《Crimson Contact》 Volume 1 Prologue: The Night Painted Crimson Author''s Note (PLEASE READ): Hi and thank you for checking out my work! This is my first web novel I am currently working on, and I wanted to get some feedback on it! It is an experimental work in progress, but please, comment and critique as much as you would like and don''t be afraid to post any thoughts you have on it. I promise I won''t cry... too much. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. _____________________________________________________________________ CRACK!!! Shrieks pierced the night air. Running feet could be heard along with the desperate screams of those escaping for their lives. "Sh-shit!!! Everyone fall back! Protect the room! Don''t let it in!" yelled a knight in a full plate mail armor. Around him are other men and women were dressed similarly, each tightly gripping their kite shield and sword. Just as they were about to retreat, another small explosion resounded and a body slid to the floor at the end of the hall. Its eyes were bulged with fear as it stared holes into them. Blood and grey matter began streaming from the small void in its head. In the silence that followed, light footsteps could be heard making their way around the corner of the hall. Rounding the corner, a small gaunt figure concealed beneath a large cloak flecked with blood appeared. The black cloth was tattered and long enough to cover the hands. A hood blanketed the face in darkness creating a void that seemed to suck the warmth from the air. Looking at the petite figure, the knights knew something was very wrong. Despite its size, the whole hallway was choked by its presence. The imposing aura raised primal warnings in their bodies, screaming at them to run away, but their logic was telling them otherwise. The way it stared at them wasn''t one filled with bloodlust for an enemy, but indifference, as if they were mere objects obstructing its path. After looking at the corpse, and then back to the figure, something clicked in their heads. An ominous chill filled the air as the gore covered figure seemed to grow in size. This being in front of them was the thing rumors talked about: the Crimson Contact. The entity, whose trademark signs were blood filled rooms and bodies riddled with holes.Some rumors said it was a devil that killed indiscriminately, others said it was an assassin from a secret organization pulling the strings of society, but all knew it was a being that rightly earned its name. No one knew who it was or what it wanted. No one had ever seen it. Those who had were left lying in their own blood upon contact. Only the aftermath was ever found. Dread enveloped the group as the sound of clattering metal filled the air. Foul stench filled the air, but its source was indeterminate. The small silhouette stood still, staring at them like a hunter watching their prey. Expressionless, emotionless, it left an ominous void in the room that seemed to suck the air from their lungs. "M-maintain formation! Use Rugkraft only if necessary!" Despite the orders, it was clear the group was on the verge of breakdown. Unimaginable fear gripped the group as it slowly raised one of its arms. A faint red glow could be seen underneath the cloak of the raised arm. "R-run!!!" one of the knights screamed. A couple of the knights dropped their weapons and began fleeing down the opposite end of the hall towards a pair of doors. "COWARDS!!!" yelled their leader immediately after preparing to charge the enemy. For a split second he blinked only to realize the figure had disappeared. Behind him a single crack tore through the air accompanied by the sound of bodies falling. Agilely turning around, he saw two fresh corpses lying on the floor. Blood oozed out from underneath the bodies. A hole could be seen in each of their heads. Next to them the figure held strange metal objects in both of its hands; a thin trail of smoke snaked its way out of them as a light glow radiated from the metal. A rush of air swept through the hall. All of the knights were stunned. For a second the youthful face of a child no older than ten years appeared from underneath the hood. Their face was completely expressionless. The leader froze. I know that face! He moved to say something, but before he could, a knight regained her composure and dashed towards the figure brandishing her sword for a thrust. Realizing what was happening, the leader made a move to restrain both of them. "STOP!!!" Right as the blade was about to pierce the figure''s heart, it vanished from existence only to reappear above the knight. Before anyone could react, the figure appeared in multiple places for a split second pointing the metal objects at the knights. CRACK!!! A flash appeared from the metal objects all at once as they radiated an intense glow. Wind plowed through the room as blood suddenly bloomed from the knights. Their bodies crumpled to the floor like ragdolls ruining the floor with their gore. After staring at the fresh corpses with indifference, they began walking towards the door at the end of the hall. ----------------------------------------- Inside a room, a young girl with long golden brown hair was hugging her legs to her chest while hiding underneath a desk. Tears rolled down her face as she quietly cried. Surrounding her were shelves upon shelves of books. From the window facing opposite of the door the moon gently caressed the room with its soft light. Outside the window lay a large courtyard. Strewn about it were bodies of both armoured and unarmoured persons. Underneath them were puddles of blood staining the ground a permanent crimson. "Why..." she grieved as she pulled her legs closer. ----------------------------------------- The day had been like any other. Noelle was at home in her family''s estate. It was the day she was being taught the importance of the Zhertopf bloodline to the connection to the Church of Orihs, but most of it went in one ear and out the other. "...cestors of the¨C Noelle, are you paying attention?" "Ah! No. Sorry..." "Haaa... You need to pay attention to this. You may still be a child, but one day you will..." Again, the tutor began another long-winded oration that went right over her head. Why do I have these boring classes? I don''t need to know history. I want to go play! An hour later, the sun began setting and the tutor was just finally finishing her exegesis. "...so never forget that, understand?" "Yes, of course!" Noelle said with a wide smile. "Ok, then you are free t¨C" Before she could finish her sentence, Noelle was already darting down the hall and went out of sight around the corner. FINALLY! Now time to play with Shinku! Sprinting out of the house, she ran to a tall tree in the corner of the courtyard. Hidden from the mansion, a boy was leaning against the tree taking a nap. In the dying light of day, no one would have seen him had they not been looking for him. Hehehe. He''s so cute when he sleeps. Sneaking over to him, Noelle stood right over his softly snoring face. Hmmmm. I wonder how I should wake him. Pondering it for a moment, she quickly came to a conclusion and picked up a nearby stick. Taking a moment to check her swing, she swung the stick at full force aiming for his head. The boy''s hand shot out as if by instinct, redirecting the swing to sail just over his head. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Noelle, not expecting it to be redirected, lost her footing and fell on her butt. "Ouch~" "What goes around comes around," the boy nonchalantly stated. "That doesn''t mean you have to hurt me!" "Hypocrite." "What?" "Nothing." "Hmmmm! Don''t use big words I don''t understand!" "Don''t swing branches at my face." "Hmpf! But you never get hit anyway." "Doesn''t mean you should do it." "Don''t hurt me while stopping me then!" Noticing a pattern forming, Shinku breathed a sigh. "Fine. Anyways, why did you wake me up?" "I wanted to play with you!" "Hmmmm. Maybe." "Yay!" Noelle shouted while jumping excitedly. "Oh, but first, how is your father?" "Hmmm? Papa is fine, but he''s been in his study a lot and doesn''t play with me anymore." "Do you know what he is doing?" Shinku asked with a concerned look. "No. Papa just stays in there all day. Oh! But sometimes a really pretty light comes from his window!" For a split second a dark shadow appeared on Shinku''s face before it went back to normal. "I see. I can''t play today." "Awwww! But you said you would." "Sorry, I have to go, and it''s almost supper." Shinku began scaling the tree and jumped on top of the courtyard wall. "Fine. Promise you''ll come back after then." A small grin appeared on Shinku''s face. "Ok." Leaping off the wall, he went out of view. Noelle headed back to the mansion, and got scolded for being outside so late in the evening. She ended up having dinner with only her mother. Her father had remained in his study again. Only the sound of clinking utensils could be heard for the longest time at the quiet table. Noelle sat opposite of her mother. But neither of them spoke. "How are your studies coming along." Her mother finally asked breaking the silence. "Ok." Noelle answered while pushing the vegetables around on her plate. "Eat like a proper lady. And don''t play with your food." "Yes, Mother." "You are part of the Zhertopf family. Remember that. You will become the head one day, so learn everything so you don''t embarrass us." "Of course." Noelle answered robotically.A few more moments of thick silence enveloped the two before Noelle stood up from the table. "I''m going to bed." "Sleep well." She headed up to her room where her maids began preparing her for bed. I hate this life. Noelle thought to herself as the maids began putting a nightgown on her. She climbed into her bed, but as the maids were about to leave her room, shouting, screaming, and sharp cracks pierced the night. Her hand was grabbed by someone as she was rushed somewhere. Familiar scenery passed by her one by one: The family portrait. The giant ballroom with the double helix staircase. The bust of the first head of the family. All of it flew by her as she was rushed through the manor. After what seemed like an eternity of frantic running, she arrived in a study with a large desk facing the door. "Don''t move from here and don''t make a sound." a man firmly told her as he pushed her under a desk. The inflections in his voice clearly showed he was perturbed. It was her father. She''d never seen him like this before. His usual smiling face was now ridden with anxiety. But despite this, he still held a shaky smile as he looked at her. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a silver pocket watch. It was big enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and it had an intricate design of vines engraved on the shell. In the center of the of one of the sides, a crescent moon was carved in. "Take this watch and don''t let go of it." Her father looked her sternly in her blue eyes. Confused by the situation, she nodded slightly in response. For a moment the two stared at each other. The girl knew something was happening. She opened her mouth as to say something, but her father lightly pressed his finger against her lips. "Noelle... No matter what happens, promise me you will live." he pleaded her. She closed her mouth and nodded slightly again. Tears began falling from her eyes. A melancholic smile appeared on his face as his eyes started to shine near the edges. He kissed her on the forehead and immediately rushed off while ordering the men and women gathering in the hall to lock the doors. Just before the doors to the study closed, she glimpsed her father putting on a suit of armor. A few minutes later, she heard shouting and screams from the other side of the door as well as several of the ear-splitting cracks. Silence... "Papa..." She tried to stifle her sobs, but the rivers of tears continued to cascade to the carpet. Footsteps rhythmically approached the door before stopping right outside of them. The locks on the door began clicking. After a couple attempts, that sound stopped too. Time seemed to stop as Noelle''s body began to tense up. Suddenly, the doors were knocked off their hinges. A cloaked figure flecked with blood walked through the doorway into the refuge, crushing the atmosphere with a deathly silence. Noelle held her body closer as she clutched the watch with all of her strength. "..." Lethargically the figure made its way through the room glancing over the books to its left and right. Coming to the end of the room, it stopped abruptly in front of the desk. Noelle''s knuckles turned white from gripping the watch. Tears began staining her nightgown as they continued to fall from her eyes. Above her, papers were being turned accompanied by the sound of pages tearing. An eternity seemed to pass, but the sounds didn''t stop. Noelle closed her eyes as she pulled her knees closer and tucked her head in. Almost as sudden as the sounds started, the sounds stopped. Noelle, waited for a bit before opening her eyes and lifted her head. In her vision... Was a metal cylinder. Just a fist away from her was a strange metal object being held to her head by a cloaked child, slightly taller than her. Looking at their face, she noticed something. Their eyes weren''t those of a child. They were those of a corpse, living but not. They stood there, pointing the object in her face. No hints to their thoughts were shown. Both of them stared at each other. Time slowed. The watch slipped from her hand. Gravity slowly pulled it to the floor as her image was slightly reflected in its shell by the moonlight. I''m going die, aren''t I. I don''t want to die. I''m scared. I don''t want to die¡­ As it landed with a soft thud, a flash illuminated the room accompanied by the sound of a window shattering. Wind rushed through the room towards the now open window scattering papers around the room. Noelle was slumped underneath the desk, her whole body limp. Blood was splattered on her and the floor in front of her. Lying on the floor beside her was the pocket watch lightly flecked with gore. Catching the light of moon, the design engraved on it started to glow. The glow intensified illuminating the room with a blinding light. A few moments passed before it finally faded and the room was once again filled with the soft light of the moon, as though nothing had happened. Volume 1 Chapter 1: The First Beginning Author''s Note: Well, Chapter 1 is now complete and Chapter 2 is progressing ever so slowly. I''ll be continuing this series regardless of whether it is good or not as I''m actually having quite a bit fun planning for the future of the story(ies). Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°Hey! Quit it!¡± yelled a youth with messy, light brown hair. An air of authority surrounded him, but his fair face scrunched in annoyance, permeating youthful arrogance. His lightly tanned skin fit tightly on him emphasizing his thin fragile looking body. Contrary to his looks, he moving his body at incredible speeds difficult to perceive with the human eye. Sweat fell from his body as he began to pick up even more speed twisting and contorting his body like a dancer. Suddenly a blur flew towards his face. Reacting purely on instinct, he tilted his head to the side as a metal object caused a gust of air to brush past his face. ¡°But you are improving.¡± calmly stated the young man holding a metal pole-like object. His black hair and finesse features seemed to accentuate his pale skin making him look like a porcelain doll. Though his face didn¡¯t reveal much, his eye slits seemed to be grinning with mischief as an aura of dominance permeated from him. Looking at the two figures, it was clear who had the advantage¡­ the one with a weapon. ¡°It would be nice if I didn¡¯t have avoid death every day!¡± ¡°This is the best way to teach you though.¡± ¡°At least let me use something to protect myself!¡± ¡°Nah. You won¡¯t learn the basics then. Plus this is more fun!¡± Blurs began appearing in rapid succession from the man with the pole. All of his movements were deliberate, powerful and full of grace as he waltzed the object like a sword at the boy. The one-sided blade dance tore the air creating a vacuum that sucked the air from between the two. The youth shifted his weight a little too far back forcing himself vault himself backwards to avoid staggering. Not missing the chance, the young man rushed forward elegantly drawing his pole from the side as if to bisect the youth. Moments before the pole was about to connect, a bell rang out. ¡°I¡¯ve come bearing gifts!¡± announced a voice like a song bird¡¯s. It came from a tall well-toned woman carrying basket of medical supplies and a few vials full of unknown, muted color liquids. The setting sun cast a gentle orange on her figure, accentuating her smooth caramel skin and dark brown hair. THWAK!!! Breaking bones and a boy''s screams rang out in the evening air. Soon streams of profanity followed by laughter reverberated bringing a strange intense life to the air. Haa.... They''re at it again... The woman thought as she listened to the usual sounds resounding from the small mansion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Several candles bathed the small room in a warm light and illuminated the figures of three people sitting around a low table. Outside, a half-moon hung low in the darkening sky while a similar magenta orb sunk below the horizon. ¡°Kyo, you should go easier on Shinku,¡± said the woman who was shoving the youth¡¯s head into her ample bosom. In most cases, any boy would want to be where he was, but underneath the woman¡¯s dark green shirt was a hard piece of metal shaped to her body. It was not comfortable, to say the least, as his head was crushed between a pair of immovable mountains. ¡°That¡¯s coming from you Sakuna...¡± ¡°What are you talking about!? Can¡¯t you see how calm and relaxed he is right now?" ¡°I would be that calm and relaxed too if I knew I was going to be crushed to death. Hey, Shinku. Give my master my regards when you meet him, all right?¡± ¡°...I hate you...I hate you with a burning passion.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the first.¡± Kyosheon laughed. ¡°Geez¡­¡± Sakuna sighed. She released Shinku who was little more than a corpse now, and laid him down on a sleeping pad. ¡°Well, I brought enough medical supplies to last you both a week, but with how it seems now, you might need a bit more.¡± Sakuna looked down at Shinku. His small, yet chiseled body had a large black and blue bruise the size of a small child on the side of his chest. "You could have held back an¡ª" "¡ªAnd let him think he''ll survive a fight with his level of skill? No." Sakuna moved to say something, but quietly held back. "I''m just doing what is best for him." Kyosheon stated. "I understand. But if he continues like this, he''ll be pushed over the edge." "It would be best if that happened." "Why!?" she screamed as she slammed her hands on the table as she raised her body to loom over the man before her. Anger overflowed from her, filling the room with hostility. Undaunted, Kyosheon, sat and stared directly back in her eyes completely void of emotion. Tension suffocated the enclosed space causing the unconscious Shinku to groan in discomfort. "You and I both know he can''t use Rugkraft. Pushing his limits is his only chance for improvement, and survival." "Just let him use self-powered Sewegs! He doesn''t need to use Rugkr¡ª!" "¡ªYou aren''t listening!" Kyosheon growled raising his voice. "Without Rugkraft, Sewegs are just lumps of metal. Self-powered Sewegs will deplete and eventually fail. Letting him use those is same as giving him a death sentence." A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed. "Haaaa... I won''t argue anymore. Do what you please, but I''m still not ok with this," Sakuna sighed as she lowered her body. "...Thank you." Kyosheon nodded his head slightly. "I''ll be heading back now. Come over if you need anything else." She stood up, grabbed the now empty basket, and moved to leave the room. "I will. Thank you for everything, as always." A thin smile appeared on Sakuna''s face as she turned to look at him. The two of them stared at each other as though a silent message was passed between them. She turned around again, opened the door to leave the room. Halfway through the doorway, she stopped. "Be careful. I heard it has appeared again." she warned without turning around. Deep concern covered Kyosheon''s face at those words. Sakuna left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. After she left, Kyosheon rose and walked over to a large wooden closet and began rummaging through it. He pulled out a box with a lock on it. Engraved on it was a waning moon full of intricate detailing. Placing it on the dresser next to the closet Kyosheon reached inside of his shirt, and pulled out a key with a crescent moon carved out in the handle. Sticking the key in and turning it, a satisfying click could be heard. He lifted the lid and peered inside. Two metal cylinders with grips covered in rough metal gleamed with dangerous beauty in the dancing light of the open flames. Picking one up, Kyosheon tested it''s weight and spun it a couple times. Holding it in the palm of his hand, the cold metal seemed to radiate a powerful energy. "It''s time..." Kyosheon softly announced. The object seemed to glow slightly, exuding a chilling atmosphere upon the room. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shoved in the corner of a silent shipyard, only the moons watched as shadows flitted around inside a large warehouse. A stocky middle-aged man in a crisp business suit was talking to a figure in a dark robe. His brown hair had streaks of grey in it which juxtaposed his bulging muscles and gruff look.. On the contrary, the robed figure was petite in build and wore a black, metal mask covering only the top half of their face. Sharp ovals were cut for eye holes revealing a pair light green eyes which seemed to reflect decades of experience despite their youthful look. Behind each figure several other persons could be seen observing the situation. Behind the robed figure, five other similarly dressed individuals stood and sat on stacks of wooden crates. Behind the man in a suit. Smartly dressed men stood at attention, eyes fixed on everything, yet nothing at the same time. "¡ªis that really all you can offer?" "I''m offering you business, you can take it or leave it." "You''re also offering out your neck to me. You better be careful with what you say." Both sides tensed up. The men in suits each reached inside their clothes for something while the robed figures flashed metal objects in their hands. "It''s more beneficial for both of us if we''re alive, I think we both understand that." "Oh, aren''t we confident?" "Do you really want waste resources here? We both gain nothing by fighting." "Tch! Fine, you have a deal. I''ll bring it when it''s over." "Good. Here''s half, I''ll leave the rest at the designated location after the job is complete." Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The man passed a bag of coins to the figure and shook the thin callused hand extended out to him. The figure tossed the bag to another figure who agilely caught it with two hands and began counting the contents. "I''ll double the reward if you don''t draw any attention to me." "That''s your job. I don''t plan on selling out my clients, but it can''t be helped if certain jobs attract... certain attention." Without responding, the man turned around and gave his men a wave. They parted like the sea as he walked between them out of the warehouse. His men began filing out of the warehouse too, leaving behind the group of robed figures. "Get ready. Prep gear for a nighttime operation. Rugkraft usage should be kept to a minimum. Only for communication if possible. Sewegs should still be present." The figure who made the deal commanded. The figures darted into a backroom and sounds of metal and glass clinking could be heard. Moments later the group reappeared, their appearance no different than before other than the occasional flash of metal. "Let''s go," announced their leader. Like a machine, the group smoothly coordinated into a spearhead formation as the darted out into the darkness. Shadows flitted about the dimly lit streets of the medieval city like ghostly apparitions before spreading out around a large stone building a couple hundred yards away. It had a small spire jutting out from its center and a large residential wall that created a large courtyard surrounding the main stone building inside. The entire building appeared hewn out of a single piece of stone, and the glass mosaics melted right into the sides of it. It was a building without any architectural flaws. In a circle surrounding the building several figures could be barely made out in strategic positions. "Exterior clear on the southeast side," noted a deep voice in the leader''s head. "Two ceremonial guards at the main entrance-su!¡î" resonated a high pitched voice in a similar manner. "¡ªEntry team on standby if necessary...And cut that cutesy-shit out Kyuru," an annoyed voice cut in. "Kekekekeke... You''re such a tsundere Roya-chi! I know you just can''t resist my charm!" "I''ll beat the shit out of you if you don''t shut your mouth now!" "Well aren''t we being kinky now~! Not that I mind ¡î! Control your hormones or Ruya-sa might get jealous-su! ¡î" "¡ªI will cut your goddamn tongue off if YOU DON''T SHUT THE FUCK UP NOW!" "Both of you. Shut it unless something happens. I''m getting a headache listening to you two," the leader internally rebuked. "Stay on task and let''s make this fast." "Right." "Got it-su!¡î" "...Fine¨C" "Roya. Ruya. check the inside of the building for the target and any other hindrances. Yir, keep an eye out for trouble." "Noted." "Give us a sec." From the rooftop where the leader was prone, a couple of shadows darted over the wall into the courtyard surrounding the building. "Courtyard is clear. Scouting out the house," a gentle monotone voice confirmed. "Ok. Only the presence of the target and a few other unknown individuals have been identified. Based on how they walk, they are low to no threat." In that case we might have caught them off guard. The leader pondered the situation a bit more before giving orders. "Prepare for entry. We can''t pass this opportunity up." "Geez, aren''t we going a little too fast," a very warm and seductive voice cooed. "Careful or we might slip up." "This is a one-time opportunity, Anir. We are taking it. Everyone complete their tasks and head back to the meet up location." """"Ok"""" "Operation start in 3, 2, 1..." Silence gripped the telepathic communication as shadows danced through the windows of the building. Several moments passed before two figures, with a limp body slung over one of their shoulders, were seen clamoring over the courtyard wall. "Target secured. On our way out now." """.......""" "...Well that was easy-tsu..." "She is a member of the Ruik Family, maybe they''re not influential enough to need real security." "No. Their ties to the Church of Ierg are strong. Her disappearance would definitely cause havoc. This is strange." "Doesn''t matter. Head to Base 4. Cut off telepathy to conserve Rugkraft." Mentally shutting off the connection, the leader stood up and began flitting across the rooftops towards the edge of the city. Just beyond the giant walls surrounding the city was a dense forest of trees. Continuing past the wall, the leader looked up to the sky to confirm their direction. Rugkraft shot into their left eye filling it with a blue-ish white tint. 1000 more meters. No signs of tracking. Alarm has not been raised yet. Closing their eye, it returned to a light shade of green. Darting through the tree limbs for a few minutes, they stopped at a small clearing. Walking a few steps towards the center, they took their index finger and pushed it into the soft earth. Removing their finger, a shallow hole about a meter in diameter appeared in the center of the clearing. Lifting their cloak slightly, they pulled out a vial filled with a bluish-green liquid. Emptying the contents into the hole, they immediately stepped into the liquid and sunk beneath the surface. Soon after, the liquid dried up leaving the field looking like before. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Just missed them." Kyosheon sighed. Walking around the abandoned warehouse, signs of recent use were present, but well hidden. Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat, he continued observing the building. Guess I''ll just have to get into contact with them later. Kyosheon made his way to the back room and opened the door. Inside, a run down office filled with scattered papers and files filled his view. Thorough as always, he thought to himself as he leafed through the mess. On top of a pile, a newspaper with the heading "?Crimson Contact? Still Unconfirmed" had an article a page long entailing the most recent news about the mysterious serial killer(s). Right underneath the heading were several drawn pictures of crime scenes covered in red ink. Ignoring all of the clutter, Kyosheon made his way over to the desk set at the far end of the room. Finding a clearing on it, he pulled out a blood red pin in the shape of a crescent and placed it so it faced the door. Just then he felt an intense pressure from a void like presence behind his back. "That took longer than expected." Kyosheon said with a large smile on his face. Turning around, the silhouette of figure appeared in his vision. No defining features could be seen on it, but it was clear its intent was not friendly. It silently stared back at him, keeping it''s arms to its sides. "I haven''t warmed up yet, but I don''t mind giving you this dance." He said pulling his hands out of his pockets. In between the gloved fingers of his right hand, small aerodynamic knives with a thin steel thread attached to their handles. In his left, a paper-thin dagger, held in a reverse-grip. "I''ll be a gentleman. Your move first." Kyosheon graciously offered while elegantly bowing his body. Without a sound the two of them disappeared. A split second later, wind rushed through the room kicking up the papers, as though an invisible tornado tore up the room. As suddenly as it started, the winds died down with a rush of air out the door. The room, now in more disarray than before, slowly, was filled with many papers floating down to the ground.. Among the many falling papers, a single headline could be made out on one of them. ?Crimson Contact? Disappeared Volume 1 Chapter 2: A Curious Occurance Author¡¯s Note: Can¡¯t believe I got this chapter out this fast. So I¡¯ll be going off on vacation for a bit, meaning next upload may be in about two weeks. Also, just a mild concern, I¡¯m writing with my only feedback being the amount of views on each part. It¡¯s a little concerning, but only because I don¡¯t know how much I can improve on this series/my writing. Anyways, I decided to take a step back from all of the buildup for a bit and give a slightly more relaxed chapter. Thanks again for reading. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ugh...! My body aches." Shinku complained after waking up. His body was covered in several welts and cuts from the day before. Most notable was a large bruise on his right side that glared at his face. After pushing off some blankets he tried sitting up. Pain and exhaustion immediately assaulted his body, forcing him to lie back down Several attempts later, Shinku was still lying down on his sleeping pad with his body now exposed to the morning air. Outside, the sun gently warmed the earth as birds chirped in the distance. That''s weird, I should already be training. Oh well. Guess I''ll just sleep. He thought to himself as he let his consciousness fade. "Hehehehehe. You really DID get your ass handed to you yesterday." a cheeky song-like voice piped in breaking the tranquility. "That''s what you get for being distracted by Sakuna." Opening his eyes, he reluctantly looked in the direction of the voice, half-hoping it wasn''t, and was, who he thought it was. It belonged to a beautiful girl with wavy blond hair sitting at the table with her head resting on her palms. Her pure white skin was accentuated by the morning light coming in from the from the glassless window making it almost shine like porcelain. Her playful green eyes were gleaming with mischief while staring at the bandaged and bruised boy in front of her. "N-Noelle! Wha-what are you doing here!?" Shinku exclaimed while covering his bruised, cut, and half-naked body. His face flushed from the blood rushing to it. "A little birdy told me you were beaten pretty badly yesterday. So I decided to check up on you." "O-oh... Thanks... Wait! How did you even get in!? My door is locked!" "I climbed through your window. Oh, also your gate was left open." Noelle happily explained while smiling ear to ear. "...so you trespassed." "That''s harsh! I Iike to think I just let myself in. I''m sure Kyo doesn''t care." "More like he doesn''t know¡ª" "¡ªANYWAYS! I think you should be happy such a beautiful girl came to check up on you." "Right, right. Thank you for your concern Noelle. I appreciate it." he replied in monotone. "You''re welcome!" Noelle happily replied, her face now beaming with joy. Shifting his body slightly, Shinku lifted himself with one elbow. Scrunching his face from the searing pain in his limbs, he sat up and faced Noelle. "I still don''t know how Kyosheon hasn''t noticed you breaking and entering." "I thought we established I LET MYSELF IN. So the fact that I made it in unhindered means Kyo doesn''t care." "Haaaa(sigh)... Probably." "Yup! Oh. Let me change your bandages for you." ¡°Wait! I can do that myself.¡± Noelle squinted her eyes and stared holes into Shinku. ¡°Reeeaaally?¡± ¡°Y-yah. See?¡± Shinku said while trying to reach for one of the fresh rolls of cloth lying nearby. It was just out of his reach, and as he attempted to drag himself closer to it, tears formed in the corners of his eyes. Making an exaggerated attempt, he finally grasped it¡­ while tearing open a few of his scabbed wounds. Despite the pain, he smiled at Noelle in an attempt to keep up the facade. ¡°......¡± ¡°......" An awkward quiet rang out in the room as the two held a staring contest. Shinku was breaking out into a cold sweat while Noelle continued to stare unimpressed. A few moments passed before Shinku finally gave in. "...Thank you for the help." "Mhmmm." she replied while quietly grabbed a few rolls of bandages that were nearby. Noelle started replacing the bloodier rags with fresh pieces of cloth while cleaning the wounds. Now that I think about it, it was like this the first time met too. Nostalgia filled him as he looked at Noelle now fully concentrated on the task at hand. His mind began drifting back to the distant memory. It was late in the evening. Only the white moon shined its translucent light to pierce the darkness. Shinku was lying in the same place as he was now, covered in bloody bandages. Moving evenly slightly would draw fresh blood and pain, but since no one was around at that time of night, the bandages began to oversaturate. He looked around the scene he had grown accustomed to in the last few days. An empty room with only a single lantern hanging from the ceiling. Next to his head, a bowl of now lukewarm water and rags lay in an orderly fashion. Resigned to lay there until the strangely hostile person taking care of him would come back and change his bandages, Shinku tried to lie still while keeping his pained groans inside. Despite his efforts, he soon succumbed to the pain and his mind began to go blank. "What are you doing?" a spriteful voice asked him. Startled by the sudden question, Shinku¡¯s body jumped up instinctively sending a tsunami of pain through his body. ¡°GAHHHH!!!¡± "Ouch. You look like you could use some help. Are you ok?" the voice asked. Looking to his side, he saw a girl with long blond hair and green eyes staring at him curiously. Her frilly white nightgown lightly swayed in the night breeze becoming dangerously close to revealing the un-unseeable. "I-I''m fine." Shinku said trying to hold back tears and his blush. "Sure doesn''t seem that way. Are you sure?" "Y-Yes." The two suddenly fell silent. The girl continued to stare at him while he awkwardly looked away. Looking back at her, he noticed she was now looking at the bandages covering him. They were now completely red and had begun staining the sleeping pad he was lying on. Without saying a word, the girl quickly unbandaged the boy, despite his ineffective efforts to stop it, washed the wounds underneath, and neatly re-bandaged him. In truth, Shinku had found the whole process to be excruciatingly painful, but kept as many (manly) tears back as he could. She wasn¡¯t unskilled, in fact she was quite skilled, but it didn¡¯t make it any less painful. "There!" she happily announced as she fastened the last bandage. Shinku was now covered in new bandaging, though some of it had already started to grow red. "Thank you. Where did you learn how to do this?" "Oh! I ha¡ª" "¡ªActually wait a second. There are two more important questions. Who are you? And why are you here?" A heavier silence than before gripped the room as the girl''s happy face was still stuck mid sentence. This time, Shinku''s face was filled with concern as he stared down the uninvited guest. "Haha...well...you see...I...uh..." *stare* "...I heard someone new my age was living here so I came as soon as possible to see who it was." "So you resorted to breaking into the room they were staying in rather than wait to meet them." "I prefer ''snuck in''. It has a much better ring to it." "Say what you want, but you still haven''t answered my first question." "Ah." the girl said dropping her fist into her palm. "That''s right." Standing up, she walked a few steps away from Shinku before turning back around and doing a small curtsey. "Nice to meet you. I''m Noelle Zhertopf." "Ah. I see, nice to meet you." "......." "......." After a few moments of silence, Noelle puffed her cheeks out in frustration. "When a young lady introduces herself, it''s polite to introduce yourself back." "Hmmm? Young lady? I thought I was trying to get information on a bed intruder." "I''M NOT A BED INTRUDER!" "Oh. You fooled me...and the rest of the world." "...I see you are grateful to your benefactors..." Looking down at his body, the fresh bandages seemed to condemn him as he looked at them. To the side of his sleeping mat, a pile of dirty red rags soaked in a bowl of blood and water. "...Shinku Oh" "Hmmm?" "I''m Shinku Oh, thank you for taking care of me." he said while bobbing his head slightly. Noelle gently smiled at him. "You''re welcome." A warm aura seemed to permeate as the two smiled at eachother. "¡ªNow get out." Noelle came back to visit him several times after that. Although the relationship was rough at first, they eventually became close friends, though still fairly one-sided. "There! Done!" Noelle triumphantly announced while admiring her handiwork. "So what are your plans for today?" "Hmmm. Probably more training with Kyosheon. Injuries aren''t an excuse to skip it, according to him." "Aw. What a shame. It''s such a nice day though. He should just let you take a break." "If I take a break, there''s a chance I''ll lose months of training." "Ahhh, true true..." Just then a rapping sound came from the door. "We''re taking a break from training for the next couple days. Those injuries of yours will take a while to recover." Kyosheon''s muffled voice announced through the door. "Ehhhh!?!?" Shinku bleated out. "Try not to do anything strenuous. Sakuna will be preparing meals, so rest yourself physically and mentally for the next couple of days." Unable to fully grasp the weight of the words he just heard, Shinku blankly stared at the door as heavy footsteps started heading down the hall. "...Well it sounds like you have some freetime now." Noelle gleefully stated. "Yeah... Well. In that case. Goodnight Noelle! I''ll be hibernating for the next couple of days!" Shinku announced while pulling blankets over himself, now ignoring the the pain. "Hey!!! We should go do something together now that you aren''t training!" "Nope. I want to sleep." "But you do that everyday!" "You won''t understand how precious this break is until you live my life. Sleep is sleep and sleep is nice." This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "Hmmmmmm!!! Fine!" Noelle muttered in frustration. Shinku closed his eyes, and let his consciousness fade... Or at least he tried to. He could faintly feel the presence of someone still in his room after an hour or so had passed. Barely opening his eyes so he wouldn''t be discovered, he saw Noelle sitting at the table staring at him with a gentle smile on her face. Shinku could feel his cheeks burning slightly at the thought of his sleeping face being watched. How long is she going to stay for? Oh well, she''ll probably get bored and leave. One more hour passed. Noelle was now wandering around his room looking at the trinkets and training equipment he had lying around. Two hours. She had found his books and began reading them. Occasionally she would become very emotional and sob deeply, or break out into a smile and laugh loudly. Either way, large tears would roll down her face. Six hours. She was bored and was now looking around the room again. She started swinging the wooden sword he had with a look of determination on her face. Her form was surprisingly good and he questioned if she actually knew what she was doing. Nine hours. She was back at the table gazing out the window with the face of deep contemplation. Outside, the sun is setting and it was getting dark fast. Sakuna had come by and knocked on the door to see if he wanted food, but left after she was met with silence. Twelve hours. Noelle had not left the room, instead she had put her head down on the table and was now asleep. Her peaceful sleeping face resembled that of a child''s. Geez. Why hasn''t she gone home yet? After resting for most of the day, some of the pain in Shinku''s body was gone. He got up while grabbing one of his blankets and put it on Noelle. Why would she fall asleep in a man''s room? Doesn''t she know how bad this situation would look if someone were to come in? Looking at her, his eyes were drawn to her thin, moist lips. He felt his heart beat faster. Subconsciously, he slowly brought his face closer to hers. Her soft breaths tickled his face as he drew ever closer. Just a kiss away, he realized what he was doing and abruptly stopped himself. NO! he internally screamed while slapping himself. Keep it together! Taking advantage of her in this kind of situation is horrible! Put the sword back in the sheathe boy! Quickly pulling himself back, he exhaled in relief. His cheeks were burning, but he couldn''t tell if it was from the slaps or the situation. That was close. I''ll go back to sleep to avoid that again. After getting back under his blankets, he heard Noelle softly groan. "Shinku.... Let''s spend time together..." she muttered in her sleep. Hearing her sleep talk, Shinku smiled a little, completely sober now. Ok. Tomorrow we''ll spend time together... he thought to himself as his consciousness faded out. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In an earthen cavern, a young girl was bound to a chair with chains and gagged with a dirty cloth. A single light source shown down upon her as she desperately searched her surroundings. She had just woken up from a nightmare of being dragged away by unseen captors, only to realize her dream had become reality. The last thing she could remember was walking back to her room before suddenly feeling very tired. Next thing she knew, she was here. In front of her was another chair, and next to it a small table. To her left she could see a tunnel leading into darkness. From it, she could hear voices talking furiously about something. "Let''s just get the proof and finish this job!" "No. We caused quite a commotion back at that synasion. There''s a chance we''ll be caught if we leave now." "But if we don''t finish now, we won''t¡ª!" "Don''t make that an excuse to rush. Mistakes are made by jumping into situations without a prepared plan." "We have a plan!!! What we need now is action!" Shouts echoed through the tunnels, but surprisingly, they were greeted with a calm response. "I won''t change my decision. Now follow it or don''t." Chills were sent down the girl''s spine as she listened to the one-sided argument booming through the tunnels. "Tch! Fine! And here I thought we were a group righting the wrong! Not some back alley mercs kidnapping shitty bitches that are like¡ª" "I dare you to finish that!" Shocked by the sudden surge of emotion, a loud silence echoed through the earthen halls. The girl, now drawn into the conversation, strained her ears to listen for more. "...my bad." the formerly annoyed voice replied. "Just finish the job." Footsteps resounded through the cavern becoming more and more faint. Soon, a second pair of footsteps approached the cavern the girl was in. Clinking noises mixed in with the rhythmic steps, composing a symphony of impending death. The girl remembered her situation and began struggling against her restraints again. She could feel her bones creaking as she slammed her weight from one side to the other. Her chair remained firmly planted to the floor. The chains, unscathed, seemed to mock her weakness as a light appeared from the tunnel. ¡°You better cut that shit out. Those won¡¯t break easily,¡± said a young man wearing a long black cloak. His wild, white hair glowed in the lamplight as he casually walked to the small table. A silver mask with two thin, long slit for eyes hid his face. In his hand was an attache case which he placed on the table along with a couple vials from his waist. One vial was filled with a bluish-white liquid, and the other an ominous orange slosh that radiated slightly. ¡°So,¡± he started, ¡°how we are going to do this is simple.¡± The latches of the case clacked as he opened the case. ¡°I tell you to bark, you bark.¡± The man pulled a syringe with an abnormally long needle out of the case. ¡°I tell you to shut up, you shut up.¡± He pulled out a small jar while filling the syringe with the orange liquid. ¡°I tell you to give me your Iod, well, you better hope you don¡¯t die. Understand?¡± The girl began fighting her restraints with renewed vigor. Blood began to flow from where she was restrained. Walking over, the man forcefully gripped her head to keep it from moving and positioned the needle outside of her nostril. ¡°I told you to cut that out! I suggest you do that before I decide to hurt you.¡± Slowly and carefully, he began to push the needle further and further up her nose. After it stopped, she felt a liquid start to fill the inside of her head followed by the sensation of lightheadedness. Losing control of her body, she fell slack as the man removed the needle. Walking back to the table, he cleaned the needle and grabbed the jar and vial sitting on the table. After examining the bluish-white liquid, he turned back around, and began walking the girl who was little more than a ragdoll now. ¡°Now. Let¡¯s begin.¡± ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kyosheon flipped through the weekly news that Sakuna had brought him earlier that day. His body was covered in gashes and sear marks, but none of it seemed to bother him. Disgust filled his face as he read the latest reports from the Weekly Works: Missing Persons Found Dead in Alley Three bodies of members from the Church of Ierg were found riddled with holes in the alleys of the Liath District last night. The members had been missing for the past week, but after the abduction of the Church of Ierg¡¯s next Head, Nali Truet, all three persons were found dead. It is unknown who committed the crime, but the Ierg Guard are looking for the perpetrator(s) as well as the abducted daughter. The Head of the Oruk Church, Tharis de Blanc, came out to express his condolences on the situation. ¡°It is disappointing knowing there are those in Monsevet who would stoop to such villainous undertakings. Though our beliefs may differ, I give my blessings to the families of the victims and pray the criminals receive divine judgement at the hand of Oruk. The Oruk Guard were then ordered to assist with the search effort as well as provide protection to the rest of the Truet Family. Our sources say this situation will be sorted out in a week... ¡°Protection? Great way to say surveillance and house arrest,¡± Kyosheon spat out as he closed the paper. He walked over the candle burning on his desk and set the paper ablaze. As the flames began to eat it away, he threw it into the waste basket where it continued to exude an bright orange glow. This is bad. If the Church of Ierg collapses, the power shift could turn this city into a warzone. Dark memories of the past began to replay in his mind as he began to contemplate how to resolve the situation. Kyosheon looked out his window and surveyed the nocturnal landscape. Thousands of lights illuminated the night making it look as though the sky had fallen and blanketed the ground. Smoke from the chimneys of thousands of houses trailed off into the dark air leaving a scent of burning wood and cooking food drifting in the evening breeze. In the distance, several gently bobbing lights could be seen out at sea; some getting closer, others farther. If anyone had stood where Kyosheon was, they would have never guessed that the peaceful port city of Monsevet was on the verge of becoming the site of a crusade. Kyosheon stood looking out the open window, soaking in the view he hoped would stay the same forever. With the coming of death, we set forth from the world to forge anew a land for those who sought peace. For those who sought tranquility. For those who sought power. Famous lines from the scriptures of the Church of Orihs played through Kyosheon''s head as he continued gazing into the shining abyss. A small gust of wind blew through the window blowing out the candle, immersing the room in darkness. From the smoldering embers of the newspaper, a headline, that had somehow survived the immolation, flung out. On the scrap of paper read: ¡°Return of the ?Crimson Contact??¡± Volume 1 Chapter 3: Long Awaited Exposition Author''s Note: Well, it''s come to my attention that this is all very confusing right now, and I must admit, that is the hamartia of this piece. Thus I plan to fix it as I realized I never really explained anything (and didn''t want awkward info dumps). I might revise the previous chapters to include the info, but only if I can do so without taking away too much from the main foci. Also, there will be another week long pause as I will heading out to another state to receive drum major training for the upcoming winter marching season. I apologize, but another chapter should be released a week after that. So without further ado, Chapter 3, and as always, thank you for reading. ------------------------------------------------------------ Shinku woke up only to realize it was still dark outside and the early birds had not yet begun their songs. Looking around, he noticed the blanket he put on Noelle was vacant and crumpled in a heap on the floor. Guess she left after all. he thought to himself. Lifting his body up, he noticed most of the pain was gone, but his limbs were still stiff. Rather than lay in bed and wait for the stiffness to go away, he forced himself up and began his morning stretches. I''m sure Kyosheon won''t mind, he thought to himself as he pulled his arms and contorted his body. I''ll go look for Noelle after this. But where exactly do I find her? Shinku had gotten used to Noelle appearing unannounced, so when the time came to look for her, he was at a complete loss as to where to begin. Where exactly do I find her? Maybe I should just wander around town until she finds me. Wait. Now that I think about it, that sounds like a stupid idea... but it just might work, sadly. Convincing himself of success, Shinku threw of his clothes and quickly dressed in a new set of shirt and pants. Ok. Time to go. Quietly unlocking his door, Shinku slipped out into the hall in order to avoid waking Kyosheon. Stealthily, he toe-walked all the way to the small ballroom inside the mansion and made for the front double door. "Oh. I didn''t know you were so eager to train." came a voice behind him. "Geh!" Turning to face the voice, he saw Kyosheon standing at the top of the grand staircase smiling down at him with a malevolent grin. "I did say to rest for the next couple days, right?" "I was... just planning to go for a light jog around town to clear my head." "Hmmmm? Is that so?" Kyosheon seemed to exude an excessive amount of hostility and curiosity. Shinku shrank from the presence. "Y-yes..." Kyosheon looked unconvinced. Though his eyes were little more than slits, it was clear he saw through Shinku''s lie. An uncomfortable moment passed. "Ok. Don''t hurt yourself," Kyosheon simply told him. "Thanks(What?)." Shinku replied hiding his astonishment. Quickly shoving his feet into a pair of socks and running shoes, he agilely escaped the mansion while Kyosheon watched the entire process. That was too close. Well, anyways, guess I''ll start by going around the city edge and work my way in. Looking around him, he could see a large wall out in the distance surrounding the port town, even out in the ocean. On the horizon on to the south of town was a sea of blue, in the north a green canopy which caressed the bottom of the sky. To the east, a large purple mountain blocked the sun as morning light leaked from behind its colorless peak. To the west, a large obelisk several kilometers high pierced the heavens, reflecting the early sunlight in it''s silvery sheen. At the base of it, the gatehouse of the wall surrounding the structure stirred with life as the explorers , also known as Wanderers, began their trek through the endless halls, rooms, and staircases filled with dangerous organic and inorganic creatures. Because of its height, it was arbitrarily named Heaven''s Reach, though some called it the Tower of the Gods. In the city, were large estates, Synasions, spread out in an equilateral triangle, each with their own smaller building of worship for each of the three deities. Around two of buildings, large crowds were gathered for morning prayer, while the last synasion sat empty and abandoned. Monsevet, to summarize, was a large port city with several Districts of Interests. Geez, it will probably take the whole day to search the entire city, he thought to himself as he paced himself at a light jog. The cool morning air tickled his face as he rhythmically breathed air in his nose and out his mouth. As he approached the edge of the city, the wall, that had seemed quite small from a distance, loomed over him. It was a ten meter tall metal structure wrapped around the entire city. Several bastions jutted out towards the forest several tens of meters away from the wall. According to the local legend, the wall had been constructed by the gods Oruk, Orihs, and Ierg before their first triumph over the hostile Unarians during the Maga War several millennia ago. When the three Gods and their followers whom descended the heavens with them, the Magans, first arrived upon the world of Unar, Monsevet was the first town to accept the new deities. Though considered deities, they were not omnipresent, nor were they all-powerful. Using celestial tools of unimaginable power, Hertzeugs, they performed many miracles, but since their power came from tools and Magans could use the tools as well, many Unarians refused to accept the new celestial presences as their Gods. Three-quarters of all Unarians rose to oppose Oruk, Orihs, Ierg, and the Magans, while only a tenth sided with them. The rest of the remained neutral and refused to be a part of the conflict. In what was recorded as the Maga War, Unarians from across the twelve continents created a joint force to send The Three and the Magans back to the heavens. At first the fighting was very one-sided because of the Unarians ability to use their own miracle power, Rugkraft. The Magans were forced to create a stronghold out of Monsevet unable to combat the adaptive power only Unarians could wield. For several months, the town was besieged, but just a year after the fighting began, the Magans came forth and purged the army in one fell swoop. From atop Heaven''s Reach, a brilliant light shined down upon Unar purging most of the rebellious Unarians. From then on, the most Unarians accepted the deities and their followers, while those who did not went into hiding or exile. Eventually the two population intermixed creating users of Hertzeugs and Rugkraft. These users were able to tap into both powers, but were unable to unlock the full potential of either. Thus, it is believed only those of lineage closest to Magans became influential in the Churchs and those of lineage closest to Unarians became the protectors of the Churchs. This new symbiotic relationship between the two populations spread throughout Unar and became deeply integrated in the culture. The Gods relocated from the ground to the top of Heaven¡¯s Reach where they would use the celestial tools to ensure peace on Unar. However, this peace was short lived. The God Oruk''s vision of the future clashed with the God Orihs''s vision, igniting a fracture to occur among the gods and their followers. Oruk spoke of a future where tools greater than the Hertzeugs dominated Unar and allow people to soar the heavens like the Gods, while Orihs saw a future driven by Rugkraft and unlocking the hidden potential in the populace to make the world a better place. The God Ierg became the middle ground preaching the utilization of both to make the impossible possible in the future. With the fraction of belief among the followers, the single church eventually split into three each branching out on their own path of spirituality. Historically, the churches have been generally at peace though clear friction has always been present between them. Geez¡­ How am I going to run this entire town? If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Shinku looked up and saw Heaven¡¯s Reach towering above him. His legs were burning, but he couldn¡¯t stop and take a rest since the street he was on was bustling with Wanderers and vendors buying and selling different goods ranging from daily necessities to all the things necessary to plunge through the perilous tower. Off to the side a bard dressed in strange light grey robe was composing a light-hearted melody that tickled the body making it feel light and fuzzy. Walking around for a bit, he found a bench to sit and cool off on. Plopping his body down, he immediately stretched his back by bending back and looking at the sky. It was clear blue day, the sun was beginning to approach mid sky, and the bard¡¯s music was calming to the heart and seemed to make the day seem even brighter. Maybe I¡¯ll take a few moments to rest here for a bit, he told himself as he closed his eyes to soak in the serenity of the moment. ¡°Well, it looks like someone snuck out again,¡± came a mildly sarcastic voice. Standing in front of Shinku with her arms crossed was Sakuna. ¡°Kyo did say for you to rest didn¡¯t he? I didn¡¯t expect rest to mean ¡®run to the Abok District.¡¯¡± ¡°I, uh, couldn¡¯t stop fidgeting, so I decided to take a jog,¡± Shinku replied slightly fumbling his words. ¡°-It¡¯s a girl isn¡¯t it,¡± Sakuna bluntly stated. ¡°Y-yes.¡± A light flush appeared on Shinku¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Haaaa¡­ Just don¡¯t hurt yourself, or her.¡± ¡°Ok, thanks.¡± ¡°But you have to introduce me to her some time,¡± Sakuna added with a wink. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll be stopping by later tonight to make dinner again. Make sure you eat something or your body won¡¯t hold.¡± ¡°Will do. Good luck with business today.¡± Sakuna began making her way through the crowd to a small shop selling medicines, medical supplies, and other miscellaneous items. In the windows were some of the more popular Regeneration Elixirs Wanderers often bought for trekking Heaven¡¯s Reach. Maybe I¡¯ll just head to the town square and see if she¡¯ll appear there, Shinku pondered as he stood up now somewhat rested. Jogging through the streets, he passed many shops carrying all different kinds of merchandise. After a few minutes of running, the buildings started becoming residencies, with a few citizens going about their daily lives. For some reason though, there was an air of uneasiness coming from the abnormally large amount of people gossiping in the street. The Liath District is a little more crowded than usual, he noticed, continuing his jog. Maybe I¡¯ll take a shortcut to make it to the square sooner. Cutting off of the main street, he began going through narrow alleys just big enough for two people to walk side by side. Did something happen here? This place is deserted even for an alley. Even the small shops back here are closed. Something must have happened here. Delving further into the maze like pathways, he came upon a small circular clearing with three other alleyways in opposite directions. Shinku stopped in the center and looked down each alley. Down each one, silent stores and residencies lined the path. Ok. The square should be just up ahead. Taking one step towards one of the alleys, he stopped in his tracks noticing a presence behind him. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Shinku asked while turning around. The alley was completely empty, but for some reason, he still felt the presence of someone there, watching him. ¡°Is there anyone there?¡± he asked again to confirm. For a few seconds, he stood there tensing his body and looking for any signs of life. Just as suddenly as he noticed it, the presence was gone, and nothing had happened. Well that was strange. Relaxing the tension in his body, he turned around, and began jogging to the square again. The rest of the trip went by without incident, and before he knew it, he was stepping out of the alleyway into a large square with stalls, street performers, and everything in between spread throughout the entire place. In the center was a silver-colored statue of the Three Gods surrounded by a fountain shooting water out that created a cocoon of liquid that encapsulated the statues. I¡¯ve never understood how that works. Maybe Rugkraft? Shinku thought as he looked at the physics defying fountain. Well, at least it¡¯s a nice day today. He began walking towards the center as he soaked in the sights around him. To his right was a vendor selling exotic produce imported from other continents. To his left was a street magician performing different ¡°magic¡± tricks to entertain her crowd of adults and children. To the front of him was a girl with blond hair waiting for him to notice her, as she stood with her arms crossed, puffing her cheeks out. ¡°Took you long enough to notice me.¡± Noelle said poorly hiding her frustration. ¡°Hmmm. I guess, but you could have always just gotten my attention.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same if you don¡¯t notice me first!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not following what you are trying to say¡­ or accomplish.¡± ¡°The finesse! The finesse of the situation where the boy notices the girl waiting for him and their eyes meet as they close the distance between the two.¡± ¡°Uh huh¡­¡± ¡°They say ¡®Hi¡¯ to each other as they try hard not to look at the other after they noticed how embarrassed they are to meet up and spend a day together.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°Then they go on a date and talk about different things while going around town while doing couple things.¡± ¡°So... I should just chalk this up as one of your fantasies then?¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s rude! I¡¯m trying to make things a bit more interesting and that¡¯s all you have to say!¡± ¡°Well how else am I supposed to see it! I don¡¯t even know where you are half the time, so why would I notice where you are first! Also, when did we become a couple!¡± People around began looking in their direction funny as they saw the drama playing out. A little boy was pulled away from the scene by his mother, and the street magician was now watching, holding in laughter with a huge grin on her face. ¡°Hmmm¡­ Good point. Oh well, we should just go around town now.¡± Noelle gleefully said. ¡°... I feel like I will never understand how you think and how you get over things so quickly.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­ I¡¯m sure you do understand, but you just don¡¯t know it.¡± ¡°Maybe. We should get going. I think we¡¯ve made enough of a scene.¡± Shinku stated noticing the awkward stares everyone was sending. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll lead the way!¡± Noelle ran a small distance before beckoning to Shinku to follow. This is definitely going to be a long day. Shinku thought to himself as he walked to catch up to her. I¡¯ve never gotten one these kinds of breaks. Guess I¡¯ll enjoy it while it lasts. Oh. ¡°Hey, Noelle?¡± ¡°Hmmm? What is it?¡± ¡°Do you know what happened in the Liath District?¡± ¡°-Nope! Why? Did something happen?¡± ¡°No. I was just curious.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± I hope it was nothing. Shinku thought as he looked back towards the alley. ¡°Hey! We should keep going or we won¡¯t be able to go anywhere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming. Just let me catch up.¡± Running after Noelle, the two were soon sucked into a crowd as they began making their way around Monsevet. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the alley Shinku had come out of, a hooded figure stood stunned as though they had seen a ghost. ¡°Is that really¡­¡± ¡°Hey! Stop! What are you doing here!¡± Before they finished their sentence, they abruptly ran off as a couple of the town watch came to stop them. ¡°I¡¯ll kill that bastard¡­¡± the hooded figure swore as they began weaving through the streets. ¡°I''ll definitely kill him¡­¡± Volume 1 Chapter 4: Unexpected Discovery? Author''s Note: Well I am absolutely tired, but I will still continue writing on regardless. First off, I just wanted to say thank you to those who continue to read this story, and as a promise to all of you who keep reading, I''ll finally start plot development. Second, my summer schedule has slowed down slightly for now, but will pick up again in the next week or so, meaning longer wait times. I apologize for the inconsistent release dates, but with how sporadic and busy my schedule has been, it''s hard finding time to write and at, for me, a decent quality. With that last piece of exposition, thank you for reading, and enjoy the latest chapter of CC. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Where are we heading again?" Shinku exhaustedly repeated to Noelle for the upteenth time. "You''ll see!" She gleefully replied while skipping further ahead. "We''ve been walking aimlessly for the last hour or so." came a snappy replied. "Isn''t that point of a date?" Noelle playfully inquired with a devilish smile. "W-were just spending time together! Not dating." Shinku reassured her(himself) as his face began to burn. "You keep telling yourself that then. Hey! Hurry up or I''m going to leave you behind!" "I''m coming! No need to rush me." The two made their way up the sloped street toward a large building constructed of pristine white material. Surrounding the structure was a large eroding wall overgrown with vines showing years of neglect. Facing the street was a large abandoned gateway with the small gatehouse attached to the side of it. "Why are we headed to the Church of Orihs? No one comes here anymore, and there''s nothing interesting to see." "I just thought it''s be fun exploring with you. I''m sure there''s at least one interesting thing in here. Come on! Let''s go!" "Hey!?" Shinku exclaimed as Noelle whisked him through the rusting gates. Submitting to Noelle''s eagerness, Shinku decided to prospect his surroundings. Inside the walls was a grand inner-yard weathered from disuse. On both sides of the stone walkway leading to the entrance of the synasion was a decrepit garden filled with weeds. Close to the wall grew a large willow with long droopy limbs that created a veil of foliage. At the end of the walkway lay a roundabout around a large stone fountain filled with murky liquid reeking of decay. The frozen figure of Orihs stared down upon them with an expression no longer readable. Jutting out from behind that was the Hall of Reverance for Orihs. Attached behind that was a building resembling a manor. Like the rest of the surroundings, the manor was rundown, but the Hall, made of pure white material, seemed untouched by the corrosion of time. "Let''s go inside!" "Sure." The building seemed far away, but before he knew it, they were outside the hall, its giant doors looming over them. Shinku pushed the surprisingly light doors inward, creating a loud creaking as they opened. "Uwahhhh..." Noelle breathtakingly whispered. Just inside were rows upon rows of seats all faced to a large altar. Behind it, barely fitting on the wall was an enormous engraving of a crescent complete with ornate trimming. Despite the neglect, an atmosphere of serenity and reverence permeated from every part of the spacious room. "I guess.... it''s kinda impressive." "Yeah... Let''s keep going." "This wasn''t interesting enough for you?" "Not when there''s more just behind the next door!" "Fine. You lead the way." Underneath the crescent on the wall was a set of ornate doors, less impressive than the Hall''s, but resembled a manor''s entrance. Going through them, the two came upon a grand ballroom covered with dust. To the sides were several decorations and doors quietly fading into years of time. Even the grand staircase at the end of the room seemed to droop as the two staircases branching off of it seemed to go to a zero space. "This place feels...kinda sad." Noelle dejectedly stated. If I let Noelle stay here, she might get depressed. Shinku thought to himself seeing the melancholic expression Noelle was making. "Let''s keep going." Shinku calmly stated pulling Noelle along with him. Going up the stairs, he glanced at the painting at the top of them. A grand portrait of Orihs gallantly watching over the room hung above them. Shinku''s initial thought about the picture was Pompous, but he had no idea why. Passing by the painting, the two began wandering through the halls of the second floor. There''s nothing here. He thought to himself as they passed room after room, abandoned and forgotten. "Shinku..." Noelle almost whispered. "Hmm?" "Let''s go down there." She pointed to a hall in at the center of a T-section. Walking down it, they soon came upon what appeared to be a large library behind a pair of doors. The room exuded a comforting aroma of aging paper and bindings. The stillness of the air took their breathe away as dust particles could be seen softly landing on the tables and desk in the room. "Let''s look around a bit." Noelle suggested. She quietly made her way to a shelf and gently pulled a random book out making a nostalgic face. After dusting off one of the chairs, she sat down and began reading. If she wants to read, we can just go some place with books that isn''t old and dusty. As he opened his mouth to say something, Shinku hesitated as he saw how relaxed and meditative Noelle appeared while reading the book. Maybe I''ll do the same then. Looking from shelf to shelf, he didn''t find any books he found interesting, so he made his way to desk at the end of the room. On it lay a few writing utensils as well as a small lamp for light. As he was examining the desk, he saw several closed drawers each marked with a different symbol. Suddenly he was overcome with the sudden urge to go through them. I wonder what''s in these. He thought as he opened them. Inside were stacks of papers all accounting the fiscal state of the Church of Orihs. That can''t be it. He thought as he continued rummaging through the drawers. After going through them all, he felt a wave of deep disappointment wash over him. I was expecting more than just some dusty old finances, oh well. Shinku pushed a drawer closed. *click* On the floor below the desk, a small hatch popped slightly open. Hmmm? Gingerly grabbing the edge of the hatch, he lifted it just enough to see inside. In the small compartment underneath the floor was an old leathery book. Picking it up, he noticed that on the cover, a plain crescent moon was stiched in with silvery fabric. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. What''s with these moons? They''re everywhere. "What''s that?" Noelle asked suddenly peering over his shoulder. "Wah!?!?" Shinku fumbled with the book before catching it again. Geez! How does she just sneak up on me? Noelle looked at him strange as he collected himself. "It''s a book I found under the desk here." "Ah I see. Oh, it even has the deities'' marking on it too. Do you think this book has secret church information?" So that''s what those symbols are. "Maybe, I''m not sure I want to know, nor do I care to know if it does." "Why?" "I''m just not curious." "Liar...." "What?" "Nothing. Hey. Let me see the book. Oops!" As Noelle made a grab for the book, she "accidentally" dropped it on the floor, pages up. "Why''d you do that!?" "Why ask a question to something you already have the answer for?" "Are you trying to piss me off?" "Do you think I mean to?" "Yes!" "No. Now back to the book." "We''re not do-!" "Shhhhh! I''m reading" I swear, one day... "Hey Shinku." Noelle said interrupting his train of thought. "Something is strange about this book." "What? That it''s open and we''re reading it?" "No. It''s just that...I don''t know how to describe it. I feel a certain way when I look at it. Kind of like, I''ve found something I''ve been looking for, but at the same time not." Huh? He thought while glancing down to the book. His body stopped. Burning into his retinas was a page of blueprints for some unknown object. I feel like I''ve seen this before. No. I haven''t, but I can''t shake the feeling I have. The faded, detailed sketchings resembled a teardrop with a smaller drop inside. Connecting to the tip of it was what resembled a chain. A couple sketches from different angles were drawn in the blanks along with some notes. "What do you think it is?" Noelle asked, fidgeting slightly from curiosity and excitement? "I don''t know." Shinku carefully lifted the book closer for examination. The ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Works well, but requires ¡ª¡ªsa¡ª¡ªo¡ª to pr¡ª¡ª¡ªun¡ª¡ªb¡ª. "It''s too faded. Let''s see if it says something on the next page." Shinku carefully flipped the page over. "What the hell........" Scrawled thickly over the page were many sketches of a sinister black silhouette in various positions. There were no identifiable features on any of them, but every drawing seemed to be staring at Shinku. Most eerily, at the top of the page was a very detailed pair of eyes piercing through him. Underneath it was a single passage: It''s always watching Something seems off about this book... he thought now thoroughly ready to leave. "We can read this elsewhere, so why don''t we head on out." He turned around only to see that Noelle had disappeared. "Noelle?" His voice seemed to echo in the now empty room. Where''d she go this time? Just then, the quiet ambience was broken by the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. "Noelle?" he called again. The footsteps stopped. Anxiety began building up in Shinku as the silence continued. Who the hell is it? Suddenly the doors burst open as a figure flashed towards him brandishing a metal object resembling a stiletto. "THE FU¡ª!?!?" Shinku shrieked. Instinctively, he jumped out of the way as the figure embedded the blade into the wall behind him. Getting a better look at the figure, he noticed it was about his height with a large black cloak on that hid most of its features. Glaring back at him from underneath the hood was a face with a black cloth concealing everything below its eyes. Their eyes are glowing blue. Shinku noted before the figure pulled the blade from the wall. It swiftly drew a second metal object and pointed it at him which began radiating a dangerous scarlet hue. SHIT! A SEWEG!? *CRACK!!!* From the tip of the object flew a metal dart slight thicker than a needle. Leaping to the side again to dodge the dart, Shinku began analyzing the situation. Rugkraft user, two sewe¡ª DODGE!!!!! Bending backwards, a second needle whizzed by scratching his cheek. Blood began trickling down his face in a small stream as the needle dissolved and reformed back onto the tip of the first seweg, ready for another shot. No thinking. Instinct only. Whipping his body back up, the figure charged him again while firing another dart. Tensing up, Shinku burst forward toward the figure with incredible speed slipping just underneath the blade. Heat radiated from the object as he brushed past it. Getting right in front of it, he gripped the seweg and twisted it out of figure''s hand. It quickly followed up with swing towards his heads with the other seweg. Ducking underneath it, he grabbed the fallen seweg and leapt a small distance away. The figure pounced after him making at stab at his torso. Parrying it away, he tried to skillfully stab back at the figure''s arm. Easily flicking the seweg''s point to the side, the figure fired another dart while lunging again with more vigor. Shinku bat the dart out of the air, but ended up narrowly dodging the second attack. Before he could counterattack, the figure swung the seweg knocking him on the head. Despite its petite width, it was stiff and left a dent in his skull before flinging him towards the desk. Shit, this is it... His head hit the desk with a THUNK, and phosphenes filled his vision as it slowly started to fade black. I''m going to die.........aren''t I? Barely conscious, he saw someone grab the fallen seweg and continue the combat with great ferocity. "SO IT WAS YOU!" a distant voice screamed with rage. Who.......is..............that............... No one answered. Instead, the warm darkness enveloped him as his mind started fading into nothingness. Volume 1 Chapter 5: A Day Not Forgotten Author''s Note: First off, I apologize for the slow turn out. Life has not been so kind to my writing time recently. To put it simply, juggling band, school, clubs, and college apps is pretty difficult for me often leaving me with very little time to do much outside of those four things. Now with the complaining out of the way, I plan on getting out as much content as I can because it may turn into some material for a friend¡¯s game. But that doesn¡¯t really matter because I just want to thank you all for reading Crimson Contact and I hope you enjoy the latest chapter! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Warm musty air hung in the dimly-lit cavern as several figures sat around different workstations tinkering away various activities. At large wooden table deeply fixated on the seweg in front of him was a large sturdily-built man. The large scar slicing down from his sweaty forehead to his cheek over his left eye seemed to pulsate with frustration as he gingerly pulled various pieces from the seweg in front of him, placing them carefully on a cloth right next to him. To his right leaning back dangerously on a rickety old wooden chair was a petite girl with a unnervingly cheerful grin on her face. As she kept tipping forwards and backwards, she gleefully counted the Io (currency) she had earned previously that day. On the opposite side of the cavern were a young man and woman carefully adding and mixing several ingredients into vials. Although their conversation was (one-sidedly) intense barely a whisper came from the two. Despite sitting in close proximity to one another, none of them spoke to one another. Only the ringing of work filled the gaps in sound. After several moments of the same sounds, the girl, now bored, threw the bag of Io onto the table, disturbing the meticulously placed pieces of seweg and tools of the man with a scar. Giving a slightly peeved look in the girl''s direction, he carefully pushed the bag to the edge of his workspace and began reorganizing. A look of disappointment covered the girl''s face as she began tipping back in her chair again. Her white twintails dangled as she craned her neck back in search something else to do. Surveying the spacious room, her eyes stopped on the pair intensely debating what to put next into their "stew" of ingredients. "Roooooyaaaaaaa..." she lazily called out. "What," came a curt response from the man. "Tell me something interesting." She began tipping back even further. "I''ll kill you if you bother me again." "Boooooo...." Her chair continued tipping backwards quickly gaining momentum. *THUNK* It slammed into the ground, but completely unfazed by the experience, the girl continued to sit in the tipped chair staring at the earthen ceiling. "Hah....... Where''s C.C.?" she asked the man maintenancing a seweg. "Making sure we can finish our job," he replied piecing the seweg back together. "Just be patient, they''ll be back soon." "But I''m boooorrrrrreed..... Maybe the package will start being fun again," she lethargically stated turning her gaze to one of the poorly lit tunnels leading out of the room. A small spark of malicious intent flitted across her eyes. "Kyuru...." the man said noticing the change in atmosphere. "We can just rough it up a bit, right?" "No." "It''s just a few cu¡ª" "¡ªKyuru" he curtly repeated. Tensing his grip on the now assembled seweg "I was just joking Yir! ¡î" Kyuru flung herself and the chair back into an upright position, balancing on the back legs. "Mhmmm." Relaxing, he fell silent and began modifying the seweg. Smiling at Yir, she stayed in that position until gravity pulled the chair back to earth. "Ok nice talk...." Kyuru began counting the number of rocks in the ceiling again. Why is everyone being so boring... Blowing a strand of hair out of her face, she began letting Rugkraft flow into her head. "Ani¡ª" "¡ªI''m sorry. Anir is currently not available for telepathic conversation. Please try again when she is not on watch out, sweetie," interrupted a pleasantly peeved voice. "Waaaaaa.... You''re all being boring." Still sitting in the overturned chair, Kyuru began sorting the ceiling rocks by color as she swung her legs like an upside down scuba diver. Where''s Crescent? she thought to herself, contemplating the future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In a battle-scarred study, two figures exchanged blows as a torrent of wind roared around them. What the hell just happened!? the cloaked figure thought to itself. Moments ago, it had knocked the somewhat boy around, but after delivering a solid hit to his head, he suddenly changed. In just a few moments, the figure felt the a deep chill. Somewhere deep inside, it knew who it was in front of it. Who it was, that made it who it is. "SO IT WAS YOU!" the figure spat out in disgust. Undaunted, the boy continued to stare down the figure with emotionless eyes. Flourishing the seweg, he charged the figure. "DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU TO HELL!" Stabbing with a velocity faster than sound, the figure counterattacked the boy. Instead of dodging the flurry, he shifted the seweg millimeters away himself and attempted to close the distance even more between the two. After knocking the tip of the seweg down, the boy lunged at the figure. SHIT! Firing off a large portion of its seweg into the ground, the figure flew back from the inertia slamming into the window. Cascading through the air with millions of razor blades cutting through its robes, the figure quickly fired off several successive shots back into the room. The boy swiftly swatted the projectiles from the air like they were mere flies. Tensing his legs, he lept out of the window too to chase the figure. "IDIOT!" the figure screamed as its eyes lit a pale blue. From around it, the invisible shards of glass flew upwards towards the boy at an impressive speed. "Vopust," the boy unemotionally said. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. His right eye lit with an artificial glow, before reverting back to normal. In front of him, the glass stopped moving letting him easily slip through the sharp flecks. Right as the figure hit the ground, its eyes glowed again. Landing on it''s hands, it pushed off the ground leaving a pale blue sheen where its hands had been. Spreading like a liquid, the sheen quickly covered the ground. The boy tried landing, but was quickly thrown off his feet as he seemed to fall horizontally towards the figure. Expecting this, the figure raised its seweg to where he was "falling." Undaunted, he contorted his body to avoid impalement. Reaching out with his right hand, he attempted to grip the figures face as his eye glowed again. The figure''s mask tore off as it turned its body, barely dodged the boy''s hand. Not letting the chance go, it spun using the momentum to deliver a sharp backhand to his head. Caught by the blow and thrown off balance as he left the sheen-covered ground, he tumbled for a bit before repositioning for another strike. He stopped. Underneath the hood of the figure, was the nostalgic face of a beautiful girl. It was Noelle, except something was different about her. It was as though hidden scars surrounded her and an empty loneliness enveloped her entire being. Expecting another attack she tensed and prepared her seweg, her eyes glowing a dangerous pale blue. After a few moments of staring each other down, the girl spoke noticing the situation. "You weren''t expecting this, were you, Shinku." Shinku continued to watch the her not showing any change. "It''s ok, I wouldn''t have either if I were you," she continued. "But that doesn''t matter. I''m going to make sure you suffer regardless." She poised her seweg like a fencer, the blade now releasing a pale blue luminescence. "Let me carve the pain you gave me into your flesh." Appearing behind her in the air were several pale blue circles with intricate patterns of shapes and designs. From the middle of each one, a thin, pointed sliver of pellucid material appeared and shimmered crystallic light. Soon, eight elongated rapiers hovered around her as she stood to strike. ¡°Don¡¯t die too quickly.¡± Flitting forward, Noelle charged Shinku as the blades flew forward as well. The first blade was deflected to the ground behind Shinku where it dissipated as well as the second blade. But the next blades came together at once from different angles forcing him leap backwards. As the blades disappeared, they reformed a ring around Noelle again as she continued her dash towards Shinku. Getting close enough for a lunge, she flourished her blade and all of the crystal rapiers converged on Shinku at once. For a split second, Shinku¡¯s eye lit up causing the crystals to shatter. Despite this, the two continued to arc their blades at each other through the cold veil of tiny mirrors. Their blades brushed emitting a small shriek as they slipped past one another towards their target. Noelle¡¯s seweg grazed Shinku¡¯s face, but his embedded itself deep into her shoulder. Blood oozed out of both of their wounds, painting the weapons crimson with blood Crying out in pain, Noelle leapt backwards dislodging the blade. But Shinku chased after her landing another three successive stabs on Noelle¡¯s other arm and legs. Noelle lost her grip on the seweg and it flew several feet away from her. Unable to land properly, she crumpled to the ground. Unable to move her legs, she began crawling towards the seweg. No. I can still fight. I need to fight. I need to kill him. Noelle reached for the seweg just out of her grasp. Shinku mercilessly planted his seweg through her outstretched hand. ¡°GAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!¡± Blood flowed out onto the blade pooling on the ground. Mustering her last bit of strength she grasped the embedded seweg with her other hand. Her eyes lit up more intensely than before, sending an thick blue pulse through the blade into Shinku¡¯s hand. His eyes shot into the back of his head as his entire body began to twitch and convulse violently. Falling to the floor, he lay twitching for a few moments before calming down. Noelle lay there, still grasping the blade, as she watched the motionless body in front of her. Her breaths were ragged and raspy, and her vision was beginning to fade as the adrenaline left her body. ¡°Go¡­.die¡­.now¡­..¡± Passing out, Noelle and Shinku lay facing each other, both with peaceful expression on their faces. Off in the distance a crow cried as the day came to an end the two lay still in the middle of the abandoned synasion. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ¡°*sigh* What do we have here?¡± Kyosheon looked at the battle-scarred scene in front of him. Holes pocked the courtyard as well as the remains of a window and some form of liquid. In the middle of it all lay two badly injured figures of Shinku and Noelle I let him out for one day and something like this happens? Gah¡­ I can¡¯t let him run off on his own then. Walking over to the two he carefully picked both of them up and carried them out of the synasion. ¡°You, little girl, need to not pick fights you aren¡¯t ready for,¡± he reprimanded the limp Noelle. ¡°And you!" Looking at Shinku, he seemed to tense up. " ¡­.I still don¡¯t know about you, and that makes me uneasy.¡± Shinku made an expression as though he swallowed something sour, while on the contrary Noelle¡¯s face distorted for a brief moment before relaxing. I better get her back before she goes at it again. And I need to make sure he doesn¡¯t wake up again. Concern took Kyosheon¡¯s face as he studied the faces of the two he was carrying. Neither of them seemed ready to return from the dreamland, so he continued to carry them down the street, receiving strange looks from the few pedestrians still milling about. ¡°Ha¡­. I¡¯m too old for this.¡± He looked up as though the twilight sky would provide him with some comfort to his dilemma. Tomorrow¡¯s not going to be a fun day....