Author notes:
Next chapter is up! And first blood being taken from 'innocent bystanders'? XD
Was fun imagining the possible reactions from the affected parties. They literally did nothing but got a 'Fuck you too' from Belka anyway!
Other than that, I hope all of you enjoy the new chapter and your day! Ciao for now and I will be seeing you all!
P.S: Now that Miracle Concert is live, I am interested in your opinions about how good is it.
Mobius (3 pictures and if you can't see them, please head to Scribble)
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Though Natasha and Kallen have the required tickets to attend the Miracle Concert, they can't just pack up and show up at the venue unannounced. Due to their status as Crusaders, neutral or not, they're required to be escorted whenever they walk around in Coalition territories. This time is no different, well, kind of. Due to the high-profile nature of the event, Natasha and Kallen are flanked not by some elite infantrymen but by the Shadow Company Witches themselves. Natasha would have said that she is flattered but she would hate to disappoint their host now and render their tickets null.
Arriving at the concert venue via a military jeep, Natasha and Kallen step off after a surprisingly informative ride. Their escorts had been very welcoming of their presence with both parties trading some not classified but less than widespread knowledge about themselves. In short, Natasha and Kallen have gotten themselves acquainted with the Witches named Langley and Katia. Surprisingly, they're both on signed leaves after their heroic stunt at the coastal towns days prior. Both Natasha and Kallen were tempted to ask the two about the ordeal but stopped themselves as they'd arrived at the venue by then.
"Here at last." Staff Sergeant Langley said after she got her feet on the ground. The Harpy Witch then stretches, raising her arms into the air before turning around to address the Crusaders. "Come on, let's get you registered, Katia will take care of the jeep before joining us inside."
"Lead the way then, Sergeant Langley." Kallen nodded at the Witch.
The trio then moves ahead after sending off Katia. Instead of going by the front door where a long line of people is already waiting, Langley leads them to a serviced members-only gate by the side of the stadium-size venue. The Inquisitors on guard duty salute her respectfully, though she still flashes them her ticket, prompting Natasha and Kallen to do the same. "These two are with me, I'm their escort." Langley added, making the guards nod at them before letting the trio pass without further checking.
Once they're through the checkpoint, Langley turns around, looking at Natasha and Kallen. "Perks of having some renown among the Inquisitions, they know who I am so they know that I can vouch for you two. It does save the hassle of filling out paperwork, ain't it?"
Natasha chuckles. "Kallen would hate to see such a thing now, having done it earlier as a part of her management duty."
The Crusader in question flinches at the mention of having to file more papers, leading Langley to say. "Oh trust me, I know that feeling. It's why I have a second-in-command, she helps me deal with the more mundane stuff in my place, lessening my workload."
Kallen rolls her eyes, nudging Natasha with her elbow when she hears what Langley says. "I would imitate you if Natasha didn't like to use her disappearing acts on me." Being called out like that, Natasha just giggles despite the admonishing gaze she receives from Kallen.
The group is just ready to move to their seating locations when a voice calls out to them. "Sergeant Langley?"
Turning to the source of the voice, the Witch and the Crusaders see a mismatching group of Americans and Spanish approaching them. Langley smiles, recognizing faces in the group. "Julia and Parker! It seems like you're also on leave like we are. I also see that you bring your friends along."
Parker, being the one who leads the formation, replies. "That we are, Langley. The new face here is Captain Bannon, the one that relived us a couple of days ago at the dock."
"Good day to you, Sergeant Langley." Bannon tipped his hat at Langley with a respectful smile.
"Likewise, Captain Bannon." Giving a nod, Langley then gestured at the Crusaders by her side. "These are two of my plus three, Natasha Ciora and Kallen Kaslana. If you have done your homework, then I need not say their titles for you. Here is Lieutenant Parker, Sergeant Rum, and Private Julia."
Julia frowns, shaking her head. "They're the Crusaders and from what we have seen so far, they're pretty much useless at their policing job."
"Calm down, won't you?" Rum, who is standing just behind Julia, lays a calming hand on her shoulder. Parker then interjects, nodding at the Crusaders who are sporting wry smiles, having understood instantly why Julia is upset. "It's nice to meet you ladies. But you must excuse Julia's... direct wording. What we had seen isn't what one could let go easily."
Kallen smiles kindly, not taking any offense. "It's us who should be the ones to apologize. Our negligence has no doubt caused needless suffering to many."
"You don't say." Julia snarked, causing Rum to sigh and Parker to say. "It's almost time for the concert to begin. I think we all should get to our seats before we miss the opening act." Though Parker can understand Julia's anger against the two Crusaders, this is not a good place to show it.
Langley follows up immediately. "That will be wise. Come on you two, we should go also. Have fun you all."
"You too, ladies." Having said their parting words, Parker and his group moved away from Langley's.
Looking around the venue, Natasha can only comment on this. "Well, that went about better than I expected." Causing Kallen to sigh. "Whether you downplay it or not, we are partly to blame for not uncovering such a matter until it's too late."
Langley then tilts her head. "Quite frankly, there's not much you two can do though. Your action of creating a neutral faction in this conflict has isolated you from Sardegna. It will be very easy to maneuver around you without triggering any reaction."
Seeing the crestfallen look on Kallen and the wry smile on Natasha, Langley shrugs. "But we are not here to mope right? Come, the concert will burn away your inner darkness soon enough."
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The stadium where the Miracle Concert is held is heavily modified and enlarged as a variety of facilities are added to facilitate the Miracle part of the Concert to its full effect. There aren't only packed seating areas for the spectators but also multiple clinics dotting in and out of the structure. In these clinics are medical cases that would no doubt require a literal miracle to save the afflicted from either dying or losing their limbs permanently. Langley, Natasha, and Kallen take their seats inside a private booth due to the high-profile nature of their identities, with Katia soon joining them. Together, they watch as the bustling noise from thousands of people dies down as the promised time approaches.
Then, the sky suddenly darkened. No, not the sky, it's just there exists a barrier above them. A barrier depicting a starry horizon with a setting sun that causes even Kallen to gasp. Kallen has felt the energy given off by that barrier and to say that it's anything sort of holy and mighty will be a disservice to the one behind it. As the barrier casts glittering twinkles down below on the audience, golden light starts painting the shape of a lotus in the middle of the venue, creating a stage of light. The stage then promptly accentuates the two stars of the day, the singers who have created miracles over and over on a never-before-seen scale worldwide. And now, they're here to once more give salvation to whoever may need it.
Sitting down by a piano of white and gold is a girl with pink hair that is tied into a low ponytail. She is none other than the famed Elysia, more commonly known as Miss Pink Elf. Elysia wears a white top and black shorts with long black stockings, along with a little black shawl with an off-the-shoulder style. The sleeve she uses has purple layered frills and a shoulder plate, while her other arm has a black glove instead. She wears a white, black, and lilac cape at her waist, which has a fur trimming at the end. With a smile that can captivate the Devil herself, Elysia opens up the lid covering the keys of the piano, looking up at the lady standing just opposite of her.
Running a finger along the edge of the greatest musical instrument mankind has ever made, Eden gives an appreciative look at the elf. Eden wears a dress akin to a stage costume: the sleeves resemble the Juliet style, it is ornamented with gold, and it has a long and billowy skirt (fit for a dramatic entrance such as now). Her outfit is night brown, with red accents on her sleeves and pendant. The bottom of her skirt is also red. There are also patches of white at her torso and at the end of her sleeves. The latter extends into the shape of a flower, held down by another gold pin. Eden also wears black tights and a black glove on her right hand. Turning to the audience all around them, Eden graces them with a wonderful smile, speaking up by their ears in a kindly tone.
"This, here, is a song, dedicating to your friends, your brothers, your sisters, your families... Those who sacrifice themselves for the ones they love. May Heaven shine its light upon them, bless them with everything they hold dear."
And then, the Voice of Heaven sings. Her voice creates a pulse of light that goes all over the concert venue before Elysia joins her. The latter cast out even more pulses with each slow stroke of her piano keys. The light pulses, coming out from the center of the lotus stage, help paint the picture of a flower bed.
The flower bed is rustled by the movement of a person departing, it is drenched by the rain, and it then sways in the wind... The latter two events happen over and over again yet the flower bed never bears witness to the person it sent off return from their journey. Eden and Elysia take turns singing the first verses of the song, helping the spectators imagine the scene in their minds. Eden, with her mature but smooth velvety voice. Elysia, with her young but mystifying tone.
Eden: Life blooms like a flower
Far away or by the road
Waiting for the one
To find the way back home
Elysia: Rain falls a thousand times
No footprints of come-and-go
You who once went by
Where will you belong?
Eden: I feel your sigh and breath
In the last blow of wind
Not yet for the story on the last page
It's not the end
The flower bed is just a common one that a person can just find by the roadside. As such, without particular care, such a bed will be left to wilt, to dye without going into full blossom. But against all odds, as if to act as a lighthouse for the people it knows have lost their ways, the flower bed blooms. The flowers are small, individually, but together, they dye the far-reaching land with their colors. Such a startling change is, of course, performed by nothing short of a duo by both Eden and Elysia.
Eden and Elysia: Life blooms like a flower
Far away or by the road
Waiting for the one
To find the way back home
Time flows across the world
There is always a longer way to go
'Til I reach your arms
A Madder there for you
Eden: Up against the stream
Waterways will join as one
Tracing to the source
No more strayed or lost
You will see petals fly
When lament becomes carol
Could you please hear my voice
That hungers for a duo?
In a burst of bright but not glaring golden and pink light, the entire venue is lit up before the starry sky above coalescing into heartwarming images of family gatherings, soldiers sitting by a campfire, children running around in a church's backyard, adults helping the war efforts by doing whatever they can... But then come the partings, due to evacuation, due to war... Those images then change into ones of reunion, some celebrating, some crying, some still searching for somebody... The timeline goes on and on and so does the climax of the song grow ever higher.
Eden and Elysia: Life blooms like a flower
Far away or by the road
Waiting for the one
To find the way back home
Time flows across the world
There is always a longer way to go
'Til I reach your arms
A Madder there for you
Eden and Elysia: Life blooms like a flower
Far away or by the road
Waiting for the one
To find the way back home
Time flows across the world
There is always a longer way to go
'Til I reach your arms
A Madder there for you
With them safely arriving at the peak, their safe place, it's Elysia's duty to end their journey in a soft, welcoming, and heartfelt manner.
Elysia: 'Til I reach your arms
A Madder there for you
And then, Miracle happens as the entire concert venue, even going as far as reaching the nearby city, basks in a warm, resplendent wave. Sicknesses are cured, injuries are mended and lost limbs reappear in a flash of light... Those are but a few of the many things that the people of Spain will no doubt be thankful for years to come. To many of them, Eden and Elysia are now no different than the Messiah in their belief. Mankind is easily swayed like that.
But for Natasha and Kallen, being one of the few to understand just how absurd what just happened, they can only say. "How...?"
How can they perform a miracle, chock-fulled of holy energy without a single taint of mana? If these two can do what is thought to be impossible with ease, then is Belka the Kingdom of Heaven?