Crossworld Between Harmony: Nightmare's Ascension

CHAPTER 2

Geos stood alone in the bleak and open world, lost between the mourning dawn that met such warmly rays. His body was numbed from all over and he couldn't remember why he was here. Lying in the riverbed of a random forest, he struggled to get back on his feet, but he couldn't. He was too weak to move.

The memories were but a distant blur and eventually the young Geos came to realize when he felt something in his hand. He then stared at the object of what came to be some sort of badge. The longer he looked at the marvel piece the more the world made sense to him.

Geos knew greatly what it was and every recruit that was eager to join the Partishan must learn to recognize the seal of authority. And in his hand he held such that. The Patriot seal, the authority of the Partishan and, to almost, the entire military empire itself.

Geos had to admit that he had never seen or touch the Partiot seal up close before. What a sight it was to behold. It shined in a mixture of gold and blue untampered gems, the rarest in the world. In another treat it was also the first time that he had ever seen a genuine gem without being seduced or possessed by a mysterious entity from within.

In the humes (human) world, the jewels in the world were the "Shard of Hearts", cursed by a strange force from an extinct race. Theories explained that the ancient race were dissolved into gems when they bound the embodiment of nature. But others, who had a different mind, proclaimed that the ancient race had failed in the attempt and in doing so, the four embodiments of fire, earth, water and air bestowed with their elemental gifts, but punished them as well by transferring their souls into fragile gems, forever imprisoning them into an existence that was far worse than death.

There were only a few gems that remained unaffected by the soul's descent. Those who claimed a pure, unpossessed gem were considered to be the luckiest person in the world and that it cost a tremendous fortune to purchase one. Yet there may be an unlikely chance that the ancient souls could linger to all of the gems and that the few, that everyone thought genuine and pure, to be 'sleeping' in dormant. Whatever the reason and whatever the truth, we still have yet to find out.

It was an instant that Geos remembered everything of his experience, the terrible monsters that assaulted the group, the ruin stones of fortress Ironcloud and the gruesome encounter of a black equine and the hooded stranger. The next thing he recalled was being stabbed and thrown off from the balcony. It was a miracle that he was alive, but the words from the hooded stranger still crept into his thought.

The nightmare is about to begin

Those sentence brought much fear to Geos. The black equine was indeed a threat to the entire world and the hooded stranger was the conductor that shape into reality. These two unlikely couple could bring change to the empire's fate and he grimly shakened on what might happen if they succeed. He didn't know why he was spared while so many were suitable for the job. It would be much more easier than to end him there in Ironcloud so he wouldn't return to his cynical officers and their uneasy glare.

Geos couldn't think straight. His eyes were aching by the sunray light and head throbbing of the worse pain he had ever experience. For some strange reason, the sun was somehow hurting him. It would only take a moment for Geos to get used to the light, but frankly, he was incredibly unease as he rose up for the nearest shade.

When Geos looked down on his chest he saw that the wound where he was stabbed had miraculously healed itself, minded by the blood stains on his military attire. By then after a long march through the forest, he then emerged from exit to find himself staring at the distant city that loomed in the horizon. He was glad to see signs of civilization and descended down the hill toward straight to safehaven.

====

At the precise time of noon, a dignified individual with stylize clothes walked gracefully in the city of Halver. The busy streets was crawling with carts, wagons and many other passersby in their usual, carefree business. On a particular day, the sun shined brightly in the city and radiated a scorching heat upon the populace.

The dignified individual shrugged off from the heat that preceded him to the prison entrance. The sentry that stationed by the gate quickly noticed the oncoming individual and gave him a salute. "Goodsir, welcome. I didn't expect you to come here personally," he said nervously. "How may I be able to serve you?"

The gentlemen wasted no time and spoke with authority. "I'm here for the person by the name of Geos Vaarka and that he's been held up in the prison. Am I correct?"

"Indeed, goodsir. We caught him at the outskirts of the city and he look fairly weak when we saw him. We have done the best we can to nurse him back to health and be glad to know that he is recovering as we speak. Fairly, I'm surprise that you know of this person. A Vaarka, out of all people," he snorted. "A blighter like him should be wipe out in the face of existence."

"You let me worry about that, but I hope that you good reason why he's contained here in all places."

"Truly goodsir, that Geos fellow is a thief and a liar. Saying to himself that he was part of a group in some investigation. Not to mention that he was holding the Patriot seal in his hand when we discover this, and his name."

"Hmm, interesting. I am here to retrieve the seal if possible, and also what pray tell who command him to the prison."

"That would be our watch-chief, Ovi. But surely, what does he had got to do with..."

"You tell him at this moment that watch-chief Ovi is withdrawn from his position and is reassign in service to the Ashen Plains." Behind the gentlemen, a stage coach suddenly arrived with two soldiers coming out from the doorway. The guard looked shocked by the outburst as the gentleman continued.

"You have detained a valuable man whose knowledge about the happenings of Ironcloud is of utmost important to the country and that your force have interrupt the Savior's command and wishes. Make no mistake that Geos was assign to the task and whatever you think about him I care little less about it.

"To the ending, get your blighted arse off from my sight and tell this Ovi fellow to start packing, now!" the guard quickly saluted to the command and scurried inside. The gentleman annoyingly sighed at the idiocy of the city force and soon entered the carriage. He then glanced at the two soldiers. "Bring him to me. I want to see him at this instant."

====

A beam of sunlight crept through the bar window as the cold, miserable man cringed from the rayful of light. Geos rested on an uncomfortable bed in his tiny space of room and dwelled for a short time in his thoughts about the current state. He was lucky enough that he wasn't executed on the spot when he told them about his task in Ironcloud.

It was also fortunate for Geos when a travelling merchant spotted him along the way. The merchant generously offered him a ride...with some expense for the trouble and when he met the city-force at the outskirt of Halver he told them who he was and his purpose.

Foolishly being honest, Geos should have just lied in the first place as the watch-chief claimed him as a criminal and locked him away into the dungeon. It wasn't bad that Geos lived in the prison. He'd enjoy the solitude rather than over-bickering officers.

Alone in the cell, Geos could hear the noises from the other inmates, yelling and banging the bars with whatever they could use. One particular group were calling out to a canine with the key to the cells in its mouth. They were whistling, offering and, almost to guess, begging for the dog to move a muscle. But the dog didn't and just sat there obediently in silent. (Reference to Pirates of the Caribbean)

Geos chuckled at the inmates attempt and already his eyes began to grow heavy and closed his eyes. Sleep didn't brought any comfort either for the restless man. Nightmares poured into his mind, twisting between facts and fiction. The crackling howls of the blackened hollows, the painful screams of his entire group and the inevitable glare from the dark.

From the blackness, Geos was consumed into nothingness, entangled and fettered in chain. The hooded stranger was right in front of him and revealed his distorted face. Geos saw a monster, with eyes that flickered in polish white. Along with a crooked smile that was beyond to describe of how mad the stranger was, another accomplice emerged from a cloud of smoke.

The horrid equine appeared into his nightmare that hailed with an evil laughter. Eyes of a killer, a tyrant and everything that fouled altogether into one single form. Geos tried to struggle to break from his chains, but it was no use, he was trapped like a rat. The equine gazed tentatively of its victim as the paled-eye stranger readied for the kill.

Geos snapped eyes wide open from his perilous nightmare, dripping in cold sweat. His hands was shaking out of control as he tried to calm his panicky terror. "Ancestors please let my blight shall end. I dare not want to see these horrible things in my sleep.

"Why must I be tortured? I have done nothing wrong for I am just and true. If my action lies to my punishment then I promise I'll do better. Please, oh please, let my nightmares be end. I want to go home. I want to go home of my peaceful life."

Geos then tightly grabbed the bars, shaking violently and barking out for release. If his wrong was telling an honest truth then why bother to be decent and fair and just. Why must he remained in his cell and suffered because of his duty? Why was he born as a Vaarka, which the very name brought hate and discontent? He cursed his uncle, his parents and to everyone around him. He'd wished to fade from existence.

Anger blinded his young heart. Geos was consumed to his hate and misery that all hope for ever to be free from tradition suddenly waned into nothingness. Imprison like he was some-sort of criminal, he felt his perfect world came crashing down with no chance for redemption. He'd thought for sure that returning the Patriot seal would bring honor to his family. Oh how fool he was to believe.

Surrendered back to his bed-seat, Geos swore for revenge against the monster that claimed his team and his dear friend, Maurice. He would pay any price to succeed his goal and that his moment was upon him when he heard footsteps upstairs.

Two armored soldiers descended into the dungeon that leave many of the inmates, and Geos, in total silent. They scoured the room until they found what they were looking for and approached to the inmate. Namely, Geos. One of the soldier seized the keys from the dog and petted on the head as he unlocked the prison cell.

The soldier stared at the inmate. "Geos Vaarka, correct?"

Geos nodded, shaken to what he saw. Embroiled in their gray suit of armor, the Soulus guards presented him right in front of his cell and was surprised to meet them in the flesh.

The Soulus guards are more similar to the royal guards, second to the venerable 'electrical titans' who slumbered in the capital. Acted as investigator, protector and crowd controller, they guard the Soulus council and their reputable nobles with great conviction from any known threat and would dispose any threat with great haste in order to achieve security.

To be recruited in the Soulus guard they must at least have several requirements to enter the group. Either to have a decade experience in warfare, possible links to prestigious sources or otherwise being born lucky, the chance to be in their ranks is considered as the highest of honours and many criminals would cringe in fear when facing them.

Geos gazed at the insignia that was engraved in the soldier's metal plate. The insignia was made of gold. It depicted of a large avian bird with wings covered in embrace and its head drooped down, sleeping with two swords crossed near to its neck. A golden halo was above the creature’s head, a sign of retribution and forgiveness.

"Well, are you coming or what?" the Soulus guard asked.

Geos snapped out from staring at the golden insignia and stepped out from his cell. "Where are you taking me?"

"No question," the second firmly replied. "Now move."

The atmosphere was very intense and uneasy in the dungeon. The inmates didn't mutter a single word and remained ever so silent in the present of the Soulus guards. Geos could see very well through their expression. Some stricken with overwhelming fear and some with a deep and unrelenting hate that their cheeks turned boiling red. Many were condemned in a life of prison thanks to the city force and the Soulus guards. None of them had ever forget. There was without a doubt that Geos felt a cold chill when walking side by side with the guards, but he remained collective and followed them upstairs.

Up at the ground floor Geos heard a commotion from the watch-chief office. He couldn't make of the words that was coming from the room, but sounded like there was storm brewing inside.

"This is an atrocity and a loads of horsebull," Slamming the door open, former watch-chief Ovi was dragging his luggage and darted in direction towards to the three who was unaware by their present. "That blighted bastard thinks he could tell us what to do. Just you wait and see, some day he'll be..." As he was about to finish his sentence he quickly became silent when he noticed the guards and the inmate.

The guards watched closely on Ovi's movement, gradually passing through them and into the exit. They could feel the intense glare that was towards upon Geos and suspected right away that Ovi solely blamed the rookie for his blight. In all out of sense, the guards were glad to see Ovi left. The man was despised greatly for the trouble he'd cause with the citizens and guards alike.

As Geos saw the watch-chief left the premises, feeling a great unease from his glare, he hastily added to the guards. "If this has something to do with what I said from last night. I'm speaking the truth."

"We know." They simply replied.

Geos blinked. “Then where are you taking me?”

"No more question. Keep moving."

But Geos wanted some answers, the occurrence that surrounded the guards and his destination. Were they here to bring him to command or the council perhaps? He wanted to ask, but it proved to be futile as the guards weren't willing to respond. There was nothing that he could other than to follow at the time being and hoped for the better it wouldn't be worse than the dungeon.

Gladful to be out from his cell, Geos couldn't handle of the random noises that the inmates were making. There was one crazed person who claimed that he was being watched by an invisible audience and that everything around him was make-believe fiction.

It was a crazy thought, that someone, at this very moment, was watching a play of a perilous adventures up until to the ending conclusion. That would be just silly, even for Geos, to imagine of him as the main character of the story. Unless it rained chocolate rain then he would truly believe it so.

====

As Geos exited from his coldly bars and the ominous security of prison, at an instant hit, he felt rather dazed all of a sudden. Like his strength was sapped from out of him. The sun was unbelievably a scorching heat today, but surely it didn't mean anything to Geos as he was used to the sort of temperatures.

Emerged in the open rays from the sun, the uneasiness quickly settled upon Geos, feeling the heavy burden weighing upon his shoulder. He could feel his own heart beating faster and his breathing slightly frantic.

The guards quickly took notice of the heavy breathing that was coming from Geos. One guard then asked. "Are you alright?"

But Geos shrugged of these strange ailments and persisted with a forcible smile. "Yes, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Must be the food they've been serving."

The guards smirked amusingly and resumed their advance. Geos could very well hear the guards, speaking at the city-force and their watch-chief. Apparently, speaking more about Ovi's early reassignment duties.

Geos stumbled upon a brown stagecoach with the guards willingly opening the side-door. They briefly told him that a special guest was eager to meet the survivor of the Ironcloud investigation and was interest of the report. Geos swiftly obliged, but only he wanted to get some shade from the light.

As Geos entered the coach, he glimpsed right away of a well-dressed person, wearing a blue coat and a red scarf. "Ah, Geos Vaarka, good afternoon," the gentleman's tone was pleasant well-mannered, raising his black top hat. "Please, please, come take a seat. We have much to discuss about."

Geos sat at the other side of the seat as the stagecoach was set into motion. The two guards from outside were left behind and fadely departed into the streets, returning to whatever their regular duty was. Unknown by the course of destination, Geos instantly distrusted the neighbor passenger and was ever so suspicious of his intent. The question that came to Geos mind right now if the gentleman was indeed a friend. Geos made his last attempt with the city-force and didn't turn out for the better.

The gentleman looked at the window for the moment, lighting up his wooden pipe and blew a ring of smoke. "You don't mind of me smoking will you?"

Geos didn't mind at all and nodded.

"Splendid, splendid." With another huffed of smoke, the gentleman placed the wooden pipe. His tone grew serious. "Alright, first thing in order of business, an apology would be suffice. Forgive me of what the city-force has done to you. I hope they haven't treated you harshly. If only I knew that you were here in Halver I would pick you up like the breezes of wind and when I heard that you were in jail I was deeply appalled because of it. That slob of a watch-chief, bringing stuff about you as a thief and liar all because of your name. Bah, labbergits I say and the blight goes to him. But I guess you're wondering who I am I suppose. Foolish me of making such a long comment. Allow me to introduce myself," he then raised his hand. "The name is Deshu Mos, councillor member of the Soulus empire and head of the commerce trade. At your service."

Geos was utterly flabbergasted. The Soulus council. The very men that managed an entire country, and he was sitting right next to one. Oh, how he was a fool to placed his suspicion of a high and distinct man, whose credit served years in an effort to help the business links across the territories of the empire and its citizens.

The Soulus council is comprised out of four members, each with the task and responsibilities that needed to be carried out. Four important titles to be named was war, peace, commerce and entertainment. These held their own right as daily importance to keep in order from within, and out

"Geos Vaarka, at yours." Geos said, shaking firmly of one of the most powerful man in the state.

Deshu smiled to the man and returned to his pipe. "Right, now with the introduction come to pass." He inhaled and puffed a ring of smoke. "Please, tell me right now. What in blazes happened over there?"

====

The trip was long to whatever Geos was going and he had plenty of time to explain of their investigation in Ironcloud. Geos told Deshu about the ruinous state of the once, mighty fortress and the slain defenders that were converted into blackish forms of hollowed husks. From every detail to the library and the search of their escape, Geos explained it all except of his own. He wasn't sure if it was wise to tell about his condition, the ability to see through things that no one could see, since the empire detested Hartens and other gifted beings like the Scarlet for example.

As the explanation went on Deshu was absorbed by this new information and was deeply concerned of these new monsters that Geos called "Hollows". But what struck him the most was when Geos mentioned about the violinist. "A violinist you say? Have you got a good look of this upstart?"

Geos shook his head. "I have not, goodsir. He hides behind the robes and I did not get a good look at the person except for his paled eyes."

"A chance that this vagabond must be blind. Anything else that you know of this man?"

"No. I haven't got the slightest bit. But he said to give a message to any person who is in charge of the operation."

The nightmare is about to begin.

Deshu tremendously felt disturbed by the message. "What a dreadful fellow. To say such claim when the first annual festival is coming up and soon. This pursuer of chaos must be dealt with and fast before he could bring much harm to citizens of the state. I'm quite however unease that such a man could conjure the powers to raise 'our' fallen soldiers into belittle slaves for his fruition. The world is truly a scary place."

"Yes, indeed, goodsir, but there something else that you should know." Geos added.

Deshu settled for another smoke. "Very well, clarify what you discover then."

Geos was hesitant, feeling that the councillor would find this all but nonsense folly. With some slight of courage, he found the words to speak. "Back at the library while we were searching for an escape. I discover something in darkness. Something new and horrible." He silently gulped, hoping that the councillor was merciful to what he was about to say. "There was a creature that's been watching our every move. I suspect that it was watching from the very beginning when we enter Ironcloud. You will find this strange and odd, but what I encounter was--"

Before Geos could finish his last sentence, the coach suddenly came to a halt. The side door was opened by a Soulus guard and a clear, bright light radiated inside that irritate Geos eyes. "Ah at last, we have arrive." Deshu said, emptying the burnt leaves from his wooden pipe. "Your explanation will have to wait. If you please follow me."

As the councillor exited from the coach, Geos gradually followed, rubbing his aching eyes. The overwhelming light from the sun died down as Geos stumbled upon a large and luxurious mansion. "What is this place?" Geos warily asked. "Where are you taking me?"

"So much question. So much curiosity of youth these days." Deshu chuckled. "Don't ask anymore . Come now, follow me. There is something that I must show you. But be warn though. You'll find her a bit...different that you normally meet and there's nothing wrong if you feel startle because of it."

====

It was soon then later on that Geos realized that this magnificent place belonged to the councillor and he was considered to be a guest in his humble abode. With all such splendor of decorations, it wouldn't be surprised that councillor had purchased only the finest to fit his taste.

As Geos wandered through Deshu's mansion, it became clear that the style of nobility reminded him of his home when he was just a little kid. The only major difference today was that they didn't live in the mansion anymore, but rather, a common house, with raggedy rooms and a raggedy neighborhood. It was plainly grim and disgusting.

Geos followed behind Deshu where he quickly caught glimpse of the amazing paintings that hung from each side of the wall. The portraits that signified the house members of the family; elegance, nobility and grace. It also pictured several of the most famous and diabolical icons in known history of the empire.

Avis Toren, the great savior and founder of a nation, who'd saved countless lives from those darken days so long ago.

Paris Lere, a hero and respected general, whose tactical genius alone thwarted an invasion against the large tribe from the east.

Sullivan Dever, a revered beast-slayer, standing on top of a large vicious wolf from the frozen north. One of many of his perilous hunt.

The list went on and on until Geos could no longer remember the names behind the painting, but each individual deserved the respect and admiration of how their action had changed the world. Their long line of legacy that considered to be the most important and powerful people in their era.

"I take it that you must be famish from your trip?" Deshu began. "The food in the prison is no place for you. The constant idea of stale bread and water, bah, the blights to the city force. There should be a law of such things and treat all with the sense luxury and importance. Wouldn't you agree with idea?"

"Does that mean the prisoners as well?"

Deshu laughed heartily. There was something eerie in his laughter. "The prisoners deserve the very best there is. The fine respect of confidence and an open understanding between each other. It is why we strive to make peace with our monsters in hope for a day without the thoughts of death and destruction. And we struggle much hard than the soldiers in front. Yet, once more, I'm talking nonsense. You must be greatly bored from what I'm saying."

"I disagree, goodsir. It is very inspiring that you want to change the world." Geos said. "But, there's something that I must speak to you about--"

"Hut-tut-tut, there is another time for that. First things first, we eat, we meet our guest and then we talk." Deshu opened the doors to find themselves in the dining room. He then rang the service bell that was nearby where several men appeared in the room, carrying large silver plates and placing them at the long table.

Geos was then escorted to a seat and sat on the opposite side where Deshu Moss was sitting. "I am grateful with the offer, goodsir, but I simply cannot." He humbly protested, but when the servants opened the lid his eyes simply glued at the bountiful of food. All the roast pork, sizzling lemon fish and a pinch of delicious desserts was a feast to behold.

"I'll take it by the way you're saliving on the table means that's a yes then?" And with the coming conclusion, Geos gathered the food into his plate and munched down to his delight. Deshu gladly smiled and lighted his wooden pipe. "Eat as much as you like. We still have much work to be done after this. I hope you like seconds."

====

There was enough food to feed an entire party and Geos was stuffed with great delight. Unable to fit all those delectable meal into his belly, Geos took some snack and packed into his pocket in case if he were to be hungry. Who could tell that councillors would be so generous and so decent as a host.

After a long and satisfying lunch, Geos followed the councillor into another area where he was lead into his study room. It was quite enormous for just any study room and felt more like a library. Although small compared to fortress Ironcloud's grand extension of volumes of secrets and forbidden stories, it was much considered being called just a mini-library with personal and recorded transactions of the councillor's regular business trips.

The context of books that neatly tidied and organized on the shelves meant that councillor Deshu was favorable with his private collection. In importance, Deshu was mostly intrigued to lost knowledge that faded during the 'Brighten Times'.

The Brighten Times, or the Singe of Years, was not meant of a glorious golden age brought by the people or discoveries or any new invention, but rather the opposite if that you will and it was considered to be the darkest days of humes (human) era. More than a thousand years ago, before the birth and emergence of the Empire, there were other kingdoms that expand and cultivated across the land until the dreaded beings called the Attreans invaded their land and scarred the world forever.

Many kingdoms were lost on the years that followed, but eventually they managed to drive out the invaders. All their knowledge, all their progressive inventions, were either burned, lost or destroyed upon the Attrean's wake and many scholars and adventurers today had strived to seek the remains of the kingdom's long lost cultures. So far, some succeeded to find these ancient artifacts and some ended in gruesome demise.

At that moment, the door shut tight from Geos behind as the councillor sat down to his seat. He then checked the papers, probably the latest deals and transaction from everyday merchants, and sighed briefly with a emotionless expression. "Now that we are here, without the interruption from the outside world, you may speak to your hearts content on what you want to ask. If this information is relating to the incident on Ironcloud then it is vital that we hear the rest of the detail in privacy."

Geos stuttered for a bit, looking straight at the councillor's cold, calculative personality. Was he the same person that Geos met at the carriage? And what did he meant by 'we'? Geos didn't saw anyone else except the councillor. "Understood, goodsir. I have additional information about the investigation in Ironcloud." He said, slightly bit hesitant at the councillor's glare. "But I must admit it's a bit queer in my part when I have to say to you. You may think this to be...laughable."

"Laughable you say." Deshu chuckled, not feeling very sympathetic. "If this is quite laughable and that you are avoiding this new information because of it then I would have left you in that prison to rot for the rest of your life, but clearly, if this is laughable then I have nothing to laugh about. You are here for a reason and now I demand you tell me what else you saw in that crumbling stone of a structure."

"O-of course." Geos gulped. "After we were attack by the fallen soldiers, we managed to barricade ourselves at the Savior shrine and me and Maurice headed down to the great library in search for the hidden doorway that we could escape from that horrid place. We were hopeful that we might find it, but unfortunately we were wrong. Our fate was sealed and we were trapped with no chance of escape."

Just as Geos explained the further details of his gruelling experience, a shadow crept from just behind the corner, staring at the man with its purplish glow.

"It was horrible, goodsir. To see our own comrades be turned into horrid blights and against us. Yet, at the library, while I was exploring the area, I suddenly stumbled upon a book with the title called 'The Other Dreams and Nightmare' and when I open a page it was completely blank. I thought that I have fake book or something, but clearly that wasn't the issue as I felt suddenly heavy when I turned the last page of the book.

"Something was there in the library, goodsir and it wasn't a humes (human) or the monsters outside from the shrine." Councillor Deshu was slightly questioned to where it was going and lighted once more his wooden pipe. "My mind drifts into emptiness, a sudden lightness that I am unable to think. And at that moment I quickly hear a feminine whisper, a command if you will, telling me to look up. I follow of what she said and there I saw...a black creature."

Deshu arched an eyebrow, placing away his wooden pipe. The shadow from behind was intrigued by this and advanced closer to Geos.

"It had dark, implex wings, stretching out like it was some sort of a malevolence of death. And I could be right if considering that she was an animal from equine origin."

The shadow gradually walked towards much closer as Deshu noticed his eccentric guest.

"Eyes like a cat and body as dark as the night. It had a horn from her forehead that mystically glowed with radiance power. I have never felt so afraid in my life to this day and that the only thing I could say..."

Deshu and the shadow guest waited for the response, verily interested of what Geos had to say next.

And what Geos said was something...different.

"She was the most beautiful creature that I have ever laid eyes upon."

The response utterly shocked Deshu as well as his guest. It was then that Geos heard a scream and a loud collapsing sound, and when he turned around he saw the bookshelves that tumbled inward and books that turned into a large pile of mess. How in the world did that happen? But after a closer look, Geos began to saw movement at the pile. "What in Savior's might?"

Deshu groaned and briefly sighed. He scratched his head in annoyance of the disruption and approached the large pile. "How many times do I have to tell you to watch your step." He said, mightily displeased. "Do you know how long it would take for me to sort these books out? Probably take me days or so to fix them and I have not the time to do such things."

Geos paused to hear someone under the pile. He couldn't make out of the words, but it sounded apologetic by the mess that it had caused. It was only a brief moment of unease silence before the councillor laughed in amusement. His hands clapped for an applause which slightly surprised Geos. "My dear fellow, you sure have a way to make somebody laugh. I take it that you have learn from your friend of yours." He slightly shook his head and extended his reach into the pile. "Come on, up you go. You don't want Mr. Geos be waiting for you. Your excessiveness to books and curiosity shall be the death of you if you keep this up."

The voice under the pile seemed compliant of the councillor's comment. It then countered back with a harsh statement that made the councillor burst once more into laughter. Geos didn't care much of what the person had said that made the councillor so cheery all of a sudden. The only thing important right now was who was under the pile of books.

Geos suspected right away that it was the guest that Deshu was referring to. It wasn't convincing that a person who had the opportunity to be summoned by a councillor--since councillors were relatively busy with their daily duties and no time for others--would be so clumsy to knocked down the bookshelves and made an irritable mess. Geos would have thought that the guest under the pile of books would be decent and professional in front of a powerful councillor.

Yet even so, in a strange and bizarre sight, councillor Deshu just laughed it off like nothing has happened. They were more like...friends at that matter and Geos couldn't help but to be curious of this mysterious fellow. Where did this person came from?  Military? Different faction of state? A secret organization, like the Partishan, for example? Again, he felt like he was getting nowhere with all these unanswered question and he was frustrated because of it.

The councillors are organized groups of leaders, selected by the Savior, who took responsibility in order to bring peace and harmony from within their nation and foreign threat. To those that bore such title, the life as a councillor is a brutal and challenging position as they are targeted by noble elites in gain the position of councillor title.

Everywhere they go the councillors had to tread caution to their surrounding, unable to tell where or whom to trust. Friends, families and even a visit to a royal physician would lead to a quick and terrible end. Although security has been doubled, the councillors were not safe and was lead to a lonely life. The only people that the councillors would trust were their Savior and the Electrical Titans, known as Exorcists, who kept a vigil watch in the distant.

As Deshu finally yanked the guest out from the pile Geos was about to get his answer. And the first thing he saw was that the councillor was holding, was a hoof. A violet hoof in correction and was utterly shocked of the outcome. Not only that it wasn't a person, but rather, in a fearful revelation, was an animal.

In the right sense of term, a pony.

"I...I..." Geos tried to respond but the only thing he did was staring at the violet pony. Flabbergasted and shocked.

Deshu amusingly smiled, noticing the reaction that was coming from Geos face. Ironic that he would do the same thing when he first met the pony so long ago. To thought that Deshu Moss, one of the four powerful councillors in the empire, would be startled and afraid by an energetic, determined and charismatic young girl like her, for example.

"I take it that this is the second to be shock by this unlikely guest." Deshu said, sounding slightly apologetic. "Yet we cannot let fear and uneasiness guide us now shall we? Yet an introduction must be in order to continue this charming procedure." He then turned at the violet mare. "If you may, my dear."

The violet mare nodded at the councillor and stepped into the spotlight. She slightly coughed and cleared her throat. "Thank you, Mr. Moss." She then stared at the frightened young soldier with considerate eyes. "Hello there, my name is Twilight Sparkle, or to my alias term, Lumena. Apprentice to Princess Celestia in the kingdom of Equestria and temporary ambassador. How do you do?"

Geos continued to eye at the talking pony a minute further until finally, with tremendous amount of stress, he collapsed and knocked out cold.

Deshu arched an eyebrow at the collapsed soldier before staring at Twilight, who was irritated by this. "Hmm, this complicates things."

Twilight sadly sighed. "Indeed."