Tides of Twilight - Chapter 13: Einhera

What in the world am I?

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You meet a strange young woman who appears to know who you are, and why you've been having such strange visions and dreams that don't belong to you. You have decided to ask her about them in hopes of shedding some light on the recent string of obscure events.

Taly: If you truly cannot remember, I shall tell you. (Walks over to you and stands beside you, facing the strange realities in the foreground) If you truly do not know, I will show you. 

You: Okay... (Confused, you nod at her) 

Taly: Look deep inside your mind. Allow your Twil'Eye to look back to the earliest memory you can remember. 

You: My earliest memory...? (You close your eyes) Let's see... 

You think back as hard as you can. What is it you remember? 

The images in your head begin to show you. 

Soft, green hills. A lush forest. A large, pristine lake. The tall white borders of an awe-inspiring city... Though your passage is blocked by the gate's City Guard. 

You: (You open your eyes) Wait... This isn't right. That was only a few days ago, when I had arrived at Eden... (You shut them once more) Why can't I remember anything past that? 

Taly: ... (Remains silent, her eyes closed as well as she looks into her own mind) 

You: Remember... Before Eden, where was I? How did I get there? 

You attempt to look deeper, but to no avail. The only thing you can remember past the aforementioned memory is a sea of blank. 

You: I can't see anything, Taly... For whatever reason, I can't seem to remember what I had done up until I arrived here in Eden. All I see is... a blank wall! 

Taly: Open your eyes, Keeper of the Twil'Eye. Remember the Crystal Spire. 

You: (You grow silent as you begin to open your eyes) Crystal Spire...

~*~

Crystal Spire

You stand beside Taly near the entrance of the Crystal Spire, inside. 

The walls were made entirely of crystal, and its colors were many. Shades of lavender, stark purple, and a fiery orange. Inside was but a hall, adorned with various frigicites that floated above small altars. Yes, they were the guards of this spire, the living frigicites...

At the very end of the hall, knelt below a gray and colorless statue floating above her, was a young woman with a waterfall of aquamarine hair streaming down her back. Her ears were pointed, though not as lengthy as you've seen others with. She laid a slender, jeweled lance beside her, and bore a golden buckler streaked with silver in her other hand. Her body armor was of similar design, though made way for a pair of white feathery wings that nestled delicately against her backside.

You remained standing there at the doorway beside Taly, waiting patiently as the young woman looked up at the feline persona of the gray, otherwise despondent statue. The woman had an expression of similar attributes on her face, like the bereavement in those ocean blue eyes of hers. 

Young Woman: (Appears to be speaking to the "statue") I have decided, that even if we are many distant worlds apart, I will continue to protect you... I won't break my promise. I will save you. I'll see you again. 

There is a distant rumble coming outside of the spire...

You: (Pushing yourself gently off the wall) It appears as though we're short on time, Lady Emelline. (Speaking to the young woman) 

Emelline: (Bows her head for a brief moment before picking up her lance and rising off the floor) It would seem so. One of you Keepers, tell Eri to rally the others. Tell them to prepare for battle. 

Taly: As you wish, Lady Emelline. (Brings her fingers together in a form of salute before making her way through the Crystal Hall's exit) 

You: What will you have me do, my lady? 

Emelline: Follow me. We'll meet the enemy head on while we wait for the others. (Walks past you, out the same exit Taly had gone through) 

You: (You smile and nod) Sounds like fun. (Your Twil'Eye glows, as does the power of the various frigicites coursing through your palms) 

You activate your Summer Frigicite in your left hand.

You activate your Storm Frigicite in your right hand.

~*~

Einhera

You made your way out into the barren cobalt landscape outside of the spire closely behind Emelline. The sky was brimming in a blue and purple haze, giving the surreal and shiny landscape a form of unparalleled beauty. However, you took it with little admiration as you prepared yourself for the incoming wave of hostiles swarming the hills overlooking the Crystal Spire. 

The creatures were just as they had been during Eden's Coliseum invasion, though you of course weren't thinking about that. You only thought about how large this wave was, and how fast you and the others could wipe them out. 

Emelline: (Walks rather casually towards the incoming wave, drawing and extending her lance) I count about four-thousand Remnants(Referring to the creatures). 

You: Shall we begin, then? (An ember sparks into your left hand, while a spasm of electricity buzzes in your right) 

Emelline: (Spreads her white wings out and leaps into the air, quickly but gracefully gliding towards the Remnants) 

You: Hmm... Rather than wait for them- 

You deactivate your Summer Frigicite.

You activate your Winter Frigicite in your left hand.

Gliding your left hand over your feet, you freeze the soles of your boots and create icy winglets over them. Soon after, you leap down the cobalt hill below and ski your way towards the Remnants, moving your feet to gain velocity or to change course. You quickly catch up to Emelline this way, as she just begins engaging the targets. 

Using a much smaller hill as a ramp, you ski-launch yourself up into the air, quickly swap your Winter Frigicite back for your Summer Frigicite, and land in the middle of a group of Remnants with a sudden wave of electrocuted flames. 

You use the Frigicite Skill: Thunderous Blaze (Area of Effect)

Overkill! The Large Remnant takes 4,392 points of damage. (0/4000HP)

Overkill! The Lesser Remnant takes 4,400 points of damage. (0/2500HP)

Overkill! The Lesser Remnant takes 4,499 points of damage. (0/2500HP)

Overkill! The Large Remnant takes 4,387 points of damage. (0/4000HP)

You: (You flex your fingers) Child's play. 

Emelline: Tch. Don't get in over your head, Keeper. These are only the runts, after all. (Holds out her jeweled lance as she is quickly surrounded by a countless number of Remnants) Best not to lose yourself! Enough of these on you can get pretty bad...

Emelline begins to twirl rapidly- yet gracefully on her heel. Her outstretched lance, along with the encroaching force of her wings both create a deadly spiraling vortex around her.

Emelline uses Longinus Hurricána! (Area of Effect)

Overkill! All enemies within range take 9,999 points of damage.

While Emelline continues to hold her own quite well some minutes into the battle, you yourself begin to feel the weight of exhaustion taking its toll. Just as you finish the last of another large group, you slump back upon facing another wave charging into your direction. Emelline was too caught up in her own side of the enemy wave to notice you. 

You: Not again... (The embers and sparks in your palms have gotten quite low, signifying your dangerously low energy) 

Just then, you feel a firm hand on your shoulder pull you back. Quickly turning, you see a face that is familiar to you. A friend and fellow Keeper of the Twil'Eye among others known as Laevaten. He was a young elfan man with lengthy dark blue hair and a knack for pulling you out of tight spots. 

You: Laeva! 

Laevaten: (Smiles, shoving you behind him) Take a breather, I got these. You didn't think you'd steal all our targets, did you? (Chuckles, activating his Winter Frigicite as he cracks his knuckles and steps forward) 

You: Hey, I thinned them out pretty good! This should be cake walk for you. (You back up and let him do his thing) Took you guys long enough, though... (You look around at all the reinforcements arriving, led by Lady Eri and some other of the higher ranks. You see Taly in the distance engaging her own share of Remnants) 

Laevaten: Watch this. (Prepares himself)

Laevaten concentrates the power of his Winter Frigicite around his body, rather than his hands. He quickly causes it to form a sort of cold "aura" around him, which quickly begins to accumulate until it forms small floating ice shards. With a sudden impulse, he releases the aura into a large surge of ice energy which becomes a wave that travels over the Remnants before you. Upon contact, this "wave" freezes any and all targets where they stand. 

You: Nice! Where did you learn that one? (Walking up to a frozen Remnant and tipping it over, watching as it shatters) 

Laevaten: (Grins, getting to work on shattering the other frozen Remnants) I learned it while training with Lady Eri! 

You: I see. I'm overdue for a training session with her myself. 

Taly: (Passing by you two as she fights) More Remnants remain, though you are free to take your time as you please...

Laevaten: (Shrug) Hehe, point taken, Taly. Come on, we've got a job to do. 

You: Right. (You feel your energy returning to you, and as such return to battle) 

The fight goes on for a while longer. But just as the enemy's ranks really starts to thin out, the sky begins to thunder in a way that has not yet been seen here in Einhera. 

Eri: (Looks up at the sky) Something's not right... (Looks over at Emelline, concern in her eyes) 

Emelline: (Answers the confusion in Eri's eyes with a shake of her head) What is this feeling? It suddenly feels as if something major has shifted... 

You and the other Keepers of the Twil'Eye continue fighting, hardly bothered by the realm's change in weather. The only one who appeared concerned and troubled by it alongside Eri and Emelline, was Taly. 

However, not long after, everybody including the remaining Remnants stop abruptly as a strange glowing rift tears through the sky with an incredibly loud cracking sound. 

You: (Furrowing your brows up at the rift) What is that...!? 

Laevaten: (Dumbfounded, nearly falling back from his surprise) I- I don't know...! Come on, let's regroup with Lady Emelline and Eri!

You: Yeah... (You hurry behind Laeva, running past the suddenly-idle Remnants without effort) 

Emelline stood frozen in shock, looking at the giant rift in the sky. Her eyes were wide and fixated on it. 

Emelline: It... It can't be...! 

Eri: You don't think that's... ? 

Emelline: It is... It's a rift between realities! This shouldn't have been possible! What in the world could have created it!? This isn't good, Eri...

Eri: (Worried) Emelline... We have to get to the Crystal Spire before it's too late. (Spreads her white wings and takes to the air)

Emelline: Then, let's hurry! (Spreads her own wings and follows behind Eri, stopping to alert everybody in midair) Fall back to the Crystal Spire! Now!

While everyone was quick to immediately start heading back towards the spire, a large white beam of heavily concentrated energy had suddenly shot through the rift without warning. It was impossible to know what could have shot it from the other side, but it headed straight for the Crystal Spire. 

Emelline: (Reaching out towards the spire in disarray) NO! 

Eri: (Gasps loudly as they watch the beam hit the spire) 

The moment the beam hits the tip of the Crystal Spire, it appeared to siphon out all of those colors it had just been brimming with. Immediately, you watch it become nothing but a giant shard of dusk. Little by little, this gray "dusk" travels down the spire and begins to engulf the cobalt land of Einhera. 

Within the spire, the guardian frigicites shatter, and the slumbering "statue" begins to crumble. Its gray shell gives away, revealing a being made of twilight under it. This being then releases itself into a large array of "streams" that flow out of the Crystal Spire and into Einhera itself, homing in on both Keepers and Remnants alike. The only two that remain untouched by the twilight are Emelline and Eri. 

You: What's happening!? (You panick as you watch your fellow Keepers suddenly vanish when the twilight makes contact with them, each stream that does so flying up into the giant rift above) 

Laevaten: (Eyes widen as another stream of twilight makes its way towards you two) RUN! 

You: Taly! Come on! (You grab the confused Taly's wrist and force her to run with you, quickly following behind Laevaten)

Taly: No! Why is this happening? (Running, watching in bewilderment as the others are seemingly swiped out of existence by these streams of twilight) 

No matter how hard you attempted to escape it, the twilight quickly homed in on you and your friends. It was inevitable that it would catch up and claim you as well. 

Laevaten: (Looks over his shoulder, biting his teeth and grunting in frustration. Without warning, he suddenly bumps into you hard, knocking you off to the side) LOOK OUT! (Stops) Aghh!

You: Ough! (You tumble to the side, causing Taly to fall with you. You watch as the twilight claims Laevaten before your very eyes) LAEVATEN! (The stream that claimed him returns to the rift in the sky)

Taly: (Shutting her eyes) No...! 

You: (Realizing you have no time to just sit there, you quickly get up and continue to try and outrun the twilight, keeping Taly close to you) 

As you run, you hardly have the time to think about the fact that you and Taly were the only ones left besides Emelline, Eri, and the other hirearchs like them who bore wings and led the Keepers. All the others had been taken like so. Even the Remnants. However, you hear Emelline and Eri calling to the both of you, looking up to see them attempting to reach you before the twilight did. 

Emelline: (Flying towards you and Taly fast) Keep going! 

Eri: (Flying beside Emelline) Don't stop! Come to us! 

You: We're trying! 

Unfortunately, the streams catch up to you and begin enveloping you two away from Emelline and Eri. They close in on you like large glowing walls, and then begin to coil around you both separately. You can feel your existence being torn away from you as you struggle to keep a hold of Taly's hand. 

You: Taly...! Don't let go! (Gritting your teeth, trying hard to resist) 

Taly: (Trying to keep hold as well, only responding in gasps) 

The last thing you see and feel is your hand turning ethereal. Due to this, your grasp on Taly's hand is lost, and the both of you are swept out of this realm, and out of existence...

~*~

Your eyes shoot open, bloodshot. You are now back in the empty space of white that Taly had taken you to after you "reunited" with her. You were gasping hard, feeling as though you had just experienced all of that- not as if it were a dream, but if you had just relived it in its entirety. Taly, too, was breathing heavily. 

You: Wh-What...? (Falling to your knees) That was... Us? What am I? Just what the hell am I!? 

Taly: (Steps over to you and kneels down beside you) My mind still drifts on the memories. I don't remember everything quite well, but that was us in a previous existence. In a previous life. 

You: (Rubbing your forehead) A previous life...? 

Taly: A reality where an infinite war, an undying struggle, for the balance of light and darkness here in this world takes place. A realm where light and darkness are kept as one. Kept as twilight. We were best friends in that reality. 

You: What happened to us...? I... I watched us all die!

Taly: An unforeseen force broke through the barrier between both worlds. It invaded Einhera, and tipped the balance of light and darkness by bringing twilight unto this world. For what reason, I know not. I was rebirthed into this new reality, as the daughter of Sekai twenty-one years ago. You were simply remade into this reality a few days ago, as you were before you left... Though it seems you have lost much of your past self. 

You: So, wait, you're telling me... We were "killed" in Einhera, and then put into this world? You were reborn as Sekai's daughter, and I was simply... placed... into a certain time with most of the things the other me had, wiped out? 

Taly: (Nods, slowly standing up) We were put into this reality, which has already begun to blanket itself in twilight because of the rift. For what, I know not for sure, though I suspect it is with good reason. A mission, yet unseen by our Twil'Eyes. There is perhaps significance to the people in your visions, regarding the unseen mission. 

You: Uh... Okay... I think I understand. But this is all way too much to take in. Up until a few days ago, I was just a newcomer trying to make a stay here in Eden, like anyone else... Now I'm supposed to be some kind of reincarnation? And why is it just you and me? 

Taly: (Shakes her head) I know not. I have yet to meet others like us, though I suspect they linger in this world in some way as well. 

You: And I'm supposed to just go along with this "unseen mission?" How will I even know where to go? 

Taly: I believe your Twil'Eye will show you the way, as it has already guided your way to a number of people from your visions. As it has already guided my way back to you.

You: I see... That's right, I dreamt of Steffan and Lion before I even met them, yet here I am. In a way, it all fits. Do those two know something about this? In my dream, I think the man they were fighting tore that rift into Einhera with that weapon... (You look down in thought) Hey, Taly. Do you know what became of Einhera? 

Taly: (Shakes her head silently) 

You: Oh... 

Taly: I shall return us to this world's reality. (Glides her hand over your forehead and closes her eyes, just as she did before) 

~*~

Lake Eden

Everything fades away as if you were waking from a dream. You were back in Lake Eden now, feeling incredibly dizzy. But as you have done many times before, you decide to keep your visions between you and Taly, and see where your Twil'Eye guides you. 

You have remembered how to activate Frigicites!

Sekai: Hell, I think you overdid it there Taly. Look at how out of the loop you left Rook...

Taly: I am sorry, father. 

Sekai: Eh, it ain't anything Rook here can't handle. Isn't that right? (Pats you on the shoulder)

You: Hm? Oh! (Nod) Right. 

Sekai: Looks like it's time to head back. I'll give you all a lift on my other girl there. (Pointing at the Icarus Wing)

~*~

Brigade H.Q.

Meanwhile, at the infirmary...

Waking up from her little unintentional nap, Okina is met with one of the Brigade's finest healers, Jakky. While she was a combat medic, the feline hybrid spent much of her time at H.Q. in the infirmary, acting as one of the doctors and tending to the members who get wounded during missions. Oh, and she was also very shy with others...

She was moving about the infirmary taking inventory and heedlessly humming to herself, seemingly happy with her job. But walking into Okina's corner and realizing she had regained consciousness made her jump to a halt and drop her tray in surprise.

Jakky: A-AH! You're awake! Oh... (Looks down at the spilled instruments, quickly picking them up while bowing her head) I'm sorry! Did I wake you, Okina? I-I forgot I wasn't alone... (Blushes heavily) I was taking inventory and-

Okina: (Can't help but giggle at Jakky's usual coyness, going over to help her pick up the medical instruments) It's fine, Jakky, you didn't wake me! 

Jakky: (Her ears droop against her head) Oh, no you don't have to- I, um, I... Thank you! 

Okina: (Smiles) Your welcome! (Stands up and closes one eye, looking up in thought) Hmm... What am I doing here again? My mind's a little hazy.

Jakky: (Quickly takes note of the inventory in this room) O-Oh, Stiff brought you here about an hour ago... He said that, um, he made you faint... And asked me to watch over you while he went to investigate the strange light over at Lake Eden... 

Okina: (Only really registers the part about Stiff bringing her here, as the rest is drowned out while she remembers having passed out just moments after reuniting with him) Oh no... I totally forgot about that... (Sighs and sits down on the infirmary bed, frowning and somewhat disappointed with herself) Darn... He probably hates me now. 

Jakky: That's not true! (Suddenly goes rigid, naturally feeling out of line) Oh, um, I mean... I don't think Stiff is capable of, um, hating anyone he... Anyone he loves! (Blushes) H-He looked very worried about you... 

Okina: (Lowers her head, twiddling her fingers against her lap) I... don't understand. I've been missing him so, so much the last three years... I felt so incomplete without him. I mean, I still have fun with everyone else but... They only helped to push away the fact that he was going to be gone for a while. And yet, when he finally came back after so long, I couldn't even properly face him. I stood there, unable to say anything to him even though he looked so happy, and he looked like he had gone through so much all by himself... 

Jakky: (Feels her feline tail coiling around her own waist as she listens to Okina) I-I'm sure he knew that you were happy to see him too... 

Okina: (Shakes her head) He said he wanted to kiss me, yet I didn't even hug him when I saw him... In fact, I kept avoiding him for no reason. (Stands up, keeping her head lowered as she walks over to Jakky and presses her face against her shoulder) Why am I doing this, Jakky...? Why? Why can't I bring myself to say anything to him? Why? 

Jakky: (Feels her face grow beet red, never used to making contact even with her closest of friends, but she pouts when she feels a bit of moisture soaking her shoulder) Oh, Okina... I-I think you're worrying too much, really...! You don't have to cry... (Finds herself rubbing Okina's back consolingly) 

Okina: I just missed him so much... And I want him to know that I'm so, so happy to see him again... But I'm doing such a bad job of it... 

~*~

Later that day, many of the higher ranks in the Brigade had been called into an exclusive meeting held by Lady Claire, Vero, and Shoryu the dragon- in his humanoid form of course. It was a classified briefing on the next major mission that would be taking place the next day. 

Stiff, Lion, and Sekai appeared to be tending to other matters, so they would receive their briefing later.

Okina: (Sits beside Annie and the newly-recovered Mel in the briefing auditorium) Did I miss anything? 

Annie: (Shakes her head) Not yet. The briefing is about to begin. 

Mel: You got here just in time.

Okina: Phew. Oh, I'm glad to see your okay, Mel!

Mel: (Smiles and nods) Top notch, thanks to Rook.

Lady Claire took the stand at the front of the auditorium, clearing her throat. 

Claire: Good evening, everyone. I trust you are all familiar with Shoryu? He is one of the shape shifting dragons that returned with Steffan from their home in the Sky. Shoryu has a few important things to go over with you all before we continue with the mission briefing. 

Stepping aside, Lady Claire allows Shoryu to take the stand, who nods in acknowledgement. 

Shoryu: I shall be blunt. Three years ago, Steffan the Immaculate, as a catalyst, was overtaken by his darkness a multitude of times. I trust you, his comrades, remember what kind of danger that brought to those around him? To be dull, the darkness inside a catalyst has the capacity to make a "monster" of its host. 

 

Everybody nodded. Okina had almost forgotten about that. She remembered the first time she saw him that way... It was in no way the Stiffy she knew and loved. 

Those blackened, resentful eyes; that evil, twisted and sinister expression on his face. It was as if all he wanted to do, was kill. He attacked anybody he saw, even his friends. She never wanted to see him that way again. Even if it was that dark power in its fullest form that brought the reshaping of this region, and the coming of Eden. She also remembered that he wasn't the only one with that dreadful power either. 

Shoryu: We of the Sky World have found a way to "tame" this darkness, however, it requires three key people. There is a seal we have placed on Steffan the Immaculate's chest. This seal will respond to these key people in three different "stages." The higher the stage, the higher the release of his darkness. 

Annie: Who are these three "key people"? 

Shoryu: The first seal is only unlocked by Lady Claire. The second seal is only unlocked by Okina. The third seal is only to be unlocked by Steffan the Immaculate himself. These are all the "keys" that he is entrusting this terrifying power with. Upon the opening of a seal, he will remain in his catalyst form for a temporary amount of time, following only the command of the one who released the seal. However, once the third seal is unlocked, the effect will remain permanent...

Okina: (Looks up, surprised) Stiffy entursted me with that...? Why? I would never want to unlock his seal...

Annie: Then that's probably why he entrusted you with it. 

Shoryu: I will show the "keys" present in this room how to unlock the seals when the time is right. 

Bear: Wait a minute, how come it suddenly becomes permanent after that third seal? Stiff was always able to turn back by himself before any of this seal stuff was introduced...

Flint: Yeah, and how the heck were you guys able to do all this? 

Shoryu: You are all aware of the gauntlet Steffan the Immaculate bears in his left hand, yes? The reason he chooses to hide his hand, is because during the course of his Dragon Flare training, while attempting to perfect an attack of tremendous power, he failed to concentrate it properly. This caused the attack to backfire on himself, claiming his entire hand and part of his arm. Steffan the Immaculate nearly died that day, were it not for the hasteful thinking of the dragon king, who was able to fuse part of his own tail with Steffan the Immauclate's arm. 

Mel: You mean, the dragon king was able to fuse dragon cells with human cells? How is that possible? 

Shoryu: Because Steffan the Immaculate is not human. He is merely a being made up of darkness, able to suppress it to his will given the right circumstances. His body is now fused with both dragon and catalyst cells. The more his body gives into darkness, so too do the dragon cells claim their share. If that third seal is unlocked, Steffan the Immaculate will  truly become a monster. Every bit of humanity left in him will have gone. 

Flint: Wow... So you're telling us Stiff's hand under that thing is like... a dragon claw type thing? 

Shoryu: (Nods) While the growing dragon scales birthed him a new arm, he was only able to regain one of his original fingers. Were it not for the three seals, the dragon cells would continue to infuse his body. 

Annie: (Cringes at the thought of Stiff's arm) Gross...

Mel: That's... Kind of scary. It's almost like he's some evil experiment. But I guess if it wasn't for those dragon cells, he probably wouldn't be here right now. 

Bear: (Shaking his head) Damn, Stiff... 

Okina: (Looks down) Stiffy... Just how much are you willing to give up for all this? Stupid! We all should be sharing the burden of life. If you went this far, you'd probably let yourself die if it was for the good of everyone... Well, I won't let you. I won't. 

Shoryu: For a time after, Steffan the Immaculate lost the will to go on. His emotions got the best of him, and he spent much of his time running away from everything, demanding he be left alone. Were it not for the support his friend Miss Lion had given him, he would have been lost. She convinced him to go on in a way we could not. 

Okina: (Frowns sadly) Lion was there for him, those three whole years... While I wasn't. I didn't do anything to help him...

Shoryu: That is all I have to say. (Steps back and away from the stand) 

Vero: (Taking the stand) Alright. It's been a while since we've had any major missions like this one. I was able to beat some f****n' sense out of that terrorist we had captured at the Coliseum, and I guess Sekai's girl, Taly, was able to sniff some stuff out of that stubborn f**k's head. Anyway, this isn't just one guy we're talking about. We have reason to believe there's a whole organization of these terrorists out there, and they appear to be controlling those creatures. Taly said they called them "Remnants," or some s**t like that. 

The term "Exodus" kept coming up during our investigation, and we're starting to think that name is linked to this group... So for now, that's what we will call them. Exodus. Their motives at this point are anyone's guess, but we were able to trace his mind back to some orders that detailed heading West, far to the west-- across the sea. From those details, we were also able to identify a machinist by the name of "Jedrek" that resides in a pin-pointed location over there. 

We don't know what their intentions with this machinist are, or if he's involved in their schemes somehow... But now we have a lead into this next mission. We need to get to that son of a b***h first before they do.

The briefing went on like so. After it was over, many of the lesser ranks, from Apprentice and above were briefed to a lesser extent, given only the details they were supposed to know. You were brought into this briefing, despite having only just been a Recruit that same morning. 

Your orders were to travel West the next day with a group which you would be placed in, and to locate a machinist named Jedrek. Any hostile resistance you meet with is to be dealt with accordingly.

~*~

Meanwhile, at the second floor's recreational area, you are suddenly approached by Annie.

Annie: Rook. 

You: Ma'am?

Annie: Listen, don't think I'm getting soft on you or anything, but I'd like to sort of apologize for treating you like dirt earlier, after you saved Mel. She's thankful to you for not leaving her to die... And so am I, to a lesser extent. You... did... (Eyebrow twitches) good? 

You: (Smile) Thanks. No need to be sorry. 

Annie: Alright, in that case, moving on... The main reason I came here, was to promote your rank from Recruit to Apprentice. You are now entitled to your very own room in the dormitory. Also, you may now use the members-only upgrade stations in the building. Congratulations, Apprentice.  

You have been promoted to Brigade Apprentice!

You have been awarded $10,000G

You: Cool! 

Annie: Now, don't get too excited. This just means you're going to be doing a lot harder stuff around here. Which brings me to the mission you and the others were just briefed on... It seems we've got some extra space on two different airships that will be flying West. Now you get to choose which one of the two you wish to travel in. It's really nothing important, we just need to know who's going where. 

You: Oh, okay. 

Annie: So, you have your pick of either Stiff's group, which will consist of himself, Okina, Lion, and a few other Apprentices. Or you can choose Vero's group, which will consist of himself, me, Flint, some Apprentices, and Taly who will be joining us for coordination purposes. 

Question 1:

Your first real mission!

Which group will you be flying West with?

1). I want to travel with Stiff's group.  (2 Votes)

2). I want to travel with Vero's group. (3 Votes) 

-Both options will take you to the same destination. The only elements of the story these choices will affect, are the character interactions that will be taking place during the flight.

Question 2:

You may now upgrade to dual-wield pistols!

Not only will you kick a*s toting two guns around, but you'll also look badass.

Will you purchase this Gunslinger upgrade?

-$6,000G

1). Hell yeah! I want to be a Gunslinger! (5 Votes)

2). Nah, I like my standard ranged melee setup.  (0 Votes)

**Results have been tallied.

~*~

To be continued...

(Leave your choices in the Comment/Review section below)

Reviews

[Arimus]

"He was a young elfan man with lengthy dark blue and a knack"

I'm assuming you meant lengthy dark blue HAIR?

Anyway, this was quite an impressive chapter. The way you described Einhera was very nice, it sounds like an amazing landscape. Have you ever thought about writing a video game script? You have a knack for coming up with locations, skill names, and enemies... Not to mention this entire story seems to play out like a script.

I really like the whole concept of being a reincarnation. I wasn't expecting that. I figured we were just someone acquainted with Stiff and the other guy...

Shame we lost all of our Keeper powers though. We were pretty godly, it seems.

The choices here were pretty tough... While I want Stiff and Okina to get over their unintentional tension, I also want to know more about Taly.

I'm going to have to go with Q1.) 2 for the first answer.

Second question was kind of a thinker too... It's the first time we've made some more money over the last few chapters, and already you're tempting us to spend it :(

Okay, the Vash on my profile picture wants me to pick Q2). 1, so I'll go with that.

[Anniejuran]

hmmm 2 since I want to see what would happen between the main character and Vero xD and 1 i want to be a gunslinger >:D!

[Buddha]

sorry bro im in a hurry so i read the chapter fast but i cant say much and i wanted to answer the questions befoe you tallied the votes so i pick

Q1). 1
Q2.) 1

great chapter! want to know more about rook and taly and the angel chicks

[okina]

I loved the amount of detail you put into the scenery in the beginning! I could imagine that places so easily. I also liked finding out that we used to have a past life in another relm! Its such a unique concept to think about.

Q1.) hmmmm I choose 1
Q2.) Gunslinger!! It sounds badass xD

[Taly]

Damn, another hard choice. But hell, Vero and Taly, that spells second group for my choice. And yes, gunslinger all the way! let Stiff be the sword wielder! So my answers :
Q.1 I pick 2
Q2. I pick 1