Original Fanfiction: Tales Of Recurrence Prologue/Chapter 1
Note: An original story based on the Tales series. I'd appreciate any feedback.
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Prologue:
In this world there exists both light and darkness, good and evil, yin and yang. Neither can exist on its own, because both were involved in the genesis of this world. Cronus, the personage of light and good, and Leviathan, the visage of darkness and evil. It is said that the clashing of these colossal forces created life as we know it today. Now dormant, these forces were sealed away by our earliest ancestors, never to be seen again. Should these powers ever awaken, chaos would ensue, and the world as we know it would cease to exist.
Present-Day
Two years have passed since the end of the Leviathan War. The evil who threatened to release the Leviathan upon the world has been silenced, and the Alkyrian Empire is prospering. However, heroes have been forgotten, and sacrifices have been made. The true nature of those events remain in the eyes of nature, while their significance wanes in the eyes of the populus. A waterfall cavern recalls an unbreakable bond. A moonlit plain still shines with the light of youth. An old tree watches over a lonely grave.
But alas, the world has moved on, forgetting the events that nearly led to its annihilation. How quick we are to forget our sins; to push aside the events of our past; to run from our problems.
When we fail to face our past, it is doomed to repeat itself.
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Chapter 1:
“Amy, wake up!”
“Huh?” groaned the groggy, slender brunette. Through a hazy veil she could see two figures standing ominously before her.
“C’mon Amy! We’re gonna be late!”
She sat up in her bed as her world slowly came into focus. Suddenly, she recognized the owner of the first voice. “Giacomo…” she mumbled.
“Any day now, sleepyhead!” he replied.
“C’mon! The Captain’s waiting!” added the other voice.
Amy turned to face the owner of the other voice. Suddenly, it dawned on her. “Kylie?” she mumbled. “I was just having the craziest dream…”
“You sure picked a great day to sleep in, silly!” scolded Kylie with a friendly smile.
“Just hurry up and get ready! We leave for our first mission today!” urged Giacomo.
“Okay, okay! Just give me a sec, I’ll be ready!” grinned Amy sheepishly.
“That’s the spirit!” cheered Kylie.
“We’ll see you down in the briefing room then. Don’t keep the Captain waiting!” smirked Giacomo.
Amy tried to stave off the sweet sensation of sleep as her friends sauntered off. To think, after just a year of training in the Royal Guard, they finally had their first mission. The three friends entered the guard at 17, several months after the Great War had ended. Kylie and Giacomo…her first friends at the castle, and the closest thing she has ever had to family. Kylie always smiles, if only to mask the pain of her parents’ death. She always wears a locket with a picture of her mother inside. Giacomo is more mature than most people his age, working to restore his family name. As far as Amy knew, Giacomo was left in the care of the castle just like she was. Upon entering the guard, they were placed under the command of Captain Avery Wellington. They found this assignment to be a perfect fit. To Amy, Giacomo, and Kylie, Captain Wellington was the father they never had.
Shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, Amy grabbed her sword and left to meet up with Giacomo and Kylie. However, before she could round the corner, she was greeted by the sound of hushed voices. She recoiled in shock, and then pressed herself against the wall to listen in.
“Are you kidding me? It’s a deathtrap!”
“Believe me, I don’t like this either…”
“…And even if they find it, are we really going to…”
“Listen. All I know is that these orders came from above me. There’s nothing I can do about it.”
And with that the conversation ended. She turned the corner, and found General Solomon Vega and one of his aides still talking to each other in hushed voices. Continuing on her way, she pondered what she had heard.
“HEY! There you are, sleepyhead!” Kylie shouted at her.
“Took ya long enough,” Giacomo chimed in.
“…What was that about?” Amy pondered.
“What was what about?” inquired Kylie.
Amy turned around, only to find the General and his aide were gone.
“Are you paying attention, Amy? This is important, you know!” said the Captain sternly. “The General himself will be briefing us. You’ve drawn an important mission for your first, Amy. You should really pay attention!”
“S-s-sorry, sir!” stammered Amy.
“Don’t worry,” Captain Wellington smiled, “I’d rather have you doze off now than in front of the General!”
On that note, the door opened, and in came General Vega. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip the amenities and get right to the point,” he bellowed. “We’d like you to investigate the Boreas Icefields. Rumor has it there is an oasis hidden in the icefields. In this oasis there is an object of great importance to us. Your mission is to locate this oasis and recover this object. Any questions?”
Giacomo raised his hand. “What exactly is this object we’re looking for?”
“All I’m told is that it is an artifact of some sort. The orders came from above me, so it’s an artifact of great importance to my superiors.”
“And how are we supposed to find this oasis?” Giacomo inquired.
“I’m afraid I can’t help much with that either. If you ask around Aquilo, someone should be able to help you.”
“So we’re basically on our own here,” Captain Wellington interjected.
“Unfortunately so. Like I said, these orders came from above me, so my hands are tied here. The best I can do is wish you luck.”
With that the General promptly took his leave.
