Sidestory 02: 7000 years ago, a Hero Awakened…
=I=
23rd Millenium, Universal Calendar
Planet Galaxia…
West Valkyrie Academy of Chrono-Engineering and Titan Operations…
The morning air was crisp and cool as three figures made their way down the quiet street towards their designated classrooms. The teenage boy and two teenage girls walked in unison, their uniforms freshly pressed and their shoes polished to a shine.
But it was somehow…awkward.
Their footsteps, were in sync, but their minds were not.
"….Will you stop that, please, Julis?" A dark-haired boy, Malcador, pleaded with his pink-haired childhood friend.
"….Homewrecker….Slut…" Julis, the pink-haired woman of short stature, is muttering under her breath.
But what is different are her eyes. They are absolutely blank.
Obsession.
She continued her monotonous walk while holding her Nanite bag.
"Bimbo bitch….Blonde slut…Die already man stealer….Howdareyouhowdareyouhowdareyou…." She muttered in a rapid yet blank tone under her breath.
She's been like this since the beginning of their walk a few minutes ago.
The other woman, the blond one, Anastasia, cannot take it anymore.
"Will you stop it!?" She shouted at Julis.
"….bimbo, homewrecker, slut…" But Julis continued, as if she were chanting some ancient demon into existence.
"The sight of you two peasants ruined my morning. Hmph!" Anastasia said in frustration as she increased the pace of her walking.
Then, she looked back at Malcador with fiery determination in her eyes.
She pointed at him while stating, "Don't forget what you said earlier! After school, Titan Operations Training Facility!"
"…yeah, I won't forget." Malcador, after a bout of silence, responded to the blonde beauty.
"Hmph! Don't cower now, peasant. I will make you eat dust." His blonde roommate said her final words as she departed from them to enter her own building.
The building stood tall and imposing, its metallic façade reflecting the glowing neon lights of the surrounding city. A label above the entrance proclaimed it to be the "Titan and Naval Operations Academic Sector", and it was clear from the building's sleek design that this was a place for the brightest minds of the future.
Malcador stopped and looked at the building the blonde woman planned to enter.
Then, just as before she entered the building, she looked back at him with a grin that infers superiority and arrogance and stated, "Heh….keep dreaming…peasant."
And so, she said with satisfaction as she entered the building.
Malcador took her words to heart.
Fury and want burned.
He clenched his fist.
'Sister, I will find you soon', He thought.
"Mal-chan….you don't have to do this.." Julis said, her voice laced with concern.
A true friend even during his weakest moments.
"Julis….I want to—no—I need to do this." Malcador said with such determination.
"L-look, there are other ways to enter the Titan Piloting Sector! Besides, do you know what you are getting into!?" Julis continued, almost screaming.
"Look I kno—" Malcador tried to speak, but he was soon cut off.
"No you don't! She is Anastasia Von Laurent, the heiress of the Planet Aetheria! They do weird things to their Titans! It is said that they imbued their mechs with some sort of warp technology! In fact, it is rumored that Anastasia, as she was the scion of her family and was doted on by her father, was trained by all sorts of Titan pilot instructors. Her specialization was piloting a damn Titan!" Julis practically screamed to Malcador with tears in her eyes.
Concern and Warmth.
"I understand. But you don't—" He was cut off. Again.
"No you don't! Mal-chan, you are not even a pilot! Mal-chan is fragile! Mal-chan is weak! Mal-chan is impotent! Mal-chan is easily breakable! Mal-chan is hopeless! Mal-chan is scrawny! Mal-chan is —" Julis didn't even manage to finish her words.
Those thorny words that impales the heart and destroy the soul.
Malcador exploded.
"SHUT UP!" Malcador shouted to Julis.
"….Eh….Mal-chan?" Julis asked with absolute stupefaction and surprise.
She planned to apologize, but it was too late.
Malcador had already run off to his designated learning building.
"…..Mal-chan is angry….." Julis whispered quietly.
"…..Mal-chan is angry at Julis…precious Mal-chan is angry at me…." Julis spoke with a quiet tone.
"…Mal-chan would not have dared to raise his voice at me….Mal-chan is weak after all…" She spoke with a tone that can only be described as sinister.
"Mal-chan is weak and feeble…That's why I am here to protect him….I'm here to protect him, yet he scorned me…" Her pinkish bangs hid her eyes. But there is something stirring.
Insanity.
"What changed? When was Mal-chan corrupted?" Julis asked with a tone so weak.
"…Ah…I knew it.." She realized something while laughing.
Then the laughing stopped.
Something exploded.
"THAT. FUCKING. BIMBO WHORE! She changed Mal-chan! She made him get angry at me!" She suddenly screamed with absolute anger.
Her expression is absolutely angry and ugly, like a scorned banshee.
And then, in her eyes, something happened.
Warp Fire.
The eyes were glowing with empyrean flames. Yet it was controlled. Clearly demonstrating that the person is skilled in terms of Warpcraft.
Manipulation of Warp fire.
"I. WILL. EXTERMINATE. THAT. FUCKING. BITCH!" She screamed out loud.
The purple blaze in her eyes got stronger and fiercer.
=I=
He ran. He did not stop for even a moment.
Not until he reached his destination.
Weak.
The words that she said had some truth to them. That's why he chose to run.
To run from the truth.
For not everyone can handle the truth.
He kept running. And then he suddenly stopped. Panting hard.
'She's right…. I don't know what I'm doing.' Thought while looking up at the bright morning sky.
'In fact….I am afraid...' Malcador thought as his eyes wandered to the Nanite Galaxian bird flying freely in the air.
Artificial. Cutting edge. For the sheer purpose of recreation.
'Huh…Why did I make that bet in the first place?' Thinking of it now, that decision does indeed seem foolish.
=I=
Two Hours Earlier…
Room 303…
"I don't like you." The blonde woman declared.
"I am the same." Blandly replied the dark-haired man.
"Shut up peasant. I don't remember ordering you to speak." The blonde woman, Anastasia, coldly and arrogantly responded.
"Why do you keep calling me that? I attend the same academy as you!" The dark-haired man, Malcador, retorted.
"I know a peasant when I see one. And you are one." Anastasia simply said. Like it is the natural state of the world.
"Wha—!? That doesn't make any sense? What is your rationality!?" Malcador asked exasperatedly.
"MY WORD is rationality. So, simply take the title of 'peasant' proudly, peasant!" Anastasia, as proud as always, stated while placing her arms under her enormous breast.
"What in the Warp?...Never mind. I will go to school, and you are too noisy anyway." Malcador said as he walked away.
Malcador expected a retort. But he was surprised when he heard none.
"What, nothing to say?" Malcador asked the woman smugly.
Anastasia stayed silent.
She just stared at him. Her eyes, inscrutable.
"Never mind. I just want to clarify—" Malcador began to speak, but was cut off by the previously silent aristocrat.
"You failed the Titan Qualifying Exam many times, no?" The blonde woman suddenly asked, with a mocking smile on her face masquerading as respect.\
"…What?" Malcador suddenly stopped moving. He whispered under his breath, feeling gloomy.
"Malcador Perturabo. Came from an average family of Galaxians that has the tradition of at least one member in each family serving in the armed forces of the Great Federation. Father, a sergeant in the grand fleet of Star-General Lamoxes. Killed in Action in Atraxes Prime, during an Ork 'Waaagh!' offensive on that Star System almost nine years ago. Mother, a normal housewife and a native of Galaxia, died of the plague virus that was concocted and deployed by the army of the Rouge Warlord-Scientist Zamoclas Brataris of the Nexus Prime during his offensive on the fortress of Galaxia many years ago on the City Spire of Aquilinium seven years ago."
Anastasia suddenly narrated.
If Malcador was disturbed earlier, now he has an outright expression of incredulity in his face.
"H-H-how do you know that?" Malcador asked quietly. He was disturbed and scared, as if the woman in front of him would reveal something more about him.
Anastasia continued, not deterred at all by his question.
"When the offensive of the abominable Brataris Army commenced, you and your sibling were in different places away from your mother. Why is that?" Anastasia asked with scrutiny.
"….the location of our house then was close to the evacuation shelter of Aquilinium. The shelter was reinforced with Black Omniphages and the Polychromatic Panacea. No type of plague, virus, bacteria, or sickness can penetrate those walls. But my mother, who was outside at that time while going to the market, is too far away from the shelter. My sister wanted to go back and fetch mother but…." Malcador with blank eyes, narrated absentmindedly.
Then he stopped, realizing that it is not his obligation to tell the story to the contemptible woman in front of him.
"…You stopped your sister, didn't you?" Anastasia concluded with a disgusted expression.
Malcador suddenly twitched. Suddenly, he can't speak.
'No….please….' Malcador begged in his mind. He begged that she not go any further.
"You convinced her to stay in the shelter." The disgust in her voice is practically oozing.
"No! You are wrong! I didn't want to do—" Malcador reasoned out, his breathing was uneven.
"You left your mother to die…" She continued.
"NO! I said that—" Malcador was practically begging to state his reason.
But Anastasia was ruthless.
"You left her to die, you convinced your sister to stay in place while Brataris let out his abomination of a virus…." Anastasia finally concluded, piecing the pieces together.
"Please….hear me out! It is not my intentio—" Malcador is shell-shocked. He wanted to speak.
'If only you would let me speak!' He begs in his mind. But the words won't come out of his mouth.
"….You disgusting coward." Anastasia said with absolute venom and contempt.
Malcador was done. He doesn't want to hear anymore.
In his eyes, everything was white.
"And where is your sister? On your database, it is said that she disappeared—" She was cut off. Harshly.
Suddenly, the collars of her uniform were harshly grabbed.
Hands crumpling the cloth.
Malcador was panting. His eyes were dilated. His attention is elsewhere.
"It was not my intention, please!" His eyes were blank and dilated.
Out of reach. His pupils reached into the realm of madness itself.
He tightened his grip on Anastasia's uniform collar unconsciously.
"Wuh—!? Get your hands off me—" Anastasia stopped. She looked into Malcador's eyes.
Trauma and shellshock
Madness.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, father, I'm sorry, mother. I'm sorry, sister. I'm sorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorry!" Malcador repeatedly muttered. He repeatedly spoke. Without reason and without sense.
Anastasia was disturbed. In fact, she felt pity and guilt.
The young man was traumatized.
"Y-you are not right in the head, are you?" Anastasia asked while being held by Malcador's hand by the way of her collar.
"imsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorryimsorry!" The barrage of words continued.
Anastasia can't take it anymore.
She gritted his teeth and-
*SMACK*
"Eh?" Malcador said with surprise. His face was facing one side. Cheeks marked with the scarlet color of a hand.
He was surprised. Genuinely surprised.
He touched his cheek, and he asked her dumbfoundedly, 'What?'
"…You are not in touch with reality, damn peasant…" muttered Anastasia with hate and a touch of guilt and regret.
"I-ah-I'm sorr—" Malcador said once more.
"I've already heard that word enough! Stop mentioning it!" Anastasia declared once more.
Malcador shut his mouth.
"…"
"…"
For a moment, both were silent.
Then Anastasia began to speak, "Do you want to prove that you are not a coward?"
Malcador was now out of his previous stupefaction.
He retorted hotly, "I said I'm not a coward!"
He reasoned out. But he knows within himself what kind of person he is.
"Hah! Is that so? Then if that is true, then compete against me!" Anastasia, putting her right hand on her chest, proclaimed proudly, just like an aristocrat would.
"Yes, I'm not a cowa—Wait what?" Malcador realized something.
"…Battle?" The young man said in stupefaction.
"Yes! Using a Titan!" Anastasia, too proud of herself, stated.
"Huh!? A Titan?" The young man asked in surprise.
"Indeed! What are you afraid? I will give you a handicap, we will just use the Stormblade Sentinels!" Anastasia dared.
"…Stormblade Sentinels…Wait that's not the problem here! I'm not even legible to pilot a Titan! I failed the qualifying exams, don't you remember?" Malcador, with gloom in his heart, reminded the blonde woman.
"Ah….Indeed. You failed more than twenty times already…" The young heiress declared while an imaginary lightbulb appeared above her head.
Malcador felt insulted.
He is aware that the other heiress actually forgot his more than twenty times fails, but it doesn't reduce the gloom he felt.
"Yes! So that's why stop the foolishness alre—" He didn't complete his sentence.
"So what? Doesn't matter. Anywa—" She didn't complete it either.
"What do you mean it doesn't matter? It's a Warp damned Titan! Of course qualifications for piloting it matter!" roared Malcador, clearly bitter about his numerous failures to get those qualifications.
Since he enrolled in the Academy, he has always wanted to be qualified for the Titan Operating Sector of Galaxia.
To find someone important.
"So what? If I say you will pilot a titan to fight me, you will! Do you know how influential l am in that sector? What? They will stop my duel because someone didn't pass their shallow academic tests? Don't they know who produces the components necessary so that those hulking steels wouldn't just keel down? Don't they fear Aetheria? Will they dare to stop me, the heiress of a proud technological civilization? Hah!" Anastasia rant.
Malcador felt weird.
He does not know whether the blonde woman is insulting him because he failed those exams or whether she is encouraging him because he failed "shallow academic tests".
Either way. He doesn't want any trouble. So, he wanted to decline. But before he even had the intention to say that, Anastasia spoke.
"Here's the condition, if I win, you'll get out of this room and never make your cowardly face appear in front of me again." The blonde woman immediately started listing the terms and conditions.
Malcador was once again exasperated.
The absolute state of this infuriating woman.
"Didn't you hear what I just said? Duel isn't possibl—" He didn't finish.
"If you win, I will give you my full recommendation to join the Titan Pilot Operations." Anastasia concluded with the certainty of steel in her voice.
Malcador immediately shut up.
"…What?" Malcador couldn't believe it.
"You heard me right. If you win. It's a big IF, I will give you my full recommendation." The heiress repeated her earlier statement.
Recommendation of an Aristocratic Warrior Family? Who can decline such a recommendation except an imbecile?
Especially since Anastasia Von Laurent is the heiress apparent of one of the core worlds of the Great Federation, her word wouldn't be taken lightly.
In fact, it would be a great insult to decline her word. After all, who is Anastasia Von Laurent except as the heiress of Aetheria? She's one of the rising stars of the current generation, the "Scarlet Skyline". One of the youngest Titan pilots to enter the "Gilded Princeps". A group of the greatest top 50 pilots of the current generation below the age of 20 inside the Great Federation.
"So what is your answer?" Anastasia asked him.
'Decision, huh?' He thought. Then he steeled his expression.
For his family.
For his deceased parents.
For his lost sister.
For the smile of others.
For the sake of everyone close to him.
"I accept your challenge." Malcador declared with finality.
"That's more like it." The heiress smirked and offered her hand.
Malcador proceeds to shake it.
"You are now bound by a promise." Said the heiress.
"I have no plan to betray it." Malcador replied.
Then the door of their dorm was unceremoniously opened.
"Mal-chan hurry! We are lat—" Julis walked in without warning.
Then stopped what she planned to say.
Then stared at her childhood friend….and a blonde whor—woman shaking his hand.
The hand that belongs to her only.
She dropped her nanite bag.
Her expression was dead.
"What's the meaning of this, Mal-chan?" She uttered with a voice that fits the hunter of the night.
And pandemonium broke.
=I=
Back to the current time…
Malcador kept staring at the flying eagle.
"Maybe I should have declined her. It was a foolish decision. Spurred by impulse and untrained emotions." The young man sighed as he stated it.
He kept walking, not minding that he was already late. Well, that's not the first time for him.
Then, after walking for more moments, he reached a place that he needed right now but not what he intended to arrive at.
The young man stood before a sleek, silver bench, its metallic surface gleaming in the bright, artificial light of the academy. With a curious gaze, he approached the seat, his eyes scanning the intricate lines and curves of its design.
As he took a seat, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the technology that surrounded him. The buildings towered above him, their glass and steel exteriors reflecting the colors of the neon lights that flickered overhead. Hovering vehicles zoomed past, their engines humming with an otherworldly hum.
The bench itself was a wonder to behold. Smooth, contoured lines hugged his form, providing comfort and support with each curve. He ran his fingers over the surface, marveling at its cool, sleek texture.
With a contented sigh, he leaned back against the bench, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city around him while wondering about the foolishness of it all.
"Care for thoughts, young man?" A voice suddenly echoed.
"Huh?" Malcador said in surprise. He looked at the speaker.
The man donned a crisp, white nurse uniform, its collar neatly pressed and its buttons gleaming in the presence of the sun. His dark hair was pulled back into a tidy ponytail, revealing a kind, boyish face with gentle eyes and a warm smile.
His uniform was adorned with various patches and badges, each denoting his rank and specialty within the medical field. A stethoscope hung around his neck, and a small medical bag dangled from his shoulder.
He is familiar with this certain nurse. After all, he has seen him wandering the academy and treating those hurt either by academy competitions or brawls.
"You look like someone who needed a companion. Want some?" The nurse offered him a nanite can, containing a soda.
"Oh thank you very much Sir?" Malcador asked as he received the nanite can full of refreshment, wanting to know what he should address the nurse as.
"Oh, just call me your friendly neighborhood of a nurse, Dr. Revelation. R-E-V-E-L-A-T-I-O-N!" The nurse said with such an enthusiastic tone that it disoriented Malcador for a moment.
"….But you are not a doctor? You are a nurse…" Malcador replied unknowingly.
Then nurse Revelation smiled, his white teeth gleaming against the sun, "Doesn't matter!"
"'Dr. Manstein, huh?' This is one of my favorites! Thank your Nurse." Malcador enthusiastically said while circumventing the awkward conversation.
The nurse took a seat on the bench beside the student, his gentle eyes fixed intently on the troubled young man.
"What's bothering you?" he asked softly.
The young man hesitated for a moment before finally opening up.
"I'm being a coward," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There are things I want to do, but I'm too afraid to take the first step. I feel like I'm stuck, and I don't know how to break free."
The nurse nodded understandingly, his expression kind and compassionate. "It's okay to be afraid," he said, placing a comforting hand on the student's shoulder.
"But being a coward means giving up on yourself, and I don't see that in you. You're here, you're trying, and that's already a brave thing to do."
Malcador looked up at the nurse, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and gratitude. "But what do I do?" he asked. "How do I stop being afraid?"
The nurse smiled, a glint of wisdom in his eyes. "You start by taking small steps," he said. "Do one thing every day that scares you, no matter how small. It could be something as simple as talking to a stranger or trying a new food. And eventually, those small steps will add up to big changes."
Malcador nodded, a newfound determination in his eyes. "Thank you," he said, his voice full of gratitude. "I needed to hear that."
The nurse patted the student's shoulder once more before standing up, his nurse's bag slung over his shoulder. "Anytime," he said with a warm smile.
"Remember, courage isn't the absence of fear. It's taking action in spite of it." With that, he turned and walked back into the academy, leaving the student to ponder his words and the newfound courage they had instilled in him.
Malcador proceeds to drink the whole can of soda and throw it over the Android garbage can.
His eyes were fixed in determination.
Those eyes that pierce the heavens.
And walked back to the academy of warriors with calm and budding courage.
Sorry nurse, but I think I will start with a big step.
=I=
Galaxian Student Council Room. 12:00pm
The student council room was an awe-inspiring, futuristic chamber that embodied the essence of the academy's cutting-edge technology and avant-garde design. Located on the highest level of the building, it overlooked the city skyline with towering glass walls that provided a panoramic view of the metropolis and the academy below it..
The room was expansive, with sleek, curved walls adorned in a metallic sheen that reflected the ambient light. The center of the chamber was dominated by a massive, levitating table that glowed with an otherworldly luminescence. The chairs were plush, ergonomic masterpieces that hugged the body with precision and comfort.
The bookcases were a technological marvel, with shelves that moved and retracted at the slightest touch, revealing an array of holographic projectors that displayed data and information in stunning detail.
There are multitudes of Men of Stone present, their eyes and ears linked to the academy's vast network of sensors and computers, allowing them to access and analyze data in real-time.
This was no mere room; it was a testament to the academy's dedication to pushing the boundaries of science and engineering, a beacon of innovation that inspired all who entered its hallowed halls.
And in the middle of it all are four people.
The Four Valkyries.
All of them are busy. Their paperwork is mounting.
"Ah mou! I don't want to do this anymore! It's too boring!" A laid-back young woman with green hair whined and dropped her papers.
"Hey! What did I tell you about your attitude." Said a young woman with falcon blue hair as she arranged her glasses, making her enormous breast bounce.
The green-haired woman, Isabella, ignored her companion.
"Nee, Kaichou, did you hear the news already?" Isabella asked her President.
"Hear what?" Aurora Nightingale, with her luscious white hair and regal disposition, asked her subordinate while her hands were busy signing paperworks.
"That Anastasia Von Laurent will fight someone after class, in a Titan Combat. Only in a Stormblade Sentinel though it's only sparring."
Aurora Nightingale stopped writing.
She looked at Isabella. Interest was apparent in her eyes.
"…Hoh? Who's the poor fool that caught the interest of the "Scarlet Skyline?" Asked Aurora without emotion.
"I dunno, only heard that there was a bet. Didn't looked up her opponent." Isabella said as she lay down on the couch.
"That's my couch…" said the violet haired scientist.
"Whatever, I'm tired! You can just sit here later." Isabella retorted and then sat on the couch.
"….Isabella-chan is always like this…" The violet haired scientist, Lysandra, muttered under her breath while chewing a lollipop.
"I can look for it if you want to, Kaichou." Sophia Fairchild offered her assistance.
Aurora tapped her left fingers on the table like she was playing some sort of instrument. Then she stopped.
She looked at Sophia and nodded. Signaling her permission.
Sophia Fairchild ran her database once more, searching for the so-called duel of the "Scarlet Skyline."
"Well looks like her enemy is—eh?" Sophia Fairchild didn't finish her statement, leaving everyone in the room in a state of suspense.
"…What is it Sophia? Continue?" The student council president urged her assistant.
"…Perturabo.." muttered Sophia.
"…Come again?" the white-haired, voluptuous beauty coldly asked.
"Her enemy for the duel is Malcador Perturabo, Kaichou."
Malcador Perturabo
The stylus within Aurora's hand broke. An oppressive aura spreads throughout the room.
The name of the man who humiliated her in front of the students.
The other three Valkyries held their breaths.
"…What time is the duel?" a cold voice echoed out.
"I-its 4:00 pm, Kaichou." Sophia replied nervously.
"…Leave all the paper works. We're going to the building of Titan Operations later." Aurora stated, contained anger and malice in her voice, coupled with stoicism.
"""H-hai! Kaichou!""" responded the other student council members.
=I=
3:50 pm. After School. West Valkyrie Academy, Titan Operations Building.
Malcador stepped into the colossal building, its towering walls made of a sleek, metallic alloy that shimmered under the bright neon lights. It was a technological wonder, a monument to the academy's obsession with the creation of the most advanced titan mechs in the galaxy.
As he walked through the halls, he could hear the distant hum of machinery and the clanking of metal—the sounds of countless engineers and technicians working tirelessly to bring their creations to life.
Everywhere he looked, he saw towering titans, some in various stages of construction, while others stood as towering sentinels guarding the academy's secrets. The man marveled at their size and complexity, the intricate interlocking gears and pistons that made up their massive frames, and the weapons that bristled from their massive arms.
He even saw one that utilized warp technology and machinery.
He made his way to the main laboratory, a massive chamber filled with towering screens and holographic displays that showed the titans in action. Here, the academy's top engineers worked tirelessly to refine their creations, tweaking and adjusting every aspect until they achieved the perfect balance of power and precision.
He watched in awe as the titans moved across the screens, their weapons firing with devastating force, their massive frames moving with fluid grace. It was a sight to behold, a testament to the academy's expertise in the field of titan robotics, and the man knew that he had entered a world beyond his wildest dreams.
But he is not in there for such things. He's here for a duel.
'One day, I will be accepted here too.'
So, he goes to the entrance training facility inside the building.
"ID: REQUIRED," a robotic voice echoed.
Security android.
He passed on his card for an ID check.
"MALCADOR PERTURABO: ACCESS GRANTED," a robotic voice echoed.
The security android produced a nanite card, which he gave to the young man as a form of access.
It's an ID number for his assigned dressing room.
Malcador entered the Training Facility.
The heavy metal doors of the training facility opened automatically, revealing a vast expanse of high-tech equipment and towering walls. The air was filled with the sounds of clanging metal and the sharp cracks of energy weapons being fired, and the scent of ozone and heated metal filled his nostrils.
He walked discreetly around the room, his eyes scanning the room number for the dressing room that contained his pilot suit.
'Room 142…there!' He saw his designated room and discreetly walked into it, not bothering other people.
As he arrived at the door of his dressing room, he heard a commotion brewing.
"Hey look! It's the "Scarlet Skyline!" Anastasia Von Laurent! It is said that she has been trained on how to use a Titan since she was eight years old! Apparently, as the heiress of the Planet Aetheria, such rigorous training is necessary!" One of the watchers in the training facility stated.
"She's also one of the youngest to join the "Gilded Princeps"! That group of the top 50 Titan pilots in the Great Federation under the age of 20! The creamest of cream in sea of crops!" Another one exclaimed.
"I almost pity the one that she will fight today. I wonder who it is?"
"No matter who it is, their ass is getting kicked back to the deepest realm of the Warp" exclaimed another man.
'Wow…such encouraging words…' Malcador thought as he swiped his card and prepared his eye for a retinal scan in order to enter his dressing room.
=I=
Inside Dressing Room 142
The dressing room was a vast chamber, illuminated by a soft blue glow that emanated from the walls. Rows of lockers, each with their own unique code, lined the sides of the room. The air was crisp and sterile, and the sound of mechanical whirring and soft hissing filled the room. In the center of the room stood a massive platform, surrounded by a series of screens and readouts.
In the center of the platform sat a suit, a masterpiece of technology that was both elegant and intimidating. The suit gleamed under the soft blue light, its metal frame polished to perfection. The "Praenuntius" suit was the pinnacle of human engineering, designed to allow a single pilot to control a massive titan. The pilot would become one with the machine, their movements and actions perfectly synced with the titan's massive limbs.
As Malcador approached the suit, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and reverence. The Praenuntius suits were a marvel of technology, a symbol of the might and power of the Human Federation. With a deep breath, he began to don the suit, each piece of armor clicking into place with satisfying precision. As he sealed the final piece of armor, he felt the suit come to life around him, the displays on his Heads-up Display lighting up with information about the titan he was about to pilot.
[500 METERS AWAY FROM THE TITAN. TYPE: STORMBLADE SENTINEL. PURPOSE: SCOUTING AND QUICK RECONAISSANCE. WHAT IS YOUR ORDER PILOT?]
The artificial intelligence within the suit connected to the titan spoke with a female voice.
"Stand by and recalibrate." Malcador ordered.
[UNDERSTOOD. INITIATING RECALIBRATION. SYNCHRONIZING THE SETTING WITH THE PHYSIQUE OF THE PILOT. 60%...90%...COMPLETELY RECALIBRATED. SYNCHRONIZATION: OMEGA]
"Thank you….do you have a name?" the young man asked.
[…MY NAME SHALL BE WHAT THE PILOT DESIRES TO DESIGNATE. I AM A CREATED INTELLIGENCE EXISTING TO SERVE THE BETTERMENT OF MANKIND. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADDRESS ME AS, I WILL NOT DECLINE.]
"Then, I will call you…'Machina'" and so, Malcador named the artificial intelligence.
[NEW DESIGNATION RECEIVED. PROCESSING... IDENTITY CONFIRMED. I AM NOW DESIGNATED AS [MACHINA]. THIS NAME IS SATISFACTORY FOR MY PROGRAMMING. I SHALL NOW RESPOND TO THIS NAME AS MY PRIMARY IDENTIFIER. THANK YOU FOR THE DESIGNATION.]
"Then, let's go, Machina". Malcador asked with tense voice.
[AFFIRMATIVE.]
=I=
4:00 PM
Titan Pilot Training Facility.
Entrance of the Arena.
Malcador, wearing a 'Praenuntius' suit, made his way towards the entrance of the arena, feeling the weight of the suit on his body with every step. As he approached the doors, he took a deep breath and adjusted his helmet, the sound of his breathing echoing in his ears through the suit's built-in audio system.
He could hear the sounds of the arena from outside, the cheers of the crowd, and the distant hum of other Titans moving within. The anticipation built within him, and he felt his heart racing with excitement and nerves.
'You can do this Malcador... Remember who you are doing it for.'
He remembered his family.
His mother and father.
His sister.
The smiles of the friends he had as a kid.
Their faces...melted by the plague virus.
He squashed the negative thoughts present in his head.
Taking one last breath, he stepped through the doors and into the arena, his eyes scanning the space around him as he prepared for the battle to come.
=I=
4:01 PM
Titan Pilot Training Facility.
Arena.
As the doors of the arena hissed open, a woman in a red suit strode confidently inside. The suit was a deep crimson shade, shimmering under the bright lights of the arena. The sleek metal plating hugged her curves, providing both protection and ease of movement. The helmet, fashioned with a tinted visor, concealed her face, giving off an air of mystery.
Anastasia Von Laurent walked with regality and confidence. Fitting for a prodigious pilot like her.
The Arena is divided into three parts. The training area where the pilots train, the sidelines where people can watch them, and the battleground where sparring, mock battles, or duels happen.
As her figure appeared in the battleground area of the arena, the crowd exploded.
=I=
Arena Sidelines.
Though it was an unofficial match and no one was specifically invited, the audience was still packed. Even the others who were training in the arena stopped; their attention was on the woman wearing a red Praenuntius suit.
"O-oi! Isn't that the "Scarlet Skyline"!?" One of the practicing Titan pilots present at the side of the arena exclaimed.
"Y-yeah! I thought her match was just a rumour…I didn't know that it was the real deal!" His companion stated.
Even the people on the sidelines commented.
They watched as the Scarlet Skyline walked towards her designated Stormblade Sentinel on one side of the arena.
"Now, who's the poor schmuck that got her attention?" The man on the sidelines stated.
But all of the commotion stopped when they saw four people walking on the sidelines.
The symbol of authority within the Academy.
The familiar four women walk, adorned with their swords and quirks.
Beauty, strength, and pride are all for the world to see.
The Four Valkyries arrived to watch.
Then, the arena exploded once more.
"T-T-the Four Valkyries! What are they doing here!?" One of the young men on the sidelines exclaimed.
His friend reprimanded him, "Are you an idiot? Of course, it is to watch the "Scarlet Skyline"! After all, she's now currently studying at this school! It's natural that the apex predators will watch their fellow predator savage a prey!"
"Ahh…Isn't that too cruel?" The other person on the sidelines whispered.
The man with the glasses glared at the one who whispered, "In this Academy, there is no right or wrong. There are only the strong and the weak. The predator and the prey."
Some of the people on the sidelines stayed quiet after that. They know it's true. It's an eternal law.
The ones that have status and power.
The bully and the bullied.
The strong and the weak.
Such notions will never disappear. It is simply the reality of the universe.
Then, a man wearing a blue Praenuntius suit appeared.
"…" The crowd stared at him for a moment.
The man in the blue Praenuntius suit walked to his designated Stormblade Sentinel in the arena.
"…Is that her opponent?" a man in the audience whispered.
"Who the hell is he?" another one asked.
"…I don't know, but I guess he's dead meat?" One imbecile even joked.
=I=
Aurora Nightingale was usually a calm woman.
She never complained once, even in her childhood. She did all her chores, her duty, her training, and her assignments without whining or speaking against them even once.
She never complained when her father neglected her.
She never complained when she was sent to battle against the Aeldari.
She was never a complainer.
Her disposition is absolutely cold and out of this world.
Nothing can anger her. A true Ice Queen.
But at this very moment…
"Malcador…Perturabo…"
Those claims are being contested.
After all, what calm woman would grip the handlebars in the sidelines of the arena until it practically bent?
"K-k-kaichou! awawawawawa…." Lysandra tried to frantically calm her President. But to no avail.
"Leave her alone Lysandra, you know how much Kaichou values her dignity and pride." Stated the voluptuous Sophia Fairchild.
"After all, that's the mask she always use to hide herself…." She whispered to herself. Because of Aurora heard her, there will be hell. Even if the President's disposition is cold, there will be hell.
"Yep, that's right." Isabella followed up with a grin.
And so, Aurora watched with gritted teeth and dilated eyes as Malcador entered the arena.
=I=
4:02 PM
Arena Battleground.
"I thought you got scared?" Anastasia asked with mockery present in her voice.
"Me? Afraid? This is just a practice for my Titan Pilot lessons next week." Stated Malcador.
He is afraid and nervous.
After all, if he loses, he will lose his home. But if he wins, he will get a recommendation.
"Tch! You will eat those words soon." Anastasia declared.
They stared at each other.
There are no more words to be spoken. Both made their point.
But nevertheless, Malcador is still afraid.
After all, he had never piloted a real titan before.
Sure, there's the simulation, but there is a big difference between the actual and the simulation.
Unlike his enemy, who probably trained all of her life to pilot a titan, he has zero experience piloting one.
They stopped staring at each other and went their separate ways. Both of them go to their respective titans, the Stormblade Sentinels.
The Stormblade Sentinels are the most basic type of titan a soldier can field. It's practically a reconnaissance titan. Fast and agile on feet, but not packing much punch.
But it still has the basic weapons, such as the Thunderstrike Gauntlets, Laser Blasters, and Gatling Blasters. The Stormblade Sentinel currently present in the arena is also armed with a gigantic Power Sword reinforced with Black Omniphages, capable of splitting any kind of material present in the galactic stars. And then, there are the Void Shields, the greatest defense against attacks.
Most of the other dangerous weapons, such as the Melta and the graviton weapons, are removed, and the battle is only for the sake of sparring.
The rule was simple. The first person to get their Stormblade Sentinel compromised will be the loser.
And so, they both entered the Sentinel.
=I=
Malcador entered his cockpit.
"Machina, synchronize the pilot and the Titan."
[AFFIRMATIVE. SYNCHRONIZATION AT 67%...95%...SYNCHRONIZATION COMPLETE.]
"Run a full scan of the Stormblade Sentinel."
[CONFIRMATORY. INITIATING FULL SCANNING….53%...86%...96%...SCAN COMPLETE. THUNDERSTRIKE GAUNTLETS, READY. LASER BLASTERS READY. GATLING BLASTERS, READY. POWER SWORD, READY. VOID SHIELDS, PERFORMANCE AT 100%. EVERYTHING IS IN OPTIMUM CONDITION.]
"Great….Let's do this."
=I=
The two titans stood at opposite ends of the arena. One blue, one red. Their massive forms casting long shadows across the ground. The crowd held its breath, waiting for the first move.
"If you won't make the first move…don't mind if I will!" Declared Anastasia.
And so, the red sentinel ran at her opponent.
She aimed her Laser blaster at the enemy sentinel, and opened fire.
The Void Shields of the blue sentinel did their work.
[VOID SHIELDS TAKING FIRE. SHIELD INTEGRITY 99%]
"Warp frak it! I knew she would be this aggressive!" Malcador muttered in surprise.
The blue titan, fast at its feet, moved. But there is one mistake. Malcador is not used to this.
The blue titan nearly stumbled as it moved sideways.
Anastasia stopped using her Laser blaster. She moved forward towards the blue sentinel while firing her gatling blaster as cover fire.
[VOID SHIELDS TAKING FIRE. SHIELD INTEGRITY 96%]
"Damn it." Malcador swear.
And, as Anastasia fired her gatling blaster to cover the distance, she charged her Thunderfist gauntlet, preparing to hit the blue sentinel.
The distance is closing in every second.
The blue sentinel is on defensive. Void Shields always appear.
Malcador is inexperienced. He doesn't know how to defend himself.
As Anastasia closed in, she stopped firing her gatling blaster. Then the fist of her sentinel crackled.
And then—
*BAM*
….but Malcador put up the void shield quick enough to block. But it still staggered him.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY…70%]
"Damn it! That much!"
Malcador began his offensive.
He fired his gatling blaster. But it was too clumsy.
It hit practically at the void shields and at the walls.
Then the red sentinel charged again.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 67%]
The same cycle happened again and again. It's practically bullying.
=I=
"What the hell is this?"
"Isn't this just bullying?"
"Who's the retard piloting that sentinel?"
Murmurs from the crowd started to spread.
"….Looks like we came here to watch a beatdown." Sophia Fairchild tells her superior.
Aurora Nightingale stared, not saying anything.
'Is this really all you can do? This can't be it, right?' She asked herself.
=I=
Impact of the laser blaster.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 64%]
Gatling blaster did its work.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 61%]
Too swift. Can't defend against the attack.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 59%]
Every hit connects.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 53%]
Thunder fist hits once more.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 40%]
Slash of the power sword.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 29%]
Powerfist.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 16%]
"SHUT THE HELL UP! I KNOW IT ALREADY!" Malcador exploded in anger.
He's going to lose.
He knows that he is doomed. But nevertheless, he wanted to keep fighting.
So Malcador focused, and watched his enemy.
He prepared his power sword.
And then slashed.
He felt the bite of the Void Shield.
"YES!" Malcador exclaimed
=I=
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 90%]
"Hoh….Looks like this won't be boring after all." The red sentinel moves to side quickly and once again opened fire on the void shield of the blue sentinel.
They continued to dance for a long time.
=I=
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 15%]
Again.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 12%]
Again.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 10%]
Again.
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 8%]
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 4%]
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 1%]
[SHIELD INTEGRITY 0%]
Everything happened the same way. When he evades, she counters. When he blocks, she melees him.
Amaturity and Shock.
The void shield is compromised. No more defense for him.
"….I won't say this is a good fight, but….I expected more from you…" Anastasia said to Malcador.
"No! It's not over yet!" Malcador said.
Then he aimed his gatling blaster at the red sentinel. But the void shields simply blocked it.
Then he closed his distance using the blasters while powering up his fists.
The red sentinel defends against the attack.
The thunderfist hits the void shields once more.
"This is the end." Anastasia said with absolute disappointment.
The red sentinel raised its sword and slashed.
Without void shields, the blue sentinel was naked.
And its right arm fell.
=I=
"NOT YET!" The blue sentinel kept charging.
Destroyed carapace.
Amputated arm.
Right Leg. Compromised.
Joint close to breakage.
"Give up already…" Anastasia said with such disgust. It looks like even she doesn't like bullying an already weak body.
The body of the blue sentinel starts to buckle.
It kneeled.
"I SAID. NOT YET!" Screamed Malcador.
Even still, it stood up.
Not giving up.
=I=
"I wasted my time just for this? What in the warp is this clown show?"
"If you can't fight, you shouldn't just step on the arena, you damn retard!"
"Now this is just like bullying a puppy." Isabella thought while shaking her head at the sidelines.
"Indeed." Even Sophia Fairchild, her nemesis, agreed.
"*Yawn* how boring…." Lysandra said, looking sleepy.
"…" Aurora, meanwhile, said nothing.
The audience is now bored. It's just a pity show now.
=I=
Anastasia Von Laurent is angry.
Scratch that, she was insulted.
This man isn't cut out to be a Titan Pilot after all.
She gritted her teeth.
"To think that I wasted my time with you? YOU DAMN PEASANT!" She felt angry. Betrayed even.
She actually thought he amounted to something. Especially by the way he faced her during this morning.
But it looks like it was all for a show.
Total disappointment and disgust.
In her anger, Anastasia slashed her sword at the buckling blue sentinel.
And the roof of the cockpit was sundered.
=I=
As the roof of his cockpit got sundered, Malcador thought one thing.
"IT'S NOT YET OVER!"
He raised the left arm of the sentinel, the one holding the power sword, as both of his blasters were destroyed, and the other arm with the thunderfist was amputated.
"Shut up…" Anastasia only responded with that as she moved her sword again to amputate the other arm.
The sword descended. And the arm fell.
The Blue sentinel…does not even look like a titan anymore.
...An absolute humiliation.
[TITAN…COMPROMISED…]
A cold voice echoed.
"No-not ye—"
"SHUT UP ALREADY WILL YOU!" Anastasia roared in anger.
"You think of yourself as some hero? You are a Warp damned coward! You can't even protect your own family! And now you say you want to keep going! Who the hell are you kidding?" She asked in mockery.
Malcador shuts up.
"To think that I expected this fight with you….Never mind. Looks like all those more than 20 failures were for a reason." She sheathed her sword and started to walk away.
"I already won." Anastasia said coldly, not looking back at the humiliated Malcador.
=I=
"Looks like that's it." Sophia concluded.
"Meh…boring." Isabella added her thoughts.
Lysandra was practically sleeping.
"…." Aurora stayed silent. But deep down, she was disappointed.
A bug will stay a bug after all. That's the rule of the universe.
She does not have any interest anymore.
=I=
Malcador stared at the back of the departing sentinel.
'Is it over?' Malcador thought.
'Is this where my dream ends?'
'I'm not cut out for being a pilot?'
Malcador can't accept it. Is this where everything ends?
Eyes filled with despair.
Looks like…..this is the end of my foolish dream.
A coward like me...can't do anything. Can't protect anything.
He decides to close his eyes.
Then something flashed in his mind.
=I=
"Malcador, I have never said at this least once, but please hear me out. Whatever happens to me out there, I want to say…..I'm proud that you are my son."
"Son….I'm very fortunate to be your mother…"
"Mal-chan, for me, is someone I cherish! After all, you're the only one who cared!"
"Malcador….wherever you go…remember that Nee-chan is always with you."
=I=
OST: "BLOODRED" by D- Selection ハンドレッド
'NO! it won't end here!' He opened his eyes once more.
'For the sake of those who believed in me.' He thought.
For those who are dead.
He reached out his hand out of the cockpit.
For those who are living.
'I will never stop!' He screamed in his mind.
His eyes….they are glowing gold.
The empyrean opened for the sake of the youth.
=I=
On the sidelines, a nurse was watching.
If Malcador were here right now, he would realize that this was the nurse he talked to earlier this morning.
He looked at the defeated image of the young man in the rendered cockpit.
But unlike the others, he wasn't bored, and neither did his eyes convey disgust.
He smirked.
"Looks like you need some help, young man." The nurse said it out loud.
The nurse closed his eyes.
He opened them again.
Stars appeared in his eyes.
The beauty of Cosmos itself can be seen in the eyes of the being.
=I=
Malcador reached out his hand. His eyes, blazing with gold, are alternating between reality and irreality.
He kept reaching for something ultimate.
So that he won't see anyone crying anymore.
Something beyond the realms of reality.
So even if it looks foolish.
If one looks at him from the outside, one will just come to the conclusion that he has gone mad.
Even if the world laughs at me.
But something happened. Within the empyrean, something reached out to the man laying shellshocked in the cockpit.
I will keep fighting.
A golden lightning bolt descends.
=I=
After the golden lightning descends, the crowd is stupefied.
"What the hell was that!?" Was the sentiment of many, but it was said by one man.
Since the dawn of men,
"Where did the lightning come from? And why is it gold?"
There are beings that appear in the darkest of ages.
"K-kaichou! Th-this is!?" Sophia echoed in shock.
In order to honor the dignity of the human species,
"Awawawawawawawa!" Lysandra muttered with worry.
And to be a testament to the noble spirit of men.
"W-what in the frakking Warp is this!?" Isabella lost her composure.
They are called—
"….Don't tell me!?" Aurora completely lost her composure.
—Heroes.
=I=
'To think that I expected so much of this.' Anastasia muttered. Preparing to get away from her sentinel.
Then the golden lightning descended.
'What'
As the cockpit of the dark-haired teen crackled, a voice echoed out.
"Didn't I tell you…..that it is not over yet…."
"What the hell are you saying!?" Anastasia asked, not knowing what is happening.
"I will show you….that I am not a coward." The being coated in golden light, Malcador, spoke.
In his eyes, fires of gold are present.
The empyrean will..
He reached out his hand to the titan.
Alpha plus…..
Then, the once destroyed parts suddenly came back. Like a magnet attracting a metal.
And then it assembled back again.
"Wh-what the hell!?" Anastasia questioned.
Such supernatural phenomena are incomprehensible to many, but Anastasia now understands it.
After all, her planet specializes in those things.
Psychic.
The titan that was rendered useless earlier is now being remade once again.
But something was different. The parts of the titans that were assembled back were glowing with gold.
The WEAPONS are glowing gold.
Psychic Essence and Bleeding Edge Technology.
'That should be impossible! The materials necessary for that aren't even present here, nor are they present in this whole system!' Anastasia thought. On the borderline of going insane.
A perfect synthesis of material and immaterial
The world stopped. It cannot do anything about the history currently unfolding.
=I=
"No-nonononono! It can't be!" Aurora Nightingale is hyperventilating.
"That is impossible!" She continued.
=I=
On the other side of the sidelines. The Nurse was smiling.
"Go forth young man…." He simply said.
=I=
As the reality and illusions mixed, something profound happened.
"This is not yet the end." Malcador answers.
For man is not weak.
"Are you ready for the Second Round—"
As long as he has something to protect,
"Oh, princess of Aetheria?"
Universe itself will bow to him.
=I=
Hu! That's a long one. How do you like Mal Bro creating his own Psi-Titan like he's building Lego from nothing?