Akari, Marachii, and Ayana stared at the disfigured Voltian standing before them, shock evident on their faces.
"You're…one of us?" Akari gasped. "This whole time?"
The Mage nodded. Ayana had a genuine look of disbelief on her face. "The cult I was tracking this whole time…they're Voltians?"
The Mage waved his hand and his book disappeared. "My name is Shun Kuronuma. I used to be a scholar for the Land of Voltiana until the day the Destroyer committed the Great Sin, which drove our world, our country into the state you see it in now."
"But our home is fine!" Akari protested. "You came in and ruined that, YOU guys did that!"
Shun slammed his hand on the ground. "Fine? FINE? We've been suffering down here for centuries! Millennia! The Voltiana you see above is a mask, a façade! It's true greatness has been shattered, and the boy you're protecting holds the reason for all of that!"
Akari gave him a cold but firm stare. "Let us go."
Shun shook his head. "I thought you would see the truth, Princess. But it seems you're merely another fool."
He turned and headed for the nearest exit. "No matter. Soon, you'll come around."
She tugged on her chains, but they wouldn't budge. "Let. Us. Go!"
He left, and the exit closed behind them. Ayana collapsed to the floor. "Well, today has been…eventful."
"Elara," Marachii called. "Is there any way we can break these things?"
There was no response. "Right. I forgot she'd be offline too."
Akari sat down, sighing. "Stuck in this place. No friends, no powers, no hope. I've failed us."
Ayana chuckled. "Don't beat yourself up! I fail all the time! You just gotta pick yourself back up—-!"
Akari whirled around to glare at her, causing Ayana to raise her hands in surrender. Marachii glanced between the two.
"You two really need to talk."
The two turned away from each other, causing Marachii to sigh. "Go on, let it out! Don't bottle up your feelings!"
"What is there to say?" Akari asked. "I've made my stance clear."
"But why?" Ayana demanded. "I don't understand, why can't we get along? I don't have any ill will towards you, and I've done nothing to you. You and your squad seem like decent people, so what's the matter?"
Akari stood up, clenching her fists. "I don't just go around trusting people. Especially not people who look like humans. Ever since I've joined Squad S-1, my home has been under attack again and again. People killed, lives shattered, and senseless slaughter over and over. The things I've seen and the events I've been through, I'm not doing it. I'm here to save my friend, and that's it. I'm not here to make new ones."
She sat back down, her face unreadable. "You want to be my ally so bad? Stop talking and prove it."
"How?" Ayana asked.
Akari didn't respond. Marachii cut through the silence.
"So, who's Titan?"
Both Ayana and Akari stared at him. "What? If he's as dangerous as The Mage said, shouldn't we be worried? Who is he?"
"I saw him before," Akari admitted. "Once, when we were in the arena. He was holding Aoki hostage. His presence…it's unlike anything I've ever felt…"
"When that guy, Ionix, took over my mind, he channeled on a power he claimed was from his 'Master,'" Marachii remembered. "Could that be him?"
Akari nodded. "Whoever he is, he's the one running the show. Aoki knows more about all this than I, I know it. She and General Fujii, I think they are hiding some stuff from us."
"Well, they are hundreds of years older than us," Marachii pointed out. "So there's that."
Akari clenched her fist. "I need more answers. About everything."
Meanwhile, in a small town…
A group of cultists was drinking bottles of Queen's Revenge in a small tavern.
"We…finally have him…" one spoke. "After all…this…time…"
"A toast…!" another cheered. "A toast to The Head!"
They all raised their bottles into the air, cheering on their victory. As more popped open bottles, the door suddenly swung open, and three cultists entered.
"Hi, hi!" the youngest one said, carrying a basket of fruit. "I'm back with more berries for your drinks!"
"Isamu," one spoke. "Welcome home."
"Who…are they?" another questioned.
"They're friends from a different region! They came over here for a fresh chance of pace!"
"Yeah," the male one said. "It's real dangerous beyond these lands."
"Aye," the second one, a female, agreed. "We could use a new home, if you are all so willing."
A cultist got up, examining the two. "What…are your names?"
The two paused.
"Kuroji," the guy said.
"Shion," the female added.
A cultist came over and held out his hand. A white light scanned the two newbies before dispersing, and the cultist nodded to his peers.
"They are legit."
The first cultist grabbed them by the shoulders. "My name…is Kugutsu. I am also known…as The Puppet."
Both of them bowed. "It's an honor to meet you."
"If you're truly…aiming to join our ranks…then attend the ceremony tonight…"
"Ceremony?" Shion asked. "What for?"
"The Destroyer," Kugutsu answered. "He has finally…been found."
Shion and Kuroji shared a look. Isamu clapped. "We'll be there! I've been waiting for this day ever since I was born!"
"Good…" Kugutsu stated. "Have a seat…friends…and enjoy a drink."
He gestured them to a table at the back of the tavern, where a female cultist was already sitting. "She's new as well…maybe you'll get along…"
The three walked over to the table and sat down. Isamu cheerfully called a bartender over. "Hey, hey! Let us get some drinks please!"
The cultist managing the bar nodded.
"About your friend, where would he be? Did he get lost exploring? Did he accidentally find a gate down here? Or is he just a curious fella who bit off more than he can chew?"
"Well, uhh," Shion remarked. "It's a bit more complicated than that."
"Complicated? Complicated how?"
Kuroji motioned to the cultist quietly sitting next to them. "Should we really be discussing this in front of her?"
The female raised her head and spoke in an eerily familiar voice. "No, no, please continue."
Then she pulled back her hood, partially revealing herself. "I'm not interrupting at all."
"Aoki!" Shion and Kuroji blurted out, standing up.
Aoki put her finger to her lips. "Shhh! They're watching."
They both sat back down. "Sorry."
"Luca and Hikari," Aoki noted. "You two can't dress to save your lives."
They gently pulled back their hoods, and Hikari's face turned red. "You try slipping these overgrown robes on last minute!"
"I did," Aoki pointed out, holding up her arm.
Hikari rolled her eyes and put her hood back on. "How did you get in here?"
She lowered her voice. "Woke up in one of their houses. Took a lot of violence to break out, but I got this robe to show for it."
She looked at Isamu. "Who's this?"
"He's our little friend," Hikari replied. "He's going to help us find Dachii."
"Who's Dachii?" Isamu asked.
Aoki slapped her forehead. "Great. We need to ditch him."
"What?" Hikari protested. "Why?"
"Because he's going to turn on us as soon as he finds out the truth."
Isamu tugged on Luca's arm. "What are they talking about?"
"No clue," Luca said. "I stopped following."
"Look, how about we let him guide us there?" Hikari suggested. "And then we can figure out what to do next?"
"Or," Aoki remarked. "We grill him now, execute him, and go rescue Dachii ourselves."
"Is this Dachii person important?" Isamu asked.
Both Hikari and Aoki froze.
"Yes," Hikari answered. "Very important."
"Then he's probably in the castle!" Isamu stated. "Where all the important people go!"
The bartender came over, causing Luca and Aoki to quickly toss their hoods back on. "Here are some bottles of Queen's Revenge for you. Enjoy."
Then he left.
"How do they have this stuff?" Hikari wondered. "It's only reserved for the Voltian Elite!"
"It's fresh," Aoki said, a bit unnerved. "This isn't a later stage, this is a pure version. But all of the materials used have long gone extinct, so where would they get them?"
Isamu looked at her, confused. "Of course we have them! We grow the crops used, and turn them into wine!"
Aoki narrowed her eyes. "Kid, take off your hood."
Isamu tilted his head before pulling off his hood, shocking Hikari, Luca, and Aoki. The face behind it was that of a young Voltian boy, his hair a soft white, his eyes pale gray and cloudy, and his skin glowing just as bright as the other three. There were scars across both of his eyes.
"You're…?" Hikari stammered.
"Like…?" Luca continued.
"Us…!" Aoki finished.
"Like you?" Isamu corrected. "Nope! Not at all! I'm a First-Generation Voltian! Back in the good old days, before Voltiana became the Hallow!"
"But you look like you're no older than 8!" Hikari exclaimed.
Isamu giggled. "I am eight! I haven't aged since this place got closed off!"
"And…when was this…?" Aoki asked. "I've been around for centuries, this Hallow doesn't ring a bell."
Isamu tapped his chin, thinking. "Maybe…3,000 years ago? Give or take?"
"WHAT?"
Suddenly, Kugutsu appeared at their table. "Isamu…The Head is ready. Bring them to the castle…the Ceremony shall begin…"
Isamu quickly downed his drink. "Yes, sir!"
Kugutsu disappeared, and everyone got up and exited the tavern. Isamu got up as well.
"Come on, guys! Maybe you can nab your friend at the ceremony!"
"Yeah," Aoki murmured. "That's the plan."
All three of them followed Isamu as he left the tavern, pointing to a large castle in the distance. "That's where we need to go! The Castle of Falasuna!"
"Falasuna…" Aoki thought. "Why does that sound so familiar…?"
A memory popped into her head and left just as quickly.
Soon after, in the Castle…
"Make haste. Walk."
Akari, Ayana, and Marachii walked through dark corridors as the Mage and a group of cultists escorted them further and further inside the castle.
"Ow, ow, these things are tight," Marachii moaned.
"Don't touch me!" Akari snapped.
Both of them got ignored.
"Where are we going?" Ayana asked, curious.
"To the Altar of Order," The Mage explained. "This nation was built on Order, Control, and Beauty, now twisted into something dark, sinister, and ugly. That will all change today."
They were led into a large chamber with an altar in the middle. Hundreds upon hundreds of cultists were gathered in the room, all as still as a statue. There was one in the center, the same one that initially captured Dachii.
"Head Tenma," The Mage bowed. "I have the prisoners."
The Head, Tenma, turned around. "Good…bring them…upfront…"
Akari, Marachii, and Ayana were pushed up front, where they saw Dachii tied onto the altar, eyes closed.
"Dachii!" they called out.
"What did you do to him?" Marachii demanded. "Is he okay?"
"He's in a sleep…" Tenma said. "Experiencing the cruel history…of the past…"
Dachii began slightly twitching.
"Fear not," Tenma assured. "He will awaken soon…"
And then the man's face suddenly became dark. "So you…can see him take his last breaths."
Dachii's body suddenly jerked.
Many years ago…
"Run! It's Captain Fujii!"
"Ahh, no, don't!"
"Please! I'm begging you!"
SLASH.
Dachii watched the heads of various Zharians fall to the ground, as a young man in a military suit sliced and diced through them all.
"No!!!"
Zharian women, children, and the elderly were caught in the crossfire.
Blades of ice traveled through the air, leaving trails of blood and bodies in their wake. Once all the carnage was done, and the city was full of corpses, a young Zharian woman came outside, holding the body of a female Zharian that looked eerily similar to her.
"Sister?" she cried out. "Rikuna! Speak to me! Please!"
The dying girl reached out and grabbed her sister. "I'm sorry, Ritsuka. I've failed you…I've failed our home…"
"No! Don't say that! Please! We can heal you!"
Rikuna grabbed her sister's shoulders, barely pulling herself up. "We can't. I've been struck through the heart."
She pointed to the icy blade wedged inside her chest. "It's…my fault. I wanted to be a hero…I tried to help the Master save what's left of humanity…but it failed…"
She began coughing blood, and Ritsuka grabbed her tightly. "Wait! Don't give up yet! Master can fix you!"
"I'm sorry…Ritsuka…I hope…I'll see you again soon…" she smiled. "But until then…can you do me one last favor?"
"What?"
Rikuna's eyes began to glow gray. "The Order still needs their tenth rank. Please, become the new Blade of our Master, become the swordswoman even I couldn't be…will you take the mantle of Runea from me, sister?"
Ritsuka held her sister's gaze for a long time before breaking down in tears. "Yes…Yes, I will! I promise!"
"Thank…you…since I am dying, I will now…be able to pass on…my power…"
Rikuna gripped her sister's shoulders as tightly as she could, and a gray energy flowed into Ritsuka's body, causing her eyes to glow gray. Once she was done, Rikuna collapsed to the floor, limp.
"Sister!"
Kenshi landed at the end of the street next to them, Voltian soldiers flanking him.
"Seems I left one. I'll handle this," he ordered. "Step back."
Ritsuka began fuming.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kenshi took off, preparing to decapitate the grieving sister. But to his shock, by the time he had landed, his entire right arm was severed off.
"Impossible!"
He looked behind him to find Ritsuka, holding her sister's body with one arm, and a broadsword in the other. "Where did she get that sword?"
The girl turned her head, her face now a mask of stoic fury. "Kenshi Fujii…I promise you…"
"…you'll all die."
And then, her body shifted, gaining solid black armor, as she tore into his entire squad, ripping them to pieces.
—-