As always, Giliath demands your power stones!
*****
Creak.
One of the doors of the many rooms suddenly opened. What followed that was a female voice.
"So this is where you've been, Van. Still holed in your room? I thought you'd be at the courts with Rene by now.", A calm and collected female voice said, calling out to a black-haired boy with a dark blue hue. He, like all of the other students, was presently wearing the Aramis Academy school uniform. It's just that he was more loose and unkempt. He had the image of a bad boy, but in reality, this boy is now part of Aramis's student council, much to the girl who arrived in his room.
The girl, on the other hand, had a much more prim and proper appearance. It was almost the exact opposite to the boy's. Her background wasn't one to be messed with either. She was the sole daughter of the famous brand renowned throughout the entire Zemurian continent, the Quincy Company. This girl was Elaine Auclair. She has turned fifteen, and will be turning sixteen soon. She, together with the boy in front of her who is also of the same age, are first-year students at Aramis.
And on top of all of that, Elaine had already taken the Bracer Exam, and is a full-fledged bracer. Eventually, she will become the youngest A-Rank Bracer, toppling Sara's previous achievement. Considering it was just the dawn of the new century, that hadn't taken place yet. Elaine was only fifteen right now.
"Well that was the original plan, but sometimes life just throws you a curveball.", The boy said. He was Van Arkride, and the eventual protagonist of the Daybreak games. Something Naoto wished he would still be alive to experience, but he was brought into Zemuria before having the chance to play them. By a stroke of fate, he did encounter Van in the cult caves, and developed a budding friendship. Sadly, they parted ways shortly after that, and Van got picked up by an individual known as Gunther Barkhorn, a traveling priest of Septian Church. He was very much like Kevin Graham.
After Van's training period ended, he wound up in Edith, only to enroll at Aramis Academy, by Naoto's suggestion no less. Naoto even suggested Van to focus on economy courses due to what's going to happen in the coming year or two, Calvard's financial crisis. Van even became the Treasury of the Student Council. Elaine, who walked into the room and saw the black-haired boy seated by the windowsill with a newspaper in hand, was Aramis's Vice-President. She wouldn't become the Student Council President until the duo's best friend, who went by the name Rene Kincaid, would step down from said position.
"What in Aidios's name are you referring to this time? Surely you aren't up to no good.", Elaine frowned, seeing the seriousness in Van's eyes. Something he rarely showed.
"Nah. It ain't that this time. Didn't think the guy would be ballsy enough to send a message to the entire damn continent.", Van replied.
"What's this about a message?", Elaine questioned, wondering what Van was referring to. Instead, Van kept silent. Folding the newspaper, he tossed it over to Elaine. Catching it, she unfolded it before her. She was immediately drawn to a particular area of the newspaper. One of its headlines. The more she continued to read it, the more serious her face became. Van hadn't seen Elaine make several faces like this in one go too much before. As much as he wanted to laugh at what he was seeing, he kept it to himself.
"His Highness the Crown Prince of Liberl is hereby welcoming all countries alike to attend his engagement party at the start of next month...", Elaine uttered, sucking in a cold breath of air. "I didn't take you to be one to check up on international news, but then again, is it really the same as that if it's reaching Calvard's ears? This news is quite shocking.", Elaine continued to say.
"That's what I'm saying. Would you believe me if I told you I personally know the guy?", Van responded, doing a motion of his hand. Elaine just stared at him. Van wasn't in his usual joking mood like he was most of the time. His eyes were as serious as Elaine's shock was.
"It's not hard to tell when you decide to lie. But you're not joking this time around, are you, Van?", Elaine asked. "You really know Liberl's prince?", Elaine mused.
"I've come across a lot of shady fellows I'd rather have the pleasure of knowing. His Highness may not fall into the latter of that, but it is true I've met him. I even see him as a bud. He led me back to you and is what prompted me to enroll at Aramis. If it weren't for him, I'd likely still be wandering around like a sad pack of shit or holed up somewhere inside Kunlun Mountains.", Van explained with a nod.
"And so the dots are starting to connect...", Elaine responded, musing to Van's words. Van even had a reminiscent look in his eyes, recalling the events that took place while he was with Naoto several years ago. Van had assisted up to the point of clearing out Paradise. Afer that, Van and Naoto went their separate ways. Naoto returned to Liberl to announce himself as the next in line to the throne, while Van continued his journey with a new master. The travelling priest Barkhorn. It was only recently Van decided to settle back down in Edith, thanks to Naoto giving another push. And now, he's at Aramis.
"It's still something I can't talk much about, I'm afraid. It's linked to the wedge driven between the two of us back when we were young. But at the same time, like I said, it's what led me back to you. So I am grateful to him.", Van said.
"What matters most is the present right now. You're here, and that's all that matters.", Elaine nodded. "Now it's making much more sense as to why this piece of mail was shipped directly to you.", Elaine said, reaching into her uniform and bringing out a sealed envelope. On it even had Liberl's insignia stamp.
"Dude, I swear that guy's a mind reader or something. Please don't tell me it is what I think it is.", Van frowned, seeing the stamped envelope. Elaine simply opened it and saw that it was a letter addressed to Van.
"And don't you just casually open my stuff like that. That's invasion of privacy!", Van retorted.
"Oh hush. We both know what this is. Why bother hiding it?", Elaine responded.
"What is it we're hiding now?", A voice said, calling out to the two. It appeared to be a guy's voice. A figure calmly appeared near the doorway. He was also in uniform, and was wearing glasses. His appearance was very upright, even more so than Elaine's.
"See for yourself.", Elaine said, tossing the letter at the bespectacled man. He caught it with ease.
"Hey! You can't just peruse my stuff like that, dude. I'm not a public library.", Van retorted, seeing the man also read the letter.
"Oh can it. It isn't often something gets addressed to you and you know it, Van. But this...Just what in Aidios's name did you do this time? This is addressed from the Liberlian Embassy.", The man said.
"Hey. I ain't done nothin' wrong since I came here. If anything, it's that guy's fault, not mine. You two were bound to find out about him eventually, I just didn't think it'd be like this.", Van said, rubbing his hair with his hand. "Anyways, out with it. You two snatched that letter before I could even read the damn thing.", Van said, complaining to the two.
"Aren't you a lucky guy. You're invited to attend the Crown Prince's engagement party as one of his guests. Just what in Aidios's name did you do?", The bespectacled man said, pushing his glasses upward with his hand.
"What!?", Van said, proceeding to stand up from where he was seated. He swiftly arrived next to the man, and snatched the letter, before reading it himself.
"It even said up to two people can be taken with me...", Van responded, taking a moment to read the letter. "Okay. This feels like a set-up if I ever seen one. At least I don't need to suffer through a noble's shindig alone. You two are comin' with. No questions. Even if I have to drag you two through the pits of Gehenna, I ain't sufferin' through this by myself.", Van said, looking at Elaine. As to who the man was, they were the duo's best friend. He went by the name Rene Kincaid and he was a year older, making him a second-year student.
"Don't drag me into this. This is your mess to deal with. For starters, why don't you tell us what happened all those years ago?", Elaine said, appearing to push Van.
"That...", Van tried to say. To their surprise, Van turned his figure around. "I just can't.", Van continued. The atmosphere began to turn weird after he said that. Rene gently shook his head and placed his hand on Elaine's shoulder. Elaine quickly realized what she had just said.
"I-I'm sorry, Van. That was insensitive of me.", Elaine quickly responded, trying to ease the tension. At the same time, Van scratched his head, also feeling apologetic.
"Nah. It ain't your fault Elaine. It's entirely mine. And his. One of these days I'll tell you. But perhaps if you do go with me, you may find the answers you want.", Van said, drawing Elaine's interest.
"I might have to take you up on that offer. But still, this is a noble's party we're talking here. And not just any noble. How will we even begin to play the part? I need to shuffle this around with my Bracer work. Did it say where the venue was?", Elaine asked.
"Where else do you think? It's being hosted at Valflame Palace. Normal folks like us can't ever hope to even enter inside, so this is an opportunity that is hard to pass up. But I've a lot on my plate, dealing with the school budget for the remainder of the year and all that. I'll leave the logistics of planning this to you. If there's one thing I want to learn, it is why Liberl's prince knows a deadbeat like you.", Rene said.
"I ain't no deadbeat, damn it.", Van cursed, immediately retorting Rene. But that was enough to ease the atmosphere around them again, causing the three to laugh. "But yeah, the two of us will take care of it. I'm sure you're busy as all hell. So good luck with that.", Van responded.
"That reminds me. Don't you two have a game at the courts today? Aren't you going to be late for that?", Elaine questioned.
"Oh shit. We should hurry. I'll leave the letter to you Elaine.", Van said. He quickly grabbed onto Rene, dragging him out of his dorm room, suddenly leaving Elaine by herself.
Seeing the letter on the ground, Elaine picked it back up, placing it into her hands. She began reading the letter again, and entered her own thoughts.
"Still, His Highness Naoto...You're a pretty interesting guy, seeing you know Van of all people...", Elaine uttered to herself, wondering what type of person Naoto was. Still, she had no business left here seeing she was alone now. Closing Van's door, she too, returned to her duties for the day, including some Bracer work she had to attend to.