Memories: Lucky Seven

As the night falls, they continued traversing their path, oasis beyond sight limit. Patches of grass now grows on both sides of the path. Gusting winds brought with them dusty sands, tampering one's vision. The destination? Nowhere to be seen. Rocks and detours, all that is. Plants glowed amidst the foggy air, like cat's eyes in the dark. Mio scanned for Noah, him far behind. She stopped and waited for him, walking beside him thereafter.

"Hey! Can I ask you something?" Curiosity lurked in her. "It's special, isn't it? Your Blade, I mean."

"Huh?"

"Sometimes, one part of it... glows. Why's that?"

In a lively, whispering tone: "Ah...! You can tell? That's amazing..."

"It's hard not to."

"Ah, right." There was a moment of silence as she waited.

Then, she asked, in a whispering tone, "Is it a secret?"

"No, I can tell you."

(Start of Memories)

The training ground. Young Noah, wearing a healmet and bullet-proof vest, along with other soldiers, drew his blade, a standard Kevesi sword. Others, with their broadsword or staffs or whatever, were already practicing by themselves, while he still tried to get a hold of it. Soldiers gathered in groups when they practiced; swords slicing the air; square gloves with four "well-shaped" protrudes, glowing cyan punching the air; guns shooting at the static humanoid targets in the gun range; long staff put into the air, ether meteor strikes the ground in front of them as they released, with a small explosion. Still, others practiced against each other.

Noah's group gathered by the fence, Lanz practicing while the others warming up. Eunie summoned and swung her blade like a Kung Fu monk swinging his wooden stick around. Then, pointing her rifle at nowhere, the staff rotates as ether energy got sucked in, releasing in a single shot. As it flew into the distance, Newton's third law took her off balance, jumping single-legged several times before landing on both feet, panting. She reloaded to try again.

His hands stretched out, one palm facing up, another down. A mace-like blade appeared, with a ball of energy glowing brightly at its top. He gripped it with his right hand, pointed it to his front, attempting to summon an attack but ended up drawing a green ring around him. Electric sparkled on the circumference of the ring. He looked at his blade, disappointed, but gritted his teeth, tried and tried, to no avail. With all his might, the ring suddenly glowed brightly; its range increased, but still no signs of damaging ranged arts. As he finished up, he wiped his sweat.

Noah didn't summon a blade; instead, gripped the training blade he had before. It was laid against the fence. He focused his mind, practiced slashing in sync with his breath.

"Noah, my man... Are you still playing around with that little toy?" Garvel approached with his team as they practiced. Eunie and Joran stopped and looked.

The broadsword girl sneered, "Have you considered a Nopon weapon? You might actually get somewhere with that." Noah didn't stop.

"Oi! You deaf or what, Noah?!" Garvel wasn't giving up.

Joran, with trembled voice, "Garvel!? Noah, this is bad..."

"Heh. Not even a peep? Don't need to pay us any attention?"

"Oh please... I wasn't ignoring you. Once I finish this set... we can chat!" Noah sounded as he made a slash that reverberated the air. The shockwave, or perhaps their shock, made them took a step back.

Eunie and Joran wasn't less shocked, Eunie turned into a smirk, as if showing off. Noah waited for a while before breathing out and stood up, turning his attention to Garvel.

"Well? What were you saying?"

"Noah... For dead weight, you're a right snuffing peacock!" As if what he did put him down, or perhaps, he was just jealous of his skills. He ran towards Noah and sliced a set of moves, him dodging them.

"Ugh, you...!" His sword can't beat his agility. "You slippery little mudder!" Several slashes and a thrust later, Noah put his leg on his blade and pressed it to the ground. He was dumbstrucked as Noah put his blade over his neck.

"Well, anything else?" Noah asked patiently.

"You... snuffin' weakling!" He broked away from his legs by slicing his sword upwards, kicking Noah in the chest concurrently. Noah put his hand over the injured spot as Garvel sliced his training sword in half. Noah fell to the ground, one hand in a knelt position.

"Blast it all!" He punched Noah's face, he landed on his side, groaning in pain. Garvel wasn't satisfied, "Oh, you'll... get it now!", he was about to slice Noah as Lanz blocked his attacks.

A few breath to figure out what happened, he turned to look to his left, exclaimed,

"L-Lanz?!"

"Break it up now. Didn't know you could be so petty, Garvel."

"Peh. Ain't got no time for this musclehead." He bit his words between his teeth and put his sword on his shoulder.

"Wanna say that again?" Lanz was provoked.

"Hmph! We'll settle this properly... In tomorrow's trial!" He sheathed his blade, turned and walked away, shouting to his group along the way. "Move it!" Noah's team watched them off.

"Noah, are you OK?" Joran quickly ran up to his side, still laying on the ground.

By a ladder inside the training ground, they were sitting at different heights, with Eunie laying her back against a wall. Lanz turned and faced Noah, "Don't let it get to you. Guys like that are the first ones to snuff it in a real battle."

"No, I'm not worried about him. I really can't call my weapon, though... I worry I'll end up being a burden."

"Never thought that here, not even once."

"Thanks... Kind of you to say."

"It's just the truth!" He watched him stood up and walked away, "Where are you going?"

He paused and turned to him "To visit Riku. Since it broke. The trial -- it's tomorrow. I'm gonna need a new weapon for that." The others stood up and followed him through the alleyway.

Riku's place, with some cylinders in the background, and rusty floor, or perhaps dirt floor. A silvery sharp blade with a hole where the handle and the blade joined, laid atop two stands, a weapon holder, displayed in the center of the room. The handle was purple in its center, with a snake-liked gold curled around it.

"What's this?" Noah asked.

Riku folded his wings and introduced, "Magic sword, Lucky Seven! In distant past, were seven legendary swordsmithpon. Over course of seven years, forged sword from seven types of steel. No other sword like it in existing."

"Magic?" The kids weren't convinced.

"Lucky Seven?" Lanz questioned.

Riku tried to prove it, "Lanz, please to give good cleave with Blade and split clean in halves."

"Sure 'bout that? Better not pull some, 'You break it, you bought it' sneaky sorta deal..."

Riku opened his eyes wide, reaffirmed "Riku would never dream! Just put all of heft into mighty swing!"

"Weird ask... Err, sure!" He summoned his blade, "You want me to cut it, I'll cut it, I guess." He put his broadsword over his head, "Here it comes!"

A single slice and his broadsword split clean. Riku smiled at the result, while Lanz observed as he sheathed his blade, exclaimed, "Queen's beans! There's not even a nick in it!" The others went up nearer to confirm.

"Friend surprised? Indeed, is most prized of swords. Even armor of Ferronis get sliced to itsy bits!" Noah's eyes couldn't leave Lucky Seven now, but his look, to the translator, was pitying, as if the sword had done something wrong.

He dipped his head, speaking without confidence, "I think... I'll pass." Lanz and Eunie looked at him, shocked.

"Pass?" Riku wasn't sure why. "So, you not have need for?"

"Yeah. It's too strong."

"Hmmmm..." Riku thought for a while, perhaps on how to convince him, asked again, "Noah want Lanz and friends to kick buckets?"

He instantaneously rebutted, "No, what the spark?!"

"Same as letting friends die." He pressed on, now on a heated debate.

"No it's not."

"If friends not fight, cannot survive."

"Sure, but I don't need to use your sword."

"Then, why Noah not call Blade?" The others was confused what he meant.

Noah explained, "It's not out of choice, I just can't..."

Riku cut him off, sharply looking at him, "False! Riku see through like transparent!" Noah drew a step back. He continued, "Noah can call Blade! Just no big desire of fighting spirit!"

"Riku..."

Lanz prompted, "Hey, is he serious?" He sighed, like one whom lost all hopes. Lanz took a step forward, raising his tone "Noah?" A blade appeared before his face. Noah drew out his blade, a standard red Kevesi blade¹, then sheathed it. Lanz took a step backward.

"What the... All this time, huh?" he took a step backward, shocked and questioned. Noah looked down, didn't want to look at the others.

Riku continued his lecture, "If death is not option, should live. Only way is fight like life depends. Thinking of self... alone... is way of coward. Though, Riku know feeling well."

"I'm afraid..." He blurted out, tempestuously.

"Of fighting, you mean?" Lanz asked. He shook his head.

"Of this world. It's so brutal and relentless. And I'm afraid of what... we might... become."

"Mate..." Lanz looked at him, concerned.

Riku the mentor cheered him, "Ohoho! Riku knew Noah was hero material!"

"Huh?" Noah wasn't sure what he meant.

Riku looked at Lucky Seven, explained, "It true this sword possess incredible power. Might even rob enemies of many-much lives, yes. But, only those who understand nature of terror have right to wield..." Then, he looked back at Noah, "Eh, quote masterpon of Riku, anyhaps."

"So, if Noah can call Blade now, can still keep Lucky Seven, maybe in some kind of disguise. In different words, can turn it into sheath."

"Sheath...?"

"Can use it in fights like normal. But if ever push come to shove... Time will come when Noah truly need Lucky Seven's strength. Then, is only matter of drawing."

"When I truly need its... strength." His eyes laid on the sword, thinking, but hadn't understood yet.

"Exact," Riku assured, "If Noah never lose sight of that feeling, one day, such time surely come."

He looked back at Riku, "That is, if I can master it..."

"If fail to master, just give back. Can pick out different one!" Riku assured.

"Ah, right..." He seemed convinced.

"Please not to feel specially indebted to Riku -- just take! No need for overthinkings!"

By now, he had cheered up a little, "Hah! OK. I accept your offer. Oh, and... Riku?"

"What is?"

"Mind if I... change the name?"

"Meh?"

He smiled back and scratched his neck, "'Lucky Seven' just isn't doing it for me..."

"Aww...." Riku looked disappointed, with a long sigh.

(End of Memories)

The group continued their travel, sandy winds still blowing fro their side, and we still can see the two pillars behind them, as if they hadn't traveled any distance all this time Noah was storytelling. Mio curiously asked, "So... what name did you end up picking?"

"Huh? Uh... Name?" He turned to look at the sky, low on emotion.

"Uh-huh!" She teased him, "You don't wanna say? Or what, is it that embarrassing?"

"N-no... It's not embarrassing. That's not it." He looked down at the ground, denying.

Mio giggled, "Haha... I'm getting strong... emotional vibes here."

"I wouldn't say 'emotional' per se... Rather..." He looked up into the sky, lost in thoughts, maybe thinking of the correct word to express his feelings, blurted out quickly "something I miss. Yeah." She looked at him for a while, sighed, perhaps didn't see success cheering him up. He then told her, "You know, you're the second one that's noticed this weapon."

"Really? Is that something special?"

"It is."

"And the first? Who was it?"

"She's incredible," he replied indirectly, "and we... owe her our lives." They finally reached the detour to turn left, after a long walk. Noah and Mio had closed in behind Riku and Manana, and the others.

Ethel's colony. Streetlights turned on, but its range was limited by the extremely dusty air. The lights by the platform and ferronis control room displayed red. Soldiers were seen chatting at the platform extending on the same level as the control room's roof. Ethel stood inside the control room, looking out of the glass windows, her Iris glowed blood red.

Footnotes:

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1: The "red" probably being the only difference, while other designs, like a "startup" button as its joint, is purely cosmetics.