Memories of the Past: Born for War

Somewhere far away from the battlefield, unknown number of years earlier.

A dark, navy blue castle, inverted funnel shaped; it's middle pierced high into the dark cumulonimbus-like sky, clouds arranged themselves in hurricane-like shape with its eye the tallest part of the castle.

Somewhere inside the castle, a winged woman, too dark to see her facial features, was holding a staff, standing before a throne. As if she received some signal, she raised her staff into mid-air, and its tips released a bright green light for a few seconds, after which we could hear machinery cranking coming from the hall. Metal vessels rose from the ground. Each metal vessels are lined with pods filled with orange liquids, like how corn kernel lined themselves on the cob.

Taking a closer look, an embryo was floating inside the orange liquid. As bubbles emerged and washed through the embryo, the embryo transformed into a child around age 10, eyes shut, laying inside the chamber, wearing clothes (???). God knows what fertilizer did the winged woman gave them; not even cancer can grow at this rate! Nor do they need oxygen, as no tubings were attached to their mouth or nose, like baby submerged in amniotic fluid; except a baby can get its oxygen from the umbilical cord, this has nothing.

Probably not long later, at a training ground, daytime. A Kevesi Levnis propelled itself on the air towards the landing point inside the training ground, stretching its arms while lowering itself onto the ground. After it landed, its doors opened, and young Kevesi soldiers marched out from the Levnises. These seems untrained, perhaps they just got "borned" from the castle. In the crowd, we spot Noah, Lanz, Eunie, that fat guy, all as a child, the age we first saw them during the Queen's anniversary. They were lining up in perfect rows and columns.

Every one of us, is born looking like this. As soldiers. As weapons for slaying Agnians... Yes. All of us live only to fight.

Moving on, young soldiers were exchanging blows with each other, enhancing their melee weapon wielding skills. They were inside a training chamber, surrounded by fences, without roofs.

On the other side of the fence is another fenced clearings. Instead of empty space, boxes and tall obstacles estimated around 2 meters high, both made of metals, lined around. This is an arena for team battle. Here, Noah was fighting another young Kevesi, winged head, curly hairs, with speckles on his face.

"Tch! Cut that out!" while the Kevesi was dealing blows at Noah, with Noah defending and dodging, "Stupid! Noah!" Noah danced around the blade, yet before he could catch a breath, bullets swirled past him and hit the obstacles behind him. He quickly made a dash towards Lanz, whom was holding a broadsword larger than his shoulder width. The broadsword is capable of generating a frequency shield that could stop bullets on its path.

"Nice one, Lanz!"

"Too early for that! Look, it's you they're after here!" Lanz replied to Noah. Eunie was an obstacle away from them, firing bullets with her blade at the winged boy. Yet, before bullets could kick him out, a girl wielding a broadsword similar to Lanz managed to slide in front of him, generating a frequency shield, and blocked all incoming bullets.

While suppressing fire, Eunie shouted back at the boys, "Just take out their Attackers and we're golden. They're gonna get it handed to 'em." Perhaps her speech diverted her attention; a bullet whoozed past her, after which she hid behind metal barriers taller than her, complaining, "Flickerin' Hoope... You're as slippery as Noah sometimes!" Apparently, Hoope was still firing her way while she speaks. Only after finishing her sentence did Eunie continued firing at the winged boy (with the girl still blocking).

The winged boy wasn't amused with Eunie's speaking: "Eunie... Chick never shuts up." Putting his hand on his bluetooth, he shouted into it, "Kite! Ranged Arts!"

Kite, whom hold a staff taller than him, heard the signal and replied, "Easy!" He stuck his head beside the obstacle where he was hiding and saw Hoope dashing for another obstacle in front of his, firing at Noah as soon as his torso was blocked from their vision.

Kite emerged from his hiding place, raising his staff into midair. Droplets of energy particles whooshed in, and moments later, formed 3 globules of energy ball beside and above the staff. Kite targeted his shots at Eunie. Eunie, whom continued to hide behind obstacles after firing a few shots, heard the drag the energy ball made with air particles, looked up into the sky, and immediately make a run for her life. Yet, the energy ball seems to incorporated with a tracking system, zoomed past the top of the obstacles, took a turn midair, before hitting the ground behind Eunie, exploded and sent her hurling into the air for a moment, as she slammed and slid herself on the ground. "Ahhhhh!"

Lanz heard her shouts, turned to look at her. "Eunie!" He pulled his broadsword with him, running towards Eunie's direction. Hoope, seeing that Eunie was in his shooting range, clear of obstacles, fired a shot at her before she could get up. Lanz managed to pull in front of Eunie on time, intercepting the bullet, shielding her while she struggled to get up.

"Didn't account for Kite... Ugh... I snuffed this up." She was heavily injured, coughing while both of her hands supported her torso. As if about to faint, she saw the fat boy, holding a really short staff, running towards her. Upon arrival, he hold his staff over her, which drew the energy particles from the air and created a green ring centered around Eunie. Green energy particles entering Eunie's body made her glow. A few moments later, her wounds, internal and external, were gone. She was healed.

With a concerned facial expression, the fat boy looked at Eunie and asked, "You OK, Eunie?" Eunie summoned enough strength to stand up, replied while summoning her blade, "Cheers for that. You're a lifesaver, Joran!"

The winged boy saw the drama and was pissed off, "Sparkin' deadweight...!" He moved towards Hoope, whom now stands beside Kite, the girl shielding behind. Together, they hid themselves behind obstacles. It's time for a meeting.

"Hey! Change of plan! Kite, you keep firing, and don't stop."

Kite questioned, "At what?"

"Whatever you want."

"Huh?" Kite was clearly confused.

The winged boy looked at him, hands crossed, and said: "Go ballistic. Just draw their attention," then turned and face Hoope, "'Cause what we're after here, is that lame duck." He was referring to Joran.

Hoope wasn't convinced, "Joran?! But he's bottom of the class. Why bother?"

The winged boy explained: "Thing is, the brat's still a decent Healer. Get it?"

The girl seems to got it: "Ahh, right. So we're playing by the book here." (In game, you want to kill the healer first, or whatever damage you dealt would be reduced or even cancelled out)

The winged guy agreed, "Pisses me off, but the fight'll be good as won!" He was determined.

"Yeah!" All replied in unison, as they dashed out to their positions. Kite ignored precision, blasting the floor with his ranged arts.

Lanz make a run for the boxes, sitting down while signaling in his bluetooth: "Eunie! Take out Kite!"

Meanwhile, Eunie was trying to intercept Hoope, when one of Kite's ranged arts blasted in front of her. "Can't! They've got the advantage, AND they're behind cover!"

"Noah! Can we flank 'em?" Noah was running with Joran behind, jumping to and fro dodging Kite's ranged arts. Joran was slower and less adept to speed. A blast landed in front of him while he gripped strongly onto his staff, lifting it in front of his face to cover from the dust. "Noah!" Lanz was shouting without hearing a reply.

Meanwhile, the winged boy signaled to the broadsword girl their direction, and they ran towards Joran's position. Noah saw them moved, but wasn't yet sure of their intention. "They're not in their usual formation..."

Hoope did not give him time to think it through. A bullet was shot where Noah pop his head out. Eunie joined Noah a moment later, aiming her cannon to return fire. Noah was attuned to an energy ball on Eunie's current position. He took for a run, jumped and hugged Eunie; together, they slid out of their way before the energy ball blasted by their side. That's enough time for him to think, "We're snuffed! Kite's just a decoy! So they're really after..." There's only one guy left.

"Urg.." Lanz took his broadsword and get running towards Joran. He hadn't got much time, as the winged boy and the broadsword girl was already near. Joran raised his staff to his face in a defensive stance. The winged boy sliced towards him. Just as we thought he's out, Lanz managed to intercept on time, the remaining shockwave sent Joran falling on his back, "err huh."

"Quick thinking, Lanz!" the winged boy exclaimed. Yet, with 2 against 1, the situation don't change, even if Lanz's specialized in defense. Upon sticking his sword into the ground, a frequency shield capped him and Joran. Both swings their weapon at the shield, "Tough guy! But ya can't hold out forever."

"Spark" Noah, realizing their situation, make a run to help out Lanz; yet Hoope's bullet wasn't ignorable.

"Noah!" Eunie tried to catch up with Noah, but she was held back by Kite's ranged arts.

"Lanz...!" Joran exclaimed in a long tone, eyes wide open as if he was about to cry.

"Rrgh...! You stay put... They wanna take you outta the running!" Lanz gritted his teeth.

"Yaaaaa!" A final blow from the winged boy, and the frequency shield was zeroed. Joran shielded his face, "Yeah, but...!"

Lanz cut him short, wasn't giving up, "Don't you leave that snuffing spot!" He had to deal with 2 positions at the same time, sliding his broadsword left and right in the least possible movement. A strong hit came his way, and his broadsword went out of hand. He caught it a moment later with his left hand before another blow was delivered.

Joran was desperate, perhaps desolate, both hands on the floor, "Why would you..." He gritted his teeth, and suddenly make for a run. Lanz couldn't believed his eyes, as if Joran had not followed his instructions.

Noah and Eunie was still trapped. After another hit, the winged boy handed Lanz over to the broadsword girl, himself running towards their ultimate target. While Joran was running, a ball of energy emerged from his staff. As the energy accumulated to its threshold, he turned and pointed his staff towards Lanz, "All that I am, is yours..."

A green beam of energy zoomed past the winged boy, whom temporarily stopped in his past, perhaps realizing that's the end of Joran. He didn't try to intercept the beam either. He just looked at Lanz and saw the beam entered him, healing him. Joran ran out of breadth and collapsed on the floor, face down. "Now... you can carry on..."

The winged boy wasn't amused, slowly walking over in front of him, sword over his shoulder, "You shoulda done that much SOONER!" With the last word, he sliced down at Joran.

Badges, with its upper side broader than its lower, shaped like a wing, with two swords crossed as its symbol, was awarded to all members of the winged boy's team. Only the best team, theirs, were rewarded. The winged boy grinned, looking at the various recruits standing below while they were "on stage." He felt superior to the those standing below.

Even with Joran's final help, Lanz, Eunie, and Noah didn't make it. Noah wasn't disappointed, but he was the exception, not the rule.

Afterwards, in another scene, just Noah's team. Joran was shuddering in a corner. Lanz, with gritted teeth, went up to him, snatched him by his right shoulder with his left hand, pulled him up and towards him, clenched his right palm into a fist, holding it up aiming at Joran. Noah went up and hold the wrist of his fist. "Get off me!"

Releasing and pushed back Joran with Noah's still holding his wrist, he exclaimed, "Had to go and play the hero, didn't he?"

Noah lowered his fist down, questioned, "You really think you could've taken 'em?"

"Urggg" Lanz turned around, pulling off his hands.¹

Eunie, whom was laying her back to a nearby tall obstacle, took step and walked towards them, looking first at Noah, then focusing on Lanz: "I think Joran did the right thing. If he hadn't used his powers back there, you'd have been first out of the running!"

Lanz turned to face Eunie, walking closer and closer towards her as words flow: "Yeah, but still... Didn't have to go get himself killed for it!"

Eunie, her head only reached Lanz's shoulder, had to bend her back to look at his face. Noah interrupted, "Come on. He was trying to protect you! He lured in Garvel's gang. Gave us a chance to turn it around."

"Urg..." Lanz faced the other side again. Joran didn't speak a word, his eyes on the floor. Noah and Eunie was looking at Lanz, continued: "You know who wasn't up to it? We weren't."

Lanz have trouble acknowledging his weakness, turned to him and exclaimed, "Yeah, BUT!"

"Just stop it!" Joran had enough, shouted. "No. More. Arguing... It's my fault. I should've... just done a better job. (breathe) Then we'd have won." He was on the verge of tears.

Noah tried to soothed him, "Hey!"

Joran continued, "So much for getting to the final, huh... Sorry... I let us down on your big day... I'm so... sorry!" He ran off, wiping his tears on the way. Lanz couldn't stand the crying, faced away.

Noah was confused, "What big day...?"

Eunie snapped, "The birth-day."

Noah looked at her, even more confused... "What- Whose?"

"Yours dummy! It's your second term, right? Remember?"

Noah's eyes was wide opened. "Ah..." He just realized.

Gingerly treaded in small step towards Lanz, like a fairy dancing, hands crossed, "A win would've been a nice surprise. Lanz was pretty fired up too, weren't ya?" Perhaps she was trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

Lanz shooked his head a bit, turned to Eunie, "Cut it out!" Then walked off.

"Hey!" Noah called out to him.

Lanz, looking back from the tip of his glimpse, "What?"

"You'll apologize, right?" said Noah.

"... Might do, might not." Lanz spoke while he walked off. Eunie put her arms on her waist, walked up to line up with Noah, watching off Lanz.

We each have a lifespan of 10 years. We call them terms. Life begins with our first term, and ends at the close of our tenth. And over the course of those 10 years, we fight, continually. Though in reality, there aren't that many who can hold their flame for the whole 10 years. Most lose their lives on the battlefield, before they reach year 10. But those who do survive to the end... are honored in a special service.

The next day, at the training grounds. Noah, Lanz, and Eunie were standing in a circle. Soldiers were seen walking, some gathered together, speaking to each other. A group of younger term soldiers dashed out a door near them, past them, and went out of view. The green Nopon joined Noah's and the others.

We call it... the Homecoming.

As if he sensed something, Noah turned his head and looked twoards his right, as Joran was stampeding towards them. He shouted, "Morning, Joran!"

As Joran approached, he replied with an upbeat tone, "Hey Noah, morning." Awkwardly, "Morning, uh... Lanz..."

"Hmph." Lanz snorted, turned his head away, and ran off. Joran might had thought he hadn't forgave him; translator thought he probably wasn't satisfied with himself, or he couldn't lower his head. "Get a move on! Quick, we're gonna miss the Homecoming!" Lanz was shouting at them from a distance, hands on his waist. Soldiers were dashing past them while he stopped and waited.

That changed the subject and the atmosphere. "First one they've ever had here, right?" Eunie exclaimed.

"Yeah, isn't it awesome!" Lanz replied. Together, they ran off. Noah looked at Joran and nodded to him, which he nodded back, and they ran after them. Reminds of similar situation in another hyperspace? Except now with an extra green Nopon following.

Footnotes:

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1: Eunie was standing near them, arms crossed.