Through the Eyes of Truth (Chapter III)

Previous Chapter: "Through the Eyes of Truth (Chapter II)" 

~Chapter Three~
-Angelgarde-

         The next few days were a bit hectic for poor Kanade. After passing the trial, she was dragged all over the city to prepare for her enrollment to the academy. Her father and mother had already filled out all the necessary paperwork and she received a brand new school uniform in the mail shortly after. The Academy Day festival is drawing ever closer and Kanade still has one thing left to do. For her to officially become a Paladin, she must forge her very own Soul Blade.
         From what I've read in these dusty old tomes, a Soul Blade is unlike any other sword. To forge one, a large amount of mystic metals and materials are required. Once all these items have been acquired, they must be placed into certain sections of a ritual circle that a higher ranking Paladin must draw. After that, the forger must conduct a ritual that takes approximately three hours, mostly consisting of meditation and the chanting of spells. But the final and most important ingredient to this recipe is the soul of a Shu’zan.
         A Shu’zan is a soul that for whatever reason, is caught in between the realm of the living and the realm of eternal Light. Whether its due to regrets or other reasons, the Shu’zan cannot leave this “limbo” and could be trapped between the realms for eternity. However, there are certain Shu’zan that are drawn to people with pure hearts and to those who posses the holy flame, in other words, Paladins.
         Over time the Paladin and the Shu’zan develop a strong bond. A faded rune upon the dominate hand is it’s indication. Once the ritual is completed and the sword is forged, the bond between the two will become unbreakable, making the contract rune fully visible.          
         But don't be mistaken. Paladins do not use the Shu’zan for their own benefit. If a contract is made between the two, the Shu’zan have a chance to break free from it’s purgatorial state, once it fulfills the contract…
         “Blah…blah…blah…these books are boring,” I said aloud, watching Kanade prepare for the ritual.
         “Lost souls? What’s that have to do with anything?” talking to myself once again. I turned away from the books in front of me and leaned back in my high backed chair.
         She has had her nose in those books for the past six hours. Being in the void was more entertaining that this… Why can't she do something fun? I’m finally free from that grey prison. I want to go on an adventure! I let out another long sigh as I slammed my head down on the table before me.
        “Arrgh! Do something, girl!” I yelled.
         “There we go. All done!” said Kanade, closing all of the books that were scattered around her. “I’m totally prepared for this…I hope…eh….” She rubbed the back of her head and walked towards the large stone door to the left of the towering bookcases. I could feel the anxiety within her when she walked past me. 
         “Finally!” I shouted, bolting from my chair. Things are going to get interesting!
         

        She walked into the grand hall beyond the stone door of the library. It was a large, empty room with many stained glass windows scattered around it. The sound of her decorative shoes striking against the whitestone floor echoed throughout the hall.
        “Are you prepared?” King Gallazar asked, extending his hand toward her.
         “Yes, your majesty,” she softly replied.
         “Very well. Go stand in the center of the ritual circle that I have drawn for you.”
         Kanade walked over to the circle with a nervous look on her face. When she reached the center she clicked her heels together and turned around, waiting for further instruction.
         “Now, chant the spells from these two pages,” said the King, throwing her a book.          
         She began chanting the strange words from the tome. Never before have I heard such speech. It just sounded like fancy gibberish to me. I wonder if this is just all for show…
        This went on for about two and a half hours. Bags began to form under Kanade's eyes as her energy depleted. Something tells me that all of this standing was the culprit...Shes a strong girl, so this ritual should be nothing for her.
          The incantations stopped as the ritual reached it's end. “Vel…Sharta…Leonas…Teldra!” The ritual circle began to glow with a golden light that reflected off of all the stained glass windows in the hall. The materials that were spread across the circle rose up a few feet from the floor and started to sparkle.
         “This is it, Kanade! Reach out your hand and call your weapon’s name!” shouted the King as he pointed at her.
         Kanade thought for a few moments and then shouted at the top of her lungs “Angelgarde!”
         The circle lit up with a blinding light that absorbed the metals and other materials instantly. Circular runes then formed around her extended hand.
         “What’s this?” I said aloud, staring the tantalizing light emanating from her hand, which seemed to beckon me closer.
         Without a second thought, I reached out and grabbed a hold of her soft, delicate hand.          
         My body became paralyzed and started to shimmer upon contact. What in the world was going on? Why is this happening? My arm started to disappear.
         “Ahhh! Wait…stop!” I shouted, panicking at the sight of my body vanishing before my eyes. “What’s going on!?”
         My body completely dissolved and the only thing that remained was a golden flame that hovered a few feet off the ground. This mystical energy darted into Kanade's palm which illuminated the faded rune that appeared a few days before. She closed her hand as the dancing light produced by the flame formed into the shape of a sword’s hilt.
         “Now, pull it from the runes!” shouted the King, who was holding a tome and casting a spell of his own.
         Kanade fully closed her hand, causing the hilt to fully materialize. As she pulled it from the runes, a long blade formed from the base of the hilt. She then swung her newly constructed sword above her head, basking in it’s glory.
         The mystical blade seemed to emit a calming aura that eased Kanade's fatigue. The hilt of this extraordinary sword was elegantly shaped like the wings of an angel, and was adorned with a large gold gem that rested in the middle. There were four other notches along the side of the hilt that looked like they could house more gems. The blade itself was long and straight. Strange engravings ran down the middle of this silvery blade. They were not of the common language, nor any other language found in the world today. It was simply a stunningly beautiful sword.
         When I next opened my eyes, I found myself in another strange void. But this one was not grey and cold, it was quite warm and was flowing with many different colors, and smelled oddly of lavender.
         “No, not again!” I ran around in panic. “Why am I in another one of these!?”
         I turned around and spotted a golden orb sitting atop a marble pedestal. What was this thing? I walked over and placed my hand upon it. My point of view then changed instantly. I was now looking out through the gem that rested in the middle of Kanade’s sword.
         “What? Am…am I her sword now?” I asked with great confusion. I lifted my hand from the orb and my vision reverted back to it’s original state. “Great…” I could hear talking coming from outside.
         “Congratulations,” said the King with a smile.
         “You are now a full fledged Paladin.”
         “Hurray!” Kanade cutely shouted. She ran her fingers across the blade and hilt.
         “Huh? What’s this?” she asked, rubbing her finger across a small crack in the golden gem. “Did I do something wrong?”
         “What..? An incomplete forging? This has never happened before…” the King walked around her, studying the sword. “Very peculiar.”
         “So what do I do with it when I’m not using it?” she asked.
         It? I’m not an “It” …how rude.
         “Ah, excellent question. There are several methods for storing your weapon. First there is what we like to call “The Weapon Gauntlet Method.” This allows you to convert your weapon into a gauntlet that will cover your dominate hand.” The king began a demonstration.
         His blade broke down into pure energy that traveled down his hand and part way up his arm. It then formed a shiny golden gauntlet, encrusted with various gems, replacing the gauntlet he was already wearing.          
         “It takes no time at all to convert it back, so its very handy in certain situations,” he explained.
         Ha! Handy…I wonder if the pun was intended…
         “The only down side to this is that it constantly drains your energy, so you cannot have it on for long periods of time.” He converted his gauntlet back to his blade.
         “The other method is to store it in an Arcane Storage Portal, or ASP. This was recently created by the magicians of Mana’lar and is quite convenient. However, there is a down side. It takes a few moments to summon it from the ASP and could be bad in sticky situations.”
         He looked down to see a confused look on her face.
         “Haha, don’t worry. You will master these methods in no time. For now just do what I do, keep it in it’s sheath. I’m old fashioned like that,” he said with a smile.
         Kanade tied the sheath she was given to her back and slid the sword into it. The King stood, pondering the possibilities of why the sword was damaged.
         Ding, ding, ding. Chimed the nearby clock tower, breaking the King’s focus.
         “Bah, Everything seems to be in working order, there’s just a fragment missing from the gem. I’ll see what I can do about fixing it. But right now you have to hurry home and get your uniform on. The Academy Day ceremony starts in an hour!” he yelled, nudging Kanade out the door. “Hurry now, you don’t want to be late for this!”
         “Yes, your majesty!” she bowed and took her leave.
         Kanade darted out of the castle towards her house with a look of excitement on her face.


               “Welcome back, dear. How did it-” Kanade ran to her room before Sayako could finish her sentence.
         She burst into her room and stood, staring at the uniform that hung on the closet door before her. Without hesitation, she threw me down against the dresser and began to undress.
         If I could describe this uniform in one word, it would be “elegant.” The uniform came in five parts, the undershirt, a huge ribbon, the jacket, a skirt and the leggings. The jacket was a silvery color with two white lines that extended from the breast, down to the hips. It had a number of buttons on the chest, but only two of them served any purpose, the others were just for show.
         Kanade took a look at the instructions that came with it and began to change. She slipped on the black undershirt and then tied the giant ribbon around her stomach and lower back. The ribbon was tied into a large bow that stuck out on either side of her body in the back.
          She then carefully buttoned up the jacket, trying not to wrinkle it. She next stepped into the black skirt and tightened the belt at the top so it wouldn’t fall off. The last thing in the box were the leggings, which would cover her feet, up to her thighs. These looked like long black stockings, but I guess they looked acceptable with the uniform.
         “Wow. She really is a beautiful girl,” I remarked.
         “Wha? Whose there!?” Kanade yelled, looking around.
         “Ha…that would be hilarious if she could hear me.”
         “I can hear you! Now show yourself, you peeping pervert!”
         I stopped for a moment to contemplate the situation. What if she can hear me?
         “Oh…I’m nothing like that,” I said.
         “Show yourself!” she yelled once again.
         “I am showing myself…I’m leaning against the dresser.” The gem on the blade glowed slightly.
         Kanade walked over to the sword and picked me up.
         “You’re…the spirit in my sword?” she asked with a quizzical expression on her face.
         “Apparently,” I replied with a laugh.
         “I had no idea we could communicate, I wonder if other Paladins can do this.”          
         “I haven’t the slightest.”
         Kanade unsheathed the sword and sat down on her bed. She gently ran her finger across the gem.
         “So what’s your name?” she asked.
         “I can’t remember.”
         She stood up and paced the room for a few moments before coming to a complete stop.
         “Mind if I call you An-chan*?” she asked in a voice that would make anyone submit.
         “-chan? That’s rather old, isn’t it?”
         “Yeah…but I’ve always wanted to add that to someone’s name. I think it’s cute,” she smiled.
         “Yes, but I’m a man…Though you can call me whatever you wish.” I let out a laugh.
         “Really? Thanks An-chan!~” she jumped in the air.
         “You may want to finish getting ready…you only have half an hour to get back to the castle,” I pointed out.
         “Ahh! So you’re right, I need to stop messing around. Oh…and please try to look away when I change…” she blushed.
         “But of course, my master,” I said in a reassuring tone.
         “And I’m sorry I called you a pervert.”
         “All is forgiven.”
         She sheathed the sword once again and finished getting ready. About five minutes had passed before she grabbed me, slung me on her back and ran out the door.


         The clock tower rang four just as Kanade reached her seat in ceremony hall. She sat next to three other girls, wearing the same uniform. Kanade looked around to see that her uniform was different from the others. Hers was fancier and had better color to it. Your uniform must upgrade with year, or rank.
         She turned her head to the right and took a quick glance at the three other girls sitting beside her.
         One was a rather short girl with pink hair and twintails that extended to her thighs. She seemed to be a very energetic girl, as she was fidgeting around in the chair. This girl was also…how should I say…very well endowed for her size… I’m by no means a pervert…
         The next girl was sitting with her legs crossed and she was gripping her right arm. Her hair was similar to the shorter girl's, but hers was blonde with a tinge of pink mixed in.
         “I wonder if they are related, those are unusual hair colors, much like my own…” Kanade said to herself.
         This girl had a very angry look on her face, and felt very different from the shorter one. I wonder if the two are really related…they seem to be on opposite sides of the spectrum.
         The girl turned her head and gave Kanade a menacing glare, which forced her gaze away.
         “What’s her problem?” Kanade asked under her breath.
         She raised her head again and took a look at the last girl. This one seemed to be the quiet type. Long black hair, droopy eyes, a small frown. But something seemed strange.
         Kanade leaned forward a bit, in an attempt to get a better look at her face. What she saw surprised her. This girl was wearing a silver mask on the right side of her face.
         “I wonder why she’s wearing that…” Kanade worryingly thought to herself.
         King Gallazar and Headmaster Arthur Simarion walked onto the stage in the center of the hall. The room grew silent instantly.
         “Greetings everyone! Its so wonderful to see so many of you here this year. It really is the age of the Lightwielder,” said Arthur, extending his hand.
         “Now then, lets talk a bit about Academy Day and today’s grand festival.”
         An hour had passed before Arthur finished his long speech which forced many of the students, including Kanade to fall asleep. He clapped his hands loudly, waking everyone from their naps.
         “I’m sorry that took so long. Now, I want everyone to leave here in an orderly manner. And for those of you attending the festival tonight, please be responsible and stay out of trouble,” said Arthur.
         Everyone began to stand up and head towards the exit doors in the back of the hall. Arthur cleared his throat again.
         “Make sure you are all here tomorrow at seven in the morning. It would be a shame if you missed the transport to the academy. Farewell!”
         Kanade got up and stretched out her arms. She turned to introduce herself to the other girls, but they had already departed.
         “Oh well…I’ll see them again,” she said, sighing deeply.
         “So are you going to the festival tonight?” I asked with great interest.
         “I don’t think so…I’m going to be at the academy for a long time so I want to spend tonight with my parents, and Alicia.”
         “Very well. A good choice.”
         Kanade tightened the sheath strap and headed out of the castle towards home.
         “Welcome back,” called William from the sitting room. He, Sayako and Alicia were relaxing in the aura of the newly started fire in the fireplace.
         “Hey guys. What are you all up to?” she asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
         “Oh not much…just resting. Ah, I packed your bags for you, and sent them to the castle upon the academy’s request.”
         “Thanks dad, that saves me a lot of trouble,” Kanade said, placing me down against the wall.
         “You…you’re going to be gone a long time aren’t you,” said William with a catch in his throat.
         “Yeah, but I’ll be able to visit in between semesters. So its not like I’ll be gone for years on end,” she said, trying to cheer him up.
         Alicia put down the book she was reading and softly cleared her throat.
         “We’re all going to miss you, young mistress.”
         “You…you know you don’t have to call me that…Alic-” Tears started to roll down her face.
         “I’m going to miss you guys too!” yelled Kanade, rushing in to a group hug. It was a truly touching moment for this loving family. I couldn’t help but get a little teary eyed myself. I must be getting soft. But when you’re getting carried around by a teenaged girl, I guess its understandable…
         “Now lets stop this sadness. This is a happy occasion. Our Kanade has been given one of the greatest honors in this world. Lets cheer up and spend one last evening as a family,” Sayako wiped away her tears.
         “What should we do?” asked Kanade, rubbing her red eyes.
         William stood up and walked over to the window that had a view of the High Quarter’s festival lane. He put his hand to his chin, then snapped his fingers and turned around with a sparkling smile. The family couldn’t help but be a bit confused at William’s reaction.
         “Lets attend a few of the festivities, its been ages since we’ve all be out to a festival!” he proclaimed.
         Hmm…a festival. I’ve never been to one…well none that I can remember. I wonder what you do there. Maybe there will be delicious food! …Oh wait I can’t eat anything. That’s so disappointing… Such is the life of a sword…I suppose…
         “Everyone, go get your festival clothes on, you too Alicia. But Kanade, you should stay in your uniform. It looks excellent.”
         “Ok, whatever you say dad.”
         Everyone got dressed in their fancy festival going clothes and hit the town. The streets were filled with food stands and performers. There were so many people dancing around and laughing, that is was hard to maneuver through the busy streets. The stands sold magnificent items and knickknacks that would please any child, or childish adult… As we passed the food vendors, the glorious sent of the delicious food wafted into the void. Kanade purchased what seemed to be some sort of caramelized food on a stick. I couldn’t be anymore jealous than I am right now. Why do I even have the sense of smell if I cant eat? Huh? …Someone has it out for me and if I ever find them they are going to get a face full of justice.


         Kanade and her family were having the time of their lives, playing games, dancing and eating the festival treats. It was a night none of us would forget and Kanade’s last happy moment with her family before she headed to the academy. Morning was fast approaching, so the family decided they have had enough fun and it was time to go home. Kanade had to wake up at the crack of dawn anyway.
         On their way back to the manor, they passed a dark alley which gave off a strange aura that sent a chill right down to the very bone. I knew something was amiss, it was the same feeling I had when the Shu’zul got loose in the city. A dark, evil feeling. One that could cause nausea to those of weak stomachs.   
         “Something’s not right here…” said Kanade, grasping the hilt of the sword.
         “I feel it too,” I said.
         A dark fog surrounded the group, frightening Sayako and Alicia. Echoic footsteps could be heard all around them. Something’s different. This aura is much stronger than that of the Shu’zul. I don’t know what’s going on but we need to get the hell out of here. Even though she’s a Paladin, this thing feels way out of her league. A strong frigid gust of wind blew through the street, ratting the windowpanes and slamming the shutters of the nearby shops.
         “Who would of thought the Truthbearer would be a teenaged brat,” called a menacing voice from the fog.
         “Killing a child may sully my reputation…but what must be done shall be done, for I have finally found you.” A large cloaked man appeared behind Kanade, holding a dagger to her throat. The family was paralyzed in fear. Alicia and Sayako were just civilians and William didn’t have his weapon with him. A Templar is nothing without their weapon.
         “Tell me, girly. How much praise do you think I will receive for bringing my master the corpse of the Legendary Truthbearer? Better yet, what if I bring you back alive…my master always had an affinity for torture…”
         Kanade let out a small gasp. William tightened his fists and grit his teeth in anger.
         “A lot…that’s how much…I may even get promoted,” he said. William then attempted to intervene.
         “Kana-” William was cut off.
         “Not so fast, Mr. Aristocrat. Or would you like me to kill your daughter in front of you?” He made a small scratch on her neck with the dagger. A tiny stream of blood began to trickle down her neck. She flinched and let out a small cry of pain. He was toying with her, if he had cut any deeper he could of ended it all right there. This is unacceptable, attacking an honorable Paladin from behind? The shame! Back in my day one would never-  …Back in my day? No! This isn't the time for thinking, I have to do something to save her!
         “Kanade, close your eyes!” I shouted, summoning energy to my left hand. Mystic runes danced around it as I closed my fist.
         “Brace yourself!” I slammed my left hand onto the orb, causing the sword’s gem to emit a blinding light.
         “What’s this!?” The man backed off, covering his eyes.
         “Now Kanade!”
         She drew the sword and swung it at the sinister man, slicing a bit of his clothing.
         “Ahaha. Using such cheap tricks will not work on-” He glanced down at the sword.
         “W-what? Impossible!…She possesses Angelg…how can this be…I must notify…” The man grew increasingly nervous and started to back away.
         “Who are you!?” Kanade yelled.          
         “N...none of your concern.”
         He backed up into the mist and disappeared.
         “Don’t press your luck, Truthbearer. We will meet again, and your life will surely end by my hand.” The fog dissipated into nothingness. Kanade and the rest of the family fell to their knees in exhaustion. That was too close for my liking. If that man had acted serious, he could have killed us all, but he didn’t. And what was that before? Have I finally started to recover my memory?           
         “What was…?” William grew speechless.
         “I don’t know…but…lets go home,” said Kanade, sheathing the sword on her back.
         The family remained quiet during on the walk back home. No one really knew what to say. And what was this Truthbearer nonsense about? Whatever it was it spelt trouble down the road for this passive girl. Kanade said goodnight to everyone and retired to her room.
         She laid back onto her bed with the sword in her hand. Her eyes were red and half closed. She seemed out of it.
         “What just happened?” she asked.
         “I’m not sure…But he called you the Truthbearer. Does that ring any bells for you?”
         “No, not really. Though when I was fighting the Shu’zul and the trial knight I did hear someone whispering in my head about the Truth. But I’m not quite sure what that means…” she sighed.
         “I’m…actually really scared…” I could feel her anxiety.
         “Don’t worry, I’ll always be here for you…and I’ll protect you with all my might!” I tried to cheer her up.
         “Thanks…An-chan,” she softly replied.
         “Yes…yes…An-chan…” I said sarcastically. Why did I let her add the -chan? Its degrading for a grown man to be called that.
         She set me down beside her bed and rolled over. I could tell she was still shaken up about what happened, but a good night's sleep is the cure for all things.
         “You should get some shuteye, Kanade. We have to be up bright and early tomorrow morn.”
         “Yeah…okay…” She snapped her fingers, deactivating the Light Crystals in her room.
         Poor girl…I just hope she toughens up, for I sense that much worse is on its way, for the both of us.
         I removed my hands from the crystal orb and took a look around my new home. Well at least its not cold in here… That’s a plus, I guess.


*Author’s Note*
* -chan is a Japanese honorific that is generally added to the names of babies, children or teenaged girls by others to express its cuteness or small size. It could also be used towards cute things, animals, lovers or close friends.          
         In this story it is used the same way, but is no longer common in the world since the beginning of the Technological Age, as An-chan pointed out.

To be continued in the next chapter… -Silver Cross Academy-