Chapter 1
Baker Beach – San Francisco
The fog crawled thickly and creepily onto the sands of Baker Beach. The place was deserted for it was still early, the sun hasn't yet break the dark night. The waters gently roared in low tones as the wind blew hard, moving the thick fog rapidly and exposing some of the beach's parts. And there, walking and creating squishy sounds along the sands, was a person
The CEO Evangeline Aire silently hummed a familiar classical song tune as she walked calmly along the beach, she glanced to her left to see the Golden Gate Bridge.
"Hoh, the fog is thick today huh," she observed and smile. She stopped however after she sensed a presence in front of her. "The fog is thicker than usual; it was probably due to smog. Now that is worse for anyone's lungs isn't?" she spoked lively. There was no one standing in front of her, only the thick greyish fog, until she heard another set of footsteps approaching.
Evangeline watched with anticipation as a person, clothed in a black cloak emerged from the fog and stood in front of her. The person towered her as he spoke. "I appreciate your concern for my health, but I don't care." The man then removed the hood of his cloak and revealed his bald head and dark tan skin.
"My, you look good, Doomfist." Evangeline's golden eyes quickly observed him and smiled. "Or shall I prefer to call you by your real name?"
"You can if you want to be killed immediately." Doomfist bluntly answered making the CEO laughed. "As always a joker, Doomfist." She stopped and fixed her glasses over her golden eyes.
"So then, you called me here to order more weapons, I presume, let us be quick then." She crossed her arms and looked away, towards the fog engulfed Golden Gate Bridge. Doomfist did the same thing and spoke in a casual manner.
"I will have the same order as usual, but I will have to include that special new product that you'd made." Doomfist made a side glanced to the woman, he could see her smile, that seems to call chaos, slowly forming in her face. Always the same interest as me, chaos. He thought, observingly.
"My, my, such short notice…" Evangeline smile grew more. That means you want more chaos, "but duly noted, I will have it deliver in no time." She said and took out her phone making Doomfist eyes glared at her.
"Relax, I'm just texting one of my workers. I'm extremely busy you see."
"And what seemed to have preoccupied your interest now?" Doomfist asked, lowering his guard as the woman glanced at him.
"The recently discovered dead planet of course. One that I funded to NASA, they'd found ancient alien techs in there and I want my company, alone, to operate it in case we find a way to activate it all." She explained with enthusiasm but the Talon leader scoffed off.
"Dead things should stay dead and forgotten. All the dead things in the world are a symbol of life's weakness…or end." He looked away in disgust, "and mankind should learn how to overcome it."
Evangeline made a short amused laugh. She had liked what he said and it thrills her. My, my, I'm glad I met you Doomfist, "Well then until you achieved your goal, I shall give you everything you want." She said and bowed at him in respect.
"And until I finished my plans I will keep you alive, Evangeline." Doomfist also bowed at her and the man then took a step backward as the fog quickly swallowed him up, leaving the CEO alone on the beach.
And until then…I shall feed your desire until it will be the one that will make you fall apart, Evangeline chuckled which then turned into a maddening cackle which echoed throughout the foggy beach.
Unknown Place – Restricted Military Area
The sound of bustling footsteps echoed tremendously throughout the facility's floor. Scientists, archeologists and even some military men were running or working in front of the computer terminals. The place was still packed with alien artifacts that the people endlessly scanning and observing, in case some of them activates.
"What are you saying, Merin?" Roger asked, his tone was with gravity, as he followed Merin on the catwalk.
Dr. Merin, cast his worrying eyes and bit his thumbnail, unease and bothered. "I do not know. The box is gone and I don't know who took it." He declared, concerned to the missing swords. "Oh where could it be-?" his thoughts were cut when he felt his phone vibrated inside his pocket.
He took it out and read the message in the screen and then his curiosity picked up. "Unknown energy source has been detected, need head scientist, ASAP." Roger who picked up the similar message looked at Merin. "I've to go,"
"No, we both need to go. As a personal bodyguard slash soldier, assigned by Evangeline Aire to guard you, I must go wherever you go." Roger made a haughty smile making Dr. Merin sighed in disappointment.
Science Lab 13- Restricted Military Area
"What's the stats?" Dr. Merin asked as he stormed in to laboratory number thirteen. Other than him and Roger there were sixteen men inside the lab and all are busy on their terminal.
"One of the object, named Object Number Fourteen-zero-eight, is emitting a strange white aura, sir." One of the men said as Dr. Merin observed. In the middle of the room, a tall glass pillar was standing, the glass was reinforced and can block projectile objection both outside and inside. And inside the glass container was a perfectly spherical shape, white colored object, floating several in the air.
"Have you checked its radiation output."
"It wasn't emitting any radiation sir, infact it was just emitting light." What the bloody hell? Dr. Merin thought as Roger stood in stance, eyeing the object with alertness and tensely.
"Hey Merin." Roger called the doctor, shakily, "do you think that there might be a chance that it might be a-" his words were cut when the object flashed a bright white light and then it dropped and bounced softly.
"What the-record it!" Dr. Merin barked orders as the object bounced around the glass, its speed was increasing as it bounced hard along the glass which was began to crack. Roger took out his gun and pointed it at the container.
"Destroy it!" Roger ordered but Dr. Merin didn't listen as he watched the object bouncing around the container. "No, we must observe what happe-"
"MEKYO!" a voice erupted and then the container exploded. Shards of glass rained down on the group of men. Dr. Merin quickly covered his eyes but Roger jumped and pinned him down on the floor, blocking the shards with his body.
"Is it over…?" Roger asked as he opened his eyes and held the table in front of him and hoist himself up, only to meet something, standing on the table. Roger's eyes went stilled at the creature, which was only two feet tall, has a perfect oval shaped body and pair of bunny-like ears. It also has a red jewel on its what seemed to be its forhead
"What the fu-"
"Hello! My name is Modoki Mokona!" the creature spoke and immediately kissed Roger on his left cheek. Roger stared, unmoved, at the creature for a moment and slowly let out an unnerved chuckle. Mokona also laughed with him as every scientist stood still, watching them both, with frightened eyes.
"ALIEN!" Roger finally said and pointed his gun at Mokona and began firing.
"Waah! You shouldn't fire at random!" The Mokona creature, in a panic, jumped and bounced everywhere as Roger followed him and while he fired his gun. Two soldiers who are with them witness the creature and began firing their assault rifles at Mokona.
"Wait! I come in peach-no I mean pea-!" the creature reasoned but to no avail, the soldiers were firing at him. Oh…! Mokona grumbled and immediately jumped towards the glass doors, shattering it and continue hopping outside warehouse.
"After him! Don't let him escape!" Roger screamed, alerting all of the soldiers nearby and they all saw the creature. The reaction was predictable, they all immediately fired upon the creature.
"Oh no! Oh no! Oh dear! Something is really wrong with this world!" Mokona jumped and jumped until he burst into white light again and then disappear.
"Mobilize the tanks! Summon all of the air force! Launch all nuclear missiles now!"
"Roger, what the bloody fuck!" Dr. Merin immediately punched him on the face, snapping the man back to reality. The man breathed hard, panicking from the creature and Dr. Merin only stared at him, thinking hard about the current situation that was getting worse and catastrophic.
Oh dear…what am I going to do now, what am I going to tell her? He grumbled silently, thinking on how to capture the creature and how to tell the current situation to Evangeline Aire. He deemed that he mustn't get to her bad side or else he mightn't see the next daylight.
The White House
The Oval Office, a room inside the infamous White house, was filled with a powerful yet calming scent of tea. The room was fully furnished with wood and paintings of previous presidents of the USA. There were three people inside the room, two were sitting – a man and a woman—in front of a large table.
And beyond the table, standing in front of a large bay window, was another woman. The first woman president of USA.
"If that is your suggestion for a course of action…then it will ensure victory, Ms Amari." The woman president faced the two other people. Her long flowing golden hair ruffled from her movement, as her green eyes landed at the Overwatch veteran Ana Amari.
"Indeed, by making Overwatch an official part of U.N. peacekeepers soldiers, we might defeat the ongoing threat of Talon." Ana said firmly but she noticed the president's unsatisfied face as she sat down and sighed. So young to be the president of the Free World…Ana thought, observantly.
"You seem to be thinking, that I am too young to lead this country, Ms Amari." The president began as a small smile made its way onto Ana's lips. "Not really. It doesn't bother me, I'm just overwhelmed with awe that, a young bona fide girl—woman— like you had chosen the hardest job the entire world, and please Ana is fine, Ma'am."
The woman chuckled lightly and smiled at her. She clearly gets the same comment every time. "Oh no, Emandeline is fine. Ana." She paused and took a sip from tea cup and continued. "And I'm fully prepared to take on this job. After all my father, grandfather and great grandfathers, had been Senators of this nation. Never a president though." She said with pride and added. "the bloodline of politicians runs through our veins."
A light, chuckle against escape her lips, creating a merry mood inside the room. "You seem to be very comfortable already, in your position, Madame President." A heavy tone of a man however immediately cuts the mood inside as the president turn to the man.
The man sitting on Ana's right side had crossed his legs on his chair, making his Overwatch blue uniform, rustled in his movements. His hair was white from aging but the most noticeable about him was his visor-like mask covering his eyes and the lower part of his face.
Jack Morrison bore his red-visor mask at the president and continued. "Despite that you haven't sworn yet as one," his gaze didn't leave Emandeline, "you must be very confident becoming the president of USA, the Free World Country."
Ana made a frown at him, despite his calm tone, she detected that it was filled with doubt and somehow anger and disappointment. He was very rude to the President.
Emandeline stared at him for a moment and then she smiled, surprising Ana and Jack. "Mr. Morrison, I understand that you do not trust me. I, too will doubt any president of this country's government that doubted the cause of Overwatch." She glanced at Ana while her smile turned into a sad one.
"My father, when he was a senator, was one of the men who pushed to abolish the Petra Act, and you know what, I somehow hated my father because he did that and for that I apologize on be half of my father." She lightly bowed at Jack who slowly looked away only to be elbowed lightly by Ana.
"But please, understand this. Everyone was scared and panicking that time. They let fear inside their hearts, clouding their judgement with paranoia." She closed her eyes and began to reminiscence the past. "People change Mr. Morrison, and so is the government. Please…do not lose faith in us, do not lose your will to become a hero once more. I implore you, save this world once more."
Her pleading eyes and somehow pleading tone had caused an internal turmoil inside Jack's mind. He didn't answer and simply looked down. Emandeline only smiled and shifted her gaze at the window. She wasn't expecting for him to answer her. The calming city lights of Washington D.C. had calmed her heart.
"Tomorrow, after I swear, I will certainly put an end to the Talon organization, they're against world peace." She said firmly as her eyes changed from pleading to a determined one. Ana immediately stood and bowed at her. "We shall support your cause then, till the end, Madam President."
Unknown place
Where am I…? a rustle of wind hit Arthur's nose as an ominous sound filled her ears. The boy slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by an endless space of darkness. He glanced around, unable to know his location. Am I dreaming…he thought as he slowly opened his eyes.
Arthur looked around, there was nothing but inky blackness. What…? Groggily and dazed, Arthur's eyes began to move, observing the strange place.
"Arise, thy faithful human." And then a low tone voice echoed throughout the place, almost making Arthur jumped. "Who-who's-!" he darted everywhere looking for the source of the voice.
"Behold," the voice once again said and then a being suddenly burst and appeared in front of him. Arthur blink his eyes many times, mouths opening in shock, disbelief. Before was a tall, large bird with two sets of enormous wings, covered in sea foam of green, emerald feathers.
"Who—who are you?" This is just a dream…Arthur tried to calm himself, there's no way that the creature in front of him is real.
"Keep calm thy chosen human, the man that will become the ultimate Magic Knight." Arthur stared hard again, confused to what the creature had said to him, but he didn't speak and the creature continued. "I am Windom, the Rune god of the wind of Cephiro, a prosperous land…that is now dead and forgotten."
Cephiro…my god, I shouldn't have mixed vodka with beer. Arthur grumbled his thoughts and looked down but the Rune god growled back, the boy's actions seemed to be rude to him. "Do you still doubt me, novice Magic Knight? If so, then everything will change once you wake up."
Arthur looked to the creature and smiled apologetically. "S-sorry, this seems to be all—"
"Tomorrow Arthur, everything will change. The world that you once knew, will turn upside down." Arthur's eyes widened, startled. "Wait, how did you know my name-?"
He tried to ask but the creature cut him off. "Now…isn't time for you to wake up?" and then everything went black.
Arthur's dorm room
Arthur gasped for breath as he woke up from the estrange dream. The boy looked around his room, his stuff and luggage were all over the place. There was an unfinished cold pizza on the table which was his dinner last night.
"Oh…so its just a dream huh," he declared as he stood up and looked towards his desk and then he stopped dead. On his desk, leaning on its right side, was a long Longsword-type sword. Clearly this wasn't part of his luggage or even his room.
"What…the hell?" Arthur stood, in awe and shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He took a step closer and then another, curiosity and troubled concern made him pushed forward until his hands griped around the handle and tried to lift it up.
Heavy…he thought, feeling the weight and he began to look over the sword some more. Its hilt was designed with three pairs of protruding hilt guard shaped into wings. The top pair of the hilt guard was designed to looks like a dragon wings, the middle was white feathery wings and the below hilt guard was also wings but with red feathers. In the middle of the hilt were three gems, red, blue and green.
Interesting…Arthur thought as his eyes scanned the blade. The blade was silver and along its surface were words. He tried to read all of them.
"Faith, Hope, Charity, Fortitude, Justice, Prudence, Temperance." Arthur's brows furrowed as he tried to analyze what the word means. His attention however was cut when he heard his clock on the desk rang.
"Oh no, time for my first period!" Arthur said as he dropped the sword, clanging loudly, and proceeded to change. He couldn't be late on his very first class on his first day in this university. Arthur packed up his bags after getting dressed and then stormed out of his room.
The sword, lying on the floor, then began to glow as if it was bidding farewell to him.
Classroom
The first class has started just in time for Arthur to enter, the subject was very interesting for him and it was one of his favorites already. However despite listening to the professor in front, the boy's mind eventually shifted somewhere else.
That sword…what on earth was that? Is it dad's, if so where the hell did he bought that, and most importantly where the hell it came fro- "Enough, thinking young novice," a familiar voice suddenly made Arthur's hair stood up. He quickly stood up from his seat, startling everyone inside his classroom. The whole room fell silent with his reaction.
"U-uhm…" he stuttered. "Bathroom, so sorry." He sheepishly smile and immediately storm out of the room.
"What the hell…" he quickly faced the mirror of the nearby bathroom of where he was in. He felt bad and embarrassed.
"Am I hearing voices…?"
"Indeed you're." Arthur's eyes widened in terror. It was the voice of the creature from his dream. "But reassured…you're not going mad." The voice assured in a calm heavy tone.
"Yeah…that's what every schizophrenic person always says at first." Arthur argued, his heart beat furiously, in stricken horror. His hearing voices, his definitely going crazy. "I know! I must be dreaming," he said tensely and suddenly punched himself hard enough for to put himself in a dazed.
"Agh…" he groaned in pain and looked again in the mirror. "Finished beating yourself up, you novice?" the voice was still there to his dismay. Arthur desperately stared at himself, trying to figure out what was wrong with him.
"What the hell…?"
"There's nothing wrong with you…there's something inside you instead." The voice helpfully suggested but Arthur growled back and entered on one of the stall and sat down on a toilet.
Maybe if I take a shit, you'll be gone. He thought and then the voice thundered back. "I am not a defecate material, Arthur!" Arthur clicked his tongue and shouted. "Who the hell are you?!"
The voice paused and then declared his name. "I am Windom, the Rune-god of Air of Cephiro, a once prosp-"
"Whatever, it must be a piece of shit place I guess." Arthur heard a growl coming from the so-called 'rune-god' and immediately asked. "Why are you inside my head 'Windom'. This is so…creepy." He said as he given up on trying to find a solution to get rid of the voice.
"I apologize if you find this disturbing, I am in a process of creating an avatar to communicate with you properly in real life. As of now, I am communicating with you, telepathically." Windom explained making Arthur feel relieved. He wasn't crazy, the voice was someone else who was not of this world.
"Ok…you got me now Windom." He stood up and walk outside the stall. "But please no talking during class…I want to concentrate." Arthur pleaded as he walked outside of the bathroom and onto the hallway.
"Understood, novice Magic Knight." Windom said and the two didn't talk for an hour.
Fencing club building.
"This institution of learning…its interesting." Windom said to Arthur who only grumbled. "So much knowledge and information, yet no one is enjoying, everyone seemed to be depressed and in financial debt."
Arthur stopped walking and replied after checking if there are any people nearby. "Well welcome to my world." He said, sarcastically. Arthur looked in front of him and smiled. A grand building was standing in front of him, the entrance was bustling with people giving posters to freshmen or sophomores, making Arthur excited.
Fencing…here I come. Arthur loved the sport of fencing, it was one of the things that he enjoys when his mother was the one looking after him. "You love fencing, Arthur?"
"Yeah one of the best sports." Arthur said as he walked towards the entrance of the building.
Night time – Dorm Room
Arthur silently entered his room. It was already nighttime and the boy was very tired from the club's activities and from school. He walked silently to the sofa and sat down heavily. He sighed and slumped his head down.
"Tired?" the voice of Windom boomed in again making him remembered that 'rune-god' was still with him. "Ok, you said you're constructing a body in real life, so where are you-?" he stopped after he saw something flew above him and landed on the television in front of him. Arthur was startled.
It was a green bird, a size of a parrot, but with four wings and blue eyes and yellow beak. Windom? Arthur blinked several times at the creature and then burst into laughter. "What the hell!? You're a damn bird!" the little thing was the so called 'rune-god'.
The bird's eyes narrow at him and Windom spoke. "Stop your yapping mortal, I'm warning you." Windom warned as Arthur tried to stop his laughter. The young boy snickered at the creature as he soon calm himself down.
"Ok…you said you're a rune-god? What is it?" he asked, peculiarly to the word. "It is as it says, I am a Rune god of air of the world called Cephiro, and you're the last Magic Knight."
Magic Knight…? Arthur's right brow raised, mystified with the word again. "You keep saying that word…what does it mean?"
Windom blinked at him, rummaging through his word, and said. "The one who will protect this world." Now Arthur felt uncomfortable to what he was saying. Saving the world? His brown furrowed and he closed his eyes, bewildered at the creature's word. There's no way he could save the world.
Windom sense his confusion and began to speak. "Your world is in danger, ever since we saw your world, we sensed its end. Disasters and plagues rocked this world and only a magic knight can end it. And that's you."
Arthur observed and absorbed his words. So far he couldn't sense that it was lying to him or that it has any malicious intent. He couldn't help it but he began to believe in Windom. "Ok…this is too much for me in one day. Magic Knights are some kind of heroes am I right, so what is Cephiro?"
Windom didn't answer immediately he flapped his wings and flew towards closed window and landed and looked up. The moon reflected in his eyes and as he said.
"Cephiro is a beautiful world, ruled by a Princess. Princess Emeraude. But then, Cephiro began to fall to crumble, and just in time The previous Magic Knights saved Cephiro. Peace reigned again within the land." Windom paused as Arthur waited for more.
"And? I think this where you'll say but?"
"Yes. Cephiro needed a Pillar to retain peace within the land. But eventually the pillar was destroyed and Cephiro has fallen to its current state. A lost and forgotten world." Windom finished his explanation as he faced Arthur.
Arthur has a lot of question in his mind but he felt very tired and sleepy all of a sudden. He yawned and struggled to keep his eyes open but Windom flew again and dropped by his bed.
"The night is already high, young Magic Knight. Take your rest, so you may face tomorrow with a full energy." Windom's tone was a calming one and yet it felt like an order to Arthur. The boy walked towards the bed and slumped himself down. After a second his eyes gave away and soon he fell asleep.
Dr. Merins Office
In a dimly lit office, Dr. Merin was talking through his phone. His office was a mess, papers and folders were scattered everywhere, coffee cups and mugs were littered on his desks. A single light from a lamp was the only light inside the room together with the doctor's laptop on his desk.
"I'm telling you Ma'am we reviewed every surveillance within the place, and it's just like that." Dr. Merin looked towards his laptop and played the video of the incident earlier in the morning. "It just disappeared."
The CEO replied to him from the other end of the line and the doctor stiffened himself., nervously. "Th—the swords, Ma'am? Well uh, we're still investigating about it," Where on earth did I put it? He cursed himself mentally. "Um Ma'am we'll do everything on finding that alien creature, I assure you Ma'am we will find it."
Dr. Merin put his phone down and looked at the ceiling, doomed. He'd lost the sword and he blame his forgetfulness, for she would certainly punish him and probably cut her funding for his research. "Oh no…" he just sighed in defeat and stared blankly at the ceiling again.
New York Harbor
Evangeline Aire's eyes narrowed while the doctor on the other end of the line explain to her the whereabouts of the sword. "I expect result from the sword 3 days from now, Doctor." She said in a mild yet angry tone as she put her phone down and looked outside her car. The calm lights from New York city greeted her but none of it calm her heart.
She got out of the car and began to walk towards the edge of the harbor.
The woman continues walking as she approached the pier where a large cargo ship was floating and docked, she looked up observing the ship and its cargo inside. She smiled wickedly after her senses then picked up a presence beside her.
"Well then Doomfist, this is far more the largest cargo than I ever delivered to a client." She glanced beside her and proudly cast her smile at Doomfist who was looking at the ship. The man was seemed to be impressed by her but he didn't show it, he only stared at the ship.
"And I expect it to function perfectly for tomorrow." He said gravely making the CEO's smile broaden with anticipation.
"You're not going to check it?" she asked wonderingly but Doomfist only gazed at her with a hard look. "Oh I see, one of your little assistant had already looked into it am I right?" she said as her eyes slowly shifted towards the dark area of the pier and cast her smile at the darkness.
A small footstep echoed suddenly as another person emerges from the darkness. It was a woman clothed in violet clothes her violet eyes stared at Evangeline as she made a smile. "I'm impress you could detect me despite me being invisible,"
The Ceo tilted her head and happily answered. "Never underestimate a single woman's instinct, Sombra, we single women are the most sensitive type," Evangeline watched as Sombra scoffed off and stood in front of her and Doomfist.
"Well then as much as I wanted to talk to you all more, I've an appointment meeting to attend to. Enjoy my products, Doomfist." Evangeline said as she bowed and walked away and as she walk she began to giggle which escalated into a light laughter that was filled with doom.
Special Thanks to TurtlePower98 for beta-reading.
Disclaimer: I do now own Overwatch and Magic Knight. :) See you in the next chapter.