The Entrance of Urgency

The introduction of Aya's best friend, Jordan. Also the introduction of their environment and conflicts.

 

“Miss Kanouichi, this is the fifth time you’ve been in here this week! By all rights you should be terminated!”

 A battle was raging inside of an office, bearing two combatants. Carrying the reasons for their anger upon their shoulders, both of them unleashed their fury without stipulation. Despite the differences of their statuses, their anger levels were equally high. Neither warrior was willing to back down from the fight, regardless of the consequences that lurked in the future.

Both competitors were female. One was considerably younger than the other, bearing enough fire to shame the sun. She stood against the other as an impenetrable rock, her topaz blue eyes shining with the vehement courage of a lioness. Her stance against the other was shocking, due to the fact that no one from her age group even dared to battle against one of greater authority. Nevertheless, she was determined to stand her ground. She had done so many times in the past, and if she had anything to say about it, there would be many more confrontations in the future. Her thirst for battle was endangering her status as a fourth-year Academy entrant, but thanks to recent events, the graduation ceremony had lost its importance.

Her enemy was an official of the Oscius Academy, Maoko Takanoki. Her old-fashioned office was the portrait of cleanliness, filled with unblemished desks and painstakingly stacked papers. Portraits of her family sat on the walls, all of them bearing facial expressions that were reminiscent of dutiful sovereigns. Elegant attire constantly sat upon her thin frame, its solid colors emitting the fire of a ruler’s heart. Her surroundings and exterior gave her the aura of a graceful, sophisticated queen, but her personality did nothing to honor that notion. She was the stone-cold, merciless Director of the Academy’s counsel, and never hesitated to show it. Her eyes were arctic green slates, sending gales that were potent enough to chill the bones of a beast. Hands were always rooted to her hips, lips were always pursed, and her voice could whip a dragon into submission. Despite all of this, though, the entrant refused to back down.

They were on different levels, in regards to height. The Director was out of her chair, towering above her opponent with flaring nostrils. The entrant was sitting in the only chair offered to the Director’s victims, and was experiencing difficulty in doing so. Both were fuming at the seams, but were handling it in different ways. The younger combatant knew she had to keep her anger in check, or else it would erupt and swallow the entire Academy.

“How can you call yourself a Director?! Those wretches were pounding another entrant to death! I couldn’t just sit there and watch, not even with ringside seats!”

Maoko pounded a fist against her desktop. “Those entrants were dealing with the problem in a proper manner! Their target was the true wretch, young lady, and you should have left that rat alone! He deserved everything he was getting, and that’s that!”

The entrant shifted in her seat. She balled her hands inside of her lap, feeling her body stiffen. “That’s just disgusting!” she cried out, blue eyes screaming with wrath. Her body was hunched over in an attempt to prevent a volcano from erupting, but an eruption seemed to be inevitable. “They were killing him, and that’s all you can say?! There’s no way I’m following you on this. He was an innocent soul! A lot of innocent souls have been treated unfairly! I’m not about to cheer on those that see fit to torment others, and I’m certainly not about to follow some witch that struts around the grounds with a crown on her backside!”

That brought a temporary halt in Maoko’s storm. A sigh drifted from her lips as she gathered her equanimity, dusting off her dark brown attire. Three seconds elapsed before she cleared her throat and transformed into an obdurate tower. “Miss Kanouichi,” she began, her voice no higher than a breeze. “I’m going to give you the mercy you don’t deserve. You’re a prized entrant of our Academy, so I’ll grant you more time to mend your ways.”

“I’m not mending anything, you old monster!”

“Silence! You’ll do as I say, or else you’ll be escorted off the grounds immediately! That wouldn’t be a very happy ending to your tale, would it? After all, you’ve come such a long way! Why end your journey here, when you’re two weeks away from the Final Ceremony? Don’t you want to graduate, young maiden? Don’t you want to make your father proud?”

The younger woman looked fit to burst, but kept herself stiff and silent. Biting her lip in an effort to keep quiet, she found that she could only throw darts at her mortal enemy. That fact brought a smile to the older one’s face. She had gained some upper ground, and would finish the skirmish with a bang. Hands were folded before she delivered the final blow.

“Now you’re going to walk out of my office, head and feet intact, but there’s a price you’re going to pay for your insolence. As of this moment, you’ll be on ‘Red Alert’ status. That means you’ll no longer be the shining angel of your sessions!”

She cackled, relishing her opponent’s facial expression. “Now be a good girl and return to the others.” she said sweetly, rubbing her hands in delight. Her enemy rose from her chair in a flash. It was pleasant to see that she had won the battle, but the reasons behind her pleasure would forever remain hidden to the entrant’s eyes. Relief was shoved underneath a carpet, dominated by bliss. The duteous queen had successfully removed the ground from her enemy’s feet!

“You don’t want to be late for your lunch break, precious. The ladies are serving up some rather nice delicacies today. Run along, now!”

Name-calling was of no importance to the maiden. The card that had been pulled on her, however, was another matter. Silently boiling in a vat of wrath, she turned from the cackling official and began to make her departure. As soon as she opened the door, though, a loud bump softened her anger. Her fiery exit had sent another entrant to the ground, whimpering in anguish.

“Ooowwieee! That was mean, Aya!”

The door was closed with softer energy. Aya extended a hand to the fallen entrant, affection blossoming upon her face in the form of a smile. “I didn’t mean to knock you over like that, Jordan.” she said softly, sending euphonious giggles into the air. “But you shouldn’t have stood right behind the door! I’m surprised at you. You should have known better!”

Jordan was an eighteen-year old maiden, standing at the same age as Aya. With long golden ponytails, green eyes and a radiant spirit, she was an unstoppable ball of energy. Emotions were always displayed in great clarity upon her face, leaving no room for guesswork in regards to her moods. A sour disposition was currently controlling her existence, giving her the appearance of a sullen toddler. “You should have expected me to be here.” she said, rubbing at her injured forehead. “I always give you emotional support!”

“That’s the first time you’ve placed yourself in danger to give me ‘emotional support’.” Aya said warmly, her topaz eyes twinkling with deep fondness. She was a maiden of striking beauty, one that had acquired many admirers through her Academy years. Her svelte, slender figure was complimented by her sharp eyes, indestructible spirit and enormous heart. Long brown tresses fell over her shoulders, their silky radiance endowing her with the light of a goddess.

Recent events had also given her a great deal of enemies, even ones from her own organizations, but she cared not for broken ties. She was eager to fight against anyone that opposed her, even those that claimed to be friends. “The next time I’m in trouble, use better judgment. I would appreciate it.”

Pouting, Jordan straightened her Academy uniform. Crimson red uniforms had been made for the Academy’s maidens, and they didn’t fail to carry out their mission: highlight the beauty of a female, regardless of height or weight. All curves were visible, endowing every maiden with the chance to show off their physique. Jordan and Aya wore theirs proudly, but they weren’t interested in flaunting their bodies shamelessly. They left that duty to the ones that actually enjoyed it. At the moment, though, Jordan wasn’t enjoying anything.

“Yeah yeah yeah. Leave me alone already!”

“I take it you heard everything, then.” Aya said, her dulcet voice filled with bitterness. She looked as though she had been force-fed lemons.

Jordan nodded. “You bet I did! And I’m sorry you had to go through all of that! I mean, to have that old bat call you ‘precious’!”

“Never mind that. What do you think about everything else? She thought it was all right for that poor guy to be beaten like that! With Wildfire magic, of all things! They were burning that poor thing to death! If I hadn’t been there, there would have been nothing but ashes left over! All for the birds!”

The two of them began to walk through the Hall of Shadows, aptly named for the victims that were verbally tortured by nightmarish lectures of authority figures. Despite the chatter that was flowing around them, Jordan Teishibara and Aya Kanouichi walked within the waves of silence. Cheerful, brisk voices were disregarded, their words holding no importance to either one of the maidens. The nature of conversation was known, though, and that was sufficient knowledge. Smiles were dancing through the Hall of Shadows, accompanied by light merriment, but no words were being produced by pure hearts. All of them stank of hatred-something neither Aya nor Jordan wanted to participate in.

The Teishibara’s face was taut with disappointment, scorn and frustration. Removing a tiny device from her shirt’s sleeve, she voiced her opinions without the slightest bit of hesitation. “She probably would have laughed her head off, the old croon.” she said angrily, then rolled her eyes with a sigh. “All of these idiots probably would have laughed. Ever since a particular scandal broke out, it’s been hard to find compassion in these parts. Everyone’s been a real pain in the patoot! Shiaia, Minal, Kinison, Dema-even my first crush has turned into a huge jerk! Oh, and that reminds me.”

The device within her hands was in portable music player, one that was no bigger than a coin. The silver player was in the shape of a circle, and one of Jordan’s beloved possessions. Normally she could find the strength to give it some rest, but the city’s latest events had turned the player into a priceless friend. She found it incredibly hard to part with it, fearing that she’d die from the exposure to the outside world. Luckily, Aya’s presence softened that fear. She turned off the player with the push of a button, clipped it back onto her sleeve, and removed its wireless headphones from her ears. “I had to blast my little baby through my entire History session. For blasting our music players, we’d normally have our assess served to us on silver platters. Everyone’s just been too idiotic to pay any attention to MFPs, though, so I got off easily.”

“Anything from the others?” Aya asked, her soft features emitting tension.

Jordan bit her lip once again. “Yeah. I was just getting to that. Nylth sent me a rather interesting message about my favorite guy band, the Silver Epitaph. Told me that they’re promoting all of the craziness that’s going on. They’re even going to hold a concert in Minister Rishbald’s honor. After his stupid speech, that is.”

The golden maiden shook her head. Her azure blue eyes met courageous, strong topazes. “Speaking of Minister Rishbald, have you heard anything?” she asked, not giving the future any excitement. Disgust had made its home in her body, sitting in its hearth alongside anger and hatred.

Aya’s contempt for the future was equal to hers, and she didn’t fail to show it. Putting her arms behind her head, she gave her friend the answer she needed. She would have given the world to erase her answer, though. Her words penetrated her mouth with the intensity of a toxic lemon, giving her the itch to drown herself. “I’ve heard a lot.” she began, hanging her head. “The High Priest has been taken into custody. The Minister’s going to deliver his speech in a couple of minutes-ten, if I’m not mistaken. All of his ‘lucky peons’ will have the chance to hear about Arun City’s future, and the future of Father Xelacroft.”

Jordan brought her steps to a halt. She took a second to digest her friend’s words, then winced. “I know its lunch time, but I’ve totally lost my appetite.” she groaned, slumping against the nearest wall. “I’ve got a pretty bad feeling about all of this. If I know the Counsel, Father Xelacroft’s in danger.”

Aya took her friend by the hand, then gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t forget Rishbald’s at the head of all this.” she said softly, her topaz eyes filled with a fusion of sadness and dissatisfaction. “You have to remember three important names: Kenneth Porscius, Kutai Aranakei and President Archimedes Quon Saron the Fourth. They all vanished without a trace. That’s why Devus is able to pull every string in the court now.”

“Yeah, and I wonder why those three disappeared. I’m thinking that no-good b*****d had something to do with it. The same way he’s going to have something to do with Father Middy.”

An arrow struck Aya’s heart. A flash of amethyst starlight fell through her eyes, displaying every bit of anger that boiled within her body. “Apparently he did have something to do with the High Priest.” she said venomously, giving her friend’s hand another squeeze. The dirty glares that were thrown into their direction were ignored. “That’s what the problem is.”

The two entrants continued on their way, heading towards the Academy’s cafeteria. Whispers and venom were tossed in their direction, in many different ways, due to their close contact. Seeing how the two maidens were holding each other by the hand, several entrants shook their heads. Others laughed, others pointed, and others threw out comments.

The Oscius Academy was a majestic establishment. Every one of its amenities would have pleased the most stubborn of emperors. With crimson walls that seemed to be infinite, an elegant atmosphere and luxuries that were fit for a deity, the Academy easily could have been a haven for the wealthiest officials. Sunlight blessed every inch of the building, smiling upon every hall with the pride of an overjoyed mother. Despite the sunlight that coursed through it, though, so much about the Academy had changed. The establishment was no longer in the presence of serenity, tainted by dark energy. Aya and Jordan could virtually smell the rancid aura of hatred as they walked towards the cafeteria, keeping themselves locked in silence. Both of them loved their Academy dearly, and awaited the Final Ceremony with great anticipation, but neither one of them were happy about its inhabitants.

The Academy’s cafeteria was large enough for a thousand conversations. Glittering starlight ran throughout every inch of the vicinity, giving every chair, plate and tray a warm glow. Entrants conversed with one another over, standing in lines or forming large groups at tables. The smiles appeared to be perfectly harmless, shining with the light of a million jewels, but a certain pair could literally smell the truth. Darkness wasn’t too hard to miss for either one of them. It was a plague to their stomachs, churning inside of their bodies and sending poison through their bloodstream. Both of them took their place in a line as anger continued to swallow them, keeping them detached from the world around them.

Five minutes elapsed. While the others drowned in loud, merry discussions, Aya and Jordan drowned in silence. Still holding each other by the hand, they kept their eyes glued to the floor in shame. Thinking of High Priest ‘Middy’ did nothing to improve their mood, for it caused them to reluctantly accept the harsh vices of reality. Nothing could be done to rescue the High Priest from his fate, no matter what it was. Neither of them was accustomed to abandoning someone in need, though, and being unable to assist someone in distress sickened them. Nevertheless, their bodies couldn’t go without nourishment. They would need all of the nourishment they could get, due to a future that would bring them no reprieve.

Pizzas were the day’s specials. A wide array of pizzas were being created for the enjoyment of entrants, all of them lovingly crafted by the cafeteria’s experienced chefs. Sauces, cheeses, vegetables, meats and even fruits filled the air with their opulent aromas, enticing the hearts of the other entrants. Happy chefs removed their steaming creations from ovens, setting them in the sight of eager eyes. Cashiers took custom orders, passing along their information to enthusiastic artists. The food was always prepared with love at the Academy, and every ingredient proved that to be true. Jordan looked upon the prepared pizzas longingly, her fingers clawing at the glass that separated the entrants from the cooking area.

“I’m sorry. Maybe I’ll be able to love you some other time.”

“How many times have I told you to stop talking to the food? You’re holding up the line.” Aya snapped playfully, putting her hands upon her hips. Jordan threw her an equally playful glare, then released a mournful sigh.

She turned her attention to a joyous female chef, one that was rather chubby and beaming with energy. “I’d like a slice of the pesto, please.” she said, her voice drifting into the air. No different from a weakened robot, she slammed her head against the glass in silent pursuit of her pizza. Her assigned chef gave her a jovial grin, a look that sent bolts of poison straight into Jordan’s stomach. The artist appeared to be a bubbly, harmless soul, but Jordan was interested in the truth. What’s lurking behind that smile of yours, Babba? she asked herself, narrowing her eyes at the chef.

Either Babba was oblivious to Jordan’s anger, or she just made the decision to ignore it. She placed a plate of pesto pizza upon the maiden’s tray, grinning from ear to ear. Jordan gave her a lethal glare, looking as though she wanted to strangle the life out of her, but the glare was disregarded. “I do hope you enjoy it, dearie.” the chef told her sweetly. Even her layers of skin seemed to be beaming, causing her to bear the energy of a child’s extravagant musical. Wide azure eyes blinked at the rapturous chef, unable to fathom the reasoning behind such euphoria. They looked back at Aya in horror, then the Teishibara allowed her friend to attain her lunch.

Ignoring Babba’s humming, Aya caught the attention of another chef. “Excuse me.” she began, her eyes bearing wildfire within their stitches. She had a calm, collected exterior, but upon closer inspection one would have realized the truth. She was fit to burst, hardly able to restrain the anger that boiled inside of her. “I’d like a slice of the tomaberry, please. That is, if you’re not too busy.”

With both of their plates in tow, Jordan found another opportunity to release her thoughts. Eyes wide with horror, she turned to her friend and began to whisper. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Babba’s acting just like your best friend! You know, the old bat!”

Aya shook her head with a sigh and an affectionate smile. “Everyone around here’s got issues. She’s probably pulling some strings somewhere, and we don’t even know-”

The rest of her words were cut off by an urgent cry.

“Hey there, you two! Over here!”

Their eyes instantly fell upon another entrant, who was waving from her table. The maiden was two years younger than both of them, blessing the world with her spiked amethyst locks and auburn eyes. Pale skin glistened in the sunlight as she summoned her friends to her table, her eyes filled with a combination of apprehension and venom. There was another maiden with her, and together they were the remnants of Aya’s admirers. Both of them had been members of Aya’s Scout Club, an organization that heightened the importance of feminine power, but due to the leader’s feelings on current topics, the group was torn apart.

In a flash, Aya and Jordan joined the other maidens. The one that had summoned them returned to her seat, flames of anger dancing within her translucent eyes. “Check this out.” she told them, folding her arms. Her voice had a sharp edge to it, one that allowed others to see that she cared nothing for nonsense. “The speech starts in a couple of minutes. Aerina and I thought we could all have watch it together. You know, for special bonding time.”

Aerina Nuala Corona was a timid soul, constantly typing away on her laptop. Her short white hair met the sunlight perfectly, glimmering with the radiance of a moonlit sky. Glasses sat upon the bridge of her nose as she worked on her portable computer, fingers drumming against the keyboard at the speed of light. As always, her indigo blue eyes were filled with fear, but today there was an alarming difference. She was thoroughly frightened of something, hardly able to keep herself still. Panic gave her feet lives of their own, causing them to tap against the floor in a rhythm that equaled the rhythm of her frantic fingers. “It’s going to begin in three minutes.” she reported, her voice shivering from anxiety. “Oh, I have a horribly bad feeling about all of this. Something dreadful’s about to happen, I just know it!”

Jordan had taken a place right in front of the laptop, disregarding the seats. Hands had been placed upon the table as paws, and azure eyes were filled with curiosity. “Aya,” she began, without taking her eyes from the monitor. “We’re going to be invaded by monsters, aren’t we?”

“Sounds like we’re already been invaded, Firefly.”

“Oh my gosh! Quiet, please! It’s starting!”

Aerina’s cry caused silence to whip them into submission. Further thoughts were trapped under temporary restraint, buried underneath anger that would soon boil over. All eyes were glued to the laptop in a flash, all of them bearing their own emotions. Aerina was still experiencing difficulty in keeping herself still, shivering and tearful because of the unknown future. The spiky-haired Nylth had eyes that could have killed a three-headed dragon, while Aya had the eyes of a stringent sergeant. Jordan’s babyish eyes were filled with a combination of disgust and loathing.

The monitor displayed a picture that horrified the gentle Aerina. Nylth placed comforting hands upon her shoulders as they all absorbed the monitor’s image. A middle-aged official was the center of attention, standing on the Counsel’s grounds with crowd-and a rather familiar High Priest.

Seeing the High Priest’s condition, Aerina let out a small shriek of horror. The Priest was a gentle spirit, one with amber eyes and a tender disposition. Fiery magic had ravaged him from head to toe, annihilating the pure white garments that came with his Sacred Order. The exterior of his body wasn’t alone, though, for his insides had been torn apart as well. No longer were his eyes soft, fragile gems of serenity, but solid brown pools of lost hope. His skin no longer had the heavenly glow of a High Priest about it, carrying only despondency. Veins were protruding in many different places, pulsating against his broken skin. His flesh had been burned in dozens of places, and the flames that had tormented him were still lurking upon his body. Black and purple bruises were pulsating with dark blood-blood that made one fact clear. His Holy Magic had been tainted by evil, and was now fighting against his body in a frantic frenzy. His own magic was bringing the end of his life closer.

Aerina buried her head in Nylth’s chest. Bravely Nylth and the others kept their eyes rooted to the monitor, awaiting the speech of Minister Devus Rishbald. The Minister cut a rather impressive figure, standing at only five feet and six inches. Fierce black eyes sat within his skull, accompanied by black tresses that had been meticulously groomed. While he possessed the beauty of a deity, his spirit betrayed the nature of his appearance.

Not too far away were his followers, the remnants of the city counsel. Cameramen and journalists were also on the scene, hurriedly taking pictures and the necessary information for their respective news casts. In the midst of all this, the High Priest said nothing. His heart had been broken, its pain clearly upon his face, but peace was ever present in his eyes. Hands folded, head bowed, he silently awaited his fate-and would obviously accept it, no matter what it was.

The Academy’s intercom system was quickly prepared to send the speech to the other entrants, but three pairs of eyes kept their attention on the laptop.

Unable to take her eyes off the High Priest, Aya balled her hands into fists.

“Good people of Arun City! It is I, your devoted Minister Rishbald of this grand utopia! Today I shall speak of the events that shall befall our city, and bless all of us with a brighter future!”

Wild applause met those words.

Aya’s left foot began to tap against the ground.

“As you all know, this creature beside me had the audacity to call himself a Priest-a High Priest, on top of that! To make matters worse, the rest of his Order followed his blasphemous ways! They were all in agreement with him, going down the path to eternal damnation! All of them supported the lifestyles of certain souls, souls that have no right to walk upon this fair planet of ours! All of them were wicked, evil creatures, and all of them deserved the fates they received! His fate shall be no different from those of his loyal followers, my good men and women! This beast at my side shall follow them into the bowels of the underworld, and his soul will rot for all eternity!”

Greater applause met Minister Rishbald’s words. Whistles, cheers and fists rose into the air in passionate agreement, driving the thirty-year old minister on.

Aya kept her eyes rooted to Father ‘Middy’, who looked as though he wanted to break down and cry.

“I ask you, dear people. Does this foul creature deserve to live, after tainting the name of the Infinite Stars? Does this wretched beast deserve to live, after defiling his own title? Does this demon deserve to live, after forcing me into forbidden intimacy?!”

The High Priest looked in the Minister’s direction, eyes filled with pain.

Tears.

Aya stiffened herself.

“Of course he doesn’t! So I must ask you another question, my dear people. Do you wish to see this creature suffer for the crime he committed? Do you wish for this creature’s death to stand as an example to all others? Do you?”

Aerina shuddered in Nylth’s arms, releasing tearful whimpers. Jordan and Nylth placed her eyes on Aya, who had her eyes glued to the heartbroken Priest. The small group listened to the wholehearted applause that followed the Minister’s question, with two of the maidens keeping their eyes rooted to another. None of them shared a verbal connection as emotions were shared, coming from their hearts as storms.

Jordan and Nylth exchanged a nod.

Aya looked ready to bolt.

The Minister went on, raising his hands in the air. At his side, the Priest fell to his knees-trembling. “Then this wretched being shall die before you, my fair friends, and his passing shall stand as an example to those that wish to follow him! It shall stand as an example to those that involve themselves in devilish, unholy acts!”

“Nylth, where’s the Atelier?”

A smile spread across Jordan’s face like sunlight. Catching the smile on the Teishibara’s face, Nylth spoke to the Kanouichi with a note of hope. “This pretty little building of ours sits fifteen minutes away from the ‘holy’ Atelier.” she replied, excitement blooming across her face. “If you start now, you should be all right.”

Amethyst’s reaction to Aya’s question was nowhere near Nylth’s, or even Jordan’s. “Aya, what do you think you’re doing?! You can’t go out there!” she cried out, tears streaming from her fragile eyes. Paranoia was eating her alive, dominating every part of her body. Due to her high distress, the color of her eyes had been altered. The gentleness of an indigo moon had bolted from her eyes, leaving her with a fearful cerulean ocean. “Please don’t go. You’ll be hurt!”

Jordan rose from her place, facing Aya with a roguish smile. Aya returned the mischief with her own smile, but her smile was considerably different from the other. Uneasiness, determination and wrath existed with mischief, which had only been created as a gesture of affection towards the other. After she tied her heart closer to Jordan’s, she placed her eyes upon the nearby Ameska. “Nylth,” she began, her eyes filled with resolution. “Make sure you take care of Aerina. Watch over her, okay?”

Without another word, the two maidens made a strong dash out of the cafeteria. Nylth shook her head as she observed the fleeing entrants, admiration coursing through her fiery gemstones. Keeping her hands upon Aerina’s trembling shoulders, she enjoyed the wave of hope that fell upon her heart. “Go get ‘em, girls.” she whispered. A smile sat upon her face, bearing a very small lifespan but filled with the affection of a thousand ages.

Under normal circumstances, the elements of the outside world were simply ignored. Now they were the recipients of hard, unyielding scorn. Voices soared into the ears of Aya and Jordan, heightening the anger that burned with their hearts as they ran towards a proper exit. Many entrants were previously unfamiliar with their statuses as the Academy’s greatest runners, but the maidens’ running abilities were now clear to hundreds of eyes. Through the halls of their Academy, they ran at a speed that was almost equal to the speed of light. Svelte goddesses they were, running towards their destination without a second of hesitation.

In mere minutes they were out of the building. However, their flight did not halt once their feet fell upon the Academy’s sidewalks. Their feet continued to course through time, while their fingers and minds churned through actions. Simultaneously the girls pressed a small button at the top of their shoes, replacing their shoes with devices that were known as solar blades. Made in a fashion similar to ancient rollerblades, the transportation devices allowed their users to challenge the swiftest of vehicles.

Three minutes. Disbelief ran through the eyes of other entrants as the maidens sought an escape from the Academy, both pairs of eyes firmly rooted on the path that stood before them. Gasps and cries of admiration were instantly buried underneath nothingness, transformed into blobs of a blurry world. Eye contact was not made or required. Both maidens soared beyond the Academy grounds and into the crowded streets of Arun City, their hearts focused on one destination: the Atelier of the City’s Counsel.

Minister Rishbald’s speech was blaring throughout the city, thanks to large monitors that had been set up for ‘on-the-go’ listeners. They were formed in the fashion of billboards, displaying the Atelier’s activities and sharing the speech with those that wished to hear it. At the moment, though, the monitors were proving to be quite troublesome. Congested streets were created by drivers that wished to witness the might of Devus Rishbald, all of them shouting orders at each other. Hands were slammed upon horns, mouths released waves of thunder, and the speech continued to play throughout the city. Meanwhile, there were two maidens taking advantage of the heavy traffic. Since no vehicles were moving, it wasn’t difficult for them to create their own path.

“As I have promised, this foul insect will crumble. This disgusting organism will cease to exist, under the hands of justice! Justice shall prevail, my people! The Stars will prevail!”

Hearing those words, Jordan took one glance at a nearby monitor. “Aya!” she cried out to her friend, ensuring that her voice was loud enough to be heard over the melee. “We don’t have much time! It looks like Rishbald’s about to set Father Middy on fire!”

Aya kept her eyes on her impediments. “What’s he doing?” she asked, her eyes filled with fire. They had become a darker shade of blue, no longer bearing their usual topaz light. “Take another look, Jordan! Anything in particular?”

The underbelly of a truck caught a glimpse of the girls. More vehicles were evaded, with none of their drivers noticing the flight of the maidens. In the midst of their frantic run, Jordan took a glance at another monitor. “I don’t know what that creep’s doing, Aya!” she cried out, eyes widening in horror. “I know I’m not a genius when it comes to the world of magic, but that looks pretty spooky to me!”

Aya grimaced. “Damn it.” she whispered. “Looks like time really has abandoned us.”

“Now, witness this putrid thing’s death! Watch as he’s turned to ashes! Watch the signal that will set off the purification of our glorious world! His death will mark a new beginning for all of us, my friends! A new beginning in the way of peace, truth, JUSTICE!”

“Ayaaa! We’re about to lose him!”

Wild cheering poured into her ears like lava. The dirge of flames penetrated her ears, accompanied by the fierce shouts of enraged drivers. She took her own glance at a nearby monitor and growled. Like Jordan, she was unable to tell what kind of magic the Minister was wielding-which didn’t make the pressure any lighter.

If I at least had an idea about Rishbald’s magic, I’d know how much time we’d have to save the Father. Since we’re in the dark, we can easily assume that we only have seconds to save Father Midlu!

Five minutes.

The cheering transformed into chanting-

-the Minister was watching the Priest in ecstasy-

-flames continued to ravage the broken body of the High Priest-

“Azure Starlight Waltz!”

Gasps rose from the thick crowd, all of them filled with great shock. Eyesight was temporarily removed by a bright arc of light, then the melody of rushing waters was detected. Glittering cascades fell upon the Atelier’s grounds, drenching the crowd-and their victim-in translucent water. Before any member of the crowd could even begin to fathom the source of the water, or even the cry, two maidens rushed onto the scene. A blonde wrapped her arms around the fallen Priest, while a brown-haired maiden bravely placed herself in front of the pair. Fear was not in the picture for her, and failure was not an option. “What do you all think you’re doing?!” she shouted, voice whipping against the cold air. “That’s a Priest, for crying out loud! A High Priest!”

Not one to be outdone, Minister Rishbald whirled around on the newcomer. Fiery black eyes met fiery blue eyes. “That creature is a disgrace to the Infinite Stars, young lady.” he began, his voice a soft purr. “Have you not heard? He committed a crime that cannot be forgiven. Those that wish to mimic his ways shall die with him. In due time, of course. Unfortunately, we haven’t sniffed them all out yet. But we’ll find them, don’t you worry.”

His audience was swept into his enthusiasm. Fists were raised into the air as chants began, horrifying not only Aya but Jordan as well.

“Kill them all! Kill kill kill!”

“Let that b*****d burn for what he’s done! He’s not fit to live!”

“They all should pay! We’ll find ‘em all, and when we do, they’ll be sorry!”

“Die, you filthy worms! Pay for defiling the grace of the Stars!”

“Disgusting monsters!”

Jordan, clinging to the body of the Priest, exchanged glances with her friend. Both pairs of eyes were filled with horror, but a particular pair carried a great degree of strength. The strength was emitted in the form of hatred, pouring onto the ones that stood before it. Its owner scanned the faces of the thick, dark cloud, inwardly slapping herself. I’d give anything to be a Pure Aqua Master right now. She thought to herself. These people would deserve everything I’d dish out at them!

She kept her topaz eyes on the congregation before her. Pushing their chants into silence, she studied their faces with vigilant eyes. She studied the intentions that burned their faces, boiled in their hearts and crumbled the presence of compassion. She found nothing but stone-cold hatred and felt her stomach churn. Poison twisted her stomach in every direction imaginable. “This has got to be some type of nightmare,” she whispered to herself, eyes still scanning with the precision of a computer.

A second later, a young cameraman rushed to the front of the crowd. “Look! He’s vanishing!” he cried.

An arrow of dread pierced the Kanouichi’s heart, causing her to look back at her charges. Much to her distress, his words were true. A whimpering, sobbing Jordan still had the High Priest in her arms, but his body was transforming into stardust. Tears shot into her eyes as she observed this, reality crashing onto her heart like a boulder. Sorrow forced its way into her heart and sat on its core, making it painfully hard to bear.

This can’t be happening.

The blissful, loud cheers of the crowd sank into temporary oblivion. Aya kept her eyes posted upon the pair behind her, frozen in disbelief. Her foray into shock did not last long, though, due to the intrusion of Minister Rishbald’s voice. Topaz eyes roared at him as he spoke, taking in the sinister glow of his black eyes. “It appears that our efforts are no longer needed.” he began, beaming at Aya with the ecstasy of a victorious lion. “Our time is no longer needed on that pathetic creature!”

Those words brought a collective cheer from his followers. It resounded in such a way that caused Aya to cringe, feeling her skin crawl with poison. “The time for purification is at hand, my beloved people!” the Minister continued, rising his hands into the sky. Cheers continued and resounded throughout the heavens, all of them bearing colossal energy. The Kanouichi took the opportunity to rush to Jordan’s side, reluctantly acknowledging the cheers with a strained scowl.

The golden maiden looked into her friend’s face, oceans flowing from her eyes. She was trembling, almost at the point of wailing. “A-A-Aya...he’s g-g-going a-a-away!” she cried, still clinging to the Priest’s body. Her heart had been broken into a million pieces, and she was not dealing with the pain well. Aya knew this, and wrapped her arms about her. Her friend, while an energetic soul, was also an incredibly fragile one.

In the midst of chants, applause and camera flashes, the Minister made his departure from the area and into the Atelier. Overjoyed Terruvians followed suit, all of them evidently excited about the future’s bearings. Cameras snapped hundreds of photos while they filtered in the large, majestic Atelier, leaving the trio to themselves. Jordan shuddered in her friend’s care, making an attempt to withhold deeper sobs in favor of speech. “He’s going away, Aya.” she repeated, her babyish eyes blinking at the other. “I don’t know what t-t-to do! I’ve never...I’ve never dealt with Empyria Magic before! I know all Priests and things turn to stardust when they have to go away, but I d-d-don’t know how to st-st-stop it!”

“Neither do I.”

Father Midlu Trifa Xelacroft, affectionately referred to as ‘Middy’, was quickly disappearing. As all Members of the Order did whenever they wished to forfeit their lives, he was transforming into a wind of blue starlight. He had become a translucent form in Jordan’s arms, eyes hardly open and trembling from emotion. While pain had made itself permanent on his face, peace was also welcome. The two forces seemed to be waging a war against each other. His mouth was moving with unspoken words, heightening the distress of the maidens. Aya looked into his face sadly, stroking it with gentle hands.

“Father, let us save you. I’ll save you. I promise. Just don’t let go, okay?”

The Father had been a creature of rare beauty, as all Members of the Order were. Amber brown locks had glistened in ever-growing sunlight, skin had been radiant with silken happiness, and purple eyes had carried the splendor of immortal jewels. All of his radiance had died away, leaving nothing but listless anguish in its wake. Trembling had ceased, taking great pain along with it, allowing him to relax in his guardian’s arms.

“Kirchka’sur lana. Meigato.”

A simultaneous gasp rose from both maidens. They exchanged glances, eyes widened in disbelief. Greater oceans struck their eyes as they looked upon the High Priest, who was no longer a living, breathing entity. The remnants of his body transformed into winds of stardust, soaring into the limitless skies. A whimper tore itself from Jordan’s throat, bringing her back to the point of sobbing.

“Aya, did you hear that? He spoke-”

“I know.” the Kanouichi said, her eyes boiling with tears of rage. “And I caught something, right before he left. His ears weren’t the ears of a Terruvian. They were slender and pointy, like cat ears.”

Burying her tearful friend’s face into her chest, she peered into the sky.

The cobalt ether was slowly transforming into a dark blue ether.

“This is bad.” she whispered, holding her sobbing friend close. “Really bad.”

 

Author's Note

Tell me, what do you think of Aya? What of Jordan and Aya's stance against the other students?