Post by Saito Kito on Jan 4, 2015 17:13:37 GMT -5
The world was a vast place. Though Fuhrer Burradori did rule over the Earth, it was impossible to truly rule it all. Small factions of the world remained outside of his control. Whether it was an area that was too isolated to conquer fully, or perhaps just a small settlement, this part of the world truly had nothing to do with the capital. Are there stories any less relevant? Are the cries of a child across the world any less important? This is the story of Glacier City, the land outside the Fuhrer’s grasp.
The gongs rang out through the city, as the Dawn Mercenary envoys flew overhead. There were only three of them, though that was all that was necessary. Each Dawn Mercenary was stronger than the average man, their muscles bulging from the tightly worn elastic armor that coveted their perfect figure. Their hair unkempt and wild as to portray their inner savage. It was unbelievably cold on this particular morning of extraction. The Dawn Mercenary's seemed warm enough, wrapped in their royal embroidered capes of wool. Yet most of the slaves in the crowd hadn't a shirt to wear. If they were lucky enough to hide their shame behind a small cloth or the skin of an animal they were considered rich. Sonya stood among them, her own body covered in the only pair of pants she had ever owned, and a bear pelt that covered half of her chest. He recalled giving the rest of the bear away to feed the hungry, and cloth the children whom needed it most. The conditions within Glacier were getting worse every day. Less food was being shipped into the settlement, and was no doubt the doing of the endless appetite of the Dawn Mercenary pigs who called themselves owners.
As the gongs rang for a final time the human's of the settlement gathered in the main courtyard. It spanned for several yards, and with every slave packed shoulder to shoulder would hold several thousand people. Children would be held on their parents weakened shoulders to prevent them from being lost in the sea of lost souls, and from the very center a spire could be seen. These were the lucky ones, they said only those whom could see the spire were free from oppression, though free was hardly a term the human's liked to use. The Dawn Mercenary's still rationed food, and came to claim any human they wanted. It was this level of poverty that was the best a human could hope for. At least here you were not yet a slave, bound to a master and tortured through labor and psychological torment. The spire was made of what little was left of the former West city. The buildings had been reduced to rubble, and the surviving stones and metals served as support for the tower, where the three Dawn Mercenary’s would finally land. It wasn't as particularly tall as it was daunting. The SE emblem painted over it was demoralizing even for the most optimistic human's.
"Sonya!"
The thin woman turned to find one of the local children making a run for her. The small gap allowed her to maneuver around legs and through the crowd to her arms. Leaping into the air and lunging at her, she was quick to catch the girl, twirling her for a moment and then holding her upright at chest level, her arms wrapped tightly around her neck. It was Lily one of the children that Sonya often came and read to on days she had the time. Without schooling the settlement had to rely on the knowledge of the eldest among them, which wasn't much. It had been nearly four generations since the Dawn Mercenary take over, and reading or writing was far from common. Sonya however knew it well. The hermit had taught him all of these and more, and she in return passed it on to the children, knowing they would absorb it well. Lily was her favorite, she was so full of spirit. At only eight years old she was already dreaming about the future. Her ignorant optimism was brightening in such a gloomy place. She told him often of her plans to become a doctor, a medical professional so great that the Dawn Mercenary’s would hire her to help them, and from there she would give all of her money to her much needing family. A noble goal but Mercenary’s had little need for doctors, as far as Sonya could see they were never injured, the warriors were more than a little powerful, and never once had Sonya seen their armor even buffed.
The Dawn Mercenarys landed on their perch and began talking among themselves, obviously stalling the message they had prepared. Sonya held on tightly to Lily, every month when these monsters arrived she had the same worry that her body would be noticed, and that she would be taken away to a mine where her small fingers could reach for diamonds, or a house of horrors where her small frame would be subject to the perverted mind of a Dawn Mercenary elite. The thought of it happening to anyone was enough to make her stomach churn, her chest burning with untapped rage. There was nothing she could do. She was in no way strong enough to do anything about this, the hermit had told him so on more than one occasion. He had said that there was a time and place for everything and that now was neither the time nor place for action.
"How is my favorite little girl today?"
She said with a false smile. There was no need to frighten the girl. She needn't know how dire the situation was, or what she could possibly face. Her smile however was most genuine as she looked up from Sonya’s pelt covered chest and returned the facial glance, one of her teeth missing proudly.
"Sonya I lost a tooth! Just five more and that’s all of them"
With a chuckle she set her down, and not a moment too soon, while their innocent charade was being played, the Dawn Mercenarys atop the spire had finished their conversation, and were preparing to speak. Sonya put one finger to the girls lips and immediately she knew the drill, any noise or movement would draw attention to them, and this would make them susceptible to the abduction.
"Good Evening"
The one in the middle spewed, the crowd remaining silent, not daring to return the gesture.
"Today as you well know is the first of the month"
As if taunting them he continued slowly, the words falling from his lips with sick pleasure. His hair was all but removed, leaving a small crescent over the back. This was the famed General Glory. The man was more than capable when it came to fighting like any other Dawn Mercenary, but this one had the specific job of running the abductions. Any Dawn Mercenary would do, but Glory was specifically cruel, looking for the most vulnerable to ensure that spirits were never very high. His dark Dawn Mercenary armor gleamed in the nearly full moonlight.
"Things will be a little different today. The king would like to inform you of...a policy change"
Sonya's heart nearly tore from her chest. The abduction was the same every month. Twelve people were chosen by the Mercenary’s. It had been that way for decades. His grip on Lily's arm grew tighter as Glory continued, his cruel tone almost unbearable for the audience to stand. Their fate sealed in his words.
"Due to a lack of proper work ethic, we will now be taking all of the children under the age of six in order to breed them to be proper slaves. Their parents obviously aren't doing a good job. Today we will start with the six year olds. Next month five, and so on until all the children have been extracted, that of course is in addition to our usual dozen"
It was unthinkable. Usually children under six were exempt from the abduction due to their small stature. The sounds of mothers crying could be heard, as if a wave of pure terror had been struck in them. The possibility of losing their children was hard enough, however now it was an inevitability. She looked around the crowd, seeing worried mothers holding their children tightly, and the dutiful fathers holding their wives, holding in their own temptation to cry or lose grip. They couldn't show weakness, not in the face of such dire consequences. Sonya's eyes widened as the situation became more real than she would have ever believed it to be. Like a nightmare from above the Dawn Mercenary’s began dropping from the spire, their scouters leading them immediately to the needed targets. The two Mercenary’s whom had accompanied Glory did the dirty work. Grabbing and ripping young children from their parents. The air escaped his lungs and before him stood a crowd of screaming hopeless slaves.
"No"
She whispered, Her body wanting to act, but her mind to gripped by fear and frustration to act. As the children were abducted quickly and returned to the top of the spire it became clear that Sonya could do little to save them. From the spire they were abducted, light seemingly peering from the heavens and drawing them up into the darkness of the night. It was in that moment that Sonya noticed it, he looked down to find that Lily had disappeared, her small agile body sifting through people and towards one of the Dawn Mercenary creeps as they were grappling for yet another young child. Throwing her arms up and punching into his armor in a futile manner the eight year old scolded the Dawn Mercenary.
"Put him down, he belongs to his mama!"
She yelled, only to have the Dawn Mercenary turn his attention to her, dropping the small child to the ground giving him the opportunity to scurry away. The meaty hands of the ape grabbed hold of the small girl by the arm.
"I would bid on you pretty one, you will make a man very happy"
She had no time to think. The world around her was coming to a screeching halt yet society continued to flow as it normally would. Some human's surrendering their children to spare their life and avoid injury, and others swearing to give their lives to protect their young, something many of them would have to do. Her anger welled before finally he could no longer suppress the burning rage within her. When the Dawn Mercenary made his move to hold the small girl, Sonya lost all of her cognitive reality, her mind telling her to move, and forcing her muscles to dash forward, knocking people down as she ran. The Dawn Mercenary had only barely looked up when the sight of the human's heal immediately making contact with the Dawn Mercenary's jaw became all too real. His hand lost grip of Lily, allowing her to fall to the hard ground below.
"Run!"
Looking up she saw it, Sonya was not merely standing their ready for a brawl, there was a light about her, a bright energy coursing through her veins. Her eyes were thin as the Ki reserves in her body began to charge, and the Mercenary stumbled back to his feet. This was a fat one, his belly pouring over the side of his armor revealing a small path of skin. Not wasting another moment the brute lunged forward, only to be side stepped and countered with a swift fist into his unprotected gullet. Lily nodded and picked up her feet, finally realizing that she was in over her head. The Dawn Mercenary turned, having drawn the attention of his thinner counterpart whom was just a few feet away in the crowd. Jumping over the crowd to engage the insubordinate Human he would find engaging her all too difficult as Sonya grabbed the thick of the fallen Dawn Mercenary's ankle, and swung him forward towards his oncoming partner. The collision would have been comical in less dire circumstances, but as it stood no one was laughing, especially not the Mercenary’s. Humans began to run about, trying to exit the courtyard and return to their homes. A feeble attempt to hide their children which would ultimately fail.
Glory watched from above, a cocky smile plastered on his face as he watched the combat from below. This human was making quite the show, and proving what Glory had been saying all along. He knew that the humans were not such simple pawns, yet years of ignorant obedience had proven that statement false. Now the face of true rebellion was showing. This woman was always there. She had never missed a day in the abductions, yet Glory had never once noticed her. Her ability to stay incognito was impeccable, and only now that the civilization was struck with such heart ache did she appear. Glory watched as the man fought, for he did so gracefully.
Both Mercenary’s stood, and readied for attack, using their incredible speed they dashed to either side of Sonya, who had already taken her fighting stance. One leg forward, the other leaned back in preparation to counter. One arm forward, and the other close to her chest. The style of the Turtle Hermit. As the two Dawn Mercenary's made their forward attack, Sonya found himself diving between the two of them, narrowly avoiding two well-aimed fists, and allowing them to collide into their partners face. The Dawn Mercenary’s stumbled back, their pride injured. Looking at each other, tears welling in their eyes from their facial collision, they knew that only one thing was going to be able to prove their dominance, and with a nasty grin, they each held up their hands, a similar red aura forming under each one, and congregating into a mass above their palm.
"Any last words Bitch"
The fatter of the two yelled, the few humans that remained watching in awe. Much like a train wreck they knew the outcome would be poor, but had to watch in the hopes that it would turn in their favor. Sonya bowed her head, staring to the ground. She had been given specific orders not to engage, or reveal this technique, yet she knew within his heart that she had to. It was the right time whether the Hermit thought so or not. Her body already crouched, Sonya layered her hands her thigh as she spoke. Her hair had fallen over her face, sweat pouring down as the extraneous fighting had gotten to her. Yet as her aura charged her hair began to rise. A yellow orb forming in the palms of her hands as her voice echoed through the courtyard.
"Ma…Sen…Ko"
The Dawn Mercenarys were obviously confused at first. Unaware that the man was charging the infamous attack of the hermit school, yet as the orb finally became visible her intentions were made clear. Glory from above his perch watched. His smile widening as the identity of the human became clear. This was a woman in connection with the remnants of the old world. This woman, whether he was the instructor or just one of the students, this was a step in the right direction. Glory knew what was to come and yet still would not step in. His hair stood on end excited to watch the outcome as he knew it to occur. Yet something caught his eye, and he was forced to take way, disappearing from the spire in the final seconds of the fight. As the two Dawn Mercenarys launched their red orbs simultaneously Sonya released her rage, and fear, and honor all in one bright strike.
"HA!"
The blast immediately engulfed the two Dawn Mercenarys in a light more powerful than they had ever anticipated. The best Sonya had to offer had just been thrust towards them, and both were swept from their feet and pushed in an upward arc over the walls of the grounds and into the living district. Their weakened states would no doubt lead to their death as the human's in that area became aware of their arrival. Yet the weakened Sonya had only one thing on her mind. Her chest heaved for more air as she looked frantically around the courtyard, her eyes scanning for Lily.
"Looking for her?"
Her ears did not deceive her. The evil general held her by one dangling arm, his laughter nearly as loud as her screams of fear as he held her over the tower. Sonya wanted to yell out something brave like let her go, or you'll be sorry. But she was too weak, and Glory knew it. The wave had taken every ounce of her energy and now Sonya was but a weakened shell of the woman who could have done anything about it.
"See you next month Sonya, and I suggest you prepare. I will be ready for you"
Without another word the beam of light came down, extracting both the balding Dawn Mercenary, and the little girl Sonya she so loved. As they began to disappear the woman dropped to her knees. She had failed to defend the girl she had given up her secrecy for. Her body ached from the combat, and her muscles shook with tension as she tried not to cringe. Yet tears began to stream down her face. Even with all of her effort she had been unsuccessful. It was all she could do not to break down entirely, but as their hero sobbed on the ground, the human's were doing something else. They were surrounding her. The men had all gathered after hiding and securing their families. Having seen Sonya's defense on their behalf they were both stunned, and impressed. Most of all however they had hope. Hope that the Dawn Mercenarys would not forever own their souls, and that they may yet rise up. One took a step forward, placing his hand on Sonya's shoulder and helping her up. No words needed to be spoken, Sonya came to understand what they were thinking. The determined look in their eyes said it all.
"They will not have our spirit any longer. Today we fight back."
She growled looking up towards the sky that had taken their children, and countless others before them. The Dawn Mercenarys would own this day, but not another after it. They had a month to train and prepare for the next abduction, and they would be ready.
(Part 1 complete: Zeni. No worries, Saito arrives in Part 2!)
(Part 1 complete: Zeni. No worries, Saito arrives in Part 2!)