Kindles of War

by Nicol Terra

  Yukari's Chakra Network was a complex place. Her inner temple of sorts was a mess of emotions that not even she understood. She only spent her time in a dark void, with nothing inside except space itself. In it, she dilated the time around her, her Lucid Palace slowing down. Inside was a single punching bag and nothing else. Yukari started to punch the bag, with each weight of her fist smacking inside. The bag weighed as much as an island as she punched it, knocking the black bag from side to side. She hopped from side to side, hitting from different angle after a different angle. Aura users rely on their strength and Yukari was strong. She believed it at least.

  Her power intensified as he fists formed vacuums of wind as she continued to punch the bag. Her fists were blistering red as she knocked it from side to side, swinging the heavy bag like a clock across the room, swinging meters in all directions. Her Green Chakra fueled her ability to manipulate Wind.

  "Idiots, you all are idiots." She heard inside the room, her inner thoughts. She hid her eyes and continued to knock the bag. "You all don't deserve this world with our protection."

  She intensified her punches and dialed her speed two times faster as she was. Time slowed as seconds became tenth of seconds.

  "You shitheads don't deserve our grace. I will show you, the power of-" She heard.

  Then, a loud knock as Yukari eyes shattered opened. Quiet, the room inside her grew lighter with solid blue again. Then, another blow.

  "Yukari Unmei, your stop is coming up in a minute." A soldier said something that she warned them to do. Yukari grumbled as she slinked her cape on, getting up from her chair and sliding the door open. The soldier winced, almost shrinking from her presence. Her eyes were dangerous, slashing a snake-like snarl across her lips.

  "I see, thank you." She said. The soldier bowed thrice and ran away, the soldiers also around her dispersed as they continue to part from Yukari. Her temper was infamous.

  The train stopped just outside Central Commander, where both the Royal Representatives and the Military would meet to discuss important matters. For Yukari, her train stopped just outside on the left side of the building, where the War Room was. When she got out, she rushed her way inside and called a soldier over.

  "Yes, Miss Yukari?"

  "Get me some coffee while I wait for this meeting.

  2

  It is now six in the afternoon. At the central command, in the war room was tens of Lieutenants, Commanders, Chief Commanders and Generals were babbling with each other. One particular girl with a sharp glare and a flowing coat with the phrase "Divide and Conquer." printed on her back. There were three pedestals in the room's center, with four encircling desks surrounding it. The closer they were to the center, the more dressed they were. Everyone in the first circle had a flowing coat, each with a unique quote. They had a gold-white color scheme and had silky silver pants that gave off a sparkling shine. There were only five people with these coats, three males and two females, and there was however eight seats, the other three were empty. In Zynthia and especially in the highly adorned Military, Order was absolute. The room was so neatly designed, with the dome-like ceiling encompassing and being heated perfectly. She sighed, it was close to ten below zero outside, and the inside was a toasty eighty degrees. She sighed, looking at her fellow Legion Commanders.

  Yukari Unmei was one of them and the only one with a sharp gaze. She looked around her peers to see a lack of discipline; she growled at moments of cheers of excitement as she looked patiently at the pedestal in anticipation. Yukari looked to see her boyfriend swing up to the front. He was young, and he looked cranky. Yukari let out a small smirk as she hid her smile behind her hands.

  The man extended his hand out as a Holosphere flew to it. A large hologram showed a continent. Yukari knew what it was instantly; it was the continent of Siphor, the homeland of the Elves and Faeries. She smirked, continuing to look at the hologram showing the legions assaulting the City of Free Trade what the elves called it, everyone else called it the city of Agall.

  "As many of you know, we are now at war with Mysen.” We plan to assault the city from both the land and the air. With help from our ally, Kulso from the sea, we will take the city and advance down south to the city of Erus." Ryo continued with this strategy, which Yukari thought was solid. He saw; however, some Lieutenants and Commanders in the back either uninterested or laying their head down as the general went on. This disgusted her even further. She then saw in the corner of her eye Ryunsun get up from his seat, the one farthest to the right in her row.

  "I am sorry, one thing I want to ask. Why attack the city and not engage in direct combat? There are innocent civilians in those cities, and they did nothing wrong." Ryunsun said, Yukari got up and stared him down in the eye.

  "It has to be done. They will just be causalities of war." She said callously, looking him with a lion's glare. "We must leave no hope left and end this war quickly." She said as the man next to her giggled at this idea. The other girl got up; she had a slender waist and a curvaceous figure, her breasts bulging. She had a sword slinked to the side of her with a black, wooden sheath. She looked at Yukari for a moment and shot her a glare. Yukari took a few seconds to process it. “Yuki, you dare stand against me?”

  "I take it next you will say 'If a million children die, so be it. Better them than our own.' When did you circumvent morals for duty?" Yuki bellowed. The man next to her who had the prior objection darted his gaze.

  “That's right,” Yukari said. The room broke into quiet protests and discussion. She felt the room towards her chill slightly, and Yukari flashed Red Aura in response.

  "You three sit down! I didn't ask your opinion on military strategy." He shouted, even the ones in the far back woke up to this shout as it rung through their eyes. The three slowly got back down, their eyes meeting at once. She heard a large echo from the girl inside her head as she felt her presence attack her mind briefly. Yukari just drove her out as she spat at a nearby trashcan annoyed. "Yuki will pay for using magick against me." She thought to herself.

  The meeting was adjourned. Everyone else dispersed as both Ryunsun and Yuki bumped her on the shoulder, their passive-aggressive gaze glaring deep down into her soul. She sighed as the guy next to her gave a small snicker. The general shook his head and sighed, letting out a wry smile, walking over to Yukari.

  "I knew they would do that." Ryo said.

  "I didn't ask for your disrespect, Ryo. I would advise you to shut the hell up." Yukari said. The two shot eachother glares and then a small giggle came out of both of them.

  “Oh wow, so mean.” Ryo cooed.

  “Yeah and you are a general. People like Yuki shouldn’t project their opinion on military strategy.” Yukari retorted.

  "Oh wow, someone is ferocious. I think you need a hobby." Ryo said.

  "Again, I don’t want-” Yukari started.

  "Shut the hell up, I get it, girl. You need not to lecture me." Ryo was seven feet even, muscular and larger then Yukari. He easily looked like he weighed close to four hundred pounds. Their clothes were different, with his clothing signaling he was a general, a large cape, a thin piece of metallic armor that wrapped him head to toe.

  She continued to leave the building as she saw a guy, rocking back and forth on a bench. His armor clanking, his eyes widened by the fear of death. "I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die!" He kept chanting to himself, and she then saw partly to her horror and disappointment that every common soldier was doing something similar. One was hugging his wife and child. Another was writing a letter with tears in his eyes. She sighed, as one guy walked up to her. He had a deep blue armor plate on with the phrase. "Love begins with the soul."

  "Are you going to say something?" Ryo asked.

  "What do I say, Ryo?" Yukari whispered, quietly ignoring the soldier.

  "These people still have loved ones, some of them have never seen the war zone." He continued. "But you have, and you should comfort them." He said.

  She looked at the ground,
back at the man rocking in the bench and walked away, that image burned into her brain. She clenched her fist as both Ryo and Yukari walked together.

  "It isn't a bad thing to show compassion." Ryo added.

  "We can't lose, both the Faeries and Elves haven't been in a war in over a thousand years. I have my doubts we can lose." She said to herself as she walked to the outside with tens of airships lining up. Many of them were being stocked with food, water, armor, and weapons. There were thousands of soldiers, docking for war on these airships, and thousands more docking on traditional ships ready for invasion. Some of them broke from their trance of fear, but many were still quiet with their face's white as sheets. The sky darkened, they would not leave until midnight as night shrouded their fleet from the world. Only the stars twinkled before them, Yukari saw the five moons appear before her of differing sizes. She smiled for one moment, and she hoped she would see the moons one day. Even if it means, conquering them for the state of Zynthia.

  "Well, what do you plan to do? I heard Yuki wants to kick your ass." Ryo asked, breaking the silence. She anchored back into reality as she smiled at him.

  "Well good luck, I will win." She said confidently.

  "Watch it, your arrogance would be your end." Ryo said bluntly as Yukari could do nothing but sigh. “After all, with your strength, you are one in a billion.” Ryo added.

  She didn't retort or say anything as she walked on her airship, which was easily five miles long with hundreds of soldiers on board. It was so big; it had tens of airsails loaded for war. An Airsail of this size could hold five soldiers, and the airship could probably carry fifty thousand soldiers. She led five aircraft of this size in the past. Ryo gave her a sudden hug which caught her off guard as she could do nothing but push away in embarrassment.

  "C-Come on, not here." Yukari said, blushing as she hid her face behind her hands. Her heart started to beat rapidly as Ryo let out a small giggle.

  "Just be careful, Yuka." He said as he marched onto his airship, airship six. He led twenty Leviathans and had a Behemoth class airship for her to lead. Two million soldiers, ready at her beck and call.

  She regained her composure, and shook it off as she heard soldiers speaking in the background when she marched across the hallway.

  "Did you hear Princess Illevetar, who unlocked the calamity stone ran away from home?"

  "What, where is she?"

  "Don't know, don't care." The soldier said. The airship took off, only for an arrow of energy snap passed Yukari to a nearby cabin, her cabin. She looked and grabbed the arrow, to reveal a letter pegged to it.

  "Take a Floatboard a week from now and meet here." She knew it was from Yuki, at least she thought it was. She sighed as the arrow disappeared in the wind as the soldiers continued on their duties ignoring her. She went inside her cabin, as she plopped into the bed, exhausted from the long day today.

  She didn't even care to notice how her cabin was bland and barely stocked. She just slunk inside her soft bed and ignored it. It was a long day anyway.

  "You want to see my strength, Yuki? I will show you first hand." Yukari thought, her anger intesifying.

  In the darkness of the early morning, the sun peaked from the shadows, and there laid a single train chugging down the tracks from Agall. The blue star came first, then the red star followed. With the 8 moons fading from the sky as the day overtook the night, the 8 blue oceans light faded with it.

  The train floated faintly above the long metal bar, riding up and down from electromagnetic track. Outside the megapolis where hundreds of millions of people live, there laid a single track that leads to a dome in the middle of an open plain. The dome was large and inviting, but the dark storm that hovered over the dome and the light rain made every Faerie on board nervous.

  Dozens of them wore the same face and the same clothes. Purple, Black, Yellow and Green wings were the marks of those born poor. The unofficial caste marked them, with their same faces and same clothes and same wings from the slums all blended together. Hundreds of poor Faeries looked outside with a sense of pride overflowing them. All of which because of the upcoming war, a chance of glory even as a 'Poorling.' It gave them power, excitement, happiness.

  All except one.

  She wore a brown piece of cloth that flowed with her entire body, similar to a dress, wrapped around her neck. Her dress was torn at the bottom, and a single blue patch on her right-hand shoulder of the dress stood out. Her wings were yellow. Her eyes were wide, like a cat and she had brown hair. She was the only one on board the train that had torn clothes or yellow wings because even the poor can afford a tailor. The woman sighed, as she stared outside. A loud buzz as the train bolted across the continent, the green field blurred past her eyesight. She cursed, the continent of Siphor always looked drab to her. She continued to hold on to her necklace, rubbing it with her right hand.

  Tracks floated the train upward as sound shattered outside. Everyone was quiet, either on their Holosphere before their Holonet capability was to be cut out thanks to the Military Firewall. When the train slowed down, a small collective groan filled the air.

  “Everyone out, everyone out. Get ready for sorting.” He bellowed. Tina shook her head, her head firmly locked to the ground as she flew outside. The morning dew and the choking mist was enough for most Faeries to flutter their wings to keep them dry. Tina, however, flew and then fell, her feet catching her fall. She walked forward down one line, her expression deadpan.

  “Tina!” Someone yelled. Tina flew up in shock, looking from left to right as she tried to look for a familiar voice. She smiled at the sight of a Faerie with red wings. The Faerie Red Wing indicated a high social caste, but her outfit was relatively modest. She wore a simple, red dress and white slippers. She had a gentle, but serious smile. She had flowing black hair and red lipstick. When she flew over, Tina expression turning dead to lively as they tackled and hugged each other. The two got up from the ground, smiling and holding each other.

  “Erudite, I never expected to see you here!” She said. Erudite pulled away, joining the line of Faeries as she gave a sly smirk.

  “Why I would never pass up on an opportunity to help my country.” She said with pride. Tina giggled, her eyes planted on the ground, the green grass and the healthy brown soil.

  Then a sudden pat on her back, she jolted up.

  “Don’t look so glum.” She said. Tina giggle then became a laugh as she smacked Erudite on the shoulder.

  “I find this day depressing, I am sorry.” She said.

  “What, did you lose your drinking bottle? I got wine for myself if you need a drink.” Erudite said.

  She shook her head. “No, that isn’t it.” She sighed and looked at her clothes, a white flowing dress and green shoes- at least Erudite had shoes; and a pretty dress. She instinctively reached for her necklace as she put her hand back down.

  “Well, what is it?” Erudite asked. Tina shot up at the question.

  “I might tell you later over a drink. I heard we got plenty of time until deployment for me to fuck around.” She said.

  “Damn straight, but if I catch you skipping training, I am dropping a bucket of water on you.” Erudite said. Tina let out a small sigh.

  “Just like the old days?” Tina asked. Erudite nodded.

  “Yup, just like when we were in college. However skipping training is worse then skipping class.” Erudite added

  “Why?” She frowned. “Then if you do that, I will knock you flat.” Tina said jokingly. Erudite smile faded as it became a confident smirk.

  “Fine, fine,” Erudite said. “I guess I won't force you if those are the stakes.” Erudite flew forward inside the most massive dome. Each dome had a different color, each with a hallway connecting them in the shape of a pentagon. The largest was a blue one, which Tina knew it were the living quarters, commons and kitchen. Tina doubted if she would go to the other domes, which included an enchanting table, a crystal taming ward, and an aura temple. She already was an ex
pert mage, so she didn't need to craft new spells, she also didn't care to learn how to use a crystal or to strengthen the body for Aura.

  The inside the dome was warm and clean; the floor was spotless. There were nine tables of Faeries with capes, military capes with stars on their shirts. They were commanders, and they were testing people and their elemental mastery. She gulped.

  “I am sure you will be fine.” Erudite added. Tina shook her head.

  “It has been over six months since I last got into a brawl, which is different then war.” Tina added. The last time she was in a fight was when she was in the Colosseum.

  “Well, I will go first.” She said. She flew forward to one table and stuck her finger on the transparent glass of liquid. The liquid turned from Black and then Yellow, with a hint of Green in there. Tina shook her head.

  “Been two years since our graduation, and now you know one more element. Wow.” Tina said dryly. Erudite cheeks puffed as she stomped from side to side.

  “Hey, it's not my fault! I had stuff to do. I am a busy bee!” She joked.

  “Hey, whatever works for you.” She said. Tina flew forward and stuck her finger In the glass, the glass turning yellow then black and then a hint of purple. She looked up to the commander, his blue wings still completely and his face emotionless.

  “Room 5.” He said. Tina raised a brow and flew away, smacking Erudite on the shoulder.

  “Wow, that dude so bored with his job, can’t even crack a smile.” Tina added.

  “Hey, this is not exactly an ideal job.” Erudite added. “Stick your finger in this mystery liquid, find out your strongest elements, while I sit here spitting numbers.” She said. Tina nodded. She was right, and to be fair, she didn’t like being here, but at least she wasn’t soul-less from all these years of work and mediocrity.

  The two flew down the hallway, walking past the rooms to room five. Tina opened the room; six beds spread out for the recruits. Tina flew over to the one in the far back; she pulled out from under the bed a chest filled with clothes and other essentials. She turned to Erudite, who was frowning at her choice of mattress.