Heart of Steel:
In the northern war, it was the day the Erebonian Empire declared war on North Ambria and accused one of their Jaeger Ambrian mercenaries of having attacked the Celdic settlement. But that was far from the truth, as the one that started the attack was none other than Duke Albarea members of the noble alliance, who ordered the Jaeger dropout to attack market town because Imperial soldiers were Stationing inside the town.
All just to gain privilege and recognition from his peers. As it blew in his face, causing anger towards the common people and their hatred towards nobility. As such, the Imperial Government uses this as an excuse that the North Ambrian government must pay reparation for the damage that happened at Celdic.
If they do not comply with Erobian demands, they will attack and conquer North Ambrian. As the North country was poor due to the harsh cold climate and the Salt Pale incident, they could not pay such an amount, knowing it was just a hoax to annexed North Ambrian, like how the nation of Crossbell was annexed by the Empire.
North Ambrian was at a disadvantage as the Erobian had their own secret weapons giant mechanical mech suit called the Panzer Soldat. Created by Professor Gerhardt Schmidt, who reverse-engineered the Divine Knights, these so-called machines were used during the Erobian Civil War, and their powers could have turned the tide of the October war if it wasn't for Class VII intervention.
The Panzer Soldats and tanks weren't the only weapons as the Imperial Government sent out two of the most powerful and strongest people of the Empire: Aurelia Le Guin, also known as the Golden Rakshasa, a countess of the Le Guin family and a former Noble Alliance general. North Ambrian was at a disadvantage with Wallace Bardias as well, who, because of his unmatched spearmanship, was known as the Black Whirlwind. However, despite the odds, the Jaegers would rather die than surrender their land.
But it wasn't the difference in firepower, leadership, and equipment that would bring the nation to its knees; it was those who worked in the shadows that caused the entire nation to disorganize as their leaders, either dead or missing, along with their mechanical weapons Archaism went haywire and started to attack civilians in their dire needs. The Ashen Chevalier rescued the civilians in the north, earning the Empire's trust.
As the Northern viewed the Ashen Chevalier as their hero, one person once said, "Folk need heroes chief to give them hope."
Our story starts one year before the North War, with a certain general meeting the most flamboyant person ever.
Aurelia Le Guin wasn't afraid to walk in the cold night of Sutherland, even if it was a trap waiting for an ambush. The letter that was sent to her private room instructed her to come to Hamel. She was curious about how the letter was sent to her private room and knew the secret location of the hidden village.
Hamel, the village that started the war between the Erobian Empire and Liberl, better known as the Hundred Days War, a war that took the lives of hundreds of soldiers and civilians. But for those who knew its true nature, it was a war of misunderstanding. A war that started because some noble got an itching trigger and wanted to get a name for himself and use an innocent village as a staging ground to start the war. As such, the village became a grave but, at the same time, a sacred ground to remind everyone about the damage caused by war and greed so that they will never forget.
As she went deeper, she saw a light off a campfire, and the one sitting there was a hooded person who even concealed his face as he was just pouring a cup of coffee from the pot.
"Howdy partner, how about a warm cup of Joe?" The stranger called her in a friendly manner.
She didn't hesitate to pull out her sword. "Who are you, and for what reason did you call me here? Are you a spy for Jaeger or Calvard?" She pointed at the Stanger, who was relaxing without any worries.
"No, I'm not a spy for any of those organisations; you can call me M.M. How about you sit down, relax, and we discuss something that will interest you?" The stranger invited her.
The general didn't have any fear and was curious about the stranger, knowing he wasn't with Uroboros, as their group tends to like to show off too much. As she sat down on a rock, she took the cup and drank it. "This is good coffee."
"Thank you. I prefer my beans made from the finest dirt with Vibranium-saturated earth. The Wakanda pride themselves on making good coffee ."
The general had never heard of a nation called Wakanda, and its words weren't a hint of an eastern accent, still looking around the massive grave. "You don't realise you are making camp here in a place where bloodshed and tragedy occurred."
"I know, and I think they won't mind how I'm making this place chipper; ain't that right?" He pointed to the barren village, and all they got was quiet wind.
"So why did you call me, and how did you even send the letter to my private room in the hotel, knowing which room? " Private room in the hotel: a room in a hotel that is not shared with other people. She was impressed.
"That's a trade secret. "Tell me, do you believe in other worlds?" The master spoke bluntly. She scoffs, knowing if it was true as the rumors, the Salt Pale could be said from beyond or from another world.
"I heard the rumours; I hardly believe you came from another world, but "she has already seen many strange things happening during the civil war, like the divine knight, the magic knight, and Valflame castle changing into a demon king fortress.
"You gave me the benefit of a doubt." But she still wants proof.
"You see, I have here a boy his very special in away as he pointed towards a blonde, spikey boy leaning on a rock, sleeping without a care in the world.
"How special?" she asked.
"He would become someone that defeats you and others, as he has a special weapon and abilities that could be useful in the future; he has the talent and skills to learn all the martial arts of this world," the master declares dramatically.
"Huh, you expect me to believe this boy would defeat me and others who are stronger?" Aurelia was skeptical.
"No, he will defeat the Golden Rakshasa, surpassing you and others like Arseid, Vander, and Yu Ka-Fai. With the right training, I believe he can defeat you in three months, and his very different in a way." As he took Aurelia's hand and pressed on the boy's chest, after a few seconds, she felt something was wrong, and to confirm it, she put her ears on the boy's chest to hear his heart beat, but there wasn't.
He was alive but had no heart. "How?!
"That, my dear lady, would be a spoiler for the story; you have to just hear it from him." The general was intrigued by the boy with no heart, and he confirmed that he was suspicious that the person in front of him was telling the truth. She doubted someone could be alive without a heart.
"If I decide to take him under my wing, there must be a catch; I don't believe in charity." The general doubt is that someone would do this out of the goodness of their heart.
"Bingo, how right you are. You see, I wanted to know what kind of seed was planted and how it grew. Would it be good or bad for this world? It depends on the outcome and encounter." It was cryptic; Aurelia didn't buy it, but at the same time, it piqued too much interest in the boy, like, What's it like to have a disciple and train them?
. Another reason was something within her heart: she wanted to see how the boy would surpass her and satiate her hunger for battle. "Very well, I accept, but tell me what his name is."
"Roxas".
Wallace was on the search for General Aurelia, fearing an assassination attempt. As this wasn't the first time during his search he finally found the general, but what he got was the general carrying a boy in her arms towards him. She explained that she had found the boy lost in the woods and wanted to adopt him. Wallace didn't buy it, thinking the boy might be a spy, but General Aurelia was no fool to fall for such a cheap trap, so he just looked the other way for now.
The next day, Roxas woke up and was in bed in a mansion. As he looked around, he saw a woman with long silver hair and purple eyes. She mostly appears in her military uniform, which consists of a white jacket and skirt over black tights and thigh-high boots. She wears a purple cape with golden epaulettes and a long violet sash across her chest.
"So you're awake, Roxas?" Aurelia greeted the nobody. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?" nobody asked the woman.
The General introduced herself: "My name is Aurelia Le Guin. Your in the city, Ordis, also known as Port City, is the provincial capital of the Lamare Province of the Zemurian continent. Do you remember anything? "
"Not much; the last thing I remember was disappearing into nothingness; I don't know how I got here or even if I still exist." Roxas was confused.
"I see. Tell me, Roxas, what are you and where are you from?" the Golden Rakshasa asked.
Roxas felt conflicted to tell the woman his story, fearing what she thought about him, but he was tired of the deception from Xemnas and Diz. So Roxas told the general about him being a nobody and the existence of other worlds, as he doesn't have a fond memory of what happened, but maybe telling someone about his Endeavour could help.
As he explained, nobody is created when strong-willed individuals lose their hearts and fall into darkness. The bodies that remain give Nobodies their form, while the abandoned souls give them life. People with the strongest wills are able to retain their human form when they become Nobodies. But as a result, they don't have a heart—in simple terms, nothing more than an empty shell.
Organisation XIII is a group of thirteen powerful nobodies led by Xemnas who seek to reclaim their hearts and become whole again by creating kingdom hearts. With the ability of the dark corridors that enable him to travel to other worlds with ease, Roxas and others like him battle heartless creatures of darkness and collect hearts so they can have hearts one day.
He even showed her his keyblade as it appeared from his hands, and the general examined the magnificent blade while holding it, which disappeared from her and appeared in Roxas hand. That keyblade's are very picky, whomever they wield it.
The keyblade is the only weapon that can destroy heartless creatures born from darkness. He used his weapon, a keyblade, to destroy the heartless as he described creatures of darkness that attack anyone to consume their hearts.
As he travels to other worlds and destroys the heartless, he and others like him believe in the cause along with his friends number VIII, Axel the Flurry of Dancing Flames, and Xion number XIV.
But it was all a lie as the organisation used the dark creature's heartlessness as a way of harvesting hearts from other worlds, and he and a friend were used. Roxas fought and escaped, but was captured and brainwashed in some kind of virtual world for the sake of waking up Sora to the cause of his existence, knowing that was his purpose to be used and discarded.
As he didn't expect to exist, he should disappear. Aurelia heard this and knew the boy wasn't lying, as he didn't have a lying bone in him, and the posture he spoke of was true. As a general and noble, she got used to seeing two-faced people. It's how her father and herself survived the lion's den. She saw potential and wanted to exploit it. Thus, she decided to take a chance on Roxas and give him a second chance at life.
The General took Roxas to someone she could trust, keeping secrets for his own benefit and thirst for knowledge—none other than the creator of Panzer Soldat, Professor Gerhardt Schmidt. "So what could you tell me about Roxas?" The general asked the mad scientist.
Schmidt answered, "He is a powerful being, unlike any other I have seen. His abilities are truly remarkable." The general was impressed and asked for more information. Schmidt continued, "His powers are dangerous, and we should be very careful around him."
The professor looked at the data from his orbital terminal and spoke, "Intriguingly, he has no heart, but his body functions like a normal human being with lungs and all. He could eat like a normal person, breathe normally, and even have cells and blood just like a normal person minus the heart. "It was a bizarre case, but nothing surprises the professor anymore.
"There's some kind of energy; every time he summons the Keyblade, as the boy called it, it forms a field of energy that bursts from its body, similar to the space element but not at the same time. His ability to use different elements without the usage of Arcuss, with which we are familiar but different; for example, he can conjure water and ice while we use Arcuss, using the water elements to use both ice and water, is limited." It was simple to use the Arcuss by inserting orbs; they could use all elements and more, but the slots could only accept nine orbs.
"Is that all?" Aurelia asked.
"His health and his fighting ability are top-notch," Schmidt showed Roxas battle records as he faced various foes, from small monsters to large Soldats . Roxas's formidable fighting skills allowed him to emerge victorious in each battle, showcasing his prowess against a wide range of adversaries. He even tested Roxas against multiple magic knights.
"So Roxas could fight large and tough foes without a need for a soldier training, which means his strong," Aurelia smiles, knowing she's going to train the boy, implying the Arseid and Vander technique, and then finally face the boy in battle if he's strong enough to defeat her it be worthwhile.
"Not only that, his very physical top shape could put you and others like Arseid and Vander to shame. I tested him to run for hours, and he didn't break a sweat. I even scanned his body for any pathogens and was free from any diseases.
"Also, thanks to this," said the professor, showing the countess a Gumiphone.
"It's look like an Arcuss,"
"It might be like an Arcuss, but it's more advanced in some way," as he showed its function. "It's capabilities can be called distant from other worlds as an image of two talking chipmunks appears, calling themselves Chip and Dale."
They are engineers, and of course it doesn't shock the Erobians, but Aurelia wanted to scream how cute they are. Even if she were the Golden Rakshasa, feared by many, she was still a maiden in her heart.
"Seriously, you called us just to show her about us," Chip said.
"How rude". Dale didn't like it.
"It's nothing more than to show the truth that two rodents have the ability to think like normal humans, as it's proof enough that there exist worlds with sentient beings."
"And here I thought Donald was the worst". Dale was furious.
"Yeah, next time you call us for something important, mustachio dummy," the phone was cut off.
The professor felt offended being called a dummy while the countess was trying to keep herself from giggling. That's someone calling the genius a dummy. "Beside calling it, it can capture pictures, take videos, play music, have miniature data storage, and play games.
"Games inside something so small, I think we can use such things to increase our budget." The countess could see an opportunity to increase her house's income and prestige; she knows how children like games, especially something that is small and could be carried anywhere.
"Anyway, what intrigues me the most is this," as the monitor in the lab appears to have notes of some kind.
"It's called the Ansem report from Ansem the Wise." The professor explained.
"It seems you have competition."
"As much as I hate to admit it, he really was a genius in his own way." The scientist admits that he is looking for someone to respect.
"Is that respect in your voice? I hear" Le Guin smiled, saying that the professor was actually talking highly about someone.
"Don't expect to hear from me again. Anyway, it seems his report on the dark creatures is called heartless. The one boy Roxas was talking about. I found them both intriguing and frightening at the same time. Like animals, they act by instinct as they seek and consume hearts, and I don't mean the organ heart but our emotions."
"What do you mean?" the general didn't understand.
Schimdt explain "Ansem concluded that the human body consists of three things: the body, the human flesh, the soul that gives us life, and the heart that are our emotions".
"So these dark creatures consume our emotions like food?". Le Guin asked.
" You could say that almost any victims attack by heartless are instantly gone from existence, consumed by darkness, never to be seen again or probably dead. There's even a bio of different types of heartless creatures, and it seems these creatures may be more dangerous than any cryptid or magic knight". It was the first time he saw such creatures with the ability to adapt.
"How dangerous?"
Able to possess our Soldats like puppets, darken our sky into an eternal night, endless in numbers, as large as a mountain, one of my favourites, able to adapt to any environment." How the data about elemental heartlessness uses the force of nature as its power.
"Is there a way to combat them?" She asked, knowing an invasion might happen. With the impending invasion from other worlds, combating these heartless beings will require a combination of advanced weaponry, strategic planning, and the collaboration of nations.
"That would be the keyblade. Heartless seeks out the users of the keyblade, since the keyblades are able to vanquish Heartless very effectively. The heartless fear the keyblade itself as a homing beacon but ultimately desire to take the heart that commands it. Because of this, keyblade wielders are under constant attack."
"So it's like a double-edged sword. Should we be worried that Roxas would attract the heartless?"
"We don't have to worry that whatever our world has, it's preventing interference. Probably the septian veins or something else," the professor explained, but he also knew something was wrong with the veins.
"But what's the worst scenario?" The general knew that it wouldn't last long.
"It seems our Arcuss or anything magical can banish the heartless, but temporarily, and whatever heartless was banish, a lot of rare items and materials would fall from the monsters, especially rare items like this". The professor showing list of items that doesn't exist in the Zemurian like Lucid Crystal, Energy Gem , Mythril Gem , Orichalcum and more.
"That would be useful, especially towards greedy adventures like Jaegers or Bracers, but still, there must be a legend about the keyblade in our world once". The General concluded.
"Even if it existed, I would need to make a call to someone to help. Knowing you want to keep this a secret, especially from the intelligence division".
"Of course they played me, so I returned the favour. But I'm well prepared to ask questions if they come". She didn't like to be used, knowing the so-called civil was used to flush out rebel threats and Osborne dimmed and restraining the nobility's powers. But deep down she knew the Iron Blood Chancellor was up to something.
Three months later, Roxas and Aurelia were somewhere far from civilization, as both of them were going all out and dueling to fulfill her lust for battle and the promise of a battle, and if the hooded person really spoke true, Roxas could defeat her. For three months she drills everything on Roxas and doesn't hold back.
Beside training she also thought Roxas the history of Zemuria about the war of the lions , other nations like Liberl and Calvard , you know normal education and common sense being a nobody he was able absorb the knowledge like a sponge. Especially Manners as Roxas was under her care it was essential that he learn how to interact with nobility or those whom were in power like Royalty.
Both master and student are facing of each other knowing this was an unavoidable Duel and Roxas knows that. Living with the Lioness he knew about her lust for battle and combat aiming to become the strongest in the empire.
"If you hold back It, be insults to me". Roxas knew what she meant as he learned about so-called warrior pride. He can't hold back; he knows if he holds back, he's going to die.
The professor was far recording the event for future use for his Soldat research and Roxas capabilities being a nobody and the Keyblade ability.
Wallace was also their watcher, as he would be the referee and witness to an event that would be remembered. Also, he was smart enough to be far from the two Titans. Aurelia already debriefed him about Roxas' situation; he doesn't believe it, but evidence like how Roxas can conjure elements from his hands with ease without the use of Arcuss and how he summons a weapon that looks like a giant key and is able to go toe on toe with the black wind.
The battle started, and the earth shook as both titans clashed without holding back. As both combatants unleashed everything they have, As Le Guin swung her swords with both hands, meaning she was serious, Roxas summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion to his duel-wielding style.
The duel devastated the landscape; trees were uprooted, cut down, or burned by Roxas' magic, and the land had large craters from Le Guin's special attack. It was like a tornado and a monster rampaging at the same time. And all witnessed by Wallace and Schmidt. The duel lasted for eight hours, not stopping until Roxas tricked the golden Rakshasa.
As their blades were locked, Roxas made both his keyblade disappear, causing the countess to lose her footing, and as he channelled all of the Aeroga magic on his fist and punched her in the stomach, that sent her flying, crashing into some trees, and finally hitting a boulder as it imprinted her shape. She fell to the ground, knowing she had been knocked out. Roxas had won the fight, and the countess was left unconscious on the ground.
It was overkill. Roxas knew that, but facing the Golden Rakshasa, he couldn't stop holding back. Roxas quickly ran towards her to make sure she wasn't badly injured, using his healing spells and the relief that his master was fine.
While Wallace just witnessed the General, who was feared by everyone and known as the strongest of the empire, being defeated by a boy who barely existed, yeah, he knows Roxas is a nobody.
The defeated General Aurelia Le Guin was brought to her mansion to recuperate. As she rested on her bed, three hours later she woke up from her slumber. A normal person would take an entire day or days to wake up.
She knew she was defeated by Roxas, knowing her title of strongest was passed onto Roxas even though she hadn't fought her masters yet, but knowing Roxas had defeated her in honourable combat, she felt ridden. Roxas didn't use any arcus to boost his strength, making it more worthwhile.
She found Roxas in the study room as he was with Wallace helping with the study. When the woman saw Roxas, something changed within her. She saw him; her heart rate was beating fast, her cheeks were blushing, and the next thing she knew, her body moved on its own and she kissed Roxas on the lips, forcefully sucking every breath out of him.
"Stop!" Wallace quickly stops Aurelia before she succumbs to the boy, who just passed out of the countess' affection.
"What's wrong?" she asked innocently.
"What are you doing to Roxas? You are trying to smother him to death."
"Of course not; this is my way of showing appreciation and love towards him; knowing kissing someone is the way to show how you love him," she confessed, as she was in love with Roxas.
Wallace was baffled as the word love came from the Golden Rakshasa's mouth. He knew what she meant, knowing that if a warrior was defeated in battle by another warrior, that person would either become his or her servant or lover, as he knew how many Nord warriors had fallen in love with women who defeated them in duel or battle. Other reasons seek the strongest bloodline.
He had to put a restraint on Aurelia before she crossed the line.
Roxas was confused, but Aurelia would explain some other day, including Wallace, all that Roxas needed to just ignore. About it
Ever since her defeat at Roxas' hands, Aurelia Le Guin has changed a bit. They say a man changes in the presence of a woman, and only this time does the presence of a boy change the woman. Aurelia acts with more affection towards Roxas when they are alone. Wallace could see how his friend, boss, and rival were acting like a maiden in love; the only difference was that she was the lion and the one she liked was a naive rabbit.
He can't blame her, as Aurelia never had any attraction to anyone due to her strength and aura, which frightened anyone. He remembers how she made all the club members cry after challenging all of them, even in their own game.
How she beat the entire chess club by herself alone, or that she beat the entire swimming team, or his favourite, the math club, how she outsmarted all of them.
All Wallace needed was to make sure his friend or rival didn't do anything drastic to the boy, like drugging him food and other things. Thinking about it made him shiver.
Roxas was getting used to his life in this world, knowing it was his second chance, but he felt like he didn't deserve it, knowing what happened to Xion and Axel as he was supposed to stop Organization XII, but in the end, Sora would be the one that destroyed the organization in his place.
Roxas was bitter, remembering how those with power like Xemnas and Diz lied and used him for their own convenience, showing that nobody like him is just a disposal tool. He was determined to never let them or anyone take advantage of him again.
He confessed that he was a nobody, a being that shouldn't exist, and that his existence would disappear one day because that was their nature. He accepted his destiny and believed that it was the only way to be content with his existence. He felt that his life was meaningless and that no one would ever remember him. He accepted his fate with grace and dignity. And when Aurelia heard it, she punched Roxas in the face so hard that he flew outside the mansion and landed in the garden, sending him sprawling across the grass. As he deserved, and the second thing was that the women embraced Roxas lovingly, knowing the pain of being used and that your existence was short.
It's how the relationship between the two began as masters and students. Roxas was able to experience being normal—well normal in his words—as he was still stronger than any average person in Zemuria and capable of using magic that would make the Hexen clan green with envy.
Also, Aurelia encourages Roxas to travel around the Zemurian continent to places like Liberl, Ambrian, Crossbell, and Calvard to experience other cultures and meet new people. She believes that Roxas could cause a change in the world, and his Dark Corridor would enable him to travel extensively to anywhere on the continent. She also warned him not to let anyone notice his ability to teleport, as it would bring trouble, especially the Intelligence Division and Ironbloods.
Call it women's intuition. Aurelia could tell Zemuria would change.
I decided to write this fic after playing the trails of cold steel game , the game was good , story and plot like and big reveals but the problem was the protagonist lack that confidence to fight alone. That he kept being save by his friends to much it's like stagnant Rean Growth. It's understand the whole power of friendship thing but to much being saved make it to redundant, as more like a filler.
Roxas existence would be a threat towards Rean knowing he was stronger than Rean and without the need of a divine knight. That someone was already stronger in class VII