The Heart of Gaia

An echoed voice reverberated throughout my ears. It called upon me, I felt my whole body submerged under the water. I tried moving but my body wasn't responding to my thoughts. Forcefully I tried opening my eyes, slowly they opened. The horrific sight made my skin crawl out of fear, my body trembled before it, The shadows wasn't at all covering the frightful thing in front of me. The used to be heavenly location in my dreams was now in ruins, the void ate the untainted skies, the pool was now red and thick like blood that bathed my body waist down. The warmth had vanished was replaced with skin chilling coldness. But all of that lacked in comparison compared to what laid in front of me. I saw my father in his last moments on the pool of blood, he just sprawled there lifeless with eyes that screamed out the epitome of Laxxo; eternal void. I couldn't face away as my body was frozen in an upright position. I felt tears rolling down my face as the agonizing sight etched into my mind. The unbearable feeling of immobility was gnawing at me as my father laid there. Soon enough I heard a voice echoing throughout my hellish prison.

"S-son..."

I heard my father, calling towards me. Immediately I took notice of the mangled body, it's mouth was mumbling as if it was still alive. I felt a little hope but then.

"Why did you leave me..."

"Why... why?"

"I never thought my son would be like this."

"You left me..."

"You spineless coward, useless."

The endless degrading words that came from him, tore away at my heart. I sobbed while stuck in self-pity. I blamed myself for everything.

"I-If only I was strong enough!"

I screamed out every bit of emotion I had along with it was my voice.

*Gasp!*

I gasped for air, I woke up feeling like a thousand bricks had fallen on my head. My bare body was dripping with cold sweat as I tried to move but the pain from my ankle stopped me in doing so. I slowly curled up hugging my legs feeling like I just wanted to end my life right there. Depressed I just sat there on the bed. Finally I heard a door creak open, I remained in my position not even trying to glance at their direction.

"How are you doing child?"

I heard a soft but well spoken out voice, I knew it was Madame Cordelia.

"I know that it's hard right now bu--"

"What do you know?! you left my father!"

"We had no choice..."

"We had a choice! we could've fought or maybe thought of another way!" I shouted.

"It was your father that decided, I never wanted to leave him."

As she tried to place her hand on my shoulder to sympathize along with me. I smacked her hand away, I glared at her with teary eyes and a foul expression. My face softened a bit when I saw her bright emerald colored eyes drenched with tears. I realized that she had been through as much as I did and yet my emotions caused myself to become cruel. I turned away and covered myself with the bed sheets.

"You're not alone in this Knoxx... My only daughter still hasn't woken up."

"If you're ready, let me know..." she said softly.

She left without anything else to say as the door slowly closed so did myself--Days passed, I've only ever walked around my room, it had enough lodging for one person only. One large window that let the sunshine seep through warming my cold mornings, a table and a chair beside it. A big wardrobe with everyday clothing in it. I had meals everyday as they sent food in front of my door, I only ate bits of them and drank water. I lost my appetite, I spent the past few days lost in thought. I would occasionally look through the window and saw people training on the grounds. I saw Higime there along side the many people, she must've woken up a few days ago. She looked well...

Throughout the past days I've been alone, Madame Cordelia never visited me again after that. I wanted fresh air, so I went outside. The place was a huge fortress, I went towards the left path as I saw a large entrance. I followed the fresh breeze and there I met a large grassy field that was surrounded by a parapet wall. I continued to walk towards the embrasures as a strong gust of wind blew against my hair. From my view I clearly saw the people training with their weapons. People practicing archery and magic.

"You've finally came out."

I didn't have to turn in order to realize that it was Madame Cordelia. She stood beside me looking at the same view.

"Look at them, do you know what I see?" she asked.

"No..."

"People fighting..."

"They're just training."

"Oh it is, they're training to join the Liberators... Each of them had fought in their own battlegrounds, each one varies. All of them had a choice but they chose to fight."

"Each and everyone of us is given a choice. Some of us just decided that it's better to make a difference whether in others or in ourselves. No matter the reason, humanity will fight; It's in our nature. Such is the life of man, struggle only to find ourselves in the battle of life." she remarked.

I looked at her and thought why do people call her "Madame" is it because of her age? Her skin looked fair and spotless, a wrinkle was nowhere to be found on her beautiful face. I found no ring on both her hands, she wasn't married; I concluded. She looked like in her late twenties. Maybe they gave her 'Madame' as a title because of her precocious demeanor as respect, not because it was the appropriate way to address her.

"It's either you fight or you don't, it's up to you... You're father is still alive, they won't let him off easily. Especially without you."

"I'll fight... for his sake!"

I felt hopeful and excited, I wanted to rescue him badly; I wanted to see him.

"But what do they want from me?"

"They want you because of what you possess."

"What do I possess?"

"You hold great power within you child, in this world nothing is more precious than what you hold."

I contemplated about what she had said, it felt like she was holding herself back. As if hiding something. My thoughts took me back towards that sleepless night at her Inn.

"That night at the Inn..."

"What of it?"

"You were arguing against my father in the night..."

"Ah... It is not my position to tell you such a thing."

I bit my lip in frustration but I had to accept the fact that my father might still be hiding something from me, so what ever it was I must know. I trust my father but there was a lot of things he hid from me, I should expect the same right now. Even without him here, I still knew close to nothing.

"I'm prepared to know."

I gulped as she stared at me. She was hesitant but finally gave out.

"You're the only remaining survivor of the Cursed Children of Laxxo... I'll only reveal that, the rest is up to you whether you believe it or not."

Then the reason my father had betrayed the kingdom was because he loved a woman from the Children of Laxxo? did my mother die because she was killed in the war? So much questions popped through my head, Why had he kept so much? didn't he trust me? was it because I was dangerous that he had kept me inside our home all along?

"H-how could that be? weren't they eradicated in the Great cleansing of Gaia?"

"Indeed they were but here you are... All you have to know is that you have unparalleled ability of the magical arts."

I realized that I needed to confront my father about all of this, How come he kept this hidden. I needed to strive, become stronger so I could save him. So the next day I prepared myself in the morning, as Madame Cordelia told me that before the first light of dawn I must be present at the Training field as to formally join the Liberators. I couldn't just shy away after all that has happened, nothing good will come from doing sulking; I had to fight. A housekeeper of the fortress came last night and gave me proper clothing to use during training, Madame Cordelia had sent her. I went off as my room was apart of the keep, I passed through the bailey and saw recruits coming out of the small barracks on the far western wall. Soon enough I reached the drawbridge and saw the moat beneath. Most of the recruits started pouring out towards the open field by the eastern side of the fortress. I arrived and there I saw at least fifty people gathering, In the crowd I saw Higime. I went towards her direction and greeted her good morning.

"how are you feeling?" I asked.

"Better, how about you?"

"Much better." I muttered lying to myself.

As the sun rose, a man of average height with blonde hair and blue eyes stood in the middle of the crowd.

"GOOD MORNING RECRUITS! I am Nolan Bardel! each and everyone of you will refer to me as Instructor Bardel!"

"Each and everyone of you will have to prove their worth! Form a line!"

Everybody lined up, from afar I could see one person that didn't follow and had sat by a tree. Instructor Bardel came towards this person.

"I see that you're the Rebellious type!"

"I don't see the point to all of this" The guy replied.

Bardel pulled the guy towards him and pushed him in front of the line.

"Since you wanted to see the point in all of this, I'll show it to you! show me what you got!"

As he raised his hand challenging the newcomer, The man ran towards him, he was immediately blown to the ground.

"Now you see? we might be a Rebellion but we still need to work as a whole, serving as Knights of the Liberators!"

Soon groups of men came carrying weapons and their respective weapon racks, they placed them finely in a line near us.

"Pick and choose a weapon of your choice, come at me!" As his eyes burned with passion.

Recruits fell down one by one. completely overpowered by sheer skill and strength until finally, a goofy looking character with a loud mouth was next in line.

"Oh no! I don't want to fight! I don't like it when I bruise myself!" He squealed.

"You're next! come here! grab any weapon!" Instructor Bardel said.

"I don't want any weapon... They're too heavy for me."

Now that I was looking at him, he was too clean and He moved too feminine for a man.

"Well?! are you engaging or not?"

"I don't really want to fight..." He said in a low voice.

"I see..."

Instructor Bardel dashed towards him as he struck, my eyes couldn't keep up but then surprisingly the person had blocked his attack. He had wings that had sprouted wide open from his back.

"Most Impressive and an Elgan too! your name recruit!" he praised him.

"DeWitts, Ambrose sir!"

After him everybody resulted the same and was completely dominated by Instructor Bardel. Except for a few people that gained praise from him, along them was Higime as a Faustian she was naturally stronger than that of a human. She chose a weapon twice her size, a Battle hammer and lasted the longest against him but she always hesitated. Soon followed a female Deimos with her swift and precise movements with the dagger, then lastly was another male near my age that wielded the bow as if it were an extension of himself. After the whole physical training, he transitioned to Magical ability. He had one of his men pull out crystal from the Keep and out came with them was Madame Cordelia.

"Do each and every single one of you know about this?"

He held out his hand with the glowing crystal on his palm. One of the recruits answered.

"It's a Vistone sir!"

"That's right! otherwise known as Viscorr!"

"This crystals have been growing under the world since before the time of living beings!" said Bardel.

"It is said that this was Gaia's gift to all the living beings of the world, Blessing us with her power. The very origination of magic."

"Each stone has unstable and powerful magic, capable of mowing down Thousands of men. But cannot be harnessed. It is only here to provide us beings of magic." said Madame Cordelia.

"A medium! if you will, that connects us to the power of Gaia. Thus allowing us to perform various magical spells but will depend on your Corr capacity." she continued.

"Now! every single one of you will have to hold the crystal, the brighter it is the higher your Corr capacity will be and Madame Cordelia here will appoint your specialty judging from the color that the crystal shows."

As I saw the crystal and it reminded me of a bad time, I was afraid. I might cause a commotion like before. I was drawn to the crystal like before but this time it was different. After a while it was my turn--I hesitated to touch it and then I realized that before I held it with both hands. I wonder what would happen if I just poke it.

"Come on kid! we haven't got all day." said Bardel.

As I poked it, it glowed dimly...

"Well looks like you haven't much tal--"

It's dim light grew brighter and stronger by the second, soon it had covered everything forcing everyone to cover their eyes while averting away their gaze. I felt my eyes burning again in a split second and saw nothing except glowing orbs inside silhouette figures of people. When the light calmed down so did my eyes, every single person was awestruck. Then the crystal showed every single color before it turned to clear and translucent. Madame Cordelia was confused, she knew that I was different but not to this extent. She couldn't figure out what specialty I would be placed in, as people tend to lean onto one kind of magic type in their life and at most was three. Madame told me that we'll figure out the situation at a later date. Finally the day had ended, I laid in bed exhausted and stomach full of a hearty meal.