Post by Hayate on Feb 27, 2009 22:07:27 GMT -5
AC2022: Within the Mac Anu royal family shall be born an heir to the throne with hair of gold and eyes of azure.
AC2038: The heir to Mac Anu shall give birth to a power most extraordinary. With the birth of this great force, the flames of destruction and ruin shall sweep over all.
AC2039: On the day of beginning, the heir to Mac Anu shall sacrifice all to bring about salvation. Thus, the world will begin anew.
Chapter 1: The Condemned Prince
~ Capital of LeGable, Kingdom of Mac Anu ~
~ Jinnday, Gorre-Lunae 14, AC2038 ~
*royal attendants are seen dashing madly through the halls of the castle*
Attendant 1: Have you found the prince yet!?
Attendant 2: No! We can’t find him anywhere!
Attendant 1: Argh! I hate it when he does this! …Alright, you search the lower foyer; I’ll check his bedroom again!
Attendant 3: Prince Kazuto! Where are you!?
*while the royal attendants search for Kazuto inside, Kazuto himself is seen sneaking out an upper story window; as he goes outside, he nimbly leaps from the windowsill to a tree branch to the ground*
Kazuto: Hehehe…
: Sneaking out again, huh?
Kazuto: Hmm?
*looking ahead, Kazuto sees a tall white-haired boy smirking at him*
: …Boo.
Kazuto: Aah! *falls over* Dammit, Shiro, you scared me!
Shiro: Oh, I scared you? Think about all those lovely attendants upstairs scared to their wit’s end because of your mischievousness, Kazu.
Kazuto: *crosses arms* Hmph! Whatever! You know I hate being cooped up inside!
Shiro: Hehehe. Yeah, I know, I know. …Hmm? Oh, good. You’ve brought your sword with you. Come along. It’s about time for your lesson anyway.
Kazuto: *groan*
*on the castle courtyard, Kazuto and Shiro assume attack stances several feet away from each other; they each held a wooden sword*
Shiro: …Begin!
Kazuto: Alright! Here I come!
*Kazuto dashes towards Shiro with his blade in hand; once within range, he swipes the blade towards Shiro horizontally; Shiro easily defends against this, spins around to Kazuto’s side, and strikes his back with the butt of the sword*
Kazuto: Gah!
Shiro: You left your back wide open! Concentrate!
Kazuto: Tch! I’m not done yet!
*recoiling back, Kazuto swings downward at Shiro, and the two meet in a fierce clash*
Shiro: You’re putting too much power into your swings! Do that, and you get fatigued easy! Get fatigued easy, and…!
*suddenly bending down, Shiro strikes at Kazuto’s feet, causing him to fall over*
Kazuto: Aah!
Shiro: …and you leave yourself open to anything.
Kazuto: Grrrr…
Shiro: Now… *extends hand to Kazuto* …one more time.
Kazuto: …
*reaching up, Kazuto grabs Shiro’s hand…*
Kazuto: …Heh!
*…and pulls his arm forward, giving Kazuto the opening to spin around to Shiro’s rear and connect his blade with Shiro’s back*
Kazuto: Gotcha!
Shiro: Heh. Not bad. A little underhanded, but effective.
*a short few minutes later, Kazuto and Shiro take a break; Kazuto quickly downs water from a canteen*
Kazuto: Ahhh! Nothing like cool water right after a workout!
Shiro: You’ve gotten better, Kazu. A little more practice, and you might be able to take me on in a real fight.
Kazuto: Heh. Thanks, but I don’t think I could ever beat you. You’re too good.
Shiro: …Oh! That’s right! It’s your birthday tomorrow, right?
Kazuto: Hmm? Yeah, why?
Shiro: Well… I know it’s a little early, but…
*Shiro takes out a small box about the size of his palm and presents it to Kazuto*
Shiro: …Happy birthday, Kazu.
Kazuto: Oh, wow. Thanks a lot, Shiro.
*reaching out, Kazuto is about to take the box from Shiro…*
: There he is!
Kazuto/Shiro: Hmm?
*…when all of a sudden, the two are approached by several members of LeGable’s Royal Guard*
Kazuto: *groan* They just don’t give up, do they…?
Shiro: Don’t be so sure. Something feels off here.
*moments later, Kazuto and Shiro are completely surrounded by the Royal Guard, all of whom had swords and shields drawn*
Shiro: The hell!? Isn’t this a little overboard!?
Kazuto: Members of the Royal Guard! I command you to stand down!
Royal Guard: …
Kazuto: Didn’t you hear me!? I said lower your weapons! You would defy your prince!?
: You mean ‘former prince’…
Kazuto: …That voice…
*out of the crowd of armored soldiers emerges a man with neatly-groomed green hair and ornate royal clothing*
Shiro: Sakaki…!
Kazuto: Thank goodness! Sakaki, tell them to stand down! They won’t listen to me!
Sakaki: Of course they won’t… Why would they?
Kazuto: W-What?
Sakaki: Crown prince of Mac Anu, Kazuto Rin Anu-Takeuchi. You have been deemed a threat to the kingdom and to the world at large. By order of his Majesty the King, I hereby sentence you…to death!
Kazuto: !!!
Shiro: !!!
Kazuto: …What…did you say…!?
Sakaki: Indeed, I did not wish for things to come to this either. But I’m afraid…for the sake of the world…I have no choice.
Kazuto: W-Wait! What do you mean “for the sake of the world”!? What’s going on!? Father would’ve never approved an order like that!
Sakaki: Please do not resist… *points palm towards Kazuto* Seize him at once!
*at Sakaki’s command, the Royal Guard charges inward towards Kazuto*
Kazuto: S-Stop! Get away!
*just then, with a swift series of outward sword slashes, Shiro incapacitates some of the soldiers and fends off the remainder*
Kazuto: Shiro!?
Shiro: Run, Kazu! Get out of here!
Kazuto: But…what about you!?
Shiro: Don’t worry! I’ll be right behind you! Now get going!
*backing away slowly, Kazuto eventually spins around and dashes for the city entrance*
Shiro: Explain yourself, Sakaki…! What is the meaning of this…!?
Sakaki: All efforts must be made in order to prevent the world’s destruction… The prophecy must not be fulfilled…
Shiro: The prophecy…? *gasp* Wait, you can’t mean…!
Sakaki: Guards! Dispose of this pest!
*from behind, several members of the Royal Guard drive their swords into Shiro’s body*
Shiro: *deep gasp* …K…Kazu…!
*meanwhile, Kazuto dashes into LeGable’s plaza, stopping to catch his breath at the fountain in the plaza’s center*
Kazuto: *panting* What…the hell is…going on here!?
Sakaki: By order of his Majesty the King, I hereby sentence you…to death!
Kazuto: There’s…just no way… Why would Father…?
: There he is! After him!
*turning back, Kazuto notices several Royal Guard members closing in*
Kazuto: Crap! They found me!
*turning back around, Kazuto makes for the city gates; his dash takes him through the bazaar and down a large flight of steps*
Kazuto: A-Aah!
*in his hasty retreat, Kazuto stumbles about halfway down the steps and lands harshly on the ground below; due to his stumble, Kazuto sprains his ankle*
Kazuto: (D-Dammit…! I…can’t move…!)
*with the boy immobilized, he once again finds himself surrounded by the Royal Guard*
Soldier: *points sword at Kazuto* Don’t struggle. It’ll all be over soon.
Kazuto: W-Why…? Why are you doing this…?
Soldier: You are the one destined to bring about the end of the world. We, the Mac Anu Royal Guard, will not let that happen.
Kazuto: The…end of the world…? M-Me…?
Soldier: May the almighty Aura have mercy on your soul.
*the soldier raises his sword and prepares to slay Kazuto…*
Kazuto: (No… Am I really going to die here…? Shiro… Mother…)
: Maj Lei!
*…when all of a sudden, the soldier and the other soldiers surrounding him become encased in stone*
Kazuto: !!! (That was…a Gadelican arte…!)
*just then, from behind the petrified soldier emerged a figure whose face was covered by cloth; only its cerulean-blue eyes could be seen*
: Come with me! Quickly!
Kazuto: …I… W-What?
: Hurry up! More soldiers will be here any minute!
Kazuto: …A-Alright!
*Kazuto attempts to stand, but his sprained ankle prevents him from doing so*
Kazuto: Gah! My foot!
: Repth!
*pointing its hand forward, the figure envelops Kazuto’s foot in a warm, bluish-white light; when the light subsides, Kazuto’s foot would be almost completely healed*
: Can you stand now?
Kazuto: *rises to feet* Y-Yeah. Thank you.
: Don’t mention it. Now let’s go.
Kazuto: Right.
*alongside the mysterious cloaked stranger, Kazuto flees the city; back on the castle courtyard, Sakaki is seen*
Sakaki: …
*a soldier approaches him from behind*
Soldier: Lord Sakaki! I regret to inform you that the prince has escaped! He’s no longer within city limits!
Sakaki: He what!? How could you let that happen, you buffoon!?
Soldier: I apologize, milord! It seems he was aided by a user of Gadelican artes!
Sakaki: Did you say Gadelican!? …Hmm… This I didn’t foresee. …Gather as many soldiers as you can and search beyond the city. Find the prince and his Gadelican partner and kill them both. They couldn’t have gone far.
Soldier: Yes, milord! …Also…what should we do with the boy’s teacher?
Sakaki: He’s no longer a problem. Lock him up.
Soldier: Yes, milord! *walks away*
Sakaki: …Hehehe… A Gadelican survivor… Well, this has become rather interesting, hasn’t it?
*just outside the city, Kazuto and the cloaked stranger stop at a hilltop to catch their breath*
: *panting* Okay… I think we lost them.
Kazuto: Hey! Would you mind explaining to me what happened back there!? Why are Sakaki and my Royal Guard trying to kill me!? What is this about the “end of the world”!? And another thing: Who are you!? Where’d you come from!?
: Hmph. Is that anyway to show gratitude to the person who just saved your life?
Kazuto: … *sigh* You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you for saving me.
: Heh. And they say royalty and manners don’t mix.
Kazuto: H-Hey!
: …Very well. It would make things simpler if you knew my identity.
*the cloaked stranger removes the cloth covering its face; beneath the cloth, the person is revealed to be a beautiful woman with long blue hair and elongated ears*
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: My name is Renanthera Tengen. You may call me “Ren”.
Kazuto: Uh… *blush* N-Nice to meet you. I’m--
Ren: Kazuto Rin Anu-Takeuchi, crown prince of Mac Anu. I know.
Kazuto: You…know me?
Ren: Of course. Your mother sent me.
Kazuto: My…mother? But that’s not possible. My mother is dead.
Ren: Hmm? …O-Oh! Right! What I meant to say was--
*just then, sounds of clanking footsteps could be heard*
Soldier: Over here! I heard voices!
Ren: Uh-oh. Seems we can’t stay here any longer. I promise I’ll explain everything to you, Kazuto, but right now we need to run.
Kazuto: But where should we go?
Ren: There’s a city ruin just several kilometers north of here, past the plains of Coite-Bodher. I trust you know how to fight?
Kazuto: Uh, yes, but…I don’t have a weapon. All I have is this wooden sword.
Ren: …I see. In that case…
*reaching into her cloak, Ren pulls out a sword with a long, straight blade that curved at the tip*
Ren: …Use this.
*taking the sword from Ren, Kazuto notices that the sword has several scratches and dents in it*
Kazuto: Wow. This thing’s seen better days, hasn’t it? Is it okay if I have it tempered when we reach the next--?
Ren: No! You can’t do that!
Kazuto: …R-Ren?
Ren: …It has…sentimental value…
Kazuto: Oh. A-Alright. I’ll…leave it alone then.
Ren: … *ahem* At any rate, like I said before, we head north along the Coite-Bodher plains. We should try to reach the city ruins before sundown.
Kazuto: Got it.
*their destination now determined, Kazuto and Ren head north across the grassy plain; meanwhile, in LeGable Castle’s prison area, a bandaged-up Shiro is brought in on a stretcher by a Royal Guard soldier*
Prison Guard: This is him, right? Our newest “guest”?
Soldier: Yup. He’s to be jailed immediately. Sakaki’s orders.
Prison Guard: Well, we sure don’t want the man upstairs to be angry, do we? I’ll take him from here.
Soldier: *salutes* Understood. *walks away*
*the prison guard wheels Shiro’s stretcher over to an empty cell and starts to unlock it with his keys; with the guard having his back turned, Shiro suddenly sits up on the stretcher and picks up the guard’s sword nearby*
Prison Guard: …There we go! Looks cozy, don’t it? Hehehe. *turns around* Make yourself at…
*turning around, the prison guard sees Shiro pointing the sword’s tip at his neck*
Prison Guard: *sweatdrop* …h-home?
Shiro: …Hey there. Name’s Shiro. What’s yours, my good man?
Prison Guard: D-Damiyo.
Shiro: Nice to meet ya, Damiyo. I’d like to get to know you better, but I’m on a bit of a tight schedule. Now…I’m gonna ask you a very simple question, and I’d better get an answer.
Damiyo: … *gulp*
*somewhere on the grassy fields between LeGable and the northern city ruins, Kazuto and Ren defend themselves against a horde of monstrous beasts*
Kazuto: Kyaaaaaaah!
*with a swift horizontal slash, Kazuto rends clean through a monster’s chest, killing it*
Ren: Conflagration, burst forth! Vak Don!
*with her palm pointed upward, Ren conjures a fiery meteor shower to lay waste to the rest of the beast army*
Ren: *sigh* There. Let’s press on.
Kazuto: *sheathes blade* Wait. Can’t we rest for a minute? I’m not used to traveling this long on foot.
Ren: I’m afraid we have no time to waste resting. The sun’s starting to go down. If it goes down completely, we’re sure to lose our way. Besides, we’re almost there, see?
*pointing her hand north, Ren turns Kazuto’s attention to a ruined city in the distance*
Kazuto: …Wait… That city… I’ve seen it before…
Ren: You must’ve heard of it once or twice. That’s Carmina Gadelica.
Kazuto: C-Carmina Gadelica!? The city of heretics!?
Ren: … *looks away* …Yes, it’s been called that.
Kazuto: …Ren?
Ren: …Let’s go. *starts walking*
Kazuto: …
*some time later, Kazuto and Ren enter the walls of the ruined city of Carmina Gadelica; once there, they enter the square; Kazuto notices a gravestone at the center of the square; a long magical staff stood at the gravestone’s side*
Kazuto: *approaches gravestone and reads* “To… Toshi…”
Ren: It says “Toshikaga Tengen”. …My brother ‘Kaga’ lies dead here.
Kazuto: Oh. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Ren: … *looks down at gravestone*
Kazuto: …What…happened to him?
Ren: The same thing that happened to everyone else who lived in this city. He died protecting Carmina Gadelica in the War of Coite-Bodher.
Kazuto: I’ve heard about that. The previous king of LeGable declared war on the people of Carmina Gadelica due to their practices in deviant magic. They were labeled as heretics.
Ren: They weren’t heretics! They were just researchers!
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: …I apologize. Come. My house is just past the square.
*soon after, Kazuto and Ren retire to Ren’s old house; once inside, Ren gets a fire going at the fireplace and seats herself across from Kazuto*
Ren: We’ll be safe here for the time being. Come morning, we’ll head towards the next town.
Kazuto: Alright. …So…
Ren: Yes, yes, I know. You desire an explanation. Let’s see… Where to begin… 16 years ago, Kazuto, when you were born into the Mac Anu royal family, your mother -- that is, the late Queen Gardenia Rei Anu-Takeuchi -- had your future read by a fortuneteller. That fortuneteller prophesied that when you turn 16, you would become the bringer of the end of the world.
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: But through some…exceptional circumstances, the prophecy was deemed false. It claimed that the heir to Mac Anu would have “hair of gold and eyes of azure”. And while your hair is indeed yellow…
Kazuto: …my eyes are green, not blue.
Ren: Correct.
Kazuto: So then why was I sentenced to death anyway? This “harbinger of death” is supposed to have blue eyes, not green.
Ren: Certain parties within the kingdom believe the fact that you are the heir to Mac Anu is reason enough to implicate you.
Kazuto: …And what about you, Ren? Where do you come in?
Ren: Other parties had anticipated this possible deviation from the prophecy and believed that you would be put to death regardless of its exact wording. So they sent me to make sure that you live. Long enough to know the truth.
Kazuto: Well…I sure know the truth now…
Ren: *whispering* …Not all of it…
Kazuto: Hmm? What was that?
Ren: *shakes head* It’s nothing.
Kazuto: Well, anyway… Thank you, Ren.
Ren: Huh?
Kazuto: Because of everything that’s happened, I hadn’t had the opportunity to properly thank you for saving my life. …I’m indebted to you.
Ren: … *blush* I-It’s nothing. I was…only doing what I was told to do. …A-Anyway, the sun’s completely down now. We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.
Kazuto: Hmm? What’s special about tomorrow?
Ren: Like I said, we’re heading towards the next town in the morning. Once we get there, we’ll be meeting with someone.
Kazuto: Who?
Ren: Hehehe. You’ll see.
AC2038: The heir to Mac Anu shall give birth to a power most extraordinary. With the birth of this great force, the flames of destruction and ruin shall sweep over all.
AC2039: On the day of beginning, the heir to Mac Anu shall sacrifice all to bring about salvation. Thus, the world will begin anew.
Tales of the Epitaph
Chapter 1: The Condemned Prince
~ Capital of LeGable, Kingdom of Mac Anu ~
~ Jinnday, Gorre-Lunae 14, AC2038 ~
*royal attendants are seen dashing madly through the halls of the castle*
Attendant 1: Have you found the prince yet!?
Attendant 2: No! We can’t find him anywhere!
Attendant 1: Argh! I hate it when he does this! …Alright, you search the lower foyer; I’ll check his bedroom again!
Attendant 3: Prince Kazuto! Where are you!?
*while the royal attendants search for Kazuto inside, Kazuto himself is seen sneaking out an upper story window; as he goes outside, he nimbly leaps from the windowsill to a tree branch to the ground*
Kazuto: Hehehe…
: Sneaking out again, huh?Kazuto: Hmm?
*looking ahead, Kazuto sees a tall white-haired boy smirking at him*
: …Boo.Kazuto: Aah! *falls over* Dammit, Shiro, you scared me!
Shiro: Oh, I scared you? Think about all those lovely attendants upstairs scared to their wit’s end because of your mischievousness, Kazu.
Kazuto: *crosses arms* Hmph! Whatever! You know I hate being cooped up inside!
Shiro: Hehehe. Yeah, I know, I know. …Hmm? Oh, good. You’ve brought your sword with you. Come along. It’s about time for your lesson anyway.
Kazuto: *groan*
*on the castle courtyard, Kazuto and Shiro assume attack stances several feet away from each other; they each held a wooden sword*
Shiro: …Begin!
Kazuto: Alright! Here I come!
*Kazuto dashes towards Shiro with his blade in hand; once within range, he swipes the blade towards Shiro horizontally; Shiro easily defends against this, spins around to Kazuto’s side, and strikes his back with the butt of the sword*
Kazuto: Gah!
Shiro: You left your back wide open! Concentrate!
Kazuto: Tch! I’m not done yet!
*recoiling back, Kazuto swings downward at Shiro, and the two meet in a fierce clash*
Shiro: You’re putting too much power into your swings! Do that, and you get fatigued easy! Get fatigued easy, and…!
*suddenly bending down, Shiro strikes at Kazuto’s feet, causing him to fall over*
Kazuto: Aah!
Shiro: …and you leave yourself open to anything.
Kazuto: Grrrr…
Shiro: Now… *extends hand to Kazuto* …one more time.
Kazuto: …
*reaching up, Kazuto grabs Shiro’s hand…*
Kazuto: …Heh!
*…and pulls his arm forward, giving Kazuto the opening to spin around to Shiro’s rear and connect his blade with Shiro’s back*
Kazuto: Gotcha!
Shiro: Heh. Not bad. A little underhanded, but effective.
*a short few minutes later, Kazuto and Shiro take a break; Kazuto quickly downs water from a canteen*
Kazuto: Ahhh! Nothing like cool water right after a workout!
Shiro: You’ve gotten better, Kazu. A little more practice, and you might be able to take me on in a real fight.
Kazuto: Heh. Thanks, but I don’t think I could ever beat you. You’re too good.
Shiro: …Oh! That’s right! It’s your birthday tomorrow, right?
Kazuto: Hmm? Yeah, why?
Shiro: Well… I know it’s a little early, but…
*Shiro takes out a small box about the size of his palm and presents it to Kazuto*
Shiro: …Happy birthday, Kazu.
Kazuto: Oh, wow. Thanks a lot, Shiro.
*reaching out, Kazuto is about to take the box from Shiro…*
: There he is!Kazuto/Shiro: Hmm?
*…when all of a sudden, the two are approached by several members of LeGable’s Royal Guard*
Kazuto: *groan* They just don’t give up, do they…?
Shiro: Don’t be so sure. Something feels off here.
*moments later, Kazuto and Shiro are completely surrounded by the Royal Guard, all of whom had swords and shields drawn*
Shiro: The hell!? Isn’t this a little overboard!?
Kazuto: Members of the Royal Guard! I command you to stand down!
Royal Guard: …
Kazuto: Didn’t you hear me!? I said lower your weapons! You would defy your prince!?
: You mean ‘former prince’…Kazuto: …That voice…
*out of the crowd of armored soldiers emerges a man with neatly-groomed green hair and ornate royal clothing*
Shiro: Sakaki…!
Kazuto: Thank goodness! Sakaki, tell them to stand down! They won’t listen to me!
Sakaki: Of course they won’t… Why would they?
Kazuto: W-What?
Sakaki: Crown prince of Mac Anu, Kazuto Rin Anu-Takeuchi. You have been deemed a threat to the kingdom and to the world at large. By order of his Majesty the King, I hereby sentence you…to death!
Kazuto: !!!
Shiro: !!!
Kazuto: …What…did you say…!?
Sakaki: Indeed, I did not wish for things to come to this either. But I’m afraid…for the sake of the world…I have no choice.
Kazuto: W-Wait! What do you mean “for the sake of the world”!? What’s going on!? Father would’ve never approved an order like that!
Sakaki: Please do not resist… *points palm towards Kazuto* Seize him at once!
*at Sakaki’s command, the Royal Guard charges inward towards Kazuto*
Kazuto: S-Stop! Get away!
*just then, with a swift series of outward sword slashes, Shiro incapacitates some of the soldiers and fends off the remainder*
Kazuto: Shiro!?
Shiro: Run, Kazu! Get out of here!
Kazuto: But…what about you!?
Shiro: Don’t worry! I’ll be right behind you! Now get going!
*backing away slowly, Kazuto eventually spins around and dashes for the city entrance*
Shiro: Explain yourself, Sakaki…! What is the meaning of this…!?
Sakaki: All efforts must be made in order to prevent the world’s destruction… The prophecy must not be fulfilled…
Shiro: The prophecy…? *gasp* Wait, you can’t mean…!
Sakaki: Guards! Dispose of this pest!
*from behind, several members of the Royal Guard drive their swords into Shiro’s body*
Shiro: *deep gasp* …K…Kazu…!
*meanwhile, Kazuto dashes into LeGable’s plaza, stopping to catch his breath at the fountain in the plaza’s center*
Kazuto: *panting* What…the hell is…going on here!?
Sakaki: By order of his Majesty the King, I hereby sentence you…to death!
Kazuto: There’s…just no way… Why would Father…?
: There he is! After him!*turning back, Kazuto notices several Royal Guard members closing in*
Kazuto: Crap! They found me!
*turning back around, Kazuto makes for the city gates; his dash takes him through the bazaar and down a large flight of steps*
Kazuto: A-Aah!
*in his hasty retreat, Kazuto stumbles about halfway down the steps and lands harshly on the ground below; due to his stumble, Kazuto sprains his ankle*
Kazuto: (D-Dammit…! I…can’t move…!)
*with the boy immobilized, he once again finds himself surrounded by the Royal Guard*
Soldier: *points sword at Kazuto* Don’t struggle. It’ll all be over soon.
Kazuto: W-Why…? Why are you doing this…?
Soldier: You are the one destined to bring about the end of the world. We, the Mac Anu Royal Guard, will not let that happen.
Kazuto: The…end of the world…? M-Me…?
Soldier: May the almighty Aura have mercy on your soul.
*the soldier raises his sword and prepares to slay Kazuto…*
Kazuto: (No… Am I really going to die here…? Shiro… Mother…)
: Maj Lei!*…when all of a sudden, the soldier and the other soldiers surrounding him become encased in stone*
Kazuto: !!! (That was…a Gadelican arte…!)
*just then, from behind the petrified soldier emerged a figure whose face was covered by cloth; only its cerulean-blue eyes could be seen*
: Come with me! Quickly!Kazuto: …I… W-What?
: Hurry up! More soldiers will be here any minute!Kazuto: …A-Alright!
*Kazuto attempts to stand, but his sprained ankle prevents him from doing so*
Kazuto: Gah! My foot!
: Repth!*pointing its hand forward, the figure envelops Kazuto’s foot in a warm, bluish-white light; when the light subsides, Kazuto’s foot would be almost completely healed*
: Can you stand now?Kazuto: *rises to feet* Y-Yeah. Thank you.
: Don’t mention it. Now let’s go.Kazuto: Right.
*alongside the mysterious cloaked stranger, Kazuto flees the city; back on the castle courtyard, Sakaki is seen*
Sakaki: …
*a soldier approaches him from behind*
Soldier: Lord Sakaki! I regret to inform you that the prince has escaped! He’s no longer within city limits!
Sakaki: He what!? How could you let that happen, you buffoon!?
Soldier: I apologize, milord! It seems he was aided by a user of Gadelican artes!
Sakaki: Did you say Gadelican!? …Hmm… This I didn’t foresee. …Gather as many soldiers as you can and search beyond the city. Find the prince and his Gadelican partner and kill them both. They couldn’t have gone far.
Soldier: Yes, milord! …Also…what should we do with the boy’s teacher?
Sakaki: He’s no longer a problem. Lock him up.
Soldier: Yes, milord! *walks away*
Sakaki: …Hehehe… A Gadelican survivor… Well, this has become rather interesting, hasn’t it?
*just outside the city, Kazuto and the cloaked stranger stop at a hilltop to catch their breath*
: *panting* Okay… I think we lost them.Kazuto: Hey! Would you mind explaining to me what happened back there!? Why are Sakaki and my Royal Guard trying to kill me!? What is this about the “end of the world”!? And another thing: Who are you!? Where’d you come from!?
: Hmph. Is that anyway to show gratitude to the person who just saved your life?Kazuto: … *sigh* You’re right, I’m sorry. Thank you for saving me.
: Heh. And they say royalty and manners don’t mix.Kazuto: H-Hey!
: …Very well. It would make things simpler if you knew my identity.*the cloaked stranger removes the cloth covering its face; beneath the cloth, the person is revealed to be a beautiful woman with long blue hair and elongated ears*
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: My name is Renanthera Tengen. You may call me “Ren”.
Kazuto: Uh… *blush* N-Nice to meet you. I’m--
Ren: Kazuto Rin Anu-Takeuchi, crown prince of Mac Anu. I know.
Kazuto: You…know me?
Ren: Of course. Your mother sent me.
Kazuto: My…mother? But that’s not possible. My mother is dead.
Ren: Hmm? …O-Oh! Right! What I meant to say was--
*just then, sounds of clanking footsteps could be heard*
Soldier: Over here! I heard voices!
Ren: Uh-oh. Seems we can’t stay here any longer. I promise I’ll explain everything to you, Kazuto, but right now we need to run.
Kazuto: But where should we go?
Ren: There’s a city ruin just several kilometers north of here, past the plains of Coite-Bodher. I trust you know how to fight?
Kazuto: Uh, yes, but…I don’t have a weapon. All I have is this wooden sword.
Ren: …I see. In that case…
*reaching into her cloak, Ren pulls out a sword with a long, straight blade that curved at the tip*
Ren: …Use this.
*taking the sword from Ren, Kazuto notices that the sword has several scratches and dents in it*
Kazuto: Wow. This thing’s seen better days, hasn’t it? Is it okay if I have it tempered when we reach the next--?
Ren: No! You can’t do that!
Kazuto: …R-Ren?
Ren: …It has…sentimental value…
Kazuto: Oh. A-Alright. I’ll…leave it alone then.
Ren: … *ahem* At any rate, like I said before, we head north along the Coite-Bodher plains. We should try to reach the city ruins before sundown.
Kazuto: Got it.
*their destination now determined, Kazuto and Ren head north across the grassy plain; meanwhile, in LeGable Castle’s prison area, a bandaged-up Shiro is brought in on a stretcher by a Royal Guard soldier*
Prison Guard: This is him, right? Our newest “guest”?
Soldier: Yup. He’s to be jailed immediately. Sakaki’s orders.
Prison Guard: Well, we sure don’t want the man upstairs to be angry, do we? I’ll take him from here.
Soldier: *salutes* Understood. *walks away*
*the prison guard wheels Shiro’s stretcher over to an empty cell and starts to unlock it with his keys; with the guard having his back turned, Shiro suddenly sits up on the stretcher and picks up the guard’s sword nearby*
Prison Guard: …There we go! Looks cozy, don’t it? Hehehe. *turns around* Make yourself at…
*turning around, the prison guard sees Shiro pointing the sword’s tip at his neck*
Prison Guard: *sweatdrop* …h-home?
Shiro: …Hey there. Name’s Shiro. What’s yours, my good man?
Prison Guard: D-Damiyo.
Shiro: Nice to meet ya, Damiyo. I’d like to get to know you better, but I’m on a bit of a tight schedule. Now…I’m gonna ask you a very simple question, and I’d better get an answer.
Damiyo: … *gulp*
*somewhere on the grassy fields between LeGable and the northern city ruins, Kazuto and Ren defend themselves against a horde of monstrous beasts*
Kazuto: Kyaaaaaaah!
*with a swift horizontal slash, Kazuto rends clean through a monster’s chest, killing it*
Ren: Conflagration, burst forth! Vak Don!
*with her palm pointed upward, Ren conjures a fiery meteor shower to lay waste to the rest of the beast army*
Ren: *sigh* There. Let’s press on.
Kazuto: *sheathes blade* Wait. Can’t we rest for a minute? I’m not used to traveling this long on foot.
Ren: I’m afraid we have no time to waste resting. The sun’s starting to go down. If it goes down completely, we’re sure to lose our way. Besides, we’re almost there, see?
*pointing her hand north, Ren turns Kazuto’s attention to a ruined city in the distance*
Kazuto: …Wait… That city… I’ve seen it before…
Ren: You must’ve heard of it once or twice. That’s Carmina Gadelica.
Kazuto: C-Carmina Gadelica!? The city of heretics!?
Ren: … *looks away* …Yes, it’s been called that.
Kazuto: …Ren?
Ren: …Let’s go. *starts walking*
Kazuto: …
*some time later, Kazuto and Ren enter the walls of the ruined city of Carmina Gadelica; once there, they enter the square; Kazuto notices a gravestone at the center of the square; a long magical staff stood at the gravestone’s side*
Kazuto: *approaches gravestone and reads* “To… Toshi…”
Ren: It says “Toshikaga Tengen”. …My brother ‘Kaga’ lies dead here.
Kazuto: Oh. I’m so sorry for your loss.
Ren: … *looks down at gravestone*
Kazuto: …What…happened to him?
Ren: The same thing that happened to everyone else who lived in this city. He died protecting Carmina Gadelica in the War of Coite-Bodher.
Kazuto: I’ve heard about that. The previous king of LeGable declared war on the people of Carmina Gadelica due to their practices in deviant magic. They were labeled as heretics.
Ren: They weren’t heretics! They were just researchers!
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: …I apologize. Come. My house is just past the square.
*soon after, Kazuto and Ren retire to Ren’s old house; once inside, Ren gets a fire going at the fireplace and seats herself across from Kazuto*
Ren: We’ll be safe here for the time being. Come morning, we’ll head towards the next town.
Kazuto: Alright. …So…
Ren: Yes, yes, I know. You desire an explanation. Let’s see… Where to begin… 16 years ago, Kazuto, when you were born into the Mac Anu royal family, your mother -- that is, the late Queen Gardenia Rei Anu-Takeuchi -- had your future read by a fortuneteller. That fortuneteller prophesied that when you turn 16, you would become the bringer of the end of the world.
Kazuto: !!!
Ren: But through some…exceptional circumstances, the prophecy was deemed false. It claimed that the heir to Mac Anu would have “hair of gold and eyes of azure”. And while your hair is indeed yellow…
Kazuto: …my eyes are green, not blue.
Ren: Correct.
Kazuto: So then why was I sentenced to death anyway? This “harbinger of death” is supposed to have blue eyes, not green.
Ren: Certain parties within the kingdom believe the fact that you are the heir to Mac Anu is reason enough to implicate you.
Kazuto: …And what about you, Ren? Where do you come in?
Ren: Other parties had anticipated this possible deviation from the prophecy and believed that you would be put to death regardless of its exact wording. So they sent me to make sure that you live. Long enough to know the truth.
Kazuto: Well…I sure know the truth now…
Ren: *whispering* …Not all of it…
Kazuto: Hmm? What was that?
Ren: *shakes head* It’s nothing.
Kazuto: Well, anyway… Thank you, Ren.
Ren: Huh?
Kazuto: Because of everything that’s happened, I hadn’t had the opportunity to properly thank you for saving my life. …I’m indebted to you.
Ren: … *blush* I-It’s nothing. I was…only doing what I was told to do. …A-Anyway, the sun’s completely down now. We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.
Kazuto: Hmm? What’s special about tomorrow?
Ren: Like I said, we’re heading towards the next town in the morning. Once we get there, we’ll be meeting with someone.
Kazuto: Who?
Ren: Hehehe. You’ll see.
TO BE CONTINUED…
