As she closed my eyes.
I was once again reminded of the dreams.
A nightmare, it seems, silent as I see myself in its gleams.
A portrait of glass, showing what could only be a mask.
It was only in a shadow...
Sitting in the cockpit of her ship with music playing throughout the ship was Nizael, flying as she nodded her head every once in a while.
She was humming the tune of the song while observing the passing scenery around her. She was flying high in the sky — the clouds dispersing upon contact.
Nizael watched as the skies grew darker — the sun was due to set soon, and night would fall upon them.
Coming to that realization she couldn't help but click her tongue.
Nightfall wouldn't necessarily bring any difficulties for her, but it would make her plans for today much more annoying; especially since she would be out of the city's walls.
There were only a few villages or towns that could survive without any walls, such as the village that she had just left, the village which Lulu occupied.
What protected them was the repelling Guidestones, which were also named — Stargazers Guidestones.
They were found by the great historian and architect of the past, Strillo Lanswire, and named by the first head of the...
The Guidestones are said to contain the words of the three Lords and their people, for some reason the area around it repelled any Spectral Beast presence — quite ironic when it's right next to the Spectral forest.
That was why Contra village was able to exist somewhat peacefully without any form of defense.
Though sometimes they had to ward off any stragglers that remained outside its perimeter.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Interrupting her music, beeping started ringing out from the screen off to her side.
Haaa — Letting loose a sigh, she quickly clicked on a button under the screen, not bothering to even turn and look at it.
Not even a second after she had pressed the button the face of a young man standing on the thin line of becoming a middle-aged man; more wrinkles were making their way onto his face than there were seven cycles ago
"General, there are issues at the southern planes. The Everion—"
"Get on with it, Marshall. What do you want?"
Haaa — Muller let a breath as he sighed after she interrupted him. Her carefree attitude towards everything was something he had gotten used to over the cycles.
She didn't even bother to listen to what the Everion had to say to her anymore, although it seemed that she was the most respectful officer in the military — she was in all ways, not.
It was a fact that spread through the ranks of the military even when she was a newly recruited recruit. Even though when he entered the service as a recruit she was already a marked Coraline, her attitude was something that she had always had.
There were many acts of disrespect that she had committed during those times, it was something that Muller could only look at with wide eyes during the time.
She would talk back to the senior officers, she would go against their orders, and even openly condemn them — a prime example of what not to do as a recruit.
But... since she showed exemplary results in all her missions; returning with the mission complete and her squad all alive — they could only lightly punish her.
Though he had grown used to it over the many cycles, it still surprised him at times to her utter disregard for the Everion.
"The Ever— the Tower council, while you were gone, had come to the decision that they want you to go to the southern planes and deal with the disturbance over there.
"And?"
Urg — "Please."
Understanding what she meant by that question, Muller quickly wizened up and politely asked her to do it — nobody could ever command her to do anything, and he wasn't going to be the first to try.
"That's what I thought, let them know that I'll deal with it, oh and Marshall."
"I'll be sure to— yes?"
"Keep this in mind, lose the attitude when talking with me."
Haha — "Right right, I'll keep that in mind, General."
With a sarcastic laugh Muller quickly cut off the transmission — his face disappeared from the screen, leaving it blank.
Now that she was left to herself, Nizael pressed a few buttons in front of her, turning the music off — making the ship silent.
"A disturbance in the southern planes..."
Muttering to herself, she began to ponder on what it could be. Not even questioning why she didn't bother asking when Muller was still on the line.
"Well, whatever it is, it won't make a difference. I'll deal with it all the same."
Saying this and sitting back in her seat she turned the ship around; after all, the southern planes were in the opposite direction of her original destination.
This was enough to tell Nizael that this was going to be one of those days.
***
In the plains of the Southern Collective, there was a great and large flame building for all to see. All though it wasn't obvious, the flame seemed to be in the shape of something, but it didn't move — it merely sat in place, sending out its scorching heat waves.
A bit away from the desert-like plains of the south was a barricade. It was being used to keep civilians away from the area.
Standing behind the barricade was a small platoon of soldiers — they were the soldiers that had been called on from the nearby surroundings. They all came to converge on this area to get a read of the situation.
They had tents and small portable coverings set up along the barrier, while there were two large tents, one in the center of their convergence and one near the barricade.
A few men and women were looking through their binoculars and range finders while a few small drones buzzed over their heads.
"The drones won't be able to go too far away from the barricade, Platoon Commander. It looks like we'll only be able to use our range finders and the drone's extended lenses."
One of the soldiers, who was carrying a pad with camera images, stepped up to a fully geared middle-aged man, who was looking through his pair of binoculars.
"Right. That's fine, we only need to keep watch and be ready to respond if it begins to show any changes in behavior. Keep watch."
"Sir, Yes Sir!"
After removing his eyes from the binoculars, the aged man tossed them to another soldier before turning to return to the large tent closest to the barricade. While he moved there was a slight limp in his step, perhaps from a past injury.
The soldiers he passed gave their signs of respect, watching him enter the tent and its flaps completely closing, to which they returned to doing what they were doing; whether that be keeping watch or engaging in idle chatter — they had no direct orders at the moment.
There was searing heat wafting through the air, the soldiers on standby could only scrunch their foreheads at the prickly feeling on their skin.
Severe heat was quite the common temperature down in the southern planes, but this heat was different. Unlike how it was usually sourced from natural sources this heat was not.
The source of this heat was what most would call a man-made object, well if it was made by man; then a Detrid-made object, not that they made it either.
Along with its heat waves, it was oozing off vibrant blue energy, unseen by the soldiers, but still, noticed. Resulting in them having to call for the experts in dealing with this energy — Transcendentals.
Because of that they had observed and gained this type of situation they were left with no other option but to call for the help of those monsters.
Facing the situation in front of them, two young guards wiped their foreheads.
They had decided to take their helmets off for a moment due to the heat and stood there as they watched the spectacle. The two young men had seen many things during their service and this was still an entirely new experience for them.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"I... think I am, what in the name of Sol is going on..."
The two soldiers with their head protection off were muttering to one another as they continued to be amazed by the source of the heat.
There were many things strange about this entire ordeal. They had heard of possibly similar events happening in the past, but those were all dealt with swiftly thanks to the Transcendentals reacting in time — at least that was the belief.
A request for a Transcendental to be dispatched to deal with this was already sent in, but it would take a short while for them to get here. While waiting for a more qualified person to deal with it the soldiers had been stuck watching over this thing for quite a while now.
Walking up to the two men was a female soldier, who was still donning her helmet. She gave off a serious and vigilant air about her, as she even had her firearm ready to fire at any moment. Unlike the two men, she hadn't even attempted to remove her helmet.
Gah! Gah! — Stepping to the two men she slammed the but of her gun into their stomachs causing them to fall to their knees with audible gasps of pain.
"I wish I would know, are you two seriously taking your helmets off out in the open? Even if that thing in front of us isn't doing anything at the moment; doesn't mean you two should let your guard down like this."
This woman with her full head of short auburn red hair was Coraline Maple. She was the highest ranking soldier here, under the Platoon commander, and was up to sooner or later be promoted. Coraline Maple was known for her, by-the-book approach when following orders along with her overbearing attitude.
She used to be under the command of Marshall Muller, but in the past few cycles, he has been going on completely solo operations or has been stuck doing paperwork in his office at Brigid Tower.
So, due to that, she has been migrating under different military officers. A majority of whom have been unable to handle her "eccentric" personality.
She was already quite the infamous figure in Marshall Muller and the soldiers under him minds' but her infamy spread to even farther reaches after the other groups of soldiers acquired a taste of her commanding presence.
It's often said amongst the soldiers that f you were under her jurisdiction; you'd better hope to the great Lord of stars, Sol, that she won't crack your skull in — and that was only one of her most merciful punishments — the butt of her gun couldn't even compare to the stories that the two young men have heard before
Glaring down at the two young men down she watched as they struggled to get up.
"I'm ashamed of even being called your squad leader. Place your helmets back on and place yourselves on standby! You are not to relax until you are at home lying in your bed! No! Even in your bed, you are not to relax! You must, you will remain vigilant at all times! Do we have an understanding!?
"Ye, yes Ma'am."
"Ma'am."
"What was that?!"
"Ma'am, Yes Ma'am!"
"Ma'am, Yes Ma'am!"
"That's what I thought. You are not to be at ease until everything is dealt with, do you understand?"
"Ma'am, Yes Ma'am!"
"Ma'am, Yes Ma'am!"
"Carry on."
With that said, Coraline Maple turned on her heels and made her way to the temporary landing space that had been set up beforehand. It seems that she was put in charge of receiving the Transcendental that would be arriving soon.
Seeing her leave, the two soldiers heaved great sighs of relief before looking at one another and quickly putting their helmets back on, because even if she was watching over them anymore; they didn't even want to risk the chance of earning the ire of Coraline Maple.
....
Stepping past anxious soldiers who, were not, anxious about the fiery situation in the field, but were instead worried about accidentally angering her out of nowhere. The men and women who were supposed to be the bravest individuals of their race were stepping on thin ice when in front of her.
The mere fact that the situation was like this already annoyed Coraline Maple to no end, not to mention she was put in charge of receiving the most inconceivable old woman she had ever met in her life, Nizael Bavel.
The old General was like a bag of mixed candy at times – you'd never be able to guess how she would act before you see her. Whether or not she would be serious, nonchalant, or joking was roulette in itself.
A roulette that she despised having to play every time they met.
Just thinking about the old woman caused her gears to grind.
Coraline Maple didn't hate Nizael, she didn't think that she didn't deserve her position and titles, nor did she think that the power she had was placed in the wrong hands; her thinking was quite the opposite.
She looked up to the General. She thought that if anything, everyone should strive to be like her, they should be diligent and work to prove their worth.
General Nizael might not show the perfect example of how a soldier should act, and yes, her attitude towards her superiors isn't always great, and her personality might pop a blood vessel from time to time; but that would never change the fact that Maple looked up to her.
That's why, even though she was bound to be frustrated with the incompetent soldiers around her and having to deal with escorting the General.
She was happy and appreciative of the Platoon Commander placing her in this position, even if she didn't show it on her face.
Stopping at the entrance to the temporary landing field, Maple looked around her before looking at the band on her wrist.
Checking the time, she thought back to how long ago it was when they sent out the request and were given an affirmation.
"She should be here soon..."
Just as she enunciated those words the ever-so-familiar bird-like whirring of engines fluttered into her ears — Looking up, she could see the small ship of the notorious General Nizael fly over before coming to a halt above one of the landing zones.
Gently landing, the engine of the ship began to tune down as its thrusters died down with it. Moments later the window atop the ship popped open, revealing a towering figure.
"Oh? Who is this?"
Speaking to Maple, who was now standing at the side of the ship with a sharp salute, the figure hopped down — landing in front of her.
"Coraline Maple, Ma'am! I have been tasked with guiding you to the disturbance in the planes!"
Chuckling at the sight of the stiff woman in front of her, Nizael looked her up and down.
"At ease, Coraline. I know who you are, you're the young lass that used to work under the Marshall, yes?"
"Yes, General. It's an honor to know that you remember me. I assume you have been informed of the situation at hand, General?"
Shaking her head, Nizael looked in the direction of the thing that made her come all the way here. Seeing it once from above was already enough to give her an understanding.
"No. But I saw it from above earlier. I've got the gist of what's happening, take me there."
Saluting once more Maple turned around, at once.
"Yes Ma'am!"