Chapter 1 Part 2 of 2
Centrica – Greater Walls of Centrica, February 4, 997 A.I
Surrounding the Empyrean Mansion was a special region also known as the Greater Walls of Centrica. It was created since old times and as far as history goes it had protected and became Centrica’s final line of defense. In this region, everything was dedicated towards the preservation and the development of the country itself. From school, medical facilities, food stock, weaponry and many more necessary important structures were garrisoned within. To the outside and in this case in Eve and Michael’s point of view, The Greater Walls of Centrica can only be perceived as nothing more but a huge marketplace. Almost everything could be found here, everything except electronics.
Walking through the tightly packed streets taking in everything they saw frantically, Eve and Michael were awestruck with the workings of the world. While on the other hand, Mira who was still 8 years old stood tall walking with dignity beside Aurellia. Between them and Mira, it was apparent that she seemed to be far more mature than the two of them.
“Hm…” Eve abruptly stopped causing Michael to run into her.
“Wah! Why did you stop so suddenly?” Michael said with a surprised tone.
“I’ve been thinking…Have you noticed anything weird?” Eve said, her eyes squinted looking around in search of something.
Having caught up to them, Aurellia with Mira in hand was also curious in seeing them stop. “Is something the matter?” She asked the two.
“Hmm…come to think of it why are there people selling swords? Is it a new type of kitchen knife?” Michael curiously asked.
Mira laughed hearing Michael’s question before replying, “How can anyone use something that big as a kitchen knife sis?”
“Eh? Sis?” Michael replied looking shocked.
Suddenly feeling anxious, Mira hid behind Aurellia’s back, “I-is it wrong to call you that…?”
“N-no of course not! I was just surprised that’s-” Before Michael got to finish Eve cut in.
“Hey…! What about me? Are you leaving me out?” Eve said as she latched onto Michi’s arm.
Mira looked up towards Aurellia for help, but in return she just smiled back towards her while patting her head.
Not wanting to be treated like a kid, Mira took in a deep breath and addressed them one by one. “Umm… sis Eve…sis Michi… and big sis Au-“
“-LIA!” Eve cut in.
“B-but bis sister’s name is Aurellia…You can’t just call her other names!” Mira protested.
“Eh? You don’t you know? Having a nickname shows just how close you are. Plus it’s easier to remember each other! Doesn’t it sound great?” Eve happily exclaimed while rubbing her cheeks with Michael’s.
The people around them started to murmur something. Feeling unease Aurellia quickly grabbed onto Michael with her other free hand and tried to casually pull them away.
“It’s okay Mira, I’m fine with being called Lia. It sounds refreshing” She tried to reassure Mira who rejected Eve’s carefree suggestion. Aurellia didn’t have time to think things thoroughly, all that mattered was to quickly get out there. “Anyway, we really need to hurry! If not we might miss something incredible at the plains.” Aurellia cut in and smiled just before Eve was about to say something.
After about 15 minutes of continuously running through the busy marketplace, the four finally arrived at the Residential Area. In this region as the name suggest is where everyone aside from the Lord of the land and their select few retainers dwell in. It wasn’t until they had arrived and passed through the massive thick walls did Eve and Michael notice how clearly vast Centrica was. It wasn’t an exaggeration, as if a mountain had been carved into a city, the Emperyean Mansion with its high peak tower loomed high above the city. Seen from above, Centrica resembled an enormous sun dial.
Their stroll didn’t end there. From the gates of the Greater Walls of Centrica, they took a carriage and rode for another half hour to reach the Elysium Plains. A large region mainly consisting of crops, flowers and pasture grazing as far as the eye can see. Petals blown by the winds scattered throughout the horizon, it was a breathtaking view. The scent of mixed flowers wafted strongly in the fresh unpolluted air.
Meanwhile, as they took their breath after all that running around. In the carriage, Mira was seated next to Aurellia and the other two sat across them. Aurellia began to start their converse.
Heaving a sigh with one hand holding her chest, Aurellia could feel her heartbeat still thumping hard from all the running. After calming her breathing Aurellia then spoke up, “Then let’s start over with reintroducing ourselves. We haven’t properly got the chance to. My name is Aurellia Bloomsworth and I am the Lord of Centrica” Aurellia said with dignity worthy of the title.
Eve was agape hearing that as she started to stammer. “L-l-l-lord-? Nyah-!”
Michael stepped on Eve’s toes, clearing her throat trying to pretend nothing happened. She then replied, “My name is Michael August and uh…I can’t remember anything else”
This time it was Eve who replied, “Eh? You can’t?”
Michael gave Eve a sharp look.
Clearing her throat also, Eve bowed a before continuing on, “Uhum…Pardon me, My name is Eve…? What was it again…” Eve placed her hands on head in confusion.
“Eve Angelica! Geez… how can you forget your own name?” Michael replied as she pulled on Eve’s cheeks.
“I-im sowieee, maey cheewks awawa-” Eve squirmed.
Mira fidgeted in her seat, confused at how to react. “Umm…M-my name is Mira Bloomsworth, please take me as y-your little sister…” Mira said, trying hard to act like Aurellia but eventually covered her face with her rabbit doll blushing.
“S-so cute” Eve and Michael exclaimed together.
Aurellia giggled at their reaction, giving a pat to Mira she than said to the two before her, “Now that we have two new sisters in our family, please take care of Mira when I’m not around” Beaming a smile towards them.
“What do you mean by that?” Michael asked.
“It means she will have to… participate in the holy war!” Mira replied trying to smile and act energetically.
“Waah…by judging on Mira’s reaction is it something amazing?” Eve became completely absorbed by the topic.
Clapping her hand, Aurellia gathered their attention. “Before I explain all, that could I have you two to hold my hand?”
Aurellia then extended her hands forward to the two of them with Mira watching intently. Without any questions Eve and Michael did as told.
Aurellia’s gentle face changed into a more serious demeanor. Holding the two’s hand tightly she proceeded in talking, “Alright, please listen to me and don’t ever let go unless I say so. I’ll be asking a few questions but please don’t strain yourselves if you can’t come with an answer. Close your eyes and tell me when you’re ready.”
“Yes!- O-ok-” Eve and Michael respectively said.
“Then let’s begin…” Aurellia’s voice echoed as if she spoke directly to their mind.
“Try to remember your past… What happened? And how did you get here?”
The grips of their hands started to tighten, Aurellia herself started sweating but paid it no heed. Fragmented memories appeared in each of their minds, but for Aurellia it was different. The case was due to Aurellia being an oracle. Bestowed with the powers to connect with others, she was able to clearly see what the two connected by her hands see.
The memories that appeared started from the time Eve and Michael’s were in confinement together in a room with the number three hundred and three written on it. Everything between their memories matched up perfectly, but at some point the memories ceased. About their memories before their confinement missing, it hardly mattered considering their age. But what bothered Aurellia were the fragmented memories, a name kept being mentioned echoing through it all. She recognized Eve’s ribbon being wrapped up on her hand, blood stained everywhere, a figure carrying who looked like Eve away but there faces were muddled. Just as Aurellia tried to see further into their memory, a person seemed to appear glaring at her before her vision was disrupted.
“O-okay..that’s enough! You can open your eyes now” Aurellia panted. A strong sense of fear suddenly overcame her as she shivered, turning her face pale.
Eve let go of Aurellia’s hand. “Ugh…what was that? I felt dizzy as if someone was peeking through my head” She rubbed her head as if she had a migraine.
“Are you okay Lia? You look the worse out of all of us. What was that about anyway?” Michael asked looking worried. She tried to lend a helping hand but didn’t know what to do.
Mira just silently sat there looking worried.
“I’m fine, I just tried to uncover your missing memories. Truth be told you two have been waking up and passing out since the day I brought you back. At that time, you two were definitely acting way different then you are now. But despite all that, you two have no sign of even remembering what had happened. Aurellia paused a little and took a deep breath before continuing, “Does the name Sephii or Sephia ring a bell?”
Eve and Michael twitched hearing that name, for reasons they don’t understand, tears started to flow from their eyes.
“W-what’s h-happening? Why do I feel so sad all of a sudden?” Eve clenched her chest.
Michael sniffled, “I-I don’t understand either… the name sounds familiar but I don’t remember at all.”
“Is that so…” A moment of silence had befallen the carriage, Aurellia waited till the two had calmed down before continuing. “Could Sephia possibly be your God or Goddess?” Aurellia asked.
“What are you talking about? There’s only one God right? And God doesn’t have a name…” Eve voice was tinged with uncertainty wiping her tears.
Aurellia looked puzzled, “I received the power to foresee the future by Itia the Goddess of Life, Partly because of this I became the Lord. Surely you as an Ancientier have a God or Goddess yourselves?”
“Lia? What is an Ancientier?” Michael furrowed her eyebrows confused.
“Listen carefully, an Ancientier is one who is bestowed the power of the Gods, everyone is born with black eyes, but only those chosen will possess eyes of a different color. I believe that the two of you possess enormous power that I hope will not be used wrongly.” Aurellia explained.
Mira mysteriously took out a mirror from the back of her bunny doll and faced it towards the bewildered duo. Eve’s golden hazelnut eyes and Michael’s gentle blue eyes were reflected by it.
The two silently watched their clear reflection, captivated by seeing their own appearance for the first time.
“As you can see, Mira has black eyes despite being my sister, as a fellow Ancientier I ask of you. Please take care of her when I’m not around. Because… ever since i saw a premonition that led me to the two of you. I believe that your role in this world is far greater than mine.”
Aurellia bowed down before them.
“Please don’t bow down like that, we would gladly take care of Mira and then we can learn about a whole lot of new things together! Right Mira?”
Eve sent Mira a smile, but Mira looked lost in thought.
“Mira…?”
Eve asked again.
This time she was properly replied, “Ah…yes! I-I’m happy for that…”
Mira clenched her doll tightly.
“Hmm…It might be late for this…but where exactly are we in this world?” Michael asked.
At that moment, the sound of the escort driving the carriage could be heard knocking on the door saying, “Milady, we have arrived at the plains.”
Aurellia smiled while opening the door, “We live in a supercontinent called Dysgaia. This is the kingdom of Centrica, while only one of the many kingdoms but our domain encompasses all the land residing within the center of the world. Surrounded by the tallest mountains, and untainted by the outside world, we live in a land also known to be the holy land of the pure.”
It was noon by the time they arrived, a breath of fresh air gushed into carriage. The four got off the carriage and lightly stretched their body.
Eve and Michael were particularly excited, but they also had mixed feelings. For them who have only been together and never saw the light of day, each and every moment from their meeting with Aurellia had been like a dream. The damp smell of iron, the bland taste of food, the hard cold floor, it was as if those days were nothing but lies.
Do we really deserve such treatment?
They thought, standing together hand in hand reassuring each other.
This is such a beautiful world…
They once again thought.
But that fleeting thought only lasted for so long.
Twish, a faint sound of an arrow being released could be heard. Not one but a volley of them headed their way.
Aurellia, was born with super sensitive ears capable of hearing faint sounds even miles away, in addition to that she even had the power of clairvoyant, this was an event that she had already seen and prepared for.
Steadily drawing her breath, with the utmost minimal movements, Aurellia keenly caught each arrow that she couldn’t dodge as the others slipped past her.
Whoever it was that shot the arrows knew they had failed their surprise attack, launching yet another volley of arrows.
Of course the sounds of arrows snapping against the rocky plains drew in the panicked look of Eve and Michael as they shouted out her name. Lia!
Turning her face towards them, Aurellia smiled towards the two before directing her gaze towards Mira. Arrows continually flying right past her, not a single one had managed to graze her body.
“Mira…you understand right?”
“Sis…I…”
With tears flowing from her eyes, Mira quickly grasped the hands of the two beside her and pulled them away.
“H-hey Mira! Lia is….why isn’t Lia coming with us? What’s going on?”
Eve was bewildered as the three continued to distance themselves from Aurellia.
It was then, the ground beneath them rumbled. There were people on horseback numbering the hundreds approaching Aurellia as she stood there alone and steadfast.
Swords and Armor…? Is this a Movie scene…?
The thought slipped through Michael’s mind as they ran.
That clearly wasn’t the case as they drew their swords with a face filled with bloodlust towards Aurellia.
Mira who had never spoken out her feelings all her life felt something in her change since she met the two. Maybe it was Eve’s carefree nature that got to her despite the limited time. She then spoke out the truth to the two of them.
“Sis…Lia is…Sis is… because she took you two in, she broke Centrica’s rule of no Outsiders. This is… her punishment…”
Mira’s voice cracked holding back her tears. But Mira didn’t stop. She kept running, believing that her sister will come back to her.
“But, why would she do something for someone she has never met…? Does breaking a rule merit to having arrows shot at you!?”
Michael asked with a difficult face.
“It’s…. it’s because she sees something in the two of you worth more than her life! Sis said it herself on the way didn’t she…? Don’t you two know…? The rules are absolute…and there’s only one penalty…”
They were up a hill quite a distance away at that time, the rumbling from the horseback riders had stopped by then.
Eve had let go of Mira and looked back towards where they left Aurellia, slowing down to a halt. Michael and Mira had also done the same.
“Mira…what happens if you break the rules in this world…?”
It was Eve who brought up the question that lit a shocked expression on Mira’s face.
“You die…”
Mira’s words were short and simple, but it the tone of her voice that was devoid of feelings as if someone who had resigned to fate was what made it worse. The graveness of her voice indicated that this was indeed the truth.
Down below, Aurellia had already been helplessly surrounded by knights with swords drawn against her. There wass no escape possible, behind the encirclement even a small army was lying in wait. A knight who seemed to be their commander had gotten off his horse and walk towards Aurellia kicking her to her knees.
Eve felt her heart suddenly race, a memory flashed in her head. A feeling of dejavu struck her. Without a moment notice, her body moved on its own. Shouting from the top of her lungs LIA!!! She throttled down the hill.
“E-ve!? – Sis EVE NO-!” Michael and Mira said synonymously.
They both leaped forward trying to catch her but Eve had already skipped past their grasp.
A shrill voice came from Aurellia who saw Eve’s figure. “NO! EVE RUN AWAY!”
Beside her, the one who seemed to be a commander had already raised a hand. At his command, a loud twish sound coming from a crossbow could be heard.
Aurellia’s face was struck with horror.
This wasn’t what I foresaw…what happened?
She closed her eyes, the sound far more than enough for her to bear. The sound of the arrow whistling through the air, the soft thud as it hit its target, the voice of Eve as she coughed and tumbled down.
At the same moment, Michael and Mira witnessed the arrow, piercing through the left side of her chest and out her back. A trail of blood smeared her pure white dress and her silver flowing hair. Her figure coughing out blood, struck down in an instant as it rolled down the hill helplessly.
“E….Eve…!?”
Michael was on all fours, sweating profusely and gasping for air.
This is a dream right…? Tell me this is a dream!
Michael’s eyes went blank, she felt something deep inside her. Something dark loomed inside her, a feeling of wanting to end all things, a wish to destroy everything.
Mira who had been silent had stepped back away from Michael. The feeling of fear clutched her heart.
Michael looked different, she stood up looking wobbly. Grabbing the white object attached to her leg. The golden bangle on her wrist suddenly lit up. To Mira’s surprise the white object had bent over into a crooked L shaped with the shorter half being held by Michael. The object then started to emit lights from what looks like cracks upon it making a strange humming sound.
It was what came next that shook everyone present.
A bright white light had just flashed. In that instant, far in the back row of the army where the culprit who shot the arrow stood, including everyone in the line of sight between him and Michael had all died. They all dropped to the floor squirting blood. There was no warning, without any resistance, it was clear that they have all lost their upper parts of their body.
Smoke had risen from the object Michael wielded. An object once named the Kaleidoscope. This time the Kaleidoscope had been split in two, with one in each hand it shifted into becoming thinner with crystal clear blades.
While the army was disarrayed having lost their commander to the sudden turn of events, Mira had made a run for it and dived towards Eve’s position.
Aurellia opened her eyes in confusion. Before her were the remains of the commanded and around her were the panicked sound of the knights.
What in the world happened here…? Was what she thought.
This event was an unknown factor, through the limitless possibilities of her clairvoyance, she had foreseen all her routes ending in her death. There was no explanation as to how dozens knights lost their lives as there were no such events seen by her. Even if she used her powers to fight against the army, her death was imminent as she had limited stamina. Aurellia was not a fighter, but it was her ability to see into the future that made her formidable.
A tremor had suddenly erupted from a nearby hill, unmistakably the hill crumbled emitting a shockwave that spread throughout the plain.
High above in the air her questions were answered. A lone figure with flaming red coat reflected under the golden sun shone brightly. With a pair of crystal daggers she descended with the force of a dust devil into the center of the army blowing everything in her vicinity away. Michael…!? Aurellia muttered under her breath. But she had no time to be surprised, there was something more important.
Eve is in danger!
Slipping through the knights who had their attention towards Michael, she ran full speed towards where Eve and Mira were.
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