Author's Notes
I'm back!^_^
Sorry for this long silence, but I had countless things to do and very little time to write.
Fortunately this chapter was already in my mind, so when I finally managed to start it i worked very fast.
And with this, the first part of this story (the shortest), is officially over.
In those days i've been able to think about it, and I managed to create an hypotetical chronology for the story, that according to this will be divided in 5 great groups of chapters, each of one marked by a title.
Those groups will be
1 - Fragments (Concluded)
2 - Journeys (8/12 chapters)
3 - Pride and Treachery (4/6 chapters)
4 - Worlds in War (10/15 chapters)
5 - The fate of two worlds (6/8 chapters)
So, from now on, I'll start to re-count the chapters from 1 at the begin of every new section.
I think that's all.
Thanks again to all those ones reading this my work, you're great^^
See you soon!^_^
Carlos Olivera
...
5
The shock had been so powerful that Ingrid's para-mail was now completely powerless.
But despite this, they were all still too shocked and astonished to think anything else.
Sylvia was more speechless than anyone else.
More than two years had passed since they had been able to see the light of Mana with their own eyes, and the last thing they thought was to meet someone still able to use it.
But what they had just seen was, if possible, even more amazing, especially for Ingrid and her companions.
After all, the Normas' unique ability was to be able to completely undo mana's effects.
Yet, incredibly, the shield that Mary had created to protect the bulldog resisted, rejecting even the para-mail's attack, that in theory were as capable of defeating the mana as were their own drivers.
"This… cannot be!" Jamie said, focusing Mary's face on her monitor. "That girl ... Could she ..."
So, since Ingrid's para-mail was still temporarily out of order, she personally took control of the operation.
"Forget the armored vehicle!" she ordered at her three companions. "Take that little girl!"
The other three vehicles then moved to the attack, and this time there was nothing that Sylvia or the other could do to try to stop them.
But suddenly, a black shadow seemed to obscure the moon, and a moment later one of the three assailants, like magic, found itself deprived of one of its arms, and then apparently out of control fell on its two companions causing them to crash against the mountain.
"What the hell happened to you Tabitha, are you drunk or something?" asked one of her partners, Julia
"I have no idea, something hit me!" she said uselessly moving commands. "My guidance system is damaged! I've lost my right arm! "
The same scene repeated itself, almost identical, a second later, and this time it was the para-mail of the team's third member, Rosie, to find itself beheaded, immediately after seeing some sort of phantom with shining, bloody eyes, pass in front of it.
"My visual system is gone! I'm blind! "
"What the hell is going on?" thundered Julia before one of her two legs was severed, cutting off half of her driving force.
Only then the mysterious shadow, which in a few moments had managed to cut to pieces three para-mail, finally appeared, but in seeing him all the presents, beginning with Sylvia and Ashley, remained stunned.
Before them there wasn't another para-mail, but a young man barely twenty-five years old with black, disheveled but beautiful hair, dark eyes small and long and a cold expression, dominated by the chiseled physique of a soldier.
He was dressed in a simple, almost unkempt way, with a pair of blue jeans and a white shirt topped by a ripped rider jacket with fur collar. In hand, however, he held a beautiful and probably very ancient katana.
Sylvia and the others were astonished.
How was it possible for one man to deal with those deadly war instruments with a common, simple sword?
The stranger raised his head, almost voluntarily seeking for his opponents' eyes. It was then that all of them, without exception, seemed to recognize him, with the three cadets caught by such fear that Tabitha, by far the weakest of the group, wet her seat.
On the contrary in Ingrid's eyes, certainly the most surprised and astonished to see this strange individual appear, the light of madness appeared again.
"You ... It's you!" and without waiting for her Lamashtu, with the rare and unique ability to repair itself, to be ready to fight again, she charged the young man.
But she managed to make only a few meters, because suddenly the crimson para-mail came up behind her, masterfully catching her and stopping her attack.
"Stop, Ingrid! Do not do anything crazy! "
"Leave me! I want to kill him! I want to kill that bastard with my own hands! It is an opportunity I've been waiting all my life. "
Since Ingrid didn't want to listen to him, squirming like crazy in an attempt to break free, Jamie had no choice but to go the hard way, and, having uncovered one of Lamashtu's control panels, she tore apart the circuits providing power supply, leaving the para-mail immobile and without energy.
"You goddamn bitch! What the hell have you done? "
"To all the para-mails, suspend the operation! Withdraw immediately!"
And without thinking twice the four para-mail, although seriously damaged, immediately fled, taking with them Ingrid too, who till last kept shouting at the top of her lungs.
The relief that Sylvia and the others felt at seeing their enemies flee was immediately canceled by the sight of that young men, advancing threateningly towards her.
"Stop!" Ashley ordered him and aiming her gun at his head, but not eliciting any response. "One more step and I'll shoot!"
"Wait, Ashley. He saved us. "
"But didn't you see what he has done?"
In that moment Mary regained consciousness, and seeing Ashley with the gun aimed she immediately reached for her.
"Stop! You not shoot! He friend! "
"Friend!?"
The young man, now below the two girls, then raised his fist, imperceptibly hitting the child on the head.
"I've always told you not to get away while I'm sleeping, didn't I?"
"Sorry, Onii-chan. I saw Sylvia onee-sama in trouble, so I helped her. But then I lost, and ... "
"Onii-chan!?" repeated Sylvia. "But then ... you are ..."
"Yes. He Eric onii-chan."
"And who are you, if I can?"
...
At sunrise, when they were sure about the Norma's retreat, Sylvia and her companions returned to Sophia, but what they found was if possible even worse than what they had seen in Dolkin.
The result of two years of hard work, sacrifices and hopes was now a pile of rubble torn apart by explosions and blackened by fire.
And, once again, the bodies of the victims had been horribly desecrated, turning them into a mass of skeletal mummies without fluids.
Such a horrible sight was spared to the children, at least until it was possible to give some sort of burial to the corpses still enough intact to be moved; as for the others, nothing was remained than ashes.
Sylvia wanted to personally build the graves for all her council's members, and passing them in review one by one the girl, stopping in front of Viktor's, was caught by such a strong wave of emotion that even her steely self-control could not resist.
"It's my fault," she said clenching her fists. "If I had listened him. If I had evacuated the city, maybe..."
"It would have changed nothing, my lady," Helen said reaching towards her and plaving an hand on her shoulder. "They wanted our lives, and they would have taken them anyway. You have done everything you could to save as many people as possible, and I'm sure that they know it. "
Then the eyes of both girls turned toward the few survivors, each one standing in front the grave of a parent, a brother or a son.
"But now, the priority is to bring these people to safety. If we succeed, then those who didn't survive tonight will not have died in vain. "
"There is no place that can be considered safe," Eric replied appearing behind them. "At least not within fifty miles from the coast."
"At this point, I think you should give us an explanation," said Sylvia. "Who were those Norma who attacked the city? Because I have the strange sensation you know about them."
"You said it yourself. They are Norma.
Very dangerous and well equipped Norma."
"And where they come from? From Arzenal? "
"Where they come from isn't important. They cross the entire continent's cost searching for villages to exterminate. From Rosenblum to Mitsurugi, passing for Gallia, it's almost two years that they begun shedding rivers of blood.
You have been just the latest. "
"Why do they commit these massacres?" asked Ashley, coming near with Mayu
"I have no idea. But I had been warned about them. They said they would have chased Mary if they'd found out her existence, and now they have succeeded."
"Speaking of Mary, who is she really?" asked Sylvia looking at the little girl, currently trying to console the younger children who were crying in despair in front of their parents' graves like an older sister. "Some time ago I visited the royal palace's ruins, and I read Embryo's diary.
Now I know all about the truth that has been hidden to us for thousands of years, including the one regarding to the ability to use the Mana.
Why, now that Aura has been released, there's still someone capable of using it? "
"Don't ask me. I don't know what I could answer. I found her three months ago in a research lab in the far south of this country.
When I awoke her, she couldn't even speak. It was obvious that she had remained in that place for a long time. "
"I have the feeling that you didn't find that lab just for an accident."
The young man took some time to answer, looking down.
"It,was the King Hindenburg of Rosenblum to send me in search for Mary."
"King Hindenburg!?" blinked Sylvia. "Noble Misty's father!? So they're still alive?"
"Even after the mana's death, the King somehow managed to keep his kingdom safe. Twenty months ago, shortly after the Apocalypse, he contacted me, told me where she was and asked me to find her."
"Why?" Asked Mayu
"Hindenburg promised to give her protection and keep her safe, and only God knows how much she needs protection."
"What are you talking about?" Asked Helen. "You mean that little girl is in danger?"
"You have seen with your own eyes what she's capable of. A person still able to use the mana in a world full of people who would do anything to have a piece of that power is like a sheep among the wolves.
Since we begun this journey, all those who, for one reason or another have heard of her abilities, tried to kidnap her, and some of them are still looking for us. Only in a protected place like the Kingdom of Rosenblum she'll be safe. "
"Really !?" declared Ashley. "And who says that those pigs doesn't want that power for themselves like the others?"
"Currently the Kingdom of Rosenblum is the only nation that has been able to remain united and strong after the Apocalypse. They rebuilt their country without the mana, and without the mana they want to rebuild it.
The king, but especially his daughter, gave me their word. They'll held Mary with them within their kingdom until she'll be able to hide her powers, then she'll be left free to choose her own way.
This is the agreement they proposed to me."
Shortly after Eric went back to get Mary, and the four girls, left alone, spoke to each other.
"What do you think?"
"For me, he's hiding something" Ashley snapped. "Have you seen how angry those Norma were? That dude knows much more than what he said us, I'm sure of it."
"But he seems honest about willing to protect the girl" objected Mayu
"Maybe, but what about the others? If our world has became like this it's especially because Hindenburg and his folks. And now should I believe that such a snake has suddenly decided to be a hero?"
"If we only trust the king's word, I would have some doubts, too," Sylvia replied after a brief moment. "But the noble Misty has always been a good person. Even when the truth about my sister has been revealed, she never ceased to admire her."
So, in her eyes seemed reappear the light of determination.
"And if she made this promise, then it must be the truth," and having said this she walked toward Eric, facing him almost in a challenge. "How about making this journey together?"
All the presents, and especially her companions, jumped for the surprise.
"But what the hell your doing?" He asked Ashley
"I travel alone." coldly replied Eric
"There are about nine thousand kilometers between this country and Rosenblum, with two nations in the middle, Gallia and Enderant. Moreover, judging from what I understand, even the Norma that have attacked us will hunt you now that they've found you.
Do you really think to be able to protect Mary until you'll be able to bring her back? "
The young man hesitated, scratching his head, clearly unsure.
"Why would you want to embark on such a journey?"
"Funny, I was about to ask the same question." Said Ashley yet
"Those monsters have destroyed the village that we had built with so much effort, but Mitsurugi is not dead yet.
But now I know I cannot do it alone. I need help. And if Hindenburg was really able to rebuild his kingdom, then he is the only one who can help me to do the same thing here.
I want to meet and talk to him. "
"Are you sure about it, my lady?" Asked Helen. "It's a very long journey."
"But it's the only thing left to do for me, if I want to save my kingdom. We can help each other. We have a vehicle to speed up the journey, you have your skills. Only working together we will have a hope.
If you really care for that little girl's safety, you have to admit that's not a bad offer. "
"You have seen for yourselves how dangerous it can be. Now that they've found out where we are, the Norma too will hunt us, and they're lethal opponents. "
"Do not underestimate us. At a first look we might seem just helpless girls, but we didn't survive during the last two years only for our pretty faces.
And the Bulldog as well.
Right, Ruka?"
"Sure," she said coming out from under the vehicle. "And wait to see the new upgrades. When I'll have finished, I challenge any Norma bitch to try and face us!"
Eric seemed on the verge of agreeing, but at that point was Mayu to raise some doubts.
"But ... all these people ... The children ... we cannot leave them with those Norma around here, and there's no way they could face such a journey."
"Not to mention the supplies that we should carry with us," said Ashley. "The Bulldog is big, but not huge. How could we bring more than thirty people to Rosenblum? "
"There is a village in Gallia, not far from Mitsurugi's borders," said Eric. "It is well protected and very hospitable. I've been there a few months ago.
If we bring the kids and the civilians there, they will be safe. "
This time it was Sylvia to weight the offer, but in the end, smiling satisfied, she offered her hand to Eric.
"We have an agreement," she said, receiving a barely noticeable shake in return.
Shortly after, Ruka took the Bulldog inside the only shed still standing, where she remained until nearly sunset, and when it came out again the girls were barely able to recognize it.
"But ... what have you done to it!?" said a speechless Sylvia
That mad scientist wannabe had replaced the destroyed weapons with the destroyed tanks' turrets, one in the front and one in the back, as well as providing a supplement for the armor protection and various light weapons.
"You have true golden hands." said Ashley satisfied, which in turn had spent the day to recover as much weapons as possible together with Mayu.
"Now I'd really like to see those bastards try and face us again."
At that point, it was time to leave for good, and as they were descending for the last time the narrow lane leading to the village Sylvia and the other couldn't avoid to feel some sort of black melancholy.
Farewell to the patrols in the region; farewell to that mirage of peace.
Mitsurugi was probably destined to fall back into anarchy without them and without the reassuring light of Sophia, but with the help of the heavens, from the disaster that had cost thousands of lives could arise the seeds of a new renaissance.
It was all in their hands.
...
Far from Mitsurugi's coast, missing in all the maps or charts, there was an island, long and narrow, shaped like an hourglass, dominated on all sides by towering cliffs, except for a tiny portion of beaches at the foot of the mountain that, rising like an almost perfect cone, entirely occupied the northern area.
Even before the Apocalypse any ship or aircraft were absolutely forbidden to cross those waters or enter the air space, moreover it was impossible in any case considering the incredible defensive system that protected the island, made of underwater mines, anti-aircraft positions and an impenetrable radar system.
Reunion.
That was its name.
Even more than Arzenal, it was certainly the most mysterious, secret and well protected place of the planet; however, if the existence of Arzenal was a truth known only to a small group of people, there was nobody in the world who had never heard a single word about Reunion.
All that went in Reunion, stopped in Reunion, and died there. No one who ever set foot was allowed to return to the outside world, regardless of being Norma or human.
Refineries and power plants supplied fuel for the para-mail and energy for its gigantic base, greenhouses, farms and tanks provided food and water; even the metal and any other building material was produced locally, thanks to rich deposits located in the heart of the mountain, making the island a completely independent community.
When Jamie, Ingrid and the rest of the expeditionary force sent to the mainland returned, they found a large group of technicians and mechanics waiting for them in the hangar, led by a young woman with black hair and dark-skinned, typical of the Verda's people, that, seeing the poor state of some of the para-mail sent on mission, could hardly believe her eyes.
"But what did you do to reduce them like this?"
"I must talk to the Commander, now!" Said Jamie coming out from her para-mail.
She kept looking at her until she disappeared behind one of the access gates, then, as transport vehicles landed themselves, she nodded at her staff.
"Quickly! Enter this harvest in the circuit! " she ordered, and the ones rushed to unload some huge metal drums, connecting them to some large semi-transparent tubes emerging from the walls and within which, in a few seconds, began to flow a red substance and dense.
"But what the hell happened?" asked then the black-haired girl to Yuko bringing her a bottle of water. "They said it would be an easy job."
"The Reaper" stammered Julia with her eyes bulging and a certain place of her suit curiously wet. "We met the Reaper."
"What!?"
At that point the black-haired girl froze, turning back to Yuko.
"But ... is it the truth?"
"Yes, Lavinia. It was Eric. Or that's what Jamie and Ingrid say."
"Oh, my god. So he's alive."
"And he was not alone."
...
The Supreme Commander of Reunion, Alexia Asgard, was by far the most mysterious, and somewhat fascinating person of the entire island.
It was said that she had been born and raised in Reunion her entire life, but nevertheless she had a knowledge of the outside world and its rules almost inconceivable for someone that, listening to the stories, had never known another world outside the island.
Few people knew anything more about her, while for younger Norma she was some sort of model, an example to follow even in the most desperate situations; she had held the community together with an iron fist, guiding it even in the apocalypse's aftermath in that dangerous, and somewhat ungrateful mission, for which she had personally selected the stronger, most resolute and determined recruits at her disposal.
When Jamie opened the door of her room, as usual she found her intent on masterfully playing the violin sitting at one of her elegant living room's chairs, her eyes closed and a serene expression.
Her short white hair, falling on his shoulders, elegantly surrounded her oval face, while the physique, slender but well proportioned, dominated by a generous but not excessive breast, made her resemble more like a model than a soldier.
"Commander, Eric has reappeared in Mitsurugi."
"Eric?" Said Alexia without stopping. "I would never thought that I would hear this name again."
"And there's more, My Lady. We found the Grail. "
The music stopped abruptly, throwing the room in eerie silence, and Alexia, standing up, glared at Jamie with her large and deep eyes, two blades of ice; some said the heterocromya was further proof of the Commander's uniqueness, and undoubtedly it added an extra touch of mystery to her figure.
"Are you sure?"
"I saw it with my own eyes, Commander."
"Call for the others. Immediately. "