● Twenty-fifth day of the Ninth Month - Year 666, Realm of Light, Evalis; Flowershade: Citadel
The moon could be seen from the large glass windows of the Palace. There, on a large bed in a dark room, were two women. They were fully naked; hiding between the sheets. Their silky skins were rubbing against someone else in-between them. He was limp, like all his muscles were worn out. He was exhaling out of relief. It seemed to them like he was well-satisfied. But the two women thought of the possibility of going through it again. The one on the left side, slid her finger over his chest, and caressed it tenderly. Once her finger reached his chin, the man looked at her with thankful eyes. He reached for her cheek. Feeling out of place, the one on his right tried to softly bite his ear. But soon, their bliss had to come to a stop.
~Knock-knock!
"Come in.." the man allowed as he sat up on the wide bed.
A soldier opened the door to the chamber while remaining outside the door-frame. "My Lord, Judge Fons is requesting to speak with your highness." he said.
The naked man under the sheets smiled as the two ladies kept spreading their fingers in his long black hair. "Very well, I'll be there shortly."
Minutes later, in his office, the man stood facing the window; fully dressed this time. His majestic dark blue blazer was full of golden medals all over the shoulders. While gazing at the night sky, the person sought him came into the room.
"Lord Gundolf," said the black and golden armored new-comer. "My apologies for waking you up this hour."
"You're excused, Fons." Gundolf replied. "I have already been informed of the nature of the emergency, to save you the explanation."
"Then, I see that your highness has already thought about what course shall we take.." said the armored Judge. "Those captives have appeared to be travelers. They have allied with the insurgents and Marquess Dior."
"The Marquess of Janacre, you say.." Gundolf sat on his desk. "Alphones was in his hospitality, wasn't he?"
"He is already on his way to us with Mival, My Lord."
"Yes, I've been told." Gundolf threw an envelope on the desk before Fons. "He, himself wrote us this letter."
"What?!" Fons retracted. "But, My Lord!"
"You do not need to worry yourself." Gundolf cut him off. "He had captured our runaways. They're on their way here with Mival as we speak.."
"I see.." Fons's tensed body relaxed. "I shouldn't have doubted your foresight, my lord. Forgive me.."
"In that case," Gundolf nodded. "I shall leave the matter to you, Fons. See that none of this ever happen again."
"Yes, My Lord." Judge Fons put his fist against his chest and knelt down.
"Now, you may take your leave." said the Coucil. "I'm expecting Doctor Synth."
The moment he mentioned that name, the door behind Fons went open, and someone walked in. When Fons turned to see, his eyes caught a thin man with frail wrenkled pale skin, small foggy glasses that covered his sharp eyes, and thin black hair that was pulled backward. His thin body was wrapped in an irnoned white coat with his name nitted on the breast poket.
"Greatings there, Council Gundolf of Flowershade!" said the Doctor with a loud welcoming voice. "Isn't odd to see your excellency here in such hour."
"I could make time for what it's worth, I suppose." Gundolf replied.
"Come on. Don't tell me a young royal blood such as yourself wouldn't spare himself a bit of some—intimate relief.."
"Humph," a laugh escaped the Council. It was as if Synth had just seen through him. "I think I'm that eager to see what you have got for me."
"Oh, this one is a delight.." replied the Doctor as he smiled viciously.
But then, both he and Gundolf gazed back as Fons took his leave. They had to make sure that there were nobody around to hear what they had been getting into.
"There you go.." the Doctor put a metallic object on the desk. "As you instructed, the Sacred Mana was absorbed out of the Key."
"And what about the Stone..?" Gundolf asked. "That too shall be needed."
"Looks like she's demanding so much from you, dear Gundolf.." Synth said as he put a small crystaline cube next to the now lack-lustrous Golden Key. "Are you sure that she will grant you such a thing?"
"Didn't expect you to show concern, Doctor.." Gundolf smirked.
"What can I say," Synth smiled back at Gundolf. "You're risking all of your cards on the table. You ought to keep few hidden behind your back; just in case. The entire planetoid is going up against you for that matter.."
"Humph.." Gundolf brought both of his hands together in front of him as he tensed up for a moment. "They're welcome to try.."
Few hours after sunrise of the next day, a large carrier flew above Janacre. As it soared away from the city, a smaller ship flew adjucent to it, and a small metallic bridge extended between the two. The gates of the smaller ship opened up, and a group of silver armored guards emerged. They began walking into the large carrier. They were surrounding four guys in heavy handcuffs. It appeared that Marquess Dior wasn't of any help to them. Jaden, Eugene, Vincent, and Svyen were yet prisoners again.
As they strided across the metallic bridge, the bright sunlight blinded them for a moment. Once they got inside the carrier, Vincent gazed down at his clutched hands. "I can't believe it.." he whispered. "After all this, we're in shackles again.."
"That Marquess-guy got us even in worse troubles.." Eugene sighed.
"Enough chit-chat!" one guard shouted.
Jaden was walking in the front just next to Svyen. He gazed back at his comrades as they were quieted down by the armored soldiers.
They're very wary of us, he thought. We're fugitives after all. But why are we in this carrier? And where are they taking us?
Jaden shifted his gaze toward Svyen. The blonde man walked calmly in the front.
— Why do I feel like this all seem arranged..?
The four guys walked along a linear path of the ship. It seemed to them as though they might get lost in this carrier for how labyrnthine it looked. But the path ahead of them had came to an end. As Jaden saw that they had come to the ship's console room, which was quite wider than he thought.
The guards stopped the four guys once they got their foot into the room. There before them was three standing figures; two of which looked familiar to Jaden and the others.
That's Feona and Mika!, Jaden's eyes widened as he saw the two girls turning to face them.
"The runaways Marquess Dior submitted are here, sire." announced one of the guards.
"Uhh!" Mika's face drew a big smile once she got her eyes on them. She sprinted immediately toward her partner. "Vincent!"
Vincent got on his knees right away to embrace her; regardless of being handcuffed. "Mika!"
"I thought you were dead!" Mika cried. "My brain went wild!"
"Thank God, you're okay!" Kamal patted her head tenderly.
The silver armored guards weren't fairly fans of that reunion. So, their instinct made them take a fighting stance. "Hey, stop it right there!" they warned.
"Now—now," the third figure gestured for them to stop. He was covered from head to toe by a black and chrome armor with a yellow cape hung down from his shoulders. "There's no harm for letting some outlaws giving each other farewell one last time.."
Jaden stood there in shock to that man words. What did he mean by that? But before he could even think about it, something even way more shocking happened.
Feona walked up toward the four guys with tensed expression. She didn't look at anyone else except for Svyen. The latter didn't seem nervous about it at all.
"Your majesty—" he uttered.
Your majesty?!, Jaden got confused.
~Slap!
Once she got closer enough, Feona raised her cuffed hands, and slapped Svyen with one quick motion.
"Huh..!" Eugene's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Traitor.." Feona uttered as her voice shook out of frustration. "How dare you?!"
"I—I'm sorry.." Svyen said softly, after trying to rotate his head back.
"What's going on?" Vincent asked.
"I see that your father's killer still recognizes you well, princess." said the caped armored soldier as he walked closer to them.
"Princess!" Eugene exclaimed.
"Shut up!" Feona interjected.
"Who would have thought that the leader of the insurgents is none other than Princess Ashilda Liv Deranna herself!" said the caped soldier.
"They're called the 'Resistance'.." she corrected him.
Wait, that name!, Jaden looked back at Eugene as if they were thinking the same thing. Wasn't the princess that committed suicide..?!
"Well, that's not the only thing you got wrong." continued the caped-soldier. "You don't have any proof of your royal lineage. If you had, however, we might arrange something for you."
"Like what? Become a puppet to Gundolf?" she responded without even looking his way.
"Well, in that case, you'll lose your life here with these runaways—"
~Glow!
"Huh?" Jaden and everyone else in the room looked at his coat as something shone bright.
When Jaden took the glowing object out, he realized it was the Light Stone.
That's the stone that old-man Borg gave me!, he thought.
"Oh, and what is that?!" the caped-soldier got closer. "A Sacred Instrument of the Derannian palace is reacting to a certain someone.."
"Don't step any closer to him!" she warned him.
"Calm down, princess!" said the caped-soldier. "This could be the key to your salvation."
Maybe he's right, Jaden thought as he gazed at the glowing stone. We don't have much options at this point. We can't even defend ourselves in these chains. If these guards want to kill us, they would easily finish the job.
"Alright," he extended his hand to give him the stone. "But you better promise there will be no executions."
"Humph!" the caped-soldier grabbed the Stone. "The Judge's duty is to the law."
"He—hey!" Vincent uttered. "You better stick to your word!"
"GUARDS!" the Judge shouted. "Take them away! The princess shall be courted separately."
The guards hastened quickly like dolls that suddenly came to life. They grabbed Jaden and his companions, and dragged them back to the linear path once again.
~Footsteps!
As the guards walked through to their prison, Jaden noticed the little short girl with the pointy wizard hat looking at him. He didn't know what to say to her, but figured he should throw in few nice words.
"What are you staring at?" Mika twisted her gaze. "You're disgusting!"
"It's good to see ya again, grunge-cake.." Jaden winked at her.
"Don't ever dare talking to me!" Mika puffed her cheeks.
"Calm down, you two. We're in bigger problems now.." Eugene intervened. "Hey, Kamal. Can you tell your assistant to take it easy on us a little?"
"Who're you calling an assistant?!" Mika burst in anger.
Vincent who was walking right in front of him chuckled. "You dug your own grave, bro.."
"QUIET!" warned of the guards. "Or this will be where you actually die!"
Mika and the four guys shut their mouths in response as they stridden forward.
"What different it'll make?.." Svyen mumbled.
"You said something?" Vincent walked beside him.
"HEY, DON'T HASTEN ON YOUR OWN! OR I'LL CUT YOUR THROAT!" shouted one of the guards.
"And after all of this, that stone was with us all this time.." Svyen replied. "The fate's jest, indeed.."
Vincent let out a sigh, "Tell your fate's jest to stay out of my life.."
The guards behind them began to grow impatient. "NO MORE TALKING!"
"At least we found the princess. Thank goodness she's safe and sound." he continued; regardless of the warnings.
"And that partner of yours, too. Didn't expect her to be a little lady, to be honest.." Svyen teased him. "You really surprised me.."
"Damn you.." Vincent bumped his shoulder against Svyen, and the guard behind him couldn't help himself. This ignorance the two showed had gotten under his skin.
"I SAID, SHUT UP!" he pushed his spear against the two from the rear, but the duo saw it coming.
~Miss!
The armored guard's spear missed the two as they twisted their body simultaneously in opposite directions. The guard's balance was lost for a second. But that was enough for the two guys to tackle him down.
~Drop!
"Why you—!" the other guard tried attacking them, but he was kicked down from behind by Mika.
~Whack!
Two of the three remaining guards charged to control the situation. "Drop them dead!"
Oh, no—you won't!, Jaden moved his body quickly.
"Now!" he yelled as he and Eugene twisted their bodies and bulldozed their shackles onto the enemies.
~Bam!
The two silvered armored soldiers got their helmets shaking, but it wasn't enough to drop them down.
"Hahaha!" said one of them. "Pathetic.."
But at that moment, the third guard started swinging his spear against his two mates! Why would he choose to betray them?
"Whaa..!" Eugene stammered. Vincent, Mika, and Svyen looked at him in confusion.
~Smack!
~Drop!
After the two guards were successfully laying on the floor, the traitor stood before Jaden and the others. He, then, removed the helmet that covered his face. Once it was off, the face that emerged didn't seem familiar to neither Jaden, Vincent, nor Mika. But Eugene on the other hand, smiled ear to ear when he saw it.
"Eh, Uncle Olin..!" he uttered in surprised.
"It's Captain Olin to you.." replied Olin.
But then, Svyen stepped forward, "The Marquess has been busy!"
"He made sure I make it in time." Olin took Svyen's hand in his, and immediately removed the cuffs from them. "I can't believe a day came when I get to see you again.."
"Better believe it.." replied Svyen with a smug. "Because this time, I'm here to set things right.."
~Cough!
A fake hack brought Olin and Svyen's attention toward Vincent and the others.
"We'd have all the time to catch up if we get out of here alive." he reminded them.
"They're right.." Olin agreed.
"Not before we rescue her majesty first." Svyen added.
"And we have to find Gundolf's brother as well." Olin said. "Dior confirmed he'd be on board."
"Wait!" Eugene stopped them, and gazed back at Jaden. "If he's here, that means—!"
"Safi and Noor are here, too!" Jaden finished.
Vincent sighed out exasperatedly, "Looks like this won't end lightly.."
"We could both agree that this was your fault for tagging along with these idiots.." Mika shrugged.
"We need Gundolf's brother in our hands." Olin said. "If we could detain him, it'd be our winning bet."
"That seems a little underhanded.." Eugene retracted hesitantly.
"Well, we're going up against an empire. What did you expect?" Vincent replied.
Jaden looked up at Olin with determined eyes. "Alright, where do we go first?" he asked.
Olin laied out the plan for Jaden and the others. He directed them to where the princess might had been taken to. But the linear ways ahead of them were all equipped with sensitized red beams that would spark the alarm, and send guards their way. But it was inevitable to avoid fighting at this point. Besides, since they lost the shackles that chained their abilities, the group were now able to use Mana freely. So, once they made their minds, Olin, Svyen, along with Jaden and the others decided to head to rescue the princess first.
~Shinn!
"Alright," Jaden summoned his weapon, plus Vincent's, Eugene's, and Svyen's along with him. "Let's settle this!"
"Hm..!"
A boy got off his chair as though he sensed something. He was in a square white room somewhere within the carrier. Along with him, were two girls sitting side by side across the room from him. The two girls saw the boy walking up to the closed door, trying to take a peek through a round glass window.
"Interesting.." he muttered.
"Uhh, Alphones..?" Petra tried to know what was up with him.
"Looks like——a strange stream of Mana erupted shortly.." he replied as he kept his eyes look through the door. "You may reunite with your friends earlier than anticipated.."
Petra's eyes widened as she gazed toward Julia next to her as the latter looked back in surprise. "No fuckin' way..!"
"They made it..!" Julia smiled.
Meanwhile, the guys paved their way toward the princess's cell. Led by Olin, they marched forward meticulously. Trying their best to not stir the security system. Saving their strength for a much more pivotal fight.
"Are we there yet..?" Mika asked.
"A bit more.." Olin replied quietly. "It's over the corner.."
Once they got close enough, Jaden peeked from the edge of the turn.
Shit!, he yelled inside his head. There're three guards with heavy armor..
He then felt Eugene poking him. "How does it look?" he asked.
"Not too pretty, I suppose.." remarked Vincent next to him as he took a peek at the enemies ahead.
"We better end it quick, then.." Mika smirked as she summoned her magical staff.
"But keep it quiet, and keep it confined.." Olin told her.
"I—I'm coming with you—" Eugene tried to say.
"Out of my way, blondie!" Mika stepped out, and rushed like the wind.
"Haa?!" the soldiers stammered for a moment before raising their spears.
"Elemental Spell—" Mika stopped halfway; pointing her staff upward and twisting her body fluidly like a ballerina. "THUNDERA!"
~ZAP!
"Uowaaahhh..!"
Multiple lightning streaks avalanched down on the three guards in one heavy shot. The striking yellow electricity shook them down out of consciousness.
~Drop!
Eugene and the rest came out of the corner with awe. Mika bragged by pretending to dust off her shoulder with a smug on her face. "Humph.."
As she sat inside the small white room, the door opened. Her first instinct was to step back toward the far corner.
"Your majesty!" Svyen hastened inside, followed by his comrades.
"Huh..?" she coiled her arms to cover her torso. "You! But, why?"
"Because it's his duty." Olin interjected; stepping forward from behind his blonde friend.
"Olin! You're fine!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks to these travelers, I am." he told her. "They saved me and then Svyen. And now, they're saving you."
The princess gazed at Jaden, Eugene, and the Space Pirates duo. But once her eyes met Svyen, she jerked her neck sideways. "No, I can't!" she said. "That man murdered my father!"
Disappointment filled up within Svyen as he was being accused of a crime he hadn't even thought about. But since Ashe only saw the recalled footage, he sort of expected it. After all, Svyen never mentioned the fact he got a twin brother.
"I'm aware that it's impossible to believe me if I said it wasn't me who did it," he mustered the courage to utter. "But, if you won't-—then, believe in your father. He entrusted everything he had left to you.."
"My father.." Ashe raised her face slowly to take the sight of Svyen in.
"Your father, King Gregorio asked a favor of me—to submit to you—your birth right." Svyen continued. "The Treaty Blade."
"Ho—hoo!" Vincent reacted.
Hmm, Jaden tilted. Seems very important for some reason. Is it a Sacred Weapon or something..?
"Your majesty," Olin said. "Gundolf and the Empire are taking Evalis to ruin. It isn't just your people that need you now."
"Can I really put my trust in you..?" Ashe asked Svyen.
The disgraced warrior knelt down before her with one fist on his heart. "I'll protect you with every part of me." he replied. "I give you my oath.."
"I beg you, your majesty.." Olin knelt down next to Svyen.
"Uh..!" Ashe was completely overwhelmed. The fact that Olin is aiding her father's killer made her unsure of what to believe anymore.
"Come on!" Eugene dropped his shoulders. "Can't you just accept it already?!"
"You're one hard-headed girl, aren't you, Princess?" Vincent let out a laugh.
"Ugh—" Ashe gritted her teeth.
"You'll be alright." Jaden told her. "We're all here with you. We fought together before, didn't we?"
"Yeah, it's going to be fine." Mika gave her a thumbs-up.
Looking at them all, Ashe couldn't refuse. It wasn't possible for her to turn them down. She needed people to aid her in her quest to restore her homeland. So, the young lady breathed out deeply. "It seems like I have no other option.."
"Humph.." Vincent smiled back at her. "Then, let us not waste any more time.."