Chaos fills the streets of the normally orderly Athens, its proud Legionaries too busy to deal with panicking citizens.
Scrambling, trampling each other, in their bid to get out of the doomed city.
"Order!" A brave sentry at the city gate shouts at the fleeing populace, to no avail, "Calm yourselves! Pushing through the Gate all at once only slows you down!"
It's the only thing he could think of doing amid the chaos, but his words falls on deaf ears.
Madness fills the mind of the people, and even the words of calmness and order dare not intrude.
It's every man for himself, as if the apocalypse is upon them. In fact, it is.
'Don't let it approach the temple!" The centurion of the 1st Legion shouts mightily to his Legionaries, "Hurl the harpoons! Fire the artifacts! Give it everything we got!"
"Sir! The royal family has safely evacuated to the emergency shelter!" A scout rushes in to report. Bringing with him a brief moment of relief.
It doesn't lasts.
"Sir! The temple shield has been breached!" Another scout reports in, his breaths heavy from the exhaustion of constant running.
"What?! Impossible! Lady Scheher-" No, that's exactly why. Their great priestess was kidnapped by, of all things, the anomaly she went to investigate personally. Without her, the regular priests cannot even maintain the temple shield at half-power, let alone full power.
And now the anomaly is upon them. Huge and imposing, dwarfing the Leviathans of the 2nd Legion in both size and firepower.
Even the combined force of his own Legion, the one and only First Legion charged with the defense of the Capital on the ground, and the 2nd Legion charged with protection the Capital from the air with their Leviathans, cannot not stop the monstrosity that approached so suddenly.
They have been throwing everything they can at it. Harpoons, spears, every offensive spell available. Boarding it by swinging down from a Leviathan at a higher altitude. Even ramming into the damn things with sacrificial Leviathans, a tactic he never thought they would resort to.
Nothing worked.
Everytime their attack get close, a ripple could be seen in the air, as though they are rain drops falling on a peaceful pond; A barrier, perfectly impenetrable.
"No, not impenetrable," The centurion calms himself, "If only I have the anti-barrier artifacts!"
But he doesn't. "Damn!" His fist slams into the oak-wood table, leaving behind an impression of the side of his fist. The first and second Legion are equipped to deal with human invaders, not witches or other unlikely enemies. Unlikely enemies like the giant air beast currently in the airspace above.
"We aren't equip to fight this monstrosity! Shit! Messenger, go tell the Mages to use the forbidden artifacts!"
"They already are, sir! We've been throwing everything we have at the air beast since twenty minutes ago!"
"What?! They used it without my permission? No, I can't blame them. I would've done the exact same thing myself." The centurion stares at the beast that had suddenly dropped out of the cloud that afternoon. Though now slowed down by their attacks, it approaches the sacred First Temple regardless.
"A sight I'd never thought I would see in my life," A younger voice rangs out from behind. The centurion turns to face the newcomer, just as decorated as he is.
"Centurion of the 2nd Legion, what are you doing here?" He asks bitterly, "Came to witness our failure on the ground? What of your air corps?"
"Useless, I have order them to withdraw." The 2nd Legion's centurion looks through the window, an amused expression on his face, "though I can see clearly some of them are ignoring my orders. To keep resisting... is pointless."
"Silence!" His sword drawn, a mere inch away from the younger centurion's throat, "I will not tolerate your traitorous words! We shall fight to the last men for Athen! How can you just watch as five centuries of the Reim pride go down in front of this monstrosity? Are you with me or not?"
"To the last men? Foolish words, senior." The young man simple steps out of the first centurion's reach, "I'd expected that much of you. But what use is it to resist when we cannot even affect it, only to slow it down? Which is why I have ordered my own men to direct the crowd in you steed. Maintaining the city order is part of you job, senior."
The first centurion remains silence. The words of his junior... cannot be denied. It pains his heart, but he cannot lie to himself any longer. He hails for another messenger.
"Messenger," His words subtle, almost too quiet to hear, "Tell the men to sound retreat to outside the city limit. Abandon the city. Help evacuate any remaining citizens. Then regroup with the 2nd Legion and await further orders."
"Sir! Are... are you sure? "
"At once, soldier!"
"Belay that order."
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Huh? What is that? Hmmmmmmm should I take a closer look? Nah, too lazy.. too... wait what? Whatwhatwhat?
Why. the. fuck. am I staring at screen that reads "Hostile actions detected. Blue-2 Protocol Deployed. Automatic shield defense system upgraded power level to: Beta-17. Error! Weapons locked out by acting captain Sebastian."
Boom! A tremor passes through the floor.
As if we're under attack. Is that why Blue-2 protocol was deployed? And why are we under attack?
More tremors and sounds of battle passes through the juggernaut...
...and Scheherazade is out cold by my side, so it can't be her doing. Who? Who is attacking us?
"Sebastian! Report! What is happening?" I yell for my butler, who should be somewhere closeby.
"Master! You are awake! Would you like some water?" He appears out of thin air, apparently, with two cups of water in his right hand.
"No!" I grab one and down it in a gulp, "What I need is for you to tell me what the fuck is going on here? And why isn't my Sibyl system getting us out of this mess?"
"At once!" Sebastian gives me the second cup and clears his throat, as if preluding to a long report. "After master fell dead asleep, I told the Sibyl to chart a course to the First Temple to drop off Lady Scheherazade. Unfortunately, the Reim Legionaries took our approach as an invasion and started attacking. Sibyl automatically upgraded the protocol to blue-17 and prepared to retaliate with our overwhelming firepower. But I judged it would be detrimental to our further enterprise within the empire if we return fire, so I used my authorization as the acting captain to override and lockout the weapons system. We are currently almost directly above the First Temple as originally charted. That is all."
I see... indeed, I never considered programming in the possibility that an attack might be from a misunderstanding ally. A mistake I will have to rectify later. But for now, time to stop this shenanigan. I approaches one of the many control panels and brace myself as I stab my thumb access port, as designed. A second later and I'm connected mentally into the Sibyl system. Taking a thorough look at the... battlefield only takes a few seconds.
"Downgrade to protocol White-0 but maintain shield. Take us higher, out of their firing range. Use the side shields to push away the closeby Leviathans," I telepathically orders the juggernaut's all-in-one control system, Sibyl. Well not exactly 'telepathically', but close enough.
"Oh, and Sebastian?"
"Yes, master?"
"Fill up my pool. Throw in a few pool floats as well."
"Yes ma'am!"
...hmmmmmm...
"On second thought... forget the pool floats. Throw in some ice instead." I grin at the thought, "No, not some. Lots. Lots and lots of ice..."
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*Splash!*
"#$%^@!#&!*@$*!#$%&#^&@!!!!!!!" I wake up from my drunken stupor with a startle.
In Water.
"Gaaaaaaaah!" I fly out of the water with a quick mini teleportation spell. Why the hell was I in the water?
No, correction. A pool, in what seems like a room with decorated walls constructed out of meta and other weird materials. There's only one place I know like this. And only one person who could've threw me in the water as well.
"PRAY!"
"to who?" Oh this cheeky brat... thought I will admit she got quite a good bar... how old is she again?
"Shut up! Why was I in your pool? And how do you have a pool on an airship?"
"Careful balancing during the planning stage. And lots of stabilizers."
"Stabilizers? Think you can give me a few?" I grit my teeth as I asks, already knowing what would happen next.
"Of course!" Her knowing grin infuriates me, somewhat. "I'll even renovate your Leviathans for you, if you want. For a price~"
A section of the wall comes alive, showing the city below. Just like that observation artifact that started all these. Not that I regret the excellent... drinks onboard.
Huh? Is that... is that my city? My Temple?!
"Pray... what is going on here?" A sneaking suspicion is slowly forming in my head... I might have an idea what's going on here...
"Hehe... Well, you might want to take it slowly..." Her face looks sheepish for some reason.
"Take what slowly?"
"Well... that's just say I accidentally invaded Athens?"
"!!!"
"Teehee?"
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Having broken out of the 'juggernaut', I fly down toward the Legion command center. With an unconscious, drooling Pray in one hand, of course.
To be honest, her sleeping face looks pretty cute... Hmmm don't get any wrong idea here, I haven't dated anyone in centuries. Mortals die too fast, but for some reason I feel like this one will be different. Maybe I should keep an eye on her?
Just in time, as I reaches the command center, I overhears first centurion gives orders for retreat to his messenger. Smart choice, but cowardly as well.
Well, better stop all this shit before it gets more out of hand. I accelerates my descend, crashing through the roof with my barefeet. You think that little rooftop can stop me? Think again. Centuries of practicing divine magic has strengthened my body beyonds its human limits.
"Belay that order." I commands the centurion. "And tell your men to stand down. We are not at war."
"You highness! The three other occupants of the room hurriedly kneels before me, "But the monstrosity intruded into the forbidden airspace! It even breached your temple shield!"
It what?! Impossible, my temple shield is a divine artifact! Damn, I guess I need to find better priestess candidates to maintain the shield in my absence. Hmm, I might need to reevaluate the 'juggernaut' a little. Hey wait... I can probably get Pray to rig something up for me. She's an artificer after all!
"It's the um... the next generation Leviathan I've invited over." I make up an excuse on the spot. Can't have the citizens believe our defenses were breached so easily. "That whole thing was a military exercise to test the first and second Legion, do you understand?"
"Of course, your highness! I... I apologize for our failure! I shall retrain the whole Legion a thousand times over!" The old fashion centurion slams his head into the stone floor at my feet. Really? There's no need to go that far... See, the younger one's only watching.
Well... they did fail either way. Maybe I should use this as an excuse to integrate Pray's new armors. Something alongs the line of 'You will be given a second chance with this armor in the rerun of the exercise."
Yeah, that could work. Good thinking, me! Ah right, better take care of these fellas first.
"Get up Simon, the floor's pretty dusty. And for the your sake, don't slam your head into the floor for anyone. Now," I picks up Simon the first centurion from the floor as I take him outside. "Take Alan with you and go clean up my city. Escort the citizens back in and punish any looters accordingly."
"And you," I turn to the shivering messenger as Simon and Alan the centurion of the Airborne Legion takes their leave, throwing Pray into his arms while I'm at it. "You will be escorting her to my main guest hall in the temple"
"Treat her like a Very Important Person, I'll need her later." Hmm, is there anything else? Ah, there's one! "And tell my handmaids to prepare my hot spring."
He nods vigorously. What is he trying to do? Shake off his head?
"I've had a long day."
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In the end, the 'Invasion' of Athens was resolved as an extreme military exercise to test the first and second Legions that have not been challenged in decades, as well as to gauge the civilian responses.
Which are unsatisfactory, as Scheherazade told me over dinner, which was quite interesting.
Obviously I don't mean the news that the civilian response to emergencies is unsatisfactory, I'm talking about the dinner itself. Scheherazade got these neat little boats to put plates on, so we ate our dinner literally on her hot spring. I would've suggested sushi to fit the setting, but they don't have anything like that yet. Nevertheless, the two person feast was quite grand and interesting to sample.
Who would've thought magic can be used to augment some tastes in food? Scheherazade did, apparently. I smell a new business opportunity here hehehe...
Of course, that's the less serious part about our dinner. Though we did sign the rudimentary agreements, we still had to work out the precise details of our partnership. I don't want to bore you with our hours of negotiation, so that's just say it was really, really arduous. If only I could get Sebastian to take up negotiation i my steed. Unfortunately for me, Scheherazade doesn't like males intruding into her 'sacred' hot spring, even though I did told her that technically Sebastian is a cyborg-homunculus created by yours truly, and therefore actually... asexual.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
That's not to say that my homunculuses are completely inhuman. Of course they look like male or female, what else do you expect? Ultron? Nah, ultron's are my foot soldiers in planning. Too bad I don't have Stark's arc reactors, which are in reality completely unrealistic mini nuclear reactors. Go figure. To actually power the ultron-bots like in those old movies I saw in the Marvel Museum's Hall of Fame back on Earth with Stark-esque repulsor technology would require massive fuel tanks. Obviously not a vulnerability I want in my armed servants. But all these are still in the planning stage anyways, so that's not go too deep into it right now.
I'll admit I did try to create a female cyborg-homunculus that could sexually reproduce with a male cyborg-homunculus... that particular experiment ended disgustingly, like a horror movie. I still get nightmares of the... 'thing' she gave birth to. Yikes.
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fvignette2.wikia.nocookie.net%2fto-a...0326162921 [http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/to-aru-majutsu-no-index/images/6/6c/Toaru_Kagaku_no_Railgun_E12_07m_16s.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20100326162921]
Still gives me the shivers just to think about it, so let's move on.
And wouldn't you know it? I woke up the next day in Scheherazade's bed with a girl who looks like Scheherazade and smells like Scheherazade. Don't get the wrong idea, it's not Scheherazade. I know because I snuck a mini identification print on her back. Not the best description, I know.
It's essentially little tracker for my Zone Positioning System. Since I can't seemingly make anything go outside of the 'barriers', I called it that instead of 'Global'. The tracker itself is practically untraceable, since it's the size of cells.
Aaaaaaand that's how I realized I was staring into Scheherazade's clone. That and because Scheherazade is already up and painting a portrait of her clone and I sleeping together... I tried to burn down portrait, but Scheherazade's damn shield keep getting in my way.
Curiouser and curiouser, I found that Scheherazade knows how to do plastic surgery... with magic. A type of magic unlike any I've read in texts, which got me very excited... it's not even close to what the usual magic of this world looks like. 'Divine Magic', she called it. Can't say I'm surprised at all at this point. I mean, I've been staring at a clone for a full ten minutes. Even I can't make a perfect clone of my own body!
Apparently I'll find out what it is and how to use in the senior years at the academy, which she also funds.
"Just don't tell anyone Pray, it's not something we spread to everyone."
"Pretty sure everyone that matters already know whatever it is you use."
"Hmmph! Those Britannian bastards will never get my divine magic as long as I'm alive! They'll have to step over my cold body... or find a way bypass the magic contract I have every users sign."
"Magic contract? Mind showing me?"
"National Secret!" Gaaaah! But I want to know!!!
"Tell me!"
"No!"
"Tell me!"
"Never!"
Hmmph, I'm nothing else if persistent. Let's see how long you can hold out, Scheherazade!
"Tell me!"
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"You know, she looks like that cousin of yours, Scheherazade."
We ended up discussing the still unconscious clone on the bed, somehow. How we got from discussing Scheherazade's magic to her clone? I'll never know...
"I don't have a cousin, Pray."
"I'm just saying if you do, she would probably looks like this."
"..."
"Sorry."
In the end, we decided to call her Titania. A combination of the names we suggested. Scheherazade wants the name to be Titus, but I'll dead before I let my roommate get stuck with such a boy-ly name. I wanted to name her Ania... but Scheherazade dislike it.
To be honest, I'm pretty sure the only reason she rejected my suggestion is because I didn't liked hers.
Afterward, Scheherazade took the still sleeping clone away to wake up for the first time. Apparently she got an ancient artifact that can stimulate years growing up and being educated in a week, which she's going to use now.
That got me thinking... an artifact that could implement memories into someone's mind? Sounds like an illegal, deep neural linked virtual stimulator device they used to sell back on Earth's black markets. Great stuff if you want obedient albert dumbed down people, not so good for human trafficking victims. One of the crimes nobody got around to solve back there, sadly.
I stayed a week around the temple and outside Athens, where my Vio II is parked. That plot of that used to be a stript of forest, but I bought it so its past doesn't matter anymore.
I also took the opportunity to summon my real estate agents in Reim and well... went on a shopping spree. We got enough budget to do that know, thanks to the numerous contracts with two world-class militaries. Current projection predicts a 40% consumer market penetration in two years, since all of our main factory complexes are already up and running.
"You could've accompanied me more at my hot spring..." Blah blah blah say what?! I thought she would just say the usual goodbye stuff as I prepare to finally get to the academy...
"Was that... an invitation? I'm 10, for Gods' sakes!"
"Pfft, you're 10 and own a better bar that I do, give me a break!"
"Good servants," I shrug at her, "They're the ones who collected them."
"Yes... Pray, do you mind lending me some of your 'spirit-servants'? I find them interesting."
"...Well, sure! Why not, c'mon I'll show you all of them. Pick your favorite." I lead her onto my juggernaut, with little Titania in tow.
"Sebastian, summon the others. Have them line up in the thro... central hall."
"Yes ma'am!"
I lead the other two to the center hall of the juggernaut. It's a large place, big enough to hold concert or contain a Leviathan. It is quite literally the Belly of the juggernaut. Here, my thousand-strong spirit-servants line the hall. What a nightmare it would be if I don't have them... can you imagine having actual peoples sharing my juggernaut? Never! She's mine and mine alone!
"Which one do you want?"
"You shouldn't say 'Pick your favorite', Pray. It gives me too much freedom to choose... *sigh* I've waited so long for this..."
Huh? The hell girl, "What are you talking about???"
"You know, I started out as a warlock. Did you know that?"
"You did?"
"Yup! And I had the best spirit in the world... a mini-God, as he likes to call himself."
"A mini-God?" Hmm... "Somehow that rings a bell somewhere..."
Mini-God, Mini-God, where have I heard someone refer to himself like... himself. Sebastian, or as he called himself before I brainwashed him, Raijin.
The lying bastard who I captured first. I thought he meant it when he said he merged with some spirits and regained the power he had as a God... What he didn't mention that he was the weakest of the 'Gods', only capable of stunning a butterfly for a second at his max power. Wonder how he got the delusional idea he's a God...
Not that any of those details are important... what is important is that I was overexcited and tried to show off to Ane and Jill... Noooooooooooo that was so embarrassing... >_< Ever suddenly remember an embarrassing moment that happened years ago and still cringe just at the memory? It's like that... and it reminded me of those too numerous awkward moments I had in my last life. Being too smart at a young age can backfires very often... too often...
So as due punishment, I locked away Raijin's memories and rechristened him as my personal butler, Sebastian, completely with all the footage of the actual character in person as far I could remember.
All that said and done... could it be?
"Scheherazade... do you mean Sebastian?"
"Did he ever call himself by the name 'Raijin'?"
"... Yes."
"Finally..." Holy is she crying? What's the big deal? "Someone still alive..."
"Scheherazade? Are you- ? Do you need- ?"
"Pray." Her voice almost too quiet to hear as she stares with teary eyes at the confused looking Sebastian. "Being immortal isn't always the best thing in the world. People die. People you care about like family, like best friends, like lovers, they all die too soon. A fleeting moment and... gone. Forever."
...Is this about the general she trained that took over the old kingdom of Reim and made it into what is now- a vast empire? I remember from the history textbooks... the Priestess and her champion, the young general overthrew the corrupt old kingdom and made it prosperous, along with their friends and comrades that formed the very first Legion.
"I thought I had already lost everyone, that's why I dedicated myself completely to the empire's welfare... I wanted the world to remember what they did, what they accomplished; to make sure that nobody will ever forget them."
"But history isn't so kind. I can make as many statues as I want, place their names in every public places... and people simply don't care enough to remember them. The past is the past, and the only true memory of the past can only live in the heart of the livings, not monuments. So I buried them as deep as I can."
"That's what I've been thinking for centuries... but then I met your Sebastian. Everything's different about him. The face is different, his mental aura feels different, and he got a real body now. But I can tell."
"Even if you did erase his memory, change his sense of self, or anything... I can tell. Because he was the first. My first spirit."
"My first...friend."
For the longest moment in time, I could only stare. Who would've thought? The first spirit I tamed just happens to be the her first spirit with amnesia.
Fate has her ways, I guess. I silently steps up to Sebastian, drawing him into my inner mind one last time. There, unlocked. Even the foggy memories I couldn't quite identify. Now the rest is up to her.
"Scheherazade... I can't say for sure, but he might have suffered some memory loss..." I hesitated to her, but it must be done.
"Memory... loss?" No, Nononono don't give me that teary face Scheherazade... "Don't cry, Scheherazade. You are the Great Priestess of Reim. If anyone can fix his memory, it's you. You can do it, I believe in you."
"Fix... his memory...?"
"Exactly, you're the Great Priestess! There's nothing you can't accomplish with enough time, I'm sure."
"Pray... there is no spell to fix memory loss. None. Not once in my entire life have I ever heard of one."
"Then make one. Or make new memories. Don't let the opportunity slip away Scheherazade, you've found him now."
"......"
I don't know what is going through her mind... probably memories of the past. She was probably reminescenting as she spoke.
As did I.
How long has it been? 10 years since I was reincarnated in this world? That's almost five decades since I saw Melinda... even longer since I saw my parents. Too long. My old family, my friends, my former colleagues. Too long. But I have a chance now. And if Kruphix can return Melinda to me, I'm sure he can return the others as well. I can be with everyone again... or so I hope.
I don't know how long we just stood there, thinking in our minds, with Titania and everyone else waiting uncomfortably by our side. Minutes? Hours? I don't know, and I don't particularly care to.
"Sorry." Scheherazade breaks the silence.
"Why? There's nothing to be sorry about."
"If nothing else, didn't you said you were in a hurry? I've held you here too long. It's been a long time since I've met someone so interesting as you... and found Raijin."
"Time. What does that matters anyways? Take all the time you need."
"No... I've thought about what you said. You're right, maybe there is a way. I'll start on the research now, no time to lose. Come with me Raijin, let's see what we can do..." Sebastian- No, Raijin now- Leads Scheherazade toward the front exit of the juggernaut.
"Pray!" She calls again at the doorstep. "Take care of my Titania, will you? And I don't think I've told you this yet so..."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
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And so we departed from Athen, much to the people's relief. At Vio II's cruising speed, it will only take a week to reach the offshore island that the academy's located at. I busied myself in my lab to create a replacement for Sebastian in the mean time.
Maybe it's time to give him a firmware update? I have the means, that's for sure.
Titania... is still quite timid. She has the knowledge, but lacks real experience.
I hope I'm not a bad factor in that regard.
The week flashed by even before I noticed. There it is! The Academy...
*Sigh* Well, I guess it's time to actually socialize with people.
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A/N: Hey, sorry I've been busy lately. Finals soon and whatnots, when I'm not lazing around on chats. So about the last part of this chapter... I don't know where it came from. Definitely didn't plan that... it just came out. I don't know, maybe it's a response to the memories of my old friends in Taiwan? I lost all contacts with them when I moved to America years ago... maybe it's time to reconnect. Sorry about how I phrased it, which I do realize could be improved, but I can't just seem to get the atmosphere down... to get it just right :-(