A Granado Espada Fanfiction for the Contest “[Distorted World] First Contact”
By: Okasamyn (GEEU IGN: Hydrorgyrum)
Part 1: The dreams of a Silent Girl (Memento Mori Berthe’s narrative)
Good morning! My name is Berthe and the first thing I saw is my friend and guardian, Charles. He is quite the character and noisy too but, please forgive him for his noise. He is making my share of the noise as well. You see I am mute, it was not always that way. I just simply lost my voice.
Charles is being very noisy, noisier than usual. Is it because I had another bad dream and he is talking so much so that I can forget it? Yes it was a rather bad and cruel dream.
In that dream, no… In that twisted world; Laura, Juliana, and Lena is dead. They died in the first war. Patrick succumbed to the abyss. Van and Ornelia died together leaving Vincent with their will and that spear. A truly twisted world, sorrowful, cruel, and fading into destruction.
A few days later, my friend Anis and Sirius came to visit me in Biego. That was when I first saw him, a shadow behind Sirius. Deep, deep, deep black shadow… as if the abyss in almost human form. It was standing in a hallway looking at us. I pretend I did not see it until it faded back into the shadows.
That night I had another dream, I am a saint and Anis was the one who was sent to sacrifice. Anis fought, escaped, and disappeared. Her friends Sirius, the Knight Deputy Commander, and Cepheus, the priest, went with the crusades in the second holy war to search for her. Tragically, they were defeated.
Laura was not there to help them. Patrick was not there to stall the abyss for them to gain some time. Van was not there to bargain with the Abyss and slow them down. It was utter tragedy. The version of me in that world… all I can do was cry and pray in vain in that decaying world.
Charles once again woke me up in the middle of my nightmare. He is quick to say many things to cheer me up. Saying stupid things like I was crying in my dreams because Vincent stole my cake during lunch or because I slip and fall face first in front of Archbishop Lennon. Stop it, Charles! It’s so embarrassing! I slap his head to try to silence him. This Biego is my Biego, a peaceful Biego.
I was unable to sleep anymore, so I took a walk with Charles. Laura saw me in her rounds and joined me walking. She and Charles was not the best of friends, but still, they were bickering and teasing each other as if it was nothing. The dark shadow appeared again, this time even Laura and Charles saw it. We rushed to chase it all the way into El Soltado however, we lost sight of it. Disappearing in the shadows.
We returned to El Templo, and met with Patric who was waiting for us. He looked like he saw a terrible nightmare. They talked about the dark shadow with red eyes, even Charles was talking with them. I can only listen.
2 days after, everyone was on high alert of that shadow. For my safety, they let me stay with Mitchell in her house. Even in there, I can’t escape from my dreams. This time I saw Anis, she had changed so much. Her wounded left eye and her left hand, but still Anis is strong and resilient. Like what Laura and Patrick is doing, she waged a lonely war. In her solitude and grief she fought on to protect what remains of what is dear to her.
She managed to save the last shards of Cepheus’s soul and sent him off. Cepheus managed to say his last regret and wish, Sirius is still alive but, he is lost inside the deepest parts of abyss. The executioner who received hope and despair continued on with her lonely war.
Part 2: Cries in the Dark Abyss (Executor Anis’s narrative)
It has been a few days since I received Cepheus’s last regret and wish. I pushed on even deeper in this abyss killing and destroying everything in my path. I have to save him. I have to find my friend. The last of my important people. Sirius, please wait for me.
These past few days ever since I freed Cepheus, I kept feeling a warm gaze looking over me every now and then. Just like the feeling of that saint who does nothing but pray and keep the holy barrier standing. If this world was not so twisted, we could have been friends too.
I think the name of the current saint is Berthe, she is beautiful and far more deserving for the saint title than me. She is very hard working and kind, to keep that holy barrier up for cruel strangers. Is that why, despite my efforts, she became the saint and I was to be sacrificed. It’s not her fault, it’s the fault of this twisted fate! This decay, rotting from the core of the abyss.
I have to go, I still need to find him. Dying alone is sad and lonely.
Ah! How many days has it been? I don’t care anymore… Sirius, let me see you already! STOP HIDING and COME OUT! Sissyus… pft. Today again I can feel the warmth of the saint’s gaze over me. It’s comforting… I’m sad, I’m lonely, I have to continue… even if it’s just short, please saint, please watch me and give me strength. Your warm gaze on me is nice… it makes the restless souls be calm. They are calmer with your warm gaze on me.
I spot a shadow… and I follow it.
Blood, lots of blood…
No… It can’t be. It’s not true! NO! I don’t believe it! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!
Why are you attacking me?!
If that’s what you want then… I’LL SLAP YOU TO YOUR SENSES!
SIRIUS!!! WAKE UP! STUPID, SISSYUS!
Remember, please!
Remember… the three of us are friends. Remember me.
Blood, my blood. Sirius… he stabbed me. It hurts… but… but… my chest hurts more… it hurts so much… It’s more painful than any wound I received from the swords.
The saint, the saint is here. She is trying to heal me. With the orders from the saint, they forced me away from this place, this shit hole of an abyss. From behind us we can hear cries of many kinds. Those brave knights, sacrificing themselves to save us. Soon they all fell silent. Sirius is just too strong for them.
His insanity, if only I came here sooner. If only nothing stalled me. If only… I was stronger. I… could I have saved him? Those were my last thoughts before sleep consumed me.
Part 3: Warmth in the Abyss of Insanity (Doom Slave’s narrative)
This red thing is warm. This red fluid is very warm. But it cools and harden too quickly… give me more of this warm thing. It’s cold… very cold… hm? What is that? There is a thing over there unlike anything I saw so far. Ah! I know, I know! It is very warm! At least I feel like it should be very warm.
This small thing is hard to hit! There is something about this thing, this small thing here that makes me warm inside. It’s a nice feeling. What is this? So warm. Finally! The red thing came out when I poked it, and another! And more! It was hard to make the red warm thing flow out. But… why? Why? Why? Why? Why? It… it’s not fun at all.
Hm…? OH~ MORE THINGS CAME! Lots of it! Let me enjoy the red things more! Oh! That small strange thing escaped. Oh well, I think this number is enough for today.
This is FUN!!! SO MANY WARM RED THING FLOWING OUT! Warm! Then it’s cold again.
Hmmmm~ If I follow that small strange thing will I be able to get more?
MORE! I want MORE!
Ku-ha-ha-ha-ha… HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
MORE! MORE! MORE!
(Stop… me… someo… ple…)
I slowly walked anticipating for more warmth. I reached this place and I can’t move further. This huge door is blocking me! I can’t cut it! That was when I felt some sort of warmth. Two of them. In the direction from where I came from. Oh! I remember a room filled with red crystals! Maybe the warmth I am looking for is there right now!
Wait for me!!! Don’t go anywhere!
Part 4: Broken Saint Inside the Broken Time (Saint Berthe’s narrative)
This girl, I must have her live. I need her. Please don’t die on me. We managed to arrive in the Cathedral, as usual it was full of cries for salvation.
“I call upon the light of Armonia! Please heal this girl and all of those who is in need of your help!”
With some of the holy water that I have kept she was healed and was now sleeping in her nightmares. If only, if only I was more powerful. If only I was better. If only I can live longer, even for just a day longer. We, no… this world does not have that much time. I need to do my final duty, our final duty. At least one. We all wish to save, at least one. Save anyone.
My tears won’t stop, I know this is near impossible… but I must. That side, that peaceful other side. The real side, the real world, the real me, the real us… they will be able to accept just one. This girl, Anis, this real Anis, the Saint Anis; we have spoken in our dreams. We talked about many things and each of us shared our vision of our world.
That was when we realized that this world is fake. This twisted time caused by the events that took place in Viron Island. This is what remains of that twisted and distorted time. Powered by the Abyss and maintained by the holy barrier. Viron came back to normal because the Abyss was not there but, it perpetuated here. So twisted. So sad. So cruel.
I have to smile and ease the people here, I cannot abandon them. It is my duty, I have to smile.
A day after we managed to save Anis, she woke up screaming from a nightmare. That black paladin of the Abyss was and is still her dear friend. Maybe if it’s him, he can go there… maybe if it’s him, he can go to the real world. He has the power of the Abyss, a huge shard of the twisted and fake Abyss. With that maybe we can save one, him. If it’s him then surely! Part of him is already in that world as a dark shadow. It is possible!
I told Anis everything I know and my plan to save that one person. She agreed to help me. We began our preparations in earnest. I silently apologized to everyone, I am unable to save you. We do not have any more time to waste. The limit of this fake world is near, my limit is near.
Alone in my room, with Saint Anis reflected in my mirror… I cough blood, more than usual. We saints know, my end is near. She was worried for me, for us. I am ready… despite my fears, despite the small wish to live longer, I have to do this. I can’t let him be trapped here for eternity.
We both know, this world is a fake… but because this world’s Sirius went into the deepest parts of the real Abyss, he became able to go into the real world. And if he’s here, when this world’s time is spent, he would be trapped in an abyss of loneliness for eternity. It’s just too cruel.
In our last stages of preparation, the last of our forces came down to Apostadero with me and the executioner Anis. I as the Saint encouraged people to wage a sad battle. If we can save one, then we can say that this world existed and we were definitely here. So please remember, be our living legacy to the real world. Be the proof that we have struggled in this twisted world. Do not let our existence and efforts go to waste.
Part 5: A Small Memorial Inside the Fading Light (Saint Anis’s narrative)
As a saint I am able to protect the ones who are important to me. As a saint I am able to help those in need. And now, my duty and power as a Saint will be needed. Not just me…
Berthe, Charles, Laura, Patrick, Van, Vincent, Sirius, and I head for El Adio together. The pioneering family is already there with an alchemist they asked for help from. Berthe and I kept having visions of another world in our dreams, the four of us were inside a small bubble dream we talked about saving the world that was impossible to save.
The pioneering family retrieved 5 pieces of this thing they called time crystal. They said that they found this all over El Soltado and El Adio. They told me they found a 6th and saw the contents of it. They told us that this must happen as we are gathered here this very day.
The alchemist they brought along activated the time crystals one by one. They flew out of the pioneering family’s hand and circled at a strange, mirror like, black Armonium Ore in front of us. When the last one that was activated, the whole area glowed a fiery red so bright that we were all blinded. It was only me and Berth who saw thru the bright red light.
Beyond the red light was them, a world with nothing but a small white dot inside an abyss of black. Saint Berthe and Executioner Anis was putting up a brave front against an enemy more powerful than they are. The others already vanished in their faded time leaving the 3 of them remaining inside a small holy barrier.
The version of me that was a fallen executioner fought desperately the friend she once cherished and still do. The saint who is now so weak was in tears, she is unable to hold the holy barrier for long. The mute Berthe beside me joined the battle and I too tried to support the falling saint. The four of us finally were able to meet in one space in a small shard of time, the 2 saints and the 2 fallen saints.
The pioneering family and our comrades from the real world finally arrived in this small marble of white. With all we had, we mustered to pull the black paladin to the real side as the bright light faded. We barely managed to escape back to the real world.
Now the only thing lingering of that world, inside a strange black Armonium ore, were the fading illusions of Saint Berthe and Executioner Anis. That version of us held each other’s hand and looked at us, looked at him with lonely and smiles. With their fading time they said their last gratitude and their request to be remembered even if they and their world was just a fabrication.
Now with the abysmal paladin, the slave of doom is here in reality. It became quite clear that his strength is no laughing matter. We fought him and will all of the blue Armonium ore and holy water I have his power decreased. The pioneering family took out a small green orb and threw it to the paladin. When he tried to slice it, magic exploded from the orb weakening him enough for us to subdue him.
That was when the black shadow, the shadow that was always tailing us, returned to the Paladin of the Abyss. He collapsed in the arms of the pioneering family, sleeping almost peacefully like a little child.
Part 6: The Real World and the Two Knights (Sirius’s narrative)
What is all this?! How can they keep this a secret from me for so long!?
I kept it inside. I am unable to ask. They told me that this unconscious person with red eyes was the version me that was inside that distorted world. Only this one was saved due to his connection with the real world’s Abyss. Van said that, in his theory, with his death in that world, Navas needed another one for her plans. The Fake world’s Navas chose the version of me in that world, for her plans but even there she failed.
Still it is hard to believe that such a thing could happen. Who, in this world, is cruel enough to make this tragedy?! And who or what, in the world, is powerful enough to do so? I sighed, nothing I do will make thing any easier.
We wait in El Soltado for this paladin to wake up. It would be a disaster if he wakes up and goes on a rampage in the middle of a populated area. We only need to wait a few more minutes for him to wake up. The pioneering family instantly shoves some warm soup in his mouth. They were making this special meat stew just for this?
That crazy alchemist was laughing her inside out while saying that the best way to tame a man was through his stomach. AND IT WORKED! Weird thing is that… he smiled like a little child who was given candy. Anis and Berthe both elbowed each of my side and Anis said, “Yup, it’s Sirius alright.”
Many of the others laughed. With the warm soup helped calm the version of me that is from the distorted world. We were still on the edge though, he was still a ticking bomb waiting to explode. But it did not explode, instead I gained a little brother whose mind is that of a violent 4 year old.
We were already about to exit El Templo when this new little brother of mine started shedding tears. And he said that there is a warm feeling inside him. So warm that it hurts. I said that maybe his heart still remembers what his head has forgotten. He promised to himself that he will try to remember and keep the memories of that other world.
And of course, the Sirius of another world cannot live with the same name as I am, so the pioneering family gave him the name Siegenite. It is the name of a metallic mineral they saw in the new continent. With that he joined the pioneering family in their journey but first he needs a shower, he smells of rotten blood. This is so anti-climactic but Anis and Berthe seemed so happy with that. They were able to save this one from an eternity of loneliness.
We did worry if he will ever regain his memories… would he regret? Would he go more insane? Would he live his life for the sake of those who was not saved? Who knows? Let’s just keep our hopes up and remember that once upon a time, a whole alternate world existed.
The Syndicate Series by Okasamyn 