Linthéa's POV
"I promise we'll be together someday"a person with a blurred face caressed my cheek, "Don't worry I'll do anything for us to be together again"he assured me as he landed a kiss on my forehead and left to the light.
"Don't forget me"
"...ea"
"Linthea?"
"Thea!"
"Sis!"
The door to my room was knocked continuously. Damn! That sound disrupted my dream.... I'd like to know who it was, you know?
'Wet?' I felt a lone tear drop down the fabric and instinctively wiped the tear off my face as I ran my fingers through my hair to wake myself up.
"Jiejie!" 'I completely forgot about the door...oops' Having the strength to finally lift my feet off the bed, I trudged to open the maple wood door where my younger sister outside taps her foot impatiently against the white marble floor.
"Yes Xiuying? Can I help you?"I butted my head out between the small vertical space. She facepalmed herself and chuckled at me"Sister, Goodmorning!"
"Get to the point Ying, what's good in the morning?"I smiled tiredly at her, swinging the door fully open, then I gently wiped my eyes to flick the sleepiness away, Xiuying shook her head towards me in slight disappointment.
"I clearly remembered yesterday that you told me to wake YOU up early in the morning for your mission...sister, you forgot again did you?" she slyly smirked at me when I suddenly came to a realization and, "Oh dear I must have forgotten!" I held my cheek with my right hand, 'Another perfect morning to panic'
"Yes yes I'll be preparing now... thank you for waking me up Ying Ying!" I patted her head in thanks which she shoved my hand off in annoyance and waved me goodbye.
I turned my back from the door and used a little time to check my bookcase where a number of flowers in resin lay in line, reminiscing my time in different countries that I traveled as an apprentice as well as those for leisure.
Next to it was our complete family picture where the five of us are still happy and safe 'How I wish to turn back time and....hug them again'.
Beside that picture is the one that reminded me of my royal days where I wore the traditional clothes of my country. All of those were gone because of a conflict that stemmed from the past (in which I heard but don't know the full story), fucked up the present and made future unknown.
Two minutes, I spent two fucking minutes watching the pieces from the past hoping for something good to happen but I was just wasting my time, 'Great....Lynthea the Queen Wasting Time'.
The past is in the past, there is nothing else I can do to bring them back and these memories will just remain in my mind. Sighing, I seized my clothes and went towards the closest bathroom by the hall next to Xiuying's room and mine, knocking down a sky blue vase with beautiful long swirling lines reassembling a wind current that sat on a lacquered wood cabinet in the process due to my hurry.
'Fucking he-'
"Big sis? Did you break my Jadetown vase by any chance?" Xiuying's voice rang out from her room, I alarmingly looked down to the shattered pieces of the vase and replied with a sad tone realizing what I broke, "Damnit, it's mine..."
"Oh okay...wait, you go prepare yourself I'll clean it up" She sighed and gave a small grunt before I heard small footfalls to the door.
"Thanks a bunch!" I stood on my tippy toes and avoided the scene of the crime to continue my way to the bathroom.
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After donning my regular attire, a light violet qipao with long vines bearing flowers over bell bottom pants and a pair of violet colored closed shoes I reserved for this dress, I walked down the stairs making a turn to an open room with only a metal wall separating it from the living room and another divider on the side but it ended up short giving the dining room a big opening space, and while I'm describing the house, let me tell you that this mini mansion is hellass big for the three of us.
The first floor was covered with silver colored paint with five tall windows and autumn hued curtains. Paintings and family pictures hang in the living room while a small number of potted plants are placed in the dining room, Xiuying's style of decorating the house.
Two round bookshelves were placed on both sides of the fireplace in front of the metal worked sofa and a brown lacquered oak wood coffee table. Soren was still not satisfied and added a royal red rug underneath with yellow fleur-de-lis designs to give it a beautiful cozy glow. Connecting upstairs is a wide stairway of smooth lacquered wood with a pretty amazing work of carving from the steps to its wooden rail.
Upstairs would be Xiuying's room first on the right then the second bathroom and my room at the end. Next to the stairway leading to the roof while in the opposite direction would be Soren's and a guest room.
While the first floor is mostly colored with silver paint, the second floor is more naturey with wood floors, petal shaped lights on the halls 'my choice of decoration'. One or two cabinets on both sides of the hallway where my siblings would store things they are too lazy to bring inside their room and a cute cactus Xiuying keeps near the white framed window after Soren's room.
I walked inside the dining room and sat on a wooden chair on the left side of the glass covered table, making myself comfortable while my brother placed a platter of good smelling breakfast in front of me.
"Where are you heading today, Theang?" He asked me while I ate the breakfast he served, using the annoying nickname he always calls me. Soren took a seat on the center chair with his mug of coffee, presumably spent 2 sachets as he likes it, a 'Universally Best Bro' engraved on the mug.
"I have a mission today brother and I won't be back for a while" My lips formed a small smile as I stabbed a heap of lettuce in the salad.
"Cold as the dawning breeze, typical" He chuckled softly, pertaining to how I replied.
"Sorry, I am running late" I finished my meal in a short duration of time and washed my dishes before walking out of the room with the same laid back expression of a smile "Thea.. don't keep it to yourself too much" I heard him say behind my back.
"Will do" I pressed a button to let the metallic door slide open and walked outside quickly, jumping on my violet designed techno-bike(a technology flying bicycle), charged it up and pressed the speed as I zoom towards the Aureole, a massive two story dirty gold building associated in the middle of the city with four tall neoclassical columns on both sides.
'Don't forget about me' that soothing voice keeps playing inside my mind as if I can see that the speaker is fond of me. I don't understand the meaning of those words but I find it very comforting but why the hellish abyss am I dreaming about this? Is that really that important to think about? ....nevertheless I have to focus more on my upcoming mission. I spent days preparing and I can't mess it up with that! I suddenly stopped thinking when a loud honk behind me sounded.
"Hey miss! The lights turned green already!" a woman yelled angrily behind my back, behind her are a line of techno-vehicles honking..I grimaced as I realize that I stopped during the red light hmmm must be my hands' instinct to do that without me realizing it, "Sorry got sidetracked!!"I painstakingly yelled in apologize back turning to the other direction I saw her sour face as she muttered something on her bike....hmp! I said my sorry already, what the deal?!
'I wonder what my task would be?' I diverted my thought from earlier as I parked my bike at the parking spot beside the headquarters.
I jumped out of my vehicle and walked on a row of stairs carrying a soft smiling visage, a lot of people walking in and out looking at me, it doesn't creep me out though I just don't give a damn about them, although I could her some whispering something which I can clear made out into words.
"Is that Linthea Seiju?"
"I heard she is the Princess of Samaari together with her brother and sister"
"I like her, she's always smiling"
"Are you drunk? They ARE the remaining royalties of Samaari!"
First before all the things that are about to happen let me introduce to you my world, we, the Aureolians were at war from the very start with the Dark Arc, a faction who affiliated themselves with the Underworld below and other opposing forces to gain allies and power to achieve their goal which is from what I heard 'to take back their glory' while they keep destroying places whenever they please, so much for glory too much the atrocities.
If you're asking about the war history I'm sorry to disappoint but the history of the Abyssal war is still researched upon which connects it to older wars until it reaches the creation of the continent of Missenia.
'Pretty much a long history about how the Gods fucked up'
Now, the first Arch Master who is also the first regent of Icycilis with the help of the Goddess of Peace, Lady Haina founded the association of special class fighters which they named 'Aureolians", in which he chose six Shijos to protect the city and the other neighboring kingdoms from the Dark Arc.
Shijo is from an old Icycilian word for 'Master' and those Six were also given the chance to find their successors in order to fight the Dark Arc, but it seems like the fighting never ceased until it reached this generation. From the first Shijos they were given their own respective weapons , weapons that were forged by magical beings from a distant island of Majaeka. Anyways these weapons have their own abilities and given elements from which a user must train hard to master it and pass it along to his successor and so on.
'Godsdamn, this is a long introduction'
My master was the Fan Shijo, so as her next in line, I also have my own weapon similar to hers, for a successor to get a weapon like her master, he/she must be trained to trust the weapon, control one's emotions, combat prowess, element mastery, speed and strength for years before he or she can fully use the weapon. Each of the weapons have their own requirements for the apprentice to fulfill though .... but that's all I have to say for now or else I'll spoil the whole thing.
(AN:You pretty much gave out alot, I wouldn't call that not a spoiler
Linthéa:Shut up)
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Just as I entered the building I instantly saw a familiar face just ahead of me, "Amanda!"I yelled hoping to get her attention, she looked in all directions before she finally saw me and replied with a smile, her ash grey hair swishing to follow her movement.
I felt myself smiling, my true smile back at her.
"It's good to see you! You've gotten a lot taller now!" I exclaimed in happiness where she nods in agreement, comparing her height to mine and smiling ear to ear as she did, "It's been 3 years since we last saw each other..... I can finally wield my weapon better than before!"
"Holy Minala, that's great! We should go out to celebrate!"
"Aww you never change Théa, still beautiful and joyous. I'm happy I am finally on your level" she said together with a compliment, grasping my hand together with hers as we both erupted into small laughter.
We have been good friends ever since we met and talked about our pasts. Amanda and I both are victims of the Dark Arc when they attacked a town in Coronas, her homeplace where she and her master first met. She was on the verge of committing suicide after her parents and sister died after a horde of abyssal demons rummaged their town for food and hostages. Such a strong sweet girl she was that even in her devastated form, she still persisted in life and stood for herself until she became who she is today and I'm quite proud of her, my best friend.
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"I envy you for having your own solo assignment...."she said with a different tone than her usual as we walked together in the wide halls of the building towards a fountain in the center leading to different rooms.
"Oh don't be... I'm sure Spear Shijo will let you have your own"
"Well, guess I still have a long way to go hehe~"Amanda giggled, "You must tell me your ways of fighting!" She moved in front of me, urging me to teach her everything I know with eyes full of determination.
"After this Amanda and if you'll excuse me, I have to talk to the Arch Lady first "Stepping away from her, I turned to climb the stairs to find the master's office.
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"Oh Arch Lady, you've been looking for me?" I politely bowed before a woman in her near fourties. Her long violet hair was pulled into a big bun encircled with a braid, the lower half of her hair remaining down which hid a tinge of blue. A winged hair piece is stabbed in her bun with droplets of small flower crystals from Majika dangled at its end, she wore a plain long violet dress that extended to her feet with long loose sleeves that flutter in the wind as she walked giving her a good kind of otherworldly look.
The regent's divine beauty still persists in her age which could mistake her as a bloodline of the fair Goddess Abikohara. Her smile brightened when she saw me and motioned me to stand near the window to give way to the servants and mercenaries passing by.
"Ah Linthea, do you know what you're here for?" Her voice was slow and smooth, the back of my head immediately thought of something I recently heard: they said that the current Arch Lady, Lady Velaria, had a twin brother who sided with the Dark Arc for a long time....but that was only a rumor and there is no way that could happen.
I could only shake my head at her inquiry.
"My intel from Esgarde reported about a citizen from Kayunta sailing towards land chased by a large group..their insignia's can't be seen but I have a hunch that Hogor Rulin is behind this as the mercenary scout I assigned to spy on him reported they are into some activities lately.... Go forth to Camial to see if that sand pirate is really up to something..you know what to do next Miss Seiju"
'Kayunta huh....the country with no welcome' I thought before I turn my attention back to her words, "They will be under your supervision" she added and signaled me to go with a soft flick of her hand, "Yes Lady Velaria, I shall go there at once" I gave her a small nod before walking away through the white walled hallway.
"Be careful child" I turned back to her with a smile on my face.
3rd POV
"Destiny wants my help?...How interesting" Valeria chuckled to herself as she walked to her office for an upcoming meeting.
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"Sorry sorry~ I took a lot of time "Linthea rushed to Amanda smiling apologetically while scratching the back of her neck.
"No don't worry Té, besides my Master is keeping me company and I'm asking HIM when I could have my own solo assignment "Amanda huffed, putting an arm around Linthea's shoulder who didn't mind the contact. Beside her is Kiovan Rolskv, the famed Spear Shijo known for his strict but kind personality and to add, his good looks.
'Oh my, after all this time.. I still can't believe he's already married!' Linthea exclaimed in her thoughts after seeing the man in his near thirties, carrying a silver plated spear behind him. He wore an open high collared trench coat with grey buttoned leather shirt underneath, black pants with pocket straps for his other utilities and knee high combat boots.
'He looked goddamn single as usual, I mean who would believe he was already married with that kind of look'. Linthea's pretty sure that 1/3 of the ladies in the headquarters would agree how that night black hair fits him so well and probably just a smile would send them fainting inside.
Many tried their luck but only one prevailed in his heart.
"You'll get it soon Amanda..be patient and for you too Miss Seiju, take care of yourself there" Kiovan advised, giving her a fatherly gesture that made some girls in training drop their jaws and complain, "I hear that Camial these days is quite hot for your taste."
"Sure~ I always do! Thank you Shijo Kiovan but time is ticking I have to go, Goodbye Amanda!"Linthéa smiled with closed eyes and walked past them waving a hand back, heading off to a ship at her disposal.
"Bye Thea!"Amanda waved off with her master who stood watching.
The fan apprentice sat inside, flipping some switches and starting the vehicle which floated inches above the metal floor of the flyway area. She looked back under now seeing her Shijo, Shigemi Nobutaka wearing an overly modified apricot kimono, the upper part of the clothing is kept while the lower part is retained slightly close to its roots; paired with white socks over okobo sandals.
She looked absolutely fantastic as she should!
Shigemi raised her hand and waved goodbye in which Thea chuckled to see her master at the last minute.
Without delay she took hold of the controls and flew out.
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The way to Camial was surprisingly not boring with the help of the music she installed on her device that kept her active in the ride to the Desert Flower of the land.
Linthea looked above the scorching sun of the deserted place wishing she could finish the whole thing fast so she can go back home or rest in the lounge with her peers, "Well I have no choice" she sighed in defeat adding a little tone before jumping down from her flying vehicle shaped like a medium size saucer. Stepping on the sandy terrain of Camial, she instantly regretted her choice of shoes as the sand easily found their way down her toes, Linthéa's face soured before she moved her foot back to cease the sands underneath it and walked carefully to find an oasis to fill her canteen.
After a few minutes of walking under the sun, she saw an oasis situated near a tall hill with palm trees and small patches of grass decorating the perimeter. Upon filling her canteen full Linthea heard loud voices behind the sandy hill and decided to climb up and see what's going on.
Her sapphire eyes grew wide at the sight as she gritted her teeth seeing the group of Rocio's pirate crew dragging a couple of dead men out their rusty ship, she hated the fact that those pirates are free to side with anyone in the war brandishing their stand to be 'neutral'. They don't pose a threat to both factions as their main focus is money but their hostages do.
From the look on the pirate captain's face, the dead man seemed to have struck his nerve and thus was dispatched and left in the desert to rot away.
"Alright, saves me the time since I know where your hideout is....tsk" Linthéa's simply shrugged as if pointing a point and skidded down the sandy hill, picking her pace back to the ship cursing at the fact that sand is already getting in her feet. She set the direction to Mercuda Station and a long ride started while being followed by a couple of sand eels swimming in a wave-like motion around the yellow colored surrounding of nothingness but sand and dark orange gorges.
Desolated but all the best parts of the Desert Flower.
//////
Linthéa quickly formulated a plan to enter the home base and possibly steal one bike back to her own flying vehicle. She hid behind a tall unequal stack of rocks with yellow bushed plants growing around that seemed to help hide her presence.
The dark brown haired woman looked over with a smirk plastered on her face throughout the wide electric fence that guards a large forsaken piece of ship made of metal, with some dent around possibly made by an attack and counted the rows of smaller saucer ships and techno bikes. The pirates would always relocate to any place in Camial but as always, she has strong instincts that aids her out.
She cracked her knuckles and made a smug face, "Sometimes, being neutral has its own disadvantage....This is going to be easy"
______
"HELLO ANYBODY HOME?" Linthéa cheerfully yelled in front of the large wooden door as if she was only there for a family visit, knocking thrice before the door opened.
Rocio went outside with a shocked expression upon seeing her, "Well, the Orchid Princess has come to grace me with her presence?... say, what do you want with this lowly pirate, your majesty?" He faked his bow at her.
"You have something from Kayunta...yes?" Linthéa replied in a smug face in which greatly confused the pirate leader but he soon regained his thoughts.
"Did you bring any...cash?"Rocio pressed his thumb together, rubbing it as a gesture of money.
"Ah.. unfortunately I don't! Hehe~" Linthéa gave him one of her deceiving close eyed smile as she tilts her head sideways, her pompous brown hair following suit. He squinted his dull brown eyes and gave a signal.
"Boys!"
On cue, a group of men piled around them carrying firearms and blades, forming an offensive line around her
"Oh c'mon...well, someone left their post so why don't we settle this difficulty" Linthéa eyed the circle but kept her sweet smile and calm composure.
"What do you mean?"
The brunette gave them a smirk and pressed a button in her hand, in an instant four of Rocio's small floating saucers were blown to bits.
"Want more? Oh! Of course~ you have a lot to spare" her hand heavily hovered above the red dome of the device.
"Alright bitch! You're allowed to get him, just hurry and leave this bloody place!"Rulin's eyes went wide as plates and fumed at the sight of seeing his hard work get blown into small pieces, his old scarred face reddened with anger and his right eye seemed to twitch,"Cell door to the left"He heaved a big sigh.
"I always knew you were a great friend Rocio!" Thea beamed and smacked his shoulder before walking to the said direction. Some of his men couldn't understand what the hell happened and voluntarily asked to follow the girl and dispatch her.
"Boss what's going on?"
"No, don't attack her, Princess Linthéa has her ways in getting what she wants." Rulin advised them eyeing Linthéa as she hummed her way through. "But it's even worse if that woman knew about this" His humiliation can only pale in comparison to his fear upon imagining how 'that woman' would react and at the thought of losing his money.
"We need more men, those who won't....slack off on duty, Fredgar!" Hogor called his second assistant who rushed to his side within a second.
"Bring me those scums on duty to guard my ships, I.need.them.dead!"
/////
When she reached the cell room Thea flipped her fans open and made a close wind attack on the metallic door to blow it open where she saw an unconscious young man possibly in the same age as she in a dark red trench coat with a black shirt underneath, wearing tight black pants.
"We don't get to see this everyday" her mind laughed about the overall fashion sense. Well speaking of Kayunta, in her defense, it's one of the places an idiot shouldn't wear trenchcoats.
"Geez"She rolled her eyes and draped one of the boy's arms around her shoulder as she shakily lifted him from the cold wooden floor and carried him out of the cell. She peered to see that no one was expecting her outside and shrugged her shoulders knowing that Rulin cleared them out for her.
"I expect a big thank you for this rescue" Linthéa turned to the man who's in a deep sleep with a thin smile before hoisting him to the samel she stole from the post.
Minutes after, she felt a slight movement infront as the stranger woke up in shock, bumping her head in his abrupt action.
"You're awake already? Don't move so much if you don't wanna fall" Linthéa whispered close for him to hear. He seemed slightly embarrassed at their current state and made a slight turn of head to give her a cold gaze of his blood red eyes.
"That's not a good first impression!" She laughed and urged the animal to move faster much to the boy's liking.
"Hang on tight!"
"Woah!--"
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Trivia:
Thea is loved by many due to her happy smiling face and tone but some are confused as to why she is always like that but as her master, Shigemi Nobutaka would say with a thin smile ,"Just go along with her".
No one really knows the reason why.