in a show of terror as she orbited around Copen's damaged body. She continuously cried out his name in desperation, even budging against his cracked white armor to nudge him off the ground, ultimately ignoring the collision warnings that alarmed her. The mere idea of him losing a battle wasn't something she ever brushed upon. But the idea of losing him specifically, losing Copen... that was something she never wanted to think of, and that terrified her.
Another blade of metal detached itself from the hilt of the Adept's sword. Sheathing his handle into his scabbard once more, came forth another polished blade, readied to be used to deal the final blow.
The cracks and hisses of thunder ruptured the rubble beneath them, and his footsteps slowly enclosed in on Copen. A thunderous blue tint encapsulated the swordsman's blade.
"This was the path you chose, and now you must deal with the consequences that stem from said path. Now is not the time for regrets. I told you I would not stop you from pursuing this, did I not?"
Copen clenched his teeth.
"I.. have one more trick.. up my sleeve..."
"Hesitation is not something that soldiers are blessed with. Regrets, uncertainty, and remorse will only hinder your performance. Whatever it is that you commit to, you must be ready to face the effects of your decision, and understand the weight of your judgment"
"It's not perfect by any means, but..."
"Those that care for you, and anyone that remembers you—surely, they will attempt to find me and kill me."
"I'll take a page out of your book..."
"However, that is only if you have anyone to return to."
The sounds of thunder continued to grow closer as Copen held his head down to the ground, refraining from staring at the doom that drew closer.
"If that is not the case, then I alone will honor your commitment. I will not ridicule your pride—rather, I will respect it."
Blade drew his sword back, ready to anchor the metal into Copen's head.
"Do not resent me and do not resent yourself. I will grant you a death befitting for one that fought with conviction and dignity."
"Copen!"
Copen lifted his head off the ground, and Blade was granted with an intense sight, one that even halted his stoic manner.
The crimson gaze that once clashed against Blade's azure eyes vanished. Instead, what appeared were eyes reminiscent of his own. Shining blue, nothing akin to a soothing ocean that stretched beyond the horizon, but rather, a blue bolt much like the electricity he controlled.
"Boss...?"
But before Copen could enact his last card in battle, an armored sphere flew over Blade's head.
"What?"
It sat between the two for a second, before a burst of smoke engulfed the area, impairing Blade's vision.
And just then, Copen felt a tight grip wrap around his arm.
"Quick, over here!" a voice cried out.
"Huh?"
"Who the heck are you?!" Lola interjected.
"There's no time! Just follow me!"
The smoke soon diminished, and the enemy Blade had sworn to grant a memorable death to, vanished from his sight.
"...It seems as if he had someone to return to."
Blade sighed, as his black cloak flowed over once more, concealing his torso and scabbards.
"Pursuing is unnecessary. They would be foolish to return to this district again."
As Blade stood among the rubble sheathing his blade, he paused for a moment.
"Those eyes..."
They resided within the remains of a demolished building, far away enough to muffle the roars of thunder, and keep tension off of them.
"Hey! Get a hold of yourself!" a voice pleaded.
Everything was coming to a blur. Copen's breathing pattern slowed down in intervals, and his body progressively grew weak. A lightheaded feeling consumed him and consciousness continued to fleet away from him.
Yet, despite that, he could hear a voice speaking to him. Although muffled, he was assured that it was someone's voice.
"Please! Please don't die..."
Copen could vividly make out a figure sitting in front of him. Bearing a cloak that concealed their identity, it was riddled with dust and stained with dirt. The figure nudged around clumsily, holding onto his broken armor and sinking their grip into his shoulders.
Their cries and wishes continued to reverberate within Copen's ears.
"Please... I can't bear to see another one—" The harsh wind clashed against their throat, interrupting their speech.
The figure took their hands off of him, and proceeded to pull back the hood that masked their face.
Upon removing the hood that concealed the figure, Copen's faint vision was granted a sight.
A young girl that donned orange hair and matching orange eyes that combatted the shade that overshadowed over the two. An assault rifle dangled from her shoulder as it was attached to her person through a leather strap. It wasn't anything special, nothing akin to Sumeragi tech—in fact, it was far away from it. The barrel was somewhat crooked and multiple dents could be seen in the steel that structured it.
Copen fought to keep his eyes on the girl as his vision was still blurry.
Tears formed within her eyelids, contrasting the soothing orange color her irises carried. Her eyes continued to swell up as she watched Copen's state worsen.
Struggling to part his lips, he spoke. Although his words weren't properly voiced, she could just barely make them out through lip movements alone.
"Why... are you.. cryi..n..g..?"
"Why...? Isn't that obvious? Just look at yourself.."
The blood dripping from his forehead muddied his face, and his shoulders lied slanted, exuding not a single ounce of strength within his manner. The impact Blade left on Copen's physical state was critical.
The tears that built up within the girl's eyes finally broke through, escaping away onto her cheeks, and flying off into the dirt below.
That was the last thing Copen saw before his eyelids covered his crimson pupils, breaking their contact.
"No..."
The girl clutched her hands into fists, digging them into the rubble below and clenching her teeth tight. She held her head down, refraining from basking in the sight of a life she failed to save.
But just then, an uplifting voice spoke to her.
"Lift your head up girl, there's no need for crying!"
Her eyes peered over at the combat pod that had been following after her and Copen. For a while now, the spherical robot stared off at his weary body, not speaking a single word. The girl was caught off guard from the voice.
"Huh?"
A bright light shined forth, shredding the darkness that loomed over their bodies. It was a divine sight, one that the girl hadn't seen before. Although, it was fairly reminiscent of something else she adored. A sight as gracious as the morning sunlight that illuminated the compassion within her heart, and pierced the angst that hid itself inside her. A beam that casted away the anxieties and troubles within her heart.
That's right... that light, it signified the one thing the girl held dear to her.
Hope.
"Don't worry, he's still up and kicking."
The light eased itself away, and in front of her stood a divine sight.
A girl, about her age donning short, mint green hair, and sky shining blue eyes. Behind her stood a pair of wings that resembled those of an angel, no—rather, a phoenix, a phoenix's glamourous wings.
Rubbing her eyes to rid of the ocean of tears that impaired her sight, she stared off at the girl before her, both in awe and in confusion.
"Uh.. I'll explain this form later! Let's just get him to a safer area. Do you have a place in mind?" Lola nervously asked.
There were quite a few things the girl didn't understand within this moment. She didn't understand who they were exactly, and especially didn't understand the sight in front of her, but hearing that this person she tried to save was still alive gave her the drive to get off the ground.
Strength found its way back into her legs, prompting her to raise herself up off the ground
"I-I do!" she announced as she dusted herself off.
Copen slowly opened his eyes, as his vision made its way back to him. There, stood a plain white ceiling, a sight that was fairly unfamiliar to him. A mushy sensation brushed upon his head and back, offering a sense of comfort his weary body hadn't felt in... quite a while, something that was also quite unfamiliar to him.
Using his elbows to lurch himself upwards, he gazed upon the room that withheld him.
It was filled with books, DVD's and plushies all scattered about. Wooden shelves held bottles, and comics, and a container filled with various metal chunks and other electrical components resided within the corner of the room.
"Where am I..?"
His streak of thought was interrupted by a rather.. familiar snoring noise. Tilting his head over, a girl with mint green hair happily slept away, leaning her head against the bed frame that held Copen's body.
"...Lola?"
Her eyelids twitched a bit, as she struggled to flutter them open for the voice that called her name. Weary blue eyes bestowed itself upon his sight, as her head still sat tilted against the solid wood. For a moment, her puffy eyes failed to recognize the figure that sat in front of her, but once her vision returned and her sight locked onto that crimson gaze she knew all too well, her eyes widened with joy and she rushed forward without a sliver of hesitation.
"Boss! You're okay!"
Her arms coiled around his torso, and she pushed her face into his chest, not letting him dare escape from her embrace.
"H-Hey!"
The gesture caught him off guard, bringing forth a slight red tinge on his cheeks. After all, Copen wasn't necessarily one for intimate gestures.
"If you hug me any tighter I must just faint again you know," he teased her as he awkwardly held his arm outwards.
Her voice dwindled a bit, reverting to a gentle tone. "I'm just happy you're okay..."
Those words slipped away from her mouth. Obviously, she knew that his demise was far from imminent as she felt his brain waves still linger within her, thumping away like a heartbeat...
...But to see him conscious again, not bloodied and bruised—to gaze into those ruby-like eyes once more, and hear his serene voice again... it soothed her heart.
A slight smile played over Copen's lips, as he wrapped one of his arms around his partner, finally breaking the hesitation that held him.
"I'm alright now. No need to tear up over it."
She tilted her head up at him, and granted a pout.
"I'm not crying!" she scoffed as her wings fluttered swiftly.
"Seems like you were about to."
"First thing out of bed and you're already making fun of me boss, sheesh."
A voice outside the room called to them, momentarily interrupting their reunion.
"Oh, you're finally up!"
Copen peered his eyes over to the open door, whereupon a girl he'd never seen before entered the room.
"Are you feeling any better?"
At first, he refrained from speaking as he was still confused about where he was, but more importantly now, who was it that was in front of him?
"...Yeah, I'm alright now," Copen mumbled, his voice nearly failing to reach the girl.
"Oh thank goodness, that's a huge relief."
She donned a sleeveless yellow jacket, accompanied by matching yellow pieces of cloth on her forearms, and dark blue boots that went up to her knees. Her figure was petite, but even despite that, her clothes still appeared to be a little small, exposing bits of her skin.
The girl fixed her gaze onto Copen, seemingly freezing for a second and initiating a tense encounter between the two. That awkward silence that enveloped the space between them had her shaking, desperately attempting to scavenge some vocal essence from her manner. Right, right... Introductions—proper and formal introductions at that, how long has it been since she's done one of those?
Nearly fumbling over her words, she spoke to break the tension. "Nice to meet you, my name's Kohaku."
Copen's eyes narrowed at the girl, peering into her features. Although it wasn't for long, his intense staring caused her to reflexively dart her eyes away from his gaze.
"Y-Yes? Is something wrong?"
A girl he hadn't seen before?—No, that wasn't right. Surely, his eyes met her gaze prior to this encounter. Something was oddly familiar about those orange irises of hers.
A familiar pain brushed upon him, streaking across his mind like a glimmer of light. A faint tingle, it vanished as quickly as it came, but it served its purpose well enough in reminding him of something he nearly forgot. Those words.. those wishes, he could hear them reverberate within his eardrums again.
"Please! Please... don't die.."
It was a blur to him due to his physical state after all, but he fought to keep his eyes on her. And from those efforts, he retained that will within his memory. Even now, despite staring into her awkward manner, he could still see that sorrowful expression play over the girl's face, the familiarity was strong.
"You're the one that was crying."
Kohaku's eyes widened, prompting her to swiftly tilt her head, breaking contact away from Copen's gaze once more. She twirled her finger around her cheek, before poking it in a show of awkwardness.
"Oh right, you caught a glimpse of that... Yikes, that was embarrassing," She nervously chuckled, as her eyes swayed all over. "Let's just... forget that okay?"
Another awkward, and rather tense silence followed after, prompting Copen to glance over at Lola in which she simply shrugged her shoulders in uncertainty.
The pair weren't the best when it came to introductions either, actually—even conversations for that matter. For a while now, fighting and survival had been the only thing they had grown accustomed to. Small breaks and gestures like this were scarce, so who could really wrong them for having no clue on how to progress a conversation, let alone start one.
"Uh... listen—"
Copen attempted to break the silence by parting his lips to speak, aiming to inquire the girl. But before he could get his word out, a voice behind her called out.
"Oh he's finally up?"
A voice, calm and collected, interrupted the silence.
A young boy walked up next to Kohaku. He had short black hair, and wore a pair of glasses. Strapped to his chest was a bag, overstuffed, as various electronic parts protruded through the zipper.
"Good to see you're all healed up now! How are you feeling?"
"Feeling better, thanks," Copen replied as his eyes wandered to the shadow behind the boy.
"Good to know. My name's Jin an—"
A tight grip wrapped around his leg, interrupting his introduction.
Just behind the bespectacled boy, curious eyes could be seen peering at Copen. A little girl stood behind Jin latching onto his leg and shying her figure away from Copen's sight.
He smiled, then moved himself to the side, pushing the girl forward for Copen to see her clearly.
"Come on Maria, go ahead and say hi."
"...I don't like talking to strangers," Maria pouted.
"You're not gonna get any new friends if you keep thinking like that!" Kohaku teased.
"I don't care, you guys are the only friends I need."
"Maria..." Jin patted her head.
"Aw, Maria... Still though, you should say hi. Remember, respect and manners above all else!" Kohaku announced while wiggling a finger at her.
"...Okay."
Maria's eyes locked back onto Copen as she withheld a stern look within her. Tension crawled in... only to then fade from her gaze breaking away from him, and instead flashing over to his partner. Her strict eyes glimmered with curiosity, prompting Lola to flutter her wings and shine a smile towards her. Although it was subtle, Maria's eyes could be seen slowly widening in amazement. She marveled not just at Lola's heartwarming smile, but the wings that sat behind her, bringing forth a radiant sight to her. It was almost as if she was staring into an angel.
"H-Hi."
"Hey there, Maria. Nice to meet you! I love that plushie you got there, it's super cute!"
A smile finally found its way onto Maria's face, "Thanks, Kohaku made it. It's the best!"
"Oh geeze, it's not all that great though." Kohaku replied while poking at her cheek.
Maria snapped her eyes to Kohaku, "Don't say that! You shouldn't doubt yourself, Kohaku. You're incredible!"
"Maria..."
Copen glanced over at Lola in bewilderment. What was it that made him so intimidating, or even, antagonizing to that little girl?
"Did... I do something wrong?" he whispered to his partner.
"Dunno boss. Maybe you're just not good with kids," Lola shrugged.
"...I see." His eyes drifted off to the bed sheets on top of him.
"Um, apologies for switching gears like this but..."
Jin tightened his eyelids at Copen, peering into his figure. His voice reverted to a stern tone, and the warm smile he wore faded away.
"Is it true that you fought one of Sumeragi's top enforcers?"
A tense silence formed over, challenging the friendly gestures they basked within not even a second ago.
Kohaku glanced over at Jin, pouting at him and stomping her boot into the concrete below.
"Ugh, Jin, I know I'm not all that great at relaying information but believe in a girl will you? He was definitely fighting one! There was electricity all over the place!"
Just as those words left her mouth, Jin's eyes widened both in bewilderment and disbelief.
"Electricity?! He fought Blade?! See, you didn't even tell me that part, Kohaku!"
Her gaze wandered off back to the wall, letting out a chuckle to mask her embarrassment.
"Uh.. whoops."
Copen for a while now had been staying silent, but a sense of urgency finally sparked within his veins when the young boy brought up the name 'Blade'. He spoke of the Adept almost as if he knew about that troubling foe.
"...What do you know about Blade?"
Jin looked over at Copen, witnessing a hardened, sharp, ruby gaze protruding forth.
"He's a part of Sumeragi's elite force of soldiers, only the best of the best. They're labeled as the 'Enforcers of Peace.'"
"Enforcers of Peace, huh," Copen mocked.
Copen recalled seeing such a title on the data terminal he and Lola hacked into. One of the main four windows withheld information on the topic, but due to the sudden intrusion from Blade, scanning through everything wasn't a possibility. The terminal was destroyed as a result of their battle as well, so returning to that building wouldn't amount to anything.
"That's right. Each enforcer has a division that serves under them. They act as the commanders of the military essentially," Jin continued. "I've also heard that within the city, they're referred to as Angels..."
Kohaku quirked a brow, "Angels? Well that's kind of..."
"Sickening? Yeah, that's Sumeragi for ya." Lola finished off Kohaku's sentence.
Jin's eyes wandered off to the floor below, as a frown crept up on his face. His clear manner of speaking began to crack as his words started to drift apart.
"I'm not really all that knowledgeable on all of them, but... Blade's infamous."
Lola showed visible concern, meanwhile Copen's expression only hardened further.
"And why's that?" Copen questioned.
"Far too many stories get passed around on just how much destruction Blade alone has caused, and continues to cause in the districts."
As harrowing as that statement was, it didn't surprise Copen. After all, he came to witness the sheer vigor and power that Adept held, face to face. The cackles of thunder almost ingrained within his mind. Copen would never forget them, ever.
"Honestly? At this point, thunder and lightning itself are like symbols of destruction," Jin lowered his head, sighing in exhaustion. "No matter where you are in the districts, the sound of thunder always roars its way to you."
A bitter expression etched itself onto Jin.
"It's almost like a reminder to us that we're never safe."
The young boy's voice became laced with a pain that clashed against his soft and sophisticated tune. The more he spoke about Blade, the more his voice diminished. That calm demeanor he exuded, it all crumbled away. Maria, still standing behind him, could be seen shaking as her eyes were swimming in fear. Kohaku held her head down to the ground as she clutched onto her jacket, hiding her expression from everyone. Although not present within the room, just the mere idea of that Adept paralyzed the group with fear and angst.
"We Minos, we even have a saying we pass around to avoid encountering him."
Jin sighed, then locked his gaze back onto Copen, before soon tilting himself over to Kohaku.
"When Thunder calls..."
"...You run for your life. That is, if you want it." Kohaku followed after.
Although, something about that statement nagged away at Copen. With a motto such as that, a saying so menacing that it instilled the very message of fear to keep one out of the raging thunderstorm that was Blade, why did that girl still charge knee deep into thunder?
Copen swayed his eyes back to Kohaku, staring intently at her. He wanted to inquire her, but he failed to part his lips. Maybe that was for the better actually, the tension within the room was already muddying their expressions.
Jin clenched his teeth and tightened his hand into a fist, withholding the frustration that burned within him.
"I mean, even as an adept, you still have to have some lingering feeling of guilt within you... right? Why? What's the purpose of all this killing? It's almost like lives are nothing more than numbers to them."
Copen's eyes narrowed at him.
That was a good question, actually. Purpose—What was the purpose? After all, implanted within the being of every person, or organization lies an ambition, awaiting to be forged in the makings of reality. An ideal that guided and fueled every action moving forward, all to pursue that dream. Surely, even Sumeragi had one. But what exactly was it? It wasn't that Copen had struggled trying to figure it out, it's just that he ultimately gave up trying to even pursue an answer. What answer would justify the actions of Sumeragi and its enforcers? Nothing, that's the answer. Nothing would justify the means this nation went to achieving whatever ideals their leaders believed in. Attempting to find an answer would be nothing but a burden to him, slowing him down.
"It's hard to not look at them like monsters. We have our own dreams and hopes, and for them to just take them away so effortlessly just because we don't have septimas... It's just!—
Kohaku planted her hand onto his shoulder, interrupting him. "Jin."
He looked over at her, which revealed a sorrowful but stern look within her eyes. His emotions were getting the better of him. Time and time again, his burning rage and frustration would surge up into a whirlwind of emotions before soon dwindling to a somber note. Then again, who could really wrong him? At times like these, where that familiar feeling of dread crept up on him, Kohaku refrained from watching him be swallowed by that pool. They all needed to refrain from wallowing within those realities, it... was too cruel to bask within. Something to avert their eyes, something to avert their minds. Instead of focusing on the tragedies committed, it was better to walk forward then fall into that sea of angst.
That's right. That's all they could, and can do.
He forced a smile then nodded.
"...Right, sorry about all of that, guys."
"You're fine." Copen assured.
"There's no need to apologize, Jin. We... we understand."
Copen didn't necessarily have the words to offer comfort to the group. Etched within their mannerisms, he could see the wounds they carried and the weight that sunk its way into their shoulders.
It was... somewhat frustrating. He shared those emotions, and that pain, but even so, he couldn't grasp a manner to speak.
A loss for words.
In fact, maybe words weren't needed.
Copen pressed his hand into chest, rubbing his palm all over the shirt he wore before tightening and wringing the fabric. Brushing upon that cotton fabric was a bit alien to him. Something was missing, wasn't it?
"My armor, where is it?"
Kohaku darted her eyes over to him and shined a smile.
"No need to worry, I repaired it all up for you!"
And just then, as those words left her lips, his eyes widened.
"...Huh?"
Slowly but surely, the sea of fear began to flourish within his eyes. The flash of panic in his pupils caught Kohaku and Jin off guard.
Lola turned over to Copen, letting out a sigh before speaking to calm him down.
"I looked over it with her boss. Don't flip out."
Copen relaxed his shoulders and let out a sigh.
"Not entirely relieving, but a bit better I guess."
Kohaku tilted her head in confusion, "Hm? What do you mean by 'relieving'?"
"Nothing, it's nothing," Copen muttered.
Lola crossed her arms. "He gets all antsy when anyone else but him does maintenance on his equipment. The first time I looked over his stuff, he kept making me think I was going to blow us both up!"
"That's because you were throwing the AS batteries around carelessly. If one did actually fall and hit the ground, we probably wouldn't be here right now."
"That was in the past! I know how to handle them now!" Lola frowned as her wings fluttered sporadically.
Kohaku stared off at the two in their small bicker, as the realization of her engineering endeavors slowly crept up on her.
"B-Blow up? I... was working with such dangerous stuff?"
Lola looked over, granting a devious smile. "Yeah, thought it would have been better if I didn't tell you so you wouldn't freak out midway through. After all, that probably would have increased the chances of a big 'KA-BOOM!' happening."
"T-That's fair," An unsettling feeling started to twirl within her stomach.
"You ok?" Copen asked.
"Yeah! I'm alright! I'll go get your stuff now."
"I'll help you out. Wouldn't wanna drop anything now, would you?" Lola teased.
"P-Please…" Kohaku nervously pleaded.
Everyone within the room watched as Kohaku and Lola ran out the door. Jin fixated his gaze on the floor, as a smile found its way onto his face once more.
"I'm sorry, I never caught your name?"
"Copen."
"Copen, huh? Thank you."
"For what?"
Jin turned himself over, facing Copen's direction. He held his head down, hiding his expression as Maria continued to clutch onto his leg, staying silent.
"I'm not even sure myself. It's just—it's been a while since we've seen her genuinely happy like that."
Jin looked up at him, peering into his ruby eyes.
"She saved a life today, and I think that gives her an extra push to keep fighting."
Copen's eyes narrowed at him.
"And... I know it's not fair to push such ideals onto you but, the fact that you fought Blade—"
"I wouldn't go around placing any hopes or bets on me. I was completely overwhelmed." Copen interjected, as he shied his face away from the boy.
That statement came out coldly. It was masked with a dissonant feeling, clashing against the sentiment Jin was presenting. But really, those words served as a veil for something he refrained from saying—something he couldn't say.
"I don't want anyone relying on someone like me."
Even so, Jin continued to shine a smile at Copen.
"...That might be true, but you're still here right?"
His sharpened gaze, posing it as if he was glaring at the bespectacled boy softened for a moment.
"Huh?"
"The fact that you're still here, sitting in front of us, represents some symbol of hope to us. Even if that's not what you intended, that's what we feel."
"...I see."
"Ah, apologies for getting all sentimental like this again." Jin apologized while rubbing the back of his head.
Copen stayed silent for a bit. The weight of Jin's words slowly found their way into cracking Copen's rigid manner.
"No, it's fine."
At first, Copen hesitated to speak. He parted his lips, then closed them quickly, almost as if his lips were laced with a thread restraining him from speaking. Once more, he couldn't exactly find the words to speak, despite the emotions surging within him. But finally, a smile protruded forth and that uncertainty that withheld him shattered.
"I'm glad I contributed to that, then."
Jin nodded and shined a smile at him.
"I'm glad as well."
Footsteps could be heard from outside the room, steadily raising in volume.
"Seems like they're back with your stuff."
Kohaku and Lola entered the room, both of them holding onto various armored parts that Copen dons in battle. His white armor, his red gauntlets, and his red armored boots. They placed them down near the bed he lied in.
Lola walked up to Copen, holding onto his trusty handgun, and placed it into his hands carefully.
"Thanks."
"Say, did you make all of this stuff?" Kohaku asked while poking away at his equipment.
"Yeah, most of my research came from Sumeragi's armory. As much as I hate to admit it, their technology is fascinating."
"That would make sense actually. That gun you have there reminds me of a traditional blaster rifle, although a bit smaller in size," Jin pointed out.
Although Jin abstained from displaying it, he marveled at the sight of Copen's weapon. Its structure resembled a traditional Sumeragi gun, but instead of a green tinge, it donned a silvery coating, accompanied by a red streak matching Copen's white armor and three 3 spikes on the underside of the barrel, possibly designed for close quarters combat.
"That's right. This 'Divider' I made was based off of the schematics of a photon blaster rifle. Admittedly, I don't like carrying around rifles, so I thought creating a sidearm to use suited me better."
A twinkle shined within Kohaku's eyes. "And this armor? It's not as heavy as I expected."
"The armor's designed to be light since I made it to be strictly focused on mobility."
Copen grabbed his red armored boots and held them up in front of Kohaku.
"The boots have built-in vernier jets, allowing me to hover and dash around with ease. Hence why the lightweight design."
Attached to the boots were matching red wing like appendages, sticking out from the base structure. Behind the boots laid a slot withholding the size of a traditional battery.
Copen reached into the slot and pulled out a small capsule, holding it up to the curious girl in front of him.
"The AS batteries that you and Lola were working with get slotted in here, allowing for everything to function seamlessly."
"Oh so that's what those AS batteries do?"
"Yeah. They're powered with electrical septima energy, fueling the functions of the armor, jetpack and jet boots. They're vital. Without them, I'd pretty much be defenseless."
"C'mon boss you're not really selling her on 'em if you keep calling them batteries," Lola folded her arms and shrugged.
Kohaku tilted her head in confusion. "So what do you call them Lola?"
"Bullits!" Lola beamed at her.
"Bullits...?" Kohaku quirked a brow.
"Yeah! Even Copen liked it when I ran the idea by him."
Copen shook his head dismissively and let out a sigh.
"Think about it! You can't just create all these cool inventions and maneuvers and not give them names. The AS battery packs help Copen dash around so the first thought he had was 'Battery dash', but that doesn't sound cool at all. He kinda sucks at naming stuff. 'Bullit Dash' on the other hand definitely takes the cake!"
"How did you even come up with that?" Kohaku asked.
"Well, after staring at them long enough, the AS batteries kinda resemble bullets."
Kohaku peered into the small capsule Copen held in his hand. She leaned her body forward, tightening her eyelids and straining her features to perceive the resemblance that Lola spotted.
"You know what..? I kinda see it actually!"
"Now that you mention it..." Jin nodded, his words drifting as the realization struck him.
"Right right?!" Lola beamed a smile at them both.
Copen sighed, placing the battery back into the boot as he shook his head.
Lola smirked. "Oh come on boss, you know you love my awesome names."
"...Not really."
"That's definitely a lie. You were digging 'Whiter Tiger' what happened now?"
"White Tiger? What's that?" A familiar twinkle shone within Kohaku's eyes.
"The name I gave to his armor!"
Lola continued to speak on the various names she gave Copen's inventions as well as her thought process on doing so, sparking wonderous flares within Kohaku's eyes. She was enamored by the names, and the way said names came into fruition. Although Jin wasn't as encapsulated into it as Kohaku was, he still beamed a smile at Lola, listening away at her every word.
Copen sighed, moving himself off the bed and finally gearing himself up with his armor. Slotting himself into his gear gave him a rather calm and strange feeling. Almost as if things had returned to normal. That's right. As bizarre as it was, this was his "normal."
A sharp gaze played over his eyes, without anyone to bear witness to it, as he faced himself away from the group. As he strapped himself in with his gauntlets and boots, a roar of thunder reverberated within his head.
"Blade... huh?"
He muttered the name under his breath, like a whisper. Even with the scarce amount of information he had on the adept, he felt the threat level on his enemy escalate...
...As well as the urgency to take them out.
Copen gripped his handgun, slinging his arm forward and aiming his trusty sidearm at the wall in front of him. A wrath, silent and hidden, residing within the deep corridors of his mind began to creep its way up into his chest.
Oddly, despite how distressing that fury would be for others, to him, it felt oddly serene to him. He didn't bathe within the toxins that would poison one's demeanor, or bask within the flames that would smolder the ideals of one's principles. That muted fury, that rage, it fueled him.
No matter how silent it was, it still resided within him.
A daze, a trance nearly consumed his manner as the sounds of Lola's rambling and Kohaku's voice began to dwindle, fading away into a pool of nullity.
That is, until a little girl's voice broke his trance.
"Jin, when is Kyota coming back?"
And just then, a harrowing silence consumed the room.
"..."
Jin's eyes, without a doubt, were swimming in fear. Those words that came out Maria's mouth nearly paralyzed him. A whirlwind of thoughts rushed at him and a familiar weight began sinking its way into his shoulders.
"H-He'll be back soon. He's probably still—"
"But it's been over a day now. What if.. what if he's..."
Jin felt the clutch of her grasp grow tighter, as she pushed herself into his leg, refraining from showing the tears that swelled up within her eyes.
Kohaku rushed over, shouting away.
"That isn't the case at all! Kyota's tough! He wouldn't…"
Despite how loud her voice became, the fear still waned within her voice.
"He can't..."
Those words came out like a faint cry, a plea, much like a child on the verge of tears.
A despair loomed over them, silently eating away at their morale.
But just then, they heard a familiar voice speak to them.
"This 'Kyota,' where did he run off to?"
The three locked their eyes back onto the now geared up Copen, tinkering away with his handgun with his back turned to them.
"H-Huh?"
He tilted his head back, allowing for one of his scarlet eyes to meet with them. From there, they could tell.
He was being serious.
Jin quickly scoured words to speak, "There's remains of a shopping mall south of here. We tend to scout out whatever materials we can gather within the district each week. We know it's dangerous but whatever we can get to sustain ourselves is important."
Kohaku turned her head away, "I'd usually tag along with him, but we decided to split up this time around."
"And well..."
"I'll find him for you."
The three gave a perplexed gaze in response to his words.
"What?"
That was a rather... foolish thing to say, Copen thought. For all he knew this 'Kyota' could have already been long dead, especially in a world such as this. But for some odd reason, he felt the need to announce that conviction towards them.
From the moment he laid eyes upon the group, a glimmer resided within all of their eyes. A compassionate twinkle sat within their pupils. It was... almost nostalgic in a sense. The sparkling light within their eyes, something he felt as if he had lost long ago. Although he was contradicting himself, he wanted them to hold onto that ray of light...
...Even if that light would be snatched away one day.
"It's the least I can do to repay you."
Lola looked over at Copen, staring at his snow white hair from behind.
"Boss..."
Tears started to swell up within Kohaku's eyes. Although the slithering sea of anxiousness gouged a wound inside her heart, an equal amount of hope and relief stemming from Copen's words challenged that disquieting feeling.
Words alone wouldn't be able to communicate the emotions she felt, and just how grateful she was for this.
Even so, she muttered a frail 'thank you' to him, almost to a degree where it failed to reach his ears.
Jin clenched his teeth, "Please, be careful."
"Will do."
Copen began walking out the door, loading his gun as he called out his partner's name.
"Lola."
Her wings flickered away as she jumped off the wooden chair she sat in, "I hear ya loud and clear boss! We got some saving to do!"
The two walked out the door, leaving the group in the room.
"Do you really think they'll find him?" Jin asked, fear still waning within his voice.
Kohaku grit her teeth. "They will. I want to believe."
She held her hand up to her breast.
"This world's taken far too much from us. I don't want it to take away our ability to hope either."
Clutching her hand into a fist, she pressed that conviction far deep into her chest.
"That's all we have left after all."
"...Yeah, you're right."
Copen found himself at the scene of a familiar sight.
A scene illuminated by the sunset radiating a wondrous orange hue, casting shadows over the flickering flames, and the field littered with destroyed concrete, and mechanical remains.
A painting, a forefront display of the battlefield—of war, and the very aftermath of it.
Defenseless, powerless, residing within a world where the only thing certain was death, and treading along the fields of this land meant challenging that fate. Really, who would be foolish enough to combat that cruel nature? Were they witless, desperate angels clinging on to a foolish dream that they would one day reach their safe haven again?
Maybe, but that didn't matter.
Dread, despair, angst. It was all the same. Even for those that clung onto life and fought their way through this world, despair was nothing more than a silent poison that resided within the dark corridors of the mind, awaiting to sink its fangs into the wills of those who fought endlessly.
But even so, fighting would be the only thing that would keep you alive in this world bathed in crimson.
This was their world, one dyed within the shadows of dread. And beyond it—beyond the walls that established a fine line between them, stood another world, one that was out of their reach.
Beyond the decimated fields resided those lights that challenged the skies above, and the sights of aircraft looming over the white sturdy wall that laid in the distance.
Casted out of a heaven far beyond their grasp. Not for something they had, but rather, lacked.
With that image burned into his eyes, Copen gritted his teeth and coiled his hand around the handle of his Divider.
"Let's go, Lola."
"Roger that, boss."
::A/N::
This project is both a complete rewrite and expansion of Inti Creates's "Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX." Names, key character traits, and key character relationships will stay, but for the most part this is a story constructed to stand on its own. My aim is to create a story that appeals to not only Gunvolt fans, but those that have never heard anything about the series. Expect backgrounds, backstories and premises to be changed.
I've always found myself quite fond of the Gunvolt universe. Gameplay is one thing, but no matter the medium, story is always something I peek my eyes at and hold dear to me. With Gunvolt, that's no exception. Although majority of its exposition is locked behind untranslated magazines and drama CD's, I still find everything about the franchise to be really damn fascinating. The world of Luminous Avenger iX is a depressing one, and I wanted to explore more on the world and construct a full fledged narrative out of it.
Anyways enough rambling. With all that said, I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 of Crimson Avenger iX.
As always, please leave comments, I'd greatly appreciate it. Although I may not always reply to your comments, know that without a doubt I read them, and appreciate the time you all take out of your days to read my work.
Take care everyone, see ya.